The town of Broadalbin, NY

Historian

Mr. Gordon Cornell
Broadalbin Historian
Union Mills Road, PO Box 548
Broadalbin, NY 12025-0548

Where to request records
same office, different people

Town Clerk
Broadalbin Town Hall
Union Mills Road, PO Box 548
Broadalbin, NY 12025-0548

Broadalbin is one of the first towns organized in the present county of Fulton, having been formed from a portion of Caughnawaga, March 12th, 1793. To Daniel McIntyre, an anti-revolutionary pioneer, who resided near what is now Perth Center, is ascribed the honor of naming it, after his native place in Scotland. It originally embraced the town of Northampton on the north, Saratoga county on the east, Perth on the south, and Mayfield on the west. It contains an area of 24,104 acres, most of which is susceptible of cultivation. The principal part of its surface is gently undulating. The northern portion of the town is embraced in the "Sacondaga Vlaie," a tract of level marshy land containing about 12,000 acres, which is, every spring, overflowed with water three to eight feet deep. The soil is mostly a light sandy loam. It is abundantly watered by numerous creeks and small streams flowing in all directions throughout the town, chief among which is Kennyetto creek - often, incorrectly, called Fly creek, Fonda's creek, and sometimes Little Sacondaga. The name "Kennyetto" is of aboriginal origin; the literal meaning of it is said to be "Snake trying to swallow its tail". The creek was thus named from the fact that, after rising in Greenfield, Saratoga county, near Maxon hill, and running across Broadalbin into Mayfield, it returns and enters the Sacondaga river at Fish House, not more than three miles from its source. The Chuctenunda creek crosses the southeast corner of the town, and Mayfield creek the northwest corner. Frenchman's creek - so called because a Frenchman named Joseph De Golyer located at an early day on its banks, near North Broadalbin - flows in a northwesterly direction nearly across the town, and discharges into Kennyetto creek. Hon's creek also flows across the northeastern part of town. This stream received its named from the following circumstance, as related by Simms in his "Trappers of New York:" "Sir William Johnson and John Conyne were fishing for trout in the mouth if this stream, when, as Conyne was standing up, an unexpected lurch of the boat sent him floundering in the water. He shipped a sea or two, as the sailor would say, before he was rescued by his companion from a watery grave. Sir William not only had a hearty laugh over it then, but often afterwards when telling how Conyne plunged into the water to seek for trout. Hons being Dutch for John, and the familiar name by which Sir William called his companion, in relating the incident," the stream has ever since been called by that name.

This town is embraced in the Kayaderosseras, Sacondaga and Glen patents, the former of which was among the first granted by the English colonial government in this part of the State, having been issued to Nanning Hermanse and others November 2d, 1708. Daniel Campbell, of Schenectady, came into possession of several thousand acres of the Kayaderosseras and Glen patents in this town, which he divided into small tracts and, in the latter part of the last century, granted perpetual leases to actual settlers for an annual rental according to the size of the farm. Some of these lands are still held under the original lease, but most of the occupants have purchased the leasehold interest and own their farms in fee simple.

The population of the town in 1875 was 2,420. The number of taxable inhabitants in 1876 was 514. The equalized valuation of real estate in 1877 was $242,860. The assessed valuation of personal property in 1877 was $19,950.

It appears from the early records that the first town meeting, on account of some informality, was decided to be illegal; consequently the names of those elected at that time were not recorded. The first town meeting considered strictly formal was held at the house of Daniel McIntyre, on Tuesday, April 1st, 1794, and resulted in the election of the following officers: Peter V. Veeder, supervisor; Alexander Murray, town clerk; John McNiel, James Kennedy and Joshua Maxon, assessors; Calvin Young, Allen Whitman and Alexander Murray, commissioners of highway; Daniel McIntyre and John Blair, overseers of the poor; James Kennedy, collector; John McNiel, Esq., and Nathaniel Perkins, pound masters; Moses Elwell, hog reeve, and 28 overseers of highway. The excise commissioners for that year were Peter V. Veeder, Daniel McIntyre and Alexander Murray, who granted licenses "for keeping inns or taverns" to Samuel Demarest, Alexander Murray and 14 others, each paying the sum of Ł2. On April 6th, 1813, James Ford, Duncan McMartin, jr., and Thomas Bicknall were elected as the first school commissioners, and James Sumner, Edmund G. Rawson, John Thompson, jr., and James Moffit, Jr., the first school inspectors of Broadalbin. By the above board of school commissioners the town was divided, December 29th, 1813 into 11 school districts, one of which was fractional. Two additional districts have since been created, making the present number 13, with twelve school-houses in the town and 856 scholars who draw public money. The present town officers are: James T. Bradford, supervisor; F. G. Hawley, town clerk; William Smith and D. M. Reddish, justices pf the peace; Archibald Robertson, James P. McFarlan and S. D. Demarest, assessors; Oliver P. Lent, William H. Halladay, James B. Chapman, town auditors; John Chase, collector; Nicholas Smith, commissioner of highway; and five constables.

The first white man who located in the territory now known as Broadalbin was Henry Stoner, a German, who emigrated to America as early as 1760, and after several years' residence in New York city and Maryland, came west with his family, and located just west of the present village of Broadalbin about 1770. Here, in the wilderness, many miles from any settlement, he erected a log cabin, the site of which may yet be identified on a farm formerly owned by Judge Weston, deceased. While in Mayfield he married Catharine Barnes, by whom he had two sons, Nicholas and John, the former being well known to people of the past generation as a celebrated hunter, trapper and Indian hater. In the summer of 1777, Mr. Stoner removed his family to Johnstown and he and his two sons enlisted in the American army, the sons going as drummers. After three years' service Mr. Stoner received his discharge, but soon re-enlisted for three months, at the end of which time he returned home. In the summer of 1782 he was living on a farm near Tribes Hill in Amsterdam. One morning, while hoeing corn in a field, he was surprised by a small party of Indians, killed and scalped and his dwelling plundered and burned.

Nearly three years after Stoner located in Broadalbin Philip Helmet came and fixed his residence about two miles farther east. Just previous to the Revolution a small settlement was begun on the present site of Broadalbin village by Andrew Bowman, John Putnam, Herman Salisbury, Charles Cady and one or two others. Early in the summer of 1777, fearing the scalping knife of the hostile Indians in this exposed locality, all but one or two families abandoned their new homes and removed to Johnstown. Among the first to take up their abode in this vicinity, after the danger of border warfare had passed, was Samuel Demarest a native of Holland, who, after a few years of residence in Newark, N.J., came up the Hudson on a ship and settled in Broadalbin about 1783 on lot No. 14 of sub-division No. 3 of the 21st allotment of the Kayaderosseras patent. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and is said to have kept the first hotel in town. He was soon followed by Alexander Murray from Scotland, who located at Broadalbin village. He was a prominent and influential man in his time and held many town offices. William Chalmers was the first settler on what is known as the Dyer Thompson farm, locating there as early as 1789. Ezra Wilson secured a perpetual lease of 100 acres of land from David Campbell of Schenectady Sept. 7th, 1792, and located on "Lot No. 5 in the Sub-division of lot No. 4 in the 21st allotment of the Kayaderosseras, allias "Queensboro Patent". Abraham Manchester, from Rhode Island, settled soon after on the farm now occupied by his son, Abraham, about two miles east of Broadalbin village. John Blair, Benjamin Earl, Ezekiel Olmstead, Nathaniel and Niel Pearse, Walter C. Rathbone, J. Campbell, W. Demarest and Wm. Stewart obtained leases and settled on portions of Daniel Campbell's purchase of the Kayaderosseras and Glen patents as early as 1795. Nathan Brockway, a native of Rhode Island, where he was born in 1764, removed with is family from Bridgeport, Conn., to Broadalbin in 1796, his wife performing the entire journey on horseback and carrying an infant daughter in her arms. He took up residence on "the Ridge", about a mile and a half west of Hawleys' Corners, where he remained until his death, in 1844. The place is now known as the "old Babcock farm". Richard Van Vranken, from Schenectady, located in 1798, three-fourths a mile east of Broadalbin village, where his son now resides. John Roberts came from Connecticut in 1799 and settled in the same neighborhood, on the farm now occupied by James Norkett.

Reuben Burr emigrated from Litchfield to this town in the fall of 1799, using as a team an ox and a cow yoked together, with which eh moved his family and household effects, the principal part of the latter being a loom and a chest filled with crockery and bedding. Upon his arrival here he moved into a roofless log cabin, which had been previously erected near the line between Broadalbin and Mayfield, supplying his own hands a roof of poles, bark and brush, The following year he made the first improvement, and located on the farm now owned by Isaac Mariam, about one mile east of Broadalbin village. He remained a resident of the town until his death, in August, 1859. His son, the present Allen Burr, was born June 29th, 1801. At the age of 16 he came to Broadalbin village, where he has since resided, and where , for 16 years, he held the office of justice of the peace, and was for 8 years postmaster, under Jackson's administration.

James Sumner, from Vermont, settled previous to 1800 on the farm known as the Deacon Teller place. He was a tanner and currier by trade, and as early as 1805 built the first tannery in the town, on his farm, about tow miles northeast of the village of Broadalbin. Nicholas Van Vranken built and kept a store, about 1800, one mile east of the village.

Duncan McMartin, Esq., located as early as 1810 on what is commonly known as the Spencer farm, near North Broadalbin, where he erected a grist-mill and a saw-mill soon after. He was a surveyor of good repute, and laid out many of the roads in this and adjoining towns. He was a man of wealth and respectability, a master in chancery, and in 1818 was appointed a judge of the Common Pleas. He was also at one time a State senator. Through his influence a stock company was formed and a woolen factory erected on his place in 1813. The directors of the company were Duncan McMartin, Tiffany Brockway, James Sumner, John Fay and John E. Hawley. The manufacture of woolen goods were successfully prosecuted until the sudden close of the war of 1812 caused a wonderful reduction in the price of woolen goods, which so embarrassed the company that the shareholders abandoned their stock, and left the mill property, with all the encumbrances, on the hands of the directors, who had become individually responsible for the company debts. They, however, succeeded in clearing the indebtedness, retained the factory, and resumed business. After a few years the property was sold to John Culbert and Thomas Reddish, who continued to operate it with great success for a series of years. Since the death of Mr. Reddish, who outlived his partner, the business has been conducted by his two sons, John and Daniel M. Reddish.

Paul Earl, a native of Rhode Island, emigrated to Broadalbin about 1800, and took up residence near Mills's Corners, on the farm now occupied by Harvey Perry. His son, Stephen Earl, was born here in 1812, remaining a resident and respected citizen of the town until his death, in September 1869. Melvin Earl, the fourth son of Stephen, was born in this town September 19th, 1839. He has been for many years engaged in the hotel business, and is at present the owner and manager of "Earl's Hotel", in Broadalbin village, where his pleasing ways must win for him the esteem of the traveling public.

Source – "History of Montgomery and Fulton Counties, N.Y." (New York: F. W. Beers & Co., 1878) pages 214-216.

Eagle Mills Cider Co. - Eagle Mills Road, Broadalbin, New York 12025. Features working, water powered cider mill - take a step back into time.

Clark's Broadalbin Heritage Museum - Extension S., Second Avenue, Broadalbin, New York 12025. (518) 883-3357. 1905 schoolhouse, library, church historical artifacts and more.

Robert W. Chambers House - Broadalbin, New York 12025. Famous author of historical novels of Colonial Fulton County; now St. Joseph's Rectory. Some links regarding Robert W. Chambers:

Broadalbin Book Worm - 22 North Main Street, Broadalbin, New York 12025 (518) 883-5122
Used and rare books

Colonial Daniel Young -County Road 110, Broadalbin, New York 12025 (518) 883-8572
Complete auction service

Sacandaga Trading Post - 15 West Main Street, Broadalbin, New York 12025 (518) 883-3839

Wilkinson Memorial Book Station - 25 North Main Street, Broadalbin, New York 12025 (518) 883-5976

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