Charity Tompkins, in an interview, date of Aug. 31, 1847, gives the following sketch of the Romer family, early of this vicinity : " Old Mr. (Jacob) and Mrs. Romer, parents of John Romer, came from the same parish, or village, in Switzerland, and had become attached to each other in early infancy ; she the daughter of a farmer, and lie the son of a tailor, and a tailor himself. When grown up they wanted to marry, but her parents refused consent. They then determined to seek their fortunes in America, and left their native place together. When they arrived at New York she had money to pay her passage, while his means were exhausted. He was about to sell himself for a time, as the custom then was, when she said, 'You can earn money to purchase my freedom sooner than I can yours. Ret me be sold then and you work at your trade until you can earn enough to buy my time, when we will marry.' He consented to this arrangement and paid for his passage with her money, while she was sold. When he had earned sufficient, her freedom was bought," and so they were married, Aug. 11, 1754. Her name was Frena ITaerlanger.

This Jacob had three sous, John, James and Hendrick, all of whom were Revolutionary soldiers. The latter, born 1755, afterwards removed to Cortlandt town, where he died 1808, leaving descendants by two marriages. John married Rea, the only daughter of Cornelius Van Tassel, as already stated in the story of that family. James Romer was one of those who made up the party at the time of capture of Andre, but the following account is given by John, who was afterwards known as Capt. John Romer: "The captors of Andre stopped at my