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Deerpark and Mount Hope

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Of the seven patentees above named, Codebeck and Germar were Frenchmen, and according to a certificate then in the possession of Germar in the French language, they were in that country in the year 1685, in April, being about twenty years old. In that year the famous Edict of Nantes was revoked, and these individuals fled for safety, and for conscience sake left forever the vine clad hills of their native land.

On leaving they proceeded to England or Holland, where they remained a short time, and were to be supplied with funds within a certain period by their friends at home, in the receipt of which they were disappointed. They then embarked for America, and landed somewhere in the state of Maryland. By this time their money was spent, and they were compelled to support themselves by manual labor—a condition of things to which they had not been accustomed, and they found it to be very trying and hard to their personal feelings and inclinations; yet with that sprightliness of character and spirit of accommodation which cheerfully bends to every condition of things, for which the French are more remarkable than any other nation, these individuals yielded with their usual grace to the necessity of the case, and though thoughtful about the land of their birth, sang a song of remembrance over their daily toil. Their stay in Maryland was short, and they then emigrated to the state of New York, and either in the city, or in one of the counties on the East side of the Hudson River, entered into the interesting state of wedlock with individuals of a Dutch family by the name of Swartwout. These marriages doubtless led to the after intimacy and association of these persons, and was the reason of their co-settlement in the county.

Tys and Jamison were also Dutchmen.

The Swartwouts were large men, of great bodily strength and courage, and well calculated to be pioneers in the settlement of a new country, densely covered with woods, and infested by the natives and ferocious wild animals.

These seven men came to this town in 1690, but did not procure the patent of 1200 acres previously mentioned till the 14th of October, 1697. Tys and Jamison must have died soon after the location of the patent or emigrated elsewhere, for in the future history of this settlement we neither find them mentioned, nor any others of that name till long after the period we are speaking of. Within a few years after the settlement the patent fell into the hands of Peter Germar, Jacob Codeback, one of the Swartwouts, and an early settler by the name of Harmanus Van Inwegen, which has very generally remained in the ownership of their descendents till the present time.

At the time these men came and located the patent, this part of the country was a favorite district of the Indians, as the streams were numerous in the vicinity, abounding in fish of various kinds, and wild game numerous in the wide forests around them. Doubtless this, and the whole of what was called the Minisink country, extending for forty miles on both sides of the Delaware River, was thickly settled by the natives, and frequently visited by other friendly and neighboring tribes. It had all the conveniences for Indian residence, as far as rivers, brooks, fish, wild game and tillable lands were essential for such a purpose.

The land covered by the patent land, along the Neversink River and Bashes Kill, at and below their junction, and was a body of very fertile river land; and the Indians, Delawares, who then tenanted it, permitted the pale faced new corners to settle and occupy in peace, without the least molestation for many succeeding years. From this early friendship between the Indians and settlers, it is probable the former received some compensation for their land from the latter; for they must at the time have claimed it and exercised jurisdiction over the whole of that part of the county. This they did certainly as late as 1703, the date of the Wawayanda patent, which grant was from twelve Indian chiefs, who claimed title thereto. It is a little singular, that from this time till the Indians left, there wits no ill will, deep or revengeful, nor any hostilities of a general character between the parties in all the country around. Both parties, as we suppose, found it in their interest to act kind and honestly towards each other. Indeed, we never heard any other character of the parties, and when we can we wish to do the Indians of this county full and ample justice for their good conduct while here.

The grass which grew upon these river flats was coarse, and from four to six feet high, and called in Dutch Reet grass. The flats are now much altered from what they were, being cut up by channels by the action of the river, and grown over with woods.

At the settlement, the conduct of the parties was judicious and well calculated to ensure their then present and future safety in case of an attack from the Indians. They built their cabins near each other on and around a small rise of ground or knoll, some fifty or sixty rods long, ten wide, and about twenty feet high above the level of the river. At one side of this knoll there was a spring issuing forth, which formed a small but permanent brook of pure water, which ran along its easterly side, and the cabin, were in the vicinity of this spring and brook. This spot was called by the Indian, “Peenpack,” which is the present appellation of that part of the town. We are not well informed of the meaning of this Indian name. Some of the early settler. said it meant “knoll” or “small hill;” others, and those who knew something of the language of the Delaware, said it meant “knoll or hill by the brook.”

At this time the nearest settlement was in Mamakating Hollow, some twenty-five or thirty miles North, and about half way to Esopus.

Soon after these individuals settled on the patent, others came in and located in the town, among whom were Peter Cuykendall, John Decker, William Cole, Solomon Davis and a few others. *There were also Dutch.

In the nature of things it is a laborious business to settle and bring to a state of tolerable agriculture a new country; and this county was eminently so because it was wholly covered with large timber, and of that description which did not decay rapidly in or out of the land. The difficulties encountered by our western emigrants at this day, owing to the nature of soil and timber, are not to be compared with these encountered in the settlement of this State. Here, every thing had to be done—there was nothing ready or partially fitted to the hands of the settlers. Unless they brought implements with them from Europe, they had to manufacture them, for they could not be purchased every where as now. Every family had to live somewhat for itself and be independent, relying on its own means for implements, food and raiment.

The ploughs of that day and those used at this locality were more complicated in structure than those now in use, though they may yet be seen any summer’s day on the rich, deep, flat lands along the Mohawk River. In this part of the country they were nearly out of use in 1776, and may be thus described: the forward end of the beam rested on an axle-tree between a large and small wheel. The large wheel ran in the furrow, and the small one on the unbroken sod which made the axle horizontal. In other respects the ancient and present plough were nearly of the same form. The special advantage of the wheel plough consists in being regulated in such a way as to cut a furrow at a uniform given depth, and in being steady and more easily directed. One may be considered the best for rich land and smooth soil; the other, for rough and stony land. The plough and harrow were the most perfect agricultural instruments at the time we speak of.

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*Errata--read These