Trappers of New York;

"°. A' ^' -^ -nf ^^ < <^ll<' J,-^ o * .0' MAJOR NICHOLAS STONEl'., As accf)ntre(i for tho forest. : ; TRAPPERS OF NEW YORK, OR A BIOGRAPHY OF NICHOLAS STONER & NATHANIEL FOSTER; TOGETHER WITH ANECDOTES OF OTHER CELEBRATED HUNTERS, AND SOME ACCOUNT OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON, AND HIS STYLE OF LIVING. BY JEPTHA Rr^SIMMS, AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY OF SCHOHARIE COUNTY, AND BORDER WARS OF NEW YORK. He lifts the tube, and levels with his eye Straight a short thunder breaks the frozen Bky.—Pope. ALBANY J. MUNSELL, 82 STATE STREET. 1871. Fli.3 Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1850, by JEPTHA R. SIMMS, In tlie Clerk's Office for the Northern District of New York. It Trp-sfer PEEFACE. " To be ignorant of all antiquity," says a popular • writer (I. " D'lsraeli), is a mutilation of the human mind; it is early associations and local circumstances which give bent to the mind of a people from their infancy, and insensibly constitute the nationality of genius." This is a truism which can not be contra- travened, and although the world is now full of books for good or ill, yet 1 venture to add another. Well, as this is only a duodecimo, may I not bespeak for it a little share of public favor ? For if it is but a small volume, it has nevertheless required considera- ble time and care to collect and arrange its minuti^. the author does not claim for it a place among classic works, which sparkle with literary gems; but he does claim for it the merit of candor. In a work purporting to be one of truth, he would not impose upon the credulity of others, what he could not be- lieve himself. This book has been written with the view of giving the reader some knowledge of the peril-environed life of a hunter; in connection with the early and topo- graphical history of a portion of northern New YorK. As the forests disappear, the country is settled and wild game exterminated; that hardy race of individuals which followed the chase for a li vin- will have 4 PREFACE. become extinctj indeed, those who would have been called professional hunters, have now nearly or quite all left the remaining woods of New York, and most of them sleep with their fathers. Many of the names with their daring adventures are now forgotten. How important is it, therefore, to place on record what can still be gathered respecting them, to live in future story; when some American Scott shall have arisen to connect their names and deeds forever, with the rifle-mimicking mountains, the awe-inspiring glens, the hill-encompassed lakes, and the zigzag- coursing rivulets— upon, within, around, and along which they sought with noiseless footstep the bounty- paying wolf, the timid deer, and fur-clad beaver. 1 may remark, that one motive in producing this book has been, to contribute materials for the future history of the state. Says an American scholar (W. A. Whitehead), "The general historian must gather his facts from the details of local annals, and in proportion as they are wanting must his labors be imperfect." A small budget of antiquarian matter, and some interesting incidents of the American Re- volution are here introduced; and in connection with this subject, I will take occasion to say, that I am collecting original matter of an historical character, with the intention of publishing it at a future, not distant day. There are yet unpublished, many reminiscences either of, or growing out of our war for independence, both thrilling and instructive. PREFACE. 5 Not a few such are now in the writer's possession. They are generally of a personal and anecdotal na- ture, and many of them were noted down from the lips of men whose heads are whitened by the frosts of time, or are now laid beneath the valley-clods. If such an anecdote should still linger in the mind of a reader of this page, or any old paper of interest remain in his or her keeping, that individual would confer a favor by communicating the same to my address. Our Revolution is destined, in its fullness of benefit, to emancipate the world from tyranny; and every minute incident relating to that great struggle is not only worthy of record, but highly important, for the proper understanding of its cost to the young, to whose guardianship its principles and advantages must soon be confided. The difficulty of preparing a work for the press where much of the matter is to be obtained by con- versational notes, IS only known to those who have experienced the task; and such best know its liability to contain error. The biography of Major Stoner has nearly all been read over to him since it was written out, and corrected; I can with confidence, therefore, promise the reader, as few errors in this as he will find in any work similarly got up. In conclusion, I would fain express my grateful thanks to those individuals who have in any manner contributed towards making this volume. Fultonville, m Y. J. R. SIMMS. INTKODUCTORT NOTE TO THIRD EDITION. An impression seems to have stolen upon the credulity of many- persons, that a full account of Maj. Stoner's eventful life had not been given in this work ; but that after his death, the reader would be startled by the narrative of a score of tragic scenes, vieing with each other in horrid detail. Desirous of making the work as authentic as possible, before the first edition of it was published, the matter relating to Mr. Stoner was r6ad over, not only to him, but to Jacob Shew, a compatriot in arms, and after as well as before the war, a resident of the same county. At its conclusion the latter observed that my Leatherstocking had been very candid with me, and as he believed, had told me of all the fatal rencontres he had ever had with Indian hunters, which were much talked of at the time of their occurrence. Mr. Blakeman, a hunter whose name appears in the book, thought Mr. Stoner had killed one Indian whose death I had not recorded, but the senior hunter at a later interview explained the whole matter. The Indian, as he said, did not wait to be killed, and the blood seen near the deserted cabin, which confirmed Blake- man's suspicions, was that of a deer. And here let me add, I never conversed with a more candid and seemingly conscientious man than Nicholas Stoner. He died Nov. 24th, 1853, and was buried at Kingsborough. As some credulous people are looking for what is never to appear, unless in a workof ^diow, the reader is assured, that after each of the preceding editions of this work were issued, Mr. Stoner, who had read it himself, informed the writer in all candor, that although he had frightened very many Indians, this book contained a true account of all that he had actually killed. He good-humoredly added, that some knowing ones told stories about him which had no foundation in truth, and appearing desirous to make him a very bad man. 1857. J. R. S. — CONTENTS. Chapter L *arentage of Nicliolas Stoner—Description of his person—His trapper's dress—His schooling—First settlement of Fonda's Bush—Signification of the name—First settlement at Fish House—Some account of Sir William Johnson—His style of living at Johnson Hall—His household—First school-house in Johnstown—School children how treated—Manners taught Anecdote of Jacob Shew at school — Schools of former days in New England and New York—Johnson's Fish House when built—Its site—Fonda's Bush—Plank roads and stage routes Village of Northville—Its first settlers—First settlers at Den- ton's Corners ------- Page 15 Chapter II. Reasons for Sir Wm. Johnson's locating in Johnstown—Scenery between the Mohawk and Sacondaga rivers—The great Sacou- daga Vlaie—Vlaie Creek—Its source and Indian name—Origin of the marsh—Singular discovery of a lake—Stacking-ridges • Cranberries—Johnson's cottage on Summer-house point—His carriage road—Nine mile tree—Sacondaga Patent—Summer- house how built and painted—Its Garden—Creek entering the Vlaie—Origin of their names—Summer-house point in fresh- ets—Wild game—Visit to the point in 1849 - - 30 — O CONTENTS. Chapter III Signification of Sacondaga—Its great angle—Name for Daly's oreek how originated—Residence of Henry Wormwood—Inti- macy of Sir William Johnson with his daughters—His signal for a housekeeper—Four in a bed at the Fish House—Disposal of Wormw ood's family—Sale of Fish House and its farm—Cost of Sacondaga bridge—Summer-house point fortified—Fate of Johnson's cottage—Willie Boiles drowned—Sale of Summer- house point—Mayfield settlement—Its first mill—First mill on the Kenuyetto—Anecdotes of Sir William Johnson—Dunham family 1-42 Chapter IV. Nicholas Stoner's boyhood—He enters the army—Gen. Arnold's device to raise the siege of Fort Stanwix—Evidences of the Oriskany battle—Gen. Arnold in the battle of Saratoga—Stoner -end Conyne how wounded—Three Stoners on duty in Rhode Island—Anecdote of a theft—Stoner a prisoner—Capture of Gen. Prescott—Attempt to capture Stoner and others near Johnson Hall—Signification of Cayadutta—A prisoner from necessity ---------55 Chapter V. Baker for Johnstown Fort—Singular incident at his house, and dangerous situation of Stoner—Residence of Jeremiah Mason His daughter Anna— The Browse family—Stoner pigeon hunt- ing—He takes his captain on a hunt—Hunters how alarmed Browse family remove to Canada—Maj.

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