Landmarks of Albany County, New York online

Williams was chosen treasurer and John Van Allen, clerk. This re-
organization was affected under the ministry of Rev. Joseph Kneiskern.
The original house of worship was a plain wooden building, and stood
a little below the present church, which was built forty years ago.

There are three Methodist Episcopal churches in Knox, but their
records are so incomplete that little of their history is known. It is
probable that Rev. William Brown was the first Methodist preacher in
the town. He is buried in the little plot formerly used, and the record
on the headstone says he was born in October 24, 1758, and died April



544

25, 1 834- His wife was Mary Chesebro. In early days the church at
Knox village was connected with those of Berne, Reidsville, Middle-
burgh (Schoharie county) and Schoharie, to form the Berne circuit.
Among the first members of this town were Joseph Hunting, F. Dom-
inic, Levi Van Auken, and Christopher Chesebro. The first house of
worship stood about a mile east of Knox village, and was taken down
when the present one in the village was erected in 1851. Another
church was built at about the same time at West Township. The third
one was erected in 1841 in the eastern part of the town.

A Baptist church known as the Church of Berne previous to 1825
was organized early in the century. In 18 12, when Rev. N. H. Ripley
was pastor, it had a membership of 105. Soon after this date the con-
gregation was without a regular preacher for twelve years, when Rev.
Samuel Hare was called and preached eight years, up to 1832. During
the pastorate of Rev. S. G. Tower, which began in 1850, a frame
church was built at West Township. The society was fairly prosperous
until about 187S, when it began to decline and was soon reduced to
very few members. It finally became extinct as far as holding services
is concerned.

Following is a list of the supervisors of Knox from 1850 to the
present time, with the years of their election :

1851, Lyman Witter; 18.52-.53, .Stephen Merseli.s, jr.; 18r)4-.').5, Henry Barckley;
18.')6-.57, John Keenholtz; 1858-5ii, Samuel Gallup; 1800-63, Samuel Warm; 1863,
John Keenholtz; 1864-65, Ira Van Auken; 1866-72, Peter Schooumaker; 1873-
74, Hiram Gage; 1875-77, J. M. Chesebro; 1878, William J. Haverly; 1879-81,
I. W. Chesebro; 1883, William J. Haverly; 1883-85, Charles G. Frink ; 1885-87, Ed-
ward L. Barckley, 1888-90, Sanford Quay; 1891-93, William J. Haverly; 1893-95,
Sanford Quay.



CHAPTER XXVI.

THE TOWN OF NEW SCOTLAND.

This is the Central town of Albany county, and the latest one erect-
ed, having been taken from the town of Bethlehem by act of the Legis-
lature April 25, 1832, and containing about 27,000 acres of land. The
act erecting the town gives the following description of its eastern
boundary:

From and after the passage of this act, all that part of the town of Bethlehem, in
the county of Albany, lying west of a line beginning at a point six miles west of the
Hudson river, in the south bounds of the town of Guilderland ; thence on a southerly
course, parallel with the Hudson river, to a point in the north bounds of the town of
Coeymans, si.x miles west from the said Hudson river, and all lying west of saidlme,
shall be a separate town, to be known by the name of New Scotland.

The surface of this town is widely diversified. The Helderberg moun-
tains rise along the western border in picturesque beauty, while the
eastern parts are high, rolling and broken by ridges and hills. The
.soil is clay and gravelly loam, and fertile and productive farms are
found in many localities. The principal streams are the Normans Kill,
which crosses the northeastern corner only ; Vly Creek, a tributary of
the Normans Kill in the northern part ; Vlaaman (or Flaman's) Creek,
in the eastern part ; and Onisquethau Creek, which flows across the
southern part from west to east. Black Creek touches the northwestern
corner. Lawson's Lake is on the Coeyman's line in the southwest
part, a small sheet of water, the outlet of which falls into a deep cavity
and flows onward through a subterranean passage to a cavern, the
natural features of which possess a great deal of beauty. Near Cope-
land Hill in the same locality are some remarkable sink holes, five to
eight feet in diameter and extending down through the soil and the
lime rock to a depth of ten to twenty feet, and being connected by sub-
terranean streams. Near Clarksville are two caves which extend respec-
tively an eighth and a half mile underground, with streamsflowing through



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