Blog #1: Seems like a good first place to start is with my own local history.
I've always enjoyed history, especially local history, and never realized there was probably a very real reason for that strong sense of roots. I have just returned to the Hudson Valley after living in California for a number of years. I'm delighted to be back with family and old friends after so many years of missing home and the mountains.
And speaking of mountains... In 1975 someone from the Ulster County Historical Society contacted my Aunt, to let her know an historical calendar was being produced for our Nation's 200th Birthday year and in it they were using a photo of a log cabin built by our ancestor! A log cabin? Our ancestor? It turned out our immigrant ancestor Philip Henrich Jäppel & Maria Barbara Hold Yaple's son, Adam Yeaple and his wife Arriantje Hendrickson Yeaple built a log cabin in the Shawangunk Mountains near Mohonk. The cabin still stands and has been dated as built in approximately 1771 by Adam for his new bride, Arriantje. Adam fought in Cantine's Regiment in Ulster County during the Revolutionary War, which is why it was featured in the calendar. Adam returned after the war where they farmed on the side of a beautiful mountain and raised eleven children. We have found the name spelled primarily 3-4 different ways, although there are other variations too. Adam's ancestors use "Yeaple," with no idea why his spelling is different.
In spite of my father building my childhood home less than 15 miles from Mohonk -- fast forward 240 years later: we had no knowledge of the cabin, of Adam and Arriantje, or our family origins, until that amazing call from my Aunt in 1975. Since then, we have enjoyed many outings and hikes visiting the cabin--it is still in remarkable condition, so filled with pioneer spirit and history, it has been an inspiring and rewarding journey researching Adam and his family. I'm loving that every new turn in our family history, reveals something further to explore. Philip Henrich Jäpel & Maria Barbara Hold married, leaving Dörrenbach, Saarland (Germany), sailing from Rotterdam to Philadelphia aboard the Edinburgh, they arrived in Philadelphia on September 1, 1753 (another record shows they arrived Oct 2, 1753). We're not exactly sure if Philip spent most of his years in Upper Milford Township (then Northampton County) PA, or if he moved on into NY with his adult sons, although there is evidence of him in PA, VA, and in Delaware County, NY, we know that he visited Mohonk at least once --the home of Adam and Arriantje. Adam is believed to have been born here in 1754 and we have a baptismal certificate for Arriantje dated 1753.
In spite of my father building my childhood home less than 15 miles from Mohonk -- fast forward 240 years later: we had no knowledge of the cabin, of Adam and Arriantje, or our family origins, until that amazing call from my Aunt in 1975. Since then, we have enjoyed many outings and hikes visiting the cabin--it is still in remarkable condition, so filled with pioneer spirit and history, it has been an inspiring and rewarding journey researching Adam and his family. I'm loving that every new turn in our family history, reveals something further to explore. Philip Henrich Jäpel & Maria Barbara Hold married, leaving Dörrenbach, Saarland (Germany), sailing from Rotterdam to Philadelphia aboard the Edinburgh, they arrived in Philadelphia on September 1, 1753 (another record shows they arrived Oct 2, 1753). We're not exactly sure if Philip spent most of his years in Upper Milford Township (then Northampton County) PA, or if he moved on into NY with his adult sons, although there is evidence of him in PA, VA, and in Delaware County, NY, we know that he visited Mohonk at least once --the home of Adam and Arriantje. Adam is believed to have been born here in 1754 and we have a baptismal certificate for Arriantje dated 1753.
Back to today: while I'm not telling when I was born (!), I have had many years in advertising and print production, and switched to Web Design in 1997. As AdProse, I'm celebrating my 20th year. I live in the here and now, enjoy history, and look forward to the future.
Godspeed!
Godspeed!
Gail Yeaple
