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PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE 


NEW  YORK  STATE  ,  *'\ 
HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATION. 


THE  EIGHTH  ANNUAL  MEETING,  WITH 

CONSTITUTION,  BY-LAWS  AND 

LIST  OF  MEMBERS. 

VOL.  VII. 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE 

NEW  YORK  STATE  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATION 

1907 


BLCNS   FALL!  PUBLISHING  CO.,   PRINTERS. 


F 


NEW  YORK  STATE  HISTORICAL 
ASSOCIATION. 


President, 
HON.  JAMES  A.  ROBERTS,  NEW  YORK. 

First  Vice-President, 
HON.  ORENVILLE  M.  INGALSBE,  SANDY  HILL. 

Second  Vice-President, 
DR.  SHERMAN   WILLIAMS,  GLENS  FALLS. 

Third  Vice-President, 
*DR.  C.  ELLIS  STEVENS,  BROOKLYN. 

Treasurer, 
JAMES  A.  HOLDEN,  GLENS  FALLS. 

Secretary, 
ROBERT   0.  BASCOM,  FORT  EDWARD. 

Assistant  Secretary, 
CHARLES  F.  KING,  GLENS  FALLS. 


^Deceased. 


TRUSTEES. 

Hon.  James  A.  Roberts,  New  York Term  Expires  1907 

Col.  John  L.  Cunningham,  Glens  Falls "  1907 

Mr.  James  A.  Holden,  Glens  Falls "  1907 

Mr.  John  Boulton  Simpson,  Bolton 1907 

*Eev.  Dr.  C.  Ellis  Stevens,  New  York "  1907 

Dr.  Everett  R.  Sawyer,  Sandy  Hill "  1907 

Mr.  Elwyn  Seelye,  Lake  George "  1907 

Mr.  Frederick  B.  Richards,  Ticonderoga 1907 

Mr.  Rowland  Pell,  New  York "  1907 

Gen.  Henry  E.  Tremain,  New  York     "  1908 

Mr.  William  Wait,  Kinderhook "  1908 

Dr.  Sherman  Williams,  Glens  Falls 1908 

Mr.  Robert  0.  Bascom,  Fort  Edward "  1908 

Mr.  Francis  W.  Halsey,  New  York "  1908 

Mr.  Harry  W.  Watrous,  Hague "  1908 

Com.  John  W.  Moore,  Bolton  Landing "  1908 

Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  E.  King,  Fort  Edward "  1908 

Hon.  Hugh  Hastings,  Albany "  1909 

Mr.  Asahel  R.  Wing,  Fort  Edward "  1909 

Hon.  D.  S.  Alexander,  Buffalo "  1909 

Rev.  John  H.  Brandow,  Schoharie 1909 

Hon.  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe,  Sandy  Hill 1909 

Col.  William  L.  Stone,  Mt.  Vernon "  1909 

Mr.  Morris  Patterson  Ferris,  New  York 1909 

*Deceased. 


PROCEEDINGS 

OF  THE 

New  York  State  Historical  Association,  Held  at  the  Fort  William 

Henry  Hotel  at  Lake  George,  N.  Y.,  August 

21st  and  22d,  1906. 


At  the  Eighth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  New  York  State  Historical 
Association  at  the  Fort  William  Henry  Hotel,  Lake  George,  August 
21st,  1906,  a  quorum  being  present,  the  meeting  was  called  to  order 
by  the  President,  Hon.  James  A.  Roberts.  The  Secretary,  Mr. 
Robert  0.  Bascom,  being  absent,  Mr.  James  A.  Holden  was  made 
Secretary  pro  tern. 

The  annual  report  of  the  Treasurer  was  presented,  accepted  and 
placed  on  file.  The  report  was  as  follows: 

ANNUAL  REPORT    OF  J.    A.    HOLDEN, 
Treasurer  New  York  State  Historical  Association, 

August  20,  1906. 

1905. 

July  1,  Cash  on  hand. $194  73 

Received  from  dues 478  10 

Received  from  Gen.  Tremain 100  00  $772  83 

DISBURSEMENTS. 
1905. 

Aug.    5,  Edward  Lisk $20000 

R.  O.  Bascom 27  50 

Sept.  8,  Edward  Lisk 67  25 

R.  O.  Bascom 23  28 

Melvin  Reid  15  31 

Nov.    8,  Edward  Lisk 3175 

Dec.    4,  R.  O.  Bascom,  postage 10  00 

"     11,  R.  O.  Bascom,  postage 5  00 

Jan.  16,  R.  O.  Bascom,  postage 6  00 

Mar.  12,  C.  O'Blenis   3  00 

Apr.  23,  G.  F.  Publishing  Co 10  00      $404  69 


$368  14 


8  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

%' 

ASSETS. 
1906. 

Aug.  20,  Cash  on  hand $368  14 

Back   dues    .  182  00 


Total  assets $550  14 

Life  membership  fund $271  40 

The  report  of  the  Commitee  on  Historical  Spots  was  read  and 
accepted.  The  report  was  as  follows : 

Glens  Falls,  N.  Y.,  Aug.  20,  1906. 
To  the  Trustees  of  the  New  York  State  Historical  Association, 

Gentlemen:— I  have  had  subscriptions  amounting  to  $200,  ex- 
clusive from  what  has  been  done  by  Mr.  Crandall.  Of  this  sum 
$71.25  has  been  expended  and  reported  upon.  The  tablet  at 
Halfway  Brook  is  in  place.  That  for  Bloody  Pond  has  been 
ordered  of  a  Chicago  firm  and  should  have  been  here  before  this. 
I  submit  a  blue  print  of  the  designs.  It  is  thought  better  that  it 
be  not  placed  in  position  until  after  it  is  certain  where  the  new 
State  Road  will  be  located,  as  a  change  of  a  few  feet  in  either  direc- 
tion might  affect  materially  the  general  appearance  of  the  tablet 
when  in  position. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

SHERMAN    WILLIAMS. 

Letter  from  Mr.  W.  K.  Bixby  of  Bolton  Landing,  relative  to 
Congressional  action  on  Fort  Ticonderoga  was  read,  and  on  motion, 
duly  seconded  and  carried,  it  was  unanimously  resolved  that  this 
Association  aid  in  every  way  possible  the  acquisition  of  Fort  Ticon- 
deroga and  surrounding  battle  fields  by  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Membership  was  read  and 
adopted  and  ordered  filed.  On  motion  the  recommendations  of  the 
committee  were  adopted. 

The  following  honorary  and  corresponding  members  were  duly 
elected  by  ballot : 

HONORARY  MEMBERS. 

Hon.  Theo.  Roosevelt,  LL.  D.,  White  House,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Chas.  Francis  Adams,  LL.  D.,  23  Court  street,  Boston,  Mass. 


PROCEEDINGS  9 

Daniel  Coit  Oilman,  LL.  D.,  President  of  Carnegie  Institute,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Arthur  Irving  Hadley,  LL.  D.,  President  of  Yale  University,  New 
Haven,  Conn. 

Captain  Alfred  Thayer  Mahan,  U.  S.  N.,  LL.  D.,  D.  C.  L.,  160  W. 
86th  street,  New  York. 

Woodrow  Wilson,  Ph.  D.,  Litt.  D.  LL.  D.,  President  of  Princeton 
University,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

CORRESPONDING  MEMBERS. 

John  Bach  McMaster,  Ph.  D.,  Libb  D.,  LL.  D.,  University  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Penn. 

Goldwin  Smith,  LL.  D.,  D.  C.  L.,  Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada. 
Arthur  Martin  Wheeler,  LL.  D.,  Yale  University,  New  Haven,  Ct. 

The  following  named  persons  were  elected  members : 

A.  J.  Merrell,  Jeremiah  M.  Thompson,  William  0.  Cloyes. 

After  which  the  meeting  adjourned. 

SECOND  SESSION,  AUG.  21,  TUESDAY  AFTERNOON. 

At  the  symposium  at  the  afternoon  session  the  following  ad- 
dresses were  delivered,  viz. : 

"Fort  Niagara  as  the  Base  of  Indian  and  Tory  Operations, " 
Jeremiah  M.  Thompson,  Ph.  D.,  Dundee,  N.  Y. 

"Joseph  Brant  and  His  Raids,"  William  L.  Stone,  A.  M.,  LL.  B., 
Mt.  Vernon,  N.  Y. 

"The  Raids  of  Tryon  County,"  S.  L.  Frey,  Palatine  Bridge, 
N.  Y. 

"Schoharie  in  the  Border  Warfare  of  the  Revolution,"  Alfred 
W.  Abrams,  A.  B.,  Ilion,  N.  Y. 

"Minisink,"  Theo.  D.  Schoonmaker,  Goshen,  N.  Y. 

"The  Story  of  Cherry  Valley,"  Henry  U.  Swinnerton,  Ph.  D., 
Cherry  Valley,  N.  Y. 

JAS.  A.  HOLDEN, 

Secretary  pro  tern. 


10  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

THIRD  SESSION,  WEDNESDAY,  AUGUST  22o,  1906. 

The  Association  met,  pursuant  to  adjournment,  in  the  parlors  of 
the  Fort  William  Henry  Hotel.  An  address,  entitled  "  Irish  Colo- 
nists in  New  York, ' '  was  delivered  by  M.  J.  0  'Brien  of  New  York 
City,  after  which  the  President's  address  by  the  Hon.  James  A. 
Roberts  of  New  York  City  was  delivered. 

The  thanks  of  the  Association  were  tendered  to  both  gentlemen 
above  named  by  a  unanimous  vote,  after  which  Mr.  Holden  pro- 
posed the  following  amendments  to  the  Constitution,  and  upon 
motion  duly  made,  seconded  and  carried,  the  Secretary  was  in- 
structed to  procure  such  amendments  to  be  printed  and  sent  to 
the  members  of  the  Association,  and  that  a  special  meeting  of  the 
Association  be  held  at  the  same  time  and  place  as  that  of  the  Janu- 
ary meeting  of  the  Trustees,  and  that  such  amendments  be  voted 
upon  by  the  Association  at  said  January  Meeting. 

The  amendments  are  as  follows: 

ARTICLE     III. 
Members. 

Section  1.  Members  shall  be  of  four  classes — Active,  Associate,  Cor- 
responding and  Honorary.  Active  and  Associate  members  only  shall  have 
a  voice  in  the  management  of  the  Society. 

Section  2.  All  persons  interested  in  American  history  shall  be  eligi- 
ble for  Active  membership. 

Section  3.  Persons  residing  outside  the  State  of  New  York,  inter- 
ested in  historical  investigation,  may  be  made  Corresponding  members. 

Section  4.  Persons  who  have  attained  distinguished  eminence  as 
historians  may  be  made  Honorary  members. 

Section  5.  Persons  who  shall  have  given  to  the  Association  dona- 
tions of  money,  time,  labor,  books,  documents,  MSS.  collections  of 
antiquities,  art  or  archaeology  of  a  value  equivalent  in  the  judgment  of  the 
trustees  to  a  life  membership  may  be  made  Associate  members. 

ARTICLE  IV. 
Fees  and  Dues. 

Section  1.  Each  person  on  being  elected  to  Active  Membership, 
between  January  and  July  of  any  year,  shall  pay  into  the  Treasury  of 
the  Association  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  and  thereafter  on  the  first  day  of 
January  in  each  year  a  like  sum  for  his  or  her  annual  dues.  Any  person 
elected  to  membership  subsequent  to  July  1st,  and  who  shall  pay  into 


PROCEEDINGS  11 

the  treasury  two  dollars,  shall  be  exempt  from  dues  until  January  1st  of 
the  year  next  succeeding  his  or  her  consummation  of  membership. 

Section  2.  Any  member  of  the  Association  may  commute  his  or  her 
annual  dues  by  the  payment  of  twenty-five  dollars  at  one  time,  and 
thereby  become  a  life  member,  exempt  from  further  payments. 

Section  3.  Any  member  may  secure  membership  which  shall  descend 
to  a  member  of  his  or  her  family  qualified  under  the  Constitution  and 
By-Laws  of  the  Association  for  membership  therein,  In  perpetuity  by 
the  payment  at  one  time  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  The  person 
to  hold  the  membership  may  be  designated  in  writing  by  the  creator  of 
such  membership,  or  by  the  subsequent  holder  thereof  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Section  4.  All  receipts  from  life  and  perpetual  memberships  shall 
be  set  aside  and  invested  as  a  special  fund,  the  income  only  to  be  used 
for  current  expenses. 

Section  5.  Associate,  Honorary  and  Corresponding  Members  and 
persons  who  hold  Perpetual  Membership  shall  be  exempt  from  the  pay- 
ment of  dues. 

Section  6.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  have  power  to  excuse  the 
non-payment  of  dues,  and  to  suspend  or  expel  members  for  non-payment 
when  their  dues  remain  unpaid  for  more  than  six  months. 

Section  6.  Historical  Societies,  Educational  institutions  of  all 
kinds,  libraries,  learned  societies,  patriotic  societies,  or  any  incorporated 
or  unincorporated  association  for  the  advancement  of  learning  and  intel- 
lectual welfare  of  mankind,  shall  be  considered  a  "person"  under  Section 
2  of  this  article. 

Mr.  Holden  thereupon  presented  the  following  minute  upon  the 
death  of  Dr.  Godfrey  R.  Martine,  which  was  ordered  spread  upon 
the  minutes : 

"It  is  with  regret  that  this  Society  is  obliged  to  chronicle  the 
death  of  Godfrey  R.  Martine,  M.  D.,  which  occurred  through  an 
accident  near  his  home  in  Glens  Falls  on  Wednesday,  August  8th, 
of  this  year. 

' '  Dr.  Martine,  in  addition  to  being  widely  known  throughout  this 
section  on  account  of  his  professional  skill,  as  well  as  for  his  acts 
of  generosity  and  benevolence,  was  one  of  the  few  literary  men  of 
this  section  whose  loss  is  not  easily  reparable.  A  wide  reader,  in 
sympathy  with  all  educational  movements,  possessed  of  an  unusual 
memory,  his  talks  and  conversation  were  enlivened  with  the  most 
apt  quotations  in  poetry  and  prose.  Dr.  Martine  was  one  of  the 


12  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

first  members  of  this  Association.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  its 
meetings,  was  most  regular  in  his  attendance,  and  his  suggestions 
to  the  officers  of  the  Association  were  most  valuable.  His  profes- 
sional standing  and  well  known  ability  as  a  literateur,  and  his 
universal  benevolence  render  it  meet  and  fitting  that  this  memorial 
be  embodied  in  the  records  of  our  Association." 

The  following  active  members  were  elected: 

Dr.  Livingston  Rowe  Schuyler,  17  Lexington  avenue,  N.  Y. 
State  Normal  and  Training  School,  Plattsburg,  N.  Y. 
Charles  Waldron  Clowe,  280  Broadway,  N.  Y.  City. 
Gustave  Lange,  Jr.,  255  Broadway,  N.  Y.  City. 
After  which  the  meeting  adjourned. 

ROBERT  0.  BASCOM, 

Secretary. 


TRUSTEES'    MEETING. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Trustees  of  the  New  York  State  Historical 
Association,  held  on  the  22d  of  August,  1906,  at  the  parlors 
of  the  Fort  William  Henry  Hotel,  Lake  George,  New  York,  a 
quorum  being  present,  the  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  the 
President. 

The  following  Trustees  were  elected  for  the  term  of  three  years, 
viz.: 

Hon.  Hugh  Hastings,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Asahel  R.  Wing,  Fort  Edward,  N.  Y. 

Hon.  D.  S.  Alexander,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  John  H.  Brandow,  Schoharie,  N.  Y. 

Hon.  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe,  Sandy  Hill,  N.  Y. 

Col.  William  L.  Stone,  Mt.  Vernon,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Morris  Patterson  Ferris,  New  York  City. 

Hon.  George  G.  Benedict,  Burlington,  Vt. 

The  following  officers  were  elected  by  ballot: 

President,  Hon.  Jas.  A.  Roberts,  New  York. 

First  Vice-President,  Hon.  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe,  Sandy  Hill. 

Second  Vice-President,  Dr.  Sherman  Williams,  Glens  Falls. 


PROCEEDINGS  13 

Third  Vice-President,  Dr.  C.  Ellis  Stevens,  Brooklyn. 
Treasurer,  James  A.  Holden,  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y. 
Secretary,  Robert  0.  Bascom,  Fort  Edward  N.  Y. 
Assistant  Secretary,  Charles  F.  King,  Glens  Falls,  N.  Y. 

The  following  committees  were  appointed  : 

On  Legislation: 

Hon.  James  A.  Roberts, 
Dr.  Sherman  Williams, 
Gen.  Henry  E.  Tremain, 
Dr.  Jos.  E.  King, 
Hon.  Hugh  Hastings. 

Marking  Historical  Spots: 

Dr.  Sherman  Williams, 

Mr.  James  A  Holden, 

Mr.  Frederick  B.  Richards, 

Mr.  Asahel  R.  Wing,  ,      3 

Hon.  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe. 

Fort  Ticonderoga: 

Elizabeth  Watrous, 

Hon.  Frank  S.  Witherbee, 

W.  K.  Bixby. 

Membership  : 

Rev.  Dr.  C.  Ellis  Stevens. 

Robert  0.  Bascom, 

Mr.  John  Boulton  Simpson. 

Programme : 

Hon.  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe, 
Dr.  Sherman  Williams, 
D.  S.  Alexander. 

Publication: 

Robert  0.  Bascom, 
William  Wait, 
James  A.  Holden. 


14  NEW   YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

% 

After  which,  upon  motion  of  Dr.  Williams,  it  was  moved  that  the 
subject  for  the  next  year's  meeting  be  ''The  Niagara  Frontier," 
and  that  the  literary  meeting  of  the  Association  be  held  at  such 
place  upon  the  Niagara  Frontier  as  may  be  selected  by  the  Commit- 
tee Upon  Program,  and  that  the  date  for  the  literary  meeting  be 
fixed  by  said  committee,  after  which  the  meeting  adjourned. 

ROBERT  0.  BASCOM, 

Secretary. 


FORT  NIAGARA  AS  THE  BASE  OF  INDIAN 
AND  TORY  OPERATIONS. 


J.  M.  THOMPSON,  PH.  B.,  DUNDEE,  N.  Y. 


In  the  month  of  July,  1764,  there  might  have  been  seen  cluster- 
ing about  the  angle  of  land  formed  by  the  Niagara  River  and  Lake 
Ontario  a  scene  of  life  and  activity  seldom  witnessed  in  colonial 
history. 

At  the  invitation  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  whose  skill  and  per- 
sistence had  last  won  from  the  French  this  spot  which  the  Eng- 
lish had  coveted  for  a  century,  all  the  Indian  tribes  favorable  to 
his  majesty  had  assembled.  Many  reasons  had  led  them  to  accept 
this  invitation.  Some  came  because  they  were  tired  of  war,  some 
to  avert  retribution  for  their  friendliness  to  the  French,  more  no 
doubt  as  did  the  Ojibways,  who  claimed  that  upon  consulting  the 
"Great  Spirit"  they  received  the  following  reply:  "Sir  William 
Johnson  will  fill  your  canoes  with  presents  of  blankets,  kettles, 
guns,  gunpowder,  and  shot,  and  barrels  of  rum,  such  as  the  stoutest 
of  the  Indians  will  not  be  able  to  lift,  and  every  man  will  return 
in  safety  to  his  family. ' ' 

More  than  two  thousand  Indians  are  said  to  have  been  present. 
They  represented  tribes  from  Nova  Scotia  to  the  head  waters  of  the 
Mississippi.  Their  wigwams  stretched  over  a  great  territory  and 
contrasted  strangely  with  the  white  tents  of  the  colonial  troops, 
under  General  Bradstreet. 

To  preserve  peace  and  friendly  relations  among  so  many  warlike 
tribes  taxed  to  the  utmost  the  consumate  skill  of  Johnson,  but  the 
purpose  that  he  had  in  mind  of  binding  all  these  different  tribes  in 
bonds  of  friendship  to  the  British  government  was  worthy  of  the 
foresight  of  one  of  her  greatest  colonial  subjects. 


16  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

First,  he  noticed  that  the  most  important  of  all  the  Indian 
nations  was  not  present.  He  therefore  dispatched  an  Indian  run- 
ner to  the  chiefs  of  the  Senecas  with  the  message  that  unless  they 
presented  themselves  at  the  meeting  he  should  consider  them 
enemies  and  send  General  Bradstreet  to  destroy  their  crops  and 
burn  their  villages. 

The  Senecas  promptly  sent  a  large  band  of  warriors  to  the  spot, 
and  the  council  proceeded.  Johnson  first  of  all  insisted  that  the 
Senecas  should  cede  to  his  government  the  land  upon  which  the 
fort  stood.  The  Senecas,  overawed  by  the  presence  of  so  many 
soldiers,  gave  to  the  British  government  a  deed  of  a  strip  of  land 
four  miles  wide  on  each  side  of  the  Niagara  River.  As  a  special 
mark  of  favor  to  Sir  William  Johnson  himself  they  exempted  the 
islands  in  the  river  from  the  grant,  but  gave  them  to  him  for  a 
personal  possession.  By  the  6th  of  August  separate  treaties  had 
been  made  with  all  the  various  tribes.  Ladened  with  presents,  the 
Indians  were  allowed  to  go  to  their  distant  homes  to  tell  of  the 
power,  wealth  and  generosity  of  the  Great  King. 

At  this  meeting  Johnson  had  expended  $10,000  for  provisions 
and  $190,000  for  presents.  He  had,  however,  gained  for  England 
the  permanent  friendship  of  the  Indian  tribes.  In  view  of  the 
subsequent  events,  the  British  government  never  made  a  better 
investment. 

Fort  Niagara,  where  this  assembly  occurred,  was  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Niagara  River  upon  its  eastern  bank.  It  thus  com- 
manded the  portage  between  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario  as  well  as 
the  gateway  traversed  by  the  Indian  tribes  and  fur  traders  in  their 
journeys  to  Ohio,  the  Mississippi  and  the  Great  Lakes.  Its  history 
had  been  long  and  varied.  It  had  been  one  of  the  most  important 
in  the  long  chain  of  forts  by  which  France  had  endeavored  to 
retain  her  colonial  possessions.  It  first  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  French  explorer  La  Salle,  who  as  early  as  1679  built  a  block 
house  on  its  site,  and  thus  opened  the  great  fur  trade  that  played 
so  important  a  part  in  the  life  and  history  of  the  fort.  In  the 
early  days  of  the  English  occupation  it  presented  :i  picturesque 


FORT  NIAGAEA  AS  THE  BASE  OP  INDIAN  AND  TORY  OPERATIONS      17 

scene  of  striking  frontier  life.  "The  rude  transient  population — 
red  hunters,  trappers  and  bush  rangers— starting  out  from  this 
center,  or  returning  from  their  journeys  of  perhaps  hundreds  of 
miles  to  the  West;  trooping  down  the  portage  to  the  fort,  bearing 
their  loads  of  peltries  made  Fort  Niagara  a  business  headquarters. 
There  the  traders  brought  their  guns  and  ammunition,  their  blankets 
and  cheap  jewelry,  to  be  traded  for  furs;  there  the  Indians  pur- 
chased at  fabulous  prices  the  white  man 's  '  *  fire  water, ' '  and  many, 
yes,  numberless,  were  the  broils  and  conflicts  in  and  around  the 
fort." 

At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Revolutionary  War  it  possessed  un- 
usual advantages  as  a  base  of  Indian  and  Tory  operations.  Its 
location,  remote  from  the  actual  scenes  of  war,  rendered  it  per- 
fectly secure  from  any  retribution  that  might  be  brought  by  the 
colonial  armies.  At  this  time  there  stretched  between  the  Niagara 
frontier  and  the  settlements  along  the  Mohawk  a  vast  region,  inhab- 
ited only  by  powerful  Indian  tribes  unfriendly  to  the  people  of  the 
colonies. 

Over  the  Indians  of  this  region,  as  well  as  those  to  the  west,  the 
commander  of  Fort  Niagara  exercised  a  sort  of  judgeship ;  to  him 
all  Indian  grievances  were  brought,  through  him  all  such  disputes 
were  settled,  by  him  all  decisions  were  enforced.  It  was  the  head 
center  of  the  military  life  of  the  region. 

The  bands  of  Tories  and  Indians  from  Fort  Niagara  were  thus 
enabled  to  raid  the  frontier  settlements,  perpetrating  upon  them 
the  most  unwonted  cruelties,  to  plunder  their  villages  and  to  return 
in  perfect  security  to  the  protecting  walls  of  the  fort. 

Once  only  were  the  bold  raiders  in  danger  of  attack.  Sullivan, 
in  his  raid  upon  the  Senecas,  came  within  eighty  miles  of  the  fort, 
but  for  want  of  provisions  was  obliged  to  turn  back,  leaving  them 
to  pursue  their  course  unmolested. 

Moreover,  Fort  Niagara  was  in  direct  communication  with  the 
British  authorities  in  Canada,  where  Col.  Haldimand,  the  zealous 
and  adroit  commander,  was  exerting  every  effort  to  crush  out  the 
spirit  of  liberty  in  the  colonies.  The  fort,  therefore,  naturally 


18  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

% 

became  the  headquarters  of  the  bands  of  Indians  and  Tories  who 
came  down  from  Canada. 

But  location  was  by  no  means  the  only  advantage  that  the  British 
had  in  connection  with  Fort  Niagara.  The  intelligence,  sagacity 
and  military  ability  of  the  men  who  gathered  about  it  would  have 
rendered  almost  any  spot  formidable. 

Just  prior  to  the  Revolution  Joseph  Brant,  the  great  captain  of 
the  Six  Nations,  had  led  a  body  of  Mohawks  to  Lewiston,  within 
seven  miles  of  the  fort,  where  he  lived  in  a  block  house  surrounded 
by  his  followers.  John  Butler  and  his  son  Walter,  who  welded 
together  a  great  army  of  Tories,  recruited  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  into  a  merciless  band,  known  as  Butler's  Rangers,  made 
Fort  Niagara  their  rendezvous.  Thither  also  came  the  two  sons  of 
Sir  William  Johnson  and  a  vast  concourse  of  loyalists  from  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  burning  with  hatred  at  the  treatment  they 
had  received  from  the  hands  of  their  colonial  neighbors. 

"Fort  Niagara  was  the  scene  of  great  activities  during  these 
days,  indeed,  during  the  whole  war.  About  five  thousand  Indians 
had  assembled  about  the  fort.  Expeditions,  large  and  small,  were 
ever  on  the  move,  without  cessation  winter  or  summer.  As  many 
as  five  or  six  Indian  war  parties  were  sometimes  out  at  the  same 
time  in  different  directions,  while  the  Rangers  and  other  Loyal- 
ists in  companies  of  partisans  kept  the  country  of  frontiers  in  con- 
stant alarm." 

Thus  swarming  with  Loyalists,  aided  by  Canada,  secure  from  all 
attacks  and  controlling  the  gateway  of  the  South  and  West,  Fort 
Niagara  naturally  became  the  one  place  upon  the  western  frontier 
from  whence  the  raiding  expeditions  started.  Here  were  planned 
the  fearful  massacres  at  Wyoming  in  Pennsylvania  and  the  equally 
cruel  and  barbarous  raid  upon  Cherry  Valley,  as  well  as  those  upon 
the  distant  settlements  along  the  Mohawk. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  note  two  widely  varying  accounts  of  the 
social  conditions  at 'Fort  Niagara  during  this  period.  The  first  is 
from  the  "Annals  of  Niagara,"  written  by  William  Kirby,  F.  R. 
S.  C."  Men  of  a  superior  station  of  life  in  the  old  colonies  hat, 


FORT  NIAGARA  AS  THE  BASE  OF  INDIAN  AND  TORY  OPERATIONS   19 

formed  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  exiled  Loyalists.  Most  of 
them  had  served  in  the  ranks  of  the  Colonial  regiments,  which  took 
a  distinguished  part  in  the  war  for  the  United  Empire.  Every 
one  of  them  had  a  military  bearing  and  an  air  of  dignity  and 
kindly  spirit  of  comradeship,  derived  from  dangers  and  triumphs 
which  they  had  shared  together.  But  this  was  to  be  expected. 
The  men  of  position  with  wealth,  culture  and  learning,  were  gener- 
ally opposed  to  the  rebellion.  Literature  disappeared  for  two 
generations  after  the  revolution.  The  best  and  almost  the  only 
writers  in  the  Colonies  were  among  the  exiles.  In  art  and  science 
it  was  the  same.  The  names  of  Governor  Hutchinson,  Smith,  West, 
Murray  and  Count  Rumsey  were  not  paralleled  by  their  opponents. 
Franklin  was  the  cynosure  of  the  rebellion,  and  Jefferson  hired  the 
renegade  Englishman  Paine  to  write  up  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence and  to  write  down  the  religion  and  the  sacred  scriptures 
as  friends  of  man. 

None  of  Paine 's  admirers  in  politics  or  unbelief  had  a  hand  in  the 
settlement  of  Canada  by  the  Loyalists.  They  had  tried  to  forestall 
it,  and  failed  utterly  and  miserably  in  the  attack  on  Quebec,  with 
the  death  of  Montgomery,  31st  of  December,  1775. 

The  ladies  who  gave  tone  to  polite  society  in  Niagara  and  spread 
refinement  and  good  manners  to  the  rest  of  the  Provinces  were 
honored  with  the  chivalrous  devotion  and  respect  of  the  U.  E.  Loy- 
alists. The  women  were  worthy  of  the  men— no  higher  eulogium 
need  to  be  said  of  them. 

The  other  from  the  pen  of  DeVeaux:  "During  the  American 
Revolution  it  was  the  headquarters  of  all  that  was  barbarous,  unre- 
lenting and  cruel.  Here  were  congregated  the  leaders  and  chiefs 
of  those  bands  of  murderers  and  miscreants  that  carried  death  and 
destruction  into  the  remote  American  settlement. 

' '  There  civilized  Europe  revelled  with  savage  America,  and  ladies 
of  education  and  refinement  mingled  in  the  society  of  those  whose 
only  distinction  was  to  wield  the  bloody  tomahawk  and  scalping 
knife.  There  the  squaws  of  the  forest  were  raised  to  eminence,  and 
the  most  unholy  unions  between  them  and  officers  of  highest  rank 
smiled  upon  and  countenanced. 


. 

20  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

^ 

"There  in  their  stronghold,  like  a  nest  of  vultures,  securely  for 
seven  years,  they  sallied  forth  and  preyed  upon  the  distant  settle- 
ments of  the  Mohawk  and  the  Susquehanna.  It  was  the  depot  for 
plunder;  there  they  planned  their  forays,  and  there  they  returned 
to  feast  until  the  hour  of  action  came  again. ' ' 

Niagara  was  one  of  the  forts  held  by  the  British  until  the  condi- 
tions of  the  treaty  of  1783  should  be  fulfilled.  After  the  Revolu- 
tion, therefore,  there  came  the  thirteen  years  known  as  the  hold- 
over period.  The  Americans  took  formal  possession  of  the  fort  in 
1796. 


JOSEPH  BRANT  AND  HIS  RAIDS. 


BY  WILLIAM  L.  STONE. 


Joseph  Brant  (Tha-yen-da-ne-gea),  a  Mohawk  Chief,  was  born  on 
the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  His  father  was  a  full  blooded  Mohawk  of 
he  Wolf  Tribe,  and  a  son  of  one  of  the  five  Sachems  that  excited 
so  much  attention  at  the  Court  of  Queen  Anne  in  1710.  Brant  was 
a  favorite  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  by  whom  he  was  sent  for  a  year 
to  the  Moor  Charity  School,  then  under  the  charge  of  Dr.  Eleazar 
Wheelock,  and  which  subsequently  became  under  the  patronage  of 
Lord  Dartmouth,  the  founder  of  Dartmouth  College.  He  was 
present  at  the  Battle  of  Lake  George  in  1755  when  but  thirteen 
years  of  age ;  accompanied  Sir  William  Johnson  during  the  Niagara 
campaign  in  1759,  when  he  acquitted  himself  with  distinguished 
bravery.  He  was  also  in  Pontiac's  War  in  1763,  and  when  in  1774 
Guy  Johnson  succeeded  to  the  Superintendency  of  Indian  Affairs 
on  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Sir  William,  the  former  pupil  of  Dr. 
Wheelock  was  made  his  secretary.  During  the  Revolutionary  War 
he  was  constantly  employed  by  Gov.  (Gen.)  Carleton  in  fierce  raids 
against  the  Colonists,  taking  an  active  part  in  the  massacre  at 
Cherry  Valley  and  in  the  one  that  desolated  Minisink  in  July, 
1779  (an  account  of  which  will  be  given  in  this  paper  later).  He 
also  led  a  clan  of  the  Hurons  and  a  few  of  the  Six  Nations  in  the 
Expedition  of  Col.  St.  Leger  against  Fort  Stanwix,  bearing  a  prom- 
inent part  in  the  battle  of  Oriskany,  August  6th,  1779.  He  was 
aiso  present  at  the  time  of  Burgoyne's  surrender  at  Saratoga  on 
October  17,  1777.  After  the  war  his  influence  with  the  different 
Indian  tribes  was  thrown  on  the  side  of  peace,  materially  assisting 
the  Indian  Commissioners  in  securing  a  treaty  of  peace  in  1793 
between  the  Miamis  and  the  United  States.  During  the  latter  years 
of  his  life  he  was  a  consistent  believer  in  evangelical  Christianity. 
He  visited  England  in  1786  and  raised  the  funds  with  which  the 


I 

22  NEW  YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

First  Episcopal  Church  in  Upper  Canada  was  built.  He  translated 
the  Gospel  of  St.  Mark  into  the  Mohawk  language,  and,  together 
with  Daniel  Claus,  rendered  into  the  same  tongue  the  ''Book  of 
Common  Prayer. ' '  His  humanity  toward  a  captive  or  fallen  foe  is 
too  well  established  to  admit  of  doubt;  nor  has  the  purity  of  his 
private  morals  ever  been  questioned. 

BRANT'S   RAIDS. 

Regarding  the  Wyoming  Massacre  (1778),  in  which  Brant's 
name  has  been  so  associated,  a  correction  regarding  the  name  and 
the  just  fame  of  Brant,  whose  character  in  this  transaction  has  been 
blackened  with  all  the  infamy  both  real  and  imaginary,  connected 
with  this  blody  expedition,  is  in  order.  Whether  Brant  was  at  any 
time  in  company  with  this  expedition  is  doubtful ;  but  it  is  certain 
in  the  face  of  every  historical  authority,  British  and  American,  that 
so  far  from  being  engaged  in  the  battle,  he  was  many  miles  distant 
at  the  time  of  its  occurrence.  Such  has  been  the  uniform  testimony 
of  the  British  officers  engaged  in  that  expedition,  and  such  was  the 
word  of  Thayendanegea  himself  after  the  publication  of  Camp- 
bell's "Gertrude  of  Wyoming,"  in  which  poem  the  Mohawk  Chief - 
tian  was  denounced  as  * '  the  Monster  Brant. ' '  His  son  in  a  corres- 
pondence with  the  poet  successfully  vindicated  his  father's  memory 
from  the  calumny. 

Regarding  the  massacre  at  * '  Cherry  Valley, ' '  Brant  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  been  among  the  chief  originators  of  it;  and  it  is 
believed  that  Butler,  after  his  return  from  Niagara,  was  its  chief 
instigator.  The  point  for  this  raid  (1778)  was  Cherry  Valley— a 
settlement  as  remarkable  for  the  respectability  of  its  inhabitants  as 
its  location  was  for  its  beauty.  On  the  10th,  1777,  Butler,  with  his 
rangers  and  Brant  with  his  Indians,  encamped  for  the  night  on 
the  top  of  a  hill  about  a  mile  southwest  of  the  fort  and  village  of 
Cherry  Valley.  The  officers  of  the  garrison  were  accustomed  to 
lodge  among  the  families  near  the  fort,  and  from  the  assurances  of 
Col.  Allen  (in  command)  the  apprehensions  of  the  people  were  so 
much  allayed  that  all  were  reposing  in  perfect  security.  Thf 
enemy,  however,  approached  the  unsuspecting  village  in  the  great- 


JOSEPH  BEANT  AND  HIS  RAIDS  23 

est  secrecy,  and  the  Indians  springing  forward  in  their  attack  bore 
all  before  them— the  Senecas  being  at  this  period  the  most  ferocious 
of  the  Six  Nations  were  in  the  van.  The  house  of  Mr.  Wells  was 
instantly  surrounded  by  the  warriors  of  that  tribe,  and  the  whole 
family,  consisting  of  himself,  his  mother,  his  wife,  his  brother  and 
sister,  John  and  Jane,  three  of  his  sons  and  a  daughter  slain.  The 
only  survivor  of  this  massacre  was  John,  who  was  then  at  school  in 
Schenectady. 

The  destruction  of  the  family  of  Mr.  Wells  was  marked  by  cir- 
cumstances of  peculiar  barbarity.  It  was  boasted  by  one  of  the 
Tories  that  he  had  killed  Mr.  Wells  while  engaged  in  prayer — 
certainly  a  happy  moment  for  a  soul  to  wing  its  flight  to  another 
state  of  existence ! 

The  fort  was  repeatedly  assaulted  during  the  day,  but  Indians 
are  not  the  right  troops  for  such  service,  and  being  received  with  a 
brisk  fire  of  muskets  from  the  garrison,  they  avoided  the  fort  and 
directed  their  attention  chiefly  to  plundering  and  laying  waste  the 
village,  having  satisfied  themselves  in  the  onset  with  blood.  In  this 
work  of  destruction  they  were  unmolested,  since,  numbering  more 
than  twice  as  many  as  the  garrison,  a  sortie  was  felt  to  be  unwar- 
rantable. 

Thus  terminated  the  Expedition  of  Walter  N.  Butler  and  Joseph 
Brant  in  Cherry  Valley.  Nothing  could  exhibit  an  aspect  of  more 
entire  desolation  than  did  the  site  of  the  village  on  the  following 
day  when  the  militia  from  the  Mohawk  arrived  too  late  to  afford 
assistance.  The  inhabitants  who  escaped  the  massacre  and  those 
who  returned  from  captivity  abandoned  the  settlement  (notwith- 
standing their  fort,  which  had  so  cowardly  done  so  little  for  them) 
until  the  return  of  peace  should  enable  them  to  plant  themselves 
down  once  more  to  safety,  and  in  the  succeeding  summer  the  gar- 
rison was  withdrawn  and  the  post  abandoned. 

Regarding  the  Ulster  raid  of  Brant  at  Minisink  there  is  no  need 
to  dwell  on  the  atrocities  committed  by  the  Indians  and  Butler's 
Rogers.  On  the  4th  of  May,  1779,  four  dwelling  houses  and  five 
barns  were  burned  by  them ;  six  of  the  inhabitants  were  murdered 
(butchered  would  be  the  more  appropriate  term),  besides  six  more 


J 

24  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

% 

who  were  burned  in  their  houses.  Again,  on  the  20th  of  July,  the 
Mohawk  Chief  again  attacked  the  town,  with  twenty-seven  Tory 
warriors,  disguised  as  Indians— a  very  common  practice  with  the 
Loyalists  when  acting  with  the  savages.  Such  was  the  silence  of 
their  approach  that  several  houses  were  already  in  flames  when  the 
inhabitants  awoke  to  their  situation.  Ten  houses  and  twelve  barns 
were  burned,  together  with  a  small  blockade  fort  and  two  mills. 
Many  persons  were  killed  and  others  taken  prisoners.  The  farms 
of  the  settlement  were  laid  waste,  the  cattle  driven  away,  and  all 
the  booty  carried  off  which  the  invaders  could  remove.  Having 
thus  succeeded  in  his  immediate  object,  Brant  lost  no  time  in  lead- 
ing his  party  back  to  the  main  body  of  his  warriors,  whom  he  had 
left  at  Grassy  Brook. 

Brant  has  been  severely  censured  for  the  cruelties  perpetrated, 
or  alleged  to  have  been  perpetrated,  in  this  raid  in  Minisink.  He 
always  maintained  that  he  had  been  unjustly  blamed,  and  that  his 
conduct  had  been  the  subject  of  unjust  reproach.  He  also  stated 
that  on  the  approach  of  the  Americans  to  aid  the  garrison  he  pre- 
sented himself  openly  and  fairly  to  their  view — advanced  himself 
to  the  commanding  officer  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  gar- 
rison—promising at  the  same  time  to  treat  them  kindly  as 
prisoners  of  war.  But  he  said  that  while  he  was  thus  parleying 
with  them  he  was  fired  upon  and  narrowly  escaped  being  shot 
down,  the  ball  piercing  the  outer  fold  of  his  belt.  Immediately 
upon  receiving  the  shot  he  retired  and  secreted  himself  among  his 
warriors.  The  militia,  emboldened  by  his  disappearance,  rushed 
forward  heedlessly  until  they  were  completely  in  his  power.  In 
crossing  a  creek  they  broke  their  order,  and  before  they  could  form 
again  Brant  gave  the  well  known  signal  of  the  war-whoop.  Quick 
as  the  lightning's  flash  his  dark  cloud  of  warriors  were  upon  their 
feet.  They  sprang  forward,  tomahawk  in  hand.  The  conflict  was 
fierce  and  bloody;  few  escaped  and  several  of  the  prisoners  were 
killed.  There  was  one  who  during  the  battle  saved  himself  by 
means  which  Brant  said  were  dishonorable.  By  some  process  or 
other,  though  not  a  Free  Mason,  he  had  acquired  a  knowledge  of 
the  Master  Mason's  grand  hailing  signal  of  distress,  and  having 


JOSEPH  BRANT  AND  HIS  RAIDS  25 

been  informed  that  Brant  was  a  member  of  the  brotherhood,  he 
gave  the  mystic  sign.  Faithful  to  his  pledge,  the  chieftain  inter- 
fered and  saved  his  life.  Discovering  the  imposture  afterward,  he 
was  very  indignant.  Still,  he  spared  his  life,  and  the  prisoner  ulti- 
mately returned  to  his  friends  after  a  long  captivity. 

In  the  Battle  of  Minisink  Henry  Wisner  lost  his  youngest  son. 
His  fate  was  long  unknown,  but  there  is  an  interesting  account  of 
this  in  Stone's  "Life  of  Brant,"  showing  how  Brant  tomahawked 
him  after  the  battle.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  only  fair  to  say  that 
Brant  always  denied  this,  and  in  view  of  Brant's  humanity,  his 
statement  should  have  due  credence. 

To  win  Minisink  by  a  rapid  movement,  Brant  fell  upon  a  settle- 
ment on  the  south  side  of  the  Mohawk,  where  on  the  2d  of  August 
(1779)  he  made  a  few  prisoners— the  name  of  one  of  whom  was 
Huese.  As  Huese  became  too  lame  to  continue  the  journey  on  foot, 
the  Indians  proposed  killing  him.  To  this  Brant  objected,  and 
having  been  acquainted  with  Huese  before  the  war,  he  released  him 
on  condition  of  his  taking  an  oath  of  neutrality,  which  was  written 
by  the  Chief  in  the  Indian  language.  (MS.  letter  of  Gen.  Jas. 
Clinton  to  Gov.  Clinton,  his  brother,  in  the  writer's  possession.) 

With  this  account  of  the  Raid  in  Minisink,  I  close  the  different 
relations  of  Brant  in  the  Revolution.  He  was,  as  we  have  seen, 
much  more  sinned  against  than  sinning,  and  I  believe  that,  except 
for  particular  emergencies,  over  which  he  had  no  control,  he  was 
not  only  a  kind  and  humane  man,  but  one  who  ever  endeavored,  to 
the  best  of  his  ability,  to  save  his  captives  from  the  horrible  results 
of  war.  At  least,  this  is  my  father's  and  my  own  candid  opinion, 
founded  on  many  manuscript  documents  and  original  authorities  in 
my  possession. 


THE  RAIDS  IN  TRYON  COUNTY. 


BY  S.  L.  FKEY,  PALATINE  BRIDGE,  N.  Y. 


It  is  beyond  question  that  Tryon  County  suffered  more  of  the 
horrors  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle  than  any  section  of  the  Thir- 
teen Colonies. 

This  is  apparent  to  the  most  casual  student  of  the  history  of  that 
time;  but  the  reasons  will  not  be  obvious  unless  we  consider  the 
peculiar  topography  of  the  Mohawk  Valley,  its  remoteness  as  a 
frontier,  its  settlers,  the  great  influence  of  the  Johnson  family,  and 
the  presence  of  the  Mohawk  Indians. 

These  were  the  factors  that  made  the  many  raids  that  laid  waste 
Tryon  County,  so  cruel,  unavoidable  and  easy  of  accomplishment. 

The  deep  depression  through  which  the  Mohawk  River  runs  is 
one  of  the  remarkable  topographical  and  geological  features  of  the 
State. 

At  a  point  two  hundred  miles  from  the  ocean,  where  the  river 
is  but  three  hundred  feet  above  the  sea  level,  the  land  rises  to  the 
south  and  the  north  so  rapidly  that  at  a  distance  of  twelve  or 
fourteen  miles  there  are  hills  three  thousand  feet  high;  so  that  in 
reality  the  Mohawk  River  flows  at  the  bottom  of  a  canyon  two  thou- 
sand or  more  feet  deep  and  twenty-five  miles  wide.  The  immediate 
valley,  however,  is  very  narrow,  being  nearly  closed  at  two  points. 

This  narrow  valley  that  has  been  cut  through  the  Appalachian 
Chain  by  the  erosive  power  of  ice  and  water  is  of  such  easy  grade 
that  it  has  always  been  a  highway  from  the  ocean  to  the  interior. 

The  Indians  used  it  time  out  of  mind  in  war  and  peace,  and  the 
white  man  saw  its  advantages  and  used  it  for  purposes  of  trade 
and  exploration. 

Permanent  settlers  would  have  occupied  it  much  sooner,  if  they 
had  not  been  held  back  by  the  fierce  and  warlike  Mohawks,  whose 
heritage  it  was,  and  who  looked  with  no  favor  upon  the  white 


THE  RAIDS  IN  TEYON  COUNTY  27 

settler.  Traders  were  welcome  enough  to  pass  through  and  to  visit 
their  villages,  in  fact  they  soon  became  necessary  to  supply  the  many 
new  and  artificial  wants  that  the  Indians  acquired  from  the  white 
man.  But  when  it  came  to  permanent  settlers,  that  was  afar  differ- 
ent matter,  and  so  for  a  hundred  years  they  held  back  the  white 
man,  who  looked  with  longing  eyes  upon  the  fair  flat  meadows  and 
the  noble  forests  along  the  River  of  the  Mohawks. 

But  in  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  Mohawks 
had  become  weakened  and  demoralized  by  intercourse  with  unscru- 
pulous white  men.  They  were  an  astute  and  intellectual  race  of 
savages,  but  they  were  no  match  for  the  land  speculators,  those 
wealthy  and  influential  gentlemen  of  the  Province,  whose  ambition 
it  was  to  own  the  earth. 

Thus  it  came  about  that  by  the  year  1770  the  Mohawks  had 
parted  with  all  their  land  except  a  few  acres  around  their  two  small 
villages. 

Some  great  tracts  they  had  sold  for  a  few  dufflles  and  strouds 
and  barrels  of  beer,  and  more  or  less  rum,  but  the  most  of  their 
beautiful  land  was  taken  from  them  by  ways  that  were  dark  and 
tricks  that  were  vain. 

When  they  began  to  realize  this  they  were  naturally  exasperated, 
and  were  in  a  state  of  mind  that  made  them  exceedingly  dangerous 
to  the  settlers  who  had  by  this  time  occupied  the  entire  length  of 
the  valley. 

The  rest  of  the  Iroquois,  fearing  a  like  fate,  had  insisted  that  a 
boundary  line  should  be  established,  beyond  which  no  white  man 
would  dare  to  go. 

In  answer  to  this  persistent  demand,  a  great  council  met  at  Fort 
Stanwix,  to  which  thousands  came  from  all  the  Cantons  of  the  Con- 
federacy, and  over  which  Sir  William  Johnson,  Superintendent  of 
Indian  Affairs,  presided. 

There  was  the  usual  prolix  and  interminable  talk,  in  all  of  which 
could  be  discovered  the  smothered  wrath  of  the  Indians  against  the 
whites. 

But  a  treaty  was  finally  concluded,  a  solemn  treaty,  establishing 
a  line  that  was  to  be  inviolable  forever,  binding  on  white  man  and 
Indian  alike. 


I 

28  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

% 

This  line  defined  the  western  bounds  of  the  Colony  of  New  York ; 
west  of  that  line  was  the  * '  Territory  of  the  Six  Nations. ' ' 

This  "Old  Boundary  Line"  ran  from  a  point  near  Deposit,  up 
the  Unadilla  River  to  its  source,  and  on  in  a  straight  line  to  Fort 
Bull,  near  Oneida  Lake.  It  was  known  as  the  old  ' '  Treaty  Line  of 
1768, ' '  and  four  years  afterward,  when  Tryon  County  was  formed, 
its  western  bounds  were  the  same. 

It  was  conceded  and  well  understood  by  the  Colonial  Government 
that  to  the  west  of  this  line  no  settlements  could  be  made. 

But  notwithstanding  this  solemn  agreement,  the  restless  and 
irresponsible  settlers  along  the  border  soon  began  to  trespass  on  the 
land  west  of  the  line.  They  hunted  and  fished;  they  cut  timber 
and  even  cleared  land  and  planted  crops.  This  increased  the  ani- 
mosity of  the  Indians,  and  it  was  only  Sir  William  Johnson's  firm 
and  conciliatory  policy  that  kept  them  from  open  war. 

It  was  but  natural  then  that  in  any  war  they  would  seek  for 
revenge  against  the  settlers.  If  there  had  been  no  Revolution,  and 
if  there  had  been  no  Johnson  or  Butler,  it  is  probable  that  the 
settlers  of  Tryon  County  would  have  been  involved  in  an  Indian 
War,  which  would,  however,  have  lacked  the  added  horrors  of  the 
fratracidal  strife,  which  were  such  cruel  and  disgraceful  features 
of  the  Revolutionary  struggle. 

Other  enemies  that  threatened  Tryon  County  came  from  beyond 
the  lakes.  Indians  and  French  of  Canada,  and  last  British  troops 
and  Tory  Rangers.  The  Mohawk  Valley  was  the  easy  road  into  the 
heart  of  New  York.  This  had  been  so  clearly  recognized  by  the 
Government  of  the  Colony  that  when  Queen  Anne's  Palatines 
came  to  be  located  they  were  pushed  up  to  the  most  western  point 
in  the  valley,  with  the  avowed  purpose  of  making  them  a  barrier,  a 
buffet,  a  protection  for  Albany  and  New  York.  That  they  were 
such  a  protection,  and  that  they  took  the  full  force  of  the  frontier 
strife,  was  abundantly  proved  in  the  French  Wars  and  in  the  Revo- 
lution. 

Another  danger  as  serious  as  any,  came  from  the  foes  in  their 
own  household ;  those  whom  they  called  Tories,  known  to  themselves 
and  their  admiring  friends  as  "United  Empire  Loyalists." 

About  these  men  much  has  been  said.  They  were  loathed  and 
feared  and  abhorred  by  their  patriot  neighbors,  and  they  have  been 


THE  RAIDS  IN  TBYON  COUNTY  29 

defended  and  praised  and  admired  by  writers  in  Canada  and  even 
in  New  York.  It  suffices  for  us  to  know  that  in  cruelty  and  in 
deeds  of  ruthless  destruction,  they  exceeded  the  Mohawks. 

Such  then  was  the  situation  in  the  Mohawk  Valley  when  the  first 
rumblings  of  the  war  began. 

Tryon  County  extended  north  of  the  river  a  few  miles;  to  the 
south,  it  included  Cherry  Valley,  Harpersfield,  Newtown,  Martin 
and  other  small  outlying  settlements  east  of  the  old  Treaty  Line  of 
1768;  but  the  most  thickly  settled  parts  of  its  five  districts  of 
Mohawk,  Palatine,  Canajoharie,  Kingsland  and  German  Flats  lay 
immediately  on  the  river  along  the  highways  that  ran  upon  its 
banks.  This  section  of  Tryon  County  was  quite  thickly  settled  by  a 
sturdy  liberty  loving  people— Germans,  Hollanders,  Swiss,  English, 
Scotch.  They  were  mostly  farmers,  with  a  few  mechanics,  doctors, 
traders  and  clergymen. 

They  differed,  as  we  have  seen,  about  the  questions  of  the  hour, 
and  this  brought  disruption  into  many  families,  but  the  majority 
were  outspoken  in  their  support  of  the  Patriot  Cause,  and  it  is  well 
to  remember,  and  to  repeat  with  emphasis,  that  as  early  as  August, 
1774,  there  was  formed  in  the  Palatine  District  a  Committee  of 
Safety,  which  passed  a  set  of  resolutions  not  exceeded  in  any  of  the 
Thirteen  Colonies  for  force,  bravery  and  devotion  to  liberty.  They 
were  determined,  they  said,  "  to  be  free  or  die. ' ' 

And  that  this  was  no  empty  boast  was  abundantly  proved  by  the 
results  of  the  war,  for  at  its  close  there  were  two  thousand  widows 
and  orphan  children;  twelve  hundred  desolated  farms  and  the 
smoldering  ruins  of  hundreds  of  houses,  barns,  mills  and  churches. 
Truly  Tryon  County  had  been  the  buffer  that  saved  Albany,  New 
York  and  New  England. 

This  first  meeting  of  the  Tryon  County  Commitee  of  Safety  ante- 
dated by  a  whole  year  Lexington,  Concord  and  Bunker  Hill.  There 
were  few  commit ees  formed  at  an  earlier  date  and  few  which  passed 
such  stirring  resolutions,  and  none  formed  anywhere  whose  mem- 
bers so  actually  took  their  lives  in  their  hands  as  did  these  brave 
patriots  of  Tryon  County.  The  loss  and  suffering  they  endured  is 
but  little  known  to  the  general  historian ;  the  justice  and  credit  they 
deserve  has  been  long  withheld,  and  the  graves  of  the  most  of  them 
are  unknown  and  unmarked. 


SCHOHARIE  IN  THE  BORDER  WARFARE 
OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 


BY  ALFRED  W.  ABRAMS,  PH.  B.,  ILION,  N.  Y. 


THE  SCHOHARIE  PEOPLE. 

The  Palatines  who  were  located  at  the  Camps  on  the  Hudson 
in  1711  were  much  dissatisfied  with  their  treatment  and  their  pros- 
pects. They  longed  for  the  promised  land  of  Schorie."  Depu- 
ties were  accordingly  sent  out  to  survey  the  land.  Proceeding  by 
the  way  of  Albany  over  the  Helderbergs,  they  came  upon  the  Scho- 
harie  Valley  at  its  most  attractive  section.  The  view  of  it  from 
the  eastern  hills  captivated  the  prospectors.  The  report  they  gave 
on  their  return  put  new  heart  into  the  Palatines,  and  within  a  few 
years  many  of  these  Germans  were  located  in  seven  different  farmer 
settlements,  or  dorfs,  along  the  alluvial  borders  of  the  Schoharie 
Creek.  It  has  been  commonly  stated  that  there  were  600  or  700  of 
these  first  settlers,  but  the  number  must  have  been  much  smaller 
than  this.  Nor  could  the  settlement  have  been  made  so  early  as 
1711,  the  date  usually  given.  The  first  of  the  settlements  was  not 
made  before  1713.  The  seven  dorfs  are  known  to  have  existed  as 
early  as  1730. 

Very  soon  afterward  the  Dutch  began  to  settle  this  valley.  The 
first  party,  coming  from  Schenectady  under  Adam  Vrooman,  occu- 
pied territory  farther  up  the  stream,  which  took  the  name  Vroo- 
man's  Land. 

At  first  the  people  of  these  two  nationalities  lived  apart  from 
each  other.  They  did  not  intermarry.  Considerable  bad  feeling 
was  engendered  by  their  disputes  over  land  titles,  and  one  party 
was  not  unwilling  to  prejudice  the  Indians  against  the  other.  The 
Dutch  kept  slaves,  while  the  Germans  were  unable  to  do  so.  The 
Dutch  in  general  possessed  more  wealth  and  influence.  Partly  for 
this  reason  and  partly  because  the  Germans  were  known  as  High 


SCHOHARIE  IN  THE  BORDER  WARFARE   OF   THE  REVOLUTION       31 

Dutch,  the  term  Schoharie  Dutch  came  to  be  generally  used,  al- 
though Hollanders  probably  never  constituted  more  than  one-third 
of  the  population. 

Down  to  the  Revolution  community  life  here  was  quite  uneventful. 
These  settlements,  the  civil  officers  of  which  were  all  named  in 
Albany,  and  which  were  "without  even  the  privilege  of  a  super- 
visor" until  about  1765,  did  not  play  an  active  part  in  the  general 
affairs  of  the  Colonies,  though  they  were  surely  of  service  in  the 
last  inter-colonial  war  by  furnishing  soldiers  and  provisions.  The 
people,  though  quite  unlettered,  were  sober,  industrious  and  persis- 
tent. The  soil  yielded  very  abundantly  a  large  variety  of  crops. 
The  settlements  were  prosperous  and  happy.  When  the  Border 
Wars  laid  waste  this  rich  valley,  substantial  stone  and  frame  houses 
had  almost  wholly  replaced  the  rude  structures  of  earlier  days. 

THE  GEOGRAPHY. 

It  is  important  to  have  in  mind  the  geographical  position  of  these 
settlements.  Rising  in  the  Catskills,  the  Schoharie  River  flows  in  a 
northerly  direction  nearly  parallel  to  the  Hudson  for  a  distance  of 
seventy  miles  and  empties  into  the  Mohawk  at  Fort  Hunter,  thirty- 
six  miles  west  of  Albany.  The  earliest  Schoharie  settlements  began 
twenty  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  stream  and  extended  south  a 
distance  of  fifteen  miles.  Near  the  uppermost  settlements  two 
streams  flow  into  the  Schoharie  from  the  west,  which  take  their  rise 
near  the  head  waters  of  the  Charlotte,  that  highway  between  the 
Schoharie  and  the  Susquehanna  along  which  scores  of  prisoners 
began  their  long  and  distressing  journey  to  Niagara.  The  Cobleskill 
and  the  Schenevus  Creeks  likewise  furnished  a  convenient  route  be- 
tween these  two  rivers.  A  branch  of  the  Cobleskill  takes  its  rise 
near  Cherry  Valley. 

It  is  thus  to  be  seen  that  in  the  days  when  the  paths  through 
the  wilderness  largely  followed  the  waterways,  the  Schoharie  settle- 
ments were  closely  connected  with  other  localities  which  were  like- 
wise the  scenes  of  the  most  atrocious  deeds  of  the  Revolution.  Time 
and  again  hostile  forces  moved  along  these  streams  between  the 
Schoharie  settlements  and  the  Susquehanna,  and  these  paths  during 
all  those  years  of  savage  warfare  were  seldom  free  from  lurking 


32  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

% 

Indians  and  Tories.  It  is  important  to  note  that  all  the  attacks  and 
inroads  upon  the  Schoharie  Valley  were  made  from  the  Susque- 
hanna  and  not  from  the  Mohawk. 

WHIGS  AND  LOYALISTS. 

When  armed  resistance  to  the  authority  of  England  was  first 
made  by  the  Thirteen  American  Colonies,  probably  the  majority  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Schoharie  Valley  were  in  sympathy  with  the 
course  pursued.  They  surely  owed  little  to  the  Englishmen,  who 
had  brought  them  to  America  and  ruled  over  them.  But  not  a  few 
from  the  first  considered  it  a  matter  of  duty  and  of  wisdom  to  sup- 
port the  established  government.  Later  as  the  question  of  allegi- 
ence  was  forced  home  to  every  one  very  many  openly  or  secretly 
espoused  the  royal  cause. 

For  some  time  after  the  bold  and  successful  strokes  with  which 
the  Colonists  opened  the  war  the  situation  was  dark  and  unprom- 
ising. Washington's  army  was  being  driven  from  one  place  to 
another.  Burgoyne's  approach  was  spreading  terror  and  dismay 
everywhere.  Most  of  the  Indians  who  hung  upon  the  border  of 
the  settlements  ready  to  deal  misery  and  destruction,  were  known 
to  be  entirely  under  the  influence  of  the  Johnsons,  and  were  under- 
stood to  be  pledged  to  the  British  cause.  New  York  State  had  with- 
held her  approbation  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Congress  of  1774. 
The  people  of  the  lower  Mohawk  were  particularly  active  in  divert- 
ing the  revolutionary  spirit.  Just  as  the  Second  Congress  was  to 
assemble,  the  Loyalists  of  Tryon  County  made  a  demonstration 
against  the  proceedings  of  the  previous  Congress.  Men  of  means 
foresaw  in  war  the  destruction  of  their  property.  Is  it  any  won- 
der men  hesitated  or  refused  to  join  in  revolution?  What  protec- 
tion could  these  frontier  settlements  hope  for  from  a  revolutionary 
government  that  seemed  unable  to  support  itself  and  was  giving 
them  little  or  no  protection? 

Yet  throughout  New  England  and  the  Colonies  generally  the  fires 
of  revolution  were  burning  fiercely.  Bold  and  often  reckless  acts 
were  being  performed  to  overthrow  British  rule.  Ready  orators 
were  inflaming  the  people.  The  line  between  adherents  and  oppon- 
ents was  being  sharply  drawn.  When  Dominie  Schuyler  at  Scho- 


SCHOHARIE  IN   THE  BORDER  WARFARE   OF   THE  REVOLUTION       33 

harie  ceased  to  pray  for  the  King  every  one  noted  the  fact.  Under 
such  circumstances  it  may  often  have  required  quite  as  manly  qual- 
ities to  stand  for  the  old  order  as  to  take  up  arms  for  the  new.  Had 
the  Loyalists  merely  supported  their  King  in  open  warfare,  we 
might  even  admire  the  stand  they  took  in  a  losing  contest  and 
might  sympathize  with  then  in  the  losses  they  sustained,  but  their 
wanton  destruction  of  property  and  heartless  murder  of  former 
neighbors  and  near  relatives  have  made  the  name  Tory  a  term  to 
shudder  at. 

The  animosities  of  Whigs  and  Tories  have  passed  away.  We 
gladly  cast  the  mantle  of  Christian  charity  over  their  inhuman 
treatment  of  each  other.  But  the  student  who  would  understand 
the  period  must  have  in  mind  the  nature  of  the  warfare  and  how 
the  Revolution  divided  the  people.  "The  members  of  almost  every 
family  of  distinction  in  the  Schoharie  settlements  were  found  in 
hostile  array,  as  father  against  son,  brother  against  brother." 
Johannes  Ball  was  chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  through- 
out its  organization,  but  he  had  a  son  who  was  a  Tory  leader. 
Jacob  Ball,  a  brother,  raised  a  company  of  sixty-three  Royalists  at 
Beverdam  and  Duanesburgh  and  went  to  Canada.  But  there  were 
some  notable  exceptions  to  the  general  statement  of  Simms  above 
quoted.  Sometimes  a  whole  family  actively  espoused  one  side  or 
the  other.  Some  settlements  were  strongly  loyal,  while  others  warm- 
ly supported  revolution. 

A  few  men  became  especially  notorious  as  Tories.  George  Mann, 
a  captain  of  the  militia,  when  ordered  out,  declared  openly  for  the 
King.  He  was  finally  placed  under  arrest,  but  his  property  was 
not  confiscated.  Like  many  others,  Mann  probably  would  have 
preferred  to  remain  neutral.  This  was  impossible,  and  the  prevail- 
ing influences  held  him  to  the  King's  cause.  Adam  Crysler,  a 
wealthy  farmer,  who  had  been  made  ensign  in  a  military  company 
in  1768,  and  as  such  had  taken  a  special  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
King,  and  also  his  brother  at  New  Dorlach,  were  most  active  and 
inhuman  Tories  throughout  the  war. 

The  official  correspondence  of  the  Schoharie  Committee  of 
Safety  indicates  what  a  lack  of  general  support  the  new  govern- 


34  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

ment  had  in  the  first  years  of  the  war.  Early  in  1777  the  commit- 
tee had  ' '  great  reason  to  fear  the  breaking  up  of  the  settlement  of 
Schoharie"  unless  their  efforts  could  be  seconded  by  those  of  the 
State. 

Under  date  of  July  17,  1777,  Johannes  Ball,  as  chairman  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety,  wrote  the  council  at  Kingston  as  follows: 
"The  late  advantage  gained  over  us  by  the  enemy  has  much  effect 
upon  members  here,  that  many  we  thought  steady  friends  draw 
back.  All  our  frontier  settlers,  except  those  that  are  to  take  pro- 
tection from  the  enemy,  are  gone,  so  that  we  are  entirely  open  to 
the  Indians  and  Tories,  which  we  expect  every  hour  to  come  to  this 
settlement.  Part  of  our  militia  is  at  Fort  Edward,  the  few  that 
are  here  many  of  them  are  unwilling  to  take  up  arms  to  defend 
themselves,  as  they  are  not  able  to  stand  against  so  great  a  number 
of  declared  enemies,  who  speak  openly  without  any  reserve." 

On  July  22  the  committee  wrote  General  Schuyler  that  "nearly 
one-half  of  the  people  heretofore  well  disposed  have  laid  down  their 
arms  and  propose  to  side  with  the  enemy. ' ' 

From  Schoharie,  as  from  every  other  settlement  on  the  frontier, 
the  most  urgent  appeals  were  repeatedly  sent  to  those  in  authority 
for  speedy  protection,  which  was  tardily  and  as  a  rule  inadequately 
furnished.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the  people  were  often  panic 
stricken.  In  the  end  every  settlement  in  the  Schoharie  and  the 
Mohawk  valleys  was  destroyed  or  suffered  severely. 

Nevertheless,  there  were  not  wanting  in  Schoharie  as  elsewhere 
stout  hearts  to  take  up  and  push  forward  the  cause  of  liberty.  To 
mention  the  names  of  the  many  deserving  men  who  staked  all  for 
the  protection  of  home  and  the  success  of  the  Revolution  is  impossi- 
ble here,  but  from  the  first  the  Whigs  were  active  and  were  soon  in 
undisputed  control  in  the  valley.  As  early  as  January  24,  1775, 
two  delegates  were  sent  to  a  meeting  held  in  Albany  to  determine 
future  action.  Both  of  them  stood  for  resistance.  In  April,  1775, 
a  Committee  of  Safety  was  formed.  In  October  of  this  year 
three  companies  of  militia  were  organized  for  Schoharie  and 
Duanesburgh.  Three  forts  were  constructed  by  the  people  with  the 
aid  of  the  government.  The  middle  fort  was  erected  in  the  fall  of 


SCHOHARIE  IN  THE  BORDER  WARFARE  OP  THE  REVOLUTION       35 

1777;  the  upper  and  the  lower  ones  were  completed  during  the 
summer  following.  None  of  these  was  ever  taken.  While  they 
could  not  protect  crops  and  buildings,  they  were  the  means  of  sav- 
ing many  lives.  Much  of  the  rich  harvests  of  this  valley  went  to 
supply  men  and  animals  of  the  regular  army  with  food.  Not  a  few 
of  the  people  were  engaged  in  hauling  produce,  guns  and  ammuni- 
tion to  Ticonderoga,  Fort  Edward  and  Saratoga.  Guy  Johnson  in 
a  letter  to  Lord  George  Germain,  dated  September  10,  1778,  shows 
that  the  " rebels  had  derived  great  resources  from  this  section." 

MCDONALD'S   DEMONSTRATION. 

Undoubtedly  the  agents  of  the  English  Government  by  promises, 
threats  and  demonstrations,  made  vigorous  and  persistent  efforts 
during  the  early  years  of  the  war  to  secure  the  support  of  as  many 
persons  as  possible.  An  early  invasion  of  the  Schoharie  appears  to 
have  had  this  as  its  principal  object.  Captain  McDonald  was  a 
noted  Scotch  Tory,  who  had  resided  for  some  time  on  the  Charlotte 
and  had  been  very  active  and  effective  in  the  royal  cause.  August 
9, 1777,  he  appeared  on  the  Schoharie  River  above  Breakabeen  with 
a  force  of  men  and  "marched  up  and  down  the  road."  Henry 
Hager,  over  seventy  years  of  age,  the  only  Whig  in  the  neighbor- 
hood at  the  time,  with  much  difficulty  got  word  to  the  patriots  nine 
miles  below  at  the  Becker  house  in  the  middle  settlement.  The 
people  were  greatly  alarmed.  Aid  was  sought  from  Albany.  It 
was  on  this  occasion  Colonel  Harper  made  his  well  known  ride  to 
Albany  and  brought  back  a  troop  of  cavalry. 

About  the  conduct  of  Colonel  Vrooman  at  this  time, 
the  date  of  the  occurrence  and  the  number  of  men  en- 
gaged on  each  side  there  has  been  considerable  misunderstanding. 
Although  most  of  the  early  writers  and  some  of  the  more  recent 
ones  accuse  Colonel  Vrooman  of  weakness  and  indecision,  the 
charge  seems  wholly  unsupported  by  evidence.  He  continued  in 
command  of  the  local  forces  through  the  war  when  a  ranking  officer 
was  not  present.  He  seems  to  have  had  at  all  times  the  confidence 
of  the  people,  and  certainly  rendered  the  settlements  and  the  cause 
of  liberty  valuable  service. 

Many  evidences  point  to  the  year  1777  as  the  correct  date,  rather 


36  NEW  YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

• 

than  1778,  the  one  given  by  both  Campbell  and  Stone.  Each  side 
over  estimated  the  strength  of  the  other.  Instead  of  two  hundred 
men  coming  from  Albany,  there  was  but  a  very  small  company. 
McDonald's  force  has  been  incorrectly  reported  as  three  hundred. 
Adam  Crysler  had  been  in  communication  with  McDonald  for  weeks 
and  was  a  party  to  this  invasion.  In  an  official  report  to  the  Brit- 
ish government  made  in  1781,  he  says  that  he  had  maintained  all 
the  Indians  in  Schoharie,  in  number  twenty-five,  from  March  to 
August  10,  and  had  recruited  for  the  government  seventy  men,  and 
that  McDonald  joined  them  August  9  (1777)  with  twenty-eight 
men  from  the  Charlotte.  This  would  make  the  total  number  not  to 
exceed  one  hundred  and  twenty-three.  The  cavalry  from  Albany, 
joined  with  the  local  militia,  made  a  Whig  force  of  about  one 
hundred. 

This  latter  body  of  men  proceeded  up  the  valley.  On  their  ap- 
proach McDonald,  who  had  gone  down  the  river  about  four  miles, 
retreated  to  Crysler 's  house,  where  a  stand  was  made.  A  brief 
engagement  followed  in  which  some  lives  were  lost,  after  which  the 
invaders  withdrew  and  went  to  Oswego.  Crysler  went  with  Mc- 
Donald, as  did  several  of  his  recruits.  Thirty-five,  who  had  been 
detached  to  intercept  the  Whigs,  were  dispersed.  Some  others,  who 
had  reluctantly  joined  his  standard,  were  encouraged  by  the  pres- 
ence of  regular  troops  to  remain  loyal  to  the  Whigs.  Little  if  any 
property  was  destroyed  by  McDonald's  men.  The  statements  that 
they  acted  with  ' '  barbarity  and  exterminating  rage ' '  and  that  they 
"destroyed  everything  on  which  they  could  lay  their  hands"  seem 
to  be  incorrect. 

The  effect  of  the  invasion  upon  the  settlements  was  most  whole- 
some. From  this  time  on  conditions  began  to  mend  so  far  as  the 
Tories  are  concerned.  The  people  had  seen  a  hostile  force  actu- 
ally repelled.  Success  was  also  attending  the  regular  army  in  the 
north.  The  Whigs  came  into  full  power  throughout  the  valley. 
The  central  authorities  of  the  State  by  this  time  had  given  some 
sound  direction  concerning  the  proper  treatment  of  disaffected  per- 
sons. Hereafter  every  resident  was  forced  to  swear  allegiance  to 
the  Continental  Congress  or  leave  the  territory.  The  new  govern- 


SCHOHARIE  IN  THE  BORDER  WARFARE  OF  THE  REVOLUTION       37 

ment  came  better  to  understand  the  exposed  situation  of  these  set- 
tlements, and  put  forth  greater  effort  to  protect  them. 

COBLESKILL  DESTROYED. 

Twenty-five  years  before  the  war  began  several  German  families, 
most  of  them  from  Schoharie,  settled  at  Cobleskill  on  the  rich  flats 
along  the  creek  of  the  same  name.  In  1778  this  settlement  con- 
tained twenty  families  spread  out  along  the  stream  for  a  distance 
of  three  miles.  No  fortifications  were  erected  at  first,  but  Captain 
Christian  Brown  commanded  a  local  military  organization  of 
twenty  or  more  men.  Late  in  May  the  appearance  of  straggling 
Indians  led  Captain  Brown  to  apply  to  the  settlements  on  the 
Schoharie  for  assistance.  Thirty  or  forty  regulars  under  Captain 
Patrick  responded. 

The  settlement  was  thus  protected  when  on  May  30,  1778,  Brant, 
who  had  just  reconnoitered  Cherry  Valley,  appeared  with  a  force  of 
Tories  and  Seneca,  Schoharie  and  Oquaga  Indians.  The  number 
of  the  enemy  is  variously  reported  from  150  to  450.  Fifteen  or 
twenty  Indians  appeared  before  the  southern  most  residence,  where 
George  Warner  lived.  •  Captain  Patrick's  want  of  discretion  al- 
lowed the  little  company  of  defenders  pursuing  the  Indians  too  far 
into  the  woods,  to  be  drawn  into  the  net  that  was  set  for  them. 
Nearly  one-half  of  the  men  under  his  command  were  killed  in  bat- 
tle or  by  the  burning  of  the  Warner  house,  not,  however,  until  con- 
siderable punishment  had  been  inflicted  upon  the  enemy  and  the 
inhabitants  had  made  good  their  escape  into  the  woods  or  to  Scho- 
harie, ten  miles  away.  Colonel  Wemple  reported  June  6  that  he 
had  buried  the  dead,  ' '  which  was  fourteen  in  number, ' '  and  ' '  found 
five  more  burnt  in  the  ruins"  of  the  Warner  house.  "They  were 
butchered  in  the  most  inhuman  manner. ' '  Horses,  cows  and  sheep 
lay  dead  all  over  the  fields."  "Ten  houses  and  barns  were 
burned."  Simms  gives  the  names  of  the  owners  of  ten  dwellings 
that  were  burned  aside  from  the  barns.  The  upper  part  of  Cob- 
leskill, which  lay  to  the  west  of  the  present  village,  was  thus  laid  in 
ruins.  During  the  succeeding  year  the  people  of  this  settlement 
suffered  much  from  destitution,  and  the  State  distributed  a  "dona- 
tion" of  "two  hundred  pounds." 


38  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Stone,  in  his  life  of.  Brant,  mentions  two  engagements  at  Cobles- 
kill,  one  occurring  in  July,  Colonel  Brown  in  command  of  the 
militia;  the  other  June  1,  Colonel  Patrick  commanding.  The 
chronological  order  is  not  observed  in  his  narrative.  According  to 
the  author's  foot  note,  his  account  of  the  second  engagement  was 
based  on  a  paper  of  General  Gansevoort,  discovered  after  the  pre- 
ceding chapters  were  in  print.  There  was  doubtless  but  one  attack 
upon  Cobleskill  during  the  earlier  period  of  the  war. 

There  has  been  much  misunderstanding  also  as  to  both  the  year 
and  the  day  of  the  attack.  Four  early  writers  of  note  make  con- 
flicting statements  on  these  points.  The  report  of  the  affair  made 
to  General  Stark  on  the  night  of  its  occurrence,  dated  May  30,  and 
published  in  the  ' '  Public  Papers  of  George  Clinton, ' '  Vol.  Ill,  page 
377,  together  with  the  accompanying  note  by  the  State  Historian, 
Hugh  Hastings,  must  be  taken  as  settling  the  date  to  be  May  30, 
1778. 

The  year  before  this  the  Indians'  had  suffered  severely  at  Oris- 
kany.  Stung  by  the  defeat  of  their  purposes  in  the  upper  Mohawk 
and  urged  on  by  British  and  by  Tory  leaders,  they  became  very 
active  in  1778.  Cobleskill  was  the  first  settlement  to  suffer.  Dur- 
ing the  next  five  months  Springfield,  Wyoming,  German  Flats  and 
Cherry  Valley  were  laid  in  ruins. 

INVASION  BY  JOHNSON  AND  BRANT. 

From  the  time  of  the  destruction  of  Cobleskill  till  the  summer  of 
1780  Schoharie  did  not  suffer  severely  from  the  enemy.  Sullivan's 
successful  campaign  in  the  heart  of  the  Indian  territory  in  1779 
had  for  a  time  put  the  Indians  on  the  defensive.  But  it  also 
further  embittered  them  against  the  people,  who  were  destroying 
their  villages  and  driving  them  from  their  lands. 

As  early  as  August,  1780,  Crysler,  according  to  his  own  official 
report,  led  a  party  of  Oquaga  Indians  into  Vrooman's  land,  "took 
five  scalps,  two  prisoners  and  burnt  some  houses  and  barns."  The 
upper  settlement  had  not  recovered  from  this  blow  when  in  October 
of  the  same  year  the  main  incursion  of  all  this  period  was  made. 
Sir  John  Johnson  and  Brant  with  a  force  of  at  least  eight  hundred 
regulars,  Tories  and  Indians,  perhaps  nearly  twice  that  number, 


SCHOHARIE  IN   THE  BORDER  WARFARE   OF   THE  REVOLUTION       39 

proceeding  by  the  usual  route  along  the  Susquehanna  and  the 
Charlotte,  reached  the  Schoharie  October  16.  At  daybreak  the 
next  morning  the  upper  fort,  which  was  defended  by  about  one 
hundred  men,  was  already  passed  by  Johnson  when  his  presence 
was  discovered.  Immediately  the  alarm  was  sounded  throughout 
the  valley,  whereupon  the  invaders  began  to  destroy  all  the  prop- 
erty in  their  way  as  they  proceeded  to  the  middle  fort. 

From  eight  o'clock  to  three  o'clock  that  day  they  invested  this 
defense.  The  cowardice  of  Major  Woolsey,  who  was  in  command, 
the  vigorous  action  of  Colonel  Vrooman,  upon  whom  the  com- 
mand fell  when  the  soldiers  refused  to  obey  Major  Woolsey,  and  the 
bold  conduct  of  Timothy  Murphy,  when  on  three  occasions  a  party 
of  the  enemy  advanced  with  a  flag  of  truce,  doubtless  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  ascertaining  the  strength  of  the  fort,  have  been  too  often 
told  to  need  repeating  here.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Johnson  formed 
his  men  as  if  about  to  make  an  assault,  but  suddenly  withdrew, 
dividing  his  force  and  passing  on  both  sides  of  the  lower  fort  with- 
out making  any  vigorous  effort  to  take  it. 

The  old  stone  church,  which  stood  within  this  fortification,  is  still 
standing,  and  is  known  as  the  Old  Stone  Fort.  It  is  carefully  pre- 
served at  the  county's  expense  and  contains  the  valuable  collection 
of  the  Schoharie  County  Historical  Society,  under  the  charge  of 
Henry  Cady,  a  man  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  early  history  of 
the  county. 

At  the  forts  but  two  persons  were  killed.  The  number  of  the 
inhabitants  killed  that  day  is  given  by  some  writers  as  one  hun- 
dred. I  do  not  find  in  the  official  reports  any  reference  to  the 
slain.  Simms  says,  "The  citizens  lodged  at  the  garrisons,  and  the 
movement  of  the  hostiles  commencing  thus  early  no  individuals 
were  found  in  their  dwelling  houses,  except  such  as  were  either 
tinctured  with  royalty  or  chose  to  brave  the  coming  dangers  to  save 
their  property."  The  number  of  killed  was  probably  small. 

The  purpose  of  the  invasion  may  have  been  not  to  slay  but  to 
destroy.  Unable  to  conquer  the  Americans  in  the  field,  the  English 
pillaged  the  rich  Schoharie  and  Mohawk  Valleys  with  the  same 
military  purpose  that  Sherman  marched  to  the  sea  through  the 


40  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

Southern  States.  At  any  rate  little  of  value  was  left  but  the  bare 
land.  Most  of  the  buildings  were  consumed  by  flames.  Stacks  of 
hay  and  grain  were  burned.  The  sturdy  inhabitants,  after  a  long 
period  of  dread,  anxiety  and  suffering,  were  now  obliged  to  see  go 
down  in  a  few  hours  not  only  the  products  of  their  labor  for  the 
season  but  also  the  accumulations  of  years.  With  what  feelings 
they  realized  when  they  looked  out  upon  their  desolated  fields, 
that  they  must  begin  life  all  anew,  we  can  scarcely  picture  to  our 
minds!  The  actual  work  of  destruction  is  charged  chiefly  to  the 
Indians.  As  Johnson's  forces  proceeded  toward  the  Mohawk  to 
continue  their  ravages,  the  troops  from  the  forts  followed  and 
joined  those  of  Van  Rensselaer. 

How  different  would  have  been  the  results  to  the  people  of  Scho- 
harie  if  this  invasion  had  occurred  early  in  the  war,  when  the  set- 
tlements were  still  divided  in  sentiment  and  unprotected;  how  dif- 
ferent the  maintenance  of  the  regular  army  to  north  and  on  the 
Hudson,  if  this  source  of  supplies  had  been  cut  off  four  years 
before ;  how  much  of  loss  of  life  and  property,  how  much  of  anguish 
and  hardship  might  have  been  saved,  if  a  considerable  force  had 
been  maintained  from  the  first  along  the  head  waters  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna. 

MINOR  EVENTS  AND  PERSONAL  DARING. 

The  picture  of  life  in  the  years  of  this  border  warfare  could  be 
completed  only  by  delineating  the  details  of  individuals  and  family 
escapes,  sufferings  and  deeds  of  daring.  Again  and  again  a  build- 
ing was  burned  or  plundered,  or  some  member  of  a  household 
was  killed  or  carried  away  by  an  unseen  foe.  Frequently  Timothy 
Murphy,  Colonel  Harper,  David  Elerson  and  many  other  patriots 
made  a  bold  dash  into  the  presence  of  the  enemy  and  repaid  in 
kind. 

Late  in  1781  a  small  party  of  Tories  from  New  Rhinebeck,  whose 
fields  and  dwellings  had  been  frequently  drawn  upon  by  the  mili- 
tia and  citizens  of  Cobleskill,  retaliated  by  entering  the  latter  settle- 
ment at  an  opportune  time  and  burning  buildings,  driving  away 
cattle,  taking  prisoners  and  killing  at  least  one  person.  As  late  as 


SCHOHARIE  IN  THE  BORDER  WARFARE   OP   THE  REVOLUTION       41 

July  26,  1782,  Tories  and  Indians  made  an  attack  upon  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Fox's  Creek. 

At  one  time  in  1778  a  considerable  force  under  Colonel  William 
Butler,  who  was  in  command  at  Schoharie,  made  an  aggressive 
move  and,  pushing  down  the  Susquehanna,  destroyed  the  Indian 
settlement  at  Oquaga,  with  the  large  quantities  of  corn  it  con- 
tained. 

Some  mention  should  be  made  of  the  experiences  of  the  people 
of  the  western  portion  of  New  Dorlach.  A  number  of  families 
had  early  settled  along  the  Westkill,  a  stream  flowing  into  the  Cob- 
leskill,  and  when  the  war  broke  out  were  living  in  the  quiet  enjoy- 
ment of  the  fruits  of  their  arduous  labor.  Three  times  the  set- 
tlement was  visited  by  small  bands  of  the  enemy.  On  one  occasion 
all  the  members  of  the  Hynds  family  were  carried  away,  and  it  was 
several  days  before  the  other  inhabitants  knew  of  it.  The  day 
after  the  destruction  of  Schoharie  a  party  of  eighteen  Indians  and 
three  Tories,  led  by  Seths  Henry  and  Philip  Crysler,  killed  and 
scalped  Michael  Marckley  and  his  niece,  Catherine  Marckley.  The 
family  of  Sebastian  France,  a  committeeman,  also  suffered  severely 
on  this  occasion.  Catherine  Marckley  was  noted  for  her  beauty 
and  was  soon  to  have  been  married  to  a  son  of  Sebastian  France. 
Her  murder  was  most  useless  and  is  unpardonable.  She  was  killed 
and  scalped  by  Seths  Henry  himself.  This  man  was  the  chief  of 
the  Schoharie  Indians.  This  deed  is  characteristic  of  his  acts 
throughout  the  war.  He  is  said  to  have  taken  thirty-five  scalps  and 
forty  prisoners. 

The  years  which  we  are  studying  were  hard  times  in  which  to 
live.  But  who  of  all  the  noble  company  of  those  who  suffered  then 
for  freedom  of  thought  and  individual  rights  would  count  that 
struggle  lost  if  they  could  behold  our  country  today  and  pass  in 
review  a  century  and  a  quarter  of  its  history. 


MINISINK 


BY  THEODORE  D.  SCHOONMAKER,  GOSHEN,  N.  Y. 


I.— ITS  BOUNDARIES. 

It  is  pretty  difficult  at  this  late  day  to  describe  exactly  by  meets 
and  bounds  just  what  amount  of  territory  was  comprised  in  the 
term  * '  Minisink. ' ' 

In  general  terms,  it  was  a  portion  of  our  country  extending  from 
the  Delaware  Water  Gap,  on  either  side  of  the  Delaware  River  in 
a  northerly  direction  for  about  forty  or  fifty  miles  to  Cochecton, 
covering  a  considerable  land  in  the  Townships  of  Montague,  Sandy- 
ston  and  Waalpack,  Sussex  County,  N.  J., — what  is  now  known  as  the 
Town  of  Deerpark,  in  Orange  County,  and  taking  in  a  part  of  Sul- 
livan County,  and  which  last  mentioned  strip  comprises  part  of  the 
Towns  of  Lumberland,  Forestburgh  and  Mamakating, — and  also 
part  of  the  Counties  of  Pike  and  Monroe,  Pennsylvania,  which 
bordered  on  the  Delaware  River. 

The  New  York  State  white  people  claimed  that  the  southern 
boundary  line  was  from  the  Water  Gap  east  to  the  Station  on  the 
Hudson  River,  which  included  the  present  Village  of  Deckertown, 
Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  while  the  New  Jersey  white  people  claimed 
that  the  line  ran  from  Cochecton  to  the  same  Station  on  the  Hud- 
son, and  included  Edenville,  in  the  Town  of  Warwick,  Orange 
County.  The  Minisink  Patent  granted  by  Queen  Anne  in  the  year 
1703,  ran  from  Big  Minisink  Island,  in  the  Delaware  River,  about 
three  miles  below  Port  Jervis,  in  the  County  of  Orange,  to  the  same 
Station  on  the  Hudson  for  its  southern  line. 

The  " Station  on  the  Hudson"  above  referred  to  is  known  as 
"The  Highlands  of  the  Hudson"— no  distinct  locality,  but  just 
that  general  designation,  which  would  be  the  High  Lands  below  the 
City  of  Newburgh. 

This  extensive  territory  had  been  acquired  by  treaty,  so  that  the 


MINISINK  43 

Delaware  Tribes  of  Indians  had  really  no  quarrel  with  the  whites, 
only  as  they  were  urged  and  coaxed  on  by  the  British  and  Tories. 
What  were  called  Pomptons  claimed  certain  lands  in  New  Jersey, 
and  were  treated  with  as  "The  Minsies,"  "Monseys"  or  "Minnis- 
sincks."  The  Minnissincks  were  a  friendly  tribe  or  clan  of  the 
Minsies  or  Wolf  Tribe  of  the  Delaware  Nation.  Their  name  de- 
scribed them  as  Backlanders,  Uplanders  or  Highlanders.  Their 
capital  town  was  on  what  is  called  "Minnisinck  Plains,"  in  New 
Jersey,  about  eight  miles  south  of  Port  Jervis,  nearly  opposite  to 
Milford,  a  village  in  Pike  County,  Pa.  Their  town  was  palisaded 
and  known  to  the  Dutch  as  early  as  1746.  They  were  kindred  of 
the  Esopus  Indians,  but  not  associated  with  them  in  government. 
The  territory  which  they  occupied  was  called  "The  Minnissick 
Country."  The  Delaware  River  was  called  "The  Minnissinck 
River"  where  it  flowed  through  their  territory.  This  Delaware 
River  was  named  after  Lord  Delaware,  and  was  by  the  Dutch  gen- 
erally called  "Vishkill  River,"  which  in  English  means  "Fish 
River."  And  it  has  to  this  day  well  sustained  that  name.  Some- 
times it  was  called  by  the  Dutch  "The  South  River"  to  distinguish 
it  from  the  Hudson  or  '  *  North  River. ' '  The  Indians  residing 
along  or  near  this  river  were  called  "The  Delawares."  There  is 
another  river  in  this  region  called  "The  Neversinck" — named,  as 
I  understand  it,  from  the  fact  that  its  current  is  so  swift  that  noth- 
ing will  ever  sink  in  it.  The  Indian  name  of  this  river  was  "Ma- 
hackmack."  This  river  empties  into  the  Delaware  at  Carpenter's 
Point,  near  Port  Jervis,  at  the  junction  of  which  is  a  rock  where 
the  three  States,  New  York,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  join  or 
meet.  You  can  stand  on  that  tri-States  rock  on  one  foot  and  be  in 
the  three  different  States. 

From  Eager 's  History  of  Orange  County  I  glean  several  facts. 
The  whole  territory  thus  described  was  occupied  by  a  tribe  of 
Indians  known  as  "Minquas,"  and  this  may  properly  be  regarded 
as  the  original  word  from  which  the  name  "Minisink"  was  derived. 
"Minisink"— people  living  on  a  low  tract  of  land  from  which  the 
water  had  been  drawn,  alluding  to  the  belief  that  the  valley  along 
the  Delaware  River  occupied  by  them  had  once  formed  the  bottom 
of  a  vast  lake,  from  which  the  water  had  been  drained,  or  had 


44  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

% 

escaped  by  breaking  through  the  mountain  at  a  place  called  now 
''The  Delaware  Water  Gap."  I  am  told  that  that  there  are  even 
now  evidences  to  the  geologist  along  the  sides  of  the  mountains  on 
both  sides  of  the  Delaware  River  to  the  north  of  the  Water  Gap, 
that  the  waters  once  rose  to  quite  a  height  on  their  sides,  and  that 
the  embankment  where  the  Water  Gap  now  is,  to  the  height  of  two 
hundred  feet,  would  flood  the  Delaware  Valley  or  Minisink  for 
over  fifty  miles. 

The  tradition  of  the  Indians  in  this  vicinity  at  the  early  settle- 
ment of  the  country  was,  that  their  nation  had  lived  at  Kittany, 
now  called  Blue  Mountains,  in  Warren  County,  N.  J.,  which  means 
' '  Chief  Town ; ' '  that  there  was  a  difficulty  or  disagreement  of  some 
kind,  and  that  the  discontented  portion  removed  to  the  north  side 
of  the  mountains  and  settled  upon  the  low  lands  along  the  Dela- 
ware. It  appears  that  from  thirty  to  forty  miles  along  both  sides 
of  the  Delaware  River  were  settled  before  New  York,  New  Jersey 
and  Pennsylvania  knew  anything  about  it,  and  that  they  only 
found  it  out  in  1729 ;  that  the  settlers  had  been  then  so  long  there 
that  they  had  apple  trees  larger  than  any  near  Philadelphia.  For 
years  "Minnising,"  in  New  Jersey,  was  the  postoffice  for  all  this 
region.  The  present  town  of  Minisink,  in  Orange  County,  was 
only  partially  in  this  region.  What  is  now  known  as  the  Towns  of 
Minisink,  Greenville  and  Mount  Hope,  Wawayanda  and  Goshen, 
was  then  the  Precinct  of  Goshen.  The  present  town  of  Minisink 
was  settled  by  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  Minisink  coming  across 
the  mountains  and  settling  in  its  present  territory. 

The  settlement  of  the  Minisink  region  began  in  1689.  Originally 
the  north  part  was  the  most  important ;  but  before  the  Revolution 
the  settlers  in  the  lower  part  in  New  Jersey  and  in  Pennsylvania 
outnumbered  those  in  the  New  York  portion. 

Thus  is  traced  the  English  formation  of  the  word  "Minsies" 
from  the  Dutch  "Minquas"  and  then  to  its  Indian  name  "Mini- 
sink.  ' '  It  was  known  by  this  last  name  in  1694,  when  that  locality 
was  visited  by  Arient  Schuyler,  the  first  white  man  that  ever  placed 
a  foot  in  that  region,  recorded  in  authentic  history.  He  was  sent 
by  Governor  Fletcher,  who  then  ruled  over  that  Province  by  the 
Crown  of  England,  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  the  French,  who 


PENNSYLVANIA 


MAP  OF  THE 

MIN1SINK 
REGION 


MINISINK  45 

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  Indians  to  wage  war  to  exter- 
minate the  people  of  New  York. 

I  also  glean  from  the  same  source  that  in  1730  an  agent  was 
appointed  to  go  and  look  after  the  state  of  things  at  the  settlement 
about  Kittany,  or  Blue  Mountains;  that  then  Indian  guides  were 
hired,  and  that  his  agent  and  his  helpers  had  great  difficulty  in 
getting  their  horses  through  the  "Water  Gap"  to  the  Minisink 
Flats,  which  were  then  all  settled  with  Hollanders;  that  then  the 
best  interpretation  they  could  get  of  the  word  "Minisink"  was 
"The  water  is  gone."  That  there  was  then  a  good  road  from 
where  the  river  was  frozen  to  Esopus,  near  Kingston  or  Wiltwyck ; 
that  the  first  settlement  in  Minisink  by  the  Hollanders  was  many 
years  before  William  Penn's  Charter;  then  when  Nicholas  Scull, 
the  surveyor,  was  about  to  survey  the  country,  an  old  Indian  put 
his  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  said,  "Put  up  iron  string  and  go 
home."  That  this  good  road  to  Esopus  was  called  "The  Mine 
Road ; ' '  that  when  they  endeavored  to  ascertain  when  and  by  whom 
this  "Mine  Road"  was  made,  what  ore  they  dug  and  how  or  whence 
the  first  settlers  came  in  such  great  numbers  as  to  take  up  all  the 
flats  on  both  sides  of  the  river  for  forty  miles,  this  traditional 
account  was  given :  that  in  some  former  age  there  came  a  company  of 
miners  from  Holland,  who  expended  a  great  deal  of  labor  in  making 
that  road  for  one  hundred  miles ;  that  they  were  very  rich  in  work- 
ing the  two  mines,  one  on  the  Delaware,  in  Waalpack  Township, 
Sussex  County,  N.  J.,  and  the  other  on  the  north  foot  of  the  moun- 
tain, half  way  from  the  Delaware  to  Esopus  in  what  is  now  Mama- 
kating,  Sullivan  County,  N.  Y. 

In  short,  the  entire  valley,  from  what  is  now  called  Westbrook- 
ville,  Orange  County,  on  the  north,  on  both  sides  the  Neversink 
River,  to  the  Delaware  Water  Gap  on  the  south,  on  both  sides  the 
Delaware  was  "The  Minisink  Region"  about  1770  to  1790,  and  is 
the  territory  meant  by  that  name  in  dealing  with  Indian  raids  and 
massacres  in  this  paper. 

Thus  much  for  its  boundaries. 

Attached  hereto  is  a  rough  sketch  of  this  valley  as  it  was  in  1771. 


46  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

II.— INDIAN   RAIDS   AND   MASSACRES   ABOUT    THE    TIME   OP   THE 

REVOLUTION. 

For  years  before  the  notorious  Brant  appeared,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  two  invasions,  hereinafter,  referred  to,  the  Indians  along  the 
Delaware  had  become  a  terror  to  the  inhabitants  on  both  sides  of 
the  river,  owing  to  the  extended  advances  of  the  whites  on  their 
hunting  ground  above  the  forks  of  the  two  rivers,  the  Delaware  and 
the  Neversink,  at  Carpenter's  Point,  which,  under  the  Penn  Treaty, 
had  been  held  to  be  inviolable.  Previous  to  this  the  Indians  and 
Dutch  had  got  along  well  together  in  this  Minisink  Valley ;  the  Hol- 
landers cultivated  it  and  the  Indians  fished  and  hunted  along  its 
streams  and  in  the  mountains  without  interfering  with  or  molest- 
ing each  other.  But,  when  the  storm  of  the  Revolution  broke 
forth,  the  Delaware  Indians  were  easily  goaded  to  hostility  by  their 
more  warlike  and  treacherous  neighbors  of  the  North,  who,  through 
Brant's  influence  and  the  liberal  patronage  of  the  British  Com- 
missioners, had  obtained  sole  control  of  the  Six  Nations.  It  now 
became  a  life  and  death  struggle  between  the  Tories  and  Colonists 
for  the  establishment  of  British  power  in  America. 

About  the  time  of  the  "Battle  of  Minisink,"  to  which  reference 
will  more  largely  be  made,  a  fleet  of  400  ships  and  25,000  veterans 
had  landed  in  New  York  Bay,  and  all  the  vulnerable  points  on  the 
Atlantic  seaboard  and  on  the  Hudson  River  had  either  been  stormed 
or  capitulated  to  the  British.  Stony  Point  and  Fort  Montgomery 
had  been  captured;  Kingston  and  Cherry  Valley  burned;  Phila' 
delphia  and  every  town  on  the  Delaware,  with  the  exception  of 
Trenton  and  Princeton,  was  in  the  hands  of  the  British ;  and  with 
Claudius  Smith  and  his  Tory  Gang  in  the  Ramapo  Valley  on  the 
south,  and  Bonnell  Moody  and  his  blood-thirsty  bands  ravaging 
New  Jersey,  and  an  army  of  hostile  savages  and  Tories  hanging 
like  a  dark  cloud  on  the  west,  this  Minisink  region  and  the  precinct 
of  Goshen  may  well  be  said  to  have  been  surrounded  literally  with 
a  wall  of  fire.  Brant's  raids  were  mainly  in  the  region  between 
the  mouth  of  the  Neversink  River,  where  it  empties  into  the  Dela- 
ware, and  the  present  Village  of  Cuddebackville,  then  known  as 
Peenpack,  in  the  neighborhood  of  Forts  DeWitt,  Van  Auken  and 


MINISINK  47 

Gumaer.  Fort  Gumaer  was  located  at  Peenpack,  near  Cuddeback- 
ville,  close  to  a  Spring  and  a  Spring  Brook,  in  the  central  part  of 
Peenpack  Flats.  It  is  said  that  the  name  "Peenpack"  has  refer- 
ence to  this  spring  and  brook.  Fort  DeWitt  was  built  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Revolutionary  War  and  stood  near  where  now 
the  Suspension  Bridge  crosses  the  Neversink,  on  the  road  leading 
from  Port  Jervis  to  Cuddebackville,  about  a  mile  south  of  Cudde- 
backville, and  in  which  house  DeWitt  Clinton  was  born.  Fort 
Van  Auken  was  nearer  to  where  is  now  the  Village  of  Port  Jervis, 
and  not  far  from  the  Old  Burying  Ground,  and  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  farm  house  now  owned  by  Levi  Van  Etten. 

In  regard  to  the  Indian  raids  and  massacres  that  occurred  in  that 
part  of  Minisink  lying  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  I  find  that 
Tadeuskund,  the  Chief  of  the  Lenape  Indians,  was  their  manager 
in  the  Old  Minisink  War,  miscalled  "The  French  and  Indian 
War, ' '  who  was  insistent  that  it  was  waged  to  revenge  their  wrongs 
inflicted  by  the  heirs  of  William  Penn  in  robbing  them  of  their 
lands  on  the  Pennsylvania  side  of  the  Delaware  River,  and  strict 
orders  were  issued  by  him  that  the  war  should  not  be  carried  into 
New  Jersey,  where  the  Indians  had  been  paid  for  their  lands.  In 
consequence,  the  only  Indians  who  came  across  the  river  into  New 
Jersey,  were  vagrant  stragglers,  under  no  leadership,  and  only 
seeking  to  take  revenge  irregularly. 

And  in  regard  to  these  Indian  raids  and  massacres,  I  desire  to 
say  that  they  were  committed  in  direct  violation  of  the  treaty 
which  General  Schuyler,  on  the  part  of  Congress,  had  concluded 
with  the  Six  Nations  of  Western  New  York,  in  July,  1775,  by  which 
they  were  to  observe  strict  neutrality  between  the  Americans  and 
•the  British.  But  this  was  not  according  to  what  the  Indians 
desired.  It  was  not  long  before  they  were  induced  to  break  their 
pledges.  First  along  they  singled  out  individuals  whom  they 
feared  or  hated,  and  then  their  death-dealing  blows  became  more 
numerous  and  frequent. 

In  the  short  time  alloted  me  I  cannot  narrate  any  family  or 
individual  raids  to  any  extent,  but  must  content  myself  with  giving 
an  account  of  the  raids  that  partook  of  a  neighborhood,  war-like 
or  battle  character. 


48  NEW   YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

Of  those  that  occurred  on  the  Pennsylvania  side  of  the  Dela- 
ware River,  I  will  mention  one,  called  ''The  Battle  of  the  Conas- 
haugh."  This  took  place  a  few  miles  below  the  present  Village 
of  Milford,  Pike  County,  Pa.,  as  furnished  me  in  a  copy  of  a  letter 
by  John  Van  Campen,  dated  April  24th,  1780,  found  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania archives  and  kindly  sent  me  by  Hon.  J.  H.  Van  Etten, 
attorney,  of  Milford,  Pa.,  whose  great  grandfather  was  in  the  fight. 

This  Lawyer  Van  Etten  has  stood  when  a  boy  on  the  battle  field 
with  his  grandfather  and  had  pointed  out  to  him  the  location  of 
the  Indians  and  his  great  grandfather's  men  as  they  had  been 
shown  to  him  by  his  father. 

(From  Copy  of  Letter  in  Pennsylvania  Archives.) 

BATTLE  CALLED  "BATTLE  OF  THE  CONASHAUGH. 
John  Van  Campen  to  Pres.  Reed. 

Southfield,  April  24,  1780. 
Honr'd  Sir: 

I  hope  my  last  by  Mr.  Mixer  has  come  to  hand  informing  you 
of  the  incursion  of  the  Indians  at  the  house  of  Manuel  Gunsaleyes. 
I  herewith  inform  your  Honor  of  their  late  attempts.  James  Mc- 
Carte  with  his  family  was  removed  to  the  Jersey  on  the  20th  inst., 
his  sons  went  to  their  home  to  feed  the  cattle,  the  farm  was  in  Pa. 
about  three  miles  below  Milford,  discovered  signs  of  Indians,  re- 
turned to  the  Jersey  immediately  and  acquainted  Major  Westbrook 
and  Captain  Westbrook  and  the  signs  they  had  discovered:  they 
sent  immediately  for  some  of  their  best  men  and  crossed  the  River 
that  night.  About  sun  rise  the  morning  following  discovered  the 
Indians  nigh  the  barn  and  began  the  attack:  the  number  of  the 
enemy  is  supposed  to  be  about  fourteen :  the  Major  received  no 
damage  with  his  party:  the  Indians  retreated  to  the  woods:  The 
Major  was  reinforced  by  Cap.  Van  Etten  with  three  of  his  sons  and 
son-in-law:  pursued  the  Indians  by  the  blood  and  about  two  miles 
came  up  with  them.  As  it  is  without  doubt  three  of  them  was 
wounded :  renewed  the  attack,  drove  the  Indians  to  the  edge  of  a 
thick  wood.  Captain  Van  Etten  maintained  his  ground  with  his 
few  men,  the  Major  with  his  men  also.  Captain  Westbrook 's  men 
left  at  the  first  fire  from  the  enemy  in  the  woods,  which  was  the 


MINISINK  49 

ruin  of  the  whole,  but  the  ground  maintained  for  some  time  and 
the  retreat  secured  by  the  Major  and  Van  Etten.  Killed  and  miss- 
ing on  the  part  of  the  Major  and  Van  Etten,— Captain  Westbrook 
missing,— not  yet  found :  Benjamin  Ennis  killed,  son-in-law  to  Cap- 
t^ain  Van  Etten :  .Richard  Rosecrans  killed  and  two  more  wounded. 
Df  the  enemy  killed,  two  found,— one  an  officer  appearing  by  his 
dress, — found  in  his  pocket  a  regular  Journal  from  the  first  of 
March  till  the  16th  instant.  As  appears  by  his  Journal  there  is 
Three  Hundred  and  Ninety  marched  from  Niagagari,  divided  into 
different  parties.  The  officer  was  a  white  man.  Respected  Sir, 
now  under  difficulties  of  march,  what  the  event  will  be  God  only 
knows.  The  people  are  determined  to  evacuate  the  country  as 
there  appears  no  prospect  of  relief  by  the  Militia. 
I  am,  sir,  with  due  respect, 

Tour  most  humble  Servt., 

JOHN   VAN   CAMPEN. 

P.  S.  The  said  Mc.Cartee,  where  the  attack  began,  is  about  two 
miles  below  Wells  Ferry  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware. 

Capt.  Van  Etten  lives  in  Delaware  Township  one  mile  below  Mc.- 
Cartee's. 

I  will  refer  to  two  more  raids  and  they  will  be  ' '  The  Invasion  by 
Joseph  Brant. ' ' 

Who  was  this  Joseph  Brant? 

Well,  he  was  the  celebrated  Mohawk  Chief,  whose  name  was  "Tha- 
yen-den-da-gue,"  which  means  "two-sticks-of- wood-bound-togeth- 
er," denoting  strength.  Was  that  name  prophetic?  Did  he  com- 
bine the  Indian  cunning,  cruelty  and  craftiness  with  the  military 
education  and  training  which  he  received,  "two  sticks  bound  to- 
gether, denoting  strength?" 

He  was  born  of  pure  Iroquois  blood  on  the  banks  of  the  Ohio 
River  in  1742,  where  his  father  died.  His  mother  returned  with 
him  and  his  sister,  Mary  or  Molly,  to  the  Mohawk  and  married  an 
Indian  by  the  name  of  Barent,  and  the  two  children  were  after- 
wards known  as  Joseph  and  Mary  or  Molly  Brant.  Molly,  by  her 
beauty  and  grace  in  riding  captivated  Sir  William  Johnson,  the 
General-in-Chief  of  all  the  Indians  in  North  America  of  Johnstown, 
in  what  is  now  Montgomery  County,  and  she  became  his  leman, 


50  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

he  already  having  a  wife  in  Ireland.  This  Sir  William  Johnson 
sent  young  Brant  to  Dr.  Wheelock's  School  at  Lebanon,  Conn., 
where  the  lad  was  educated  for  the  Christian  ministry.  For  some 
cause  he  did  not  enter  the  ranks  of  the  clergy;  but,  in  his  old  age 
he  labored  to  convert  his  people  to  the  white  man's  faith,  and  t*-  v 
lated  a  part  of  the  New  Testament,  one  of  the  Gospels,  intc  ^ 
Mohawk  language. 

At  the  age  of  twenty  he  became  the  Secretary  and  Agent  of  Sir 
William  Johnson.  As  the  Revolutionary  storm  was  brewing,  both 
Whigs  and  Tories  made  an  effort  to  induce  his  conduct.  Rev. 
Samuel  Kirkland,  a  devoted  missionary  among  the  Six  Nations, 
tried  to  induce  Brant  to  remain  neutral,  but  the  agents  of  the 
British  prevailed.  In  1775  he  left  the  Mohawk  and  went  to  Can- 
ada. There,  as  colonel,  in  the  British  Army,  having  received  his 
commission  from  George  III  early  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  he 
organized  and  set  forth  those  predatory  bands  of  Indians  which 
devastated  the  frontier  from  the  Delaware  Water  Gap  to  the 
Mohawk  River. 

Captain  Jeremiah  Snyder,  who  with  his  son  was  made  prisoner 
near  Saugerties  and  taken  to  Niagara,  thus  describes  this  famous 
Chief: 

"He  was  good  looking,  of  fierce  aspect,  tall  and  rather  spare, 
well-spoken  and  then  apparently  about  thirty  years  of  age.  He 
wore  moccasins  elegantly  trimmed  with  beads,  leggins  and  a  breech 
cloth  of  superfine  blue,  a  short  green  coat,  with  two  silver  epaulets 
and  a  small,  round  laced  hat.  By  his  side  was  an  elegantly 
mounted  cutlass,  and  his  blanket  (purposely  dropped  in  the  chair 
on  which  he  sat  to  display  his  epaulets)  was  gorgeously  adorned 
with  a  border  of  red.  His  language  was  very  insulting." 

He  was  received  with  great  distinction  on  his  tour  to  England  in 
1786,  and  was  attached  to  the  Military  Service  of  Sir  Guy  Carlton 
in  Canada.  He  opposed  the  confederation  of  the  Indians  which 
led  to  the  expedition  of  General  Wayne,  and  did  all  he  could  to 
prevent  peace  between  the  Indians  and  the  United  States.  He  was 
zealously  devoted  to  the  welfare  of  his  own  people  and  did  all  he 
could  to  prevent  the  introduction  of  ardent  spirits  among  them. 
While  in  England  he  collected  funds  for  a  church,  which  was  the 


MINISINK  51 

first  one  built  in  Upper  Canada.  He  spent  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  at  Burlington  Bay,  near  the  head  of  Lake  Ontario,  where  he 
built  a  house  for  himself  on  a  tract  of  land  conferred  upon  him  by 
the  British  Government. 

This  much  for  the  personnel  of  Colonel  Brant. 

It  was  the  time  now  of  the  deepest  depression  (1778).  Every- 
where the  Frontier  Settlements  were  nearly  drained  by  the  army 
of  the  male  defenders,  and  yet  exposed  to  the  treachery  of  the 
Tories  and  the  torch  and  tomahawk  of  the  Indians.  The  awful 
massacre  of  Wyoming  had  but  passed,  when,  lo,  tidings  came  that 
Brant  and  his  band  are  marching  on  to  Minisink !  Brant,  the  very 
name  of  terror,  the  hero  of  the  awful  atrocities  of  Cherry  Valley, 
called  the  "Monster  Brant,"  educated  at  Dartmouth  College,  but 
which  college  education  did  not  tame  his  savage  nature,  more 
cunning  than  a  fox,  more  fierce  than  a  tiger.  Yes,  tidings  came 
that  Brant  was  coming.  And  come  he  did. 

In  the  region  of  what  was  then  Peenpack,  now  Cuddebackville, 
in  the  Town  of  Deerpark,  Orange  County,  on  Tuesday,  October 
13th,  1778,  a  party  of  nearly  one  hundred  Indians  and  Tories, 
under  the  leadership  of  Brant,  invaded  the  settlement.  They  first 
surprised  the  family  of  Mr.  Westfall  and  killed  the  only  man  that 
was  home  at  the  time.  Mr.  Thomas  Swartwout  and  his  four  sons, 
thinking  that  the  marauders  were  only  few  in  number  and  more 
desirous  of  plunder  than  of  murder,  resolved  to  defend  their  home. 
The  women  were  sent  to  Fort  Gumaer  and  the  house  firmly  barri- 
caded. But  when  the  enemy  appeared  it  was  found  that  resist- 
ance was  useless,  and  after  firing  a  few  times,  seeing  their  chance 
of  escape  would  soon  be  cut  off,  resolved  to  flee.  Then  they  all 
started  to  run  in  the  direction  of  the  fort,  but  one  of  the  sons  was 
killed  before  reaching  the  shelter  of  the  barn.  Another  son,  sep- 
arated from-  the  others,  ran  toward  the  Neversink,  half  a  mile  off, 
but  was  pursued  by  a  few  Indians  and  shot  while  swimming  the 
river  near  the  opposite  shore.  The  old  gentleman  and  his  two 
other  sons  kept  together,  running  as  fast  as  they  could  towards  the 
fort,  but  soon  found  that  they  would  be  overtaken.  They  paused. 
" James, "  said  the  father  to  one  of  his  sons,  "you  are  young  and 
active  and  can  save  yourself.  If  you  stay  to  assist  me  we  shall  all 


I 

52  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

be  killed.  Save  yourself  while  you  can."  The  other  son  kept  by 
the  side  of  his  father.  They  were  both  soon  overtaken  and  toma- 
hawked. James  was  pursued  for  half  a  mile  through  brush  and 
briars  and  over  fences  and  across  lots  till  he  reached  the  fort 
saved. 

The  continued  firing  warned  the  inhabitants  of  the  danger  com- 
ing to  them,  and  those  who  were  out  on  their  farms  repaired  to 
the  forts,  Guamer  and  DeWitt.  Only  nine  men  being  in  Fort 
Gumaer,  Captain  Cuddeback  (to  whom  references  will  hereafter 
be  made),  paraded  all  the  young  people  and  women  back  of  the 
house,  got  together  all  the  hats  and  coats  and  placed  all  the  spare 
guns  and  sticks  in  their  hands.  And  many  a  blushing  damsel,  who 
two  days  before  would  have  scorned  the  idea  of  her  ever  wearing 
male  attire,  made  her  appearance  that  day  in  a  cocked  hat  and 
ragged  coat  and  vest  with  her  dainty  limbs  clad  in  a  faded  pair  of 
homespun  breeches ;  and  many  a  staid  matron  was  that  day  appar- 
ently transformed  into  a  dignified  Continental  soldier,  with  blue 
coat  and  brass  buttons.  Captain  Cuddeback  was  aware  of  the  in- 
fluence display  had  on  the  savage  mind,  and  he  resolved  to  profit 
by  it.  There  being  only  nine  men  there  at  the  time,  but  he  re- 
solved to  defend  it,  though  it  was  only  a  picket  fort  at  best.  When 
the  Indians  came  in  sight  he  ordered  all  the  drums  to  beat  and 
marched  all  these  people  from  the  rear  to  the  front  of  the  fort  and 
made  as  big  a  parade  as  possible.  He  then  ordered  the  women 
and  children  into  the  cellar;  but  Ann  Swartwout,  a  large  woman, 
told  the  captain  that  she  would  take  a  pitchfork  and  remain  with 
the  men,  which  she  did. 

The  Indians  did  not  attempt  to  take  the  fort,  but  departed  after 
a  few  shots  were  fired. 

They  then  proceeded  to  Fort  DeWitt  and  stationed  themselves 
on  a  hill,  which  was  covered  with  woods  near  the  fort  and  re- 
mained there  some  time,  firing  occasionally  as  they  secured  a  view 
of  the  garrison  with  no  effect,  save  the  killing  of  Captain  New- 
kerk's  horse  by  a  stray  bullet.  On  the  same  day  they  retreated 
towards  the  west,  after  burning  all  the  houses,  barns  and  build- 
ings they  found  in  their  course,  which  was  a  great  source  of  dis- 
tress to  the  inhabitants. 


MINISINK  53 

Some  of  the  wives  and  children  were  sent  to  Major  Phillips,  at 
a  place  called  Phillipsburgh,  a  hamlet  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
Town  of  Wawayanda,  near  Goshen,  where,  by  the  way,  powder  in 
large  quantities  was  manufactured  for  the  Continental  Army  dur- 
ing the  Revolution.  Major  Phillips  thus  became  aware  of  the 
danger  of  the  people  of  Minisink,  and  he  arrived  at  the  fort  the 
day  after  the  invasion,  but  the  invaders  had  gone,  and  it  was  use- 
less to  pursue. 

This  invasion  aroused  the  inhabitants  to  a  sense  of  their  danger, 
and  the  members  of  the  Committee  of  Safety  took  immediate  steps 
to  increase  the  defensive  powers  of  the  settlement  by  repairing  the 
forts,  and  Captain  Cuddeback  of  Fort  Gumaer  made  an  applica- 
tion to  the  General  Government  for  help,  and  the  brave  Pole, 
Count  Pulaski,  with  a  battalion  of  cavalry,  was  sent  to  their  assist- 
ance. This  inspired  the  settlers  with  new  courage.  Their  families 
were  brought  back  and  their  homes  repaired.  The  winter  passed 
away  without  any  appearance  of  the  savages,  and  they  began  to 
think  that  their  share  of  the  turmoils  of  war  was  over.  In  Febru- 
ary, 1779,  Count  Pulaski  and  his  men  were  ordered  to  South  Caro- 
lina, as  he  was  needed  there  to  join  the  army  of  General  Lincoln, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  this  Minisink  region  were  left  defenceless. 
But  winter  passed  and  spring  melted  into  summer,  and  the  labor- 
ers were  cheered  by  the  singing  of  the  birds  and  the  babbling  of 
the  waters  of  the  rivers,  and  everything  seemed  calm  and  peaceful. 

There  is  an  old  tradition  among  the  legends  of  the  Towns  of 
Minisink  and  Greenville,  in  Orange  County,  that  Brant  visited  the 
Minisink  neighborhood  in  order  to  acquaint  himself  with  the 
affairs  of  that  territory  before  his  second  invasion.  It  is  said  that 
the  residents  suspected  a  certain  man  of  open  Tory  principles  of 
carrying  provisions  to  some  one  in  the  swamp :  in  fact,  he  was  seen 
one  morning  just  before  daylight  emerging  from  the  swamp,  carry- 
ing the  carcass  of  a  sheep  that  had  been  slaughtered.  He  would 
not  tell  what  he  had  been  doing,  so  he  was  arrayed  in  the  sheepskin 
and  marched  off  to  Goshen  Jail,  sixteen  miles  away,  a  soldier  fol- 
lowing him  with  a  bayonet  to  keep  him  from  lagging,  and  a  boy 
with  a  drum  following.  Captain  Van  Inwegen,  chairman  of  the 
Committee  of  Safety,  had  this  Tory  between  his  soldiers  as  they 


54  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

were  marching  to  Goshen.  He  was  close  to  the  Tory,  so  that  none 
of  the  soldiers  could  shoot  the  Tory,  but  as  the  file  was  turning 
at  one  place,  as  the  road  turned,  some  soldier  in  the  rear  could  not 
resist  the  temptation  to  shoot  the  Tory,  and  fired,  the  ball  going 
through  Captain  Van  Inwegen's  canteen.  If  this  was  so,  Brant 
became  well  informed  of  the  neighborhood  and  its  resources,  and 
thus  could  invade  the  Minisink  region  so  successfully. 

And  now  we  come  to  the  Second  Invasion  of  the  Minisink  Region 
by  Brant  and  his  warriors. 

Colonel  Brant,  in  all  probability,  heard  that  this  frontier  was 
unprotected,  and  so,  in  the  summer  of  1779  he  left  Niagara  with 
about  three  hundred  Iroquois  Warriors  and  many  Tories,  painted 
as  Indian  Warriors,  and  started  east  for  a  second  raid  on  this 
Minisink  region.  About  the  middle  of  July  they  appeared  on  the 
western  borders  of  that  region,  at  Peenpack,  near  what  is  now 
Cuddebackville,  like  a  cloud  on  the  mountain  top  ready  to  break 
on  the  plain  below.  And  sure  enough,  on  the  morning  of  Tuesday, 
July  20th,  1779,  before  daybreak,  the  people  of  the  valley  were 
awakened  from  their  slumbers  by  the  Indian  warhoop,  the  shrieks 
of  the  victims  of  the  tomahawk  and  the  crackling  of  the  flames  of 
their  dwellings.  Their  first  surprise  was  at  the  old  Mahackamack 
Church,  which  stood  near  what  is  now  North  Main  street  and  New 
Jersey  avenue,  in  the  Village  of  Port  Jervis,  opposite  the  Old 
Burying  Ground  which  is  now  there,  burned  it,  and  after  killing 
some  of  the  people  they  crossed  the  Neversink  River  to  the  east  and 
destroyed  several  farm  houses  on  the  road  towards  Hugenot. 
They  also  assaulted  the  Van  Auken  Fort  at  Major  Decker's,  which 
stood  not  far  from  where  the  Old  Church  was;  they  entered  the 
fort  unawares,  the  men  being  absent.  They  then  proceeded  to  the 
dwelling  of  Anthony  Van  Etten,  where  a  few  -Indians  entered  a 
blacksmith  shop.  Mr.  James  Swartwout  was  in  and  he  secreted 
himself  by  climbing  up  the  chimney,  and  the  negro  who  was  work- 
ing there  staid  in  charge.  The  Indians  tumbled  over  things  in 
general,  and  then  took  hold  of  the  bellows  and  began  to  blow.  The 
negro,  knowing  that  the  smoke  and  cinders  would  have  a  bad  effect 
on  Mr.  Swartwout,  told  them  "to  stop  or  they  would  spoil  that 
thing."  And  so  they  did,  and  Mr.  Swartwout  was  spared.  They 


MESTISINK  55 

then  went  to  the  house  of  one  James  Van  Vliet,  and  their  approach 
being  seen,  the  inmates  fled.  There  was  some  firing  at  the  Van 
Auken  Fort  and  one  man  was  killed  there.  An  Indian,  in  attempt- 
ing to  get  near  the  fort  to  set  it  on  fire,  was  killed.  By  this  time 
smoke  and  flames  were  seen  in  many  directions,  and  the  people 
knew  that  the  Indians,  with  Brant  at  their  head,  were  there.  His 
manner  of  approach  was  stealthily  by  night,  hiding  by  day,  and 
rushing  out  among  and  on  the  people  at  the  break  of  day.  There 
was  a  funeral  that  day  and  Major  Decker,  while  riding  home  was 
attacked  and  wounded,  but  putting  spurs  to  his  horse,  he  escaped. 

While  these  events  were  transpiring  and  the  people  who  had 
warning  were  fleeing  to  the  forts  and  block  houses  and  other  places 
for  safety,  the  fathers  and  mothers  thought  of  their  children  a  mile 
or  so  away  in  the  Old  Log  School  House,  and  hoped  that  they 
might  escape  the  attention  of  the  savages.  But  in  this  they  were 
doomed  to  disappointment.  The  Indians  entered  the  school  house 
and  intended  to  exterminate  one  generation  with  a  blow.  Their 
teacher,  Jeremiah  Van  Auken,  was  taken  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  school  house,  killed  and  scalped,  and  some  of  the  larger  boys 
were  tomahawked,  some  fled  to  the  woods,  and  the  little  girls  stood 
by  the  side  of  their  dead  teacher,  struck  with  horror,  not  knowing 
their  fate.  But  one  thing  happened  then  which  showed  that  even 
in  the  heart  of  this  cruel  leader  there  was  still  a  spark  of  hu- 
manity. 

Suddenly  a  strong,  muscular  Indian  came  along  and  with  a 
brush  dashed  some  black  paint  across  their  aprons,  bidding  them, 
' '  hold  up  the  mark  when  they  saw  an  Indian  coming, ' '  and  with  a 
yell,  disappeared  in  the  woods.  That  Indian  was  Brant.  The 
children  were  safe.  As  the  Indians  passed  along,  running  from 
place  to  place,  murdering  and  scalping  such  as  were  in  their  way, 
they  saw  the  mark  and  left  the  children  unharmed.  Quick  as  a 
flash  of  lightning,  a  happy  thought  entered  the  minds  of  the  little 
sisters.  They  thought  they  could  save  their  brothers.  The  scat- 
tered boys  were  quickly  assembled  and  the  girls  threw  their  aprons 
over  the  clothes  of  the  boys  and  stamped  the  black  impression  upon 
their  outer  garments,  and  they  in  turn  held  up  the  mark  as  the 


56  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Indians  appeared,  and  the  children  were  thus  saved  from  injury 
and  death. 

This  school  house  stood  right  below  what  is  now  known  as  '  *  The 
Black  Rock  Cut"  on  the  Erie  Railroad,  which  is  just  before  you 
reach  the  Village  of  Port  Jervis,  about  a  mile  southwest  from 
where  the  farm  house  of  one  Levi  Van  Etten  now  is,  which  house 
can  be  seen  from  the  train,  right-hand  side,  just  after  leaving  the 
cut. 

One  of  the  little  girls  upon  whom  Brant  dashed  the  black  paint, 
and  who  witnessed  the  killing  of  their  teacher,  was  Margaret 
Decker.  On  her  return  home  she  found  that  her  father's  house 
had  been  burned.  She  grew  up  and  married  Benjamin  Carpenter, 
and  she  had  a  daughter,  named  Margaret,  who  married  John  Van 
Etten;  and  this  Mrs.  John  Van  Etten  died  only  a  few  years  ago; 
and  many  residents  of  the  Town  of  Deerpark,  who  are  now  living, 
nave  heard  her  repeat  the  story  of  the  paint  and  massacre  as  she 
had  it  from  her  own  mother's  lips. 

After  destroying  ten  dwellings,  twelve  barns,  two  mills  and  the 
Old  Mahackamack  Church,  and  killing  with  the  tomahawk  and 
scalping  knife  thirty-one  of  the  inhabitants,  they  left,  loaded  with 
spoils,  recrossed  the  Neversink,  and  took  the  trail,  by  which  they 
had  come,  off  towards  what  is  now  Sparrowbush,  up  towards 
Cahoonzie,  and  following  up  along  the  northerly  and  westerly  side 
of  the  Delaware  River,  they  stopped  at  Halfway  Brook,  which 
empties  into  the  Delaware  near  where  is  now  the  Village  of  Barry  - 
ville,  which  is  just  across  the  same  river  from  Shohola,  a  station  on 
the  Erie '  Railroad,  otherwise  called  Grassy  Brook,  where  they 
encamped  for  the  night. 

Let  us  now  leave  Brant  and  his  warriors  and  his  spoils  by  the 
side  of  this  Halfway  Brook,  and  turn  our  attention  for  a  few 
moments  to  what  is  transpiring  in  another  part  of  the  country. 

An  express  messenger  was  sent  over  the  mountain  to  Goshen, 
which  arrived  there  the  same  evening  as  the  massacre,  and  told 
Colonel  Tusten  of  the  events  of  that  morning.  Orders  were  im- 
mediately issued  by  the  colonel  to  the  officers  under  him  to  meet 
him  the  following  morning  with  as  many  volunteers  as  could  be 
raised.  One  hundred  and  forty-nine  men  assembled  the  next 


MINISINK  57 

morning  at  the  appointed  place.  A  council  of  war  was  held  as  to 
the  advisability  of  pursuit.  Colonel  Tusten  was  not  inclined  to 
risk  an  encounter  with  that  noted  Mohawk  chief,  because  his 
warriors  outnumbered  the  Goshen  Militia  two  to  one,  and  the 
militia  were  not  well  supplied  with  arms  and  ammunition,  and 
it  were  better  to  wait  for  reinforcements,  which  were  soon  expected, 
but  some  were  for  immediate  pursuit,  stating  that  the  Indians 
would  not  fight  and  that  it  would  be  an  easy  matter  to  recapture 
the  plunder.  After  some  lengthy  arguments,  pro  and  con,  further 
deliberation  was  cut  short  by  Major  Meeker,  who,  mounting  his 
horse  and  flourishing  his  sword,  called  out:  "Let  the  brave  men 
follow  me ;  the  cowards  may  stay  behind. ' '  That  settled  the  ques- 
tion: it  silenced  the  prudent.  The  149  men  started  some  time 
early  in  that  morning  of  Wednesday,  July  21st,  1779,  and  they 
reached  the  house  of  one  James  Finch,  ten  mile  away,  near  where 
the  Village  of  Finchville  now  is,  where  they  had  breakfast,  Mr. 
Finch  slaughtering  a  hog,  which  was  roasted  and  served  to  the 
patriots.  What  they  did  not  eat  they  took  along  in  their  knap- 
sacks and  continued  their  march  over  the  mountain,  saying  to 
Mr.  Finch  not  to  accompany  them,  but  to  stay  and  have  dinner 
ready  for  them  when  they  came  back,  which,  they  said,  would  be 
in  the  course  of  a  few  hours.  This  must  have  been  said  by  the 
"Meeker"  men. 

They  were  soon  on  the  top  of  the  mountain,  and  more  than 
one-half  of  them  took  their  last  look  at  the  eastern  slope.  They 
then  crossed  the  mountain  and  pushed  on  over  an  Indian  trail  and 
reached  the  ruins  of  the  house  of  Major  Decker,  the  father  of  the 
little  girl  upon  whose  apron  Brant  had  put  the  black  paint.  When 
Brant  and  his  forces  were  invading  this  part  of  Minisink  on  the 
morning  of  the  20th  Major  Decker  and  some  others  were  returning 
from  a  funeral,  and  he  was  shot  at  and  wounded.  After  leaving 
Major  Decker's  this  brave  band  pushed  on  seventeen  miles  further 
and  then  encamped  for  the  night,  which  was  Wednesday  evening, 
July  21st,  1779,  at  a  place  known  as  Skinner's  Saw  Mill,  which 
was  near  where  the  Mongaup  River  empties  into  the  Delaware 
River. 

The  next  morning  they  were  reinforced  by  a  small  number  of  men 


58  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

from  the  Warwick  Regiment,  under  Colonel  Hathorn,  who  being 
an  older  officer  than  Colonel  Tusten,  took  command.  After 
starting  on  their  march  on  the  morning  of  the  22nd,  they  soon  came 
to  Halfway  Brook  and  to  the  place  where  Brant,  his  Indians  and 
Tories  had  encamped  the  previous  night,  but  from  which  they  had 
early  departed  on  their  retreat  towards  Canada.  Here  another 
council  was  held,  and  Colonels  Hathorn  and  Tusten  were  opposed 
to  any  further  advance,  as  it  could  be  plainly  seen  by  the  number 
of  camp  fires  on  the  ground  occupied  by  the  enemy  the  previous 
night  that  their  number  was  largely  in  excess  of  the  militia.  But  here 
another  scene  similar  to  the  one  enacted  at  Goshen  took  place  and 
with  the  same  result.  The  voice  of  prudence  was  compelled  to 
yield  to  that  of  bravado.  It  has  been  said  that  this  officer,  to 
whose  tauntings  this  former  and  last  act  have  been  attributed  made 
quite  a  display  of  his  bravery  while  on  the  march,  but  with  his 
company  was  only  within  hearing  while  the  engagement  lasted  and 
could  not  be  induced  to  go  to  the  relief  of  his  countrymen;  and 
yet,  I  have  heard  it  said,  that  he  was  wounded  in  the  battle. 

And  now  we  come  to  "The  Battle  of  the  Minisink."  The  line 
of  march  for  "The  Battle  of  the  Minisink"  may  well  be  said  to 
have  begun  at  Barryville,  Halfway  Brook. 

It  was  very  evident  that  Br^nt  was  not  very  far  in  advance,  and  it 
was  very  important  to  know  whether  he  was  going  to  cross  the 
Delaware  at  the  usual  Fording  Place,  which  was  at  the  well 
known  Lackawaxen  Ford,  at  or  near  where  the  Delaware  &  Hud- 
son Canal  afterwards  crossed  the  Delaware  River,  above  the  pres- 
ent station,  Lackawaxen  on  the  Erie  Railroad ;  and  Captains  Tyler 
and  Cuddeback,  who  had  some  knowledge  of  the  woods,  with  a 
small  party,  were  sent  to  reconnoitre.  On  going  forward  they 
thought  that  Brant  had  already  crossed  the  Delaware,  as  they  saw 
plunder  and  savages  on  the  opposite  shore  and  an  Indian  passing 
over  with  a  horse  stolen  from  Major  Decker's.  They  fired  at  this 
fellow  and  wounded  him  fatally,  but  they  were  immediately  shot 
at  by  some  Indians  in  ambush  and  Captain  Tyler  killed.  Captain 
Cuddeback,  who  was  dressed  in  a  suit  of  clothes  exactly  the  color 
of  the  leaves,  escaped  and  reached  the  main  body  and  reported 
what  he  had  seen  and  who  had  been  killed.  The  death  of  Cap- 


MINISINK  59 

tain  Tyler  caused  a  profound  sensation  among  the  men,  some  of 
whom  left,  but  the  majority  pressed  on. 

It  was  the  belief  of  the  Americans  that  Brant  and  his  forces  in- 
tended to  cross  the  Delaware  at  this  Lackawaxen  Ford ;  and  Colonel 
Hathorn 's  object  was  to  reach  this  fording  place  in  advance  and 
thus  intercept  them  in  their  intended  crossing.  After  Brant  left 
Halfway  Brook  that  morning  he  pursued  his  march  up  the  river, 
how  far  in  advance  of  Colonel  Hathorn  is  not  known ;  but  it  must 
have  occurred  to  Colonel  Hathorn  that  in  order  to  accomplish  this 
purpose  of  intercepting  the  foe,  his  march  must  be  of  the  most 
rapid  character.  It  was  necessary  that  he  pass  the  Indians,  but  to 
be  seen  by  them  would  be  fatal.  The  Americans  could  cross  the 
Delaware  and  not  be  seen  by  the  Indians;  and  then  there  is  no 
place  from  Halfway  Brook  to  Lackawaxen  where  this  could  be 
done  unless  the  river  was  very  low.  Our  men  did  not  cross  the 
Delaware  at  all.  The  Delaware  River  from  Halfway  Brook  to 
Lackawaxen  is  closely  confined  in  its  course  by  two  considerable 
mountains  rising  from  its  opposite  shores.  From  Barryville  to  a 
distance  of  about  half  a  mile  up  the  river,  there  is  a  slope  of  land 
extending  back  from  the  stream  a  quarter  of  a  mile  or  more  and 
over  which  the  top  of  the  mountain  can  be  reached  with  ease.  At 
the  termination  of  this  slope  the  mountain  rises  abruptly  from  the 
shore  of  the  river  and  continues  precipitous  and  high  to  the  outlet 
of  Beaver  Brook ;  and  from  the  mouth  of  this  brook  to  the  distance 
of  about  half  a  mile  or  three-fourths  of  a  mile,  a  flat  extends  some 
distance  back  from  the  river,  and  beyond  this  is  a  slope  of  ascend- 
ing ground,  somewhat  similar  to  that  at  Barryville.  Down  this 
slope  and  through  this  flat  land,  before  mentioned,  the  little  Dry 
Brook  passes  until  its  waters  mingle  with  those  of  the  Delaware; 
and  there  was  water  in  it  when  the  writer  visited  this  battle  field 
this  year  on  Decoration  Day. 

When  our  men  left  Halfway  Brook  on  the  morning  of  the  22nd 
day  of  July,  1779,  with  a  desire  to  outmarch  the  Indians  and  reach 
the  Lackawaxen  Ford  in  advance  of  Brant  and  his  men,  and  know- 
ing that  Brant  and  his  men  were  marching  along  the  Delaware 
River  shore,  the  route  over  the  mountain  would  seem  to  have  been 
the  most  feasible  for  them;  and  so  passing  up  the  easy  slope  at 


60  NEW  YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

Halfway  Brook  to  the  mountain  top,  they  could  march  to  Beaver 
Brook  and  so  on  to  the  Dry  Brook  Valley,  secure  from  observation 
by  the  Indians  and  free  from  the  danger  of  their  bullets ;  and  thus 
travelling  along,  Colonel  Hathorn  could  discover  from  that  emin- 
ence, as  has  been  written,  "The  Indians  leisurely  marching  along 
the  bank  of  the  river  three-quarters  of  a  mile  distant;"  and  when 
he  was  thus  passing,  "the  two  armies  would  lose  sight  of  each 
other."  And  it  seems  from  historical  accounts  that  nothing 
further  was  seen  or  known  of  the  savage  band  until  discovered  in 
the  rear  of  Colonel  Hathorn 's  army  and  between  two  portions  of  it. 

As  the  American  forces  were  passing  over  the  slope  of  Beaver 
Brook,  it  looked  as  if  the  wily  Indian  chief  discovered  them,  or  by 
the  Indian  instinct  learned  that  they  were  upon  the  hills  and  in 
pursuit,  and  thereupon  left  the  river;  and  anticipating  the  design 
of  Colonel  Hathorn,  the  moment  the  Americans  were  out  of  sight 
he  wheeled  to  the  right  and  by  threading  up  a  ravine  which  Colonel 
Hathorn  had  crossed  (Dry  Brook),  he  threw  himself  in  the  rear 
of  the  Americans  and  was  thus  enabled  to  select  his  ground  for 
battle.  Disappointed  at  not  finding  the  enemy  at  the  Fording 
place  or  near  it  on  looking  from  the  high  hill,  the  Americans  were 
brought  to  a  stand,  when  Brant's  forces  disclosed  themselves  in  a 
quarter  altogether  unexpected. 

This  battle  ground  is  situated  on  the  crest  of  a  hill,  half  a  mile 
northeast  from  Dry  Brook,  three  miles  from  Barryville  and  one 
mile  from  Lackawaxen.  The  hill  has  an  altitude  of  about  25  or  30 
feet  above  its  base  and  200  feet  above  the  Delaware  River,  and 
descends  east  and  west  and  south,  while  there  is  a  level  plateau 
extending  towards  the  north. 

Attached  hereto  is  a  diagram  of  the  battle  field,  with  explana- 
tion: 


MINISINK  61 

"A"  is  a  plateau  very  nearly,  occupied  by  the  Indians  and  whites; 
and  the  monument  erected  July  22d,  1897,  is  on  the  S.  E.  part  of  that 
plateau. 

"B"  is  a  hill  about  thirty  feet  high,  mostly  capped  by  broken  rock. 

"C"  is  an  irregular  ledge  of  rock,  rising  from  the  level  about  eighteen 
feet  to  the  plateau,  and  a  fac  simile  is  carved  on  the  monument  erected 
at  Goshen  in  1862. 

"D"  is  a  small  pond  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  of  late  years  full  of 
water  only  during  wet  seasons. 

"E"  nearly  a  solid  ledge  of  rock,  extending  from  the  turn  to  the  foot 
of  the  hill,  "G." 

"F"  is  a  table  land  extending  from  foot  of  ledge  about  twelve  feet 
wide  and  where  it  is  certain  that  Colonel  Tusten  and  the  seventeen 
wounded  met  their  fate. 

"G"  is  a  hill  ascending  from  the  plateau  towards  the  north  and 
curving  as  shown,  at  the  easterly  extremity. 

And  between  the  ground  occupied  by  the  whites  and  by  the  Indians 
and  Tories  is  the  breastwork  thrown  up  in  haste  by  our  men,  some  of 
which  still  can  be  seen  on  the  ground. 

"X"  is  the  place  where  the  Indians  first  broke  through  and  entered 
the  grounds  occupied  by  the  whites. 

It  is  said  that  Brant  on  the  near  approach  of  the  Americans  pre- 
sented himself  in  full  view,  openly  and  fairly  addressed  himself  to 
the  commanding  officer  and  demanded  their  surrender,  promising 
at  the  same  time  to  treat  them  kindly  as  prisoners  of  war.  He 
assured  them  that  his  force  in  ambush  was  sufficient  to  overpower 
and  destroy  them ;  that  before  any  blood  was  shed  he  could  control 
his  warriors,  but  that,  should  the  battle  commence,  he  could  not 
answer  for  the  consequences;  that  while  he  was  parleying  with 
them  he  was  fired  upon  and  narrowly  escaped  being  shot  down,  the 
ball  piercing  the  outer  fold  of  his  belt.  On  receiving  the  shot  he 
immediately  retired  and  secreted  himself  among  his  warriors.  The 
militia  emboldened  by  his  disappearance,  and  seeing  no  other 
enemy,  not  being  used  to  Indian  warfare  and  disbelieving  what  he 
told  them,  rushed  forward  heedlessly  until  they  were  completely  in 
his  power;  for,  as  soon  as  the  battle  began,  which  was  between  10 
and  11  o  'clock  in  the  morning,  above  the  din  and  noise  of  the  strife, 
the  voice  of  Brant  was  heard  in  tones  never  to  be  forgotten  by 
those  who  survived,  giving  orders  for  the  return  of  those  who  were 


62  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Delaware  River,  which  they  did,  and 
came  up  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  whites,  and  thus  this  brave 
band  was  caught  like  rats  in  a  trap.  On  reaching  the  battle 
ground,  or  the  open  ground,  the  order  was  given  the  Americans  to 
stand,  and  each  man  took  his  position.  They  formed  something  of 
a  battle  line,  in  the  form  of  a  hollow  square;  some  behind  trees, 
some  behind  rocks;  some  turned  up  flat  stones  and  some  piled  up 
stones  between  trees.  There  was  a  large  split  rock,  with  an  open- 
ing something  like  the  letter  "A,"  and  in  this  opening  Daniel 
Myers  took  his  stand:  it  was  as  high  as  his  shoulders.  And  here 
he  and  the  colored  man  who  was  beside  him,  each  having  a  rifle, 
poured  forth  all  day,  one  loading,  and  Myers  shooting  till  the  col- 
ored man  was  killed. 

Here,  confined  to  about  an  acre  of  ground,  were  ninety  brave 
men  forced  to  mortal  combat,  without  water  in  a  hot  July  day, 
surrounded  by  howling  savages,  who  fought  from  about  10  o'clock 
in  the  morning  till  nearly  sundown.  Ammunition  was  short  and 
the  order  was  that  there  be  no  useless  firing.  Every  man  fought 
in  the  Indian  mode,  each  for  himself,  as  opportunity  offered,  or 
engaged  in  individual  conflicts.  What  the  other  fifty  men  were 
doing  on  that  day,  who  were  separated  from  their  companions  in 
the  morning,  no  one  can  tell.  It  seems  their  movements  were 
veiled  in  oblivion.  It  is  said  that  the  annals  of  modern  times  con- 
tain no  record  of  a  more  stubborn  and  heroic  defense.  In  vain 
Brant  sought  for  hours  to  break  through  the  line :  he  was  repelled 
at  every  point.  What  a  time  of  supreme  peril  it  was  for  that  little 
Spartan  band,  thus  environed  by  the  jaws  of  death !  What  a  scene 
for  us  to  contemplate,  looking  back  through  the  vista  of  more  than 
125  years!  What  mortal  tongue  or  pen  can  fitly  chronicle  the 
heroism  and  fortitude  of  those  gallant  men  who  died  upon  this  gory 
field!  Who  shall  tell  us  of  that  day  and  hour,  so  fraught  with 
deepest  interest  to  those  men  and  the  dear  ones  left  at  home1?  If 
those  mute  witnesses  could  but  speak,  how  gladly  would  we  all 
here  be  silent  and  listen  to  their  eloquence  1  But  we  must  content 
ourselves  with  such  information  as  we  can  gather  from  the  sur- 
vivors. 

As  the  day  was  drawing  to  a  close,  Brant  was  about  to  give  up 


MINISINK  63 

the  struggle  and  order  a  retreat,  when  the  death  of  a  militiaman,  who 
was  stationed  on  the  northwest  side  of  the  place  marked  on  the 
map  "X,"  and  where  he  had  remained  all  day  and  kept  the  sav- 
ages back,  and  on  all  the  Indians  yelling  and  firing  all  their  guns, 
they  rushed  through  this  opening  and  caused  a  stampede  among 
the  militia,  who,  seeing  the  savages  swarming  into  the  field,  became 
disheartened  and  fled. 

Of  the  149  men  that  left  Goshen,  only  30  returned,  and  10  of 
these  were  boys  who  were  not  in  the  fight,  but  held  the  horses 
while  their  fathers  fought.  The  boys  fled  when  the  stampede 
began  and  after  a  time  were  lost  in  the  woods  and  were  found  by 
Captain  Cuddeback  and  piloted  back  to  Minisink,  coupling  their 
horses  together,  and  were  thus  enabled  to  reach  Goshen,  and  were 
the  first  to  bear  the  awful  tidings  to  the  homes  of  the  departed. 

The  reinforcements  that  were  expected  from  Colonel  John 
Seward  from  Sussex  County,  did  not  arrive  till  midnight  after  the 
battle,  and  having  but  sixty  men,  and  viewing  the  number  of 
Brant's  forces  as  they  were  encamped  near  the  Lackawaxen  Ford, 
did  not  deem  it  wise  to  attack  him. 

It  is  believed  that  Brant  lost  150  men  in  the  battle,  and  that  the 
number  of  his  wounded  was  correspondingly  large. 

Governor  Clinton  reprobates  the  action  of  the  militia  in  not 
reporting  to  him  at  once,  in  accordance  with  General  Orders ;  and, 
also,  said  that  this  expedition  should  not  have  gone  forward  with- 
out notifying  him  in  accordance  with  the  regulations,  so  that  they 
could  have  been  supported,  as  there  were  soldiers  in  service  nearer 
than  Goshen.  Also,  that  it  was  expected  that  General  Sullivan's 
expedition  would  occupy  all  the  time  and  resources  of  Brant  and 
his  allies.  By  what  Governor  Clinton  called  ''unaccountable  delay " 
Sullivan,  instead  of  starting  from  Wyoming  by  the  first  of  July, 
did  not  start  until  the  30th,  and  was  really  not  under  way  till 
August  3rd,  1779,  which  gave  Brant  the  opportunity  to  strike  the 
blow  at  Minisink.  (See  Letters  Governor  Clinton,  Yol  V,  pages 
150-180.  Copies  are  attached  hereto.) 

After  the  Battle  of  Minisink  General  Hand  was  sent  by  General 
Washington  with  several  companies  of  men  to  guard  the  Minisink 
Valley,  and  they  were  stationed  at  Peenpack  and  remained  there 


64  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

% 

till  the  following  spring,  when  they  were  sent  on  towards  the 
Delaware  Water  Gap  and  afterwards  engaged  in  the  expedition  to 
drive  the  Indians  out  of  that  territory. 

In  April  of  the  following  year  Brant  started  from  Niagara  with 
another  force  to  invade  the  frontier.  When  he  reached  Tioga 
Point  he  sent  eleven  of  his  warriors  to  go  to  Minisink  for  scalps 
and  prisoners.  After  trying  to  invest  the  fort  at  Schoharie  he 
turned  back  and  shaped  his  course  down  the  Delaware.  One  day 
he  was  startled  by  a  death-yell,  which  rang  through  the  woods  like 
the  scream  of  a  demon.  Presently  two  of  the  eleven  Indians  who 
had  been  sent  to  Minisink  emerged  from  the  woods,  bearing  the 
moccasins  of  their  nine  companions.  They  told  their  chief  that 
they  had  been  to  Minisink,  where  they  had  captured  one  after  an- 
other five  men  and  brought  them  as  far  as  Tioga  Point  and  stopped 
over  night.  While  the  eleven  Indians  were  asleep  the  five  prisoners 
had  freed  themselves  from  the  cords  which  bound  them,  and  each 
seizing  a  hatchet  had  brained  nine  of  their  companions :  the  other 
two  aroused  by  the  blows  fled,  but  one  of  them  as  he  ran  received 
the  blade  of  a  hatchet  between  his  shoulders. 

Thus  was  the  death  of  the  slain  heroes  at  Minisink,  July  22nd, 
1779,  partially  avenged. 

When  the  retreat  on  July  22nd,  1779,  began,  everyone  fled  as  best 
he  could.  Some  were  killed  while  swimming  the  Delaware ;  others 
were  overtaken  in  the  woods  and  either  tomahawked  or  scalped,  and 
some  were  taken  prisoners. 

The  brave  Colonel  Tusten,  who  was  also  a  doctor  of  renowned 
ability,  who  was  attending  to  the  wounded  in  the  battle,  of  whom 
there  were  seventeen,  and  who  with  his  wounded  companions  was 
behind  a  cliff  of  rocks,  near  a  spring  of  water,  dressing  the  wounded, 
was  killed.  Their  cries  for  protection  and  mercy  were  of  the  most 
moving  description,  but  the  Indians  fell  upon  them  and  they  all, 
together  with  the  doctor,  perished  under  the  tomahawk. 

Of  the  few  that  escaped  we  have  an  account  of  the  way  in 
which  some  of  them  were  saved ;  but  the  narration  of  those  escapes 
would  be  only  of  local  nature  and  would  not  materially  interest 
this  Society,  so  I  will  not  occupy  your  time  by  giving  them. 

Colonel  Hathorn  must  have  been  separated  from  his  men  by  the 


MINISINK  65 

coming  in  between  him  and  them  by  Brant  and  his  forces,  as  not  a 
single  Warwick  man  was  hurt  in  that  engagement. 

Here  follows  correspondence  relative  to  the  Battle  of  Minisink. 

Albert  Pawling  asks  for  and  receives  instructions. 

Marbletown,  July  22nd,  1779. 
D'r  Sir: 

By  accounts  this  moment  received  by  Express  from  Lieut.  Colo. 
Johnson,  I  hear  the  enemy  have  burnt  Minisink  &  surrounded  Fort 
Van  Auken :  where  this  Fort  is  or  what  men  are  in  it,  I  know  not. 
I  have  no  men  lower  than  Leuring  Kill  except  a  Sergt.  &  20  men  at 
Pienpeck. 

I  wish,  as  we  are  under  marching  Orders  to  the  westward  to  have 
your  direction  how  to  conduct  myself  in  this  affair. 

I  am  with  respect  your  most  obed't  Hble.  Serv't, 

A.  PAWLING. 
His  Excellency,  Gov.  Clinton. 

(Reply  of  Gov.  Clinton.) 

July  22nd,  1779. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  have  this  moment  received  your  letter  of  equal  date  containing 
the  disagreeable  intelligence  transmitted  by  Express  from  Lieut. 
Colo.  Johnson  of  the  destruction  of  Minisink  by  the  enemy  and  of 
their  having  surrounded  Fort  Van  Auken.  I  am  equally  ignorant 
with  yourself  where  this  Fort  is  situated,  how  constructed  or  by 
what  troops  it  is  garrisoned.  It  is,  therefore,  &  because  I  am  un- 
certain what  moment  you  may  receive  order  to  march,  very  difficult 
for  me  to  determine  what  directions  to  give  you  on  this  occasion. 
I  am  persuaded,  however,  it  must  be  a  very  considerable  part  of  the 
enemy  who  have  alarmed  the  inhabitants  and  done  the  present 
mischief  at  Minisink,  &  they  will  not  attempt  to  continue  any  time 
at  that  place. 

The  situation  of  our  army  to  the  westward,  who  I  have  good 
reason  to  believe  are  at  this  instant  on  their  march  from  Wyoming 
to  Chemung,  confirms  me  in  this  opinion.  This  being  the  case,  it  is 
more  than  probable  that  before  any  part  of  your  troops  could 
reach  Minisinck  the  enemy  will  have  done  all  the  injury  in  their 


66  NEW   YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

power  and  left  that  place.  I  think,  however,  it  would  be  proper 
on  this  occasion  to  put  part  of  your  Detachment  in  motion  towards 
that  place:  it  may  be  of  use  at  least  to  advance  them  as  far  as 
Mamacotting,  from  which  place  they  can  readily  join  you  without 
f  atigueing  them :  and,  if  when  they  arrive  there  you  should  learn 
that  the  enemy  have  left,  you  will  of  course  at  all  events  march 
them  on  to  the  relief  of  that  Settlement,  with  orders  however  to 
join  you  with  all  possible  dispatch  after  the  departure  of  the 
enemy. 

You  will  inform  Lieut.  Colo.  Johnson  of  the  Orders  you  may  give 
to  your  Detachment  on  this  occasion  &  request  him  also  to  march 
such  part  of  the  Militia  as  may  be  necessary  on  this  occasion.  I 
take  for  granted  the  marching  Orders  you  mention  are  only  such  as 
you  have  received  from  me.  I.  am  &c. 

To  Lieut.  Col.  Albert  Pawling. 

G.  C. 

Marbletown,  July  24th,  1779. 
D'r  Sir: 

Enclosed  I  send  you  a  letter  I  last  night  received  from  Major 
Van  Benschoten  the  latest  accounts  we  have  received  from  Mini- 
sinck.  &c.  &c. 

A.  PAWLING. 
His  Excellency  Gov.  Clinton. 

July  24th,  1779. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  have  received  your  letter  of  this  date  enclosing  the  account  of 
the  mischief  done  by  the  enemy  at  Minisinck.  Just  before  I  re- 
ceived yours,  I  received  a  letter  from  Colo.  Newkerk  containing  a 
very  inaccurate  acc't  of  the  affair  at  Minisinck,  from  which  it 
would  seem  as  if  part  of  the  militia  were  cut  off:  however,  as  the 
intelligence  was  brought  from  thence  by  some  of  the  militia  who 
pretended  to  have  escaped,  but  who  very  probably  deserted,  I  am  in 
hopes  it  is  not  true.  I  have  ordered  Colo.  Newkerk  immediately  to 
march  such  part  of  his  and  Colo.  Hardenbergh's  Regt's.  to  their 
assistance  as  may  be  necessary.  With  respect  to  your  Detachment 
ordered  to  Mamacotting,  you  must  be  governed  by  circumstances : 


MINISINK  67 

If  you  have  certain  intelligence  that  the  enemy  have  left  Minisinck, 
your  troops  must  return  to  their  former  Station  &  be  held  in  readi- 
ness to  march  at  a  moment's  warning  as  before. 

I.  am  &c. 

GEO.  CLINTON. 
Lieut.  Colo.  Pawling. 

(Letter  from  Rev.  Nathan  Ker,  Pastor  of  the  Goshen  Pres. 
Church,  to  Gov.  Clinton.) 

Goshen,  July  29,  1779. 
Sir: 

I  was  desired  to  send  you  inclosed  the  Examination  of  Moabary 
Owen,  a  deserter  from  one  of  State  Regiments  &  to  make  the  fol- 
lowing representation,  viz. : — 

That  last  week  upon  a  Tuesday  about  85  Indians  and  Toreys, 
under  the  Command  of  the  noted  Brant,  made  a  descent  upon  Mini- 
sink,  killed  sundry  persons,  burned  eleven  houses  and  as  many 
barns  together  with  the  Dutch  Church,  took  off  some  prisoners, 
cattle,  horses,  sheep  and  considerable  plunder :  that  on  Wednesday 
a  party  of  our  people  collected,  principally  from  this  County,  with 
some  from  Ulster  &  others  from  N.  Jersey,  pursued  &  on  Thursday 
came  up  with  them,  gave  them  battle,  &  were  defeated  with  a  loss, 
it  is  supposed  of  50  or  60  men, — the  number,  however,  not  yet 
ascertained. 

Among  the  missing,  and  it  is  feared  slain,  are  Coll.  Tusteen, 
Capts.  Jones,  Wood  &  Little,  Gabriel  Wisner,  Esq.,  &  Roger  Town- 
send,  an  instance  of  a  converted  Torey,  "Rara  Avis  In  Terris." 
In  short  there  are  not  less  than  15  or  16  widows  by  this  affair  in 
this  Congregation. 

A  party  of  240  set  out  on  Saturday :  we  marched  that  day  within 
two  miles  of  the  place  of  action :  but  the  rain  on  Sunday  made  it 
imprudent  to  stay,  as  many  were  not  prepared  to  be  out  after  such 
a  wet  day,  nor  was  it  in  our  power  to  keep  our  Arms  dry.  Some 
of  the  Indians  were  seen  yesterday  near,  I  believe  at,  Minisink. 

The  Frontiers  are  in  the  utmost  consternation  &  great  numbers 
will  no  doubt  soon  leave  their  habitation  unless  properly  guarded. 

I  was  desired  and  should  have  waited  on  your  Excellency  myself, 


68  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

but  in  the  inarch  with  the  above  s  'd  party,  I  bruised  my  leg  against 
a  rock  &  think  it  not  prudent  to  ride. 

After  saying  that  Coll.  Heathorn  told  me  he  judged  we  had 
killed,  he  thinks  considerable  number  of  the  enemy,  I  shall  only 
ask  whether  it  will  not  be  practicable  for  your  Excellency  to 
station  some  of  our  8  months  men  at  that  place  together  with  some 
of  the  Militia? 

My  compliments  to  Mrs.  Clinton  &  Family:  hope  her  health  is 
recovered. 

I  am  your  Excellencies  most  Obed't  humble  Serv't, 

GEORGE   KEB. 

His  Excellency,  George  Clinton. 

(The  Examination  of  Moabary  Owen,  Taken  by  Henry  Wisenor, 
Esq.) 

Saith  he  left  Shomong  ye.  8th.  of  July  in  Company  with  Hanck 
Huff,  John  Huff,  Nicholas  Miller,  Lodwick  Seeley,  Ruluf  Johnson, 
William  Crum,  Benony  Crum,  Anthony  Westbrook,  John  Barn- 
hart,  John  Chessem,  Daniel  Cole,  Ebenezer  Allen  and  Fourteen 
other  Toreys  and  about  Sixty  Enions  and  that  Joseph  Brant  had 
the  Command  of  said  party,  and  he  heard  Brand  gave  orders  that 
they  would  not  kill  any  woman  or  children  and  if  they  knew  any 
person  to  be  a  Torey  not  to  kill  them  and  any  that  would  deliver 
themselves  up  to  take  them  prisoners,  but  any  person  running 
from  them  to  kill  them  :  and  he  fursaith,  that  they  threaten  to 
destroy  Catts  Kill  Settlement:  and  that  there  is  one  olde  Sager 
which  was  at  the  destruction  of  Peenpack  and  is  now  at  Hallibar- 
rack  and  has  Sixty  Toreys  ready  to  joine  Brant  and  that  a  number 
of  them  is  of  Burgoines  men.  He  further  saith  2500  is  too 
come  from  Canada  to  take  Fort  Stanwicks. 

(Gov.  Clinton's  Letter  to  Dr.  Ker:  Delay  of  Sullivan's  Expedi- 
tion responsible  for  the  exposed  Condition  of  our  Frontier.) 

Poughkeepsie,  30th.,  July,  1779. 
Rev'd  Sir:— 

I  have  this  moment  received  your  letter  of  yesterday  with  the 
very  disagreeable  intelligence  from  Minisinck.  It  was  not  before 


MINISINK  69 

the  Friday  after  the  enemy  made  their  appearance  in  that  neigh- 
borhood, I  received  the  first  account  of  it,  and  this  was  from  Lieut. 
Colo.  Pawling  at  Warwarsinck,  who  was  not  able  to  give  me  any 
of  the  particulars  respecting  the  enemy's  strength,  or  the  number 
of  the  Militia  who  had  marched  to  oppose  them  or  any  other  par- 
ticulars whereby  I  could  form  a  right  judgment  what  was  most 
proper  to  be  done.  On  this  information,  however,  I  put  a  part  of 
his  detachment  in  motion  towards  Minisinck  (tho'  they  are  under 
marching  Orders  on  a  different  direction,)  &  next  day  on  an 
equally  imperfect  account  received  from  Lieut.  Colo.  Newkerk,  I 
ordered  part  of  his  &  of  Hardenberg's  Regmt'  to  march  for  Mini- 
sinck, but  these  I  conclude  could  not  have  arrived  in  season,  or 
must  have  returned  on  hearing  that  the  enemy  were  gone  off. 

It  is  particularly  unfortunate  that  early  intelligence  had  not 
been  transmitted  to  me  of  the  first  appearance  of  the  enemy  (and 
by  the  Militia  Law  it  is  expressly  the  duty  of  the  Commanding 
Officers  of  Regts.  when  they  call  out  their  Militia  on  such  occasions 
to  transmit  me  immediately  accounts  of  it,)  as  in  such  case  Pawl- 
ing's  Detachment  might  have  by  a  forced  march  to  the  Delaware 
got  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy  &  effectually  cut  off  their  retreat.  If 
we  may  venture  to  judge  from  the  accounts  you  have  furnished  me 
of  the  strenth  of  the  enemy  &  that  of  the  Militia  who  were  engaged 
with  them,  there  must  have  either  been  some  very  bad  manage- 
ment on  this  occasion,  or  the  brave  men  who  have  fallen  must  have 
been  shamefully  deserted  by  their  friends  &  I  wish  that  there  was 
not  too  much  reason  to  conclude  the  latter  must  have  been  the  case. 

The  levies  under  Colo.  Pawling  are  by  the  direction  of  his  Ex- 
cellency Gen'l  Washington,  under  marching  Orders  &  as  I  have 
reason  to  believe  they  will  move  very  soon,  I  cannot,  therefore,  take 
upon  me  to  order  any  part  of  them  to  Minisinck,  especially  as  in 
consequence  of  a  letter  written  by  the  Legislature  to  our  Delegates 
in  Congress  they  are  taken  into  the  pay  of  the  Continent  &  of 
course  are  subject  to  the  Orders  of  the  Commander  in  chief. 
Were  the  diflerent  Regmts.  to  complete  their  Compliment  of  these 
levies,  there  would  yet  remain  a  competent  guard  for  the  Fron- 
tiers, but  this  is  not  likely  to  be  the  case. 

Albany  County  is  very  different  &  there  is  nearly  150  wanting  to 


70  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

£ 

% 

complete  (including  deficiencies  by  desertions)  those  ordered  from 
Ulster,  Dutchess  &  Orange  &  tho  have  repeated  the  most  express 
&  positive  Orders  on  this  subject  to  the  Military  Officers  we  are  not 
likely  to  have  this  business  perfected. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  afford  the 
Settlement  of  Minisinck  any  Relief,  but  such  as  can  be  drawn  from 
the  Militia:  and  I  have  by  the  bearer  issued  Orders  &  forwarded 
them  to  the  different  Regmts.  to  furnish  detachments  for  this  ser- 
vice. 

The  source  of  our  present  misfortune  is  the  unaccountable  delay 
of  Gen'l  Sullivan  at  Wyoming.  We  had  every  reason  to  expect 
that  long  before  this  he  would  have  been  with  his  army  in  the  heart 
of  the  enemy's  country,  and  all  our  measures  have  been  calculated 
to  facilitate  his  movements  and  cooperate  with  him,  which  has 
unavoidably  left  our  Frontier  more  exposed  than  it  otherwise 
would  have  been,  as  it  has  occasioned  our  collecting  our  troops 
from  their  former  Stations  to  certain  points. 

I  am  with  great  regard,  Sir,  Yours  &c. 

G.  C. 

The  Rev'd  Mr.  Ker. 

(Copy  of  Letter  from  Gen.  Sullivan  to  Gen.  Washington,  show- 
ing date  of  his  departure  from  Wyoming,  which  was  some  days 
after  the  Battle  of  Minisink.) 

Camp  Wyoming,  July  30th,  1779. 
Dear   General: 

I  have  the  honor  to  inform  your  Excellency  that  I  have  at  length 
surmounted  every  obstacle  and  shall  commence  my  March  tomor- 
row morning.  I  have  taken  the  necessary  precaution  (by  dupli- 
cates,) to  apprize  Genl.  Clinton  of  this  circumstance  a  copy  of 
which  I  do  myself  the  honor  to  inclose  you. 

Your  Excellency  will  be  pleased  to  direct  Col.  Paulding  to  begin 
his  march  at  such  time  as  you  may  think  proper. 

I  have  the  honor  to  subscribe  myself  with  great  respect,  D'r 
Gen'l  Y'r  Excellency's  O'b'd  &  very  hum.  Serv't 

JNO.  SULLIVAN. 

His  Excellency,  Gen'l  Washington. 


Courtesy 
GOSHEN    DEMOCRAT 


MINISINK  71 

Silence  and  sorrow  now  brood  o'er  the  valley 
Where  Spring,  in  his  beauty  saw  plenty  and  joy : 

The  death-dealing  savage  came  down  in  his  fury, 
And  all  that  was  lovely,  he  rushed  to  destroy. 

When  sated  his  nature  with  blood  and  with  plunder, 
He  left  for  the  wildwoods  beside  the  Great  Lakes: 
There  vengeance  from  Heaven  shall  surely  o'er  take  him, 
For  'Westward  the  course  of  our  Empire  takes.' 

"While  we  mourn  for  the  dear  ones  whose  homes  are  now  vacant, 
No  more  shall  we  meet  them  on  life's  happy  shore, — 

This  valley  again  shall  rejoice  in  the  sunshine 
Of  God's  blessed  presence  through  time  evermore. 

'  *  Here  the  Church  with  its  worship,  its  anthems  of  praise, 
And  the  school  house  beside  it  in  honor  shall  stand ; 

And  millions  of  freemen  shall  bless  the  Creator, 
Who  fills  with  His  bounty  our  own  happy  land. ' ' 

(Line  composed  by  Maggie  Quick,  niece  of  "Tom  Quick/'  the 
famous  Indian  Slayer,  or  Avenger  of  the  Delaware,  which  fitly 
describe  the  state  of  affairs  in  Minisink  about  the  time  of  which 
we  have  been  speaking.) 

Let  us  rejoice  that  we  do  not  live  in  such  trying  times ;  that  the 
the  spirit  of  civilization,  following  in  the  footsteps  of  our  Christian 
religion,  has  made  it  possible  under  "God,  in  whom  we  trust"  for 
us  to  dwell  under  ' '  our  own  vine  and  fig  tree,  none  daring  to  molest 
or  make  us  afraid."  Let  us  rejoice  that  the  scalping  knife,  the 
tomahawk  and  the  torch  have  forever  gone  from  this  fair  land  of 
ours ;  and  that  ' '  Old  Glory, ' '  the  Stars  and  Stripes  may  ever  con- 
tinue to  "wave  o'er  the  Land  of  the  Free  and  the  Home  of  the 
Brave." 

Let  us  hope  that  the  spirit  of  peace,  brotherly  love  and  of  ' '  good 
will  to  men"  may  continue  to  permeate  all  lands— when  war  may 
cease  and  strife  and  turmoil  and  every  thing  that  tends  to  mar  the 
happiness  of  all  nations  may  be  done  away,  so  that  the  end  shall 
come  to  all  animosities  and  ill-feelings— when  the  glory  of  God 
shall  sparkle  in  the  minutest  atom  and  in  the  brighest  star,  in  the 
dew  drop  and  in  the  boundless  ocean— and  this  earth,  retuned  and 


72  NEW  YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

^ 

restrung,  shall  be  one  grand  Aeolian  harp,  swept  by  the  breath  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  pouring  forth  those  melodies  which  began  on 
Calvary  and  which  shall  sound  through  all  generations. 

Thus  much  for  the  Indian  raids  and  massacres  in  the  territory  of 
Minisink  during  the  Revolution.  But  I  would  be  derelict  in  my 
duty  and  disloyal  to  my  country,  did  I  not  treat  briefly  of  what 
was  done  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  County  of  Orange  to  gather  the 
bones  of  the  slain  patriots  of  the  Battle  of  Minisink  and  bury  them 
with  proper  ceremonies,  and  of  the  monuments  that  have  been 
erected  to  mark  their  last  resting  place  and  the  site  of  the  battle. 

One  attempt  was  made  many  years  after  by  the  widows  of  the 
slain,  of  whom  there  were  thirty-three  in  the  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Goshen.  They  started  for  the  place  of  battle  on  horseback,  but 
finding  the  journey  too  hazardous,  they  hired  a  man  to  perform 
the  pious  duty,  paid  him  well,  but  he  proved  unfaithful  and  never 
returned. 

In  1822  the  citizens  of  Goshen  were  led  to  perform  a  long 
neglected  duty  by  an  address  of  Dr.  D.  E.  Arnell  at  a  meeting  of 
the  Orange  County  Medical  Society,  in  which  he  gave  a  brief  biog- 
raphy of  Dr.  Tusten.  A  committee  was  appointed  who  proceeded 
to  the  battle  ground,  a  distance  of  forty-six  miles  from  Goshen. 
The  place  where  the  conflict  occurred  and  the  region  for  several 
miles  around  were  examined  and  the  relicts  of  the  dead  gathered 
with  great  care.  Some  fears  were  expressed  that  some  of  the  bones 
gathered  might  be  those  of  the  slain  Indians,  but  that  fear  was  dis- 
pelled when  it  was  suggested  that  the  Indians  always  inter  their 
slain.  The  remains  of  the  pious  dead  were  taken  to  Goshen  and 
buried  in  the  presence  of  15,000  persons,  including  the  military  of 
the  county  from  West  Point,  under  the  command  of  Major  Worth. 
A  little  monument  was  then  dedicated,  the  remains  of  which  are 
now  in  the  Library  of  the  Goshen  Historical  Society,  and  an  ad- 
dress was  then  given  by  Colonel  Hathorn,  then  over  eighty  years  of 
age,  who  was  in  the  battle. 

This  monument  gradually  fell  into  decay.  In  1861  Merit  H. 
Cash,  a  citizen  of  the  then  Town  of  Minisink,  whose  father  was 
among  those  who  escaped  at  the  massacre  of  Wyoming,  who  then 
was  a  very  small  boy,  and  whose  mother  led  him  by  the  hand 


SINK 
BATTLE 

JUDf  22^1779. 


MONUMENT  ON  T    [  BAT1  ID, 


Courtesy 
SULLIVAN   COUNTY    REPUBLICAN. 


MINISINK  73 

through  the  wilderness  for  days,  subsisting  entirely  on  berries,  &c., 
which  they  found  on  their  way  till  they  were  fortunate  enough  to 
reach  the  Minisink  settlement,  bequeathed  to  the  County  of  Orange 
$4,000  for  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  commemorate  the  battle 
and  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  dead.  This  monument  was 
dedicated  with  imposing  ceremonies  in  1862,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
eighty-third  anniversary  of  the  battle.  The  writer  of  this  article 
was  present.  That  monument  and  it  is  a  magnificent  one,  now 
stands  in  the  north  corner  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  Park  in 
Goshen.  Mr.  John  Vanderpoel  of  No.  70  Tenth  street,  New  York 
City,  was  the  sculptor. 

A  cut  of  this  monument  is  hereto  annexed. 

On  the22d  day  ^of  July,  1879,  just  one  hundred  years  after  the  bat- 
tle, another  monument  was  dedicated  on  the  very  site  of  the  battle.  A 
large  number  was  present  and  it  was  unveiled  with  proper  cere- 
monies. And  on  the  same  day  a  large  celebration  of  the  100th 
anniversary  was  held  at  the  Village  of  Goshen.  Addresses  were 
made  by  various  speakers,  and  a  spectacular  parade  occurred. 

The  writer  was  also  present  on  the  occasion. 

Attached  hereto  is  a  cut  of  the  monument  erected  on  the  very 
site  of  the  battle. 

The  monument  is  composed  of  stones  gathered  from  the  battle 
field,  excepting  the  two  flag-stones  which  cap  the  different  sections, 
and  the  boulder  which  forms  the  crown.  All  these  were  obtained 
from  Captain  L.  F.  Johnson  at  the  mouth  of  Beaver  Brook,  and  by 
his  procurement  drawn  first  to  Lackawaxen  and  thence  up  the 
acclivity  to  the  battle  field.  The  flagstones  are  each  five  inches 
thick,  the  one  five  and  one-half  and  the  other  four  feet  square. 
The  boulder  is  of  white  sand  stone  and  weighs  about  1,500  pounds. 

In  the  center  of  the  lower  section  of  the  monument,  and  directly 
beneath  the  large  flag-stone,  was  placed  a  black  walnut  box  which 
was  brought  from  the  Southern  States  by  Abel  S.  Myers,  Esq., 
upon  his  return  from  the  late  war,  and  whose  grandfather  was  a 
brother  of  the  Daniel  Myers  who  acted  such  a  prominent  part  in 
the  Minisink  battle. 

In  the  box  is  a  paper  containing  the  names  of  the  Committee  of 
Arrangements  and  others  interested  and  assisting  in  the  erection  of 
the  monument. 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY 

BY  HENRY  U.  SWINNERTON,  PH.  D.,  CHERRY  VALLEY,  N.  Y. 

Two  years  ago  there  was  placed  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 
Cherry  Valley  a  mural  tablet,  whose  inscription  recalls  the  story 
which  I  am  to  relate  to  you  in  the  briefest  form.  It  reads: 

A.  D.  1741 

Rev.  Samuel  Dunlop  A.  B. 

a  native  of  Ulster,  Ireland, 

led  hither  the  families  who  founded 

THIS  CHURCH 

He  here  preached  God's  peace 

and  taught  Liberal  Learning 

Thirty-seven  years 

His  Work  ended  in  scenes  of  Blood 

His  Home  desolated,    He  died  in  Exile, 

near  Albany. 

cir.  1780. 

His  Wife 
Elizabeth  (Gallt)  Dunlop, 

born  in  Coleraine, 
their  daughter  Mary  Wells,  her  Husband, 

and  children,  save  one, 
were  cruelly  slain  in  the 

MASSACRE 
which  scattered  the  flock 
Nov.  11,  1778. 

A  short  distance  from  the  present  church  is  the  ancient  cemetery, 
a  scant  quarter  acre,  crowded  full  of  Revolutionary  memorials.  In 
it  stood  the  church  of  that  day,  a  handsome  structure  then  newly 
built,  and  about  it  extended  the  palisade  fort,  bastioned  for  can- 
non at  opposite  angles.  Within  the  small  area  lie  the  graves  of 
four  Revolutionary  colonels  and  upwards  of  a  dozen  others,  officers 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY  75 

and  privates  and  civilian  officials,  who  fought  or  served  in  that 
war ;  besides  quite  a  multitude  of  those  who  suffered  death  or  cap- 
tivity, or  narrowly  escaped  it  with  loss  of  everything  at  that  ter- 
rible time.  Around,  rough  slabs  or  rock  mark  the  graves  of  the 
pioneers  who  died  in  the  early  day  when  there  was  no  chisel  to  cut 
their  epitaphs ;  among  them  that  of  John  Wells,  cultured  gentleman 
and  officer  in  the  French  War,  and  lay  judge  on  the  bench  at  Johns- 
town. Within  view  of  the  cemetery  all  around,  are  homesteads, 
each  the  center  of  some  tale  or  tradition  of  the  savage  event,  and 
by  it  passes  the  earliest  thoroughfare  trodden  by  men's  feet  on  this 
frontier.  The  place  lies  on  the  northernmost  terrace  of  the  Catskill 
highland,  twelve  miles  south  of  the  Mohawk  River,  1,400  feet  above 
tide. 

From  immemorial  time  a  wilderness  route  had  been  known  to 
the  Indians  from  the  Mohawk  at  Canajoharie  to  the  head  of  the 
Susquehanna,  down  which  stream  they  passed  on  war  or  hunt,  to 
Pennsylvania  and  the  Chesapeake  and  beyond.  From  this  prima- 
tive  highway  trails  led  northward  up  the  Unadilla  and  the  Che- 
nango  to  the  heart  of  the  country  of  the  Oneidas  and  Onondagas ; 
and  further  west  by  the  Chemung  to  the  hunting  grounds  and 
lakes,  the  villages  and  "castles"  of  the  Cayugas  and  Senecas,  or 
Senekees.  Early  discovering  this  track,  Dutch  fur  traders  found 
their  way  to  the  gathering  place  for  barter,  Oghwaga,  at  the  carry 
across  the  Great  Bend,  the  largest  village  on  this  path.  This  spot, 
near  Windsor,  is  important  to  be  noted  as  a  center  of  primative 
trade,  of  early  travel,  of  missionary  effort  of  war.  The  name  sur- 
vives in  the  hamlet  of  Onoquago,  and  Tuscarora,  across  the  stream 
in  the  site  of  the  village  assigned  by  the  Iroquois  to  a  band  of  that 
adopted  tribe.  No  white  inhabitant  had  an  abode  in  all 
this  solitude.  Eastward  and  northward  a  few  German 
exiles  from  the  Palatinate  of  the  Rhine  had  begun  to 
settle  thinly  in  the  Schoharie  Valley,  and  a  little  beyond  Canajo- 
harie on  the  Mohawk.  In  a  beautiful  depression  on  this  old  trail, 
beyond  the  rugged  ascent  to  the  watershed,  and  at  the  spot  where 
the  red  men  launched  their  canoes  in  the  farthest  streams  of  the 
Susquehanna,  a  patent  of  8,000  acres  was,  in  1738,  secured  by  three 
leading  men  of  Albany,  Lendert  Gansevoort,  Jacob  Roseboom  and 


76  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Sybrant  Van  Schaick,  and  assigned  the  following  year  to  their 
associate,  John  Lindsay,  a  Scotchman  of  enterprise,  who  brought 
his  family  and  built  a  habitation  in  1739.  After  events  gave  the 
site,  a  beautiful  knoll,  a  double  interest,  when  it  became  the  blood- 
iest scene  of  the  massacre.  They  were  narrowly  saved  from  per- 
ishing with  hunger  in  the  bitter  winter  ensuing  by  the  succor  of  an 
Indian  on  snowshoes  with  food  from  the  river. 

In  New  York  Lindsay  had  enlisted  the  efforts  of  a  young  clergy- 
man, traveling  through  the  colonies,  Rev.  Samuel  Dunlop,  through 
whom  were  secured  a  few  Presbyterian  families  from  Londonderry, 
Ireland,  who  seeking  freedom  and  prospects  of  greater  promise, 
about  1720,  had  emigrated  to  Boston  and  had  founded  a  new  Lon- 
donderry in  New  Hampshire.  Finding  conditions  still  unfriendly 
even  in  New  England,  James  Campbell,  David  Ramsay,  John  Dick- 
son  and  John  Gallt,  with  their  families,  in  1741,  came  to  the  spot, 
making  the  voyage  around  Cape  Cod  to  New  York  and  up  the  Hud- 
son by  sloop ;  slowly  tacking  for  two  weeks,  it  is  said,  on  the  river. 

The  sloops  sailed  under  Captain  Pruyn,  a  cousin  of  the  owner, 
who  anxiously  awaited  its  arrival  at  the  wharf,  in  whose  family 
tradition  has  preserved  the  story.  The  provision  of  food  had  been 
spent,  and  the  voyagers  needed  immediate  aid,  which  was  cordially 
afforded  them.  The  merchants  of  Albany  appreciated  the  value  of 
the  establishment  of  a  settlement  for  out  on  the  Susquehanna  trail. 
The  ancient  ledger  of  Hendryck  Myndernt  Roseboom,  fur  dealer  and 
importer  of  European  merchandise,  and  his  sons,  still  preserved, 
show  the  profitable  trade  of  long  years  with  the  people  of  Cherry 
Valley,  which  marked  his  enlightened  liberality  in  lending  them  aid 
when  he  learned  of  their  exhausted  condition,  and  in  furnishing 
them  supplies  and  tools  for  their  arduous  venture. 

Hendryck  established  his  son  John  at  Schenectady  to  be  nearer 
the  Indians,  while  another  son,  Myndert,  remained  at  Albany,  the 
character  of  the  traffic  even  down  to  the  advent  of  the  war  appears 
from  the  entries  in  their  books.  For  example :  *  *  Myndert  Rose- 
boom  in  Albany"  indebted,  Nov.  1774,  with  an  invoice  amounting 
to  £210.17.2.,  enumerating  "1361  Ibs.  of  red  leather  at  2s.  9d  per 
lb.,  33  of  parchment,  16  otters,  1  fisher,  14  mush  rats,  13  gray 
skins,  9  bear  skins,  5  beavers,  etc."  The  comprising  extent  of  the 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY  77 

trade  in  articles  of  silver  will  appear  from  a  few  of  the  entries ;  for 
John  called  himself  a  "  silversmith. "  Messrs  Abm.  Van  Eppes  & 
Jacob  Van  Epes ;  5  arm  bands,  3  round  moons,  4  pare  rist  bands,  1 
box,  50  pare  eare  rings,  13  pare  large,  100  broaches,  50  do.  small 
21.18.0.  In  Apr.  1773  Gorset  Teller  &  Willin  Groesbeck  pur- 
chase each  jewelrey— "eare  wheels,  large  crosses,  half -moons,  here 
plaits,  (perhags  like  what  the  Dutch  peasant  girls  wear) — "and 
1000  gun  flinte,"  to  the  amount  of  115.9.0. 

The  place  had  been  called  Lindsay's  Bush,  but  Mr. Dunlap, writing 
to  his  friends,  proposed  to  date  his  letter  from  Cherry  Valley,  from 
the  wild  cherry  growth  everywhere  about.  On  leaving  Ireland  he 
had  promised  Elizabeth  Gallt  that  he  would  claim  her  within  seven 
years  or  leave  her  free.  Having  been  absent  nearly  that  time,  he 
now  returned.  Storms  delayed  the  ship  off  the  wild  coast,  and  he 
arrived  just  as  the  date  was  expiring,  and  only  in  time  to  snatch 
his  bride  from  a  marriage  to  another.  It  was  a  faithful  union  of 
long  years,  to  be  broken  by  a  tragical  end. 

Some  additional  settlers  returned  with  them,  but  for  years  the 
place  remained  feeble,  until  the  Revolution,  the  last  point  of  de- 
parture and  supply  for  those  setting  out  or  returning  from  the 
wilderness.  The  agents  of  Sir  William  Johnson's  important  traffic 
with  the  natives  passed  to  and  from  Oghwaga  through  the  place; 
bodies  of  Palatine  Germans  took  the  Susquehanna  route  to  settle  its 
lower  valley  and  become  the  fathers  of  the  Pennsylvania  Dutch; 
and,  later,  claimants  from  Connecticut  followed,  to  settle  Wyoming 
and  withstand  Indian  massacre  and  the  Pennamite  wars  with  the 
partisans  of  William  Penn.  Lindsay  soon  left  Cherry  Valley  and 
his  farm  was  taken  by  John  Wells,  who  became  a  man  of  influence, 
and  in  process  of  time  his  son  Robert  wedded  Mr.  Dunlop  's  daugh- 
ter Mary.  Their  neighbor  was  James  Willson,  who  had  surveyed 
the  patent  and  who  had  been  high  sheriff  of  Albany  County.  His 
son  seems  to  have  married  a  second  of  the  daughters,  named  Elea- 
nor. As  early  as  1748  missionaries  under  the  influence  of  Jona- 
than Edwards  at  Northampton  and  Rev.  Eleazer  Wheelock,  who 
founded  a  school  for  Indian  youth  at  Lebanon,  Conn.,  the  school  in 
which  the  able  Indian  leader,  Joseph  Brant,  received  a  civilized  edu- 
cation, established  themselves  at  Oghwaga  and  other  spots,  leading 


78  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

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to  intercourse  with  a  class  of  men  passing  to  and  fro  superior  to  the 
usual  wayfarer  of  the  wilds,  such  as  John  Sergeant  and  David  Brain- 
erd,  Elihu  Spencer,  Samuel  Kirkland  and  the  able  Gideon  Hawley. 
Among  the  unmarked  graves  in  the  old  cemetery  must  be  that  of  a 
young  Delaware  Indian,  pious,  educated  with  Joseph  Brant  at  Leb- 
anon, Joseph  Wooley,  a  preacher,  teacher  and  apostle  to  his  people, 
who  died  at  Cherry  Valley  on  one  of  his  journeys  to  the  Susquehanna. 
Mr.  Dunlop,  being  a  university  man,  gathered  a  few  puplis  very  early 
whom  he  taught  the  classics,  following  the  plow,  or  in  the  rude  log 
church  and  school  house  reared  near  the  Wells  residence.  It  was 
the  first  beginnings  of  liberal  education,  as  his  church  was  the 
earliest  seat  of  worship  in  English  west  of  Albany  and  the  Hudson. 
Major  John  Frey,and  others  prominent  in  the  Revolution,  were  here 
educated.  All  the  region  southwest  of  Canajoharie  was  vaguely  known 
as  Cherry  Valley,  its  lake,  Otsego,  was  the  Cherry  Valley  Lake,  and 
the  narrow  Indian  path  was  gradually  subdued  and  widened  into 
a  rugged  wagon  road,  the  Cherry  Valley  road.  It  followed  Bow- 
man's Creek  and  up  the  steep  of  Teckaharawa.  Long  the  little 
community  remained  remote  and  lonely,  an  outpost  of  civilization 
on  the  southwest  verge  of  the  Mohawk 's  country,  with  whom  and  the 
Oneidas ;  next  west,  the  most  cordial  relations  were  maintained,  and 
for  Mr.  Dunlop  especially  the  Indians  conceived  high  regard  and 
veneration. 

After  the  first  twenty  years  the  immigrants  became  more  num- 
erous, leading  to  a  new  issue ;  scattered  settlements  began  thinly  to 
push  out  west,  southwest  and  south.  At  Springfield  and  on  Otsego 
Lake,  on  the  Butternut  Creek  and  the  Unadilla  and  Charlotte 
Rivers,  and  all  along  the  upper  Susquehanna,  little  clearings  began 
to  forewarn  the  Indians  that  the  irresistible  white  man  was  slowly 
occupying  his  forests.  Every  settler  was  a  hunter,  scouring  the 
woods  for  game,  slaughtering  the  pigeon  roosts  and  sweeping  the 
streams  of  their  fish.  The  Germans  were  pushing  up  the  Mohawk ; 
by  1750  and  '60  beyond  the  Falls  Hill  (Little  Falls),  a  strong  com- 
munity had  been  gathered  about  the  German  Flatts,  and  a  string 
of  forts  traced  a  road  of  growing  travel  right  through  the  territory 
of  the  Oneidas  to  the  lakes.  The  land  of  the  Mohawks,  eastward, 
had  been  reduced  to  scattered  patches  interspersed  among  the  hold- 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY  79 

ings  and  great  patents  of  the  whites.  The  savage  freely  sold  or 
gave  his  land,  but  awoke  later  to  see  that  his  home  and  his  haunts 
were  gone,  and  his  means  of  subsistence  were  too  slender  to  be 
shared  with  all  these  new  comers.  The  intelligent  young  chief  of 
the  tribe,  Tha-yen-da-na-gue,  by  his  English  name  Joseph  Brant,  en- 
joyed the  entire  confidence  of  Sir  William  Johnson,  co-operating 
in  his  enlightened  plans  and  policy  in  the  management  of  Indian 
affairs  and  by  procuring  them  civilized  advantages  endeavoring 
to  make  up  to  his  people  what  they  lost  by  these  changes.  In  visit- 
ing England  in  the  interests  of  the  claims  made  by  the  Indians, 
where  the  most  flattering  attentions  were  shown  him  by  the  court 
and  the  great  officials  of  the  government  in  London,  it  came  about 
inevitably  that  he  contracted  ties  and  gained  a  point  of  view  which 
naturally  made  him  their  ally  in  any  changes  which  were  later  to 
arise. 

To  stay  the  discontent  of  the  Indians  and  fix  a  limit  beyond 
which  the  inroads  of  the  settlers  should  cease,  was  the  object  of 
the  Treaty  of  Fort  Stanwix  in  1768.  Three  thousand  Indians 
gathered  with  their  chiefs  to  meet  Sir  William  Johnson,  the  King's 
Indian  Superintendent,  and  it  was  covenanted  that  the  white  man 
should  not  go  west  of  the  Unadilla.  That  river  and  a  line  extended 
south  to  the  Delaware  (coinciding  with  the  present  western  bound- 
ary of  Delaware  and  Otsego  Counties)  should  be  the  limit  of  all 
further  advance  of  the  despoiling  settlers.  This  Indian  line  was  a 
Continental  affair;  of  imperial  extent  it  shut  out  civilization  from 
the  whole  Great  Lake  region,  including  the  western  part  of  New 
York  and  the  adjoining  part  of  Pennsylvania  and  the  entire  north- 
west territory  to  the  Ohio  River.  It  passed  down  the  Susquehanna  and 
by  the  Towanda  Creek  to  the  Alleghany.  The  last  parcel  of  ground 
on  the  Susquehanna  was  taken  up  at  the  mouth  of  the  Unadilla 
in  1770  by  a  friend  of  Mr.  Dunlop's,  Rev.  William  Johnston,  with 
a  colony  of  his  Scotch-Irish  compatriots  from  Duanesburg,  driven 
first  from  Worcester,  Mass.,  by  Congregational  intolerance,  to  New 
Hampshire,  and  thence  to  Schenectady.  Johnston's  ordination 
they  declared  ''disorderly"  and  burnt- his  church.  But  as  that 
cause  of  Indian  unrest  promised  settlement,  grave  disputes  were 
rising  among  the  whites  themselves,  the  colonies  against  England, 


80  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

disputes  about  stamped  paper  and  ancient  rights  and  taxation  with- 
out representation — matters  that  were  utterly  beyond  the  Indians' 
comprehension.  They  had  been  skillfully  bound  by  Sir  William 
in  attachment  to  the  King;  their  powder  and  ball,  their  blankets 
and  hatchets,  their  gratuities  of  food  against  the  bitter  winter 
starvation,  all  came  from  the  good  King ;  and  they  were  bewildered 
as  they  now  saw  a  deepening  revolt  and  hatred  against  this  benefi- 
cent friend;  the  militiamen  or  rifle  ranger  carving  on  his  powder 
horn  the  rude  couplet,  beneath  some  ruder  caricature  of  Britian's 
monarch, 

I,  powder,  and  my  brother,  ball, 

Foemen  are  to  tyrants  all. 

But  the  quarrel  grew,  and  the  Indian  could  not  fail  to  be 
involved  in  it.  Hope  of  aid  from  him  induced  the  Tories  to  tamper 
with  his  love  of  blood  and  plunder;  the  King's  ministers  even 
offered  bounties  for  the  scalps  of  rebels,  $20.00  for  a  baby's  scalp. 
Dread  of  him  led  the  Colonials  to  cross  measures;  to  coax  him  to 
take  their  side,  to  persuade  him  to  stand  aloof,  yet  to  send  one  and 
another  threatening  expedition  into  his  country  prepared  to  treat 
with  Brant,  or  capture  him,  burn  his  villages,  destroy  his  crops  of 
corn,  beans  and  pumpkins,  and  cut  down  his  apple  trees.  The 
Mohawks,  after  the  battles  of  Concord  and  Lexington  in  1775,  were 
led  to  retire  in  a  body  to  Canada,  the  exciting  news  of  the  Patriots' 
resistance  being  so  made  use  of  by  Colonel  Guy  Johnson  that  the 
whole  tribe  regarded  war  as  upon  them.  They  left  their  memorial 
in  the  name  of  the  river,  but  it  was  an  exile  from  which  they  were 
never  to  return.  Indians  were  here  and  there  shot  or  captured, 
and  not  seldom  scalped;  Tim.  Murphy  boasted  his  record  of  forty 
Indians  killed  by  his  one  hand.  Finally  the  large  military  opera- 
tions connected  with  the  campaign  against  Burgoyne  threw  the 
savages  over  to  the  side  of  the  King  in  hot  anger  and  revenge.  If 
a  people  do  not  take  up  war  until  passion  is  roused,  this  ingredient 
was  now  furnished.  The  story  of  St.  Leger's  expedition  to  the 
Mohawk  Valley  from  Oswego,  the  attempt  on  Fort  Schuyler  and 
the  bloody  ambuscade  at  Oriskany,  is  too  long  to  be  introduced 
here ;  but  the  awful  slaughter  inflicted  on  the  Indians  at  Oriskany, 
especially  the  Senekees,  while  themselves  inflicting  an  equal  carnage 


THE  STORY  OP  CHEERY  VALLEY  81 

upon  the  Provincials,  sent  them  howling  back  to  their  villages 
and  vowing  desperate  revenge  for  the  loss  of  a  hundred  of  their 
braves,  and  particularly  against  Cherry  Valley,  for  when  Herkimer 
was  felled  and  Colonel  Cox  and  many  other  officers  slain  at  the 
outset,  it  was  Colonel  Campbell  and  Major  Clyde,  both  Cherry  Val- 
ley men,  who  directed  the  stubborn  continuance  of  the  fight  and 
brought  off  the  remnant  of  the  force,  retreating  but  substantially 
victorious. 

That  was  in  1777.  Burgoyne's  grand  scheme  failed;  invasion 
was  averted  from  the  rich  grain  lands  of  the  Mohawk,  and  there 
seemed  hope  for  the  inhabitants  of  the  frontier,  where  the  Oneidas, 
at  least,  under  the  guidance  of  their  missionary  adviser,  Mr.  Kirk- 
land,  seemed  not  disposed  to  be  unfriendly  to  the  patriotic  cause. 

But  the  British  in  New  Jersey  had  found  Washington  hard  to 
handle,  and  in  hope  of  weakening  him  Brant,  the  Butlers  and  other 
Royalist  leaders  on  the  border  were  directed  to  spread  such  alarm 
and  create  such  distress  and  devastation  as  to  draw  away  detach- 
ments for  its  relief.  A  regiment  under  Colonel  Ickabod  Alden, 
the  Sixth  Masschusetts,  made  up  in  part  of  friends  of  the  Cherry 
Valley  people,  but  most  inefficiently  commanded,  was  at  Albany, 
and  in  May  started  on  its  way  to  garrison  the  frontier  posts. 
Schoharie  was  barely  saved  by  the  arrival  of  help  in  July;  at 
Cobleskill,  earlier,  occurred  a  fight  and  defeat  by  Brant,  in  which 
Captain  Patrick  was  killed,  and  German  Flatts  so  late  as  Septem- 
ber 17th  was  burnt,  and  yet  before  any  aid  reached  it ;  so  tardy  was 
the  action  of  Alden,  as  well  as  of  the  local  military.  The  main  body 
of  the  regiment,  230  strong,  with  the  lieutenant  colonel,  destined  for 
CherryjValley,  only  arrived  July  24th,  the  colonel  himself  only  on  the 
30th.  Springfield  had  been  burnt  June  18th,  and  a  swarm  of  fleeing 
refugees  from  every  quarter  had  brought  the  news  of  the  shocking 
slaughter,  on  July  3rd,  at  Wyoming,  and  well-founded  rumors  of 
what  was  being  planned  against  their  own  settlement.  On  remote 
farms  the  rapid-moving  chief  appeared,  requiring  every  man  to 
declare  for  the  King  or  flee  with  wife  and  little  ones.  The  hope 
of  Brant  would  seem  to  have  been,  while  guiding  his  tribes  in  a  war 
in  aid  of  the  royal  cause,  to  keep  their  savage  impulses  in  check. 
Thus  he  burnt  Springfield,  but  first  gathered  the  women  and  chil- 


82  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

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dren  into  a  house  to  be  saved.  He  burnt  German  Flatts,  but  the 
people  had  already  taken  refuge  in  the  forts  on  the  river.  Against 
Cherry  Valley  in  particular  he  must  have  been  reluctant  to  move, 
for  the  people  were  his  personal  friends.  John  Wells  had  been  the 
respected  associate  of  Sir  William  Johnson  in  public  affairs  at 
Johnstown,  both,  it  is  true,  now  dead,  but  the  families  still  intimate 
In  the  French  war  Wells  had  built  a  fort  at  Oghwaga  for  the 
Indians,  and  he  and  Colonel  Campbell  had  served  as  officers  under 
Johnson  at  Fort  Edward.  Mr.  Dunlop  had  been  in  happier  times 
an  adviser  and  sharer  with  Brant  in  the  missionary  and  civilizing 
projects  which  he  had  promoted.  Colonel  Clyde  and  his  appren- 
tice with  Mr.  Kirkland,  about  the  year  1770,  had  erected  a  church 
for  the  Oneidas  at  their  castle,  an  enterprise  such  as  Brant  assisted 
with  warm  approval  and  by  raising  money.  Brant  was  a  frequent 
visitor  and  old  acquaintance  of  Mrs.  Clyde's,  who  as  Catherine 
Wasson,  at  Schenectady,  had  been  the  friend  and  playmate  of  the 
beautiful  Lady  of  Johnson  Hall,  his  sister,  Mollie  Brant.  Even  a 
man  like  Colonel  John  Butler,  who  commanded  at  Wyoming,  said 
afterwards  that  he  would  have  gone  on  his  hands  and  knees  to  save 
the  Wells  family. 

But  society  was  cloven  asunder,  and  in  the  unscrupulous  Walter 
Butler,  his  son,  and  his  crew  of  Tories,  Brant  was  fated  to  co- 
operate with  men  that  put  all  humane  considerations  at  defiance. 
The  spirit  of  the  Indians  was  hard  to  control ;  his  own 
Mohawks  felt  that  their  lands  were  gone  forever;  and  the  Tories, 
a  bad  lot  generally,  included  every  low  renegade  and  every  unmiti- 
gated brute  on  the  border.  The  strife  degenerated  to  utter 
butchery,  and  Brant  must  bear  the  odium.  An  incentive  to  rapine 
with  such  men,  not  often  noticed,  was  the  prospect  of  ransom  for 
captives,  women  and  children,  and  the  sale  of  such  slaves  as  could 
be  raided  away.  Mention  is  made  in  the  list  of  captives  of  "Mr. 
Dunlop 's  negro  wench"  and  other  slaves,  who  were  carried  off, 
even  when  white  captives  were  set  free;  and  of  these  latter  the 
families  of  men  of  importance  were  likely  to  be  retained  as  prison- 
ers in  order  to  keep  their  husbands  and  fathers  busy  and  anxious 
for  their  recovery,  and  so  cripple  their  activity  in  the  war. 

It  was  a  summer  of  terror.     The  large  buildings  of   Colonel 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY  83 

Campbell  had  been  stockaded  early  in  the  year.  General  Lafayette 
at  Johnstown  advised  the  erection  of  a  large  fortification  round  the 
grave  yard  and  commodious  church.  Early  in  June  the  people 
moved  in  here,  with  the  fugitives  from  Springfield  and  nearby 
places,  together  with  those  from  Unadilla  under  Rev.  Mr.  Johnston, 
who  was  made  chaplain  of  the  garrison,  while  his  sons  enlisted  or 
scouted.  All  along  urgent  appeals  and  efforts  had  been  made  to 
secure  defenders,  with  little  success.  Of  600  militia  summoned  at 
Canajoharie  only  200  responded.  At  Cherry  Valley  there  were 
only  80  armed  men  in  July,  owing  to  the  demands  of  the  harvest 
and  for  the  soldiers  elsewhere.  June  5  Clyde  reports  to  General 
Stark,  "from  6-700  cattle  feeding  within  a  circle  of  %  of  a  mile, 
and  not  over  30  men  that  would  stand  their  ground  if  attacked. " 
He  pleads  for  assistance  to  save  these  large  supplies  from  being 
"lost  to  freedom."  Yet  Brant,  spying  from  the  over 
looking  Lady  Hill,  refrained  from  an  attempt  to  sur- 
prise it  with  a  small  force  he  had,  by  mistaking  a 
train  of  children  playing  soldier  with  sticks  on  the  green 
before  Colonel  Campbell's  house,  for  a  body  of  troops.  It 
was  in  seeking  to  waylay  a  messenger  who  might  explain  this 
mysterious  force  that  his  own  valued  friend,  Lieutenant  Wormuth, 
or  Wormwood,  of  Palatine,  on  his  return  from  announcing  the 
actual  approach  of  a  few  militiamen  under  Colonel  Ford,  was  shot 
at  "Wormwood  rock"  in  the  ravine  of  Teckaharawa.  The  rock  is 
still  pointed  out,  called  Brant's  Rock,  from  behind  which  the 
Indian  who  was  with  him  rashly  and  against  his  orders  shot  down 
his  boyhood  neighbor  as  he  rode  by  on  his  horse,  his  orderly  making 
his  escape  to  carry  the  news  of  the  tragedy  to  the  friends  of  both 
men;  for  Brant's  ancestral  home  was  at  Canajoharie. 

Cherry  Valley  in  the  forty  years  since  its  settlement  had  grown 
to  be  a  place  of  some  sixty  families,  including  some  exceptionally 
intelligent  and  prominent  persons.  Judge  John  Wells  had  died, 
but  Mr.  Dunlop  was  still  living,  and  the  Wells  homestead  was  occu- 
pied by  the  large  family  of  Robert  Wells.  Captain  Robert  Mc- 
Kean,  an  intrepid  Indian  fighter,  was  active  with  a  body  of  rangers 
scouting  everywhere,  gathering  information  and  watching  the 
movements  of  the  foe.  The  important  family  of  the  Harpers  had 


84  NEW    YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

^ 

lately  moved  to  the  Charlotte  Valley,  but  operated  their  mill  at  the 
Beaver  Dam  to  furnish  lumber  for  completing  the  redouts.  Colo- 
nel Campbell  we  have  seen  at  the  Battle  of  Oriskany;  and  among 
those  most  to  be  relied  upon  was  Samuel  Clyde,  a  veteran  of  the 
earlier  wars;  bred  a  ship  carpenter,  he  had  built  naval  docks  at 
Halifax  and  batteaux  for  the  expedition  to  Ticonderoga,  and  had 
fought  at  Front enac.  At  Schenectady  he  had  married  his  brave 
wife,  a  woman  of  superior  mind,  a  niece  of  Matthew  Thornton,  the 
patriot  leader  of  New  Hampshire  and  signer  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence. 

The  emphatic  choice  of  the  Patriot  cause  by  the  people  of  Cherry 
Valley  had  been  publicly  declared  as  early  as  1775.  A  liberty 
meeting  was  held  in  the  church  to  express  sympathy  with  the  people 
of  Boston,  and  to  ratify  the  acts  of  the  Continental  Congress. 
They  denounced  the  attempts  of  the  Tories  at  Johnstowi^  through 
the  Grand  Jury  to  commit  Tryon  County  to  the  Royalist  cause. 
The  strong  Whig  sentiments  of  the  place,  against  the  plans  of  the 
Johnsons  and  Colonel  Butler's  Highlanders,  were  voiced  in  fiery 
speeches  from  Thomas  Spencer,  an  Indian  interpreter  of  rude 
eloquence,  and  from  Mr.  John  Moore,  a  man  of  ability  and  educa- 
tion, Delegate  from  Tryon  County  in  the  Provincial  Congress,  but 
incapacitated  for  war  service  by  a  lameness.  He  with  Campbell 
and  Clyde  were  on  the  Committee  of  Safety  for  Palatine  district, 
and  two  others,  James  Willson  and  Hugh  Mitchell,  served  later  on 
the  Schenectady  Committee.  A  letter  from  these  earnest  men  to 
the  Committee  at  Albany,  imploring  help  to  save  the  frontier,  con- 
cludes as  follows :  ' '  In  a  word,  gentlemen,  it  is  our  fixed  resolution 
to  support  and  carry  into  execution  everything  recommended  by  the 
Continental  Congress,  and  to  be  free  or  die."  Yet  their  sobriety 
and  firm  religious  principle  are  attested  as  well  by  a  letter  to  the 
Palatine  Committee  objecting  to  a  meeting  needlessly  called  on  a 
Sunday :  ' '  For  unless  the  necessity  of  the  committee  sitting  super- 
exceed  the  duties  to  be  performed  in  attending  the  public  worship 
of  God,  we  think  it  ought  to  be  put  off  till  another  day. ' ' 

Sir  William  Johnson  had  died  in  1774.  The  truculent  Toryism 
of  Guy  Johnson,  his  successor,  aroused  deep  hostility,  which  led 
him  either  to  feel  or  feign  fear  for  his  own  safety.  He  declared 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY  85 

that  he  was  in  danger  of  capture  by  the  '  *  Bostonians,' '  and  with 
the  body  of  Mohawks  retired,  first  to  Fort  Stanwix,  and  finally  to 
Montreal.  He  here  co-operated  with  Sir  Guy  Carlton  in  fomenting 
the  hatred  of  the  Cayugas  and  Senecas.  From  Canada  round  by 
the  lakes  and  forests,  and  up  the  Susquehanna  to  Oghwaga  and 
Unadilla,  where  Brant  had  his  rendezvous  in  the  rear  of  Cherry 
Valley,  trickled  mingling  rivulets,  red  coats,  green-clad  riflemen 
and  Canadian  half-breeds,  Tories  and  malcontents,  and  gathering 
bands  of  stealthy  Indians,  driving  out  all  who  would  not  declare 
for  King  George,  and  concentrating  a  force  of  1,500  to  2,000  men. 
Along  the  flats  of  the  streams,  under  British  incitement,  wide  fields 
of  corn  and  vegetables  were  planted  for  feeding  them. 

Yet  the  summer  passed  away  and  no  attempt  had  been  made  on 
Cherry  Valley.  Colonel  Alden,  an  eastern  man  unused  to  Indian 
ways,  could  not  realize  the  danger,  notwithstanding  the  scenes 
going  on  around  him,  and  the  serious  advice  of  citizens  of  experi- 
ence. "The  depredations  were  from  small  bands;  he  would  send 
out  and  arrest  them."  His  theory  was  that  savages  would  never 
stand  against  disciplined  soldiers;  besides,  they  had  artillery,  two 
swivel  guns.  The  families  in  the  fort  were  not  allowed  to  remain ; 
instead,  he  quartered  his  officers  in  their  houses,  himself  with  his 
lieutenant  colonel  fixing  his  headquarters  at  that  of  Robert  Wells, 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  fort.  There  is  marrying  and  giving 
in  marriage,  nevertheless,  as  well  as  eating  and  much  drinking,  in 
the  midst  of  warlike  alarms.  Lieutenant  McKendry  in  his  Journal 
records,  September  9,  Captain  McKean  returned  from  a  scout  to 
Unadilla  with  two  prisoners,  and  October  22  is  present  at  the  cap- 
tain's marriage  to  Mrs.  Jenny  Campbell.  The  day  following  he  is 
at  the  wedding  of  Sergeant  Elijah  Dickerman  and  Letty  Gibbons. 
"Drank  7  Galls,  wine."  Lieutenant  Colonel  Stacy  and  Captain 
Ballard  have  a  horse  race  and  Stacy  wins  the  bet.  Viewing  some 
horses  at  John  Campbell's  he  "drinks  cyder,"  and  "milk  punch" 
at  Mr.  Ramsie's  with  Captain  Parker;  milk  punch  also  at  Alden 's 
headquarters  "when  Fort  Allen  is  named  by  Capt.  Hickling." 
He  goes  "to  Harmony  Hall  and  drank  some  Grog,"  and  goes  to 
Harmony  Hall  again  some  days  later,  what  for  not  said,  but  pre- 
sumably same  refreshment.  October  15  he  "wet  his  appointment," 


86  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

"wine  28  dollars,"  and  Lieutenant  William  White  wets  his,  "Wine 
Amt.  36  dollars."  Surely  our  liberties  were  achieved  not  without 
mighty  wrestling  with  the  liquor  interest.  But  they  were  all  in  it. 
The  very  first  day  of  his  arrival  he  records  apparently  a  visit  of 
courtesy  upon  a  family  friend  of  other  days.  "Went  to  Rev'd  Mr. 
Dunlop's  &  drank  sillabub  while  discoursing  the  old  Gentleman 
about  sundries  affairs." 

Brant  meanwhile  ceases  his  activities  not  a  moment.  His  design 
may  perhaps  have  been  by  repeated  alarms  and  threats  to  frighten 
his  friends  in  the  place  into  taking  flight,  and  then  to  attack  the 
stockade,  a  measure  of  legitimate  war.  But  two  things  conspired  to 
defeat  such  a  design,  if  he  entertained  it;  in  the  first  place  many 
of  the  people  did  flee,  as  did  Mr.  Dunlop,  removing  to  Albany  the 
best  of  his  goods.  But  September  and  October  passed,  and  winter 
beginning  with  November  in  that  elevated  climate,  they  came  back, 
partly  to  care  for  their  stock,  partly  thinking  the  danger  was 
passed  from  the  lateness  of  the  season.  So  that  when  the  blow 
came  it  was  far  more  calamitous  than  the  Indian  leader  expected 
it  to  be.  In  the  second  place,  his  own  situation  was  affected  by  a 
blow  dealt  him  from  Schoharie  under  orders  from  the  energetic 
Governor  Clinton.  There  was  a  patriot  Colonel  Butler  there, 
William,  who  with  great  speed  crossed  his  regiment  from  the  Scho- 
harie through  the  forest  to  the  Delaware,  and  thence  down  the 
Owleout  to  the  Susquehanna,  and  on  a  rapid  sweep  uprooted  both 
Unadilla  and  Oghwaga;  a  stroke  which  had  it  been  accomplished 
earlier  might  have  saved  the  whole  frontier.  Brant  gave  up  the 
contest  for  the  season  and  was  on  his  way  to  Niagara  to  winter,  but 
at  Tioga  Point  he  met  Walter  Butler  with  his  motley  force  wild 
with  the  project  of  an  attack  on  Cherry  Valley.  Brant  was  reluc- 
tant to  return,  reluctant  to  serve  under  Butler,  whom  he  despised. 
Perhaps  he  hoped  by  being  present  to  guide  counsels  and  mitigate 
some  features  of  the  stroke,  from  which  everything  was  to  be  feared. 
At  all  events  he  consented  to  join  the  enterprise.  There  was  a 
disused  trail,  midway,  neglected  by  the  scouts  sent  out  south  and 
west;  by  this  they  stole  around  the  hills,  delayed  by  bad  weather, 
yet  undiscovered,  till  they  reached  the  rear  of  the  settlement  after 
daylight  on  the  llth  of  November.  A  notification  from  Colonel 


THE  STORY  OF  CHEERY  VALLEY  87 

Gansevoort  at  Fort  Schuyler  had  told  of  the  meeting  of  Butler  and 
Brant  at  Tioga  and  of  their  starting  for  Cherry  Valley.  But  the 
pickets  were  merely  dispatched  along  the  usual  roads,  the  feeble 
scouts  were  captured,  the  onset  had  all  the  advantage  of  a  sur- 
prise, and  the  incredulous  Alden  at  the  Wells  house  was  caught 
before  he  could  reach  the  fort.  They  numbered  about  800  men,  of 
whom  30  were  British  troops  under  four  officers,  600  Indians, 
principally  Senecas  under  the  bitterly  cruel  Hiokatoo  (whose  wife 
was  widely  known  as  Mary  Jamieson),  and  150  Tories,  many  in 
Indian  paint  and  of  worse  than  Indian  atrocity. 

The  wakeful  Mrs.  Clyde  had  dreamed  of  Indian  alarms  and  of 
warnings  from  Mollie  Brant,  and  at  daylight  urged  her  husband  to 
repair  to  the  fort  and  learn  if  all  were  right.  He  had  not  time  to 
return  when  a  wounded  rider  came  in  with  the  word  that  the  foe 
had  overtaken  and  shot  him.  The  signal  gun  was  fired,  a  dismal 
rainy  morning.  Mrs.  Clyde  being  prepared,  gathered  her  family 
and  fled  to  the  ravine  as  the  savages  emerged  from  the  forest  be- 
hind. There  were  eight  children  besides  an  apprentice  and  a  little 
dog.  The  babe  never  wailed,  the  dog  did  not  bark.  The  rain 
turned  to  sleet  and  snow,  yet  all  escaped  after  a  night's  exposure 
and  terror,  a  relief  party  coming  out  from  the  fort  and  all  running 
the  gauntlet  of  the  enemy's  fire  in  crossing  the  open  ground  in  front 
of  the  palisade.  A  battle  raged  here  for  hours,  renewed  on  the 
12th,  but  the  cannon  compelled  the  foe  to  retire.  Colonel  Clyde 
was  luckily  within,  and  he  seems  to  have  assumed  the  command,  or 
it  might  have  been  taken,  as  nearly  all  its  officers  were  surprised 
at  their  quarters  in  the  house  of  the  settlement. 

The  Wells  house  had  been  the  first  to  be  attacked.  They  were 
at  worship  when  the  rifle  of  a  Tory  felled  the  head  of  the  house- 
hold. The  whole  family  were  slain,  Robert  Wells,  his  wife  and 
four  children,  his  mother,  brother  and  sister  and  three  domestics, 
together  with  the  guard  of  Colonel  Alden.  Having  secured  the 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  Stacy,  Brant  demanded,"  Who  runs  there  ? ' '  and 
being  told,  ' '  The  colonel, ' '  he  turned  over  his  prisoner  and  pursued 
the  fugitive,  calling  on  him  to  surrender.  Alden  turned  to  use  his 
pistol,  but  the  tomahawk  flew  and  he  fell  in  the  roadway.  The 
body,  dragged  to  one  side,  was  found  on  a  spot  still  pointed  out  just 


88  NEW    YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

below  the  ascent  to  the  Wells  house.  This  is  the  account  given  in 
a  MS.  by  Judge  George  C.  Clyde,  and  the  account  also  related  to 
me  personally  by  Mr.  George  Ripley,  both  of  them  grandsons  of 
Colonel  Clyde;  namely  that  Colonel  Alden  was  killed  by  Brant 
himself,  but,  as  he  alleged,  in  self-defence.  A  pillar  of  concrete 
with  marble  tablet  erected  on  this  spot  marks  the  occurrence. 

Every  foot  of  the  Cherry  Valley  soil  has  its  tale  of  the  experi- 
ences of  that  day.  Hugh  Mitchell  avoided  the  Indians,  but  gained 
his  house  to  find  his  wife  and  four  children  left  for  dead,  two  being 
carried  captives.  One  child  showed  signs  of  life,  and  as  he  was  in 
the  act  of  restoring  her  the  blow  of  a  Tory  extinguished  the  spark ; 
all  that  was  left  was  to  load  the  corpses  on  a  sled,  and  over  the  fresh 
fallen  snow,  bring  and  lay  them  with  the  ghastly  rows  with  which 
the  great  trench  was  being  fiilled.  He  recognized  his  near  neigh- 
bour, a  Royalist  renegade  named  Newbury,  as  the  man  who  com- 
mitted this  brutal  act,  and  he  had  the  satisfaction,  later,  of  bring- 
ing him  to  the  gallows  for  his  crime.  Mitchell  lies  buried  at  Cherry 
Valley  at  the  age  of  102  years. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Dickson  escaped  with  her  children  to  the  hill 
behind  the  house,  but  her  infant  fretting  she  ventured  back  for 
milk  and  did  not  return.  The  daughter,  Eleanor,  peering  about,  at 
length  saw  a  scalpstick  on  which,  drying,  among  others  waved  a 
tress  of  brilliant  aburn  of  a  color  such  as  there  was  none  other  in 
the  settlement  but  her  mother 's.  The  Campbell  home  was  defended 
so  valiantly  by  the  aged  Captain  Cannon,  the  grandfather,  a  naval 
veteran,  that  the  Indians  let  him  go;  but  his  wife  was  captured, 
anjd,  too  feeble  to  make  the  journey,  was  struck  down  in  the  snow  by 
an  Indian  the  next  day,  and  her  body  was  buried  at  the  fort.  It 
may  have  been  this  piece  of  barbarity  which  led  Brant  to  insist  on 
the  release  of  the  majority  of  the  women  and  children.  Forty-five 
of  these  were  now  permitted  to  return.  The  thirty-four  carried  off,  as 
reported  in  a  return  by  Colonel  Harper  shortly  after,  included  all 
males  captured  and  the  families  of  prominent  persons,  and  likewise 
some  eight  or  ten  negroes.  Thirty-three  inhabitants  were  massacred 
and  fourteen  of  the  regiment,  besides  the  colonel.  Colonel  Camp- 
bell was  absent  at  the  time ;  his  wife  was  captured  with  her  infant 
and  other  children,  except  one,  William,  rescued  and  carried  to  the 


THE  STORY  OF  CHEERY  VALLEY  89 

river  by  a  faithful  slave.  He  was  afterwards  Surveyor  General  of 
the  State.  Mrs.  Campbell's  experience  was  most  harrowing.  The 
murdered  Mrs.  Cannon  was  her  mother.  With  the  little  babe  in 
her  arms  she  made  the  bitter  journey  all  the  way  down  the  Sus- 
quehanna  to  Tioga  Point,  and  up  the  Chemung  to  the  Seneca 
Castle.  Here  she  passed  the  winter,  not  ill-treated  by  the  Indians, 
but  destitute  of  sufficient  clothing  and  in  deepest  anxiety  about  her 
children's  fate  as  well  as  of  her  friends.  One  day  a  squaw  asked 
her  why  she  wore  the  linen  cap,  then  the  mark  of  a  lady,  saying 
she  had  such  a  cap,  and  produced  it.  Mrs.  Campbell  recognized  it 
as  the  one  worn  by  her  loved  friend,  Jane  Wells!  To- 
wards spring  the  British  officers  at  Fort  Niagara,  hear- 
ing that  there  was  a  lady  who  was  a  prisoner  at  the 
Castle,  sent  a  messenger  on  horseback  with  a  supply  of  female 
raiment  and  provisions  for  her  relief.  As  soon  as  the  season  per- 
mitted she  was  carried  to  Fort  Niagara  and  by  the  officers  ransomed 
from  the  Indians,  she  returning  the  kindness  by  services  with  her 
needle,  until  she  was  sent  to  Montreal.  After  nearly  two  years  of 
captivity  she  was  exchanged  for  a  Mrs.  Butler  and  her  children. 
In  the  cartel  boat  on  Lake  Champlain  she  was  accompanied  by 
several  young  ladies  who  had  been  at  school  at  Montreal  and  were 
detained  by  the  hostilities  till  this  opportunity  of  a  return,  and 
after  being  fired  upon  and  landed  in  the  wilds  of  Vermont,  owing 
to  a  false  alarm,  they  all  reached  their  friends  in  Albany.  Two  of 
the  Campbell  boys  were  lost  among  the  Indians  and  adopted  by 
them.  Matthew  returned  adorned  with  ornaments  of  silver  and 
diamonds,  doubtless  rifled  from  the  body  of  some  slain  officer.  The 
Indians  had  adopted  him  as  a  chief,  and  treated  him  with  honor. 
The  other  son,  James,  six  years  old,  was  lost  for  some  three  years, 
forgetting  his  small  knowledge  of  the  English  speech.  Shortly  after 
his  restoration  occurred  the  tour  of  General  Washington  over  this 
frontier,  who  being  entertained  at  Colonel  Campbell's  house,  held 
this  interesting  child  upon  his  knee.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-eight, 
when  the  present  writer  attended  his  funeral  in  1870.  After  the 
Civil  war  he  was  taken  to  Albany  and  shook  the  hand  of  General 
Grant.  He  was  the  father  of  the  author  of  the  Annals  of  Tryon 
County,  and  grandfather  of  Douglas  Campbell  who  wrote  "The 
Puritan  in  Holland,  England  and  America." 


90  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

The  Massachusetts  troops  passed  the  winter  in  the  fort,  and  in 
June  following  joined  the  expedition  under  General  Sullivan  at 
Otsego  Lake.  The  fort  was  dismantled  and  the  church  eventually 
burnt,  as  were  practically  all  the  buildings  of  the  place.  Four 
years  later,  on  the  18th  of  April,  1781,  a  second  descent  was  made 
on  the  few  venturesome  people  who  had  returned  to  Cherry  Valley, 
by  a  band  of  eighty  men,  who  killed  eight  persons  and  took  fourteen 
prisoners.  Till  that  year  Captain  McKean  had  been  as  ever  active, 
but  that  summer  Colonel  Willett  with  150  Americans  fought  a 
battle  with  from  200  to  300  Indians  at  Durlagh  (Torlock),  some 
miles  east  of  Cherry  Valley,  winning  a  fine  victory,  but  the  brave 
captain  was  carried  off  by  his  men  wounded  to  his  death. 

When  Mr.  Dunlop  returned  from  Albany  that  Autumn  to  see  to 
his  affairs  for  the  winter,  together  with  his  wife  and  daughter 
(unmarried)  he  was  accompanied  by  his  married  daughter,  Mrs. 
Eleanor  Willson,  and  by  a  young  man  to  whom  Elizabeth  expected 
to  be  married.  This  young  man  was  killed.  Elizabeth  passed 
the  later  years  of  her  life  at  Bernardsville,  N.  J.,  in  the  home  of 
her  niece,  Mrs.  Dr.  Boyland,  and  as  "Aunt  Whitie"  was  well 
remembered  by  her  great  niece,  who  died  at  over  ninety,  a  year 
ago,  the  mother  of  Bishop  Fitzgerald  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  The  effects  saved  from  Cherry  Valley  were  burnt  in  a 
fire  at  Barnardsville,  and  Mrs.  Fitzgerald  related  that  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  Dunlop  used  to  say  that  her  greatest  regret  in  this  fire 
was  not  the  household  articles  so  much  as  the  loss  of  the  family 
coat  of  arms,  the  mark  of  their  respectable  standing.  The  arms 
of  the  Dunlops  forms  an  adornment  of  the  tablet  set  up  in  the 
Cherry  Valley  Church. 

Mrs.  Dunlop  at  the  moment  of  the  alarm  happened  to  have  in 
her  arms  the  child  of  the  negro  slave  woman.  When  they  said 
the  barn  was  on  fire  she  stepped  to  the  door  to  look  and  was  shot 
by  a  bullet  from  an  unseen  hand.  In  the  rush  that  followed  some 
unfeeling  brute  severed  the  arm  that  held  the  child  and  flung  it 
into  an  apple  tree  that  stood  long  after  nearby.  Violence  to  Mr. 
Dunlop  was  averted  for  a  moment  by  the  astonishment  of  the 
Indian  who  would  have  scalped  him  at  seeing  come  off  in  his  hand 
the  wig  which  he  wore  as  a  gentlemen  of  position;  when  a  chief 


THE  STORY  OP  CHERRY  VALLEY  91 

named  Little  Aaron  interposed  to  save  the  venerable  pastor, 
shocked  and  prostrated  already  almost  to  his  death  by  the  awful 
scenes  that  were  to  end  his  peaceful  labors.  He  and  his  unmarried 
daughter  were  prisoners,  but  were  soon  released  and  made  their 
way  with  the  wretched  train  of  some  200  others  that  were  reported 
by  Colonel  Clyde  as  rendered  destitute  by  the  calamity.  He  soon 
died,  probably  at  Schenectady,  but  where  his  ashes  repose  is  not 
known. 

His  little  grandson,  John  Wells,  was  the  only  member  of  that 
family  who  survived  that  day.  Mrs.  Willson  just  before  the 
massacre  besought  her  sister,  Mary  Wells,  to  allow  her  to  take  this 
child  with  her  back  to  Schenectady,  where  he  had  shown  great 
aptitude  in  a  few  weeks'  schooling  he  had  enjoyed  that  summer, 
and  she  left  Cherry  Valley  with  some  officers  a  day  or  so  before 
the  attack.  He  lived  to  graduate  at  Princeton  and  to  become  the 
most  eminent  lawyer  in  New  York  City.  As  a  young  man  he  co- 
operated with  Alexander  Hamilton  in  the  publication  of  the 
11  Federalist"  newspaper,  and  some  of  the  pieces  in  it  attributed 
to  the  older  hands  were  said  to  be  from  his  pen.  At  his  untimely 
death  from  yellow  fever,  in  1832,  a  bust  of  his  beautiful  head  was 
placed  in  old  Grace  Church,  with  this  inscription:  "Erected  by 
the  Bar  of  New  York  as  a  tribute  of  their  respect  for  the  memory 
of  John  Wells,  who  adorned  their  profession  by  his  integrity, 
eloquence  and  learning. " 

This  monument  is  now  one  of  the  most  beautiful  adornments 
of  St.  Paul's  Chapel  in  Broadway. 

One  of  the  most  vividly  lifelike  accounts  of  the  experiences  and 
privations  of  those  who  escaped  the  hands  of  the  Indians  at  the 
time  of  the  massacre,  as  well  as  a  most  interesting  sketch  of  the  diffi- 
culties and  hardships  of  the  immigrants  in  the  period  of  poverty 
previous  to  the  war,  is  given  from  the  life  of  one  who  survived 
them,  in  ' '  Jane  Ferguson 's  Narrative, ' '  who  in  extreme  age,  but  in 
a  most  intelligent  manner,  dictated  the  tale  of  her  people's  settle- 
ment a  few  miles  west  of  Cherry  Valley,  now  Springfield,  a  num- 
ber of  years  before  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  of  their  retreat  to 
the  neighborhood  of  Schenectady,  their  starving  life  through  the 
years  of  strife,  and  the  bitter  struggles  of  the  return.  It  is  too 


92  NEW   YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

long  to  be  quoted  here  and  would  lose  its  interest  in  an  abridge- 
ment. It  was  published  in  the  American  Historical  Magazine  of  the 
D.  A.  R. 

Immediately  upon  the  close  of  the  war  the  Cherry  Valley  peo- 
ple returned  to  rebuild  their  homes.  The  ancient  trustee 's  book  of 
the  Church  bears  on  its  first  page,  in  a  hand  writing  like  a  piece  of 
fine  engraving,  the  quaint  record  of  a  gathering  at  the  ruins  of 
their  sanctuary  among  the  graves  of  their  kindred  and  hard  by 
the  trench  where  the  victims  of  the  fatal  day  were  buried.  "We 
the  ancient  inhabitants  of  Cherry  Valley,  having  returned  from 
exile,  finding  ourselves  destitute  of  our  church  officers,  to  wit,  elders 
and  deacons :— our  legislature  having  enacted  a  law  for  the  relief 
of  those,  etc." — they  proceeded  to  appoint  a  day  for  the  rehabilita- 
tion of  their  Zion.  The  rude  and  simple  edifice  was  built,  but  it 
was  not  till  1796,  eighteen  years  after  the  cessation  of  Mr.  Dunlop  's 
labors,  that  a  pastor  could  be  secured  in  a  young  man  of  talent, 
who  with  the  pulpit  assumed  charge  of  the  Academy,  then  just 
chartered  under  the  newly  founded  Regents  of  the  University.  A 
marble  tablet  was  erected  in  the  church,  in  1904,  the  gift  of  a 
grandson  of  this  young  divine  and  teacher,  the  Right  Reverend 
Henry  C.  Potter,  Bishop  of  New  York.  It  reads  as  follows : 

The  Reverend  Eliphalet  Mott,  D.  D.  LL.  D. 

Clarum  Et  Venerabile  Nomen, 
for  sixty-one  years  President  of  Union  College, 

was  from  1796  till  1798 

Minister  of  this  Church    and  in  the  Academy  here 

began  his  career  as 

EDUCATOR. 

There  is  also  in  the  church  a  memorial  brass  to  Judge  William 
W.  Campbell,  referred  to  above  as  the  author  of  a  very  early  book 
upon  the  history  of  this  frontier,  to  which  every  writer  on  the  sub- 
ject must  ever  be  indebted,  ' '  The  Annals  of  Tryon  County,  or  the 
Border  Warfare  of  New  York."  He  is  commemorated  as  "Vir 
bonus,  Judex  Justus,  Institutionum  Amicus." 


THE  STORY  OF  CHERRY  VALLEY 


The  writer  acknowledges  the  help  derived  at  many  points  from  "The  Old  New 
York  Frontier"  by  Francis  W.  Halsey,  the  best  treatment  of  the  general  subject 
yet  written. 

NOTES. 

See  Page  76. 

\ 

Mr.  Roseboom  held  the  responsible  position  of  Cruyt  Magassijn  Meester,  or 
"Powder  Master,"  at  Albany  continuously  from  1771  to  1786,  embracing  the  entire 
period  of  the  war.  His  "Powder  Book"  records  "June  10,  1777,  100  barrels,  loaded 
by  order  of  Mr.  Philip  van  Renselaer,  25  wagons  each,  4  bar'l"  This  ammuni- 
tion was  used  in  the  campaign  against  Burgoyne.  The  "Receipt  Book"  of  his  son, 
Col.  Myndert  Roseboom,  as  one  of  the  "Commissioners,  Middle  District,  Albany," 
is  full  of  receipts  of  moneys  for  food  and  supplies  gathered  for  "the  poor,  dis- 
tressed people"  and  the  "Refugees;"  extending  from  Sept.  16,  1777  to  April  2,  1778, 
the  time  when  the  pinch  of  war  was  sternly  felt  in  the  upper  Hudson  and  Mo- 
hawk Valleys. 


See  Page  80. 

The  famous  "  Tim"  Murphy  boasted  his  record  of  forty  (40)  Indians  killed 
by  his  own  hand.  The  following  story  of  him  survives  at  Cherry  Valley.  On  a 
geological  shelf  or  terrace  in  the  hills  west  of  the  village,  there  was  a  high  level 
trail,  by  following  which  the  savages  could  pass  around  unseen,  meandering  with 
the  hills,  but  keeping  above  the  houses.  An  Indian  passing  by  on  this  track  and 
seeing  Murphy  within  hail  conferring  with  Clyde  and  Wells,  was  tempted  to  call 
out  an  insulting  challenge  and  passed  on.  The  marksman  knew  that  he  would 
return,  lay  for  him  concealed,  and  shot  him  as  he  reached  the  spot  where  he  had 
uttered  the  insult. 


See  Page  82. 

Halsey.  The  reason  assigned  by  Col.  Johnson  for  the  building  of  this  fort  was 
that  "the  fort  at  Cherry  Valley  was  too  far  distant;"  implying  the  existence  of 
such  a  stronghold  there  at  the  time  of  the  French  War.  It  would  naturally  be  a 
stockade  enclosing  the  house  and  premises  of  Wells  himself  on  the  hill,  and  doubt- 
less included  the  shelter  of  the  log  church  which  tradition  locates  on  that  hill 
near  the  Wells  house.  There  is  no  local  recollection  of  such  a  fort,  but  at  the  very 
first  there  must  have  been  a  protection  against  surprise  and  treachery  such  as  a 
fortified  house.  The  good  terms  on  which  the  people  at  Cherry  Valley  lived  with 
the  Indians  caused  all  trace  of  both  these  forts  to  disappear  very  soon.  A  body  of 
800  men  was  raised  at  Canajoharie  in  the  French  War  and  100  of  them  were  sent 
to  Cherry  Valley. 

The  need  of  a  fort  at  Oghwaga  for  the  Indians  was  the  direct  result  of  Brad- 
dock's  defeat,  which  threatened  to  carry  the  Indians  of  Pennsylvania  and  the 
Western  New  York  tribes  over  to  the  French,  since  they  seemed  to  be  more  powerful 
than  the  English.  Pontiac's  war,  in  1763-4,  and  the  resulting  disturbance  and 
famine,  broke  up  the  Mission  at  Oghwaga,  the  school  being  removed  to  the  foot  of 
Otsego  Lake,  where  it  would  be  within  easy  reach  at  Cherry  Valley. 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK 

BY  M.  J.  O'BRIEN,  NEW  YORK. 

Students  of  the  Colonial  records  will  not  have  to  travel  far 
before  they  find  justification  for  the  statement  of  Ramsay,  the 
historian  of  North  Carolina,  when  he  wrote  in  1789  that: 

"The  Colonies  which  now  form  the  United  States  may  be  con- 
sidered as  Europe  transplanted.  Ireland,  England,  Scotland, 
France,  Germany,  Holland,  Switzerland,  Sweden,  Poland  and 
Italy  furnished  the  original  stock  of  the  present  population,  and 
are  generally  supposed  to  have  contributed  to  it  in  the  order 
named.  For  the  last  seventy  or  eighty  years  no  nation  has  con- 
tributed nearly  so  much  to  the  population  of  America  as  Ireland. " 

While  it  is  generally  conceded  that  Irish  immigrants  played  an 
important  role  in  the  upbuilding  of  the  American  Republic,  there 
has  been,  somehow,  a  notable  paucity  of  recognition  of  their 
splendid  services  on  the  part  of  the  historians.  Whatever  honors 
they  received  were  given  grudgingly,  many  writers  giving  merely 
a  passing  reference  to  their  unselfish  patriotism,  and,  when  others 
covered  themselves  with  vicarious  glory,  it  pleased  the  average 
writer  of  history  to  let  the  Irishman  remain  in  partial  oblivion. 

But  the  tide  has  turned.  When  this  scholarly  body  has  tendered 
to  me  the  invitation  to  speak  on  the  subject  of  "Irishmen  in  the 
Colony  of  New  York,"  I  feel  as  though  the  men  of  my  race  have 
at  last  received  the  recognition  denied  them  by  the  early  historians. 
The  development  was  tardy,  but  is  none  the  less  appreciative. 

Although  it  does  not  appear  that  Irish  immigrants  settled  in 
the  Province  of  New  York  as  early  as  in  other  sections  of  the 
country,  yet  as  far  back  as  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century 
we  find  Irish  names  mentioned  frequently  in  the  records  of  this 
colony.  The  great  exodus  from  Ireland  during  the  Cromwellian 
period  steered  its  course  either  in  the  direction  of  New  England  or 
the  Plantations  of  the  Carolinas  and  Virginia,  rather  than  to  New 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  95 

York,  Philadelphia  was  at  that  time  the  great  port  of  entry. 
New  York  had  not  attained  the  pre-eminence  it  now  enjoys,  though 
the  Irish  exodus  has  considerably  diminished,  thanks  to  the  efforts 
of  Dr.  Douglas  Hyde  and  the  Gaelic  League. 

In  the  pages  of  early  American  history  are  many  interesting 
sidelights  relating  to  the  standing  of  Irishmen,  not  alone  in  the 
centers  of  colonial  life  and  activity  along  the  Atlantic  Coast,  but 
out  along  the  borders  of  the  forest,  in  the  wild  and  uncultivated 
tracts  of  country  where  their  implacable  enemy  was  the  ruthless 
redskin. 

Everywhere  do  we  come  across  them  in  the  early  records.  In 
the  cities,  merchants,  professional  men  and  gentlemen  of  fortune; 
in  the  open  country,  farmers,  laborers,  artisans,  Indian  traders 
and  schoolmasters,  all  engaged  in  the  same  work,  advance  agents 
in  the  march  of  civilization.  Only  a  few,  comparatively,  are  men- 
tioned in  official  records.  These  were  the  men  who,  by  their 
indomitable  pluck  and  energy,  demolished  the  barriers  of  prejudice 
and  bigotry,  and  rose  above  the  mass  prosperous  and  triumphant 
to  take  the  place  to  which  they  were  entitled  in  the  affairs  of  the 
day.  It  would  add  considerably  to  the  sum  of  human  knowledge 
if  we  could  trace  the  careers  of  these  humble  but  patriotic  citizens, 
but  we  shall  be  debarred  from  its  enjoyment  until  some  qualified 
historian  shall  arise  who  will  undertake  the  task. 

To  present  a  really  comprehensive  account  of  the  great  trans- 
atlantic migration  which  set  out  from  Ireland  during  the  Crorn- 
wellian  period  would  need  the  substance  of  many  volumes.  In 
the  space  alloted  to  me,  therefore,  I  shall  simply  skim  over  the 
surface,  and  by  the  aid  of  qualified  authorities  endeavor  to  indi- 
cate the  proportion  of  this  Irish  immigration  which  settled  in  the 
Province  of  New  York,  the  character  of  the  prominent  settlers 
written  down  in  the  early  records  and  the  localities  which  princi- 
pally profited  by  the  settlements  which  they  founded. 

The  first  mention  of  an  Irishman  in  the  colony  of  New  York  is 
that  of  a  sailor  named  Coleman,  who  was  killed  by  Indians  in  1609 
at  Sandy  Hook.  O'Callaghan  in  his  "Documentary  History  of 
New  York/'  states  that  this  place  "was  formerly  called  Coleman 's 
Point  in  commemoration  of  the  Irish  sailor. ' '  In  the  same  histori- 


96  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

cal  work  are  found  men  named  Gill,  Barrett  and  Ferris,  "settlers 
and  Indian  fighters  in  New  Netherland  in  1657,"  and,  in  1673, 
Patrick  Dowdall,  John  Fitzgerald,  Benjamin  Cooley,  Thomas  Bas- 
set, L.  Collins  and  Thomas  "Guinn"  (Quinn)  were  enrolled  in  the 
militia.  In  1674  John  Cooley  was  a  witness  on  the  trial  of  a 
Captain  Manning  in  New  York. 

In  0 'Callaghan '&  "Register  of  New  Netherland"  we  find  in  a 
list  of  physicians  in  New  York  City  in  1647  the  name  of  Dr. 
William  Hayes,  formerly  of  Barry's  Court,  Ireland.  A  Dr. 
Hughes  was  also  a  surgeon  in  New  Netherland  in  1657.  Richard 
Gibbons  and  John  Morris  are  mentioned  as  magistrates  at  Graves- 
end  in  1651  and  1653;  John  Cochrane  as  overseer  in  1663,  and 
John  Moore  in  1652. 

Captain  Christopher  Goffe  of  the  ship  Catherine  was  made 
prisoner  in  New  York  in  1690  for  speaking  seditiously  of  the  Eng- 
lish Governor. 

According  to  Broadhead,  Captain  Daniel  Patrick  was  the  first 
white  settler  in  Greenwich,  Conn.  He  had  come  from  Boston  with 
forty  men  to  assist  the  Connecticut  troops  in  the  war  with  the 
Pequot  Indians.  In  1639  he  and  one  Robert  Feake  established  a 
settlement  on  what  is  now  Greenwich,  which  was  then  a  portion  of 
the  Colony  of  New  York.  Governor  Peter  Stuyvesant  granted 
him  town  rights  in  that  year.  His  name  is  said  to  have  been 
originally  Gilpatrick,  which  is  an  Anglicized  form  of  the  old  Irish 
clan  name,  Mac  Giolla  Patrick. 

In  the  "Census  of  the  City  of  New  York  of  the  Year  1703," 
appear  such  names  as  Mooney,  Dooley,  Walsh,  Carroll,  Dauly 
(Daly?),  Corbett,  Coleman,  Curre,  Kenne,  Gillen,  Collum  (McCul- 
lum)  Morray,  Munvill,  Gurney,  Mogann  (Mcgann),  Buckley 
Jordan,  Hardin,  Waters,  a  Dr.  Defany  and  many  others  common 
to  Irish  nomenclature.  Thirty  years  after  that  date  are  found,  in 
addition  to  those  mentioned,  such  names  as  McLennon,  Lynch, 
Raftry,  Sutton,  Hanlon,  Quealie,  Ray,  Darcy,  "Dwire,"  Blake  and 
Devoe,  as  well  as  Clarkes,  Whites  and  Brownes,  whose  Christian 
names  clearly  indicate  their  Irish  origin.  These  names  were 
among  others  signed  to  a  petition  to  the  Governor,  dated  Septem- 
ber 23,  1737,  demanding  the  removal  of  the  Sheriff  of  New  York. 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  -  97 

In  the  muster  rolls  of  the  militia  of  the  City  of  New  York  in  the 
year  1737,  are  enumerated  such  Irish  names  as  Welsh,  McDowell, 
Ryan,  Baldwin,  Mooney,  Hayes,  Dorlon,  Manning  "Murfey," 
Lowry,  Magee,  Killey,  Gill,  Button,  Farley,  Sullivan,  McMullen, 
Ray,  Hanley,  O'Brien,  Cansaly  and  Morgan.  There  are  also 
Smiths  and  Browns  and  such  like  names,  some  of  whom  bore  lish 
Christian  names. 

Andrew  Meade,  a  native  of  Kerry,  settled  early  in  New  York, 
but  subsequently  removed  to  Virginia,  where  he  died  in  1745.  He 
was  the  father  of  Colonel  Richard  K.  Meade,  an  aide-de-camp  of 
Washington,  and  was  the  grandfather  of  Bishop  William  Meade  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  Virginia. 

One  would  scarcely  expect  to  find  an  Irishman  in  the  old  Dutch 
settlement  of  Beverwyck  as  early  as  the  year  1645.  The  first 
Dutchmen  were  very  jealous  of  their  profitable  trade  relations  with 
the  Indians.  They  were  a  very  exclusive  set,  who  drew  entirely 
within  themselves  when  a  stranger  ventured  within  their  gates. 
One  Irishman,  however,  seems  to  have  burrowed  his  way  into  their 
affections.  His  name  was  John  Anderson  from  Dublin,  and  it  is 
curious  to  find  that  every  mention  of  this  old  pioneer  in  the  early 
records  is  accompanied  by  the  description  of  ''the  Irishman. "  He 
is  mentioned  in  the  old  Dutch  records  as  ''Jan  Andriessen  de  lers- 
man  van  Dublingh,"  and  as  an  instance  of  his  popularity  among 
his  neighbors  he  is  affectionately  referred  to  as  "Jantie"  or 
"Jantien,"  meaning  "Johnnie"  or  "little  Johnnie/'  He  bought 
considerable  land  at  Albany  and  Catskill.  He  died  in  Albany  in 
1664. 

John  Connell  was  a  soldier  in  Albany  in  1666.  He  married  and 
bought  property  there,  and  in  1670  is  recorded  as  selling  his  house 
to  one  Stuart.  Thomas  Powell,  an  Irishman,  was  a  baker  in 
Albany  from  1656  to  1671.  Anna  Daly  married  Everardus 
Bogardus,  grandson  of  the  celebrated  Anneke  Janse  Bogardus,  on 
December  4,  1675.  James  Larkin  was  in  Governor  Dongan's 
employ  in  1687  as  "keeper  of  the  granary,"  and  in  the  same  year 
his  countryman,  William  Shaw,  was  surveyor  of  customs  in 
Albany,  and  was  later  appointed  by  Dongan  Sheriff  of  the  county. 
William  Hogan  was  in  Albany  in  1692,  where  he  is  described  as 


98  NEW    YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

"Willem  Hogen  van  Bor  in  Yrlandt  in  de  Kings  County. "  His 
name  is  on  a  list  of  jurymen  who  in  1703  tried  his  countryman, 
"  Johnnie"  Finn,  in  an  actioji  for  recovery  of  rent.  This  Finn  is 
described  in  some  of  the  old  Dutch  records  in  this  wise:  "Jan 
Fyne  (also  as  "Johannes  Fine"),  cooper,  van  Waterfort  in 
Irlandt."  Finn  was  married  in  the  Dutch  Church  at  Albany  on 
June  4,  1696. 

From  1693  to  1743  the  names  of  many  of  the  descendants  of  the 
pioneer,  William  Hogan,  appear  in  the  baptisimal  records  of  this 
church,  although  the  name  is  generally  spelled  "Hoogen," 
"Hoggen"  and  "Hoghing." 

Robert  Barrett  was  in  1699  appointed  a  night  watchman  for  the 
city,  and  in  the  following  year  Edward  Corbett  and  Robert  Barrett 
received  licenses  as  city  carters.  In  1701  Nicholas  Blake  was 
elected  a  city  constable.  Lieutenant  John  Collins  was  a  lawyer  in 
Albany  in  1703,  and  his  son,  Edward,  was  Mayor  in  1733  and 
recorder  of  the  city  in  1746.  Patrick  Martin  married  Mary  Cox 
at  Albany  on  March  15,  1707. 

In  a  list  of  freeholders  of  the  City  of  Albany  in  1720  the  names 
of  William  Hogan,  Daniel  Kelley  and  John  Collins  appear,  and 
seven  years  later  the  list  contains  the  names  of  William  Hogan, 
Jr.,  Edward  Collins,  Michael  Bassett  and  John  Hogan.  In  1755 
Philip  Mullen  was  a  fire  master  of  the  city,  and  Philip  Ryley  had 
the  important  post  of  winder  of  the  town  clock.  John  McDuffie 
was  Sheriff  of  the  county  and  Superintendent  of  State  Prisons  in 
1765.  Mrs.  Grant,  in  her  "Memoirs  of  an  American  Lady,"  men- 
tions "a  handsome,  good-natured  looking  Irishman  in  a  ragged 
Provincial  uniform,"  named  Patrick  Coonie,  who,  with  his  wife 
and  children,  settled  near  Albany  in  1763. 

The  name  of  McCarthy  is  met  with  very  frequently  in  these 
records.  Patrick,  John  and  Dennis  McCarthy  were  among  the 
earliest  of  the  family,  having  been  in  Albany  between  1736  and 
1748.  David  McCarthy,  a  native  of  Cork,  mentioned  as  very 
active  in  Albany's  Committee  of  Safety,  was  a  Revolutionary  sol- 
dier, and  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  general  of  militia.  On 
May  6,  1771,  he  married  a  granddaughter  of  Peter  Coeymans,  the 
founder  of  on  old  Dutch  family,  and  thereby  became  possessed  of 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  99 

much  land  in  the  Coeyman's  Patent.  He  is  said  to  have  been  a 
man  of  ability  and  influence  and  respected  by  the  entire  com- 
munity. He  was  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  in  1792,  and 
in  1804  became  county  judge.  His  son,  John  B.  McCarthy,  was 
State  Senator  in  1826,  and  later,  like  his  father,  county  judge. 

Other  McCarthy's  also  settled  in  Albany  County,  two  of  whom, 
daughters  of  Captain  John  McCarthy  of  New  London,  married 
into  the  celebrated  Van  Eensselaer  family.  Hugh  Mitchel  was 
one  of  the  ''Commissioners  of  Conspiracies"  formed  in  Albany 
during  the  Revolution.  Hugh  Dennison  was  a  prominent  resident 
of  Albany,  where  he  is  referred  to  as  "a  true  Irishman."  For 
many  years  he  conducted  the  only  first-class  hotel  there,  which 
became  a  place  of  meeting  for  the  liberty-loving  citizens  of  Albany. 
Washington  was  a  guest  of  his  hotel  in  1782  and  in  1783,  and  was 
there  presented  with  the  freedom  of  the  city. 

In  Pearson's  ''Genealogies  of  the  First  Settlers  of  the  Ancient 
County  of  Albany  from  1630  to  1800,"  are  mentioned  the  names 
of  numerous  Irish  settlers.  Many  of  them  were  residents  of  the 
county  long  before  the  opening  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  the 
manner  in  which  the  names  of  some  of  these  Irish  settlers  are 
given  in  this  nomenclature  is  a  curious  revelation  into  the  way 
their  original  Celtic  names  became  changed.  For  instance,  we  find 
"Swillivaun"  for  Sullivan,  Patrick  "Weith"  for  Patrick  White, 
"Meekans"  for  McCann,  "Mourisse"  for  Morrissey,  "Coneel"  for 
O'Connell,  "Reyley"  for  Reilly,  and  so  on.  In  the  mutations  of 
time,  even  these  incongruities  in  names  became  still  further 
changed,  so  that  their  descendants  of  the  present  day  cannot  be 
recognized  at  all  as  of  Irish  ancestry,  and  they  themselves  prob- 
ably think  they  are  of  English  of  Dutch  descent.  The  most  pro- 
nounced Irish  names  enumerated  in  this  book  are  Ahearn,  Byrne, 
Butler,  Burke,  Bryan,  Barrett,  Costigan,  Connell,  Collins,  Con- 
nolly, Conneway,  "Coneel,"  Conklin,  Collier,  Cassiday,  Curtin, 
Cooney,  Cunningham,  Cummings,  Courtney,  Cadogan,  Cochrane, 
Connick,  Daily,  Dempsey,  Dillon,  Downing,  "Dunnevan,"  "Dun- 
noway,"  Donovvan,  Donegoe,  Enis,  Flynn,  Fallon,  Farrell, 
Fletcher,  Fleming,  "Glispy,"  "Glaspy,"  and  Gillespie,  Gilliland, 
Griffin,  Gahigan,  Haines,  Hogan,  Heggerty,  Humphrey,  Holland, 


100  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Harrington,  Kelley,  Keating,  Kane,  Kennedy,  Lynch,  Logan, 
Murphy,  Morrow,  Morris,  Moore,  Milligan,  Mitchell,  McManus, 
McGinnis,  NcNeal,  McCleary,  McGuire,  McCoy,  McEntee,  McCann, 
McVey,  McHenry,  McGahary,  McMullen,  McKee,  McCut,  McFar- 
land,  McBride,  McCloskey,  McCarthy,  McClure,  McGinnis,  McCay, 
McDonald,  McKinney,  McCullough,  McClellan,  Maloney,  Mahoney, 
Magee,  Mooney,  Molloy,  Murray,  "Mourisse,"  Manley,  O'Brien, 
0  'Connor  and  Connor,  Norton,  Nevin,  Power,  Quinn,  Reilly,  Ryan, 
Reynolds,  "Swillivaun"  and  Sullivan,  Tracy,  Waters,  and  Welsh. 
Besides  these  were  Patrick  Clarke,  Patrick  Kellinin,  Patrick 
"Flat,"  Patrick  White  and  Patrick  Constable.  Many  of  them 
were  men  of  family. 

These  were  merchants,  farmers,  miners,  millers  and  backwoods- 
men ;  the  pioneers  who,  with  their  Dutch  neighbors,  blazed  the  trail 
of  civilization  through  that  section,  rolled  back  the  savage  red  man, 
and  who  marked  along  the  banks  of  the  Hudson  and  Mohawk 
Rivers  the  sites  of  future  towns  and  cities. 

As  early  as  1676  there  were  Irishmen  in  Ulster  County,  and  in 
a  petition  sent  by  the  inhabitants  of  Esopus  in  that  county  to  the 
Provincial  Governor  in  that  year,  praying  to  have  a  clergyman 
sent  to  them,  were  such  signatories  as  Quirk,  Shea,  Gray,  Danniell 
and  McGarton.  In  the  "Journal  of  the  Second  Esopus  War"  in 
1663,  Captain  Martin  Krieger  refers  to  an  Irishman  named 
Thomas  so  frequently  that  we  must  conclude  he  acted  a  very  prom- 
inent part  in  the  doings  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  section. 

On  the  headstones  in  an  old  churchyard  at  Kingston  are  in- 
scribed several  Irish  names  dated  as  far  back  as  1711,  one,  a 
family  named  0  'Neill,  having  been  quite  numerous  in  that  section. 

The  baptismal  and  marriage  records  of  the  old  Dutch  Church  at 
Kingston  contain  many  Irish  names,  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned Cane,  Cavenagh,  Connor,  Conway,  Carroll,  Corkren,  Car- 
rick,  Conneway,  Dailey,  Dooley,  Doyle,  Ennis,  Farrel,  Flanagan, 
Garvey,  Griffin,  Gilliland,  Hogan,  Holland,  Haaley,  Harrington, 
Haes,  Kean,  Kehill,  McGuiness,  McKennie,  McDonnell,  Moore, 
Magee,  Makoun,  McKeffie,  McCabie,  Makartie,  McKie,  McGahan, 
Macpharlin,  McFall,  McKabe,  McCarty,  Morgan,  Pouwer, 
Reilly,  Sweeney,  Welsch  and  so  on.  Some  of  these  run  back  to 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  101 

the  first  decade  of  the1  eighteenth  century.  The  Carrolls  were 
quite  numerous,  although  the  name  is  spelled,  in  most  cases, 
"Karel"  or  "Karole."  Flanagan  is  down  as  "Flanniger"  and 
' '  Flanerger ; ' '  McDonnell  as  ' '  Mektonel ; ' '  McMullen  as  ' '  Mekmol- 
len;"  McDonough  as  * '  Mekdonnog ; "  Connor  as  "Konners,"  and 
other  Irish  names  are  twisted  into  every  conceivable  shape  and 
form. 

In  a  list  of  freeholders  in  the  same  county  in  1728  are  included 
such  names  as  Moore,  McNeill,  McCullum,  Ward,  Humphrey, 
Shaw  and  a  Dr.  Golden. 

In  the  muster  rolls  of  the  Ulster  County  Militia  of  the  year  1737 
are  to  be  found  such  armed  defenders  of  the  colony  as  Ennis, 
Magennis,  McLean,  Waters,  McGregory,  Davis,  Moore,  McNeill, 
Gillespies  (spelled  "Glaspy"  and  "Glispy"),  Milligan,  Coleman, 
Shaw,  two  Patrick  Brodericks  (both  spelled  "pathriek  brood- 
rick"),  McCullum,  Hayes,  Humphrey,  Ward,  Flanigan,  Patrick 
Gillespie,  Lowry,  Crane,  McDonnell,  Blake,  Boyle,  McGowan,  Mc- 
Donnell, McCloghrey,  Sutton,  Nealy,  Cain,  Neil,  Read,  McKey, 
McDowell  and  McMichael.  There  were  several  of  the  Humphries, 
McNeills  and  Gillespies.  Last,  but  perhaps  not  least,  there  was  a 
forlorn  soldier  styled  "patherick  mac  peick,"  and  if  Patrick  had 
any  race  pride  at  all  I  shouldn't  wonder  if  he  were  not  indignant 
enough  to  refuse  to  go  out  and  do  battle  with  the  Indians  after  his 
name  had  been  so  badly  slaughtered  by  the  poor  scribe  of  a  cor- 
poral! Those  were  days,  however,  when  "a  rose  by  any  other 
name  did  smell  as  sweet." 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  remind  this  gathering  that  such  dis- 
tinguished men  as  Governor  Thomas  Dongan  and  Sir  William 
Johnson  were  natives  of  the  Emerald  Isle,  except  to  say  that  their 
careers  were  such  that  any  American  of  Irish  blood  can  point  to 
them  with  pride.  It  was  during  the  administration  of  Dongan, 
and  under  his  direction  that  the  charter  decreeing  that  no  taxes 
should  be  imposed  except  by  act  of  the  Assembly  was  adopted  by 
the  Provincial  Legislature.  This  was  a  most  radical  change  from 
the  truly  English  method  previously  in  vogue.  His  most  prom- 
inent characteristic  was  his  tolerance  toward  all  forms  of  religion. 
He  believed  that  one  religious  denomination  had  as  good  a  right 


102  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

as  another  to  the  free  enjoyment  of  its  creed  and  worship,  and  his 
whole  career  indicates  that  he  put  that  theory  into  practical  execu- 
tion. In  1687  he  promulgated  the  "Declaration  of  Indulgence," 
which  authorized  public  worship  by  any  sect,  and  abolished  all 
religious  qualifications  for  office. 

As  to  Johnson  I  will  only  say  that  he  has  been  described  by  many 
unthinking  writers  as  an  "Englishman,"  or  else  that  he  was  an 
Irishman  merely  "by  accident  of  birth."  I  maintain,  however, 
that  there  is  no  historical  justification  for  either  description. 
There  are  English  Johnsons  and  Irish  Johnsons.  The  latter  are 
of  the  purest  native  Celtic  stock,  and  even  today  there  are  families 
of  Johnsons  in  Ireland  who  are  called  "Mac  Shane"  by  their 
neighbors  almost  as  frequently  as  they  are  called  "Johnson."  By 
a  law  passed  in  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  Edward  IV.  of 
England  all  Irishmen  who  resided  within  what  was  called  the 
"Pale,"  that  is,  within  the  military  jurisdiction  of  England  as  it 
then  existed,  were  obliged  to  discard  their  old  Irish  clan  names 
and  adopt  in  their  stead  English  surnames,  under  pain  of  the 
forfeiture  of  their  possessions.  When  taking  on  their  new  names 
some  of  the  Irish  families  adopted  their  English  synonyms.  The 
Mac  Shanes  were  a  celebrated  fighting  clan  who  took  part  in  the 
wars  between  the  O'Neills  and  O'Donnells  of  Ulster  and  the  Eng- 
lish invader.  Some  of  them  are  known  to  have  settled  within  the 
Pale.  Sir  William  Johnson  was  born  in  the  County  of  Meath, 
which  was  within  this  charmed  English  circle.  In  the  Gaelic  lan- 
guage "Mac"  means  "the  son  of,"  and  "Shane"  means  "John," 
so  that  when  the  McShanes  were  forced  to  change  their  names, 
they  naturally  took  that  which  bore  in  English  the  closest  resemb- 
lance to  their  own,  namely  "Johnson." 

A  person  uninformed  of  the  unfortunate  history  of  Ireland, 
therefore,  but  more  especially  one  without  some  knowledge  of  the 
old  Gaelic  names  will  find  considerable  difficulty  in  recognizing 
the  descendants  of  some  of  the  early  Irish  emigrants  as  being  of 
Irish  blood. 

Dongan's  estates  were  divided  among  his  nephews,  John, 
Thomas  and  Walter  Dongan.  Walter's  son,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Edward  Dongan  of  the  Third  Battalion  of  New  Jersey  Volunteers 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  103 

was  killed  in  an  attack  on  the  British  forts  on  Staten  Island  in 
August,  1777.  John  C.  Dongan,  one  of  the  descendants  of  the 
Governor,  represented  Richmond  County  in  the  New  York  Assem- 
bly from  1786  to  1789.  Among  the  Irish  who  settled  early  in 
Staten  Island  were  Richard  Connor,  who  arrived  from  Ireland  in 
1760,  in  which  year  he  purchased  a  landed  estate  there.  He  is 
referred  to  in  Clute's  History  of  the  Island  as  "a  man  of  respec- 
table acquirements  and  superior  business  qualifications,  who  filled 
all  the  responsible  positions  on  the  island. ' '  His  son,  Richard,  was 
a  prominent  surveyor  and  held  various  offices  of  trust.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  First  and  Third  Provincial  Congress.  Jeremiah 
Connor  is  mentioned  as  in  Staten  Island  in  1761. 

Among  the  members  of  the  Colonial  Assembly  from  Richmond 
County  who  bore  Irish  names  were  Thomas  Morgan,  Henry  Hol- 
land, John  Dongan,  John  C.  Dongan  and  John  Dunn. 

Father  Henry  Harrison,  an  Irish  Jesuit  priest,  was  in  New  York 
in  1683,  having  been  brought  over  by  Governor  Dongan,  "to  treat 
with  the  Caughnawaga  Indians/' 

Father  Harrison  went  back  to  Ireland  in  1690,  but  returned 
seven  years  later,  this  time  to  Maryland,  where  he  died  in  1701. 
Another  Irish  missionary  who  labored  among  the  Indians  in  New 
York  about  eighty  years  later  was  Rev.  Mr.  Kenny. 

In  a  report  to  the  Lord  President,  dated  September  8,  1687,  Gov- 
ernor Dongan  recommends  "that  natives  of  Ireland  be  sent  here 
to  colonize  where  they  may  live  and  be  very  happy."  Numbers 
of  them  must  have  accepted  the  invitation,  for  we  find  many  Irish- 
men mentioned  in  the  public  documents  of  the  Province  during  the 
succeeding  years. 

In  another  of  his  reports  to  the  "Committee  of  Trade  of  the 
Province  of  New  York,"  dated  February  22,  1687,  he  states  that 
very  few  English,  Scotch  or  Irish  families  had  come  over  to  the 
Province  during  the  preceding  seven  years,  but  that  "on  the  con- 
trary, on  Long  Island  they  increase  so  fast  that  they  complain  for 
want  of  land,  and  many  remove  from  thence  into  the  neighboring 
Province. "  As  to  the  Irish  on  Long  Island,  the  official  lists  of  the 
inhabitants  would  indicate  that  there  were  large  numbers  of  them. 
In  the  rate  lists  of  the  year  1675  of  Long  Island  townships  appear 


104  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

such  names  as  Kelly,  Dalton,  Whelan,  Hand,  Hare,  Fithian,  Con- 
don, Barry  and  Shaw,  in  Easthampton ;  in  Huntington,  Powers, 
Bryan,  Goulden,  Quinn,  Canye,  Kane  and  White;  in  Southold, 
Moore,  Conklin,  Lyman,  Coleman,  Martin,  Lee^ White,  Bradley,  Grif- 
fin, Terrell,  Giles,  Moore,  Veale  and  Clarke;  in  Flushing,  Harring- 
ton, Ford,  Griffin,  Ward,  Daniell,  Clery,  Patrick,  Holdren  and  Hoi- 
drone.  Edward  Hart  was  Town  Clerk  of  Flushing  in  1638.  In 
Brookhaven,  Ward,  Clarke,  Norton,  Davis,  Sweeney,  Murphy, 
Lane  and  Rogers ;  in  Gravesend,  Boyce  and  Goulding ;  in  Jamaica, 
Creed,  Ford  and  Freeman;  in  Hempstead,  Sutton,  Ireland,  Dan- 
iell, Lee  and  Reilly;  in  Oyster  Bay,  McCorkel,  Collins,  Butler, 
Davis  and  Kirby;  in  Southampton,  Kelly,  Kennedy,  Mitchel, 
Hughes,  Cochrane,  McCowan,  Butler,  Barrett,  Moore,  Hand,  Shaw, 
Clarke,  Norris  and  Jennings.  There  were  several  families  of  the 
same  name  scattered  over  the  island.  Many  other  landowners 
bearing  non-Irish  surnames,  but  Irish  Christian  names,  such  as 
Brighid  Clement,  Brighid  Roberts,  Bridget  Scudder,  Patrick  Mott, 
and  the  like,  I  do  not  include.  The  names  of  these  doubtless  were 
changed  before  they  left  Ireland,  under  the  operation  of  the  Eng- 
lish law  already  referred  to. 

William  Welsh,  one  of  the  counsellors  of  William  Penn,  negoti- 
ated a  treaty  in  1683  with  the  Indians  of  Northwestern  New  York. 
He  represented  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  in  negotiations  with 
Governor  Dongan  in  1684  relative  to  a  quarrel  with  Lord  Balti- 
more. Nicholas  Cullen  signed  a  complaint  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  City  of  New  York  to  the  English  King  on  June  11,  1687.  In  a 
letter  from  Lieutenant- Governor  Leisler  of  New  York  on  March  4, 
1689,  to  the  Governor  of  Maryland  he  refers  to  "the  insolent  but 
courageous  conduct  of  the  Papists,"  and  how  he  had  "suspected 
and  apprehended  two  Irish  rebellious  traitors,  placed  them  on  a 
bark  and  sent  them  to  Maryland."  In  a  report  to  the  same 
Leisler  from  Captain  John  Coode,  dated  April  4,  1690,  he  speaks 
of  certain  prisoners  "lately  in  custody  upon  suspicion  of  being 
Irishmen  and  papists."  Two  of  the  prisoners,  namely  Healy  and 
Walsh,  who  made  their  escape  to  Pennsylvania,  seem  to  have  been 
particularly  obnoxious  to  the  virtuous  Captain  Coode.  These  let- 
ters, in  themselves,  prove  that  many  Irishmen  were  residents  of 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  105 

b 

the  Colony  of  New  York  at  that  time,  but  of  the  names  of  many 
of  them  and  the  places  where  they  settled  I  am  yet  unable  to  find 
any  reliable  record. 

In  Munsell's  "American  Ancestry,"  James  Murphy,  who  was 
born  in  Dublin,  is  referred  to  as  a  settler  in  Columbia  County  in 
1694.  He  was  the  owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land  and  is  said  to 
have  had  numerous  descendants.  One  of  them,  John  Murphy,  who 
was  born  in  1767,  served  in  the  war  of  1812.  Tunis  Cochran,  who 
was  also  born  in  Ireland,  was  a  later  settler  in  the  same  county. 
He  fought  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  his  son,  Tunis,  upheld 
the  fighting  record  of  the  family  by  serving  in  the  War  of  1812. 
John  Scott  came  from  Ireland  in  1739  and  settled  in  Spencertown, 
Columbia  County.  He  married  Mary  Hughes,  an  Irishwoman. 

Other  early  Irish  settlers  in  Columbia  County  were  Daniel 
Downing,  in  1749,  who  commanded  a  company  of  New  York  militia 
in  the  Revolutionary  War;  William  Collins,  in  1767;  Samuel  Mc- 
Clellan  and  Samuel  Higgins,  in  1783,  and  Joseph  Daley  in  1790. 
James  White,  who  was  born  in  County  Down,  settled  in  Chatham 
in  1765.  He  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Revolutionary  Army, 
and  served  under  Washington.  He  was  the  son  of  James  White, 
who  was  for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Irish  Parliament. 

In  a  petition  to  the  Governor  of  New  York  of  the  residents  of 
Columbia  County,  dated  January  7,  1695,  praying  for  an  investi- 
gation into  Robert  Livingston's  title  to  certain  tracts  of  land  in 
that  county,  I  find  such  names  as  Connor,  Kilmore,  McLean,  Crian, 
McDermott,  Davis,  Whalen,  Kilmer,  Dennis,  McArthur, 
"Cannay,"  Allan,  Drum  and  Murphy  Mclntyre. 

Among  the  employees  of  the  same  Robert  Livingston,  at  the 
Ancram  Iron  Works,  were  McCoy,  McArthur,  Furlong,  Elliott, 
Angus,  McDuffey  and  Timothy  O'Connor. 

In  a  map  of  Columbia  County,  compiled  from  actual  surveys  by 
John  Wigram  in  January,  1798,  I  find  among  the  property  owners, 
Collins,  Gill,  Lynch,  Roddy,  Patrick,  McCarthy,  Moore,  Kilmore, 
McFall,  Morrison,  Meghley,  McDermott,  Lane,  McArthur,  Mcln- 
tyre, Irvine,  Carroll,  Brian,  Me  Clean  and  Brofey.  In  order  to 
have  acquired  property  I  have  no  doubt  many,  if  not  all,  of 
these  were  there  many  years.  In  an  old  churchyard  at  Kinder- 


106  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

e  % 

hook  may  be  seen  such  names  as  O'Dowd  and  0 'Brady,  dated  1740 
and  1749  respectively.  Other  early  settlers  in  Columbia  County 
were  Powers,  Blakes  and  Buckleys. 

Newtown,  L.  I.,  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  very  oldest  towns  in  the 
Province  of  New  York,  its  history  antedating  even  that  of  New 
Amsterdam.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  popular  place  with  Irish 
settlers  in  the  early  days.  In  1664  John  Cochran  was  a  constable 
and  freeholder  of  the  Town  of  Newtown.  About  the  same  period 
there  were  several  Moores,  and  families  named  Hart  and  Jennings 
in  Newtown.  The  nationality  of  these  is  not  given,  but  the  names 
are  so  common  in  Ireland  that  it  is  probable  they  were  of  that 
nation. 

Hugh  0  'Neil  was  a  prominent  resident  of  Newtown  in  1665,  and 
in  that  year  he  married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Adrian  Van  der  Donck 
of  Flushing,  who  is  described  in  the  li History  of  Newtown"  as  a 
distinguished  Doctor  of  Laws.  Van  der  Donck  was  one  of  the 
early  Dutch  settlers  of  that  town,  and  was  the  first  to  obtain  a 
patent  for  the  Rappelye  estate  at  Astoria.  The  Rappelyes  were 
related  by  marriage  to  the  celebrated  Riker  family,  and  today  the 
old  Rappeleye  Cemetery  at  Astoria  is  one  of  the  most  interesting 
spots  to  students  of  old  New  York.  There  one  can  decipher  on  the 
old  tombstones  the  names  of  many  of  the  Rikers  and  the  Rappelyes 
and  of  others  who  married  into  these  pioneer  families  long  before 
the  Revolution. 

It  is  remarkable  to  read  the  number  of  Irishmen  who  married 
into  the  Riker  family.  Captain  George  Collins  married  Elizabeth 
Riker  in  1742.  Michael  Hines  married  Gertrude  Riker,  and  a 
Captain  John  0 'Brian  married  Jane  Riker,  one  of  whose  daugh- 
ters later  became  the  wife  of  the  distinguished  American  artist, 
Inman.  Thomas  Lynch,  a  Galway  man,  also  married  into  this 
family,  and  the  widow  of  Lynch  afterwards  became  the  wife  of 
Anthony  Duane,  also  a  Galway  man,  who  was  a  leading  mer- 
chant of  New  York,  and  the  father  of  James  Duane,  distinguished 
as  a  member  of  the  first  Continental  Congress  and  the  first  Mayor 
of  New  York  in  the  infant  days  of  the  American  Republic. 

In  later  years  another  lady  of  the  Riker  family  was  married  to 
Dr.  William  James  MacNevin,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  United 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  107 

Irishmen,  who  is  known  as  the  "Father  of  American  Chemistry." 
MacNevin  was  buried  in  the  old  cemetery  at  Astoria. 

Several  families  of  McDonoughs  were  in  Newtown  before  1750, 
and  some  of  them  are  mentioned  as  occupying  leading  positions  in 
the  affairs  of  that  then  populous  settlement.  Terrence  Reilly,  a 
New  York  merchant,  lived  in  Newtown  in  1755.  There  also  settled 
McConnells,  Shannons,  Devines  and  Haires.  John  Kearns  taught 
school  at  Newtown,  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  after  the 
war  one  Thomas  McFarran  purchased  an  estate  there  of  an  Eng- 
lish officer  named  Grant,  whose  property  became  forfeited.  Daniel 
Bodle,  a  native  of  Armagh,  was  in  Newtown  in  1740,  but  in  1742 
he  settled  at  Little  Britain  in  Orange  County,  where  he  became  a 
civil  magistrate.  He  married  a  cousin  of  Governor  Clinton,  by 
whom  he  had  a  large  family.  He  was  one  of  the  most  widely 
known  and  respected  men  in  that  section  of  the  country  and  served 
in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  as  a  representative  from 
Ulster  and  Sullivan  counties.  He  lived  to  a  sublime  old  age. 

William  Kelly  of  New  York  was  owner  of  a  packet  vessel  plying 
between  New  York  and  the  Island  of  Barbadoes  in  1750.  It  was 
to  this  island  that  Cromwell  exiled  thousands  of  the  Irish  race  in 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  from  where  many  of 
their  descendants  afterward  came  to  the  American  colonies.  A 
Captain  Edward  Kelly,  commander  of  a  whaling  vessel,  was  also 
in  New  York  at  this  time.  His  family  is  mentioned  in  the  "His- 
tory of  Newtown"  as  residents  of  that  town.  Another  of  the  Kelly 
clan  was  a  lawyer  in  New  York  in  1755.  Daniel  O'Brien  is  men- 
tioned in  the  "New  York  Gazette  Review"  as  owner  of  a  ferry 
plying  between  New  York  and  Amboy,  thence  by  stage  coach  to 
Philadelphia,  in  the  year  1750. 

William  O'Dell  was  one  of  the  first  settlers  in  Rye,  Westchester 
County.  He  located  there  in  1662,  and  became  a  large  land 
holder.  William  Collins  was  excise  collector  of  Westchester 
County  in  1680,  and  Bridget  Ferguson  was  in  that  county  in  1696. 

In  "Baird's  History  of  Rye"  Gabriel  Lynch  is  mentioned  as  a 
settler  in  1688.  He  came  from  England,  which  fact  prompted 
another  historical  writer  to  designate  him  an  "Englishman." 
Another  Gabriel  Lynch  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  of  Highways 


108  NEW    YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

in  Rye  in  1765.  Captain  John  Lynch  was  one  of  the  petitioners 
for  a  patent  for  the  White  Plains  Purchase  in  1721.  John  Lynch 
was  a  land  owner  in  White  Plains  in  1737.  All  of  these  Lynches 
are  said  to  be  separate  families,  who  settled  early  in  New  York. 

In  "Bolton's  History  of  Westchester  County"  several  members 
of  the  Hayes  family,  settlers  in  Rye  in  1721,  are  mentioned.  They 
were  mine  owners  and  also  owned  a  large  tract  of  land.  Other 
Irish  settlers  in  Rye,  who  are  mentioned  at  various  times  between 
the  years  1710  and  1799,  were  Kennedys,  McCullums,  Nealys, 
Moores,  Sextons,  Suttons,  Hares,  Caseys  and  Fitzgeralds.  Cap- 
tain John  Flood  of  Rye  was  "voted  twenty  dollars  by  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  in  1776  as  a  reward  for  his  spirited  conduct  in 
apprehending  William  Lounsberry,  a  notorious  enemy  of 
America. ' ' 

In  Eastchester  half  a  century  before  the  Revolution  were  fami- 
lies styled  "Gee"  (McGee),  "fitz  giarral"  (Fitzgerald),  Ward  and 
Curry. 

In  the  records  of  the  neighboring  towns  of  Westchester  County 
we  meet  with  the  names  of  several  settlers  of  the  same  names. 
They  were  merchants,  farmers  and  Indian  traders.  Among  the 
residents  of  New  Rochelle  in  1710  were  nine  Barretts,  seven 
"Moryces,"  five  "Murros"  and  two  Mannions.  These  "Moryces" 
were,  no  doubt,  originally  Morrisseys,  and  it  is  entirely  within  the 
bounds  of  probability  to  say  that  the  "Murros"  of  New  Rochelle 
were  descended  from  the  MacMurroughs  of  Leinster.  We  do 
know  from  Irish  history  that  the  "Murro"  and  "Morrow"  fami- 
lies in  Ireland  are  descended  from  the  MacMurroughs. 

In  Orange  County  records  of  the  earliest  pioneer  days  in  that 
county  mention  is  made  of  Irish  settlers.  Lossing  says  "the  City 
of  Newburgh  was  first  settled  in  1709  by  English,  Irish,  New  Eng- 
land and  Huguenot  families."  John  Connor,  who  was  born  in 
County  Westmeath,  in  1741,  settled  in  Orange  County  in  1767. 
He  married  one  Hannah  Dunn.  He  served  as  a  private  in  a  New 
York  regiment  in  the  Revolutionary  War.  One  of  his  descend- 
ants, Dr.  Leartus  Connor,  of  Detriot,  was  one  of  the  leading  medi- 
cal men  of  America.  A  family  of  Fitzgeralds  were  prominent 
land  owners  in  Orange  County  in  1750.  In  1729  Charles  Clinton, 


IRISH   COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  109 

father  of  a  distinguished  family  of  Revolutionary  soldiers  and 
statesmen,  left  County  Longford  and  settled  the  Town  of  New 
Windsor,  Orange  County,  with  two  hundred  of  his  fellow  country- 
men. He  married  an  Irishwoman.  Their  daughter  married  Colo- 
nel James  McClaughrey,  a  brave  Irish  officer  of  the  Revolution.  It 
was  the  Clinton  family  that  gave  New  York  its  first  Republican 
Governor.  They  were  originally  of  English  descent,  who  fled  into 
Ireland  during  the  regime  of  Cromwell.  In  Ireland  they  became 
"as  Irish  as  the  Irish  themselves."  In  a  map  of  that  section  of 
the  State  along  the  Delaware  and  and  Susquehanna  rivers,  filed  in 
the  Surveyor-General's  office  in  1690,  I  find  the  following  property 
owners  in  the  year  1683:  Butler,  McNeil,  Croghan,  McKee,  Lou- 
don,  Byrne,  Alloon,  Clarke,  White,  McFarlan,  Kennedy,  Guerin 
and  Crean.  There  were  several  families  bearing  the  same  name. 
In  1720  there  were,  in  addition  to  these,  land  owners  named 
Hogan,  Kelly,  Collins,  Lewis,  Holland  and  Feeley. 

Among  the  earliest,  some  of  them  the  first,  settlers  in  Yates 
County,  were  Hugh  Walsh,  John  Collins,  Daniel  Neven,  John 
McAuley,  William  McDowell,  William  Wall,  John  Malley,  Andrew 
Fleming,  George  McMurphy,  Samuel  McFarren,  John  O'Brien, 
John  Reynolds  and  Farleys,  Fintons,  Gleasons,  Gilmores  and  Mc- 
Masters. 

In  the  neighboring  county,  Oswego,  Irishmen  are  also  found 
about  the  time  of  the  Franco-English  war.  They  were  not  alone 
among  the  setlers  who  followed  the  peaceful  pursuits  of  tilling  and 
building,  but  they  were  "the  men  behind  the  guns"  who  held  the 
marauding  Indian  in  check,  and  who,  although  fighting  under  the 
English  flag,  repelled  the  advances  of  the  French  through  that 
territory.  It  does  not  follow  from  this  that  all  of.  those  soldiers 
bearing  Irish  names  came  over  with  the  English  regiments.  Some 
of  them  seem  to  have  been  laborers  and  backwoodsmen,  but  who 
"for  love  of  a  fight,"  joined  the  forces  of  Sir  William  Johnson 
which  had  been  operating  against  the  French  in  that  territory. 

In  the  ' '  Manuscripts  of  Sir  William  Johnson ' '  is  found  an  inter- 
esting item  indicating  that  large  numbers  of  Irishmen  were  active 
participants  in  the  fighting  along  the  Northwestern  frontier  of 
New  York  in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  In  a  report 


110  NEW  YORK  STATE;  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

dated  May  28,  1756,  from  the  commander  of  an  English  regiment, 
he  says  that  "a  great  number  of  Irish  papists  and  transports  who 
were  enlisted  from  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  deserted  at  Os- 
wego  and  other  garrisons,  sheltered  themselves  among  the  Indians 
of  the  Six  Nations,  who  passed  them  through  their  country  on 
their  way  back  to  the  provinces,  whence  they  enlisted,  and  where 
they  have  acquaintances  and  confederates."  That  "there  are 
great  numbers  of  these  Irish  papists  among  the  Delaware  and 
Susquehanna  Indians  who  have  done  a  world  of  prejudice  to  Eng- 
lish interests."  Doubtless  these  Irishmen  had  been  forcibly 
impressed  into  the  English  service,  which  they  had  every  reason 
to  despise,  and  grasped  the  opportunity  of  their  close  contiguity 
to  the  French  and  friendly  Indians  to  make  their  escape  in  large 
bodies.  This  circumstance  seems  to  have  caused  general  alarm 
among  the  English  officials,  who,  doubtless,  depended  much  on 
these  impressed  Irish  soldiers  to  fight  their  battles,  as  England  has 
on  many  occasions  since  in  her  campaigns  of  aggression  and 
conquest. 

The  contests  between  the  French  and  English  at  this  time  along 
the  Canadian  border  were  of  the  fiercest  character.  Both  em- 
ployed friendly  Indian  tribes,  but  the  commanders  on  neither  side 
could  restrain  the  savages  from  ravaging  the  settlements  of  the 
white  man.  In  these  raids  the  peaceful  settler  suffered  many 
hardships,  and  from  the  New  York  papers  of  the  day  we  glean 
some  idea  of  the  strife  of  the  contending  parties.  The  "New 
York  Mercury"  on  June  14,  1756,  gave  an  account  of  an  Indian 
attack  on  settlements  near  Oswego,  and  among  a  number  of  arti- 
sans and  farmers  killed  at  that  place  were  James  Flanagan, 
Michael  Murray,  John  Mitchell,  John  Jordan  and  James  Grant, 
and  among  those  who  were  made  prisoners  were  William  Drewry, 
Thomas  Gleddon,  James  Dawson,  Thomas  Hogan,  James  Cav- 
enagh,  Samuel  Miles  and  William  Mullett. 

Colonel  James  Barrett,  who  commanded  the  patriots  at  Concord, 
was  captain  of  Provincials  at  Oswego. 

Another  interesting  item  pertaining  to  American  history  of  this 
period  is  one  contained  in  the  "Journals  of  the  Marquis  of  Mont- 
calm,"  commander  of  the  French  troops,  relating  to  the  Irish 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  111 

Brigade  in  the  service  of  France.  In  August,  1756,  the  French 
laid  siege  to  Chouaguen,  on  Lake  Ontario,  opposite  Oswego.  After 
a  fierce  engagement  the  English  surrendered  with  all  their  arma- 
ments and  vessels  of  war,  and  among  the  prisoners  were  "two 
English  regiments  which  were  at  the  Battle  of  Fontenoy."  It  so 
happened  that  the  regiment  which  compelled  their  surrender  was 
one  of  those  which  comprised  the  Irish  Brigade  which  administered 
such  telling  defeat  to  the  "bloody  Duke  of  Cumberland"  on  that 
historic  battlefield.  In  the  Canadian  campaign  it  was  commanded 
by  a  Colonel  Beam  ( Byrne ?),  and,  whether  or  not  the  same  identi- 
cal men  made  up  its  muster  roll  when  at  Oswego  as  had  been  at 
Fontenoy  eleven  years  before,  the  capture  of  the  two  English 
regiments  must  indeed  have  been  a  source  of  grim  satisfaction  to 
those  Franco-Irish  soldiers.  Beam's  regiment  receives  special 
mention  in  the  "Journals  of  Montealm"  for  its  bravery  in  this 
engagement.  "The  leaders  in  the  attack  on  the  fort,"  to  quote 
the  words  of  a  deserter  from  one  of  the  English  regiments,  "were 
the  French  soldiers,  who  were  clothed  in  red,  faced  in  green,  which, 
I  imagine,  belonged  to  the  Irish  Brigade."  This  description  coin- 
cides exactly  with  the  uniform  worn  by  the  Irish  Brigade  in  the 
service  of  France  at  that  time. 

In  the  French-English  War  Irish  soldiers  fought  on  both  sides. 
They  were  at  Lake  George  in  1757  under  Sir  William  Johnson, 
and  in  the  ranks  of  Montcalm 's  army  there  were  many  exiles  of 
Erin  scattered  through  the  different  regiments,  besides  the  distinct 
corps  commanded  by  Colonel  Beam. 

Lossing  relates  that  in  the  attack  on  the  garrison  at  Long  Point, 
on  Lake  George,  by  General  Montcalm  on  March  16th,  1757,  "the 
garrison  made  a  vigorous  defense.  The  garrison  and  fort  were 
saved  by  the  vigilance  of  Lieutenant  (afterwards  General)  Stark, 
who,  in  the  absence  of  Rogers,  had  command  of  the  Rangers,  a 
large  portion  of  which  were  Irishmen.  On  the  evening  of  the 
16th  he  overheard  some  of  them  planning  a  celebration  for  St. 
Patrick's  Day."  He  goes  on  to  say  that  the  Irish  in  the  regular 
regiments  usually  became  hilarious  on  the  occasion  of  such  cele- 
brations, and  Montcalm,  anticipating  that  they  would  be  liors  de 
combat,  planned  his  attack  on  the  night  preceding  St.  Patrick's 


112  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Day,  but  that  "Stark,  with  his  sober  Eangers,  gallantly  defended 
and  saved  the  fort." 

Most  assuredly  the  Irish  must  have  been  in  great  force  in  the 
army  to  warrant  an  assertion  such  as  this  on  the  part  of  this  noted 
American  historian.  Among  the  officers  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Lake  George  were  Captains  Maginn,  Farrell,  and  McGinnis.  To 
the  last  named,  who  commanded  the  New  Hampshire  militia,  is 
given  the  credit  of  turning  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  ' '  At  the  head 
of  200  men  he  fell  on  the  French  and  completely  routed  them. ' ' 

Roger's  Rock,  on  Lake  George,  was  the  scene  of  more  than  one 
stubborn  fight  with  the  Indians  in  the  campaign  of  1755.  Major 
Rogers,  from  whom  it  took  its  name,  is  described  by  Lossing  as 
''the  son  of  an  Irishman,"  who  was  an  early  settler  in  New  Hamp- 
shire. 

John  Savage,  who  was  born  in  Derry  in  1707,  settled  in  Salem, 
Washington  County.  He  was  captain  of  a  company  of  volunteers 
in  the  French  War.  One  of  his  descendants,  Edward  Savage,  of 
Salem,  was  a  member  of  the  New  York  Legislature  for  21  years, 
and  his  grandson,  John  Savage,  of  Utica,  was  Comptroller  of  the 
State  from  1821  to  1823,  and  from  the  latter  year  to  1836  was 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  York.  Other  settlers 
in  Washington  County  were  Harringtons,  Powers,  Griffiths  and 
Nortons,  who  located  at  Granville;  in  White  Creek,  Kennedys 
Lyons,  Savages  and  Grays,  and  in  the  neighboring  settlement  of 
Dorset  (now  Vermont)  we  find  Manly,  Powell,  Ward,  Gill,  Brad- 
ley and  Clarke.  All  of  these  were  farmers.  In  the  same  neighbor- 
hood lived  Robert  Cochran,  one  of  the  "rioters"  with  Ethan  Allen 
in  1771.  David  Mooney  received  a  grant  of  2,000  acres  of  land  in 
Washington  County  in  1765.  It  was  known  as  the  Mooney  Patent. 

lu  the  collections  of  the  New  York  Genealogical  and  Biographical 
Society  covering  marriages  solemnized  in  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  of  New  York  between  the  years  1639  and  1801,  are  records 
of  marriages  of  numerous  Irishmen  and  Irishwomen.  The  earliest 
seems  to  be  the  marriage  of  William  Moore  and  Margaret  Feen  on 
October  8,  1685.  George  Walker,  described  as  "from  lerlant," 
was  married  to  a  Miss  Van  Hoeck  on  September  23,  1692,  and  Miss 
Aeltje  Jans  took  the  more  euphonious  name  of  Flynn  on 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  113 

July  7,  1693.  Catherine  Stridles  demonstrated  her  aesthetic 
taste  when,  on  April  18,  1701,  she  married  Willem  Doulen, 
who  is  described  as  "from  Jerlandt."  There  are  many  curious 
entries  such  as  this:  "Denys  Costula,  j.  m.  v.  lerlandt,  met  Elisa- 
beth Rendal,  Wed.  v.  Barney  Hamilton,  v.  Jerlandt,  byde  woonende 
alhier,  December  1,  1730."  Translating  this  it  says  that  "Dennis 
Costello,  who  was  born  in  Ireland,  married  Elizabeth  Rendal,  who 
was  the  widow  of  Barney  Hamilton,  born  in  Ireland,  both  residing 
here,"  and  in  reading  it  we  wonder  how  Denny  Costello 's  friends 
in  Ireland  could  ever  have  recognized  him  by  that  twist  in  his 
name !  Another  example  of  a  Dutch  description  of  an  Irish  mar- 
riage is  this:  "John  0 'Bryan,  j.  m.,  en  Margary  Flingh,  j.  d.  byde 
geboren  in  Jerlandt,  en  nu  wonende  in  Newyork. ' '  This  interesting 
incident  took  place  on  June  7,  1761. 

Between  1685  and  1700  there  are  hundreds  of  persons  bearing 
Irish  names  recorded,  and  in  many  cases  they  are  referred  to  as 
immigrants  from  Ireland.  In  a  few  cases,  their  particular  place  of 
birth,  such  as  "Dubblin"  and  "Kork,"  are  mentioned.  Such 
names  as  O'Brien,  O'Neill,  Sullivan,  McCarthy,  McGinnis,  Murphy, 
Flynn  and  Lynch,  and  others  that  are  as  distinctively  Irish  are 
mentioned  frequently. 

On  the  other  hand,  a  great  many  names  are  spelled  phonetically, 
which  gives  them  an  odd  appearance  at  first  glance,  but  which 
does  not  entirely  rob  them  of  their  origin.  The  full  list  would  make 
most  interesting  reading,  and  is  one  of  the  best  illustrations  that 
could  be  produced  of  the  varying  methods  that  were  used  in 
changing  the  original  names  of  the  early  Irish  settlers. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten,  however,  that  this  list  is  that  of  only 
one  church,  and  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  similar  examples  appear 
on  the  records  of  other  old  New  York  churches. 

The  majority  of  the  Irishmen  and  Irish  women  who  were  mar- 
ried in  this  church  bore  the  most  distinctively  Celtic  names.  Now,, 
many  of  these  people,  particularly  those  who  came  here  in  the 
earliest  years,  could  not  express  themselves  in  the  English  language. 
The  language  best  known  to  them  was  their  own,  so  that  it  is  not 
strange  to  run  across  such  a  name,  for  instance,  as  "Kallye,"  in 
the  early  records,  and  it  requires  but  little  introspection  into  old 


114  NEW    YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Gaelic  nomenclature  at  once  a  conclude  that  the  person  so  recorded 
was  properly  named  O'Ceallaigh,  or,  in  its  modern  form,  0 'Kelly 
or  Kelly.  "Okeley"  was  also  one  of  the  peculiarities  which  this 
name  took,  and  there  is  not  much  doubt  but  that,  on  account  of  its 
singular  appearance,  it  came  to  be  pronounced  as  if  it  were  * '  Oak 
ley. ' '  The  names  were  written  down  phonetically,  the  consequence 
being  that  the  ministers  and  their  clerks,  and  other  persons  who 
kept  such  records,  produced,  in  many  cases,  the  most  ludicrous  and 
meaningless  orthographical  results. 

It  all  depended  on  how  the  people  themselves  pronounced  their 
names.  The  Irish  language  sounded  strangely  in  the  ears  of  the 
Dutchman,  and,  as  some  of  the  0 'Kelly's  and  Kellys  pronounced 
the  name  correctly,  that  is  to  say,  as  if  it  were  spelled  "Kallye," 
while  others  pronounced  it  in  the  modern  method,  they  naturally 
wrote  it  down  on  the  records  either  as  "Kallye"  or  "Okeley!" 

There  were  many  instances  like  this  to  be  found|.  The  name  of 
Brady  is  written  down  in  the  Dutch  records  in  severel  different 
ways,  as  for  example,  "Jeams  Braddys,"  who  married  Hannah 
Manning  in  New  York  on  July  28,  1659,  and  Effie  "Bready,"  who 
was  united  to  "Patrick  Queen,"  (Quinn),  from  Ireland,  on  March 
19,  1770. 

Martin  "Coin"  and  Hannah  "Boyl"  were  married  on  January 
6,  1757.  Such  variations  as  "Boil"  for  Boyle,  and  "Coil"  for 
Coyle  are  also  found. 

The  name  of  Byrne  is  written  "Burrin,"  as  for  instance,  the 
marriage,  on  October  5,  1770,  of  David  Narel,  described  as  an  Irish- 
man, to  Elizabeth  "Burrins,"  who  came  from  Barbadoes. 

The  name  of  Ryan  was  the  target  for  many  peculiar  changes.  John 
F/ '  Rein ' '  is  recorded  as  having  been  married  on  April  13, 1776,  but, 
if  it  would  possibly  be  incorrect  to  say  that  he  sprung  from  the 
old  race  of  the  O'Ryans,  there  can  hardly  be  any  doubt  about  the 
nationality  of  Richard  "Rian,"  who  married  Rebecca  Ervin  on 
July  3,  1783,  or  of  Elizabeth  "Ryen,"  who  changed  her  name  to 
the  less  euphonious  one  of  Ryd  on  November  13,  1760.  Nor  can 
there  be  any  mistake  about  Hannah  "Ryn,"  who  was  married  to 
William  Hayes  on  February  3,  1772,  for  the  good  reason  that  they 
are  both  recorded  as  natives  of  Ireland.  And  as  if  to  round  out 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  115 

this  series  of  changes  I  find  in  "New  York  in  the  Revolution"  the 
name  of  John  "Ryne,"  who  was  a  lieutenant  in  the  Fourteenth 
Regiment  of  New  York  Militia. 

Besides  the  common  forms  of  Carty  and  Carthy,  some  of  the  Mc- 
Carthy family  are  recorded  at  "Cartee"  and  "Charty,"  and  we 
even  find  such  o  monstrosity  as  "Magkarthy"  taking  the  place  of 
this  old  historic  name ! 

He^re  is  a  sample  of  many  entries  which  appear  in  these 
old  records:  "Lyn  von  ons  in  den  Huwelyken  Staat  be- 
vestigt,  Patrick  Fox  en  Magdalena  Sheredewyn  beide  van 
Nieuw  York. ' '  Translating  this,  it  reads :  ' '  Invested  by  us  in  the 
holy  state  of  matrimony  Patrick  Fox  and  Magdalena  Sheredewyn, 
both  of  New  York."  It  doesn't  need  much  of  a  stretch  of  the  im- 
agination to  conclude  that  the  lady 's  name  was  Sheridan. 

The  name  of  Daly  is  also  one  which  had  to  stand  the  brunt  of 
many  changes.  "Margrite  Dally,"  from  Ireland,  married  "Pat- 
rik  Follon, ' '  also  described  as  from  Ireland,  on  December  22,  1774. 
In  other  entries  the  name  is  given  as  "Dayly,"  "Daeley"  and 
' '  Dailee. ' '  Somt  of  the  Carrolls  are  recorded  as  ' '  Carol, "  "  Carrell 
and  Carel.  There  are  two  revolutionary  soldiers,  who  sprung,  no 
doubt,  from  the  O'Learys,  down  as  "Laere"  and  "Lary."  The 
former  was  in  the  Third  Battallion  of  the  Tryon  County  Militia, 
and  the  later  in  Brinckerhoff 's  regiment  of  State  troops. 

Other  methods  by  which  the  old  Irish  names  became  disguised 
were:  McManness  and  McMoness  for  McManus,  McMulland  for 
McMullen,  MacKnult  for  McNulty,  and  so  on,  and  while  these  can- 
not be  said  to  be  violent  departures  from  the  originals,  yet,  when 
the  prefix  was  subsequently  dropped  from  the  substituted  name,  it 
will  at  once  be  seen  what  complete  change  resulted.  Many  of  the 
McLoughlins  are  down  as  "McClocklin"  and  ' '  Maglaghlin, "  Mc- 
Gee  is  written  down  "Megee"  and  "Magey,"  McAfee  as  "Meka- 
fee,"  McGill  as  "Mekill,"  and  McNeill  as  MaKneel."  The  name 
of  0  'Neill  is  also  given  as  ' '  Okneel. 

Jeremiah  "Shansee's"  ancestors  would  hardly  recognize  him  in 
that  guise,  although,  for  other  reasons,  they  would  be  quite  proud 
of  him,  for  Jerry  was  a  brave  soldier  who  served  in  Van  Rens- 
selaer's  regiment  of  New  York  State  troops,  in  the  Revolutionary 


116  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

War.  Sergeant  Michael  "Opherl"  of  Cantine's  regiment  of  State 
troops  would  also  have  a  hard  time  proving  his  Irish  ancestry  if 
it  depended  alone  on  the  appearance  of  his  name.  There  were 
several  of  this  family  serving  in  the  New  York  Line  during  the 
War  of  the  Revolution,  although  the  names  of  the  others  were 
spelled  either  O'Ferril  or  O'Ferrell. 

The  name  of  "Moorey,"  doubtless,  was  formed  by  the  addition 
of  the  final  "y"  to  Moore,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  "y"  was 
dropped  from  Mooney,  thus  making  it  "Moone."  The  name  of 
"Murfee"  appears  very  frequently  in  the  old  Colonial  records,  as 
well  as  "Huyse"  and  "Hues,"  meant  for  Hughes;  "Kayse"  for 
Casey,  "Mak  Guire"  and  "Gwire"  for  McGuire,  "MkMihon"  for 
McMahon,  "Makre"  for  McCrea,  and  "Dwir"  for  Dwyer.  Pat- 
rick Ma  Har  was  a  soldier  who  served  in  the  ' '  Corps  of  Invalids. ' ' 
Ensign  "Solivan"  was  in  the  Second  Regiment  from  the  Schenec- 
tady  District  and  Peter  "Fitchpatrick"  served  in  Colonel  Fisher's 
regiment  of  the  New  York  State  troops.  How  simple  it  must  have 
been  for  Peter 's  descendants  to  drop  the  '  *  patrick ' '  from  the  name 
and  call  themselves  "Fitch." 

The  name  of  O'Brien  also  had  its  troubles  in  these  changeful 
days.  John  "Brine,"  a  mariner,  was  married  to  Elizabeth  Van 
Clyff  in  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  in  New  York  on  August  4, 
1696,  and  in  these  records  there  are  also  entries  about  which  one  is 
apt  to  be  suspicious,  such  as  "Bryn"  and  "Bryen,"  but  it  is  pos- 
sible these  may  have  been  of  the  Dutch  family  of  Bruyn,  which  was 
quite  common  in  New  York.  In  "New  York  in  the  Revolution" 
there  are  two  soldiers  named  "O'Briant"  recorded.  The  dropping 
of  the  historic  prefix  would  have  made  the  change  complete,  and  if 
some  of  the  "Briants, "  descendants  of  these  revolutionary  soldiers 
were  to  be  told  they  came  from  a  family  that  can  trace  its  Irish 
ancestry  in  a  direct  line  back  for  more  than  a  thousand  years  they 
would  probably  be  astonished !  There  were  many  0  'Briens  in  the 
War  of  the  Revolution  whose  names  are  spelled  in  several  different 
ways,  but  retaining  the  original  sound. 

The  Irish  residents  of  New  York,  whose  marriages  are  recorded 
in  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  were  doubtless,  in  every  case  of 
Roman  Catholic  faith,  but,  as  it  was  necessary  to  comply  with  the 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW   YORK  117 

established  law,  and  also  so  that  their  offspring  may  be  legitimate, 
they  could  be  bound  in  wedlock  only  by  a  recognized  Minister  of 
the  Gospel.  There  being  no  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  New  York 
for  many  years  during  the  period  mentioned,  the  ceremony  had  to 
be  performed  in  the  Dutch  Reformed  or  Protestant  Church.  Many 
of  them  were  refugees  from  Ireland  on  account  of  the  religious 
persecutions.  Like  the  people  of  Ireland  in  all  ages,  they  were 
devoted  to  their  religion,  and  while,  no  doubt,  they  eschewed  for  a 
while  association  with  the  established  churches,  yet,  as  time  went 
on,  they  and  their  children  were  gradually  drawn  into  religious 
intercourse  with  the  other  sects,  until  eventually  they  became  regu- 
lar communicants  of  those  churches.  The  variations  which  from 
time  to  time  were  wrought  in  their  names  brought  them  further 
and  further  away  from  what  they  had  been;  in  their  new  sur- 
roundings, both  social  and  religious,  they  themselves  changed,  so 
that  their  children,  who  in  many  cases  married  into  the  neigh- 
boring Dutch  and  French  families,  became  as  wholly  un-Irish  in 
manner  and  sentiment  as  if  they  had  sprung  from  an  entirely  dif- 
ferent race.  That  fact,  however,  does  not  admit  of  their  being  now 
included  in  the  category  ' '  Anglo-Saxon. ' ' 

I  am  not  discoursing  on  the  subject  of  religion,  nor  do  I  intend  to 
introduce  it,  but,  I  am  compelled  to  say,  that  the  fact  that  such 
great  and  diversified  alterations  were  effected  in  the  names  of  the 
early  Irish  settlers  in  the  colonies,  and  the  further  fact  that  so 
many  of  those  settlers  and  their  children  abandoned  the  ancient 
faith  with  which  the  Celtic  race  has  been  identified  for  centuries, 
brought  about  this  unfortunate  result,  that  they  became  com- 
pletely changed  during  the  passing  of  the  years,  so  that  today  a 
large  section  of  the  American  people  are  prone  to  believe  that  the 
Irish  did  not  figure  to  any  extent  in  the  early  struggles  of  their 
adopted  country! 

In  another  work  entitled  '  *  Names  of  Persons  for  whom  Marriage 
Licenses  were  issued  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Province  of  New  York, 
previous  to  1784,"  compiled  by  Gideon  J.  Tucker  (when  Secretary 
of  State),  and  taken  from  the  early  records  of  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  State  at  Albany,  we  find  ample  corroboration  of  the 
church  records.  Page  after  page  of  this  book  looks  more  like  some 


118  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

record  of  the  Province  of  Munster  than  of  the  Province  of  New 
York.  It  is  a  quarto  volume  printed  in  small  type  in  double 
columns,  and  there  are  eleven  pages  wholly  devoted  to  persons 
whose  names  commence  with  "Mac"  and  three  to  the  "O's."  Like 
some  of  the  colonial  records  to  which  1  have  already  referred,  it  is 
one  of  those  rare  and  valuable  works  that  are  the  depositories  of  the 
evidence  of  the  part  played  by  the  Irish  race  in  the  laying  of  the 
foundations  of  this  state.  Perusal  of  them  by  some  of  our  present- 
day  orators  of  the  dinner  table,  who  so  amusingly  glorify  the 
"Anglo-Saxon"  as  the  founder  of  the  American  race,  would  have 
a  chastening  influence  on  their  ignorance  of  early  American  his- 
tory, and  would  reopen  the  long  vista  of  the  years,  at  the  very  be- 
ginning of  which  they  would  see  the  Teuton,  the  Celt,  and  the 
Gaul  working  side  by  side  solidifying  the  fulcrum  of  the  structure 
on  which  this  great  Nation  rests. 

Nearly  every  name  common  to  Ireland  is  here  represented. 
There  are  18  O'Connors  and  Connors,  84  Moores,  24  Collinses,  24 
McDonnells,  22  Walshs,  21  Murphys,  16  Kellys,  17  Eyans,  14 
0  'Briens,  15  Kennedys,  14  McNeills,  20  Suttons,  11  Sullivans,  and 
so  many  McCarthy's,  Dalys,  Reillys,  O'Neills,  Flanagans,  Doyles, 
Doughertys  and  such  names,  that  one  almost  gets  tired  reading 
them. 

Captain  George  Croghan,  the  celebrated  Indian  Agent  of  the 
Province,  was  an  Irishman.  So  was  the  first  white  settler  in  Sara- 
toga County,  Michael  McDonald. 

Sir  William  Johnson  employed  many  of  his  countrymen.  His 
lawyer's  name  was  Kelly;  his  physician,  Daly;  his  secretary,  Laf- 
ferty,  and  the  superintendent  of  his  proprieties  was  named  Flood. 
A  school  master  named  Wall,  whom  he  established  at  Johnstown, 
came  from  Johnson's  native  county  of  Meath,  and  several  of  his 
scholars  bore  the  most  distinctively  Irish  names.  Others  in  his 
employ  bore  such  names  as  Byrne,  McCarthy,  Cotter,  Doran,  Mc- 
Donald, Connor,  and  so  on.  Some  of  them  became  large  land- 
owners. Michael  Byrne,  for  instance,  owned  18,000  acres  in  Tryon 
County  in  1764. 

Among  the  largest  landowners  on  the  banks  of  Lake  Champlain 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YOKE  119 

were  Connollys  and  McCauleys,  and  in  that  portion  of  the  province, 
now  Vermont,  there  were  settlers  a  score  of  years  before  the  Revo- 
lution named  Burke,  Barrett,  Kennedy,  McCoy,  Hogan,  Dunn, 
Cummins,  Larkin,  McConnell,  Moore,  Garvey^Goff,  Carey,  McCarra, 
Duane,  and  others  too  numerous  to  mention,  but  whose  names  clear- 
ly indicate  their  Irish  origin.  The  Duane  family  alone,  who  came 
from  the  County  of  Galway,  owned  63,000  acres  of  land  in  that 
section. 

The  first  linen  manufactories  in  New  York  were  established  by 
Irishmen.  "As  early  as  1700  all  of  the  linen  used  by  the  inhabi- 
tants came  from  Ireland, ' '  says  Lossing,  and  in  a  report  from  Gov- 
ernor Tryon,  dated  June-  11,  1774,  he  states  that  "eleven-twelfths 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  are  clothed  in  linen  imported 
from  Ireland,"  and  that  "there  is  every  year  a  great  quantity  of 
flaxseed,  lumber  and  iron  sent  to  Ireland  in  ships  belonging  to  that 
Kingdom,  and  which  came  out  annually  with  passengers  and  ser- 
vants." Among  the  prominent  linen  merchants  of  New  York  I 
find  Hugh  Wallace  and  James  McBride,  both  natives  of  Ireland, 
who  became  possessed  of  much  wealth.  McBride  was  a  president 
of  the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick. 

In  his  ' i  History  of  Chatauqua  County,  Young  states  that  ' '  Colo- 
nel James  McMahon  and  Edward  McHenry  may  with  propriety 
be  styled  the  pioneers  of  that  county,  as  they  were  the  first  white 
men  who  purchased  and  settled  with  the  intention  of  taking  up 
permanent  residence  there. ' '  McMahon  settled  near  where  the  vil- 
lage of  Westfield  now  stands,  and  the  first  dwelling  of  the  white 
man  was  erected  there  by  McHenry.  Colonel  McMahon  command- 
ed a  regiment  in  the  War  of  1812.  General  John  McMahon,  brother 
of  James,  was  also  an  early  and  conspicuous  settler  in  Chautauqua, 
and  among  his  countrymen  are  mentioned  Cosgroves,  Kennedys, 
Macks,  Dunns  and  Kanes.  One  of  the  most  noted  pioneers  of 
Chatauqua  County  was  William  Prendergast,  a  native  of  Kilkenny, 
who  settled  first  in  Dutchess  County  in  1746,  and  after  some  years 
located  on  the  west  shore  of  Chautauqua  Lake.  He  brought  up  an 
Irish  family,  seven  sons  and  six  daughters.  Two  of  his  sons,  Mar- 
tin and  Mathew,  became  judges  of  Niagara  County;  another, 


120  NEW  YORK  STATE  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

James,  founded  the  City  of  Jamestown;  another  became  a  physi- 
cian, and  another,  William,  commanded  a  regiment  which  fought 
in  the  War  of  1812.  Judge  Matthew  Prendergast 's  son  was  a  sur- 
geon in  the  same  war  and  was  a  famous  physician  in  Erie  County. 

John  McCurdy,  who  emigrated  from  Armagh  in  1745,  was  a  mer- 
chant in  the  City  of  New  York  in  1747,  from  where  he  removed 
to  Connecticut  a  few  years  later.  The  remarkable  record  of  this 
Irish  exile  may  well  excite  admiration  and  wonder.  A  man  of  ex- 
haustless  enterprise,  patriot,  philanthropist  and  patrician,  his  name 
has  gone  down  in  history  as  one  worthy  of  a  place  among  the  fore- 
most Americans  of  his  day.  He  became  one  of  the  wealthiest  mer- 
chants and  shipowners  in  New  England,  and  was  one  of  the  first 
in  his  adopted  state  to  throw  in  his  lot  with  the  patriots  of  the 
Revolution. 

The  originator  of  the  great  canal  system  of  our  state  was  Christo- 
pher Colles,  an  Irishman,  who  came  to  New  York  in  1772,  and  al- 
though his  plans  were  rejected,  yet  it  is  on  record  that  they  were 
afterwards  used  when  the  great  project  was  successfully  carried 
out. 

From  the  old  New  York  newspapers,  in  which  are  recounted  the 
annual  meetings  of  Irishmen  on  the  17th  of  March,  we  get 
an  idea  of  the  Irish  population  of  the  city.  In  the  Mercury  of 
March  15,  1762,  is  found  an  announcement  of  a  forthcoming  St. 
Patrick's  Day  celebration  by  the  Irish  residents.  The  Gazette  of 
March  20,  1766,  and  the  Mercury  of  March  24,  contain  elaborate  re- 
ports of  a  celebration  on  the  previous  17th  of  March,  at  which  some 
of  the  toasts  were :  ' '  May  the  enemies  of  America  be  branded  with 
infamy  and  disdain ; "  "  Success  to  the  Sons  of  Liberty, "  "  Success 
to  American  manufactures, "  "  The  day,  and  prosperity  to  Ireland, ' ' 
and  several  other  toasts  along  those  lines.  The  toasts  wound  up 
with  one  in  this  peculiar  vein  and  phraseology :  ' '  May  the  enemies 
of  Ireland  never  eat  the  bread  or  drink  the  whiskey  of  it,  but  be 
tormented  with  itching  without  the  benefit  of  scratching." 

The  Gazette  of  March  14,  1768,  announced  a  coming  celebration 
by  the  "Order  of  St.  Patrick."  The  Journal  of  March  30,  1769, 
contains  an  account  of  -a  dinner  given  by  a  society  known  as  the 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  121 

11  Friendly  Brothers  of  St.  Patrick."  Between  1775  and  1783  there 
is  nothing  on  record  indicating  that  St.  Patrick's  Day  was  observed 
in  New  York,  but  after  the  latter  year  the  celebrations  are  seen 
to  have  continued  year  after  year,  but  under  a  very  different  order 
of  things.  The  first  President  of  the  Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick 
was  Daniel  McCormick,  who  came  from  Ireland  before  the  Revolu- 
tion and  who  amassed  a  large  fortune  as  a  merchant  in  New  York. 

The  Gazette  of  March  16,  1775,  contained  an  announcement  that 
"tomorrow,  being  the  anniversary  of  St.  Patrick,  tutelar  Saint  of 
Ireland,  will  be  observed  with  the  usual  respect  and  attention  by 
his  generous  sons  and  their  descendants."  In  the  same  paper  of 
March  22,  1779,  appears  a  report  of  a  parade  on  the  previous  St. 
Patrick's  Day,  by  the  "Volunteers  of  Ireland,"  under  Lord  Raw- 
don.  This  body  was  in  the  English  service,  however.  It  is  not  a 
rare  thing  to  find  Irishmen  in  the  English  army,  but  there  is  a  rea- 
son for  it,  and  this  regiment,  no  doubt,  although  called  "Volun- 
teers, ' '  was  recruited  in  Ireland  among  the  unfortunates  who  were 
driven  to  desperation  and  who  were  glad  of  any  opportunity  of  ob- 
taining the  wherewithal  to  keep  them  from  nakedness  and  starva- 
tion. 

It  is  also  probable  that  many  of  these  so-called  "Volunteers" 
were  impressed  into  the  service  by  the  well-known  methods  in 
vogue  in  Ireland  for  generations  past,  for  it  is  on  record  that  many 
of  the  misnamed  "Volunteers  of  Ireland"  deserted  from  the  Brit- 
ish ranks  and  joined  the  American  patriots. 

These  desertions  were  so  very  frequent  that  on  July  1,  1780,  when 
the  "Voluteers  of  Ireland"  were  in  camp  at  Camden,  S.  C.,  Lord 
Rawdon,  by  direction  of  Cornwallis,  wrote  to  a  Major  Rugely  in 
this  wise;  "So  many  deserters  from  this  army  have  passed  with 
impunity  through  the  districts  which  are  under  your  direction  that 
I  must  necessarily  suspect  the  inhabitants  to  have  connived  at  if 
not  facilitated  their  escape.  I  will  give  the  inhabitants  ten  guineas 
for  the  head  of  any  deserter  belonging  to  the  Volunteers  of  Ire- 
land, and  five  guineas  if  they  bring  him  in  alive."  The  whole  of 
this  order  will  be  found  in  Hartley's  "Life  of  General  Marion." 

Among  the  Irish  officers  in  the  ranks  of  the  New  York  patriots 


122  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

in  the  Revolution  may  be  mentioned  Colonel  James  McCleary,  who 
is  referred  to  in  Hoosick's  ''Life  of  De  Witt  Clinton"  as  one  of  the 
bravest  officers  America  can  boast  of."  General  Richard  Mont- 
gomery, one  of  the  four  Brigadiers  appointed  by  the  first  Congress, 
and  the  first  of  the  four  to  die  in  the  cause  of  our  glorious  country ; 
Gen.  Edward  Hand,  who  commanded  the  Pennsylvania  Line,  dis- 
tinguished himself  in  New  York.  So  did  Colonel  Robert  Cochran, 
who  commanded  a  detachment  of  militia  at  Fort  Edward  at  the 
time  of  Burgoyne  's  surrender.  Also  Captain  Robert  McKean,  the  de- 
fender of  Cherry  Valley.  The  story  of  his  brave  defense  of  Curry- 
town  on  July  9,  1781,  against  the  Indians  and  loyalists  reads  like  a 
chapter  from  the  career  of  the  "Spartan  Band." 

The  commanders  of  the  forlorn  hope  in  the  memorable  attack  on 
the  British  works  at  Stony  Point  on  July  17,  1779,  were  Major 
Murfey  and  Lieutenant  Gibbons,  Lieutenant- Colonel  Percival  But- 
ler was  Morgan 's  second  in  command  at  the  battle  of  Saratoga,  and 
this  list  of  Irish  soldiers  would  certainly  be  incomplete  without 
some  mention  of  Timothy  Murphy,  of  Schoharie,  who  covered  him- 
self with  glory  at  Bemis  Heights.  Murphy  belonged  to  Morgan's 
celebrated  Rifle  Corps,  and  proved  himself  one  of  the  most  fearless 
and  intrepid  soldiers  of  that  band  of  heroes. 

In  the  "Narrative  of  the  Captivity  of  Ethan  Allen,"  the  re- 
doubtable hero  of  Ticonderoga  pays  tribute  to  the  Irish  soldiers 
who  fought  under  him  in  the  Canadian  campaign  of  1775,  and 
mentions  some  thrilling  incidents  where  his  life  was  saved  by  the 
timely  interference  of  Irishmen. 

Many  of  the  officers  of  the  New  York  regiments  bore  Irish  names, 
and  the  muster  rolls  of  the  various  regiments,  notably  those  of 
Colonels  Malcom,  and  Willett  and  the  Third  Regiment  of  the  Line, 
show  large  numbers  of  Irishmen. 

But  the  list  seems  almost  interminable.  I  could  go  on  at  much 
greater  length  and  dwell  upon  Irishmen  and  their  descendants  who 
added  to  the  lustre  of  the  Empire  State,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  tres- 
pass upon  your  patience. 

Kept  in  subjection  in  his  native  country  under  the  centuried 
goad  of  an  alien  government,  the  Irishman  has  proved  beyond  per- 


IRISH  COLONISTS  IN  NEW  YORK  123 

adventure  of  a  doubt  his  unqualified  success  in  other  lands.1  Give 
him  a  fair  field  with  the  air  of  freedom  filling  his  lungs,  and  you 
may  be  sure  that  he  will  give  a  good  account  of  himself.  What  I 
have  stated  here  today  is  a  series  of  historical  facts  gathered  from 
the  most  unimpeachable  authorities  after  many  months  of  research, 
without  resorting  to  any  flowers  of  rhetoric  in  setting  these  facts 
forth. 

If  I  have  interested  the  New  York  State  Historical  Association 
in  the  lives  and  times  of  some  of  these  forgotten  Irishmen,  then  I 
shall  be  assured  that  my  labors  have  not  been  in  vain. 


PRESIDENT'S  ADDRESS. 


HON.  JAMES  A.  ROBERTS. 


Our  excellent  Committee  on  Programme  to  whose  wise  and  ardu- 
ous labor  we  are  indebted  for  the  pleasure  and  profit  of  our  an- 
nual meetings  have  placed  my  name  on  the  programme  without 
assigning  me  any  topic.  They  doubtless  felt,  (and  thus  their  wis- 
dom is  again  shown),  that  if  given  free  range  over  the  vast 
realms  of  chance  and  change,  in  some  parts  of  which  glittering 
generalities  are  current  coin,  I  should  be  much  more  likely  to  say 
something,  than  if  confined  within  the  strict  limits  of  historical 
narration.  I  thank  the  Committee  for  this  grace  and  shall  avail 
myself  of  the  freedom  thus  given. 

Our  Association  may  safely  congratulate  itself  on  the  success  of 
its  annual  meetings.  The  topics  selected  for  our  symposiums  have 
been  exhaustively  and  ably  handled,  and  in  succinct  form  we  have 
made  available  for  all  time  knowledge  of  events  in  our  State  history 
which  could  only  be  obtained  by  laborious  investigation  of  old 
records  and  archives.  In  instance,  many  facts  new  to  this  genera- 
tion and  of  great  interest  to  the  historical  student  were  brought 
out  in  our  symposium  on  the  Sullivan  Campaign  one  year  ago.  I 
mention  this  because  it  is  freshest  in  mind,  but  other  symposiums 
have  been  equally  useful. 

Our  annual  addresses  have  been  splendid  contributions  to  his- 
tory. It  is  a  distinction  to  have  had  such  men  as  Professor  John 
Bach  McMaster,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Stevens,  and  the  Honorable  James 
Breck  Perkins  address  us  on  themes  not  covered  by  them  previous- 
ly, but  upon  which  the  research  for  the  works  which  have  made 
their  respective  names  illustrious,  had  especially  qualified  them  to 
speak  with  convincing  authority.  The  paper  presented  by  Colonel 
Alexander  a  year  ago  on  "Robert  Livingston,  the  author  of  the 


125 


Louisiana  Purchase"  was  a  most  valuable  addition  to  historic 
knowledge  on  that  important  event. 

Where  so  much  that  is  excellent  has  been  done,  it  is  difficult  and 
perhaps  dangerous  to  particularize,  but  I  think  I  may  say  that  the 
Association  was  especially  fortunate  in  being  made  the  medium 
through  which  Mr.  Ruttenber  has  published  his  very  valuable  work 
on  Indian  names  and  locations.  This  work  represents  years  of 
patient  investigation  and  will  be  an  undoubted  authority  for  all 
future  time.  The  thanks  of  the  Association  are  richly  due  to  Mr. 
Ruttenber. 

The  Association  is  also  to  be  congratulated  upon  the  large  num- 
ber of  new  highly  valued  members  it  has  received  during  the  past 
year.  This  is  due  principally  to  the  influence  and  well  directed 
effort  of  the  Reverend  Doctor  Stevens  who  took  from  days  already 
filled  to  overflowing  with  sacred  and  important  duties,  sufficient 
time  to  accomplish  this  highly  desirable  end.  The  thanks  of  the 
Association  are  certainly  due  to  the  Reverend  Doctor  Stevens. 

The  last  time  I  had  the  honor  to  speak  to  you,  I  ventured  to  sug- 
gest that  the  origin  and  development  of  social,  moral  and  religious 
movements  in  the  State  and  Nation  offered  vitally  interesting  fields 
for  historical  investigation.  These  fields  have  not  been  cultivated 
with  the  same  diligence  that  has  been  applied  to  all  fields  of  mili- 
tary operations,  and  they  therefore  offer  better  opportunities  for 
bringing  to  light  new  and  valuable  facts.  The  paper  presented  last 
year  on  the  origin  of  the  temperance  movement  was  an  excellent 
beginning,  and  I  hope  we  may  now  feel  that  this  line  of  investiga- 
tion has  become  a  part  of  our  regular  work. 

A  curious  and  instructive  study  might  be  made  of  the  origin  and 
growth  of  political  bossism.  I  fear  that  our  commonwealth  must 
claim  the  bad  honor  of  originating  this  un-American  system  and 
while  it  has  spread  generally  throughout  the  country,  it  is  doubt- 
ful if  any  state  has  been  damned  by  the  same  remorseless  autocracy 
of  bossism  as  has  New  York.  I  hope  the  history  of  this  subject  will 
strike  the  curious  student  a  generation  hence  as  an  interrupted 
illustration  of  what  Darwin  calls  the  tendency  to  return  to  the 
original  type. 

The  past  twelve  months  have  been  so  prolific  in  revelations  of 


126  NEW  YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

political  and  commercial  dishonesty,  we  may  well  fancy  Juvenal's 
well-known  lines  would  apply  to  us : 

"Briefly,  my  friend,  here  all  are  slaves  to  gold, 
And  votes  and  smiles,  and  everything  is  sold. ' ' 

These  cases  of  venality  and  corruption  startled,  stunned  our  peo- 
ple, but  their  righteous  indignation  and  resentment  show  that  at 
heart  the  great  masses  think,  and  act  and  live  honestly,  and  I  still 
believe  with  Saint  Simon  that  ' '  The  golden  age  which  a  blind  tradi- 
tion has  heretofore  placed  in  the  Past,  is  Before  us. ' '  This  awaken- 
ing from  a  century  of  commercial  lawlessness  is  an  event,  every 
producing  cause,  every  developing  step  of  which  is  well  worth  per- 
petuating, as  a  lesson  to  coming  generations,  and  we  cannot  do  bet- 
ter than  to  do  our  part  in  this  work  of  preservation.  While  history 
may  need  distance  to  give  it  accurate  perspective,  there  is  no  time 
like  the  present  to  gather  the  facts  from  which  history  can  be 
made. 

But  a  fondness  on  my  part  for  literary  and  historical  gossip  as 
disclosed  in  diaries  and  memoirs  leads  me  to  say  that  in  the  writing 
of  history,  accounts  of  great  uprisings  and  great  events  are  not 
what  make  altogether  the  most  interesting  history.  No  history 
ever  written  gives  so  clear  an  idea  of  how  people  lived,  what  their 
state  of  morals  was  in  the  reign  of  Charles  II,  as  the  diary  of  the 
garrulous  old  Pepys.  What  makes  Boswell's  Life  of  Johnson  the 
greatest  biography  in  our  own  or  any  other  language?  It  is  be- 
cause we  see  in  it  not  more  of  the  ponderous  intellect  of  Dr.  John- 
son than  we  do  the  human  side  of  his  daily  life  with  all  its  weak- 
nesses, its  foibles,  its  eccentricities.  Louis  XIV.  stood  as  an  al- 
most uniquely  grand  monarch  in  French  history  until  the  memoirs 
of  the  puritan  of  his  day,  Saint  Simon,  were  published  and  then  the 
world  saw  how  weak  and  human  the  "Grand  Monarch"  was  with 
all  his  magnificence  and  state.  After  reading  the  memoirs  of  the 
Cardinal  De  Bernis,  who  evidently  never  questioned  the  propriety 
of  his  intimacy  with,  and  devotion  to,  Madame  de  Pompadour,  and 
those  of  the  Marquis  D'Argenson,  we  can  readily  see  why  France 
lost  her  American  colonies  and  why  the  French  Revolution  was  in- 
evitable. There  are  no  more  delightful  pictures  in  our  language 
than  those  of  Wordsworth,  Coleridge,  Shelley,  and  other  literary 


127 


celebrities  of  their  time,  as  they  are  drawn  in  Henry  Crabbe  Robin- 
son 's  diary.  It  is  because  these  men  have  told  of  the  little  things  of 
life  which  others  ignored  as  unworthy  of  record  that  we  are  en- 
abled to  form  pictures  of  the  men  and  times  much  more  accurately 
than  we  could  from  all  the  chronicles  and  histories.  The  man  in 
historic  bronze  or  marble,  standing  on  the  historic  pedestal,  is  by  no 
means  as  interesting  as  the  man  of  flesh  and  blood  with  a  human 
heart  and  human  passions. 

America  has  produced  few  memoirs  or  diaries,  though  the 
Adamses '  are  valuable  and  full  of  interest ;  England  not  many,  but 
the  last  three  centuries  of  French  history  are  made  instinct  with  life 
and  interest  today  by  its  memoirs.  There  is  not  a  man  or  woman  in 
this  Association  but  could  write  a  diary  of  present  life  and  time 
which  would  be  a  priceless  treasure  a  hundred  years  hence.  Is  the 
idea  not  worthy  of  consideration  ? 

Carlyle  was  right:  the  true  Shekinah  is  man,"  and  in  all  that 
relates  to  man,  it  is  peculiarly  true  that  "all  objects  are  as  win- 
dows through  which  the  philosophic  eye  looks  into  Infinitude  it- 
self." 


PUBLICATIONS  RECEIVED 


Washington  Papers,  Volume  I;  Naval  Records  of  the  American 
Revolution ;  Report  of  the  Library  of  Congress  and  of  the  Super- 
intendent ;  from  the  Librarian  of  Congress. 

From  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society,  Volume  22,  N.  J. 

Archives,  first  series.    Volume  25  N.  J.  Archives,  first  series. 

From  the  Nebraska  State  Historical  Society,  Nebraska 

Constitutional  Convention,  Volume  I. 

From  the  Pennsylvania  Society,  "Year  Book,"  1907. 

From  the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society,  New  Hampshire, 

Historical  collection  Volume  1,  7,  8,  9  and  10. 

From  William  Gilbert  Davies,  Papers  and  Addresses. 

From  the  Essex  Institute.    Four  numbers  of  Historical  collections. 

From  the  Connecticut  Magazine.    Four  numbers. 

From  the  State  Historical  Society  of  Iowa.  Four  numbers  of  the 
Iowa  Journal  of  History  and  Politics. 

From  the  Historical  Department  of  Iowa,  four  numbers. 

From  the  Ohio  Archaeological  and  Historical  Society.  Four  num- 
bers of  the  quarterly. 

From  the  Historical  Society  of  Newburgh,  Historical  papers  No.  13. 

From  the  Missouri  Historical  Society.  No.  6  of  Volume  2  of  Col- 
lections. 

From  the  Michigan  Political  Science  Association,  No.  1,  of  Volume 
6. 

From  the  Chicago  Historical  Society.  Charter,  constitution,  by- 
laws and  list  of  members. 

From  Tuft's  College,  catalogue,  1906-07. 

From  the  Vineland  Historical  and  Antiquarian  Society,  annual 
report. 

From  the  New  England  Society  of  Vineland  and  New  Jersey, 

Constitution  and  list  of  members. 


INSIGNA  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION 


The  Insigna  of  the  Association  consists  of  a  badge,  the  pendant 
of  which  is  circular  in  form,  one  and  three-sixteenths  inches  in 
diameter. 

Obverse :  In  the  center  is  represented  the  discovery  of  the  Hud- 
son River;  the  "Half -Moon"  is  surrounded  by  Indian  Canoes,  and 
in  the  distance  is  shown  the  Palisades.  At  the  top  is  the  coat-of- 
arms  of  New  Amsterdam  and  a  tomahawk,  arrow  and  Dutch  sword. 
At  the  bottom  is  shown  the  seal  of  New  York  State.  Upon  a  ribbon, 
surrounding  the  center  medallion,  is  the  legend:  New  York  State 
Historical  Association,  and  the  dates  1609  and  1899 ;  the  former  be- 
ing the  date  of  the  discovery  of  New  York,  and  the  latter  the  date 
of  the  founding  of  the  Historical  Association. 

Reverse :    The  Seal  of  the  Association. 

The  badges  are  made  of  14k  gold,  sterling  silver  and  bronze,  and 
will  be  sold  to  members  of  the  Association  at  the  following  prices : 

14k  Gold,  complete  with  bar  and  ribbon $11.00 

Sterling  Silver,  complete  with  bar  and  ribbon 5.00 

Bronze,  complete  with  bar  and  ribbon 4.00 

Applications  for  badges  should  be  made  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Association,  Robert  0.  Bascom,  Fort  Edward,  N.  Y.,  who  will  issue 
permit,  authorizing  the  member  to  make  the  purchase  from  the 
official  Jewelers,  J.  E.  Caldwell  &  Co.,  902  Chestnut  Street,  Phila- 
delphia. 


ARTICLES  OF  INCORPORATION. 


We,  Daniel  C.  Fair,  James  A.  Holden  and  Elmer  J.  West,  of  Glens 
Falls;  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe,  of  Sandy  Hill,  and  Morris  P.  Ferris,  of  Dobbs 
Ferry,  all  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  all  of  us  citizens  of  the  United 
States,  have  associated  ourselves  together  in  a  membership  corporation, 
and  do  hereby  make  this  our  certificate  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of 
New  York. 

The  name  of  such  corporation  is  the  "New  York  State  Historical 
Association." 

The  principal  objects  for  which  said  corporation  is  formed  are: 

First:     To  promote  and  encourage   original  historical  research. 

Second:  To  disseminate  a  greater  knowledge  of  the  early  history  of 
the  State,  by  means  of  lectures,  and  the  publication  and  distribution  of 
literature  on  historical  subjects. 

Third.  To  gather  books,  manuscripts,  pictures,  and  relics  relating  to 
the  early  history  of  the  State,  and  to  establish  a  museum  at  Caldwell, 
Lake  George,  for  their  preservation. 

Fourth.    To  suitably  mark  places  of  historic  interest. 

Fifth.  To  acquire  by  purchase,  gift,  devise,  or  otherwise,  the  title  to, 
or  custody  and  control  of,  historic  spots  and  places. 

The  territory  in  which  the  operations  of  this  corporation  are  to  be 
principally  conducted  is  Warren,  Washington,  Essex,  Clinton,  Saratoga 
and  Hamilton  counties,  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

The  principal  office  of  said  corporation  is  to  be  located  at  Caldwell, 
on  Lake  George,  county  of  Warren,  in  the  State  of  New  York. 

The  number  of  directors  of  said  corporation,  to  be  known  as  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  is  twenty-five. 

The  names  and  residences  of  the  directors  of  said  corporation,  to 
hold  office  until  the  first  annual  meeting,  and  who  shall  be  known  as  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  are: 

James  A.  Roberts,  Buffalo. 

Timothy  L.  Woodruff,  Brooklyn. 

Daniel   C.  Farr,  Glens  Falls. 

Everett  R.   Sawyer,  Sandy  Hill. 

James  A.  Holden,  Glens  Falls. 

Robert  O.  Bascom,  Fort  Edward. 

Morris  Patterson  Ferris,  Dobbs  Ferry. 

Elwyn   Seelye,  Lake  George. 


ARTICLES   OP  INCORPORATION 


131 


Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe, 
Frederick  B.  Richards, 
Anson  Judd  Upson, 
Asahel  R.  Wing, 
William  O.  Stearns, 
Robert  C.  Alexander, 
Elmer  J.  West, 
Hugh  Hastings, 
Pliny  T.  Sexton, 
William  S.  Ostrander, 
Sherman   Williams, 
William  L.  Stone, 
Henry  B.  Tremain, 
William  H.  Tippetts, 
John  Boulton  Simpson, 
Harry  W.  Watrous, 
Abraham  B.  Valentine, 


Sandy  Hill. 
Ticonderoga. 
Glens  Falls. 
Fort  Edward. 
Glens  Falls. 
New  York. 
Glens  Falls. 
Albany. 
Palmyra, 
Schuylerville. 
Glens  Falls. 
Mt.  Vernon. 
New  York. 
Lake  George. 
Bolton. 
Hague. 
New  York. 


The  first  meeting  of  the  corporation,  for  the  purpose  of  organization, 
will  be  held  on  the  21st  day  of  March,  1899. 

The  time  for  holding  the  annual  meeting  of  the  said  corporation  will 
be  the  last  Tuesday  in  July  of  each  year. 

In  Witness  Whereof,  We  have  hereunto  severally  subscribed  our 
names  and  affixed  our  seals  this  21st  day  of  March,  in  the  year  one  thou- 
sand eight  hundred  and  ninety-nine. 

DANIEL  C.  FARR, 
JAMES  A.  HOLDEN, 
ELMER  J.  WEST, 
GRENVILLE   M.   INGALSBE, 
MORRIS   P.   FERRIS. 
STATE  OF  NEW  YORK, 
County  of  Warren. 

On  this  21st  day  of  March,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  ninety-nine,  before  me  personally  appeared  Daniel  C.  Farr,  James  A. 
Holden,  Elmer  J.  West,  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe,  and  Morris  Patterson  Fer- 
ris, to  me  known  to  be  the  individuals  described  in  and  who  executed  the 
foregoing  articles  of  incorporation,  and  they  duly  severally  acknowledged 
to  me  that  they  executed  the  same. 

E.  T.JOHNSON, 
(Seal.)  Notary  Public. 


(L.S.) 
(L.S.) 
(L.S.) 
(L.S.) 
(L.S.) 


Whereas,  A  petition  for  incorporation  by  the  University  has  been  duly 
received,  containing  satisfactory  statements  made  under  oath  as  to  the 
objects  and  plans  of  the  proposed  corporation,  and  as  to  the  provision 
made  for  needed  buildings,  furniture,  equipment,  and  for  maintenance. 


132  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


Therefore,  Being  satisfied  that  all  requirements  prescribed  by  law  or 
University  ordinance  for  such  an  association  have  been  fully  met,  and  that 
public  interests  justify  such  action,  the  Regents  by  virtue  of  the  authority 
conferred  on  them  by  law,  hereby  incorporate  James  A.  Roberts,  Daniel 
C.  Farr,  James  A.  Holden,  Morris  Patterson  Ferris,  Grenville  M.  Ingalsbe, 
Anson  Judd  Upson,  Robert  C.  Alexander,  Hugh  Hastings,  William  S. 
Ostrander,  William  L.  Stone,  William  H.  Tippetts,  Harry  W.  Watrous, 
William  O.  Stearns,  Timothy  L.  Woodruff,  Everett  R.  Sawyer,  Robert  O. 
Bascom,  Elwyn  Seelye,  Frederick  B.  Richards,  Asahel  R.  Wing,  Elmer  J. 
West,  Pliny  T.  Sexton,  Sherman  Williams,  Henry  E.  Tremain,  John  Boul- 
ton  Simpson,  Abraham  B.  Valentine,  and  their  successors  in  office  under 
the  corporate  name  of 

NEW  YORK  STATE  HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATION. 
This  corporation  shall  be  located  at  Caldwell,  Warren  County,  New 
York. 

Its  first  trustees  shall  be  the  twenty-five  above-named  incorporators. 

Its   object  shall  be  to  promote   historical   research,   to   disseminate 

knowledge  of  the  history  of  the  State  by  lectures  and  publications,  to 

establish  a  library  and  museum  at  Caldwell,  to  mark  places  of  historic 

interest,  and  to  acquire  custody  or  control  of  historic  places. 

IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  The  Regents  grant  this  charter,  No. 
1,245,  under  seal  of  the  University,  at  the  Capitol  at  Albany, 
(Seal)  April  24,  1899 

ANSON  JUDD  UPSON,  Chancellor. 
MELVIL  DEWEY,  Secretary. 


ARTICLE   I. 

Name. 

This  Society  shall  be  known  as  "New  York  State  Historical  Asso- 
ciation." 

ARTICLE  II. 

Objects. 

Its  objects  shall  be: 

First.     To  promote  and  encourage  original  historical  research. 

Second.  To  disseminate  a  greater  knowledge  of  the  early  history  of 
the  State,  by  means  of  lectures  and  the  publication  and  distribution  of 
literature  on  historical  subjects. 

Third.  To  gather  books,  manuscripts,  pictures,  and  relics  relating  to 
the  early  history  of  the  State,  and  to  establish  a  museum  at  Caldwell, 
Lake  George,  for  their  preservation. 

Fourth.     To  suitably  mark  places  of  historic  interest. 

Fifth.  To  acquire  by  purchase,  gift,  devise,  or  otherwise,  the  title 
to,  or  custody  and  control  of,  historic  spots  and  places. 


ARTICLES   OF  INCORPORATION  133 

ARTICLE  III. 
Members. 

Section  1.  Members  shall  be  of  three  classes — Active,  Corresponding 
and  Honorary.  Active  members  only  shall  have  a  voice  in  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Society. 

Section  2.  All  persons  interested  in  American  history  shall  be  elig- 
ible for  Active  membership. 

Section  3.  Persons  residing  outside  the  State  of  New  York,  interest- 
ed in  historical  investigation,  may  be  made  Corresponding  members. 

Section  4.  Persons  who  have  attained  distinguished  eminence  as  his- 
torians may  be  made  Honorary  members. 

ARTICLE  IV. 
Management. 

Section  1.  The  property  of  the  Association  shall  be  vested  in,  and  the 
affairs  of  the  Association  conducted  by  a  Board  of  Trustees  to  be  elected 
by  the  Association.  Vacancies  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  shall  be  filled  by 
the  remaining  members  of  the  Board,  the  appointee  to  hold  office  until 
the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  Association. 

Section  2.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  have  power  to  suspend  or 
expel  members  of  the  Association  for  cause,  and  to  restore  them  to  mem- 
bership after  a  suspension  or  expulsion.  No  member  shall  be  suspended 
or  expelled  without  first  having  been  given  ample  opportunity  to  be 
heard  in  his  or  her  own  defense. 

Section  3.  The  first  Board  of  Trustees  shall  consist  of  those  desig- 
nated in  the  Articles  of  Incorporation,  who  shall  meet  as  soon  as  may  be 
after  the  adoption  of  this  Constitution  and  divide  themselves  into  three 
classes  of,  as  nearly  as  may  be,  eight  members  each,  such  classes  to  serve 
respectively,  one  until  the  first  annual  meeting,  another  until  the  second 
annual  meeting,  and  the  third  until  the  third  annual  meeting  of  the 
Association.  At  each  annual  meeting  the  Association  shall  elect  eight  or 
nine  members  (as  the  case  may  be)  to  serve  as  Trustees  for  the  ensuing 
three  years,  to  fill  the  places  of  the  class  whose  terms  then  expires. 

Section  4.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  have  no  power  to  bind  the 
Association  to  any  expenditure  of  money  beyond  the  actual  resources  of 
the  Association  except  by  the  consent  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  expressed 
in  writing  and  signed  by  every  member  thereof. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Officers. 

Section  1.  The  officers  of  the  Association  shall  be  a  President,  three 
Vice  Presidents,  a  Treasurer,  a  Secretary,  and  an  Assistant  Secretary,  all 
of  whom  shall  be  elected  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  from  its  own  number, 


184  NEW  YORK  STATE  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 

at  its  first  meeting  after  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Association,  and  shall 
hold  office  for  one  year,  or  until  their  successors  are  chosen.  Temporary 
officers  shall  be  chosen  by  the  Incorporators  to  act  until  an  election  as 
aforesaid,  by  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Section  2.  The  Board  of  Trustees  may  appoint  such  other  officers, 
committees,  or  agents,  and  delegate  to  them  such  powers  as  it  sees  fit, 
for  the  prosecution  of  its  work. 

Section  3.  Vacancies  in  any  office  or  committee  may  be  filled  by  the 
Board  of  Trustees. 

ARTICLE   VI. 
Fees  and  Dues. 

Section  1.  Each  person  on  being  elected  to  Active  Membership  shall 
pay  into  the  Treasury  of  the  Association  the  sum  of  two  dollars,  and 
thereafter  on  the  first  day  of  January  in  each  year  a  like  sum,  for  his  or 
her  annual  dues. 

Section  2.  Any  member  of  the  Association  may  commute  his  or  her 
annual  dues  by  the  payment  of  twenty-five  dollars  at  one  time,  and  there- 
by become  a  life  member  exempt  from  further  payments. 

Section  3.  Any  member  may  secure  membership  which  shall  descend 
to  a  member  of  his  or  her  family  qualified  under  the  Constitution  and  By- 
Laws  of  the  Association  for  membership  therein,  in  perpetuity,  by  the 
payment  at  one  time  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  The  person  to  hold 
the  membership  may  be  designated  in  writing  by  the  creator  of  such 
membership,  or  by  the  subsequent  holder  thereof  subject  to  the  approval 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Section  4.  All  receipts  from  life  and  perpetual  memberships  shall  be 
set  aside  and  invested  as  a  special  fund,  the  income  only  to  be  used  for 
current  expenses. 

Section  5.  Honorary  and  Corresponding  Members  and  persons  who 
hold  perpetual  memberships  shall  be  exempt  from  the  payment  of  dues. 

Section  6.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  have  power  to  excuse  the 
non-payment  of  dues,  and  to  suspend  or  expel  members  for  non-payment 
when  their  dues  remain  unpaid  for  more  than  six  months. 

ARTICLE    VII. 
Meetings. 

Section  1.  The  annual  meeting  of  the  Association  shall  be  held  on 
last  Tuesday  of  July  in  each  year.  Notice  thereof  shall  be  sent  to  each 
member  at  least  ten  days  prior  thereto. 

Section  2.  Special  meetings  of  the  Association  may  be  called  at  any 
time  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  and  must  be  called  upon  the  written  re- 
quest of  ten  members.  The  notice  of  such  meeting  shall  specify  the  ob- 
ject thereof,  and  no  business  shall  be  transacted  thereat  excepting  that 
designated  in  the  notice. 


ARTICLES   OF   INCORPORATION  135 

Sectiori  3.  Ten  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  at  any  meeting  of 
the  Association. 

Section  4.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  arrange  for  the  holding  of  a 
series  of  meetings  at  Lake  George  during  the  summer  months,  for  the 
readings  of  original  papers  on  history  and  kindred  subjects,  and  for  social 
intercourse  between  the  members  and  their  guests. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Seal. 

The  seal  of  the  Association  shall  be  a  group  of  statuary  representing 
the  Mohawk  Chief,  King  Hendrick,  in  the  act  of  proving  to  Gen.  Welliam 
Johnson  the  unwisdom  of  dividing  his  forces  on  the  eve  of  the  battle  of 
Lake  George.  Around  this  a  circular  band  bearing  the  legend,  New  York 
State  Historical  Association,  1899. 

ARTICLE   IX. 
Amendments. 

Amendments  to  the  Constitution  may  be  made  at  any  annual  meeting, 
or  at  a  special  meeting  called  for  that  purpose.  Notice  of  a  proposed 
amendment  with  a  copy  thereof  must  have  been  mailed  to  each  member 
at  least  thirty  days  before  the  day  upon  which  action  is  taken  thereon. 

The  adoption  of  an  amendment  shall  require  the  favorable  vote  of 
two-thirds  of  those  present  at  a  duly-constituted  meeting  of  the  Associa- 
tion. 


BY-LAWS. 


ARTICLE   I. 

Members. 

Candidates  for  membership  in  the  Association  shall  be  proposed  by 
one  member  and  seconded  by  another,  and  shall  be  elected  by  the  Board 
of  Trustees.  Three  adverse  votes  shall  defeat  an  election. 

ARTICLE  II. 
Board  of  Trustees. 

Section  1.  The  Board  of  Trustees  may  make  such  rules  for  its  own 
government  as  it  may  deem  wise,  and  which  shall  not  be  inconsistent  with 
the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  the  Association.  Five  members  of  the 
Board  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business. 

Section  2.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  elect  one  of  their  own  number 
to  preside  at  the  meetings  of  the  Board  in  the  absence  of  the  President. 

Section  3.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  at  each  annual  meeting  of  the 
Association  render  a  full  report  of  its  proceedings  during  the  year  last 
past. 

Section  4.  The  Board  of  Trustees  shall  hold  at  least  four  meetings  in 
each  year.  At  each  of  such  meetings  it  shall  consider  and  act  upon  the 
names  of  candidates  proposed  for  membership. 

Section  5.  The  Board  of  Managers  shall  each  year  appoint  commit- 
tees to  take  charge  of  the  annual  gathering  of  the  Association  at  Lake 
George. 

ARTICLE    III. 
President 

The  President  shall  preside  at  all  meetings  of  the  Association  and  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  delegated 
to  him  by  the  Association  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  He  shall  be  ex-officio 
a  member  of  all  committees. 

ARTICLE  IV. 
Vice  Presidents. 

The  Vice  Presidents  shall  be  denominated  First,  Second  and  Third 
Vice  Presidents.  In  the  absence  of  the  President  his  duties  shall  devolve 
upon  the  senior  Vice  President  present. 


BY-LAWS  137 

ARTICLE    V. 
Treasurer. 

Section  1.  The  Treasurer  shall  have  charge  of  all  the  funds  of  the 
Association.  He  shall  keep  accurate  books  of  account,  which  shall  at  all 
times  be  open  to  the  inspection  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.  He  shall  pre- 
sent a  full  and  comprehensive  statement  of  the  Association's  financial 
condition,  its  receipts  and  expenditures,  at  each  annual  meeting,  and  shall 
present  a  brief  statement  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  at  each  meeting.  He 
shall  pay  out  money  only  on  the  approval  of  the  majority  of  the  Executive 
Committee,  or  on  the  resolution  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

Section  2.  Before  assuming  the  duties  of  his  office,  the  Treasurer- 
elect  shall  with  a  surety  to  be  approved  by  the  Board  execute  to  the 
Association  his  bond  in  the  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  conditioned  for 
the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties  as  Treasurer. 

Section  3.  The  President  shall,  thirty  days  prior  to  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Association,  appoint  two  members  of  the  Association  who  shall 
examine  the  books  and  vouchers  of  the  Treasurer  and  audit  his  accounts, 
and  present  their  report  to  the  Association  at  its  annual  meeting. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Secretary. 

The  Secretary  shall  preserve  accurate  minutes  of  the  transactions  of 
the  Association  and  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  and  shall  conduct  the  cor- 
respondence of  the  Association.  He  shall  notify  the  members  of  meetings, 
and  perform  such  other  duties  as  he  may  be  directed  to  perform  by  the 
Association  or  by  the  Board  of  Trustees.  He  may  delegate  any  portion 
of  his  duties  to  the  Assistant  Secretary. 

ARTICLE    VII. 

Executive  Committee. 

The  officers  of  the  Association  shall  constitute  an  Executive  Commit- 
tee. Such  Committee  shall  direct  the  business  of  the  Association  between 
meetings  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  but  shall  have  no  power  to  establish 
or  declare  a  policy  for  the  Association,  or  to  bind  it  in  any  way  except  in 
relation  to  routine  work.  The  Committee  shall  have  no  power  to  direct 
a  greater  expenditure  than  fifty  dollars  without  the  authority  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees. 

ARTICLE    VIII. 

Procedure. 

Section  1.  The  following,  except  when  otherwise  ordered  by  the 
Association,  shall  be  the  order  of  business  at  the  annual  meetings  of  the 
Association. 

Call  to  order. 


138  NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

Reading  of  minutes  of  previous  annual,  and  of  any  special  meeting, 
and  acting  thereon. 

Reports  of  Officers  and  Board  of  Trustees. 

Reports  of  Standing  Committees. 

Reports  of  Special  Committees. 

Unfinished  business. 

Election. 

New  business. 

Adjournment. 

Section  2.  The  procedure  at  all  meetings  of  the  Association  and  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees,  where  not  provided  for  in  this  Constitution  and 
By-Laws,  shall  be  governed  by  Robert's  Rules  of  Order. 

Section  3.  The  previous  question  shall  not  be  put  to  vote  at  any 
meeting  unless  seconded  by  at  least  three  members. 

Section  4.  All  elections  shall  be  by  ballot,  except  where  only  one  can- 
didate is  nominated  for  an  office. 

Section  5.  All  notices  shall  be  sent  personally  or  by  mail  to  the  ad- 
dress designated  in  writing  by  the  member  to  the  Secretary. 

ARTICLE  IX. 
Nominating  Committee. 

A  committee  of  three  shall  be  chosen  by  the  Association  at  its  annual 
meeting,  to  nominate  Trustees  to  be  voted  for  at  the  next  annual  meeting. 
Such  Committee  shall  file  its  report  with  the  Secretary  of  this  Associa- 
tion at  least  thirty  days  prior  to  the  next  annual  meeting.  The  Secretary 
shall  mail  a  copy  of  such  report  to  every  member  of  the  Association  with 
the  notice  of  the  annual  meeting  at  which  the  report  is  to  be  acted  upon. 
The  action  of  such  Committee  shall,  however,  in  no  wise  interfere  with 
the  power  of  the  Association  to  make  its  own  nominations,  but  all  such 
independent  nominations  shall  be  sent  to  the  Secretary  at  least  twenty 
days  prior  to  the  annual  meeting.  A  copy  thereof  shall  be  sent  to  each 
member  by  the  Secretary  with  the  notice  of  meeting,  and  shall  be  headed 
"Independent  Nominations."  If  the  Nominating  Committee  fails  for  any 
reason  to  make  its  report  so  that  it  may  be  sent  out  with  the  notice  of 
the  annual  meeting,  the  Society  may  make  its  own  nominations  at  such 
annual  meeting. 

ARTICLE  X. 

Amendments. 

These  By-Laws  may  be  amended  at  any  duly-constituted  meeting  of 
the  Association  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present.  Notice  of 
the  proposed  amendment  with  a  copy  thereof  must  have  been  mailed  to 
each  member  at  least  twenty  days  before  the  day  upon  which  action 
thereon  is  taken. 


MEMBERS   NEW   YORK   STATE 
HISTORICAL  ASSOCIATION. 


HONORARY  MEMBERS. 

*Dr.  Edward  Eggleston,  Joshua's  Rock,  N.  Y. 

E.  M.  Ruttenber,  Newburgh,  N.  Y. 

Hon.  Theodore  Roosevelt,  L.  L.  D.,  White  House,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Chas.  Francis  Adame,  L.  L.  D.,     23   Court  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 
Daniel   Coit   Gilman,   L.  L.  D.,     Pres.  of  Carnegie  Institute,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Arthur  Irvining  Hadley,  L.  L.  D.,  Pres.  of  Yale  University,  New  Ha- 
ven, Conn. 
Captain   Alfred    Thayer  Mahan,  160  West  86th  Street,  New  York 

U.  S.  N.,  L.  L.  D.,  D.  C.  L.          City. 
Woodrow  Wilson,  Ph.  D.,  Libb.  Pres.     of     Princeton     University, 

D.,  L.  L.  D.,  Princeton,  N.  J. 


CORRESPONDING  MEMBERS. 

Berthold  Fernow,  Trenton,  N.  J. 

John    Bach    McMaster,    Ph.    D.,  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Phila- 

Libb.  D.,  LL.  D.  delphia,  Pa. 

Goldwin  Smith,  LL.  D'.,  D.  C.  L.    Toronto,  Ontario,  Canada. 
Arthur  Martin  Wheeler,  LL.  D.,     Yale  University,  New  Haven,  Ct. 


LIFE  MEMBERS. 

W.  K.  Bixby,  Bolton,  N.  Y. 

Mrs.  Marcellus  Hartley,  232  Madison  Ave.,  N.  Y.  City. 

Mrs.  Oliver  Livingston  Jones,  116  W.  72d  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 

Mrs.  Horace  See,  50  W.  9th  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 


140 


NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


Gen.  Henry  E.  Tremain, 
Dr.  W.  Seward  Webb, 
*  Samuel  P.  Avery, 
F.  D.  Rowland, 
Frank  S.  Witherbee, 
Cortlland  de  Peyster  Field, 
*Deceased. 


105  E.  18th  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 
51  E.  44th  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 
4  E.  38th  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 
Sandy  Hill,  N.  Y. 
Port  Henry,  N.  Y, 
Peekskill,  N.  Y. 


MEMBERS. 


Abbott,  Rev.  Dr.  Lyman 

Abrams,  A.  W. 
Alexander,  Hon.  D.  S. 
Ames,  Edgar  M. 
Arnold,  Hon.  Alvaro  D. 
Arthur,  Miss  L.  Louise 
Atkins,  Hon.  T.  Astley, 
Auringer,  Rev.  0.  C. 

Barber,  J.  E. 
Backus,  Dr.  Truman  J. 
Baker,  Frederick  I. 
Ballard,  W.  J. 
Banker,  Dr.  Silas  J. 
Bascom,  Robert  0. 
Bassinger,  George  H. 
Batcheller,  George  Clinton 
Benedict,  George  Grenville 
Bishop,   Charles  F. 
Blake,  Rev.  Charles  W. 
Bloodgood,  Clarence  E. 
Brackett,  Hon.  Edgar  Truman 
Brandow,  Rev.  John  H. 
Brown,  Ernest  C. 
Brook,   James  B. 
Broughton,  H.  L. 


"The  Outlook, "  287  Fourth  Ave., 

New  York. 
Illion. 
Buffalo. 
Fort  Edward. 
Sandy  Hill. 

515  Lexington  Ave.,  N.  Y. 
73  Nassau  St.,  N.  Y. 
Forestport 

Glens  Falls. 

Packer    Institute,    Brooklyn. 

Fort  Ann. 

Jamaica. 

Fort  Edward. 

Fort  Edward. 

Glens  Falls. 

237  W.  72d  St.,  N.  Y. 

Burlington,    Vt. 

67  Wall  St.,  N.  Y. 

Lake  George. 

Catskill. 

Saratoga  Springs. 

Schoharie. 

280  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

1013    East  Adams   St.,    Syracuse. 

Sandy  Hill. 


MEMBERS   NEW   YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL   ASSOCIATION 


141 


Bullard,  Dr.  T.  E. 
Bunten,  Roland 
Burdge,  Franklin 
Burnham,   George 

Bushnell,   Nathan   Platt 

Cady,  S.  Rider 

Carter,  Robert  C. 

Cheney,  Dr.  Francis  L. 

Clark,  Walter  A. 

Clark,  Rev.  Joseph  B. 

Clowe,  Chas.  Waldron 

Cole,  Norman 

Conway,  John  B. 

Cook,  Dr.  Joseph  Tottenham 

Cook,  Joseph  Mrs. 

Cooke,  Rev.  Jere  K. 

Cooley,  Dr.  James  S. 

Coolidge,  Thomas  S. 

Coon,  Hon.  Stephen  Mortimer 

Cornell,  S.  Douglas 

Cunningham,  Col.  J.  L. 

Columbia  University  Library, 

Coleman,  Frank  B. 

Couch,  Franklin 

Cantine,  Hon.  Charles  F. 

Davies,  William  Gilbert 
Davis,  Dr.  Booth  C. 
Day,  Benjamin 
DeLong,  C.  J. 
Demuth,  William 
Denham,  Edward 
Denton,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  B. 
de  Peyster  Mrs.  Beekman 


Schuylerville. 

Garden  City. 

325  W.  57th  St.,  N.  Y. 

3401  Powelton  Ave.,  Philadelphia, 

Pa. 
Peekskill. 

Hudson. 

Glens  Falls. 

Cortland. 

755  Main  St.,  Geneva. 

4th  Ave.,  and  22d  St.,  N.  Y. 

280  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Glens  Falls. 

Argyle. 

636  Delaware  Ave.,  Buffalo 

Ticonderoga. 

Hempstead. 

Glen  Cove. 

Glens  Falls. 

Oswego. 

Cobourg,  Ont. 

Glens  Falls. 

116th  St.,  New  York. 

Fitchburg,  Mass. 

Peekskill 

Kingston. 

32  Nassau  St.,  N.  Y. 
Alfred. 
Hague. 
Glens  Falls. 
507  Broadway,  N.  Y. 
New  Bedford,  Mass. 
Sandy  Hill. 

2345  Broadway,   N.  Y.    (winter), 
Johnstown    ( summer ) . 


142 


NEW   YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


Derby,  Hon.  John  H. 

Derby,  Archibald  Stewart 

Digney,  John  M. 

Doane,  Rt.  Rev.  W.  C. 

Doolittle,  C.  M. 

Draper,  Hon.  A.  S. 

Dunnell,   Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Nichols 

Durkee,  James  H. 

Dwyer,  Major  John 

Biting,  Philip 
Eveleth,  Dr.  George  S. 

Fairley,  William 
Ferree,  Barr 
Ferris,  Morris  Patterson 
Fowler,  Albert  N.  C. 

Gillespie,  Nelson 
Gilman,  Hon.   Theodore  P. 
Green,  James 
Griffith,  Prof.  E.  W. 
Gunnison,  Hon.  Royal  A. 

Hatch,  Hon.  Edward  W. 
Haight,  Hon.  Albert 
Hall,  Fred  J. 
Halsey,  Frances  W. 
Hastings,  Hon.  Hugh 
Hatch,  Rev.  W.  H.  P. 
Hatfield,  Addie  E. 
Hawkins,  George  H. 
Hayden,   Henry  W. 
Hewitt,  Fred  W. 
Higgins,  Hon.  Frank  W. 
Hill,  E.  B. 
Holden,  Mrs.  J.  A. 
Holden,  James  A. 


Sandy  Hill. 

Sandy  Hill. 

White  Plains. 

Albany. 

Schuylerville. 

Albany. 

292  Henry  St.,  N  .Y. 

Sandy  Hill. 

Sandy  Hill. 

278  Wall  St.,  Kingston. 
Little  Falls. 

195  Kingson  Ave.,  Brooklyn. 

7  Warren  St.,  N.  Y. 

676  West  End  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Glens  Falls. 

i 

Hoosick  Falls. 

425  West  End  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Lake  George. 

Glens  Falls. 

Juneau,  Alaska. 

Appellate  Division,  New  York. 

Albany    (Court  of  Appeals). 

Tarrytown. 

Century  Club,  7  W.  43d  St.,  N.  Y. 

Albany. 

South   Hartford. 

17  Linwood  Place,  Utica. 

Plattsburgh. 

120  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Granville. 

Olean. 

49  Wall  St.,  N.  Y. 

Glens  Falls. 

Glens  Falls. 


MEMBERS   NEW   YORK   STATE    HISTORICAL   ASSOCIATION 


143 


Hopson,  Rev.  George  B. 
Herzberg,  R.  Moneel 
Horton,  Mrs.  John  Miller 
Horton,  Dr.  Everest  T. 
Horton,  Dr.  Claude  A. 
Howard,  Hon.  Harry  A. 
Hull,  Frank  S. 
Hull,  Phillip  M. 
Heilner,  Samuel 

Imrie,  Daniel  F. 
Ingalsbee,  Miss  Myra  L. 
Ingalsbe,  Grenville  H. 
Ingalsbe,  Franc  Groesbeck 
Ingalsbe,  Hon.  Grenville  M. 
Ingals,  George  A. 
Ingraham,  Dr.  Charles  A. 

James,   D.  Willis 
Jackson,  Rev.  Dr.  T.  G. 
Jessup,  Morris  K. 
Jessup,  Rev.  Charles  A. 
Joline,  Dr.  Adrien  H. 
Jordan,  Warren  S. 

Kellogg,  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  D. 

Kellogg,  J.  Augustus 

King,  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  D. 

King,  Charles  F. 

Kirby,  Dr.  R.  M. 

Knapp,  George  P. 

Kniel,  T.  R. 

Krotel,  Rev.  Dr.  G.  F. 

Ladd,  Neil  M. 
Lansing,  Mrs.  Abraham 
Lange,  Gustave 


Annandale. 

123  Union  St.,  Hudson. 

736  Main  St.,  Buffalo. 

Whitehall. 

Glens  Falls. 

Glens  Falls. 

Newburgh. 

Clinton. 

Broad  and  Chestnut  St.,  Phila.  Pa. 

Lake  George. 
Hartford. 
Sandy  Hill. 
Sandy  Hill. 
Sandy  Hill. 
Sandy  Hill. 
Cambridge. 

40  East  39th  St.,  N.  Y. 

68  St.  Paul's  Place,  Brooklyn. 

195  Madison  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Greenport. 

54  Wall  St.,  N.  Y. 

984  Main  St.,  Peekskill. 

Sandy  Hill. 

Glens  Falls. 

Fort  Edward. 

Glens  Falls. 

Potsdam. 

Shelving  Rock. 

Saratoga  Springs. 

65  Convent  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

646  Fulton  St.,  Brooklyn. 
115  Washington  Ave.,  Albany. 
257  Broadway,  N.  Y. 


144  NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 

9 

Lapham,  Byron  Glens  Falls. 

Law,  Robert  R.  Cambridge. 

Leary,  Russell  W.  147  W.  91st  St.,  N.  Y. 

Lefferts,  Marshall   C.  30  Washington  Place,  N.  Y. 

Lewis,  George  C.  Albany. 

Little,  Dr.  George  W.  Glens  Falls. 

Little,  Russell  A.  Glens  Falls. 

Lyttle,  Dr.  E.  W.  Albany. 

Mace,  Dr.  William  H.  127  College  Place,  Syracuse. 

Mann,  William  D.  Hague. 

Marsh,  Wallace  T.  Glens  Falls. 

Martine,  Dr.  G.  R.  Glens  Falls. 

Matthews,  George  E.  Buffalo. 

McAneny,  George  19  E.  47th  St.,  N.  Y. 

McCarthy,  James  Sandy  Hill. 

McLean,  Mrs.  Donald  186  Lenox  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Meredith,    Mrs.    Louise    Harden-  San  Luis  Obispo,  Cal. 

burgh 

Messer,  L.  Franklin  403  Main  St.,  Buffalo. 

Michael,  Edward  741  Delaware  Ave.,  Buffalo. 

Mills,  D.   0.  634  Fifth  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Mills,  Col.  Stephen  C.  (U.  S.  A.)  Governor's  Island,  N.  Y.    Harbor. 

Moore,  Commodore  John  W.  Bolton  Landing. 

Morgan,  Rev.  Dr.  D.  Parker  3  E.  45th  St.,  N.  Y. 

Morton,  Hon.  Levi  Parsons  681  Fifth  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Mott,  Dr.  0.  H.  Fort  Edward. 

Munger,  Rev.  Dr.  R.  D.  105  Delaware  St.,  Syracuse. 

Minisink  Valley  Historical  Soc.  Port  Jervis,  N.  Y. 

MERRILL,  A.  J.  Little  Falls. 

Near,  Irwin  W.  Hornellsville. 

Nelson,  Venerable  Dr.   Geo.  F.  29  Lafayette  Place,  N.  Y. 

Newcomb,  Alvah  S.  33  Washington  Ave.,  Albany. 

Nottingham,  William  701  Walnut  St.,  Syracuse. 

New  York  Public  Library  40  Lafayette  Place,  N.  Y. 


MEMBERS   NEW   YORK   STATE   HISTORICAL    ASSOCIATION 


145 


O'Brien,  M.  J. 

Olmstead,  Rt.  Rev.  Chas.  Tyler 

Paige,  Edward  Winslow 

Parry,  Mrs.   J.  E. 

Payne,  Silas  H. 

Peabody,  George  Foster 

Peck,  Gen.  T.  S. 

Peck,  Reuben  N. 

Pell,  Howland 

Prince,  Rev.  Dr.  Walter  Franklin 

Potter,  Delcour  S. 

Pryer,  Charles 

Ransom,  Frank  H. 
Ransom,  Hon.  Rastus  S. 
Raymond,  Rev.  Dr.  A.  V.  V. 
Reid,  W.  Max 
Reid,  Hon.  Whitelaw 
Rhoades,  W.  C.  P. 
Richards,   Frederick  B. 
Rider,  Wheeler,  M.  D. 
Richardson,  Rev.  George  L. 
Richards,  A.  N. 
Roberts,  Joseph  Banks 
Roberts,  Mrs.  James  A. 
Roberts,  Hon.  James  A. 
Rogers,  Howard  J. 
Rowell,  George  C. 

Samson,  William  H. 
Sanford,  Clarence  T. 
Sawyer,  W.  L. 
Sawyer,  Dr.  Edward  R. 
Schuyler,  Miss  Fanny 


195  Broadway,  N.  Y. 
159  Park  Ave.,  Utica. 

44  Cedar  St.,  N.  Y. 

Glens  Falls. 

Silver  Bay. 

54  William  St.,  New  York. 

Burlington,  Vt. 

Glens  Falls. 

7  Pine  St.,  N.  Y. 

16  S.  Elliott  Place  Brooklyn. 

Glens  FaUs. 

New  Rochelle. 

137  Main  St.,  Buffalo. 

128  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Schenectady. 

Amsterdam. 

New  York. 

400  Putnam  Ave.,  Brooklyn. 

Glens  Falls. 

Rochester. 

Glens  Falls. 

Sandy  Hill. 

141  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

256  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

256  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Education  Dept,  Albany. 

81  Chapel  St.,  Albany. 

420  Oxford  St.,  Rochester. 
Lake  George. 
Sandy  Hill. 
Sandy  Hill. 
New  Rochelle. 


Schuyler,    Rev.    Dr.    Livingston  17  Lexington  Ave.,  N.  Y. 
Rowe 


146 


NEW   YORK    STATE   HISTORICAL   SOCIETY 


Seabury,  Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Jones 

Sebring,  William  C. 

Seelye,   Elwyn 

Sexton,  Mrs.  Pliny  T. 

Sexton,  Hon.  Pliny  T. 

Sidway,  Mrs.  Frank  St.  John 

Sills,  Dr.  Charles  Morton 

Shallis,  Guy  Wheeler 

Sill,  Dr.  Frederick  S. 

Silver,  Dr.  John  Archer 

Simpson,  John  Boulton 

Sims,  Charles  N. 

Sidway,  Mrs.  Frank  St.  John, 

Shedden,  Hon.  Lucian  L. 

Shepard,  Dr.  Edward  M. 

Slicer,  Rev.  Thomas  R. 

Smith,  Wm.  Alex 

Smith,    T.   Guilford 

Smith,  James  F. 

Spencer,  Dr.  Chas.  W. 

Stackpoie,  George  F. 

State  Normal  and  Training  School 

Stearns,  Rev.  W.  0. 

Steele,  Mrs.  Esther  B. 

Stevens,  Rev.  Dr.  C.  Ellis 

Stevens,  Benjamin  F. 

Stieglitz,  Edward 

Stilwell,  Giles  H. 

Stillman,  Dr.  William  Olin 

Stone,  Col.  William  L. 

Tefft,  Richard  C. 
Temple,  Truman  R. 
Thompson,  Jeremiah  M. 


8  Chelsea  Sq.,  N.  Y. 

Kingston,  N.  Y. 

Lake  George. 

Palmyra. 

Palmyra. 

37  Oakland  Place,  Buffalo. 

Geneva. 

Pittsburgh. 

169  Mohawk  St.,  Cohoes. 

Geneva. 

1170  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Liberty,  Indiana. 

37  Oakland  Place,  Buffalo. 

Plattsburgh. 

Lake  George. 

New  York  City. 

412  Madison  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Buffalo. 

South  Hartford. 

Princeton,  N.  J.    . 

Riverhead. 

Plattsburgh. 

Glens  Falls. 

352  W.  Clinton  St.,  Elmira. 

Ill  Montague  St.,  Brooklyn. 

Boston  Mass. 

Bolton. 

1906  W.  Genesee  St.,  Syracuse. 

287  State  St.,  Albany. 

Mt.   Vernon. 

Sandy  Hill. 

Granville. 

Dundee. 


University  of  Michigan   General  Ann  Arbor,  Mich. 

Library 
Upson,  Mrs.  Lydia  F.  Glens  Falls. 


MEMBERS    NEW    YORK    STATE    HISTORICAL    ASSOCIATION 


147 


Vanderveer,  Dr.  A. 
Van  Hee,  Daniel,  L. 
Vann,  Hon.  Irving  G. 
Van  Wormer,  Rodney 
Vynne,  Mrs.  Emma  M. 

Wait,  John  C. 
Wait  William 
Wakeman,  Abram 
Wallander,  A.  W. 
Waller,  Eev.  Henry  D. 
Warren,  E.  Burgess 
Watrous,  Harry  W. 
Watrous,  Mrs.  Harry  W. 

Watson,  Col.  James  T. 
Webster,  Dr.  W.  B. 
Welch,  Miss  J.  M. 
West,  Chandler  A. 
West,  Elmer  J. 
Westover,  Myron  N. 
Wetmore,  Edmond 
Wicker,  Miss  Julia  Frances 
Willey,  Rev.  John  H. 
Williams,  Dr.  Sherman 
Williams,  Charles  H. 
Willis,  James  D. 
Wilson,  Henry  Applegate 
Wing,  Asahel  R. 
Wright,  Miss  Abbie  A. 
Woodruff,  Hon.  Timothy  L. 
Woodard,  Hon.  John 
Worden,  Edwin  J. 
Wyckoff,  Alice  Brooks 
Williams  College  Library 
Willers,  Hon.  Diedrich 
The  Secretary  will  thank 


28  Eagle  St.,  Albany. 

Rochester. 

Syracuse. 

Argyle. 

Hague. 

38  Park  Row,  N.  Y. 

Kinderhook. 

136  Front  St.,  N.  Y. 

Mt.  Vernon. 

Flushing. 

Lake  George. 

Hague. 

Hague    and   352   Lexington   Ave., 

N.  Y. 
Clinton. 
Schuylerville. 
76  Johnson  Park,  Buffalo. 
Lake  George. 
Glens  Falls. 
Schenectady. 
34  Pine  St.,  N.  Y. 
Ticonderoga. 

466  East  18th  St.,  Brooklyn. 
Glens  Falls. 

690  Delaware  Ave.,  Buffalo. 
40  East  39th  St.,  N.  Y. 
574  Madison  St.,  Brooklyn. 
Fort  Edward. 
Sandy  Hill. 

8th  Ave.  and  18th  St.,  Brooklyn. 
Appellate  Division,  Brooklyn. 
Lake  George. 
Elmira. 

Williamstown,  Mass. 
Varick,  Fayette. 
members  for  corrections  to  this  list. 


New  York  State  Historical 
116  Association 

N86  Proceedings 

v.7 


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