USA > New Jersey > Early historical events in the Delaware Valley > Part 4
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was granted. Mr. Quinnip easily identified his horse but the landlord refused to give it up saying that the man bad hired a horse and wagon for him to go to Delhi and had left the horse us security. The horse shoved great fatigue and that is why the thief abandoned it. At this piece of nove the hotel man became nervous but would not give Wirl Guinnip the Mhrse. Er. Guin- nập then took counsel and returning to the hotel told the landlord what be might expect if he did not give up the horse. The landlord drove to Delhi and there found the livery rig at a hotel whabe he had offered the outfit for $15. The thief saw that suspicion was aroused when someone remarked that he must have stolen the rig to offer it so cheap, and took leg bail; for his honesty could not be found. Mr. Guinnip got his horse and brought it back home but it never recovered from the hard rido. 7
. The Honington boy at Tyler Hill told Mr. Guianip the man on the horse was Dominie Mole and so it proved to be for he was never seen around here again although Mr. Quinnip was on the alert to get him. Later word renched Er Quin- nip that the Dominio has stolen another horse in New York State, was captured and was sent to Sing Sing. The family soon left the place. Only a few years ago a decrepit follow appeared at Bischoff place and stated to them that be used to live there some years ago but everything was so mich changed that he could not recognize the landmarko. It must have been a son as the Dominie would have been over a centurian by that time, So much for a preacher of the gospel, a rascal in clerical garb. 7
In Mr. Gainaip's absence his neighbors became busy and searching nearby field and patches of woods thinking that perhaps the thief had secreted the horses not having adequate time to make a good get away that nite. They were re- warded insomuch as they found one of the borges in an out of the way pasture field tied down soit could not follow its mate. So to speak ho had the matter all cut and dried before entering the Quinnip bara. He had figured that if he had taken one and left the other in the bara the animal would have done some neighing or have made other kinds of noises that would have awakened the family. As he left the horse in a back place it could not very well at- tract attention. He certainly studied more than his Sunday sermon text. 7
Although we bve made a long digression we must return to the Cocheston chur matter once more, Abijah W. Cilkia was born in Cocheston on July 13,1818, In his young days be united with the Presbyterian church at that plage, On April 22,1865, at the age of forty when principal of the Damascus Union Academy, he was baptized and united withthe Baptist church.of Pamascus. November 28,1856
he wes ordained and in 1866 became paster of the sferesaid Baptist church, a position Which be successfully filled for ten years. In 1856 Rev.Calkia was called to the Baptist church in Waverly where he remained as pastor for twenty years. "> died in 1856,and was brought to Danssous for burial in the Baptist cemetery. His wife' died in 1883. 7
Dor the first wife Rov.Brittain married Mins Etta, dan.of Dr. William L.Appley. By this ualon there is one sosDr. Robert Brittain, of Domarille.I.Y. ubile Rov.Brittain may have had his faults ho endeared himself to his flocks, to preached in the Galkin Unton Church and often walhod there on Sunday morning. thenos back vis Milanville where he would preash 'in the schoolhouseand con-
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conduct Sunday School. Old men of today will speak roverentially of pov, "Brittain and teel how he would come out doors at Sunday school ting where knots of big boys were sitting swapping yarns add with gantle persuasian draw them into the class. Many thank him for the services he did forthem when they were on the apex of the hill of temptation. Some people possess this gentle persuasive, power and can accomplish what bully and bluster with a go and do it command would not.
CHAPTER XI
August 9,1927
The lineage of the Bushes in the Cachecton section of the Delaware valley are traceable to Bimeon Bush, one of the pioneers who came here with the Bosses, the Calkins, the Skinners and Tylers and was a half brother of the latter. Mis wife was Hannah Smith of Orange Co. N.Y., and their progeny were George, John, Eli, Polly, Kesiah, Fadie, Eleanos, and Abbie. The oldest son, George, married Anna daughter of Reuben Skinner. Jesse Bash and Bimeon Bush were their sons, but the names of the other members of the family are unknown to us. Eli married Abbie Ross and their four sons were Artemus T., George S. , Walter J., and Willard J. In 1818 George succeeded to the title of the upper end of St. Tammany Flats from his father-in-law Rouben Skinner, and Eli was given a title to the lower end of the Flats. The old log house with its stone chimney was still standing when the property passed out of the Bush name and became the property of Nelson Conklin, later transferred to the Porr Bros. of Xochecton. .
FOUND HOMESDALE PAPER
Leroy Bonesteel, whose father, William Bonesteel didd in 1860 (69), went to Honcadale aad founded the Wayne County Democrat. Later he became associated with a man named Beardsley. The paper was issued twice a week and the name changed to the Semi-Weekly Democrat. At the death ofhis father Leroy gave up newspaper work, returned to Damascus and took charge of the grist mill. He married Mary, daughter of S.K. Vail of Rileyville, One son, William, survives, and resides in Brooklyn, N.Y. He married a daughter of Martin O'Reilly, Jr., who was a son of Thomas O'Reilly.
PYILIP O'REILLY
Martin O'Reilly, Sr. came to America from Longford, "reland in 1820. After a residence of one year in Newburgh, N. Y. the family came to Cochecton Valley. Whilip the oldest, san and member of the firm of T and P O'Reilly who did a mixed traffic bere until the death of the surviving brother Thomas in 1886 was born May 2,1814. At the age of 20 Philip went to Honesdale where he accept- ed a clerkship in the store of his brother-in-law, Capt. Edward Murray. Mo serve there for seven years. Philip had ideas of his own and he was restless, anxious to put his ideas into execution. Accordingly he bought a borse and wagon, and started westward and making no permanent halt until be reached the Mississippi river. There he remained until Iowa was made a state. In 1848 he drove on mest- ward across the plaines and for the next succeeding 20 years made his home in Oregon and California, remaining on these territories until they became states. We engaged in business in that wild country and during the Indian war, acted u commissary general for the govermentn. Twice he was wounded by the Indians, once in the neck by an arrow, and another time in the body by a bullet. In 1847 be returned to Cochecton, But he was still restless and the lure of the west was strong and after a stay of a few months returned to California, He remained there about & year and a half when he again came back to Danasous and bought the property, dwelling, store, and real estate of Walter S. Yail where he and his brother Thomas started the firm name and embarked in a general merchandise business. The dwelling house is still doing service (1927) and th stere building has been turned into agarage.Somewhere about 1873 Philip went back to California and Oregon and settled his business in these states. At on time be had a claim of $160,000 against the government. Part of this obligati was cancelled less than two years before his death on September 7,1881, caused by a railroad accident in which he had both legs severed when a train passed over then as he was crossing the Erie limes at Fort Jervis. His ddede of charity were innumerable. He was universally called "Vacle Phil", His death ended the business activities in both lumbering and mercantile trade and the. ) long known firm name dropped into obscurity.
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The IRVINE ancestry in this valley traces back to Charles Irvine who located here about 1798 coming from Ireland.For a time he taught school and afterward launched into a more lucrative work. In about 1800 he married Weithty a dau. of Oliver Calkia, the survivor of the Minisink, who left a large landed estate. At the completion of the turnpike he built a hotel on the present site of the Irvine homestead. This hotel enjoyed a large patronage during the war of 2818. During the war a recruiting sergeant made this hotel his headquarters while enlisting young men for service. Irvine managed the hotel until it was burned in 1825. Previous to the building of the hotelhe atected a dwelling house the same ona now serving as a home for his great grand-daughter, Mrs. Estella "inney Appley. When the hotel burned, he and his family migrated to Sellagsgrove in the Susquehanna valley and he became manager of a large paper factory owned by his brother Hood. Wie died in a few months later and the wife and family re- turned to Cochecton and took up their residence in the same house they former- ly lived in, remaining in it until her death in 1857 and her two daughters re- mained in it until their death in the middle 80's.
Our subjects, Charles Irvine and Weighty Calkin, bad six sons, vis. Alexander, Charles, Jared, William, John and Food; also the two daughters damed. Alexander married Mary Anna Coots, Charles married Amanda Drake. Charles Irvine, 2md took up a residence in Damascus, taking a clerkshop in the store of Walter 8. Vail and ten years later associating in the same mercantile business with Nathaniel Vail continuing ten years when Vail withdrew and Warren Tayler became Irvine's partner and they continued in the business until about 1860 when he retired from all business. At his death in 1885 he was said to be the wealthiest man in Damascus township. To the knowledge of the writer Charles Irvine and Amanda Alamanda had but one son, Fred, and one daughter, Alice. The son died young and the daughter became the wife of Dr. Otto Appley of Damascus. The Irvines vero & patriotic family for four grandsons of Charles Irtine and Weighty Calkin served in the Civil War, vis; Walter V. (Cail), William (Billy the last to answer the call) Newel and Alonso. Newell was killed near Petersburg and he was buried in the National Cemetery at Arlington, Alonzo was taken prisoner and after his release came back to Cochecton to regain his health but the foula ess of a military prison had done its work and he, doo, soon answered the final call. His remains were laid to rest in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Cocheston. You will notice, dear reader, that we have hurried through the career of those generatio of Irvines. We would willingly dwell at a greater length but this work would become a huge volume which was not our intention at the start. These people just mentioned followed after the real path-blasers as gleaners only but they made their part inthe early history of their time the same as the present generation is filling in their epoch for future generation,
Thomas O' Reilly was the stationary engine in the business of the firm and at death of the O'Reilly Brothers the firm of Baird and O'Reilly ceased and the lumber interest passed to the sons of Thomas, James and William. Thomas had his residence on the Cochecton side of the Delamare close to the Bridge, The dwelling stands today. The breakup in the river in 1902 injured one of the annexed although in a liveable condition the house is without an occupant. SOME OLD PRICES
Pie-Civil war wages and prices of groceries would make the housewife and labor- er feel rather down in-the-lip. A laborer then received from $6 to $8 a month and his board, and maybe washing. and not more than $18 or$20 dollars a month if the man was married and boarded at home. His hours, not eight a day, but was often before sun up until sometimes long after the sun had disappeared. He had the same routine of chores do do on Sunday but the labor in fields or woods was stopped for the day. Where the hired man had a family farm produce was often substituted for cash. To show the different prices existing between farm produce we will state an instance where the writer's material parent took some butter into the O'Reilly's store to trade for drygoods. She received 60€ a pound for her butter and was charged 759 a yard for unbleached muslin. A tailor would make a suit of homespun for $3. and new every stitch by hand. The sewing was hack stitch that could not be ripped and the thread was thoro- ly waxed by drawing it repeatedly through a cake of beeswax after the noodle was threaded reading for saving. C
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Chewing tobacco cast the user $2. a pound, and the housewife paid $2 a pound for her tea. A crude quality cost from sixteen to twenty cents a pound and wheat flour $20. a barrel. Hiking was the fashion when shopping was to be done In very primitive timesthe men folks were obliged to shoulder a bag of grain to the frist mill. We have been told that people came from Canaan township to get grinding done in the Damascus mill. The trip was not milde the same day. Later a mill for gridding was built in Slocum Hollow, now Scranton. Happy were the days' for the farmer when he could hitchbis oxen to a cart and go to mill making his way over corduroy roads, and when they could hitch a pair of horses to their old skein farm wagon with a couple of boards reaching from bolster to bolster in the form of a spring board they thought themselves high enough in the world to peer into paradise.
CHAPTER XII
THE THOMAS FAMILY
August 16,1928
Both historical and traditional accounts differ in regard to when and why the Thomases appear in local accounts of the Cushetunk or Combecton Valley. There is an account that Moses Thomas and Aaron Thomas, brothers, were sent to this section to laok after the interests of the Penn Brothers but they bought their land under the Connecticut claim. Abother statement is that in 1150 Moses came to Cushetunk and located on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware almost directly across from where in modern times the New York Transit Company had a Pump station. The farm is yet spoken of as the Thomas farm. As one of the older generations of Rossos married a Thomas. The farm was then called the Ross farm, "oses Thomas, Ist, was shot by Indians in 1763, which will be taken up lates Moses Thomas 2nd, was survived by four children. At the time of his death a son which was named Moses 3rd, was a baby in its mother's arms. There were three daughters, the oldest of whom married Reuben Decker, Rebecca married Abran Barnes and Hannah married Oliver Calkin who resided in or near Warrowsburg. After the death of her husband Mrs. Thomas returned from the Minisiak section and took up her residence on the Thomas farm. Later she married Capt esse Drake who came up from the lower waters of the Delaware and became the forbear of the Drakes who later figured prominently in the business of this section. Moses the third grew to be a prominent mah in Wayne county, having held office for over twenty-five years. Bo was commissioner from 1808 to 1815, He was then commissioned by Governor Snyder to fill the cacancy in the associate judgeship of the Wayne county courts made by the resignation of Judge Stanton. He remained as associate judge from 1815 to 1839. on his Headstone in the Damascus cemetery, the inscription: Hon. Moses Thomas died Karch 9, 1857, aged 79 years, and below this -Rebecca Monington, his wife, died Sept.20,1841 aged 59 years. The children of the above named couple were William, Jesse, Chauncey, Moses, Sarah, Clara, Susan. Jesse D. married Amanda Skinner and Emma Bunnell. Saral married Ransome Young, Clara married Bazalcel Ross and Susan married John HankinE Chauncey Thomas mentioned above, was born at Whobola April 28,1850/entered the Naval Academy in 1867, and graduated in 1871 standing third in the class. For four years he was pricate secretary of Admiral Porter and was later assigned to the frigate Wabash and latere be was sent to Alaska. He nagigated the battle- shép Oregon on its memorable trip around Cape Bora to Portsmouth Navy Yard. Be was on the Yorktown in the Philippine insruruction and was in command of the Maryland when it took honors in target practice. He was made captain in 1906, He died May 12,1918 at Pacific Grove, California.
Mrs. Clara Ross romsized on the homestead with her family of mix sons and two daughters until her death. One of the sons, John R. served in the Civil War and was promoted to a Captaincy. When he returned toprivate life he served Vayne county as high sheriff for three years.
Although but little is said of Aaron ThOgas he must have Killed in his chapter in local affairs. Be located below Cochecton Falls, the same farm being in pos- session of the sockers for'a number of years.
Captain Jease DRAKE, after marrying the widow Thomas, whose husband Moses, 2nd, was alain in the Minisink massacre, continued on the homestead helping to raise his step family until Meses Ard was able tomanage matters and at the same time
the captain bad to care for his own rising family .. After Moses 3rd married, "
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Drake bought a farm adjacent to that of Aaron Thomas and built an imposing house for those times. The family of Jesse Drake andAbigail Tyler-Thomas vere Christina who became the wife of Jonathan Lillie, Martha, born 1788 (1787) married James Mitchell, Charles born Jan.10, 1789, married Weighty Bush and lease Jr., born 1791- married Abigail Tyler, granddaughter of Capt. Bazaleel Tyler. Capt. Drake survived his wife and remarried and he had one non,,enjamin. Capt. Drake died in 1838 aged 83 years. Ee won his tittle as captain il the war of the Revolution. A RROMIKENT PIONEER
Moses Thomas Ist was one of the foremost leading men of the Cushetunk. (Cochec- ton Valley) settlement. It was through his wise counsel that the Fort or Block house , was built. The building was composed of squared timbersn, made square by bowing them with an ax, and laid one upon another until the required height of the walls was reached. As the building was erected by Moses Thomas and Sincon Calkia. If the square sticks of timber were of large dimensions two mencould not have hoisted them into place. Perhaps they made a "hoe" to put up the building. No matter how the differentsticks were assembled the whole plan showed splendid forethought from the well inside to the finish of the apex and it accomplished its mission.it saved lives. It is said Åthat at this day the well shows in evidence-and nature, seemingly to mark the spot raised three giant sycamore trees near the sopt silent guardians to its memory,
A REMARKABLE GIRL
We rehearse the siege of this fort mainly for one purpose, the presence of an aight year old girl, Hannah, the daughter of Moses Thomas. You will note later how she became a power in shaping the destiny of the succeedinggenerations of her progeny. At her tender age she actually trained a muaket against the attack- ing band of Indiaas who held her and her kin prisoners within this strong hold built upon her fatheris farm for protection for just such an emergency. This siege happened in the fll of 1763. The boys of Helkick Willis, who lived near to what is now called Harrowsburg, while raking buckwheat saw some Indians dodging around in the nearby woods. They were different in appearance from the Cushetun! Indians and it arroused the suspicion of the boys, They at once started for the Cushetunk settlement to give the alarm. The boys soon covered the intervening distance and told what they had observed. The men thought the boys were mistake but as a precautionary measure ordered the women and the children to the fort while they went to recetaiter. For some reason there were but three men in the settlement at the time, These three, Koses Thomas, Willis, and a man named Whitteor, went im the direction whence the Indians would appear. On reaching the top of the steep river bank perhaps a quarter of a mile from the fort they saw Indians eating turnips in a field , later the property of Colonel Skinser. The discovery by both parties was simultaneous. The Indians fired. Thomas fell dead and Willis was mortally wounded. Whittier was unhurt and sped back to the fort Je at once dispatched Elias Thomas and Jacob Dans to Hinisink for aid and sent Moses Thomas, 2nd towarn the settlers farther up the river of the conditions at Cushetunk. The oldest of these boys was not yet eleven years and they were o- bliged to thread their way through an unbroken forest liable at any moment to fall into the hands of Indians or fall the prey to wild beasts, But an unseen hand guided them and when the boys reached the Minisink, theyfound that the a- lara had preceded then . Whittier was the only man in the fort but he was some- thing of a ventriloquist as well as a commanding general. He made it appear te the Red Devill outside that the fort was full of men and it made them cautious. The fiends outside tried several times to get near enough to the fort to fire it but were driven back by firing from within. They continued their fiendishm all night long. When daylight came theyapplied the torch to every building. dwellings and mills, and left the whole settlement devastated, excepting the for The next day brought relief from Mindsink but the Indians had gone, Relieved f their harzsaing vigil the people abandoned the fort and made hasty departure - from what had once bean their home, "efore going the men found the bodies of t: two menalain and hastily committed them to the earth. The spark of life left i ----- - Willis by the bullet had been finished withthe tomahawk and both had been seal The Little band then embarked in cances for the Minigink settlement glad to go
away from Buch barbaric acoñes.
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later years when peace was restored they returned and began life an n after years it was found that the bones of Thomas and Willis had been uncovered by the erosions of the river into the bank, and Moses 3rd gather them together and gave them a resting place in the Milanville cemetery. Moses Thomas Ist, the man slain by the Indians, lett five children mias "oses, Huldah who became the wife of Abraham Boss, Sarah who became the wife of Nathaniel Evans and Hannah who became the wife of Oliver Calkin, son of Dr.John Calkin who in 1754 settled on the New York state side of the Delaware nearly directly across from the fort. Hannah was the little eight year old gi: who figured so conspicuously and courageously in the defense of the fort. Moses thomas, and was the boy who went to alarm the settlers farther up the Delaware, Then peace was restored among the natives and the settlers in the Cushetunk Valley he returned to the settlement and the farm. married Abi- gail Tyler, sister of Babaleel Tyler, who was captain of militia in the Mini- sink battle and was killed in that massacre falling near Tyler. It mounthe is said a Tory tamed Cornelius Cole was the man who fired the fatal bullet. Trouble and jealousy soon arose between the Connecticut colonies and the Penn- sylvania colonies also between the Indians and the colonies so that little peace of mind for the settlers prevailed. The Indians by their chief of the Delawares, Tedyuscung, who disapproved of tje encroachments of the whites upon their possessions. in a conference, April 1776]with Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton and Richard Peters this chief set forth the claim of his people. Soon afterthis meeting Lt.Gov. sent James Mindshay to Cushetuak to see what was being done and learn the intention of the venturesome settlers. He made his trip in the same month the conference was held and reported to his super- for on April 29,1761. This report stated that at Cushetunk he was hospitably entertained at the house of Moses Thomas, an Englishman, and one of the lead- ing mon of the settlement; saw over the Thomas door a placard sighed by Moses Thomas notifying all the settlers to meet at the Thomas house on the following Monday to choose a magistrate and other officers for the ensuing year and to hold consultation on matters concerning the settlement. This was the first election of officers or town meeting held in the settlement, and in Wayne County. Mindshaw found Moses Thomas working in a new gristaill and grinding corn. When Rindshaw explained his mission Thomas expressed amusement that Lord Penn should send such a proclamation threatening them with Indians. He said he had setteed there under the Connecticut right which was considered right, but if it was not be would bold his land under Lord Penn, which was all the same to him. This land or farm of 125 acres was not secured until Moses the third secured a warrantee for the same. This warantee was No.179. Hind- shaw reported that he saw a good sized blockhouse for protection against India and that the settlers intended to procure some swivel guns to mount upon it to use in case of an invasion. This same year William Allen, Chief Justice of the providence commanded the sheriff of Northampton county to arrest Daniel Skinner, Timothy Skinner, Simeon Calkin, John Smith, Jedidiah Willis, James A- dams, Erwin Evans, and others for intruding upon territory of the Indians without permission. The following year, 1762, John Jennings, high sheriff of Northampton county contemplating the Cushetunk people sent John Williamson to gain what information he could relative to the settlement and his report to his chief read as follows: Sixteen famildes are settled along the river there The settlement extends 7 miles. Their head man is named Moses Thomas and his brother Aaron Thomas one and a half miles from him. There are besides there- Christopher Tracy, Jensthan Tracy, Reuben Jones, Homes Kimball, L Lord Kinball, Jared Faith, Daniel Cost, Nathan Parks. Tyler and Cummings.
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