USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County, New Jersey > Part 3
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She gives her only son, Ruliff, (to whom his father had devised nearly all his property) five shillings. The above homestead farm of 190 acres, she de- vises in fee to her three youngest daughters, Catharine, Eleanor and Ann share and share alike. She gives her eldest daughter, Mary, wife of Jacob Couwenhoven, [200. She gives to her daughters, Catharine and Eleanor, her two negro slaves, Jack and Jude, and her old negro, Brom, who is to be kept on the farm and supported for life by her two daughters. Her negro woman, Elizabeth, she gives to her daughter, Arn Holmes. Her large looking glass and a smaller one with all her tables are given to Catharine and Eleanor, and her third looking glass to her daughter, Ann. All residue of her movable prop- erty is to be equally divided between her three youngest daughters, whom she also appoints executrices.
This will is singular for that period because of the appointment of females to settle the estate. She must have held advanced ideas on the rights of women. Daniel Herbert, Thomas Her- bert and Daniel Peacock were subscrib- ing witnesses to the will. Her daughter Catharine never married but occupied the homestead farm until her death. She also became the sole owner of the farm. A deed dated January 13, 1816, recorded in Book Y of Deeds, pages 814, etc., Monmouth clerk's office, shows that Ann Holmes, one of the three daughters to whom the mother devised this farm, had died intestate and with- out children, leaving three sisters, Mary Couwenhoven, Catharine Schenck and Eleanor Crawford and the children of their brother Ruliff Schenck, who had died October 12, 1800, as her heirs at law. By the above deed Eleanor Craw- ford and husband released all their in- terest in said real estate to Catharine Schenck. This Catharine Schenck died unmarried June 5. 1816, and is interred by her father and mother in the Schenck-Couwenhoven burying ground, Pleasant Valley. Her will was made
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
May 7, 1816, proved July 1, 1816, and is recorded in surrogate's office of Mon- mouth county in Book B of Wills, page 10, ete. She gives to her four nieces, Mary, Ann, Adaline and Eleanor, daugh- ters of her sister, Eleanor Crawford, all her beds, bedding, wearing apparel and household furniture except a Dutch cupboard, to be equally divided between them. She gives her nephew, Garret, son of her sister, Mary Couwenhoven, $500. She gave her four nieces above named $700 each to be paid in one year after her decease. She gives the Dutch cupboard to her nephew, Hendrick, con
of her sister, Mary Couwenhoven. She also devised to him the 190 acre home- stead farm together with all residue of her real and personal property, in fee subject to payment of above lega- cies. She also appoints her nephew, Hendrick Couwenhoven, sole executor. This Hendrick Couwenhoven was mar- ried Mareh 31, 1805, to Ann B. Crawford. One of his daughters, Rebecca, married Tunis Conover and was the mother of William I. Conover, who still (1898) owns and resides on the farm where his parents lived, in the township of Marlboro, near the Brick church.
CHRINEYONCE SCHENCK AND HIS DESCENDANTS. PROBASCO AND POLHEMUS FAMILIES.
Chrineyonee Sehenek was a man well known throughout Monmouth county in his day. Many ancedotes are told of his peenliarities and of his grim ways, and great physical strength. His voice was very deep and gruff, and when angry or in earnest, it deepened into a roar, or as an enemy remarked, "Like the savage growl of a bear with a sore head." He was very bluff and open in the expression of his opinions, and in his likes and dislikes. His grim man- ner and gruff words were, however, wholly superficial for no man was more kind and considerate to his wife 'chil- dren and friends than he.
A well authenticated story is told of him by a lawyer who was an eye wit- ness of the incident. He was foreman of a jury impanneled in a very impor- tant eivil ease tried in the Freehold court house. Among the prominent lawyers employed by the plaintiff was one of the Stocktons from Trenton or Princeton. The defendant was a poor man and had some unknown and young attorney to represent him. The plain- tiff was a man of great wealth, and notorious for his shrewd and unserup- ulous methods of getting other people's property. Mr. Stockton was selected to sum up the ease and had, of course, the closing speech. After speaking an hour with great ability and eloquence, tear- ing the arguments of his young oppon- ent all to tatters, he noticed that the foreman of the jury was leaning over in his chair with his arm upraised and his head resting on his open hand with his eyes closed. Thinking he was asleep and provoked by his supposed inatten-
tion, he abruptly stopped. Turning to the court, he pointed his finger at Mr. Sehenek and said in an angry tone. "May it please the Court, there is but little use to argue this case to a sleep- ing juror." In an instant Chrineyonce Sehenek sprang to his feet; raising himself to his full height he thundered out in his deep gruff voice: "I am not asleep. I have heard all the evidence and have made up my mind from it as my oath requires, and I want you all to understand, that no lawyer by his smooth gab can persuade me to find a verdict for a scoundrel." Angry and disconcerted by this vehement explos- ion, Mr. Stockton not only lost his temper, but the thread of his argument and after stumbling along for a few minutes in an incoherent manner he sat down.
Another anecdote is related of Chrin- eyonee which shows his great bodily strength and the mighty grip of his right hand. He was attacked by a large and savage bull dog. As the brute sprang at him he seized him by the throat, and lifting him clear of the ground held him out at arm's length and choked him to death.
As the family records show Chriney - once Sehenek and his son, John C., mar- ried Polhemus wives. This family is also of Dutch' descent, although like Lupardus, Antonides, etc., they hear a Latin name. In that case you ean gen- erally find that the family is descended from a clergyman of the Dutch church, sent out in early times by the Classis of Amsterdam. It was quite common for scholars in that age to select a
Front view of old dwelling on the farm of Garret Schanck, the pioneer settler, in Pleasant Valley, N. J.
Photograph taken by Mrs. L. H. S. Conover in summer of 1900.
Rear view of old dwelling on the farm of Garret Schanck, the pioneer settler, in Pleasant Valley, N. J.
Photograph taken by Mrs. L. H. S. Conover in summer of 1900.
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
Latin name, which expressed what their -surname meant in Dutch.
/ The Polhemus family in Monmouth ยท and Somerset counties are descendants of Rev. Johannes Theodorus Polhemus, who had been a minister at Itamaca in Brazil before coming to the New Neth- erlands in 1654. He preached at Flat- bush in the morning and at Brooklyn and Flatlands in the afternoon of each Sunday until 1660. When Brooklyn ob- tained a minister in 1665 Dominie Pol- hemus ceased to be connected with the church at Flatbush, and removed to Brooklyn where he died June 9th, 1675, the worthy and beloved pastor of that church.
Among the freeholders and residents of Flatbush, L. I., published on page 147. Vol. 3, O'Callagan's Documentary History of New York, we find in the year 1698 the name of Daniel Polhemus who is credited with six children, and Stoffel or Christopher Probasco, who also had six children. These two names, Probasco and Polhemus, have long been identified with the agricultural progress of that territory now included in At- lantic township, this county. They have stood in the front ranks of the successful and prosperous farmers of this county in the years gone by. The appearance of the buildings and or- chards on the old Polhemus homestead- at Scobeyville and the Phalanx today bear silent, but undisputable testimony to their industry, economy and intelli- gence. Generally speaking the past generations of this family have been zealous and consistent church members. As I understand, a son of Daniel Pol- hemus above mentioned at Flatlands, named Johannes, married in Brooklyn, Annatie, daughter of Tobias TenEyck, and settled on a tract of land at what is now Scobeyville. Their names appear among the early communicants of the Marlboro Brick church. They had three sons, Daniel, Tobias and John. Tobias removed to and settled in Upper Free- hold township and is the ancestor of all now bcaring this name in that part of our county.
Daniel married Margaret, daughter of Albert Cowenhoven and Neeltje, his wife, hereinbefore mentioned and had three sons, John, Albert anr Tobias. John Polhemnus married Mary, daughter of Cyrenius VanMater and Abigail. Leffert his wife, and one of their daughters, Margaret, married Chriney- once Schenck above mentioned. She lived to a great age, and was very fond of talking about her youthful days. She would often tell how she and her sister went to church. She said they "rode
and tied" and "tied and rode." "What is that, grandma?" her little grand- children would ask. "Well. my dears," she would say, "we all liked to go to church, but the roads were poor and roundabout : no bridges over the streams and swamps, mere bridle paths. Father let my sister and myself have a horse to ride. One would mount and ride about a mile, while the other walked, then she would dismount and tie the horse to a tree and walk on. When the other sister came up to the horse she would antie him. get on and ride on a mile before the sister who was walking, then dismount, tie the house and walk on, so alternately walk- ing and riding they reached the church, and in the same way returning home." This was to "ride and tie."
Hor .. Daniel Polhemus VanDorn. whose mother was a daughter of Daniel Polhemus, who owned and lived on the homestead at Phalanx, in Atlantic township, says he often heard his grandfather tell the story of his father, Tobias Polhemus' incarceration in the old sugarhouse prison during our revo- lutionary war. It happened that Garret Wyckoff of this county, was a prisoner at the same time. He was a warm friend of Tobias Polhemus. It hap- pened that he had often entertained at his home a peddler who resided in New York city. This man hearing of their wretched situation managed to intro- duce from time to time provisions to Garret Wyckoff, who generously shared them with Mr. Polhemus. This timely supply barely saved them from star- vation. So emaciated did they become that Mr. Polhemus, when released, could span his waist with his two hands. He said more Americans were killed by disease and starvation in this prison and the prison ships than fell in battle from bullets of the enemy.
Among the citizens of this county who have borne the Polhemus name, were two who commanded extraordin- ary respect and regard, Dr. Daniel Pol- hemus, who practiced medicine at Eng- lishtown and died there March 1, 1858. and Henry D. Polhemus, who was Sur- rogate of this county frem 1833 to 1848. David S. Crater, our present Surrogate, told the writer that the records show that he was strict, accurate and meth- odical; in short, one of the best surro- gates the county ever had. He was a man of fine appearance. very pleasant and gentlemanly and almost idolized by the people of Monmouth county. He belonged, however, to the Somerset branch.
The reader will notice how the names
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
"Tobias" and "Daniel" appear from generation to generation as Christian names. This fact was noticed over a century ago by some unknown rhymn- ster, who put his observations into the following doggerel, which has been remembered because it expresses a truth, although the poet's name is for- gotten:
By Koert or Ruliff, a Schenck you may know, Chrineyonce or Cyrenius with VanMater doth go.
Garret or Jacob is a Couwenhoven name,
From generation to generation always the same.
Tobias or Daniel, without feathers or fuss, Marks the kind and gentle Polhemus. Simon and Peter a Wyckoff does show, Nor will they deny 'till a rooster doth crow.
Whether the present and future gen- erations will continue to use those old nanies, is uncertain, for we are living in a transition age when change seems to be in the very air. Old customs and well established principles are over- turned for the mere sake of change or something new.
Chrineyonce, son of John Schenck and Neeltje Bennett, his wife, married Nov- ember 20, 1793, Margaret Polhemus, who was born March 11, 1766, and died Jan- uary 13, 1857. Their children were:
Mariah, b. February 2, 1795, married Garret Rezo Conover, a well known farmer who lived near Edinburg in what is now Atlantic town- ship. She died December 5, 1830.
John C., b. June 2, 1797, died August 22, 1799.
Ellen and Eliza were twins, b. March 2, 1799. Eliza died in infancy. Ellen married Jonathan I. Holmes and died September 17, 1877.
Margaret, b. May 12, 1800, died March 10, - 1835, unmarried.
John C., b. June 6, 1803, married Margaret Polhemus and died August 13, 1858.
Daniel Polhemus, b. May 12, 1805, married first November 30, 1831, Lydia H. Longstreet, who was born December 18, 1809, and died April 7, 1838 : married second Mary Conover. October 10, 1843. She was born June 8, 1822, died April 4, 1890. He died December 29, 1864. Abigail, b. April 28, 1808, died May 30, 1825, unmarried.
Daniel Polhemus Schenck and Lydia H. Longstreet, his first wife, had the following children:
Ellen L., b. November 2, 1832, married July 3, 1860, Stacy P. Conover, and died without children, August 18, 1890. Her husband was born June 5, 1828, and died on his farm near Wickatunk station, Marlboro township, August 18, 1896. He was a man of fine presence, commanding stature, with pleasant, genial manners and was well known throughout New Jersey and New York city. He was deeply interested in and always attended the meetings of the New York Holland society.
Chrineyonce, b. February 21, 1838, died Feb- ruary 17, 1839.
By his second wife, Mary Conover, he had the following children:
Lydia Hendrickson, b. July 30, 1846, married December 6, 1870, Dr. Charles A. Conover, a physician who settled at Marlboro. He was born February 13, 1842, died November 2, 1882, without children.
John C., b. February 21, 1848, married Dec- ember 6, 1871, Charlotte L. Conover, who was born September 28, 1849.
Eliza V., b. January 5, 1850, married Jan- uary 7, 1874, Henry D. VanMater, who was born August 11, 1851.
Margaret Polhemus. b. March 27, 1854, mar- ried December 20, 1875, William H., a son of the late Tunis VanDerveer DuBois, one of the most successful and prosperous farmers in the township of Marlboro, during the greater part of his life. William H. DuBois was born Feb- ruary 9, 1851, and has two children by this marriage, viz: Jennie S. and Daniel Schenck.
John C. Schenck and Charlotte L. Conover, his wife, have had the follow- ing children
Mary C., b. October 26, 1872, married August 7. 1896, William Lefferts Brown.
John L. C., b. May 14, 1874, married Nov- ember 23. 1897. Matilda C. Carson. Nellie L., b. October 18, 1875. Abbie M., b. January 9, 1879.
LuEtta H., b. July 30, 1883, died July 21, 1885.
Maoel I., b. December 23, 1886.
Florence A., b. September 7, 1887.
So far as this branch of the family is concerned we find no divorces, scandals or grass widows. Neither do we find any member but what has been a pro- ducer and helped build up farms, mak- ing many blades of grass grow where few had grown. Nor one who has lived out of public office by politics but all by the sweat of their brow as tillers of the soil.
RULEFF SCHENCK AND HIS DESCENDANTS. SOME OF THEIR PECULIAR TRAITS.
As has been stated before, Ruleff, the only surviving son of Hendrick Schenck and Catherine Holmes, his wife, mar- ried December 22, 1774, his first cousin. Sarah, daughter of John Schenck, who lived and died on the homestead farm in Pleasant Valley. Ruliff Schenck lived and died on his farm adjacent to Bradevelt station, and was buried in the Schenck Couwenhoven burying ground. His children were:
Nellie, b. August 24, 1775, married January 18, 1795, Thomas Shepard or Shepherd. They removed to and settled in Ohio.
Hendrick, b. June 13, 1777, died single December 27, 1812.
Mary, b. June 15, 1779, married July I, 1798. Elias Conover, died December 14, 1851. She was buried by her hus- band and sons in the yard of Brick church. They were the parents of three sons, viz:
John E., who owned and lived on the farm lying west of Marlboro Brick church, formerly the parsonage farm of this church.
After his death his son, Daniel P. Conover, owned and occupied it. He was well known to present generation and only died lately.
Hendrick E., who lived the latter part of his life in the town of Freehold. was well known to all our citizens for his quiet, unobtrusive manners and his irreproachable life and conduct. He owned two of the finest farms in Marl- boro township, one of which includes the famous "Topanemus" burying ground. He left only one son. John B. a licensed lawyer of this state and at one time chosen freeholder of this township. He was also an elder of the Presbyterian church of Freehold.
Ruliff E. Conover lived and died on his farm in Marlboro township, now owned and occupied by his son, Holmes R. Conover, who married Ada B., the daughter of John Buckelew and his wife. Mary A. Griggs. Ruliff E. Con- over had three other sons who are now deceased. They were:
Elias R., who married Mary Ann Wyckoff and leit one son, Peter
Wyckoff, who still owns the farm where his father lived, adjacent to Holmes R. Conover's farm.
John R., who married Mary Jane Van- Kirk, and Hendrick R., who married Anna Gussie VanWickle. The last two sons died childless.
John R., b. May 3, 1781, married Mar- garet, daughter of Roelof P. Schenck and Elizabeth Gordon, his wife; died August 14, 1858.
Because of his stout, broad and bar- rel like form he was called "Chunky John Schenck." He was also famous for his original ideas, independent ways, mechanical skill and inflexible resolution. One of his daughters mar- ried Hon. William Spader of Matawan. at one time lay judge of the Monmouth county courts and well and favorably known throughout this county. He left three sons surviving him, John, Daniel and Providence, who lived on the home- stead farm he devised to them. None of them married. They were men who thought and acted for themselves with- out regard to the usages and customs of other people. Strictly honest and truthful in their dealings, they gave employment to many men and made their money out of the soil. They were a great deal better and more useful citizens than many of the "Quid Nuncs" who talked about them behind their backs and anticipated the judgment of Heaven on them after they were dead. Some of the people who thus condemned them, had beams as big as a "telephone pole" in their eye compared with the mote in John's, Daniel's and Provi- dence's eyes.
Jonathan R., b. December 15, 1782. married Sarah Peacock, died January 16. 1864, leaving one son, Elias. who lived and died on his father's farm in Marlboro township. Many anecdotes are also told of this Jonathan R. Schenck.
Katherine, b. November 25, 1785, mar- ried December 16, 1806, Peter VanKirk; died March 31, 1871. John VanKirk, who now owns and occupies the farm adjacent to "Old Scots Burying Ground" and who married a daughter of the late
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
John Segoine of Smitbburg, is a grand- son.
Sarah, b. August 16, 1787, married January 6, 1807, Garret I. Conover, died August 16, 1875.
Jacob, b. August 12, 1789, died Nov- ember 15, 1790.
Jacob, b. September 13, 1793, died un- married December 22, 1859. He devised his farm which lay between the farms of his two brothers, John R. and Tylee, to the two youngest grandsons of his sister Mary, wife of Elias Conover, viz: Hendrick R. and Holmes R. Conover. Holmes R. quit claimed to his brother Hendrick, who devised it to his widow in fee simple. She now owns it. .
Lydia, b. June 25, 1795, married April 4, 1815, Garret Schenck. They removed to and settled in the state of Ohio.
Anne, b. November 26, 1797, married September 27, 1814, J. Schuyler Walter, died May 8, 1874.
Tylee, b. October 27, 1799, married Eleanora, a daughter of John Schuyler Schenck, died June 24, 1854, leaving two daughters surviving hin, both of whom married Asher H. Holmes, who now occupies the homestead farm in Marlboro township. The house which Tylee Schenck built is still standing and is very pleasantly situated on a knoll, on the west side of the turnpike from Freehold to Matawan. The barns and outbuildings are among the best in the county, and kept cleaner than some people's dwellings. The dwelling house and grounds are particularly noticeable for the neat and orderly con- dition they always present. John R. Schenck, Jonathan Schenck and Tylee Schenck are all buried in the yard of the Brick church. Hendrick Schenck and Jacob Schenck are buried in the old yard in Pleasant Valley where their forefathers are all buried.
The house in which John R. Schenck lived was planned and built by him and is yet standing. It has probably been talked about and excited more curiosity than any dwelling house ever erected in this county. The stairway was construc- ted from a solid log and the whole house put together in the most durable and solid manner. A great fence some twelve feet high surrounded the house. The palings were fastened with bolts and screws.
While John R. Schenck never meddled in other people's business, neither did he permit anyone to interfere with him. He strongly objected to any one shoot- ing or killing birds, rabbits or other game on his premises. He insisted that life was as dear to them as to the hunters who killed them.
A German from New York City not knowing his character, came one day on his farm with dog and gun. Mr. Schenck, hearing a report of the gun. went to him and told him to go off, as he allowed no shooting on his farm. The German refused to go, whereupon he was told that if he shot a single bird or rabbit on that farm he would be shot. This threat was greeted with a laugh of derision and to show his utter contempt, he proceeded at once to shoot and kill a robin. Hardly had the report of his gun died away when Mr. Schenck fired a load of shot in his legs. As he fell Mr. Schenck said "Now you know how a bird feels and if you ever shoot another on these premises I will shoot higher." The wound was not serious, but after this the wild game was not molested on that farm.
The lightning struck and burned his barns for two successive years. He then erected small barns in different fields all over his farm. When the next thunder shower came over 'he stood in his doorway and shaking his clenched hand at the sky exclaimed "Strike away, you can't hit more than two this time." Some of his superstitious neigh- bors talked a great deal about this in- cident and accused him of defying "High Heaven" and forthwith adjudged him to be a "very wicked man." Mr. Schenck was a man of strong rugged sense and knew that electricity like the winds and frost, was an element of nature and when he thought he had circumvented their destructive forces he naturally exulted over it. It is also said that he succeeded in inventing "a perpetual motion machine." I cannot say as to this, although he was remark- ably skillful and ingenious in the use of tools. This talent seems a natural one with the Schencks. As much so as singing or music is a talent with a Smock, and physics or medicine is with a Vanderveer.
Very few Smocks but are natural singers or musicians, or as was said by another many years ago:
"A hardy Smock who cannot sing Is rare as a bird without a wing, A brass bell that will not ring."
Among the stories told of his brother, Jonathan R. Schenck, is the following: He had a tombstone made and put up with inscriptions all complete except the date of his death, He selected a quiet spot on his farm for its location. He would often go out and look at it. One day a neighbor came along and asked why he had put up a tombstone
The dwelling house of John Polhemus, son of Daniel and Margaret Polhemus, at Scobeyville, N. J.
CATHARINE SCHANEK
Headstone at grave of Catherine Schanck in Schanck- Covenhoven Yard.
Photograph taken in 1899.
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
before he was dead: "For begad you see, when I die my boys may get at loggerheads and then the rascally law- yers will get them into law, and use up all my property, and so you see poor old Jonathan won't get any tombstone, at all, at all, you see, for begad, unless I put it up myself and so make sure of it .**
The third surviving son of Jan Schenck and Sara Couwenhoven, his wife, as heretofore stated, was Peter. By his first wife, Jannetje VanNostrand or VanOstrandt, he had the following children:
Williamtje, baptized August 29, 1731, died young. Jan, baptized June 10, 1733.
Williamtje, baptized April 6, 1735, married Elbert Williamson. Sara, baptized July 17, 1737. Peter, baptized February 24, 1740.
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