USA > New York > Dutchess County > History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 40
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Co. B .- William Gastin (was in the seven days' fight, died Dec. 4, 1863, and was buried in Red Hook), John N. Hapeman (wounded in the seven days' fight and discharged), James Lane, Joseph Martin (in battles of Williamsburgh, White Oak Swamp, and seven days' fight before Richmond, discharged July 22, 1862, for disability), Peter G. Miller, John D. Martin (promoted Corporal Dec. II, 1861, died on Lower Potomac, brought home and buried in Red Hook), George Pultz, Sullivan Shaffer, Irving Shoemaker.
5th N. Y. Cavalry .- Charles Decker, Co. B., Edward Martin, Co. C, (promoted to Corporal), Henry Oatman (deserted twice).
Scattering .- John Dillon, Co. D, 63d N. Y. Inft .; Edward Curtis, Co. D, 48th N. Y. Inft .; Charles Lewis, Co. C, 44th N. Y. Inft .; Nelson Lewis, Co. C, 44th N. Y. Inft .; John N. Moses, 2d N. Y. Vols .; Joseph Martin, Co. B, Ist N. Y. Inft .; Herman Near, Co. F, 12th N. Y. Inft .; John S. Stickel, Co. B, 56th N. Y. Inft .; James Scism, Co. C, 3d Md. Inft .; Thomas Murphy, Co. C, Ist N. Y. Vols .; Ja- cob Winchell, Co. G, 2d N. Y. Cavalry.
On the 12th of August, 1862, a war meeting was held at the village of Madalin, which resulted in mustering in nineteen volunteers, as follows :-
128th N. Y. Inft., Co. C .- Benjamin H. Coop- er; Geo. A. Norcutt, one of the Forlorn Hope at Port Hudson ; Lewis W. Cashdollor, was with his regiment at Port Hudson on the Red River, and in the Shenandoah Valley in the charge of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth upon the Lou- isiana Tigers, he was hit at the upper edge of the middle third of the right leg, the ball penetrating six inches along the fibula bone, thence to the tibia, and descending to the ankle joint, necessi- tating amputation ; Jno. H. Hager, rose from pri- vate to First Lieutenant commanding Color Com- pany C, March 28, 1864, he was taken prisoner near Alexandria ; George F. Simmons, wounded twice in battle of Winchester, September 19, 1864; Samuel Simmons ; Lewis Simmons ; Mont- gomery Fingar ; Henry A. Brundage ; John Emory Cole, in battles of Port Hudson, Winchester, Cedar Creek, discharged July 2, 1865 ; Albert Cole ; James Doyle, taken prisoner Oct. 19, 1864, at Cas- tle Thunder, discharged July 12, 1865; Gilbert Dederick, taken prisoner at Cedar Creek and tak- en to Salsbury Prison, was paroled and discharged May 22, 1865; Augustus Golbel, discharged July
12, 1865 ; William Hover, wounded at Fisher's Hill Sept. 22, 1864, discharged July 12, 1865 ; Norman Heermance ; Peter Moore; Daniel Neenan, wounded and taken to hospital, discharged May 22. 1865 ; Peter Wyer (or Dwyer), killed at Winches- ter Sept. 19, 1864; John Van Etten, died at Savannah; George W. Minkler, badly wounded at the battle of Cedar Creek ; John W. Oster- hout, Company K, wounded at Port Hudson, discharged, July 12, 1865 ; Freeman Ostrander, Company A, was a prisoner in the hands of the Rebels five months, discharged July 12, 1865; Robert N. Rector ; Robert M. Harris, Co. K. The majority of these enlisted under Acting Company Commandant, Johnston L. de Peyster, aged 16, at this time a pupil of the Highland Military College.
In 1864 the following enlisted in Co. C, of this regiment, Henry Miller, Philip H. Moore, Wallace Moore, James E. Outwater.
Enlistments of 1862, 150th N. Y. Inft., Co. F .- Stephen Van Rensselaer Cruger, went out as Ist Lieut. of this company, but was its actual commander at Gettysburg ; Peter W. Funk was appointed Cor- poral, Company F, participated in the battle of Gettysburg, July 2d and 3d, 1863, and in the bat- tle of Resaca, and served until close of the war ; Thomas B. Paulmier, on August 26, 1862, was appointed Corporal, March, 1863, Color Corporal, June 27th, on the march to Gettysburg Color- Sergeant Brandt having been taken sick, Paul- mier received and carried the State Color ; John McGill, October 15, 1862, was appointed Third Sergeant of Company F, was in the battle of Dal- las, Ga., May 25, 1864, promoted to Orderly Ser- geant July 29, 1864, and again promoted for meri- torious conduct to Second Lieutenant ; Morris O. Connors, enlisted Sept. 12, discharged May 25, 1865 ; Robert Dowling, enlisted Sept. 29 ; Thomas M. Fraleigh, enlisted Sept. 31, discharged May 25. 1865 ; Virgil H. Group, enlisted Sept. 15, was in the battle of Gettysburg, discharged June 8, 1865 ; William Gahagan, enlisted in September, promoted to Sergeant April 9, 1863, discharged June 8, 1865 ; Nelson F. Hermans, enlisted Sept. 6, discharged June 8, 1865 ; Eli Houghtailing, enlisted in Sept .; Peter Houghtailing, enlisted Sept. 13, discharged June 8, 1865; Thomas Kellon, enlisted Sept. 12, discharged June 8, 1865 ; John Kelly, enlisted in September, discharged June 8, 1865; Richard Lown, enlisted September 10, discharged June 8, 1865 ; Henry Miller, enlisted September 6, died at Baltimore ; John McGill, enlisted Oct. Ist, was taken prisoner June 31, 1863, discharged June 8,
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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
1865 ; Daniel H. Ostrander, enlisted Sept. 12, pro- moted to Corporal, Nov. 26, 1862, to Sergeant, July 27, 1864, discharged June 8, 1865; Virgil Ostrander, enlisted September 6, taken prisoner at Gettysburg, discharged June 8, 1865 ; Andrew Os- trander, enlisted in October, discharged for disa- bility ; Martin Ostrander, enlisted in September, discharged June 8, 1865; John E. Pultz, enlisted September 6, was wounded the last of July, 1864, before Atlanta, and died Sept. 16, 1864, buried at Chattanooga; Ezra J. Stickel, enlisted September 20, promoted to Corporal in February 1863, died of typhoid fever at Raleigh (?) and there buried; Isaac F. Smith, enlisted September 6, promoted to Corporal, was wounded, died, and was buried on the battle-field ; James Smith, en- listed September 9, discharged June 8, 1865 ; James Smith, Jr., enlisted April 1, 1863, discharged June 8, 1865 ; John Sleighter, enlisted September 16, was wounded, and died at Washington, D. C., June 15, 1864, and was buried in the Capital burial ground ; Peter Showerman, enlisted September 9, discharged June 8, 1865; Allen Showerman, en- listed August 25, discharged June 8, 1865 ; Oscar Stickel, enlisted in September, discharged June 8, 1865; Peter Stickel, enlisted September 6, dis- charged June 8, 1865; Nicholas S. Schammer- horn, enlisted September 13; Nelson Shaffer, en- listed in October, lost an eye in the service and was discharged ; John A. Wagner, enlisted Septemn- ber 4; Robert Wagner, enlisted September 31 ; Albert Wagner, enlisted September 31, was wound- ed and discharged ; Alfred Wagner, enlisted in September ; Daniel Wyer, enlisted in September, killed in the service.
Co. K .- William Simmons, enlisted Oct. 4 ; Henry B. Rynders, enlisted in Sept .; Edward F. Killmer, enlisted Oct. 4; Chauncy Bailey, Co. B, enlisted in Sept., wounded in leg ; George W. Breese ; George Bullock, Co. K, enlisted Sept. 6.
The following are the additional enlistments in 1862 :-
Joseph Carry, Co. B, 65th N. Y. Inft., enlisted in Sept .; Patrick Hays, Co. B, 65th N. Y. Inft., enlisted in Sept .; Dewitt Clinton, 25th N. Y. Inft., enlisted January 1 ; Lewis Henry, (colored,) Co. B, 20th N. Y. Colored Regt., enlisted Aug. 24 ; Frederic Martin, Co. I, 115th N. Y. Inft., enlisted in Aug., was taken prisoner, paroled and exchanged in spring of 1863 ; Beekman R. Near, Co. I, 115th N. Y. Inft., enlisted Aug. 22, promoted to Sergt. in Feb., 1863.
Enlistments of 1863 .- William P. Bush, of Mad-
alin, Assistant Surgeon 6Ist N. Y. Volunteers, died in the service from diseases contracted while in the discharge of his duty ; John W. Stickel, Co. G, Ist N. Y. Light Artillery, enlisted in Dec .; Geo. W. Althiser, Co. E, 15th N. Y. Engineers, enlisted Dec. 20 ; Michael Yeagal, Co. E, 15th N. Y. En- gineers, enlisted in Dec .; William Burhans, Co. B, 20th N. Y. Colored Regt., enlisted in Dec .; Charles Fingar, Co. D, 14th R. I. Inft., enlisted Sept. 17 ; Henry Hermans, Co. D, 14th R. I. Inft., enlisted Sept. 17 ; Charles Statley, (re-enlisted,) Co. B, 5th N. Y. Cavalry, enlisted Dec. I.
Enlistments of 1864 .- 91st N. Y. Heavy Artil- lery, Co. A .- Dewitt Clinton, enlisted Sept. 5 ; William C. Cramer, enlisted Sept. 5 ; Freeborn G. Fraleigh, enlisted Aug.' 31 ; Andrew Fraleigh, en- listed Aug. 31, was killed March 31, 1865, at Oak Roads, near Petersburgh, and buried on the field ; Peter W. Fraleigh, enlisted Sept. 5 ; Nicholas Hutton, enlisted Aug. 31 ; John H. Ham, enlisted Aug. 31 ; David Ham, enlisted Aug. 31 ; Charles Lewis, enlisted Aug. 31; William Near, enlisted Aug. 31 ; Edward H. Stickel, enlisted Sept. 2.
.
Co. D .- William Feller, enlisted Sept. 5 ; Isaac Mead, enlisted Sept. 5 ; Alexander Paulmatier, en- listed Sept. 5, died in the service of heart disease, April 29, 1865 ; Adam Plass, enlisted Sept. 5 ; Stephen Paulmier, enlisted Sept. 5, died in the ser- vice, and was buried near Washington, D. C.
Co. I .- David W. Ostrander, enlisted August 31 ; James P. Overbaugh, enlisted Sept. 2, died of typhoid fever at Black and White Station, Pa., April 27, 1865 ; Martin B. Proper, enlisted Aug. 31 ; William F. Pulver, enlisted Aug. 31.
15th N. Y. Engineers, Co. E .- David S. Al- thiser, enlisted Jan. 14; Lafayette Howard, enlisted Jan. 13 ; Jerome Lyke, enlisted Jan. 14, discharged for disability in September, 1864; Eleazer Moore, enlisted Jan. 14; Frederic Lasher, enlisted in January ; Silas Van Steenburgh, enlisted in Janu- ary, died at Poughkeepsie a few weeks after en- listment.
Scattering .- Philip H. Proper, Co. E, 61st N. Y. Infantry, enlisted Aug. 8; Charles N. Lown, Co. G, Ist N. Y. L. Artillery, enlisted in October ; John Gibson, Co. L, 125th N. Y. Infantry, en- listed in September ; John H. Jarvis, (colored,) Co. B, 20th N. Y. Colored Regiment, enlisted in September, Acting Sergeant ; Edward L. Mooney, Co. F, 84th N. Y. Vols., enlisted in August ; Ed- gar Tompkins, Co. A, 6th N. Y. H. Artillery, en- listed September 8 ; Jacob Whitney, regiment un- known, enlisted Sept. 5; John W. Boice, Co. F,
203
TOWN OF RED HOOK.
4th N. Y. Cavalry, enlisted in April, was wounded and discharged July 27, 1865; James Cole, Co. F, 4th N. Y. Cavalry, enlisted in April, was taken prisoner and has not been heard from since ; David Griffen, Co. F, 4th N. Y. Cavalry, enlisted Oct. 5, promoted to Corporal and Sergeant.
The various other enlistments in different regi- ments, and in the navy, were as follows :-
Derick Koedam, Co. F, 96th N. Y. Infantry, enlisted March 21, 1865; Leonard B. Curtis, en- listed Aug. 13, 1862, on the Colorado ; Charles Gibson, enlisted March 10, 1864, on the Benbill ; John Bates Lown, enlisted March 10, 1864, on the Benbill; Philip Lown, enlisted April 9, 1864, on the North Carolina ; David Rensselaer Pulver, enlisted Dec. 8, 1860, on the Minnesota ; Clarence Shook, enlisted Aug. 13, 1862, on the Colorado; Andrew Van Steenburgh, entered the service in the Navy Yard, Aug. 13, 1862; Jacob Van Steen- burgh, enlisted in 1863, on the Rescue; John Stewart, Co. B, " Ulster Guard," killed at Manas- "sas, Aug. 30, 1862; Rufus Warrenger, Co. B, "Ulster Guard," killed at Manassas, Aug. 30, 1862 ; Lieut. Warren W. Chamberlain, 14th U. S. Infantry, from Lower Red Hook, previously held a commission as Lieutenant in the 12th N. Y. Militia, was killed near Groveton, Va .; Charles Henry Tillottson, aide to Capt. Swarthout com- manding the Portsmouth, in the Mississippi River fight under Admiral Farragut, in 1861-3.
J. Watts de Peyster, Jr., in the winter of 1861- '62, left the law school of Columbia College, and took a prominent place in the ranks of the Army of the Potomac as volunteer aide-de-camp to his cousin, General Philip Kearny. Was First Lieut. in°Scott's 900 Cavalry, promoted at his Majority to the First New York (Morgan) Light Artillery, he joined his command at Harrison's Landing, and was present with his batteries during the famous night attack of July 31, 1862, was then stricken with malarial fever ; in the spring of 1863 he was again able to take the field; at the battle of Chan- cellorsville he was Chief of Artillery of the Third Division, Sedgwick's Sixth Corps. "Fighting Joe" Hooker, under whose eyes de Peyster received his baptism of fire at Williamsburgh, recommended him for promotion to the brevet rank of Lieuten- ant-Colonel, for his coolness and bravery at that battle and at Chancellorsville. Lieutenant-Colonel de Peyster never recovered from the effects of the fever, and he was honorably discharged August 14, 1863. He died April 12, 1873, in New York.
Louis Livingston was appointed additional aide-
de-camp U. S. Army, with the rank of Captain, he was assigned as senior aide to Brigadier-General S. W. Crawford. At Antietam, his first battle, his courage was so conspicuous that he received the brevet of Major ; and at Gettysburg, the decisive battle of the war, he is said to have accompanied his General leading a decisive charge, for which he was brevetted Lieutenant-Colonel. Captain Augustus Barker was commissioned Second Lieutenant, De- cember 4, 1861, in the 5th N. Y. V. Cavalry. Twice promoted for gallant and honorable service, he was shot by guerrillas at Hartwood Church, near Kelly's Ford, Va., on September 17, 1863, and died on the ensuing day.
At Madalin-Tivoli is erected a monument to the patriots who died in their country's cause. Four cannon, partially embedded in the ground, breech uppermost, serve for posts, to which is at- tached a chain enclosing the shaft. The cannon were presented by Johnston Livingston, Eugene A. Livingston, William Chamberlain, and Brevet Major-General de Peyster. Upon its western side it bears this inscription :-
" This Immediate Neighborhood
to her DEFENDERS, Who lost their lives in Suppressing the SLAVE HOLDERS' REBELLION and sustaining the GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE."
The southern and eastern sides bear the follow- ing names of those who were killed in battle or died of wounds received upon the battle-field :-
"At Upton Hill, March 17, 1862, John Decker, 20th N. Y. S. M.
"Manassas, Aug. 30, 1862, Lieut. Warren W. Chamberlain, 14th U. S. I .; Alfred Lasher, George Kelly, Lewis Redder, C. Gruntler, June 20th, N. Y. S. M.
"Chantilly, Sept. 1, 1862, Major-General Philip Kearny, U. S. V.
"Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, Rufus Warringer, 20th N. Y. S. M.
"Chantilly, June, 1863, John Shleterer, 150th N. Y. V.
"Kelly's Ford, Sept. 17, 1863, Capt. Augustus Barker, 5th N. Y. C.
"Dallas, May 24, 1864, Corporal I. F. Smith, 150th N. Y. V.
"Cold Harbor, June, 1864, Henry Kline.
"Atlanta, Sept. 12, 1864, J. E. Pultz, 150th N. Y. V.
" Winchester, September 19, 1864, Peter Wyer, 128th N. Y. V.
"Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864, Andrew Decker, 6th N. Y. V. Cav.
204
HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.
"Five Forks, March 31, 1865, Andrew Fraleigh, 9Ist N. Y. V."
The north bears the names of those who died of disease while in the army, or after their return home, immediately in consequence of maladies in- curred in the service :-
" John Corrigan, May 22, 1861.
"John D. Martin, 7th N. J. V., on Lower Poto- mac, January [June ?] 3, 1862.
" Hiram Risedorf, 20th N. Y. S. M., at Upton Hill, March 4, 1862.
"Eugene Livingston, 95th N. Y. V., December 31, 1862.
" H. N. Fisher, Assistant Surgeon, March 12, 1863.
"H. C. Muller, May 14, 1863.
"W. P. Bush, Assistant Surgeon, Oct. 3, 1863.
" Wm. Gaston, 7th N. J. V., June, 1864.
" Christian Gruntler, Sr., 20th N. Y. S. M., July 4, 1864.
"John Showerman, 128th N. Y. V., in New Or- leans, 1864.
"Stephen H. Paulmier, 91st N. Y. V., in Wash- ington, May 21, 1865.
"Ezra J. Stickle, 150th N. Y. V., in Raleigh, N. C., May, 1855.
" John Van Etten, 128th N. Y. V., at Savannah, July 8, 1865."
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
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THE DE PEYSTER FAMILY.
It is somewhat remarkable that the idea presented by Solomon as to physical progression in a circle- " Unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again " in many instances applies to families. It has certainly applied to the owner of Rose Hill. Two hundred years ago his ances- tors owned much land, and successive generations of progenitors resided where they are now to be found. In the very mansion in which his grand- father, Frederic de Peyster, married his wife, Helen Hake, about ninety years ago, General de Pey- ster found his wife, Estelle Livingston, belonging to the same race. The fact is, all the leading families in the Colony of the New Netherlands, af- terwards the Province of New York, had not only become connected by marriage before the com- mencement of the Revolution, but in many instan- ces they were knit together by the strongest and closest additional ties of blood.
Brig .- Gen., Brevet Major-Gen. S. N. Y., JOHN WATTS DE PEYSTER, is the immediate representa- tive of two families who exercised a leading in- fluence in the Colony and Province of New York, and filled the most important offices under the Dutch and English administrations, through his paternal and maternal, as well as collateral lines,
by reciprocal marriages with Wattses, de Lanceys, Coldens, Livingstons, Beekmans, Schuylers, van Cortlandts and other prominent stems.
The first of the de Peyster name, Johannis I., who came to this country about 1645, was the scion of an exiled or refugee French Protestant family, and was a young man of means for the period and of unusual ability. He was descended from one of the unhappy Huguenot families who were com- pelled to leave France after the Massacre of St. Bartholomew, August 24, 1572. The other mem- bers of this circle were scattered far and wide by this cruel, crimson cataclysm. One wandered as far east as Greece (?), others settled in Holland, another in England.
Johannis, born in Haarlem (Holland)-where he married his wife, Cornelia Lubbertse, a native of the same place-transferred his fortunes to the New World. He brought with him many curious articles of furniture, some beautiful pictures, por- traits, and articles of silver, which for their concep- tion and execution are equal to any manufactured at this time. His first commission on record, was that of Adelborst (Cadet) in one of the city com- panies. This shows he must have been very young when he first came over, and consequently it is . likely that he returned to Holland for his wife, who survived him. He was one of "The Six," who were associated to draw up the first charter for the city of New Amsterdam, now New York. He filled, successively, between 1655 and 1677, the offices of Schepen, Burgomaster, Alderman and Deputy Mayor. On the 15th of October, 1677, he was appointed Mayor of New York, but de- clined the promotion in consequence of his imper- fect acquaintance with the English language. His descendants were all distinguished for their public spirit and activity in connection with the affairs of the city. One of his grand-daughters was the mother of William Alexander, titular Earl of Stirling, Ma- jor-General in the Continental army. Griswold, in his rare work, "Washington and his Generals of the Revolution," (I., 165,) observes, " his mother was an extraordinary person." Those who knew her personally, and lived to relate their early expe- riences to individuals still alive, confirmed this re- mark, adding that her unusual mental charms and capacity were not more striking than her graces of face and figure.
The eldest son of Johannis I., Abraham I., was one of the most distinguished men in the Colony in which he was born, July 8th, 1647. April 5th, 1684, during a visit to Amsterdam, he married his kinswoman, Catherina de Peyster. Abraham held successively the offices of Alderman, 1685 ; Mayor, 1691-'95 ; Judge of the Supreme Court ; Member of the King's Council; and as presiding officer of the same, was acting Governor in 1700. He was also Colonel commanding the Militia (one company Horse, and eight companies Foot, 685 men,) be- longing to the city and county of New York. In 1706, he was appointed Treasurer of the Provinces of New York and New Jersey. Few men have exhibited more patriotism than he did in crises.
Maluda Kapsler
205
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Although this sketch is confined to direct de- scent, still it is impossible to refrain from men- tioning other members of the family who have peculiarly distinguished themselves. One of the grandsons of Abraham I. was the good and gallant Col. Arent Schuyler de Peyster, who received his first commission as Ensign in the deservedly cele- brated Eighth, "the King's" Regiment of British Foot, (known in 1688, as " Princess Anne's Regi- ment,") June 10th, 1755, and rose through a long period of interesting and important service to its command, October 12th, 1793.
For many years, as Captain and Major, he was stationed on the remote frontier, particularly at Michilimackinac. While at this post his control of the Indian tribes was exercised for good. After the Revolution became a certainty, he more than once was called upon to bring them from the re- motest points of the West and North-west, to par- ticipate in operations which culminated in conflicts on Lake Champlain and on the Hudson and its affluents. Curious to state, one of his first orders in this connection was dated July 4th, 1776. As a subaltern he was one of the first British officers to explore the region about Lake George, and he re- corded the incidents of his visit in his " Miscella- nies." This rare work-now almost unattainable -containing a large amount of valuable and inter- esting information in connection with the Indians and the period, published at Dumfries some ninety years ago, has been a mine for historians. Colonel, then Lieutenant de Peyster built, on the site of the Porter mansion, a saw-mill, worked by the water-power of "the Rapids," at Niagara Falls in 1767, one of the first, if not the first civilized con- struction at that point.
About the end of the eighteenth century, Col. de Peyster settled at Dumfries, Scotland, and re- sided at a country-seat named " Mavis (Lark) Hall." He lies buried under an imposing monument in the chapel-yard of "St. Michael's " in that city. Here, "towards the close of his life, he was called upon to embody, discipline and command the First Regi- ment of Dumfries Volunteers, organized to defend the United Kingdom against the successive French revolutionary governments. The poet Burns car- ried a musket in this regiment, and to this Col. de Peyster, he addressed in 1796, his sparkling verses sometimes entitled " A Poem on Life."
The nephew and namesake of the colonel, Arent Schuyler de Peyster, junior, was quite a distin- guished navigator and explorer of the Pacific. and the western coasts of America, when both as yet were little known to our people. No sensational romance ever written, could embody more start- ling adventures than fell to his lot. During one voyage, in 1809, he discovered several groups of islands to the north of the Fiji Archipelago, one of these comprising seventeen islands. One of considerable size bears his name, the de Peyster or Peyster Group. Another circlet of islets, sur- rounding a large lagoon, in the South Pacific, he named after a friend, Mr. Ellice. He was on the South American coast at the same time when the
celebrated Admiral Cochrane was operating against the Spaniards; and the one in blockading the ports, then Spanish, and the other in running the block- ade, came in contact more than once.
Abraham II., eldest son of Abraham I., married Margaret, eldest daughter of Jacobus van Cortlandt. He succeeded his father as Treasurer of New York and New Jersey. His benevolence has been celebrated in the work devoted to a description of the startling " Adventures of Mons. Viaud. The whole city turned out to accom- pany his remains to their last resting-place. He was a gentleman of large means, and very com- manding influence, both personally and through his powerful connections, as Smith in his history admits-although the historian was a bitter polit- ical enemy of the de Peyster, Watts, and de Lancey families, and those united to them through blood or marriage. He died September 17, 1767, universally respected, regretted and beloved. His fifth son, Frederic-from his elegance of dress and deportment, known as the " Marquis,"-was ap- pointed Treasurer in his room. This son Frederic did not serve, but resigned the position to go to France to inherit an estate left him by Madame van der Hulst de Peyster of Rouen.
James I., the eldest son of Abraham II., mar- ried Sarah, daughter of Hon. Joseph Reade, Mem- ber of the King's Council. Her brother, John Reade, was the owner of the land and point now in possession of Johnston Livingston, known as Reade Hoek; and from this circumstance the town of Red Hook took its name. Margaret, the eldest daughter of James, married Colonel Thomas James, commandant of the (single) Brit- ish Regiment of Royal Artillery. Of her three brothers, Abraham III., at the age of 23, was senior captain in the 4th or King's American Regiment ; James II., about 20, was Captain-Lieutenant, com- manding Colonel's Company, Grenadiers, of the same regiment ; and Frederic I., before he was 18, was Captain of an Independent Loyal Company, known as the "Nassau (Long Island) Blues," and afterwards Captain in the N. Y. Vols. or King's (third) American Regiment. All these troops were organized by the British government to oppose the rebellion or revolution of the Thirteen Colonies.
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