Too much addicted to drink
"Palatine, west of Johnstown and Mayfield: extent 15 by 12 miles. A place called Stone Arabia is in this town and contains one Lutheran church and one Dutch Reformed church. Mr. Lubauch is minister of the latter and Mr. Crotz of the former.
After leaving this town (Johnstown) I pass about 10 miles in a heavy-timbered country, with few inhabitants. The soil, however, appears in general to be excellent -- the country is a little more uneven than back in Amsterdam . After traveling about 10 miles on a tolerable road I came to Stone Arabia, or Robbly as the Dutch pronounce.it. This is a parish of Palatines and is composed principally of High Dutch or Germans. From Johnstown to Stone Arabia the timber is beech and maple, with some hemlock. In Stone Arabia the timber is walnut and butternut. The fields of wheat are numerous and the crop in general is excellent. The land for Indian corn, it is evident from appearance, is not properly plowed -- they plow very shallow. Peas appear to flourish as do oats. I perceive, as yet but one great defect in the morals of the people -- they are too much addicted to drink." ·
Thus wrote the Reverend John Taylor in 1802.
Sixty seven years later the Gazzetteer and Business Directory of Montgomery County, N.Y. 1869-70 published by Hamilton Child & Co., Syracuse, NY 1869 lists 130 residents of Stone Arabia and their occupations.
