My last post highlighted my great, great, great grandfather Elias VanScoter and his children. Now I will step back further, and share info from the VanScoter genealogy book about Elias’s father and mother: Anthony and Margaret. This would be my great, great, great, great grandparents. Anthony (Antony) was baptized as an infant on October 12, 1746 in the Delaware valley above the water gap. Also born there. (page 417) They were Dutch Reformed.

It fascinates me that such details (see below) can be known about them – as they lived in the 1700’s and early 1800’s – and here it is 2019! I am thankful this extensive family history was researched and written in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. How amusing that Margaret had extended resentment about a change with the “highway” that moved the road to pass by her kitchen door. Imagine if she saw highways today! I recently had a hideous, imposing, brick commercial building built in view of my home and I am resentful about it. Times change, but the things people get upset about remain the same! I’ll try to get over it, so I’m not remembered for this 200 years in the future!

Also note (below) that it is the descendants of Anthony that dropped the Ben part of the surname, and began using the name as Van Scoter. Thus, Anthony is considered the founder of the VanScoters.

Click the links I have added in this post for further historical/geographical info or for other sources. The link added for Solomon and Lena is from a book: Minisink Valley Reformed Dutch Church Records, 1716 -1830.

Entry from book (pages 606-607)

1545. IX. ANTHONY V.B. m. in the Delaware Valley, Margaret Decker, b. in 1750, bp. Apr. 14, 1754, at Minnisink, dau. of Solomon Decker and Lena Quick. Solomon was b. at Catsbaan, now Saugerties, and Lena at Metschepekonk; they were m. at Mahackemack, June 8, 1745.

According to tradition in the family Anthony and Margaret early passed over into the Susquehanna Valley, and were living above Wilkes Barre at the time of the Wyoming Massacre in 1778. While he, it is said, was helping fight the British and the Seneca Indians, Margaret took her small children and fled on horse-back to a place of safety. Thereafter her brother Isaac, so the story runs, vowed vengeance on the savages and long he camped in the woods and shot every redskin he caught sight of.

Anthony used to carry his brother-in-law provisions, and frequently when depositing these at an appointed spot would find the carcass of a deer hanging there in return.

Anthony and Margaret must have returned from time to time to Minnisink, since four of their children were baptized there, the latest in 1788. The first and only authentic appearance we have of Anthony in the Susquehanna Valley is found in Stewart Pearce’s Annals, wherein “Anthonay Benschoter” is recorded on the first assessment roll of the settlers of Pittston taken in 1796. Until 1806 Anthony and all his family excepting Cornelius, tarried in that general region; in that year he migrated to Allegany Co., N. Y., whither his son Cornelius had preceded him. Here he acquired a large tract of land in the Canaseraga Valley at “Pogue’s Hole” or “Rush Bottom,” where he lived ever after.

Anthony has been described as a rather short, heavy-set man; as very industrious and of few words. He was by nature quiet, and when Margaret who, it is said, was something of a scold would ” get to going” he would simply hold his peace and take himself out of hearing. Mrs Whiting recalled going over with her father Cornelius to see her grandfather once when he was winnowing by hand. He used a large willow screen close-woven and much in shape like a gigantic dust-pan. With this he tossed the grain up and the wind bore off the chaff and dust. Another memory of her’s was the prolonged resentment of her grandmother Margaret when the highway was changed from the elevated ground above the house to the flats below and so made to pass by her kitchen door.

Anthony d. in 1824, Margaret in 1830.

As stated under his father, the descendants of Anthony have unfortunately fallen into the way of dropping the Ben and of using the name as Van Scoter.

[Added note of interest: Anthony’s brother Jacobus is the founder of the Benscoters. page 418.]

Children of Anthony and Margaret:

Solomon, b. in Dec., 1768.
Elizabeth, b.
Elias, b. in 1776.  * my great, great, great grandfather
Lena, b. Feb. 28, 1779.
Lydia, b. July 16, 1783.
Cornelius, bp. June 8, 1784.
Maria, b. Sep. 10, 1785.
Thomas, b. Jan. 29, 1788; d. in 1821; never married
and always lived on the homestead with his parents.
Jane, b.