USA > New York > Orange County > Deerpark > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 3
USA > New York > Orange County > Mount Hope > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 3
USA > New York > Orange County > Minisink > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 3
USA > New York > Orange County > Greenville > A history of the Minisink Region : which includes the present towns of Minisink, Deerpark, Mount Hope, Greenville, and Wawayanda in Orange County, New York. > Part 3
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The first Coetus, or classes, for the ordination of min- isters and other business, was held in September, 1747. Under this new order all ministers were to be re-ordained, and a general overhauling of church affairs took place. The Conferentie party in Minisink were determined to hold the ascendency, and the Coetus party as fully determined they should not. The Coetus party insisted that in obedience to the new order all children should be rebaptized, and this developed a new feature in the ferment and added to its bitterness. The ladies of the Conferentie party declared they would not submit to this-it was bad enough to insult their ministers by forcing them to be re-ordained-but to cause the very babes to be re-baptized was an unheard of barbarity. Nobly did they maintain their ground.
A young man, of the Coetus party, was waiting upon a young lady of good family, who, with her parents, was strongly attached to the opposite party. The match progressed favorably. The young lady returned his affection, and gave her consent to an early marriage.
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Her parents did not object, and everything bid fair for a prosperous voyage upon the sea of life. But, alas ! how easy it is for disappointment to intervene. One Sunday evening, as usual, the young man was wending his way to the residence of his betrothed. But about two weeks more were between him and the consummation of his cherished hopes. He determined on this evening to settle all little preliminaries, so that no misunderstand- ing might occur on some more important occasion. His intended met him at the door with her brightest smile of welcome, and ere long both found themselves alone in the best room before the sparkling fire.
" And so, dearest Jane," said he, putting an arm around her neck, and snatching a kiss from her tempting lips, " so two weeks must pass by before I can call you my bonny wife. How long the time will seem."
" No, John," said she, "it will pass quick enough, for it may be, after we are married, you will not always think the same of mne that you do now."
" Ah, you little rogue, how can I ever think less of you ? But, by the way, my darling, I thought I would speak to you about the dominie we are to have to marry us. I think we had better get Mr. -" (naming a minister of the Coctus party.)
" And I have been thinking that Mr. Romeyn was the one we ought to get. He's a neighbor of ours, and preaches here in Maghackameck Church."
" But I don't like him," said John.
" We think he is a good man," said Jane.
" But he is a Conferentie," persisted John.
" And so am I a Conferentie," returned Jane indig- nantly, as she drew herself from his embrace.
" But I won't have him," remarked John, rashly, as he began to feel his ireful nature rise.
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" Then you won't have me," was Jane's rejoinder.
" I can get along without you, I'll let you understand," said John, independently, as he began to look for his hat, and to move toward the door.
" You're a good for nothing seamp, so you are," sobbed Jane, snappishly.
"I am glad I have found you out before it was too late," quoth John, as he made his exit from the door. " I am glad of it -_ "
" And so am I glad of it," said Jane, determinedly; and she shut the door behind him and cut in twain his half finished sentence.
This true incident of the ill feeling engendered by the controversy, did not terminate as all lover's quarrels generally do-in reconciliation-for tradition has it that they held good the grudge to the day of their death. Nor was the ill feeling among the members, productive of such notable results in this vicinity alone. It is recorded that an equally amusing incident took place at Hackensack, New Jersey, though of a different nature.
Mr. Goetschius, the minister at that place, took sides with the Conferenties, and announced himself an advo- cate of their measures. Hereat a great commotion arose, and the " pillars " of the church in the interest of the Coetus party, headed by the clerk, immediately assumed a pugilistic position. The preaching they had listened to, for hours at a time, with respectful attention and composure, they now declared to have been a decided bore. The opinions they had endorsed, and the sayings they had so often quoted as the productions of a genius possessed alone by their beloved dominie, they now dis- covered to have been sheer nonsense, and the author a numbscull. The common reply to a question often asked at gatherings, as to how the dominic was liked,
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had been : "O, he is a very smart man; I don't see how any one can help liking him;" now assumed the form of an every-day remark, " How dull the minister is, lately; I can't bear to listen to his preaching."
In short, the minister who had before been classed among the race of humans known as " smart men," was now stoutly asserted to " know no more than he ought to," by the very ones who, a short time before, had been his warmest supporters. So much does a difference of opinion change the hearts of men. To counterbalance this tide of criticism, the dominie launched from the pulpit his sharpest thrusts at the doctrines of his antag- onists. His opponents retaliated by staying at home and ridiculing the smallness of his congregation. The dominie waxed warm in the cause as his hearers grew small in numbers, and hurled logic in chunks of the largest dimensions in the teeth of his foes. They found themselves necessitated to do something to prevent fbeing outwinded by his reverence, and had recourse to a strategy often effectual when milder means fail- namely, they resolved to choke him off. The clerk held the keys of the church-nothing was easier-so the next time the minister came to fulfill an appointment, he found the doors loocked. On one or two occasions after this he succeeded in gaining admittance, and held forth triumphantly to the few persons comprising his audi- ence. To remedy this his opponents provided them-
selves with a novel expedient. The next time he succeeded in gaining admittance they were on hand in full force, and the imperturbable clerk rose, as usual, to give out the opening hymn. This he did by giving to the singers the 119th psalmn, which, in the mode of sing- ing then in vogue, would have consumed the entire day. This was something the dominie had not counted upon;
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and, as a natural consequence, for some time it operated much as a knock-down blow is supposed to do in pugi- listic parlance; but at length thinking enough singing had been done for one day, he rose-persisted in his efforts to be heard-overpowered the voices of the singers-succeeded in restoring silence, and again came off victorious. But, after all, his triumphs were produc- tive of such barren results that he was at last forced to succumb, and in the end the clerk and his friends carried the day.
Other instances were known where opposing parti- sans met with their teams in the road and refused to turn out, till one or the other became tired of waiting and had to yield the right of way, vowing all sorts of future revenge.
Nor did the disturbance fail to reach the position of Mr. Romeyn. Being a member of the Conferentie party, his opponents assailed him much in the manner of the Hackensack dominie, but not in such violent terms. They listened to his preaching and respected his talents, but succeeded in getting him removed in the year 1771.
By this time the excitement had run its length, and in the following year almost wholly subsided, after having been a potent spirit of dissension for more than thirty years.
Mr. Thomas Romeyn was born at Pumpton, N. J., March 20, 1729. He commenced his studies for the ministry April, 1747. He sailed from New York to Europe April 11th, 1752; and was ordained by the Classis at Amsterdam, Sept. 3, of the same year. Ile must have immediately sailed for America, for he accept- ed a call Nov. 10, of the same year, at Flatbush, Long Island. June 29, 1756, he was married to Margaret
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HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION.
Frelinghuyson, daughter of the Rev. Theodore Freling- huyson. His eldest son, Theodore, was born Nov. 28, 1757; and his mother died the 25th day of the following month.
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Mr. Romeyn came to Minisink Sept. 6th, 1760, and married his second wife, Susannah Van Compton, daugh- ter of Col. Abm. Van Compton, of Paquary, Oct. 30, of the same year. By his last wife he had six sons-Abra- ham, born Aug. 9, 1761, about three miles below the brick house, New Jersey, Nicholas, James V. C., John, Benjamin and Thomas. He went to Cahnawaga, N. Y., in 1772, where he officiated as minister for one year ; when he was disabled by the palsy, we believe, and died October 22, 1794.
Three of his sons entered the ministry. Theodore settled at Somerville, New Jersey, where he died at the age of 29. James was pastor of the church at Hacken- sack, New Jersey, thirty-three years, and died June, 1840. The sixth son studied for the ministry, but died at the age of twenty-two. The seventh son was pastor of the church at Niskawgna, a little north of Albany, and was living June 9, 1855, aged seventy-eight years. For thirteen or fourteen years after his leaving Minisink, a blank occurs.
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Rev. Elias Van Benschoten was installed as pastor of Mackhackemeck church August 28, 1785. The church had been burned by Brandt's Indians in 1779, and the second church was built during the first two years of Van Benschoten's pastorate, near the site of the first. In 1793 an inventory of the church property was made, as follows:
" March 29, 1793.
" An inventory of all the estate, both real and per- sonal, with the annual revenue arising thereon, belonging
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to the Dutch Reformed Church of Mackhackemeck, in the County of Orange:
" One acre of ground, with the church on it, without any annual revenue from the seats.
" Third part of 23 acres and some parts of an acre of ground, with a house and barn on it, which the minister possesses for the time being as part of his salary.
" Between £44 and £45 subscribed yearly to pay to the elders and deacons of said church, and by them to be paid unto our present minister while he resides among us.
" One Bible, one Psalm book, one book of records.
"Sabbath day collection in bank £2 15s. 9d.
" One little trunk.
(Here follows a certificate stating the inventory to have been exhibited to William Wickham, one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Orange county.)
" Sworn to March 29th, 1793.
" WILLIAM WICKHAM."
" BENJAMIN DEPUY,
" HARMANUS VAN INWEGEN,
" JOHANNES DECKER,
" WILHELMUS COLE,
" MARTINUS DECKER."
The little trunk mentioned is in good preservation, and its countenance as unruffled as though but two years, instead of seventy-three, had passed over it.
Mr. Van Benschoten's pastoral relations were dis- solved, we believe, in 1795; though he probably remained in the vicinity till after 1800. He died near Decker- town, N. J., where he owned a farm.
Rev. John Demarest was his successor in 1803-4, and remained till about 1808.
Rev. Cornelius C. Elting, the fifth in order, came to Mackhackemeck January 25, 1817, aged twenty-four years, and continued the services till he died, October
الكون
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HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION.
24th, 1843. During his stay, in 1834, the present edifice was built-the land being donated by the Dela- ware and Hudson Canal Company. In 1838 the name was changed by act of the legislature to the "Dutch Reformed Church of Deerpark."
Rev. George P. Van Wyck became his successor February 29, 1844. . IIe remained till 1852. Rev. Hiram Slawson succeeded him February 22, 1853. Rev. 1 S. W. Mills is the present incumbent, a notice of whose family will be found in chapter xi. of this work. i
The inhabitants of the Minisink region have become sadly diverse in religious matters since the building of the old church one hundred and twenty-nine years ago; and instead of four churches, numbers of them now abound of different denominations. But though they now have more modern appliances for worship,-costlier buildings of more fashionable exterior-huge bells of sounding brass-seats cushioned and pulpits trimmed with softest velvet, and organs tuned to greatest har- mony,-how much more sincere seems the rude piety of our Minisink ancestry, whose four churches were built for convenience without regard to fashion-the seats in them being undoubtedly of rough boards; whose only music was the voices of fathers, mothers, sisters and · brothers, sending anthems of praise in Nature's melody up to Nature's God; and the hour of worship announced on a Sabbath morning by the far echoing notes of a simple tin horn !
" No sculptured marble marked the place Where God's high altar stood;
It rose with unassuming grace Of plain unpainted wood."
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CHAPTER IV.
THE WAR WITH THE JERSEYMEN.
The heroic people of this region did not suffer their minor difficulties to hinder them from defending their rights against all foes, whether native or foreign; and for a period of sixty-seven years, fought a war second to none in the brilliancy of the strategical operations, and daring achievements-though the number of the slain may not have equaled the number of the one battle of the Wilderness, or their generals the fame of a Sherman or a Grant. The war partook of the general character of a border fray, and arose from a dispute in regard to the boundary line between New York and New Jersey.
Charles II., King of England, gave his brother, the Duke of York, afterward King James II., a patent of all the lands " from the West side of the Connecticut River to the East side of Delaware Bay," dated March 12th, 1663. On June 24th of the following year, the Duke granted by lease and release all the tract of country now known as New Jersey-then called Nova Caesarea (so described in the patent)-to John, Lord Berkley, and Sir George Cartaret, bounded as follows: "Southward to the main ocean as far as Cape May at the mouth of the Delaware, then along said River or Bay to the Northward as far as the Northwardmost branch of the
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THE WAR WITH THE JERSEYMEN.
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said Bay or River, which is in latitude 41 deg. 40 min., and crosseth over thence in astraight line to the latitude 41 deg., on Hudson's River."
Cartaret took the east half of the province and Berkley the west, and thus it became called East and West New Jersey. The Dutch re-conquered New York in 1673, and this territory again came into their possession; but a treaty of peace being concluded February 9, 1674, between England and Holland, it was restored to the English. Sir George Cartaret immedi- ately took the precaution of having a new patent made out the 29th of July following the treaty of peace, and the boundaries were again defined in about the same general terms as before.
A discussion soon arose as to which should be consid- ered the " Northwardmost branch " of the Delaware river. All agreed on a point on the Hudson river, in latitude 41 deg .; but the New York men insisted that the line should reach the Delaware at the southern extremity of what is called Big Minisink Island, and the Jerseymen as stoutly contended that it should touch the Delaware a little south of where Cochecton now stands -thus leaving a territory in dispute several miles wide at the west end, and tapering to a point at the east. This included a good part of the Minisink region. The proprietors, under the New Jersey government, parceled out the land in tracts to different persons, and these came on to assume possession. The Minisink people having enjoyed possession for a long time refused to agree to this, and determined to maintain their claims. Recrimination and retaliation followed, and a general border warfare took place. Numbers of the Minisink people were taken prisoners and lodged in the prisons of New Jersey, and a state of alarm and danger prevailed.
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THE WAR WITH THE JERSEYMEN.
The men went constantly armed, prepared to defend themselves to the last extremity, and keeping a con- stant lookout for the appearance of their meddlesome foes.
The first regular series of engagements of much notoriety that is recorded, resulted from the efforts made to obtain possession of the lands of one Major Swartout, between the years 1730 and 1740. The Major was a true gentleman of the old school, a hale, bluff old pioneer. He was major of the militia of Orange county, and when parade days came around, none pre- sented a more military appearance. The people of Goshen, where the military parades then took place, as fully considered the major a part of the occasion as they were certain that the day came round. It was then he was in his element. Mounted on his powerful horse, at the head of his men, his doughty limbs and portly frame encased in military toggery resplendent in brass but- tons, a sword of monstrous length dangling from his waist and flapping against his horse's side with every jolt, his head encased in a huge cocked hat, over which a feather flaunted proudly, and from under which his eyes twinkled with the importance of his position, the Major justly carried the palm of superiority in his pro- fession, and presented a model which but few officers, with all modern inventions, have been able to copy successfully even at the present day. His lands were in the disputed territory, and threats were made time and again by the Jerseymen that they meant to drive the Major off. He however took the matter coolly, slept soundly through the wars and rumors of wars that reached his ears, and assured his friends at Goshen that he was not afraid, in reply to a prophesy that he would come into Goshen some morning' homeless. His neigh- 3
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HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION.
bors stood ready to lend their help whenever called on, and the knowing ones shook their heads and hinted that the "Jersey Blues " would have a lively time in getting hold of the Major's land. But the enemy were crafty, and one day when the neighbors were absent on some public occasion, made a charge on the Major's fortress, and before he could form his family in line of battle, much less draw his "trusty blade," he found himself, his family and household goods, residents of an exceeding large residence-the timbers thereof not made with hands, the roof the blue heavens, and the rooms large and airy to a fault-in fact found himself" out of doors. A pretty predicament this, for the major of the Orange county militia. Besides, the Major had made quite extensive preparations for this very attack; having kept a number of loaded muskets ready for use, and several extra hired men on the farm to defend it; and to be thus outgeneraled reflected somewhat on his military prowess. But he was not the man to despond; so removing his family to a neighbor's house he set off for help, and one fine morning the people of Goshen were surprised to see the redoubtable Major come riding down the street looking greatly chopfallen, and altogether devoid of that erect, martial air, so much the admiration of his men.
The intelligence of his disaster sped with lightning rapidity, and in a short time a formidable company had volunteered to reinstate him in his own house. Arriv- ing in the vicinity it was judged best to employ a little strategy, and the whole company crept as close as pos- sible to the house without being discovered. They then sent Peter Gumaer to the house as a sort of recon- noitering party, to see if everything was favorable. If so, he was to come out of the house, and while going
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THE WAR WITH THE JERSEYMEN.
through the orchard throw up an apple, as a signal for the attack. Mr. Gumaer was gone some time, every moment of which was passed in anxious expectation by the heroes of the ambush. At last they saw him come out of the house, and as he passed through the orchard, give the required signal. Simultaneously they made a rush, with a yell of defiance that would have done credit to a band of Minisink Indians. The occupants of the house were totally unprepared; even had it been other- wise it would have availed them nothing. Right on came the Major, puffing and blowing with the extraor- dinary exercise of a double-quick, and the effort needed to keep an upright position, owing to the scabbard of his big sword so frequently getting entangled with his legs-while behind him came his company, in an irreg- ular line, but with a determination visible to do or to die. Right on they came with an impetuosity that stopped at no impediment ! On they came over the beet and onion beds in the garden; over the door-yard fence, and the flower beds in the door yard !- on !- on they charged right up to the very door. The fastenings gave way before the pressure, and in less time than it takes to tell it, the inmates were taken by the napes of their necks and walked out-doors-the Major claiming the privilege of bestowing three or four hearty kicks upon the ringleader's rear, as a parting admonition when he stepped from the door. Their goods were quickly thrown out after them, and thus was this decisive vic- tory gained without the loss of a single man.
Knowing that this would be followed by a more ex- tensive raid, the people of Minisink procured the ser- vices of a spy, who lived among the Jersey claimants, some twenty miles distant, and thus got information of their intended movements in time to frustrate them,
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HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION.
The Major's son-in-law, one Harmanus Van Inwegen, also acquired considerable fame during this struggle. He is recorded to have been a very bold, intrepid man, and to have possessed great strength. As an instance of this it is stated that on one occasion, while at work in the field, word was brought to him that some Indians were at his house abusing his family. He at once re- paired to the house, and entering it abruptly, grappled with the Indians, and after a sharp hand-to-hand strug- gle, succeeded in overpowering and driving them from the house by main strength alone. This was the more courageous from the fact that the Indians were armed with guns and attempted to shoot him frequently during the contest.
About 1740, word was conveyed to the Minisink peo- ple that the "Jersey Blues " contemplated a grand raid on the disputed territory during the fall of that year, and preparations were made to give them a warm reception. On the day of the expected attack, the owners of the territory, with their sons and relatives, collected at the house of Harmanus Van Inwegen. They were well armed and equipped, and met seriously with the determination of maintaining their rights. Major Swartout was unanimously chosen commander, and pro- ceeded to organize the forces. They were deployed in double column fronting the direction of the expected at- tack, the right and left wings under command of Jacob Cuddeback and old Mr. Van Inwegen, respectively. They were both as resolute as the Major, and when their positions were assigned them, took their places in front of the line; remarking, that as they were old men their lives were not so valuable as those of the young, and they desired to occupy the most exposed situations. The Major then took his station in front, to lead and give
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THE WAR WITH THE JERSEYMEN.
the word of command. Never had he felt so proudly as when on that eventful day he cast his eye along the well- formed lines of his little army. Even the feather in his cocked hat seemed to be aware of the important posi- tion it occupied, and danced lightly in the breeze as if eager for the conflict. Especially did his eye rest with delight on his wing commanders-they were his depend- ence; for full well he understood, that the quickest way to make an army fly is to break its wings; and these he had reason to know would be the weakest parts of the enemy's lines. Not long had they to wait. The enemy soon made his appearance in strong force on the road. His lines were well filled and the men looked stout and well armed. Their commander too was a constable from the land of Jersey-a man powerful in his own estimation, and more especially so when armed as he now was with the terrible majesty of authority conferred by reason of the law. The Major, who had before felt confident of an easy victory, now began to feel some misgivings as to the result. The pommel of his sword, upon which his hand rested, felt only about half as large as before, and the feather in his cocked hat began to smooth itself down behind the crown. On came the constable and the Jerseymen in fearful array, though somewhat dismayed at the unexpected force opposed to them. The constable's nether lip began to lengthen dubiously, and his knees to tremble in spite of himself ; but there was no backing outnow. The distance began to shorten visibly between the contending forces. Timid ones began to cast anxious glances behind them and to wish themselves anywhere but at that particular place. Visions of past misdeeds floated through their minds, coupled with the thought that a repentance would avail nothing when brought about by fear alone. The dis-
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