Canajoharie (town), New York

Canajoharie
—  Town  —
Canajoharie Location of Canajoharie in New York
Coordinates: 42°54′22″N 74°34′19″W
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Montgomery
Government
• Type	Town Council
• Town Supervisor	Herbert T. Allen (R)
• Town Council	Members' List • William L. Armistead (R) • Rodney A. Young (R) • John J. Toomey, Jr. (R) • vacant
Population (2010)
• Total	5,566
• Density	87.5/sq mi (33.8/km2)

Canajoharie ( /ˌkænədʒoʊˈhæri/) is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 3,730 at the 2010 census. Canajoharie is located south of the Mohawk River on the south border of the county. The Erie Canal passes along the north town line. There is a village of Canajoharie in the town. Both are west of Amsterdam.

History

The town is near the former site of Canajoharie, a village of the Mohawk nation. The Mohawk had as their territory most of the central area of present-day New York from the Hudson River west to where Oneida territory started. They also used the St. Lawrence River valley as hunting grounds after 1600. They dominated the fur trade with French in central Quebec and English in eastern New York after the Seven Years War.

Europeans began settling in the area around 1730. Because the Mohawk were allied with the British during the American Revolutionary War, they were forced to cede most of their lands in New York after the United States victory. The land was sold to private owners. The modern town was formed in 1788, but was reduced to form the towns of Minden (1798) and Root (in part, 1823). The population of the town in 1865 was 4,248.

Beech-Nut, the baby food producer, was founded in Canajoharie in 1891 and served as the largest employer in the town for more than a century. The Beech-Nut factory moved out of Canajoharie in March 2011 and relocated to a new factory in the nearby Town of Florida, near Amsterdam, NY.

Notable residents

• Susan B. Anthony, women's rights pioneer, taught school here.
• Joseph Brant (1743–1807), Mohawk chief.
• Molly Brant (1736–1796), Mohawk leader.
• Samuel Clyde (1732–1790), patriot leader for Tryon County during the American Revolution. He served as Lieutenant Colonel of the Canajoharie Militia Regiment, and fought at the Battle of Oriskany.
• Alfred Conkling, was a lawyer, statesman, and jurist.
• Frederick Conkling, son of Alfred Conkling and brother of Roscoe Conkling. He became a US Representative for the state of New York.
• Josiah Failing, 4th mayor of Portland, Oregon. He gained much of his wealth, as an entrepreneur through general merchandise.
• Bernhard Gillam, a political cartoonist. He died of typhoid in Canajoharie, New York.
• Myron Grimshaw, major league baseball player. A right fielder for the Boston Red Sox for three seasons, 1905-1907.
• Jacob Klock, was the colonel of the 2nd regiment of the Tryon County militia during the American Revolutionary War.
• Charles McVean, US Representative for the state of New York. While in Canajoharie, he was the editor of the towns newspaper.
• Ots-Toch 17th century Mohawk woman from Canajoharie who married Dutch trader Cornelius Anthonisse Van Slyck founding the Van Slyck family in New Netherland.
• Edwin M. Randall, Chief Justice for the state of Florida.
• Thomas James, a former slave of Asa Kimball who became a minister in upstate New York.
• Hendrick Theyanoguin (1692–1755), Mohawk leader.
• Benjamin F. VanAlstyne, was head coach of Michigan State University basketball team from (1927–1949).
• Rebecca Winters, Mormon pioneer.
• Mark Traudt, former Vice-President of Goldman Sachs. The MIT graduate is now Chief Technology Officer for Quantifi Inc., Canajoharie High School Valedictorian (1983).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 43.1 square miles (111.6 km²), of which, 42.9 square miles (111.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) of it (0.46%) is water.

The south town line is the border of Schoharie County and the north town line is defined by the Mohawk River.

The New York State Thruway crosses the northern part of the town, following the river. New York State Route 5S parallels the Thruway. New York State Route 10 is a north-south highway, intersecting the Thruway and NY-5S at Canajoharie village.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,797 people, 1,492 households, and 1,026 families residing in the town. The population density was 88.5 people per square mile (34.2/km²). There were 1,637 housing units at an average density of 38.2 per square mile (14.7/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.02% White, 0.63% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.32% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.

There were 1,492 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,701, and the median income for a family was $39,646. Males had a median income of $29,107 versus $22,617 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,702. About 11.0% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the town

• Ames – A village in the south part of the town on NY-10.
• Bowmans Creek – A stream in the south part of the town.
• Budd Hill – A location at the south town line, south of Ames.
• Buel – A hamlet in the southwest part of the town on Bowmans Creek. The community and much of the south part of Canajoharie were once called Bowmans Creek after early settler Jacob Bowman.
• Canajoharie – A village in the north part of the town on the Mohawk River and NY-10.
• Canajoharie Creek – A stream in the south central part of the town.
• Fort Plain – A village that is partly in the town at the western town line.
• Maple Hill – A location east of Marshville.
• Mapleton – A location near the east town line, named after local trees.
• Marshville – A hamlet south of Canajoharie village on NY-10.
• Sprout Brook – A hamlet in the southwest part of the town on Bowmans Creek.
• Van Deusenville – A hamlet near the town line in the southwest part of the town.
• Waterville – A hamlet northeast of Ames.

References in popular culture

• They Might Be Giants featured a song titled "Canajoharie" on their 2011 album Join Us.

External links

• Brief summary history
• Palatine Bridge/Canajoharie information