John (1) had five sons: John, Peter, Christopher, Henry and William (the latter is the only one of this generation now living).
Henry (1), who lived in the old homestead just south of John, had four sons: John, Abraham, James and Thomas.
The above information comes from Mr. William Stimis, now 87 years of age, a grandson of Christopher. His memory is clear and he is quite certain of his facts.
While the first Stimis did not keep a tavern in the ordinary sense, he did know how to brew beer, and for many years the house was a stopping place for thirsty souls. Even as late as the Revolution the brewing of beer was continued, for I am informed that the place was frequented both by Hessians from across the river and by such Continental soldiers as happened in the neighborhood.
HESSIANS BURY LOOT.
There is a story which has been handed down in the Stimis family to the effect that some Hessians, while on this side, were hard pressed by a superior force of Americans, and in their haste to get away were compelled to bury certain treasure or loot of some sort in the field back of the Stimis house, toward Washington avenue. This treasure has been dug for within my own recollection, but so far as known was never found. The Hessians also left behind in the Stimis house some muskets and a camp kettle which are still in the possession of members of the family.
OLD TWO BOTTLES.
One of the characters of the River road some fifty or more years ago was “General” James or “Old Two Bottles”, as he was more familiarly known. General James was a shoemaker who lived under the bank, two hundred feet or so below the limekiln; in fact at about the spot known to my youth as “the Cedars”, where we boys learned to swim and had our clothes tied in knots to a chant which, as I remember it, went something like this:—
The beef was tough;