History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 188

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 188
USA > Pennsylvania > Pike County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 188
USA > Pennsylvania > Wayne County > History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania > Part 188

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).

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1154

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

Herring, George Waters, Samuel Pugh, Samuel Drake, Jr., Daniel Stroud, J. Hollinshead, Mi- chael Brown, Hugh Pugh, Daniel Ashton, Fran- cis Drake, Thomas Smiley, William D. Clayton, Samuel Rees, Peter Allenbach, William Col- bert, Jacob Brown, Henry Ransberry, John and Michael Ransberry, John Wolf, John Brodhead, Jane Brodhead, John Brown, Jr., Robert Rus- sell, John Huston and William Torbert. The trustees accordingly, in 1816, erected a stone building two stories high on the present Green Street, near the corner of Main and Elizabeth Streets, the State appropriating four hundred dollars for the purpose. It was used on the Sabbath by the Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist congregations until they secured other places of worship.

It is not possible to procure a complete list of the instructors at the academy. At a meeting of the board of trustees held March 19, 1828, it was announced that the services of Joseph Shep- herd, of Bucks County, had been secured as teacher. At a later date were Rev. Frederick Knighton, Ira B. Newman and Rev. J. B. Hynd- shaw. The pronounced abolition sentiments of Mr. Newman made his presence obnoxious to many citizens and occasioned his dismissal by the trustees. He, in 1839, brought a suit against them, which was decided adversely to him.

This property was finally sold at sheriff's sale, and conveyed by John Kern, sheriff of Northampton County, on the 27th of April, 1829, to Daniel Stroud, William Van Buskirk and James Postens. Messrs. Postens and Van Buskirk subsequently conveyed their shares to the Stroudsburg French Seminary, and the heirs of Daniel Stroud, at a later date, executed a release of the remaining third to the same cor- poration. The act of the State Legislature incorporating the "Stroudsburg French Semi- nary" was passed on the 4th of March, 1839, the following persons being named as trustees : John Huston, Joseph Kerr, Samuel Stokes, William P. Vail, Morris D. Robeson, Robert Boys and Depue S. Miller. The building was used for educational purposes until 1882, when it beeame unfit for occupation and was sold at public sale, the purchaser agreeing to remove it within sixty days. Under the provisions of the act

authorizing the building of county academies, the edifice now commonly spoken of as the "old academy" was crected, an act of Legislature dated March 27, 1839, having been passed granting a State appropriation of two thousand dollars, for the purpose. A dispute as to the part of the borough in which the building should be located was turned to good advantage. Some of the citizens were in favor of a site on the hill north of the borough, while others favored the level tract at the base of this elevation. A vote for trustees was taken, each voter paying the sum of five dollars. The interest in the matter was so great as to induce many citizens of means to pay the price of the vote of their poorer neighbors, the funds thus raised being devoted to the furnishing of the building. The site on the hill was finally chosen and the locality has since been known as Academy Hill. Four borough schools were also opened at a later date,-one being located on Ann Street, between Centre and Green Streets, now converted into a dwelling; another on the corner of Walnut and Analomink Streets, opposite the burial-ground, which was demolish- cd in 1886 ; a third at the west end of the borough, on Pocono Street, which has recently been converted into a dwelling ; and the fourth, east of the present academy, also occupied as a dwelling. The latter building was for years devoted to the education of colored children. Among the early teachers at the academy were Messrs. Miller, Samuel Rees, James Carr, Lewis D. Vail, David S. Lee and Stephen Holmes. An additional room was built in connection with the academy, which was used as a secondary school. A system of grading had been intro- duced some years before, which was materially improved on the accession of Mr. B. Morey to the principalship, in 1871.

A new school building, occupying a command- ing situation on an eminence overlooking the borough, was begun in the fall of 1883, and completed the following year, the people voting by an overwhelming majority to increase the school indebtedness in order to complete the building. The total cost of site, building, furniture and heating apparatus slightly exceeded sixteen thousand dollars. It contains eight

1155

MONROE COUNTY.

rooms, four on each floor, and is so arranged that two of the upper rooms may be thrown into one for special occasions. Seven of these apartments are now occupied ; the number of pupils at present in attendance is three hundred and ninety-four. In the High School, besides the common branches, are taught algebra, geometry, natural philosophy, ancient history, Latin and physical geography.

The teachers arc John E. Shull, principal ; William H. Ramsey, J. A. Clements, Miss Ella Shafer, Miss Sallie Detrick, Miss Jennic Drake, Miss Lillie Bittenbender. The present board of school directors are Rev. F. Knighton, D.D., president ; N. C. Miller, M.D., secre- tary ; Robert Gruver, treasurer ; Garrett Ram- sey, B. S. Jacoby, A. B. Shafer.

EARLY MERCHANTS .- Doubtless the earliest merchant in Stroudsburg was Jacob Stroud, who resided at the time at Fort Penn, or, more strictly speaking, in a dwelling standing just in front of the site of Fort Penn. It is presumed that the store was conveniently located, as his children often rendered him assistance at the counter. A ledger used by him between the years 1784 and 1789 is still in existence. The following names are among many that appear as having running accounts with him : Adam Smith, David Shoemaker, John Vought, Isaac Van Norman, John Transue, Simon Keller, Da- vid Cartright, Thomas Bush, John Van Der- mark, Benjamin Schoonover, Aaron Depui, Robert McDowel, Prince Alden, Samuel Van Camp, John Fish, Frederick Everhart, John Starbird, Mordecai Morgan, William Wills, Black Abraham Knuce, Jacob Kline, William Walton, Daniel La Bar, Samuel Vandermark, Garret Brodhead, Jacob Transue, Samuel Rees, Nicholas Depui, Henry Drinker, Charrick Rosenkrans, James Dingman, Christian Eilen- berg and James Bartron.

The following quaint entries are found in this ledger :

s. d.

" To 1 parc gose necks. 4 0

" } Gill Rum 0

1 Mug Cyder 0

8 2 removes. 0

" 1 Wolf Trap & 1 gill rum. 15 G

" 77 lites glass, 10 by 8 at 9c. 57 9

To 1 Note gave up. 85 5

" a Hatt

66 1} y. Calleco. 8

39 Swan Skin 10 6

1 Come.

11 lbs Soal leather.

7 lbs Tallo Lent.

Carrage of a desk from Easton

1 Breakfast & 1 gill rum. 1

1 Breast Chain.

Mending Stirp 1

1 Qt Whiskey

1 Mug Flaming Sampson

Smith Work

1 Pt Wine

1 Super & 2 gills rum.

1 Gill Bitters.

1 Bottle Rum

Halling 1 Load Stone.

" Mending Chair

1 Gallon & 2 qts Rum 9

" 1 pen Nife & 1 gill rum 2

1 Shete paper, &c.

1 gill Whiskey 0

It is probable that for a long period Colonel Stroud controlled the trade in the immediate vi- cinity of Stroudsburg. Early during the pres- ent eentury John Witchel, an English Quaker, and his wife began a general mercantile business in a yellow painted house standing where the American Hotel is located. They also erected and occupied a dwelling on the site of the pres- ent Indian Queen Hotel. Mr. Witchel not finding his business sufficiently lucrative, sold his goods and returned with his family to Eng- land.

Samuel Brooks, at nearly the same period, conducted business on the site of Colonel Stroud's tavern, and was also the postmaster of the place.

Stogdell Stokes made his advent as a merchant in 1816, on ground now occupied by the Dela- ware and Lackawanna express office, became a leading, influential citizen of Stroudsburg, was identified with its most important interests and elected associate judge of the county. He now resides with his daughter at Moorestown, N. J. In 1821 Samuel Brooks sold his business to William Stroud, removing meanwhile to Craig's

1 Barril Flour. 11

" 1 Pare Shose.

3 1b Tobacko

¿ pt Mathiglew

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WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

Meadows, in Smithfield. Mr. Stroud built a | brown stone house on the site now occupied by Judge S. S. Dreher's office and held the con- mission as postmaster until his death. He also crected the residence now occupied by Judge Dreher in 1822. He was succeeded by Joseph V. and Charles R. Wilson, who were for many years leading merchants of the place. William Stroud was followed by Michael H. Dreher as postmaster, his office being on ground now occupied by the First National Bank.

John Boys opened a store opposite the present Washington Hotel, on Elizabeth Street, the same location having been occupied by James Burson at an carly day. Michael H. Drelier conducted a store on the site now occupied by George Brown, on Elizabeth Strect.

John Malvin came to Stroudsburg in 1838 and first occupied a portion of the Stroud man- sion as a store. Hc later transferred his quart- ers to the house now the residence of Robert R. De Puy. George H. Miller built a store on the site now occupied by R. J. Quackenbush. Robert Huston came to Stroudsburg in 1841 as clerk for John Boys, and subsequently built the store on Elizabeth Street he at present occupies. Charles Marsh was by trade a cabinet-maker. He erected the dwelling near the home of A. A. Dinsmore, Esq. Charles R. Andre, who has just removed to Mount Pocono, is one of the oldest merchants in the county. Nicholas Rus- ter, though not among the earliest, has for years been a prominent and respected merchant in the borough. He married Mrs. Sarah E., widow of William Angle, and had two sons-Jacob and William. Mr. Ruster, after a brief carcer as a merchant at Craig's Meadows, removed, in 1858, to Stroudsburg. His father, Jacob Rus- ter, who was born in Olsbruchen, province of Reinfeld, Germany, November 3, 1801, with his wife and five children, emigrated to America in 1853, and settled in Smithfield township, Monroc County, where he still resides. Two of his children had preceded him to this country. The family are among the most industrious and highly esteemed in the county. Other business men of the borough have been identified for many years with its progress, but may not with propriety be classed among its early merchants.

STROUD J. HOLLINSHEAD. - The Hollins- head family is one of the original families of the United States, and has been represented in this country since the opening of the cighteentli century.

Daniel Hollinshead, the first ancestor, was born in Leicestershire, England, in 1683. He was one of several brothers under the Duke of Marlborough, and was killed at the battle of Blenheim. One of these brothers was a mer- chant in Boston at an early period. He subsc- quently held a public office in Sussex County, New Jersey, where he closed his career. Daniel Hollinshead went from England to Barbadoes, where he married, April 21, 1716, Thomasin, daughter of Peter Hasil, of that island. He soon after located in Sussex County, New Jer- sey, where he lived prosperously some years. He died, leaving children -- Mary, Francis, El- canor, Thomasin, Daniel, Elizabeth, William and John. As he dicd intestate, his eldest son, Francis, inherited the whole estate, which he squandered in a few years and died in 1796, leaving one son, John. Eleanor married Samuel Palmer, proprietor of the principal portion of that part of Philadelphia known as Kensing- ton, then in an unimproved state. Thomasin married Jane Deuer, of Bueks County, Pa., and died in 1800, leaving one son, John, and a daughter, Eleanor. Elizabeth married Thomas Beans, of Abington, Pa., and John died at the age of nine years.

William Hollinshead, born October 11, 1728, died September 20, 1808, was bred to the sea. At the age of sixteen or seventeen he was at Barbadocs, where he relinquished his vocation and for a time studied medicine, but subsequently applied himself to aequiring a knowledge of mercantile affairs. This he also gave up and removed to Philadelphia, where he bound himself to William Boudinot, a gold- smith of that place. In 1748 he married Eliz- abcth, daughter of James and Sarah Harvey, and had children-William, Elizabeth, Janc, Sarah, John, James, Esther and Peter.

Rev. William Hollinshead, D.D., born September 27, 1749, died January 26, 1817, was educated for the Presbyterian ministry and became pastor of a church in Charleston, South

1157

MONROE COUNTY.

Carolina. He married a lady of great eulture and refinement, who bore him no children, and moved to Philadelphia, where she elosed her days, distributing her property among her rel- atives and a number of publie institutions.

Dr. James Hollinshead, son of William and brother of Rev. William Hollinshead, was born December 31, 1768, and died Mareh 5, 1831. He was educated as a physician in the city of Philadelphia, and from there moved to Stroudsburg, Pa., where he married, July 13, 1794, Mrs. Sarah Morgan, widow of Captain Mordecai Morgan, and daughter of Colonel Jacob Stroud, the founder of Stroudsburg. The doetor was a graduate of the old school, of fine physique and pleasing address, possessing a good estate and enjoying an exeellent praetiee. He was honest and just in all his dealings and died in the Christian faith. His remains rest in the old Hollinshead grave-yard, near Stroudsburg, where are also interred his wife and several of his children. His children were Sarah S., born Mareh 21, 1795, married Anthony MeCoy, of Mount Bethel, Pa., died February 24, 1826 ; James William, born July 2, 1796, died Sep- tember 30, 1799 ; Edwin Augustus, born Jan- uary 6, 1798, removed to Walworth Connty, Wis., died 1882 ; Stroud Jacob, born Septem- ber 9, 1799, died October 7, 1864; Elizabeth, born August 23, 1801, died August 7, 1802 ; Daniel Stroud, formerly an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Stroudsburg, subse- quently removed to Wisconsin, died January 1, 1860; Elizabeth Harvey, born Mareh 27, 1805, died November 6, 1844 ; William Hol- linshead, born September 3, 1806, resides in Wiseonsin ; Robert, born October 21, 1808, died same day ; Anna Stroud, born Deeember 27, 1809, died July 25, 1825 ; Harriet, born October 18, 1811, died December 21, 1813; James, born May 6, 1813, died May 2, 1857, in Wiseonsin ; and Henry, born November 27, 1814, removed West, died Deeember 3, 1864.

Dr. Peter Hollinshead, born February 13, 1777, died May 15, 1827, read medieine in Philadelphia and eame with his brother, Dr. James Hollinshead, to Stroudsburg, Pa., where he married Ann Stroud, another daughter of Col. Jacob Strond. He built and resided in

the house now standing below the Presbyterian Church. This was the second house built in the town, the mansion-house of Col. Stroud being the first.

Stroud Jacob Hollinshead, son of Dr. James Hollinshead, to whom this sketeh is inseribed, was born in the family homestead near Strouds- burg at the date indieated above. He enjoyed the benefits of a good classical edneation, and during his lifetime was one of the leading busi- ness men of Monroe County. In 1833 he built the old Stroudsburg House (now the Burnett), where he kept a tavern for thirty-five years. He also engaged in farming during that period,

Bring this Notice.

Note for 100 Dollars

Cents.

DUE AT THE

Stroudsburg Bank,

May 12/15

1858

operated a mill and became interested in various speculative enterprises. He was a man of good judgment and eharaeter, of superior exeeutive ability and liberal impulses, read men elosely, and met with sueeess in most of his business ventures. He also took a prominent part in the loeal polities of the county. In July, 1836, he gave to Monroe County the present site of the court-house, and devoted to Stroudsburg that portion of Franklin Street which extends from the Main Street to the court-house. He died in 1864, and is buried in the old Hollins- head graveyard, where a neat monument marks his grave. He married, February 2, 1819, Jeannette De Le Barre, born at Elmira, N. Y., May 3, 1803, daughter of Jacob De Le Barre and Raeliel Smith, his wife. Her maternal grandfather was Dr. Franeis J. Smith, a native of Brussels, whose true name was Josephus Jacobus Aeris, son of J. B. Aerts, Lord of Op- dorp and Zimmerscele, and who changed his

1158

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

name for political reasons in 1777, when he came to this country to join the American army. His character and life-work are more fully referred to elsewhere in this volume. Dr. Smith married Elizabeth, daughter of Garret and Jane Davis Brodhead, a representative of another of the old families of the Minisink. Mrs. Jeannette Hollinshead is still one of the old residents of Stroudsburg, where she has lived for over sixty years. Owing to the death

trait of her husband, her own engraving will be found in this volume. Her children were Harriet, who became the wife of Dr. A. Reeves Jackson, and died Jan. 19, 1869; Sarah, who married Hon. John D. Morris, and died Jan. 27, 1854; Dr. Frank, who married Jane Malven, left des- cendants, and died December 24, 1856; William, a druggist for many years in Stroudsburg, mar- ried Cecilia Kenceht, died November 11, 1876 ; and Caroline, who died young in 1842.

Mr Jeannette Hollins head

of her mother when she was an infant, she was ! reared in Monroe County by her great-grand- mother Brodhead, and as at the present time she has great-grandchildren of her own, has had living communication with seven genera- tions of her maternal lineage. She possesses a remarkably elear recollection of old events and ancient families and people, and is one of the respected and esteemed landmarks standing be- tween the remote past and the ever-recurring events of the present. In the absence of a por-

ROBERT R. DE PUY .- Among the old fami- lies of Monroe County who, at an early period in our colonial history, emigrated from the primitive settlement of Esopus, in Ulster Coun- ty, N. Y., to the wild and unsettled region of the Minisink, none is probably of greater an- tiquity, or has been more prominently identified with the development of that region, than the family of Depuy.1

1 The name is variously spelled in old papers Depui, Depuy, Depue and Depuis.

1159

MONROE COUNTY.

The original ancestor of the family is bc- lieved to have been Nicholas Depui, who, with three children, came to this country in October, 1662. He was a French Huguenot. In 1728 Nicholas, Benjamin and Cornelius Depuy werc frceholders of Marbletown, Ulster County, N. Y. a wife, Wyntje, and his children -- Moses, Samuel, Daniel, Aaron, Catharina, Susanna, Magdalena, Johanna and Elizabeth. By this instrument, which was witnessed by Daniel Brodhead, Abraham Van Campen, Benjamin Dupui and Lambert Coynese, his sons Moses, Aaron, Sam- uel and Daniel are made his executors, and The first ancestor to locate in Monroe County of whom we have any knowledge was Nicholas judging from the quantity of land divided among his children, he must have owned a Depui, who came from Esopus about 1725, i very large tract. Considerable personal prop.

and made a settlement on the Delaware River, in what is now Smithfield township. He pur- chased land directly from the Indians, and the deed conveying the same is now in the posses- sion of the Pennsylvania Historical Society. In 1733 he received a deed for some land of Wm. Allen. In 1742 Zinzendorf visited him, and in December, 1743, his name is found on a pe- tition for a road. In 1750 Conrad Weiser vis- ited him and states that he was an old man.

His will, bearing date June 9, 1745, mentions

ferty is also distributed, showing him to have been a man of wealth and distinction. His original stone house stood on the site occupied by a portion of the present family homestead, and was surrounded by a barricade, and used as a fort and place of shelter for the early settlers during the scrious Indian outbreaks that often rendered the Minisink region one of the most dangerous points of pioneer life. The present house was erected in 1785 by Nicholas Depui, grandfather of our subject (born August 19,

1160

WAYNE, PIKE AND MONROE COUNTIES, PENNSYLVANIA.

1738, died April 23, 1808), who is deseribed by the surveyor Seull as " The Amiable Nieho- las Depuis, Esq.," occupying in 1787 " a spa- cious stone house in great plenty and affluence." The father of this Nieholas was Samuel (born 1719, died 1766), who is spoken of in 1730 by the same authority as the " Venerable Samuel Depui." At the time of Zinzendorf's visit he was twenty-three years of age.

The son of Nicholas was Nicholas again, the father of Robert R. De Puy, who was born Feb- ruary 19, 1788, and died July 17, 1816. He married, June 12, 1812, Theodosia Reading (born September 17, 1791, died February 28, 1858), and had three children, of whom two died in infaney.

Robert R. De Puy, the remaining child of Nicholas and Theodosia (Reading) De Puy, was born in the aneestral mansion of his forefathers November 13, 1814. Owing to the death of his father, when he was but an infant, and the subsequent marriage of his mother to Isaac G. Farley, of Hunterdon County, N. J., his early life was passed at Flemington, in that State, where he enjoyed but limited opportunities for seeuring an education. When a mere lad he began life as a elerk in Mr. Farley's store at Flemington, and after a few years occupied a similar position in a store at Phillipsburg, N. J. In 1835 he was taken into partnership by his step-father, and the firm of Farley & De Puy was organized, with stores at Flemington and White House, N. J. This business association was dissolved four years later, Mr. De Puy tak- ing the Flemington store in the division of the property, and organizing the firm of De Puy, Johnson & Risler.

He continued to engage in trade until 1843, and the following year removed to his native county of Monroe, and took up his residence on the old homestead in Smithfield. Here he remained, occupied in farming, until 1857, when he located at Stroudsburg, the county- seat, where he engaged in various mereantile en- terprises until his reeent retirement from ae- tive business life.

Mr. De Puy, throughout a long and indus- trious eareer, has manifested many of the ster- ling traits of character of his pioneer ances-

tors, and has achieved equal suceess in the more advaneed fields of modern civilization. He is remarkable for great industry, good judgment and striet integrity in all the relations of life. He feels a just pride in the close identifieation of his ancestors with the original settlement of the country, and is the fifth in line of deseent from the original Nicholas Depui to own the family homestead. Besides this, he has aeeu- mulated other real estate of value in the eoun- ty, as well as out of it, and is recognized as one of the most prominent and substantial of the old residents of Monroe County. He has never evineed a desire for political prominence, but has been active in all other movements of an elevating and useful character. For thirty years he has been an elder of the Presbyterian Church of Shawnee; and he has also filled the office of president of the County Agricultural Society. He married, November 6, 1836, Ma- tilda R., daughter of Judge Daniel H. Disbor- ough, of Somerset County, N. J., who still pre- sides over his home. There are no children.

CHARLES D. BRODHEAD is a lineal de- scendant in the seventh generation of Captain Daniel Brodhead, born in Yorkshire, England, captain of grenadiers and a Loyalist in the reign of King Charles II., by whom he was ordered to join the expedition under Colonel Richard Nieolls, which captured New Nether- lands (New York) from the Dutch in 1664. He brought with him to this country his wife, Ann, daughter of Franeis and Tellos (Solomon) Tye, and two sons,-Daniel and Charles. Richard, a third son, was born in this country in 1766. Captain Brodhead at first performed garrison duty at Albany and New York, but on September 14, 1665, was commissioned by Governor Nieolls as " Chief Officer of the Mili- tia in the Esopus," and took up his residenee in Ulster County, N. Y., where he died, July 14, 1667. From him have deseended the various branches of the Brodhead family, male and female, which are now so numerously rep- resented in the United States. A fuller ae- count of the family lineage will be found else- where in this volumc. The line of deseent down to and including the subject of this sketcli is (1) Daniel1, (2) Richard1, (3) Daniel2,

MONROE COUNTY.

1161

(4) Garret, (5) Richard2, (6) Charles and (7) Charles D. Brodhead.

Daniel2 Brodhead was the first of the family to locate in Pennsylvania. He was born at Marbletown, Ulster County, N. Y., April 20, 1693. About the year 1738 he purchased six hundred and forty acres of land on Analomink (now Brodhead's) Creek, on which the borough of East Stroudsburg, Monroe County, now stands, and passed his days in that place, being

Richard2, George, Elizabeth (who married Francis J. Smith), Rachel (who married David Dills) and Samuel.

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History of Wayne, Pike, and Monroe counties, Pennsylvania, Part 188

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