Excerpts from the "Van Bunschoten or Van Benschoten Family in America" by William Henry Van Benschoten published 1907
1538. II. ELIZABETH V.B. m. June 15, 1753, at Minnesink, Cornelius Middagh, “young man born at Rochester and dwelling in upper Smithfield.” Middagh children:
1550. i. Hendrick Kortright, bp. May 12, 1754.
1551. ii. Elias, b. in 1756.
Cornelius Middagh dying early Elizabeth was m. to Jacobus, or James, Van Aken on Feb. 10, 1759, at Mahackemack — married by me, Justice of the Peace, Anthony Van Etten.” Jacobus was b. at Tyschock, Pa., son of Cornelius Van Aken and Sarah Westbroeck, and was bp. at Minisink just across the river, June 18, 1734. His father was bp. at Kingston, May 25, 1690, son of Marinus Van Aken and Pieternelle Du Pree. The first of the name in this country came from the German-Dutch town of Aachen, or Aix-la-Chapelle as the French call it,—the ancient capital of Charlemagne.
James or “Cobus,” short for Jacobus, owned a good farm in Pennsylvania on the Delaware flats — settled there before the Revolution where Rosetown now is, then known as Upper Smithfield. He was a committeeman from Upper Smithfield at Easton, Oct. 2, 1775, at the time of organizing Associated Battalions. Again on the 30th of May, 1776, he was present at Easton at a meeting of the General Committee. Without doubt he served in the local militia during the war. On July 31, 1784, his name is on the muster-roll of an Expedition to Wyoming under Capt. Van Etten at the time of the civil strife in that valley.
For many years James was a Justice of the Peace. In 1765 he was elected church-master at Mahackemack; in 1785 he became deacon and continued in office several years. He is said to have died in 1812, Elizabeth in 1816.
Van Auken children, all born at Mahackemack:
1552. i. Levi, bp. Aug. 19, 1760.
1553. ii. Charity, bp. June 14, 1761.
1554. iii. Anthony, bp. in 1763.
1555. iv. John, bp. Nov. 17, 1765; d. in infancy.
1556. v. John, bp. Oct. 31, 1767.
1557. vi. Gerrit, bp. Jan. 26, 1770.
1550. i. Hendrick Kortright Middagh m. Jennetje Van Auken. Hendrick or “Case,” as he was familiarly called, was a large, powerful man. He lived on the Pennsylvania side of the river, opposite Mahackemack, or Port Jervis, and at the close of the century was operating a ferry which was a big flat-bottomed boat propelled by paddles and shoved by pole. The crossing-place was half a mile above the mouth of the Neversink. This was the route to Ohio, the great West of that day, and Kortright Middagh was kept busy ferrying people and teams across the Delaware, one heavy covered wagon and its two teams constituting a load. The Connecticut Yankees crossed the Hudson at Newburgh and bore west; while those from further north came by way of Kingston and the old “Mine Road. ” “Case” Middagh and his sons kept the ferry for many years. Not even a road leads to this old crossing now; near by are a few very old apple-trees and the foundations of a house, and not far away on the old Pahaquarry road is the burying-ground where the early Dutch pioneers sleep with rude unlettered stones as markers. Not far removed was the early Mahackemack log church. “Case” throughout his life devoted his energies to farming, lumbering and running this ferry. He died in 1834 or —35.
In an old lady’s reminiscences given a generation back I find this:
“About sixty years ago Cortright Middagh bought a light wagon with wooden springs; his lines were ropes. Continuing she says: “It was a very common thing to see people dressed in buckskin clothes. For table-ware they used wooden trenchers, and later, pewter plates.”
Children:
a. Cornelius, b. July 14, 1777; d. in Oct., 1848; m. June 20, 1805, Catherine Van Auken, b. Sep. 27, 1788, d. Aug. 20, 1872. They lived in Westfall township, Pike Co., Pa., and were farmers.
Children: (1) Maria, b. Sep. 7, 1806. (2) Solomon V., b. July 6, 1809. (3) Eli, b. Aug. 18, 1816. (4) Hannah, b. May 22, 1818. (5) Cynata, b. May 10, 1820. (6) Catherine, b. Sep. 25, 1827. (7) Sarah Ann, b. Oct. 28, 1829.
b. Catrina, b. Oct. 29, 1780; m. William Little; they were farmers in Orange Co., N.Y., near the present Port Jervis. Little Children: (1) Henry, b. Aug. 11, 1803. (2) Jennie, b. Sep. 6, 1805.
c. (3) Esther, b. Oct. 13, 1807. (4) Peggy, b. Aug. 11, 1809. (5) Levi, b. Jan. 26, 1811. c. Gerritje, her twin, b. Oct. 29, 1780; d. young.
d. Wilhelmus (William), b. Aug. 18, 1782; m. Huldah Kaskey; a farmer on his father’s farm in Westfall township, Pa. He had at least one child: (1) Henry C., b. Dec. 11, 1809.
e. Charity, m. William Donnelly; they were farmers, first in Pike Co., later in Bradford Co., Pa. Had at least the following children: (1) Robert, b. May 16, 1801. (2) Margaret, b. Mar. 18, 1810. (3) Huldah, b. Feb. 20, 1812. (4) John, b. Feb. 23, 1815
f. Levi, b. July 4, 1786; d. Sep. 11, 1861; m. Sep. 30, 1813, Margaret Van Auken, b. Feb. 28, 1793 d. Oct. 11, 1876, his half cousin, since she was the dau. of Gerrit and Katherine (Cole) Van Auken. (See under no. 1557.) He early learned the blacksmith’s trade; but later purchased three hundred acres of land in Soholo township, Pike Co., Pa., then a wilderness and accessible only by canoe, and took to farming. Children: (1) Catherine m. James Terwilliger. (2) Phoebe m. John Kitchen. (3) Elizabeth m. Bradner Wood. (4) Jane, b. Oct. 9, 1820; m. John Van Tyle. (5) James N., b. June 24, 1823; never married. (6) Margaret, b. Feb. 14, 1827; m. John J. Coursen. (6) Sarah Ann, b. Oct. 13, 1829; m. Jerry Fulton. (8) Hannah, m. Edward Hines. (9) Harriet, m. Daniel Van Tyle. (10) Levi J., b. Sep. 6, 1836; m. 1st, Mary Ellen Warner; m. 2nd, Elmira Paugh; lives in Parker’s Glen, Pa.
g. Margaret, m. John Wood; lived and died in Bradford Co., Pa.
h. Jane, m. Martin Kaskey; they lived on a farm which is now a part of the town of Port Jervis, N.Y. Had at least one child:
(1) Sarah, b. Sep. 28, 1809.
i. Sarah, m. Daniel Quick; they were farmers in Westfall township, Pa.
j. Henry, m. Nancy Showers; lived in Westfall township. Children: (i) William, b. Apr. 6, 1820; m. Hannah (Nautche) Van Gorden. (2) Almira, b. Jan. 27, 1822; m. John McFee and lived in Canada. (3) Catherine, b. Mar. 4, 1824; m. John Johnson and lives in Port Jervis, N.Y.
k. John, d. a young man, unmarried; lived with his brother Levi.
1551. ii. Elias Middagh m. Sarah Van Aken; he very early removed to the neighborhood of Newtown, now Elmira, N.Y.; all trace of him is long since lost.
Children, bp. at Mahackemack:
a. Elizabeth, b. Oct. 29, 1780.
b. Catrina, b. Aug. 18, 1.782.
c. Abram Van Aken, b. Apr. 20, 1784.
1552. i. Levi Van Auken m. 1st, Maria De Witt who was the mother of all his children; m. 2nd, Phoebe
After 1803 and the migrations of his brothers, John and Anthony, and of his brother-in-law, Ludovick Van Demark, he also removed to New York state and settled on a farm near Sodus, Wayne Co. Here he d. Sep. 17, 1831.
Children:
a. Elizabeth, b. Apr. 17, 1781; d. grown-up but unmarried.
b. Charity, b. July 7, 1784; d. Apr. 22, 1875; m. John McCarty, b. Nov. 14, 1781, d. May 12, 1881; lived in Sodus, N.Y.
c. Hannah, b. Jan. 28, 1786; m. Jacob Westbrook; they lived and died at Dingmans, Pike Co., Pa.
d. Jane, m. Joseph McCarty; they lived and died in Phelps, N.Y.
e. Margaret, b. Apr. 16, 1791; d. Sep. 8, 1877; m. Feb. 16, 1811, Solomon Van Auken, b. Feb. 7, 1786, d. Oct. 13, 1847. They lived at East Newark, Wayne Co., N.Y., and were farmers.
f. Rachel, b. Oct. 23, 1793; d. Mar. 16, 1852; m, Mar., 1809, her cousin, Benjamin Van Auken, b. Oct. 7, 1783, d. Mar. 25, 1852, son of Anthony Van Auken. (See under no. 1554.) They lived near Monroe, Mich.; farmers.
g. Diana, m. David Russell; they lived and died near Monroe.
h. Catherine, b. in 1798, at Milford, Pa.; d. in Sep., 1869, in Picton, Ontario; m. in 1814, Harvey Case, b. in 1794, in Connecticut, d. in Nov., 1880, at Alton, N.Y. He was a farmer at South Sodus, N.Y.
i. Mary, b. in 1801; d. Aug. 28, 1887; m. James Case, b. in 1803, d. Apr. 11, 1888; lived at Sodus.
j. Solomon Westbrook, b. Nov. 4, 1803; m. Fanny Papineau; lived.
426 GERRIT LINE—ANTHONY—ELIZABETH. for years at Sodus, then moved to Monroe, Mich., and died at Toledo, O. He was a farmer.
1553. ii. Charity Van Auken, m. 1st, Ludewick Van Demark, b. 1759, d. 1813. They made their way to Phelps, N.Y., in 1794, the forerunners of the family migration. They located on what is now the Lewis Holbrook farm. Ludewick was the son of Frederick, bp. Feb. 25, 1733, who was son of Frederick Van der Merken and Geertjen Tack. This elder Frederick, bp. Dec. 16, 1688, was the son or “Thomas Van der Marck, Papist “, and “Jacomyntie Jacobs, Reformed,” — all according to the Kingston Church records. Thomas first appears in the records in 1667. In the spring of that year he was involved in the military troubles at Kingston. He is found petitioning for a grant of land at Marbletown in 1703. Charity m. 2nd, Charles Humphrey of Phelps; no issue. She d. in 1840. Van Demark children:
a. Frederick, b. 1782; d. 1862; m. Lydia H. Cobb, b. Jan., 1792, d. July 21, 1875. He was in the war of 1812; lived in the town of Phelps; was a farmer and also ran a saw-mill.
b. Elizabeth, b. July 25, 1784; d. young.
c. James, b. Sep. 29, 1787; d. 1849; m. Nancy Humphrey; lived in the town of Phelps; a farmer.
d. Experience, (called Spiddy) b. in 1798; m. Archibald Burnett; lived in the town of Junius, Seneca Co.; farmers.
e. William, b. Feb. 13, 1800; d. Apr. 10, 1863; m. Charity Burnett, b. Dec. 19, 18oo, d. Nov. 7, 1875. He was a farmer in the town of Phelps.
f. Silas, b. Feb. 12, 1802; d. June 2, 1872; m. 1st, Jan. 4, 1827, Eliza Bannister, b. July 2, 1806, d. Feb. 4, 1844 m. 2nd, Oct. 6, 1844, Ruth Carman who d. Aug. 30, 1847; m. 3rd, Sep. 28, 1848, Laura North. He lived at Junius and Waterloo, N.Y.; was a saw-mill owner and lumber dealer.
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1554. iii. Anthony Van Auken m. 1st, in the Delaware Valley, Elizabeth Hornbeck, nee Wells. Following closely the lead of his brother John and his brother-in-law Ludowyck Van Demark he early migrated and located on a farm at Junius, Ontario Co., N.Y. Having lost his wife, he timed life anew with the new century and m. 2nd, Jan. 1, 1800, at Romulus, N.Y., Martha, b. in 1772, dau. of Alla McMath (b. Jan. 11, 1738; d. Oct. 17, 1804) and Mabel Kelsey (b. in Chester Co., Pa., in 1749; d. July 24, 1830.)
This second marriage, it is said, sprang from the exigencies of a hunting expedition. “One evening early in the winter of 1799 a hunter wrapped in a coat of fur and accompanied by his dogs claimed the hospitality of the McMath home “, on the shores of Lake Seneca near Ovid. “It was Anthony Van Auken of Junius”, and “this was the occasion of his making the acquaintance of Martha, the eldest of the McMath daughters, who not many weeks afterwards assumed the cares and duties of wife and mother in his little household.
Anthony died July 12, 1827, from injuries received in a accident, and is buried at Lyons, N.Y. Martha died in 1831 and is buried at Parma Corners, N. Y.
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Children by first wife: a. Levi, b. Nov. 5, 1782; m.-----Peters, dau. of Richard Peters. They lived a short time at Seneca Falls, N.Y., then moved to Michigan and settled in Hillsdale Co.; he was a farmer.
b. Benjamin, b. Oct. 7, 1783; d. Mar. 25, 1852; m. Mar. 5, 1809, his cousin, Rachel, b. Oct. 23, 1793, d. Mar. 16, 1852, dau. of Levi Van Auken and Maria De Witt. (See under no. 1552.) He also moved to Michigan and settled at Monroe; was a farmer.
c. Ludowick, b. Oct. 11, 1786; m. Jane Westfall, b. June 24, 1789. He likewise migrated to Michigan and settled on a farm near West Rome, Lenawee Co.; here his wife d. July 16, 1870. He d. at Newberry, Shiawassee Co., Feb. 24, 1880.
d. Elizabeth, m. -------Terpening.
e. Cornelius, b. Aug. 7, 1795; served in the war of 1812. In 1816 he m. Harriet Phelps, b. July 2, 1799. He was a farmer, and in 1833 moved from New York state to Michigan and settled in Lenawee Co. He d. Nov. 17, 1853; and she June 20, 1864. Children: (1) Eliza, b. July 24, 1817; m. Elias Gage; lived at Coldwater, Mich.; farmers. (2) Lucinda, b. Dec. 8, 1819; d. Apr. 6, 1847. (3) James Hasson, b. Oct. 3, 1821; d. June 26, 1907; m. 1st, Maria Clement; m. 2nd, Susan Harra; m. 3rd, Eliza Harra. He lived at Coldwater; was a liveryman and farmer. (4) Sylvanus H., b. Aug. 28, 1823; d. Apr. 7, 1824. (5) William W., b. Mar. 20, 1825; m. Lucy Stoddard. (6) George W., b. Sep. 8, 1828; m. Lucy Clement; lives at Coldwater; a farmer and stock buyer. (7) Samuel P., b. Aug. 20, 1830; d. in 1878; m. Harriet Rumsey. (8) Alphonso P., b. Apr. 29, 1832; d. young. (9) Anthony, b. Aug. 8, 1834; d. in 1876;
m. Ursula Rumsey; lived at Hillsdale, Mich.; was a railroad conductor. (10) Mariette, b. July 11, 1836; d. in 1852.
Children by second wife:
f. Alla, b. in 1800, at Junius, N.Y.; m. 1st, in 1824, Mahala Schofield who d. in 1825; m. 2nd, in 1827, at Clarkson, N.Y., Polly Elliott who d. in 1845; m. 3rd, at Rochester, N.Y., Elizabeth Williams who d. in Aug., 1874. He was a farmer; lived for a time near Clarkson’s Corners, Monroe Co., N.Y.; later moved to Michigan and settled at Osseo. He d. at Hudson, Mich., in Aug., 1866. Children: (1) John Wesley, m. Mary Jane Tompkins; lived in Hillsdale Co., Mich.; (2) Mahala; (3) James; (4) Francis; (5) George, m. Julia Wonder and lived at Hudsonville, Mich.
g. James, b. in 1802, at Junius; m. Betsey Scoville; lived at Parma
Centre, N.Y., where he d. June 4, 1838. He was a farmer.
Child: (1) James Clark, b. in 1836; m. Louise Curtis; she d. Apr. 6. 1872, he Sep. 24, 1875.
h. Rebecca, b. Oct. 17, 1805; m. Apr. 6, 1826, Marvin Clark, b. Sep. 30, 1803; lived near Parma Corners, N.Y.; farmers. She d. May 13, 1863; and he Dec. 15, 1882. Child: (1) Matson Lee, m. at Parma, in 1855, Mary Elizabeth Stewart, his cousin.
They lived for a time at Lexington, KY.; then at Eaton Rapids, Mich.
John McMath, b. Aug. 26, 1806, at Lyons, N.Y.; d. Dec. 22, 1851, at Jefferson, Mich.; m. Apr. 10, 1827, at Clarkson, N.Y., Hannah Elliott, b. Aug. 1, 1810, at Barnstead, Vt., d. Oct. 20, 1876, at Elkhart, Ind. He was a farmer; lived first at Clarkson, N.Y.; later at Hudson, Mich. Children: (1) Nathaniel, b. Jan. 5, 1829; m. at Hudson, Mich., Aug. 15, 1852, Julia Ann Rumsey; he was a road master on the L.S. R.R.; killed in an accident Feb. 6, 1856. (2) Harrison, b. Mar. 17, 1831; m. at Hudson, Nov. 3, 1853, Martha Elizabeth Wade. He was first a foreman on the Illinois Central R.R.; then settled on a farm in Pittsford township, Hillsdale Co., Mich., where he has since lived. (3) Sarah M., b. Nov. 30, 1833; d. Dec. 23, 1892; m. May 2, 1852, Serring N. Wade; he was a farmer and miller at Jefferson, Hills-dale Co., Mich. (4) David M., b. Oct. 10, 1836; m. July 16, 1856, Amanda A. Foster; lived in Indiana; was a railroad employe; killed in an accident May 30, 1865. (5) Martha A., b. July 21, 1839; d. June 27, 1864; m. May 14, 1858, Levi B. Clements of Carbondale, Ill. (6) Gilbert, b. July 13, 1842 d. Nov. 28, 1846. (7) John M., b. Dec. 8, 1844. He served in the Civil war; was captured and passed ten months in Andersonville Prison. He m. at Rolla, Mo., Dec. 22, 1869, Amy L. Luce. He was a R.R. station agent and operator and d. at Fairbury, Neb., June 7, 1892.
Archibald, b. June 3, 1809, at Lyons, N.Y.; m. Dec. 6, 1835, at Lexington, Ky., Georgia Helena Hay, b. there Sep. 9, 1817. He lived at Lexington; was a contractor and builder and owner of a stone quarry. He d. June 7, 1883, at Hastings, Neb. Children: (1) George, b. May 9, 1837; d. Sep. 26, 1838. (2) Caleb C., b. July 9, 1839; d. at Paris, Ill., Sep. 9, 1864. (3) Anna Helena, b. Dec. 5, 1842; m. 1st, Aug. 25, 1864, at Paris, Marcus G. Bagley, who was a merchant and farmer. She m. 2nd, William C. Singletary, M.D., of Lead Hill, Ark., who served in the Confederate army as a surgeon. (4) Robert W., b. May 11, 1844 d. in Shreveport, La., in Aug., 1873. (5) Archibald Hay, b. Aug. 18, 1846; m. Sep. 1, 1870, Elizabeth Bilyen; lives at Lead City, S.D.
Mabel, b. Oct. 20, 1813, at Junius; d. May 23, 1870; m. July 4, 1832, at Lyons, James Stewart who d. Aug. 8, 1871. They lived at Phelps, N.Y., after a few years spent at Oak Corners. He was a blacksmith. Stewart children: (1) Archibald, b. June 12, 1835; m. 1st., in Feb., 1857, Helen A. Swan who d. Sep. 17, 1860; m. 2nd, July 6, 1866, Lorinda Poole who d. in 1892. He lives at Clymer, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., but has spent much time in the Penn. oil regions. (2) Martha, b. June 20, 1836; d. Oct. 12, 1903; m. Feb., 1856, William A. Padden. He served in the Civil war in Co. C, 148th U.S. Vols. He is a contractor and builder and lives at Phelps, N.Y. (3) Mary Elizabeth, b. Feb. 26, 1839; m. in 1855, Matson Lee Clark of Parma, her cousin.
(4) Charles A., b. June 6, 1844; m. at Canandaigua, N.Y., in Nov., 1885, Sarah Sage; in 1862 he enlisted in the U. S. Navy and served on the “Vermont.” He d. June 1, 1889, at Geneva, N.Y. (5) Sarah, b. Sep. 24, 1847; unmarried; lives in Phelps, N.Y. (6) John C., b. June 19, 1850; m. Aug. 25, 1887, Anna D. Vogel; lives in South Denver, Col.; a carpenter.
1. Kelsey, b. Feb. 17, 1816, at Phelps; m. Jan. 25, 1844, at Clarkson, Roxanna Lowry, b. Mar. 31, 1826, at Skaneateles, N.Y. He lived chiefly at Farina, N.Y., and was a farmer. He d. July 12, 1848, at Greece, N.Y. Children: (1) William K., b. Mar. 19, 1845; m. Nov. 6, 1876, Minnie Cramer. He lives at East Bloomfield, N.Y.; a funeral director. (2) Augustus J. W., b. June 19, 1848; m. Mar. 27, 1873, Emily May. He was a carpenter; lived in Rochester, N.Y., and d. there Dec. 30, 1875, m. Ruth, b. in 1817, at Lyons; d. Mar. 25, 1883, at Brockport, N.Y.; m. 1st, July 4, 1839, at Clarkson, William I. Tompkins, b. in 1816, d. at Parma, June 30, 1871; they were farmers near Clarkson. She m. 2nd, in Aug., 1874, William Eggleston; lived at Farina, Clarkson and Brockport; he was a blacksmith and machinist for the Johnson Harvester Co. Tompkins children:
(i) William, b. in 1841; d. in infancy. (2) James M., b. Sep. 6, 1844 m. Dec. 24, 1870, Emogene Van Auken, b. Nov. 8, 1850; lives at Phelps, N.Y.
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1556. V. John Van Auken. Doubtless the first stage after “puling infancy” was “the unwilling school boy” one, though after baptism our next glimpse of him is as a drummer boy in the Revolution.
In the year 1778 he volunteered as a musician under Capt. De Witt and Lieut. Simeon Westfall in Col. Stroud's regiment, he living at the time in the town of Upper Smithfield, now New Milford. He served from Apr. 1, 1778, six months, then went home; from May 1, 1779, four months then home: from Apr. 1, 1780, four months; from Mar. 1, 1781, eight months, and from Mar. 1, 1782, eight months again. During these five seasons he was in active service guarding the frontier along the Delaware river and assisting in building three fortifications in the valley. He was in no large battle but took part in one warm skirmish with the Indians and endured much hardship and exposure. Much of the time his command was stationed at Fort Defiance near Tyshock, across the river from the present Port Jervis, but he was frequently out against the Indians at many different points along the river, and on scouting and alarm duty in the high country back.
On one occasion John and his drum were the salvation of a fort. The men happened to be all away - no one but women and children in the fortification - when suddenly the enemy appeared at the edge of the woods. A consultation followed and it was decided that boy John should go out with his drum, ostensibly as a defiance but really as a summons to the men. Young John drummed and drummed as if a regiment were at his back. The ruse worked, he savages withdrew without attacking, and to hero John and his drum was due the escape of the fort that day. Long afterwards, under the legislation of June 7, 1832, the then seventy-five-year-old drummer-boy was granted a pension of eighty-eight dollars a year.
At the close of the war and when but fifteen years of age John became choir-master in the old Mahackemack Dutch Church at Port Jervis, thus showing, it would seem, a real aptitude for music.
On June 16, 1789, he m., according to the Mahackemack records, Margaret Westfall, b. Mar. 11, 1773, dau. of his old commander Lieut. Simeon Westfall and wife Jennetie Westbroeck.
In 1796 John, following the lead two years earlier of his brotherin-law, Ludowick Van Demark, emigrated to Phelps, N.Y., brave Margaret carrying in her arms a son three months old. The hardships of the journey were great, what with three small children, household goods and cattle and the wild state of the country traversed. They made the journey with a covered lumber wagon and two yoke of oxen. Four cows and ten head of sheep journeyed with them driven by one Richard Quick. As they neared the Susquehanna and were passing over a ledge of rocks they broke an axle-tree and this had to be replaced. The fording of the streams added greatly to their difficulties, in particular the passing of the Chenango river. After grievous trouble they made the crossing of that water and came to Newtown (Elmira) where Gen. Sullivan had fought one of his battles with the Six Nations. Here Elias Middagh, a half-brother of John, had settled. With him they rested a few days and then took up the struggle through the wilds again; indeed, wilderness trials beset them until the head of Seneca Lake was reached where a scow was engaged to carry family, wagon and goods to Geneva; the oxen, cows and sheep were driven by Quick down the west side of the lake. Near the journey's end he encountered the Outlet to Keuka Lake and across this he had to drag the silly sheep one by one. Surely one expedient on the trip must have made for rejoicing; the milk was put into the churn and the rough journeying did the rest - made the butter come.
They settled upon a tract of six hundred acres rich in timber and water privileges on the Canandaigua Outlet four miles east of Phelps. At first they built on the banks of the Outlet; here the Indians proved too frequent visitors, so they withdrew to distant and higher ground and built a second time. This farm is still in the family, Henry Van Demark, a great-grandson, occupying it.
“The child is father to the man.” Having in boyhood taken a part in the Revolution it is not at all surprising to find John in the war of 1812 - and a Captain. “He fought,” says the Syracuse Courier, “at the battle of Queenstown Heights and was engaged during the entire contest at different points.”
He was reputed a fine-looking man; tall, straight and weighing some two hundred pounds. Given to joking one of his chronic bits of fun was to tell strangers that he had nine boys and that every boy had a sister. “ What I” they would exclaim, “ eighteen children !“ “ Ah, no; ten only.” He was public-spirited and always ready to aid in local matters. He took an active part in school affairs, in fact gave the land for and largely built the first schoolhouse. And he and Margaret were among the charter members who organized the church at Oaks Corners, erected in 1804, first as a Union Society but passing later into a Presbyterian one. Their son George said that meetings were held in this church for a number of years without any fire, and that it had no window glass until 1818. “I well recollect,” says he, “my mother's old foot-stone that she always carried with her to church in cold weather.” John's interest in religious matters was pronounced and in his latter days he would at times preach in the schoolhouse. He d. at West Junius, Mar. 19, 1854, at noon, at the home of his daughter Lucina Van Demark, and is buried at Phelps. Margaret d. at Hudson, Mich., at the home of her son Harrison, Feb. 21, 1861. In 1883 the descendants of John and Margaret numbered about two hundred and fifty.
Children:
a. Simeon, b. Dec. II, 1790, at Upper Smithfield, Pa.; settled in Wolcott, Wayne Co., N.Y. He m. 1st, Olivia, dau. of Nathaniel Whitney; she d. in 1820. He m. 2nd, Nov. 17, 1823, Mrs. Lydia Wight, nee Patwin, b. Nov. 9, 1792, d. Sep. 9, 1826. His 3rd wife was Mrs. Lydia Spear, nee Winslow, who d. July 5, 1868. In 1833 Simeon went to Michigan, purchased two hundred acres of land near Hudson, Lenawee Co., and, returning, moved his family thither in 1834. Here he d. Mar. 12, 1881. “He was a man of mild and equable temper, of kindly disposition - an upright, honorable Christian gentleman.” Children: (1) Margaret, b. in 1818; m. Lyman Wilcox of Dundee, Mich. (2) Lydia A., b. Aug. 7, 1824; m. William W. Wight. (3) Clarissa, b. Jan. 22, 1840; m. May 24, 1865, Edward J. Southworth of Hudson. (4) Simeon, b. Oct. 14, 1842; m. Jan. 15, 1867, Charlotte E. Southwick. (5) William Winslow, b. Dec. 9, 1849; m. Jan. 15, 1868, Charity Salisbury.
b. James, b. Apr. 29, 1794; d. in 1848; m. Elizabeth Jennings. In 1834 he migrated to Shiawassee Co., Mich., and settled on a farm.
c. George, b. June 22, 1796; d. Apr. 26, 1870; m. Elizabeth Bainbridge, b. Nov. 14, 1801, d. Nov. 17, 1863, dau. of John and Mary (McMath) Bainbridge. He was a tall, handsome man and his feats of strength are still told in the family. He made a fine figure on horse-back, and when as Colonel he headed the Militia on training days, it was a sight to be remembered. Hector, his showy grey gelding, would prance and rear, walking on his hind legs to the music, his master the while sitting like a statue on his back. On one occasion, `tis said, Colonel George had four thousand men under his command. When Captain he with his company of Militia was present as an escort to General La Fayette at Geneva, N.Y., in 1824. He was a man of fine feeling, a good singer, a sincere Christian, and for thirty years a ruling elder in the Oaks Corners church. He was a farmer and mint-grower; he and Elizabeth lived, died and were buried at Phelps, N.Y. Children: (1) Edwin Bainbridge, b. Dec. 25, 1829; m. June 17, 1852, Mary Post. He attended Hamilton College and then Auburn Theological Seminary. (2) Theron. b. Dec. 2, 1832; m. June 12, 1855 Sophia Ottley. He lived at Phelps, N.Y.; a farmer; a man of fine spirit and influence his daughter Ida B. I am indebted for much kind aid. (3) John J., b. Oct. 17, 1834; d. at Phelps. Mar. 23, 1896. (4,) George W., b. Nov. 16, 1836; m. Oct. 28, 1868. Sarah A. Spring. He served in the Civil war; first in the both N.Y. Vol. Engineers; later in the 15th Regulars, and during the last ten months acted as Lieutenant. For eighteen months he engaged in silver mining in Colorado; thereafter lived at Phelps, N.Y. (5) Mary, b. in 1841; d. June I, 1865, unmarried.
d. David, b. Dec. 12, 1798; d. in 1875; m. Lucy Barker; lived near Phelps, N.Y. Children: (1) George W., b. Sep. 20, 1821; lived at Rochester, N.Y. (2) Hurlbert, who lived at Williamstown, Mich.
e. Charles, b. Dec. 29, 1802; d. in June, 1886, unmarried. He lived in the home neighborhood, acquired a fine property, was eccentric, wearing odd clothing and doing strange things. To each of the six churches in town he gave a fine cabinet-organ, yet would keep his hat on in church until the minister entered the pulpit.
f. Lucena, b. Oct. II, 1804; m. Sep. 13, 1820, Henry Van Demark, b. Sep. 23, 1796. They lived on her father's old farm, and died, she Jan. 6, 1876, he, June 4, 1847. They were widely known as inn-keepers in the old stage-coaching days. Their table was famous and travellers and drovers would continue on the road long after dark in order to make “Harry” Van Demark's for the night. Children: (1) Olive, b. Feb. 16, 1822; m. Lewis Peck. (2) John Spencer, b. Feb. 6, 1824; m. Jane Cuddeback; lived at West Junius, N.Y.; a farmer. (3) Mary E. b. Mar. 30, 1826; m. Randolph Wells. (4) Andrew J., b. July 10, 1828; d. Nov. 8, 1847. (5) Joseph, b. Apr. 19, 1832; m. Jennie Hunt.
(6) Lucena, b. Sep. 24, 1834; d. Jan. 16, 1853. (7) Martin Van Buren, b. Mar. 2, 1837; m. Mary Southwick. (8) Margaret, b. Apr. 16, 1839; m. Calvin Colwell. (9) Charles W., b. July 13, 1841; m. Addie Stevens. (10) Lydia Ann, b. May 24, 1844 m. Stewart Beebee.
g. Hiram, b. June 18, 1807; d. in 1888; m. Hannah Wilson; migrated to Lenawee Co., Mich., in 1834.
h. Lawson A. b. Apr. 22, 1809; d. in 1881; m. Sally Fields, b. Nov. 4, 1809, adopted dau. of John and Margaret Van Auken. Lawson migrated to Wayne Co., Mich., in the fall of 1831.
i. Dudley L., b. Nov. 11, 1811; d. in 1899; m. in 1832, Elizabeth Barker, a sister to David's wife. He migrated to Wayne Co.. Mich., in 1834, and thence to Hudson, Lenawee Co., in 1850.
j. William H. H., b. July 2, 1816; d. June, 1892; m. Sep. 19, 1839, Julia A. Featherly who d. in 1890. He migrated to Lenawee Co. Mich., in 1834, and settled at Hudson. It was at his house that his mother died.
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1557. vi. Gerrit Van Auken m. in 1792, Katherine Cole, b. Dec. 1, 1775, d. Sep. 8, 1802. We have seen that his brothers and sisters migrated to Western New York. He, the youngest of his father's family, remained in the home region in the Delaware Valley and there descendants of his are to be found today. He was a Militia officer and was generally called “Captain Van Aken.” He alone of the family made use of the “Aken” instead of “Auken.” He owned and ran the homestead farm and was also engaged in lumbering. He d. July 17, 1843.
Children:
a. Margaret, b. July 28, 1793; m. Sep. 30, 1813, Levi Middagh, b. July 4, 1786, d. Sep. 11, 1861; lived in Soholo township, Pike Co., Pa.; farmers. (See under no. 1550.)
b. James, b. Oct. 11, 1794; d. Feb. 28, 1857; m. Jan. 25, 1821, Jane Van Noy; lived for a time on part of the old homestead in Pike Co.; later moved to Bradford Co.; a farmer.
c. Elizabeth, b. May 16, 1796; d. May 7, 1844, unmarried.
d. Sarah C., b. Oct. 4, 1799; m. John W. Middagh; lived in Westfall township, Pike Co.; farmers.
e. Benjamin C., b. Sep. 8, 1802; d. Nov. 7, 1871; m. Aug. 10, 1822, Elizabeth Van Vredenburgh of Sussex Co., N. J., b. Oct. 9, 1798, d. Nov. 5, 1876. He lived in Westfall township; was a farmer and lumberman. Children: (i) William B., b. Aug. 18, 1824; m. Dec. 2, 1847, Mary E. Dunning. For a time he lived in Sullivan Co., N. Y.; was Supervisor of the Delaware Division of the Erie R. R.; later moved to Sparta, Wis., where he was an
hotel-keeper and where he d. in Nov., 1880. (2) Catharine J., b. Apr. 29, 1826; d. in 1853; m. Aug. 27, 1846, Isaac Winter-mute; lived in Lackawaxen township, Pa.; he was a farmer and carpenter. (3) Mary E., b. Sep. 18, 1827; d. in Apr., 1902; m. Alfred Westfall; lived at Phelps, Ontario Co., N. Y.; farmers.
(4) Priscilla, b. June 1, 1829; d. Aug. 26, 1848. (5) Sarah, b. Aug. 29, 1831; d. Jan. 28, 1832. (6) Ann L., b. Jan. 1, 1833; d. in 1903; m. Sep. 4, 1860, Whitfield H. Wintermute; lived at Port Jervis, N. Y.; he was a contractor and builder. (7) Garret V., b. Jan. 27, 1835; d. Apr. 12, 1863; m. 1st, Elizabeth Dunn; m. 2nd, Mrs. Mary Dexter; lived at Narrowsburg, N. Y.; a railroad man. (8) John M., b. May 3, 1836; m. Feb. 26, 1863, Rebecca Hallock; lives at Matamoras, Pa.; in the real estate and insurance business. (9) Aaron F., b. July 3, 1838; d. in 1888; m. Mary Fuller; lived at Blue Rapids, Kan.; a contractor and builder. (10) Levi J., b. Sep. 7, 1840; d. June 5, 1868; m. Rosina Van Auken; lived at Bethlehem, Pa.; a railroad man. (11) James P., b. Jan. 19, 1842; m. Mary E. Edge; lives in San Antonio, Tex.; a contractor and builder.
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