| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH IX.
JESSE WOODHULL, (Colonel), fourth generation from Richard Wodhull I., Patentee of Brookhaven, Long Island, was the third son of Nathaniel Wodhull and Sarah Smith, and a brother of General Nathaniel Woodhull.
He was born at Mastic, Long Island, February 10, 1735, and settled in Orange County, New York, about the year 1753, purchasing a tract of 500 acres at Blagg's Cove, in the town of Blooming Grove (formerly a part of Cornwall, New York.)
He was a leading man in the County before the Revolution, and was conspicuous in all the public events that led up to it. He was a delegate to the first Provincial Convention, April 20, 1775. Raised the first regiment in Cornwall and bore a prominent part in the exciting events which took place along the banks of the Hudson especially in the autumn of 1777.
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About September 20, of the same year, General Howe was marching into the City of Philadelphia, Burgoyne already in Saratoga, when a force of British soldiers, three thousand strong, entered New York, joined Sir Henry Clinton, and a few days later started up the Hudson.
By feigning an attack on Peekskill, the force of the enemy crossed the river to Stony Point, marched around the Western base of the Dunderburg and on October 7, appeared before the forts. The militia of the district (about 600 in number, hastily called in the day previous) united with the garrison, making a most heroic defense, fighting against superior numbers until twilight, when they gave way and made a scattered retreat, leaving about 300 of their number in killed, wounded and prisoners.
In this encounter Colonel Woodhull's regiment suffered severely, but in this, as in succeeding events, he was a conspicuous leader.
After the massacre of the inhabitants at Minisink by the Indians, July 22, 1779, detachments from Woodhull's, Allison's and Hathorn's regiments were immediately sent to guard the frontier from further incursion.
In his report to Governor Clinton, Colonel Hathorn wrote: "I have acquiesced with Colonel Woodhull in ordering one-eighth of our Regiments to Minisink as a temporary guard until your Excellency's pleasure is known on the subject."
Colonel Woodhull continued in active service until the close of the war, and afterward became prominent in the political affairs of Orange County. He was a graduate of Yale College, and well qualified for the various positions of trust he was called upon to fill.
He was a member of the State Convention that ratified the Federal Constitution, June 17, 1788; and a member of the first Senate, being associated with Philip Livingston, John Morin Scott, William Floyd, Abraham Yates, Jr., Pierre Van Cortland, Jonathan Lawrence, and other distinguished men of that period. (See Whittemore's "Heroes of the American Revolution.")
In 1753 he married Hester, daughter of Nathaniel Du Bois. They had four sons and three daughters.
He died in Orange County, New York, February 14, 1795.
(See Genealogy, No. 26.)
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1735 - 1795 (59 years)
