Surnames: Berry, Burtch, Dockstader, Hall, Helmer,
Horton, Jennings, Quackenbush
Towns and villages: Charlton, Fonda, German Flats, Lowville, Mohawk, Watson
Source: History of the Mohawk Valley - Gateway to the
West - 1614-1925
Covering The Six Counties of Schenectady, Schoharie,
Montgomery, Fulton, Herkimer and Oneida.
Volume IV, Illustrated; Page 429
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1925
"The story of any man's life has interest and value if truly told", said Carlyle, and the subject of this sketch, Harry Helmer Dockstader, accountant, proves no exception to this statement. He was born on August 7, 1866, in Fonda, New York, his parents being Adam Berry and Sarah Louise (Helmer) Dockstader. Adam Berry Dockstader was born in the town of Mohawk, New York, on July 4, 1835, and died in Galveston, Texas, on. February 7, 1881. He was a lieutenant in the Civil war. His profession was that of an attorney and he practiced law in Fonda. He was the son of Henry I. and Maria (Berry) Dockstader. Henry I. Dockstader was born in the town of Mohawk, on May 5, 1803, and died in Fonda on July 13, 1887. His occupation was farming. His wife, Maria (Berry) Dockstader, was born in the town of Mohawk, on August 23, 1808, and died in the village of Fonda, on November 29, 1897, aged ninety years. The name of Dockstader is of German descent and that of Berry is Mohawk Valley Dutch. Sarah Louise (Helmer) Dockstader, mother of Harry Helmer Dockstader, was born in German Flats, New York, on February 5, 1836, and died in that place on November 2, 1874. She was the daughter of Lawrence and Sophia (Jennings) Helmer. Lawrence Helmer was a cabinetmaker and was born in German Flats, on January 13, 1802, and died in that place on March 22, 1887. His wife was born March 8, 1803, and died in German Flats on August 15, 1885.
Harry Helmer Dockstader attended the public school in the village of Fonda, then went to Troy Conference Academy, at Poultney, Vermont, for two years, after which he returned home and went to work at the age of twenty as clerk in the dry goods house of I. M. Davis & Son, and remained five years. The succeeding five years he was a grocery clerk for Edward B. Coshney in Fonda, after which he and his brother-in-law, Frank F. Burtch, formed a co-partnership and opened a retail shoe store styled The Stone Store Shoe Company, of Fonda. They continued this business for ten years, when the store was ruined by fire in 1900. On September 19, 1900, Mr. Dockstader became associated with the American Broom & Brush Company, Incorporated, of Amsterdam, New York, as accountant, which position he still holds.
Harry Helmer Dockstader was united in marriage to Miss Helen Horton Burtch on June 19, 1895, at Fonda. She was born on October 20, 1868, in Fonda, her parents being Abner Hall and Charlotte Ann (Horton) Burtch. Abner Hall Burtch was born in in Charlton, Saratoga County, on February 4, 1835, and died in Fonda, on February 9, 1907. He was deputy postmaster of Fonda in 1856, and president of that village in 1862; also chairman of the Republican County committee of Montgomery county, New York, in 1886, and again in 1893. At the beginning of the Civil war he was leader of the band and private secretary to Colonel Simeon Sammons, and went to Harper's Ferry with the band known as the One Hundred and Fifteenth Regiment Band. The regiment was captured but the band escaped in cattle cars. He organized the National Home Guard at Fonda on July 18, 1864, and was appointed captain by Governor Seymour. On May 7, 1866, he was appointed major of the Fortieth Regular Infantry by Governor Fenton. He was elected county clerk in 1870 and re-elected in 1873. He was also prominent as a Mason.
The parents of Abner Hall Burtch were John and Hannah (Hall) Burtch. John Burtch was born on August 7, 1807, at Lowville, New York, and died in Fonda, on September 20, 1853. His business was that of contractor and builder. Hannah (Hall) Burtch was born in Charlton, New York, on September 14, 1810, and died in Fonda, on June 25, 1894. The parents of John Burtch were Morris and Eliza Burtch. Morris Burtch, a realtor, lived in the town of Watson, Lewis County, New York, and at one time was a large owner of slaves. He was born on July 18, 1830, and died on January 18, 1877. Charlotte Ann (Horton) Burtch, mother of Mrs. Harry H. Dockstader, was the daughter of Julius and Helen Magdaline (Quackenbush) Horton. Julius Horton, a merchant, was born in Hortonville, Vermont, on November 22, 1809, and died on March 22, 1851, in Fonda. His wife was born on October 25, 1810, and died on August 8, 1885. The names Horton and Quackenbush are of Holland Dutch ancestry and Burtch is Scotch-Irish.
Mrs. Harry H. Dockstader is a member of the Dutch Reformed church of Fonda and an active worker. During the World war she was chairman of Red Cross, a position she still maintains. For four years she was regent of Caughnawaga Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution of Fonda. She is also a member of the Montgomery County New York Historical Society; the Parliamentary School of Fonda and Fultonville, New York; the Daughters of 1812; vice chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Committee; and president of the Montgomery County Women's Republican Club.
Mr. and Mrs. Dockstader have one daughter: Dorothy Marie Dockstader, who was born on May 25, 1900, in Fonda, at the Dockstader homestead. She was educated in the public and high schools of Fonda, and graduated with honors from the high school in the class of 1919, and received a gold medal for having the highest averages for four years. She also took five out of seven prizes which were offered in different branches of study and was made the valedictorian of her class. On June 5 1923, Miss Dockstader was graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University, New York city, with the degree of B. A. and now has a clerical position with the Brooklyn Arts and Science Institute, Brooklyn, New York.
Harry Helmer Dockstader is a Mason and a member of Fultonville Lodge No. 531, A. F. & A. M., and of Amsterdam Lodge, No. 101, B. P.O. E. He is a member of the Montgomery County Historical Society and vice president of the Community Club of Fonda. For nineteen years Mr. Dockstader was president of the board of education of Fonda high school and for three years was justice of the peace of the town of Mohawk. During the World war he was an active worker on the Liberty Loan and Red Cross drives. He attends the Methodist church of Fonda and is affiliated with the democratic party, but is an independent voter. His chief diversion is reading but may be classed among the baseball fans. Indeed, it may be worthily said of Mr. Dockstader that he is a representative of our best type of American manhood.
