Among the first whites who permanently settled in old Monmouth, was Richard Stout, who, with his own family and five other families, it is said, located in Middletown in 1648. The history of the Stout family, though familiar to those versed in the ancient history of our state, yet is so remarkable on account of the wonderful preservation of the life of Mrs. Stout, and of so much general interest because their descendants in our county and elsewhere are so numerous, and also because this family were among the first Baptists in New Jersey, that it will bear repeating, especially as it may prove new to many of our readers. The version of the remarkable history of Penelope Stout, as given in Benedict's History of the Baptists, is the one most familiar to our older citizens but believing that many of our readers may wish for preservation both this version and the one given in 1765, by Smith in his history of New Jersey, we append them with additional items from other sources.

The ship in which Penelope came to this country was wrecked on the coast of Monmouth, some, two hundred and fifty years ago. The story of her remarkable preservation was handed down by tradition, in various parts of the state, for a century and a half with little variation except that some traditionary versions, at one time, located the place of the shipwreck on the Delaware.

The following version is the one published by Smith in 1765:

"While New York was in the possession of the Dutch, about the time of the Indian war in New England, a Dutch ship, coming from Amsterdam, was stranded on Sandy Hook, but the passengers got ashore- among them was a young Dutchman who had been sick most of the voyage; he was so bad after landing that he could not travel, and the other passengers, being afraid of the Indians, would not stay until he recovered; his wife, however, would not leave him, and the rest promised to send for them as soon as they arrived at New Amsterdam (New York.) They had not been gone long before a company of Indians, coming to the water side, discovered them on the beach, and hastening to the spot, soon killed the man and cut and mangled the woman in such a manner that they left her for dead. She had strength enough to crawl to some logs not far distant, and getting into a hollow one lived within it for several days, subsisting in part by eating the excrescences that grew from it. The Indians had left some fire on the shore, which she kept together for the warmth. Having remained in that manner for some time, an old Indian and a young one coming down to the beach found her; they were soon in high words, which she afterwards understood was a dispute; the old Indian was for keeping her alive, the other for dispatching her.- After they had debated the point awhile, the oldest Indian hastily took her up and tossing her upon his shoulder, carried her to a place near where Middletown now stands, where he dressed her wounds and soon cured her. After some time the Dutch at New Amsterdam, hearing of a white woman among the Indians, concluded who it must be, and some of them came to her relief; the old man, her preserver, gave her the choice to go or stay; she chose to go. A while after, marrying one Stout, they lived together at Middletown among other Dutch inhabitants. The old Indian who saved her life used frequently to visit her; at one of his visits she observed him to be more pensive than common, and sitting down, he gave three heavy sighs; after the last, she thought herself at liberty to ask him what was the matter. He told her he had something to tell her in friendship, though at the risk of his own life, which was that the Indians were that night to kill all the whites, and he advised her to go to New Amsterdam; she asked him how she could get off? He told her he had provided a canoe at a place which he named. Being gone from her she sent for her husband out of the field, and discovered the matter to him, who, not believing it, she told him the old man never deceived her, and that she with her children would go; accordingly at the place appointed they found the canoe and paddled off. When they were gone, the husband began to consider the matter, and sending for five or six of his neighbors, they set upon their guard. About midnight they heard the dismal warwhoop; presently came up a company of Indians; they first expostulated and then told the Indians if they persisted in their bloody designs, they would sell their lives very dear. Their arguments prevailed, the Indians desisted, and entered into a league of peace, which was kept without violation. From this woman, thus remarkably saved, is descended a numerous posterity of the name of Stout, now inhabitants of New Jersey. At that time there were supposed to be about fifty families of white people, and five hundred Indians inhabiting those parts."

The account, of Penelope Stout, as given in Benedict's History, is as follows:

"She was born in Amsterdam, in Holland, about the year 1602; her father's name was Vanprincis. She and her first husband (whose name is not known) sailed for New York (then New Amsterdam) about the year 1620; the vessel was stranded at Sandy Hook; the crew got ashore and marched towards New York; but Penelope's (for that was her name) husband being hurt in the wreck, could not march with them; therefore, he and his wife tarried in the woods; they had not been long in the place before the Indians killed them both (as they thought) and stripped them to the skin; however, Penelope came to, though her skull was fractured and her left shoulder so hacked that she could never use that arm like the other; she was also cut across the abdomen so that her bowels appeared; these she kept in with her hand; she continued in this situation for seven days, taking shelter in a hollow tree, and eating the excrescence of it; the seventh day she saw a deer passing by with arrows sticking in it and soon after two Indians appeared, whom she was glad to see, in hope they would put her out of her misery: accordingly, one made for her to knock her on the head; but the other, who was an elderly man, prevented him; and, throwing his match coat about her, carried her to his wigwam and cured her of her wounds and bruises; after that he took her to New York and made a present of her to her countrymen, viz: an Indian present, expecting ten times the value in return.- It was in New York that one Richard Stout married her; he was a native of England, and of good family: she was now in her 22nd year, and he in his 40th. She bore him seven sons and three daughters, viz: Jonathan, John, Richard, James, Peter, David, Benjamin, Mary, Sarah and Alice; the daughters married into the families of the Bounds, Pikes, Throckmortons and Skeltons, and so lost the name of Stout; the sons married into the families of Bullen, Crawford, Ashton, Truax, &c., and had many children. The mother lived to the age of 110, and saw her offspring multiplied into 502 in about 88 years."

Richard Stout, who married Penelope, was the son of John Stout, of Nottinghamshire, in England. His father interfered in a love affair with a young woman beneath his rank, so he got angry and went to sea in a man of war, and served seven years. He was discharged at New York (then New Amsterdam) and lived there some years, when he fell in with the Dutch widow, whom he afterwards married.