USA > New York > Westchester County > Tarrytown > Souvenir of the revolutionary soldiers' monument dedication, at Tarrytown, N.Y. October 19th, 1894; > Part 12
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That the Van Wart family were thoroughly patriotic and fui- nished their full quota of the Revolutionary soldiers of this Manor is evidenced by the large number whose names appear upon the roll of honor, including as it does one of the captors of Andre, whose fame in that connection has quite obscured the brilliant service rendered by his cousin and namesake, Lieut. Isaac. Van Wart, also of this Manor. The following concerning him is copied from the archives at Albany and Washington :
'The petition of Isaac Van Wart, late a Lieutenant in Philip Van- Cortlandt's Regt., respectfully showeth : That in the year 1775 he was appointed af Lieutenant in Capt. Ambrose Horton's Company in a Regt. commanded by Col. Jas. Holines; that he served that Campaign in the siege of St. Jolins, and in the winter he marched with the army to the siege of Quebec, and continued with the army there until their return. That immediately after his return home he again enlisted into the ser-
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vice of his country, and was under Gen. Washington near New York ; that he continued with the army and commanded a platoon at the tak- ing of the Hessians at Trenton ; that in January 1777, he received a commission of First Lieut. in Col Philip Van Cortland's Regt., and so continued in the service until 1779, when he received an injury from a fall that rendered him for some time unable to discharge the duties of an officer. That he afterwards continued to reside in the County of Westchester and was engaged as a Volunteer in every importaut enter- prise against the enemy in that quarter during the remainder of the war. That since the establishment of peace he has removed to Pittstown, Rensselaer Co. That he has a large family of children to support, and asks for the allotment of lands given to officers.
To enumerate some of the important actions in which he was engaged: Was an officer of the Line, 1776. Had command on board the Galleys in their attack on the Phenix and Rose at Tarrytown, in July of that year. Was in the Battle at White Plains and at Trenton; in 1777 was present at the surrender of Burgoyne, and was afterwards at the Battle of Monmouth. That the best days of his youth were spent in the ser- vice of his country ; that he is now upwards of 60 years of age, and asks for the Bounty lands to which he may be entitled by reason of such ser- viee. Application dated Mareli 19, 1813.
Samuel Youngs being duly sworn deposes and says that he was well acquainted with the said Isaae Van Wart before the year 1775; that he well remembers his enlisting, and a number of others in that year, and that they sailed from Tarrytown to the northiward ; and that the said Isaac Van Wart was then a Lieutenant; that he did not return until sometime in the latter part of the ensuing spring. That he was in the service again that year, and in the beginning of the year 1777 he kept his home at the house of the father of this deponent, and in a short time enlisted more than 30 men, and this deponent well remembered to have seen the said Isaac Van Wart, and a number of the soldiers that enlisted under him doing duty in the Regiment of Continental troops commanded by Col. Philip Van Cortlandt. The said deponent has always understood from the officers and soldiers that served with the said Isaae Van Wart that he was a very bold, active and enterprising officer, and that sueli was his reputation on the lines in the County of Westehester. Also attested to by Samuel Hitchcock, who was with Lieut. Isaac Van Wart in the capacity of a servant.
The following is the declaration of the widow of Lieut. Isaac Van Wart made in her application for a pension date of Nov. 16, 1840:
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That she was born in the town of Mt. Pleasant, Westchester Co., N. Y., and married Jan. 24, 1779, at the then parish of Hanover, in said Co., by Rev. Samuel Sackett, her maiden name being Amy Bishop. Isaac Van Wart being a Lieut. in Col. Van Cortlandt's Regt. at the time of the marriage. He drew a pension of $320 per annum. He dicd July 13, 1840. David Henry, of Lansinburgh, makes affidavit in support the claim of Isaac Van Wart's widow ; says he then resided at Lansinburgh, aged 86, and a pensioner ; he well knew Isaac Van Wart to be a Lieutenant in the army of the Revolution. In May, 1775, he was enlisted in the service by him at White Plains. Ambrose Horton was the Captain, and Isaac Van Wart Ist Lieut. In the latter part of May, 1775, we embarked at Tarrytown and came to Albany, and there remained till the latter part of July. Then went to Lake George, and thence to Ticonderoga and thence in the latter part of Oct. to St. Johns. "I well remember Isaac Van Wart was my Lieut. in the expedition to St. Johns', Canada."
Lieut. Van Wart was the son of Abraham Van Wart, and born at Tarrytown, 13th April, 1750. Was a cousin of Isaac Van Wert, one of the captors of Andre; appointed 2d Licut. 1775; Ist Lieut. '76 in 6th Company, 2d Regt .; was at storming of Quebec and saw Gen. Montgomery fall. He was descended from Martin Van Waert, who came to New Amsterdam 1650 from Utrecht, and married Susanna Verplanck at New Amsterdam, (New York,) Dec. 4, 1660. Licut. Isaac had ro children.
Abraham Van Wart, father of Lieut. Isaac Van Wart, was the son of Abraham, Sr., and Antie Mcy his wife, (she the daughter of Martinus Mey and born in Germany) and bapt. Sept. 19, 1730, his brother Martinus Van Wart, the father of Isaac the Captor, having been bapt. June 26, 1733. Abraham Van Wart, Sr., was the son of Gerridt Van Werdt and Catalyntie his wife, and bapt. at the old Dutchi Church, March 21, 1710. Gerrit was probably the son of Martin Van Werdt, the first of the name in this country.
That Martinus Van Wart, the father of Isaac the Captor, was a Patriot Soldier and did some service, is evidenced by the following taken from an account of the action at Youngs' House which has been published: "It appears that Captain Roberts with his Company was stationed at Martinus Van Wart's, who lived about a mile west of the Upper Cross Roads, and near the Saw Mill River. He had moved at command to the support of Colonel Thompson at Youngs' House, and held the right of the line. A noted Tory who was with the British
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advance, it is said singled him out, and so he was early shot down. Martinus Van Wart and some of his Patriot neighbors, hcaring the firing came up, and did some skirmishing on the flanks of the red coats, and as soon as the enemy had finished the work of destruction and had retired, they camnc upon the scene to minister to the wounded and bury the dead. They found Capt. Roberts lying where he had fallen on the snow, inhumanly sobbed of whatever he had of value on his person, and fearfully wounded. They got a sled and a bed, and putting him upon it took him home to Mr. Van Wart's, where he died that night."
CAPTURE OF ANDRE.
The following is a statement of Isaae Van Wart, communicated to Mr. Browere, the artist, in the summer of 1826, concerning the cap- ture of Major Andre in which he participated:
"I am the third son of Martinus Van Wart. I was born at Greenburgh, Westclicster County ; don't know on what day, but was christened on the twenty-fifth of October, 1758. When a division of the American Army was at North Castle, commanded by Colonel Jami- son, I went on a scouting party, consisting of two besides myself, in order to way-lay the Cowboys or Refugees, who, we had noticed, passed the north river post, daily, with cattle, horses, shcep, ctc. While at the encampment at North Castle, John Paulding eame one afternoon, to inc, saying, 'Isaac, have you any objection to going with 111e 011 a scout, below?' 'No,' says I. We then started between three and four in the afternoon, with our English rifles on our shoulders, and proceeded southward. After walking a mile or so, we fell in with David Williams, and persuaded him to accompany us on our expedition. At night, we came to neighbor John Anderson's barn, at Mt. Pleasant, and slept on the hay until daybreak. We next crossed the fields to the north river post-road ; and about half past seven o'clock, we canic to the widow Read's house, got some milk and a pack of playing-cards. At nine we reached the field beside the road, now the property of Mr. Wildey, three-quarters of a inile from Tarrytown. Getting over the fence, we found it filled with thick bushes, underwood, &c. We cleared a spot, and Paulding, taking out the cards, said, 'Boys we will draw cuts -- two can play, while the third stands sentry.' The cuts were made, and I was to stand sentinel.
"During fifteen or twenty minutes, several neighbors, whose political principles I well knew, passed the field where we were, with-
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out discovering us-Paulding and Williams keeping a perfect siler and I laying down within the bushes, close to the fence. Shortly ( twenty or thirty minutes from the time of our arrival) I saw a horsem. ride slowly along on a black horse, the rising ground, directly oppon; to where the Tarrytown academy now stands. I said to Paulding a .. Williams, 'Here's a horseman coming ; we must stop him.' Wegot : with our firelocks ready, and waited for him to advance.
"As soon as he (it was Major Andre) saw us standing by th. fence, he reined in his horse, and riding straight up to us said, 'Go bless you, my dear friends, I hope you belong to our party !' Wcaske: 'What party ?' Without hesitation, he smilingly replied, 'Why th .. lower party.' 'I am a British officer; and to convince you that I a'. a gentleman, and aver the truth, see, here is my gold watch.' W. told him he was wrong ; for we neither belonged to his nor to the lowc: party, but were Americans, and that he was our prisoner.
"He started, changed color, and fetching a deepsigh, said, 'Go bless my soul! a body must do anything to get along now-a-days." Thereupon he showed us General Arnold's passport, and said : "I have been in the country on particular business and hope you won't detas me a minute.' After we had read the passport we ordered him to dis- mount and follow us. We then took down the fence and led him and. his horse through into the thicket. Williams put up the fence as at first, that no suspicion or inquiry should arise from seeing it down. When Williams came up, Major Andre requested us again to release him, and said he would give us any sum of money we might ask, any quantity of dry goods. You know our answer. After searching his clothes, we ordered him to sit down, and pulling off his boot, we perceived that his silk stocking sagged a little. We took that off, an ! found in it three letters that were not sealed. On taking off his othe- boot and stocking, we found three more unsealed letters, which con- tained correct description of the posts, redoubts, cannon, &c., of Wes Point and other places. After we had taken possession of these doct: ments, he said, 'Now you have gotten all, lead on.' He put li ... stockings and boots on and followed us to the road. Replacing the fence, we allowed him to remount his horse and go in advance. You never saw such an alteration in any man's face. Only a few minutes before, he was uncommonly gay in his looks; but after we had made him prisoner, you could read in his face that he thong !:: it was all over with him. We felt for him; but that was all we could do, so long as we meant to be honest to our country. We
4
THE CITIZENS
OF KEPT, 1TRO
WESTCHESTER!
TO BY
DEDICATED
THIS TUMB.
AULCING,
13 .
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ISAAC VAN WART'S MONUMENT AT OLD GREENBURGH CHURCH.
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made our way as quickly and silently as we could, to the encampment at North Castle. We never went into the main road, but kept in the by-ways, and never stopped except to give the prisoner a little milk or so, which we got from the country people. When we arrived at Sands Mills, which was ten miles from where we captured him, we sur- rendered the Major to the commanding officer, who was Colonel Jamieson.
"I wish you to know, that after traveling one or two miles, Major Andre said, "I would to God you had blown my brains out when you stopped me.' During this speech, and the whole of the journey, big drops of sweat kept continually falling from his face. He suffered much in mind, as was apparent from his great dejection ; but he acted like a gentleman, candidly and politely. He never once attempted to escape."
Isaac Van Wart was baptised Oct. 25, 1758, and died May 23, 1828. He married Rachel, daughter of Nicholas Storms, and had two sons, Abram and Rey. Alexander Van Wart. Was buried at the old Greenburgh Church, Elmsford, of which he had long been an estcemed member. A moment was there erected by the citizens of Westchester County in his honor. The silver medal which he received. at the hands of Washington in recognition of his patriotic services is a priceless treasure in the hands of his descendants.
The following concerning the Abraham Van Wart, brother of. Isaac, and his family, is copied from Munsell's American Ancestry :
"Amnes Van Wart, Esq., of New York city, born there Jan. 20, 1841, married Apr. 13, 1869, Carolina Marshall Roberts, daughter of Marshall of New York, son of Irving Van Wart, of New York city, born there Mar. 7, ISO8, who married 1839, Sarah Craig Ames, son of Henry, born at Tarrytown, 1783, died at Edgbaston, Birmingham, Eng., in Mar. 1873 ; was in business with the Irvings and chosen as the partner to go to England, which he did before the war of 1812; married Sarah, sister of Washington Irving, and it was at her home that Washington Irving wrote 'Sketch Book.' He son of Abraham of New York city, said to have been an adjutant in Washington's army, and known as 'The King of Holland,' owing to his fine presence and splendid physique."
The following copied from the Book of Audited Accounts in the State Library at Albany, shows the date and manner of death of brave Lieut. John Van Wart :
State of New York, Dr.
To Mary and Daniel Van Wart, children of John Van Wart, late Lieutenant in Lieut. Col. Hammond's Regt., for seven years, half pay, he having been slain on the field on the 4th of March, 1782.
Audited Dec. 10, 1754.
4.
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William Van Wart was pensioned by the State for wound! received in the service. Date of July 3, 1786, he made affidavit before- James Requa, Esq., that he served as a private in Col. Hammond', Regiment, and that while in such service he was disabled by two wounds ; one in his left shoulder, and one above his left eye. Was placed on the Invalid Pension roll from May 25, 17So, which would indicate that day as the date of his being wounded.
Henry Van Wart, who was a Pensioner, died in the city of New York, Sept. 25, 1833 ; was buried in the old Dutch Churchyard.
In the State Treasurer's Accounts at Albany, is found the fol- lowing : "Paid William Van Wart for transporting the baggage of Achmutz and other Tory prisoners from Tarrytown to White Plains, July 3, 1776, {1. 16s." So the Van Warts were put in charge of the Tories. They were tried and true. The Revolutionary records of the Van Warts on this Manor is very creditable, and in the French war two of that name appear upon the old Muster rolls, Abram Van Wart, aged 21, and William Van Wart, 20. This of the date of 1759.
The Van Warts were intermarried with all of the good old fami- lies on this Manor, notably with the Dutchers, the Ackers, the Stormns, the Sccs, the Martlings, the Davids, and the Odells. In fact, there was so much of commingling of these families that it is difficult to tell where the one begins and the other ends ; whether one of the descendants is more of a Van Wart than he is an Aeker, or more of an Acker than lic is a Van Tassel, or more of a Van Tassel than he is a Dutcher, or more of a Dutcher than lic is a Davids, or a Davids than he is a Storm, or a Storm than he is a Sce, or a See than he is a Martling, or a Mattling than he is a Requa, or a Requa than he is a Dean ; or a Dean than he is a Concklin, or a Coneklin than he is a Jewell, or a Jewell than he is a Buckhout, or a Buckhout than he is a Tompkins, or a Tompkins than he is an Odell. All of which affords an interesting study to the antiquarian.
The Van Warts, so numcrous here in the early days, have now almost entirely disappeared from this vicinity. They were sturdy burghers of good Dutch ancestry, and had in them those elements of virtne and character which are the foundation of the state, and make good government, and the institutions of freedom and liberty possible among men.
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The Requa Family.
The story of the Requa Family as related to Philipse Manor dur- ing the Revolutionary struggle, and subsequent to that period, is one of not a little interest. Although the migration of the Requas here was confined to a single family of that name, and that at a period not carlier at least than 1730, and after the settlement here under Frederick Philipse had existed for fifty years ; from 1775 to 1784 they seem to have been a regnant family here, furnishing their full quota of commissioned officers and of rank and file in support of the Patriot cause. It is indeed inspir- ing to look at such a record, and it may well be cause for congratula- tion to all who bear that honored name. As to the early history of that family in this country and on this Manor, it has been found difficult to make a satisfactory tracing, and to evolve the exact historical facts, verifying from the records the interesting family traditions, which naturally differ somewhat as variously received through various sources, though all happily agree in the unquestioned claim of honorable Hugue- not descent. The late Chas. M. Requa, a grandson of Abraham and great-grandson of Daniel Requa, who spent much of time in making researches concerning the family and who gathered a large amount of statistics in the shape of family trees and other interesting data, left the following memorandum in regard to the original emigration and emi- grants of that name :
They came from La Rochelle, France, about 1690. They were Huguenots, and per- secuted by the Romish Church and the state authorities. Gabriel's and Jane's parents came in the same ship, but many died, as it was very sickly with the fever, and Gabriel and Jane's parents died just before they came off Sandy Hook, N. York. Gabriel and Jane settled at New Rochelle, N. Y., on Muddy Brook. They had much money as they
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were a wealthy family in France. They could not collect but a small part of it as t ... authorities seized and sold all they could get hold of, of lands around La Rochelle and. .. the eity ; but notwithstanding this they collected a considerable amount. My Grand' ... ther (Abraham) informed me that Gabriel had a brother on board the same ship, as he has. been told by the oldest in the family and when Gabriel and James' parents were dead, ! - having an equal share with his brother's money he took charge of it and James' a.s. arrived in New York, and purchased what necessaries they were in want of, clothing, & procuring and paid board for them, (it is said by my grandfather that Gibriel was aby .. 10 or twelve years old and Jane about the same age when they came here) several years. and took the amount of each's money, and went south with the intention of returning, but was never heard of since.
The following is a memorandum of a conversation held by Chas. M. Requa with Amy Delanoy, daughter of Capt. Glode, about 1845. she being then nearly 80 years old. As will be seen it differs on some material points with the foregoing, and seems in some respects more reasonable, as it is also more full and explicit :
"The Requaw family lived in Paris previous to their departure from that country (France) in consequence of the persecutions by the Romish church of all Protestants. Huguenots as they were called. The family was rich in houses, lands and stocks ; but the persecution was so bitter that they fled in the night to save their lives, leaving behind the greater part of their property which they could not convert into money. There were eleven other families which fled at the same time and from the same cause ; they were strictly forbidden to read the Bible, or to hold religious meetings of any kind The Romish priests used to search every house which they imagined contained a Bible, or in which meetings were held. Some Bibles were concealed, but they were found and taken away ; some leaves however were hidden under the bottom of a chair in such a way that they escaped discovery for a long time. The twelve families fled by night from Paris to Rochelle where they all continued to live for a time in close fellowship with each other. At length intelligence from Paris reached the Romanists at Rochelle and the houses of the Huguenots were watched, They would not discontinue their meetings for they con- tended that every man had a right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. But contention was in vain ; their persecutors were rich and powerful and in consequence of the refusal of the Huguenots to submit, they were all condemned to be massacred on a certain night. From certain indications they gathered that evil was intended toward them ; their houses were pointed out by passers by. Providentially. through the good offices of a friendly Romanist, they were warned of their danger and nearly all escaped. On the night previous to the fated night, the faithful band muffled the wheels of their wagons and stole away. They were discovered in going and were pursued like the Israelites to a river. Ten families got safely over, but two were over- taken and killed. The ten rescued families found a ship about to sail for America and took passage. Two brothers named Requa were of the number ; one with his family. the other a bachelor ; the one with a family was named Gabriel. Gabriel and his wife died of a fever on the passage, leaving an only son. On arrival at New York. Gabriel's brother engaged board for one year for bis nephew whose name was Glode and for a girl named Jane, whose parents had also died of the fever on shipboard. Gabriel's brother left them to go south, taking most of the money with him and intending to return for them if he liked the country. He never returned, nor was he ever heard from. The son Glode afterward married Jane and lived on Muddy Brook now called Harlem River. Afterward they moved to New Rochelle where a part of the family lived until the war with Great Britain. Some of the family moved previous to the war to what is now ealled Tarry. town, on the North River, about 30 miles from New York, where many of the family now live, although they have spread over the country as will be seen by reference to the Family Tree.
It has been a disappointment, as already stated not to have been able to find anything in the records, either at New Rochelle, or Harlem, or in New York or at White Plains, in corroboration of the foregoing, but all the records of that early date ate meager, and it does not follow
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that the statement is not substantially correct; very probably Glode and Jane were husband and wife, and the uncle may have been a myth.
Elijah Requa, a son of James, and a grandson of Glode, Sr., gives a different story of the emigration, making Glode, Sr., himself the emi- grant. . And it must be admitted as very good evidence.
That the father of the first Glode was Gabriel seems substantiated by the fact that the name was perpetuated in the different branches of the family. When Glode Requa, Sr., came to this Manor does not clearly appear, but probably soon after 1730, though the old Tax List of 1732 does not contain his name, and yet in the marriage record of his children, Jannitie, James, John and Daniel, in the old Dutch Church, the birth-place of all of them is given as Philipsburgli, the first named, married April 10, 1751, being the first public record of the family yet found either on this Manor or in this county.
No reference is made to the wife of Glode, Sr., or the date of deathi of either of them, their places of burial being unmarked, but doubtless it was in the old Dutch Churchyard, though' neither of thein or their children were members of that Church.
CAPT. GLODE REQUA.
Glode, Jr., or Capt. Glode Requa, as he came to be during the Revolution, was a well defined figure upon our local horizon, a distinct personality the date of whose birth and death, and place of residence, and burial, distinctly appear. He was born May 4th, 1727, and died Dec. gtlı, 1806. He married-date not known-Eimy Dean, daughter of Thomas Dean and sister of Sergt. John Dean of the Revolution, and had a family of six sons and three daughters. He was early appointed to the command of a Company of Militia on this Manor, and of the services so performed by him frequent mention is made in the applica- tions for pension of those who served under him. The following accounts copied from the books of the State Treasurer show various sums paid to him and his command for such service :
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