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4 5 6
HISTORY
OF
MAMAEONECK.
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^(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.
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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.
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■ /-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- \\ ..
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fl.-SlUV OF WESTmN .VKW YCB-K
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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^-^^--^
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