STOOTHOFF-BAXTER HOUSE


1640 East 48th Street

	In a book now owned by his descendant, John BAXTER wrote about himself, 
"He was Born in that unhappy Country called Ireland on the 20th of December, 
1765, sailed for the Land of Liberty, 20 May 1784 and Landed there September 
following."

	BAXTER	 came from Omagh, County Tyron, Ulster, sailed from Londonderry 
and landed at New Castle, Delaware. By 1790 he was living in Flatlands, where 
he was teaching school, and in 1792 he was naturalized in the Flatbush Court.

	In 1790, he began a diary which he kept until his death on 2 May 1826. In 
it he wrote not only about his own affairs but also vital facts concerning the 
families of Flatlands and the neighboring towns.

	The entry for 13 October 1791 reads, 
	"This is my wedding day, let it never be forgot." 
He married Altje (born 12 June 1766), daughter of Garret STOOTHOFF and Maria 
VOORHEES (died 21 January 1816), and went to live in the STOOTHOFF home.	.

	The house was a small building that faced the south and stood north of Mill Lane on 
property that had come down in the family from Elbert Elbertse STOOTHOFF. When it was 
erected or by whom is not known, but after Garret STOOTHOFF died, which was before 
2 July 1796, BAXTER became its owner.

	In 1811, having stored his furniture in his barn, BAXTER moved the house to a 
site south of Mill Lane, again facing it to the south. Later, he wrote, 
	"Today I had to wagons to cart the frame for my new house. Remember and always 
	have 2 lb. of animal-food for every person you invite and then you will have plenty."

	On 17 May 1811 he raised his new dwelling against the old "with about 60 persons present." 
On 11 July, his family slept in their new home for the first time. Early in January, 
he gave a housewarming that was attended by "22 ladies and 41 gentlemen."

	His only child, Garret S. BAXTER (b. 4 August 1792 - d. 22 December 1835) married 
Abigail WYCKOFF (b. 23 November 1795 - d. 4 May 1817) on 8 May 1816 and had a daughter 
Abigail who was born in the house 1 April 1817.

	Abigail BAXTER inherited the property and always, made it her home. On 22 March 1844, 
she married William I. KOUWENHOVEN of Gravesend. They had nine children, but it was her 
youngest, Kitty, wife of John Marshall REMSEN (married 7 March 1888) who inherited the 
property and who was living in the house when she died on 18 December 1898.

	Kitty's children are :
Abigail BAXTER who married William BENNET KOUWENHOVEN and has a son, William Gerrit; 
Peter who married (1) Margaret B. MONFORT and has Peter and John MONFORT and 
				  (2) Nellie R. WARNER; 
William KOUWENHOVEN who married Laura Eugenia HARVEY and has 
	William Jr., 
	Catharine Alicia and 
	Laura Jean; 
MabelSUYDAM who married Holmes Van Brunt DITMAS and has Kitty KOUWENHOVEN, and 
Edna MARSHALL who married Neil Allison FORSYTHE and has Neil REMSEN FORSYTHE.

	About 1900 the old STOOTHOFF-BAXTER house was swung around to it's present position. 
Mabel DITMAS and her daughter Kitty were the last of the family to occupy it. Only recently 
it was sold and probably will soon be demolished.


Transcribers NOTE: The house was NOT destroyed. It stands today 2005-06.
See recent from Brooklyn On Line:  PHOTO HERE 

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