 John
(Jonathan) Filer, who
was about early, was looking out his window, saw the flames rising from
Higby's house and the light from the fire of Benedict's barn, gathered
his family together and went into the woods and concealed themselves.
The enemy soon after arrived but to find the occupants gone. They now
pillaged the house and set it on fire. Mrs. Leake, Filer's
mother-in-law had concealed herself near the house and on seeing the
enemy leave went back into the house and succeeded in putting out the
fire.
From
Three
Rivers: Hudson, Mohawk, Schoharie – History from America’s Most Famous
Valleys
The Invasion of Ballston, New York
On
the night of October 16, 1780,
the enemy, about 200 strong, under Major
John Monroe, consisting of British regulars, tories, and Indians
entered the Ballston settlement. Most of the early settlers of Saratoga
county were from New England, and were good livers. An invasion had
been anticipated, and 200 Schenectada militia were sent to aid in
protecting the settlement. A church, called afterwards the " red
meeting-house," was being; erected at the time, and opposite and near
it, a dwelling owned by a Mr. Weed was inclosed in pickets, at which
place the Schenectada troops were stationed. About the same time, the
Ballston militia, thinking the troops sent to aid them were not
sufficiently courageous, erected a small defence on Pearson's Hill,
afterwards called Court House Hill, nearly two miles in advance of the
stockade named, where the invaders were expected to enter. The little
fortress on the hill was guarded for several nights, but as the enemy
did not appear, it was abandoned.
The
second night (Sunday night) after the Ballston troops dispersed, the
enemy broke into the settlement. They made their first appearance at
Gordon's Mills, situated on a stream called the Mourning kill, entering
the public road at the foot of the hill noticed. Col. James Gordon, who
commanded the Ballston militia, and Captain Collins, an active partisan
officer, living near him, were both surprised at their dwellings, and
borne into captivity, with nearly thirty of their neighbors. On the
arrival of the enemy at the house of Captain Collins, Mann Collins, his
son, escaped from it, and gave the alarm to John and Stephen Ball, his
brothers-in-law. The latter mounted a horse and rode to the house of
Maj. Andrew Mitchell (Major under Colonel Gordon), who, with his
family, fled into the fields, and escaped. The Balls also communicated
intelligence of the enemy's proximity to the Schenectada troops at the
fort.
At
Gordon's Mills, Isaac Stowe, his miller, was captured on the arrival of
Monroe's party, and, for some reason, soon after liberated. Feeling
himself obliged to Col. Gordon, he thought it his duty to inform him of
his danger, and afford him a chance of escape. Crossing a field with
that laudable intent, he met an Indian, who, seeing a fugitive, as he
supposed, attempting to escape, thrust a spotoon through his body, and
instantly killed him. One version of this story is that Stowe was
returning from the house of Gordon, and was killed in the manner
indicated, by foes just leaving his own dwelling: but Col. Gordon was
already a prisoner-the story as given by the Mitchell brothers, was
doubtless the true one.
Great
numbers of cattle and hogs were driven away at this time, or killed,
several dwellings and out-buildings burned, and the whole settlement
greatly alarmed by the invaders, who proceeded directly back to Canada
by the eastern route. Among the dwellings burned were those of one
Waters, one Pearson, several Spragues, and several Patchins. Two
dwellings, a little north of the present residence of Judge Thompson,
owned at the time by Kennedys, escaped the torch, as they had a friend
among the invaders. In a memorandum made of the event after his
capture, by Colonel (subsequently Gen.) Gordon, is the following
mention, kindly furnished the writer, by his friend, Hon. Geo. G.
Scott, of Ballston: " After crossing the Kayderosseros, the party
halted, and Captain (also known as Major) Munro, desired Capt. John, of
the Indians, to choose what prisoners he thought proper out of those
who were taken, except me. He, accordingly, chose Capt. Benedict and
his three sons." Who, no doubt, pursued a different route to Canada
than that taken by the party having Col. Gordon. This Indian, Capt.
John, is the one mentioned on page 118 of my "Trappers of New York" as
having lost an ear-jewel at the hands of Maj. Nicholas Stoner, oat De
"Fonclaire's tavern, subsequent to the war; which house stood upon the
site of the nice dwelling erected by the late Francis Burdick, M. D.
The
troops assembled in the neighborhood were on their trail by daylight on
Monday morning, and followed some distance; but meeting a liberated
captive, who bore a message from Col. Gordon advising the Americans to
abandon the pursuit, it was given over. Why the message was sent, I am
not informed, but presume lie either thought the enemy too strong to
warrant it, or the prisoners in danger of assassination if a hasty
retreat was necessary. Col. Gordon was an Irishman by birth, and a firm
patriot. He was confined in a Canadian prison for several years, and
was one of a party of six or eight prisoners, who effected their escape
in the latter part of the war, and after much suffering succeeded in
reaching home Henry and Christian Banta, Epenetus White, an ensign of
militia, and several others, neighbors of Col. G., and captured
subsequently, escaped with him. Procuring a boat, the fugitives crossed
the St. Lawrence, and from its southern shore directed their steps
through the forest, coming out at Passamaquoddy Bay, in Maine, where
they found friends. Before reaching a dwelling the party wore all in a
starving condition, and Col. Gordon gave out, and was left, at his
request, by his friends, who proceeded to a settlement, obtained
assistance, returned, and bore him in a state of entire helplessness to
a place of safety, where he recovered.
While
the party were journeying, they agreed that if either of them obtained
anything to eat, he should be permitted to enjoy or distribute it as he
chose. In the forest, to which the trapper had not been a stranger, one
of the number found a steel-trap, in which an otter had been caught,
and suffered to remain. It was mostly in a state of decomposition. The
leg in the trap was whole, however, and a sight of that, Col. Gordon
afterwards assured his friends, looked more inviting to him than the
most savory dish he had ever beheld ; but pinching hunger did not
compel a violation of their agreement-his mouth watered in vain, and
the finder ate his dainty morsel undisturbed. When the fugitives
arrived at a house, and asked for bread, the woman told them she had
not seen a morsel in three years. After crossing the St. Lawrence, two
Indians accompanied them as guides, but under some pretext left, and
finally abandoned them. The party, after suffering almost incredible
hardships, all readied their homes in Ballston to the great joy of
their friends.-Charles and Hugh, sons of Major Mitchell.
…
I learn from a statement
published in October, 1880, in the Ballston Democrat, over the
signature of "Antiquary," that with Col. Gordon were captured John
Parlow and three slaves. H. S. Marcy, Thomas Burnham, Capt. Elisha
Benedict and three sons-Caleb, Elias and Felix-and a slave. John Davis,
living opposite. Edward A. Watrous, on Court House hill, Paul Pierson
and two sons. John Higby and son Lewis. George Kennedy, Jabez Patchin,
Josiah Hollister, Ebenezer Sprague and his sons, John and Elijah,
Thomas Kennedy, Enoch Wood and Fillmore, his hired man, and
Palmatier (probably the one hunting with Shew), living north of the
Kayderosseras. George Scott, living on the hill northeast of now
Wm. Long's residence, disturbed by the invaders, opened his door,
musket in hand, and was instantly tomahawked and left for dead, but
finally recovered: Lieut. Frazer, a former neighbor, prevented his
being scalped. His house was plundered, but not burned. Jonathan Filer,
who lived near the now Hawkins place,
escaped with his family to the
woods. His house was set on fire, and"GranqyLeake," mother-in-law of
Filer, put out the fire and saved the house. The prisoner
Fillmore,
near the Kayderosseras, escaped the enemy and returned in safety, and
at the end of a day's journey, Paul Pierson and his son John, with
Ebenezer Sprague and George Kennedy, were, from some motive, allowed to
return home.
from Frontiersmen of
New York - Simms
REMINISCENCES
OF SARATOGA AND BALLSTON
By
WILLIAM L. STONE - 1880
The
Tory Invasion of 1780, and the Gonzalez Tragedy
 It
would have been strange if the little settlement of Ball's Town, lying
directly on the route between Lake George and Schenectady, had escaped
the calamities incident to [the Revolutionary] war. Nor did she. During
the Revolution two separate tragedies were enacted within her borders,
the first of which was...
The
Tory Invasion of 1780.
On
the afternoon of October 6, 1780, a band of two hundred Regulars and
Indians from Canada landed on the shore of Bulwagga Bay (Lake
Champlain); and, guided through the woods by several young refugees
from the Ball-Town district, by way of the headwaters of the Sacandaga,
suddenly made their appearance in the settlement on the night of the
16th. They were composed in part of Sir John Johnson's corps of
rangers, and commanded by Captain Munro, a former merchant in
Schenectady. The original design of the expedition was an attack upon
Schenectady, but on arriving in the neighborhood of Ball's Town it was
deemed prudent to abandon the idea. {This party was a portion of the
force of 1,000 men which, in the fall of 1780, Governor Carleton sent
from Canada to attack the frontier settlements, under the command of
his nephew, Major Carleton. Two hundred of these, as mentioned in the
text, landed at Bulwagga Bay, and then proceeded to Ballston, crossing
the Sacandaga River near the mouth of Daly's Creek. The larger portion,
under Carleton, sailed up the lake to Skeensborough (Whitehall), and
thence to Fort Anne, which was taken and destroyed. A detachment was
sent from this point across by the "French Mountain," and by a
stratagem took Fort George and burned it, capturing prisoners at both
forts, and returned to Bulwagga Bay before the Ballston party returned.
The father of Hon. George G. Scott, of Ballston, was told the above
facts by Nathaniel Mitchell and James Lighthill, who were both captured
at Fort Anne on this occasion. The author has reason to suppose, from
his other historical investigations, that the route pursued by the
Ballston party was the same as that taken by Sir John Johnson, viz., by
the foot of "Crane Mountain," near Warrensburgh, Warren County, N.Y.;
and thence across the Sacandaga, and through the woods by Lake
Desolation to Ballston. - See Life of Sir William Johnson, Bart.,
Appendix.} At the time there was a fort at what has since been known as
the "Academy Hill," situated on the south-west corner of the square,
upon the spot where Peter Roe formerly lived. It was constructed of oak
logs, surrounded with pickets, and contained loop-holes for musketry.
The
enemy lay encamped for several days in the north-west part of the
present town of Milton, during which time they made themselves, through
their scouts, thoroughly acquainted with the condition of the fort. To
their surprise they found that it had recently been garrisoned by two
hundred militia, chiefly from Schenectady. This information changed
materially their plans; and, accordingly, they directed their first
attack upon the house of General Gordon, on the Middle Line road. {This
house stood upon the spot where Major Skinner afterwards lived, being
the farm lately owned by William Gordon Ver Planck, and now by Henry
Wiswell, Jr.} At about dusk of the evening preceding their appearance
at Gordon's, the party halted at the house of a Scotch Highlander, in
Paisley Street, named Angus McDiarmid, father of the late John
McDiarmid. The Indians were greatly delighted by turning a
spinning-wheel, which Mrs. McDiarmid had just been using. The house was
so crowded that the floor gave way, and all were precipitated into the
cellar.
At
early daybreak the following morning, the party were again in motion.
They were piloted from the four corners, west of the old Court House
Hill, by a Tory named McDonald, who lived in the vicinity. Gordon was
roused from his slumbers by the breaking of the windows of his
sleeping-room by bayonets thrust through them. He sprang from his bed,
in which lay his wife and child, {Mrs. Ver Planck, afterwards Mrs.
Waller, who died in Brooklyn, September 14, 1857. She furnished Hon.
Judge Scott with the particulars of what took place at her father's,
and also with many incidents that occurred during his captivity.} and
went into the hall, which by this time was filled with the enemy. As he
opened the door, a gigantic savage raised his tomahawk, but before the
blow could descend upon his head, the arm of the Indian was caught by
one of the officers in command. At this moment the brass clock in the
hall struck the hour of twelve, whereupon an Indian standing near
shattered it in pieces with his tomahawk, exclaiming, as he did so,
"You never speak again!" A scene of indiscriminate pillaging now
followed, the squaws especially, who accompanied the party,
distinguishing themselves in this part of the performance, and retiring
heavily loaded with plunder. The Indians then attempted to fire the
house and the barn, but were prevented by the whites in the party.
Gordon, Jack Calbraith and John Parlow, servants, and Nero, Jacob, and
Ann, negro slaves, were carried off as prisoners. As they were
proceeding toward the main road they were met by Stow, Gordon's miller,
who, having escaped from his own house, came running toward them,
exclaiming, "Colonel Gordon, save yourself! The Indians!" Perceiving
the party moving toward him, he hesitated a moment, then turned to the
left and ran. An Indian, however, intercepted him, pierced him with a
pike, and dispatching him with his tomahawk, took his scalp. He thus
lost his own life in generously attempting to save Gordon's. Captain
Collins, who lived near by, was also taken.
Proceeding
up the Middle Line, they made prisoners of Thomas Barnum (who lived
where Dorus Hicks now resides), Captain Elisha Benedict and his two
sons - one of whom was Caleb {Caleb Benedict came back after the war,
but soon returned to Canada. The Indian who had captured him and
guarded him during his captivity, heard of his return, and called to
see him, manifesting great affection for his former captive. He
continued through his life to send Caleb valuable presents.} - Paul
Pierson and his son John, Edward A. Watrous, and John Higby and his son
Lewis - the latter residing where Pierson Raymond now lives. Moving
farther up the road, a detachment of fifty left the main body, and
proceeded to the house of George Scott, on the farm where his son, the
late James Scott, lived and died. Mr. Scott being awakened by the
violent barking of his watch-dog, sprung from his bed, seized his
loaded rifle, and opened the outer door. He saw the column advancing in
the moonlight, and heard a voice exclaiming, "Scott, throw down your
gun, or you are a dead man!" Not instantaneously obeying the command,
three Indians threw their tomahawks at his head, each one of which
reached its aim, and he fell. They then rushed upon him, and would have
taken his scalp, had not Captain Frazer, an old neighbor, and Sergeant
Staats Springstead, formerly his hired man, interfered, and with their
swords kept the savages at bay. The house was then given up to pillage;
but Scott was left behind in, as was supposed, a dying condition.
Indeed, when this detachment reached the main body, the prisoners were
informed that he was mortally wounded. He, however, ultimately
recovered. {The late James Scott, then in his seventh year, saw and
ever retained a vivid recollection of seeing his father's face covered
with blood. He himself escaped in his night-clothes to the woods, and
remained concealed until the party left. He furnished his son, the
present Hon. George G. Scott of Ballston, with most of the particulars
of this sketch. He died January 18, 1857.}
After
leaving Scott, the party proceeded to George Kennedy's. He was taken,
and his house burned. The next house attacked was Jabez Patchin's,
where Hiram Wood now (1875) lives. He was taken, but his son, Walter,
and son-in-law, Enos Morehouse, jumped out of a back window and
escaped. One Hollister, who lived a few rods north of Patchin, was also
captured and his house burned. Where the late Judge Thompson lived was
the dwelling of Ebenezer Sprague. It also was fired, and he, with his
two sons, were made prisoners. Thomas Kennedy, who lived opposite to
Sprague, was also captured. Opposite to the present residence of
Nathaniel Mann, his brother, John Kennedy, resided. He was intending to
butcher his swine the following day, and just arisen and kindled a fire
when he saw the light of Sprague's burning dwelling. Rightly
conjecturing the cause, he extinguished the fire, and, with his wife,
escaped by the rear door into the woods. Some of the enemy entered the
house, but the darkness preventing a search, they carried away but
little. The dwelling was not burned.
Enoch
and Stephen Wood lived near the site of the late Presbyterian church.
Their houses, and a barn containing eight hundred bushels of wheat,
were burned; and Enoch and his hired man, named Fillmore, captured.
This was the last clearing in that direction with one exception, and
that was owned by a Tory. Fillmore, however, managed to escape before
the party had proceeded many rods. Elisha Benedict, and his three sons,
Caleb, Elias and Felix, were also taken, together with John Davis,
living near by. Joseph Morehouse, however, was more fortunate. Being
lame, and at some distance from the house, he said: "If I must go, I
must get my horse." He then took his bridle, and started for his
dwelling. When at a safe distance, he threw away the bridle and
escaped. {Nor was it during this Tory invasion alone that the settlers
suffered from fear. When Mr. Warren B.B. Westcott, now of Saratoga
Springs, was teaching school opposite the house of Mr. Talcott
Morehouse, on the east side of Ballston Lake, he would point out to Mr.
Westcott the decaying stump of a tree in the ravine a short distance
from the school-house, on "Morehouse Creek," and say: "There stood
three or four young hemlocks, under whose branches, during the Tory
Terror, my mother and Nathan Raymond's wife would hide themselves and
their children in the night, expecting hourly to have their house
burned to the ground."
Each
prisoner, with his hands tied, barefooted and but partly dressed, was
guarded by two men with loaded muskets, one in front and the other in
the rear. The weather was bitterly cold. George Kennedy's only covering
was a sheet wrapped about him - which to which he suffered greatly from
his foot, which he had cut a few days previously. It was daylight when
the party crossed the Kayaderosseras at what is now Milton Centre. Upon
crossing the spring brook, a few rods north of the former stream, a
halt was ordered, that Captain Munro might address his men. He told
them that in all probability they would be pursued; and that he
expected each man, upon the first intimation of such an event, even the
firing of a gun, to kill his prisoner upon the spot. For this inhuman
order, it is only just to mention that Munro, upon arriving at
Montreal, was summarily dismissed from the service.
The
march was then resumed in the same order as before; the prisoners,
meanwhile, believing that a rescue would be attempted, looked for death
at every moment. They feared that some of the Indians, anticipating a
reward for scalps, would fall back and discharge a musket for the
purpose of having Munro's order carried into effect. Arriving, at
length, at the foot of the Kayaderosseras Mountain, the party halted
for breakfast, killing for this purpose the cattle and swine they had
driven before them in their retreat.
In
the afternoon, having struck a well-beaten Indian trail which crossed
the Sacandaga river, near the mouth of Daley's creek, and along which
they had passed on their march from Lake Champlain, they began the
ascent of the mountain. Before sunset they encamped for the night two
miles northeast of Lake Desolation. Here Munro exhibited the first
kindness toward the prisoners; for - on George Kennedy, whose wounded
foot had become greatly inflamed, begging to be killed on the spot - he
permitted him, together with Ebenezer Sprague and Paul Pierson (both
old men and nearly exhausted), to return. Previous to this incident,
however, Gordon had managed to send a message to the troops at the
fort, asking them to abandon all attempts at a rescue. His messenger
met them, under command of Capt. Ball, near the site of the late Milton
meeting-house, whereupon they returned to the fort. Had it not been for
this timely forethought of Gordon, the probability is that a horrid
butchery would have occurred. Later in the day, however, a party of
volunteers was made up, consisting of Squire Patchin, Kenneth Gordon,
and Caleb Holmes, and others from the present town of Charlton.
Following on the trail of the retreating enemy they had just begun the
ascent of the Kayaderosseras Mountain when Kennedy, Sprague, and
Pierson were perceived coming towards them. Not recognizing their old
neighbors, but believing them to be the advanced guard of the enemy
returning, they quietly filed off on each side of the path into the
underbrush, it having been previously understood among themselves that
at a given signal they should all fire together. Fortunately, just as
the sign was about being made, they discovered their mistake; and, on
being informed of Munro's brutal order, they also turned back and
escorted the three in safety to their desolated homes. Nor was this the
only narrow escape of these three men. Soon after their discharge by
Munro, and while they were descending the mountain, six Indians stole
away from the encampment for the purpose of taking their scalps. The
savages had just caught up with them when, espying the Charlton party
ensconced in their ambush, they turned on their heels and fled. This
incident was related by the Indians themselves to their captives during
the march.
Finally,
on the eighth day after leaving Ball's Town, and seventh after crossing
the Sacandaga river, the enemy with their captives arrived, after much
hardship, at Bullwagga Bay, and proceeded thence in boats to Montreal.
The prisoners were at first lodged in the Recollet Convent (a filthy
place, abounding in vermin), but were shortly afterward transferred to
a prison. Gordon at first was allowed to go out on bail, the latter
being fixed at £3,000 - but after a few months he was taken to
Quebec and kept in close confinement for two years, when he was again
changed and conveyed to the Isle of Orleans.
In
the following May, 1781, the notorious Tory spy, Joe Bettys {The skull
of Lovelace, another Ballston Tory and renegade, is now in the
possession of George Strover, the father-in-law of Dr. C.H. Payn. He
was hung on the bluff near the Schuyler mansion overlooking the scene
of the "surrender." Mr. Strover's father witnessed the hanging.} - who
was afterwards hung at Albany - with the aid of thirty refugees, made a
raid on the Ball Town settlement and captured Samuel Nash, Consider
Chard, Uri Tracey, Ephraim Tracey, and Samuel Patchin. They were all
taken to Canada, except Nash, who escaped near Lake Desolation. At
about the same time, also, Judge White, Capt. Ramsey, the two brothers
Banta, and John Fulmer - all living on the east bank of Ballston Lake -
were taken by a Tory officer named Waltermeyer and marched off to
Canada.
When
Gordon was removed to the Isle of Orleans he found there Judge White,
Higby, Enoch Wood, the two Bantas, and other Ball's Town prisoners.
They all contrived to escape from the island, and, landing on the right
bank of the river, made their way into the wilderness, preferring the
companionship of hunger and wild beasts to the less merciful jailers
whom they had left. Their stock of provisions soon gave out, and for
several days berries and a species of mussel were their only food.
Finally, arriving at the head-waters of the St. Johns, they constructed
a rude raft with their hatchets and floated down the river a
considerable distance to a point whence they struck across to
Passamaquoddy Bay. Here learning that peace had been declared, they
proceeded to Halifax, whence they were brought by cartel to Boston.
Nearly
three generations have passed away. Not even the child {Mrs. Elizabeth
Watrous McMaster, mother of the late Robert P. McMaster, of Ballston
Spa, was the last survivor of those who were witnesses of this raid.
She was a daughter of Edward A. Watrous. She died in the summer of
1870, in her ninety-first year. On the approach of the enemy, her
mother escaped with her, then an infant, to the woods east of the
house, and avoided capture. For several years she was the last
connecting link in her native town with the exciting days of Munro's
and Bettys' raids.} before whose eyes those deeds of violence were
performed of which the early Ballston settlers were the victims,
survives to tell the tale. {Hon. George Gordon Scott - to whom the
writer is indebted for the incidents of this sketch - has in his
possession the original diary kept by General Gordon during his
captivity. It is to be hoped that Judge Scott will give this valuable
document publicity through the pages of the Historical Magazine, or
some other kindred publication.}
The
Gonzalez Tragedy.
Although
the country now forming the county of Saratoga was discovered as early
as 1609, and although in the succeeding century its eastern and
southern borders were sparingly settled along the borders of the Hudson
and Mohawk valleys - yet the interior of the county remained a
comparative wilderness, subject to the domain of the Iroquois and the
incursions of wild beasts, until after the Revolutionary War. Before
that event, however, there were several settlements in old Ballston
(south of the present village), and a few daring pioneers had settled
in the interior. Such a person was Joseph Gonzalez, who, in 1770, took
up his abode in the extreme south-western corner of Saratoga County, in
what is now known as the town of Charlton.
Joseph
Gonzalez was the son of Emanuel Gonzalez, and in 1775 married Margaret,
a daughter of David Dutcher of Dutchess County, who was a direct
descendant in the fourth generation from Anneke Jansen. {Anneke Jansen,
the first ancestor of Mrs. General Bullard, came to New Amsterdam about
1612, at the age of seventeen. At that time the Patroon of
Rensselaerwyck (now a part of Albany) had a young superintendent of the
affairs of the "Colonie," named Roeloff Jansen, who was called to New
Amsterdam occasionally on business, finally removing thither. On one of
his visits during the administration of Van Twiller, he met Anneke,
who, not long after, became his wife. They were both members of the
Church in New Amsterdam, presided over by Dominie Everardus Bogardus,
the first minister who filled a pulpit in the new Dutch city. He was a
faithful, outspoken bachelor of thirty when he came, and baptized the
four children of Roeloff and Anneke in regular order. At his death
Roeloff left to his young widow, among considerable other property, a
small farm running on Broadway, from Warren to Duane Street - sixty-two
acres "more or less." The widow had no one to look after her property
and assist in training her children, and the dominie had no one to look
after his clothes. Mutual sympathy in their destitution begat affection
between the dominie and the widow, and they were married. Then the dame
bore the honors of the double name of Anneke Jansen Bogardus.
Thenceforth her landed property was known as "the Dominie's Bowerie" or
farm. They lived happily together until 1647, when Bogardus was lost at
sea on his passage home from Holland in September of that year. He left
his widow with four more children. The farm had been granted to Jansen
by Van Twiller, and it was confirmed to Anneke by Stuyvesant in 1654.
After the death of her husband Mrs. Bogardus went to Albany to live,
where she died in 1663. Her will is among the public records there,
dated January 29, 1663, by which she left her children and
grandchildren all her real estate in equal shares, with a prior charge
of one thousand guilders in favor of the children of the first
marriage, "out of the proceeds of their father's place, viz., a certain
farm on Manhattan Island bounded on the North River." The title to this
farm was confirmed to these heirs by Richard Nicolls, the first English
governor after New Netherland and New Amsterdam both became New York.
This is the property (now worth many millions) concerning which there
is so much litigation by Anneke Jansen's heirs. The curious reader will
find other interesting particulars in relation to this matter in
"Humbert vs. Trinity Church," 24 Wendell, page 587. Mrs. Waldo M.
Potter (the wife of the late long time-honored editor of the
Saratogian) is also a descendant of Anneke Jansen.} Emanuel Gonzalez
was immediately descended from a Spanish Huguenot of that name who came
from Holland to New York in his own ship about 1690. The first
permanent white inhabitant in Sullivan County, New York, is said to
have settled there in the year 1700. His name was Don Manuel Gonzalez,
and he is supposed to be the same person. {See French's New York
Gazetteer, page 642, ed. 1860. The names of Emanuel Gonzalez and his
son are found in a list of the freeholders of Ulster County in the year
1728, when they were living in the town of Kingston - The Documentary
History of New York, vol. Iii., page 970.
About
1763 a proclamation was issued offering a reward for the apprehension
of Jacobus Gonzalez and six others, all of Dutchess County, charged
with high treason (Dunlap's History of New York, Appendix cxciii.) This
Jacobus was no doubt grandson of the first Don Manuel and a brother of
Joseph, and this proclamation may have induced the removal of Joseph
from Dutchess County into the wilderness north of the Mohawk.} His
grandson, Joseph, with his family, then consisting of his wife and four
sons, with one hired man, was quietly residing upon this farm when the
tragedy now to be related occurred.
Previous
to the Revolution, Joseph had lived on the friendliest terms with the
Indians. On the breaking out of the war, however, the Gonzalez family -
almost the only one in that section that had espoused the cause of the
colonies - became objects of special hate to the Tories, and
particularly to the Scotch residents of Charlton, who were generally on
the side of the Crown. Indeed, the Tories were more hostile to this one
family than the savages themselves; and neglected no opportunity of
stirring up the jealousy of the latter against it. In addition to this
circumstance, one or two incidents had recently occurred which added
intensity to this domestic strife. Emanuel Gonzalez, the oldest son of
Joseph, was a man of twenty-two years of age, of great stature and
strength, and one who could easily master any two Indians in the
country. This had been shown on several occasions; but once, in
particular, when attacked in a field by a dozen Indians, he defended
himself so vigorously that his assailants were glad to beat a retreat.
In the contest he was severely wounded by twisting his neck around
nearly to breaking. From this, however, he recovered. This great feat
excited still more the hostility of the Indians toward him; and when
they appeared the second time, they came with firearms.
Another
incident also tended to make the feelings of the Tories still more
embittered. A few months previous to the events about to be narrated,
Captain Clute, of Schenectady, came up one evening with a few soldiers
to arrest one of the Tories, and by the latter was invited to stay all
night, under the pretense that Clute had been misinformed, as he was
really a stanch friend of the American cause. As soon as his visitors
were asleep on the floor, the Tory left the house and notified Gonzalez
and his sons that a party of Tories were at his residence on some
nefarious errand, desiring them, at the same time, to come with him and
assist in killing them. Supposing his story to be true, they returned
with him; but when Gonzalez, who was a humane man, saw them asleep, he
refused to harm the sleepers, and insisted on keeping guard during the
night, and arresting them in the morning. The surprise of Gonzalez was
great when the dawn revealed to him in the leader of the party the
features of his old and tried friend Clute, whose life he had come so
near taking. The tables were at once turned, and the treacherous Tory
was arrested, taken to Schenectady, tried, and condemned to be hung. At
the intercession of Gonzalez, however, he was pardoned.
It
was never ascertained whether the Indians, in the dreadful tragedy soon
to take place, were prompted by this Tory element or by the remembrance
of the rough handling received by them in their contest with the young
Gonzalez giant. It was evident, however, that the Indians, who were St.
Regis, after their winter hunting and fishing in the Adirondacks, came
nearly one hundred miles south on purpose to capture or destroy the
family before their return to Canada.
At
the time of the attack, which happened in April, 1782, the elder
Gonzalez, the farm hand, the eldest and two youngest sons were burning
a summer fallow in a field, while the mother, with her daughter and
second son, David, a lad of eighteen, were at the house. As the party
came up, Joseph Gonzalez recognized the leader of the band, and
extended his hand in his usual friendly manner. In reply to this kindly
salutation the Indian, drawing his tomahawk, struck the old man dead at
his feet. At the same time the savages seized the other two sons,
Emanuel and John, and the hired man. Emanuel, by main strength broke
away from his captors and fled towards a piece of woods near at hand;
but as he was in the act of scaling the first fence he was again
seized. Turning on his pursuer, he easily threw him to the ground,
notwithstanding he had received a shot through the hand in ascending
the fence. Resuming his flight, he had well-nigh effected his escape;
but as he leaped the last fence that separated him from the wood, he
was instantly killed by a shot fired by his pursuers. Joseph, the
youngest child, aged twelve years, was more fortunate; for while the
attention of the party was distracted by the pursuit and the necessity
of guarding John, one of the Indians, who had received many kindnesses
from the Gonzalez, beckoned him to run to the house. This he succeeded
in doing without attracting the attention of the rest, and gave the
alarm to the other members of the family. David, the youth of eighteen,
fortunately happened to be at home. At once harnessing a horse which
stood near to a wagon, he conveyed his mother, Joseph, and the daughter
over a rough road through the wilderness to Crane's Village, on the
Mohawk, three miles distant.
A
few miles east of Crane's Village, Capt. Tunis Swart then resided. On
hearing the doleful tale, he lost no time in ordering out his company,
but upon their refusing through fear to march, Swart, with young David,
returned the same night as far back as the house. This they found
undisturbed, but ascertained that the Indians had hastily retreated,
bearing with them John and the servant and the scalps of the two
victims - the latter being stuck upon two poles and carried in sight of
the son. The next morning Swart carried the bodies into the log-house
and tenderly covered them with blankets until the rites of sepulture
could be properly performed. By this time, the country had been roused,
and the settlers and militia, coming up from the Mohawk Valley,
followed the retreating Indians as far as the Fish House; but losing
the trail at this point, the pursuit was abandoned. {This massacre
broke up the Gonzalez family. Rebecca, the oldest daughter, had
previously, February 25, 1776, married Emanuel De Graff, who lived two
miles east of Amsterdam. The mother and the surviving children removed
to Schenectady, and left the farm in the wilderness temporarily
abandoned. The younger children continued to reside in Schenectady for
many years, but the mother died soon after, broken-hearted on account
of the uncertain fate of her son John. The granddaughter of David is
now the wife of Commander Constable of the United States Navy, and yet
resides in Schenectady. A granddaughter of Rebecca is the wife of Hon.
P.R. Toll of Glenville, Schenectady County, N.Y.}
The
trip to Canada was made on foot and by forced marches. Fearful of
pursuit, the Indians hurried along so fast that they could not tarry
either to eat or to kill game. Their youthful prisoner, John, was two
days without a morsel of food; and when he lagged behind from
exhaustion, his life was threatened and the manner in which his scalp
would be taken was kindly explained to him. The first sustenance
offered to the captives was the entrails of a cooked squirrel, which
they must eat or starve; nor was it until their arrival in Canada that
they obtained anything at all palatable. This consisted of a piece of
corn bread spread with lard that was given them by a friendly squaw at
St. John's. When they laid down for the night, the captives were
secured by a long strap placed on their prostrate bodies; several
Indians lying upon each end of the strap ready to awaken and tomahawk
them upon the least movement looking toward an escape. Frequently,
also, his hair would be frozen to the ground when he awoke. Once John
secured one of the guns of his captors, and would have attempted an
escape had he not been dissuaded from it by his companion. On arriving
at the Indian town - the capital of the St. Regis nation - his head was
shaved and his face painted. He was forced, likewise, to submit to the
terrible ordeals which the Indians inflict upon their prisoners, among
other things being compelled to carry the scalps of his father and
brother on a pole through the camp. On reaching the British army,
although but fifteen years old, he was forced into that. During his
stay in the English camp he was an unwilling witness to many cruelties
practised upon American prisoners, one of which was the "running of the
gauntlet" between two rows of Indians, who were allowed to beat them at
every step. Of those who were subjected to this terrible ordeal every
one died from its effects, with the exception of one spry Yankee boy,
who adroitly dodged most of the blows. Although thus forced into the
service, young Gonzalez was not allowed to participate actively in any
campaign, from the fear that he would seize the opportunity to escape.
He was accordingly confined in the garrison and employed in the
manufacture of cartridges, doing, perhaps, in this way more for the
American cause than if he had been fighting actively on their side; for
he took great care to make them all simply of powdered charcoal. "I was
resolved," he said, "that none made by me should ever harm my
countrymen." Brave words and worthy of one whose every act was
characterized by great and heroic daring!
Although
peace was declared about a year after his capture, he was forced to
remain two years longer in the service of those he detested, obtaining
his release in the spring of 1785. Being a youth of great courage, and
unusual intelligence and energy of character, he became a favorite with
his officers. With a view to encourage settlers, and perhaps also to
make a partial atonement for the sufferings which he had undergone, the
British authorities offered land to each soldier who chose to remain
under the English rule. The land thus offered to young Gonzalez was
upon the site of the present city of Kingston. But although only
eighteen years of age, he had seen too much of the Tories to cast in
his lot with them. He accordingly rejected their offer with contempt,
saying: "All I want of your land is enough to walk on until I get off
from it!" and, as good as his word, he straightway returned, yet a mere
boy, to the Mohawk valley. {His name was entered on the rolls of the
British army as Consalus; and it has been so spelled by his descendants
ever since.} The first relative he found was his sister, Mrs. De Graff,
whose descendants yet reside on the same farm near Amsterdam.
His
father, who met with so tragical an end, had previously contracted for
about fifteen hundred acres of the best land in the county of Saratoga,
but not having, at the time of his death, made sufficient payment to
secure the title, the estate was lost. John, however, on arriving at
his majority, bought a portion of the land, where he and his
descendants have since resided. He built the first frame building in
the south-west portion of the county. In 1791, he married Dorcas Hogan
of Albany, by whom he had twelve children, and died October 8, 1823. He
was succeeded in the homestead - near the scene of the tragedy - by his
son Emanuel, who died January 31, 1872. {Mrs. E.F. Bullard, of Saratoga
Springs, is a daughter of this Emanuel.}
"Buffalo Joe" Filer Homestead
Greeley, Colorado
|
