TRACES
Davis Genealogy Newsletter
Historical Sketches of Davis and related familie with roots in Ulster County, New York and vicinity.
Newsletter #4 October 2009
The Davis Tavern
by Warren Davis
The Davis Tavern as seen in 2001.
Isaac Davis was believed to have been born in 1661 though there is no known record of his birth. Most researchers believe he was a son of Christopher "Kit" Davis and Maria Martensen. Kit was an early pioneer, a trader, trapper and interpreter between the Dutch, English and Indians. Kit is also believed to be the first white settler in Ulster County.
Isaac Davis took up residence in Marbletown (formerly known as Mormel) and built the stone house there that later became known as the Davis Tavern. It is still there today. It was built on the western side of the trail called the Old Mine Road and Kings Highway, now State Route 209, and to the east of the Esopus Creek. The exact date of the initial construction does not appear to be available but it is thought to be between 1680 and 1700, according to various sources. Later built were the Bevier house just to the northeast on the same side of the trail and the North Marbletown Church with its cemetery just to the southwest on the other side.
Marbletown was settled in 1669 and formally established by a patent from Queen Anne in 1703. The Davis Tavern became the meeting place for town business. It is referred to in the town meeting records as the "house of Janitje Davis" (Isaac's wife), "the house of widow Davis," and "the house of Frederick Davis" (Isaac's son). It is believed that the town meetings were held there for 100 years or more and that it is the oldest town meeting place still standing in New York. Town records show the meeting at "the house of Isaac Bloom" in 1813. So before during and after the Revolutionary War the Davis Tavern was the "town hall" of Marbletown.
Some of the descendants of Kit, Isaac and Frederick have always lived in Marbletown from the earliest Davis Tavern years until today.
A side note on some more recent developments concerning the Davis Tavern is that it was purchased in 2002 by actor Barry Nelson and his wife Nansi. According to newspaper accounts, due to a sequence of unusual events the property was put up for auction for back taxes in 2005. (Marbletown apparently has a three-year limit on back taxes). The property was purchased by a group of three investors who had formed a company called WVD 2906209 LLC. Apparently Barry and Nanci were unaware of the proceedings due to a mix-up in mail addressing. Further, it was discovered some time later that their personal belongings had been removed from the building.
The Nelsons of course started a legal proceeding against all involved in the taxes, sale and removal of personal property. Barry Nelson died in 2007 after a long illness and Nansi is still continuing her legal battle to recover the Davis Tavern as well as some belongings. Among those are films of movies and other live performances that they made as well as some antiques including a collection of about 2,000 apothecary jars. Nansi values this personal property at $1 million. The legal proceeding continues and was last known to be in the US District Court Northern District of New York.
Sadly, no one is caring for the Davis Tavern property while the title is in dispute so it has become a bit more overgrown with brush and weeds than anyone (with an appreciation for historic buildings) would like to see, especially those with Davis ancestry.
The tavern photographed recently, in need of some tender loving care.
Warren Davis is a descendant of Isaac Davis.
Town of Marbletown -- Located in the central part of the county, it was one of the original five townships in 1683. Old soldiers of the Indian wars and veterans of the English Army who came in 1664 received grants there from the government in 1670 and settled in a village at what is now called North Marbletown, but soon scattered and took up the outlying land for farms, which in some cases they bought of the Indians.
The town lands, covering the area of many of these purchases, were granted by Queen Anne to the town trustees, June 25,1703, and were reconveyed by them to settlers. Prices for land at this time were twelve pence an acre for lowland, six pence for upland. It has always been an excellent farming country.
One hundred eleven slaves were listed in the town in 1755. A remarkably large proportion of the early names, such as Van De Mark, Schoonmaker, Krom, DeWitt, Bogart, Davis, Hardenbergh, Hasbrouck, Roosa are found in town today. Prominent early English families were the Ashfordbys, Gartons, Nottinghams, Pawlings and Brodheads. John Beatty, an Irishman of aristocratic lineage, married Susan Ashfordby and built the first house at Stone Ridge.
Government by regularly elected town officials began at least as early as 1711. The regulation of matters relating to town property and perhaps some civil administration is recorded from 1703 onward. As in New Paltz and Rochester, the two governing bodies functioned simultaneously.
The house where the annual town meetings were held for over a hundred years, since long before the Revolution, still stands on the Kingston-Ellenville highway and is thought to be the oldest town house still standing in New York State. It is called the Davis Tavern from its former owner, Isaac Davis, who built it about 1710.
Stone Ridge is now a delightful village whose historic houses make the main street of great interest. (See elsewhere.) A modern industry, Sally Tock's (Cosmetics), Inc., occupies for its shop a small house over one hundred years old, and has a large mail order business in fine cosmetics, as well as a local one.
The Shop in the Garden, whose proprietor is Katharine Hasbrouck, of the old Stone Ridge family, is a gift shop of unusual charm in an old stone house once the parsonage of the First Dutch Reformed Church. Tea, with toast, jam and cakes served either next to the shop or in her beautiful garden, is another attraction of the place, which is visited by shoppers from a wide area.
The Leggett family have been prominent in town since Francis H. Leggett, grandson of Abraham Leggett, a tanner at Mt. Pleasant in Shandaken, bought a large estate there in the 1890s. Educational lecture courses by noted men and women were held every summer at the Leggett Casino for many years, and the family have always held "open house" to the neighborhood. In the summer of 1943, Mrs. Frances Leggett, daughter of Francis H. Leggett, put the inn at the disposal of the British Merchant Navy Committee of New York with complete accommodations for seamen. A number of Swamis from India were also guests on the estate, and lectures on India, with moving pictures, were made available to the residents of Stone Ridge without cost.
Marbletown has a claim to being the second New York State capital, as the Committee of Safety, representing both branches of the government, met at the Andrew Oliver house in North Marbletown, October 19 to November 18, 1777, on which day it adjourned to Hurley.
∼Isaac Davids was born in 1668 in Marbletown, Ulster County, New York, and died before Jun 21, 1712 at Kingston, Ulster County, New York around the age of 44.
He married Jannetje Maurits on Nov 13, 1692 in Kingston, Ulster County, New York. She was baptized Jun 18, 1671 at the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, New York, the daughter of Frederick Pietersen Mouritz and Engeltie Hendricks.
Isaac Davids lived at Marbletown, Ulster County, New York, and at Kingston, Ulster County, New York.
The children of Isaac Davids and Jannetje Maurits were:
*i Marietje (Maria), bap. Nov 13, 1692, m. Abraham Brokaw ca. 1710. 10 children
ii Engel (Engeltie), bap. Nov 16, 1694
iii Christoffel, bap. May 30, 1697
iv Jannetje, bap. Oct 29, 1699
v Frederick, bap. Sep 21, 1701, m. Masery Van Leuven on Jun 8, 1733, d. ca. 1778
vi Joris (George), bap. Jan 1, 1704, m. Judith Brokaw (niece of Abraham Brokaw), d. Feb 2, 1774. 10 children
vii Samuel, bap. Mar 17, 1706
viii Christoffel, bap. Sep 11, 1709, m. Elizabeth Brodhead
ix Isaac, bap. Dec 2, 1711
TRACES
Davis Genealogy Newsletter
Historical Sketches of Davis and related familie with roots in Ulster County, New York and vicinity.
Newsletter #4 October 2009
The Davis Tavern
by Warren Davis
The Davis Tavern as seen in 2001.
Isaac Davis was believed to have been born in 1661 though there is no known record of his birth. Most researchers believe he was a son of Christopher "Kit" Davis and Maria Martensen. Kit was an early pioneer, a trader, trapper and interpreter between the Dutch, English and Indians. Kit is also believed to be the first white settler in Ulster County.
Isaac Davis took up residence in Marbletown (formerly known as Mormel) and built the stone house there that later became known as the Davis Tavern. It is still there today. It was built on the western side of the trail called the Old Mine Road and Kings Highway, now State Route 209, and to the east of the Esopus Creek. The exact date of the initial construction does not appear to be available but it is thought to be between 1680 and 1700, according to various sources. Later built were the Bevier house just to the northeast on the same side of the trail and the North Marbletown Church with its cemetery just to the southwest on the other side.
Marbletown was settled in 1669 and formally established by a patent from Queen Anne in 1703. The Davis Tavern became the meeting place for town business. It is referred to in the town meeting records as the "house of Janitje Davis" (Isaac's wife), "the house of widow Davis," and "the house of Frederick Davis" (Isaac's son). It is believed that the town meetings were held there for 100 years or more and that it is the oldest town meeting place still standing in New York. Town records show the meeting at "the house of Isaac Bloom" in 1813. So before during and after the Revolutionary War the Davis Tavern was the "town hall" of Marbletown.
Some of the descendants of Kit, Isaac and Frederick have always lived in Marbletown from the earliest Davis Tavern years until today.
A side note on some more recent developments concerning the Davis Tavern is that it was purchased in 2002 by actor Barry Nelson and his wife Nansi. According to newspaper accounts, due to a sequence of unusual events the property was put up for auction for back taxes in 2005. (Marbletown apparently has a three-year limit on back taxes). The property was purchased by a group of three investors who had formed a company called WVD 2906209 LLC. Apparently Barry and Nanci were unaware of the proceedings due to a mix-up in mail addressing. Further, it was discovered some time later that their personal belongings had been removed from the building.
The Nelsons of course started a legal proceeding against all involved in the taxes, sale and removal of personal property. Barry Nelson died in 2007 after a long illness and Nansi is still continuing her legal battle to recover the Davis Tavern as well as some belongings. Among those are films of movies and other live performances that they made as well as some antiques including a collection of about 2,000 apothecary jars. Nansi values this personal property at $1 million. The legal proceeding continues and was last known to be in the US District Court Northern District of New York.
Sadly, no one is caring for the Davis Tavern property while the title is in dispute so it has become a bit more overgrown with brush and weeds than anyone (with an appreciation for historic buildings) would like to see, especially those with Davis ancestry.
The tavern photographed recently, in need of some tender loving care.
Warren Davis is a descendant of Isaac Davis.
Town of Marbletown -- Located in the central part of the county, it was one of the original five townships in 1683. Old soldiers of the Indian wars and veterans of the English Army who came in 1664 received grants there from the government in 1670 and settled in a village at what is now called North Marbletown, but soon scattered and took up the outlying land for farms, which in some cases they bought of the Indians.
The town lands, covering the area of many of these purchases, were granted by Queen Anne to the town trustees, June 25,1703, and were reconveyed by them to settlers. Prices for land at this time were twelve pence an acre for lowland, six pence for upland. It has always been an excellent farming country.
One hundred eleven slaves were listed in the town in 1755. A remarkably large proportion of the early names, such as Van De Mark, Schoonmaker, Krom, DeWitt, Bogart, Davis, Hardenbergh, Hasbrouck, Roosa are found in town today. Prominent early English families were the Ashfordbys, Gartons, Nottinghams, Pawlings and Brodheads. John Beatty, an Irishman of aristocratic lineage, married Susan Ashfordby and built the first house at Stone Ridge.
Government by regularly elected town officials began at least as early as 1711. The regulation of matters relating to town property and perhaps some civil administration is recorded from 1703 onward. As in New Paltz and Rochester, the two governing bodies functioned simultaneously.
The house where the annual town meetings were held for over a hundred years, since long before the Revolution, still stands on the Kingston-Ellenville highway and is thought to be the oldest town house still standing in New York State. It is called the Davis Tavern from its former owner, Isaac Davis, who built it about 1710.
Stone Ridge is now a delightful village whose historic houses make the main street of great interest. (See elsewhere.) A modern industry, Sally Tock's (Cosmetics), Inc., occupies for its shop a small house over one hundred years old, and has a large mail order business in fine cosmetics, as well as a local one.
The Shop in the Garden, whose proprietor is Katharine Hasbrouck, of the old Stone Ridge family, is a gift shop of unusual charm in an old stone house once the parsonage of the First Dutch Reformed Church. Tea, with toast, jam and cakes served either next to the shop or in her beautiful garden, is another attraction of the place, which is visited by shoppers from a wide area.
The Leggett family have been prominent in town since Francis H. Leggett, grandson of Abraham Leggett, a tanner at Mt. Pleasant in Shandaken, bought a large estate there in the 1890s. Educational lecture courses by noted men and women were held every summer at the Leggett Casino for many years, and the family have always held "open house" to the neighborhood. In the summer of 1943, Mrs. Frances Leggett, daughter of Francis H. Leggett, put the inn at the disposal of the British Merchant Navy Committee of New York with complete accommodations for seamen. A number of Swamis from India were also guests on the estate, and lectures on India, with moving pictures, were made available to the residents of Stone Ridge without cost.
Marbletown has a claim to being the second New York State capital, as the Committee of Safety, representing both branches of the government, met at the Andrew Oliver house in North Marbletown, October 19 to November 18, 1777, on which day it adjourned to Hurley.
∼Isaac Davids was born in 1668 in Marbletown, Ulster County, New York, and died before Jun 21, 1712 at Kingston, Ulster County, New York around the age of 44.
He married Jannetje Maurits on Nov 13, 1692 in Kingston, Ulster County, New York. She was baptized Jun 18, 1671 at the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, New York, the daughter of Frederick Pietersen Mouritz and Engeltie Hendricks.
Isaac Davids lived at Marbletown, Ulster County, New York, and at Kingston, Ulster County, New York.
The children of Isaac Davids and Jannetje Maurits were:
*i Marietje (Maria), bap. Nov 13, 1692, m. Abraham Brokaw ca. 1710. 10 children
ii Engel (Engeltie), bap. Nov 16, 1694
iii Christoffel, bap. May 30, 1697
iv Jannetje, bap. Oct 29, 1699
v Frederick, bap. Sep 21, 1701, m. Masery Van Leuven on Jun 8, 1733, d. ca. 1778
vi Joris (George), bap. Jan 1, 1704, m. Judith Brokaw (niece of Abraham Brokaw), d. Feb 2, 1774. 10 children
vii Samuel, bap. Mar 17, 1706
viii Christoffel, bap. Sep 11, 1709, m. Elizabeth Brodhead
ix Isaac, bap. Dec 2, 1711
Family Members
Advertisement
Advertisement
