68 



THE MUSEUM. 



its channel spread out, its clear waters 

 were seen glittering in the sunbeams. 



No trace of any occupants was seen, 

 save here and there the ruins of a de- 

 serted wigwam. 



The travelers returned to their 

 friends, and gave such glowing ac- 

 tounts of the country they had visited 

 that a company of about fifty families 

 started immediately for the land of 

 promise, loaded down with heirs, pro- 

 visions and unmentionables. Their 

 progress was necessarily slow, and 

 nights, as they had to sleep in the 

 open air, they made fires to keep off 

 the wolves so numerous in their path- 

 way. 



It is said that it was on a Sunday 

 when they arrived at a brook, which 

 descends from the hills on the east 

 side of Foxes Creek, almost in sight 

 of the Schoharie Valley. 



Judge Brown in his History of Scho- 

 harie, published in 1823, in narrating 

 this event says: "Here they halted 

 and resolved on a general, personal 

 cleansing. As they were washing the 

 LICE were a-swimming down the 

 brook; the brook is called Licekill un- 

 til this day." It is not difficult to ac- 

 count for this fact (.') as poor people, 

 although usually cleanly, often in 

 those days found it difficult to exhibit 

 neatness in traveling a long journey. 

 However the neatness of their de- 

 scendants has become proverbial. 

 The night after their purification, the 

 pilgrims bivouacked in the land of 

 proittisc, and no doubt offered devout 

 thanks to Him who in His care had 

 safely brought them hither. 



The Indians conveyed them lands, 

 and upon a large stump in Middle- 

 burgh they cut the figures of a turtle 

 and a snake, the ensign of the tribe — 

 the Indian seal or evidence of the con- 

 veyance. 



They settled upon the east side of 



the Schoharie in seven Dorfs * — and 



each was given the name of the leader 



or head man as denominated at the 



camps. 



• "'Dort" is a German word, and means a 

 compact farmers' town or village. — Brown. 



"Weiser's Dorf" was near the pres- 

 ent village of Middleburgh. and was 

 the farthest south, then caine "Hart- 

 man's Dorf," Brunnen Dorf" — now 

 Schoharie village, "S nilh's Dorf," 

 "Fox's Dorf," "Oarlock's Dorf" and 

 "Kneiskern's Dorf" — the latter near 

 the mouth of the Cobleskill Creek. 



The first years were full ot vicissi- 

 tudes, but being frugal, hardy and in- 

 dustrious they passed through those 

 first years in comparative safety, and 

 lived in prosperity over fifty years. 

 More than this, standing by their prin- 

 ciples and integrity upon the frontiers 

 of civilization, their descendants were 

 taught those lessons of patriotism 

 which always vindicates its rights 

 against arbitrary laws. So they large- 

 ly became the nucleus of that army of 

 yoeman who, under the gallant Her- 

 kimer met and drove back the enemy 

 at Oriskany, and gave impulse to the 

 war which resulted in victory at Sara- 

 toga and final triumph at Yorktown. 



It is supposed that about thirty 

 years previous to the coming of these 

 colonists, a number of Indians belong- 

 ing to several tribes united together 

 and came to this valley, forming the 

 Schoharie Tribe. They were subor- 

 dinant to the Six Nations; and re- 

 mained at peace with the settlers until 

 the beginning of the Revolution, when 

 the influence and offers of the English 

 were so strong and tempting that they 

 at last took up arms against their 

 neighbors and friends. 



In the fall of 1777, the inhabitants 

 began to suffer from straggling parties 

 of Indians and Tories, and the Com- 

 mittee of Safety sought means of de- 

 fense. 



With aid from the government 

 three forts were erected, called the 

 Upper, Middle and Lower Forts. All 

 the forts consisted of a strong palisade 

 or picket enclosing about half an acre 

 of ground. 



Within the Middle Fort was a two 

 story stone dwelling house, and was 

 situated about a mile east of the vil- 

 lage of Middleburgh. The house is 



