French Huguenots, Protestants who pursued the doctrines of John Calvin, left France in the 1500’s due to religious and political persecution and settled in Die Pfaltz on the Rhine River in Germany.

 

Between 1660 and 1675, they journeyed to America and settled in Wiltwyck (what is now Kingston), New York.

 

The Huguenots purchased 40,000 acres of land between the Hudson River and the Shawangunk Mountains from the Esopus Indians in 1677. A formal patent was granted to the families by the English governor of New York.

 

In 1678, eleven families moved to the east bank of the Wallkill River and established a new settlement, New Paltz, on the land granted to them. The families lived in rough dwellings until they could build more permanent stone houses. Among the Patentees were Christian Deyo and his son, Pierre. Christian Deyo died in 1686 or ‘87. His son, Pierre built the first house on Huguenot Street in 1692.