[POPULATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF PEENPACK.]
MANNER OF LIVING, ETC., DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, AND FOR SOME YEARS THEREAFTER.
The second generation came on the stage of action and were married and had their farms granted to them in the intervening time between the French and Revolutionary wars, and commenced their business transactions when this part of our country was in a more thriving condition than it ever had been, in consequence of the circulation of a paper currency, which had become plentiful, and farmers made money faster than at any previous time; but when the scale turned by its depreciation, its previous value was lost, which, together with the destruction the enemy made in the war, greatly reduced the property of the inhabitants.
[In 1777,] three forts were built in this neighborhood: one at the house of Esq. Depuy was vacated the 13th October, 1778, on which day the enemy invaded this neighborhood and burned this house, fort and other buildings of Depuy, in consequence of which all the inhabitants of this neighborhood were collected in the fort at Gumaer's and in Fort De Witt, to wit:
At Gumaer's the following families:
| Whole No. | |
| Philip Swartwout's, Esquire, which, after the death of himself and two oldest sons by the enemy, consisting of his step-mother, his widow, three sons, a son's wife and daughter, two slaves and an insane man | 10 |
| Capt. Abraham Cuddeback's, which consisted of himself and wife, four sons, two daughters, a nephew and brother, and three slaves | 13 |
| Harmanus Van Inwegen's, Esq., consisted of himself and wife, seven sons, two daughters, a brother and five slaves | 17 |
| Benjamin Cuddeback's were himself and wife, four sons, two daughters, a brother and two slaves | 11 |
| Jacob D. Gumaer's was himself and wife, two sons, five daughters and two slaves | 11 |
| Peter Gumaer's, himself and wife, two sons and one slave | 5 |
| Ezekiel Gumaer's, his father, himself and wife, a son and one other boy and one slave | 6 |
| Thomas White and wife | 2 |
| Mathew Terwilliger's, himself, wife, six sons and three daughters | 11 |
| John Wallace's, himself, wife, one son and one daughter | 4 |
| Average number of soldiers during nine months in each year, about | 8 |
| 12 | |
| 23 | |
| 63 | |
| Amount | 98 |
| Benjamin Depuy, Esq.'s, family were in this fort about one year. It consisted of himself, wife, three sons, three daughters and seven slaves | 15 |
| Whole number that year | 113 |
| At Fort De Witt were the following families: Capt. Jacob E. De Witt's, which were himself, wife, three sons, six daughters and four slaves | 15 |
| Moses Depuy's, himself, wife, two sons and two slaves | 6 |
| Whole number | 21 |
| Samuel Depuy's, himself, wife, two sons and one slave | 5 |
| Elias Gumaer's, himself, wife, four sons, two daughters and two slaves | 10 |
| Abraham Cuddeback's, himself, wife, four sons and one slave | 7 |
| Average number of nine month's soldiers about | 12 |
| Jonathan Pierce's family and a few other individuals may have been in this fort 10 in number | 10 |
| 44 | |
| 21 | |
| Amount | 65 |
| Esq. Depuy's family were in this fort during a part of the year, 15 in number | 15 |
| Whole number | 80 |
There were some children born in both forts, which are not included.