Have you heard of a semiquincentennial? How about a sestercentennial? Both of these terms have been used to describe the 250th anniversary of an event, specifically the day that the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. With the anniversary just five years away, Congress has already appointed a Semiquincentennial Commission. Their website goes by the much simpler America250.org.
Bethlehem of course has many connections to the wider story
of the American colonies’ rebellion against Great Britain. And in the way that
history threads often come together, two of those connections have surfaced in
recent months. One is about James Selkirk. The other, the story of three Teunis
Slingerlands.
Our hamlet of Selkirk is named after the Selkirk family who
trace their roots to James Selkirk and Elizabeth Henry. James and Elizabeth
were married January 12, 1786 by the Reverend John McDonald under the auspices
of the First Presbyterian Church of Albany. They first met twelve years earlier
aboard the Gale, the ship carrying them from Scotland to the American
colonies. James was a young man of about 17, Elizabeth, a child of about eight traveling
with her parents James and Nancy, older sister Christy and younger brother
William. After the ship landed in New York, James made his way to Galway and
his eventual service in the Revolution. The Henry family ended up settling in
the Bethlehem area.
James Selkirk first enlisted with Col. John Nicholson’s
Continental Regiment of the New York Militia. After spending most of that term
in ill health, he mustered out in Albany. Because of his ability to read and
write, Selkirk was able to re-enlist as a quartermaster sergeant under Col,
James Livingston. Selkirk served throughout the war. He received his discharge
papers from the Second Regiment of New York on June 7, 1783. The papers, signed
by George Washington, are a family heirloom.
After the war, James rekindled his friendship with the Henry
family, moved to Bethlehem, and eventually married Elizabeth. The couple raised
ten children while James worked as a farmer and tailor. He died in 1820. Records
indicate that Elizabeth continued to collect James’ war pension until her death
in 1844. Sometime in the early 1800s, James began to write “A New and Complete
History of the American Revolution in Three Parts” and worked to sell
subscriptions in order to publish the work. Part One would be “The Author’s
life and services in the War… being a continual actor in the great scenes that
are described.” His memoir details his experiences including the battles at
Saratoga in 1777, the horrible winter encampment at Morristown in 1779-80, and
the surrender at Yorktown in 1781.
While Selkirk’s efforts to publish never came to fruition,
the original documents survive in the family. It has been transcribed by family
members and copies are on file with the Historian’s office. Which brings us to
that semiquincentennial. Wouldn’t it be great to finally get Selkirk’s memoirs
into print with a scholarly treatment as a way to celebrate Bethlehem’s
Revolutionary War connections? Maybe five years is enough lead time.
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In 2009, Ron Selkirk celebrated his Scottish heritage at the
installation of the historic marker honoring his ancestor James Selkirk. That's me on the right. |
As a side note, doing a little internet research to track down the original memoir led to the interesting story of Elizabeth and James’s son William Selkirk. Raised in Bethlehem, William married Matilda Hallenbake. After she died, he left his small children with his brother and headed west to Texas. Selkirk arrived in the fall of 1823 and he became a surveyor for the Austin colony. He gained title to land in Matagorda County which became known as Selkirk Island. His descendants owned Selkirk Island until it was subdivided in the 1970s.
Now to the story of the three Teunis Slingerlands. But first
some background. The lead up to the American Revolution was a difficult time. While
some tried to remain neutral, people had to choose a side. Were you going to support
the British crown or were you going to join the rebellion? Patriot? Loyalist? When
members of the Albany Committee of Correspondence came knocking on your
farmhouse door in the summer of 1775 asking you to pledge your loyalty to the
American cause, would you sign the Association document?
Along Creble Road in Bethlehem there is a historical marker
noting the burial spot of two “Soldiers of the American Revolution” one of whom
is Teunis W. Slingerland (spelled Tunis on the marker.) Teunis was born in
November of 1750 and died in 1795. According to Daughters of the American
Revolution records, he served under Col. Stephen Schulyer. There is another
Teunis Slingerland in their records, born 1722, died 1805, who is buried in
Jerusalem Cemetery in Feura Bush. While the service records of these two often
get mixed up, both are recognized to have served in the Revolution. But the
Teunis I want to tell you about is not found in any D.A.R. record.
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| This marker is located on Creble Road, up an embankment and hidden by shrubbery. Thank you Chris Philippo for the picture. |
This Teunis Slingerland was born in 1723 in Schenectady and married Clare Clute in 1751 in Albany. They had at least six children, all born in on the West Manor of Rensselaerswyck, Albany County, probably in the modern-day towns of New Scotland or Bethlehem. This Teunis chose to remain loyal to the crown. He was an officer of the Albany Battalion, a division of Adam Vrooman’s company of Butler’s Rangers. Butler’s Rangers fought mostly in western New York and in to Pennsylvania. One family history describes his service thus “He was taken prisoner by the rebel forces. His lands were plundered and looted. He was harassed and persecuted upon his release so fled to Canada with his wife, four sons and one daughter in 1783.”
Teunis and his family ended up at Niagara-on-the-Lake,
Ontario, Canada, the winter encampment of Butler’s Rangers, and still home to
this day of his descendants. And his lands in Albany County? Confiscated
because he was a loyalist in a judgement signed July 14, 1783.
Now, I will leave you to wonder about the whys of how these
Slingerland cousins, all three related to the Teunis, trader at Beverwyck, who
arrived here in 1650s, came to serve on opposite sides of the American
Revolution. A topic surely discussed when the far-flung Slingerlands have their
next family reunion at which I am sure the topic of the American
semiquincentennial will come up.
FLASHES & DASHES
The Bethlehem Historical Association’s Cedar Hill Schoolhouse Museum is open Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 PM. You can also sign up to enjoy Family Time at the Museum on Saturday’s by calling Linda at 518-439-1686. https://bethlehemhistorical.org/ While you are there, check out the upcoming dates for history hikes and paddles.
There is also a new walking tour of the historic Delmar Four Corners and Elsmere area. Go to the Historian’s page on the town’s website to download a copy.
And a P.S.
Don't you just love the word semiquincentennial? Is not even in the dictionary! Semi is half and quincentennial is a 500 year anniversary. So have a semiquincentennial is 250 years. We could also call it a quarter millennial - that is 1/4 of 1000 years, so again 250. At any rate pop over here for the America 250 site
And if you are like me, you are wondering what might happen at the New York or Albany County or Town of Bethlehem level. No idea. Some grass roots organizing is needed soon!
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July 6, 2021 hey look what I just saw... NY state is setting up a commission.
