In Samuel Campbell's will of 1773 he leaves his home and main farm to his son, Samuel.
Twenty years later, in 1793, Samuel the younger is dead. His brothers and sister sold the farm and home to Thomas Barkley. The description of the farm in the deed of 1793 is clear enough that its location along Route 208 in Montgomery, NY could be approximated by the region shown in the red oval below.
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| 1862 map of Montgomery, NY. This historical wall map hangs in the Montgomery Town Hall. |
The location of the farm is further confirmed by David A. Morrison in The History of Orange County, New York (1908) edited by Russel Headley. He states: "Other early settlers were James Barkley, on the James W. Bowne farm.."
Indeed the Barkleys did sell the farm to the Bowne family. An 1826 deed exists for the sale of a farm in this location from Thomas Barkley, the son of Thomas who bought the farm from the Campbells, to a Susan Bowne. [Deed in Liber FF p.397 in the Orange County, NY Clerks
office: "New York, Land Records, 1630-1975," images,
FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-32870-14644-32?cc=2078654&wc=M7HT-16N:358136701,358680101
: accessed 12 May 2014), Orange > Deeds 1827 vol EE-FF > image 470 of
528; citing County Clerk. County Courthouse.]
The survey of the land sold by Thomas Barkley Jr to the Bownes is similar in shape to the Bowne farm shown in the 1862 map. The blue lines of this survey are laid over 1862 map below. On the same map are the survey lines from the Campbell to Barkley deed laid over in green.
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| 1862 Map with surveys from Deeds overlaid. |
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| Detail of Survey Line of Deeds |
A search was made for a purchase by Peter Eager or a sale by a Barkley that would correspond to the property on the east side of Route 208, but none was found.
One characteristic of the Campbell property is the notch that sits at the north end of the property adjacent to "the road to Goodwill" church (208). The notch is not only visible in the Peter Eager plat, but is even visible today from a satellite view in the form of trees and field lines. Other boundaries from the original farm can be seen in the remains of stone fences (they appear as tree lines) and lanes. See below. You can also play around with this map here.
Only one home is within this area on the 1862 map. This is not necessarily where Samuel had his home, but the odds are good. The home, on what became the Peter Eager property, was located at about the same place as the home shown in the satellite image. It is on the lane just above the words "Coleman Rd." [Remember that just to the east down Coleman Rd was the first farm of Samuel. In his will he gave that farm to his son Daniel. Eventually it was farmed by his sons Levi and Nathan. Its exact location is not yet known.]
The home that Thomas Barkley lived in was at the end of Rosswyn Lane. Because the house appears to be outside the Campbell property lines, it is less likely that Samuel lived in that area.
There are still more unanswered questions about this farm. My next step is to approach the current owner of the home on Coleman Road. Most likely they will know nothing of the history, but it will be an adventure.
Below are some additional pictures of this area from 2010. All of these pictures were taken from an area close to the pink "camera icon" that is shown in the satellite image above. Even back then I suspected this area as the site of the farm, but did not have the current evidence.
One characteristic of the Campbell property is the notch that sits at the north end of the property adjacent to "the road to Goodwill" church (208). The notch is not only visible in the Peter Eager plat, but is even visible today from a satellite view in the form of trees and field lines. Other boundaries from the original farm can be seen in the remains of stone fences (they appear as tree lines) and lanes. See below. You can also play around with this map here.
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| Satellite view of boundaries of 1773 Samuel Campbell Farm. |
Only one home is within this area on the 1862 map. This is not necessarily where Samuel had his home, but the odds are good. The home, on what became the Peter Eager property, was located at about the same place as the home shown in the satellite image. It is on the lane just above the words "Coleman Rd." [Remember that just to the east down Coleman Rd was the first farm of Samuel. In his will he gave that farm to his son Daniel. Eventually it was farmed by his sons Levi and Nathan. Its exact location is not yet known.]
The home that Thomas Barkley lived in was at the end of Rosswyn Lane. Because the house appears to be outside the Campbell property lines, it is less likely that Samuel lived in that area.
There are still more unanswered questions about this farm. My next step is to approach the current owner of the home on Coleman Road. Most likely they will know nothing of the history, but it will be an adventure.
Below are some additional pictures of this area from 2010. All of these pictures were taken from an area close to the pink "camera icon" that is shown in the satellite image above. Even back then I suspected this area as the site of the farm, but did not have the current evidence.
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| Looking Northwest towards the farmhouse on the old Campbell property. Coleman Road is visible. Catskill Mountains in the background. |
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| Looking North and a bit East. The farm path I walked up. Coleman Rd is at base of road. |
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| Remains of old stone wall. Property boundary. |
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| A view west along the stone wall on left. This is on a slight hill that slopes down to Route 208 (road to Goodwill). The Campbell farm stretched for one half mile down this hill and across 208 into a low lying swampy area. In the distance is the Wallkill River valley with the Catskills in the distance |
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