John W. Eaton (see civil list) is a descendant of Robert, who came to the town, shortly after the Revolution. Robert had sons, John, William, Robert, and Samuel. There was also an Alexander in the town of about the same generation as Robert's sons, who had a son Thomas. John, the eldest son of Robert, had two sons, Gabriel and Daniel H. The latter during the later years of his life, owned the former David Moore farm now owned by William Creeden, in Wawayanda, where he died. Gabriel, during the later years of his life retired from active life to Unionville, where he owned property and where he died. There seems to have been a James Eaton in the town contemporary with Robert. Their farms constituted what was called Eatontown.
Charles Durland of Long Island settled near Bushville in this town prior to 1800, and it is probable that Moses came into the town soon after he did. Moses lived and died in the town, but Charles bought land, about a mile and a half south of Ridgeberry, where he made a permanent settlement and died there. Thomas T., Steward T., Daniel and Addison were sons of Charles. Steward T. and Daniel became residents of Greenville (see civil list). Garret, John and George A. Durland, descendants of Moses, also resided in Greenville. George A. and Steward T. were justices of the peace for many terms in the town (see civil list). Addison settled near Westtown where he died. Thomas T. Durland succeeded to the old homestead near Ridgeberry, and later in life bought the former Phineas Howell farm near Slate Hill, where he died. His widow (whose father, George Jackson, in his lifetime owned the farms now owned by William Ralston, of the lower road) and son George, and daughters Alice L. and Etta H., now reside on the Slate Hill homestead; while a son, Charles, resides in Middletown and a daughter, Elizabeth Van Orden, lives in Pompton Lakes.
John, Joseph and Hiram Manning were early settlers in the town. Joseph's children were Joseph, Jr., John, Isaac, Richard, Walter, Benjamin, Mrs. Isaac Finch, Mrs. E. Hurlbut, Mrs. John Ferguson. Hiram Manning at one time owned the grist, saw and cider mills at Millsburg. His son, John R. Manning, resides in Gardnersville in Wawayanda, and the latter's son, Hiram, Jr., is in business in Johnsons.
Abraham Elston was a very early settler in the town and many of his descendants are still in it.
Harvey H., Alfred, W. L. and W. W. Clark (see civil list) were descendants of the David Clark mentioned in a sketch of the family in the town of Minisink.
Under an old school law teachers were formerly licensed by town superintendents which prevailed up to 1856. Geo. A. Durland held the office of superintendent for some time. Samuel S. Graham was elected to the position in 1856, but the law was repealed that year and he was never sworn into office.
CHURCHES.
The Baptist Church of Greenville was incorporated January 27th, 1816, and was supplied by the pastors of Brookfield church until July 31st, 1822, when the church was dedicated as a separate one. It was constituted by thirty-one members. Elder Zelotes Grenell preached the sermon, August 3d. That year twenty-three more members were set off from the Brookfield church to it. Elder Henry Ball was pastor for eleven years. Elder D. Bennet supplied it from Unionville for four years. W. H. Jurton, D. Benett, C. Brinkerhoff and Joseph Haughwout supplied it to 1848. Rev. Stephen Case became pastor of it in May, 1848, and continued there to his death in 1895. It was said of him that he married and buried probably more Orange and Sussex County people than any other minister has. He was a son of John and Mary (Mead) Case. The father is alleged to have come from New England, while his mother was a daughter of Ebenezer Mead of near Waterloo Mills in Minisink. John and Mary (Mead) Case had four sons, Joseph M., E. Inman, John B. and Stephen.
Joseph M. was justice of the peace from 1850 to 1874 in Minisink and held other offices (see civil list). The Case homestead was on the ridge west of Westtown where John died in 1844 and Rev. Ralph Bull preached the funeral sermon. His wife died in 1847. Joseph M. was unmarried. E. Inman died in 1888. He had five sons and one daughter, John, Jr., Joseph, Ira L., Jefferson, Anson and Amelia. Ira L., became a resident of Middletown and was elected school commissioner of the second district of Orange County for a term. John B. studied for the ministry and became a clergyman of much influence. He died in 1886. He had seven children: John B., Jr., Stephen J., Joseph M., Tisdale, Joshua I., Sarah and Flora.
Stephen, son of John, after his primary studies were over, attended and graduated at Madison University in 1840. He began preaching the next year, and supplied the pulpit of the Orange Baptist Church six months. Then he preached for three years in what was called the Broadway Baptist Church, which we incline to think was located near Wykertown in Wantage township, N. J., probably the one built by Job Cosad. In May, 1848, he became pastor of the Mount Salem and Greenville churches. He was then about thirty years old, and he labored there for over sixty years until his death. He was survived by three sons: John E., Joshua, Jr. and Joseph M. Joshua, Jr., is a famous auctioneer residing in Unionville.