Name/Title
Goodwill NotesEntry/Object ID
002019Tags
William Bull and Sarah Wells Stone House AssociationScope and Content
Hundred and fifty three Chains to the top, or near the top, of a small Rocky mountain, over which mountain, a Line Runs, supposed to Divide the Counties of Ulster and Orange, and on this supposed County Line stands a stake and stones (whose [illegible] defects are said to be rectified) and so Certified from the Secretary of States Office, & etc. Being surveyed by Peter Berrion, and from the first Beginning Station The Maple tree, it is Also Certified in the Secretary of States office, as Being "Christopher Denns Old Line." References thereof may be found in the County Clerks office now in the Village of Goshen together with a Large Map, of Wawayanda Patent on Parchment, all implying the same thing. —$\ast$ On this Triangular Lot, Thus surveyed By Peter Berrion and Adjoining the Village of Goshen, with the Otter Creek passing through it Christopher Denn Had Selected, A sequestered spot, for him and his wife Elizabeth... Who having no children and Therefore, they had nothing to Risk by this seclusion but themselves... All their speculative schemes of Buying & Selling, for Nine Years, had proved abortive... He could float no Longer upon speculative and false credit... Something else, must be Done, in substance, in form and in fact, or He must withdraw from public society... We Say, on this triangular Lot Where the Otter Creek connecting two Large Deep Sunken & Miry Swamps & Drowned Meadows together, at the Distance of About twenty Chains apart and Where the Otter Creek is about one Chain Wide, a Deep and silent stream, scarce Fordable, but at Dryer seasons of the year; On the Westerly side of this stream and Between the two Large Sunken Meadows Christopher Denn selected a sequestered site, as a Residence for him & His wife Elizabeth, & Where a fine spring of Water was flowing from the Rising ground near the Bank of the Otter Creek stream... which site was about two Miles, nearly North from Rumbouts Wigwam — And nearly One & a half Mile West, from a small Indian Village of three or four [houses...]
the most friendly and sociable terms with Christopher Denn, and Being for so many years acquainted they become somewhat Conversant... Whereupon Christopher Denn, made known to them His intention, of coming and settling, as a Neighbor among them, and shewed them His sequestered spot which He had Chosen for a Residence... Upon which they seemed much pleased, and said they had long wished to see, some of their white friends, Come and settle as Brethren among them, and to Confirm their sincerity, they tendered their service to Assist Him in any manner He might think proper to employ them to aid in Bringing forward his means for a settlement...The Offer, was too flattering, for Christopher Denn to Refuse... it was more than He could Expect; and He acted Accordingly; By taking three of the younger Indians from the Village just cited, Leaving an Elderly indian, to take Care, at home, with the Squaws and Children; while they might be absent with Christopher Denn, who took them with Him, to the water side, of the tide waters of the Hudson River at New Windsor, and from thence On Board of a Vessel Down to the City of New York, and introduced them, as His friends of the Wilderness, in Wawayanda Patent, To His family, (who having no Children as before observed.) Nevertheless, Madam Denn, Had, An indented Orphan Girl, Bound to Her by the public Authority, as a Domestick handmaid Whose Usefulness, they thought much of, as the Darling of the Family, and Whose Name was Sarah Wells.& State of New YorkFrom this Juncture However, we shall Annex and Blend, the Traditional Biography of Sarah Wells & William Bull, to the Civil & Political History, of Wawayanda, in Old Orange County... As we have alluded to, In our Premises... We Say, After thus, introducing these friendly Natives of the Wilderness, To His wife and Orphan Girl... [the text cuts off]
