But imagine what stories could be told at their journeys end; of the people they had met along the way and the places they had been. To not have made the journey they would have been the ones still in the relative safety of the colonies, hearing the tales from previous travelers who had made their way back east.
Not being able ourselves to make those journeys that they took those many years ago we can only be arm-chair travelers and listen to what they have to tell.
The historical part of this site is just that. It’s a step back in time to learn of the people, both influential and poor who made our history. Our journey; however, won’t take us any further west than the Delaware River or beyond the borders of Knowlton Township.
Story of Robeson Rift
If one were traveling west on Route 46 heading toward the Delaware Water Gap, they might not take notice as they passed thru Delaware, New Jersey a stone house situated on the slopes of a hill facing south at the edge of the town. This is the “Robeson-Albertson homestead built about 1740.
During the French and Indian War from 1755 to 1760 numerous Indian attacks by were occurring up and down the Delaware. The one most well known was the Swartout Massacre which took place further north in Sussex County near the lake now known as Swartswood Lake in 1755.
In Knowlton Township it was reported that the home of Issaic Coolie or Cool was attacked and burned and his wife was killed and scalped. While there is no evidence of the incident one can only speculate if it really did take place.
The Robeson-Albertson homestead meanwhile does have an interesting story associated with it that can be substantiated. It was 1777 and Indian attacks had all but driven out farmers on the Pennsylvania side of the river opposite Delaware. With the apparent absence of the Indians, the elder Robinson saw the opportunity to make use of those unattended the fields for his own gain.
Instructing his hired hand and his son Elam Robeson he sent them across the river to plant and tend the fields left idle by their previous owners. Always being on the lookout for possible Indians that might be in the area the two were careful to keep their rifles at their sides at all times. However as the days passed and none were to be seen it didn’t seem like a bad decision to leave their rifles at the fields edge rather than carrying them as they plowed the fields. It was only a matter of time, however, that Indians passing thru the area came across the unsuspecting pair as they plowed the fields, secured their rifles and attacked. Without their rifles for defense, the two made for the river hoping to get to the other side. The hired hand being a good swimmer was able dive into the river and swim under water for a fair distance before surfacing, thus saving his life. The Robeson boy, however, was not and made for the rift in the river hoping to make in across the shallows to the other side. But as luck would have it he was stuck down before he could. To this day this part of the river has been know by the name of “Robeson Rift”.
nternet Links on Historic Background
http://www.njstatelib.org/
http://catalog.loc.gov/
http://www.frontierguard.org/
http://www.njarchives.org/
http://www.loc.gov/index.html
http://www.rt23.com/history/index.shtml
http://www.archives.gov/
Knowlton Township Historic Commission
Contact us at :
S628 Route 94
Columbia, New Jersey 07832
Tel: 908.496.4816 Fax: 908.496.8144
Email: info@historicknowlton.org
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