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History of Orange County
Towns of Goshen, Hamptonburgh and Chester
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It appears from the map of Orange and Rockland counties, and from an 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 north easterly bounds of the town lots of the village of Goshen, was set off to Christopher Denn.- The lot contained about 2000 acres, and was surveyed by Peter Berrian. This was probably a part of Dean's interest in the patent, and set off to him in the division.
This lot is bounded as follows: and we modernize the description that the reader may know it from the monuments named, Beginning at a stake and stones about east of and 10 chains from the dwelling house of Gen. Abraham Vail, in east division; thence north westerly along the north easterly bounds of the Goshen town lots, and until it meets with a line supposed to divide the old counties of Ulster and Orange; thence east along the same to a stake and stones known to be standing near the top of the highland or mountain above Charles in Hamptonburgh; thence on a course south about 36 degrees west to the place of beginning.
It was upon this lot on the west bank of the Otterkill, and about 6 or 8 chains westerly from the bridge across the stream known as Tusten's Bridge, that Christopher Denn in 1712 located a residence for himself and family, and more particularly mentioned hereafter.
As intimated, Denn agreed to make the experiment of a first settler, which doubtless was at the instigation and with the co-operation of the other owners. It was the interest of all to accomplish so desirable an object, else Wawayanda would remain as it was, a howling wilderness, infested by serpents, roamed over by beasts of prey and lit up by the fires of the wigwam and war dance.
Denn visits the Patent.
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 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 settling 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 hill side, on the bank 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 in the then county of Orange, in that part now Rockland, had had intercourse with the proprietors or some of them, and with the corps of surveyors who ran out the patent, and of course knew the objects of the proprietors when they granted them their lands, and therefore, the proposed settlement of Denn among them, was not a suspicious, new or unexpected event. It is also very probable, that they could at this time, speak many English words and understand much of an ordinary conversation held in that language, and were able readily to comprehend the wishes and objects of Denn, in his then 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 graces 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 a generous appeal to their confidence and good will, and it threw an anchor of safety, as was supposed, into the affections 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.
Sarah Wells.-The reader will permit us to change somewhat the subject of remark, and introduce him to a young female acquaintance, a relative of the writer, and whom he saw in 1796, at the advanced and venerable age of 102 years, when he was but 6. Though half a century has passed away and blotted many deep impressions from our memory, the recollection of that aged parent and mother in Israel, will go down with us to the grave and be effaced only in death. At that early day her descendents were already numerous, and the filial regard and respect which now enshrine her memory deep in the bosom of every child, had began to form and circulate around her person, which was regarded as the cherished monument of another age.
“Heroic and venerated mother! thy descendent unknown to fame, with a new born feeling inspired by this moment, would affectionately mention thy name and address thy memory.
Thy descendents, found in every walk and station in ordinary life, like the stately trees which once waved their leafy bows around they humble dwelling, on the hill side in Wawayanda, with pride and gratitude, now cluster around thy name and memory. Early, in the beginning of thy days, God bereft thee of parental love, and placed thee, where
"No mother's care
"Shielded thy infant innocence with prayer."
that He might be the father of the fatherless. He then took thee up in the arms of his providence and carried thee in safety along the journey of life-then cast thee upon the cold pity of a selfish world, upon the native strength and vigor of thy mind, to fit and prepare thee to endure the burning heats of summer, the blasts of winter that howled around thy dwelling, and what was more, the storms of life. He then cared for thee in the length of thy days, and in blessing thee with many children, blessed thee with his ancient and early blessing.
We admire thy maiden intrepidity in traversing the dark bosom of Wawayanda, when, in dutiful obedience to unkind 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 thy years, and for personal sacrifices in our behalf.
We honor thee for being the parent of a numerous race- for a long life and an honored grave. In a just pride for the virtuous blood we inherit, may it flow on, while, with a filial regard, increased by the lapse of time, we embalm thee in the hearts of thy kindred, and erect this humble, but public, monument to thy name and memory."
We now return to the parties as we left them, at the residence of Mr. Denn in the city of New York, to observe that the young Indians were introduced to, and made acquainted with the members of the family, as friends residing on the patent, and made comfortable with household cheer.
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 to Staten Island, whom they had adopted as their own, and who had lived with them from her tender years, while they resided on that island. The name of this orphan maid, then about sixteen years of age, was Sarah Wells, subsequently married to William Bull of Hamptonburgh, and who became the ancestor of a numerous line of descendents in this and the adjoining counties. In person, Sarah Wells was less than 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 constitution otherwise delicate, but deepened the color of her sanguine complexion. Her eyes were neither large nor prominent, but dark, playful and sparkling. Though not a flippant talker, she was free and conversable; and when excited to reply to some rude remark or impertinent inquiry, her eyes would flash like fire, and the presumptuous 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 whom she held intercourse in the early part of her life, and afterwards, while the county was being settled, were not of the most refined and cultivated character; and much, which at this day would be deemed rude and vulgar, influenced to a large extent the habits, manners and conversation of the early settlers. It is not to be denied, that there is a fashion in these forms of society at different periods, as in every thing else; while there may be as much purity of thought and intention in one form and period as in others. We are led frequently to form erroneous opinions of our ancestors, in these and other matters, from our ignorance of the general cast of the times, and from our prejudices in favor of those in which we live. We may say, perhaps with historic certainty, that at the period above referred to, all classes of people were apparently ruder and more destitute of artificial refinement, and indulged in a strain of coarser observation and remark than we are accustomed to hear at this day; still, it is hard for us to say they sinned in this respect, against light and knowledge, and now, at the end of a century, to arraign them for it at the bar of public opinion. All things considered, we are inclined to pass the most lenient judgment, and in the adjustment of the balances, besides the dust they contain, to throw in many other grains of allowance. In relation to this point, on which we might detain the reader, we say to all who are disposed to carp and find fault with the free, undisguised and hearty conversational intercourse of our ancestors, their open, free and social manners, and with their small measure of false delicacy, “Evil to him who evil thinks.” We honor and approbate, while we are inclined to say that the free, bold and self-possessed traits, observable in our national character, are in some measure referrable to these conditions of society.