Rime of the Ancient Traveler

I

It is a well worn traveler,

Who this tale doth tell.

The wrinkled face, the bearded chin,

Begins to cast a spell.

II

Now why he tells this tale,

To us before the rest,

His reasons - no one knows.

I haven’t even guessed.

III

Now don’t be in a hurry,

Sit or stand there still;

The traveler has a story,

Also has your will.

IV

“In days gone by our town

Was quite a place to see,

I did not know how great

“Twas just “Hometown” to me.

V

Just where to start this tale of mine

Is hard enough to say.”

We rose to go about our tasks.

“But please don’t go away.”

VI

“Before the coming of the white

The Indians loved our town.

They’d paddle down to Ballston Lake

‘Twas Long Lake of renown.

VII

The Mohawks hunted here and thought

‘Twas just a “Paradise”.

The mineral springs, their healing power ,

Must surely did entice.

VIII

Algonquins and the Hurons came

To fight a bloody war,

The Mohawks were prepared for them,

They knew what was in store.

IX

The Mohawks laid an ambush

Along the Mourning Kill,

They slew them all without a tho’t

And some are mourning still.

X

The whitemen finally took their claim

In seventeen hundred-eight;

A year the Indians won’t forget

Remembering their fate.

XI

The Mohawks did not soon give up

Their hatred for the whites,

And many settlers found their graves

Those dark and lonely nights.

XII

The creek called Kayderosseras

Claimed by a man Hermance,

“The crooked stream”, the helping hand

For many a romance.”

XIII

The traveler paused to catch his breath,

And asked us for a drink,

Obey we did, he cast a spell,

We could not even think.

XIV

Now once his throat was wet again

He started in to talk,

Again the story did unfold

As he began to walk.

XV

He wrung his hands and scratched his head,

Remembering all the facts.

We listened now with eagerness

And started to relax.

XVI

“Sir William Johnson came along

The Indians he did like.

His dealings with them brought him fame,

And with them he did hike.

XVII

His work among the Indians

Won him a tract of  land.

‘Twas there he built his Johnson Hall,

Became a Baron grand.

XVIII

McDonald brothers first did come

To settle down our way.

From native Ireland they sailed

Against their will they say.

IXI

The name of “Ball-Town” came about

While working as a team,

A cabin “raising” it was called

A friendly thing did seem.

XX

The Parson Ball did offer them

A jug of rum you see,

To give away their rights to name

 This town for you and me.

XXI

So all because a jug of rum

Did pass rom hand to hand.

Our town was named for Parson Ball

Who owned a lot of land.

XXII

The Irish and the Scotch did come

To live near Parson Ball,

Who was a friend and father too,

To neighbors one and all.

XXIII

Where Ballson Center is today

That’s where the settlement grew.

The springs alittle to the north,

Began to draw a few.

XXIV

Beriah Palmer came to town

To survey up the land.

And as his thirst became quite great.

He sought some water grand.

XXV

He soon discovered Gordon Creek

Just over Hight St. hill

Along its banks he found a spring,

“Old Iron Spring” is still.

XXVI

He built for it a shelter crude;

And thus the spring did save;

And people came from far and near,

About this spring to rave.

XXVII

Then Douglas came along you see,

And built a house “Brookside”.

When people came to see the spring,

With him they did abide.”

XXVIII

Our families and friends did stop,

To listen now and then;

And finally a crowd did grow,

As he went on again.

XXIX

Our town did grow by leaps and bounds,

As people heard our fame.

Hotels were built, new springs were found,

Our town had quite a name.

XXX

You know how people always say,

“George Washington slept here”

We had a man who called his names

Without an ounce of fear.

XXXI

Now Gen’ral George got lost one day,

And could not find his way,

They traveled on, for in the woods

They did not want to stay.

XXXII

They heard the ringing of an ax,

As Tom was cutting wood;

And so they wandered through the trees

And soon before him stood.

XXXIII

He guided them upon their way,

Toward the High Rock Spring.

But trails and trees bewildered them,

They couldn’t find the thing.

XXXIV

So back to Tom they came again,

To ask him how to go.

But Tom just called them mighty dumb,

For any fool should know!

XXXV

Now later on when Tom did find,

To whom he spoke so rough,

He hung his head in bitter shame,

Foe he had said enough!

XXXVI

Yet later on his friends did meet,

They toasted him that night.

Meanwhile the Gen’ral found the spring,

And drank with much delight.

XXXVII

Tom Connor learned it does not pay,

To speak in haste or ire.

Just stop to think before you say

Those words of heat and fire.

XXXVIII

And now I’ll tell about a man,

Who was a Tory spy.

To Ballston, where this all began,

His father was held high.

XXXIX

The family did run an Inn,

Along the middleline.

The Revolution did begin;

Both sides did still there dine.

XL

Now Betty’s son joined up to fight,

Because he thought ’twas smart.

For he was bold and knew no fright,

A well known young upstart.

XLI

Now Joe soon tired of this restraint,

That his new life did choose.

Because of some small, slight complaint,

His temper he did lose.

XLII

He struck an officer one day,

And was reduced to ranks.

Now maybe this disgrace, you say,

Did bring on all his pranks?

XLIII

Now once again from ranks he rose,

Through friends of his with skill;

‘Twas in a different branch he choose,

To go and fight to kill.

XLIV

He went to see with Arnold’s fleet,

The Seventy-six campaign.

‘Twas fate that these two men should meet,

They were so much the came.

XLV

For both were brave but reckless, too;

Sought notoriety.

Revengefull, selfish, it is true,

They both made history.

XLVI

‘Twas while in battle he won praise,

For as his ship did sink;

He battled on as in a daze,

To quit, he did not think.

XLVII

So after this he went up north,

And with the British joined.

Then many nights he’d venture forth;

He captured and purloined.

XLVIII

He’d wear disguises to confuse,

And spy upon his friends.

He’d think it fun to use this ruse,

To bring them to their ends.

XLIX

The traveler, now did seem a friend,

As his long tale he told.

We wondered how it all would end,

For he was very old.

L

We listened now with eagerness,

To every word he said.

We started taking notes so that

Someday it could be read.

LI

Our friend continued on to tell,

He didn’t want applause.

“Learn from this life what trouble,

Revenge and hate can cause.

LII

When captured on a spying trip,

Was sentenced to be hung.

His parents had him pardoned, though,

His crimes once more begun.

LIII

He led a band of Tory men,

And while they were around.

The stock did go, the homes did burn,

The men not to be found.

LIV

The Tories and the Indians

They took the Whigs up north.

Their hands they tied behind their backs.

While they all ventured forth.

LV

Some of these men were hardly clad,

For they were caught at night.

The Indians wanted scalps galore.

The Whigs soon saw their plight.

LVI

Munro, the leader, told his men

Upon his word to shoot.

Each captive that they held in line,

If he saw some pursuit.

LVII

Now, one man had a wounded foot,

And he could walk no more.

Munro released him with two friends,

To go and tell the score.

LVIII

Some Indians dogged their trail awhile,

Intending them to kill.

But help had started up the path,

And they were saved with skill.

LIX

Now General Schuyler was the next,

To feel his vengeful hate;

For Bettys tried to capture him,

But this was not his fate.

LX

One day, while Jacob Fulmer worked,

Out ‘sugaring’ a tree,

He saw a stranger passing near;

He wondered who could be.

LXI

His son did gather up three friends,

And followed thru the snow.

The trail did double back and forth,

For he was lost, you know.

LXII

At Hawkins’ house, a Tory spy,

The trail did fall away.

They rushed the door and caught their man

Without too much delay.

LXIII

They marched him off to Albany,

And there put him on trial,

And then he was condemned a spry,

And hung, which closed his file.

LXIV

The four boys had to sell their guns,

Expenses to defray.

Although a great deed they had one,

For it received no pay.

LXV

Although Joe Bettys had been hung,

The death toll did grown more.

For Banta kept the murders up

To equal old Joe’s score.

LXVI

His deeds were very similar,

He was a Tory spy.

His end was just about the same,

Of this I would not lie.

LXVII

The settlers formed a group they called,

Committee of  Safety.

They caught this man, kput him on trial,

And hung him from a tree.

LXVIII

Now let me catch my breath again,

Before I do relate;

Some tales about the peaceful time

And bring you up to date.”

LXIX

We saw that he was tiring some,

And gave to him some food.

He seemed to feel much better then,

We all did catch his mood.

LXX

The crowd had grown to quite a size,

While listening to this gent.

A fascinating man, although

With age he did look bent.

LXXI

As he appeared to catch a nap,

We all did wonder how

This man could have this source of news,

And bring it to us now.

LXXII

He woke up with a start just them,

As though he’d read our mind.

He stretched and yawned and looked about,

As though someone to find.

LXXIII

Although his mind seemed far away,

As dreaming in the past.

He soon realized that we were there,

Renewed his tale at last.

LXXIV

“In l772 was built,

A building near the square,

In which the Reverend Ball did preach,

On Sunday rain or fair.

LXXV

The Old Red Meeting House ‘twas known,

First house of worship here.

Was finally changed into a school,

Academy I hear.

LXXVI

Now General Gordon he did build,

Some mills near Mourning Kill.

Along the creek a mill for flour,

A paper and saw mill.

LXXVII

He saw the value of the creek,

The use of water power.

His wealth and his experience,

Made him “Man of the Hour”.

LXXVIII

Was held in trust by men of state,

He helped the settlers plan.

The first grave to be marked with stone,

The mother of this man.

LXXIX

New England families here did nove,

When was was at an end.

Impoverished tho’ they were, they came,

For peace, to find a friend.

LXXX

Rhode Island sent a Peckham here

In seventeen eighty-three.

Within the village he did build,

The first it was to be.

LXXXI

Between his cabin and the spring,

A swamp and woods did lay.

The spot on which his home did sit,

Is Pleasant :Street today.

LXXXII

I mentioned once before you know,

About the first built Inn,

The competition then was nil,

But soon it did begin.

LXXXIII

A man named Benedict did start,

An Inn which did get fame.

Was on a point just south of town,

V-Corners is its name.

LXXXIV

But Douglas only built again,

This time a larger house.

Attempts to lure away his trade,

Just served to him arouse.

XCIII

This house eventually did burn down

In eighteen seventy-three.

Another landmark that is gone,

There are quite a few, I see.

XCIV

A school was started in a church,

The first one of its kind.

It was disbanded when was built,

The ‘cademy you’ll find.

XCV

Now Mr. Low did want the best,

The others to excel.

He started building “Sans Souci”

There was no parallel.

XCVI

The plans were brought from Europe here,

By Morris, Governor.

It took a year but it was done

In eighteen hundred-four.

XCVII

The Sans Souci of great renown,

Became a household word.

To find an equally famed resort,

It really was absurd.

XCVIII

‘Twas March of Eighteen-hundred seven,

Our village got its name.

It was incorportated then,

A town of some known fame.

XCIX

The population was not much,

One tenth of ours today.

But we were foremost at the time,

A place to come and play.

C

Now many hotels did spring up,

But we can’t take the time;

To mention each one by its name,

We’d never end this rime.

CI

About this time our industry,

Along the creeks did build.

Erecting dams to stop the flow,

E’en then our men were skilled.

CII

Two grist-mills built by Middlebrook,

And Thomas did begin.

A trend to start new business,

To see which one would win.

CIII

There were a couple of tanneries,

Along the smaller creeks.

A man whose business was then

To dye and leave no streaks.

CIV

Then  Hall did start an iron forge,

‘Twas on “Goose Island” found.

The Mohawks used to use this spot

Their favorite camping ground.

CV

A name again comes into light.

The man called Nicholas Low.

The one who built that big hotel,

The Sans Souci, you know.

CVI

He gave the town the land required,

With liberality.

On which to build a public school,

‘Twas the “Academy”.

CVII

A blacksmith shop was built and sold,

Tom Chatfield and to Dake,

Some changes, and a printing shop,

And trading post did make.

CVIII

A few years later it did burn,

And built upon its site;

By James Ladow a big hotel,

The “Eagle”, so upright.

CIX

The dates and facts within this tale,

May be I do confuse.

The cart may be before the horse,

If so, please do excuse.

CX

For I am getting on in years,

My mind doth wander some.

It seems to me like years have gone,

Just since I have begun.

CXI

A private school was opened here,

To teach our fine young lasses.

Miss Pitkin taught them their 3 R’s,

Plus ar works in her classes.

CXII

In eighteen hundred and sixteen,

In March, I think is right.

A negro prisoner did ask,

To smoke his pipe one night.

CXIII

Since he was chained securely there,

The jailer it did light.

Hot ashes soon did find the straw,

Which made his bed at night.

CXIV

It was not long before ‘twas gone,

The Court House and the man.

For no one could get through the flames,

Soon after it began.

CXV

This fire did start a hot dispute,

About a brand new site.

For buildins for the County Seat,

I wonder who was right.

CXVI

Some land on High St. here in town,

That Mr. Low gave free;

Became the place on which they built,

The County Seat, you see.

CXVII

One year the Gordon Creek did swell,

Because of heavy rain.

It finally did burst its bound,

And new channels it did gain.

CXVIII

Then when the flood it did subside,

A brand new spring was found

The waters were of great demand,

As it flowed from the ground.

CXIX

This spring was near the factory,

For just two years did flow.

This Washington Spring ne’re again,

Did make its waters go.

CXX

I’m sorry that I am so tired,

And can go on no more,

You’ll have to wait until I nap,

To see just what’s in store.

CXXI

This Mr. Low did try so hard,

Developing the springs;

And e’en tho’ they numbered eight,

From few the water sings.

CXXII

The trustees were instructed thus,

A company to start.

To fight the fires that plagued them then,

Each man to do his part.

CXXIII

It took some time to organize,

Which engine should they buy?

In eighteen-eighteen they did  start,

Some three years had gone by.

CXXIV

Our hook and ladder of today,

Would put their truck to shame;

But then $300 dollars bought,

And maybe brought them fame.

CXXV

E’en tho they had equipment then,

Some buildings they did go.

McMaster House in twenty-five,

Burned to the ground you know.

CXXVI

‘Twas under President Monroe,

They chose John Taylor for

The speaker of the House, you know

A job with much honor.

CXXVII

He was the only New York man,

To hold that job before;

And since that time no New York man

Has equaled our  John’s score.

CXVIII

The springs did bring more people here,

The traffic did increase.

The stage lines were too crowded then,

This problem did not cease.

CXXIX

A railroad then was built to go,

Through Ballston Spa, you see.

To the great Saratoga Springs,

Come from Schenectady.

CXXX

The engine making the first run,

They called the “Fire Fly”.

It pulled three carriages  they say,

It happened in July.

CXXXI

To Ballston, eighty-eight minutes,

It took to make the run.

This engine is now well preserved,

It’s working days are done.

CXXXII

The  railroad brought more progress here;

The Odd Fellows was formed.

This group has grown as years went by,

And civic deeds performed.

CXXXIII

The village board did now decide,

To make the streets look bright.

They had erected then by vote,

Street lights to shine at night.

CXXXIV

A monument to those who died,

While down in Mexico.

Placed in the village ceme’try

It’s still there, as you know.

CXXXV

More industries became our goal,

And soon our  town did grow.

Electric trollies, mills galore,

Then the first circus show.

CXXXVI

Now Dr. Barron,  he was led

To Ballston Spa to come.

By spirits from another world,

In Mass. where he came from.

CXXXVII

He bought a piece of land, as told,

Just south of the Red Mill.

He searched for months to find the spring,

But soon he’d had his fill.

CXXXVIII

When Dr. Barron did depart,

He was a wiser man.

But history did repeat itself,

The search again began.

CXXXIX

For  Samuel  Hides of  Malta Ave.

At seances did learn.

By drilling on his farm he’d find,

Aspring he would upturn.

CXL

And after drilling for a year,

And spending quite a sum.

From seven  hundred fifteen feet,

The spring did really come.

CXLI

Since Benjamin Franklin did cause,

The “medium” to bring,

This news to Samuel Hide  you see,

‘Twas called Hide-Franklin Spring.

CXLII

Just nine years after Morse was heard,

We too,  got telegraph.

Its’ office in the railroad house,

And Postal down on Bath.”

CXLIII

About this time he looked around,

For coming down  this way,

A girl in bonnet and  long skirt.

A page from yesterday?

CXLIV

He hadn’t noticed all the fuss,

In Ballston as he’d talked.

And costumes took the  place of dress,

On people as they walked.

CXLV

Our celebration had begun.

While he did tell his tale.

And now he realized  how much time,

His talking did entail.

CXLVI

“I guess I’d better hurry up,

And stop this dreaming stuff.

For things are happening fast, I see

Which makes it kind of rough.

CXLVII

I had so much to tell you all,

But guess it can’t be done;

With such detail as I did start,

Although it has been fun.

CXLVIII

At first the village water came,

From wells and Chase’s spring

And then they built the water works,

It was the only thing.

CXLIX

Two reservoirs they had to make,

Our water needs to fill.

To gain more pressure they did build

The sand-pipe on Low’s hill.

CL

The town moved  forward rapidly,

With hydrants added next.

And several private schools were built

To teach them from the text.

CLI

The paper bag was first made here,

Invented by George West.

They proved their weight in gold, you see

And turned out to be best.

CLII

He proved that they were strong enough,

To carry fifty pound.

They soon replaced the cotton bag,

The whole wide world around.

CLIII

About  this time they drilled a well,

Old Iron Spring its name.

A well known landmark in our town,

It sure has brought us fame.

CLIV

In  eighty-two we got our phones,

Just  to communicate.

In eighty-four the Hayner House,

That still stands up to date.

CLV

Then “Silent Becky” brought us fame,

When she did go to court.

They asked for the facts but she,

Was silent as a fort.

CLVI

It was so hard to keep so still,

Her employers to save.

That this went down in history,

And still  does mark her grave.

CLVII

They  tore down Sans Souci Hotel;

The village clock was bought.

Electric lights replaced the gas,

The gas works soon were naught.

CLVIII

In 1900 was a fire,

The Opera House did burn.

And also burned the axe and scythe,

A great loss we did learn.

CLIX

The pavements changed and Front was first,

To have those bricks inlaid.

And several other streets you  know,

Were similarly paved.

CLX

It then became against the law,

For youngsters to be out;

Beyond the hour of 8 or 9,

A “curfew” came about.

CLXI

A new method of travel came

‘Twas called P.P. & J.

Push, Pull and Jerk as they were known,

Electric trollies they.

CLXII

Since I have nothing written down

To guide me anymore,

I’ll  have to summarize the rest

My memory is sore.”

CLXIII

He paused to take a drink of wine,

He looked so tired and old.

We all were eager now to hear

The ending he’d unfold.

CLXIV

He stretched his legs and sighed a bit,

As though he soon would go.

And motioned us to gather round,

His voice had weakened so.

CLXV

We had a hospital you  know,

From a big home was made.

It served us well in days gone by,

But not of late I’m ‘fraid.

CLXVI

You have a brand new modern one,

Of it you should be proud.

The doctors and the patients both,

Should cry its name aloud.

CLXVII

The old one now does house some folks,

But in a different way.

It is a home apartment wise,

In which they hope to stay

CLXVIII

And baseball was invented here

By Abner Doubleday.

His fame and memories of his name

With us will always stay.

CLXIX

Although it is inactive now

We have a small airport.

The big planes land there when they come,

To see the racing sport.

 CLXX

Our population did increase,

And housing did grow short.

Until some enterprising men

Did build up Currie Court.

CLXXI

This was just after World War II,

And sure did help the Vet.

To get his feet back on the ground

With homes, the best way yet.

CLXXII

West Milton project has been built,

And Malta Rocket too.

Our enemies will all think twice,

I’m sure before we’re through.

CLXXIII

Some industries have left our town,

Some new ones have come here.

Let’s hope some more will find out town,

And help us grow each year.

CLXXIV

And cut right here in town, you know,

The plastic called Tufflite.

It’s good for oh so many things,

And looks so pure and  white.

CLXXV

In back of Bischoff’s chocolate plant,

You’ll find that you can learn,

To make the best shoe socks around,

A place that’s run by Stern.

CLXXVI

And George has reopened the plant,

To make our ladies’ gown.

There are too many other shops

To mention all in town.

CLXXVII

The railroad moved its station house,

And changed  the run of trains.

The new one is a beauty and

Is just one of our gains.

CLXXVIII

Our high school soon became so jammed,

It could no more abode.

And so we built a modern one,

Way out on Garrett Road.

CLXXIX

And now I see in summertime

It’s easy to be cool.

The Lion’s Club with funds they raised,

Have built a swimming pool.

CLXXX

We have a good sized parking lot,

A place where you don’t pay;

Those parking meters one red cent,

As long as you do stay.

CLXXXI

I see that you are raising funds,

A library to build.

I’m glad for our Miss Feeney ‘cause

Your little one is filled.

CLXXXII

More people came and homes grew scarce,

This shortage soon did spark ,

Some men to build some more new homes,

A place called “Forest Park”.

CLXXXIII

I’m glad to see the springs revived,

It takes me back in years.

Pastore renewed the one in town,

For which we should give cheers.

CLXXXIV

Out town has  changed and grown a lot,

Although it may seem slow.

Let’s celebrate our birthday now,

The past is our shadow.

CLXXXV

Let’s not forget the sacrifice

Our ancestors did make.

No job did seem too big to them

That they did undertake.

CLXXXVI

This week while you do celebrate

Keep utmost in your mind

It is a solemn occasion

Let’s leave good will behind.

CLXXXVII

I know I have forgotten some

Important bits of news.

But honestly my memory fails

I hope you will excuse.

CLXXXVIII

I’ve talked to you for many hours,

And now it’s time to part.

I’ve loved this town for many years,

It’s always in my heart.”

CLXXXIX

He stretched his legs, as he got up,

His eyes were filled with tears.

Emotion filled his face with all

The memories of those years.

CXC

Who was this ancient traveler?

I guess we’ll never know.

He disappeared right from our sight,

Wherever did he go?