Jy N F 145 .H8 D3 Copy 1 THE HUGUENOTS On the Hackensack. By D. D. D EMAREST. THE HUGUENOTS On the Hackensack. A Paper read before the Huguenot Society of America in the French Church du Saint-Esprit, New York, April 13, 1885; before the New Jersey Historical Society, at Trenton, January 26, 1886 ; before the New Brunswick His- torical Club, February 18, 1886, and in the North Eeforjied Church, of Schraalen- BERG, N. J., February 19, 1886. -BY- Rev. David D. Demarest, D. D., Professor in the Theological Seminary, New Brunswick, N. J, NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J. : The Daily Fredonian Steam Peintixg House. 1886. The Huguenots On the Hackensack. The paper which I propose to read to you this evening will • chiefly comprise matters so purely local, that I can scarcely hope to -secure the interest of this national society. The actors were men who were not great in -either Church or State. Much will neces- ■sarily be said about my own ancestor whose name I bear, and per- haps some may consider my narrative more appropriate to a family '^reunion, than to an annual meeting of the "Huguenot Society of An:ierica." But havingbecn assured that the members of this Society will be rglad'to hear about the fortunes of any one, even of the smallest and least of the Huguenot colonies in America, I am here to tell you what I know about the Huguenots on the Hackensack, in the Province of New Jersey. The fact that there ever was a colony of Huguenots on the Hack- ^v-ensack is probabl}^ known by very few people, and these few are -doubtless indebted for most of their knowledge about it to the ad- mirable history of Harlem, by Mr. James Riker. I gratefully ac- knowledge my obligations to Mr. Riker for a knowledge of many lifacts which lie has, by his faithful and patient investigations, brought ■to light. On page 392, of his book, is a very valuable foot note on this colon}', containing statements which I have verified by original ■'documents, and to which I have been enabled to add somewhat.* This little settlement was, so far as I know, the only one looking Tto organization and permanency that was made by Huguenots iu the province of New Jersey, though individual families did locate ■here and there, and a little cluster of them settled in the neighbor- Jhood of Princeton. The colony was composed of very few fami- lies at the beginning, and the number was never increased to any ;.great extent bj accessions from without. Very little is to-day ^known about its origin and history, even in the immediate vicinity -of the original settlement, so thoroughly have all traditions about it died out. The French element was so speedily absorbed by the "Surrounding Dutch, that not a few of the numerous descendants of the Huguenot pioneers, from whom the farms they occupy have *Harlem, its origin and early annals by James Eiker, New York, 18S1. In the note referred ••"■t®, aie two mistakes; first, for Essa we should read Essex, (County of Essex); and for ("Peiret, we should read Daille . \ 4 THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. come down in unbroken descent through seven or eight geners'-- tions, verily believe that they are of pure Holland stock, an (J the story of their French origin is to them a new revelation. To gather up what may be found of the true and almost romantic- history of this little company of 200 years ago, has been with me a labor of love, and a work of absorbing interest. But little would I have found if the men of that day had not kept public records i)% Church and State, with some measure of care, and if my only re- source had been the materials preserved by a pious reverence for- ancestry. It IS even necessary that I should define the geographical posi- tion of this colony. Where was it situated ? You may have oc- casion at some time to travel on the New Jersey and New York, railway which connects Jersey City and Stony Point on the Hud- son, running through the valley of the Hackeiisack, in Northerns New Jersey, and in Eockland county. New York. Twelve miles- from Jersey City, on the line of this road, is the ancient and beautiful village of Hackensack. About two miles North of this village is the Cherry Hill station, near to which is a bridge cross- ing the Hackensack known as the New Bridge, [f] to distinguish it from the Old Bridge which crosses the stream a little more than< a mile to the north, at River Edge station. If after leaving Cherry Hill station you look out of your car window, eastward across the river, you will soon see on an eminence, a few rods from the shore^ the white marble head-stones that indicate a burial place of the- dead. This is what is known in the neighborhood as the old French burial ground, confessedly, one of the oldest ceraeterieSj,, if not the oldest in that region of country. How often have I passed this spot in my boyhood, my home be- ing about three miles to the north of it, and it being quite near to- the highway leading to Hackensack, the county seat. And yet, to- my shame be it said, I did not know until long after I had reached: manhood, why this was called the French burial ground. No one told me the reason, and I had not curiosity enough to enquire. I had a vague notion that either some Frenchman of note had a long time ago been buried there, or that such an one had lived iii the neighborhood and given or sold the land for this place of burial. I am, furthermore, ashamed to say that I never entered it until about two years ago. And yet there lies the dust of the- principal pioneer Huguenot settlers of that vicinity, and among- them of my own ancestors. Not a few of the descendants of the- men and women who have been there buried, doubtless pass every day in sight of this cemetery, ignorant of the fact that their French ancestors lie there, ignorant even of the fact that they had French ancestors. Our surprise at this will, however, be diminished when we consider that these people brought a knowledge of the Dutch lan- guage as well as of their native French with them from Europe ;;, *There was no bridge at this spot until about the time of the Revolutionary War.. I THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACl^ENSACK. 5 \ \ •ti|at being thrown among the Dutch they were compelled to use t|ieir language everywhere, except in their own families ; that in tfe^ eiirly generations already the Dutch superseded the French in •the^^Huguonot families also, and kept its place from generation to ,genera:i:4 which he is described as belonging to Essex County. At that time- ) THE HUGUENOTS ON THE IIACKENSACK. 11 !the Ilackensack Eiver was the dividino; line between Bergen and lEssex Counties, His death took place 'in Essex County in 1693. [ The subject of the Ecclesiastical relations and history of these people is an exeeedinglj^ interesting one. They were a religious peo- ple, adherents of the Oalvinistic faith and ritual and of the Genevan -Presbyterial form of Government. They believed in tlie visible •church, and a deprivation of the ordinances of public worship was xHvith them a very serious matter. We have seen tliat David des SMarest was at the time of his marriage in fellowship witli the Walloon Church of Middleburg, that he was afterwards active in he formation of a Church of French Eefugecs at Mannheim, where le was associated with Nicholas De Veaux and others who subse- jquently came to America, that he connectef' himself with the Huguenot Church on Staten Island in 1663, a I afterwards when he had become a resident of Harlem, with the Dutch Church of pSTew York, though attending French services when they were introduced, in preference to the Dutch. The names of the various members of his family are found on the Baptismal and Marriage jRecords, and on the Register of Communicants of the ancient Col- ^legiate Dutch Church of New York City. And so we are not 'Surprised to learn tliat when the family had removed to New Jer- 'Jeey, one of their first concerns was to find if possible an ecclesias- tical home. But there was no church in the whole province nearer to them than the Dutch Church ot New York, to which they 'i Iready belonged^ This was nearly twenty miles distant, and the /ludson River was between them and the house of God, and that '/•iver was a serious barrier, for there was no steam ferry-boat to /carry them over, nor had the horse-boat as yet appeared. No church had as yet been formed at Hackensack nor to the North, fit Tappan. At Newark, which was about as far from them as New York, the settlers from New England had the Kev. Abram Pierson for their preacher and conductor of worship according to the Presbyterian order, but as he used the English language he was 'not competent to edify these Hollandized Frenchmen. Either French or Dutch would have answered, but not English by any means. About the same distance from them as the church of New York, but without the Hudson river intervening, was that of Ber- , gen, the first Dutch Church established in the province of New Uersey, and at that time the only one. This church had been organized at least as early as 1664, for its registers of baptisms, marriages, admissions of members, and burials have been kept from that date to the present with little interruption. The first house of Avorship was built in 1680, and was an octagonal stone building situated in the old grave yard W6st of Bergen avepue, and South of Vroom street. "But eighteen years before that time, ,)in December, 1662, the Schout and Schepens of the vUlage had petitioned the Governor-General and Council of New Netherland for a minister, and in connection Avith their petition they gave the names of tv,-enty-five persons who had subscribed for his support \ i 12 THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. ■ ,} the sum of four hundred and seventeen guilders in seawant, Fo some reason a minister was not settled among them for the lonl period of ninetj-one 3'ears, when, in 1753, Rev. William Jackso'sv.. was ordained tJie lirst pastor. U- During the eighteen years that preceded the erection of t^ij. first church buihiing the peo"]:)le w(_)rs]iipped in a log school-hou£(|;r which was on the site of the present school house fronting tl^;? ,sqaare. This was the gathering place for worship for all the peopj^- in that region at the time that our Huguenots settled on the nacl:,_ ensack. The church during its entire pastorless period was &\i]^ plied at first occasionally by ministers from iSTew York and oth^ parts, but quite early a regular arrangement was made with ih^ ministers of ISle^x York to go over at stated times to conduct th^ worship, preach and administer the Sacraments, and for these seij. vices they vv'ere paid by the Bergen Church. Kev. Gualterii DuBois wc'it over tliree times a year for fifty-one years to perforr^ these services. Sometimes a week day was taken for them instea of the Sabbath.* 5, Very promptly after their removal into New Jersey the sevej ^dult members of the des Marest family and also Jacques La Rol on the 7th day of October, 1678, united by certificate with thj pastorless Bergen Church worshipping in the log building. I)on| Wm. Nieuenhuj^sen, of New York, presided in the meeting Consistory at the time, and received their certificates of churc, membership, two of which, those of Jacques La Ron, and Samu^ des Marest, no doubt came from the French Church in N^ York.f I I would that I were able to crive an authejitic account of thi church life and church-going habits of these people during tneii connection with the church of Bergen. Doubtless they were all i: attendance on every Communion Bay, whether it v^^-ere the Lord' day or Monday. They would make all their preparations on Sal urday, so that they might start early in the morning, tor the die tance was nearly twenty miles, and the roads were not macadf mized, and the wagons were springless, and the farm horses no very fleet. Besides, it w^as desirable to have, after so long a joui ney, a half-hour's rest before service for the good of body, mim and soul. The proximity of the inn to the church customary ii those days, was not an unmingled evil. Perhaps, after the servi ces some Van Horn or Van Winkle, or Van Riper, or Van Wage nen or Vreeland, would insist on taking the company home wit^ him to dinner, for nothing pleased the Dutchman of that day s well as to have his table crowded on a Sunday by people wdiom h respected. Sometimes very little of the daj^, especially in th Winter, would be left after the close of public worship, for th Communion service occupied hours, and then they woulcl tarry tif morning, and on the Monday wend their w^ay homeward. Thej ♦Winfield's History of Hudson County, page 378. tTheir names are on the record of the Dutch Church of New York, with the note " overge^ 3chreeven aen de Franschekke," meaninsr transferred to the French Church. THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. 13 were not so clriven and hurried in their worldly business as men now are. Perhaps, they often brought their lunch with them, and having been refreshed by it, started on their tedious journey for home, which they would not reach until after nightfall. We may well believe, too, that the forests through which they passed in going to and returning from the house of God were made to ring with the Psalms of Marot and Beza. Are we to suppose that they made this long journey every Lord's day for the purjtose of hearing the Voorleser read the Decalogue, and Creed, and a chapter from the Bible and the ]:)rayers in the Liturgy, and a sermon from the pen of gome famous IIol- land divine, and to join in the singing of the Psalms in Dutch?' Sj It pleases me to think that they did not do this habituallj^ but that the Senior David was like a patriarch of old, priest in his own household, and that on the Lord's day morning he was wont to call together his children and grand-children and neighbors into his own house, and opening his precious French Bible to read from it in the tongue his mother had taught him at Beauchamp. Then announcing a Psalm from Marot and Beza's version, the men, women and children would unite in its singing with uplifted voices and with all their powers. And then the Creed and prayers would be read from the Liturgy of the French Protestant Church, and perhaps also an instructive and edifying selection trom the writings of some Huguenot pastor, who had, with his life in his hand, min- istered to some distressed fLock of Christ. JMor was the Catechism forgotten or slighted, but its questions w^oukl be duly propounded and answered. What emotions must such simple services have awakened in the breasts of the Elders, and what a powerful and healthful influence must they have exerted on the young people and children ! I say again, I would that I knew how it was with them, in those times, for my picture is a purely fancy sketch. Their connection with the church of Bergen continued about four 3^ears, during which they must have helped the Bergen people in building their first church. The last entry of a baptism is dated April 18th, 1682. But during those four years several other entries were made, one of the marriage of Samuel, the youngest son, and Maria Dreuyn, sister of the wife of Jean, the eldest son, and also of the baptisms of two children of Jean, and two of David, Jr. Also, over against the names of Marie Sohier, wife of David, Sr., and Jacomyntie Dreuyn, wife of Jean, is the word Overleden, or died, showing that their deaths occurred during that period. And then over against the name of David, Sr., is written the word Vertroeken, or removed. What did that entry mean ? 'Not that he had changed his place of residence, for he never did that after he had fixed it in New Jersey. It meant that he had left, or withdrawn from that particular church. And what did that mean in his case ? Could it mean that he had turned back into the world, and away from the visible church altogether? ISTo one knowing his character and his- tory could suppose that for a moment. It could only mean that he / \ \ 14 THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. bad left the Church of Bergen in order to become connected with some other. The word Vertrocken was doubtless placed by bis name only, because he was the patriarch and representative of the company, and it was not worth while to repeat that word on the record. But the question arises, what now Ecclesiastical connection could these Huguenots form in New Jersey ? That the}^ did not go back to the Dutch Church in ISTew York is conclusively shown by the records of that church, on which their names do not reap- pear, nor did they unite with the French Church of that City. It was true in 1682, as it was in 1678, that there was no church in the entire province to which they could go and hear a language famil- iar to them, except the Dutch Church of Bergen. We can come to only one conclusion, and that is, that they withdrew from the Church of Bergen, to establish an Ecclesiastical home for them- selves on their own property on the banks of the Hackensack, in which the French language should be used in the services which were to be conducted in accordance with the ritual of the French Reformed churches. This is confirmed by the concurrent testi- raony of many facts and circumstances. It is true, and we must start with the candid admission, that w^e have no document whatever giving an account of the formation of this church, no book of minutes, no register complete or par- tial of baptisms, marriages, or admissions to the Lord's Supper. There is a period of fourteen years from 1682 to 1696, during which the Ecclesiastical history of these intensely church-loving people is a perfect blank so far as church records known to us are concerned. 8ome names of persons on the Bergen record, Avho were living in 1682, and wdio then removed, it is not said whither, re-appear in 1696 on the record of the Dutch Church of Hacken- sack, which had been formed in 1686. JNow what shall we, in the absence of church records say about their Ecclesiastical history during these fourteen years? There were, during these j'ears. some marriages among the young people; four at least we are certain of among the cles Marests alone, and births of at least fourteen children of the same name, and we may be sure that every one of these marriages was solemnized by a Christian minister, and that every child born was baptized. Now% w^ho performed these marriage ceremonies, and who administered these baptisms, and where were they recorded? Not a church record in New York or New Jersey, containing them, can be found. Can we doubt that a French Huguenot minister performed these ceremonies right there on the banks of the Hackensack ? It is not supposed by any one that this little church ever had a pastor of its own, but that it was occasionally visited by the French ministers from New York, and especially by the Rev. Pierre Daille, whose special mission seems to have been to look after the various French settlements in the province, for the promotion of their spiritual welfare. It is a very significant fact that the withdrawal of the Huguenots from the Church of Bergen took place prob.;'bly THE HUGUENOTS ON THE IIACKENSACK. 15 nn the same year in which Daille came to minister to tlie French in New York City, and in which he began to search out, and to care for the scattered flocks of his countrymen and co-religionists. What is more likely than that these Huguenots on the Hackensack ■should have aslced for, and received a share of these ministrations? An interesting fact connects Mr. Daille with these people. Some days after the death of David des Marest, Sr., wliich occurred in the Summer of 1693, the two surviving sons, Jean and Samuel, and John Durie, who had married the widow of David, Jr., came together to examine his papers, and to make distribution of the properl}' in accordance with the terms of the will. They came " lovingl}' and kindly " to an agreement which was put in Avriting, and the name of the only subscribing witness was that of P. Daille. As the beloved friend and pastor of their father, and theirs also, he had been invited to be with them on this occasion. He was doubtless on familiar ground, and in a house whose hospi- tality he had often enjoyed in his visits to the little flock on the Hackensack, who revered him as their spiritual father and guide. It is moreover quite certain that they had a house of worship close by the cemetery to which we have rei'errcd. Those who in former years had charge of this cemetery haveaflirmed that in dig- ging graves they have come to stones which had evidently belonged to the foundations of a building. JSTow what building could have been standing there in the midst of the graves but a house of wor- ship ? Tradition also says that they had a French school, a parochial school for the children, in accordance with the usage of .the times. That a building for public worship should have been provided as soon as the occasional visits of a preacher could be had, is cer- tainly not a strange thing. It was almost necessar^', certainly desirable, so that his visits might be made more frequently than they would be if the services w^ere held in a private house. And ■since it was contemplated to obtain a number of families from France to occupy the lands bought from the Indians, it was impor- tant to be able to offer them the powerful inducement of a house of ;God prepared to receive them, and in which worship was per- formed in their own tongue. The absence of church records is to be deeply regretted, but it is not surprising. What is more easilj^ lost than are documents of this sort, and especially such as pertained to a church which never had a settled pastor, and which existed only fourteen years ? Per- haps no record book w^as ever opened, and the visiting ministers made on loose paper, memoranda of the ofiicial acts performed by .them. Who can tell what may yet come to light some day in the w^ay of memoranda made by Daille or Peiret ? When the church was Anally disbanded and they wdio were members at the time joined the Dutch Church at Hackensack, all official papers should properly have been deposited with the Consistory of the latter church. But, it may not have been done, at any rate, no such pa- pers are in possession of that body at the present time. 16 THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. Strong!}' as all these considerations point to tlie conclus^ that these'llnguenots had an organized church and a house' oi worship on the Hackensack, there are facts still to be stated which put the matter beyond all question. This French Church was established, if at all, about the year 1682 and when as yet, as we have seen, there was no church in the whole region nearer than the one at Bergen. But just four years after this, in 1686, a Dutch Church was formed at Hackensack only three miles distant.* ISTow if these Huguenots had not had a church of their own and services in their own language, would they not at once have joined this new church which was placed by their door ? For four vcars they had been accustomed to ride nearly twenty miles to attend a Dutch service. Why then did they not connect themselves with this Hackensack Dutch Church, planted close by them, and to which their neighbors belonged ? Because, we doubt not, they had provided themselves with a church edifice, and services in their own tongue winch they preferred, and prob- ably they had a preacher quite as frequently as the Dutch who had no church edifice, and who were visited at long intervals by the ministers of the word. The records of the Hilckensack Church show that for ten years, from 1686 to 1696, only one person bear- ing a Huguenot name, Abram DeVouw, had united with it. Doubt- less the French were accustomed during all those years to meet on every Lord's Day in their own house of worship, and when a min- ister was present, it was a day of gladness indeed. But the breaking up and end of this little congregation were at hand. It was obliged to yield to the stern logic of circumstances. The end came in 1696. The patriarch of the colony had died in 1693. His second son, David, Jr., had died before that time. The colony was not increased by accessions of French families, for such accessions were balanced by removals. Rev. Mr. Daille removed in 1696 to Boston. The Dutch people were coming in rapidly and occupying land on every side. Their young men married the Huguenot maidens, and their young women the Huguenot young men. All the young people married, and married early. The Dutch element greatly predominated and the French preachers could not fiiil to see what must soon take place, and must have felt little encouragement to continue their visits which had been so welcome and precious. Cheerfully, no doubt, did they advise them to cast in their lot with a church so like their own in doctrine, order and ritual, and whose language was not strange to them, but in which tljey had often worshipped in Kew York and Bergen. The brave little church was obliged to succumb, and it was swept hy the irresistible tide of circumstances into the Dutch Church of Hackensack. The organization perished, but the mem- bers joined themselves and became elements of strength to the church then newly-formed, but which has been a noble witness for God through the succeeding generations for 200 years. They *For an account of the orf!:anization and history of this church and a record of its members from the first, see Historical Discourse bj' Eev. Theodore B. Romeyu, D.D., New York, 1870. ^ THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. 17 joined themselves to tlicse Dutch people, not after they had erected and paid for their church building, thit thus without iost to tW selves they might enjoy the fruit of the work and self-denial of their neighbors, ^o, they cast in their lot with them just when they were arising to build, so that they might have the privilec^e of sharing in the work and the sacrifice. In the walls of tl it^'firJ church building of Hackensack were placed l^wn ston s in which were cut the initials of a number of those wlio were mo'mi nent inthe work These stones have been carefully preseiwelZd placed in the walls of every church building subse^qLntly erected ^7aM of Z^^hTT ^l\''r' ',? seen^to-day In the'EasSn yA ot the "Cliurch on the Green." On one of these stones is engraven the out ine oi a heart, enclosing the letters D. M K fDes Ma Eest) and the date 1696, on another J. D. li. (Jati J3u' Rii) Another has an inscription which, by a little aid of the iraao-ina: tion,_may be pronounced the initials of Jacques La Rou * These inscriptions show how fully these French families had "identified themselves at that time with the Dutch Church, and their reco-- nition at once as important members of it. "^ ^I'f^l^ establish our position in regard to the existence of a French Church beyond al doubt, we turn to the record of commu^ mcants of he Church of Ilackensack, which has been careuJlly kept from the time of its organization in 1686. We find on it the 101 J owing entries : gekoSn. dLenavotle^Vr''"'"''^'^'"™'" ''' ^'•''-''<='- «« "= '»' -» over- Jacques Larou. David des Marest, soou van Jan, met ziin vrouw Antie Slot. Mny.?Fiv?^''°^''T^ ^''' Winckel], huysvronw van Jan De Marest. Sr!7 ?® ^^^^ee, luiysvrouw van Jacobus Slot. / ovcrlekomden :^ ^""''^ "'''' "'"' ^"'^^tatie van de Franscheke tot dese ghcmeente Jan de Marest. Jan DuRij met zijn huysvrouw Rachel Cresson. David des Marest lllius David, ook van vreduwe Junior. Jacob De Groot met zijn liuysvrouw Margrietie Jans.f In these two detacliments eleven members came by certificate from the French Church to the Dutch in 1696. These, doubtless comprised the entire membership at the time. Indeed the peculS phi^ology^of the record indicates that there was a coming over of *For cuts of these inscriptions see Romevn's discourse has c'o^r ove.'irs;7£'^i?;illS'ng: ^ ''''' '' '^"'^^^^^^^ ^-^ ^^'^ ^^--'^ Clnuxh which Jacques La Eou. David des Alarest, son of John, with his wife Antie Slot. Man-itiie (Jacobse) Van Winckcll, wife of John De ^Ju-pst Mary de Maree, wife of Jacobus Slot. ' "' • to us^"" '''' ^^'^ °^ '^''^^'' ^^^^' ''^ ^'^^•tiS^^te from the French Church which has come over John De Marest. John DuEij (Durie) with his wife Eachel Cresson. David des^Marest, son of David, also of the widow of Junior. Jacob DeGroot with his wife Marg-rietie Jans. 18 THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. the whole church. Henceforth for a little while the French Bible was read and the French Psalms were sung in a few families chiefly by the old people. French speedily became a strange tongue to the rising generations. Did'this French Church have a distinctive name or title? We doubt not that it was known in the neighborhood as the French Church simply, for there was no other. It was so designated, we have seen on the record of the Dutch Church of Hackensack. Mr. Riker speaks of it several times as the Church of Kinkachemeck. The authority for this is found in an entry on the marriage record of the church of Bergen. The marriage of Daniel Du Voor and Engeltie Cornelis was recorded at Bergen, February 28,1692-3, and it is noted that they had come with testimonials from the French Church at Kinkachemeck, in the County of Bergen. But Kinkach- emeck, or Kinderkamack, as the documents of the time usually have it, was then as now the name of the tract lying on the West side of the Hackensack Kiver, and extending two or three miles Northward from Old Bridge. Du Voor went to Bergen from his home at Kinderkamack, and he belonged to the French Church. It was natural that the name of the neighborhood should on the record be joined to the churcli. It is certain that the church build- ing was on the Eastern side of the river and that Kinderkamack was then as now on the Western side. Perhaps, in my opening remarks, I spoke too disparagingly of my theme, as being of family rather than general interest. Per- haps the influence of this little colony was far more extensive and permanent than would be thought from a hasty glance at its short history. Our historians tell us that Northern I^Tew Jersey was settled chiefly by the Dutch, and they know nothing of a Huguenot ele- ment as a factor of any importance in the population of that part of the State. But suppose that you were to-day to remove from the Northern part of Bergen County, from Passaic County, from parts of Essex, from Rockland and Orange Counties, New York, all Avho bear the names of the original Huguenot settlers on the Hacken- sack, and of those who soon after located in their neighborhood as Terheuns, Loziers, DeMotts, Debauns, Ferdons, etc., you would vacate a very large proportion of the houses and farms in that extensive district. And if, in addition you were to remove all, who though bearing Dutch names, have quite as much of French as of Dutch blood in their veins, you would create a wilderness almost Avithout inhabitants, for you would carry away the Voor- heeses, Bantas, Brinkerhofis, Blauvelts, Van Wagenens, Bogerts, Van Buskirks, Ackermans, Hoppers, about all of them. This little colony was a permanent one. The French language passed away and the French Church was absorbed by the Dutch. The plans of David des Marest in regard to the enlargement of the colony failed, but he and his three sons came to stay, and they planned for homes for their children and children's children. Their work was never destroyed, nor were their plans interfered with by THE HUGUENOTS ON THE IIACKENSACK. 19 hostile savages. Thej held what they had obtained at the begin- ning and constantly added to their possessions. The three brothers, Jean, David and Samuel, had an aggregate of thirty-four children, thirty ot whom, twelve sons and eighteen daughters, married and became fathers and mothers of fiimilies which were for the most part entitled to the Old Testament benediction. The two thousand acres of the patent of 1686, as well as the lands previously secured, were speedily occupied, and to these were added tract after tract to the North and West, extending into Rockland and Orange Coun- ties, New York, and what is now Passaic in New Jersey. Before the Revolutionary War some of the family emigrated to Adams County, Pennsylvania, joining the Oonewago settlement near Gettysburg. One of these emigrants, Samuel, moved thence to Harrod's Station, Kentiicky, and a considerable number of his descendants are to be found in that State. Some went from Oone- wago to Western New York, where many of their descendants still have their homes. One, Guillaume, who was a Loyalist, went to Canada after the Revolutionary War, and on lands granted him by the Crown, founded the town of Demorestville, on the Bay of Quinte, Prince Edwards District. The first movement from the original home at Old Bridge was of course Eastward toward the Hudson, and so lands were cleared and farms occupied at Schraalenberg, Tenaily and Closter, and Northward toward Tappan, and as early as 1724 it w^as found necessary to establish a church at Schraalenberg for the convenience of the people of that neighborhood who had been accustomed to vvorship at Ilackensack. The names of the original members of this church were to a large extent Huguenot names, and the same thing is true of the second church which was established there in 1756. And if you were to examine the records of those tw^o churches from tlie dates of their organization down to the present day, ,you would iind in every generation, including the present, a very large proportion of Huguenot names among the baptized, the married and the communicants. And the same is to a great extent true of all the churches in that region. The religious, moral and social influence of this Huguenot ele- ment cannot well be estimated. The descendants of these pioneers, numbering not a lew thousands, have as a body been zealous sup- porters of the church, pure and temperate in their lives, of integrity unimpeached and honor untarnished, true in all their worldly rela- tions, and patterns of the virtues that adorn the ordinar}^ walks of life, and in a word, good members of the Commonwealth. ]t has often been remarked by strangers visiting the part of the country occupied by them, that it would be difficult to find a district of the same extent exhibiting more decided proofs, of thrift, of general comfort and of contentment, and in which poverty seemed to be unknown. Surely the province of New Jersey was not damaged by the entrance aiid settlement within her borders of the Huguenots of THE HaCKENSACK. APPENDIX. I Clironological Table. 1G20. David dcs Marest (son of Jean), born at Beaucliamp, in Picardy, about tliis year. 1G43. David des Marest and Marie Soliier, were married at Middlcburg, Zeeland, (French Clmrcli). 1G45. Jean, son of David, born at Middleburg. 1G5 J. David, son of David, born at Mannlieim. 1656. Bamuel, son of David, born at Mannlieim. 16G3. David des Mai-est, wife and four children, arrived at New Amsterdam, in tlie Bontelioe, and settled on Staten Island. 16G5. The family removed to !N"ew Harlem. 1677. June 8th. Tappan Indians convey lands on the Ilackensack to David des Marest. 1678. The des Marest families remove to their lands in New Jersey, and unite with 7. the Dutch Church of Bergen. In the same year probably, sixteen acres lying west of the Hackensack, were purchased from the Indians. 1679. Sir George Carteret died. His property was to be sold for the benefit of his creditors. 1680. Gov. Andros, of New Yoi-lv, claimed jurisdiction over New Jersey, and seized and imprisoned Gov. Philip Carteret. 16S1. Gov. P. Carteret restored ; surveys of lands made for David des Marest, of 16 acres W. of Ilackensack river, and of various tracts on the Eastern side for himself, his sons and Nicholas De Veaux. 1082. March 14th. The Duke of York confirms the sale of the Province to the 24 Proprietors. Probably in this year the Ilackensack Huguenots with- drew from the Dutch Church of Bergen, and built a church for them- selves, and held services in French, enjoying occasionally the visits of Huguenot preachers from New York City. 1G8G. The lauds on the "West of the Hackensack from New Bridge to Kinderka- mack, surveyed for various parties. Also on the East of the River, 2010 acres patented to David des Marest, Sr., extending eastward to the Tenakill. 1689. David des Marest, Sr., makes his Will, in which he declares himself of the County of Essex, showing that he must have removed across the river after the year 1686, for the deed given him that year represents him as a citizen of Bergen County. 1693. David des Marest, Sr., died. Oct. 16th the heirs made a division of the property. 1696. The members of the French Church joined the Dutch Church of Hacken- sack. In this year the Dutch congregation built its house of worship. THE HUGUENOTS ON THE HACKENSACK. 21 1704. The petition of the sons of David, Sr., to Lord Cornbmy, for a survey of lands. Capt. Jolm Berry's remonstrance and claim. 1719. Jean des Marest died. 1724. A Dutch Church organized at Schraalcubcrg. 1728. Samuel des Marest died. 175G. Second Cliurch of Schraalenberg (North) formed. 11 The First Throe Generations of tlie des Marest Family in tliis Country. FIRST GENERATION. David, son of Jean des Marest, was horn at Beauchamp, in Picardy, about the year 1620. Marie, daughter of Francois Sohier, was born in Nieppc, a town of Ilainault. They were married at Middleburg, on tlie island of Zeeland, July 21th, 1643. Their children were : SECOND GENERATION. 1. Jean, l)aptized at Middleburg, in the French Church, April 14th, 1645. lie married, 1st, Jacomina, a daugliter of Simon Drcuns, Sept. 9, 1668. 2d. Marritje Van Winckell, widow of Peter Slot, March 23d, 1603. 3d. Mao;- dalen Laurens, widow of Jean Tullier, December 20th, 1703. He died in 1719. 3. David, baptized at Middleburg, in the French Church, June 23, 1G49. lie died in infancy. 3. David, born at Miumheim, in the Palatinate, in 1653. lie married Rachel Cresson, daughter of Pierre Cresson, April 4th, lG7o. lie died about 1691. 4. Samuel, born at Mannheim, in 165), married Maria, daughter of Simon Dreuns, August 11th, 1678. He died in 1723. ^ 5. , a child is supposed to have been born at Mannheim, in 1602, and . to have died in infancy, after the family had arrived in America. G. Daniel, born at Harlem, baptized in New York, July 7th, 16GG, died January 8, 1673. THIRD GENERATION. CMldrsn of Jean des Marest and Jacomina Dreuns (de Rtiine). 1. David, baptized m New York, Aug. 18, 1669, married Antie, daughter of ,Jan Slot, died before 1703. llis widow married Jonathan Hart, of Southold, L. L. Sept. 7, 1706. 3. John, baptized in New York, June 18, 1671, married Debora . He removed to Apoughquiminy, Chester Co. , Pa. 3. Mary, married, 1. Ely. 2. Jacobus Slot, eldest son of Peter Slot. 4. Sarah, baptized in New York, Oct. 12, 1675, married Abram Canon. 5. Simon, baptized in New York, Nov. 22, 1677. He probably died in infancy. 6. Rachel, mar. Thomas Hyer of Apoughquiminy, May 9, 1703. 7. Jacomina, bap. N. York, April 21, 1680, mar. John Stewart of Stirling, Scot land, March 39, 1700. Removed to Chester Co., Pa. '2'2 THE HUGUENOTS OjST 'fHE HAClCENSACK. 8. Lea, bap. at Bergen, N. J., April 18, 1683, mar. Abram Brower, eldest son of Peter Brower, March 29tli, 1700. 9. Magdalena, mar. James Christie of Iverden, [Aberdeen?] Scotland, Sept. ° 8tli, 1703. 10. Samuel, bap. at N. York, Nov. 13, 1687. Probably died in infancy. 11. Peter, mar., 1, Marritye Meet, May 14th, 1709. 2, Maria Batton, Oct. 15, 1731. lie had seventeen children. iV)'' . Children of David des Slare^Jr., and Rachel Cresson. 1. David, bap. N. York, Feb. 19, 1666; mar. Sara, daughter of Rev. Guillaume Bertholf, April 24, 1697. He died in 1768. 2. Peter, bap. N. York, April 21, 1677. Probably died in infancy. L3. Susanna, bap. at Bergen, April 7, 1679 ; mar., 1, Peter Lubbertse Westervelt, April 23, 1704 ; 2, William Teller. 4. Rachel, bap. at Bergen, June 4th, 1680, mai'. xindries Janse Van Norden, Aug. 31, 1700. She died before 1710. 5. Jacobus, bap. atFlatbush, L. I., Oct. 30, 1681; mar., 1, Lea, daughter of Peter De Groot, March S, 1707 ; 2, Margrietie Cozine Herring, Sept. 26, 1719- 6. Samuel, mar. Sitsche Siberse Banta, April 21, 1705. 7. Mary, mar. Wiert Banta, April 27, 1706. 8. Daniel, born in 1685 ; mar. Rebecca, daugliter of Peter' De Groot, Aug. 3, 1707. 9. Benjamin, mar. Elizabeth, daughter of Peter De Groot, Nov. 7th, 1713. 10. Jacomina, mar. Andries Louwrens Van Boskerk, Nov. 7, 1713. 11. Lea, mar. Rynier Van Houten, Jan. 26th, 1718. 12. Lydia, mar. Stephen Albertse Terheun, Oct. 18th, 1707. Children of Samuel des T,Iarest and Maria Dreuns (De Suine). 1. Magdalena, bap. N. York, April 21, 1680, mar. Cornelius Epkc Banta, Nov. 1, 1699. She died before 1719. 3. David, bap. at Bergen Oct. 3d, 1681, mar. jMatie de Baunc, daughter of Joost de Baune, Nov. 10, 1705. 3. Samuel, mar. Annatie Van Hoorn, Aug. 1, 1713." 4. Peter, mar. Margrietie Conielise Herring, Sept. 14, 1717. 5. Jacomina, mar., 1, Samuel Helling (Helm), Nov. 10, 1705; 3, Cornelius Van Hoorn, Jr., July 19, 1710. 6. Judith, mar., 1, Christian de Baune, Jan. 29, 1709; 2, Peter Da Rij (Durie), July 21, 1711. 7. Sarah, bap. at Hackensack, March 7th, 1697, mar. John Westervelt in 1718. 8. Simon, bap. Hackensack, May 31, 1699, mar. Vrouwtie Cornelise Herring, Dec. 1, 1721. 9. Rachel, bap. Hackensack, Jan. 13, 1701, mar. Jacobus Peck, Oct. 14th, 1726. 10. Susanna, bap. Hackensack, April 18, 1703, mar. Benjamin A^an Boskerk, March 21, 1725. 11. Daniel, bap. Hackensack, March 35, 1706. iiMiS,?,!'^ °^ CONGRESS Sii 014 207 891 #