Heman Rowlee was born November 17, 1746. Of his life previous to his marriage, in 1770, little is known. In all probability he grew up in the hills east of the Hudson River, and when old enough was apprenticed to learn the stone mason's trade, by which he afterwards earned his living. In 1769 he bought a farm in southern Orange County, a region already quite densely populated by Dutch, Scotch and Irish emigrants, and by pioneers from Long Island and Connecticut. January 9, 1770, he married Lydia Seely. Her parents' names are unknown, but she had a sister Charlotte, who married Isaac Seaman. These sisters were no doubt descendants of Robert Seely, the valiant soldier who is said to have come to America with Governor Winthrop's fleet.(*)

Heman Rowlee first appears in Revolutionary records as lieutenant in the Florida-Warwick Company of the Fourth Orange County Regiment of Militia under Colonel John Hathorn. The only specimen of his handwriting known is where he signed a receipt for pay on Colonel Hathorn's voucher, now filed in the Controller's office at Albany. Whether he was made an officer on account of previous military training or some other cause does not appear. He did not sign the Revolutionary pledge.

Orange County was part of the frontier during the Revolutionary War and was subjected to murderous raids from time to time. The most notable of these was led by Brandt and ended in the battle of Minisink, which was little less than a massacre of the Orange County provincials by the Indians and Tories.(+) The company to which Heman Rowlee belonged was called upon to support their comrades, but arrived after the fight was over. While the seat of war was in the Hudson valley, the militia was called upon to do desultory but very active work. The service was, however, much more like guerilla warfare than regular army service. The stories told by later generations of Indian and Redcoat outrages were no doubt traditions from these Revolutionary experiences.

Heman Rowlee protected his home and family. Ten years after the Revolutionary War closed he had prospered so that he determined to build a new home. Heretofore he had lived in a log house. He now had ten children, five boys and five girls, the older ones old enough to render efficient aid in the construction of the new house. Stone in that country was plenty, and he naturally concluded to build it of that material. The earth was excavated to bed-rock and the four walls started upon it. There were to be two rooms in the cellar, two rooms on the first floor, and an ample attic above. The walls were eighteen inches thick, and in the gable ends were carried up to the ridge pole. The windows were narrow and were provided with solid board shutters like the houses of Philadelphia. The chimney was a massive affair built entirely of stone. Leading into it were two fireplaces, one in each room on the first floor. The hearth for these was supported on an immense corbel built out in the cellar. The front or east side was of dressed stone in regular blocks, the ends and back of irregular rubble. The rafters were tamarack poles flattened on one side, and the beams and joist were all hewn. The plates were held in place on the side walls by heavy wrought iron straps bent into shape so as to hook inside the wall and outside the plate. The house stands in good condition to-day. It is located a mile east of Edenville, in the town of Warwick. It was bequeathed to Heman Rowlee, Jr., by his father, and was owned and occupied by him until his death in 1866. It is now owned by G. H. Davenport. Since the death of Heman Rowlee, Jr., a larger part has been added to the house. The front was given a thick coat of plaster which has peeled off in places. It is now 116 years old. The door and window frames, the sash and blinds are crumbling with age, but the walls, beams and rafters are as sound as when built.

1. 2. Sarah ROWLEE   b. 19 May 1771, Warwick, Orange, New York; d. 16 May 1801.
2. 3. Lois ROWLEE   b. 16 Nov 1772, Warwick, Orange, New York; d. 1 Apr 1847.
3. 4. Charles ROWLEE   b. 14 Jan 1774, Warwick, Orange, New York; d. 19 Dec 1799.
4. 5. Matthew ROWLEE   b. 30 Sep 1777, Warwick, Orange, New York; d. 28 Jun 1851.
5. 6. Elijah ROWLEE   b. 8 Jan 1780, Warwick, Orange, New York; d. 1860.
6. 7. Nathan ROWLEE   b. 16 Apr 1782; d. 15 Feb 1839.
7. 8. Mary ROWLEE   b. 15 Apr 1785, Warwick, Orange, New York; d. 29 Sep 1849, Chemung, New York.
8. 9. Heman ROWLEE, , Jr.   b. 27 Aug 1787; d. 30 May 1866.
9. 10. Elizabeth ROWLEE   b. 29 Aug 1791; d. 19 Oct 1879, Groton, New York.
10. 11. Lydia S. ROWLEE   b. 5 Feb 1788; d. 30 Aug 1852.

The second child, Lois, had the deformity known as harelip, and lived with her father until his death in 1818, when she removed with her younger sister, Lydia S., to Rowlee Hill, one mile west of Peruville, Tompkins County, N. Y. Their brother, Nathan, had previously settled in this place. Lois was a weaver and made cloth, from which her sister, a seamstress, made clothing. Both were highly respected and very religious women.

1. 12. Lidya ROWLEE   b. 3 Jun 1798.
2. 13. Charlotte ROWLEE   b. 3 Jun 1799; d. 1 Sep 1828.

ELIJAH ROWLEE, fifth child and third son of Heman, was b. Jan. 8, 1780, at Warwick, Orange Co., N. Y. He m. about 1804, Millicent, dau. of Jonathan and Miriam (Strong) Sheppard. The church records of the Amity (Presbyterian) Church show that Elijah and Millicent Rowlee were admitted to Communion by certificate, from Scotchtown, Oct. 30, 1813, and were dismissed May 3, 1817. The Orange Co. records (Lib. K. p. 325) show that on the 17th of May, 1808, Elijah Rowlee and Millicent, his wife, and Nathan Rowlee and Doratha, his wife, of the towns of Warwick and Minisink, gave a deed of 70« acres of land in the town of Minisink to Charles Wood, consideration $1100. They probably migrated in the summer of 1817 to Western New York, for their son, Jonathan Sheppard, was born Feb. 5, 1818, "in the town of Milo, three miles from Penn Yan." They finally settled near Monterey, town of Orange, Steuben Co., N. Y. He d. about 1864 and was bur. in Genoa Cem., De Kalb Co., Ill. "He cast his last vote for Abraham Lincoln for President." (Hake's Landmarks of Steuben Co., pt. II, p. 32, states that Ezra, son of Jonathan and Miriam (Strong) Sheppard, came to Cohocton with his family prior to the war of 1812.)

Mary, or Polly, married John Blauvelt, a dealer in horses. They emigrated to the Susquehanna valley in Northern Pennsylvania about 1820, and most of their children settled there. Their youngest son, John McDowell Blauvelt, is the only one of his generation living. From him a fund of information has been secured for these records.

MARY ROWLEE was b. in Warwick, N. Y., April 15, 1785. The "Records of the Dutch Reformed Church," under the caption "Marriages celebrated in the congregation of Warwick, N. Y.," has the following entry: "Sept. 19, 1806, Jno. Blauvelt to Polly Rowley." By the State Census of 1807, John Blauvelt is recorded as renting property of an annual value of œ20 or over." For some time they lived in Orange Co., he being engaged with his father in buying cattle and horses "up state" and selling them in New York City, where they also lived for
body, and whose death was in this wise: In some battle or border fray,
being clad in armor, he accepted the challenge of the champion of the opposite
clan to single combat, he killed his antagonist. The next day a
similar challenge was given by another champion, and again accepted by
him--he again killed his antagonist. The next day a challenge was given
by another and accepted by him. After the combat had been hotly maintained
for a short time his horse was observed to turn back and come up to
the ranks with his rider dead, still sitting in the saddle.

Scott knew well the character of the Armstrongs for courage and patriotism;
for when the chief was about to assemble his clans for some great
enterprise, he says to his summoning heralds in the "Lay of the Last
Minstrel"--

"Ye need not go to Liddisdale,
For when they see the blazing ba
Elliots and Armstrongs never fail."

. She was admitted to the Amity Presbyterian Church "on examination" Nov. 13, 1814, and was dismissed Sept. 18, 1820. It was about this latter date that they removed to the lake region of Western New York, for their daughter Mary was born in 1824, at Hector, Schuyler Co., N. Y. Her father, in his will, made in 1817, bequeathed $50 to the heirs of John Blauvelt. Neither she nor any of her children are mentioned in the settlement of the estate of her aunt, Lydia S. Rowlee, in 1852. Mary (Rowlee) Blauvelt d. Sept. 29, 1849, at Chemung, N. Y. John Blauvelt was b. April 16, 1780, in Rockland Co., N. Y., and d. Aug. 16, 1861, at Rome, Bradford Co., Pa. Both are buried in Pond Hill Cem., Bradford Co., Pa.

Nothing further is known concerning her. She may have died young;
or she may be identical with Charlotte, as they are not mentioned together
in any family records.

1. 14. Lois Kozia CURTIS   b. 14 Feb 1823, New York; d. 23 May 1900, Bridal Veil, Oregon.
2. 15. Charles CURTIS   b. 23 Jan 1825, New York; d. 24 Jan 1825.
3. 16. Elizabeth CURTIS   b. 27 Sep 1826, New York; d. 10 Feb 1859.

1. 17. James Francis KELLY   b. 1 Oct 1843, Warrensville, Ohio.
2. 18. Harriet Charlotte KELLY   b. 7 Nov 1845, Vernon, Michigan.
3. 19. Martha Ann KELLY   b. 5 Dec 1847, Caledonia, Michigan; d. 12 Apr 1924, Chehalis, Lewis, WA.
4. 20. George Henry KELLY   b. 28 May 1850, Caledonia, Michigan.
5. 21. Phoebe Jane KELLY   b. 15 Apr 1853, Caledonia, Michigan; d. 26 Mar 1899.
6. 22. Maria Alice KELLY   b. 23 Jan 1855; d. 15 Feb 1855.
7. 23. Clark Curtis KELLY   b. 4 Mar 1856; d. 4 Mar 1856.