THE TOWN OF AMSTERDAM

An early town, whose history is tied in with present-day lower Fulton County, the Town of Amsterdam is to be distinguished from the City of Amsterdam, which wasn't incorporated until 1830. The directory of Amsterdam is divided into 3 files, reflecting the size and importance of the city 130 years ago. Browsing through the listings, and the long profile at the bottom of this page, you'll see that Amsterdam was a major commercial and industrial center, the county's "Big City", a magnet for immigrant labor as well as workers from surrounding town. It's streams provided water power for mills of all kinds; it's shops provided luxuries for the residents of small Mohawk Valley towns. Amsterdam is still beautiful, and it's well worth turning off the Thruway to admire its many remaining 19th century homes, and public, commercial and factory buildings. Photo: The Waterfall on the Little Chuctanunda at Amsterdam N.Y., from a 1906 postcard.

AMSTERDAM DIRECTORIES
GAZETTEER AND BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOR 1869-70: AMSTERDAM
Directory of Textile Manufacturers - graphics intensive
1917 Glen Telephone Company Directory
Fulton/Montgomery Farm Directory 1939

HISTORY OF AMSTERDAM
The Pioneers of Amsterdam
1896 Home Almanac of Amsterdam
Who's Who in the World of Business, Amsterdam 1910
1909 & 1912 Members of the Amsterdam Board of Trade
1914 Amsterdam Musical Event
A Short History of the Economy of Amsterdam, N.Y.
1908 Profile & History of the City of Amsterdam, N.Y.
Old Postcards of Amsterdam, N.Y.
1870s Montgomery Co. Vitals from Amsterdam NY Newspapers
25th Anniversary of the Amsterdam Evening Recorder
Miscellaneous Obits & News Articles from The Amsterdam Evening Recorder
Amsterdam High School Class of 1940 In Memorium
Montgomery County Universalist Church Incorporations - Amsterdam


AMSTERDAM CENSUS
1800 Census of Amsterdam
8/26/10 1855 NYS Census Index, Town of Amsterdam, First Election District - link to another website
8/26/10 1855 NYS Census Index, Town of Amsterdam, Second Election District - link to another website


AMSTERDAM FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS OF NOTE
The Ancestry of Veeder Caldwell of Amsterdam
Bartholomew Family Obits
The Clarks, Deans, & French's
Profile of Henry "Harry" Easton Devendorf
Letter to Edward L. Fronk from his Brother J.J. Fronk
Descendants of Christian Gerling of Schenectady and Amsterdam
Hoffman Family & Growing Up In Amsterdam
Wills of John and Isaac Jones of Amsterdam
Kline Family of the Mohawk Valley
Profile of Richard Murphy of Amsterdam
The Pepper Family of Amsterdam
Photo of John M. Playford
Anna Porath's Amsterdam Postcard
Wills and Deeds of the Slack Family of Amsterdam
Profile of Christian Ludwig Thielking, late 19th cent. immigrant from Germany, at the bottom of this page (below the township profile)
Descendants of Peter Putnam Van Buren
Insolvency Papers of Barney Young
1863 Clute/DeGraff Marriage Certificate
The Alvin Dingman Murder Case
Biography of Herbert J. Thompson
Van Valkenburgh and Wait Families
1892 MacGregor-Moore Wedding
Photo of 8 Finlay St., Amsterdam, NY
Lansing Family Letters, 1886
Thomas McGibbon and Minnie Krutz


AMSTERDAM CHURCH RECORDS
History of the First Reformed Church of Amsterdam
1833 Members of 1st Presbyterian Church of Amsterdam, NY
Baptisms of Rev. Charles Jukes, 1834 - 1837
Baptisms of Rev. Mr. Donalds and Rev. Alex Prondfit, 1841- 1847
Baptisms of Rev. D. Stewart, 1839
Some Amsterdam Lutheran Church Marriage & Death Records
50th Anniversary of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church


AMSTERDAM CEMETERIES
Dodds/Dods Family Cemetery
GREEN HILL CEMETERY: Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4   Part 5
Part 6   Part 7   Part 8   Part 9
Hagaman Mills Cemetery: up-to-date and updated as of 12/31/06; please replace copies of January 2005 list with this one; burials between September 2000 and December 31, 2005 are at the end of Part 5
Hagaman Mills Cemetery Veterans Burials
Old Cemetery at Hagaman
Walter Cemetery
Some Small Family Cemeteries: thirteen small family cemeteries


AMSTERDAM MILITARY
Private Harold Christian Thielking
Report of Supervisor of Soldiers' and Sailors' Relief and Burials, Amsterdam, N.Y., Nov. 1, 1931


AMSTERDAM LINKS
Amsterdam, NY, USA Headlines Database
Amsterdam, New York 1893 City Directory - Index: link off site
Members of First Ave. Methodist Episcopal Church, Amsterdam, N.Y., 1918: link off site

PROFILE AND HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF AMSTERDAM
From the Gazetteer and Business Directory of Montgomery County, N.Y. 1869-70

Amsterdam, named from the place in Holland from which many of the early settlers came, was formed from Caughnawaga, March 12, 1793. Perth, Fulton County, was taken off in 1838. The original town of Caughnawaga was formed March 7, 1788. It embraced all that part of Montgomery County lying north of the Mohawk and east of a line extending from "The Noses" to Canada. In 1793 it was divided into Amsterdam, Mayfield, Broadalbin and Johnstown, and the original name was discontinued. It lies on the north bank of the Mohawk, in the north-east corner of the County. Its surface consists of the alluvial flats along the river, and a rolling upland, gradually rising for a distance of two miles, and attaining an elevation of 300 to 500 feet. The principle streams are the Fort Johnson, Chuctenunda and Evas Kil Creeks. The first was formerly called Kayaderosseras Creek, and its name was changed in honor of Sir William Johnson, who erected a residence near this stream in 1744, and a saw mill about the same time. It enters the Mohawk about three miles west of Amsterdam village. Chuctenunda, signifying "Twin Sisters", is a name applied to two streams flowing into the Mohawk on opposite sides. Evas Kil was named in honor of Mrs. Eva Van Alstyne, who was wounded and scalped by the Indians in 1755, while crossing this stream. The stream enters the Mohawk near the east border. The soil in the valley is a deep rich alluvium, and upon the hills it is a fertile, gravelly loam. Near Tribes Hill are extensive stone quarries, at which stone is now being quarried for the new State Capitol. Manufacturing is carried on quite extensively at Amsterdam village and at several other places.

Amsterdam, formerly called Veedersburgh, was incorporated April 20, 1830. It is situated on the north bank of the Mohawk, from which the land slopes gradually to the extreme northern limit of the village, then rises more abruptly to the height of 500 feet. The main street runs parallel with the river and is well paved and lighted with gas. The village contains five churches; Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal and Roman Catholic; an academy, a newspaper office, three banks, four hotels, a large number of manufactories and about 6000 inhabitants.

The Shoe Manufactory of McElwain & Co., gives employment to forty hands and turns out 150 or 200 pairs of shoes daily.

The Mohawk Knitting Mill employs forty hands and turns out forty dozen shirts and drawers daily.

Amity Knitting Factory employs thirty hands and turns out thirty dozen shirts and drawers daily.

American Hosiery Mill is run by steam and turns out 175 dozen shirts and drawers daily.

Sanford's Carpet Factory employs 300 hands, uses 3000 pounds of wool and turns out 1000 yards of carpet daily.

Kellogg & Miller's Oil Mill employs thirty hands, uses 900 bushels of seed, and makes 2000 gallons of oil and fifteen tons of oil cake daily.

The Globe Hosiery Mills employs 50 hands and turns out 90 dozen shirts and drawers and 30 jackets daily.

Amsterdam Knitting Mills employs 55 hands and turns out 80 dozen shirts and drawers and 30 dozen jackets daily.

Amsterdam Iron Works employ 25 hands and turn out $50,000 worth of work annually.

The Forest Paper Mill turns out from 2500 to 3000 pounds of paper daily.

W.K. Green & Son's Hosiery Mills employ 200 hands and turn out from 250 to 300 dozen shirts and drawers daily.

Pioneer Hosiery Mills employ 60 hands and turns out 60 to 65 dozen shirts and drawers daily.

The Broom Factory of J. H. Bronson turns out 20,000 dozen brooms annually.

The Malt House of Charmichael uses 40,000 bushels of grain annually.

The Monitor Clothes Wringer Manufactory employs 25 hands and turns out 20,000 wringers annually.

The Broom Factory of E.D. Bronson employs 30 hands and turns out 80 dozen brooms and 30 dozen brushes daily.

The Amsterdam Steam Soap Works turns out 4000 pounds of soap per week.

Shuler's Steel Spring Manufactory turns out $200,000 worth of springs annually.

J. C. Shuler & Co's Coffin Manufactory turns out $500,000 worth of work annually.

The Presbyterian Congregation of Amsterdam village was organized March 3, 1832, with Rev. James Wood, pastor. The number of members at present is 300. The church edifice now in process of erection is 104 by 66 feet, and 148 feet to the top of the spire. It is constructed of brick and hewn stone and will cost, when completed, $40,000. Rev. M. S. Goodale, D. D., is the present pastor.

The Methodist Episcopal Church numbers 290 members. The edifice is of wood, located on Market Street. The present pastor is Rev. W. J. Heath.

The First Baptist Church numbers 268 members; the Sabbath school 200 scholars, 27 teachers and five officers. The church edifice is 100 by 50 feet and has a fine bell and organ. The present pastor is Rev. John Enoch Chesshire.

St. Ann's Episcopal Church numbers 65 members. The church edifice is a substantial stone building located on Division Street. Rev. Porter Thomas is the present pastor.

St. Mary's Catholic Church was organized in 1844. The present number of communicants is 600. The church edifice is brick, located on Main Street, has a fine spire and stained glass windows.

Green Hill Cemetery is located on an eminence a little northeast of the village. The ground are beautifully laid out and ornamented with trees, shrubbery and flowers. A soldiers' monument is soon to be erected. Nature and art are combined to make it a beautiful rural cemetery.

Amsterdam Academy is located on a sightly eminence northeast of the village, about two minutes walk from the R. R. Depot. It was incorporated by the Legislature, March 29, 1839, and by the Regents of the University, Feb. 16, 1841, under the name of Amsterdam Female Seminary. It was located in the central part of the village until 1865, when its present site was chosen. Its boarding department was for ladies, its day department for both sexes. April 27, 1865, its name was changed to Amsterdam Academy. New buildings, at a cost of $40,000, were erected and fitted up with all the modern improvements. The grounds are artistically laid out and when completed will furnish a delightful walk and drive for the people of Amsterdam.

The following are the names of the members of the first Board of Trustees under the new charter: Hon. Stephen Sanford, M.C., President: Hon. S. Pulver Heath, Sec.; Davis W. Shuler, Treas.; Hon. Samuel Belding, Hon. Adam W. Kline, Abram V. Morris, Hoel S. McElwain, Hon. John Kellogg, John McDonnell, Leonard Y. Gardiner and Chandler Bartlett. C. C. Wetsell is the present principal, assisted by a board of seven teachers.

Hagaman's Mills (p.v.) is located on Chuctenunda Creek, about four miles north-east of the village of Amsterdam, and contains two churches, Methodist and Reformed; manufactories of hosiery, hubs and pumps, and about 200 inhabitants.

The Hosiery Mill of H. Pawling & Son is a fine wood building, run by water and steam, contains four sets of woolen machinery and turns out about 15,000 dozen shirts and drawers annually. Attached to the main building is a fire-proof picking room. This knitting mill was started in 1857, one of the first in the town, and has been in successful operation ever since. The dam of Messrs. Pawling & Son is of cut stone, laid in cement, and is the only one of the kind on this creek or in the county, constructed by private enterprise.

The Hub Factory of Inman & son turns out about 6,000 sets of hubs annually. A planing mill is attached.

The Pump Factory of Mason & Rogers turns out about 1,000 pumps annually. A reservoir in Saratoga County supplies the stream on which these mills are located.

The village received its name from Joseph Hagaman, the first settler, in 1777, and who subsequently erected the first mill.

Conner's Grist and Saw Mills are located near Hagaman's Mills. The grist mill contains three runs of stones and the saw mill one upright saw.

The Reformed Church, of Hagaman's Mills, was erected in 1835 as a Presbyterian church in connection with the First Presbyterian Church of Amsterdam, and remained so for about ten years when it became in Independent Society with about 50 members. About five years after this it united with the Dutch Reformed, with which it is now connected.

The Methodist Church was organized in 1864 with 24 members, and their house of worship was erected the same year. The present membership is 50.

Cranesville (p.v.) situated on the Mohawk, three miles east of Amsterdam, contains a hotel, a store, a wagon shop, a saw mill, a tannery, and about 120 inhabitants. It was named in honor of David Crane, who settled here in 1804 and kept a hotel for many years.

Swarts' Grist Mill is located about a mile early of Cranesville and contains two runs of stones.

McLachlan's Saw Mill is located about two miles north of Cranesville, is run by water and contains one upright saw.

Tribes Hill (p.v.) received its name from the circumstance that the Indian tribes were accustomed to assemble here. It is located on the N.Y.C.R.R., about five miles west of Amsterdam, on the town line, and contains two churches, viz., Presbyterian and Methodist; a store, a tin shop, a harness shop, a blacksmith shop, two shoe shops and about thirty dwellings. About half of the village lies in the town of Mohawk. Near the village are several large stone quarries from which immense blocks are now being quarried for the new State Capitol. Stone cutting and quarrying form the main business of the place. A suspension bridge, 536 feet between abutments, crosses the Mohawk, connecting this place with Fort Hunter. It was erected by a stock company in 1852-3 at a cost of $17,500. The bridge is supported by six cables of three inches in diameter each. The towers are constructed of heavy oak timbers and the bridge will support 5,000 pounds per foot.

The Methodist Church at this place was reorganized in 1864 with a membership of about 40. Their house of worship is of stone and erected the same year.

Finhout's Saw Mill is located about three miles north-west of Amsterdam and contains one upright saw.

Hollenbeck & Coughnet's Mills are located about three miles north-west of Amsterdam, on Fort Johnson Creek. The saw mill contains one upright saw.

Fort Johnson Grist Mill, near the same place, contains three runs of stones.

Wert's Saw Mill is located on Fly Creek, about five miles north-west of Amsterdam, and runs one upright saw.

Hollenbeck's Mill runs one upright saw.

West Amsterdam M. E. Church was organized about the year 1810. The present church edifice was erected in 1860, and is located on Fort Johnson Creek, about four miles north-west of Amsterdam; the membership at present is about 75.

A Lutheran Church is located in the north-west corner of the town. Their house of worship was erected in 1858, and the present membership is about 75.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized about the year 1800. Their house of worship is located about two and a half miles east of Amsterdam. It was erected in 1802 and is still occupied by the society. The frame is of oak and in good condition; the outside has undergone some repairs. The present membership is about thirty.

The first settlement of the town was commenced about 1710 by Dutch and Palatinates. In 1742 Sir William Johnson built a large stone mansion, about three miles west of the village, and resided there for about twenty years, or until he erected Johnson Hall. This edifice was richly ornamented with carvings of oak and mahogany, and at the time of its erection was one of the finest mansions in the Colony. It was fortified and called Fort Johnson. Sir William subsequently built a mill on the creek near his residence. Here he was surrounded by great numbers of Indians over whome he exerted great influence. Guy Johnson had a fine stone residence one mile west of the village, called Guy Park, and Col. Daniel Claus had another about two miles from the village. The first two are still standing. A tract of land one mile square was originally attached to each of these residences, but the whole was confiscated and sold with the estates of the other Tories. The two men last named were sons-in-law of Sir William Johnson. The first settlers at Amsterdam village was Albert Veeder, E. E. De Graff, Nicholas Wilcox and William Kline. The first church, Reformed Protestant Dutch, was organized in 1792, and became Presbyterian in 1803. The first settled minister was Rev. Conrad Ten Eyck in 1799. Casper Van Warmer settled in the south-east part of the town about 1779, and lived there about eighty years, being 89 years old when he died, in 1859.

The population of Amsterdam in 1865 was 5,135 and its area 18,866 acres.

Our thanks and appreciation to family researcher, Tammy Lunkenheimer, for typing the first half of the above long township profile. Tammy is researching Lunkenheimers in the area of Amsterdam, eastern Montgomery County, and lower Fulton County, specifically the parents, siblings and ancestors of William Nicholas (or Nicholas William) Lunkenheimer b.1888 in Amsterdam, NY, who married Ellen Agnes Finnegan. Tammy's original detailed query is listed October 11, 1997.

Most of the family profiles on our site are of early settlers or their descendants. But as I note above, Amsterdam drew many immigrants in the late 19th century, one of whom was Christian Ludwig Thielking. Christian's story is typical of later immigrants to the industrial towns of the Mohawk Valley.

Christian Ludwig Thielking of Amsterdam, Montgomery Co., NY.

The following is the family verbal history of the immigration of Christian Ludwig Thielking, originally written by his daughter, Leila Thielking, and edited by his great-granddaughter, Lisa [Thielking] Slaski.

Christian Ludwig Thielking was born at Hille, Westfalen, Germany on November 17, 1861 at no. 368. He went to public school until 14 years old, confirmed at Gehlenbeck in the Lutheran Church. He worked out as a hired man for a farmer until he was 21, when he was drafted into the army. In order to escape the army, he left Germany in October 1882 by leaving at night and crossing the border into Holland. He went to Antwerp and took a ship over to London, working his passage over. He stayed in London for 3 weeks, taking care of horses for the wealthy in the Mews of London. Then he crossed over to Liverpool, again caring for horses while he waited for a chance to work his passage over to America. After 6 weeks on the water, he landed at Castle Garden, New York City, unable to speak English and without any money. However, he found a job with the truck gardeners at Castle Garden the same day. He stayed there until July and then went to Schenectady and hired out to a farmer, again on the same day. The next year he moved to Visschers Ferry, where he again worked for a farmer and had to sleep up in an attic where the snow blew in on him at night. The following year he came back to Schenectady and got a job in Bronson's Broom factory. The next year he had an opportunity to drive a herd of cows from Schenectady to Mill Point for a farmer named Schoendorf. After the drive and having heard about the opportunities for work in the broom factories in Amsterdam, he found employment in Blood's Broom Factory and learned to wind brooms. For the next 30 years, he continued in this occupation at various broom factories in Amsterdam. Christian taught himself to read and write English by reading newspapers and 2 books, "Juliette" and "Down the Great River" and became a Naturalized Citizen in 5 years after entering the country on October 26, 1889. He met Caroline Gerling in the German Lutheran Church in Amsterdam and married her in 1891. At first they lived upstairs in her parents' home, until September 1897 when they bought the lot at 53 Arnold Ave in Amsterdam, NY for $600 and built their own home. The mortgage on the lot was discharged in 1908. Christian retired in 1921 due to heart trouble and he died in Amsterdam on 6 Mar 1940, leaving 2 sons and a widow.

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