The the following rough draft of copy of pages 37-64 George Benson's book. THIS HAS NOT BEEN PROOFREAD, so treat the information as such. If you do see any errors, please let me know.
CHAPTER VII....................34
OTHER NOTES CONNECTED WITH THE VERY EARLY KUYKENDALLS
We have seen that our first ancestor born in this country was baptized in the Dutch Reformed Church of New York City. Before going on with a fuller account of the Kuykendalls mentioned in the records by generations that have gone before, a few words in regard to the history of this first church of America, where was baptized the first Kuykendall of America, will be interesting to our people. This interest grows out of the fact of the relation it bore to the beginning of our family history in this country.
This church of New Amsterdam, now New York, was organ-ized in the year 1628, and has continued to this day, and is now the wealthy Collegiate Church of New York City, and has ten buildings and fourteen ministers. It was founded and organized by Rev. Jonas Michaelus. The church building in which our first American born Kuykendall was baptized was a stone structure erected in the summer of 1642, and therefore was at the time of his baptism a new building. The pulpit and bell were made in Holland and shipped over to New York.
It was not the custom at that time to enter the name of the mothers, when children were baptized, and hence w~ do not see in this record the name of the mother of our first ancestor of American birth. This is unfortunate, as we are left without a knowledge of the early history of the first ancestor's mother, and family.
It is elsewhere explained that the patronymic, or father name of our first ancestor was Luur or Luer, or some modification of that name and that among the first baptisms of his children, the name Van Kuykendaal did not appear.
As stated he lived in Celderland, Holland, in the vicinity of Wageningen. He and Urbanus Luursen probably came to this country together in the employ of the Dutch West India Company. The affairs of that company were at that time under the supervision of Killiaen Van Rensselaer, who was a wealthy dealer in diamonds and pearls in Holland. This man purchased a large tract of land on the Hudson river and sent over a lot of Holland people,-farmers, mechanics and artisans, to develop the lands.
Jacob and Urbanus were undoubtedly brothers, and it would seem, from the evidence of the old records, that they came over to New Amsterdam about the winter of 1646. Probably both were mechanics, the records say that Urbanus was a mason. We do not know whether Jacob was married before leaving Holland or not.
He went to Fort Orange soon after arriving in America, and may have been in the employ of the company up to the time of his death. He must have died in 1656. He had a grant from the Lord Director General and Council for a lot for building purposes, dated October 25, 1653.
BEGINNING OF THE FAMILY KUYKENDALL .............................35
On this lot he had a home and little garden. Owing to the fact that the name of his wife does not appear anywhere in the records, we are unable to follow her later history as we should like.
There is little room to doubt that Leur grew up from early youth in the Esopus country, (the region about Kingston), and, as he married there and lived there, it is most likely that his mother, after the death of his father, moved from Fort Orange to Rochester, (now Accord), soon after she was left a widow.
At about the age of thirty, he married, in the year 1680, at Kingston, the daughter of a Hollander who lived in Esopus, her name being Grietje Tack, daughter of Aert Pietersen Tack and Annetje Ariens. The Tack family came from Holland at a very early day and settled at Esopus. Some of the family descendants lived there several generations.
There is today, at Stone Ridge, a little town of New York, about ten miles out from Kingston2 an old hotel that was built by Johannes Tack, the great grandson of Cornelius Tack, the father-in4aw of the first Kuykendall born in this country.
Luur Jacobsen Van Kuykendall and his wife, Grietje Tack Kuykendaal, continued to reside in the vicinity of Rochester, until about the year 1700. During this interval they had seven children, all of whom were baptized at Kingston. Their eighth child, a daughter, Annetje, was baptized at Minisink, thus fixing the date that the family moved from Rochester to Minisink. At the time of their removal, Leur, father of the family, was about fifty years old. He had lived in that vicinity for probably forty years. He then had one daughter and five sons. We have here the beginning of the family Kuykendall on the western continent, now moving from Esopus, then one of the oldest and most thickly settled communities on the Hudson river, going to the Minisink country, then a far out frontier.
William Tietsoort was the first settler in the region to which they were moving. He had preceded the Kuykendalls about six years, having gone in there about 1694. Previous to that he had been living in Schenectady, a few miks out from Fort Orange, the childhood home of Luur's father. While Tietsoort was living there, the Indians attacked and burned Schenectady and he fled from there down to Esopus, (Kingston), where his brother Abram lived. The Indians in the Minisink country were friendly with the whites at that time and invited the blacksmith Tietsoort to go to their country and start a blacksmith shop.
He made his home there and the Indians deeded him a tract of land, the title of which they never afterwards disputed.
It was not long after that time that Luur Jacobsen Van
Kuykendaal moved to Minisink. Later Jacob, Luur's son, married
Adrientje Tietsoort at Kingston, daughter of the brother Abram, of
William, the blacksmith.
Quite likely the fertile soil, beautiful country and fine hunting and fishing opportunities had some influence in inducing the move.
36 ................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
Jacob had by this time probably begun his fur trading with the Indians, and Minisink was a famous fur trading point.
We have now traced the family down to the Minisink country on the Delaware. They went along down the old mine road, for there was at that time no other road to travel.
It has been stated before that the children of Luur Jacobsen Van Kuykendall's family were baptized and the record of their baptism made in the registers of the Reformed Dutch registers, in the churches where the family lived. All baptisms were recorded in the order of the date upon which they were performed, and as a matter of course, the names of other children would come between the names of the children of any one family. It will aid us to understand what the records really convey, to know something of the customs and practices of the Dutch Reformed Church in those days, in regard to baptism. Our forefathers were very punctilious in regard to their observance of the rite of baptism, and there were many little details carried out that are not observed today. Only such can be mentioned as will help to an understanding of what the record conveys.
When a child was presented for baptism, it was required that there should be two sponsors for the one baptized, if it were an infant; two witnesses, if it were an adult. The sponsors were supposed to take upon themselves the responsibility of the religious training of the child, and were to answer the questions and baptismal vow required. It was the father's place to see that witnesses were present and it was usual to have the sponsors or witnesses persons related to the baptismal candidate.
When therefore we see the record of the baptism, we know that the witnesses were not persons picked up by accident or con-venience only. They were generally some way related by blood or marriage, and not merely friendly assistants; but circumstances sometimes caused variations from this rule. We may not at first discover the relationship between the parties, but on investigation it will generally be found that some kind of relationship existed.
We see from this that the witnesses or sponsors will, in many cases, afford a clue to the relatives of the family. In the forepart of the next chapter will be given the record of Leur Jacobsen Van Kuykendaal's children's baptisms, with names of witnesses and sponsors.
NOTE-It Will be seen that the name Luur is spelled Leur also. It was spelled variously in the baptismal records.
CHAPTER VIII..................................37
CHILDREN OF LEUR JACOBSEN VAN KUYKENDAAL-RECORD OF
THEIR BAPTISM AS FOUND IN THE OLD
DUTCH CHURCH RECORDS.
We present below the family record of the first American born ancestor of the Kuykendall family. The spelling is given just as it occurs in the old church registers, with names of sponsors or witnesses so as to convey a correct idea of the original record.
They are scattered throughout the register, according to the date of the baptisms. They have been brought together here in the order of the births, so as to appear as one complete family record, that can be easily referred to in the study of the family history.
The record is presented in three columns, the first column contains the names of the children and the dates of their baptism; the second contains the names of the parents, while the third shows the names of the sponsors or witnesses.
Child's Name and............................................ Name of Parents........................ Names of Witnesses ...
Date of Baptism. ................................................................................................or Sponsors
Styntie............................................................ Leur Jacobz, ..............................Stintie Douwes,
April 2, 1682.................................................. Grietje Artz Tack....................... Claes Teunisse.
Jacob, ............................................................Luyr Jacobs,............................... Annetie Arys,
August 12, 1683............................................. Grietje Tack............................... Jacob Jans Van Etten.
Johannes........................................................ Leur Jacobs, ...............................Cornelis Aartz Tack,
April 20, 1685............................................... Grietje Tack................................. Sytie Van Etten.
Cornelis,........................................................ Leur Jacobs, ...............................Johannes de Hooghes,
May 30, 1686............................................... Grietje Tack................................ Jan Evers, Grietje Adriens.
Johannes, .......................................................Lur Jacobs, ................................Johannes de Hooghes,
September 30, 1688...................................... Grietje Tack............................... Johannes Evers, Grietje Adriens.
Mattheus was born about 1690, no baptismal record found.
Arie,.............................................................. Leur Jacobs,.............................. Jan Van Etten,
June 8, 1694.................................................. Grietie Tack.............................. Janette Rosa.
Pieter,............................................................ Luir Jacobs,.............................. Peter Van Etten,
May 1, 1698. ................................................Grietje Tack.............................. Hyltje Van Etten.
Annetje,......................................................... Luir Jacobsen,.......................... Willem Van Vreedenburg,
May 19, 1700................................................ Grietje Tack. ...........................Cornelia Swart.
Sara,.............................................................. Luir Jacobsen,.......................... Pieter Van Etten,
June 14, 1702 ................................................Grietje Tack.............................. Eva de Hooghes.
Seyte,............................................................ Leur Jacobsen Van ...................Manuel Van Etten,
October 27, 1706.......................................... Kuykendaal,............................. Gertruy Tietsort.
......................................................................Grietje Tack.
38 ....................HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
In view of the fact that most of our people have heretofore known but little about the very early history of the family, I feel sure they will be pleased to see the family record of the first Ameri-can born ancestor. It can confidently be relied upon as correct, as it is a faithful copy from the old Dutch Reformed Church baptismal registers. If carefully and intelligently studied, it will convey more than at first sight appears.
There is nothing to show that Mattheus was ever baptized, though it is highly probable that he was, and that the record was lost. His birth coming between the births of his brother Johannes, 1688, and Arie, 1694, the birth of Matthew has been placed at 1690. His marriage is recorded under the head of "Marriages," in the Kingston Dutch Reformed Church register, as follows:
"14th Jan. 1715.
"MATTHEUS VAN KUYKENDAAL j. m. born in Ray-cester (Rochester) and JANNETJE WESTVAAL, j. d., born in Kingston and both residing in Mennising, (Minisink). Banns registered 3, April."
Rochester, (now Accord), is a little village about fifteen miles in direct line from Kingston. While Mattheus and his bride, at the time of their marriage, lived in the Minisink region, not far from Machackemeck or Port Jervis, they chose to go back to Kingston to be 'married, for this was the old home of both.
One of the first things that attracts our attention in the record is the great variation in the spelling of the names. Our ancestor's first name is spelled Leur, Luyr, Luir, and Lur, they all having the same sound. In those days they spelled by the sound, that is pho-netically. If a word sounded right it was accepted without criticism.
It will be noticed that in every instance the mother's name is given as Grietje Tack. When Seyte's baptism was registered, the father's name is written out in full, LEUR JACOBSEN VAN KUYKENDAAL. It is clear from this, that the name was all along understood to have been Van Kuykendaal, but according to the custom of the time, in writing the name, the patronymic only was used, as Mr. Versteeg suggests.
We have in this baptismal record an illustration of several of the peculiar features connected with the baptism of our forefather's children, as, for instance, the custom of giving the maiden name of the mother, instead of the name by marriage, and of having witnesses or sponsors for each and every child baptized.
We notice in this family there were two children named Johannes. When a child was baptized, and afterward died young, it was a very common custom to give some child born later, the same name; this was done to perpetuate it in the family, or as they often said, "hand the name down" in the family. Many instances of this kind could be given both in church and family records of the time.
THE FIRST ANCESTORS FAMILY HISTORY .............................39
STYNTIE or CHRISTINA, the first child, a daughter of Luur Jacobsen Van Kuykendaal and wife Grietje Aertze Tack, grew up with her parents about fifteen miles from Kingston, New York. She married Jurian Westfall, about 1710; the baptism of their first Child took place in 1711. Jurian and his wife, Christina Van Kuykendaal, lived nearly eleven miles below the present site of Port Jervis, on the Delaware river, in Sussex County, N. J., adjacent to what was then called the "Big Minisink Island." Here Jacob Van Kuykendall and his brother-in-law, Jurian Westfall, lived on part of a tract of land they had bought jointly from Thomas Stevenson, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, containing 500 acres. They sold a part of this tract to a man named Johannes Westbrook, and divided the remainder between them.
The plat of the old original village of Minisink, made April 7, 1725, shows the names of both Jacob Kuykendall and Jurian West-fall and also that of Jacob's brother, Mattheus. Just what time they might have moved on to this place is not known, but it may have been any time between 1714 and 1725, but was probably nearer the first named date.
The marriage of Jurian Westfall and Styntie Kuykendall was
the first intermarriage of the two families. By this marriage Christina had three children, viz: Johannes, baptized June 24,1711: Jacobus, baptized February 8, 1713; Jacob, baptized June8.1715.
Christina must have died soon after the birth of this child Jacob, for her husband, Jurian Westfall, married the second time to Marytje Koddebeck, August 20, 1717. Both Cuddebacks and Westfalls intermarried with Kuykendalls afterwards many times.
Family records and genealogical charts taken alone are not usually interesting reading. Family history, all history, in fact, is mostly the sum of the biographies of the men and women connected therewith. As the genealogical record of the sons and grandsons, and daughters of Luer Jacobsen Van Kuykendaal are taken up, we shall note some of the facts connected with their life histories. Unfortunately there are some of them of whom we 1~ve no record, except that of their baptism.
JACOB VAN KUYKENDAAL, or Jacob Kuykendall, as he later signed his name, the second child of Luer, was baptized August 12, 1683, at Kingston, N. Y. He was reared to manhood in the region about Kingston, and married Adrientjen Tietsoort, who was the daughter of Abram Tietsoort of Kingston, and niece of William Tietsoort, the pioneer blacksmith. The Tietsoorts, (now spelled Tittsworth); and the Kuykendalls intermarried in several instances later, as when William, a son of Stephen Tittsworth, married Cath-crine Kuykendal, daughter of Hendrick Kuykendall and Eliza-beth Cole.
Jacob Kuykendall had Only one child, Margrita, by his first wife. She was baptized at Kingston, N. Y., September 11, 1709. This first wife, Adrientje Tietsoort, must have died soon after the
40 ...................HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
birth of her daughter Margrita, for his second marriage is recorded as having taken place at Minisink, February 3, 1712. The record in the Church register reads: "Married, Jacob Van Kuykendaal, wid'r of Adrientjen Tietsoort, and Sara Westvaal, maiden, both residing in Mennissing, (Minisink).
Family record of Jacob Van Kuykendaal now follows:
Margrita, baptized Sept. 11, 1709, by 1st wife Adrientje Tietsoort.
Johannes, (John), baptized Jan. 19, 1713, by 2nd wife Sara Westphael.
Jacobus, (James), baptized August 19, 1716, he and the others, by 2nd wife.
Dina, baptized Jan.28, 1719.
Marretjen, baptized Oct.22, 1721.
Benjamin, baptized Sept. 1, 1723.
Christina, baptized Feb.12, 1727.
Nathaniel, baptized Oct. 6, 1728.
Abraham, was probably born in Virginia, no record found.
The family of Jacob, with some of his brothers and their families, went to Virginia, as elsewhere related, and some of their descendants are found still farther west and south. Going out into the frontier so early, many of the descendants lost trace of their forefathers.
The descendants of Pieter, the youngest brother of Jacob, who mostly remained in the east, will be interested with Jacob's descendants, because they have heretofore known so little about the Kuy-kendalls of the far west, or the source from which they sprang. Those of the early forefathers who remained in the east had con-siderably better Opportunity of keeping trace of their ancestors, as they remained in the same locality, near the old ancestral home, generation after generation.
We find Jacob's name several times in the old records. He is mentioned in the Archives of Pennsylvania, as being connected with the survey of the line between New York and New Jersey.
There had been some doubt as to where the line really was, and the assemblies of the two colonies, New York and New Jersey, had passed several acts providing for the survey of the division line between them. The record reads:
"Whereupon the Commission ordered James Steel and Jacob Taylor to repair to Machackemeck, (a Dutch town on the east side of the Delaware river), when certain Commissioners from the above named provinces were appointed to meet." Steel and Taylor reported April 19th as follows: "We were appointed to set out on a journey to Machackemeck, in order to meet certain persons who were appointed by the government of New York and New Jersey, etc. "In pursuance thereof we sett out from Philadelphia, 20th day of same month (April)." The report goes on to say, they arrived there, "and having made inquiry of several Indians, and particularly
JACOB KUYKENDALL AS SURVEYOR'S GUIDE....................41
of Solomon Davis and Jacob Kuykendall, (two Indian traders), about the branches of the river Delaware, that were between the said river, called the ftishkill and Susquehanna. The said Solomon Davis and Jacob Kuykendall, having, as well as those Indians, often traveled between those rivers, from one to the other, and therefore knew perfectly well what branches were to be found proceeding out of the Delaware.
The Commission appointed Maj. John Harrison to travel over from the ffishkill to Susquehanna, who took with him Jacob Kuykendall and an Indian for guides, and soon went on his journey, which he undertook on foot."
While this incident gives some account of Jacob Kuykendall's life, it also gives other co-related facts. Solomon Davis is well known to have been an Indian trader who lived in Machackemeck, near the present site of Port Jervis. He and Jacob Kuykendall had, as Indian traders, made many a trip along the Delaware, and be-tween that river and the Susquehanna.
The Davids were of English Origin, and the name frequently appears written in the old records as Davids, Davis or Devins. One of the sons of Solomon Davids married Marretje Kuykendall, (laughter of Cornelis, brother of Jacob Kuykendall.
Mr. Nearpass, in "Church Life," says, "This Solomon Davis was a son of Joris Davis and Johanna Davis, an Englishman, who first settled at Hellegat, on the Island of Manhattan, from thence he removed to Fort Orange (Albany), and in 1654, went with his family to Ulster County. He was a trapper, and in 1655 was an interpreter and principal mediator between Whites and Indians."
We have here disclosed the fact that the Kuykendalls and Davids began their acquaintance probably as early as 1654, at Fort Orange and may possibly have been acquainted several years before. for at that time our Holland ancestor, Jacob Luursen, was still living at that place.
Hanna, in his "Wilderness trail," mentions Jacob Kuykendall as Indian trader in Minisink, in 1719.
The next we hear of him is when a plat of the old Minisink Village is surveyed, at which time the name of Jacob with five others appears on a plat made by Cornelius Loew, April 7.1725. A cut of this plat in reduced size is seen elsewhere in this volume. The names that appear on the plat are those of Jacob and Matthew Van Kuykendall, Johannes and Anthony Westbrook, Jan Cortright and Jurian Westfall.
Jacob Kuykendall was still living there at the same place six years later when the people of the community were wanting a place for a school house and cemetery. Several of them formed an association and purchased a tract from Johannes Westbrook, which was, according to the deed, to be for a "burying ground and a schule house forever."
That same year. 1731, Jacob sold out his interests at the Minisink Islands. While he had lived there, he appears to have
42 ...................HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
been in some sort of partnership with his brotherinlaw, Jurian Westfall. Jurian had died before, and when the deed from Jacob Kuykendall was made, it was to the heirs of Westfall, and conveys all Jacob's interest in the five hundred acres that he and Jurian had bought from Thomas Stevenson.
At that time there was a flourishing village at Minisink, just on the main land, adjacent to Minisink Island, on the Jersey side of the Delaware. It is said in history that it was the first village in Sussex county, New Jersey, with a store, blacksmith shop and tavern.
What there may have been there in the way of local industries otherwise, we do not know, but there were a number of residences and a fort and trading post of quite extensive note.
After Jacob sold out in 1731, he appears, the next account we have of him, apparently a little lower down the Delaware on the Pennsylvania side. In 1741 a petition was sent to Thomas Penn, then Governor of Pa., asking relief from the aggressions of the whites, who were said to be crowding over upon and taking the Indian's lands. They sent this petition by a man who carried a letter signed by Abram Van Vampen, Jacob Kuykendall, Nicholas Depui and James Kuykendall. James was a son of Jacob Kuy-kendall.
I found in one of the public libraries of New York, a little book entitled "Reminiscences of George Labar, the author of which was 107 years old in 1780. Labar was a pioneer in that part of the country about the Water Gap and Stroudsburg. He says, "The principal settlers in 1741, in that vicinity were N. De Pui, Abram Van Campen, Jacobus Kirkendall, Daniel Brodhead and Jacob Kirkendall, and that they had petitioned the Governor to send help, as the Indians were retaliating for the wrong of the "Indian Walk." That a great swindle was perpetrated against the Indians in that so called "Indian Walk Treaty" there can be no doubt. It is a pleasure to know that while our fathers were made to suffer for the wrongs against the Indians, Jacob and James Kuykendall were on the side of the Indian's rights, with their neighbors Depui and Van Campen.
Having now given some of the principal facts connected with the life of Jacob Kuykendall, eldest son of Luur Jacobsen Van Kuykendaal, down to the year 1741, from records that have been found, we may proceed to give an account of his children, so far as we have found data to do so. The record of their baptisms has been already presented in an earlier part of this chapter.
NOTE-It is quite possible that Jacob Kuykendall may not have moved down to the Water Gap. People anywhere within 25 or 30 miles were considered to be neighbors in those pioneer times.
CHAPTER IX..................43.
FAMILY OF JACOB KUYKENDALL, FIRST SON OF
LUUR JACOBSEN Van KUYKENDAAL.
MARGARITA, was the first child of Jacob, born of his first wife Adrientje Tietsoort and baptized at Kingston, N. Y., Sept. 11, 1709, by Dominie Ganitherus du Bois. Her after history was not found.
Jacob's family was a healthy, vigorous one, and most of them grew to maturity and raised families. It was over thirty years after the birth of this Margarita that her father's family went to Virginia. In the meantime she may have married or may have died.
JOHANNES, the second in the family of Jacob Kuykendall was baptized at Minising, N. J., Jan.19, 1713, by Dominie Vas. He grew up to manhood in the region where he was born and baptized. The country all about was still far out on the frontier, and settlements were few and sparse. Jacob, his father, was at that time engaged in trade with the Indians, buying and selling the peltry of fur bearing animals.
His business called him away from home for considerable periods of time, while he was out on his trading expeditions along the Delaware, Mohawk and Susquehanna rivers and their tribu-taries.
Here at the old home on the Delaware, the family continued to live, farming, raising gardenstuff, and doubtless much of the meat used by them was procured by the rifle and fishing rod. Those Kuykendall boys had the finest fishing, hunting and trapping and Canoeing along the river. It was a beautiful place; the Dela-ware river and valley, and the hills back of the old place formed a charming picture.
There is nothing to show where Johannes received his school-ing, whether at a home school at the old Village of Minisink, opposite the Minisink Island, or above at the Machackemeck school, near the home of his uncle, Peter Kuykendall. For a number of years the old Minisink Village was one of the most widely known business trading points of all this region. The soil there was very fertile, and remains very productive yet, after so long a time. It produced large crops of corn, vegetables, wheat and oats. When the Dutch settlers first located there, they planted out orchards, and soon there was an abundance of apples and large quantities of cider was made for home use and for sale or exchange at Esopus, (Kingston.)
The old home of Johannes was near the ancient mine road which ran through the village. Along this noted highway there was much travel between the Water Gap and the old Dutch town at Kingston on the Hudson. The village was a noted stopping place for travelers and teamsters who hauled ore from the old mine up to Esopus. and for the settlers hauling their wheat, cider,
44..................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
feathers, peltry and other products to market. These sturdy old Dutchmen camped there on their way, and at night gathered about their campfires or at the old tavern, telling stories, smoking their pipes, drinking cider, and according to history, some of them took something considerably more stimulating.
If we could conjure up by some magic power, and bring back those old times and people, and listen to the stories they told, what thrillingly interesting things we should hear; what portrayals of fishing, hunting, Indian fighting and heroic exploits, and what marvelous narration's about ghosts and witches and the comedies and tragedies of early pioneer life in far back times!
At the old Minisink home, where Jacob and Matthew Kuy-kendall live there was an old Indian graveyard, where for ages the Indians deposited their dead. Almost within a stone's throw of this Indian burying ground is the ancient cemetery purchased in 1731 for the use of the first white settlers. It is all overgrown with brush and concealed from the public gaze. In the thick brush there are a number of graves marked by head-stones. Among them there are two or three stones still standing erect and solid. In the picture opposite this page, the stone settlements around. Jacob and Mattheus lived in close proxi-mity to the old village, while their brothers Arie and Cornelius lived in nearby regions, and old Peter lived about where Port Jervis is.
In those days they had no automobiles, not even light wagons or buggies. Their only wheeled vehicles were all wood, high wheeled Dutch ox carts. The wheels of these were about six feet high, had wooden "linch pins" to hold them on, and the wooden rims of the wheels had no metal tires. These carts were ox-motors, the necessary vim being excited by a hazel or hickory gad. Some of the more "uppish" folks had horses or mules. With all their lack of conveniences, people those days were very sociable and visited around among each other a good deal, when there were no Indian hostilities to prevent. For a long period the country was infested by wolves, panthers, bears and wildcats, that preyed upon the flocks and herds of the settlers. These wild animals became such a pest that a bounty was offered for their scalps or "heads," and the old Sussex county records show instances where some of the Kuykendalls and their neighbors received warrants for considerable sums in payment for "panther heads" or "wolf
PAGE 45 ILLUSTRATION
46................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
heads," as they were called in the old court minutes. For quite a number of years the wild animals we're more an object of dread than the Indians. There were, however, not infrequently, scrapes with the In4ians2 caused mostly by the sale of rum and i)randy to them by ~eckless white settlers or traders.
Johannes Kuykendall's grandfather, Luur Jacobsen Van Kuy-kendaal and wife Marguerita Tack Kuykendaal were both living as late as 1720, as is shown by the records. The extent of education received by Johannes. we do not know, but his father . was an in-telligent and prominent man, who took an active interest in the moral and educational welfare of the community in which he lived. The country was new, and the state of society primitive; there were few books and practically no newspapers at that time, in the cabins of the pioneers. Benjamin Franklin started, in Philadelphia, what is now the "Saturday Evening Post," the same year that Nathaniel, the junior brother pf the elder johannes, was born.
The books in the homes those days were mostly old heavy Dutch bibles and "psalm books" of the times, with an occasional book of other kind. The bibles were mostly printed in Dutch characters. There were Indians all around them, but when Johannes was young, they were, for the most part friendly, and lived in peace with the white settlers. The children of the Indians and whites played togcther, hunted and fished together and usually got along in a friendly a,n4 neighborly way.
Old Jacob Kuykendall, the father of Johannes, had so much dealing with the Indians, in his trading with them, that he learned to speak their language. Many of the settlers could talk with the Indians. The country about the old Kuykendall farms was at first all covered with timber, but most of it has been cleared off for many years and used for agricultural purposes.
During the sulumer of 1914, just two hundred 'years after the baptism of my great great grandfather Johannes Kuykcndall, I visited the ancient home country of our forefathers on the Dela-ware, and found it to be a charming region yet. It is also a very historic section of the country, where many thrilling events occurred in 'both colonial and precolonial times. It was among these romantic surroundings that Johannes Kuykendall was reared to manhood. While living here he met and married at Kingston, Miss Elizabeth Brink. She was a daughter of Thomas Brink, who, with Nicholas Schoonhaven, deeded the tract of land upon which stood the Walpack church, where Johannes had some of his children baptized. In the same church there were several of the Kuykendall children baptized. Johannes Knykendall, Jr., the great grandfather of the writer was here baptized, August 8,1741.
It was only a few years after the birth of Johannes Jr. that the family went to Virginia. Some of the Knykendall's had al-ready gone' there and started homes. The country on the South Branch of the Potomac was then new, with very few settlers. There were no church organizations, nor church buildings in all the land,
PAGE 47 ILLUSTRATION
48..................... HISTORY OF THE KUVKENDALL FAMILY
so there were no church baptismal records kept to show the genealogy of the people, as there had been in the country of the Delaware valley, where our folks had previously lived.
After getting to what is now Hampshire county, West Vir-ginia, Johannes, Sr., or John, his brothers Nathaniel, Abraham, Uncle Matthew and others of the family located on the south branch of the Potomac, about six miles above the present town of Romney. This town was laid out under the direction of Lord Fairfax, the survey-ing and platting being done by George Washington, then a young man. Johannes, was, at the time of going to that country, about thirty years of age. He bought, March 10, 1760, a tract of 250 acres of land from Jonathan Coburn, on the side of the river
picture
Pioneer Cabin of John Kuykendall. on South Branch of Potomac. Hampshire County. Well Virginia
Built between 1760 and 1770.
opposite to his uncle, Matthew, who had located there before him. Here he built a mill for grinding wheat and corn for the settlers. This mill stood for many years, and is mentioned a number of times in the Hampshire county records. He dug a mill race over the tract of land, across a bend in the river, and where the water was taken out of the river he built two substantial walls of masonry' to form a forbear, and the stone walls remain solid and in good condition yet.
The writer visited Virginia the summer of 1914, and was at the old place where his great great grandfather, great grandfather and grandfather lived, and saw the old mill race and stone masonry at its head.
KUYKENDALLS IN "JOURNAL OF HOUSE OF BURGESSES"..................... 49
Johannes Kuykendall is mentioned in the "Journal of the House of Burgesses" and in "Henning's Statutes" of Virginia, in several places, as being connected with various business transactions. Among the earliest of these is where "John Kirkendahl" and John Welton had a land deal May 142 1751. On the same day Matthias (Matthew) Kuykendall sold his place on the "South Branch."
In the Journal of the House of Burgesses 'of Virginia, session beginning March 25, 1756, pages 378 and 379, we have an account of payment made to men in the service against the Indians, on the South Branch, in 1755, for supplies furnished by persons living in that region. Coin was so scarce that tobacco was the common medium of exchange, and the greater part of the bills were paid in this commodity.
In the list of payments we find the following:
"To John Kirkendale, for 6 Bufhels 3/2 pecks of Corn, and 1/2 Bufhel Wheat, appraifed to 175 lbs Tobacco
"To Nathaniel Kerkendale, for 3 steers, appraifed to 1200 lbs Tobacco.
"To Benjamin Kerkendale, for Pork and flour, valued at 1 Pound, 6 s, and 3 pence.
Johannes Jr., continued to live in that country until his death. We have not the exact date of death of either the younger Johannes or the death of his father, but the younger died in the latter part of 1777 or early part of 1778, for his estate was being probated the latter year, Henry Kuykendall Jr., being his administrator and executor. This Henry was son of Henry, brother of Johannes Sr. It seems that Johannes Jr. and his father Johannes Sr. and Ben-jamin, brother of Johannes Sr. all died within a short time of each other. The elder Henry died in Bourbon Co., Kentucky, Benjamin died at his home in Pennsylvania, at the mouth of Peter's Creek, and the two Johns, (father and son), died on the South Branch of the Potomac, near Romney, W. Va.
There is a deed of record in Romney, bearing date of Feb. 17, 1804, from "Moses Kuykendall, heir at law of Benjamin Kuy-kendall, and executor of his will, to Henry Kuykendall, son and executor of Henry Kuykendall, of Bourbon County, Ky., for 219 acres in Hampshire County." This deed says that Henry Kny-kendall, deceased, was a son of John Kuykendall, that his father was named Henry, and his grandfather was John, thus showing definitely the relationship between the parties.
A few more excerpts from the old Virginia records follow:
"Deed 8th Sept. 1807, by Henry Knykendall of Ross County, Ohio and Betsy, his wife, to Jonathan Purcell, of Knox County, md."
Henry Kuykendall of Hampshire Vs Benjamin Kuykendall of Yohogamia. Injunction 1789. Attended bill March 13, says "Benjamin Kuykendall has died, leaving Moses Kuykendall heir at law."
Deed by Moses Kuykendall of Jefferson county Ky. to Henry Kuykendall of Ross County, Ohio.
50.................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
There arc a number of other deeds along about that time show-ing among the Kuykendalls numerous property transfers, and trans-fers to persons of other names, that appear to have been relatives.
This changing about seems to have been partly On account of the death of the two Johns and the elder Henry, and partly because some of the parties interested in property in Hampshire County, Va., had moved to Knox County, md., and others to Ross County, Ohio.
There is little doubt that a careful search and study of the old records of Romney might give many sidelights on the subject, and possibly clues might be found that would lead to the unraveling of many perplexing tangles, for which we now seem to have no solution. During the civil war, a number of Hampshire county rec-ords were destroyed or lost, and much valuable data has disappeared, making the tracing of many of the old settlers very difficult or impossible.
After the death of Johannes Kuykendall Sr. born 1713, John Jr. born 1741, and Henry Sr. (date of whose birth we do not know), the families they represented, scattered away into different parts of the country. Some went to Kentucky, just who, how many, or what were their names, or their after history, we have no def-inite data, except in regard to the descendants of Johannes Jr. (4), (1741), whose history follows next.
JOHANNES KUYKENDALL (4), (1741), was the son of Johannes, Sr., and Elizabeth Brink. Johannes, Jr., hereafter called John, had four sons and one daughter. Of the daughter we have only one family tradition and not a definite record. The sons were of the fifth generation, as follows:
Peter Kuykendall (5), born ,1775, married Miss Julia Ann
Daniel Kuykendall (5), born , 1779, married Phebe Price.
John Kuykendall (5), born 1779, married 1st Miss Van Kirk, 2nd Miss Mary Peary.
Henry Kuykendall (5), born 1785, married 1st Mrs. McFall, 2nd Miss Sarah Smith.
The brothers of this family are, for convenience, often called "The Four Brothers," and when this term is used hereafter, it will be understood that the above Peter, Daniel, John and Henry are referred to.
Their father, John (4), died when he was under fifty years of age, and when the youngest of them was but a small lad. Along about 1805, these orphaned brothers decided to go to Indiana. They went first to Kentucky and lived there for a time, and then went on to Knox County, Indiana. They stopped for some years at and about Fort Vincennes, which was the first place where the whites made settlements in Indiana.
There were a number of cousins of these four brothers who went in to Indiana and located at or near the same time. Among them were Dr. Jacob Kuykendall and his brother Abraham, whose
TRAVELING IN COLONIAL TIMES .....................51
history is given elsewhere in this volume. The lure of "Old Vin-cennes" fascinated these Kuykendalls and decided the destiny of themselves and their descendants.
At that time the country was new and unorganized. There was the old Fort Vincennes with a number of soldiers, a straggling little hamlet of French, English and Indians and mixed breeds. The brothers remained here in this vicinity for a few years, during which they found time to explore the Wabash regions above. Owing to the timbered condition of the country and lack of roads, traveling was done mostly by boats along the water courses. Vessels propelled pelled by steam had not yet come into common use. The most commonly used water craft was the pirogue, the flat barge and canoe. Besides these there were all manner of boats of various sizes propelled by oars or sails.
At that time there were two principal routes taken for travel by emigrants going from Virginia to Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. One of these was through the great forests, by land, and the other was by the Ohio river. A considerable proportion of the emigration went by this way, because it was easier and they could take along more of their personal property and goods, but in times of Indian hostilities it was very dangerous. On account of the danger perhaps the larger part of the travel was overland by means of caravans, in considerable bodies, for the protection of women, children and stock.
Many a young married couple went from Virginia or the interior of Kentucky, with all their earthly goods on a pack horse, or carried all they had upon the horses they rode.
In this way they traversed narrow Indian trails, through deep dark woods, along precipitous bluffs, mountain sides, or in ravines, amid overhanging limbs of trees, over logs, brush and rocks, making such progress as they could and camping wherever night found them.
When the four brothers arrived at Vincennes, the Indians were nominally at peace, but depredations by roaming, lawless bands were frequent, and made the condition of settlers precarious. There were constant threatenings of a general uprising that kept the pioneers in a state of dread and anxiety and prevented them from looking after their farming and gardening and other work.
The story of the adventures and experiences of these Kuyken-dall brothers would make very interesting reading. The "roughing it" in the new country; Indian alarms, sudden attacks causing the settlers to hasten to the little forts within stockades; fierce fights with the savages, where the women in the forts molded bullets and loaded the rifles for the men; how the forts were sometimes fired by the Indians, and the girls and women went to springs and creeks under fire of the redskins to carry water to put the fire out; the dreadful malarial sickness the people had to endure; my Grand father Henry's experiences in the campaign of Harrison in the years 1$1 1 ;-these all would bristle with adventure and thrill with interest. But this must be passed by. The separate history of these brothers will be taken up in the next chapter.
CHAPTER X.....................52
THE FOUR BROTHERS-CONTINUATION FROM LAST CHAPTER.
Peter Kuykendall (5), born 1775, was the son of John (4), baptized August 8, 1741, son of Johannes (3), baptized Jan.19, 1713, son of Jacob (2), baptized Aug.12, 1683, son of Luur Jacobsen \Van Kuykendaal baptized May 29, 1650.
Peter located near Terre Haute, Indiana, just across the state line in Indiana, on a rich, heavily timbered tract of land, on the \Vabash river bottom, about the same time his brother Henry located on Sugar Creek. Here he succeeded in getting a nice tract of land cleared up and put into cultivation, and had begun to get a start in life, when his health failed. Realizing that this was to be his last sickness he made a will, which was dated in February, 1825. In this will he left his property to his wife and to a son William and a daughter Elizabeth. The daughter went to Wisconsin.
The son grew up in the country where he was born, but no history of him has been obtained. If there should living descendants of this son happen to see this sketch, he will be able to complete the line of his ancestry, back to our first American forefather.
The next one of the four brothers will now be considered.
Daniel Kuykendall (5), born 1777, was son of Johannes (4), born 1741, married Phoebe Price, and they had four children as follows:
Fanny (6), no birth date, married Benj. Painter, 4 children.
Henry (6), born April 15, 1818, married Nancy Brimberry.
Elizabeth (6), no birth date married Elias Hughes.
John (6), no birth date known, died at age of 21, unmarried.
Concerning these four children of Daniel's we know nothing more than is here stated, except in regard to Henry (6), born as stated, April 18, 1818. He 4ied Sept.20, 1904, and his wife died three or four years earlier.
Henry and his wife, Nancy J. Brimberry, lived all their early married life at Palestine, Crawford county, Illinois. Here some of the family were buried. They had ten children. They moved later to Christian county, Kansas, during the great grasshopper invasion, and settled about five miles from Topeka. Here Mr. Kuykendall acquired a competence. He was a very fine man, generous, energetic and thrifty. He died at Topeka.
The children of Henry Kuykendall (6), and Nancy. Jane l')Brimberry, were:
John A. (7), born Jan. 1, 1842, died Sept.24, 1913.
Jerusha Ann (7), born Oct.30, 1843.
Daniel (7) born Feb. 3, 1845, died in infancy.
Leander (7), born Jan. 3, 1847, lives near San Diego, Cal.
Henry Price (7) born Jan.20, 1850, died in infancy.
Phebe Ellen (7), born Aug.20, 1852, married James Whitehead.
Nancy Jane (7). born Jan.20, 1854, married Henry R. Rice.
KUYKENDALL COURTSHIP AT LINCOLN'S HOME....................53
William Rush (7), born March 27, 1856, lives at Topeka, Kan.
Joseph (7), born June 11, 1858 married, has three children.
Effie Afton (7), horn March 28, 1864, died 1867.
Following up the history of this family we have first John
A. Kuykendall, who married 1st Mary Lee, Dec.26, 1864, who was born at Elizabeth, N. J., 1844 and died at Taylorville, Ill., July 3, 1873. He first met Miss Lee at the home of Abraham Lincoln, in Springfield, Ill. It was under the roof of the great emancipator that he wooed and won his wife, during the throes of the Civil war.
JOHN A. KUYKENDALL Los Angeles, Cal ---------PICTURE.
They were married in Springfield. They had four children, who were of the eighth generation. Seven years after the death of his first wife he married Miss Tabitha E. Hopkins, of Cloverdale, Ia.
He enlisted in the Union army August 16, 1861, and served in Co. D, 33, Reg. Ill. Volunteers. He was under General Grant most of the time of his service, was in many battles and at the siege of Vicksburg. He was wounded in one of his arms, 1863. After the war he was in business several different places, and for several years was in Minneapolis, Minn., where he dealt in mines and mining stock, visited London and made successful sales there. He went to California fifteen years before his death. His last work
54.................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
was in connection with the settlement of a large estate involving several million dollars, with suit against railroad corporations. He made several visits to New York, Washington, D. C., and Chicago while in this business. He was suddenly stricken with apoplexy, while at home in Los Angeles, Cal., on a visit. His death followed in a few minutes, and he was buried in Rosedale cemetery, Los Angeles. He died Sept.24, 1913.. His widow still lives in Los Angeles, Cal. He had four children by his first wife:
Maude Kuykendall (8), born ??? , married Edward Thomas, who is a druggist.
Edna Kuykendall (8), born ??? , married Mr. Mitchell.
Nellie Kuykendall (8), was born ??? , married Mr. Meister.
Henry (8), born, date not learned, died in infancy.
These daughters have lived for some years in California. Mr. Thomas, the husband of Maude, is a prescription druggist, and until recently resided in San Francisco, at 129 Guerrera Street. Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Meister live in Los Angeles, Cal., the former at 720 Cornwell Street, and at latter at 550 Nordyke Avenue.
With the death of Mr. John A. Kuykendall, the male side of his family ceased and there is no male living to continue the line.
LEANDER (7) was the second son of Henry Kuykendall and Nancy Brimberry, brother of John A., whose family we have just followed. Leander as seen in the family record was born Jan. 3, 1847. He married Anna Abbott, in Taylorville, md. He and his wife, when young, were school teachers.
They have five children: Gertrude, Edith, Arthur, Arle and Edwina. The family have lived for many years in California, their present home being near San Diego, at National City
Leander has been for some years past in the transfer business at and around San Diego, Cal.
WILLIAM RUSH KUYKENDALL (7), brother of John A. and Leander, was born March 27, 1856, as seen in the family record. He has lived at Topeka ever since his father moved there many years ago. He has remained single, and has for years been engaged in the real estate and insurance business.
The third of the four brothers who went from Virginia to Indiana was JOHN KUYKENDALL (5), son of Johannes (4), born 1741. John located in Sugar Creek Township, about six miles west of Terre Haute, in 1819, within less than a mile of his brother Peter. Here at the age of about forty years he started to make a new farm on heavily timbered Wabash bottom land. He had married his first wife, Miss Van Kirk, eleven or twelve years before, and had three children by her, the eldest of which was George Washington (6), who was then about eight years old. The other two children were Belinda and Sarah Elizabeth. His first wife had died and he married the second time about the time he moved upon his newly acquired land. His second marriage was to Miss Mary Peary. He lived on this place until his death, Dec. 29, 1834, when he was fifty-five years old. His wife died Nov.20,
DESCENDANTS OF JOHN, ONE OF THE "FOUR BROTHERS" ....................55
1858. A full list of his children is found in the section of this work, "Kuykendall Genesis," where most of his descendants are to be found in the order of their birth. Some discrepancy was found in the dates of birth, as given by different correspondents.
The eldest son of John Kuykendall and wife, Van Kirk, was GEORGE WASHINGTON (6), born Oct.16, 1811, who married Nancy Forsyth Art, Nov.26, 1840. They had a family of ten children. He lived a few miles west of Terre Haute, md., and died at his home Nov. 9, 1864, and was buried in the Pisgah cemetery, near Sandford, md.
Washington was a man of energy, character and of fine natural ability. He had a family whose sons and daughters have been useful citizens.
The first in the family of George Washington was JOHN THOMAS (7), born 1841. He grew up at the old homestead and received his education in the schools of the community where he lived. At about the age of twenty-one he enlisted in Company C, 85th Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served from August, 1862, until the close of the war. He was in numerous severe engage-ments and was with Sherman in his "March to the Sea." He received an honorable discharge, and after returning home married Miss Annie Rollins. They had no children. He died of heart disease Oct. 2, 1892. His widow lives in West Terre Haute, md.
WILLIAM ESPEY (7), son of George Washington and Nancy Forsyth Art, was born Sept.18, 1844. He entered the Union Army Oct.14, 1861, in the 43rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was discharged for disability Sept.28, 1862. When he had recovered, he re-enlisted in Company D, 11th Volunteer Indiana Cavalry, and served until the end of the war. He was married twice. First to Susan Lankford, July 5, 1866, and second to Sarah E. Smith, Dec. 28, 1882. He died Sept.10, 1917.
Mr. William Espey Kuykendall was a man of intelligence, good judgment and business ability, a man of strict integrity and relia-bility. He was always a staunch friend of education, morality and progress.
His family were brought up under the influence and teachings of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was a loyal adherent. Most of William Espey Kuykendall's children and grandchil-dren live in Illinois, not far from the old paternal home.
For the eighth generation the reader is referred to the section "Kuykendall Genesis."
JAMES McELROY KUYKENDALL (7), third son of George Washington Kuykendall, was born April 4, 1847, and married Lennie Adams. He died Jan.20, 1899.
There are two 'daughters living. His widow, Mrs. Lennie Kuykendall, lives in West Terre Haute, Ind.
There were two daughters of George Washington that married brothers. The daughters were MARY JANE, born April 22, 1843, and married Hiram B. Smith; MARY ELIZABETH KUYKEN-
56...................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
DALL, born August 9, 1849, married George W. Smith. Hiram B.Smith was a veteran of Company A, 7th Illinois Cavalry, Union army. He died about 1901, and his widow, Mary Jane (Kuykendall)
Smith, lives at West Terre Haute, md.
George W. Smith, husband of Nancy Elizabeth Kuykendall, was also a soldier of the Civil war, in 115th Indiana Infantry.
WELTON MODESITT KUYKENDALL (7), son of George \Washington Kuykendall and Nancy Forsyth Art Kuykendall, was born Jan. 5, 1855. Welton's father died, leaving him an orphan at the age of nine years. He remained home until he was twenty-two years old, to aid the family. His early education was obtained in the old schoolhouse in district number two, Vigo county. After a varied experience in farming and other business, he married Miss Clara Olive Smith, daughter of Milton H. Smith of Edgar county, Illinois, Dec.28, 1882. In the fall of 1844 he in company with his wife's people went out into Kansas and located on government lands, where they made homes.
ALFRED ANSON KUYKENDALL (7), son of Washington Kuykendall and Nancy Forsyth Art Kuykendall, was born Oct.
26, 1857.
He married Lizzie Ferguson, and they had two daughters and one son. Mrs. Nettie Soloners, of South Bend, Ind., and Mrs. Verna Cooney, of Peoria, Ill. The son's name is Mervil Kuykendall. Mr. Alfred A. Kuykendall had a grocery store in West Terre Haute, Ind. He died suddenly, 1913, of heart disease, when seemingly in good health. At last accounts his wife was still living in West Terre Haute, Ind.
Having now followed out the descendants of Washington Kuykendall (6), the first in the family of John (5), 1779, there comes next BELINDA (6), who was born , 1813, and married John Long, who was born in Tennessee. The children of Belinda Kuykendall Long and John Long are given below, accord-ing to the date at hand from which dates are missing:
Samuel (7), born , 1832.
Daughter (7), born
Nancy Catherine (7), born , 1835.
Elizabeth (7), born ,1837, died in infancy.
Sarah (7), born
Alfred (7), (no date of birth found).
Sarah (7), born in 1847.
John (7), born in 1852.
There is only one of the above children of whom there is any-thing definite known by the writer. Nancy Catherine, born 1835, married 1st C. Charlton, by whom she had five children. He then died and she married 2nd time, to Thomas C. Hill, and they have had seven children.
Mrs. Nancy C. Hill and her husband are living still, he at the age of 92 years and she 87. They are remarkably well preserved physically and mentally. They live at Manito, Ill., and raise a
DESCENDANTS OF JOHN, ONE OF THE "FOUR BROTHERS" ....................57
fine garden every year and raise pigs and chickens. They have a son, Dr. Hill, who practices medicine.
ELIZABETH (6), daughter of John Kuykendall and his wife, Van Kirk, was born , 1815, and married a man named John Logan. She died near St. Louis, Mo., and there are said to be two daughters living in the country yet.
WILLIAM KUYKENDALL (6), son of John Kuykendall and Mary Peary, second wife, was horn April 27, 1820, and married Martha Simms, who was born April 24, 1824. William Kuykendall died Feb.22 1890. He started at farming with forty acres of land, worked at clearing it of timber during the summer time, and taught school in the winter, saved his money and invested in more land. On this place is a tract of timber that remains much as it was a hundred years ago, covered with large fine beech, walnut, hickory, linden, oak and sycamore trees. Many years ago there used to be a sugar camp" on this place, where the family made maple sugar.
Names and dates of birth of the children of William Kuykendall and Martha Simms Kuykendall are found below, with some of the facts connected with their life history, which can only be given very briefly.
Maurice (7), was born Feb.28, 1844, died Nov.15, 1865. He was graduated before he was seventeen, and when the Civil war began, he enlisted in the. Sixth Regiment md. Indiana Cavalry. He was taken sick with typhoid fever and died Nov.15 1865. He was never married.
John (7), was born March 26, 1846, and died May 5, 1869. He also served in the Union army in the Civil war. He married Lucy Farr, Nov.22, 1866, left one daughter Nettie. His wife, Lucy, married the second time, and is now Mrs. Lucy Campbell living at West Terre Haute, Ind.
William (7), born Nov. 11, 1848, married Miss Mattie Scott and they had four children of the 8th generation. For names and date of birth, see "Kuykendall Genesis."
Pauline (7), was born Nov. 9, 1850, married Jacob Hixon. Mrs. Hixon resides in West Terre Haute, Ind., R. F. D. No.6. She has children living. He died several years ago.
Henry Clay (7), was born March 7, 1853, and married Miss Sarah F. Engles, Dec.19, 1871. They had an even dozen children, the names of which will be found in "Kuykendall Genesis," eighth generation.
Martha Jane (7), was born July 31, 1855, married Charles Wesser, Dec. 29, 1877. Address Charles Wesser, Marshall, Ill., R. F. D. 5.
Sarah Elizabeth (7), was born July 15, 1857, married John Davis. Address Mrs. Sarah Davidson, Marshall, Ill., R. F. D. No.1.
Mary Clotilda (7), was born Oct.30, 1859, and married John L. Thompson, a carpenter. No children. Address Marshall, Ill.
Lyman Beecher (7), born June 2, 1862, married Minnie Cooper, August, 1890. They have no children.
58.....................HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
Alzira (7), horn June 30, 1864, history of her family not at hand; family is living somewhere near Marshall, Ill.
Minnie (7), horn July 9, 1866, married John Franklin Murphy, Dec.28, 1886. J. F. Murphy was born Oct.25, 1860. He is a farmer. They have children: Maud, Everett F., Vierling John, Virgil Leroy and Robert Edward. See "Kuykendall Genesis."
There will now be given a brief sketch of some of the members of the family of William Kuykendall (6), Sr., and Martha Simms, his wife.
When the Civil war began and Lincoln made a proclamation calling for volunteers, two sons, Maurice and John, offered their services and joined the army. Maurice enlisted in the 71st Regi-ment, Sixth Indiana Volunteers, and served with ability to the end of the war, coming out with a lieutenant's commission. Going hack home from the war, he took typhoid fever and died Nov.15, 1865.
John, the brother of Maurice, served through the Civil war, and died four years after his return home. He married Miss Lucy Farr, in 1866, and left one daughter, Nettie, who was living a short time ago. John's widow married again to a man named Campbell. Mrs. Lucy Campbell lives in West Terre Haute, md.
It is rather a curious fact that the widows of nearly all the Kuykendall Civil war soldiers in that part of the country, live or did live at or near West Terre Haute, md.
William Kuykendall Jr. (7), lives near the old homestead, on the rural mail route out of Marshall, Ill., close to the Indiana state line. He has been closely connected with the breeding and rais-ing of fine horses and cattle, and has taken great pride in improving the farm stock of his community. He has a large, beautiful and fertile farm with a comfortable home. In the country near around live most of his children and grandchildren.
Henry Clay Kuykendall (7), is the next younger son of William Kuykendall (6). He married Miss Sarah F. Engles and they have had twelve children, six sons and six daughters, most of whom grew up to maturity.
Henry Clay has had somewhat of a varied experience. In his early life he farmed, later followed the nursery business, and has far a number of years been a minister of the "Christian Church." He has, while preaching, carried on several little side lines, among which were raising medical herbs, such as ginseng, golden seal, plants that in early days were very plentiful in that part of the country.
Lyman Beecher, the youngest of the family of William and Martha Simms Kuykendall, married Miss Minnie Cooper. They have no children. They have a beautiful farm, situated in a very rich region, that certainly looks to be unsurpassed as a farming region. On this tract is the forest tract before mentioned. Here red and grey squirrels clamber over beech, walnut and hickory trees and rustle down the nuts as they did when the Indians were the only human inhabitants of the country.
DESCENDANTS OF JOHN, ONE OF THE "FOUR BROTHERS" ..................59
We have been for some time tracing the history of the descend-ants of John Kuykendall (5), one of the "Four Brothers," and have followed out the line of George Washington, and William, his two eldest sons3 and have also mentioned some of the daughters.
We now come to Samuel Kuykendall (6), born January 8, 1825, who married Lorna Jane McMillen, Jan.15, 1845. She was born Aug.30, 1828.
Samuel died June 7, 1890. The family of Samuel Kuykendall are mostly traced out to the Eighth generation in the section on "Kuykendall Genesis." In addition to what is found in that section it may be said that William clippinger Kuykendall, son of Samuel Kuykendall, lives upon his farm a few miles out from Terre Haute, Ind. His sister, Mary Eleanor, four years older, stays with him. They have a large number of warm friends in the country about them. Mr. Kuykendall had the great misfortune to lose his wife, Jennie McCandless Smith Kuykendall, Nov.19, 1910.
His son, Ernest, married Miss May Herrington. They have no children. A happy couple and very pleasant to meet.
Annie Celestia, daughter of Samuel (6), married Jerome Hogue and they have seven children, ranging in ages from 21 to 39 years (1917), with many grandchildren. Most of the family live near the border line between Indiana and Illinois.
We now go back to Alfred Kuykendall (6), third in the family of John Kuykendall and Mary Peary. As before shown, Alfred was born Dec.20, 1823. He grew up to manhood in the vicinity of the old home and married Annie Long. In the year 1852 he and his wife with some other Kuykendalls and their neighbors, Longs and other people of the neighborhood, moved to Wisconsin. Alfred settled at Rich-land Center.
Their children's names were:
John (7), horn Sept. 24, 1844, married Jane Kittle, born May, 1846.
Jacob (7), born Feb.13, 1848, married Nellie Reed.
Of these two sons John married, as stated, Jane Kittle, and they had four children that lived to be of age. These children are of the eighth generation from the first American born ancestor. Their names are:
Cora May, born June 5, 1867. Alfred, born Nov. 10.1870. Edith, born Dec.23, 1873. Lena Belle, born July 29, 1884. Of these Alfred, the only son in the family, was brought up at Rich-land Center, Wis., was educated in the common schools of the country and later attended the University of Wisconsin and secured a good education. He engaged in school teaching, and after some experience there, he was elected School Superintendent. Later he was employed as principal of the high school at Pomeroy, Wash.; remained there for one year, and then he went to Los Angeles, Cal., and later back to Wisconsin. From there he went to Bellingham, Wash., to take charge of the Normal High School at that place in August, 1915.
60 ...................HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
He was taken suddenly ill in the school room and died after a few hours of illness. His body was taken to Wisconsin for interment.
Lena Belle, his sister, went to Washington state, while Alfred was in Pomeroy, and taught school in Asotin county. There she met and married Charles Smith, and they afterwards went back to Wisconsin, where he died in the spring of 1918. They lived for a while at Eau Claire, Wis.; they had three children.
Mary (7), daughter of Alfred Sr., married David Henry, and they have several children.
Jacob (7), married Nellie Reed, June 27, 1869, and they have had nine children, five sons and four daughters, of the eighth gen-eration, viz:
Frederick Paul, born June 13, 1871. Maurice, born Oct. 8, 1874. Emma Alice, born Feb. 9, 1876, married Jerome Fry, Aug.16, 1896. Harry, born June 1, 1878. Frank, born July 4, 1881. Katie Marie, born Jan. 10, 1886, married George Ray, Aug.22, 1903. Sydney, born Oct. 2, 1889. Jessie and Bessie (twins), born April 29, 1891.
Jessie married Albert Agnew, Jan.19, 1908, and Bessie married Walter Lundgren, April 16, 1910.
All these are living, 1918.
Frederick Paul, son of Jacob Kuykendall and Nellie Reed, married Elizabeth Jackson. They have children: Ray, born April 24, 1892. Leta, born, 1894; Albert, born 1896; Thelma, born Jan.26, 1906, and Chauncey Norman and Idel.
Maurice married Carrie Burges, Jan. 8, 1893. They have two children: Boyd, born April 8, 1896. (He is in the army.) Lela, born July 12, 1894.
Harry, married Edith Stull, Sept. 8, 1900. They have two children: Vera Lucile, born June 7, 1904, and Leon Claire, born Oct.24,. 1906.
Sydney, married Miss ______. They have three children: Archie
Lowery, born Feb. 8, 1911. Junior, born Feb.14,1914, and
Clermont, born_______, 1916. Sydney is in the army.
Frank, born July 4,1881, married______, May, 1907. They have three children: Clyde Milton, born Aug. 4, 1900. Alice, who (died in infancy and Davol, date of birth not obtained.
Most of the children and grandchildren of Jacob Kuykendall, son of Alfred, Sr., are to be found in Wisconsin. Jacob still lives there at Richland Center, with most of his children not far away.
It will be noticed above, that John Kuykendall, father of this Alfred Kuykendall, married Jane Kittel. This is quite interesting in view of the fact that Petrus Kuykendal married Catherine Kittel, at Deerpark, N. Y., Dec.17, 1752. Petrus was the son of old Pieter Kuykendal, who lived at Machackemeck, (Port Jervis, N. Y.) I surmise that this Jane Kittel was of the same Kittel family. It would be quite interesting to trace the matter out.
CHAPTER XI......................61
DESCENDANTS OF HENRY KUYKENDALL (5), YOUNGEST OF THE
FOUR BROTHERS.
We now come to the youngest and last of the four brothers. sons of Johannes (4), grandson of Jacob.
HENRY KUYKENDALL (5), was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, 1785. Some of the activities of his life have already been mentioned in the account of the going to Indiana of the four Kuykendall brothers.
Henry married first at Vincennes, Mrs. McFalI, a widow with two sons and a daughter. By this marriage he had one daughter, Mary. When Mary was only a small child, her mother died, and Henry again married, this time to Miss Sarah Smith, daughter of Henry Smith, who lived a few miles from Terre Haute. The first marriage was 1808-9 and the last about 1816. Henry and his wife moved upon a new tract of land he had entered that year, living in a tent or "lean to" while a new cabin was being erected. While still living this way, their first son, Daniel, was born. A history of Vigo county says "Daniel Kuykendall was the first white. child born in the Sugar Creek Township."
There were still a good many Indians in the country, and they made frequent visits to the cabins of the white settlers, and were not very welcome to the women, when the men were away from home. The memory of recent outbreaks was too fresh in their minds for the redskins to be welcome visitors. They were very busy people, however, with plenty of hard work to occupy their time. Henry Kuykendall cleared a tract of land and proceeded to build a home and a saw mill and grist mill. At that time little wheat was raised in the country, corn being the main reliance for bread. Henry and his wife and family lived on this farm for thirty years, and all their children were born on the old homestead. The family record is given below.
Mary Ann Kuykendall (6), was born June 10, 1810, by his first wife; by second wife, Sarah Smith, were born;
Daniel Kuykendall (6), born July 14, 1817, married several times.
George (6), born September 19, 1818, married Candace Stark.
John (6), born April 14, 1820, married Malinda Stark.
Ephraim (6), 4ied in very early infancy, no record found.
Henry H. (6), born April 2, 1831.
William E. (6), born Dec.22, 1833, both died young.
Sarah Ellen (6), born June 14, 1836.
James Wesley (6), born June 14, 1836; these were twin children.
Leonard (6), was born May 10, 1839, was never married.
Henry Kuykendall died in Monroe, Wis.; was buried there. Sarah, his wife, died at Sandford, Indiana, and was buried in Pisgah cemetery.
62................... HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
Daniel, the eldest son, grew to manhood at the old homestead and was educated in the district schools of the country near his home. He married Miss Virena Malcoib, in the year 1836, and moved to Freeport, Ill., in the year 1843. From there he moved to Wisconsin, with his brothers, John and George, in 1846. During his lifetime he held several county offices and positions of trust. He was married several times and had a large family of children, of whom at the present time (1918) there are living his eldest daughter, Sarah Ann (Edwards), and a son, William L., who has been for some time living near Kansas City, Mo. Mrs. Edwards is a spry, well preserved old lady of nearly 79 years of age. She lives at Hudson, Wis., has one son and two daughters living.
Her eldest son married Miss Anna Skoliska in the year 1860, and they have two sons, William and George, and one daughter, Lillian.
The second son of Daniel Kuykendall (6), son of Henry, was Henry Alexander (7), born 1840. He enlisted in the Union army, 1861, was wounded at Mound City, Ill., and died in the hospital near Fort Donaldson, in the year 1862. He was unmarried.
Nancy Ellen (7), was born 1842, married Charles Chadwick, 1868. They had three children, viz: Ernest, married but no chil-dren; Cassius, single; Lillian, married Edgar Cowles.
John (7), was born March 18, 1842, died March 21, 1898. He was in the Fifth Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry, Company
F. Enlisted Jan. 24, 1862. Wounded at Nashville, discharged March 22, 1865. He was in a large number of engagements, some of which were at Corinth, 1862; Richmond, 1863; Mississippi Springs, and Jackson, Mississippi, 1863; Vicksburg, and various other places. After the war he married Martha Fidelia Chadwick, Oct.11, 1868, and they had three sons who grew to manhood:
Ulysses Schuyler (8), born Sept. 9, 1869, married September, 1899.
John Selab (8), born April 26, 1875.
Aleck Gerdon (8), born March 29, 1878.
Ulysses Schuyler (8), has four children, viz: Ruby May (9), born Sept.23, 1902, died May 26, 1903. Nina Irene (9), born March 17, 1904; Percy AIlden (9), born Nov.26, 1906; Jessie Alice (9), born Dec.16, 1909, died Dec.20, 1910;
All these people live in the fertile irrigated district, of which Grandview, Wash., forms the center, where they are engaged in raising fruit and in bee culture.
Mary Jane Kuykendall (7), daughter of Daniel, was born 1845 and married Frederick Miller. She died in 1911; they have five children as follows: Minnie (8), is married and lives at Roosevelt, Okla. Arthur (8), single, lives at Roosevelt, OkIa. Jessie (8), single, lives at Wetmore, Kan. May (8), is married and lives at Hiawatha, Kan. Clyde (8), single, lives at Wetmore, Kan.
By his wife, Mary Armstrong, Daniel Kuykendall had two Children, viz:
DESCENDANTS OF HENRY, ONE OF THE "FOUR BROTHERS" .....................63
Isaac Kuykendall (7), born, date not found, died 1862.
William L. (7), son of Daniel (6), was born July 3, 1850, and married Miss Mary Ann Chambers, March 7, 1872. They have had six children as named below:
Sarah Ellen (8), born March 28, 1873, married Frank Binnall, 1895. They have three children, June, Alfred, and Florence Hester.
Aaron (8), born August 17, 1875, is single, at Des Moines, Ia.
Mary Fleck (8), born August 17, 1875, died aged nine months.
Francis (8), was born Dec. 18, 1883, married Wyllie Alice John. They have no children.
Picture of William l.
William Harrison (8), born Dec. 4, 1888, was drowned while bathing in Little Wableu river, Mo., June 16, 1906.
Charles Lucius (8), was born Feb. 19, 1902, graduated at Des Moines College, 1910, and resides in Des Moines, Ia.
Daniel Kuykendall had another son, by his third wife, Anna Bailes, date of whose birth and subsequent history are not at hand.
We now come to the third in the family of Henry Kuykendall (5), GEORGE KUYKENDALL (6), who was born, as seen before, Sept.19, 1818, at the old Henry Kuykendall homestead, on Sugar Creek, Vigo county, Ind.
He married Candace Stark, daughter of Jesse Stark, Feb. 27, 1846.
64.....................HISTORY OF THE KUYKENDALL FAMILY
It so happened that the lives of George Kuykendall and his brother John were cast more closely together than any of the other children of the. family. At an early age they both manifested a decided mechanical tendency. In this they were encouraged by their father, who supplied them with material and tools to work with.
John, the y6unger of the brothers, married first, and George, the elder, married a younger sister of John's wife, three years after John's marriage. They worked together at the old shop, then took building contracts together in the country round about Terre Haute, and together they moved to Wisconsin in the year 1846. In 1852,
picture of George and Candace
they "crossed the plains" together, and located in the same neigh-borhood in Southern Oregon. They were intimately associated together in business for between forty and fifty years.
After living fourteen years in Douglas County, Ore., near the village of Wilbur, the family of George Kuykendall moved to California in the year 1867, and in 1870 they located in Santa Rosa, where they continued to reside up to the time of the death of the head of the family, which occurred June 13, 1900.
His wife, Candace Kuykendall, died Nov.30, 1893. The home place fell into the hands of their son, William Stark Kuykendall, who has lived there ever since. William had two children, both died in infancy.