Collection # 27

SCHANCK FAMILY PAPERS, 1741 - 1906

Processed by Lois R. Densky

Edited by Gregory J. Plunges

Monmouth County Historical Association
70 Court Street
Freehold, New Jersey

April 1981

INTRODUCTION

The Schanck Family Papers generally document three generations of Monmouth County Schancks (or Schencks) and related families. Monmouth County Schancks descended from Reolof Martense Schanck Van Nydeck (1619 - 1704), who, with his brother Jan, immigrated to the United States from Holland in 1650. This collection contains the family papers of Reolof's great-grandson, Capt. John Schanck, and John's descendents. The bulk dates of this collection are from 1750 to 1888.

Capt. John Schanck (1745 - 1834) was born, and lived at, Pleasant Valley near Holmdel. His parents were Garret Schanck (1712-57) and Jane W. Couwenhoven (1714 - 92). John was a fuller, tanner, cordwainer, farmer, and sawmill operator. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution and was captain of the Militia. In 1767 he married Mary Denise (1750 - 1829), the daughter of Tunis Denise and Francinke Hendrickson. Of their fourteen children, a number are represented in the papers, but mostly their son Delafayette. John Schanck is buried in the family burying ground in Pleasant Valley.

DeLafayette Schanck (1781 - 1862), son of John and Mary Schanck, was born in Pleasant Valley. In 1805 he married Eleanor Conover (1789 - 1873), the daughter of Garret Conover (1726 - 1812) and Antije Schenck (1753 - 1803). DeLafayette was a successful farmer and businessman. He moved his family to Middletown Point (now Matawan) in 1815 and opened a tannery and crrying business. In 1830 he moved to Holmdel where he operated a large farm until 1855. He was elected Freeholder of Atlantic Township (now Colts Neck Township) in 1847.

DeLafayette was active in the business affairs of Monmouth County. He purchased the Pavilion Hotel in Keyport in 1851, where the family then lived until his death. He was an organizer and first President of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank in Middletown Point, and was a substantial investor in local turnpikes, steamboat lines, and real estate. He was also a benefactor of the Keyport Reformed Dutch Church. DeLafayette and Eleanor Schanck had twelve children, of which their son Garret Conover is the one most prominently represented in these papers.

Garret Conover Schanck (1806-88), son of DeLafayette and Eleanor Schanck, was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, a farmer, a real estate investor, and a genealogical historian of Monmouth County Dutch families. A graduate of Rutgers College (1828), he was admitted to the New Brunswick Theological Seminary (1829), and was licensed by the Classis of New Brunswick in 1832. Rev. Schanck was an itinerant preacher until he became pastor at Walpack, NJ (1834 - 5), Clover Hill, NJ (1835-7), and finally at the Reformed Church in Pompton Plains, NJ (1837 - 52).

Rev. Schanck married twice. He married Sarah Ann Hendrickson (1816 - 43), the daughter of William Hendrickson (b. 1787) and Eleanor DuBois (1792 - 1879), in 1834. They had four children. He married Jane McCormick (1824 - 1902), the daughter of Hugh McCormick and Jane Welch, in 1846. They also had four children.

Garret C. Schanck gave up the ministry after 1852 and returned to Colts Neck to farm and invest in real estate. In 1842 he replaced his father as director of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank. He also served as president of the Freehold and Keyport Plank Road Company. In 1866 he was elected a trustee of Rutgers College. Rev. Schanck traveled extensively throughout the United States. His publications include the History of Mandeville Families and The Story of Pompton Plains. Rev. Schanck may have collected many of the papers in this collection. He is buried in the Marlboro Brick Churchyard.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

1. John Schanck (1745 - 1834). Papers, 1767 - 1852. Arranged first by subseries then chronologically.

Series contains financial records, legal records, and estate papers. Financial and legal records document business and personal expenses and transactions. Estate papers contain records of executor, Daniel I. Schanck, and consist of accounts, bonds, receipts for claims against estate and for legacies paid, and a copy of his will. A noteworthy item is a receipt dated 20 Oct. 1784 for son Garret's apprenticeship as a silversmith. Legal documents also include deeds.

2. Tunis Schanck (1770 -1806). Estate Papers, 1806 - 1870. Arranged chronologically.

Series contains the records of administrators, Teunis DuBois and Daniel I. Schanck. They contain estate transactions including guardianship activities by the administrators for Tunis' minor children.

3. John Schanck (1774 - 1864). Papers, 1797 - 1824. Arranged chronologically.

Series consists of financial and legal records. These are bonds with his father and brother, a receipt, and a summons.

4. Daniel I. Schance (1778 - 1858). Papers, 1807 - 1870. Arranged first by subseries then chronologically.

Series contains letters, financial records, legal records, and estate papers. Incoming letters are from brother-in-law Joseph Combs. Legal documents consist of articles of agreement and a deed. Financial records contain a farm account book, receipts, bonds, and accounts of farm business and personal transactions. Noteworthy receipts are from James S. and Joseph A. Yard. Some financial records document the estate of Charles Holmes, a slaved owned by Daniel, who served as estate administrator. Estate papers consist of the records of Garret S. Smock, executor. These include accounts, receipts, copies of Daniel's will, and letters per legacies to the Classis of Holland (Michigan).

5. DeLafayette Schanck (1781 - 1862). Papers, 1812 - 1878, n.d. Arranged first by subseries then chronologically.

Series contains letters, financial records, legal records, and estate papers. Incoming personal and business letters are from: Anne & Theodoras Rue, HD Polhemus, Lewis Applegate, Lawrence I. Dey, P. Huyck, H. Little, Thomas B. Carter, Elihu Baker, Eliza Hauxhurst, E. Seymour, M. Seymour, Peter Conover, Thomas S. Crane, Joseph Douglas, and Alfred Schanck.

Financial records document his poersonal and business transactions and activities (i.e. real estate, Pavilion Hotel, farming operations). They include a farm account/daybook, other account books, accounts, receipts, bonds and notes. Trustee and estate papers of William Schanck (1772 - 1844), DeLafayette's brother, records of DeLafayette's partnership with Elisha Thompson, and Thompson's estate papers will also be found with the financial records.

Legal records document business transactions and consist of articles of agreement, an insurance policy, deeds, and subpoenas. Estate papers contain the records of executors, Garret C. Schanck, Alfred Schanck, and Lafayette Schanck. They include accounts, receipts for claims against estate and for legacies paid, a power of attorney, and a vendue notice.

6. Garret Conover Schanck (1806 - 88). Papers, 1818 - 1888, n.d. Arranged first by subseries then chronologically.

Series consists of letters, financial records, genealogical notes, First Reformed Dutch Church (Freehold) records, diaries, and printed material. Correspondence are incoming personal, business, and genealogical letters. Financial records consist of miscellaneous personal and business accounts, receipts, bonds, and tax records. Genealogical notes consist of miscellaneous records on Schanck (Schenck), Ryerson, and Schuyler families.

The diaries record daily personal, professional, and social experiences; personal and psychological analysis of political and national events; information on the life and role of a minister of the Reformed Dutch faith; his working relationship with a congregation; Schanck family structure; Monmouth County history and genealogy; and social history of Monmouth County and central New Jersey. The diaries are not just a personal record, but comment in a historical manner. Printed material consists of Rev. Schanck's personal copy of A Method for Prayer with Scripture Expressions... (1818) by Matthew Henry.

7. Lafayette Schanck (1830 - 1913 or 1839 - 1904). Papers, 1850 - 1882, n.d. Arranged chronologically.

Series contains letters, invitations, and a daybook (contains receipts). Incoming personal letters and invitations from: Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Van Derveer, D. Abeel Statesire, Mr. & Mrs. Peter P. Conover, Jane Ann Schanck, Kate S. Holmes, William Jones, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Smith, Asher Woolley, and Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin DuBois. The daybook is of farm accounts. It also records employees, and their pay rates. Lafayette may have been either DeLafayette or Garret Conover Schanck's son.

8. Miscellaneous Schanck Papers. 1810 - 1906, n.d. Arranged chronologically.

Series contians miscellaneous letters, financial records, and a deed.

9. Garret Conover (1727 - 1812) - DeLafayette's father-in-law. Estate Papers, 1810 - 1828, n.d. Arranged chronologically.

Series contains records of executors, Cornelius Conover and DeLafayette Schanck. They include an account, receipts for claims against the estate and for legacies paid, and a power of attorney.

10. Eleanor Van Brunt Forman (d. 1814). Estate Papers, 1801 - 1820, n.d. Arranged chronologically.

Series contains the records of executors, John Schanck (1745 - 1834) and Auke Wikoff. They include accounts, receipts for claims against the estate and for legacies paid, and an estate inventory.

11. Smock Papers. 1805 - 1874. Arranged first by individual then chronologically.

Series consists of papers and/or estate papers of John Smock (1727 - 1803), Hendrick Smock (1749 - 1814), Sarah Lane Smock (1758 - 1828), Aaron Smock (1783 - 1835), William Smock (1816 - 57), and miscellaneous material which belonged to various other Smocks. These records include letters, financial records, and estate papers. Garret Conover Schanck may have collected this material.

12. Garret Schanck Smock (1805 - 76). Papers, 1827 - 1884. Arranged first by subseries, then chronologically.

Series consists of letters, financial records, legal records, and estate papers. Incoming personal and business letters from: WS Wells, Milton Smock, JG Shackelton, William A Pigot, EF Welch, Kate E. DuBois, William H. Howell, and Kate E. Lecklider. Personal and business financial records include accounts, receipts, notes, and tax records. Legal documents include judgements and leases. Estate papers contain the records of executors, Lafayette Schanck and Milton Smock and include inventories.

13. Miscellaneous Families. Papers, 1741 - 1873, n.d. Arranged alphabetically by family name, then chronologically.

Series contains various types of documents which pertain to miscellanoues families including letters, financial records, legal records (deeds), and estate papers. This material may have been collected by Rev. Garret C. Schanck. Some material reflects family relationships with the Schancks. Family names include: Applegate, Jobs, Wilson, Bainbridge, Reid, Perrine, Barkelew, Brown, Bedle, Feardon, Bell, Fountain, Boice, Boller, Bowls, Brewer, Conover, Burlew, Willson, bisett, Carhart, Clark, Covenhoven, Combs, Conover, Crouse, Crower, Stokes, Denise, Disbrow, DuBois, Ely, Forman, Vanderveer, Freeman, Henderson, Hendrickson, Holmes, Lawrence, Longstreet, Holland, Mallett, Hopping, Howell, Ingersoll, Feeling, Johnson, Lambertson, Lane, Morgan, Paddock, Keyport Middletown Point Steamboat Co., Parker, Van Schoick, Pearse, Ewen, Stewart, Richardson, Shaw, Shephard, Vankirk, Snyder, Scofield, Sillock, Wilson, Van Brunt, Wycoff, Vanmater, Polhemus, Reide, Vaughn, Ver Peanck, Voorhees, Warner, Weeks, Whitlock, Williamson.

PROVENANCE: Rev. Garret C. Schanck diaries were acquired c. 1960, a gift of Mrs. DJ Romaine of Hackensack, NJ. She was Rev. Schanck's great grand-daughter-in-law. Provenance of all other material is unknown, although Mrs. Romaine may have been the donor.

RESTRICTIONS: None.

SIZE OF COLLECTION: 3 Linear Feet

CONTAINER LIST

BOX / FOLDER # / CONTENTS

Capt. John Schanck (1745 - 1834)

1 / 1 / Financial Records, 1767 - 1799

1 / 2 / Financial Records, 1800 - 1834, n.d.

1 / 3 / Legal Records, 1802 - 1830

1 / 3 / Estate Papers, 1834 - 1852, n.d.

Tunis Schanck (1770 - 1806)

1 / 4 / Estate Papers, 1806 - 1870)

John Schanck (1774 - 1864)

1 / 5 / Papers, 1797 - 1824

Daniel I. Schanck (1778 - 1858)

1 / 6 / Papers, 1807 - 1870

DeLafayette Schanck (1781 - 1862)

1 / 7 / Letters, 1823 - 1862

1 / 8 / Financial Records, 1812 - 1852

1 / 9 / Financial Records, 1853 - 1862, n.d.

1 / 10 / Thompson & Schanck Business Papers, 1831 - 1857, n.d.

2 / 1 / Legal Records, 1815 - 1862

2 / 1 / Estate Papers, 1862 - 1878, n.d.

Rev. Garret Conover Schanck (1806 - 88)

2 / 2 / Letters, 1852 - 1869

2 / 3 / Letters, 1870 - 1879

2 / 4 / Letters, 1880 - 1883

2 / 5 / Letters, 1884 - 1887, n.d.

2 / 6 / Financial Records, 1833 - 1882, n.d.

2 / 6 / Genealogical Notes. n.d.

2 / 7 / First Reformed Dutch Church (Freehold) - Records, 1827 - 1867

2 / 8 / Printed Material, 1818

3 / all / Diaries, 1826 - 1854 (12 vols.)

4 / all / Diaries, 1854 - 1888 (13 vols.)

Lafayette Schanck (1830 - 1913 or 1839 - 1904)

5 / 1 / Letters, 1866 - 1875, n.d.

Miscellaneous Schanck Papers

5 / 2 / Misc. Schanck Papers, 1810 - 1906, n.d.

Garret Conover (1726 - 1812)

5 / 3 / Estate Papers, 1810 - 1828, n.d.

Eleanor Van Brunt Forman (d. 1814)

5 / 4 / Estate Papers, 1801 - 1820, n.d.

Smock Papers

5 / 5 / Smock Papers, 1805 - 1874

Garret Schanck Smock (1805 - 76)

5 / 6 / Letters, 1858 - 1872

5 / 6 / Financial Records, 1827 - 1875, n.d.

5 / 7 / Legal Records, 1834 - 1865

5 / 7 / Estate Papers, 1876 - 1884

Miscellaneous Families (1741 - 1873, n.d.)

6 / 1 / Misc. Families, A - C

6 / 2 / Misc. Families, D - S

6 / 3 / Misc. Families, V - W - Unidentified

Oversize Materials

- Daniel I. Schanck, Account Book, 1811 - 59

- DeLafayette Schanck, Day & Account Book, 1843 - 1862

- Lafayette Schanck, Daybook, 1850 - 1882

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beekman, George C. Early Dutch Settlers of Monmouth County, New Jersey Freehold, NJ: Moreau Brothers, 1901

Ellis, Franklin. History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Philadelphia: RT Peck, 1885

Miles, Ann Pette. Monmouth Families: Volume 1. King William, VA: The Author, 1980

Schenck, William E. Ancestors and Descendants of John Schenck (1740 - 1794) s.l.: s.n., n.d.