History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 171

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336

USA > New York > Orange County > History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 171

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Old District No. 19, of 1813. included a portion of boundary lines of the towns, and while it may be ; both of the present towns of Minisink and Green- difficult to be sure after the lapse of sixty-seven years that all the families named were in Greenville, yet a majority must have been, and any others included must have resided very near.

ville, and perhaps of Mount Hope, and is given for convenience at this place : William Wells, Jesse Mulock, William Graham, Jesse Smith, John Tot- ten, George Wood, Charles Buchanan, Stephen Arms- bury, John Reynolds, Nathan Chapman, Widow Bond, Widow Daniel Stewart, Samuel Schoonover, William Goble.

PHYSICIANS.

Dewitt C. Hallock, born in Ridgebury, Wawayanda, graduated in New York, practiced in Denton and Wawayanda, and for the last five or six years of his life in Greenville. He died in 1864.

Dr. Farries practiced here about two years. Dr. Monell also practiced a short time, and until his death. There is now no resident physician. The one old physician of the town for a long series of years was Dr. Church.

69.4

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

IV .- ORGANIZATION.

After Wawayanda was formed from the old town of Minisink, the remaining portion was in very in- convenient form for the transaction of town business, and a short time only sufficed to develop and bring to success a project for a new town. It was organized in 1853, and the first town-meeting held in the spring of 1854.

FIRST TOWN-MEETING.

At an annual town-meeting held in the town of Greenville on the 28th of March, 1854, at the house of Jonathan Woods, in Bushville, in said town, the following resolutions were adopted :

" Resolved, That the next annual town-meeting be held at Greenville, in said town.

" Resolved, That the sum of fifty dollars be raised for the support of roads and bridges.

" Resolved, That there be only two constables elected in this town.

" Resolved, That there be only one commissioner of highways elected in said town."

Presiding officers, Wallace Clark, Zephaniah Brink, Zopher Finch. Entry of March 29, 1854. Town Clerk, Isaac Winter.

The officers elected were Timothy Wood, super- visor; Isaac Winter, town clerk; Jesse V. Myers, Charles Smith, justices of the peace; George T. Dur- land, town superintendent of schools; John C. Buck- bee, Nathaniel Coleman, Richard Hallock, assessors ; Wallace Clark, commissioner of highways; Robert Robertson, Jr., Samuel Y. Clark, overseers of the poor ; Samuel Baird, collector; George R. Graham, Samuel Baird, constables ; David W. Jenks, Abra- ham Wiggins, inspectors of election ; Jesse N. Brown, town sealer.

The overseers of the highway were as follows :

No.

1. Asahel S. Clark.

2. Daniel Green.

32. James Baird.

3. Jesse Green. 33. Joel Baird.

4. Sammel Jones. 34. Zephaniah Brink.

5. David Elston.

35. Nathaniel J. Church.

6. S. Y. Clark.

36. David A. Reed.

7. Victor E. Baird.

37. Daniel C. Myers,

8. S. T. Durland. 38. Lewis B. Smith.

9. Nathaniel Coleman.

39. W'm. Graham.

10. Merritt Remy.

11. Parker Hallock.

12. Joseph Manning.

13. Benjamin Green.

14. Isaac Shute.

15. G. R. Graham.

16. John Hobard.

17. Robert Robertson,

18. Charles Smith.

19. G. A. Durland.

20. Thaddeus Seeley.

21. James Ferguson.

22. James V. Norris.

23. John M. Wickham.

2.1. Levi Clark.

25. James R. Shultz.

26. Jacob H. Todd.

27. John Milligan.

25. John R. Tompkins.

29. Isaac Winter.

59. Moses Davis.

60. Solomon Waring.

The principal town officers from 1854 to 1880 have been as follows :

Supervisors.

1854

Timothy Wood.

1855

Harvey H. Clark.

1856 ..

Isaac M. Seybolt.

1857

1858

1859.

Jesse V. Myers.

1860

Isaac M Seybolt.

IS61

Jesse V. Myers.

1862-63

Stewart T. Durland.

1864

Isaac M. Seybolt.

1865

Ilarvey Il. Clark.

1866

1867-68

Wm. L. Clark.

Wmn. W. Clark.

1870-71

llarvey Il. Clark.

Wm. J. Quick.

1872

Adley W. Ferguson.

1873-74.

George A. Durland.

Stephen N. Carpenter.

1875-76.

Isaac M. Seybolt.

1877

.Wm. L. Clark. $4

George W. Alward. N. S. Hallock.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1854, Jesse V. Myers, Charles Smith; 1855, Wm. Graham, Zephaniah Brink ; 1856, Dorastus Brown; 1857, Samuel Slauson ; 1858, Jesse V. Myers; 1859, Alphens Chapman, Stewart T. Durland; 1860, George A. Durland ; 1861, Stewart T. Durland ; 1862, Jesse V. Myers; 1863, W'm. Smith, John M. Wickham ; 1864, George A. Durland; 1865, Stewart T. Durland; 1866, John M. Wickham, Abraham D. Baird; 1867, Wm. Smith; 1868, Abraham D. Baird, George R. Graham, George A. Durland, Nathaniel R. Quick ; 1869, Nathaniel R. Quick ; 1870, George A. Durland; 1871, Samnel S. Graham ; 1872, Abraham T. Baird ; 1873, Nathaniel R. Quick ; IS74, George A. Dur- land; 1875, D. Terry Graham; 1876, 1ra HI. Baird; 1877, Samnel V. Jones; 1878, George A. Durland; 1879, D. Terry Graham: 1880, Chauncey Carpenter.

V .- VILLAGES. GREENVILLE,

bearing the same name as the town, is centrally situ- ated on the road leading from Goshen to Carpenter's Point. This was known in early years as Minisink village, a name liable to confusion since the division of the town, which left the village Minisink in the town of Greenville. The post-office at Greenville is still known as Minisink. The postmaster at the present time is J. Wallace Brown. The present busi- ness at Greenville is the store of Hallock & Forger- son ; hotel, by James Elston ; blacksmith-shop, James A. Straight; wagon-shop, Henry Simpson; drug manufacturing, by D. C. Hallock ; butcher, Robert C. Burns, delivering to the Port Jervis market. The Baptist church is located here, and the school-house of District No. 5. The present teacher is Mary Reed.

CENTRE POINT

is a hamlet in the south part of the town and near the line of Minisink, popularly known as Log Town or Jackson's Corners. A blacksmith-shop, by George Dickson, and D. V. Myers is also engaged in butcher- ing and delivering regularly to Port Jervis.

SMITH'S CORNERS

is a short distance north of the village of Greenville, and is situated on the direct road that runs along the eastern base of the Shawangunk Mountains. There is a ereamery located here, owned and carried on by D. M. Clark ; a blacksmith -shop, by Richard Ireland. 1 This was formerly a thriving place, with hotels and

Town Clerks.

Isaac Winter.

W. L. Clark.

Alfred L. Clark.

Leonard Bell, Jr.

Harvey II. Clark.

Stoddard W. Slauson.

Albert Shute.

Ezra T. Durland

William B. Jenks.

Sammel W. Reed.

1869.

George A. Durland.

1878-80.

55. Seth Racket.

56. Moses D. Martin.

57. G. R. Taylor.

58. Isaac Cooper.

30. Daniel Canfield.

40. C. Van Buskirk.

41. D. C. Davis.

42. John Clary.

43. Coe Manning.

44. Jesse Hallock.

45. Joshna Mulock.

46. Henry Clark.

47. Abraham Elston.

48. Richard Hallock.

49. A. Chapman.

50. Benjamin Cory.

51. D. W. Jenks.

52. Lawrence Milligan.

53. L. II. Slauson.

54. O. L. Carpenter.

31. J. B. Lee.

695

GREENVILLE.

store, being situated on the main road from Otisville to Coleville, N. J.

BUSHVILLE

is situated nearly central from north to south. This is a well-known point in town and somewhat central, the first town-meeting having been held there. A blacksmith-shop, by Ira Baird; S. R. Decker is en- gaged in butchering and delivering three times a week to Port Jervis.

VI .- SCHOOLS.

At the time Greenville was incorporated only three years remained of the old system of town supervision, all the control of the schools being transferred to the Assembly district commissioners by the law of 1856. The town superintendent of schools elected in 1854 was George T. Durland. In 1856, Samuel S. Gra- ham was chosen to that office, but was "legislated out" before he was sworn in by the new law appoint- ing district commissioners in June of that year. The early school districts are shown under the head of early settlements, as taken from the town books of Minisink.

At the last apportionment of the public money (March, 1880), Distriet No. 1 included 35 children, and received $108.33; District No. 2, 45 children, and $104.55; District No. 3, 42 children, and $113.97 ; District No. 4, 64 children, and $135.01 ; District No. 5, 83 children, and $148.40; Distriet No. 6, 40 chil- dren, and $105.87; Distriet No. 7, 32 children, and $86.37. The whole number of children being 341, and the whole amount of money disbursed $803.50.

VII .- CHURCHES.

THE BAPTIST SOCIETY OF GREENVILLE

etl'ected a legal organization Jan. 27, 1816. The pro- ceedings were signed by James Finch, Jr., deacon, and by David Slauson. The meeting was held at the house of Jonathan Wood, and the trustees chosen were James Finch, Jr., Joseph Elston, Hulet Clark, Thomas P. Young, Benjamin Manning, and Benja- min Drake. We are indebted to the church clerk, Mr. George A. Durland, for the following paper :

The Greenville Baptist house of worship was built in the year 1816, being a branch or an out-station of the Brookfield Church until July 31, 1822, when a council was called consisting of the following-named persons and churches they represented in such council, at the meeting-house in Greenville, viz .: ( Warwick) Eller Philander Gillett, Deacon James Burt, Jeffrey Wisner, (Second Wantage) Elder Zelotus Grenell, Deacon Peter Wintermute, Ebenezer Mead, (Middle- town) Elder Thomas P. Terry, Elihu Cary, (Brook- field) Henry Ball, Deacon John Hallock, James Lain, for the purpose of constituting a Baptist Church of Christ in that place. Elder Henry Ball was chosen moderator, and Jonathan Wood clerk ; prayer by T. P. Terry ; the articles of faith were read and agreed to

by all present; prayer by Elder Hadley ; adjourned to two o'clock P.M.

Met agreeable to adjournment. Elder Z. Grenell preached the constitution sermon ; Elder H. Ball gave the church their charge; J. P. Terry gave the right hand of fellowship ; prayer by Elder Hadley. The following-named persons were dismissed from the Brookfield Baptist Church, July 6, 1822, for the pur- pose of forming themselves into a separate organiza- tion at Greenville, being the constituent members of the church, viz .: James Finch, Jr., David Slauson, Aaron W. Rundle, Joseph Elston, Daniel Durand, Usher Moore, Aaron Howell, Joel Rundle, Jacob Elston, Jonathan Wood, Holmes Elliott, David Els- ton, Phebe Moore, Sarah Howell, Wealthy Harrison, Eleanor Philips, Mary Van Tyle, Nancy Durand, Rebecca Rundle, Nancy Rundle, Sarah Ketchum, Elsie Rundle, Fanny Wood, Elizabeth Elston, Myra Anna Durland, Asenath Durland, Lydia Elston, Elsie Slauson, Louisa Slauson, Prudence Slauson, and Sarah Young.

Aug. 3, 1822, the following-named persons were dismissed from the Brookfield Church to unite with the church at Greenville: Jesse Howell, Clarissa Polly, Jonathan Moore, Elizabeth Moore, Dennis Sullivan, Charity Sullivan, Fanny Stone, Phebe Har- rison, Phebe Seybolt, Priscilla Hazen, Naney Man- ning, Rosilla Durland, Rebecca Spencer, Mary Grey, Amy Norris, Mary Caskey, Ruth Patterson, Lucretia McCane, Sarah Wood, Martha Rogers, Benjamin Elston, and Mary Howell.

Nov. 3, 1838, the following-named persons, mem- bers of the Greenville Baptist Church, were dismissed to form a separate organization at Port Jervis, viz. : Gilbert F. Mondon, Nehemiah L. Mondon, Samuel Barrett, David Decker, Joseph Gibson, Catharine S. Mondon, Naney J. Pierson, Parmelia Birdsall, Catharine Malcom, Mary E. Mondon, Lydia Gumaer, Jane Rhodes, Elizabeth Thompson, and Jane Gumaer.

At the regular meeting of the church, held Aug. 31, 1822, James Finch, Jr., David Slauson, Aaron Rundle, and Jonathan Wood were elected deacons, and Jacob Elston church elerk ; these were the first officers of the church.

Elder Henry Ball was pastor of the church from the time of its organization until about the year 1833. It was afterward supplied by Rev. D. Bennett, at that time residing near Unionville, Orange Co., until 1837. At that time the church settled as their pastor Rev. William II. Jurton, from Philadelphia, who is still living, having charge of a church in Iowa. In the year 1840 Rev. D. Bennett became pastor of the church and continued as such until 1843, when he was sue- ceeded by Rev. C. Brinkerhoof, who continued pas- toral relations with the church two years. The church then called the Rev. Joseph Haughwout, of Middle- town, as their pastor ; he continued in charge of the church until 1848, when he died. The church then ex- tended a call to the Rev. Stephen Case, who took charge

696

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY, NEW YORK.

of the church in May, 1848, and has continued as pastor up to the present time. Owing to the imperfection of the records but little is known of the history of the above-named pastors excepting the last mentioned (Rev. S. Case) ; he was born in the town of Minisink, near Westtown, in the year 1818, of parents who were among the earlier inhabitants of the place where they lived. His grandfather, Ebenezer Mead, was prominently identified with the interests of the Baptist denomination throughout this region of country. Mr. Case nnited with the Mount Salem Baptist Church in 1837, was educated for the ministry at the Madison University, New York, and ordained as a minister of the gospel at Beemerville, N. J. (being pastor of tbat church at the time), in 1846, and continued pastoral relations with that church until he settled at Green- ville.

The present officers of the church are as follows, viz. : Deacons, Coe Manning, Jonathan Stanton, S. V. Jones, A. T. Baird, G. A. Durland ; Church Clerk, G. A. Durland. Number of communicants, 116.

From the records in the office of the county clerk it appears that this church executed a new certificate of incorporation under date of Dec. 29, 1866, the paper being signed by Stephen Case and Lemuel H. Slauson ; and the trustees named were Samnel H. Slanson, George McBride, Evan G. Carpenter, Col. Manning, Alexander T. Baird, and Geo. A. Durland. THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF GREEN- VILLE

executed a certificate of incorporation Dec. 23, 1850. The proceedings were signed by Henry Clark and John Manning. The trustees chosen were Isaac P. King, John Manning, Henry Clark, Joseph Clark, Horace P. Shultz.

The house of worship is said to have been built about fifty years ago, and a church was doubtless formed much earlier than the above date of incorpo- ration indicates. Mr. John Manning states that he himself joined the church in 1836. Other early Meth- odists were Increase B. Stoddard, Sr. and Jr., Simon M. Stoddard, Abel J. Smith and wife, Samuel Smith, and Henry Clark.

Early ministers were Rev. Sedgwick Rusling, Rev. Mr. Grace, and Rev. Bromwell Andrews, the latter about 1836.

The present organization consists of Rev. Henry Litts, pastor ; Leader, John Manning ; Stewards, John Manning, Joseph E. Moore, Robert C. Burns; Trustees, William L. Clark, David Clark, William F. Bodle, William Maloy, Joseph P. Van Ness, Robert C. Burns, James C. Debevoys, Peter Shandaberg; Super- intendent of Sunday-school, Joseph E. Moore.

VIII .- BURIAL-PLACES.

There are several burial-places in town, none of them, however, showing dates early enough to assist much in determining the time of settlement.

They are as follows: the Manning yard, north part of the town ; an old ground near the above, mostly of the Seybolt family, in which there is said to be one stone bearing the name of Sullivan and nearly one hundred years old ; the Seeley ground in the western part of the town ; an old family lot on the Boudewine Cortright farm ; a dilapidated family lot on the old Isaac King farin ; a small family lot on the Cornelius Van Buskirk farm ; a private lot, well kept, on the Mulock farm ; a family lot on the Luther Hallock farm in fair condition ; a small family lot on the old Remy farm, and one on the Webb Jenks' farm.

IX .- SOCIETIES, INCORPORATIONS, Etc. TIIE MINERAL SPRING MINING COMPANY

executed a certificate of incorporation on Sept. 26, 1864. The object was declared to be the "mining and vending of lead and other minerals." The capi- tal stock was fixed at $500,000, to be divided into 100,000 shares. The trustees named were Marvin Beeman, Benjamin E. Brennan, John Eager, Am- brose W. Green, Lewis Beach, F. V. Booth, and John T. Willis.

THE GREENVILLE MINERAL AND MINING COM- PANY

filed a legal certificate Aug. 6, 1864, inereasing the number of trustees to eight, and naming the follow- ing: John Eager, of Batavia, N. Y .; F. V. Booth, of New York City; Albert H. Ilager, of Brooklyn ; Thomas C. Robbins, of Windham, Conn .; and Rus- sell H. Hoadley as the additional members of the board. The instrument was signed by Russell H. Hoadley, M. Brennan, A. W. Green.

X .- INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

The town is emphatically a rural farming district. There are no villages of any large growth and no manufactories of prominence. Most of the crops common to this section of country are cultivated. Considerable wheat is produced. At the present time (November, 1880) there are several fields green and luxuriant as those of Western New York. Still, the town is mostly a grazing district, dairying being a large business. Besides the items of business men- tioned in connection with the villages, there are also establishments for butchering by B. A. Conkling and John Burns. There is a creamery by J. L. Van Fleet in the south part of the town, and another in the east- ern part by Sammuel Van Fleet.

Moore & Van Ness is a firm engaged somewhat ex- tensively in buying live stock and hides. There is a saw-mill and also a eider-mill by Levi Decker.

XI .- MILITARY.

The quotas assigned to the town under official calls during the Rebellion were as follows :

GREENVILLE.

697

Quota. Credit.

July and August, 1862.

37 35

July, 1863, to July, 1864 (consolidated).

July, 1864.

December, 1864

4 4

103

In settlement with the State, under the bounty act of 1865, the town was allowed an excess of forty-two years, $8400, and for volunteers, $3000 ; total, $11,400.

In regard to bonds issued by the town (of which there is no record in the office of the town clerk), Wm. L. Clark, the present supervisor, writes :

" Bonds issued August, 1864 .. 44 Feb. 11, 1865.

.$25,159.00

6,000.00

Total $31,159.00

" The last bond was paid Feb. 11, 1871. Our quota of men under each call was furnished, and in addition thereto a number of volunteers were recruited prior to first call (July, 1862). Only a partial list of vol- unteers has been preserved."

The following list has been prepared from inquiry and from muster-rolls :

Theodore Anderson.

Robert K. Bennett, Co. 11, 156th ; eul. Sept. 25, 1862.

lloratio A. Badgley, Co. 11, 156th ; enl. Sept. 25, 1862.

Martin Burt, Co. 11, 156th ; enl. Oct. 7, 1862.

Ira Baird, 56th.

Edward Buyran, 28th Bat.

Lewie Babcock, 5th Art .; en1. August, 1862.

Wm. W. Cortright, 10th Art. ; enl. Jan. 11, 1864.

Thomas Cortright, 124th ; enl. Jan. 16, 1864.

Jonas Connor, Jesse Connor.

Chauncey C. Clark, 28th Bat., N. Y. V. A.

Nelson G. Campbell, Co. 1, 156th ; eul. Oct. 7, 1862.

John Cortright, 6th Cavalry ; lost his life in the service.

Samuel Cortright, Art .; lost his life in the service.

Charles Daley, Co. 1, 156th ; enl. Aug. 20, 1862.

Charles L. Doty, 28tlı Bat., N. Y. V. A.

Charles L. Decker, 124th ; enl. Feb. 1, 1864.

Stephen Dickson, 124th.

George Decker. 10th Art .; enl. Feb. 1, 1864. Chauncey Elston, Co. F, 124tlı.

Thomas J. Elston, Co. F, 124th.

Gilbert C. Ferris, Co. I, 46th; enl. Oct. 2, 1862.

Fritz Fisher, Co. I, 156th ; enl. Aug. 27, 1862. John Fitzgerald, 18th.

Harvey Griffin, Co. I, 156th ; en1. Sept. 5, 1862.

Munson Green, 168th.

Gideon Hassell, Co. 1, 156th ; en1. Aug. 28, 1862.

Dewitt C. Ilallock, Jr., 28th Bat., N. Y. V. A .; enl. Ang. 5, 1862.

Wm. H. 11. Hunt, Co. F, 124th ; enl. Aug. 15, 1862; credited to Deerpark ; died April 4, 1863, of tyhoid fever.

Peter A. F. Hanaka, Co. F, 124th; enl. Aug. 15, 1862; died in division hospital, of wouds received at Chancelloraville, May 16, 1863.

Ransom J. Hartford,'5th Art.

Benjamin 11ull, Co. E, 124th ; en1. Aug. 13, 1862 ; pro. corp., and 2d sergt. Zebulon Hallock, Co. E, 124th ; eul. Aug. 14, 1862; died of fever at Fal- mouth, Jan. 7, 1863.

Wm. Il. llozier, Met. Guard.

Foster Jump.

Lorenzo Leipold, Co. 1, 156th ; enl. Ang. 28, 1862.

George W. Laufare, Co. I, 156th; enl. Aug. 21, 1862.

Job H. Latéer, Co. A, 168th ; enl. Nov. 22, 1862. - Samuel Latéer, 5th Art.

Horace Latéer, 5th Art.

Bowdoine C. Lee, Co. B, 124th; en1. Aug. 14, 1862; diech. March 18, 1863.

Nathan B. Mullen, Co. K. 124th ; enl. Aug. 15, 1862; credited to Wawa- yanda ; died July 22, 1863, of wounds received at Chancellorsville ; buried in Military Asylum Cemetery, Washington, D. C.

Amasa Quick, Co. F, 124th; enl. Ang. 23, 1862; killed in hattle at Get- tysburg, July 2, 1863.

Abraham McGill, 5th Art.

Chas. Newell, Co. E, 124th ; eul. Aug. 19, 1862; killed in battle at Chan- cellorsville, May 3, 1863.

Joseph Morris. Amzi W. Qnick, Co. F, 124th.

Jouathan W. Rackett, 6th Cavalry ; re-enl., serving 3 yeare and 10 months; injured in a stampede of cavalry.

J. C. Rundle, 28th Bat., N. Y. V. A.

Jacob Roleson, New Jersey.

Samuel Read, 5th Art.

Stephen R. Simpkins, Co. I, 156th ; enl. Sept. 30, 1862.

Leman N. Simons.

Samuel Seeley, 28th Bat., N. Y. V. A .; enl. Sept. 30, 1862.

Ira Seeley, 28th Bat. ; lost his life in the service.

Harlan Seeley, lost his life in the service.

Josiah Seeley, 28th Bat.

William H. Shaw, Co. E, 124th; enl. Aug. 14, 1862 ; must, out June 3, 1865.

Calvin Shaw, William Stolbert.

Michael Shay, New Jersey.

llenry H. Scott, 15th Cavalry.

Floyd Taylor, 5th Art.

Lewis Trimble, 5th Art.

Demmon Van Tnyl, 20th Bat.

Merritt C. Van Tuy1, 124th ; en1. Jan. 9, 1864; wounded in hand May 19, 1864.

Levi S. Wood, Co. I, 156th ; enl. Oct. 7, 1862.

Philetus R. Welch, Co. I, 156th ; eul. Sept. 6, 1862. Daniel Wells.

DEERPARK.

I .- SITUATION, BOUNDARIES, AREA, TITLE.

DEERPARK is situated at the extreme western angle of the county, and is triangular in outline. Its boundaries may be stated as follows: North by Sul- livan County, southeast by Mount Hope and Green- ville, and southwest by the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and by the county of Sullivan. The area of this town is 38,034 acres, as given in the last supervisors' report, but, as often explained, this is only an approximation to the true area. The assessed valuation of the town, 1879-80, was $2,431,680, and the total taxes collected upon that basis were $37,374.27. The title to the soil of this town is derived through the Minisink Patent, with the exception of certain small tracts,-the Arent Schuyler Patent, the Tietsort Patent, and the Cuddeback Patent. The Tietsort Patent was for 400 acres. The deed from the Indians to Tietsort in 1700 is of record in Ulster County clerk's office. His patent is also preserved.

Perhaps there is no place more appropriate than this for a brief statement concerning the dispute over the line between the States of New York and New Jersey, which lasted for many years and involved territory which is now in the town of Deerpark. For a long period the owners of the 1200-acre patent and of the Minisink Patent were troubled by a tedious conflict with the inhabitants of New Jersey, growing out of the uncertain . location of the line between New York and New Jersey, one side claiming it to be further south to a certain point on the Delaware River, and the other farther north to a certain point on the sanie river. It so happened that the line claimed by New Jersey ran through the 1200-acre patent in this county, and certain persons in that State procured a Jersey colony title for a tract of land extending north to this claimed line, and covering a large portion of the 1200 acres. As the line remained unsettled, no action at law could be maintained by either party, and consequently many hard personal struggles took place to maintain or get possession of the lands in question.

The whole difficulty grew out of determining what and where "the northwardmost branch of the Dela- ware River" was. Both parties starting at the same point on the Hudson River, in latitude 40°, New York contended for a line which would strike the Delaware

at the southern extremity of Big Minisink Island,* while the line insisted upon by New Jersey would strike the Delaware just south of Cochecton, making a triangular gore of land between them, growing wider as it ran to the west, where it was several miles wide. In the final settlement this gore was about equally divided between the parties, after being a bone of contention for nearly seventy-five years. Some of the patentees having sold out to others of their num- ber and removed, the party in possession was weak- ened; in consequence of which, and to regain their strength, they gave some of their lands to Harmanus Van Inwegen, a bold and strong man, and who had married a daughter of one of the Swartwouts. The following incident may serve to prove his intrepidity :

Maj. Swartwout resided on the lands in dispute, and some two miles from the settlement on the un- disputed part. Some of the Jersey claimants were watching for an opportunity to enter his house and get possession before he could procure help from his neighbors. He was aware of it, and to counteract the attempt and repel the invaders kept a number of guns ready loaded in his house, with some addi- tional men to work his farm, and lend assistance in a case of emergency. He was major in the militia of the then county of Orange, about the years 1730 or 1740. Notwithstanding the major's precautions to defend his possessions, it appears that at a certain time, about the year 1730, his family were expelled and his goods removed out of the house, and posses- sion taken by the intruders. Assistance was procured from Goshen, which, with the inhabitants of this neighborhood, expelled the inmates and reinstated the major. Afterwards they were informed that the Jerseymen had collected a strong party, with which on a certain day they intended to dispossess the oc- cupants generally on the disputed lands. When the day came the occupants, fathers and sons, all assem- bled at the house of Harmanus Van Inwegen armed with guns and fully equipped. When the Jersey company came in view, the occupants went out into

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History of Orange County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 171

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1336

Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning, 1825-1907, comp; Clark, L. H. (Lewis H.)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1336