While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
David Abeel, Patriot of the Revolution, eldest son of Capt. David and Mary
(Duyckinck) Abeel, was born in Albany, 1727. He married July 2, 1752,
Neiltje, daughter of Garret Van Bergen and Annatje Meyer. He settled in
Catskill as early as 1754. In 1771 he obtained a patent for one thousand
acres of land "on the west side of and adjoining the brook called the
Caterskill, at a place called the Bak-Oven."
This estate was within the bounds of the Catskill
Patent, and was formerly owned by Abeel's father-in-law.
They had issue:
Annatie, born in Albany, March, 1753; died in infancy.
Anthony, born in Catskill, Oct. 9, 1754; died Feb. 25, 1822; married Oct
6, 1797, Catharine Moon.
Garret, born in Catskill, March 27, 1757; died Oct. 23, 2829; married
Elizabeth Cantine.
Annatje, born April 8, 1760; married Jacobus B. Hasbrouck. Catharine,
born in Catskill, Sept. 28, 1765; died Aug. 24, 1829.
During the War of the Revolution there were living at
the Bak-Oven, David Abeel, Neiltje, his wife, and their four
children: Anthony, Gerrit, Catharine and Anna. The men of the household
were zealous patriots, and between them and the few Tories in the
neighborhood a bitter feud existed. One of these Tories, Jacobus Rowe, was
especially malignant.
He harbored the Indians when they came into the valley
of the Catskill, and guided the Indians in their depredations throughout
that neighborhood.
On a Sunday evening in 1780, a party of Indians with
Jacobus Rowe and
another Tory, entered the house of David Abeel. The inmates, who had been
attending prayer meeting, were then at supper and were taken entirely by
surprise. They had no time to take down their guns, which lay upon wooden
baskets fastened to the walls and to the great beams of the ceiling. These
weapons, however, would have been of no service, as the slaves of Abeel
had been notified of the coming attack, and during the absence of the
family in the afternoon, had removed the priming of the guns and had
stuffed ashes into their pans. David and his son Anthony were made
prisoners; Lon. a large and powerful slave of Abeel, assisting in binding
his master. Owing to his extreme age he would doubtless have been released
had he not inadvertently recognized his neighbor. Rowe, who was disguised
as an Indian.
Gerrit Abeel, Anthony's youngest brother, had been
spending the day at the Old Catskill parsonage, and as he approached his
home he heard voices which at once aroused his suspicions, and, calling to
his assistance a neighbor. the two hid themselves in a thicket near the
path which led to the house, and waited. As the party passed, lantern in
hand, Gerrit was about to fire, but his neighbor, who was paralyzed with
fear, warned him that he might shoot his own father and the
party was allowed to escape unmolested.
Their journey was through a vast and unbroken
wilderness, and both captors and prisoners nearly died from hunger. They
lived on dogs, roots and herbs and such other food as they could pick up.
After reaching Fort Niagara, Anthony Abeel was made to run the gauntlet,
his father being excused on account of his age. Anthony was notified that
the Indians would attempt to stop him, and he would have to fight his way.
Soon after he started, a young Indian stepped into the path and faced him.
Anthony dealt him a powerful blow under the ear, much to the amusement of
the crowd, and before they could recover he reached the goal without
receiving a blow.
In May, 1781, the Abeels were confined in the Prevot at
Montreal with thieves, murderers, deserters and captive Americans. They
suffered great hardship, and, in May of the following year, they
determined to break their parole and endeavor to escape. On the evening of
the 10th of September, 1782, everything being in readiness, they went to
their room to go to bed, but jumping out of the window with their packs
they groped their way to the lower end of the island, seized a boat and
began the descent of the St. Lawrence. After many mishaps and much
suffering, the party reached the headquarters of Gen. Bailey, upon the
lower Coos on the 29th of September. They were treated with great
kindness, provided with clothes and shoes and an abundance of food, and,
after resting, continued their journey home.
David Abeel died Feb. 1813, in the 87th year of his
age, and was buried
upon a ridge between his house and the highway.
