Peter E. Gumaer - A History of Deerpark in Orange County, N. Y

Peter E. Gumaer

Published by Good Press, 2019

EAN 4064066137731

Table of Contents

Having been solicited by certain individuals of the first settlers in the neighborhood of my residence, in the town of Deerpark, for a written information in relation to their respective ancestry, both of those who now reside in this town and of those residing in other parts of our country, and feeling desirous to gratify their wishes and save from oblivion the knowledge I possess relative to their forefathers, I have thought proper to make out a small work of the same and get it printed, so that all who shall be desirous of such information can obtain the same, which undoubtedly must be a great satisfaction to many who have not had the opportunity of becoming informed in relation thereto, especially the descendants of those whose parents at an early day of the settlement of our western country emigrated into it. The general topics of conversation have changed much in this vicinity within my time of life. At the termination of the Revolutionary war this change commenced. The attention of the young people was generally directed towards the passing scenes of their time, and they remained ignorant of what had transpired during the lives of their forefathers. In the early part of my life some of the old people, whenever they came together, generally introduced the occurrences of former times, in relation to the ancient inhabitants of this valley, who inhabited it for a distance of eighty miles. From these discourses and my own observations and researches, I have become enabled to write this history. Capt. Cuddeback, Esq., Depuy and my own mother were the greatest historians. Of what had materially transpired throughout this valley from the first and last of these I have had my greatest source of information.

Table of Contents

The most interesting subjects in relation to the town of Deerpark are contained in Eager's "History of Orange County." These are not embraced in this work, excepting a few articles for making a connection of certain matters therein contained, with additional materials herein introduced.

All mankind generally are desirous to possess a knowledge of their ancestry their characters, occupations, manner and circumstances of life, the lineal descent of the most anterior of them, the different scenes through which the successive generations have passed, &c. All of which is embraced in this small work, as far as my information and knowledge in relation thereto extends; and, being an old man, and having in early life had great opportunities to become informed in respect to the early settlement of this town and of the people, who, from time to time settled in it, and their descendants from generation to generation, down to the parentage of the fourth of those who first settled in Peenpack, and of the third who settled in the lower neighborhood. I, myself, have also been a spectator of the transpiring occurrences from the commencement of the Revolutionary war until the present time.

Very different have been the scenes of life through which the successive generations have passed, and, considering myself to possess the greatest fund of knowledge relating to the same, I have viewed it as incumbent on me to write this history and save from oblivion the matter therein contained, in such manner as the incompetency of my abilities will admit, which, even if not in the best manner, still comprehend the substance I deemed necessary to be embodied in it, with much diffidence, however, in respect to some parts of the same, in which I have been too lavish in introducing unnecessary matter. But as this work is only intended for the present and future descendants of the first pioneers in the district of the present town of Deerpark, I have thought proper to enter some minute matters to inform the readers how their forefathers have progressed through life. They came here poor and ventured their lives among the Indians to enjoy the lands they took in possession and afterwards bought.

The materials furnished in this work are the following: My views relative to an alteration supposed to have, in very remote times, occurred in this valley and created the formation of it, so as our forefathers found it; also the time they settled here and the inhabitants who then occupied it; their manner of life and means of supporting themselves, and other different matters and conjectures in relation to them; also the wild animals, fowls and fishes which were in this part of the country; the names of the first seven settlers, and the time they procured a patent for the land they intended to occupy; also the names of those who first settled in the lower neighborhood, and, as near as can be ascertained, the time they settled there and the places where all of both neighborhoods severally located; also the names of their respective descendants to the third generation of the Peenpack neighborhood, their marriages and manner of living, and the ages to which they respectively arrived, as near as I could ascertain the same. Also certain matters in relation to a late emigration into this town of inhabitants who have built up the village of Port Jervis, which commenced about the year 1827; the great diminution of birds, snakes, frogs and toads, within the last thirty years; also the commencement and continuance from time to time of religious worship, and the first introduction of Justices of the Peace, &c.; the anterior prices of farmers' productions, and of wages, together with some speculative and interesting matters in relation to the same.

Note.There were some members of families in both neighborhoods whose names I did not know, and have left blanks for the same, so that the purchaser of a book can write the names of his respective relatives, omitted in the blanks left for that purpose.

[The committee on publication have supplied these names, so far as they have been able, and have included them in brackets in their proper places.]

The "History of Deerpark" was written by Mr. Gumaer between the years of 1858 and 1862 from materials collected by him during many years of close observation and after much diligence and painstaking in the collection of facts derived from frequent intercourse with others. It is safe to say that no other person in the town of Deerpark, within the last fifteen years, has been so well qualified by the possession of historical facts and other considerations to write its history as was Mr. Gumaer. Samuel W. Eager, in his history of Orange county, published in 1846 and 1847, says that he is more indebted to Mr. Gumaer than to any one person in the county for his "good will and assistance" in preparing his history. This work, prepared with so much care, has been very generously donated by his son, Peter L. Gumaer, to the Minisink Valley Historical Society, who have deemed it of sufficient value to publish, and appointed a committee to superintend its publication. This committee have found it necessary to make a few changes in the correction of dates, which have been found to be erroneous, as also in a few instances in the names of persons and of places occupied by them. Where blanks have been left by the author in the names of families, to which he alludes in his introduction, the committee have endeavored to fill them, so far as they have been able, from church records and other sources. Where any blanks remain unfilled, or where there may be any errors in the filling up, or in the original, the committee will esteem it a favor to be informed of the same. The changes that have been thus made are indicated either by the names being enclosed in brackets or by explanatory notes at the bottom of the page. As the history was written about thirty years ago, Mr. Gumaer designates particular places by their then owners and occupants. As these have, in many instances, undergone changes by death and removal, the committee have added notes indicating the present owners and occupants. With these exceptions and an occasional word or two, the history is published as originally written.