MANNER OF LIVING, ETC., DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AND FOR SOME
YEARS THEREAFTER.
The second generation came on the stage of action and were married
and had their farms granted to them in the intervening time between
the French and Revolutionary wars, and commenced their business
transactions when this part of our country was in a more thriving
condition than it ever had been, in consequence of the circulation of
a paper currency, which had become plentiful, and farmers made money
faster than at any previous time; but when the scale turned by its
depreciation, its previous value was lost, which, together with the
destruction the enemy made in the war, greatly reduced the property
of the inhabitants.
In 1777, three forts were built in this neighborhood: one at the
house of Esq. Depuy was vacated the 13th October, 1778, on which day
the enemy invaded this neighborhood and burned this house, fort and
other buildings of Depuy, in consequence of which all the inhabitants
of this neighborhood were collected in the fort at Gumaer's and in
Fort De Witt, to wit:
At Gumaer's the following families:
_Whole No._
Philip Swartwout's, Esquire, which, after the death of
himself and two oldest sons by the enemy, consisting of
his step-mother, his widow, three sons, a son's wife and
daughter, two slaves and an insane man 10
Capt. Abraham Cuddeback's, which consisted of himself and
wife, four sons, two daughters, a nephew and brother, and
three slaves 13
Harmanus Van Inwegen's, Esq., consisted of himself and wife,
seven sons, two daughters, a brother and five slaves 17
Benjamin Cuddeback's were himself and wife, four sons, two
daughters, a brother and two slaves 11
Jacob D. Gumaer's was himself and wife, two sons, five
daughters and two slaves 11
Peter Gumaer's, himself and wife, two sons and one slave 5
Ezekiel Gumaer's, his father, himself and wife, a son and
one other boy and one slave 6
Thomas White and wife 2
Mathew Terwilliger's, himself, wife, six sons and three
daughters 11
John Wallace's, himself, wife, one son and one daughter 4
Average number of soldiers during nine months in each
year, about 8
____
12
23
63
____
Amount 98
Benjamin Depuy, Esq.'s, family were in this fort about one
year. It consisted of himself, wife, three sons, three
daughters and seven slaves 15