Pastors of the Church
Reformed Dutch Church at Beaver Dam
Town of Berne
Albany County New York
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PASTORS OF THE CHURCH
The dates that follow the pastors' names cover the periods that they served the church. The authority is derived principally from the handwriting in the original church record and from the minutes of the Consistory.
SCHUYLER, Johannes, 1767 to Oct. 28, 1777. Pastor at Schoharie, from Nov. 20, 1766 to Apr. 16, 1779. For his biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of Schoharie, Vol. 2, p. 225-229, and 232-233.
SCHNEYDER, George Wilhelm, Oct. 1, 1785 to Feb. 2, 1789. Pastor at Schoharie from June 27, 1785 to Dec. 16, 1787. On Nov. 18, 1787, he delivered the first sermon in the new church edifice of the Low Dutch Congregation at Schoharie (Middleburgh). On Sept. 17, 1786, he preached the dedicatory sermon in the Beaver Dam Church. Particular attention is directed to the fact that Dominie Schneyder remained at Beaver Dam for over a yr. after he had left Schoharie. During his last yr. at Beaver Dam, he may also have supplied such congregations as Helderbergh, Bethlehem and New Salem, though this is merely a conjecture on my part, as I have made no examination of the original records of these churches. For a biography of Dominie Schneyder, see Records of the Reformed Church of Schoharie, Vol. 2, p. 235-239.
BROFFEL, Johan Conrad Ludewig, Oct. 23, 1789 to Jan. 4, 1795. Pastor at Schoharie, June 1, 1788 to Feb. 17, 1795. For his biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of Schoharie, Vol. 2, p. 239-240.
VAN HUYSEN, Hermanus, Mar. 1795 to Mar. 8, 1797. He also supplied the Beaver Dam Church, on May 25 and 26, 1811. *Pastor at Helderbergh, New Salem and Jerusalem, 1794-1825.*
BORK, Christian, Apr. 24, 1797 to July 10, 1808. Pastor at New Rhinebeck, Mar. 6, 1796 to Feb. 10, 1798; at Schodack and Bethlehem, 1798-1803*; at Union Village (Nassau) and Schodack, 1804-1808*. For his biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of New Rhinebeck (Lawyersville), p. V.
LABAGH, Isaac, supplied the church occasionally, from Oct. 2, 1808 to Jan. 13, 1811; and again July 9, 15 and 16, 1820. Pastor at New Rhinebeck, Nov. 20, 1803 to Sept. 16, 1811; at Greenbush and Wynantskill, Oct. 7, 1811 to Apr. 11, 1813; at the German Reformed Church in New York City, Nov. 16, 1814 to Apr. 8, 1822. For several biographies, see Records of Reformed Church of New Rhinebeck (Lawyersville), p. vi-viii, xi-xiii; Records of the Reformed Church of Greenbush, vol. 1, p. xv-xix; Records of the Reformed Church of Wynantskill, p. xviii-xxi; and Records of the Reformed Church of Stone Arabia, Vol. 3, p. 145-151.
DEVOE, David, July 1, 1811 to Apr. 28, 1816. Called by Beaver Dam and Middleburgh, June 28, 1811. Ordained at Beaver Dam, Sept. 26, 1811; dismission from Beaver Dam approved, May 28, 1816; dismission from Middleburgh approved, July 9, 1816. His last entry in the Middleburgh record was on Sept. 17, 1816. For his biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of St. Johnsville, Vol. 1, p. xxxiii-xxxv; and Records of the Reformed Church of Middleburgh, p. 132.
BOGARDUS, Cornelius, Feb. 9, 1821 to June 26, 1825. He was the first settled pastor at Beaver Dam, a parsonage being erected for him in 1823, upon the church farm. The Consistory acted to dissolve the pastoral relation, on June 27, 1825, a call having been presented to him from Wynantskill. His pastorate at Wynantskill extended from July 17, 1825 to Sept. 9, 1832. His salary there was paid up to Apr. 1, 1833 and it was agreed that he should have the use of the parsonage for another yr., in settlement for arrears in salary. Cornelius Bogardus was born at Fishkill, in 1785. He graduated from Union College in 1816; New Brunswick Seminary, 1818; examined by the Board of Superintendents, May 1818, and recommended for certificate. At the request of the Committee on Missions, the General Synod in June 1818, directed the Classis of New Brunswick to ordain him, on account of Missionary work he was about to undertake, in order that he might be able to organize churches. On June 1818, he was licensed by the Classis of New Brunswick, and on the same day in the afternoon, in the church at New Brunswick, he was ordained as an Evangelist. In the minutes of the General Synod, 1819, he reported that he had commenced his missionary journey, in Jan. 1819. He was Missionary at Sullivan, Madison County, and organized the church at Cato, Cayuga County, in the yr. 1819. He is reported as a minister without charge, by the Classis of New Brunswick, until Jan. 30, 1821, when he was dismissed to the Classis of Albany, to accept a call to Beaver Dam. He married Catharine Emeline Duryee, dau. of Charles Duryee and Elizabeth Van Zendt. She was born, Oct. 12, 1798 and baptized in the Dutch church in New York City, on Dec. 7, 1798. In the Synodical Report, in the minutes of the Particular Synod of Albany, May 17, 1826, Cornelius Bogardus is reported as pastor at Wynantskill. Again, on May 15, 1833, under the heading of the Classis of Washington, it is reported that Rev. Cornelius Bogardus has been dismissed from the church at Wynantskill, but is still a member of the Classis, but without charge. On May 13, he was received as a member of the Classis of Schenectady, dismissed by the Classis of Washington, and on that day he accepted a call to Boght. On May 22, 1838, this pastoral relation was dissolved and he was dismissed to the Classis of Schoharie. On Apr. 18, 1838, a call on Rev. Cornelius Bogardus, from Gilboa and Conesville, was approved by the Classis of Schoharie. His pastorate in those churches extended from June 8, 1838 to June 5, 1843. He was received as a member of the Classis of Schoharie, on July 31, 1838; and was installed in the church at Conesville (the old Dyse's Manor church) the first Thurs. in Sept. 1838. On Oct. 19, 1842, at a meeting of the Classis of Schoharie, it was reported that Rev. Mr. Bogardus was about to prosecute A. Richtmyer, a member of the church of Conesville, for defamation of character. The Classis enjoined him to desist from such unministerial conduct and a committee was appointed to endeavor to make peace between them. The committee visited Conesville, Nov. 22, 1842, and met the Consistory. It is more than likely that the breach thus made was never closed, for on June 5, 1843, the joint consistories of Gilboa and Conesville acted to dissolve the call; approved by the Classis on July 12, 1843. Thereafter, until his death, Rev. Cornelius Bogardus remained a resident of Gilboa; and a member of the Classis of Schoharie, without charge. On Apr. 17, 1844, he was appointed a committee to reorganize a Reformed Church at Blenheim. He had commenced his missionary work there, in 1841. On Oct. 16, 1844, he reported nothing accomplished yet, "but that circumstances were favorable in regard to some future action." At this meeting Blenheim was recommended for aid from the Domestic Missionary Society, to the amount of $80. The next fall, a continuance of the Blenheim appropriation was recommended. The Reformed Church at Blenheim was not reorganized and the appropriations that he received from the Domestic Missionary Society in that connection, brought to a close the ministerial labors of Rev. Cornelius Bogardus. He died at Gilboa, May 19, 1854; the Gilboa Consistory passed commemorative resolutions concerning his death.
BLAIR, Robert, July to Sept. 1825. The minutes of the Consistory, dated Sept. 20, 1825, show that the Domestic Missionary Society sent Rev. Robert Blair to labor at Beaver Dam, for twelve Sabbaths. At this period he was Missionary at New Salem* (?). Cf. Reformed Ch. Manual 4th ed. p. 325-326.
VAN WAGENEN, John Hardenburgh, Aug. 29, 1826 to June 26, 1831. He was called June 30, 1826; ordained to the ministry by the Classis of Schoharie, Aug. 29, 1826; Consistory acted to dissolve the call, June 20, 1831. For biographical notice, see Reformed Church Manual, 4th ed. p. 864.
MYERS, Abraham H., Nov. 13, 1831 to Oct. 22, 1835. He was called Oct. 17, 1831; installed Nov. 30, 1831, in the Western Church. He supplied New Rhinebeck June 16, 1833; and Cobleskill, Sept. 14, 1833. The consistories of Beaver Dam and First Berne acted to dissolve the pastoral relation, Oct. 12, 1835. He was pastor at St. Johnsville, Aug. 1, 1830 to Nov. 6, 1831; again, Nov. 1, 1837 to Nov. 3, 1844; he supplied the Beaver Dam Church, Dec. 12, 1844 and ordained a consistory on May 11, 1845. He was pastor at Easton, NY, Dec. 22, 1872 to May 21, 1875. For the remainder of his pastorates, I have no further information, besides what appears in the Reformed Church Manual, 4th ed. p. 622. For a partial biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of St. Johnsville, Vol. 1, p. xxxv-xxxvi, xxxix-xl.
During the vacancy in the yr. 1838, the Beaver Dam Church was supplied by Rev. Benjamin Bassler, on Jan. 3, Rev. A. H. Myers, on May 1, and the Rev. R. D. Van Kleek, on May 15, as per the record of baptisms.
VAN KLEEK, Richard D., Feb. 11, 1837 to Nov. 6, 1842, at Beaver Dam. On Nov. 21, 1835, the Consistory of the First Church of Berne resolved to call Rev. R. D. Van Kleek. The Beaver Dam Church declined to unite in the call, as they were offered only one third of the minister's services. On Nov. 26, 1835, the Second Church of Berne (Knox) made a request for one third of Mr. Van Kleek's time, and a call was extended to him, forthwith. The application of the Second Church of Berne, was for one year only. Through a misunderstanding the first call was not satisfactory and a new cell was made out and moderated on Dec. 15, 1835. Rev. R. D. Van Kleek presided at a meeting of the joint consistories of the First and Second Churches, on Jan. 8, 1836. Before the end of the year the First Church was willing to allow the Beaver Dam Church, one half of the minister's services, which at first they had refused to do. On Dec. 7, 1836, Mr. Van Kleek announced to the consistory of the First Church, that he had received a call from Beaver Dam, for one half of his services. He accepted the call on Jan. 6, 1837, but did not enter upon his pastoral duties at Beaver Dam, until he had induced the consistory to add $25 more to the salary, which was accomplished on Feb. 1, 1837. During the latter part of his pastorate, Mr. Van Kleek must have made all his entries in the book of Vital Records of the First Church. His last entries in the Beaver Dam record were the baptisms on Nov. 6, 1842. He recorded no marriages at all in the Beaver Dam record. He applied to the consistory of the First Church for a dissolution of the pastoral relation, on July 25, 1843. The consistory of each church acted to dissolve the call, on Aug. 8, 1843. There was over $500, salary owing him from both churches, which the consistories secured to him by making over a lease on the church farm. This had the effect of preventing them from calling another minister for several years.
MERSEREAU, Lawrence, Jr. (or Mercereau), 1844. A minute of the Consistory of Beaver Dam, under date Oct. 26, 1844, reads as follows:
"It was then Resolved we discontinue Mr. Merserois service until he get a certificate from Classis and that we give him two weeks to give us an answer. And then we are ready for a contract."
Mr. Mersereau was a Licentiate of the Presbyterian Church; he supplied the Reformed Church of Middleburgh, from Sept. 1842 to Apr. 1845. On Oct. 16, 1844, the Classis of Schoharie enjoined the Middleburgh church to discontinue his services; and protested against his recent ordination by the Presbytery of Tioga. Mr. Mersereau did not join the Classis of Schoharie, and consequently was dropped by Beaver Dam. For further particulars, see Records of the Reformed Church of Middleburgh, p. 134-135.
DEMAREST, William, Mar. (?) 1846 to Dec. 25, 1850. No record of call or installation available. He presided as President of the Consistory of the First Church, on Mar. 7, 1846. The Consistory of each church acted to dissolve the call on Dec. 26, 1850. For biographical notice, see Reformed Church Manual, 4th ed. p. 415.
VEDDER, Edwin, May (?) 1851 to Mar. 26, 1855. Called at a joint meeting of the two Consistories, on Apr. 7, 1851. The Consistories acted to dissolve the pastoral relation, at a joint meeting, on Mar. 26, 1855. For his biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of Schoharie, Vol. 2, p. 248.
VAN LIEW, John Cannon, Oct. 1, 1856 to May (?) 1860. He was called by the joint consistories, on Sept. 16, 1856; received as a member of the Classis of Schoharie and accepted the call on that day; was installed in the church at Peoria, on the 4th Tues. in Oct. 1856. On Apr. 11, 1860, the Consistories acted to dissolve the call on account of Mr. Van Liew's ill health; action approved by the Classis, Apr. 17, 1860; the salary to be effective to July 1, 1860. Mr. Van Liew was declared "ameritus" (?) and the Consistories were directed to contribute $30, annually towards his support. He was the first pastor to occupy the parsonage in the Village of Berneville. From there he removed to New Brunswick, NJ, the home of his youth, where he died on Feb. 3, 1861. For his biography, see Records of the Reformed Church of Stone Arabia, Vol. 3, p. 162-164.