GENEALOGY — —OF THE DOREMUS FAMILY IN AMERICA: Descendants of Coknelis Doremus, from Breskens and mlddleburg, in holland, who emigrated to amer- ica about 1685-6,and shtl'i.kt) at acquacka- nonk (now Paterson), New Jersey. WILLIAMNELSON. PATERSON, N.L: THE PRESS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1897. Doremus Genealogy ifzA-y y-ViAAx) x GENEALOGY — — OF THE DOREMUS FAMILY IN AMERICA : Descendants of Cornelis. Doremus, from Breskens and . mlddelburg, in holland, whoemigrated to amer- ica about 1685-6, and settled at acquacka- nonk (now Paterson), New Jkrsey. WILLIAM NELSON. PATERSON, N. J. : TTIE PRESS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY. c^1 y < One Hundred, Copies Printed. / & <>v TO MY WIFE SALOME WILLIAMSDOREMUS NELSON THIS RECORD OFHER ANCESTRY' AND KINSFOLK IS DEDICATED. FOREWORDS. Gj'HE material for the history of the Doremus Family for y;the first four or five generations, as given in the follow- oat}\i*Tf»A ' mo r»acr#»c Vine ViA#»n liv frit**writer nlmnct *»V- ing pages, has been gathered by the writer almost ex- clusively from original investigations in church registers, records of deeds and wills, and from tombstones. For the accounts of the later generations, and particularly of those scattered far from their ancestral homes, he has had to rely largely upon correspondence, often dilatory and otherwise unsatisfactory, but in very many cases prompt, intelligent and interested. It would be a pleasure, did not delicacy forbid, to mention some of those who have cordially re- sponded to the author's requests for information, and who have thus materially aided inmaking this little work more complete. Much effort has been expended in seeking toTrace the family history in Holland and beyond. In September, 1896, the transcripts from the church records at Middel- burg, given on pages 200-201, relating to the marriage of Cornelis Doremus, and the baptisms of his children, were secured. Further investigations in this direction, and in order to get light on the origin and meaning of the name, have been fruitless up to the present time. Ithas been a pleasant surprise to find how far afield the descendants of the simple Acquackanonk farmer have pushed their fortunes during the last two centuries. They are scattered through more than thirty States. Everywhere the sturdy honesty of their common ancestor has been a persistent trait among his posterity. Perhaps itis unnecessary to explain that the spelling of proper names in this book follows strictly the records or documents in which they are found. The translations of Christian names, and their pronuncia- tion, given on pages 202-204, will be interesting and help- ful to many. PATERSON, N. J., July 13, 1897. William Nelson. ILLUSTRATIONS. Portrait and Autograph of the Author, A. D. 1897 Opposite Title Map showing that part of Holland where Cornells Doremus and Jannetje Joris van Elsland, his wife, lived Page 5 The marks of Cornells Doremus (No. 1), affixed to his will,made on his death bed, A. D. 1715; of Johannes Doremus (No. 3), affixed to his will,A.D. 1754; and of Joris Doremus (No. 6), " affixed to his will, A. D. 1733 7/ The marks of Thomas Doremus (No. 4), affixed to a deed, A. D. 1748; and of his son, Cornelis Doremus (No. 20), affixed to his will, A. D. 1791; the autograph of Thomas Doremus (No. 88), son of Comelis Doremus (No. 20), signed to his will, A. D. 1809; and autograph of Pe- ter T. Doremus (No. 399), son of Thomas Do- remus (No. S8), signed to a document, A. D. " • « -?, 1819 " 27 The Doremus Homestead at Red Mills (Arcola)... 40^ Autographs of John Doremus (No. 241), signed to a deed, A. D. 1S10; Henry Doremus (No. 269), A. D. 1825; Richard Doremus (No. 777), signed to a document, A. D. 1S19; Hessel Do- remus (No. 951), signed to a subscription for Dominie Duryea's salary, A. D. 1839, and " y' John H. Doremus (No. 1837), signed to same. " 46 Portrait of Cornelius T. Doremus (No. 395) " 55^ Portrait of Francis Doremus (No. 402) 57^ Portrait and Residence of Sarah Doremus (No. " 596) Neafie ". 6S>' Portrait of Thomas C. Doremus (No. 1041), and " Autograph (A. D. 1846) 92 ¦'• Portrait (A.D. 1825) and Autograph (A.D. 1832) " of Ralph Doremus (No. 1079) nr/gjj Portrait (A.D. 1825) and Autograph (A. D. 1832) " of Catharine Doremus 94 y Portrait and Autograph (A. D. 1897), of Augustus " Boyd Doremus (No. 1202) 101 J " Portrait and Autograph of Josiah P. Huntoon 104' Portrait and Autograph (A.D. 1897), of Sarah Mar- " garet Doremus (No. 1259) Huntoon 103 Portrait and Autograph (cir. 1880) of Henry I- Do- " remus (No. 1836) 131• Portrait and Autograph (A.D. 1897) of Robert Og- " den Doremus (No. 1985) 138' The Doremus Homestead in Water Street, Pater- " son, Summer and Winter. 140./ Portrait and Autograph (A. D. 1897) of Elias Os- " ' born Doremus (No. 2095) 144 / Portrait and Autograph (A. D. 1897) of Henry " Mead Doremus (Iso. 2215) 150^ Portrait and Autograph (A. D. 1897) of Cornelius " Doremus (No. 2339) 154/ Portrait and Autograph (A.D. 1897) of Abraham " Fairbanks Doremus (No. 2562) " 162/ Portrait of Charles Avery Doremus (No. 2611) " 164 'C Portrait of Cornelius Ennis " 198 Portrait of Mrs. Cornelius Ennis 199 / ~w I z z >o a <z z Io I LL O <a Ik I <z CO U <z X O i<z az CO s a: ao CO IUz O o <3E v oz X C 3 z o I a" <z _i o The Doremus Family. Pamily tradition asserts that the Doremuses were origin- * ally from France, in which case the name may be a cor- ruption of de Rheims, signifying that they came from that ancient town. Whatever may be the remote origin of the family, certain it is that the first settler hereabouts and his children were all called Doremus, with very little variation in the spelling. Thia is evidently a Latinized form of the original name, wnich is said to have been Dore. Goet- schius and Marinus are familiar instances of the kind. The earliest mention that has been found of the name Doremus is under date of April11, 1687, in the church records at Ber- gen, when Thomas was baptized, son of Cornelis Doremus, of Middelburg, and Jannetje Joris, of Elsland. That is ab- solutely all we know about the origin of the father and mother of the numerous Doremus family of this region. Doubtless they had come to this country very soon before— the date mentioned, and—brought with them two children Cornelis and Johannes both born in Middelburg.l This famous town, the chief city of the Province of Zeeland, sit- uated on the island of Walcheren, in the southwestern part of Holland, has a history dating back at least nine hundred years, and in its long annals there figure sieges in 1217, 1288, 1574 (l>y the Spanish), in1809 (by the English), and in 1814 (by the French). Fire, as well as the sword, has been its portion. In the year that Columbus sailetl across the Atlantic ocean to the new world, Middelburg was for the most part laid inashes. The rivals of Columbus, the East India Company, had here great ship-yards, and the commerce of the town exceeded even its extensive manu- 1 There is a family tradition that a third son died on the voyage and was buried at sea. 6 — factures. Although the population— 15,000 is only half what it was in 1795, the town presents an imposing aspect, withits graceful towers, its numerous lofty buildings, its handsome dwellings, well-kept streets and busy quays. The wife of Cornells Doremus, Jannetje Joris, gave to a long line of her descendants her father's baptismal name, George. She was probably from some hamlet in the vicin- ity of Middelburg, so abounding in alder as to give its name to the locality—Elsland, Alderland. The immigrants seem to have been blessed with a larger share of worldly goods than was the lot of most of the new arrivals from the mother country, for even in1708 Cornelis Doremus had ac- quired the extensive farm at Wesel, lying on the north side of the Wesel drift way (now widened and straightened, and known as Crooks avenue), and extending from the river to the mountain, having a width of about ten chains, and containing about one hundred and fifty acres. This is now in the extreme southeastern and southern section of the city of Paterson. Cedar Lawn cemetery now covers part of the farm; Lake View a larger portion, and South Paterson still another part. In1711 Cornelius joined with seven of his neighbors in purchasing from Peter Sonmans, of Perth Amboy, one of the East Jersey Proprietors, a tract described as containing 2,800 acres, but actually much more, on the Wesel mountain, extending from the steep rocks at the Falls to the headwaters of the Peckamin river, where now is the village of Cedar Grove. The deed bear.= date Nov. 27, 1711, and the consideration was £660 New York money, besides a yearly quit-rent of "one peppercorn if lawfully demanded." Doremus was allotted one-eighth of this tract, embracing the Cedar Grove neighborhood. He settled his son Thomas on this mountain purchase, but remained al- ways on his own farm at Wesel. His residence was proba- blynear the river bank, the site being now under water. Cornelis never mastered the intricacies of the English language, as will be seen by his will, though that may have been drafted by some friend who .had more confi- dence in his literary ability.