Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-04-11
DEFENDS THE
GOOD NAME
OF TOTTENS

| The war in Totten7ille or Bentley
Manor, over the change in name stiff
wages fast and furious. Recently
there appeared in some New YORK;
| newspapers attacking the good name
or the TOttens. II seems that Hrn1
est Frederick has been searching
history and he has signed an afIlda-
VT to the effect that he is student
at Columbia College and that he has
had considerable experience IN
searching historical and other books
IN the different libraries In New
York for the purpose OF proving or
d1sproying sundry and divers mat
ters. and that he has carefulIy stud-
led Cfute's History Of Staten Ial-
ana and New York in the Revolu-
uon,' by Fernaw, which is the Of
ncial authenticated record issued by
the state of New York. Containing q
list OF all who participated In the
Revolutionary War with their ser-
It is set forth that Frerich found
there recorded the fact that Eph-
RAIN Totten, the first postmaster Of
lottenylile, was born there, his fas
tner being John Totten. John Tot
tens father was Gilbert Totten, who
was one of the three brothers-Gi1-
pert. Joseph and Silas who cana
TO this section from Hampstead. T..
l., in or about the year f760 IN
March 10. 1870, according to tha
statement, Gilbert Totten. grand
father of Ephraim Totten. was an
pointed second lieutenant In the
Fifth New York Regiment. under
Captain Reynolds, and, further the
statement is MADE that New York
in the Revolution" bears this rec
ord of his services:
"On October 20, 1879, Nehemiah,
Oakley was appointed second lieuten-
ant In Reynolds company, vice Tot
ten, gone over to the enemy
There Is no record of any SER
vices in the Continental army bv
either John or Silas Totten. broth
ers to Gilbert"
Frerich further states that he II
unable to find in Clute's History OF
staten Island, which is considered at
the Lenox Library as the standard
authority on the subject, a a-record OF
any man by the name of Bentley who
ever lived in that section prior to or
before the Revolutionary War.
In reply to this affidavit by Free
rich the EVENING NEWS has re-
ceived the following communication
defending the name of Totten;
/ My attention has been called to
the above affidavit which New
York paper printed In eOnneatinnz
with the change of name of thf
lage of Tottenville.
! Being descendant OF the Tot
| naturally have an interest III
| apparently wild" statements which
have been made In regard to one
Gilbert Totten.
Mr.. Ernest Frerich, in his affidavit
! cites Fernow's New York Revolr-
tion" and Clute's History Of Staten
Island, as recognized authorities.
beg leave to make use OF the same.
l made a careful examination Of
the first mentioned OF these books
yesterday at the Lenox Library the
Fernow, by the way, Is simply a rec
ord Of the New York men who served
Il - 50 the American army and contains
no f. sfsnPss IA desertion, deaths, etc.
found - ~ = h .. SLY 2 hit ss4s.s
mentioned was lieutenant OF the
Fifth Regiment, Dutohess County
Militia. The Captain Reynolds men
toned by Mr.. Frerichs is not on the
| list of the officers of that regiment.
Hha grandfather OF Ephraim Tot-
ten liveo ofs~Staten Island at the
time OF the Revolution and certainly
did not enlist In "a Ddfschess county
4 regiment.
Gilbert Totten's name is men
toned in the Clute History as fol-
lows:
i March 20, 1774.
i Gilbert Totten's earmarks for his
cattle and sheep is slit In the end
of both ears, etc.
i Entered the day and year above
written here.
PAUL MICHEAN,
Clerk
The fact is that the Tottens HAYS
been in this country great many
years. They are mentioned In New
/ York city records as far back aa
/ 1730-Gilbert has always been
family name and in this case there
seems to have been a confusion Of
"Gilberts.