Letters 8/9/2019 Conewago, Old Mud, and more….
SEE YOU Sept 12,-16, 2019 in KENTUCKY!
Thursday through Saturday at the Kentucky State University, Harold R. Benson Ag building, 1525 Mills Ln, Frankfort, KY 40601.
Sunday and Monday at Harrodsburg for the Old Mud Meetinghouse and the Harrodsburg Historical Research Library.
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SENT BY: Carolyn Leonard
We are getting excited as we gear up for the 2019 Dutch Cousins gathering in Kentucky, Sept 12,-16!
Thursday through Saturday we will be at the Kentucky State University, Harold R. Benson Ag building, 1525 Mills Ln, Frankfort, KY 40601.
Sunday and Monday we will be at Harrodsburg KY for the Old Mud Meetinghouse worship and dedication and the Harrodsburg Historical Research Library to study the only repository for the Low Dutch history Archives.
We average 125-150 attendance – and can accommodate more! This will be our EIGHTH gathering of descendants of the many Dutch families who came from New Amsterdam to NJ, to Conewago Colony in Pennsylvania, and then either on flatboats down the Ohio or on the Wilderness Trail in the 1780s to settle the Low Dutch Tract in Kentucky.
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SENT BY: Laurel Auchampaugh (for the Owasco NY newspaper)
Meeting my Dutch Cousins- Completing the Circle
By Laurel Auchampaugh
I have been writing for years about the history and migration of 10 Families who came to Owasco in Cayuga County on July 4th, 1793 by wagon train from Conewago ,Pennsylvania . They were true pioneers who cleared the forest, built cabins and churches. They farmed the area around Owasco Lake and flourished.
It has been such a pleasure to meet up with their descendants and share their history.
Over the years, these families have shared with me their family stories, Bible records, pictures and genealogy. Many articles about their proud heritage were shared with the public in the Auburn Citizen.
I can say today with true humility, the circle is now complete, for I can now tell the rest of the story. Conewago is a place today known only in the heart-like Brigadoon. Two cemeteries are all that remain of this Dutch community originally from New Jersey. So many folk left the area, the community became extinct.
In 1783, a group of pioneers left for Daniel Boone’s territory in Kentucky. They built a community called Harrodsburg and nearby a mud meeting house that still exists today. Their family names were: Banta, Bergan, Bise, Blonk, Bruner, Brower, Covert, La Grange, Stryker, Seburn, Demont, Montford, Smock, Van Arsdale, Commingore, Cosine, Vaunuys, Carmine, Vanderveer, Voorhees, Aten, Demaree.
Ten years later, in 1793, a second group left Conewago for the “Lake Country” in central New York. These were the Owasco pioneer families totaling 82 people (not counting their slaves). Their names were: Brinkerhoff brothers (3), Bodine brothers (2), Van Tine (2), Dates, Johnson, Parsell, Loyster.
I recently wrote to Russell Gasero, the Archivist of the Reformed Church of America at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey. I was looking for information on Rev. Cornelius Cosine a newly discovered ancestor. Dominee Cozine was the first minister of the Dutch Reformed Church of Conewago. Russell put me in touch with a website called Dutch Cousins, and a gentleman named James Cosine. He also provided me with the name of author Carolyn Leonard. They like me, are descended from Rev. Cozine. I have found my Dutch Cousins!
The most exciting fact is that after this contact the Conewago Kentucky and Owasco families can now meet after 236 years. On September 12th – 16th, there is a Low Dutch Cousins gathering of the Kentucky descendants for a reunion at Frankfort and Harrodsburg. I am making plans to attend to represent the Owasco families.
The circle is complete. The heart goes home.——————————————————————
SENT BY: Carolyn
We need to get started on our CONEWAGO historical marker project, so we will be looking for someone to help Malcolm Banta with that.
I am a volunteer for findagrave.com and one of my projects has been to straighten out the Northern Low Dutch Cemetery at Conewago. There are two, the southern and the northern, and someone had mixed them up and put people in the wrong place. Have a look.
https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2386142/northern-low-dutch-cemetery
Larry Voreis had some good info and photos of Conewago in his book OUR LOW DUTCH HERITAGE, now out of print but available at the Harrodsburg Historical Research Library. And of course, Arthur Weaner’s TAXABLES, THE LOW DUTCH SETTLEMENT OF THE CONEWAGO, York County, is still available from the Adams County, Pennsylvania, Historical Society.
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SENT BY: Janice Cozine (DUTCH COUSINS TREASURER -and general organizer!)
This large facility (Kentucky State University, Harold R. Benson Ag building) has everything we need, also has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the farm/property. Several hotels nearby give you some variety on where to stay. Most are right off I-64 at exit 53B for your convenience and we still have the option to stay at The Capital Plaza Hotel farther into town.
NOTE: **We are not endorsing any of these hotels, just sharing contact information.The information on hotel contact for reservations is on our website: www.DutchCousins.org——————————————————————
SENT BY: Paul Gregory
It completely slipped my mind to register for this year’s Dutch Cousins Gathering. I am finishing out my last year as Vice President of Administration for the Kentucky Genealogical Society (KGS) and have been very busy getting things ready to hand off. Plus, I attended IGHR at Athens, GA and the Williard Library’s Moonlight Madness in Evansville, IN…two weeklong genealogy research events.
I am curious if there are any events that I can attend simply to make contact with researchers of the Voorhies surname. My third great grandmother was Hellena Voorhies who became a Shaker at Pleasant Hill in Mercer County. I have a KGS Second Saturday event on Saturday, September 14 and would love to meet up with a Voorhies cousin.
Hopefully 2021 won’t be so busy!
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SENT BY: Iva Wilsey-NM
Thnx for the information.
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SENT BY: Sharon Leezer
Where do we send a donation?
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SENT BY: Dr. Edward Westerfield
DUTCH MARKERS: How much do you need to get your goal? I’ll pay the difference. Let me know.
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SENT BY: “Connie”
THANK YOU! I very much enjoyed reading this newsletter.
I did not know this info before and find it fascinating history!
Having many of my Coovert’s from the area mentioned, I can feel & understand their past better.
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SENT BY: Pam Hastings Carlisle <pcarlisle55@yahoo.com>
Subject: Newsletter
Message Body:
From Jonesboro, AR.
My family line :
Mary Polly Banta Ellis Hastings (1802-1869) ▶️ David Hendrick Banta (1771-1844) ▶️ Hendrick Banta ‘Thé Exhorter’ (1718-1805) ▶️ Hendrick Banta (1696-1740) ▶️ Deacon HE Banta I (1655-1740) ▶️ Epke Jacobse Banta (1619-1684) ▶️ Jacob Epkesz Banta (1600-1656)
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SENT BY: Sharon & King Cole, Dutch “Silent Auction” chairpersons:
Bring items for bidding to the DC 2019
Suggested Dutch inspired items:
Jewelry
Stoneware
Cookbooks
Vintage glassware
Dutch boy and girl
Tulips
Dutch items are always popular, but unique items are welcome.
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SENT BY: Carolyn (herself)
I finally found time to watch the 2015 video, with materials and narration by Vincent Akers of Indianapolis, on the history of the Low Dutch in Kentucky. The video on our webpage, www.DutchCousins.org, shows the important historic documents and names of our ancestors as they begged the Dutch Reformed classis in New Jersey to send a Dutch Speaking Domine or pastor to Kentucky. They started building the Meetinghouse and one finally came, newly ordained Domine Peter Labagh, who stayed a couple months and then went home. The group eventually defaulted to Presbyterian faith, which was most like the strict Calvinist worship they were used to.
The video is in two parts, with with the second showing amazing photos of the changes in Old Mud Meetinghouse over the more than 200 years of its life. I heard and saw the presentation in 2015 at the Dutch Cousins Gathering at the Kentucky History Center, but enjoyed the video even more this week. I encourage each cousin to watch this before coming to Kentucky. It will prepare you to absorb our heritage and add to your enjoyment at the gathering when you see with your own eyes our beloved Old Mud church. This recording was produced at the 2015 gathering, and made available by our own amazing videographer cousin, Jack “Johannes” Taylor of Kingwood Texas who brings his own equipment and donates his time to do this for us.
The reminder makes it obvious how grateful we are to the many people who donated their time and expertise to save our treasure, especially Bill Faulconer of Perryville, KY, and the Timber Framers Guild, Vince Akers who spearheaded the fund drive and donated matching funds, and every cousin who donated to save Old Mud, especially Cozine descendant Ralph Anderson, who passed away in 2010. Thank you also to Amalie Preston, Dutch Cousins Board member, who has overseen completion of the work, and is now involved in the restoration of the 1900 school house just beside the church. We consider the place ours, although it is owned by the Harrodsburg Historical Society. Each showing will keep you mesmerized for about 30 minutes.
Click on this hotlink to go to the webpage with the videos. Happy viewing! See you soon in Kentucky!
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SENT BY: Darren Westerfield
Carolyn,
If it was your team that re-posted all of my Westerfield info, thank you. In addition, I’d like to be an on-line resource, if needed, during the reunion for any Westerfield inquires. I have so much info even going back to Lubbert with a manifest that lists all Dutch families that were shipping out of New Jersey in what I believe was the early 1640’s maybe, (correction?), on the same ship as my line.
(REPLY: our Dutch Cousins president, Charlie Westerfield, had an expert team that worked on the markers and they still had quite a challenge agreeing on the wordage and getting the wording approved by the Kentucky Historical committee. There is a lot of information out there that has been shared between the descendants over the years and I don’t know where all it came from since I am not a Westerfield. Have you read the two massive articles about this massacre that was published in the Bluegrass Roots within the last year? They may also be linked somewhere on our website if you want to look: www.DutchCousins.org) And BTW you are not on the mailing list because we only have an email. Please send complete contact info to stay on the list.
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SENT BY: Denise M. Perry
About the print newsletters. We only have 16 left that are available to address and send.
I have 5 that came back to me but nothing was stamped on them by the post office, no forwarding address. I’m thinking they messed up and sent them to the return address.
They are:
Lynda Passiglia
Michelle Batsford
Frank and PHyllis Cooper
Annie Tobin
Bill and Margaret Shalter
Still no addresses on Darren Westerfield or Beth Hatcher.
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SENT BY:
My name is Ernie Borgoyne and my wife is Kathy (Banta) Borgoyne. Kathy is the 5th Great Grandaughter of Henry Banta, Patriot and leader of the migration to Kentucky.
I’ve become very fascinated with Kathy’s family ever since we visited Amsterdam about a year ago. A simple search on Ancestry quickly took me back to Friesland and I was hooked! When I realized Henry was a Patriot, I got my two Grandsons registered at SAR, and I became almost obsessed! Especially about his involvement as a member of the committee of observation–which I never heard of before. I’m now dabbling in a Historical Novel going back to the arrival of Epke Jacobse (Banta), shedding some interesting historical light along the way.
Kathy and I will be visiting Henry’s cabin near Gettysburgh this September, as we travel from Pittsburgh (my home town) to Philadelphia.
Looking forward to some interesting letters from the community, and sharing what I learn going forward.
Sincerely,
Ernie and Kathy Borgoyne
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Our Dutch Cousins MISSION STATEMENT
We are descendants of the Low Dutch who settled New Amsterdam, moved to New Jersey, migrated to near Gettysburg, and made history when they later populated the frontier. Our Dutch Kentucky Cousins goal is to research, share, and preserve the genealogy and history of our common Low Dutch heritage, including but not limited to, the restoration and preservation of the old Mud Meetinghouse built by our ancestors in the early 1800s near Harrodsburg, KY. We meet every two years to renew our love for each other. Our mission is to honor the memory of these ancestors and enjoy the friendship of cousins, both newly- discovered and long-loved.
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SENT BY: To stay in touch, we mainly use our official website, www.DutchCousins.org, and the weekly or so Dutch Letters email. The email goes out to almost 1,000 addresses – and I know it is passed on to others who do not use computers, and is posted at some libraries. The letters are also archived on the website.
SENT BY: Carolyn Leonard
Editor, Dutch cousins of Kentucky
E-mail me: Editor234 (at) gmail.com
On my web page www.CarolynBLeonard.com
Dutch letters are archived on our official webpage, www.DutchCousins.org by Pam Ellingson
Barbara Whiteside has a facebook page that you may find interesting, Dutch Cousins in Kentucky
