It appears that the first emigrants craved title for no more land than what they wanted to occupy, thinking that the mountainous land bordering on it would remain unsold, and that they and their descendants could always get wood from it without paying for the land. This continued so for about sixty or seventy years, when they had to buy it at a higher price than they felt willing to pay for it, for a supply of fuel, fencing, timber, &c. The patentees now saw their mistake, and Jacob Cuddeback at a certain time was censured by his son William for not having included land enough in the patent to cover an additional tract of wood land. The old man, not relishing this, replied, "We all can see the mistake now, when it is too late. You have the same chance I had to provide for your family. See if you will do better."
The descendants of the four pioneers have generally acquired as much territory as was necessary to obtain by the sweat of the brow comfortable livings for their respective families; and not only have they obtained a competency for their livelihood, but a large surplus, which, as the avails of it, have reached all branches of mechanical and other business whatever in our country; and many of their productions, together with the masses of other producers, have been conveyed to European countries. In consequence of which they have been valuable citizens, and have rendered extensive benefits to mankind, from whom, in return, they have received an equal amount of necessary articles and luxuries. The whole annual surplus amount now produced by the fourth and fifth generations of the ancient little neighborhood of Peenpack, must amount in value to many thousands of dollars.
FAMILY OF JACOB R. DE WITT AND WIFE, JANE DEPUY.
They removed from Neponaugh (Napanock), in Ulster county, into the neighborhood of Peenpack about the year 1760. He was a son of Egbert De Witt, of the former place, and she was a daughter of Moses Depuy, of Rochester. He built the old stone and frame house at the Neversink river, and a grist mill near the present aqueduct across the river, and owned the farm he formerly occupied, together with those premises. In the commencement of the Revolutionary War a fort was built contiguous to his house, which has been termed Fort De Witt, [FN] and he was commissioned Captain of a Company of Rangers for guarding this frontier. According to Eager's History, it is satisfactorily ascertained that De Witt Clinton was born in this house. The writer has also been informed by a near neighbor, formerly of the Clinton family, that he was born at that place.
[FN] Fort De Witt was located near the Suspension Bridge which crosses the Neversink river, on the road leading from Port Jervis to Cuddebackville, about one mile south of Cuddebackville. The small house standing (1889) near the present dwelling of Jesse Tillson, is on the foundation of this fort.
The family of Jacob R. De Witt and wife consisted of three sons—Moses (bap. Dec. 12, 1766), Egbert and Jacob, and seven daughters—Mary, Rachel, ____, Margaret, Jane, Hannah and Esther.
Moses had a suitable genius for obtaining scientific knowledge, and an uncommon relish for the same; he also was naturally a very persevering student and of an amiable disposition. His opportunities for obtaining education were small; but he acquired much in view of the disadvantages under which he labored, and far beyond that of any of his contemporaries in this part of our country who had the same opportunities with himself. He became employed as one of the under-surveyors to run the line between the State of New York and Pennsylvania, and afterwards one of the Surveyors to survey the military lands in the State of New York. He died about the age of 27 years, possessed of a very valuable property of unsettled lands in the district of military lands in this State. He and his brother Egbert both died unmarried.
Youngest son, Jacob, removed from this neighborhood before he arrived to manhood.