Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County, New Jersey, Part 27

Author: Beekman, George Crawford. dn
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Freehold, N.J. : Moreau Brothers
Number of Pages: 226


USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County, New Jersey > Part 27


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33


Moody may have had only 16 men of his own and six of Hutchinson's when he started but he had at least fifty when he reached Tinton Falls before daylight. They found our men in bed and wholly unprepared. They threw a large quantity of powder in the mill pond and broke the guns. They seized all the horses and wagons they could find at Tinton Falls and vicinity and loaded them with a large quantity of stores, meal and flour from the mill, together with all the provisions and goods of value they could find. They drove off all the sheep and cattle on the farms around there, besides slaugh- tering several hogs, whose carcasses


137


EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.


they took off in one of the wagons. They collected all this plunder and moved off down the road towards Shrewsbury village before our militia could gather. Then not over thirty men were in our force when they began their pursuit. They overtook the rear guards commanded by Moody in person somewhere in the vicinity of what is now Fair Haven. He, however, had all his prisoners stationed close by his men, so that our people could not fire. without endangering their lives as much as those of the refugees.


Thus holding back our force he al- lowed Hutchinson with his train of wagons, cattle and sheep to get well in advance. Then falling back, still with the prisoners as shields to his men, he slowly followed. In this way they reached Black Point. There our people had ten more men to join them, and made a sharp attack on their flank while they were getting their plunder over the inlet. In the confusion Cap- tain Chadwick and Lieutenant Auke Hendrickson broke loose from the enemy and ran over to our men. Lieu- tenant Hendrickson was a man of fiery temper and Captain Chadwick also was very excitable and passionate under provocation. The tantalizing and un- fair way in which they had been used and treated while prisoners, by Moody had exasperated both to the verge of insanity. As soon as Lieutenant Hen- drickson reached our line he grabbed a musket which had been discharged, and at once turned and ran towards Moody with loud threats and imprecations for his cowardly usage. His gun, of course, missed fire and he was shot down by Moody. Captain Chadwick, who had also turned on them, was killed at the same time by some of the other refu- gees.


Some ten of our men were also wounded which made any further effort useless. A flag of truce was raised and Moody agreed to allow the removal of our dead and wounded provided they were permitted to carry off all their plunder. Like Captain Joshua Huddy, Captain Dennis, Lieutenant Whitlock, and many other patriots of our Revolu- tion, who gave up their lives for Amer- ican independence, Captain Chadwick and Lieutenant Auke Hendrickson lie


in unknown and unmarked graves. Surely this is a reproach and a shame to the people of Monmouth county.


Daniel Hendrickson, son of Col. Dan- iel Hendrickson and Catharine Van- Brunt, his wife, married Elizabeth, daughter of Barzillai Grover. He re- sided in Upper Freehold township and carried on a grist mill located on Doc- tor's Creek in that township. I think this mill was at Red Valley, although I may be mistaken as to that. They had the following children:


William, born June 2, 1782, married and removed to one of the western states.


Barzillai, born February 19, 1784. married Elizabeth Horsefull. He owned and conducted the Union hotel at Free- hold during the thirties of last century.


Daniel, born May 19, 1786, died un- married. His will was proved Septem- ber 18. 1862, and recorded in Book G of Wills, page 470 at Freehold. Makes a bequest to his sister Theodosia, wife of Forman Hendrickson, and if dead, to her daughter Eliza, wife of Jacob Ellis. He gives to George Imlay $100, and residue of his property to his nep- hews, Enoch Hendrickson and Richard M. Hendrickson.


Joseph, born March 14, 1788.


James G., born February 19, 1791, married March 3, 1813, Hannah Morris. Samuel, born July 26, 1793, married Phoebe Mount.


Theodosia, born November 2. 1795. married Forman, son of Jacob Hen- drickson and Elizabeth Mount, his wife.


Richard How ell, born November 2, 1795, married Lyde Perrine.


Katharine, born June 29, 1797, mar- ried Peter Imlay.


John B., born January 26, 1799, mar- ried Parmilla Grover.


Enoch, born April 7, 1802, married Achsah Parker.


Pierson, born July 31, 1803, married August 7. 1823, Sarah VanDorn. This last son resided many years at Tinton Falls, where he carried on a country store.


Elizabeth Hendrickson, the mother of these ten boys and two girls, made her will January 27, 1843, proved December 6, 1851, recorded at Freehold in Book F of Wills, page 107. etc.


CHILDREN OF DANIEL HENDRICKSON AND CATHARINE VANDYKE, HIS WIFE.


Annetje, (Ann) the eighth child of above named parents, was baptized December 30, 1711, married 1732, Wil- liam, son of Jacob Couwenhoven and Saartje Schenck, his wife. Their names appear as communicants on records of the Dutch church in 1741 as follows:


"Wilm Couwenhoven and Antje Hen- drikze, his wife."


They had three children, viz:


Saartje (Sarah) born in 1733, married Jacob, (born 1730) son of William Wyckoff and Agnes VanDorn, his wife. Their license was granted January 7, 1754. She died August 25. 1796, and her husband March 5, 1812, ac- cording to their headstones in Tennent church yard.


Daniel, baptized March 30, 1737, married August 23, 1757, Helena, daughter of George Taylor, and died December 26, 1808, according to inscription on his tombstone in Lippet and Taylor burying ground on the old Daniel J. Hendrickson farm, now owned by the Morfords at east end of Middletown village. An old Bible with name of "Rebecca Covenhoven" written on front leaf, as owner, contains the following family record:


"Daniel Covenhoven, born January 27, 1737. Helena Covenhoven, his wife, was born Feb- ruary 10, 1737, married August 23, 1757.


Anne Covenhoven, their daughter, was born July 9, 1758, about nine o'clock in the fore- noon.


Rebecka Covenhoven, born March 27. 1761, about five o'clock in the afternoon.


William Covenhoven, born April 7, 1763, about five o'clock in the morning.


George Covenhoven, born December 13, 1767, about three o'clock in the afternoon.


Daniel G. Conover and Sarah Ann Cooper were married December 16, 1818."


Jacob, third child, was baptized October 14, 1739 ; no other record.


William Conover, as name is now spelled, the father of above three chil- dren, died intestate in 1742, Letters of administration on his estate were granted October 17, 1742, to his widow, Ann, his brother Ruliph, and his broth- er-in-law, William Hendrickson. The widow, however, did not remain long in mourning for she married March 17, 1744, William Couwenhoven, (born July 20, 1700; died November 10, 1755) son of Cornelius Couwenhoven and Margaret Schenck, his wife, of Pleasant Valley. He, too, had lost his first wife, Jannetje Wyckoff and buried her by his father in the Schenck-Couwenhoven cemetery.


By this second marriage there were


two children, a son and daughter, viz:


Cornelius, born February 11, baptized April 7, 1746; married January 13, 1767, Mary (born December 6, 1740, died Jan- uary 3, 1860), daughter of Hendrick Hendrickson and Neeltje Schenck, his wife and heretofore mentioned. He died October 10, 1806, aged 60 years, 7 months, 27 days, according to his head- stone in Schenck-Couwenhoven yard. His will is recorded in Book A of Wills at Freehold.


By Mary Hendrickson he had follow- ing four children:


Anne, baptized December 6, 1767 ; married October 13, 1785, Abram VanHorne.


Nelly, baptized February 24, 1771 ; married December 14, 1790, Cornelius VanHorne.


Lydia, baptized December 20, 1778; married January 22, 1807, Daniel Polhemus of Middle- sex county, N. J.


William Hendrick, baptized June 2, 1782, died unmarried September 26, 1805, and is buried by his father, grandfather, and great- grandfather in Schenck-Couwenhoven yard.


Catharine, the only daughter, was baptized April 16, 1749; married Jan- uary 15, 1767, Nicholas VanBrunt, son of Nicholas VanBrunt and Geesye Hen- drickson, his wife, whose names appear as communicants in records of the Dutch church in 1731. This Geesye Hendrickson was a sister of Daniel and William Hendrickson, the pioneer settlers. Nicholas VanBrunt was Sher- iff of Monmouth county in 1778. He removed all the prisoners in our county jail to Morris county before the British army reached Freehold in June, 1778. He and Colonel Daniel Hendrickson were deputies to the Provincial Con- gress of New Jersey from Shrewsbury township in 1775. He was an active and zealous patriot during the Revolu- tion and a Captain in the militia.


By Catharine Couwenhoven, his wife, he had following children:


Cornelius, baptized July 23, 1769.


Nicholas, baptized August 4, 1771. Antje, baptized May 8, 1774. Mary, baptized June 25, 1775.


Hendrick, baptized April 5, 1778.


Daniel Covenhoven, baptized April 30, 1780 : died young.


Sarah Wyckoff, baptized September 28, 1783. Daniel Conover, baptized November 18, 1787.


Sheriff Nicholas VanBrunt, a few


.


EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.


139


years after the close of the Revolution- ary War, sold his farm near Tinton Falls to Col. Daniel Hendrickson and removed with his family to Cherry Valley, New York, where he lived the rest of his life.


Francyntje, (Frances) the ninth child of Daniel Hendrickson and Catharine VanDyke, his wife, married 1731, Teunis (born June 15, 1704, died June 10, 1797), son of Denyse Denyse and Helen Cor- telyou, his wife, of New Utrecht, L. I. She was his second wife, as he first married Catharine, a daughter of Hen- drick VanDyke, by whom he had one daughter named Helena, born March 14, 1728; married April 17, 1759, Samuel Forman (born November 13, 1713; bap- tized February 13, 1714; died January 18, 1792), a son of Jonathan Forman and Margaret Wyckoff, his wife. She died January 20, 1789, and is buried by her husband in old burying ground at Mt. Pleasant or Freneau station.


Teunis Denyse married for his third wife, December 2, 1779, Rachel, daugh- ter of Garret Schenck and Neeltje Voor- hees, his wife, and the widow of Geis- bert Longstreet and Jacob VanDorn. It was the third venture of both in the lottery of matrimony. History not only repeats itself with nations, but with individuals, for we have today in Mon- mouth county a lineal descendant of Teunis Denise, who not only bears the same name, but has been married three times and whose second wife was also a Hendrickson.


Tunis Denyse made his will April 2, 1792, proved January 16, 1798, and rec- orded in Book 37 of Wills, page 350 at Trenton, N. J. His son Daniel and son- in-law, John Forman, are named as ex- ecutors. His sons-in-law were among the most influential and prominent of the patriots during the revolution.


Francyntje Hendrickson and Tunis Denyse, her husband, had the following children :


Tryntje, (Catharine) born May 8, 1732 ; died September 8, 1771, married Garret Hendrick- son, (born January 22, 1734 ; died December 2, 1801) who has already been mentioned in a former article.


Eleanor, baptized May 26, 1734; married John Forman, (born 1731, died 1811) son of Samuel Forman and Mary, his wife. Their license was granted May 2, 1752. John Forman served as one of our county judges. She died in 1796.


Anna, born June 16, 1736 ; married June 16, 1757, David Forman, (born October 1, 1733; died March 30, 1812) son of Jonathan Forman and Margaret Wyckoff, his wife. Their license was granted June 9, 1757, according to records in secretary of state'a office. She died Septem- ber 9, 1798, and is buried in Tennent church yard. David Forman was Brigadier General


of our Monmouth militia during the Revolution and one of the most energetic and active of the patriotic leaders. On account of his swarthy complexion he was called Black David Forman.


Nuis or Denyse baptized Jannary 4, 1738, died young.


Jannetje (Jane) born August 19, baptized October 2, 1740, married Cornelius R., (born July 29, baptized September 14, 1740, died July 12, 1796) son of Roelof Cornelius Couwenhoven and Sarah Voorhees, his wife. Their license was granted December 5, 1758. She died March 26, 1799, and is buried by her husband in Schenck-Couwenhoven yard. This couple had ten children, three boys and seven daugh- ters, who all married well. *


Fammetje (Phoebe) born August 11, bap- tized September 4, 1743 ; married October 19, 1765, Rev. Benjamin DuBois, the famous pas- tor for over 50 years of the Monmouth Dutch church. He was born March 30, 1739, and died Angust 12, 1727. She died Jannary 7. 1839, and is buried by her husband in yard of Marlboro Dutch church.


Denyse, baptized December 22, 1745 ; mar- ried April 17, 1768, Margaret, daughter of Richard and Sara Francis, who died April 18, 1770, aged 22 years, 10 months, 24 days, ac- cording to her headstone in Topanemus bury- ing ground where she is interred by her par- ents. He married for his second wife Cath- arine, daughter of Garret Garretse Schenck and Jannetze Williamse Conwenhoven, his wife. She was baptized September 5, 1756. Denyse Denyse was a major of our militia and also a judge in our county courts during and subsequent to the Revolution.


Daniel, baptized May 15, 1748, married first April 18, 1771, Jane Schenck, who was born in 1754 ; married second, Mary Stillwell. Bur-


* Marriages of the ten children of Cornelius R. Conwenhoven and Jane Denise, his wife. from records of the Dutch church.


Francinke, to Hendrick Hendrickson, May 13, 1781.


Teunis to Hannah VanBrockle, March 19, 1783.


Sarah, to Robert Ashton, June 21, 1783.


Mary, to Samuel Forman, March 12, 1789. Rulif, to Sarah Vanderveer, January 12, 1789. Catherine, to John Vanderveer. April 7, 1791.


Margaret, to Teunis Hobburt (Hubbard) January 5, 1797.


Eleanor, to Caleb Stillwell. December 10, 1797.


Jane, to Matthias or Martin Covenhoven, March 10, 1804. She was his first wife and died December 12, 1820, aged 40 years, 9 months, 6 days.


Cornelius R., to Mary Stontenburg, March 9. 1807.


Cornelius R. Covenhoven died April 11, 1817, aged 33 years, 11 months, 8 days. Mary Stont- enburg, his wife, died April 29, 1861, aged 74 years, 24 days. They were the parents of Holmes Conover, who married Caroline. daughter of James G. Crawford, and died May 22, 1860, aged 52 years, 4 months, 13 days. He was sheriff of Monmouth county. 1 is wife died Angust 28, 1843, aged 24 years. Burien. in Schenck-Couwenhoven cemetery, but after- ward removed to Holmdel cemetery.


ving


se


.


140


EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.


ied in old yard near East Freehold.


Mary, born July 9, 1750; married July 31, 1767, John Schenck, the famous leader of our militia during the Revolution. He was born August 28, 1745, and died August 28, 1834, on the farm in Pleasant Valley where his grand- son, David Schenck, now resides. She died July 15, 1829. Both were first buried in Schenck and Couwenhoven yard, but with many others have been since removed, or rather what little was left of their bodies has been removed and their tombstones set up in the Holmdel cemetery.


John Schenck, who married this voungest daughter, was next to Gen. David Forman, his brotherin-law, one of the most active and daring of the officers of our county militia. So troub- lesome was he that the enemy offered a reward of fifty guineas for his cap- ture or death.


An attempt to capture the notorious tory, mayor of New York city, David Matthews, by some Monmouth men led by John Schenck and William Marriner, was perhaps the primary cause of this offer. This was a very bold move and failed of success through the absence of Mayor Matthews from home that night. He had been accidentally de- tained in New York city.


The kidnapping of prominent patriots in Monmouth by raiding bands of refu- gees was of frequent occurrence, and their treatment as prisoners of the harshest kind. It is said that Cunning- ham often boasted when in liquor. that he had used up more rebels by starva- tion and neglect than the whole British army had killed by their bullets and bayonets. At all events reprisals or retaliations of some kind were the only means left to compel decent treatment and exchange of prisoners. According- ly it was resolved to capture David Matthews and two or three other prom- inent loyalists who resided at Flatbush, L. I., and within the lines of the British army. John Schenck had a number of relatives living in the vicinity of Flat- bush, and when a boy had often visited them and so became well acquainted with the country and roads. Marriner presented this plan to the council of safety who sanctioned it.


Nearly every neighborhood through which a large stream or creek flowed into Raritan river, and from Cheese- quake creek to Compton's creek along the Bayshore had its association of men to own and man what was called a whaleboat. Raritan Bay was wholly commanded by the guns of the British men of war so our people were obliged to hide their boats up in some swamp or ravine. The large barges or gun


boats were kept well up Raritan river. The usual crew of a whaleboat on the patriot side was fifteen men, of whom one steered and gave commands while the others rowed. Picked men of great physical strength and endurance were selected. The least sign of cowardice on part of a man led to his instant dis- missal from the crew. They were trained to row without noise and could propel the boat at the rate of twelve miles an hour. Each man was armed with a cutlass and pistols, and the boat supplied with a few pikes and hooks on long poles, a few grappling irons, lanterns and heavy blankets.


These boats were about thirty feet in length with flat bottoms to float in shoal water, wide in the centre with high sides to carry big loads, and point- ed on both ends. They were called whaleboats, but altogether different from the small boats used in the whale fishery. They were built of cedar or some other light wood so that they could be lifted from the water and car - ried over land by the crew and conceal- ed in some swamp or ravine up in the woods. These boats were originally built to carry on a secret traffic with the enemy and smuggle goods back and forth. A whale boat loaded with butter, eggs, poultry and other farm truck, in summer, and hay, grain, firewood, etc., in winter, slipping out of the inlets, or rivers on our coast were safe from cap- ture on the ocean or bay unless inter- cepted by the whale-boats of the pa- triots. Coming back with the specie or other valuable goods after trading with the enemy, they were valuable prizes to our people when captured. Trans- ports loaded with munitions of war and other supplies for the British army in occupation of New York were constant- ly coming and going out of Raritan Bay. A constant demand existed for fresh provisions on part of the people within the British lines and there was a constant traffic to supply this demand.


An association of men existed through this region back of Middletown Point, as Matawan was then called, who had two whale-boats hid in the ravines southeast of the village. These men were seen by John Schenck and agreed to help him and Marriner in their raid. The first cloudy or dark night was agreed on. This happened the second Saturday in June, 1778. Eleven of the regular crew met Marriner and Schenck at Brown's Point late in the afternoon. The boat was taken from its hiding place and launched in the Creek a little after sunset. The sky was overcast with clouds and there was every indi-


141


EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.


cation of an easterly storm. They rowed directly across to Staten Island, and guided by the lights which shone out from the houses on land skirted the shore until they reached the Narrows. Here they rowed across and landed some distance above what is now Fort Hamilton. Leaving two men in charge of the boat and guided by John Schenck they went over to Flatbush. They reached here about midnight and effect- ed a noiseless entrance into the dwell- ing of Mayor Matthews. The women were placed in one room under guard, but the mayor was not at home. They took however, four of his negro slaves. At the next house they captured a Major Moncrieff and a Mr. Bache. With these two white men and four negroes they got back to their boat without ex- citing the least alarm. They rowed back and reached the mouth of Mat- awan creek with their six prisoners by daylight next morning. A newspaper of that day in speaking of this raid says they traveled over fifty miles be- tween six o'clock Saturday night and six o'clock next morning and behaved with the greatest prudence and bravery. This spiriting away of prominent men at night from their homes within the British lines naturally aroused great alarm. No one felt safe or secure against capture and same treatment as they gave the American prisoners. Their fears made them more humane.


Following is the British account of the Flatbush raid from the journal of Lieut. Col. Stephen Kemble, published in N. Y. Hist. Collection for year 1883, Vol. 1, pages 151-2.


"Sunday, June 14, 1778. About 2 o'clock this morning, a party, said to be about 20 men, some armed, others not, with faces blacked, took off Major Moncreiffe and Mr. Bache. Attempted the Mayor, Mr. Matthews' house, but it being well fastened, and a shot being fired, which they apprehended might give the alarm, induced them to go off, with the two first mentioned gentle- men, supposed into Jersey, but at this time no certain account can be given. All else is quiet."


In this account the Mayor is left out as though he was home and his house fastened, but the truth is he was not at home, and if a shot had been fired it would have created an alarm as the British sentinels were posted all around for Flatbush was within their lines.


Jannetje, (Jane) the tenth child and youngest of the seven daughters of Daniel Hendrickson, was born and brought up on the homestead at Holm- del. She married Ruliph, (born March


1, 1712) a son of Jacob Couwenhoven and Saartje Schenck, his wife, their nearest neighbors. She had known him from her earliest recollections. They had played and romped together, sung Dutch nursery songs and followed the customs and usages which prevailed at that time among their own people. The same characteristics, manners and us- ages marked them as those described by Miss Gertrude Lefferts Vanderbilt in her book called "The Social History of Flatbush and the Manners and Customs of the Dutch in Kings County, L. I." They were the children of these Long Island people and were like them in all respects, for the "Dutch were not given to change but were stable in all their ways." It was not until the Revolu- tionary war tore up the foundations of society and government, that there was any great change in families and class- es. Up to this time the Dutch language was generally used in family inter- course or the home life. There are a few persons now living, born and brought up in Pleasant Valley, Holmdel township, who can remember when children, of hearing and singing the words of the following Dutch nursery song which Miss Vanderbilt has pub- lished in her book:


Trip, a trop, a tronjes, De Varkens in de boonjes, De Koejes in de Klaver, De paarden in de haver, De eenjes in de waterplass,


So groot myn Kleine Claus-was."


These lullabies and a few words like "stoep," "blickey," "paas," "skipper" and "baas" (boss) are the last linger- ing echoes of the mother tongue once spoken by those old settlers in Mon- mouth who came from Kings county on Long Island.


There is a wide difference in the spirit and sentiment expressed in these lullabies of the Dutch, from those of the English, or Mother Goose melodies as called.


The former represented people and animals comfortable and contented, pleasant associations and memories, and cheerful and sunny prospects. Or they inculcated some lesson of indus- try, economy, faithfulness or other everyday virtue. Their saint Santa Claus was jolly and benevolent, always doing generous and kindly acts. But childhood and youthful days soon pass. On the 12th of August A. D. 1741, Jan- netje Hendrickson married Ruliph Cou- wenhoven. Their marriage license is published in full on page 34 of Wells' Memorial Address at Brick Church. It


14:2


EARLY DUICH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.


was signed by Lewis Morris so prom- inent in the early history of Monmouth county, but at that time Governor of New Jersey. These licenses are all recorded in secretary of state's office at Trenton and in annexed note is a list from the records of all licenses issued to the Hendricksons and Hendricks in Monmouth county, between 1748 and 1772. Jannetje and Ruliph Couwen- hoven .her husband, had three children, viz:


Sarah, bapt. August 12, 1742, married in 1763 Benjamin (baptized October 10, 1742) son of Benjamin VanCleaf and Helina or Neeltje Couwenhoven, his wife.


Daniel, baptized January 15, 1744. No other knowledge.


Catrina, baptized Feb. 16, 1746, married February 28, 1765, David (baptized September 25, 1748) son of Tunis Vanderveer and Aeltje Garretse Schenck, his wife. This couple had a son Tunis, who married December 12, 1792, Margaret, a daughter of Rev. Benjamin Du- Bois.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.