My Grandmother's Grandmother's Parents – Peter P. Schuyler and Elizabeth Becker

Still working on the Schuyler line, trying to weave my way through all of the Philips and Annas and Johns and Peters.  For now I will focus on Maria Sofia's parents, Peter P. Schuyler and Elizabeth Becker.

Peter P. Schuyler is descended from one of two Schuyler brothers who immigrated to Beverwyck (Albany), New York from Holland in 1650.  The brothers, David and Philip, were carpenters who quickly entered the fur trade.  They were prosperous and married into other early Dutch families.  Peter's line eventually settled in Montgomery County, New York.  He married Elizabeth Becker in Charleston, Montgomery, New York on January 31, 1822.  The ceremony was performed by the Reverend Elijah Herrick, the first pastor of the Charleston Baptist Church.

Peter and Elizabeth's first six children were born in Montgomery County, the oldest being Maria. In 1834 Peter bought land from Vincent LeRay de Cheamont.  The following year he moved his family to Lyme, Jefferson County, New York and their youngest daughter Adaline was born there in 1840.

Peter is listed as a farmer on all census records.  His land was located at the tip of Three Mile Point, extending into Chaumont Bay off of Lake Ontario (see map in previous post).  The 1855 state census gives an idea of what the farm was like – Peter was farming 90 acres and growing wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn and potatoes.  He expected to harvest 10 bushels of apples that year.  He owned 14 heads of cattle including 6 milk cows that produced 600 pounds of butter.  He also owned 8 horses and 6 swine.

Peter and Elizabeth spent the rest of their lives on the farm.  They experienced the War of 1812 while children and the Civil War as adults.  Peter died in 1881 without a will.  The probate proceedings list his heirs and an include an inventory of his property.  Four of his children were married and lived nearby with their famileis.  Three daughters had married and moved west and all were deceased at the time of Peter's death, including Maria.  Their children are named in the proceedings, including my great grandfather Eugene Timmerman.  By the time the estate settled in 1884 Eugene received $10.38.  

I am working on transcribing the estate but for now you will have to look at the originals.  Elizabeth died in 1885 and she and Peter are buried in the Three Mile Bay cemetery.