The VanDervoort Family

NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: J. Percy Crayon, Rockaway Records of Morris County, N. J. Families, (Rockaway, N.J., Rockaway Publishing Co., 1902)

A California correspondent wrote me that one Peter VANDERVOORT, a Revolutionary soldier, was buried at the Rockaway Cemetery, and gave the location as near as he could remember, but that there was no monumental record of the same. On further inquiry I found that tradition had associated him as a "Skinner" and of the same company of PAULDING, VANWART, and WILLIAMS, the captors of Major ANDRE as every school boy can tell, and would have been on patrol, had it been his night out. All these traditions might have been woven in a very pretty story, and possibly no contradictions, as Peter had been dead over seventy years, and the incidents transacted about 120 years.

Now if Peter was a Revolutionary soldier, he could not have been a "Skinner", the lawless Americans who patrolled the neutral grounds of Rockland and Westchester counties and along the Hudson river, more for plunder than patriotism, as the "cowboys" did on the British side. For more particulars of "cowboys" and "skinners" see Irving’s Life of Washington.

Perhaps his name might have been among the fifty thousand furnished by the State of New York in the Revolution, but it was not there. Perhaps PAULDING, VANWART, and WILLIAMS were "skinners" but not so, they were regularly enlisted men on duty of patrol. These questions placed me in communication with Mr. J. C. L. HAMILTON, a descendent of Alexander HAMILTON, an able historian from Westchester county, and one familiar by research of these famous neutral grounds, and a special inquiry from Adjt. Gen. W. S. STRYKER, of Trenton. Perhaps the school boy may know more of the captors of Maj. ANDRE, if I may quote here from HAMILTON in his "Poverty and Patriotism on the Neutral Grounds" and why history mentions only three of the seven captors of ANDRE.

"The capture of Major John ANDRE gave these Neutral Grounds the proud distinction of producing the first medal of honor presented to soldiers of the republic. Three alone of the seven, which composed this small band of patriots, were awarded a medal inscribed "Fidelity." John PAULDING, Isaac VANWART, David WILLIAMS, Isaac SEE, James ROMER, John YERKS, John DEAN, Sergeant.

These captors, in accordance with an agreement, sold the watch, horse, saddle and bridle taken from Major ANDRE and made equal division of the proceeds between the seven, after which they all contributed an equal amount toward defraying the expense of one of their number to Philadelphia in order to lay the importance of the services rendered before Congress, with the expectation that all of them would be suitably rewarded. The member entrusted with this mission, after arrival in Philadelphia, came in contact with a member of Congress from the State of New Jersey, said to be not very friendly to the cause of independence, who, learning the particulars of the capture, advised that no mention of the four additional members should be made, for fear that Congress would refuse to grant any reward."

Adjt. Gen. STRYKER finds Peter C. VANDERVOORT a private and minute man in the Bergen County, NJ Militia, also the names of Garrett and Cornelius were brothers of Peter P. VANDERVOORT. Now Garrett and Cornelius were brothers of Peter P. VANDERVOORT, as the Bible records give the name. The Bergen county militia operated more or less upon the Neutral Grounds of the Hudson, the home of the VANDERVOORTS.

Garrett, it is related, was sent home on sick furlough with many from his company, from the fact, as was afterward ascertained, of having eaten too much bread made from the flour purchased on these Neutral Grounds that contained a large percentage of stone that had been ground and mixed in the flour making it indigestible. It was a very mean trick and drew the line on which side of the Neutral fence the miller belonged.

Cornelius VANDERVOORT, soon after the Revolution came to Rockaway; was a carpenter by trade, and worked seventy-seven days in the rebuilding of the old Presbyterian Church at Rockaway, under Contractor Job ALLEN in 1794. He must have been a very sober and industrious man, and a good workman, as Job ALLEN only worked eighty-three and one-half days, while a score or more employed worked a far less number and one but half a day. One of the daughters of Cornelius married and lived at Rockaway. I have no further records of Garrett or Cornelius. There was a Garrett and Cornelius who lived near Warwick, NY, but upon inquiry no relationship was claimed to our Peter P. Mention is made of one Michael a probable brother, who married Martha LEAMAN, and had children: Paul, Michael, John, Jonas, Peter, Elizabeth, Martha and Hannah. I will leave this branch for the work of some future historian to unravel. Further researches find the old stone house, now standing near the Ponoma station, as the home of the VANDERVOORTS.

Peter P. VANDERVOORT, Holland Dutch descent, as the name implies, and old traditions relate, was born in Rockland county, New York, Nov. 25, 1753, and married Phebe, daughter of William Coe, about 1773. She was born Sept. 13, 1755, and a part of the children were born in Rockland county. Soon after the Revolution the family located on the "Billiy Scott" farm about a mile above Hibernia, and from thence removed to the Coperas Mine near Green Pond, at which place he died about 1830. It is related that his wife died soon after while on a visit to her daughter Nelly’s at Edenville, NY, and was buried at Warwick, NY, but no trace or monumental record confirms it, as she would have been buried in the Dusenberrie plot where her daughter and some of the children are buried.

Children: William, born May 26, 1774, married and went to Berne, Albany county, NY, May 23, 1793, and from thence removed to Louisiana, and was never heard from. There are numerous descendents at St. Louis, MO.

Ellenor, or Nelly, born Nov. 22, 1776, married Daniel C. DUSENBERRIE, lived at Edenville, Orange county, NY, died Mar. 11, 1835, and buried at Warwick, NY.

Peter, born May 22, 1779, married a VREELAND and lived at Macoupin, Passaic county, NJ. He had a daughter who also married a VREELAND, and a son William, who married a JACOBUS and removed to Akron, Ohio, and from thence to Prarie du Sac, Wis.

Garrett, born Aug. 25, 1781, married Magdaline LOSEY Jan. 5, 1802, was in the 1812 war, and killed at the burning of Toronto, Canada, by the Americans in 1813.

Hannah, born May 27, 1784, married George LINKLETTER, perhaps the only one of that name in the United States, lived at Edensville,NY. Had children: John, who married and removed to Woodland Centre, Berry County, Mich; James, married Jane HALSTEAD, and went to Painted Post, Chemung County, NY, Charles, Caroline, Sarah, Mary Alice and Phebe. Charles and Sarah are still living at an advanced age.

Elizabeth, born April 10, 1791, married Edmund RAYMOND and went to Niagara County, NY.

Phebe, born Dec. 16, 1793, married Beaman, son of George STICKLE, of Rockaway, Mar. 28, 1818, removed to Cottage Grove, Wis. He was born Apr.10, 1794, died July 5, 1884.

Samuel, born Jan. 1, 1797, married a DURYEA, who died 1842 and was buried at Rockaway near the grave of Peter P. VANDERVOORT.

Daniel C. DUSENBERRIE, of Edenville, NY, was a soldier in 1812 war, a private in Capt. Austen’s Company and did service at Long Island. He married (2) Phebe MILLS, June 27, 1838. She was a daughter of John and Cleo (WINES) MILLS, who at one time owned the farm and mills at Ninkey where J. Andrew CASTERLINE resides. He was so well pleased with his first wife who came from Morris County that it was quite natural that he should get his second wife from Morris County. All buried at Warwick Cemetery, NY.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)