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Note: Baptism #4295; Old Dutch Church records, Kingston
History of Pike County
Chapter V
Borough of Milford
It has generally been claimed that a man by the name of Vandemark was the first settler on the present site of Milford. The Vandemarks are found early in the Smithfield settlement. At an Orphans' Court, held at Easton, July 19, 1766, Benjamin Vandemark, of Upper Smithfield, petitioned for an inquest on the estate of Garret Brink, who had died about eleven years before intestate, leaving sundry lands in Upper Smithfield and five children,-Sarah, wife of petitioner; Charity Van Gorden, widow of Peter Van Gorden; Mary, Lydia and Jannicha. Benjamin Vandemark sold land in Lower Smithfield to John Vandemark, August 1, 1771, adjoining John McMichael and John Drake, which was near Stroudsburg. Joseph Rider, of Upper Smithfield, sold one hundred and three acres and one hundred and fifteen perches of land to Frederick Vandemark, of the same place, bounded on one side by the Delaware River, May 10, 1784. Rider claims to have patented the land that year. This land was evidently the site of Milford. Frederick Vandemark and his wife and child died, according to McCarty's recollections, and probably whatever title he had was lost.
A search of DAR Patriot Index provided the following information:
VAN DE MARK, Benjamin Birth: NY 10 Feb 1734 Service: PA Rank: Pvt PS Death: PA 3 Nov 1805 Patriot Pensioned: No Widow Pensioned: No Children Pensioned: No Heirs Pensioned: No Spouse: (1) Sarah Brink Benjamin is on a list of " Rangers on the Frontiers" in Northampton Co. PA from 1778 to 1783 [see PaA, 6th S., vol 3, pp 833, 834]. He was in Upper Smithfield twp., Northampton Co., PA in 1766. He was taxed in 1785 on 96 acres of land in Lower Smithfield twp. in the same county. In 1771 he sold land near Stroudsburg, PA to John Vandermark and about 1791 removed to Newport twp., Luzerne Co., PA where he owned considerable coal land. Benjamin and wife Sarah are both buried in Newport Center Cemetery, Luzerne Co. PA. His grave is marked by a field stone bearing these dates: b. Dec. 30, 1738 [the figure 8 is obscure and shows evidence of having been changed]; d. Nov. 3, 1805. In all probability he was born Dec. 30, 1733. The tombstone of Sarah Brink Vandermark states that she was born April 5, 1724, and died Oct. 10, 1823, age 99 yrs., 6 mos., 5 days. This birth date is evidently an error. Her mother was Maria Tiesoort who was baptized at Kingston NY May 13, 1711 [KgB 1949]. If Sarah was born in 1724 her mother was only 13 years old, which was very unlikely in the rigorous climate of that time and place. Bemjamin was baptized Feb. 10, 1734[KgB]
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