I NTR ODUCTOR Y In sending out this H i story of the Minisink Coun ” tr onl y, the author desires not y to preserve to posterity of to ul annals the forgotten past , but stim ate coming to of u generations a greater love co ntry , a more ardent devotion to duty , and a more earnest zeal toward the promotion of true Christian character . Our forefathers , by their struggles , privations and — tears , have left us a great and glorious heritage this land of freedom . Let us stand with nerves of steel in defense of our blood - bought privileges and consecrate our lives to the Al mighty whose powerful arm has preserved us a free nation . Let us teach our chi ldren to honor the flag that this day floats over and unites a happy and prosperous people . I trust that many of my readers , especially those who “ have borne the heat and burden of the day , will find in the perusal of these pages a stimulus to greater en ergy in the battle of life and an impetus to higher and nobler living . May the revival of these reminiscences illuminate the pathway of the future and brighten the hope of imm or tality . R A E D A H LL H O CE G R TWIC E . o v N . P rt Jer is , Y SYNOPSIS OF CHAPTER S CHAPTER I . — ’ A T N D 1 65 9 a . r e s E RLIES MINISI K RECOR , C pt A ent Schuyl r — — 1 4 of u o d of . Visit , 69 Copy Jo rnal Hist rical A dress Dr — Mills Early Historical Facts . CHAPTER II . TT T 1 787— MINISINK SE LEMEN , Letters by Samuel Preston Minisink Once a Lake . CHAPTER III . T Y O F H D A S OR PIONEER C IL REN . CHAPTER IV . w ‘ — ' H o A MOTHER SAVED HE R CHILDREN The Wyoming — ’ — — M a ssacre Gen . Sullivan s Raid Orang e County An Inci — dent o f Captivity from Orange County Middletown Settled Sullivan County Form ed from Ulster— Some Kingston Rec — — — ords Indi a n Settlements An Orange County Settler Cap — ture of Stony Point Settlement of Wyoming and Cochecton The Fate of a Foolish Girl . CHAPTER V . T Y F APT DD BA — o ‘ S OR O C . CU E CK Prisoners taken fr m Paupack — —A — An by the Mohawks Liberty , N . Y . Settled Bear Hunt W o Incident of the Settlement of hite Lake , Sullivan C unty — — Monticello Settled Children Lost in the Forest H O W Provi dence Made Provision for the Pioneers from Connecticut Shehawken Founded—Description of Joseph Brant— A Mo — ’ — hawk Chief Incidents of Brant s Raid on Minisink Address of . 2 2 by the Author on the Invasion and Battle Minisink Feb , — — l Q I I Tusten Marches to Defense of Minisink An Acrostic to — Benj amin Tusten Confusi on of D ates in Reference to the Mini — — sink Invasion and Battle Th e Minisink Battle Death of fl ’ — Judge Wi sner B ri ti sh Exaggerate Hath orn s Defeat A Pris ’ — — oner s Peril The Gathering o f the Bones o f the Slain The — — Indian Dead B Ones Discovered Around a Spring Incidents ’ — H r o f the R out and Retreat Gen . a th o n s Address at the —* o f 2 2 1 82 2 t he Burial the Bones at Goshen , July , Survivors of — Battle The Old Monument Replaced by a New One . CHAPTER VI — — GOSHEN CELE B RATION O F 1 862 The B a ttl efield Address O f — — Welcome b y J . W . Johnston The Monument Prayer by — — . o Rev J B Williams Oration by Hon . Wm J . Gro Address H o — n. G o . by Arthur C Butts Address by Hon . e H Rowland Address by Hon . Thomas J . Lyon . CHAPTER VII . —w ’ INDIAN ELO Q UENCE E x t ra ct s from Tecumseh s Speech ’ ’ — — o Tribute to Gen . Jackson Lord Dunmore s Victory L gan s — — Defens e Purchasing the Minisink B a ttl efield 2 00th Anni — v ers a r f et o f . Cudde y O the S tlement Minisink Address by C E . — ~ — back Speech by Rev . Dr . Talmage Address by Hon . Hiram — — Clark Address of Rev . A . A . Haines Address by J . H . Van Etten . CHAPTER VIII . — PIONEER LIFE A Story of the Pet Fawn . CHAPTER I ! . A STORY— Washington ’ s Reward of Fidelity— Gen Hath ’ rn o s Official Report of the B attle of lVI ini sink. H ! C APTER . NARRATIVE O F THE CAPTIVITY BY THE INDIANS O F MR S HA R B ISON . CHAPTER ! I . POEMS BY THE AUTHOR— The Triumvirate— The Maine in — ’ — O f n y Mo the Harbor , Death The Lo el Soldier s Grave The — ’ — — — hawk Maiden Teachers Column Rules in Rhyme Bric a — Brac - ~ The Old Replaced by th e New Reminiscences Pleas — — f w O f ures and Perils of the Delaware The I dl e ild Relics the War— Eulogy on Senator Wagner —T'he Empty Chair— Col — — — umbo El Dorado Vivo S a pi ends The Aborigines The Mys — —“ t eri ous Indian Maiden A L v ri c Poem The Sullivan County — Pioneer The Hunting Scene The Battle of Minisink . CHAPTER I . EARLY HI S TORY OF MINI S INK The earliest record we have of the history Of Mini 1 sink is 6 5 9 . It was during that year that some copper b a n ore was rought to Alb ny by the India s , who said it was found in the Minisink country , and a record was entered on the geological books . Next a rumor in some way reached the Governor ’ s ears that the French have been trying to induce the Minisink Indians to unite with other hostile tribes against the Dutch . He sends Capt . Arent Schuyler from New York through the wilderness to Minisink to investigate the truthfulness of the report . It appears from statements in the l S chu yl er j our nal that there was some fur - trading carried on at this early date , or at least a trading post was about to be opened at Minisink ; for he ascertained j ust what time “ w of year the S h a u a ns would arrive there with their furs . ’ A P . TC T. SCHUYLER S JOURNAL May it please your E x eell : In pursuance to yr Mi nissinck Excell . commands I have been in the Coun tr . v of which I have kept the following Journal , viz 1 6 94 3 d o ye of Feb . I departed fr m New Yorke for B east New Jersey and came that night att Bergen 4 h 2 m en . t town , where I hired and a guide Ye Sun Th i s i s su ose t o b e th e c u er wh a c om a n h fi v T pp d S h yl o c p ied t e e MO ’ a c e s t o n a n i n th e ea r 7 10 wh t u n nn 1 o s e ee s cour h wk hi f E gl d y vi i d Q A t. i s c a m e t a a e t em n wa m n n r It l i d h t s t l e t s a de at Mi i si k fou yea rs b e fore ’ a . c u er s s a s m en one e se ere i n s oo b u t h e oe C pt S h yl vi it, ti d l wh thi b k ; d s not sa y a nything a bout a ny white settlers b ei ng i n th e Mini si nk va lley i n 1 694 . I t i s cer a n o e er t a th e i s sol a ted e em en wa s flou r s s n t i , h w v , h t ttl t i hi g in 1697 for a a en ssue t o t em th e o on a ernor o N w o f e or , p t t i d h by C l i l G v Y k 4th 697 ea rs at e Oct . 1 1 . b d , , r w day morning I went from B e g ent o n and travelled about 1 0 English miles bweyond H a ghking sack to an I n 5 th dian place called P eck es . Ye Monday From w - P eck es North and be west I went about thirty two — 6 th miles snowing and rainy weather . Y e Tuesday I continued my j ourney to Ma gg agh am ieck (Neversink ) river and from thence to within half a day ’ s j ourney to n 1 1 - k . O the Minissi c . Ye Wed about clock I arrived att the Minissinck and there I met with two of their Sach ems and several other Indians of whom I enquired after some news , if the French or their Indians had sent for them or been in ye Mini ssinck Country . Upon which they answered that noe French nor any of the French Minissinck Indians were , nor had been in the Country , nor there abouts and did promise yt if ye French should t O f happen to come or y they heard it , that they will forthwith send a [messenger and give yr Excellency no tice thereof .