The Story family of Catskill, New York, are of Scotch descent. The founder of the family in Greene county, Francis Story, was born in Birgham on the river Tweed, Scotland, near Berwick, in the year 1804, died in Catskill, New York, June 26, 1891. Leaving his native land he began a long search for a promising location. He located successively in Edinburg, London, Quebec, Montreal, Canada and New York City, finally at Catskill, where he engaged in merchant tailoring. He continued in active business for twenty or thirty years, then retired from business to an estate near the village where he lived the quiet life of a gentleman farmer until his death. He was a man of quiet habits and cultured tastes, having had the advantages of a good education. He married, October 27, 1832, Jane Overbagh, born January 27, 1813, died October 16, 1888, daughter of Frederick Overbagh, of Catskill. Children:
- Anna, born 1833, married Henry Wynkoop, of Catskill;
- Robert F., of further mention;
- Frederick, 1837;
- John, 1839;
- James, 1841;
- Margaret M., 1843, died 1868;
- Martha T., married Sanford D. Plank, of Catskill;
- Francis, 1845, died 1906, married Mary Lucinda Van Orden;
- Isabella, married Charles H. Person, died 1898;
- Jacob, deceased.
Jane (Overbagh) Story was a descendant of Johann Pieter Overbagh, who came to this country in 1722, bought land in the second division of the Loveridge Patent, and died in 1734. He had six children, namely: Johannes, Johann Jury, Marytje, Catharine, Annatje, Elizabeth. He devised his land to his two sons. Johann Jury married Catharine, daughter of Paulis Smith; four children:
- Catharine, married William Dewitt;
- Peter, married Catharine Fiero;
- John, married Hannah Conyes and their children were:
- Frederick, born March 22, 1784, died June 11, 1861, married (first) Catherine Mallory, died June 5, 1809, (second) Hannah, daughter of Abraham and Rachel (Freligh) Overbagh, she was born November 7, 1791, died April 6, 1864; child of second wife, Jane, aforementioned as the wife of Francis Story;
- Jacob;
- William;
- Rebecca;
- Hannah;
- Rachel.
- Jeremiah, married Sarah Van Orden.
(II) Robert F., son of Francis and Jane (Overbagh) Story, was born at Catskill, New York, June 30, 1835. He was educated in private schools and at Fergusonville Academy, Delaware county, New York. He began farming immediately after leaving school and followed that business all his active life. In 1906 he retired from the farm to a pleasant home in Catskill; here he now (1911) resides. He is vice-president of the Catskill Traction Company and is the oldest director in the Catskill National Bank; was an original director and stockholder in the Catskill Cement Company; was member of the school board six years. He is an attendant of the Reformed church, and in politics a Republican. He married, November 25, 1857, Esther Du Bois, born August 28, 1833, died August 16, 1891, daughter of Joel and Sally Jane (Hunter) Du Bois, a descendant of Louis Du Bois, a Huguenot, born in the province of Artois near the ancient city of Lille. He was one of the twelve original proprietors of New Paltz, where he lived until 1689 then removed to Kingston where he died in 1695. Of the children of Robert F. and Esther (DuBois) Story, two died in infancy, and the surviving children are:
- Jane, born October 18, 1858, married Charles A. Elliot, of Catskill; their son,
- Edsall DuBois Elliot, is a practicing physician.
- Sarah (Sally), born December 7, 1862.
- Mary B., born November 26, 1865.
- John H., born October 2, 1867, married Grace Donohue.
- Martha T., born February 13, 1870, married Fred W. Cussler, of Catskill.
The DuBois and Overbagh families of Catskill are intimately connected with the early history of the village and town. The farm of Johann Jury Overbagh was in the form of an oblong, and near the center he built a stone house twenty feet square. During the revolution the cottage was a place of muster for the minute-men of the district and a refuge for their families when it was rumored that the Mohawks were about. The tombstone of John Pieter Overbagh, a narrow slab of gray flagstone, bears the inscription "1734, September 14, J.P.O.B." It is the oldest tombstone in Catskill. (The DuBois family is further considered in this work.)