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THE TOWN OF FRANKFORT

HERKIMER COUNTY, NY

On the Way to the Frankfort Gulph, Town of Frankfort, near Utica, N.Y.

On the Way to the Frankfort Gulph, Town of Frankfort, near Utica, N.Y.
Image ©1997 Laura Perkins



Welcome to Frankfort!

Frankfort, incorporated May 4, 1863, had a gristmill previous to the Revolution, and by 1807 had only seven houses. The building of the Erie Canal did not lead to the large growth expected, but the growth made is typical of the Mohawk Valley towns, substantial. Its population today (1920) is 4,198. In 1844 the first of the large factories was located and for years turned out matches by the million. Now the industrial interest centers in the making of farm implements, condensed milk, castings, road machinery, and steel stamping. West Frankfort is the seat of several vegetable canneries. - source: "The History of New York State," Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1927





FRANKFORT DIRECTORIES
GAZETTEER AND BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF HERKIMER COUNTY FOR 1869-70: FRANKFORT
Boyd's Business Directory of Frankfort for 1872
1883 Frankfort Directory
1883 Business Directory of Frankfort, N.Y.
1887-1888 Frankfort Directory
1888-1889 Herkimer County Directory: Frankfort
1933 Telephone Directory of the Village of Frankfort


FRANKFORT CENSUS
1800 Census of Frankfort


HISTORY OF FRANKFORT
Early Frankfort History
An Act for the Relief of the Tenants of Peter Smith, 1797
Frankfort Town Supervisors, 1796 - 1875
The Balloon Farm
Old Postcards of Frankfort, N.Y., Pt. 1
Old Postcards of Frankfort, N.Y., Pt. 2
More Old Postcards of Frankfort, N.Y.
History of Olive Branch Lodge, No. 40
St. Theresa's Mission Church


FRANKFORT FAMILIES
Frankfort Family Sketches
Some Inter-Related Families of 18th - 19th Century Frankfort - many surnames
Frankfort Social Notes 1919
Frankfort Ancestors From Oriolo, Italy
Golden Anniversary of John and Christina Shofer Markle of West Frankfort
Will of Bridget Whalen
Wills of the Joslin Family


CEMETERIES OF FRANKFORT
Abandoned Cemetery
Frankfort Cemetery
Frankfort Cemetery, Ferguson Rd.
West Frankfort Cemetery Harbor
Frankfort Center Cemetery, Mucky Run Rd.
Frankfort Hill (Wetmore) Cemetery - A New 2006 Reading
Graffenburg Cemetery
Jones Road (Weaver) Cemetery
Mt. Olivet Cemetery
Oak View Cemetery - A New 2005 Reading!


FRANKFORT MILITARY
Hiram Cronk, Last Survivor of the War of 1812
2nd NY Artillery, Company K
Pvt. Zachariah Fellows, Co. G, 97th NY Vols.
Frankfort WWII Honor Roll
BENJAMIN HARVEY - Revolutionary War Soldier listed on Obituaries Bulletin Board for 10/22/97


SCHOOLS OF FRANKFORT
Frankfort Center School, District #12 - Frankfort Center, N.Y.
1914 Frankfort High School Annual


PROFILE AND HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF FRANKFORT
from the Gazetteer and Business Directory of Herkimer County, N.Y. 1869-70


FRANKFORT, named in honor of Lawrence Frank, an early settler, was formed from German Flats, February 5, 1796. In the formation of Oneida County, in 1798, it was divided and a part annexed to Deerfield. It lies on the west border of the County, south of the Mohawk. The surface is a broad intervale, rising into hills of moderate elevation on the south-west border, the highest points being about 500 feet above the river. The Mohawk flows south-east, on the north border. The streams are small brooks and creeks. The soil on the uplands is a clayey and slaty loam and on the flats an alluvial loam. In the south-west part are several limestone ledges, the most important of which is the Horsebone Ledge. The stone is whitish and makes excellent lime. Slate and calciferous sandstone are found in some places.

Frankfort, (p.v.) located in the north-east part, contains four churches, two hotels, a woolen factory, a grist mill, a saw mill, a distillery, a match factory, several carriage shops and the usual number of mechanic shops of various kinds, and about 1,000 inhabitants.

The manufacture of friction matches is extensively carried on at this place. The main building is 56 by 58 feet and two and a half stories high. There are two other buildings, one 26 by 84 feet, the oher 24 by 84 and two stories high. There are ten other buildings used for various purposes. The works are driven by water and give employment to about 300 hands, two-thirds of whom work in and about the shops, and the others at their homes. The lumber is all kiln dried, and there are used annually 700,000 feet of white pine, 250,000 feet of basswood and 50,000 feet of spruce. About 800 gross per day are manufactured, and about $300,000 per year are paid to the Government for stamps. The business was commenced by Mr. Wm. Gates, the proprietor, in 1847, but did not attain its present dimensions until 1862.

This town was settled previous to the Revolution, by German families, along the river. Jacob Folts was the first settler and located on lot 3, Burnetsfield Patent. Among the other early settlers were Conrad Folts, Andrew Piper, David Dederick, Aaron James, ___ Morgan, Evan Evans, Joseph Harris, John Morris, Moses Meyers and Adam Webber. Several Welsh families settled about 1800.

The first inn was kept by John Meyers, in 1795; the first saw mill was built by John Hollister, in 1794, and the first grist mill by Adam J. Campbell, in 1808.

The Methodist Church was organized in 1849 with a membership of twenty; Rev. Jesse Penfield was the pastor. For several years previous to this, meetings had been held in the school house and in the public halls, but a small brick church was erected soon after the organization at a cost of $2,000. This house having become too small for the society, a new one was erected and dedicated June 8th, 1869. The size is 42 by 75 feet, including a small projection for steeple, and cost $15,000. The number of members is 120. Rev. B. F. Barker is the present pastor.

The Universalist Society was formed under the occasional preaching of Rev. Dolphus Skinner, D. D., previous to 1844, when a framed church was erected at a cost of about $2,000. In 1849 Rev. Richard Eddy organized a Church. Since that time the Church has had several different pastors, and at intervals no preaching. In 1866 Rev. D. Ballou reorganized the Church with forty-two members. The church edifice has since been repaired, and the Sabbath school and the membership of the Church have been considerably increased. Rev. Willis Harrison Grigsby is the present pastor.

The population of the town in 1865 was 3,087; its area is 21,023 acres.


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