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CHAPTER ONE: A SHORT HISTORY
The land where Middletown is now located was part of the Minisink Patent, granted August 28, 1704. It was said the Indian
paid for their land, tricked into signing the deed while drunk. This was later cited by the Indians as a reason for their participation in the French and Indian War.
To the south was the Wawayanda Patent, granted April 29, 1703. Due to the haphazard way the boundaries were described, a dispute arose between the owners of the Minis ink and Wawayanda Patents. This was resolved by the formation of the Minisink Angle, a tract of 130,000 acres comprised of "a portion of the territory claimed by the Wawayanda patentees." Following establishment of the Minisink Angle, the land was surveyed and divided into large lots. As may be seen in the illustration, most of the original Middletown fell into lots 35 and 36. While the owner of lat 35 is unknown, lot 36 was owned by Stephen De Lancey. When he died in 1741, his land went to his heirs. In 1742 the owner of lot 35 had his land surveyed, presumably by Charles Clinton, the noted surveyor. Of the approximately 1120 acre tract, Mr. Clinton reported "The Chief fault yt can be found with all ye tract is the stoneyness of it."
On December 17, 1743, the colonial Assembly passed an act creating the Wallkill Precinct where Middletown would be located. At that time, Middletown, as well as Newburgh and New Windsor, was located in Ulster County." The precinct was apportioned a supervisor, and all other officers, and was given equal power with the other precincts in Ulster County. Because of the Wallkill River, sometimes dangerous, the precinct was given a collector, Assessor and constable for the portion south of the river and another for the north."
Although faulty record-keeping is apparently to blame for the lack of details, lot. 35 was purchased "in or earlier than 1756" by Samuel Wickham and David Moore, "said to be cousins." Wickham, a tailor, and the first Wickham in Orange County, came from Southhold, Long Island, settling in Goshen Township in June 1740. David Moore (the senior, 1713-1789) also from Southhold, settled in Goshen Township in 1744. Moore, the first to attempt settlement, established a homestead about 1756 on the Minisink Road, now East main Street. This was on the North side of the street, just outside city limits. Hostile Indian activities during the French and Indian Wars forced Moore to return to Goshen. He never came back to his land, but his property was later settled by his children.
David Moore, Jr. settled the property abandoned by his father, while John Moore settled the property which included the land now occupied by the YMCA on Highland Avenue. Other Moore children settled around Middletown. Samuel Wickham probably never settled on his own property sending his children as well.