Willem, probably the eldest son of Francois Dupuis, was among the pioneers of the locality made famous as the birthplace of our illustrious Senator. He was there when settlement had hardly begun, a young man yet in single blessedness, and had struck camp, it would seem, on the point of land called by the Indians Meanagh [French’s Gazetteer, N.Y.S., p. 699. Bolton calls it “Meahagh,” History of Weschester County, Vol. I., p. 86.] or Mernach, and afterwards named Verplancks Point. A tract of land including this point was purchased of the Indians by Stephanus Van Cortlandt in 1685. Additional purchases and a Royal charter in 1697 created the Manor of Cortlandt [Bolton’s history, Vol. I., p. 83, etc.]. This with the Manor of Philipsburg adjoining on the south, and other large royal grants and charters established a landed gentry along the hudson River, particularly on the east side, from New York to north of albany. Thus a large majority of the settlers through this territory became tenants or lessees, and continued as such, followed by their descendants, for more than one hundred years. In this way many good families were held in check from participating in the progress of our nation’s history, and their talents buried to take root in later generations, where more fertile conditions, and opportunities well applied, have since brought forth some of our country’s best and wisest men.

“William was at Mernach as early as 1688. He had probably strayed over from Haverstraw, where his father had located a year or so before, and where his brother John continued to live for some years afterward. We can see him industriously toiling with logs and bark to make a home for his promised bride, a maiden no doubt of English parentage, born on the Island of Barbadoes. The record calls her “Lysbeth Weyt.” In English we would say Elizabeth White. She was living a little further down the river at a place named by the Indians “Kightwanck,” [Bolton’s History, Vol. I, p. 83, also Kitchawan] and situated near the mouth of the Croton River, which stream formerly bore the same Indian name as was given the locality. Thus we interpret the record of his bans, as posted on the register of the Dutch Church of New York, then the nearest one to their home, which church also issued a certificate permitting William to marry at the home of the bride. This is the first record of William, and as it tells pretty near his whole history up to this time, proving by his birth-place his connection with the family of Francois, it is here reproduced as follows: “10th Autust, 1688.” “Willem Depuy, j. m. Van Boswyck, en Lysbeth Weyt, j. d. van de Barbados. d’Eerste wonende op mernach, en twede tot Kichtewang.” “Vertoog verleent, om te trouwen tot Kichtewang.”

“The marriage was probably executed in the most primitive style at Kichtewang during the following month, and if not the first wedding in the Manor of Cortlandt, it was the foirerunning of an event that has made Peekskill renowned as the home of a great and popular orator. The index finger of family lineage points in this direction so strongly, that the writer has concluded before following it down further, to first dispose of the rest of the family of Francois.189, July