OLD MINE ROAD

TRAIL FOR INDIANS AND EARLY SETTLERS

AMELIA STICKNEY DECKER

1932

Copyright 1932

Wantage Recorder Press, Sussex, N. J.

FOREWORD.

In presenting this historical pa1nphlet re­ lating to "The Old lVIine Road," particularly in Sussex County, I have not aimed to place before you any hitherto unfound material. I have en­ deavored to put into compact form much im­ portant historical data from various sourees, ,vhich with the illustrations should form a valu­ able document in the study of the history of this "Path of the Great Valley."

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The Old :i\Iine TI.oad 4. THE OLD MINE ROAD.

The First Road Built in the United States.

Thrilling stories and adventures come to us out of the past, even from our own country. What tales of exploration, of Indians, of struggles to exist, those early settlers along the Old Mine Road might have recorded. That National trail, the Old Mine Road, known as the King's Highway, or the Queen's Highway was mentioned first as "The Trade Path," then in 1682 as "The Path of the Great Valley," in 1737 as "The Old Mine Road," and in 1770 as "The Good Esopus Road." This highway has for years aroused the interest and E.rt­ thusiasm of history loving individuals, especially those ,vho nre seeking know ledge of our own particular region. Authors have left us exciting stories of Indian life along this trail, and the same border line between Pennsylvania and New Jersey played an in1- portant part before and during the An1erican Revolution. . But, you ask, "What is the Old Mine Road?" It is a high­ way, the first of any length built in the United States. 1632- 1638-1640-1650, historians differ as to the date of building, but early records advise us that no one knows when the road was actually constructed. vVithout doubt it had been a familiar footpath of the Indians for generations for it was a thoroughfare for then1 to the fording place at Big Minisink Island where their ancient castle and village of Minisink stood, and near which their tribal l\finsi burial ground, covering acres of the river flats, \\i·as located. : One hundred and four miles long, this trail ran from Kings­ ton or Esopus, N. Y., to Port Jervis, N. Y., then dO"\Vn the east~rn shore of the Delaware River, forty miles of it thru Sussex County, N. J., to what was known as the Pahaquarry Copper Mines in Warren County, N. J. Even the earliest settlers could give only traditionary ac­ counts of this old road, these coming from older people of the valley who were able to give no actual dates even then. They believed that in some former age, there came a co1npany of miners from IIolland; one historian says they may have been ...t\.rminians; that they w·orked the mines, one on the Dela,vare where the mountain nearly approaches the lower point of the Pahaquarry Flat, the other at the north foot of the san1e mountain, half way from the Delaware and Esopus. It was understood that an abundance of ore had been hauled over that same road, but whether lead, silver or copper is not 5 known. '\Ve do kno,Y that the building of that road ,vas a gigantic project costing a vast sun1 and attended by innumerable perils. Here ,Yas a vast \Yilderness, a mountainous region, forests. waterfalls and savage Indians roaming over the country. Today we cherish a paTdonable pride in recalling the heroism, the endur­ ance, the lofty devotion to duty, to principle, the patient perse­ verance of those early explorers, exposed to attacks of savage tribes ,vho ,\·ere at tin1es friendly, at others hostile, far away from markets, fTon1 civilization, their toil abounded in hardship$ from which ,:\;e shrink even in recital. Exceedingly- early these hardy explorers must have entered the valley for the Journal of N e,Y Netherlands, 1641, writes of the high mountains exhibiting strong indications of minerals; 1645, The West Indian Company determined to investigate, because by this time a definite location of the mine \Yas found; 1646, it was deemed ad,is2.ble to continue the search; 1657, Vice Director Aldrich v.·rites, "On this road or ,vay is a good and rich iron mine. situate near a 1·iver ;" 1659, the directors in Holland wrote to Governor Stuyvesant that they had received a piece of good and pure copper fron1 N e,v Netherland, and that there \Vas a copper mine in the Neve sinks. Governor Cosby in 1735 \Yrote to the London Board of Trade that in N e,v Jersey ,-r as an extraordinary xich mine, then narrated the story of the efforts to reach it. "Situated near the Delaware Water Gap," he said "no atternpts had been made to get to it frorn the south, but access \Yas easiest from Kingston." Historians have run the road up the valley of the Roundout or Esopus to Hurley, to l\IarbletO"\Yn, to Vl arvvarsing, to Peenpack and to Mahackameck or Port Jervis, N. Y. It passed through Napanoch, Ellenville, Phillipsport, vVurtsboro, vVestbrookville, Cuddeback­ ville, Port Clinton then to Port Jervis, N. Y., to Brick House, N. J., Dingman's Ferry, Flatbrookville, the mine holes, and thence to the Water Gap. For reasons unkno,Yn even to early pioneers, these old mine holes had been closed up by 1nasonry, obscuTed by branches ant.I abandoned lor:.g l ;efo~·e perrnanent settlements ,vere effected. Eager's Histo1·y of Oran_ge County believes that miners ,vere at work in the 1nine holes of }Iinisink previous to 1664 and that the mining business closed in co11sequence of the surrender to th~ English in that year. WhetheT any of those ear1y \Yorkers Temained in the valley i& not definitely kno,\·n as early ,,-ritten records do not go back of 1700 except in one or t,-ro instances of patents in Upper 1\1:inisink. Webb's Directory of Sussex County, ho,vever, gives a statement said to have been n1ade by Samuel Depue that the mines in Warren County ,-rere discovered by some of the first Dutch people 6 in this country, and that some of these farnilies either stayed or returned as is evidenced by the nan1es '\Y hich have come down to us, Westbrooks, Ryersons, Depues, Schooner1nakers. We do know that a number of settle1·s n!ust have been living in Upper Minisink as on October 18, 1701, the Legislature of New York passed an act providing that the inha;-'itants of Great and Little Minisink should vote in Ulster CouI1ty, !~. Y. Dr. S. W. Mills in an address at Port J-ervis, N. Y., claimed that settlements ,vere made as eariy as 1690 a~ong the old trajl above Port Jervis, N. Y. These ·\yere 1n,1de by Jacob Codebec, Thomas Svvartwout, Anthony S,vart,voGt, Be1utrdus Swartwout, Jan Tys, Peter Guimar and David Jamison. About the same year, or a little earlier·, vVm. Titsoort, a blacksmith, located in the valley a n1ile from Port Jervis. It is written that this settler ,vas invited by the Indians to come into the Minisink valley to help them fashion tools. Other pioneers were forming colonies in and near Kingston and \Ye are told that these furnished some of the settlers ·who ,vent into the Minisink country. Francis J. S,vayze assures us that as early as 169'4 settle­ ments in the Minisink region were of little consequence. Capt. _.t\.rent Schuyler was sent in that year by the government of New York to learn whether the French or Indhlns in alliance with them had been in the valley. I-Ie was compelied to confer with the Indians as he could :find no white settle1nents. fie ,vas so pleased v.-ith the country that in lVIay, 1697, patent fo1· 1,000 acres was issued to him. However, Snell's History of Sussex and "\Yarren Counties says that Low Dutch farmers from Ulster County, N. Y., made settle.. ments in the valley just prior to 1700, and a(!co1·ding to Twichell's History of the lVIinisink Country, a flourishing settlement was existing in Minisink as early as 1697, as in that year a patent bearing the date October 14, 1697, ,Yas issued to them by the colonial governor of New York. The story is tcld by John J. Van­ Sickle (,vho was considered an authority on the ~Iinisink region) that in 1650 the village of l\tlinisink ,\·ns a stc·1~ping place for men and teams carting copper ore fron1 the ancie2it copper mines in Pahaquarry to the !-Iudson, and that on a n1al) o-f Sussex County printed in Charing Cross, London, all ro::~ds ,.~:e2·e sho,vn leading to the village of l\1inisink, ,vhich "·as located ,1lr:1ost on the border lines between J\'.Iontague and Sandyston To,\T1ships in Sussex County. In 1730 one Nicholas Scull, a f an1ous sur,·eyo1·, ,vas appointed by the Governor of Philadelphia to investigate the facts concern­ ing the settlement in the valley of the Dehn\·al'e. He and his assistant, James Lukens, both being able to converse with the '1 Indians, undertook the journey, a hazardous and difficult one in those days. They tell us that they had n1uch trouble leading their horses through the vVater Gap to the 1\linisink Flats, which they found all settled ,vith Hollanders. . At the venerable Samuel Depui's they found great hospitality and plenty of the necessities of life. They ,vere astonished to find ·an apple orchard ,vith trees n1uch larger in size than any neaT Philadelphia. lVIr. Depui told them that when the river was frozen, he had a good road to Esopus, some hundred miles, and that he carted his wheat and cider there for salt and articles actually needed. Count Nicholas Zinzedorf, in 17 41, came to this country, and founded the lVIoravian lVIissions in Pennsylvania, these soon spreading among the Indians. His journal of a trip up the old ·Mine Road is most interesting. "August 25th," he says, "Sopus ·being the Sodom of Ne,v York ,ve resolved to pass through and not spend Sunday vvithin its borders." Kingston, founded in 1658 ·must have been a ,vicked city to have deserved that appellation. In 1787 Nicholas . Depui, about sixty years of age, a son of Samuel, was found living near the old copper mine, in a spacious stone house near Sha,vnee, apparently in great affluence. In an interview, he claimed to kno,v little about the early days of the ·old trail, and the little he could give had come from older people. Ile had used the Old l\1ine Road extensively before a navigable channel had been opened in the Dela,vare River when trade turnect down stream. As noted vVm. Titsoort ,vas the first settler in the lVIinisink country along the Old lviine Road, at least historians agree on that fact. The next recorded visitor was Arnout Vielle, who had been sent by the Governor of Ne\v York in 1694 to ascertain ·whether any French ,vere there. "Just imagine seeing 700 Indians led by Vielle, coming do,vn the t1·ail, bringing to the old village of Minisink, July 1st, 1694, 700 packs of hides containing, 100 pelts, or a total of 70,000." ...~rnout Vielle ,vas an Indian interpreter. }le \Yas given a grant of land by the l\Iohawk Indians. This \Yas iccated above Schenectady, N. Y. Many settlers poured into the l\Iinisink Valley after the n1arch was begun. .A.aron Depui conducted a store at Sha-\vnee, just across the river fro1n the copper mines from 1743-1747. H1s ledger still sho,vs purchases made there. Names taken from this ol_d book are: ....'.\nthony Dierk \Vestbrook, Nicholas Depui, Ben­ jamin Shoemaker, Abel VVestfall, Daniel Brodhead, John Co1i­ right, Jacobus Quick, Jacob Coykendall, Thomas Brink, Isaac Vancampen, Abram Vancampen, A.dam Dingman, John Casparus Fryenmuth and Abram Vancampen, Sr. ~<\ noted character along the Old Mine Road at that time was 8 Judge bavid W. Dingman, who lived in Pike County, Pa., but was a native of Walpack Township, born on the farm now owned by Col. Blunt, State Labor Commissioner. It is said that Judge Dingman was very eccentric, of great force of character but u11- ed ucated. It was no uncommon thing for him to appear in court in his shirt sleeves and bare feet. lVIany of these old settlers devoted themselves to the good of their people and bravely defended their community against both Indians and other enemies during the .A.merican Revolution, fo1· we hear of them repeatedly in later historical events. We hear, tab, of Judge Timothy Symmes, of Walpack Town­ ship, who presided in Sussex County Common Pleas Court from 1777-1791; also his brother, John Cleves Symmes, who resigned his position as judge to become a member of the Supreme Court. Anna, a daughter of Judge Symmes, became the wife of President William Henry Harrison and the grandmother of Benjamin Harri­ son. Early in the history of the Old Mine Road efforts had been made to establish religious worship. The increase of settlers justified the erection of meeting-houses and as early as 1660 Hermanns Blom was established at Kingston as the Dutch RP-­ form 1ninister. Thirteen years later petition was sent to Edmund .A.ndross, Governor of the Province of New York, asking that Peettar Tasetmaker be sent to that charge as a preacher, the p1 ace being destitute of a minister. The Governor replied that ,vhen proper accommodations ·were provided a Mr. Rabern would be sent them. May 1, 1712, Petrus Vas or Vos asked that the Dutch Reform Church at Kingston be legally incorporated, as a church had been there for many years and they had bought a half acre of ground for a cemetery.

9 Rev. Vas ,vas the first clergyman to travel down the Old l\1ine Road from Esopus to 1Iinisink. August 16, 1716, he held services in \Vallpack \Yhen he baptized three persons; January 15, 1717, he baptized four; January 29, 1718, five persons received baptism. August 23, 1737, Rev. George \Vilhelm lviancius bap-

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1Iarkex for Walpack Church tized six more. Records of the Kingston Church show that baptis1ns "·ere perforn1ed for four years 1716-1719, but 1719-1732, no records are fcund. In that year, 17:12, 1lev. Creorgc \V. 1Ianscius began making­ visits to that region eYeTy six 1nonths. 1le prohab~y \vP.nt down the Old :\line Hoc1.d to \Va1p,1<::'.k, pel'l1,111s to Col. V,tnCampen's and on to Lo\Yer ~sn1ithAeid. (Shct\Ynee.)

10 The first effort toward church organ1zation ,vas in 1731, v;hen the settlers raised money to educate John Caspa1us Fryen­ muth, a young Swiss lad, seventeen years of age for the ministry. Ile was supposed to journey to Holland for his training and though some dispute the fact of his going ther~ at all, he came back and led the people very successfully. During that same year the principal men along the N evesink from \Val pack, and from the lower end of the valley to the Water Gap, n1et with Dominie Manscius, who was accompanied by yourtg Fryenmuth, at Minisink and laid the foundation for the four Low l)utch churches along the Old Mine Road. These were at Mack­ hackameck (Port Jervis, N. Y.), Minisink (Montague), Wallpack

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Old Smithfield Church (near Flatbrookville), and Smithfield (at Sha\vnee). The last chu1·ch \Vas probably built long before 1725, first of logs and later rep1aced by stone, for in 1752 Fryenmuth preached in the ne,v stone church. Mr. Fryenmuth of Fryenmoet as he spelled his nan1e in later years, had charge of the four churches, traveling on horseback, probably, and crossing an early established ferry over the Delaware near the copper mines. That ferry was one below· that now called Dirnmick's Ferry. July 23, 1742, John Casparus Fryenmoet and Lena VanEtten, a young \voman in N ytsfield were married by Esquire Abraham VanCan1pen at his house in Pahaquarry. This house, ,v hich is still standing is the 11 one where John Adams is said to have stayed ·when on his journey to Philadelphia to attend CongTess . ...~bout 1745, the settlel's built a parsonage for their young minister, Fryenmuth. It ,vas located within a stone's throw of Fort Nomanock and today is knovvn as the James Fuller home. The original house burned and \\:·as l'ebuilt. The corner stone bears the date 1751 ·with undecipherable initials woven about the

Site of niinisink Church figures. Rev. Fryenn1uth ministered to his people for a long period, leaving in ...\ug·ust, 1756, \Yhen Indian raids threatened the ~ettlers of Minisink Valley. All that has come do,\·n in history indicates that early pioneers along- the 01d l\Ii ne }toad lived peacefully ,vith th€ Indians until 17SS. Fron1 that time until 1758 it ,vas a scene oi Indian raids and massacres. England and France \\·ere at \\:·ar and had secured the alliance of Indian tribes on one side or the other. Moreover there \Yas a local cause ,vhich embittered the strife, and though Ne,v Jersey ,vas not concerned, the border line betweeTJ Kew Jersey and Pennsylvania suffered. This trouble ,vas the famous Indian Walk, a fraud perpetrat• 12 ed on Pennsylvania Minisink Indians by William Penn's agents. Penn, in his treaty with the Indians purchased of the chiefs, J\Iaykeerickkisho and Taughhaughsey, all the land between the Dela,vare River and a line to the north,vard as far as a man could walk in three days. He, Penn, set out to walk ,vith the Indians and carefully observed their customs; ,valked ,vith them, rested and smoked with them and all agreed. After a day and a half of

Moses VanCan1pen House walkin2· he told them he had all the land he needed and a monu­ ment v7as erected on the spot. It is not known whether the inten­ tion \V~:ts to finish the ,valk or not. After Penn's death, his sons determined to have the remain• ing land according to contract, and another ,valk ,vas axranged by Penn's agents in 1737. Three V/hite n1en, Ed,vard l\ilarshall, a hunter, of Bucks County, Pa.; Ja1nes Yeates, of Ne"\v·ton, Pa., and Solon1on Jennings, of N 01thtu11berland County, started the walk. VVhen finished, l\Iarshall \Yas the only contestant ,vho remained in the race and he had reached, after a \Yalk of eighty-six miles, a spur of Broad l\Iountain~ 11ear \Yhere Tannersville now is. The Indians clai111ed that he had run some of the ,vay but affidavits by \\·hite settlers clai1ned there had been no fraud. Thus all the land east of that ,valk passed into the hands of the Penns, this comprising all the lands of the Pennsylvania lVIinisink Country. You can see ,vhy later, when opportunity offered, the Indians 13 took revenge upon all white people whether on the Jersey or Pennsylvania side of the river. Ed,vard l\:Iarshall forever after lived in fear of the Indians, "·ho in 1748 shot and killed his son. Indian raids continued and from 1754-1779 the settlers along the Old Mine Road lived a veritable nightmare existence. One writer has said that the o~.d

Fuller House road ,vas a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of flame by night On the 27th of December, 1755, the Legislature passed an act authorizing the erection of four block-houses along the river in Sussex County. These ,vere numbered one to four and ·were garrisoned as speedily as possible \Vith 250 men. Jonathan i-Iampton ,vas appojnted commissioner of supplies and John Wetherill commissary and paymaster. Other forts must have been built later, for in May, 1758, Hampton names seven: Fo1t Reading, t,velve miles from Easton; Col. VanCampen's, eighteen miles farther north; Fort "V\T allpack, six miles farther; Head­ quarters, six miles from Wallpack; N omanock, eight miles dis­ tant; Fort Shipeconk, four miles from N omanock, and Cole's 14 Site of Shapanack Fort

N ormanock Fort 15 1-1,ort, eight miles farthel', all on the river. Fort No1nanockt the onlv fort still standing, is gradually falling into ruins . ., Before these block-houses could be completely finished the Indians had invaded the province. As the trouble gre,v, additioral troops ,vere drafted but did not prevent Indian incursions into tr.e valley. lVIay 15, 1758, about t,vo o'clock in the afternoon, thirteeP. Indians attacked the house of Nicholas Cole in Mr. Cole's absence. lVIrs. Cole ,:vas pinioned to the ,,-all and forced to ,vitness the kill­ ing of her son-in-la\v, the to111aha\vking of her eldest daught~r (thirteen), a son of eight and a daughter of four years. The Indians rifled the house and carried l\irs. Cole and her son, Jacob, ,.vi th them. On the same day a party of Indians scalped a settler 111 A.nthony Westbrook's field near lVIinisink, then joined the savageb ,vho had attacked the Coles. nfr. Cole, in the meantime, had secur­ ed the aid of soldiers fron1 Fort N 01nanock and pursued the Indians, ,vho fled ,vhen fired upon, allO"'..Ying 11rs. Cole and Jacob to escape. This story gives you but a brief glimpse of the perils \vhich constantly threatened the pioneers along ,the Or:i lVIi.Le Road. Volumes mig·ht be v.-ritten on this subject alone.

On January 27, l 758~ Francis Ben1ard, an Eng1ishl11a1.-. 1 was appointed Governor of Ne,v Jersey. He landed on June 14th and immediately took energetic 1nea.sures. His plan ,vas to defend the frontier of ninety miles along the Dela\vare by erecting tert block houses ten miles apart, ,vith a guard of twenty-five men at each house and dogs to scent the tracks of the Indians and to prevent an1buscades. The ...;\ssembly provided one additional block-house and fifty dogs. l\Ieantime, negotiations for peace ,vere being discussed and finally, on A.ugust 7-8, 1758, Governor Bernard met ,vith three l\Iounsey Indians, one Cayugan, and t,vo Dela,vares, also the Governor of Pennsvlvania at Easton at noon. The claim of the l\Iinisink Indians ~yas settled for 1,000 pounds, and they re­ linquished all clain1s upon the province of New Jersey. Population along the Old l\Iine Road increased rapidly f ollo,v­ ing the settlement of Indian affairs, and this increase led to the creation of additional To-\;-nships. l\Iontague ,vas added in 1759, and Sandyston \Vas set off fro1n \Vallpack in 1762 by royal patent. The years f1·on: 1760-1775 \Yere years of grovvth and moder­ ate prosperity, although the County of Sussex ,yas as yet poor and had 1ittle accurnulated ,,·ea.1th. The inhabitants continued in their ,vork of subduing the \Yilderness ,vhile a greater storm than ever before ·was pending. \Vhen the first pre1nonitory notes of the .A__ merican Revolution sounded in 1774, the echoes penetrated even to the remotest settlement. On July 16, 1774, at a meeting held at the Court House, pre- 16 sided over by IIugh IIughes, resolutions ,vere adopted which had been dra,\·n up by John Cleves Symn1es, of \Vallpack, who ,vas an officer in the c.n·n1y, became a men1ber of Congress, Justice of the Supren1e Court, and lived to see his daughter, a native of Sussex Cot:nt:v·, n121Ty \Villiam Henry Harrison, later a President of the l ~ ni ted States. A. CoGnTy Conlll1ittee of Safety organized about that time, aside f1·on1 o-th2rs contained the names of Abraham VanCampen, D,1niel Depue, Jr., lvloses VanCampe11, Joseph lviontague, Emman­ uel Ilove1·, John C. Symmes and John Rosenkrans, of Wallpack; San1uel. \Vestbrook, .A.braha1n Broka\v, Henry Hover, of Sandys­ ton; lien1·y V✓• Cortright and John Cortright, of l\'.Iontague; resi­ dents all ~--tlong the Old lVIine Road.

Shimer IIouse The l\Iinisink country vihich had suffered during the French and Indian YVar \Yas not the less exposed to Indian raids during the An1erican Revolution. In 1777 a party of savages killed two or th1·ee f an1ilies north of the N evesink, then crossed into Monta­ gue \vhere they tomahawked a family named Jobs, then attacked 17 the dwelling of Abram Shimer, who ,vith the assistance of three or four negro slaves, compelled them to retil'e. The house of Capt. Shimer ,vhich is still standing, just off the road at lVIillville has been kept in repair and is occupied at the present time. (1931.) At the very beginning of hostilities of the Revolution, the

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Brandt British had laid out a p1,ogran1 to har~1ss the pf1triots upon the frontiers in Ne,": Y~ ork, N" e\Y Jersey and Pennsylvania. In pursu­ ance of this program the _..\ssociated Loya"l.ists jn 1778, sent Col. 18 Joseph Brandt, a half-breed Indian, and John Butler, leading both Indians and Tories and both renO\Yned for their fe1·ocity in pre­ vious exp-2ditions, to carry out the raids upon the settlers. On the 13th of October, 1778, succeeding- the \Yyoming Mas­ sacre, ,-r hich y::as a most horrible and trc1.g·ic occurrence, Brandt ,vith atout 100 Indians and Tories, invaded the neighborhood of Peenpack in Orange County, or Tri-States near the Sussex County line. Here they appeared at \iVestf alrs Fort. One man was dis­ patched before he could 1·each his house and 2i.Ir. S\vartwout and his son ,vere kil!ed befo1·e they could get into the fort, although another son escaped. The noise of 1nusketry aroused Forts Gumaer and De,Yitt and Capt. Cuddeback ordered all men, women and chi!dren to the back of the fort ,vhere nll ,-r;;ere dressed in old hats and breeches and marched around Fort Gumaer. The Indiar..s. beJieving that the fort \Yas vYell manned, passed by and on to the next, setting fi1·e to buil

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·-- Sy111n1es .:.\Ionun1ent age of Lacka,Yaxen. Later, in ~.\pril, 1780, the nattle of Ray­ mondskill or Coneshaugh ,Yas fought. Settlers s~1111 IIehn, John lvlcCarty, Lieut. Ennis, Capt. ·vanEtten ar1d C,; 1.pt. \Yestbrook were searching for Indians \Yhon1 they hr~

Isaac Vancampen Inn along the Old l\:Iine Road, especially on the Pennsylvania side. IIis father had been killed by the Indians, so Tom Quick's object in life ,vas to destroy those ,vho had killed his father. His ad­ ventures have been ,voven into many interesting tales of that early time. These dc1.nge1·ons days made it necessary to call out the Sussex l\Ii1itia and to again man the forts or block-houses in the three To,Ynships stretching from the vVater Gap to Carpen­ ter's Point. ~..\n1ong the officers \\!·ho commanded in this region v,.:ere Cois. I-Iankinson and Se·\'.vard, J\'.Iaj ors l\Ieeker and Westbrook and Captains Co1tright, Harker, Shafer, Beck,vith, Rosenkrans, Bockover, Hover and vVinter. Probably a number of these were promoted as was Major 21 John RosenkTans, \Y ho beca1ne a Colonel ,v hen Col. John Cleves Symmes resigned to take the Judgeship. Col. Abraham Van­ Campen ,vas the first Colonel in Sussex County. He was active in the campaigns of 1755 and Colonels Symmes and Rosenkrans L.i the American Revolution. Col. Rosenkrans, an elder in the Reform Church, gave the grounds for the erection of a church and burial ground on his farm, the church being erected about 1770. Among the first burials was that of the ,vife of John Cleves Symmes. On her headstone, still standing is the inscription: "In remembrance of Mrs. Anna Symn1es ,vho ,vas born October, 1741, married the Hon. John C. Syn1111es, 30th October, 1760, and died 25th July, 1776, leaving t,vo daughters, 1\-Iaria and Anna." Anna married William Henry Harrison. Col. John Rosenkrans is interred in this cemetery. Near this historical spot still stands the old stone house built about 1750, ju.st -;.~r.. dc:::::leath the hill from Shapanack Fort. Some have attributed the building of this house to Col. John Rosenkrans but the Rosenkrans _l-Iistory of that family says that Col. John never built the house or o,vned it, and that it was probably erected by Isaac v""anCampen. It ,vas a safe haven, ho,Yever, during those early days of peril for many settlers ,Yho fled to it for protection_. One soldie:· who made a visit of inspection up the valley claimed that he found 150 people being harbored there. Today (1931) the sub­ stantial building is an interesting monument to those pioneers who made our country. In the years f ollo,Ying- the .A.n1erican Revolution, the iviinisink country prospered and for a long time thriving farms and villages dotted the valley. Far from 1narkets, ,vith no railroads the region has had a st1·uggle to forge ahead, although automobiles and the radio have changed the life of the people. N o,v an improved 1·oad has been built along the Dela,vare, part of it along the Old l\'Iine Road. Even no,\· the history enthusiast ,vould be delighted ,vith u trip over this old ro2~d, f 01· n1uch re1nains to remind us of those far off early tirnes. Crossing the Flatbrook \Ye begin the ascent of the Kittatinny }Iountains, soon reaching 1Iillbrook, an almost deserted village, on the bank of VanCampen's brook. Shortly after leaving this "\\<:; co:a1e to the ;\loses VanCan1pen house, built about 200 years ag;:). :\frljor ~roses Vancampen "·as a brave m2.1l who had many inte1·csiing experiences ,vith the Indians. It is this house ,~Yhere John ~-\dan1s is supposed to have staye1 when on his \Yay to l?hiiad~lphia to attend Congress, although some histol'ians c~airn that ::\Ir. ~.\dams stayed in the Isaac Van­ Campen house in \Ya1lp,:ck To\Ynship. This difference of opinion 22 is due to the state1nent that history says that the famous :Mr. Adams stayed in th2 niinisink precinct, and that precinct did not extend so far do,vn as the I\-Ioses V anCampen house. The fact that the old house still stands is of interest. Slave quarters were said to have been fol~nd in the left ,:ving of the dwelling. Leaving this, \Ye come shortly to the stone house of Henry Shoemaker, a .t(evolutionary soldie1·. This has been modernized to meet the needs of the summer boarder. Near this is the old copper mine vJ1ich in 1907 ,vas the scene of renewed activity. A mining co1npany· in that year attempted to realize something from the old mine but the price of copper dropping, activities soon

Depue I-louse ceased. \lery- near these is the sco,v ferry, today known as Dimmick's, \\' hich crosses the Dela,Yare to the Pennsylvania side. In Wallpack To\Ynship can be found much of the old histor­ ical flavor. The fi.l'st n1ail route, in 1852, ,vas established frorn Flatbrookville to K e,\·ton, by ,vay of l\Iillbrook, Hard\vick and Stillwater. B. B. Edsall, in an address delivered at the Sussex County Centenary said that the fii-st settlement in Sussex County ~3 \Vas along the Old niine Road; that in 1738 the only gTist mill \V~.s on the Flatbrook near the Dela\vare; that one of the first three saw mills ,vas on the Flatbrook; and at that ti1ne \vagons \ve1·e unkno,vn save in the l\Iinisink country. Near Flatbrookville, is the granite ma1-ker sho'\ving the site of Lo,ver \"Va1pack Dutch Reform Church organized in 1737 and built in that year. The ne"r church which took the place of this old one was built in the village of Flatbrookville about 1897. N ea:r this village, on a bend in the river, Daniel Decker established a ferry in 1756. This, in later years was moved up the river.

Gu1naer House Next ·we reach the outskirts of Shapanach. I-Iere lay the farm of John Cleves Symmes, whose wife, Anna, mother-in-ia-w of President Harrison, lies in the old burial ground. The log church. Dutch, erected here previous to the Revolution \Yas in use as late as 1826. Just belo,v the church site on the lo,ver end o-f the knoll com­ manding an extended vie\v of the valley and river stood Fort Shapanach, erected dul'ing the French and Indian \Vars, and 24 ,,·hich, during the Revolution \\ras a part of the d,velling of Col. John Rosenkrans. That fort is gone today but a granite marker has been placed on the site. Directly belovv this fort is the stone d,Yelling· built in 1750 by Isaac Van Campen, although an iron fire back 111ade for the house at Oxford Furnace bears the date 1742. The ancient house is in splendid repair and is constantly occupied. It ,vas the property,

Fischer Cemetery in 1829, of John Dewitt, ,vho ,vhen slavery ,vas abolished in the State of New Jersey o,vned the only slave in Sus sex County. The To,vnship of Sandyston ,vas decidedly historical as some of the most horrible Indian atrocities ,vere committed ,vithin her borders. Here is an old stone house built more than a century ago the property all of that time of the Depue f an1i1y and occupied today by ...t\lonzo Depue and sisters. )JJout t,,~o 111iles from the Depues ,ve find the lVIoses Gun1aer house no,v occupied by Moses Gtanaer, and his son and family. l\Ioses Gun1aer is no,v over eig·hty years of age and both he and his fat her h<1d ahvays lived in this house. Not far from this old hon1e is the Fischer or 25 Mettler Cemetery, the burial place of many old settlers. The D. A. R. recently placed a 1narker on the grave of Even Bevans, a Revolutionary soldier buried here. A number of old cemeteries may be found along this road. Besides Fischer burying ground there is another, a couple of

,vestbrook Fort

Ruins of Westbrook Fort 26 miles above this, which is entirely obliterated by ,veeds; at Mini­ sink Church is a burying ground where it is said both Indian and white men are buried together, and at lvlinisink there is the old Indian burying ground. In Orange County ,ve find the Gumaer Cemetery where the Revolutionary soldiers ,vere buried. A burial ground near the site of the Lo,ver \Valpack Church near Flat­ brookville gives us the location of another of those early ceme­ teries. In Sandyston Township, too, lived the brave Capt. Johannes WestbTook, who erected on the property a stone dwelling house which was used as a fort and the ruin of which may still be seen. Near this is the old home, about 250 years old, be1onging in those

Bell House days to the Westbrook family, and now occupied by the Bells, the eighth generation to live in this ancient home. This home has known every kind of lighting, from the fagot to electricity. Montague Township is also rich in historical reminiscences. It was the home of Capt. Shimer, Capt. Bonnell and Capt. Peter vVestbTook, the latter falling a victim to Indian atrocities in 1779. The home of Capt. Shimer may be seen today just off the road from Millville, still in good repair and occupied. It ,vas this home that in 1777 was raided by the Indians, and saved by the action oi Capt. Shimer and his slaves. lvlillville, the location of Capt. Shider's home, was the site of a block-house and is still called Block-house Hill. Capt. Bonnell com1nanded at niinisink during the Revolution. HeTe, too, in the Delaware River is located the famous Mini­ sink Island, home of the l\!Iunsi Indians before and during the ...~merican Revolution. The Minisink Path started at this island. crossed the mountain at the present drift way to the valley of the 27 little Flatbrook at I-Iainesvil1e. Frorri there it follows the old road directly south over the mountain to the big Flatbrook, then up a branch of that knov;n as Stony Brook to Culver's Lake, crossing the n1arsh and corner of that lake ,vhel'e the water is shallo,v.

l\finisink Island Then its course ·,Yas to I3ranchville, thence to Augusta and N e,vton, then a zigzag course to Iliff's Pond and IIe,vitt's Pond to Andover; on to Panther Pond~ Cranberry Lake and Cat Swamp to Stanhope. Lake Ilopatcong \Yas touched at Landing. This trail ,vas a \,·inding path son1e t,vo or th1·ee feet wide, traveled by groups or Indians as late as 1820, probably for shell­ fish from the coast. Shell-heaps along the ,vay are not un­ common; in these are found :f'i·agn1ents of pottery, bones and stone implements. This trail influenced the selection of our O\Vll roads; the old stage road fron1 Newark follo\Yed this path, then the Morris and Essex Canals, then the l). L. and vV. 1!. R., then the State Auto­ mobile llighvn.1y. Today ,ve are told that the airplane is guided 28 by landmarks along this traveled high,,·ay. The Ennis House ,,·hich in 1784 \Yas the home of William Ennis, is still standing in l\lontague To,vnship. l\Ir. Ennis was th«:, first school teacher in Sussex County and came into the County from Kingston, N. Y. ------

\' ·. ·. ~-- ::-: ... ·s .. •• •· .... _.I;,

Ennis House Beyond the village of l\Iinisink one comes upon the site ,of T\Iashipacong Fort, built in 17 55, no,v gone to ruins. . Other interesting spots are to be found in the marker placed on the ;;ite of the lV[inisink Church burying ground near the Bric"k I-louse hotel, and the hotel itself. This inn \\·as built in 1776, by P,00·er Clark. It was made of bricks of an odd size, n1anufactured ,,:it hin three-quarters of a n1ile of the spot. The house has been conducted as an hotel since its building;_ Po1t eT e1·vis, N. Y., next on the Old~l\Iine Road, kno,vn in early dc1.ys as N~, hant, is no,v a city. Ilere \\·e find the stone house of l\I:1rtinus Decker kno,vn as the Johannes Decker Fort. Burned out by the Indians in 1779 the solid ,,·alls ,vere not injured and were later repaired. Prof. John l\L Dolph believed that Brandt, on entering the valley n1ade his first attack on the Decker House. We travel on through Gumael", Port Clinton, Cuddebackville ~nd "restbrookville. The name of Gumaer ,vas a ,vell kno"'-n one in those early days. Peter Gumaer, the ancestor of the family came to the to,vn in 1600. He belonged to the Huguenots and is 29 supposed to have 12ft France about 1685 or 1686. In 1697, he was granted a patent ,vith others on 1,200 acres in Peenpack. Mr. Gumaer was very active in those stirring times, one of the prin­ cipal forts for defense against the Indians being located at his house. He is said to have brought the first fanning mill to Mini-

Brick House sink. It was the first ever seen in the section. At vVestbrookville, ,ve see the old sLone house of Dierc·:,: Keuren \Vestbrock, today giving lii.t1e hint of the dark days of the Revolution. Son1e t,Yo mEes out of EllenviJ.le, \Ye come to tbe Keuren Kill near \Yhich siands an o'd hot:ce built by Conrad Bevier, at the lJeg-inning of the French ard Indian \Var. Eevi(;J· is said to have lJuilt, also in 1757, the old Devens block house or fort near \VurtslJoro. The entire reg-ion about El1envr~e ard :t.J:,panoch is historic. Near N apanoch is the site of the "Fort at Lacka-\vack" \Yhere CoL John Cantine commanded. The Colonel, in 1778, shifted hh: troops nearer to th2 scene of tTouble, bnilding a Jog fort about where the road runs along the \Yestern side of IIonk Lake. vVhile 30 there is no record of any attack on these forts the latter was the center of the hoTse patrol, \V hich picketed the border from Peen­ pack to Shandaken at the time \\·hen Burgoyne was attempting to capture the I-Iudson Valley. As we approach Pine Bush, ·we see a long lo,v house that dates back to the first settlements. It is the Hoornbeck place known as a fort in early days. In 1778, an attack on this fort resulted in

lVIartinus Decker Fo1t the burning of three houses, t,vo men killed and one taken prisoner. Son1e distance farther on stands the old I-Iardenbergh House (1762) ,,·here the "records \\"ere stored." \Vhen N e,v York felt certain of captu1·e by the British, the records \Yere moved to Kingston, then on October 12, 1777, four days before the latter ,vas burned, the records ,vere taken back along the Old Mine Road and confided to the care of IIendricus I-Ioornbeck, Comfort Sands and Johannis G. Hardenbergh, Esq. In Warwarsing is a long, lov;, old house, representing accord­ ing to Hine's "Old ..iviine Road," three periods 1616, then two addi- 31 tions, 1716, 1783. lt is called the Depue IIouse. The first addj- 15on antedates the settling of l(ingston about thirty-seven year:.:. The oldest building in this village is the one ,vhere it is clai111ed Governor De,Yitt Clinton ,vas born, but as a number of other places clain1 hin1 that fact is uncertain. As ,ve reach Indian Hill, ,ve see the site of the "Old 1Ieeting House," a stone church, ,vhich even as ea1·ly as 1742 ,vas con­ sidered old, and \Yhich stood until 1843, ,vhen it burned, The story is told that in 1781 ,vhen Indians raided the valley they entered the church and thre,v tomaha-wks at the panels in the pulpit.

.... /\'.·\.><··:·.

V . . . ~-

•••• • ~--❖~~ ..~~--~~~ .. :;.,... •• • • .:·· .. -:/ .. · . . . ·.. .";::::·- ··-;> . ······· ...... /t.· ::\.:· ·.

Evert IIonsE Old I-Ion1e 100 Y cars O,cl

I-line's sto1·y or this o}d trail says that in :i\V1 rbleto,Yn there i:; a famous old tree. on ;_~:.nd once o,vned. by Louis Bevier. This t1·ee. a great so1id chestnut, is estiri1ated to be 500 years old. ~-\ singular feature is a \\hite eln1 '""hich at ~]1e bnse is surrounded by the spreading trunk of the chestnut. This tree vYas considerc

Armstrong House Old home 150 years old Stone part built 1843. Frame part much earlier. Stopping place for raftsmen in early days. material. The site of an old hotel attracts us. Built in 1716, the house had been a meeting place for early courts, a rallying point for patriotic meetings, during Revolutionary times the head­ quarters of General-Governor Clinton ,vhen he attempted to ald 83 Kingston in October, 1777. The hotel burned in 1909. Thrilling stories of ghosts, v.ritches and Indians are narrated about this section of the country. Kingston, N. Y., the end of the Old lVIine Road, was estab­ lished about 1658 and for many years was the mecca for trade to those settlers living in the Minisink region, ,vho carried their grain to this place and received necessities in return. Here ,ve find the old Dutch church and burying ground, and a number of stone houses, attractive because of their age and history. On Crown Street stands the Kingston House, and near that the Kingston Hotel both dating back to a very early period. ...~ pretty legend attached to the Kingston Hotel has Aaron Burr met John Vanderlyn, the artist at that place. Kingston became the first capital of New York and the first Senate convened on September 1, 1777, in the old Senate House on Clinton A venue. This old house still standing is a monument to those early days. Schoonmaker's History of Kingston, tells us that the Old Mine Road or King's Highway, began originally on the south side of the store of A. A. Story, later J. Russell, and in 1813 was changed to the present road. So much for this interesting historical highway. Volumes might yet be written about Indian events, Revolutionary stories and even the war of the Rebellion. Would magic could return and draw forth from days forever sealed a history of those adventur­ ous days along the Old Mine Road.

34 ITINERARY OF TRIP OVER OLD MlNE ROAD.

Miles .0 Y. W. C. A., Newton, N. J. 8.1 Yellow Frame Church-First church built in 1786. Rev. Ira Condit, first pastor. 11.1 Marksboro-Settled in 1755 or 1760 by Col. Mark Thomson in whose honor it was named. i2.4 Paulina-Early noted for its mills. 14.4 Blairstown-Early known as Smith's Mills, later as Blairs­ town. Date of settlement not known. Home of Hon. John I. Blair. Seat of Blair Academy. 20.8 Hainesburg-Settled in 1729. Early known as "Sodom.·' Named in honor of James Haines who made a liberal donation for a school. 21.8 Columbia-Settled in 1812 by Germans. Note: Be sure you have plenty of gas as Brick House (forty-four miles) is first station. Put your best chauffeur at wheel. 24.9 Delaware Bridge of D. L. & W. R. R. Cut Off. 27.7 Dunnfield Station-N. Y. S. & W. R. R. Up to a few years ago all mail for Pahaquarry Township came here and was delivered by Star Route Carrier. Station aban­ doned a few years. Mail now distributed from Colum­ bia. Carrier from Flatbrookville makes trip daily. 28.8 Delaware Water Gap Station of D. L. & W. R. R. on oppo­ site side of Delaware 29.8 Karamac Inn. 30.7 Shawnee Golf Course on opposite side of river. Buckwood Inn to the North. 31.5 Buckwood Inn Farm and Private Ferry (right.) 32.5 Site of Smithfield Church built 1725 on Pennsylvania side of river near Shawnee. 33.0 Camp Burlington-State Game Camp. Sussex County Principals spend a week here in June of each year. 36.3 Dimmick's Ferry-Established about 150 years ago. Been in Dimmick family for over fifty years. 36.8 Pahaquarry Copper Mine-End of Old Mine Road from here to Kingston, N. Y., 104 miles long. Built from 1620 to 1650. Prope1-ty now owned by Trenton Boy Scouts. 35 37 .2 Calno School-Only school in Pahaquarry To\vnship. Re­ modeled last year. Indian burying gTound recently found along river back of school. 37.8 Vancampen Inn-Old stone fort. Slave quarters in le.rt end. Abram V anCampen Cemetery rear of house. 39.8 Brink's Home-Entrance to beautiful glen. 40.5 lVIillbrook-Thriving village fifty years ago. Note: Go h: second up hill. Take "thank-you-roams" slowly. 42.5 Top of Hill-Beautiful view of lVIonroe County, Pa. 42.8 Stone Iv1arker on Left-Boundary line between Warren and SuEsex Counties. 43.3 Stickle's Corner-Beautiful river view south. Note: Go in low to next house. 43.9 Flatbrookville School-Built in 1873. Flatbrookville Church. Built about 1898. 44.7 Decker's Ferry (at left)-Established by Daniel Decker in 1756. Later (about forty years ago) moved to Rosen­ krans on other· side of the river's bank. 44.9 Marker for Lower Walpack Dutch Reformed Church estab­ lished in 1737. 45.0 Rosenkrans's Ferry and Lower Walpack Cemetery. 45.1 Ruthern Jump-Steep bank on left. Legend says that a man by the name of Ruthern jumped down this incline for a quart of rum and broke his neck. 45.9 IIome of Col. Blunt, State Commissioner of Labor. Once home of Judge Dingman, of Pike County, Pa. Execu­ tive judge of Revolutionary Days. Often appeared in court in his bare feet. 17.3 Fiddler's Elbow in Dela\vare River. 52.0 Vancampen Inn-Built in 1750. Used to house settlers during Indian attacks. John Adams probably stayed here on his way to attend Congress. Shapanack Fort-lVIarked in front of white house on hill. 52.3 Burying ground of lVIrs. i\..nna Cleves Symmes on high knoll to right. Her daughter married vVilliam Henry Harri­ son, President of the United States. 54.3 Beautiful river view at top of Hankins Hill. 55.5 Sunny Bank Farm-Horne of Sussex County Assemblyman Elvin Smith. 56.0 Former home of Victor Bevans \vhose first wife was murdered by Jaggers. 56.3 Vie\v of town of Dingman's on opposite side of Delaware. 36 57.9 Fisher's Cemetery-Even Bevans, a Revolutionary soldier, buried here. Grave marked by D. A. R. 58.8 Fisher's School-Sandyston Township 59.1 Depue Home-Very old. Family in valley before the Revolution. 59.8 Moses Gumaer House-Very old. 60.3 James Fuller House-Built 1751, said by some to be the parsonage for the Minisink Church. 61.2 Nomanock Fort-Ordered built about 1756 during French and Indian War. 61.6 Ennis House (at left)-William Ennis was first teacher in Sussex County. Came from Kingston in 1734. 62.1 Bell House-Has housed eight generations of same family, On site of village of Minisink. House is over 250 years old. 62.8 Minisink Island-Camp of Charles A. Philhower, Superin­ tendent of Schools, Westfield, N. J. Home of Minisink Indians. The Minisink Path started from this island. Site of l\tiashipacong Fort near here. 63.8 Westbrook Fort-Built in 1737. Will be rebuilt by l\ilr. Philhower. 64.7 Evert Farm House-Built shortly after Revolution. 66.8 Marker showing site of Old Minisink Church built in 1787. Burying ground here also. 67 .5 Brick House-Built in 1776 by Roger Clark. Has been a hotel ever since. 67.8 Armstrong House-Stone part built in 1843. Frame part much earlier. Used as hotel. Favorite stopping place for raftsmen in early days. Old Jersey City Turnpike seen just beyond on right. 68.4 Block House Hill-Abram Shimer house to left, raided by Indians in 1777. Repelled by Mr. Shimer and his slaves. 77.8 Johannes or Martinus Decker Fort in Port Jervis, N. Y. First place attacked by Col. Brandt. Burned by Brandt in 1779. Rebuilt in 1793.

S1 REFERENCES.

M_ap • • • . • • Hine's Old Mine Read

Minisink History • . • • • C. E. Stickney Old Mine Road . . C. E. Stickney History of Minisink Region Twichell

Old Mine Road • J. J. V anSickle History of Sussex and Warren sn~u

Old Mine Road • • • • •

Genealogical and Historical Records of New York • Historieal Directory of Sussex County Webb

88 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page lvlap of The Old Tuiine Road...... 4 Marker for \VaJpack Church...... 10 Old Sn1ithfield Church...... 11 Site of lviinisink Church...... 12 l\lloses Vancampen House...... 13 Fuller I-louse ...... • • 14 Site of Shapanack Fort...... • • . 15 N ormanock Fort ...... • . 15 Shime1· House ...... 17 Joseph Brandt ...... • ...... 18 Symmes Monument ...... 20 Isaac Van.Carnpen Inn...... • . . • • . 21 Depue House ...... 23 Gt1maer House ...... • . • 24 Fischer Cemetery ...... • . 25 Westbrook Fort ...... • • ...... 26 Ruins of Westbrook Fort ...... •...•.•• ,, • • • • 26 Bell House ...... • . . • • • • • • • • . 27 Minisink Island ...... • • . . . . • • • . . • • . 28 Ennis House ...... • . • • • • . • • • • • • • • • 29 Brick House ...... • . • . . . . • • . • • • • • • • • . • • 30 l\fartinus Decker Fort...... • . • • • • • • • • • • • 81 Evert Hot1se ...... • . . . . • • . • • . • • 32 Armstrong House ...... • • . • • • • • • • • • • • 83

39