The Mohawk Valley. Its Legends and Its History

Citation preview

The Mohawk Valley Its

Legends and Its History

WfMa/Reid

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY J.

Arthur Maney

NEW YORK AND LONDON G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS ?rbe

fcntchcrbocl^ec igoi

press

Copyright,

W.

Ube

iqoi

MAX REID

Iknichcrbocfcer pteee.

View

lE>orls

TO

CHRISTINE

WHO

HAS GIVEN THE SYMPATHY AND ASSISTANCE IN

THE PREPARATION OF THIS VOLUME

THAT ONLY A LOVING DAUGHTER CAN OFFER THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED

PREFACE

THE

Mohawk

Valley, with

stirring scenes

its

with the French and Indian wars and the

connected

War

of the

Revolution, has been sadly neglected by historians

and writers of

Yet within

fiction.

its

borders have

been enacted tragic events and heroic endeavors that helped materially in crowning with victory the efforts and sacrifices of the patriots of the Revolution.

There

is

no section

of pleasant valley-land, of lake-and for-

est-dotted wilderness, of rushing streams and cultivated

fields,

east of the Mississippi, that surpasses in its wealth of scenery this bit of the

should be

Empire

rich

It is natural

State.

From Schenectady

to

Rome, every town has

story of the early wars; every bit of

The book,

of prehistoric legend.

But such

record of oft-told tales. scattered.

read

TJic

Some

Last of the MoJiicans and

heard from the

villages,

who

retell

after

all, is

romantic its

were widely

American boy who has

companion

stories

gray-haired citizens of

lips of

wealth

only a written

tales hitherto

its

historical.

;

some

many

the tales their grandfathers told them of

and Indian massacres; and the musty archives

of every Valley

town have

their

own

and the struggles of early border This work deals years 1609 and 1780. figure

its

woodland has

are familiar to every

may be

frontier fights

that such a land

romance both legendary and

in

prominently

in

story of war and sacrifice

life.

with the period embraced between the

Many

characters of national interest

the book, and

its

illustrations

have been

Preface

vi

carefully selected so that the reader see, the

not only read

but

of,

more notable landmarks that remain.

In compiling this

individuals and

and take

may

this

work

many

I

have become indebted to

many

publications for information received,

opportunity to gratefully acknowledge assistance

from the following-named persons and documents:

Augustus John Fiske, bert

C. Buell,

W. M. Beauchamp, A. N.

Prof. E. N. Horsford,

Wemple, A. R.

Grider,

Gen. John

S.

Ruttenber, Clark, Gil-

Hon. Stephen Sanford, Cyrus

B.

W.

L.

Chase, Washington Frothingham, Rev.

W.

E.

Grififis,

Stone's Life of Sir Williavi JoJinson, Beers's History of Mont-

'Lossmgs Field-Book of the Revolution, Colonial History of Nezv York, Documentary History of Neiv York, Francis Parkman, Gen. James Grant Wilson, Prof. Jonathan

gomery, B.

J.

David Hutchi; J. Wynne, S. J. Reuben Gold Thwaites' Jesuit Relations ; Victor Hugo Paltsits, Lenox Library; New York State Library, F. W. Halsey, and a large number of friends Pearson's Schenectady Patent

;

son, Library of Congress;

that want of space will not permit

me

to enumerate.

W. Max Reid. Amsterdam, N. Y. Oct. 21, I go I.

— —

1

CONTENTS PAGE I

II

The Mythical City of Norumbega

I

The Mohawks

5

Ill— Journal of Arent Van Curler

19

Schonowe or Schenectady

49

IV

V VI Vll

VIII

IX

X XI

Immigration Palatines

and

Settlement

Count Frontenac Valley

of

the

....

Queen Anne's Chapel

Sir

.

and

William Johnson

....

the Old Town of Amsterdam

XIII

98 113 123

.

155

The Last Battle between the Mohawks and Mohicans. The Famous Butler Mansion

XII

84

Mohawk

the

Guy Park and Fort Johnson In

77

181

Johnstown,

New York

193

Some Accounts of the Notorious Butler Family

XIV Legend of

XV The

21

Mrs. Ross

Joseph Brant of Romance and of Fact

240 259

Contents

viii CHAPTER

PAGE

XVI— Incidents

Relating to the Early History OF Amsterdam and the Mohawk Valley

XVII XVIII

Canagera, One of the Mohawks' Castles

298

Early Industries

321

XIX— Old

Indian Names and Sites— The Legend

OF Little Falls

XX— Canajoharie — The XXI

275

Oriskany

344

Hills of Florida

.

376 411

ILLUSTRATIONS. Page

Mabie House, Rotterdam, N. The Oldest House in

Y.

Frontispiece

.

the Moha7i