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| Beardslee's Castle Folklore The folklore of Beardslee’s Castle predates the actual construction of the castle in 1860 (1). Stories include: * Indians enter the tunnels of a fortified house on the site of the castle. Their touches set off the stores of ammunition. They perish. * A ghost of an Indian approaching a spring and then prepares his evening meal. * A gentleman ghost walks the fields with a lantern in hand looking for a lost child. * Various lights and unknown sounds. Location The entire Mohawk Valley has experienced tragedy after tragedy through out the years. Indian uprisings have had a great impact on this region. The location of Beardslee’s Castle is no exception. The Castle is located on State Route 5 near the banks of the East Canada Creek in the township of Manheim in the southeastern part of Herkimer County. But the original property was over 400 acres in two counties that included land on the south side of Route 5, land on the east side of East Canada Creek and land north of the castle. This area is located within a few miles of one of the battles of the Revolution. (See “Battle of Klock’s Field)(2). It is also within the territory that the murderous Walter Butler (see Massacre at Cherry Valley)(3) and Joseph Brandt (see Massacre of Andrustown)(4) traveled with their raiding parties of Indians & Tories. The road in front of Beardslee’s has a long-standing place in the history of this area. State Route 5 was also known as Old State Route, The Old Mohawk Turnpike, The King’s Highway and The Iroquois Trail. In 1793, a bridge crossing the east Canada Creek was constructed on “The Old Mohawk Trail”. The bridge was built by John Beardslee (5). The turnpike company added a toll gate around 1813’ (6). “A famous Turnpike tavern was also here as part of a small hamlet (7). (That no longer remains.) This turnpike tavern was remembered fondly as being a good place to eat in 1824 (8). There was also a Post Office in East Creek (9). Also along the banks of the east Canada Creek in this same area, Beardslee City developed. It is not clear if the hamlet of East Creek and Beardslee City are the same or two separate places. However, the first death at East Creek that we have found occurred when John Beardslee was 4 years old and before he arrived in New York State. Property Transformations The property owned by John Beardslee was passed down to his son Augustus and then to Augustus’ son Guy Beardslee. During the time span the property was in the hands of the three generations of Beardslee’s, many changes have come and gone. This area could once boast of having a prosperous small city (for about 25 years) (10), a Silver mine (11), a Rail Road station (12), and the first power plant in the area to produce electricity for town such as St. Johnsville (13). During this period, one can only guess about the mishaps that must have happened but have been lost to time. Tragedies First Death Before Beardslee Roger Baxter and his three sons, Eckerson, Thomas and John (14) lived in this area. All four appear in The Book of Names of Militiamen in the French and Indian war (15). The first death connected to this property that we could find documentation for is John Baxter. “John Baxter married possible Mary Schuyler; born 1737; dies circa 1763 at East Creek, Herkimer County, New York, was killed by Indians in his own garden.” (16). Thomas Baxter (married to Mararethe Zimmerman) (17) appears on the highway records of 1770 (18) for this area. This confirms the presences of the surname “Baxter” in this area. Mishaps & Deaths During Beardslee ownership * 1919 – Castle is completely gutted by fire- possibly arson – The castle is only partially rebuilt. (19) More Mishaps & Deaths After Beardslee * Terminally ill owner (Anton M. (Pop) Christensen) hangs himself inside the Castle. (20) * Beardslee family mausoleum is vandalized and bodies are desecrated. Vandals jailed. (21) * 1989 – Fire destroys entire kitchen – rebuilt. (22) Disclaimer Although many hours have gone into researching this topic, the information contained here is only as good as it’s source. Many records have been lost due to fires and mishandling through out time. Works Cited page 1) Beardslee Castle Inspired American Cuisine- History of Beardslee Castle 2) Fort Klock Historical Restoration- the Battle of Klock’s Field. 3) Cornell University Making of America Harper’s New Monthly Magazine- Death of Walter Butler. 4) Fort Klock Historical Restoration- The Story of Old Fort Plain and Middle Mohawk Valley By Nelson Green 5) History of Herkimer County New York. 1791-1879 - The Town of Manheim 6) Fort Klock Historical Restoration- The Frontiersmen of New York By Jeptha R. Simms. Albany 1883 “Bridges of the Canada Creek” 7) The Old Mohawk – Turnpike Book Charles B. Knox Gelatine Co. Inc- East Creek (Herkimer County) 8) Cornell University Making of America Stage- Coach Traveling Forty- Six Years Ago. A chapter from Mr. Thurlow Weed’s Autobiography. 9) The Town of Manheim Herkimer County, New York Profile and History 10) Beardslee Castle Inspired American Cuisine- History of Beardslee Castle 11) Fort Klock Historical Restoration- Captain Beardslee Writes about East Creek Mine 12) The Town of Manheim Herkimer County, New York Profile and History 13) Guy Roosevelt Beardslee- Biography Darcis Place of Origins 14) The Westchester New York Baxter’s 15) Fort Klock Historical Restoration- The Book of Names 16) The Westchester New York Baxter’s 17) Ibid 18) Highway records from Tryon County Highway records of the Palatine District, October 16,1774 19) Guy Roosevelt Beardslee- Biography Darcis Place of Origins 20) Beardslee Castle Inspired American Cuisine- History of Beardslee Castle 21) Beardslee Castle Inspired American Cuisine – Ghosts of Beardslee 22) Beardslee Castle Inspired American Cuisine- History of Beardslee Castle |
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