History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 186

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438

USA > Pennsylvania > Monroe County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 186
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 186
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 186

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

That portion of Stroudsburg west of the Burnett House is described as " a tract of land containing three hundred and ten acres and al- lowance, situate on the branches of the Analo- mink creek above the Forks of the Delaware in Bucks County, and returned into the Secre- tary's for Lynford Lardner, the 17th of March, 1741, a kinsman of John, Thomas and Richard Penn."

This tract was, on the 18th of April, 1760, deeded by Lynford and Elizabeth Lardner to Derrick Van Fleet for the sum of three hun- dred and ten pounds of lawful money of Penn- sylvania. The Van Fleet or Van Vliet family emigrated from Amsterdam, Holland, and set- tled at Esopus in 1728. They came to Penn- sylvania in 1734 and located on land now em- braced within the limits of Stroudsburg, where the pioneer of the family resided for forty years. His son Derrick was the purchaser of the land above-mentioned which was later sold at sheriff's sale and purchased by Jacob Strond.

The Culver family, consisting of Ephraim,

the father, Elizabeth, his wife, Ephraim Jr., and four daughters, left Connecticut in 1753, and removing to the present Stroudsburg, settled on a small glebe purchased of Daniel Brodhead. Here he erected upon McMichael Creek, on the site now occupied by William Wallace, a grist-mill, looking forward, no doubt, to years of peaceful industry. This dream was rudely dispelled when, on the 11th of December, 1755, the locality was invaded by savages and pru- dence became the better part of valor. Assembling his wife and children, they hastily fled and discovered soon after both mill and dwelling in flames. A friendly asylum was found at Nazareth, where they united with the Moraviansand Mr. Culver wastendered, in 1756, the position of landlord of the " Crown Inn," at Bethlehem. In 1759 he succeeded to the management of the " Red Rose Inn," situated north of Nazareth, on the road to the Wind Gap. On the day that the Culvers' house and mill were burned many of the dwellings in the valley between the Lehigh and the Delaware were laid in ashes and several of the inhabitants massacred. Numbers fled to the Brodhead set- tlement at Dansbury (East Stroudsburg), where a united and determined effort was resolved up- on to stay the progress of the infuriated sav- ages. The main building was hastily fortified and filled with the wretched and homeless suf- ferers, such arms as could be procured being placed in the hands of those able to wield them effectually. They were soon attacked by a party of Indians hitherto unresisted in their devastating march down the valley, and num- bering about two hundred warriors, who sig- naled their approach by firing barns, stacks of grain and other material within reach. The at- tack upon the fortified house was begun on the afternoon of the day named, but the savages were unable long to withstand the well-directed fire from the building and were forced to retire with severe loss. This ended for a time the in- vasion of that portion of the frontier.

Among the first settlers on the ground cov- ered by the borough of Stroudsburg was Peter La Bar. Three brothers, Peter, Charles and Abraham La Bar, emigrated about 1730, and, landing in Philadelphia, followed the Delaware

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and settled in Mount Bethel, Northampton (then Bucks) County, where they built a log house and were among the earliest residents at that point. Finally separating, Abraham located above the Water Gap Notch, Peter removed to Stroudsburg, and Charles remained at the orig- · inal point of settlement. Peter La Bar made his first purchase of the Indians, and subse- quently repurchased the land, his log house having stood just north of Hon. S. S. Dreher's office, on the spot upon which Fort Hamilton was later built. George La Bar, one of Peter's sons, married and removed to Mount Bethel. Among his large family of children was George La Bar, Jr., born in 1763, who lived to be one hundred and eleven years of age. He was re- markable for his hostility to the Indians and his absolute fearlessness. The sympathy of the elder La Bar with the Tories involved him in frequent encounters with the representatives of the colonial government. He removed to Ohio in 1808, and having, when ninety-eight years of age, lost his wife, married at the age of one hundred. One authority states his death to have occurred at the age of one hundred and five, and another in his one hundred and twelfth year. It is estimated that the descendants of the three brothers number not less than twenty thousand persons. Fort Hamilton, previously alluded to, was built, in 1756, to afford protec- tion to the settlers during the French and In- dian War. It is the present site of the office of Judge Dreher, at the west end of the borough. Fort Penn, at the eastern end of the borough, was located in the rear of the residence of the late William Wintermute, on Main or Eliza- beth Street, and was, during the War of the Revolution, in command of Colonel Jacob Stroud. The events connected with these his- torie spots will be more fully treated of in the general history of this volume. Colonel Stroud is so conspicuous a figure in the incidents con- nected with the Revolution and the founding of the borough which bears his name, that it seems eminently proper to introduce an extended sketch of him.

THE FOUNDER OF THE TOWN AND HIS FAMILY .- From the record of the proceedings of the English House of Commons we glean

that on Wednesday, April 16, 1621, Sir Wil- liam Stroud moved that " tobacco be banished wholly out of the kingdom, and that it may not be brought in from any part nor used amongst us." This was during the reign of James I., and shows that the knight was even then imbued with the spirit of reform. That he was a favorite with his constituents is proven by the fact that he kept his seat through the stirring days of Charles I. History states that Pym, Hampden, Hollis, Hazelrig and STROUD, all members of the House, bravely resisted this King in his unjust measures. So much the more vehement were they than the others that His Majesty suddenly appeared on January 4, 1642, and, after calling the names of these five men, accused them of treason, and demanded that they should be given up to him. Both Houses of Parliament refused, and the city of London defended them by arms ; therefore the King was foiled in this bold stroke to regain former power.

Many descendants of the truly noble man are still to be found in Great Britain ; possibly the town of Stroud, in Gloucestershire, contaius more than any other part of the realm. Be this as it may, it was in that borough, in the beau- tiful valley at the confluence of the Frome and Slade, which unite to form the Stroudwater, that Bernard Stroud, the progenitor of the race in this country, first saw the light of day. He came across the Atlantic in the early part of the last century, when but five years old. At a very tender age he lost his parents. He lived during his youth and early manhood near Am- well, Hunterdon County, State of New Jersey.

Although Bernard, or Barnet Stroud, as lie was familiarly called, was so young when he left his native land, he always retained pleasing recollections of his home in the old country, where he remembered to have had many influ- ential relations. He talked much of the bright stream upon which the town was situated, and of his mother, who generally wore a scarlet cloak when she took him to walk upon its banks. He said they lived in a large house and had many servants; all of this was, no doubt, the more deeply impressed owing to sub-

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sequent privations in America, when left alone and to the tender mercy of strangers.

As he advanced in years he, at different times, contemplated the advisability of return- ing to England, in search of the descendants of uncles and aunts, who had almost forgotten the scion of their family in the New World. Time went on, and the desire was never accomplished.

Although deprived of his natural guardians, he was kindly cared for by the neighboring farmers. When he grew up he married Keziah Harker, the daughter of one of his protectors. The young couple afterwards moved to North- ampton County, State of Pennsylvania, where they purchased a farm and passed the remain- ing days of their lives. They are both buried at Amwell. They had a large family, nine of whom lived to grow up. The five sons were James, Jacob, Bernard, Samuel and one who was killed in battle when scarcely of age, name unknown, but believed to be John. Of the four daughters, Jemima married Aaron Depui ; Jane, Enoch Anderson; while Keziah and De- borah remained single.

James went to Virginia and left many chil- dren ; Jacob was the founder of Stroudsburg, Monroe County (of him more will be said here- after); and Samuel, the youngest child, went to Kentucky when it was first settled. His prog- eny is numerous.

Jacob Stroud was born January the 15th, 1735, at his father's home in New Jersey. While still a boy he was placed with Nicholas Depui, the proprietor of a large and valuable landed estate at Shawnee, on the river Dela- ware, near the Water Gap, to learn farming.

Soon after becoming of age, the French and Indian War having begun, he enlisted for five years in the English service. Three of his brothers also entered the provincial army for a like period, Samuel being the only one who did not try a soldier's life.

The Strouds were accustomed to arrange a place for meeting after each battle. Jacob used to relate that after a severe engagement he went, as usual, to the rendezvous, when but two brothers met him, and how in the clear moon- light they sadly sought and found the missing one among the slain.

In August, 1757, Jacob Stroud formed one of the garrison at Fort William Henry, on Lake George. The French had already made three determined but unsuccessful attacks, and their general, the Marquis de Montcalm, resolved to make a fourth attempt. He sent Colonel Monro, the commander of the fort, a demand for a surrender, setting before him the hopelessness of endeavoring to hold out any longer. This was refused by Monro, who knew General Webb was only thirty miles away with four thousand men to reinforce his three thousand. He, therefore, waited for six days for help, which never came. Forced to capitulate, he stipulated that they should be guarded from any attack of the savages, and was faithfully promised such should be the case. Notwithstanding this, many Indians, under the English, and a portion of soldiers were given the savage allies of the French to butcher. They were immediately set upon. Jacob Stroud and a few comrades, by dexterous dodging and swiftness in running, made good their escape.

Col. Stroud, in referring to this event, strongly condemned Webb's indolence and cowardice, praised Monro unboundedly, while for Montcalm he expressed the greatest con- tempt, considering him guilty of base per- fidy.

The taking of Quebec, September 13, 1759, was the most important event of the war. Here again we find Jacob Stroud was at his post when they scaled the Heights of Abraham and landed on the plains above.

The glorious success of this daring attack is so well known that it is needless to enter into details, save to state the fact that Jacob Stroud, John Fish and Matthias Hutchinson were near- est Wolfe when he fell, and carried him behind the rocks, where he expired, after uttering his last words of joy upon being told the enemy fled.

The war was thus in reality ended, and the three years or more left of the term of enlist- ment was spent without fighting.

When free to return to private life, he went back to the home of his boyhood, and in less than three months, April 6, 1761, married Elizabeth Macdowel. His bride was not quite

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cighteen, and was a danghter of John and Hannah Depui Macdowel.

Nicholas Depui, grandfather of Elizabeth Stroud, was a Huguenot who fled to Holland in 1685, when Lonis XIV. revoked the Edict of Nantes. He had in his youthful days becu a Roman Catholic priest, and so much was he desired in the church, that the Pope of- fered him a cardinal's hat if he would remain. This fact probably made it the more important for him to leave the country when the Protes- tants were no longer protected. In the Nether- lands he married Winifred Rose, and after the lapse of more than twenty years he brought his family to America. On board the ship in which they crossed the Atlantic they made the acquaintance of John and Jane Macdowcl, a brother and sister, aged respectively eighteen and twenty.

These young people were from the north of Ireland. They had been persuaded by an uncle to come to this country, owing to unhap- piness at home caused by their father's second marriage. Many months were spent in deter- mining whether to accept the offer and in mak- ing the transit over the ocean, so that on land- ing they found the uncle married, and were not as warmly welcomed as expected. . Feeling this keenly, they eventually agreed to form one houschold with the Depuis. After living a short time at Esopus, in New York State, they all permanently settled in Northampton Coun- ty, Pa., in the year 1725. In due time two children of Nicholas Depui married the two Macdowels, and one of these couples became the parents of Elizabeth Stroud.

At the time of his marriage Jacob Stroud was in very moderate circumstances, and for the next two years was engaged in transporting government supplies to Fort Pitt, near Pitts- burgh. This employment, proving not at all Incrative, was abandoned. He then entered into a contract with Abel James, a prominent Philadelphian, to carry provisions through the unsettled region north of Stroudsburg to Shohola, a settlement on the Delawarc.

Thins, for a while, he drifted away from the farm-life to which he had been reared. His employer, however, soon loaned him the money

to purchase three hundred acres of land, which he paid for in installments. This tract was about three miles from what is now Strouds- burg, and upon it was a grist-mill, a dwelling- house and stable. From henceforth success attended every venture, though he was in no seuse of the word a land speculator, for he seldom sold or wished to sell, but he steadily and rapidly acquired considerable property. Mr. Brodhead, in his volume entitled "The Delaware Water Gap," says that at his death he owned four thousand acres. This must refer to the immediate neighborhood of Stroudsburg, for the record of deeds at Easton shows very many large conveyances to him ; but two passed out of his family before his decease. It had been his custom to give each child a farm at his or her marriage, and of his eight daughters and three sons, all but two married during their father's lifetime, so that nine tracts of land were held in the name of his offspring, though they were virtually a part of his estate. On the 8th of July, 1776, Jacob Stroud was elected a member of the convention to form the first Constitution of Pennsylvania, which indicated that he was a decided Whig from the beginning, as this was only four days after the signing of the Declara- tion of Independence. He attended the first meeting, July 15, 1776, held at Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia. The Constitution which they formed was adopted September 28, 1776.

During the Revolution Colonel Stroud was stationed as commanding officer at Fort Penn, the remnants of which stood on the hill at the lower end of the town of Stroudsburg, until the great freshet of 1862 carried it away. It was not likely that he saw much, if any, active service during the war, but he was per- forming his duty and on guard should there be any attack. After the massacre at Wyoming many of the escaped sought refuge at Fort Penu, and were faithfully and kindly provided for by the commander. It was doubtless trying to one so used to the battle-field to remain pas- sive ; but " They also serve who only stand and wait."

The war for independence ccased after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, October 19, 1781, and almost imme-

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diately Jacob Strond was sent by the county as a representative to the House, where he served . for three years. This was before Great Britain acknowledged our freedom, which was not till September 3, 1783. His name appears regu- larly in the yeas and nays, which were called frequently, as there were many weighty matters to settle. In his legislative career, as in every- thing which he undertook, he showed much exemplary punctuality and diligence.

As a middle-aged man Jacob Stroud occupied, as a residence, old Fort Penn. A half-mile distant, and some twenty years older, was Fort Hamilton, near which was erected, in 1795, a large, roomy stone mansion for John Stroud, eldest son of Colonel Jacob, and between the two was placed a frame dwelling, which stood in what is now the centre of the town, nearly opposite the present Burnett House. These formed a nucleus for building, and gradually a flourishing settlement appeared, and the town of Stroudsburg was founded.

Jacob Stroud was of medium height, rather nnder than over size, of light complexion, elcar blue eyes, fair hair, with decided features. It was his habit to rise at four on week-days, and personally superintend his various enterpriscs. Within a stone's throw of his house were his large grist-mill, saw-mill, blacksmith shop and store. The grounds which he cultivated formed a circuit of several miles, and it was impossible for him to get from one to the other on foot ; therefore his time was mainly spent in the saddle. He owned the best and fastest horses in the country, a list of all these animals, in his own handwriting, being still in existence. He used to often mount his favorite pacer, " Black Jacket," and ride to Easton, twenty-seven miles distant, in time to breakfast with his son Daniel at that point. His literary education was only such as a country school could give. He wrote a good hand, and was a natural mathematician, very ready with mental work ; he also possessed a wonderful memory concern- ing everything connected with figures, and this, in several instances, has been noticed in his descendants, a daughter, grandson, granddaugh- ter and great-granddaughter all evincing the same faculty.

He was decidedly social, very free and easy in manner and quick at repartee. At one of the early elections lie was accosted on the ground with "Don't you think, colonel, one man is as good as another." "Yes," was the ready response, " and a great deal better."

It was, of course, necessary for him to employ many laborers. He also owned several slaves, who lived in his family after frecdom, and were always loyal to " Ole Massa." With all of these lie required prompt obedience and punctuality. It is related that he once noticed a door which had been carelessly left standing open ; he inquired who had been there last, and upon being told the man, with the addi- tional information that said person was then working in a field a mile distant, he replied, "Send him to me at once." When the trans- gressor appeared with the question "Did you want me, coloncl?" he was silenced by " Yes ; close that door !" The rebuke was understood, and no further comment needed. All orders were given in few words, but they were imper- ative.

He much disliked intoxicating drinks, and always abstained from them. His health was good, and he would probably have lived to a great age had not a chaise, in which he was riding, accidentally overturned, thereby throw- ing him with such violence against the stump of a tree as to cause a serious injury to the liver. A settled jaundice followed, which pro- duced his death on the 14th of July, 1806, at the age of seventy-one and a half years. His wife survived him nearly five years. She died May 5, 1811. As her tombstone avers, "she was one of the best and most exemplary of women." Her husband considered her judg- ment remarkably good, and always consulted her in every new undertaking. He used to say that the greatest mistake he ever made was in not marrying sooner. They are buried together in the burying-ground which Colonel Stroud presented to the town. The same slab records the virtues of both. We copy the one most interesting to the public,-

"Here lies the body of JACOB STROUD, ESQUIRE, the original proprietor of Stroudsburgh,

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who was born January 15th, 1735, at Amwell, New Jersey, and died at this place July 14th, 1806, Aged 71 years, 5 months and 25 days. He was a member of the Legislature of Pennsylvania during the dangerous times of the Revolution, also one of the Convention which formed the first Constitution of the State, and in this part of the country one of the most useful men of his day."

This was erected in accordance with the feel- ings of his son Daniel, who had previously be- come an ardent admirer of the Society of Friends ; consequently all mention of military service or title connected therewith has been studiously avoided. Although Colonel Jacob did not embrace the sectarian views of this son in other things, in his old age he became an advocate of peace and particularly requested that his descendants should take no part in war- fare.

Jacob and Elizabeth Stroud had eleven chil- dren who grew to mature ycars. The two oldest were danghters named Hannah and Jane ; the former married John Starbird. She was the one who inherited her father's remark- able memory. She could name the birthdays of all her young friends, and when quite aged could instantly recall just how many pounds of butter had been sold from her dairy in any one particular year, give the name of the pur- chaser and price paid. So it was with every passing event of her life ; nothing seemed for- gotten. As a young, unmarried woman she was very helpful to her father, assisted him in his store and made frequent trips with her little brothers, John and Daniel, aged respectively twelve and eight, to buy goods in Philadelphia. The roads through which they passcd were rough, the forests unbroken and frequented by Indians. Many streams without bridges re- quired fording and this quite late at night, for the inns were few and at great distances apart. Jane, the second child, married John Bush and removed to the lake country of New York State. John Stroud, the oldest son, married Elizabeth Depui, his second cousin. Saralı married Dr. James Hollinshead. Daniel Stroud married, first, Elizabeth (commonly called Eliza),

daughter of William and Susanna Shoemaker, of Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Penna. ; second, Mary, daughter of Jacob and Mary Paul. He was left by his father's will the then unsold land of Stroudsburg and, as at that time the village consisted of but five houses, he is so closely identified with the place that more will be said of him hereafter. Rachel married Samuel Rees ; Ann married Dr. Peter Hollins- head, a brother of her sister's husband ; Jemima married Edward Burson ; Deborah married James Burson. The husbands of these two were first cousins. Elizabeth married the Rev. William Colbert. Jacob, the youngest child, died soon after becoming of age, and was un- married. All, with the exception of Jacob, left large families and are the ancestors of so many people that it is impossible to designate them in this volume.

Daniel Stroud was born, as the record states, at Fort Penn, on the 22d of May, 1772. At nine years of age he was put under the care of Par- son Hanna, a Presbyterian divine, who resided near Nazareth, Pa. Here he was given a classi- cal education. While still but a youth he was placed in the law-office of Jared Ingersoll, of Philadelphia, and, when scarcely of age, was admitted to the bar. At twenty he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Shoemaker, a girlish beauty of eightcen. For the first year or two they lived at Easton, Pa., where Daniel made for himself a name in his profession. In 1797 they came into possession, and moved in- to the house originally built for John Stroud, at Fort Penn (now Stroudsburg), John re- moving to a farm some miles distant. This was done at the request of their father, who felt that as he increased in years, and business was more of a burden, he should like his lawyer- son near him. The same year Daniel Stroud was appointed by Governor Mifflin to the mili- tary office of aide-de-camp to Major-General Thomas Craig, Eighth Division Pennsylvania Militia. This was resigned May 18, 1804, when he contemplated joining the Society of Friends. His change in religious views -- for he had been brought up a Presbyterian-was a blight to all worldly prospects, as his path from henceforth was an exceedingly narrow one. His

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father was much displeased that the son upon whom his hopes were placed should so ruthlessly, as he considered, fling every honor away.

Hitherto the house of Daniel and Eliza Stroud had been the scene of many a merry dance, and especially was this the case when their intimate friends from the city paid them brief visits in the summer season. In the long twilights Daniel had been wont to play upon the violin, while his wife accompanied him with

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 186

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 1438

Author: Mathews, Alfred, 1852-1904. 4n
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 1438