Monmouth County NJ Archives History....Van Mater family: Beekman's, Early Dutch Settlers
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EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS
OF
MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
GEORGE C. BEEKMAN.
MOREAU BROS., PUBLISHERS,
FREEHOLD, N. J.
Second Edition Printed, 1915.
============================
67 JAN GYSBERTSEN METRN AND HIS FAMILY.
Kreijn, son of Jan Gysbertsen Metrn
as he spelled and wrote his name, was
born in Bommel, in the Netherlands
March 10, 1650. When a boy of 13
years, or in 1663, he came over with hi
father to New Amsterdam. Although
the father wrote his name as spelled
above, yet in old records of Kings coun-
ty. L. I., and on the records of the First
Dutch church of Monmouth and in ou
county clerk's office, the name is spelled
VanMetra, VanMetere. VanMetteren
and in several other ways. Jan Guys-
bertsen. the father, seems to have been
better off financially than most of the
Holland emigrants. We find him com-
fortably settled at New Utrecht, L I.
and one of the magistrates of that town
in 1673. He was a deacon in the Dutch
church in 1683. It has beren thought by
some writers that he was of the same
family as Jacob VanMeteren of Ant-
werp, who caused the first complete
edition the Bible to be printed in
the English language. This book was
printed at Zurich in 1536, and was a
great and expensive work. It is
thought that VanMeteren made the
translations himself, but employed an
English scholar named Miles Coverdale
to supervise the printing, in order to
guard against errors in the translation
Through VanMeteren the English peo-
ple had access to the Scriptures in their
native tongue. They have, however,
never exhibited any gratitude, and gave
VanMeteren but scant credit for this
costly and beneficial work.
Kreijn Janse VanMater is mentioned
as a resident of New Utrecht, and
among those who took the oath of al-
legiance to the English government in
1687; the length of his residence in
America is then stated as 24 years.* In
a census of Kings county taken in 1698,
his name is spelled "Cryn Jansen" and
he still resides at New Utrecht and has
a family of four children.**
There is a tradition in the VanMatei
family, that "Jan Guysbertsen Metrn,"
the father, refused to take the oath of
allegiance in 1687, and soon after went
back to his native land. That he had
urged his son very strongly to accom-
_______
* Vol. I, O'Call. Doc. Hist. of N. Y., p. 660-1.
** Vol. III, O'Call. Doc. Hist. of N. Y., p. 135-6.
_______
pany him, but that he refused, on ac-
count of his great horror of sea sick-
ness, having suffered intensely on his
first voyage over. I think, however,
that his great love for blue-eyed,
flaxen-haird and pretty Nelly Van-
Cleaf was stonger than his love for
the motherland. He had married at
New Utrecht, September 9, 1683, Neeltje
(Eleanor), daughter of Jan VanCleef
and a resident of the same town.
Jan VanCleef came from Holland in
1653 and settled at New Utrecht in
1659. His wife was Engeltje, a daugh-
ter of Laurens Pieterson. Neeltje, or
Nelly, was born at New Utrecht Jan-
uary 1, 1663, the very year her future
husband was tossing on the waters of
the Atlantic ocean. She had a brother
Benjamin, baptized in the Dutch church
at New Utrecht in November, 1683. He
married Hendrika VanSutphen and re-
moved to Monmouth county. He and
his wife are communicants in the First
Dutch church of Monmouth in 1711 and
1719, but her name is spelled on the
records as "Hank Sutphin."
Kreijn VanMater and Neeltje Van-
Cleef, his wife, are named among the
first members and organizers of the
Dutch church of Monmouth. His name
is first entered on the church records
as"Kiriin Jansen" and in 1716 when Elder
as "Kriin VanMetra." He purchased a
large tract of land in what are now
(1899) Homdel and Atlantic townships.
His first dwelling, a log cabin, was
erected on the farm where William
Jones now resides in Atlantic township.
The old family burying ground is on
this farm, and in it many of the past
generations of VanMaters are in-
tered. This farm is but a small part
of the original tract. Kreijn died
March 10, 1720, and his wife January 1, 1747.
Both are buried side by side in this
graveyard, with tombstones giving
their names and dates of death. His
age is stated about 75 years and her
age about 84 yeears. Nelly, his widow,
survived him 27 years and was faithful
to his memory. She is said to have
been a very handsome and attractive
woman, and had several offers of mar-
riage, but none of them would she ac-
cept. She never tired of talking about
Kreijn and of telling what he said and
68 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
did, for in all the world there was no
such man, she thought. An English
visitor on one occasion thoughtlessly
remarked in her presence that "Kreijn"
was a "queer, harsh name." "Nodings
queer," exclaimed the old lady in her
broken English, which became more so
when she was excited. "Kreijn von
goodt name, gooter as effer vas. Just
like de singing of de birdts, ven der
sprink veather comes, and der coldt
vinter go avay." So she ever dwelt
fondly on the husband of her youth
until the summons came for her. She
died in peace with a smile on her lips,
for at last she would meet her Kreijn
in the "land of the leal," never again to
part. The old generations of the Van-
Maters were noted for their faithful
attachments to wife, children and kins-
men. They labored and planned, as
their wills show, to provide comfortable
homes and maintain and guard against
misfortune, those near to them by ties
of blood.
Kreijn Janse VanMater and Neeltje
VanCleef had the following children:
Jan, b. April 26, 1687, died young.
John, b. April 17, 1688, at New Utrecht. L.
I.; m. October 17, 1718, Ida, daughter of Ryck
Hendrickse VanSuydam ; d. January 10, 1761,
in Monmouth county. He was a communicant
in our Dutch church in 1713, and his wife in
1731. *
[Error:- That he died "in Monmouth county"
is uncertain. He is said to have been an
Indian trader in the Shenandoah Valley, Va.]
Ydtje.(Ida) b. August 24, 1691, m. Jan, a
son of Adrian Bennett and Barbery, his wife.
Communicants in Dutch church in 1731. She
died September 13, 1774. They had the follow-
ing and perhaps other children: (In all
baptisms hereafter spoken of in these articles,
if no church is named it is to be understood
that the dates are taken from the records of
the First Dutch church of Monmouth). A
child unnamed, bap. January 14, 1724 :
Krynjans. bap. February 27, 1726;
Neeltje, b. November 29, 1728: m. June 28, 1750,
John, youngest son of Jan Schanck and Sara Cou-
wenhoven, his wife, of Pleasant Valley, and
died June 1, 1810. Her husband, John
Schanck. was born June 22, 1722; d. December
24, 1808. Their children have been mentioned
in a former article on the Schencks.
Gysbert. (Gilbert) b. February 24, 1694: m.
Maijke., (Micha) daughter of Daniel Hendrick-
son and Kaatje VanDyke, his wife. He was
_____________
* In Book H of Deeds, p. 211. etc., Mon-
mouth clerk's office, is recorded a conveyance
from Ryk Hendrickse Suydam of Flatlands,
Kings county. Island of Nassau, to John Van-
Meeteren (VanMater) of Middletown township,
for a tract of land in Middletown township
"bounded west by Dominicus Vanderveer, east
by Auken Leffertsen, south by Swimming
River, and north by heirs of Quryn VanMeet-
eren. (Kreijn VanMater), and known as No. 4
containing 152 acres and thirteen fifty-
sixths parts of an acre, being the seventh part
of a tract said Suydam with others bought of
Col. Lewis Morris.
____________
a communicant in our Dutch church in 1721,
and she in 1740, when her sister, Francyntje.
wife of Tunis DeNeis, (Denise) also joined the
church. Gilbert VanMater owned and lived on
the farm where Gideon C. MacDowell now
resides near Old Scots burying ground in the
township of Marlboro, but formerly a part of
Freehold township.** I do not know where he
died or where he is buried.
Engeltje,. (Angelina) b. September 30, 1696,
m. John Anderson.
Benjamin, b. January 22, 1702: m. Eliza-
beth, daughter of Jacob Laen (Lane) and
Elizabeth Barkalow, his wife. Both were
members of Dutch church in 1737. He died
July 21, 1775, aged 73 years, 5 months and 29
days, according to inscriptions on his tomb-
stone in the VanMater cemetery.
Cornelia, b. May 24, 1704: m. Hans (John)
VanCleef.
Syrenus, (Cyrenius) b. August 28, 1706, m.
Abigail, daughter of Auke Leffeits and Maria
TenEyck, his wife. Abigail was born March 15, 1708;
d. August 25, 1785, aged 77 years, 5
months and 10 days. Cyrenius VanMater died
December 28, 1787, and is buried by the side
of his wife in the VanMater graveyard. His
age on the tombstone is given as 80 years, 4 months.
Joseph, b. in Monmouth county February 5 ;
bap. Aug. 13, 1710: m. December 1, 1734,
Sarah, daughter of Roelof Schanck and Geesie
or Ghesye Hendrickson, his wife. Sarah
Schanck was born May 22, 1715, and died,
according to inscription on her tombstone in
the VanMater cemetery, September 1, 1748,
aged 33 years, 3 months and 9 days. Her hus-
band rests by her side and his headstone states
that he died October 15, 1792, aged 82 years,
8 months and 10 days. Joseph VanMater and
Sarah Schanck, his wife, became members of
the Dutch church in 1737, and were said to
have been active and zealous in church work,
and lived consistent lives. Their children and
grandchildren always spoke of them with
affection and reverence.
The following is a certified copy of
Kreijn Janse VanMater's will as filed
___________
** Book H of Deeds, p. 41 etc., contains red-
ord of a deed from Charles Hubs to Guysbert
VanMetra and Benjamin VanMetra of Middle-
town township, dated April 19, 1727, consid-
eration £365 for a tract of 148-1/2 acres in
Freehold township: hounded southerly by Van-
Cleef's land, northerly by lands formerly
Thomas Combs, northerly and easterly by
other lands of said Hubs. In same book p.
127, etc., is a deed from Isaac Forman and
Elizabeth, his wife, of Freehold township, to
"Benjamin VanMatre and Syrenus VanMatre."
dated April 4, 1730, consideration £900, for
250 acres in Freehold township ; bounded
southerly by Burlington road, east by lands
formerly of Aaron Forman, west and north
by lands formerly Robert Barclay's ; and three
other tracts adjacent to above. In Book I of
Deeds, p. 35, etc., Benjamin VanMatre and
Cyrenus VanMatre convey to this Gilbert Van-
Mater by deed dated September 1, 1735, for
consideration of £535, one-half part of a tract
of land in Middletown township on which said
Gilbert VanMater then resided, being the lands
above mentioned conveyed to them by Isaac
Forman and wife.
69 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
in the office of the Secretary of State
at Trenton. It was not proved until
March 21, 1729, or nine years after his
decease, although Benjamin VanCleef,
the testator's brother-in-law, and one
of the executors swore to it May 25,
1720. This was not sufficient in law to
admit to probate. The law of New Jer-
sey, then as now, required the oath of
a subscribing witness, that it was ex-
ecuted by the testator according to the
requirements of the statute in such
cases made and provided.
I Kryne VanMatre of Middletown In the
County of Monmouth and Eastern Division of
the province of New Jersey, Yeoman. This Six
& Twentyeth Day of April In the fifth Year of
the Reign of our Soveraigne Lord George over
Great Brittain. &c. King. Anno dom. One
Thousand Seven Hundred and Nineteen, Being
in good and perfect health and of a Sound
Mind and disposing Memory, (praised be the
Lord for the same) Doe Make and Declare
this to be my Last Will and Testament, in
Manner and forme as followeth, viz: First
and principally I Recommend my Soul to
Almighty God that gave it, and my Body to
the earth from whence it was taken, to be
Buryed in such Decent and Christian like
manner, as to my executors hereafter named
shall seem Meet and Convenient ; and as touch-
ing such Wordly Goods, as the Lord In his
Infinite and Rich Mercy (far beyond my De-
serts) hath been pleased to bestow upon Me, I
Give and dispose of the same as followeth
My Will is that all my Just Debts be Well
and truly paid and satisfied within some con-
venient time after my Decease, Out of my Per-
sona! Estate by my Executors hereinafter named.
My Will is that my Son John VanMatre
shall have and keep that Fifty one pounds
which I formerly paid to Rak Hendrickse for
and towards a plantation for my said Son
John, without being accountable to my Ex-
ecutors for the same or any part thereof.
My will is that at the time of the Marriage
of my Daughter Yda she shall have two Cows
and fifteen pounds, and my daughter Angeltje
to have at the time of her marriage two Cows
and fifteen pounds, and My Daughter Cor-
nelia to have at the time of her Marriage two
Cows and fifteen pounds to be delivered to
them out of my personal Estate by my Executors.
I Give and Bequeath to my loving Wife
Neeltje VanMatre, the use of my plantation,
and the Use of the Remainder of my personal
Estate, for and during the time that she shall
remain my Widow ; and after her decease or
Remarriage My Will is, that the personal Es-
tate that she has the use of, be Equally divided
Amongst all my Children, Namely John, Yda,
Ghilbert, Angeltje, Benjamin, Cornelia, Siry-
nus, and Joseph.
I Give and Devise my whole Real Estate
whatsoever and wheresoever, after the Death
or Remarriage of my wife, which shall first
happen, to my fowr Sons Namely Ghilbert
VanMatre, Benjamin VanMatre, Sirynus Van-
Matre and Joseph VanMatre, as followeth. viz:
My Will is that if my Son Ghilbert shall
within the Space of Three Years Next after
the Decease or Remarriage of my Wife, pay
unto my daughter Yda or her heirs, the Sum
of Seventy-five pounds, that then I give and
devise One full and Equal fourth part of my
real estate to him my said Son Ghilbert, his
Heirs and Assignes forever, and if my Son
Benjamin, shall, within the space of Three
Years Next after the decease or Remarriage of
my Wife, pay unto my Daughter Angeltye, or
her Heirs the Sum of Seventy-five pounds, then
I Give and Devise One full and Equal fourth
part of my Real Estate to him, my said Son
Benjamin, his Heirs and Assignes forever, And
if my Son Sirinus shall live to the age of
Twenty One Years, and shall within three
years after the Decease or Remarriage of my
Wife, or at the Age of Twenty-One Years,
which shall last happen, pay to my Son John
or his Heirs the Sum of Seventy five pounds,
then I give and Devise One full and equal
fourth part of my Real Estate to him my said
Son Sirinus his Heirs and Assignes forever.
And if my Son Joseph shall live to the Age of
Twenty One Years And shall within Three
Years after the Decease or Remarriage of my
Wife or at the Age of Twenty One Years
which shall last happen, pay to my daughter
Cornelia or her Heirs, the Sum of Seventy five
pounds thin I Give and Devise the Remaining
fourth part of my Real Estate to him my said
Son Joseph, his Heirs and Assignes forever,
And My Will is that if Either of the said
fowr Sons Depart this Life before he Attain
the age of Twenty One Years, or leave Issue
of his Body, that then that fowrth part of
my Estate be equally divided between the Re-
maining Three, they paying that sum to the
person that the party deceased was to pay.
And My Will is and I do hereby give power to
my Executors hereafter named, to divide my
Lands in Fowr Equall parts or Lottments to
my said fowr Sons.
And Lastly I doe hereby Revoke and Disan-
null all wills by me formerly made declaring
this Only to be my last Will and Testament.
And doe Nominate Make and Appoint my two
friends and Brothers in Law Benjamin Van-
Cleave and Philip Folcoertson* to be the Ex-
ecutors of this my Last Will and Testament.
to see the same Executed. In Testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal the Day and Year first above written.
Signed Sealed and published by the above
named Kryne VanMatre as his Last Will and
Testament in the presence of
JACOBUS SWOT (or SMOK),
HENDRICK SMOCK,
JOHN LAWRENCE,
THOMAS LAWRENCE,
WILLM. LAWRENCE, Junr.
Memorandum: yt on ye 21st day of March,
1729, William Lawrence, Junr., and Hendrick
Smock two of ye Subscribing Evidences to ye
Above instrument come before me John Bar-
clay, Surrogate, who upon their Oath Deposed
that they saw the Above Kryn Janssen Van-
Meteren signe seale & declare ye same to be
his Last Will and Testament, and that at ye
same time he was of sound mind to ye best of
____
* Written "Volkertz" or "Volckersten" on
old records of New Utrecht, L. I.
70 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
each of their knowledge & that they also saw
ye other Evidences subscribe their names In
presence of ye Testator. Sworne ye day &
year above sd before Me John Barclay, Surrogate.
Memorandome: yt on ye 25th day of May,
1729, Benjamin VanCleve one of ye Executors
In the within mentioned Last Will & Testament
of Kyahn VanMatre, Decd, Personally Ap-
peared before John Barclay, Surrogate, Auth-
orized & Appoynted to take ye Prohate of
Last Wills & Testaments was Duely sworne
to the Execution thereof. Sworn ye day &
yeare Above Written before Me
JOHN BARCLAY, Surg't.
JOHn VanMater, the eldest son of
Kreijn Janse by his wife Eyke (Ida)
Suydam, had eleven children:
1. -Cryn Jans, b. September 28, 1718: m.
about 1750, Marya, daughter of Guysbert Sut-
phen and Geertrury VanPelt, his wife.
Cryn-jans VanMater d. in 1766. They had
the following children :
John, bapt. August 19, 1753 : m. Elizabeth
Hance or Hons.
Engeltje, bapt. March 31, 1755.
Guysbert, bapt. July 31, 1757 ; married a
Widow Clayton.
Anne, b. 1759, died young.
Isaac, bapt. November 2, 1760.
Neeltje, bapt. February 2, 1766.
2. -Ryck (Richard) b. April 16, 1720; m.
Micah or Martha Osbourne, and had the fol-
lowing children :
Eyda, (Ida) bapt. June 9, 1751, at Presby-
terian church of Freehold. On pages 132-3 of
Symmes History of Old Tennent church, date
of baptisms of several of Ryck's children are
given. Mr. Tennent. the pastor, has entered
on the records that Ryck VanMater stated the
reason for coming to him, instead of going to
the Dutch Dominie was "that his wife could
not speak Dutch." This was true, for his wife
belonged to the English family of Osbournes
who have resided at Manasquan for several
generations. Besides Eyda he had the follow-
ing children baptized by the Presbyterian min-
ister, viz:
Jannetje, (Jane) bapt. April 15, 1753.
John, bapt. August 24, 1755 ; m. Sarah Hen-
drickson.
Catharine and Mary (twins) bapt. June 22, 1758.
William, bapt. June 22, 1760.
Eleanor or Nelly, bapt. Feb. 13, 1763: m.
Jacob Schenck.
I am under the impression that one
or more of their children became own-
ers of a tract of land on the south side
of Wreck Pond in the present township
of Wall, but then Shrewsbury. I am,
however, in possession of no facts to
prove this. The son William, baptized
June 21, 1760, married Martha Ward.
His will is recorded in Book C of Wills,
p. 136, Monmouth Surrogate's office. It
was dated March 28, 1828, and proved
August 31, 1829.
3. -Gilbert, b. January 14, 1722, bap. Feb 4
following, and died unmarried.
4. -Jannetje. b. October 29, 1724; m. Aart,
son of Guysbert Sutphen and Geertrury Van-
Pelt, his wife. He was bap. April 13, 1718.
This couple had the following children baptized:
Guisbert, bap. August 20, 1743;
Jan, November 3, 1745;
Geertje, February 14, 1748.
5. -Neeltje, bap. August 14, 1728: m. John
VanLieu, (no other knowledge).
6. -Marya, b. January 7, 1731: m. first,
Peter Lefferts, second, John Bennett. By
Peter Lefferts she had
Maria, bap. August 3, 1750 ; m. Barnes J.
Smock; d. January 27, 1832, aged 71 years, 10
months, according to her tombstone in the
Lefferts and Logan graveyard on the old Gar-
ret Schanck farm near Vanderburg in Atlan-
tic township. Her husband, known as Capt.
Barnes J. Smock of the Monmouth militia dur-
ing the greater part of our Revolutionary war,
and at its close as Col. Smock, was born Jan-
uary 29, 1756: d. January 30, 1834, aged 78
years and 1 day, according to the inscription
on his tombstone, is buried by her side.*
Krinjans, bap. February 14, 1762.
John, buried in Lefferts and Logan grave-
yard. Tombstone gives date of death
Nov. 8, 1836, aged 74 years, 11 mo., 20 d.
His wife, Zilpha, is buried by his side.
Lefferts. I think he is the Leffert Lefferts
who owned and resided on a farm in Upper Freehold
township during the middle part of the last century.
Engeltje, b. March 31, 1755.
7. -Eyda (Ida) b. February 12, 1733; bap.
March 14 following: m. Benjamin, son of Jan
Derrickse Sutphen and Engeltje Bennett, his
wife. He was bap. November 14, 1758.
8. -John b. February 7, 1735 : died young.
9. -Cornelia or Catharine, b. July 4, 1737 :
m. Stoffle (Christopher) Logan, and d. Jan-
uary 19, 1806 ; buried in Lefferts and Logan
yard. Her husband's tombstone gives date of
his death November 11, 1823: age 89 y, 3 mos,
13 d. They had the following children:
Sarah, b. April 11, 1760; m. John L. Ben-
nett; buried in Lefferts Logan graveyard
Tombstone gives date of death March 6, 1833,
age 72 y, 10 m, 22 d. Her husband died
November 27, 1843, aged 86 y, 7 m, 27 d.,
according to his tombstone.
Eyda. b. 1760, died young.
Eyda. b. ___ ___, and perhaps others.
10. -Cornelius, bap. August 14, 1739.
11. -Geertje, bap. November 27, 1734 ; m.
about 1764, Aart VanDerbilt, and had the
following children baptized:
Hendrick, January 20, 1765.
Ida, August 16, 1767.
Jeremiah and Joseph, (twins), Dec. 16, 1788.
The descendants of John VanMater
and Ida Suydam, his wife, seem to have
removed from Monmouth county, so far
as there are any male descendants now
(1899) bearing the VanMater name. I
an unable to state when they removed
or where they settled. Besides, many
of their descendants who emigrated to
other parts of New Jersey and other
states, adopted different ways of spell-
ing their surnames, as VanMeter, Van-
Marter, VanMeteren, VanMetere, etc.
71 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
*[p. 70] Colonel Barnes J. Smock's will is recorded
in Book C of Wills, p. 340, etc., Monmouth
Surrogate's office. It is dated October 17,
1832, proved February 10, 1834. He describes
himself as a resident of Middletown township.
He gives Philip Tunison, son of his sister
Rebecca, $200. To children of his sister,
Eleanor Longstreet, $300. To Catherine Wil-
burt and Phoebe Stephen, children of his sis-
ter, Sarah Smock, $200. To John Lefferts,
brother of his deceased wife, $500 ; to chil-
dren of his sister, Phoebe Longstreet, $500.
The residue of his estate is given absolutely
to the celebrated lawyer of that day in New
Jersey, Garret D. Wall, who is also made sole
executor. During the war Col. Smock had
been taken prisoner by some of the Monmouth
Tories and incarcerated in the Sugar House,
where he suffered great hardships and indig-
nities at the hands of the infamous Cunning-
ham. He was once taken out to be executed,
but by the intercession of Col. Elisha Law-
rence, who commanded a battalion of the
American Loyalists and who had been sheriff
of Monmouth under the King, and who knew
Smock, he was reprieved. He never forgot
or forgave these insults He was a man of
gigantic size, with very long legs, and was
nicknamed "Leggy Barnes," on this account.
He had a fierce temper which flashed out like
fire. With him it was a word and a blow and
the blow often came first. The Tories and
such as sympathized with them he hated with
a bitter hatred, and on the slightest provo-
cation would assault them with great violence.
Our court records for many years after the
Revolutionary war show many indictments
against him for assault and battery. He was
generally defended by Garret D. Wall, who
either cleared him or got him off with a mod-
erate fine. In gratitude for these services he
made this lawyer his residuary legatee and
devisee, for he had no children. There are
many stories told of his daring and adven-
tures. He is said to have met his death in
trying to drive for a wager close along the
high bluff on the south side of the Shrewsbury
river about opposite the Globe Hotel in Red
Bank. That a portion of the sod near the
edge of the bluff had been undermined by a
late storm, and when the wheel of his car-
riage struck there it caved, and threw car-
riage and horses from the top of the bluff to
the beach below. Strange to say neither his
horses nor his negro driver were hurt, but he
had his neck broken. Such was the end of
one of the most reckless, stubborn and fiercest
of the Monmouth officers in the Revolution.
He was as strong in his friendships as he was
bitter in his enmities. He owned and resided
on the farm next to the Charles Lloyd farm,
in the present township of Holmdel, owned
and occupied by Joseph I. VanMater until
recently. The Charles Lloyd farm was owned
and occupied by Barnes Smock of the Artillery
Company, and his son Barnes lived on the
adjoining farm where the children of John I.
Crawford now reside. Col. Barnes J. Smock
owned a horse called Paoli. He thought more
of this horse than of anything else in the
world. Many stories are told of the intelli-
gence and affection displayed by this animal
for his master. In some of the accounts of
the fatal accident at Red Bank, it is said he
was riding Paoli, and was not in a carriage.
I do not know which is the correct version.
===============================
GILBERT VAN MATER, HIS DESCENDANTS, AND
HIS WILL.
Gilbert VanMater, second son of
Kreijn Janse by Micha Hendrickson,
his wife, had the following children:
Cyrenius. baptized December 15, 1725: mar-
ried Mary Heard.
Daniel, b. January 23, 1728, m. December 29,
1754. Mary, daughter of Rulif Corneliuse Cov-
enhoven and Sarah Voorhees, his wife. She was
born July 16, bap. August 26, 1737 : d. Novem-
ber 8, 1767, and interred in VanMater grave-
yard ; her age is stated on the tombstone as
30 years, 3 months and 11 days. Daniel died
in London, England, October 8, 1786, and ac-
cording to tradition in the VanMater family
was honored by interment in Westminster
Abbey.
John, bap. August 23, 1731 : m. Elizabeth
Carroll, Carle or Kerle.
Neeltje. (Eleanor) b. in 1733: m. February
22, 1775, Edmund Bainbridge.
___________
Edmund or Edmond Bainbridge with John
Anderson (clerk) and two others, were indict-
ed for a riot in 1747. [Vol. VII, N. J. Arch.
page 455.| The coincidence of names, for
above Edmund Bainbridge's wife was a
of John Anderson who married her father's sis-
ter, indicates the same family. Edmund Bain-
ridge and Simon Wyckoff headed a crowd of
men who knocked down the sheriff of Middle-
sex county, and broke open the jail at Amboy
to release John Bainbridge, Jr., on the 17th of
July, 1747. See the letter of Sheriff Deare,
and the affidavit of particulars on pages 463 to
471. Vol. VII, N. J. Arch. Also charge of
Judge Neville to the grand jury, page 156.
Idem. -Also letter of Robert H. Morris, page 471.
Idem. This Morris was then Chief Jus-
tice of New Jersey, and had been lifted to this
high position by his father, Lewis Morris,
Governor of New Jersey. The artfulness and
craft shown in this letter mark him as a true
chip of the old block. His father, Lewis Mor-
ris, died in 1746, in the midst of popular tu-
mults and disorders similar to those which oc-
curred at the beginning of his political career
in 1699-1700, and caused by similar selfish ex-
actions and ruthless measures of the Propri-
etors. I am in doubt as to what relationship
if any, existed between this Edmund Bain-
bridge who married Eleanor VanMater and
the Edmund who was implicated in this out-
break of 1747. John Anderson married Angel-
ina VanMater prior to 1747.
72 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
Hendrick, or Harry, bap. September 11, 1737.
went to England with his brother Daniel,
after the Revolutionary war, and was in
England at the time of his brother's death.
Since then nothing was ever heard of him. so
Joseph, bap. September 30, 1739, m. Cath-
arine, daughter of James Kearney of Chin-
queroras, as the region about Keyport was
then called. She was b. July 26, 1752, and
died May 10, 1807, aged 54 years, 9 months
and 20 days, and is buried by her second hus-
band, Rulif VanMater, in the VanMater cemetery.
Catherine, bap. February 20, 1742; m.
October 7, 1788, Stephen Jones.
The following is a copy of the will of
Gilbert VanMater, father of the above
seven children:
Will of Guysbert (Gilbert) VanMater.
In the name of God, Amen. I Gisbert Van-
Mater of Freehold, in the County of Monmouth
and the Eastern division of the Province of
New Jersey, being weak in body but of sound,
disposing mind, and memory; considering the
uncertainty of this life, do make this to be my
Last Will and Testament. In manner following:
And first recommending my Soul into the
hands of Almighty God, who gave it; into
whose Kingdom notwithstanding my own un-
worthiness, I hope to be received through the
merits and intercession of my blessed Savior,
and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. My body I will
to be buried at the discretion of my Executors
hereinafter named.
And as touching such temporal estate where-
with it has pleased Ood to bless me in this
life. I will, devise and dispose of the same in
the following manner, and form:
First I will that all my just debts be duly
and truly paid in some convenient time after
my decease, by my three youngest sons, John.
Hendrick and Joseph.
Item. I have already given to my two eldest
sons, Cyrenius and Daniel VanMater, a planta-
tion I formerly owned at the Scotch Meeting
House, and to my eldest son Cyrenius, a
negro wench -Nann- and my long gun for
his birthright, and other goods and chattels;
and to my son Daniel his negro Frank and
other goods and chattels. I have already
given my two eldest sons what I intend to
give them. Secondly I give, devise and be-
queath to my three youngest sons, John,
Hendrick and Joseph, all my real estate, lands,
and meadows whatsoever, and rights of lands
which I am now seized and possessed of, in-
terested in or entitled to, and to their heirs,
executors, administrators, and assigns for-
ever. To each an equal third in quantity, and
in quality, to be divided by my executors here-
inafter named. If my above named three sons
or either of them, choses, it to be upon them-
selves, after the above named debts are paid
or before, if my executors think fitt and
proper.
Item. I give, devise and bequeath to my
eldest daughter Nelly, my negro wench Matt,
and her child Sally, and a horse and saddle
and three cows, and fifty pounds in money,
at eight shillings per ounce, for her outset,
if she marry within the term of six years.
If she should not in six years, then at the
expiration of six years to be paid to her out
of my estate, the aforesaid fifty pounds and
three cows.
Item. My will is that my son John shall
pay to my daughter Nelly the sum of fifty
pounds money es aforesaid for part of her
legacy, on or before six years after my death.
Item. My will is that my son Hendrick
shall pay to my daughter Nelly the sum of
fifty pounds, money as aforesaid, for part of
her legacy on or before seven years after my
decease.
Item. My will is that my son Joseph shall
pay to my daughter Nelly the sum of fifty
pounds, money as aforesaid, for the last part
of her legacy on or before the term of eight
years after my decease.
Item. I give and bequeath to my youngest
daughter, Catharine, my negro wench Maryann
and horse and saddle, and, when she marries,
three cows and fity pounds in money as afore-
said for her outset; but if she shall not marry
within the term of six years then the fifty
pounds and three cows to be paid to her out
of my estate.
Item. It is my will that my son John shall
pay to my daughter Catharine, the sum of
fifty pounds money aforesaid, on or before the
term of nine years after my decease, for
part of her legacy.
Item. It is my will that my son Hendrick
shall pay to my daughter Catharine the sum
of fifty pounds money aforesaid, before nine
years after my decease, for part of her legacy.
Item. It is my will that my son Joseph
shall pay to my daughter Catharine the sum
of fifty pounds money as aforesaid, on or be-
fore the term of ten years after my decease
for the last part of her legacy.
I mean in the whole, to be paid to my
daughters two hundred pounds in cash each,
as before described already.
Item. In case either of my daughters should
lose their negro wenches, which I have given
them, either Matt or Maryann (but not
Sally) then I give either Pegg or Betty, as
they shall see cause to chose, or both if they
should die, they said Matt and Maryann. That
is before my said daughters should marry, or
either of them: but if married and then die,
then no other in their stead or after the ex-
piration of six years.
Item. I give, devise and bequeath the re-
maining part of my negroes to my youngest
three sons, John. Hendrick and Joseph, to be
equally divided amongst them, as my executors
shall see fitt, excepting them already given.
Item. I give devise and bequeath all my
household goods within doors, equally to be
divided amongst my three youngest sons and
two daughters, to be divided in six years after
decease equally.
Item. I give and bequeath the re-
maining part of my stock, goods and chattels,
and all my farmer utensils, cattle, horses,
sheep, an hogs, excepting what before I
have given, to my three sons, John, Hendrick
and Joseph, to be equally divided amongst
them at the discretion of my executors.
Item. It is my will that if my executors
should think my daughters should not he well
used by my sons or either of them, to be in
73 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
their power to board them at their discretion
at such place and places as they shall see
cause, out of my estate, until they marry or
until their legacies become due.
Item. My will is that, if either of my
daughters should die without issue of their
body, then the other to be heir.
Item. My will is if either of my sons die
without issue of their body, the others of my
sons to be their heirs and the said lands to
fall to them living.
And lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute
and appoint my two eldest sons, Cyrenius and
Daniel VanMater, both of the County of
Monmouth aforesaid, to be executors of this
My Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking
all former wills by me in anywise heretofore
made, and declaring this to be my Last Will
and Testament. In witness whereof I have
hereunto put my hand and seal the ____ day
of October in the year 1758.
GISBERT VANMATER. (L. S.)
The copy is in possession of Mrs.
Margaret Fick, wife of ex-sheriff Fick
of New Brunswick, Middlesex county,
N. J. She was a daughter of Joseph
VanMater and Margaret Rapelje, his
wife, born July 6, 1860, and grand-
daughter of Holmes VanMater and
Micha, his wife, (daughter of Gilbert
VanMater, grandson of above testator,
who resided on Long Island.)
I do not know whether the will was
admitted to probate, but presume it
was, or else the devisees and legatees
therein named were, VanMater like,
governed by their father's wishes with-
out regard to any legal compulsion. For
the court records of Monmouth county
show that the VanMaters have seldom
engaged in litigation, either among
themselves over family settlements, or
with their neighbors. I do not know
of any divorce or criminal suits among
the past generation of the family. They
have minded their own business and let
others alone. Neither have they courted
popularity for the sake of office or
honors, but if anything have been re-
tiring and modest in their claims and
assumptions. They have as honorable
record as any family in the county,
considering their numbers and the long
time they have resided in Monmouth.
Cyrenius, the eldest son named in the
above will, was a miller and farmer.
By his wife, Meary Heard, he had the
following children:
John H., born (there is no record, he may
have died young).
Gilbert, born ____ , died single in 1807.
Leaves a will recorded in Book A of Wills,
p. 194. Surrogate's office of Monmouth. It is
dated May 6 and proved May 12, 1807.
William, born Nov. 27, 1772, married Dec-
ember 24, 1797, Mary, daughter of Garret
Hendrickson and his second wife, Lena Van-
Liew, and died May 9, 1844. Mary Hendrick-
son, his wife, was baptized May 2, 1779.
Mary, baptized, ____, died unmarried in
1813, leaves will dated April 19, 1808, proved
Sept. 25, 1813, recorded in book A of wills, p.
662, Monmouth Surrogate's office. She des-
cribes herself as the daughter of Cyrenius
VanMater, a miller. She mentions Cyrenius.
son of her brother William VanMater, and
Mary, daughter of her sister Micha, wife of
Samuel Tilton. She devises all her property
in fee to Cyrenius Tilton, son of her sister
Micha. John W. Holmes and Micha Tilton
are appointed executors.
Maykee (Micha) born ____, married Samuel
Tilton.
Phoebe, born December 21, 1773, married
January 20, 1791, Hendrick, son of Garret
Hendrickson and Catharine Denise, his wife,
died, March 12, 1836.*
Phoebe VanMater and Hendrick Hen-
drickson, aforesaid, had the following
children:
Mary or Polly, bap. Oct. 30, 1791.
Garrett, bap. Oct. 13, 1793, d. March 6, 1800.
William Heard, b. Sept. 22, 1795, d. Aug. 9, 1855,
buried in homestead yard aforesaid.
Eleanor, b. Dec. 7, 1797, d. June 22, 1806.
Garrett, b. Feb. 21, 1800, d. June 3, 1866, m.
Angelina, daughter of Wynant Bennett of
Long Island, who was barn July 13, 1813, d.
Sept. 24, 1876. Both buried in Long Island.
Cyrenius, b. Mar. 30, 1802, m. Sept. 18, 1823,
Ida, daughter of Joseph VanMater and Ida
Hendrickson, his wife, d. May 17, 1870, buried
on homestead farm at Holland aforesaid.
Denyse, b. July 4, 1804.
Elinor, b. May 11, 1806.
Catharine, born ____, -no record.
William VanMater, born November
27, 1772, by his wife, Mary Hendrick-
son, had the following children:
Cyrenius, b. July 1, 1798; m. Elinor Hen-
drickson ; d. Dec. 18, 1882.
Rulif, b. ____, who went West and settled there.
Gilbert, b. July 10, 1802 ; m. Sarah Taylor;
d. Feb. 6, 1881.
Garret, b.____, m. Harriet Hopping; d. at
Chapel Hill in 1879, leaving two children.
________________
* A marriage license was granted to Garrett
Hendrickson, (son of Hendrick Hendrickson
and Neeltje Garretse Schanck, his wife) and
Catharine (daughter of Tunis Denise and
Francyntje Hendrickson, his wife) December
8, 1755. Garrett Hendrickson died December
18, 1801, aged 67 years, 10 months and 10
days, according to his tombstone in the Hen-
drickson burying ground on farm of late Sen-
ator W. H. Hendrickson at Holland in Holm-
del township. His wife, Catherine Denise, is
interred by his side. She was born May 8,
1732, baptized June 4th following, and died
September 8, 1771, aged 39 years, 4 months.
Hendrick, their son. and Phoebe VanMater, his
wife, are also buried in this graveyard. Hen-
drick died June 6, 1837, aged 72 years, 10
months and 7 days. Phoebe, his wife, died
Mar. 12, 1836, aged 62 years, 2 months and 2 days.
74 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
John H. and Mary. John H. VanMater is
now a practicing physician of good standing
at Atlantic Highlands. Garret VanMater left
a will and codicil. The last was dated Dec.
13, 1878 ; proved Sept. 6, 1879 ; recorded in
book M of wills, p. 494, Monmouth Surro-
gate's office.
Elinor, b. 1815.
Catharine, b.____; m. William Story.
Daniel, second son of Gilbert Van-
Mater, and Micha Hendriekson, married
Mary Conover aforesaid, and had the
following children:
Tryntje, (Catharine) b. Ap. 5, 1756; m.
Aug. 14, 1774, Henry Disbrow and had three
sons and one daughter Mary, who married
Rev. Henry Polhemus. One of his sons, John
H. Disbrow, married Sarah VanMater, his
cousin.
Sarah, b. Aug. 13, 1769 ; m. Benjamin Van-
Mater July 12, 1778, d. Sept. 5, 1840; buried
in VanMater yard by her husband.
Gilbert, b. June 7, 1762 : m. Margaret
Sprague, widow of a Rapelye on Long Island.
He removed to Brooklyn and lived on Long
Island until his death, July 6, 1832. He had
six daughters and two sons. One of his
daughters, Sarah, b. Aug. 15, 1793, m. her
cousin, John Henry Disbrow, above mentioned.
Another daughter, Micha, b. Aug. 21, 1795, m.
Holmes, son of Chrineyonce VanMater and
Huldah Holmes, his wife. Holmes VanMater
resided on the Academy farm in the village
of Holmdel and was famous for his fast and
thoroughbred horses.
Micah, b. Jan. 20, 1764, m. first Daniel Pol-
hemus who died Jan. 29, 1820, aged 57 years,
and married second George Clark.
Nelly, b. July 20, 1766, d. in infancy.
Jan or John, third son of Gilbert
VanMater and Micha Hendriekson, mar
ried Elizabeth Carrol, Carle or Kerle,
and had at least two daughters.
The fifth son of Gilbert VanMater an
Micha Hendriekson was Joseph, who
married Catharine Kearney, or Karney.
as they spelled it. The descendants of
this couple became known as the
"Kearny VanMaters." and were noted
for the marked difference in their char-
acters, from the past generations of the
family, and from the descendants of
the other branches. They had the fol-
lowing children:
Rulif, bap. July 16, 1775â - no other record.
Joseph Kearney, b. ____; m. Sept. 10, 1794,
Ida Hendriekson, daughter of Garrett Hen-
driekson and Lena VanLieu, his sceond wife.
He owned and resided on a farm west of Colts
Neck and on the south side of the turnpike
to Freehold, nearly opposite the Thomas Ryall
farm, formerly known as the Stoutenburg farm.
There were two other children, but I have
no record of them.
Joseph K. VanMater, by his wife, Ida
Hendrickson, had the following children:
Ida, b. May, 1795, m. Sept. 18, 1823, Cyren-
ius Hendriekson of Pleasant Valley, and were
the parents of the late Henry D. Hendriekson.
so well known to the present generation of
people in this county, and of Catharine, wife
of the late Joseph L. Tunis, who owned and
resided on a farm near Wickatunk and died
a few years ago.
James Kearny, b. Nov. 11, 1807, m. Eliza-
beth VanMater and died childless on Nov. 25,
1850. His will is dated March 24, 1849 ; proved
Dec. 12, 1850, and recorded in Book F of
Wills, p. 44. He leaves all his personal and
real property equally to his three sisters. Ida.
wife of Cyrenius Hendriekson, Ann K. Van-
Mater and Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Probasco.
Ann K., b. May 11, 1815, m. Benjamin Vandrveer.
Elizabeth, b. Feb. 1, 1820, m. Joseph Probas-
co and had the following children by him:
James K., Robert, Johanna, Hulda, Mary Jane,
Hendrick and Cyrenius.
============================
DANIEL AND HENDRICK VAN MATER WHO
JOINED THE KING'S ARMY.
Daniel and Hendrick, two of the sons
of Gilbert VanMater and Micha Hen-
driekson, and named in his said will,
enlisted at the beginning of the Rev-
olutionary war in the first battalion of
Skinner's brigade. commanded by
Elisha Lawrence of Upper Freehold
township, and who was the last col-
onial sheriff under King George III in
Monmouth county. The majority of
Americans who belonged to this com-
mand of Col. Lawrence's were doubt-
less natives of this county, which then
included Ocean county. They were
called the New Jersey Royal Volun-
teers, but were popularly known from
the color of their uniforms as the
"Greens," or "Skinner's Greens." Many
of the men who thus joined the British
army were conscientious and honorable
men and carried on war in an open,
soldier-like way. They were widely
different from the Refugees at Sandy
Hook, the Pine Robbers, and other des-
peradoes who took advantage of the
unsettled times to plunder and murder.
The people, however, who suffered from
their depredations were not in any con-
75 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
dition of mind to make a distinction be-
tween the Americans who sided with
the British.
One of the sisters of these two Van-
Maters had married a Bainbridge who
belonged to an intensely loyal family,
and one of their brothers, Joseph, had
married a Kearny, a family likewise
strong on that side. They were also
socially intimate with Col. Elisha Law-
rence, the Ex-Sheriff, with Ex-Sheriff
John Taylor of Middletown, and other
old colonial officials who had sworn
allegiance to the king of Great Britain.
It was perhaps these social, family and
political influences which carried them
away from their Dutch kindred into the
ranks of the enemy. The same extrav-
agant promises of royal approbation,
honors and reward, were doubtless
made to them, as to other Americans
by the British officials and agents to
get them to enlist.
At the close of the Revolutionary war
they found themselves stripped of all
their property, their families broken up
and scattered, and themselves exiled
from their homes and friends. They
went to England. I think, with Col.
Elisha Lawrence, in order to get some
recognition from the English govern-
ment for their services and losses, for,
according to Lawrence's affidavit here-
inafter printed, he was in London at
the same time, and it was evidently
made to help Daniel VanMater with his
claims against the government. This
affidavit is otherwise historically im-
portant, because it shows that Colonel
Lawrence, with part or all of his com-
mand, was in Monmouth as early as
December, 1776, arresting prominent
and active patriots. At this time the
people were disorganized, with many
non-committal among them. Lawrence
seems to have met with no resistance
in capturing the "rebels," as they were
called. This., too, helps explain the
letter written by Hendrick VanBrunt
and others to Governor Livingston of
New Jersey, printed on pages 261-3 of
"New Jersey Revolutionary correspon-
dence." This letter is dated September
15, 1780. In it they write that the cap-
tivity of some of them has lasted near-
ly four years. This would agree with
the time Lawrence says he was in Mon-
mouth county taking prisoners, viz.,
December, 1776. Among the Monmouth
officers named in captivity in 1780, we
find Major Hendrick VanBruntf Col.
Auke Wyckoff, Capt. Jonathan Holmesf
Lieut. James Whitiock, Lieut. Tobias
Polhemusf Capt. Jacob Covenhoven, Col.
John Smock. Capt. Barnes Smock and
Henry Smock. It seems that some of
these men had languished in captivity
nearly four yuears, and it may be that
some of them were not exchanged or
released until the war closed,
Daniel VanMater and his brother
Hendrick, ahd all their hopes of gov-
ernment aid outside of grants of land
in Canada, hashed to the ground. Like
other American loyalists who had been
seduced by the fine and extravagant
promises the English are so prone to
make, when they need help or favors,
they found only coldness and ingrati-
tude on the part of the high-caste
Englishmen, misnamed "nobility." who
acted and spoke for the government,
and who really control the government
of Great Britain for their class inter-
ests. The following extract from the
proceedings of the British House of
Commons on June 19, 1820, shows what
help and reward they got, after sacri-
ficing everything. Mr. Williams, one of
the members, speaking of the claims of
the American loyalists, said: "It is
more than 30 years since these claims
accrued. Three-fourths of the claim-
ants are dead, and many of them died
of broken hearts." Mr. Lockhart, an-
other member, said, "The American
Loyalists have never received any com-
pensation for their losses."
Daniel VanMater died in London,
England. October 8, 1786, without re-
ceiving any compensation except a
grant of land in bleak Nova Scotia. I
doubt also the truth of the tradition
handed down among the VanMaters,
that he was buried among the heros
and great men who lie in Westminster
Abbey. I think he had lost and suffered
enough for the English government, to
entitle him to this honorable grave, but
he bore a Dutch name, and was a
stranger from over the seas, and why
should they care to bury his poor corpse
when he was no longer of any service
to them? In the eyes of the so-called
"nobility" or the Brahmin caste of
England, he was no better than a dead
dog who had fetched and carried for
them in his lifetime.
The following papers which belonged
to him were probably sent to his chil-
dren by his brother, Hendrick Van-
Mater. after his death:
[Addressed)
"General Burch. Commandant etc.,"
[Endorsed]
"Referred for inquiry to the police."
S. B.
[Below] "This matter is one that must be
decided after troops are gone."
D. MATHEWS, Mayor.
The above indorsement are in the hand-
76 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
writings of Gen. Burch and Mayor Mathews
of New York city.
"General Burch, Commandant of the City of
New York, v. v.
The humble memorial of Daniel VanMater
most respectfully showeth :
Whereas your humble memorialist hath a
cousin in New Jersey, who was brought up in
our family. Built a schooner for his own pri-
vate use, and she was impressed in the Pro-
vincial service in order to carry the cannon
and sick to Brunswick. The British took the
said schooner and converted her to their own
service, where she has remained until lately,
and now is in the hands of Captain Nailler,
by the name of Schooner Pool. Your humble
memorialist claims the said schooner by a
deed of gift from under the hand of his cousin
Cornelius Covenhoven. Now your humble
memorialist prays, as she never was condemn-
ed and made a prize to the British, that the
General will grant an order that said Captain
Nallier shall deliver up the said schooner to
your humble memorialist, or show cause why
he detains the said Schooner Pool in his pos-
session. Your humble memorialist shall be in
duty bound to ever pray
DANIEL VAN MATER.
May ye 20th, 1783. *
As this claim was returned to him, it
appears, they did not or could not re-
turn his schooner. Soon after this he
must have sailed for England to push
his claims there. The following affi-
davit shows that he was in London in 1785: --
AFFIDAVIT OF COL. ELISHA LAWRENCE.
Elisha Lawrence maketh oath that he has
known Mr. Daniel VanMater, late of Mon-
mouth county, New Jersey, in North America,
many years previous to the late rebellion in
America. That Mr. VanMater has always
shown the strongest attachment to his Majes-
ty's Person and Government. That in Decem-
ber 1776, this Deponent was ordered into the
said County of Monmouth. Mr. VanMater was
very active in rendering every assistance to
the Troops, and disarming and taking Rebels
prisoners. That he with some others took
Tunis Vanderveer, a Rebel Captain** of Militia
and some Privates and brought them unto this
Deponent. That this Deponent as Sheriff of
the said County of Monmouth, sold to Mr.
VanMater part of the farm he possessed at
the commencement of the Rebellion, as will
appear by the titles, and is well acquainted
with the land, and thinks it was worth about
that time at least £8.00 ($40.00) per acre.
New York currency. This Deponent is also
__________
* The English army evacuated New York in
the month of November, 1783.
** This is a mistake about Tunis Vanderveer
being a rebel captain. He was a sergeant, and
lived where his great-great-grandson, David
Arthur Vanderveer, now lives in Freehold
township. He was a bold, resolute and active
patriot. He was in the British prison of New
York at the same time Garrett Wyckoff was
there. They were released at the same time
and came home together, as they were quite
near neighbors.
___________
well acquainted with Thomas Leonard and
John Longstreet, Esqrs. Thinks them to be
good judges of land and particularly acquaint-
ed with Mr. VanMater's land, and from their
characters, thinks that the greatest credibility
may be given to their testimony. And fur-
ther saith that Mr. VanMater was esteemed
an Honest Man, as far as this Deponent Know-
eth. As to the value of Mr. VanMater's mov-
able estate the Deponent cannot pretend to
say. He Knew he had many Negro Slaves and
a considerable stock on his farm of all kinds,
and in particular it was a general received
opinion that Mr. VanMater's horses were some
of the best in the country.
COL. ELISHA LAWRENCE.
London, March 2nd. 1785.
[Endorsed] Copy of Col. Elisha Lawrence's
deposition.
In a letter from Cyrenius VanMater
to his brother, Daniel VanMater, dated
March 28, 1785, he speaks of the death
of "Rike VanMater" about January 1, 1785.
On the inside page is a letter ad-
dressed to Harry VanMater (Hendrick
was his baptismal name). This is also
signed "Your Affectionate Brother,
Cyrenius VanMater." These letters are
folded in the old fashioned way and
addressed to
Mr. Daniel VanMater
in London, at Jacob Taylor's
Pimlico, near the Queen's Pallace No. 25.
This would show that Daniel and his
youngest brother Henry or Hendrick,
were both in England at that time.
Another letter is dated at Brooklyn,
February 17th, 1786, from Gilbert Van-
Mater and addressed to Daniel Van-
Mater, London. Gilbert heads the let-
ter "Honored Father," and expressed a
strong wish that he should return and
live with his children. That the sep-
aration of so worthy a father "is much
felt by your family in general and in
particular by your affectionate son,
Gilbert VanMater."
In another letter from the same son.
dated "Hampstead South, May 26, 1785."
he speaks of having returned to farm-
ing and is doing well. He begs to be
excused from going to England on ac-
count of the expense and inconvenience.
The letter is directed to "Mr. Daniel
VanMater, at Pimlico, London."
In another letter from Gilbert, dated
Brooklyn, October 11, 1786, he speaks
of living in Brooklyn and in the same
business as when his father left. He
also speaks of the death of his grand-
father, Conover, in New Jersey about
two months before from a stroke of the
palsy. The letter is addressed to
Daniel VanMater
to be left at the New York coffee house, London
by favor of Capt. Townsend.
===========================
77 DANIEL, HENDRICK AND CHRINEYONCE VAN-
MATER'S ESTATES CONFISCATED.- DEATH
OF FENTON, THE PINE ROBBER.
In the clerk's office of Monmouth
county. Book A of Executions, begin-
ning in back part of book, is the record
of 110 executions against Monmouth
county land owners who joined the
British army, or were detected going
within their lines.
On page 11 of this book is an execu-
tion against Daniel VanMater, and on
page 31 a similar one against his broth-
er, Hendrick VanMater. Under these
executions all their real estate was
seized and sold to the highest bidders.
The following is a true copy of the ex-
ecution against Daniel VanMater. They
all follow same form.
Monmouth County, ss.
The State of New Jersey to Samuel Forman,
Joseph Lawrence, Kenneth Hankinson, and
Jacob Wikoff, esqrs. Commissioners duly ap-
pointed for the said County, on the part and
behalf of said State to take and dispose of, for
the use and benefit of the same, the estates of
certain Fugitives and offenders in the said
County, or to any two or more of them. Greeting.
Whereas, lately, that is to say of the term of
October, in the Year of Our Lord, seventeen
hundred and seventy-nine, in the Court of
Common Pleas held at Freehold in and for
said county of Monmouth, before the Judges of
the same Court, final judgment was had and
entered in favor of the said State of New Jer-
sey, pursuant to law, against Daniel Van-
Mater, late of the Township of Freehold on
an Inquisition found against the said Daniel
VanMater for joining the Army of the King
of Great Britain, and otherwise offending
against the form of his allegiance to the said
State, etc., and returnable to the said Court,
as may fully appear of record. You are
therefore commanded and enjoined to sell and
dispose of all the estate. Real of what nature
or kind soever, belonging to or lately belong-
ing to the said Daniel VanMater, within the
said County of Monmouth, according to the
direction of "An Act for forfeiting to and
vesting in the State of New Jersey, the real
estate of certain 'Fugitives and Offenders' "
made ami passed the eleventh day of December,
A. D. 1778.
Witness John Anderson. Esq., Judge of the
said Court at Freehold afd, the 22nd of
January, A. D., 1779
By the Court,
ANDERSON, C'l'k.
Recorded May 15, 1779.
On pages 76 and 99 of Book A of
Executions are similar writs against
Chrineyonce, son of Joseph VanMater,
and Sarah Roelofse Schenck, his wife.
The first seems to be for going within
the British lines and the last for join-
ing the King's army.
Chrineyonee, it is said, carried on the
mill now known as Taylor's Mills, near
the old VanMater homestead, in Atlan-
tic township, but they were owned by
his father Joseph, who did not die until
1792. He was also interested with his
cousin, Daniel VanMater, in the owner-
ship of several schooners, which carried
hogshead staves, corn meal and flour
to the West Indies, and brought back
to Perth Amboy or New York, sugar,
molasses, rum, wine and other tropical
products. The fear of the loss of these
vessels and their lucrative trade, may
have influenced them in their political
stand, thinking the English govern-
ment must ultimately win.
The bold and out and out stand taken
by these three VanMaters, named in
above executions, for the English
Crown, and because of their social
standing, and the bitter feeling it
aroused among their nearest relatives
among the Covenhovens, Schencks, Van
Dorns, Hendricksons and others, who
lived all around them, and could not
understand how a true Dutchman of
republican antecedents, could take
sides with the English King, their
course was bitterly condemned. The
impression prevails today among the
people of Monmouth, that all the Van-
Maters were Royalists. This, however,
is incorrect and not the fact. Like
many other families, they were divided
in their allegiance. There were more
VanMaters who served faithfully on the
American side than on the British, but
as the VanMaters are not given to
blowing their own trumpet, these pa-
triots have been forgotten or overlooked.
For instance, Cornelius VanMater
was a captain in the first regiment of
Monmouth militia, Benjamin VanMater
was a private in Capt. Barnes Smock's
artillery company. Chrineyonee, son of
Cyrenus VanMater and Abagail Lefferts,
78 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
his wife, and Cyrenius, son of Benjamin
VanMater and Elizabeth Lane, his wife,
served in Capt. Waddel's company. It
was through the instrumentality of
William VanMater, born June 22, 1760,
and a son of Richard VanMater, that
the chief of the Pine Robbers was killed.
This was no less a person than Lewis
Fenton, who for several years had
headed those banditti, and perpetrated
many robberies, murders, and other
crimes. So daring and ferocious had
been many of his atrocities, that he had
become what in our day is called a
"Holy Terror," to the people of Monmouth.
On page 351 of Barber & Howe's His.
Coll. of N. J. is an account of the death
of this Fenton. While generally cor-
rect, there are some errors in the de-
tails of this narrative, as I have heard
the story.
It was not Burk, who helped Fenton
rob and beat VanMater, but one DeBow,
for Stephen Burk, alias Emmons, with
"Zeke Williams" and "Stephen West"
had been killed at Wreck Pond Inlet,
by a party of militia under Capt. or
Major Benjamin Dennis, in January,
1779, and Capt. Dennis had brought
their corpses to Freehold for recog-
nition, and to secure the reward offered
by Governor Livingston. To avenge the
death of these three men, Fenton way-
laid Capt. Dennis in July, 1779, while
traveling from Coryel's Ferry to his
home in Shrewsbury, and brutally mur-
dered him. Thomas Burk. alias Em-
mons, had been hung at Freehold in the
the summer of 1778.
In August, following the murder of
Capt. Dennis, Fenton and his gang mur-
dered two aged people, Thomas Farr
and his wife, in their own home, not far
from the Yellow Meeting House in
Upper Freehold township. Wainright,
a tax collector, was also found mur-
dered about this time on the south side
of the Manasquan river. This was
also laid to the Fenton gang.
So great was the terror caused by
his ferocity, cruelty, and daring, that
Governor Livingston about this time,
offered a reward of £500 ($2,500) for
Fenton, and smaller sums for his abet-
tors and followers.
This large reward is evidence of the
dread he inspired, and how difficult it
was to induce anyone to hunt him down
in his pine lairs and swamps. It seems
from concurrent testimony that he was
a desperate and dangerous man, quick
and active as a panther in his move-
ments, cunning and deep in his plans,
with a coolness and nerve no danger
could shake. Masterful and cruel in
his disposition, he exacted unquestion-
ing obedience from the half savage
denizens of the pine woods, whom he
dominated and led.
On the 23rd of September, 1779, Wil-
liam VanMater, a lad of some 18 years
of age, had been sent by his father on
an errand to Longstreet's Mills, in the
vicinity of what is now Our House
Tavern. He rode there on horseback
early in the morning. When within a
mile or two of what is now Our House
Tavern, but then a dense pine woods,
his bridle was suddenly grabbed by
John Fenton, a brother of Lewis, who
was hidden behind a big pine tree close
to the roadside. Lewis Fenton and
DeBow then came out of the woods
partially intoxicated. They pulled Van
Mater off his horse and began to search
his pockets, while John Fenton un-
buckled and took the saddle off the
horse. Finding no money on his person.
DeBow began to strike and kick him.
and finally knocked him down. Then,
picking up his musket which had a
bayonet affixed, he made a vicious
lunge at his throat, as he lay on the
ground. VanMater threw up his arm
to fend off the thrust, and the bayonet
pierced the fleshy part of his arm. At
this moment a wagon with five or six
men in it, was seen coming up the road
from the direction of the Shark River
salt works. The miscreants at once
left their victim and retreated into the
woods, John Fenton taking the saddle
with him.
VanMater, who was young and ac-
tive, at once sprang up, leaped on his
horse and rode off bareback on a run.
After going nearly a mile he stopped,
tore off a strip from his shirt and
bound up the wound in his arm. It
then occurred to him that he had heard
that Lee's rangers or light dragoons,
were stationed at Freehold to protect
the people. Smarting under the indig-
nities to which he had been subjected,
he at once resolved to ride there, ami
lodge his complaint against the rob-
bers. This he at once did, running his
horse all the way to Freehold. He fell
in with a sergeant of the rangers to
whom he told his story. This man had
heard of Governor Livingston's $2,500
reward for Fenton, dead or alive. He
at once went to Major Lee and obtained
permission to take three of the soldiers
and go after Fenton.
A large farm wagon with horses was
procured, two barrels were set in front,
and a lot of hay was placed in the
body. The three soldiers with loaded
79 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
and cocked muskets by their sides, were
ordered to lie down behind the barrels,
and were covered over with the hay,
so that they could not be seen, and
were instructed that when they heard
the sergeant strike his foot against the
barrel, they were to rise up and shoot
any person, whom the sergeant had his
pistol pointed at. Two bottles filled
with applejack were also procured, one
the sergeant placed in his pocket; the
other he gave to VanMater to carry.
He also took off his uniform and dress-
ed himself in an old suit borrowed from
a farmer. A board was placed across
the two barrels, and, with two loaded
pistols under his coat, the sergeant
took his seat by VanMater on this
board. The whole rig resembled the
usual teams or wagons of the farmers
going after salt to the Shark River
salt works. VanMater was directed to
drive to the place where the robbers
had attacked him. They reached the
spot early in the afternoon but found
no one there.
The sergeant then ordered VanMater
to drive on a slow walk down the road
leading to the Shark River salt works.
This he did, and when they had gone
about two miles, a hoarse call came
from the woods to "Halt." Out strode
the robber chief, a cocked rifle in one
hand and a big horse pistol in the other,
and another in his belt. He was still
under the influence of liquor and more
reckless than usual. Addressing Van-
Mater with a vile oath, said "After the
licking you got, how dare you show
your rabbit face around here?" Then,
noticing the barrels, he asked "Have
you got any rum in them bar'ls?" "I
have got some in a bottle," replied
VanMater. "Hand it out dam quick,
then," commanded Fenton, "or I'll blow
your head off." The young man passed
the bottle to him; he put his pistol back
in his belt, let the butt of his rifle drop
to the ground, and seizing the bottle,
raised it to his mouth. As the rum
gurgled down his throat, the sergeant
gave the signal, and fired his pistol at
the broad breast of the desperado, who
was only three or four feet from him.
The ball struck him and he turned half
around, letting the bottle fall, and made
an effort to raise his rifle. At this
moment the three soldiers, who had
risen, fired, blowing off the top of his
head. A few seconds later, the report
or a gun was heard off in the woods.
Thinking it was a signal, and that the
gang might attack them from the
thickets, they threw the corpse of the
robber into the wagon and started back
on a run towards the Court House.
They reached there without any moles-
tation; and great was the rejoicing
when the news of Fenton's death went
over the county. I suppose Governor
Livingston paid the $2,500 reward to
these soldiers for killing Fenton. There
ought to be records in the State House
at Trenton to show this and who they
were. It would be interesting to know
their names.
At all events William VanMater did
more for the people of Monmouth when
he effected the slaying of this arch
fiend of the pines than his three cousins
ever did for the Royal side. The many
stories told generation after generation
about the three VanMaters who joined
the army of King George, and fought
against their own kinsmen, has also
added to the popular belief, that the
whole family were the worst kind of Tories.
Such tales grow and are exaggerated
each generation. Great injustice and
wrong has in this way been done to
the VanMaters, who, as a rule, have
been conscientious and honorable men,
and have contributed much by their
industry and ability, to the agricul-
tural progress of Monmouth county,
particularly in introducing blooded and
fast horses and other stock.
As a great writer has said:
"Rashly, nor oft-times truly, doth man pass
judgment on his brother ;
For he seeth not the springs of the heart, nor
heareth the reasons of the mind.
And the World is not wiser than of old, when
justice was meted by the sword.
When the spear avenged the wrong, and the
lot decided the right.
When the footsteps of blinded innocence were
tracked by burning ploughshares
And the still condemning water delivered up
the wizard to the stake ;
For we wait, like the sage of Salamis. to see
what the end will be,
Fixing the right or the wrong, by the issues
of failure or success.
Judge not of things by their events : neither of
character by providence ;
And count not a man more evil, because he is
more unfortunate
For the blessing of a little covenant, lie not in
the sunshine of prosperity,
But pain and chastisement, the rather show
the wise Father's love."
[Error:- Substitute "better" for
"little" before "covenant."]
Now I have seen an account, coming
from the patriotic side, of a raid into
Monmouth county. by a part of the
brigade under Cortland Sknner. [sic] The
three VanMaters served under him and
were probably in this raid. This ac-
count says: "It is acknowledged
their favor that they behaved remark-
80 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
ably well to the persons of our people."
There was a wide difference between
these regular troops under reputable
officers, and the whale boatmen from
Long Island, the mongrel crew from
the Refugee camp on Sandy Hook, and
the bandits of the pines.
This story is given as an item of news
fresh from Monmouth county, in the
issue of the New Jersey Gazette "of
June 27, 1781. (See files of this news-
paper in the State Library):
"On Thursday last a body of 1,000
men, New Levies, British, and foreign
troops, under command of Cortland
Skinner, made an incursion into Mon-
mouth county. They arrived at Pleas-
ant Valley about 11 o'clock a. m. The
militia by this time were beginning to
collect, and a pretty severe skirmishing
was kept up the remainder of the day,
in which our people behaved with great
spirit.
"They began their retreat about sun-
down, and made no halt till they got to
Garrett's Hill, where they continued
during the night. During the night one
of our gallant officers made a descent
upon them and rescued a number of
stolen sheep.
"The next day they embarked again.
They have taken off 40 cattle, 60 sheep,
with loss of one man killed, and a
number deserted. Their loss in wounded
is unknown.
"Loss on our side. 1 killed, 3 or 4
wounded.
"They burned two houses, but it is
acknowledged in their favor that they
behaved remarkably well to the persons
of our people. By their coming out in
such force it was expected their aim
was to have penetrated further into the
county. To prevent which the militia
of the neighboring counties were called
upon, and it was truly surprising to
see with what spirit and alacrity they
flew to arms, and were crowding down
from every quarter to the assistance of
their brethren on this occasion, when
accounts of the hasty retreat of the
enemy, rendered their further services
unnecessary."
This was evidently a foraging party
after beef and mutton from Staten Is-
land or New York city, but it was a
very strong force for our militia of
Middletown township to fight, and com-
pel them to retreat.
=============================
ESCAPES OF DANIEL AND CHRINEYONCE
VANMATER, ROYALISTS.
-THE PINE ROBBERS OF MONMOUTH.
There are also two stories told of
Daniel and Chrineyonce VanMater, re-
peated generation after generation,
during the long winter evenings around
the firesides in many of our farm
houses; and these tales have added to
the belief that all the VanMaters were
devoted Royalists. As has already
been stated, Daniel and his brother
Hendrick (Harry), were born and raised
on the farm, near the Old Scots bury-
ing ground, only it included more of
the adjacent lands. These and other
lands belonging to them were confis-
cated and sold under the executions
aforesaid. After serving in the New
Jersey Royal Volunteers, or "Greens,"
a year or two, Daniel became very anx-
ious to see his sister Catharine, who was
then unmarried and kept things to-
gether at the homestead. He accord-
ingly came over from Staten Island
one night in the fall of 1778, and man-
aged to reach his old home undetected.
Next day one of the young negroes
thoughtlessly mentioned to a patriotic
neighbor that "Mar's Dan'l was home."
This news flew all over, and along in
the afternoon a part of light horse-
men surrounded the hiuse and cap-
tured Daniel VanMater. He was al-
lowed to mount one of his horses, and
surrounded by armed horsemen, was
escorted to Freehold to be lodged in
jail. They reached the court house
about dusk, and rode into the yard
which was in front, and then inclosed
by a stout and high board fence. A
sentinel was placed at the gate while
they awaited the coming of the sheriff,
who happened to be away. Thinking
that their prisoner, who still sat on his
horse, was entirely safe within this
yard, they paid but little attention to
him. VanMater gradually walked his
horse over close to the court house, so
that the whole width of the yard was
between him and the front fence. It
was now quite dark, when VanMater
suddenly started his horse on a dead
run for the front fence, which is said
to have been fully six feet high. His
+++++++++++++++++++
Photo:
JOSEPH C. VAN MATER
Son of Chrineyoncee and Eleanor VanMater,
who freed 100 negro slaves.
+++++++++++++++++++
81 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
horse, accustomed to the fox chases of
those days, leaped like a deer, and went
over that fence like a bird. It was a
wonderful jump, and done so quickly
in the gloom of evening, that before the
light horsemen could recover from their
astonishment, the rapid beat of his
horse's hoofs was heard on a dead run
going down the road, and 'his wild
whoop of triumph sounded through the
darkness. They knew it was hopeless
to follow him on his blooded horse, and
so VanMater escaped, and was never
afterwards seen in Monmouth county.
The whole county rung with his daring-
jump and escape, and the story has
been told over and over down to this
day.
Another well authenticated story is
told of Chrineyonce VanMater, who is
said to have carried on the mills at the
place now known as Taylor's Mills, in
Atlantic township. He had a slave
called Tommy, who was very faithful
and of whom he thought a great deal,
and made careful provision for his
comfortable maintenance in his old age.
A small party of militia was sent to
arrest him, but Tommy saw them be-
fore they reached the house, and gave
him warning when the party was
about a quarter of a mile away.
Chrineyonce at once mounted one of
his best horses, and started down the
road which led to the Refugee camp on
Sandy Hook. Among the militia was a
resident of Colts Neck, and a bitter
personal enemy of Chrineyonce. He
was mounted on a very fine and fast
horse, and armed with a sabre and
pistols.
As soon as the militiamen discovered
that their "bird had flown." they start-
ed in pursuit, for VanMater was not
over a quarter of a mile ahead of them.
When they reached Ogbourn's corner
without gaining on him they all gave
up the chase, except the Colts Neck
man, who swore he would have him or
his corpse. Brandishing his sabre and
striking his horse now and then with
the flat side, he kept right on in Van-
Mater's track, for he intended to cut
him down or shoot him. They passed
through Middetown village like a flash,
but when VanMater began to mount the
high hill, which lies east of the inter-
section of the Red Bank road with the
road from Middletown to the High-
lands, he discovered that his horse was
showing signs of distress. Chrineyonce
was a large, heavy man, resembling
physically his maternal grandfather.
and was noted for his great bodily
strength, but his great weight was tell-
ing on his horse. When he reached the
top of the hill and looked back, he saw
his pursuer was now gaining on him,
and not over 500 yards behind him.
flourishing his sabre and showing in
every move his deadly purpose. Just as
Chrineyonce passed over the crest of
the hill, he met a boy on a fine horse
with a bag of meal in front, coming
towards him. Riding close up to him
he caught him by the collar, and lifted
him off of the horse, at the same time
tossing off the bag of meal. He at
once changed horses and went on a run
towards Sandy Hook. When the Colts
Neck man reached the top of the hill
and saw VanMater skimming away on
a fresh horse, he swore many bitter
oaths, but gave up the chase. Chriney-
once reached Sandy Hook, and from
there went to New York and joined Col.
Lawrence's battalion of the New Jersey
Royal Volunteers, and for this the sec-
ond execution on page 99, Book A of
Executions, in clerk's office, was per-
haps issued against him. His father,
however, in his will, made provision
that Chrineyonce's children should have
what he left, if there was any likeli-
hood of confiscation. This last execution
was not recorded until February 4, 1784.
Gilbert VanMater seems also to have
been on the patriotic side. The follow-
ing news item appears in the June 14,
1780, number of the New Jersey Gazette,
then printed and published at Trento, N. J.
Extract from a letter from Monmouth
Co. of June 12:
"Ty, with his party of about 20 Blacks and
Whites last Friday afternoon, took and carried
oil Prisoners, Capt. Barnes Smoek and Gilbert
VanMater. at the same time spiked up the iron
four pounder at Capt. Smock's house, but took
no ammunition. Two of the artillery horses
and two of Capt. Smock's horses were taken
off. The above mentioned Ty is a negro who
bears the title of Colonel, and commands a
motly crew at Sandy Hook."
Although this is a brief notice, it
involves quite a long explanation in
order to understand it. Tye, who was
a mulatto, and a runaway slave, was
acquainted with all the bypaths and
woods in this part of Monmouth. He
had led his men through the woods, and
by unfrequented paths, and had taken
Capt. Smock by surprise. The spiking
of the cannon was to disable the gun
and prevent an alarm.
It has often been asked, why the
Sandy Hook Marauders and the Pine
Robbers passed by the rich and fertile
farms around Shrewsbury and Eaton-
town villages, so much nearer to them,
and went to a more distant region like
82 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
Colts Neck and Pleasant Valley.
The reason was that this was the
very heart of Monmouth county, where
the most active and resolute patriots
lived. Around Shrewsbury they were
lukewarm, to say the least. This Pleas-
ant Valley region was known among
the Tories of Monmouth as the "Hor-
nets' Nest," a name given at a later
date to the Democracy of the old town-
ship of Middletown. Capt. Barnes
Smock lived on the farms where Charles
Lloyd lived, and the one now owned by
the children of John J. Crawford, de-
ceased, lying on the north side of Hop
Brook and west of the road from Holm-
del village to the bridge over this
stream. This last farm was afterwards
owned and occupied by his son Barnes.
In Stryker's book, "Officers and Men
of New Jersey in the Revolutionary
War," he is described as Capt. Barnes
Smock of an artillery company. The
other Barnes Smock was captain of a
light horse company. The last Barnes
Smock was often called "Leggy" Barnes
on account of his long legs, for he was
a man of great size. They were both
designated as captains during the Rev-
olution. On the tombstone of the last
Capt. Barnes Smock in Lefferts-Logan
graveyard, his name is inscribed "Col.
Barnes J. Smock."
The residence of Capt. Smock near
Hop Brook was the rallying place for
the Middletown patriots to meet. A
circle of about four miles drawn
around, with Capt. Smock's dwelling
as the center, would take in the greater
part of the most active and zealous of
the patriots in old Middletown town-
ship. This region was well called the
"Hornets' Nest," for their stings meant
death to the Tories. The four pounder
was placed here, and used as a signal
gun. On any ordinary day or night,
the boom of this cannon could be heard
for miles around. The Schancks, Hen-
dricksons, VanDorns, Smocks, Hyres,
Holmeses, and Covenhovens, through
Pleasant Valley could hear it. The
Hulsarts, (Hulses), VanKirks, Wyckoffs,
DuBoises, VanCleafs, Covenhovens and
Schancks who lived in the vicinity of
old Brick Church could hear the report.
So the boom went westward among
the Strykers, VanSicklens (Sickles),
Wyckoffs, Voorheeses. VanDerveers and
Conovers, living through what is now
Marlboro township. It went roaring
southward to the Scobeyville and Colts
Neck neighborhoods, among the Van-
Brunts, VanDerveers, Lefferts, Bennetts,
VanSutphens, Polhemuses, Conovers and
VanSchoicks. The report of this four
pounder was a notice to all. that the
enemy was making a raid somewhere
in Middletown township. Every man
among the associated patriots seized his
rifle or musket, swung his powder horn
and bullet pouch over his shoulders and
often barefooted and in his shirt sleeves
would spring on his horse, and ride as
fast as the horse could run, over to
Capt. Smock's house. Therefore, even
in the middle of the night, if a scout
brought word to Capt. Smock that the
enemy was landing from their boats at
ilatawan creek, Navesink, Shoal Har-
bor creek (now Port Monmouth), or on
the Middletown side of the Shrewsbury
river, the cannon was fired. In a few
minutes, from all around, armed men
would come, riding in on horseback,
and at once a troop was formed to meet
the coming raiders, sometimes by am-
bush, and sometimes by a wild tornado
charge on horseback. This explains the
swiftness with which the many raids of
the enemy were met and repulsed, al-
though the newspapers of that time do
not report one-fourth of the fights,
skirmishes, and raids through this part
of Monmouth. The rich farms with
their cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, and
well stocked cellars, smokehouses and
barns, constantly attracted the Refu-
gees from Sandy Hook, foraging par-
ties from Staten Island, the crews from
the British transports and men of war
in the Lower bay, who craved fresh
provisions like chickens, milk, butter,
etc., after their long voyage across the
ocean, living on salt provisions. The
spiking of this four pounder by Tye
and his gang was a serious matter, and
so was the kidnapping of Capt. Barnes
Smock with Gilbert VanMater, who
doubtless helped him load and dis-
charge this cannon.
The people of this vicinity were well
called "Hornets." and Col. Tye knew
enough not to bring them about his
ears, for he got safely back to Sandy
Hook with his two prisoners and four
horses. Only two or three years prev-
ious the people of this vicinity were
slow moving, good natured, kind heart-
ed farmers, as many of their descen-
dants, who still live on these lands, are
today. They had no military training,
and knew nothing of war or camp life,
but were men of peaceable lives and
kindly deeds.
After three years of war had passed
these quiet and hospitable farmers had
become a stern faced, haggard band of
desperate men. In that time many of
them had fathers, brothers, or sons,
who had starved to death in the British
prisons of New York. Others, who had
83 EARLY DUTCH SETTLERS OF MONMOUTH.
skeletons, and told horrible and ghast-
ly tales of Cunningham's brutality, of
slow, lingering death, with insults and
cruelties superadded to embitter the
dying hour. When they heard these
things, they thought it was easier to
die fighting, than to suffer death by
inches amidst such horrors.
Others of them had seen a father,
brother, or son suddenly shot down
while at work in his field by a hidden
assassin in an adjoining thicket.
Others again had seen a father, while
working near his home to provide for
wife and children, suddenly shot down,
and then bayonetted before the eyes of
his horror-struck wife and terrified
children. Others again had come home
from the battles of Brandywine. Ger-
mantown, or other scenes of conflict,
and found their wives and daughters
dishonored and gibbering idiots, their
stock gone, and often their houses and
outbuildings burned to the ground.
While these outrages cannot be
charged on the Regulars, British and
Royal American troops under honorable
officers, yet they can be on many of the
whale-boatmen from Long Island, the
Refugees on Sandy Hook, and the out-
laws of the pines. These wrongs and
sufferings had changed the quiet farm-
ers of Pleasant Valley, into a band of
fierce and desperate men to whom fight-
ing became a joy, if he could only kill,
and kill, and kill these demons who
had wrecked his life. Col. Asher
Holmes' regiment was made up prin-
cipally of these farmers, and, at the
battle of Germantown, they stood and
held their ground after the regular
troops had twice broke and run. *
______________
* See letter from Col. Asher Holmes to his
wife, written after the battle of Germantown.
and published in Monmouth Democrat. Asher
Holmes was a native of the old township of
Middletown, and a farmer by occupation. He
was the first sheriff of Monmouth county under
our republic, a staunch patriot, a brave man.
and a good officer, although he had no mil-
itary education or training.
The following extracts are from entries in
an old Bible, much dilapidated, mouse eaten,
and torn, now in possession of Asher H.
Holmes, his great grandson, who resides on the
Tylee Schanck homested in Marlboro township:
"John Watson and Hope Taylor, joyned in
Bonds of Holy Matrimony ye 15th of Decem-
ber, in the year of our Lord, 1737-8." (1738).
Then follows births of three children by this
marriage, but names are torn off. On the next
page, (first entry) :
"Asher Holmes and Sarah Watson were mar-
ried on Thursday, 21st day of February, 1771."
Then follow births of several sons and
daughters, and, finally:
"Asher Holmes departed this life June 20,
1808, aged 68 yrs., 4 mo., and 4 da. Sarah
Holmes, widow of Asher Holmes, departed this
life Sept. 11, 1830."
Then follow two entries, copied from some
other records, as follows:
"Sarah Salter, daughter of Samuel Holmes,
died January 14, 1757."
"Samuel Holmes departed this life February
20, 1760."
I understand that Col. Asher Holmes is
buried in the yard of the Baptist church at
Holmdel village, but I have never made a per-
sonal examination of this cemetery. Asher
Holmes Conover, who owned and occupied a
farm in the township of Freehold, about a
mile and a half from Old Tennent church, and
who died last spring, and his brother, Peter H.
Conover, who also owns a farm in this same
vicinity, are great grandsons of Col. Asher
Holmes.
____________________
This, too, after marching all day and
the preceding night, and going into
battle without rest or food. The militia
of Somerset county, and Monmouth had
come under the eyes of General Lafay-
ette, and he remarked that "for cool-
ness and bravery they exceeded all his
expectations of the militia."
But it had required a baptism of fire,
misery and wrong for three years, to
stir up their quiet blood and easy na-
ture, and bring them up to this pitch of
savage desperation and wild fury. Gil-
bert VanMater and others of this name
on the patriotic side had endured and
suffered with the rest, and therefore,
I contradict the current story, which
has so long been told, that all the Van-
Maters were Royalists.
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