Town of Petersburgh

NO 'H' MAKES NEWS IN PETERSBURGH:

In this town it's best not to drop your 'h's.

And Town Hall may have to secure an 'h' ink stamp to keep it that way.

During the July meeting of the town board, town historian and former town supervisor Peter Schaaphok stood and proclaimed that there was a spelling mistake on the town checks. He had just received one for his work with the board of assessment review and on it the town was spelled Petersburg.

For many years (about 200) that spelling was right, or, close enough for government work anyway.

A jocund discussion on the mistake ensued. One attendee suggested the town purchase a small letter 'h' rubber stamp and make the person who accepted the checks stamp each one.

The issue has been a significant part of the town's recent history, which Schaaphok surely understands. He was part of the move to return the 'h' to the end of the name back in the early 1990s.

The issue has followed the town from it's [sic] birth.

A review of the minutes of the first town board meeting on April 5, 1791, at the residence of Hezekiah Coon shows the same confusion over the name.

"At the beginning of the meeting minutes it was spelled Petersburgh and toward the end the 'h' was missing," said Ingrid Schaaphok, Peter's wife. "I guess they were doing some drinking during that meeting and got a little sloppy towards the end."