Nellis Tavern

Timeline of 1747 Nellis Tavern, St. Johnsville, New York
Pictures in larger size we took and pictures from The Palatine Settlement Society >>> click here <<<
*1725*	Christian Nellis, Sr. obtained 650 acres on Lot #12 of Harrison Patent. Built log cabin and Ft. Nellis next to Mohawk River.
*1732*	Hans Jurg Nellis born. He later moved to Herkimer, NY.
*1734*	Christian Nellis, Jr. born. He became a grist miller, member of N.Y.S. Assembly, Judge in Court of Common for Montgomery County, put in Tryon County Militia, Ranger in Revolutionary War, Battle of Oriskany.
*1747*	Nellis Tavern building built by Christian, Sr. Georgian Period.
*1767*	Christian Sr. deeded much of his share of Klock and Nellis Patent to Christian Jr.
*1768*	Palatine Church started.
*1769*	Johannes Christian Nellis born (John C.).
*1771*	Christian Sr. died.
*1783*	Christian, Jr. started Tavern before this date.
*1785-1790*	Tavern renovated. (1792, 2nd story was added.) 1801 - Store was added to Tavern.
*1805 & 1809*	Christian, Jr. deeded land to Jacob C. and John C. Nellis.
*1808*	Christian Jr. died.
*1811*	New Turnpike was legally established, from Johnstown, to end at home of John C. Nellis.
*1812*	Jacob as captain and John also an officer, served in War of 1812.
*1815-1820*	Tavern renovated. Two-story wing was added to east.
*1834*	Railroad bought land from John C. and Jacob C. Nellis.
*1835*	This is the date chosen for present restoration - It is post Revolution - Federal Period.
*1838*	Fulton County was formed from part of Montgomery County and Town of St. Johnsville was split off of Town of Oppenheim.
*1839*	John C. Nellis died after deeding land to John Nellis. Land later belonged to Peter Fox Nellis.
*1831-1919*	(1868 map of Montgomery County).
*1870*	James G. Nellis born to Alpha Nellis.
*1887*	Alpha Nellis (descendant of William) bought Tavern.
*1913*	Alpha Nellis died and left tavern to son, Jimmy Nellis.
*1945*	Jimmy Nellis died and left Nellis Tavern to his niece, Aleda Mary Nellis Weaver.
*1960's*	Department of Transportation condemned building when they prepared to widen N.Y.S. Route 5. They evicted Aleda Weaver.
*1969*	Donald Tuttle, Dir. of Ft. Plain Museum discovered stenciling in vacant tavern.
*1978*	Palatine Settlement Society formed.
*1984*	Elizabeth Bilobrowka donated $1200 for purchase of Nellis Tavern. Palatine Settlement Society granted Provisional Charter from N.Y.S.E.D..
*1985*	Palatine Settlement Society bought Nellis Tavern and 8 acres of land. Tavern opened for tours; 112 total membership in PSS, 20 local.
*1987*	Sponnable Cheese House (1810-20) donated.
*1988*	Archeological dig over 2 acres. President - Elizabeth Bilobrowka. (She sent copies of stencils to Mary Maples same year.)
*1989*	PSS received $14,000, State, and County grants for renovating Tavern.
*1990-1991*	Nellis Tavern placed on State and National Register of Historic Places.
*1993-1994*	North façade porch and entrance were finished. Trees and brush cleared east of the Tavern for a larger lawn.
*1995*	Tavern refurbished and open for tours.
*2003*	Jim Nellis and Microsoft donated a total of $20,000 for renovations. The south entrance and porch were constructed, among other improvements.

History of the 1747 Nellis Tavern The Palatine Gennans who settled in the Mohawk Valley originated in the Palatinate of Gennany, which is in the modem West Gennan region of Pfalz, between Frankfort and Luxembourg. The Palatinate was a region that was constantly swept by war; first by the Thirty Years and then by the many wars of Louis XIV. In 1700, the Nellises, among others, fled the village of Sitters in the parish of Obennoschel and left for England. The Palatines stayed in England until 1709-10, when Queen Anne granted them land in America. The Palatines were guaranteed land as long as they produced naval supplies such as ship parts and tar, for England (Frothingham 1892: 185). The Palatines found that this didn't work out and some moved into the Schoharie Valley as farmers. Unfortunately others claimed the land they used there and the Palatines decided they needed to move again, this time several families progressed into the Mohawk Valley. William, Christian, and Catharine Nellis left the Schoharie Valley in 1722 and settled near present day St. Johnsville. In 1725 Christian Nellis settled on the 650 acres of lot No. 12 of the Harrison Land Patent, including the site where the Tavern stands now (Digan and Smith 1983: 3). There was a house standing at the tavern site as early as 1747. In 1767, Christian Nellis sold his land to his son Christian, Jr. for 300 pounds (Deed Book Montgomery County cited in Digan and Smith 1983: 3). Before this sale, the structure known as "Fort Nellis”, apparently a stone blockhouse, and a stone gristmill were built. Rufus Grider, a 19th century artist who worked in the Mohawk Valley and who drew the fort and the grist mill, placed these buildings between the Mohawk River and the location of the present day railroad tracks (Grider 1878: 89). "Fort Nellis" is referred to in reports of the Revolutionary War battle of Stone Arabia, a running engagement that swept through the Stone Arabia- St. Johnsville area in 1781 (Vrooman 1943: 151). Frothingham (1892: 307) reports that in 1783, Christian Nellis, Jr., kept a tavern in the present day structure and that in 1801 farm equipment store was opened there. After the death of Christian Nellis, Jr. in 1808, the land was kept in the family and maintained as a farm and tavern until the 1850's. In 1887 Alpha Nellis, descendant of William Nellis, bought the property. During the 19th century, the Nellises constructed a barn directly to the east of the tavern. The date for this barn was determined by the presence of several metal objects that date to the 19th century. After this point in time, and up until the 1920's, the Nellises used the land for farming. At some point before 1905, two outbuildings were constructed as shown in the 1905 Montgomery County Atlas (1905). The 1868 map does not show any type of outbuilding, so it is assumed that there were not any (Nichols and Stranahan 1868). (A picture from the 1880's shows one or more outbuildings to the west.) The house was occupied until the 1950's, after which it fell into disrepair. Today, the tavern is being renovated to its 1835 appearance, as close as possible, through the efforts of its owners, the Palatine settlement Society. The Society purchased the building and eight acres of land in the mid 1980's. 1747 NELLIS TAVERN/HOMESTEAD Tour Guide THE TAVERN The Georgian building was constructed, with the front facing the Mohawk River and the King's Highway, in 1747 by Christian Nellis, Sr. It had two main rooms on the first floor and a sleeping loft on the second floor. Around 1790 the roof was raised and the 2nd floor expanded. A five-room addition to the two floors was constructed around 1815-20 at the east end of the building and early American stencils were added to the walls on both floors. At the same time, the exterior of the building was "Federalized" and the entryway facing the new Mohawk Turnpike (present N.Y.S. Rt. 5) was added. There are three kinds of lath represented in the building: accordion (split), vertical sawn and circular sawn. These details and nail heads help to date construction and repairs. As you enter the Tavern from the Route 5 side, you will be using the North Door, rebuilt in 1993. This is patterned from an earlier entrance as shown in a late 1800's photo. FIRST FLOOR *Central Hallway* The door you have entered was originally the "back door”. It has been rebuilt. The original front entrance and a porch have been reconstructed in 2003. There are two short, wide "Georgian" doorways on either side of the hallway, one with a door. Note the detailed and elegant moldings. The turned balusters on the staircase are also from the Georgian period. There are two tall, narrow "Federal" doorways. Note the contrast of the simple half-round bead molding with that of the earlier period. West Room This room may have been the site of the general store, but more likely the dining room. The limestone fireplace, of intermediate depth was probably used to keep cooked food, brought up from the cellar kitchen or a kitchen in an adjoining west building, warm. The west building would have also held the store. The "Wattle and Daub" wall construction was not used in the Mohawk Valley after 1750. The 18th century, floor to ceiling, red Getman Family cupboard has been restored. The cantback cherry cupboard, c.1780, came from the line of another son of Christian, Sr., Hans Jurg Nellis (1732-1792) of Herkimer, NY. East Room (center room) This "Tavern Room" contained 3 sections; the bar, bar room and a bedroom. Note the 26-foot clear span framing of the beams. The shallow fireplace throws heat into the room and was not intended for cooking.

Stove Room (further east) The walls of the 3 original rooms (stove, bedroom, closet) were left bare plaster when constructed. In the mid-1820's, the walls were stenciled in the "New England" style on bare plaster. In the early 1850's, the interior partitions were removed, the walls and ceiling were patched, and the room was papered as one large room. During recent restoration, the wallpaper was removed and the stenciling was exposed. SECOND FLOOR Large South Room Recent restoration work revealed three small 2nd floor rooms on the south were originally constructed as one large room, typical of late-18th century turnpike inn design. It may have been used as a ballroom and/or sleeping quarters. The walking wheels and cherry and tiger-maple chest of drawers, c.1825, were donated. Weaving Room The 18th century barn-frame loom was donated in pieces and was renovated. Dishtoweling has been started. . The 18th century spool rack (skarn) mounted on a pine bench and spools were also donated. These were used to wind the warp of a loom. Early settlers needed to provide all of their own cloth. They wove flax (linen) and wool. East Rooms . These three rooms were believed to be the private quarters of the Nellis family. Two rooms are stenciled. Several pieces of furniture were donated such as the rope bed, cradle, lift-top blanket box, and chairs.
Kitchen The "walk-in" cooking fireplace (the average height of a woman in 1800 was 4'7") has a smoking ledge in the rear, this held pots of beans or stews while they baked. The trammel rod hanging in the chimney was used to smoke ham, fish, or other meat. There are remains of plaster on the walls. The original entrance, now under the porch, could have been used to welcome and feed wagon or coach drivers and others unfit for the formal upstairs rooms. But... By the time of the tavern era, the kitchen was probably in the now missing west addition. It would have been too inconvenient to have to carry food up from the cellar to feed travelers.

Cold-Storage Room This was used to keep foods from spoiling. The "Romanesque arch" at the west end, is not a fireplace or a passageway on the Underground Railroad. It was a simple and easy way to support the weight of the fireplace and chimney above.
CELLAR (not open for tour)
ARTISTIC SIGNIFICANCE The value of the Nellis Tavern lies in its architectural details, the early wattle and daub construction technique, and in the early American stenciling in the east wing of the building. The stencils are a fascinating example of folk art common in the early 19th century. The designs in the tavern reflect patterns and colors used by the famous stencilist, Moses Eaton, Jr. The acanthus frieze, leaf panel design, and diamond pattern in the tavern-are all variations of Eaton's patterns. His trademark colors were also copied - pale green, brick red, and ochre yellow. There are more than 15 different patterns in the tavern, including the thistle. Anne Digan and Mary C. Smith, two students from the Cooperstown Graduate Program, who made a study of Nellis Tavern, made tracings of many of the stencil designs so that future restoration can be accurate. Anne Eckert Brown of RI, Phillip Parr of Rochester Science and Art Museum and Sandy Nellis Lane have also traced them. Pictures in larger size we took and pictures from The Palatine Settlement Society >>> click here <<< Information and pictures courtesy of The Palatine Settlement Society, Inc. http://www.palatinesettlementsociety.org