IKHHwWi MFlf HXhHbm l iiiHiml IHiHniHi Aft ( C X ftilHlfHifcfiH ttlH4)» A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. A HISTORY 9/ 7 J v O F T HE MINISINK REGION: WHICH INCLUDES THE PRESENT TOWNS OF MINISINK, DEERP ARK, MOUNT HOPE, GREEN- VILLE AND W AW AY AND A, IN ORANGE COUNTY, NEAV YORK, FROM THEIR ORGANIZATION AND FIRST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME: ALSO, INCLUDING A GENERAL HISTORY OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY. BT CHARLES E. STICKNEY. abis is mv ofott, mg naiifae lanb!" MIDDLETOWN, N. Y. : COE FINCH AND I. F. GUIWITS, PUBLISHERS. 1867. fill Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1867, By CHARLES E. STICKNEY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern Diitrict of New York. Ooe Finch. Printer. Middletown, N. Y. PREFATORY REMARKS. Reader : Before you commence the perusal of the following History, allow me to say that, if you wish to avoid disappointment, you will please bear in mind that it has not been written with the object of presenting to your view a brilliant piece of composition, or of absorbing your attention with the interest of a fascinating romance. No deep-laid plot of mystery or ideal love pervades its pages to lure you on from line to line — from be- ginning to end. It has been intended rather as a true record of past events — of statistics connected therewith — of old traditions that have survived the touch of time, — and in short, of the records and incidents that go to- wards forming a History of the Minibink Region, the first-settled portion of Orange County. To many these will prove of barren interest ; and I deem it proper to say to you that this work has been written more for the purpose of supplying a void in our local history — more to preserve the de- tails (now fast sinking into oblivion) of our ancestors' struggles with labor and inconvenience, coupled with the wiles of a savage foe, while rearing their humble cabins, when — ■ Hit echoing »xe t lie settler Bwang," in the wilderness two centuries ago; — more to review their actions and remember their deeds and sufferings in the glorious war of the Revolution, and their prosperity since — than to please the idle fancy for a moment, and then be thrown aside forgotten. It is intended as a book useful for reference to the scholar — to those who like to sit by the fireside of an evening and review the doings of the olden time; and as a foundation perhaps for some future historian to build an abler work upon. If it shall accomplish but a part of this, my labor will have been rewarded. And, reader, if it should gain your approval by furnishing needed in- formation, or by causing some weary hour to glide smoothly away j if, ^ili PREFATORY REMARKS. when the dark hours that visit all of us are upon you— when disappoint- ments, and troubles, and treacherous friends, enshroud your path, and you wish to banish gloomy thoughts— if, then, the comparison of your petty grievances with the gigantic ones overcome by the energy and perseverance of our forefathers, when, miles separated neighbors and friends, when the war-whoop of the merciless Indian blended of an evening with the dreary howl of the wolf, and when, if a father left his home in the morning he knew not but his return at night might find it a smoldering ruin, and his wife and children mangled corpses or in a cruel captivity ; if this compar- ison shall inspire you with new courage to contend in the w world's great din of battle," — pleased shall I be to record you upon my list of friends, and feel thankful for the time spent in placing the narration before you, I make no apology for the simplicity of language tbat clothes the inci- dents narrated. I am aware that many will think themselves better informed in matters of early history, and perhaps far better able to dispose of the task of preparing them for publication, than myself. But until they avail themselves of their knowledge and talents, and do better, I shall pre- sent my humble wock for your consideration, hoping it may find what appreciation its merit deserves. THE AUTHOR. Slate Hill, N. Y., 1867. n CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.— Origin of the name, and first recorded visit of a white man. CHAPTER II.— First settlement of Orange County and Minisink. _ CHAPTER III.— Church affairs. CHAPTER IV.— The war with the Jerseynien. CHAPTER V.— Incidents of the French and Indian wars. CHAPTER VI.— The Pledge of 1775 and its signers. CHAPTER VII.— Indian depredations. CHAPTER VIII.— First and second invasions of" the Minisink Region by Brandt's Indians and Tories. CHAPTER IX.— The battle of Minisink. CHAPTER X.— Town of Minisink. CHAPTER XI.— Town of Deerpark. CHAPTER XII.— Town of Mount Hope. CHAPTER XIII.— Towns of Wawayanda and Greenville. CHAPTER XIV.— Greycourt Inn ; or, the Scourge of the Highlands. CHAPTER XV.— The Legend of Murderer's Creek. CHAPTER XVI.— A Reminiscence of the Wallkill. A HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. THAPTER 1. ORIGIN OF THE NAME. AND FIRST RECORDED VISIT OF A WHITE MAN. To arrive at a proper commencing point in the history of the localities included in the limits of the region for- merly known as the Minisink, it will be necessary to look hack to the time when the hard-headed Peter Stuyvesant bore rule over his mimic kingdom of the New Nether- lands, and sat in rigid state among the few rude habita- tions lying in peaceful serenity at the mouth of the Hudson — since grown in countless numbers and regal splendor, as the proud city of New York ; to the time when John Rising. Governor of the Colony of Swedes at the mouth of the Delaware, was taking upon himself a degree of importance that interfered sadly with the plans of the worthy Peter, and threatened to shipwreck his fondest hopes of conquest in that quarter. His windy manifesto, full of big Dutch words long drawn out by his valiant secretary, declaring the aforesaid Colonv of New Sweden to be within the limits of his 12 HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION, majesty's dominions, and threatening the direst ven- geance upon all who refused to acknowledge the same, was received in scornful silence by the imperturbable John. The insult, of itself, was bad enough, but that so much good Dutch grammar should be absolutely thrown away, was not to be tolerated. Days were spent by Peter in determining a plan of revenge that would at once avenge the slight, and maintain his dignity; and at last the tobacco used in these deliberations resolved itself into something more than ephemeral smoke, for it brought an idea into the head of its august user. Other men had covered themselves with unfading laurels on the battle-field, why should not he ? The consent of the mother country was first to be obtained, for the commencement of a quarrel between even so insignificant belligerents as these, might result in serious complications in the home countries of Europe. The old maps of the New Netherland provinces, made years before by Captain Hendrickson, were brought before the Government of Holland by Peter ; the right of Holland to the territory called New Sweden thereby made clear, and Peter's request was granted ; and he has been handed down to posterity by the great historian as the immortal conqueror of Fort Christina and the Swedes. It is upon the maps thus made use of by Peter, that the first allusion is made in history to the old territory of Minisink. The whole of that territory is there described as being occupied by a tribe of Indi- ans known as the Minquas, (Yol. I. Documents relating to the History of New York,) and this we may properly regard as the original word from which the name Mini- sink was derived. At all events, this was the name by which the Indians were known throughout that region, till at last the Swedes and the Hollanders, with their ORIGIN OF NAME, and first recorded visit. 13 resolute chieftains, all fell into subjection to the mighty power of England, in 1664. Then everything under- went an entire change. The little Dutch village of New Amsterdam or Manhattan, that had been growing so quietly amid its cabbage gardens, and so unobserved in the shadow of the smoke that arose from the pipes of its steady burghers, was at once given a more sounding title, in honor of the Duke of York, and of York in England, and came out with a grand flourish as the City of New York. The little stockaded fort, and its surroundings of steep-roofed houses with their "gable ends" to the street, that had long been regarded as one of the outposts on the limits of creation, up the Hudson, soon came to be known as Albany, instead of Orange — and what is more to the purpose, the tribe of Indians, spoken of, became known as the Minsies instead of the Minquas. This is the name they were first known by in Eager's History of Orange County, and he says it signified: peo- ple living on a low tract of land, from which the water had been drained — alluding to the legendary belief that the valley along the Delaware, occupied by them, had' once formed the bottom of a vast lake, from which the water finally escaped by breaking through the moun- tains, at a place now known as the Water-Gap, in the Delaware. This, most probably, was the original mean- ing and derivation of the word Minisink; for it is easy to trace the connection from the old Dutch name of the Minquas, to its English translation the Minsies, and finally to its later and last corruption of the Indian tongue, Minisink. It was known by this latter name as early as 1694, as we find from a journal kept by Captain Arent Schuyler, of a visit made by him to that region ; and as this is the first visit of a white man to that sec- tion, recorded in authentic history, I have thought 14 HISTORY OF THE MINISINR REGION, proper to give it entire, word for word, as it was most probably written and spelled by the valiant Captain himself, and as it may be found on p. 98, Vol. IV. of Documents relating to the History of New York. Gov. Fletcher, at the time, lorded it over the province by authority of the Crown of England, and this journey appears to have been taken at his command, for the pur- pose of ascertaining whether or no the French, who then occupied Canada, and were continually warring with the English, had not sent emissaries among the Minisink Indians to bribe them to unite with the Canadian Indi- ans to wage a war of extermination against the New Yorkers, which they would be most capable of doing from among their impenetrable fastnesses in the Shaw- angunk Mountains. JOURNAL OF CAPTAIN ARENT SCHUYLER^ VISIT TO THE MINISINK COUNTRY. May it please your Exeelh. In persuance to y' Excell: commands 1 have been in the Minissinck Country of which I have kept the fol- lowing journal: viz 1 1694 y e 3 d of Feb: [ departed from New Yorke for East New Jersey and came that night att Bergen town where I hired two men and a guide. y e ^th g 1UK i a y Morning. I went from Bergen & travilled about ten English miles beyond Haghkingsack to an Indian place called Peckwes. Y e 5 th Monday. From Peckwes North and be West I went about thirty two miles, snowing and rainy weather. Y e 6t th Tuesday. 1 continued my journey to Mag- gaghkamieck [the Indian name of the river Neversink, which falls into the Delaware a little south of Port ORIGIN OF NAME, AND FIRST RECORDED VISIT. 15 Jervis] and from thence to within half a day's journey to the Menissinck. Y e 7 th Wendsday. About eleaven a clock I arrived att the Minissinck, and there I mett with two of their Sachems and severall other Indians of whome I enquired after some news, if the French or their Indians had sent for them or been in y e . Menissinck Country. Upon w eh they answered that noe French nor any of the French Indians were nor had been in the Menissinck Country nor there abouts and did promise y* if y e French .should happen to come or y* they heard of it that they will forthwith send a mesinger and give y 1 Excellency notice thereof. Inquireing further after news they told me that six days agoe three Christians and two Shanwans Indians who went about fifteen months agoe with Arnout Vielle into the Shanwans Country were passed by the Menis- sinck going for Albany to fetch powder for Arnout and his company; and further told them that s rt Arnout intended to be there w th seaven hundred of y e said Shanwans Indians loaden w tb beavor and peltries att y" time y 6 Indian corn is about one foot high (which may be in the month of June J The Menissinck Sachems further s' 1 that one of their Sachems & other of their Indians were gone to fetch beavor & peltries which they had hunted; and having heard no news of them are afraid y* y e Sinneques have killed them for y e lucar of the beavor or because y e Menissinck Indians have not been with y e Sinneques as usual to pay their Dutty, and therefore desier y* your Excellency will be pleased to order y* the Sinneques may be told, not to molest or hurt y f Menissincks they be willing to continue in amity with them. IB the afternoon I departed from y e Menissincks; the 16 HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. 8 th , 9 th & 10 th of Feb. I travilled and came att Bergen in y e morning and about noone arrived att New Yorke. This is may it please your Excell. the humble reporte of your Excellency's most humble serv 1 Arent Schuyler. Scarce one hundred and seventy-two years have passed since the above journey was taken, and the comparison between then and now may be taken as a fair index to the rapid improvement that has everywhere been striding over the American Continent. Then the jour- ney occupied eight days — four in going and four in returning — and was accomplished by untiring perse- verance, amid the gloomy depths of an interminable forest, peopled only by the wild men of nature, and the panthers, bears, wolves, and other beasts that then prowled in its recesses ; the trackless path pointed out by an Indian guide, and its winding way followed over mountains and across valleys, one continual swamp and woodland, through the bitter cold and wet of a storm of rain and snow. Now, the same journey from New York to Port Jervis may be accomplished in the short space of about three hours and a half, by simply stepping in one of the elegant cars of the New York and Erie Rail- way, and sitting down in one of the velvet-cushioned seats — taking no note of the blinding snow or driving rain that may be falling out of doors, and with nothing to do but lean back on the cushions and enjoy the rock- ing motion as you glide along- — glance out of the cozy little windows at the snug farm-houses and cultivated fields, as they flit before your vision — no guide — no nothing to think o£, but to be ready with your paste- board when the conductor thrusts his hand before your eyes and drives away your dreamy reveries with the oft repeated cry o£-~" Tickets !" ORIGIN OF NAME. AND FIRST RECORDED VISIT. \1 If it be indeed true that the shades of those gone before sometimes revisit earth, what emotions of surprise and pleasure must we conjecture to fill the bosom of that sturdy old backwoodsman, Arent Schuyler, if his spirit should come back from the confines of the invisible world and repeat his journey to Port Jervis — then a desolate swamp, now a flourishing village — by riding on the cars, in these days of luxury and speed. 0, that he could speak to us, we would find our wildest imaginings to fall short of the tide of wonder and delight that would overflow his soul ! CHAPTER II. FIRST SETTLEMENT OF ORANGE COUNTY AND MINISINK. The early settlement of this region is shrouded in mystery. The surrounding mountains appear to have served as barriers to the encroachment of the whites, and after they had effected a lodging to have prevented a knowledge of their early transactions from coming to the ears of the historians of those times, until almost a generation of the first Minisink pioneers had passed away. Lord Bellomont, Governor of New York in 1701, says, in a letter to the lords of trade, that the country west of the Highlands, at that time, was a dense wilder- ness, there being but one house in all that section — on Captain Evan's grant, which was along the Hudson. This was the first house built within the present limits of the eastern part of Orange County, and as such, it i* but just to glance a moment at the history of the builder. It was built some years before Bellomont's notice of it. by Col. Patrick Magregorie, a Scotchman, who came to America with a band of followers in 1684. They landed in Maryland, but like the majority of the early emigrants, were continually roving around in quest of a better loca- tion. Magregorie was next located at Perth Amboy. New Jersey; but this was no better suited to his taste. and, in 1685, he petitioned for leave to take up land within the bounds of Billop's Point, on 3taten Island. FIRST SETTLEMENT. 19 At the instance, it is said, of Governor Dongan, he was persuaded to relinquish that design and remove to the Highlands. While here he devoted himself to the Indian trade, and became master of the Indian language. The following year, 1686, he was appointed Muster Master General of the Militia of the Province of New York, and was next sent in command of a party to trade at Michilmakinac, but was intercepted on the way by a party in the French interest, and carried a prisoner to Montreal. The next year he was liberated by orders from France, and returned to New York. The next year, 1688, he was employed by Sir Edmund Andros, and commanded a company that operated against the Indians east of Pemaquid. When the troubles broke out between the Government and the Leisler party, he was sent to New York city; where he was killed, during the attempt to reduce a fort held by the Leisler party. March, 1691. He was buried with public honors, and this appears to have been the most he ever received for his great public services, for we find the lands he laid claim to, along the Hudson, were subsequently granted to Capt. John Evans, who married his daughter Katherine. The patent was afterward vacated, and his heirs experienced a long series of difficulties in getting their claim adjusted. Their patent was finally settled in the town of Cornwall, Orange County. He had three sons, Hugh, John and Patrick, and two daughters. Katherine and Jane. What was known of Orange County, at that time, embraced the present County of Rockland, and was bounded on the North by Ulster County, which extended . along the western slope of the Shawangunk mountains to the Delaware, and included the present town of Deer- park, then a part of the town of Mamakating. Accord- 20 HiSTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. ing to Eager's History, Orange County was organized by act of General Assembly in 1683. In a list of officers, dated April 20th, 1693, it is stated that the County con- tained not over twenty families, and was under the pro- tection of New York city (p. 28, vol. iv. Doc. relating to the Colonial History of New York). It was named after William, Prince of Orange, who was crowned King of England, in 1689. Like all the unoccupied territory in those days, it was parceled out in immense tracts to favorites of the different Governors of the Province; and, as this was done by authority of Letters Patent from the Crown, so these tracts were called Patents. Thus it w r as we came to hear of the Wawayancla Patent, which included 150,000 acres, and was conveyed March 5th, 1703, during the reign of Queen Anne, to John Bridges, and twelve others, by the twelve Indian chiefs Rapingonick, Wawastawaw, Moghopuck, Comelawaw, Nanawitt, Ariwimack, Kumbout, Claus, Chouckhass, Chingapaw, Oshasquemonus, and Quiliapaw, — and the Minisink Patent made by the same Indian chiefs. The Governor's approval was doubtless first secured, and then the Indians were induced to place their marks to the documents, perhaps, by means of a little rum and tobacco; at all events, for a mere trifle, and thus a favored few became owners of thousands of acres of the most fertile land in the world — to-day worth millions upon millions of dollars. In this connection it is well enough to revert to the fact that, two hundred and forty years ago, the whole of the territory now occupied by the city of New York, was purchased of the Indians by the Dutch for twenty-four dollars; as is stated in the following letter, dated Nov. 5th, 1626 (vol. i. Doc. rela- ting to the Colonial History of New York, p. 37): FIRST SETTLEMENT. 21 • ; High and Mighty Lord: "Yesterday arrived here the Ship of Arms, of Amster- dam, which sailed from New Netherland out of the River Mauritius (Hudson), on the 23d September. They report that our people are in good heart and live in peace there; the women have also borne some children there. They have purchased the Island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders ($24); 'tis 11,000 morgens in size. They had all their grain sowed by the middle of May, and reaped by the middle of August. They send thence samples of summer grain: such as wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, canary seed, beans and flax. The cargo of the aforesaid ship is: 7246 Beaver skins, 178J Otter skins, 675 Otter skins, 48 Mink skins, 36 wild cat skins, 33 Minks, 34 Rat skins and a considerable Oak timber and Hickory. Herewith High and Mighty Lords, be commended to the mercy of the Almighty. ;i To the High and Mighty Lords, my Lords the States General at the Hague. " Signed Your High Mightiness' obedient, " P. SCHAGAN. "Amsterdam. Nov. 5, 1626." Imagine, if possible, the present value of that same Island of Manhattan, with its population of hundreds of thousands and its untold movable wealth. In 1698, by order of Governor Bellomont, a census of the several counties of New York was taken by the Sheriffs and Justices of the Peace, (p. 420, vol. iv., Doc. relating to the Colonial History of New York,) and Orange County was found to contain 29 men, 31 women, 140 children, and 19 negroes or slaves. The present 22 HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. site of the village of Newburgh was included in a patent of 2190 acres, granted to nine Palatines, or Germans, in 1719, viz.: George Lockstead, Michael Weigand, Her- man Shoreman, Christian Hennicke, the widow Cockertal, Burgher Mynders, Jacob Webber, Johannes Fisher, and Andries Valch. A settlement had been commenced some time before, (about 1712,) by a young lady named Sarah Wells, on the Wawayanda Patent, near the banks of the Otterkill. She was an orphan adopted by Chris- topher Denn, one of the patentees, who lived at that time in New Jersey, opposite Staten Island. It became necessary, in order to fix the title to the patent, that some settlement should be made upon it ; and thus it was, by aiding to secure the interest of Denn in the tract, that she has been chronicled in history as the first white person who commenced a settlement on the tract. At the request of her benefactor, she traveled in a boat from New York to the neighborhood of New Windsor, and from thence on foot to the Otterkill, to superintend the erection of a wigwam, or house, with no companions but a few friendly Indian guides. To more enhance our admiration of her fearless intrepidity, it is but proper to state that she was but sixteen years of age at the time. Think of that journey, ye timid votaries of luxury, who, even in the midst of friends and neighbors, tremble at the bare thought of venturing alone out of doors after nightfall ! Think of the repose she sought at night upon the ground, the glimmering stars sparkling through the foliage of the great forest, the dismal howl of the wolf echoing fearfully through the glades, and the hoot of the lonely owl varying the concord of heart-chilling sounds; and this, too, forty or fifty miles from the pres- ence of a white person, with no protectors but her savage friends. She afterwards married William Bull, settled FIKST SETTLEMENT. 23 on a tract of about one hundred acres, which was set off to her by Denn as a recompense for her services in making the settlement; and, after a long life of useful- ness, died aged 102 years 15 days. Her descendants, a short time since, started the project of erecting a suita- ble monument over her remains, which lie buried in the family yard in Hamptonburgh. (Eager's History of Orange County, p. 454.). The Ordinance for holding Courts ot Sessions and Pleas in Orange County, was granted March 8th, 1702. at Fort Anne, by Edward Viscount Combury. William Smith, Peter Schuyler and Sa. Th. Boughton. Esqs., of Council, and ratified and signed by Queen Anne, April 5th, 1703. The first courts were held at Orangetown. in what is now Rockland county. The first Session in Goshen was held in 1727, (lb. p. 17.) • But while the population of Orange county was thus rapidly increasing, and new villages springing up almost weekly within its limits, the history of the Minisink region appears to have been shrouded in darkness. The Shawangumk mountains formed a barrier which for a long time, kept from the outside world a view of the tide of civilization and improvement that was going on, and shut from the page of history much knowledge of the early settlers of that locality. Its mountain ranges afforded a shelter to the Indians long after the cultivated fields and happy homes of the white man had usurped the wilds of Eastern Orange. Among its glades and gorges, the smoke of their wigwams and the glimmer of their council fires, continued to rise in security and friendly intercouse with the early Minisink pioneers, years after the sun of their supremacy had set from Maine to the Carolinas. It was in this region, too, that some of their most barbarous atrocities were committed, 24 HISTORY OP THE MINISINK REGION. before yielding up the possession of their mountain fastnesses. In 1756, we are informed, that in the winter and spring large and small parties of western Indians made frequent incursions into its territory, destroying a vast amount of property, and taking many lives. At the commence- ment of this war (the old French and Indian war in 1755) it was reported to possess a population of about thirty families, and included a tract of about forty miles up and down the Delaware and Neversink rivers. Indeed, there are good reasons for dating the settlement of this region previous to the year 1664. In 1697 a Patent was granted to Arent Schuyler for lands described as follows: " A certain tract of land in the Minisink country, in the province of New York, called by the native Indians Warensaghskennick, otherwise called Maghawaemus; also a certain parcel of meadow, or vly, called by the Indians Warensaghskennick, situate, lying and being upon a certain run, called by the Indians, and known by the name of Minisink, before a certain Island called Menayack, which is adjacent to or near to a certain tract of land called by the Indians Maghakeneck, containing the quantity of one thousand acres and no more.'' This, as will be seen, gave the holder authority to locate on any unappropriated land in the valley, for it describes in such general terms as to puzzle almost any one to fix its limits. Another of these floating patents was granted the same year to Jacob Codebeck, Thomas Swartout, Anthony Swartout, Bernardus Swartont, Jan Tys, Peter Germar and David Jamison. This was loca- ted in what was called Peenpack. Many of the descend- ants of these patents are still living in that locality, Codebeck now being known as Cuddeback, and Germar as Gunaaer, Some of the settlers on these patents were FIRST SETTLEMENT. 25 Huguenots, or Frenchmen, who had voluntarily exiled themselves from France on account of their religious opinions being in conflict with the ruling powers. This is the origin of that name as applied to a small village a short distance north of Port Jervis at the present day. The following letter chronicles the second recorded visit of a white man to this territory; and as it is valu- able on account of the knowledge it imparts in regard to this history, I have copied it entire from page 49 of Eager's History of Orange County: (Copy of letters from Samuel Preston, Esq., dated Stockport, June 6th and 14th, 1828.) MINISINK, MINEHOLES, &C. " In 1787 the writer went on his first surveying tour into Northampton County; he was deputed under John Lukens, Surveyor General, and received from him, by way of instructions, the following narrative respecting the settlement of Minisink on the Delaware, above the Kittany and Blue Mountain: That the settlement was formed for a long time before it was known to the Gov- ernment at Philadelphia. That when the Government was informed of the settlement, they passed a law in 1729, that any such purchases of fche Indians should be null and void; and the purchasers indicted for forcible entry and detainer, according to the law of England. That in 1730 they appointed an agent to go and inves- tigate the facts; that the agent so appointed was the famous surveyor, Nicholas Scull; that he, James Lukens, was Nicholas Scull's apprentice to carry chain and learn surveying. That as they both understood and could talk Indian they hired Indian guides, and had a fatiguing journey, there being then no white inhabitants in the upper part of Bucks or Northampton Counties, That 26 HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. they had very great difficulty to lead their horses through the water gap to Minisink flats, which were all settled with Hollanders; with several they could only be understood in Indian. At the venerable Depuis' they found great hospitality and plenty of the necessaries of life. J. Lukens said that the first thing that struck his attention was a grove of apple trees of size far beyond any near Philadelphia, That as Nicholas Scull and himself examined the banks, they were fully of opinion that all those flats had at some former age been a deep lake before the river broke through the moun- tain, and that the best interpretation they could make of Minisink, was, the ivater is gone. That S. 'Depuis told them when the rivers were frozen - he had a good road to Esopus, near Kingston, from the Mineholes, on the Mine road, some hundred miles. That he took his wheat and cider there for salt and necessaries, and did not ap- pear to have any knowledge or idea where the river ran (Philadelphia market) or of being in the government of Pennsylvania. "They were of opinion that the first settlements of Hollanders in Minisink were many years older than William Penn's charter, and that S. Depuis had treated them so well, they concluded to make a survey of his claim, in order to befriend him if necessary. When they began to survey, the Indians gathered around; an old Indian laid his hand on Nicholas Scull's shoulder and said: ' Put up iron string, go home.' They then quit and returned. " I had it in charge from John Lukens to learn more particulars respecting the Mine road to Esopus, &c. I found Nicholas Depuis, Esq., son of Samuel, living in a spacious stone house in great plenty and affluence. The old Mineholes were a few miles above, on the Jersey FIRST SETTLEMENT. 27 side of the river by the lower point of Paaquarry Flat; that the Minisink settlement extended forty miles or more on both sides of the river. That he had well known the Mine road to Esopus, and used, before he opened the boat channel through Foul Rift, to drive on it several times every winter with loads of wheat and cider, as also did his neighbors, to purchase his salt and necessaries, in Esopns, having then no other market or knowledge where the river ran to. That after a navi- gable channel was opened through Foul Rift they gen- erally took to boating, and most of the settlement turned their trade down stream, the Mine road became less and less traveled. " This interview with the amiable Nicholas Depuis, was in June, 1787. He then appeared about sixty years of age. I interrogated as to the particulars of what he knew, as to when and by whom the Mine road was made, what was the ore they dug and hauled on it, what was the date, and from whence or how, came the first settlers of Minisink in such great numbers as to take up all the flats on both sides of the river for forty miles. He could only give traditionary accounts of what he had heard from older people, without date, in substance as follows: " That in some former age there came a company of miners from Holland; supposed, from the great labor expended in making that road, about one hundred miles, that they were very rich or great people, in working the two mines — one on the Delaware, where the moun- tain nearly approaches the lower point of Paaquarry Flat — the other at the north foot of the same mountain, near half way from the Delaware and Esopus. He ever understood that abundance of ore had been hauled on that road, but never could learn whether lead or silver. 28 HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. That the first settlers came from Holland to seek a place of quiet, being persecuted for their religion. I believe they were Armenians. They followed the Mine road to the large flats on the Delaware. That smooth, cleared land suited their views. That they bona fide bought the improvements of the native Indians, most of whom then moved to the Susquehanna; that with such as remained, there was peace till 1755. I then went to view the Paaquarry Mineholes. There appeared to have been a great abundance of labor done there at some former time, but the mouths of these holes were caved full, and overgrown with bushes. I concluded to myself if there ever was a rich mine under that mountain, it must be there yet, in close confinement. The other old men I conversed with, gave their traditions similar to Nicholas Depuis, and they all appeared to be grandsons of the first settlers, and very ignorant as to the dates, and things relating to chronology. In the summer of 1789 I began to build on this place; then came two ven- erable gentlemen on a surveying expedition. They were the late Gen. James Clinton, the father of the late DeWitt Clinton, and Christopher Tappan, Esq., Clerk and Recorder of Ulster Count3 r . For many years before they had both been surveyors under Gen. Clinton's father, when he was Surveyor-General. In order to learn some history from gentlemen of their general knowledge, I accompanied them in the woods. They both well knew the Mineholes, Mine road, ans set fire to Martelairs house, and proceeded to the village with their captives. A council was immediately convened to determine their fate. This was composed of the chief men of the tribe, among them old Naoman. The principal brave stated that some of the tribe had proved treacherous and informed the pale faces of the designs of the tribe. He proposed that the prisoners should be examined in regard to it. This was agreed to, and an Indian who could talk English acted as inter- preter. Martelair was questioned first, but resolutely refused to reveal his informant. His wife was ques- tioned next, while to terrify her two Indians stood with drawn tomahawks threatening the two children. She told them that she had a frightful dream the night before and had persuaded her husband to fly. " The Great Spirit never deigns to talk in dreams to a pale face/ 7 said the chief. " Woman, thou hast two tongues and two faces; speak the truth, or thy children shall surely die." The little boy and girl were then placed beside her, and the two savages stood by with drawn weapons to execute his orders. " Will you name." said the chief, " the traitor who be- trayed his tribe ? I will ask three times." The mother was pale and trembling, but did not answer. *f Will you name him ?" said the chief. " This is the second time." The tears gathered in the mother's eyes as she glanced at her husband and children. She stole a glance at Naoman, but the old chief was smoking as unconcernedly as though ignorant of their presence. She wrung her hands in silent agony but answered not a word. " Again," said the chief, ll will you name the traitor ? This is the third time." 204 HISTORY OF THE MINISINK REGION. The agony of the mother's mind was fearful. Bitter tears ran down her cheeks. The tomahawks were raised over the heads of the children for the death blow, and their voices were united in frightful cries for their mother to save them. She again glanced through her tears at Naoman, but his eye was as cold and indiffer- ent as before. Still she kept her word. Another mo- ment would be her children's last. Suddenly Naoman rose to his feet. All paused and turned their eyes toward him. " Stop !" he cried with a tone of authority as he drew his majestic form to its fullest hight; M The pale faced woman has kept her pledge. Braves, I am the traitor. I ate of the salt, warmed myself at the fire, played with the children, enjoyed the kindness of the pale faced Christians, and it was I who warned them of their danger. Braves, for many moons I have been your companion on the war path. I am old and useless in the war dance. I am a withered, leafless, branchless trunk; cut me down if you will, I am ready; but never let it be said that old Naoman forgot his friends." The old Indian's remarks were followed for a moment with perfect silence, but the Indian character could not appreciate the motives of his course; the next instant a yell of indignation arose from all sides. The old chief stepped down from the bank whereon he had been sitting, and covered his face with his mantle of skins; the next moment a toma- hawk cleft his skull and he fell dead at the feet of those he had so nobly died to save. " Bl^t the sacrifice of Naoman," says Paulding, " and the firmness of the Christian white woman, did not suf- fice to save the lives of the other victims. They per- ished — how, it is needless to say." Many years have passed since then. The murdered THE LEGEND OF MURDERER'S CREEK. 205 and the murderers have long ago gone to meet their reward in the spirit land. Splendid farms and happy homes now occupy the scene of the tragic incidents attending the death of Martelair's family. But the memory of their fate has survived the lapse of time, and is still preserved by the name of the pleasant stream on whose banks they lived and died, which, to this day. is called Murderer's creek. 6 CHAPTER XVT. A REMINISCENCE OF THE WALLKILL. Sluggishly the current of the Wallkill was rollin along one afternoon not many weeks ago. The morn- ing had possessed all the requisites deemed so neces- sary to success in fishing as well as hunting, "A southerly wind and a cloudy sky;" but though I occupied about the best fishing ground along the stream, (a few miles above Pellet's Island bridge), had changed my base of operations many times, and had "cast my lines" in many pleasant places during the day, still the array of fish in my basket continued alarmingly small. At last scarce a nibble disturbed the serene repose of my line in the deep water, and allowing the end of my pole to drop in after the line, I leaned back on the rank wild grass that covered the bank, drew my hat over my eyes to keep off the glare of the sun that had just broke through the scattering- clouds, and naturally enough, my thoughts recurred to the reminiscences that cluster around the vicinity of the gliding stream before me. How many a swift canoe had darted over its surface and followed its crooked course, rounding the bends with a graceful curve, obedient to the command of some stalwart Indi- >A REMINISCENCE OP THE WALLS ILL. 207 an chief. How many a dark female of the woods, in all the regal beauty of her native wildness, had roamed along its banks, and had perhaps been wooed and won beside the sparkling water and beneath the overhanging boughs of the leafy maple and water birch, that then no doubt, presented an interminable forest on either side. Yes! and how many scenes of strife, and daring strategy, and wild ventures for life, and narrow escapes it had witnessed in the days when the bear, panther, wolf and red man mutually came from the dark recesses of their native fastnesses to bathe in and drink its limpid flood, long years before the white man and his attendant, civilization, had made themselves known in these mighty solitudes, where the Indian had indeed sought and found a home. " Some safer world in depth of wood embrac'd, Some happier island in the wat'ry waste, Where slaves once more their native land behold, Xo fiends torment, no Christians thirst for gold." And, since the advent of civilization, how many com- panies of gay ladies and gentlemen had sailed over its surface, had discoursed with grammatical precision, had fished with all the ease and grace polite society confers, had flirted in the most approved style, and in all the pride of good looks that the most profuse use of paint could produce and the dignity of garments of the most fashionable make inspire ; on the very spot perhaps where hundreds of years before the Indian wooed his dusky maid in all the simplicity of savage wildness, with no paint but the war paint that decked his every limb, in garments that had never felt the snip of shears or hiss of tailor's goose, and in language that can scarce be said to have a grammar. Yet death has sent them to mingle in one circle in the happy spirit land — either 208 HISTORY OP THE MINISINK REGION. the " civilized" stripped of their pride, hypocrisy, art and science, or the savage at once put in possession of all these faculties by the hand of omnipotent power. Many a social revel, in a friendly way, of hardy hands and honest hearts, and many a day of pure enjoyment, too, has this old stream seen. Happy days of fishing in the pleasant fall and summer months, and lucky days of hunting in the early spring, when the " drowned lands" are overflowed with melting snow and the spring rains for the distance of a mile or more on either side, and the wild duck and goose make it their home. Days of enjoyment too, that will cause it to be long remembered, as well alike by the pretty country maiden who has roamed along its side, as by the hard fisted farmer who frequented it to find respite from his daily toil. And there are other mementos of it that recall to mind sad and painful thoughts. It was near this spot not many years ago, that a young man in springing from a boat in which were a number of ladies who had been upon a pleasure excursion, fell short of the shore and sank to rise no more in sight of his horrified companions. Only a few miles below here, and but a year or so ago, the lamented young Dr. Putney was drowned by the acci- dental upsetting of his canoe while out hunting. And well do I remember hearing old residents of the vicinity tell the particulars of another sad incident, which now occurs to my mind. In the spring of the year 1827, the freshet upon the " drowned lands" was unusually high. The geese and ducks were holding high carnival on its wide extended surface and amid its submerged swamps. Duck shoot- ing occupied the minds of all who were in the habit of taking an occasional holiday in that kind of amusement, or who had any relish for a bit of roast game now and A REMINISCENCE OF THE WALLKILL. 20ft them The morning of the loth of March of that year dawned exceedingly blustery and cold, but it did not deter two young men from leaving home to engage in a day's hunting along the Wallkill. They had their minds made up a day or so before, and were determined to let no trivial circumstance disappoint them of a day's sport. One of them left a young and beautiful wife — a lady who attracted attention wherever she appeared by her handsome looks and imperial manner ; in fact was the admired and envied of a large circle of acquain- tances surrounding the then thriving little village of Brookfield. The other was unmarried. Both were men of good families and extensively known. The day passed away and they did not return. Another dragged its slow length along to the now alarmed and anxious families awaiting them, and still they did not come. Ah ! look, young wife, through the long, long day, and sleepless, lonesome night, and mourn ; and you, too, ye friends, for they never shall return in the pride of their strength and manhood. Their well known manly forms shall never again occupy their former places in the family circle. Never more shall their vivacious conver- sation, their ever ready jest, or their merry ringing laugh be heard this side the grave. For the unpitying waters of the Wallkill have taken them to its deadly embrace, and buried in eternal stillness the flow T of their genial souls on earth. How the3^ struggled for life no mortal man may know. What agonized and frenzied feelings wrought their breasts in those long hours of suffering, no pen can ever tell, when after the upsetting of their canoe they found themselves so benumbed by cold and wet as to be .unable to get it righted, and were forced at last to abandon it and make a last venture for life and the 210 HISTORY OF THE MJNISIN'K ttKGIOM, mainland. The water not being very deep here, in some places in reality of easy wading depth, (it was some distance from the main channel,) they struggled on through sunken morasses and dangerous quagmires with the desperation of despair. Alternately buoyed up with a faint hope, and anon hopeless, as obstacles were overcome and stronger ones came to view, till at last fatigue and cold crowded out the little spark of life, and they perished in sight of the dry land for which they were striving. The searching parties shortly after found them and dragged ashore the remains of these two unfortunate men, and many is the time the hard fate of Duncan Hulse and Milton Howell has been told around the evening fireside by those to whose memory it is as a tale of yesterday. Years have passed since then, and time, as ever, has wrought its changes. Not long since I was standing in the streets of a neighboring village, when I chanced to notice a wasted female form passing by. Her faded calico dress was fluttering in the breeze like the last sere leaves of autumn that still cling trembling to the trees. A bonnet of straw that had apparently been bleached by the sun of many summers, with a single flower and bow-knot of the same faded hue adorning the top, completed her attire. Onward she passed with trembling hand and wild maniacal stare, with head ever shaking, shaking, and incoherent sentences constantly issuing from her lips. The boys stopped their play for a moment as she went by, and said, " Poor crazy Betsy.'' Yes, this was the once accomplished and beautiful bride, the admired and envied wife. The waters of the Wallkill are still noiselessly gliding on, " Onward, erer onward, and still on to the sea/' a EBMIKISCBKCfi OF THE WALLKtLft 211 unmindful of the incidents time brings beside its shores. Even so — u Life is a stream — how fair its face, How smooth its dimpling waters pace, Its canopy how pure. But rocks below, and tempests sleep. Insidious o'er the glassy deep, Nor leave an hour secure." Yes, reader, such is life, and before many years you and I will disappear beneath its surface and be known on earth no more. But never mind, " My friend, adown life's valley, hand in hand, With grateful change of grave and merry speech, Or song, our hearts unlocking each to each, We'll journey onward to the silent land." THE END. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 221 419 2