1535. II. ANTONY V.B. " van Buntschooten, j.m., and Margriet Wels, j.d., both parties born and resid. in Kingstown. Banns registered 25 Jan., married 14 Feb. 1730." Thus stands the record in the church books at Kingston. She was the dau. of John Wells and Cornelia de Duytser and was baptised in this same church Dec. 15, 1706. Antony and Margaret had their first three children bp. at Kingston. The fourth, Jacobus, was baptized "in Menissing," but the entry thereof was made in the Kingston records along with twentytwo other baptisms performed by Domine Mancius of the Kingston church when on a visit to this frontier settlement on the Delaware before a church had been established there. Their six remaining children were all born and baptized in the Delaware valley, above the Water Gap; and there it must have been that Antony and Margaret ended their days, though as to when that was there is nothing to show. Frontier life leaves few records of itself beyond a subdued wilderness: His echoing axe the settler swung." On Mar. 3, 1754, " Van Benschoten" and "Margaret Wells" act as sponsors in the Walpack church, and on Aug. 6, 1768, "Antony Benschoten" without Margaret so acts there. Two further glimpses we get of Antony, and these in connection with church matters. On Apr. 13, 1764, is this entry found: "The Consistory of Napanoch assembled and opened with prayer. * * * In the Deacons' chest was found" a bond of this one, a note of that one, among others "a note of Antony Bunschoten for £2. os. od." Again on a quaint old subscription list recently found appears the name of "Anthonay Bunscoten," one of twenty-four subscribers. It is in Dutch and runs: "We the under-written promise to pay to the Consistory of Magagemack for the salary of the domine who ministers to us every time that he serves us; each subscribes with his hand to pay at the church the day the service takes place." This was in 1772, just after the Rev. Thomas Romine had resigned, and was a provision for temporary supply. During the French and Indian war the situation in the Minnisink Valley was frightful. The settlers had erected three forts or stockades in the upper, or Peenpack, neighborhood and three others in the lower neighborhood, or further down the valley towards the Water Gap. These in a general way afforded protection to some thirty families. "The first incident that showed the people of this region how welltimed were these precautions occurred about the time of harvest in the year 1756. Three men in the lower neighborhood went out one morning to commence cutting a field of grain. As usual they took their guns along, not thinking, however, of seeing any Indians, as nothing had been heard of any in the vicinity. Arriving at the field they laid down their guns and began work. While working along busily they got some distance from their arms and were suddenly startled by the dread war-whoop. A glance showed them their peril; a party of Indians had been lying in ambush and had seized their guns. They ran for their lives but the Indians' aim was unerring. They were all three killed and their scalped bodies found soon after." Again a band of Indians attempted to capture the fort at Westfalls. They sent out scouts who found it occupied by two women only. As soon as this intelligence reached the main body they made instant preparation to seize it. But, luckily, in the interval a party of soldiers en route from New Jersey to Esopus came along and stopped at the fort for refreshments. Not knowing this the Indians suddenly burst in the doors before the soldiers were fairly seated. Surprised at the unexpected presence of the soldiers but nothing daunted they fired a volley at them and then fell upon them with the tomahawk. The soldiers retreated to the chamber of the fort; and recovering from the first panic, they opened such a deadly fire on the intruders that the savages were finally forced to withdraw. Twas a close contest and cost the lives of several soldiers as well as of a goodly number of Indians. Over against this stands the attack on the upper fort on the Neversink. It was well manned and bravely defended and seemed safe, but suddenly caught fire from a neighboring bar n to which the savages had applied the torch. What with the flames and the Indians "not a single man of the garrison escaped." Such and such-like were the happenings in that valley, and in that sparsely-settled region life was ever in jeopardy from prowling savages while the war was on. "The Minisink country which had suffered severely from the Indian hostilities during the French and Indian war was no less exposed during the war of the Revolution to the merciless sway of the tomahawk and scalping-knife. The same savage foes lurked upon the frontier familiar with all the old war-paths from Niagara to the Delaware, and ever ready to renew their bloody work at the instigation of their British allies." Twice Brant with his savages and Tories raided the settlement and at his second coming he inflicted that terrible defeat, the battle of Minisink. When I think of Anthony I see him at night-time: his rifle in its rests above the cavernous fire-place, and he himself silhouetted against the fire-light and casting grotesque shadows about the low frontier room as he busies himself on the hearth moulding bullets, shaving axe-helves and making or mending gear. Surely there came to him startling experiences in the French and Indian war, and doubtless he had intimate knowledge of the savagery of Brant's red-skins and Tories in the Revolutionary period and, old as he was, reached often for his rifle. "'Gainst Brant himself I went to battle forth: Accursed Brant!" A list of Antony's children follows. The first child was probably born in 1731, but we have no record of her baptism inasmuch as the Kingston entries are missing from Apr., 1730, to Jan., 1732. 1537. I. Cornelia. 1538. II. Elizabeth, bp. May 7, 1732. K. 1539. III. Gerrit, bp. Oct. 6, 1734, K.; no further trace of him is found in any record whatever. 1540. IV. Jacobus (James), bp. May 3, 1737. K. The founder of the Benscoters. 1541. V. Antje, bp. May 29, 1739. Min. 1542. VI. Cornelius, bp. June 7, 1841. Min. The founder of the Van Scotens. 1543. VII. Jenneke, bp. May 3, 1743. Min. 1544. VIII. Jesyntje, bp. Feb. 3, 1745, Min.; no further trace. 1545. IX. Antony, bp. Oct. 12, 1746. Wal. The founder of the Van Scoters. 1546. X. Maria, bp. Feb. 26, 1749. Min.

The three baptismal entries in the Kingston church books are as follows, the first two having been Germanized by Domine Mancius with a "t:" Anthony Van Buntschooten. Margriet Wels. Elizabeth, bp. May 7, 1732.

Anthony van Buntschooten. Margriet Wels. Gerrit, bp. Oct. 6, 1734.

Antonie Benschoten. Margriet Wels. Jacobus, bp. "in Minisshg," May 3, 1737.

Through the above entry in the Kingston records of the " Menissing" baptism of "Jacobus" it was that I discovered the direction taken by, and got on the trail of, the descendants of Gerrit. The records of the Delaware valley were not as yet transcribed, and acting on this baptismal clue I made a journey into that country to consult the church books. Many thanks are due Mr. W. N. Nearpas of Port Jervis for facilitating my searches. None of the name and but few descendants are in that valley to-day, but in the various church records considerable finds were made. The following are selected from the Minisink and Mahackemack records: Benschoten. Margarite Wels. Antje, bp. May 29, 1739. Sponsors: Hendrick Janse Kortrecht. Gerritje Benschoten.

Antony Van Benschoten. Margarita Wels. Cornelis, bp. June 7, 1741.

Antonie Benschoten. Margaret Wels. Jenneke, bp. May 3, 1743.

Antony Bunschoten. Margaret Wels. Jesyntje, bp. Feb. 3, 1745.

Antony Bunschoten. Margriet Wells. Antony, bp. Oct. 12, 1746.

Antony V. Bunschoten. Margriet Wels. Maria, bp. Feb. 26, 1749. * * * ******* Anthony Bunschoten. Margret Decker. Lena, bp. Feb. 28, 1779.

Anthony Bunschooten Margriet Decker. Cornelius, bp. June 8, 1784.

Antony V. Bunschooten. Margariet Decker. Maria, bp. Sept. 10, 1785.

Antony Van Bunschooten. Margriet Decker. Thomas, bp. Jan. 29, 1788.

In the Walpeck records were found the following: Cornelius Van Benschoten. Heyltje Quick. Heyltje Van Aken, bp. Dec. 26, 1765.

Jakobus Bunschoten. Abraham ) Elizabeth Kermer. & Isaac ) bp. Aug. 30. 1774

Jacobus Bunschoten. Elizabeth Kermer. Jacob, bp. June 15, 1777.

Jacobus V. Bunschoten. Elizabeth Carmer. Maria, bp. Nov. 30, 1788. Sponsor: Cornelia Van Bunschoten. Abraham P. Kortrecht. Cornelia Van Bunschoten Elizabeth, bp. Oct. 22, 1749. Sponsors: Hendricus Decker. Elizabeth Van Bunschoten.

Johannes Craan. Agnietje Bunschoten. Johannes, b. Oct. 19, 1783.

Johannes Cran. Anganitie V. Bunschoten. Elizabeth, b. Sept. 1, 1786. In the Bushkill records were found the following which are reproduced to show how hap- hazardlv the name was being dealt with, for these two Jacobs were one and the same man, and Joanna was his sister. George Fishier. ) Joanna Van Scoda.) John Van Scoda, b. Oct. 25, 1822.

Jacob Van Scoder. ) Eliza Knight. ) Margaret, bp. Mar. 8, 1829.

Jacob Benschoter. ) Eliza Knight. ) Martin, bp. Oct. 4, 1843. There were still other entries but these are abundantly sufficient for identification and as fore-runners of great mutilations of the name. While searching local histories and casting about generally for further information concerning Gerrit's descendants I discovered that among the "Taxable" inhabitants of Huntington, Luzerne Co., Pa., in 1796 were James Benscoter, Anthony Benscoter and Isaac Benscoter. Elsewhere in the same History of Luzerne County in dwelling on that period it was said: "About the same time the families of James Van Scoter (now called Benscoter) and of his sons Anthony and John, also three unmarried sons Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were added to the settlement." About this time also I learned through friends in Tennessee of a Clarence A. Benscoter who had located in Chattanooga, and, writing him, was put into communication with relatives of his in Luzerne Co., Pa. These I corresponded with and finally visited with the most happy results,— the complete identification of the Benscoters of that region as the descendants of "Jacobus" or James Van Benschoten and Elizabeth Carmer, even to the twinship of Abraham and Isaac and such-like minutiae. Again, it was through the "History of Sussex and Warren Counties," New Jersey, that I learned of a Daniel Van Scoten and. a George Van Scoten once living at Walnut Valley, and, following this outcropping, the descendants of Cornelius were. come upon in that general region and on both sides of the Delaware,— all dropping the Ben and going by the name of Van Scoten. Then again one day, in turning over the pages devoted to Allegheny county in a Gazetteer of New York state, my eye fell on a footnote stating that "Elias Van Scoter" and others, "all from Pa., had settled at De Witt's Valley in 1806." Taking this in connection with a recent discovery that an "Antony Benschoter" was among the "Taxables" in the Pittston or Upper Susquehanna district of Pa. in 1796, and also with the statement made in a Luzerne county history that in that year almost the entire Dutch population from around Hanover migrated in a body to the Genesee country, there was reason to make investigations in Allegheny and Steuben counties, N. Y.,— which investigations disclosed the numerous family of Antony Van Bunschoten and Margaret Decker, all of whom now style themselves Van Scoters. Briefly, this is the story of the finding of the lost tribe of Van Benschoten, for a family tradition has long insisted that there were three original brothers. It was a hard but interesting search and a happy consummation, and the spirit in which his efforts have been received by the descendants of Gerrit is most gratifying to the family historian. Let me quote three of Gerrit's line who have in writing expressed themselves enthusiastically. Here is what C. C. (Van) Benscoter, of Brookville, Pa., wrote in 1898: "In meditative moments of the past I have frequently wondered who we were, from whence descended, etc., but never had the courage to undertake a solution of the problem. I read in Tatten a few years since that we all belonged to the lost ten tribes of Israel. He seems to be a logical thinker and orthodox in many ways, and rather than take issue with him I concluded that I would meekly submit, though the conduct of Ahab and his progeny as crossed in the foreign blood of scheming Miss Jezebel was revolting when looked upon as that of my ancestry. We might have escaped a good deal of trouble and bad blood if Ahab had stayed away. "But be that as it may, there is a long lapse of time between that record and my grandfather Abraham, whom I have always suspected as being in some way by kindred ties connected with the land of Palestine, for among his tribe are perpetuated the names Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. * * * I cannot go a step further back than grandfather Abraham himself. * * Your search thus far in our branch of the family has placed you in possession of facts beyond my knowledge. "During many years past I have noticed with thrilling interest in the New York Christian Advocate the name Van Benschoten and have wondered if I had not been robbed of the best part of the name which I should bear. Your assurance of connection away back satisfies a curiosity and almost prompts me again to take up the prefix. When the date and responsibility of dropping the 'Van' are fixed I shall recommend that our branch hold a conclave and restore the same." The second is from that dear daughter of the house, since dead, Mary of West Auburn, Pa., written at holiday time 1898. I quote the conclusion of her letter: "Let me assure you I do rejoice with you, am glad you have succeeded in bringing the lost wanderers home. How did you discover my great-grandfather Jacobus, or James? Some of my friends, not relatives, refuse to recognize my new name which places me in a very serious dilemma. With best wishes, I am, nevertheless, Very sincerely, Mary Van Benschoten." William Ide (Van) Benscoter of Detroit writes:— "I am much pleased with the results of your labors and can say I am truly grateful to you for the interest you have manifested in this search which I conceive has cost you no little time and trouble. It has been a great mystery to me where my grandfather came from and why we knew so little regarding him and his early life. I have always understood that we were Dutch and regret that our name was changed by dropping the 'Van' which we will now be gradually adding."