They removed from Neponaugh (Napanock), in Ulster county, into the
neighborhood of Peenpack about the year 1760. He was a son of Egbert
De Witt, of the former place, and she was a daughter of Moses Depuy,
of Rochester. He built the old stone and frame house at the Neversink
river, and a grist mill near the present aqueduct across the river,
and owned the farm he formerly occupied, together with those premises.
In the commencement of the Revolutionary War a fort was built contiguous
to his house, which has been termed Fort De Witt, [FN] and he was
commissioned Captain of a Company of Rangers for guarding this frontier.
According to Eager's History, it is satisfactorily ascertained that
De Witt Clinton was born in this house. The writer has also been
informed by a near neighbor, formerly of the Clinton family, that he
was born at that place.
* * * * *
[FN] Fort De Witt was located near the Suspension Bridge which
crosses the Neversink river, on the road leading from Port Jervis to
Cuddebackville, about one mile south of Cuddebackville. The small
house standing (1889) near the present dwelling of Jesse Tillson,
is on the foundation of this fort.
The family of Jacob R. De Witt and wife consisted of three
sons--Moses (bap. Dec. 12, 1766), Egbert and Jacob, and seven
daughters--Mary, Rachel, ____, Margaret, Jane, Hannah and Esther.
Moses had a suitable genius for obtaining scientific knowledge, and
an uncommon relish for the same; he also was naturally a very
persevering student and of an amiable disposition. His opportunities
for obtaining education were small; but he acquired much in view of
the disadvantages under which he labored, and far beyond that of any
of his contemporaries in this part of our country who had the same
opportunities with himself. He became employed as one of the
under-surveyors to run the line between the State of New York and
Pennsylvania, and afterwards one of the Surveyors to survey the
military lands in the State of New York. He died about the age of 27
years, possessed of a very valuable property of unsettled lands in
the district of military lands in this State. He and his brother
Egbert both died unmarried.
Youngest son, Jacob, removed from this neighborhood before he arrived
to manhood.
Daughter Mary De Witt married William Rose, from Little Britain or
its vicinity. In the time of the Revolutionary War he was commissioned
a Captain to enlist a company of soldiers to serve in that war, and,
after it ended, he became Captain of a company of militia. He, in the
latter part of his life, owned the farm, mill, &c., of his
father-in-law, then deceased.
Daughter Rachel De Witt married Robert Burnet, of Little Britain,
where he owned and occupied a farm. He has served in different county
and State offices.
One daughter married ____ ____; daughters Margaret and Jane married
Cuddeback, as has been mentioned. (For their history refer back to
their names.)
Daughter Hannah De Witt married James Ennes, son of Daniel Ennes, of
New Jersey. They became owners of a farm near the outlet of
Skaneateles lake.
Daughter Esther De Witt married James Depuy, son of Benjamin Depuy,
Esq., of the Peenpack neighborhood. They settled at Onondaga, where
they owned and occupied a farm. He served in civil and military
offices.
Abraham Westfall and wife, Blandina Van Etten, became residents in
the southwest end of the Peenpack neighborhood, in the latter part of
the Revolutionary War, and he became owner of a small, ancient
Westfall farm, now included in the farm occupied by Capt. Henry
Swartwout. A few rods east of his dwelling house stood the old stone
house of Westfall. This was the house where the fort was in the time
of the French war, and which the Indians attacked and killed part of
a company of soldiers who were traveling from New Jersey to Esopus,
and, just before the attack, had stopped in to rest and take
refreshments. The particulars of this are stated in Eager's History
of Orange County.
Abraham Westfall was a son of ____ Westfall, and his wife was a
daughter of Anthony Van Etten, Esq., of the lower neighborhood. In
the latter part of the Revolutionary War, Westfall was commissioned a
Captain of the soldiers, who, from time to time, were stationed on
this frontier. Near the end of the war he built a small fort at his
house, and, with a few soldiers and one or two families, occupied the
same. Sometime after the war ended, he removed with his family to one
of the Southern States. [FN-1] {tn}
(Children, Joseph, baptized Aug. 18th, 1782; Annatje, baptized April
20th, 1784. Mahackamack church records.) [FN-2] {tn}
* * * * *
[FN-1] Ohio
[FN-2] Catherine Married Jacob Patrick in New Philadelphia, O., 1801.
{Transcriber's note: Both footnotes are hand-written.}