Johnstown, New York | |
|---|---|
 Johnson Hall, home ofSir William Johnson, New York State Historic Site (2020) | |
  Johnstown  Johnstown | |
| Coordinates:43°0′26″N74°22′20″W / 43.00722°N 74.37222°W /43.00722; -74.37222 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New York |
| County | Fulton |
| Settled | 1758 |
| Incorporated | 1803 (village) 1895 (city) |
| Founded by | Sir William Johnson |
| Government | |
| • Type | (Mayor-Council) |
| • Mayor | Amy Praught (R) |
| • Common Council | |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.83 sq mi (12.50 km2) |
| • Land | 4.82 sq mi (12.49 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0039 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 673 ft (205 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,204 |
| • Density | 1,701.9/sq mi (657.11/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 12095 |
| Area code | 518 |
| FIPS code | 36-38781 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0954147 |
| Website | cityofjohnstown |
Johnstown is acity in and thecounty seat ofFulton County in theU.S. state ofNew York. The city was named after its colonial founder,Sir William Johnson, Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Britain in the Province of New York and a major general during theSeven Years' War in North America.[2] It is located approximately 45 miles (72 km) northwest ofAlbany, about one-third of the way between Albany and theFinger Lakes region to the west, in theMohawk Valley region, within the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains.
The city of Johnstown is mostly surrounded by thetown ofJohnstown; it separated from the town when it converted from avillage to a city in 1895. Adjacent to Johnstown is the City ofGloversville. The two cities are together known as the "Glove Cities" due to their history of manufacturing gloves and other leather apparel. Gloversville and Johnstown constituted the center of the American glove industry for 90 years until competition from other countries drove most manufacturers out of business.
As of the2020 census, Johnstown had a population of 8,204.[3]
The IrishmanWilliam Johnson came to theProvince of New York fromIreland in 1738.[4] Johnson was a trader who learnedIndigenous languages and culture and formed close relationships with many Native American leaders, especially those of theMohawk and other members of theIroquois Confederacy. Johnson made use of his alliances and influence with theIroquois on behalf of the British during theFrench and Indian War, in which he was a major general. He helped Great Britain defeat France and take over control of certain territories in North America. After the war, when control of all of Canada passed to Britain, Johnson was appointed Superintendent of Northern Indians, and took charge of all British government relations with the Native American nations bordering the Great Lakes and the colonies of New York and Pennsylvania.
As a reward for his services, Johnson received large tracts of land in what are nowHamilton andFulton counties in New York. Johnson established Johnstown and became one of New York's most prosperous and influential citizens.
Johnson was the largest landowner in theMohawk Valley, with an estate of more than 400,000 acres (1,600 km2) before his death. Having begun as an Indian trader, Johnson expanded his business interests to include a sawmill and lumber business and a flour mill that served the area. Johnson, the largest enslaver in the county and perhaps in the state of New York, enslaved some 60 Africans to labor for these businesses. He also recruited manyScottish Highlander andIrish tenant farmers to work his lands.[5] Observing Johnson's successful business endeavors, the local Native American inhabitants dubbed himWarragghivage, or "he who does much business."[6]
Johnson founded the village of Johnstown – originally "John's Town" – in 1762, naming it after his son John Johnson.[7] Johnson built a school, which was free but not mandatory, to educate both Mohawk and white children. He was also instrumental in the organization ofSt. John's Episcopal Church. Johnson, who had been living in what is now known asOld Fort Johnson, also built a large manor house and estate for himself in 1763,Johnson Hall, where he lived until his death. Johnson Hall was designated aNational Historic Landmark in 1960. New York State operates it as a historic site.
As the area owned and settled by Johnson grew, he convinced the governor,William Tryon, to establish a new county in upstate New York west ofAlbany County. This new county was namedTryon, after the governor, and Johnstown became the county seat.[4] Thecounty courthouse, built by William Johnson in Johnstown in 1772, partly at his own expense, still stands today, as the oldest operating courthouse in New York.[8] Sir William Johnson died in 1774 before the American colonies declared theirindependence fromBritain.
After the onset of theAmerican Revolutionary War, many BritishLoyalists, including Johnson's son John and his family, fled Johnstown and the surrounding area forCanada. The state confiscated all of the Johnson property in 1779 because of the family's Loyalist sentiments and support for the British cause. Johnson Hall suffered vandalism at the hands of Continental soldiers quartered there.[9] The house and estate were subsequently sold toSilas Talbot, a naval officer and hero of the American Revolution.
Although most of the fighting during the Revolution occurred elsewhere, Johnstown did see some fighting late in the war. With area residents not knowing ofCornwallis' defeat and surrender at theBattle of Yorktown inVirginia, about 1,400 soldiers fought at theBattle of Johnstown, one of the last battles of the Revolution, on October 25, 1781. The Continental forces, led by Col.Marinus Willett of Fort Johnstown, ultimately put the British to flight after they had burned large tracts of land in the Mohawk Valley.[10]
After the war, Johnstown became part ofMontgomery County when Tryon County was renamed to honor the Continental GeneralRichard Montgomery, who died at theBattle of Quebec.
In 1803, the community of Johnstown was incorporated as avillage. In 1838, Johnstown's county affiliation changed yet again when what by then remained of Montgomery County was divided into two separate counties: Montgomery andFulton. While the village ofFonda became the new county seat of Montgomery County, Johnstown became the county seat of Fulton County. The village of Johnstown became a city in 1895, becoming separate from the surrounding town.
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who became a prominent activist for women's rights, was born in Johnstown in 1815 and was educated at the Johnstown Academy.
In 1889, Johnstown suffered a devastating flood. The Cayadutta Creek rampaged, Schreiber's Skin Mill was swept away, as was the State Street bridge, and over twenty people were drowned or missing when the flood carried away the Perry Street bridge.
In 1906, the state of New York bought Johnson Hall from its private owners in order to renovate and preserve it.
With plentiful forests of hemlock trees and the wood bark they produced, Johnstown became a center fortanning ofleather during the late 19th century. By the early 20th century, Johnstown, along with neighboringGloversville, became known as the glove-making capital of the world, nicknamed the "Glove Cities".[11] Many related businesses once existed to support the glove and leather industries around Johnstown. Box manufacturers, thread dealers, sewing machine repairers, chemical companies, and many others made a living helping to supply and service the industry.[11]
One of the other early industries established in Johnstown was the Knoxgelatine plant. It was built in 1890 by Charles B. Knox, a prominent Johnstown resident, who developed the granulated, unflavored gelatin still used in food preparation today.[12][13] When Knox died in 1908, his wifeRose Knox managed the business. She became one of the earliest successful American businesswomen. The Knox family and its philanthropic foundation were generous to the city, giving it the block of land known as Knox Field, where playgrounds, athletic fields, and bridle paths are located. The city named Knox Junior High School for the family. The Knox Gelatin plant, once a major employer in Johnstown, closed in 1975 following the sale of the company to theLipton Tea Company.[14]
Johnstown is located along the southern edge of Fulton County, in the picturesqueMohawk Valley of upstate New York. It is slightly north of the route developed for theErie Canal through what is now Montgomery County. Although not a hilltown, Johnstown is close to theAdirondack Mountains that stretch across the northern portion of Fulton County. It is near the southern border of theAdirondack Park.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.88 square miles (12.65 km2), of which 4.88 square miles (12.63 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2), or 0.17%, is water.[15] The city is bordered to the north, east, and west by thetown of Johnstown, to the northeast by the city ofGloversville, and to the south by the town ofMohawk in Montgomery County.
Cayadutta Creek, which runs through the city, provided water power needed to generate the electricity required by the various industries that grew up in Johnstown.[16] The creek flows south to join theMohawk River atFonda.
East-west highways,New York State Route 29 andNew York State Route 67, intersect in the city and also cross the north-south highwayNew York State Route 30A. NY 29 leads east 32 miles (51 km) toSaratoga Springs and northwest 8 miles (13 km) toRockwood. NY 67 leads southeast 11 miles (18 km) toAmsterdam and west 18 miles (29 km) toSt. Johnsville. NY 30A leads northeast 4 miles (6 km) to Gloversville and 10 miles (16 km) toMayfield, as well as south 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to Fonda and 6 miles (10 km) to theNew York Thruway.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 3,282 | — | |
| 1880 | 5,013 | 52.7% | |
| 1890 | 7,768 | 55.0% | |
| 1900 | 10,130 | 30.4% | |
| 1910 | 10,447 | 3.1% | |
| 1920 | 10,908 | 4.4% | |
| 1930 | 10,801 | −1.0% | |
| 1940 | 10,666 | −1.2% | |
| 1950 | 10,923 | 2.4% | |
| 1960 | 10,390 | −4.9% | |
| 1970 | 10,045 | −3.3% | |
| 1980 | 9,360 | −6.8% | |
| 1990 | 9,058 | −3.2% | |
| 2000 | 8,511 | −6.0% | |
| 2010 | 8,743 | 2.7% | |
| 2020 | 8,204 | −6.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[17] | |||
As of thecensus[18] of 2000, there were 8,511 people, 3,579 households, 2,208 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,751.1 inhabitants per square mile (676.1/km2). There were 3,979 housing units at an average density of 818.7 per square mile (316.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.6%White, 0.6%Black orAfrican American, 0.3%Native American, 1.0%Asian, <0.1%Pacific Islander, 0.4% fromother races, and 1.1% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.1% of the population.
There were 3,579 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% weremarried couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,603, and the median income for a family was $39,909. Males had a median income of $30,636 versus $22,272 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,324. About 9.3% of families and 13.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 19.5% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
Enos Throop, governor of New York from 1829 to 1832, was born in Johnstown.
Silas Talbot moved with his family to Johnstown, where he purchased Sir William Johnson's estate and manor house. A hero of the American Revolution, he later served as a member of theNew York Assembly (1792–1793) and as a congressman in theU.S. House of Representatives (1793–1794) from that district.
In 1797 he supervised the building of theUSS Constitution ("Old Iron Sides") at theCharlestown Navy Yard inBoston,Massachusetts.[19] Talbot commanded theUSS Constitution, largely in theWest Indies, from 1799 to 1801, when he retired from the U.S. Navy.[20]
One of the men who shaped Fulton County was JudgeDaniel Cady, a prominent Johnstown resident. Sometimes called "the father of Fulton County", Cady named the new county afterRobert Fulton, who was related by marriage to Cady's wife, Margaret Livingston. Robert Fulton, an inventor, is perhaps best known for devising the improvements that madesteamboats commercially viable.[21]
Judge Daniel Cady was one of Johnstown's most important citizens. With indirect connections by marriage toJohn Jacob Astor and that family's lucrative fur business interests, Daniel Cady, adept at managing these connections and his own business interests, joined the ranks of the wealthiest landowners in New York. After moving to Johnstown in 1799, he married Margaret Livingston, whose father, Col.James Livingston, fought in the Continental Army at the battles ofQuebec andSaratoga during the American Revolution. Col. Livingston frustratedBenedict Arnold's attempted treason by firing onThe Vulture, the boat intended to carry Arnold to safety.[22] A public servant as well as an astute lawyer and businessman, Judge Cady served in the New York state legislature from 1808 until 1814. In 1814 he was elected as aFederalist to one term in theUnited States House of Representatives. In 1816, he returned to Johnstown fromWashington and resumed legal practice. He later served as a judge on theNew York Supreme Court, Fourth District, from 1847 until 1855. Cady died in Johnstown in 1859 and is buried in the cemetery there.[23]
John D. McDonald (1816–1900) was born in Johnstown. Orphaned at 12, he took off for theWisconsin Territory at age 20, where he was a farmer (lived on the same farm for 63 years) and served in theWisconsin State Assembly and in various local offices.[24]
Hatch was born in Johnstown. He became mayor ofBuffalo, New York and a U.S. House of Representatives member. He was a law partner withHenry K. Smith, who also became a mayor of Buffalo.
Daniel Cady is today perhaps best known as the father of the prominentwomen's rights activistElizabeth Cady Stanton, who was born in Johnstown in 1815. Stanton, who later worked in partnership withSusan B. Anthony and served for many years as president of theNational Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA), spent her childhood in Johnstown, where she studied at the Johnstown Academy. It was one of the first schools in New York to receive a teaching certificate issued by the newly formed state education system in the later 19th century.[11] After leaving to continue her education inTroy, New York, Stanton returned to Johnstown with her husbandHenry Brewster Stanton, a lawyer andabolitionist who studied law under her father, Daniel Cady.[25] Because of her role, Johnstown, together withSeneca Falls, New York, where Elizabeth Cady Stanton helped organize the firstWomen's Rights Convention held in 1848, lays claim to being the birthplace of thewomen's rights movement in the United States.[26] Stanton's speech, theDeclaration of Sentiments, given at the Seneca Falls convention and modeled on theDeclaration of Independence, is generally credited with instigating thewomen's suffrage movement in the United States.
George Linius Streeter was a noted embryologist and Director of theCarnegie Institution of Washington. Son of George Austin Streeter, a glove-maker.
Notes
More than one hundred years since the brand was first introduced, Knox® Unflavoured Gelatine is still as timely as ever.
Bibliography
Municipalities and communities ofFulton County, New York,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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