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From: "Tiphys" <>
Subject: [SMITH] VAIL-Caleb and Daniel, 1726 - 1820
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 23:25:07 -0500

Hi folks
Do these names mean anything to anyone with family in/from New
Berlin/Norwich/Oxford, Chenango County, NY (1795-1820): FOOTE, SARLE, ADAMS,
PHELPS, WOOD, DYER, CAMP, VERMILYE, SCRIBNER, AMBLER, SMITH???
They all are connected to the VAIL family, and most of them directly to:

CALEB VAIL b. 1726, Westchester, NY, and his brother DANIEL VAIL?

Do these names mean anything to anyone
Jacob VAIL and Joseph VAIL, Loyalists who both went to Nova Scotia in 1785?
They may be brothers of Caleb and Daniel.

Daniel VAIL who owned a Mill in Norwich, Chenango County, NY in 1808?
Job VAIL, who owned a Mill in Chenango County, NY in 1798?

I'm still trying to sort out the VAILs in my collateral line. Here's what I
have: Caleb VAIL was born 1726 in Westchester County, NY. No one seems to
know which VAIL family he belongs to. Caleb is not a common name among the
VAILs. His brother's name was Daniel, also not a common name for VAIL
children in the early 1700s. Other interesting tidbits, Caleb spelled the
name VEAL though his son Job spelled it VAIL. The family history says that
some of Caleb's brothers were Loyalists and went to Nova Scotia after the
Rev War. I find Jacob VEAL who went to River Remsburg, NS in 1785 and a
Joseph VEAL who went to Sydney County, NS in 1785. I also have a Daniel VAIL
who owned a mill in Norwich, Chenango County, NY. Daniel is too old to be
Job's son, but the right age to be Caleb's younger brother.

I'm still interested in any connections between VAIL and VERMILYE, and any
VAIL connections to FISHKILL, Dutchess Co., NY, prior to 1800.

I have found some inconsistency's in Wm Penn VAILs book, "Moses Vail." WPV
has John(4) Vail, JR as the son of Samuel (3), Samuel (2), Thomas (1).
On page 96, WPV has family of Arthur(3)Vail, Samuel (2), Thomas (1). Earlier
he does not list Arthur (3) in this line, but rather in the Arthur (3),
Thomas (2), Thomas (1) line.

Since I am trying to connect Caleb and Daniel VAIL somewhere in the 4th
generation, this is very confusing. In particular, since I know that Job
VAIL, son of Caleb, was a Loyalist, with brothers who went to Canada, I am
wondering about Isaac (5) VAIL Sampson (4), Arthur (3), Samuel (2),Thomas
(1), who was also a Loyalist and went to Canada. There really are not too
many options for Caleb's connection, only about 60 or so. I've narrowed it
down to:
1. Caleb Vail, born in 1726 - certainly not past 4th generation and possibly
3rd from Thomas(1)
2. Must have a brother, Daniel in the same family
3. Must have brothers who where loyalists and went to Canada
4. Must have been born in Westchester County, NY
5. Must have connections to the Dutch community, three of his children's
families spoke Dutch
6. Must have lived in Dutchess County both before and after the Rev War
(with a little bit of Westchester thrown in 1776 - 1783).
7. Must have been from a family with at least 4 boys.
8. Children's names suggest VAIL ties: Job, Aaron, John, Hannah, Levi,
Abigah, Moses, Elisabeth, Daniel, Nathaniel, Joshua, Sally, Jesse
9. Must have a wife named Hannah Horton whose family probably owned the
Horton mill in White Plains.

I'm really zeroed in on Fishkill, Dutchess County...the Rombout Patent, as
the place to find this VAIL family, but probably not his parents. It is the
only 18th century New York town that has all four of the surnames that end
up in New Berlin by 1810, SMITH, VERMILYE, SOUTHARD, VAIL.

If you've read this far...an interesting note: James Smith's daughter,
Hannah married Job Vail's son, Frederick. James Smith was also a Loyalist.
He served in the British Army, Lord Cathcart's British Legion Infantry,
raised in Westchester County, NY, which was joined with Col. Banstre
Tarelton's Cavalry. Smith stayed in the United States after the war. An
Isaac VAIL, also in the legion, went to Canada. "The Patriot," a recent Rev
War fantasy movie, portrayed Tarelton as Col. Tavington, and his troops were
based on the British Legion during the Southern Campaign (they got the
uniforms the wrong color in the movie).

If anyone is interested, I also have composed a list of Loyalist VAILs
during the Rev War. Some were soldiers, some went to Canada, some stayed in
the US. I'd like to match them with their correct lines.
Ken Brown

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• [SMITH] VAIL-Caleb and Daniel, 1726 - 1820 by "Tiphys" <>