The lands in the valley continued to be most productive during the first half of the nineteenth century. Substantial stately houses were built. Large barns and out buildings were erected. The thrift and prosperity of the farmers continued. The social life centered about the church and the homes—a broad hospitality prevailed of which the family was the unit.
During the lives of the fifth and sixth generations, conditions have changed materially. The varied pursuits of the twentieth century gives occupation as varied and diverse as their homes are distant from one another and from the ancestral home of the family. The exhaustion of the soil, the attraction of the productive western farm lands, the migration to the cities, all have tended to diminish the population and the representatives of the family throughout this entire region of country. It is a fact, however, more than eighty per cent, of the lands of the Caudebec patent remains today in the possession of owners whose ancestry may be traced to a patentee.
The first attempt to build a grist mill in the valley was made by Jacob Caudebec and his sons, near the Caudebec stone house. The small run of water over the steep declivity just east of the house furnished the power, the rough stone blocks, the mill stones, were obtained from the Indians. Grains for both the settlers and the Indians were ground there for many years, substituting this for hand pounding with pestle in mortar and for the sapling and stump mortar.
Later other and better mill sites were located in the valley. One of which was the mill site of Henry Decker on the old dam brook. "Ouwe Dam Kill"—a dam across the spring brook about one mile northeast of Port Jervis, overflowed a long, low marshy tract of land extending toward Huguenot, stored water for power purposes for a mill located at that point.
Remnants of this dam are visible today just west of the Huguenot highway where it crosses the railroad as both cross the stream near Port Jervis. Also foundation stone of the old log house, the mill house are still visible about twenty-five feet east of the present dwelling. This property became the property of Benjamin Cuddeback about 1800. The present dwelling built by Benjamin Cuddeback about 1814 stands today typical of its time in shape, size and structure. Later it was the home of Elting Cuddeback for eighty years and of his son, the writer, during his youth.
Jacob Caudebec and Peter Gumaer were French Huguenot refugees. Caudebec came from Caudebec-en-Caux—a thriving agricultural and manufacturing town on the Seine in Normandy, France.
These refugees, Caudebec and Gumaer, fled in 1685 to England or Holland, thence to Maryland, in America, later to New Amsterdam, thence to Oesopus and Wylt Wyck (Kingston), N. Y.
Jacob Caudebec was born about 1666 in Normandy of a family of prosperous merchants. In his flight he became separated from his people. He was unable afterwards to find trace of his own family or sisters or to recover any of their property. Although the following story is found among the writings of Peter Gumaer: "Now I have understood that it had been concluded on between Cuddeback and two of his sisters that he and Gumaer would go to a certain place in England or Holland (I am not certain which) and that after a certain time these two sisters would embark for the same place and bring money to enter into a mercantile business at the place of their destination; and that Cuddeback and Gumaer after being landed at this place waited for these two sisters till after the time for their arrival had elapsed; and giving up all hopes of their coming embarked for America and were landed in the State of Maryland; which passage exhausted the last of their money. Cuddeback had information afterwards, that his sisters after some length of time had arrived and entered into a mercantile business; and he was chagrined in consequence of their having all the money. It was said that after they had arrived Cuddeback corresponded with them by letters and would often remind them of their injustice in keeping to themselves all the property; which I have understood they offered to share with him if he would come and live with them or they would take and do well by one of his children if he would send one of them." Ruttenber states that Peter Gumaer and Jacob Caudebec were the younger members of the families of Abraham Guimar and James Caudebec. He soon adapted himself to the different conditions of life of the new world. He found employment with Benjamin Provost, a trader of New York and Oesopus. He came to this valley in 1690. On October 21st, 1695, he married in New York City Margarette Provost, a daughter of his employer, Benjamin Provost, and Elsje Aelberts who had been married in New York Nov. 5th, 1671.
Jacob Caudebec is quoted as having said that "by leaving France he had been deprived of many enjoyments but he had the satisfaction of leaving his posterity in a country of good land, easily acquired." He is characterized as of a penetrating mind, persuasive in business, of speculative disposition, and most tender towards his family. He retained his mental faculties and physical vigor almost until his last hour. Three of his sons became farmers on the peenpack flats, the lands of the patent. On February 15th, 1726, he deeded a one-seventh interest in the patent to his three sons, Benjamin, William and Jacob, who agreed to pay certain moneys equally to all his children. One son and four sons-in-law became farmers near Shepekunk, in northern New Jersey along the Delaware. In 1715 the name of Jacob Koddeback appears as member of a foot company of Ulster County militia, under the command of Col. Jacob Rutsen. On September 1st, 1689, J. Caudebec, a native of France, took oath of allegiance to King William and Queen Mary.
