BITS OF HISTORY

      Taken from a book treating on the early history of Orange County
            New York and its early settlers and published in 1846.
 

                 THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF HAMPTONBURGH. 
                                   The patent of Wawayanda
 

The patent of wawayanda was originally settled by Christopher Denn and 
Daniel Cromline.  Sarah Wells and William Bull

The patent was granted by 12 Indians, Sachems or Chiefs representing their
tribes, some of whom, if not all resided on the lands granted, or in their
vicinity. This patent doubtless was confirmed in the then usual manner, by
Royal authority. It is dated on the 5th of March 1703, in the reighn of Queen
Anne, and the names of the 12 Indian grantors were: Rapingonick, Wawastawaw, Moghopuck, Comelawaw, Nanawitt, Ariwimack, Rumbout, Clauss, Chouckhass, Chingapaw, Oshasaquemonus and Quilapaw.

The names of the 12 patantees were: John Bridges, LL.D, Hendrick Tenyck,
Darick Vandeburgh, John Chotwell, Christopher Denn, Lancaster Syms, Daniel
Herran, Phillip Rockeby, John Meredith, Benjamin Aske, Peter Matthews, and
Christian Christianse. All of these individuals at the time, or a principal
portion of them resided at Harvestraw, New Jersey. At the time of the grant it
was said to contain 60,000 acres, but in fact, when run out was found to cover
150,000 acres.

The patent is generally called the Wawayanda Patent. Its bounds are as
follows: Bounded eastward by the high hills of the highlands and the patented
lands of Capt. John Evans; on the north by the division line of the counties
of Orange and Ulster; on the westward by the high hills to the eastward of
minisink; and on the south by the division line of the province of New York
and New Jersey.

At the date of this patent the goverment granted anything of the kind that was
asked for, without any apparent reflection of judgement upon the con- sequences that might result.

The wawayanda Patent covers a part of the following towns: Minisink, Warwick, Goshen, and Hamptonburgh. The magnitude of the patent, its early date and the limited number of patentees, show that the grant was for mere speculating purposes. They soon began to sell out to each other and now and then to strangers.

It appears that on the 30th of March, 1706 the proprietors agreed to give,
under certain restrictions, 600 acres to the first settler of their number who
would make a settlement on the patent before the end of May 1709.

There is a tradition that this first settlement was attempted but by whom,
when and where made and how far successful, we have no knowledge. Our remarks are based chiefly on some notes made by an old and intelligent individual many years since, from his own knowledge, traditionary statements, and information received from Mrs. Bull (previously Sarah Wells) of whom he was a descendant and therefore doubtless very accurate.

The patentees and their immediate grantees, for some years subsequent to the
date of the patent, failed to realize their expectations by a re-sale of the
land, though they opened an office in the city of New York for the purpose.
 

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These agents exhibited maps and drawings of the patent, represented the nature and quality of the soil, streams, ponds, mill sites &c for it had probably
been surveyed in part and divided up into lots, at least on paper and made
ready for market; still, speculators were few and applicants from those
wishing to locate and settle, fewer yet. It is true, as we are informed by
written memorandum, that the surveyors who ran it out and divided it up into
lots for their accommodation and those in their service, erected log cabins or
temporary huts in 3 or 4 places on the patent, yet these could not in any
point of view be considered early settlements, as they were not constructed
for a specific and tenantable object and with no view of location and
permanent residence.

Nothing was realized by the patentees by way of sale and spectulation from
1703 to 1712, the whole being a forlorn hope in that respect, and some of the
patentees having lived out their means by feeding on hope deferred for 9
years of expectations, their pecuniary prospects had become somewhat desperate and a crises arrived when something of a definite and public character must be done to effect the objects of the patentees. This condition and state of things, though gloomy and cheerless in the prospects of the patentees, was really the most interesting period of the history of the patent settlement, for it introduces the reader directly to the acquaintance of Mr. Christopher Denn and Madam Elizabeth Denn his wife, persons of distinction and notoriety in the earlt settlement of the patent, and still held in grateful rememberance by thousands in that portion of the country.

Christopher Denn was one of the patentees of Wawayanda and other patents, and by occupation, a carpenter. It seems that Mr. Denn was an individual of not a little consideration at that day. He had lived in New York, but when he
removed we do not know. At the date of the patent, and for some years after he
resided on Staten Islamnd, but the nature of his business, perhaps that of a
contract builder, and his interest with that of the others in the sale of
lands, may have induced him to remove to the city at an early day. The office
for land sales was a central point, to which all the interests of the parties
tended to concentration, and we find Mr. Denn residing there from 1708 to
1712.

It is intimated that about at that date of the latter period, Mr. Denn had
lived up his means, but whether by mismanagement or otherwise does not appear, and that it was imperative upon him to do something to increase his pecuniary ability, or want with the energy and velocity of an armed man, might soon overtake him, and he was under the necessity of making an election, and 
he wisely choose the former. 

A settlement on the patent of some one individual by way of open example and
inducement to others, had been a great question with the company for several
years. The desperate condition of Denn and the interest of the company
fortunately wrought together in harmony in the matter and designated him as
the desired and proper person to try the experiment in the wilderness of
Wawayanda, amidst the beasts of prey and surrounded by the red man of the
forest.

It appears from the map of Orange and Rockland counties and from and old map
on parchment in the county clerk's office of the division of the patent into
lots that a certain tract or lot of land, a part of the patent, and triangular
in form, lying on the northeasterly bounds of the town lots of the village of
Goshen, was set off to Christopher Denn: The lot contained about 200 acres,
and was surveyed by Peter Berrian. This was probably a part of Denn's interest
in the patent, and set off to him in the division.
 

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Denn agreed to make the experiment of a first settler, which doubtless was at
the instigation and with the cooperation of the other owners. It was the
interest of all to accomplish so desirable an object, else Wawayanda would re-
main as it was, a howling wilderness, and roamed over by beasts of prey.

Like a prudent general who is about to invade an enemy's country and sends
scouts forward to view the nature of the land, the difficulties to be
encountered, and how to overcome, with the dispositions of the inhabitants,
whether friendly or hostile, and its ability to support for some limited time
an invading force, so Christopher Denn thought proper first to inspect the
location, calculate the difficulties of the enterprise, and learn from
personal observation and intercourse the temper and will of the natives who
tenanted the lands.

Accordingly he went upon the patent, viewed the forest over, held familiar
intercourse with the Indians, inquired of them their wishes in relation to his
settlement among them, to clear up the land and cultivate it with grain &c.,
and finding all things favorable to his design, selected a spot where a spring
of pure water gushed from the hillside, on the banks of the Otterkill, for a
permanent residence and future home.

At this period the Indians doubtless were well acquainted with many of the
early settlers on the then county of Orange, and had intercourse with the
proprietors of some of them, and with the corps of surveyors who ran out the
patent. It is also very probable that they could at this time speak many
English words and understand much of the ordinary conversation held in the
language, and were able readily to comprehend the wishes and objects of Denn
in his intercourse with them.

Denn having found all things as agreeable to his wishes and future hopes, as
he had any reason to expect, to make apparent safety doubly sure, and to
engratiate himself more effectually in the personal grace and good will of the
Indians, proposed that some of them, who had kindly assisted the surveyors,
should accompany him to the city of New York and aid him in removing up. This
was agenerous appeal to their confidence and good will, and it threw an anchor
of safety, as was supposed, into the affectations and kind regards of the
untutored and wily Indians. They acquiessed in the proposition, and three
young men who had acted as guides to the surveyors over the untracked hills
and through the deep glens of Wawayanda, were sent by their friends to
accompany him to the city and assist in removing his family and goods to his
contemplated new abode. In company they descended the river in a sloop and
arrived in safety.

It is now proper to remark that Mr. and Madam Denn were childless but had in
their family a little orphan maid, born in New Jersey, opposite Staten Island,
whom they had adopted as their own, and who had lived with them from her
tender years, while they had resided on that island. The name of this orphan
child was Sarah Wells, subsequently married to William Bull, of Hamptonburgh,
and who became the ancestor of a numerous line of descendants in this and
adjoining counties.

In person, Sarah Wells was less that the majority of her sex; yet though light
and fragile, she was active and capable of remarkable exercise and endurance;
this, in part, may have resulted from the fact that while young she had been
in the habit of crossing the ferry in an open boat, from Staten Island to New
York, attending to the market business of her patrons. This exposure, while it
imparted health by the exercise, not only hardened and compacted a constitut-
ion otherwise delicate, but deepened the color of her sanguine complexion. Her
eyes were neither large nor prominent, but dark and playful and sparkling.
 
 

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Though not a flippant talker, she was free and conversable, and when excited
to reply to some rude remarks or impertinent inquiry, her eyes would flash
fire, and the presumptious intruder was sure to be wounded in the conflict,
and carry the scar home with him for reflection.

The times in which she lived, and the individuals with which she held
intercourse in the early part of her life, and afterwards, while the country
was being settled, were not of the most refined and cultivated characters; and
much, which at this day would be deemed rude and unbecoming, influenced to a
large extent the habits, manners and conversation of the early settlers.

Heroic and venearted mother; thy descendants unknown to fame, with a newborn feeling inspired, we would affectionately memntion thy name and address thy memory. Thy descendants found in every walk and station in ordinary life do "call thee blessed".

We admire thy maiden intrepidity in traversing the dark bosom of Wawayanda,
when in dutiful obedience to authority, the red men of the forest led thy
footsteps through the wild wood, and guarded thy couch by the gleam of their
weapons.

We thank thee for enduring dangers, unusual toil and sufferings beyond years
and for personal sacrifices in our behalf. We take just pride for the virtuous
blood we inherit.

More effectually to insure his purposes, then broke ground  at a distance, and
rehearsed to his family, that the Indians he had brought with him were the
children of the tribes, who had parted with their lands to the patentees--,
that they had befriended the surveyors while running out the patent and had
kindly volunteered their services to assist to remove him. This was intended
to destroy all fear of Indian agression, in venturing to make the contemplated
settlement and to have a certain effect upon at least one member of his
family.

We have no personal history of Mr. Denn, but the facts of the case warrant the
belief that he was not destitute of a moderate share of good sense and
judgement.

For some reason with which we have not been made acquainted, Denn did not
wish, nor intend to return with the Indians. His plan was to send up by them
all his goods and chattle necessary for the present purpose, together with
Sarah, to superintend abd conduct the household affairs, till he and Madam
Denn should go. That accomodations should be ready for their receptions, he
intended to send up at the same time some carpenters to put up a temporary
wigwam, to serve them until they could erect a more durable log cabin. The
white men would be a guard for Sarah, insure her safety and greatly relieve
her from the varied imprudent and hazardous condition in which he was about to place her.

And here we cannot repress an explanation, and while we cry aloud, all the
time we wonder how we could attempt "to settle a patent of unknown wilderness
twenty miles square, infested by serpents, tenanted by savages of unknown
fidelity, and roamed over by beasts of prey, by the instrumentality and
personal daring of this little girl." Is there a man on the patent today who
would send out an orphan girl of sixteen years upon and errand like this? And
if he would where is the little girl who would summon courage for the
enterprse?

The plan to attempt a settlement was now to be opened and made known to Sarah, and her consent, if possible, obtained -- else all might be a failure. The
matter was explained and her approbation asked for.
 

page 5

As an inducement and to quiet her fears they stated that they would take
horses and proceed up by land on the wset side of the river, through
Haverstraw and the highlands, and meet her at the new location at some future
but early day -- in the course of five or six weeks at farthest; and as if on
appeal to the worldly and grosser portion of her nature would seduce her will,
and conquor the strong an innate aversion of the maiden's mind, Denn offered a
bounty of one hundred acres of land for her services, out of, or adjoining his
portion of the patent.

When Denn ceased to speak she looked around upon three Indians, as they stood clad in the rude and uncouth garb of the forest, with raven locks undresses and filthy in person, whose dark eyes fell upon her like the gaze of a reptile and an involuntary shudder vibrated her frame, as if it were an aspen leaf. As if thunder struck by the magnitude and inhumanity of the proposition, she remained silent and protested not against it. Thus far, ever dutiful to the
commands of the only persons on earth she had known as her father and mother,
in a moment she became calm and collected and rose in spirit and dignity of
character equal to the crisis, and as if with prophetic vision, and with a
mind cheered more by hope that depressed fears, yielded consent. The after
character of this girl, as developed and grown to womanhood, and performing
the arduous duties assigned to her by her then associations and conditions of
life, abundantly assures us, that laborious and dangerous indeed must have
been the service which she feared to assume.

Though small of her age and delicate in person, she was tenanted by a soul
daring and dauntless as those of the Indians who stood beside her. We may
truly say of her as the poet said of one of her sex, "What woman dared do, she
dared." Her regrets on the occasions were more deep on account of parting with Madam Denn than from fears of the Indians, distance or wild wood.

Environed as the attempt and accomplishment were with manifest hardship and
unseen danger, still this little maid had the courage and spirit to brave them
all, and carried out in complete execution the design and objects of her
patron.

This being settled the next step taken by Denn was to collect and arrange
matters, and get them in quick readiness for departure. Madam Denn gave her
attention to Sarah and to household department of the transaction. While Mr.
Denn hastened to procure the carpenters, who were to accompany her. These he
soon found, and engaged them to be ready at a specified time with their tools
and implements of trade.

As before remarked, Denn was in straightened circumstances, and the settlement could not be effected without adequate means and provisions for the purpose.  There were horses to be used in transporting Sarah and the household goods from the "waterside" at New Windsor to the destined location, with provisions to subsist the colony for a shorter or longer period. Cows also were to be purchased for the daily and personal convenience of all, and where were they to be had? Besides these a boat of sufficient magnitude to convey the voyagers with their luggage to the place of debarkation, was all essential, which was beyond his limited means and utterly unattainable by him. Having exhausted
himself in providing what he could, he forthwith made application to the
owners of the patent, whose interest in the matter was as deep and expensive
as his, and to his joy it was crowned with success.

The boat, with men to man her, horses, cows, and dogs, with such articles of
housekeeping and farming implements as were wanted to complete the outfit,
were promised to be ready and forthcoming at the appointed time. The
expedition with all this was settled upon, arranged and executed, reflects no
small share of credit upon Christopher and Madan Denn and Sarah.
 

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The evening of the second day witnessed its accomplishment, by which time they
were collected and ready at the ferry stairs on the wset side of the town, in
progress of embarkation. As this portion of our narrative was derived from
Sarah in afterlife, we place an inventory of the various articles of outfit,
namely:

Two pack horses with bells on, two milk cows with bells, two dogs, two Irish
brahams, one spade, two pails, two beds and bedding, one small and one large
pot, one small and one large kettle, wood trenchers and bowls, candle sticks
and candles, a pair of trammels, a frying pan, small tin plates for saucers,
coffee pot and coffee, tea pot, chocolate, tin cannisters with tea, silver tea
spoons and tongs, small china tea cups and saucers, bundle of cloth, saddle
bag, pillow saddle, knives and forks, some potatoes, wallets, medical
cordials in vials, refined sugar in small pieces, brown sugar in rolls, flour,
bisquit, ham in small sacks, small trinkets, ribbons and small knives for Indians.

There may have been other articles not enumerated. The boat being ready and
the stock and the furniture with the carpenters, dogs, Indians, and Irish
brahams, all aboard before Sarah stepped in, Christopher Denn, as he stood on
the ferry stairs, founf it not in his heart to let her leave--committed as she
was about to be to the care of the uncertain elements and the equally
uncertain guardianship of her professed Indian friends--without a parting word
of consolation or encouragement.

The sun had rolled down his course, the shades of everything were gathering,
and night was letting down her curtain from the skies,. The strange nature of
the mission, the object to be accomplished, the apparent feebleness, nay
absolute weakness, of the agents and means employed the separation of friends, the commitment of a frail, tender and bleating lamb to the untamed lions of the forest, the surge of the Hudson, as it rolled its tide against the
framework they stood on, the night coming on with uncertain aspect--all
appealed to the feelings, and shed a solemn gloom of foreboding evil over the
parties. The man in Denn's situation who could have remained unaffected and
unmoved would have been a brute. In a subdued voice and tone of affectionate
regard he said "Sarah, you have been kind and dutiful to us thus far, and your
present conduct confirms us in your kindness. The duty you have to perform is
new and fatiguing, but must, if possibe, be accomplished now, or the season
will be lost. The workmen will take care of you while on the boat and
afterward; while the Indians of whose friendship I have no doubt, will guide
you through the woods to the place selected for our dwelling. The work is very
important and what you do for Madam Denn and me, is also done for the benefit
of my company. You shall be rewarded according to promise, and still more
fully compensated. You will be taken to New Windsor and from thence conveyed on horseback to the settlement and we will meet you there as soon as we possibly can, in the course of five or six weeks at farthest. Be of good cheer and we hope no accident will befall you..."

Then taking her hand he and Madam Denn embraced her in silence. Tears blocked up the passage of utterance and nothing was heard save "God speed and pprotect you Sarah." As she stepped into the boat, crowded and jammed in with men, Indians, animals and other various lading it fell off from the dock and a favorable breeze wafted them up the river and soon they were out of sight of the city.

The voyage was short and prosperous and towards evening of the next day they
ran their boat on the beach at New Windsor, there being no dock there at the
time. there they dropped anchor and spent the night on board and long before
the sun had left had left his eastern couch, in the early gray of the morning,
they disembarked on the sands of the beach.
 

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Soon all was noise and confusion. In the arrangements preparatory to starting
and taking up the line of march, they plunged as it were into the very debts
of the forest. The dogs, released from their confinement, ran and leaped
about, barked at any and everything and played around in the plentitude of
joy.

The cattle also, freed from unusal restraint and having fed upon dry provender
during the winter, in their inclination to graze upon the tender vegetables
springing up in all directions, were wild and uncontrollable. The season was
the month of May. The Indians not the least interesting subjects, in this new
and exciting drama of real life, stood as stolid and indifferent as the rees
by which they were surrounded, and only moved at the request of Sarah or the
authority of the white men.

The two horses and two cows were the only ways and means provided to transport Sarah, all the provisions, household utensils, farming instruments and other articles and, therefore, the crisis called into requisition the best
juddgement and nicest calculation of the parties in the matter of arrangement
and stowage.

When the cows were landed their neck-bells were unstopped having been silenced while on board the boat, and this loosening of clappers added their eternal "ding dong bell" to the already opened mouth yelpings of the dogs, a music then began which never ceased during the march. Some of the sacks, beds, bedding and etc. were stra[pped down on the necks and backs  of the cattle which were placed under the direction and responsibility of the three Indians, the management of which required the least judgement but the most activity. 

The horses were next ladened and disposed of. Their bells remained around
their necks with their clappers stopped only to be loosened when turned out to
roam at large in the woods. One of these was loaded and loaded down with bags
of provisions, household goods, instruments of agriculture, pots, kettles,
bowls, trenoners and etc, and placed in possession of the oldest and strongest
Indian to lead and take charge of. The other horse was encumbered and lumbered up chiefly with the lightest baggage, such as bed and bedding, with as many other small articles as were demanded by the crises. Superadded to these was Sarah, seated on the very pinnacle of the mass and placed under direction,
while the third Indian was to be ever ready by her side as a guard in case of
need, to lead her horse and help her off and on as circumstances and the
nature of the route might require. The horses thus furnished will remind one
of the camels similarly loaded with arabs and etc.

The white men traveled on foot and were next to Sarah in the line of march,
the bearers of their own tools and held a general supervision over the
movements and conduct of the whole. Anything short of this last arrangement
could not have been satisfactory to our young heroine in quieting her fears on
entering the forest home of her Indian guides.

First, and at the head of the moving column, was the division of cows under
the immediate direction of the young Indian. Under exact order they marched
forward somewhat in open and straggling ranks, like the military movements of
raw recruits; while the ceaseless jingle of their bells broke in upon the
before unbroken silence of the extensive woods. As this was the pioneer corps
much depended upon its judicious conduct. The Indian was armed with the spade and axe and his duty in addition was to clear away the obstructions  from the line of march, sound wet spots and mirey places, brooks and etc., so as to
insure the safe passage of his division and impart confidence to those in the
rear. Next in order "with dignified step and slow" moved the first pack horse
in charge of the strong Indian bearing the eatables and heavy household
utensils and etc. The conduct and well being of this division was of equal
interest with that of the first for it conveyed the subsistance and family
comforts of the whole, still relieved by the friendly hand of Christopher
Denn, or the wild game of the forest.
 

page  8

Sarah, in anxious thought, communing with herself, seated in melancholy mood,
high up on her stately quadruped like some Eastern Nobless on high born
elephant, moved next, while the third Indian, as her faithful footman, leaped
with the velocity of an out rider, along the pathway of her march and around
her person. Deeply aware of the magnitude of the trust he divided his
attention between the horse and its rider, both of which his eye never left,
apparently.

The white men ladened with back and hand luggage trudged along close in upon
Sarah's horse with feelings not fully at ease as they left the water side, the
extreme side and verge of civilization, to commit themselves to the uncertain
dangers of the wild woods, and the tender mercies of the red men who tenanted
them, and from whose unthreaded labarynth there might be no escape.

The two faithful dogs, as best under the command of the white man, whose
language they could not fully understand but sufficiently and would most
eadily obey, were kept in the rear and prevented as much as possible from
wandering abroad in pursuit of game and hushed to silence by their keepers.

Thus arranged the moving column, as best it could, under the novelty of the
situation, began the march and wound its way up the steep ascent of the river
bank and then into the wilderness.

We are authorized to say that as the caravan took up its line of march the
boatman, ever kind hearted and feeling as they were brave, showered upon them good wishes for a safe and successful journey.

All that poor Sarah could respond was a glance of the eye and a gentle
inclination of the head for she was in the keeping of her feelings and tears
robbed her of utterance. The reality of her lonely and desolate condition
flashed suddenly upon her mind and she felt as if her fate was sealed.
Capture, secretion in the wildnerness, far from those loved ones she had left
behind and regarded as parents, torture, violation, death, all in quick array
came up in vision and she saw herself marching in solemn mockery to
selfimmolation. Stouter hearts than than that of Sarah Wells, an experienced
girl, have quailed before a condition of things less dangerous and frightful
than that and made them weak as children. But as she rode on the paroxysm of
feeling which for the instant overwhelmed her, like some threatening cloud
dissipated by the wind, soon passed off and with it the horrid train of
anticipated dangers and she restored to her native energy and buoyancy of
spirits. Perhaps the grotesque appearance of the caravan, the harsh voices of
the Indians, the ceseless "ding dong bell" of the cattle, the loud whooping
and hallooing of the men, the difficulty in governing her horse and the
barking and yelping of the dogs, were in thenselves so novel and exciting to a
youthful mind that they contributed in part to restore the maden to her
senses. However it was, the pang was as momentary in duration as intense in
feeling.

We are further authorized to say that the Indians condducted themselves and
discharged their respective duties in the most satisfactory manner and
especially the one who waited upon the person of Sarah Wells. He was
respectful and really polite during the whole of the fatiguing journey. He
marched close by her side, helped her off and on her horse and pointed out
mant things in the woods calculated to interest her attention and draw her out
in conservation.  Not unfrequently he plucked an early flower as it sprang up
by the wayside, and calling her attention to it, tasted its leaves and then
presented for acceptance. Of all the facts stated in this simple narrative no
one is so interesting and touching as this, for it vies with the most refined
exhibition of politeness in civilized society. As they passed along thru the
 

page  9
 

forest the small members of the feathered tribe, frightened by the unusual
noise, flitted quickly and noiselessly away from the line of march. The wood-
pecker seated upon some decayed branch of an aged tree, plied rapidly his bill
and made the woods resound with noisy industry. The raven with elongated neck
bent his beak towards the moving train, in suspicion flapped his wings and as
he flew in friendly admonition of danger, screamed "caw, caw, caw."

Thus they moved on without acccident or other important incident with which to
garnish the story until the sun had withdrawn his beams from the woodlands and
the shades of night began to close in around them, when happily they arrived
on the bank of the  stream now called Otterkill, opposite the spot which
Christopher Denn had selected as the place of his residence. Thus the journey
of full twenty miles of pathless forest with occasional thick undergrowth was
performed in a single day, and the travelers in safety at the end of it.

Upon the bank of the stream which separated them from the spot to which they
journeyed, under the branches of a wide spreading beech they camped for the
night. A fire was instantly kindled beneath the tree, which with the branches
guarded them from the dampness and unhealthy dews. The horses were unloosed, their bells unstopped and turned out to graze for the night. The cattle were permitted to take care of themselves in the same way. The men having seen
rattle snakes and other reptiles of various kinds during the day, judged it
prudent to spread their couches for the night upon the boughs of trees placed
upon sticks, laid in crotches driven into the ground. This arrangement kept
them up from the earth and made them easier to rest in, by a little sag and
elasticity. The fatigue of the journey and the unusual excitement for several
days previous soon induced sleep which apparently wrapped them all up in
forgetfulness. The scream of the panther and the more distant howl of the wolf
dog as they prowled around the place of encampment, broke not the slumbers of
the white men.

The solemn tones of the bells of the animals as they wandered and grazed along
the lonely banks of the Otterkill were alike ineffectual and noiseless. They
slept hard and irregular, as pressed down by an incubus heavey as the hills of
Wawayanda. Not so with Sarah and the Indians. The latter now safe at home
along their native streams and valleys, threw themselves upon the ground with
their feet to the fire and seemed to slumber thru the night, though they never
slept. The howl of the wolf, the screech of the night owl, the murmuring
whispers of the stream, as it flowed past, were all heard by them and drank in
as delicious music of the forest. The slumbers of Sarah were deep and fitful
bt turns. At one moment in her dreams she was seated by Madam Denn relating
the incidents of her journey, and slept as sweetly and as softly as an infant
in a cradle. Soon she saw an Indian with stealthy step approach her couch;
then again he was standing over her with the implements of death upraised,
ready to strike her the fatal blow, and the deep agony of the vision would
afrighten her and wake her. At such times her Indian footman was sure to quiet
her fears, letting her know by speech or otherwise that he was awake, guarding
her slumbers and heard her scream. Thus Sarah passed the night, alternating
her dreams crowned with joys or haunted by terror.

Long before the sun was up in the early dawn of the morning, which promised a
day of unusual beauty, the members of the encampment were abroad and ready for the business of the day, which was to end their wanderings and place them in a comfortale resting place. Some rekindled the fire to prepare a hasty meal
while others cut and gatehred pieces of light dry wood and in a short time
launched a raft ready for transportation across the stream.

The workmmen, with some of the Indians, passed the stream on the raft and
commenced the settlement of Wawayanda, by felling trees to erect a wigwam.
 

page 10

Sarah was left in charge of the goods and encampment, with directions from the workmen to see that the Indians forded over the horses and cattle and with her assistance to ferry over the goods and chattels during the day, preparatory to be carried to the wigwam when ready to receive them. This she very willingly
undertook to accomplish; for in the employment she would find relief from the
unplesant feelings which still hung around and haunted her mind. In this way
all the parties were actively engaged in forwarding to completion the grand
object of their mission, and before the orb of the day had withdrawn his beams
from the forest and buried them in the west the log hut was finished and ready
for the reception of Sarah and her household goods, where with little order
and much haste they were carried and deposited. While some were thus engaged
in transporting the goods others were kindling up and renewing by frequent
additions a large and blazing fire in the center of the building, to dry out
the moisture of the green timbers and which at the same time, would furnish a
means to procure the evening meal made pressingly necessary by the frequent
fastings of the previous days.

Sarah, when she looked into her new abode and saw the flames ascending to the
very roof and the smoke densely filling the building and issuing in a black
volume thru an aperture in the top, filling the atmosphere around as with
heavy fog, she thought they were about to burn up in a moment what they had
been the whole day in erecting. But on expessing her aprehensions she was set
right in the matter and satisfied of the propriety and careful nature of the
act.

On taking possession of the wigwam a point was made by ther Indians that Sarah should enter it first, otherwise it would be an unfortunate residence for the owners. As this act of precedence was easily performed by her and was to be ominus of good to herself and patrons she respectfully acquiesed in the
arrangement and entered the dwelling before any of the goods were deposited.
The wildest superstitution may have had something to do with this novel idea,
but no matter at this late day the act was an indirect appeal at least to One,
who could bless this humble cot of the forest, with its cruise of oil and all
who fed from it. We honor the act and while we record it we are not ashamed to acknowledge that it greatly and agreeably touches our feelings. The comforts of the dogs were not forgotten, for the Indians put up a kennel for them adjoining the cabin.

The wigwam, the fir5st erection on the patent of Wawayanda was nearly square, 16X18 feet and constructed thus: At the corners and the sudes holes were dug into the ground and crotches set in them to serve as posts in an ordinary framed house. Poles were then laid round in the crotches to serve as plates and fastened together with wood pins, made on the spot. A gutter was then excavated round outside the crotches to receive the moisture in time of rain or damp weather. In these gutters palisades split out of logs were set up on
end, leaning inwards and against the poles in the crotches, and by hewing
them, made to fit as close as possible against each other. Outside of all and
opposite each other, at the ends of the building, 2 other crotches, higher
than the palisades and crotches, were erected to hold the ridgepole, which
determined the height and pitch of the roof which leaned against it. The roof
was composed of poles, brush and bark pealed from the trees they had felled to
split the palisades. The fireplace was in the center of the cabin and the pots
and kettles hung upon chains and trunnels suspended from a pole laid in two
crotches. The smoke issued thru a hole 3 feet square in the cone of the roof
which served for a skylight. When the smoke had well cleared off and the
atmosphere of the building so thinned as to be transparent Sarah's comment
upon it was "what a hole to huddle in and spend the night in bad weather."

The furniture was of a piece with the structure and in good keeping and
harmony with it. Among the articles were wood bowls and trenches of various
kinds and workmanship and manufacture.
 
 

page  11

The table was a large log some 6 or 8 feet long, extending into the room and
supported at the ends by uprights, upon which split slabs rested and
constituted the fixed kitchen table cupboard. The same kind of fixtures were
in the other corners and served for bedsteads, but in place of slabs, poles
and brush were sunstituted as softer and more elastic. A long slab standing on
peg feet, the only apology for, and representative of a chair, was intended to
seat the members of the family.  Though this was neither stylish nor very
fashionable in the higher town and city circles, yet in the family arrangement
it was comfortable, friendly and social. There were several other articles of
furniture and housekeeping enumerated in the inventory.

The Indians were dispatched to drive up the cows, for "baughten time was near
my Joe." As the settlement was the joint work of the parties, the preparation
of the evening meal, after the excitement and labor of the day, was no
exception; for each one seemed alive to the occasoin and anxious to try his
inexperience upon a subject so desperate and difficult to get up, with the
limited means at their command.

The workmen ever rejoiced at the early completion of the building, proclaimed
aloud that they must have something "choice and rare to handsel the new
wigwam." As the work progressed all were actively and zealously engaged. Some
untied sacks of flour, ham, crackers, and etc. determined that the meal should
be as extensive as their provisions would admit. Others opened the beds and
unrolled the bedding, to discover the secret deposit of china and other
brittle wares. Wood bowls and trenchers were called into requisition and the
small tin plates set round in order on the table to garnish it and to be used
as coffee cups. The grains of coffee were roasting, the han frying, the cakes
baking, the potatoes boiling. Small rolls of sugar (brown) were produced,
found secreted in the coffee pot; knives and forks rolled up in bed clothes,
salt, pepper, spices and ribbons in an iron pot; soap, candles in a leather
wallett and etc. While preparations indoors in this stage of forward execution
the Indians drove up the cows which added their noisy presence to the exciting
scene, and someone drew off their milk. As the various articles of an eatable
character were found among the piles of small luggage they received their
appropiate destination by being transferred according to the taste of the
agent to the moveable log table. In the midst of this animated arrangement and
preparation of the table of bounty and true excellence oof which an epicurian
or real gormand might have envied, two of the Indians were outside the door,
who being quick of sight and hearing, espied two persons on horseback
approaching from the south. Not knowing the persons of the visitors, nor the
character of the mission, they ran off like wild deer to meet them, when "lo!
they proved to be Christopher and Madam Denn. The first question was "where is Sarah, and is she well?" The answer was "well", and the Indians leading the
way they rode to the cabin door. In the meantime Sarah, though deeply busied
in the domestis arrangement of her new dwelling, thought she heard a known
voice, which came to her soft as a whisper from an elf of the forest: but
thinking herself deceived, moved not from her employment. In an instant,
however, hearing her own name more distinctly pronounced, she ran to the door,
beheld her parental guardians, and at the moment, overwhelmed with joy and
surprise at the phantom of reality, fell in a swoon at the post of the
doorway.

Though blessed with great energy and vigor of character and a flow of spirits
equal to most females, they all fled from her on this occasion and left her
lifeless at the feet of her friends. But nature, a wise Physician and kinf
restorer quickly rallied the maiden at the fountain of life and in a few
moments Sarah arose to fall upon the breast of her mother; and there like a
child in the transports of joy, laughed and wept and wept and laughed again.
The scene was so novel and unexpected that even the stolid and self possessed
sons of the forest were excited and looked upon it as if touched in their
feelings.
 

page 12

Instances we believe are not wanting in which the Indians have shown as much
tried friendship and true love as are usually found in a state of high
civilization and refinement.

When the feelings of the parties were restored to a proper tone Madam Denn
inquired of Sarah how she had been and her success in getting there, which
were answered with truth and promptitude, referring her at the same time to
the new cabin they had erected, and to the half prepared provisions for the
evening meal, which she begged to leave to complete for the comfort of Mr. and
Madam Denn.

The tradition in this vicinity and among the families descendants of William
Bull and Sarah Wells, from the earliest settlement of the town of Goshen down
to this day, is that Sarah Wells was the first civilized white woman and Madam
Denn the second, who placed a foot upon that part of Wawayanda, which laid in
the town of Goshen. How this came about has been explained.

By this time the shades of night, like a murky and solemn gloom had enveloped
the cabin, the light of its feeble taper, like some lonely, but friendly star,
threw its maiden and modest rays upon the wildnerness of Wawayanda.

That group of civilized and uncivilized individuals, of gentle and simple, the
representives of nature on the one hand and of high civilization and art on
the other, as they sat in a log cabin in the midst of the wilderness, doubly
shrouded in darkness by the trees of the forest and the gloom of the night,
was one of the most interesting collections of individuals eber gathered
together in the old town of Goshen.

The presence and maiden energy of Sarah Wells were soon followed by the
footsteps of thousands--the sound of the woodsman's axe as it resounded thru
the valley's and hilltops of Wawayanda, was soon succeeded by the multiplied
blows of the hardy settlers as they came in and planted their dwellings. The
clearings made bt Denn opened the thick foliage of the forest and the sun in
noontide glory lit up and warmed it by the blaze of its beams--the furrows
which followed its plowshare, marked out the boundaries of a thousand
locations upon which frugal industry, with her thrifty handmaids, garnered up
wealth and reveled in domestic happiness. The seed then cast in the virgin
soil, vegated, grew up, ripened and has since been widely disseminated over
the broad rich bosum of the patent. The offspring of the cattle which at an
early day grazed among the wild herbage in the shade of the great forest, are
now seen to wander and heard to low on a thousand hills--the red men of the
forest and woodlands have departed and the cultivated indomitable children of
Shem possess their dwellings. The fires of the war-dance and wigwams are
extinguished, and Christiam temples as they send up their tall spires to
heaven, are lit up by the mild and benignant beams of the Gospel.

The descendants of Sarah, the maiden of Wawayanda, like the stately primevil
trees of the forest, are found everywhere in the country, adorning the
variegated walks of life, while the virtuous conduct and industrous habits of
the early settlers, their good sound sense and native integrity, are still
observable and prominent, in the long and numerous line of their descendants.
But we forbear, and the reader will please to finish the picture by the
introduction of such characters and figures as may suit his pencil.

We remarked in an early part of the article, that we were uninformed of the
reason why Christopher and Madam Denn did not accompany Sarah to make the
settlement and how they could consent to her alone to do it, under all the
circumstances of the case. Denn's intention as expressed on the ferry stairs
at parting was that he would proceed and join her whenever the workmen should
complete the cabin, return to the city and inform him of it. Why, we do not
know, but this settlement and departure from the city was a kind of a secret
affair.
 

page  13

Perhaps it was that Denn being in failing circumstances the articles of outfit
might have been liable to seizure and his person not safe from arrest when out
of the city. It is possible that inasmuch as they had been persons of some
wealth and distinction they could not sacrifice their pride and feelings to
perform so humble and undignified an act. We fear, if the truth be known, that
the whole transaction was so contrived, hastened, managed and executed as to
invite no suspicions in the minds of his creditors and friends, if it should
happen to leak out that he was about to leave the city.  This is our
suspicion, inferred from the whole transaction, though we do not wish to be
censorious or cast a shade upon his conduct and want of feeling in exposing an
orphan girl under his protection and authority, to the dangers of such a
mission.

But let him speak for himself; his statement is calculated to leave at least
an agreeable impression of his conduct and intention. He informed Sarah that
when he committed her with the cattle, Indians and household goods to the
boat, he thought but little more of her than he did of them--that he was
elated with the hopeful nature of the expedition and speedy accomplishment of
a settlement, of which he had no doubt, from her known character for energy,
obedience and execution, if her health should be spared and no accident
intervened to prevent her--that it was with such hopes and feelings excited by
the aspect, he and Madam Denn returned from the dock to their dwelling. It was
thenndark and on lighting the candles and looking around the room all was lone
and silent. Sarah, the only crickty that played and chirped on the hearthstone
was gone., her innocent life perhaps sacrificed at his bidding to save himself
from executing so mean an office--His conscience told him he had played a
fraud upon her, that he and Madam Denn ought to have accompanied her and
shared the dangers of the river and forest, assumed control and responsibility
in the affair. That they were smitten with remorse for what they had done, and
that night before they retired to rest, determined to make immediate amends
for their past conduct, by joining her as possible on the patent. If his
representations are entitled to credit, he informed her that the night she
left, his sleep was uneasy and disturbed, being broken inupon by horrible
dreams of accidents on the water and in the wilderness, that he had lost his
character as a humane and prudent man.

The result was they left their uneasy couch before the sun rose from his, and
began to execute their determination. They maade known their intention to
their friends who kindly furnished them the means of conveyance. They crossed
over to the Jersey shore and with all expedition made their way by land, on
horseback, thru the highlands. The first days ride thru them to the falls of
the Remapo, where they lodged a hut for the night. Early in the morning the
journey was resumed and they threaded a winding way thru the valleys and among
the hills and mountains of Wawayanda till they reach4d what is now called
Sugarloaf mountain, where there was an Indian village. There they made the
necessary inquiries if anything was known or heard of Sarah Wells a white
woman., with a party of white men and Indians, but nothing was heard of them.
They rode on to Rembouts, one of the chiefs who granted the patent, and there
on inquiry they were equally unsuccessful.

>From there the journey was conducted with all possible speed, with a view to
reach the residence of the parents of some of the young Indians who composed
the party, before dark, and there to spend the night. Thinking it possibe how-
ever, that the settlers might have arrived at the place of destination and the
sun still above the horizon, they concluded to take a circuit round and visit
the place before putting up for the night. Approximating the Otterkill at a
rift, where they found it fordable, thay crossed the stream and on nearing the
place of settlement were discovered by the young Indians as already related.

Christopher Denn on concluding this explanation of his conduct and adventure,
again thanked Sarah for what she had done for him and the patentees,
 
 

page  14

complimented all on their expedition and success in rearing the wigwam and
presented four blankets, upon which they had ridden, to the Indians for their
services to him and their kindness to Sarah -- The three, with the father of
one of them, who had been to the city, received a blanket each and they were
all invited to remain and spend the night in the cabin and enjoy the luxury
of the new presents which they cheerfully consented to do.

While Sarah continued to reside with the Denn's, and before her marriage, the
only road from there to New Windsor was a footpath thru the woods without a
solitary log cabin to cheer the traveler thru that distance. The comforts and
necessaries of life were few indeed, and of luxuries there were none. The
grain of which there was very little, was pounded in a mortor of some kind to
be converted into bread for they knew of no flour mill in the country. There
may have been one at Peenpack, in Deer Park, but that was at a great distance
and to it there was not even a footpath thru the wilderness. The nearest known
mill was at the mouth of the Fishkill, in Ditchess county; and when they
needed grinding done the grain was taken there. There being no roads the grain
was loaded uo on horses, in bags and transported to and from, the distance of
20 miles each way. Often and often did this girl rise at midnight in the heart
of Wawayanda, while the wild cat and wolf were still abroad, and with no
guardian except a faithful dog, wind her solitary and lonely way with her
sacks of grain to the "water-side" at New Windsor, there leave her horse,
borrow a boat and with her own young hands paddle it and cargo to the mill and
back again to New Windsor. Here the flour was placed upon the horse and Sarah retraced the long and weary way home in the forest. What female, even a
servant, can say the present times are hard?

As before remarked she was probably in the habit of transacting a market
business for Denn from Staten Island to New York in an open boat, and may have thus habituated herself to an oar. This at least accustomed her to the water and robbed it of danger in her view. While at home she was in the habit of wandering thru the woods farther and farther from time to time in company with her dog and this accustomed ner to the dangers of the forest. Add to this her mind naturally fearless of danger, with great buoyancy of spirit, bold deter
mination and self-reliance --and all of them combined, contributed to fit the
maiden's mind to traverse the wild woods of Wawayanda by day and night and
drive her boat across the hudson, with the practised skill and grace of the
"Lady of the Lake."

The last time she returned from the mill she was belated and when about six
miles from New Windsor, the night being dark, the wolves howled so loud and
close around her that she though herself in personal danger. To escape from
them, and from the back of the horse mounted into the top of a tree. There she
spent the night, often "wishing for the day" before the tardy sun left his
eastern couch. This cured her of all wild adventure of the kind.

We include this part of our narrative remarking that we have made the historic
portion as brief and simple as possible and we declare in all honesty that the
facts are literally true, as we are instructed by information which has come
down to us upon a wide and deep stream of tradition based upon the statements
of Sarah Wells, and we could not--even in a case like this, which furnishes a
large margin for our imagination--forget that we were writing veritable
history and not a work of fiction.
 

page 15
                                  GREYCOURT

In 1716 there was a settlement made at Greycourt by Daniel Cromline, Esq. This
gentleman, we believe, lived on Long Island, and in 1704, in company with
several others, purchased out the interest of Phillip Rockeby and Hendrick
Tenyck in the patent of Wawayanda, and in the year first named, built what was known for a century afterwards by the name of "The Greycourt House". This was near Chester, on the north edge of the Greycourt meadows, and the farm on which was erected this building was later owned by Mr. Jesse Carpenter. We lament the demolition of these ancient structures as they not only remind our citizens of their hardy and patriot ancestors but constitute a valuable portion of the history of the county. The stone which bore the date of this building, marked "D.C. 1716 G.C."  is preserved by being set in the west end
of the old stone Bull house at Hamptonburgh. Without that date, it is 100 to 1
that the time of settlement a Greycourt could not have been told.

The circumstances under which this settlement was made and the house built,
are more particularly mentioned in the following notice of William Bull:
 

Part 2 William Bull/Sarah Wells

Part 3 Bull-Wells-Bowman-Clark

Email: RichBoyd"at"Charter.net

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