| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Name variations:
A. First name: Franz, Frans, Francis, Frantz, Franss, or Franciscus.
B. Surname: Salts, Saltz, or Salzer.
2. The book "History of Montgomery and Fulton Counties, N.Y.," reprinted 2002 (originally printed in the 1880s):
A. p. 11, "Settlers Along the Schoharie," notes the earliest residents. South on the river would be about five miles upriver from the Schoharie's mouth into the Mohawk River at Fort Hunter. Also the river is the modern dividing point between Florida township on the east and Glen Township on the west:
"Among the pioneer settlers on the east bank of Schoharie creek were Martinus Cline and Francis Saltz, who, about the middle of the last century leased two farms in Warren's Patent, now the Henry C. Pettingill and William Voorhees places, opposite Mill Point. It is said that when they arrived on the ground they flipped a penny for the choice of places, and Saltz, winning the toss, took the southernmost of [the presently known] Voorhees farm. His oldest daughter married Philip Frederick, and they settled on the creek at the place since called Buchanan's Mills [just upriver from Salts], where Frederick cleared a farm and built a house and mill. Here in a few years quite a settlement sprung up.
Another of the pioneers who settled on the creek within the present town of Florida was Peter Young. He came from New Jersey, and camped near Garret Van Derveer's place. Learning from some Indians, while hunting one day, that a white family who had made a clearing over by the creek had become discouraged and abandoned it, he took possession of the farm, the next above Frederick's mill. The place was in Sir Peter Warren's domain, and Young paid 5s. 10d. rent for ten years, and afterward ₤3. The estate has remained in possession of the Young family from that day to this, the present owner being Miss Anna Young. Peter Young had three sons, the oldest of whom, George, married a daughter of Saltz and moved across the creek; William married a Gardinier and settled in Florida. Peter, jr., married Margaret Serviss, and kept the homestead.
During the Revolutionary war this was the retreat of the non-combatants in the neighborhood when threatened by the savage enemy. They formed a camp back of trhe lake on the farm sheltered by a semi-circle of bushes and hills. Mrs. Young [maiden name: Serviss], whose relatives were tories, and who was in no fear of them or the Indians, cooked and carried food to the refugees. Another hiding place was on the high point of land on the bank of the creek. At one time there was a large company of women and children encamped here as Indians had been seen up the stream. It was in the autumn and quite cold, and they had risked building a fire. One morning the watchman spied a company of men approaching over the hills to the east of the camp. They were supposed to be the enemy, and panic was created. Some flew to the lakeside camp; others tried to put out the fire, which would betray their positions, but they had no water, and the more they raked it, the more it smoked. They were soon delightfully relieved by the arrival of the party, who proved to be their soldier friends, home on a furlough.
After the war, Mrs. Young's tory brothers, John and Suffle Serviss, came from Canada to pay her a visit. Mr. Young was at the barn threshing and happening to come to the house was met at the door by his wife, who told him of the arrival of her brothers. He stepped in, took down his old musket, and turning to John Serviss, said, 'I am going to the barn to thresh; in an hour I shall come back, and if I find you here I will shoot you down.' The tory naturally bade a prompt farewell to his sister and set out for Canada. The suffering and loss of life and treasure among the frontier patriots at the hands of their tory neighbors could not be forgotten.
Mrs. Young was a great nurse, and returning one night from a visit across the creek in that capacity, saw the only ghost she ever met. Having paddled her canoe to the homeward side of the stream, she was making her way through a cornfield to the house, when an appartion tall and pale loomed up before her. After staring at it in alarm for a moment, she resolved to pass around it through the corn, but as she attempted to do so, the old white horse put himself also in motion and she recovered from her fright.
There is a graveyard on the Young homestead, which is the resting place of several generations of the family, and probably the oldest burial ground in the town. There is a maple tree on the estate from which five generations have made sugar."
B. "The Development of Business Centers [in Glen Township]... Mill Point, on Schoharie creek, was another collection of houses, and necessarily a business centre in early times. A German of some means, named Francis Saltz, having settled on the east bank of the creek, about the middle of the last century, joined with one 'Boss' Putman in purchasing the Shucksburg patent of 1200 acres, across the creek in the present town of Glen. Saltz took the half of the patent furthest up stream, from which he sold the site of Mill Point to a son-in-law named McCready. The next farm back of this to another son-in-law, George Young; a third farm to his grandson, Francis Frederick, and a fourth to Michael Marlett, who married Peggy Frederick. The 200 acres remaining Saltz offered to deed to Peter Crush [or Grosch], if the latter would marry his youngest daughter, a cripple, unable to walk. Crush accepted the offer, and having built a house on the tract, carried his wife to it on his back. They spent their days on the place, and left it to their only son, Francis.
It was Francis Saltz who is said to have got a millstone from Sir William Johnson for a song. One of his sons-in-law, named Philip Frederick, proposed to build a mill on his place since called Buchanan's Mills, in Florida, there being none nearer than the one at Fort Johnson. Mr. Johnson, having a millstone not in use, Saltz bought it on two years' credit. When he repaired at the end of that time to Fort Johnson to make the payment, he was urged to sing for the entertainmant of 'some grand company there visiting.' Saltz, though a famous singer, was diffident about performing before such a select audience, and only consented on condition that his creditor would forgive him the debt he came to pay. Johnson said he would do so if the singing suited him. Several songs were sung without producing the desired effect on the creditor, and Saltz, concluding he was not to get off so easily after all, produced his wallet, singing: 'Money bag, money bag, you must come out; the man he will be paid!'
Guests and hosts, at this, joined in a burst of laughter; the latter expressed himself suited and the German took his money back with him.
There was a family named Coss among Saltz's neighbors, and both the parents falling sick and dying, he took their children to his house for care. When one of them had become a young lady of eighteen, Saltz, then a widower of ninety, fell in love with and married her. All the neighborhood was invited to the wedding, and it was a gay time in the old Dutch fachion. The sequel was hardly as gay to the aged bridegroom, for his youthful birde ran away in a year with a hired man, incidentally taking the old man's money, which was in silver and kept in a hair trunk ornamented with fancy nails. This trunk is now owned and used by the C.C. Van Horne, aged 84, who is a great grandson of Saltz; and it is as nice as when the second Mrs Saltz skipped away with the hired man and the silver. It is not related that the old man pined for his graceless companion; but during the few remaining years of his life, he would sometimes sit down and count over his silver money, doubtless thinking bitterly of that which was spirited out of the hair trunk. These last years he spent with his grand-daughter, Mrs. Cornelius Van Horne [Eve Frederick]. At his death, she, according to the custom of the day, baked for all his friends - some two hundred - who were expected to attend the funeral, but the creek was so high that only the pall bearers, in two canoes, crossed it; they buried the aged man on his homestead, of which he had never obtained any title."
C. From a "mass of papers left by Jelles Fonda, and now in the possession of the Van Hornes of Fonda, is 'a List of the persons that are assessed above 5 pounds, iwth the sums they are to pay, and the number of days they are to workupon the King's highways, annewed.' Though not dated, the document is believed to have been written shortly previous to the Revolution and furnishes a sort of limited census of the inhabitants of this region, with their relative finanacil stnanding. Many names now familiar in the same district will be recongized, under the disguise which the orthography of the writer, and perhaps of the times, put upon them. The list is as follows [with over 120 names including names of interest to us - note Wm. Johnson assessed at ₤202 and most others in the range of ₤6-20]:
Peter Young, quota ₤10, annual assessment 1s 6d, no. of days work 4.
Frans Salts, quota ₤15, annual assessment 3s, no. of days work 5.
Peter Frederick and sons, quota ₤12, annual assessment 3s, no. of days work 5.
[Various Gardeners/Gardeneers {Adam, Samuel, Jacob}; Mallatt {John}; Service {Peter}]
3. Listed as a sponsor in the following:
A. The book "Compendium of Mohawk Valley Families," by Marily Penrose, p. 324: Birth/baptism - Grosch, Peter and Anna Eva (Saltz): Franciscus, bpt. 5/13/1764 (DRC:11). Sponsors: Franciscus Saltz and Sophia Frederick. [Sponsors would have been Anna's father and sister.] Note same source also notes a death of Franciscus Groutch, d. 2/26/1816, Columbia, age 49 years; buried (not stated) (RDH:272).
B. Records of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Caughnawaga, now the Reformed Church of Fonda, in the village of Fonda, Montgomery County, N.Y. New York, unknown, 1917, 748 pp.: Franciscus, offspring of Pieter Grosch and Anna Eva Saltz, baptized 13 May 1764 with sponsors Franciscus Saltz and Sophia Frederick. [Sophia would be Anna's sister; Franciscus is probably Sophia's and Anna's father or maybe a brother?]
4. Montgomery County, NY, Archives 19 Sep 2007 visit: Book "Register of Baptisms, Marriages, Communicants and Funerals Begun by Henry Barclay at Fort Hunter, Jan. 26th 1734" (Queen Anne Chapel 1734-1743). There are as many Indian baptisms as there are Caucasians at this time. Names of interest:
A. "Anna Eva, Daughter of Hannis Gleyn and Mary Christina his wife, Bap't the 25th of Jan'ry 1738/9. Nicoleas Hall, Mary Hall, Anna Eva Saltser, Surties."
B. "Mary, Daughter of Johannis Cleyn and Mary Christina his wife Baptized May 25th 1740. Frans Saltser, Annatie Newkerk, Magdalene Walleslous, surties."
C. "June 1st 1740, Maria Catharina, Daughter of Peter Young and Ann Eva his wife. Joseph Walleslous, Margaret Snock, Barbara Toetendorf."
D. "October 24th 1742, Eve, Daughter of Peter Young. John Cleyn, Saets, Surties."
E. "March ye 4th 1742, Martin, Son of John Cleyn. Cornelius Bowen, Peter Young, Mary Boen."
F. "February 3, 1743/4, Helena, Daughter of Peter Young. Helena Wallslous, Helena, surties."
G. "July 15th 1739, Barent, son of Johan Peter Frederick and Anna Phronica his wife. Barent Vroman Jr., Engeltie Hansen, Surties."
H. "June 21, 1741, Ann Magdalene, Daughter of Johan Peter Frederick and Anna Phronia his wife. Joseph Walleshous and his wife."
I. "June 5th, 1743, Hans Jacob, Son of Johan Peter Frederick. Hans Huber, Jacob Naef and his wife."
5. The Phillip Frederick home built ca. 1750 with accompanying water powered mill still exists at Wellsville, Florida Township, Montgomery Co., New York. It is on county road 143 on the east bank of the Schoharie River between Mill Point and Young Corners. There is a State historical marker and sign marking the site. From the sign, head west down the little lane and the last white house on the left is the Frederick home with new siding. The present owner is Jim Squillace as of Sept. 2007 . In the woods behind and to the left of the house is the remnants of stone walls that were part of the mill. By following the river bank south 50 yards, the walls can be found. The house itself has 3' thick stone foundation and is two stories. The siding is newer and disguises the age of the home. The historical sign reads: "New York. Site of Frederick's Mill at end of lane Philip Frederick and Francis Saltz leased land and built mill, 1750. State Education Depratment 1935."
The Francis Saltz home is on the same road heading north across highway 161 onto Lang Road to the end of the Road. The Halcyon Farm/Bed and Breakfast is the current name of the property. Part of the Halcyon building is the original 20' x 20' two story home built by Francis in red brick. He is buried on the property; however, the location of the gravesites has been lost since last reported in the 1920s. My wife and I stayed at the bed and breakfast Sep. 2007.
Young Corners is named for the Young family associated with the Fredericks. Directly across the river is property still owned by the Van Hoorn family who were also associated with the families. In the river can still be seen part of the dam understructure for the mill. The current owner of the home reports ghosts in the home with doors opening and closing inexplicably. The river used to be a main thoroughfare including during the Civil War. At one point the home was turned into a small hotel. The main door still faces the river and not the road.
Most genealogies report the family lived in Florida, New York. Florida is not a village, but is a township. The Schoharie separates it from the new township to the west: Glen. Millpoint or Wellsville can be found by traveling southwest from Amsterdam, New York on one highway that changes numbers from 30 to 161 until just before the bridge at the Schoharie River. The Frederick mill is on the road to the left and the Saltz home is on Lang Road is to the right.
I have photos on file of both.
6. The book "Mohawk Land Records," by Maryly B. Penrose, p. 56, bills of sale [note Mohawk District was the predecessor name for Florida Township. Tryon Co. was changed to Montgomery County after the Rev. War.] Note that Francis had negro slaves:
A. "Salts (Salts), Franss (Frantz), of Mohawk District, Tryon Co.: 'am held and firmly bound unto Anna Cass my intended wife and Martin Leffeler, of the same place, her trustee in the sum of four hundred pounds... and am also to deliver my negro man, Hans, and my Negro Girl, Eliza, both together with one half of my moveable estate unto them the said Anna Cass and Martin Leffeler, their heirs Execr. and Admr. and assigns after my death in consideration of her marriage portion to her proper use only for which payment and delivery to be made I do hereby bind myself my heirs, Execr. and Admrs. and every of them firmly by these presents: Sealed with my seal.' dated 8/25/1778; recorded 10/3/1778. Witnesses:Wm. Schyler, Abm. Vanhorne, (Tryon County Deeds: 153-154)."
B. "Saltz (Salts), Anna, spinster (a woman who spins), and wife of Frans Salts, of the Mohawk District, Tryon Co., paid to her by Thomas Caine, Attorney of the said Frans Salts. Instrument dated 11/3/1783; recorded 3/17/1785. Description: By a note payable on or before 5/4/1784, have released all right and title to a judgment bill containing ₤200, and also a negro man named Hans and young negro wench, which said bill Frans Salts gave Anna Salts on the same day of their marriage. Consideration: ₤12. Witnesses: William Schut, Jacob X Hall. (Tryon County Deeds: 187)"
C. "Saltz, Frantz, to Philip Frederick, Francis Cruth, Peter Frederick and Frantz Frederick. Instrument dated 4/28/1784; recorded 3/17/1785. Description: In consideration of serveral good causes made over all his moveable estate. Signed: Frantz ["X" his mark] Salts. Wit: Wm. Schuyler, Thomas Caine. The instrument was executed in person by Frants Saltz as a voluntary act. (Tryon County Deeds, Book 1, p. 257, 1772-1788)"
7. The book "Our Van Horne Kindred," by Elsie O. Hallenback, 1958, copy in the Montgomery County NY Archives:
"Cornelius Van Horne, oldest child of Mathias Van Horne and Nelly Crumm, was born in Upper Freehold, NJ on March 10, 1745. When a young man he came to Warrensbush, Tryon Co., NY where he worked for Philip Frederick who had a grist mill and saw mill at Mill Point, along the Schoharie Creek. Philip Frederick was the son of Peter Frederick, a Palatine who had been driven out of south-west Germany during a religious persecution, and emigrated to Mill Point where he settled and raised his family. Accoriding to the records of the old Dutch Reformed Church of Schoharie, NY, he and Sophia Saltz, daughter of Francis Saltz, were registered for marriage on Nov. 11, 1752.
Francis Saltz was another early settler along the Schoharie Creek, about five miles above its entrance into the Mohawk River. In heh History of Montgomery County, it states 'that one Francis Saltz and Cornelius (Boss) Putman purchased the Shucksburg Patent of 1200 acres of land along the Schoharie Creek, Mr. Saltz taking the half farthest up the creek, and Mr. Putman the lower half. Mr. Saltz later on sold part of this land to his son-in-law by the name of McCreavy; another part to his son-in-law named Young; another part to Philip Frederick, a fourth part to Michael Marlett [husband of his grand-daughter Margaret Frederick] and the remaining 200 acres he deeded to Peter Crush [Grosch] if he would marry his crippled daughter who had never been able to walk. Mr. Crush accepted this offer, and after building a home on the land, carried his wife to it on his back.'
There is another story regarding Francis Saltz in which he purchased a millstone from Sir William Johnson for a song. The only saw and grist mill at that time was owned by Sir William, and it was on the north side of the Mohawk River which was a long ways for farmers to carry their grain. Mr. Saltz heard that Sir William had a used millstone on hand and purchased it on two years credit. When the two years were up, he journeyed to the home of Sir William in Fort Johnson, NY and there 'found him entertaining some grand company.' Sir William knew that Mr. Saltz was a good singer, so asked him to sing for his guests, but Mr. Saltz was rather diffident about doing it until Sir William told him that if his singing suited him, he would cancel his debt for the millstone. He sang several songs but Sir William was silent about his bargain, so finally Mr. Saltz brought out his wallet and sang 'Money bag, money bag, yu must come out, as the man he will be paid.' All the guests immediately burst into laughter and so did Sir William, so Mr. Saltz was able to return to his home with all his money intact.
Mr. Saltz was a very kind-hearted man and when Mr. and Mrs. Coss, the parents of a neighboring family both died suddenly, he took the children into his home until they grew up. When he was about ninety years old, he married one of these orphaned girls and invited the whole neighborhood to the wedding. About a year later, his bride eloped with his hired man, taking all his silver money which he had hidden in a small hair trunk, This trunk is still in possession of his family..."
8. On file with me is a photocopy of the "225th Anniversary Program, Old Fort Hunter and Queen Anne Chapel at Fort Hunter, N.Y. Sept. 12, 1937," published under the auspices of the Improved Order of Red Men and Degree of Pocahontas for the Mohawk, Sacandaga, and Schoharie Valleys. The copy was made from the original in the Montgomery Co., NY, Archives in Fonda, NY. The brochure contains the history of Fort and Chapel.
The religious nature of the building was ended by the time the Court of General Sessions was held there in Feb. 1781. "This seems to have been an important session for discriminating between the Whigs and Tories of the county, as 104 persons were indicted 'for adhering to the the enemies of New York.' At a similar court at johnstown in the October following, 16 men were indeicted, 'for the same crime' while in February, 1782, 41 more, for their Tory procliviities, were remembered in the same manner 'for aiding, abetting, feeding and comforting a party of the enemy'... At the June term for 1782, an old gentleman and his wife wre indicted, for aiding, abetting, feeding and comforting a party of enemy.' The 163 names thus designated, show those of a great number not only of the strongest and best families of the Mohawk valley at that period, but at the present time. [The surnames of Frederick, Young, Service, Smith are listed among 25 in the narrative along with "scores of others' not listed.] - the greater part of whom went to Canada; were in the service of the enemy; not a few of them remaining there and becoming permanent citizens. Indeed, we may say that thus very many of the German families of New York became represented in Canada, and are so to this day.
Among the names recorded in the Queen Anne's Chapel Registers for baptisms, marriages, and sponsors from 1734 to 1746 are:
Frederick: Anna, Ann, Barent, Hans Jacob, and Johan.
Anna Eva Saltser, Frans. Saltser, and Anna Eva Selser.
Young: Lena, Anna Eva, Eva, Helena, Maria Cath, and Peter.
9. Franz may have a son named Conrad, but it does not seem likely to me. Ordinance index shows a Conrad Saltz born of Conrad Saltz and Anna Catharina 4 Aug 1760 in Stone Arabia, Montgomery, New York. The father Conrad may be a son of Franz. There is no mention of Conrad in any of the deed transactions, local histories, or church records in connection to Franz Salts that I can see.
BIRTH:
1. Based on the date of marriage of Frans and Mary in 1778 and the story that Frans was in his ninety and Mary was nineteen, we can surmise that Franz was born abt 1688 and Mary was born abt. 1759. The information from the book "History of Montgomery and Fulton Counties, N.Y.," reprinted 2002 (originally printed in the 1880s) notes that Francis was from Germany.
MARRIAGE:
1. The book "Compendium of Mohawk Valley Families," by Marily Penrose, p. 688: "Frans Salts m. Mary Cash, 8/26/1778 (DRC:162)."
2. LDS IGI extracted record: FHL film 0534214, batch M511311, printout 1205775: Frans Salts and Mary Cash, 26 Aug 1778 at the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Caughnwaga, Fonda, Montgomery, New York.
DEATH:
1. Date surmised from deed to Philip Frederick as noted above. Since Francis is buried on his property, death probably occurred at home.
BURIAL:
1. http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyherkim/cemeteries/florcems2.html 9 Sep 2007:
"GRAVEYARDS with No STONES, Notes made by Melvin W. LETHBRIDGE: In the 19th century there was a small family cemetery on every other road in Montgomery County. Most of them didn't survive or their markers, if any, disappeared years ago. Melvin Lethbridge went all over the county in the early 1920s, talking to local residents, transcribing all cemeteries he could find. Below are notes about several Florida cemeteries known to 1920s residents for which there were no surviving markers to indicate who was buried in them. This was the same case with other towns that Lethbridge searched - he found there were more graveyards, some of them sizeable, without stones than with stones. A realistic aside to new researchers - the likelihood of determining burial location of most 18th and early 19th century county residents is miniscule. Farm locations mentioned are in reference to property owners in the 1920s. The site coordinator has no further information about these cemeteries or persons buried in them. Researchers need to read through deeds at the Montgomery County Courthouse or refer to old maps to try to determine farm location.
SALTZ GRAVEYARD of JohnH. VOORHEES FARM NEAR MILL POINT BRIDGE: This farm was settled on about 1750 by Francis Saltz. Cemetery was in orchard back of house toward bluff and between barn and pond. Francis Saltz, wife and others buried there. Cemetery now disappeared."
SOURCES_MISC:
1. Henry Z. Jones is the author of three series of books on the Palatines: "The Palatine Families of New York: A Study of the German Immigrants Who arrived in New York in 1710," (1985); "More Palatine Families," (1991); and "Even More Palatine Families, 18th Century Immigrants to the American Colonies and their German, Swiss and Austrian Origins," 2002. I have reviewed all three and the very little I find is quoted above.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
Abt 1688 - Aft 1784 (~ 96 years)