This article appeared in the Orange County Post on Thursday, August 22, 1968 on Page 10.
'BIG' Little Britain: JEDUTHAN BELKNAP by Margaret V.S. Wallace
LITTLE BRITAIN--Benjamin Belknap, born 1702, came from
Massachusetts in the middle 1700’s as did his brothers
Thomas and Samuel, and settled, according the historians, in the
town of New Windsor. But where?
He married Hannah Richardson. Their children were Abraham, Ruth,
Isaac, Hannah, Jeduthan, Sarah and Olive.
Isaac and Jeduthan are of special interest to us as they
established themselves in Little Britain.
The Jeduthan Belknap farm is now the Crome farm, a little west of
Jackson Ave. on Little Britain Road. It is lot
number two of the John Johnston patent. Matthew McDowell who was
here as early as 1735 bought lot number one,
and later, lot number three. His two lots were connected at the
south of lot number two.
The first buyer of Jeduthan Belknap’s farm may have been
William Smith, his deed not found. According to a deed
recorded in Kingston, William Smith of Newburgh, yeoman, and
Elizabeth his wife on January 24, 1744 sold to
Thomas Nicholson of the precinct of the Highlands, yeoman, 100
acres “the southeast end of lott number two of the
John Johnston patent” for 49 pounds. He bought all of lot
number two, so why the southeast end of lot number
two? It is so described down through the deeds.
On February 1, 1777, John Nicholson Esq. of Little Britain sold
to Jeduthan Belknap of Johnston in the County of
Providence “the southeast end of lott number two of the John
Johnston patent” for 500 pounds, the mines and
minerals being reserved for Elizabeth Johnston, widow of John
Johnston. Ruttenber and Clark say in their HISTORY
OF ORANGE COUNTY that the house was built about 1770. If so, it
is a Nicholson house, and he could charge
much more than he paid for the farm. Perhaps he built the saw
mill too.
On the list of BELKNAP HOUSES IN NEW WINDSOR TOWN 1798, compiled
by Oscar Barck and given to
Mildred Parker Seese, Jeduthan’s place is described as
follows: “Jeduthan Belknap on the Minisink Road and joins
land of Thomas McDowel. Frame house 30 x 28 1 story unfinished,
20 x 30 2 stories, acres 100 good, 1 f. barn 40 x
30, 1 f. horse she(d) 24 x 10 1 saw mill.”
Jeduthan Belknap fought in the Revolution. He belonged to the
Ulster County Militia, 2nd Regiment under Col.
James McClaghry. There were six other Belknaps in his regiment of
militia, and five others in the regular army. All
Belknaps were patriots as the plaque on the Isaac Belknap house
says. Most of Little Britain belonged to the militia.
The record gives a long list of familiar names of that day.
Jeduthan Belknap showed his interest in education. When Joseph
Belknap on the Square sold a small corner of his
farm in 1783 for a school, first called Nursery of Learning, then
the Square School, and later, Silver Stream School,
the three trustees who received the deed were Jacob Mills, Jacob
Wigans and Jeduthan Belknap. As Little Britain
grew, a school nearer his home was needed. Some time before 1814,
the deed not found, Jeduthan Belknap set aside
a piece of his farm 30 x 40 feet for a school. This was finally
called the White School.
Jeduthan Belknap made his will Sept. 1, 1809. It was probated
June 6, 1818. He left to his son Benjamin “the farm
where I now live,” to his daughter Massey Humphrey “my
other farm where she now lives,” to his daughter Lydia
Crawford, wife of Francis Crawford, $375; to his daughter Cloe
Blake, $500, and to his granddaughter Lydia
Humphrey $125.
In 1820, Benjamin Belknap sold the farm to James Denniston for $3500,
100 acres except the school house yard and
the cemetery, a Belknap cemetery, but it tells little about the
Little Britain Belknaps.
In 1848 James Denniston left the farm to his son George Alexander
Denniston.
On April 8, 1865, George Alexander Denniston and Mary C. his wife
of Goshen, late of New Windsor, sold the farm
to Alexander Denniston for $8500 “the same farm that was
granted to James Denniston by Benjamin Belknap June 6,
1820 “the south east end of lot number two and devised to
George Alexander Denniston by his father, James
Denniston by will dated Feb. 17, 1848, 100 acres except the
school house lot 30 x 40 feet and the burying ground 25
x 25 feet.” This Alexander Denniston was a distant cousin of
George Alexander Dennison from who he bought the
farm. His father was George W., Son of William G. son of Col.
George. His mother was Mary Mulliner, the first
wife of George W.
On March 31, 1873, Alexander Denniston whose wife Prudence Scott
had died in 1872, sold the farm to Robert E.
Morison for $9000, exception still being made for the school
house lot 30 x 40 and the burying ground 25 x 25 feet.
On May 22, 1875 Robert E. Morison and Margaret E. his wife sold
an acre and a half to Harvey Alexander, and on
Feb. 8, 1888 an acre to school district number 8.
Robert E. Morison willed the farm to his son Robert E. Morison,
locally known as Ed Morison. The father died in
1901.
Robert E. Morison and Estelle W. his wife sold a piece of land
for a new layout of the Little Britain Road, and
another piece for the aqueduct. On September 10, 1920 they sold
the farm to Louis F. W. Crome and Edith A.
Crome. The house is still the home of the Crome family. A large
part of the land was taken for Stewart Field
housing, and Little Britain Elementary School has taken another
section.
Jeduthan Belknap would surely be please about his connection with
a third Little Britain School.
Created by Elizabeth Finley Frasier
June 2, 2000
