1

A Town, a Church, and an Extraordinary Man

Fairfield and the Contributions of Andrew A. Bartow

2

A large tract of land was purchased from the Indians by Jacob Glen, his relatives and friends in 1734. Glen was from Scotia, grandson of the founder of Scotia, Alexander Lindsay Glen, who settled on the Mohawk River in 1655. A portion of Glen’s Purchase was owned by James DeLancey who was appointed governor. His sister was married to Sir Peter Warren, Sir William Johnson’s uncle. Being loyal to the Crown, the land of James DeLancey was acquired by the state with the passage of the attainder act in 1779. New Englanders began to purchase lots from the state.

The Royal Grant portion was acquired by Sir William Johnson from King George III. in 1769. It was originally given to Sir William by the Canajoharie Mohawks in 1760. They knew that they would be allowed to hunt on this tract if Sir William, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, had ownership. It took nine years of letters to the British government to have this gift officially sanctioned. Two beaver skins were to be delivered to Windsor Castle on January first every year along with 1/5 of all gold and silver found upon the tract.

3

4

About the year 1770, Sir William Johnson settled three families in the Royal Grant, in the valley of what was to be named Maltanner Creek. The Maltanners, Goodbreads, and Shavers were the tenants settled here and were probably Tory sympathizers. John Maltanner was a mason. He and his wife Mary had two known sons, Oliver and George. They paid rent to the Johnsons of $10 per year. In 1779, a party of Indians attacked the little settlement, belonging at this time to Sir John Johnson. John Maltanner and one of his sons were captured and a 16 year old Shaver girl was killed. The Maltanners met Sir John Johnson when they were taken to Canada and he was angry that his tenants had been invaded by the Indians.

5

Maltanner Valley – Site of early Indian raid

6

Palatine families from the Little Falls/ Herkimer area and Stone Arabia began to move into the southern portion of what to become the Town of Fairfield. Many of these people settled in the Fairfield/Manheim area and were present during the Revolutionary War. Cobus Mabee was moving his family to the Indian Castle area where he felt they would be safe. While taking his wife and two younger children to safety, his daughter Polly and son John were left to finish the chores. John was cutting potatoes to feed the cattle when two Indians, Hess and Cataroqua, approached. John warned his sister as the Indians grasped him prior to scalping. Polly hid and after the Indians departed, cared for her brother until their father returned. John died after being taken to the Indian Castle.

Numerous Palatine settlers fought with the Tryon County Militia in engagements such as the Battle of Oriskany. Several survived Indian raids and some were captured, later to return. Some were Tories and met their neighbors at Oriskany.

7

Early settled areas in what was to become the Town of Fairfield

8

Over fifty Revolutionary soldiers are buried in the Yellow Church Cemetery in Rheimensnyder’s Bush, Town of Manheim. Many of them are listed on this monument, erected by the DAR.

9Yellow Church Cemetery – Revolutionary Soldiers’ Monument

10

On October 22, 1779, the state legislature passed the attainder act which confiscated the properties belonging to the Johnson family and other Tories.

On Sept. 3, 1783, the British recognized the independence of the United states.

On May 12, 1784, the legislature ordered the sale of the confiscated land. It was put on the market by the Commission of Forfeiture in an effort to pay some of the $10,000,000 debt of New York State following the Revolution. Developers purchased large parcels which were divided into smaller lots and sold mainly to New Englanders.

11

Land Ownership Changes

• Oct. 22, 1779 – State Legislature passed the Attainder Act.

• Sept. 3, 1783 – British recognized the independence of the United States.

• May 12, 1784 – Legislature ordered sale of confiscated land.

• Commission of Forfeiture put land on the market to cover some of New York’s war debt of $10,000,000.

12

13

High taxes, and farms divided many times amongst large families caused many New Englanders to look westward. Revolutionary veterans told of virgin soil, virgin forest, and inexpensive land available in New York State. By 1785, settlers were arriving in the Fairfield area and building cabins like this. Frequently the men of the family would come first, erect a cabin, and clear enough land for a garden. Then he would go back for his family.

14

Early Communities in Fairfield Area

• Eatonville• West Neighborhood• Alexander District• Fairfield Village• Hardscrabble• The Platform• District 1, Military Rd.• Old City• Lawton St. (Castle Rd.)

15

Homesteads were improved as the seasons passed.

16

As the settlers made improvements to their properties, they constructed log schoolhouses, one for each cluster of homes. At one time there were 13 school districts in the township.

Another vital concern to many settlers was religion. Groups would gather in the schoolhouses or their homes to worship. The Reformed Lutheran Church in Manheim had been established in 1733 – the earliest known in the area north of Herkimer. Services were conducted in German in the small log church in Rheimensnyder’s Bush, the first church on Yellow Church Road.

17

18

Presbyterians were among the first groups to organize. The church at Burrell’s corners, Salisbury, was functioning in 1795. Baptists in northwest Fairfield were noted by 1794. A Congregational group was present in Fairfield with 24 members when the Rev. Caleb Alexander arrived on his winter missionary journey to Fairfield in 1801. The group met in a schoolhouse and the collection taken was $2.33. Rev. Alexander caught a head cold and sore throat. When he arrived at Little Falls, the Mohawk was ice covered.

19

20

It is fortunate that weather conditions did not discourage the Rev. Alexander. On returning to Fairfield in 1802, he reaped what he had sown the previous year. The local residents had rallied to his call for an institute of higher learning and had collected funds sufficient to raise the first building of the Fairfield Academy on July 4, 1802. Thomas Jefferson was President of the United States and the Revolution was only 19 years in the past.

The Rev. Alexander served as principal and the Regents granted a charter in 1803. The Board of Trustees was composed of men from Fairfield and surrounding towns. Salisbury was represented on the board by Alvah Southworth, Jonathan Hallett, and Aaron Hackley.

Local people quickly put the largest building in the village to use. Church services, lectures, town meetings, and dramatic programs were held. There was ample room for a primary school in addition to the academy students’ classes.

21

In 1806 a new family moved to the Fairfield area. The Andrew Bartow family were “downstaters”. Andrew was a miller from Westchester, a descendant of an illustrious family. He purchased the hill farm and the hill has borne his name for almost two hundred years.

22

View from Bartow Hill

23

The founder of the Bartow family in colonial New York was the Rev. John Bartow who was sent from England by the Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts in 1702. He was a priest of the Church of England. His parishes were Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham. Later he was named missionary to Hempstead and Jamaica on Long Island and Shrewsbury, Freehold, and Amboy in New Jersey. The Rev. John served for 25 years and fathered 10 sons, one of whom was Theophilus Bartow.

Theophilus married Bathsheba Pell, daughter of Thomas Pell, Lord of Pelham Manor. This marriage also produced 10 children, one of whom was Theodosius.

Theodosius was ordained priest following the Revolution. During the war, Anglican clergy were deprived of their property, shot at, imprisoned, and banished. These sturdy folks renewed their church after the war. Theodosius was part of that process and became known as “Parson” Bartow. The Parson and his wife had 11 children. Their first born was Andrew.

24

The Bartow Family

The Rev. John Bartow (1673-1725) m. Helena Reid

Theophilus Bartow (1711- ) m. Bathsheba Pell

The Rev. Theodosius Bartow (1747-1819) m. Jemima

Abramse

Andrew Abramse Bartow (1773-1862) m. Mary Hunt

25

When Andrew and Mary purchased their hill farm from Moses and Sally Mather in 1806 for $2500, they had two sons and baby Mary. The following year, Andrew purchased adjoining land, thereby gaining ownership of the entire hill on the Fairfield-Salisbury Road.

Son Charles Joseph was admitted to the Herkimer County bar at the age of 22. Unfortunately he died a year later.

Son Henry became a teller in the bank of Utica and later worked in larger banks downstate. A brief note in “The Pioneers of Utica” indicates that Henry disappeared with a very large sum of money and was located after his death in Texas.

After the disappointing outcomes of the oldest sons, John must have been a joy to his parents. At age 21, John was admitted to the bar. He was successful in the popular debating societies of the time where he participated with the young Francis E. Spinner who was later to be Treasurer of the United States under President Lincoln. John practiced law in Buffalo and Flint, Michigan and fathered seven children. One of them was Bernard Bartow. He became a well known orthopedic surgeon in Buffalo and served as professor at the University of Buffalo.

26

Andrew A. Bartow’s Children

• Andrew Bartow married Mary Hunt• Children:• Julia Marie 1796-1796• Charles Joseph 1797-1820• Henry Theodosius 1799-c1836• Mary Frances 1805-1882• Elizabeth Ann 1808-1891• John 1812- ?

27

The Bartow daughters are the only Bartows in this area today. They rest in Oak Hill Cemetery in Herkimer. They spent the last years of their lives in Herkimer, members of Christ Episcopal Church. They donated a window in their father’s memory which faces Main Street and reminds people of the first warden, Andrew A. Bartow.

28

29

What was there about Andrew Bartow that caused his name to linger on the hill 184 years after he moved to Herkimer? Medical courses were proposed for the Fairfield Academy since its beginning. In 1808 a lean-to was added to the chapel to house the fledgling medical department. Enrollment at the academy increased rapidly and a three story stone building called the Worden Lab was built for classrooms and student housing in 1809. Several professors were hired and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Western district of New York was chartered in 1812. On the original board of trustees was Andrew A. Bartow.

He had been instrumental in obtaining the medical college charter, making frequent trips to Albany to appear before the Board of Regents. It is likely that he was chosen to represent Fairfield’s interest because he was a friend of Gov. DeWitt Clinton. Remember that the Bartow family was numerous downstate and several Bartows had married into influential families. The growth and development of medical education in our young country was aided by Andrew Bartow’s support. Fairfield was the site of the first medical school west of the Hudson River and many doctors were educated here who later made important contributions to medical science and founded other medical schools as people began to move westward.

An interesting anecdote was told by daughters Mary and Elizabeth regarding the fact that Andrew’s nickname was “Dr. Bartow.” Though he had no medical education, he appeared so often on behalf of the medical school that a member of the Regents called upon “Dr. Bartow” to render an opinion on a matter under discussion. Bartow said he was not entitled to such an honorable title and supposed it was intended as a compliment or a joke. Gov. Clinton interrupted and said, “Go on, Doctor, the Board of Regents never jokes.” This story traveled along the Erie Canal and the nickname became commonly used.

30

Worden Laboratory – Fairfield Medical College

31

32

Why was Andrew Bartow known on the Erie Canal? He made an important contribution for which he received no recognition in the history books. In 1817 he was appointed by the Canal Commissioners to procure the land through which the Erie Canal was to be built. The next year he was empowered to make contracts for the delivery of lime, sand, timber, and other supplies.

Water lime, a hydraulic cement, was needed for the construction of locks. This material had been located in England by Canvass White, an assistant canal engineer. It was thought that this material would have to be imported, a costly, time consuming process. But at the time the locks near Syracuse were being built, Andrew discovered a strange type of limestone in the Town of Manlius. Local farmers told him that they had ground some of it to use as fertilizer only to find that it hardened when wet. He showed a sample to some English masons and they told him it looked like the material they used in England. After experimenting himself, Andrew returned to Fairfield where he consulted with Professor James Hadley at the medical school. Hadley confirmed that the samples produced a perfect waterproof cement.

33

Bartow’s next step was to inform Canvass White (from Whitestown, a former Fairfield student) of this material. White was delighted and paid Andrew $2,000, applied for the patent in his own name , and agreed to let Andrew have a quarter interest in the patent profits. As a result, White received recognition as the discoverer of water-lime in this country. A profit was never realized from the patent as the material was readily available and people just took it as needed.

Original letters between White and Bartow exist at the Oneida County Historical Society. But once a so called “fact” finds a place in history books, it is repeated in later works. Bartow is about to receive the recognition due him about 184 years late. An author from New York City is about to have published his newest book, a history of the construction of the Erie Canal. Gerard Koeppel is not afraid to contradict previous works and will tell the true story of Bartow’s contribution.

Andrew continued his canal employment until 1825 when the Erie was officially opened.

34

The Water-lime Patent• Canvass White, a native of Whitestown,

attended Fairfield Academy.

• White paid Bartow for his interest in the water-lime patent.

• Profit was never realized from the patent.

• Bartow will regain his rightful place in history in two forthcoming books.

35

36

In 1820 the Bartow family moved to Herkimer where they resided on the south corner of Green and Washington streets until 1837.

This courthouse was erected in 1834, the second Herkimer County Courthouse. Andrew probably saw the 1834 fire that burned the original county buildings and probably witnessed the construction of this courthouse where he was employed as a Master of Chancery. His signature is found today on many documents in the public archives.

37

38

Professor James Hall of Fairfield recorded much of the Academy’s history and left writings concerning town history and local people. He lived from 1832 to 1925. The Hall family moved from Middleville to Little Falls in 1838 where they lived until 1849. During these years, a young James Hall observed an aging Andrew Bartow in Little Falls. Bartow and his daughters lived in Little Falls from 1837-1850. Andrew became blind in 1837 and Prof. Hall remembered him “walking up and down with his cane thumping on the flagstones.” In 1850 Bartow moved to West Farms in Westchester.

39

When Andrew Bartow died at the age of 88, he was buried in the old family burying ground at Hunt’s Point. No longer a peaceful part of Westchester County, this point is now part of the south Bronx.

Daughter Elizabeth wrote this tribute to her father (see slide).

Samuel Earl of Herkimer had this to say, “Dr. Bartow was a good man, and was always genial and talkative, and as Governor Clinton once said of him, he was by no means parsimonious in communicating. He was a true patriot and he loved the institutions of his country. In politics he was a Clintonian and a Whig. He always took a great interest in current politics, and was well posted. He foresaw the storm arising between the north and south, and when hostilities commenced he was much distressed. He insisted to the last that the daily papers should be read to him, giving him the latest news about the conflict.”

40

“My father was an impulsive man. He loved much, and so could hope to be forgiven much. He was a good citizen, a kind neighbor, a most devoted husband. I never knew a man who loved his wife better, and my mother was well worthy of his love. He was blind over 25 years, and in all that time he was patient and cheerful, never murmuring against his lot. He loved his Savior and He gave him grace to bear his trials.” Elizabeth Bartow

41

But to return to the founding of Trinity Church…the Rev. Amos Baldwin, a missionary at Utica, visited Fairfield in December 1806 and conducted what was most likely the first Episcopal service north of the Mohawk River. He was welcomed and the parish of Trinity Church was organized in January 1807. With some financial support from Trinity Church, Wall Street, NYC, the church was quickly erected and was consecrated by Bishop Moore in the same year.

42

Trinity Episcopal Church, Fairfield,

43

Who were the founders who gave of their time and resources to create this church – the second largest building in Fairfield village? The largest was the 1802 Chapel of the Fairfield Academy.

One warden was Andrew A. Bartow, newly arrived in town, from a prominent Episcopalian family. It is probable that Bartow was responsible for the Rev. Baldwin’s original visit in 1806, only a few months after the Bartow family’s arrival.

The other warden was Jonathan Hallett from Salisbury. A major in the Revolutionary War, Hallett served as Salisbury’s third Town Supervisor and was a charter trustee of Fairfield Academy. The major later moved to Fairfield and is buried in Trinity’s churchyard.

The Vestry members were: Stodard Squires, Russia, sawmill ownerCharles Ward, died 1809, one of the first to rest in Trinity’s new cemeteryElijah HanchardWilliam Waklee, Newport, tavern ownerPeter Ward, EatonsbushPhilip Paine, buried at Trinity in 1822, from FairfieldJoseph Teall, Fairfield, owned land in center of villageAbell Bennett, Salisbury

44

Monument in Trinity Churchyard

45

Some of the planks used in construction of the church walls are over 20 inches wide. It is not known who built this church. One possibility is Jacob Wilsey, of the Hardscrabble area, north of the village. He was active during this period, having built the Fairfield Academy chapel and the first bridge at Middleville.

The vestry finalized the purchase of one acre from Richard and Zilpha Smith for $75 in 1808. Richard Smith owned a great deal of land as one of the original settlers. Then he married Zilpha, widow of Cornelius Chatfield, thereby acquiring the Chatfield land and becoming one of the largest landholders in the area.

46

47

Trinity has a gallery along the north wall, facing the altar. It was probably filled with Academy students in the early years.

48

49

This is a floor plan from 1843. It indicates pews on both side of the church facing the center. There were two aisles, with pews in the center. The names in the pews show that most were rented by church families, except for a few in the rear. One remaining wall pew in today’s church provides evidence of this arrangement. The supposed attendance of the students would indicate a lack of downstairs seating.

50

51

It is possible that a pointed steeple once extended from the square tower. This would have been traditional for this period of church construction. But we have no evidence of this. We can note the destruction of other area steeples and guess that the winds were not kind to this type of structure. The steeple of the Norway Baptist Church was blown off when a thunder shower passed over Norway in June 1856. In the 1950s the steeple of the Middleville Methodist Church was lost.

A quote from the Norway Tidings indicates the way some felt about steeples. “When the devil planted the besetting sin of vanity in man’s heart he took care that steeples should be put on churches. It was all he could do against the church, but it has diverted many a dollar that might have been applied to the alleviation of human misery. And not only that, it has cost many human lives, as the tornado record abundantly shows.”

52

53

The recess chancel and sacristy was completed around 1872. The cost of the addition including painting the church’s interior was $450.25. The window was $60, a memorial to Alexander Hamilton Buell, the Fairfield boy who grew up to be a member of the 32nd congress. He died in Washington, DC and is buried in Trinity’s churchyard.

54

55

The connection between the Fairfield Academy and Trinity dates back to 1812. John Henry Hobart was the Bishop of New York. He was interested in theological education. The Rev. Amos Baldwin sent the Bishop letters about the new church in Fairfield and the rapidly growing Fairfield Academy. The Bishop and Trinity Church, NYC, offered Fairfield Academy $500 a year for seven years if the principal of the Fairfield Academy was an Episcopal clergyman and if four students named by the clergy were educated tuition-free. Thus a tiny theological seminary under the auspices of Trinity Church and the Fairfield Academy was established. Trinity’s rector and the academy principal were the same person. The General Theological Seminary in New York City opened in 1819. So Fairfield was the site of the first Anglican education offered in the United States. Prior to this, students were mentored by priests, much as students learned by assisting doctors.

In 1821 Bishop Hobart decided that Anglican education would be better served by establishing a seminary in the western part of the state. Financial support, the principal of Fairfield Academy, and several students were diverted to Hobart College in Geneva.

At this time the academy consisted of the original building, the Worden Lab where the medical school was flourishing, and old North, a dormitory added in 1811.

56

57

Several faiths banded together to erect this Octagon Church in Little Falls around 1796. In 1809, the Rev. Amos Baldwin held Episcopal services in Little Falls. By the 1820s, Fairfield’s missionary priest, Phineas Whipple, was on the scene and Emmanuel Parish of Little Falls was incorporated. They worshipped in the Octagon Church. Andrew A. Bartow was on the first vestry.

By 1828, the Rev. Phineas Whipple was preaching in the Herkimer area. St. Luke’s Of German Flatts was incorporated to serve Herkimer and Mohawk residents. Andrew Bartow was the first warden. The support was mainly from the Herkimer so in 1839, Christ Church was incorporated in Herkimer and guess who was on hand to be elected a warden – Andrew A. Bartow.

Trinity’s reputation as the Mother Church was acquired by the missionary zeal of its priests and the influence of Andrew A. Bartow.

58

Octagon Church, Little Falls

59

The Calvary Society of Norway was made up of Presbyterians, Baptists, and Episcopalians. In 1813 they decided to build a meeting house to share and by 1816, the Union Church was completed. In 1819 the Episcopalians incorporated Grace Church which was served by the Rev. Daniel McDonald who was also the principal of Fairfield Academy and the rector of Trinity, Fairfield. Grace Church members met in the Union Church until its demise in 1888, always served by the current rector of Trinity. Only six women remained of the once active congregation. The Union Church was used as a town hall until the late 1960s. It passed into private ownership and was demolished in 1986 or 1987.

60

Norway Union Church – Grace Church

61

This is a view of Middleville at its industrial peak. Eight years after Jacob Wilsey built the first Fairfield Academy building, he built the first bridge at Middleville spanning the West Canada Creek. He also built a sawmill and soon, a grist mill was added. Four years later, in 1814, the Herkimer Manufacturing Company erected a stone building for manufacturing wool, cotton, flax, and iron products. Also John Wood started the first tannery. Many came to work in these facilities and soon Middleville was a flourishing community of homes and businesses. The Union Church was dedicated in 1827, to be shared by Methodists, Episcopalians, Universalists, and Baptists. Today it is the Middleville Methodist Church.

62

63

In 1871 the Church of the Memorial was erected in Middleville at a cost of $10,000. The attached rectory was valued at $1000. With the population of Middleville booming, the Vestry of Trinity Church agreed in 1880 that the rector hold morning services in Middleville each Sunday, with the afternoon services to be in Fairfield. The Vestry also agreed that the rector take up residence in Middleville. Middleville people were granted the right to serve on the Vestry of Trinity Church. As time went on, Middleville became a parish instead of a mission. The two churches were always served by the same priest.

64

St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Middleville

Formerly the Church of the Memorial

65

With the closing of Fairfield Seminary in 1901, the village of Fairfield declined. The traffic now ran though the West Canada Valley corridor. Students and professors no longer roomed in the village and shopped in local stores. Trinity began a period of neglect while the Middleville parish flourished. When Lula Zeeb McKee (1896-1991), a former lumber camp cook, was driven through Fairfield one day in the 1940s, she saw an overgrown churchyard with a church badly in need of repairs. She made the church her mission in life and began her campaign to reopen the church. She lived in Dolgeville and worked in North Hudson Woodcraft but her heart was in Fairfield. Lula became familiar with the local Episcopalian families, and some families not so local. She attended the annual Fairfield Alumni gatherings, and she frequently contacted the Bishop of Albany. A non-driver, Lula managed to get rides from Dolgeville people every Sunday and for meetings during the week. She became parish treasurer and the unofficial organizer. Shown here in 1986, Lula is preparing the coffee hour. She passed away in 1991, her age remaining a secret until it was engraved on her tombstone. People feel as if she is still watching over Trinity from her resting place on the west side of the church.

66Lula McKee at a Trinity Coffee Hour

67

By 1959, it was apparent that the number of Fairfield Episcopalians was insufficient to support the church. A consolidation took place joining the Church of the Memorial in Middleville with Trinity Church, Fairfield. The parish became known as Trinity-St. Michael’s Parish. Services are held in Fairfield from Trinity Sunday in June through Labor Day weekend. During the fall, winter, and spring, services are conducted in Middleville. Trinity Church was listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places in 1993.

68

69

70

The Rev. William C. Prout was fondly remembered by residents of Middleville and Fairfield. He became rector of the Middleville church in 1919, after retiring from Christ Church, Herkimer. He lived in the rectory and served Trinity and the Church of the Memorial until his death in 1938 at the age of 90. He was a Mason and a member of the Grange and was highly regarded by young people as a friendly counselor. His funeral was one of the largest ever seen in Middleville.

71

How does one tell the history of a church? By giving a list of dates, a list of structural repairs, by attendance records? The church is really its people…and how many have passed through its doors, worked and prayed in a church that is entering its 197th year! The organ of Trinity is said to have been donated in the 1830s. Charles Neely was a pumper of this old-time organ, playing for services and weddings.

72

Charles Neely

73

Dorothy Munn is the current organist, assisted usually by George Dieffenbacher who inherited the pumper’s job. This photo shows a summer musical interlude in 2001, provided by daughters of the Rev. Richard and Mrs. Barrett – Constance and Deborah. Amanda Rice is playing the flute.

74

75

As time goes by the church is watched over by those who have gone before and rest in the churchyard. This monument for the Dr. William Mather family represents one of Fairfield’s first families. Dr. Mather was born in 1802 and died in 1890. His life began the year the Fairfield Academy was born and extended through the Civil War and the years of Middleville’s growth. He was a record keeper for the parish, writing in a fine, legible hand. He also left numerous historical articles and notes behind. It is important that men and women of today keep up the legacy of Dr. Mather’s generation.

76