This Council, in their permission for the sale, strictly ordered the three commissioners to go to the "Wigwam" of Himhammoe and there have the deed properly executed and the lands marked off; also, a like treaty with Copponnockous, who held possession of the more westerly portion af the original tract.

This tract contained about 150,000 acres, and was purchased for 700lbs, then divided into proprietary shares of five thousand acres each, of which Benjamin Field took his portion in two lots, one of three thousand acres, fronting on the Delaware river, from Lambertville, southward, thence east, and the other, two  thousand acres, in and around Ringoes, of which Field conveyed a smaller tract of two hundred acres, to certain land speculators in succession.

John Holcombe, a resident of Abbington township, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of November, 1705, purchased three hundred and fifty acres of land of Richard Wilson, of Bucks county, Pennsylvania.

This land was in New Jersey, and was that tract south of Alexsauken creek, bordering the Delaware river on the west, and Coat's line on the south, extending through the city of Lambertville, between Delevan and Jefferson streets, and extending easterly from the river to a distance of about one and one-half miles.

The purchase was made on this wise: First, he leased the tract of land for the sum of 5 shillings, and for a release paid 100 sterling per acre.

As the township of Amwell had only been purchased from the Indians two years before, his purchase as a, resident owner ranks him among the earliest in all this region.

John Holcombe was married to Elizabeth Woolrich, of Abbington, Pa., according to the order of "Friends," as the minutes of the Abbington meeting will show, on fourth month, twenty-eighth day, in the year seventeen hundred and seven
.
To them were born six children, three sons and three daughters. The sons were John Samuel and Richard. John died a young man, unmarried. Samuel married Eleanor Barber, and had seven sons and two daughters.

Dr. George L. Romine, Dr. Frank Larison, Alexander H. Titus ancl others of the Holcombe family, who are residents of the town at the present time, 1902, are the lineal descendants of Samuel Holcombe.

Richard was married twice, his first wife being Mary Harvey, his second, Ann Emley, by whom he had two children. The first, a son, whose name was John, lived near Lambertville. His death occurred in 1851, at the family homestead, which is now known as "Washington's Headquarters," from the fact
that this "Commander" was entertained there during his short stay in this vicinity, in 1778.

In 1731, nearly thirty years after its purchase from the Indians, this region was still a "howling wilderness," and still inhabited by the indians. The forests were infested with "Wolves, Foxes and Panthers." But
civilization was advancing, and the Government put a price on their heads for their extermination.

Washington's Headquarters - Lambertville (Coryell's Ferry)

Between the years 1720 - 1730, a young man, from the eastern part of the Province, more in quest of fortune than of fame, came here and settled along the banks of the "Delaware," and constructed a "Hut" in which to dwell.

He was, evidently, both shrewd and enterprising. Seeing his opportunity, he embraced it, by buying an extensive tract of land and beginning traffic with the Indians.

The shortest and most direct route between New York and Philadelphia was the "Indian Path" through the forest to the river, along whose banks he had his "Hut," and tradition tells us that, at this time, he was the only white man in this region.

In 1732 this man applied to King George II. for the exclusive right of a ferry three miles above and the same distance below his "Hut."

This he obtained, calling it "Coryell's Ferry," from his own name (which was Emanuel Coryell), a. name it retained for eighty years, and one that was notable in history during the Revolution.

In that same year (1732) he built a commodious and ( for the time) imposing stone
house, which was an Inn for the travelling public.

The house now owned and occupied (1902) by the heirs of the late Griffith Williams is on the site of the original "Ferry House." It was a very pretty location, as the ground sloped to the creek.

The canal and canal banks are responsible for its present elevated perch.

An addition was built to the "Ferry House" in after years, which was left standing for some time after the original was razed, and was leased to tenants.

Mr. Sydney Blackwell tore down the addition and built the present edifice. It also contained a tablet on which was cut the date, 1749. (Mr. Daniel Gallagher is authority for this last statement, as he saw the tablet and date when Mr. Blackwell was tearing it down.)

Tradition says that the "Hut" was the tavern until the "Ferry House" was occupied, and that its location was on the corner of Main and York streets, on the site where the Episcopal Church now stands.

1732 seems to have been an eventful year in Emanuel Coryell's history, for it was in this
year his son Cornelius was born.

Emanuel Coryell died when comparatively a young man, being less than fifty years of age, and was buried in his field in sight of his late dwelling, the "Ferry House."

Four sons survived him, and in the division of his real estate the heirs apportioned the burial plot in which their father was buried to be a "Grave Yard" for his descendants forever. It is the same on which the Presbyterian Church now stands.

It seems to be a singular act of neglect that in this "Grave Yard" no stone marks the resting place of the first white resident and founder of this city.

Monument of George Coryell

His sons and grandsons also were remark-able for longevity.

A coffin-shaped stone, hewn from the granite of his own "Goat Hill," records the names of two of those sons. Cornelius, about whom I have previously spoken, died in the hundredth year of his age, being ninety-nine years and six months old.

His brotlier Ahram's record on the same stone is ninety-one years.

John Coryell, a grandson, died October 31st, 1861, in the ninetieth year of his age.

It may interest some of my readers to know that a modest monument marks the resting place of George Coryell, son of Cornelius, who clied in this city in 1850, aged ninety-one years.

He was a fellow a fellow-Mason with George Washington in the Masonic Lodge at Alexandria, Va., and, as is stated on the monument, the last survivor of the six men who laid the "Father of his Country" in his tomb. Lest some one question the historic accuracy of this statement, it should be mentioned that, as a member of the lodge, next in degree, Mr. Coryell was called on to take the place of one of the six pall-bearers selected -- (Lieutenant) Moss, who was taken ill.

Mr. Coryell was a personal acquaintance of George Washington, through connecting circumstances in his youth, and through his influence was induced to go to Alexanclria, when he eventually married the daughter af Commodore Hamilton, U. S. N. Here he continued to be a resident citizen until he was an aged man and retired from all business.

His family all gane, he then returned to his native home to spend the remnant of his days
among his remaining kindred.

The writer was well acquainted with Mr. Coryell, and talked with him about George Washington's funeral, knowing that he had been one of the bearers on that occasion.

He told her that after the body had been lowered in the grave, with appropriate ceremonies, each member of the lodge drew from his right hand his glove and threw it on the coffin.

The writer attended Mr. Coryell's funeral, and not a glove was thrown in the grave, but his brother Masons, with the ceremonies of their order, threw on his coffin a little branch of evergreen.

The Rev. Dr. P. O. Studdiford delivered very impressive services on that occasion.

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©Sarah Gallagher