Who was Major Moses Van Campen?

Major Moses Van Campen in his 90's.


Who was Moses Van Campen?
...And why name a club after him?

Moses Van Campen was one of the many unsung heroes of the American Revolution, an Indian Fighter and later one of their greatest allies and advocates. He was a man of great mental and physical resources, and tremendous luck.
He was born on January 21, 1757 to a respected farm family. The family moved several times but finally settled in near Angelica, New York.
After the start of the American Revolution, Van Campen defended the boarder settlements along the frontier of the Iroquois Nation. Due to the alliance between the Iroquois and the Brittish, these settlements came under constant attack. Forts sprung up to defend families and Moses helped to build several. He led numerous scouting expeditions and troops through the woods he was so familiar with, and was victorious in his many battles.
Van Campen died at the ripe old age of 92 in Angelica, NY, where he spent his last years under the care of his daughter-in-law.

You can read more about Major Moses Van Campen in the biography written by his grand-son, J. Niles Hubbard..
Sketches of Border Adventures in the Life and Times of Major Moses Van Campen is out of print, but can be found in several area libraries. ISBN 1-880-484-03-X

Few in our club remember the first years of our formation and the turbulent growing pains that all organizations go through. We hotly debated several names, but one of our founding members was so enamoured by the Major, and spoke so passionately of his adventures and exploits that we could not help but admire this bold and fearless frontiersmen. Van Campen was truly an exceptional man of any time. He was brave, adventurous, compassionate, joyous and forgiving. He was a man who thought nothing of giving his life to do what was right, and though he may not be rememberd by school-children everywhere, he will never be forgotten so long as we care enough to remember.

I stole this jpg from Pieces of the Past, Artifacts, Documents and Primary Sources from Letchworth Park History

The site above is full of great information and it is my completely biased opinion that everyone should visit Letchworth State Park. It is a stunning area of the Genesee Valley, and the Mary Jemison Museum is worth every moment of your time!
-Gail-