History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 66

Author: Smith, James H. (James Hadden); Cale, Hume H; Roscoe, William E
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 868

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 66

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The Hopkins family played a distinguished part in the Revolutionary war as officers and soldiers in the Continental army. Col. Michael Hopkins died in 1773, aged thirty-nine. His wife died in 1771. Roswell Hopkins died in Vermont in 1817. The only descendant of this family now living in Amenia is Mrs. Peter B. Powers, daughter to J. Milton Wheeler, whose mother was a daughter of Roswell Hopkins.

Captain Thomas Wheeler came from Woodbury, Conn., in 1749, and settled in the place now owned by his great-grandson, Erastus Wheeler. Captain Noah Wheeler, son to Thomas, was a patriot, and distinguished himself in battle at Fort Independence. Captain Thomas Wheeler was en- gaged in the French war, and while serving on the northern frontier was taken sick, and on his way home died at Fite Miller's tavern, in Columbia County, September 1, 1757, aged forty-four years. Col. Anthony Wheeler was a prominent man in polit- ical affairs during the war of 1812. Elijah Wheeler, the father of William and Cyrus Wheeler, was from New Marlborough, Mass. He died in 1774, aged forty-one.

Soon after 1750, Abraham Bockée came from New York, where he had been a merchant, to Nine Partners, and located on land which had been pur- chased by his grandfather in 1699, and which has been in the possession of the family to the present time. He was one of the Colonial Justices, ap- pointed by the Crown, as early as 1761, at which time he is mentioned as " a Mr. Bokay,* a Justice

* Doc. Hist. III, 985,

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of the Peace at Nine Partners, near a place called the City." The ancestor of Abraham Bockee was Johannes Bockée, who came to this country in 1685, and who was of that "noble Huguenot stock that has contributed so many families of worth and distinction." Abraham Bockée was the father of Jacob Bockée, and grandfather to the late Judge Abraham Bockée. Jacob Bockée, a graduate of King's College, N. Y., was Captain in the Revolu- tionary war of a company in Col. Marinus Willet's regiment. He was a Member of the Assembly from 1795 to 1797, where he introduced a bill for the abolition of slavery in this State. His wife was sister to the late Judge Isaac Smith. Phoenix Bockée, a brother to Abraham, was Lieutenant in the war of 1812. He died in Poughkeepsie in 1814.

Cornelius Atherton, a son of James Atherton, who came here from Canterbury, Conn., was an iron manufacturer, and had a contract with the government during the Revolutionary war to make fire-arms for the soldiers. During the early part of the war he removed to Wyoming, and with his family barely escaped death at the time of the massacre.

Col. William Barker was the father of the late John Barker, and lived on the same farm. He held several civil offices; was active in the military during the Revolution, and was a Member of the Legislature in 1798-1800. He married Chloe, daughter of John Bronson, in 1763.

Deacon Moses Barlow and his brother, Nathan, came from Sandwich, or Cape Cod, in 1756, and purchased of Meltiah Lothrop the farm after- wards the home of the Swifts, and which they exchanged for the one where Moses Barlow settled, a portion of which is still held by his grandson, Franklin Barlow. Their father, Peleg Barlow, came with them at the age of sixty-seven, and died in 1759. Moses Barlow was the father of Elisha and Thomas and several daughters.

Elisha Barlow was a Member of the Legislature in 1800-'02; a Member of the New York Senate from 1807 to 1810, and in 1808, was one of the Judges of the County Court.

Daniel C. Bartlett, from Redding, Conn., bought of Joel Gillett, in 1803, the farm now owned by his grandson, W. S. Bartlett. He was the father of William and Collins Bartlett, and Mrs. John Barker, Mrs. Thomas Paine, and Mrs. William Paine.

Zera Beach resided a few years near South Amenia, where he was engaged in trade about

1790. He was one of the leaders at Wyoming who signed the Articles of Capitulation. One of his daughters was the wife of James Warren.

Caleb Benton, of Guilford, Conn., purchased of Capt. Lasell, in 1794, the place now owned by his grandson, Myron B. Benton. He was the father of Joel and William. The emigrant ancestor of Mr. Benton was Edward Benton, one of the first settlers of Guilford, the most of whom were from Kent, England. Joel Benton, Esq., was quite prominent in public affairs, and was four times elected to the Legislature.

Silas Belden, from Wethersfield, Conn., settled about 1743, near the foot of Plymouth Hill, on a tract of land which his father purchased in New York, and which was afterwards described as situ- ated in Charlotte and Amenia Precincts. His sons were Silas, Jr., and Lawrence. Joseph Bel- den was the son of Silas, Jr., and the father of Taber Belden, whose home in the south part of the town is now occupied by his son. Taber Belden was twice a Member of the Legislature, and often served the public as a wise counsellor.

Captain John Boyd came here from Orange County previous to 1769. He married the daugh- ter of Conrad Winegar, and lived a little south of Amenia Union in a house which he built, now standing, and in which he died in 1817. He was the father of Samuel, Gilbert, David, and others.

Lemuel and William Brush, sons of Reuben Brush, from Long Island, lived in the west part of the town, not far from the City. Lemuel married Mary Perlee, and his sons were Perlee, Jesse, Platt, John and Henry.

Judah Burton came from Horse Neck, now Stamford, Conn., previous to 1762. The house which he built is the brick house now the residence of Edmund P. Carpenter. He was an officer in the war of the Revolution, in the Commissary De- partment, and is spoken of as "Commissary- General."

Ezra Bryan, one of the true Whigs of the Revo- lution, and father of the late Amos Bryan, lived in the north part of the town, where the family have since resided. Ezra Bryan, David, and others, are of that family. Amos Bryan was Member of Assembly in 1840.

The ancestors of the Carpenter family of this town and vicinity came from England to Massa- chusetts in 1638, and from there to Long Island in 1686. In 1752, Daniel Carpenter purchased land in Crom Elbow Precinct, near Salt Point, where he died in 1777. His son, Benjamin, being

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excessively persecuted by the Tories, sold his land there, and purchased the lands which, with subse- quent additions, made in part the farm of his son, Hon. Morgan Carpenter, now of Isaac S. Carpen- ter. Benjamin Carpenter also purchased for his sons, S. Pugsley and Daniel, the Evartson farm in Amenia, south of the City, where Daniel remained until his death. Daniel married Zaydee Perlee. Morgan married Maria, a daughter of Jacob Bockée.

Joseph Chamberlain came from Tolland, Conn., in 1755, and settled on the farm afterwards owned by the Nye family, where he is supposed to have built the house, now on the place. He was buried near the Steel Works, in 1765. His sons were Colbe, James, John and William. Col. Colbe was the father of Joseph, Conrad and Henry. John was a physician of skill and prominence. Capt. William Chamberlain, the father of Oliver and James, lived on the farm now owned by J. H. Cline, and kept a tavern there, which was much frequented in the time of the Revolution. He was in the battles of Bennington, Saratoga, and others, and both he and his brothers were zealous patriots.

Peter Cline,* a native of Germany, came here from Rhinebeck in 1760. He came from Ger- many to this country about 1752 or '53. He was one of the "Redemptioners," who paid for their passage to America by their service here after- wards, to which they were bound by the captain who brought them over. Mr. Cline purchased of Capt. Isaac Delamater, where his great-grandson, Edward E. Cline, now lives, one-half of Oblong Lot No. 49, for $10.50 per acre. He left one son, John Cline, who died in 1845, aged eighty-nine, and one daughter, the wife of Allen Hurd. The sons of John Cline were Peter, Allen, Philo and Ebenezer. One of his daughters was the wife of Asa Hurd, and another was the wife of Thomas Swift.

Major Nathan Conklin came from East Hamp- ton, L. I., in 1781, and settled in the northern part of the town. He was an intelligent and public spirited man, and was frequently Moderator of town meetings. In those days to be Moderator of town meetings was considered a high honor. Capt. Benjamin Conklin, the father of Dr. Ebene- zer Conklin, of Amenia Union, was from Nor- walk, Conn. He lived in Sharon many years, and in the later years of his life near Amenia Union.

Captain David Collin, father of the late Capt. James Collin and others, was born in Milford,

Conn., in 1734, and came to Amenia previous to 1764. He was the son of John Collin, who was born in France in 1706, and who came to America on account of religious persecutions and settled in Milford.

Rev. John Cornwall, father of Eden B. Corn- wall, and grandfather of Hon. W. I. Cornwall, was from Cornwall, Conn. He lived at the "Separate" and ministered there, and at the City, and occasion- ally at the Red Meeting House.

Jacob Evartson, a native of New Jersey, came to Amenia in 1762, and purchased the south half of Lot No. 33, of the Nine Partners, about 1,700 acres. In 1763 he built the large brick house, afterwards the residence of Daniel Carpenter, about a mile south of the City postoffice. He owned a large number of slaves. He was for some years a merchant in the City. His ancestors were from Amsterdam, in Holland, where for three generations they had held the position of Admiral in the Dutch Navy.

In 1776, Jacob Evartson was one of the Depu- ties from Duchess to the First Provincial Congress of New York. He died in 1807, in Pleasant Val- ley, to which town he had removed about 1795.

John Garnsey, father to Deacon John Garnsey, Dr. Ezekiel Garnsey, and others, came from New Haven county, Conn., and settled where the fam- ily still remain. He was a courageous and con- scientious patriot.

Roger Gale lived in the western part of the town as early as 1776. One of his descendants went from Amenia and founded the town of Galesburgh, Illinois.

Deacon Asa Hollister a native of Glastonbury, Conn., came here about 1780, and settled on the hill west of Noah Wheeler's place. He was a dis- tinguished Christian of Puritan stamp. His father and a brother were killed at the massacre of Wyoming, and other members of the family es- caped. He was father to the Rev. Allen Hollis- ter, Asa, Jr., and Timothy.

The family of Ingraham came from Bristol, Rhode Island. Jeremiah Ingraham, the father of George and Thomas, purchased lands of William Davies in 1789. George purchased land of Davies in 1794, and Thomas purchased of Evartson about 1772. There were many descendants of this fam- ily who ranked prominent as exemplary citizens.

In the latter part of the century Samuel Jarvis, of Redding, Conn., came to Amenia and located on the farm where Hiram Cooper lives. He lived in the old house near Mr. Cooper's. He was of

* This name was originally Klein.

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an English family of good standing, many of whom adhered to the Crown during the Revolution.

Justus Powers, a native of Naumburg, Ger- many, born in 1731, emigrated to America in 1752, and settled first in Rhinebeck, where he married Elizabeth Moule. He came to Amenia about 1758, and purchased lands at different times, some of which are still occupied by the family. His sons were John, Jacob, Frederic, David and Peter. His daughter, Christine, was the wife of Jonathan Pennoyer. His daughter Catherine married David Rundall. Jacob Powers was a soldier in the Rev- olution. David removed to Saratoga County ; the other sons and the two daughters died in Amenia. Peter Powers, son of Justus, was born in Amenia in 1776. He was one of the pioneers of Methodism in this town. He died in 1848, leaving several daughters and one son, Charles W. Powers who was born in 1797, was married to Jane A. Benjamin in 1819, and died in 1866. Peter B. Powers, now living here, is his son.

Elijah Park, who was of English ancestry, came to Amenia from Rhode Island in 1768. At the close of the Revolutionary war he purchased a tract of land which had been confiscated to the government, near what is now Sharon Station where he built a commodious house which is yet standing. He was a man of great stability of character, and a public spirited and influential citi- zen. He died in 1795. His children were Thom- as, Daniel, Rufus, Elijah B., James, John, George, Louisa and Olive. Elijah B., died in Amenia ; the other sons removed to Broome county. Louisa Park, who was the wife of Bela E. Benjamin, died in Amenia, in 1863, aged eighty-eight years. Her grandson Peter B. Powers, is the only representa- tive of the Park family now living in this town.

John Balis was one of three brothers who came over from England at an early day. He settled in Amenia, and was the father of several sons, one of whom, William Balis, was born May 18, 1781, and who married Polly Culver, also a native of this town. William Balis held various offices of public trust. He was quite extensively known as a man- ufacturer of grain-cradles. The house in which he lived stood in the rear of what is now the Baptist parsonage. He was the father of a large family of girls and one son, Abiah P. Balis, who was born January 10, 1805. Abiah P. Balis followed for many years the business of his father. He was also a farmer, and owned the farm just south of the Amenia ore-bed, which he sold to N. Gridley in 1854, and afterward moved to a farm two miles

east of Amenia village, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was married twice ; first to Jane Case, of Amenia, and next to Mary J. Gregory, of Sand Lake, Rensselaer County. He had a large family of children, six of whom are still living. He died March 20, 1873, leaving a daughter and son by the first wife, and two sons and two daughters by the second wife. The second son, Franklin Balis, was born September 14, 1846, married Hattie A. Cline, of Amenia, in May, 1878, and lives on the old homestead farm. He has two sons, making the fifth generation born in this town. The third son, William Balis, was born March 12, 1857.

Thomas Mygatt, the father of Preston and Thomas, came from New Fairfield in 1772, and purchased the lands where he resided, and which are still in the possession of the family. He was a descendant in the sixth generation of Deacon Jo- seph Mygatt, one of that company of Puritans who emigrated to this country in 1633, and who came with Rev. Mr. Hooker and his company in 1636, and began the settlement of Hartford.

The Paine family of this town are descendants of Elisha and Joshua Paine. Abraham Paine, son of Elisha Paine, of Canterbury, Conn., came to Amenia in 1841 or '42. Joshua Paine, nephew to Elisha, and father of Judge Paine and Barnabas, Sr., settled here in 1849, in the eastern part of the town, on lot 59 of the Oblong. Ichabod Paine was the son of Rev. Solomon Paine, of Canterbury, and grandson to Elisha. These were all descend- ants of Thomas Paine, who came to Plymouth from England, in 1621.

The Reeds of Amenia were from Norwalk. In 1759, James Reed was one of a company of Con- necticut troops who passed through this town on their way to Canada to the aid of General Wolfe in the conquest of Quebec. While on the way the company received news of the capture of Quebec, and were ordered to return. Mr. Reed was so pleased with the Oblong Valley, through which he leisurely returned, that he induced his father, Dan- iel Reed, to purchase for him some land here, which he did, where the late Philo Reed, son of James, resided until his death. The brothers of James Reed, who came here a few years later, were Ezra, who lived where Huldah Bump did and who with his family went afterwards to Hudson and Coxsackie ; Elijah, who owned the farm which he left to his son, Elijah, Jr., and Eliakim, who set- tled where his grandson, Newton Reed,* now re- sides. Mrs. Stephen Warren, was a sister of these.

* Author of History of Amenia.

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HISTORY OF DUCHESS COUNTY.

Captain David Collin, father of the late Capt. James Collin and others, was born in Milford,

Jacob Evartson, a native of New Jersey, came to Amenia in 1762, and purchased the south half of Lot No. 33, of the Nine Partners, about 1, 700 acres. In 1763 he built the large brick house, afterwards the residence of Daniel Carpenter, about a mile south of the City postoffice. He owned a large number of slaves. He was for some years a merchant in the City. His ancestors were from Amsterdam, in Holland, where for three generations they had held the position of Admiral in the Dutch Navy.

In 1776, Jacob Evartson was one of the Depu- ties from Duchess to the First Provincial Congress of New York. He died in 1807, in Pleasant Val- ley, to which town he had removed about 1795.

Roger Gale lived in the western part of the town as early as 1776. One of his descendants went from Amenia and founded the town of Galesburgh, Illinois.

In the latter part of the century Samuel Jarvis, of Redding, Conn., came to Amenia and located on the farm where Hiram Cooper lives. He lived in the old house near Mr. Cooper's. He was of

* This name was originally Klein.

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an English family of good standing, many of whom adhered to the Crown during the Revolution.

Elijah Park, who was of English ancestry, came to Amenia from Rhode Island in 1768. At the close of the Revolutionary war he purchased a tract of land which had been confiscated to the government, near what is now Sharon Station where he built a commodious house which is yet standing. He was a man of great stability of character, and a public spirited and influential citi- zen. He died in 1795. His children were Thom- as, Daniel, Rufus, Elijah B., James, John, George, Louisa and Olive. Elijah B., died in Amenia; the other sons removed to Broome county. Louisa Park, who was the wife of Bela E. Benjamin, died in Amenia, in 1863, aged eighty-eight years. Her grandson Peter B. Powers, is the only representa- tive of the Park family now living in this town.

The Reeds of Amenia were from Norwalk. In 1759, James Reed was one of a company of Con- necticut troops who passed through this town on their way to Canada to the aid of General Wolfe in the conquest of Quebec. While on the way the company received news of the capture of Quebec, and were ordered to return. Mr. Reed was so pleased with the Oblong Valley, through which he leisurely returned, that he induced his father, Dan- iel Reed, to purchase for him some land here, which he did, where the late Philo Reed, son of James, resided until his death. The brothers of James Reed, who came here a few years later, were Ezra, who lived where Huldah Bump did and who with his family went afterwards to Hudson and Coxsackie; Elijah, who owned the farm which he left to his son, Elijah, Jr., and Eliakim, who set- tled where his grandson, Newton Reed,* now re- sides. Mrs. Stephen Warren, was a sister of these.

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History of Duchess county, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 66

Author: Smith, James H. (James Hadden); Cale, Hume H; Roscoe, William E Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 868

Author: Smith, James H. (James Hadden); Cale, Hume H; Roscoe, William E
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 868