The Wilmingtonian., 1884-06-21

Mr.. Francis Vincent in his"History OF the
State of Delaware devotes chapter to the
descendants of the Dutch patriarchs who
We're residents of the State, and to the fam
lies which may be clearly traced back to the
earliest settlers. Mr.. Vincent's book is of
course, perfectly familiar to the student of
history and men of literary and scientific
attainments, but from the fact that it has
not been reproduced in popular form there
are very large number of persons who have
not had an opportunity of tracing the pedi-
gree Of our old Delaware families.
Many, very many, have died out, but of
Others there remain living and well-known
representatives. Prominent among these is
Senator l}ayard. "The Delaware Bayards. -
says Mr.. Vincent, aare descended from
Nicholas Bayard, who fled from France to
Holland, and married Anneke, sister of
Stuyyesant. They had three sons, Belthazar,
Peter and Nicholas. Peter left New York,
and came to Delaware with the Labadists. In
1915 he received a grant of Bombay Hook
Island. -Four years afterward he purchased
the right of the Indian owner Maesitt,
Sachem Of Canswick, for one gun and some
other matters. Bayard Street in New York
is named after this family. The Bayards,
like many of the other patriarchal Dutch
| HuguenGt families have well maintained
their social and political standing. The
family have been distinguished for great
talents. Three succeeding generations of
| them have represented the State in the
United States Senate: viz. the celebrated
James A. Bayard, who signed the treaty of
Client, then his sons Richard Bayard and
James A. Bayard, who sat there at different
times and Thomas f. Bayard, the son of the
second James A. Bayard, who at the time of
writing represents the State in that body.
The Hon, Joseph p. Comegys, chief-ius-
tice of Delaware is descended from one of
the primitive settlers. The first Comegys
came from Vienna in Austria, and descen-
dant of his, Cornelius Comegys, is alluded
to in the Labadist records of 1879 MS a man
of great wealth, owning plantation on the
Sassafras River in Maryland. Cornelius p.
Comegys, father of the present CHIEF. Justice,
was Governor of Delaware from 1886 to 1910.
| OF the earlier Cornelius Comegys,the Laba-
| dists, Daukers and Syter give the follow
| ing account;-"Mr. Comegys was from
| Vienna, and had Dutch woman for wife;
who had taught her children to speak the
Dutch language; they therefore had a kind
disposition toward the HolandeIs, After
her death he married an English woman, and
he had himself learned many English max
inns, although it was against his feelings for
| we We're sensible that he dared not work for
! us with an open heart"
ApIOpOs of the Labadists Gan unimportant
religious colony which was established on
The Elk River in the Seventeenth Century
and completely died out) it is interesting TO
| mention that we have in our midst to-day
the only male descendant of Augustine Her
man, the founder OF the Labadists, now
residing in this State. This gentleman is j.
*. q. Oldham Esq. of ChTistiana Bridge
! the late candidate Tor the Sheriifalty nomi-
nation. He is seventh in descent from
Augustine Herman, through Gasparus Her
mans Son)and thence through great grand
daughter who married Col. Edward Oldham.
Of the Maryland line, in the Revolutionary
War. This Colonel Oldham was a grand
father of the present Mr.. Oldham.
Mr. Vincent states that the Bayards
acquired that portion of Bohemia Manor,
on which was situated the grave of Herman,
aud took the tombstone for a door for their
family vault. Mr.. Vincent adds that in
this vault lie the remains of Richard Bassett,
former Governor of Delaware, a member of
tho convention that formed the constitution
of the nited States, and the filther-in.law
of the first James. A. Bayard.