HISTORY
OF
MAMAEONECK.
') \\
;;•"■,,«,■,,': ■ ';
^(cm y&M^
Reproduced from the Engraving from the Original Painting in possession of the
Rt. Rev. W. H. De Lancey, Bishop of Western New York.
TITSTORT
'*¥ ifMlK
TOWN OF MAMAliONECK
,'^i*' .' '*ii8i*
OOTJNTY 01^' WI^M^CHESTER
AJ»D
STATE r)F NKW YORK
"UitS AM^^^^-^
HISTORY
OF THE
TOWN OF MAMARONP]CK
IN THK
COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER
AND
STATE OF NEW YORK.
BY
EDWAED F. DE LANCEY
NEW YORK
1886.
i
■1^ ^'i
1 >
jk
'I'
f I
I B /^ D I
'H) TMK
HOXORAHLK MATTHIAS BANTA,
FOR MANY VEARH
SUPERVISOR OF MAMARONECK,
UNANIM0r8I,Y ELECTED,
THIS VOLUME IS INSCRIBED
BY HIS FRIEND,
THE AUTHOK.
PREFATORY NOTE.
This volume is simply a separatoly-printed chapUM" from " Scharf's His-
tory of Westchester County." Owing to the rapidity with which the chapter
was originally printed, a very ivw points intended to have appeared therein
were accidentally omitted. >
., .1 I , .1
MAMAEONECK.
The Town of Mamaroneck was erected as a Town
with its present boundaries by the "Act for dividing
the Counties of this State into Towns," passed the
7th of March 1788.> The language of the Act is,
"And all that part of the said County of Westchester,
bounded southerly by New Rochelle, easterly by the
Sound, Northerly by Mamaroneck River, and westerly
by the Town of Scarsdale, shall be, and hereby is,
erected into a Town, by the n;inie of Mamaroneck."
Scarsdale, which comes just befoi - Mamaroneck in the
Act, was erected into a town witii these boundaries:
" Westerly by Bronx River, Southerly by the Town of
Eastchester and New Rochelle, easterly by the East
Bounds of a Tract of Land called the Manor of Scars-
dale, and Northerly by the North Bounds of the
said Manor of Scarsdale." Both Towns were carved
out of the old Manor of Scarsdale, hence the ref-
erence to Scarsdale in the boundaries of each. The
latter have never been altered since the erection of
the Town and are its bounds to-day. It fronts upon
Long Island Sound, and extends from it north-
westward nearly four miles, with an average width
of nearly three miles. It is situated twenty-one miles
Northeast of New York City, and is distant South
from Albany, the Capital of the State of New York,
about one hundred and forty miles, and the village
is south from White Plains, the county seat, seven
miles. All these distances are those of the roads as
they existed prior to the introduction of Rail-Roads.
The town of Mamaroneck has an area of about 4000
acres, or fij square miles. Its population as shown by
the State and U. S. census reports at different periods,
has been as follows: in ]7!K), 452: in 1800,503; in
1810, 4%; in 1814, 7!)7; in 1820, 878; in 1825, 1032;
in 1830, 838 ; in 1835, 882 ; in 1840, 141 (! ; in 1845, 780 ;
in 1850, 928; in 1855, 1068; in I860, 1351 ; in 1865,
1392; in 1870, 1484; in 1875, 1425; in 1880, 1863.
Owing to a political squabble in 1885, the Legislature
being Republican, and the (Governor a Democrat, the
former would not pass a law to take a census in that
year, consequently there are no figures for it, but the
population is now believed to be 2000. The average
number of voters is about 350.
The name is Indian, and signifies "The Place where
the Fresh water falls into the Salt," and describes the
unusual natural fact, that the bed of the Mamaro-
neck River some distance above the place of the
present bridge connecting it with the town of Rye,
> II, June! and Vdrck's Ijiwi, 3in.
(at which place a bridge did not exist till the ynt
1800) was originally crossed by a ledge of rocks
sufficiently high to prevent the tide rising above
it, over which the fresh water fell directly into the
salt water, and at low tide with a strong rush and
sound.' The Indians gave the name to the place of
this uncommon occurrence and to the River itself.
In the earliest deeds and documents, the word is
spelled " Momoronock," "Maraoronack"and "Mam-
aranock;" the modern spelling does not seem to
have obtained generally till toward the middle of the
eighteenth century. Very many ways of spelling
this word are met with, but all evidently aiming at
expressing its Indian sound. The Indians having no
written language, all their names and other words
which we now have, are based upon the reproducing
of their spoken sounds in our letters. If a Dutch-
man, Frenchman or an Englishman, undertook to
write the same word from an Indian's mouth, very
different looking and sounding words would be pro-
duced. And as very many of our New York Indian
terms and names represent an English spelling of a
Dutch or French translation of an Indian sound, we
should never be surprised at any variety of spelling."
Though erected a town so late as 1788, Mama-
roneck is one of the oldest places in the County and
the State, dating back to 1661, when the then
Indian owners Wappaquewam and Mahatahan
sold and deeded their individual lands to John
Richbell, an Englishman, on the 21st of Sep-
tember 1661. Long previous to this time, and in the
year 1640 the entire and general Indian title, both
to the land and the sovereignty, of all the territory
of southeastern Westchester and Connecticut as far
east as the Norwalk Islands inclusive, had been ob-
tained for the Dutch West India Company by pur-
chase by Governor Kieft, through Cornelius van Tien-
hoven, from the Siwanoy Indians.* Richbell however
was the first white man to purchase the individual
right of the local Indian owners to the lands at Ma-
maroneck.
He was an Plnglishman of a Hampshire family of
3 Time, blflHting, and a Buccewtun uf danii, have oliliterated the orig-
inal ledge, but tkv remains of the reef can still be seen.
^Ithaa iHien stateil that " Mamaroneck'* meant *' the place of rolling
stones,** but for this f can not titid any authority. Therv are not rolling
stones anywiiere about Mamaroneck either in the rirer or the town,
though Iwth abound with rocks I'li ailil, lu the lauguaguof the geologista.
* I. Brod. '200, 11. AUiaiiy Kscerds 78, 147, II. Ua»ird 27;i, 1. O'Call,
N. N. 21.1.
MAMARONECK.
Bouthampton or its neighborhood, who were mer-
chai.ts ill London, and who had business tranaactions
with the West Indies and with New England. He
was in CharlcHtown Massachusetts in 1648 according
to Siivagc's (tenealogical Dictionary, and he appears
in an Inventory of the estate of Robert Gibson of
Boston, as owing the estate 36£ on the 8th of August
1656. Prior to 1657 he had I)een in St. Christopher's
Island in the West Indies. In 1657 he entered into
a business pnrtnershi]> in Barbadoes, then the centre
of the English trade with the West Indier ar.d North
America, being at that time, ns it is now, an English
Island. The severe aud oppressive English Naviga-
tion laws the scope of >vhich Cromwell had enlarged,
and which he strictly enforced, drove many English-
men at that period to embark in a contraband trade,
a trade whicli increased in the nextcentury to so great
an extent in North America, that the severe measurts
adopted by the English Government to suppres. it
in the latter part of that century provJ to be one of
the strongest, if not very strongest of the causes of
the American Revolution. ' At Barbadoes the follow-
ing curious and striking agreement was entered into
by John Richbell with Thomas Modi ford of that island,
and William Siiarpe of Southampton, to establish on
the North American coast a plantation for the carry-
ing on a trade not permitted by the Navigation laws.
It is headed,
" iMtrucUons delivered Mr. John Richbell in order to
the intended settlement of a Plantation in the south-west
parts of New England, in f>eha(f of himself and of
nibtcrihers .•"
" God sending you to arrive safely in New England
our advice is that you informeyourselfe fully by sober
understanding men of that parte of land which lyeth
betwixt Connecticott and the Dutch CoUony and of
the seacoast belonging to the same and the islands
that lye bettwixt Long Island and the Maine, viz. :
within what government it is, and of what kinde
that government is, whether very strict or remisse,
who the Chiefe Magistrates are, on what termea ye
Indians stand with them, and what bounds the Dutch
pretend to, and being satisfyed in these particulars,
(viz.) that you may with security settle there and
without oiTence to any. Then our advise is that you
endeavor to buy some small Plantation that is already
settled and hath an house and some quantity of
ground cleared and which lyeth so as you may en-
large into the woods at pleasure in each, be sure not
to fayle of these accommodations.
" I. That it be near some navigable Ryver, or at least
some safe port or harbor, and that the way to it be
neither longe or difficult.
"II. That it he well watered by some running
streame or at least by some fresh ponds and springs
near adjoining.
■ The ramoiia came of the Write at AisUtanc*, in which Juhii Adanu
first (liRtintniiohed liiiiiHetf, were lu defence of Boeton MerchMnte en-
gaged In thie contraband trade.
" III. That it be well wooded which I thinke you can
hardly misse of. That it be healthy high ground,
not bogs or fens for the hopes of all consists in that
consideration.
" Being thus fitted with a place look carefully into
the title and be sure to have all pretenders satisfied
before you purchase, for to fall into an imbroylid dis-
putable title would trouble us more than all other
charges whatsoever. Having passed these difflcultyes
and your family brought in the place direct your
whole forces towards the increase of provision which
must be according to their seasons, for planting of
corne, pease, beanes and other provisions which the
country affords, increasing your orchards and gardens,
your pastures and inclosures; and for ye familyes
employment in the long winter be sure by the first
opportunity to put an acre or two of hemp-seed into
the ground, of which you may in the winter make a
ijuantity of canvass and cordage for your own use. ^n
the fulling and clearing your ground save all y( ur
principal timber for pipe stands and clap board and
knee timber, &c., and with the rest endeavor to make
Pott ash, which will sufficiently recompense the
charge of falling the ground. But still mindfull not
to put so many hands about the matter of present
profitt that you do in the meane tyme neglect planting
or sowing the grounds that are fitt for provisions, our
further advice is that as you increase in pasture fitt
for cattle and sheep you fayle not tostocke them well,
but be sure never to over-stock them by taking more
than you can well keep, for an hungry cowe will
never turne to account. Lastly we desire you to ad-
vise us or either of us how affairs stand with you,
what your wants are and how they may ^e most ad-
vantageously employed by us : for the life of our bus-
iness will consist in the nimble, quiet and full corre-
spondence with us; and although in these instructirms
we have given you clearly indicates, yet we are not
satisfied that you must needs bring in the place so
many difficultyes and also observe many inconve-
niencies which we at this distance cannot possibly
imagine and therefore we refer all wholly to your
discretion, not doubting but that you will doe all
things to the best advantage of our designe thereby
obliedging
your faithful friends and servants
Thos. Modiford
Will. Sharpe.'
Barbadoes, Sept. 18, 1657."
The precise date of Richbell's arrival in the prov-
ince of New York is not now known. He seems first to
have gone to Oyster Bay Long Island, and thence to
Mamaroneck. He certainly could not have found a
place more in accordance with his " instructions " on
the whole coast of North America than the latter.
Directly on the Sound, dose to Connecticut, and
claimed by its people, but a part of the Dutch prov-
> De«d Bool< ili. 126, Sec. uf gtate'i OIT*, Alb.
MAMARONECK.
8
ince of New Nethcrlund and ruled by its authoritiex,
with a running river fulling directly into its liarbour
the latter overlooked by high wooded hilla, and its
borders slcirted by the cleared " planting fields " of
the Indians, and within a day's easy sail of the
" Manhadoes" it was well adapted to the " nimble "
business proposed to be can'' il on by his IJarbadoes
friends and himself. liichbeil first went to Oyster
Bay, where on tho r>th of Septemlier IKtJd he bought
the beautiful ])eninsula, afterwards and still known
as '' Lloyd's Neck." He had a controversy with the
Oyster Bay people about some land at Matinecock,
which he also bought, and which was finally settled
in his favor. In ItJCS, after the English conquest he
obtained a patent for Lloyd's Neck from Governor
Nicolls dat(^d December 18th lt)()5, and the next year
sold it to Nathaniel Sylvester, Thomas Hart, and
Latimer Sampon, for 450£, by deed dated October 18,
1666.' He then resided at Oyster Buy where in 1662
he was appoiit.jd a constable.' In the preceding year
1661 his name . ppearg on the Southampton Records
as a witness to a mortgage to one Mills on a Virginia
plantation.' In May 1601 he was one of the Commis-
sioners for the five P^nglish Towns in Long Island."
In the autumn of that year the English captured New
York from the Dutch. Of the expedition to attempt
that capture Kichbell probably hud early knowledge.
It will be recollected that two of the ships the
"Martin" and the "William and l^icolas," of the
expedition sent to capture New Netherland by the
Duke of York, were forced to run into PiseatHway,
now Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on the 20th of
July 1664, on board of which were Carr and Maver-
icke, two of the Commissioners.' One or both of
them knew, or had lettere to John Richbell who ap-
parently was then in Boston to whom they sent the
following communication announcing their arrival,
written the third day after it happened, —
"Mr. Richbell
Wee shall desire you to make all convenient haste
to your habitation on Long Island, and by the waye
as you pass through the Countrey and when you come
hither, that you acquaint such as you tliinke the
Kings Commission" will be welcome to, and are af-
fected for his Majestyes Service, that some of us are
arrived here, & shall suddenly bee in Long Island
where they hope they will be ready as in other places
to promote his Majestyes interest, their readiness &
affection shall be much taken notice of, and your care
and Incouragement bee acknowledged by
Your very lovinge friends
Robert Carr.
Samuel Mavericke.
Pascataway July 23d, 1664.
to Mr. John Richbell, there.
III. Tliompson'a "HUt. Long bland."
tVoI. II., 1».
<II. TbompioD'a " Luug ItlitDd."
< Ant*, pug* 76.
A warrant under the same hands to prcssc a horse
for Mr. Richbell if occasion should bee, hee paying
for the hire." »
Four years before, Charles II. had constituted a
Council in England, to which he committed the care
of the Trade with the Plantations in America. It
was created by Royal Patent on the seventh of No-
vember 1660. This " Council of Trade " consisted
of the Lord High Chancellor Hyde, the Lord Treas-
urer of England, Thomas Earl of Southampton,
Monk Duke of Albemarle, eleven other peers and
Nobles, twenty-three Baronets and Knights, and
twenty five " Merchants," together sixty two persons
all mentioned by :iame in the Patent itself. Amon^
the "Merchants" was included Robert Richbell, the
brother of John. As this "Council of Trade" em-
braced the leading public men in England at that
day, with the noble at its head who four years later
drew the King's Patent to his brother James for New
York, it is almost certain that John Richbell had
some prior intimation, from his brother, a member ol
the same Council, of the expedition intended for the
capture of that Province from the Dutch, and the
persons who were to be at the head of it. Hence,
his presence in Boston before its arrival, and if neither
Carr nor Mavericke, the latter of whimi had been in
America before, knew John Richbell personally, they
undoubtedly had been informed beforehand where
he was to be addressed and what his sentiments were,
or they could not have written him the above letter.
It is apparent that Richbell was a man of a better
position than the ordinary class of Englishmen then
in America, at the time he made his purchase of lands
at Mamaroneck in 1661. His purchase of Lloyd's
Neck was in September 1660. A year later on Septem-
ber 23d 1661 he bought his lands at Mamaroneck, and
received from its Siwanoy Indian proprietors Wap-
paquewam and Mahatahan, their " Indian Deed "
for them dated on that day.
An attempt by another Englishman, also a mer-
chant of Barbadoes, and resident of Oyster Bay, who
seemsto have been either a business rival, or a personal
opponent of Richbell, to outwit him and the Indians
has singularly enough been the means of preserving
for us a perfect history of the original purchase of
Mamaroneck in all its details. This man was one
Thomas Revell " merchant of Oyster Bay." Finding
that Richbell had obtained the Mamaroneck lands in
September 1661 Revell undertook in October of
the same year to buy the same lands or a part of
them, from some other Indians, including Wappaque-
wam however, for an increased price. Richbell after
getting his deed of the 23d of September 1661 applied
to the Dutch Government at New Amsterdam for a
"Ground Brief," and subsequently a " Transport," as
the Dutch License to purchase Indian lands, and the
Patent for them, were respectively termed. Governor
• ntgoi. Hilt., 66.
MAMAUONECK.
Stuyveaant and his Council thereupon had the pur-
chase as well as Revell's claim thoroughly investi-
gated and testimony taken, and after full deliberation
decided in Richbell's favor and issued to him both
the " Ground Brief " and the " Transport." Aaer the
English conquest and the order directing the confir-
mation of the Dutch grants to their proprietors and
before his English Patent of the ItJth of October, 1668,
was obtained, Richbell recorded these instrument 3,
and he also had recorded the evidence taken bef»;re
the Dutch Council, his Indian deed of June 6, 1666,
confirming that of 1661, and an aifldavit of another
witness of the original purchase sworn to in 1665.
These documents in full arc as follows, and they
give us a very lively picture of the men and matters,
at Mamaroneck and at Manussing Island both whites
and Indians, in the autumn of 1661. '
Immediately after these curious papers will be
found the Indian Deed to Thomas Revell, and the
Indian Power of Attorney by which he tried to defeat
Richbell. These papers Revell had recorded in the
records of the Town of Southampton upon Long Island
December 23d, 1661, probably as a means of strength-
ening his claim. Thus we have a documentary his-
tory of both sides of this contest for the beau-
tiful lands of Mamaroneck in the reign of Charles the
Second.
INDIAN DEED TO JOHN RICHBELL.
Recorded Mar: 13CA 1666 for Mr Richbell.
(Liber Two of Deeds 192-199, Albany).
1. Mammaranock, y" 23d Sept. 1661.
Know all Men by these pres". That I Wappaque-
wani Right owner & Proprietor of part of this Land,
doe by order of my brother who is another Proprie-
tor & by consent of the other Indyans doe this day,
sell, Lett & make over, from mee my heyres as-
sigues for ever unto John Richbell of oyster
bay his heyres & assignes for ever three necks of
Land. The Eastermost is called Mammarsinock
Neck, and the Westermost is bounded with M' Pells
purchase : Therefore know all Men whom these pres-
ents concerne that I Wappaquewam, doe this day
alienate & estrange from niec, my heircs & assignes
for ever unto John Richbell his heyres & assignes for
ever, these three necks of Land with all the Mea-
dowes Rivers & Islands thereunto belonging, also
the sd. Richbell or his assignes may freely feed Cat-
tle or cutt timber twenty miles Northward from the
marked Trees of the Necks, ffor «fc in consideracon
the sd. Richbell is to give or deliver unto the afore-
named Wappaquewam the goods here under men-
tioned, the one hulfe about a moneth after the date
hereof, and the other halfe the next Spring following.
As the Interpreters can testify, & for the true per-
> The doings of the parties at Manuanlng lelHOd in thif matter art
it if) believed the earliest actions in which its settlers took part outaida
of tbenuelTse, that are now known.
formance hereof I Wappaquewam doe acknowledge
to have rec"*' two shirts & ten shillings in wampum
the day & date above written,
Twenty two Coates
one hundred fathom of wampom
Twelve shirttt
Ten paire of Stockings
Twenty hands of powder
Twelve barrs of Leid
Two firelockes
flifteene Hoes
ffifteene Hatchets
Three Kettles "
John Finch's affidavit.
2. The deposition of John P'inch &. Edward Qritten
both of Oyster bay.
These deponents testify & affirme. That they being
at Peter Disbroes Island ' (being to the westward of
Greenewich) the 23'' day of September last past &
being there employed by me John Richbell for to In-
terpret betwixt the said Mr. Richbell & the Indyans
(mentioned in this writing annext) about the pur-
chase of three Necks of Land. The said deponents
doe both of them atfirmc, that this herein written was
a true and reall bargaine, made the day above s''. be-
twixt the said Mr. John Richbell & the said Indyans,
& the Condicons thereof.
Taken before mee
John Heickes
Hempsteed this 20th of December 1661.
Peter Disbrmv's affidavit.
" The Deposicon of Peter Disbroe of Monussing Is-
land ffitates su£e 30th.
3. The s*" deponent upon oath Testifieth, that Mr.
Richbell &c went to Mr. Revell (then on the Island
afores'') & warned Mr. Revell not to buy the Land
beyond Mammaraneck River of the Indyans, for that
(hee said) hee had bought it already : At that time
Wappaquewam came to my house Mr. Richbell and
John iRnch being there also, the said Wappaquewam
said hee was the owner of the Land, & did in my
hearing owne that hee had sold the land to Mr.
Richbell, but the other Indyans over persuaded him
to sell it to Mr. Revell, because hee would give a great
deale more ; The said Wappaquewam did also owne
that hee had rec'd part of pay for the Land, of Mr.
Richbell & John flinch : This to my best understand-
ing was y* Indyans speech unto them ; Also at the
same time the said Indian Wappaquewam did ver-
bally o.ffer unto Mr. Richbell the Pay that hee had
rec'd in part for the sd Land. But Mr. Richbell re-
fused, saying hee would not receive it, but according
to bargaine hee would have the land & pay him (the
sd Indian) his pay : Moreover the said deponent saith
that Mr. Revell being at his house (before the former
discourse) that hee the said deponent did tell Mr.
' Peter Oisbro or Disbrough, was the leading man «f tha OraaDwieli
pwpl* who Dnt Mttlad Manniwslng Iiland.
MAJVIAHONECK.
Revell that the Land whs af^reed for by John Finch,
&, some part of the pay paid. Tiiis deposed unto the
12"' of
M 61
1=62
Before uit
Kichard Laws
Francis Bell
Affidavit of William Joanen.
4. The depos'con of William Joaues of Monusaiiig
iHland about 22 years of age,
The ad Deponent upon oath testitieth, ThatThouias
Close & himselfe be:ng mates, the said Close having
beene at oyster bay upon his returne to Monussing
aforesd, did tell hin\ that when bee was at oyster hay,
That John ffinch niid Henry Disbroe of oyster bay
did tell him, that John flinch & M' Riehbell had
agreed to purchase the land at Mammaranock River,
& desired him not to discover what hee had told
them, for that hee had promised them to keepe
silence, & it' it should bee knowne that hee had told
him (the said Joanes) hee should then bee counted a
Trayto', this was about September 1661 : Severall
moneths after M' Riehbell & John flinch & Edward
Griffin being at Mamaranucke River & they waiting
for the Indyans coming to them to receive that part
of the pay for the land as was agreed there to bee
paid, & M' Riehbell had then by him ; They want-
ing bread sent for some to the Island Monussing,
wherefore the sd deponent came and carryed them
some : when to the land he came M' Riehbell had
there sett up a Shedd to shelter from the weather, &
took possession there. Staying for y" Indians to receive
the pay as was promised. M' Revell being then at
Monussing, & hearing that M^ Revell came to buy the
land, did tell M' Riehbell what hee had heard : Where-
fore M' Riehbell & John flinch & myselfe came to
Monussing M' Riehbell saying that hee would pur-
posely goe to forewarne M' Revell not to buy the
land, being hee had already agreed for the same:
When to Monussing they came, there was some of the
Indyans that had sold y° land viz': Cakoe & Wappa-
quewam, who would have secretly gone away (as they
judged) but that, John flinch spyeing of them, called
them againe, saying to them, are you ashamed of
what you are doeing : Then at Peter Disbroe's house
the said Cakoe & Wappaquewam did tender to M'
Riehbell & John flinch the pay againe which they
had rec* in part of payment for the Land, but they
refused. John flJnch & M' Riehbell saying to them
that they would stand to y' bargaine that they had
made: The said Wappaquewam did there fully owne
that he had sold the Land to M' Riehbell & John
ffinch: Stamford Apr. 5'" 1662. given before me
Rich : Lawes.
The originall was Intcrlin'd
before deposed (unto) in the
28* line, (And M' Riehbell)
In the 13* line (Monussing),
Affidavit of John Fliwh.
I't. The deposition of John flinch of oyster bay & also
Edward Griffin.
The sd deponents upon oath testifye, M' John
Riehbell Merchant of ( )yster bay did buy of Wappa-
quewam a Certaine Tract of land lyeing westward of
the River called Mammaranock River & bounded by
Land purchased by Mr Thomas Pell of the Indians.
The said Wappacjuewam being entrusted by his
brother Mathetuson ' formerly called Mohey (as the
said Wappaquewam & Mathetuson did enforme) to
sell all his property in the sd Land, & himselfe with
Edw'' Griffin accompanied the said John Riehbell
unto y" h" Indian Wappaquewam to buy the »* Lands,
which accordingly hee did, & pay*" unto the s** Wap-
paquewam in part of payment for the purchase of the
said Lands, Two shirts & ten shillings in wampom,
and agreed upon Time for the payment of the residue,
according to a writing made at Momoronock River,
bearing date 23'' of Sept' 1661, & on that day the said
Riehbell tooke possession of the s** Lands.
In & upon the 7* day of March 1661, The s'' John
Riehbell employed them the s'' deponents & one Jacob
Young a Sweed (which are Indian Interpret.") to goe
with him to the Indyans to talke w"* them, Hee the
8* Riehbell hearing a Report that y" s* Indian Wap-
paquewam had afterwards sold the s'' lands to M'
Revell, & in our voyage to speake w"" Wappaquewam
we mett with his brother Mathetuiton alias Mohey
afores'', who did fully manifest unto us that
hee (acccording to his brothers luformacon),
did emi)loy & give power to his brother Wap-
paquewam to sell his propriety of Land to Mr Rich
bell, whom Wappaquewam enformed him would
buy it of him, & withall did relate to us sev-
erall of the particulars that the said John Rich-
bell by agreement was to pay for the s* Lands :
Moreover the s* Mathetuson seemed to bee much
disturbed in his mind That any Contract was made
with any other for y' said Lands, hee affirming that
hee knew not that any other than John Riehbell had
made any contract about it, untill hee came down to
the Sea Coast. Wherefore Mr John Riehbell did tell
the s'' Mathetuson that he was now come to settle &
plant the same, — And the said Mathetuson did give
him free liberty to the same, onely desiring M'
Riehbell that hee might be payd for it, & not tu loose
his pay for a neck & halfe of land, which he was yet
unpaid for :
To the former part were deposed John ffinch &
Edward Griffin the 11th of y' 1" moneth U
Before mee
Rich: Lawes.
To the latter part the s'' John ffinch & Edw* Griffin
& also Jacob Young have deposed this ll* ^ ,j
Before mee
Richard Lawes.
> This affidavit Is the ouly paper where this name is so speiled. In ull
other iustruiuent« it is spelled " Mahatahan."
6
MAMARONE(!K.
Affidavit of Jimathtm I/ickwond.
t). TheTestinionyof Jonutliaii Loi'kwood beiiigaged
30 years or therealx/Ut.
Saith.I being at peter D:.Hbroe8,& M' Thuiiiat* Kov-
ell being there present, I hearu M'. Revell sayhec wan
buying a pari-oU of Land of tlie Indyans of tlie West
side of Mammaranoi'k River to M' Fells Ihnd k I
wisht him not to medle with it, for it wr.< nlready
bought by M' Richbell & I was a wittnesse to it, I
saw a part of the moneys pay'' for it by M' Richbell —
M' Revell made this answer to inee, that howsoever
hee would buy it & M' Richbell & he would try for it
afterwards ; tfarthcr this deponent saith not. Given
in upon oath before mee, Stamford Apr. 4"' 1665.
Rich Lawes
Taken out of the Records & compared therewith this
23d of August 1665
p. me John Allyn, Recorder
INOIAK DEED OR CERTIFICATE OF CONFIR.MATION
TO JOHN RICHBELL.
Recorded for Mr. John Richbell, the 6* day of June
1666, this Indyan Deed. I Wappaquewam, together
with my Brother Mahatahan, being the right owners
of three Necks of Land, lying and being Bounded on
y* East side with Mamaranock River, and on y* west
side with the Stony River, which parts the said Land,
and Mr. Pells Purchase, Now These are to Sertify to
all and every one whom it may concerne. That I
Wappaquewum, did for myselfe, and in the behalfe of
my above said Brother Mahatahan, firmly Bargaine
& Sell to M' John Richbell of Oyster Bay, to him
and his Heires forever, the above mentioned three
Necks of Land, together with all other Priviledges
there unto belonging. Six weeks before I sold it to
M' Tho Revell, And did mark out the Bounds, and
give M' Richbell possession of the said Land, and
did receive part of my pay then in hand, as Witness
my hand
The mark 0 of Wappaquewum '
Wittness
Jacob Yough
Catharine Yough,"
The next papers are those Thomas Revell obtained
from several Indians, after John Richbell's Purchase,
upon which he based his claim.
COCKOO'S DEEK TO REVELL.
" Be it known unto all Christian peo|)le, Ingians &
others whom it may concern that I Cockoo' Sagamore
do Ijy vertue of a full and absolute power & order un-
to me given & intrusted by Maharaequeet Sagamore
& Meamekett Sagamore & Mamamettchoack & Capt
Wappequairan ' all Ingines living up Hudson River
1 Rocoraed in Liber Two of Deeda, at p*ge 128, Sec. of SUte'a off.,
Albany.
3Jd aome |iapen uf tliat day tbla name appears aa " Cakoe,"
) Uaant for Wappaquawam.
on the Maine land, for me to bargaine St absolutely
to sell unto Tho Revell his Hiiyres Kxect" Adniinis-
trato" & Assigns have or any of them have in one
tract of land on ye Main being bounded by ye sea on
the south /est and at the oust of Maramack River and
at ye west with Mamgapes River, with two necks of
land and meadow & planting hind, the necks of lai d
called by the Ingins Caywaywest* & Mamgapes witli
all yt' lands Meines and niineralls & trees to cut down
at ye said Revell** itlea.sure to plant with all right« &
priviliges with (two words here illegible) without let
or niolestation of un any under us quietly & peaceably
to Injoy ye s'' land reaching one and a half miles above
Westchester path and fr<)m thence twenty englisli
miles to the Norward into the County for grass for
teed for cattell and Timber as he shall have occasion ;
for ye lands afforesaid I the said Cockoo doe confess
to have received now in hand of the said Thomiw Rev-
ell at the house of John Coe in full j)ayment for the
aforesaid tracts of land in severall goods to the just
sum of Eighty odd pounds sterling for the said lands
with all reall rights. And fardder more I doe prom-
ise and ingauge my self in the behalf of the fore named
Ingains & ye re.st of those Ingains which I now sell
this l<ind for and them to bring suddenly after ye date
hereof for to give unto Thomas Revels or his order
quiet and peaceable possession to him and his Heyres.
And peaceably to keep and defend against all Dutch
and English that shall molest him, in witness whereof
have ingaidged and confess my hand Subscribed this
27"" Oct. 1661
the marke -)- of Cockoo '
y* marke -f-
of Wappequairan
Signed and delivered in the presence of us
John Budd
John Coe
Thomas ilobe? (close) .
Simon Cooper
Murl(
Tho. + Stedwell
Dec 2.3" 1661, A true copy per me
Henry Pierson Regis'.
Indian Power of Atforney to Vockoo to Convey
' Lands.
Be it known unto all Christian people In-
gains ;-nd others whom it may come unto that we
whose names are hereunto published Mahameqeat &
Meamehet Naskeway all Sagamores with vngoetaken
Mamamettchauck, Wachithe Rawnottoy with Capt
Wappaquewam all Ingains living up Hudson River
& else where in America, Doe acknowledge & confess
to have fully & absolutely & by oath of our free &
voulantary Acts, given granted full & absolute power
unto our friends & one of our Coungell Cockoo by
* Tbla la aa near aa tbia word can be made out.
i The aame aa " Cakoe " above menUoned.
3>
^yVtiP or
MAMARONECK
Drawn- fronv Mmxucript Map fbtcnd. in- State. Records
otAlbamf NY:
maiein,179f.
„^ theBnOtli: crossing
"^ ^ Jiea,vrrCrefk. tdt^ >
'■■tr I
i- r
MAMAKONECK.
name an In^aine the which wee do approve of and
•loe contirni whuUoevcr the itnid Cockoo ithnll doe in
harKiiiniriK & nellirifj; iintn Thim Uovell of l<Hrliiidoi>M
all our rv.n\ right i"fe interest wcr or either of iin have,
our tlayreii Kxctrx AdminlB'" A AoHiKnH have in one
trnel of liiiid on the Muync the which hath two neekw
of land within it failed C'ui|uanoHt and the other
Mamga|)oH. Itoiinded on the Houthwent agaiuHt I^ong
Island & at the emt with Marramark Itiver &. at the
weHt with Manigaiioii Kiver, and i ihe north one and
a half niilcH if noe more above VVestchenter pafli for
planting ground <% it is lo improve at thcitaid llevelln
pleiiMure an he or hiHxhall «ee good with the Meddow
grounds & other groundH TrceH, Moyneti, MinnerallH
or whatH Hocver hh ItiverH HpringH within Haid boiindH
of aaid trart of land. As allnoe free liberty for feed-
ing for all eattell horneM & Mayera without lett to
Rang or grase & trees to fall and carry away at his or
any of his Heirs pleaMure above the niarke<l trees for
the bounds Twenty F^nglish miles if not more into
the Cuntry northward if not more with a plot of the
tracts of land hereunto annexed and allsoe the marked
trees. Now whereas wee the aforesaid the true and
well proprietors and Honnors ' before named of the
tracts of land wee are fully contented & paid and
satisfied that our friend Cockoo bath bargained and
sould the aforesaid tracts of land with all the bounds
as aforesaid unto tne h'' Thomas Revell with all
things standing or lying thereon for himself, Heyres,
Kxct", Admiiiistrat" or Assignei freely and forever
to [>o«Bcs8 and peaceably injoy and keep as his proper
right without lett or hindrance of us or any from by
or under uc And allsoe we the aforesaid true
honnors and right proprietors of the said land Maha-
meqeat Meamehet Naskeway Sagamores with
vngoetaken Maniametchouch Wachithe Ronnottoy
and Capt \Va|)paquewam wee and every on of us
joyntly <Sr severally doe allow <fe approve of what our
friend Cockoo hath done to bee fearme sold fast and
good in selling the said land to Thomas Revell. And
of him have received in hand full satisfaction & to
our consent for the said land in personal goods to
the just sum of ninety pounds sterling to the use of
us the aforesaid Ingaina. Now for the better
Right & tittell of the said land unto the said
Revell his Heyres Excf" Administrat" & Assigns
with all the Proprietors Rights & privileges
Regard or whatsoever else is just, and allsoe wee ye
aforesaid Ingains do freely and absolutely assign and
make over all our rights tittell and Interest wee had
in the fore mentioned tract of land as appeareth by
this our Deed and fearme bill of sail that we now give
unto the said Revell and his reall right in the said
land before Butting and Bounding as aforesaid. And
now for the more fearme and absolute assurance of the
said tract of land wee do jointly and severally for us
and ours as I Mahameqeat Meamehet with Naskeway
' Owuera.
Sagamorei with Vngoetaken Mamamettchoack Warh
ithe Kownottoy & Capl. Wappai|uewam promise and
doe ingoge ourselves unto the sairl Revell his Heyrex
& Kxc'" to put the saidRevell or his order in ipiietand
peaceable (HMisession fi him so to keep and for ever (o
injoy a* h Is and to his all right, .^nd Allsoe we do
further promise A ingage keepe and defend ye sd
Revell and his against all person or persons thai
shall directly or indirectly annoy Molest or trouble ye
sd Revell or his, or lay any daime or former grant of
the same by ye Ingains Dutchmen or Knglish rir
whomesoeverfrora the beginningof the world unto the
day of Dat; &, forever to mayntaine our right and
tittle unto the said Revell A his Heyres Exct" A
.Vssigns as witness our hands this 1 1 of Novenib' 1661.
Whereas it is above mentioned the land for plant-
ing land shall run one & a half miles and more above
Westchester path. All of us above Ingains doe freely
allow A consent unto that Revell shall have his line
run as farre above Westchester path for planting
ground into the (Jiintry the lull length as is from
Westchester path to the bottom of the Necks to the
sea, this being in consideration the land to the north
east is not fit for planting ground but full of hills and
Rockey Woods above Westchester path. This we
consent unto freely. As witness our hands possession
given
In the presence of as The mark of -}- Cockoo
witnessess Signed y*markof-|- Maniamettchouch
and delivered in y' mark of -|- Wappaquaican
presence of us y * mark of + Hayoro Sagamore
Simon Cooper y" mark of + Petowwahen
Ttie iimrk uf
Tho. -f- Stedwell y'niarkof-(- CauronsoroSarho
Humphry Hughes y" markof + WappomusSarho
Thomas i lobs'
John Coe
The mark of
Stephen E Champion
A true Coppey December the 2.Sd 1661
Pr me Henry Pierson Regist'. '
Of the litigation which grew out of this transaction
we have the following account in the nature of a re-
port of the evidence produced, taken from the record
at Albany. It bears no date but was probably what
took place before the English Patent was issued by
Governor Lovelace.
" An account of what part was acknowledged be-
fore ye Governor concerning ye Purchase of Mama-
ronock, by Mr. Richbell, and Mr. Revell, and Jaus.
Rockett, Wappaqucem, and many other Indians,
Present.
Wappaqueem saitli, that Mr. Richbell was ye first
that spake to him about ye purchase of said lands.
'•i This mmiiit for Ttiuiiiai! Clow.
!* For tlifi copies of tliis Iiuliiin ilryd aad Powrr of Attorney ttie wrtter
Id indebted to WiUiuni S. JVlIf treau, the aide e«lltur of the three volunien
of tho " Soiitbauipton Reconltt." The map referred to Ik unfortunately
such ft rough and mixed up scrawl that It was useless to reproduce it.
MAMARONECK.
.larjH. Rockrtt iicknow|pfl(r«^ ye like.
WappHnuwtn sHith that Thonmn clotte with Cokoo
ipake to him tii sett hii* liund to Mr. Keveli's deed
■iid he dhoiild have h coHte, on which he did it.
He miitli t'tirtiier that Mr. Iliclibeil, cttiiu' and view-
ed :. d agreed for ye land, hut not l)rin)riiig liin ({imhIm
tyme enough lie Nold it to Mr. Rcvell. He eonfoHnes
that Mr. Kichbell gave another Imlian a coate and
some Heawant and a Hhirt, to marke out ye trees atler
ye agreement, but tliat he liad notliing.
.Vnotiier Imlian miith that Cockoe and ThoniaH
Close received Mr. Kevell'n money hetweene them and
kept it themselve*, for yo proprietors hud none of it.
W8ppa<|ucem wiith that what he received from Mr.
Richliell waM by way of (unintelligible) but not in
parte of payment.
He whose land it was, and Wappaqueem called
brother, but were not natural brothers.
11th Nov. l*)fil, the power entrusting Wappaqueem
and Corkoo to sell 8th, l()rtl, the date of ye deed which
is before ye power. '
It is evident from this that Thoma» Close and
Cockoo were very sharp, but the blunder of dating
the power after the deed to Revell ruined their cime.
Riuhbell continued in undisturbed possesHion, and
no claim was ever at any time afterward set up under
those Indian deeds to Thomas Revell.
On the lt)th of October 1(>()8, the Knglish Patent
from Ooveinor Francis Lovelace conlirming and
granting to John Richbell the lands privileges and
immunities he possessed under his Dutch grants and
Dutch court decisions passed the seals of the I'rov-
ince.
These Instrunients, Dutch and English, having been
already set forth'fully in part number 14 of the chapter
on Manors relating to the Manor of Scarsdale in this
work are not repeated here. The de8cri])tion of the
lauds granted in Lovelace's Patent of Confirmation is as
follows: — "A certain parcel of land within this gov-
ernment, on the Maiu, contained in three Necks, of
which the easlermost is bounded with a small river
called Mamaranock river, being almost the east bounds
or limits of this government ujwn the main, and the
westermost with the gravelly or stony brook or river
which makes the east limits of the land known by the
name of Mr. Pell's purchase. Having to the south
the 8ound, and running northward from the marked
trees upon the said Necks twenty miles into the
woods . . . together with all woods, beaches, mar-
shes, pastures, creeks, waters, lakes, fishing, hawking
hunting and fowling, and all other profits immuni-
ties, and emoluments to the said ]>arcel or tract of
land belonging, annexed, or appertaining, with their
and every of their appurtenances, and every part and
parcel thereof."
These " Three Necks " were called the " East," the
•Middle," and the "West" Necks. The Middle
> Deed book III. 97, Sec. of State's otllce.
' Neck was sometimes cm Med the Great Neck, from ita
j longer extent of water jit, which at first leil to the
! supposition that its »• .> below Westchester Path waa
^ greater than that of the F]ast NecK. "The East
I Neck " extende<l fro' . the Mamaroneck river on the
' east to a small stream called " Pipin's brook " on the
' west, which divided it from the " Middle " or "Oreat "
I Neck, and is the same which now crosses the
I Boston road through the land, and just east of the
i house of the lute Mr, Oeorge Vai. lerburg.' The Mid-
i die Neck extended from the latter stream west-
ward to a much larger brook called " Cedar or Grav-
elly brook " which is the (me that now bounds the
land belonging to Mr. Meyer* on the west.
The " West Neck " extended from the latter to
another small brook still further to the westward,
termed "Stoney or (Jravelly Brook " which was the
east line of the Manor of Pelham.
Of the three in their order. The East Neck from
Mamarimeck River to Pipin's Brook, upon which
Richbell took up his permanent residence about
IfitiS, as near as can now be ascertained, was called by
the Indians " Mamaranock Neck." This fact is so
stated in the Petition of Richbell of the 24th of De-
cember Kifil, for a "ground brief" or Dutch license to
purchase Indian lands.* A misunderstanding by Mr.
Robert Itolton of the word " Mummaranock" in the
crabbed writing of this ancient Document as recorded
led him to state in the first edition of his History of
Westchester County, published in 1848, that the " ab-
original name " of the East Neck was " Wanmain-
uck," ' and the error has appeared in the second edi-
tion, " and it has been hence followed by other writers.
It wasa pure mistake in deciphering the written word.
The true " aboriginal name of the East Neck was"
" Mamaranock " the same as the town and village
bears to-day under the later spelling of " Mamaro-
neck." That portion of it between the Harbour on the
east and Pipin's brook and the salt creek into which
it runs on the west, bears the name of " De Lancey's
Neck " from the fact that it has been possessed us a
whole for more than a century and until a few years
ago, and in part still is possessed, by the family of
Gov. .Tames de Lancey, the son-in-law of Col. Caleb
Heathcote, the purchaser of the whole East Neck in
ltiS»7. It formed the largest part of the "demesne
lands" of Colonel Heathcote's Manor of Scarsdale, and
as such was held by his widow until her death in 173H,
when an undivideil half descended to her daughter
Mrs. James de Lancey, who by agreement with her
brother-in-law Ur. Lewis Johnston of New Jersey
continued in the possession and control of the other
undivided half until 1774, when it was divided in the
s Kunni^rly a fKtrtioii of !ti« wmttern iwrt of the farm of Mr. IVtpr .Ih>'
Miinro, and lutur owned by .fames T. Koosevelt.
•The old ** Duncan" or *' Danbeny " farm.
* Deeil'Ilook iii. :IT, Sec. Slate's office, Albany. Anlt, p. I4.'i.
»Vol. 1. p. 282.
«VoI. i. p. «3. "+*: '
MAMAKONKCK.
Fartitioa (il'tliiil yciir ol'tlic iititlividuil portioniiot'the
Manor ol' HciirHdiilit. HiilM(>i|iifiitly John I'etur ilu
I^iinccy till! Hoii of Mnt. l)c I.anioy who had HUccueded
to Monic ol' hiH niothcr'H hiiulM |iur<'hiiMcd all the rtiit
ot'tho landti on De Lani'i'y'N Nt-clc from hiH brother,
and juiittcr, and couHitiM, and thiiH became the owner of
the whole Ne<'k, nearly a rentiiry ago. There waH
however a Bmall piece of land of about thirty acrcM on
the left of the entrance to the Neck from the old
WeiitclieHter I'utii or old ItoMton Itoad, which never
bclonKeil to the Manor of Hcantdalu nor to the llealh-
eote or de Lancey luniilieH. Thin piece whm given on '
the 8th of AugiiHt 1<>H4, by Mrti. liichbell jmtt after
her hiiHband'H death, to her daughter Mary and her
husband Cupt, Jamcii Mott, and wan expretisly re-
Herved in her deed to Colonel [leathcote of all the
rent of her ewtute in Manuironeck. This piece from
Mott'H lieirH piwsed by sale through varioUH partieM
and about a century ago became the property of a ven-
erable (Quaker long well known in Maniaroneck,CiileH
Heaman. At his death in the settlement of his estate
it was bought by the bite Isaac Hall, and by him
it was sold to the enterprising gentlennm who u])on it
erected the handsome summer hotel, since called by
histown name — tht! " Kushmore," as well as several
handsome private residence, now owned by various
parties.
In the chapter on Manors in this work, part 14,'
will be found at length the history of the Eaat Neck
as a part of the manor of Hcarsdale. It is only neces-
sary here to give an outline. John Uichbell died on
the 2tith of July l(i84 ' leaving his widow Ann, and
three daughters him surviving. His wife's mother,
Margery Parsons, had advanced him some goods in
the island of St. Christopher's in the West Indies long
previous to his ever coming to Mamaroneck. As
soon as he got hi.-* English I'atent of the l(Jth of Octo-
ber ItitiS, and on the 14th of the ne.Kt month he
deeded the entire " East Neck" to her in considera-
tion of that advance. Mrs. I'arsons two days later,
on the Kith of November lti(i8, in consideration of
natural love conveyetl the East Neck to her daughter
— Ann the wife of John Uichbell as a token of allcc-
tion and dutiful behaviour. This made Mrs. Rich-
bell the owner in fee of the entire East Neck. But
to make her perfectly secure, Richbell made a settle-
ment of it by way of jointure in her favor, by a deed
in Trust to John Ryder of the 23d of April, ItitiK, in
consideration of a marriage long since solemnized be-
tween them.' He died as above stated on the 26th of
July 1684, and Mrs. Ann Richbell thereupon be-
came vested in her own right in fee in the entire East
Neck, from Mamaroneck River to Pipin's Brook and
twenty miles back from the Sound northward into
1 Ante, 147.
< WMt. Co. Keconla Lib. A, p. M.
B Ancient copim of all thoBo dueds in the writer*B posMssion. All are
recorded In West. Cu. Recurds, except that from Mra. Parsons to Mrs.
Kichbell.
2
the woods. Hho continued in poMomion nnttl bjr
deed of the 2<'id of December \*>'M, she sold her entire
estate of every kind and nature in her and her lat«
husband's landH to Colonel Caleb Hi>atheote for the
sum of X)i<iO Now York ('urrency and certain other
benolicial provisions recited in the instrunit nt.' Theae
lamls and some others adjoining which he had ac-
i|uired ('olonel Hcathcote had erected into "the
Lord.^hip and Manor of Hearsdale" by a Maiior-
<>rant from Lieutenant (}overiior Nanfan then at the
head of the Province iin the 21st .March, I7I>1.* Upon
the eminence at the head of the Harbour, still called
Hcathcote Hill." he built a large double brick Manor
i I l_ii_t'''iF:
HEATHCOTi: HILL.
House in the style of that day in England, with all
the accompanying offices and outbuildings, including
the American addition of negro quarters in accord-
ance with the laws, habits, and customs of the period.
Here he lived during the remainder of his life, which
terminated on the 28lh of February 1720-21 in his
56th year. The house stood till some six or seven
years before the American Revolution, occupied
however, only by tenants after the death of his widow
in 1736. Later it was accidentally destroyed by fire.
The present double frame dwelling standing on a
portion of the old site, of which a cut is given, wax
built in 1792 by the late John Peter de Lancey, a
grandson of Colonel Hcathcote who had succeeded
to the property, on his return to America with his
family, having been a captain in the British Regular
Army in which he had been placed in 1771, on leav-
ing Harrow School, after a short period at the Mili-
tary School of (ireenwich. Mr. de Lancey lived in
this house till his death in 1828. In it were born all
his children except the two elder ones, and amongst
4 Bee. Lib. B, .'JTl, West. fo. Becords.
» Lib. 7, p. 1U5, Sec. of Stote'e 0flf».
^ And still in the possession of the writer who is his great, great,
grandson.
16
MAMA1U)NK(!K
them his son William IFeathcote, ihe late Bishop of
Western New York, and Susan Augusta, the wife of
the late James Fenimore Cooper, who were also niar-
ritid in it on the Ist of January 1811.
But to return, Colonel Heatheoto had succeeded,
with the rest of the property, to the Richliell proprie-
tary rights in the two mile hounds of Mamaroneek
and 'le suhsequcntly t his Manor-Grant jturchased
in addition a tweltlli undivided j)art of the whole
tract. This tract had been set apart by John Kich-
bell in his life time about tiio year KiTO for what he
called " allotments or house lots," comparatively
small pieces fronting on the Westchester Path or old
roatl to Boston eight in number running northwardly.
One he reserved for his own house lot, and he and
his wife seem to have sold only two or three others,
the first was a gift by deed to one John Basset in
1069, which was No. four, next to his own lot No. 5.
Another, No. one, was sold to one Jeremy Kannifl'e,
and Nos. 2 and 3 to Robert Pennoyor, and another to
James Mott. These seem to have been all that were
sold up to 1(J76 when another was sold to Henry Dis-
brough on the IGth of P'ebruary in that year. From
the language of ancient co|iies of the first deed to
John Basset, and tlut to Henry Disbrough, in the
writer's possession it would seem that these " allot-
ments" were twenty and a half rods wide front on
the Westchester Path, and the same in the rear, by
eighty rods on each side in depth running north-
westerly. Each was subject to areservation of an annu-
al payment of one bushel of winter wheat or the value
thereof on the Ist of March, and one day's work at
harvest time, to the Proprietor, and to a covenant that
they could not be sold without their consent and ap-
probation. To each lot was appendant an undivided
eighth right to commonage and pasture in the two
mile bounds. The precise extent of these bounds we
know from the Deed to Disbrough, which calls them
" Mainniaroneck limmits " and describes the tract as
" being in length two miles and in Breadth one mile
and a half and Twenty eight rods." The length was
from the Westchester Path northward, and the
breadth was from Mamaroneck lliver to Dirty t^wamp
on the west. "Dirty 8wam[)" being the swampy
ground over which the road passed near and east of
the intersection of the present Weaver Street. The
swamp began some distance north of the Uoad and ex-
tended across it to the salt water, a little stream or
ditch ruuning from it under the road in old times
through a stone culvert, sometimes dignified by the
name of " Dirty Swamp Bridge."
As soon as Colonel Heathcote obtained his Manor-
Grant, and about two months thereafter he obtained,
on the 11th of June 1701, from the two Indian chiefs
of the neighborhood Patthunk and Wapetuck an In-
dian deed of confirmation for this two mile tract to
himself and the seven other persons who in 1701 were
the owners of these "allottments or house" or
" home " " lotts." There were himself, Caleb Heath-
cote, Capt. James Mott, William Penoir,' John Wil-
liams, Henry Disbrough, Alice Hatfield, .lohn Dis-
brough, and Benjamin Disbrough.' This was to sat-
isfy all persons desirous of settling in Mamaroneck,
that there would be no difficulty with the natives.
About five years later Colonel Heathcote suggested to
the owners of the house lots that instead of keeping
all the rest of the two mile bounds as undivided prop-
erty, that they should have it laid out and divided
among themselves in severalty. It was talked of,
approved, and finally carried into efi'ect by a mutual
agreement under seal, made and executed by all tho
parties on the liUh of February 170t)-7. The instru-
ment accom])anied by a well executed Map of the lota
as laid out, into eight "Long Lotts" is in Colonel
Heathcote's handwriting, and bears the autographic
signatures of himself and all tlie other parties above
named. It is in these words ; —
Mamoroncck fleb. y' 14'" 170()-7.
The tt'ree holders of Mamoroneck whose names are
hereunder written have mutually and unanimously
agreed for dividing the Long or Upper Lotts in said
Township as followeth — No. 1 containing 20 chains
broad to James Mott, No. 2 containing 21 chains, and
No. ;{ coiitaining 22 chains to William Penoir, No.* 4
containing 21 chains to Henry Disbrow, No. 5 con-
taining 18 chains to John Disbrow, No. 6 containing
20 chains to John Bloodgood, No. 7 containing 20
chains to Peter Hattfield, and No. 8 containing all
the remainder of the land to the lliver to Caleb
Heathcote, reserving out of the said Lotts the follow-
ing Highways for the use ami benefit of all the (free-
holders and Inhabitants one highway to be five Rods
wide in the tfront of the said l^otts, one highway of
four Rods wide through the Sixth Lott into the Woods
Leading on the west side of Nelson's tfield into the
Woods.
Signed sealed and
delivered in the presence of ub
Joseph Purdy Caleb Heathcote [l.s.]
Thomas White 'ii-
Wm X Penoir [i..8.]
iimrk
Jatues Mott ['•■•8.]
Henry Disbrow [i,.8.]
John Disbrow [l.s.]
John Bloodgood [L.8.]
Peter Hattfield' [l.s.]
This instrument finally closed and determined for-
ever all tho common interests in the lands in the " two
mile bounds" of Mamaroneiik and made them the sep-
arate ])rivate property in fee of the various owners.
To this there is apparent exception. The five rod
> So In the deed. Ho wiu a son of Rulwrt Ponoycr the original Krau-
too
' AncloMt copy in wrltnr's jKwmmlun, R«e. Mb, C. WeRt. Co. p. ."ia.
^ The original hiBtruniont canio Into the |>ofMofwlunnf the (.irllTen Fam-
ily who purcliamiil No. li fiimi .lohu UIoimIkouiI, iind now bolonga !•>
Mr. ChiirlM Fielil (iriiriMi to whom I am Imli'Miul for ita examination.
A fkcainille uateni|K>mry copy la in my own iHwaegaiou,
MAMARONECK.
11
Highway they left at the 8outh end of tlieir " Great '
Lottfl " or " Long Lots " was found to he useless, and |
the owners suhsequontly divided it up into nine small I
lots of about 10 ncrea each among themBelvt>s which
ended the whole matter. These " Great " or " Long " ]
Lots, as well as the small ones are all shown on the
Map of the Manor of Scarsdale in this volume. They
never belonged to any body but the grantees of the
eight original house lots to which they were append-
ant and appurtenant, and with their division by the
owners of those lots among themselves all their com-
mon rights ended, and the "two mile bounds" or
" Mamniaroneck Limmits" come to an end forever.
The Proprietary rights in them of Colonel Heathcote
of course were terminated by his agreeing to their di-
vision in fee.
Of the owner of the " allottments or house Lotts " as
they were in 1701 the descendants of none except of
Colonel Heathcote are now in possession of any part
of them, although descendants of Hatttield and the
■ 53M *v., . . .
DISBKOW IIOI'SE, KKECTEI) l(i77.
Disbroughs are tftill well known residents and prop-
erty holders in other parts of the present Town ol
Mamaroneck, among whom is Mr. William H. Dis-
brow as the name is now spelled, the Civil Engineci
whose home is scarcely a niu.sket shot from the old an-
cestral house. But there still stands upon the south-
ern part of the " House Lott " of Henry Disbrougii
the identical house he built there in 1677 the year
after he was deeded the lot by John and Ann Kich-
bell, a memento of the earliest days of Mamaroneck,
of the old family who built it, of New York and
Westchester in the reign of Charles the Second, and of
the Duke of York as its Lord Proprietor. It renniined
in the Disbrough family till within thirty or thirty-
five years, and is now the property of the widow of the
late well known Publisher of New York, Mr. Stringer
of the firm of Stringer & Townsend. The accompa-
nying cut gives a good idea of it but it is a rear view,
the road shown in it and now existing in front of the
house not having been opened till the year 1800. It
faced the harbour, the side toward the present Union
avenue, which at this place is built upon the old
Westchester Path, being theorigiuul frontof the house.
It is built of rough hewn timber, and the coarse
stoneof the country even to the chimney above the
roof. The siding has been renewed but always in the
old style. It has long been used simply as a store-
house as it was understood when it passed out of the
Disbrough family that it should never be pulled
down. Its last owners of the name were two maiden
ladies who, a few years before their deaths built in the
same enclosure the present new and good frame house,
which stnnds almost between the old one and the
waters of the harbour. The old house has well borne
it-4 200 years but in the course of things can not last
much longer.
The "Middle Neck" or the "Great Neck" or
•' Munro's Neck " as it was styled after Mr. Peter Jay
Munro became the owner of nine-tenths of it about
the year 17!K), has a curious history. But before it is
given it may be better, though a little out of order,
to state the facts more fully than they have been
mentioned in treating of the Manor of Scarsdale, re-
garding the Pell-Uichbell controversy about the West
Neck. Both the Middle and the West Necks to-
gether form that part of Uichbell's land, tiow in the
town of Mamaroneck, which lay almoit wedge
shaped between the southern parts of the Manors of
Scarsdale and Pelham.
The West Neck extended from the Cedar Tree or
Gravelly Brook, (that now running to the west of
Mr. Meyer's present house,) westward to another
Brook, which was that which crossed the Westchester
Path or Uoad just west of the i)re3ent residence of
Mr. Geo. Stephenson, and upon which for years stood
a mill, for a very long time a snutf mill. This brook
bore the name of Stony or Gravelly brook. Mr. Pell
claimed that his eastern line was the Cedar Tree or
Gravelly Brook, that now by the present Mr. Meyer's ;
Mr. Iliclil)ell claimed that the Stony or Gravelly
lirook, also called Cedar or Gravelly Brook, that near
Mr. Stephenson's, was his western line and Pell's
eastern line. The controversy was a very hot one and
grew out of the use of similar designations of streams
in their respective Patents. Aller proceedings in the
Court of Assizes, and before the Governorand Council
the following .\;::reenient was finally entered into by
both parties; " Whereas There hath been a .Matter or
cause of Difference depending between Mr. John
Riclibell and Mr. John Pell for the which There was
an order Issued forth from y° (iovernor for a tryall by
a Special Court of Assizes yet Notwithstanding upon
proposal of an amicable igreenu>iit between them,
and to prevent further trouble to his Honour the
(lovernour and the Country by having a speciall
Court, it is this Day nuitually consented unto and
agreed upon, that the Neck of Land and meadow be-
tween Ceeder or (Iravelly brooke on the East, and
(iravelly or Stony Creeke on y° West shall be layed
out by y" Surveyor Generall and devi<leil between
them, so that each party shall have Meadow and up-
land eipiivalent and proportionable Quantity and
a
MAMARONECK.
Quality alike. To thia agreement both partys do
joyntly consent in token of Amity and Friendship burl-
ing in oblivion what unkindness hath ibrmerly past
between them and this to be a barr to all future
Claymes or pretences that can or may be made on
either side or by either of y' heires Executors or Ad-
ministrators for ever. As to what expense or charges
Either party hath been at Each is to bear his own
charges, but for the charges of the Surveys and such
other Necessary expenHcs Kelating to the Division of
y° Lands according to this agreement it is Equally to
be Borne betweene them. In testimony Whereof the
partyes to these presents have Later changeably Sett
to their hands and Seals y° 22 Daye of January in the
23* year of his Maj' Keigiie Annoq" Dom. 1671
John Pell (L S) >
Sealed and Delivered in y" presence of
Henry Taylor
Allard Anthony
Remains (as all other Lawful Acts) of forces and
There Surveyor may proceed accordingly
E. Andros "
Though thus confirmed by the above order of Gov.
Andros, no survey was made, why it is now impossi-
ble to say, until the 22'' of May 1G77, when it was
done by Robert Ryder. His description is in these
words ; —
Whereas there hath been a difterence between John
Richbell and Mr. John Pell which by virtue of an
order from the right Honourable Major Edmund An-
dross Esq'. Governor General of New York, I have
made a division of the within mentioned Neck of
Land by and with the mutual consent of both par-
ties, which is in manner and Form as is hereafter
Expressed viz'. That the said Richbell shall extend
from Cedar Tree Brook or Gravelly Brook, south
westerly fifty degrees to a certain mark't Tree, lying
above the now Common Road, thirty and four chains
in length, mark on the east with R. and on the West
with P., thence Extending South Sixty three degrees
East by certain marked Trees p'fixed Ending by a
certain piece of Meadow at the salt creek which Runs
up to Cedar Tree Brook or Gravelly Brook Extend-
ing from the first marked Trees Nor Nor West to
Brunkes River by certain Trees in the said Line
marked upon the West with P. and upon the eaat with
R. performed the twenty-second day of May 1677.
p me Robert Ryder Surv.^'
The Preceding Survi yor above mentioned is mu-
tually consented unto by the above mentioned Mr.
John Richbell and Mr. John Pell in presence of us
Thomas Gibbs
Walter Webly
John Sharp
Joseph Carpenter '"
>Thl« Isfrom an ancient Copy of the document tigned by Pell that
was delivered to Uiohliell, in the writer's powewlon.
« Ancient copy in the writer's po««e»)lon.
Thus was settled finally the line, afterwards of much
importance, as being the east line of the 6000 acre
tract carved out of Pelham Mannor and sold by Pell
to Leisler for the Huguenots in 1689. And as also as
taken for the line between the later towns of New
Rochelle and Mamaroneck when erected in 1788 by
the State Township Act of that year.
We now recur to the singular history of the Middle
Neck.
It will be remembered that John Richbell pur-
chased his three Necks from the Indians on the 23*
of September 1661, and obtained the Dutch Govern-
ment's groundbrief and Transport (or 'License to pur-
chase' and ' Patent ') for them in May 1662, and his
English Patent for them on October 16, 1668 ; and
that the East Neck alone was sold by his widow in
1697 to Colonel Caleb Heathcotc, and was included
by him in his Manor of Scarsdale in 1701.
Five years after the date of his Patent for the three
Necks, on the 20"" of November 1673, Richbell mort-
gaged the West neck to Cornelius Steenwyk, a rich
burgomaster, of New Orange, as New York was called
on its reconquest by the Dutch in that year, and a
member of Governor Colve's Council, by the follow-
ing singular instrument — one of the few Dutch Mort-
gages that have come down to our days ;
" Appeared before as subscribed Aldermen of the
City of New Orange, the honest Mr. John Richbell,
Inhabitant of the place Marraneck, in the Main,
within this province, who acknowledged and declared
for himself, his heirs and executors, fully and duly to
be indebted Mr. Cornelius Steenwyck Chief Council'
of this Province, a just and neat sum of Two thousand
and four hundred Guilders, Wampum,* being occa-
sioned by and from delivered Merchandizes, disbursed
Moneys, or otherwise, by him the said John Richbell,
to his full satisfaction received and enjoyed of Mr.
Cornelius Steenwyck, which aforesaid sum of 2400 G.
he the said John Richbell by these acceptetly and
promiseth to pay, or cause to be paid to Mr. Steen-
wyck aforesaid, or to him, that should or might ob-
tain his action with good current Wampum, or to de-
liver the value thereof on or before the first of Octo-
ber next ensueing, without delay. For the better se-
curity of the aforesaid Mr. Steenwyck, in the full
satisfaction of the sum aforesaid, he the said John
Richbell bindeth and engagcth for a special Mortgage
and a Pledge certain of his the said John Richbell's
Neck or ^lice of Land lying upon the Main, being
the most Westerly neck of liand of the three, to him
the said John Richbell in lawful Propriety belonging,
pursuant to certain Patent of Governor Lovelace,
dated 16 October, 1668, limiting the Neck of Land
aforesaid, upon the gravelly or Stony Water or River,
which are the Easterly Limits of Mr. Pell's Land,
having at the South side the Hound, and runing thua
■ So In the original, it means "of the chief council."
* The shell money of the Indians,
MAMARONECK.
it
from the Marked trees, standing un the side' Neck,
North Twenty miles into the Woods, and further in
Qeneral, his Person, and Goods Moveable and im-
moveable, none excepted or reserved, submitting the
same to all Courts, Laws, and Justices.
In witness whereof is this by the said Mr. John
Richbell benevolently or willing.' The Elsquires
Aldermen Gelyn ver Plank and Lawrence Spiegel.
In the Record Books of this Town. Signed in New
orange 20 9ber.' 1673."* This mortgage only covered
the West Neck as settled in the agreement with Pell
above mentioned.
On the 12"" May, 1675, two years later, a mortgage
was made by John Richbell on the Middle Neck
alone, in consideration of " £250 Boston Silver " to
Robert Richbell of Southampton, England for the
term of 99 years, redeemable at any time in the term
upon the payment of the principal and interest.'
The very next year, on the 17 July 1676 Richbell
made still another mortgage to one Thomas Kellnnd
of Boston, in consideration of £100 New England
money, upon the reversion of the Middle Neck for the
term of 99 years, and also the reversion of the West
Neck for 99 years, after payment of the £2500 to
Robert Richbell and the 2400 Guilders to Steenwyck.
These Richbell Mortgages on the Great Neck passed
by assignments into the hands of Samuel Palmer, o<
Mamaroneck ; the first of a family of that name who
have been closely and honourably connected with Ma-
maroneck from that day to this, and as they arc still
robust and numerous, will probablyso continue indefi-
nitely for the future. A Palmer was elected to a town
office at the first recorded election i .Mamaroneck
in 1797, and a Palmer is a Justice of the Peace in Ma-
maroneck to-day. '
By these assignments Samuel Palmer became legal-
ly entitled to the remainder of the term of bi) years
in the Middle Neck, and by his will, dated March 18th,
1712-13, he dsvised all his right, title and interest in
and to the Middle Neck to his four sons, Nehemiah,
Obadiah, Sylvanus, and Solomon Palmer. They con-
tinued in possession, and on the 8th of February
1722, Edward Richbell, who describes himself as "of
the Parish of St. James in the County of Middlesex,'
in Great Britain hoir-at-law of John Richbell there-
tofore of Mamaroneck in the Precincts of Westchester
in the Government of New York (who was Eldest son
and Heir of Edward Richbell late of the City of
Westminister Esq. who was Eldest son and Heir of
Robert Richbell of Southampton in Great Britain, de-
ceased, who was the only Brother and Heir of the
iSo In thflurigliml, it nioaiiB *'HHi(l/'
*8o in Uie original.
» Novemlier.
<Froni an ancient Engliali tranriatlon in the writer'! poaMinlon.
ft Not recorded, copy in County's poeaeHHiuii.
•William D. Palmer, 1^.
'Now uaiially called St. .Tames's Piccadilly, tbough its legal dseignation
la "St. Jamae's, WestmiuUter,"
said John Richbell '' released, in consideration of
£380 sterling, to the above four Palmers, the Rever-
sion and Equity of Redemption in the Middle Neck,
and all his right title and interest therein. The four
Palmers then cimveyed a right in fee in that Neck to
one Josiah Quinby.
But, the Steenwyck Mortgage of 1673, above men-
tioned, and another also made by John Richbell to
him on the 6th of July, 1678, had been assigned to
Frederick Philipse, and under his will passed to his
daughter Eve, the wife of Jacobus Van Cortlandt of
Yonkers, and of course under the law to him. These
were both upon the West Neck. Both Van Cortlandt
and Adolph Philipse his brother-in-law were Execu-
tors of Frederick Philipse's Will. They sent to Eng-
land to Edward Richbell, and in consideration of the
cancelling of John Richbell's mortgages and of £400
sterling in addition, he by Lease and Release of the
12th and 13th of August, 1723, conveyed to them all
his right not only in the West Neck, but in all the
lands possessed by John Richbell, except what he
had released to the four Palmers above mentioned.
Philipse and Van Cortlandt claimed that all the land
the Palmers were entitled to under their deed from
Edward Richbell lay between the Westchester Path
and the Sound, and that they by their later convey-
ance from Edward Richbell were entitled to all be-
tween the Westchester Path northward to the Bronx.
This claim the Palmers met by filing a bill in Chancery
against Philipse and Vaii Cortlandt and on May 2,
1729, obtained a decree that the Proprietors of the
Middle Neck under their mortgages and their Release
from Edward Richbell, were entitled to have the Mid-
dle or Great Neck extended as far Northward as the
East and the West Neck extended, and that Philipse
and Van Cortlandt should be perpetually enjoined
from making any claim or pretences to that part of
the Great neck south and east of the Bronx River.
In 1731 an action between James De Lancey and
wife and Mrs. Martha Heathcote against Josiah Quin-
by was tried at Westchester for a trespass in the Ma-
nor of Scarsdale committed by the defendant. The
defendant pleaded that the premises were not in the
Manor of Scarsdale, but in the Manor of Pelham, and
produced Pell's Patent. The agreement between Pell
and Richbell, above given, for dividing the land be-
tween Cedar Tree brook and Stony or Gravelly brook
was then produced by the Plaintiffs, and the jury
found a verdict for the piaintifl's with damages and
costs.
A great question arose some thirty five years later
in relation to the Middle Neck and the Manor of
Scarsdale. Many persons had become interested in
the former both as purchasers and as mortgagees. The
Palmers had early sold undivided twelfth parts to
various persons, among others "one twelfth and a half
of one twelfth " were sold to Robert Livingston July
20* 1728. The purchasers had many of them died
and lefl numerous heirs and among these was Mr.
14
MAMARONECK.
LivingBton. There wert) heirs of iiiaiiy others, who
in the same way had become possessed of interests
larger or smaller in that Neck. The Palmers under
the erroneous idea that the division line between the
Middle and the Eact Neck ran due north and not
Northwestward sold some three or four farms up-
wards of 500 acres altogether to one Cornwall who
entered thereon. This laud was within the Manor of
Scarsdale and a jiatt of the East Neck. Thereupon,
the purchaser having in the mean time died, four
ejectment suits were begun by Anne de Lancey and
Lewis Johnston against his sons Benjamin Cornell
(as the name soon began to be spelled and pronounced)
Joseph Cornell, Peter Cornell, and John Cornell.
This was in 17(i4. The number of persons who found
themselves interested was so great as to greatly delay
the proceedings. The question was where was the
proper starting point between the Necks and what
the true direction the line was to run. Finally it
was at last determined by all parties to leave the
question to a board of arbitrators. But so delayed
was the business by the numbers it affected that the
Articles of Agreement to arbitrate were not executed
till the 21" of March 176i). The Parties were, " Wil-
liam, Earl of Stirling, Peter van Brugh Livingston,
John Stevens, John Reid, Walter Rutherford, Robert
R. Livingston, Gentlemen, William Smith Jun'., Esq
Thomas Smith Esq. Joseph Cornell, John Cornell,
Benjamin Cornell, and Sarah Cornell, E.xecutors of
Peter Cornell, Edward Burling, Benjaii.ln Palmer,
John Palmer, Yeomen, Mary Ashfield Spinster, Sarah
Morris as widow and Richard Morris Esq', William
Smith Jun', Esq', Surviving Executors of Lewis Mor-
ris deceased, James Kinsey of Nc Jersey, and John
Thomas jun'. of Westchester, of the one part, and
Anne De Lancey widow of the Honourable James De
Lancey Esq. Deceased, and Lewis Johnston of Perth
Amboy New Jersey, Physician of the other part." '
The Arbitrators chosen were " Samuel Wyllys of
Jericho Long Island, Gentleman, Abraham Clark of
Elizabethtown New Jersey, Stephen Crane of the
same place, Gentlemen, William Nicoll J', of Islip, in
Suffolk County Esq." These Parties gave bonds in
£5000 each to abide by the award, and it was agreed
that each side should bear its own expenses, except
as to those for the services of the arbitrators and
the running of the line in accordance with the award,
of which each side was to pay one half. The point
to be decided as stated in the articles of agreement
was to fix the true point near and below Westchester
Path from which the dividing line was to be run in a
North Northwesterly direction.
The hearings were long and much evidence locally
interesting was brought forward. The Counsel were,
for Anne de Lancey and Lewis Johnston, Thomas
Jones, for the other parties. Whitehead Hicks, John
Morin Scott, and William Smith Jun', all but Scott
From the orlgloal iaatrumeut in tha writer's poawMion.
subsequently Judges of the Supreme Court of the
Province, two, Smith Jun', and Jones, were the two
historians of the Province. Hicks was also Mayor of
New York, and John Morin Scott was one of the
Generals on the Whig side in the Revolution, and a
lawyer of eminence. The award was unanimous and
the operative part is in these few words, " we do
award, order judge, and determine, that the place
where the straight line of partition that is to run be-
tween the said two Necks or Tracts of Land shall begin
in the middle of the creek or run of water leading from
Dirty Swamp where the said Creek or Run of Water
crosses Westchester old Path." All the original
papers in this transacticm bearing the autographs
of all the distinguished men and other parties men-
tioned above are in the writer's possession in perfect
preservation and from them this sketch has been
drawn up. The result was to show the Cornell farms
were in the Manor of Scarsdale where Colonel Heath-
cote had originally laid them out, except in one in-
stance where the line went througn one of the
houses, which threw a little of the land west of the
line and on the Middle Neck.
The Middle Neck continued in the hands of several
owners, most of them members of the Palmer family
until about 1790 when Mr. Peter J. Munro who a
year or two before had bought the original Samuel
Palmer House (now pulled down and which stood
back and a little to one side of the two enormous
elms now standing east of, and near, the Larchmont
Railroad crossing at the Boston Road, and about 150
feet south of the road itself) and its farm, acquired all
the other lands on the Neuk, except the Scott House
and the mill pond on the extreme western extremity
of the Neck, and became the owner in fee simple
of the whole. In his possession and that of his
family it remained till the year 1845 when the part
south of the Boston road, with the great house he
built upon it was sold to the late Mr. Edward K. Col-
lins. From him or his representatives it passed
finally into the hands of the late Mr. Flint and his
associates who upon it have erected the beautiful
summer village called Larchmont.
It is sometimes styled Larchmont " Manor" bat as
this sketch shows the Neck upon which it is situated
never was either a Manor or part of a Manor. The
Munro farm was very large and the extent of the part
of it below the Boston Road, some 330 acres, and the
large Munro House now the chief Hotel, suggested
the idea of calling it a " Manor " to the first or-
ganizers of the enterprise simply to give it prestige
and name. No pleasanter place can be found near
New York for a summer home.
The origin of the name Larchmont is a little odd,
as neither larches nor hills are indigenous to the
Neck. When Mr. Munro built his house, he wished
to plant a quick growing grove of trees along the
turnjjike road west of his entrance. His Scotch
gardener, a man of the name of Rae, suggested the
MAMAllONKCK.
16
lurches of his native land as they grow very rapidly
indeed, and oflered to send to his relatives in Scot-
land for seed. Mr. Munro assented, the seed came,
the trees were planted, and answered the jmrpose ad-
mirably for about twenty or twenty five years, then
they grew scraggy, began to die, and were gradually
removed, the last of them during Mr. Collins' owner-
ship, by whom the name was given to the place while
it was his. This was the origin of the Scutch Larch
in Westchester County, neither a handsome, nor
long lived tree and not an acquisition of value. The
" Mont " Mr. Collins evolved from his own conscious-
ness, perhaps because the larch grows chiefly upon
hills in itti native land.
Larchmont possesses one of the largest and most
flourishing yacht-clubs in the country. The beauty
and accessibility of its situation and the wide ap-
proach to its shores by water gives it very great ad-
vantages, as well its position at the wide opening of
the western end of Long Island Sound. The mem-
bership is about 400 and is increasing, and the club
house on the water's edge is a fine and convenient
building. Long Beach Point the western extremity
of De Lancey's Neck extending out parallel to the
shores of Larchmont forms a cove or small harbour,
of great beauty directly in front of the village it-
self.
That part of the Munro farm west of the Turnpike
was bought about 1840 by the late Judge James I.
Roosevelt, who arranged the Cottage now the property
of the family of the late Mr. George Vanderburg for
his own residence. It has since been laid out in
several small village plots, a large part of it is also
owned by the Proprietors of Larchmont, through
which runs the surface railway to tl: Larchmont
stationof the New Haven Railroad, \Miich is upon
this property. West of the Railroad but invisible
from it on account of the forest, is " Hannah's Peak,"
the highest point on the Southeastern shores of Long
Island Sound and one of the stations of the Coast
Surtey. In its neighborhood can also be seen a fine
specimen of that natural curiosity, the Rocking
Stone. It is an immense boulder so accurately poised
that it can be moved without being overthrown.
The part of the East Neck which early in the last
century acquired the name it has since borne of " de
Lancey's Neck," remained continuously in that family
without any of it being sold until 1848 when the
late Mr. Thomas James de Lancey who had inher-
ited the western part of it, with the assent of his
uncle the late Rt. Reverend William H. de Lancey
who had inherited the eastern part, sold his por-
tiofl in large divisions to various parties. Its splendid
situation, with its two beaches Long Beach and
Scotch Beach, with Ma'maroneck Harbour on its east
side and De Lancey's Cove on its west side marked
it out as a place for the fine seats and marine villas
of gentlemen, with which its entire water front is
now covered. The roads and drives upon it, and
the marine and inland views it commands are very
beautiful and extensive. The central poiuun is dot-
ted also with the handsome residences of gentlemen,
and on the high ground at the picturesque entrance
to the Neck is a large and handsome Hotel in the
midst of large grounds handsomely laid out through
the good taste and enterprise of Mr. Thomas L. Rush-
more the gentleman who built it and who dwells in
the neighbourhood with his children around him,
each with his or her family possessing handsome
places of their own.
Upon Long Beach Point on the west extremity
of the Neck stands the splendid home of 'Mr. Henry
M. Flagler. This point, originally with a splendid
beach on each side of it, juts into the Sound from
the Body of the Neck. The late Mr. John Oreacen
bought it of Mr. Thomas J. de Lancey, and built
a large double brick house, now a part of Mr. Flag-
ler's magnificent mansion, at the western end of
this unique situation, and surrounded the [loiiit with
a huge wide stone sea wall upon the top of which he
laid out a drive, which is without a rival of its kind
on the American sea coast. The Neck itself is the
" Satanstoe " of Fenimore Cooper's novel of that
name and is therein generally described. To this
point the late Mr. Greacen gave the name of
" Orienta," the origin of which as he himself told
the writer was this. After he got his house built
he found that in the summer mornings, he could
lie in bed and see the Sun rise directly out of the
water far up the Sound, and therefore he called
his place " Orient," but '• subsetjuently " said he,
finding that a little hamlet at Oyster-pond Point,
Long Island, had appropriated that name, I just
tacked an " a " to the end of it and called my place
"Orienta." Being a musical name it is often heard
as applied to the Neck itself, a fact Mr. Greacen
said, he did not like " for it ought to be kept for the
place I made, especially as everybody on the Neck
laughed at me when I adopted it." Unfortunately it
has been taken of late to designate drinking saloons
&c in the village of Mamaroneck.
" Vergemere " the writer's place is at the East end
of the Neck. It and Mr. Flagler's are the only places
upon it which have a double water front, and where
vessels can lie in safety in all winds. It is surrounded
by old forest trees, is very handsomely laid out, and
commands extensive and striking marine views. Be-
tween these two are the seats of Mr. James M. Con-
stable, Mr. J. A. Bostwick, the Hon. David Dudley
Field, Mr. Wm. G. Read, Miss Van Hchaack, Mr.
Ambrose McGregor, as well as those of Mr. Leonard
Jacob, Mrs. Eldridge, Mr. Meigham, and that of the
late James M. Miller, and Mr. James T. Burnet.
The town records of Mamaroneck consist of two
volumes, one a small parchment covered folio, begin-
ning only on the 2d of April, 1G97, containing the
records of the annual elections down almost to the
present time, when it became full. The other is a
u\
MAMARONECK.
large folio about half full of deeds and miscellaneouH
papers among which are many freeing negro ulavt-H
under the state laws gradually abolishing slavery. It
was opened in 1756.
The first entry in the records of Maraaroneck is as
follows :
" Captain James Mott elected and chosen assessor
for the ensuing year 1G97, Samuel Palmer chosen
supervisor, Henry Disbrow chosen collector and sur-
veyor of the highways, William Palmer elected and
chosen constable and recorder. All done by the free-
holders and inhabitants of the above said place at a
town meeting held at the house of Madam Richbil's
on the 2d day of April 1697."
The entries of elections are made irregularly for a
few years subsefjuently to the above date, but after-
wards quite regularly. From an examination the
following is a list of the supervisors and clerks of the
town from the beginning iw accurate as it can he
made :
SliPKKVISOIU.
1697. Sniuiiel Palmer.
KiUfWW, 17(tt. Jiiiiies Slott.
17117-8. Henry Dinbrow.
1710-11. Samuel Piilmor.
1712-14. Noliulniiill I'almor.
1716-16. SilvuniiB Palmer.
1717. Joalah yuliiby.
1718. John lirlffuii.
1719-20. Henry I'uwier.
1721-22. Silvanuu Palmer.
1723. Henry Fuwier.
1724. Silvanus Palmer.
1725-28. Henry Fowler.
1727-42. Silvanus Palmer.'
1743. Underbill Budd.
1744. Nehemlali i'almcr.
1746-17. Underliill Budd.
1748-68. John Stevenson.
Dec. 1768. John Townsend.s
176'J-0O. Reuben Bloomer.
1761-70. Jcdin Town«-nd.
1771-7S. William Sutton.
1776. ReulKU Bloomer.
1783-U3. Gilbert Budd.
1704-U7. BuiOandn (iriffen,
1798-1800. John P. De Lancey.
1801-2. Edward Merrltt.
1803-6. Aaron Palmer.
1807-13. Joliu Pinkney.
1814. John Peter I)e Luncey.^
1816. Monmouth Lyon.
1816. A iron Palmer.
1817-1. John Pinkney.
1820-24. John I). Underbill.
IN26-27. Aaron Palmer.
IH28. John Morrill.
1H2II. (Mwin Post.
1h30. Henry Munro.
l8:)l-32. James H. Union.
1833-34. Slonmouth Lyon.
18.'ta-42. James H. <iuion.
l843-4.'i. Benjamin M. Brown.
1846. Stephen C. Orlff.n.
I847-4U. Ueujaniin 51. Brown.
1860. James II. Guion.
1861. Charles W. Hopkins.
18i')2. Louis Walsh.
1853. Zachuriali Voorhees.
1864. Louis Walsh.
186.')-6H. John Morrell.
1850-60. William L. Darker.
1861. Louis Walsh.
1X62-64. Jonas D. Hill.
1865-66. Louis Walsh.
1867. Jacob B. Humphrey.
1808. Sehuromau Ilalsted.
I86U-70. Thomas L. Itushmore.
1K71. James J. Burnet.
1872-76. Charles II. Birney.
1877. Matthias Bunta, who has
been continually re-elected to the
present year, 1886, and for the
last few years by a niuiuinions
vote of all parties, although he is
a strong Democrat.
161)7-99. William Palmer.
1702. Obadluh Palmer.
1708-18. Eliezer Oeduey.
1718-64. Nebemiah Palmer.
Town Clkrkii.
1758-66. William Mott.
1766-70. John Townsend.
1771-1806. UllbortBudd.
1807-16. Dr. David Rogers, Jr.*
1 Died 1742. Nohemiah Palmer was elected supervisor in his stead.
2Ele<;ted in the place of John Stevenson, who had removed from the
town.
^ The candidate! for supervisor in 1814 wore Henry Merrltt and John
Pinkney. The result of the election was contested, and in June, 1814,
the Jnsticeof the peoceappoiuted Mr. De Lancey supervisor.
< Dr. Rogers and (illbert Budd Horton were the candidates for town
olerk iu 1814. A contest took place between them over tbe result of the
1817-24. Honmonth Lyon.
IS26-26. (iuy ('. Ilayley.
1827. Coles TompkiuB,
1828-311. Munnioulli Lynn.
18.31. Daniel D. T. llaildeu.
I8.')2-;I4. Walter Manhall.
1836. Horace B. .Shiul.
18.36. AnioaF. Hattli'ld.
1837-41. Epunetns C. Hadden.
1842-4.'). Elijah (i. Dixon.
1846-47. Edwuril Seaman.
1848. OeoriciMlaxter.
l84t*-53. Edwui'd Seaman.
1 854-66. Joseph IIofTluan.
lh.',7-.'>8. Edward S<'aman.
|8.')0. Joseph llofiinun.
1860-61. Edward Seamen.
1862-64. JiKepli Hoffman.
1865-66. Albert Lyon.
1867-69. JohmD. Hill. ' > '
1870. Albert Lyon.
1871. Jacob Buckler.
1872. John N. Boyd.
1873-74. Francis 0. Corner.
1875-76. William A. Boyd.
1877. John C. Kaircblid.
1878-79. Joseph H. McLoughlln.
1880. William A. Sickle*.
1K81. Joseph H. McLoughlln.
1882. William H. Langu.
1883. William A. Sickles.
1884-86. William H. l.ange.
Space will not permit the introduction of much curi-
ous information contained in the town records which
it was the iutention to give, and which is found mixed
up with the routine entries of town meetings, Ac. &c.
The following entry however is of much importance
showing as it does the burial place of John Richbell
the first white man who bought Mamaroneck of the
natives — the Father of the Town, his mother in law,
and one of his daughters. .As Mrs. Richbell his
widow continued to live iu Mamaroneck and sur-
vived till the first years of the eighteenth century,
though the precise date of her death can not be
found, it is most probable that she too is buried with
her husband. There is no date to the entry, which
shows beside the intimacy between the Richbell and
the Disbrow families. The James Mott who makes
i his declaration was the husband of Richbcll's daughter
Mary whose burial is mentioned in it.
The Burial Place of Richbell.
" I James Mott do give and grant to Margaret Dis-
brow and her three sons Henery John and Benjamin
all belonging to Momoronack to them and their fain-
ylies forever the Liberty of burying their dead
whether Father or Mother, husband or wife, brother
ur sister, son or daughter, in a certain peace of Land
Laying near the Salt Meadow, where Mr. John Rich-
bell and his wife's Mother, and my wife Mary Ikiott
was buried in my home lot or feild adjoining to my
house, written by William palmer Clerk of Momoro-
nack by order of Capt James Mott."
I. Town Records 71.
The spot is on the property of Mr. Thomas L.
Rushmore on the little knoll between the Harbour
and De Lancey Avenue, marked by a few trees and a
few half buried tombstones of a comparatively late
date. How many of the Disbrows are buried there
nought remains to tell. They have had for sixty or
seventy years a cemetery of their own on West St.
The last person whom the writer knows to have been
buried on the knoll, was the venerable Quaker who
once owned the farm and the knoll itself. Seaman Giles
— and of whom he has a vivid recollection. It is the
election, which was terminated in June of that year by the Justices of
the peace electing Dr. Bugers to the office.
MAMARONECK.
M
oldest burial place of civilized man in the town, and
it in hoped thut some proper historic monument may
yet mark this spot ao sacred in the memory of the
earliest settler of Mamuroncck and his family and
friends.
There is one other entry in the town book of such
an odd nature that it must be mentioned, an entry
which shows the strength of an agricultural supersti-
tion very prevalent in the hwt century and which may
linger still in some old fashioned regions.
"April 5"", nsrj. The Freeholders and Inhabitants
agree that the overseers of Highways are impowered
to call on all the Men in their several Districts fi>r
the purpose of Destroying the Barbery bushes, so often
as the said overseers shall think proper, until the
whole are destroyed, any man refusing to come, if he
is legally warned, shall forfeit 4«. for every day, to be
recovered in the same manner as the fines for neglect
of working the roads are, which fines shall be lay'd
out as the overseers think proper." It wasthepopul ir
belief of that day that the smut or blight in wheat and
other grains was caused by these unfortunate barberry
bushes, hence in Mamaroneck as in many other
places, ridiculous as it seems at this day, they were
proceeded against as public enemies.
The de Lanceys of New York so closely connected
with the Province, and State, and the County of West-
chester, are of French origin, the first of them in
America having been driven from France by the Re-
vocation of the Edict of Nantes, being a Huguenot.
The annexed account of this family ia mainly from
Bolton's """"ud edition of his History of West-
chester Con wiiich was drawn up irom the au-
thorities referi to in it, and later information from
the late Bishop de Lancey and the present writer.
The de lianceys of New York, are a branch of the
ancient house of de Lancey in France, springing
from Guy de Lancey, Eeuyer, Vicomte de Laval et de
Nouvion, who in 1432, held of the Prince-Bishop of
the Duchy of Laon, the fiefs of the four banier of La-
val, and that of Nouvion.' These territories formed
one of the fourVicomte-cies of the Laonnois, a divi-
sion of the old province of the " Isle of France,"
bordering on Picardy.
The manuscript genealogies of this family are pre-
served in the Armorial General de la France 2d Reg-
ister, 2d volume, in t*he National Library of France''
at Paris, and in the archives of the department of
the Aiane, at the city of Laon. The latter have been
given in the Dictionnaire Historique du Depart-
ment de' I'Aisne of M. Melville.' The descent is
thus given from the French authorities.*
1 Soiiietimeii spollud " Noiiviitn." Tlieae laiiilB iiiiil vllliigw uro Hitiiutril
a few nilliM from thi> city of Laon iu tlio iirescnt dopiirtuieiit of the
Abne.
a Tlio o(Bi:lttl MSS. of thin work, the great National Register of tlio
French Nobleaee, were flrat printed by unier of I/oiiin XV., in 17:)8.
' In two TOls. 8vo., |iublieiie(i ut I'ariii and ut Laon in 18(i5.
< Le Nobilialre de I'lcarrtio, l'uri», (',<.'• tiflu "Lauui," Dictionnaire de
8
The prefixed Roman numerals are bo used in the
French genealogies to denote the ditt'erent in-
divi<luals bearing the same Christian name.
1432. Guy de Lancy, Eeuyer ' Vicomte de Laval et
de Nouvion. Wife, Anne de Marcilly.
1436. Jean I, (John) de Lancy, 2d Vicomte.
1470. Jean II, (John) de Lancy, 3d Vicomte, Deputy
to the States -General at Tours in 1484, present at
the battles Fornoue and Ravvenna.
1525. Charles I, dc Lancy, 4th Vicomte. Wives,
1. Nicole St. Pere, issue, one daughter, mar-
ried Antoine Pioche, of Laon. 2. Marie de
Viliiers, issue two sons, Charles 6th Vicomte,
and Christophe, Seigneur de Raray.
1535. Charles II, de Lancy, 5th Vicomte. Wife, Isa-
bel Branche, married 15th April, 1534 ; issue,
Charles 6th Vicomte, Jacques (James) Claude,
and a daughter Barbe.
1561». Charles III, de Lancy, 6th Vicomte. Wives, 1.
Madeline Le Brun, married 2l8t of July, 1569 ;
issue, Charles IV., de Lancy, Seigneur de Coc-
quebine, (who died in 1()(>7, leaving by Francoise
Crochart, his first wife; Charles V, de Lancy,
Seigneur de Charlomont, who died unmarried.
By his second wife Marthe de Resnel, the
Seigneur de Cocciuebine, who was created a Coun-
sellor to the King, 20th of March, 1652, by whom
he had no children.)
Charles III, de Lancy, 6th Vicomte, was pres-
1590. ent at the battle of Ivry in 1590 2. By his
second wife Claude de May, married 15th Janu-
1593. ary, 1593, he had issue, Charles de Lancy, Sieur
de Suine et de Niville, Antoine, a Canon of the
Cathedral of Laon, and Claude.
1611, Charles de Lancy, Sieur de Suine et de Niville,
1653. born in 1611, married 25th June, 1653, Jeanne
Ysore, was created a Counsellor of State to the
1689. King in 1654, and died 23d of November, 1689,
leaving issue, one child, —
Charles Ambroise de Lancy, Seigneur de Ni-
1702. ville et du Condray, de Frenoi, et d'Orgemont,
who married 9tb January, 1702, Marie Made-
leine Labbe. He was confirmed in his nobility
1697. by a decree of the King in Council, Nov. 30th,
1697. He had issue, an only son, —
1707. Pierre Charles de Lancy, Seigneur de Niville
et de Blarus, born 5th of June, 1707 ; an officer of
1750. the King's Guards, who died unmarried in
1750.
Christophe de Lancy, Signeur de Raray,
above named, the younger of the two sons of
Charles de Lancy 4th, Vicomte de Laval et de
1525. Nouvion, created Baron de Raray, having no
issue by his first wife, Barbe de Loueu, married
1553. Secondly, January 19th, 1553, Francoise Lami,
daughter of Pierre Lami, Seigneur de la Morliere.
In KobleiMw de France, by Chuuaye De^buiB, vol, Tiii : title *' Laucy;'* An-
nnaire de la Nobleflau of Borel d'Hauterive for 1656, ** Lancy — Raray.**
> Eeuyer, denotue a gentleman entiUed to use coatamior.
18
MAMARONECK.
1584. He died in 1584, leaving a son Nicholas de
Lancy, second Baron, Treasurer of Gaston, first
Duke of Orleans who married Lucrece de
Lancise, a Florentine lady, and had four chil-
dren. 1. Henry de Lancy, third Baron, who
1654. was created January 17th, IGM, Marquis De
Barai. 2. Francois de Lancy, Seigneur D'Ara-
niont, called the Chevalier de Karay, who was
killed at the siege of Cdiule, 17th August, 1074,
unmarried ; and 3. Charles de Lancy, Seigneur
de Ribecourt, et Pimprii, who married Made-
leine d'Aguesseau and died without issue in 1675.
4. Madeleine de Lancy, nuirried 11th Novem-
ber, 1619, Charles de Mornay, Seigneur de Mont-
chevreuil.
Henry de Lancy, above named, Ist Marquis de
Raray, married January 30th, 1633, Catharine
d'Angennes, daughter of Louis d'Angennes,
Seigneur de la Loupe and his wife Francoise,
daughter of Odet, Seigneur d'Auberville, Bailly
of the city of Caen, in Normandy, by whom he
had, 1. Gaston Jean Baptiste de Lancy, 2d Mar-
quis ; 2. Charles de Lancy-Raray, killed at the
siege of Lille, in 1667, unmarried ; and 3. Marie
Charlotte, wife of Louis des Acres, Marquis de
I'Aigle, who died in Paris, August 27th, 1734,
aged 82 years.'
1660. Gaston Jean Baptiste de Lancy, second Mar-
quis de Raray, married 4th May, 1660, Marie
Luce Auberj-, daughter of Robert, Marquis de
Vatan, and had two sons, Charles Henry de
Lancy, third Marquis, made a page to the King
1679. in 1679, who died shortly after, unmarried, and
Gaston Jean Baptiste de Lancy, who succeeded
his brother an fourth Marquis and died unmar-
ried not long after. Both these brothers died
1680. in 1680 ; and with them ended the males of
this branch of the family. Their sisters were
five, Henriette, wife of the Marquis de Creve-
coBur ; Catharine, wife of the Seigneur de la Bil-
larderie ; ' Francoise, died unmarried ; Annette,
died unmarried, and Marie Luce, wife of the
Comte de Nonant, who died 16th March, 1743,
;, aged eighty.
' Le PsUia d'LIIonneiir, Paris, 1604, pago ;112, family " d'Angonnos."
•In front of tlie altar at the Church of Vrclierio, (de|>artmeDt of
Cite, France), there is a toiiilMtone erected to thia laily, inacabed : —
D. O. M.
let ropoae
Haute etpiiiaanute Dame
Madame Fkancoisf. iik Lanci Rabi, dame
Dea Terrea et Setgneuriea, d'Haramont, Kibecourt,
Pimpre St. Qcrraain et Kuy, en lurtio Chatelaine
Bereditaire et engugiatu dee DomalneH de lUthlzy
et Verborie, pneaidea par sea jwrea de puigplua
deux centa ana veuve de Meaaire llarthelemi de
Flahaut Chevelier aeigneur de la Billarderie Mai tro
de camp de Cavalerie, exempt dea gardes du corps
du Roi toe a la batalle da Mai plaqust. La dita
" Dame de la Billarderie eat decedee la 2S Juin, 16ij4.
• ' agree de 61 ana.
Fiiez pour aon knt ■ . ' :\_'' 1
The Arms are blazoned in the "Armorial
General de la France," thus, " Akmks; or, a I'aigle
eployee de stible, charge sur I'estomac d'un ecusson
d'azur, a trois lances d'or, posces en pal, pointes en
haut." In English, Akmh : Or, an eagle wings dis-
played, sable, charged on the breast with a shield
azure, three tilting lances or, in pale, points upward.
On becoming a British subject, Ktienne (or Ste-
phen) de Lancy modified these arms which had
originated before the use of crests in heraldry, to
make them more like those of English families, most
of which have crests ; and though not registered in
the English College oi Arms, they appear as so modi-
fied in most English heraldic works, and have since
been so borne in America, notably on the official seal
of his son James de Lancey, aa Lt. Governor and
('aptain General of New York. They are thus blaz-
oned:— Arms; Azure, a tilting lance proper, point up-
ward with a pennon argent bearing a cross gules
fringed and floating to the right, debruised of afess, or.
Crest ; a sinister arm in armor einbowed, the band
grasping a tilting lance, pennon floating, both proper.
Motto ; Certum voto pete finem.
The name of this family, anciently spelled " Lanci,"
and later "Lancy," in France, was anglicised by
Etienne de Lancy on being denizenized a British sub-
ject in 1686, after which time he always wrote his
name Stephen de Lancey — thus inserting an " e" in
the final syllable. The " de" is the ordinary French
prefix, denoting nobility.
The Seigneur Jacques (James) de Lancy, above-
named, second son of Charles de Lancy, fifth Vicomte
de Laval et de Nouvion, was the ancestor of the
Huguenot branch, the only existing one, of this fam-
ily. His son the Seigneur Jacques de Lancy of Caen,
married Marguerite Bertrand,daughter of Pierre Ber-
trand of Caen, by his first wife, the Demoiselle Firel,
and had two children, a son Eticnnc (or Stephen) de
Lancey, born at Caen, October 24, 1663, and a daugh-
ter, the wife of John Barbaric. ' On the revocation
of the edict of Nantes, Stephen de Lancey was one of
those who, stripped of their titles and estates, fled
from persecution — leaving his aged mother, then a
widow, in concealment at Caen, he escaped to Hol-
land, where, remaining a short time, he proceeded to
England, and taking out letters of denization as an
English subject at London, on the 20th of March,
1686, he sailed for New York, where he arrived on
the 7th of June following. Here with three hundred
pounds sterling, the proceeds of the sale of some
family jewels, the parting gift of his mother, he em-
barked in mercantile pursuits. By industry and strict
application to business, he became a successful mer-
' M8S., " Bertrand" Genealogy : — John Barbarie and hia family came
to New York in 166S, in which year (on 5th January), he and hia aoni
Peter, and John Peter, were denizened aa Engllah aubjeita in London.
He waa aubseqiiently a merchant in New York, in partnerahip with
hia brother-in-law, Stephen de Loucy, and a member of the Council of
the Prorince.
MAMARONECK.
19
rhniit iind amasRed a large fortune. He was a highly
eateemed and influential man, and held, through all
his life, honorable appointments in the councils of
the city, as well as in the Representative Assembly of
the Province. He was elected Alderman of the west
ward of the city, five years after his arrival, in 1691.
He was representative from the city and county of
New York, in the Provincial Assembly, from 1702 to
1715, with the exception of 170!> ; and in 172.'), on the
decease of Mr. Provoost, he was elected again to that
body. The following year he was re-elected, and con-
tinued in ofiSce until 1737 ; a service of twenty-six
years in all. In 1716, being a vestryman of Trinity
church, he contributed £50, the amount of his salary
as Representative to the General Assembly, to buy a
city clock for that church, the first ever erected in
New York. To him and Mr. John Moore, his part-
ner, the city is also indebted for the introduction of
fire engines, in 1731. ' He was one of the principal
benefactors of the French church, Du St. Esprit, es-
tablished in New York by the refugees who fled upon
the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and a warm
friend of the French Huguenots at New Rochelle.
The following letter addressed by him, 1591, to his
friend Alexander Allaire, is still preserved among the
public records at New Rochelle.
NiEU TOBK, LE 27 JlXIET, lOOl.
HoNt. Allaibi :
Monsieur Notre Amy Mona. Bonheiler, aviint de partir ine ilonneru
urdre qu'cri cufl <iiiil viii^Mo A inourlr 11 Holt fair donitation de bpk t^rres
& wi fllleiile vutre tlllo, 8y vouh |n)uvu'/ fulre qiielque 1k>iii>tlce den dlU)
terroit. Sott A (^iijier de8 arbruH on ii fulre des folns sur lew [iralrlei} vou8
le poiiveH a rexcluslon de qui qiiese Holt, .lo suit*.
Muns, votre tr6 humble servlteiir,
ETIENNE DK I/ASCKV,
Ceil est la v{)retable copple de Torlglnal. •
He was a vestryman of Trinity church, New York at
the time of his death, in 1741. He married January
23d, 1700, Anne Van Cortlandt, daughter of Stephanus
Van Cortlandt (whose family was then one ofthi-
most opulent and extensive in the Province). Stephen
de Lancey at his death in 1741 left issue surviving,
James, Peter, Stephen, John, Oliver, Susan and
Anne. Of these sons Stephen and John died bache-
lors. Susan married Admiral Sir Peter Warren, and
Anne ttie Hon. John Watts of New York. The eldest
son, Juiiiesde Lancey, a man of great talent, was born
in the City of New York, 27tl November, 1703, and
received his education at the University of Cambridge,
England. He was a fellow commoner of Corpus
Christi College (where he was styled the " handsome
American") and studied law in the Temple. In 1725,
he returned to New York, and on the decease of John
Barbaric, his uncle by marriage, was appointed by
George II. to succeed him in the Provincial Council.
He took his seat at the board, January 29, 1729, and
held it to April 9, 1733, when he was appointed Chief
Justice of New York and continued so the remain-
der of his life. In 1753, on the accession of Sir Uan-
vers Osborne os Governor, in the place of George
Clinton, ho received the commission of Lieutenant-
Governor, which had been conferred upon him in
I 1747 by George I) . and had been kept back by Clin-
ton until this time. The oath of office was adminis-
tered October 10, 1753. The tragical death of Sir
Danvers Osborn by suicide two days afterwards, oc-
I casioned the elevation of Mr. de Lancey to the Gu-
I bernatorial chair, which he occupied till the 2d of
I September, 1755, when the new Governor, Admiral
] Sir Charles Hardy arrived, who administered the
' government till the 2d of July, 1757. Preferring a
naval command Hardy resigned, and sailed in the
expedition to Louisburgh, and Mr. De Lancey again
took the reins of Government.
The ministry of England wished to keep the com-
mand of New York in the hands of Mr. de Lancey,
but it was then, as it is to this day, a rule of the Eng-
lish Government never to appoint a native colonist to
the supreme command over his own colony. To effect
their object in this case without violating their
rule, they decided not to appoint any new Governor
as long 08 Mr. de Lancey lived; he therefore re-
mained the Governor of New York under his commis-
sion as Lieutenant-Governor until his death, some
three years afterwards, on the 30th of July, 1760.'
"On the 19th of June, 1754, Governor de Lancey
convened and presided over the celebrated Congress of
Albany, the first Congress ever held in America, over
which he presided. This was a Congress of delegates
from all the colonies, which the home government di-
rected the Governor of New York to hold, for the pur-
pose of conciliating the Indian nations who were in-
vited to attend it; of renewing the covenant chain
and attaching them more closely to the British inter-
est, and comprising all the provinces in one general
treaty to be made with them in the King's name, and
for no other purpose.* Speeches and presents were
made to the Indians who promised to do all that was
asked of them, but no formal treaty whatever was
concluded. The Congress voted instead, that the
delegation from each colony except New York, should
appoint one of their number, who together should be
a committee to digest a plan for a general union of all
the colonies.
The choice of the New York committee-man was
left to Governor de Lancey, who, acting most impar-
tially, appointed his political opponent, William
Smith, Esq., the elder.* This movement, which was
not within the objects of the Congress as defined in
> Mlacellsneoiu works, by Oen. de Peyster ; Ba Poyater Oen. Ref.
p. 64.
< Copied tnm original H88. iu Beo. of New Bochelle.
' For a fiill biographical sketch of Oovernor De Lancey, see Docamen-
tary History of New York, toI. IV, p. 1037.
* Virginia and Carolina did not send delegates, but desired to be con-
sidered as present. Doc. Hist. N. Y., II, 6fi7.
' See Letter of Lords of Trade, directing the holding of the Congress,
and the minutes of its proceedings In full. In Doc. Hist. N. Y., II, 6i6
and N. Y. Col. Hist., tI. p. 853.
*"%..*
20
MAMAROiNEUK.
the letter of the Board of Trade above mentioned, ru-
Bulted in the itdopting of a plan of a union to be made
by an act of Parliament, which, after the provinioni*
were resolved on, was put into form by lienjamin
Franklin, who wiu a delegate from Pennsylvania, and
which was not decided upon, but merely sent to the
different provincn* for consideration.
Before the motion for the appointment of this com-
mittee wa« made, (Jovernor de Lancey, being in favor
of the colonies uniting for their own defence, pro-
posed the building and maintaining, at the joint ex-
pense of the colonies, of a chain of forts covering their
whole exposed frontier, and some in the Indian coun-
try itself. But this plan, like the other, was without
effect upon the Congress ; for, as he tells us himself,
"they seemed so fully persuaded of the backwardness
of the several assemblies to come into joint and vig-
orous measures that they were unwilling to enter
upon the consideration of the matters." ' His idea
seems to have been for a practical union of the col-
onies for their own defense to be made by themselves;
whilst that of the committees, who despaired of a vol-
untary union, was for a consolidation of the colonies
to be enforced by act of Parliument. Neither plan,
however, met with favor in any quarter, and the Con-
gress effected little but the conciliation of the In-
dians.'
In the autumn of IITA, the Governor suggested to
the Assembly the system of settling lands in town-
ships instead of patents, a measure which, being
passed by them, rapidly increased the population and
prosperity of the colony.''
On the 3l8t of October, 1754, Governor de Lancey
'(;ned and passed the charter of King's (now Colum-
) college, in spite of the long and bitter opposition
ot the Presbyterians, led by Mr. William Livingston.
So decided were they against the Episcopalians at
this time, and so determined were the efforts of Mr.
Livingston to break down the college, that, though
signed and sealed, the charter was not delivered in
consequence of the clamor, till May 7th, 1755, when,
after an address. Governor de Lancey presented it to
the trustees in form.*
" No American had greater influence in the col-
onies than James de Lancey. Circumstances, it is
true, aided in raising him to this elevation — such as
education, connections, wealth, and his high conser-
vative principles ; but he owed as much to personal
qualities, perhaps, as to all other causes united. Gay,
witty, easy of access, and frank, he was, personally,
the most popular ruler the Province ever possessed,
even when drawing . tightest the reins of Govern-
ment,"*
1 See bin speech to the Aaaembly of AiigiiBt 2Uth, 17S4. Am. Jour., II,
Wll, 387.
2 Sfv the proceedingB of the Congress. Doc. Hist. N. Y., II, 3«8, 387.
'^Auimiibly Juiiruul, II, fur September, 1754.
<Duo. Hist. N. r. IV, 1061.
' Doc. Hist. N. r., p 11)57.
The death of Governor James de Lancey, which
took place on the <'il)th of .luly, 17(>0, was an event
which had a great influence in the affairs of the Prov-
ince. He was found expiring u])on that morning,
seated in his chair in his litirary, too lute for medical
aid. His funeral took place on the evening of the
31st of July, I7(iO. The body was deposited in his
family vault, in the middle aisle of Trinity Church,
the funeral service being performed by the Kev. Mr.
Barclay, in great magnificence; the building was
splendidly illuminated. The accounts of the funeral
and the procession from his house in the Bowery to
the church, filled columns of the papers of the day.'
The following particulars are copied from a memo-
randum written by the elder John Watts, of New
York, in 1787 :
"Jameade I.nncey wua man of iinroiiinion alillltlet In erery view,
from the law to agrlcnltiin', utid uu ol»gant, plouiwnt ctiniiiAiiioii — what
mrely unitm In one i>orriun ; it RcttnuKl duubtfiil which excelled, his
quick iwnetmtlon or his sound {iidgnient ; thH first seenied an Instant
f^ulde to the last. No man in either otnce, (('binf Justice or Lieut.
('tovernt>r,) bad mure the li>va ami confidence of the iwoplo ; nor any
man, Ixtfuru or since, half the influence, lie whk unfortunately taken
from us In July, 17IM), so suildi'Uly that hU vi'ry family sus|H3ctoil no
danger. We bwl spout, Tcry aKreeably, the day before on !<Uten Island ;
after ten at night he left my house iwrfectly well, in the niurning be
was as usual, but about nine a servant was disiHitcbed to tell me his nuu-
ter was very III. I mounted instantly and hurried to bis house In Ilowery
Lane, but on the way was alarmed by a call * that all woii over,' and too
true I found It ; he sat reclined in his chair, one leg drawn in, the other
extendetl, his arms over the elbows, so natumlly, that bad I not been
apprized of It, I certainly should have spoken as I enterud the room.
\ulKHly but bis youngest ilaugbter, a child, was present at the time, so
little illd the family apprehend the UioAt danger. Never did theee eyes
behold such a spectacle, or did my spirits feel such an Impression. The
idea alTects nie whenever I think of It ; to lose such a comiHinlou, such
a counsellor, such a friend.'*
James de Lancey married as above stated, Anne,
eldest daughter and co-heiress of the Hon. Caleb
Heathcote, Lord of the Manor of Scarsdale. By her,
he had four sons ; first, James ; second, Stephen ;
third, Heathcote ; fourth, John Peter ; and four
daughters ; first, Mary, wife of William Walton, who
died in 1767 ; second, Susannah, born 18th November,
1737, died a spinster in 1815 ; third, Anne, born 1746,
and died in 1817, who married Thomas Jones, Justice
of the Supreme Court of New York, author of the
History of New York during the Revolutionary War ;
and Martha who died a spinster, aged 19, in 1769.
James De Lancey, the eldest son of the Lieutenant-
Governor, born in 1732, was the head of the political
party, called by his name, from his father's death to
the Revolution and its leader in the Assembly of the
Province. He married, August 17th, 1771, Margaret
Allen of Philadelphia, daughter of William Allen,
Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, whose sister was the
wife of Governor John Penn of that Province. The
late Mrs. Harry Walter Livingston (born Mary Allen)
who died in 1855, was a niece of these two sisters.
James de Lancey had two sons, Charles in early life
a British naval officer, and James, Lieut-Colonel of
* Puker's PmI Boy uid oth«r newqxven.
■■lA *.
20
MAMAUOiNKCK.
th
■u .
b} Mil K<;l of I'niltMDirnt, Hhtcii, ■■*
Wvrc rKW'ixKt •>», wuM i«Ml jhUj
FrAnkliii. who wiuift'lfli -a.*: -'V<»rn
w
di . ./ 1 ■
Ucfure th'- motion U-t
of tlx' I'niu
trj' it.<pl(. Bn'
i0«-.l U|<(.u lii
i (t( tbiii ciitit-
■•• ; id fiiviT '
■ Hire, pro- ,
^ iliu joint K%- I
■■ovwrini? tluir ,
: ii«< ill th(t Iiulinn conn-
!;i.'' th* <ilh<T. Willi witljout
for, ad III' i<'n« 11^ liinisDlf, ;
"tl vtv 4»voi'joil HO hnlv pcntuiuU'il of 'hi br-i k w»nlutf«
of iltv Hewrik) AK«<<inlilieM to «:.)me lato Joint attit vii;-
OfniH iiiOMur> <■ thiU they wor« unwiDing to enter
npu'i the nonaidisrfttion of tlif< iv.ait«»r«."' Hi- id-ia
■e- ii> to Imvt. 'it'll '.■•r 1 priM:lii'»l Uiiion '»r fiii» imi!-
iif Ui**:! own dofcnuo l<^ bo made h^thciu* '
itjivt if the 0 mir.ittbC*, w!jo dcupttirt"' •
uif^vij, wat* for ft cor'*!ili'l«»i'jn of tl
fffori:«s*J by ocl of i'n,'
»*r iti«t wUh f««'rt .^<' •►
on
wl
ui
to
ho
dii
•bo .iQiniitA !if l/H, ^»U«!«f«r«nir wigK«*»t«l to
th wuii'lv '.h'' »y«t«»« «if Mi'UlIiJfr IhhiU lu «o^Tn-
sh innf«n{ fit jjutents, u mciwiiio 'vbiiii. beiiiij
pa i by then, nipidly iucreiwed-tb*? {.opuIa»ir»ii «nd
privfu'riLy 'it ii^f wilouy/
«> ■ St of Ociv'i>er, 1754, Oovcrnior dcT*,ac«cy
. ,. ,i.»OTed (be cliailer ol FJingS (n<>«- (;<>liiui
Jit ; ■■ ' , in ujtite of tb« b»ng uid bitter uppoBition
of .ji)liyttri»a», led by Mr. William LidBf»i»A
I'ilef) wero tht^y agairih! thc< K|>i'»c()piiliin?< «t
thi iiiift, Kti'l «o dctt^nuiucd ■vorc the tiTortu <ti Mf.
Li ir«Uju t4) V.,c»k down tbt coilnge, llmt, th'H,!)j,i.
aig 1 urn:' nenletl, rJie chart<*r wiis not d<>liv«'iM| m
coi \i)<iTic<» of tht> el»ii»or, till May 7th, ITjW, vi'iuH,
aft UI inlSr***; <«»vi>tuor do LAUcey pre«n:i»t«r'^ .t t»
thi. busttes IB tw'w '
•• No AiaertcsKft feijiii j£r«;i)ter iMflueiwe in the col.
oniti thjiri Jfiriifcti dw t.feut;»*. CircumHtnuc**, it i«
tru aiJcfl ni laJxirK ■'"'' to thJi» «»*■ vauou — such mh
edncation. conneciio.t.-, v^i-i.'<tU, 2.t\d hio bijrh couuoi-
^! ii>.
Vfttivc principles; '-"^ '^ ' ""
qualiti','*, ("crluvjw, .
wliiy, eHRV of at'oCN^, :j\>[ u
the mo«t |/.ipuUr ruler ihi-
ercQ whtin 'Iniwinpr UgbK--
me.-'.'"
li-i' W.-- •)«.. ii .1' ill.! AwukU; urAotftUtyMh, '
MB, :'■<
• S"' til' iiior«f«iiusii uf I1ii» li.ic ■•»•. Doe. imi.
«J>^. HM. ,■*. t. IV, KBl.
• Pu.. Hint. S. f.,p.ll»7.
I !( to }ipr>:o!Vil
■ ^. h
. . :,. .||t,
. »[ in II. ' At
,.*J t. liW f>ll:i II •■
Tl.tt .'f July, iiirt). 1
(Wiiilly vmtlt, in tbu tuitdli: m*
Ibo lurieral H«:r»ic« *'«<ln«j psrfoi.i. ., .- -l.
l«iir<l«y, ill gxtM uiairiiiBi-.«n<.'« ; th« h<u)dti)K «
■•jil'iiididly illutniuiit«;ii. Tin- :■ .iil
iirnl the pr(ici'!«.Hiou from liin ; ■ - '>
th«) oaurrh, fltlod uoluini'« of (hv />upont of td
Tb« totlowin^ parti(:u>M»ar« c<>|>iit<l fruin
r.Ui'.luni wMttcu Iiy ib« oMci J"tm Watt»».
York, in IT^T:
'■ ■••■I'* Jl> liWlTOjr >•••■■ •■..■■ ■" ol ■.. •' ■ •••- .' ■••":>
frum i!i'. !»• ii' n^rioiltnio. mul »i i'Ut(«'il, ;'lMutiiii ■ ii«»»(iat.; ii— •
tarnljr iiit) * in uii.. ^iw i 't •-.«.. i .> hiv'i.I Mi.lrh ftiiiuU* I.
i(ukk !»nr<)t*Hnn • l,it< •..vi'' ■iiumI «« ivMtaf
iflUii* trt '*!•■ Ht ".. » .!,■ ' '.-tk"* ' r**.>vi
i«».<' 'l.» wf 111- <
i: it.. 5..I1 .u> U...V-- iMv'i. ;S; »»'.!, .u i!,-« Wv uiilUj! »•'
. ■«*'»» iilb«« Mir i-inl w.'/iilt«|iatr.bi«l to 111! Hi- 'iJinw-
. ;l,' ) iiMiuutKl Inif-niirt' «i.1 Itiirrial lohUIipuwln IViWHty ■
•r. fli' «»ji *•* \liinn.Hl ly ^ r»U 'tlijt *ll ww i*^4,' »t«l W
liij* I (vMur^ ii.; hoWnfilii»il ri> !•'» ..b- .m II In. thi' ottii-r
■^itgti^ hlmniKuvfTthi- iMwi. ». t «W I i)<ii >i'r4i
Ajr " " -..!-. » . I. . : ,. .^
iiUi*. -.i-. ••■ "..• ■ ■ -f- — ■' ■■- 'H^' >'»> • ••■ -•
ixbcKi "Uth « •ii«c«n<<!», « <IM - n^tlte »wi * vh »» 'npn-^u .. TM
iJ .It ii(^c*' !'•« »lii>ijii»»r i iltuuk rf It; to ' «u »iirii II <«in|iiiiik>n, i'kK
« ui'VWntiwv «H& • trkMI.'' ^
■ /-ariciiy married asi alxi.-ii .natiHi, ,\
i.iitnr aud i;*>-heir«'»i« of the Uon. *'.
"iti'^tfttCTJv, Lord of the Manor of Sciinnlale. ft;
: h* W.I frill r Honi«;-tiribt, Jauics ; »oi.oiul, HtH|"*
; rrtiW; tfWltlicotft; fourth, .Joliu Peicr ; aud
' :i.'iii|{ivit".n<; iirnt, Mary, wiic of VVillimn Wflltno, viLo
UWl J» Ittj" : iH'Cor.d,SuiiannAh, horo tStUNovemlnsr,
17«I7, diwl a Bpinater in 1S13 ; third, Ann<», born T'4«.
and dl'.'d in 18i7, wbomarrii'd '"
ofthr Htiprouio t^'wr' ■■<' *<; •
History of Ncv. - onjkri- \\ ..
ajiii Marrhs wh. , .» -J i'.i, in 17^0.
.fiujieK l><i r.*' ♦»« ofihc Lifuteuant'
ttovfrr ..;4 uic head of thp )H,i!i!: -»
!!:?■"• iiuiu his father's dea»-
■.lid it'» leader in the Aaaembly «t
-i :: luriod, August 17th, 1771. Miirg.. .
.i)*ihdphia, daughter of William Allen,
•' '■>{' Piuiuaylviioia, wUose sisti-r v»hi« the
, ernur .John I'lniu of that Pro/ince. Ilie
iftt* Mrs, lltirry Walter iUyiugftou (born Mary All«i»>
"'.i& in IS-W, was a nitiee of tt-iwe t'vo gk- •
. k Laiivay bad two ftoim, Charlw fu fai!>
iinti«h naval o(lli)e;^«Bd Jitfiaei, Jy^ut'Colont
' i'l'jl'
4
Yjt^rtM*i WJ '- Buttr«
ran ■anm <Hm.mi.Uka BCi&iraKcairi m iuHciv.[ii.ii,iiLJi.raix.L.
fl.-SlUV OF WESTmN .VKW YCB-K
Ia3» IB(>5
MAMARONECK.
tt
the First Dragoon Guards; both died bachelors, the
former May 6th, 1840, and the latter May 26th, 1857 ;
and three daughters, Margaret, married July 17th,
1794, Sir Jiikes Granville Clifton Jukes, Bart, and
died June 11th, 1804 without leaving children ; Anna
and Susan who both died spinsters, the first, August
10th, 1851, and the last April 7th, 1866.
Stephen the second son of Lieutenant-Governor de
Laiicey was the proprietor of what is now the town of
North Salem in this county, which came to his father
as part of his share in the Manor of Oortlandt, which
town Stephen de Lancey settled. He built a large
double dwelling, which he subsequently gave to the
town for .'■•■ Academy which is still in existence.' He
married Hannah Sackett, daughter of Kev. Joseph
Sackett of Crom Pond and died without issue May
6th, 1795. Heuthcote, the third son of the Lieuten-
ant-Governor, died young before his father.
John Peter de Lancey, the fourth son of Lt. Gov-
ernor de Lancey, was born in the city of New York,
July 15th, 1763, and died at Mamaroncck, January
30th, 1828. He was educated in Harrow school in
England, and at the military school at Greenwich.
In 1771, he entered the regular army as Ensign, and
served up to the rank of captain in the 18th, or Royal
Irish Regiment of Foot. He was, also, for a time by
special permission, Major of the Pennsylvania Loyal-
ists, commanded by Col. William Allen.
He received the Heathcote estates of his mother,
in the Manor of Scarsdale; and having retired from
a military life, in 1789 returned to America and re-
sided at Mamaroneck. He built a new house, still
standing on Heathcote Hill, the site of hia grandfather
Heathcote's great brick manor-house, which was ac-
cidentally burnt several years prior to the Revolu-
tion. He married 28th September, 1785, Elizabeth
Floyd, daughter of Col. Richard Floyd of Mastic,
Suflblk County, the head of that old Long Island
family, and had three sons and five daughters. The
sons were, 1. Thomas James, a lawyer, who died in
1822, at the earTy age of 32, leaving by his wife Mary,
daughter of Thomas Ellison, an only child, a son,
also named (Thomua Jiimes.Jwho married Frances
Augusta Bibby, and died in 1859, without having had
issue. 2. Edward Floyd, born 18th June, 1795 and
died a bachelor, 19th October 1820, S. William
Heathcote, born 8th October, 1797, at Mamaroneck,
and died at Geneva, New York, April 5, 1865, the
late Bishop of Western New York.
The daughters were five in number. 1. Anne
Charlotte, born 17th September, 1786, married 10th
December, 1827; John Loudon McAdam, the cele-
brated originiitor of McAdamized roads," and died at
Hoddesdon, in England, 29th May, 1862, without is-
> See Town of North Salem.
< She was hia eeconJ wife. Hi§ first wife wu Qloriannu Nicnll of
Saffolk County, Long lalaml; a lint coniin uf Hn. John Petordo Lancey,
the mother of hia aecond wifu.
sue. 2. Susan Augusta, wife of James Fenimore
I Cooper, the eminent American Author, born 28th
January. 1792, married 1st January, 1811,' and died
20th of January, 1852. 3. Maria Frances, born
August 3d, 1793 ; died 17th of January, 1806. 4.
Elizabeth Caroline, born 4th March, 1801, and died,
! single, 25th February, 1860. 6. Martha Arabella,
born lOlh January, 1803, who died in May 1882.
William Heathcote de Lancey, the first Bishop of
I Western New York, was born at Heathcote Hill,
Mamaroneck, October 8th, 1797.
After attending school at Mamaroneck, and then
at New Rochelle, where his teacher was Mr. Waite,
father of the present Chief Justice Waite of the Su-
preme Court of the United States, he was sent to the
academy of the Rev. Mr. Hart, at Hempstead, L. I.,
: and on the death of that gentleman, was transferred
at the suggestion of his father's personal friend, the
Hon. Rufus King, to that of the Rev. Dr. Eigen-
bi'odt, at Jamaica. Entering Yale College in 1813,
[ Mr. de Lancey graduated in 1817, and at once com-
• inenced the study of theology with the celebrated
j Biihop Hobiirt, as a private student. Ho was or-
dained a deacon by that prelate on the 28th of De-
! cember, 1819, and a priest on March 6th, 1822.
I Mr.de Lancey married on lhe22dof November, 1820,
! Frances, third daughter of Peter Jay Munro, of New
! York, and of Mamaroneck, the distinguished lawyer,
onlychild of the Rev. Dr. Harry Munro, the last English
Rector of St. Peter's church, Albany, N. Y., by his
third wife, Eve Jay, daughter of Peter Jay, the first
of that nar •2 in Rye, (one of whose younger brothers
was Chief Justice John Jay) by his wife Margaret,
daughter of the Hon. Henry White, of the Council of
the Province of New York, and his wife Eve Van
Cortlandt, of Yonkers.
While a divinity student Mr. de Lancey held the
first services of the Episcopal Church in Mamaro-
neck; and with the aid of his father, John Peter de
Lancey and Peter Jay Munro, who were its first
wardens, founded the Parish of St. Thomas in that
village.
After serving for short periods as deacon iu Trinity
church, and in Grace church. New York, he was in-
vited by the venerable Bishop White of Pennsylvania
to be his personal assistant in the " Three United
Churches" of Christ church, St. Peter's, and 8t
James in Philadelphia, of which he was also the Rec-
tor. Mr. de Lancey accepted this position and re-
moved to Philadelphia, where he continued to reside
in the closest and most confidential relations with
Bishop White, until the death in 1836, of that great
and venerable prelate, the first Bishop of the Ameri-
can Church, consecrated by Anglican Bishops.
During this period, in 1827, in his thirtieth year,
Mr. de Lancey was chosen Provost of the University
' Thia marriage i
Heathcote Bill.
I aolemnized in the hoaae of Mr. de Lancey, at
MAMARONECK.
of Pennsylvania, that old " College in Philadelphia"
founded by Benjamin Franklin ; and also received
the degree of D.D., from his Alma Mater, Yale Col-
lege— being the youngest man upon whom, up to that
time, she had conferred that honor. He remained
in the Provostship five years, having brought the
University up to a very flourishing condition, when
he resigned to resume his profession and was elected
assistant minister of St. Peter's church, Philadelphia,
with the reversion of the Rectorship upon the death
of Bishop White.
That event occurring in 1836, Dr. de Lancey then
became Rector of St. Peter's and remained such until
1839, when, upon the division of the State of New
York into two Dioceses, he was elected Bishop of
that p:;r» of the State, west of Utica, and consecrated
Bishop of Western New York, at Auburn, May itth,
1839, and took up his residence at Geneva in Ontario
County, a town nearly in the centre of the new Dio-
cese the same year.
After a long, distinguished and successful episcopate
of twenty -seven years, Bishoj) de Lancey died in his
own house in Geneva, on the 5th of April, ISeS, in the
sixty-eighth year of his age. " In him," said a writer
of the day, " the Church in America loses the further
services of one of her oldest and wisest Bishops. De-
scended from one of the oldest and best families in
this country — which dates far back in our colonial
history, and was from the first one of the staunchest
pillars of the Church — Bishop de Lancey had also the
good fortune to be personally connected with the
leading minds in our American branch of the Church
Catholic. After studying for holy orders under
Bishop Hobart, and being ordained by him both
Deacon and Priest, he became assistant to the vener-
able Bishop White, and continued in the closest and
most confidential intercourse with him to his death
in 1836. * * » During his connection with
the Diocese of Pennsylvania, he filled numerous posts
of dignity and useful service, among which were the
Provostship of the University of Pennsylvania, the
Secretaryship of the House of Bishops, and of the
Pennsylvania Convention ; his activity, high charac-
ter and living influence, were inferior to those of no
other Priest in the Diocese. This early promise was
not disappointed, but abundantly fulfilled, in his
career as the first Bishop of Western New York. He
was one of the men whom nature had marked out for
a ruler among his fellows. With sound principles,
earnest devotion, personal gravity, and spotless purity
of life, he possessed a clearness of head, a keen knowl-
edge of human nature, and a coolness, caution, readi-
ness, and boldness, which all combined in making
him a successful Bishop. His skill in debate was re-
markable, and was fully equalled by his mastery of all
the resourcesof parliamentary tactics, either for carry-
ing a measure which he favored, or defeating one to
which he was opposed. His vigilance and unflinching
tenacity were fully on a par with his other qualities;
and yet his courtesy and gentlemanly bearing, together
with a pleasant touch of humor, so lubricated the
friction of every contest, that no undue heat remained
on either side when the struggle was over. No higher
testimony could be given to the manner in whi'ih he
discharged his high office, than the fact of great and
steady growth in his Diocese, together with a main-
tenance of an internal harmony, unity and peace, such
as no one of our great Dioceses has been able to equal,
much less surpass ; nor was he ever the subject of
systematic attack from outside of hisown jurisdiction.
But his care was not limited to his own immediate
charge. While Hobart College, and De Veaux Col-
lege, and the Theological Training School, and other
flourishing Church schools, manifest his power of
organization and maintenance, and his success in
rallying aid by means of the confidence which his
personal and otficial character inspired, he never ne-
glected the General Institutions of the Church. Not
only in General Convention was he one of the strong
men of the Upper House; but in the Board of Mis-
sions, in the Church Book Society, in the General
Theological Seminary, he has been among the fore-
most, sometimes the one of all others to lead the way
at critical moments, and to sound the call to which
others were glad to rally. His clear-sightedness, in-
deed, sometimes made him a little in advance of his
time; and no truer proof of wisdom could be given by
a tenacious man than the promptness with which he
dropped a subject when satisfied that it was not yet
ripe for action. One case of this kind was in regard
to the General Theological Seminary, which he fore-
saw must sooner or later change its form from a gen-
eral to a local institution ; and about twenty years
ago he proposed it in the Board. The proposal failed,
and was not renewed. The time for that change is
much nearer now than it was then, and the shape
which it will take, will probably be different in some
important respects from Bishop de Lancey's ideas at
that time.' But his foresight as to the coming change
will continue on record. Another and still more im-
portant subject was also introduced first by him into
General Convention — the adoption of the Provincial
System. Bishop White, indeed, had sketched out the
plan long before, and he had taken it from the uni-
versal system of the Church in all ages and countries ;
but Bishop de Lancey was the first to propose it,
formally, to the Legislature of the Church. The
time had not come; and the Bishop wisely let it sleep
thereafter ; but here, as before, the proof of his fore-
sight as to the approaching and certain needs of the
Church is written in the records of her institutions.
Bishops of more brilliance in some departments, of
more moving eloquence, of more sympathetic temper-
aments, of more personal popularity, of more rapid
visible success, we may behold ; but a Bishop more
> The change did not com* till about flfteen or alxtean jean after
BUbop de L.'i death, when the Seminary waa totally reorganlied aa it
now Is.
MAMARONECK.
23
sagacious, more steady, more true, in laying the
foundations of the Church, liice a wise muster-builder,
we never expect to see."
John Peter De Lancey by will (dated 28th of Janu-
ary, 1823) devised his property in this town to Thomas
James De Lancey, the only child of his deceased son
Thomas James, and to his son William Heathcote De
Lancey the Bishop of Western New York (except a
portion of the western end of De Lancey's Neck which
he had conveyed in his life^time to his deceased son
Thomas James, who had devised the same to his only
child Thomas James the younger). All the property
of Thomas James the younger lay upon the western
part of de Lancey's Neck. The eastern part of that
Neck, the Heathcote Hill tract, and sedge lots, with the
other lands of John Peter de Lancey in Mamaroneck
passed to the late Bishop dejLancey, who devised the
same to his four surviving children, Edward Floyd.
John Peter, William Heathcote, Jr., and Margaret,
wife of Thomas F. Rochester, M.D. The Heatlicote
Hill estate was devised to them equally, and subse-
(juently by purchase of the shares of his brothers and
sister became the sole property of Edward Floyd de
Lancey, the present proprietor. Thomas James de
Lancey, the younger, sold his part of de Lancey's
Neck in his lifetime, and it is now held by many
owners. The eastern part, has now been sold
by the children of Bishop de Lancey except the
extreme south-eastern part, the country seat of Ed-
ward F. de Lancey.
Peter de Lancey, second son of Etienne de Lancey
the Huguenot, prominent in the affairs of the
Province, Member of Assembly from Westchester for
many years, and High Sheriff was born 2G August,
1705, and died 17 October, 1770; he married Eliza-
beth daughter of Gov. Cadwallader Colden Jan. 7th
1737-8 and had issue twelve children. 1. Stephen a
lawyer, Kecorder of Albany, and Clerk of Tryon
County ; 2. John succeeded his father as Member
for Westchester and was also High Sheriff of the
County, married Miss Wickham and had an only
child a daughter who was the wife of the Hon.
Christopher Yates, Chief Justice and Governor of the
State of New York. 3. Peter a lawyer of Charleston,
S. C. 4. Anne wife of John Coxe of Philadelphia. 5.
Alice, wife of Balph Izard of S. C. Delegate to the
Continental Congress from South Carolina, 1780 to
1783, U. S. Commissioner to Tuscany in 1777, and U.
S. Senator from S. C. 1789 to 1795. (i. Elizabeth died
single; 7. James High Sheriff of Westchester at and
for several years preceding the outbreak of the
American Revolution, Colonel of the Westchester
Light Horse, the alert ar.d famous Partisan Chief of
the Neutral Ground in the war of the Revolution,
Member of the Council of Nova Scotia, died May 2d,
1804 at his residence Willow Park, near Annapolis,
Nova Scotia, aged 58 years ; 8. Oliver, of Westfarms,
Lieutenant in the Brititii Navy, resigned because he
would not fight against hia native laud in the Revolu-
tion, died at Westchester 4th Sept. 1820 ; 9. Susanna
wife of Col. Thomas Barclay and mother of Henry,
de Lancey, Thomas, George, and Sir Anthony Bar-
clay, and Beverly Barclay, and of Eliza wife of
Schuyler Livingston, Maria wife of Simon Eraser,
and Susan, first wife of the late Peter G. Stuy-
vesant of New York, and Ann wife of William H.
Parsons of that city ; 10. Jane wife of her cousin the
Hon. John Watts Jr, for a time first Judge of West-
chester County, and afterwards Recorder of New
York; 11. Warren, drowned by accident, a child; 12.
Warren, made a cornet of Horse for his gallantry at
the battle of White-plains at the age of 15, he having
run away from his mother's house at West-farms to
join the British Army; afterwards of New York, and
subsequently of Madison County New York, where he
left descendants.
Oliver de Lancey, the youngest of the sons of the
Huguenot, and the third of them who left issue, born
16th Sept. 1718, died at Beverly, Yorkshire, England,
27th Nov. 1785, a merchant of New York, but more
prominent in Public life, was Colonel of the Forces,
and Receiver-General, of the Province of New York
for many years ; Member of Assembly for the City
from 1756 to 1760; Member of the Governor's Council
from 1760 to 1783 ; commander of the Forces of the
Province in the French War, and as such present at
the Repulse of Ticonderoga; commander of the De-
partment of Long Island during the whole Revolu-
tionary War, for which he raised a brigade of three
Regiments called " De Lancey's Battalions " of which
he was the Brigadier-General. Married Phila Franks
of Philadelphia in 1742, and had issue two sons and
four daughters ; 1. Stephen, a lawyer born 1748, died
6 Dec. 1798 at Portsmouth N. IL, Lt. Col. of one of
his Father's Battalions, after the war Chief Justice
of the Bahamas, and Governor of Tobago,
married Cornelia daughter of Rector Barclay of
Trinity church, N. Y., had one son. Sir William Howe
de Lancey, K. C. B. (iuarter-Master-General of Wel-
lington's Army in 1815, who was killed at Waterloo.
The daughters of Gov^ Stephen, were, 1. Susan, mar-
ried 1st Col. Wm. Johnson eldest son of Sir .lohn
Johnson, Bart., and 2d General Sir Hudson Lowe, K.
C. B. Governor of St. Helena during the captivity of
Napoleon the Great. Charlotte her only daughter by
Col. Johnson married Count Balmain, the Russian
Commissioner at St. Helena ; 2. Phila died, single, 3.
Anne married Wm. Lawson of the Island of Berbice,
4. Charlotte married Col. Child of the British Army.
2. Oliver De Lancey the second son of Brigadier
General Oliver, (often confounded in histories and
other writings with his Father) entered the British
Regular Army, as Cornet in the 17th Light Dragoons,
a youth, several years prior to the American Revolu-
tion. He succeeded Andre (being then a Major) in
1780 as Adjutant-General of the British Army in
America. In 1 794 was made Colonel of his Regiment
in succession to the Duke of Newcastle, and Barrack
a
MAMARONECK.
Muster Geiienil of the Empire ii year or two lutcr.
Died unmarried, Colonel of his Keginient and a full
Qeneralin the Ilritish Army in 1820.
The Daughters of Brigadier-General Oliver de
Lanccy were, 1. Susanna wife of General Sir Wm.
Draper, the conqueror of Manilla, and the opponent
of "Junius." 2. Phila wife of Stei)hen Payne-Qalwey
of the Island of Antigua, 3. Anna wife of Col. John
Harris Cruger, the gallantdefendcrof Fort Ninety Six
in Carolina, Member of the Council of the Province
of New York, and as such certified to the correctness
and legality of the final Partition of the Heathcote es-
tate in the Manor of Scarsdale in 1774. 4. Charlotte
wife of Field ]\[arshall Sir David Dundas K. C. B.
who succeeded the Duke of York iis commander-in-
chief of the British Army.
All the usual stores and markets, and conveniences
of living are to be found in Mamaroneck, and of a
class and grade not exceeded by any other village in
the County. Divided from the villiige of Rye Neck
only by the Mamaroneck river with a free bridge
across it, the latter has drawn ofl" a large portion of
the population naturally belonging to Mamaroneck
which is the post town for both, and has nuide prac-
tically both places one except in voting. Hence too
the different societies of all kinds found in an Amer-
ican town, social, charitable, musical, mechanical,
and to some extent religious have their headquarters
in Rye Neck and will be found described in the
Chapter on Rye.
The village of Manuironeck until within the last
few years has suffered, from and Rye Neck has been
benefited by, a singular cause as far as growth is
concerned. In 1811 under a special act of the Leg-
islature was incorporated " The Westchester County
Manufacturing Society." ' The Act gave this corpo
ration power to purchase, hold, and convey, lands
and tenements, goods, wares, and merchandise what-
soever necessary to theobjectaof this incorporation."
Under this sweeping clause it bought two farms on
the Mamaroneck side of the river belonging to Gil-
bert Budd, a most honorable and respected man, one
called the " Hadley " farm of about fi2 acres, the
other the "Homestead" of about 182 acres, or to-
gether 244 acres. This was all the land in the imme-
diate neighbourhood of the mouth of the river on its
west side and the village upon which the latter could
grow. The company built a large dam and factory.
But after a moderate success for a few years it ended
in failure, and from that time till 1870 it was followed
by a long succession of unsuccessful enterprises of a
manufacturing character each in turn succumbing to
failure, or forced sale. The consojuence was that the
title to the property became so involve<l, embarrassed,
and confused, that faith was lost in it. The land be-
came unsaleable, and it remained practically dead to
the great detriment of the village in every respect.
> Cb, IT UWB of IHll.
About 1870 began a change, and now it is understood
that the clouds are entirely dispersed. As soon as this
was found to be really the ease, village improvement
bc'iin at once, and is now going on with increasing
r: lity.
. imaroaeck was without a newspaper until four
years ago, its local wants being supplied by the
neighbouring Journals of Rye and Portchester. In
May 1882, The Mamaroneck Register was established
by William E. Peters, met with very fair success and
is still in existence under him as Editor and Propri-
etor. It is a four page paper, of six columns to a
page, and is issued every Wednesday. It pursues an
independent course in politics. Several years prior
to 1882 an attempt was made to publish a paper
called the JnvesHtjator by George M. Forbes.
But it met with no success, and after a brief exist-
ence, was given up.
About 1856 an attempt to run a steamer called the
Island City, between Mamaroneck and New York was
made, stopping at New Rochelle and City Island, and
carrying both passengers and freight. The leading
man in the enterprise was the late John Griffin. Her
landing place was at the foot of Bleecker now
Union Avenue in De Lancey's Neck, Bishop de Lan-
cey who owned the spot having at the request of Mr.
Griffin and the other gentlemen obtained a grant per-
mitting the building of a Dock below low water mark
at that point, and leased them the privilege at a nominal
rent. The enterprise failed, was subsequently re-
newed by Wm. Taylor with a landing on Harbor
Island, but that also failed. The "Mary E. Gordon."
freight boat only, was built by Capt. Gedney, the old
sloop owner in 1880, and makes trips three times a
week. Her owners arc Captain Joseph H. Gedney and
sons. She is the first boat that has brought freight
regularly to the present dock, and is the modern suc-
cessor of a very long line of " Mamaroneck Sloops."
Famous vessels in their day were those Mamaroneck
sloops, and their day was a very long one.
Some of them were very fast, and there was a fierce
rivalry between the old sloop captains of all the
ports on the sound as far as New London. They
carried passengers regularly as well as freight, and
great was the excitement, and often high the betting,
when a new and fust vessel made her first appearance
from any of the little ports on the "East River."
The necessity of having a fire department was
forced upon the attention of the inhabitants of Mam-
aroneck by a conflagration which took place in the
business part of the villugc on Junuary 1st, 1884.
Soon after a Hook and Ladder Company was formed,
known as Union Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, of
Mamaroneck and Rye Neck. Joseph H. McLough-
lin, a very active man and the leading plumber of
the town, was elected foreman of the company, An-
drew Coles, assistant foreman, Lewis R. Bramm,
Treasurer, and Charles F. Seaman, Secretary. The
aiqiaratus wtis purchased by public subscription, aud
MAMARONECK.
is lodged in the basement of the town hall. The
number of members in 188*5 was 2-").
On January 4, 1881, application was made to the
autiiorities of the town of jVIamaroncck by Henry M.
Flagler, Jabez A. Uostwick, Ambrose M. McGregor,
James M. Conntable, Thomas L. Rushmore, William
G. Read, David Dudley Field, David F. Britt, Joseph
Hoti'man, M.D., ISamuel W. Johnson, Edward F. De
Laneey, Charles J. Osborne, William T. Cornell and
Leonard Jacob for authority to form and organize
the Mamaroneck Water Company and lay pipes
through the town streets. The application was
granted, the company was formed and soon after
began the construction of a water works, and in the
spring of 188o water was introduced through their
pipes into houses in the village. The company has
a capital of $25,000. The source from which the
water sup|)ly is taken is the Mamaroneck River.
The site of the old saw mill originally erected by
Colonel Ileathcote before referred to, was bought, the
dam rebuilt in an enlarged form forming a large
pond, the waters of which are pumped up into a
reservoir on adjacent high ground, about 117 feet
above high water mark of the sound. This head is
sufticient for all general purjmses. The officers of
the company are, President, James M. Constable;
Treasurer, J. A. Bostwick; Secretary, William T.
Cornell.
There are two School Districts in Mamaroneck,
Nos. Olio and Two, well attended and in a good state
of efficiency. But they sulfer as does the whole
school system of the State of New York, from being
one of the foot balls of politics, and like all others
throughout the State are therefore liable to evil in-
fluences. An instance of how oppressive and unjust
the School system as now administered is, upon the
owners of the real estate of the Commonwealth, is
furnished now by our County of Westchester. The
writer is informed that the amount apportioned to
this County this year, 188(), from the Common School
Fund is $i')6,000 while the amount assessed upon and
collected from its real estate last year for that fund
was $75,000. No renmrks are necessary, the fact
speaks for itself.
The Town possesses a Town Hall, a large frame
edifice on High Street : ear Mount Pleasant Street,
which was bought and altered for its present pur-
pose, from the former JMethodist Society of Mamaro-
neck a few years ago, when that society removed to
Rye Neck. It contains a Urgo Public Hall on the
main floor, with public offices, a lock-uj), and a
house tire ap])aratus beneath it. There is also in it
the Library of the Athenreum Society, and the Safes
and Cases of the Town Records in charge of the
Town Clerk.
Mamaroneck is a post town and one of the oldest
in the State, dating as such from the last century.
The present postmaster is William A. Boyd, who has
held the office and administered for very many years
4
past to the general satisfaction of the entire commu-
nity. The salary now is $1100 per annum.
The New Haven Rail Road runs through the town,
but so far north of the village, the harbor and the
Necks on each side of it and the Sound, that neither
can be seen from the station. The daily trains are
numerous and convenient. It is now understood
that a new Rail Road will be built in a very short
time, which will run near the water and across the
upper edge of the harbor, and enter the City of New
York over the new Bridge across the Harlem river
at Second avenue.
The churches of Mamaroneck are two only, the
Episcopal church of St. Thomas, and the Society of
Friends. The meeting house of the latter, however,
is a few feet across the line of Mamaroneck in the
adjoining town of Scarsdale, having been thrown
into that town by the town line as fixed by the Act
of 1788. The Society itself is it is believed the sec-
ond oldest meeting in the County of Westchester,
the first being that at the town of Westchester which
was organized in 1(585. The Friends came to West-
chester, both the town and the County, from Long
Island, those who came to the neighborhood of Mam-
aroneck, chiefly from Flushing and the country imme-
diately about it. The meeting at Mamaroneck was
organized in 1686 and was held at a private house.'
This house the writer believes was that of Samuel
Palmer, afterwards the "Old House" of Peter Jay
Muuro, before referred to and its position described.
They increased so much, that in 1704 an ajiplication
was made to the Court of General Sessions, Colonel
Caleb Heathcote presiding, that Samuel Palmer's
house at Mamaroneck be recorded as an authorized
place for Quaker worship under the Act of William
and Mary. The order was granted and a copy signed
by Colonel Heathcote delivered to Samuel Palmer.
In 1728 the meeting was made a " Preparative Meet-
ing for Business," that is, for the administration of
discipline, &c. On the opposite side of the Westches-
ter Path, and west of Samuel Palmer's house, and at
the top of the rising ground ascended by the Path or
road was laid out, and still is, the old burying ground
of the Palmers, and adjoining it was another plot
larger, and still existing and still called the Quaker
Burying-Ground. The Boston Road to-uay at that
point is still the old Westchester Path. Both plots
were directly opposite the entrance to Mr. Peter Jay
Munro's rounds within which, in 1819, he erected
his splendid Country House, now the Hotel at Larch-
mont, termed the "Manor House." In the centre of
the last mentioned plot, some little distance back
from the road, was built, probably the first Quaker
Meeting House in Mamaroneck. The exact year ia
uncertain but was probably 1739,' in which year Mr.
' MS. Icftor of .lanieii Wood, tho prwont I'rMldont of the Wostchwrter
lUstorionl Soeli'ty, who hiis iniirto exhiiustiTe rwieikrchua into tho history
of the Friends in Westchoflter County,
' Letter of Junies Wood.
u
MAMARONECK.
Wood says a meeting house wiia built there, but he
does not know whctli' rit was the first. Mr. William
H. Carpenter of the present meeting who at the
writer's request made investigations of this point
says it was "in 173;') or thereabout." ' On that sjiot
stood the house, and there the Meeting was held, till
17(58. On the Gth of the 2d month,— February — in
that year the quarterly meeting at the Purchase
directed five Friends to "review" "the place near the
centre of said meeting " to which it wiw proposed to
move the Meeting House at Mamaroneck, there being
some dissatisfaction.
At the quarterly meeting held at the " oblong " on
the 30th of the succeeding 4th month, April, 17<i8,
the committee made the following interesting report:
"The friends that were appointed a Committee to
take a review of the place to set the meeting house
on made report that they had met the friend'i belong-
ing to Mamaroneck weekly meeting and taken a re-
view of the places proposed to set the meeting house
on for Mamaroneck weekly meeting & are of opinion
that a piece of land of Benjamin Palmei's near & ad-
joining Cornells land is the most suitable place for
that purpose as being near the centre of said weekly
meeting & as Benjamin Palmer offered to give half an
acre of land to our Society for that use & purpose &
John Cornel half an acre adjoining to it for the same
use & also each of them to sell half an acre for three
pounds ten shillings apiece therefore this meeting
approves of having a meeting house set up & erected
on said land of Benjamin Palmer, & appoints Edward
Burling & Joseph GriH'en to take deeds of Benjamin
Palmer & John Cornel for said land, & John Cornel
Edward Burling and .Joseph Grifl'en & lienjamin
Cornel, or the majority of them are appointed a Com-
mittee to sell the meeting house at Mamaroneck with
the ground it stands on & the land to the westward
of the house adjoining the road the width of the house
& give a deed for the same or remove the house to &
on the land of Benjamin Palmer aforesaid — if that
house should be sold the new house to be near the
dimensions of the old meeting house, & to be one
story high with a chimney to it, & report to be made
by said Committee to next Quarterly Meeting, & said
Committee or some of them are to get a subscription
made by the weekly meeting of Mauiaroneck & bring
to next Quarterly Meeting."
The old meeting house was not sold but was taken
down and apart and removed to the new location, on the
beautiful and commanding hill where it stands to-day.
The old plot was not sold but kept as a burying
ground. Another plot beside it on the west was sold
and is now within the place of Mr. Meyers. This
was the lot long known as the Locust lot from its
being covered for many years with those trees. At
the succeeding meeting in October, Edward Burling
reported for the Committee " that the Meeting House
1 Iietter of Ur. Carpenter.
was removed from Mamaroneck and set on said land
of Benjamin Palmer, and that the expense of removing
the house and setting it u]), and completing it will
amount to about eighty pounds, including the seven
pounds for one acre of land bought of Benjamin
Palmer and John Cornell, and that a subscription
was made by friends belonging to the weekly meeting
of Mamaroneck amounting to Twenty-eight Pounds
towards the expense of the said house beside the land
given ; and requested the quarterly meeting to ask for
and from each monthly meeting towards paying the
debt. At the succeeding November meeting at Pur-
chase, six pounds, 13 shillings were reported from the
Weekly meeting at Westchester " and paid in," and
there was also "paid in" a subscription "from Os-
wego particular meeting " of seventeen shillings and
sixpence, and delivered to Edward Burling jr. It is
most surprising that in 17()8, a gift from Oswego then
a mere frontier Indian trading stati(ui should have
been sent down to the Friends at Mamaroneck I By
the 6th of 5th month, June 1769, Benedict Carpenter
reported that the debt had been reduced to £18, 10, 05.
In due time that was paid off, and the new Meeting
house — if it may be called so — was entirely paid for.
From that time to the present the meeting has con-
tinued. It felt the change growing out of the move-
ment of Elias Hicks upwards of sixty years since.
The two parties quietly separated and another meeting
was formed which erected another small Meeting
House in the same grounds with the old one, where
worship is also maintained-
"In 1883 the meeting house being in an almost hope-
lessly dilapidated condition a movement was success-
fully inaugurated to restore it, retaining however the
frame of the venerated structure, which resulted in
the , resent exceedingly comfortable and neat house
of worship. During the greater portion of its exist-
ence the meeting has been large and influential,
many of it« members have been noted for their prom-
inence in business and social circles and always for
their integrity and stability. During very many
years latterly there has been no acknowledged min-
ister in connection with the meeting, yet it has con-
tinued without it, and from present appearances al-
though its members are not numerous yet it bids fair
to hold its own for many years to come a continuing
testimony to spiritual worship without priest or choir.
It may be of interest to name a few of its adherents
now living, viz. Jonathan Carpenter, William Bur-
ling, David F. Britt, Samuel J. Barnes, Thos. K.
Morrell, Noah Tompkins, John D. Schureman, James
Griffen, George Millets and William H. Carpenter
who with their families are earnest in the support of
the ancient society they are proud to be connected
with."'
From 1693 to 1784 Mamaroneck was one of the Pre-
» Letter of William H. Carpenter to whom and Mr. Berling I am In-
debted fur copies of tUe Uociunents lued and cited in tbe above alietch.
MAMARONECK.
27
cinctH of the Parish of Rye, one of the two territorial
parishes erected in Westchester Coiinty in the former
year under the Act establishing parishes of the Chiircli
of England within the Counties of New York and
Westchester passed March 24, 1()93,' an act which with
several amendments made in later years continued in
force till repealed by the Legislature of the State in
the year 1784, just about a hundred years. The Estab-
lishment of the Church of England within the Prov-
ince of New York and its Parochial organization in
Westchester County will be found fully described in
Parts 10, and 11, of the chapter on Manors in this vol-
ume." The Inhabitants of the Parish of Rye elected
Church wardens and Vestrymen, and paid the charges
authorized by law during this whole period. Their
duties besides those of seeing to the proper religious
Services in the parish churches, were also those in re-
lation to assessments, taking care of the poor, and
other duties now performed by town officials. During
his residence here Colonel Heathcote was usually
chosen a vestryman and often a Warden. The first
election under the act of 1693 we know was held pur-
suant to the summons of Justice Theall under the law
at Rye on the 28th February l(»94-5. John Lane
and John Brondig (Brundige) were elected church
Wardens, and Jonathan Hurt Joseph Horton
Joseph Purdy, Timothy Knapp, Hachaliah Brown,
Thomas Merritt, Deliverance Brown, and Isaac Den-
ham, vestrymen." In 1702 is the record of another
election, when on the 12"' of January at a lawful
town meeting in the Precinct of Rye Colonel Caleb
Heathcote and the Justice Theall (who summoned
the meeting of the Inhabitants for the election of
1695) were elected Church Wardens, and Justice
Purdy, Justice Mott, Capt. Horton, Deliverance
Brown, Hachaliah Brown, George Lane, Sen.,
Thomas Purdy, Thomas Disbrow, Isaac Denhara,
and Samuel Lane, were elected vestrymen for the
ensuing year. *
These elections will be found mentioned in Baird's
History of Rye, chapter 24th, from which I have taken
the particulars not having had the time to examine the
Rye Records personally as was intended.' The very able
and Reverend Author of that very valuable work was
evidently unaware of the legal nature of the origin of
the establishment of the church of England in West-
chester County, and has given an eroneous view of it
in that chapter, as will be seen by comparing it with
that which will be found in the chapter on Manors in
this work. A view based on tne mistaken idea that
it was the Act of 1693 which established the church
1 II. Bradfurd's Lawa, 19.
< Ante pp. B8 to 1U8 Inclusive.
» Town Rdconis of Rye.
«Town Recordi of Kye.
'In 1704, MadHHie Knight, in ber Journul before referred tu, iiayii in
apealcingof the towns of Mamaroneclc, Bye, and Horseneclc (Qreenwich)
" that one church of England parson officiated in all these three towns
once ever)' Sunday throughout the year."
of England within New York, whereas it was estab-
lished by the royal authority many years before. New
York being a conquered Province. And being the
only British American province so conquered from
another nation by the English Crown, it was there-
fore the only one in America in which that Crown, by
the law of England, had the power and right to es-
tablish the church of England. In 172.') Mamaroneck
paid towards the tax to support the Rector of Rye
under the act of 1693, £18. Later, in 1767, the
amount then, was £19, 2, 6. These sums were the
annual ones for those years. The amounts were an-
nually fixed by board of Justices under the law.
So strong was the connection of Mamaroneck
with Rye as a part of that Parish, in fact and in feel-
ing, that it continued practically down to the founding
of St. Thomas' Church, Mamaroneck. All Mamar-
oneck people of the Episcopal Church attended at
Rye church, and were married and buried, and their
children baptized, by the Rectors of Rye, A very few
went to the New Rochelle church but the large ma-
jority went to Rye. It was simply an example of the
power of faith and habit which descended to them
from their ancestors.
While a youth in Yale College the late Rt. Rev.
William Heathcote de Lancey first begun holding
Episcopal services in Mamaroneck while on his
visits to his home at Heathcote Hill. He entered
college in 1813 and graduated in 1817, and these ser-
vices began in 1814. He met with better success
than he anticipated. His Father John Peter De
Lancey took great interest in the matter, as did his
friend and neighbor Mr. Peter J. Munro, and Mr.
and Mrs. Peter Jay, the blind Mr. Jay, of Rye.
Finally young Mr. de Lancey was so successful that
on April 12th, 1814, under the auspices of his Father
and Mr. Peter J. Munro a parish was organized under
the old act of 17th March, 1795, to which was given the
name of St. Thomas. Mr. John Peter de Lancey
and Mr. Peter Jay Munro Church Wardens, and
Capt. William Gray, Benjamin Hadden, Henry Ged-
ney, Samuel Deal, Abraham Guion, and Matthias G.
Valentine Vestrymen " at the first election held on
Tuesday in Easter week of that year. The Rev. Mr.
Haskell Rector of Rye and several of the clergy of
the neighbouring parishes took charge of the services,
which were held in the present Town Hall, then a
Methodist Church just built, by the courtesy of that
Society which hud just previously been organized.
They were continued with much though not perfect
regularity. In 1813 the Legislature passed a new
" Act relating to Religious Societies " which changed
and made more favorable the method of organizing
Episcopal Churches. The parish continued however
under the original organization of 1814, till 1817,
when by the advice of Mr. Munro, a new organization
•Certificate recorded in Lib. A. of Rellgiuu Societies in West. Go.
Reg^r. office p. 50.
S8
MAMAKONECK.
was effected under the later law, in order that some
of its benctitri miglit be availed of.
The first meeting with this object was held 5 April
1817 and the new incorporation was effected June
9th 1817. The Pariah was admitted to union with
the Convention on the 1st of October 1817, Dr.
Guy Carlcton Bayley being its first delegate. The
next year 1818 Mr. William H. de Lancey then pur-
suing his studies in Theology with Bishop Hobart
was the lay delegate. The Church Wardens were the
same, John Peter de Lancey and Peter Jay Munro.
The vestrymen under the new organisation were
Henry Qedney, Benjamin Hadden, Jacob Mott,
Thomas J. de Lancey, Benjamin Crooker, Ouy 0.
Bayley, Monmouth Lyon, Kdward F. de Lancey.
The Rev. Mr. Haskell, who was Mr. John P. de Lan-
cey's Rector at Rye, and under his influence long
afforded a nursing hand to the infant parish, often
giving it services both on Sundays and week days.
Mr. de Lancey kept up his connection with, and pew
in Rye Church to the time of his death in 1828, and
ST. THOMAS' CHURCH, (OLD).
he also had a pew in the church at New Rochelle by
way of aiding that parish then needing all the help
it coul 1 g t.
No ckigjiiian was regularly called at first. After
Mr. William H. de Lancey was ordained Deacon in
1820 he served temporarily for a few months in Grace
church, New York, and subsequently in Trinity
church, N. Y. In the spring of 1821, when the
latter temporary engagement ended he returned to
his father's House at Mamaroneck, until Bishop Ho-
bart could give him a permanent parish. While at
Mamaroneck he was called to .St. Thomas's, accepted,
and served gratuitouHly, till 1822 when through Bishop
Hobart's recommendation he was invited by Bishop
White of Pennsylvania, to become his personal
assistant in the "three United churches" of Christ
church, St. Peter's, and St James's in Philadelphia of
which he was also Rector. This invitation Mr. de
Lancey accepted, and in April 1822 took up his resi-
dence in that city. He thus became from June 1821
to April 1822, Hl""it ten months, the first clergyman
regularly in chargi of St. Thomas's, Mamaroneck.
In 1823 a frame church with pointed windows and
a low tower was erected, and consecrated on the 17th
of June in that year by the Rt. Rev. John Henry Ho-
bart, then the Bishop of New York. The expense
was mainly borne by Mr. John Peter de Lancey, Mr.
Peter Jay Munro, and Mr. Purdy the father of the
present Mr. Samuel O. Purdy, of Harrison. The
clergy present were the Rev. Lewis P. Bayard and the
Rev. Lawson Carter, both warm friends, and the former
a relative of Mr. de Lancey and the wife of Mr.
Munro. A cut of it is given which shows the edifice
as it wa-s originally. It was enlarged some years later,
in 1835 by a chancel, and again in 1857 — at the chan-
cel end by an addition containing another window on
each side, and so remained until removed, and subse-
quently torn down, on the erection of the i)re8ent
striking and exceedingly handsome stone church,
built at their sole expense and presented to the
church corporation, by Mr. James M. Constable and
his children as a memorial of his wife and their
mother the late Mrs. Henrietta Constable, who de-
parted this life February 11"', 1884. The Corner-
stone was laid December 4th, 1884, by the Rt. Rev.
Henry C. Potter, Assistant Bishop of New York, and
the church was consecrated by the same Prelate
June 10th, 188C, the Rev. Dr. Swope of Trinity Par-
ish, New York, preaching the sermon. The new
church, of which an engraving is given from a draw-
ing expressly made for the purpose by Mr. Bnssett
Jones its masterly Architect, is a beautiful building,
chaste, simple, dignified, and very effective. It is a
perfect specimen of an old English Parish Church.
The style is the Early English (iothic, with the mas-
si veness often found in the churches of that period.
It is built of Belleville brown stone, rusticated, and
consists of chancel, nave, tower, and two porches.
The entire length is 127 feet, that of the nave alone
70 feet, the chancel, a square one, is 25 deep by 19
feet wide, and the height of the tower is 87 feet. It
has a high open timbered roof in the rich yellow pine
of the Southern states. The altar and reredos are
of Caen stone richly sculptured, the latter .showing
an exquisitely executed bas-relief of the Last Sup-
per of Leonardo da Vinci. The pulpit is also of
Caen stone carved, surmounted by a wide polished
brass panelled rail of antique design. The windows
are of English stained glass all showing figure subjects
finely executed. The font, after a special and beau-
tiful design of the architect, is of the deeply rich
tinted Derbyshire Spar, recently discovered in larger
masses than ever before known, not far from the City
of Chesterfield in Derbyshire in England, all highly
polished inside and outside. The pews in num-
ber 80 afford 350 sittings'and are of oak. The Tower
contains a very musical sweet toned chime of 10
bells, and a clock which strikes the quarters and half
hours, as well as the hours.
MAMARONECK.
In the same enclosure with the church, and a short
distance from it stand the Rectory and parish build-
ings in the same style of architecture but built of
brick with brown stone cawings, and slate roofs. They
are happily of irregular shape and combined so under
a series of varying angles and roofs, that they present
to the eye but a single very picturesque edifice.
The whole together, though the general effect is im-
paired by being in the business and not very attrac-
tive partof the village, an evil that has been partially
remedied by the liberal purchase and removal of ad-
joining buildings, and throwing their area into fair
gardens, form one of the most thorough, complete,
beautiful and churchly group of Parish edifices, with
appropriate surroundings in this county, and are a
noble monument to the Wife and Mother in whose
memory they have been erected.
ST. THOMAS' CHURCH, (NEW).
At Larchmont a handsome frame chapel was erect-
ed four years ago by the Trustees of the Larchmont
Land Company for general services. Afterward it
was organized as a chapel of ease of St. Thomas's
Church Mamaroneck under the ministration and
direction as to its services of the Rector of that
church for the time being. It and the Sunday school
attached to it is only open during the summer season.
Usually an arrangement is made with the assent
of the Rector of St. Thomas with some clergyman
temporarily for the services at the chapel during the
season. The Trustees in 1886 are Marcus P. Wood-
ruiT and David Jardine.
A Methodist Society was organized and a frame
church built in Mamaroneck, on High Street in 1813.
It there continued with a small congregation till
about the year 1850, when it was removed to Rye
Neck and a large and handsome frame church edifice
was there erected about a third of a mile from the
Mamaroneck River Bridge and nearly at the junction
of the old Westchester Path with the road running
east from that Bridge, ar account of which falls ap-
propriately in the chapter on Rye. The late Mr.
.Tames M. Fuller organized a Methodist Sunday-
school and ert'ct«Ml 11 building for its use in 1878 on
Weaver street mainly at liis own expense, which he
superintended himself until his lamented death in
June 188.'), when Mr. William H. Stiles succeeded
him assisted by Mr. Hriullbrd RliodoH. The object
is to afford Sunday-school instruction to children in
the neighbourhood, which is distant from the villages
of Mamaroneck and Rye Neck. All the gentlemen
connected with it are Methodists but it is under-
stood that it is not conducted under the auspices of
any denomination in particular.
The Incidents of the Revolution which occurred in
Mamaroneck are not ninny. Its inhabitants as well
as the great majority of the Peopleof the County were
a perfectly satisfied, quiet, community, satisfied with
their surrounding, and their lot. They had a market
within a day's journey or a day's sail for all that they
could raise beyond their own wants. Their taxes were
light and they managed their local concerns for them-
selves under the easy laws of the Province. They
felt no pressure of any kind or from any quarter.
Kven in the politics of the day there was no high
party feeling, still loss any undue excitements. They
were a happy, contented people perfectly satisfied to
be let alone.
When the movements of politicians of New York
and other places against the English Ministry began,
which resulted, contrary to the wishes of those who
first started these movements, in the Declaration of
Independence, the i)eople of Westchester as a mass
were not in favor of them. Neither were some of those
whogaveafinal assent to them. Hence it was that not-
withstanding that Westchester eventually became the
Neutral Ground, the people who dwelt in it were more
in favor of the old state of things than in the proposed
new one. It was natural. It is so in all countries
under all systems. Those who excite revolutionary
movements to overthrow old governments, are always
a minority, and usually a very great minority, of the
inhabitants of the Country the institutions of which
are changed by violence or war. Hence it was that
in 1774 the people of Mamaroneck opposed the
action of the Committee of Correspondence, set forth
in their circular of 29 July 1774 as also did those of
Rye. '
When it was known that Gage's Army in Boston
was getting short of provisions late in 1775, a sort of
killing bee was held at William Sutton's house at de
Lancey's Neck, the neighboring farmers drove cattle
there and a certain day killed and dressed, and after-
ward salted down and barrelled as soon as it coulJ be
done, beeves enough to load a sloop as a contribution
to the besieged troops at Boston. She was loaded at
Indian point, near the present home of Mr. James J.
Burnet, and sent off on her voyage, Butshe never got
iSee PruceediugH of Maiuaruueck, Ac, iu 1. Forctj'o Archives.
30
MAMAKONECK.
to Boston. Through some carck-wiiioiiH in runninfr
out with u amiirt breeze, xho run it little too near the
end of a reof in rounding the Scotch Ctipa, struck h
pointed rock, and wink beyond it with all nn board.
The crew was saved hut the beef in the hold was all
loat. It u not related that any second attempt was ever
made.
The most important Revolutionary incident, v/aa
the night buttle on Heuthcote Hill und the high
ridge above it, between the Delaware Regiment, und
parts of First and Third Virginia Regiments of Wash-
ington's army, under Colonel Haslet and Major
Green, and Roberts's Rangers of Howe's Army under
Major Rogers, resulting in the repulse of the former
with severe loss to the latter who retained their posi-
tion. On October 2l8t, 1776, Rogers's Cor}>8 of about
400 or 450 men which formed the extreme end of the
right wing of Howe's Army, then moving up from
Pelhum Neck, reached Mamaroneck and encamped
upon the high flat of Heathcote Hill, under the lee
of the ridge above it for protection from the North-
west winds, which at that season had grown cold.
No enemy was beyond them and this position was
therefore chosen. Rogers himself nmde his head-
quarters in a small house which then stood directly
on the north side of the old Westchester Path or
road, right opposite the gate of the lane which ran
down de Lancey's Neck to Sutton's House, which
stood within the present Miller premises now owned
by Mr. J. A. Bostwick. On the 22d of October Wash-
ington rode up to White Plains in advance of his
army, who had then reached Valentine's Hill. Learn-
ing there of Rogers's advance and position, he at once
sent orders to Colonel Haslet to take his Delaware
regiment of 600 strong, and 150 men of the First and
Third Virginia under Major Green, and surprise and
cut him oft'.' The Virginians were to lead the attack
and the Delaware troops to support them. Rogers
had been a scout of Sir William Johnson's with Israel
Putnam, in the French War, was a man of fair edu-
cation, not much principle, but extremely bold, cour-
ageous, and wary. Knowing the American Army was
below his position and to the southwest of it, he ex-
tended his pickets more than a third of a mile the
second night beyond where they wers on the first night
and doubled their numbers, cad then went to his own
headquarters. Haslctt marched all night and reached
the neighborhood before day. His guides not aware
of the change in Rogers's pickets led the Virginians
directly upon them in the dark, which threw them
into confusion. At once all hopes of a surprise van-
ished. The uproar roused Rogers's camp, the men
rushed to the top of the ridge overlooking it and be-
fore they could form, their own pickets and the Vir-
ginians mixed together came rushing in upon them.
It was pitch dark, and the fighting went on in the
utmost '>nfusion, the Delawareans, Virginians and
in. Force, Fifth S«riea, a76.
Hungers being all mixed together each man fighting
for himself Right in the midst of it rushed Roger*.
Roused by the noise, he flew up to the fight not know-
ing how it was going, but roaring out with presence
of mind, in stentorian tones, "They are running,"
" they are running," " give it to 'em boys, damn 'em,
give it to 'em." Reassured by his voice ami words
the Rangers, actually on the jioint of fleeing, rallied,
red(mbled their efforts, and the American forces fell
buck taking many prisoners with them, and the
Rangers remained in possession of the ground. The
surprise was a failure, the action really a drawn one
though the Rangers retained the field, Rogers's wari-
ness und presence of mind being all that saved them
from defeat and capture. Such is the account that
has come down from men living in Mamaroneck at
the time. Col. Tench Tilghman, Washington's aid,
writing the afternoon after the fight to Wm. Duer
Huys " They uttucked Rogers ut daybreak, put the
party to flight, brought in thirty-six prisoners, sixty
arms, and a good many blankets ; and had not the
guides undertook to alter the first disposition. Major
Rogers, and his party of about 400, would in all prob-
ability have f'ttllen into our hands. We don't know
bow many we killed, but an ofHcer says he counted
twenty-five in one orchard. We had twelve wounded,
among them Mujor Green und Captain Pope."" The
fact is the number killed on each side ia not certainly
known. All of both sides were buried just over the
top of the ridge almost directly north of the Heath-
cote Hill house, in the angle formed by the present
fnrm lane und the east fence of the field next to the
ridge. There their graves lie together friend and foe
but all Americans.' The late Stephen Hall, (father of
the late Abram, Isaac, and Thomas, Hall) a boy of 17
or 18 at the time, said that they were buried the morn-
ing after the fight and that he saw nine laid in one
large grave.* Such was the skirmish on Heathcote Hill,
the only " engagement " about Mamaroneck during
the Revolutionary War. There was another on the
back part of the Manor of Scarsdale at the Fox Mead-
ows, immediately before the battle of White plains,
but that does not fairly belong to this chapter.
The writer, knowing that Mamaroneck did her full
duty in the late civil war, tried some years ago to get
at Albany the returns of enlistments and names of
the men, but failed, 'le supervisor never having filed
them.
The following is an account of the descendants of
.John Richbell, who left only daughters, and of the
Mott family of whom one of them was the ancestress.
The writer is indebted for it to Mr|. Thomas C. Cor-
nell, of Yonkers :
John Richbell, the first patentee of Mamaroneck
2 III. Force, Fifth Series 67, 6.
^ My father told me when he waa a buy their green grares were diH-
tinctly viaihie.
* Abraham Hall told the writer this fact many yean ago.
MA.MARONKrK.
leaving no sons, hii name hii not been perprtuuted
in hiH children, liut HOinc of the duMcendunU of hix
dauf^hter have been well known in Miimitroncck, and
in WeHtchcBtiT County, and in the State and Nation,
and Hhould he mentioned here. John and Ann Rich-
hell left three daughtent. t". Eli/.aheth, the eldeHt
who became thcHucond wife of Adam Mott cif Heni|>-
Htead, about the time that her father removed from |
Oysterbay, — where he had been Adam Mott'it nciKb-
bour, — to make hiH ftnal settlement at Maniaroneck.
— 2* Mary, who in 1()70 married Captain Jainex
Mott, second Hon of Adam Mott of llemiMtead by liiit
firHt wife Jane Hulett. Captain James Molt wawlon^
prominent in Mamaroneek, was .Fuutice of the I'eaee
and Hupervisor, and left two children .lames and Mary.
-3''. The youngestdaughterof John Uichbell, named
Anne after her mother, married John Knierson of
White River, Talbot County, Maryland.
Elizabeth (Richbell) Mott, gave to her eldest son
her father's name and called him Richbell Mott and
his grandmother Ann Richbell i ide him one of her
executors and three of the grand ins of this Richbell
Mott bore the same name. Richbell Mott was a man
of Character and Substance, and in 10. M5 married
Elizabeth Thorne. He possessetl considerable land in
Hempstead and made his home on Mad Nan's Neck
(Little Neck). His grandson Richbell Mott son of his
eldest son Edmond, — born in Hempstead in I7i'8 mar-
ried in 1749 Deborah Doughty, and died in 1758 leav-
ing two daughters Margaret and Phebe. This Mar-
garet Mott married in 1772 the Hon. .Melancthon
Smith of New York one of the most prominent men
of the State during and after the Revolution in the
policy opposed to that of Alexander Hamilton. Rich-
bell Mott Smith, one of the sons of Hon. Melancthon
and Margaret (Mott) Smith died on the coast of Ja-
pan in 1800. Another son was Colonel Melancthon
Smith, the father of Admiral Melancthon Smith U.
8. N. on the retired list who distinguished himself
so highly during the late Civil war e8])ecially at the
capture of New Orleans, and who is now living in
an honored old age, at South Oysterbay L. I.
Dr. Valentine Mott, the celebrated Surgeon of New
York was descended from Elizabeth (Richbell) Mott's
younger son William Mott of Great Neck, — L. I.
James Mott of Premium Point, long a well known
resident of the Mamaroneck of a hundred years ago,
was the only child of the first Richbell Mott's young-
est son Richard, and Sarah (Pearsall) Mott, and was
born in Hempstead at " the Head of the Harbor '' —
nowRoslyn in 1742. He married in 17t)5 his second
cousin Mary Underbill, dau iter of Samuel and Ann
(Carpenter) Underbill of Oysterbay. Samuel Under-
bill a cousin of the Underbills of Westchester Coun-
ty, was a great grandson of the celebrated Capt. John
Underbill who died in Oysterbay in 1671, and Ann
Carpenter's mother Mary Willet, wife of Joseph Car-
penter of Glencove was a grand daughter on her fath-
er's side of Capt. Thomas Willet the first English
.Mayor of New York, and on her mother'a aide of Wm.
Coildington the first (loveriior of RhtKle Island. The
I'nderhillH and the Coddingtoiis and the Willet* and
the Motts ha<l become Quakers. James Mott, atler a
few year* iw a successful merchant in New York re-
tired Just before the Revolution, with a moderate com-
|>etence, at the early age of thirty-three and settled in
.Mamaroneck, on the " West Neck " of his (irandfatb-
er's grandfather, John Riehbcll, on the peninsula
nearly in front of the Village of New Rochelle. Hia
wife was then in failing health and he sought a quiet
home, remote from the threatenings of war which per-
vaded the City. Hut the war soon came, and in place
of t|uiet, he found himself with wife and children be-
tween the lines of hostile armies and exposed to dep-
redations from outlaws on both sides. }Iis wife died
early in the Revolution.
The ancient handsome two story farm house, occu-
pied by .Tames Mott, with its double-pitched roof,
still stands in good repair, fronting to the South,
on its own private latie, half a mile eaatof the lioston
road, surnmndcd by trees and with its own farm
buildings and cultivated fields, and in recent yeara
has been occui)ied by the Pryor family. But the an-
cient tide Mill which stood near the house on the
land locked bay which made the Mill Pond, and whieb
.lames Mott continued to operate after the Revolu-
tion, was replaced about the end of the last centuvy
by a large new Mill, and a new <lani about hal'.' a
mile lower down the bay near itM mouth. — Jamea
Mott's three sons Richard Robert and Samuel had
grown to manhood, and they fitted up the new Mill
with twelve runs of Mill Stones, and all the improve-
ments then known and gave it the name of the Pre-
mium Mill, and it was operated with much success
and exported Hour to Europe while England and
France were at war, with large profit. S<x)n after the
Premium Mill was built Richard Mott, the eldest son
withdrew from the milling business, and commenced
cotton spinning in a small Mill still standing disman-
tled, near his pleasant dwelling house, to which he
gave the name of Hickory Grove, a little west of
where the N. Y. and N. H. Rail Road now runs
near Mamaroneck, — and " Mott's Spool Cotton," bad
a good reputation for many years. Richard Mott
became a Quaker Minister of considerable reputation.
He was a man of fine presence and a graceful and
pleasing speaker. H( died in Mamaroneck in 1857,
in his S»Oth year.
James and Mary (Underbill) Mott had four chil-
dren, born in New York but brought up in Mamaro-
neck. Their eldest son Richard just mentioned was
born in 1767. Their only daughter Anne born 1768
married at Mamaroneck in 1785, while still wanting
three months of her seventeenth birthday, her fatber'a
cousin Adam Mott of Hempstead, in whose veins ran
the blood of the best Quaker families of that first set-
tlement of the Quakers in America. The young Adam
Mott, the third in descent of the first Adam Mott
MAMAKONKCK.
of II(>in|iiit<>it(l, iukI llic loiirtli from .loliii IIIiIiIh'II,—
lirou^'ht hilt youii^ l)ri<le to tlit' old Mott lioiiifMtciitl,
on the chore of thit Soiiiul iiciir Hciii|>Htcii(l Hiirbor,
on hind whidi had bi'i'n ^riuitcd to hi:* ^rt>iit Unclti
Kichlu'll Mott in l7ilHatid \vhi<h Kirliliill Mott hoM
to hi« brother Adam Moti in l71-'>. The yoiint; Adam
between 1785 and 17'.MHinilt a new Mill at Cow l)ay —
(now I'ort NVaMhiii);toii,) and iiroHpercd tiiere for more
tinin tifleen yearn, and wiien liis wifeV l)r(itiit'r Ui<'hurd
retiri'tl from the I'reminm Mill, the renniiningbrotherH
Hubert and i^nmuel indueud tiieir brotherin-law Adam
Mott of Hempstead to leave hiii proMperouH Mill at
C'nw liay and join Ihem in the I'reminm Mill, an<l he
removed to Mamaroiieek in IMOIt and settled in u iion.se
ufterwarda the properly of I'eter Jay Monroe, and
ualle<l the "Mott Home," oii ii pK'iutant farm adjoin-
ing what is now known an liarchmont. The oldest
Mon of Adam and Annr Mott, born in tlieaneient Mott
homestead near the :nouth of Hempstead Harbour in
1788 and uiinied after his grandfather Jamett Mott,
went to Philadelphia and there married in 1811 Lu-
eretia Collin, who afterwards as fiUeretia Mott of I'hil-
ailelphia became eminent as a (Quaker preaelier and
eloipient advocate of nniiiy reforms. In 1H14, lames
and Lueretir Mott spent some months at Manuiro-
neek on the invitation id' their Unele Uichard Mott to
jtnn liini in Cotton 8pinning, and if the project had
been carried out n.' lirMt proposed, the eio<|nent t^iia-
ker Preacher would have been known as Lueretia Mott
of Maunironcck, itistead of Lueretia Mott of Philadel-
phia. Hut she was then only 21 years old, and
did not so much as imagine that S'he could speak in
public, and the spinning project <iot coming to satis-
factory terms they returned to Phihulelphia. Adam and
Anno Mott's youngest son liiehard, born at Premium
Point in 1804, now for many years the lion. Iliehard
Mott of Toledo Ohio still survives in a vigorous old
age of 82, one of the best known men in Northern
Ohio.
When the laws of the first Napoleon dragged the
United Slates into controversies with France and
England which culminated in the war of 1812, Amer-
ican Commerce was erijjjiled or ruined and the Pre-
mium Mill at length went under a cloud. One
entire Ship's cargo from the Mill was confiscated in
France on a charge of violating a paper blockade, and
no restitution ever made.
James Mott made Premium Point his home until
1816 and died in New York in 182H in his eighty-first
year. He was a man of culture and high character,
unusually handsome in person, tall, erect, and of much
grace and dignity of manner and stood high in general
esteem. In dress and habits he was always a strict
Quaker of the old days, and active in the interests of
his religious society travelling much in their service
in the States of New York, Pennsylvania and New
F^ngland. He gave freely for many years, in time and
means, and in the use of his pen in the advancement
of Education, and the suppression of intemperance,
and woi.id allow nothing produced by Slave labor to be
used in his house, and hm far as poMiblo limited hia
hoUHchold to Americati Mannfacturen. Robert Mott,
the second son of Jame* Molt of Premium Point died
in New York in IMori and hi« youngest son Samuel
died there in I84K.
The Premium Mill continued to bo operated with
varying success for nnmy years and after .lames Mott
and his sons, passed through other hands and in 184.'<
was purchased by Henry Partridge; Kellogg then of
Poughkeepsie in whose family it remained for nearly
forty years. The .Mill itself venerable with age was
finally removed within the last three or four years,
and near its site now stand several handsome modern
Cottages or Villas.
The Three Great Patmti of Central Wentcheiter.
Very closely connected with Mamaroneck and
Scarsdale as parts of the Manor of Scarsdale, was that
part of the County lying between that Manor and
Harrison's Purchase on the south, the Manor of Cort-
landton the north, the Colony of Connecticut on the
east, and the Manor of Philipseburgh on the west.
This immense area containing 7(),()()0 acres of latid,
was bought from the natives by Colonel Heathcote
for himself and associates and grunted to him and
them in three extremely large Patents, called from
their relative situations the West, the Middle, and
the East Patents.
In the purchase of the Indian title to these lands,
and in the Patents for them express provision was
made that the rights of Heathcote nntler the Rich-
bell patents and deeds, should not be interfered with.
Hence their long connexion with his lands now com-
priseil in the towns of Scarsdale and Mamaroneck.
Those " Great Patents,"' as they were styled were
bounded in part by Scarsdale Manor and are so
intimately connected with its history, that some
mention must be briefly made of them and their
origin. By its terms the Manor-Grant, of Scars-
dale endiraced White Plains, a part of Northcas-
; tie, part of Uedford, and part of Harrisons Pur-
I chase, but it expressly provided as to White
j Plains that it should give its Lord no other title
I than that he already possessed by virtue of his
purchase of the right title and estate of Mrs. Ann
I Richbell in the Estate of her husband John Richbell
the origirutl grantee from the Indians and from both
I the Dutch (lovernment and the English (lovernment.
These Great Patents were not Manors, though two of
them were larger than either of the Manors of Pel-
I ham, Morrisania or Fordham. They were simply
Patents for great tracts of land issued according to
; law to three bodies of grantees as individuals, who
I each possessed an undivided share, bodies which in
modern parlance would be called " syndicates." They
were based upon a license to Colonel Heathcote to
purchase vacant and unappropriated laud in West-
chester county and extinguish the title of the Natives
MAMARONKC'K.
88
granted by (Jovernitr Fletcher on the r2th of Ortober,
IGiN).
He wait the ninat proniiiient of the gentlemen
who formed the boilien above mciitiuned and wlio be-
came the OwniTM und I'utentei'ii uf theHe tlireu I'at-
enta. The flrat purchaite made by Colonel Ileuthcoto
in the region nieriiioned, waa from Pathunck, Wum-
pun, Cohawney, and Hvi other Indiana, who on the
19th of October, Iti'.Ni, executed to him a deed con-
veying " for and in conttidvration £100 good and law-
ful money of New York," " all that tract of land iiitu-
ate lying and being in the County of Westchester in
the I'rovinceof New York in America, bounded north
by Hcroton's ' Uiver, easterly by Byram River and
Bedford line, southerly by the land of John Harrison
and his associates, and the line stretching to Byram
river aforesaid, and westerly to the land of Frederick
I'hiliime." '
This covered all the present town of New castle
and most of North cuHtle as it now exists, and other
lands south and east of the latter. It is hence some-
times called " North castle Indian Deed," or from one
of the Indians " Wampus's Land Deed." Colonel
Heathcote made most of the purchases of the Indians
of Northern and Central Westcbexter then inhabiting
it, in accordance with the customary rule in such mat-
ters which has been before explained. That for the lands
between the Mchanas'^ and Byram liivers, he delegat-
ed his powers to others to obtain, by this license dated
at Mamaroneck the 4th of July 17U1, " I underwritten
do give free liberty, so far as it lyes in my power (by
virtue of a grant to me from Colonel Benjamin Fletcher,
late (Jovcrnor of New York) unto Robert Lockhard,
Richard 8cotield, Nathaniel Selleck, and (lershom
Loukwood, to purchase of the Indian proprietors the
lands hereafter mentioned from Mehanas river to Byram
River, and so run northward three miles into ye woods
upon Byram River, and one mile into ye Woods on
the Mehanas River, provided it does not injure the
right of Bedford or Greenwich, nor is within my pat-
ent right from Mrs. Ann Richbell. Witness my hand.
Caleb Heathcote.
Mamaroneck, July 4th, 1701.
The same day the following Indians " in considera-
tion of a certaine sume of good & lawful money " ex-
ecuted a deed for the land to the above named four
persons and Coll. Heathcote, Capt. James Mott, Jon-
athan Lockhard, GershomLockhard'sion, and Henry
Disbrow, the same persons mentioned in Heathcote'a
license, thus describing it, " to begin at Byram river at
y' CoUony Line & so to run to Mehanas river as said
line goes running northerly on Mehanas river as y*
river goes a mile into y'' woods, & from the Collony
Line on Byram river three miles northerly as the river
iMewCroton River.
•Lib. I. A2, of I)e«dB,Seo. uf State's otl; Alt«ny.
> Now ipeiied " Mianiifl."
6
runs into the Woo<ls, A from the head of said line to
y* head of the other line afore mentioned.*
The witnesses were Heringo
Benjamin Disbrow Raresiiuasb -^
Benjamin Collier, with Washpakin
Uraticus and Ilanchomo ^^^
six other Indians I'ackanaim -{-
On the same fourth of July, 1701, when there seems
to have been a meeting of all the parties in interest,
Indians and whites, at Mamaroneck, to consummate
several Indian purchascs,'8eringo, and three other In-
dians executed the following deed to Joseph Horton
for a very large tract indeed. It is printed verbatim
from the original in John Horton's hand writing in
the writer's posaesaion :
" The : 4 : of July— 1701
" Biet' known to all home it may consarn That I 8a-
ringo hafe This day Sold unto Joseph Horton saner
(senior) A sarten Track or pareal of Land Setuaten
and Lyen within the profence (province) of Nu
Yorcke which land beginen at the purch[a«e] lastly
purch*^ by Cornal Hacoc" John Horton Cap"
Thall Joseph' Purdy and all the Land from biram
reuer ' wassward unpurch"" and so to run upward to
brunkess reuer,' and I Haringo do oblidge myself my
ars'" orassinstomarcket" outebyMark Trecseasmay
aper her agan " and This To be marcked oute The
Sext: or Saventh Day of Thisentant" munth and for
the Tru Burformance I haf Sat ray hand and Sale
Sineded Saled and Dleaved In pranta of ua Thia been
in order To a furder confmashon. ,
Saringo -(-
and three other
Indians (namea
illegible).
John Horton
(illegible) Hattield
Hannah park
hit
John -f- Cake
Diaric
his
Robard -f Smeth
nurli
Endorsed upon the deed is this statement of the
consideration by Horton,
I Joseph Horton oblige mysalf To pay one Sarengo
< Aiu'iriit copy of tlie nrigjiial ili'ed villi llealhcote't licenM appended.
Id the writer's poMrwiun. Alao recorded in Weet. Co. tUecordi Lib.
C, 96.
>B«it.
' Colonel Ileatlicotc.
' Capt. Tbeall.
•Byram Ri»er westward unptirchixHl. ,_
•Bronx River. ^ ;,
'"Helm. , .
"Markit. ■ ; _ -, ,--,'; , • r- „- ■ ,„ .,■;.
>* Appear here again. ,
" InsUiit. ,
MAMARONKCK.
:: ■»■;.*->
he performen hia part accorded to bagen * as may
apen connsarnend Land which he Is or (illegible)
to performe
The a buv named horton Is obliged To Pay Sringo
aud the raa ' of his (illegible) as folas '
1 barel of Sidar :■ • ;
6 Shurts
5 galans of rum
^ ICot
• 1 shepe
And this to be payd at or before The furst day of
Jnery * nex in (three small words illegible) The day
mansbshened' July: 4: 17001' , ,, .,
-'"■ ' ?
1 hors: 1 Sadal : 1 bridal ' '"
.: i ,,( ■.•,,,1--- ?' 1 >;i .■
2 cots
leaf •■• :^ ■ ^ : •
2 shurds '
1 ancher of rum " "
•■<!• <h.:
This deed included all the land that hud not before
been purchased, from Byram River northwestward to
the Bronx River. In the month of June preceding,
on the eleventh, twenty-three days prior to the execu-
tion of the above deed, Seriugo and two other Indians
"in consideratione of a certain sum of money" deeded
to Colonel Heathcote, Capt. Joseph Theal, Lieut. John
Horton,' and Mr Joseph Purdy of Mamaroneck a
tract "bounded as followeth, — Southerly by Byram
River, Northerly to the Northwest corner of a great
swamp commonly culled the Round Kwauip, thence a
southwesterly line to Rye, great Pond, and bounded
by the said pond westerly, and so runs to Harrisons
great marked tree."
On the 5th of July 1701, the same Seriugo and
the other Indians deeded to Heathcote, Theal, Joseph
Horton, and Purdy a tract bounded "southerly by
the Colony Line, easterly by Mehanus River, north-
erly by Bedford line and marked trees to Mehanus
River, and southerly as said river goes against the
stream to the head thereof." '"
On the 27th of March 1702 a deed for lands north
of Cross River above Bedford village was executed
to Colonel Heathcote by Katonah the Sagamore of
all that region, which as it is not recorded is here
given from the original in the hand writing of the
' >Acc<mllng to bargain.
8 KuUuWB.
<J»niii»ry.
* Montluiitxl.
*8o In tliu original. >
r Bhirta.
'Till! «xtraonlinnrf deed li wrltUiD on the reverse ilde of a privHte
letter to Joseph Horton from one Samuel IlfTurd, dnted " Stratford the
Ulh day of May," but no yeir ; it is nut recorded.
9 The drauglitenian of the last ln<Uan deed.
x> Rec, In " Albany Recortli," i. p. »4.
noted Zachariah Roberts " of Bedford, in the writer's
possession :
Katonah' B Deed to Col. Caleb Heathcote.
" This Bill of Seall bearing date in the year one
thousand seven hundred and two : testifyeth that we
Katonah, Wackamane and Wewanapeag proprietors
of the sd land afternamed lying above Bedford and
bounded Southward by Cross Riuer, eastward by
Marked trees, westward by Cortlandt's land & North-
wards petticua Small Riuer, which sd track of land
is estimasion is five miles long and three miles wide :
this above sd. upland & medow land we Katonah
Wackamane and Wewanapeag, we for ourselves and
from our ayrs and all other Indians whatsuineuer do
sell, alienate, asigne, & set over this abousd land lying
in the County of Westchester & in ye provence of
New Yorck unto Cornall Caleb Hethcut of Mama-
ranuck and Captain petter " Mathews of new Yorck,
Joseph purdy of Ry and Richard ScofTeld of Stan-
ford, or any other conserned in the aboue said pur-
ches. We the aboue sd indiens trew proprietr.rs of ye
aboue sd land as the bounds are named we have sold
& doe set over from us our ayrs executors administra-
tors, or asignes for euer unto the aboue named Caleb
Hethcut, petter Mathews, Joseph Purdy, Richard
Scoffeld to them their ayrs executors administrators
and asignes for euer with all the rights titles privileges
& apurtenances thereunto belonging promising to
them & theyrs that they shall enioye the same pees-
ably without let or molestation from us or ours or any
other Indians laying any claimc thereunto for euer,
and we doe acknowledg that we have reciucd full
satisfacktion for the aboue said track of land as
witness our hands and sealls this 27 day of March
1702.
Signeil Seal led and delivered
in Bedford in the pres
ance of us
Zechariah Roberts ■ i ■
John Dibell
John Miller .
Chickheag -f-
Caconico -|-
Arottom -|- .'
Mangockem-f-
Katonah +
Wackamane -f-
Wewanapetig -|-
Acount of good
to one 6 guns
to anker of rum
to 20 bars of lead
to 12 drain ** knifs
to 12 par sockins
to 12 citels "
to (> iron citels
to cotun cloth
>i Roberta was the leading man of Bedford, noted for hii bitter hoitlllty
to the Cliurch of England, and bin intense desire to profit by all the
public eniploymeniB he could obtain.
M Peter.
u Sickles. 14 Urawing-kniTsi. ;
MAMARONECK.
35
to 20 knifa
to 12 hos '
to 12 awordR
to 12 axis "
to dufils >
tu blankita
to 10 barils of aider '
One of the peraona prominently engaged with Col-
onel Heathcote in obtaining the several Indian deeda
above set forth for the lands between Harrison and
the Croton River waa Joseph Horton of Rye the
grantee in the above deed of the 4th of July 1701 for
all the unpurchased land between Byrain river and
the Bronx. The following instrument shows the
nature of the agreentent between them and incident-
ally Heathcote'a precise view of his own bounds and
what belonged to him under hia Richbell convey-
ances in the territory covered by the foregoing Indian
deeda and the three great patents subsequently based
upon them.
Agreetnent of Joseph Horton with Colonel Heathcote.
Whereas by virtue of a License from Coll. Benj"
ffletcher late Governor of this Province unto Coll.
Caleb Heathcote impowering him to buy any lands
from the Indian Proprietors betwixt Scroton's River *
and the north end of Harrisson's Pattent, the said
Heathcote and Joseph Horton have [bought] & are
about to buy of the Indian Proprietors considerable
tracts & parcells of Land ; Now know all men by
these presents that It is mutually agreed & concluded
betwixt the said Caleb Heathcote & Joseph Horton
that such parts of any tract or parcells of land bought
by them of the indian Proprietors as falls within
said Heathcote'a lines by virtue of his deeds from
Mrs. Ann Richbell late deceased, the bounds whereof
run with Mamaronock River to the head thereof
thence in a north line twenty miles into the woods
from Westchester Path, now all such lands as fall
within the lines of those deeds as before mentioned
shall be and remain to the said Caleb Heathcote his
Heirs & assigns forever notwithstanding any deed or
bill of sale in Partnership betwixt said Heathcote &
Horton to them from the Indians, the said Heathcote
paying and bearing the full charge of the purchase of
all such land as "ills within hisiincsafToresaid, & the
said Heathcote not claiming a greater breadth through
said purchase that is, or shall hereafter be made by
him & said Horton, than he has at Westchester Path,
which is from Mamoronock River to PijMn's brook
adjoyneing the great Neck. In witness whereof the
said Joseph Horton hath here unto sett his hand &
seal this (fourteenth of July in the year of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred & one.
Signed Sealed & Delivered in presence of
Benjamin Collier
> A cokrae and thick, but luft woulen clotli made In Holland.
<HaM.
> Thla waa a very good price fur that day.
« Now CrotuD BlTer.
Anne Millington
Joseph Horton (L. S.)'
Out of the lands the Indian title to wnioh was ex-
tinguished by the various Indian deeda above set
forth were formed the three Great Patents mat have
been mentioned, the West Patent dated H"- February
1701 to ten Patentees, the Middle Patent dated 17""
February 1701 to 13 Patentees, and the East Patent
dated 2" March 1701 to 11 Patentees. Ten of theae
Patentees were the same in all three Patents. They
were the ten persons to whom the West Patent, the
earliest of the three, was issued, and their names
were Robert Walters, Leigh Attwood, Cornelius De
Peyster, Caleb Heathcote, Matthew Clarkson, John
Chollwell, Richard Slater, Robert Lurting, Barne
Cosens, Lancaster Symes, all well known as promi-
nent men of the City and Province i>f New York.
In the Middle Patent in addition to the above ten,
Joseph Theale, John Horton, and Joseph Purdy, all
of Rye, appear as Patentees. In the East Patent
besides the above ten Peter Mathews of Bedford a])-
l)ears as a Patentee. Several of these Patentees held
their shares not for themselves but in trust for friends
and some of them sold their shares to other persons.
Immediately after the Patents were issued, all the
different Patentees named in each executed joint cove-
nants under seal, that no survivorship should take place
among them, and that each should be divided into ns
many distinct parts as there were Patentees. The
covenant for the West Patent was dated February
18'" 1702, those for the Middle and East Patents were
both dated the same day, the 25* of June 1702.*
The following statement showing in the three
Patents, the changes of the Patentees names, the
Quit-rents payable for each, the number of acres of
improvable land in each, and their respective boun-
daries, is from the original in the writer's possession.
It is undated, but was evidently made out in Colonel
Heathcote's lifetime, and probably about 1715 or
1716.
The West Patent. ,_ .
" Patent : 14 Feb : 1701 ,; . ,, t.^- ,'
5000 Acres Improvable Land ' \ '-'
ilG, 5, 0, Quit-Rent
10 Shares.
Patentees Names
R.Walter
L. Atwood
C. Depeyster
C. Heathcote
M. Clarkson
Jno. Chollwell
R. Slater
R. Lurting
Barne Cosens
In trust for or sold to,
Schellcnx & Lyon
Clarksona
Quinby .
T, Weaver
C. Heathcote
Peter Fanconnier
' Original <le«d in Colo. Hoatlicote's handwriting in (Hiwewiuii or tlie
writer. It in not rccordoit,
c From ancient copiea of these covenanta in th* wriler'a poaieaeion.
MAMARONECK.
Bounded
Northerly,
By Croton River and the Mannor of Cortlandt, or one
of them.
Easterly,
With Bedford Line of Three Miles Square, the White
Fields, and Byram Point.
Southerly,
By the land of John Harrison &c, Ry» Line stretch-
ing to Biram River and the White Plains,
Westerly,
By Brunk's River and the Mannor of Philipshurgh,
Excepting out of y* Bounds aforesaid all y* Lands
within Richbell's Patent, now in y'TenourA occupa-
tion of Coll. Caleb Heathcote.
The MiddU Patent.
" Patent : 17 February, 1701
• 1500 Acres Improvable Land
- ;,i £1, 17, 6 Quit Rent
13 Shares ' ' "■
Patentees Names
C. Heathcote
Jo. Theale
J. Horton
J. Purdy
R. Walter , .
Leigh Atwood
M. Clarkson
Lan. Symes
C. De Peyster
R. Slater
John ChoUwell
Barne Cosens
Robert Lurting
In Trust for or Sold to
■41 ):■:
Schellinx & Lyon
Clarksons ,
Y' Heirs Coll. Depeyster
Tho. Weaver
Quinby
P. Fanconnier
C. Heathcote ,,
Bounded <..■■■■ > ■
Southerly,
by the Division Line betweene y' Colony of Connecti-
cut and the Province of New York paruUell to the
Sound.
Easterly,
By Mahanas River.
Northerly, ' ' ^
by Bedford Line and Mark' Trees runiug westerly
to Mahanas River. . . •
Westerly, - - ' , • - .
again and as the said River goes against the stream to
the head thereof, then along the Easterly branch of
Biram River to the said Colony Line again where the
same began.
The East Patent
"Patent: 2 March 1701
6200 Acres Improvable Land
£7, 16, 0, Quit-Rent
11 Shares.
Patentees Names
Ro. Walter
Jno. Chollwell
L. Atwood
C. De Peyster
R. Slater
Barne Cosens
M. Clarkson
Lan. Symes
Rob. Lurting
Peter Mathews
Caleb Heathcote
In Trust for or sold to
Schellinx & Lyon
Quinby
Clarksons
T. Weaver •
P. Fanconnier
C. Heathcote
Bounded ' ^
South
by the Division Line between N. Y. and said Colony of
Connecticut, and so along said Line until it meets with
the Patent of Adolph Philipse, and so along his south-
ern bounds till it meets with the Mannor of Cortlandt
and from thence by a Line that shall run upon a
direct course until it meets with the first easterly Line
of 20 of the said Mannor of Cortlandt, and from thence
along the said line Westerly till it meets with the Pat-
ent granted to R. Walter & others, thence southerly
along the said Patent untill it meets with the bounds
of the Township of Bedford & thence round along
said bounds untill it meets with the patent granted to
Coll. Heathcote and others, and along the bounds of
said Patent unto the Colony Line where it first began. —
Also a small Tract of Land beginning westerly at a
great Rock on the Westmost side at the Southmost
end of a Ridge Known by the Name of Richboll or
Horse Ridge and from thence Northwest and by North
to Brunk's River, Easterly beginning at a mark'd Tree
at the Eastmost side on the Southmost end of the said
Ridge and thence north to Brunk's River."
This West Patent by its bounds excluded White-
plains, which Colonel Heathcote claimed under his
Richbell deeds and Patents. This led to a contro-
versy between him and some " Rye Men " who
claimed Whiteplains as a part of their town. This
claim however remained passive, and nothing but a
claim during Colonel Heathcote's life as the result of
the Richbell verdict against Rye in 1696 (set forth
above in full) the year before Colonel Heathcote
bought the Richbell estate of Ann Richbell. The
I 1 was then worth very little, and the Rye claim-
auw were very few. Colonel Heathcote died Febru-
ary 28, 172(F-21, and his entire estate passed under
his will to if s two daughters, Ann, the elder, subse-
quently the wife of James de Lancey chief justice of
the Province of New York who died its Governor in
1760, and Martha, the younger, subsequently the
wife of Lewis Johnston, M.D., of Perth Amboy, New
Jersey, who died in 1774. His widow, Mrs. Martha
Heathcote, was the sole executrix. By her and the
two gentlemen just named, in the course of time,
settlements were effected of Colonel Heathcote's in-
terests in Whiteplains, the three patents above men-
tioned and in Harrisson's purchase.
MAMARONECK.
37
In relation to White plains it has been stated er-
roneously that Colonel Heathcote died, " about four
years later " than 1702, in which year a committee of
Bye people were appointed to agree with him on a
line between his Patent and White plains, and that
the question remained " still unsettled." ^ This is an
entire mistake, Colonel Heathcote lived nearly twenty
years instead of four, after 1702, and maintained his
right to White plains, but was always ready to agree
with the Bye people about the matter, but they,
though occasionally talking about it, practically re-
mained passive, in consequence of the Bichbell ver-
' diet against them of December 3, 1696, above set
forth. Not till after Colonel Heathcote's death,
which occurred on February 28, 1720-21, was the matter
closed, though negotiations were pending in his life-
time, and Governor Burnet's Patent for White plains
was issued to Joseph Budd, Humphrey Underbill and
others, bearing date the 13th of March 1721. The
Patentees named therein, with four or five exceptions,
were entirely different men from the " proprietors of
the White plaines purchase " ' whose names appear
in a li!>t taken from the Bye Town Becords under
date of 1720, in Bolton's History, (1st ed. vol. ii. p.
341) and copied in Baird's Bye and Bolton's second
edition. This list was probably one of the proprie-
ors of some part of the grants embracing the present
tcwnship of Bye.
The terms of the settlement with Bye of adjoining
lands with Colonel Heathcote's representatives, about
which there was dispute are thus set forth, in " Notes
of agreement between Bye and Devisees of Heath-
cote," in the writer's possession i — " Bye is to give us
their title to all lauds which we claim in Harrison's
purchase, as also to all the lands lying between the
old CoUony Line and Mamaroneck Biver and the
White plains. We are to give them the benefit of
the covenants in Jamison's deed ta Coll. Heathcote
for the purchase lands." This was carried out by a
deed from Bobert Bloomer, John Budd, Samuel
Purdy, John Horton, Nathan Kniffen, John Disbrow,
Samuel Brown, Boger Park, Joseph Oalpin, Abra-
ham Brundige, and nineteen other inhabitants of Bye
and White plains, to Mrs. Ann de Lancey and Mrs.
Martha Johnston dated September 6th 1739 for all
the lands referred to in the above agreement.' In
connection with these matters it must be borne in
, mind that when the first claim of the Bye people was
defeated by the verdict against them in favor of Mrs.
Bichbellof Decembers, 1696, they were already greatly
angered by the grant of the Patent to John Harrison
and his associates for what has ever since been known
as "Harrison's Purchase" by the Governor of New
' York, on the 25th of June 1696, about six months
> IWrd'i Htatory of Bye, p. 166. The annie erroneo<is statement wu
copied flroni Baird into the lecond edition of Bolton'i Weetrheater, vol.
Ii. p. US.
< Bo atjrled in Baird, Hiat. Rye, p. 150.
* rrom an aoolent copy of the deed in the writer'* poaaaaaioo.
before the verdict was rendered. They claimed that
territory under an Indian deed to Peter Disbrow and
three others of 2d June 1662, for " a certain tract of
land above Westchester Path to the marked trees
bounded with the above said Blind Brook," (this is
the whole description) and as being in Connecticut
of which they insisted Bye was a part, but they never
would take out a patent for it. Hence when the
Quaker Harrison, and his four or five associates, ap-
plied to the New York government for a grant of it
as "unappropriated and vacant land" it was, after
due deliberation, granted them by Patent. In order
to quiet the border disputes of that day they had pre-
viously tried to get the people of Bye to take out a
patent for this land, but they always refused to do so.
This grant for Harrison's Purchase, and the Bichbell
verdict coming only about six months afler it, was
more than the Bye people thought they could bear,
and therefore, early in 1697, they revolted, seceded
from New York, and again set themselves up as a
part of Connecticut. The New York government by
peaceful means tried to bring them back, but in vain,
and this secession continued for about three years,
until King William by a sharp " Order in Council,"
made on the 28th of March, 1700, ordered them back
to the old jurisdiction, in the words of the order
"forever thereafter to remain under the Government
of the Province of New York." * That government
in the beginning had even tendered them a Patent,
and Colonel Heathcote, who was one of the Gover-
nor's Council, at the request of the latter, in 1697
went to Bye, and personally endeavored to settle the
controversy. His letter to the Governor and Council
describing his visit and its failure, gives the facts of
the case very clearly, and they prove that their own
folly lost the Harrison lands to the people of Bye.
" I asked them " he says, " why they did not take out
a patent when it was tendered them. They said they
never heard that they could have one. I told them
that their argument might pass with such as knew
nothing of the matter, but that I knew better ; for
that to my certain knowledge they might have had
a patent had they not rejected it ; and that it was so
far from being done in haste or in the dark, that not
a boy in the whole Town, nor almost in the County,
but must have heard of it ; and that I must always be
a witness against them, not only of the many mes-
sages they have hud from the Government about it,
but likewise from myself." * * * *
" I told them as to the last purchase wherein I was
concerned, if that gave them any dissatisfaction,
that I would not only quit my claim, but use my in-
terest in getting them any part of it they should de-
sire. Their answer was, they valued not that; it
was Harrison's Patent that was their ruin." '
Mt. Ool. mat. r.27.
• Vol. xii. p. ;«) of the Col. Haa. In Sec. of State'a office, Albany. It
la printed in Baird's Hist, of Bye, p. 100.
38
MAMARONECK.
tBome five years after the granting of the West
Patent to Robert Walter and hi8 assouiatea in 1701,
the southern part of it on the Byram River was, in
derogation of their rights, granted to Anne Bridges
and four others of the town of Rye. The West Paten-
tees remained (luietly in possession however of all their
territory. About twenty-three years afler the issu-
ing of the West Patent, and about two after Colonel
Heathcote's death, a suit in ejectment was brought, by
the persons named in the Bridges grant of 1705-6
against Robert Walter and other owners of the West
Patent. The reasons for it are now unknown as the
latter had never been disturbed in the possession of
their lands by any-body. It was unsuccessful how-
ever. The following curious and interesting paper
entitled " A true state of the case," gives all the facts,
and also shows how thoroughly Colonel Heathcote
was even then considered "authority" in West-
chester County matters. Its author, evidently a law-
yer, is unknown, but it is in the small, clear, beauti-
ful, handwriting of Peter Fauconnier an owner, by
trust or by purchase, in all three of the great Patents
above mentioned, and one of the best surveyors of
that day. It is printed from the original in the
writer's possession.
" A true state of the case.
Between the ejector John Horton &c., and Robert
Walter &c., in behalf of the ejected, for lands in
Westchester County.
" Coll. Caleb Heathcote well acquainted with
the North bounds of the Tract of land called Well's
and Coxe's purchases, being the lands long before
claimed by, and since patented to, the Town of Rye
the 11th day of August 1720;
" With the East and North bounds of the lands
granted the 25th day of June, 1696, to William Nicoll
Esq., Ebenezer Willson, David Jamison, John Harri-
son, and Bamuel Haight, called Harrison's purchase ;
" With the North bounds of the lands claimed by
the Inhabitants of White Plains ;
" With the Eastmost bounds of the several con-
tiguous tracts of laud granted the 23rd day of Decem-
ber, 1684, to Frederick Phillipse, and the course of
Brunks river ;
" With the South bounds of those granted the 17th
of June, 1697, to Coll. Stephen Cortlandt ;
" With the North and West bounds of the lands be-
longing to the Town of Bedford ;
" And well knowing how, and where, the three
several lines which have to divide this Province from
the Colony of Connecticut, are to fall and to run, and
consequently the location, extent, and limits, of the
then still vacant lands adjoining thereunto ; he did
acquaint there with the Persons hereinafter named
jointly with, and for the use of, whom, with and by
the assistance of Joseph Theale, John Horton, Joseph
Purdy, Nathaniel Beleick, Richard Scofeild, James
Mott, and Henry Disbrow, he did wholly and law-
fully purchase the same.
" Being all that certain tract of land in the County
of Westchester, bounded Northerly by the Manor of
Cortlandt, Easterly with Bedford line of three miles
square, the Whitefeilds, and Byram River, Southerly
by the Colony second line. Rye line stretching to
Byram River, the land of John Harrison, and the
White Plains, and Westerly by Brunk's river and
the Mannor of Philipsburgh. On the return of which
purchase the said Coll. Heathcote and his associates
applyed for, and on the 14th day of February 1701-2,
obtained the Crown's Grant for the same. To Robert
Walter, Leigh Atwood, Cornelius Depyster, Caleb
Heathcote, Mathew Clarkson, John Cholwell, Rich-
ard Slater, Lancaster Symes, Robert Lurting [in
Quest for the said Coll. Heathcote again] and Barn6
Cosens, under £6, 5. — Quitrent.
"Notwithstanding all w'" yet, and the said Ian is
being vacant and unappropriated, the purchass there-
of was so lawfully made, and the grant obtained : On
the 12th day of January, 1706, being near five years
after, Anne Bridges, John Clap, Augustin Qraham,
John Horton, and Thomas Height, on a wrong notion
of an insufficiency of power and authority in the then
Lieutenant-Oovernour to grant the above mentioned
tract to the above named purchasers thereof, and on
such other groundless surmises, did sue for and then
obtained, an other posterior grant for the Southern
part of the same individual tract of Land :
" It being for A certain tract of land in the county
of Westchester within the Province of New York, be-
ginning at a Beach tree standing by Byram river near
a great rock, markt with the letters I. H. I. P. I. C,
thence running up the said river North North West
to a certain Ash Tree, on the upper end of a place
commonly called Pondpound's Neck, marked with
the letters aforesaid &c to the Colony line. Westerly
to the eight miles stake standing between three white
oak trees markt [viz.] one of the said trees is marked
with the letters C C R on the north side and Y D un
the south side, and from the said trees on a direct line,
runs to the Northernmost corner of Rye pond, and
thence south ten degrees Westerly to a white oak sap-
ling marked by the Pond side with the letters T. I. P.
thence by a range of marked trees south sixty four
degrees East to an Ash Tree standing by Blind Brook
on the East side thereof, and thence by another range
of marked trees to a certain Chestnut tree markt with
the letters J. P. on the North side, on the West side,
with the letters I. P. on the south side with the letters
I. H. and thence by a range of marked trees to the
place where it begun.
"That this last-mentioned grant is all included
in, and that the east, south, and most of the west
bounds thereof are, the very same with the southmost
ones specified in the aforementioned grant of the 14th
February, 1701-2 to Robert Walter Ac., will unques-
tionably appear by comparing the southern bounds
of the one with those of the other, and both with the
northern bounds of the Patent granted the 11th day
MAMARONECK.
39
of August, 1720, to Samuel Purdy and others for the
Township of Rye, and with the eastern and northern
bounds of that granted to William Nicoll &c., the
2dth day of June, 1696, called Harrison's Lands, or
Harrison's Purchase.
"Matters relating to that aifair being in reality as
hath been related, the several questions which do
naturally arise therefrom, are, first, what could induce
thcHe last Patentees to sue for a Grant of that laud
in 1705-6, which they well knew had been already
patented in 1701-2. Secondly, Why, having been at the
trouble and charges thereof, they not only left the
said first Patentees so long quietly owne, but also
survey the same, and not only be present thereat
without the least objection, but also shew them the
East and North lines of Well's and Harrixon's pur-
chasses ; to let them dispose of several pieces part of
it, and the buyers thereof without interruption en-
joy the same about 23 years after that first grant was
obtained; and lastly what could induce them, so
late then to serve a Lease of Ejectment on it."
The answers to these questions we arc left to con-
jecture, as except the boundaries of the jjatents it
refers to, which accompany it. Nothing else appears
on the paper. It is apparently part of a lawyer's
statement of facts, upon which to base an opin-
ion. It would seem from the statement itself
that the Bridges Patent was granted on the idea
that Lieutenant-Governor Nanfan for some reason
not stated, had not the power to issue the West
Patent when he did, and that it was therefore of no
effect. An utterly false idea, for his power as Com-
mander-in-chief was exactly that of all Governors-
in-chief, as set forlh in the royal " Instructions " to
each of them. The West Patent remained, undis-
turbed, and is the foundation of the present title to
the region covered by it (now New Castle and a
large part of North Castle and a part, of Bedford).
The suit was probably a scheme of some lawyer, or
some person, who was a personal or political oppo-
nent of some one or more of the proprietors of the
West Patent, for the value of the land then was en-
tirely too little to induce a speculative action. The
following is the text of the West Patent from a certi-
fied copy of 1734, in the writer's possession.
THE WEST PATENT.
Recorded at the request of Robt. Wa/ters A- others.
William the third by the grace of God of England
Scotland ffrance & Ireland King Defender of the ffaith
&c, To all to whom these presents shall come or may
consern Greeting Whereas — our Loving Subjects Rob-
ert Walters Leigh Attwood Cornelius Depeyster Caleb
Heathcote Matthew Clarkson John Chollwell Richard
Slater Lancater Simes Robert Lurting & Barne Copens
have by their petitions presented unto our trusty &
wellbeloved John Nanfan Esq'', our Leiut', Gov', &
Commander in Cheif of our Province of New York
and the territorieti depending thereon in America &c,
prayed our Grant & confirmati<m of a Certain tract of
Land in our County of West Chester Bounded North-
erly by the Mannor of Courtlandt Easterly with
Bedford lane of three Miles Square the white fcilds
& Byram River Southerly by the Land of John Har-
rison Rye line Stretching to Byrani River afores'', &
the White plains & Westerly by Bronckx river &th
Mannor of phillipsburgh excepting out of the bounds
aforesaid all thcLand within Richbills patent now in
the tenure & Occupation of Coll Caleb Heathcote
which first above named tract of Land was purchased
by Caleb Heathcote & others with whom lie has
agreed excepting James Mott & Henry Disbrowwhom
he hath undertaken to Satisfy within wiiich bounds
there are by Estimation about five thousand Acres
of profitable Land besides Waste & Woodland which
reasonable request we being willing to grant Knoii
Ve that of our Special Grace certain knowledge &
meer motion we have given granted ratified & con-
firmed and by these presents do for us our heirs &
Successors give grant ratify & confirm unto our Said
Loving Subjects Robert Walters Leigh Attwood
Cornelius Depeyster Caleb Heathcote M. Clarkson
Jn° Chollwell Rich'' Slater Lancaster Symes Robert
Lurting & Barne Cosens all the aforesaid tract of
Land within our County of Westchester & within
the limitts & bounds afores'' together with all and
Singular the woods underwoods trees timber feedings
pastures meadows marshes swamps ponds poolles
waters water Courses rivers rivulets runs brooks
Streams fishing (fowling hunting & hawking mines
Mineralls (silver and Gold mines Excepted) and all
other profitts benefitts priviledges Libertys advantages
Hereditaments & Appurtenances whatsoever co the
afores'' tract of Land within the limitts & bounds afores''
belonging or innywise appertaining To have and to
hold all the aforesaid tract of Land together with all
& Singular the woods underwoods trees timbers feed-
ings pastures Meadows Marshes Swamps ponds pools
waters water Courses Rivers Rivuletts runs brooks
Streams fishing fowling Huuting and Hawking Mines
Mineralls Silver and Gold mines Excepted & ail other
profits benefits priviledges I^ibertys Advantages He-
reditaments & appurtenances whatsoever to the afores''
tract of Land in this the Limitts & bounds afores''
belonging or in any way appertaining unto them the
said Robert Walters Leigh Atwood Cornelius Depey-
ster Caleb Heathcote Matthew Clarkson John Choll-
well Richard Slater Lancaster Symes Rob' Lurting
and Barne Cosens their heirs and assigns to the only
proper use benefit & behoof of them the S'' Robert
Leigh Attwood Cornelius Depeyster Caleb Heathcote
M Clarkson, Jn°, Chollwell Lancaster Symes Richard
Slater Robert Lurting & Barne Cosens their heirs &
Assigns for ever 7b be Holdrn of us our heirs & Suc-
cessors in free & Common Socage as of our Mannour
of East Greenwich in our County of Kent within our
Realm of England Yeilding rendering; & paying there-
fore Yearly & every Year for ever at our City of New
40
MAMARONECK.
York unto us our heirs and Successors or to Such Of-
ficer Or Oflicera as shall from time to time be im-
powered to receive the same the Annual & Yearly
rent of Six pounds five Shillings Current money of
New York in Leiu & stead of all other rents dues
duties Services demands w'aoever In Testimony where-
of we have caused the great Seal of our said Prov-
ince to be hereunto affixed Wititeit John Nanfan
£^' our Leiu': Governour and Commander in
Cheif of our province of New York & the territories
depending thereon in America & Vice Admiral of the
same &c at our ffort in New York the fourteenth day of
ifeb^ A° 1701, & in the thirteenth Year of our Reign
John Nanfan, By his Hon" Command M. Clarkson
Secry.
Sccry" Office N York Mar 22d 1733
A true Copy from the Record
fkred" Morris, D Secry
Compared with the Record
ALD
It will be noticed how carefully this patent by ex-
press words excepted and preserved to Colonel Heath-
cote his lands under the Richbell Patent, which in
part were covered by its boundaries. The portion of
this Patent in Bedford under the deed from Katonah
above given, became the subject of controversy —
and remained unsettled till 1771, when the dispute
was finally terminated by the following mutual Agree-
ment, the original of which is in the writer's pos-
session.
Agreement between the Proprietors o/ the West Patent
and Becyord.
" It is this day agreed between the proprietors of
that part of the West Patent in Westchester County
which was releiuied to the said proprietors by Caleb
Fowler Benjamin Smith, & Joseph Sutton & the
persons settled upon the same Lauds and claiming a
title thereto under the Township of Bedford, that the
whole matters in Dispute between the said parties,
shall be submitted to the arbitration of Richard
Willis & William .Seaman of Jerico, George Town-
send of Norwich, Thomas Hicks, & Hendrick Onder-
douk of the Township of Hempstead, & all of Queens
County, Gent". That the whole matters Differ-
ences in Dispute between the said parties shall be
submitted to the determination of the said retTerees
or any three or more of them without any Exception
whatever. That Bonds shall be executed mutually
each in the penall sum of £5000 New York Money ' to
stand to the award of the said Refferees or any three
or more of them. That the award shall be made and
ready to be delivered to the parties or some of them
on or before the first day of September next. That
if the Arbitrators or any three or more of them shall
award the Lands in Dispute to be the property of the
proprietors claiming under the West Patent, then the
> 12,a00 dolUn.
said Reiferees or any three or more of them are to
award what sum the persons claiming under Bedford
are to pay by the acre for the said Lands and the
West Patent proprietors are, upon payment thereof,
to release all their right in the Lands to the persona
claiming under Bedford, & shall warrant & Defend
them .'^i. all persons claiming under the West Patent.
The jiinproveraents are not to be valued, and if the
RetTerees or any three or more of them award that
the proprietors of the West Patent are not entitled to
the Lands in Dispute but that the same are the prop-
erty of the claimants under Bedford, then that the
former shall release all their right to the latter of,
in, and to, the Lands in Dispute. Dated this 27th
day of March 1771,
John Baru |
David Clarkson \ in Behalf of the West
Thomas Jones ' ) Patent Proprietors.
James Wright I in Behalf of the claim-
John Lawrence i ants under Bedford.
Under this agreement the settlement was made, the
Bedford people paying about eight shillings per acre,
it is believed, for the land to the proprietors of the
West Patent.
A somewhat similar settlement had been made six
years before, in 1765, by the Proprietors of the Mid-
dle Patent, or "the Whitefields Patent" as it was
often called, which adjoined the West Patent on the
East, by a like arbitration with Samuel Banks and
some twenty four others, who having bought the
rights of two or three of the Patentees entered upon,
and took possession of the whole of that Patent, the
grant for which is as follows :
THE MIDDLE PATENT.
{The Whitefieldt).
" William the Third, by the grace of God, of Eng-
land, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, Defender
of the Faith, &c., to all to whom these presents shall
come or may concern, sendeth greeting : Whereas our
loving subjects Col. Caleb Heathcote, Joseph Theal,
John Horton, Joseph Purdy, Robert Walters, Leigh
Atwood, Matthew Clarkson, Lancaster Sims, Cornelius
Depeyster, Richard Slater, John Ghollwell, Robert
Lurting, and Barne Cosens, have by their petition,
presented unto our trusty and well beloved John Nan-
fan, Esq., our Lieut. Governor and Commander-in-
chief of our Province of New York and territories
depending thereon in America, &c., and prayed our
grant and confirmation of a certain tract of land in
the county of Westchester, bounded southerly by the
colony line of Connecticut, easterly by Mahanas
river, northerly by Bedford line and marked trees to
Mahanas river again, and southerly as the said river
> Then recorder of New York, and Ister Judge of the Supreme Oourt,
the Author of the Hiitorv of New York during the Kf volutlonsry War.
He repreaentvd the Heathcote eaUto, bh wifa, Anna De Laneajr, being
a granddaughter of Colonel Heathcote.
MAMARONECK.
41
goes against the stream to ye head of the said river,
and so to the said colony line, which said tract of
land on the 6th day of July last past, was by our said
Caleb Heathcote, Joseph Theal, John Horton and
Joseph Purdy, &c., purchased of the native proprie-
tors, and containing within the limits aforesaid, by
estimation, about 1500 acres of profitable land, be-
sides wastes and wood lands, which reasonable request,
we being willing to grant, know ye, that of our espe-
cial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we
have given, granted, ratified and confirmed, and by
these presents doe for us, our heirs and successors,
give, grant, ratify and confirm unto our said loving
subjects, Col, Caleb Heathcote, Joseph Theal, John
Horton, Joseph Purdy, Robert Walters, Lsigh At-
wood, Matthew Clarkson, Lancaster tiims, Cornelius
Depeyster, Richard Slater, John Chollwell, Robert
Lurting and Barne Cosens, all the afore recited tract
of land within the county of Westchester, and within
the limits and bounds aforesaid, together with all and
singular the woods, underwoods, trees, timber, feed-
ings, pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, ponds,
pools, waters, water-courses, rivern, rivulets, runs,
brooks, streams, fishing, fowling, hunting, hawking,
&c., mines, minerals, &c., (silver and gold mines ex-
cepted,) and all other profits, benefits, privileges, lib-
erties, advantages, hereditaments and appurtenances
whatsoever to the aforesaid tract of land, within the
limits and bounds aforesaid, belonging or in any way
or ways appertaining, unto them the said Colonel
Caleb Heathcote, &c., <&c., their heirs and assigns to
the only proper use, benefit and behoof of him the
said Colonel Caleb Heathcote, &c., &c., their heirs
and assigns for ever, to be holden of us, our heirs and
successors, in free and common soccage as of our
manor of East Greenwich in our county of Kent,
within our realm of England, yielding, rendering, and
paying therefor yearly and every year, on the first day
of the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour, the annual
yearly rent of one pound, seven nhillings and six-
pence, current money of New York, in lieu and stead
of all other rents, dues, duties, services and demands
whatsoever. In testimony whereof, we have caused
the great seal of our said Province to be hereunto af-
fixed. Witness John Nanfan, Esq., our Lieutenant
Governor and Commander-in-chief of our Province
of New York and territories depending thereon in
America, and Vice- Admiral of the same, at our Fort
in New York, this 17th day of February, 1701-2, and
in the fourteenth year of our reign.'' '
"John Nakfajj."
This, the smallest of the three Great Patents, was
held by its Patentees without a division of their
interests till 1733, when the following appointment
of Samuel Purdy to lay it out was made :
"New York Aug. y". 20'": 1733.
" We the Undersigned owners and Proprietors of a
certain Tract of Land, Called Whitefeild' in the
County of Westchester, Do authorize and appoint
Samuel Purdy, Esq*, to Lay out and Divide the said
Lands in Order To our coming to an Entire Division
of the Same, to Each Respective Pattentee or his
assigns.
Witness our Hands
James De Lancey
D. Clarkson
C. D'Peyster
P. Fauconnier
John Symes
, Josiah Quimby.
Memorand". for Justice Purdy to take Notice
where the Division Line between Greenwich and
Stamford falls upon the Colony Line.
A true copy From y* Originall by
Sam'. Purdy." >
Mr. Purdy accepted the appointment and acted.
He divided the Patent into two parts which he called
the " East " and " West" Ranges, containing thirteen
"Lotts " each. The number of acres in each is not
now known, but the value of each lot is shown by the
original list and valuation by Purdy, in the writer's
possession, which is as follows : —
An Estimate of the Lotts in Whitefield Fatten/.
Kut Range.
No.
1.
£
... 93 00
No.
1
Wen Range.
£
73 00
2
.. U3 no
2
78 00
3
.. 8.') 00
3
H5 00
4
... 85 00
4
6.
U5 00
5.
80 00
96 00
6
... &4 00
6
92 00
7.
14 00
7.
77 00
8
.. 44 UO
8
77 00
0
... 44 00
9
84 00
10
... 44 00
10
11
12
13
88 00
11
... 50 OU
96 00
12
.. 82 00
100 00
13
.. 72 00
100 00
Tntall
£850 00
£1189 00
860 00
£1989 00
1 Book of Patent*, No. vll. 224, Sec. of State'a Office, Albnny.
Pr nie
Sam" Purdy.
The names of the persons living on this Patent six
years after Purdy's appointment above given were
collected by Benjamin Fox of King Street and sent
to Mr. Murray of New York, who was the lawyer and
agent of some of the patentees. Under date of " King
St. 8"' y' 7"", 1739," Fox writes Murray, " Inclosed
have sent you the names of the People Possessed on
the Whitefeild, or Middle Patent which have Indev-
our* to colect as well as I could." The list which
is on a separate paper, is as follows :
'This name, aingularly enough is ao tpelled in all the old deeds anil
documents. It should, of course, have been " Whitefleids."
■ From an ancient copy in the writer's puaeesion, In ^muel Purdjr's
handwriting.
48
MAMARONECK.
Owens
John Finch
John Briuh
Bcnj Brush
Bam" Peters
Ebius Urouk
Francis Purdy
John Purdy *
ThoB. Hutchins
Thos. Meritt
John Runells, Sen'
John Runells Jun'
Beiy. Piatt
Jacob Finch
Sam" Banks
1'tinM »'i ->niiii.
When, twenty-flve years later, the final settlement
of 1765, between the patentees and the settlers above
referred to, was made, the parties then in possession,
whose names are recited in the award, were; — Sam"
Banks, John Banks, Benoy Piatt, Jonathan Piatt, John
Runnels, Jonathan Owens, John Rundle, John Arm-
strong, Roger Sutherland, Smith Sutherland, Charles
Green, Charles Green, Jun', David Bnindige, Walter
Morris, Aaron Furman, Jun', Shubel Brush, James
Bnindige, Stephen Edegett, Nehemiah Brundige, '
Abraham Knapp, Joshua Lounsbery, Daniel Brown,
Jun', Fhinehas Knapp, Jeremiah Numau, Robert
Murfee, Jeremiah Green.
Some of these names appear in Fox's list of 1739,
but only a few.
The arbitrators in 1765 were: "Daniel Kissam,
Samuel Townsend, George Weekes, Benjamin Tread-
well and David Batty, all of Queens County" and
their award dated October 6, 1765, recites that they,
" having sat as arbitrators and heard the said disputes,
and having deliberately heard, examined, and consid-
ered all the proofs and allegations of the said Parties
in Controversy, do for the settling peace and amity
between them make this our award, order, arbitra-
ment, determination, and judgment of and upon the
Premises as Follows — First, We do award and order,
that the said Anne De Lancey, John Bard, Pierre De-
peyster, David Clarkson, Peter Remsen, and John
Ogelbie, and all others who claim lands under the said
Patent which are not already sold or conveyed to the
persons now in possession of the said lands, or to
those under whom they claim, or to some or one of
them, shall and do upon demand execute and deliver
in due form of law a release of all their rights and
Titles of, in, and to, the lands specifyed in the said
Letters Patent, to said Samuel Banks and the other
persons above named who are now in possession of
the said Lands, and to their heirs and assigns forever;
and that the said Samuel Banks and the other per-
sons above named, who are now in possession of the
said Lands, shall and do upon the delivery of such
Release pay unto the said Anne De Lancey and such
other persons as are hereby ordered to Execute the
said Release, the sum of nine Shillings New York
money ' for every acre of said lands, which the said
Samuel Banks and the other persons above named or
those under whom they claim, or some or one of them,
have not already purchased of some, or one, of the
I Origliutl letter and llat in the writer'! pomnlon.
-One dollar and twelve centn.
patentees in the said letters Patent Named, or of
those claiming under the said patentees, or some or
one of them." '
The East Patent was granted March 2* 1701 to the
same Patentees as the West Patent with the addition
to their number of Peter Matthews of Bedford. Five
days before, on the 25th of February in the same
year, Katonah, Wakemane, and another Indian exe-
cuted a deed of contirmation to the Patentees of their
right and estate in the tract* in which they thus de-
scribe, " bounded as foUoweth viz. Westward by Bed-
ford, and by the patent granted to Caleb Ileathcoto
and others," northerly by Coll. Cortlandt's purchase
and Croton's river, southerly and easterly by the Col-
ony lines."
The patent itself in its general language is similar
to those of the Wost and Middle Patents above set
forth. It bounds the Tract granted in these words ; —
The East Patent BouncU
" Bounded South, by the division Line between
New York and Connecticut, Eiist, by the other
division Line between New York and Connec-
ticut, and so along said Line untill it meets with
the Patent of Adolf Philipse," and so along his
southern bounds till it meets with the Manner
of Cortlandt, and from thence by a Line that
shall run upon a direct course untill it meets with the
first easterly Line of twenty miles of thesaidMannor
of Cortlandt, aud from thence along the said Line
Westerly till it meets with the Patent granted to R.
Walter and others,' thence southerly along the said
Patent, untill it meets with the bounds of the Town-
ship of Bedford, and thence round along said bounds
until it meets with the Patent granted to Coll. Heath-
cote and others, and" thence along the bounds of said
Patent unto the Colony Line where it began,"
No attempt was made to settle this tract till about
the year 1744, when parties from Stamford and its
neighborhood acquired portions of land witl in its
limits.
The area of these three great Patents, the " West,"
the " Middle," and the " East," was very much greater
than is commonly supposed. The Patents themselves
only give their respective areas in what those instru-
ments term " profitable land," that is, land that could
be easily cultivated. But as the greater part of north-
ern and central Westchester abounded in high semi-
mountainous ridges, rocky heights, and great forests,
characteristics which to a large extent it still retains,
the " profitable land " really bore but a small pro-
portion to what was then deemed the unprofitable
land. How very extensive these great patents really
> From the original award itgned by all the arbitratora, in the writer's
poneaaion.
4 Book I. p. 100, Sec. uf State'a Offe. Albany.
>The "Middle Patent."
* Phillpae'i TTpper Patent, now Putnam County.
> The Weit Patent.
'The Middle falmt.
MAMARONECK.
48
were, will be seen from the following authentic state-
ment :
Peter Fauconnier, who was a surveyor, and as has
been stated, an owner in all three patents, was, with
Lancaster Symes, the active managers for the own-
ers of all three patents. An account showing the
amounts due from each owner, arran^ced under, the
head of each Patent separately, dated in 1710, in the
handwriting of Fauconnier is in the writer's posses-
sion, and it shows that the three Patents together con-
tained seventy thousand, 70,000, Acres of Land. The
headings of the accounts of the three patents are
these ; —
" The first of the 3 Patents above mentioned con-
taining about 30,000 acres of rough Land, between 10
Patentees." '
" The Second of the 3 Patents here-above mentioned
containing about 5000 acres of rough Land, between
13 Patentees." ''
" The Third of the 3 Patents here-above mentioned
containing about 3r),000 acres of rough Land, between
11 Patentees."'
In a " statement of the three Patents " which has
already been given, siiowing the dates of the Patents,
the Patentees' names, and the boundaries granted by
each, the areas of each are set down in what that doc-
ument calls " Improvable Land," corresponding to
' Tlio " Went Patent."
3 The tliddlo Patent.
» The " Gut Patent."
the " Profitable Land '' of the Patents themselves.
As will be seen, by referring to it, that document
gives for the different Patents these areas ; —
In the West Patent, 5,000 Acres Improvable Land,
In the Middle Patent, 1,500 Acres Improvable Land,
In the East Patent, 6,200 Acres Improvable Land,
In all together, 12700 Acres Improvable Laud, which
is not quite one sixth of the actual area of the terri-
tory of the three Patents by Fauconnier's account.
As the whole Manor of Cortlandt north of the Cro-
ton River and east of the Hudson containing 5(Kio
acres was only valued in 1732 at £962") or *25,()62,'
and as the twenty six lots of the " Middle Patent "
were only valued in 1733, at iXSm," or about $5,001),
both valuations being made for the respective pro-
prietors by the same man, Justice Samuel Purdy,
and as the Patentees of the latter were only awarded
nine shillings, one dollar and twelve cents, an acre, for
their unsold lands in the same patent in 1765, a gen-
eration later, it is easily seen how very little, was the
actual value of the 70,000 acres of the three great pat-
ents when they were granted, and during the lifetime
of their original Patentees. These facts also show how
careful we should always be in considering these mat-
ters not to judge of estates in the 17th, and 18th, cen-
turies in Westchester County, large or small, by the
values of, either the early, or the latter part of the
19th century.
< Sw in Part 13, ante, p. \Xt.
i> See ante, p. 88li.
JhrY> £l.j:=^>^ cc^t^cA^-^^--^
••■'•'•••'...'•
• • • •
•• . • • •
• • • . '
••• • .•. ..