The towns of Minden, Canajoharie and St. Johnsville were settled by Germans, the earliest coming from Schoharie; a majority of these settled in the town of Minden and located in the district yet called "Dutchtown."
Prominent among these early settlers were the Timmermans later called Zimmerman, and the name was also spelled Tzimmerman. In 1775 David and Conrad Zimmerman located on the site of the present village of St. Johnsville and erected a grist mill near the creek which bears the name of "Zimmerman creek." A small settlement sprang up that was known for a long time as "Zimmerman's." Jan Jorst Timmerman was a partner of Johan Schnell in the settlement known as Snell's Bush, Manheim. Anna, daughter of the St. Johnsville pioneer, married John Markell. He was later killed by the Indians and his wife scalped. She recovered and lived many years afterward, marrying a second husband, Christian Getman, of Ephratah. During the revolution the house of Jacob Zimmerman of St. Johnsville was stockaded and repulsed many attacks of the enemy. During the revolutionary war a fort was erected on the Zimmerman farm named "Fort Willett." Conrad, the early miller of Zimmerman's, had a son Conrad, who carried on the family line.
(II) Conrad (2), son of Conrad (1) Zimmerman, married Anna Snell. They had a large family including
- William, of further mention;
- Jacob, who was the last survivor of the family;
- Peter, removed to Niagara county;
- a daughter who married Philip C. Bellinger, of Danube.
(III) William, son of Conrad (2) and Anna (Snell) Zimmerman, was one of fourteen children. He was a prosperous farmer of the town of Minden, Montgomery county, New York. He was school trustee and an active Democrat. He was a Universalist in religion. He married (first) Mary, died 1872, daughter of Thomas I. Mesick, of the town of Danube. Thomas I. Mesick was born in Columbia county and served as captain in the war of 1812, being a part of the army stationed for the defense of the city of New York. After the war he settled in Montgomery county. He was a man of influence in his town and widely known as "Squire Mesick." He was a Democrat in politics and a devout Presbyterian. He died suddenly in April, 1868. His wife, Elizabeth Skinkle, survived him until March, 1880. William Zimmerman married (second) Cornelia, sister of his first wife, who survived him.
(IV) Thomas Romeyn, son of William and Mary (Mesick) Zimmerman, was born in "Dutchtown," town of Minden, Montgomery county, New York, August 25, 1854, died August 14, 1910.
He received his education in the common schools, Clinton Classical Institute, Little Falls Academy and Eastman's Business College. He remained on the home farm associated with his father until the latter's death. He continued farming operations alone until 1908, when broken in health and beyond hope of recovery, a sufferer from heart disease, he removed to the village of Fort Plain, where he died two years later. He conducted in addition to general farming a dairy and a hay and grain business. His farm of two hundred acres was well kept and profitable. He was a Democrat in politics and served on the town school board. He was interested in the cooperation store of Minden, serving as director. He was a member of the Masonic order, having been made a Mason in St. Johnsville Lodge in 1877, two years later affiliating with the lodge at Fort Plain. In religious faith he was a Universalist. He was a good citizen and treated all men with fairness. He married, September 23, 1873, Ada C. Lipe, born April 3, 1855, daughter of John E. Lipe, and granddaughter of Jacob I. Lipe, born October 20, 1796, died February 6, 1879, who married Lany Ehle, born December 7, 1796, died September 11, 1891. John E., son of Jacob I. Lipe, was born September 7, 1826, died September 28, 1910; he married, January 27, 1848, Susan M. Coughtry, born 1824, died 1906. Children of John E. Lipe:
- Charles, born March 20, 1851, died March 17, 1875; married Mary Sponable; child, Clifford Ehle.
- Ada C., married Thomas R. Zimmerman.
- Willard C., born December 21, 1861; married Jennie Sponable; children: Marjorie S. and Charles.
Children of Thomas Romeyn and Ada C. Zimmerman:
- Nettie M., of Yorkville; married Frank Dingman Flanders; children: Kenneth R., J. Wilbur, and Herbert.
- Emma S., of Fort Plain; is a member of Fort Plain Chapter, Daughters of American Revolution.
- Mabel A., of Grizzly Flats, Colorado.
- Earl W., of Syracuse; married Hazel Farmer; son, William.
- John Harold, of Fort Plain.
- Hazel Lipe, of Fort Plain.