.................................................................

The Following is from:

Publications

of the

Mississippi Historical Society

Vo. XIV

Dehart, John, courts and election held in the house of, 268,269,273

..................................................................

268            Mississippi Historical Society.

line between townships 17 and 18 ,strikes the same, thence along said line to where the same strikes the Yazoo River, thence up the last named river to the place of beginning, shall constitute a county which shall be called the county of Washington.2

This was a non-act because of an impossible description, but in the following year, I828, the southern boundary line was changed and conforms to the southern boundary line of today.

Coincident with the formation of Washington county, and in the same legislative act, the town of New Mexico was named as the first seat of Washington county. And the residence of John DeHart, within that town, was named as the Place for holding courts, until a courthouse could be erected. An election for sheriff and coroner was ordered to be held in the house of the said John DeHart. William B. Cook, Philip Gilbert and Thomas Martin were appointed commissioners to select a site, and contract for the building of a courthouse and jail for said county.3

The town of New Mexico was located on the bank of the Mississippi River about five miles south of the 33rd parallel and about that same distance from the southern boundary line of Washington county as established in the year I828. It was about nine miles south of the town of Princeton and was really outside of Washington county boundaries, which act probably accounts, in part, for its rejection later, as the county seat. Thus are seen two glaring mistalres made by the legislature in one and the same act: First, a false description in the establishment of this county, which was a non-act and gave no county; second, in the selection and establishment of New Mexico as the county seat, which seat was at the time, beyond the boundaries of the county.

In February, 1829, the election precincts, as before established, were changed from the house of John DeHart in the town of Mexico, to the courthouse in that town, and other changes made were to the house then occupied by WiIliam W. Blantan (father of the late O. M. Blanton), whose plantation and residence were where Greenville now stands. Another designated place for holding elections was at the house, then occupied by Barnett Dempsey.6 

..................................................................

      County Seats of Washington County-Ireys.         269

William B. Cook, one of the commissioners appointed to select a building site for the courthouse and jail in New Mexico, was probate judge, and held his first term of court, June 18, 1827, in the house of John DeHart, as provided, and in 1829 in the courthouse, as that building had been erected; and in the January term (25th day) 1830, he made record above his signature, that a probate court was held in New Mexico in and for the county of Washingtan.6

In a little over three years, a place called Princeton, in honor of the late William B. Prince, whose death occurred April, 1823, was selected by the legislature as a permanent seat of justice for the county.  In recognition of their past faithful services, the same commissioners, who had charge of the buildings erected in New Mexico, were authorized and empowered to remove the public buildings from the town of New Mexico to Princeton, and there to erect a suitable courthouse and jail. And they were further authorized to receive, by purchase or donation, a lot of land of such dimensions as they might deem sufficient for a public square; for that, as is seen in Mississippi towns that are aged, was a necessary adjunct.7

Princeton was located on the river a short distance below Leota. In and about Princeton lived families, who were not only socially prominent, but educated and refined and possessed of means and property, being large land owners. The Lake Washington country, some seven miles back from the river, was well settled hy distinguished families, and still further toward the sunrise, on the high banks of that wonderful stream, Deer Creek, wealthy men from Kentucky and other slave-holding states settled.

For a period of five years Or more, Princeton grew; the country around and back of it was being rapidly developed. The settlers on Deer Creek and Lake Washington desired easy and rapid access to the Mississippi River, both for freight and travel. The dav of railroads had come; it was also the age of expansion, progress, developement and invtestment; immense were the land holdings; great was the advance in value of wild lands; and visions of greater wealth loomed up.  A railroad and banking scheme was agitated, which culminated in the act incorporating the Lake Washington and Deer Creek Railroad and Banking Company, approved February 26, 1836. 

...................................................................

County Seats of Washington County-Ireys. 273

it. A majority of the commissioners named, were to have authority to receive subscriptions to be made in gold or silver or notes of speciepaying banks. The banking powers conferred by the charter were to cease from and after April 1, I861. As already evidenced, this is not altogether scientific history. As Delta, drainage will not be confined to main canals, but will have spreading laterals, to reach the cabin in the clearing, so this tide of history will be augmented by the flow from lives in many a home and hamlet. A divergence in the beginning, by the mention of the name of Governor Brandon, will develop a biographical sketch of the Brandon family, of rare merit. The mention of the names of other families, places and scenes, will interest and be the means of bringing family history to the front. Neither will the line of recorded history alone be followed, but inferential data will be accepted- For instance, when the county seat was New Mexico, what evidence was there that a courthouse haci been built? The residence of John DeHart in 1827 was selected by the legislature for the holding of courts and as a voting precinct, but by the act of I829, the voting precinct was removed from John DeHart's house to the courthouse in New Mexico, which is proof positive that the courthouse was built. Tradition which has been verbally transmittcd from father to son, from ancestor to posterity, will also find a welcome place on these pages. The projected route of the railroad was induced by the settlers on Deer Creek and Lake Washington, who were ably represented on the board of commissioners by Robert P. Shelby for Deer Creek, and by Andrew Knox for Lake Washington, both large land owners from each section. The high standing of the members of the commission appointed to open the books for stock subscription, together with their extensive holdings of land, seemed a guarantee of the success of the enterprise. The amount of the subscription to be paid in specie to secure the charter had the tone of solidity. The restrictions imposed by the legislature manifested consideration and care for the subscribing public. The place of departure and the points to be touched by the road with its teminals, were sufficiently explicit. The limit of time for its construction appeared adequate. A president and cashier were elected, and bank notes in Sums from five dollars to one hundred dollars were issued and bore the names

DeHart, Mathias. B. F, p. 534.

Dehart, Harvey S., 4644Q. W. 1847. Inv. 1847

Deharts in the Colonial History of New Jersey

Dehart, Guisbert and Ann Brees 1799 Oct. 24

Brees, Ann, and Guisbert Dehart 1799 Oct. 24

Kingslant, Catharina, and Matthias DeHart 1746

DeHart, Matthias, from Elisabethtown, and Catharina Kingslant, from N. Berbadus, marr. with license of March 31 1746

Merill, Abigail, Elizabeth, and Samuel Dehart, Elizabeth 1749 Sept. 28

Dehart, Gasha, Middletown, and Simon Bergen, Long Island 1767 May 16

DeHart, Catharine, Freehold, and Peter Covenhoven, Middletown 1749 July 27

Dehart, Samuel, Elizabeth, and Abigal Merrill, Elizabeth 1749 Sept. 28

Covenhoven, Peter, Middletown, and Catherine Dehart, Freehold 1749 July 27

Bergen, Simon, Long Island, and Gasha Dehart, Middletown 1767 May 16

Old Hopewell,NJ

Maria, daughter of Uriah DeHart of Ten Mile Run,  who was the sixth generation in the line of Simon DeHart a French Huguenot who emigrated to this country in 1664 and settled at Gowanus

L. I. Uriah DeHart married Margaret, daughter of Henry Van Arsdalen, great, great grandson of Isaac Van Arsdalen,

SOMERVILLE, NEW JERSEY

Dehart, Peter and Pegge--Hendrick.

Dehart, Winnant and Marya--Enney.

Dehart, Jan and Enney--Abraham

Dehart, Peter and Phegge--Corneljus

Dehart, Hendrick and Maryia--Maghdelena

Dehart, Cornelius and Marya--Corne lyus

Dehart, Peter and Gerritye--Johnnis.

Dehart, Cornelus and Mayke--Sara

Dehart, Hendrick and Mooya--Machdelena

Death of Rev. Dr. William H. DeHart: Although Dr. DeHart removed from this County to Plainfield in 1911, he made an impress here which will long remain. His death on Feb. 14, 1916, after several strokes of paralysis, re-awakened many pleasant memories of the man and of his work while pastorat Raritan. Born in New Brunswick in 1837, and graduating at Rutgers College in 1865 and at the Theological Seminary there three years later, he served as pastor of the Reformed churches at North and South Hampton, Pa., 1868-'71; Knox Memorial Chapel, N . Y. City, 1871-'77; Jamaica, L. I., 1877-'87; Bethlehem (First), N. Y., 1887-'88; and then came to Raritan, where his faithful services for 23 years (1888-1911) were marked by fine courtesy, great industry and success.

Cornelius DeHart, of Six-Mile Run, purchased of the Indians 210 acres of land, but was compelled to repurchase it from the Proprietors, paying, therefore, twice for the same property. He had three sons and several daughters; some other sons died early. The sons who survived were: Cornelius, Guisbert and Abraham. After the death of his father, Cornelius, Jr., owned and lived on the one-third part of the land, which is now in the possession of Charles Dunham. Guisbert and Abraham had the remaining part, and lived in the house which the father erected, and to which additions and improvements have been made, being the one in which John S. Voorhees and family reside. One of his daughters, Sarah, married Roeloff Voorhees, grandfather of Abram D. Voorhees, of Adams' Station. Another daughter, Ann, married Jacobus DeHart.

Among other early settlers along the old Indian Path was Cornelius DeHart, a son of Simon DeHart, of French origin, who came to this country in 1664, and bought, prior to 1673, a farm of about 300 acres at Gowanus, L. I. He had sons: Simon, who remained there; Elias, who settled in Monmouth county, N. J.; also a grandson Cornelius, who, in 1720, settled at Six-Mile Run. Simon, the son, who inherited the Gowanus farm, left no male descendants, and it came into the possession of Simon Bergen, one of the descendants in the female line.

CORDELIA DEHART b 7 May 1852 New Brunswick, NJ; d June 1913 Bloomingdale, NJ: bur same; d/o James DeHart and Elizabeth Holman

Morristown, NJ, Descendants of Thomas Halsey

Dehart, Daniel 1675, 112 acres

Dehart, Ditto  (1673), 400 acres.

Dehart, Guyzbut 1710

Dehart/ Cortelyou Families

Children of Jaques and Jacomyntie (Van Pelt) Cortelyou: Deborah, b. Nov. 29, 1720; bap. Dec. 26, 1720; witnesses, "Pieter Cotelau and Dorothe Coteleau"; m. Derick Bergen. Four children. Peter, b. Oct. 3, 1722; bap. Nov. 4, 1722; witnesses, Rem Van der Beek and "Dorothe Coteleau"; m. Annanetie (or Angenietje) DeHart. Two children.

Children of Hendrick and Ann (DeHart) Cortelyou: Hendrick (Henry H.), b. Nov. 5, 1789; bap Dec. 13, 1789; d. Sept. 10, 1856; m. Maria (Mary) Voorhees. One child.  Mary, b. Feb. 25, 1792; bap. June 27, 1792; d. March 12, 1794. Buried at Ten Mile Run.

Dehart/Bergen Family

The Deposition of Hartman Wessels, aged 54, or thereabouts, and John Cavalier, aged 45, deponents being sworn upon the Holy Evangelists, that on or about the 9th day of July, 1689, these deponents were then at the house of Daniel De Hart, late of New York, deceased, and that they heard the said Daniel DeHart declare that he left all his estate to his then wife, Martha DeHart. And both further declare that the said Daniel DeHart was then at that time of perfect sense and memory to the best of their knowledge, and further sayeth not. Hartman Wessells, John Cavalier, Gertrude Jans Van Tuyl. New York, May , 1690. Jurat Coram, me, S. Van Cortlandt. Gertryd Jans Van Tuyl, also being sworn, says that she heard Daniel DeHart declare the words in the above deposition expressed, and that she was requested to be a witness.