River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-03-13
ESCAPED.
A TALE OF THE REVOLUTION.
y U ~ U =
Atlantic Monthly.


New Jersey, as well as New York, was
originally settled by colonists from Hol-
land, and although the English at one
time got possession of the territory, the
Dutch regained it and held it, under the
name of Achter Kos, until 1878.
Among the early emigrants from Hol-
land was family by the name of Koven
hoven, who took up lands in what is now
Monmouth county, near the present vii
LACE of Eatontown. Their descendants,
under the anglicized name of Conover,
live in the same regions 10 this day.
In 1777-78 this family had farm on
| the ocean shore, probably within the
present limits of Long Branch. At that
| time the men folks were all away with
the Continental army, under Gen. Wash
ington.
The family left at home consisted of
the mother, daughter of eighteen or
twenty years, son of sixteen years, and
another of ten. These contrived to sup
port themselves on the farm and also to
contribute literally 10 the Continental
cause.
| Notwithstanding the defenceless con-
dition of the place, with the enemy In
possession of the country, the kovenhov-
en- homestead was an important post in
| a line of secret commune alton kept up
between the parties of New York and
the East, and their friends beyond the
| Delaware.
The elder of the Kovenhoven boys,
though only a growing lad, was trusted
messenger in this grapevine" postal SER
vice, and by his skill and daring in work
| ING through the British lines, had al
ready won the name of Katie Kovenhov-
en-, or, as we would now say, Cool Como
yer.
| Early in the simmer of 177S, when
Gen. Clinton was preparing to abandon
| the line of the Delaware and fall back N
the Hudson river, body of Hessian
troops was sent through the Jerseys 10
open the way to Sandy Hook, where the
army was to embark for New York.
The Hessians harried the country to
some extent, toIaging as they advanced,
and making special efforts to break up
the secret postal service known to be
maintained in spite of their utmost vigi-
| lance.
The line was kept running at that time,
as may readily be supposed, with re
doubled activity, and the messengers
spared neither risk nor hardship to get
their dispatches through.
The service was all the harder as the
activity OF the enemy forced them to seek
round about ways, and travel long dis
tances. The route was turned down
through the pines, an unbroken wilder
ness, extending, at that time, nearly
scross the South Jerseys
| One night in June young Conoyer re.
turned home from q Trip into the pines
weary and worn. He had ridden many
a long mile through the soft sands of the
forest without daring to wait for rest on
refreshment.
Stopping at the bars and turning his
tired mare into the salt meadow, hG
shouldered the saddle and carried it uT
to the barn.
He had an important dispatch witt
him. fastened under his arm in water
proof cover. Worn out with hard riding
from early morning till after mi1night
and with the constant strain of anxiou:
wstchfulness, be felt relieved and thank
full TO get home in safety.
Sitting down on q heap Of straw, ht
took of his heavy riding boots, ana un-
buttoned his shirt TO remove the precion:
: package, and then In sn instant, the
reaction from oyer-exertion conquered
him, and he dropped into adeep sleep.
He slept heavily until the first beams
of daylight began to shine through tbs
cracks in the barn. Then ne was sud
denly awakened by tremendous thump
ing close by him.
As he sprsng up the butt Of muske