USA > New York > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 40
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This point where the road crosses the State line is 605 chains, or 7 miles and 45 chains from the angle in the east Oblong line in Westchester county. On the top of the hill or mountain to the south is a heap of stones supposed to be one of the original monuments made in the survey of the Oblong. The farm was increased in 1763, by the purchase of 100 acres from Isaac Crosby, and by various additions it now exceeds 300 acres. The original house built by Peter Hall is said to have stood on the south side of the road close to the State line. Peter Hall, his grandson, who is now living on the farm, at the advanced age of 90, is the oldest resident in the vicinity. The deed from Wil- liam Smith and James Brown to Isaac Howes, which is now in possession of Mr. Peter Hall, is the only original deed which we have been able to find, given by the original owners of the Oblong. William Smith was a lawyer and judge of great repu- tation. He died in 1769, leaving a large family. Among his sons were Rev. John Smith, who was for many years minister
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at White Plains; Joshua Hett Smith, who was the guide of Major André, at the time of his plot with Benedict Arnold; and William Smith, the historian, of New York.
The old Milltown burying ground is the last resting place of the early settlers of this portion of the town. From the ancient tombstones are copied the following dates of the decease of for- mer residents: Elihu Gage, died June 6th, 1834, age 58; Elizabeth, wife, April 24th, 1838, 64; Samuel Sears, Oct. 10th, 1830, 57; Benjamin Sears, March 12th, 1827, 90; Mary, wife, May 26th, 1814, 78; David Penney, March 23d, 1814, 42; Samuel Hall, Nov. 3d, 1814, 75; Elizabeth, wife, March 23d, 1832, 82; Stephen Crosby, April 10th, 1851, 73; Lidia, wife, July 3d, 1867, 87; Sylvanus Gage, March 13th, 1814, 62; Elizabeth, wife, March 17th, 1814, 62; Isaac Hopkins, March 16th, 1853, 71; Anson Crane, June 7th, 1860, 77; Isaac Crane, June 1st, 1853, 72; Mary, wife, March 30th, 1868, 84; Jonathan Crane, Sept. 25th, 1878, 92; Orrin B. Crane, Nov. 7th, 1864, 70; Thomas Crosby, Feb. 16th, 1844, 76; Hannah, wife, Feb. 24th, 1853, 83; Peter War- ing, June 27th, 1849, 67; Esther, wife, July 16th, 1831, 49; Isaiah Crane, Nov. 28th, 1842, 70; Kezia, wife, April 20th, 1849, 74; Nathan Richards, Feb. 15th, 1839, 62; Cynthia, wife, April 20th, 1848, 72; Ezra Richards, April 25th, 1819, 68; Zalmon Sandford, Esq., April 30th, 1809, 41; Dr. Joseph Crane, Aug. 20th, 1825, 76; Anna, wife, April 4th, 1807, 48; Jonathan Crane, Aug. 27th, 1834, 88; Bethia, wife, May 11th, 1839, 88; David Hall, Nov. 17th, 1830, 75; Lydia, wife, March 25th, 1856, 93; Morton Hall, Feb. 27th, 1818, 75; Patience, wife, March 11th, 1828, 83; Thomas Baldwin, Jan. 28th, 1868, 91; Esther, wife, Nov. 3d, 1864, 72; Edward Rice, Nov. 6th, 1826, 61; Lucy, wife. March 23d, 1826, 55; Andrew Hubbell, Dec. 21st, 1843, 63; Sarah, wife, Aug. 1st, 1866, 84; Phineas Doolittle, July 25th, 1814, 57; Sarah, wife, Dec. 20th, 1817, 55; Capt. Ichabod Doo- little, Dec. 17th, 1806, 76; Deborah, wife, April 21st, 1820, 93; Asa Hoyt, July 31st. 1831, 60; Seth Sears, April 2d, 1809, 73; Capt. Knowles Sears, June 10th, 1817, 79; Capt. Archibald De Forest, May 13th, 1849, 32; Sally, wife, Aug. 3d, 1867, 68; David L. De Forest, Nov. 26th, 1819, 57; Sarah, wife, July 28th, 1822, 56; Jonathan Couch, July 4th, 1845, 68; Esther, wife, May 13th, 1819, 43; Betsy, wife, Nov. 22d, 1861, 73; Heman H. Cole, Aug. 20th, 1864, 40; Timothy Cole, 1866, 82; Eliza, wife, 1867, 76; Col. Isaac Crosby, Nov. 22d, 1829, 46; Solomon Crosby, March
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16th, 1816, 66; Elizabeth, wife, May 3d, 1818, 66; Isaac Crosby, Feb. 17th, 1815, 97; Thankful, wife, Feb. 19th, 1815, 87; Joseph Baker, April 12th, 1847, 81; Nathan Green, Oct. 22d, 1821, 86; Sylvanus Crosby, April 29th, 1814, 45; James Northrop, Oct. 4th, 1855, 73; Joseph Haines, Dec. 17th, 1818, 65; Moody Howes, May 18th, 1827, 75; Esther, wife, Sept. 26th, 1823, 67; Charles Hine, Dec. 24th, 1846, 88.
In 1879, a tract of land on the west side of the old burying ground was bought of Joseph B. Sears, and land was also pur- chased of Peter Hall, Edward Howes, Morgan Horton and Fer- dinand Hoyt, May 2d, 1879, and the Milltown Rural Cemetery was incorporated. The grounds of this cemetery are well kept, and there are many fine monuments erected to the memory of prominent citizens.
On the west side of the road, and a short distance south of the old burying ground, is an old house which dates back to the days before the Revolution. This house was the residence of Nathan Green, who sold it to David Paddock in 1812. The place is now owned by Cyrus P. Hanford, whose mother was Phebe, daughter of David Paddock.
Among the old families who settled here were the Gages. Elihu Gage was one of the early settlers, who came from Cape Cod and took a farm on the Oblong, at the place where Peter Foster now lives. He died Angust 14th, 1802, aged 76. His wife, Grace, died February 24th, 1814, aged 78. They had with other children, a son Thomas Gage, who had sons: Thomas, Elihu, Selah and Ephraim.
Elihu Gage was born in 1776, and died June 6th, 1834. He married Elizabeth Field, and their children were: Elias, Ephraim, Russell, Joseph, Jane, Coles and Janette.
Joseph Gage was the father of Mr. Cornelius R. Gage, now a resident and business man of Brewster.
The Penney family, so well known in the town, are descended from William Penney, who came to the Oblong with his family, from Harwich, Mass., in 1747, and settled about a mile north of Milltown, on a farm which afterward belonged to Jonathan Couch, and is now owned by Clark Barnum. He married Han- nah, daughter of William Gray. Their children were: William, 2d, born May 27th, 1716, died February 21st, 1786; and John, born June 15th, 1720.
William Penney, 2d, married Deborah, daughter of John
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Weeks, and their children were: Temperance; George; William 3d, born 1744, died August 8th, 1807; Edward, and Ammiel.
John Penney married Elizabeth Delano. His children were: Judith; Hannah; and Capt. John, born 1757, died September 27th, 1826.
William Penney, 3d, married Sarah Bangs, and his children were: Archibald, who died October 1st, 1841, aged 67; Robert, born 1776, died April 28th, 1836; and Darius, who married Elizabeth Hall. He lived on the old homestead near Milltown. His widow married Jonathan Couch, who bought the place. His son, Major-General Darius N. Couch, who was a very prominent officer in the war of the Rebellion, was born at this place.
Robert Penney married Betsy Hibbard and his children were: Polly, Huldah, Sally B., William, Esther, Darius, Laura and Elizabeth.
Archibald Penney married Henrietta Wilcox. His children were: Mary, wife of Luther Burhus; Alfred C., now living in Patterson; Sarah, wife of Asa Hoyt; Charles W .; Charlotte, wife of Abner Crosby; Elijah, Hiram, Melissa, wife of Joshua Crosby; James, K., Oliver, Cornelius, and Philip D., the pres- ent supervisor of Patterson.
The most numerous families in this town in former times were the Crosbys. These families are descended from three brothers, Thomas, David and Joshua Crosby, who came from Harwich, Mass.
Thomas Crosby came in 1756, and settled on a farm south of the village of Carmel.
David Crosby came in 1749, and settled on the Oblong. He died October 20th, 1793, aged 85. His wife, Reliance, died in 1788. His children were: Reliance; David, born 1737, died 1816; Susannah; Abner, born December 25th, 1744; Sarah, and probably Eli and Moses.
Joshua Crosby married Lydia Hopkins in 1733, and came to the Oblong in 1749. His children were: Nathan, born 1734; Reuben, 1736; Joshua, 1737; Theodorus, 1739; Elijah, 1742; Hannah, and probably Isaac.
The homestead of Joshua Crosby seems to have been the north part of Lot 10 on the Oblong and his son, Isaac, lived there after him. Eli Crosby died November 22d, 1817, aged 78. He lived on the farm now owned by his grandson, James
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Crosby, north of "Elm Tree Farm," in the town of Patterson. He married Rebecca Sears and had children: Eber, born Sep- tember 8th, 1792, died May 16th, 1836; Eli, 2d; Sears; Thank- ful, wife of William Penney; Huldah, wife of - -- Ryder; Reliance, wife of Alfred Raymond; Esther, wife of Benjamin Sill; and Sally, wife of Joseph Baker. Eli Crosby, 2d, married Laura, daughter of Thomas Crosby (son of Abner). His chil- dren are: James (now living on his grandfather's homestead in Patterson), Charlotte, Sally B., Martha, Ellen, and Harriet, wife of Samuel Brewster, of Brewster Hill.
David Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, had a son Peter, who lived on the farm now owned by Frederick Brewster, near Doans- burg. He was sheriff of the county in 1813, and died in 1831, aged 68.
Moses Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, had sons, Epinetus (who kept a tavern in old times in the village of Patterson), James and Harvey.
Abner Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, owned a large farm on Hinckley Pond. He had sons: Thomas, Stephen and Foster.
Eber Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, married Esther, daughter of John Raymond. ' Their children were: Louisa, wife of Alfred C. Penney of Patterson; Nelson and Sheldon, both of Wisconsin; Lewis, of Brooklyn; Alfred, Francis of Tennessee; Julia, Catharine M., Eli, Orlando of Delavan, Wis .; Laura M., Henri- etta, and Emily B.
Renben Crosby, son of Joshua, was born in 1736, and died in 1819. His children were: Abiel, James, Tertullus, and Desire, wife of Capt. John Penney.
The Columbian Library, long since passed away, was founded in 1825, as may be seen by the following certificate:
"This may certify that whereas between 80 and 90 inhabitants of the town of Southeast, and the towns adjacent have subscribed the sum of about 170 dollars, and formed themselves into a body, for the purpose of establishing a Library, and agreeably to the Statute held our meeting on March 7th, 1825, at the store of Asa Raymond in said town, and elected Ephraim Gage Daniel Hor- ton Samuel B. Baxter Isaac Sellick Jr. and Thomas Higgins, trustees for the ensuing year, and that the name and style of said library is known or called by the name of Southeast Library.
" SAMUEL BAXTER, Chairman."
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This library was kept at Asa Raymond's store, at Milltown, near the school house, for many years. The name was changed to Columbian Library a few years later. The library was finally sold at auction and scattered, and a few of the old books may yet be found among the old residents.
SOUTHEAST CENTER .-- The neighborhood where the Croton Turnpike crosses the Croton River is known as Southeast Center, though it was in former times generally called "Sodom," a name which has very justly been allowed to fall into disuse. This region includes several farms which were sold by the com- missioners of forfeiture. One of the largest was sold to Moody Howes, whose farm was bounded south by the river, north by John Dickinson, and east by David Paddock (whose farm is now owned in part by Belden Richards), and part of the Howes farm was on the northwest side of the river and embraced the premises where the elegant mansion of Seth B. Howes now stands, and which is on the site of the house where Moody Howes lived in olden times. Next north was the farm of John Dickinson, whose mill was an early landmark mentioned in the survey of roads in 1745. North of the farm of John Dickinson was the farm of Edward Rice. The line between them ran through Mud Pond, or Lake Kishtawana, as it has been lately called. Edward Rice's farm was bounded north by the line be- tween Roger Morris' Lot No. 9, of Philipse Patent, and Lot 8, belonging to Philip Philipse. The north part next this line is now owned by Benjamin Foster. Edward Rice left the farm to his son, Samuel, after whose decease it was sold to various parties by his executors. West of John Dickinson's farm was a tract sold to David Cowen. The greater part of all these farms will be covered by the new reservoir which is soon to be built, and Lake Kishtawana will be obliterated. The original farms have long been divided among many owners, and so far as known the place of Mr. Seth B. Howes is the only place in pos- session of the descendants of the original owners, and it has been in his family probably since 1745.
North of Southeast Center, and adjoining the north part of Lot 9, was in former times the farm of John Waring, and the old homestead still remains in the hands of his descendants, being now owned by Mrs. Jane Newman, granddaughter of the original owner. John Waring came to this place from Norwich,
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Conn., before the Revolution and was tenant of a large farm, which ran west to what was then called Waring's Pond, and now known as Lake Tonetta. It was more generally known as "Tone's Pond," from a negro who lived near it.
John Waring's first wife was Joanna, who died in 1779: he then married Mary Elwell. He died February 17th, 1809, aged 73, and left nine children: Peter, Stephen, Polly, wife of George Gregory; Isaac, Samuel, Joanna, wife of Williams; Susan, wife of Jonathan Smith; Ruth, wife of Peter Crosby, and John. Mary, the second wife of John Waring, died De- cember 13th, 1835, aged 89. John Waring, jr,, died April 15th, 1812, at the age of 43. Samnel and Peter Waring both owned large farms on the Philipse Lot to the north. Peter Waring married Esther, daughter of Thomas Crosby. Their children were: Jarvis, William, John T., Edwin, Aurelia, wife of Vin- cent Paddock; Jane, wife of Robert Newman; Laura, wife of Sheldon Hubbell; Hannah, wife of David Underwood; Marrietta, wife of David Ketcham; and Catharine, wife of Levi Roberts. Peter Waring died June 27th, 1849, aged 67, and is buried in the cemetery at Milltown, though most of the family rest in the Sear's burying ground, at Doansburg. The old homestead was bought by Mr. John T. Waring and presented to his sister, Mrs. Jane Newman. Mr. John T. Waring is a prominent citizen of Yonkers.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT SOUTHEAST CENTER was a branch of the old church at Doansburg. That portion of the congregation residing in the south part of the town, wishing to have church services in a more convenient locality, presented a petition to the Presbytery at Bedford to grant them a new or- ganization as the "Southeast Presbyterian Church." To this petition twenty-six names were appended and the Presbytery granted the request June 7th, 1853. On the 14th of June the new church was organized by Rev. Messrs. William Patterson and David Irving, and Elder Lee. George Cole was ordained as ruling elder. The services were first held in "Temperance Hall," opposite the church and now a dwelling. The church edifice was begun in September, 1853, and dedicated June 28th, 1854. The building committee were Judge Ebenezer Foster and Daniel Reed, and the cost was $3,000. This church stands on the north side of the road about one-eighth of a mile east from the bridge over the Croton River.
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The first pastor was Rev. Winthrop Bailey, who came in De- cember, 1853. He remained till the spring of 1862, when the Presbytery released him at his own request. After travelling in Europe, in a vain search for health, he returned to this place and died here April 30th, 1865. He was esteemed as an earnest preacher. In bearing he was courteous, and in Christian char- acter he gave evidence of unusual spirituality. The trees that stand before the church were planted by his hand. His suc- cessor was Rev. Samuel Bailey, who remained a year. Next came Rev. J. M. Carmichael, who stayed the same length of time, and after him Rev. Duncan C. Niven was supply for two years. The pastorate of Rev. A. R. Macoubry began October 28th, 1867, and continued till the fall of 1885. A valuable his- torical sermon was published by him.
No deed for the church lot is to be found on record, but the land is said to have been bought of Nathan A. Howes. A lot for the parsonage was bought of Hannah A. Valentine March 1st, 1859. A new church was built in the village of Brewster, in 1884, but has not been dedicated.
DOANSBURG .- The region in the neighborhood of the First Presbyterian Church, or Union Society, has long borne the name of Doansburg, from the family who have been residents here from the earliest settlement. It was here that the second church was built previous to the year 1761, and here was the home of Rev. Elisha Kent, and the scene of his life long labors. The first deed which we find for land in this vicinity is recorded in the clerk's office of Dutchess county. By this deed William Smith (then lawyer, of New York) conveys "to Elisha Kent of Newtown, Fairfield county, Conn , the two-fifth part of all that lot of land, situate lying and being in Dutchess county, being part of that land, situate, lying and being in Dutchess county being part of that tract of land called the Oblong or Equivalent lands, being Lot No. eleven, Beginning at the monument put in the western bounds of the said surrendered lands at the dis- tance of ten miles northerly from the monument at the end of the twenty miles from Cortlandts Point and runs from thence South twelve degrees thirty minutes west fifteen chains thence south seventy-seven degrees and thirty minutes east seventy- two chains and a half; thence north twelve degrees thirty minutes east seventy-two chains and a half, thence nortli
28
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
seventy-seven degrees and thirty minutes west seventy-two chains and a half to the western bounds aforesaid; thence south twelve degrees and thirty minutes west fifty seven chains and a half to the first station, containing five hundred acres with the allowance made for highways, said two-fifth parts are to be laid out by a line parallel to the most southerly side of the said Lot. Together with all the appartenances, and ex- cepting and reserving mines minerals and pine trees." This is dated August 3d, 1743, the consideration being " £150 in cur- rent money."
The south part of the tract which was thus sold to Rev. Elisha Kent lies directly east of the Presbyterian church, and is the south portion of the farm of Augustus S. Doane, the boundary line between this farm and the land of Frederick S. Barnum being the line between the Oblong Lots 11 and 10. The ruins of an old house are plainly visible a few rods east of the Oblong line and nearly east from the church, and here is the place where Mr. Kent passed his days. The location of the farm and home of the minister readily accounts for the removal of the church from the old site near Dykeman's Station to a place more convenient for the pastor and probably for the people. The family which has given its name to this locality is descended from Elnathan Doane, who came to this region from Cape Cod about 1745. His son, Elnathan, was born in 1747, and died August 13th, 1806, leaving five sons: Zenas, Ed mond, Demas, Elnathan, and Benjamin, whose descendants still remain. The house of Elnathan Doane was where the present homestead of Augustus S. Doane stands and the farm was next north of the farm of Rev. Elisha Kent. In addition to the home farm, he was the holder as tenant of a tract of 351 acres under Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, which is described as "a rough farm." The home farm was small at first, but by many judicious pur- chases and a remarkable tenacity for holding on to them, his descendants are among the largest land holders in the town.
On the 1st of August, 1766, Philip Philipse gave to Moss Kent a perpetual lease for " All that Messuage and Tract of land sit- uate in Philipse Patent, Lot 8, beginning at a walnut sapling at the northeast corner of Ezekiel and Jeremiah Burges' Farm, and from thence runs South 12 degrees and thirty minutes east 25 chains then South 2 degrees 30 minutes east 28 chains and 20 links to Zebulon Bass' farm, then South 80 degrees east 16
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chains and 50 links to the Oblong: then north 11 east 58 chains 70 links by the Oblong to Paddock's farm, then South 80 degrees west 36 chains to the place of beginning. Containing 118 acres including the dwelling house, store house and garden spot of the said Moss Kent around the buildings now within the said Kent's enclosures," "reserving all mines, minerals and ores of metal." The annual rent was to be "the sum of eight pounds current money yearly forever."
The farm thus perpetually leased to Moss Kent, who was a son of Rev. Elisha Kent and in after years a very prominent lawyer, included the lands on both sides of the road, and ex- tended from the church northward along the Oblong, nearly to where the large barn of Augustus Doane now stands. At the beginning of the present century the part of the farm to the east of the road and also the farm to the east which belonged to the Rev. Elisha Kent, were in the possession of one Adad Brad- ley. A mortgage given by him to John Valentine in 1812, de- scribes a tract mortgaged as " beginning on the Oblong line a few rods east of the Presbyterian Church and running north 42 chains and thence west to the highway opposite the barn of Thomas B. Sears," then south along the highway " to nearly opposite the church," and then by the old road to the place of beginning. This was afterward sold to the Doanes who also be- came the possessors of the original Elisha Kent farm, and they are still the owners.
A large white honse on the west side of the road belonging to Eli Baker was once the residence of Rev. Jehu Minor, who was a prominent citizen and well known as a teacher. In the latter part of his life the place was sold to Daniel Reed and Mr. Minor removed to Sing Sing, where he died. On the 15th of October, 1827, Russell J. Minor sold to Reuben D. Barnum, a lot of one acre and fifty rods lying on both sides of the road and on the south side of his farm. The deed, which is a model of explicit- ness, is in Liber E, page 54. Daniel Reed sold the house and farm to James Crosby, in 1851. This piece was bounded on the south by the parsonage lot, which was then occupied by Rev. Mr. Stansbury. Upon this lot Mr. Barnum built a house and store and here the post office was kept by Daniel Reed, while the road was a stage route. In the front of this store, which is still standing, there was in former times a large rock as high as a man's head, with artificial steps cut in it. This rock was
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Chancellor Kent's favorite resort for amusement, when a boy, and in after years when he returned to visit the scenes of his childhood it was one of the old landmarks whose disappearance he most regretted. It was blasted to pieces by Mr. Barnum more than 50 years ago. Russell J. Minor sold his house and farm to Daniel Reed, March 22d, 1845. Mr. Reed bought the store lot (formerly sold to Reuben D. Barnum) of the executors of Eber Crosby, March 16th, 1835. It is now owned by Abm. Sherwood.
The house in which Moss Kent lived, and which was the birth- place of the renowned lawyer, Chancellor James Kent, was pur- chased by the Presbyterian Church of Doansburg, in 1819 It was torn down and a new house for a parsonage was erected on the same site, about 1823. This last mentioned house is now the property of Frederick S. Barnum, Esq., and is on the west side of the road and close to the north line of his farm, and about three rods south of the house and store formerly owned by Reuben D. Barnum. Shortly before the destruction of the old house, Chancellor Kent came to Doansburg to visit once more the place of his birth. As he entered the house he seemed transformed again into a child. He requested at once to be shown a certain room, and then remarked to his guide: " I want to crawl under the bed and put my hand in a knot hole, where my brother Moss and I used to watch for a mouse when we were boys." And suiting the action to the word, down dropped the grave and dignified Chancellor of New York and (not with- out difficulty) accomplished the feat which had tickled his boy- ish heart long years before.
In the year 1846, Mr. John Cullen Van Rensselaer made a journey to Doansburg in search of a family Bible which had be- longed to his grandmother, Lucy, daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent. Previous to starting on his journey, he addressed a letter to his cousin, Chancellor James Kent, making some in- quiries concerning the family and in due time received the fol- lowing reply:
"26 Union Place, June 1st, 1846.
" Dear Sir:
"In answer to your interesting letter of Saturday, I will now give the recollections I have respecting the parents of your mother. It is probable I am the only person now living who can give any information on the subject.
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"Charles Cullen, your mother's father, was an Irishman, and educated well as a merchant. He wrote neatly, read the Eng- lish Classics, and was of small stature and of polished manners. He was generous, amiable and hospitable and most kind to me in the early part of my life. He was married to Lucy, a sister of my father, Moss Kent, and youngest daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent, a Presbyterian minister, who was well educated at Yale College, and who became an ordained preacher and settled, say about 1740, on the Oblong, now the town of Southeast in Putnam county. I well remember being present at a Sunday evening with my father and mother, about the year 1768, at the wedding of my uncle Cullen and my aunt Lucy. She was a very sprightly brunette, with black eyes and hair, and was always most kind to me, and at the recollection of her and her delight- ful connections in my bright and joyous seasons of youth, I feel the tears of sympathy starting in my eyes. When I rode from Norwalk to my father's house in the town near my grandfather, on a Sunday evening Dec. 30th, 1770, my annt Lucy Cullen came out to the street and took me in her arms off the horse, for my blessed mother was then dying and did die in half an hour.
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