History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 79

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140

USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 79
USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 79

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* See deed for church and burial lot, dated Feb. 1, 1737, in history of Walpack Church.

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being in her fourteenth year, and on Nov. 22, 1795, was united in marriage to William Henry Harrison.

After the death of Judge Symmes' first wife, Anna Tuthill, he married the " Widow Halsey," who lived only a few years, when he again married, his third wife being Susannah, daughter of the Hon. William Livingston, Governor of New Jersey, and sister to the wife of the celebrated John Jay.

Judge Symmes was chairman of the Committee of Safety for Sussex County, and at a meeting held in the court-house, Newton, on Aug. 10 and 11, 1775, he offered the patriotic preamble and resolution which were adopted by that body, and which appear in the Revolutionary history in this volume.

In 1776, Symmes was commissioned colonel of one of the militia regiments of Sussex, and on September 13th of the same year was appointed one of the judges of the County Court. This Jatter position he resigned a year later, and his brother, Timothy Symmes, was appointed Sept. 24, 1777, to fill his place. In March, 1776, he was ordered with his regiment to New York, where it was employed in erceting the forts and bat- teries on Manhattan Island and on Long Island. Shortly before the battle of Long Island he was elected a delegate to the State Convention of New Jersey, which met at Burlington in June of that year, and was a member of the committee which was ap- pointed to draft a constitution for the State. Towards the close of 1776, Col. Symmes was sent by the Legis- lature, in company with Theunis Day, of Bergen County, to Ticonderoga, with the delicate task of making a new arrangement of the officers of the New Jersey regiments in the Northern Department. Their report will be found on pages 25 and 26 of "Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War." On the return of Col. Symmes from this important expedition he was ordered with his command to Mor- ris County to join the brigade of Col. Jacob Ford. On Dec. 7, 1776, while quartered at Chatham and charged with the duty of covering the retreat of Washington through New Jersey, Col. Ford received intelligence that 800 British troops, commanded by Gen. Leslic, had advanced to Springfield, four miles away. Cof. Symines was ordered to check the ap- proach of the enemy if possible. The following doc- ument, which we accidentally discovered in the clerk's office on the court records for February term, 1782, may be taken as conclusive authority on this point :

"These may certify that on the seventh day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, 1 the sulecriber then having the command of the milltin from the county of Sussex In the State of New Jersey, Iny at Chatham in ml State, with other Batal- lons of militia forming a Brigade under the command of Col. Inrob Ford, when l'ol. Ford hud advices that the British troops to the number uf Eight Hundred Men, under the command Gent Leshe had advanced to Springfeld within four miles of Chatham. Col. Ford thereupon ordered me to proceed to Springfield and check the approach of the enemy if possible. According to orders, I marched to Springfield with n detach- ment of the Brigade and attacked the enemy In Springfield that ovon. ing. In the skirmish Capt. Samuel Kirkendall of the Sussex Millen was wounded in the Hand, his hand was split ly a musket shot, from his middle finger to his wrist, by which wound he has het the use of his

right Hand. Given under my Hand at Newton in the State of New Jer- Ary this 6th May 17M.

" JUIN C'LEVES SYMMES ColoDel.

" To whom it may concern,"

The object of this certificate on the part of Judge Symmes was to induce the court to recommend Capt. Kirkendall for a position to do light garrison duty, and thus be enabled to earn something in the service.

In a civil point of view Col. Symme- rendered him- self equally conspienous and serviceable to the gov- ernment. While a citizen of this State he served as a member of the Council of Safety, was a State sen- ator in 1777 and 1780, resigned his command of the Third Sussex Battalion, May 23, 1777, to accept, under his father-in-law, Governor Livingston, the ap- pointment of associate justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, which position he held about teu years. He also served two years in the Continental Congress.

Mrs. Symmes died July 25, 1776, and was buried in the old Shapanack burying-ground, about six miles above, on the farm now owned and occupied by the heirs of Moses Hull, deceased. This old graveyard is but a few hundred yards from the banks of the Dela- ware, near the ruins of the old Shapanack Dutch church, which was also erected previous to the Revo- lution. This old church was built of logs in the shape of an octagon. It was still standing and in use sixty years ago, and is well remembered by our older citi- zens. We last visited the spot July 15, 1871, and copied the following inscription from the plain marble slab which marks the spot where Mrs. Symmes is Jaid :

" In Remembrance of MRS. ANNA SYMMER, who was born October 17-11, married to the HONBLE JNO C SYMMES, 30th October 1760, & died 25 July 1776, leaving two daughters, MANIA & ANNA."

Maria (or Mary, as we find it in some old deeds) married Maj. Peyton Short, of Kentucky, and Anna married William Henry Harrison, afterwards Presi- dent of the United States. Mrs. Harrison died at North Bend, Ohio, in February, 1864. The grave of Mrs. Symmes is surrounded by a rude stone wall, now badly crumbled to pieces and overgrown with briers and brambles. Down from the top of this grave was a large hole dug by burrowing animals and worn smooth and fresh by use. The following letter will explain how the stone inelusure came to be placed there:

" BETHLEHEM, l'a., Aug. 14, 1871

" MY HEAR StH,-Circumstances partly beyond my control have pre- vonted an earlier reply to your letter relative to the grave of Mra. John Cleves Symmes, In Shapannek, Sunsex Co,, N. J., und I now have the pleasure to say that alwont 1851 my son Charles had his attention called to the unprotected condition of the grave by Miss Pinnh Wynkoop, then a resident on the DeWitt farm. My son wrote to Mrs. Anna Harrison, one of the daughters of Mrs. Symmea, and widow of President Harrison, residing at Cloves, Ohio, whe immediately authorized him to secure the title to the property and have a wall erected around the grave, My on, who resided at Easton, Pa., immediately communicated Mira, Harrison's wishes to me, and I had them carried out, except the purchase of tille. About the same time Mme. Harrriem had Gustas tirrenowold, no artist of

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Bethlehem, Pa., to visit the spot and make a painting of the place, which was done in n very handsome manner and to the satisfaction of Mrs. Har- rison. The painting was sent to her at her residence in Cleves, a short distance below Cincinnati, Ohio.

"Truly yours, etc., "A. G. BRODHEAD. "To THOS. G. BUNNELL, EsQ., Newton, N. J."

Judge Symmes, having made a contract with the government of the United States for the purchase (by himself and associates) of all the lands lying be- tween the Great and Little Miami Rivers, embracing, as was supposed, about 2,000,000 acres, left his home in New Jersey some time in the year 1787 for the examination of the purchase, afterwards known as " Symmes' purchase." This contract with the govern- ment, for some reason (see "Burnet's Letters") was not in full carried out. Only about half of the origi- nal quantity of land contracted for was conveyed to Judge Symmes and his associates, among whom was Gen. Jonathan Dayton, of this State, after whom Dayton, Ohio, was named.

Judge Symmes, after inspecting the lands of his purchase, returned to New Jersey, and in the month of July, 1788, again left for the West with a small colony of emigrants and landed at North Bend, 15 miles below the present site of Cincinnati, in Febru- ary, 1789. He must have left New Jersey on his final remove West as early as July, 1788, as on the 6th of August in that year Rev. Manassa Cutler met him and his party at Bedford, Pa., of which he made the following notice in his journal :

" Judge Symmes-John Cleves-had taken lodgings at the best tavern (in Bedford); we, however, made shift to get lodgings in the same house, -Mr. Wert's, a Dutchman. Judge Symmes was complaisant. I had a letter to him from his brother (Timothy Symmea) at Sussex Court-house (N. J.). He had hie daughter (Anna) with him, a very pretty young lady, one or two women with husbands, six heavy wagone, one etage- wagon, and a chair,-a two-wheeled covered conveyance for two persons, -thirty-one horses, three carpenters, and one mason ; has been out three weeks.1)

" August 7 .- I rose early this morning ; foggy, so that we could see but little of the town; set out just after sunrise. Judge Symmes' wagons were nearly ready to start when we left the house," etc.

This journal, which is now the property of the New Jersey Historical Society, is conclusive on two dis- puted points,-viz., it settles beyond doubt the time of Judge Symmes' final removal from New Jersey, and also that his daughter was not married to Wil- liam Henry Harrison until after their arrival in Ohio.

A grandson of Judge Symmes, and a son of Gen. Harrison," now living in Indiana, gives us the follow- ing additional particulars :

"Judge Symmes laid out a town at North Bend, to be called ' The City of Symmes,' but, Cincinnati having been selected for the station of the government troops and location of Fort Washington, emigrante flocked to the Cincinnati settlement aa offering greater protection against Indian depredations, Judge Synimes had euld some lets in the proposed city, but soon repurchased the most of them and abandoned the enterprise. The judge mnde North Bend his home, though he was much of his time at Cincinnati, attending to the sale and settlement of his lands.

"Soon after the organization of the Northwestern Territory Judge Symmee was appointed (Feb. 19, 1788) one of the judges of the Supreme Court of the Territory, and attended the sittlogs of the court at Detroit

and Marietta. About the year 1808 he built a large and costly dwelling at North Bend, and when not engaged from home on judicial duties em- ployed himself in making titles for lands sold and superintending the clearing up and improvement of the lands about North Bend, which (with the consent of his associates) he had reserved for his own use and cultivation. Some time in the year 1810 the judge'e fine residence at North Bend was destroyed by fire, the work of an incendiary whose Aspirations for the dignified position of justice of the peace the judge did not happen to indorse, With the house all the judge'e valuable papers were destroyed, causing some inconvenience and embarrassment in arranging the titles of settlers to lands purchased. After the destruc- tion of his house at North Bend the judge made one of the hotels of Cincinnati his principal headquarters, visiting frequently his settlement nt North Bend, and residing while there at the house of Mr. John Cun- ningham, the deveted and faithful manager of his lands. In the spring of 1812, Gen. William H. Harrison, his son-in-law, moved his family from Vincennce, Ind., to Cincinnati, and the judge at once became an iomate of Gen. Harrison's family, where, under the tender care of his daughter, he lived until his death, which occurred Feb. 26, 1814, in the seventy- third year of his age. He died of cancer, and was buried at Nortlı Bend."

An appropriate monument marks his resting-place, upon which is the following inscription :

" Here Rests the Remains of JOHN CLEVES SYMMES who, at the foot of these hills, made the first settlement between the Miami Rivers. Born on Long Island, State of New York, July 21, 1742. Died at Cincinnati, Feb. 26, 1814."

Judge Symmes is spoken of as being a man of labo- rious habits, temperate and frugal in all things, and eminently distinguished for kindness and inflexible integrity.

Timothy Symmes, a judge of the county for many years, resided in Walpack and kept a hotel. He was a brother of John Cleves Symmes and father of John Cleves Symmes, Jr., the famous author of the theory of concentric spheres, or the hollow spheriosity of the earth. Timothy Symmes was appointed judge Sept. 24, 1777, iu place of his brother, John Cleves Symmes, resigned. He held the office, presiding over the court of the county, till 1791. In 1793 he removed to Ohio. He was a staunch patriot during the Revolution, and a prominent Freemason. John Cleves Symmes, Jr., was a captain in the war of 1812, and distinguished himself for bravery in the battles of Bridgewater, Fort Erie, and Lundy's Lane ; he was a native of Walpack.

Several forts were built along the Delaware River during the French and Indian war. One of these was the old Nomanock fort, in what is now Sandy- ston ; another stood at Shapanack, and was part of Col. John Rosenkrans' house during the Revolution. It stood on the site of the house now occupied by Joseph A. Hull, and, of all the surrounding country, was the most beautiful and eligible site for a garrison, being on an elevated plateau commanding the river for miles up and down.

Johannes Depue, of Walpack, was once the hero of a conflict with the Indians, who attacked his house with savage ferocity ; single-handed he beat them off. Nicholas Cole, however, was not so fortunate. The savages surrounded his house in the night, set fire to

" Ilon. J. Scott Harrison, of Lawrenceburg, Ind.

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it, and then murdered the inmates as they were trying to effect their escape.

Col. John Rosenkrans owned a large tract of land nbout Walpack Centre, extending to the Delaware River. He married Oranna De Witt, a relative of De Witt Clinton, and lived at Shapanack. Col. Rosenkrans gave the ground on which the okl Shapa- nack church stood, with a provision in the deed that the ground should revert to the donor or his heirs when it ceased to be used for church purposes. Sixty- five or seventy years ago there were large congregations at the old Shapanaek church ; the organization, how- ever, was abandoned sixty years ago, part of the congregation going to the Walpack, and part to the l'eters' Valley Church.

Col. John I. Rosenkrans married one of the daugh- ters of Abraham Van Campen, of Shapanack; she became the mother of Abraham Van Campen Roseu- krans,-commonly called "Camp" Rosenkrans,-who was a school-teacher, and succeeded his grandfather, Abraham Van Campen, on the Col. John Rosenkrans property, where Joseph A. Hull now lives.

Some time during the Revolution, John Dimon, a young man of eighteen, came from New England with Simeon Vaughn and wife. Mr. Vaughn was a shoe- maker, and located on the farm now owned by Peter B. Van Horn. John Dimon bought of William Henry Ilarrison and wife, June 26, 1811, the farm adjoining that of Mr. Vaughn, consisting of 62-65 acres, for the consideration of $600. The farm was afterwards owned by his son Jonathan, the father-in- law of Nicholas Tillman, the present owner. John Dimon married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Scott, and had a family of fifteen children, of whom twelve arrived at maturity and ten reared families, Jonathan Dimon, who inherited the homestead, was born in 1784 and died in 1862, leaving one son and two daugh- ters,-viz., Jacob N. V., now residing in Frankford township; Jane, who married Daniel Il. Rosenkrans, now residing in Sandyston ; and Lydia, wife of Nicho- las Tillman, now residing on the homestead. John Dimon was a Revolutionary soldier in Capt. Simmons' company. His son Jonathan married Hannah, daughter of Nathaniel Van Anken, and at one time built a mill on Van Horn's Brook.

Zebulon Losey settled about 1780 upon the farm where his grandson Amos now lives. He came from Dover, Morris Co. His first house, like those of most of his neighbors, was a log cabin. His sons were John, Stephen, and Isaac. John and Stephen re- moved to New York ; Isaac was apprenticed to Simon Vaughn to learn the shoemaker's trade, and after- wards set up a shop at his own house, working evenings it his trade and devoting his day-labor to his land. Ile thus cleared his farm, and turned many an honest penny by keeping his neighbors' shoes in repair. Isaac Losey was an exhorter and local preacher, and may justly be regarded as the father of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Walpack Centre.

Isaac Lowry's sons were Zebulon, John, Cyrus, and David, the last named being the only survivor. One of Isaac Losey's sisters married a schoolmaster named Jonathan Thompson ; another married a man named Norris, a pettifogger, who lived about a mile from Walpack Centre, on the road leading across the mountain. There were several log houses there at that time, and the place was called "Norristown,"- a name which has since been dropped.

The old stone house at Shapanack was purchased about 1811 or 1812 of Abraham Van Campen by Henry De Witt, of Rochester, Ulster Co., N. Y., for his son, John H. De Witt, who at that time became the occupant of the place; the peculiar long-roofed barn now standing on the premises was built by him. John II. De Witt's mother was Margaret Schoon- maker, of Ulster Co., N. Y. Ile married a Wynkoop, of the same county. Mr. De Witt died in 1827, and was buried at Shapanack.

The De Witts had many slaves, and among them was an interesting old servant called "Cæsar ;" C'att- sar Soults was his name. New Jersey abolished sla- very by an act passed April 18, 1846. By the census of 1850 there was but one slave in Sussex County ; this was Caesar Soults. He had refused to accept his freedom, clinging to his old home and association, and choosing to remain for the rest of his life upon the farm. The De Witts had been kind to their slaves. Some two or three years before the death of Cæsar, Peter De Witt, now of Somerville, N. J., kindly pro- vided for the faithful old servant by hiring his board in a respectable colored family of the neighborhood,- that of Absalom Reamer,-where he spent the re- mainder of his days, being frequently visited and kindly cared for by Mr. De Witt. He died March 11, 1860. As with colored people generally, his age was not certainly known. Mr. De Witt says, "I was never able to learn the correct date of his birth. My grandfather used to say that when he was a young married man, and just beginning to farm, Caesar was a boy old enough to plow, and from that circumstance I judge he was in the neighborhood of one hundred years old when he died."

Jacob Cole became a resident of Walpack some time during the Revolution. On Nov. 22, 1815, he purchased of Peyton Short and his sons, John C. and C. W. Short, Tor $2304, part of the old Symmes tract, containing 192.14 aeres, on which Dayton Cole now lives. Jacob Cole, Sr., married Phebe, daughter of Jonathan Marsh, the lessce of the old Shoemaker farm of John Cleves Symmes, as shown by a lease in Judge Symmes' own handwriting, dated March 20, 1783. Jacob Cole, Sr., had ten children, of whom the sons were Abraham, who died on the old home- stead; Simeon, who removed to Illinois; Jacob, who also removed to the West ; Benjamin, who resides in the neighborhood; and Jason, who died in Pennsyl- vania. The younger Jacob Cole married Rebecca, daughter of Isaac Losey, of Walpack Centre. Day-

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ton Cole, son of Abraham Cole, deceased, married Eveline, daughter of Hon. Timothy E. Shay, of Sandyston, and resides on the old homestead. Sarah, daughter of Jacob Cole, Sr., married Cornelius Fu]- ler, of Walpack, and Margaret, another daughter, married James W. Fuller, a brother of Cornelius. They were sons of Eli Fuller.

Eli Fuller came from Pennsylvania and settled in Walpack about 1800. Nov. 22, 1815, he purchased of Peyton Short and sons part of the portion of the old Symmes tract which John Cleves Symmes deeded to his daughter, Mary Short. Upon this property he found an old dismantled grist-mill, supposed to have been built by Judge Symmes soon after his arrival in Walpack. The Fullers soon after erected mills where Haney's Mills now stands, which they continued to operate until about twenty years ago.

Among the early residents of Walpack were the Deckers, who have left numerous descendants still residing in the township. Daniel Decker, born at Maekhackemaek, April 22, 1737, and dwelling there, was married Dec. 4, 1756, hy Anthony Van Ellen, justice of the peace, to Blandina Vredenburgh, a native of Pennsylvania,* born Jau. 23, 1738. They settled where Daniel D. Decker, a grandson, now lives, at Decker's Ferry, in Walpack. Daniel Decker died March 1, 1813, and was buried on the farm where he resided ; his wife died Nov. 22, 1835, in her ninety-seventh year. They had seven children, four sons and three daughters, as follows: 1. Henry, mar- ried Margery Westbrook, and had children,-Daniel, Andrew D., John, Abraham, Elijah, Mary, Salache, Blandina; 2. Thomas, horn Nov. 25, 1775, married Susanna Shoemaker, and had children,-IIenry S., Daniel D., Samuel, Peggy Maria, Sarah Ann, Cal- vin, and Blandina; he died April 26, 1866; 3. Aaron, married Jane Brokaw, and had children,-John A., Caleb, Abraham, George W., Daniel, and Amanda, now Mrs. Kintner, of Middleville, Stillwater town- ship; 4. John, born April 24, 1780, married Maria Brokaw, died March 10, 1827; among his children are Peter, Abraham, Aaron, Sarah, Salache, and Jane; 5. Sarah, married John Swartwood and re- moved to Tioga Co., N. Y .; 6. Jane, married James Van Auken, of Monroe Co., Pa., father of Casparus Van Auken, of Hardwick, Warren Co .; 7. Hannah, married John Depue, of Pahaquarry ; she was the mother of Moses, Daniel, Nicholas, and John De- pue.

Daniel Decker located on part of the old School- over and Brink purchase, at Decker's Ferry, which he is believed to have established soon after his settle- ment there. His sons, Henry, Thomas, Aaron, and John, became farmers in Walpack and died in the township. Aaron was a justice of the peace and a chosen freeholder for a number of years. Ilenry was a soldier in the war of 1812, as was also his son, Henry,

Jr. John carried on the ferry and established a black- smith-shop in the vicinity.

Levett B. Bristol, who married one of John Deeker's daughters, kept one of the first stores at Flatbrook- ville. Most of the Deckers now residing in Walpack are the descendants of Thomas, the second son of Daniel Decker. The ferry which bears their name has been in the hands of the family uninterruptedly for more than a hundred years.

Mrs. Jonas Smith, a daughter of Thomas Decker, now living in Walpack, recollects hearing her mother relate that many years ago William Hill, with his wife and two children, came down the Delaware in a' canoe, en route from Kingston, and landed one even- ing at her father's, who then resided on the Delaware at " Fiddler's Elbow," where William Hull now lives. Mr. Hill and his family spent the night with Mr. Decker, and in the morning presented Mrs. Deeker, in return for her hospitality, a wooden hutter-bowl, which was nntil lately in the keeping of Mrs. Smith.' Mr. Hill bought 500 acres of land above Flatbrook- ville, on a portion of which Sarah, widow of Uriah Hill, now resides. William Hill died in the summer of 1844, at an advanced age, leaving sons,-Andrew, Nehemiah, Uriah, David, and Enos. Uriah and Enos have a number of descendants in the township, An- drew in Warren County, and Nehemiah in Stillwater township. Enos, the youngest and only surviving son, resides at Newton.

John Smith came from Bucks Co., Pa., and settled on the Pennsylvania side of the Minisink as early as 1730. His son Jonas purchased of Capt. Emanuel Hover the farm now occupied by Philip S. Rosen- krans, at the old Walpack burying-ground, on which he lived. Among his children were Jacob, who for many years was a merchant at Flatbrookville; Wil- liam, who was a miller at the same place, and subse- quently removed to Susquehanna Co., Pa., where he died at an advanced age; and Philip J., who succeeded his father in the old homestead, where he died one of the wealthiest farmers in Walpack.

Philip Smith, the third son of the original John, married Dorothy, daughter of Stuffle Smith, a Ger- man. He owned, and occupied till the time of his death, the large farm on the river-flats near the Wal- pack church, now owned by Jolin W. Vass. He had sons,-Philip Smith, who lived and died on part of the old homestead; Jonas Smith, a farmer residing on Flatbrook ; John Smith, who died the owner of the old homestead about 1863; and Jacob Smith, who still resides in Walpack. His daughters were Eliza- beth, wife of Benjamin Depue, of Big Flats, N. Y .; Barbara, wife of Adam Eschback, of Walpack ; Catlı- arine, wife of Benjamin Hull, of Walpack; and one who was the first wife of Samuel Gariss, of Flatbrook- ville.

Jacob Smith, the fourth son of John, was born March 27, 1773, and died April 8, 1834. He was buried in the old Shapanack burying-ground. He

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 79

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1140

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140