heuius, llcndrick Lott, llendrick Hendricks, Jacques
Cortelyou, Denis Tunis, and Cornelius Wyckoff. The
plot extended from the Karitan lot- on the north to a
line running east and west near Six-Mile Bun, and
trout the Mill-tone Liver on the we-t to tin- Indian
path on the east. It was divided into eight part- and
numbered, commencing at the rear of the Raritau
lots, No. 1 was on the north -ide of the Amwell
road : No. L 1 . where the village of Middlebu-h i- . So.
5, where Jacob Wyckoff lives; v.. s, where Peter
Stothoff, Mo,, re Baker, and J. Stoats Nevius reside.
The lines run from the Indian path in a westerly di-
rection a.ro - to the Mill-tone River, making eight
: : IVrll, Amboy Record*, Lib. K, p. SM.
804
SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
divisions. A line was also run from the rear of the
Raritan lots in a southerly course to the distance of
eight miles, ending on Rocky Hill in the neighborhood
of Upper Ten-Mile Run. This was called the " Middle
Line," and on it was laid the road from the present
Middlebush church to the Griggstown road, which
passes by Garret Nevius. This last-mentioned line
divided the tract into sixteen parts, and was settled
upon principally by the purchasers or their descend-
ants.
In 1723, Christian Van Doren bought a plot con-
taining 359 acres north of the Middlebush church.
This tract is now divided into seven farms.
Some time before 1754, John Hoagland had bought
176 acres on the east side of the Millstone River, as
in that year he bought another plot, at the southeast
corner of the first plot, containing 40 acres, of John
Lott, of Long Island ; he paid for this £200. On the
south of John Hoagland's land, in 1791, were lands
of John and Cornelius Wyckoff ; while east of the
40-acre plot was land of John Wyckoff; on the north
was land of John Van Liew ; and next, to the river,
land of John Bennett.
In 1791 the executors of John Hoagland — Wil-
liam and John Hoagland, of Somerset, and Garret
Terhune, of Middlesex — sold both these plots to
Tunis Hoagland. The widow of John was Matje
Hoagland, who gave a quit-claim on her husband's
estate March 9, 1791. Tunis paid £1370 14s. for the
two plots, containing 216 acres.
EARLY SETTLERS, PIONEER FAMILIES, Etc.
These early patentees or land-owners did not by
any means always settle on the tracts which they pur-
chased. Some of them were never in America. The
following family histories are herewith appended, and
show the settlement and development of the actual
population. They are largely condensed from the
family histories collected by the late Hon. Ralph
Voorhees, of Middlebush, and published in " Our
Home" in 1873, and in the New Brunswick Fredonian
in 1874-78 :
On both sides of the Indian path settlements must have commenced
fts early as 1703, when John Van Houten, Tunis Quick.and Dollies Hage-
man, of Ten-Mile Run, Frederick Van Liew, Jacob and Abm. Bennet,
and others of Three-Mile Run, signed a subscription for the purpose of
calling a minister from Holland to supply the congregation of Three-
Mile Run.
In 1701, John Harrison and George Willocks owned a tract, which had
been purchased from the Indians, commencing at or near Rocky Hill, at
the Millstone River, running east-southeast 2 miles; then easterly 3^
miles to a point opposite the house of tho late Samuel Steward ; then
northwesterly to the Raritau lots, and following in their rear to tho Mill-
stone River, and from thence up said river to place of beginning, contain-
ing 17,800 acres. Tho 5-milo lino commencing at Steward's and running
to the rear of tho river-luls is tho one of which our parents used to speak
bo frequently half a century since as causing much violent contention and
litigation. It was settled by a jury summoned for that purpose, and was
thereafter called the Jury-Lino.
John Harrison was an early settlor at Rocky Hill, and in 1717 built
tho first mill on tho Millstone In that place. It stood on the east side of
the river, near tho present one on tho opposite side. It is supposed that
he resided where the old Borrian house standB, in which Gen. Washing-
ton wrote his Farowell Address. Harrison came from Long Island, and
was noted for his enterprise and activity ; be held numerous and import-
ant offices, and was captain and commissary of a company of troops sent
in 1709 by the provincial government to defend our northern borders
from the encroachments of the French. He owned a lot at Somerset
Court-house in 1723, when at Six-Mile Run, and died at Amboy in the
same year.
A certain Grace Harrison was assessed for an acre of land in 1735, lo-
cated in the township of Franklin, at Rocky Hill.
Francis Harrison, supposed to be one of John's sons, succeeded him at
Rocky Hill. He was an excellent writer, and a coroner in Somerset
County in 1729. In the same year he circulated a subscription from
Rocky Hill down the old path to the Raritan, and on both Bides of the
river to Bound Brook, obtaining subscribers to it, to raise money for the
purpose of calling a minister from Holland for the congregation of Three-
Mile Run, of which he seems to have been an active supporter. His father
was an Episcopalian. Francis appears to have had a Bon John, who in
Rov. John Frelinghuysen's time (1752) was a supporter of the old church
of Six-Mile Run w r hile it was located at the brook. The old Indian path
ran through the whole of the upper and a part of the lower section of the
Harrison tract.
THE HAGEMAN FAMILY.*
As early as 1703, Dollies, Denice, Adrian, and Jacobus Hagemen, grand-
sons of Aaron* the emigrant, appear to have located at Six-Mile Run
an^l its viciuity. Adrian married Maria, a daughter of John Meet, whose
lands joined his on the north, purchased land, aud built a houBe where
John Garretson resides, on the Somerset side of the old path. He
had sons — Hendrick, Adrian, Joseph, Simon, Jacobus, and Benjamin —
and daughters, — Gaertie, who married John Manley ; Mary, Adrian
Hageman; and Catharine, Samuel Waldron. He was buriod about 300
yards west of his dwelling, along the line between his and the old Stryker
property, whore his wife, Mary, and others of tho family were also buried.
In his will, proved July 27, 1762, he left his real estate to his sons Ben-
jamin and Simon, — to Benjamin, the parts on which the buildings were ;
to Simon, that part where Henry P. Cortelyou now lives.
Benjamin's first wife's name was Sarah, and they lived on the home-
stead. His children were Mary, who married Jacob Skillman; Jane,
Cornelius Waldron ; and Gertrude, John P. Nevius, who removed to Wes-
tern New York; Adrian, who married Frances Wyckoff and lived and
died at Six-Mile Run; Benjamin (2d), who married Lena Garretson, of
Middlebush.
Simon married Ida Suydam aud moved to Ohio ; William had three
wives, and lived and died at Three-Mile Run; Isaac married Maria Van
Derveer, and lived and died at Uarlingen ; Peter married Nancy Suydam,
lived, owned, and died.on tho homestead. He bad three children, — Sarah,
who lived and died single ; Benjamin, who moved to Dayton, Ohio, and
married there. He was captain of a rifle company raised in Franklin
township, and was a brave officer. Ho was afterwards appointed major of
the Second Battalion, Third Regiment, of Somerset Brigade, commanded
by Col. Barcalow.
Adrian, the first settler, was succeeded on tho homestead by his son
Benjamin, he by his son Peter, he by Abraham Bodine, he by Hoppock,
who enlarged and remodeled tho old house, and he by John Garretson,
who owns and has resided on the property for about twenty years.
The farm of ex-Sheriff Voorhees, lying in the rear of the homestead,
extending to the Middlebush road, and first Bottled on by Ryke Suydam,
then containing 158 acres, was a part of the original Hageman tract.
In 176G, Simon, the son of Adrian, lived in a house built on his half of
the old tract, on tho site now occupied by Honry P. Cortelyou. Although
singular, nothing further has been traced connected with his family or
his children. He was Bucceodod on the place by Benjamin (2d), son of
Benjamin (1st), who married Lena Garretson, of Middlebush, and who
resided on it until his death. He was succeeded by Dr. WilkinB, who
built a new house thereon ; ho by Henry P. Cortelyou, now residing on
the property, who enlarged tho house, improved the outbuildings, and
made many other important changes, among which is tho large and
beautiful lawn with its many green trees, from which it haa been very
appropriately named "Groenlawn Farm."
Aaron Ilngeiuaii came in possession, and owned for a time the rear parts
of tho tract which extended to the Middlebush road, and built on it. It
is now owned by Abraham Voorhees, president of tho State Bank, at Now
Brunswick. Honry Bound owned and lived on a part lying near the
middle of the old tract, which has had the following owners: Adrian
* Aaron Hageman and Catharine, his wlfo, camo from Holland, resided
in New Amsterdam a short time, and then Bottled at Flatbusb in 1GG1.
lie died in IG72.
iftsyjs-vlsn^
Dolis or Dollins, Nyse or Denyse, Adrian, and
Jacobus Hcgeroan, of the Raritans and vicinity of
New Brunswick In 17<i.".. were sons of Denyse and
Liurstia Hegeman, of Flatbush, and grandsons of
Adrian, the emigrant, who came over in 1G50 or 1G51
and settled in Flatbush.
The subject of this sketch is a grandson of Benja-
min Hegeman, and a great-grandson of Adrian liege-
man, who served in the Revolutionary war. The
former occupied the old homestead of the family at,
Six-Mile Hun, where John Garretson now resides.
His first wife, Gertrude, bore him five sons and three
daughters. The sons were Adrian, Benjamin, Peter,
Simon, and William. Ann died aged i-i^l.i. • n
Mary married .Jacob Skillman ; and Jane, Cornelius
Waldron. For a second wife lie married the widow
Sarah Brown, and had a son, Isaac, ami a daughter,
Gertrude, who married John Nevius. He died June
1 I, ISO I, over seven t\ three years of age, and was buried
mi his own farm. Bis firel wife died Feb. *i. 1777.
Benjamin, father of our subject, was born on the
old homestead in 1762. lie married Magdalene,
daughter of Bernarduaand Leah Garretson, in L809,
and bad two BonB, Bernardns (!.. born Jan. ;"). lsio,
died April II, 1864, unmarried, and Benjamin B.
Mr. llagcmaii died Feb. L5, L829, aged sixty-seven.
His wile died April 19, 1^11. Dged forty Veals live
muntlis and twenty -four days.
Benjamin H. Bagcman was born on the north-
eastern half of the old homestead, where Henry P.
Cortelyou now resides, March -. 1812. When two
years of age his mother died, and he was taken to the
old I tarretson homestead at Middlebush, where he now
resides, and which lias been in the possession of the
descendants of that family since Feb. 14, 175G. He
grew up on the farm and attended the common schools
of his day. In February, 1845, be married Jane
Ann, daughter of Samuel V. T. and Catherine
(Smith) Van Wickle, of Middlesex County, and for
sixteen years engaged in farming operations near
Somerville. March 20, 1861, he returned to the
Garretson homestead in Franklin township, erecting
his attractive residence the same year. His barns
were built in 187G-77.
Mr. Bageman is of a quiet and unostentatious
temperament, and. while he has always taken â– deep
interest in events transpiring around him, he has kepi
aloof from the strifes and contentions of public life.
lie is :i Republican in politics, and m member of the
Reformed Church of Middlebush. Be is recognised
as a man of integrity in all the relations of life, and
enjoys the confidence and respect of all. UN chil-
dren are Garretson, a graduate of Rutgers College in
lsi'i.s, residing on the home farm, engaged in survey-
ing and civil engineering and notary ; and Samuel
Van Wickle, born July 13, 1863, and died March 25,
1878, n graduate of Eastman's Business College,
Poughkeepsie, N. V.. in 1 - 7 1
l'KANKI.IX.
BOS
(iBt), his sun Simon, Ufiijamin (2d), Abraham Voorhees, Henry Bound,
on. I Henry P. Oortelyou, now redding oil the homestead port.
BQSNDBIOE PISHBA
Hendriok Finder won born In 1097, In the Palatinate, and emigrated
to this country as a young man. Ho was received Into the church
in 1721, and was soon appointed a deacon, then nn eMer, and con-
tinued an ardent friond of Kov. T. J. BVellngnnysen until lib death.
a m.'i bank by trade, be wai yel a man of more than ordinary Intel-
ligonco and capacity for business. In civil llfo ho was one of tho
moet Influential men of his day. When, on motion of the legislative
bodies of Massachusetts and Ithodo Island, a congress was called to meet
In Now York on the first Tuesday of Octobor, 1705, Hendrick Flahei was
ono of the three men whom Now Jersey sent. He continued to represent
Now Jersey In Congress until tho Declaration of Independence. He re-
dded below Bound Brook, on tho south side of tho river, and tin- home-
stead la now owned by Abraham I. Brokaw, His remains rest In a
family graveyard on his farm, whoro a plain slab bears the following
Inscription: "In memory of Hendrick B1sher,Who departed this life Au-
gust 18th, 1770, In tho 82nd year of his ago."*
"Invontory of tho goods and chatties of the Estate of Hendrik Fisher,
dec 1 , takon by tho British Army In tho months of !'<â– -,, 1776, and on tho
13th of April, 1777, brought in by Jeremiah Fishery Executor of tho
estate of suld Hond. Klsher:
£ «. d.
To 8 milch cows 40
" (ash token "nt of the house ... 10 o o
" S Hulls, four years old 7
" l Steer, five " " 6
" I I lei fore, three " " 12
"6 Steers, two " " tl 6
" 6 '* ono year " 6 16
u 2 milch calves 1 10
" 3 large hogs, weighing about 20O pounds each M 10 o
" 3 stoors, three years old 5 10 0"
THK B0HENCK FAMILY.
The Schencks along the Baritan are descended from Johannes (John),
who camo to this county aboul 1083, He had Ave children, who grow
Dp and were married,— two sons and three dau liters, b follows; 1. Su-
sannah, who married Johannes Johnson; 2. Johannes, born April 30,
1691, died April t, 1729; 8. Peter, married Elisabeth , lived at New-
town, died about 1787 . i Hargaretta, man led John Stryker, died August,
1721 ; r». Cornells, married Charles Derje, Of tho sons, Johannes mar-
ried Maria Lott and hud children,— Johannes, lx>rn Oct. 26, 1715, died
1777; Hendliok, born July 16, 1717, died about January, 17G7; Abraham,
born Aug. 0, 1720, died 170O; Peter, born March 27, 1722; Cornelius,
born Jan. 27, 1721, died Nov. 16, 1711 ; Cathorino, born Jan. 14, 1728, died
April 9, 1703.
Of the children just named, Cathorino married her cousin, Theunlfl
Schonck, son of her father's brother Peter, and th.-y lived on tho old
hoi ii of their great-grandfathei and bad a family of
eight sons and four daughters.
Isaac, it appears, followed tho seas, and probably died young; at least,
hfl left 00 descendants as far as bus been discovered. Cornelius married
Ablgoltio Leflcrti and bad a danghtei Maria, who died when about
twenty. The other font brothers all settled, or at least lived for a time,
along the Haritan and Millstono It 1 vera, at what precise date.-* we STfl un-
able to stato, but probably when young nun. Tbey were there married
and settled In life from 17:i . b. 171 ... One a it Mates Unit tho mill
noxt abovo Millstone (long called Blaokwolle] waa owned by the
Schoncks as early as 1780. If so, It must have been by tho father of
these brothers, as another account, of 174\ speaks of them as "tho
newly-erected mills o1 iiendrick Schonck."
Johanna married, Oct 26, 1746, Neltle Itomson. of Long Zslan
nt what ts dow called Branchvllle, and had there a him, mill,
Be bad but one son, John, b >rn Aug, 3, 1748, died at Baritan Landing,
Aug. 17,1784. This John bad again but one ton, the late John .'., of
BrenouvtUe, and grandfather of the late Rev, John V, N,Schoi
dlod ftl I'oiupton Plains hi Octol-er, 1*71, and with wt i this bran, h in
the male Line has become extinct,
Hendriok married Uagdalena Van Llew, oi Ulddlobosh, li
stone, or Weston, and had a BtOTe and mill. He died shOOl Jan, 1, 17i.7,
ami left three sons and Ave daughters, John n , Henry, Abraham,
Mary, Catlim in.. '. I md Hagdalena. J> dm H. was a colo-
nel in the Revolutionary army, and married, first, Sarah Denton, of New-
berg, and, second, Jane Schenck (or Widow Conover), of Monmouth;
Henry H., the doctor, of Nesbaulc, married Nellie Hardenburgh, and was
< l | - t 1 1 1 l of a troop of light-horse and surgeon during the Revolution;
Abraham married Eva Van Buren, of Millntone, daughter of Dr. Abra-
ham Vjui Buren; Mary married Dr. Lawrence Van Herveer, of Roycc-
Deld; Catherine married Ellas Van Dorveer, father of Dr. Henry Van
of Vamlerstadt, near I'luekamin, whose will was the sub-
ject of so much litigation In the courts of this State; Gertrude married
Gen, Frederick Brelinghnysen; Letitla married Judge Israel Harris,
who was nt one time the owner of the mill at Weston; Magdalcna mar-
ri.-d Mr. I'et.-i I. Sti\k. r,
Abraham, tho brother of Iiendrick, married Elide Van Devoort, and
lived nt Millstone until 1748, when ho removed to Bnshwfck, then to
Fishklll, and died there. Ho had fifteen children,— six sons and nine
daughters; several died young, and some others were unmarried. One
of these son- was Henry, the father of Abraham II. and grandfather of
tho luto Rer. George Schenck, of Bodmlnster.
Peter married Maria Vulkerson, lived near Millstone, and probably
owned both the mills' Bt Weston and Black well's, at which last place he
kept a store, no was one of the first elders of the church of Millet, ne, in
176G,aIsoamemborof tho Provincial Congress. He had three children. A
son, John P., married a Miss Loure.and bad B daughter, Maria, who died
unmarried. Of the daughters, Mary married Archibald Mercer, of New
York, nnd Gertimb- maiii-d a Mr. Ty - n. . f St. Kitts. Archibald Mer-
cer owned and condin-ted the milh after the decease of his father-in-law,
ai-.iit 1800. bTla daughter, Qertrnde, married Gen. John Frelinghuysen;
Ciiarlotf married Tl dore Brelinghnysen, prealdenl of Rutgers Col-
logo, where she hurt lived, and died In April, 1854.
Martin Bchenck, born Feb. 1*. 17:ts, married, first, Juno 7, 17G<), Maria
Conover, of New Utrecht, and second, Henrietta Van Sinderen, of Long
Island. Maria was born Oct 28, 1743. Her children were John, born
March 28, 1761 ; Ann, Urn Jan. 1, 17d, married John M. Bogart; Gar-
ret, Iwrn April 12, 1765, married Catharine Garretson ; Phebo, born Feb.
12,1767, married John Garretson; Martin, born May 9, 1770, married
Margaret, daughtor of Ferdinand Schureman, and lived at Mill-tone;
Sarah, who married, first, Aaron Van Deventor, of Bound Brook, and
second, Joseph Van Doren, of Mlddlebush; BUen, who married Joseph
Annin; and Mary Ann, who married Henry Wilson, a highly esteemed
dtia d ' this county. The sheriff had by his second wife one child,
1-orn March 14, 180*, named Ulp-an Van Siiiden.-n, who in ,1 at fourteen.
Sheriff Martin hud a brother, Johannes, who married, first, Jane Still-
well (whoso daughtor, Sarah J., married Isaac Brokaw, of Bound Brook),
and second, Ann Do Groot.
Opposite the house of Daniel D. S telle, and on the Somerset side of the
Old road, In 17GG, was a tavern kept by Adrian Manley, afterwards by a
Mention, and lastly by a Widow Selover. About 1S10 the property wss
purchased by Dr. Ferdinand 8, s henck,] who purchased adjoining lands
until ho obtained a good-sized farm. In 1818 ho took down the 11
tavern-honse, In which he had resided, and built the one In wbMi b Denial
D. Stollo now resides, with the outbuildings. Tho doctor a short time
before lilt death enlarged and modernized the dwelling-house and brought
it to the coin lit i-ii in which it i- qowj seen,
Till: DB HART FAMILY.
Among tl arly SBtUen along the old Indian path was Cornelius Do
Hart, a son ol Simon De Hart, of Trench origin, who came to this country
i I bOUghl prior to 1673 a farm of about .100 acres at Gowanus,
I.. I. He had sons,— Simon, who remained there; Klyas, who settled in
Honmooth < '<■., N. J.,— also a grandson, Cornelius, who In 1720 settled at
SivMile Kun. Mi
Coi u< litis purchased of tho Indians 210 acres of land, but was compelled
t.. repurchase II Drum the proprietors, paying twloe, therefore, (bi the
- .nn.' pro) 'i t] II" bad - 101 end -ereral daugbten; BOmO of bis sons
died early, EHi sons who lurvtved were OornaUua, Qnlabart, and Abre>
; r the death ol the father, Cornelius owned and lived on iho
rd pari 0( the bud nou In tho possession of Charles Dunham.
rsj nn hid the remaining port, and lived In the house
Which die bthei an ted, and bo which ailditlonaand Improvements hare
been made; it i- the one In whli b John B> Voorheo* and family reside.
One of his daughters, Sarah, mnn hi Boelofl Tnoiheee. grandnither of
Abram D . Ol Ada! . married Jacobus
Dfl Hart.
• Soo Dr. Steele's "Historical Discourse," Dr. Mewler'a "Historical
Notes," Corwln's " Millstone Centennial,'" nnd p. 636 of this work,
t Son of Hondrick.
fjrapfalo account in chapter on the " Medical Profession of
Somerset County," In this work.
806
SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Cornelius located in the woods at the upper forks of the Six-Mile Run.
He was a successful deer-hunter, and his large shot-gun, nearly eight feet
long, has been preserved in the family. With his near neighbors, Simon
Wyckoff, John Yleet, and Adrian Hageman, he signed the paper con-
taiuing the complaint against the Rev. T. J. Frelinghuysen. They be-
longed to the party in the church called the Conference.
Guisbert never married, and lived with his brother Abraham until his
decease. Abraham owned at his death 376 acres, besides HI at Law-
rence's Brook. He married Sarah Van Cleef, daughter of John Van
Cleef, Sr., and died Aug. 21, 1S32, in his seventy-fourth year. Sarah
survived him, and died Oct. 7, 1S44, in her eighty -seventh year. Their
children were John, who married Anna Ayers, and died May 13, 1819, in
his twenty-sixth year; Cornelius, who died Sept. 18, 1S05, aged nine
years and six: months; Moyca, born Aug. 20, 1791, died June 16,1868, mar-
ried Peter P., son of Peter Van Doren, of Millstone, and a grandson of
Christian Van Doren, one of the first settlers of Middlebush.
After the death of Abraham De Hart his heirs scld the Lawrence's
Brook land of 111 acres, leaving the homestead to contain 376 acres,
being the largest old-times farm in the township.
Peter P. Van Doren, the husband of Moyca, died Feb. 16, 1857, in his
seventy-third year, Moyca in her seventy-sixth, after which the estate
was inherited by their daughters, Margaret and Sarah Ann, who, with
John S. Voorhees, the husband of Sarah, have resided on it.
Adjoining the De Hart property on the north, in 1766, nearly opposite
to the house of the present John W. Williamson, across the old path, was
the house of John Pyatt, who appears to have married in one of the
Wyckofi families. He was succeeded on the place by Rynear Merrill,
and he by Isaac Silcocks. At the commencement of the present century
the old house was taken down. The name of Pyatt appears to have be-
come extinct in this section of the country. The Pyatt property is now
owned by Frank Pennel, a house having been erected recently a few
yards north of the old one, in which he resides^
THE CORTELYOU FAMILY.
Jacques Cortelyou (sometimes written Cortilleau) arrived in New Am-
sterdam in 1651 or 1652, with Cornelius Van Werkhoveu, as private tutor
to his children. His wife was Neltje Van Duyn, and both were of French
extraction. His children were Jacques, Peter, Cornelius, Helena, Maria,
and William.
Hendrick (1st), son of the second Jacques, was born April IX, 1711, and
settled on lands owned by his father in 1704, containing 300 acres, situ-
ated on the south of and adjoining the tract of 10,000 acres purchased
by Peter Cortelyou and others of John Harrison in 1701. This 300-acre
tract is at present included in the farms of John Baker, Jr., Daniel
Steele, and Henry Rule, and the church and village lots extending from
the main road at Six-Mile Run to the Middlebush road. Hendrick was
succeeded on the homestead by Rceloff Voorhees, who died thereon in
1811.
Hendrick (2d), Bon of Hendrick (1st), married Antie Coerte Van Voor-
hees, Aug. 3, 1731. He had twelve children, of whom Jacques, Hen-
drick, and Harman lived in Franklin township. Hendrick married Sarah
Stothoff and lived at Ten-Mile Run, and Harman married Catharine
Van Dyke, resided at Thrce-Mile Run, and for some time kept a public-
house in that place.