Near Gallupville in Schoharie County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Becker Stone House

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, December 13, 2008

1. Becker Stone House Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Built 1772
The Tory, Crysler, with a
band of Indians gave
battle on July 26, 1782

Erected 1939 by New York State Education Department.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • Notable Events • Patriots & Patriotism • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1902.

Location. 42° 40.373′ N, 74° 15.124′ W. Marker is near Gallupville, New York, in Schoharie County. Marker is on Murphy Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gallupville NY 12073, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Evangelical Lutheran Church (approx. 1.2 miles away); Simeon Laraway Mill (approx. 2 miles away); Jacob Snyder House (approx. 2.3 miles away); George Mann Tory Tavern (approx. 2½ miles away); Johannes Ball (approx. 2½ miles away); Col. Peter Vroman (approx. 2½ miles away); Stone Church Parsonage (approx. 2½ miles away); Bridge No. 1 (approx. 2½ miles away).

More about this marker. Marker mounted on the back of the house is on Private Property. The homeowner was gracious enought to allow me to take photos. Please respect the privacy of the homeowner if you visit this marker.

Murphy road is just across the Fox Creek bridge on Debriko Road from the hamlet of Shutter Corners on
Route 443. The historic home is across the road from the site of the annual antique engine show known locally as the Galluville "Gas Up".

Regarding Becker Stone House.

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Becker Stone HouseThe Becker Stone house is thought to have been built between 1772 and 1775 for Joseph Becker, the son of Johannes Becker, one of a group of Palatine German refugees who moved to the Fox Creek and Schoharie Valley area from Livingston Manor in 1712. Near the Becker Stone house stood a grist mill, one of the earliest in Schoharie County, though now gone. Major Joseph Becker, head of the militia at the Lower Fort, now known as The Old Stone Fort, about three miles west along the Fox Creek, owned and occupied the Becker house in 1782 when it was the object of a punitive raid by Tories and Mohawk Indians. Becker's brother was killed, but Joseph Becker and most of his family secured themselves in the stone house and fought off the attack successfully. A detachment from the Lower Fort later came to their aid. The incident was related by Becker's son and other survivors to a nineteenth century historian, and remains a source of local pride. The Becker Stone House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 20, 1979.

Adam CryslerAdam Crysler was born in 1732 in the little village of West Camp, about 90 miles north of New York City, on the Hudson River and grew up on the banks of Breakabeen Creek near where it enters the Schoharie Creek. In 1750, Adam received the Fultonham property from his

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, June 8, 2008

2. Becker Stone House & Marker

father and with the help of his brothers and younger Bouck family members built the gristmill and ran the farm on Breakabeen Creek. In 1777, Adam Crysler was still an Ensign in the British Indian Affairs Department. In October of 1779, Adam received his official commission as Lieutenant from Col. Guy Johnson and Captain General Frederick Haldimand.

On the morning of July 26, 1782 after attacking the home of Jacob Zimmer with a small troop of Indians and Loyalists Captain Crysler continued down Foxes Creek toward Schoharie, when he came to the stone house of Major Joseph Becker. Major Becker was home at the time with his wife and some others who were able to put up a good defense of their property. One sharpshooter in the house, John Huff, put a bullet through the brim of Crysler's hat. Crysler attacked for several hours trying to gain entrance. His Indians tried numerous times to set the house on fire but each time the inhabitants were able to extinguish the blaze. As darkness approached, Crysler abandoned his effort to conquer Major Becker and began his journey to Niagara with his numerous prisoners.

Additional keywords. Burning of the Valleys, Brandt

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, October 11, 2008

3. Becker Stone House & Marker

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, May 24, 2008

4. Becker Stone House & Marker

Becker Stone House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, October 11, 2008

5. Becker Stone House

This is the front of the Becker Stone House which faces the nearby Fox Creek.

Another Becker Stone House Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, June 19, 2010

6. Another Becker Stone House Marker

A bronze plaque is mounted on the south side of the Becker Stone House:
BECKER HOUSE
Built in 1775 by
Major Joseph Becker
who died in 1806
———————————
Whom William Crysler, Peter Erkert
and 22 Indians tried to capture July 6,
1782 but were repulsed by Becker, his
wife, John Hutt and George Shell
• • • • •
He commanded the
Old Stone Fort (Lower) during the invasion
by Sir John Johnson
———————————
Erected by State of New York 1933

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, December 13, 2008

7. Becker Stone House

This is the back side of the Becker Stone House. The rear of the house features the New York State plaque, mounted to the left of the diminutive Dutch Door, which is original to the house.

Old Stone Fort - Iohannes Becker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, December 26, 2008

8. Old Stone Fort - Iohannes Becker

The name "Iohannes Becker", father of Joseph Becker, is engraved in the stonework on the front of the Old Stone Fort in Schoharie; The Fort that Joseph Becker was in command of during the October 17, 1780 raid led by Tory leader Sir John Johnson & Indina Joseph Brandt. Names of many parishioners were chiseled into the stones by builders when the fort was built as a church in 1772.

Gas Up event in Gallupville, NY image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, June 19, 2010

9. Gas Up event in Gallupville, NY

The Hudson - Mohawk Chapter of the Pioneer Gas Engine Association, Inc celebrated their 43rd Annual Gas Up event in Gallupville, NY. in June of 2010. The Becker Stone House & Marker are in the background beyond the spectators on the road watching the vintage steam-powered rock-crusher equipment.

Photographed By Howard C. Ohlhous, June 19, 2010

10. Becker Stone House

In conjunction with the Gas Up antique engine show across the road, history re-enactors from the Old Stone Fort Volunteer Militia dressed in period costume gave an informative presentation about the Tory attack on the Becker Stone house in the backyard of the home.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 27, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. This page has been viewed 4,664 times since then and 268 times this year. Last updated on June 23, 2010, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on December 27, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 6. submitted on June 22, 2010, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 7. submitted on December 27, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 8. submitted on December 29, 2008, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. 9, 10. submitted on June 22, 2010, by Howard C. Ohlhous of Duanesburg, New York. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.