The Van Slyke House

National Register of Historic Places, Herkimer County, New York

Built in 1860, on lands first belonging to the Akwesasró:non Mohawk people, The Van Slyke House exhibits distinctive features of the Greek Revival style of the upright and wing type and retains numerous period historic features making it worthy to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places (SG100007104, November 2021) for its Greek Revival Architecture.

Named after Moses and Lucinda Van Slyke who built the farmhouse in 1860, The Van Slyke House exhibits distinctive features of the Greek Revival style of the upright and wing type and retains numerous period historic features.

In November 2021, the Van Slyke House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its Greek Revival Architecture

The Van Slyke House, located in the Town of German Flatts, Herkimer County, New York, has been noted as an excellent example of simple Greek Revival architecture. The farmhouse is an approximate 1470 square feet, one-and-a-half-story, upright and wing, wood clapboard structure with a metal roof. A one-story wing extends to the east with a full-length porch. To the east of the wing is an enclosed porch built in 1900. When the house was moved in 1953, it was built into a hill and the foundation includes a full basement and garage under the enclosed porch.

Known and distinguished as Lot 43 of the German Flatts (Burnetsfield) Patent

The Van Slyke House is situated on a 57-acre site of wooded land on the ancestral lands of the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk people). The lot  is long from north to south with the house at an elevation of 482 ft in the approximate center of the lot’s width just south of the northern border. The length of the lot goes up in elevation to approximately 1082 ft. The northern border of the parcel is along State Route 5S while the east, west, and southern boundaries are consistent with the Burnetsfield Patent borders established in the patent.

The Kanienʼkehá꞉ka homeland included the north eastern region of present day New York State extending into Canada and Vermont. Known as the “Keepers of the Eastern Door” The Kanienʼkehá꞉ka lived throughout today’s Mohawk Valley. Many area towns, villages, rivers and land formations have names that originated with the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka.

We acknowledge that the Van Slyke House is located on the ancestral lands of the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka.  We honor all Hodinöhsö:ni’ through our stewardship of the land. We value the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka connection to this valley and offer our respect to Hodinöhsö:ni’ ancestors, past and present.

The Burnetsfield, or German Flatts Patent as it is also known, contained a 9,400 acre parcel of land originally purchased from Kanienʼkehá꞉ka members of the Ongweh’onweh Hodinöhsö:ni’ with the deed dated July 9, 1722. That the British Board of Trade and advised Governor Burnet to “grant to each of the said persons, man, woman and child, as are desirous to settle within the limits of the said tract of land the quantity of 100 acres.”.

In 1725, Lot 43 was approximately 102 acres, extending from its present southern boundary to the south bank of the Mohawk River. The flat portion of the land was extremely fertile and ideal for farming and dairy.

Lot 43 and Van Slyke House Timeline

  • Prior to European Settlement

    Mohawks live throughout northeast New York State

    Kanienʼkehá꞉ka settlements along the Mohawk River

    While the Kanienʼkehá꞉ka (Mohawk) lived in settlements along the Mohawk River, their original homeland included the land in present day northeastern New York and stretched into Canada and Vermont.

  • 1720

    England’s Board of Trade recommends the establishment of lands for the German Palatines

    In 1720, England’s Board of Trade made recommendations to New York’s new governor, William Burnet, to establish lands for the German Palatines, “for such of [the Palatines], as desire to remove to proper places.”

  • January 17, 1722

    Palatine Germans present petition to purchase lands on both sides of the Mohawk River

    By January 17, 1722, and after repeated petitions to Her Majesty’s government, the Palatine Germans in “accordance with the governor’s license they had purchased” the tract of land on both sides of the “Mohawks river” that would become the Burnetsfield or German Flatts Patent.

  • July 9, 1722

    British Council of Trade and Plantations records thedeed for the Burnetsfield Patent

    The Hodinöhsö:ni’ deed is dated July 9, 1722. That the council advised the governor to “grant to each of the said persons, man, woman and child, as are desirous to settle within the limits of the said tract of land the quantity of 100 acres.”

  • November 21, 1722

    Governor William Burnet tells the British Council of Trade and Plantations of the land purchase

    In documents dated November 21, 1722, Governor Burnet wrote to the British Council of Trade and Plantations about the Palatine Germans,

    “I have given them leave to purchase land of the Indians, between ye present English Settlements near Fort Hunter and part of Canada, on a Creek called Canada Creek, where they will be still more immediately a barrier against the sudden incursions of the French, who made this their road when they last attacked and burn’d ye frontier town called Schenectady.” 

  • April 30, 1725

    Lot 43 Patent Granted

    Johannes and Anna Maria Müller

    After a long and arduous journey from the Palatinate in present day Germany, Johannes and Anna Maria became the patentees of Lot 43. About their journey, Anna Maria recounts much later that,

    Also, I wish to report that, even though the move to and the start in this country was hard, God blessed us nevertheless. He has given us our own land, bread, cattle and food so we may live, and we cannot be grateful enough to the Lord.”

  • July 10, 1749

    Letter to family in Palatine Germany

    Johannes and Anna Maria Müller wrote,

    “As far as I am concerned, we are, compared to the taxes in Germany, a free country. We pay taxes once a year. These taxes are so minimal that some spend more money for drinks in one evening when going to the pub. What the farmer farms is his own. There are no tithes, no tariffs; hunting and fishing are free, and our soil is fertile and everything grows. I have 100 acres from the crown and bought another 100 acres.”

  • March 28, 1851

    Lot 43 Purchased by the Van Slyke

    Moses and Lucinda Van Slyke

    Lot 43 is purchased by Moses and Lucinda Van Slyke. Genealogical research has uncovered that both Lucinda and Moses were direct descendants, while distant cousins, of Johannes and Anna Maria Müller (Miller). This was not known to historian Nathaniel Benton in 1854 when he wrote that “the last proprietor of the name parted with remnant of a patrimony” which had lasted for 125 years.

  • 1860

    Van Slyke House built

    Moses and Lucinda Van Slyke

    Moses and Lucinda had one child, a young daughter, Ellen born in 1849. While working the farm, they welcomed three more children, Alonzo (b. 1854), Roselle (b. 1857), and Matilda (b. 1860). It was in 1860, that Moses and Lucinda Van Slyke built the simple Greek Revival house on Lot 43.

  • 1866

    Moses Van Slyke dies

    Moses Van Slyke

    Moses Van Slyke had only six years in their new house before he died in 1866 leaving Lucinda with three young children to farm the land and provide for their small family.

  • 1866-1898

    Lucinda Van Slyke as Dairy Farmer

    Lucinda Van Slyke

    Lucinda would farm Lot 43 to become a prominent dairy farmer as noted in prominent cheese broker Harry Burrell’s list of preferred dairy farmers in the mid-to-late 1800s.

  • 1881

    Land needed by the State of New York for railway line

    New westbound railways in need of land

    The Lot 43 landscape saw changes based on the growing needs of the Mohawk Valley. In 1881, almost two acres of land was needed by the New York West Shore and Buffalo Railway Company for a portion of the railroad

  • March 3, 1897

    Lucinda Van Slyke dies

    Lucinda Van Slyke

    Lucinda died on March 3, 1897 leaving Lot 43 and the Van Slyke House to her son, Roselle Van Slyke.

  • 1897

    Roselle Van Slyke takes ownership of Lot 43

    Roselle Van Slyke

    After his mother’s death, Roselle assumed the responsibilities of what he called, “The Old Homestead.” He entertained at the Van Slyke House for years while farming the land. In 1903, Roselle had a “modern horse barn” built.

  • October 14, 1901

    Erie Canal Way

    Roselle is served with certificate for appropriation

    On this date, Roselle was served with a map along with a certificate of appropriation from the State of New York for the expansion of the Erie Canal system.

  • 1924

    Roselle Van Slyke sells Lot 43

    Lot 43 sold to Peter and Pauline Nichols

    In 1924, Roselle sold the old homestead to Peter and Pauline Nichols. Peter was a farmer and produced dairy like Lot 43’s inhabitants before him until at least 1940.

  • 1953

    The Van Slyke House is moved

    Making way for the New York State Thruway and State Route 5s

    The portion of the thruway that would take travelers from Albany to Buffalo was planned to go through the Mohawk Valley. In 1953, this plan meant some big changes for the Nichols family and Lot 43. The new highway was to cut through the middle of the parcel and where the residence was built in 1860. Peter and Pauline decided to save the house and move it to its current location south of State Route 5s.

  • 1956

    Peter Nichols wills Lot 43 to Pauline

    Peter Nichols’ Last Will and Testament

    Peter Nichols passed away in 1956 leaving Lot 43 and the Van Slyke House to his wife, Pauline. At the time, they had four children, three sons and one daughter.

  • 1958

    Pauline Nichols wills Lot 43 to daughter, Helen

    Helen Nichols becomes owner of the Van Slyke House

    Pauline Nichols passed away in 1958 leaving Lot 43 and the Van Slyke House to her daughter, Helen. While living on Lot 43, Helen had large gardens that she shared with her siblings. Collectively, they were known to have substantial yields to feed their households. Potatoes were grown in the gardens and Helen used these to make potato pancakes for the area children. Helen lived in the Van Slyke House until she passed in 1986.

  • 1986

    Lot 43 under new ownership

    A new family moves in

    The Van Slyke House and what remained of Lot 43 had new owners in 1986 with the owner living at the old home for over 30 years before selling the property in 2017.

  • November 8, 2021

    Van Slyke House listed as a historic location

    Van Slyke House history documented

    In 2017, the fifth family moved into the 1860 farmhouse. This was a special house as it remained in families for generations. After much research and work with the New York State Historic Preservation office, the Van Slyke House was listed on this date in the National Register of Historic Places (SG100007104). This website is dedicated to the families and long history of the Van Slyke House and Lot 43.

Photo Gallery

1953
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