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THE

HISTORY

OF
THE SEVERAL TOWNS, MANORS, AND PATENTS

OF THE

COUNTY OF VVESUCHESTER.

FROM

Lis, “FIRS? SERELEMENT

TO THE

PRESEN i-PEME..

Carefully Revised by tts Author.

By THE Late Rev. ROBERT BOLTON,

AUTHOR OF THE “GUIDE TO NEW ROCHELLE,’’ AND
A MEMBER OF N. Y. HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

EDITED BY THE REv. C. W. BOLTON, Nerw RocHELLE.

VOLUME II.

“It ts the privilege of History to impart the experience of age, without its infirmi-
ties ; to bring back things long obscured by time, or sinking into oblivion ; and enable
us to form some reasonable conjectures of what may happen to posterity’’—POULSON’S
Hist. OF HOLDERNESS.

NEW YORK:
CHAS. F. ROPER, 27 RosE STREET.
1881.

Vous FE

fae 2OWwWN

OF

S57. IN Lib GC:

This township is bounded on the East and South by Mount Pleasant,
(of which it once formed a part,”) on the West by the Hudson river,
and on the north by New Castle and the Croton river. Like the
neighboring townships, it was originally included within the honour and
fee of Philipsburgh.

Ossin-ing, the proper Indian orthography of the word variously
written Sin-sing, Sing Sing, Sin Sinck and Sink Sink, is derived from
ossin, (a stone) and ing (a place) or “stone upon stone:”4—a name
exceedingly characteristic of this beautiful town, whose coast is guarded
by a vast munition of rocks and ancient boulders. At a very early
period Ossin—ing constituted a part of the possessions of a powerful
Mohegan clan called the Sint Sings.

April the 22d, 1643, appeared before the Dutch Director General
Kieft in Fort Amsterdam, Oratatrim, sachem of Ack-kin-kas-hacky,
who declared he was deputed by those of Tappan, Reekgawanck,
Kicktawanc and Sint Sinck, to conclude a peace with the Dutch in
the following manner, viz.: that all the injustices committed by the
said nations against the Netherlanders, or by the Netherlanders against
said nations, shall be forgiven and forgotten for ever; reciprocally
promising one another to cause no trouble the one to the other; but
whenever the savages understand that any nation not mentioned in

a This town was separately organized, May 2d, 1845. Laws of N. Y., 1845. Also 69
Session, 1846, chap. xxx., 265 section.

BN. ¥. Hist. Soc. Pro- 1844,101. Ossin in the Chippeway denotes ‘*a stone,” and Ossineen
‘tstones.” Trans. Amer. Antig. Soc. vol. ii., 70.

to

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

this treaty might be plotting mischief against the Christians, then they
will give to them timely warning, and not admit such a nation within
their own limits. To secure and confirm this peace, presents were
given on both sides, while God is prayed that this peace may be duly
observed by the savages. @

30 August, 1645. Aepjen, chief sachem of the Mohegans personally
appeared at Fort Amsterdam, as a delegate to the general council held
there, in behalf of the Wappinecks, the Weekquaesqueecks, the Sint
Sings and the Kicktawancks. ?

In the year A. D., 1663, the Sint Sings appear to have been without
a chief. ¢

Between the Indian village of Sin-sing and the Kitchawanck, (Croton,)
the early Dutch maps place another Indian settlement, called in Van -
der Donck’s map of 1656, Kestaubuiuck ; in that of Nicholaus Johannes
Visschers, 1659, Kestauboiuck. 4

“Along the East shores of the Tappan, says Mr. Schoolcraft, is the
village of Kastoniuck, (a term still surviving in the opposite village of
Niuck or Nyack.) The name of Nyack does not occur, continues the
same authority, in records of the earliest period for the position of the
present town, The word is found in an opposite Indian village of
Kastoniuck. ¢

The first grantee, under the Indians of Ossin—ing, was Frederick
Phillipse to whom on the 24th of August, 1685, they released “all of that
tract or parcel of land situate, lying, and being by the northermost part
of the land late purchased by Frederick Phillipse, and so running
alongst Hudson’s river to the creek or river called Ketchawan, and
called by the Indians Sint Sinck, with the use of half the said creek,
and from thence running up the country upon a due east line until it
comes to a creek called Niperan, by the Christians, Yoncker’s creek,
and so running alongst the said creek till it comes to the northerly
bounds of the said land of Mr. Frederick Phillipse, and from thence
alongst the said land till it comes to Hudson’s river, together with, &c.,
&c. The grantors were

WESKENANE, CRAWMAN, WapPPUS,
KEANARHAM, WEUNICKTANON, AQUAINES,

MAMANNANE, WEREMENHORE.

a Alb. Rec. ii. 220.

Bb O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N. p. 356.

c Alb. Rec. xxi, 247.

d See map attachment to the new series of the N. Y. Hist. Soc. vol. i.; also Dutch map,
printed by Thomas Starling, Wilmington Square, London, from the original in the possession
of 8. Converse, publisher, N. Y.

e Proceedings of N. Y. Hist. Soc, 1844.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. 3

Here followeth the schedule or particular of the goods paid by the
grantee for the above said lands.

50 feet of black wampum, 12. blankets,
too. 6 do..-—s white wampum, 12 fathom of stroudwater,

II kettles, 5olb. of powder,

12 larger ditto. 30 bars of lead,

15 fathom of trade cloth, 20 axes,

ro guns, 15 hoes,

15 shirts, 40 knives,

12 pair of stockings, 20 stone jugs
2 ankers of rum, I iron chain,

12 drawing knives, 2 rolls of tobacco,
6 adz’s, 2 pistols. %

This Indian purchase was confirmed to his son Phillip Philipse by
royal patent, dated 12th January, 1686, under the hand and seal of
his Excellency, Thomas Dongan, Governor of the Province.

“For all that land situate upon Hudson river to the northward of
land purchased by Frederick Phillpse, and reaches to Kitchawan creek,
(Croton,) and is called by the Indians Sinck Sinckes, which is to run
upon an east line to Bronx river, the northerly bounds thereof to be
Kitchawan creek. And whereas the aforesaid Philip Philipse hath by
virtue of the said license, and by my approbation, according to the law
and practice of this goverment, for a valuable consideration purchased
of the natives and Indian owners all their right, title and interest, claim
and demand, of, in and to a certain tract or parcel of land, being a part
of the land aforementioned within the aforesaid license, and situate and
being by the northernmost part of the land purchased by Mr. Frederick
Phillipse of the city of New York, merchant, and so running alongst:
Hudson’s river to a certain creek or river called Kitchawan, and from
thence running along the said creek two English miles, and from thence
running up the country upon a due east line till it comes to a creek
called Niperan, by the Christians Yoncker’s creek, and so running
along the said creek until it comes to the northerly bounds of the said
lend of Frederick Phillipse, from thence along said land until it comes
to Hudson river, as by the Indian deed of sale thereof, bearing date
13th of August, A.D., 1685.”

On the death of Frederick Philipse, A. D., 1700, this portion of the
Manor of Phillipsburgh passed by will to his second son Adolphe
Philipse; who dying without issue in 1749, it became vested in his
nephew, the Hon. Frederick Philipse, son of his eldest brother, Philip

a Alb. Book of Pat. v. 90.

4 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Philipse. The last mesne lord was Colonel Frederick Philipse, with
whose attainder these lands expired in the Philipse family.

The subsequent proprietors who purchased under the commissioners
of forfeitures, were the Wards, Orsers, Cranks, Bazelies, Ackers, Purdys,
Merritts, McCords, Bishops, Balyeas, Storms, Jones, Millers, Ryders,
and others.

The village of Sing Sing, is remarkable for the beauty of its situation ;
in which respect, it is hardly surpassed by any of the river towns.
Spreading on the delightful banks of the Hudson it rises gradually to a
height of one hundred and eighty feet above tide water overlooking the
magnificent scenery of the Tappan Bay, near its confluence with the
Croton. A beautiful ravine intersects the village, running nearly east
and west, through which flows a pretty stream called the Sin Sinck run,
or Kill brook. These waters rise among the hills east of the village,
and after giving animation to numerous picturesque scenes, empty into
the Hudson, near the vincinity of the upper dock. The course of this:
brook, a mile above the village, is marked by some singular phenomena.
Among these are the Devil’s stairs, formed in the face of a perpendicular
rock 60 feet high, consisting of 16 steps. This extraordinary freak of
nature is best seen from the south-west bank of the ravine. Directly
beneath the stairs in the rocky bed of the river, are some rude marks
closely resembling the prints of horses shoes. These, however, are only
visble at low water. Immediately to the south, and almost close to the
waters edge, is situated the Indian cave. The rocks of the same region
abound in copper ores, such as copper pyrites, black sulphuret of copper,
and green carbonate of copper ; likewise iron pyrites; but they are not
found in such abundance as to warrant any extensive operations.

North-east of the village is the Dale Cemetery, incoporated January
17, 1851, with about fifty acres improved ; it has twelve trustees. The
first president, Aaron Ward; vice-president, Marlborough Churchill;
treasurer, S. Lockwood ; secretary, Geo. E. Stanton.

The following monuments are to be found there:

This was the first interment :

Ixy Memory
of
REY. JACOB GREEN,
for 27 years Pastor of the
Presbyterian Church of Bedford,
Westchester County.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-—ING,

Private Chaplain of the
Sing Sing Prison,
Born Aug. 13, 1790,
Died Oct. 25, 1851.

Aged 61 years.

In the work of the
Gospel Ministry he spent
a devoted and useful life
He endured unto the end
He fought a good fight
He finished his course

with joy
Mark the perfect man
and behold the upright
for the end of that man
is peace, xxxvii Psalm, xxxvii.

Front.
Here Repose
The Mortal Remains
of

ABRAHAM HY A TT,

one of that Band
of

Incorruptible Patriots

who achieved the

Independence of their Country
and transmitted
to their Posterity
The Fairest Form of Government

That Human Wisdom

can devise.

West End.

This ardent and devoted friend of American Independence, entered the army
in 1776, as a Second Lieutenant with a Commission from John Hancock; and in
1779, by a Commission from John Jay; under these Commissions he was ever

found at the post of danger, and faithfully served the Country until the close of
tse Revolutionary struggle.

U1

6 : HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

South Hnd.
EREOTED
to the
Memory
ot
ABRAHAM HYATT
by
His surviving children
and
Grand children
A.D. 1857.

North Side.
He Deparrep Tuts LIFE
June 380th, 1820,
Aged 73 years and 13 days.

«The setting of his evening sun
Was like the fading of a summer's day
That sinks through cloudless glory to repose.”

Here, also, repose
the mortal remains
of
SARAH RIDER,
the wife of ABRAHAM Hyatt,
who died
June 14th, 1805,
aged 55 years,
3 months and 13 days.

ANN

Wife of Abram Hyatt,
who departed this life
April 10th, 1856,

In the 43d year of her age.

‘Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth ; yea, saith the
spirit, that they may rest from their labours, and their works do follow them.”

‘6 Life’s Duty done, as sinks the clay,

Light from us Jead the spirit flies,
While heaven and earth combine to say,
How blest the righteous when he dies.”

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-—ING,

Lis Bo
Capt. CHARLES C. HYATT, WARD B. HYATT,
United States Army. Com. Lieut.
Born 6th New York Artillery.
Jany 5th, 1840, Died
Died Sept. 20, 1867,
October 5, 1867. Aged

26 years.

Act well your part—
There all the honor lies.

ANDREW KISSAM HOFFMAN, M.D.,
Born March 26, 1797,
Died May 5, 1871.
And
JANE THOMPSON,
his wife,
Born April 20, 1801,
Died February 11, 1876.
= At Rest.
Hope, Peace,
Rest.

CATHERINE WARD,
Wife of

M. L. Coss,
Born Feb. 6, 1820,
Died March 25, 1871.
‘He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

ANNIE A,

Wife of
Harry CoNgELLy,
Died October 26, 1878.
My Darling Wife,

THE GRAVE OF
CHARLES 'YOE

And MARY, His Wife.

8 HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER.

CHARLES YOE,

Wied Jany 25, 1853,
Aged 77.

MARY YOE,
Died March 31, 1837,
Aged 55.

AARON WARD,
Died
Feb. 27, 1867,
Aged
76 years 7 months and 22 days,

“ If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep
in Jesus, will God bring with him.”

AARON WARD,
And
MARY L. WATSON,
His Wife.
MARY L., wife
Of Aaron Warp,
Who departed this life
May Ist, 1858,
In the 55th year of her age.
Sacred to the memory of the dead—
She is not dead, she cannot die,

A Christian left this vale of woe,
An angel lives on high.

Franoes died October 10, 1827, aged 3 years and 7 months; Loursa Ooravia
died in August, 1838, aged 5 months ; Etizanera Matooim died September 25th,
1841, aged 11 months and 16 days; Cuartes Watson, January 22, 1850, aged 16
years and 26 days, children of Aaron and Mary L, Warp.

In
Memory of

LIEUT. SAMUEL YOUNG,

Who served during the Revolutionary war in
CoLONEL WEISENFEL’S
Regiment of Infantry,

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-—ING. : 9

And
Won for himself the reputation
Of a brave and gallant
Officer.

‘* He was elected a member of the
State Legislature, and for several
years held the office of Surrogate

of
Westchester County.”
Born Dec. 4, 1760,
Died Sept. 12, 1839.
In the 79th year of his age.

This monument is erected by
Major General Aaron Warp,
2d Div. of New York 8. M.,
In testimony of his high appreciation
of the services of a brave officer and a
true patriot.

The site of the present village of Sing Sing, is supposed to occupy
partly the ground on which stood the ancient Indian settlement of Sing
Sing, nearly two hundred years since. The existence of Indian habita-
tions upon this particular spot, is amply proved by the vast number of
shell beds, arrow heads and stone axes, still found in the neighborhood.
Adrian Van der Donck, in his Dutch map before alluded to, styles the
place Sin Sing; the same name now in use, with the exception of the
single letter “g.”

At an early period, Sing Sing appears to have been a favorite landing-
place for shipping the various marketable produce raised in the interior.

There are several landings, from which numerous steam-boats and
vessels are constantly plying to and from the City of New York; a dis-
tance of thirty-three miles.

This village was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, passed
A.D. 1813; afterwards amended May 15, 1837. ‘The population of
the village of Ossin-ing is (by the last census) about 6,800, without the
convicts, which number about 1,500 more. It contains one national
bank—president, C. F. Maurice; and one savings’ bank—president, G.
B. Hubbel. The village contains, also, several academies and schools.
Among the former is the Mount Pleasant Academy, situated in State
Street. This institution was first founded by the inhabitants, A.D.
1814, and was incorporated on the 24th of March, 1820, and subse-

ae) HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

quently received a charter from the Regents of the University. The
location of the school is beautiful. The course of study varies, as the
pupil is intended for commercial or professional life. The Bible is a
standard class-book of the institution, and is used by every member.

Belonging to the institution is a well selected and valuable library of
12,000 volumes ; to this the pupils have frequent access. The pupils
are under the wholesome and effective discipline of a mild but decidedly
military system. The exercises in this department consist of infantry
and artillery drills, target practice, and fencing with small and broad
swords. The Sabbath is strictly regarded as a day of rest; and the
pupils are required to attend some place of worship with their teachers.
The number of the pupils is limited. The principals are Messrs. Benja-
min and Allen.

Ossin-ing Institute for Young Ladies stands in a retired part of the
village, and in the midst of large well shaded grounds. The building,
which is unusually attractive and home-like, commands some of the
finest river views that can be obtained at any point along the Hudson.
The institution aims to combine superior educational advantages, with
the choicest home influences.. A symmetrical development of the physi-
cal, intellectual and moral powers, is constantly sought as the best pos-
sible preparation for future usefulness in life ; and the aquisition of that
wisdom, the beginning of which is “the fear of the Lord,” is held to be
supremely important. The principal is the Rev. C. D. Rice, A.M.

Occupying a very conspicuous situation, above the rest of the village,
stands St. John’s School. This school for boys succeeded the admirable
work inaugurated on the same spot, and in the same building, by Mr.
M. Churchill, a quarter of a century before, and from which he retired
in 1869. The Rev. I. Breckenridge Gibson, D.D., now rector and
principal, purchased the property on Mr. Churchill’s withdrawal, and
changed the name. For more than thirty years he has been engaged in
Christian education; and by Christian education he means “the whole
work of fitting body, mind and soul, for the duties of this life, and for
the happiness of that which is to come.”

The location is about 250 feet above the level of the noble Hudson ;
commanding one of the finest views of that river, from the Highlands on
the north, to the Palisades on the south. The advantages of the posi-
tion, as regards accessibility, beauty and healthfulness, could hardly be
surpassed. The building is of brick; ample in its dimensions; erected
and arranged with great care and regard for the comfort, convenience
and safety of his pupils. The grounds (about six acres) afford abundant
room for those games and sports which are so essential to the happiness

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. II

of boys, and to the development of physical health. Both of the above
named objects are also attained by a gymnasium, provided for their use,
and by the neighboring hills and country, over which they are allowed
to roam under certain necessary restrictions, and within certain limits,

Near the centre of the village, is situated the Episcopal church of St.
Paul’s, a beautiful Gothic structure of Sing Sing marble. Beneath the
body of the edifice is an extensive basement, containing lecture, vestry

St. Paul’s Church, Sing Sing.

and robing rooms. Above the tower entrance, a neat escutcheon bears
the following inscription :
ST. PAUL’S
CHURCH
A.D.
MDCCCXXXYV.

The interior is neat and appropriate. The altar and font are of
polished marble, richly carved; the latter presented by Miss Ludlow. »

The communion service, consisting of a flagon, two chalices and
paten, were the gift of Mrs. Jacob Arthur. The tower contains a large
bell manufactured by “A. Meneely, West Troy, N. Y., 1835,” weight,
t5oolb. It was purchased by the vestry at a cost of four hundred and
fifty dollars. The deep tones of this powerful bell can be heard for
many miles, over the adjoining hills.

‘* As wave on waye, the tide of sound
Fills the bright atmosphere.” —Christmas Bells.

12 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The corner stone of this church was laid by the Right Rev. B. T.
Onderdonk, November 6th, 1834, in the presence of a large concourse
of people; on which occasion an address was delivered by the Rev.
Edward N. Mead, Deacon, minister of the parish. The Rev. Peter S.
Chauncey, A. B., then a Deacon, minister of Christ church, Rye, in this
county was also present and assisting. In the stone were deposited a
Bible and Book of Common Prayer, as an evidence that the church is
spiritually founded upon “apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner stone ;” also the canons of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church in the United States of America, journals of the General
and Diocesan Conventions, with other journals and pamphlets, together
with a glass bottle closed and sealed, containing among many other -
things a parchment, on which was the following inscription :

Sr. Pavi’s Caurcu, IxcorporatED NovEMBER 111TH, 1833.
Rey. Epwarp Narnanret Mrap, A.M., Rector.

GeorGE W. CartwriGut AND CaLeB Bacon, Church-wardens.
JOHN Srrane, PerErR R. Matson, Wittr1am Danrsveg, JAcos C. ARTHUR.
JouN Sine, Jonn Bartow, JoserH Hunt, AnD Roper1 WitseE, Vestrymen.
Joun Suirn, Olerk of the Vestry.

Samuet C. Nicnots, Superintendent of the Sunday School.

Mrs. Joun Srrane, Superintendent of the Female Department.
CARMAN NicHozs, Secretary; RoBErtTWIxtTsE, Treasurer.

Joun Bartow, Librarian.

Jacos C. Artuur, JosEPpH Hunt, George W. CartwriGHr.
JOHN STRANG AND JouN Sine, Building Comimittec.

Lepyarp H. Hatsey, Builder.

CALVIN Pottarp, Architect.

Patt McCorp, Superintendent.

On Wednesday, July 6th, 1836, it was consecrated and set apart to
the worship and service of Almighty God, under the title of St. Paul’s
church, by the Rev. B. T. Onderdonk, Bishop of the Diocese.

From the church records we extract the following memoranda, 3rd
October, 1833, “A meeting of Episcopalians residing in this village and
vicinity, was held at the house of Mr. Caleb Bacon, who resolved to
form themselves into a society for the purpose, under Divine favor and
assistance, of forming a church in said village; and that we will com-
municate with our Episcopal friends and neighbors on the subject, and
urge by our best efforts their co-operation in the good work.” This is
signed by George W. Cartwright, William Darjue, John Barlow, C.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. 13

Bacon and John Strang; they also agreed to write to the Rev. Mr. Jel-
liff of North Salem, who has expressed “a wish to aid in establishing a
church with us”

Previous to this date there had been occasional services held at some
private house, when a clergyman of the Church happened to be in the
village or vicinity.

November 11th, 1833, the first election of officers took place.

December 4th and 5th, 1833, “it was resolved to memorialize the
rector, church-wardens and vestry of Trinity church, New York, for aid
by funds in the erection of a church edifice. In this memorial, which
was presented by James Smith, Esq., the petitioners state, among other
matters, ‘‘ That some years past an old Episcopal church in this neigh-
borhood, at New Castie,* (of wood) falling to decay, its congregation
was broken up, and some of the descendents of its members have be-
come Quakers, notwithstanding portions of them have until lately ad-
hered to the forms of the Episcopal Church ; and your memoralists en-
tertain a hope that with the blessing of Divine Providence, by the means
of the establishment of a church at Sing Sing, many of the descendants
of this ancient congregation may be brought back to our Church, &c.”
Trinity church nobly responded to this call by an appropriation of $2000,
the remainder being raised by public subscription. ~

On the first Thursday of October, 1834, this church was admitted in-
to union with the convention of the diocese.

In 1864, the rectory was built at a cost of $11,000 of brick.

In 1870, the spire was built through the instrumentality of M. L.
Cobb, Esq., and the stained glass windows through the exertion of the
Rey. James I. Helm, D.D.

LIST OF RECTORS.

CALL OR INSTIT. MINISTERS.

July 7, 1836 Rey. Epwarp N. Meavg, A.M., Presb.

Dec. 16, 1839 Rey. Coarites Henry HatseEy, Presb.

Oct. 16, 1846 Rey. CHArres Tomes, Presb.

Dec. 20, 1847 Rey. Wiri1am F. Hatsey, Presb.
March 8, 1857 Rey. I. Henry Brack, Presb.

Nov. 1, 1863 Rey. James I. Herm, D.D,, present incumbent.

In 1868, a secession of a portion of the members of St. Paul's church
formed a second Episcopal church, known as Trinity church, and pur-
chased the brick Presbyterian church for their place of worship, at a cost

a St. George’s church, New Castle.

I4 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of $16,000. ‘They removed the galleries and built a recess chancel, and
otherwise improved the church, both internally and externally.

The Rev. Clarence Buel was called and accepted the rectorship July
30, 1868. On December 12, 1871, the Rev. George W. Ferguson was
called and accepted the rectorship, and is the present incumbent. The
parish is entirely free from debt ; it has purchased a plot of land on the
Highland avenue, 130 feet by 200 deep, as a site for a new church edi-
fice. The cost of this land was $14,500.

The Methodist Episcopal church is a plain building of wood, fronting
on Main street, erected A.D. 1817. The Methodist Society was first
formed in this town, through the exertions of the Rev. Messrs. Cornelius
Cook and Peter Moriorty, in 1787, who occasionally performed services
here when on their route to the Croton. The earliest class meetings
were organized in the valley beyond Sand Sutton’s, and the vicinity of
Scrabble street. The first class leader appears to have been Joshua Ry-
der, who afterwards became a local preacher. Adjoining the church, is a
neat parsonage and lot.

A building committee, for a new church, was appointed March 22,
1851, and the church was completed in 1853. May 1, 1873, alot fora
new church was purchased on Highland avenue for $13,500. It was
commenced in 1877, and is expected to cost $55,000.

The Baptist Society in this place was first organized November 12,
1790; achurch was erected A.D. 1834, to which is attached a small
burial ground. The present church edifice was completed in 1874, and
the parsonage in 1850.

LIST OF PASTORS OF THE BAPTIST CHURCH, SING SING.

NAME, DATE OF CALL.
JoHN KIrcHeEn, 1796.
Evisan WHEELER, 1799.
THOMAS STEPHENS, 1801.
STEPHEN 8. Netson, 1802.
Jacos H. Brouner, 1814.
Pb rar, 1828.
T. C. F. Frey, 1830.
JOHN PUBIES, 1833.
C. C. WILtiAMs, 1825:
Wm. M. Doorirttez, 1839.
Sipvey A. Cory, 1841.
Witt C. Looxeg, 1843.
B. C. Morse, 1844.
ALonzo WHEELOCK, 1848.
W.S. MIKEts, 1850.
R. J. W. Bucktann, 1857.
L. J. Marrison, 13864.
JAMES Boxer, 1869.
A. D. Girerre, D.D., 1874.

N. R. Everts, 1879.—present pastor.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. 15

At a meeting of the Dutchess County Presbytery, convened at Bed:
ford, June 28th, 1863, a petition signed by a number of the inhabitants
of Sing Sing was laid before that body, requesting the Presbytery to
supply them with the stated and regular preaching of the Gospel;
whereupon the Presbytery appointed the Rev. Mr. Smith to supply them
on the first Sabbath of August and October, and the Rev. Mr. Peck on
the first Sabbath of September. At various times onward, until the year
1768, we find the people of Sing Sing making application to the Pres-
bytery to provide them with occasional preaching ; until, at a meeting of
Presbytery, held at Salem on the 30th of August, 1768, we find an ap-
plication from a joint committee, appointed by the congregations of
White Plains and Sing Sing, asking advice from the Presbytery as to a
proper person to preach alternately at the above named places, with a
view to settling among them as their minister. At this date the Rev.
Ickbbod Lewis became the successor of the Rev. John Smith, in the
church at White Plains and Sing Sing. At or near this time, the first
Church edifice was erected; having for its site what is now known as
the old burying-ground at Sparta, about a mile and a half south of the
village of Sing Sing. The land was originally given by Col. Phillips, the
proprietor of the manor. The gift was three acres, set apart and
donated for the use of a church; and when, after the war, the whole
manor property was confiscated and sold, the land held and occupied
for church and burial purposes was reserved from sale, and the claim of
the church fully recognized and confirmed.

The following is the copy of the Act, passed March 18, 1808, con-
firming the title of the church to the property :—

‘‘Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York. represented in the
Senate and Assembly, that all the right, title and interest of the people of this
State in and to a certain lot of ground heretofore allotted by Frederick Philips to
the trustees of the Presbyterian church and congregation of the town of Mount
Pleasant, in the County of Westchester, be and the same is hereby vested in said
trustees and their successors, to the use of the said church and congregation for-
ever.” :

The church edifice, which had been much injured during the war,
was repaired in 1778, and continued to be occupied as a place of wor-
ship until the year 1800; at which time it was decided to remove the
church to the village of Sing Sing. In 1798 Col. Moses Ward offered
the said church a lot on Pleasant Square, upon condition that the church
be removed to Sing Sing—which was accepted; and, in 1800, a church
edifice was built upon the said lot.

@ Gillet’s Hist., vol. I., p. 379.

16 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

This continued to be the place of worship until the year 1834; at
which time the building still standing on pleasant Square and occupied
by Trinity church, was erected.

In the year 1866, the trustees were authorized by the congregation to
purchase a suitable site for a new church edifice; in obedience to
which the present site was purchased, and a church built at the cost of ©
$100,000. The corner-stone was laid by the pastor, November sth,
1868, and the building consecrated May 24, 1870.

LIST OF MINISTERS AND SUPPLIES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH AT SING SING.

INSTALLED OR CALL. MINISTERS. VACATED BY.
2d Aug., 1798, Rey. Mr. Towntey, resig.

Pro. tem. 1814, Rey. THoMAs JACKSON, ee
1818, Rey. Asa Layman, Ut
1819, Rey. GEorGE Bourng, a
Pro temp. 1825, Rev. JOHNSON, =
1826, Rey. R. W. Dickerson, x
Pro temp. 1830, Rev. NarHanret 8. Prime, ef
Novemb’r 1832, Rey. James V. Henry, .
1842, Rey. Danret TEEsE,
1849, Rey. Joun P. Lunpy, .

1857, Rey. Witson PHRANER, present pastor.

The burial ground belonging to this church adjoins the site of the old
church edifice, about one mile and a half south of Sing Sing. One of
the principal monuments in this yard, is that of the Ladau family. It is
constructed of brick, and bears on one side four tombstones. Some of
the inscriptions are nearly obliterated.

In Memory oF
ANNA LADAT,
wife of ABraHAM LADAD,
who departed this life
December 25, 1795,
Aged 68 years, 11 mo. and 25 days,

Als, ABRAHAM LADATU, husband
of Anna Lapav, who departed
June 21st, —— —— years, 4 mo. and 5 days,

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. Bey

In MeMorRY OF
ABRAHAM LADAU,

son of ABRAHAM and ANN LADAUT,
was born A.D. September the 28th, 1767,
and departed this life Oct. the 21st, 1774,
Aged 7 years.

Here stop awhile; let pity draw

The sympathizing tear, if old thou art prepare to die,
If young—thyself in virtue train.

Here lies a son, and only son and heir ;

He lived admired, and while he lived,

Him good and just we hoped to see,

But death our hopes deceived.

Here all our joy and comfort lies;

Here lies our only darling son—

He fell to death a sacrifice,

Scarce had his glass began to run:

His soul is flown to mansions of the just—

To that great God in whom we weep and trust.

Here LyEetu THE Bopy oF
SARAH LADATU, born in the year 1750,
April 26th,
who departed this life August 15, 1764,
aged 5 years and 7 mo. and 11 days,
daughter of Apranam and Anna Lapav.

In Memory oF
DANIEL LADAU, who was born

in the year of our Lord, 1694,
and departed this life Nov. the 5th, aged 73.

In Memory OF
MARY LADAU, who was born

in the year of our Lord, 1695,
and departed this life May 11, 1775, aged 78.

There are also memorials of Moses Ward, William Kemeys, Henry
Roscoe, Enoch Crosby, and others. The Roman Catholics occupy the
brick building formerly used as a Reformed Dutch Church, situated
on the property of Mr Albertus.

There are several hotels in the village, which afford excellent ac-
commodation for travellers: 2 File Works; x Cotton-gin Manufactory ;

18 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

1 Manufactory -of Cotton-gin Saws; and Brandreth’s Pill Factory.
Four weekly newspapers are issued from this place, entitled the Zhe
Hudson River Chronicle, The Republican, The Standard,and The Reg-
ister.

A number of handsome residences adorn the higher g ames of the
village. Among others may be noticed the mansion of the late Maj. Gen.
AaronWard,* who for a number years represented this district in Congress,
and also that of Mr. H. J. Baker. General Ward holds a part of the patri-
monial: estate which covered nearly the whole southern portion of the
village, his father the late Moses Ward, Esq.,2 having been one of the
original purchasers under the commissioners of forfeitures in 1785. At
this early period there were but three dwelling houses in Sing Sing, one
of which (an old stone mansion, used as a fortress to defend the settlers
against the Indians,° ) was the residence of Mr. Ward. ‘This family
descends from Richard Ward of Fairfield, Connecticut. Gen. Ward’s
residence is a fine bnilding of Sing Sing marble, presenting a neat Ionic
portico to the river, with wings.on either side. The interior is embelished
with several excellent pictures by native artists, viz., Falls of Niagara.
by Vanderlyn ; St. Nicholas, by Weir; Boy hoeing corn, by Mount;
Village of Sing Sing, by Havel; Gipsey Girl, by Freeman; View in
New Hampshire, by Doughty; Girl and Child, by Chapman. The
family portraits are by Ames, Vanderlyn, and Gilbert.

One of the most striking features of this hilly region is the romantic
ravine (already alluded to) intersecting the village; both sides of it are
bounded by steep acclivities covered with a luxuriant growth of hemlock
and spruce, and near -its mouth the banks rise to a height of one hun-
dred feet above the bed of the stream. In the vicinity of Brandreth’s
mill the Croton aqueduct crosses this ravine by means of a handsome
arch constructed of solid masonry, in the most durable manner. The
space between the abutments is 88 feet, and the rise from the bottom
of the creek is about 100 feet. So securely were the foundations of this
noble structure laid, that upon the removal of the uprights the whole
work settled but one inch. It was erected under the superintendence
of Mr. Young, engineer of the works; commenced May, 1838, and com-
pleted October, 1840.

Near the village landing are situated the green-houses of C. F. Klun-
der, the florist. In the vicinity of Sing Sing the shores of the Croton

a During the last war with Great Britain General Ward held a capiain’s commission in the
United States service, and at the close of it conducted a battalion of 700 British prisoners

ear cid eeineh a oisinet Ok Daneel Drake of the Continental army.

c The old stone fortress stood a little cast of Mr. R. K. Forster's dwelling house.
d See Eastchester, p. 159.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. 19

bay are decked with numerous country seats. The first property south
of the Croton in this town is that of the late Col. Joseph Hunt, whose
family purchased of the commissioners in 1784. The next place in
succession is the old McChain estate lately owned by Thomas Oliver,
Esq., now owned by O. B. Potter. The house is prettily situated on a
finely wooded point, at the extremity of which lies a great rock, com-
monly called Frank’s rock, near a gigantic tree where a white or bald
headed eagle has for a long series of years built her nest.

Adjoining the above on the south is the Albert Orser property, now
Thos. Hand’s. It was in the old Orser residence that a body of Con-
tinental troops, under the command of Capt. Daniel Williams, were sur-
prised by a superior force of British cavalry, led by Capt. Bearmore ;
the circumstances attending the event are thus related by an eye-witness.
During the winter of 1782, Capt. Daniel Williams (who had been for
some time stationed at Croton in command of the American guard upon
the lines,) undertook, with a small party of dragoons, a foraging expedi-
tion into the neighborhood of Morrisania. Success had attended the
enterprise, and they were thus far on their way homeward when they
halted to refresh themselves. Not apprehending pursuit, they neglected
to post guards, and the road leading from the highway being hidden by
a small knoll which rose directly in front of the windows, they were not
aware of an enemy’s approach until nearly surrounded by Capt. Bear-
more and his dragoons,

The confusion that ensued, may be imagined. Some of the Americans
were cut down within and about the house ; others rushed along the steep
bank to the river, which was frozen, their enemies following in hot pur-
suit. Several were slain upon the ice; among the latter, was George
McChain. Capt. Williams himself fled down the adjoining bank, closely
followed by a British dragoon, who was gaining fast upon him, when he
suddenly checked his horse, and, as his pursuer (unable to stop) dashed
by him, rose in his stirrups and dealt a back handed blow with his
sword, which brought the dragoon to the ground. He also succeeded
in capturing his adversary’s horse, with which he arrived safe at head-
quarters.

In the same neighborhood are the estates of the late John Strang and
General Sandford.

Nearer the village are situated the residences of Benjamin Brandreth
and Philip van Wyck, both delightfully embosomed in trees, and com-
manding extensive views of the river. The latter contains some fine
portraits of the Van Cortlandt family, viz., Philip Van Cortlandt, son of
Stephanus van Cortlandt, first lord of the manor of Cortlandt, artist un-

20 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCEHSTER.

known ; Catherine De Peyster, wife of Philip; the Hon. Pierre van
Cortlandt, by Jarvis; and General Philip van Cortlandt, by the same.
Philip van Wyck, Esq., is the son of the late Theodosius van Wyck, by
his wife Catherine, daughter of the Hon. Pierre van Cortlandt.

A short distance north of Mr. Brandreth’s pill manufactory is situated
Craw-bucky point; literally, crab-cove point. The adjoining beach was
once famous for its shad fishery ; four thousand have been taken at one,
lift.

On the margin of the river are two deep grooves, apparently chiselled
in a hard gneiss rock. These marks indicate the commencement of the
two mile dine of the manor of Philipsburg, which, according to the royal
patent,* extended two miles north from the mouth of the Croton, until it
struck the southern line of Cortlandt manor. In an old “map of the
township of Bedford, Stamford, Greenwich, the North river, and Keight-
awank or Croton’s river, by a survey, April the 6th, &c, 1763, by
Charles Webb, surveyor,” two spots are marked. First, “the station
fixed by Cortlandt at the sand beach to measure up the river.” This
lies nearly mid-way between the Sing Sing brook and the next stream to
the north. Secondly, a “rock four chains and sixty links north of the
brook,” (the first stream above the Sing Sing brook,) “fixed by Bedford
committee to begin to measure up the river.”

Mining operations were formerly carried on to a considerable extent
in Sing Sing, under the flattering idea that silver ore existed here ; the
old shafts sunk for this object are still visible. The following entries in
the Secretary of State’s office, refer to these mines :—

No. 54.]
Streruen Lyon, Westchester County, town of Mt.
Pleasant, about 100 rods south of
the discoverers dock, and about 80
rods south of the farmers dock
at Sing Sing landing, upon lands
of John F. Marsh, (gold and silver.) Nov. 14, 1820. 41 204.

No. 57.]

Srepnen Lyon, Westchester County, town of Mt. Pleasant,
additional vein south of the mine,
which is now on file, extending 1 mile
south of said mine, (gold and silver.) Jan. 30, 1824. 41 296.

Galena has been obtained here in small specimens, as well as several
ores of copper—one specimen of the latter yielding from fifty to seventy-

a See Patent of Philipsburg. The same kind of mark is found near the division line, be-
tween the townships of Yonkers and Greenburgh; both of them are probably Indian lines.
b From the original map in the possession of the Hon. William Jay, Bedford.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING, 21

five per cent.; also iron pyrites. Sulphuret of zinc, and oxide of mang-
anese occasionally occur in the lime-stone rock. ‘Sing Sing is also cel-
ebrated for its marble quarries, which are worked to a great extent by
the State prison convicts—who have here erected two large prisons, a
keeper’s house, and several ranges of work-shops, from materials found
on the State farm.” The marble found in this vicinity is the dolomitic
or white coarse grained, of excellent quality, and almost inexhaustible ;
large quantities are annually quarried and sent to the city of New York
and other places.

The Mount Pleasant State Prison, situated about half a mile south
of the village of Sing Sing, is thirty-three miles north of New York City ;
it contains about 1,500 convicts. The prison grounds used to consist
of 130 acres of land, lying between the villages of Sparta and Sing Sing,
bounded on the east by the Highland turnpike, and on the west by the
Hudson river ; since which time the land has been sold, and but a few
acres retained. An Act of the Legislature, passed March, 1824, author-
ized the building of a new State prison in the first and second senatorial
districts, with commissioners appointed for the purpose; they selected
the present site, owing to its exhaustless bodies of marble, its healthy
situation, and its accessibility by water. It was completed in 1829,
when it contained eight hundred cells; it has been enlarged, and now
contains one thousand cells. In 1828 the convicts then in the old
State prison, in the city of New York, were removed to Sing Sing; and
the old city prison was abandoned.

Zion Hill, a mile below the prison, the property of Mr. Peter Weath-
erby, is famous as being the scene of Matthias’ impositions; this was
the property of Henry R. Runson.

A few Revolutionary incidents connected with Sing Sing deserve to
_ be recorded here.

In the year 1774, a regiment under the commard of Colonel James,
(director of the silver mines in this place,) was stationed at Sing Sing.
Upon the breaking out of hostilities it was ordered to Boston.

Some days previous and subsequent to the memorable battle of
White Plains, the British vessels of war—consisting of the Tartar, Roe-
buck and Phcenix—lay off Sing Sing.

“On the 28th of October, 1799,” observes General Heath, ‘‘ Captain
Hopkins of the dragoons took the Captain of the 4e//ona transport, a
serjeant and corporal of the 64th British regiment, and two seamen who
had ventured too far on the shore near Sing Sing.” #

a Heath’s Mem. 214,

22 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

There is still preserved in the village a small cannon, well known by
the cognomen of ‘Old White,” which is said to have been the identical
piece fired at the sloop of war Vudture, as she lay off Teller’s Point, on

the morning of September 22, 1780.

*“No sooner (remarks the biographer of Arnold,) had the parties
(Arnold and André) arrived at Smith’s house than a cannonade wes
heard down the river. It was discovered to be against the Vu’vure,
which, although distant several miles, was in full view, and for sorse time
seemed to be on fire.

“Tt had been reported to Colonel Livingston by messengers from
Tellers Point, that the vessel was so near the shore as to be within
reach of cannon-shot, and that the inhabitants were likewise apprehen-
sive boats would land and commit depredations. Colonel Livingston
accordingly sent from Verplanck’s Point a party with canon, who fired
upon the Vu/ture and compelled her to remove from the position she
had held during the night, and drop farther down the river, till she was
beyond the reach of the shot. André beheld the scene from the
windows of Smith’s house with anxious emotion. At length the firing
ceased, and he then resumed his wonted spirits and composure.” He
was in an upper apartment of Smith’s house, on the opposite side of the
river.

On every anniversary of the Fourth, ‘‘Old White” emerges from his
lurking place, and is paraded through the streets in triumph.

Mrs. Sussanna Ryder was a God fearing woman. On one occasion
when a company of soldiers had their quarters at her husbands’, Jacob
Ryders barn, one of them deserted; he was retaken, tried and con-
demned to be hung. The gallows was prepared near the house, she
immediately went to the commanding officer and begged for his life;
he became angry, and raised a stick to strike her. She then went into
her chamber and earnestly prayed God to interfere, and incline the offi-
certo mercy ; when she returned she found the soldier had been reprieved
ed, and the officer came and saluted her.

Twice she walked from Sing Sing to New York to get pins and
needles and spelling-books for her own family and for her neighbors,
passing through the lines of the British without being molested, and
returning in safety.

A person by the name of John Arthur bought a farm about three or
four miles north of Sing Sing, who had been a merchant in the city of
New York; he removed his family and goods from the city at the
outbreak of the rebellion for protection, and amongst the various

a Sparks’ Life of Benedict Arnold, 206.

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. 23

articles of trade was a quanity of tea and loaf-sugar—at that time a
great luxury, and very difficult to procure. It was soon noised abroad
among the neighbors, and many of the old Dutch settlers longed for
a share ; accordingly a party of fifty women organized themselves into a
raiding party, and appointed a day when and where to meet, and then
preceed to the farm, now called the Secor farm.

The day previous to the one fixed by this party, John Arthur set
out upon a journey from home on horseback; and when a little below
‘Tarrytown he saw a woman riding ahead, and putting spurs to his
horse soon overtook her, gave her the usual salutation, and entered
into conversation on general subjects; but the tea and sugar were
uppermost in her mind, and soon she asked him if he was going to join
the party. ‘“‘ There is one Arthur, she said, come up in the country above,
from New York—and has brought a fine lot of tea and sugar—and has
them in his house, and to morrow a number of us are going to make a
raid on his place.” “Ah! Ah!” said Arthur, “is that so?” He rode freely
along with her, until she had disappeared. Then he returned and rode
home, informing his family and consulted as to the best line of action.
They determined to bury the tea and sugar in the garden, and defend
themselves. ‘They therefore barricaded the doors and windows, armed
themselves, and determined to resist all intruders. Early the next
morning Mr. Arthur dispatched his oldest son on horseback to Jacob
Ryders, now known as Willett Ryders farm—and from the barn which
stood near the road he stationed himself, awaiting the advance of the
raiders; as soon as they appeared he rode home and gave the alarm.
They advanced twenty couple, riding two and two, with two men. One, a
Captain Owen, who lived, it is said, in Sleepy Hollow; the other was said
to be Abraham Van Tassel. They had their trouble for nothing, as
they found it impossible to gain admission into the house. There were
two Abraham Van Tassels that figure to a great extent in this section
of country; one was the father of the celebrated Katrina, in the Sleepy
Hollow legend ; one was called Brim Bones, the other Brom Bounce.
Others say that Mr. Arthur treated the whole party to plenty of punch
with abundance of sugar, and they all separated peacefully, without tast-
ing the tea.

The small but beautiful stone church, of All Saints, Briar Cliff, is situ-
ated at the junction of two roads, on a height behind Sing Sing, com-
manding one of the finest views along the whole length of the noble
Hudson. That beautiful river lies in the distance like a lake of ten
miles of extent, while the villages which dot its banks and the high
rocks which border its western shore and the plains and hills that lie

24 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

still beyond in the back ground, are spread out like a map beneath the
eye of the spectator, standing by the porch or bell gable of the building.
It seems, indeed, a house of prayer and praise set where the glorious
works of God are full in view to stimulate devotion. Struck with the
beauty of this spot, the late Rev. John Ogilby, D.D., had selected it as
a retreat for himself and family. ' Before his dwelling was completed,
the thought entered his mind, that a humble wayside sanctuary in which
he might officiate would prove a blessing to the neighborhood; by the
help of generous friends in the vicinity and elsewhere, he was enabled to
carry out the good work near to its completion, when disease interrupted
him and death stayed his hand. His friends knew that the use of the
church, if completed, would depend upon the family by whom the place

All Saints’ Church, Briar Cliff,

was occupied; Henry McFarlan, Esq., of New Jersey, offered to bear
the whole expense of its completion. The edifice was opened for divine
service Dec. 13,1854. All the windows are of stained glass. The chan-
cel window is intended as a memorial window to Dr. Ogilby, and bears
most beautifully inscribed upon it those three articles of the Creed, “I
Believe in the Communion of Saints, the Resurrection of the Body, and
Life Everlasting.” In the centre light of the Triplet are the Cross, the
emblems of the Communion, and the letters I. H. S. ; at the base of the
window is the inscription, “In Memoriam Funditoris.” This was the
gift of A. Beresford Hope, Esq., a noble layman of the Church of Eng-
land, and a warm friend of Dr. Ogilby. The font, one of the most
beautiful ever seen, was given to Dr. Ogilby by a devoted Christian

THE TOWN OF OSSIN-ING. 25

lady. ‘The Communion service was presented by a family of St. James’
church, Philadelphia, through the Rev. Dr. Morton.

The present rector is Rev. A. H, Gesner.

The village of Sparta is situated one mile south of Sing Sing.

The ancient boundary line of 1684, which divided the two colonies
of New York and Connecticut passed a short distance south of Sparta.“

The “Bishop Rocks,” so called from John Bishop, who purchased these
lands in 1785, lie one mile south of this place. They constitute a
portion of the Southern boundary of Ossin-ing. White point is a cele-
brated fishing place in the same neighborhood. ‘The surface of this
town is mostly hilly, soil productive and well cultivated.” There is also
a good proportion of interval and meadow land. ‘The principal streams
are the Sing Sing brook, and the Mill river or Pocanteco. The latter
has its source in New Castle, and was particularly described in the
account of that town.

The first independent election for town officers took place, April the
7th, 1789, upon which occasion the following persons were chosen for
the ensuing year.

Ewan Hunter, Supervisor.
Dantet Miter, Town Clerk,
NATHANIEL Tucker, Constable.

JOHN OAKLEY,

Moses Fow ter, 2

Jusse BAKER, snaanekink
James McCorp, J

ABRAHAM LE DuE .
James Requa, Overseer of the Poor.

NATHANIEL TUCKER,
JOHN BIsHoP, Commissioners.
Tsaao G. GRAHAM,

Tomas LAWRENCE, Collector.

ABRAHAM LE Dog, }
JOHN SHUTE, |
Isaao Van Wart,
James HAMMOND,
Jessiz BAKER,
Tuomas Dean,

Fence Viewers.

EBENEZER SCOFIELD,
Henry Van Wart, > Pound Masters.
RicHarp GarRRIson, )

a Three miles above Frederick Phillipse’s mills at. Sleepy Hollow. See Boundary Letters
Secretary of State’s office, Hartford, Conn., fol. ii. letter rid i ;

26 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Upon the erection of the present towns in 1845, the following officer
were chosen :

Josern Hunt, Supervisor.
GEORGE SHERWooD, Town Clerk.

CHARLES YOE,

Heyry Harris, :
Tomas Carrerats, (7 Ustices of the Peace.
WituiaM Pues.ey, J

Nrcnoras J. GREENE, Supt. of Common Schools.

CaLes SMITH, )
WILiiAM Orsor, + Assessors.
STEPHEN MARSHALL, )

JoHN RypeEr,
Epwarp J. BayLes, + Commissioners of Highways.
Davi C. Coprxeros, J

Witter Hormgs,

large
Wirriam Manean, 3} Overseers of the Poor.

ABRAHAM Mitter, Collector.

ABRAHAM MILLER, )
JAMES RyDER, ~ Constables.
JOHN ROMAINE,

First District.

CHaPLes YOE,

GEORGE SHERWOOD, \ Inspectors of Election.

Srconp District.

Wirram H. Prox,

Davin Mo Bern, i Inspectors of Election.

Tuomas E. Bripaer, Town Sealer.
Levi Peck, Pound Master.

ee OWN

OF

Sg = a DNS om SPs Bi

This town is enclosed on the East and North by the township of New
Rochelle, on the West by the Aqueanouncke or Hutchinson’s River,
which separates it from Eastchester, and on the South by the Manun-
ketesuck or Sound.

Prior to the Revolution, Pelham formed a portion of the old manor of
that name, which originally embraced nine thousand one hundred and
sixty-six acres.

The name itself is of Saxon origin, and compounded of the two words
Vel (remote) and Ham (mansion or dwelling. )#

**Zatit in Germany is written Hey and importeth as much as
Home now doth with us. Zpartit originally signifieth a coverture or
place of shelter, and is thence grown to signify one’s Home (as now
uncomposed we pronounce it) that is to say one’s birth-place or most
proper habitation. It is one of our greatest terminations of surnames,
as of Denham, for having his home or residence down in a valley. Of
Higham for the situation of his Haw or Home upon high ground ;
and accordingly of many others, distinguished one from another in like
manner upon one or other cause.”

In Soord, in Ham, in Len, and Cun,

The most of English surnames run.

(A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence in antiquities concerning the most noble
and renowned English nation. By the study and travel of R. W. (Richard Ver-
stegan) London, printed by T. Newcomb for Joshua Kirton at the King’s arms
in St. Paul’s church yard, 1655.)

a Pelham, the name conferred upon this town by the Pells ‘tis derived from the jordship of
Pelham, Herefordshire, England, where anciently stood a castle, the owner of which in 1265,
was ameréed in the then very large sum of forty pouuds for a contempt in not coming to an
inquest to be taken concerning a trespass of the Mint. This lordship of Pelham is recorded
to be part of the possessions of Walter de Pelham in 1292-3, and it is believed that his ances-
tors held it prior to the Conquest.”—Burke’s Peerage. a :

28 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCEHSTER.

“T am inclined,” says Camden, “ to favour the opinion of those who
fetch it (Belgce) from the old Gaulish tongue (which our Welsh in a
great measure keep entire) and who will have the Belgce so named from
Pel, i e. remote. For they were the remotest people in Gaul; and at
the greatest distance from the Roman province, &c. Brittania, or a
geographical description of Great Britain and Ireland, &c., by Will
Camden, Clarenceux, King at Arms, second edition by Edward Gibson,
D.D., Rector of Lambeth and now Bishop of Lincoln, &c., London M.
DCCIL., vol. I, p. 67.

It is very evident that the Pells were a younger branch of the illustri-
ous house of Pelham, which is evinced from the unerring testimony of
their descendants, bearing the same coat armour with additions and
not plain ; it being a standing rule in ancient times, as is well known to
all who are acquainted with the differences then used to distinguish the
Cadets from the principal branch of any family, that they either alter
their Tinctures or add Bordures, Orles, Bends, Chiefs, Cantons, &c., for
that purpose ; whence the Pelhams, who bore the coat plain and un-
altered, is proof that they were chief of the family.. The Pelhams bear-
ing the field azure, three pelicans arg, vulning themselves ppr. The
Pells by way of difference bearing the field ermine on a canton azure a
pelican or, vulning itself ppr. .

Like the greater part of Westchester County, it formed originally a
portion of the Indian terntory of Wykagy/, as laid down in the Dutch
carte of 1614. Its early inhabitants were a clan of the Mohegans or
“Enchanted Wolf Tribe,” called Siwanoys, whose possessions extended,
it is well known, from Norwalk to the neighborhood of Hell gate. The
latter place being their winter quarters. From the Indians this tract of
land, with others adjacent, passed to the Dutch West India Company
in 1640, as appears by the following: ‘In order to maintain the
charter of this company, Kieft, the Dutch governor, dispatched Secre-
tary Van Fienhoven, on the 1gth day of April, 1640, with instructions
to purchase the ‘ Archipelago’ or group of Islands at the mouth of the
Norwalk River, together with all the adjoining territory on the main
land,” “‘and to erect thereon the standard and arms of the high and
mighty Lords States General; to take the savages under our protection,
and to prevent effectually any other nation encroaching on our limits.”
These directions, we are assured, were fully executed; and the West
India Company thus obtained the Indian title to all the lands between
Norwalk and the North River. This sale was confirmed on the r4th of

a Hist. State of N. Y., by Broadhead, ist. period, 1909-1664. Alb. Rec. ii., 78, 147; De Lact
vili; Hazard ii, 213; O’Call , i., 215.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 29

July, 1649, when the Director General, Peter Styvesant, in behalf of
the same company, purchased ‘“‘ WECHQUAESQUEECK ”—which, like the
former grant, comprehended much of the present County of West-
chester—from the three Indian sachems “ Megtegichkama, Oteyschgue,
and Wegtakockken,”

On the day following the above conveyance to the Dutch, on the
zoth of April, 1640, we find an agreement betwixt Daniell Patricke and
Mahackem, and Naramake and Pemenat. Hewnompom, Indians of
Norwake and Makentouk, in which the latter conveyed to the former the
ground called Sacunyte Napucke, also Mecanworth ; thirdly, Asumsowis ;
fourthly, all the land adjoininge to the afore-mentioned, as farr up in the
country as an Indian can goe in a day from sun risinge to sun settinge and
twoe islands neare adjoininge to the sayed Carantenayneck, all bounded
on the west side with Noewanton, on the east side to the middle of the
river of Norwake, &c. Norwalk records Book of Deeds in the year
1672. Only two months prior to these sales Mahachemo, Sachem,
Tomakergo, Tokaneke, and Prosewamenos, Indians of Norwalke, con-
veyed to Roger Ludlow all the lands, &c., ‘‘ between the two rivers, the
one called Norwalke the other Soakatuck to the middle of sayed rivers,
from the sea a dayes walk into the country.”@

In the Summer of 1642, the widowed Anne Hutchinson, her son
Francis and her son-in-law, Collins, ‘‘ A young scholar full of zeal,” to
avoid the bitter persecutions of the Puritans, fled here for protection
and commenced a plantation.?

This Colony was situated on Pelham Neck formerly called ‘“ Annie's
ffoeck,” and was long distinguished as the “ Manor of Anne Hoock's
Neck,” and nearly adjoined the Dutch district of “ Vredeland” or the
“ Land of Peace.” ‘Yet no patent or ground-brief appears on record for
these lands, and why? for the simple reason that Mrs. Hutchinson was
cut off before the purchase had been completed. This is fully confirmed
by the testimony of Thomas Pell, the subsequent proprietors, given
before a Court of Assize, held in New York 29th of September 1665,
wherein he states “that he bought the land (Pelham and Westchester)
in question in the year 1654 of the natives and paid them for it. He
pleads his being a free denizen of England, and hath thereby liberty to
purchase in any of his Majesties dominions within which compass this
is. He alleges the fifth clause in the Kings treaty, sent over hither to
make for him, as declaring this land to be within his Majesties do-
~ @ Norwalk records Book of Deeds in the year 1672, 75 Alb. Rec. Lib. G. G., 323507,

b Neal, the Puritan Historian says that Anne Hutchinson ‘“‘removed with her family into
one of the Dutch Plantations called Hebgate.” WNeals’ Hist. of New England, vol. i, p. 178.

Chandler says: ‘the whole family of the Hutchinsons removed from beyond New Haven to
East Chester in the Territory of the Dutch.” Chandler's Crim. Trials, vol. i, p. 27.

39 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

minion; he saith the government and council of Connecticut took
notice of this land to be un ler their government, and that they ordered
magestratical power to be exercised at West Chester; and that he had
license from them to purchase. He pleads that where there is no nght
there can be no dominion ; so no patent could be granted by the Dutch,
they having no nght. Several ftestimonys were read to prove that ye
Indians questioned Mr. Cornell’s and other plantations there about not
paying for these lands, which was the occasion of their cutting them off
and driving away the inhabitants; but the defendant hath payed a
valuable consideration to the natives.”

Here, is a flat denial on the part of Pell, supported by the authorities
of New England, that the Dutch had any claim whatever on these
lands ; although the latter had discovered the country in 1609, and
besides had purchased the very territory in question of the Indians, for
a valuable consideration in 1640, just fourteen years previous to Pell’s
conveyance. ‘Take the whole transaction together with the subsequent
proceedings, and it looks uncommonly like a collusion between the
New England authorities and the Indians. Let it be remembered, too,
that the latter, who afterwards murdered Mrs. Hutchinson and her
family, the Throgmortons, the Cornells, and the Moody’s (all refugees
from New England persecution, and carried off Mrs. Hutchinson’s
youngest daughter into captivity,) belonged to a tribe of Mohegan
Indians which owned the supreme authority of the Uncas Chief Sachem
“who had always been the unscrupulous ally of the English.”

It is a little singular that the permission given by the Dutch authori-
ties to Throgmorton to settle himself, with thirty-five English families
within twelve miles of Fort Amsterdam, bears the date of 2d of
October, 1642, only a few months after Mrs. Hutchinson’s settlement
on Pelham Neck. There can be no doubt that the Throgmortons and
Mrs. Hutchinson, with the Cornells and Moody’s,® were associated in
their plans, all coming, as they did almost simultaneously from New
England to New Netherlands—and besides all this the gallant old
campaigner, Captain John Underhill, who professed to hold Mrs.
Hutchinson’s doctrines, had established himself two years prior to this,
at Greenwich only a few miles to the eastward of Vredeland, the former
being then under the authority of the Dutch.¢

a Alb. Assize Rec. p. 15,

4 In 1640, Lady Deborah Moody a person of noble family and of heroic character, whom
Winthrop styled “tan anciebtly religous woman came to Massachusetts.’’ Life of Henry
Dunston by Chapin, p. 42.

e Underhill blames the Dutch authorities for the massacres of Mrs. Hutchinson, and the
Collinses, as appears from the following extract taken from his “‘ Vindication” dated 20th
of May 1653. ‘* We have transported ourselves hither at our own cost, and many of us have
purchased their land, from the Indians, the right owners thereof. But a great portion of the

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 31

The family of Hutchinson is supposed to be derived from Mitonensis,
who came over to England from Castle Cronenburgh with Harold Har-
fager, and settled at or near Bishop Middleham, then a fortified place.
A family of Hutchinson was settled at Cowlam or Cowland, in York-
shire, about the middle of the thirteenth century, and from which de-
scended ———— Hutchison, of Lincoln, who had four sons—Wilham
Hutchinson, mayor of Lincoln in 1552; Rev. Christopher Hutchinson,

Hutchinson, and John Hutchinson, mayor of Lincoln in 1556
and 1565, whose son, Edward Hutchinson was the father of William
Hutchinson, who emigrated in 1663 to this county from the neighbor-
hood of Boston, County Lincoln, England. Truly has it been said that
this family “ of the Hutchinsons,” up to the day ‘‘ when Anne Hutchin-
son commenced her expoundings,” had been the most favored of the
day ; wealth, rank and influence had been the portion of successive gen-
erations, and had, in truth, been merited by the ability of many of the
name.”

Anne Hutchinson, wife of William, the emigrant and owner of the
colony called ‘‘ Anne Hook’s Neck,” was of gentle descent. Her father
was the Rev. Francis Marbury, of Gresby, County of Lincoln, of a fam-
ily in good position there, and her mother was Bndget, daughter of
John Dryden, of Canon Ashby, County of Northampton. Erasmus Dry-
den, grandfather of the poet, was the brother of Bridget, and was cre-
ated a baronet 16th of November, 1619.¢

One wonders in amazement at the singular elevation of purpose and
daring heroism that could have induced a woman of such rare mental
powers and gentle descent as Anne Hutchinson to tear herself away
from the civilized society of Rhode Island to bury herself and family in
the wilderness between Connecticut and New Netherland, right in the

lands which we occupy, being as yet unpaid for, the Indians come daily and complain that
they have been deceived by the Dutch secretary, called Cornelius, whom they have charac-
terized even in the presence of Stuyvesant, as a rogue, a nave, and a liar; asserting that he
himself had just put their names down in a book, and saying that this was not a just and
lawful payment but a pretence and fraud similiar to this which occasioned the destruction
of Joes Huchinson and Mr. Collins to the number of nine persons.”’ Holland, Doce. ix. relating
to ool Hist. of N, Y., vol. 1i. 151. Underhill’s testimony however must be received with some
caution,

@ Notes upon ancestry of William Hutchinson and Anne Marbury by Joseph Samuel
Chester of Boston, 1868, 9 to p. 24. The arms of the Hutchinsons of Lincolnshire, and now
borne by Bingham Hutchinson, Esq., of England, the descendant of William and Anne Hut-
chinson, are: Per pale gu. and az. seme’e of crosses crosslet or, a lion rampant, grg. armed
and langued of the third. Crest—a cookatrice az. crested jeloped, and armed gu. issuing out
of a ducal crown or.

b The Marburys of Gresby, County of L¥ncoln, were of the same family as the Marburys or
Merburye of Walton, in the County of Chester, temp. Edward Third as their arms and crest
prove viz. arg. Ona fess engr. gn. three garbs or—crest—a mermaid ppr. holding in the dex-
ter hand a mirror, and in the sinester a comb or.

¢ Notes upon ancestry of William Hutchinson and Anne Marbury by Joseph Samuel Ches-
ter of Boston, 1868, q. top. 24. The Baronetcy 1s now represented by the Rev. Sir Joshua
Dryden of Canon Ashly. ‘‘In Canon Ashly, says Brydges, (Hist. of Northampshire,) there is
one room of thirty feet long, upon twenty feet wide, which is reported to be entirely, flocred
and wainscoted with the timber of a single oak which grew In that lordship.’ (Burke’s Ex-
tinct and Dormant Baronetcies.)

32 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

very midst of the favorite haunts of the savage Siwanoys. ‘She was,”
indeed, ‘far from human help,” and trusted, no doubt, as the historian
has well observed, “to the Divine protection” alone ; she must, indeed,
long have relied upon no other power; for among men, she had met
only bitter persecution and constant injustice.”

It appears that scarcely had this noble, generous and tender-hearted
woman settled down her little colony of sixteen persons, either on Pel-
ham Neck or somewhere in close vicinity thereto,? than Governor Kieft
aroused the wild fury of the native Indians by his inhumanity and
treachery. Whereupon they resolved td exterminate the Dutch, and all
connected with them. “An army of fifteen hundred warriors swept
over Long Island, and ravaged Manhattan Island to the gates of the
fort at the Battery. Bloomingdale and Corlear’s Hook swarmed with
brazen warriors, and the flames of blazing bonfires, and the shrieks of
dying men and women spread terror over Manhattan Island. The sav-
age, for the moment, seemed to have recovered his old domain.”’¢

An Indian, it is said, came to Anne Hutchinson’s house in the morn-
ing, professing friendship, (‘‘as was their wont when making their visits”)
but on discovering the defenceless condition of the inmates, returned at
night killed Mrs. Hutchinson and her son-in-law, Mr. Collins, with her
son, Francis, and all the other members of her family save the youngest
daughter, besides a number of other persons in the neighborhood belong-
ing to the familes of Mr. Throgmorton and Mr. Cornhill. One of Mrs.
Hutchinson’s daughters, while attempting to escape, was dragged through
a ledge by the hair and carried to a stump where her head was chopped
off. We are assured that a greater slaughter would have been made at
this time and place, but for the arrival of a boat while the tragedy was
enacting—into which several persons, women and children, escaped ; but
two of the boats’ crew were killed, in their humane exertions to save these
distressed people. ‘‘To close the scene, the horses and cattle were
driven into the barns, the barns were set on fire, and the helpless animals

a ** Anne Hutchinson; a Remarkable Woman.*”—Read before New York Hist. Soc. Feb. 5,
1867. &c., by Eugene Lawrence, Esq., Hist. Mag., New Series, Vol. i., No. 3, pages 150 158.
Morrisiana, N. Y., Henry B. Dawson.

5 In the grant of the *“*Ten Farms” by Thomas Pell, to James Eustis and others, in 1664,
there appears to be a direct allusion to the first house erected in the vicinity of Reed s mill,
on the ‘*‘old planting ground,” viz., ‘‘at Hutchinson’s; that is, where the house stood, at the
meadows and uplands, on Hutchinson’s river.” This was just twenty-one years after the mas-
sacre. Close by Reed’s mill is a small rivulet, called *‘Black Dog Brook,’ and, sometimes,
“* Hutchinson’s Brook.*” Perhaps the Black Dog had some kind of connection with the massa-
cre of Mrs. Hutchinson in 1643. Tradition asserts, however, that Anne Eutchinson’s resi-
dence was located on the property of George A. Prevost, Esq., of Pelham, near the road lead-
ing to the Neck, on the *‘old Indian Path.” Certain it is that the ruins of an old house on the
Prevost estate, near Hutchinson’s river, are still to be seen, a little south-west of the ** Split
Rock;” also, some ancient apple trees and shrubs; while close by is a fine spring of fresh
water; all of which are claimed to have been associated with the history of this remarkable
woman.—[{EDITOR.

c ** Anne Hutchinson,” by Eugene Lawrence. Dawson’s Hist. Mag. |

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 33

-?

were roasted to death in the flames.”"* The youngest daughter of Mrs.
Hutchinson, quite a small child, was taken prisoner and remained in
captivity for four years ; after her release had been procured by the Dutch
Governor at New York, she was restored to her friends; but she had
forgotten her native language, and was unwilling to be taken from the
Indians.” “She afterwards married a Mr. Cole of Kingston in the
Narragansett country, and lived to a considerable age.”

One of the principal Indian proprietors of this territory, who sold to
Thomas Pell in 1654, just eleven years after the above mentioned mas-
sacre, assumed Mrs. Hutchinson’s Christain name ; for he constantly
styled himself in the early deeds ‘‘ Ann-hoock,’”¢ alias Wampage. This

An Koock-
oh,

individual may have taken an active part in the destruction of Anne
Hutchinson, for nothing was more common among the Indians than for
a warrior or brave to assume the name of his victim—material traces of
his existence still linger around the scene of this bloody tragedy, for his
grave or mound is still pointed out, and there is also a rock upon the
south side of the neck bearing the same name, which is said to have been
a favorite fishing place of the above mentioned sachem. Towards the
extreme point of the neck, sometimes called Rodman’s Point (after
Samuel Rodman who married Mary, grand-daughter of Thomas Pell,
third proprietor of the manor) quite near the waters’ edge is located an
ancient burying ground, said to have been used by the Indians; but a
thorough examination, conducted in the presence of Thomas Pell, fifth
in descent from John Lord Pell, proved it to be a place of sepulture for
the white race only—how far back it is impossible to say. The first
mound opened contained the skull and larger bones of a female skeleton
in a horizontal position.

“The heroic Anne Hutchinson, who had so long and so nobly with-
stood the fiery trials of New England persecution, was worthy of a better
fate than to fall before the fury of an Indian murderer ; yet death,
horrible as was the form in which it came to her, did not appease the
rancor of her Puritan enemies. They rejoiced at the butchery; and
afterwards spoke of it in terms of pious exultation, as the judgment of an

a Hist. of Indians of Conn., by De Forest, 205.

b Drake’s Book of the Indians, 69.
e Hence Anne’s-Hoeck and the Manor of Anne Hook’s neck.

34 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

offended God. The Puritans believed, or affected to believe, that all
who disagreed with them in their peculiar dogmas were in league with
the devil ; and would surely be visited, sooner or latter, by some terrible
retribution from on High.”* ‘ When the news of her sad fate was told
in Boston, her clerical enemies rejoiced over it as a new proof of her
guilt. The ruling faction smiled at the recital, if never before, like
Philip II. at the news of St. Bartholomew.” ‘‘ The Lord,’ said Welde,
“heard our groans to heaven, and freed us from our great and sore
affliction.”® _ ‘The Indians set upon them and slew her and all her
children, save one that escaped (her own husband being dead before) a
dreadful blow. Some write that the Indians did burn her to death with
fire, her house, and all the rest named that belonged to her; but I am
not able to affirm by what kind of death they slew her, but slain it is, it
seems she is, according to all reports. I never heard that the Indians
in those parts did ever before this commit the like outrage pon
any one family or families; and, therefore, Gods hand is the more
apparently seen herein, to pick out this woful woman to make her and
those belonging to her an unheard of, heavy example of their cruelty above
others.”* “Heaven, they thought had avenged them of their sharp-
tongued foe. They even invented shocking calumnies to prove that she
was Satan’s minister. No tales were too gross and shameless, even for
the wise Winthrop and the haughty Dudley; their hate pursued her to
her lonely grave, and they sought to hold her up for the execration of
posterity as the heavenly detested enemy of the church.”

Anne Hutchinson’s family did not wholly die out; one of her sons
had remained in Boston and was the ancestor of Hutchinson, the Tory
governor of Massachusetts in the Revolution. A daughter, too, was
married and settled in Boston; and the blood of Annie Hutchinson
still flows in the veins of several New England families.”4

The next proprietor, as we have had occasion to show previously,
was Thomas Pell of Fairfield, Connecticut, gentleman, (as he is styled)
who obtained a grant from the Indians on Tuesday, 14th of November,
1654—embracing all that tract of land called West Chester, which is
bounded on the East by a brook, called Cedar Tree Brook or Gravelly
Brook, and so running Northward as the said brook runs into the woods
about eight English miles, thence West to the river Aquebung or
Bronck’s river to a certain bend in the said river, thence by marked
trees South until it reaches the tide waters of the Sound, which lyeth

« The Manhattan Papers, No. 10, by Jan Vogelvanger, Sunday Times, New York.

b Anne Hutchinson by Eugene LaWrence, Hist. Mag., March, 1867, p. 158, by Dawson.

c Welde’s Rise, Reign and Ruin of the Antinomians. Preface.
d@ Annie Hutchinson—By Eugene Lawrence, Esq., Hist. Mag., March 1567, p. 158.

THE TOWN OF PILHAM. 35

between Long Island and the main land, together with all the Islands,
lying before that tract of land so bounded as before expressed, and so
running East to place of beginning, etc., etc.

This grant was signed by the Sachems, Maminepoe, Annhoock, AZas
Wampage, and five other Indians, beneath the spreading limbs of a
venerable white oak ; this formerly stood a little to the westward of the
residence of the late Robert Bartow, Esq. This grant was subsequently
confirmed in Council.

Thomas Pell stated before a Court of Assize, held in 1665, that he
had obtained license to make the purchase from the authorities of Con-
necticut, and that he had paid large sums of money for the same.” It
appears from the very begirning of the disputes between Connecticut
and New Netherlands, concerning their respective boundaries, that the
former had determined to secure, as far as possible, all the lands within
the limits of her charter ; while the latter was just as resolute in resisting
any encroachments on her territory. Just nine days previous to Pell’s
purchase ‘‘it was resolved, at a meeting of the Director General and
Council of New Netherlands,” “that, whereas a few English are begin-
ning a settlement, at a great distance from our out-posts, on lands long
before bought and paid for, near Vreedland?, to send their, interdict,
andthe Attorney-General, Cornelius van Tienhoven, and forbid them to
proceed no farther, but to abandon that spot. Done at Fort Amstel on
the 5th of November, 1654, in New Netherlands,” “on lands purchased
from the Indians by the Hon. Thomas Pell, of Fairfield, Conn.Ӣ On
the 15th cf March, 1656, the Attorney-General of the New Netherlands
thus addresses the Director General and Council :—

Respectful Lords :—It is not only known to your honors, but every one resid-
ing in this country, that since many years, the district called Vreedlandt was
cultivated and inhabited in letters patent, granted by your Honors and their pre-
decessors by the Dutch, under your government, till the period of the general
war in 1643. Now it has happened that one Mr. Pell, residing at Onkeneg, in
New England, has dared, against the rights and usages of Christian countries, to
pretend that he bought these lands of the natives, (which long since were pur-
chased of them and paid by your Honors, as evidently appears from the trans-

a This Indian conveyance was seen some years since by the late Mr. John Soulice of New
Rochelle, who kindly furnished the author with the above particulars. One Dyckman occurs
as a witness to the deed; and certain reservations were made by the Indians, for whaling pur-

oses.

B 5 At asession of the General Assembly at Hartford, March 10th 1663, John Winthrop, Esq.,
Governor, **This Court doth grant liberty to Mr. Thomas Pell to buy all that land of tne
Indian proprietors between West Chester and Hudson's river (that makes Manhadoes an
island) and lay it to West Chester, provided that it be not purchased by any before, nor in
their possession.” Col. Rec. of Conn. 1636-1665, by Trumbull, p. 418. Upon the 13th of Oct.,
1663, Thomas Pell met the Dutch Deputation sent by the Dutch general at Hartford. Holl.
Doc., vol. ii., p. 38.
c Alb, Ree. vol. ix., 275.

36 . HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

fers in your records, ) and actually made a beginning of settling and cultivating
these lands without your Honors previous knowledge or consent, directly con-
trary to the limits and decisions of 1650, concluded with the United Colonies of
New England at Hartford, against which usurpation your Attorney General, in
his quality and in the name of the Lords his masters, had in due form entered
his protest,” &c.¢

Notwithstanding this and further protestations, made by the Dutch
authorities, followed by threats to drive him off his plantation, Thomas
Pell continued to keep watch and ward until the surrender of the Dutch
in 1664. Upon the 16th of June 1664 the inhabitants of West Chester
surrendered all their rights to Thomas Pell, as the just and rightful
owner of a tract of land called West Chester, which he had obtained by
an agreement made on the 14th of November, 1654,” from “ divers
persons.”

In 1675 the Indians must have been still residing on the neck in con-
siderable numbers for at a General Court of assize held the same year
in New York, it was resolved, “‘ that the Indyans at Mr. Pell’s or Anne
Hook’s Neck, be ordered to remove to their usual winter quarters, with-
in Hell Gate, upon this island; and further, that all canoes belonging
to Christians or Indyans on the north side of- Long Island to the east of
Hell Gate shall be (within three days from the publication of this order)
brought to the next towns and delivered to the constables to be secured
near the Hook house ; any canoes found upon the sound after that time
to be destroyed.” ‘ This order is said to have been made to prevent
the Indians of Long Island joining King Philip against New England.”

Near the entrance of Pellam neck, is situated the favorite burying
ground of the Siwanoy’s tribe, to which the Indians were ir the habit of
bringing their dead over from Greenwich for interment. Numerous
mounds are still visible near the water’s edge, on the Rapelyea estate.
Two of the largest mounds are pointed out as the sepulchres of the
Siwanoy’s sachems, Ann-hook and Nimham ; both of whom are said to
have lived to advanced ages.¢

The former was opened some years since, and found to contain a
large sized skeleton, by the side of which lay the stone axe and flint spear
head of the tenant of the grave. We have carefully examined several
mounds near the waters edge; one of these held the remains of an
Indian boy about twelve years old, in a sitting position, together with a
beautiful specimen of native pottery formed by the hand alone, rudely
ornamented with zigzag lines, in which we discovered an arrow head of

a Alb. Rec. vol. ii., 301. See West Chester.

b Dunlap’s Hist. of N. Y., vol. 1i., appendix cxxiii.
¢ Nimham, sachem of Miereckacky occurs in 1669.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 37

uartz and the bones of a small animal. This practice of burying their
aC utensils and weapons with the deceased, is known to be an
ancient Indian custom. By way of accounting for the numerous mounds
which occur so close to the waters edge, on the north-east side of the
neck, it is said that the small-pox was introduced among the Indians
through the medium of blankets, and that when they applied for a remedy
they were told to bathe in the salt water which proved almost instant
death to hundreds. Near the residence of the late L. R. Marshail, the
remains of an Indian were found in a very perfect state of preservation
with a gun by his side. On the extreme point of this beautiful neck
which commands the magnificent scenery of Hutchinson’s Bay, lies
another Indian cemetery. The shores of the “‘ Great Bay of the Island
of shells” Sewanhacky, shaded with their ancient forests of nut and oak,
interspersed with grassy glades must have afforded favorite sites for the
Indian villages. Here the Indians would obtain their supplies of fish,
which they so much needed, especially in the winter season to eke out
the scanty subsistence derived from the chase ; and here, too, they found
an abundant supply of their favorite Quckog from which they manu-
factured their Seawant or wampum; well, then, might they call the
country “‘ LAAPHAWACHKING,” or the place of stringing beads, bordering
on the ‘‘ Maminketesuck” or “ Broad Flowing River.”

On the property of Mr. Elbert Roosevelt, just west of Pelham Priory,
great quantities of Indian arrow heads have been discovered in one
particular spot ; leading to the supposition, that an extensive manufactory
of that article once existed here.

Directly in front of the Priory, on the opposite side of the post-road,
leading from Pelham through to New Rochelle, is situated a rocky
knoll covered with cedars overlooking Shoal harbor, the Sound and
neighboring Islands called the ‘‘ Haunted Cedar Knoll.” There was
formerly a current belief in the neighborhood, that the forms of many
headless Indians, might be seen on moonlight nights, in a circle, per-
forming a kind of war dance on its summit, with heads in their hands,
and that these apparitions still haunted the cedars and surrounding
glens and woods. It is more than probable that a severe and sanguinary
battle had taken place here, in early times between the Matinecocks of
“Sewanhacky” and the Siwanoy’s of ‘“ Laaphawachking” which re-
sulted in the defeat of the latter and their subsequent decapitation.
Hence, the headless apparitions of “‘ Cedar Knoll.”

Nearly opposite the Knoll on a point of Hunter’s Island is located a
mossy rock, or boulder stone, called the ‘‘Grey Mare.” To this piece
c# rude natural sculpture, the Indians invariably paid just respect, be-

38 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

lieving it to have been placed there by the direct interposition of their
God or guardian Manito, for their especial benefit or favor. These
rolled stones he called Shingaba-wossins—or in general phrase. Muz-in-
in-a-wun, or images.

Fine specimens of Indian hatchets, and javelins of chart, quartz and
horn stone, are constantly found in the neighborhood of these shores.

Upon the 6th day of October, 1666, a large proportion of the Indian
grant of 1654, was confirmed to Thomas Pell, Esq., by his excellency,
Richard Nicholls, governor of New York, and erected into a township
and manor; the proprietor rendering and paying in fealty therefor
yearly, unto his royal highness, James, Duke of York, or to such governor
as should from time to time, be by him appointed, as an acknowledg-
ment, one lamb upon the first day of May, (the feast of S. S. Philip
and James) if the same should be demanded.

THE ROYAL PATENT OF PELHAM MANOR.

Richard Nicholls, Esq., governor under his royal highness, the Duke of York,
of all his territorics in America. To all whom these presents shall come, send-
eth greeting. Whereas: there is a certain tract of land within this government
upon the main, situate, lying and being to the Eastward of Westchester bounds,
bounded to the Westward with the river called by the Indians, Aqueouncke,
commonly known by the English, by the name of Hutchinson’s river, which
runneth into the Bay lying between Throckmorton’s neck and Ann Hooks neck,
commonly called Hutchinson’s Bay, bounded on the East, by a brook called
Cedar Tree Brook or Gravelly brook, on the South by the sound which lyeth
between Long Island and the main land, with all the islands in the Sound, not
already granted or otherwise disposed of, lying before that tract of land so
bounded as is before expressed, and northwards, to run into the woods about
eight English miles in breadth as the bounds to the Sound, which said tract of
land hath heretofore been purchased of the Indian proprietors, and due satisfac-
tion given for the same. Now know ye, that by virtue of the commission and
authority unto me given, by his Royal Highness, James, Duke of York, &c.,
upon whom by lawful grant and pattent from his majesty, the proprietory and
government of that part of the main land as well as of Long Island, as all the
Islands adjacent, among other things is settled, I have thought proper to give,
grant, confirm and ratify unto- Thomas Pell of Onckway, alias Fairfield, his
majesty’s colony of Connecticut, gentleman, his heirs and assigns, all the said
tract of land bounded as aforesaid, together with all the lands, islands, sea-bays,
woods, meadows, pastures, marshes, lakes, waters, creeks, fishing, hawking, hunt-
ing and fowling, and all other profits, commodities, emoluments and heredita-
ments, to the said tract of land and islands belonging, with their appurtenances, and
of every part and parcel thereof; and that the said tract of land and premises,
shall be forever hereafter held, deemed, reputed, taken and be an enfranchised
township, manor and place itself, and shall always from time to time, and all
times hereafter, have, hold and enjoy, like and equal privileges and immunities,

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 39

with any town, enfranchised place or manor, within this government ; and shall
in no manner of way, be subordinate or belonging unto, have any dependency
upon, or in any wise be under the rules, orders or directions of any riding,
township or townships, place or jurisdiction, either upon the main or upon Long
Island, but shall in all cases, things and matters, be deemed, reputed, taken and
held, 2s an absolute’ entire, enfranchised township, manor and place of itself in
this government, and shall be ruled ordered and directed, in all matters as to
government accordingly, by the governor and his council, and the general court
of assizes only, always provided that the inhabitants on the sajd tract of land
granted as aforesaid, shall be obliged to send forwards to the next towns, all
public packets and letters, or Hue and Cries, coming to this place or going from it,
to any other of his majesties colonies, to have and to hold the said tract of land
and grant, with all and singular the appurtenances, premises, together with the
privileges, immunities, franchises, and advantages herein given and granted,
unto the said Thomas Pell, his heirs and assigns to the proper use and behoof of
the said Thomas Pell, forever, firmly, freely and clearly, in so large and ample
manner and form and with such full and absolute immunities and privileges as
before is expressed, as if he had held the same immediately from his majesty
the King of England, &c., &c., &c., &c., &c., his successors, as of the manor of
East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, in free and common socage and by
fealty only, yielding rendering and paying, yearly and every year, unto his
royal highness, the duty forever, and his heirs, or to such governor as shall from
time to time, be by him constituted and appointed, as an acknowledgment, one
lamb upon the first day of May, if the same shall be demanded. Given under
my hand and seal at Fort James, in New York, on the island of Manhattan, the
sixth day of October, in the 18th year of the reign of our sovereign, Lord Charles
the second, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland,
King, Defender of the faith, &c., &c., &c., and in the year of our Lord God,
1666. RICHARD NICHOLLS.

Entered and recorded in the Office of New VY fee
the 8th day of October, 1666.

Marntas Nicotts, Sect’y.

The Pells, who were formerly lords of the Manor, boast a very remote
antiquity ; tracing their descent from the ancient family of that name at
Walter Willingsley and Dymblesbye in Lincolnshire, England. In the
visitation of Lincolnshire in 1564, William Harvey, Clarenceux, King at
arms, by his deputy. Robert Cooke, Chester Herald, records William
Pell as first seated at Walter Willingsley in the year (about) 1368 ; his
_ son was Thomas Pell of the same place, whose son Richard was the
father of John Pell, whose eldest son, William Pell of Walter Willings-
ley, married Alice, daughter and heiress of Robert Buller of Barkeston,
by Joane, his wife, daughter and heiress of Robert Wyther of Barkeston,
whose wife, Joane, was the daughter and heiress of John Pounder. The
only son of William Pell by Alice Buller was Thomas Pell, of Walter

40 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Willingsley ; who married first, Alice, daughter of Henry Flower, of
Langer in the County of Nottingham, by whom he had two sons, Ed-
ward Pell of Walter Willingsley, (the father of Thomas Pell and Thomas
Pell, ‘‘the younger,”) and Thomas Pell. ‘Thomas Pell of Walter Wil-
lingsley, married, secondly, Alice, daughter of William Thorold, Lord
of Marston and Blankney in the County of Lincoln and High Sheriff of
that county in 1558-1559, who died 24th of November, 1569.” Their
son was Sir Richard Pell of Dymblesbye* in the County of Lincoln,
Knight, one of the executors of his cousin, Sir Anthony Thorold, son
and heir of William, ancestor of the Thorolds of Marston, now repre-
sented by Sir John Charles Thorold, Baronet. Sir Anthony Thorold
died 1594. Sir Richard Pell Knight, by his first wife, Margaret, daugh-
terof Edward Tirwhitt—Knight and Baronet of Stanfield, Essex, had two
daughters—Anne, who died without issue and was buried at St. Giles,
Criplegate, London; and Ursula, who married, first, Edward Ellis of
Chestertown in Cambridge, second, Lewes Cockaine of Cockaine Hatley
in Bedford. By his second wife, Catharine, daughter of Anthony Meeres
of Kirton in Holland, Sir Richard Pell had three sons and two daughters.
The eldest son was Sir Anthony Pell, of Dymblesby, Knight, who by
his first wife, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Willoughby of Carlton
in the County of Nottingham, had four sons, viz., Richard, William,
Anthony and John, who were all probably living when the visitation of
Lincolnshire was made in 1592 by Richard Lee, Richmond Herald,
deputy of Robert Cooke, Clarenceux King at arms.?

A branch of this Lincolnshire family had removed into the County of
Norfolk, of which was John Pell, gentleman, of Derringham, in that
county, Lord of the manor of Shouldham Priory,¢ and Brookhall, who
married Margaret Cletheron, and died April 4th, 1556, leaving an only
son, John Pell, Esq., steward or master of the king’s cup, and Lord
Mayor of Lynn Regis, who was born May 5th, 1527 ; married Margaret,
daughter and heiress of William Overend, Esq., and died May sth,
1607. Upon an altar-stone at the east end of the south aisle of St.

a Sir Richard Pell of Dymblesbye had a grant of arms, Oct. 19th, 1594, from Richard Lee
Clarenceux King at arms, of the oy gevulg i ** Ermine on a canton azure a pellican, or—Crest
a pellican, or standing on a garland vert, full of roses, or. ‘This coat and vest exactly corres-
Ee with those borne by the Pells of Norfolk, Sussex and Westchester which prove them to

ve been of one and the same family.

6 Harl, MSS. 1550 fol. 187,8 138 and 138,8 visitations of Lincolnshire, 1564, 1592. British
ree Bou ie Extinct and Dormant Baronetcies. Collectanea Typographia et Genealo-
gica, vol. iv., 373.

e At the dissolution, Shouldam Priory was granted, May 1544, 36th, Hen. VIII., to John
Dethick, Esq., who in the 88th, 1546, had license to alien it toJobn Pell andhis heirs. The
manor of Brookhall, an old hall conveyed by Sir Giles Capel, son and heir of Sir William
Capel, Lord Mayor of London, in the thirty-second year of Henry VII., (1541,) to John
Pell grant by fine, in which family it continued, as in Shouldham Priory Manor, till left to Mr.
Walpole; the Earl of Oxford being its present Lord. The aforesaid John Pell, gentleman,
by his will, dated Sept. 16, 1554, requires to be buried in the church of Derringham.

PEDIGREE OF PELL, OF WALTER aetna LINCOLNSHIRE, NORFOLK, ENGLAND, AND PELHAM, WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Arms:—Ermmnine, on a chevron azure, a Pelican vulned gu. Crest:—On a chaplet vert, flowered cr, a Pelican of the last vulned gules. (Granted October 19th, 1594).

Walter de Pelham, _
held the perce pee Pelham, in
Herfordshire, 21 Edw. 1, 1294
To face page 40

William Pell, ..-.+-
of Walter Wellingsly, Circa, 13! |

Teomas Pell) oe ccuse

of Walter Wellingsly
ritnara Pell. Robert Wyther, Jane, daughter and hei:
o Poco —Jane, daughter and heiress
of Walter Wellingsly ‘ | of Packston of John Pounder
John Pell, of =A Robert Buller, _
= Walter Wellingsly | of Packston
| | | i
Richard Pell Thomas Pell, of _ William Pell, of Alice, da. of
Dumblesby, Linc. Walter Well- Robert Bul-
ingsley lerof Pack-
__| ston
|
Zohn Pell, of Margaret Clitheron Alice, da, of_Thomas Pell Alice, da. of William Thor-
Dersingham, Norfolk, Lord of the Manor of Henry Flower, of old, of Marston, County
Shouldham Priory, and Brockhall, ob. 1556 Sanger Lincolnshire

| ! i peel iP ain. ... esa eeios aaa ScaaaL
John Pell,..Margaret, only da. of Edward Pell, Ann Reyster Thomas Pell Daughter —Petchill Margaret, da, of Sir Ritnara Pell, _Catharine, da. of An- Robert Pell, Catharine, da, of An

Nat. 1528; ob, 1607; Mayor of Lynn, William Oyerend, of of Walter Wellingsly Sir Edward Terwhit, of | Knt. of Dum- thony Meeres, of gastin
Regis. 1560; Second Lord of the | Norfolk | Stamifleld, Knt, and Bar. | blesbey, Co. Kirtou, Holland or Anthony Porter, of Belton
Manor | , Lincolnshire Richard Pelt
| t | ‘Thomas pell, ! | |
tharine, da.of 2 Jeffrey Pell,_.Catharine, da. of 3, Valentine Pell, 4.Thomas 5, John Thomas Pell pell, —.. Ursula Pell. m. 1st, 1, Catheryn_William Sawell 2” —Nicholas Smith, of !
sb wan, Pot, Cathar ‘Drury, nat. 1519; ") Edward Read,of Attorney of Lynn, Pell Pell a the younger | _ , Edward Elis; of Pell of Howby Co. Pall oothedettomates || eauomae Bir Bartholemew. Belt,
35+ Pi ( ob. 1616 Lynn, E.Rednam — ob, 1698 Edward Pell Cripplegate, Lor Chesterton, Cam.; Line Lincoln, '., of Lincolnshire
1035; third Lord . a
ofthe Manor she died 1698 William Pell don 2d.Lewis Cockain §
| | ] 1 { ] 1
| awsell, 4. Rey. John Pell, Mary Holland, of Halden, Kent; 5. Katherine 6. Anne 3, Anthony 2. William 1. Richard Elizabeth, da, of _8. Sir Ant
ea ear nat. circa. 1553; descended from the ) descended from the Holland” Pell Pell Pell Pell Pell Sir Willlam Willoughby, Pell eC CE
of the Manor Pelis, Knts. of Dimblesby, Co, Linc. Earls of Kent; ob. circa. 1640 of Carlton, Co. Notts, | of Surrey, 8. p.”
= Incumbent of Southwick, Essex; ob. 1616 Annee
| ! !
. bs da. of Hon, Thomas Pell, Lucy, da. of 2. Rey. and Rt. Hon. John Pell, D. D,—Tal
Beiinerd of ass : smacteere Cal- nat. at Sonthwyck, Sussex, Anno 1580. He was Gentleman of the Bed- Francis Brewster, of New nat. at Southwyck, Sussex, Mar. 1, 1611, Incumbent of Fobbing, &c., in Essex; Domestic Repitoues oe cree Henry
nor; 0b. 1658 thrope, Knt. chamber to King Charles I, and first Lord of the Manor of Pelham, Haven, Conn., ob. at Fair- Chaplain to the Archbi, » of Canterbury; Oliver Cromwell’s Ambassador to the Swiss Reginolles of Belsted ’Suitolk . fob. ice
_ | N. Y¥.; ob. Sept. 1669; buried at Fairfield, Conn., s, p. field, Conn., 1667-5 Cantons; ob. Dec. 12, 1685; buried in Rector’s Vault, St. Giles church, London = - Issue, 4sonsand4 daughters’ z
l {
G ‘apt. william Pell, Anne, da. of Sir John Pell, Rachel, da. of 3 M P
gohn Rell ernie Lome conn ‘Lordofthe "| John Drury nat. London, February $d, 1643; ob. 1702, He wasSewerin | Philip Pinckney, one of the 10 proprietors of Eastchester ary Pell, nat. 14th April, 1654_Raven
oa Essex Manor Ordinary to Charles Il. Second Lord of Pelham Manor,
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
! | I | | ! )
Wood Valentine Pell, 7th Lord of Shonldham, sold the 6. Mary Samnel Rodman, of Pelham, 4. Tamar _James 3. Philip 2. John Hon. Thomas Pell,_Anna, da. of
John Pe, Anne, 48 of Th prs Manor to Rybert Walpole, of Houghton, ances Pell ‘Neck, afterwards Rodman’s Pell Eustace Pell Pell, dat. 1686; $d Lord of Pelham Manor; ob, the reigning Indian Chief of
2 tor of the Earl of Oxford; died s, p., 1690 Neck ; owner of Bowne Place ob, 8. De 1789; buried on Bartow Place. Will, 3d | Westchester
William _Anne Pell, John Pelham September, 1739
Bilis ~ nat, 1654 Hingham
1 Pans a etpa ronan Amol Pell,_.Dorothy 4. Davia Pal 5. Joana Pell, Palmer Hannah Mott_6, Philip Pell, Phasbe Fiten 7. Cale Pell, Mary Ferris s, Ana Pell Bradhurst 9. Maly Pell_SamuelSands 10, Sarah Pei P \,sneba Pell Theophilis Barstow
SET EN ea co ler raae Ue DA 1722; ob, 1778] of Eastchester, "] Ward died 8. p., Will, 1735, Will, 1761 Will, 1705 7] : ell_Benj. Palmer 11. Bathshel -
of Pelham, nat. 1721; ob, 1752; will 22d March, 1790; bu- ; Will, 1758
8ist August, 1753; buried on Bar- ried at Pelham ? SSS) |
o— ee | 1 TUG T T 1 | (i Te aS | | Ui ey ahaa u m. 9 Aug. 1652 1 |
1.Joseph Pell Mai IReltoteme heh BN li smmaaseeeasoun en enein ty ;,2James PellAnn Fowler, 3.Thomas—Sarah 4, Roger Pell... 6. John—Mary <3 *© % 1.Joshna Pell_Abigail, da. 2 Kdward Pell_Mary Devaux SB elk we ao Bem). —1.Mary Ann, da. Elijan Ferris 1. Philip Pell, —Gloriana Tredwell bh i bet boot
“nat. 1740; 1 3 ownerof ‘7 Rev.Jonn PESER Pell Pell Ssce 2 da, of Thos Pell Fowler Pell) jj Rotten) Se By) fs) Hat slJan., | Jonathan SF op Ss ss ae 7h Folger hat. 92d Nov., "nat. 12 April, 1781; > Bt Set OmoBrS Fz ae
ob. 1676 * 1 = Manor Bartow EBB BERS? B a Eo & Pare Seas ESFas 2; ob. 1783 ob, 10Sept., 1814 Bete RPEERIE 26 Ere
; s | Fue 2 Joseph PellPhilena Esse § ale EE 5 as | Un es (Oe IS Ge Ee: 2.Titas Ce : 54 23 Ser ao BY soe
2 Tes SBE S [ “pporah ye 8 S Ls Hrederiok-—..4-0 Benes Rae able T Hy tt = SE SEE: #8
; BOSNBere oo oh. Se 2 S i, el Sn pom F Em Fs hop §
a ae Pee E22 1 Avner Peter tmdmas Jon =" ES = 3 x8 32 | | he 4.Gibert_EilzaB,.da, 22 28 ag Els ae é 54
24 ye ——_ = Se Sie Bltjah Pell 1,Edward Pell—. Pell EE ie le 5 = 25 6 SB
B Era, g 5 | oe sa a Morris B. Pell 2 pes
! | ) . = — m" alte ie vy] ee | 1 J 1 T L bot tht By as ® b 1.Hon.'Phit 1.M. Ss sored 3. M. Laret ical banana eae 5. M: | ell © Hannah,
= T L & PS Sn C4 See eT w QE B, : -Hon, —1.Mary 9% Samuel Tred- 3. Margar . Col. David Pell_Hester Sneden, lary Pell,
A es le a 3h 1. Thomas Saran aigoinea math Lo} = gsahesPell_Martha = L 5. ohn Pell, owned —Mary PELL L A Rt aor & LuShS as PSs 7 S23 PZ ES Bu £8 S eeig ae 7s Pell, nat. 7) ~Ward Pell, nat.” well, Pell nat.% nat. 1sthJan., | nat.sth May, nat, August nat. Mar. 2S
June4, | Baldwin,ot +5 BR Pell Fouder Pell Ward 2 ce Pugsley = the Schuyler Pl. | Totten SBA Eia: & Pell Thomas Pell 7S3SER5 Bak 68 he ba yh RE fe se & “aig os =e July, 1 ~2Ann 36Jully,” gp.’ Nov.,1768; 1700; ob. 18th’ | 1770; ob. 8d’ 16th, 1702; 1718; mar.
1526 Newark, =F 8 a 8 Fe! ain beth Webb = is 23 88 Ee = | SaeRERs £ 2Ee is eb OSE oH ey yee 5 =2 “sg tan cera ad orem es an ee ae
13, =e 2S z _y Ma 2 Et rea | BESS oe 5 “ES aioe BS —t buy yoy eesu ks ee) mA i | = ,
427 eek 1 yy akestin | | iReveccam. gE EE = ogolnPel LSahiPen = Ee beadus £ Seas es Fan 8 Beet: ee leoneee |Sese= |28 are BS
os ~ a9 3 8 1S2) Reman Hinnan £2 3. Phoebe Fowler 27532 = Wwe gig gh= FUR ES B cease Bese ate Qzasre Bete aS
3= Fi i= —_—_—_—__— 8 2,Polly ears i=} Bates eB OS a8 a) ¥% wes aa PP §
= = - —, =] = i, ll
} SS Wt | | | (eaTier karly dk it L Lok P 2 © |
pig 3 4.Caleb Pell Martha Aaron Pell_... 6. Ann Pell_ Pe A da a 2 @ SS 4 Frederick Pell_..... H = —— |
1 i a mat enean . Ann =Rev. Mr, 5 E> ° 3 a 8 | L
L wilam —Frances Sarah.-2.Abian Eliza 4 x.saran4.charies_2.Mary 5. Stephen Mary 1.Mary6.John—Caroline 7 2s Pell TE oi [4 Chase 3 & S a ze et z hh ikl = 2 1 — — — i Ze It 2 ly ae aI oats of
J. Pell 7 Lockwood Totten Peil Ward 2 Bige- ~ Pell Ann Pell |Marster- J.Man-| Pell Leak 23 Es | | I Bo @ § "BB 5 3 3 = ia if zs = e a.Sophla T. Joseph L Emma _Rey. Samuel shesrosas i Roberts
eres ade low, Elliott son ser Praneneepal (nd eae Mortimer Theodore Ae ES 3 * 2 8 Srederick Nathaniel 2 & = | Cooke s | Cooke, D.D. By Bose = Zz £ Sl pe
: Ze Z> yes Maines SFY 5 me OF sa Peete A el aks = ES ae wens 1.Wart 4Mary
mate os ees 2 ew 8 3 ier I) 2 X 2s er WEA a
me S$ 2 2 Ba 2 ick S : iS = Daniel Maria vm. rE Lionel H. Howland W. g Smee ar = 2Philip SMary
a a. D oe <
ci] = | ao — = = : 7 7 = 3 &
# ene DT { [sey ae Leeeree b 10, Saphia_jamesD. 4 1. Robert L. L ; |
es ale By Gy wy aS ay ae Ree fi FAG Teel peeedh Se SU EHEC Rutgers Eliza Croger_Aifred' Pell _Bliza Wood } id 2 a. Res Anuteraee ge 10. Pa tel = - Robert L. Pell ~Marla L. Brincker- 2, James D. Pell _Sophia Pell 8, John A. PellSusan, da. of Benja- t
wee sen =p? $ Pp? ¢ Gd PPpPRAaN mp s Liat abe BPese=s ERS = Bu Ty aes Torsir edo 2 me ~e
22305225 SUEEe F Ssere Ore 2EESESS Sis zHS gpeste 68E Cue ALAR ON SNE Ee ee ee a eee eee |e i 1 : Be » s8
Beee2S2 Eskae £ BEB 8 a Beas eRe Peas BEE Sew ehs By Tella, SHUR a zB BE 2 so fo wg ES 2Frewericx | smury & le peel ees 1. Walden Lily Hyatt 2.Frederick 8,Mary Ella Pell Charles H, Phelps Ba 373
EEgEEr ES Fano e io BFae FRE zgr?ees =F aes egeee 2 yesk Morgan LeRoy BS -g “pO Fo ¥ 22, 8 8 gs Bae wee ‘thy Hyatt vee, Sasnea Be “ireland eerie ae ce 5S
gee - peiha $ Hob ow ab ES BA 20 & ae SS grzS 2 ge ae =irstrig e@88588 GE 1. Frederick T 5.Wald au foe
z2beuees s¥Eb an 5 BwEreso Ln r 5 Lees of om PE! a2 Bb inex 2 flaps yee EK @Lester©. | 4.Jeremiah D. SS & oF
5 | z Se srgseges ~~, Q) Ss egieek. fo 6 Sn 9 FL g2 lgeaq & weg Se Se 3,Francis 1. . BS
Bm 2 s 2 I aie = Be = Lak FP
= ° 8 g 2 eh OE = 2 B eger x S ae Se Se |BEP > Eguchi e Uae 5 2
Ey ee = = 5 ar-2 = £ Roomy |= Bt nae ;
3 3° = ES 3 a gs 5 > s Roosm (Re g ?
Lb Sg
| | | ! | February, 1s | | | | bth December, 1800
I i L p a Sater, L iv L x ee ae all L | a Tm Bist February, 1867 Lon SRERRIECSEAE {L L L iT L Te L [__m. oth December, iE ry T
a . " ; pata (es i 3s can A. Pell, nat, 20th April, Caroline Cheever #& Cornelia Corse —1.John H. Pell_Cari yal ‘ ake § x : 7. Stephen’s. Pell, Adeline M. Turnbull Q 3
Se ge ge FEZ 32 MAMI) meme! oe gel gee Bee BEE EE $2 ESS ¥¥a eet wed DUMNATHLN corn ae ee = oa gee FF £ EGER G8229 ge MCBNNTntooduueke gy go ggse
22 fe; of FE = ES : SB 358 BPs Bes B53 53 SS £35 ges 222 BFa : Bea rd I fy yuan ah ge FEE eee P gece Seeee FS 88 S55 FESS
= ” ba y 5°. oe (Sbialedy MRS ta ae 2 5 —SI Se + a § : % =5 = ‘ = dg oe
- - ' ° e ~ a = J eZee ees B ie at | ne 2 & a Soe 2D ] | 7 e Renee
2 2 as F Pu v83 sy 282 225 £5 £3 e238 E58 252 BBE vuncanc.retnat 4 | Alexanacrat-reu, BS BS 3 2 o8ks 2 eka FB gn Gale 2 wet S588 8 i ® k hh gh 858 See5
Bs pe 5 3 ae SeeePe ee re Est Fe ey Bay aly, PEP see December, 1867 |, Mat. gorn June, 1871” 2S = 3 5 #232 25 2 F 3 4 8 oy 853 BS bgt res S 2859 Sbase BESS yeses g= af FEL ster
= = = 22 2° S ~ “ag a = = F =| mK 2 S23 St SS ss e SF : see
fe BE 3; 28 #E ee 25 gee 38 Psa es Se ae gee aE ey noitaid September” 1809 ae 28 g 8 3 Bb s 2 bi Ee oe ee Ses eae gigy B Bore BEees Sees eee ee ce bee ESE:
= a ~ r = on FS sy Bass Ze 8 ars s Ong a oF ef 3 sé ; a6 B BES ® P £& 5
2 ? z Fa = 3 ‘I wow arp Ff $8 £ 5 se £ ap 82 £ o wy Sw 6 og ye 8 2 =] = Bg Ss: S pSsy Bess TER. Fasre a2 8&8 ®B 3s:F
B55 Ses ar = : SB oF ye BS i & of Se oe Fe BFFs ao S RPS tas tun Suttg ESes og pe fe :F =
be *F g Fp 38 2 eo «og es ef ) Zo B® of 2 #2459372 23 & Se ne ue Se weg B pone booed Sond wees Bs = sis
me e s ze 3 G2 89 8 ¢5 BE FF 28 25 38 32 iS Beis Ty (2 ae gf gf 2 j%#FEF yi 2h 5 BEBE BoeES §EEr GEEEE Ss €5 ge SERS
= - zz 5 Se RIAL Fo B s ae ar a EP SF east Bibs & = BS 2 abe eB es 5° BS $Frp “<PSx5 SRSy ESTs ES 85 Fo wolf
? ' Se 2 2 2 g = S Bee Es es 5 E g 28 Bs See a2 R Beppe onke ER Bopck & 2 - 25-3
# z £ BS BF 32 Fs EE 8 fF 28 32 ze EP Re oa BS Rs ae Bs& nee = SsbR aske sR "5 ® ? sf See

-< vivo” cootr wt
ofp Bang Coer 3:09 a
Loker wer Tee
<P yneriew, ~ ert

| a4 = : (eva Lay re
“a, a4 hal ="

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 41

Nicholas’ church, Derringham, are engraved the effigies of this John
Pell and Margaret, his wife, together with the following inscription :-—

Memoria Sacrum.

Hei jacet Johannis Pell de Dersingham, armiger, quonda major Linne Regis,
qui uxorem duxit Margaretam, filiam, unicam Gulielmi Overend, armigeri,
annos 61 feeliceiter und vexerunt, sex filias et tres filias inter se habuerunt, Hec
vers cum annos 80 compleverat quinto die February, A. Dui 1607, matura sinec-
tute, mortem obut et octavo die ejuscem mensis corpus sepulchro condibatur.

John Pell and Margaret Overend had six sons and three daughters ;
his eldest son was William Pell, Esq., who married Elizabeth, daughter

42 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of William Drury, Esq., of Fincham, and died without issue in 1535.
Jerfrey Pell, his brother, married Catherine, daughter of Edward Rand,
of East Bendham, and left issue John Pell, Esq., fourth lord of the
manor of Shouldham, whose great-grandson, Valentine Pell, gave
Shouldham and Brookhall to Robert Walpole, ancestor of the Earls of
Oxford ; another son of John and Margaret was Valentine Pell, an at-
torney at Lynn, who died in 1603; another son was Thomas Pell;
while a fifth son is said to have been the Rev. John Pell, incumbent of
Southwyck, in the county of Sussex. Others, however, assert that
although the latter was descended of the ancient Lincolnshire family,
yet his branch had removed some time into Sussex. The Rev. John
Pell, of Southwyck,® was born about 1553, and married Mary Holland,
of Halden, County of Kent. This accomplished lady was descended
of the royal family ; her branch being allied to the Hollands, Earls of
Kent, who flourished in: the reigns of Edward III. and Richard IL.,
Kings of England. Sir Thomas de Holland, second son of Robert
de Holland, Knight of the Garter and a Baron of the realm, (who led
the van of Prince Edward’s army at the famous Castle of Cressy,) mar-
ried Joane Plantagenet, celebrated for her beauty under the name of
“The Fair Maid of Kent,’ only daughter of Edmund Plantagenet, sur-
named “ of Woodstock,” Earl of Kent, second son of King Edward III.
This distinguished woman inherited (upon the decease of her brother
John, the third Earl of Kent,) that dignity, with the Barony of Woop-
stock, honors of her father, and the Barony of Wake, a dignity of her
mother’s; from which latter peerage, she styled herself “ Lapy or
Wake.” The Rev. John Pell-died at Southwycke in 1616, leaving two
sons, Thomas Pell, “ gentleman of the bed-chamber” to King Charles
I., and first Lord and proprietor of the manor of Pelham ; and the Rev.
7ehs Pell, D.D., rector of Fobbing, in Essex. Thomas Peli, the eldest
son, appears to have been born at Southwyck, Sussex, about 1608, al-
though by same he is styled of Norfolk ; the exact period of his arrival
in America is uncertain ;4 that he was one of the first settlers of New
England, however, there remains no doubt ; for, at a very early period,

a Biographia Brittanica. It is a little singular that John Pell, second Lord of the manor of
Pelham, should be so frequently styled, in the records, ‘Sir John Pell,” which seems rather
to connect him with the knighted family of Dymblé« osby,. in Lincolnshire.

6 This livingis a discharged rectory in the Deanery of Lewes, and is valued in the King’s
books at £9, 13s, 93gd. Itisinthe patronage of the crown. The church is dedicated to St.
Michael. The Registers commence in 1653. -

ce Burke’s Extinct and Dormant Peerages. Hasted’s Hist .of Kent, vol. ii, 284. The arms
of Holland, of Holland, temp. King John, az. a lion ramp. guard betn. six fleurs-de-lis ar. ;
these were also the arms of Robert de Holland, summoned to Parliament, S. Edward 1L., and
his descendants, the Karls of Kent.

d Twoof this name appear as emigrants to New England in 1635.—‘“*6th April 7635. These
pties hereinunder mencioned are to be transported toNew Englande, im barqued in the Plant-
ers Nico Trarice M., bound thither they have brought certilicate from the Justic’s cf Peace

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 43

we find his name associated with Roger Ludlow, a member of the Rev.
John Warhams’¢ company who settles first at Dorchester, Massachusetts,
June, 1630, and afterwards removed to Windsor Connecticut, in 1635. sub-
sequently Ludlow, with ten families, commenced a plantation at Unquowa,
(the Indian name for Fairfield, Conn.,) here we find Mr. Pell, in 1635. His
name first occurs in the New Haven colonial records, as attorney for the
executors of Richard Jewell in 1639.2 In 1642, he was a resident there ;
and on the roth of March, 1646, his name is recorded as the occupant
of the first seat, on the cross-benches or pews at the end of the meeting
house.¢ In 1647, he traded to the Delaware and Virgina. The year
following, he was cailed upon to take the oath of allegiance to New
Haven, but he declined compliance with this order, on the ground that he
had taken the oath in England, “and should not take it here.” This
refusal we think was not prompted by his attachment to the royal cause;
but from conscientious scruples in taking any oath at all; for this he
was pronounced guilty of contempt, and fined. He would not pay the
fine, however ; and, as “his carriage had been full of high contempt,”
he was again summored before the authorities and again amerced.? In
1646-7, he married Lucy, widow of Francis Brewster, of New Haven,
and in June or July of that year removed to Fairfield.

A.D. 1654 (the same year of his purchase here), Mr. Thomas Yale
presented to the General Court, held at New Haven, a note under hand of
Mr. Thomas Pell, wherein he desires the said Mr. Yale to make entry of
the lands he had sold to Allan Ball, James Russell and William Bradley

and Ministers of ye parish, that they were conformable to the orders of ye Church of England,
and are no subsidy men. They have taken the oath of supremacie and allegience die et an prd.

A carpenter, Thos. Pell, -....26.
Marie Pee can cecsa case. see 20>
MATIC Pel, cacacsasina oss'cms is

These names are said to be crossed out in the original MSS. iist of emigrants to America
1600-1700. J. W. Bouton, N. Y., “‘ April, 1635, in the Hopewell, Wlll. Burdock, master, bound
to New England; a tailor, Thos. Pell, aged 22.” Mass. Coll. ‘* Founders of New England,”
by Samuel Drake.

a John Warham was 2 pious and celebrated preacher at Exeter, England, but was forced
to flee to New England for refuge from the storm. Previous to his departure, a congrega-
tion being gathered at Plymouth, he was after solemn fasting and prayer chosen one of its
pastors ; and in the year 1636, many pious families out of Devonshire, Dorsetshire and Somer-
Setshire, accompanied them to New England. Lives of the Puritans, by Brook. Princes

ron Hist. vol. i., p, 200, 204.

5 New Haven Col. Rec. vol. i, p. 63.

e *Ata general court, held on that day and year were recorded the names of the peopie as
Seated in the meeting house; first middle seat, the Governor and Deputy Governor, &c. In
the cross seats, at the end, first seat, Mr. Pell, Mr. Tuttle and brother Fowler,” &¢. New Ha-
ven Rec., vol. i, p.280.

d Hist. of Netherlands, by O’Callighan, vol. ii., p. 283 ; see note.

e In 1647 Mr. Pell was attached for £200, a debt which his wife, late widow of Mr. Francis
Brewster, had contracted before her marriage with him. This debt, it appears, Mr. Pell re-
fused to pay, notwithstanding the court took the liberty to inform him that his wife’s debts
were his own. On being afterwards brought up to court, he declared “that it was against his
judgment to take anoath.”” New Haven Col. Rec., vol. i., 315-391. Eighteen pages of the Col.
Ree. are occupied with the trifling details of a trial of ‘Lucy Brewster for slander ; but this
was before her marriage to her second husband, and may have contributed to produce it in
order to obtain manly protection. Savages’ Bis. Dict.

J New Haven Col. Rec.

44 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Upon the oth of February, 1653, Thomas Pell purchased land in Fair-
field of Henry Rowland, Philip Pinckney, Alexander Briant and others ;
also a house which was sometime Nathan Gould’s, in 1654. In 1662 he
was made a freeman of that town, and chosen its representative to the
General Court in 1665.

Thomas FPell’s death must have occurred in September, 1669; he is
said to have died of hasty consumption, and was buried at Fairfield,
his wife, Lucy, probably died at the same place in 1668.

THE LAST WILL OF THOMAS PELL.

In ye name of God, Amen—It hath pleased ye all wise God many years to ex-
ercise me with much weakness of body, and having lately taken to himselfe my
beloved wife Lucy, it being ye good pleasure of God to deny me natural issue
of my owne body, His good hand of mercy continueing unto me to keep me in
perfect memory and my understanding in a comfortable measure, according to
proportion of wisdom and knowledge, where he saw meet to proportion to me,
I desire in faith to give up my soule to God which gave it, my body to a comely
burial, that I may be decently buryed in such a comely manner that God may
not be dishonored. It beinge my desire that peace may be attended in enjoy-
ment of what God hath been pleased to give to me—this being my last will and
testament—I doe make my nephew, John Pell, living in ould England, the only
sonne of my only brother John Pell, Doctor of Divinity, which he had by his
first wife, my whole and sole heire of all my lands and houses in any parte of
New England, or in ye territoryes of ye Duke of Yorke. Lalso give to my
nephew John Pell (my whole and sole heire) all my goods, moveable or immove-
able whatsoever—money, plate, chattells and cattle of all kinde—except such
parcells and legacyes which I give and bequeath to persons as followeth, my
just debts being first paid: and if my nephew, John Pell, be deceased, and hath
left a sonne or sonnes surviving him, then what I have above given to my
nephew, Jobn Pell, I give to such issue of his; and in ye default of such issue,
it’s my will that my brother John Pell’s daughter shall enjoy ye above said por-
tion; and in case they or any of them be deceased, then it is my will that the
children of my brother’s daughters shall inherit the above said portion, to be
equally divided amongst them. It is my will, that in case my nephew, John
Pell, my brother’s sonne by his first wife, be deceased, and hath left no male
issue, if my brother hath a sonne or sonnes by his last wife, he or they shall
enjoy ye above said portion; and in ye default of them or their male issue, then
my brother’s daughters, or their children, shall enjoy ye above portion as is above
expressed. JI give to Abigall Burr, ye wife of Daniell Burr, ye best bed in my
house in Fairfield, and boulstis, with two blancoates, a rug and dormink suit of
curtaing, six cushions, two paire of sheets, six chairs, the brewing kettle in use,
two new keelers, a brewing tub, six silver spoons, with ye use of all ye plate in
the house, if she desire of my executors of trust, till my heire or heires come or
send his or their order how or which way all things shall be disposed of. tem

a Fairfield Town Rec,
b Hazard’s Siate Papers, vol. ii, pp. 231-245-342-343,

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 45

—I give to Daniell Burr all my horses and horse colts which have in New Eng-
land, and in ye territoryes of ye Duke of Yorke: I except my mares and mare
colts, which I do not give him; I except my saddie gelding, which my heir is
to have if he come over—otherwise, Daniell Burr is to have him. Daniell Burr is
to take ye horse flesh as they run; without any further dehinery, lett the mares
be disposed of according to ye understanding of my executors of trust. Jtem—
I give to my sonne, Francis French, all my tobacco, growing or not growing, in
casks, or otherways made up in rolls or twist. J¢em—I give to Nathaniel]
French two young cowes and one young bull. Jtem—To Elizabeth White I give
the worst feather bed and boulster, one iron pott, six porringers, six ‘spoons of
alcamy, six pewter platters, one brass skellet, and fifteene pounds more in goods
or cattle, current pay, and two comely suits of apparel—one for working days,
another for Sabbath dayes, with two paire of shoes. [tem —to Mary White I give
six pounds and one suite of aparell of serge, with two shifts, and wool for stock-
ings. I give to Nathaniell White, an apprentice to some handicraft trade; and
if it be for his advantage, to give tenne pounds with him out of my estate, not
diminishing his twenty pounds, which is to be improved for his use. I give to
Barbary, my servant—I sett her at liberty to be a free woman a month after my
burial, except my nephew, John Pell, come in person; she then to attend his
occasions whilst he is there, not exceeding three months. Further, Ido give to
Barbary, my servant, one flock bed and boulster, and two blancoats, a pair of
sheets, and cotton rug, one iron pott, an iron skellett, six trays and chest, with
a lock and key to it, six porringers, two pewter platters, six pewter spoons or ye
value of them, two cowes or the value of them. I give to my ancient maid,
Katherine Rysten, five pounds in cattle or county pay. I make, ordain, con-
stitute and appoint Daniell Burr and John Bankes to be my executors of trust,
and order them to pay, after my burial, all just debts and legacyes, and to make
sale of any utensils which are subject to decay—old cattle—and to be account-
able to my heire or heires, and to keep up housing and fences upon my heires’
charge, that the estate may not suffer. I give to my said executors of trust
twenty pounds apiece, and to be paid what first charge they are at upon any in-
cumbrances. Jtem—I give those poor men their debts upon my booke, whose
names follow—Joseph Pathon, James Evers, Thomas Bassett, Roger Percy ;
and that this is my last will. In witness whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand
this twenty and one yeare of the raigne of our sovereigne lord, King Charles,
and the twenty-first of September, 1669. Me, THOMAS PELL
Signed in the presence of us,
NatHan GouLp,
Joun CABELL.

John Cabell gives oath that he was witnesse to Mr. Pell signing this will, with
Mr. Gould, as he hath entered his hand. Taken upon oath before me,
NatHAN GouLp, Assistant.
This 3d of ——-——, in his Majestie’s
Colony of Connecticut, September, 1669,¢

Upon the reth of October, A.D. 1669, the Court of Assize issued the

a This will may be foundin the Probate Rec. of Fairfleld Co, 1665 to ’75, vol. ii, p. 43-44+
Also Surrogates office N. Y. Wills and Adm., 1665 to 1683, vol. 1., p. 83.

46 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

following order, authorizing and appointing Mr, John Richbell, Mr.
William Leyden, and Mr. Samuel Drake, to take an inventory of the
estate of Thomas Pell, deceased :

‘* Whereas, Mr. Thomas Pell, of Ann Hook’s Neck, is lately deceased, and
having left a considerable estate in this government, of which no inventory is as
yet returned.’’@

In the inventory, we have a thorough and particular account of the
whole furniture and household array of a wealthy merchant and gentle-

man of that early period.
P Rictar Cuan

An inventory of ye estate of Sir Thomas Pell, late deceased, appraised
by us whose names are underwritten, and yt according to an order or
commission directed unto us by ye Rt. Hon’ble ye govern’r, and his
Royal High., ye Duke of Yorke, of all his territories in America.

Imprimis 1 old feather bed, 2 feather bolsters, 2 pillows, 1 rug, 1
blankett, 1 coverlett, 1 bedstead, and 1 pr. of old sheets, ‘

1 paire of old kitterminster curtains and vallance,

63 yds. of canvass at 2s. pr. yd.

36 drest buck and doe skins at 4s pr. piece,

1 pr. of wooden scales and weights,

2 paire of old sheep sheres

1 table and frame,

6 silver spoons and 1 dram cae

9 pound of tacks,

1 pr. of brasse scales and Bonne rene

1 piece of girt web and lead lyne,

—!

Soo oWFeKHrF OCOOCOCO CCC ONC CO ONT ore BS
ee

1 pound of pepper,

4 knives, : : 2 4 :
14 buckles and 2 bridle bits, . 2 4 ; i
23 yds. of bongala at 3s pr. yd. ‘ : : d

14 yds. of peniston at 2s p. yd.

6 yds. of Holland at 4s. p. yd.

21 yds. 3 of Brockram at 1s. 6d. p. yd.

60 lbs. of pewt. at 12d pr. lb. :

8 old napkins, 1 table cloath and towell,

1 old lynnen wast coate, 1 pr. of drawers and 2 shirts,
1 chest,

1 old wast coate,

=

tt
SAIPmDROWFOTDIONNWNAUMNIBROORWOCRAOS
OSS ors aS S oo Sooo so oo oo (Sa S&S

a Assize Rec. Albany, Vol. ii. 7S.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM.

5 pr. of woosted stockings at 4s pr. pair,

1 pr. of home spun stockings,

1 pair of serge boot hose and tops,

4 cushion cases,

13 yds. of several remnants of ae stuffs at 2s pr. aaa:
12 yds. more ye sd stuffs,

9 yds. of remnants of serge at 3s pr. va

1 piece of serge, -

113 yds. of remnants éf ae at 4s. a yd...

24 yds. of flew lynnen at 2s. pr. yd. .

4 yds. of penistone at 2s. pr. yd. : : C
5 yds. of cotton at 2s. 6d. p. yd. : : :
3 lb. of black and browne thread, . = ;
Remnants of gimp. and other laces, . ; 5
1 pair of cotton cards, . - -

14]b. and 3 of lead in barres = 3d. p. “Ib é -
1 pair of bridle reines, -

3 quire of paper,

1 chest with a lock,

2 joynt stooles,

3 chaires at 2s. per chair,

7 lb of powder at 1s. per lb.

1 old neckeloth, 5 old bands, 2 hankerehicta and ald red a

3 gunnes,

1 old patch flock cea 2 poulsiees 3 a pate cs 1 old Cavern
1 chaffe bed being broke, 1 feath. bolster, 1 per of course sheets,

1 hammock,

1 old coate,

2 feather bol. 1 naar. 2 poate faa 1 coarse eee
1 dressed boar skin,

1 very old boat sayle, .

1 old bible,

Culpeper’s ie wh 3 other aaatt imoke

2 of Cradock’s works in quarto,

2 brushes,

18 old fashioned felt hats wh ee

2 yds. of bayes and duffets for 1 paire of iain paeectien
15 bushells of winter wheat at 6s. p. bushell,

3 bushells of Indian corn at 2s. 6d. p. bushell,

A parcell of sheep’s wool, :

A parcell of cotton wool, ;

A parcell of lumber casks in ye chamber,

380 lb. of nayles at 10d. p. Ib.,

7 bolts for dores,

2 paire of bridle raines,

1 paire of bridle bitts,

1 feth’r bed, 1 boulster, 2 blanketts, 2 as 2 aidue, 1 pr. of abet
1 large feather bed, 1 boulster, 2 blanketts, 1 rug, 1 pr. sheets,

cCcococoocooocorwoocoonnwnwrrroocdtrH

He
st oO SO GS = t Sow GN Se OS o.oo & by ©}

WNONnGOoONTK DOAK OC

—

a =

=
COPPPRPRORNMNOC OC ON DPR OF KK WHO

a

ar

pane

corwrROoO WOON oOoN or

eoooocomooenmoc oooocooooqcoococmcw Oo 8 OC OOO ON OOO AS

48 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

2 blanketts,

lold feather bed, 1 boulster, 1 aiilow: 1 onire of sheets: a blankett
and 1 coverlett, k

17 yds. of coarse broad-cloth at t 7s. p. vil

17 lumber casks, - -

1 old chest without a lock,

4 iron potts, 1 skillett, 3 pair of pot sooks,

3 brasse kettles, 1 skillett, 2 chafing dishes, 1 pestell and eS)
and 1 copper skillett, * -

2 trammells, 1 dripping pan, 1 spitt, 1 frying pan, 1 ae of Come
1 gridiron, 1 smoothing iron, :

2 doz. trayes, 2 boults, 1 cheesplate, 5 ane bottles, 8 aoe 14
bushell, 1 peck, 1 quarter cann, 1 old small churn,

2 ploughs, 2 shares, 2 coulters, bolts, collars and 1 pr. of nanan

3 draught chaines, 1 timber chaine,

2 paire of geres for horses

6 falling axes and 1 hatchett .

2 mattocks, 2 spades, 2 iron crowes, 2 alediees 6 Lee if elie
knife, 1 hedging bill, 1 clapboard hoe, 1 crosse cut saw, 1 hand
saw, and beetle rings, = : : ‘

1 piece of an iron barre, : °

2 old carts, 3 paire of wheels, 1 paire ‘of them shod with un: and
1 cart rope, . ° s :

3 old table napkins, 1 table Bey 6 old ional

1 warming pan, &c. . 3 : < °

24 harrow teeth, 1 swivell, 1 horse ieee 1 arial chaine, 3 gimbletts,
8 howes, 2 3 : ~ = - - .

1 small bag with ginger, . “ - ° -

20 yearling cattle, : 4 > : .

9 two yeare old, : - : 5 ° -

9 three yeare old, Z : - . °

6 four yeare old, : - 3 :

6 milch cows,

12 oxen, : : : - ; .

5 calfes,

1 hogsd. and 1 barrell of ries

4 barrells of salt, :

16 lumber casks, :

All ye tobacco, old and new, .

2 hydes,

1 parcell of feathers in a oilicier case, oa 1 o of old siouk un.

Horses and horse colts as they run in the woods,

Mares and mare colts, :

53 sheep, . a -

Swyne, small and greate,

The howsing, lands, barnes, islands, dion tiae fom Piubelihsot?s s
River westward, and so far eastward as were Mr. Tho. Pell’s
inst. and lawful right, é = 4 -

~

woownuw

OrweH

es Re
ooocorooomoooocooe

ooo

Oo ooco]o

o

ceoogooocoocoococoococoeoocoeococe oe

THE TOWN OF PELHAM, 49

House and land in Westchester, e . . ; - 20 00
6 new sythes, : ‘0 18 0
6 unwashed fleeces of wool, Opin O
6 old scythes, ~ P . 0 14 0
In Applebyes keeping, 2 cows and 1 plow chaine ; : wy S. 0

In Jonathan Burge his keeping, 2 oxen, 3 cowes, 2 yearlings,

4 calfes, 1 timber chaine, 1 plough chaine, 1 colter, 1 share and
boult, S . et oon, 0

1 plough share, colter, hoult, coller aed oo irons, in John Holy’s
hands, é : ‘ e : 5 . é Ze OreO
64 load of hay, ‘ : ° 7) RE OPO
5 firkins of sope and pone of ae 3: ..0' 0
3 barrell of rum, : . 1 10 0
1 paire of stillyards, : : Se pone! . oe eo
3 yoaks and 2 grind stones, . 7 z 0 12 0
1 canow, parcell of beef, and 2 small beret of ae ~ - t-910;50
4 cowes more, - : - : : - tS Sc077.0
4 oxen, . . - : : : - 24 0 0
2 of two yearsold, . 4 - E : - 5 OL ()
2 of three years old, . ‘ : 2 . eae |
2 calfes, : 270) 0
1 bull stag, . : . : 6 0 0
Wheate, é ‘ 5 2 12 OO
30 bushells of fataate corne Saa0c0
Old wheat, Been Oued
2 draught chaines, 1 “ee supa 1 oe cart aes pone and rings, 3+ 0,0
1 colter, 1 share colter and boult. 5 as ORY

1 broad axe, 3 iron wedges, 1 pr. of beetle ee 1 om rope, ag bolle
for a horse, 2 pitchforks, 1 grind stone 1 10 0

1 flock bed and boulster, 1 handsaw, 2 augurs, 2 2S and 1
paire fell’rs, £4026

1 iron pott, pot hooks and air 1 Pe kettle, 1 kellett na
candlestick, 1 pewter pint pott, 2 old pewter platters, oe "05.0
6 alchymy spoons, - : ; f ? = eee eat
15 old lumber casks, . 2 E : E 2 0 15 0
3 firkin butter and 2 cheeses, . 0 15-0
2 cowe hydes, OMMO-0
Total sume, z > 1294 14 4

This inventory and appraisem’t was finished ye 20th of October, 1669, as
witness o’r hands, we having according to o’r best knowledge and understanding,
done as witness o’r hands ye day and yeare aforesaid, we have appraised as
money of this country,

JouNn RIcHEELLs.
Wa. tt Hoypen.
his marke.

SAMUEL DRAKE.

590 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

John Bankes one of ye Exec’rs of ye said will entered into bond of £200
Sterl. to perfourme ye said will. Ye bond was dated ye 13 October, 1669.4

During the same year an execution was grauted against ye estate of Thomas
Pell, of Ann Hooks neck, for £16 19 10, of ye goods or chattels belonging and re-
served by ye executors, in trust, for the use of his heirs, the said sum being due
for several charzes relating to a matter in difference between Charles Bridges and
Sarah his wife, plaintiffs, and.ye said Thomas Pell defendant, wherein ye said _
defendant was overthrown, and condemned to pay ye costs of suit .4

FRANCIS LOVELACE.
[To Mr. Robert Coe, high sheriff or his deputy, to cause this exccution tobe served. |°

By the will of Mr. Thomas Pell, it will be observed, that he be-
queathes all his “lands and houses in any part of New England, or in
ye territory of ye Duke of York,” to his nephew John Pell, living in Ould
England, the only son of his only brother, John Pell, Doctor of Divinity.

The Rey. John Pell, D.D., second son of Rev. John Pell and Mary
Holland, was born at Southwyck, in Sussex, on the first of March, 1611.
His father, we are told, died whilst he was only five years old; but his
mother, who was of the Holland family, residing in Kent, did not allow
this loss to be an injury to his education, From her tuition he went to
that of Mr. John Jefferies, master of the free school at Steyning, and
made such proficiency that at the age of thirteen he proceeded to Trini-
ty College, Cambridge.¢ He was an excellent Imguist, understanding
well Arabic, Italian, French, Dutch and Hebrew, as well as the two clas-
sical languages. Mathematics, however, were his favorite and distinguish-
ing study. At the age of nineteen he composed a treatise upon the use
of sun-dials, and engaged in a correspondence relating to logarithms with
the learned Mr. H. Briggs. In the year 1636, he took the degree of
M.A., and the following year proceeded to finish his studies at Oxford,
where he was greatly esteemed. On the 3d of July, 1632, he married
Tehamaria, ‘Tamar or Athamar,” second daughter of Mr. Henry Regi-
nolle,* of London, by whom he had four sons and the same number of
daughters.” John, their only surviving son, as we shall see presently,
succeeded his uncle as second lord of Pelham.

“In December, 1643,” Dr. Pell * went to Amsterdam to fill the pro-
fessorship of mathematics. He succeeded Martin Hortensius. His pub-

a Probate Ree. Fairfield Co., 1665-1675, 2 vol. pp. 43, 44. Also Surrogate’s Office, N. Y.,
Wills & Admin, 1665 0 1683, vol. i, p. 87.

5 Westchester Town Rec.

¢ Assize Rec., Albany, 215.

d Trinity College, Cambridge, was founded by Kdward III, and the Black Prince and Pell
as being of founders kin was entitled to certain privileges attached thereto.

e Henry Reginolles, or Reginalles, was descended of a family of that name resident at Bel-
sted, county of Suffolk. The following guand of arms was made to Reginalls (Belsted, coun-
ty of Suffolk,) in 1584, *“*Sa. on a chief ar. three mullets pierced of the field.” Burke’s Gen.
Armory.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 51

lic lectures upon Diophantus were much applauded, as is testified by his
learned colleague, Gerrard John Vossius, who styles him, in his De
Scientiis Mathematics, ‘a person of various erudition, and a very acute
mathematician ;’ though, as Dr. Pell tells Sir Henry Cavendish, in a let-
ter, still preserved inthe British museum, ‘ stupidus, stolidus, cant similis,
temerarius, petulans juvenis, and the like titles, hath Longomontanus
bestowed upon your honor’s most humble servant, JoHN PELL.” “ This
letter is dated from Amsterdam, in February, 1644-5. In 1646, in com-
pliance with the wishes of the Prince of Orange, Mr. Pell removed to the
Professorship of Philosophy and Mathematics in Schola lustris which
his Highness founded that year at Breda. In the same year appeared
his ‘ Controversia cum Christiano Longomontana de vera circuli mensu-
ra.’ While at Breda he had Lord Brereton? under his tuition. In 1651,
was published his ‘ /zea Mathematus, which is the best of his works.
In 1652, he returned to England, and two years subsequently was sent
by the Protector Oliver Cromwell as his od/igatus, or agent, to the Pro-
testant Cantons of Switzerland, but subsequently he received orders to
continue there as resident minister. He chiefly resided at Zurich.’¢

The Pell MSS.¢ in the Landsdowne Collections, in the British Museum,
are written in an excellent style and afford interesting illustrations of
Dr. Pell’s domestic and literary character. They contain letters to and
from Dr. Pell. Amongst his correspondents are Mr. Secretary Thurloe,
Boswell, Monk, Moland, Drury and Hirtzell, To which is appended
Dr. Pell’s diary during his residence at Zurich. The latter commences
thus : —

1654.

March 1, I was forty-three years old.

March 2, My Lord Protector sent for me, and first proposed that journey to
me.

March 3, The Low-Dutch ambassador came.

March 21, Marcus first waited upon me.

March 24, I received at Whitehall, £200 sterling advance.

a Harleian MSS. 6796, 72 c.

4 The son of the second Lord Brereton, of Leaghlin, in Ireland, to whose title he succced-
ed, and was member for Ciieskire in the reign of CharlesII. He diedin 1679. Vaughan’s
Protectorate of Cromvvell, vol. ii, 383.

¢ History of Sussex, by Thomas Walker, vol. ii, 218. Besides the works already mentioned.
Dr. Pell published—l. Modus Supputandi ‘Ephemerides Astronomicus, 1630: 2. Clef de la Ste-
ganographic de Jean Tretheim, 1631; 3. Letter to Edward Wingate upon Logarithms, 1631; 4,
Astropomical Account of Celestial Appearances, &c., 1634; 5. The Art of Calculating Eclipses,
1634; 6. Easter not Mis-timed, 1664; 7. Table of 10,000 Square Numbers, &c., 1672; 7. Inaugu-
ral Oration at Breda. His Demonstration of the 2 and 10 b’ks of Euclid, his alterations and
additions to Rhonim’s Algebra, with many others on miscelianeous subjects, letters, &c., are
some of them preserved in MSS. in the library of Lord Brereton, in Cheshire.

d Inthe Lanesdowne MSS. are 11 vols. of Dr. Pells. The first vol. is composed of a vast
fuad of interesting information respecting the presecution of the Piedmontose.

52 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

April 5, Dismissed by my Lord Protector. Isupped with my wife and bade
her adicu.
April 6, We came to gravesend.@

The first article in his correspondence (as ambassador) opens with a
letter to Mr. Secretary Thurloe, dated Utrecht, April 2oth, O. S., 1654.

In a letter from Morland, to the Right Hon. John Pell, dated White-
hall, January, 15th, 1656-7, he makes the following allusion to the family
of the latter: ‘‘ To-morrow, God willing, I shall not fail to go and
present your five children with five gold angels according to your order,
as I have this evening sent her ladyship a note, though it were after I
received the enclosed from her to you, &c., &c.”

August 26th, 1654, Mr. Pell thus writes to his wife concerning his
children: “ Let Mary learn to cut and carve with her right hand. Take
heed that John® lose not his Roman with learning secretary, or else get
a rambling hand writing, neither of them will,” &c.

“To Mrs. Pell, ather house behind six trees, in Gardiner’s lane, near
King street, Westminster. In a letter of August 28th, O.S. 1655, to his
wife, he writes, ‘‘ you have reason to thank the councillor that persuaded
you to write to me for pearls and jewels. You tell me that you know I
have rich presents; you might do well to tell me, who gave them me,
when, and where, and what they are, for I know none of all these. No-
body wears pearls or jewels here. If they were to be sold, they cannot
be sent safely to you in a letter through the hands of many posts; and I
have no other way to send to you from hence. It would a great deal
better become you, to advise your daughters to cast off all thoughts of
such bravery, as would not be fit for them, though their father were
worth twenty times as much as he 1s, all his just claims being reckoned
with that which he hath nowin his power. This letter will come to White-
hall, about the very beginning of the Parliament, so that Mr. Secretary
and those about him, may be so full of business, that they may forget to
send you this letter in due time, and then it may miscarry, which is the
cause that this time I tell you no more of my mind concerning Ma and
the rest, of whom I cannot think without much sadness.

God Almighty bless them and direct you.”

Zurich, May 26th. Mr. Pell to Mrs. Pell. “Since my last of April
2oth, &c., &c., I have received two of yours. In them you ask advice
concerning my son. If he be’ not fit to get long lessons, by heart, he
will never be fit for that school ; but you must take heed that you dis-
please not Mr. B. by taking him away. If our friends can help you to
find out a good school for him, you may send him thither in the school

a Dr. Vaughan’'s Protectorate of Cromwell vol. ii, 485. The journey from Westminister to
Zurich, says Pell, was forty-three days; ‘our way was worked, and at least seven hundred

miles long.”

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 53

vacation ; or else my uncle may help you to an excuse, by pretending a
desire to see him; and then (as if it were his humor in my absence to
have him better grounded before he return to such a great school) he
may be sent to some other school, where there are fewer boys; for in
large schools, the masters are forced to ease themselves by laying great
burdens upon their scholars’ memories. But it will be very hard to find
a good school. God Almighty direct you, and bless him and his sisters,”4

“October 15th, Mr. Pell to Mrs. Pell. Since my last of July 16,1 have
received seven of yours, &c. The fourth tells me that you like mine of
July 16th so ill, that you may well content yourself without my letters.
In it you sent me a Latin letter enquiring whether 4e that wrote it will
be a scholar or a’ prentice. That question will be better answered three
years hence; they that will now judge of him may be very much mis-
taken in him; with your next, iet him send me the names of the books
which he now learns in school, &c.”

October 2d, 1656, concerning his daughter Mary’s marriage, he writes:
‘“*T perceive by yours, that M. hath much abated her height of her first
flight. First a rich husband or none at all, then two hundred pounds a
year at least ; now, a younger brother, that hath no land, but some mon-
ey in other men’s hands, almost enough to purchase four-score pounds a
year free land.

Now she hath found one rich enough for her, you must try whether
she is rich enough for him; you may therefore tell him or her that you
have order to pay him two hundred pounds upon the day of her marriage,
without promise that she or hers shall receive any more from me, or by
me, till I am dead, &c. &c.?

On May the 6th, 1658, Mr. Pell received the following letter of recall
from the Protector.

Oliver Cromwell to Mr. Pell.

Sir:—The state of affairs being much altered in those parts, so that
your longer abode there seemeth not so necessary, and that your return
hither may be more serviceable to us, I have thought fit hereby to recall
you; therefore you will do well, having taken your leave there, in the
best manner, to repair homewards, that we may receive from you the ac-
count of your whole negotiation, and you from us the encouragement
which you have deserved.¢

Sir, I rest your loving friend, OLIVER P.

By his highness’s command,
Jo THURLOE.

a John Pell here alluded to, was the second Lord and proprietor of the Manor of Pelham
In Mr. Pell's diary, Feb. 3, 1634, he remarks iy son as eleven years old.

6 Mr. Pell’s daughter was mar. Nov. 27, 1656.

ec The tedious negotiations at Baden, ended in a peace, which left the Swiss Cantons in the
same relation to each uther and Europe as before.

54 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

On the 23d of June, 1658, he took leave of the Swiss Cantons, in a
Latin oration, and arrived in England on the 13th of August following,
just as Cromwell was dying. In his diary Mr. Pell thus records the
death of the Protector and the proclamation of his son:

September 3d, 1658, Olivarus Protector obiit alb, aula.
September 4th, 1658, Ricardus Westmonasterii et Londine proclamation.

The following notes relate to his attendance on the Protector’s
funeral :

GARDINER’s LANE, NEAR Kina STREET.

““T do hereby request that the proportion of cloth allowed unto me by the right
honorable council as mourning for his late highness, the lord protector, may be
delivered unto my neighbor, Mr. Samuel Hartlib, the younger. Written -with

my own hand, Sept. 26th, 1658.
JOHN PELL.

WHITEHALL, AT THE GREEN CLoTaH, SEpt. 27. 1658.

Mr. CrerKe, Comptroller :—‘‘I desire you to direct the delivery of nine yards
of black cloth of twenty-four shillings per yard, and six yards of fifteen shillings
per yard, for John Pell, Esq. BARRINGTON.

JOHN PELL, Esq. :—You are desired to attend the funeral of the most serene
and most renowned OLIven, late Lord Protector, from Somerset House, on Tues-
day, the 23d of November, instant, at eight of the clock in the morning at the
furthest, and bring with you this ticket; and that by Friday next, you send to
the Herald’s office, near Paul’s, the names of your servants that are to attend in
mourning, without which they are not to be admitted; and also to take notice
that no coaches are to pass, on that day, in the streets between Somerset House
and Westminister.”

While abroad Mr. Pell had performed considerable services for King
Charles II.’ and the Church of England for which he was favored by the
Royalists party. Being ordained Deacon by the Bishop of Lincoln on
the 31st of March, 1661, and a priest in the June following; the same
year he obtained from the crown the rectory of Fobbing’ in Essex, to
which the Bishop of London added the rectory of Lasingdon or Lain-
den in 1663.

a Vaughan’s Protectorate of Cromwell, vol, il., 341, 342.

4 In his diary he records the King’s birth day thus: ‘1657, May 29, Carslus, twenty-seven
years old.”

c The living is a discharged rectory, in the deanery of Lewes, and is valued in the King’s
— = £9 138. 944d. Itisinthe patronage of the owner. The church is dedicated to St.
Michael.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 55

Among the Pell papers occurs the following letter from his curate,

the Rev. John Nye, dated :—
LAINDEN, FEB. 10, 1677-8.

ReEveERrEND Sir:—You expect, I presume, some intimations concerning the
place and people where, as your substitute, I serve the cure ; after tedious delib-
eration, I thought to give your worship the following notice, viz. :—<As far as the
winter extremities, the incontiguity of country houses, and private necessities
do permit, our churches enjoy full congregations, the people being reverent and
observant, and lovers of the desk as well as pulpit. I know not one perfect dis-
senter; only Mr. Andrews, of Lainden, once held a conventicle in his house
since my coming. The appearance at Christmas communion was tolerable—
ebout twenty persons ; and we hope Easter will exceed. Our school is occupied
by a licensed, grave, and good man. All officers for church and town are legal-
ly qualified, 7. e. men honest, able, judicious. All church ornaments and repairs
are exact, except only Barseldon, where two casualties are fallen, viz.: the bell
roof is ready to drop, aud one side of the church needs shoring ; the total charges
are pre-estimated about fifty pounds. As for my own acceptance and success, it
is not wholly in vain, praised be God! I know not one drunkard nor swearer
amongst us, except only Gaffar Fryer of Lainden—who on many accounts for-
gets piety, but especially by swearing and miserableness. My Lord Bishop of
London urges the duty of catechising with much fervor; I shall begin on the 17th
of Feb. next, being the first Sunday in Lent; but my lord (when I sued out a
license, ) did profess Lent season too short for such a work, and hardly endured to
have the matter contested. Our parishes have not observed perambulations for
several years; I suppose it will be convenient to stir them thereto against the 5th
of May next, Rogation Sunday, Reverend sir, I know your minutes are pre-
cious, your importances constant ; evgo, it is duty and love without rhetorical am-
bages, to profess myself, as I ought to appear,

Your worship’s humble servant and ready curate. JOHN NYE.

Mr. Andrews (of whom my letter speaketh,) is a constant church-
man, attentive and observant at the common prayer, and carefully
avoideth sly reflections against the government; but, as it seems, best
satisfied with the Presbyterian discipline.

The same year of his appointment to Laindon he was made domestic
chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury. ‘It was expected he would
have risen to some of the highest dignities of the Church ; but, careless
of his interests, and neglectful of his pecuniary. resources, he was
cheated by his tenants, and defrauded by his relatives, and never
attained to a higher rank than D.D. Finally, he was roused to a sense
of his imprudence in devoting all his time to study, by actually wanting
the necessaries of life; but it was too late, he was committed to the
King’s Bench prison for debt; and though speedily released by those
who admired his talents, it seems to have had a fatal influence upon his

56 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

health. He lived for about a year at the College of Physicians with Dr.
Whistler; and had just removed thence to the house of one of his
grand-children, residing at Westminster, when death procured him a still
more friendly removal, on the 12th of December, 1685. He was buried at
the joint expense of Dr. Busby, a master of Westminster school, and of
Mr. John Sharp, rector of St. Giles’s, in the rector’s vault.¢

John Pell, the only son of the Rev. John Pell, D.D., by Ilhamarie,
Tamar or Athamar, Reynolds, was born in London, Middlesex county,
on the 3d of February, 1643. By the will of his uncle, Thomas Pell,
he became the next proprietor of the manor of Pellham. He must have
arrived at Boston, Massachusetts, sometime during the Fall of 1670;
bearing a letter of introduction to Governor Winthrop by his friend
Lord Brereton, from London, 23d June, 1670.

The following certificate of recognition was issued by the Governor
and assistant of Connecticut in 1670:

‘Att a meeting of the governor and assistants in Hartford, December 9th,
1670, upon the desire of Sir John Pell, the governor and assistants thought good
hereby to certify whom it may concern, that they are fully satisfied by several
letters and testimonials that the governor hath received from persons of honor in
England, that the bearer of them, Sir John Pell, senior, in ordinary to His
Majesty, and son of Dr. Pell of London, is the undoubted nephew of Mr.
Thomas Pell, late of Fairfield, and the person whom he hath made his heir in his
last will and testament, to whom the inventory in trust ought to surrender the
estate bequeathed to him by the said Mr. Thomas Pell, deceased, and the just
account thereof according to his will. Signed by order of the governor and
assistants, per me, JOHN ALLEN,

Secretary of His Majesty’s Colony of Connecticut.

This isa true copy according to the original received the

15th December, 1670,per me
WIttiam Hitt CLarKE.¢

The above certificate was confirmed by Governor Lovelace of New
York.?

In the year 1675, John Pell of Ann-hooks Neck, binds and makes
over unto John Burr of Fairfield, his heirs and assignees, &c., all his
meadow lying in Fairfield, on the Mill river, &c. Upon the 2oth of Oc-
tober, 1687, the whole territory was erected into one entire enfran-
chised township, manor, and place of itself, henceforth to be called

a Hist. of Sussex, by Thos. Walker, vol. ii, 218. See Bothopia Brittanica, vol. v.

b The original letter was in the possession of the late James Savage, LL.D. of Boston,

ec Probate Rec. Fairfield ’‘o., 1665-75, p. 49. =
d Surrogate’s Office, N. Y., Will & Adm., 1665 to 1683, vol. i, page 102.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 57

“THE LORDSHIP AND MANOR OF PELHAM,” under the feudal tenure of
paying yearly, thereupon, twenty shillings at the city of New York, on
the 25th day of March (Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary).¢

THE ROYAL PATENT OF PELHAM MANOR.

Tuomas Doncan, Captain General and Governor-in-chief in and over the
province of New Yorke, and the territories depending thereon in America,
under his most sacred Majesty, James the Second, by the grace of God, Kinge
of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c.,—to all
to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting: Whereas, Richard
Nicholls, .Esq., late governor of this province, by his certaine deed in writing,
under his hand and seale, bearing date the sixth day of October, in the eighteenth
year of the reigne of our late sovereigne lord, Charles the Second, by the
grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Kinge, defender of
the faith, &c., and in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred
sixty and six—did give, grant, confirm and rattefye, by virtue of the commis-
sion and authoritye unto him given by his (then) royal highness,’ James, Duke
of Yorke, &c., (his now Majesty,) upon whome, by lawful grant and pattent
from his (then) Majesty, the propriety and government of that part of the
maine land, as well of Long Island and all the islands adjacent. Amongst
other things was settled unto Thomas Pell, of Onkway, alias Fairfield, in his
Majestye’s colony of Connecticut—gentleman—all that certaine tract of land
upon the maine lying and being to the eastward of Westchester bounds,
bounded to the westward with a river ‘called by the Indians Aquaconounck,
commonly known to the English by the name of Hutchinson’s River, which
runneth into the bay lyeing betweene Throgmorton’s Neck and Anne Hooke’s
Neck, commonly called Hutchinson’s Bay, bounded on the east by a brooke
called Cedar Tree Brooke, or Gravelly Brooke; on the South by the Sound,
which lyeth between Longe Island and the maine land, with all the islandsin the
Sound not before that time granted or disspossed of, lyeing before that tract of
land so bounded as is before expresst ; and northward to runne into the woods
about cight English miles, the breadth to be the same, asit is along by the Sound,
together with all the lands, islands, soyles, woods, meadows, pastures, marshes,
lakes, waters, creeks, fishing, hawking, hunting and fowling, and all other proff-
itts, commodityes and heridetaments to the said tract of land and islands belong-
ing, with their and every of their appurtenayces, and every part and parcel there-
of ; and that the said tract of land and premises should be forever thereafter held,
deemed, reputed, taken and be an intire infranchised towneshipp, manner and
place of itself, and should always, from time to time, and at all times thereafter,
have, hold and enjoy like and equall priviledges and immunities with any towne
infranchised, place or manner within this government, &c., shall in no manner
of way be subordinate or belonging unto, have any dependance upon or in any
wise, bounds or the rules under the direction of any riding, or towne, or towne-

a The year of our Lord, until a century ago, was reckoned from the 25th of March because
with the miraculous conception, the work of our redemption: and hence the era of Grace
began. ‘*The change of New Year’s Day from 25th of March to the ist of January was
adopted legally by France in 1563, by Scotland in 1600, and by England and Ireiand at the
change of style, 1752.” Chambers Miscellaneous Questions, by J. B. Lippincott & Co,, 1868.

58 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

shipps, place or jurisdiction either upon the maine or upon Longe Isiland—but
should in all cases, things and matters be deemed, 1eputed, taken and held as an
absolute, intire, infranchised towneshipp, manner and place of itselfe in this gov-
ernment, and should be ruled, ordered and directed in all matters as to govern-
ment, accordingly, by the governour and Councell, and General Court of Assizes
—only provided, always, that the inhabitants in said tract of land granted as
aforesaid, should be obliged to send fforwards to the next townes all publick
pachquetts and letters, or hew and cryes coming to New Yorke or goeing from
thence to any other of his Majestie’s collonys; to have and to hold the said tract
of land and islands, with all and singular the appurtenances and premises, to-
gaither with the privelidges, imuneties, franchises, and advantages therein given
and granted unto the said Thomas Pell, to the proper use and behoofe of the said
Thomas Pell, his heires and assignes for ever, ffuly, ffreely, clearely, in as large
and ample manner and forme, and with such full and absolute immunityes and
priveledges as before is expresst, as if he had held the same immediately ffrom
his Majesty the Kinge of England, &c., and his suckcessors, as of the manner of
East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, in free and common sockage and by
fealty, only yealdeing, rendering and payeing yearely and every yeare unto his
then royall highness, the Duke of Yorke, and his heires, or to such governour or
governours as from time to time should by him be constituted and appoynted, as
an acknowledgement, one Jambe on the first day of May, if the same shall be de-
manded as by the said deede in writeing, and the entrey thereof in the bookes of
records in the secretarie’s office for the province aforesaid, may more fully and at
large appeare. And whereas, John Pell, gentleman, nephew of the said Thomas
Pell, to whom the lands, islands and premises, with appurtenances, now by the
last will and testament of him, the said Thomas Pell, given and bequeathed, now
isin the actual, peacable and quiett seazeing and possession of all and singular the
premises, and hath made his humble request to mee, the said Thomas Dongan,
that I would, in the behalfe of his sacred Majesty, his heirs and suckcessors, give
and grant unto him, the said John Pell, a more full and firme grant and confirm-
ation of the above lands and premises, with the appurtenances, under the seale
of thishis Majestie’s province: Wow Know Yee, that I, the said Thomas Dongan,
by virtue of the commission and authority unto me given by his said Majesty,
and power in me being and residing, in consideration of the quitt rent hereinafter
reserved, and for divers other good and lawfull considerations me thereunto
mouving, I have given, rattefied and confirmed, and by these presents doe here-
by give, grant, ratefie and confirme unto the said John Pell, his heirs and assigns
for ever, all the before mentioned and rented lands, islands and premises, with
the heridatements and appurtenances, priveledges, imuncties, ffranchises and ad-
vantages to the same belonging and appertaining, or in the said before mention-
_ ed deede in writing expresst, implyed or intended to be given and granted, and
_ every part and parcel thereof, together with all that singular messuages, tene-
ments, barnes, stables, orchards, gardens, lands, islands, meadows, inclosures,
arable lands, pastures, feedeings, commons, woods, underwoods, soyles, quar-
reys, mines, minnerully, (royall mines only excepted,) waters, rivers, ponds,
lakes, hunteing, haucking, ffishing, ffowleing, as alsoe all rents, services, wasts,
strayes, royaltyes, liberties, priviledges, jurisdictions, rights, members and ap-
purtenances, and all other immunityes, royaltyes. power of franchises, profitts,

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 59

commodeties, and heredatements whatsoever to the premises, or any part or par-
cell thereof belonging or appertaining: and further, by vertue of the power and
authority in mee being and residing, I doe here grant, rattefie and confirme, and
the tract of land, island and premises aforesaid are, by these presents, erected
and constituted to be one lordship and manner—and the same shall from hence-
forth be called the lordshipp and manner of Pelham; and I doe hereby give and
grant unto the said John Pell, his heirs and assigns, ffull power and authority at
all times hereafter, in the said lordshipp and manner of Pelham aforesid, one
court leete and one court barron, to hold and keepe at such times and so often
yearly as he and they shall see meete, and all sines, issues and amerciaments at
the said court leete and court barron, to be holden and kept in the manner and
lordship aforesaid, that are payable from time to time, shall happen to be due
and payable by and from any the inhabitants of or within the said lordshipp and
manner of Pelham abovesaid; and also all and every the powers and authorities
hereinbefore mentioned, for the holding and keepeing of the said court leete and
court barron, ffrom time to time, and to award and issue forth the customary
writs to be issued and awarded out of the said court leecte and court barron, and
the same to beare test and to be issued out in the name of the said John Pell, his
heirs and assignes, and the same court leete and court barron to be kept by the
said John Pell, his heirs and assignes, or his or their steward, deputed or ap-
poynted ; and I doe further hereby give and grant unto the said John Pell, his
heirs and assignes, full power to distraine for all rents and other sums of money
payable by reason of the premises, and all other lawful remedys and meanes for
the haveing, receiving, levying and enjoying the said premises and every part
thereof, and all waifts, strayes, wrecks of the sease, deodands and goods of ffrel-
ons happening and being within the said manner of Pelham, with the advowson
and right of patronage of all and every of the church and churches in the said
manner, erected and to be erected—to have and to hold all and singular the said
tract of land, islandsand manner of Pelham, and alland singular the above grant-
ed or mentioned to be granted premises, with their rights, members, jurisdictions,
priviledges, heredaments and appurtenances, to the said John Pell, his heirs and
assignes, to the only proper use, benefitt and behoofe of the said John Pell, his
heirs and assignes, for ever; to be holden of his most sacred Majestye, his
heirs and successors, in free and common soccage, according to the tenure of
East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, in his Majestye’s kingdom of England,
yielding, rendering and paying therefore yearly ard every year for ever, unto
his said Majestye, his heirs and successors, or to such officer or officers as shall
from time to time be appointed to receive the same—twenty shillings, good and
lawful money of this province, at the city of New Yorke, on the five and
twentyth day of the month of March, in lieu and stead of all rents, services and
demands whatsoever.

In testimony whereof, I have signed these presents with my handwriting, caus-
ed the seale of the province to be thereunto affixed, and have ordained that the
same be entered upon record in the secretary’s office, the five and twentyeth day
of October, in the third yeare of the Kinge Majestye’s reigne, and in the year of
our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty and seven. THOMAS DONGAN.

a Co. Rec. Lib, A. 240, Alb. Book of Pat. No. ii. 306. The original document is in the pos-
session of Mrs. Maria Fay, of East Chester.

60 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

In 1684-5 John Pell married Rachel, daughter of Philip Pinckney,
Esq., one of the first ten proprietors of the town of East Chester, a lineal
representative of the Pinkney’s, of Pinkney’s manor, in the county of
Norfolk, England.

“On the 2oth of September, 1689, John Pell, gentleman, and Rachel
his wife, for a valuable consideration, conveyed to Jacob Leisler of New
York, merchant, all that tract of land in the manor of Pelham, (now
called New Rochelle), containing six thousand acres, and also one hun-
dred acres of land for the use of the French church erected or to be
erected thereon,” and ‘“‘The grantees and his heirs yielding as an ac-
knowledgement therefore unto the said John Pell and his heirs, as lords
of the manor,” one fat calf on the festival of St. John the Baptist.

By a writ of summons served on the 2oth of March, 1691, John Pell
was returned by the High Sheriff to represent the county of West Chest-
er, in the Provincial Assembly.2. He was also Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas for this county, from 1688 until the day of his death.

The Hon. John Pell is said to have been cast away and drowned in
his pleasure boat which foundered in a gale off City Island, sometime
in the fall of 1702. He died intestate, leaving issue by his wife Rachel,
two sons and two daughters.

Thomas Pell, the oidest son, was born at Pelham in 1686, and
became invested with the inheritance and legal rights of his deceased
father.

On the 3rd of March, 1729, occurs an indenture between :—

Thomas Pell of the Manor of Pelham, in the County of West Chester in Colony
of New York, Esq., and Anna his wife of the first part, and Edward Blagge of
the City of New York, gent, of the second part, for the consideration of £50,
‘‘hath granted, bargained, aliened and confirmed unto the said Blagge, his exec-
utors and administrators all that certain full equal one-fifth of ali that large
Tract of land which is contained in the bounds of the said Manor of Pelham to
wit: of that part of the said Manor, which lyes on the north side of the Boston
Road o: Highway, which leads from East Chester to New Rochelle, and also
the one full equal fifth part af all that tract of land within the said manor which
lyes to the eastward of New Rochelle bounds, with all the hereditaments and
appurtances thereunto’ belonging, excepting and reserving out of this present
grant, all those lands which do belong to the Township of New Rochelle, and
also all that plantation on which Phillip Pell now lives, and also all that land
formerly conveyed to Isaac Coutine, Daniel Samson, John June, and William

a Thearmsof Pinkney ot Pinchené (of Buckinghamshire, Essex and Northamptonshire
townships, Edward I) as given-by burke, are—or four lozenges in fesse gu: which exactly
agree with the sketch of the P nckney coat found in the corner stone of the French church at
New Rochelle deposited in 1697. S2e East Chester for Pinckney family.

EF Smith’s History of New York, quarto cdition 73.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 61

Pinckney, 01 any other person or persons whatsoever, who have any lawful claime
to any of the said lands by virtue of any Deeds or Conveyances from the said
Thomas Pell or his father John Pell deceased. To have and to hold, etc., and
defend said Blagge against all other persons claiming any right to the same, etc.
Upon the 15th day of March, 1732, Edward Blagge (for the value of £40,) did
bargain, sell, release and sett over the within recited and mentioned tract of land
and premises to Thomas Pell, Jr. 4

Chern e fr Pre

The following Indenture from Thomas Pell, Sen., to Thomas Pell,
Jun., for another fifth part of all his lands in the Manor of Pelham,
lying and being to the northward of the King’s highway or Country road,
from the city of New York to Boston occurs on 25th of April, 1732.

EDWARD BLAGGE.

This Indenture made the twenty-fifth day of April, in the fifth year
of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the Grace
of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the
Faith, &c.. Annoq Dom.: Seventeen hundred and thirty-two, between
Thomas Pell, Senior, of the Mannour of Pelham, in the county of
Westchester and province of New York, Esq., of the one part, and
Thomas Pell, Junior, of the Mannour aforesaid, Gent., of the other part,
Witnesseth, That the said Thomas Pell, Senior, for and in consideration
of the sum of one hundred pounds current money of New York to him
paid at and before ye Ensealing and Delivery of these presents by the

a Copied from original document in posession of Geo. H. Pell, of New York; also March
23, 1729, an Indenture between Thomas Pell, gent, and Anna his wife, and Samuel Clowes of
Jamaica, Queens County, for one other certain full equal one-fifth part of the same consid-
ered £50. Witnesses. Edward Blagge, Thomas Pell, Jr. and Jno Pell, Jr.; also Indenture
March 23, 1729, from Thomas Peil, Sr. and Anna his wife to Thomas Pell. Jr. for another fifth

art of same, considered £50. Witnesses, S Clowes, Edward Blagge and John Pell, Jr; also

ndenture March 23, 1729, between Thomas Pell and Anna his wife and John Pell for another
fifth part of same, considered £50. Witnesses. S. Clowes, E. Blagge and Thomas Pell, Jr.
All the above are in posession of Geo. H. Pell, and have never been ~scorded.

62 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

said Thomas Pell, Junior, the receipt whereof the said Thomas Pell,
Senior, doth, hereby acknowledge and himself therewith fully satisfied
and paid, and thereof doth freely and absolutely exonerate and discharge
him, the said Thomas Pell, Junior, his heirs, Executors and Adm™ and
every of them for ever by these presents hath granted, bargained, sold,
conveyed and assigned, and by these presents Doth freely, fully and
absolutely grant bargain, sell, convey and assign unto the said Thomas
Pell, Junior, his heirs and assigns for ever all the right and title which he
the said Thomas Pell, Senior, hath at the time of executing these
presents, of in or to any Lands in the Mannour of Pelham, abovesaid,
lying and being to the Northward of the King’s highway or Country
road from the City of New York to Boston which have not been hereto-
fore conveyed by the said Thomas Pell, Senior, or his honoured father,
John Pell, late of the aforesaid Mannour of Pelham, Esq., Deceased,
to any person or persons whatsoever by Deed of FFeoffment or other-
wise Together with all and Singular, the Appurtenances, profits and
advantages thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining. ‘To have
and to hold all the right and title of him the said Thomas Pell, Senior,
of in or to the Lands in the Mannour of Pelham abovesaid, lying and
being in the Northward of the King’s highway or Country road from the
City of New York to Boston which have not been heretofore conveyed
by Deed of FFeoffment or otherwise to any person or persons whatso-
ever by him the said Thomas Pell, Junior, or his honoured father, John
Pell abovesaid, late Deceased, and the appurtenances and advantages to
the said right belonging unto him the said Thomas Pell, Junior, his
heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of him the said
Thomas Pell, Junior, his heirs and assigns for Ever. In Witness whereof
the said parties have to these presents interchangably set their hands
and Seals the day and year first above written.

Sealed and Delivered and the SO
Consideration Money acknow- CHO, | Coe Tt
ledged to be received in the pre- f ip L@é P.

sence of

WILL THOMPSON.
JosEPH PELL.

Thomas Pell, sen., died at the Manor house, Pelham, sometime in 1739.

a Geréeddrom original in possession of Geo. H. Pell, of N. Y.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 63

THE WILL OF THOMAS PELL, Sex. OF THE MANOR OF PELHAM.

In the name of God, Amen. This third day of September, in the 18th year of
the reign of King George ye second Anno Domi, 1739, I, Thomas Pell, Sen., of
the manor of Pelham, in the County of West Chester and Province of New York,
being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given
unto God therefore, and calling unto mind the mortality of my body, knowing it
is appointed for ail men once to die, doe make and ordain this, my last, will etc.,
in manner and form following, to say: Principally and first of all I give and re-
commend my soul into the hands of God who gave it, and my body Irecommend to
the earth to be buried in a Christian like ana decent manner att the discretion of
my executors hereinafter named, and touching such worldly estate as it hath
pleased God to bless me with all in this life. After my just and lawful debts
are first satisfied and paid out of my moveable estate, as also my general charges
of my executors hereinafter named—I give, Devise and Dispose of the same in
the following manner and form: Imprimis, I give unto my daughter Ann,
Broadhurst the use of the room she now lives in, during the time she remains a
single woman without a husband; but, if in case after my decease, my son Jo-
seph Pell doth not like or approve of her living in said room during the time
aforesaid, that then he shall build her a small house of about sixteen feet square,
and allow her that and the use of six acres of land out of his land, during the time
she remains a, single woman and without a husband as aforesaid ; and I also give
unto my said daughter, Ann Broadhurst, the sum of sixty pounds, current money
of New York, to be levied and paid her out of my moveable estate by my execu-
tors after my decease, and to be enjoyed by her, her heirs and assignees forever.

Item.—lt is my further will and mind, that my brother, John Pell, should
have houseroom, lodging, victuals and cloaths, comfortable for him during his
lifetime, which I order my son Joseph Pell to provide.

Item.—Ii give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Ann Pell, the use of the best
room in my house and timber in any part of my land, and the use of sixty acres
of land and chamber and cellar room in my house, during the time she remains
my widow; and I also give unto my said wife, the sum of one-hundred pounds,
current money of New York, by her if she sees cause to take it in money out of
my moveable estate after my decease; to be enjoyed by her, her heirs and assign-
ees forever; and also I further give unto my said wife, the best bed and furniture
in my house.

Item.—I give and bequeath unto my son John Pell, the sum of five pounds,
current money of New York, to be levied and paid him out of my moveable es-
tate, by my executors after my decease; to him, his heirs and assignees forever,
he having received the use of his portion already.

Item.—I give and bequeath unto my son Thomas Pell the sum of three pounds,
current money of New York, to be levied and paid to him out of my moveable
estate, by my executors after my decease; to him, his heirs and assignees forever,
he having received the use of his portion already.

Item.—I give and bequeath unto my son Joshua Pell, the sum of three pounds,
current money of New York, to be levied and paid to him out of my moveabie
estate, by my executors after my decease; to him, his heirs and assignees forever,
he having received the use of his portion already.

64 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Jtem.—I give and bequeath unto my son Philip Pell, the sum of three pounds,
current money of New York, to be levied and paid to him out of my moveable
estate, by my executors after my decease ; to him, his heirs and assignees forever,
he having received the use of his portion already.

Item.—I give and bequeath unto my son Caleb Pell, the sum of three pounds,
current money of New York, to be levied and paid to him out of my moveable
estate, by my executors after my decease ; to him, his heirs and assignees forever,
he having received the use of his portion already.

Item.—I give and bequeath unto my son Joseph Pell, all and singular, my
lands, meadows, houses, tenements, builaings etc., tat now belong unto mee,
as also the houses, rooms and land, and rooms before reserved for my wife att
her marriage or decease, to him, his heirs and assignees. ‘l’o his and their own
and only proper use, benefit and behoof forever after my decease.

Ttem—I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Mary Sands, the sum of seventy
pounds current money of New York, to be levied and paid her out of my
moveable estate by my executors upon my decease, to her, her heirs and assigns
forever.

Item—I give and bequeath to my daughter, Sarah Palmer, the sum of five
pounds current money of New York, to be levied and paid her out of my
moveable estate, by my executors after my decease ; to her, her heirs and assignees
forever.

Item—I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Bursheba Pell, the sum of one
hundred and fifty pounds current money of New York, to be levied and paid
her out of my moveable estate, by my executors after my decease; to her, her
heirs and assignees forever.

Jtem—It is my will and mind, that all my moveable estate, excepting what I
have before reserved to my wife, should by my executors be sold and the afore-
said legacies (after my just and lawful debts and funeral charges are satisfied
and paid), to be paid out of the overplus thereof.

I give and bequeath unto my grandson, Samuel Broadhurst, the sum of ten
pounds current money of New York, to him, his heirs and assignees forever, and
the remainder thereof it is my will and mind should be equally divided among
my four daughters, Mary Sands, Ann Broadhurst, Sarah Palmer, and Bathsheba
Pell, and be enjoyed by them, their heirs and assignees forever ; and for executors
of this my last will and testament, I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint
my two sons, Philip Pell and Joseph Pell, sole executors of this my last will and
testament ; and I do hereby dissolve, revoke and disanrmul all and every and other
former wills and testaments, legacies and executors whatsoever made by me
before this time, named, willed or bequeathed.

Ratifying and confirming this, and no other, tobe my last will and testament,
in testimony whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand.and seal, the day and year
first above written.

THOMAS PELL. 4 Ch. Bs

Joseph, his eldest son, died in 1752, aged 31, and was buried at Pel-

a Pi office, N. Y. Rec. of wills. Fol. Xong, pp. 155, 156. 1751-54. This will was
proved.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 65

ham.* His eldest son Joseph Pell, the fourth and last lord of the manor,
died in 1776, leaving issue five sons who all died issueless save John
Pell who had six sons and four daughters. ‘The last of the six sons,
who all died without issue, was the late Richard Moore Pell Esq. of
New York, who died there on 1868, and was inter-
red

This gentleman was a tall noble looking person, who well represented
the manorial lords of Pelham, as their nearest male heir in a direct line
from John Lord Pell. The present representatives of this branch of
the family, are the children of Maria Pell, who married
Amelia Pell; and the son and two daughters of Caroline Pell, who mar-
ried Delano.

The decendants of John Pell, second son of Thomas Pell, and grand-
son of John Lord Pell, were Thomas, his eldest son, the father of Jos-

Jie 2

eph, who married his cousin Zipporah Pell, daughter of John Pell, and
ieft issue: Abner, Peter, Thomas, John and Philena, who married
Thomas Disbrow, whose children are Joseph, Livingston, Thomas,
Clara, Louisa wife of George J. Penfield, Libby and Susan the second
wife of Mr. Penfield, of New Rochelle. John Pell Jr., second son of
John Pell, Sr., had Josiah and Zipporat, who married Thomas her
cousin as above.

Thomas Pell, third son of Thomas Pell and grandson of John Lord
Pell, by his will dated July 3d, 1739, and proved 28 bequeathes
his “st/ver tankard and silver tumbler that formerly belonged to his
grandfather, John Pell, to his son David.

OSE LE. ae

a The will of Joseph Pell is dated 1 Aug. 1752. Proved 25 Sept. 1752, Surrogates office N.Y-
See Peil burying ground on property of late Robert Bartow of this town, for monuments
of Joseph Pell andwife,

66 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

David Pell, “also the great Bible.” ‘“ His executor he empowers to
execute good and sufficient deeds and Conveyances of his lands and
remainders of the moneys, which shall be arising from the sa!e of one-
half of his farm, lying in East Chester, and the island lying in ye manor
of Pelham, and my right in lands lying within ye Patent, at the north
end of New Rochelle lands, etc., and to dispose of my lands lying in
Fairfield, Connecticut.” * His descendants are Samuel, who died with-
out issue ; James, who married Ann Fowler, daughter of Richard Fowler
of East Chester, who had Abijah, who married Mary Baldwin, and had
William James, Abijah, Aaron B., Charles Shute, Stephen, John and
William ; James, the eldest, residing in New Jersey; Abijah, the second,
deceased, left four sons ; Aaron B., the third, died without issue ; Charles
Shute, the fourth son, deceased, is the father of Charles Elliott, and Geo.
Hamilton of New York. The Hon. Stephen, the fifth son, resides in
Brooklyn, L. I. John, the sixth and youngest, at Poughkeepsie, N.
Y. Roger was the third son of Thomas Pell; John, the fourth son of
Thomas married Mary Totter, and had issue, John; Thomas Pell, who
married Maria, daughter of Thomas Pell, and had two sons: Samuel
Pell, now living on City Island, and John ; David was the fifth and young-
est son of Thomas Pell.

The descendants of Joshua Pell, fourth son of Thomas, el lest son of
John Lord Pell, were numerous; among others, was Joshua who married
Palmer, and left Joshua the father of Joshua, Edward (whose son
Frederick had Elijah Pell of New York) and Joseph. Benjamin, the third
son of Joshua Pell, and —-— Palmer, married Ann, daughter of John
Ferris, of the grove farm West Chester, and had among other sons,
William Ferris Pell the founder of the famous auction firm of Pell & Co.
of New York. The sons who succeeded him in the business, were all
New York men by birth, and presented a splendid appearance.

The theory that city life impairs physical developement might have
been combatted by the appearance of this family, and it is doubtful if
this city ever beheld a nobler trio of brothers than Duncan, Walden, and
Clarence Pell, each of whom stood six feet high and were well propor-
tioned.

I well remember attending one of Pell’s sales where an individual was
gazing with admiration on the crier, who, as he turned from time to time
in that direction, beheld the admiring gaze. At last, suspicious that the
man was not of a business turn, Mr. Pell exclaimed, ‘‘ Was that your
bid?” “No sir,” was the reply. “ Well, then, please stop looking at me,”
said the Apollo of the red flag.

a Ree. Surrogate’s office, N. Y., No, xviii, 403.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 67

Duncan Pell was the finest looking man of his day in Wall street, but
to this he added not only commercial skill, but a love of learning, which
was shown by the prize which he founded in the Free College in this
city. Mr. Pell was not afraid to administer reproof, and the writer is
indebted to him for a very valuable one. I was at that time (which is
thirty years ago), a clerk in a small retail store in Broadway. One
morning having swept out, I sat down toread the paper; but soon was
addressed by some one, whom I answered in an indifferent manner, and
without lifting my eyes from the paper. Ina moment I heard a voice
of thunder exclaiming, “ Look up, young man and mind your business.”
The reproof needed no repetition. I looked up and saw a noble-look-
ing man, whose frown at once passed away as he saw the effect of his
words.

These three elegant men are now dead (as well as a fourth brother,
James K. Pell), but the firm is still in successful existence in Hanover
Square.#

Duncan Pell being Lieut. Gov. of Rhode Island, and his son, Duncan
Archibald, Colonel on Genl. Burnside’s staff during the war of 1861.

The eldest of the five brothers was Archibald Pell, Esq., the father-
in-law of Edward A. Leroy of New York. The only daughter of Ben-
jamin Pell, just mentioned (and sister of William Ferris Pell), was Maria,
a noble and excellent woman, who married at the age of nineteen Jacob
Treadwell Walden, a leading merchant of New York in the India trade.
Their two sons, Alfred Pell Walden and Joseph Walden, died unmar-
ried; and of four daughters, only one now survives, viz; Emma Wal-
den, the wife of Samuel Cooke, D. D., Rector of St. Bartholamew’s
church, New York City. ‘The second son of William Ferris Pell, was
Alfred Sands Pell, who married Adelia, daughter of Col. James Duane,
first Mayor of New York after the Revolutionary war, and a Judge of the
Supreme Court of the United States, whose son is the present Robert
Livingston Pell, of Pelham, Ulster Co., N. Y.

The descendants of Philip Pell, Esq., (fifth son of Thomas, the eldest
son of John Lord Pell), are also numerous and distinguished. His
eldest son Philip, who married Hannah Mott,’ died in 1788, and was
the father, first of the Hon. Philip Pell, Judge Advocate of the Continen-
tal Army in the revolutionary war, and a member of the Cincinnati
Society. This illustrious individual had the honor of riding by the side
of General Washington when he entered New York City upon “ Evacu-

a Sketches of some of our old auctioneers. Evening Post, March 3d, 1871.

4 This marriage took place before the Quaker meeting assembled at Westbury, L. I., 5th of
March, 1731. The marriage certificate is signed by 26 witnesses ; among these occurs the name
of his brother Caleb Pell.

68 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ation Day,” Nov. 25th, 1783. He was a graduate of Kings College® (now
Columbia), in 1766 and is said to have been one of the best Greek schol-
ars of that day. His only son was Philip Pell of Pelham, the father of

Philip Pell of San Francisco, Cal. The second son was Major Samuel
Treadwell Pell of the Second New York Regiment, who greatly dis-
tinguished himself under General Gates at Saratoga, in October, 1777.
For his services on this memorable occasion he received from the State,
three-hundred acres of bounty land. The following epitaph is inscribed
on his head stone in East Chester church-yard.

MAJOR SAMUEL PELL,
ob. 29 Decr. 1786,
in the 32nd year of his age.
‘¢Thus after returning victorious,”
From the Field of Mars, he
Cheerfully obeys the summons
Of eternity from whence there

is no return.

The third son of Philip Fell was Colonel David Jones Pell, also an
officer in the Continental army, whose son was the late Stephen Snedan
Pell, the father of Ogden Philip Pell and Walter Turnbull Pell, both of
New York city.

Caleb Pell, the sixth and youngest son of Thomas Pell, oldest son of
John Lord Pell, also left a numerous family whose descendants are scat-
tered throughout the country.

A beautiful valley, called Swiss Dale, borders the Acqueanouncke or
Hutchinson’s River on the west side of the town. The Acqueanouncke
or more properly the Acquacknouncke (an Indian ‘name, descriptive of
the red cedar tree,) rises in the town of Scarsdale, upon the lands of
Lewis G. Mormis.

Pelham Dale, the property of Hargous, is delightfully situated near the
junction of the salt and fresh waters of the Acqueanouncke. This estate

ez Philip Pell was admitted to Kings Coll. 1766.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 69

formerly belonged to Colonel David Pell; and upon the division of his
property, was purchased by the late. James Hay, Esq; ‘The dwelling
house is a handsome structure of stone, and commands a beautiful view
of Hutchinson’s River, together with the distant village and spire of
Eastchester. The garden contains a choice collection of trees and
shrubs, and is also enlivened by a running stream.® About half a imile
further up the valley is situated the “‘ Race Field,” once famous in the
annals of the turf, adjoining which is the village of Pelhamvyille ; here is
a depot of the New Haven Railroad and a small Episcopal church, called
the Church of the Redeemer; at present a chapel of ease to Christ
church, Pelham. A grand feature in this beautiful valley is an extensive
range of forests called the Pelham woods.

On the margin of the East River Creek, or Aqueanouncke, near the
Boston Boulevard in this town, is situated ‘‘ The Shrubbery,” the residence
of the Prevost family. George A. Prevost, Esq., the brother of the pres-
ent owners, is the only surviving son of the late Mayor George William
Prevost. This place was formerly the property of Joshua Pell, Esq.,
whose son, Joshua, sold it to Colonel Aaron Burr, from whom it passed
by purchase to his step-son, Augustine James Frederick Prevost.” The
latter, subsequently conveyed it to Major General Prevost. The Pre-
vosts were originally from Geneva in Switzerland, being descended
from Major General Augustine Prevost, of that place, who married
Anne, daughter of the Chevalier George Grand, of Amsterdam, Hol-
land.4 The father of the late proprietor was Major General Augustine
Prevost, brother of Lieutenant General Sir George Prevost, Baronet,
Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of the British North Ameri-
can Colonies now represented by the Rev. Sir George Prevost, Baronet
of Belmont, Hampshire, England. The brothers of the late proprietor
were Colonel Augustine Prevost, lost at sea, and Capt. Henry Prevost,
who fell in the storming of Cindad Rodrigo, in Spain.

@ James Hay was a descendant of James Hay, Esq., of Netherinch, Scotland, who joined
the army of Prince Charles Edward in 1745, and was wounded at the “‘ fight of Falkirk. He
was buried in Kilsyth church yard, Scotland. .The iamily coat of arms, aig. 3 cscutchcons,
gu. are tv be seen on the north side of the house at Pelhain. ‘ihe tradition is thatthese arms
were granted by Kenneth III., King of Scotland, anno. 980 to the first tiay and lis two sons for
their bravery at the battle of Lancaster Perth, as they had proved themselves the (copy torn)

b The old road to Pell’s Point, or Neck. from the ‘-King’s highway, or ‘‘ Westchester
Path,” as it was anciently called, formerly ran south of this house, making almost a circuit
about the ground.

¢ Augustine James Frederick Prevost was the son of Colonel Frederick Prevost by his wife
Theodosia Bartow, who afterwards married Colonel Aaron Burr.

d “Atth: Synod ot Loudon. in 1645, for the Proviuc:of Poictou, appeared John Chabroll
Pastor of the church of Thouars, accompained with Sir Peter Prevost, Knght Lord of La
Javeliere, Elders in the church of Chantonnay and Puybelliard, and Charles Prevost, Esq.,
Lord of La Simonie, elder in the church of Champagne and Moston.” Quicks Synodicon, vol.
ii, 502. At 5th Colloquy of Alengon appeared Stephen Le Prevost, Lord or Buissou, Quick's
Synodicon, vol. ii, 535 The arms and crest of the Prevostfamily are, azure, a dexter arm in
fesse issuing out of clouds from the sinister fesse point, the hand grasping a sword, erect

ppe. a pommel and hilt, or, in chief, 2 mulletts, or. Crest a domi lion rampant, azure, charg-
ed with a mural crown, or, on the Crest.

7o HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The following item relates to the old well that formerly stood in this
vicinity, near the iron suspension bridge:

** April, 1726, Joseph Fowler is permitted to erect a dam or mill on
the creek that runs between A/r. Pedl’s and Lastchester, at a certain
place commonly called and known by the town land, provided he makes
room for the water to be drawn off the meadows and for the canoes to
pass.”’@

On the heights of Pelham, overlooking the village of Eastchester,
stands the residence of the late Remsen Hinman, whose wife, Elizabeth,
was a daughter of Col. James Pell, son of Roger Pell, fourth son of
Thomas Pell, grandson of Hon. John Lord Pell. From the records of
of the Court of Chancery, it appears that Colonel Pell’s property orig-
inally consisted of four hundred and forty acres. His last will is re-
corded in 1790. Nearly opposite this place, which fronts on the Boston
Boulevard, a road pursues the eastern side of the heights towards Pel-
ham. This road passes on the left, Woodside, the residence of J. Co-
burn. From this place, many pleasant views of the valley and adjacent
country are obtained, with the meanderings of the Aqueanouncke, on its
way to the Sound.

Pelham Neck, a portion of the southern extremity of this town (we have
seen), was formerly called Ann Hook’s Neck—subsequently Pell Point and
Rodman’s Neck. Before entering the neck, on the high ground to the west,
stands the residence of the late Richard Morris, Esq., commanding a pretty
bay on the east, and some fine woodland scenery on the north-west.
Upon the north-west side of the Neck lies the “ Zndian burying-ground,”
already alluded to. Im fact, the whole of the Neck appears to have
been used hy the Indians for the purpose of sepulture ; in proof of this,
their remains have been found in almost every part of it. The largest
proportion of mounds, however, are situated on the grounds of the late
George Rapelye, Esq. This individual was the son of Rem. Rapelye, a
noted royalist, who married March 14, 1751, Ellen, daughter of Abel
Hardenbrook, and amassed a large fortune in mercantile pursuits in
New York. He died at Pelham in 1805, in his seventy-seventh year.
George Rapelye, his son, who was born in New York, August 9, 1771,
and educated at Columbia College, married July 19, 1798, Susan Eliza,
daughter of the Rt. Rev. Samuel Prevoost, D.D., first Bishop of the
Diocese of New York. He was not only distinguished for his wealth,
but for his great public enterprises, and was a warm friend and sup-
porter of the Protestant Episcopal Church. He was a liberal benefactor
to St. Paul’s church, East Chester. He published a book of travels in

a Eastchester Town Rec.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM, p(s

1834. The Rapelyes purchased this property of the Rodman family,
the Rodmans having obtained it through the marriage of Samuel Rod-
man with Mary Pell, daughter of Caleb Pell, grandson of Hon. John
Lord Pell. The property is still vested in the heirs of George Rapelye ;
the house is beautifully situated near the eastern shore of the neck, and
is justly celebrated for its extensive views of the sound and Long Island.

Hawkwood, the residence of the late Elisha King, Esq., is now
owned by the widow of the late Levin R. Marshall, and adjoins the
property of Captain J. R. Steers, on the south. The house is built of
stone, in the Grecian style, and presents a fine front of columns to the
water. The beauty of the scenery in this vicinity is greatly heightened
by the close proximity of City Island, and the richly wooded shores of
the Pcint. The grounds, containing a great variety of choice trees,
were laid out by the celebrated gardener, André Parmenteer. Nearly
adjoiniug Hawkwood, in the south-west, is Longwood, the residence of
A. Newbold Morris, Esq.

Pelham Neck is terminated by the property of the late Gilbert Bowne.
On the site of the dwelling-house, stood the residence of Thomas Fell,
Esgq., first lord of the manor. Perhaps the finest view of City Island
and the adjacent waters are to be had from this portion of the Point.
It deserves to be mentioned, that this district affords a favorite haunt for
the fish hawk (Falco Halitcetus), whose nests may be seen in the lofty
summits of the venerable oaks and chestnuts which abound on the neck
and neighboring shores, ‘These birds are greatly respected, and a kind
of superstition prevails that it is a lucky omen if one builds on the farm.
The nest is an immense fabric of rotten sticks—‘ Itself a burden for
the tallest tree.” They subsist altogether on the finny tribes that swim
in the bays and creeks adjacant, procuring their prey by their own active
skill and industry.”

“The regular arrival of this noted bird at the vernal equinox, when
the busy season of fishing commences, adds peculiar interest to its first
appearance, and procures it many a benediction from the fishermen”

‘*Scon as the sun, great ruler of the year,”
Bends to our northern climes his bright cureer,
And from the caves of ocean calls from sleep
The finny shoals and myriads of the deep;

a“ Annals of Newtown James Riker, Junr.’? The Rapelye family is descended from that
of the de Rapelic, which as early as the eleventh Century, possessed large estatesin Bretagne
and ranked among the arriere—born of the French nobility. Jarvis Jansen de Rapelie, from
Rochelle, in France, who came to this country in 1623, was the father of Pronimus, whose son
Teunis, was father of the above George Rapelye. Arms, azure, three bars or, crest—out of a
Sa cp a chapena azure, with three bars, or, surmounted with six ostrich feather= of

ue and gold.

72 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

When freezing tempests back to Greenland ride,
And day and night the equal hours divide ;

True to the season, o’er our sea-beat shore,

The sailing Osprey high is seen to soar

With broad, unmoving wing; and, circling slow,
Marks each loose straggler in the deep below,
Sweeps down like lightning! plunges with a roar!
And bears his struggling victim to the shore.

The long-housed fisherman beholds, with joy,
The well-known signal of his rough employ ;
And, as he bears his nets and oars along,
Thus hails the welcome season with a song :—

THE FISHERMAN’S HYMN.

The Osprey sails above the Sound;
The geese are gone, the gulls are flying ;
The herring shoals swarm thick around ;
The nets are launched, the boats are plying.
Yo, ho, my hearts! let's seek the deep,
Raise high the song, and cheerly wish her,
Still as the bending net we sweep,

‘God bless the fish hawk and the fisher.”

She brings us fish—she brings us Spring,
Good times, fair weather, warmth, and plenty ;
Fine store of shad, trout, herrings, ling,
Sheeps-head and drum, and old wives’ dainty.
Yo, ho, my hearts! Jet's seek the deep,
Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her,
Still as the bending net we sweep,

“God bless the fish hawk and the fisher.”
She rears her young on yonder tree ;
She leaves her faithful mate to mind ’em;
Like us, for fish, she sails to sea,
And, plunging, shows us where to find ’em.
Yo, ho, my hearts! let’s seek the deep,
Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her,
While the slow-bending net we sweep,

‘God bless the fish hawk and the fisher.”¢

In May, 1755, a public ferry appears to have been established between
Ann Hooks Neck and Gravelly or Cedar Tree brook, on the north side
of the East river and Hempstead harbor, and Matagariesons Bay on the »

a Wilson’s American Omithology, New York News, Pennsylvania Gazette, June 18th, 1752
Wednesday last we had a great deal of thunder with some rain, which we hear, shattered a large
tree on Ann Hook's Neck in Westchester County, and an ox, acow and a calf, under it, were
Killed; and at New Rochelle, we hear, a house was much damaged.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM.

~]

ioe)

opposite shore, under such regulations as had been usual and customary.
“The patentees were Samuel Rodman, owner and proprietor of a tract
of land lying on Pell’s Neck, in the County of Westchester, adjoining
upon and extending along the East river about one mile and a half, and
John Wooley, owner and proprietor of a certain tract of land in the town-
ship of Hampstead in Queens ‘County, on Nassau Island, opposite to the
landing place on the said Samuel Rodman’s plantation, adjoining upon
and extending along the said river about half a mile.Ӣ

It was upon Pelham neck that the Bnitish forces, consisting of the
grenadiers and light infantry, landed, October 18th, 1776, ten days pre-
vious to the battle of White Plains.?

Two days prior to the enemies landing, General Heath inform us “that
the general officers of the American army rode to reconnoitre the ground
at Pell’s neck, &c., and it was determined that the position of the Ameri-
can army should be immediately changed ; the left flank to be extended
more northerly, to prevent its being turned by the British, who were at
this time posted on Throgmorton’s neck.”* ‘On the 18th of October
the wind was more fresh at southwest, the British urged to the other
side of Frog’s neck, embarked on board their boats, crossed over the
cove, landed on Pell’s neck, and moved briskly upwards. Three or four
of the American regiments advanced towards them and took a good po-
sition behind a stone fence. When the British had advanced sufficiently
near, they gave them a pretty close fire, which checked them, and even
obliged them to fall back; but, being immediately supported, they re-
turned vigorously tothe charge. The action was sharp, for a short time ;
but the Americans were soon obliged to give way to superior force.
Shepard’s, Reid’s, Baldwin’s, and Glover’s regiments had the principal
share in this action. The Americans had between thirty and forty men
killed and wounded; among the latter Col. Shepard, in the throat, not
mortally, although the ball came well nigh effecting instant death. The
loss of the British was not known, but must have been considerable.
They advanced almost to New Rochelle, and halted. The American
army extended its left.”4

We copy the following from the diary of President Styles:

Camp at Mite Square, E. Cuester, 23 Oct. 1776.

‘‘Friday morning last, the 18th, we were alarmed, and the enemy landed at
Rodman’s Point, (a place about four miles from our encampment,) with their

a Albany Rec. Book of Patents, No. xvi.
b Stedman’s Hist. of the Rev.

e H2ath’s Mem. p. 71.
d Lleath’s Mem. pp. 72, 73.

74 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

whole force, the brigade under the command of Col. Glover consisting of about
700 men, one regiment being absent for guard. We marched down towards the
place where the enemy were advancing with a body of 1600, witha very large
artillery train. The first attack was made by a small party on their advance
guard. We were effectually routed, and forced to retreat tothe main body, who,
when they came up, were fired upon by two regiments advantageously posted,
Col. Glover’s and Major Lee’s, who behaved gallantly ; we brought many of
them to the ground. Thus we continued fighting them and retreating the whole
afternoon, until they came to a stand, where they now remain, except stretching
along down toward Connecticut, I suppose for forage. Our men behaved liked
soldiers, conformed to the orders of their officers, and retreated in grand order.
Our loss is about nine or ten killed, and about thirty wounded. People may
think what they please of the regular and spirited behavior of the British troops,
but I that day was an eye witness to the contrary ; I saw as great irregularity, al-
most, as in a militia regiment. They would run out from the body and fire sin-
gle guns. As to their conrage, the whole body of the 16th were forced to return
by the fire of a single regiment, and many of them old troops. The fourth regi-
ment was one that ran, and had we been reinforced with half their numbers might
have totally defeated them.

‘““The next day General Lee (under whose command we are), came and pub-
licly returned his thanks to Colonel Glover and the officers and soldiers under
his command for their noble-spirited and soldier like conduct during the battle.”

Norra Castix, October 29th, 1776,

‘“We have secured and encamped on every hill and dale, between this and
New York, last Friday week, (18th.) Our whole brigade that then lay at East-
chester uncer command of Colonel Grover, was ordered to oppose the progress of
alarge body of the enemy, then landing at Rodman’s Point. Three regiments
were ordered to pass a causeway (the only passage), and march to oppose them,
and our regiment with three pieces of artillery was posted on an eminence over-
looking the causeway, to secure a retreat for the others, and to prevent the ene-
my from advancing. Col. Glover so posted the three other regiments in the woud
that they annoyed the enemy greatly. But discovering that they had determined
to flank them he ordered a retreat. We had six orseven killed and about eighteen
wounded. The enemies’ loss about one hundred and forty or one hundred and
fifty. After the skirmish we retreated to Mile Square, where we lay encamped till
Friday, (25th Oct.) when, with the remainder of General Lee’s, we joined the
main body of the American army at White Plains.Ӣ

There are several islands, belonging to this town lying opposite the
southern extremity of Pelham neck, which add much to the beauty of

the sound scenery, the principal of these is ‘Great Minniefords,”4@

a Balls and brass ornaments are frequently found on the heizhts of Pelham. Near the resi-
dence of the late James Hay, Esq., part of a soldier’s belt was discovered, marked 16th
regiment.

b Diary of President Styles, Library of Yale College, vol. vi.

e Diary of President Styles,

d This word invariably accurs in the genitive, (Minnefords, Minifers, Minnewies land)
from which we infer thatit was originally the name of its Indiau proprietors,

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 75

sometimes styled ‘“‘ Minnewies” or “‘ Minnewits,” but, commonly called
City Island. ‘Upon the 11th of December, 1685, John Pell, Esq., by
conveyance made over to John Smith, of the town of Bruckland, Great
Minneford’s Island, which lies situated opposite to Ann-hook’s Neck,
formerly in possession of William Pate and Robert Godfrey.” The
principal proprietors of the island in 1700, appear to have been Wilham
Euerden and Gabriel Umbriel, from whom it passed to Amos Dodge.
On the 21st and 22nd of June, 1753, Amos Dodge and Sarah, his wife,
“in consideration of the sum of £2300, ‘‘did by certain indentures of
lease and release,” “sell and convey unto Samuel Rodman, his heirs and
assigns forever a certain tract of land called Minnefers Island,” &c.,¢
upon the 1st of June, 1755, Samuel Rodman sells to John Jones of
Jamaica, Queens County, Island of Nassau for the sum of 5,, all that
certain island, commonly called Minneford’s Island, &c., containing
by estimation 230 acres of land and meadow, yielding and paying
therefor, at the expiration of the said year, one pepper-corn, if the
same should be lawfully demanded.4 The next proprietor of the island
was Joseph Palmer, who, on the roth of June, 1761, conveyed the
whole to his brother Benjamin Palmer. ‘Upon the 19th of October,
1761, occurs a deed of covenants, grant and partition from the latter
individual and twenty-nine others, quit claiming to each other their re-
spective rights in severalty as designated by a map drawn by Samuel
Willis of the said island.”* Previous, however, to the above deed of
covenants, Benjamin Palmer conveyed to the several proprietors their
respective thirtieth parts. Upon.the 27th of May, ‘1762, Governor
Robert Monckton laid out for Benjamin Palmer and others the breadth
of four hundred feet of the ground, round the east side, south, and part
of the west side of a certain island lying in the Sound or East River,
in the manor of Pelham, &c., called and known by the name of Minne-
ford’s Island. The petitioners on this occasion were David Hunt,
Jonathan Fowler, Caleb Hunt, Edmund Ward, Samuel Ward, John
Wooley, Isaac Barnes, Enoch Hunt, Joseph Mullineux, James Lewis,
Aaron Hunt, Benjamin Palmer, Joseph Palmer, Samuel Le Roux, and
many other proprietors of Minneford’s Island, &c.”4 ‘Sept. 3d, 1762,
a On the 6th of Ang., 1755, Amos Dodge, was firmly bound unto Samuel Rodman, yeoman, in

the full sum of £2300 for the purchase of the Island. Co. Rec. Lib. G. 465 and 467. See orig-
inal dsc. presented by Richard E. Mount, Esq., to New York Hist. Society.

b Co. Rec. Lib. G. 467.

e Copied from original MSS., presented by Richard E. Mount, Esq., to N. Y. Hist. Society.
** The map of City Island,” says Aaron Burr, ‘* was drawn between the 17th of August and
the 29th of October, 1761.” See Mount Rogers, a map of a portion of Minniford’s Island,
made by Alexander Colden, surveyor general, May 5th, 1763, is preserved in Sec. of State
Office, Albany, No. 159.

d See docket on file in Sec. State Office, Albany.

76 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Benjamin Palmer, Joseph Palmer, and Samuel Le Roux prayed for
letters patent to be granted for the land under water, six-hundred feet
from common high water mark, surrounding Minefors or Minneford’s
Island in the Sound, being part of the manor of Pelham in the
County of Westchester, &c.”* A second petition occurs on the 27th of
November, 1762, from David Hunt and fourteen other persons named
in behalf of themselves and associates to the number of one-hundred
proprietors of Minneford’s Island, praying letters patent for four-hundred
feet of the soil under water, from common high water mark into the
Sound, beginning at that part of the island, which in a due east line is
opposite the house of Samuel Rodman, and holding the same distance
westward into the Sound, in every part round the island, and so running
along the east end of said island with that part thereof which is opposite
to the most southerly point of an island in said Sound, commonly called
High Island, the property of Capt. John Wooley.”

The prayer of the petition, however, was not granted until the 27th
of May, 1763, when letters patent were issued by Cadwallader Colden,
Captain General and Governor of the Province, to Benjamin Palmer,
for four hundred feet of land under water from high water mark round
Mineford’s Island, which patent recognizes the plan of the island and
that it was made by the surveyor general.¢

Upon the 3d of October, 1763, a deed of Covenant and Division for
the water lands was made between the proprietors of the Island.4

In a letter addressed to His Excellency, General Maunsell, by Benja-
min Palmer, dated New York, June tst, 1790, the letter says that :—

‘‘In the year 1761, I bought an island in the Manor of Pelham, in the County
Westchester and the Province of New York in North America, commonly called
Mineford’s Island, for £2,730 and divided it into thirty equal parts; sold twenty-
six parts to one gentleman in order to make a trading town of it, because it lay
very advantageous for Foreign Trade. Four-thirtieth parts I preserved to myself,
which were six hundred house lots, twenty-five feet front and rear and one hun-
dred feet in Jength, except some of the lots against the Market place (and some
of the slips were shortened to make room for the Market place and for vessels) as
by a map of said island will appear. The whole number of house lots on said
island, forty-five hundred besides two squares of thirty lots each reserved for pub-
lic use for building of churches, meeting-house, &c. I have sold and otherwise
disposed of one hundred and eighty-seven of my lots, so that I had still remaining

a Land papers, Albany, vol. xvi, p. 313; also pp. 115, 116 and 119.

6 Land Papers, Albany, vol.xXvi. p. 316, p. 136 of original.

e Copied from MSS. in the Mount collection in possession of N. Y. Hist. Soc., entitled “* A
Case,” in the Supreme Court, Benj. Palmer vs. Geo. Berrian, supposed to be in Aaron Burt’s
hand writing.

d Ditto.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. "7

four hundred and thirteen lots on said island in the time of the war between
England and these States. I sold many of my lots for £10 each, and bought some
for that price, and so have the other proprietors; for £10 was the stated price for
each lot. I was offered £300 for one square by Mr. Gomez, a Jew that lived in
Hanover Square in the City of New York, containing thirty house lots. I also
was offered £1000 for one right, that is one thirtieth part of said Island contain-
ing thirty house lots, &c.”4

The water rights on the island were supposed to be principally invested
in the estate of the late John Hunter, Esq., the State having sold them
some years ago for quit-rent to an individual from whom Mr. Hunter
purchased.

In the possession of the New York Historical Society, is an ancient
MSS. entitled, ‘“‘ Number one, Book of Laws, ordered by the Community
of Minniford’s Island, made the tenth day of May, one thousand, seven
hundred and sixty-three.” From which we take the following :

‘‘May 10th, 1763, this day, we, the Community of Mineford’s Island, have
thought proper to apoint a stated ferry acroost from Mr. Samuel Rodman’s Neck
to said Island, in manner and form as foiloweth: The ferryman to keep a’good
sufficient craft to ferry a man or men acroost from Mr. Rodman’s Neck to said
Island, and from said Island to the neck, at all times and from Day Light to Day
Light, and shall not fail to give good attendance Durering and for the ensuing
year from the date hereof, and likewise to keep a sufficient craft to take ina
horse and chair, or two horses in manner and form as abovesaid, and the ferry
man shall receve for each chair and horse not to exceed the sum of one shilling ~
and sixpence, and for each person the said ferry man not to exceed the sum of
four coppers for each time crossing said ferry, &c.”

The same year the ferry at the north end of said island was disposed
of to the best and fairest bidder, viz: Mrs. Deborah Hicks. On the 13th
of May, 1766, Jeremiah Fowler was ferryman ; 11th of June, 1776, the
ferry was sold to John Bridgewater.

The ferry across from the,south end of Minneford’s Island, to the op-
posite shore of Long Island, was established 13th of May, 1766, and let
to John Barnes for the term of five years.

*‘On the 14th day of June, 1763, Isaac Barnes, Benjamin Palmer, John
Barnes, Enock Hunt, Joseph Mullinix and Joseph Palmer were chosen by the
proprietors trustees of the island.” The year following, ‘‘8th of May, Capt. John
Wooley, Israel Pinckney, Aaron Hunt, Benjamin Palmer, Isaac Barnes and Caleb
Hunt were appointed the committee, and Benjamin Palmer, clerk and ae,
to the proprietors of the Island for one year.”

a Copy of original riginal doc., endorsed on the back, “sent to England,” among Richard E. Mount’s
papers, 'N. Y. Hist. Soe. m “s :

78 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

‘“At a meeting of the committee of the Proprietors of Miniford’s Island, as-
sembled at the house of Isaac Barnes, the 11th day of May, 1765,

‘¢ Present :
“Moses Owns, (SaMvEL Rog,
Dunoan CAMPBELL, (JosEPH PALMER.”

‘“‘The committee ordered that no owner or proprictor of the said Island, not
residing thereon, shall put or caus to be put on more than twoo creatures of any
kind; likewise, any owner or inhabitant living and residing upon the said Island
may bring on twoo cows, if a twoo wheld carriage, one horse, and if a waggon
two horses p’r. each right; any person, proprietor, owner or inhabitant disobey
these orders and puting on more than the No. above written, must expect to have
them put in common pound and dealt with according to law, &c.Ӣ

The last election recorded in the ‘‘ Book of Laws,” (No. 1) took place
May toth, 1791, when Joseph Mullinex, clerk, and Aaron Hunt, Joseph
Mullinex, Thomas Baxter, Augustus Drake, Jr., Brusted Barnes and
James Lewis were chosen trustees.

It appears that upon the first settlement of the island, the proprietors
had conceived the idea of erecting thereon a large commercial city, un-
der the supposition that an extensive East India trade could be advan-
tageously carried on with the States of Holland. Its agreeable and beau-
tiful situation on the Sound, lying over against the broad side of Long
Island, its close vicinage to New York, besides its healthiness, oyster-
ing and fishing conspiring to render it, as its projectors vainly imagined,
the best place, for the aforesaid trade in the United States. The Revo-
lution, however, breaking out, suspended operations for a time; but
soon after the closing of hostilities the project was again revived, as ap-
pears from the following document signed by some of the proprietors:

‘« Whereas, the thirteen United States of North America is become Free, Inde-
pendent and Sovereign States, and have the Like Liberty to Carry on Their
Trade and Commers To Foreign Nations as well as other States, Nations and
Kingdoms, Excepting the East india Trade, and some others, which are formed
in Like Companyes ; and, Whereas, the Seven United States of Holland are also
Free, Independent and Sovereign States and they Have great Possessions in
the El!ast indians and Carry on an Extensive Trade To and from it, and
have plenty of Cash Shiping and Sailors To make the Trade To that part of
the World much more greater Than it now is; and, Whereas, they have been
Friendly in assisting the American States To. their Independancy ; therefore, We
Do Earnestly Recommend To the State of New York To give and grant Liberty
To the merchants in Holland to bring over Some of their East india produce To

a In May, 1770, Isaac Barnes had two cows, 2 yearlings and 1 colt, making in all 5 head;
Benjamin Palmer, 2; Joseph Muleux,1; Dukin Campble,5; Minor Hillard, 10; John Pink-
ney, 4; John Barnes, 2; Markos Baxter,4; Deborah Hicks, 8; Widow Brucks, 4.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 79

this State and to set up some of their manufactorys in some Convenant place for
such purpose which Would be a great advantage to both Countries. For the Amer-
ican States are New and have no Possessions in the East indians nor can they have
any unless they purchase it with money or Conquer it in War, but some of the
Merchants of these States might join the Holland Merchants and Trade with them
as occasion might serve ; and Whereas there is an Island lying abont 25 milesfrom
New York in a very agreeable and Beautiful Situation and is Counted as Healthy
a place as any in the World; it Lyes off against the broad side of Long Island and
almost joins the main Land on the Manor of Pellham in Westchester Ceunty azd
State of New York, and Round it is a great plenty of Oysters, Fishing and Fow!-
ing in their season, a Ferry has been keept From thence to Long Island for many
years; Liberty has been granted by the Legislature to Build a Bridge over the
Narrows from the Island to the Main, it is imagined that when the Bridge is Built
that it will be one of the greatest Fisherries in the Sound, for the greatest part of
the Fish that comes Down the East River is thought to go through these Narrows.
This Island is laid out in a Regular form for a Town, it contains about forty-five
Hundred House Lotts, each Lott contains one hundred feet in length and twenty-
five feet in Breadth. The Pilots that is acquainted with the Sound says that the
largest ships can come Down the Sound with the greatest safety to said Island,
therefore we the Subscribers Do Earnestly Recommend this Island to be the best
place for carrying on the aforesaid Business of any in the States. The plan of
said Island may be seen in the Bowery Lane, No. 88, New York.

‘“‘SamureL Lerug, Surveyor.

Bamp Ayrs, JAMES SEDIKER,
DanieEt TER, JEREMIAH FowLeER,
JOHN Hawkins, Bens, PALMER.”

It is almost needless to say, however, that its projectors failed in their
plans, and were compelled to seek a less exposed and more eligible site.
From this circumstance the place acquired its present name, “City
Island.”

Benjamin Palmer, one of the principal proprietors, appears to have
been a great sufferer during the Revolutionary War, losing almost every
thing for his attachment to the American cause; upon the 29th of Sep-
tember, 1789, we find him petitioning His Excellency, General Washing-
ton, President of the United States, for redress under his grievances.
He complains “that himself and his family were taken prisoners by the
British, who used us very ill, and then ordered us off my plantation,
which I then had on said Island, to New York, where I have continued
with my family ever since.” The reason he assigns for their using him so
cruelly, was on account of his sending a letter to General Howe, the
commander of the British army, in vindicaton of, and setting forth the just
cause the people of this country had to oppose the King’s orders.”* In

Pa aa from original document, presented by Richard E. Mount, Esq., to N. Y. Historical
ciety.

So HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

his humble petition for damages, to His Excellency, George Clinton, Esq.,
Governor in and overthe State of New York, Vice-Admiral of the Navy
of the same, dated, February 28th,1788, he sets forth ‘‘ that your petitioner
in the beginning of the late war between Great Britain and America,
employed.Minor Hilliard to hire for him a plantation in New England,
which he said he did for £25 per annum. ‘The British fleet then lay at
Staten Island; it was expected the first invasion would have been at
New York, which preverted your petitioner moving on the said planta-
tion. He waited to see how the contest would go between the fleet and
city; but instead of attacking New York, the Admiral sent three armed
ships up theSound early one morning, and came to anchor off City
Island, where your petitioner then lived ; they sent three of their boats on
shore with about one hundred men, who took your petitioner and all
his family prisoners ; killed and destroyed his creatures, and plundered
many things, all of which they carried off and never paid for, &c.” ‘‘He
then complains of Capt. Brown, of the guard ship Scorpion, who, in the
beginning of the year 1779, ordered him to cut his wood on Jesse Hunt’s
Island, and at no other place—threatening to burn down his house in
case of refusal, as the men-of-war and refugees cut their wood there.
The island being then in the possession of the British, and Col. Benja-
min Hunt had a protecticn for the island from General Howe and Gov-
ernor Tryon, the British commanders refusing him permission to supply
himself with necessaries from New York for his family use; neither
would they permit him to ship his produce for that place, threatening to
sink his boats if he dared to go to the rebels. He thereupon came to
New York and purchased property of Nicholas Bayard, Esq.”

Benjamin Palmer, one of the principal proprietors of the island, was
the second son of William Palmer, of Westchester, who died sometime
in April, 1676.4 Benjamin Palmer married ———— daughter of Under-.
hill Barnes, of Philipsburgh, in this county, by whom he had a daughter,
who married Ware Branson. ‘The latter married secondly a daughter
of Henry Ritter, who was the grand mother of Richard E. Mount, Esq.,
of New York.

In 1818, Nicholas Haight and Joshua, Huested owned nearly the
whole island, together with Rodman’s Neck and the Marshall estate.
Upon the rst of January, 1819, Nicholas Haight and Mary, his wife,

a From original MSS. presented by Richard FE. Mount, Esq., to the N. Y. Historical Society,

b Wili dated June 2, 1670. Willand admint. Surrogate’s office, N. Y. Inventory, April
26th, 1676. No. 1. uf. supra. His otner children were Joseph, Samuel, Obadiah, Thomas,
Spicher, and a daughter Martha. Palmer complains that he was intrusted by all the pro-
prietors to keep the plan and books and other papers concerning said island, and had them
in his possession all the time of the war between England and the States, and had never lost
the plan, the books or the papers, in all the troubles, although himself and family were driven
from one place to another like fugitives on earth.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 81

sold to George W. Horton forty-two acres of land on the lower, or south-
erly part of City Island. Most of this property is still held by his two
sons—Capt. Stephen Decatur Horton, and Capt. George Washington
Horton. The former owns the extreme point of this beautiful island,
overlooking Hutchinson’s bay, Throgmorton’s Neck, the Stepping Stone
light, the great necks upon Long Island, besides the most extensive
views of the Sound, Hart Island and neighboring shores.

Among the earliest projects of the first proprietors of the island was
the construction of a bridge across the narrows, to connect with the
main. To enable them to effect this the State Legislature passed an
act allowing the erection of the bridge ; and upon the 7th of September,
1804, a subsciption list was opened for this object, but the attempt then
failed for want of support. About six years ago, another effort was at-
tended with better success; anda bridge erected by a joint stock com-
pany, connecting the island with the main, and was thrown open to the
public on the 1st of December, 1873. It is a singular fact that the pres-
ent structure stands within a few rods of the bridge laid down on tine
map of 1761. The bridge, which is one thousand feet long, is constructed
of nineteen abutments, of heavy wooden cribs filled with stone ; these are
ninety-six feet long, by twenty-four feet wide, finished with a draw one
hundred and twenty feet long. The greater part of the materials used in
its erection were taken from the old United States frigate of war, North
Carolina.

The navigation of the Sound, which is considered exceedingly danger-
ous for the larger class of vessels, has given employment to some sixteen
or twenty resident pilots at an income of $70,000; but since the last war,
tug or tow boats have almost superseded the occupation of the pilots on
the Sound. At the present time, more vessels actually pass through Hell

Gate than through the Narrows. It is estimated that one hundred and
fifty vessels pass through the former, daily.

About seventy-five to one hundred oystermen, heads of families on
the island, are engaged in doing a lucrative business in the surrounding
waters, under a capital of over $200,000.

On the eastern side of the island, Mr, David Carll has a fine dock
yard. Here are three marine bridges, and the largest marine railway out
of the city of New York. Quite a number of yachts have been con-
structed in this yard—among which may be noticed the A/anta, for
William Astor; the Resolute, for Ayres S. Hatch; the Henrietta, for
James G. Bennett ; the AZagic, which won the Queen’s cup in 18—, for

a Ina grove, upon this point, the celebrated Italian artist, Pietro Vaini, shot himself, in the

sine ad of 1775. One of his small cabinet pictures isin the possession "of Capt. Stephen D:
orton.

82 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Frank Osgood, and the Vesta, for Pierre Lorillard. Mr. Carll has al-
tered the /Vanderer for Mr, Stillman, the Saf/o for William Douglass,
and is now engaged in lengthening the Ves¢a twelve feet for her present
owner, Mr. Samue! H. Mills, of New York city. Four yachts are now
on the stocks. ‘To these may be added a large floating light-house for
the United States Government, furnished with steam whistle.

The island contains two churches, a Protestant Episcopal and a
Methodist Episcopal. The former called Grace church, situated at the
corner of Main street and Pilot avenue (not far from the site originally
designed by the proprietors in 1761 for the erection of a churche ) was
organized in 1862. First services were held in May, 1861. On the
t2th of October, 1863, George W. Horton and Margaret A., his wife,
conveyed to the Rector, Church-wardens and Vestrymen of Christ
church, Pelham, a lot of land, 50 feet by 100 feet, situated on Main
street and Pilot avenue, for the site of a church. A release of thé pro-
ceeding to the Rectors, Church-wardens and Vestrymen of Grace church,
City Island, took place 1st of December, 1868.

A church edifice was commenced in 1863, and consecrated the same
year. It continued for atime as a part of Christ church, Pelham, Rev.
Samuel S. Chevers acting as assistant to the Rector of Christ church,
but residing on the island and officiating as pastor. Under the Rector-
ship of the Rev, E. W. Syle, it was set apart as an independent parish.

The church building is of wood, built in the gothic style, containing
a small chancel window of three stained lights representing the trial of
Christ before Pontius Pilate, by the Rev. William J. Bolton. The
edifice will seat over two hundred. It deserves to be recorded here
that the Miss Boltons, of Pelham Priory, from the first, have been the
unfailing friends and supporters of the Island church. Without their aid
in the beginning, the parish would never have been formed; and without
their liberal contributions to the support of the Rector, the parish would
have been deprived of the services of the church ; they have done a quiet,
but a blesssed work.”

Attached to the church is a rectory on Main street valued at $2,500.
Upon the 5th of March, 1871, Stephen Decatur Horton and Caroline
L., his wife, conveyed to the Rector, Church-wardens and Vestrymen of
Grace church, City Island, a lot for a rectory, 100 feet square, for the
above mentioned object.

A communion service was presented by Miss Catharine Lorillard Wolf.
The service books, by Isaac O. Barker, Esq.

a Nos. 62 and 90 of the Public Squares on the island were set apart for churches and meet-
ing houses,

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 83

LIST OF RECTORS OF GRACE CHURCH.

Inst. oR CALL. ReEcrors. VACATED.
A. D. 1868, Rey. Wizu1am VY. FELTWELL, per resig.

Jan., 15, 1871, Rey. Grorce HoweE.t, Sé

Oct., 1, 1874, Rey. JosHua Morsetr, D.D., present rector.

Upon the island are five stores, three blacksmiths, small town house
for Justice’s Courts, and three hotels, viz: Cunningham Villa, kept by
Mr. Cunnigham ; City Island Hotel, kept by Capt. Joshua Leviness, and
the Minnieford Shore House, by Charles McClennon, at the steam boat
landing, well known for its clam bakes and refreshments. Boats, tack-
ling, &c., can be easily obtained at Captain C. H. Stringham’s or Philip
Flynn’s, two well known fishermen. Three lines of stages are in constant
service running to and from the island to the Harlem’ River Railroad, a
distance of only two miles.

During the Revolutionary war, the island was greatly exposed to the
enemy’s shipping.

“On the 27th of August, 1776, early in the morning (says General
Heath), two ships and a brig came to anchor a little above Frog Point.
Our General immediately detached Col. Graham with his regiment, to
prevent their landing to plunder or burn. Before he arrived several
barges full of men landed on Mew City Zsland, and killed a number of
cattle. Two companies of the regiment, immediately on their arrival,
ferried over to the island. The enemy carried off one man and fourteen
cattle ; the remainder of the cattle were secured.”4

“ 30th of January, 1777 (observes the same authority), the storm clear-
ed up, when fifteen ships, one brig, two schooners and two sloops came
too, between Hart and City Zsland. They were from the eastward, and
were supposed to have troops on board.”?

In 1777, a party from Darien, Connecticut, consisting of John Dibble,
Isaac Quintard, Mead and eight others, captured the British armed
vessel of war, called the Siuldam, off City Island. They carried their
whale boats across Pell’s Neck, where they seized a market boat, which
had just returned from New York, laden with three hundred bushels of
salt and twelve ten-gallon kegs of brandy. With this vessel they bore
down, aided by a fair wind, upon the guard ship Shuldam, as she lay di-
rectly off the north side of City Island > as they neared, her captain,
Roney, who was at the helm, and the watch, cried out: “ What sloop is
that?” They answered, “the little Stanton /” “Take care! take care!

a (Copy torn.)
Mem. p. 113.

84 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

you will be foul of us!” was the reply. ‘ Never fear, never fear,” they re-
joined ; and coolly added: ‘The whale boats are out on the sound to-
night, and we wish to get under your lee.” Another moment and their
bow-sprit was in the Siu/dam’s netting ; it took but a short time to cut the
ropes with their broad swords, when all sprang on deck and drove the
watch below. During this affray, the British were firing upon them fierce-
ly from City Island, As they did not understand the management of so
large a vessel, they were compelled to use two of their prisoners, whom
they afterwards released, to navigate herinto port. This wasimmediately
followed by the capture of six other vessels, laden with wood; two of
which were ransomed, while the other four were taken into Stamford. It
appears that the original intention of the captors, on this occasion, was
to have seized the fort at Whitestone Ferry, upon Long Island; but
that the unexpected sight of the guard-ship induced them to alter their
plans.“ A large force of whale-boat men afterwards landed on the island,
and arrested all the inhabitants ; but paroled them immediately.s At
one time there seems to have been a tacit understanding between the
British and Americans, that the former should hold the island in the day-
time, while the latter at night occupied it.

Hart Island lies to the east of the former. Here is a Hospital under
charge of the Department of Charities and Correction of New York
city, accommodating between eight and nine hundred patients, In con-
nection with the Hospital is also a work-house at the north end of the
island. The present Protestant chaplain is the Rev. Marinus Willett.
In 1774, Oliver De Lancey was seized in demesne as of fee of all that
certain island, situate and being in Long Island Sound, commonly called
Spectacle, or Hart Island, or one of the Minneford Islands, containing
eighty-five acres. From Oliver de Lancey it passed to the Rodmans and
Haights. The latter sold it to the late proprietor, John Hunter, Esq.
The south-west end of the island affords a safe anchorage for the river
shipping, during the prevalence of South-easterly storms. High Island
is situated near the south shore of Pelham Neck. The Narrows between
Hart and City Island and the Blauyes are much frequented by vast flocks
of wild ducks. ‘The varieties consist principally of the old wive, broad
bill, coot, black duck and whistler. In the Fall of 1846, one thousand
ducks are said to have been shot here, in the course of six hours.

The Pelham Bridge, sometimes called the Eastchester Creek Bridge,
communicates with the neck and the Westchester shore. ‘This place is

a McDonald MSS., in possession of G. N. Moore, of New York.

_ 5 Jessie Mullinex, of New Rochelle, remembered Colonel Thomas’ attempt to take the
et when he, with others, armed with long duck guns, helped to drive him off, McDonald
MSS.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 85

well known as a favorite resort for anglers, when the tide serves, fish of
various kinds, and particularly the largest sized bass are taken. On the
3d of June, 1844, Mr. Benjamin Fowler captured a striped bass, weigh-
ing sixty-three pounds ; when measured, it was found to be four feet six
inches long. A single steak of this fish weighed eight pounds. The late
Des Brosses Hunter, Esq., also caught a bass here weighing fifty pounds.
During the summer, 1841, a bass drifted on the neighboring beach,
weighing forty-three pounds ; and Mr. George Cox Furman, with a reel,
caught another weighing twenty pounds. In the Fall of 1838, a former
proprietor of the bridge informed me that seven hundred and sixty-nine
bass of various sizes were taken at this place by angling. September
and October are considered the best fishing months. Sheepshead are,
also, occasionally taken here. A few years since a monstrous seal was
shot in the bay, opposite the bridge, weighing eight hundred pounds.
Pelham Bridge was originally commenced by a company of gentlemen
in the immediate neighborhood, who after sustaining severe losses, were
compelled to relinquish the enterprize, which was reserved for the late
George Rapelye, Esq., to complete. The bridge was afterwards pur-
chased of his heirs and rented out annually, until the present iron struc-
ture was erected a few years since at a cost of $60,000. It is said to re-
quire three men and a boy to open the draw. A little west of this structure
is the bridge and draw of the New Haven and Harlem River Railroad.
From the Pelham Bridge there is a most extensive view of Hutchir-
son’s Bay, terminated only by the shores of Long Island, the fertile val-
ley through which the Aqueanounck winds on its passage to the former,
and the heights of Westchester. On the south-east shore of Pelham is
situated the estate of the late Robert Bartow, Esq. This property was
once a portion of the estate of Thomas Pell, third Lord of the Manor,
eldest son and heir of John Lord Pell. In March, 1790, Thomas Pell,
grandson of the above Thomas and Pheebe, his wife, conveyed the same
to John Bartow,* and Ann Pell, his wife, third daughter of Joseph Pell,
grand-parents of the late Robert Bartow, Esq. The dwelling house
which is constructed of native stone, presents a fine Grecian front to the
road, with wings on the east andwest. The old manor house which was
pulled down, not many years ago, stood near the summer house in the
garden a little south-west of the present stone mansion. Here the
manor courts were held and tenants came to do suit and service from
time to time to the Mesne Lord.
In a smal] cemetery south of the site of the old manor-house, repose

a The father of John Bartow was Theophilus Bartow, who married Bathsheba, daughter of
Thomas Peli, eldest son of John Lord Pell.

86 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the mortal remains of the Pell family. The oldest monument, legible,
bears the following inscription :

“HER LYES ISEC PELL, D. DEC. 14, ANNO 1748,”

Another, surmounted with the figure of a rude cherub, bears this epi-
taph:

“HER IS THE BODY OF JOSEPH PELL, AGED 31, D. 1752.”

This individual was the third Lord of the manor, and son of Thomas
Pell, the eldest son of John Lord Pell.
The inscription to his wife, is as follows:

In Memory oF
PH@BE PELL,

the widow of JosEPH PELL.
She departed this life
On the 22d day of March, 1790,
In the 70th year of her age.

This lady, together with the executors of her husband, confirmed to
Trinity church, New Rochelle, in 1763, the one hundred acres of land
given by John Lord Pell for the use of the French church in 1689. An-
other stone is inscribed:

Here Lyses tHe Bopy or
SALOME PELL, BORN JAN. 1318, 1759,

and Departed This Life
Oct. ye 10th, 1760, Aged 1 year,
8 months and 27 Days.

The following records the death of Sussannah, the second daughter of
the before mentioned Joseph and Pheebe Pell.

Iy Memory

of SUSSAN NAH, wife

of Bensamrin Drake, who
Died March 4th, 1763;
Aged 22 years.

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 37

The last legible inscription is:

In Memory
of JOHN, son of

James and Po@BeE BENNETT,
who died Augt 6, 17638,
Aged 21 months.

In 1862 awhite marble slab was erected on the spot, by the late James
K. Pell, Esq., of New York, with the following inscription :

Tus STONE
is placed here in token of

respect for the
memory
of, and to mark the spot where
lie buried the mortal remains of
several of the descendants of

JOHN PELL,

who was born in the year 1643.
and died in the year 1700.
The son of
the Rev. Joun Pett, D.D.,
of Essex, in England,
and nephew of
Tuomas PELL,
the first proprietor
of the
Lordship and Manor of Pelham.
born in the year 1603.

Not very far west of the site of the old manor house stood, a few years
ago, one of the iargest and finest oak trees in the country ; interesting as
the very tree beneath which the Indian sachems ceded these lands to
Thomas Pell, on the 14th of November, 1654.

On what was once the Bartow estate is located the Bartow station of
the Harlem River branch of the New York and New Haven Railroad.
The distance is computed to be seven miles from New York centre, and
fifty-three minutes from business centres. From this station are daily
lines of stages connecting with Yonkers, Mount Vernon and City Island.

88 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The ground, on which has been commenced the new village of Bar-
tow, rises gently from Hutchinson’s River, and commands fine views
of the Sound, Mount Vernon, and an extensive landscape. The Town
Hall of Pelham township is adjacent, and likewise the Pelham bridge,
which affords the finest fishing and boating along that side of the River.
West Neck, the estate of the late Philip Schuyler, Esq., joins the vil-
lage on the north, originally belonged to John Pell, a grandson of John
Lord Pell. The old mansion, which formerly occupied the site of the
Schuyler residence, was removed in 1850 and is now used as a carrlage
house and stable. Here, during the Revolutionary war, the daughters
of John Pell and Mary Totten were frequently in the habit of entertain-
ing the British officers, who would drive up from New York. The ad-

joining estate to the Bartows on the east is Oakshade, the property of
Richard Lewis Morris, M. D., son of James Morris, and grandson of
General Lewis Morris of Morrisania, one of the signers of the Declara-
tion of Independence. The house is a very beautiful specimen of the
Italian villa style. The south front commands a fine view of the Pelham
Neck and the Sound. The old Le Roy mansion, now the estate of the
Rodgers’ family, is also finely situated, and embraces every variety of
water view. But the most to be admired in this situation is the good
taste with which art has added her charms to those of nature, the grounds
being tastefully laid out to the water’s edge, and embellished with ex-
tensive green and fruit houses.

Hunter’s Island, sometimes denominated Henderson’s or Appleby Is-
land, now owned by Alvah Higgins, Esq.,is connected with the main by
a stone causeway and bridge. The mansion which is situated about the
centre of the Island, has the most commanding views of the vicinity.
It is constructed of stone, with wings on the east and west. The south
front presents a collonade of the Ionic order, from which an extensive
and delightful prospect presents itself to the eye. Before you is a fine
belt of woods, to the east a boundless expanse of water, while on the

\

To face page 85, vol. i PEDIGREE OF SCHUYLER, OF PELHAM.

Philip Pieterse Van Schuyler Margaret Van Slechtenhorst

came to Albany in 1650, from Holland,
married 16th December, 1650

|
Johannes _ Elizabeth Staats, widow of John Wendell

Philip, shot by Canadians in 1745, at Schuylerville, Saratoga Co. N. Y.
General phil, of the Revolution Catharine Van Rensselaer

|
John Bradstreet _Elizabeth Van Rensselaer

John —Cornelia Van Cortlandt

|
Philip Jeremiah, of Rhinebeck, N. Y.

pahip, (only child) Grace Hunter, daughter of Robert Hunter, Esq., and sister of John Hunter, of Hunter’s Island, Pelham.

| | | |
Ruth_T. W. Ogden Elizabeth_R. H. Ogden Grace Catharine Rev. John Bolton

| |
Harriet Letitia_C. H. de Luze Fanny John Mary

(The family now residing in Peljham.)

tent

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 89

south-west a lovely bay stretches towards Pelham Neck and Throgmor-
ton’s Point. These features render it one of the most beautiful spots on
the sound or East River. The north front of the house overlooks the
winding creek and distant woods of Pelham. In 1743 this island, and
twenty acres on the main, were in possession of Joshua Pell, Esq., son of
Thomas and grandson of John Lord Pell, from whom the former passed
to the Hunts and Hendersons. The latter sold it to the late John
Hunter, Esq. The Island embraces an area of 250 acres. Large quan-
tities of fish are constantly taken in the waters south of the island. A
thousand weight have been captured in one morning with a fyke-net.

The xo nation reefs and green fiats, lying nearly south of the island,
are also well-known fishing places. On the south-east end of the island
is situated the great Indian Rock ‘ Mishow,” while on the east lies the
well known boulder, called the “‘ Gray Mare.”

On the main, nearly fronting the causeway leading to the Island, is
situated the residence of Mrs. Elizabeth DeLancey, eldest daughter of
the late Elias Des Brosses Hunter, (who died on the 22d of March,1865,
aged 65,) son of John Hunter, Esq., the former proprietor of those lands
and the adjoining Island. The building is of native granite, and com-
mands beautiful views of the Sound and adjacent creeks and islands.
Here is the orignal portrait of the Hon. Caleb Heathcote, Esq., Lord of
the Manor of Scarsdale in this County. Surveyor General of H. M. Cus-
toms, and Judge of the Court of admiralty, and one of H. M. Council
for the Province of New York. ‘On the day of his death, Feb. 28,1721,

this excellent man went about doing good in procuring a charitable sub-
' scription”® Adjoining this estate on the south, is the residence of John
Munro, Esq., son of the late Peter Jay Munro, and grandson of Rev.
Harry Munro, first Rector of St. John’s church, Yonkers.

The residence of the late Elbert Roosevelt, Esq., now occupied by his
sons, is pleasantly located directly on the banks of the Sound, and has fine
views of Long Island and the surrounding shore. The Roosevelt family,
which have settled here since 1802, is of Dutch extraction ; and claim
descent from Claus Martens ze van Roosevelt, z. ¢. Nicholas the son of
Martin of the Rose-field, a native of Holland, and first of the name who
came to America. His son was Nicholas, whose son Johannas was the
grandfather of Cornelius, father of the late Elbert Roosevelt, Esq., of
Pelham. .

In this vicinity is the Priory, the former residence of the late Rev.
Robert Bolton, a native of Savannah, Georgia, whose father, Robert
~ @ Many years ago Peter Jay Maune levied a fine and recovery in behalf of John Hunter,

Esq. for the entire Island.
b American Weekly Mercury, N. Y. March 6th 1721,

go HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Bolton, was a well known merchant of that city, the only son of Robert
Bolton, Esq., the first post-master of Savannah, in 1764, who removed
from Philadelphia, Pa., into Georgia about one hundred and thirty-two
years ago, whose father was Robert Bolton, Gent., merchant of Phila-
delphia and senior warden of Christ church in that city, A.D., 1727,
‘born at Walesin Yorkshire, 26th of July, 1688, and a lineal descendant
of the Bolton’s, of Bolton, in Lancashire. A collateral branch of this
family gave to the Church of England, the well known author and divine,
Robert Bolton, B. D., (great grand uncle of the last mentioned Robert
Bolton of Philadelphia,) rector of Broughton, North Hamptonshire, who
died in 1631, and penned the recently republished edition of “ Bolton’s
Four Last Things.”

The Residence of the Rey, Robert Bolton, Pelham.

The mansion house, which is of stone, affords a good specimen of the
old English style, and accords well with its romantic situation. The
building has two towers, affording splended views in which wood and
water are beautifully blended. The interior arrangements correspond
with the style of the house, and carry the mind back to days of old. The
armory is decorated with a mantle-piece brought from Venice, two or
three suits of ancient armor, besides helmets, morions, breast plates,
chain armor, &c., and a curiously carved chair of oak, found at Dorches-
ter near Oxford, bearing the date of 1639. There are paintings here of
members of the Bolton family, and among them a portrait of Robert Bol-
ton, merchant of Savannah, Ga., whose great wealth gained for him the
sobriquet of “ King ;” he died in 1802. He is represented, dressed in

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. gi

dark blue coat, with yellow vest, and cocked hat; also the portrait of
his wife, Sarah McClean, in high cap, stiff cambric handkerchief and
tight brown silk bodice. They are copies of the origirals, by Walter
Robertson, in 1797; also the portraits of the late Rev. Robert Bolton,
and his wife, Anne Jay, daughter of the Rey. William Jay, of Bath,
England, with her two children, Robert and Anne, painted by the cele-
brated William Etty, of the Royal Academy of England ; also an original
portrait of Bunyan, formerly in the possession of the Rev. George White-
field. There is in the library a good collection of autographs, the oldest
of which is that of Henry VII., of England. The signatures of Queen
Mary and Queen Elizabeth, with her council, are worthy of notice; also
those of Oliver Cromwell and Richard Cromwell, presented by the late
Oliver Cromwell, of Chestnut Park, England, their last direct male
representative ; letters of Lord Fairfax, Pope, Cowper, Chatterton, Lord
Nelson; signatures of Napoleon, Sir Christopher Wren, Percy, author
of the ballad, Bishop Burnet, Kosciusko, &c., &c. Among the American
autographs are those of William Penn and his sons, the proprietors of
Pennsylvania, Francis Lovelace, Governor of New York in 1671, Jona-
than Edwards, Increase and Cotton Mather, Washington, La Fayette,
Franklin, Jefferson, Schuyler, Sterling, Arnold, the signers of the
Declaration of Independence, and various other eminent characters.
The terrace in front of the house forms a fine promenade. A beautiful
flower garden on the west end of the house is laid out in geometrical
plots, in which the plants are well disposed for the display of the flowers.
The grounds are ornamented with natural walks leading to various ob-
jects of interest, among which deserves to be noticed the “rocking
stone.”* This natural curiosity is a rock supposed to weigh about twenty

tons.
‘* A rock, chance pdised and balanced, lay

So that a stripling arm might sway
A mass no host could raise.

‘In Nature’s rage at random thrown,
Yet trembling like the Druid’s stone
On its precarious base.”

Rocking stones, used in ancient Druidical worship, are found both in
Great Britain and America. They were consulted in various ways by
the Druids ; sometimes as an oracle through which Jehovah spoke, for
they believed one Supreme God although they adored lesser objects. It
seems that these stones originated in the time of Moses, as mentioned in

a@ Rocking stones were called “‘rogan stones” by the Saxons, from the old Saxon principal of

the verb “‘rogg.” to shake, which is used by the poet Chaucer. ‘“ And him she roggetnh and
awaketh soft.”—Legend of Good Women.

92 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Joshua xxiv: 17—‘ And Joshua took a great stone, and set it up there
under an oak, and he said unto all the people, ‘ Behold this stone shall
be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord, which
He spake unto us; it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny
your God.” Ancient history mentions their existence in various places ;
and, without doubt, from ancient Britain their use was introduced into
this country, where they are numerous, but I shall only mention a few.
In Siddiman’s Journal, O. Mason notices two rocking Stones in the neigh-
borhood of Providence, N. E.,* and Dr. J. Porter, two in Massachusetts;
another writer, speaks of several near Roxbury in the same State ; one
at Andover,and another at Duxham, in New Hampshire. Putnam’s
Rock, thrown by some soldiers during the Revolutionary war from a cliff
into the Hudson river, where it is now visible, was a Druidical Rocking
stone. According to American history, it ‘was so adroitly poised and
easily moved that it attracted general attention.” Speaking of the usages
of the ancient British Druids, an English writer says: ‘‘ They erected
also great stones, called by moderns ‘ Rocking Stones, so cunningly fitted
one upon another, that if the upper one were touched in acertain place,
though only with a finger, it would rock ; whereas no strength of man
could avail to move it, if applied to any other part. Hither they led
those accused of any other crime, and—under preténce that the gods,
would, by this form of trial, show the guilt or innocence of the party—di-
rected him where to touch, and make the proof; and thus, at their direc-
tion, (how like the priest-craft of every age,) they either absolved the ac-
cused, or made them appear guilty—knowing where the laying of the fin-
ger would move the rock, and where no human power could effect it.”
The author of ‘“ Mexican and American Antiquities,” published in
France, mentions the existence of Rocking Stones among South Ameri-
can ruins ; he terms them “balancing rocks, similiar to the Celtic monu-
ments of France and of England.” The Spanish historian Fuentes, speak-
ing of the customs of the Aborigines of Gautimala, South America, al-
luding to their mode of trying criminals, says: ‘‘ After the sentences of the
criminals were given, it was necessary to have them comfirmed by the
oracle, for which purpose three of the judges left their seats and proceed-
ed to a deep ravine, where there was a place of worship containing a
sacred stone, on the surface of which the Diety was supposed to indicate
the fate of the criminal. If the decision was approved, the sentence was
executed immediately—if nothing appeared on the stone, the accused
was set at liberty.” Juarros, in his history of Guatimala, speaking of

a Thereisarocking stone called “ Drum Rock,” withintwo milesof Wickford, North Kings-
ton. The sound resembles a drum; it can be heard a great distance off, some say to the
next stone: near it is a burying ground.—[ED.]

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 93
a Rocking Stone among the ruins in Copan, says: ‘“ Astonishment is
forcibly excited on viewing the structure ; because, large as it is, and al-
though entirely of stone and of enormous weight, it may be set in mo-
tion by the slightest impulse of the hand.” Among the Greek’s, Rock-
ing Stones occur as funeral monuments ; and frequently on cliffs over-
hanging the sea. Fosbroke, an English writer, in his ‘“ Antiquities,”
speaking on the subject, says: ‘‘ There is a singular conformity to the
Greek custom in the following passages of Ossian: ‘ A rock bends along
the coast, with all its echoing wood. On the top is the circle of Loda:
the mossy stone of power;’ and again—‘The king of Lora is my
son; he bends at the stone of my power,’ It appears that the bards
walked around the stone singing. That at Staunton, England, evidently
in order to be conspicuous, is placed on the nose of a promontory loft-
ier than the neighboring heights.” The North American Mandan In-
dians have a sacred stone, and so vivid is the similarity, that I can al-
most say it originated with the Druids, the ceremonies only being modi-
fied by the varying ages and circumstances through which they have
passed. The “ Book of the United States” says: ‘The Mandans have
their medicine stone, which is their great oracle; and they believe with
implicit confidence whatever it announces. Every spring, and occasion-
ally during the summer, a deputation, accompanied by jugglers, magi-
cians, or conjurors, visits the sacred spot where there is a large stone,
about twenty feet in circumference, with a smooth surface. There
the deputies smoke, taking a few whiffs themselves and then cere-
moniously offering the pipe to the stone, they leave there their presents
and withdraw tosome distance during the night. Before morning (Druid-
ical priest-craft again) the presents have disappeared—the Great Spirit,
according to- their belief, having taken them away; ard they read the
destinies of their nation on some marks on the stone, which the juggling
priests, who have made them, and secretly manage the whole transaction,
can easily decipher. The Minnatree Indians have, also, a stone of the
same kind.” Bradford in his ‘‘ American Antiquities,” speaks thus of a
rocking stone, near Caxamatca, South America, which, from the accu-
mulation of dirt around it, had lost its rocking character—“ It is a large
block of free-stone. It has two grooves cut across it, near to the centre,
four inches deep and five wide. The site of this stone commands a
most beautiful prospect of the valley of Caxamatca. Doubless in that
groove the Druidical priest sat administering wzjust justice.*

At a short distance from the priory near the angle formed by the in-

a Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun, Iverton Letters on Antiquities by Robert H. Liver. °
ing, Lancaster, Ohio, 1844.

94 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

tersection of Pelhamdale avenue with the sea-side boulevard, stands the
parochial edifice called Christ church.

It may be as well to state here the progress of religious affairs in Pel-
ham prior to the erection of this church in 1843. Under the royal char-
ter of 1637, the Pelis were possessed of the “‘impropriation and the pat-
ronage of the church or churches erected or to be erected within the
manor.” In 1689, John Pell did give and grant to Jacob Leisler for
the French Refugees at New Rochelle ‘one hundred acres of land for
the use of the French church erected or to be erected by the inhabitants.’
This glebe, which was situated only a short distance from Christ church
was held for nearly one hundred and fifteen years by Trinity church,
New Rochelle; upon the rgth of March, 1697, John Pell, Esq., as impro-
priator laid the corner stone of the French church at New Rochelle, which
instituted the only edifice within the Manorial limits for one-hundred and
forty-six years.

By the act of Assembly passed 24th March, 1693, the Manor of
Pelham had been made of the four precincts of West Chester Parish ;
and the first vestryman elected under it, in 1702, was the said impro-
priator John Pell, Sen., Esq.; in May, 1703, the quota contributed by Pel-
ham Manor toward the rector’s support and poor of the parish was
41-138. ‘At a meeting of ye church-wardens, vestrymen, freeholders
and parishoners of ye Borough of West Chester, etc., held in West
Chester the roth day of January A. D. 1709-10.” etc. “ Mr. Thomas
Pell was chosen and appointed ye vestryman of ye Manor of Pelham.”
The quota for the precinct the same year was £3.0.0; in 1720 the
quota furnished by Pelham Manor had increased to £4.48. 14d.

As early as 1695 aclergyman of the Church of England was settled in
the manor of Pelham; but as the freeholders were obliged to pay towards
the rector’s support at West Chester appointed to him by act of Assem-
bly, they were rendered incapable of doing anything for their own minis-
ter; so that the principal support which the three French ministers of
the Manor of Pelham, residing at New Rochelle, received prior to
the Revolution, was derived from the Venerable Society for the Propa-
gation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. 5s nee

In 1788, New Rochelle was separated from the Manor of Pelham, but
the latter still remained united, for all eclesiastical purposes with the
former until 1840, when the late Rev. Robert Bolton, the rector of the
parish of East Chester, first extended his ministerial labors to this town,
which was as yet, destitute of the services of the Church. At this time,
Mr. Bolton, besides his stated duties in East Chester, held 4 Sunday ser-
vice at his residence in Pelham, accomodating in the ample hall a neigh-

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 95

borhood peculiarly destitute of spiritual culture. Through his instrument-
ality, a parish was finally organized; and the corner stone of a church
was laid on his own estate, Friday, the 28th of April, 1843—being the
first building devoted to religious worship and instruction ever com-
menced in Pelham. The good seed has spread since then, for there are
now no less than three Episcopal churches in this town, viz: Grace
church, City Island; the Church of the Redeemer, Pelhamville ; and the
Parish church. The edifice thus happily begun was finished the same year,
and consecrated the 15th of September by the name of ‘‘ Christ church,
Pelham.” Prior to this event, the Reverend Founder prepared a deed
transferring the church, and a quarter of an acre of land on which it is
situated, to a parochial corporation, when one should be there formed—
reserving, however, six free seats, the southeast and northwest transepts,

Christ Church, Pelham.

and two vaults beneath the floor of the church ; and, further, it provides
that no rector or minister can be called or employed to officiate in the
said church without the written consent of a majority of his heirs resid-
ing in America be given thereto.” The act of incorporation bears date
25th of September, 1843. Richard Morris and Henry Grenzabach,
church-wardens ; Isaac Roosevelt,George F. Mills, John Bolton, William
J. Bolton, Peter V. King, Jacob LeRoy, Cornelius Winter Bolton, and
Robert Bolton, Jun., vestrymen. #

Upon the organization of the parish the Rev. Robert Bolton became
its rector. He was born at the family residence in Oglethorpe Square,
Savannah, Georgia, roth of September, 1788. His father has already

a County Rec. Rel. Soc. Lib. B, p. 85. Day of annual election, Monday in Easter week.

96 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

been referred to as Robert Bolton, merchant of Savannah. He was
ordained deacon by the Bishop of New York, 25th July, 1837 ; and Priest
by the same on the r2th of November following. In 1852 he resigned the
rectorship, and died at Cheltenham, England, 19th of November, 1857.

The parish church comprises a nave, sixty-five feet by twenty-two,
with two small transeptal buildings, east porch and a bell turret over
the eastern gable. It is constructed of common granite, in a very solid
manner. In the rear, is a small wooden school and vestry-room out of
all keeping with the main edifice.

The style is gothic, and may be called the transitional second pointed.
The chancel window, of three lights, is filled with stained glass of ex-
quisite coloring, representing the adoration of the magi; over this is
a circular light bearing the Agnus Dei with the appropriate legend, ‘ Be-
hold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.” This
window, and several of the nave, were executed and presented to the
church by the Rev. William Jay Bolton, A. M., vicar of Stratford East,
near London, England. The two windows, on either side of the chancel,
are after patterns in Salisbury cathedral; and were executed and pre-
sented by the Rev. John Bolton, rector of Trinity church, Westchester,
Penn. ‘The northern window of the transept bears the arms of the old
Manorial Lords, Ermine, on a canton azure, a pelican or, vulned gules,
while the southern is charged with those of the Reverend Founder:
sable, a label for difterence, a falcon argent, beaked, jessed, membered
and belled or, charged on the breast with a trefoil, slipped ppr. The
open rafters of the church rest on half length figures of angels projecting
from the wall. The interior contains the following monumental inscrip-
tions :

SACRED
to the memory of

ABBY BOLTON;

who slept in peace,
June 16th, 1849.

She was the fifth daughter of the
Rey. Rogert Borron,
Founder and first Rector
of this Church.

Loving purity from principle,
she courted the shade.

Her religion dwelt upon the Spirit,

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 97

and was sweetly exhibited
in the every-day duties of life.
This is pure and undefiled religion

** Her God sustained her in her final hour,
Her final hour brought glory to her God.”’

This tablet is erected by her friends.

IN MEMORY OF
THE REV. ROBERT BOLTON,

eldest son of
Rosert Botton, Esq., merchant, of Savannah, Georgia.
He was born in that city Sept. 10, 1778. He died in Cheltenham,
England, Nov. 19, 1857. He was founder and first rector of this church.

ALSO
ANN,

his tenderly beloved wife,
who fell asleep in Jesus at Brighton, England, Sept. 27, 1859.
She was the eldest daughter of the Rev. William Jay, of Bath, England,
Author of ‘‘ The Morning and Evening Exercises.”
Their children here record in gratitude to God their tender
affection, prevailing prayers and pure example.

IN MEMORY OF
our beloved nurse,

ANN GRIFFIN,

who after twenty-four years of devoted service, fell asleep in Pelham,
August 29th, 1854, aged 54.
*“ Well ae aoe good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (St. Matt.
XXV:21.)

SAORED
to the memory of

MRS.MARY ANNE THOMAS,

who fell asleep in Jesus,
March 24th, 1849, aged 36 years.
Her dying words were :—
‘* There is a reality in religion.”

98 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

IN MEMORY OF
ISAAC ROOSEVELT,

who died in Pelham, Sept. 30th, A.D. 1856, aged 43 years.
An honest man: a sincere friend, and humble Christian.

“ He was an early promoter and constant friend of this church,
serving as vestryman and treasurer from the time of its forma-
tion to his death. Possessed of a sound mind, a kind heart, and
a generous hand, he labored to promote the welfare and happi-
ness of the neighborhood in which he lived. He died respected,
beloved and universally lamented.”

SAORED TO THE MEMORY
of
SARAH WILMINGTON NORTON,

of Savannah, Georgia,
who died in Pelham, on the 15th of July, 1845,
aged 17 years.
‘*Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.”—(Eccles. xii chap. 1 Verse.)
This tablet is erected by her affectionate young friends.

IN MEMORY
of

SARAH SMITH CHERBULIEZ,

who died in Pelham,
Feb’y 6, 1858,
aged three years and three months.

**Ts it well with the child?” Andshe answered: ‘It is well.’

In a vault, beneath the pulpit, repose the mortal remains of William
Matthew Evans, Esq., of Savannah, Georgia,son of William Evans, and
Sarah (second daughter of Robert Bolton, Esq., of Savannah, Ga, and
Sussannah Mauve, of Vivay, Switzerland,) who departed this life in East-
chester, on the 18th of November, 1837, aged sixty-three; also Abby
Bolton, fifth daughter of the Rev. Robert Bolton, and Anne Jay, his
wife, who was born at Henley upon Thames, Oxfordshire, England,
Feb. 3d, 1827, and died in Pelham, June the 16th, 1849; also her sister-
in-law, Elizabeth Rebecca, first wife of Rev. Robert Bolton, and second
daughter of James Brenton, Esq., of Newport, Rhode Island, who was

a This individual was the son of Benjamin Brenton and grandson of Jahlee Brenton of
Newport, R. I., (a son of Ebenezer,) and grandson of William Brenton, Governor of Rhode
Islandin 1663, by his wife, Frances, daughter of Samuel Cranston, Governor of Rhode Is-
land, son of John Cranston, Governor of the same, son of James Cranston, Chaplain to King
Charles I,, who was the son of John Cranston by his wife, Christiau, daughter of Sir Robert
Stewart, predecessor to the Earls of Traquair, who was son of James Cranston (brother of
John Lord Cranston) by his wife, Lady Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Stewart, Earl of Both-

well. Mary Clarke, wife of Samuel Cranston, Governor of Rhode Island. was the daughter of
Governor Walter Clarke by his wife, Freeborn, daughter of the celebrated Roger Williams

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 99

born at Pittstown, in this State, on the 2d of August, 1814, and died in
New Rochelle on the 12th of March, 1852; also Richard Woodhull,
sixth son of Rev. Robert Bolton, and Josephine Woodhull, born at Bed-
ford, Nov. roth, 1864, died there, April rgth, 1868.

In the Schuyler family vault are the following: Philip Schuyler, Esq.,
born October 26th, 1788, died Feb. 12, 1865 ; Grace Hunter Schuyler,
born April 10, 1790, died Dec. 23, 1855 ; Harriet Schuyler, daughter of
the above, born Oct. 26, 1823, died Nov. 22, 1877.

The organ was built in June, 1872, by Jardine & Sons, of New York ;
it has two banks of keys, twenty stops, two octaves of foot pedals, with
the modern improvement of swell and coupler, and cost $2,500.

The bell, weighing one hundred and eighty-four pounds, was presented
to the church by Lydig Suydam, Esq. The communion plate, which was
the gift of Mrs. C. L. Spencer, daughter of Peter Lonillard, Esq., bears
the following inscription: ‘‘ Christ church, Pelham, May 11th, 1844.”
A chalice was also presented by the late Miss Georgiana C. Pell, daugh-
ter of Governor Duncan C. Pell, inscribed with the appropriate motto:
“This do in rememberance of Me.” This lovely young lady, who was
a pupil of the Priory, and died 15th of November, 1851, aged sixteen,
was a lineal descendant of John Lord Pell. The service books were
presented by the late Gerardus Clark, Esq.; and a set of beautifully il-
luminated tablets, by the Rev. John Bolton.

To Christ church, Pelham, is attached a small stone rectory, in the
Norman style, erected in 1843.

By an indenture bearing date 4th of May, 1867, Nanette Anne Bolton of the
town of Pelham, County of West Chester and State of New York, conveyed to
the Rector, Church-wardens and Vestrymen of Christ church, Pelham, parties of
the second part ‘‘a certain parcel of land situated in the town of New Rochelle;
begining at the south-westerly corner of aroad running past Christ church, Pelham
and the Pelham road, 226 feet thence north-westerly, parallel with the road leading
past Christ church, Pelham, 75 feet, thence north-easterly, parallel with said Pel-
ham road, 226 feet to the aforesaid road running past Christ church; thence
scuth-easterly along the last mentioned 75 feet to the point or place of beginning.
To have and to hold the said premises hereby conveyed to the said parties of the
second part and their successors in office for parish purposes forever ; subject nev-
ertheless, to the following reservation, viz: that in case the said parties of the
second part should ever abandon the use of said premises for parish purposes,
then and in that case the said premises shall revert to the party of the first part,
her heirs and assigns forever, &c, NANETTE ANNE BOLTON.

In presence of

CHaRrLes W. RooskEvzLt. @

a@ Copied from the orignal document in the possession of the vestry.

100 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

RECTORS OF PELHAM.

Inst. or CALL. INCUMBENTS. ‘YAOATED By.

28 April, 1843, Rev. Rosert Boron, Presb. resig.
Rey. ALEXANDER Surras, D.D., Presb., resig.
Rev. M. M. Ditton, Presb., resig.
Rev. Epwarp W. Sytz, Presb., resig.
Rey. J. McAprne Harprye, Presb., resig.
Rev. CHARLES HIGBEE, present incumbent.

Near to the entrance of the Priory, on the grounds of Miss Lydia Em-
met, daughter of the late Hon. Robert Emmet, Judge of the Supreme
Court of the State, son of Thomas Addis Emmet, the celebrated Irish
jurist, is another large boulder, weighing several tons.

Parochial School of Christ church, Pelham.

Deveau town is a small scattered hamlet in this vicinity, so named af-
ter Abel Deveau, an old whig of the Revolution, and proprietor of a
small estate. This individual was proud of relating how he and others
were deployed as skirmishes to way-lay the British near the causeway,
after their landing on Pelham Neck, in 1776, firing behind the rock
near Rapelye’s, and retiring, as they advanced, towards Eastchester. The
late Abel Deveau, of Pelham, was his son; and one of his grandsons is
the present Richard Deveau, of New Rochelle.

From the town records we take the following extracts :—

** At a town meeting held at the school house in the town.of Pelham, on Tues-
day the seventh day of April, 1801, for the purpose of electing town officers for

THE TOWN OF PELHAM. 1oI

the said town to serve the ensuing year, the following persons were appointed to
the following offices and places,” viz:

Pure Pex, Supervisor.
Davin J. Petz, Town Clerk.
Davip J. Pett, )

WituiaM Bay ery, > Assessors.
Josaua HvxstIs, )

Pap PELL,
JoHN Bartow, » Commissioners of Highways.
WILLIAM BayLey,

Joshua Huestis, overseer of highways, for the within district of the town, to
extend as far north till it come to the gate between the farms of Mr. John Bar-
tow and Charles Turnbull deceased ; and Elijah Horton, overseer of the highways
of the northern district of the town, as far north till it comes to the before men-
tioned gate :

Exisan Horton,

h r.
Gaonee eo Overseers of the Poo

JESSE MULLINEX, }

JosHuA HuEstIs, \ F :
n iewers.
Eisan Horton, ence Viewers

EsalE GUION,

Davin J. PELL, 0
JessE MULLINEX, Pound Masters.

Pamir Pert, 7

JOHN Barrow,

ALEXANDER ANDERSON,

WrtiiaM BayLey, Commissioners of Schools.
IsalE GUION,

Rem RapatsE,

JoHN WILLIAMS, J x

JosEPH Barry, Constable and Collector.

In 1875, was commenced the Huguenot Forest Memorial chapel, a
pretty wooden structure, facing the Boston boulevard, at its junction
with the Pelham Dale avenue. It was opened for public worship, Sun-
day, July oth, 1876. The Rev. Charles E. Lord having assumed the
pastorate.

In this portion of the town has been organized and legally incorpor-
ated, a company styling themselves, “‘ Ze Pecham Manor and Hugue-
not Leights Association,’ for the purpose of combining capital and skill
in the control and improvement of land for villa or cottage residences.
This company own about five hundred acres, stretching from the New

aS. H. Witherbee, President, C.J. Stevens. Secretary, office, 18ST Broadway.

102 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Haven Railroad on the north, to the beautifully winding shores of the
Sound on the south. On the southerly portion of these lands, facing on
Pelhamdale avenue, nearly opposite the Priory grounds, is situated “ All-
wood,? the residence of Mr. C. J. Stevens, and this avenue leads to the
Pelham Manor Station, a depot of the Harlem River branch of the New
Haven R. R., ten miles from North New York, where the boats connect
for Fulton or Peck Shp. Fourteen trains run daily, and the time is
estimated at twenty-one minutes,

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Poundridge is situated fifteen miles north-east of the village of White
Plains, and distant one hundred and thirty-nine miles from Albany ;
bounded north and east by Lewisboro, south-east by the State of Con-
necticut, and west by Bedford and North Castle; and was organized on
the 7th of March, 1788.

The name of this town is, undoubtedly, derived from the ancient
“Indian Pound,” which formerly stood at the foot of a “high ridge” a
little south of the present village of that name. On account of its
natural boundaries, this section of country was peculiarly adapted for
the favorite Indian practice of entrapping wild game. Upon the north,
stony mountains formed an impassible rampart ; whilst the long chain
of ponds and streams on the east line of the town, closes up all avenues
of escape in that direction. The Indians, therefore, availing themselves
of these natural barriers, constructed a palisaded pound at the southern
extremity of the ponds, into which they drove the wild game from the
west.

Van der Donck, the historian,informs us “that the Indians frequently
united in companies of from one to two hundred, when they have rare
sport. On these occasions they drive over a large district of land, and
kill much game. They also make extensive jikes with palisadoes, which
are narrow at the terminating angles, wherein they drive multitudes of
animals and take great numbers ; at a word, they are expert hunters for
every kind of game, and know how to practise the best methods to
insure success.”* The shouts and yells of these savage huntsmen must

@ Van der Donck’s Hist. of N. N. New York Hist. Soc. Coll. New Series, vol i. 103

104 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

have often reverberated in frightful echoes from the neighboring woods
and hills, serving no doubt much to bewilder their timid prey.

Poundridge was originally included in the Indian grant of Toquams,
made to John Turner of Quinnipiacke or New Haven, on the rst of July,
1640. ‘The sale is thus recorded in the town book of Stamford :

INDIAN DEED OF TOQUAMS.

‘‘Bought of Ponus, sagamore of Toquams,” (Stamford,) ‘‘and Wasoussue,
sagamore of Shippan, by me Nathaniel T'urner of Quinnipiacke,”« (New Ha-
ven,) ‘‘all the ground that belongs to both the above-named sagamores, ex-
cept a piece of ground which the aforesaid sagamore of Toquams reserved for
his and the rest of the said Indians to plant on; all which ground being ex-
pressed by meadows, uplands, grass, with the rivers and trees; and in consid-
eration hereof, I, the said Nathaniel Turner, am to give and bring or send to
the above said sagamores within the space of one month, twelve coats, twelve
hoes, twelve hatchets, twelve glasses, twelve knives, four kettles, and four
fathoms of white wampum; all which land both we the said sagamores do pro-
mise faithfully to perform both for ourselves, our heirs, executors or assigns to
the above said Nathaniel Turner of Quinnipiacke, his heirs, executors or assigns,
and hereunto we have set our marks in the presence of many of the said Indians,
they fully consenting thereto.

Witnessed by us, Ye marke of A, Ponws, sagamore.
WituiaM WILKES, Ye marke of © Wasoussvs, sagamore.
JAMES, &O. The marke of 2 OWENOKE, the son of Ponus.
Rec’d in part payment,
12 glasses,
12 knives,
6 coats.

Besides Poundridge the above sale also embraced the present town-
ships of Darien, Stamford, New Canaan, and the greater part of Bedford
and Greenwich.

The planting grounds reserved by the sachem Ponus, were situated
four miles south of Poundridge, in the vicinity of the street still bearing
his name. In 1644, “the western Indians being at war with the Dutch,
had communicated their hostile feelings to those around Stamford, who
at this period numbered one thousand warriors; but the firmness and
courage of Capt. John Underhill compelled the whole of them to sue for
peace. Upon occasion of its ratification the Wappings of Stamford pre-

a Capt. Nathaniel Turner purchased in behalf of the people of New Haven.
b See Bedford.

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. 105

sented themselves with others at Fort Amsterdam, April 6th, 1644.4 In
1655, occurs the following agreement between the inhabitants of Stam-
ford and the Indian Sachem Ponus, &c. :—

‘*Our agreement made with Ponus, Sagamore of Toquams, and with Onox, his
eldest son. Although there was an agreement made before with the said Indians
and Captain Turner, and the purchases paid for, yet the things not being clear,
and being very unsatisfied, we come to another agreement with Onox and Ponus
for their land from the town plot of Stamford north about sixteen miles, and
then to a marked white oak tree with S'[, and from that tree we went towards
the Mill river side, we marked another white oak tree with ST, and from that tree
west we were torun four miles eastward, and from this east and west line we were
to have further to the north, for our cattle to feed, full two miles further, the full
breadth only, the said Indians reserve for themselves liberty for their planting
ground, and the above said Indians, Ponus and Onox, with all other Indians that
be concerned in it, have surrendered all the said land, &c., for and in consideration
hereof, the said town of Stamford is to givethe said Indians four coats which the
Indians accept of as full satisfaction for the aforesaid lands although it was paid
before. Hereby all Ponus’s posterity is cut off from making any claim or hav-
ing any right to any part of the aforesaid land, &c., the said Ponus and Onox his
son, having this day received of Richard Lane, four coats, acknowledging them-
selves fully satisfied for the aforesaid land.

Witness the said Indians hands this fifteenth day of August, A.D. 1655.
Witness Witt1am Newman, Ponts A his mark,
RicHarp Lewis. Onox o his mark.”

‘4

Upon the 7th of January, 1667, Taphance, son of Ponus, and Pow-
hag or Pinaghag, son of Onox, confirmed to the people of Stamford the
agreement of 1655. By thesesales Poundridge became a part of Stam-
ford township, within Fairfield county.

On the 26th of May, 1685, the General Court of Connecticut, issued
the following patent to the inhabitants of Stamford, embracing all those
lands.

‘‘ Bounded on the south west by ye five mile brook, between Stamford afore-
said and Norwalk, from the mouth of the said brook, till-it meet with the cross-
path, that is, where the county road crosses the said river, and from thence to
run up into ye country till twelve miles be run out upon the same line, that is be-
tween Stamford and Fairfield, and upon the west, to Totomak brook, where the
lowermost path or road that now is to Greenwich, east by ye said brook, and
from thence to run in a straight line to the west end of a line drawn from the falls
of Stamford mill river, which line is to run a due west point towards Greenwich
bounds, a short mile, and from the west end at the said line, to run due north, to

a The Wappings were probably engaged ‘‘in the great battle fought between the Dutch and
Indians in that part of Horseneck cailed Strickland’s plain, now included in the town of
Greenwich, Connecticut.” O’Callahan's Hist. N. N., 302.

106 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the north of ye present country road to Rye, and froin thence run up into the

country, the same line that is between Norwalk and Stamford, to the ends of the

bounds, the said Jand having been by purchase or otherwise, lawfully obtained

of the Indians, native proprietors. And whereas, the proprietors the aforesaid in-
habitants of Stamford, in the colony of Connecticut, have made application to’
the Gov. and company of said colony of Connecticut, assembled in court, 25th
May, 1685, that they may have a patent for confirmation of the aforesaid land, so
purchased and granted to them as aforesaid, and which they have stood seized
and quietly possessed of for many years late past, without interruption. Now, for
a more full confirmation of the aforesaid lands, as it is butted and bounded afore-
said, unto ye present proprietors of the said town of Stamford, &c., &c. Know
ye, that the said Gov. and company aforesaid, in general court, according to the
conditions granted to them by his majesty in his charter, have given and granted
and by these presents, do give, grant, ratify and confirm, unto Mr. John Bishop,

Mr. Richard Lowe, Capt. Jonathan Silleck, Capt. John Silleck, Lt. Francis Bill,

Lt. Jonathan Bull, Ensign John Bales, Mr. Abraham Ambler, Mr. Peter Ferris
and Mr. Joshua Hoyt, and the rest of the said present proprietors of the town-

ship of Stamford, their heirs, successors and assignees forever, the aforesaid par-
cel of Jand as it is butted and bounded together, with, &. &c., that the afore-
said tract of land, shall be forever hereafter deemed, reputed, and be an entire
township of itself, to have and to hold the said tract of land, premises, &c. &e.,

yielding rendering and paying tkerefore to our sovereign Lord the king, his heirs
and successors, his dues according to charter. In witness whereof we have caus-
ed the seal of the colony to be hereunto affixed, this 26th of May, 1685, in ye first
year of the reign of our Lord King James the second, &c. &c.

ROBERT TREAT, Gov.

This patent included the southern portion of Poundridge ; for, until
the final arrangement of the boundary lines in 1731, Stamford extended
over the greater part of the present town.

Upon the temporary settlement of the colonial lines, A.D. 1701, we
find the Indian sachem Catonah, confirming Robert Walters and others
in these lands.

‘““This indenture, made the 25th of February, 1701, betwixt Robert Walters
John Chollwell, Leigh Atwood, Cornelius Depeyster, Richard Slater, Barne
Cosens, Lancaster Symes, Matthew Clarkson, Robert Lurting, Peter Matthews,
and Caleb Heathcote, of the one part, and Sagamore, Katonah, Wakemane and
Weewanessege, Indians, of the other, for the consideration of a certain sum in
hand paid by the said Robert Walters, &c., at and before the ensealing and de-
livering of these presents. The receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge,
&c., &c., have given, granted, bargained and sold, aliened, enfeoffed, released
and confirmed, and do by these presents, clearly and absolutely give, grant, bargain,
and sell, alien, enfeoff, release and confirm, unto the said Robert Walters, &c., a
certain parcel or tract of land, lying and being in the County of Westchester, in
the province of New York, butted and bounded as followeth, viz., westward by

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE, 107

Bedford and by the patent granted to Caleb Heathcote and others, northerly by
Col. Cortlandt’s purchase and Croton’s run, southerly and easterly by colony lines,
to have and to hold, &c., &c.¢ ‘he mark of qa, Caronau.”

On the 2d day of March. 1701, William the Third, by his royal let-
ters patent, under the great seal of the colony of New York, did grant
and confirm unto Robert Walters, John Cholwell, Leigh Atwood, Cor-

elius Depeyster, Richard Slater, Barne Cosens, Lancaster Symes, Mat-
thew Clarkson, Robert Lurting, Peter Matthews and Caleb Heathcote,
a certain tract of land in the County of Westchester.

“ Bounded to the south by the east division line between the province of New
York and the colony of Connecticut, and on the east by the other division line ;
and so along the said line, until it meet with the patent of Adolph Philips, and
so along his southern boundaries, till it meet the patent of the manor of Cortlandt,
and from thence by a line that shall run upon a direct course, until it meet with
the end of the first easterly line of twenty miles of the said manor of Cortlandt,
and from thence, along the said line westerly, until it meet with the patent
granted, to Robert Walters and others; then, southerly, along the said patent,
until it meet with the bounds of the township of Bedford, and thence along the
said bounds, till it meet with the patent granted to Col. Caleb Heathcote and
others; and, along the bounds of the said patent, unto the colony line, which
said tract of land, on the 25th day of February, was by the said Robert Walters,
in his aforesaid company purchased of the native Indian proprietors, &c., &c.”

This grant, which not only embraced the whole of Poundridge but a |
portion of Lewisboro, was subsequently known by the name of the Zast
Patent.

The same year occurs the following confirmation from the Indian
sagamore Catonah to the “inhabitants of Stamford, in their former sales
under ye hands of Taphance, son of Ponus, and Penaghag, son of On-
ox.”

KS

Oa we
Pras, br

‘We the said Catonah and other Indians do by these presents sell and fix
bounds as followeth, that is to say westward as far as ye west bounds of Bed-
ford purchase, bounded north by ye south side of Bedford purchase and by ye
Stone hills, upon a straight line eastward unto ye upper end of ye Long Pond,
and from thence an east line until it meets with a line drawn north from ye

a Indian deeds, Alb. Rec. warrant for Survey, Lib. i. 100.

108 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

upper end of Five Mile river, which is ye east line of our several purchases, and
we, ye said Catanoh and other Indians, give, grant, and quit claim al! ye mead-
ows, trees, feeding grounds, rivers, pools, and other privileges that doth belong
to ye said lands and meadows within to ye southwards of ye north bounds above
mentioned unto ye said inhabitants of Stamford, &c. Also we do acknowledge
by these presents to have received of ye said inhabltants a considerable and val-
uable sum of money for all ye said lands, &c. It is to be understood that ye
above said Catonah and other Indians doth by these presents confirm all ye said
old deeds of Taphance, Ponus and Penaghag, and old Onox, also young Onox,
also that deed made to Capt. Turner in behalf of ye town of Stamford, also that
deed of Nonatomonoa, that is to say, a quit-claim to any parte or parcel of lands
and meadows within ye said bounds above mentioned. In witness of truth, we
whose names are underwritten have hereunto set our marks and seals, at Stam-
ford, this eight day of July, 1701.

Signed, sealed and The marke of CaToNAH AA Sagamore.
delivered in the presence The marke of Maninus 0
of John © The marke of WEQUACUMOKE. 4
The marke of KENnootTam *U The marke of PepriaMan >
The marke of RamHoRNE © The marke of Woxra &
The marke of Syneo The marke of PAPAUMEMA 2
The marke of ArkuTAR O The marke of TemMon <i

The marke of Ponortus ©
The marke of Mooxgea 4

By the final settlement of the boundary lines on May 14th, 1731,
Poundridge was transferred to the province of New York.

In 1744, John Crawford was appointed assessor for the Hast Patent.

The following items are from the town records.

Op PounprRIDcE, April ye first day, 1760.

‘“* At a town meeting held at the house of Ebenezer Lockwood, in said
Old Pound, in Westchester county, under ye Province of New York,
we the freeholders, inhabitants and residents proceeded as follows:
first, by major vote, Joseph Lockwood to be town clerk, and by Major
vote, William Forster to be constable, &c., &c.

“January 14th 1762. It was voted that Joseph Lockwood be clerk of
said meeting and Lieutenant John Gauspur be moderator.

“April 20th, 1776. Voted Ebenzer Lockwood as moderator, Joseph
Lockwood as clerk, Lieut. William Jones, constable.

Upon the 7th day of August, 1766, the Hast Patent formerly granted
to Robert Walters and others, was sold, in pursuance of a certain act of
the Lieutenant Governor, the Council, and General Assembly of this
colony, entitled: “An act for the more effectual collecting of his

a North Castle Rec. In 1746, Joseph Lockwood was assessor for the East Patent.

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. 109g

Majesties quit rents in the colony of New York, and for the partition of
lands in order thereto,” &c. The principal purchasers under the act,
appear to have been the Lockwoods, Amblers, Forshers, Bishops, Fer-
rises, Hoyts, Hollys, Browns, Sillicks and Scofields, &c., &c. In 1826,
the Legislature of this State claimed, as successor of the Crown, the sum
of $243.71, due as quit rent on the Zast Patent.’ To satisfy this claim
nine hundred acres of land were sold in the southern part of the
Patent.°®

The village of Poundridge occupies an elevated situation near the
centre of the town, and contains two churches, two stores, a school
house, a post office and 15 or 20 dwellings. As early as the year 1744,
a settlement was commenced on this spot by Captain Joseph Lock-
wood, and a few associatesa from Stamford Connecticut. At this early
period the surrounding country was one vast wé/derness heavily cov-
ered with timber. Upon a commanding eminence which rises above
the rest of the village stands the Presbyterian church. This building
which was erected in 1786, occupies the site of the old church destroyed
by the British troops, A. D. 1779. The Presbyterian Society of Pound-
ridge was first organized in 1760.¢ The first church edifice, however, was
not erected till 1770. Its incorporation occurs on the 28th of April,
1788. Nathaniel Bouton, Wiliam Fancher, John Hoyt, Benaiah Brown,
Thaddeus Seymour and Ebenezer Seymour, trustees. ‘The said
church to be governed according to the Directory of the now Establish-
ed Church ef Scotland. 4 From this date to 1822, it remained in con-
nection with the Westchester presbytery. Upon the 8th of May, 1822,
it was received into communion with the General Assembly.

At a meeting of the congregation held the 22d of April, 1828, it was
resolved, that whereas “‘some doubt existed with regard to the due legal
organization of the Presbyterian church and congregation in Pound-
ridge, they hereby declare themselves to be a Presbyterian congregation
under the style of the “ Presbyterian Congregation of Poundridge, be-
longing to the Presbytery of the North River, under the care of the

a The Wetmores also appear to have been among the early proprietors; for, ata late
period James Wetmore, attorney at law, (then residing in Novia Scotia,) served a writ of
ejectment upon the Lockwood Family to recover certain lands in Poundridge.

b Sce Revised Statutes for 1813.

'_¢ “*Soccage lands were not deemed discharged of any rents, certain or other services inci-
dent or belonging to tenure in soccage, due to the people of the State, (who are considered to
stand in the place of the Crown.) Therefore, on the 1st day of Aprii, 1786, the Legislature of
this State passed an Act, entitled an Act for the eollection and commutation of quit rents.”

d The descendants of the original settlers are numerous, and some of them still reside in
the village.

e At the first meeting of the congregation, Captain Joseph Lockwood was unanimously
chosen chairman, and Mr. Jarvis, secretary.

JF Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib, A, 21,

IIo HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States.”
- On this occasion Horatio Lockwood, Joseph St. John and Samuel Weed,
were elected trustees.¢

This church and congregation are now in connection with the Bed-
ford Presbytery.

LIST OF MINISTERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT POUND-

RIDGE.

INsTaL. oR CALL MInIsTeERs. VACATED BY.
1770, Rev. Mr. Strrone, resig.
1774, Rey. Brackieacn Burritt, do.
1791, - Rev. BeNsAMIN JUDD, do.
1795, Rey. SaMvEL Bratourorp, D.D.,? do.
1800, Rey. Richarp ANDREWS, do.
1819, Rey. Joun Lowe, do.
1823, Rey. Mr. Crocksr, do.
1824, Rev. Mr. Bronson, do.
1880, Rey. Jonn Wuilte,¢ do.
1832, Rey. Canaries G. THOMPSON, do.
1834, Rey. WittiamM Patrerson, present minister.

CHURCH MEMORANDA.

1826, members 46, baptisms 0
1836, ditto 62: ditto 1
1846, ditto 90; ditto 3
1875, ditto _- ditto 0

a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 197.

4 The Rey. Samne] Blatchford, an Englishman, succeeded Dr. Dwight, at Greenfield, Conn.
when the latter was called to the presidency of Yale College.

c This individual was a native of Scotland and a classmate of Robert Pollock, author of the
Course of Time.

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. 2a Uy

A considerable eminence rises a little to the east of the Presbyterian
church, from the summit of which is an extensive prospect of the beauti-
ful country bordering the Sound and the distant shores of Long Island,
ic.

Prior to 1775, Poundridge constituted one of the precincts of Rye
parish. In 1816 Episcopal services were performed here by the Rev.
George Weller, and subsequently by the Rev. Alfred H. Partridge.

he Methodist Episcopal church of this place was first incorporated
in 1822; James Brown, John Haws and Samuel K. Olmstead, trustees.@
The present church edifice was erected in 1833. Parsonage on Bedford
road, $1,500.

The village grave-yard is pleasantly situated about a quarter of a mile
south of Poundridge upon a gentle aclivity. The head stones record
the names of Thaddeus H. Lockwood who died in 1774; Ebenezer
Lockwood, Esq., who died July 29th, 1821, et. 84; John Ferris who died
A.D. 1783, and Captain John Grinnell, born in Nantucket, Mass., De-
cember 7th, 1795, and died in Cronstad, Russia, June 3d, 1831, et. 34,
&c,, &c. Others are simply inscribed with the initials of the deceased,
Ped e772 5 Le NE La, 1787, Kc.

On the south side of the village, and near the Methodist church, for-
merly stood the old mansion house of the Lockwood family. The Lock-
woods are originally derived from a place of that name in Staffordshire,
England.

This place was settled by Joseph Lockwood, son of Jonathan and
grand-son of Robert Lockwood, who came from England in 1630 and
settled in Watertown, Mass.

About the year 1646 he removed from Watertown to Fairfield, Conn.,
where he died, and his will was probated. H.; son Jonathan, born in
Watertown, Sept. 10, 1634, settled in Stamford, Conn., and afterwards
removed to Greenwich, where he became a prominent citizen. Jona-
than’s son, Joseph, was born in Stamford in 1666. He married Eliza-
beth Ayres and a second wife, Margery Webb. ‘The removal of the
family to Poundridge occurred in the Spring of 1743, and consisted of
three generations, namely: Joseph Lockwood, first,-seventy-seven years
of age, a widower, (having buried his second wife, Margery Webb;)
his son, Joseph Lockwood, second, with his wife, Sarah Hoyt Lock-
wood; and their two sons, Joseph third, aged twelve years, and Eben-
ezer, aged six years. It was Joseph, third, who was afterwards known as

a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 170. A second incorporation occurs on the 2ist of Decem-
ber, 1832. The Methodist Protestant Church and Society in Poundridge. were incorporated
on the 16th of March, 1833. Selby Fancher, Wiliam Brown and Joseph Waterbury, trustees
Co. Ree. Religious Soc. Lib. B, 12.

I1i2 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Captain Joseph Lockwood ; and who married Hannah, daughter of Sol-
omon Close of North Salem, N. Y. Ebenezer was known as Major
Lockwood through the Revolutionary war, and afterwards as Judge
Lockwood. Hons. Ezra and Horatio were sons of Ebenezer. Captain
Joseph, third, was father of Joseph, fourth, and Solomon. Joseph, fourth,
was father of Hon. Saml. Drake Lockwood, who was born in Poundridge
and removed to Illinois in early life, where he became one of the most
prominent men in the State, and filled many honorable positions, among
which were those of Attorney General and Judge of the Supreme Court.

One of the oldest grave stones in the burial ground in Poundridge is
that of Captain Joseph Lockwood, the third. It is of slate-colored stone
and lies horizontally on the ground, bearing the inscription—

“JOSEPH. LOCKWOOD;
Died March 15, 1792.”

His brother’s is an upright marble slab, inscribed:—

“MAJOR EBENEZER LOCKWOOD,

died July 29, 1821,
Ati, 84 years.”

Then his two sons—

“HORATIO LOCKWOOD,

died Nov. 5, 1853,
aged 74 years.”

And—

“EZRA LOCKWOOD,

died May 29, 1853,
aged 75 years, 11 mo. 2 days.”

Another is that of—

“SOLOMON LOCKWOOD,

died March 9, 1841,
aged 74 years, 6 mo. 9 days.”

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. Il3

SKETCH OF MAJOR EBENEZER LOCKWOOD.

BY HIS SON, HON. EZRA LOOKWOOD.

Ebenezer Lockwood, late of Poundridge in Westchester County, de-
ceased, was born in Stamford, Conn., on the 31st of March, 1737, and
was the fourth son of Joseph Lockwood, who emigrated to Poundridge
in the spring of the year 1743, and settled in the central part of the
town (now village) on a right of land belonging to one of the original
proprietors of the Stamford Patent, so called, and which fell within the
jurisdiction of New York.

He continued on the farm with his father engaged in agricultural pur-
suits, during his minority ; but soon after engaged in various other pur-

suits of extensive usefulness.

Soon after the demise of his father, which occurred June 15, 1757, the
paternal patrimony consisting of some four or five hundred acres, was
divided between his older brother and himself, being the only surviving
sons, which still remains in the possession of the descendants after the
lapse of a century. It was the circumstance of a pound being erected
on that handsome ridge of land now owned by one of his sons, that
gave to the town the name of Poundridge. At the age of twenty-five
he was engaged in merchandise and was appointed one of his Majesty’s
Justices of the Peace, and one of the Quorum, which office he held
until the commencement of the Revolutionary war. At the breaking
out of hostilities, to wit, on the 19th October, 1775, he was commissioned
a major in the regiment of Westchester County Militia, commanded by
Col. Thomas Thomas; and was in active service during most of the
campaign of ’76, when the enemy took possession of the lower part of
Westchester County.

In the month of May, ’76, he attended the Provincial Congress, then
sitting in New York, having been elected to that office on the third
Tuesday in April previous, for one year; and was in continued service
from that period until the close of the war, either as Major, Member of
the Provincial Congress, or Committee of Safety and other posts of active
duty in favor ofAmerican Independence until its final acknowledgement
by Great Britain in 1783.

After the Declaration of Independence he was elected a member of
the Provincial Convention for forming a Constitution of Government for
the State, and as such, aided in the formation and adoption of the first
Constitution, and was returned as a Member of the Legislature for
several years after the close of the war.

Other stations of public employment also engaged much of his time
and called him from the domestic circle at considerable sacrifice of in-
terest and comfort. His unwearied zeal and activity in the American
cause, also was accompained with much pecuniary loss and sacrifice of
property.

In the year 1779, when the whole county of Westchester was the
theatre of blood, rapine and plunder, and life and property, endangered
from foes without and traitors within, his hospitable dwelling was opened

IIl4 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

as a military cantonment and rendezvous of Col. Sheldon’s Regiment of
Light Dragoons. The regiment was engaged in frequent skirmishes
with the enemy and served as a protection to the Northern frontier from
the incursions of the Tories and British from below the lines in the
neighborhood of North Castle. It was for the capture of this regiment
that Sir Henry Clinton resolved on sending Col. B. Tarleton with a de-
tachment of the Royal Dragoons of the Seventeenth Regiment anda de-
tachment of about three hundred men on the night of July 2, 1779.

The precaution of the Committee of Safety had placed a spy by the
name of Luther Kinnicut in the enemy’s camp below the lines, who on
the day previous gave notice to Col. Sheldon of the intended attack in
a short time but did not know the precise day. The night proved stormy,
and the torrents of rain which fell would have retarded the progress of a
commander of less intrepidity than Tarleton. Sheldon apprehended no
danger on account of the storm.

Col. Moylan’s regiment was daily expected to join Sheldon; and,
had the junction been effected before Tarleton’s arrival—from the well
known bravery and courage of Moylan and his troops—the fate of
Tarleton would not have been less disastrous than he received from the
old Wagoner at the Cowpens.

Sentinels were placed about a mile from the Major’s, on the north and
the south roads leading to Bedford. The sentinels on the north road,
at early dawn descried a large body of dragoons under rapid move-
ment, who passed the junction of the road leading from Bedford to
Poundridge, and continued on toward Ridgefield. This mistake of the
enemy, in pursuing the Ridgefield road for half a mile or more, gave
time for the vedette to return and give the notice.

Sheldon supposing it might have been Col. Moylan’s regiment, who
were expected, dispatched Major Benjamin Tallmadge with a small
detachment to reconnoiter and bring back intelligence of the true state
of things. ° .

About half way to the junction of the road, as Tallmadge ascended a
hill where the road turned to the right, from the uneveness of the ground
an object could not be seen, except at a very short distance ahead; and
at this place Tallmadge met Tarleton under full charge—wheeled and
returned at full speed with Tarleton at his heels; while Sheldon, with
his command, were preparing to mount their horses, which were tied to
the fence on the east side of the road by the meeting-house. A general
rout ensued, while Sheldon’s regiment moved off down the road leading
to Stamford for about three-fourths of a mile; then separated at the
junction of the road leading to New Canaan, with Tarleton’s dragoons
harrassing his rear—killing, wounding and taking prisoners some eighteen
or twenty. The enemy lost one killed, four prisoners, and wounded un-
certain; one horse killed, and four taken.

Among the prisoners captured by Tarleton, was Alsop Hunt, a son-
in-law of Major Lockwood; who, after being rifled of a gold watch,
money, and other things of value about his person, was carried to New
York and lodged in the Provost prison.

The pursuit lasted about four or five hours, when Tarleton, being un-

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. TI5

able to overtake Sheldon, returned, burnt the Major’s house with most
of its contents, permitting one of his soldiers cruelly to cut and maltreat
his wife; drove off his valuable stock of sixteen cows ; burnt the meet-
ing-house, and were about committing further outrages when the ma-
litia under command of Major Leavensworth began to approach, and
Tarleton fled with all the precipitation he came,

Mr. Hunt, from religious scruples, was a non-combatant ; yet a true
friend to his country, and in vain appealed to the honor of a British
soldier for protection against robbery and insult.

It may seem an unpardonable digression at this place, to notice some
thrilling incidents that occurred on this occasion ; but justice to the
bravery of some individuals in Sheldon’s command, demands a passing
notice.

John Buckhout who happened to be in the rear of Sheldon’s regiment,
during the retreat and closely pursued, was accosted in the imperative
tone of a British dragoon: “Surrender, you d— rebel, or I'll blow your
brains out!” John, not heeding the threat, was saluted with a pistol
shot, which hit his cap and perforated the scalp on the side of his head
without further injury. ‘‘ There, (says the dragoon,) you d—d rebel, a
little more and I should have blown your brains out.”

“Ves, d—n you, (replied John,) and a little more you wouldn’t have
touched me!” John continued his speed and escaped without further
injury.

Jared Hoyt, a brave soldier, also in the rear of Sheldon’s command,
was hard pressed by Tarleton’s advance, and within striking distance of
his assailant received a blow from the heavy cutlass of his pursuer on the
head. The.blow only cleft the skin and hair from the side of his head ;
Hoyt instantly returned the blow back-handed, which struck his assailant
directly in the mouth, nearly separating the top of his head from his
body, which stopped his bawling.

One of the largest proprietors in the southeast section of this town
was Elnathan Weed, Esq., who, in 1799, erected the old mansiona now
occupied by Aaron Fancher, Esq., near the banks of the Rippowarrus,
or Mill river. He is said to have held at one time seven hundred acres
of land in Poundridge. His son, Elnathan Weed, was the father of Levi
and George Weed. His daughter, Sarah, married Stephen Hoyt, of
South Salem, whose sons are William Hoyt and Stephen L. Hoyt of
Lewisboro’. ,

The Fanchers were also extensive owners of land in the southeast cor-
ner of the town and the vicinity of Trinity Lake. This family were orig-
inally from Stamford, Conn., and probably descended of the Fanshaws,
of Fanshawgate, county of Derby, England.’ John Fancher was living in

@ The old iron door latch is still preserved and bears the initials and date, ‘‘E. W., 1799.”

F Fanshaw (Fanshawgate, County Derby, Parsloes and Barking, County Essex, and West
Park, County Stratford; from the last name derived the Lord Fanshawe) arms—or, a chev.

betw. 3 fleur-de-lis sa, Crest, a dragon’s head erased vert, flames of fire issuing from the
mouth, cole, ppr.

116 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Stamford, A.D. 1734, and bought lands of John Jacklin in 1747. In
1750, his name is on the official list of that town. He married Eunice
Bouton, November 19, 1736, and must have removed to Poundridge
sometime after 1750. William Fancher, Esq., of Poundridge, son of
John Fancher, was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Westches-
ter county, a justice of the peace and captain of the minute men during
the Revolutionary war. He was born 13th of November, 1739, and died
August, 1820. His remains repose in the Presbyterian grave yard,
Poundridge. By his wife, Sarah Smith, who was born 15 Oct., 1744, he
had two sons—Dr. Nehemiah Fancher, the father of Henry Fancher, of
Poundridge, and Thaddeus Fancher, the father of Alanson Decatur Fan-
cher, who now owns the site of the old mansion, a little east of the Mill
river. It was in the immediate vicinity of the old Fancher homestead
that one of Col. Tarleton’s hussars of the Legion calvary was shot in the
summer of 1779, under the following circumstances: ‘ Nearly one hun-
dred Legion cavalry, after the skirmish at Poundridge village, had pur-
sued the retreating Continentals down the Stamford road, at the junction
of which, with the New Canaan road, they divided—about one half of
them taking the road to William Fanchers, the other half going south;
the latter captured Thaddeus Seymour, whom they carried off a prisoner
to the sugar house in New York. The hussars pursuing east halted on
the hill just above the site of the new school house, near Alanson D. Fan-
cher’s, and turned their horses into a field of oats, sending three of their
mounted companies to search the house of William Fancher, which
stood a little south of the present homestead. After rummaging around
for some time they discovered an old wooden chest, which they insisted
on Mrs, Fancher’s opening ; this, she resolutely refused to do; whereupon
they broke it open by force. One of them immediately stuffed his bosom
and pockets with the family papers, and both remounting started for the
hill. Just as the robbers were crossing the brook, about fifty rods dis-
tant, up rose William Brown,? with his father, who had stationed him-
self behind the wall, and levelled his fowling piece. Seeing him in the
act of firing, they both yelled out lustily for quarter. ‘‘ Yes,” shouted the
patriot, “I'll quarter you!” And suiting the action to the word, fired.
An empty saddle and a lifeless corpse soon told the story. The survivor
started up the hill at full gallop, followed by the riderless horse. Mrs.
Fancher ran out and recognized in the dead corpse the very man who
had just robbed her. The papers were thus wonderfully rescued. Just
at this moment the bugle sounded a recall on the hill, and the whole

a This William was the father of William whose son is the present Benj. W. Brown.

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. 12 oy

party remounted and rode off. Only fifteen minutes had elapsed when
Leavenworth appeared with a strong force of American militiamen, who
immediately followed the retreating Legion to Dan Town. Ere this,
word had been sent all around; and but for their hasty retreat, the ene-
my would soon have’ been surrounded.

James Raymond in former times owned considerable landed property
in and around what is now denominated Raymond Hill, once included
in the East Patent, and bordering on the west side of the oblong ; some
of his descendants still reside in that vicinity.¢

In the south-west corner of this town is located the Searles property,
which formerly belonged to Major Samuel Lewis, who was living here
in 1777. James Searles subsequently purchased the estate of his heirs.
The father of James Searles, also named James, died in 1776 at Hart-
ford, Connecticut, of small pox. This individual was once taken prisoner
by the British, and confined in the New York provost. Nehemiah, his
grandson, is now residing at Armonk in this county. The Searles
cemetery is located one mile south of ‘‘ Great Hill” on the Bedford and
Stamford road. Among the oldest settlers of Poundridge was Nathan
Slawson, son of Eleazar of New Canaan, and grandson of Jonathan, who
is said to have removed from Holland to Norwalk, Conn. Nathan
married Hannah, daughter of James Ferris, and left a son Nathan who
died here in 1821; the latter by his wife Mary, daughter of Daniel
Stephens, had two sons and two daughters, Eleanor of Poundridge, and
Levi, of Columbia County ; Eleanor married George Caldwell, of Stam-
ford, Conn.; and Nannet married Charles Hoyt, of Stamford, east corner
of Poundridge bordering on Lewisboro.

During the contest between England and the colonies, the in-
habitants of Poundridge, generally appear to: have taken a decided
stand in favor of liberty and independence. The following letter from
the committee of public safety, to the Hon. Provincial Congress, is
found in the acts of the latter body.

PotNDRIDGE, 15th of October, 1776.

Honorep Sir :—We the sub-committee of Poundridge, in Westchester County,
beg leave to inform your Honors, that we are apprehensive that there is danger
of our prisoners leaving us and joining the ministerial army, as we are not above
nine or ten miles from the water, where the sound is full of the ministerial ships
and tenders. One of our number is already gone to Long Island, and numbers
have gone from other places, who are no doubt now in the ministerial army.
There are disaffected persons daily going over to them,which gives much trouble.

_@ Lois Raymond, a danghter of James was baptized in the old Danhouse which occupied the
site of Samuel Canfield’s residence, and married Daniel Coggeshall, son of Lyman Coggeshall

118 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Therefore, we humbly beg your Honors would give us some directions concerning
them, that they may be speedily removed at some further distance. We would
also inform you that for the misdemeanors of one of them and our own safety,
we have been obliged to commit him to jail at the White Plains. These with all
proper respects, from yours to serve. JOSEPH AMBLER,¢
Chairman of Committee.

In July, 1779, a skirmish took place in this village between the
Americans and a strong force of the enemy, under Lieutenant Colonel
Tarleton.

‘** About three hundred and sixty of the enemy’s light-horse, and light-infantry
(says General Heath,) came out from Mile-Square, and attacked Colonel Shel-
don’s light-horse, who were posted at Poundridge, about ninety in number.
The superior force of the enemy obliged our horse at first, to retreat; but being
reinforced by the militia, they in turn, pursued the enemy. Our loss was one
corporal, one trumpeter and eight privates, wounded; three sergeants, one cor-
poral, and four privates missing ; and twelve horses missing. Zhe standard of
the regiment being left in the house when the dragoons suddenly turned out, was
lost. Of the enemy, one was killed, four taken prisoners, four horses taken,
and one horse killed. The enemy set fire to and burned the meeting house, and
Maj. Lockwood’s house; They also burnt Mr. Hay’s house, at Bedford.”¢

It appears that one of the principal objects in this sudden foray of the
enemy, was the surprisal of Major Ebenezer Lockwood, before men-
tioned, for whose head forty guineas had been offered. The day
previous, however Luther Kinnicut, a spy in the employ of the commit-
tee of public safety, gave notice of the intended attack, and advised the
major to be on his guard. The night being very dark and stormy,
Colonel Sheldon did not expect the enemy ; he nevertheless ordered the
horses to be tied up in readiness.

Major Lockwood, thus being destitute of a house or home, and appre-
hending further visits from the enemy, found an asylum for his family in
the house of a friend in Ridgefield, while he continued in active service
to his country in various stations of civil and military duty to the close
of the war. Nothing disheartened by this reverse of fortune, he soon
returned to his farm, converted a barn into a dwelling, was honored with
the appointment of first Judge of the County Court, frequently elected
to the Legislature from Westchester County, and was intrusted with
loaning the moneys of the State in the county, and eer anes to other
responsible offices.

a The descendants of this individual still reside in the vicinity.

é The British would not “suffer the family to take anything away.” See New York
Journal, for Holts account of the action.

c Heath’s Mem, 208,

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE, 1@ Ze)

When peace was established with Great Britain, the country, through
the villainy of Col, Austin, was destitute of a county court house and
jail. The location of a public building is always calculated to excite the
interested feelings of different sections of the territory to be accommo-
dated, and it was so with Westchester county. Judge L. was one of the
committee to settle this vexed question of locality and ; through his in-
fluence principally, the present arrangement of court houses was effected,
which has proved to give general satisfaction for more than half a cen-
tury.

About the year 1795, he retired from all public employment; and spent
the remainder of his days in the circle of his family and friends, until his
death, July 29, 1821, beloved and esteemed by all who knew him.

From ‘Civil List,” Ebenezer Lockwood, member of Second Provin-
cial Congress, 1775-6; Third Provincial Congress, 1776; Fourth Pro-
vfncial Congress, 1777, and Representative Convention; member of
Assembly, 1778-9, 1784-5, 1786, 1787 and 1788; first Judge Common
Pleas, March 15, 1791.

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The pastor of the Presbyterian church is Rev. William Patterson, who
came to Poundridge and was installed in 1835. He married February
16, 1836, Sarah, daughter of Partridge Thatcher. and grand daughter of
Major Ebenezer Lockwood.

Hon. SAMUEL DRAKE LOCKWOOD.
(Prom Batavia (Ill.) Weekly News.)

Hon Samuel Drake Lockwood was born in Poundridge on the 2d day
of August, 1789.

When he was ten years old his father died, and his mother was left
with three small children, and with but slender means for their support.
By this event his plans for a liberal education were broken up, and he
was thrown very much upon his own resources.

In 1803, he went to Waterford, N. Y., to live with his uncle, Francis
Drake, a lawyer in that place, and remained in his family as errand boy
and law student until February, 1811, when he was licensed to practise
law, and opened an office in Batavia, N. Y. The next year he removed
to Auburn and continued in the practise of law there until the Fall of
1818, holding during a part of that time the office of Master in Chancery.

Ted ih * * * * * *

On the roth of October, of that year he started for the West, and
reached Shawneetown, Illinois, December 15th, and afterwards removed
to Carmi, as a more favorable point for the practice of his profession.

120 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

At the second session of the Illinois Legislature, which was held in
Vandalia in 1821, Mr. Lockwood was elected Attorney General of the
State, and his acceptance of this office rendering another change of
residence necessary, he chose Edwardsville for his future home.

In 1823 he was, very unexpectedly to himself, nominated by Governor
Cole to the office of Secretary of State; but soon after accepting that
office, he was greatly surprised by receiving from President Monroe a
commission appointing him receiver of public moneys at the land office
in Edwardsville, This commission was, in itself, as undesired as it was
unsought ; but the salary of Secretary of State was small and payable in
depreciated currency, where the salary of receiver was liberal and pay-
able in gold, and had attached to it a percentage on receipts. These
considerations induced him to resign the office of Secretary and accept
that of receiver.

At the next session of the State Legislature, 1824~5, he was, against
his expressed wishes, elected Judge of the Supreme Court, which office
he accepted and held until the State Constitution of 1848 went into
operation, under which new judges were elected by the people.

* * % * * * %

In 1829 he removed from Edwardsville to Jacksonville, and in 1853
from that place to Batavia, Kane county, where he died. He was sent
from Morgan county as delegate to the Constitutional Convention of
1848, and in that Convention was chairman of the Committee on the
Executive.

In 1851 he was appointed by the Legislature trustee of the Land De-
partment of the Illinois Central Railroad, which office he held at the time
of his death.

The position which he has held in the history of our State, is indicated
by the offices which have been conferred upon him. Having a natural
distate for everything like office-seeking, and never putting himself for-
ward for any official position, he has still been kept in offices of high po-
sition and trust for over fifty years.

* * * * * * %

In Governor Ferd’s History of Illinois, are found the following notices
of Judge Lockwood: “In 1820 was fought the first and last duel in
Illinois. One of the parties fell mortally wounded, the other was tried
and convicted of murder, and suffered the extreme penalty of the law
by hanging. Judge Lockwood was then the Attorney of the State, and
. prosecuted in the case. To his talents and success as a Prosecutor, the
people are indebted for this early precedent and example, which did
more than is generally known to prevent the barbarous practice of
dueling from being introduced into this State * * * Judge Lock-
wood was an excellent lawyer, a man of sound judgment, and his ‘face
indicated uncommon purity, modesty, and intelligence, together with
energy and strong determination. His face was the true index of his
character.”

Any account of Judge Lockwood’s services to the State which should
fail to notice his connection with the educational, benevolent and

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. I2I

religious interests, would come far short of doing him justice. As early
as his residence in Auburn, he was so identified with the religious
interests there as to be appointed one of the trustees of the Presbyterian
Church.

In 1815 was formed the Cayuga County Bible Society, the first
organized in the State of New York, two years before the organization
of the American Bible Society ; and Judge Lockwood’s name also appears
as one of the onginators and directors of that organization.

Of the twenty four first directors of that society, he was the last sur-
vivor. The stand he thus took, as indicated by these incidents, he
maintained through life.

Judge Lockwood, with others, started in this State the movement
which resulted in the establishment of the Illinois College. His influence
and liberality secured it location in Jacksonville; and while able to
attend to the duties, he held the position of President of its board of
trustees.

He took an active part in the planning and organizing each of the
three State institutions now located in Jacksonville—the Asylum for the
Deaf and Dumb, the Blind and the Insane, and was on the first board
of trustees of each of these institutions. And in every place where he
has resided in the State, his influence has been a strong, steady, and
reliable power for good, always on the side of freedom, temperance,
morality, and Christianity.

For the last twenty-one years, Judge Lockwood has had his residence
in Batavia, in an honored old age enjoying his quiet home or the pleasant
bank of our niver, and rejoicing in every thing that tended to advance
the material or moral prosperity of the State he had loved so long, and
served so faithfully. On the 23d of April, 1874, he passed away from
us in a death as quiet and peaceful as his life with us has been.

The following account of the action is thus given by Lieut.-Col. Tar-
leton in his report to Sir Henry Clinton:

DatTep, Camp on THE Bronx, July 2, 1779, eleven P. M.

Sm :—I have the honor to inform your excellency, that I moved with the de-
tachment you were pleased to entrust me with, consisting of seventy of the 17th
light dragoons, part of the legion infantry and cavalry, Queen’s rangers, Hussars
and some mounted yagers, in all about two hundred, at half past 11 o’clock last
night. The weather being remarkably bad, prevented my making North Castle
church before 4 o’clock next morning, where I received confirmation of my in-
telligence relative to the numbers and situation of Sheldon’s regiment and one
hundred Continental foot, but no tidings of Moyland’s regiment of dragoons. I
pursued my route through Bedford to Poundridge, without any material occur-
rence, in the district of the ridge, and within three hundred yards of the enemy,
who were not-alarmed. My guide in front, mistook the road; another guide in-
formed me of the error, and it was rectified as soon as possible.” The enemy’s
vidette had noticed our passing their front. The whole regiment was mounted
and formed behind the meeting house. An attack was instantly made by the

‘

I22 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

advanced guard, consisting of the Seventeenth light dragoons, the ground not
allowing more than seven or eight in front. The enemy did not stand the charge ;
a general route ensued. The ditliculties of the eountry, and there being no pos-
sibility of obtaining their rear, enabled the greatest part of the regiment to escape.
The pursuit continued for four miles on the Stamford and Salem roads. The loss
of men in Sheldon’s dragoons, upon enquiry and comparision of accounts, I esti-
mate at twenty-six or twenty-seven killed, wounded and prisoners.2 But their dis-
grace in the loss of the standard of the regiment and of hemlets, arms and accout-
rements, was great. A part of the officers and regimental baggage fell into our
hands. I have hitherto omitted mentioning the militia to the amount of one hun-
dred and twenty, who, together with the Continental foot, broke and dispersed
at the appearance of the king’s troops. The militia assembled again on emin-
ences and in swamps, and before we quitted the ground on which the first charge
was made, they fired at great distances, We were successful in killing, wound-
ing and taking fifteen of them; the rest hovered almost out of our sight. The
inveteracy of the inhabitants of Poundridge and near Bedford, in firing from
houses and out of houses, obliged (us) to burn some of their meeting and some of
their dwelling houses, with stores. I proposed to the militia, terms, that if they
would not fire shots from buiidings, I would not burn. They interpreted my
mild proposal wrong, imputing it to fear. They persisted in firing till the torch
stopped their progress, after which not a shot was fired.”

With pleasure I relate to your excellency, that the loss sustained by his majes-
ties troops is trifling—one hussar of the legion killed, one wounded, one horse of
the Seventeenth dragoons killed. The whole of the detachment, except the
above, being returned to camp. The infantry of the legion, mounted on horses,
were extremely fatigued by a march of sixty-four miles, in twenty-three hours,

I have the honor to be, &c., [Signed,] BANASTRE TARLETON,
It. Col. British Legion.

The following additional particulars respecting this engagement, are
contained in a letter from an officer (of Col. Sheldon’s regiment as sup-
posed) dated at Salem, July 3rd., 1779.

‘* Yesterday morning about sunrise, a detachment of the second regiment of
light dragoons, consisting of ninety men, commanded by Col. Sheldon, posted
near Poundrige meeting house, was notified of the advance of the enemy by our
videttes. Our horses being previously saddled and bridled, the men were or-
dered immediately to mount. As soon as we were paraded, the enemy’s horse
were discovered rapidly advancing, about three or four hundred in number.

The enemy having driven in our advanced parties, they began the charge on
the detachment, which, from the great superiority of the enemy, was obliged to
move off. The enemy pushed hard on our rear for more than two miles, in the
course of which, a scattering fire was kept up between their advance ard our
rear, and a constant charge with the sword; the country through which we passed
being very mountainous and rocky, caused many of our horses to blunder and

RE le! in risoners he speaks of, were mostly the rege inhabitants who took no part
the

b Major L Leavenworth commanded the militia.

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. 12

ve

fall, which occasioned some to fall into the hands of the enemy. We immediately
collected some of the militia, and began to pursue the enemy, following them be-
low North Castle church. They moved off with such great precipitation, that
we could not come up with them. Before the enemy moved off, they buint the
meeting house at Poundridge, and the dwelling house of Benjamin Hays, at
Bedford. They (as usual) plundered most of the houses they came to, and set
fire to several houses which were fortunately extinguished. Our loss on this
occasion, was ten wounded, eight missing and twelve horses missing. The
enemy’s loss, one killed, wounded uncertain, four prisioners four horses taken,
and one ditto killed.”

The general surface of Poundridge, is uneven, and much of it stony;
but having a due admixture of arable, with pasture and meadow lands,
it forms a tolerably productive agricultural township. The soil consists
principally of a gravelly loam, and is well adapted to grass and pastur-
age. It is also excellent for orchards and fruit trees of all kinds. The
growth of wood consists of white, red and black oak, hickory and chest-
nut, &c. The northern portion of the town is occupied by a steep and
lofty ridge of mountains, called the ‘Stoney Hills,” which runs princi-
pally in a northeast direction for the space of three or four miles. The
sides of these craggy mountains, intermixed with stunted trees and
bushes, exhibit a variety of fantastic forms, presenting one of the wildest
scenes in Westchester county. Here was a fine cover for the wild game
that once abounded in these solitudes. At the base of these steep and
rocky hills are luxuriant valleys, clothed in verdure and watered with nu-
merous streams—the principal one of which is denominated “ Stoney Hill
brook,” having its rise in Marshall’s swamp. In the rear of N. B. Adam’s
residence, on the South Salem road, is a precipitous declivity in the
mountains, nearly two hundred feet high, called the “‘Raven’s Rock ;”
where, amid the stony ledges, the ravens used to build their nests of
yore. The racks here form almost a semi-circle, and bid defiance to the
most daring climber, or trapper. This gloomy spot is still the favorite
resort of the screech owl and crow. ‘These birds, but especially the
owl, occupies places of honor and importance in the religions of Greece
and Rome. Every note of the hideous and dismal owl, were invested
with significance. The screech of this creature was regarded as a fatal
presage:

‘* When screech owls croak upon the chimney top,
It’s certain then you of a corse shall hear.”

The raven was also supposed to feel the shadow of coming calamity.
The croak of this bird portended death. It is stated that one of these
gloomy birds premonished Cicero of his approaching death. Crows were

I24 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

also accounted prophetical birds, When flying in flocks, they were watch-
ed by the Romans in trembling ; for if they passed on the right hand,
they boded good; if on the left, evil. The flight of a crow over a house
three times in succession, with a croak each time, was sure to be followed
by a death in the family. An old writer was so profoundly convinced of
the prophetical powers of this lover of corn, that he expresses the belief
‘‘that God showeth his privy counsayles to crowes.” The ravens have
long ago disappeared from their favorite haunts, amid the rocky ledges,
and gone west in quest of more abundant game. The “ Devil’s den” is a
dark cavern at the base of the “ Raven’s rock,” while below is a placid
stream called ‘“ Stillwater.” Stony Hill brook (which rises in Marshall’s
swamp) unites with the Cisqua, or Beaver Dam river, near the residence
of Phineas Lounsbury.

The Stony Hill lands, soon after the Revolution, were divided into
so-called ,wood lots, and granted by the State to Generals Philip Van
Cortlandt and Van Renssellaer, for services rendered during the war.
Governor John Jay and Dr. Peter Fleming, both of Bedford, also pur-
chased some of them. ‘The mountains are now occupied with charcoal
pits and forsaken huts, and frequented by occasional trappers. About
seventy years ago one Samuel Brown was killed by a large fox trap.

On the property of Lewis Green, and almost under the shadow of the
Stony Hills, is an ancient burying ground, where the native Indians are
said to have interred their dead long before it was used by the white set-
tlers, more than’ one hundred years ago. Nothing, however, but the
rudest kind of stones serve to mark the dwellings of the dead for two or
three generations.

The Indians were in the habit of visiting this part of Poundridge,
down to a period as late as 1800.

The late Jonathan Dibble, whose father David Dibble resided near
the farm of Mr. William Barnes, (on the South Salem road) when a boy
of ten years old fed twelve Indians who were “going down to salt”
(salt water) under the black walnut tree, still standing just above the
Brick. House.

Boutonville is a hamlet in the north corner of Poundridge, near the
outlet and junction of the Peppeneghak, or Cross River, with the
Waccabuc Stream. Here is a Post Office, Grist Mill, and several]
dwellings.

Upon the north-éast side of the town was formerly a singular chain
of ponds, the largest of which was Lake Peppeneghak or Cvoss Pond,
(supplied by several springs from the hills) and has its outlet in Cross
River. The others were Round-Pond, the Middle-Pond, and the Low-

THE TOWN OF POUNDRIDGE. 125

er-Pond, now formed into one grand sheet of water, and called “ Trinity
Lake,” which a little below the dam empties into the Rippowarus or
Mill River. At North Stamford the waters are discharged into the
reservoir which forms the supply from Stamford. The whole town is
richly interspersed with hills and valleys, and much running water ;
having as we have seen the Peppenighak or Cross River, flowing through
the extreme north corner, Rippowarus or Mill River flowing through the
east part, and Myanas River forming part of the south-western boun-
dary. ;

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This township, named after old Rye,* in the County of Sussex,
England, formerly comprehended the present towns of Harrison and
White Plains, and was separately organized upon the 27th of March,
1788." It is situated directly in the south-east angle of West Chester
County, bordering the sound; bounded on the east by the State of
Connecticut and the Byram River, on the south by the sound, and on
the west and north by the townships of Harrison and Northcastle.

In the year 1660, the lands of Rye were in the possession of Shan-
arockwell or Shanarocke, as he subsequently signed his name, an
independent sagamore or chieftain of the Siwanoy’s, whose clan formed
a portion, if not one of the Mohegan tribes itself of the “sea coast.”

Peningoe, Peninggoe or Poningoe, the Indian name of Rye, is
apparently derived from Ponus, the* title of the aboriginal proprietor of
this territory, A.D. 1640. The final termination ve or omg, denoting
locality. Thus the whole word may emphatically express the place, or
locality, of that sachems residence. Nothing however remains at this

a Yeake deduces this name, (Rye) from the British word ‘rhy,’ it signifying a ford, or, as
some say, a bay, &c., Allen’s History of Surrey and Sussex, vol. I], p.621. Camden, speaking
of Rye, says: ‘ But as to it’s name, whether it took it from Rive. a Norman word, which sig-
nifies a Bank, I cannot say ; yet since, in the Records, it is very often called in Latin, Ripa,
and they who bring fish from thence are called Ripiers; I rather incline to this original, and
should incline yet more, if the French used this word for a shore, as Pliny does Ripa.’ Cam-
den, Brittannia, Bishop Gibson; edition vol. 1. p. 212. Hastings and Rye, whose names were
successively bestowed upon this place, are two nerghboring towns on the south-east coast of
England, both of great antiquity, aud both numbered among the Cinqui Ports, or five privi-
leged seaport. towus on that coast. Chronicle of a border town: History of Rye, West-

chester County, New York: 1660-1870; including Harrison and the White Plains till 1788. By
Charles W. Baird—New York: A. D. F. Randolph & Co; 1871, Pp. i—xviii; 1—570—P. 35.

Laws of New York by Thomas Greenleaf, M. D. CO. XC: ii, Vol. IL; p. p. 153, 154.
ec From annotations by the late Henry R. Schoolcraft, in 1846, upon the Indian names in
. West Chester County, made for the author. : 127

128 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

late period, to establish the connections with any degree of certainty.
Ponus himself, was one of the ruling sagamores of Rippowams, (Stam-
ford) in 1640. This individual left issue three sons, Onenoke,* Tap-
hance, and Onox; the latter had one son, Powhag.

The ruling sagamore of Peningoe or Poningoe in 1681, appears to
have been, Maramaking commonly known as “Lame Will” His suc-
cessor was Pathung or Pathunck, who with his son Wappetoe Path-
unck,? granted to Joseph Horton in 1694, lands bordering the Mama-
roneck River.

For the various localities within Poningoe, the Indians had other
names. The meadows bordering the Armonck (Byram) were called
Haseco and Mioschassaky, besides which there was a place named Ra-
howaness. The high ridge east of the Mockquams (Blind brook) Euke-
tampucuson, and the territory bordering the Pockcotessewake (Stony
brook or Beaver Meadow brook) Apawamis or Epawainos.¢

The former existence of Indian habitations on the great necks of Po-
ningoe is amply proved by the number of hunting and warlike weapons
found in that neighborhood. The site of the principal Mohegan village
was on or near Parsonage Point. In the same vicinity is situated Bury-
ing Fill, their place ofsepulture, The remains of six Indians were dis-
covered on excavating the present foundations for the Halstead man-
sion, which stands near the entrance of the great neck. ‘The level
grounds along the shores of the creek, north of the present village of
Milton, were cultivated as Indian fields. Here and there clusters of
wigwams occurred on the western bank of the creek, overlooking the
salt meadows, through which the Mockquams winds, to the great Man-
unketesuck, or Broad flowing river.” Some Indian families, too, it
would appear, had their homes on Manussing, or Mennewies island, ‘off
the eastern shore of the neck,”¢ “while near by was the ‘ Indian path,’
which formed the rude thoroughfare connecting the native settlements,
which was early designated by the English as ‘THE OLD WESTCHESTER
Paru,’”¢

The first grantees under the Indians of Poningoe, were the Dutch
West India Company, who obtained a grant of the lands extending from
Norwalk, in Conn., to the North river, on the 19th of April, 1640. Thus

a Owaneco was a son of Uncas, whose name and totem, both signify Goose, Honck, softened
by the insertion of vowels, becomes Oh-won-ek-ka, Chapins Hist. of Glastonbury, Conn.

4 Raresquash was the second son of the sagamore Pathunck.

e Apwonnah is the Indian term for an oyster. (Colton’s Indian Vocabulary.) Along the
valley of the Apawamis Indian arrow-heads have been found in great abundance.

d Baird’s Hist. of Rye.
é Ditto.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 129

the Dutch had full possession of most of the present county of West-
chester, anterior to English purchase and settlement.

By the provisional treaty of Hartford, in 1650, the boundary line be-
tween New England and New Netherlands was to commence upon Long
Island, from the westernmost part of the Oyster bay, so, and in a straight
and direct line to the sea; and upon the main land, a line to begin upon
the west side of Greenwich bay, being about four miles from Stamford,
and so to run a northerly line twenty miles up into the country, and af-
ter as it shall be agreed by the two Governments, of the Dutch and of
New Haven, provided the said line come not within ten miles of Hud-
son river.%

The successors of the Dutch West India Company in 1660, were Pe-
ter Disbrow, John Coe, and Thomas Studwell; ‘a fourth, John Budd,
was associated with them in some of their purchases, and several others
joined them in the actual settlement of the place; but the earliest nego-
tiations appear to have been conducted in behalf of the three persons
we have first named. They were all residents of Greenwich at the time
when the first Indian treaty was signed. Their leader was Peter Dis-
brow, a young, intelligent, self-reliant man, who seems to have enjoyed
the thorough confidence and esteem of his associates. His name inva-
riably heads the list of the proprietors. Whenever there was a treaty to
be formed or a declaration to be made, Disbrow’s services were re-
quired,”

On the third day of January, 1660, we find Peter Disbrow in treaty
with the Indians of Poningoe Neck for the purchase of that tract of land
described as follows, ‘‘ Lyeing on the maine between a certaine place
then called Rahonaness to the East and Westchester path to the north
and up to a river then called Moaquanes to the west, that is to say all
that land lying betweene the aforesaid two rivers then called Penningoe
extending from the said path to the north and south to the sea or
Sound.”

This first purchase on Ponirgoe Neck comprised the lower part of
the present town of Rye, on the east side of Blind Brook, ‘

The next purchase of the Indians was for the island they called Manus-
sing, or Mennewies* about a mile in length, which lies east of Poningoe

a Hazard’s State Papers, vol. ii., 218.

B Baird’s Hist. of Rye.

ec Land Papers Sec. of States office, Albany, vol. vii., p. 171. ‘‘The deed of this purchase
has long since disappeared,” says Paird, ‘‘It was lost during thelifetime of Disbrow himself.”
Town Ree, vol. B. ‘* We have, however, an account of this purchase written some sixty years
later that embodies facts relative to it which had doubtless been preserved by tradition.”
Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p 9, note.

d Minnis denotes an island in the Algonquin,

130 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Neck and separated from it only by a narrow channel. This sale was
effected on the twenty-ninth day of June, 1660, by Peter Disbrow, with
John Coe and Thomas Stepwell in the following manner:

INDIAN DEED OF MANUSSING.

‘* Be it knowen unto all men whom it may concern both Indians and English,
that we Shanarockwell Sagamore, Maowhobv and Cokensekoo have sold unto
Peter Disbrow, John Coe, Thomas Studwell, all living at this present at Gren-
wige, to say a certain parcel of land, (the parcel of land which these Indians above
mentioned have sold is called in the Indian name Manusing Island) and is near
unto the main land which is called in the Indian name Peningo. This said
island we above mentioned doe here by virtue of this bill doe sell all our right
and title unto John Coe, Peter Disbrow, Thomas Studwell, quietly to enjoy
from any molestation of us or any other Indians to them and their heirs, assigns,
and executors forever ; and farther, we have given unto Peter Disbro, John Coe
and Thomas Studwell feed for their cattle upon the main called by the Indians
Peningo, and timbers or trees that is tor their use and not to be molested by us
or other Indians; and we doe hereby acknowledge to have received full satis-
faction for this purchase of land above mentioned, to say we have received eight
cotes and seven shirts, fiftene fathom of wampone which is the full satisfaction
for the parcel of land above mentioned, and for the witness we have hereto set
our hands.

Witness, Josova Knap, IPAWAHUN, SHANAROCEWELL,
Henry DisBrow, ARAMAPOE, ARANAQUE,
Feb. 23, 1678. Wonanao, CoxKow,
TOPOGONE, WAWATANMAN.
MATISHES, CoxKINSECO,
RIcHARD, MaAowBeEprt,
QUARAOKO.

By another deed bearing date the 22d May, 1661, Cokoe and other
Indians sold another tract of land lying farther north, between the Blind
Brook and Byram streams to Peter Disbrow.

INDIAN DEED OF RAHONANESS.

‘« Be it known to all men whom it may concerne, bothe English and Indians,
that I, Cokoe, and Marrmeukhong, and Affawauwone, and Nahtimeman, and
Shocoke, and Wauwhowarnt, doe acknowledge to have sold to Peter Disbrow,
his heirs and assigns, a certain tract of land lying between Byram River and the
Blind Brook, which tract of land is bounded as followeth, viz: with the river
called in English Byram River, beginning at the mouth of the above said river on
the east, and the bounds of Hasting on the south and southwest, to the marked
trees, and northward up to the marked trees ; which may contain six or seven
miles from the sea along the said Byram River side northward, and so from the
said river cross the neck northwest and west to the river called Blind Brook,
bounded north with marked trees which leads down to little brook, which runs

THE TOWN OF RYE. I31

into Blind Brook. The which tract of land I, Cokoe, and the above said Indians,
our fellows, heirs and assigns, do here promise and make good to the said Peter
Disbrow, his heirs or assigns, peaceable and quict possession for ever, without
any molestation either from Dutch, Indians, or English. We the above said In-
dians have also sold this tract of land above mentioned, with all the trees, grass,
springs, and minerals, with feed range and timber northward twenty English
miles above the said purchase of land and do acknowledge to have received full
satisfaction of the said land. In witness hereof we the above said Indians have
set to our hands this present day and date above written.

Witness Jonn Cog, MARRMEUKHONG, his mark.
JOHN JAGSON, AFFAWAUWONE, his mark.
NAHTIMEMAN, his mark.
Coxog, his mark.

“These three purchases completed,” says Baird, “the territory of Rye
on the eas¢ side of Blind brook. Indeed, they took in also a part of the
town of Greenwich, the tract of land between the present State line and
Byram river; and we shall see that the claims of Rye to this tract, found-
ed upon the Indian purchase just related, gave rise to not a little trouble
in the subsequent relations of the two towns.”4

Another purchase was made on the 2d day of June, 1662, by Peter
Disbrow, John Coe, Thomas Studwell and John Budd, for a tract of land
above Westchester Path, and west of Blind Brook, or directly north of
Budd’s Neck. This was the territory of the present town of Harrison.

INDIAN DEED OF MOCKQUAMS.

‘* Know all men whom this may concern that we, Peter Disbrow, John Coe,
Thomas Studwell, and John Budd, have bargained, bought, and payd for, to the
satisfaction of Showannorocot, Roksohtohkor, and Pewataham and other In-
dians, whose hands are underwritten, a certain tract of land above Westchester
Path, to the marked trees, bounded with the above said river, Blind brook, which
tract of land, with all the privileges, of wood, trees, grass, springs, mines and min-
erals, to the said Peter Disbrow, John Coe, Thomas Studwell, to them and their
heirs forever, with warrant against all persons, English, Dutch or Indians. To
this bargain and sale we the above said Indians do hind ourselves, our heirs and
assigns, to the above said Peter Disbrow, John Coe, and the rest abovesaid, to
them, their heirs and assigns, for ever; as witness our hands this present day
and date, June 2, 1662. SHUWANNOROOOT, 3 mark.

RomxKaQvE, his mark.

April the 28th, 1663, Peter Disbrow, John Coe, Thomas Studwell
and John Budd, by a deed of sale conveyed the island-and main land to
the following planters, Samuel Allen, Richard Vowl, Philip Galpin,

@ Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 12.

132 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Thomas Applebe, William Odell, John Brondig and John Coe, for which
the latter were to pay forty shillings a lot in cattle or corn, between the
above date and January next ensuing.

Peter Disbrow by a declaration of trust, dated June 16, 1676, assigned
all his right, title and interest in the Indian purchase to the rest of the
proprietors of Rye then living between the two rivers, viz: the Byram
river to the east, and a river called the Blind brook to the west. The
original division of Rye consisted of ten acres to each individuai plant-
er, besides a privilege in the undivided lands.

From a note appended to this deed of trust it appears that John
Horton had selected a spot of land not within the bounds of the Rye
purchase.

‘But lyeth considerably to the northward of the head of the Blind Brook,
and consequently to the north of the north-west bounds, except they do claim
it as comprehended within the twenty English miles range, whereof was granted
to them, viz. the proprietors.

In 1662, the thirteen proprietors of the salt meadows within Hastings were,

Tuomas STUDWELL, WixiiamM ODELL,

JoHN Bronvie, Peter Dissprow,

Wi1t1am ODELL, JOHN Cor,

THoMAs APPLEBE, SAMUEL ALLEN,

Puirie GALpr, JoHN Cok,

RioHarD Vow, THomas STUDWELL.
Joun Bopp.

At this period Connecticut regardless of the Hartford treaty made in
1650, obtained from the native Indians a further grant of territory
extending from the east line of that colony, to the present village of
Westchester. Upon this purchase she claimed the lands of Rye, and
required the submission of the inhabitants to her authority.

During the year 1633, King Charles the Second, by letters patent
under the great seal, conveyed the province of New Netherlands, and
that part of Connecticut lying westward of Connecticut River, to his
brother James, Duke of York and Albany. Thus, by a. wholesale
usurpation excluding forever the rightful proprietors, utterly regardless
of their just rights as discoverers; and in the face, too, of all existing
treaties.

As early as 1641, it appears to have been the British policy as one
means of counteracting the Dutch in America, “that the English put
forth their plantations, and crowd on, crowding the Dutch out of those

a Rye Rec. Lib. A.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 133

places where they have settled;”* this continued to be the principle
upon which the former acted until the subjugation of the latter, which
happened 5th of September, 1664, when the Province of New Neth-
erlands surrendered to Colonel Richard Nicholls, the Duke’s governor.

The same year the commissioners appointed for settling the bounds
of his Royal Highness the Duke of York’s patent and the colony of
Connecticut, did order and declare ‘‘that the creek or river, called
Mamaroneck, which is reputed to be about twelve miles to the east
of Westchester, and a line drawn from ye east point or side, where the
fresh waters fall into the salt at high water mark, north north-west to the
line of Massachusetts, shall be the western bounds of ye said colony of
Connecticut.?

By this division Rye became annexed to the colony of Connecticut,
and constituted a portion of Fairfield county.

The following bill of sale occurs December 8th, 1666, from John
Coe, one of the original proprietors of Rye to Hachaliah Brown :—

‘Know all ye men to whom it may concern, that I, John Coe, purchaser of the
town of Rye, being one of the four men that bought this place in the colony of
Connecticut, in New England, do sell and bind over unto Hachaliah Brown in
the same town, one half of a 12th lot with all the privileges thereunto belonging ;
namely: one half of the upland and one half of the meadow, both fresh and
salt, both divided and undivided, with four acres of upland lying in the neck
called the Oxpasture neck, or otherwise called Scotch cap neck, of which two of
the aforesaid four acres belong to the half lot. This four acres is bounded thus:
with George Kniffen on the N. E. and front ; with the Blind Brook towards the
N. W. and Thomas Brown toward the §. W. and the waste land is the bounds
to the 8. E. This seven acres of land more or less, is thus bounced as is above
mentioned. The aforesaid land I have purchased of the Indians, as doth appear
by deed under the Indians hands, I say, I have sold with all privileges thereunto
belonging, namely : trees, grass, rocks, minerals, and springs, with the fence or
fencing which are or shall be belonging thereunto, and I do here bind myself, by
promise, to make good the sale hereof from me, my heirs, assignees, or admin-
istrators to the said Hachaliah Brown, him, his heirs, assignees or administrators,
quietly and peaceably to possess as his own forever, without any molestation
either by or under me, &c., &c. And I do acknowledge to have received full
satisfaction of the abovesaid Hachaliah Brown for this aforesaid land, as witness
my hand this day and date, Dec. 8th 1866.¢ JOHN COE.”

Witness:
Tuomas Brown,
GEORGE LANE.
a Col. Boundaries, Hart. Rec. fol. ii. letter i

b Col. Boundaries, fol. ii, letter xxii,
ec Rye Rec.

134 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

May 11, 1671,the general court of Connecticut granted that the town
of Rye bounds should extend up into ye country northward twelve
miles.

At first the pretences of Connecticut to the westward were unlimited,
till the year 1683, and consequently so to the northward of Rye; hence
the grant to extend twelve miles to the north, as being less exposed to
be opposed by New York, leaving their bounds unlimited to the west-
ward of Byram river, thus giving them an opportunity of extending their
bounds twelve miles in that direction, so as to form a tract of twelve
miles square; as they had already granted ane of six miles square to
Bedford, This grant, hadit been allowed by New York, would have cov-
ered Harrison’s purchase, the White Plains, Mamaroneck, the Mile
Square, Tuckahoe, New Rochelle, and Eastchester, besides other places.

The twelve proprietors of the salt meadows in this town, A.D. 1672,
were as follows:

WILLIAM ODELL, 1; JOHN Coz, 5; JOHN Cok, 9.

JoHN Bronpis, 2; THomas APPLEBE, 6; Riowarp Fow er, 10.
Peter Dissrow, 3; THomas ALLEN, 7; Tuomas STuDWELL, 11;
WitiraM ODELLE, 4; Purp GALPEN, 8; Joun Bupe, 12;

“ At a town meeting held March, 1672, it was agreed that the first of
April following should be taxed of all persons and young cattle and
horses, unless 1t be such as are wrought, and that they henceforward
should goe out on the first of April, and whatsoever person hath not his
fence up by that time shall forfeit five shillings a rod.”

‘28th January, 1673, the general court ordered that the bounds be-
tween Greenwich and Rye is to be from the mouth of Byram river, to
run up the river one quarter of a mile above the great stone lying on the
cross path by the said river; and from thence the sayd commons up-
wards, between Stamford bounds and the colony line, is to be equally
divided between them by a parallel line with Stamford, and to Norwalk
to the end of their bounds up in the country, &c.”

This settlement was confirmed June 21st, 1696, by the general court
sitting in Hartford, May 8th, 1693.

“Upon the 28th November, 1680, the town made choice of Peter
Disbrow, Hachaliah Brown, Robert Bloomer, and Thomas Merritt, for
to go with the Indians to view some land lying between the Blind brook

and Biram river, and to make a thorow bargain with them if they shall
see it best.”

The result of this interview was a sale of land under the Indiansachem
Maramaking, “ of all that certain tract of land lying by a brook common-
ly called Blind brook, which tract of land is called by the Indians Euke-
taupucuson, and by the English Hogg Pen Ridge.”

@ Hart Rec. vol. viii, p. 13.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 135

INDIAN DEED OF EUKETAUPUCUSON.

“*To all Christian peopelle to whom these shall come greeting, know yee, that
I, Marrmaaking, commonly called by the English, Will, have for a valuabelle
consideration by me Allradi Recaifed of Robart blomer, haccaliah Brown and
thomas merrit, alinated and sould unto them the said Robt. blomer, Haccaliah
brown and thomas merit, them their heirs, executors, adminstrators, or assignes
a certain trackt of Land Lyeing by a brooke commonly called blind brook which
tract of Land is called by the Indians Eauketaupacuson bounded as followeth:
beginning at the southermost and which is betwene the above said brook and a
branch thereof, and from thence to the great swamp at the oulld marked tree
which is now new marked with these Letters R B H YM, and from thence hy
marked trees to a small Runn which Runns into the above said brook and there
is marked with a mark, the which tract of Land is called by the English name
the hogg penn Ridge, to have and howlld the above said trackt of land for
ever, and I the said Maramaking alice Will doe bind by sellfe my heirs, executors
and administrators firmly by these presents to warrant and make good the above
said salle unto the above said Robart blomer, Brown and merit, their heirs, ex-
ecutors, administrators, or asignes without any Lett hindrance, molistation or
trouble from or by any person or persons whatsoever that shall from or after the
date hereof make or lay any claim or claims theareunto. In witness hereof I
have set my hand this 4th day of September in the yere 1680.

Witness the mark of Covxo, The mark of MARAMAKING
the mark of OwRowWOAHAx, Auis WILL.
JOHN OGDEN,
JOHN STOKHAM.
Maramaking alise Will, hath acknliged this bill
of sale before me in Rye this 28 of november,
1680. JosEPH Horton, Comissoner.

‘Know all men by these presents that wee, Robert Bloomer, Hacaliah
Brown and thomas merit doe asigne over all our Right, titel and Intrust of this
within written bill of salle to the propriatars of peningo neck, as witness our
hands this second day of march, in the year sixtene hundred eighti one, we three
above said Reserving our equall portions with the other propriatars above said.

Delivered in peresence of us. Rosert BLoMEr,
JOHN GEE his marke Hacxatian Brown,
JOSEPH GALLPEN. _ Txomas Merir.@

“Lame Will’s purchase commenced at a point where the ‘branch’ of
Blind Brook joins the main stream. From thence the southern bound-
ary ran eastward to ‘the old marked trees,’ at ‘the Great Swamp,”?
northward, it extended along Blind Brook to certain other marked trees,
where the line now divides the town of Rye from that of North Castle.”

a Town Rec. vol. B, p. xii.

6 “The GreatSwamp extended over a considerable part of the region bounded on the east
by King Sheep, and on the west by the Ridge road, north by the present Roman Catholic
cemetery.” Baird’a Hist. of Rye, p. 57, [see note.]

e Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 57.

136 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“The second purchase from Maramaking was effected on the 8th of
October, 1681. For the valuable consideration of ‘three coats received’
Lame Will sold to the inhabitants of Rye a tract of land ‘ between By-
ram river and the Blind Brook, or Honge ;’ apparently lying north of
the preceding purchases and within the present limits of North Castle.”

INDIAN DEED OF HONGE.

Know all Christian People to whom these shall come, greeting, know ye that
I, Maramaking, Comonly called by the english will, have for a valuable consid-
eration by the inhabitance of the towne of Ryeallradi Resaived namely, three
cotse In hand of the inhabitants of Rye by me Resaived, I, Maramaking, doe ac-
knowlidg that I have aLinated, covinanted, soulld and deLivered unto them, the
inhabitants of Rye, to them, theare heirs, Execetars, administratars, or asignes a
sartain tract of Land Liing betwene Biram river and the blind brooke or honge ;
acording as it is allradi marked by the Indians and bounded; to have and holld
the above said trackt of Land forever; and I, the said Maramaking, or else Will,
doe bind my sellfe, my heires, execetars and administratars firmly by these pres-
ents to warant and make good the above said salle unto the above named Inhabi-
tants of Rye to them, thaire heires, execetars, asignes or administratars without
any Let, hindrance, moListation or trouble from or by any person or persons
what so ever that shall from or after the date here of make or Lay any claim or
claims theare unto.

In witness here of I have set to my hand this 8th of Octobar, in the year 1681.
Witness the mark of WEssACcoNoW, The marke of MARAMAKING,
The mark of Cowwows, or elce WiLL

The mark of PumMeEtum,
JosHua Kwap,
JACOB Parrs.

Maramaking, or else Will, both acknowleged this bill of salle before me in
Rye, this 8 of October, 1681. JosEPH Horton, Commissioner.

Recorded decem. 20, 1682.¢

The above sales were long known and distinguished as “ Zame Witl’s
two purchases,’ and “donot appear to have been divided and improved
until long after those on Byram ridge.”

“‘ Twenty years after the first division on Byram ridge, we find the fol-
lowing entry in the town records :”

‘‘At a town meeting in Rye, February 14, 1699-1700, the town both made
choice of Lieutenant Horton, Benjamin Horton, Joseph Purdy, Justice Brown,
Sergeant Merritt and John Stoakham, who are to survey and lay out the three
Purchases of land; that is to say, the White Plaine’s purchase, and Lame Will’s

a **The name Honge may have been applied to the upper part of Blind Brook, or to the
branch already referred to.” Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 57, see note.

& Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 57.
c Town Rec. vol. B, p. 15.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 137

two purchases: and the town doth give them full power to call out such person
or persons whom they shall see cause to have occasion of.”

‘Nothing, however, seems to have been done under this order. Will’s
Purchase was not actually laid out till ten years later.’ The first division
took place in 1709. ‘This 11th day of April, 1709, the lots laid out in
Will’s purchases were drawn for.’ ‘Each allotment being thirty-eight
acres.’ ‘February 18, 1711,’ ‘the second division of lots laid out in
Lame Will’s two purchases occurred. These were situated higher up,
and on the east side of the colony line. A third draught of seven acre
lots followed.’® ‘The proprietors of these purchases numbered thirty-
four. The list comprises the names of nearly all the proprietors of Pe-
ningo Neck.’

In 1681, Peter Disbrow sells his Indian purchase on Poningoe Neck
to the rest of the proprietors. In 1683, Colonel Dongan arrived at New
York as governor of the province. Soon afterwards the Governor and
Council of Connecticut, in a letter to Dongan, dated October 5th, 1683,
complain of a warrant having been issued to the constables of Rye,
_ Greenwich and Stamford, which towns they claim are in Connecticut,
by charter and agreement of 1664.¢ Dongan, in reply, October gth,
1683,¢ asserts that the Duke’s patent extends to Connecticut river, and
refers to the former agreement, twenty miles east of Hudson’s river,
which he is by no means compelled to confirm, only refers to the old
claim for the purpose of extending as far as he can eastward of Hudson’s
river.

In return the Governor and general court of Connecticut, October 16,
1684, refer Governor Dongan to the agreement of the King’s Commis-
sioners, A.D. 1664, as settling the boundary.@

Governor Dongan in reply, November 5, 1683, states, ‘that he must
not be unmindful of his master’s interest, thinks it not wrong to claim
twenty miles from Hudson’s river, eastward ;” and also mentions “that the
commissioners were assured éy Connecticut people, that Mammaroneck
river was twenty miles from Hudson's river, and concludes by assuring
them he will have all twenty miles eastward of that river, or he will claim
by Connecticut River; and further, wishes the matter settled.”%

On the 28th of November of the same year the agents (appointed by
the two governments,) came to an agreement that the line of partition

a S2e Baird's Hist, Rye. Also Townand Proprietors Meeting Book, No. C, p. 6.
b Baird’s Hist. of Rye, pp, 59,60. See Rye Rec. vol. B, p. 160 (back.)

e Col. Bound Hart. Ree. Lib. ii., Letter 42.

d Col. B. Hart. Rec. Lib. ii., Letter 43.

e Col. B. Hart. Rec. Lib. ii., Letter 44.

JF Col. B. Hart Rec. Lib. ii, Letter 45.

138 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

should begin at Byram River at a point called Lyon’s Point, where that
river falls into the Sound, and run northerly at not less than twenty miles
distance from the Hudson to the south line of Massachusetts.

Upon the occasion of this change in 1683, we find the following letter
addressed to Lieutenant Horton and selectmen of the town of Rye.

FatrFigxp, Deo. 3, 1683.

Lovine Friends :—We had purposed in our passage to York to have called upon
you, but the badness of the weather, and taking our passage by water we missed
the opportunity of seeing you in our going thither, and in our return. And
therefore we take this first opportunity to acquaint you that though we were
loath to have parted with you, and would have been glad to have continued you
in this government, yet the providence of God hath so disposed that by our
agreement with Governor Dongan, we are forced to part with you, and could not
help it, and the Governor promised us that he would not by this change alter any
man’s property or propriety ; and therefore we thought it necessary to acquaint
you of this change, and also to advise you speedily to apply him to grant you
confirmation of your bounds and proprieties, which we doubt not but he will do
also. We must acquaint you that you must by our agreement, pay to this colony
this year’s rates, which the treasurer will appoint you, to whom you shall pay it
speedily it isone penny half penny upon the pound, according to the list pre-
sented to the general court, in October last, by the agreement with the Governor
Dongan. ‘The west bounds of our colony is now by Byram River, and it runs
as the river till it comes to the road, and from thence it runs north, north-west,
till it hath run eight miles from the east point of said Byram River.

Gentlemen, we do request you to be satisfied and content with this change, and
to carry it suitably to the government. under which you are now seated, and
apply yourselves to the Honorable Govornor, who is a noble gentleman and wiil
do what you shall desire in a regular manner to promote your welfare, which with
best respects is all the needful from your assured friends.

i : ROBERT TREAT, Governor,
J can g Reis ; Assistants.

Endorsed. These for Lizur. Joszepn Horton,

theselectmen of the townof Rye. These in Rye.

Notwithstanding this agreement, the towns of Rye and Bedford were
again received into the colony of Connecticut, June 21, 1696-7.?

Governor Fletcher of New York justly complained of this treatment,
and issued his proclamation, requiring Rye and Bedford to return to
their allegiance, April 15, 1697.°

The whole matter was now referred to the king, who in council,
March 28th, 1700, confirmed the former agreement made 1683, and

a Webster’s Letters, p. 207.
6 Col. Bound. Hart. Rec. vol. ii. letter 138.
e Col, Bound. Hart. Rec. vol. ii. letters 140, 141.

THE TOWN OF RYE, 139

ordered “that the high sheriff of the County of Westchester, accom-
panied with two justices of the said county, do repair to the said towns
of Rye and Bedford, and publish the said proclamation, requiring the
inhabitants of the said towns, to give obedience to this government,
pursuant to his majesties royal will and pleasure, at their peril.

Per order of Council, D. Costns,

L. Coventry.”2

Oct. ro, 1700, the General Assembly of Hartford ordered the significa-
tion of the settlement to be sent to the inhabitants of Rye and Bedford.

The matter was not completed until May 14, 1731, when the lines

were established as
were the following :

Haocwarian Brown,
TrvorHy Knapp,
JONATHAN VOWLES,
JoNAs STEVENS,
JoHN Bronpie,
Isaac SHERWoopD,
THomas Lyon,

Joun SILLIcK,

Cates Hart,
GzEoRGE KNIsSON,
JoHN Purpy,
Tuomas Merritt,
Francis Purpy,
JOSEPH OGDEN,
Isaao SHERWOOD,
Joun Boyp,

Rogpert BLoomMer,
JAMES TRAVIS,
Rosert BLENER,
JACOB PAREE,
DELIVERANCE Brown,
Peter DisBrow,
Tuomas Lyon,
GeEorGE KnIson,
Joun Boyp,

Tuomas SLATHAM,
WituiaM ODELL,
Tuomas SLATHAM,
Ricuarp BeEatte,
Joun Boyp,
SaMUEL JENKINS,
JAMES WRIGHT,

a Webster’s Letters, p. 207.

they now exist.

JOHN SELLICKES,
JAMES WRIGHT,
STEHHEN SHERWOOD,

The inhabitants of Rye in 1683,

Isaao DEwHaM,
The town grants from
Hartford,

STrepHeNn SuEeRwoop, Jun. Issac Dennam,

Hamer GaALPEN,
SAMUEL ODELL,
JOHN MERRITT,
SAMUEL JENKINS,
Joost PALDIN,
Trmorpy Kwapp,
WILiiamM ODELL,
JOHN DiIsBRow,
ARNOLD Basset,
Ropert BLooMEr,
Srmon Roparp,
JosEPH Horton,
JOSEPH SHERWOOD,
JoHN DisBrow,
Rosert BLooMEr,
JoHN Horton,
Francis Purpy,
DanieL BronDIGE,
JoHN CHUROH,
STEPHEN SHERWOOD,
JOSEPH GURNEY,
JONATHAN KNIFFIN,
Crytamon Horron,
STEPHEN SHERWOOD,
Francis Purpy,
Peter Brown,

The draft of the swamp,
JAMES TRAVIS,

ABRAHAM Brvsu,
ABRAHAM SMITH,
JOHN OGDEN,
Samur. Banks,
JosEPH STUDWELL,
Paiie Travis,
Jonn Mersirv,
STEPHEN SHERWooD,
JosePpH Merrirt,
Joun Fxasz,
JONATHAN KNIFFer,
Houmparey UNDERHILL,
JOHN TURNER,
Roperr Bioomer,
Hacwarian Brown,
JONATHAN Hart,
EBENEZER KNIFFEN,
JoHN Boyp,

RoGER Park,
Joost PAvULDINOK,
Toomas MERRITT,
JOSEPH Banks,
Ruwamau BisHor,
Francis Purpy.
JOHN VAIL,

JOHN VAIL,

Isaac ANDERSON,
Joun MEepRIrIT,

I40 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Joun Horton, JOSEPH SHERWOOD, A draught of Will’s pur-
Ricwarp WareERs, The draught of lots by chase,

JoHN SrockHaM, Biram River, JogsrrpH Purpy,

Joun Horton, Davip OapEn, RiowuarRpd OGDEN,
Tsomas Merritt, Rozserr BioomEr, Henry HAtare,

JosEPH SHERWOOD, The draught of Biram’s Pond field draught,
Joun Merritt, neck, The three draughts in
HacHatiAn Brown, Tuomas Merritt, Will’s purchase,

Cates Hrart, Mary Oapen, JosEPH ROBINSON,

JoHN BopDEGARET, JOHN Bronpie@, Davin Horton,

JOHN Bronvie, JONATHAN KNIFFEN, Joun Hrart,

Davin Horton.4

In 1694, we find the Indian Sachem Patthunck, with the full consent
of his son and heir Wappetoe Patthunck, conveying to Joseph Horton,
a parcel of land beginning at certain marked trees, &c., with turf and
twigg taken off the said ground and delivered to the said grantee, in
peaceable and quiet possession by the said Patthunck, sen., and Pat-
thunck, jr. The above tract of land was situated :—

‘On the east side of the Mamaroneck river, and ran with a line of mark trees
until it came to the said river, and again to a red oak tree, close by the river
marked III, together with all the woods, &c., &c., to the said Joseph Horton,
&c. Dated this 29th day of Dec. A. D. 1694.

Signed, sealed and delivered,

in presence of us. The mark of PATTHUNOK, SEN.
The mark of The mark of WappETOR PATTHUNCK.
Captain Rosin, Indian, The mark of Berry Parruunosg,
WiItiiam Coates, The mark of AckANUM PATTrHUNOK.
The mark of R. P. MiLuEr. daughter of the above named

Patthunck, sen.”

“As early as 1686, we find the inhabitants of Rye applying for a
Patent, doubtless in view of an order which the general court had issued
the year before to all the towns within its jurisdiction, relative to the oc-
curring of charters for their lands.” November 23d, 1686, the town
empowered Benjamin Colyer and John Brondige to treat with the Gov-
ernor for a general patent for the township of Rye.Ӣ The proprietors of

a *“ The envestiture ‘by turf and twig.’ This was a relic of feudal times; it consisted in
the delivery of a turf, a stone, a branch; or some other object, as a symbol of the transfer of
the soil. Anciently, this had been practiced by the feudal lord, in confering a fief upon
hix vassal. We find it observed on Manussing Island in 1693, with all formality, and on
Budd’s Neck as late as 1768.” Baird’a Hist. of Rye; p. 132, see Hallam’s Middle Ages, vol |, p.
170.

b Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 92.

c Town Rec. Lib. B, now lost.

THE TOWN OF RYE. I4I

Poningoe Neck also authorized the same individuals to obtain a particu-
lar patent for said neck. “The court, it appears, however well inclined,
did not see fit just then to grant either of those applications. Again, in
1692, at the October session of the General Court,’ Mr. Underhill, of
Rye, and Zachary Robert’s of Bedford, were in attendance, and the
court granted them an allowance for their expenses in coming; ‘to be
payd at Stamford out of the county rate.’ But the time for this step did
not arrive until five years later. At a meeting of the Governor and
Council, January 19, 1697, Thomas Merritt and Deliverance Brown ap-
peared in behalf of ‘the town of Rie,’ with the request that this planta-
tion may be owned as included within the colony, and that a charter
may be granted to them for their lands. ‘The petition is granted, anda
patent for the town is ordered to be prepared forthwith.’ It is as fol-

lows:
“RIE PATTENT.”

‘Whereas the Hon" Gen" Court of the Colonie of Connecticut have, on May
the fourteenth day, 1685, ordered and declared that every town within the said
Colonie should take out Pattents or Charters for their severall grants of Lands
Given them by the said Gen" Court, or derived by purchase or otherwise obtain-
ed, which Pattents they did order should be made and Given to them under the
seal of the Colonie and hands of the Gov" and Secretary. And that such Pattents
shall be a sufficient Evidence for all and every township that hath the same to all
Intents and purposes for the holding the said lands firme to them, their heirs, suc-
cessors and assignes forever, according to the Tenor given by his Majestie Charles
the sccond In his Charter bearing date the three and twentieth day of Aprill, in
the fourteenth year of his Reign. And the said Gen" Court having granted and
assigned to severall persons a certain township to be known by the Name of Rie;
bounded westward eight Miles upon the Dividing Line between the Province of
of New york and the Colonie of Connecticutt, according as it was settled by his
Majesties Commissioners, as appears by their act or Report thereupon; and East-
ward on a line beginning at the mouth of Byram River and Running up the said
River one quarter of a mile above the Great Stone lying in the path by the said
River, and from thence Continued by a parrale] Line eight miles into the Coun-
trey, and bounded southward upon the sea and northward upon the Wildernesse.
Now know all men by these presents, that I, Robert Treat, Esq’ Govern" of his
Majesties Colonie of Connecticutt, have given, granted, bargained, enfeoffed and
Confirmed, and by these presents doe give, grant, bargain, enfeoffe and confirme
unto Joseph Theale, Thomas Merritt, Deliverance Brown, John Horton, Joseph
Horton, Francis Purdie, Hackaliah Brown, Timothie Knap, George Lane and
John Merritt, their heirs, assignes and their associates forever, all that part or
parcell of Land which lies and is contained within the bounds above-mentioned,
With all and singular the Lands, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever
are thereunto belonging or any way appertaining to the same or auy part thereof.

a Public Rec. of Conn., vol. iv, p.83.
4 Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 93.

142 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

As of his Majesties mannor of East Greenwich [in Kent] to Have and to hold in
free and Common Soccage, And not in Capite nor by Knight Service. Except-
ing and reserving for his Majestie his heirs and successors the fift part of all the
Oar of Gold and Silver which shall be found therein from time to time. In wit-
nesse whereof the said Robert Treat with the Secretary of the Colonie have here-
unto annexed our hands and afixed Our Colonie Seal, this two and twentieth day
of January Anno Domini 1696.4 And in the eighth year of the reign of our Sov-
ereign Lord William by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ire-
land, King Fidei Defensor. Always provided that nothing herein Contained shall
Extend or be understood or taken to Impeach or prejudice any Right, title, In-
terest or demand, which any person or persons hath or have or claim to have, of
into or out of any part of the said township situated within the Limits above-
mentioned according to the Laws and Gen" Customes of this Colonie but that
all and every such person and persons May and shall have hold, and enjoy the
same in such manner as if these presents had not been Made.

R. TREAT, Goor
ELeazar KIMBERLY, Secretry”b

DEPUTIES FROM RYE TO THE GENERAL COURT, 1664-1700.

October, 1664, Lu- Joun Bunn, May, 1676, Peter DisBrog,

October, 1665, RicHarp VowLEs, October, 1676, TimorHy Kwap,

October, 1666, Lr. Bup, May, 1677, Joun BrunDIcE,

May, 1667, Mr. JN° Bop, October, 1677, Mr. Jonn BANKEs,

October, 1668, Mr. Jonn Bopp, ' May, 1678, Mr. Joun Bancxs,
RicHAaRD VOWLES, October, 1678, Trumorny Knap,

May, 1669, RrcuHarp FowE.Ls, October, 1679, Perer DisBrovues,

May, 1670, Mr. Jonn Banks, May, 1680, Mr. JoHN Banxgs,
Prrer Disprog, May, 1681, Joun BRaNpDIGE,

October, 1670, TiwotTHy Kwap, October, 1681, Prerer DisBrog,

May, 1671, Mr. Jonn Banoxgs, October, 1682, TraotHy Napp,
Peter DIsBRroE, October, 1683, TimotHy Knap,

May, 1672, Mr. JoHN Bankes, May, 1697, Mr. VMpPHRIE VNDERHILL
Mr. Jos. Orton, Mr. DELIVERANCE Brown

June, 1672, Mr. Joun Bancks, May, 1698, Mr. JosErpu Horton,

October, 1672, Mr. Jonn BanxkEs, October, 1698, Capt’ VMPHRIE VNDER_

May, 1673, Perer DisBRoE, HILL,

October, 1674, Mr. Joun OGDEN, ° October, 1699, Mr. THo* Merrit,

May, 1675, Mr. Joon BanxEs, Lieu? Jn° Horton.

July, 1675, Mr. Jonn Banxgs,

13 April, 1705. The Indian chiefs Wapeto, Rarequash, and Mek-
eran, granted to Capt. Joseph Theall, Capt. John Clapp, and Capt. John
Horton all of ye town of Rye.

@ 1697, New Style.

Bb Colony Book of Deeds, Patents, &c., MS., Hartford, vol. ii, p. 251. This document was
printed for the first time by Baird in his Hist. of Rye, pp. 93, 94.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 143

‘* A certain parcel of land lying and being within ye township of Rye, bound-
ed by a certain beach tree standing upon the brink of Byram River, marked
with J. G. J., andJ. H. and J. C. running up ye said river northerly to a great
swamp, where standeth an ash tree marked with the above said letters, and from
thence in a direct course to an oak tree with stones laid at ye root, and from
thence with a range of marked trees of the northermost corner of ye great pond-
so running down by ye said pond till it meeteth with a white oak sapling marked
with ye above said letters, and from thence by certain marked trees to the above
said marked beach tree by ye brink of Byram River.¢

Signed, sealed and delivered The true mark of WAPETOE
in the presence of The true mark of RARESQUASH,

DANIEL STRANG. The true mark of MEKERAN.,
JOSEPH Purpy. :
The marke of PARE.

A further grant and confirmation was obtained of the Indian pro-
prietors, Seringoe, Raresquash, and Wapeto Patthunck, by John Clapp
and others, 20 July, 1705.

‘ Of all that said tract of Jand which is butted and bounded as follows, viz :
beginning at a beach tree standing by Byram river near a great rock, marked
with letters J. H. J. P. J.C. then running up the said river north-west to a cer-
tain ash tree in the upper end of a place commonly called Pond Pound neck,
marked with the letters aforesaid, &c., &c., to the Colony line, and thence by
the said Colony line westwardly to the eight mile stake standing between three
white oak trees, marked viz: one of the said trees is marked with the letters C.
C. R. on the north side, and on ye south side J. D. and from said tree in a direct
line runs to ye northermost corner of Rye Pond, and thence south 10 degrees
westerdly to a white oak sapling, marked by the Pond side with the letters J. P.
thence by a range of marked trees south 64 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 marked with the lettersJ. J. on ye north side, on
the west side with the letters J. P. on the south-west side with letters J. H. and
thence by a range of marked trees to ye place where it began.

The mark of SERRINGOE,
Signed, sealed, and delivered SERRINGOE’s mark in behalf WAPETO,
in the presence of PATTHUNCK,
James Mort, and of his brother RARESQUASH,

Henry Disppow,
Joost PALDINOEK.

The above sales were again confirmed by the Indians, 13 September,
1705.
a See Warrant for Survey. Alb. Rec. Lib. i. 127,8

6 Warrant for Survey, Indian Deeds; Alb. Rec. Lib. I, 129.
e County Records, Lib. E, 46.

144 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

At a Court of General Assembly holden at New Haven, 12th October,
1710, “ Captain John Clapp of the town of Rye, in the province of
New York, presented a petition to this assembly on the behalf of him-
self and partners, praying for a patent to be granted to them of a certain
piece or parcel of land lying in this Colony, and within the bounds of
the said town of Rye, which they had purchased (with lycense) of the
native Indians.”

“Upon consideration whereof, this assembly do resolve that no patent
shall be granted to them, forasmuch as the said land, hath been for-
merly granted by this government to the inhabitants of the said town of
Rye, and also a patenf given them for the same.”

Queen Anne the same year issued her royal letters patent ‘“‘to Anne
Bridges, John Clapp, Augustine Graham, John Horton, and Thomas
Hyatt, for lands in Rye :—

Beginning at a beach tree standing by Byam river, near a great rock marked
with ye letters J. H. J. P. J. C., thence running up by ye said river, north north-
west to a certain ash tree in ye upper end of a place commonly called ye Pond
Pound neck, marked with ye letters aforesaid, and to ye Colony line, and from
thence by ye said Colony line westerdly to ye eight mile stake standing be-
tween three white oak trees, marked viz: one of ye said trees is marked with
the letters C. C. R. on ye north side, and on ye south side J. D. and from ye said
tree on a direct line, it runs to ye northermost corner of Rye Pond, and thence
so to the westerdly t> a white oak sapling marked by ye pond side with the let-
ters J. J. P. thence by a range of marked trees, so by ye east to an ash tree
standing by Blind brook on ye east side thereof, and thence by another range of
marked trees to a certain chestnut tree marked with ye letters I. T. on ye north
side, and on ye west side with ye letters I. P. on ye north-west side with ye let-
ters I. H. and thence by a range of marked trees to ye piace, where it began-
&c., &c. To the above said patentees, &c., &c.>

The proprietors of Poningoe Neck in 1715 were as follows:

Hacnatian Brown, JOSEPH SEERWOOD,
DELIVERANCE Brown, Tsaao ANDERSON,
JOHN STOAKHAM, Jonn Merritt, Sen.
Rogert BrioomMer, Joun BRonpiGE,
GrEorGE LANE, GrorGE 8. KNIFFEN,
Timotrny Knapp, Jonn DisBrow,
RicHaRD OGDEN, Txomas Mergirt,
Daniet Purpy, EBENEZER KNIFFEX,

Peter Brown.¢

@ Hartford Records, vol. IV. 121.
b Co. Rec. Lib. E, 2.

ec A Town Rec. At a meeting of the proprietors of Poningoe Neck, Dec. 11th, 1699, a grant
Was made to Richard Ogden, of an island commonly called Fox Island.

THE TOWN OF RYE, 145

Upon the ist of July 1715, Robert Hunter, Captain General and
Commander-in-chief, set out for patent to Christopher Bridge, clerk,
rector of the parish of Rye, and his heirs and assigns, twenty small par-
cels of land situate, &c., in the precinct and parish of Rye, &c., not
heretofore granted under the seal of the Province; all which certain tracts
of land, purchased by Christopher Bridge, contained two hundred and
eighty-one acres.

On the 2oth of June, 1720, Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown and Benja-
min Brown, inhabitants of the township of Rye, petitioned for a Patent
for the tract of land between Blind brook and Byram river, in behalf of
themselves and divers other inhabitants of the said township of Rye, in
the following manner:

To the Honble Peter Schuyler ye President of his Majesties Counsill of the
Province of New York and Territories thereon depending in America
In Counsiil :

The Humble Petition of Daniell Purdy Son of John Purdy Deceased Samuell
Brown and Benjamin Brown Inhabitants of the Township of Rye in the County
of West Chester in behalfe of themselves and diverse other Inhabitants of the
said Township of Rye.

Sheweth That one Peter Disbrow many yeares since by authority from the
Colony of Connecticut (under whose Government the Township of Rye then lay)
on the third of January 1660 purchased from the then Native Indian Proprietors
a Certaine Tract of Land lyeing on the maine Betweene a sertaine plane then
called Rahonaness to the East and to the West Chester Path to the North and up
to a river then called Moaquanes to the West. That is to say all the Land lyeing
betweene the aforesaid Two Rivers then called Pennigoe Extending from the
said Path to the North and South to the Sea or Sound.

That the said Peter Disbrow also purchased of the said Native Indian Propri-
etors by authority as aforesaid a Certaine other Tract of Land lyeing Betweene
Byram River andthe Blind Brook which was bounded as followeth vizt with the
Byram River Beginning at the Mouth of the aforesaid River on the East and the
Bounds of Hasting (then soe called) on the south, and southwest to the marked
Trees, and northward up to the marked Trees, abt six or seven miles from the
sea alorg the said Byram River northward and soe from the said River a Cross
the North Northwest and west to the said River called the blind Brook bounded
northward with marked Trees which lead down to a little Brook runing into the
Blind brook as by the said Two Indian Purchases may more fully appeare.

That the said Peter Disbrow having made such purchases afterward sold and
Disposed of the same to many of the Inhabitants of the said Township of Rye
who settled and Improved the same Lands? and were ffirst under the Township
of Rye under the Collony of Connecticut and Great part thereof hath since falen
under the Government of the Province of New York:

a Alb. Rec., Book of Patents; Lib. viz. 185. The Patent appears to have been granted in
T18.

b Words [erased] and were first as a township.

146 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

That yo" Petitioners and other Inhabitants of the Town of Rye aforesaid and
those under whom they Claime have beene ever since in the quiet and peaceable
possession of the said Lands and premises and Cultivated and Improved the
same.

But inasmuch as such Parts of the aforesaid Two severall Tracts of Land now
Claimed by yo" Petitioners and those whom they Represent as aforesaid lyes now
within the said Township of Rye under the Government of the said Province of
New York and there having been as yet noe Grant from the Crown for the same
under this Government Your Petitioners and those whom they Represent being
willing and Desirous to have his majesties most Gracious Letters Patent for
such part of the aforesaid Tracts of Land now in their quiet and peaceable pos-
session under this Government viz' Beginning at the Southermost part of Pinnin-
goe Neck and Runs along the sound Easterly until it comes to the mouth of By-
yam River and Runing up the said River and the Land Betweene the Colony of
Connecticut and the Province of New York Northward to the Antient marked
Trees of Limping Wills purchase and soe with the said marked Trees a Cross the
said purchase north west to the. River called the Blind brook, and soe Runing
down to the said River, and brook called Mill Creek to the Sound.

Yor Petitioners therefore on behalf of themselves and the said other Inhabitants
(who have fully authorized and Impowered yo" Petitioners to this Purpose) most
humbly pray yo" honours will be pleased to Grant to yo" Petitioners his majesties
most Gracious Letters Patent for the aforesaid Tract within the Limitts and
Boundaries last above Described, In Trust for themselves and the aforesaid In-
habitants according to their respective rights and Interest in the same under such
Reservation and Restrictions as are appointed for that purpose.

And yot.Petitioners shall ever pray etc. SAMUEL BROWN,
New York ve BENJAMIN BROWN.4
20 June 1720.

Upon the 11th of August, 1720, the following Royal Letters Patent
were issued to Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown in
behalf of themselves and others, freeholders and inhabitants of the town-
ship of Rye. The patentees yielding and paying therefore yearly to the
King, his heirs and successors at the Custom House in New York, unto
the Receiver-general of the Province, on the Feast of the Annunciation
of Blessed Virgin Mary (commonly called Lady Day) the annual rent of
two shillings and six pence “for every hundred acres thereof for the
same four thousand, five hundred acres of land, island and premises so
granted, &c.”

ROYAL PATENT OF RYE.

George by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, De-

fender of the faith, &c. Zo all To whom these presents shall come sendeth greeé-

ing: Whereas our Loving Subjecis Daniel Purdy, son of John Purdy deceased,
Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown in behalf of themselves and others Free-

a Land Papers, Albany, vol. vii, p. 171. See Baird’s Hist. of Rye.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 147

holders and Inhabitants of the Township of Rye in the County of Westchester in
the Province of New York by their Humble Petition presented to our trusty and
well-beloved Colonel Peter Schuyler, President of our Councili for our Province
of New York aforesaid, Have set forth that they and their ancestors and prede-
cessors under whom they hold have held and improved at their great charge with
their labour and industry, a Certain Tract of land bordering upon the line of
Division between this Province and Connecticut Colony for which they nor their
ancestors and predecessors hitherto have had no patent under the Seal of the
province of New York, Which said Tract of land is situate and being between
Byram River and Blind Brook and Begins at a Certain rock being the ending of
a point of land commonly known by the Name of Town Neck Point and in the
Southermost point of the said Tract of land, thence running Easterly by the
Sound to a point near the mouth of said Byrams River called Byrams Point in-
cluding a certain Island called Moiunsons [sland and from the said Byram Point
Northerly up Byram River on the East side of the said River as the Colony line
is at present supposed to be run by the inhabitants of the Neighborhood to a
rock standing on the Hast side of the said River by the wadeing place and the
high road leading to Connecticut, then North twenty-four degrees, thirty minutes,
West three hundred and forty-eight chains as the line which divides this Province
from Connecticut is supposed to run by the said inhabitants to a Wallnut tree
marked with three knotches on three sides being twelve chains on a straight
line to an Ash Tree Marked with three knotches on three sides standing near
blind Brook then down the said Brook untill it emptys it self into a Creek called
Mill Creek and then by the said Creek to the place where it Begun, Containing
Four Thousand and Five Hundred acres of Land or thereabout, after eighteen
small Tracts of land which lye within the said bounds and are part of twenty
small Tracts formerly granted the Reverend Christopher Bridge in his life time
are deducted and allowance being made for the Kings Highways and prayed to
have our Grant and Letters Patent for the same under the Great Seal of the
Province of New York in the manner following that is to say. To Hold to them
and their heirs and assigns for ever but to and for the use and uses following and
to no other use whatsoever (that is to say) As for and concerning such Tracts of
Land and hereditaments parts of the before receited Four Thousand Five Hun-
dred Acres of Land and Island whereof they the said Daniel Purdy, Samuel
Brown and Benjamin Brown are and stand Lawfully and Rightfully seized and
possessed in their own severall and respective rights interests and Estate to and
for the sole and only proper use Benefit and Behoofe of the aforesaid Daniel
Purdy, Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown severally and respectively and of
their severall and respective heirs and assigns forever. And as for and concern-
ing such other Tracts of Land and hereditaments parts of the before recited Four
Thousand Five Hundred Acres of Land and Island which are belonging and Ap-
pertaining to severall other persons Freeholders and Inhabitants within the
bounds and limits of the same Four Thousand Five Hundred Acres of Land and
Island some of more some of less according to their several seperate and particu-
lar interest in trust to and for the sole and only proper use benefit and behoofe
of each particular Freeholder and Inhabitant particularly and respectively and of
each their particular and respective heirs and assigns for ever in as full and ample
manner as if their particular Names and their particular and severall Freeholds

148 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and Inheritances were particularly and severally Expressed Mentioned and De-
scribed under the usual Quitt Rent, Clauses, provisions conditions limitations
and restrictions as are limited and appointed by our Royall Instructions for the
Granting of Lands in our Province of New York, for that purpose. Which re-
quest wee being willing to grant Know Yee that of our Especial Grace certain
knowledge and meer Motion Wee have given, granted, ratified and confirmed and
do by these presents for us our heirs and successors for ever Give, Gract, Ratifie
and Confirm unto the aforesaid Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown and Benjamin
Brown and to their heirs and assigns for ever, All that the aforesaid Tract of
Land and Island Containing as before is set forth Four Thousand Five Hundred
Acres together with all and singular Woods, Underwoods, Houses, Edifices,
Buildings, Barns, Fences, Orchards, Fields, Fielding, Pastures, Meadows, Mar-
shes, Swamps, Ponds, Pools, Waters, Water courses, Rivers, Rivoletts, Runs and
Streams of Water, Fishing, Fowling, Hunting and Hawking, Quarrys, Mines,
Mineralls, Standing Growing Lying and being or to be had used or enjoyed with-
in the limits and bounds aforesaid and all other profits benefits libertys privil-
edges, Hereditaments and appurtenances to the same belonging or any ways ap-
pertaining. And all that our Estate, Right, Title, Interest, Claim and Demand
whatsoever of in or to the same. And the Revertion and Revertions, Remainder
and Remainders and the Yearly Rents and Profits of the same (Excepting and
always reserving out of this our present Grant unto us our heirs and successors
for ever all such Fir Trees and Pine Trees of the Diameter of Twenty-four
inches at Twelve inches from the ground or root as are or shall be fit to make
Masts for the use of our said their Royall Navy. As also all such other Trees,
as are or shall be fit to make planks and Knees for the use of our said their said
Royall Navy only which now are standing growing or being in and upon any of
the said Tract of Land and Island with Free Lycence and Liberty for any per-
son or persons whomsoever by us our heirs and successors or any of them to be
thereunto authorized and appointed under our and their sign Manual with Work-
men Horses Waggons Carts and Carriages and without to enter upon and come
into the same Tract of Land and Island and there to fell cut down root up hiew
saw rive splitt have take cart and carry away the same Masts, Trees, Planks and
Knees for the use aforesaid and also Except all Gold and Silver Mines, saving also
and reserving unto the heirs and assigns for ever of the aforesaid Christopher
Bridge Eighteen small Tracts of Land which Lye within the said bounds and are
part of Twenty small Tracts formerly granted to him in his life time by Letters
Patent under the Great Seal of our said Province of New York bearing Date the
Nineteenth day of July in the Fourth Year of our Reign saving also and reserv-
ing unto Lemuel Rogers and Roger Parks, and to their several and respective
heirs and assigns respectively for ever their Respective Rights Title Interest and
Equity which they and either of them respectively do shall or may have or claim
to the Southermost part of the said Island any thing in these Presents to the
contrary thereof in any ways notwithstanding.) Yo have and To hold all that the
aforesaid Tract of Land and Island containing in the whole Four Thousand Five
Hundred Acres of Land and all other the above granted premises with the
hereditaments and appurtenances (Saving and Hzcepting only as before is Excepted
and Reserved) unto the aforesaid Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown and Benjamin
Brown, their heirs and assigns for ever, but to and for the uses following and to and

THE TOWN OF RYE. 149

for no other use whatsoever (that is to say) As for and concerning such Tracts of
land and hereditaments parts of the before recited Four Thousand Five Hundred
Acres of Land and Island whereof they the said Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown and
Benjamin Brown are and stand Lawfully and Rightfully seized and possessed in
their own severall and respective rights interests and Estate to and for the sole and
only proper use benefit and behoofe of the aforesaid Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown
and Benjamin Brown severally and respectively and of their severally and respec-
tive heirs and assigns for ever. And as for and concerning such other Tracts of Land
and hereditaments parts of the before recited Four Thousand, Five Hundred Acres
of Land and Island which are belonging and apertaining to several other persons
Freeholders and Inhabitants within the bounds and limits of the same Four
Thousand Five Hundred Acres of Land and Island some of more, some of less
according to their severall separate and particular interest in Trust to and for the
sole and only proper use benefit and behoofe of each particular Freeholder and
Inhabitants particularly and respectively and of each of their particular and
respective heirs and assigns for ever in as full and ample manner as if their
particular Names and their particular and several Freeholds and Inheritances
were particularly and severally Expressed Mentioned and described in these
presents. 'o bee Holden of us our heirs and successors for ever in free and com-
mon soccage as of our Mannor of Hast Greenwich in the County of Kent within
our Realm of Great Brittain Yeilding rendering and paying therefore yearly and
every year unto us our heirs and successors at our Custom House in New York
unto our and their Receiver Generall of our said Province for the time being on
the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary commonly called Lady
Day the Annual Rent of Two Shillings and six pence Lawful Money of New York
for every Hundred Acres thereof in Lieu and stead of all other rents services
Dues Duties and Demands whatsoever for the same Four Thousand Five Hun-
dred Acres of Land Jsland and Premises, so granted as aforesaid Provided al-
ways and these presents are upon this condition that the same Daniel Purdy,
Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown and the other Freeholders and Inhabitants
of the same Tract of Land and Island so granted as aforesaid and their heirs and
assigns some or one of them have already or shall within the Term and Space of
three Years next Ensuing the Date hereof settle clear and make improvement of
three acres of land for every fifty acres of land at least for the same tract of land
and Island so granted as aforesaid and so proportionably for a larger or smaller
Tract or parcel thereof and in Default thereof or if the aforesaid Daniel Purdy
Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown and the other Inhabitants and Freeholders
of any part or parts of the same Tract of land and Island or their heirs or assigns
or any of them or any other person or persons whatsoever by their or any other
of their privy consent or procurement shall set on fire and burn the Woods on
the same Tract of land and Island or any part thereof to clear the same that then
and there and in either of these Two cases this our present Grant and every
Article and Clause therein or thereof shall cease determine and become utterly
Void anything in these presents to the contrary thereof in any ways notwith-
standing. And Wee do hereby Will and Grant that these our Letters be made
Patent and that they and the Record of them in our Secretary’s Office of our
Provinge of New York shall be good and effectuall in the Law of all Intents and
Purposes Notwithstanding the not true and well reciting of the premises or of

150 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the limits and bounds thereof or any former or other Grant or Letters Patent for
the same made or granted to any other person or persons or persons body poli-
tick or corporate whatsoever, any Laws or other restraint incertainty or imper-
fection whatsoever to the contrary hereof in anyways Notwithstanding.

Tn Testimony whereof Wee have caused the great Seal of our Province of New
York to be affixed to these presents and the same to be Entred on the Record in
one of the Books of Patents in our said Secretary’s Office remaining. Wétness our
said trusty and well beloved Colonel Peter Schuyler President of our Councill
for our Province of New York in Councill at Fort George in New York the
Eleventh day of August in the Seventh Year of our Reign Annoque Domini
1720. Js. Borin. Dept. Secy.%

In 1786 the people of the State, (as successors of the Crown,) claimed
the arrears of quit rent due upon the tract of four thousand five hundred
acres, granted to Daniel Purdy, Samuel Brown and Benjamin Brown,
on the 11th of August, 1720.

The lands west of the Blind brook, called by the Indians Apawamis,
are to be distinguished from the resi of the township of Rye as consti-
tuting a distinct Patent, called Budd’s Neck Patent. ‘This territory,
which was ‘bounded on the east by Blind brook, on the west by the little
stream whose Indian name was Pockcotessewake, since known as Stony
brook, or Beaver Meadow brook, and extending northward as far as
Westchester Path, and southward to the sea,’ was purchased of the na-
tive sachem Shanarocke and other Indians by John Budd, of Southhold,
Long Island, who now takes the lead instead of Peter Disbrow, the first
English grantee, under the sachems of Poningoe.

INDIAN DEED OF APAWAMIS.

To all Christian people, Ingains and others whom it may concern, that we,
‘whose names are hereunto subscribed, living upon Hudson’s river, in America,
that we, Shanarocke, sagamore, and Rackceate, Napockheast, Tawwheare, Nan-
derwhere, Tomepawcon, Rawmaquaie, Pawaytahem, Mawmawytom, Howho-
ranes, Cockkeneco, Tawwayco, Attoemacke, Heattomeas, all Ingains, for divers
good causes and considerations us hereunto moving, have fully and absolutely
bargained, and doe for ever sell unto John Budd, senior, of Southhole, his heires,
executors, &c., all our real right, tittell and interest we or eather of us have in
one track of land lying on the mayn, called Apawammeis, buted and bounded on
the east with Mockquams river, and on the south with the sea against Long
Island, and on the west with Pockcotessewake river, and at the north up to the
marke trees nyeer Westchester Path, all the lands, trees to fell at his pleasure,
with all the grounds, and meadow grounds and planting grounds, moynes and
minerals, springs and rivers, or what else lying or being within the said track of
land, and also range, feeding and grasse for cattell, twenty English miles north-
ward into the country, and trees to fell at his or their pleasure, and to their pro-
per use and improvements of the said John Budd, his heirs, executors, &c., for

a Book of Patents, (Albany) No. vili. 407

THE TOWN OF RYE. 151

ever to enjoy, possess and keep as their real right, as also peaceably to inherite
the sayd track of land with all thereon, and we, the before named Ingains, doe
acknowledge and confesse to have received in hand of the said John Budd, the
juste sum of eightie pounds sterling in full satisfaction for the aforesaid land
with all the limits, bounds and privileges with hegrece and regrece , without lett
or molestation of any one. Now for the more true and reall enjoyment and pos-
session of the said John Budd, his heirs, &c., we doe jointly and severally, us
and either of us, or any by and under us, for ever assign and make over by vir-
tue of this, our deed and bill of sale, disclayme any further right in the sayd
tract of land from the day of the date hereof, and all and each of us do promise
to put the said John Budd or his into quiet, peaceable possession, and him to keep
and defend and mayntaine against all person or persons whatsoever that shall di-
rectly or indirectly lay any clayme or former grant, or shall trouble or molest
the said John Budd or his, be they English or Dutch, or Ingains, or whatsoever.
We the aforenamed Ingains doe engage ourselves, heirs, executors, &c., to make
good this our obligations as aforesaid. I Shanarocke, Rackeate, Mepockheast,
Tawwaheare, Nanderwhere, Tomepawcon, Rawmaquaie, Pawwaytahem, Maw-
mawytom, Howhoranes, Cockkeneco, Tawwayen, Attoemacke, Heattomees, have
hereunto set our hands at time and times,and we doe approve of each of our
hands to this deed to be good and firm. Witness this our hands this day, being

the 8th of November, 1661. The mark of SHANOROOKE,
Signed, sealed and delivered, NANDERWHEBE,
THomas REVELL, MEpocKHEAST,
JOHN CoE, HowHoRAaNEs,
THomas CLosE, RAWMAQUAIE,
HumpHeey HuGuHEs, RACKEATE,
PAWWAYTAHEM,
CocKENSEOO.’

Know all men, English and Ingains, that whereas Shanorock sold John Budd
all the land from the sea to Westchester path, I Shenorock marked trees by Pen-
ning path do hereby give and grant and acknowledge that I have received full
satisfaction of him, and according to the true intent of these bounds, he the sayd
John Budd is to have and enjoy all the land by the Blind brook to Westchester
path, witness my hand.

Witness the The mark of SHANOROOKE, &.
mark of & CoxKzo. The mark of REMaAQUvUAIE.
Peter DisBrow.

Another deed executed eleventh month, fifth day, 1661, related to the
islands in the Sound near the southern extremity of the territory of Ap-
awamis. These were Hen and Pine islands, and the Scotch caps.

Know all men whom this may concern, that I Shenerock, sachem have bar-
gained sold and delivered unto John Budd the islands lying south from the neck
of land the sayd John Budd bought of me and other Ingains, and have received

152 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

full satisfaction of Thomas Close for the said John’s use, and doe warrant the
sale above written in the presence of Thomas Close and William Jones.

The mark of Smznorock, sachem.
Witnesse THomas CLosE, SHENOROCK.
WILLIAM JoNEs, his marke,

This transaction was followed, in a few days, by the purchase of the
West Neck, or the tract of land adjoining Budd’s Neck, proper, and ly-
ing between Stony Brook and Mamaroneck river.

““11 MONTH, TWELFTH DAY, 1661.

‘Know all men whom this may concern, that I Shenorock, Rawmaqua, Rack-
eatt, Pawwaytahan, Mawmatoe, Howins, have bargained sold and delivered
unto John Budd a neck of land, bounded by a neck of land he bought of me and
other Ingans on the south, and with Merremack river on the west, and with
marked trees to the north, with twenty miles for feeding ground for cattle with
all the woods, trees, manrodes, meadows and rivers and have received full satis-
faction in coats and three score fathom of wompom of Thomas Close for the
said John’s use, and to engage myself to warrant the sale thereof against all men,
English, Dutch and Ingans, and for the faithful performance hereof, I have set
my hand in the presence of Thomas Close and William Jones, the day and year

above written. The mark of SHENEROCKE,
Witnesse THomas Coser, RAWMAQUA, his mark.
WIi1AM Jongs, his marcke, HOWNIS,

PRAM, his mark,
RAZI, his mark.’¢

On the second day of June 1662, we found John Budd in company
with Peter Disbrow, John Coe and Thomas Studwell, purchasing of the
Indians Showannorocot, Romkque and others, a tract of land above the
West Chester Path, and west of Blind Brook, or directly north of Budd’s
Neck. This was the territory of the present town of, Harrison, and
taken from Rye in 1702. ;

‘Know all men whom this may concern that we Peter Disbrow, John Coe and
Thomas Studwell and John Budd have bargained and bought and paid for to
the satisfaction of Showannorocot and Roksohtohkor and Powataham and other
Indians whose names are underwritten a certain tract of land above Westchester
Path to the marked trees bounded with the above said river Blind Brook ; which
tract of land with all the privileges of wood, trees, grass, springs, mines and
minerals, to the said Peter Disbrow, John Coe, Thomas Studwell, to them and
their heirs for ever; with warrants against all persons, English, Dutch or Indians.
To this bargain and sale we the above said Indians do bind ourselves, heirs, and
assigns to the above said Peter Disbrow, John and the rest above said, to them,

a Col. Rec. Wartford, vol. i, pp. 333, 334,

THE TOWN OF RYE. 153

their heirs and assigns for ever; as witness our hands this present day and date,
June the 2: 1662. SHOWANNOROCOT, his mark
RomxKegukE, his mark’¢

In 1665 John Budd, sen., grants to John Morgan and John Concklin
of Flushing, lands situate in Rye upon the south-eastern neck, ‘“‘ bounded
west by Mamaroneck River, east by great rock in a bottom, south with
the creek, and north by marked Trees.”

The next year John Budd obtains a confirmation of the Indian grant
of November 8th 1661, of a tract of land extending northward into the
country sixteen miles from Westchester Path from the Indian Sachems
Shanarocke, Romackqua and Pathung:

SECOND INDIAN DEED OF APAWAMIS.

To all Christian people, Indians and others whom it may concern that wee who’s
names are hereunto subscribed living upon Hudson’s River in America, Shona-
rocke Sagemore, and Romackqua and Pathung, whereas wee have formerly sold
a tract of land unto Mr. John Budd, senior, bounded on the sea by the South, on
the North by Westchester path and the name of the tract of land is commonly
called Apauamiss, and whereas wee have sold unto the sayd Mr. John Budd
twenty English miles northwards from the above said tract of land, which is
called by Apauamis the above said twenty English miles wee doe acknowledge
that wee have sold unto Mr. John Budd for range, for feed, for timber, for gras-
ing, to him and his heirs forever, and now wee doe acknowledge that wee have
bargained, sold and delivered, wee and every one of us from our Heirs, Executors,
or assignes jointly and severally unto John Budd, his Heirs, Executors or As-
signs a tract of land lying within the compass of the above sayd twenty English
miles bounded on the south by Westchester path and on the East by the Blind
Brook and on the West by Mamaraneck River and the north bounds is sixteen
miles (English miles) from Westchester path up into the country, for which land
we have received already in hand a certaine sume to the value of twenty pounds
sterling for the above sayd track of land, for which land we are fully satisfied by
the sayd John Budd for the above sayd track of land for the which wee doe ac-
knowledge wee have bargained, sold and delivered unto John Budd and His
Heirs forever with warrantie against all men, English, Dutch, and Indians and
doe give him full possession and promise so to keep him to the which bargaine
and agreement wee have hereunto set our hands this day, being the 29th of April,
1666.

Witness, JosepH Horton, The mark of SHANAROCKE,
Witness, Joun Rawis, The mark of ROMACKQUA,

a sachems Son,
The mark of Cokok the Indian, The mark of PATHUNG.

Recorded May 10, 1673, in the public records of ye book ffol 32, pme, Jno.
Allyn, Secretry: A true copie compared by Edward Colier.?

a Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 15.
on New York Col. MSS. Land papers. 1642-1681, vol. I. p. 10, “ol. Rec. of Conn., vol. (MS.) p.
34.

154 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

** By the several purchases now recorded,” says Baird, “ the founders
of this town acquired the title to a very considerable territory. The
southern part of it alone comprised the tract of land between Byram
River and Mamaroneck River, while to the north it extended twenty
miles, and to the northwest an indefinite distance. These boundaries,
so far as they were stated with any degree of clearness, included, be-
sides the area now covered by the towns of Rye and Harrison, much of
the towns of North Castle and Bedford in New York, and of Green-
wich in Connecticut; whilst in a northwesterly direction the territory
claimed was absolutely without a fixed limit. Indeed, we shall see that
as the frontier town of Connecticut, Rye long cherished pretensions to
the whole region beyond, as far as the Hudson.”

Yet as ambitious as the proprietors of this town appear to have been
in general, they viewed with great suspicion the progress of individual
enterprise, especially in selling or disposing of any of the lands in ques-
tion. In consequence the extensive purchases and subsequent sales of
John Budd gave them no little degree of anxiety ; for we find the follow-
ing petition dispatched to the General Court at Hartford by the inhabit-
ants of Rye, on the 2d of October, 1668:

The humble petition of the inhabitants of the town of Rye, to the Right Honorable the Governor
and the rest of the yentlemen of the General Court at Hartford:

May it please your Honor, with the gentlemen of the General Courte, to under-
stand that about four years since, that John Budd did present a paper with
several names to it, of inhabitants on his neck or island, so called and patented.
It was for the settling of himself and children; on which we conceived had it
been performed it had done noe great injury to the towne; but he noe ways pre-
tended it, as doth agree, but hath and doth dayley let it and settle people upon
it, extreamely prejuditiall to the towne, without the towne’s approbation, which
wee humbly conceave may be ourinjury if not speedily prevented; Doe humbly
request that neck of land may be delivered up to the town, we paying him by
Indian purchases with interest, he abating for what land he hath sold, if not pre-
juditiall to the towne. And them that are prejuditiall, may be removed, and
that you would be pleased to depute two or three persones whom you shall think
meet, to come and settell amongst us with what speed may be. Soe we rest your
humble petitioners.

Perer Dissrow, WILLIAM WooDHULL, RosBEert BLoomeEr,
RicHarp Vow Les, JouN BRonpie, STEPHEN SHERWOOD,
Tiworny Knapp, THomAs BRowng, GrorGE LANE.

“On the 15th of October, 1672, the general courte assembled at
Hartford, ordered that Mr. Budd and those of Rye, that have appropri-
ated the lands of Rye to themselves shall appear at general court in

@ Baird’s Hist. of Rye, pp. 17, 18.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 155

May next, to make appear their right. For the general court intends
to settle those lands according to righteousness, that no plantation may
be discouraged, and plantation work may goe forward to better satisfac-
tion than formerly.Ӣ

The court must subsequently have confirmed John Budd, in his nghts
as proprietor, (while at the same time they showed the neck to be incor-
porated into the town of Rye,) for we find him in 1681-2, granting a
piece of meadow land lying westward of John Ogden, to John Hor-
ton.?

In 1685, John Budd, of Southhold, in New England, sold to Joseph
Purdy a certain tract of land in Rye, lying and being upon the neck
called Epawainos, bounded on the east by Blind Brook, &c., &c. Also
a parcel of land upon the same to Judith Brown and Joseph Ogden,
April 29, 1685.¢

The following orders were issued to the surveyor general, by his Ex-
cellency the governor in council, the 2oth of February, 1695-6:

“You are hereby required to survey and lay out for Joseph Budd in
order to a patent, all the land contained in an Indian purchase in West-
chester Co., made A. D. 1661 ; from the Sound to the marked trees near
Westchester path, bounded on the west by the Mamaroneck River, on
the east by parte of Blind Brook,” and this shall be to you a sufficient
warrant.@ BENJAMIN FLETCHER,
To ANTHONY GRAHAM, Surveyor General, By order of Council.

In consequence of the unsettled state of the boundary lines between
the two colonies of New York and Connecticut, Joseph Budd failed in
obtaining his patent at this time.

The general court also refused him a patent for his paternal lands in
1710, upon the ground that the former patent granted was sufficient.¢ It
was not until the year 1720 that the Crown confirmed the Budd pur-
chase by royal letters patent under the great seal of the province of New
York, to Joseph Budd, John Hoight and Daniel Purdy ; the patentees
yielding and rendering therefor yearly, to the Governor, on the feast day
of the blessed Virgin Mary, commonly called Lady Day, the annual rent
of one pound nineteen shillings :—

@ Hartford Rec. vol. III. 29.

b County Rec. Lib. B. 84.

e County Rec. Lib. A. p. 14.

d Indian Deeds, Alb. Rec. warrant for survey, Lib. 39.

é Hartford, Rec. vol. TV, 121. 1. Local officers were sometimes appointed specifically by
the town for the ‘ east side of Blind Brook ‘—‘ 2d of Aug., 1700, the town in general doth grant
unto the inhabitance of the neck of appoquamas, the liberty to have pound and pounders and
fence viewers.’ Baird’s Hist. of Rye:

156 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ROYAL PATENT FOR BUDD’S NECK.

George, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, De-
fender of the faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greet-
ing, whereas our loving subjects Joseph Budd, John Hoight and Daniel Purdy, in-
habitants of the Town of Rye, in the County of West Chester, by their petition
presented to our trusty and well beloved Colonel Peter Schuyler, President of the
Council for our Province of New York, Have set forth that in Virtue of a pur
chase made by John Budd in his life time, the Father of the aforesaid Joseph
Budd by Lycence from the Government of Connecticut Colony, bearing Date the
Eighth Day of November, One Thousand Six Hundred and Sixty, of a certain
Tract or parcell of land in the Bounds of the Township of Rye, in the County of
Westchester, then called Apawquammis, bounded East by a River then called
Mackquams River, Southerly by the Sea or Sound against Long Island, now
called the Island of Nassau, Westerly by a River then called Pochoteswake River,
and Northerly by Marked Trees near West Chester Path, that the said petitioners
with Diverse others of our Loving subjects, inhabitants of the same Township of
Rye, who have and do hold and enjoy the same Tract of Land by from or under
the same John Budd, and his heirs and assigns have cultivated and improved the
same at their great charge, and with great labor and industry, and have been and
are now hitherto peaceable and Quietly possessed thereof, praying to have the
same confirmed to them by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Province
of New York, in the manner as is hereafter Described (that is to say) all that
Tract or Neck of Land in the Township of Rye, in the County of Westchester, in
the Province of New York now called Budd's purchase, Beginning at a certain
grist Mill, called Joseyh Lyon’s Mill, standing on a Brook called Blind Brook,
thence up the stream of said Brook including the said Mill until it meets withal
small Brook called or known by the name of Bound Brook, thence on a North
West course until it meets with Westchester Old Road, then South Westerly
along the said Road as it runs to a White Oak Tree Marked on two sides stand-
ing on the West side of a certain brook known by the name of Stony Brook
which White Oak Tree is the South West corner of a certain patent called Har-
rison’s Patent thence from said White Oak Tree on a North West course to an
Ash Tree Marked on two sides standing on the East side of Mamarroneck River
close by the edge of said River as it runs to the place where the said Mamarron-
eck River emptys itself into Mamarroneck Harbour or Creek thence Southerly
to where said Mamarroneck Harbour or Creek falls into the Sound thence East-
erly along the Sound untill it meets with a certain Creek called Mill Creek on the
head whereof the aforesaid Grist Mill of Joseph Lyon is standing thence up the
channell of said Creek as it runs until it meets the aforesaid Grist Mill where it
first begun, Bounded Easterly by Blind Brook and Mill Creek Northerly by
Westchester Road and Harrisons Patent Westerly by Mamarroneck River and
Harbour and Southerly by the Sound together with a small Island called Hen
Island lying in the Sound over against the said lands about a quarter of a Mile
from the Main containing in the whole Main land and Island fifteen hundred and
sixty acres, To Hold to them and their heirs and assigns forever, but to and for
the use and uses following and to no other use whatsoever (that is toe say) as for
and concerning such Tracts of land and hereditaments part of the afore recited
Tract of land and Island whereof they the said Joseph Budd, John Hoight and

THE TOWN OF RYE. 157

Daniel Purdy are and stand Lawfully and Rightfully seized and possessed in
their own severall and respective rights interest and estate to and for the sole
and only proper use benefit and behoof of the aforesaid Joseph Budd, John
Hoight and Daniel Purdy severally and respectively and of their severall and re-
spective heirs and assigns for ever, Amd as for and concerning such other Tracts
of Lands parts of the before recited Tract of Land and Island which belonging
and appertaining to severall other persons Freeholders and Inhabitants within
the bounds of the same ‘Tract of Land and Island some more and some less ac-
cording to their severall separate and particular interest and for the sole and only
proper use benefit and behoof of each particular Freeholder and Inhabitant par-
ticularly and respectively and of each of their particular and respective heirs and
assigns for ever in as full and ample manner as if their names were particularly and
severally mentioned and expressed and their particular and severall Freeholds
were particularly and severally mentioned and Described under the usual Quit
Rent with the usual Clauses provisions ccnditions limitations and restrictions as
are limited and appointed by our Royall Instructions for Granting of landin our
said province. Which request Wee being willing to Grant, Know Yee that of our,
Especial Grace Certain Knowledge and Meer Motion Wee have given granted
ratifyed and confirmed and do by these presents for us our heirs and successors
give grant ratifie and confirm unto the said Joseph Budd, John Hoight, and
Daniel Purdy, and to their heirs and assigns for ever, All that the aforesaid
Tract of land and Island before it containing in the whole Fifteen Hundred and
Sixty Acres in manner and form as last mentioned and Described together with
all and singular Woods, Under woods, Houses, Edifices, Buildiugs Barns Fences
Orchards Fields Feedings, Pastures, Meadows, Marshes, Swamps, Ponds, Pools,
Waters Water Courses Rivers, Rivoletts, Runs and Streams of Water, Fishing,
Fowling, Hunting and Hawking Quarries Mines Mineralls, standing growing ly-
ing and being or to be had used and enjoyed within the limits and bounds afore-
said and all other profits benefits libertys privileges hereditaments and appurte-
nances to the same belonging or any ways appertaining, Avd all that our Estate
Right Title Interest Benefit Claim and Demand whatsoever of in or to the same
and the Revertion and Revertions Remainder and Remainders and the Yearly
Rents and profits of the same Excepting and always Reserving out of this our
present Grant unto us our heirs and successors for ever all such Fir Trees and Pine
Trees of the Diameter of twenty-four Inches at twelve Inches from the Ground
or Root as are or shall be fit to make Masts for our Royall Navy as also all such
other Trees as are or shall be fit to make Planks or Knees for the use of our said
Royall Navy only which now are standing growing or being which for ever
hereafter shall be standing growing or being inand upon any of the said Tract of
Land and Island with Free Lycence and Liberty for any person and persons
whomsoever by us our heirs and successors or any of them to be thereunto au-
thorized and appointed under our or their Sign Manual with Workmen Horses
Waggons Carts and Carriages, and without to enter upon and come into the same
Tract of Land and Island and there to fell cut down root up hiew saw rive split
have take cart and carry away the same Trees Planks Masts and Knees for the
use aforesaid and also Except all Gold and Silver Mines To have and to hold all
that the aforesaid Tract of Land and Island before it containing in the whole
Fifteen Hundred and Sixty Acres and all other the above Granted Premisses

158 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

with the hereditaments and appurtenances (Excepting only as before is Excepted
and Reserved) unto the aforesaid Joseph Budd, John Hoight and Daniel Purdy
their heirs and assigns for ever, but to and for the uses following and to and for
no other use whatsoever (that is to say) as for and concerning such Tracts
of Land and Hereditaments part or parts of the before recited Tract of
Land and Island herein and hereby Granted whereof they the said Joseph
Budd, John Hoight, and Daniel Purdy are and stand Lawfully and Rightfully
seized and possessed in their own and severall and Respective Rights Interest
and Estate to and for the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of the said
Joseph Budd, John Hoight and Daniel Purdy severally and respectively and their
severall and respective Heirs and assigns forever, And as for and concerning
such other Tracts of Land and hereditaments part or parts of the before recited
Tract of Land and Island herein and hereby Granted which are or shall be be-
longing and appertaining to severall other persons Freeholders and Inhabitants
within the bounds of the same Tract of land and Island some more and some less
according to their severall seperate and particular Estate and Interest in trust to
and for the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of each particular Free-
holder and Inhabitant particularly and respectively and of each of their particu-
lar and respective heirs and assigns for ever in as full and ample manner as if
their severall Names and their severall and respective Freeholds and Inheritances
were particularly and severally Described and Exprest in these presents 7’o Bee
Holden of us our heirsand successors in free and common soccage as of our Man-
nor of East Greenwich in the County of Kent within the Realm of Great Brittain
Yeilding rendring and paying therefore unto us our heirs and successors unto our
and their Receiver Generall for the Province of New York for the time being at
our Custom House in the City of New York Yearly and every Year for ever on
the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary commonly called
Lady Day the annual rent of Two Shillings and Six pence for every hundred
acres of the said Tract of Land and Island and so proportionably for a smaller
quantity (that is to say) the sum of One Pound Nineteen shillings for the whole
Tract of Land and Island in Lieu and Stead of all other Rents services Dues
Duties and Demands whatsoever for the same Tract of Land Island and Premisses
so Granted as aforesaid, Provided always and these presents are upon this Con-
dition that the same Joseph Budd, John Hoight and Daniel Purdy, and the other
Free-holders and Inhabitants of the same Tract of Land and Island so Granted as
aforesaid and their heirs and assigns some or One of them have or shall within
the Term and Space of three Years next ensuing the Date hereof settle clear and
make improvement of three acres of Land at least for every Fifty Acres of the
said Tract of Land and Island and so proportionably for a larger or smaller Tract
or parcell thereof; andin Default thereof the said Joseph Budd, John Hoightand
Daniel Purdy, and the other Inhabitants and Freeholders of any part or parts of
the said Tract of Land and Island or their heirs or assigns or any of them or any
other person or persons by their or any of their privity consent or procurement
shall set on fire and burn the Woods on the same Tract of Land and Island or
any part thereof to clear the same that then and in either of these cases this our
present Grant and every article and clause thereof shall become Void, cease and
Determine any thing in these presents to the contrary thereof in any ways Not-
withstanding ; and wee do hereby Will and Grant that these our Letters be made

THE TOWN OF RYE, 159

Patent and that they and the Record of them in our Secretary’s office of our
Province of New York, shall be good and Effectual in the Law Notwithstanding
the not true and well reciting of the premises or of the bounds thereof or of any
former or other Letteis Patent or Grant for the same made or granted to any
other person or persons Body Corporate or Politick whatsoever by us or any of
our Royall ancestors or predecessors any Law or other restraint uncertainity or
imperfection whatsoever to the contrary hereof in any ways Notwithstanding. Jn
Testimony whereof wee have caused the great seal of our Province of New York
aforesaid to be affixed to these presents and the same to be Entered of Record in
one of the Books of Patents in our said Secretary’s office remaining Witness our
said Trusty and well-beloved Colonel Peter Schuyler President of our Councill
for our Province of New York in Councill at Fort George in New York the
twenty-eight Day of July in the sixth year of our Reign Annog Domini 1720.

‘ JS. BOLIN, Depty Seery-a

The Budd or Rye neck patent was subsequently divided among the
following proprietors, viz. James Gedney, 102 acres; Daniel Purdy,
drummer of Rye, 40 acres; John Carpenter, a portion joining Mama-
roneck river; Mr. William Bowness, of Rye, 2 acres; that portion
called the Gusset to Joseph Ogden; a second of 30 acres to Joseph
Lyon; Daniel Purdy, 3 acres; Monmouth Hart, 15 acres; James
Wood, 5 acres; Archibald Tilford, 18 acres; The residue to John
Budd.

25 March, 1745. Peter Jay leased of John Budd 250 acres, and ob-
tained a release for the same the succeeding day.

The name of John Roome occurs as lessee for the whole patent, of
1560 acres, the same year.

4 September, 1746. Peter Jay purchased four acres of meadow on
Hen Island of Monmouth Hart.°

The partition deed between Sir James Jay, Peter Jay, John Jay and
Frederick Jay, sons of Peter deceased, recites “that Peter Jay deceased
devised all his real estate to his four sons, and conveyed in severalty to
Peter Jay the Rye farm, as conveyed by John Budd to Peter Jay de-
ceased by lease and release of 25th and 26th of March, 1745.4

The Jays have since added to their original grant by other purchases
from the families of the Harts, Gedneys, Guions, and Haines, &c.

Peter Jay by will bearing date, 1st September, 1797, devised all his
real estate to his brother John Jay, who thereupon became seized of the
whole premises in severalty. The Hon. John Jay by adeed, dated 16th

a Albany Book of Patents, Lib. viii, p, 375 and 257, 461.

4 County Rec. Lib. R, 132, 133, 128.

e Co. Ree. Lib. R, 138.

d Extract from deduction of title, in possession of John C. Jay, Esq.

160 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

September, 1822, conveyed them in fee to the late Peter Augustus, Esq.,
father of the present proprietor, making the fourth generation that has
occupied this spot.

The Guions are also owners of a large portion of the Budd or Rye
neck patent.

The village of Rye is pleasantly situated upon the New York and
Boston turnpike, one mile and a half north of Long Island Sound. The
Mockquams or Blind Brook, a perennial stream, flows through the place,
and adds much to the beauty of the surrounding scenery. It derives its
source from the romantic hills north of the village. The principal spring
is located on the lands of the late Edwin Keeler. In its progress south,
this stream, fed by numerous tributaries, affords excellent mill seats.¢

The first settlement in the town was made near the ford, at the south-
ern end of Manussing Island, in 1660; while other habitations, which
were subsequently erected on the bank, overlooking the beach, and on
or near “ Burying Hill,” formed a kind of suburb to the island village.
To the latter place the first proprietors gave the name of Hastings, after
the famous seaport of that name in Sussex, England. Part of the main
land received this appellation, together with the island. ‘The bounds of
Hastings’ extended, as we have seen, about as far north, on Peningoe
Neck, as the present village of Port Chester. But some time elapsed be-
fore any improvements were attempted in this direction. For two or
three years, certainly, the planters confined themselves to their insular
home.

The three purchasers of the island—Disbrow, Coe and Studwell—
were soon joined by other adventurers, if, indeed, they were not accom-
panied by them at the outset. The following are the names of all the
planters of whom we have any record, as belonging to the island settle-
ment :—

a In the town records occurs the following entry :—‘‘March 3d, 1696. Samuel Lane and Jo-
seph Lyon are, or either of them, permitted to build a fulling or grist mill upon Blind Brook,
above the town, provided they choose their locationin three weeks, and build the fulling mill
in three years. This mill is supposed to have occupied the site of the present grist and saw
mill of Mr. James E. Beers, so that a mill has stood upon this stream for one hundred and
forty years at least. The ancient Budd mill, the first building erected on the river land, was
located on the west side of Blind Brook, south of the present stone bridge at the entrance of
the village. The following extracts relate to the erection of other mills on the Mamaroneck
and Byram rivers: In 1705, the town granted unto Samuel Hunt, of Rye, the stream of Mam-
aroneck river at the falls of the said river, off Humphery Underhills, to erect and build a
grist mu] or mills upon the said stream ; and the said Samuei Hunt is to grind the town’s corn
for the fourteenth part.’ In 1712, the town ‘ granted unto Richard Ogdin the privilege of the
stream in Byram river, between the lower going over and the country road to erect and builda
miil or mills, &c,

THE TOWN OF RYE. 161

Peter Dissrow, RicHarD VOWLES, Tuomas APPLEBE,

JOHN Coz, SaMvEL ALLING, PuHirip GALPIN,

Tuomas STUDWELL, Rogserr Hcpson, GEORGE CLERE,

Joun Bopp, Joun Bronpisu, JOHN JACKSON,

Witu1aM OpELL, FREDERICK HARMINSON, Wa ter LANCASTER,
JAYFREY Lokwoop and ——— Mosier,

** Making seventeen in all.Ӣ

From the island village the early settlers issued their declaration. of
allegiance to their sovereign Lord, King Charles, the Second, dated—

** Hastinas, July 26, 1662.

‘Know all men whom this may concern that [we the] inhabitants of Minnus-
sing Island whose n[ames are here] vuder writtne, do declare vnto all the true
[th] we came not hither to live without government as pr [etended] and therfore
doe proclayme Charles the Second ovr lawful lord and king: and doe volunta-
ryly submit our selves and all ovr lands that we have bought of the English and
Indians, under his gratious protection: and doe expect according to his gratious
declaration; unto all his subjects which we are and desire to be subject to his
holsom laws that are jvst and Righteous according to God and our capableness
to receive, where unto we doe subscribe.

Which aid yee. Peter DisBrow,
JAYFREY Loxwoon, Joun Coz,
The mark of Mosizr, The mark of THomas STuDWELL,
The mark of SamvEeL ALLING, The mark of Witt1amM ODELLE,

The mark of Ropert Hursone,

JouN BronpisH,
The mark of FrepERIcK HARMINSONR,
The mark of THomas APPLEBE.?

To this declaration is appended the following compact and orders,
(showing the bounds of the future Zownship of Hastings.)

‘* We do agree that for our land bought on the mayn land, called in the Indian
Poningoe, and in English the Biaram land, lying between the aforesaid Biaram
river and the Blind Brook, bounded east and west with these two rivers, and on
the north with Westchester path, and on the south with the sea, for a plantation,
and the name of the town to be called Hastings.

And now, lastiy, we have jointly agreed that he that will subscribe to these or-

a Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 21.

6 The original of this interesting document is unfortunately lost. The author of this work
made # careful tracing, from the first volume of the town records of Rye, which has sivce
disappeared. A lithographed fac-simile copy of this declaration will be found in Baird’s His—
tory of Rye, pp. 22, 23.

162 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ders, here is land for him, and he that doth refuse to subscribe hereunto, we have
no land for him.” Hastings, July 26, 1622. The planters hands to these orders,

BensAMIN WAYPEN, Roserr Hutson,
JoHN May, JoHN Bronvisn,
SAMUEL ALLIN, FreDERICOK HarMInson,

THOMAS APPLEBE.@

Aug. 11, 1662. These orders made by the purchasers of the land with our
names.
Prrer DisBRow, JoHN Coz,

Tomas STUDWELL. WILLIAM ODELL.?

Under the royal charter obtained by the celebrated John Winthrop,
of King Charles, 2d May, 30th, 1662, Hastings was included in the lim-
its of the colony of Connecticut, and its inhabitants were required there-
fore to send deputies to the next meeting of the General Court, to be
held at Hartford ; a meeting was called, and Richard Vowles was chosen
by the inhabitants of Hastings ‘to go to Fairfield, and there be qualified
as constable for the plantation ; shortly after, the settlers addressed the
following letter to the General Court :’¢

From Hastine, the 1st mth. 26: 16638.

Muvcu Honorep Sires :—Wee, the inhabitance of the towne of Hasting, whose
names are heer underwritne: being seted upon a small tract of land lying be-
twixt Greenwich and Westchester: which land wee have bought with our mon-
ey : the which: wee understand doth lye within your patent: and where as you
have allredy required our subjection: as his maiesties subjects, which we did will-
ingly and redily embrace and according to your desiouer: we sent aman to Fair-
field who have there taken the oathe of a Constable: we have now made choyse
of our nayghbar John Bud for adeputi, and sent him up to your Corte to act for
us, as hee shall see good: it is our desiouer: to have [some] settled way of Goy-
ernment amongst us: and therefore we do crave so much favor at the hands of
the honorable Cort: that whether they do make us a constable oraney other offe-
sere that they would give him povr to grant a warrant in case of need, because
we be som what at remote from other places: thus leaving it to your wise and
judicious consideration, we remayn yours to command:

Peter DisBrow, WItiiAM ODELL,
RioHARD Frowrs, JoHN Bronpie,
This is ouer desier GEORGE CLERE, JOHN JAGSON,
In the name of the PuHuitie GaALprne, THoMAS STUDWELL, his mark,
Rest. Joun Cog, Water LANcAster his mark.’¢

a Rye Rec. Lib. A, lost since 1848. ‘
4 Ditto.

c Baird’s, Hist. of Rye.

d Hartford Ree. vol. I, No, 66, on towns and lands. See Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 25.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 163

““ The modest request of the men of Hastings was granted after some
delay. At the session of the General Court in Hartford, on the eighth
of October, 1663.”

‘Lunt. John Budd’ makes his appearance, and ‘is appoynted Commis-
sioner for the town of Hastings, and is invested with Magistraticall
power within the limits of that town’ Moreover, ‘Rich. Vowles is ap-
poynted Constable for the Town of Hastings, and Mr. Bud is to give
him oath.’@

On the twenty-eight of April, 1663, the four purchasers, Disbrow, Coe,
Studwell and Budd, by a deed of sale conveyed the island, together with
the land on the main, to the following planters: Samuel Allen, Richard
Fowles, Philip Galpin, Thomas Applebe, William Odell, John Brondig,
and John Coe. According to the terms of this transfer, the planters
were to pay forty shillings a lot, in cattle or corn, between the above
date and the month of January ensuing.?

The merging of the two villages of Hastings and Rye into one planta-
tion was ordered by an act of the General Court of Assembly, holden at
Hartford, May 11th, 1665: “That the villages of Hastings and Rye
shall be for the future conjoined and made one plantation, and that it
shall be called by the appellation of Rye; and Mr. Gold, Mr. Lawes and
John Banks are appointed to go and settle the differences between the
inhabitants of Hastings and Rye, and also see the line between Stam-
ford and Greenwich run.Ӣ

At the following session of the General Court “ Mr. Lowes and Lt.
Richard Olmstead are desired and appointed to view the lands apper-
teineing to Hastings and Rye to see what there is that may be suitable
for a plantation and to make returne to the Court the next session.”4

“Within the next five or six years, the village on Manussing Island
ceased to be. Most of the planters who had remained there till now,
came over and united with their new associates in building upon the
present site of the village.Ӣ

“ A, D. 1666, John Budd, Sen., of Rye, for and in consideration of
thirty-seven pounds, ten shillings, sells his lands, divided by agreement
of the men of Hastings now called Rye, to George Kniffer of Stratford ;
the house being situated in the town formerly called Hastings.

In presence of us, FRANCIS BROWN
and DANIEL SIMKINS.”7
a Public Records, ete., 1678-1689. p. 5.
b Rye Records, vol. A., lost since 1848. ;

c Hartford Records, vol. ii., 208. ;
d Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut, 1665-1678, Edited by J. Hammond Trumball,

. 1d.
= e Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 30. Traces of several dwellings have been found on the Southern
end of the island where they appear to have formed a cluster, a few rods apart. The sum-
mer house on the late Mr. Wm. P. Van Rensselaer’s grounds, indicates about the spot where
this little village stood.”—Baird’s Hist. of Rye. See note, p. 20.

f Probate Ree. of Fairfield Co., from 1665 to 1675.

164 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“In 1668, John Coe sold to Stephen Sherwood his ‘house and hous-
ing and home lot, upon the north end of Manussing Island. The Coes,
Sherwoods and Vowles were the principal owners in 1707, when Jon-
athan Vowles conveyed his share of lands in this locality to his son-in-
law, Roger Park.’ ‘As late as the year 1720, the island had a popula-
tion sufficiently large to claim the right to erect a pound.’ ‘ About the
middle of the last century, the families of Fowler, Carpenter, Dusen-
berry and Haviland appear as the owners.’ The island is now owned
by Mrs. William P. Van Rensselaer, Charles T. Cromwell, Esq., and
John Erving, Esq.

In the main street of the village of Rye there formerly stood an ancient
stone tavern, known as Van Sicklen’s. This building had been erected
in the early days of the settlement, when it served the double purpose of
a residence and a fortification. It was built of rough stone and clay;
its walls was thirty inches in thickness, and one story high, with an old
fashioned pitched roof. The dimensions being forty feet in width, and
twenty-four in depth. It faced the south, with one of its gable ends
fronting on the Turnpike road. In the upper portion of the westerly
end of the wall there was an embrasure or port-hole, which, from having
always been there had given the house the name of “ The Old Stone
Fort.” The following order is presumed to relate to this edifice ; which
was torn down in May, 1868:

**March sth, 1676, at a town meeting, Thomas Lyon and Thomas
Brown are appointed to choose a house or a place to be fortified for the
safety of the town. Also the young men who come into the fortification
and remain during the troubles¢ are to have an equal proportion of the
undivided lands, provided they be such as the town approve.”

Upon the 13th of July, 1681, “the town authorized John Ogden and
George Kniffen to purchase a barrel of powder and three hundred
weight of lead of Mr. Budd of Fairfield, or wherever it can be obtained
the cheapest. These are to be kept for the use of the town.”

At this early period, the Indians were very numerous, and the sur-
rounding country was infested with wolves. On the 15th of Decem-
ber, 1689, a bounty of fifteen shillings was ordered to be raised by a
town rate, for the killing of wolves.

a King Philip’s war with New England. On the 1th of March, 1676, (eight days after the
date of the above order,) the entire town of Groton, Conn., consisting of forty houses, was
burned by the Indians. Mr. Baird thinks that for a time the oldstone fort or tavern was the
homestead of Peter Disbrow. ‘* Mr. Isaac Denham, son of the first minister of Rye, lived here
afterwards. The piece of ground upon which the house stood is perhaps the only one of the
original ‘town lo‘s;’ the size and shape of which can be distinctly traced. It measured two
acres anda half when bought in 1868 by the Methodist Episcopal congregation.” —Baird’s
Rye, p. 34.

4 Town Rec. vol. i, p. 73,

THE TOWN OF RYE. 165

By an act of Assembly of the Province of New York, passed in 1692,
Rye was erected into a market town, and was entitled to the extraordi-
nary privilege of holding and keeping a yearly fair, on the second Tues-
day in October, to end on the Friday next, following, being in all four
days, “for selling of all country produce and other effects whatsoever.”
It appears, however, that the inhabitants had not chosen to avail them-
selves of this great privilege until 1771, when they petitioned his Excel-
lency, the Right Honorable John Ead, of Dunmore, Commander in
Chief in and over the Province of New York, to “appoint Docror
EBENEZER HAVILAND, of said Rye, to be Governor, and to have full
power, according to said Act of Assembly, to keep and hold a fair in
said Rye, in the month of October next.” This petition was signed by
Jifty-seven inhabitants, and was presented to Governor Dunmore in
April, 1771. His Excellency graciously appointed Dr. Haviland to be
Governor of such a fair, to be kept at Rye on the second Tuesday in
October, yearly, and to end the Friday next following, being in all four
days, and no longer.

Courts of Special Sessions were also held in Rye during the Colonial
dynasty.

“A great event for Rye,” says Baird, ‘‘was the establishment of a
Ferry in 1739, between this town and Oyster Bay, Long Island. The
charter issued in that year for this purpose, sets forth that ‘the principal
freeholders and proprietors of the lands in the two patents called Budd’s
Neck and Penning’s Neck, have made application for it.6 The inhabi-
tants generally seem to have taken a deep interest in the enterprise.
Messrs. John Budd, Hachaliah Brown and Jonathan Brown were at the
head of it. The list of subscribers, towards the expense of obtaining the
patent, embraces twenty-six names. Those who thus contributed were
to ‘enjoy a share of the privileges and emoluments of the ferry in pro-
portion to the sums’ subscribed.”¢

“This ferry continued in use till the latter part of the century. In
1786, Mr. Isaac Brown, of Rye, purchased the rights of the proprietors
of Rye Ferry.”4

Many handsome villas and country residences adorn the village of
Rye. The Kingsland Place, now owned by Jasper E. Corning, Esq., is
a beautiful specimen of the old English style. The gables are enriched
with elaborately carved scroll work, and surmounted by finials. The

a See Baird's Hist. of Rye, p. 212.
b Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 78.

ec Ditto do do.

d Ditto do do.

166 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

oriel windows present a light and airy effect. The whole structure is ele-
gantly furnished, internally as well as externally. The residence of Wil-
liam H. Parsons is beautifully situated upon the margin of Blind brook.
South of the former is the residence of the late Hachaliah Brown, whose
family had, for five generations, occupied the estate. ‘The Browns were
descended from Thomas Brown, Esq., of Rye, County of Sussex, Eng-
land, who emigrated to Concord, Mass, circ. 1632, from whence he re-
moved to Cambridge, where he lived some time. His sons were Thomas,
of Rye, who died 1694, and Hachaliah, of Rye.”* who died about 1720.
In 1756, Major Hachaliah, fourth son of Hachaliah Brown, of Rye,
commanded the Westchester Levies, under General Lord Amherst in the
French war, and was Justice of the Peace for many years.

Rye station, on the New Haven Railroad, is situated on Purchase
street. The building is a light iron structure, containing telegraph
office, passenger, and freight rooms. - Distant twenty-four miles from
New York ; upwards of twenty-three trains running daily, and running
time—fifty-one minutes.

The drives about Rye are proverbially beautiful. The Boston turnpike,
or post-road, traverses the entire length of the town—a distance of six
miles and a half, from Mamaroneck to Byram river. It is a wide avenue,
lately graded and macadamized, and lined on either side, entire distance, ©
by valuable country seats and stately mansions, with here and there a
superb glimpse of the Sound and the Long Island shore.

The village contains, besides a pcst office, several stores and three
churches. Among the private educational institutions may be mentioned
a seminary for young ladies, and one for boys (Park Institute), while the
facilities for public instruction are also excellent. For a number of
years Mr. Samuel U. Berrian had charge of the well-known Chresto-
mathic Institute of Rye, and met with great success in his professional
labors—both as a teacher and a disciplinarian.

North-east of the village, bordering on Purchase street, is the property
of the late Josiah Purdy. The Purdy family were among the early set-
tlers of Hartford and Fairfield, Connecticut. Francis Purdy,® the first
of the family or whom we have any account, died in 1658, at Fairfield.
His three sons—John, Joseph and Francis—came early to Rye; John
in the year 1670, Joseph by 1677, and Francis by 1679. Their de
scendants are now quite numerous throughout the country.

a Baird’s Hist, of Rye, p. 399.

b&b An inventory of the goods, chattels, &c., of Francis Purdy and his estate, 14 Oct., 1658
Prob. Rec. of Fairfield, 1648-1656, p. 39. Burke in his General Armory gives the coats of two
families of the name of Purdy or Purdie: ** Or,on a chevy. az. betw. three mullets sa. pierced
of the field. Crest, a peacock head erased gu.; another crest, a dexter head holding a roll
of parchment, ppr. Motto, Fidelitas.”

THE TOWN OF RYE, 167

The first religious society of Rye was Congregational, at that time the
established religion of the colony of Connecticut. By authority it had
been enacted that “no person within the colony should embody them-
selves in church estate, without the consent of the General Court.” The
law also prohibited any ministry being attended by the inhabitants in
any plantation district, and separate from that which was established
in the place, except by the approbation of the General Court and the
neighboring churches.

“One object of these laws was, doubtless, to prevent Baptists, Epis-
copalians and others from gaining a foothold.”

“ As early as 1660,” says the historian Trumbull, “ Rye paid taxes for
the support of religion, although no church was formed nor pastors or-
dained” ‘Greenwich and Rye,” continues the same authority, “‘ were
but just come under the jurisdiction of Connecticut, and not in circum-
stances for the support of ministers ; they had occasional preaching only
for a considerable time.”?

In October, 1669, the General Court are ‘informed that the people of
Rye are yet destitute of an orthodox minister.’ It appears, too, that
‘they doe not take due care to procure such a one as might carry on the
work of the Lord on the Sabbath.’ This is not owing solely to the
weakness of settlement. Rye now numbers some fifty families, and is
considerably stronger than Greenwich, its neighbor.

In some of the new plantations, says Trumbull, thirty families sup-
ported a minister, and commonly there were not more than forty when
they called and settled one.* What is the matter with the planters at
Rye? They do not show an utter indifference to religion, but they are
getting into loose and disorderly ways. ‘John Coe and Marmaduke
Smith,’ persons who are ‘represented to this Court as unsound and het-
erodox in their judgments, if not scandalous in their lines,’ are under-
taking to teach or to conduct religious services among them. Their
labors, too, are acceptable, it would appear; for the people ‘seem to
rest satisfyed without’ a lawful pastor, ‘in the approuement’ of these
teachers ; whoare thus ‘ put in a capacity more to prejudice then farther
the edification of the people there.’ The Court, therefore, ‘upon these
considerations, doe authorize and impower Mr. Nathan Gold, and any
three of the Commissioners,’ of Fairfield county, ‘to require the afore-
said persons, John Coe and Marmaduke Smith, or any others of that
towne, to appeare before them, and if, upon examination, things doe

a Lambert’s Hist. New Haven, p. 189.
b Trumbull’s Hist. of Connecticut, p. 300.
¢ Trumbull’s Hist, of Connecticut, vol. i, p. 287.

168 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

appeare to them as they are represented to this Court, they are desired
to take effectuall course that the persons afoarsayd may have no opper-
tunety affoarded them to sowe the seeds of error among the people there ;
and allso they are to informe the people of Rye that this Court are re-
solued, if the sayd people’s prudent considerations do not moue them,
to make such provisions of a suitable person, sownd and orthodox in his
principles and apt to teach, (so approued by Mr. Bishop, Mr. Handford,
Mr. Wakeman and Mr. Eliphalet Joanes,) the Court will, themselves,
procure and setle a preaching minister amongst them, and take sufficient
order that he may be mayntained by them, at their next session.”*

Mr. Baird thinks it possible that the persons above mentioned, Coe
and Smith, ‘may have been of the Quaker persuasion ; and that for want
of a settled pastor, the inhabitants may have listened with favor to their
teachings.’

“Rye and Westchester,” says Humphreys, “as soon as they had fixed
the civil magistracy, they did establish a public worship of God; and -
suitable to this prudent, as well as religious procedure, the colony throve
apace, and hath now far outstripped all the others. But when the Inde-
pendents found themselves fixed in power, they began to exact a rigid
conformity to their manner of worship. Men of all persuasions, but
their own, were styled opprobriously sec¢aries ; and though they had de-
clared at first for moderation and a general liberty of conscience, they,
notwithstanding, banished and drove out of the country the Quakers,
the Antinomean and Familistical parties. However, there are many cir-
cumstances which alleviate and soften some particulars, which might
seem rigorous in their administration. New England was, at the begin-
ning, harrassed with various sectaries; who, under the umbrage of liberty
of conscience, took a great licentiousness in all religious and civil
matters.” Among these he mentions the Antinomeans, Familist, Con-
formitants or Formalists, Seekers, Arians, Arminians, Quakers ; and the
most impudent of all, the Gortonists—so named from their vile ring-
leader, one Gorton—who set up to live in a more brutal manner than
then the wild Indian savages, &c.” ‘‘ After these sectaries had rose and
fallen, another sort of people appeared, professing themselves members
of the Church of England. These, too, were looked upon as sectaries,
with what degree of modesty or truth the reader must judge. It is true,
indeed, at the settling of the country, as hath been before observed, In-
dependents were the first planters, who removed from England, from
what they thought persecution; but since that time great numbers of

a Public Rec. of Conn,, vol. ii, pp. 120,121. Baird's Hist. of Rye, p. 273.
4 Ilumphrey’s Hist. of the Propagation Society, &c., p. 21.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 169

people, members of the Church of England, have at different times settled
there who thought themselves surely entitled, by the very New England
Charter, to a liberty of conscience, in the worshipping of God after their
own way. Yet the Independents (it seems) were not of this sentiment,
but acted as an establishment. The members of the Church of England
met with obstructions in setting up that form of worship ; and tl:erefore
a great number of the inhabitants of Boston, got an humble petition to
be laid before His Majesty, King Charles the Second, by Dr. Compton,
the Bishop of London—praying that they might be allowed to build a
church at Boston, and to perform divine worship according to the
Church of England. This petition was granted, a church was soon after
built, and frequented by a numerous congregation ; upon this occasion,
the members of the Church of England in many other towns in New
England, declared their desire of the like advantage of worshiping God
after that way; wrote very zealous lettters to Bishop Compton for min-
isters, and now it appeared they were a very considerable body of
people.”

The order of the General Court in October, 1669, appears to have
produced but little effect in settling a minister at Rye ; as it was followed
by another “on the 13th of October, 1670, more stringent and defin-
ite. The matter of the religious destitution at Rye is referred to the
County Court of Fairfield. The magistrates there are recommended
‘to take an effectual course to settle an able and orthodox minister in the
towne of Rye, and to order due and competent mayntenance for such
minister in a proportionable way among all the inhabitants, with coertion
of payment according to laws, upon complaynt and evidence against
any that shall neglect, and the will affected of the sayd towne to a settle-
ment of such a mercy among them, are appoynted to adres themselues
to themselues to the sayd County Court at Fairfield to that end.””

This action on the part of the General Court appears to have pro-
duced the desired effect ; for “at a town meeting held in Rye, Novem-
ber, 17th, 1670, the inhabitants made choice of Joseph Horton, Thomas
Brown and John Brondig, who are to do their endeavour to procure a
minister.” It was also agreed for to allow “two pence in the pound for
the maintenance of a minister amongst us; that is to say an orthodox
minister.Ӣ

From the following document, however, it appears that the inhabit-
ants had not yet succeeded in procuring a minister but were dependent
on neighboring churches for occasional supplies :

a Humphrey’s Hist. of the Propagation Society, &c., p. 22.
2 Public Rec. of Conn., voi. il, pp. 142, 143. Baira’s Hist. of Rye, p. 274,
e Town Rec. of Rye, vol. A. (aow lost.)

17° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“May the 11th, 1671, at a Court of Assembly holden at Hartford,
Captain Nathan Gold, Thomas Fitch, Mr. Holly, Lieut. Richard Olm-
stead, and Mr. John Burr, they, or three of them, are desired to repair
to the said Rye, as soon as may be, and to endeavour a comfortable com-
posure and issue of such differences as are among the people there, and
to use their endeavours in procuring a minister, and comfortably settling
of him in the plantation of Rye. Then the Court doth empower the
aforesaid committee to agree with a suitable man for that work in that
place, and to agree with him for maintenance to the value of £40 per
annum, which the Treeasurer, by warrant to the Consable of said Rye,
shall order for the gathering and payment thereof with the county

rates.”

“On the r4th of May, 1674, the General Court desires Mr. Elipha-
let Joanes” (one of the ministers of Fairfield) “to take the paynes to
dispence the word of God to the people of Rye once a fortnight on the
Lord’s Day, till the Court, October next, and then this Court will take
further order concerning them and for Mr. Joanes’ satisfaction.”

This gentleman was the first who is known to have officiated for any
length of time in the ministry of the Gospel at Rye. And it so happens
that we are able to glean further information concerning him than about
any of his immediate successors. Eliphalet Jones was the son ef the
Rev. John Jones, a man of some note in the early history of the New
England churches. He came to this country from England, in 1635,
a clergyman of the Established Church ; and was first settled at Concord,
Massachusetts, and afterwards at Fairfield, Connecticut, where he be-
came pastor of the church organized there by his efforts. Eliphalet was
born at Concord in 1641. He received his education under the care of
the learned and pious Peter Bulkley, who had been his father’s colleague
at Concord, and studied at Harvard College, but did not graduate. In
1669, we find him admitted to the privileges of a freeman of Connecti-
cut.¢ He was at Greenwich in 1674, when the above order was given ;
not however as the settled pastor of that town, but as a missionary or
evangelist. It would seem that he continued in this neighborhood for
about three years, preaching at Rye, probably, from time to time, as oc-
casion appeared.? In 1677, Mr. Jones accepted a call to Huntington,
Long Island, where he remained and labored for more than fifty years ;
dying in 1731, at the good old age of ninety. He was never married.
He is said to have been ‘a man of great purity and simplicity of life and
manners, and a faithful and successful preacher. ’@

a@ Hartford Col. Rec. vol. iii., p. 12.

6 Public Rec. of Conn., vol. ii p. 232, Bairds Hist. of Rye, p. 276.
e Public Rec. of Conn, vol. ii. p. 106.

d Mr. Savage (Gen. Dict. of the First Settlers of N. E.) speaks of him as ‘ aviary preached at
Rye some years,’ (vol. ii. p.561). I find no confirmation of this statement,
e Thompson’s History of Long Island, vol. i. p. 481, Baird’s Hist. of Rye, p. 276.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 171

The General Court took further order on the rst of October 1674, for
the securing of a regular pastor, empowering Captain John Allyn, Mr.
James Bishop, Mayor Robert Treat, with Mr. Gold, “to endeavour
also the obliging and settling of a minister at Rye.”

This lead to the call of the Rev. Peter Prudden,® as the General
Court strongly endorsed him:—“ At a court, holden at Hartford, May
17th, 1675, Major Nathan Gold, Major Robert Treat, and Mr. John
Burr, were nominated and appointed a committee to treat with the in-
habitants of Rye and those concerned in lands there, and labour to ac-
commodate matters, as that there may be suitable encouragement for
Mr. Prudden to settle in the ministry, and such other suitable inhabitants
with them as may promote the settlement of said town of Rye and the
ministry therein ; and if they shall find any averseness or difficulty with
the inhabitants or proprietors, in so just and necessary publique good of
the towne, they are empowered to do what they see meet for the end
aforesaid, and make report to the court in October next, for approba-
tion ; and for the encouragement of the ministry at Rye, this Court, for
this year, grants them a penny of the pound upon all the ratable estate
of their town, to be pay’d out of their county rate, and shall be ready
as need requires to continue such necessary encouragement as they shall
judge suitable.¢

Upon the 27th May, 1675, the town orders that the home lot of Peter
Disbrow, adjoining Timothy Knapp, be taken by the town in exchange
for the land by the Blind brook, south of Jacob Bridge’s, The above
lot to be for Mr. Peter Prudden for a parsonage lot ; if not thus disposed
of, this agreement to be void.

February 26,1676. The town releases Peter Disbrow’s lot, and can-
cels the above agreement.

February 26th, 1677. John Brundige and John Purdy are empowered
to sell the frame intended for a parsonage house.

The same year the Rev. Thomas Denham appears to have been min-
ister here ; for, June 15, a house lot is ordered for Mr. Thomas Denham,
and on November the 22d, we find the same individual admitted an in-
habitant of the town of Rye. June 21, 1678, Mr. Thomas Denham is
to have all the grass on the highway at the old town, besides an equal
share with the proprietors of Poningoe Neck.

March 5th, 1679. Fifty poles of land lying before his door, toward the

a Hartford Col. Rec: vol. iii. p. 53.
4 Ditto vol. ili. p. 59.

ec It is Mr. Baird’s impression that his name should be John, not Peter. That the Rev. John
Was pastor of the church in Jamaica, L. I., in 1670 to 74, he was called in 1681 to Bedford. It
is probably the same person who was invitedto the churchin Bedford,

172 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

brook, are granted to Mr. Thomas Denham, and the ensuing year he is
to have all the grass in the highway at the first of the old town lots ;
also £30 allowed for his maintenance. The General Court of Connec-
ticut, October 14th, 1680, ordered that thirty pounds per annum agreed
by Rye to be paid to the minister, Mr. Denham, shall be gathered by
the constable with the county rate, in the same specie and prices as the
county rate, and by him to be paid to the said minister.e A.D. 1682,
the town confirms the sum of £30 as salary to Mr. Denham, and orders
the same to be paid in provisions.

The historian, Trumbull, informs us that about the year 1688 the Rev.
John Bowers removed from Derby and settled at Rye.

April 22d, 1690, Captain Horton, Joseph Theall, and John Brondig
are chosen by the town to procure a minister, and, if possible, a school-
master.

27th June, 1693. Hachaliah Brown, George Lane and Timothy Knapp
were added to the above committee to procure a minister as soon as
possible.

February 26th, 1694, it is ordered that the townsman make a rate to
defray the expense of repairing the parsonage house. 22d July, 1697,
Captain Theal, Hachaliah Brown, George Lane and Thomas Merritt
are chosen by a vote for the procuring of a minister for the town of Rye.

Colonel Caleb Heathcote, writing to the secretary of the Propagation
Society in 1705, observes, ‘‘that there is no parish in the Government
but what is able to pay twice as much asthey do. For Rye parish,
which is not by one-half so large as the least parish established by law
in the Government here, since my living here, maintained two dissent-
ing ministers, viz: one at Aye and Mamaroneck, and one at Bedford ;
and gave the former £50, and the latter £40 a year.”

A LIST OF MINISTERS OF THE CONGREGATIONAL OR PRESBY-
TERIAN CHURCH, RYE.

Ims1. o8 CALL. MInIsTERs.
1675, Rey. Prerer Pruppen,
1677, Rey. THomas DenHam,
circ. 1684, Rev. JonN WoopBRIDGE,
1697, Rey. NarHaniet Bowers.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
On the 15th of May, 1729, they secured a building spot. The deed
for which is entered upon the town records. This plot of ground was

a Hart. Col. Rec. vol. iii, 59.
Bb Sze Scarsdale, for Heathcote’s letter.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 173

situated on Pulpit Plain, as it was called, at the north-west corner of the
post road and the road to the Cedars, subsequently opened. Here the
church was built, and here it stood until the Revolutionary war. Tradi-
tion states that it was a plain frame building, without belfry or spire but
tolerably capacious.

The church at White Plains, which blonged to the same society, was
built two or three years earlier.

The village of Rye now had two separate places of worship. The con-
gregations were about equal in size, numbering about sixty families in
each. As there was ro bell in either church, the roll of the drum an-
nounced the hour of service probably to both.

The Rev. Edmund Ward who had ministered to them for over two
years, left them in 1729; and they remained without any stated minister
for nearly thirteen years.

On the 30th of December, 1742, a council of the Eastern Reese anion
of Fairfield County, Connecticut, met at Rye and ordained Mr. John
Smith as minister of that place. He seems to have been a man of rare
excellence, able, earnest, consistant and godly. He was a native of
Newport, Pagnell Bucks, England; and born May sth, 1702. His father
settled in the city of New York. The celebrated Jonathan Edwards,
when preaching in New York, made Mr. Smith’s house his home. John
Smith and Edwards were about of an age, Smith a little the oldest; and
there sprang up between them a warm friendship, which lasted through
life.

A few weeks after his settlement, Mr. Smith secured a house for his
family in the village of Rye. On the 2oth of February, 1743, he pur-
chased of John Abrahamson a house and six acres of land for £180,
afterwards he bought another house with eight acres and a quarter of
land situated in the northern part of the village and in the neighborhood
of his church. Some years after Mr. Smith removed his residence from
Rye to White Plains, but continued to preach here alternate Sabbaths,
riding to and fro on horseback. The house in which he lived, at White
Plains, is still pointed out near the corner of the cross road leading to
the Purchase. In his later years he owned a farm of about one hundred
acres ; in 1763 he added the church at Sing Sing to his charge, where
he occasionally preached for the next five years, but he was growing old
and not so active as hehad been. Mr. Ichabod Lewis, a cousin of the
Rev. Isaac Lewis of Greenwich, was therefore invited by the Presbytery
to help him; and on the 11th of October, 1769, he was ordained at
White Plains. Mr. Smith continued to do what he could up to the time
of his death, which took place at White Plains February 26th, 1771. His

174 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

remains lie in the church yard, and on the tomb it says: ‘“ First or-
dained minister of the Presbyterian persuasion in Rye and the White
Plains ;” adding, that ‘worn out with various labors he fell asleep in
Jesus.”

In the Revolutionary war, which began shortly after the death of Mr.
Smith, the Presbyterian church of Rye was destroyed by fire. The con-
gregation, owing to the times, was very much scattered.

At the close of the Revolution, the Presbyterians of Rye were very
few and feeble.

The efforts to resuscitate the congregation was due to the Rev. Dr. Lewis
of Greenwich. The first step towards rebuilding the church was taken
in1792. On the 22d of November in that year, Jesse Park and Phcebe
his wife, of the town of Harrison, conveyed to Joseph Theale, Ezekiel
Halsted, Junior, and John Merrit, of Rye, as trustees of the Presbyterian
society, a tract of land comprising half an acre. The church was builz
in the following spring. It was dedicated to the worship of God in 1793
by the Rev. Isaac Lewis, D.D., who preached here for some months
every Sunday after service in his own church at Greenwich ; his son, the
Rev. Isaac Lewis, succeeded him for a short time. But after this they
remained a long while without a stated minister, from 1793 to 1812.

It had been incorporated on the 5th of June, 1795, under pe name
of the Presbyterian church of Rye.

The old church, built in 1793, was a very plain and unpretending
structure. There were two doors on the front. The interior remained
unfinished for many years. ‘The walls were not plastered ; an1 instead
of pews there were planks, the ends of which rested upon logs for seats.
In or about 1811 the Methodists obtained possession of the church and
occupied it for a period of sixteen years, from 1812 to 1828.

It was by the efforts of Mr. Ebenezer Clark, a merchant of New York
who came to Rye in 1821, that the building was restored to its original
use ; he claimed the building, on behalf of the few Presbyterians of the
place. This claim was not admitted without some discussion. The
Methodist congregation had worshipped there unmolested for many
years, and they conceived that so long a possession gave them a right
o the property. Mr. Clark showed clearly that the land had been given
for a Presbyterian church, and that a society of that denomination had
been incorporated under the law of the State, and that the building had
been appropriated from the first to their use.

A service was held by the Presbyterian congregation on the 7th of
Dec., 1828, in the district school house of Rye, preparatory to the resump-
tion of public worship in the church. Soon after the occupation of the

M4 ce PF

Conuctt

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,

ii, 175.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 175

building, the Rev. Noah C. Saxton began his ministry here as stated
supply, and continued until May, 1829 ; meanwhile, on the 4th of March-
the formal organization of a church took place by orderof the Presby-
tery of New York.

In 1869, the congregation bought land adjoining the church lot, with
a view to the erection of a new church, Sunday-shool building, and part
sonage. Upon this tract, which comprises 3 acres, the Sunday-school
buiding has been erected at the sole expense of Wm. Matthews, Esq.

The corner stone of the new church was laid Noy. 29, 1870, Mr. R,
M. Upjohn, Architect. The church is built of the native stone, with
dressings of red and yellow stone. The style of architecture adopted
for the building, is the 13th century gothic. Connected with the church,
and arranged for convenience of both buildings, and also for external
architectural effect, Mr. Wm. Mathews has erected a memorial chapel
—to his infant daughter Bessie—which he gives to the church to be used
for Sunday-school and other parochial purposes. It is upwards of fifty
feet square. The main room will accomodate two hundred persons. In
connection with this, there is a Bible and infant class room, and a room
for the Sunday-school library.

The tower and spire of the church, stand at the west end of the seuth
aisle. The tower is 25 feet square. The tower and spire together are
150 feet high, and entirely built of stone.¢

Catt. List oF Pastors. REMOVAL.
1720, Rey. Stepsen BockrvenaM, 1722.
1723, Rey. JoHN WALTON, 1728.
1728, Rey. Epamunp Warp, 1729.
1742, Rey. Jony Suita, 1769.
1769, Rey. IonaBop Lewis,

1829, Rey. Wituiams H. WairreMorz, 1832.
1832, Rey. Davin Reminertox, 1834.
1834, Rey. Tuos. Payne,

1836, Rey. Jas. R. Davenport,

1838, Rev. Epwarp D. Beyay, 1860.
1861, Rev. CHartes W. Barep, D.D., - present.

The Presbytery of Rye appear to have maintained their existenc’: as
a congregation for a number of years, without a stated ministry or he:1se
of worship. They were supplied with occasional preaching by the ne?gh-
boring ministers of Connecticut.

Christs ehurch, Rye, is agreeably situated upon rising ground, over-
looking the village and vale of Blind brook.

a Baird’s History of Rye.

176 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
The old building was a plain edifice of wood, surmounted with an em-
battled tower, and a small vestry-room attached to the rear.
Its interior consisted of a nave, two aisles, gallery and chancel. On
the north side of the latter there was a neat monumental tablet, erected

In Memory oF
WILLIAM THOMPSON,
Rector
of Christs church at Rye
A native of Enniskillen,
Treland.

Ordained April, 1820.
Appointed to the charge of this Parish,
September, 1823,

Died August 26, 1830.

‘Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright,
for the end of that man is peace.”—Psalm XXxXvii: 27.

Erected by his affectionate Widow.

Sars: ra

Christ’s Church, Rye, Erected in 1788.

His remains are interred in the village cemetery. Beneath the floor
of the church lie, pillowed in the darkness of the grave, several of the
early rectors.

This building was erected at a cost of $5,500, in the year 1788, upon
the site of the old stone edifice called Grace church.

It was designed at first to have erected a steeple in place of the pres-

THE TOWN OF RYE, 1 Oy £7 |

ent tower, as appears by an act of the vestry, dated September 17, 1791.

“Wherein it was ordered to remove the work projected for a steeple
on the top of the roof, at the west end.”

Belonging to this church is a silver paten
and chalice presented by her Majesty, Queen
Anne, A.D. 1706.

These articles have been used in the admin-
istration of the holy sacrament nearly one cen-
tury and a half. The royal donation originally
consisted (together with the above), of a large
Church Bible, Common Prayer Book, Book of
Homilies, cloth for the pulpit, and a commu-
nion table.

Upon two copper alms bowls are inscribed,
“Presented to Christ church at Rye, by James

Meadows, 1769.”
~ Besides a fine toned bell, the church con-
— tains a neat organ.

The Queen's paten and chalice. The first notice of this parish occurs in two
acts passed by the Assembly of New York, in 1693 and 1697.

The first entitled “ An Act for settling a ministry and raising a main-
tenance for them in the city of New York, and counties of Richmond,
Westchester and Queens.”

The second ordered, ‘“‘ That there shall be called, inducted and estab-
lished a good sufficient Protestant minister to officiate and have the cure
of souls within one year next ensuing, and after the publication hereof.
In the county of Westchester, two; one to have the cure of souls within
Westchester, &c. ; the other to have the cure of Rye, Mamaroneck and
Bedford.”4

Pursuant to these acts of Assembly a town meeting was held, Februa-
ty 28, 1695, by virtue of a warrant granted by Justice Theal, when
George Lane and John Brondig were elected churchwardens ; and Jona-
than Hart, Joseph Horton, Joseph Purdy, Timothy Knapp, Hachaliah
Brown, Thomas Merritt, Deliverance Brown and Isaac Denham, vestry-.
men ; the two last, being chosen for Bedford.

The whole number of the appropriated precincts, belonging to the par~
ish of Rye in 1725, were as follows ; Bedford, Scarsdale, Mamaroneck-
and North Castle, to which were subsequently added White Plains and
Harrison.

a Acts of Assembly; Pro. of N. Y. 1691 to 1725, p. 23.

173 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

For collecting the minister’s maintenance, writs of mandamus were is-
sued to the justices and vestries, empowering them to make a rate for
raising the rector’s tax.

The following are specimens of the original taxation rolls of this ben-
ifice, in 1725.

Bedford, £16 2 0. Mamaroneck, £418 0 o. Scarsdale, £5 3 o.
North Castle, 4290. Total with Rye, £67 18 o.

The first inducted rector of the parish was the Rev. Thomas Pritch-
ard. In asummary account of the state of the Church in the Province
of New York, as it was laid before the clergy, convened October 5th,
1704, at New York, &c., it was stated, that ‘‘at Rye, of which the Rev.
Thomas Pritchard is rector, there is no church, but the minister preach-
es in the town house; the parish is divided into three districts, viz. Rye,
Bedford and Mamaroneck. re

“There is a salary of #50 per annum, established by act of Assem-
bly ; the number of communicants are considerably increased, since the
first celebration of the sacraments, &c.”4

In a letter addressed to the Propagation Society, dated Rye, Novem-
ber rst, 1704, Mr. Pritchard proposes to that body the Rev. Mr. Stew-
art, then missionary at Bedford, as a most suitable person to fill the va-
cant parish of Hempstead, Long Island.

The Rev. Thomas Pritchard married Anna Stuyvesant, daughter of
Nicholas William, and grand-daughter of the illustrious Peter Stuyves-

ant. Mr. Pritchard appears to have been inducted in 1702. He died
A.D): 1706;

His successor was the Rev. George Muirson. Of this gentlemen the
Rev. Mr. Evans thus writes in a letter to the Bishop of London, under
the date of October 17th,1704. ‘‘ This comes by the hands of the in-
genious Mr, George Muirson to receive holy orders from your Lordship,
by the approbation of his Excellency my Lord Cornbury. I find that he
is very well beloved and esteemed by all sorts of people, a man of avery
sober and blameless conversation, He seems to be indued with great
humility of mind, and has the character of being very prudent in his con-
duct. I give him this recommendation, not to gratify himself, nor any
body else—but because I sincerely believe he may be very instrumental
of doing much good in the Church.Ӣ

Mr. Muirson having been ordained, was appointed to the mission of
Rye. In his first report to the Society he states “‘that he had a very

a Church Rec. Vol. i. No. 16. Francis L. Hawks, D, D., editor,
b Rep. of Propagatian Soc.
¢ N. Y. Hist. Collections, New Sz2ries, vol. i. 455,

THE TOWN OF RYE. 179

great congregation every Sunday, and that those were his hearers who
never were in a Church of England congregation before. ‘Though the
people were of almost all persuasions, he had admitted into the Church,
by baptism, eighty persons, young and old; hundreds, however, in the
parish remain unbaptized.¢

He further remarks to the Society, “‘I.have lately been in the Gov-
ernment of Connecticut, where I observe some people well affected to
the Church, for those that are near come to my parish on Sabbath days ;
so that I am assured, an itinerant missionary might do great service in
that province. Some of their ministers have privately told me that had
we a Bishop among us, they would conform and receive holy orders ; from
which as wellas on all the continent, the necessity of a Bishop will plain-
ly appear.®

“In these visits and in every effort for the good of the Church, Mr.
Muirson was heartily supported by Colonel Caleb Heathcote, who also
wrote to the society on the subject, confirming the account of the oppo-
sition which the missionary had encountered ; and stating that the jus-
tices had forbidden him to preach, and even threatened to put him and
all his hearers in jail.

Of his own parish, Mr. Muirson reports, “I have baptized about two
hundred, young and old, but most adult persons ; and am in hopes of in-
itiating many more into the Church, after I have examined, taught and
find them qualified. This is a large parish ; the towns are far distant ;
the people were some Quakers, some Anabaptists, but chiefly Presbyte-
rians and Independents ; they were violently set against our Church, but
now (blessed be God !) they comply heartily ; for I have now about forty
communicants, and had only six when I first administered that holy sac-
rament. I find that catechising on the week days in the remote towns,
and frequent visiting is of great service ; and I am sure that I have made
twice more proselytes by proceeding after that method, than by public
‘preaching.””¢

Mr. Muirson, besides his salary of £50 from the society, was entitled
to £50 currency, as settled by Act of Assembly on Rye parish; but, as
his people were poor and for the most part recent converts, he consider-
ately forbore to press his legal claim—and during the first two years of
his ministry, had only received about ten or twelve pounds currency—
thus plainly showing he sought not theirs, but them.

The following account of the Indians, written in the year 1708, will

@ Hawkins’ Hist, Not. of Col. Church, vol. ii. MS. letters, No. 34.
65 Hawkins’ Hist. Not. of Col. Church, p. 277.
ce Hawkins’ Hist. Not, of Col. Church, p. 279,

180 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

be thought interesting: ‘“ As to the Indians, the natives of the country,
they are a decaying people. We have not now in all the parish twenty
families, whereas not many years ago there were several hundreds. I
have frequently conversed with some of them, and been at their great
meetings of ‘pawawing,’ as they callit. I have taken some pains to
teach some of them, but to no purpose ; for they seem regardless of in-
struction. And when I have told them of the evil consequences of their
hard drinking, &c., they replied that Englishmen do the same; and that
it is not so great a sin in an Indian as in an Englishman, because the
Englishman’s religion forbids it, but an Indian’s does not, They further
say that they will not be Christians, nor do they see the necessity for so
being, because we do not live according to the precepts of our holy re-
ligion. In such ways do most of the Indians that I have conversed
with, either here or elsewhere, express themselves. I am heartily sorry
that we should give them such a bad example, and fill their mouths with
such objections to our blessed religion.”

He mentions in this letter ‘‘ that they had completed the house of God
at Rye, by the subscription of the inhabitants; a stately structure in-
deed.”

“Mr. Muirson, after a short but a most useful service in the ministry
of the church, died in October, 1708, much lamented by his friends, and
missed by his parishioners.

The last will of George Muirson, clerk, bears date September, 1708.
By his wife, Gloriana, daughter of the Hon. Colonel William Smith,’ he
left one son, George Muirson, M.D.,¢° of Setaukett, L. I., the father of
Heathcote Muirson. The latter was a graduate of Yale College in 1776,
and died from wounds received in the attack upon Lloyd’s Neck, Long
Island, July, 1781.

Mr. Muirson was succeeded in January, 1709, by the Rey. Christo-
pher Bridges.

“ Upon the oth of January, 1710, at a meeting of the parishioners,.at .
the parish church in Rye, the following churchwardens and vestrymen-
were elected for the year ensuing :

Church-wardens.
Capt. JoserH THEALE, Capt. JonaTHan Hart,

CoRrNELIUS SEELY.

a Hist, Not. of the Ch. of England in the N. A. Colonist, 2s1.

Bb The Hon. William Smith was Chief Justice and President of the Council of the Province
of New York.

c Anna, the eldest daughter of Dr, George Muirson, married Cyrus Punderson, D.D. Their
pear are still residing upon Long Island. Mary, the youmgest, married William Wick-
ham Wills.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 181

Vestrymen.
ANDREW CoE, GerorGe LANE, Jun.,
JoHN Merritt, SEN, JosEPH Lyon,
2 Danie Purpy, GEORGE KNIFFEN,
Tuomas Purpy, JoHN Disprow, Mamaroneck,
Tomas Mrrrirt, JUn., Joun Mitter, Bedford.

At a meeting of the vestry, held on the 29th of July, 1712, the Rev.
Mr. Bridges presented the following communication from his Excellency
Robert Hunter:

‘You are to give order forthwith, (if the same be not already done) that every
orthodox minister within your government be one of the vestry in his respective
parish; and that no vestry be held without him, except in case of sickness, or
that after notice of vestry summoned he omit to come.”

Rev. Sir, the above copy of Her Majesty’s instructions to me, I have thought
fit to direct to the several ministers within this Province, that their respective
vestries may regulate themselves accordingly ; and if there be any practice con-
trary thereunto, I desire you may duly inform me, that effectual care may be
taken therein. I remain, Reverend Sir, Your assured Friend and Servant,

ROBERT HUNTER.a

In 1712, “one hundred and fifty prayer books and five pounds worth
of tracts, were voted to Mr. Bridges of Rye. He was also allowed for
the services of two school-masters in the parish, £5 per annum each,
on a certificate, that they have taught thirty children the Bible, the cate-
chism and the use of the liturgy.”

In 1715, “ Mr. Bridges at Rye had reduce many who were brought up
in a very dissolute way of living and total neglect of public worship, to
a more sober conversation and a constant attendance on the worship
of God, using his utmost endeavors to put a stop to many disorderly
practices.Ӣ ;

The same year the Propagation Society “presented to Mr. Huddle-
stone, school-master in Rye, £5 additional salary, and to Mr. Bridges
some Common Prayer Books and devotional tracts, of which the people
were very desirous before he wrote, and heartly thankful for them since.
To these donations the Society added two dozen Prayer Books, with the
oid version of the singing, and as many of Lewis’s Church Catechism for
exercise in his school, or in mornings of the Lord’s days, (when not only
his own scholars, but several of the young people of the town of both
sexes come willingly to be informed,) one dozen Bibles with the Com-

a Church Rec.
& Reports of Propagation Soc.
e Reports of Propagation Soc,

182 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

mon Prayer, and the new version of psalms, twenty-five psalters and fifty-
one primers, all which he requested as contributing mightily to the
spreading the good work he has in hand, having taught besides British
children, six hundred Dutch and French to read and write English.”

The Rev. Christopher Bridges died on the 22d of May, 1719, having
been ten years minister of this church.

A.D. 1720, “The Rev. Mr. Barclay formerly missionary to Albany
was missionary of Rye withasalary of £50.” Thesame year the Society
“gave Mr. Barclay £10 in consideration of the hard circumstances he
lies under.”

In 1721, the Rev. Thomas Poyer officiated here.¢

Upon the 4th of June, 1722, the church-wardens and vestrymen ad-
dressed the following letter to the venerable Propagation Society :

‘*We the church-wardens and vestrymen of ye parish of Rye, in ye province
of New York, in America, having taken ye liberty soon after ye death of our late
incumbent, the Rev. Mr. Christopher Bridges, humbly to pray that your honours
would continue your usual bounty toour poor church, and supply usin our desti-
tute condition with a Church of England minister in ye room of our late incum-
bent, do take this opportunity to return your honours our hearty thanks, as well
for the constant supply which by your honours’ favorable recommendation we
had from the clergy of this province, as for your resolution, appearing in print,
to supply us with a minister to reside among us, as soon as one whom your hon-
ours can approve of shall offer. We have been, to our great detriment, destitute
about three years ; and now having the opportunity of one whom we are univer-
sally pleased with, ye Rev. Mr. Robert Jenney, chaplain of the forces of this
province, who is willing to relinquish his place in the forces to settle amongst us
and become our minister, provided he can have your honours’ favor and bounty
for his encouragement. We have taken ye liberty to give him a call, as ye act
of assembly of this province empowers us, (which is enclosed to your honours, )
humbly praying for your approbation, of what we have done, and that you will
please tp grant unto him as our minister, ye favour and bounty; being a person
whose conversation, preaching, and diligence in his holy function we are well
acquainted and satisfied with. We are confident that his residence amongst us
will effectually reconcile all our differences, and heal all our breaches, oceasioned
by our being so long in want of a faithful and prudent pastor to guide and in-
struct us. That God Almighty will prosper your honours’ pious and charitable
endeavours for the service of His Church in this wilderness, and that He will
grant unto every one of you the choicest blessings, temporal and eternal, is the
hearty prayer of

‘‘May it please your honours, your honours’ most dutiful and most obedient
humble servants. Signed by order, JOHN CARHART, Clerk.”

a Reports of Propagation Soc.

+ Reports of Propagation Soc.

c The Propagation Society voted £50 to the clergy of New York for supplying the church of
Rye, vacant by the death of the Rev. Mr. Bridges,

d Church Rec.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 183

The Rey. Robert Jenney, minister of Rye, writing to the Propagation
Society in 1723, observes, “that he has several other townships under
his charge, and that since his admission in 1722, he has baptized ten
adults and fifty children; number of communicants twenty-six.”% In
1724 Mr. Jenney reported ‘‘the baptism of two adults and several chil-
dren ; communicants twenty-eight.2 A. D. 1725,¢ the quotas of the vari-
ous districts stood thus:

Rye, £34 4 0; Bedford, £16 2 0; Mamaroneck, £18 0 0;
Scarsdale, £5 3 0; North Castle, £2 9 0;

Mr. Jenney was removed by the Society to Hempstead, Long Island,
in 1726. The vacancy created by the removal, the Society proceeded
immediately to fill by appointing the Rev. Mr. Colgan. Upon which
we find the vestry addressing the secretary of the Society as follows:

‘*Rey. Srr:—We, the church-wardens and vestry of the parish of Rye, re-
turn our humble thanks to ye honorable Society for their pious and charitable
care of this parish in providing so speedily to fill this vacancy by appointing ye
Rev. Mr. Colgan for us. We conclude they have before this time been acquainted
by our letters how far we had proceeded to obtain a minister, fearing the ill
consequences of being left destitute; and we hope ye honorable Society will put
a favorable construction upon our proceedings, though we have given our call to
the Rev. Mr. Wetmore, and he received induction immediately upon it, yet he
always declared that he should submit to ye resolutions of the honorable Society,
and not in any degree interfere with their determination, and though we find ye
inclinations of ye people very much to have Mr. Wetmore appointed for us ; on
which account we can’t but desire that ye honorable Society would be pleased to
favor it; yet we shall always pay ye greatest difference to their pleasure, and if
they finally determine that Mr. Colgan shall be for us, against whom we have
no exceptions, as, being a stranger to us, we shall give him the best welcome we
are capable of ; but inasmuch as ye Rev. Mr. Colgan is willing, by exchange with
Mr. Wetmore, to continue at New York, and that vestry has signified their ap-
probation, we heartily join with them in requesting of ye honorable Society that
they would confirm that agreement, and give liberty for Mr. Wetmore'to come
to this parish, who, by being born in the county and acquainted with the dis-
positions and customs of ye people here, will be acceptable to us, and we hope
do much service for religion. But all this with submission to that venerable
body, whose pleasure we shall most cheerfully submit to; and we pray ye con-
tinuance of their favour and charity to us, and that God would prosper their
pious designs. We are, reverend sir, the Hon’ble Society’s and your most hum-
ble and ubedient servants. Signed by order. JOHN CARHART, Clerk.
To the Rey. Mr. Davin HumpuHrReEys,

Secretary to ye Hon’ble Society for Propagating ye Gospel, &c.,
at ye Archbishop’s Library at St. Martins in ye Fields, London.”

- Bev of Propagation Soc.
id.
c At a vestry meeting held in Rye, January 18th, 1725, ‘*it was voted that money be raised
to purchase a drum for the church.
a Church Ree.

184 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

In accordance with this request, the Society were pleased to confirm
the appointment of Mr. Wetmore.

We take the subjoined extract from a letter sent to the secretary of
the society, in 1726-7:

‘**And now we are once more peaceably settled, we hope by the blessing of
God to see religion revive among us, which by contentions and divisions is sunk
toa very low ebb. As the Rev. Mr. Wetmore has been born in the county, and
long known among us, who has had his conversation becoming his sacred char-
acter and profession, we doubt not but ye people of this parish will continue
their affection to him, and hope to see this good fruit of it, viz: that they be
brought to a proper sense of religion, and more general and constant attendance,
in ye public worship and sacraments which for a long time have been very much
neglected among us; we earnestly pray for the blessing of almighty God upon
that venerable society whose extensive charity (under God), finds food for so
many souls famishing in ignorance and error, and shall always look upon our-
selves strictly bound to pay it, the greatest honor and most cheerful obedience to
all their commands and directions, and beg leave to subscribe with all dutifu]
respects, :

Rev'd Sir, your and ye Honorable Society’s most humble and obedient servants.

Signed by order of the Vestry,¢ JOHN CARHART, Clerk.

The Rev. James Wetmore writes, A.D. 1728, that his congregation is
considerably increased ; he has added nine new communicants, and bap-
tized nineteen. In 1729 he acquaints the society ‘“‘that he meets with
good success in his mission, that his numbers increase, and that several
of the Independents have quitted that persuasion and very regularly at-
tend divine service at his church.’ July 1st, 1738, he says, ‘‘I have
baptized the last half year five adults besides several children. About
fifty families in the adjoining parish have requested assistance. Mr.
Purdy,”* (schoolmaster at Rye) ‘‘ teaches twenty-one children of Church
parents and fourteen dissenters, as likewise two Dutch, two Jewish and
one colored child, in all forty-one. Mr. Dwight, of White Plains, six
miles from Rye, teaches twenty-seven children, in all forty-six.”

“And adds, July 15, 1740, that besides his regular duty at Rye, he
officiates once a month at Stamford and Greenwich. He had also spent
some days last winter in visiting surdry families in the woods. Since the
3d day of May, 1739, he had baptized one hundred and eleven children,
and twenty-seven adults ; his communicants number fifty.”@

Under date of September 28th, 1741, he observes ‘‘that by God’s
help the Church maintains her ground, notwithstanding the efforts of the

a Church Rec.

b Propagation Soc. Rep.

e Mr. Purdy died in 1783, and was buried on Ash Wednesday. Rep. of Propagation Soc.
d Reports of Propagation Soc.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 185

sectaries in new Methodism. He had baptized within a year sixty-nine
children and six adults, &c.”%

In 1745 Mr. Wetmore writes “that he is fully occupied in performing
duty at Rye, Scarsdale and the White Plains, and begs for an assistant
to officiate under him. At Bedford and North Castle there are four
hundred families, &c.”?

The same year Mr. Joseph Lamson was appointed assistant to Mr.
Wetmore with a salary of £20; a gratuity of £20 was also made by the
society, ‘‘ out of compassion to Mr. Lamson’s sufferings and necessities,
who was taken prisoner, shipped and carried into France on his voyage
towards England; and afterwards, on his way from Port Louis in France,
to London, was detained seven months by a fever at Salisbury. Mr
Lamson undertook the voyage to England for the purpose of obtaining
Episcopal ordination. In his first reports dated May 12th, 1746, Mr.
Lamson writes, “ that he officiates by turns at Bedford and North Castle
to full congregations, and had then baptized eleven children and three
adults." At a vestry meeting of this parish, held at Mr. Benjamin
Brown’s, Sen., in Rye, January 16th, 1749, the Rev. James Wetmore de-
livered the following letter, from the Rev. Philip Bearcroft, D.D., secre-
tary to the Honorable Propagation Society:

Lonpon, CHARTER Hovse, June 27, 1749.

Gents :—It is with much concern that the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel in Foreign Parts are informed that your church and the parsonage house
are very much out of repair, and that even the possession of the glebe is disputed
against your very worthy pastor Mr. Wetmore, whose great pains and abilities
in the cause of God’s church, cannot but recommend him to every worthy mem-
per of it. Therefore the Society hope and expect that upon due consideration
you will give orders for the full repair of the church and the parsonage house,
and defend Mr. Wetmore in the maintenance of all his just rights, as you desire
his longer continuance among you.

Jam, Gentlemen,
Your very humble servant,

PHILIP BEARCROFT, Secretary.
To the Churchwardens and Vestry of the :

Church of Rye, New York.

Mr. Wetmore, in his report of 1751, mentions “that the church had
lately been repaired, and is made neat and beautiful.”

a Reports of Propagation Soc.

b Reports of Propagation Soc,

ec Some idea (says the Rev. M. H. Henderson) of the great disadvantages under which the
Church labored during our colonial existence, may be formed from the fact that beside the
great expense of the voyage (£100). an expense which candidates for holy orders could ill af-
ford to bear, nearly one-fifth of all that went to England for ordination died, either from
small-pox, or the dangers of thedeep. ‘‘ The number who had gone to England for ordination
from the northern colonies. up to 1767, was fifty-two ; of these forty-two only returned safely.
—Henderson’s Centennial Discourse.

d Rep. of Propagation Soc.

186 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

In a letter of April 7th, 1759, Mr. Wetmore acquaints the Society
“that a very worthy person, a native of England,¢ but now being in New
York, had put into his hands £600 currency, of which he reserves to
himself the interest during life, and hath left by his will 4400 more to
be added after his death, to purchase a convenient glebe, and other lib-
eral legacies.”

The Rev. James Wetmore died on the 15th of May, 1760,¢ having
been nearly thirty-four years minister of this church. His remains re-
pose in the old parish burial ground, on the northwest side of Blind
brook. A plain monumental tablet marks the spot, and bears the fol-
lowing inscription :

SACRED TO THE MEMory
of the

REV. JAMES WETMORE,

The late, worthy, learned and faithful
Minister of the Parish of Rye,

for about thirty years,
who having strenuously defended the Church

with his pen, and adorned it by his life
and doctrine, at length being seized
of the small pox, departed this
life, May 15, 1769. AXtatis, 65.

Cujus memorize sit in
Benedictione sempiterna.

Mr. Wetmore left issue two sons—Timothy, afterwards Attorney-
General of the Province of New Brunswick, and James, of Rye—descen-
dants of the latter are still living in the town. Also four daughters—
Alethea, wife of the Rev. Joseph Lamson; Anna, wife of Gilbert Brund-
age; Charity, wife of Josiah Purdy, from whom descend the Purdys, of
Rye; and Esther, who married first David Brown, and secondly Jesse
Hunt, Esq., high sheriff of this county in 1780,

In a letter or May 6th, 1761, Mr. Timothy Wetmore complains to the
Society, “that since the death of his father they had not been favored
with a sermon, or either of the sacraments, for six or eight months.”@

a St. George Talbot, Esq., see vol. i, 25.

b Reports of Propagation Soc.
e The last will of James Wetmore, clerk, bears date Nov., 1759. Surrogate’s office, N. Y.,

Lib. xxii, 123.
d Reports of Propagation Soc.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 187

After a vacancy of nearly two years the mission was again filled by
the appointment of the Rev. Ebenezer Punderson.« In 1763, this
gentleman informs the Society “ that since writing his last letter, besides
two-thirds of the Sundays at Rye, and the other third at White Plains,
North Castle and Bedford, he had been twice to Crumpond and once
to Croton ; he had also baptized nineteen adults, and ninety-two chil-
dren.”

Mr. Punderson died in 1764. The following inscription is taken from
his monument in the grave yard.

SACRED TO THE MEMory
of the
REV. EBENEZER PUNDERSON,
late Missionary to the Ven. Society for
Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts,
who died 22d Sept., A. D. 1764,
being 60 years of age.

‘* With pure religion was his spirit fraught,
Practiced himself what he to others taught.”

Upon the 19th day of December, 1764, Grace church Rye, received
the following charter from King George the Third:

CHARTER OF GRACE CHURCH, RYE.

George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland
King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To all to whom these presents shall
come, greeting: Whereas our loving subjects, Peter Jay, Elisha Budd, Christo-
pher Isinghart, Timothy Wetmore, Caleb Purdy, Joshua Purdy, John Guion,
Joseph Purdy, Gilbert Willet, John Carhart, Thomas Sawyer, Gilbert Brundige,
John Thomas, William Sutton, Anthony Miller and John Adee, inhabitants of
the parish of Rye, in the County of Westchester, in our Province of New York,
in communion of the Church of England as by law established, by their humble
petition presented on the sixteenth day of November last past, to our trusty and
well beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, our Lieutenant Governor and Com-
mander-in-Chief of our Province of New York and the territories depending
thereon in America, in Council did set forth that the inhabitants of the said
parish of Rye, in communion of the Church of England as by law established,
have by voluntary contributions erected and finished a decent and convenient
church in the town of Rye, in the said parish, for the celebration of divine service
according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of England; but that from a
want of some persons legally authorized to superintend the same and manage
the affairs and interests thereof, the said church is greatly decayed, and the peti-

_ For the induction of Mr. Punderson, see Surrogate’s office, N. Y. Book of Commissions,
Bh

188 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

tioners discouraged from contributing to the repair thereof, least the moneys
given for that purpose may be misapplied ; and that on that account also charit-
able and well disposed people are discouraged in their design of establishing
proper funds for the future support of the said church and the better mainten-
ance of the ministry, and therefore humbly prayed in behalf of themselves and
the rest of the inhabitants of the said parish in communion of the Church of
England as by law established, our letters patent incorporating them and the
rector and inhabitants of the said parish incommunion of the Church of England
as by law established, for the time being a body corporate and politick, with
such rights, privileges, and immunities, as should appear proper and expedient to
answer the purposes aforesaid, Now We being willing to encourage the pious
intentions of our said loving subjects and to grant this their reasonable request,
Know: Ye that of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have
ordained, given, granted and declared,and by these presents for us, our heirs,
and successors, do ordain, give, grant and declare, that they the said petitioners
and the rest of the inhabitants of the said parish of Rye in Communion of the
Church of England as by law established, and their successors the inhabitants of
the said parish of Rye in communion of the Church of England as by law estab-
lished, with the rector of the said parish of Rye for the time being, for ever, shall
for ever hereafter be one body corporate and politick in deed, fact anc name,
by the name, stile and title of the rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye,
in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and them and
their successors by the same name, we do by these presents for us our heirs and
successors really and fully make, erect, create and constitute one body politick
and corporate in deed, fact and name for ever; and will, give, grant and ordain,
that they and their successors the rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye in
communion of the Church of England as by law established, by the same name
shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall and may be capable in law to
sue and be sued, implead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, de-
fend and be defended in all courts and elsewhere, in all manner of actions, suits,
complaints, pleas, causes, matters and demands whatsoever, as fully and amply
as any other our liege subjects of our said Province of New York may or can sue
or be sued, implead or be impleaded, defend or be defended, by any lawful
ways or means whatsoever ; and that they and their successors by the same name
shall be for ever hereafter capable and able in the law to purchase, take, hold, re-
ceive, and enjoy any messuages, tenements, houses, and real estate whatsoever,
in fee simple for term of life or lives, or in any other manner howsoever, for the
use of the said church, and also any goods, chattels, or personal estate whatso-
ever, Provided always that the clear yearly value of the said real estate (exclusive
of the said church and the ground whereon the same is built and the cemetery
belonging to the same) doth not at any time exceed the sum of five hundred
pounds current money of our said province, and that they and their successors by
the same name shall have full power and authority to give, grant, sell, lease and
dispose of the same real estate for life or lives, or years, or for ever, under cer-
tain yearly rents; and all goods, chattels and personal estate whatsoever at their
will and pleasure, and that it shall and may be lawful for them and their succes-
sors to have and usea common seal; and our will and pleasure further is, and we
do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, ordain and appoint that there shall be

THE TOWN OF RYE. 189

for ever hereafter belonging to the said church one rector of the Church of Eng-
land as by law established, duly qualified for the cure of souls, two church-
wardens, and eight vestrymen, who shall conduct and manage the affairs and bus-
iness of the said church and corporation in manner as hereafter is declared and
appointed, And for the more immediate carrying into execution our royal will and
pleasure herein, we do hereby assign, constitute and appoint Peter Jay and Elisha
Budd to be the present church wardens; and John Thomas, Joshua Purdy, Chris-
topher Isinghart, William Sutton, John Adee, Caleb Purdy, Anthony Miller and
Timothy Wetmore to be the present vestrymen of the said church, who shall hold,
possess, and enjoy their said respective offices until Tuesday in Easter week,
which shall come and be in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred
and sixty-six ; and for the keeping up the succession in the said offices, our royal
will and pleasure is, and we do hereby establish, direct and require that on the
said Tuesday in Easter week in the said year of our Lord one thousand, seven
hundred and sixty-six, and yearly and every year thereafter for ever, on Tuesday
in Easter week in every year, the rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye in
communion of the Church of England as by law established, shall meet at the
said church, and there by the majority of voices of such of them asshallso meet,
elect and choose two of their members to be church-wardens and eight others of
their members to be vestrymen of the said church for the ensuing year, which
said church-wardens and vestrymen so elected and chosen shall immediately enter
upon their respective offices, and hold, exercise and enjoy the same respectively
from the time of such elections for and during the space of one year, and until
other fit persons shall be elected and chosen in their respective places—and in case
the church-wardens or vestrymen, or either of them, by these presents named and
appointed or which shall be hereafter elected and chosen by virtue of these pres-
ents, shall die or remove from the said parish of Rye before the time of their re-
spective appointed services shall be expired, or refuse or neglect to act in the office
of which he or they is or are herein nominated and appointed, or whereunto he
or they shall or may be so elected and chosen, then our royal will and pleasure is
and we do hereby direct, ordain and require the rector and inhabitants of the par-
ish of Rye in communion as aforesaid for the time being to meet at the said*
church, and choose other or others of their members in the place or stead of him
or them so dying, removing or refusing to act within thirty days next after such
contingency ; and in this case for the more due and orderly conducting the said
elections and to prevent any undue procedings therein, we do hereby give full
power and authority to, and ordain and require that the rector and the said church-
wardens of the said church for the time being, or any two of them, shal! appoint
the time for such election and elections, and that the rector of the said church,
or in his absence one of the said church-wardens for the time being, shall give
public notice thereof by publishing the same at the said church, immediately af-
ter divine service on the Sunday next preceeding the day appointed for such elec-
tion, hereby giving and granting that such person or persons as shall be so chos-
en from time to time by.the rector and inhabitants of the said parish of Rye in
communion -as aforesaid, or the majority of such of them as shall in such case
meet in manner hereby directed, shall have, hold, exercise and enjoy such the
office or offices to which he or they shall be so elected and chosen from the time
of such election until the Tuesday in Easter week thence next ensuing, and until

190 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

other or others be legally chosen in his or their place or stead, as fully and amply
as the person or persons in whose place he or they shall be chosen might or could
have done by virtue of these presents; and we do hereby will and direct that this
method shall for ever hereafter be used for the filling up all vacancies that shall
happen in either the said offices between the annual elections above directed ;
and our royal will and pleasure further is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and
successors, give and grant that as well the church-wardens and vestrymen in these
presents nominated and appointed, as such as shall from time to time be hereaf-
ter elected and chosen as is herein directed, shall have and they are hereby in-
vested with full power and authority to execute their several and respective offi-
ces in as full and ample manner as any church-wardens or vestrymen in that part
of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, or in this our province of New
York, can or lawfully may execute their said respective offices; and further our
royal will and pleasure is, and we do by these presents, for us, our heirsand succes-
sors ,give, grant, ordain and appoint that the rector and the said church-wardens
of the said church for the time being, or any two of them, shall and may from time
to time as occasion shall require, summon and call together, at such day and place
as they shall think proper, the said rector, church-wardens and vestrymen for the
time being, to meet in vestry, giving them at the least one day’s notice thereof,
and we hereby require them to meet accordingly ; and we do hereby give, grant
and ordain, that the said rector and one of the said church-wardens for the time be-
ing at least, together with the majority of the said vestrymen of the said church
for the time being, being met in vestry as above directed, shall for ever hereafter
have, and they are hereby invested with full power and authority by majority of
their voices, to do and execute in the name of the rector and inhabitants of the
parish of Rye in communion of the Church of England as by law estahlished,
all and singular the powers and authorities hereinbefore given and granted to the
said rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye in communion of the Church of
England as by law established, any wise touching or relating to such lands, mes-
suages and tenements, real and personal estate whatsoever, as they the said rec-
tor and inhabitants of the parish of Rye in communion as aforesaid, shall or may
acquire for the use of the said church ; and also inlike manner to order, direct,
manage and transact the general interest, business and affairs of our said corpor-
ation ; and also shall have full power and authority in like manner to make and
ordain such rules, orders and ordinances as they shall judge convenient for the
good government and the discipline of the members of the said church—provided
such rules, orders and ordinances be not repugnant to the laws of that part of
our kingdom of Great Britain called England, or of this our province of New
York, but as near as may be agreeable thereto, and that the same be fairly
entered in a book or books to be kept for that purpose. And also in like manner
to appoint the form of the common seal hereinbefore granted and the same to
alter, break and new make at their discretion; and also, in like manner, to ap-
point such officer or officers as they shall stand in need of; always provided that
the rector of the said church for the time being shall have the sole power of nomi-
nating and appointing the clerk to assist him in performing divineservice, as also
the sexton—any thing hereinbefore contained to the eontrary in any wise not-
withstanding—which clerk and sexton shall hold and enjoy their respective offices
during the will and pleasure of the rector of said church for the time being. And

THE TOWN OF RYE, IgI

whereas by the death of the late minister of the said church the same is now in
avoidance, our royal will and pleasure is that in this case, and also in case of every
future avoidance of the said church, either by the death of the rector thereof or
otherwise, that the powers and authorities hereby vested in the rector, church-
wardens and vestrymen in vestry met as above mentioned, shall, until the said
church be legally supplied with another incumbent, vest in and be executed by
the said church-wardens of the said church for the time being; provided always
they have the concurrence and consent of the major number of the whole vestry-
men of the said church appointed by these presents, or chosen by virtue hereof,
for the time being, in every thing they shall in such case do by virtue hereof.
And further we do by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, give and
grant unto the rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye in communion of the
Church of England as by law established, and their successors for ever, that this
our present grant shall be deemed, adjudged and construed in all cases most fa-
vorably and for the best benefit and advantage of the said rector and inhabitants
of the parish of Rye in communion of the Church of England as by law estab-
lished; and that this our present grant being entered on record as is hereinafter
particularly expressed, shall be good and effectual in the law to all intents, con-
structions and purposes whatsoever, against us, our heirs and successors, accord-
ing to our true intent and meaning herein before declared, notwithstanding the
not reciting or misreciting, not naming or misnaming of any of the aforesaid
franchises, privileges, immunities, offices or other the premises, or any of them;
and although no writ of ad guod damnum, or other writs, inquisitions or pre-
cepts hath or have been upon this account had, made, issued or prosecuted, to
have and to hold all and singular the privileges, liberties, advantages and im-
munities hereby granted or meant, mentioned or intended so to be, unto
them the said rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye, in communion of the
Church cf England as by law established, and to their successors for ever. In
testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent and the
great seal of our said province to be hereunto affixed, and the same tc be entered
on record in our secretary’s office in our city of New York, in one of the books
of patents there remaining. Witness our trusty and well beloved Cadwallader
Colden, Esquire, our Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of our
Province of New York, and territories thereon in America, at our Fort in our
city of New York, by and with the advice and consent of our Council for our
said province, the nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and sixty-four, and of our reign the fifth. First skin,
line the fortieth, the words o7 with and second skin, line the twenty-seventh, the
word 7s are interlined. CLARKE.

August 27,1765. The Rev. Ephraim Avery was appointed to the
mission of Rye.

In 1773, Mr. Avery’s notitia parochialis stood thus: Baptized, ninety
infants, adults, six ; colored infants, five ; marriages, five ; burials, ten.

On the 5th of June, 1776, he informs the Society “that he has lost
the use of his right hand, and therefore is incapable of writing and send-
ing an account of his parish.”

192 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“The persecutions and privations to which the clergy were exposed
(says Dr. Hawkins) in the war, whether from the Royalist or American
armies, proved fatal to several of them. At Rye, Mr. Avery was a princi-
pal sufferer ; his horses were seized, his cattle driven off, and his property
plundered. His death, by some supposed to have been occasioned by
these losses, happened soon afterwards.”

The Rev. Isaac Hunt succeeded Mr. Avery in the rectorship, having
been appointed by the Propagation Society in 1777, with a salary of
£49.

During the subsequent years the parish of Rye suffered considerably
from the confusion that attended the Revolutionary war. The church
was burned, the glebe lands hired out on terms which produced but a
small income, and the parishoners scattered.

After the close of the war, the congregation received a letter from the
Rev. Samuel Provoost, rector of Trinity church, New York, Abraham
Beach and Benjamin Moore, dated April 17, 1786, inclosing the jour-
nals of the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, held in
Philadelphia, September, 1785.

Upon the reception of this letter, a meeting of the congregation was
called, which assembled at the house of Mrs. Haviland, in Rye, on the
5th of May, 1786. a

Mr. Joshua Purdy was unanimously elected president of the meeting.
On motion, it was resolved to take the sense of the congregation, whether
they would comply with the request of the letter, and send delegates to
meet in convention at St. Paul’s church, in New York, upon the third
Tuesday in May next.

The sense being taken, it was unanimously agreed to send delegates.
William Miller and Alexander Hunt, Esqs., were chosen delegates to the
General Convention.

September, 1787. The Rev. Richard Channing Moore (afterwards
Bishop of Virginia) was elected to the rectorship, the first since the close
of the war.

At a vestry meeting held 5th of March, 1788, it was determined by
that body to erect a new church on or near the place where the old ruins
stood.

Upon the resignation of Mr. Moore, in 1788, the Rev. David Foote
accepted an invitation to the rectorship. This individual was called away
whilst in the morning of life from the field of his earthly labors to reap
an eternal reward, A.D. 1793.

a Hawkins’ Hist, Not, Col. Church, 281. Mr. Avery wasastep-son of the celebrated Gen-
eral Putnam.—Editor,

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SCOPAL CHURCH, RYE.

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PARSONAGE OF EPISCOPAL CHURCH, RYE.

ii, 193.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 193

His tombstone bears the following simple inscription :

Iy Memory

of the
REV. MR. DAVID FOOTE,
late Pastor of Rye and White Plains,
who departed this life the first of August,
1793,
aged 32 years.
Blessed are the dead who

die in the Lord.

The Rey. John J. Sands was called to, and accepted, the rectorship in
1793. For the successors of Mr, Sands, see the list of rectors.

Another important event occurred about this time, in the winter of
1794. The parsonage house, on the west side of Blind brook, was
burnt. This house had been the residence of the rector since Mr. Wet-
more’s time. The vestry at first inclined to rebuild the parsonage on its
former site, but afterwards concluded to purchase the house and land of
Isaac Doughty, near the church; and May 24, 1794, this purchase was
made for £400. Thus they acquired the beautiful and spacious rectory
grounds which they now possess.

In 1852, steps were taken to replace the old wooden church built in
1788; and in 1855, Bishop Wainwright consecrated the new church. In
1864, a neat and convenient Sunday-school room was erected near the
church, and soon afterwards the church was enlarged and embellished.
But on the evening of December 21, 1866, this beautiful church was de-
stroyed by fire, and within two years a new and larger edifice arose on
the same site. The present church was consecrated on the roth of
June, 1869, by Bishop Potter.

At a meeting of the rector, wardens and vestrymen, held in 1794, it
was resolved to substitute the title Christ’s instead of Grace, by which
the church had heretofore been distinguished.

The principal benefactors to this parish have been the Hon. Caleb
Heathcote, St. George Talbot, Esq., Ann Jay,® sister of the Hon. John
Jay, and the wardens and vestry of Trinity church, New York.’

Christ’s church, Rye, was incorporated on the 12th of March, 1796.
Peter Jay and John Barker, church-wardens ; Joshua Purdy, Sen., Roger
Purdy, John Haight, Thomas Carhart, Gilbert Hatfield, Roger Purdy,
Jonathan Horton and Jonathan Purdy, vestrymen.* A second incorpo-

a _ ey left a legacy of $250 to the church.
6 In 1800, Trinity church contributed $750 for a parsonage at Rye; to which was added in
1813. the sum of $500.
¢ CO. Rec. Religious Soo. Lib. A.

194 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ration occurs on the 18th of June following.

The present glebe was purchased by the vestry in 1794. Uponita
neat parsonage has been erected.

The first delegates from this parish to the Diocesan Convention in
1785, were Mr. William Miller and Mr. Alexander Hunt.

InstIT. on CALL, Reorors, VACATED By,
A.D. 1702, Rev. Thomas Prirowarp, Clericus, death.
A.D. 1704, .Rery. Geor@Ee Mouirsoy, Clericus, o

January, 1709, Rey. CuristopHer Brioas, M.A., Cler.¢ “
1719, Rey. Mr. Baroray, Clericus, resig.

1720, Rey. Tuomas Poyer, Clericus, a

4 June 1722, Rey. Ropert JENNEY, Clericus,? a
1726, Rey. James WETMORE, Clericus, death.
1746, Rey. Josepn Lamson, Clericus, resig.
1 July, 1763, Rey. EBENEZER PunpErsoy, Clericus.¢ death.

27 Aug. 1765, Rey. Erpnram Avery, Clericus, ae

1777, Rey. Isaao Hunt, Clerius, resig.
Sept. 1787, Rey. RiowarpD C. Moors, Presb., i.
Nov. 1790, Rey. Davin Footer, Presb., death.
1793, Rey. Joun J. Sanps, Presb. resig.
Nov. 1796, Rey. GEorGE Oaityin, Presb., death.
Aug. 1797, Rey. Samvuet Haske tt, Presb., resig.
April, 1801, . Rey. Evan Rogers, Presb., death.
1809, ° Rev. Samver Hasxert, Presb., resig.
1822, Rey. Wir.t1AM Tompson, Presb., death.
1830, Rey. Joun M. Forsss, Presb., resig.
1832, Rev. Witi1aM M. Carmicuakt, Presb., se
Aug., 1834, Rey. Prerer 8. Cuauncey, Presb., e
May, 1849, Rey. Ep, C. Butt, se
May, 1859, Rev JoHN CAMPBELL WHITE, oo
Noy. 1864, Rey. Reese F. Atsop, a Dy:
June 1873, Rev. CHaunoey B. Brewster, present incumbent.

a The following obituary notice of Mr. Bridge, is from the Boston newspaper of June 1st
to 8th, 1719: ‘* We have an account from Rye, in the government of New York, of the death
of the Rev. Mr. Bridge, M. A ,a Presbyter of the Church of England, and minister of the
gospel at that place, who died on Saturday, the 23d of May, Jast. He was formeriy, for many
years together, one of the ministers of the Church of England, in Boston, a religious and
worthy man, a very good scholar, and a fine grave preacher. His performances in the pulpit
were solid, judicious and profitable ; his conversation was agreeable and improving, and
though a strict Churchman in his principles, yet of great respect and charity to dissenters,
andmuch esteemed by them. He was bred at the University of Cambridge, in England, and
was about forty-eight years of age when he died, very much lamented.” Extracted from
Greenwood's Histcry of King’s Chapel.

b This gentleman_was the son of Archdeacon Jenny, of Wanney town, in the north of Ire-
land. See Hist. of Narraganset church by Wilkins Updike.

ec Mr. Punderson graduated at Yale College in 1726, and was afterwards ordained 9, Congre-
gational minister over the second church in Groton, In 1732 he came into the Episcopal
church,and crossed the Atlantic to be ordained. On his return,he reorganized a church at the
village of Poquetannuc,in North Groton, in 1738, which has ever since existed, &c. Mr. Pun-
derson was for some years an itinerant missionary of the ‘‘ Society for the Propa ation of
the Gospel,” from 1740 to 1750. In 1753-4 he was settled missionary in the towns of Guilford.
New Haven and Bradford.” Ibid.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 195

The old church was erected in 1788, and has since been sold; and
now stands on the Milton road, and is used as a private residence.

A new parsonage was commenced in 1878, and finished in the Fall of
the same year. It is built of stone, in Queen Anne’s style, directly op-
posite, on the south side of the church.

There is Grace chapel at Milton, where services are held regularly by
the rector of Christ’s church, Rye.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF RYE.

According to report, Methodism was introduced into this part of Rye
about 1802. The marriage of Esther, widow of John Griffen, of Mam-
aroneck, to Ezekiel Halsted, of Rye, in that year, was the occasion of it.
Mrs. Griffen had united with the Methodist Episcopal church before her
marriage to Mr. Halsted. Whilst Mr. E. Halstead was a member of the
Congregational church in Greenwich, soon after his marriage he identi-
fied himself with the Methodist.

The Methodists for many years occupied the Presbyterian church in
connection with that body; but differences springing up between them
in 1832, they ceased to use the church; and the same year a lot, com-
prising half an acre, was bought and a church erected.

In 1853 a house and four acres of land, situated on the turnpike,
about half a mile from the church, were bought for a parsonage. In
1855, the trustees bought eight acres of land for a cemetery; to this,
nearly seven acres have been added.

In 1855, the trustees sold the parsonage; and in 1860 bought land di-
rectly opposite the church and built a parsonage. In March, 1864, the
church was remodelled at an expense of $4,000. Lately the property
adjoining the church, consisting of two and a half acres, was bought for
$10,000. A Sunday-schcol room was built, a house on the premises
was altered for a parsonage, and other improvements made at a cost of
about $5,000, and the old parsonage was sold.

South of the village lies Peningoe Neck, commonly called Brown’s
Point, one mile and a halfin extent. The extremity of the point in the
neighborhood of the Scotch Caps, has been considerably undermined by
the constant action of the waves. The eastern shore of the neck has
also receded, before the same destructive element. The beach, on Rye
flats,is a well-known and favorite bathing place. It also commands an
extensive view of the Sound. The name of Parsonage Point has been
conferred on the south-east projection. At present the principal propri-

a Baird’s History of Rye.

196 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

etors are Gideon Reynolds and Hachaliah Brown, Esq. The latter in-
dividual holds 250 acres of the lower portion.

Upon the western shore of Peningoe neck, or Brown’s Point, stands
the small hamlet of Milton, overlooking the mouth of the Blind brook
(Mockquams), the beautiful scenery of the Mill creek and the wooded
shores of Budd’s Neck. Here are several stores and a tide mill; the
latter is situated at the head of the navigable waters of Mill creek. In
the immediate vicinity of Milton, is the residence of Newberry Halstead,
Esq., which, from its elevated position, commands splendid prospects of
the river and surrounding country. The Halsteads have been long resi-
dents of Rye, and descend from a common ancestor of that name, who
originally came from Huntington, Long Island. The adjoining propri-
etors are Underhill Halstead, Joseph Parker and Gideon Reynolds.

Near the entrance of the Neck proper, is located the ancient z//age
burying ground, Here the frail memorials—

‘‘ With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture decked,
Implore the passing tribute of a sigh.” —Gray’s Elegy.

The following inscription is taken from one of the oldest tombstones :
Mary, daughter to Samuel and Mary Kniffen, deceased January ye 12,
1707. Upon another richly carved stone surmounted by a winged
cherub, are these words: In memory of Mr. Joseph Lyon, who deceased
February the 21st, A. D. 1761, in the 84th year of his age. Here are
also interred the bodies of the Rev. William Thompson® and the Rev.
Evan Rogers. The tombstone of the latter is inscribed as follows :

THE
Masonio Society IN THE TOWN OF RYE,
have erected this monument sacred to the memory
of their beloved brother, the
REV. EVAN ROGERS,
Pastor of Christ Church in this town,
who departed this life January 25th, 1809,
in the 42d year, of his life.

My flesh shall slumber in the ground,

Till the last trumpet’s joyful sound,

Then burst these chains with sweet surprise,
And in my Saviour’s image rise.

Also memorials to Stephen Roe, M. D., and Dr. Charles McDonald,
a soldier of the Revolution. The Union Gemetery is situated in North

a The inscription on the tombstone of Mr. Thompson, is an exact copy of that upon his
tablet in the church.

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To face page 197, vol. il.

Arms :—Borne by the Huguenot.

D’azur. au chevron d’or, en chef demi soleil splendant, entre deux etoiles de meme en point, a roe propre surmonté paroiseaux.

PEDIGREE OF JAY, OF RYE AND BEDFORD.

Crest :—Deux ceeurs unis. Present crest :—A cross mounted upon

three graces, or steps. Motto :—Deo Duce Perseverandum.

Pierre Jay, Ecuyer of the house of Le Jay, of Poictou T udith Francoise, da. of Mons. Francoise, of La Rochelle

Bears day, died during the voyage
from France to England

Petbr Jay, of Rye, nat. 3d Nov., Mary, da. of Jacobus Van Cort-
1704, ob. 17th April, 1782; m. | landt, of the old Yonkers, ob.
20th Jan., 1728. Buried at | 17th April, 1777
Rye

|
Isaac Jay, 1690, died of wounds re-
ceived at the battle of Boyne

|
Frances,_Hon, Mr. Poloquin, Mayor of
ob, 1742 Bristol, England

|
Augustus Jay, nat. at La Rochelle, 13 March, 1665, _Anna Maria Bayard, license of mar-
ob. 10 March, 1751; came to New York, 1697 riage dated 27th October, 1697

|

Mary, nat. 31st Aug., Peter Vallette, ob.
1700; ob. 5th June, 9th Dec , 1752
1762

|

Ann, nat. 6th March,
1706; ob. 24th Dec-
ember, 1707

mrshena nat, 26th Feb., Frederick Van
1701; mar. 19th Jan., Cortlandt, ob,
1724; ob. 2d August, 13th February,
1780 1750

Judith, nat. 29th__Cornelius Van Horne
Aug. 1698, ob. ob. May, 1752; mar,
August, 1757 6th April, 1735

| |
meas nat. James, nat. 27th Sir James, Knight, pater, nat. 19th_Mary Duyck-

|
Frederick,

| | i.) a Gs Earn.
Hon. John Jay, of Bedford,—Sarah, da. of Hon. Wm. Frederick, _1.Margaret, da. of Andrew Barclay, m. 7th Eva, nat. 9th Rev, Harry Munro, Anna Maria, nat. aah, nat. Nov.
nat, 12th December, 1745; | Livingston, Gov.of N.J., nat.19Apr., Sept., 1773; ob. 23 Oct., 1791. Nov., 1828; M.A , Rector of St.

nat. 10

15th April, 1730 April, 1781; ob. nat, 27th Oct. 1732; Oct., 1734; ob, —_ inck, mar. May, 1744; ob. 20th Oct., 1737 ; 10th. 1748; ob.
ob, 23d Dee., 16th Oct, 1751; ob. 20th Oct,, 1815. 8th July, 1813 1789 July 5th, 1741 m. 28th April, 1174; ob.17 | nat. Aug., 1756; ob. at 1747; ob.s.p. _2 Euphemia Dunscomb, ob. 26th Feb., ob. April7, John’s Church, ob. 4th Sept., 18th May, 1752
1801. 8. p. 8. D. Buried at Rye May,1829 Buried at Rye | Bedford, 28th May, 1802 14 Dec., 1799 1817 1810 Philipsborough 1791

Sahn, nat. at Mardrid, July
9th, 1180; ob, 1st August, 1780;
Interred in the vault of the
Flemish Chanel, at Madrid

Hot. Peter Augustus Jay, of Rye_ Mary Rutherfurd,
Neck, nat, 24th Jan., 1777; mar. | da, of Gen. Mat-
July 29th, 1807, at Liberty Hall, | thew Clarkson
N.J.; ob. 20th Feb., 1848

Salah Louisa, nat.
New York, 20th Feb.,
1792; ob, 22d April,
1818

Hon. Judge \ittiam Jay, of Bedford, Augusta MeVicker, da. of
nat. 16th June, 1789; ob, October | John McVickar, Esq., of
14, 18:8, Buried with his wife in St. |} Bloomingdale,N.Y. ; nat. 11
Matthew’s Church-yard, Bedford Nov., 1790; ob. Apr. 26, 1857

as nat. at Passy,
near Paris, August
13th, 1783; ob. at
N.Y., 13 Nov., 1856

Meta, mar. 22d April, 1801, _Goldsborough Banyar,
nat. at Madrid, February Esq., ob. June, 1806.
20th, 1782; ob. at N. Y., Buried at Rye
2ist November, 1S56

|
Mary Rutherfurd, Frederick

|
Sarah, nat. Dec. 19th, Wm. Dawson,

hae F | ‘ |
Catharine Helena_Henry Aug. DuBois Anna Maria, —Henry Evelyn Pierre- Peter Augustus Josephine, da. of Jos. mitdabeth Gian Matilda, Mathew Clarkson

| |
Join Clarkson, M.D.,_ Laura Prime, da.
of Rye Neck; nat.| of Nathaniel nat. April 16th, 1810: | Prime, Esq. 1811; mar. Feb. 11th, | Esq., of Eng- mar. Dec. 7th, LL.D., of New m. Dec. 1st, | pont, Esq., of nat. Oct. 28d, 1821; | Pearson, Esq., of Clarkson mar. April 11,
Sept. 11th, 1808; mar. | Prime, Esq., of mar. April 80th, 1829; | of N. Y. 18386; ob. 9th Jan,| land 1835 Haven 1841 Brooklyn mar. Jan. 13, 1848; | Washington, D. C. 1852
Nov. 8th, 1881 New York ob. Sept. 9th, 1835 1846 Ob. 1856 |
| ae | ero Wed: ll ele melhor gat eee ey een | i co | l ; fl
Mary Rutherfurd Tarr ett, m. Helen Jay, m. BASS cas 4 sa EY a s BE ye oo PE x Rey Az Q Mary Rutherfurd _Rutherfurd a = a Boe HeB q Augastus, =Emily, da. of Banyer Clarkson, nat. 13th
1867, Thomas P. Francis 'T. Gar- we es are ae 5 ag ae 53 | ret Ra 8 ers nat, Aug. 24, 1842 Stuyvesant, 5 5 Ben SE 2 PB nat. Oct. 17, | De Lancey March, 1854
Gibbons, M. D. retson, Esq. = BES a Bry ety } Ew oF a & vs EP BE ob. 1880 Esq., of N.Y. ¢, y ye Soe) Rms 1850 Kane, Esq.
Bosq ee Uist ier Sel eae Be S39 ees
ree ong = = 4 a = 5a 23 ow — a REoy HOPS Augustus Jay,
So | Pa B 5 2s Z 7a & 45 Pi on”: eae e's nat. August, 1877
ad ] | | ] | | ] | |
Laura, nat. —Chas. Pember- Augustus, nat. John, nat. Mary, Jonathan Edward, Esq., Cornelia Rev. Peter Aug., Julia, da. of Alfred C. Post, Anna Maria, nat. John Clarkson, —Tarriett, da. of Alice sarin Matilda, ob. young
Feb. 8, 1854| ton Wurtz ob. 1889 ob. 1841 m. 186) | of the New York Bar nat June, 1841; ob.1875 | M. D., of New York 1843; ob, 1858 nat. 1844 | Gen Vinton

|
Eleanor, m.—Henry G. Chapman, Esq., wihtian, Esq., of the N.Y. Bar,Lucie, da of Henry

|
John, nat. 25 Aug , 1842:

Te | | | | | | |
US 9 Ey west Laura Jay Pierre, nat. 1876 Mary Rutherfurd Laura Prime John, nat, Dec. 1875 Maria Arnold. ob, young Edith Van Cortlandt
of o gases —
32uE 2 ORES | \ | 4 | | |
oF 5 “ = ae ee Anna, nat. 17 Aug., —Rev. L. P. W. Balch, D.D. Maria Banyer, nat.—John F. But- John, Esq., nat. June 23d, —Eleanor Kingsland, Sarah Louisa,—Alex. M. Bruen, Eliza, nat. 23 May, Henry E, Pellew, Esq. William, nat. 26, June, Augusta, _H. E, Pellew, Esq.
eee ve | ofB 1818; ob 5th of Jan., | Rector of St.Bartholomew’s — 28 April, 1515; ob. | terworth,Esq 1817; Minister to Vienna, | da. of H. W. Field, m. Aug. Ist, M.D., of Bruen 1823; ob. Dec., of England 1828; ob. 16th March, mar, 187 ,
& S ala =| =e aoa 1849 Church, New York 17 Noy., 1881 | of N. Y. 1869-75 of New York 1848 Place, Scarsdale 18¢9 1829 at Vienna
ts’ oO
BG gheg l | l l l 1 | l l
a § <<28° Augusta Elizabeth Lewis, L. P. W., M.D.of Albany Augusta Jay, Wm.Leonard Smith Eliza Jay Augusta MecVickar, nat. 13 April, Alexandrine Alexander William Wm. Henry Edwin Geo., Chas. Ernest, nat. Elise Marian
i 1851; ob. 13th April, 1863 Louise day Livingston nat. 10th June, 1859 Mar, 186€3

| |
Augusta, nat. Aug. 9th,_ Edmund Randolph Mary, William Henry Anna, ™. 18 Oct., 1872_H. E. Lt. Gen. Lothar von Schweinitz, German Ambassador

June 23, 1859 of New York Lt.Col, U.S.A., nat. Feb, 12 1841 ; Oelrichs, Esq., of ob. July 18th, 1843 1844; m. Oct. 3, 1867, at | Robinson, Esq ,of Oct. 15, | Shieffclin, Esq., at Vienna, afterwards at St. Petersburg
m, June, 12, 187s New York Bedford House; ob. Mar. | New York Bar 1863 | of New York
20th, 1878
ae ee | ao ; | | | ! | | ; | | | | in é ie
enry Grafton, nat. JohnJay,nat. EleanorJay Beatrix Julia Eleanor Jay Moncure,nat. Augusta Frances Eleanor Jay William Jay, nat. Samuel Bradhurst, John Jay,nat, Hans Wilhelm, Emilia Maria ans Friedrich Hubert, Tans Lothar

June 7th, 1860 Mar. 2d, 1862

Feb. 3, i876 Beverley 14th April, 1866 nat. 9th Aug. 1870 Ist Sept., 1876 nat. 16 Noy. 1873 Eleonora nit. 30th Noy. 1877 nat. Ang. 17, 1880

THE TOWN OF RYE. 197

street. It contains monuments to the families of Budd, Nelson, Kniffen,
Osborne, Bulkley, Brooks, Merritt, Yeoman, Halstead, Barker, Brown,
Prevoost, Andrews, Berrian, Haviland, Russel, Mount, Fisher, and
Ferguson, &c.

On the west shore of the Mill creek, extends the ancient territory of
Apawquammis, afterwards named Budd’s neck, from John Budd, the
first grantee of these lands under the Indians, A. D. 1661. In 1639,
the name of John Budd occurs in the New Haven records, as one of the
first planters of that place. He subsequently removed to Southhold,
Long Island, from whence he came to Rye in 1661. In 1663, John
Budd was deputy from Rye to the general court of Connecticut.¢

John Budd, proprietor of Budd’s neck, by his last will dated the 13th of
Oct., 1669, bequeathed to his son John, all his part of the Mill on Blind
Brook, and to his son, Joseph, the Epawquammis lands. Joseph Budd
was the first patentee of Budd’s orRye neck, under the crown, in 1720.7
From the Budds, the neck went by purchase, into the families of the
Purdys, Gedneys, Guions and Jays, &c. The property of the latter
family, contains a large proportion of the old patent.

We have previously shown, that John Budd released this portion of
his patrimonial estate, including Pine Lsland, Marees neck and Hen Is-
land, to Peter Jay, A.D. 1745.

The Jay family who have been seated here for four generations, are of
French origin, and descendants of Pierre Jay, Ecuyer, a wealthy mer-
chant of La Rochelle, in 1684. Pierre Jay is presumed to have been
of the house of Le Jay, of Poitou. There was also an ancient French
family in Paris of the name of Le Jay, which formerly distinguished it-
self in the civil department of the State, many of whom bore the same
Christian name, as many of the Jays have since done—amongst whom
is found, a John le Jay, in the early part of the sixteenth century;
a Nicolas le Jay, Baron de Tilley de la Maison Rouge, et de St. Far-
geau, Seigneur de Villiers, was first President to the Parliament of Paris,
in 1636. This individual was theson of Nicolas le Jay, styled “ correc-
teur des Comptes a Paris.Ӣ

a Sometimes called Rye Neck.

& New Haven Col. Rec. vol. i, 7.

ec New Haven Col. Rec. vol. i, 425.

d In the town records of Westchester, occurs the foliowing entry: “ Baptised by Mr.
John Bartow, rector of Westchester parish, in the parish church in the town aforesaid, the
eighth of August, 1703, Sarah Budd, the wife of Joseph Budd of Rye, in the County of West-
chester, and their son Joseph Budd, aged eleven months, also.

e Hist. Genealogique et Chronologique parle P. Anselme, 1731, vol. ix. 304. The arms
borne by Nicolas Jay, were: ‘* D’azur au chevron d’or, accompagne en chef de deux etoiles
de meme en point, d’un mouton passant d’argent. The arms of Pierre le Jay the Huguenot,
closely resemble the former, viz.: ‘‘d’azur au chevron d’or, en chef demi soleil splendant,
entre deux etoiles de meme en point, a roc propre surmonte par oiseaux. Crest. deux cceurs
unis.

198 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Of Pierre Jay, Mr. Renwick in his life of John Jay, remarks: “He
was a native of France, and resided in the city of La Rochelle, his busi-
ness was that of a merchant; and from collateral facts, we have reason
to believe that he was both wealthy and enterprising. Like many of the
most industrious and most respectable inhabitants in that part of the
country, he was a Protestant ; and doomed as we shall see, to undergo
much trouble and persecution on account of his religion. He seems to
have had a sort of presentiment—probably derived from the growing dis-
favor of the Protestants in the sight of the government—that it would at
some time or other be necessary for him to sacrifice both country and
property, on account of his religion. On this account, he determined
to send one of his sons to England to acquire a knowledge of that lan-
guage, and be educated there. His eldest son was the one chosen for
this purpose, but he unfortunately died on the voyage. With great
promptness, the father sent his second son, Augustus, who was then
barely twelve years old, to take his place; this happened A. D. 1677.”
The troubles and persecutions which Mr. Jay seemed to have foreseen, ‘
and which preceded the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, now com-
menced ; and in January, 1685, the Protestant Church at Rochelle was
pulled down, pursuant to a decree passed at that time. Finding that the
Protestants still continued the exercise of their religion, and were not to
be forced to change it by any ordinary means, a regiment of dragoons
was despatched to that portion of the country, and quartered upon the
Protestant inhabitants. We have full evidénce that these armed mis-
sionaries had free license to make their hosts as uncomfortable as pos-
sible, and were encouraged to practice upon them those insults so easily
perpetrated by unrestrained and licentious soldiery.”

We can easily imagine what must have been the situation of a pious
family, and what the feelings of a husband and a father under such cir-
cumstances. Mr. Jay determined that those nearest and dearest to him
should no longer be exposed to insult and contamination ; and, find-
ing a safe opportunity, he secretly sent his family, together with several
articles of value, on board a vessel bound for England. This vessel ar-
rived in safety. The departure of his family did not long remain un-
discovered; and, causing suspicion of his own intentions, he was
arrested and thrown into prison. From thence, by the intervention of
some worthy Catholic friends, he was rescued; when, foreseeing that
France was no longer a residence for him, he determined to leave it for
ever. But first, it was necessary to raise funds for the support of him-
self and family in a strange land; this he dared not do by turning any
of his French property into money lest his motives should be surmised,

THE TOWN OF RYE. 199

and a second arrest should follow. At this time, several of his ships
were expected to arrive. He gave secret orders to one of the pilots of
the port, to bring the first of his ships that should arrive to anchor at
some distance, and not come up to the town. The first of his vessels
that made its appearance was from a Spanish port, laden chiefly with
iron; and fortunately, both for his honor and his future means of living,
both ship and cargo belonged entirely to himself. The pilot, faithful to
his instructions, anchored the vessel in the place determined on. With
his assistance, Mr. Jay embarked and sailed immediately for England.
He arrived in safety, and happy must have been the meeting between
him and his family. They were now out of danger, free from persecu-
tion, and in the enjoyment of their chosen religion ; and, although their
means were not so great as formerly, yet they still had a sufficiency.
On his escape from France being made public, all his property was con-
fiscated, and never was returned—so as to be of any use either to him or
to his children. But one thing marred their happiness ; this was their un-
certainty as what would be the fate of their second, now their eldest son,
who was at that time probably in Africa, on commercial business of his
father’s. This son, Augustus, the grandfather of John Jay, returned (not
knowing of his parent’s escape) to Rochelle. Thence, facilitated by the
kindness of his friends, he managed to procure a passage to Charleston,
S. C.; for he also, like his parents, was resolute in sacrificing everything
for his religion. From Charleston, driven by a climate unhealthy even to
natives, and doubly so to foreigners, he travelled to Philadelphia; but,
finding in that city, then an infant State, no field for the exercise of com-
merce, to which he had been brought up, he made his way to New
York. Here he not only found occupation, but friends—driven like him-
self, by persecution, to carry the arts and industry of France to other
shores. Here also he found churches built and attended by French re-
fugees, and a service performed in his own language. Finding that his
succcess in life must wholly depend upon his own exertions, he applied
himself with diligence and skill to business, and followed for many years
the calling of a supercargo. During this time, he both heard from his
parents and made them acquainted with his weltare.¢
Leaving his fortunes for a while, we turn to those of his younger
brother, Isaac. At this time, the war between William of Orange and
_James II of England was in progress, and a regiment of French refu-

a On the 4th of March, 1686, letters of denization were granted to Augustus Jay. Upon the
29th of Saptember, 1698, King William III, by his royal letters patent, granted to Augustus
Jay, ‘*all the rights and privileges of a native born English subject.” Augustus Jay was ad-
mitted to the freedom of the city of New York. by the Mayor and Aldermen, on the 27th Jan-
uary, 1700. From the original documents in possession of the Hon. William Jay,

200 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

gees was enrolled by the former to assist in driving from Ireland his
catholic competitor for the throne. Into this regiment Isaac entered,
impelled by the ardor of youth, and no doubt not a little by the recol-
lection of the many insults and injuries he and his family had received
at the hands of those who professed the Romish religion. He sealed
his conviction of the justice of his own cause with his blood, and died
not long after the battle of the Boyne, from the effects of wounds re-
ceived in that engagement.

In the year 1692, Augustus, while pursuing his commercial avoca-
tions, started on a voyage from New York to Hamburg ; on the passage
the vessel was captured by a French privateer, and carried into St. Ma-
loes. He, with other prisoners, was confined, not very closely as it ap-
pears by subsequent events, in a fortress about fifteen miles from that
place, While there, news arrived of the battle of La Hogue, and the
prisoners were ordered into closer confinement. They, in some way, re-
ceived news of this order ; and determined, before it was put in force, to
effect their escape. Accordingly, on the evening that was to precede their
imprisonment, Augustus and some of his companions succeeded in scaling
the wall and dropping into the ditch. Whether his friends were
stunned by the fall, or re-captured, he had no means of ascertaining. He
himself, however, got out of the ditch, took the road and arrived at Ro-
chelle. Here he was secreted and protected by his aunt, until she found
means to send him to the isie of Aux Rhé, whence he got passage to
Denmark. On his way home he passed through Holland, performed
his business there, and then crossed over to England, where he saw his
father and sister for the first time since their separation so many years
before. There was one drawback to their joy, one cause of grief ; the
mother who had gone through so many trials with them, was no more.
The calls of business soon separated this happy party, and Augustus took
a last farewell, and returnned to his business in America.

A few years after his return he married Anna Maria, daughter of Mr.
Balthazar Bayard. She, like himself, was descended from a family who
had suffered from religious persecution. Her great grand-father was a
Frenchman, a Protestant professor of theology in one of the colleges at
Paris, who was forced either to give up his religion or leave his country,
during the reign of Louis XIII. He chose the latter alternative, and
fled to Holland, whence his grand-son emigrated to this country.

By this marriage, Augustus Jay found himself surrounded by a num-
erous and influential Dutch connection. In the colony of New York,
the descendants of the Dutch were the most numerous class of the pop-
ulation ; and they were remarkable for the liberal manner in which they

THE TOWN OF RYE. 20T

befriended and assisted their countrymen, or those connected with them.

Soon after his marriage, finding himself in comfortable and respect-
able circumstances, Mr. Jay sent out for his father and sister: but the
father felt that his declining years would not permit such a voyage, and
the sister would on no account leave him. Augustus Jay went on for
many years increasing his wealth and influence ; and, after having had
three children, all of whom were daughters, he was at last made happy
by the birth of ason in the year 1704. This son, the father of John Jay,
he named Peter. No other children were born ; and Peter, therefore, at
his father’s death, which did not take place until he had reached the
age of eighty-four, found himself sole bearer of the name of Jay.

Peter Jay, like his father and grand-father, was a merchant and fol-
lowed his business with such success, that at the age of forty he was able
to retire and live on the proceeds of his industry. At the age of twenty-
four, he married Mary van Cortlandt. This lady was the daughter of
Jacobus van Cortlandt of the Lower Yonckers, by his wife Eva Philipse,
daughter of the Hon. Frederick Philipse, lord of the manor of Philips-
burgh. Through this lady, the Jays subsequently became possessed of
the Bedford estates.

Peter Jay, Esq., by his wife Mary van Cortlandt, had ten children.

Their eighth child, John Jay, was born on the 12th of December,
1745, the same year that his father purchased the Rye estate. At the
age of eight years, John Jay was sent to a grammar school at New Ro-
chelle ; his instructor being the Rev. Pierre Stouppe, minister of the
French Episcopal church. ‘Here he continued for three years, and
was then placed by his father under the care of a private tutor, who pre-
pared him for college. The one selected was King’s, now Columbia
College, an institution that boasts of many celebrated men among its
alumni.”

“Tn his fourth collegiate year he decided upon the law as his future
profession.2 At the commencement held at St. George’s chapel, May,
1764, General Gage and his Majesty’s council, &c., being present, Rich-
ard Harrison, seventeen years of age, delivered the salutatory oration ;
John Jay, a dissertation on the blessings of peace.” Upon this occasion
he received his degree of Bachelor of Arts.

The annexed sketch of Mr. Jay’s subsequent life is from Blake’s Bi-
ographical Dictionary.

“John Jay, LL. D., first Chief Justice of the United States under
the constitution of 1789, graduated at King’s (now Columbia) College,

a Here John Jay spent his boyhood,
b Compiled and abridg<d from the life of John Jay by Henry B. Renwick,

202 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

A.D. 1764; and in 1768 was admitted tothe bar. He was appointed
to the first American Congress, in 1774. Being on the committee
with Lee and Livingston to draft and address the people of Great
Britain, he was the writer of that eloquent production. In the Congress
of 1775, he was on various important committees, performing more
service perhaps than any other member except Franklin and John
Adams. In May, 1776, he was recalled to assist in framing the govern-
ment of New York, and in consequence his name is not attached to the
Declaration of Independence; but July 9th, he reported resolutions in
the Provincial Convention in favor of the declaration. After the fall of
New York, and the removal of the Provincial Assembly to Poughkeep-
sie, Mr. Jay retained his resolute patriotism. The very eloquent ad-
dress of the convention to the people of New York, dated Fishkill, De-
cember 23, 1776, and signed by A. Ten Broeck, as president, was
written by him. March 12, 1777, he reported to the convention of New
York the draft of a form of government, which was adopted ; and many
of the provisions of which, were introduced into the constitution of other
States. From May 3, 1777, to August 18, 1779, he was Chief Justice of
the State, but resigned that office in consequence of his duties as presi-
dent of Congress. The glowing address of that body to their constitu-
ents, dated September 8, 1779, was prepared by him. On the 2oth of
September he was appointed minister plenipotentiary to the court of
Spain. He was one of the commissioners to negotiate peace with Great
Britain, and signed the definitive treaty of peace at Paris, September 3,
1783. He returned to America in 1784. Congress had previously ap-
pointed him Secretary of State for foreign affairs. In the difficult cir-
cumstances of the country, the secretary was in effect the head of the
government. Mr. Jay’s services were of great importance. He drew
up, October 13, 1776, an elaborate report on the relations between the
United States and Great Britain. Though not a member of the conven-
tion which formed the Constitution of the United States, he was present
at Annapolis, and aided by his advice. He also assisted Madison and
Hamilton, in writing the Federalist. In the convention of New York,
he contributed to the adoption of the Constitution. He was appointed
Chief Justice, by Washington, Septemper 26,1789. In 1794 he was ap-
pointed minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain, and succeeded in nego-
tiating the treaty which still goes by his name, He was governor of the
State of New York from 1795 to 1801. The remainder of his life he
passed in retirement at Bedford, in this county. He died 17th May,
1829. His remains are deposited in the family burying ground.

By his wife, Sarah Vanburgh, daughter of the Hon. William Livings-

THE TOWN OF RYE. 203

ton, Governor of New Jersey, he left issue two sons, viz,: the late Hon.
Peter Augustus Jay, member of the State Assembly in 1813, recorder of
New York in 1819, and delegate to the convention which framed the
late constitution of the State of New York; and the Hon. William Jay
of Bedford, for several years a Judge of the late Court of Common
Pleas in this county; besides four daughters.

The family residence is situated near the post road leading to Rye at
no great distance from the river. The building is a handsome structure
of wood, presenting a lofty portico on the north. The south front com-
mands a beautiful lawn, and charming views of the Sound and Long
Island. Some highly interesting family portraits adorn the walls of the
hall and dining-room ; amongst them are the following: Hon. John Jay,
first Chief Justice of the United States, and Governor of the State of
New York. Head by Stewart, figure by Trumbull. The Hon. John
Jay sat to Colonel Trumbull (his secretary) for this picture, whilst resi-
dent ambassador at the Court of St. James, London. The artist sub-
sequently presented it to Mr. Jay.¢ Augustus Jay, who emigrated to
this country in 1686, a copy from the original, by Waldo; Anna Maria
Bayard, wife of Augustus Jay, by ditto; Peter Augustus Jay, as a boy,
artist unknown ; an old painting upon oak panel, supposed to represent
Catharine, wife of the Hon. Stephen Van Cortlandt, South Holland.
This lady appears habited in a plain black dress, wearing a high neck
ruffle, and in her right hand holds a clasped book. In one corner of the
picture is inscribed “‘ Aitat. 64, 1630.”

The library contains a large and valuable collection of shells amount-
ing to between three or four thousand specimens. John C. Jay, M.D.,
has published several catalogues of the new and rare shells contained in
his cabinet.¢

Among other family relics, we noticed the gold snuff box presented by
the corporation of New York, with the freedom of the city, to his Excel-
lency John Jay, on the 4th of October, 1784. Also a French Bible,?@
containing the following memoranda: Auguste Jay est né ala Rochelle
dans le Royaume de France le 3} Mars, 1665. Laus Deo, N. York,
July ye roth, 1733, this day at 4 o’clock in ye morning dyed Eva Van

aThis picture has been engraved for Herring’s National Portrait Gatlery. In the possession

of Henry Munro, Esq., is another portrait of the Hon. Jokn Jay, by Stewart, in his robes as
Chief Justice of the United states.

6 This picture was found in one of the old city residences of the Van Cortlandts.

ce See ** Catalogue of recent shells in the cabinet of John C. Jay,” 8vo. New York, 1835, pp.
56. ‘* Description of new and rare shells with four plates,’ 8vo. N. Y. 1836, 2d ed. pp. 78. **A
catalogue of the shells arranged according to the Lamarckian system, together with descrip-
tions of new and rare species contained in the collection of John ‘'. Jay, M. D.” 3d ed. 4to.
New York, pp. 125, with ten plates.

d The title runs thus, ‘* La Sainte Bible qui contient le Vieux et le Nouveau Testament. par
David Martin, pasteur de l’Eglise Wallone d’Utrecht. Amsterdam, MDCCVII.”

204 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Cortlandt, was buried ye next day ye 12 en ye voute at Mr. Stuyvesant’s
about six and seven o’clock.”

The situation of the Jay property is very fine, embracing some of the
most graceful undulations of a hilly district, highly diversified with rocks,
woods and river scenery. Contiguous to the southern portion of the
estate, and bordering the Sound, is Maree’s neck, and the neighboring
islands of Pine and Hen-hawk, the latter consisting of seventy-seven
acres. A curious phenomenon, called Mirage, is frequently seen from
these shores, when the land on the opposite coast of Long Island appears
to rise above the waters of the Sound, while the intermediate portions
seem to be sunk beneath the waves. This illusion is caused by a cer-
tain state of the atmosphere, depending chiefly upon its humidity and
warmth which changes considerably its ordinary refractive power. In
days of ignorance and superstition, such appearances occasionally ex-
cited a strange interest.

In an opening of the woods on the south-east side of the mansion, is
the family cemetery.

HERE
are interred
the remains of the

JAY FAMILY,

which were removed from
the family vault
New York,
the 28th of October,
1807.

IN MEMORY OF
JOHN JAY,

Eminent among those who asserted the liberty

and established the Independence
of his country,

which he long served in the most
important offices,
Legislative, Executive, Judicial and Diplomatic,
and distinguished in them all, by his
ability, firmness, patriotism and integrity.
He was in his life and in his death,
an example of the virtues,
the faith and the hopes
of a Christian.
Born Dec. 12th, 1745,
Died May 17th, 1829.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 205

IN MEMORY PETER JAY MUNRO,
of who died
SIR JAMES JAY, Ky. 22 Sept., 1833,
born 27 October, 1732, aged 66 years,
died 20 October, 1815. 8 months and 12 days.

IN MEMORY OF
Wa OLD ICG Ra Ee

relict of Joan W. Warxuss, Hsa.,
and last surviving daughter of
Witram Lriyryeston,
Governor of New Jersey,
who departed this life
July 7th, 1843,
in the 83d year of her age.

Anchored safe, the weary soul
Shall find eternal rest,

Nor storms shall beat nor billows roll
Across my peaceful breast.

Besides other appropriate memorials to Peter Jay, Peter Augustus
Jay, Esq., Mary Rutherford Jay, Margaret Munro, Goldsborough Ban-
yar, Eva Munro, Harriet Van Cortlandt and Mary Jay, wife of Fred-
erick Prime, Esq.

The adjoining territory upon the west, constitutes what was form-
erly called Guion’s neck. From a branch of the Guion family descended
from Isaac Guion of New Rochelle, the son of Louis Guion, who emi-
grated from England about 1687. The beautiful beaver stream“ called
by the Indians, Pockeotessen, rises north of Guion neck, and forms its
western boundary.

The Purdy estate is situated upon the eastern shore of Rye neck
bordering the Blind Brook, (Mockquams). A short distance from the
house is the burial place of the Purdy family, Among other memorials
is the following :

JOSHUA PURDY,
ob. March 4, 1800,
Adtat, 79.

On the west bank of the Byram River, which here forms the boundary
between New York and Connecticut, is situated the village of Port

a Sometimes styled Stony Brook.

206 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Chester.* ‘This place has grown rapidly within a few years, and bids
fair to rival any on the Sound; among other causes, its manufactories
have contributed greatly to promote this prosperity. The Byram or
Armonck river, which waters this beautiful section of Westchester County
takes its rise from the Byram lake—an extensive sheet of water, fed by
the springs of the Comonck or Armonck hills in Bedford. During its
downward course, it winds between lofty hills, fringed with copse wood.
and abounding with bold projections which here and there break the
course of its rapid current. In other places it forms romantic glens,
shaded with the wild hemlock and fir. The wooded shores of Byram
point, rise directly opposite the village, forming a fine contrast to the
western side of the river. The Byram is navigable nearly two miles from
its mouth, affording an easy transit from this place for the marketable
productions of the interior.

The site of the ancient ferzy across the Sound to Matinecock, upon
Long Island, was the Horse Rock in the vicinity of Rye Port.

Upon the 18th of July, 1739, King George the Second, by his royal
letters patent, regulated and established a ferry at this place, to be kept
and attended for the convenience of passing and repassing to and from
the land in the two patents called Budd's neck and Peningoe neck, lying
and being in Rye, to the island of Nassau, over against the township of
Oyster Bay, in the said island.

Which ferry our Joving subjects John Budd, Hachaliah Brown and Jonathan
Brown, Esqs., propose to undertake and to provide and keep at their own charge
and expense, a sufficient number of good and able boats and servants for the due
attendance on such ferry, &c., &c., and have free liberty to ask, demand and
take for ferriage at and for such ferry, &c., the several and respective fees here-
inafter mentioned, &c., viz: for every person one shilling and sixpence, for every
man and horse three shillings, for all horned cattle from two years old and up-
wards each two shillings, for all colts and horned cattle under two years old each
one shilling, for every score of sheep, lambs, hogs and sows five shillings, and so
in proportion for any greater or lesser number, for every full barrel one shilling,
for every empty barrel four pence, for every full pipe or hogshead six shillings,
for every empty pipe or hogshead two shillings, for every firkin or tub of butter
four pence, for every bushel of wheat, salt, grain, seeds or any other thing fully
measured and sold by the bushel one penny ; for every waggon, cart or carriage
seven shillings and sixpence, for every pair of wheels two shillings, for every
cupboard, press for clothes or writing desk four shillings and sixpence, for every
full trunk or chest two shillings and sixpence, for every empty trunk or chest
one shilling, for every full half barrel sixpence, forevery gammon, flitch of bacon
or piece of smoked beef one penny, for every hundred weight of gunpowder, iron,
steel, sheet pewter or lead and iron or iron, copper or brass kettles or pots one

a Formerly called Sawpits.

THE TOWN OF RYE, 207

shilling and sixpence, and so in proportion for any greater or less quantity, for
every such one penny,for every corn fan five pence. for every hundred of shingles
one shilling, for every bed, bedstead and bedding together three shillings, for
every chair two pence, for every table eight pence, for every saddle without
horse three pence, for every gun two pence, for every case with bottles nine
pence, for every frying pan or warming pan two pence, for every looking glass
of one foot sixpence, and so in proportion for all other goods for which no pro-
vision is heieby made, and also all manner of privileges, &c., &c. For which the
patentees and their heirs are to pay to the collector general of the town being, on
the 25th day of March, commonly called Lady-day, the yearly rent of two shil-
lings and sixpence, &c., &c. FREDERICK MORRIS, Secretary.

The ancient ferry now exists only in name, the present rapid commu-
nications with the island having superseded this dangerous mode of navi-
gation. The property is vested in the Provoost family. Directly oppo-
site the port lies Minnewies or Manursing Island, separated from the
main by a narrow creek on the southwest side. It consists of one hun-
dred acres, divided between the three proprietors, Joseph Bartam, Mr.
Beale and Thomas Theall. Upon the main is situated the tide mill of
Mr. Kirby.

A dock appears to have been commenced at or near Rye fort as early
as 1679, for in this year we find a grant made by the town to “ John
Ogden of forty-eight or fifty acres of land by the water side at the Fish-
ing rock, for the purpose of building a house and wharf. The inhabitants
of Peningoe Neck to have wharfage free.” From Aye fort a steamboat
runs daily to and from the city of New York. There is also a neat board-
ing house established here for the accommodation of summer visitors to
this delightful spot.

The islands—called the Great, Middle and Little Captains—east of
Manursing, belong to this town.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

It was the first place or worship built in the village of Portchester—
commenced in 1830 and completed in 1833. The congregations of Rye
and Portchester remained united for twenty-three years. In 1852 it be-
came a distinct church,

CALLED. List OF Pastors. RESIGNED.
1853, Rey. Henry BENEDICT, 1863.
1864, Rey. VALENTINE A. LEwis, 1867.
1868, Rev. Ezra F. Munpy, 1878.4
1877, Rey. Wituis W. DoweEt, present.

At the foot of King street stands the
@ Baird’s History of Rye.

208 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

It was built in 1831 ; it was dedicated by Bishop Janes in 1858, and cost
about $10,000, This church took the name of Summerfield church, frona
regard for the memory of the sainted John Summerfield, and two of
whose surviving sisters were members—Mrs: James Blackstock and Miss
Summerfield.

The King street Methodist Episcopal church was built about the

same year.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH

was dedicated on the 2d of February, 1865.

PASTORS :

Rev. E. S. Raymonp, Rey. Dr. Byrne,
Rey. Lawson Stewart, Rey. JonarHan Bastow,
Rey. A. C. Frrauson.¢

At the southern end of the village of Portchester stands the
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.

About 1846, they purchased a small frame building on Main street,
which they used as a church, until 1852, when the Rev. E. J. O’Reilly be-
came its pastor. In 1852, the old church was sold, and the present,
Our Lady of Mercy, was built on the same site. Connected with this
church is a school for boys and girls, and a convent occupied by the Sis-
ters of Charity, who have charge of the female department.

APPOINTED. PAsTors. REMOVED.
Rev. E. J. O’REty, 1853.
sz 1853, Rey. Taomas MocLoveutin, 1854.
1854, Rey. Marruew Dow tine, present incumbent.®

Near the eastern end of the village stands the
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

Rev. P.S. Chauncey, rector, of Rye, commenced services in 1836, in
this village. They were often held in the old school house, at: the
foot of King street hill, and sometimes in the Methodist church, and
again in Armonck hall, then known as Burger’s chapel.

The corner stone of the present church was laid on the 25th of July,
1843, by Bishop Onderdonk. The land was given by the late William
Adee, and completed at a cost of about $6,000. It was consecrated on
the 15th of July, 1844, and called St. Peter’s chapel, in connection with

a Raird’s History of Rye.
b Baird’s History of Rye.

THE TOWN OF RYE. 209

Christ church, Rye. Rev. Mr. Chauncey continued to discharge the du-
ties of this part of his charge, until January 30, 1848, when he resigned
the rectorship of Rye. During the ministry of Rev. Ed. C. Bull, steps
were taken to form a distinct parish at Portchester; and on April 12,
1852, St. Peter’s church was organized as a separate parish. ‘The rec-
tory of St. Peter’s church was built in 1860; the ground, two acres and
three-eighths, was given by Read Peck, Esq. The church was enlarged
in 1855, and afine Sunday-school and lecture-room was erected.

CALLED. Reorors. REMOVED.
1852, Rey. Isaao Prox, 1858.
1858, Rey. GeEorGE PENNELL, 1859.
1860, Rey. SamvugEL HoLiinecswortH,

1872, Rey. BrooxHotst Morea, 1879.
1880, Rey. J. GARDENER ROSENORANTZ,

On the same side of the main street is situated the Presbyterian church.

Near the western entrance of the village stands the residence of the
Merritt family. Mr. Merritt, the present occupant, is a lineal descend-
ant of John Merritt, one of the original proprietors of Rye. Of this family
was “ Thomas Merritt, a cornet of cavalry in the Queen’s Rangers, A.D.
1780. This gentleman subsequently settled in Upper Canada, and held
the offices of sheriff of the District of Niagara, and surveyor of the
King’s forests. He died at St. Catharine’s, May, 1842, aged eighty-
two.”
King street extends nearly seven miles north of Portchester, and finally
terminates in the north-west corner of Greenwich township, Connecticut.
The surrounding country is a fine agricultural district, embracing some
of the finest farms in the county.

BAPTIST CHURCH, KING STREET.

This congregation existed before the Revolution. The church was
completed in 1773, with a membership of fifty-four. It was supplied
' for eleven years by the ministers of Tarrytown, Danbury, Long Island,
and New York. After this the Rev. Nathaniel Finch was settled as
Pastor, and continued in office until 1826; he died mm 1829, in the
eighty-fifth year of his age.

CALL. Pastors. REMOVED.
Rev. NatHaniev Finong, 1826.
1826, Rev. E. §. Raymonp, 1836,
1836, Rev. Mr. Brewer, 1840.
1840, Rey. E. 8S. Raymonp (returned), 1862.
1862, Rey. O. C. Kirxuam, 1862.

Since then, the congregation has had no settled pastor.’

a Baird's History of Rye.
B Baird’s Hist. of Rye.

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Ny
4
Oo

During the Revolutionary war the Continental forces appear to have
been frequently quartered in this town. On the 8th of January, General
Parson’s brigade were posted in Aing street. The same year, General
Wooster’s division retreated as far as Rye Weck. Lieutenant Colonel
Van Rensselaer also received orders from Congress to maintain his
station until obliged to retreat upon Rye Meck. Subsequently the enemy
occupied this portion of Westchester County, where the soldiers did
much wanton mischief and plundered most of the houses. Their prin-
cipal encampment seems to have been on the high ground between the
villages of Rye and Portchester.

The earliest record of town officers occurs on the 25th of April, 1671.
Upon this occasion, “‘ George Kniffen and Francis Purdy were appointed
pounders.”

‘“*Upon the 3d of October, Joseph Horton, Thomas Brown and John
Brondig were chosen fown and sedectmen for the year ensuing.” ‘28th
of September, George Lane was elected constable.” ‘13th of June,
1691, Mr. Joseph Theall, supervisor.” “June 26th, 1696, Deliverance
Brown was chosen constable forthe town of Rye, and Mr. John Hoit,
recorder.”

The general surface of the town is uneven and stoney.* The land,
however, is under good cultivation. The soil consists of a clay loam.
The natural growth of wood is oak, chestnut, walnut, hickory, &c., on
the higher lands ; and in the low lands, ash, birch, and maple. We have
already shown that it is drained on the east by Byram River, and on the
west by Blind Brook, both flowing into Long Island Sound. Upon these
streams are numerous mill seats. Among the principal mineral produc-
tions of the town may be noticed Chlorite,? ‘“‘a soft greenish substance,
composed of minute scales, closely compacted together. It differs very
little from soapstone,” also Tourmaline, in long slender crystals.°

a@ Disturneli’s Gazetteer of N. Y.

5 Rocks containing it are said to be Chloritie.
e See geological surveyof the State, 1840,

THE TOWN

OF

SO AES iD Act F.

This town is bounded on the north by White Plains and Greenburgh,
east by Mamaroneck, west by Greenburgh, and south by Eastchester and
Rochelle. Under the Colonial Government it constituted a portion of
the manor of Scarsdale, which also embraced the greater part of White
Plains and the townships of North and New Castle,@

The place acquired its name fromthe Heathcote family, who origin-
ally came from Scarsdale, Derbyshire, England. “More onward,” says
the learned Camden (describing that part of Derbyshire), “‘ we see Ches-
terfield in Scarsdale—that is, in a dale enclos'd with rocks. For crags
were call’d scarrs by the Saxons.” Under the Mohegan Indians Scars-
dale is believed to have formed a portion of the Indian territory of Qua-
roppas, which was ceded to John Richbell by the Indian proprietors in
1660.

A.D. 1696, Col. Caleb Heathcote obtained of Anne Richbell, relict
of John Richbell deceased, a full patent nght to purchase lands, “‘ which
are already included in her husbands sale of 1660.”

Upon the 3oth of March, 1701, occurs the following indenture “ be-
tween Col. Caleb Heathcote on the one part, of Mamaroneck, gentle-
man, and the Indian proprietors, Patthunck, Beaupo, Kohawney and
Wapetuck, on the other part:

‘* Witnesseth that the said Patthunck, Beaupo, Kohawney and Wapetuck, &c.,
for and in consideration of a certain sum of good and lawful money to them in
hand paid, and secured to be paid, at or before the ensealing and delivery of

a The presént township was organized on the 7th of March, 1788,
4 See Mamaroneck, New Castle, &c, P 211

212 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

+
these presents, by the said Caleb Heathcote, the receipt whereof the said Pat-
thunck, Beaup», Kohawney, Wapetuck, &c., doth hereby acknowledge them-
selves therewith to be fully satisfied and contented and paid and thereof and
therefrom do acquit, exonerate and discharge the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs,
executors and administrators, have given, granted, sold, bargained, alienated, en-
feoffed, and confirmed, and do by these presents give, grant, bargain, sell, alien-
ate, enfeoffe and confirm unto the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assignees
forever, all our rights, title, and interest in a certain tract of land lying and be-
ing in the county of Westchester, bounded as follows: To begin on the west side
at the southermost end of a ridge known by the name of Richbell’s or Horse
ridge, at a great rock, and so to run a north-north-west line to Broncks's river,
and on the eastermost side with Mamaroneck river, and from the head thereof to
Broncks's river, to have and to hold the said bargained premises, with every of
the appurtenances thereunto belonging, to the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and
assignees, forever; and that the said Caleb Heathcote. his heirs, executors, ad-
ministrators, and assignees, shall and may at all times hereafter, and from time
to time, peaceably and quietly have, hold, use, occupy, and enjoy, all and singu-
lar the herein before mentioned bargained premises, with their and every appur-
tenances, without the let, hindrance or molestation of them the said proprietors,
their heirs or assignees. In witness whereof they have hereunto set their hands

and seals, the day above written.¢ PATTHUNCK,
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us. BEAUPO,
Ann MULLINGION, COHAWNEY,
Bens. CoLuer, WAPETUCK.

Joun Cooke,
The mark of
KaokQuERIN WOMATERA.

Upon the 21st of March, 1701, the extensive purchases of Colonel
Caleb Heathcote in Westchester county were erected into the lordship
and manor of Scarsdale, to be holden of the king in free and common
soccage, its lord yielding and rendering therefor annually, upon the fes-
tival of the Nativity, five pounds current money of New York, &c.

THE ROYAL PATENT.

William the Third, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ire-
land, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., to all to whom these presents shall come,
sendeth greeting: Whereas our loving subject Caleb Heathcote, Esquire, hath
petitioned the Honorable John Nanfan, our Lieutenant-Governor and Comman-
der-in-chief of the Province of New York in America, and our Council of the
said Province, for a confirmation of a tract of land in the county of Westchester,
beginning at a marked tree by Mamaroneck river, which is the eastermost side
of the northern bounds of Mamaroneck township, being about two miles from
the country road, and to run along the said river to the head thereof, and thence
in a north line until eighteen miles from said marked tree is completed, westerly
at the marked tree or a great rock, being the westermost part of the said north-

a From the original, in the possesslon of Edward F. DeLancey, Esq.

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 213

ern bounds of the aforesaid township being about two miles from the county road,
and thence to run northerly eighteen miles as ye line on ye eastermost side of the
said land runneth, including in ye said manor his eighth part of the two miles
laid out for ye town of Mamaroneck, with ye lott he now liveth on, and ye lott
bought of Alice Hatfield, with the lands and meadows below, westerly to a path
to him belonging by virtue of his deeds and conveyances, part of which land
within the bounds aforesaid was purchased by John Richbell from ye native In-
dian proprietors, which said John Richbell had a grant and confirmation for ye
same from Francis Lovelace, late Governor of our said Province, and ye right of
ye said John Richbell therein is legally vested in ye said Caleb Heathcote, and
other parts have been purchased by ye said Caleb Heathcote of ye native Indian
proprietors; and whereas the said Caleb Heathcote hath further petitioned our
said Lieutenant Governor and Council that the said tract of land may be erected
into a manor by ye name of ye manor of Scarsdale, whereupon our said Lieuten-
ant Governor, by and with the advice of our Council, directed a writ to the high
sheriff of the said county of Westchester to inquire to what damage such patent
would be, which writ issued accordingly with a proviso that it should not give
the said Caleb Heathcote any further title than which he already hath to the land
called White Plains, which is in dispute between ye said Caleb Heathcote and
some of ye inhabitants of ye town of Rye, whereupon ye said sheriff returned that
ye jurors found that there is no damage to ye King or his subjects in erecting the
manor aforesaid, except ye said White Plains which are in dispute and contest
between ye said Caleb Heathcote and ye town of Rye, and excepting James Mott
and ye rest of ye purchasers of Mamaroneck which have deed within ye patent
of Richbell, Know ye that of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere mo-
tion, we have given, granted, ratified and confirmed, and by these presents do
for us, our heirs and successors, give, grant, ratify and confirm unto ye said Ca-
leb Heathcote, his heirs and assignees, all and every ye aforesaid tracts and par-
cels of land aad meadow within ye respective limits and bounds before mentioned
and expressed, together with all and every the messuages, tenements, buildings,
barns, houses, out-houses, fences, orchards, gardens, pastures, meadows, marshes,
swamps, pools, ponds, waters, water-courses, woods, under-woods, trees, tim-
bers, quarries, runs, rivers, rivulets, brooks, lakes, streams, creeks, harbours,
beeckes, bays, islands, ferries, fishing, fowling, hunting and hawking, mines,
minerals (royal mines only excepted), and all the rights, members, liberties,
privileges, jurisdictions, royalties, hereditaments, profits, benefits, advantages
and appurtenances whatsoever to aforesaid several and respective tracts and par-
cels of lands and meadow belonging or in any ways appertaining or accepted, re-
puted, taken, known or occupied as part, parcel, or member thereof to have and
to hold ali the aforesaid several and respective tracts, parcels of land and meadow
and premises within the respective limits and bounds aforesaid, with all and
every of the appurtenances unto him the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and as-
signs, to the only proper use and behoof of him the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs
and assigns for ever, provided that nothing herein contained shall be construed,
deemed or taken to give the said Caleb Heathcote any further title than what he
now by virtue of these our letters patent lawfully hath to ye said White Plainsin
dispute as aforesaid, nor any jurisdiction within the said White Plains until the
same shall happen to belong to the said Caleb Heathcote ; and moreover Know ye

214 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

that of further our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have
thought fit to erect all the afore recited tracts and parcels of land and meadow
within the limits and bounds aforesaid into a lordship and manor except as before
excepted ; and therefore by these presents we do for us, our heirs and successors,
erect, make and constitute all the afore-recited tracts and parcels of land and
meadow within the limits and bounds before mentioned (except as before except-
ed) together with all and every the above granted premises, with all and every
of their appurtenances into one lordship or manor, to all intents and purposes,
and it is our royal will and pleasure, that the said lordship and manor shall from
henceforth be called the lordship and manor cf Scarsdale; and Know ye that we
reposing especial trust and confidence in the loyalty, wisdom, justice, prudence
and circumspection of our said loving subject, do for us, our heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assigns, full
power and authority at all times forever hereafter within the said lordship or
manor one court leet and one court baron, to hold and keep at such time and
times, and so often yearly as he or they shall think meet, and we do further give
and grant to the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assigns, all fines and issues
and amercements at the said court leet and court baron to be holden within our
said lordship or manor, to be sett, forfeited or imposed, or payable or happening
at any time to be payable by any of the inhabitants of or within the said lordship
or manor of Scarsdale, or the limits and bounds thereof, and also all and every
power and powers, authority and authorities for holding and keeping the said
court leet and court baron fron: time to time and to award to and issue out the ac-
customed writs to be issued and awarded out of courts leet and courts baron, and
also that the said court leet and court baron be kept by the said Caleb Heathcote,
his heirs and assigns for ever, his or their or any of their stewards and deputies,
and appointed with full and ample power and authority to distrain for the rents,
services and other sums of money payable by virtue of the premises, and all other
lawful remedies and means for the having, possessing, levying and enjoying the
premises and every part and parcel of the same, and all waifs and estrays, deod-
ands and goods of felons happening or to be happening, being or to be forfeited
within the said lordship or manor of Scarsdale ; and we do further give and grant
unto the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assigns, that all and singular ye ten-
ants of him ye said Caleb Heathcote within ye said manor shall and may at all
times hereafter meet together and choose assessors within ye manor aforesaid,
according to such rules, ways and methods as are prescribed for cities, towns and
counties, within our said Province by ye acts of General Assembly for defraying
the public charge of each respective city, town and county aforesaid, and all such
sums of money so assessed and levied to collect and dispose of for such us@ as
any act or acts as the said General Assembly shall establish and appoint, to have,
hold, possess or enjoy all and singular the said lordship or manor of Scarsdale
and premises, with all and every of their appurtenances unto the said Caleb
Heathcote, his heirs and assigns for ever, and that the said lordship or manor
aforesaid shall be and for ever continue free and exempt from the jurisdiction of
every town, township or manor whatsoever, to be holden of us, our heirs and
successors in free and common soccage according to the tenure of our manor
of East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, within our kingdom of England,
yielding, rendering and paying therefor yearly and every year forever at our city

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 215

of New York unto us, our heirs and successors, or to such office or officers as
shall from time to time be impowered to receive ye same, five pounds curreat
money of New York, upon the Nativity of our Lord, in lieu and stead of all ser-
vices, dues, duties or demands whatsoever. In testimony whereof we have caus-
ed the great seal of our province of New York to be hereunto affixed.

Witness John Nanfan, Esq., our Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-chief
of our Province of New York and territories depending thereon in America.
Given at Fort William Henry in our city of New York, this twenty-first day otf
March, in the fourteenth year of our reign, Anno Domini 1701.4

JOHN NANFAN.

The Heathcote family, according to Lyson, “ were originally of Heath-
cote in the parish of Hartington, County of Derby, England. The first
mention we find of them is in the tenth reign of Edward IV, (1470-
1471,) when they were engaged in mercantile pursuits at Chesterfield?
in the same county. George Heathcote, who is said to have descended
of an ancient and worthy family of that name in Derbyshire, possessed
of a large estate,° was of Brampton near Chesterfield in that county, and
Hundred of Scarsdale. He married Beatrice ———, and died in 1596,
leaving issue George Heathcote of Lodes, and of “the Lodge,” also near
Chesterfield. ‘He was very intimate with Gilbert ‘Talbot, Earl of
Shrewsbury, Knight of the most noble order of the Garter, one of the
chief noblemen in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. By means of this ac-
quaintance he was drawn into great engagements for the aforesaid Earl
which did diminish his estate. The Earl stood god-father to his son, and
gave him the name of Gilbert.? He died in 1601, leaving, by his wife,
Agnes, who died in 1609, first—George Heathcote, ancestor of the
Heathcotes of Culthrope Hall, Brampton, whose line became extinct in
1825; second, the before mentioned Gilbert Heathcote of Chesterfield.
This individual “had large interests in the lead mines by which, together
with other sources, he received an income of £5,000 per annum clear
of all expenses ; but venturing too deeply in other projects, he was forced
to dispose of the greater part of his estate.Ӣ He died in 1636, leaving
—by his wife, Elizabeth Owtum—only one son, Gilbert Heathcote, Esq.,
of Chesterfield, who was born May 22d, 1625. ‘He was left with but
a small estate, in consequence of the losses sustained by his grandfather
and father.” On the breaking out of the civil wars, during the reign of

a Book of Patents, Albany Rec, No. vii., 226.
b Lyson’s Mag. Brit. Derbyshire.

e Extract from a MSS. Book of Sir William Heathcote.
d Extract from a MSS. Book of Sir William Heathcote.

e Extract from Samuel Heathcote’s MSS. ; account of his family in possession of Sir Wm.
Heathcote; Bart of Hursley.

JF Ditto.

216 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Charles the First, “he entered the Parliament army and there behaved
himself with great courage and bravery in several engagements for the
Rights and Liberty of his country.”* At one time he was Mayor of the
ancient city of Chesterfield. He died April 24th, 1690. By his wife,
Anne, daughter of George Dickins, of Weststoke, County of Sussex, he
had eight sons (“seven of whom he brought up as merchant adventurers
whereby with God’s blessing they obtained good estates,”) and one
daughter, viz.: First, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Knight anc Baronet, an-
cestor of the “‘ Heathcotes Barons Aveland of Normanton Park, County
Rutland; second, John Heathcote who died unmarried in 1710; third,
Samuel Heathcote of Hackney, Middlesex, ancestor of the “‘ Heathcotes,
Baronets of Hursley Park, Hampshire ; fourth, Josiah Heathcote, father
of George Heathcote, Alderman and Lord Mayor of London in 1744,

Hon. Caleb Heathcote,

whose son was Josiah Eyles Heathcote of Southbroom House, who died
August, 1811, aged sixty-two; fifth, William Heathcote, who died in
1719 ;and sixth, Caleb Heathcote,’ first Lord of the Manor of Scarsdale,
Westchester County, New York. This gentleman was born at Chester-
field, Derbyshire, England, 6th of March, 1665. He adopted the mer-
cantile profession and soon acquired considerable wealth. ‘‘ The cause
of his emigration was very different from that which brought most Eng-
lishmen to America. He was engaged to a very beautiful lady, to whom

@ Ditto.

b The two other sons of Gilbert were George, who died unmarried on his voyage home from
Jamaica in 1690, and Thomas who died young. The daughter, Elizabeth, died young in 1658.

To face page 216, vol. il.

PEDIGREE OF HEATHCOTE, OF HEATHCOTE HILL, MAMARONECK, IN THE MANOR OF SCARSDALE.

Arms:—Ermine, three pomeis, each charged with a cross, or. And for Crest :—On a wreath argent and vert, a mural coronet azure, surmounted with a pomeis charged with a cross, or, between two wings displayed ermine.
Motto —Habere et Dispertiri.

George Heathcote, Beatrice ......, admin, granted at Lichfield in 1596, to Beatrice, widow

he was dead in 1596 | of George Heathcote, of Brampton

Geoue —Agn

of Lodes and of ** The Lodge,” in Brompton, Yeoman, living 1584-98-99, Ad- |

ni Brampton; will dated 1609, mentions her sons,

min. was granted at Litchfield, on the death of George H. of Brampton, 1601 | George, Godfrey and Gilbert, daus. Dorothy and Katharine

pl os ee Goatrey, named in

|
Gilbert Elizabeth Owtrem,

Dorethy nam-

|
- Kathar
of Cutthorpe, in Brampton; will dated 1625, proved 1628, mentions | was living in willof Agnes, 1609, of Chesterfleld, Yeoman, names wife Elizabeth, son Gilbert, | had two brothers, Francis ed in will of named te
his late father George, brother Gilbert, of Chesterflel¢ , Cousins, 16265, but died Godfrey H., an 6 daughters, in his will, proved at London, and dated 1634, and Robert, named in will Agnes H.,— will of Ag-
Godfrey H. and Anthony; senior sons, George, Thomas, Joseph, in 1632 Esther Turner, m. Named in will of nephew George, as being dead in 1636, of husband Gilbert, 1634 1609 nes H.,—
Gilbert ; daughters, Dorothy, Ann, Alice, Mary and wife Dorothy at Stmvely, 1583 and as of Chesterfield Sole Ex. to will of Gilbert. 1609
[ Leng ay = l
4 ‘ Heathcote. Grace da. 2.Thomas, named 8.Joseph, father 4.Gilbert, his father left him lands at 2.Ann 8.Alice,named in 4,Mary, nam- Gilbert Anne Chase, Elizabeth_Peter Alice Harding Dorot
Ww lee See: 1 entice Mall] of Thos. in will of father left him lands Brampton Brigg Close and Lochenfort will of Brother ed in will of of Chesterfield, b. Aug. 22, 1625, d. April 24,) of Mr. George Dick- ‘Atkinson B thy Frances Ann Rosamond
. Mr. Shawe was a in Brampton; will Smith, of George, he left in Darley Par- Close, in Tapston, late the inheritance George, 1636; m. bro. George, 1690. He went into the Parliament’s army | ons, of Chestertield,
celebrated noncon- dated 1636, and Derby him Chander Hill ish of his grand-father, George, and other Vevers of inl, 1636 and behaved with great courage and bravery died November 29th,
formist minister. proved 1638 in Brampton lands. named in will of bro. Geo., 1636 living 1657 in the civil wars in the time of Charles I. __| 1705, aged 75

|
Gemmpeieain John, named Grace, named Sir alinert Heathcote, Hester,

wale 2a

|
Samuel, 8d son, —Mary,

| rete ] I
Josiah, Catharine, William, 5th son, b. 1665, d. 1719 ,
of Cutthope Hall, )da. of Ralph Clarke, of Chesterfleld, and “in will of fa-__—_in will of fa- Knt. and Bart. of London, Mer-| da of Mr. Chris- son,'d. un- of Iackney,) da.andCoth.of 4thson,b.1660) widow of Mr. aged 57 = y 6th Pear Tae aC "William Smith, George. Tunean,
admin granted at | Norton and Aatgate, m. Rev. Thomas ther George, ther George, chant. Born teen died 1733,| topher Rayner, married, Merchant, b.| Mr. William ad. 1766, will) Tho, Barrett, Elizabeth, b. 1657, d. 1658 Chesterfield, Gov. of Tangiers. and aged 30, about
Lichfield, in 1678, | Ogle, Dissenting minister at Cutthorpe. 1636 1636 Lord Mayor and M. P. for the | of London, Mer- 1710, b. 1653 1655, mar. 1690, | Dawsonne, of proved at of the Island ‘Thomas, d. young 1665, came to| Chief Justice of N. Y., 1698
b. at Brampton, The Clarke’s were a wealthy Ere} city in four Parliaments chant ; born 1655, d. 1708 | Hackney, b, London | of Jamaica N.Y., 1691; d. |b. at Tangiers, 11 Sept.
1677 {oyterian family. = ee cgneeert® died 1714 1670, d. 1720, d Mar. 21,1721 | 1681, d. at N.¥ , 1757
I | | { | | } | | | I ieee Jf A | - |
iibert, Frances, Tlester, _Wm. Sloane. Ann Sir Jacob Frances, Gilbert, Sir John, Bridget, Tlenry, Elizabeth, m. Sigis- oO BLe SeM> Sir William_Lady Elizabeth Samuel, _Eliz. da, of Mat- George —Maria.
bapt. SEE mot gunhoean? da. of Sit FrancisRo- _b. 16997 of Chelsea, .1683™ Jacobson, vb. 1685” b. 1687, _. 1650, "da, of Thomas b. 1697, mond Trafford, ¢= Bog £455 Heathcote, | Parker, onlyda. b. 1699’) thew Holwor- b, 1700, d.1168) da. of John Eyles,
ton, Nov. 27th, Hall,M.D.,bapt. | des, of Marlboro, and d, 1782 Sar. of London, da, young m. 1720, White, Esq., of d.unmar, Esq, of Dunston BS : a 5 Bart.,b.1693 | of Thomas, Ist thy, Esq., d. aldermanand| Esq., of South-
1663, bur. there —1664,'d. 1719, (A | afterwards heiress to Knt d. 1751 Tusford and Wal- 1727 Hall, Lincolnshire = P+ Say REG ™. 1720, d.| Earl of Mac- 1726 LordMayorof| broom House, d.
Sept. 6, 1685 Quaker) her brother, m. 1690 lingswells. Notts RE. age 3 ES 1761 clesfield London, 1744 | 1792
— 2,
Secsa ses |

|
Sir Gilbert Heathcote, fifth Baronet, was elevated to the Peerage {n 1856, as Baron
Aveland, of Aveland County, Lincoln. See Peerage for descendants, under title ‘Aveland,’
The present Peer, Sir Gilbert Henry Heathcote, Lord Aveland ; was born Ist Oct., 1830.

|
Cornelius .Mizabeth,
of Cutthorpe, | daughter and helr of Robert
M.D, _| Middlebrook of Thorn Co., York

| |
Gilbert Heathcote, suc. his great uncle Sir John Rodes, Martha, m. 1744_BenJamin Bartlett, of Bradford

|
John, a. Oct, 28,— _Mllllcent Saterthwaite
and took the name of Rodes; a, unm, 1 768 |

Euzdbeth —_Rey. Philip Acklom Reaston; they had a son,
The Rey. Cornelius Heathcote Rodes, married =

\
omaine Heathcote Rodes, d, unmarried, 1825, ret. 70 John, d. unmarried

C See Peerage and Baronetage

|
Elizabeth, m, 1746_.Peter Acklorn of Homsey County, York

», “Heathcote, of Hursley, Baronet ” for de-)
scendants. Present Baronet is the Right Hon. Sir William Heathcote, Bart.D
C.L.,late M.P.for Oxford University; born 17th May, 1801.
of Hursley ae in remainder to the Earldom of Macclesfield.

|
Mary =Mr. Ryley
The Ileathcotes of Southbroom House,

1803, d, 8.p.; & minor at the
d, Aug, 1811, mt. 62

i : | i
Maria Gossip, and d. s.p.; and ada, Mary Gilbert, eldest son, b. Hlizdbeth,

| |
Josiah Eyles Heathcote Angusta Utica Heathcote,m, Rev.Thomas
Sedgwy:
date of her father’s will, 1750 Whalley

ck

| |
€ witlam, Mary, Anne Teathcote, Hon. James de Lancey, Martha Tleathcote, Lewis Johnston’ M.D.,
in 1707, ad. in London, ob. 8. p. ob 8 p. ob. s. p. co-heiress with her sister | Lt.Gov. of the Provinceof N Y., eldest son of co-heiress with her sister | of Perth Amboy, nat 1704, ob,
Sept. 27, aged 20 Martha, nat. 1705 ob. 1779 | Etienne de Lancey nat. 1703, ob. July 30, 1760 Anne, ob. about 1765 1774, will dat. 28 Sept. 1773
- |
| | T 1 ] “ | ee (ie - | | | |
. 3 ol. Ji 95 Hen > 2 ¥ ; .p. Sus 5o.8) ‘ames de Lancey, Margaret Stephen, John Peter de Lancey,Tiizabeth Floyd, Jno. L. Johnston Susanna Anne _,William Burnet Margaret_Bowes Heathcote died
Charles, R.N., ob, 1840, 8.p. Lt. Col. James de Lancey, R.A,,ob.1859, 8. p. Margaret, ob,1805, s.p. Sir J. Clifton, Bart. Anne, ob. 8.p. Susan, ob, 1866, 8 | of New York and of Bath, Som- | Allen, da. Ob. 1795, of Heatheote Hill, Mama- | nat. 8th August, of New Jersey Barbarie, son of Gov. Bur- - Read in London,
(aad os j erset, member of Assembly of | ch Wm Al- 8. p. roneck, nat. 1763, ob, 1828 1758, ob. Tth May, ob. 1782 net, and grand- | 1796, 8.p.
Thomas James..Mary J. Ellison William Heathcote. D D..Frances Munro, Bea uss oe for the city | Jen,of Penn. 1820 gon of Bishop
nat, 1759, ob. Bishop of the Diocese of Western New York, nat. 8th October, nat, 9 Jan., 1797, BLAIS} ODE Se i jurnet
1822 1797, ob. Sth April. 1865. Vide Mamaroneck ob. 1869 — —— 2 ae | I, Las) Pt) Lele hk i ll
(| | i | | 3 i Spells 3 (= Dl L | | John L. Johnston, Sarah Montgomery, Heathcote Mary nS Ba EO ZL BO Maria Josiah Mellvain =o
Thomas James.Francis Tdward Floyd, Josephine Matilda, If 2 yy = = Margaret Munro, —Thomas F. Rochester, M. D. Frances Munro, ob.s.p. 1835 Elizabeth Floyd, ob.sp. 1836 & Se $28 Martha nat. Nov, 22d, ob. er, 1333 Se e424 WB Fs Baers | Se
proprietor of west Augusta nat, 23 Oct., 1821, pro- | daot William S.de cf ef 2 5 natifeb, 194 l of Buifalo, nat. 1822 45 W258 1771, ob. cir. | reine BSW ES OE uB be Pe
part of de Lancey’s Bibby prietor of Heathcote | Zeng,ofGeneva,N. 52 52 83 BE 5B ae ab & 1882 ples! PSS55 ie
neck, Mamaroneck, lill, and Kast partof| Y,, nat. 23 Jan, °3 5% SY 25 multe a en ane ito ey MP ee SSB we one Ro | s
nat. $9 March, 1822, de ‘Lancey’s Neck, | 1833, ob. sth June) pS 2. SS Bo 23H 50H O28 & Be yl | apn CH ee Sh |
ob, 1859, 8. p. Mamaroneck 1866 ue Fl ea eee ee fe B 2 Bee | a 8p To?’ um .
ie = 2 rs SCHaAagGSE ° . =FSume § RS Charles Petit MeTivain,
oe Bee S SBepeoba ee: Sy Mowo Se A SB late Bishop of the di
; 3s EB Ss S 2368 S 2 a —T § BS eS ee * £5 ate Bishop of the dio-
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co e <s : pS oe & PPESES a > = >
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Frances Munro, b. 1851, ob. 8.p. 1867, ae = = Uh 5 a i ease ' =
Wm. Heathcote, b. 158, ob. s.p.1860, =e = e ost R es gees
Edward Etienne, >. 12th May. 1859 5 5 vi & 2 i Lat eae
Josephine Matilda, b.21 Oct..1861,0b.8.p Laat B 3 ES = ES
Josephine de Zeng, b. 17 June, 1863 E 8 fe &S & 2 &

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THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 217

he introduced his eldest brother, Sir Gilbert Heathcote, (afterwards M.
P. for London and Lord Mayor of that city in 1711, at the very time his
brother was Mayor of New York, and one of the chief founders and the
first Governor of the Bank of England); a circumstance most unfortu-
nate for him—for the lady soon found she preferred the elder brother,
and broke her engagement with the younger, who at once left England
and came to New York, where he arrived in 1692. As we have already
seen, he was negotiating for the purchase of lands in Westchester County,
at least as early as 1646; and on the 21st of March, 1701, the Royai
Patent erected the whole into the Lordship and Manor of Scarsdale.
' From the time of his arrival ‘he became a leading man in the colony,
was Judge of Westchester and Colonel of its militia all his lie, first
Mayor of the borough of Westchester, a Councillor and Surveyor Gen-
eral of the province, Mayor of New York for three years; for a time
Commander of the colony’s forces, and from 1715 to his death, in 1721,
Receiver General of the customs for all North America.2 He was also

a member of the Venerable Propagation Society as early as 1705, anda
vestryman of Trinity church from 1697 to 1714; senior warden of West-
chester parish from 1695 to 1702, and likewise senior warden of the
parish of Rye from 1703 to1710. He was, indeed, a sincere Churchman ;
and seconded from principle, the views which Governor Fletcher advo-
cated from interest and in obedience to his orders. “In his military
capacity he had command not only of Westchester County but also of
the West Riding, on Long Island ; and in one of his letters to the Vener-
able Propagation Society, gives this account of his method of convert-
ing military into religious exercises” :—

a Doc. Hist. N. Y., vol. ii, p. 1039.

b Doc. Hist. N. Y. Governor Fletcher, writing to the Lords of Trade in 1697, says: Mr.
Caleb Heathcote is not to leave this province and hath given directions for the taking out of
the warrant, he isa gentleman, hath been very useful, and has advanced his private fortune
for His Majesties service, to answer an emergency when money was not in the Treasury,
and zealously affected to His Majesties government and interest.” N. Y. Col. MSS. London
Doe. X., vol. iv., p. 275.

218 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“T shall begin the history of the church from the time I first came
among them, which was about twelve years ago. I found it the most
rude and heathenish country I ever saw in my whole life, which called
themselves Christians—there not being so much as the least marks or
footsteps of religion of any sort. Sundays were only the times set apart
by them for all manner of vain sports and lewd diversion, and they were
grown to such a degree cf rudeness, that it was intolerable. I having then
command of the militia, sent an order to all the captains, requiring them
to call their men under arms, and to acquaint them, that in case they would
not in every town agree among themselves to appoint readers, and to
pass the Sabbath in the best manner they could, till such times as they
should be better provided, that the captains should, every Sunday, call
their companies under arms, andspend the dayin exercise. Whereupon,
it was unanimously agreed on throughout the country, to make choice:
of readers ; which they accordingly did, and continued in those methods
for some time.”

The following letter is extracted from the MSS. of the Venerable So-
ciety for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts.

COLONEL HEATHCOTE TO THE SECRETARY.
Manor of Scarsdale, Nov. 9, 1705.

Sir :—I am indebted to you for yours of the 11th Jan. and 9th of April, and am
wonderfully surprised that the Society should make choice of me for one of their
members. It was a very great satisfaction to me, that any thing 1 could offer was
acceptable to them; and should very joyfully embrace any opportunity of doing
service to the Church, and I bless God for it, I am not conscious to myself of ever
having slipt one fair occasion therein, when goverment would give me leave. I
beg of you, sir, to present my most humble duty to that honorable body, and
thank them for the honor they have been pleased todo me; and may assure them
that I shall not only endeavor to give them satisfaction as to any thing they shall
desire of me, but if any new matter occurs, which I believe may be of service to
the Church, I will not fail laying it before them for their consideration. If I mis-
take not, the several heads you desire satisfaction of in both your letters now be-
fore me, are, first, an exact and impartial account of all your Ministers, Second-
ly, what fruit may be expected from Mr. Moor’s mission, Thirdly, what my
thoughts are of sending Mr. Dellius into those parts again. Fourthly, my opin-
ion of the Society’s having appointed that good man, Mr. Elias Neau, as Cate-
chist to the Negroes and Indians, and the cause of misunderstanding betwixt him
and Mr. Vesey.

As to the first, I must do all the gentlemen which you have sent to this Prov-
ince that justice as to declare that a better clergy were never in any place—there
being not one amongst them that has the least stain or olemish as to his life or
conversation ; and though I am not an eye witness tothe actions of any, save those
in this county, yet I omit no opportunity of inquiring into their behavior, both
of the friends and enemies of the Church, and they all agree as to the character
of the gentlemen: and that they use their best endeavors to gain over the people.
And as to their diligence in the faithful discharge of their trust, the Society, I

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 219

hope, will, in their instructions, have laid down such rules as they won't fail
coming at it without being imposed on. Mr. Urquhart, minister of Jamaica, has
the most difficult task of any missionary in this government ; for although he has
not only the character of avery good man, but of being extraordinary industrious
in the discharge of his duty, yet he having a Presbyterian meeting house on the
one hand, and the Quakers on the other, and very little assistance in his Parish,
except from those who have no interest with the people, that his work can’t but
go on very heavily, as I understand it does: but Mr. Thomas, of Hempstead,
having better assistance, the leading men in his parish not being disgusted, are
helpful in the work; and having no other sectaries to oppose him by their meet-
ings but the Quakers, makes very considerable progress, as I have been told by
some of the most sensible of his parish. As for Mr. Mackenzie, he has a very
good report from the people of Staten Island; and I shall not fail making further
inquiry concerning him, and Jet you know it in my next.

But when all is done, what I can tell you concerning any minister, except in
this county, is only by information from others, which is often very uncertain ;
for some gentlemen may many times, and very deservingly, have a fair and good
character by the generality of their neighbors—and yet at the same time, by one
misfortune or other, not perform much of the service of the Church, in which I
will give you this plain instance.

There is not any gentleman whom the Society have sent over, that is clothed
with a fairer character than Mr. Bartow, of Westchester, and truly he is a very
good and sober man, and is extremely well liked and spoken of by his parishion-
ers in general; yet, although he has been three years in that parish, not many are
added to the communion, nor baptized, and few catechised ; and if he is directed
to send an account how he has advanced on each of these heads, annually since
his coming there, it will be found accordingly. For this and many other reasons,
I can’t help still to be pressing that the Society should lay the gentlemen which
are sent over under exact rules; and methinks it is no difficult matter to have it
ordered, so as to know almost as well what is done as if they were present in

“every parish.

The people of Westchester were very angry with me because I was for having
this county divided into three parishes, and every minister to have 70/. instead of
507. ; and I had brought the county, except that place, to a willingness to have it
so, as I formerly acquainted you—and had they permitted that projection to have
taken place, it would have been a great ease to the Society; for first, what Mr.
Bartow had more than the 50/. he now hath, might reasonably have been deduct-
ed at home. Secondly, Mr. Bondet would have been provided’for. And third-
ly, one Mr. Morgan, who was minister of Eastchester, promised me to conform ;
that there would not have been occasion of another being sent to us, and by that
means have saved 50/. a year more at home, and wholly out of all hopes of any
dissenting minister getting footing amongst us, and it will never be well until we
are in three parishes ; and I shall not fail, when I havea fair opportunity, to push
for it again. And to satisfy you of the reasonableness in what I offer, I believe
there has not six public taxes been laid out on this county by the Assembly this
fifteen years past; but I have been at the proportioning of, and when the places
in Rye parish pay 507. the towns in Westchester parish were allotted 120/; and
there are two places more, which, both together, are one third part as bigas Rye

220 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

parish, which are not in neither of them. And now I am on this subject, it comes
in course to make out what I told you in my former letters, viz: that there is no
parish in the government but what is able to pay twice as much as they do. For
Rye parish which is not by one half so large as the least parish established by law
in the government here, since my living here, maintained two dissenting minis-
ministers, viz: one at Rye and Mamaroneck, and one at Bedford—and gave the
former 507. and the latter 407. a year—which I think makes it out very plain what
I have offered on that head ; and you may be assured, I shall omit no opportunity
of serving the Society therein. But the work must be done, in a great measure
by the minister's taking pains, and bringing the people into a good opinion of the
Church; for though the reason hereof is very plain, it must be a business of time
to effect it. We have had it reported that the Queen would be at the charge of
maintaining a Suffragan Bishop in these parts. If that was granted, I question
not but a great many who have had their education in Boston College would con-
form, and would be content with the benefices as settled by Assembly, without
being very burthensome to the Society.

I have been so long wandering from one subject to another, that I had almost
forgot to give you my thoughts of Mr. Muirson whom my Lord of London has
sent for this parish. He has been here about three months,in which time he hath
by much outdone my expectation ; having very fully retrieved all that unfortun-
ate gentlemen, Mr. Pritchard lost ; and if he continues so faithful in the discharge
of his trust, of which I have not the least doubt he will, he’ll be able to give as
large account of his services as any that has been sent over to this Province.
And I must do him the justice to own, that he is as deserving of the Society’s fa-
vors. For, as some of his parishioners told me, and which I know in a great
measure to be true, that although they have had a great many ministers amongst
them since the settlement of their town; yet Mr. Muirson did more good amongst
them the first six weeks after his coming, than all they ever had before. And I
question not but when you have the particulars of his proceedings transmitted,
you will find what I have said of him to be true. As for Mr. Brooks, whom the
Society have sent to the Jerseys he has an uncommon good character given him
from those parts ; and it is reported of him that he makes wonderful advances for
the service of the Church, and I question not but Col. Morris will be very partic-
ular concerning him—that being properly his watch. For though that Province
is not above 50 miles from my house, and Staten Island about forty, yet by rea-
son of the difficulty of water passages, I have never been at either of them above
twice since my coming to America. And I am now more tied at home witha
family, and my private affairs than formerly, for which I humbly crave an allow-
ance. My principles and natural temper lead me to do the Church all the service
I can every where, but I dare not promise for more than this county at present;
and my best endeavors in the westernmost towns in Connecticut colony, when
the Church is well rooted here. And it has always been my opinion, and is so
still, that there is no part of this Province, or even America, that would be of
greater use or service to have the Church thoroughly settled in; for it is not only
large in extent, and the land very good, and near the city ; so, consequently, will
in time be a great settlement. But bordering on Connecticut there is no part of
the continent from whence the Church can have so fair an opportunity to make
impressions upon the dissenters in that government, who are settled by their laws

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 221

from Rye parish to Boston colony, which is about 35 leagues, in which there are
abundance of people and places. As for Boston colony, I never was in it, so can
say little to it. But for Connecticut, | am and have been pretty conversant; and
always was as much in all their good graces as any man. And now I am upon
that subject, I will give you the best account I cau of that colony. It contains,
in length, about 140 miles, and has in it about 40 towns, in each of which there
isa Presbyterian or Independent minister settled by their law ; to whom the peo-
ple are obliged to pay, notwithstanding many times they are not ordained; of
which I have known several examples. The number of people there, are, I be-
lieve about 2,400 souls. ‘They have abundance of odd kind of laws to prevent
any dissenting from their church, and endeavor to keep the people in as much
blindness and unacquaintedness with any other religion as possible; but ina more
particular manner the Church, looking upon her as the most dangerous enemy
they have to grapple witha!. And abundance of pains is taken to make the ig-
norant think as bad as possible of her. And I really believe that more than half
the people in that goverment, think our Church to be little better than the Papist.
And they fail not to improve every little thing against us: but I bless God for it,
the Society have robbed them of their best argument, which was the ill lives of
our clergy that came into these parts. And the truth is, I have not seen many
good men but of the Society's sending.

And no sooner was that honorable body settled, and those prudent measures
taken for carrying on of that great work, but the people of Connecticut, doubting
of maintaining their ground without some further support, they with great indus-
try went through their colony for subscriptions to build a college at a place called
Seabrook. And the ministers who are as absolute in their respective parishes, as
the Pope of Rome, argued, prayed, and preached up the necessity of it; and the
passive obedience of people, who dare not do otherwise than obey, gave even
beyond their ability. A thing which they call a college was prepared accordingly,
wherein, as lam informed, a commencement was made about three or four months
ago. But notwithstanding their new college here, and an old one in Boston, and
that every town in that colony has one, and some two ministers, and have not
only heard them say, but seen it in their prints, that there was no place in the
world where the gospel shone so brightly, nor that the people lived so religiously
and well as they; yet I dare aver, that there is not a much greater necessity
of having the Christian religion in its true light preached any where than amongst
them. Many, if not the greatest number of them, being little better than ina
state of heathenism; having never been baptized nor admitted to the communion.
And that you may be satisfied what I tell you herein is not spoken at random,
nor grounded on careless observation, Mr. Muirson’s parish is more than three-
fourths of it composed of two towns, viz: Rye and Bedford, which were first
settled uncer the colony of Connecticut, and of people bred and born under that
government ; and sometime before my coming, hada minister, one Mr. Denham,
and had afterwards two more, Woodbridge and Bowers, at Rye, and one Mr.
Jones, at Bedford. And the people of Rye only had of this county the care to
provide a parsonage house. And notwithstanding all those great shows of relig-
ion, and that at such times as they were destitute of a minister.

Greenwich and Stamford, the bounds of the former of which places join upon
theirs, and the other is not above ten miles distant, where they were always sup-

222 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

plied. But they could not be said to want the opportunity of having the sacra-
ments administered to them ; yet I believe 20 of them had never received the com-
munion, nor haif of them heen baptized, as Mr. Muirson will more fully inform
you. And now I have given you an account of the state of that colony, what
will in the next place be naturally expected from me, is to know my opinion of
the best and most probable way of doing good amongst them.

There is nothing more certain, than that itis the most difficult task the society
have to wade through. For the people are not only not of the Church, but have
been and are trained up with all the care imaginable to be its enemies. That to
make an impression under all those disadvantages is very difficult, though I hope
not impossible. And though, at first view, the prospect of doing any good upon
them is very little, yet no doubt but the most proper measures ought to be taken,
leaving the event to Almighty God.

Now, to give you my thoughts in what way this great work may best be en-
deavored at, so as it may he done with little expense. I believe, for the first step,
the most proper way would be, that one of the ministers in this country were di-
rected by my Lord of London to inform himself where there are any in that gov-
ernment who profess themselves to be of the Church, and to know if they or any
of their neighbors have any children to baptize, or desire to partake of the sacra-
ment : and that he will come to the towns where they live, and after having giv-
en them a sermon, will perform those holy rites. There need, I think, no more
be done in this matter for the present. But the society may, if they please, leave
the rest to me; and I won’t only give him the best advice and directions I can
herein, but will, God willing, wait upon him in his progress, and persuade some
useful friends along with me. And when this essay has been made, I shall be
much better able to guess at the state of that government, and what is fitting to
be done next. Now the person that I would advise them to pitch upon by all
means for this expedition, is Mr. Muirson ; he being not only posted next those
parts, and so will look less like design, but he has a very happy way of delivery,
and makes little use of his notesin preaching, which is extremely taking amongst
those people—and for argument, few of his years exceed him.

The chief end I have in this projection, is to have the people of that govern-
ment undeceived in their notions concerning our Church ; there being, I believe,
fifteen thousand in that colony who have never heard, nor scarce seen a Church
of England minister. And I have the charity to believe, that after having heard
one of our ministers preach, they will not look upon our Church to be such a
monster as she is represented. And being convinced of some of the cheats, many
of them may duly consider of the sin of schism. However, let the success be
what it will, to me the duty seems plain. I have not only mentioned this to you,
but in my letter to my Lord of London, and shall patiently wait for his and the
society’s commands therein.

I will now proceed in giving direct answers to the several queries mentioned
in yours. Having as yet, only spoke to the first, so shall now take the rest in
course. As for Mr. Moor’s mission, you will undoubtedly have the account there-
of very fully by Mr. Talbot, whose place he supplies, having not thought it worth
the while to stay at Albany. As for my opinion in that matter, I think it is too
heavy for the society to meddle with at present ; and would properly lie as a bur-
then upon the crown, to be defrayed out of the revenue here. For their being

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 223

brought over to our holy faith, will at the same time, secure them in their fideli-
ty to the Government. And not only that, but the society will, I believe, find em-
ployment enough for their money in sending of missionaries amongst those who
call themselves Christians, on the coast of America; which, I find to be their res-
olution. And itis certainly the greatest charity in the world, to have the best re-
ligion planted in these parts, which with time will, in all probability, be so vast a
country and people. But whether the charge of missionaries for converting the In-
dians fall to the share of the crown or the society, to effect that matter well and thor-
oughly those sent over on that errand, must be such as can endure hardships, and
are able and willing to live with the Indians in their own country, and according to
their way and manner, which are the methods the French take. And I believesome
of those gentlemen who have had their education in the colleges of the north parts of
Scotland, being in orders from my Lord of London, may be the likeliest to undergo
it. Asfor Mr. Dellius, I don’t think it worth while in being at any extraordinary
charge in sendixg of him ; because, I believe no consideration would make him liye
in the Indiancountry. And ifhe did, he has not the language; and one that goes
on that mission must be a young man, who is able to grapple with fatigues, and
will not only take pains, but is capable of learning the language ; and it is a gen-
eral observation, that none are so apt to gain foreign tongues as the Scotch.

As for my thoughts of this society’s having appointed that good man, Mr. Neau,
as catechist to the negroes and Indians, it is undoubtedly a very good work; and
he is wonderfully industrious in the discharge of his duty, and the truth is, takes
more pains than he needs, by going from house to house to perform that office.
And I believe he would find it as effectual to gain the end, and not the fourth
part of the trouble to himself, to appoint set times in having them together at the
English church, cr at least so many at once as may be proper, and catechise and
instruct them. And Mr. Vesey assures me that he shall be very free and willimg
to let him have the use of the church for that purpose. And now I am on this
subject, it will be very proper that the society direct Mr. Cleator, if he comes
over, or any school-master whom they appoint in their respective places to cate-
chise and instruct the negroes and Indians; and that the ministers in their
several parishes were desired to send a list of all the slaves or free negroes and
Indians, the society would then see how that matter was further worth their
consideration.

I did, in my former letters, make mention of one Mr. Bondet, a French Pro-
testant minister, who is in orders from the Bishop of London. He is a good
man, and preaches very intelligibly in English—which he does every third Sun-
day, in his French congregation, when he uses the liturgy of the Church. He
has done a great deal of service since his first coming into this country, and is
well worth the thoughts of the Society. The town he lives in is called New Ro-
chelle, a place settled by French Protestants; it is comprehended in Mr. Bar-
tow’s parish, and contributes toward his maintenance, which disables them, in a
great measure, to pay toward Mr. Bondet’s, who is in very great want. It is
true, besides twenty pounds a year, which the people of New Rochelle promise
him, and is very ill paid, he has thirty pounds a year settled on him out of the
public revenue here, as the French minister in York hath; but that is paid with
so much uncertainty, that he starves under the prospect of it.

Now for a remedy for this poor gentleman, and that he may be made as useful

224 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

to the Church as possible ; if the society would use their interest that he might
have an order from the court that he may not only forthwith be paid his arrears,
but that he should afterwards have his money by quarterly payments; and that,
at the same time, he be directed by the Bishop of London, to consult with and
be helpful to Mr. Bartow and Mr. Muirson in taking care of the scattering towns
of the parishes ; especially Mr. Bartow’s, where it is impossible for any one to
manage it. And whereas, he has been obliged for his bread, to use the French
prayers in his French congregation, according to the orders of the Protestant
churches of France, and had that liberty granted him (as he tells me) upon his
receiving of orders, it is his earnest request, that he might have directions relat-
ing thereunto, wherein he might be required not to use otherwise than the liturgy
of our Church in any congregations where he preacheth, whether English or
French. And it would be well that some French Common Prayer Books and
Catechisms were sent over for that purpose. The reason of desiring an order of
that nature is, that it would put the matter out of dispute. Mr. Bondet and I
have gone as far as we can in that affair, and it would spend too much time to
tell you what tempests we waded through in attempting it ; but if directions came
from England about it, none, I believe, would be found to oppose it. The chief
cause of its being hindered with so much heat was, that the French congregation
in York were apprehensive that it might be a precedent for them; and for that
reason fired the most ignorant of Mr. Bondet’s people, and persuaded them to
recant from what they had agreed to. But I must do the most sensible of them
the justice, that they hold fast their integrity, and are willing to receive the
Church.

If this matter goes forward, I expect that the greatest part of the people of
New Rochelle will cease their contributions to Mr. Bondet; so I must desire the
Society to consider him with some allowance in England. And if effectual care
could be taken that 30/. is paid him, 157. sterling more, with the small helps
he will have from those who will continue steady to the Church, will enable him
to maintain himself and family.

If care is not already taken therein in the instructions which are preparing, it
will be of absolute necessity, that the clergy of this county be directed to meet
twice at least, annually, and taking to their assistance the best and most sensible
of their parishes, to consult of the most effectual ways for settling the church,
and to give you an impartial account how the parishes are settled in point of
conveniency, and which way it may be better done, not only to make it easy for
themselves, but so as the bread of life may be fairly and equally divided amongst
their people, that proper measures might be taken, in having it regulated by act
of assembly. For if something of this nature is not done, one-half the people of
the county won’t have much benefit by all the cost that is laid out upon them.
In the conclusion of your last letter, you tell me that you had sent some Com-
mon Prayers and Catechisms, by Mr. Mackenzy, but do not understand he has
brought any ; so beg of you to inquire into that mistake. And in case you send
any other books to be disposed, pray let them only be Dr. Beveridge’s (new
Bishop of St. Asaph,) sermon concerning the common prayers, a little
book entitled ‘‘A Christian’s Way to Heaven,” and one of the lawful-
ness of the common prayer. No books can be more serviceable than they;
and I would take care to have them scattered through Connecticut colo-

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 225

ny to both minister and people, and am apt to believe they would do ser-
vice. As for the deputation the society now pleased to send me, I am ex-
ceeding sorry I can do them no service therein. For the people of this county,
having generally land of their own, although they don’t want, few or none of
them very much abound. There being besides, a settlement belonging to Col.
Morris, and another to Mr. Phillips, and mine, not any that belong to particular
men of any great value in the county; nor are there ten in the whole county but
what have been brought over to the Church since I came into the province, that
truly sir, if we can persuade them to build and finish their churches and schools,
help to maintain their ministers and schoolmasters, and fit conveniences for them,
it is the most that can be expected till things are better settled, and the Church a
more firm footing among them. I have not had the happiness to be in company
with Col. Morris since I received the deputation ; but shall discourse with him
concerning that matter when I see him next. I could offer some few things more
to the consideration of the Society, but time won’t permit me to enlarge, so I
shall reserve it to the next opportunity. So with my humble duty to the Society,
begging their pardon for the trouble I have given them therewith, I desire to re-
main, sir, &c., &. CALEB HEATHCOTE.¢4

No wonder that St. George Talbot, writing to the Venerable Society,
should say: “I wish the report were true that he, Col. Caleb Heathcote,
were appointed Governor ; it would be the best news, next to that of the
gospel, that ever came over.”

In 1693, Col. Heathcote received the following appointment as Presi-
dent Judge Advocate of a court martial, to be holden in Westchester
county, for the trial of all offending officers and men under his com-
mand :—

‘* Whereas Iam informed that several disorders and misdemeanors are daily com-
mitted by the regiment under your command, and no obedience paid to my sev-
eral orders for prevention thereof; for the future, reposing special trust and con-
fidence in your prudence and conduct by virtue of the power and authority tome
given by virtue of their majesties’ letters patent under their great seal of England-
I have thought fit and do hereby erect, constitute and appoint a court martial in
Westchester county aforesaid, and hereby I empower and authorize you, the said
Caleb Heathcote, from henceforth and all times, when so often it shall it be
found needful to call the said court martial, which shall consist of you, the said
Caleb Heathcote, as president judge advocate, and six at least of the commission-
ed officers under your command, whereof four to be captains, with full power and.
authority to hear, judge and determine all crimes and offences committed by any
officer or soldier under your command, and sentence to pronounce so far as fineor
imprisonment or other corporal punishment, as the merits of the crime or offence
shall deserve, according to an act of Assembly, made and provided against such
offenders and criminals, and to cause each sentence to be put into execution ac-
cording to the rules, articles, and laws of war and arms; provided always that.

a Hawk’s MSS. from N. Y. archives at Fullham.
b New York MSS. General Convention, vol.i, p. 176.

226 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
RS
this condition shall continue in force during this war, or till my pleasure be fur-
ther known, and no longer.
Given under my hand and seal at armes, at Fort William Henry, New York,
the 12th day of September, 1693, in the fifth year of his majesty’s reign, by his
excellency’s command. BENJ FLETCHER.

Among other wealthy relations Col. Heathcote had, it appears, a “rich
cousin, George Heathcote, who was born in Middlesex county, England,
and who came to this country as captain of a merchant ship, about the
year 1678. This individual acquired a large property, and being a bach-
elor, invited his nephew, Caleb, to take up his residence in this country ;
and upon his death, at his last residence, in Buck’s county, Penn., in
1710, bequeathed his large property to his cousin, who became one of
the most considerable men in this Province.”

In the will of George Heathcote, of Buck’s county, Province of Penn-
sylvania, among other items occurs the following: ‘I give and bequeath
unto my cousin, Caleb Heathcote, of the Province of New York, the
residue of my estate, and nominate him executor of this, my last will and
testament.”

Among the archieves of the Wyllys family, in Boston, Mass., there is
still preserved a Latin order from George I., to Col. Caleb Heathcote,
dated London, August 4th, 1719. The manor house of Scarsdale was
a fine brick mansion, that occupied the site of the present building, on
Heathcote Hill, Mamaroneck. It was from this place that Col. Heath-
cote addressed all his letters to the Honorable Propagation Society, the
Lords of Trade and the Provincial Government. This edifice, which
was erected sometime prior to 1704,.was destroyed by fire during the
Revolutionary war.

Col. Caleb Heathcote married Martha, daughter of the Bon Col.
William Smith, Chief Justice and President of the Council of the Prov-
ince of New York, and former Governor of Tangier. By his wife
Martha, daughter of Henry Tunstall, Esq., of Surrey county, England.
The monuments to the Hon. William Smith and wife are still to be
seen at St. George’s manor, Brookhaven, Suffolk county, L. I. :—

Here Lyes
Interred ye body of ye
HONL COLL. WILLIAM SMITH,
Chief Justice and President of ye Council of ye Province of New York.
Born in England, at Higham Ff errers,
in Northamptonshire, Feb. ye 2d, 1654-5,

a George must have at one time resided in Savannah, Ga., for there is a ward in that city

named after him.
b Surrogate’s office (N. Y.) of wills, vol. vii, p. 3.

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 227

and Died at ye Manour of St. George, Feb. ye 18th, 1704-5,
in ye fifty-first year of his age,
being grandson of Max. ConsTamMMEt, &c.@

Here Lyzs
interred ye body of

MARTHA,

daugbter of Henry TunsTatt, Esq.,®
born at Putney,
in the county of Surrey, in England, 1659,
and died at ye manour of St. George, Sept. 1st, 1709,
aged fifty years.

Mrs. Heathcote bore her husband six children—namely, Gilbert,
William, Anne, Mary, Martha and Elizabeth. Col. Heathcote died while
in the performance of his duty as a Christian philantrophist, in the city
of New York, on Tuesday, 28th day of February, 1721.

The following notice of his death appeared in the American weekly
Mercury, of March 6th, 1714:

**On the 28th day of February last, died the Honorable Caleb Heathcote, Esq.,
Surveyor General of his Majesty’s customs, for the Eastern District of North
America, Judge of the Court of Admiralty for the Provinces of New York and
New Jersey, and the Colony of Connecticut, one of his Majesty’s Council forthe
Province of New York, and brother of Sir Gilbert Heathcote, of London.

“He was a gentleman of rare qualities, excellent temper and virtuous life and
conversation, and his loss lamented by all that knew him, which, on the day of
his death, went about doing gocd, in procuring a charitable subscription, in
which he made a very great progress.”

On the 29th of February, 1719, Col. Caleb Heathcoté’executed his
last will and testament, as follows:

WILL OF COL. CALEB HEATHCOTE.

In the name of God, Amen. I, Caleb Heathcote of the Province of New York,
in America, gentlemen, being at this present time in perfect health of body and of
firm and sound mind and memory, thanks therefore be given to Almighty God ;
but well knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye, and that the time
of the approach of Death is uncertain, Do make this my last will and Testament
in manner and form following ; my Soul I Recommend to my Gracious God who

a The Smith family had been Jong seated in the counties of Leicester and Northampton ;
arms: Or, on a chey. betw. three crosses, pattee fitchee, gu, as many bezants.

; 4 The Tunstalls were formerly seated at Agacombe, Surrey county. Arms: Sa. three combs
n fesse ar.

ec See American weekly Mercury from Wednesday, March 9th, to Thursday, March 16, 1721.
*1721, Feb. 28, died at New York. Col. Caleb Heathcote, member of the “ouncil and Judge of
the Admiralty, Surveyor Genera: of his Majesty’s Customs for the North District of Amer-
ica.” Gleanings from the annual register of the fire office, London. Hist. Mag. vol. iv, 2d
series, No. 3, p. 137.

228 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

gave it; my Body to the earth, from whence it came to be Decently interred at
the discretion of my Executors hereinaftér named in certain hopes of the Remis-
sion of all my sins through the sole Merits of my Blessed Saviour Jesus Christ
and of a Joyful Ressurrection and Reunion of my Body and Soul at his second
coming to Judgement—and as for what worldly Estate it hath pleased God to
Bestow upon me, and which shall any ways belong to me at the time of my de-
cease, I Give, Devise and Dispose of and Bequeath the same in manner follow-
ing—Imprimis my will and Desire and I do hereby order that my Dear and well
beloved wife Martha Heathcote, shall have the sole care and keeping and manage-
ment of all my children during their Minority and her widdowhood, and for the
Handsome Maintenance of herself and the Handsome Maintenance and good and
liberal education of my children I do hereby order, that she my said well beloved
wife, shall have and Receive all such Annuities and Interests of money due pay-
able or to become due and payable and belonging to mein England and also that
she shall have the sole possession, use and Management of all my Estate, both
real and personall in America, and have and receive for the uses aforesaid all the
Rents, Interests and Profits thereof during the Minority of my children and her
widowhood as aforesaid, but no longer, and if there happens to be any overplus
of the said proceeds in her hands after her having made use of the same as afore-
said, I hereby Impower my said wife to Dispose of and Distribute the same
amongst my children either by her Last will and Testament or otherwise and in
such proportion as she in her Discretion shall see fit, and I do hereby further Give,
Devise and Bequeath unto my said well beloved wife Martha Heathcote, and her
executors and assigns the sum of one hundred Pounds annually to be paid unto
her yearly and every year during the term of her natural life, in New York mon-
ey ; fifty pounds thereof to be paid yearly out of that part of my estate which 1
shall hereby give unto my son Gilbert Heathcote, and fifty pounds yearly out of
that part of my estate which I shall hereby give unto the rest of my children re-
spectively in a due proportion all which Bequests so as aforesaid ordered to my
wife shall be in Lieu of her Dower and all other her Pretentions to my estate
whatsoever. Jtem, I Give, Devise and Bequeath unto my Eldest son, Gilbert
Heathcote, my Dwelling House at Mamaroneck within the County of West-Ches-
ter, within the Colony of New York, Together with the Home Lott of land
there: my Barns and other edifices with the Neck of Land called Mamaroneck,
East Neck, and my Mills, Mill Dams, Streams and Rights of Streams, and all my
lands within the Limits of Mamaroneck Township, known by the name of the
Two Mile Bounds, and also all my Lands lying on the East of Mamaroneck
River, Contiguous thereto which I bought of David Jamison. And whereas,
the lands which I bought from Anne Richbell, within the County of West
Chester aforesaid, Runs eighteen miles in Length into the woods, I hereby
give and Bequeath unto my said son Gilbert Heathcote, one thousand acres
thereof to be taken up and laid out unto him conveniently by my wife, by such
persons as she shall appoint (if it shall so happen that I do not settle and ascer-
tain it myself in my life time) in this manner to witt, Two Hundred acres
of the said Lands to lye next adjacent to the Township of Mamaroneck to the
Northward thereof one hundred acres more to lye Two Miles from the place
where the said Two Hundred acres shall end, and in like manner the Quantity of
one hundred acres at the end of every two miles till the said one Thousand acres

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 229

be completed. To Have and To Hold the said Dwelling house, Mills, Lands,
premises with every their appurtenances unto Him the said Gilbert Heathcote
and his heirs; to his and their use and behoofe forever; to have the possession
thereof when ke arrives to the age of twenty-one years, he always observing to
Pay unto his mother the moneys by this my will ordered to be paid out of his
share untoher. Jtem, out of the Legacy Jately left unto me by my Brother Wil-
liam Heathcote in England, I hereby give and Devise unto my said son Gilbert
Heathcote Two thousand five hundred pounds sterling ; tomy son William Heath-
cote, the same sum of Two thousand five hundred pounds; and to my four
daughters, Anne Heathcote, Mary Heathcote, Martha Heathcote and Elizabeth
Heathcote four thousand pounds sterling ; that is to say to each of them one
thousand pounds to be paid to my children when they arrive at the age of
twenty-one years respectively. And al] such moneys as shall at that, the time of
my decease, belong unto me in England besides what I have as aforesaid Dis-
posed of I hereby give and Bequeath unto my said children to be Divided
amongst them in the like proportion as aforesaid and all the rest of my Estate
both Real and Personal of what Nature or kind so ever it be in America. I
give, Devise and Bequeath the same as followeth, Thatis to say, one full equal
sixth part thereof I give, Devise and Bequeath unto my Daughter Anne Heath-
cote—one other full Equall sixth part, to my daughter Mary Heathcote—one
other sixth part to my daughter Martha Heathcote—Two full sixth parts thereof
unto my son William Heathcote, and one sixth part thereof tomy Daughter Eliz-
abeth Heathcote. Zo Have and To Hold the same unto them their heirs and
executors and assigns Respectively and separately forever to be Delivered to
them and either of them Respectively as they come of age of twenty-one years
and in case my son William Heathcote should happen to Dye before he arriving
to the said age of twenty-one years and without lawful issue then I will and
order that the one Moiety or Equall half part of that share of my estate hereby
given to him, shall be given and remain to my son Gilbert Heathcote and the
other moiety to be equally divided amongst my Daughters which shall then be
alive. Yo Have and To Hold to them and their heirs and executors and assigns
separately and respectively forever, andif any of my said daughters shall happen
to Dye before they come to age of twenty-one years or have lawful issue then I
will that the share of my said daughters so dying as aforesaid shall be equally
divided and the one half or moiety shall be given to my son William and his heirs,
executors and assigns; and the other half part to be equally divided amongst such
of my daughters as shall then be alive, and to Remaine to them and their re-
spective Heirs, executors and assigns in severalty forever. And it is my de-
sire and strict order that every one of my children as they shall arrive at the
age of twenty-one years shall be immediately put into the possession of their
respective parts and shares of my estate hereby given unto them, and this
is to be done by my wife if she then be my widdow in whose Discretion
and Justice I Intirely Confide; and therefore do order that my said children
shall be content and rest satisfied with the Distribution she shall make to them
pursuant to this my last will and Testament hereby Impowering her to be sole
Judge of what is theirtrue shares. But if it shall happen that my wife should Dye
or Marry again during the nonage of any of my said children then I will, Devise
and order that their well beloved Cousins, William Heathcote the son of my brother

230 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

Samuel Heathcote deceased and John Heathcote the son of my brother Sir Gilbert
Heathcote do demand and take into their possession all such Moneys or other estate
which shall belong to mein England, and Improve and Distribute the same accord-
ing tothe Direction of this my last will and Testament. And as tomy estate Real
and Personal in America I hereby will and order in case of my wife marrying
again or Death as aforesaid that the same, Excepting such part thereof as before
that time shall be in the possession of any of my children already come of age
shall be taken into possession by my Two Beloved Brothers-in-Law Coll. Henry
Smith and Major William Smith, and my two beloved friends Coll. William Wil-
let and Mr. Samuel Clowes or the major part of them who shall then be alive and
Residing in the Colony of New York to secure and improve the same according
to their discretion for the bringing up, Education, Benefit and advantage of my
children and be Delivered by them to my said children when they shall come to
age or Marry Respectively according to their respective shares and proportions
pursuant to this my last will and testament; and I will that my said children shall
be content and satified with such Distribution of my said estate amongst them as
by the said persons or major part of them as aforesaid shall be made, which per-
sons as aforesaid shall be the sole judges and arbitrators of all differences arising
amongst my said children concerning the division of my said estate. Lastly, I
do hereby nominate Constitute and appoint my said well beloved wife, Martha
Heathcote, to be my sole and whole executriz of this my last will and testament to
be executed by her so long as she shall remain my widdow, but no longer. And I
hereby Revoke Disannull and utterly make void all other wills Testaments and
codicills by me at any time heretofore made by mee, and I do declare this only to
be my last will and Testament. In witness whereoff I have hereunto put my
hand and seal at Jamaica, in the Colony of New York, this twenty-ninth Day of
February, in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and nineteen.

CALEB HEATHCOTE, [1.s.]
Signed, sealed, declared and published by the
within named Caleb Heathcote as his last will
and Testament in presence of us.
Davin JongEs,
8S. Clowes, JuUn.,
JouN CLOWEs.4

The last will of his wife, Martha Heathcote, bears date 13th of
August, 1736, by which she bequeaths “to her daughter Anne, the wife
of James De Lancey, the sum of £1,000, also a pair of silver candle-
sticks, silver snuffers and snuff dish, together with my silver teapot, silver
tankard and my large coffer. To her daughter Martha, wife of Lewis
Johnston, she bequeaths the like sum of £1,000, and to her daughters
Anne and Martha all her wearing apparel, &c.”

All the children of Col. Caleb Heathcote died in their minority, ex-
cept his daughters Anne and Martha, upon which the manor of Scars-

a The above will was proved 19th of April, 1721, Rec. of Wills, Surrogate’s office, No. ix,
1718 to 1725, pp. 234, 235, 236, 237.

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 231

dale, with other possessions, descended to Anne and Martha, then sur-
viving sisters and heiresses. Anne Heathcote, the eldest, married the
Honorable James De Lancey, Lieutenant-Governor of the province of
New York; their children were, 7rs¢, Captain James De Lancey, who
greatly distinguished himself as the aide of General Abercombie at the
celebrated siege of Fort Ticonderoga, father of the late Lieutenant-
Colonel James De Lancey of Bath, Somerset County, England, the
eldest heir male of the De Lancey family ; second, Major John Peter De
Lancey of Heathcote Hill, Mamaroneck, who married Elizabeth, daugh-
ter of Colonel Richard Floyd, of Floyd’s Neck, Brookhaven, Suffolk
County, Long Island. This individual alternately became possessor of
the Scarsdale estates.

John Peter De Lancey by his last will and testament, bearing date
28th January, 1823, bequeathed his property amongst his surviving chil-
dren, namely—William Heathcote De Lancey, Elizabeth Caroline,
Martha Arabella, Ann Charlotte and Sussanah Augusta De Lancey.

Third, Stephen De Lancey, of North Salem, who died January rst,
1795, leaving no issue.

Under the Heathcotes and De Lanceys the Anjevines held the large
farm bearing their name (now owned by Alexander M. Bruen, M. D.,)
for four generations. The Anjevin’s or Anjevine’s were among those of
the French Protestant refugees who fled from France about the year
1694. They were spoken of in a history of French families as living in
the ancient province of Poitou (“a province foremost in its opposition
to the religious oppression exercised by the Government, led by the
principal families therein. The royal government had more difficulty in
opposing the religious uprising here than almost any other part of the
kingdom,”) in the Marches of Anjevin. In 1708, Zacharie Anjevin, who
-was born in France, A.D. 1664, appears as one of the freeholders of the
town of New Rochelle. Sometime in September, 1710, among a list of
the inhabitants of the latter place occur the names of Zachariah and
Peter Anjevin, brothers, and a sister, Sussanna. Zachariah Anjevin and
his wife, Mary, had four children, namely—Zachariah, Daniel, Margaret
Mary and Mary, junior. Peter Anjevin, who was born in France, A.D.
1666, and Deborah, his wife, had three children—Louis or Lewis, Pierre
or Peter and Mary. The eldest, Lewis, born in 1702, settled on the
Anjevin farm and lies burried there; Jean, his son, became heir to the
estate and left seven sons, viz: David, Peter, John, Louis, Elijah, Wil-
liam and Solomon; and four daughters, the youngest of whom, Mary,
married Thomas Truslow, Esq., of New York City and Portchester.

The Secor family rented the Scarsdale manor farm called the Hic-

232 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

kories. The Secors, Sicards, or Sycars were among the French Protest-
ant refugees who fled from France in 1681. The name occurs fregently
on the records of the French church Du St. Esprit in New York between
the years 1680 and 1770. In1708the name of Ambroise Sycar appears
among the freeholders of New Rochelle. Two years later there was re-
siding in that town James Sycar, Sen., born in France, A.D. 1635;
Daniel Sycar, born in France, 1660; Sussannah Sycar, aged thirty;
James Sycar, born in France, 1676, Mary, his wife and their children—
John, Elizabeth, Mary and Sussanah; Daniel Sycar had Daniel, Jun.,
John, Peter, Andrew and Mary. The sons of Ambroise Sycar, the
Refugee, were—Ambroise and James, the latter by his wife, Catharine,
had first James, the owner of the late Richard Secor’s property, upper
Rochelle, secondly, Peter, owner of the property lately held by Philp
Carpenter, and thirdly, Daniel, owner of the estate of Benjamin Secor ;
of this family was Israel Secor of Upper New Rochelle, who formerly
owned the property held by the late Richard Secor; his sons were
Richard, William, Abraham, Benjamin, Samuel and Peter. The fourth
son, Benjamin, who married Jane, daughter of John Renaud, is the father
of the present Darius Secor of New Rochelle.

By a survey and division of Heathcote’s lands lying in Scarsdale
manor on the 11th of August, A.D. 1774, in the county of Westchester,
the property of Caleb Heathcote in his lifetime, and which remain unsold
by his descendants since his death, &c. No. 1, in north division, contain-
ed twenty-one lots, and likewise two small lots in the possession of Wil-
liam Barker. Lots Nos. 16 and 17 were controverted lands in this division.

Upon the zest side of the manor the proprietors appear to have been
the Crawfords, Devauxs, Vailes, Gedneys, Anjevines, Tompkinses and
Townsends. On the east side, the Griffens, Fishers, Vails, Underhills,
Gedneys and Cromwells. On the south-west, the Griffens and Barkers.-

The surface of this town is undulating and hilly; soil, sandy and clay
loam ; drained, south by the Bronx river, which bounds it on the west.
Two small streams called the Hutchinson and Sheldrake, rise in Scars-
dale and flow southerly into the Sound. The latter is a tributary of
the Mamaroneck river. They are well supplied with all kinds of fresh
water fish.

The most prominent features of Scarsdale, however, are the extensive
tract of woodland which completely cover its wild and romantic hills on
the west, displaying themselves to great advantage from every part of
the surrounding country. The Saxton forest which forms a large por-
tion of this woody district, abounds with foxes, rabbits and other wild
game, and retains much of its ancient grandeur.

\

PROORES Of COMED MAR AAD

To face page 238, vol. il. PEDIGREE OF TOMKYNS, OF SCARSDALE.

Arms, az. on achey. betw. three moor cocks, close, or, as many cross crosslets sa. Crest, a unicorn’s head, erased, per fesse, ar. and or, armed and maned of the last, gorged with a chaplet of laurel ver

John Tompkins, of Concord, removed
to Fairfield, September, 1644, |

|
John, of Concord, moved to Fairfield; subsequently settled at Eastchester, nat, 1642, living in 1672, Ruth Tompkins, nat. 1640,

|
Nathaniel, of Eastches-_ Elizabeth eet

J ae of Eastches-_ Bantuna, of Scarsdale, will dated 3d Feb.,_ Hannah
ter in 1684 | 1719, Surrogate’s Office, N.Y., No. 8, 128. | ter, 1684, ob, cir. 1733 |
1 Iduin of_Merey 2 nbhe- Oak- 3. Nath- 4, Thome Hed- Mal ,»Mmar- 2 ana, mar- 38, Rath 1, Ste-_ 2. pelea to whom 38, ali to whom Lag de tes L b 3, Stephen Ane b b L
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ter, remo- | da. of est- Appleby Ledew of dwelling house and estate called the =5 5—a 2285 5 S RES
ved to James ches- Fishkill lands in E'chester. Pines. Beoguns° SE gaa
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* The D after Daniel, was added to distinguish him from another Daniel Tompkins, who attended

the same school and college, (Helen T’, Tompkins, Somers, Westchester County, a grand-daughter).

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 233

At the fox meadows, Scarsdale, was born on the 21st of June, 1774,
that distinguished individual Daniel D. Tompkins, Vice-President of the
United States. He was the seventh son of the Hon. Jonathan G.
Tompkins, by his wife Sarah Hyatt ; and grandson of Stephen Tompkins,
whose ancestors emigrated originally from the north of England, (during
the time of the religious persecution in that country,) and landed at
Plymouth, in the colony of Massachusetts ;? from Plymouth they removea
to Concord. John Tompkins of that place, had John born there in
1642, and a daughter, Ruth, in 1640. The Tompkins family subse-
quently emigrated to Fairfield, in Connecticut.* In 1649, we find John
Tompkins proprietor of lands in Fairfield.

From Fairfield, the family removed to Eastchester, Westchester Co.
The name of Nathaniel Tompkins occurs among a list of the first pro-
prietors of Eastchester, in 1665. Of this family was Micah Tompkins
of Milford, Connecticut, who secreted King Charles’ judges when they
fled to Milford. “The regicides Whalley and Goffe, (says Mr. Lam-
bert) lived in the town from the 2oth of August, 1661, for more than
two years, till they went to Hadley. Here they were secreted by Mr.
Tompkins, in the basement story of a shop standing near his dwelling.
It is related that Mr. Tompkins’s daughters often spun in the shop, and
sometimes would sing some poetry which was composed about that time,
concerning the martyrdom of King Charles, (in which they are mention-
ed) which much amused the judges. The girls were, of course, acquaint-
ed with their concealment.? After remaining in Eastchester a short
time, the sons of Nathaniel and John Tompkins removed to Scarsdale
and Greenburgh, where they purchased lands and permanently settled.

“ The father of Daniel D. Tompkins? was.a member of the State con-
vention, which adopted the Declaration of Independence and the first
constitution of the State. He was a member of the Legislature during
the whole period of the Revolution, also for many years first judge of the
Court cf Common Pleas for this county ; and on the institution of the uni-
versity, was appointed one of the Regents—which situation he held until
his resignation of it,in 1808. He died after seeing his son elevated to
the second office in the gift of his country.

Governor Tompkins was educated at Columbia college in the city of

a The fox meadow estate originally belonged to the Griffin family, and passed from Jona-
than Griffin to his adopted son, Jonathan Griffin Tompkins.

b Herring’s Nat. Portrait Gallery.
c Shattucks’ Hist. of Concord.
d Lambert’s Hist. of New Haven, 144.

e The D was added to his name merely to distinguish him from another Daniel Tompkins
who attended the same school or college with him. From his grand-daughter, Helene T.
‘Tompkins, Somers, Westchester Co,

234 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

New York, and received the first honors of his class in 1795. He was
admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court in the capacity of attorney, 5th
Aug., 1797.* In 1801, he was elected a representative of the city, in the
convention to revise the constitution of the State; in 1802, was chosen
to the State Legislature ; and in 1804, was appointed a Judge of the Su-
preme Court of the State, to supply the vacancy occasioned by the elec-
tion of Chief Justice Lewis tothe Gubernatorial chair. In the same year
he was elected a member of Congress for the city, as a colleague of the
late Dr. Mitchell. Gov. Tompkins (continues his biographer) seemed
to embody within himself—the peculiar characteristics of the citizens of
his native State—activity, energy and perseverance ; and his talents con-
stantly and variously as they were tried, were always found equal to any
emergency. At the bar in the city of New York, during the early part
of his life, he sustained an honorable rank ; on the bench of the Supreme
Court of the State—amid the bright constellation of judicial talent, learn-
ing and eloquence which then adorned it—he was conspicuously distin-
guished while yet a comparative youth; and we venture to say, that no
judge since the formation of our government, ever presided at nisi prius,
or travelled the circuit with more popularity. Dignified in his person,
peaceful and conciliating in his address, and thoroughly amiable in his
character, he won the respect and confidence of the bar, and the admir-
ation of the public. The distinction which he gained in his judicial ca-
pacity, soon elevated him to a different theatre of action, the gubernato-
rial chair of his native State. (In 1807, when not thirty-three years of
age,) he was put forward as a candidate by the most influential of the
Republicans of that day ; and in the mode in which he administered the
government, he did‘not disappoint their choice. ‘Those were turbulent
times in politics; but like a skillful pilot, he safely and triumphantly
weathered the storm—not only that which was raging within our bounds
and among ourselves, but a more painful one which was pouring in upon
us from a foreign foe. By his unwearied efforts in repeatedly press-
ing the subject upon the attention of the Legislature, slavery was finally
abolished in the State of New York.

The subject of public education and morals, was always near his heart.
The benevolent feelings of Gov. Tompkins, prompted him to call the at-
tention of the Legislature on repeated occasions, to the abolition of cor-
poral punishment ; and he at length happily effected that of the former,

a As attorney in the Court of Common Pleas in N. Y., and Westchester Co., 26 Sept. 1797;
counsellor in Court of Common Pleas, 26th Sept. 1797; counsellor in Mayor’s Court, Feb. 24,
1801; counsellor in Supreme Court, 2 May, 1801; solicitor in Court of Chancery, 5 June, 1801;
elected representative of city to Convention on Revision of Constitution, 7 June, 1802; solicitor

in Circuit Court of the U.S8., 1804; Justice of Supreme Court, 2 July, 1804, Member of Congress
for N. Y., 1804; Judge of District Court, March, 1805.—Editor.

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 235

but the latter still remains. So early as 1811, we find him raising his voice
in favor of the encouragement of manufactures. In 1812, he prorogued
the Senate and Assembly of the State. In this brief sketch, it is not to
be expected that even all the most prominent measures of Gov. Tomp-
kins’ administration can be noticed.”

We come now (continues his biographer), to the part which he bore
in our late war with Great Britain, which embraces a most interesting
period of his life. Whenever the history of that war shall be written for
posterity, his name will fill an ample space.

As Governor of the State of New York, he had the direction of all
her energies, and many and arduous were the duties which he was or-
dered upon to perform ; but those who were conversant with the scenes
of that period, will recollect the universal confidence which he inspired
in every lover of his country. The following letter, dated a few days
after the declaration of war, will show the perilous situation of the State
of New York at that time, the condition of the army, and the respon-
sibility he assumed to meet the exigency :—

ALBANY, June 28, 1812.
To Major General Dearborn:

Sir:—Your letter of the 22 inst. has been received. I had anticipated your
request by ordering the detachments from Washington, Essex, Clinton and
Franklin counties into service, and have fixed the days and places of their ren-
dezvous. Upon application to the Quartermaster General, I find there are but
139 tents and 60 camp kettles at this place; and even those I take by a kind of
stealth, the Deputy Quartermaster General declines giving an order for their de-
livery, until he shall have a written order from the Quartermaster General ; and
the latter is willing I shall take them, but will not give the deputy a written or-
des for that purpose, under such circumstances, I shall avail myself of the rule
of possession ; and by virtue of the eleven points of the law, send them off to-mor-
row morning without a written order from any one. You may remember, that
when you were Secretary of the War Department, I invited you to forward and
deposit in our frontier arsenuls, arms, ammunition and camp equippage, for self-
defence—to be ready for defence in case of war—and the same invitation to the
War Department has been repeated four times since. The United States have
now from five to six hundred regular troops at Plattsburgh, Rome, Canandaigua,
&c. And yet those recruits are now and must be for weeks tocome, unarmed,
and in every respect unequipped, although within musket shot of arsenals. The
recruits at Plattsburgh, are within fifty miles of two tribes of Canadian Indians.
In case of an attack upon the frontiers, that portion of the United States army
would be as inefficient and as unable to defend the inhabitants or themselves
even, aS somany women. Asto cannon, muskets, and ammunition, I can find
no one here who will exercise any authority over them, or deliver a single article

@ Herring’s Nat. Portrait Gallery, vol. ii.

236 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

upon my requisition ; neither can I find any officer of the army who feels himself
authorized to exercise any authority, or do any act which will aid me in the all
important object of protecting the inhabitants of our extended frontier exposed
to the cruelty of savages, and the depredations of the enemy. If I must rely
upon the militia solely for such protection, I entreat you to give orders to your-
officers here, to furnish upon my order—for the use of militia detachments,
all needful weapons and articles with which the United States are furnished, and
of which we are destitute.

‘“You may rely upon the assistance which my talents, infiuence and authority
can furnish, in the active prosecution of the just and necessary war, which has
been declared by the constituted authority of our beloved country.”

From the day of the declaration of war, the Governor entered heart
and soul into the prosecution of it; and so continued until its close.
Most of the frontier troops, the first campaign, were militia ; and many of
them were marched several hundred miles. The Quarter Master General
of that day, refused to make any advances to them; the Governor was,
therefore, placed in the dilemma of providing as.well as he could for

‘them, and expenses of every kind—or of permitting them to return home
for want of accommodation, disgusted both with the war and the Govern-
ment; he issued orders for raising a brigade of volunteers upon his own
responsibility, which greatly distinguished itself on the Niagara frontier,
and particularly at the memorable sortie from Fort Erie.

The officers were all selected by Gov. Tompkins, and their gallant con-
duct in the field showed his admirable discrimination in this respect. He
had previously recommended to the Legislature to raise volunteer regi-
ments for the defence of our frontiers and the city of New York ; but, by
a perversity that seems strange to us at the present day, his patriotic
recommendation was rejected. A man of less firmness than Governor
Tompkins would have quailed beneath the storm which was raised
against him in Albany, in the winter of 1813-14, and the consequence
would probably have been that the State would have been over-run by
the foe. Not only was the whole western frontier in danger of invasion,
but Sacketts Harbor, Plattsburgh, and the city of New York. But re-
gardless of censure or disapprobation he called into the field large bodies
of militia, and organized a corps of new fencibles for the protection of
the city of New York, consisting of one thousand men. In September,
1814, the militia in service for the defence of the city amounted to 17,-
500 men. He was even ready to dispatch a force, under the lamented
Decatur, for the assistance of Baltimore, which was then menaced with
an attack ; and had not the news of the enemy’s retreat been received, the
succor would have been upon the march to the relief of a sister State. In
1814, from information received and corroborated by the movements of the

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 237

enemy, there are sufficient grounds of belief that one great object of his
campaign was to penetrate with his northern army by the waters of Lake
Champlain and the Hudson; and bya simultaneous attack with his mar-
itime forces on New York, to form a junction which would sever the
communication of the States. The exigency of the time, while it sub-
jected the Executive to great resposibility, admitted of no delay. To
defeat his arrogant design, and save the State from inroad, it was neces-
sary immediately to exercise full powers and more ample resources than
had been placed in his hands by the Legislature. He proceeded, there-
fore, to make such dispositions as were deemed indispensable to secure
the exposed points against menaced invasion. To effect these objects
he found it necessary to transcend the authority and méans vested in
him by law, perfectly satisfied that the Legislature would approve and
sanction what he had done.

In October of this year, Governor Tompkins was appointed by the
President to the command of the third military district. He acquitted
himself of the command with great ability, and on the disbanding of the
troops he received from every quarter letters of compliment and grati-
tude and this was the only recompense for his services, in this command,
which he ever obtained.

During the Fall of this year the general government was desirous of
fitting out an expedition to dislodge the enemy from Castine in the
Province of Maine. They had applied to the Governor of Massa-
chusetts to raise the necessary funds for this purpose, but without effect.
In this dilemma the situation of the general government was hinted to
Governor Tompkins, who, with his individual credit and upon his own
responsibilities, immediately raised the money, $300,000—which he
placed at the orders of General Dearborn, then commanding in Massa-
chusetts. This noble act of patriotism speaks for itself, and comment
would be superfluous.”

“He contributed (remarks the Hon. G. Rathbun) more than any one
man in the Union to the success of our arms in repelling the invaders of
our soil. Mr. Tompkins disbursed for the United States very nearly
two millions of dollars. This sum was charged to him. Further, he
borrowed for the use of the general government more than one million,
three hundred thousand dollars ; some of it partly upon the credit of the
Government, and some of it upon his own responsibility.”?

‘In looking over his military correspondence, it is surprising to see
how watchful he was to foster a delicate and punctilious regard to the

a Herring's Nat. Portrait Gallery, vol. ii.
4 Extracts from speech of Kon. G. Rathbun of New York, in favor of an pe pronreen for
the heirs of D. D. Tompkins, delivered in the House of Representatives, Feb. 4, 1847,

238 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

relative rank of the officers of the militia, so as preclude any cause of
jealousy or complaint. The officers were appointed by the council of
appointment, which in the winter of 1713-14, was, together with one
branch of the Legislature, opposed to the administration of the general
government, and to the prosecution of the war ; and it is evident from his
correspondence at this period that attempts were constantly made to
create discontents, by the recommending of persons for promotion over
the heads of those who were entitled to it by their previous military
rank. And turning back to his private correspondence from 1808 to
1811, we are struck with the continual annoyance experienced by him
from the intrigues and slanders of political opponents, and at the same
time with the indefatigable industry and noble frankness with which he
counteracted and exposed them. In the Fall of 1814, Mr. Monroe hav-
ing just been appointed Secretary of War, President Madison requested
permission to name Governor Tompkins to the Senate as his successor.
This offer, of what is considered the highest office in the gift of the
President of the United States, was declined. In the spring of 1815,
after peace had been proclaimed, he resigned the command of the third
military district ; and the President addressed to him a letter of thanks,
for his ‘patriotic action and able support given to the Government
during the war.”

“In February, 1817, having received official information of his elec-
tion to the office of Vice President of the United States, he surrendered
that of chief Magistrate of the State of New York.” He was also
Chancellor of the University; and in June, 1820, was elected grand
master of masons in the State of New York. In 1821, he was chosen
a delegate for the county of Richmond to the convention for framing a
new constitution for the State ; and he was afterwards appointed presi-
dent of this body. This was the last public situation which he held.”

“‘ Vears having rolled away (remarks Mr. John W. Edmunds) sirce he
played so prominent and active a part on the stage, and the party
rancor with which he was sometimes beset having been long since buried
in the grave of the past, ample justice may now without offence be done
to him—who was, in every sense of the word,

‘* \ statesman lofty and a patriot pure.”

The task, however, of doing full justice to his memory belongs to an
abler pen; but no one is too feeble to admire the elevated patriotism which
induced him, at a most trying crisis, to forego the honor intended for
him by the President—to sacrifice his own health and the comfort of his

a Herring’s National Portrait Gallery, vol. ii.

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. ~ (238

family to the paramount duty of serving his country in that sphere where
he could be most useful, and to offer himself a victim for its safety if it
should be necessary ; and the indomitable energy which enabled him in
less than forty days, without assistance in money from the national gov-
ernment, to bring into the field at various points of danger nearly 50,000
men, organized, armed and equipped, to endure the toil, expense and
embarrassment of commanding 20,000 of them in person, and at the
same time to administer the government of the State ; and in less than
sixty days when the national credit was at its lowest point of depression,
when the payment of even the interest of its notes could not be provided
for, to raise for the public service upwards of $1,000,000.
If it should be asked what was his reward, for his great services to his
country, and where stands his monument? the veneration in which his
“memory is yet regarded by the whole nation, answers that it is erected
in the hearts of his countrymen.

‘*Such honors Ilion to her here paid,
And peaceful slept the mighty Hector’s shade.’’?

The Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins died at his residence, Tompkinsville,
Staten Island, June 11, 1825, aged fifty-one, and was buried in the vault
of Mr. Minthorne, at St. Mark’s church, New York. His wife was a.
daughter of Mangle Minthorne, Esq., of New York. His sons were
Minthorne, Ray, Daniel, Clinton and Griffin Tompkins. The youngest
brother of the Governor was George Washington Tompkins, father of
the late Joseph Warren Tompkins, of White Plains.

The Fox Meadow Estate in Scarsdale, passed to the Hon. Caleb
Tompkins, the eldest brother of the Governor; and was afterwards
occupied by his son, the late Jonathan G. Tompkins. The property is
now owned by Charles Butler, Esq., whose taste and liberality has done
so much to add to the natural beauties of this charming spot. The
grounds are beautifully laid out and embellished with gardens, and ex-
tensive fruit houses.

The neighboring property on the south formerly belonged to Hon.
Richard Morris, son of the Hon. Lewis Morris, of Morrisania, for many
years Chief Justice of the Province of New York, from whom it passed
to his son-in-law, the late Brigadier Major William Popham. The man-
sion erected in’ 1790, is a spacious wooden structure, and occupies a

a@ In consequence of the death of Governor Tompkins in 1825, and of Mrs. Tompkins a few
years after, the claim of what was due him in 1824, slept until February 4, 1847, when Con-

gress voted its appropriation to the heirs of Daniel D. Tompkins—Editor. See speechof the
Hon. G. Rathburn.

b Some passages in the life of Governor Tompkins, by Mr. John W. Edmonds. See pro-
ceedings of N. Y. Hist. Soc , 1844,

240 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

very secluded position in a pasturage hollow, surrounded by groves of
locust trees, bordering the old Boston turnpike, the Bronx enlivening
the estate upon the west. Here is situated a valuable mill seat, once
occupied by an extensive beaver dam. The calm solitude of this beau-
tiful spot is increased by the overhanging woods and the low murmur-
ing of the river in passing over its stony bed. The graceful hemlock,
fitly entitled by Coleridge ‘‘ The Lady of the Woods,” appears to luxu-
riate in this romantic position of Scarsdale.

The Popham family were originally from Popham, in the county of
Hampshire, England ; and spring from Gilbert Popham, of Popham,who,
in the year 1200, married Joan, daughter and heiress of Robert Clarke,
a feofee in trust for the manor of Popham. They were greatly distin-
guished by the favor of the Empress Maud, A.D. 1140, and held high
and honorable stations jn the reign of Henry the Third. To Hampshire
county they gave several sheriffs—Robertus de Popham in 1227, and
Stephanus de Popham, circ., 1428. Sixth in descent from Gilbert Pop-
ham was Sir John Popham, Knight of the Bath, Lord Chief Justice of
the Queen’s Bench, purchaser of the Littlecot estate, Wiltshire county,
England. This individual died A. D. 1607, and his remains repose
under a magnificent tomb in the church of Wellington, surrounded by a
palisade of wood and iron. On a tablet are the effigies of himself and
Lady Popham. His only son was Sir Francis Popham, Knt. of Little-
cot, Wilts. This gentleman, together with his son, Alexander, became
so obnoxious to King Charles the First that he excepted them both out
of the general pardon. John Popham, eldest son of Sir Francis, who
married, it is said, a daughter of the celebrated President, John Brad-
shaw, was, for many years, a gentleman of the household to King
James the First. Upon the restoration of King Charles II. he removed
to Ireland, and there purchased the Bandon estates, county of Cork.
His only son he significantly named Icabod—“ the glory is departed.”
Icabod left one son, named after his grandfather, John, who was the
father of James, and grandfather of Wiliam Popham, of Bandon, whose
son was the late Brigadier Major William Popham, of Scarsdale. This
truly good man, who was one of the last of Washington’s illustrious
compatriots, ‘was born in the town of Bandon, Cork county, Ireland, on
the 19th of September, 1752, He was brought to this country at the

a “Col, Edward Popham was made Admiral of the fleet, and Alexander Popham was sum-
moned to Oliver Cromwell’s House of Lords.” ‘* With them were joined some of the ancient
nobility, together with some of the gentry who had considerable estates derived from their
ee = as Mr. Alexander Popham and others.”—Mem., of Edmund Ludlow, pp. 112

b ** President Bradshaw was of the family of Bradshaw, of Marple county, chem”, Eog-

land; its representatives now rests in the Isherwood.”—Burke’s Extinct Baronetage, Owne-
rods, Cheshire.

To face page 240, vol. 1. PEDIGREE OF POPHAM, OF SCARSDALE.

Gilbert Popham, of Popham Hants, 1200 _Joan, da. and heiress of Robert Clark, a feofee in trust for the Manor of Popham,

|
Robert Popham, of Popham, Knt.

| : i
John Popham, of Popham, _...... . 2 Sir Hugh Popham, Knt., Joan, da. and sole heiress of Sir Stephen
one of King Edward I.’s commissioners for fixing the bound- | De Rentisbury, Knt., of Huntsworth,

This branch of the family ended in four
daughters, heiresses in the 15th century aries of the Loyal Forests in Somersetshire Somerset

el
Sir Hugh Popham, Knt,_......
|

John Lapa of Huntsworth, 6th in descent from Sir Hugh _Isabella Knoyle, or
being the son of William, who died, 1465, by his wife Agnes, da. of William Ed- | Knowl, da of Thomas
monds, son of Thomas of Huntsworth, ob. 1419, son of John, ob. 1375, son of
Hugh, the son of John, son of the above Sir Hugh

|
Alexander Popham _Jane, da. of Sir Edward Stradling, Knt., of St. Donats Castle, Glamorgan

|
Edward Popham _Jane da. of Richard Sir Jonn Popham, Knt., purchaser of the Littlecott estate, Wilts. Lord_—Ann, da. and heiress of Elizabeth_Richard Catharine _ Wiliam Dotothy
of Huntsworth, 1575 Norton of Abbotts Lee Chief Justice of England, vb. 1607; his remains repose under a magnifi- | Robert Gomes, Esq., Mitchel of Poole
cent tomb in the church of Wellington, surrounded by a palisade of wood and | of Castle Glamorgon Cannington
iron; in a tablet are the effigies of himself and Lady Popham

| | | |
Elizabeth_Richard Eleanor_Roger Warre, Jane_Thomas Penelope—Thos. Hanham Mary —Sir John Katharine dward
Champernoun Esq.. of Hester- Horner Sergeant at Law Mallett, of Rogers of Can-
Evmore nington Somer-

—Ann. da. and heiress of John Dudley, of Stoke
combe
set County

Newington, Esq., grand-son of Thomas, son of

Sir ees Popham, Knt., of Littlecott, Co. Wilts, member of the last Parliament of
Edward Lord Dudley

ueen Elizabeth, and in all of those of James I. and Charles I., and excepted out of

the general pardon of the latter Prince
| | | |
John Popham, Gent. of the Privy Chamber to James I. _......da. of Sir Sabastian Havey, Lord Mayor of London Alexander Popham, of Littlecott, M.P., for Thomas, Hugh, ob, s. p. Col. rdwara Popham, an officer in the Parliamentary
others say a da, of John Bradshaw, President of the Somerset, one of the protectors upper house. ob.s.p. slain in the service of the service, ob. Aug. 1654, buried in Westminster raf the
and a Col. in the Parliament Service Parliament at Shelborne Court of the Protector assisted at the funeral obsequies

who afterwards emigrated to Ireland and became proprietor
of Bandon estates, County Cork _|__ Court for the trial of Charles I., ob. 1659

|
Ichabod Popham, of Bandon, Co. Cork, Ireland_......
|
|
John Popham _......
I

|
James Popham ee AA

|
William Popham, of Bandon, emigrated to America, 1716, ob. at Amboy, 1785-6 _Patience, da. of the Rev. William Willet, a minister at Bandon
|

! |
Mary Elizabeth atary

Major Gen. William Popham, of Scarsdale, Aide-de-camp to Baron Stubens, President-General of the Cincinnati Society_Mary da. of the Hon. Richard Morris, Chief Justice of N. Y., ob. 1836, st. 73
| z

| | |
Richlara Popham wittlam John Popham _Mary Thompson Charles Popham Sarah _Leonard Bleecker

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THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 241

early age of nine years, and his parents having settled in the town of
Newark, State of Delaware, it was in that place that he spent his youth,
and where he received a finished education. It was his intention to en-
ter upon the holy office of the ministry ; but on the breaking out of the
Revolutionary war, he was fired with military zeal, and accepted a com-
mission in the army, and immediately raised a company in defence of
his country.

“‘ His first engagement was at the battle of Long Island, where he
greatly distinguished himself by taking prisoner the famous Capt. Ragg,
with eighteen more of the enemy. He was then appointed a captain in
the army, and having followed the American arms to White Plains, he
there again distinguished himself as an accomplished soldier and a brave
man. As a captain he took part in the battle of Brandywine, and also
acted as aid to Gen. Clinton in the northern division of the army; and
was also the aid of Gen. Sullivan, in the western expedition among the
Indians.

“ After the war he resided a few years in the city of Albany in this
State, where he entered upon the study of the law, and practised his
profession. Subsequently to that time he came to New York, and prac-
tised his profession for a few years. In the year 1787 he purchased a
farm in Westchester county, upon which he resided for many years;
during the whole of which time, he held the office of clerk of the Court of
Exchequer. He held this office until it was abolished. In 1804, he
again took up his abode in New York, where he remained until 1811,
attending to his profession, and paying particular attention to the edu-
cation of his children. He then returned to his farm, and lived there
until the year 1836, when the death of his wife occured; and he then re-
turned to New York, and resided there until his own death.

“He was ever a remarkably religious man, and died September 1847,
aged ninety-five, the peaceful and happy death of a firm Christian, and
a member of the Episcopal Church. He was not, as has been stated, a
man of property, though he was always blessed with an abundance. He
was a friend to the poor and needy, and derived much of his happiness:
by doing good. He was the friend and companion of Washington, and!
claimed as his intimates many of the most remarkable men of his day.
He belonged to the old school of American gentlemen, and in mind and
body was distinguished for activity and sprightliness. He was an ace.
complished scholar, and, in every particular, a thoroughbred gentleman.@:
His remains now repose in peace in the Popham family vault near St.

a New York Express, Sept. 27th, 1847.

242 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

James church Scarsdale. ‘‘ He lived the life of a noble man and died
the death of a happy Christian.”

The following general order was issued by the New York State So-
ciety of the Cincinnati, dated New York, Sept. 27th, 1847.

NEW YORK STATE SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI.
GENERAL ORDER.

New York, Sept. 27th, 1847. It has become the painful duty of the Vice
President to announce to the society the death of their venerable President,
Major William Popham, at the advanced age of 95 years. Major Popham was
also President General of the General Society of the Cincinnati of the United
States.

He was a native of Ireland, and came to this country previous to our Revolu-
tion, and was at its commencement, appointed a lieutenant in the army; and at
the battle of Long Island, with a detachment of troops under his command, cap-
tured and brought to head quarters in this city, a British guard with its com-
manding officer, and was highly complimented by General Washington on the
occasion ; he was afterwards appointed an aide-de-camp to General James Clin-
ton, and subsequently to Baron Steuben, by whom he was much beloved ; he con-
tinued in the service till the termination of the war, was a brave and accom-
plished officer, and a gentleman of considerable legal and literary acquirements.
He held for a long time an important cival office connected with our courts of
justice. He always sustained the character of the most exemplary punctuality
in the execution of his official duties. In private live he was respected and
beloved by all who knew him; his mental faculties were retained with great
vigor until the last moment of his life, and died as a Christian soldier—with the
confident hope, that his piety and faithfulness would entitle him to the reward
in the life to come, promised to those who continue faithful to the end.

** Sweet sleep the brave who sink to rest,
With all their country’s honor blest.”

The members of the society are requested to wear the usual badge of mourning
for thirty days. By order.
GEN. ANTHONY LAMB, Vice Pres’t.
Epwarp P. Marcetiin, Sec’y.

Major Popham was President of the New York State Society of Cin-
cinnati, and as the oldest member, President General of the General So-
ciety of the United States—an office first held by General Washington,
in 1783; secondly, by Alexander Hamilton ; thirdly, by Charles Coles-
worth Pinckney ; fourthly, by Thomas Pinckney ; fifthly, by Aaron Og-
den; sixthly, by Morgan Lewis, and seventhly, by Major Popham. As
President General he had in his possession the golden eagle of the or-
der, most splendidly set in diamonds. It bears the following inscription :
“ Presented in the name of the French sailors, to his Excellency, General

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE. 243

Washington.” This precious relic of the Society, upon the death of
Major Popham, went to Henry A. S. Dearborn, Esq., his successor in
Office.

By his wife, Mary, daughter of the Hon. Richard Morris, Chief Jus-
tice of New York, Major Popham had issue Richard , William S.,
who now occupies the Popham mansion, John , and Charles Pop-
ham, who resides in the old Morris homestead. The daughters were
Sarah, who married Leonard Bleecker, Esq. ; Mary and Elizabeth Pop-
ham.

Under the Provincial Government, Scarsdale constituted one of the
seven districts of Rye parish. In 1763, Scarsdale contributed to the
rector’s tax and poor of the parish, the sum of £25 4s 6d. The paro-
chial clergy appear to have officiated here at a very early period; as the
Rey. Robert Jenney writing to the Bishop of London, 1724, says: “I
officiate eight times per annum at Mamaroneck, for that place, and
Scarsdale and Fox’s Meadows.” In 1727, there were thirty persons in
Scarsdale upon whom the parochial tax was levied. Mr. Wetmore in
writing to the Society in 1744 observes: “I have aconsiderable congre-
gation at the White and Scarsdale, above seven miles west of the parish
church, which [J also attend once in two months.’’

Religious services were, for a long time, confined to White Plains.
In August, 1849, the Rev. Henry J. Morton, D.D., of Philadelphia, first
held services in the farm house (formerly the residence of Chief Justice
Morris), after which the late Rev. H. L. Storr, of Yonkers, officiated
with other clergy for nearly six months prior to the call of a permanent
minister.

Through the zealous efforts of William S. Popham, Esq., a parish was
finally organized, and the corner-stone of a church laid on Saturday, the
29th of June, 1850, by the Right Rev. W. R. Whittingham, D.D., Bishop
of Maryland, being the first structure devoted to religious worship
ever erected in the town of Scarsdale. The church was incorporated on
the 3d day of September, 1849, by the name and style ‘of the Rector, ©
Church-wardens and Vestrymen of the Church of St. James the Less, in
the township of Scarsdale.” William S. Popham and Mark Spencer,
church-wardens ; Charles W. Carmer, William H. Popham, Francis
McFarlan, Joshua Underhill, Edmund Ludlow, Samuel E. Lyon, Au-
gustus Bleecker, and Orrin Weed, vestrymen. Upon the 31st of Janu-
ary, 1850, the Rev. James F. Le Baron, was called as rector and resign-
ed the next year. For his successor, see list of rectors.

In June, 1850, the grounds adjoining the church were conveyed to
the vestry, in the form of a lease, by William H. Popham.

244 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

LEASE FOR CHURCH LOT.

This indenture, made the 28th day of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-one, be-
tween William H. Popham in the town of Scarsdale, county of Westchester,
State of New York, party of the first part, and the rector, church-wardens and
vestrymen of the Church of St. James the Less, in the town of Scarsdale, in the
county of Westchester, State of New York, of the second part, witnesseth: that
the said party of the first part, for and in consideration of the rents, covenants,
agreements and conditions hereinafter mentioned, reserved and contained on the
part and behalf of the said parties of the second part and their successors, to be
paid, kept and performed as granted, demised and to farm. let, and by these pres-
ents doth grant, devise, and to farm-let unto the said parties of the second part
and their successors, all that certain lot, piece or p:rcel of land, on which the
church edifice of St. James the Less is now erected in the town aforesaid, bound-
ed and containing as follows :—commencing at a bound mark on the south fence
of the old Scarsdale farm road, being the northerly corner of a lot of land de-
signed for a cemetery marked A on the annexed diagram, running thence south
fifteen degrees, west six chains two links, along a line of pegs, and east of the
church edifice as shown by a dotted line in diagram to a ground mark in the op-
posite fence at B, thence along the south fence north seventy-five degrees, thirty
minutes, west five chains and sixty links to a point in diagram marked C, thence
north seventeen degrees, thirteen minutes, cast six chains and eighty links, fifty
links east of and parallel to the western fence of said lot as shown by a dotted
line to a point marked D in diagram, thence south sixty-seven degrees, forty min-
utes, east forty chains and ninety-two links along the south fence of the old
Scarsdale farm road aforesaid, to the place of commencing at A. The lot is
bounded on all sides by lands of the said William H. Popham, and contains
three acres one rood and twenty-six perches, as designated in a diagram hereun-
to annexed, surveyed by R. Henwood, October, eighteen hundred and fifty-one.
To have and to hold the above mentioned and described premises with the ap-
purtenances, unto the said parties of the second part and their successors in office
from the day of the date hereof, for and during the full end and time of one
thousand years next ensuing, and fully to be completed and ended, yielding and
paying therefor unto the said party of the first part, and his heirs yearly and
every year during the said term hereby granted the yearly rent or sum of one
silver dime, lawful money of the United States of America, on the Festival of St.
Philip and St. James in each and every year; and, also, the parties of the sec-
ond part or their successors in office, shall not at any time during the continuance ~

$f the term hereby granted let, underlet, assign, sell or convey the whole or any
part of said premises to any person or persons, sole or corporate whatever, ex-
cept the right or privilege of burial in said ground ; and upon the further condition
that religious services in said church during said term shall be performed accord-
ing to the form prescribed by the book of Common Prayer, or the administration of
the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies as prescribed in said book for the
use of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, and
of the doctrine and discipline therein set forth, and the canons of said Church
by a duly and regularly ordained minister of said Protestant Episcopal Church,
or by one allowed bv the canons of said Church so to officiate, or by a duly
ordained minister of the Church of England, as now by law established, and

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 245

none other; provided always, nevertheless, that if the rent above reserved shall
not be demanded by, or paid to the said party of the first part or his heirs on or
before the Feast of St. Andrew in every year, after the same shall have been
due, that then said parties of the second part shall forever thereafter be dis-
charged from the payment of the same. And provided further, that in case any
form or mode of worship shall be used or celebrated in said church, or in any
other building that may hereafter be erected thereon, or upon any portion of said
grounds in the open air, other than as above mentioned; orif said church or any
portion of said land shall be used or converted to secular use, then and thencefor-
ward it shall and may be lawful for said party of the first part, his heirs and as-
signs into and upon the said described premises, and every part thereof, wholly
to re-enter and remove therefrom all persons found violating the aforesaid con-
ditions, and the same shall remain vacant until a new incumbent be appointed
by the Bishop of the said Church then administering the Diocese ; anything
herein before contained to the contrary thereof notwithstanding. And the said
parties of the second part and their successors in office, do covenant and agree
to and with the said party of the first part and his heirs, by these presents, that
they the said parties of the second part and their successors in office shall, and
will yearly and every year during the said term hereby granted, well and truly
pay the said rent in manner aforesaid, reserved, if demanded, within the time
aforesaid: and that they will not celebrate nor allow to be celebrated in said
church or other buildings that may be hereafter erected on said land, or upon any
open space thereof in the open air, any other form or mode of worship than that
of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America aforesaid or
by any other person not duly ordained according to the forms prescribed in the
said Book of Common Prayer or allowed by the Canons of the said Church, or by
a duly ordained minister of the Church of England, as now by law established in
England, and in good standing therein. And the said parties of the second part
further covenant and agree to and with the said party of the first part and his
heirs, that they will not during said term hereby granted, let, underlet, assign,
sell, convey or in any way or manner dispose of the whole or any part or portion
of said premises above mentioned, except the right or privilege of burying there-
in as aforesaid; and that they will faithfully keep and perform all the covenants
herein, on their part and behalf to be kept and performed. And the said party
of the first part for himself, his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, doth
covenant and agree to and with the said parties of the second part and their sue-
cessors in office, by these presents, that the said parties of the second part keep-
‘ing and performing the conditions, covenants and agreements aforesaid on their
part and behalf, the said parties of the second part and their successors in office
shall and may at all times hereafter, during the said term hereby granted, peace-
fully and quietly have, hold and enjoy the said described premises without any
manner of let, suit, trouble or hindrance of or from the said party of the first
part, his heirs or assigns or any other person or persons whomsoever. In witness
whereof the parties hereto have interchangeably set their hands and seals, the

day and year first above written. WILLIAM H. POPHAM, [. s.]
By order of the Corporation of the church of St. James the Less, Scarsdale.¢

a County Rec. Liber. 180 of Deeds, p. 400.

246 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The parish church is well situated on an eminence commanding a fine
view of the Greenburgh hills, under which flows the river Bronx, adding
greatly to the beauty of the picture. It was built, as before stated, by
William S. Popham, Esq,, in conjunction with several members of his
family and personal friends, The style of the building is early English
or first pointed, according to Rickman’s nomenclature. It is constructed
of native stone, with dressings of the white dolomitic marble, and con-
sists of a nave, chancel, with sacristy attached, and porch. The nave,
which is 56 feet by 24 feet in the clear, with sittings for about 211, is
divided into four bays, the flank walls of which are pierced with couplets,
excepting the first bay from the west end on south side, which contains
a door leading tothe porch. The roof is open, with rafters diagonally
braced. The pulpit is in the north-east corner of the nave. A font of
the largest size (2 feet 6 inches across the bowl stands in the south-east
corner of the nave. It is circular, supported on a central octagonal stem,
surrounded by four detached pillars of white marble, and was presented
by the sisters of the first rector of the parish. The seats are open, and
entirely free of any charge for rent or use—the church being supported
by voluntary contributors at the offertory. ‘The organ, presented by a
member of the vestry, is situated at the west end of the nave. The
chancel 20 ft. by 16 ft. in the clear, is separated from the nave by the
chancel arch. The choir is raised two steps above the nave, and has
two stalls on the south side. On the north it opens by a door into the
sacristy. Thesanctuary, elevated above the choir by two steps, is about
eight feet in depth, containing an altar 6 feet by 3 feet, on a foot pace, a
credence shelf on the south side, and Bishop’s seat on the north. The
chancel is lighted by a triplet of richly stained glass, the middle lancet
of which contains a cross within the vesica piscis; the south, a dove and
font; and the north, a paten and chalice. The rest of the glass, except-
ing the west end of the nave, which is rich grisailed, and the southern
windows of the chancel, which have colored borders, is plain enameled.
The whole of the stained glass was manufactured by Mr. John Bolton,
of Pelham. Over the central lancet in the chancel, and in the middle
of the west gable are triangular trifoliated lights, with colored glass.

The west end of the nave, supporting bell gable, has flank window
couplets. ‘Taken as a whole, we think that this simple church, in pro-
portion and general arrangement, might well serve as a model for a
country parish. ‘The entire cost, including the glass and furnace cham-
ber, was $5,000. It was designed and carried out by Frank Wills, Esq.,
of New York.

This church was consecrated on the 28th of June, 1851, by Rt. Rev.

THE TOWN OF SCARSDALE, 247

William Heathcote De Lancey (a great grandson of the first Lord of the
manor, Col. Caleb Heathcote) who preached the sermon and adminis-
tered the Holy Communion; he was assisted in the services by the
Right Rev. Bishop Whittingham, of Maryland.

The communion service, presented on the day of consecration, con-
sists of the following articles: a flagon inscribed :—“ The blood of Jesus
Christ cleanseth us from all sin.” Two silver chalices, each having the
following inscription:—‘“ I will receive the cup of salvation.” A paten
with the legend:—“I will offer unto Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiv-
ing ;” and a silver alms basin, which was presented by an aged female
friend on the day of consecration. The altar cloth is of rich crimson
velvet, presented by the rector’s father, having the sacred monogram
I. H.S., worked in gold and blue by a lady of the parish. The church
linen is also richly embroidered, and bears numerous inscriptions, like-
wise the work of various ladies of the parish. The service books were
presented by individuals interested in the church, and the Bishop’s chair
by the builder, Mr. Henry Cornell. The bell weighing Ibs., was
cast by Meneely of West Troy, and was presented by ——-—. To St.
James’ is attached a parochial school and a rectory.

RECTORS OF SCARSDALE.

Temp. Ivsr. Recrors. VAo'r. PATRONS.
31 Jan., 1850, Rey. James F. LE Baron, per resig. Ward. and Vest.
1 April,1851, Rey. WILtiAM W. OLssEN, BO MCC Or ee Tee
July, 1872, Rev. Henry WEBBE, Chomp eel Og we oe

Immediately north of the Popham residence is situated the former
estate of the Varian family, now belonging to the late Col. Jonathan
Varian who greatly distinguished himself in the last war with Great
Britain ; and who was the eldest son of Michael Varian, who occupied
the homestead in 1775. Michael, as well as his brothers, Richard and
Isaac, took an active part in their country’s service during the Revolu-
tionary war. Of this family was Isaac Varian, Esq., Mayor of the city
of New York.

. A little west of the church is the Scarsdale railroad station (on the
Harlem R. R., twenty-two miles from New York) and Post-Office.

Directly opposite the former residence of the Hon. Richard Morris, a
tragical event took place during the Revolution, the circumstances are
thus related. An officer belonging to Col. Armand’s, that is, Monsieur
Le Marquis de la Rouerie’s cavalry of the French legion, went down
accompanied by a new party to the village of East Chester on a Sun-
day morning to have his horse shod. “It appears that Gilbert Vin-

248 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

cent Jr., was the only member of his family at home (his father Gilbert
having gone below) when the party arrived at the Smithy ; and he pos-
itively declined to shoe the horse—not only as a matter of conscience, but
on the ground that he was out of coal. This was considered, by his un-
reasonable foes, an insufficient excuse ; and some of the West Chester
guides who accompanied the French officer, knowing that Gilbert’s father
and brother were strong Tories, determined that the want of coal was
a mere pretext to avoid doing a service for the upper party (as the
Americans and their allies were termed) and so they endeavored to
compel the young man to do the work by force; resistance was nat-
urally offered, whereupon a scuffie ensued, and at length’ one of the
dragoons drew a pistol and shot Vincent dead on the spot ; while others
say that the officer himself becoming enraged at the reply, drew his
sword and struck the unoffending blacksmith to the ground—when his
brother Elijah Vincent, who belonged to De Lancey’s Refugee corps,
heard of the outrage, he vowed revenge on the murderer; and the bet-
ter to accomplish his purpose, determined to lay in wait and watch the
French scouting parties as they passed to and fro from Scarsdale to
their encampment on the Greenburgh hills. For several nights, he
watched in vain ; but at length the opportune moment for revenge ar-
rived. It so happened that a party of the Duke of Lauzune’s patrols
were passing the very spot where Vincent lay, concealed behind the
bushes ; he immediately rose and fired upon the unsuspecting company,
and a captain of the Hussars fell from his horse mortally wounded.
Favored by the darkness of the night Vincent fled into the woods and
made the rest of his way to West Farms, where he arrived early the
following morning; after the war, he removed to Canada and died
there.’”4

It was along the high ridge of Scarsdale, north-west of the post road,
that the British forces, led by Generals Clinton and De Heister, march-
ed on the very day of the battle of While Plains, 28th of October, 1776.
The late Francis Secor, of Scarsdale, was in the habit of telling, ““how
that he had often heard his father describe the march of the British army
on the day of the Battle at White Plains. He stood, as they passed, un-
der the great tree in front of their house ; marching along the ridge which
runs north of the post road, he suspected them to be the right column of
the British army. As they moved steadily forward, they drove before them
a force which constituted the advanced guard of Washington’s army.
The enemy were preceded by a strong body of pioneers, who tore down

ea Mac Donald MSS. in posession of Geo. H. Moore, Lib. N. Y., Hist Soc. Conversation
of William Barker of White Plains, Oct. 23-25, 1844-5; also John Williams of the County House,
aged 93, Oct. 17, 1844-5. B

THE FOWN OF SCARSDALE. 249

the fences and made bridges therewith for crossing brooks and low
swampy grounds. They crossed the road on the west side of where it
forks, 7. ¢., at the Fox meadows’ junction of the Mamaroneck and
Hartford post roads.

Near the centre of the town, upon what is still called the Angevine
farm, once stood the residence of the world-renowned Fennimore Cooper,
Esq., whose wife, Susan, was the daughter of John Peter de Lancey, of
Heathcote Hill, Mamaroneck, the grandson of Colonel Caleb Heath-
cote. The old mansion, which has long since disappeared, was con-
structed in the French chateau style, and commanded splendid views of
the surrounding country. The property, after Mr. Cooper’s death, was
sold by Mr. Cooper’s children to Alexander McWhorter Bruen, M.D.,
who married Sarah Louisa Jay, third daughter of the Hon. William Jay,
of Bedford. The Bruens descend from a family of that name, formerly
seated at Bruen, Stapleford, Cheshire, England. Robert Le Bruen, of that
place, in 1230, was the ancestor of the celebrated John Bruen, Esquire,
of Bruen, Stapleford, who was born in 1560, and died 1625. His son,
Obadiah Bruen, was entered a freeman of Plymouth Colony, Massachu-
setts, in 1640, Before 1650, he was chosen seven times deputy to the -
General Court, from Gloucester. From the latter place he removed to New
London. In the charter of Connecticut, granted by Charles IT., his name
appears as one of the patentees of the Colony. From New London he
removed in 1667, with his son John to Milford (now the city of Newark,
New Jersey). John, his son, left Eleazer the father of Eleazer the
grandfather of Matthias Bruen, Esq., father of the present Alexander
M. Bruen, M.D., of Scarsdale.

In this vicinity formerly resided Captain De Kay, the father of the
late James E. De Kay, M.D., one of the Geological Commissioners of
the State.

In the old church of Tarvin, near Stapleford, is recorded the follow-
ing memorial of John Bruen :—

BourtArs 25 Jan’y, 1625,

JOHN BRUEN,

of Stapleford, Esquire.
Nulli pictate secundus

** An Israelite in whom no guyle
Or fraud was ever found;
A Phoenix rare
Whose virtues fair,
Through all our coasts do sound.”

aMadDonalu’s MSS. in possession of George H. Moore, Lib, of N. Y. Hist. Soc. Conversa-
tion of Francis Secor. Nov. 5, 1844-5.

5 “The very singular life of John Bruen, Esq., of Bruen, Stapleford,” Cheshire. Repub-
hished by A, M. Bruen. M.D., 1857.—Edward O. Jenkins, New York.

250 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

On the south-eastern side of Scarsdale is situated the Quaker meeting-
ing house, which occupies the site of a much older structure, erected
prior to the Revolution.

The first independent election for officers of the manor of Scarsdale,
took place on the 22d of December, 1783. In pursuance of an act of
the Legislature passed October 23d, 1779, entitled ‘‘an Act to provide
for the temporal Government of the southern part of this State, when-
ever the eremy shall abandon or be dispossessed of the same, and until
the Legislature can be convened,” &c.

The town met on the aforesaid day, at the house of Jonathan Gniffin,
near the usual place of holding said meetings; then and there the in-
habitants proceeded to choose town officers by a majority of votes.

JONATHAN Tompxiys, Supervisor.
BENJAMIN CorNELL, Clerk.

STEPHEN CoRNELL, )
Tuomas CoRNELL, } jek ca

IsraEL Herriort, Constable and Collector.

Ferris Cornett, ) 3
SAMUEL FISHER, } Overseers of the Highway.

Ferris Cornety, Pounder.

sel a oy ; Fence and Sewage Viewers.

At a town meeting held in the manor of Scarsdale, at the school-
house, in said manor, near Captain Jonathan Griffin’s, on the 6th of
April, 1784, and in the eighth year of the independency of America, ac-
cording to an Act of Assembly made in that case for each town, manor,
province and district, to choose all necessary town officers for the ben-
efit of the towns, for the ensuing year,

JONATHAN TOMPKINS, )
JoHN BARKER, ~ Inspectors of said Meeting.
IskaEL Herriot,

JoNATHAN G. Tompxrys, Supervisor.
BengaMin CornE Lt, Clerk.
IsrarL Herriotr, Constable and Collector.

JoHN BARKER, ,
JOHN ComMPTON, ~ Assessors.
STEPHEN CorRNELL, )

WILLIAM GRIFFIN, )

Samurn Hicner, 5 Overseers of Highways.

JoHNn Crompton, )
Tomas CoRNELL,s Fence and Damage Overseers.

SamveEL Hicuer, Pounder.

PELE ‘TO WN

OF

SS Fe.) OS TE = oe

Somers is situated twenty miles North of the village of White Plains,
distant fifty miles from New York, and one hundred and twenty from
Albany—bounded north by Dutchess County, east by North Salem and
Lewisborough, south by Bedford and New Castle, and west by York-
town.

Prior to the year 1788 Somers formed a part of the township of Han-
over, within Cortlandt’s manor. Upon the 7th of March, 1788, it was
independently organized under the title of Stephentown, a name adopted
out of compliment to Stephen Van Cortlandt, one of its principal pro-
prietors. The present name was bestowed, A.D. 1808, in honor, it is
said, of Captain Somers, one of the gallant heroes of the Tripolitan
war. This individual terminated a short but brilliant career in the bay
of Tripoli.

The name of Somers, (says Mr. Silliman,) the twin brother in arms of
Decatur, shines brightly in the history of American warfare; and the
last desperate action which terminated his short and brilliant career, with
his life, is stamped in colors so indelible, that nothing but the destroy-
ing finger of time can efface it from its pages. After a severe and con-
tinued fighting before Tripoli, the Turkish flotilla withdrew within the
mole, and could not be induced to venture themselves beyond the guns
of the Tripolitan battery. The ‘ketch Intrepid’ was fitted out as a fire-
ship, filled to the decks with barrels of gunpowder, shells, pitch, and
other combustible materials; and Captain Somers, with a volunteer
crew, undertook the hazardous, almost desperate, task of navigating her
in the darkness of the night into the middle of the Turkish flotilla—when

251

252 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
‘

the train was to be fired, and they were to make their escape as they best
could in her boats. Lieutenants Wadsworth and Israel were the only
officers allowed to join the expedition, which was composed of a small
crew of picked men. The ‘Intrepid’ was escorted as far as prudent by
three vessels of the squadron, who hove to, to avoid suspicion, and to
be ready to pick up the boats upon their return ; the ‘ Constitution,’ un-
der easy sail in the offing

Many a brave heart could almost hear its own pulsations in those ves-
sels, as she became more and more indistinct and gradually disappeared
in the distance. They watched for some time with intense anxiety, when
a’ heavy cannonade was opened from the Turkish batteries, which, by
its flashes, discovered the ‘ ketch’ determinedly progressing on her deadly
errand. She was slowly and surely making for the entrance of the mole,
when the whole atmosphere suddenly blazed as if into open day. The
masts with all its sails shot high up in the air ; shells wizzed, rocket-like,
exploding in every direction ; a deafening roar followed, and all sunk
again into the deepest pitchy darkness. The Americans waited—wait-
ed—in anxious—at last sickening suspense. Their companions came
not—the hours rolled on—no boat hailed—no oar splashed in the sur-
rounding darkness. The east grew gray with the dawn—the sun shone
brightly above the horizon, nought but a few shattered vessels lying near
the shore—the flotilla—the batteries—and the minarets of Tripoli gild-
ed by the morning sunbeams, met their gaze. ‘Those noble spirits had
written their history. Whether consigned to eternity by a shot of the
enemy, prematurely exploding the magazine, or from the firing of the
train by their own hands, must always remain untold and unknown.”4

The United States brig ‘Somers,’ lost in a gale off Vera Cruz,
January, 1847, was also named after this young hero.

Under the Mohegan Indians, Somerstown formed an appendage to
the great territory of Amaghpogh or Ammawalk. In 1699, a deed for
this tract was executed by Sachima Wicker, the chief of the Kightawonck
tribe, (within whose limits Amaghpogh was comprehended, ) to Stephanus
van Cortlandt.

The principal /vdian settlement appears to have stood upon the sum-
mit of a rocky ridge bordering the Croton river, on the lands of Gerard
Crane, Esq. Zudian lodges also occupied the higher grounds and adorned
the romantic banks of the numerous streams intersecting this town.
In the woods of Ray Tompkins, Esq., situated upon the east side of
Angle Fly brook, are yet visible the remains of Indian habitations. The
Indian burying ground lies near Wood's bridge, at the junction of Plum

a Silliman’s Gallop among American Scenery.

THE TOWN OF SOMERS. 253

brook and Croton river. This beautiful portion of Westchester county,
so highly diversified with hills and dales was once covered with extensive
forests, abounding with every species of wild game. Deer were numer-
ous here, as late as 1780; and wolves, though rare, were not extinct at
that period. The Indians, for the better purpose of hunting the large
herds of deer that roamed through these forests, annually burnt the
higher grounds. ‘‘ This practice (says Vanderdonck,) is named by us
and the Indians, ‘ dush-burning, whichis done for several reasons ; first,
to render hunting easier—as the bush and vegetable growth renders the
walking difficult for the hunter, and the crackling of the dry substances
betrays him and fnghtens away the game. Secondly, to thin out and
clear the woods of all dead substances and grass, which grow better the
ensuing spring. ‘Thirdly, to circumscribe and enclose the game within
the lines of the fire, when it is more easily taken, and also because the
game 1s more easily tracked over the burned parts of the woods. The
bush burning presents a grand and sublime appearance. On seeing it
from without, we would imagine that not only the dry leaves, vegetables
and limbs would be burnt, but that the whole woods would be consumed
where the fire passes ; for it frequently spreads and rages with such vio-
lence, that it is awful to behold,” &c.* The last durning, remembered
by the oldest inhabitant, took place on the high ridge east of Primrose
street.

By the royal patent to Stephanus van Cortlandt in 1697, it will be
seen that he enjoyed the sole right of hunting deer within the forests of
Cortlandt, a privilege usually conceded to the Ranger of the county.®

The deep seclusion of the woods, bordering Plum brook, afforded an
agreeable haunt to the beaver; and here these industrious animals had
constructed an extensive dam, which long survived their existence.

Upon the partition of the manor of Cortlandt among the heirs of the
Hon. Stephanus van Cortlandt, in the year 1734, the following allot-
ments were made in this town: North lot, No. 5, Mrs. Margaret Bay-
ard; ditto, No. 6, Philip van Cortlandt ; ditto, No. 7, Andrew Johnston ;
part of north lot No. 8, Mr. Miller; south lot, No. 5, Stephen De Lancey ;
ditto, No. 6, Stephen van Cortlandt; ditto, half of lot No. 7, Stephen
van Cortlandt; part of south lot No. 9, Mrs. Susannah Warren ; ditto, -
No. 10, Stephen De Lancey—this lot has since been annexed to the
town of New Castle, by an Act of the Legislature, passed 1846. Subse-
quent to the above division, we find the heirs of Stephanus van Cort-
landt disposing of their respective rights in the same. On the 4th cf

a N. Y. Hist. Collect. 2d series, vol. i.
4 See. Cortlandt town, vol. 1. 46.

254 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

June, 1760, Samuel Bayard granted to Hachaliah Brown, gentleman, of
the town of Rye, ‘“‘all that tract of land being in the northernmost part
of the manor of Cortlandt, bounded north by the dividing line of Dutch-
ess and Westchester, to the line of Philip’s upper patent, west by lot of
Andrew Johnston, south by bounds of Samuel Brown and east by Croton
river.”4

In the year 1762, Andrew Johnston conveyed to Hachaliah Brown,
“all that lot of land, situate, lying and being in lot No. 6, east range,
and being part of north lot No, 7, at Plum brook, consisting of two
hundred and thirty acres.”

It appears that Andrew Johnston did also in his lifetime, by a certain
indenture, bearing date zoth March, 1762, lease to John Hampstead a
certain lot of land, lying and being at Plum brook, in the manor of
Cortlandt, known by the name of farm No. 4, west range, and is part of
great lot No. 7. The same was again leased to John Hampstead by the
heirs of Andrew Johnston, 24th of June, 1772.

John Hampstead, the above lessee, was one of the first settlers of this
town. From his tombstone, in the Union burying ground, we learn that
he departed this life the 26th of April, 1801, at the advanced age of 107
years, 5 months and 21 days.

How few can reach those years of time,
Which here are numbered to our view,

Since death calls most while in their prime,
And leaves behind so aged few.

Upon the 3d of December, 1772, the devisees of Andrew Johnston
conveyed to Lewis Bailey, farm No. g, in the west range of great north
lot No. 7.¢ In the year 1775, the executors and heirs of Andrew John-
ston deceased, conveyed to Abraham Theale, certain land situate on
Plum brook.

A. D. 1793, John Johnston, executor of Andrew Johnston, conveyed
to Benjamin Green, of Stephentown, a farm in the north-east corner of
lot No. 4, west range, being part “of Andrew Johnston’s great north lot,
No. 7.

These sales clearly show that the great lots were again sub-divided by

‘the devisees of Stephanus van Cortlandt. Many of the descendants of
the above-mentioned grantees still occupy the patrimonial estates in fee
simple.

a Co. Rec. Lib, I, 66.
6 Co. Rec. Lib. I, 61, Upon the 17th of June, 1760, Hachaliah Brown, of Rye, conveyed the
same to his eldest son, Hachaliah Brown, Jr. The property is still vested in their descend-

ants.
e Co. Rec. Lib, I, 179.

THE TOWN OF SOMERS. 255

The oldest record relating to town officers occurs in a small manu-
script volume, entitled as follows:

“Book of the records of the proeeedings from the first town meeting of the
people of Stephentown, being the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred
and eighty-eight, whereof William Horton, Esq., was chosen town clerk.

“The first Tuesday in April, in the year above written, the people of Stephen-
town met at the house of Benjamin Green, for choosing town officers and other
necessary business of the town for the year ensuing.

Hacnarian Brown, Supervisor,
Witiram Horton, Esq@., Town Clerk,
OpapiaH Pourpy, 7

NATHANIEL WRIGHT,
HERMAN HILLIKER, } Assessors,
SAMUEL GREEN, a

JoHN STEDWELL,
Jacos Lenr, ‘ Overseers of the Poor,

BENJAMIN GREEN, Constable and Collector.

The z//age of Somers is pleasantly situated on a beautful plain almost
surrounded by romantic hills, the tops of which are clothed with a
profusion of green verdure. The air of this delightful region is said to
be uncommonly mild and salubrious. To the south of the village lies the
delightful vale of PZum Brook, through which passes the road to Pine’s
Bridge. On the north-east, Prospect Hill rises in a grand picturesque
manner. The village of Somers Plain, commonly so-called, “is the
principal market of lean cattle and sheep, brought hither from various
and distant parts of the country to supply the wants occasioned by the
sales of fattened cattle and sheep to the butchers of New York. The
farmers of this county carry on an extensive traffic in this way, and
droves are annually and almost constantly arriving from the inland
regions—some from 100, 220 and 300 miles—to replace the consump-
tion.” It is computed that over 5,000 head of horned stock are
annually fatted in this district alone.

A bank has been for many years established in this village, under the
name of “ Zhe Famers and Drovers Bank of Somers.” This institution
was first organized under the general banking law of 1839, with a capital
of $111,000. First president, Horace Bailey, Esq. It deserves notice
that the money of the Farmers and Drovers Bank has always been re-
deemable at par. The present board of directors, consist of :

Horace Battey, Esq., Lewis Doane, Leonarp D. Curr,
EpeNnetts Howe, Epwin Crossy, STEPHEN Brown,
Joun Titvs, CHARLES WRIGHT, GERARD CRANE,
DanieEL KENT, THADDEUS CRANE, Lewis Brown,
Officers, Sotomon Baler.
Horace Bartey, Esq., President, Ecspert How ann, Cashier.

a New York Gazetteer.

256 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Near the centre of the village, and directly opposite the junction of
the Pines Bridge and Peekskill turnpike road, stands the Zephant Hote/,
a very commodious and handsome brick edifice, under the superintend-
ence of Horace Bailey, Esq.

The large zoological exhibitions which annually visit this State, orig-
inated in Somerstown, through the enterprise of Hachaliah Bailey ; who
imported about 1815, the celebrated elephant ‘ O/d Let,” the first ever
brought to the United States, Other importations of animals quickly
followed, but subsequently the smaller companies became absorbed into
one grand traveling menagerie. The present proprietors are Messrs.
‘Thaddeus and Gerard Crane. These gentlemen are associated with
the great lion-tamer, Van Amburgh ; and in the adjoining town of North
Salem, with Lewis Titus and John June.

St. Luke’s Church, Somers.

The Episcopal church of St. Luke, occupies a fine situation, on the

_ Plain, at no great distance from the hotel. It isa very handsome edifice

of wood, in the Grecian style, with astone basement beneath. The front

presents a lofty portico, supported by Ionic columns; the roof is sur-
mounted with a low tower.

Previous to the erection of this church in 1842, Episcopal services
were occasionally performed in the town, by the neighboring clergy.
They were held usually in an edifice erected by the liberality of persons
belonging to the various religious societies, and others possessing no de-
nominational connection, under the name of the Union Meeting House.
Here the Churchmen of this section of country were favored with the

THE TOWN OF SOMERS. 257

occasional ministrations of the Rev. R. C. Moore, the late’ pious and
beloved Bishop of Virginia, and many other respectable and laborious
clergymen. As early as 1808, we find the Rev. Evan Rogers officiat-
ing here. Before the 26th or January, in the year 1835, the present
parish was organized under the rectorship of the Rev. Alexander Fraser ;
about this time, arrangements were made for disposing of the interest
which the Episcopal party held in the Union Meeting House and par-
sonage, and building a church for themselves. This was quickly effected
through the active and zealous exertions of the vestry, to whose liberal-
ity, together with that of several other individuals of the neighborhood,
friendly to the undertaking, the parish is indebted for its present com-
modious and beautiful church.

This building was consecrated to the service of Almighty God, on the
tgth of January, A.D. 1842, by the Right Rev. Benjamin Tredwell On-
derdonk. It had been previously incorporated upon the 28th of Febru-
ary, 1835.

Isaac Purdy and Frederick J. Coffin, church-wardens ; Thaddeus Bar-
low, Aaron Brown, William Marshall, Gerard Crane, Edwin Finch,
Charles Wright, William Clock and Ray Tompkins, vestrymen.*

LIST OF RECTORS:

INSTITUTED OR CALL. INCUMBENTS. VACATED By.
A.D. 1835, Rey. ALEXANDER Fraser, Presb. resig,
A.D. 1842, Rey. Davin H. Snort, Presb. do.
A.D. 1844, Rey. Samuet Cuatmers Davis, Presb. do.
A.D. 1846, Rey. AtFrreD H. ParrripGE, do.
A.D. 1851, Rey. Jonn Witts Moors, do.
A.D. 1856, Rey. GEoRGE 8. Gorpon, do.
A.D. 1861, Rey. Cares Dovuerass, do.
A.D. 1862. Rev. Witrtram Murpnay, do.
A.D. 1864, Rey. BENJAMIN WEBB, ~ do.
A.D. 1868, Rey. Jacos Moore, do.
A.D. 1869, Rey. R. Conpir Russet, - present incumbent.

The Presbyterian church is very pleasantly situated on the north side
of the main street, near the foot of Prospect Hill.

Its front presents a neat portico of the Doric order. The Presbyterian
society was first incorporated on the roth of January, 1811, under the
name of the “Union Presbyterian Church, of Somerstown ;” Darius
Crosby, Lewis Brown, Amaziah Mead, Joseph Owens, Jr., James Bailey,
and Ebenezer White, Jr, trustees. In the year 1832, a mutual division

a Co. Rec. Religiotfs Soc., Lib. B, 33.
b Ibid. Lib, A, 45.

258 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

took place, which led to the erection of the Presbyterian church at Cro-
ton Falls, whose pastor is the Rev. Joseph Nimmo. The present church
edifice was erected A.D. 1799.

CATALOGUE OF PASTORS AND SUPPLIES.

INSTAL or Catt. Pastor oR SUPPLY. VACATED By.
A.D. 1801, Rey. Joun McNIece, resignation.
A.D. 1805, Rey. Mr. Perkins, do.
A.D. 1823, Rey. Syitvanvus Haieat, do.
A.D. 1824, Rey. ABRAHAM Pourpy, by death.
A.D. 1825 . ABN NDIGE,) 7: :

A‘D. 1836" Mn, Janse Avenn, ’t Licentiates

A.D. 1827, Rey. Ezra Day, resignation.
A.D. 1831, Rev. GrirritH R. GRIFFITH, do.
A.D. 1834, Rey. Henry BENEDICT, do.
A.D. 1835, Rev. ALEXANDER LEADBITHER, do.
A.D. 1845, Rey. Grorck MENELAUtS,

A.D. 1848, Rey. D. D. Tompxins McLAvuGHLIN.

A.D. 1857, Ry: W.. R.Prarr.

A.D, 1865, Rey. P. H. BureGHarpt.

A.D. 1869, Rev. C. B. Wuircoms, Licentiate.

A.D. 1872, Rey. Josern BEERS, resigned.

No minister at present.

The first Methodist Episcopal society in this town, was incorporated
on the roth of May, 1794. Joseph Hadden, Thomas Bailey, John Sted-
well, Abraham Golding, Samuel Wilson, Jun., and Benjamin Huestis,
trustees.* A second incorporation of the Methodist Episcopal church,
occurs upon the 2zoth of December, 1808.2. The incorporation of the
Methodist brick church, took place on the 2oth of Sept. 1836. This
building is still standing on the Mahopack road, a little north-east of the
village. .

In the rear of the Presbyterian church is situated the Union burying
ground. Here are memorials to the Browns, Owens, Wrights, Crosbys,
Cranes, Finchs, Baileys, Turks and Whites, &c., &c. The oldest inter-
ment appears to be a member of the Roof family, 1770. A plain head-

stone bears the following inscription :

SAORED TO THE MEMORY
OF
JAMES BAILEY,
who died Nov. 13, 1826,
aged 79 years 1 mo, and 16 days.

a Go. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 45. P
b Ibid.

THE TOWN OF SOMERS, 259

“‘O! death thy ensigns here display,
Another mortal snatched away.

From life, from friends, from every tie
That binds to earth, yet called to die,
Such is our lot, like him here laid,

We must be numbered with the dead,
And yield our life a transient day,

To mingle with our mother clay.”

In this yard lie also the remains of Mary, wife of Luther Kinnicut,*
who departed this life Nov. 13, 1811, aged 56 years.

In the immediate vicinity of the village, are situated the farms and
residences of Gerard Crane, Edward Finch, Charles Wright,? Thaddeus
. Crane, Caleb Green, Robert Halleck, John Titus¢ and others.

A charming valley opens to the east of the plains through which flows
the Croton. Rapidity seems to be the principal characteristic of this fine
stream ; its Indian name Kitchawan, denoting the general swiftness of
its current. South of Dean’s bridge, the banks are highly diversified with
romantic and picturesque scenery; below Dean’s bridge are Golding’s,
Woods’ and the Muscoota bridges.

The village of Croton Falls, formerly Owenville, occupies the north-
east corner of Somers, bordering on the south line of Putnam county.
At this place, the Croton river “affords hydraulic power to a great ex-
tent, but little of which is as yet occupied for manufacturing purposes.”
The stream is said to average three hundred horse power. Here are lo-
cated a Presbyterian church, a paper mill, a saw and grist mill, a cloth-
ier’s works, a post-office, two stores and several dwellings, besides a rail-
road depot for the accommodation of travellers and for merchandise.
There is also a convenient hotel, under the management of Messrs. Smith
and Mead. Stages during the summer months, leave this place daily for
I.ake Mahopack,? a distance of five miles. Nearly opposite the depot,
the two main branches of the Croton river unite.

The Presbyterian Society was first organized here, in 1833, under the
pastoral charge of the Rev. Joseph Nimmo. A neat and commodious

a Luther Kinnicut served in the capacity of a spy to General Washington during the Revo-
lution. See page 12.

4 Mr. Wright occupies the estate formerly owned by James Bailey.

e This gentleman is the son of John Titus, and great grandson of Samuel Titus, whose -
father, Edmund, was born in England, in 1630, and came from Massachusetts to Long Islandt
in 1650—See Thompson’s Long Island, vol. ii. 54.

d **Lake Mahopack is a beautiful sheet of water, lying in the town of Carmel, Putnam Co.;
it is about one mile in diameter, in which are embosomed two or three small islands. The
waters abound with various kinds of fish of fine favor, which are taken in great quantities.”
—Disturnell's Gazetteer of N. Y. Lake Mahopack is situated 150 feet above Croton falls—Edi- -
or. :

260 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

church edifice has been recently erected, to which is attached a small
parsonage and grave yard.4

Bordering the Croton River, are the estates and residences of Mr.
Silas Finch, Mr. Edwin Crosby and Thomas R. Lee, Esq. The latter
gentleman represented (in 1842) this county in Assembly.

Within a short distance of the village, is situated the property of the
late Lewis Brown, Esq., whose grandfather, Hachaliah Brown, of Rye,
purchased these lands under the heirs of Stephanus Van Cortlandt, in
1760. His son, Elbert, at present, resides on the estate.

West Somers, as its name imports, is situated to the west of Somers-
town Plains. It is a scattered hamlet, containing a store, a post-office,
and a commodious hotel belonging to the Messrs. Charles and William
Teed.

The neighborhood of West Somers is exceedingly beautiful, command-
ing a rich view of the Plains and Plum Brook Valley.

To the west of this place lies the valley of the Muscoota, through
which meanders the Muscoota River. The margins of this lovely stream
are adorned in many places with thick woodland and bold hills, which
constrain it into an endless variety of windings, at every turn present-
ing new features. South of Bedell’s mill pond its waters form a succes-
sion of rapids, which enter the Croton a little below Woodsbridge, near
the junction of Cross and Croton Rivers. The running supply of the
Muscoota is said to be, at a fair calculation, 3,628,800 gallons per diem.

Upon this stream are placed the grist and saw mill of W. S. Tomp-
kins; the cloth dressing establishment of Reuben C. Varnall; the grist,
saw and fulling mill of Munson Perry; and the grist and saw mill of Isaac
Bedle. .

On the J&7/ Brook, a branch of the Muscoota, are situated the paper
mills of William Wallace and Abraham H. Miller.

Angle Fly Brook, a celebrated trout stream, which rises on the lands
of Mr. Tompkins, is a tributary of the Muscoota river.

On the east side of Primrose street are situated the residences of Sam-
uel Teed, William Marshall and Ray Tompkins, Esqs. The latter in-
dividual is the second son of the Hon. Daniel D. Tompkins. In his
possession is an excellent portrait of the Governor, by Waldo and Jew-
ett.

Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, in Primrose street, was erect-
ed, cir. 1794, and appears to have been incorporated on the 2oth of May,
1828. Henry Clift, Aaron Brown, James Phillips, Samuel S. Ferguson
and Samuel Pedwick trustees.

a This church is at present connected with the Bedford Presbytery.

ENOCH CROSBY, THE SPY.

ii, 251.

THE TOWN OF SOMERS. 261

In the grave yard are interred the remains of

MARGARET,

wife of
Enocn Crosspy, Esq.,
formerly the wife of
CoLonEL BENJAMIN GREEN, deceased,
Died March 22, 1825,
Aged 64 years, 3 months,
and 20 days.

The above mentioned lady was the second wife of the well-known
“ Westchester Spy.” By her side isa plain marble monument inscribed,

In
Memory of
COL. BENJAMIN GREEN,
who died
October 6, 1812,
Aged fifty-six years and two months.

Upon Plum Brook are situated the saw mills of Messrs. Sylvanus
Kniffen and Jacob Ruxer; also the saw and grist mill of Robert Halleck.
This stream has its source in the northern part of the town, and running
through the town passes into the Croton at Woodsbridge. There aye few
historical notes of importance in connection with Somers; except, that
during the Revolution, General Washington lay encamped for some time
on the high hills east of the village, in the vicinity of Mr. Reuben
Wright’s house,

“The surface of Somers is uneven in parts, with some extensive plains ;
soil, various—but mostly well adapted to grass and grain.”* ‘The

@ See Disturnell’s Gazetteer of New York.
farms are large, and the inhabitants industrious and wealthy. The
growth of wood is similar to that in the neighboring towns.” The high
land in the north-eastern part of the town are said to abound with iron
ore of good quality.

THE TOWN

OF

ya gel 2B yt EN ll ls a Se Ol Sar Sd DR SB SO

The township of Westchester is situated sixteen miles south of the
village of White Plains, distant twelve miles from New York, and one
hundred and fifty from Albany ; bounded: on the north by Eastchester,
east, by the Eastchester Bay or Long Island Sound, south by the East
River and west by the Bronx. “Its form is defined by water on three
sides, and of course irregular—but its medial extent North and South
may be four miles, and East and West about two and a half; with an
area of nearly ten square miles.” Prior to 1846, this town embraced
West Farms and the manors of Morrisania and Fordham ; the three lat-
ter, have recently been attached to New York county.

Like the adjoining lands, Westchester was originally purchased by the
Dutch West India Company, of the Mohegan sachems and other Indians,
who claimed it in 1640.9

Upon the 14th of November, 1654, Thomas Pell of Fairfield, Connec-
ticut, obtained a second grant from the aboriginal proprietors, which also
embraced the present town. Thirty years later we find the sachems
Maminepoe and Wampage conveying to the inhabitants of Westchester
all that tract of land lying on the east side of Bronckses river.”

a This name is probably derived from the city of the same title in Cheshire, England. ‘* Not
far from the mouth of the Deein Chesire, (says Camden,) stands the noble city, which Ptolemy
calls Deunana and Antonius, Deva, from the river; the Britons Caer-Legion, &c., and by way
of pre-eminence Caer; as our ancestors the Saxons called it Legeacerea, from the legion there.
=r Ae an contractly Westchester from its westerly situation, and simply Chester according

Cestria de Castris nomen quasi Castria sumpsit.
Chester from Caster (or the camp) was named.

A more appropriate name could not have been selected, as it was situated west of the New
England settlements.

4 Alb. Rec, vol. ii. 147. 263

264 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The principal Indian settlements in this town, were located upon Cas-
tle Hill neck and about Bear swamp.* The former is said to have been
the site of an Indian castle. On the south-east side of Spicer’s neck is
situated “ Burying Point,” their place of sepulture: Cornell’s neck or
Black Rock, they denominated “Snakapins.” The extensive “ she//
banks,” on the shores of the East river, afford evidence that the aborigi-
nal population must at one time have been very considerable.

Westchester “‘was probably first settled in 1642, by a Mr. John
Throckmorton and thirty-five associates, who came from New England,
with the approbation of the Dutch authorities.” By the Dutch it was
denominated ‘‘ Vredeland,” or the ‘‘ Land of Peace,” “a meet appella-
tion (says the historian of the New Netherlands,) for the spot selected as
a place of refuge by those who were bruised and broken down by relig-
ious persecution.Ӣ

In reply to John Throckmorton’s petition, soliciting permission to
settle down within the limits of the New Netherlands, is the following li-
cense, dated 2d October, 1642 :—

‘‘ Whereas Mr. Throckmorton, with his associates, solicits to settle with thirty_
five families within the limits of the jurisdiction of their High Mightinesses, to
reside there in peace and enjuy the same privileges as our other subjects, and be
favored with the free exercise of their religion; having seen the petition of the
aforesaid Throckmorton, and consulted with the interests of the Company, as this
request can by no means be injurious to the country—more so as the English are
to settle at a distance of three miles from 1s—so it is granted. Mr. Throckmor-
ton, with thirty-five English families, are permitted to settle within three miles
of Amsterdam.”4

Upon the 6th of July, 1643, the following “ Zand brief” was granted
to Jan Throckmorton, &c.

GROND BRIEF FOR THROCKMORTON’S NECK.

““We, William Kieft, director general, and the council, in behalf of their high
mighty lords, the States General of the United Netherlands, his highness the
Prince of Orange, and the noble lords, the managers of the General Incorporated
West India Company in New Netherlands residing, by these presents, do pub-

a The aborigines maintained possession here as late as 1789. The site of their wigwams is
now owned by Mr. Jesse Ryer. In this vicinity is a small excavation cut out of a granite rock,
in the form of a mortar, used by the Indians in pounding their corn.

4 Hist. Collections of N. Y. by John Barber and Henry Howe,

e O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N. 258. ‘*In July 1661, the La Montagne family, who were heirsto
a farm called Vredendal,’’ granted to the councillor La Montagne on the fats, made applica-
tion t» the Director General and Council, in which they set forth that they were desirous of
taking possession of their lands situated abouta mile from New Harlem, and wished the priy-
ilege of establishing an hamlet or concentration of S$ or 10 families, near the place whereon
the water-mill is abont to be erected on the neck, for the benefit of the village of New Harlem,
&c. ; the application was refused.” Valentine’s Manual, 1863, p. 15.

d Alb. Rec. from 1638 to 1642.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 265

lish and declare thatwe, on this day the date under written, have given and grant-
ed unto Jan Throckmorton a piece of land, (being a portion of Vredeland, ) con-
taining as follows, along the East river of New Netherlands, extending from the
point half a mile, which piece of land aforesaid is surrounded on one side by a
’ little river, and on the other side by a great kill, which river and kill on high
water running, meet each other, surround the said land, as will more clearly ap-
pear by a map of the same which has been made and marked off by the survey-
or, with the express conditions and terms that the said Jan Throckmorton, or
they who by virtue of these presents shall succeed to his action, the noble lords,
the managers aforesaid, shall acknowledge as their lords and patroons, under the
sovereignty of the high and mighty lords, the States General, and unto their di-
rector and council here, shall in all things be confirmed as all good citizens arein
duty bound; provided also that the said Jan Throckmorton and his company
(associates) shall furthermore be subject to al] such burdens and imposts, as al-
ready have been enacted by the noble lords, and hereafter may yet be enacted.
It is furthermore made an express condition that the aforesaid Jan Throckmor-
ton, according to promise, shall settle on the aforesaid lands as many families as
may offer in the same manner, constituting over the said Throckmorton and his
company, in our stead, in the real and actual possession of the aforesaid piece of
land, lying on the East river aforesaid, giving them by these presents the full and
irrevocable might, authority, and special permission the aforesaid parcel of land
to enter, cultivate, inhabit, and occupy, in like manner as he may lawfully
do with other his patrimonial lands and effects, without our, the grantors
in quality aforesaid, thereunto any longer having. reserving or saving any
part, action, or control whatever, but to the behoof as aforesaid, from all as-
sisting from this time forth and forever, promising moreover this transport
firmly, invariably, and irrevocably to maintain, fulfil, and execute, and to do
all that in equity we are bound to do. Done in Fort Amsterdam in New

Netherlands, this 6th day of July, 1643.
* WILLIAM KIEFT.

‘*By order of the noble lords, the directors and
council of the New Netherlands.
‘“CoRNELIS TIENHOVEN, Secretary.”

This grant, subsequently called Throckmorton’s Neck, embraced the
eastern part of the present town. It was bounded on the north by
Eastchester Neck, on the east by Eastchester Bay-and Long Island
Sound, on the south by the East River, and on the west by the West-
chester Creek.

John Throckmorton, the patentee, originally emigrated from England
to Nantaskett, Massachussetts, 5th February, 1631, in the ship Lyon;
from this place he removed to Salem in 1639; he afterwards became a
Baptist, and a resident of Rhode Island. From Rhode Island he fled
to Vredeland that he might enjoy here (among the Dutch) the free ex-
ercise of his religious principles.

a Alb. Ree. G. G. 98. Ibid. 173, 4.
5 Farmer’s Register.

266 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The Throckmorton family derive their name from Throckemertona,
(Throckmorton) or the Rockmoor town, which is situated in the vale of
Evesham, Worcester county, England. John Throckmorton was Lord
of the manor of Throckmorton, about sixty years after the Norman °
conquest. The etemology of the name is either British or Saxon,
which shows that they held this property before that period. Eighth in
descent from John Throckmorton, Lord of Throckmorton in 1130, was
John Throckmorton, Lord of Throckmorton’s Neck, Vredeland, who
left issue John Throckmorton. The patentee is now represented by the
Throckmortons, of Middletown, New Jersey.“ Several members of the
Throckmorton family appear to have fallen in the Indian massacre in
and around Vredeland, which took place on the 6th of October, 1643.7
Upon the 29th of April, 1652, John Throckmorton petitioned the Direc-
tor General for leave to transport Throckmorton’s Neck. In October
following permission was granted, whereon he conveyed the same to
Augustine Hermans.°¢

On the 5th of December, 1656, Governor Stuyvesant ordered that
Throckmorton’s and Cornell’s Neck might come into their jurisdiction
if they please.@

Augustine Hermans, soon after his purchase, conveyed fifty morgen of
land situated on Throckmorton’s Neck, to Thomas Hunt. In 1665 the
town of Westchester asserted ‘that sZe had always enjoyed Throckmor-
ton’s Neck.”¢

March 23, 1677, I, John Wile, of Madman’s Neck belonging to Hempstead on
Long Island, doe sel, alinate and make over from myself and my heirs, execu-
tors, administrators and assignes forever unto Thomas Molener of Westchester in
Yorkshire in New England, to him, his heirs, executors, administrators and as-
signes six acres of upland, lving and being upon Frogs Neck (so-called) in ye
general field, belonging to ye aforesaid Westchester, upon ye place called Quin-
be’s Neck and adjoining to ye lott that was Thomas Baxter's.

Witnesses, JOHN WELE, } his mark.

JOHN PALMER,
NicoLe Bayt. f

The following abstract is taken from a cause in the Court of Assize,
September, 1666, wherein Augustine Hermans was plaintiff, for usurpa-

a Joseph Throckmorton divises his lands, 2d Dec., 1689, to the heir male of his brother
John Throckmorton, of East Jersey, viz.: Joseph Throckmorton, Rec. of Wills Surrogates
Office, N. Y., No. 3, 1684, 1686, p. 189. Sir Nicholas Throckmorton was one of the Secretarys
of State in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1558.

b See page 514. The war between the Dutch and the Indians of Westchester continued
throughout 1644.—Alb. Rec. vol. xx. 56.

ce Rec. of Assize, vol. ii. 59.

d Alb. Rec. Court of Assize, vol. i. 60.

e Alb. Rec. Courts of Assize, vol. ii. 60.
f Westchester Rec,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 267

tion of rights; and the inhabitants of the town of Westchester, defend-

ants :—
MR. RIDER, } Attorneys for ye
— SHARPE, t Plaintiff, &c.

‘*They produce the patent to Throckmorton transported to Augustinus Her-
mans.

‘* A mappe of ye neck of land is viewed.

‘Thomas Hunt, Sen., his disposition read, and his deed from Augustinus
Hermans.

‘* A copy of an order is produced by the defendant, made by the Dutch Gov-
ernor, bearing date July 9th, 1657, wherein its exprest that Westchester shall
have four English, or one Dutch mile square of land for the towne, which must
be taken of this neck. There is also mention made on ye said order of a reserva-
tion of one hundred or fifty morgen for 'Throckmorton’s and Cornell’s Neck, for
a farme upon each.

Another order brought in by them, dated 1660, viz., that all persons shall re-
move from their out farmes, which were at a distance, and settle in townes.

Another writing, acknowledged before Mr. Van Ruyven, of ye plaintiff’s mak-
ing over his interest in ye land in question to Thomas Hunt, Sen.

The court acjudge in lieu of all ye plaintiff's pretences to Throckmorton’s
Neck, hee shall only have fifty morgen of land thereupon, with meadow propor-
conable : thirty-four morgen whereof, with a due proporcou of meadow, being
that which was heretofore sold by the plaintiff to Thomas Hunt, Sen., who is in
possession thereof. The other fifteen morgen at the sale reserved by the plaintiff,
and making up the complement of the fifty, is to be sett out upon the said neck,
with its proporcon of meadow, by the Governor’s order, and not otherwise, sav-
ing the right which Mr. Spicer shall hereafter make appeare to have therein, and
the remainder of Throckmorton’s Neck is to bee at ye Governor's disposall. It
appearing not to this Court that ye towne of Westchester hath any lawful pre-
tence thereunto, the defendants are likewise to pay the charge of suite.”2

Upon the 12th of September, 1666, a warrant was granted unto Mr.
Augustine Hermans against the inhabitants of Westchester, by Gover-
nor Richard Nicolls.?

On the 7th of January, 1667, Richard Nicolls granted to Roger
Townsend “a certain parcel of land within the limits of Westchester,
upon the maine, situate, lying, and being on ye back side of Throck-
morton’s Neck, at ye south-east end thereof, commonly called New
Found Passage, containing fifteen acres ; as also a small neck near there-
to adjoining, commonly called Horseneck, being about the same quantity
of land, which is not in occupation.”

In 1669, thirty acres of land on Throckmorton’s neck were granted to
Mrs. Micah Spicer.¢

a Alb. Assize Rec. vol. i. 129,

Bb Alb. Assize Rec vol. i. 46.

c The Spicers and Brockets were doubtless some of the associates of John Throckmorton.
Ata Courtof Assizes held November 5th, 1669, Mrs. Micah Spicer sued for thirty acres of
land on Throckmorton’s Neck.—Assize Rec. 225,

268 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Upon the 12th of January, 1686, Spicer’s and Brockett’s Necks (com-
monly called the Grove Farm,) were confirmed by letters patent, under
the great seal of the province, to Thomas Hunt, in the following man-

ner:
GROVE FARM PATENT.

Thomas Dongan, Captain General, Governor-in-Chief and Vice Admiral in and
over the Province of New York and territories depending thereon in America,
under his Majesty James the Second, by the grace of God, King of England,
Scotland, France and Ireland, &c., &c., &c., Defender of the Faith, &c., to all
to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting: Whereas Thomas Hunt of
the Westchester in the Co. of W. C. stands seized of an estate in fee simple, or
one messuage or tenement, and a certain tract or parcel of land and meadow
ground, lying, situate and being within the limits or bounds of the town of West-
chester aforesaid, on two certain necks of land called by the name and names of
Spicer’s Neck and Brockett’s Neck, w said messuage or tenements and parcel of
land and premises is now called and distinguished and known by name of the
Grove Farm of Westchester; being bounded on the east by a certain cove or bay
which runs up to the north part of Spicer’s Neck,on the south by the Sound, on
the west by the harbour and river that runs up to the s@ town of Westchester,
and on the north by a swamp and a certain creek w! runs into the s4 river and
divides the lands called Throgmorton’s Neck from Spicer’s Neck aforesaid ;
Know yee, That by virtue of the commission and authority from his most sacred
Majesty and power in me being and residing, in consideration of the quit rent
herein after reserved, and other good and lawful considerations me thereunto
moving, I have given, granted, ratified and confirmed, and by these presents do
give, grant, ratify and &c., &c., &c., confirmed unto the said Thomas Hunt, his
heirs and assigns, for ever, all the before recited messuages or tenements and tract
or parcel of land and premises with their and every of their appurtenances to-
gether with all and singular houses, out-houses, barns, stables, orchards, gardens,
yards, lands, meadows, meadow grounds, marshes, pastures, fields, woods, wood
lands, under-woods, waters, lakes, creeks, coves, hunting, hawking, fishing and
fowling, and all other proffits and commodity, easements, emoluments, heredita-
ments and appurtenances, to the above granted messuage, lands and premises
belonging or in any wise, &c., &c., appertaining, as also liberty and the freedom
of commonage for all sorts of cattle, cutting of timber and firewood in the com-
mons and common wood lands of Westchester aforesaid, as other the inhabitants
of the said town of Westchester do or may enjoy, to have and to hold the said
- messuage or tenement, tract or parcel of land and premises, with all and singular
the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining, and
herein before granted and confirmed unto the said Thomas Hunt, his heirs and
assigns forever, unto the sole and only proper use, benefit and behoof of him the said
Thomas Hunt, his heirs and assigns for ever; and I the said Thomas Dongan do
further will, declare and grant to the said Thomas Hunt, his heirs and assigns,
that the messuage lands and premises herein above granted and confirmed, shall
and may at all time and times, &c., &c., hereafter for ever hold, use, retainand
keep the name of the Grove Farm of Westchester, and by that name, style, to be
known, called and distinguished in all bargains, sales, escripts, deeds, records and

‘HE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 269

writings; the said messuage or tenements, lands and premises to bee holden of his
most sacred Majesty, his heirs and successors, in free and common soccage, ac-
cording to the tenure of East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, in his Majesty’s
kingdom of England, yielding, rendering and paying therefor yearly and every
year unto his said most sacred Majesty, his heirs and successors, or to such officer
or officers as shal] from time to time be empowered to receive the same, viz. one
bushell of good winter wheat as a quit rent, on or before the five and twenticth
day of March, at the city of New York, in lieu and stead of all services, dues and
demands whatsoever. In testimony of the premises [ have caused these presents
to be recorded in the secretary’s office, and the seal of the Province to be here-
unto affixed, the &c., &c., &c., twelfth day of January, in the second year of his
Majesty’s reign, in the year of qur Lord one thousand six hundred eighty
and six.4@ THOMAS DONGAN.
By his Majesty’s command.
G. S. Swinton.

In 1688, William Barnes and Martha, his wife, conveyed lands on
Throckmorton’s Neck (situate near those of Robert Huestis), to Thomas
Bedient.?

Thomas Hunt, Sr., by his will, bearing date 1694, “‘ bequeathed to his
grandson, Josiah Hunt, eldest son of my son, Josiah Hunt, the Grove
farm, to him and his heirs male, which was patented to me by Governor
Nicolls, 4th December, 1667, and further entails the same to the said
Josiah and his heirs male, lawfully begotten, from generation to genera-
tion.”

The Grove farm was sold at public vendue on the 6th of May, 1760,
to Josiah Causten for £3,400, who subsequently disposed of it in Octo-
ber, 1775, to John Ferris; from whom it descended to his son, Elijah
Ferris, a large portion of which estate has continued in the family to the
present day,

At an early period James Rivington (the celebrated printer and book-
seller of New York¢ ), held considerable property on Throckmorton’s
Neck. The successors of the Rivingtons were the Bayards, a family of
considerable opulence and distinction.

A portion of Col, Bayard’s estate was subsequently purchased by his
brother William Bayard. The whole property is now divided among
numerous individuals.

The second grantee under the Dutch (in this town), was Thomas Cor-
nell (some of whose family were killed by the Indians under the pretence

a From the original in the possession of the family of the Jate Mr. Charlton Ferri .

Bb No. Rec. Lib. A, 250. 2

c Rivington ‘was possessed of fine talents, polite manners, and was wellinformed. This
is apparent from the correspondence of several of the leaders on the popular side, as well as
from what has been here said, that his tact and ability in conducting a newspaper was
much feared, and that his press had more influence over the public mind than any other in the
—— interestin the country Rivington died in 1802, xt. 78.""—See Sabine’s American Loyat
ists.

270 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

that they had not paid for their lands, on the 6th of October, 1643),
who obtained the following “ grond brief,” or grant, in 1646 :-—

GROND BRIEF FOR CORNELL'S NECK,

‘“We William Kieft, Director General, and the Council on the behalf of the
High and Mighty Lords, the States General of the United Netherlands, the Prince
of Orange and the noble Lords, the Managers of the incorporated West India
Company in New Netherlands residing, by these presents do publish and declare
that we, on this day the date underwritten, have given and granted unto Thomas
Cornell a certain piece of land lying on the East River, beginning from the kill
of Bronck’s land east south-east along the river, extending about half a Dutch
mile from the river till to alittle creek over the valley (marsh) which runs back
around this land; with the express condition and terms that the said Thomas
Cornell, or they who to his action hereafter may succeed, the noble Lords the
Managers aforesaid, shall acknowledge as their Lords and Patroons under the
sovereignty of the High and Mighty Lords the States General, and unto their Di-
rector and Council here shall in all things be confirmed as all good citizens arein
duty bound, provided also that he shall be furthermore subject to all such bur-
dens and imposts as by their noble Lords already have been enacted, or such as
hereafter may yet be enacted, constituting over the same the aforesaid Thomas
Cornell in our stead in the real and actual possession of the aforesaid piece of
land, giving him by these presents the full might, authority and special license,
the aforesaid piece to enter, cultivate, inhabit and occupy in like manner as he
may lawfully do with other his patrimonial lands and effects, without our the
grantors in the quality as aforesaid thereunto any longer having, reserving or
saving any part, action or control whatever, but to the behoof as aforesaid for
all destiny, for this time and for ever more, promising furthermore this their
transport firmly, inviolably and irrevocably to maintain, fulfil and execute, and
furthermore to do all that in equity we are bound to do without fraud or deceit,
these presents only as undersigned and confirmed with our seal of red wax here
underneath suspended.

Done in the Fort Amsterdam in New Netherlands, this 26th of July, 1646, un-

dersigned. . WILLIAM KIEFT.
By order of the noble Lords, the Director General and the Council of New
Netherlands. CoRNELIUS VAN TIENHOVEN., Secretary.

Of this family was probably Richard Cornell, who emigrated from
England to Long Island, during the early Dutch Colonial Government,
and purchased the estate of Little Neck. He afterwards removed to
Rockaway, where he became possessed, by patent from the British Co-
lonial Government, dated 1686, of a tract of land, part of which he sold
in 1691, to John Sands. He died circ. 1693, leaving five sons, viz:
William, Thomas, Jacob, John and Richard, and two daughters—Mary
and Sarah.

Upon the death of Thomas Cornell, the neck became vested in his

a Alb. Rec. G, G. 206 also 351.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 271
widow, who conveyed the same to her eldest daughter, Sarah, the wife
of Charles Bridges.

In the book of general entries, at Albany, occurs the following order,
addressed to the schout, burgomeesters, and schepens of New York:

‘‘Upon the complaint of Charles Bridges and Sarah his wife against William
Newman and Thomas Senequam, an Indian, now in custody, you are hereby re-
quired to summon a court to meet to-morrow, to examine, hear and determine
the matters in controversie between the said partyes, and to proceed therein ac-
cording to equity and good conscience. Given under my hand at Fort James, in
New York, the 24th of March, 1664.”4 RICHARD NICOLLS.

The cause appears to have been decided in favor of Mr. Bridges and
his wife ; for on the 27th day of March, 1665, the constable of Westches-
ter was required (by the Governor) “‘to deliver unto Mr. Bridges and his
wife, or their assignees, the goods that lye attached in your hands as of
right belonging to them, for doing whereof this shall be your warrant.
Given under my hand at Fort James, in New York, &c.”4

RICHARD NICOLLS.

In 1664, Thomas Pell, of Onkway, Connecticut, laid claim to Cornell’s
Neck.

Upon the 26th of October, 1664, “Charles Bridges and Sarah, his wife
entered a protest before and against all bargains, deeds and sales of
Thomas Pell, of Onkway, or any from or under him, of or concerning a
parcel of land situated on the East River, beginning from the kill of
Bronx land, east south-east, likewise alongst the river bounded almost
half a Dutch mile, a copy of the original grant whereof unto Thomas
Cornell, father of the said Sarah Bridges they have also registered, until
such time as the cause can be tried.”

The following particulars are taken from the assize records, in relation
to a trial between the two parties, held on the 29th of September, 1665 :

CuAr.Es BripeEs ; Plaintiff's Names of Jurors.
and Sarau, his wife, : JouN Tucker Foreman,
Tuomas Pett, Defendant WILiiAM WILKINS, Joun EMans,
Cuar_Les Morean, JOHN Forster,
JosEPH BAYLEY, Rosert TERRY.

‘«The attorney for the plaintiffs produced a copy of the heads of the trial at the
Court of Sessions held in June last, at Hampstead; he likewise puts in a declara-
tion alledging the defendant’s unjust molestation of the plaintiffs in their posses-

a Alb. Book of Gen. Entries, from 1664 to 1665. p. 101,
b Alb. Book of Gen. Entries, p. 102.
¢ Alb. Rec. Gen. Entries, vol. i, p. 14.

272 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

sion of a certain parcel of land called Cornell’s Neck, lying and being near West-
chester, which of right belongs unto them, &c.

To prove their title, a grant and patent from the Dutch governor, Kieft, to
Thomas Corne!!, deceased, father of Sarah, one of the plaintiffs, is produced and
read in court, that upon the said grant, [Thomas Cornell was in lawful possession
of the said lands, and that he was at considerable charges in building, manuring
and planting ye same ; that after some years the said Thomas Cornell was driven
off his said lands by the barbarous violence of the Indians who burnt his house
and goods, and destroyed his cattle, which was made appeare by sufficient testi-
mony. That widow Cornell’s conveyance of the said neck of land to Sarah
Bridges, one of the plaintiffs, and her sister, was likewise given in, under which
the plaintiffs claime.¢ That the said widow Cornell was left sole executrix of
the last will and testament of her husband, Thomas Cornell, deceased, and so had
power toconvey the premises; this was allowed of (although neither the will nor
a copy thereof was produced), there being no exceptions made against it. There
was likewise an act from the late Dutch governor, Stuyvesant, produced, where
he buyes the same lands of the Indians again (although alleged to be bought long
before), and confirms it to Thomas Cornell, his heires and assigns.

Mr. Pell. the defendant, makes answer for himself, that he bought the land
in question in the year 1654, of the natives, and paid them for it. He pleads his
being a free denizen of England, and hath thereby liberty to purchase lands in
any of his majesties dominions, within which compass this is. He alleges the
fifth clause in the King’s treaty, sent over hither to make for him, as declar-
ing this land to be within his majesties dominions; he saith the governor and
Council of Connecticut took notice of this land to be under their govern-
ment, and that they ordered magistratical power to be exercised at Westches-
ter, and that he had license from them to purchase. He pleads that where there
is no right there can be no dominion, so no patent could be granted by the
Dutch, they having no right. Several testimonys were read to prove that ye
Indians questioned Mr. Cornell’s and other plantations there, about not paying
Sor those lands, which was the occasion of their cutting them off and driving away
the inhabitants, but the defendant hath paid a valuable consideration to the
natives.

The attorney for the plaintiffs alledges ye articles of surrender, and the King’s
instructions, wherein any grant or conveyance from the Dutch is confirmed; and
plead the antiquity of Mr. Cornell’s grant and possession, together with his great
losse. After a full hearing of the case it was referred to the jury, who brought
in their verdict for the plaintiffs, the defendant to pay costs and charges of suite,
and six pence damage.”

Judgment was accordingly granted by the Court, and the following
order issued :—

a Sarah Cornell, alias Bridges, conveyed her interest to William Willet, her eldest son, who
obtains a patent therefore, as we shall see presently, on the 15th of April, 1667.—Albany Book
of Patents, vol. ii, p. 65.

b The Legislature of Connecticut, (says the historian Trumbull,) determining to secure as
far as possible the Jands within the limits of their charter, authorized one Thomas Pell to
purchase of the Indian proprietors all that tract between Westchester and Hudson’s River,
and the waters which made the Manhadoes an Island; and resolved that it should be added
to Westchester, 1663.—Trumbull’s Hist. of Connecticut, 273.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 273

“The court having heard the case in difference between the plaintiffs and de-
fendant debated at large concerning their title to a certaine parcell of land, com-
monly called Cornell's Neck, adjoining to Bronx land, near Westchester, and
having also seen and perused their writings and evidences, it was committed to
a jury, who brought in their verdict for the plaintiffs, viz: that the land in
question doth of right belong to the plaintiffs, and that the defendant shall pay
the eosts and charges of suit, and sixpence damage. The court doth give
their judgment accordingly, and do likewise order that the high sheriff or
the under sheriff of ye north riding of Yorkshire, upon Long Island, do put the
plaintiffs in possession of the said lands and premises, and all persons are re-
quired to forbear the giving the said plaintiffs, or‘their assigns, any moleslation
im their peaceable and quiet enjoyment thereof.’’¢

The following Patent was issued by Governor Nicolls in 1667 to
William Willett.

PATENT FOR CORNELL’S NECK OR BLACK ROCK.

RicHarp Nicnorrs, Esqr., Governor Generall under his Royal Highnesse
James Duke of Yorke and Albany, &c., of all his territoyes in America; to all
to whom these presents shall come sendeth greeting, whereas there is a certaine
Parcell of Land contained within a neck, commonly called and knowne by the
name of Cornell’s Neck, lying and being on the Maine, towards the Sound or
East River being bounded to the West by a certain Rivolett which runs to
the Black Rock and so into Bronkse Creeke or Kill. Then the Neck stretching
itselfe East, South East into the Sound it is bounded to the East with another
Rivolett which divides it from the limits of West Chester and a line being run
from the head of each Rivolett wherewith a narrow slip, the said Neck is joined
to the Maine land, it closes up the Neck and makes the North Bounds thereof,
and whereas there was heretofore a Patent or ground Kiefe granted by the
Dutch governour William Kiefe unto Thomas Cornell for the said Neck wherein
(among other things) its mentioned to bee Bounded alongst the River about
half a Dutch mile which said Patent or ground Kiefe so granted as aforesaid
bears date the 26th day of June 1646 now the Right Title and Interest in the
premises, being devolved upon Sarah Bridges the daughter of the said Thomas
Cornell deceased who having made proof of her Title at law hath by Deed of
gift made over the same with all her Interest therein unto William Willett
her eldest Sonne for a confirmation therefore unto him the said William
Willett in his possession and enjoyment of the premises, Know yee, that by
virtue of the Commission and authority unto me given by his Royalle Highnesse
I have given, Ratifyed, Confirmed and granted and by these presents, do give,
Ratify Confirme and grant unto the said William Willett his heirs and assignes all
the afore mentioned Parcell and Neck of Land so Bounded as afore said, Together
with all woods, Marshes, Meadows, Pastures, waters, lakes, creekes, Rivoletts,
fishing, hunting and ffowling and all other Proffitts, Commodities and emolu-
ments to the said Parcell and Neck of Land belonging and in any wise appur-
taining with their and every of their appurtenances, and of every part and Par- .

a@ Alb. Assize Rec. p. 15.

274 HISTORY OF THE CCUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

cell thereof, To have and to hold the said Parcell and neck of land and premises
Paying such dutyes and acknowledgements as now are, or, hereafter shall bee
unto the said William Willett his heirs and assignes unto the proper use and
behaffe of the said William Willett his heirs and assignes for ever Rendering and
constituted and establisht by the laws of this government, under the obedience
of nis Royalle Highnesse, his heires and successors. Given under my hand and
seale at Fort James in New Yorke on the Island of Manhattans the 15th day of
April in the 19 yeare of his Majesties’ Reigne annog D'ni 1667.
RICHARD NICOLLS.
Recorded by order of the Goveno’ the day and yeare above written,
endorsed a patent granted unto Mr. William Willett for Cornell’s Neck.@
Marntas Nicorts, Sec’.

In 1709 Colonel Thomas Willett, of Flushing, Long Island, son of
the Hon. Thomas Willett of New York, conveyed to his eldest son,
William Willett, “all that certaine parcell of land contained within a
neck, commonly called and known by the name of Cornell's Neck,
bounded on the west by a certain rivulet that runs to the “‘ black rock,”
and so into Bronx’s River. In 1731 William Willett, by will, &c., con-
veyed the same to his heirs, &c. In 1745 Isaac Willett devised the
whole neck to his nephew, Isaac Willett and Lewis Graham. On the
tst of June, 1784, the two divisers made an equal partition of the same.
Upon the rsth of October, 1793, Egbert Benson and Thomas Hunt
executors of Lewis Graham conveyed the west half of Cornell’s Neck
to Dominick Lynch. On the 16th of April, 1830, the executors of
Dominick Lynch conveyed the west half of the neck to the Ludlow
family. The share of Isaac Willett to the east half of Cornell's Neck
was conveyed to Isaac Clason, Cire, 1793.2 Cornell’s Neck is now
owned by the families of Ludlow, and Beach, the Roman Catholic
Fathers and others.

The Willets descend from the Rev. Thomas Willett, Subalmoner to
King Edward VI., Rector of Barley, Herts and Prebend of Ely Cathe-
dral who died in 1597. His son, the Rev. Andrew Willett was born at
Ely in 1562, was Proctor of Cambridge Uuniversity in 1558, Prebend of
Ely Cathedral in 1597, Rector of Childerby, Grantesden, and Chaplain
to Prince Henry. He died in 1621, leaving by his wife, Jane, eleven
sons and seven daughters. His youngest son was the Hon. Thomas
Willett, first Mayor of New York, who was born in 1611, went to Ley-
den, thence came to Plymouth, Mass., in 1630, where he succeeded

a Copied from the original, Doc. in possession of Robert H. Ludlow, Esq.
4 County Rec. Lib. D. 38 From this family it obtained the name of Willett’s Point.
c This individual married Isabella Morris, daughter of Lewis Morris of Morrisania

ad From MSS. in possescion of B. H. Ludlow, Esq.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 275

Myles Standish, as Commander of Plymouth Colony in 1647, Magistrate
of that place 1651-1664, and Mayor of New York 1664 to 1673. He
died at Rehoboth, Mass., Angust 4, 1674. By his first wife, Mary,
daughter of John Brown of Plymouth, who he married July 6th, 1636,
he had eight sons and five daughters. His second son was Colonel
Thomas Willett, before mentioned, High Sheriff of Flushing in 1670,
who married Sarah, heir at law of her father. Thomas Cornell, of Cor-
nell’s Neck, left two sons; William, who died without issue, and Hon.
Thomas, Judge of Queens County from 1710 to 1730. The latter left
a son, William Willett of Cornell’s Neck, who died in 1733, father of
four sons who all died without male issue, viz.: William, Hon. Isaac
Willett, High Sheriff of Westchester County in 1738, Thomas, of Flush-
ing, and Cornelius of Cornell’s Neck. Of the daughters of William one
married a Rodman, and the other a Jones. Samuel, the youngest son
of Hon. Thomas Willett, first Mayor of New York, was born October
27th, 1658, settled on Long Island and became Sheriff of Queens
County. His eldest son, Edward, of Queens County, was born in 1701
and died in 1794, leaving by his wife, Aleta Clowes, a son, Col. Marinus
Willett, who was born July 31, 1740, Mayor of New York in 1807 and
a member of the Cincinnati Society. His son was Marinus, the father
of the Rev. Marinus Willet of Rye.

Prior to 1647 we have seen that ‘‘ Vredeland,” (Westchester) was
settled under grants from the Dutch. But, about this period, a number
of Puritans from Connecticut must have commenced a settlement ; for, at
ameeting of the New England commissioners, and Governor Stuyvesant,
on the 19th of September, 1650, the latter complained of the English en-
croachments upon Westchester. And asserted that the ‘“‘ West India Com-
pany of Amsterdam, had bought and paid for the lands in question, of
the right proprietors—the zative Americans—before any other nation
either bought or pretended right thereunto; he also affirmed he had
proof of the 7rs¢ Dutch purchase.” Under the apprehension that the
English settlements might be connected with the claim of jurisdiction,
it was determined (by the Dutch) to remonstrate against it. In 1654,
it was resolved at a meeting of the Director General and Council, “that
whereas a few English are beginning a settlement at a great distance
from our outposts, on lands long bought and paid for near Vreed/ant,
to send there an interdict, and the Attorney General, Cornelius van Tien-
hoven, and forbid them to proceed no futher, and to abandon that
spot. Done at Fort Amstel, 5th November, 1654.”

a Duniap’s Hist. N. Y. vol. i. 95.
6 Alb. Rec. vol. ix. 275.

to
~I
lo,’

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

We have already seen that the principal intruder was Thomas Pell,

This individual on the 14th of November, 1654, purchased.a tract of
land called ‘‘ Westchester,” of the sachem Ann-hock, alias Wampage, and
other Indians.

Upon the twenty-second of April, 1655, we find the following ac-
count of an interview between the Dutch cfficer Claes van Elslandt and
the English intruders :—

‘*Claes Van Elslandt went to protest against those of V7eediant. Four armed
men came to meet them on the creek, asking what he willed? He answered,
he wished to land near the house. They told him he should not land. He
rejoined, allow me to go ashore, Iam cold; whereupon he sprang ashore, where
he and Albert the trumpeter were warned not to come a foot higher. The com-
mander came up to us with a pistol in hand with eight or ten armed men, to
whom he read the protest and handed it to him. He answered, I cannot under-
stand Dutch; why did not the fiscal or sheriff send English? when he sends
English, then I will answer. We expect the determination on the boundaries,
the next vessel. Time will tell whether we shall be under Dutch government
or the Parliament; until then we remain here under the state of England. Van
Elslandt saw their houses and settlements, also the English arms hanging from a
tree; they were carved on a board (plank.) Van Elslandt was left in a house
on the shore, well guarded with men.Ӣ ;

The continued encroachments of the English upon “ Oostdorp,” (East
town) “which they called Westchester,"4 at last awakened the most vig-
orous opposition on the part of the Dutch authorities; for soon after
Pell’s purchase occurs the following resolution :—

‘“The Director General and Council are informed by creditable witnesses that
the English in the village which they call Westchester, situated in Vreedlant,
about two miles from this city, not only encourage and shelter the fugitives from
this province, but as plainly appears by a copy from a certain leer, that the
high sheriff Lieutenant Weyler kept—in and about the time of our late dismal en-
gagements with the savages—a constant correspondence with these barbarians.@
Wherefore to promote the welfare of the country, and defend the rights of the
Lords Patroons, against such usurpations, it was unanimously resolved by the
Director General and Council to arrest as secretly and easily as it can be per-
formed, said Englishmen or at least their leaders, to compel the remaining to
remove from there with their property, and the execution of this expedition to

a See trial between Thomas Pell and Charles Bridges, page 271.

Bb See Pelham, page 33. This grant embraced the present townships of New Rochelle,
Pelham, Eastchester and Westchester.

ec Alb. Rec. Hol. doc. ix. 261, 263,4. See Document, relating to the Col. Hist. Holland, Doc,
1657, 1678, vol. il. p. 163, 4.

d Which appears from the letters of the Burgomeesters, dated 23d Nov. 1654, 16th April and
2d of May, 1655.

e The Sachems Pennekek and Oratang were very troublesome to the Westchester settle-
ments in 1655.—Editor .

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 277

be intrusted to the valiant Captain Frederick de Coninck, Captain Lieutenant
Brian Naton, and with them the Attorney General, Cornelius Tienhoven, to exe-
cute his commission and apprehend the fugitives and thieves.
Done in Fort Amsterdam, 6th of March, 1656. Prrer Sruyvesant,
Nioassivs DE SIxxg,
La Monraene,
CoRNELIUS VAN TIENHOVEN,2

In accordance with the above order, the valiant Captain Frederick de
Coninck embarked in the ship “‘ Weigh-scales,” and proceeded to JWest-
chester: where he succeeded in arresting several of the English thieves.
Upon their arrival in the city, the following order appears in Council :—

‘‘ With regard to the English prisoners, lately brought hither from Vreedlandt,
from the village which they call Westchester, who remain yet in confinement in
the ship the ‘‘ Weigh-scales,” it is unanimously concluded and resolved, that all
those who before were on oath and allegiance of this government, and who there-
fore either for debts or other causes did run away, or against whom the Attorney
General supposes to have a just cause for indictment, these the aforesaid Attorney
General is authorized to secure in close confinement, and prosecute them agreea-
bly to law. The remainder who either from New England or from other places
have been lured and decoyed by Mr. Pell or any other person to settle within
our limits, of which district this city had a grant, to keep them in a civil arrest,
either in the court house or any proper and convenient place, till a further ex-
amination shall be instituted and our orders issued in conformity with these.

Done in Council, in our fort at New Amsterdam,

in New Netherland, 14 March, 1656. Peter STUYVESANT,
Nicassius DE SILzz,
La Monracne.5

On the 15th of March, 1656, the Attorney General presented his de-
mand to the Director General and Council as plaintiff in the case :—

ResPECTFUL Lorps:—It is not only known to your Honors, but every one re-
siding in this country, that since many years the district called Vreedlandt was
cultivated and inhabited in letters patent granted by your Honors, and their pre-
decessors by the Dutch, under your government, till the period of the general war,
in 1643. Now it has happened that one Mr. Pell, residing in Onkeneg, in New
England, has dared, against the rights and usages of Christian countries, to pre-
tend that he bought these Jands of the natives (which long since were purchased
of them and paid by your Honors as evidently appears from the tranfers in your
records), and actually made a beginning of settling and culvating these lands,
without your Honors previous knowledge or consent, directly contrary to the
limits and decisions of 1650, concluded with the United Colonies of New Eng-

a Alb. Rec. vol. i. p. 315.
6 Alb, Ree. vol. ii. 291.

278 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

land at Hartford,¢ against which usurpation your Attorney General, in his quality
and in the name of the Lords Lis masters, had in due form entered his protest,
which the Lieutenant Wheeler, who there commands, not at all respecting, con-
tinues to remain there with his associates in planting and building, luring and ac-
commodating our run-away inhabitants, vagrants and thieves, and others who
for their bad conduct find there a refuge. As it has pleased your Honors in con-
formity to the instructions and letters of the Lords majors, and in preservation of
the convention made at Hartford, to keep it inviolated, to send thither a body of
armed men to secure said Wheeler and his associates, who, as appears from their
own declaration of the 14th of March had met there the Director General there
present on the spot with an armed force, and declined to move from thence, say-
ing that it was their land, on which said Englishmen were disarmed and twenty-
three of them conducted as prisoners to the ship ‘‘ Wetgh-scales,” leaving a few
to protect their wives, children and property. All of which the Attorney General
demands that your Honors would send one or two of the oldest to Vreedlandt to
inform the remainder of the English that they must leave that spot, taking with
them all that they brought thither, under the penalty that if they acted otherwise,
that then other measures shall be adopted according to law; and further that the
aforesaid Lieutenant Wheeler and his associates shall not be set at liberty before
they have paid all the expenses which your Honors have been compelled to,
through their conduct and disobedience, in that expedition in going thither with
an armed force in boats. Besides this they shall sign an act, and promise under
oath, that they never more will inhabit any of the lands of our Lords and princi-
pals situated in Vreedlandt, now lately by them called Westchester, or any other
lands within the limits finally concluded at Hartford; neither settle, or build, or
plant, or sow, or mow there, without a special order and consent of your Honors
—under the penalty, that if they acted contrary to it, of corporal punishment as
the case might require, &c.”?

The Council sustained this demand of the Attorney General (as plain-
tiff), the same day.

Upon the 16th of March, 1656, Lieut. Thomas Wheeler and his Eng-
lish associate at Vreedlandt, voluntarily submitted themselves to the
government of the New Netherlands. Their names were as follows :—

Tuomas N. Newman, THoMAs WHEELER,
Ropert Basser, Isaac Horsert,
Joun CLOEs, Rosertr Ross,
SHerroop Damis, James Birt,
Wiritram H. FEenratt, JoHn 8. GENNER,
Riowarp C. MEaAREs, RicuarD OsBort,
SAMUEL Hare tt, Wittiam Warp.

The following prisoners were released on the 25th of March, 1656 :—
Captain R. Ponton, William Elet Black, merchant; John Gray and

a See negotiations between New England and Peter Stuyvesant concerning limits.—Haz-
ard’s Hist. Coll. vol. ii, 156, 173, 549.

Bb Alb. Rec. vol. ii. 301,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 279

Roger Wheeler. They were “commanded to depart the limits of the
New Netherlands, except some of the inhabitants of Vreelandt would
adopt them and become bail for their good behaviour.” ‘In 1656, the
inhabitants of Westchester dispatched five of their number, viz: Lieut.
Thomas Wheeler, Thomas Newman, John Lord, Jonah Wilbert, Wil-
liam Ward and Nicolas Hurler, to the Governor and Council that they
might confirm and establish them, and praying that they may in future
appoint their civil officers.”

Having executed a settlement of the difficulties at “‘ Oost.dorp,” we
find the Director and his Council ordering a supply of arms and ammu-
nition for its protection.

‘Being presented to the Hon’ble Director General and Council in New Neth-
erland, a report of Brian Norton, captain lieut., Cornelius van Ruyven, secretary,
and Carel van Brugge, commissary, appointed to go to Oost-dorp, the director
general and council did approve it, upon which they resolved that they would
send by the first opportunity to the magistrates of Oost-dorp the following am-
munitions of war, to be preserved there for the use of the aforesaid village, and
to be employed when necessity might require it, viz:

12 muskets, 12 Tb. of powder,
12 Tb. of lead, 2 bundles of matches.

And further, a writing book for the magistrates. Done in Fort Amsterdam,
N. N., 3d June, 1657. PETER STUYVESANT,
Nicassits DE SILxE,
Peter ToNNEMAN.Ӣ

Upon the 28th of June, 1660, Governor Stuyvesant addressed the fol-
lowing letter to the inhabitants of Oost-dorp, (East town) :—

Lovine Frienps:—Out of your nomination presented unto us we have made
choice, as you may know by these presents, of

JOSIAH GILBERT,
Nicoias Bayty,
Tomas WALL.

The which we, for the year following, do confirm and establish for magistrates
of the towne called East town, requiring all and every one whom these may con-
cerne, to esteem them as our elected and confirmed magistrates for the said town.
So, after my respects, I rest

Your loving friend and Governor,

P. STUY VESANT.4@
AMSTERDAM, N. N., 28th June, 1660.

a Arrested for taking up arms at Vreedlandt.
b Alb. Rec. p. 318.

e Alb. Bec. vol. xv. 8.

d Alb. Rec. vol. xxiv. 38,

280 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

In 1662, Governor Stuyvesant granted to the English towns the right
to nominate their own magistrates, and to have their own courts, “‘du¢ in
dark and dubious matters, especially in witchcraft, the party aggrieved
might appeal to the Governor and council.”

Upon the nomination of town officers, the same year, the inhabitants
addressed the Governor, as follows :—

Right Hon’ble Lord Governor of the New Netherlands, Lord Stevensone :—
We, the inhabitants of the towne, do heare present our choice unto your honor,
for the establishing of magistrates for the ensuing yeare; these may give your
honor for to understand what the towne choyce is, as followeth, namely :

WILtiAM Betts, Rogerr Huestis, JOHN QuIMBY,
Epwarp WATERS, Niconas Bayty, Tuomas VAILLE.

East Towne, Feb. 11, 1662.4

About this period Connecticut claimed Westchester as lying within
her jurisdiction ;¢ in support of which she issued the following orders :—

At a court of general assembly, held at Hartford, October 9th, 1662, ‘This as-
sembly doth hereby declare and inform the inhabitants of Westchester, that the
plantation is included in ye bounds of our charter, granted to this colony of Con-

necticut.’*¢
Hartrorp, this 18th of Oct., 1552.

To the Inhabitants of Westchester :

You are required in his majesties name to appear (or by your deputies), at
Hartford, the second Thursday in May next, to attend your duty according to
his majesties grants. By letters patent hereof. You may not fail at your peril.

JOHN MASON, Deputy Governor.
To the Inhabitants of Westchester :

[Connecticut seal. ] 25TH OF Oort., 1662.

Mr. Gold, Mr. Clark, chairman, Mr. Campfield, and Jehu Burr are hereby ap-
pointed to keep a court at Fairfield, when they see cause for the issuing and de-
termining such causes and cases as shall then be presented. Stamford, Greenwich
and Westchester, have hereby liberty to take the benefit of the Court of Fairfield,
as shall be in controversy amongst them for the future.

This is a true copy of the order of the Hon. Genl. Assembly held at Hartford
the 9th of October last past, under the seal of the colony, and under the hand of

DANIEL CLARK, Clerk.

Transcribed for me, W111 Hirt,

Clerk of the courts to be held at Fairfield.

Copia scriptum per me, The absolute seal came not to the
Ricwarp MILts. inhabitants of Westchester, only the
sign as above, with the word seal

above it. Ricuarp Mixts.¢

a Alb. Rec. vol. xxi. 233-8.

b Alb. Rec. vol. xx. 51.

ce July 10, 1663. Connecticut now laid claim to Westchester (says Trumbull), and sent one
of her magistrates to bend the inhabitants to the choice of their officers, and to administer
the proper oaths to such as they might elect.—Trwmbull’s Hist, of Conn. 268.

d Hartford Rec. Boundary Letters, vol. ii. 168.

e Alb. Kec. vol. XX1. 99.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 281

Another letter from Hartford, entitled an order of the General As.
sembly at Hartford about Oost dorp:

‘*This assembly doth hereby declare and inform the inhabitants of Westchester
that that plantation is included within the bounds of the charter granted to the
colony of Connecticut ; and as it hath pleased his majesty, our gracious sovereign
lord, Charles II., thus to dispose of them, we cannot but declare, that we con-
ceive it most conducible to their tranquility and future peace, that they do de-
mean themselves in all things as may declare and manifest their readiness to
subject to his royal will and pleasure herein.

The next Assembly is appointed and ordered to be held at Hartford on the

second Thursday in May next.
Copia scriptum per me,

RICHARD MILLS.

Extracted from the records of the Colony Court at Connecticut,
and certified with the seal of the said court per DanteEt Cxrarkg, Secretary.

The signal of the seal above is come
to the inhabitants of Westchester, abso-
lute made in red wax, the motto I sup-
pose to be the arborated craggy wilder-
ness and the flying cloudes.

Ricwarp MILts.

In this dilemma, we find the inhabitants of Westchester addressing
Governor Stuyvesant in a letter which they sent by their two magis-
trates, William Betts and Edward Waters.

WESTCHESTER, the 30th of April, 1663.

Hon. Lorp Stevenson :—We humbly beseech you to understand, that wee the
inhabitants of this place, have not plotted nor conspired against your Honour.
The original of the writing here enclosed, were not in any measure sought for
by us, but were by the said court sent unto us when we expected them not. How
to resist them we know not, they being as you see, in his majesties name of Eng-
land. This was a reason why we choose not magistrates at present as formerly,
and that wee hope that your honour will be herewith satisfied.

Your honour’s loving friend,
Ricuarp Mitts,
In the name, and by the appointment, of the

inhabitants of Westchester.”

Governor Stuyvesant having ascertained, that the inhabitants of West-
chester were about to send two delegates to Hartford, despatched
Sheriff Waldron with this letter:

Lovine Frienps:—We were much wondered, that you according to order and
your duty, have not presented unto us your nomination of your new magistrates
for this present year, being now four months past that this thing should be done;
the reason wherefore being unknown to us, we have purposely sent and ordered

282 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the bearer, Resolve Waldron our substitute sheriff, (schout) for to inquire after
the grounds and reasons thereof, which you are to give unto him in writing, and
send either of your present Magistrates to give us more fully information. So
after our love, I shall rest. Your loving friend and Governor, inscribed,
Done in Fort Amsterdam,
N. Nerserranp, 9 May, 1663. P. STUYVESANT.a

The same day Sheriff Waldron conducted the two Magistrates, William
Betts and Edward Waters, to Governor Stuyvesant, “‘ who were asked,
why they neglected to present to the Director General and Council in
conformity to custom and orders, a new nomination of magistrates?
Their answer was, that they in due time, when the nomination ought to
have been made, called the inhabitants together, and requested them to
nominate new magistrates for the ensuing year, who declined to do so at
two different times, because they had been summoned by those of Hart-
ford in Connecticut colony, as clearly appears by the following English
documents? conveyed to them for this purpose, by the aforesaid colony,
with the declaration of the aforesaid village, in the form of a letter to
the Director General. Being further questioned why they did not com-
municate the aforesaid orders and letters of Connecticut colony, so as
they ought to have done, and as other English villages actually did at
the past instance, now more than half a year past, and now above it,
had actually, de novo, appointed two of their village to go and assist in
the aforesaid order, on the stated day, at Hartford. They answer in the
first, that they as magistrates, solicited an order to present to us the nom-
ination, but that they could not obtain it while it was refused by us;
Mr. Richard Mills who had it in his possession, or by an order of the
people of that village, or in his own authority unknown to them. At last,
they acknowledged and declared, that they through ignorance to main-
tain the peace and tranquility in said village, had cornmitted a fault, and
solicited with submission and prayed to be excused for the present time.
The Director General and Council having heard the submission and con-
fession of guilt of the aforesaid persons, together with the promises made
by them, to dispose if possible, the inhabitants to make a new nomina-
tion of magistrates, and due obedience, resolved to let them return for
the present time; and the following letter to the inhabitants was de-
livered to them.

Done at Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, 12th of May, 1663.¢

The letter delivered to the magistrates by Governor Stuyvesant :

a Alb. Rec. vol. xxi. 80.

4 See preceding documents.
c Alb. Rec. vol. xxi. 93-4,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 283

Lovine Frrenps :—‘‘ Whereas, wee by the bearers, your present magistrates
were informed, which in part your letters (subscribed by one Richard Mills) doe
confirm, that the nomination for new magistrates at due time by them, were pro-
pounded at a town meeting, but hitherto differed through some unacceptable
orders of Hartford’s Assembly, this, therefore, are to require and to order you
and every one that are inhabitants of your towne, that I shall not attend any of
their orders, nor that you shall not send any deputies thither; but that you shall,
according to oath and duty upon sight of this presents, make nomination of mag-
istrates for this present year, and present them upon Monday sennit before us,
and if any should be unwillfully so to doe, we have ordered the bearers, that the
names of such disobedient and troublesome persons shall be sent unto us, that we
may act, and proceed against them according to law and judgment; so, after my
love, Ishall rest, your loving friend and Governor,

Done in Fort Amsterdam, P. STUYVESANT,

N. N., 12 May, 1663.

On the r4th day of May, 1663, the General Assembly of Connecti-
cut, choose “ Mr. Willys, Mr. Gould, Capt. Tallcote and Capt. Young, as
a committee to consider and give up their thoughts and apprehensions
concerning the settlement of Westchester and Stamford, and to make
return to the court.”4

The same court also ordered, ‘that the letter drawne up by the com-
mittee to the A/anhadoes, be drawn out fair and sent to the Lord
Stephenson, &c., as also the letter to Westchester.”?

For the purpose of answering these pretensions and claims on West-
chester, Governor Stuyvesant repaired in person to Boston, and entered
his complaints. In his interview with the commissioners (of the New
England colonies) on the 21st of September, 1663, he stated, “that he
wished a friendly and neighborly settlement of differences concerning
Eastdorpe, by the English called Westchester, and all other disputes, that
the parties may live in peace in the wilderness where many barbarous
Indians dwell.” He requested of the commissioners a categorical an-
swer, whether the treaty of Hartford made in 1650, remained “firm and
binding,” and whether the patent of Hartford, newly obtained, should ex-
tend westward. In conclusion, he expressed his willingness to abide by
the treaty of Hartford.Ӣ

Governor Stuyvesant was unsuccessful in his negotiations with the
commissioners, for he “found their demands in no way answerable to
the rights of his superiors.Ӣ

While these negotiations were pending, Richard Mills (the leading

a Hartford Rec. Bound. Letters, vol. ii. 183.
Lb Hartford Rec. Bound Letters. vol. ii.

ce Dunlap’s Hist. N. Y. vol. i. 113,

d Duniap’s Hist. N. Y vol. i. 113.

284 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

magistrate of Westchester) appears to have been languishing in the
dungeons of Fort Amsterdam; for, on the 16th of May, 1663, occurs
the following petition from the prisoner :—

“Right Hon. Gov. Lord Peter Stevenson, thy dejected prisoner Richard Mills,
doe humbly supplicate for your favor and commiseration towards me, iu admit-
ting of me unto your honor’s presence, there to indicate my free and ready mind
to satisfy your honor wherein I am able, for any indignity done unto your lord-
ship by me in any way, and if possible to release me or confine me tosome more
wholesome place than where lam. I have been tenderly bred from my cradle,
and now antient and weakly, and at this time, and ever since I came into this
unwholesome place, I have been very ill, and lame with pains in my back, hips
and joints, and I doubt uot, in a few days, will perdite (endanger or destroy) my
life, if not prevented by removal or release; will hope of your honor’s gracious
admittance and reception, and craving these my poor humble requests and pray-
ers to God for your honor, I remain, your lordship, at your pleasure,

From the gaol in RICHARD MILLS.
Fort Amsterdam, 16 May, 1663¢

Alarmed at the summary manner in which the director had treated
their leader, we find the inhabitants of Westchester hastening to nomi-
nate officers for the ensuing year.

Loving Frienps:— Out of your nominations this day presented, we have
made choice, as you may know by these presents, of
Rosert HvEstis,
JoHN BARKER,
Nicuoias BAayLey.

The which we for the year following, doe confirm for magistrates of the towne,
called East-towne, requiring all and every one whom these may concerne, to es-
teem them as our elected and confirmed magistrates for the said town; so, after

my love, I shall rest,
Your loving friend and Governor,

AMSTERDAM, N.N., P. STUYVESANT.¢
24 May, 1663

The humble petition of Richard Mills, to the Hon. High Court of the
Manhattas, held gth of June, 1663, showeth :—

That whereas, your honors have continued anger against me about some writ-
ings that were in my custody, I owne unto your honors that I did not well to
embrace the receipt of, though thereunto importuned, my proper calling being to
act in another sphere, and doe see cause to blame myself for undertaking to keep
them ; and as for Richard Ponton, his carrying them away, I assure your honors
that I never gave order to him or any others, measure soe to do; neither did I

b Alb. Ree. vol. xxi.
b Alb, Rec, vol. xxi. 115.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 285

acquaint him directly or indirectly where I should hide them. I so doing, pre-
pared that I might be sure to have them when forced to send for them, which I
can freely take my oath unto when called hereunto, wherefore I humbly beseech
your honor’s wrath towards me may be purified, and freedom to me granted, soe
as that I may proceed in my lawful calling, the short time I have to stay in these
parts, being bound for Virginia in September next, humbly crave pardon for
what I have done amiss. I remain your honor’s petitioner and prisoner,

RICHARD MILLS.

The preceding submission and confession of guilt of the prisoner,
Richard Mills, made by him verbally and in writing, being heard and
read, so is he discharged upon his humble petition, under the express
promise, sanctioned by his oath, that he never will undertake any thing
either within or out of this government, to the injury of this province,
either directly or indirectly. Done in Fort Amsterdam, N. N., 18th of
June, 1663.

By a court of General Assembly, (held at Hartford, 8th of Oct., 1663),
it was ordered, that, ‘‘this court doth accept of the town of Westchester
as a member of this corporation, being received and accepted as such,
by a council formerly.

This court moreover declarés, that all the land between the Westches-
ter and Stamford, doth also belong to the colony of Connecticut,’

In 1664, the inhabitants of Westchester addressed the following peti-
tion to the honorable his majesty’s commissioners for the affairs of New
England, which,

‘*Humbly showeth

ist. That the said tract of land called Westchester, was purchased for large
sunimes, under the title of England, by Mr. Thomas Pell of the known ancient
proprietors, in the year 1654,

2d. The pretended power of the Manhatoes, did therefore continue protesting
against and threatening of the said plantation, keeping the inhabitants at contin-
ual watch and ward, until at length the persons of twenty-three inhabitants of
Westchester aforesaid, were seized under commission from the said powers, and
committed prisoners into the hould of a vessel, where they.continued in restraint
from all friends, for the space of thirteen days, fed with rotten provisions creep-
ing with worms, whereby some of them remained diseased to this day, after
which, they were carried away in chains and laid in their dungeon at Manhatoes.

3d. That the said inhabitants had perished with famine in the said imprison-
ment, but forthe relief obtained at other hands.

4th. That all this suffering was inflicted on them, under noe other pretence,
but that they were opposers to the Dutch title to the lands aforesaid

5th. That when the said pretended powers had freed the said prisioners, and

a Hartford Col. Rec. vol. ii. 188.

286 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

introduced their own government over the said plantation, they drove away such
as would not submit to their pretended authority, to their great endangerment,
and the enslaving of such as remained.

6th. That when in May, 1663, the said plantation was reduced to the king’s
authority, by virtue of his letters patent to Connecticut, the pretended powers
aforesaid, sent in hostile manner for certain inhabitants of Westchester, whom
they confined in Manhatoes, and the next day sent for one Mr. Richard Mills,
whom they cast into their dungeon, and afterwards so used him for thirty dayes
space, as there are yet strong and crying presumptions they caused his death,
which followed soone after.

7th. That the unreasonable damage of the purchaser, and the low estate of the
plantation occasioned by the premises, hath had no other recompense to this day,
but new threatenings, and thereby an utter obstruction from the peopling and
improveing of a hopeful country, all which is an insuperable abuse to his royal
majestie’s, and our English nation, is humbly offered to the consideration of the
hon. commissioners.”

The difficulties between Connecticut and the New Netherlands con-
tinued to increase, until the subjugation of the latter by the British forces
under Governor Richard Nicolls, on the 27th of August, 1664.

“When Governor Nicolls visited Westchester, shortly after the sur-
render, the inhabitants complained to him, and, as a matter of course,
were adjudged to belong to New York.” Subsequently the towns of
Westchester, Hampstead and Oyster Bay constituted the north riding of
Yorkshire.

Upon the 16th of June, 1664, we find the inhabitants of Westchester
surrendering all their rights to Thomas Pell, in the following manner :—

‘*‘ Know ail men by these presents, that whereas there was an agreement made
on the fourteenth of November, 1654, between Thomas Pell and divers persons,
about a tract of land called Westchester,¢ which was and is Thomas Pell’s, bound-
ed as appears by an instrument bearing date as above expressed, wherein the un-
dertakers engaged the payment of a certaine summe of money, present pay, for
the said land expressed in the covenant, by reason of some troubles which hin-
dered the underwriters possession, the agreement was not attended, the present
inhabitants considering the justnesse and right of the above said title of Thomas
Pell, doe surrender all their rights, titles, and claimes, to all the tract of land
aforesaid, to bee at the disposal of the said Thomas Pell, as being the true and
proper owner thereof.

Witness our hande, this 15th day of June in the yeere of Lord one thousand
six hundred and sixty-four.

JOHN QUIMBIE, JoHN WINTER,
ConsibER Woop, RicHarD Ponton,
Nioxoias Battie, his A mark.

a Alb. Rec. Gen. Entries, p.11. Also Alb. Rec. vol. 1. 120, 121.

4 Westchester continued to form a portion of the north riding until 1683, when the present
county was erected. ,

e At this period Westchester embraced the present town of Eastchester. See vol. i. 122.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 287

Joun BARKER, Witu1amM Jones,
Rozerr Hvestis, his > mark.
Epwarp Jessop, JoHN AOCER,#
Witt Beet, JOHN WILLIAMS,
Joun Larens, his H mark.
SamMve. Barrett, SaMvuEL PircuER,
his B mark his & mark.
Tomas VAILLE, Tuomas MILLENER.

his }{ mark.&

The same day Thomas Pell issued the following order to the inhabi-
tants of Westchester :-—

‘‘The major part of the inhabitants of West Chester having surrendered up all
their rightes, titles and claimes, of ye land, w¢) they pt tended, to possesse, to
Thomas Pell, the owner thereof (as appeareth by writing under their hande, in
the foregoing page), That The inhabitants might enjoy the present improvements
of Their labors, Tneir home Lotts, and planting groundes with what meadowes
were in times past laid out to each man’s particular to mow for this yeere I have
desired Mr. Jessop, with the Townsmen and freemen, That it may bee orderly
attended. And in case men want meadow to supply Their pr esent necessity,
they make Their addresses to the aforesaid persons, for Their order, where to
mow, to supply Their present occasions.

Witness my hande This sixteenth day of June, in the yeer of our Lord one
thousand, six hundred, sixty-four. p. me, THOMAS PELL.¢

On the r5th of February, 1667, occurs the following patent from
Governor Nicolls :—

FIRST PATENT OF WESTCHESTER.

Richard Nicolls, Esq., Governor General under his Royal Highness James,
Duke of York and Albany, &c., of all his territories in America, to all to whom
these presents shall come, sendeth greeting: Whereas there is a certain town
within this Government, situate, lying and being upon the main to the east of
Harlem river, commonly called and known by the name of Westchester, which
said town belongs to the north riding of Yorkshire, upon Long Island, and is
now in the tenure and occupation of several freeholders and inhabitants who
having heretofore been seated there by authority, have been at considerable
charge in manuring and planting parts of the lands belonging thereunto, and
have likewise settled a competent number of families thereupon for a township,
now for a confirmation unto the said freeholders and inhabitants in their posses-
sion and enjoyment of the premises, as also for an encouragement to them in
their further improvements of their said lands and premises, Know yee, that by
virtue of ye commission and authority unto me given by his Royal Highness, I
have given, ratified, confirmed and granted, and by these presents do give, ratify,

a Doubtless Jan or John Archer, first lord of the manor of Fordham.
5 Westchester Town Court Rec. Conn., A.D. 1665, p, 17.
¢ Westchester Town Court Rec. Commg, A.D. 1555, p. 19.

288 HISTORY OF THE-COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

confirm and grant unto John Quimby, John Ferris, Nicholas Bayley, William
Betts and Edward Waters, as patentees for and on behalf of themselves and
their associates, ye freeholders and inhabitants of ye said town, their heirs, suc-
cessors and assignees, all that tract of land together with the several parcels not
otherwise by patent disposed of, which already have or hereafter shall be pur-
chased or procured for and on the behalf of ye said town whether from the
native Indian proprietors or others, within the bounds and limits hereafter set
forth and expressed (viz.), that is to say, ye western bounds of ye lands lying
Within ye limits of ye said town, beginning at the western part of the lands com-
monly called Bronks’ land, near or adjoining unto Harlem river, from whence
they extend eastward to the west part of a certain neck of land, commonly call-
ed Ann-hook’s neck or Mr. Pell’s purchase, southward they are bounded by ye
Sound or East River, and so runne upon a parallel line from the east and west
limits north into ye woods without limitation for range of cattle or other im-
provements, together with all ye lands, soyles, necks and lands, river, creeks,
harbours, quarries, woods, meadows, pastures, marshes, waters, lakes, fishing,
hawking, hunting and fowling, and all other profits, commodities, endowments,
and heredaments to ye said land and premises within ye said bounds and lymits,
described and set forth belonging or in any ways appertaining, to have and to
hold all and singular ye said tract and parcells of land, heredaments and premises,
with their and every of their appurtenances and of every part and parcel thereof
to ye said patentees and their associates, their heirs and assignees, to the proper
use and behoof of ye said patentees and their associates, their heirs and assignees
for ever. Moreover, I do hereby give, ratify confirm and grant unto the said
patentees and their associates, their heirs, successors and assignees, all ye rights
and privileges belonging to a town within this government, and that ye place of
their present habitation shall continue and retain the name of Westchester by
which name and style it shall be distinguished and known in all bargains and
sales, deeds, writings and records, they ye said patentees and their associates,
their heirs, successors and assignees, rendering and paying such duties and ac-
knowledgements as now are or hereafter shall be constituted and established by
the laws of this government, under the obedience of his Royal Highness, his
heirs and suocessors.

Given under my hand and seal, at Fort James, in New York, on the isle of
Manhattans, 13 February, in the 19th year of his Majesty’s reign, Anno Domini,

1667. p RICHARD NICOLLS.
In the Assize Records at Albany, appears the following entry :—

**Whereas Mr. Thomas Pell, of Ann-hookes Neck, (Pelham Neck.) late de-
ceased, upon pretence of purchase of several tracts of and of the Indian proprie-
tors within the then government and jurisdiction of the Dutch, made claims unto
the same as namely, the lands belonging to Westchester, Eastchester and Cornell’s
Neck, and that, after said land together with a larger tract formerly belonging to
the. said Dutch, were by his Majesty’s Letters Patent granted unto his Royal
Highness the Duke of York, and by the said Dutch surrendered by agreement unto.
his Royal Highness’s Deputy Col. Richard Nicolls before whom said Pell did
personally appear the first assizes held in New York, and then to make good his

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 289

claim to the lands aforesaid, and where it being sufficiently and lawfully proved
that the aforesaid lands, together with a large tract as far as Greenwich, was be-
fore purchased by the late Dutch government, and whatsoever part thereof was
not by him granted out, was of right property belonging unto his Royal High-
ness, some of which was granted to Thomas Richbell, &c., &c.”

In 1673, the province of New York, surrendered to the Dutch. Up-
on this occasion we find the inhabitants of Oost-dorp tendering their
submission :—

‘‘The deputies of Oost-dorp, alias Westchester, and adjacent hamlet of East-
chester, delivering their credentials, offered to submit themselves to the govern-
ment of their high mightinesses, and the Prince of Orange, and were commanded
to nominate by their inhabitants a double number of magistrates for the aforesaid
villages, by a majority of votes, and to present it to the Council by the first
opportunity, from which we shall elect three for their magistrates, viz.: two for
the village of Westchester. and one for Eastchester, who in his village may
decide all differences to the value of thirty shillings; those of higher value shall
be determined by the whole college, in the village of Westchester aforesaid.”

On the 28th of August, 1673, the lords commanders of the New
Netherlands, made choice of Joseph Palmer and Edward Waters as
Magistrates for Westchester. ? '

In 1686, Governor Dongan issued the following letters patent under
the great seal of the province:

SECOND PATENT OF WESTCHESTER.

Thomas Dongan, Captain General, Governor-in-Chief and Vice-Admiral in all
the province of New York, and territories depending thereon in America, under
his majesty James Second, by the grace of God, king of England, Scotland,
France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.. to all whom these presents shall
come sendeth greeting: Whereas Richard Nicolls, Esq., Governor General under
his then royal highness, James, Duke of York and Albany, &c., now his present
majesty, of all his territories in America did, by a certain writing or patent, un-
der his hand and seal, bearing date the fifteenth day of February, in the nine-
teenth year of the reign of our late sovereign lord, King Charles the Second of
blessed memory, and in the year of our Lord God 1667, by virtue of the power
and authority unto him given by him, the said royal highness, now his present
majesty as aforesaid. Give, ratify, confirm and grant unto John Quimby, John
Ferris, Nicholas Bailey, William Betts, and Edward Waters as patentees for and
in the behalf of themselves and their associates, the freeholders and inhabitants
of the town of Westchester, within this government, situate, lying, and being
upon the main, to the east of Harlem River, which said town belongs to the
North Riding of Yorkshire, upon Long Island, then in the tenure and occupation
of several freeholders and inhabitants who had heretofore been seated on them .

a Alb. Reg. vol. xxiii. 273.
b Eastchester Ree.

290 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

by authority, and at considerable charge in manuring and planting part of the
land belonging thereunto, and likewise have settled a competent number of
families thereupon for a township, all that tract of land together with the several
parcels not otherwise by patent disposed of, which already had or thereafter
should be purchased or procured, for and in the behalf of the said town, whether
from the native Indian proprietors or others with the bounds and limits hereafter
set forth and expressed, viz., the eastern bounds of the lands lying within the
limits of the said town, beginning at the west part of the land commonly called
Bronk’s land, near or adjoining unto Harlem River, from whence they extend
castward to the west part of a certain neck of land, commonly culled Ann-hooks
neck, or Mr. Pell’s purchase ; southward they are bounded by the Sound or East
River, and so run upon a paralel line, for the east and west limits, north into the
woods without limitation, for range of cattle or other improvements, together
with all the lands, soyles, neck, &c., &e. William Richardson, John Hunt, Ed-.
ward Waters, Robert Huestis, Richard Ponton, William Barnes, John Bugbie,
John Bailey, John Tudor, John Ferris, Joseph Palmer, Thomas Baxter, free-
holders of the commonality of the town of Westchester.

6th January, 1686. THOMAS DONGAN.

October, 1687, “it was voted, and agreed upon, by the major part of
the trustees, that John Ferris, Sen., and Joseph Palmer, should go on
Monday next, &c., and run the north-west line, from the head of
Hutchinson’s, fo Bronck’s River; it was also voted that Joseph Palmer
and Edward Waters shail go with the Indians and show them the line
as near as they can, that runs between Mr. Pell“fnd our town, as also
the line which runs betwixt this town and Eastchester.” @

Upon the 27th of May, 1692, we find the Indian proprietors, Mami-
nepoe and Wampage, conveying the following tract of land, to the
trustees of Westchester.

INDIAN DEED OF WESTCHESTER.

‘“To all Christian people to whom this deed of sale shall come, greeting:
Know ye, that wee, Maminepoe and Wampage alias Ann-hook, Indian proprie-
tors of a certain tract of land lying within the limits and bounds of the patent of
the county town of Westchester, in the province of New York, for a valuable
consideration, and other considerations us thereunto moving, and having taken
the advice and approbation of several native Indians here underwritten, to us in
hand paid by John Palmer, William Barnes, William Richardson, Joseph Palmer,
Samuel Palmer, Robert Huestis, John Ferris, John Hunt, Joseph Hunt, Josiah
Hunt, Thomas Baxter, and Edward Collier, trustees of the freehold and common-
ality of the town of Westchester aforesaid, the receipt whereof we do hereby ae
knowledge and therewith to be lawfully satisfied, contented, and paid, and thereof
do acquit, exonerate, and release, and discharge the said trustees, their heirs,
successors, and assignees forever, have given, granted, bargained, sold, enfeoffed,

7

a Westchester Rec.

: THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 291

a
released, and confirmed, and by these presents do fully, clearly, absolutely, give,
grant, bargain, sell, enfeof, release, and confirm unto the said trustees, their
heirs, successors and assignees forever, all that tract of land lying on the east
side of Brunxs’s river, beginning at the pine trees and so compassing all the
land which we the said Maminepoe ard Wampage layes claim to, until they
come to the head of Rattle Snake brook, and from thence north-east to Mr.
Pell’s land, so north by said Pell’s marked trees by Brunxs’s river, together with
the woods, underwoods, timber, trees, waters, rivers, runs, brooks, and all and
singular the emolluments, hereditaments, rights, privileges, and appurtenances,
thereunto belonging or appertaining, (only reserving to ourselves the privelege
of making use of white wood trees for our particular use,) to have and to
hold the before recited premises, with all and every of its appurtenances, unto
the said trustees, their heirs, successors, and asssignees to the only proper use
and benefit and behoof of them the said trustees, their heirs, successors and
assignees forever; and it shall and may be lawful for the said trustees, their
heirs, successo1s, and assignees, from henceforth and forever, to have and to
hold, use, occupy, and. enjoy the said tract of land, free from all incumbr-
ances whatsoever, unto the said trustees, their successors and assignees ©
for ever, without any manner of claime, challenge, or demand of us, our
heirs, executors or administrators, or any other native Indians or Christian
people, by, from, or under us, or any person or persons whatsoever ; and we
the said Maminepoe and Wampage, alias Ann-hook, shall and will forever
warrant and defend the said tract of land unto the said freeholders of the
corporation of Westchester, their heirs and assignees forever. In witness
whereof we the said Maminepoe and Wampage, alias Ann-hook, have put to
our hands and seales this 27th of May, the fourth year of their majesties reign,
and A. D. 1692. The mark of < MAMINEPOE,

The mark of > WAMPAGE,
alias ANN-HOOK.

The mark of } CROHAMANTHENSE,
The mark of 'T MAMERTEKOH.
Signed, sealed, and deliver in presence of us,
ABRAHAM HAWKER,
Isaac LARENs,
The mark of 4 JoHN GARRETSON,
Native Indians witnesses to the above deed.

The mark of '0 WEENETONAH,
The mark of < TaNnanoor,

The mark of $4 CosHEnoa,

The mark of } Rats Couwinp,
The mark of o Tom.

The following entry in the town books refers to this sale :—

‘‘At a meeting of the inhabitants held the 27th of May, 1692, this day, the

292 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

land on the east side of Broncks’s river, till we come to Mr. Pell’s line, was
purchased of Maminepoe and Ann-hook for :—

2 gunns, 2 coats, _ 2 shirts,
2 kettles, 2 adzes, 1 barrel of cider,
6 bitts of money.

DISBURSEMENTS UPON THE INDIAN PURCHASE.

WILLIAM Barnegs, 1 kettle, - - - - - P - =» (22-2580
To expences to ye Indians, - = - “ = é 7 - Ow 6.85
Joun Hunt, 1 coate, - - - - - - - - - 012 U
For money, er fo Pree es cal PR 0g aang ck eet a
To Indian supper and other expences, - - - - - - 0. 8-0
Witu1Am RicHarpson, 2 shirts, - - - - - - - 012 0
Joun Ferris, sen, 1 coate, = «3 : : = 2 = : 012 0
To one day with the Indians, -~ - 2 vee 3 a a: 030
JosEpH Hunt, 2 adzes, and 3s. 8d. in money, - - - e - 015 0
SAMUEL Parmer, 1 gun, - - -- - = = -s peered ole iy ()
THomas Baxter, 1 gun, -~— - - 2 s - Z < 1. So
Josgspo Hunt, 1barrelof cider, - - - += « = « O89

£8 4 6

RosBert Hvestis and THomas Baxter, 1 gun,4

At a meeting held by the trustees of Westchester the 6th day of Feb-
ruary, 169%,—“‘ Present, William Barnes, John Ferris, Joseph Palmer,
Samuel Palmer, Thomas Baxter, John Bayley, John Hunt, Robert Huestis
and Edward Collier. It was voted and agreed upon, that John Ferris,
Sen., and Joseph Palmer should go to Mr. Pell’s and proceed to have
the line run between the town and him, &c., and report of their doings
next Tuesday.”

Fourth of September, 1694, it was agreed upon at a lawful town
meeting that Richardson shall have free liberty to build or to erect a
mill or mills upon the stream on the great creek of the town, for and in
consideration of grinding of the inhabitants’ corn, for the fourteenth
part, also liberty of cutting timber for a saw mill. Done in behalf of
the town, &c.

In 1700 it was resolved at a meeting of the inhabitants, “‘ That the
line between” “Thomas Pell’s patent and the town of Westchester,
(pursuant to the grants made by Governor Nicolls,) shall be run by the
Surveyor General of the province of New York ; and that the standard
for running said line shall be pitched and placed and set in the middle
of Hutchinson’s river at the going over of the road as far up as the tide

a Albs Rec. gen, entries. See also Town Rec. 27th of March, 1704, Joseph Hunt was direc-
ted to go to the clerk of the county and see the Indian deed recorded.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 203:

flows, and so to run upon a north line to Bronck’s river, and northward
down said river in the middle of the channel to the Sound, which said
bounds or lines to continue forever between the said Thomas Pell’s
patent and the said town of Westchester.”

The same year a grant of land appears to have been made by the
inhabitants to John Pell, Esq.°

At a meeting of the trustees held 23d day of January, A. D., 1720,
present, Miles Oakley, President; John Oakley, Thomas Hadden,
Thomas Baxter, Israel Honeywell, John Ferris, Peter Ferris, Joshua
Hunt, Nathaniel Underhill, zruszees.

‘“* Whereas several persons have come with boats, canoes, &c., a fishing, and
have broke up our ground, and taken away ye oysters from within ye limits of
our patent, in an unlawful manner, therefore, it is voted and agreed upon by the
trustees aforesaid, that any person or persons who shall at any time hereafter
trespass upon us by fishing, breaking our ground, and taking our oysters in ye
manner aforesaid, shall be immediately prosecuted according to law for such tres-
pass or trespasses; and it is also voted and agreed upon by ye trustees aforesaid,
that John Ferris, Thomas Baxter, Joshua Hunt, of Westchester, Capt. Joseph
Drake, Mathauiel Tompkins, and Moses Fowler, of Eastchester, do immediately
put this into execution; and it is also agreed that if any freeholder of Westches-
ter do take any oysters to transport out of our township to make sale thereof,
such freeholder or freeholders shall be esteemed as trespassers, &c. Provided
that the freeholders in general of Eastchester shall not be esteemed trespassers
according to this act, excepting such of them as shall take oysters within ye
limits of West and Eastchester to transport them out of ye said townships to
make sale thereof,”&c.¢

In the reign of George the First, a charter was granted to the trustees
of this town, entitled, “An act to prevent the fencing in or enclosing the
sheep pasture, or any part thereof, in the borough town of Westchester,
&c.” Dated 28th of February, in the eighth year of his reign, and of
our Lord God) 1721. | ¢

May the 6th, Anno Dom 1729, at a meeting of the Mayor, Alder-
men, Common Council and Trustees, of the town of Westchester, it
was resolved :—

‘‘That they who have rights in the sheep pasture, may by themselves or as-
signs for every twenty-five pounds priviledge turn on twenty-five sheep, the
lambs exclusive being to run with their dams, no more or in lieu of three sheep

@ Town Rec,

& Town Rec. ’ :

e Town Rec. fol. ix. 120, 121,—At a Court of Common Conncil held 1740, it was ordained “ that
no person not belonging to this corporation do take and carry away our clams or oysters, but
that all boats, canoes, or other craft belonging to persons who shall presume to take the same
not inhabiting within this county, shall be seized; and further no person belonging to this
corporation shall have power to give leave to any person not living in this corporation to get
oysters or clams.”

2904 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

out of that number to each priviledge; a cow in lieu of five sheep, a horse, mare
or an ox; in lieu of a sheep a calf, in lieu of two sheep a yearling. If any person
who have a right or rights shall turn on above the abovesaid regulation, or if any
person not having aright shall turn on any sheep, eattle, or horse kind they
shall be liable to such fines and forefeitures as this body or their successors shall
from time to time according to their power by charter be established, &c.”’

The “sheep pasture” embraced what was subsequently known as the
*Commons” upon this extensive water, consisting of four hundred
acres ; the freeholders of the town enjoyed the free use of pasturage,
under the before mentioned regulations. Attached to the “sheep pas-
ture” was a small quantity of salt meadow opposite to Bridge Hill near
the causeway leading from West Chester to Throckmorton’s Neck which
has been for some time fenced and closed up near the railroad station ;
at Tompson’s was also a small gore of land attached to the “sheep pas-
tures” consisting of one and a half acres lying on both sides of Stony
Brook where the freeholders of the town were in the habit of folding and-
washing their sheep.

“ The trustees gave land to the town of Westchester for their minis-
ters. They also gave the landing place to said town that lays adjoining
to the creek and crossway which goes from Westchester to Frog’s Neck,
and they also gave the town what is called Bridge Hill adjoining the
said bridge for the support and keeping the bridge in good order. I
suppose there is about three acres of land on said hill. All these above-
mentioned lands and privileges was given to said town by the trustees, and
those trustees gave to their proprietors, whose names are herein men-
tioned in a tract of land called the Sheep Pasture unto forty and five
men ; some purchased five, twenty-five pound Rights; the number of
Rights is one hundred and six granted to the said proprietor ; and they
sold their Rights to others and bought Rights of other men who had a
mind to sell. The trustees had no Right to sell any of their land at
all, neither had they right to fence or to lease any of said land, &c.”

The “Commons” were purchased by Martin Wilkins, Esq., of the
trustees in 1825, and after passing through other hands were again pur-
chased by his grandson, the late Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq., of Castle
Hill Neck for $30,000, who sold them to an association called Union
Port for the location of a village.

The village of Westchester is situated at the head of navigation on West-
chester Creek, twelve miles from the city of New York, contains three
taverns, a post office, several stores, and a depot embracing the new and
“@ Minutes of Mayor's Court, formerly in possession of the late William H. Leggett, Esq.

b Extract from original document, signed Benjamin Palmer New York, 29 July, 1802, in
possession of New York Hist. Society.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 295

grand air-line extension, or Harlem River branch of the New Haven
Railroad—accommodated by the daily stoppage of twenty passenger
trains, connecting at North New York with the spacious swift, and
elegant boats of the Morrisania or Harlem Steamboat Companies, which,
starting about.every quarter of an hour in thirty minutes transport their
passengers by the East River to their landing at Fulton Shp, the south-
ern and business end of the great metropolis. At Westchester village is
a convenient landing for three or four sloops to the New York market.
The Westchester Creek, at high water, admits vessels of three hundred
tons to the landing. The bridge connecting Throckmorton’s Neck with
the main, was erected at a very early period; and maintained, as the
following document shows, by a rate levied on all taxable inhabitants
of the town :—

‘* Att a town court held by the constable and overseers this, 9th of July, 1678.
Present,
JustTIcE PELL,
JoHN Parmer, Constable,

Cart. PonTon,
Mr. Mutrier,- > Overseers.
Mr. Wuirttock. )

‘Tt is ordered that ye bridge betwixt Froggs Necke and the Towne be main-
tained and upheld by a rate to be levied and assissed upon all persons and estates
that are putt in the county rate belonging to the Township of Westchester, East
Chester excepted.”2

There are, also, several manufacturies and formerly two grist-mills ;
one of which, a tide mill, was destroyed by fire some years ago. The latter
was erected at a very early period, and was held by Col. Caleb Heath-
cote, one of the prominent afficials under the Colonial Government, and
the first Mayor of the Borough. There are three school districts in the
town, namely: Westchester Village, Throckmorton’s Neck, and Bear
Swamp.

Westchester is by several years the oldest village in the county, its first
settlement (by the Puritans) having commenced in 1650. At this early
period, it formed a part of the Dutch district of Vrede-dand (or land of
peace) and was, therefore, within the limits and jurisdiction of the New
Netherland. By the Dutch it was named Oost-dorp, (East town) from
its situation east of the Manhattans. So early as 1657, Gov. Stuyvesant
ordered that Westchester should have four Engtish or one Dutch mile
square of land for the town.

During the Dutch dynasty, courts appear to have been holden regu-

a Westchester Town Rec.

296 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

larly at Oost dorp; fer, among the town records,-is a small volume,
entitled “‘ The Book of Court Acts, from 1657 to 1662,” from which we
extract the following memoranda :—

Feb. 1st, 1657, Wiliam Benfield for panera of athority is bound over to
anser at coarte.”
‘“Pebray the 1, 1657.—Esttowne—the sentence of coarte upon Wiliam Ben-
field for contempt of athority is fine—twenty guilders, besid’s other charges that
amounts to eleven guilders three stivers.”

On the same occasion, “ John Archer, plaintiff against Roger Wiles,
in an action of debt for the value of seventy-four guilders, principal.”

East town, the 13th of September, 1662, at a court held before
Edward Walters, Robert Huestis and William Bett, by order and power
of the Governor General, Peter Stuyvesant, Governor of the province of
New Netherland, and the high council, etc.

Thomas Higgins, plaintiff, complains of Lawrence Turner, in an action
of slander done by his wife, &c., ended by arbitration.

When Richard Nicolls, the Duke of York’s Governor, convened an
Assembly from the towns of Long Island and Westchester, to meet at
Hempstead, March 1st, 1665, there appeared the following deputies
from this place—Edward Jessup, John Quimby.¢

Avevst 6TH, 1665.—We whose names are underwritten, doe jointly agree to
set to our hands to send the eight townsmen to Governor Nicolls, to stand by
them in what they doe in that particular, for the settlement of the towne.

WitiiaM Quimper, Tomas MILER,
JOHN FEreis, Joun SMITH,
Ropert PINCKNEY, C. Woop,

Epwarp WATERS, EDWARD JESSUPE,
RicHarD Ponton, Tuomas Hunt,
Samvet Barret, Tomas Hunt, Jr.,

THOMAS VAILE.

At this early period, a portion of the judicial power appears to have
been lodged in the hands of the constaé/e ; for in the town records, this
entry occurs :-—

WESTCHESTER, Sept. 3, 1665.

At a town court holden by the constable and the commissioners appointed,
Thomas Hunt complained against an Indian called Pomoqucee, that the said
Indian took his canoe from the shore, where it was safe, and carried it quite
away. Upon examination, the Indian confessed that he took the canoe from the
shore, but said it was not secured.

_ @ Alb. Rec. Gen. Entries, 1664-5, page 96.—See Dunlap Hist., N. Y.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 297

The inhabitants -of. Westchester (like their New England forefathers)
appear to have been greatly troubled with the plague of witchcraft ; for,
in 1670, Katharine Harryson of England who had lived nineteen years
at Weathersfield, in Connecticut, where she had been tried for witchcraft,
found guilty by the jury, acquitted by the benck, and released’ out ot
prison, on consideration that she would remove, appeared before the
council on the accusation of Thomas Hunt and Edward Waters, in be-
half of the town of Westchester, they praying that she might be driven
from the town. This affair was adjourned to the 4th of August, when
being heard, it was referred to the General Court of assizes. The wo-
man being ordered to give security for good behavior. The following
sentence was recorded by the Court, Oct., 1670: ‘In the case of Catha-
rine Harryson, widow, who-was bound to her good behavior, upon com -
plaint of some of the inhabitants of Westchester, whilst ye holding of
this court: It is ordered, that in regard there is nothing appears against
her deserving the continuance of that obligation, she is to be released
from it, and hath liberty to remove from the town of Westchester were
she now resides, or any whereelse in the Government during her pleas-
ure.”

The humane efforts, however, of the court to protect the poor widow,
appear to have been ineffectual; for soon after, an order was given for
Catharine Harryson, charged with witchcraft, to leave Westchester, “as
the inhabitants are uneasy at her residing there, and she is ordered to
go off.”

Catharine Harryson was returned to Weathersfield, as the people of
Westchester were unwilling to keep a pauper belonging to the former
place. The following receipt, in her name, is recorded in the town
court records :—

‘‘ Know all men by these presents, that I Katharen Harryson, doe own that
Joseph Pallmar, hath fully and absolutely satisfied the said Katharen Harryson,
for a sarten bill of thirteen pounds and so used mony; and I the said
Katharen Harryson doe aequit the said Joseph Pallmar of all bills, books, dues
and demands from the beginning of the world to this present day. Given under
my hand, the fifth of September in the yeare one thousand six hundred and
seventy. The O mark of

Witness, the R. P. marke of KATHAREN HARRYSON.
RienarD Ponton,
Francis YEATS.

Ir 1679, wolves appear to have been very numerous and destructive

a Assize Rec. Albany.

298 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

in this portion of Westchester county, as appears in the following order
of the town court records :—

‘“West Chester January ye 9th, 1679. Att a Towne Meeting at ye house of
Thomas Wittlock being Constable: Itt is ordered that Wm. Barnes, John
Hunt and Samuell Well are to make and maintaine two woulf pitts and to main-
taine the same for the space of three whole yeares from the day of the date hereof,
and in consideration hereof the Towne is to allow the said persons for the making
said woulf pitts the sume of twenty shillings: and for each woulf that they shall
catch, in said pitt, and presented to the Constable of the Town: They shall also
have of every such woulf soe caute the sume of tenn shillings: it is conditioned
that the said two woulfe pitts are to be finished and compleated at or before the
3lst day of May next ensuing the date hereof and to be kept in repair the whole
tearme of three yeares.”

The subjoined document, would appear to be the first tavern license
granted in this county :—

‘‘At a town meeting in Westehester, the 27th of June, 1681, Justice Pell pre-
sent. The town made choice of John Hunt for an ordinary keeper, tor one year
ensuing, for the town of Westchester, and desired him the said John Hunt, may
be licensed by the justices of the riding. The said Hunt is to sell his biere at
two pence per quart, and rum at three pence per gill, which he shall not exceed;
and to take his corne at price current, according to the current rate, and that
none else to retaile againe in rum in the said towne of Westchester, during the
said tearme of one year, without the approbation of the said Hunt.”

We have already shown that Westchester sent representatives to the
Governor’s assembly, in 1665. The following relates to the election of
representatives, in 1683 :—

WESTCHESTER, the 29th of Sept. 1683.

‘‘At a town meeting held in obedience to a warrant from the high sheriff con-
cerning the choice of four men out of the township to goe to Jamaica upon Long
Island the first day of October next ensuing, there to joyne with a committee
chosen out of each towne mm the north riding, and this said committee to choose
two out of the riding, able men as representatives for the north riding. The
town hath made choice of William Richardson, Richard Ponton, Thomas Hunt,
sen., and John Palmer, to be the four men to goe to Jamaica.

Recorded in town meeting,
per FRANCIS FRENCH, Recorder.”

Upon the division of the province into shires and counties, the follow-
ing act was passed by the Colonial Assembly for the regulating and settling
of Courts of Justices, entitled “‘an act for the more orderly hearing
and determining of matters and cases of controversy, &c.” Two Courts
of Sessions for the County of Westchester, the first Tuesday in June and
the first Tuesday in December yearly and every year, the one to be held

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 299

at Westchester, and the other at Zastchester. Also a Court of Oyer and
Terminer and general jail delivery in the same county on the first
Wednesday in December. Passed 29th of October, 1683.4

Westchester formed the shire town of the county from 1683 to 1759.
The following notice of the destruction of the Court-House occurs in the
New York fost Boy, February 13th, 1758 :—

**New York, Fes. 13TH.—We hear from Westchester that on Satur-
day night the 4th inst. the Court-house at that place was unfortunately
burnt to the ground. We have not yet heard how it happened.”

This building occupied the site of the present parochial school-house
Ol ot. Peters.

The last court held here was on the 6th of November, 1759.2 A few
extracts are selected from the early records, toshow the manner in which
the County Courts were conducted :—

‘* At a Court of Sessions held at Westchester, for the County of Westchester,
by their Majesties authority, present John Pell, Justice and quorum, President of
the court; John Palmer, Justice of the Peace and Quorum; Daniel Sharpe and
William Barnes, Esquires, Justices of ye Peace. December ye Ist, 1691.

The Court opened.

The Grand Jury called and appeared, viz. :

Ropert Husteap, JOHN FURGESON,

JouHN FERRIS, SEN.. Rospert HuvstTEApD, JUN,,
JoHN Moriinex, JoHN Happen, SEn.,¢
JosepH Hunt, Epwarp Happen,
JoHN Hunt, JoHN WINTER,

JoHN Qurey, Jun., Tomas BeEpIent,
Joun Baty, Samurn Parmer,

WitiiaAM CHADDERTON.
The court adjourned till Thursday morning.
CONSTABLES CALLED.

Westchester, Joseph Hunt. Eastchester, Henry Fowler. New Rochelle, Cor-
nelius Seely. Mamaroneck, Richard Ward. Rye, Samuel Kniffen. Upper
Yonckers, Matthias Brookes. Bedford, ——. BENJAMIN COLLIER,

High-Sheriff of the County.@

““At a court of sessions held at Westchester by his Majesty’s authority, June
6th and 7th, 1693, before the Honorable Caleb Heathcote, Esq., Judge of the

a Acts of Assembiy, passed A, D. 1683. Upon the 29th of October, 1684, the period was
changed for hoiding the above courts from the first Tuesday in December to the third Tues-
day in November. In 1691 the courts were heid as first ordered.

5 Rec. of Court of Common Pleas, Lib. B. The old Court House at Westchester was burnt
at an early period of the Revolution.

e A.D. 1749.—Died, John Hadden and Abigail, his wife, within a few hours of each other,
having lived loveingly together seventy years. He died aged 96, and his wife 90.

d First Rec. of Court of Sessions.

"300 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Court of Common Pleas, justice and quorum, &c., the following curious testimony
was given in a suit between Richard Ponton, defendant, and Gabriel Leggett,
plaintiff. Captain Thomas Williams,¢ aged 62 years, deposed, saith, the first
reason of this difficulty was a big look violently from mee. Afterwards Captain
Leisler? sent an order to Captain Ponton to send him some men to go to Albany
for their assistance against the French, and also the said Williams to assist the
said Ponton in taking and sending the said men up. When the townes company
was Called together and Captain Ponton asked them who was willing to go vol-
unteers upon the said expedition, and Gabriel Leggett answered they was fooles
if any them did go, and said who would give them a leg or an arm if they lost
them, Upon which, Captain Ponton commanded him to hold his peace, but he
still continued abusing the defendant and said here comes the father of rogues,
and many other scurrilous words, upon which I got a warrant against him, &c.”

At a general Court of Sessions, held in 1695 :—

‘‘The jury for our Sovereign Lord the King, upon their oaths do present
Thomas Furguson of the county town of Westchester, laborer, for selling of a
certain horse without a tongue of a brown culler at Westchester aforesaid, at or
about the first day of May last, &c.”

By an act of Assembly passed on the 11th of May, 1693, “a publte
and open market was appointed to be held on every Wednesday of the
week at Westchester, “‘to which market it was lawful for all and every
of the inhabitants and sojourners to go, frequent and resort, and thither
to carry all sorts of cattle, grain, victuals, provisions and, other necces-
saries from eight in the morning to sunset.Ӣ :

It was also enacted by General Assembly the same year, “that there
shall likewise be held and kept twice yearly and every year, a fair, to
which fairy it shall and may be likewise lawful for all and every person
to go and frequent, &c., two fairs yearly for the county of Westchester ;
the first to be kept at the town of Westchester in the said county on the
second Tuesday of May and to and on the Friday following, being in
all four days, exclusive and no longer; and the second fair to be kept at
Rye in the said county, on the second Tuesday in October yearly, and
to.end the Friday following, &c., &c.”4 These privileges were subse-
quently confirmed and enlarged.¢

The following charter, incorporating the ancient settlement of West-
chester as a borough town, was granted on the 16th of April, 1696 :—

a Dec. lith, 1689. Thomas Williams, freeholder of Westchester, was elected member of the
Govenor's Council.

b Governor Jacob Leisler, who assumed the government of the Province in 1689.
c The above act was confirmed in 1697.—See Acts of Assembly, p. 17.

d Acts of Assembly, confirmed the lith of May, 1697.

e See Charter.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 301

ROYAL CHARTER.

Guliclmus Tertius Dei Gratia, Angliz Scotia, Galli et Hibernix, Rex fidei
defensor, &c., &e.

“To all whome these presents shall come, sendeth grecting :

Whereas, Richard Nicolls, Esq., sometime Governor General of our province
of New York, in America, by a certain writing or patent under his hand and
seal, bearing date on or about ye 15th day of February, in the year of our
Lord God, 1667, by virtue of the power and authority unto him given, did give,
ratify, confirm and grant, unto John Quimby, John Ferris, Nicholas Bailey,
William Betts, and Edward Walters, as pattentees for and on the behalf of
themselves and their associates, the freeholds and inhabitants of the town of
Westchester, within our s¢ province of New York, all that tract of land scituate,
lying and being upon the main to the east of Harlem river then in the tenure and
occupation of the above said patentees, and several other freeholders and inhabi-
tants, of the said town, who, before that time by authority, had been settled
there, and had been at considerable charges in manuring and planting part of the
lands belonging thereunto, and likewise had settled a competent number of fam-
ilies thereupon for a township, the boundaries and limits whereof, were therin
set forth and exprest as follows: (viz.) the western bounds of the s@ Jand, then
lying within the limits of the said town, did begin at the land commonly called
Brunk’s land, near or adjoining to Harlem river afores’d, from whence they ex-
tend eastward to the west part of a certain neck of land, commonly called Ann
Hook’s neck or Mr. Pell’s purch’e , southward they are bounded by the Sound or
East river, and so to run up a parellel line from the east and west limits, north,
into the woods without limitation, for range of cattle, and other improvements,
together with all the lands, soiles, necks of land, rivers, creeks, harbours, quarry’s,
woods, meadows, pastures, marshes, waters, fishing, hawkings, huntings, and
ffowlings, and all other profits, commodities, emoluments and hereditaments, to
the s@ lands and premises, within the said bounds and limits described and set
forth belonging or in any manner of wayes appertaining, to have and to hold, all
and singular the said tracts and parcels of land, hereditaments and appurtenan-
ces, and every part and parcel thereof to the said pattentees and their associates,
their heirs, successors and assigns, forever.

And moreover, the said Richard Nicholls, Esq., as Govr. Genl. as afores’d did
thereby ratify, confirm ard grant unto the said patentees, their associates, their
heirs, successors and assigns, all the rights and privileges belonging to a town
within this government, and that the place of their then present habitation should
continue and retain the name of Westchester, by which name and stile it was to
be distinguished and known in all bargains, sales, deeds, writings and records,
they the sd patentees and their associates, heirs, successors and assigns, render-
ing and paying such duties and acknowledgments, as then were or hereafter
should be constituted or established by the laws of the said province, as by the
said writing or patent now remaining upon the records of the secretaries office,
relation being thereunto had, may more at large appear. And whereas, after-
wards, on or about the sixth day of Janry ., in the year of our Lord, 1686, upon
the petition of several of the freeholders of the said town of Westchester, in
behalf of themselves and the rest of the freeholders and inhabitants of the said
town, directed to Coll. Thomas Dungan, then Cap2. Genl. and Gov. in Chief of

302 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

our sd province. The s? Coll. Thomas Dungan, by virtue of the power and
authority to him derived, in and by a certain instrument in writing, under his
hand and seal of our sd. prov’e of New York, whose date is the day and year
last aboveS’, for the consideration therein mentioned, did give, grant, ratify,
release and confirm, unto twelve of the freeholders and inhabitants of the sd town
of Westchester, and thereby made them one body corporate and politick, and
willed and determined them to be known and called by the name of the Trus,
tees of the Ffreeholders and Commonality of the Town of Westchester and their
Successors, all the afores@ tracts and parcels of land, within the limits and bounds
aforesd together with all and singular the houses, mesuages, tenements, building,
mills, milldams, ffences, inclosures; gardens, orchards, fields, pastures, woods,
underwoods, common or pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, crecks, harbors
and all other profits and commodities and hereditaments whatsoever, to the sd
tracts of land, and premises belonging, or in any manner of ways appertaining,
to have and to hold unto them the s4 trustees of the ffreeholders and commonallity
of the sd town of Westchester, and their successors forever, to and for the sey-
eral and respective use therein mentioned, (viz.) as for and concerning all and
singular the several and respective parcels of land and meadows, part of the
aboves4d granted premises, then in any wise taken up and appropriated, either by
patent under the hand of any of his majesties governors in this province, and
sealed with the seal thereof, or by particular divisions, settlements, allottments and
grants, by town orders, either for the planting of land or erecting of saw mills,
with all and every the priviledges of cutting of timber, and pasture for cattle,
before the day of the date thereof, unto the several and respective then presert-
freeholders and inhabitants of the said town of Westchester, by virtue of the
before recited deeds or pattent, to the use, benefit and behoof of the s4 ffree-
holders and inhabitants respectively, and their several and respective heirs and
assigns forever, and as for and concerning all and every such tracts and parcels
of land, remainder of the granted premises not then taken up and appropriated
to any particular person cr persons, by virtue of the before recited deed or pat-
tent, to the use, benefit and behoof of the then present ffreeholders and inhabi-
tants, their heirs, successors and assignes for ever, in proportion to their several
and respective settlements, divisions and allotments 2i tenents in common, with-
out any lett, hindrance or molestation, to be had upon pretence of jointanacy or
survivorship therein saveing to his then majestic, his heirs and successors, the
several rents and quit-rents reserved due, and payable from several persomts, in-
habiting within the limitts and bounds afores4 by virtue of former grants to them
made and given, always provided, that all and every such person and persons
that hold any land within the limits and bounds afores4, by virtue of the particu-
lar grants, patents, are forever to be excluded from having any rights or com-
monage or particular division of any of the lands within the limits and bounds
afores@ that then remained unappropriated to be holden of us, our heirs and suc-
cessors in free and common socage according to the manner of East Greenwich,
in the county of Kent, within our realm of England, under a certain yearly quit-
rent therein reserved, due and payable unto us, our heirs and successors; and
whereas, the northerly bounds of the first recited pattent, extends into the woods
without limitation, the said Coll. Thomas Dongan did, in and by the last above-
mentioned pattent and confirmation, declare and determine, that the northerly

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 3°93

north-east and north-west bounds of the s¢ town of Westchester, should for ever
hereafter be concluded and ascertain’d by ye southerly line of the pattent of
Onsal and the south and west line of Thos. Pell, as by ye last above recited pat-
ent, relation being thereunto had, may more at large appear; and jforasmuch as
the present trustees and other the freeholders and inhabitants of the s@ town of
Westchester, have lately, by their humble petition to our trusty and well beloved
Benjan Ffletcher, our Cap2 Gen! and Governt-in-chief of our said province of
New York, in America, pray’4 our charter or pattent of confirmation of all those
several tracts and parcels of land, and other the premises to them granted as
aforesd, and that the said town of Westchester, and all and singular the lands
and tenements thereunto belonging and appertaining, may forever hereafter, be
a free borouzh and town corporate; now knowe ye, that we do by this our royal
pattent or charter of confirmation, for us, our heirs and successors grant ratify
and approve and confirm unto the s¢ trustees of the ffreeholders and inhabitants
of our s@ town of Westchester, and to their successors and assigues forever,

all the several tracts and parcels of land hereinbefore recited, whose meets
and bounds are forever hereafter to be taken, and esteemed to be and re-
main as follows: (viz.) the western bounds thereof are to begin at the west part
of the land commonly call’4 Brunks land, near or adjoining to Harlem river from
whence they are to extend eastward to the west part of a neck of land, common-
ly call’€ Ann-hook’s neck, or the westermost bounds of Mr. Pell's pattent,

southard by the Sound and East river, and so to run up a parrailell line from
the east and west limits, north into the woods, until it meet the southerly line of
the pattent of Onsal and the south and west line of Thomas Pell’s patent, togeth-
er with all and singular the houses, mesuages, tenements, erections and build-

ings, mills, mill dams, fences, inclosures, gardens, orchards, fields, pastures, com-
mon of pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, plains, woods, underwoods, tim-
ber, trees, rivers, rivulets, runs, streams, water, lakes, ponds, pools, pits, braches,

quarries, mines, minerals, (half of gold and silver mines excepted) crecks, har-
bours, highways, easements, fishing, hunting and fowling, and all other franchises,

profits, commodities, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever, to the same

belonging, or in any manner of ways appertaining or therewithal us’4 and en-

joy’4, as part, parcel or member thereof, or accepted, requited or taken, to belong
or in any wise to appertain thereunto, to have and to hold and enjoy ali and sing-
ular the abovesd tracts and parcels of land, hereditaments and premises, with
their and every of their appurtenances unto the s4 trustees of the ffrecholders
and inhabitants of the said borough and town of Westchester, and their succes-
sors forever, to and for the several and respective uses following, and to no other
use, intent or purpose whatsoever, (viz.) as for and concerning ali and singular
the several and respective parcels of upland and meadow ground, part of the
above granted premises, in any wise taken up and appropriated, either by patt’t
under the hand of any of our former gover’ of this our province, and sealed with
the seal thereof, or by grant from the above mentioned trustees, or by particular
divisions, settlements and grants, by town orders, either for planting of land, or
erecting of saw mills, with all and every the privileges of cutting of timber, and
pastures for cattle, before the date of these presents, and that by virtue of any the
hereinbefore recited grants or pattents or any of them, shall be and remain to the
use and behoof of such of the several and respective ffreeholders and inhabitants

304 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

respectively, and their several and respective heirs and assigns for ever, and par-
ticularly by one agreement made by the trustees of the s4 town, bearing date the
2d day of December, 1694, with one Richard Ward, relating to the stream of the
Great creek within the s@ town, on which Coll. Caleb Heathcott and the s@ Rich-
ard Ward, who are now equally concerned therein, are erecting of sundry mills,
and is for and concerning all and every other the tracts and parcels of upland
and meadow ground, remainder of the above granted premises not yet taken up
or appropriated by any particular person or persons as aforesaid, to be and remain
to the only proper use and behoof of the s4 trustees and the ffreeholders and in-
habitants of the sd borrough and town of Westchester, and to their successors
and assignes forever, and to no other use, intent, or purpose whatsoever, To be
holden of us, our heirs, and successors, according to the manner of East Green-
wich in the county of Kent, within our realm of England, in free and common
socage, rendering and paying unto us, our heirs, and successors, or to the hands
of our receiver gen! of our s@ province of New York for the time beiag or tosuch
other officer or officers as shall be appointed to receive the same for and out of
the s@ tracts and parcels of land and other the premises the sum of thirty shil-
lings current money of N. York, upon every 25th day of March forever hereaf-
ter. And we do farther give and grant unto the ffreeholders and inhabitants of
the sd town of W. Chester, and to their heirs and assigns forever, full power and
authority annually and once every year, and that upon the first Monday in the
month of May, that they the said ffreeholders and inhabitants shall and may as
formerly hath been accustomed in the s4 town, to elect and choose twelve free-
holders for their trustees, who shall have full power and authority, or the major
part of them, to order and dispose of all or any part of the undivided land with-
in sd town limits and precincts thereof, as fully and ‘amply to all intents, con-
structions, and purposess as formerly they have used and been accustomed to do.
And farther of our especial grace certain knowledge, and meer motion, we do,
for us, our heirs, and successors grant, constitute, ordain, and appoint, by this
our present charter, that all and singular the lands, tenements, and hereditaments
herein before in this our s4 royal charter and grant granted and confirmed, men-
tioned or intended to be granted and confirmed, shall from henceforth forever be
afree borough and corporation, excepting and always reserving out of the s¢
borouch or corporation all that tract of land scituate and being upon the east side
of Harlem river afores4, and which did formerly belong to Coll. Lewis Morris,
ceed, and which now is in the tenure and occupation of James Graham, Esqr.,
and to be and remain out of the jurisdiction of the s4 corporation. And farther
of our especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer motion, do, for us, our heirs,
and successors, grant, constitute, ordain, and appoint, by this our present char-
ter, that the s4 town of W. Chester and all and singular the lands and tenements
thereunto belonging and appertaining may forever hereafter be a free borough
and town corporate, and shall be called the borough and town of W. Chester,
and that in the s4 town corporate there shall be a body politick consisting or a
mayor, six aldermen, and six assistants, of common council of the s¢ borough
and town of W. Chester, to continue in succession forever, and for the more
full and perfect erection of the s4 corporation and body politick to consist, -
continue, and be of a mayor, six aldermen, and six assistants, or common
council of the s4 borough or town to be called and known by the name of

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 395

the mayor, aldermen, and commonay of the borough and town of W. Chester.

We of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, do by these
presents for us, our heirs and successors, create, make, ordain, constitute, nom-
inate and appoint our trusty and well-beloved Coll. Caich Heathecote, Esq., one
of our Councellors of our s¢ province of N. York, to be the first and now Mayor
of the sd town and borough of W. Chester, and to continue in the said office un-
til the first Monday in the month of May, which shall be in the ninth year of our
reign. And we do likewise create, make, ordain, constitute, nominate and appoint
Wn. Barns, Jno. Stuert, William Willett, Thos. Baxter, Josiah Stuert and Jno.
Baily, gents., to be first Aldermen of the s@ borough and town of Westchester,
and Israel Honeywell, Robert Hustis, Sam’l Hustis, Sam’l Ferris, Daniel Turner
and Miles Oakley, gents., the First Assistants and Common Council of the s4@
borough and town, and that the sd Mayor, Ald’2 and Common Council and their
successors, shall for ever hereafter be in name and in deed a body corporate and
politick, and shall forever hereafter be called and known in all courts whatsoever,
plead and be impleaded by the name of the Mayor, Ald’? and Commonalty of the
Borough and Town of W. Chester. And of our further grace, certain knowledge
and meer motion, and to the intent that the s4 corporation and body politick by
these presents created and began afores’, may have perpetual succession and
continue forever, we do by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, grant
unto the sd Mayor, Ald’? and Common Council and their successors for ever,
that the sd Mayor and Ald’2 of the sd borough and Town of W. Chester, for the
time being, shall and may from time to time, whensoever and as often as they
shall think meet, admit and receive under the common seal of the s@ corporation
to be of the commonalty of the s4 borough and town, such and so many persons
as the said Mayor and Alder’n, or the Mayor for the time being and the greatest
part of the s¢ Alder’? shall think meet, and every such person and persons and by
them the sd Mayor and Alder’? or the greater part of them as afores’4 to be
admitted and received as afores’4, shall immediately after such admission be free
men of the s¢ boreugh and town and members of the s4 body politick, and have
and enjoy all such the same and so many priviledges, franchises and immunities,
as if the said persons so to be admitted had been specially and particularly named
in this our s4 royal charter to be of the s1 commonality. And further we of our
especial grace, certain knowledge, and meer motion, do by these presents, for us,
our heirs, and successors, give and grant unto the sd Mayor, Alder’? and Com-
mon Council of the s4 borough and town of W. Chester, that they and their suc-
cessors shall from henceforth for ever be a body politick and incorporate in
deed and in name, and by these presents fully and absolutely make, create, con-
stitute, establish and unite the st Mayor, Alder’2: and Common Council into one
body politick and incorporate to endure and continue for ever, and them and
their successors do declare, accept and allow for a perfect corporation and body
politick for ever, and that the s@ body politick and corporate shall be called and
known for ever by the name of the Mayor, Alder’? and Commonalty of the
Borough and ‘Town of of W. Chester, and that by that name they and their suc-
cessors shall be able persons in law to make all manner of contracts and grants,
and to make, receive and take all manner of gifts, grants and purchases as any
other natural person or body politick is able to make, receive and take by the
laws of our realm of England and this our province, and that they and their suc-

306 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

cessors shall and may by that name implead any other person or persons, or be
impleaded in any court or courts, in all and ail manners of causes and actions,
real and personal or mixt of what kind or nature soever, and claim and demand
their liberties and franchesses before any judge or judges, ecclesiastical or secular,
and otherwise do and execute all and every act and acts, thing and things what-
soever, which any other liege men which are enabled and made capable of the
benefit of our laws within our realm of England or this our province of N. York,
can or may lawfully do or execute. And farther of our especial grace, certain
knowledge, and meer motion, we do by these presents for us, our heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto the sd mayor, alder’? and common council, that the
s4 Col. Caleb Heathcott and his successors, mayors of the s¢town and borough
of W. Chester afores’4 for the time being, shall have the charge of free governm
of the s¢ borough and town of W. Chester during the time of his and their bear-
ing the s4 office, in as absolute and ample manner as is usual and customary with
other mayors in the like corporations in our realm of England, And further because
the sd mayor for the time being may many times haye just occasion to be absent
from the s@ town, either of the public affairs thereof or for his own private re-
spects, wee do therefore for us, our heirs and successors, by these presents give
and grant unto the sd mayor, ald’? and common council and their successors,
that the s@ Coll. Caleb Heathcott and his successors, mays of the s¢ borough and
town of W. Chester, and every of them, shall have full power and authority from
time to time during his year of government, with the consent of the said alder-
men of the s¢ town for the time being or the greater part of them, to substitute
in his absence some discreet and substantial person being one of the members of
the sd aldermen inhabiting in the s¢town or borough, to be his deputy mayor
during the absence of the said mayor, and each deputy mayor for the time being,
we do by these presents fully and absolutely authorize to do and execute all
things whatsoever belonging to the s@ office or place of mayor in as large and
ample manner as if the st mayor himself was personally present. And we do
farther by these presents give and grant unto the s4 mayor, aldermen and common
councel of the s¢ borough and town of Westchester and their successors forever,
that the s¢ mayor for the time being or lawful deputy and any two or more of the
sd aldn of the s¢ town shall and may lawfully hold and keep upon the first 'Tues-
day in every montlfthroughout the year a court within ye sd town of W. Chester,
and therein shall have full power and authority to hold plea of all manner of
debts, covenants, trespasses, accompts, detinues, demands, and all other actions
personal of what kind or nature soever the same be, arising and growing only
within the s¢ borough or town of W. Chester and the limits thereof, so as yesame
doth not exceed in debt or damages the sum of twenty pounds current money of
this our province, who shall have power to hear and determine the same pleas
and accomp's according to the rules of the common law of our realm of England
and the acts of General Assembly of this our province of N. York. And farther
of our like especial grace, certain knowledge and meer motion, we do by these
presents for us, our heirs and successors, give and grant unto the said mayor,
aldern and common council of the s¢ borough and town of W. Chester and their
successors for ever, that they and their successors for ever shall have a common
seal under which they shall pass all grants, warrants, deeds and specialties, and
other the affairs and business of or concerning the s4 corporation, which shall be

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 307

engraven with such form and inscription as shall be devised by the mayor, alder-
men and common council of the s4¢ borough and town; that the sd mayor,
alder® and common council shall and may build, or cause to be built in some
convenient place of the sd town a common hall or town house to be called by the
name of the town hall of the borough and town of W. Chester, where the sd
mayor, alder® aud common council shall and may from henceforth for ever law-
fully assemble themselves to deliberate and consult touching the publick welfare
of the s¢ borough and town of Westchester, and that they their successors shall
and may from henceforth be a free guild mercaturie, and that they or the greater
part of them and their successors of which the mayor to be one, shall and may
from time to time in their publick councels freely and lawfully make and estab-
lish all such ordinances, statutes, orders or by-laws as may tend to the good and
wholesome government of the said borough and town and to ye public benefit of
the inhabitants of the same, not being repugnant to the common laws and statues
of our realm of England, and this our province of N. York, and such ordinances,
by-laws, statutes, orders, and decrees as shall be made by them as aforesaid, we
do by these presents, for us our heirs and successors, ratify, confirm and allow
as good and effectual to bind all the inhabitants of the sd borough and town, and
do expressly will and command by these presents that the same be duly put in
execution, and that the sd mayor, alder? and common council shall at any time
or times hereafter have full power to establish a ferry over the Sound, between
the said corporation and the island of Nassau, in such convenient place or places
as to the sd mayor and to the greater part of the said alder® shall seem meet and
convenient, and to take such fees and perquisites for the same for the use of the
sd corporation, as is now paid for the fferidge between N. York and the s@ island.

And farther, for the more orderly government of the said borough and town,
according to the form of the best governed towns and corporations of our realm
of England, Wee do by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, give and
grant unto the s@ mayor, alder’, and common council of the s4 borough and
town of Westchester, full power to elect and nominate one discreet and sufficient
person, learned in ye law, to be recorder and town clerk of the s4 borough and
town of W. Chester, during the pleasure of the s4 mayor, alder’2, and common
council, and such person or persons as they the s@ mayor, alder’2, and common
council shall choose to be recorder and town clerk of the sd borough and town,
Wee do, for us, our heirs and success’r8, make, ordain, and constitute recorder
and town clerk of the s¢ borough and town, and that the sd person or persons
may execute their s4 offices, by themselves or lawful deputy or deputies, so that
the same be first approved of by the s4 mayor and the major part of the said
alder’2, and wee do hereby authorize the said recorder and town clerk, his or
their lawful deputy or deputies, to use and exercise such jurisdictions and au-
thority as the recorder and town clerk doth or ought to do in the like corpora-
tions in our realm of England. And further, we do by these presents, for us,
our heirs and successors, make ordain and constitute the sd mayor and aldermen
of the s? borough and town of W. Chester to be justices of the peace within the
sd bounds and limits of the s@ town, and do hereby give them full power and
authority to do and execute all and every act and acts, thing and things whatso-
ever, within the s¢ bounds and limits of the s4 borough and town, in as absolute
and ample manner as any justice of the peace within the s@¢ county of W.

308 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Chester may or ought to do, by the laws and statutes of our realm of Eng-
land and this our province of N. York. And we do further, for us, our heirs,
and successors, give and grant unto the sd mayor, aldermen, and common coun-
cil of ye s? borough for the time being, and to their success’rs forever, full power
and authority to nominate and appoint, from time to time, one serjeant of the
mace, and all other inferior officers and ministers which they shall think to be
convenient and neccessary, and which are customary in any of our corpora-
tions in our realm of England, for ye service of the s@ borough and town; all
which oflicers being from time to time appoin’d by the s4 mayor and alderman
as afores’4, we do, for us, our heirs and successors, by these presents, constitute
and establish in their several offices, and do give them and every of them full
power and authority to use and exercise ye same within s@ borough aud town,
and within the limits and franchises thereof during ye will and pleasure of the
sd mayor and alderman as fully and freely as any other the like officers in or of
any of the like corporations in our realm of England lawfully may or ought to
do, and the s4 office of mayor shall from thenceforth forever be annual, and
that the s¢ mayor, alder®s and common council shall from henceforth forever
have frank and free election of the s4 mayor, to be chosen yearly out of the
number of the s? aldermen, and that by the votes of the greatest number of the
said freeholders and inhabitants of the said corporation, and all other the said
officers and ministers out of the rest of the number of the s@ ffreeholders and
inhabitants by ye greater number of the sd mayor, alderman, and common council,
and when and so often as any of the aforesa’4, alderman and common council
who are hereby nominated and created for their limetime, or until they or any
of them shall be lawfully removed, or volluntarily remove themselves from the
sd corporation; ye said aldermen to be elected and chosen out of the number of
the s1 common council, and the number of the common council t> be chosen
and made up out of the freemen of the s@ corporation by the grater vote of the
sd ffreeholders and inhabitants thereof, and that always within fourteen days
after the death or removal of any of them as afors’4. And farther our will and
pleasure is that the first Monday in the month of May, yearly, shall be forever
the day of election of the sd mayor and ull other s4 officers and ministers which
shall yearly succeed in the s@ borough, unless the s4 mayor for the time being
happen to die or be lawfully remov d within the year, in which case our pleasure
is that the afores’4 ffreeholders and inhahitants shall within fourteen days after
the death or removal of any such mayor for the time being, as afores’4, proceed
to election to some other of the s4 aldermen to supply the place of the sd mayor,
being void as afores’4; and that Coll. Caleb Heathcott, the present mayor, shall
immediately, before he take upon him the said office and place, take the oaths
lately appointed by act of Parliament instead of the oaths of alliegiance and
supremacy, and that the same be administered to him in the presence of our s4
cap’2 and gener’! and govor’ in chief of our s@ province of New York; and the
s4 Coll. Caleb Heathcott having taken ye said oaths, shall cause the same to be
given in his presence as well to such persons as ye s4 Coll. Caleb Heathcott, shall
at any time during his mayoralty leave to be his deputy in his absence as afores’4,
as to the aldermen and common council created as afores’4; and to the recorder
and all such other officers and ministers as shall be chosen in the said borough
for the better government of the same, and that before they or any of them shall

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 309

take upon them to execute any office or place by virtue of this our royal charter
and pattent, and after the end of the mayoralty of the s4 Coll. Caleb Heathcote,
our will and pleasure is that every mayor of the s@ town that shall be hereafter
elected in manner afores’4 shall immediately take the aboves’4 oaths before three
at the least of the aldermen of the s¢ borough; and that upon election of any
other alder’ or commom council, in case of death or removal as afores’4, or such
other officers as shall be annually chosen to take the aboves’d oaths before the
mayor for the time being, and any two of the sd aldermen, whom we do by
these presents fully authorize to administer and give the sd several oaths. And
farther, of our especial grece certain knowledge and meer motion, do by these
presents, for us, our heirs and successors, give and grant unto the sd mayor,
alder’? , and common council of the borough and town of Westchester, and their
successors forever, that they the s4 mayor and aldermen shall and may from
henceforth forever, have, hold and keep, one free market within the s4 borough
and town upon every Wednesday in every week, and two fairs within the s4
borough and town at two several times in the year, (viz.) the one to begin and to
be holden within the said borough and town upon the second Tuesday in May,
yearly forever, and to continue for three days and no longer ; and the other of
the s¢ fairs to begin upon the last Tuesday in October yearly, forever, and to
continue also for three days and no longer, with power to erect several courts of
pipowder, and the office of clerk of entries, and all other things thereunto be~
longing, with all and singular the perquisites and profits, issues, customs, tolls,
fees, amerciaments, commodities, jurisdictions and emoluments, to the s4 courts,
fairs, and markets, in any wise belonging and appertaining ; and that the mayor
of the said borough and town of W. Chester for the time being, and no other,
have power and authority to give and to grant license annually, under the pub-
lic seal of the said corporation, to all tavern keepers, inn Keepers, ordinary keep-
ers, vicktuallers, and all publick sellers of wine, strong waters, rum, cyder, beer,
or any other sort of strong liquors by retail, within the s4 corporation or the lib-
erties and precincts thereof; and it shall and may be lawful to and for the sd
mayor of the s@ borough for the time being, or his lawful deputy, to ask, de-
mand, and receive for such license by him to be given and granted as afores’4,
such sum or sums of money as he and the person to whom such licence shall be
given and granted shall agree for, not exceeding the sum of 20s. for such licence ;
all which money as by ye said mayor shall be so received, shall be us4 and ap-
ply’4 to the public use of the mayor, aldermen and common council of the sd
borough and their successors. And also we do, of our like especial grace, cer-
tain knowledg, and meer motion, by these presents, for us, our heirs and suc-
cess’S grant unto the said mayor, aldermen and common council of the s4 bor-
ough and town of W. Chester and their successors forever, that the mayor with
two or more of the aldermen for the time being, shall have full power to enquire,
hear, and determine, of all frays and bloodsheds whatsoever, happening within
the sd borough and town of W. Chester, and the offenders therein to correct
and punish according to the laws or our realm of England and this our province
of N. York. And we do farther by these presents, for us, our heirs, and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto the sd mayor alder2, and common council of the
sd borough and town of W. Chester, and to their success’s forever that the
mayor, or in his absence his deputy mayor of the s4 borough and town for the

310 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

time being, shall be coroner and clerk of the market within ye s@ borough and
town and the liberties thereof, giving and hereby granting unto s¢ mayor and
deputy mayor for the time being full power and authority to exercise and exe-
cute the said office and offices of coroner and clerk of the market in the s@
borough and town and the liberties thereof in as large and ample manner as any
other coroner or clerk of the market doth or may lawfully execute the like office
or offices in any other town or liberties within this our province of N. York.
And farther, of our especial grace, certain knowledg, and meer motion, wee do
by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, give and grant unto the s&
mayor, aldermen and common council of the s4 borough and town of Westches-
ter afores’d, and their success’s forever, that they and their successors shall and
may from time to time return and send one discreet burgess of the s¢ town and
borough into every general assembly hereafter to be summoned of holden within
this our province of N. York, which burgess so returnd and sent shall be receivad
into the house of deputies or members of the s@ house and have and enjoy such
priviledges as any other of the st members have or ought to have. And lastly our
express will and pleasure is, and we do by these presents for us, our heirs and
successors, give and grant unto sd mayor, aldermen, and common council of the
sd borough, and their successors forever, that these our letters patent or the inrol-
ment thereof in our secretarie’s office of our s4 province, shall be good, available,
and effectual in the law to all intents, constructions and purposes, against us,
our heirs, and successors, without avy other,licence, grant, or confirmation from
us, our heirs, or successors hereafter, by the sd mayor, aldermen, and common
council, or their successors, or any of them, to be had and obtained notwith-
standing the not recitall or miss-recitall, not nameing or miss-nameing of the
sd offices, ffranchises, lands, tenements, or hereditaments, and other the prem-
ises or any of them; and notwithstanding that no writ of ad quod damnum hath
issued forth to enquire of the premises or any of them before the sealing of these
presents, any statute, act, ordinance, or provision, or any matter or thing what-
soever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. In witness whereof we
have caused these our Letters to be made pattent. Witness our trusty and well
beloved Benjamin Fletcher our cap® gen! and govenor in chief of our s@ prov-
ince of New York and the territories and tracts of land depending thereon in
America, and vice admiral of the same, our lieutenant and commander-in-chief
of the militia and of all the fforsses by sea and land within our Colony of Con-
necticut, and of all the fforts and places of strength withinthe same. At our ffort
at New York, this sixteenth day of April, in the eighth year of our reign.¢

Vivant Rex er Reema.”

Another entry relates to the swearing in of the first A/dermen and
Common Council of the borough.

‘*Be it remembered that upon the sixth day of June in the 8th year of his
Majestie’s reign, 1696, appeared before me Caleb Heathcote, Mayor of the
borough town of Westchester; William Barnes, John Hunt and John Bayley,
gentlemen, Aldermen of the said corporation ; and Robert Huestis, Samuel Huestis,

a From a certified copy of the orlginal, in the possession of the late Ogden Hammond, Esq.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 3It

Samuel Ferris, Miles Oakley and Daniel Turner, gentlemen, Common Council of
said corporation, and did take the oaths appointed by act of Parliament, entitled
‘“‘of the oaths of allegiance andsupremacy.” Recorded, coram me,

CALEB HEATHCOTE, Mayor.

Upon the 11th of June, 1696, at a meeting of the Mayor, Aldermen
and Common Conncil, “it was ordered, that a seaZ shall be devised and
made for the use of the corporation, and that in the mean time the sea/4
formerly used by the trustees shall be made use of. It was further
ordered, that Mr. James Emott shall be Recorder, and Edward Collier
his deputy ; also that Joseph Hunt, Jun., should be Serjeant of the mace,
if he would accept of it, and if not John Williams should be sev7ean¢ of
the mace. .

“ At a court held in the borough town of Westchester by‘the Mayor
and Aldermen of said town on the 6th of October, 1696, Col. Heathcote
brought the seal for the corporation, and did give it gratis to the town,
and left it in the hands of the Recorder.”

At a meeting of the trustees of this town, held on the 8th of June,
1700, it was resolved :—

““That whereas at a former meeting held by the inhabitants of the borough
town and precincts, on the 3d day of May, 1697, it was voted and agreed upon
that there should be a town hall built to hold courts in and for the public worship
of God, &c.; but it being then neglected, the mayor, aldermen and justices at
this meeting, did order with a joynt consent to build a house for the uses of a
court and prison. The dimensions of the house is to be twenty-six feet square,
sixteen feet joynts, a square roof, six window cases five feet square, &c. The
trustees agreed with Richard Ward to build said house for £33, and with Eras-
mus Orton to build the prison for £5. It is to be twenty feet long, 16 feet wide,
seven feet high, two feet thick with a good chimney. The town to find attend-
ance. Which work is to be done by the 3lst.”’¢

The following certificate refers to the services of Lewis Morris as
representative to the Provincial Assembly :—

General Assembly for the Colony of New York:
Dir Sasratt, 6 July, 1723.
These are to certifie that Lewis Morris, Esq., one of the persons duly elected
for ye borough of Westchester to serve in General Assembly for ye Colony of
New York, hath attended the service of this house in General Assembly, the full
term of sixty-one days. By order of ye General Assembly,

R. LIVINGSTON, Speaker.

a Town Rec.

b Several impressions of this seal are attached to papersin the town clerk’s office.

e Westchester Rec, On the 4th of September, 1700, Joseph Haviland andJohn Hunt were
directed to agree for the timber work of the prison.

to

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

JuLy 6th, 1723.
Received ye full payment of this certificate from ye borough of Westchester.

I say received by me. LEWIS MORRIS.«

Peter De Lancey, Esq., represented the borough in 1756, for which
he received ten shillings per diem.?

One of the most important privileges conferred upon this town by the
royal charter, was that of holding a J/ayor’s court, the first Tuesday in
every month. ‘This court had full power to hear and determine all
causes “not exceeding in debt or damages the sum of twenty pounds.”
From the town records it appears, that ‘“‘at a Mayor’s Court holden in
Westchester, 6th of July, 1697, the court did order that Capt. William
Barnes shall see out for a workman to make @ fair of stocks and the
prison sufficient for the securing of prisoners, until such time as a way
may be found for the building of a new one, &c.Ӣ

As a proof that liberty was not yet clearly understood by our ancient
judges, we subjoin an extract from the records of the Mayor's Court in
1730:

“ Present, Miles Oakley, /ayor ; Thomas Hunt, Joshua Hunt, James
Cromwell, Nathaniel Underhill and Wiliam Leggett, 4/dermen.

The jury being called over said they could not agree, and James
Dangly and Gabriel Leggett who dissented from the others gave their
reasons to the court; which being judged insufficient, they were fined
4os. each, and to stand committed till paid. The jury were then dis-
charged.”4

“At a Mayor's Court held in Westchester, December, 1734, Present,
William Leggett, Esq., JZayor , William Forster, Recorder ; Nathaniel
Underhill, Thomas Hunt, Joshua Hunt and Gabriel Leggett, Adder-
men, &c. The Recorder presented the freedom of the town to the Hon.
James De Lancey, Esq., and John Chambers, attorney-at-law, which
was read and approved: and thereupon it was ordered that the Mayor,
Recorder and Aldermen do forthwith wait on the said James De
Lancey, Esq., and John Chambers, at the house of William Burnett,
and deliver the same unto them, and desire their acceptance of the
same. Accordingly the court adjourned.Ӣ

In 1746, the small pox prevailing in Greenwich, New York, the house
of Assembly adjourned to Westchester.

The following letter of the Westchester sub-committee, dated borough
and town of Westchester, August 24, 1775, to the Honorable Provin-
cial Congress, is copied from the military returns :—

a Town Rec., Book 9, 155.

b Smith’s Hist. of N. Y. The daily wages of the representatives, were regulated by sundry
acts of Assembly.

ec Town Rec.

d Town Rec. "y : : ;
e Town Rec. On the 2) of July, 1737, Lewis Morris, Jun., and Frederick Philipse were ad-

mitted freemen of the borough under the common seal of the corporation,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 313

We the subscribers appointed a sub-committee to inspect the election of mili-
tia officers for the said town, do most humbly certify, that the following persons
were chosen this 24th aay of August, 1775, by a raajority of voices duly qualified
for that purpose, agreeable to the resolutions of the honorable Congress above-
said, (viz. :)

JOHN OakLeEy, Captain,
Nicuoxras Berrian, 1st Lieutenant,
Isaao LeaGert, 2d Lieutenant,

FREDERICK PHILIPSE STEVENSON, Ensign.
Tnomas Hont,
Committee, <~ JAMES FERRIS,
LEWIS GRAHAM.

By an act of the State Legislature, passed 18th of April, 1785, enti-
tled, “‘ An act authorizing the freeholders and inhabitants of the town-
ship of West Chester, to choose Trustees for the purposes therein men-
tioned ;” the name and style of the old borough and town of West
Chester, was changed for that of the Township of West Chester. Time
of meeting, first Tuesday in May, and on the first Tuesday in April, in
every year thereafter to choose six freeholders, who shall be resident in
the said Township for Trustees, etc.#

Second, “And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the
district formerly called and known by the style of the Borough and Town
of West Chester, shall henceforth be called and known by the name of
the Township of West Chester.”

At a meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants of the town of West-
chester, held 1st day of April, 1788, being the first Tuesday in April,
and the annual day of electing town officers, pursuant to an act of the
Legislature, passed the 14th Feb., 1787. Present, Joseph Bowne, etc.

The following persons were chosen for the ensuing year :—

IskaAEL UNDERHILL, Supervisor.

JoHN Bartow, JR.,
MicHAEL Rykr, Assessors.
Aveustus DRraxg, J

Joun Bartow, JR., }

IsraEL UNDERHILL,

JOSIAH QUIMBY.

Epwarp Briaes, + Trustees.
JOSEPH Bowne,

SaMUEL Bayarp,

Cornetivs Hunt, Constable.

The following act was passed by the Legislature of this State, on the

@« Laws of N. Y. Sth session. vol.i, p. 180. Greenleaf, N. Y., M.D.CC., xcii.

314 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

rgth of March, 1813, entitled, “‘ An act relative to the duties and priv-
ileges of towns.” The 28th section of which directs :—

‘That the freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Westchester, in the
county of Westchester, may, on the day of their annual town meeting, under the
usual manner of electing town officers, choose six freeholders resident in this
town for trustees; and the said trustees or a majority of them, shall and may
order and dispose of all or any part of the undivided lands within the said town,
as fully to every purpose, as trustees have been used to do, under any patent or
charter to the said town, and may continue to lease out the right and privilege of
setting and keeping a ferry across the East river from the said town of Westches
ter to the town of Flushing, in Queens county, in like manner, at the same rates
of ferriage, under the same rules and regulations, and for the like purposes, as
they have lawfully been accustomed to do, since the eighteenth day of April, one
thousand seven hundred and eighty-five.”

The first settlers of this town, who were Puritan emigrants from New
England, and chiefly from Connecticut, appear to have made early pro-
vision for the establishment of religion, according to the Independent or
Congregational order. Mr. John Throckmorton and his thirty-five
associates, were mostly the friends and associates of Roger Williams, or
Anne Hutchinson ; who, tired of the turmoils of Old England and New,
obtained leave of the Dutch to settle here in 1642, on a tract of land
they were pleased to call ‘ Vrede-land; or, Land of Peace.” In 1650,
a body of Puritans settled near the same place, being favored by the
Dutch, ‘with the free exercise of their religion,” calling it “‘ Oost dorp,”
(East Town). These, too, were Puritans or Independents; but, they
had no minister until 1674, and then only for a short period ; indeed,
they seem to have been without a settled minister for most of the time
to the end of the century, of their mode of worship. The Dutch Commis-
sioners, who visited Oost-dorp in 1656, give in the journal of their
expedition, the following account :—

“31 Dec. after dinner, Cornelius van Ruyven went to the house where
they held their Sunday meeting, to see their mode of worship; as they
had, as yet, no preacher. There I found a gathering of about fifteen
men, and ten or twelve women. Mr. Raly said the prayer, after which,
one Robert Basset read from a printed book a sermon, composed by an
English clergyman, in England ; after the reading, Mr. Baly gave out
another prayer and sang a psalm, and they all separated.Ӣ

a The town property prior toits division, in 1846, amounted to sixteen or twenty thousand
Gollars, (arising from the sale of the common lands) the interest of which was appropriated
to the common schools.

b Laws of New York, 1813. The above confirms a former Act of Legislature, passed 18th
April. 1785, in which the freeholders of the town were authorized to choose six trustees, who
should have the right to order and dispose of the undivided lands. ete.

ec O'Callaghan’s Hist. of N. Neth., vol. ii. 316.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 315

The Rev. John Megapolensis, in a letter to the Classis of Amsterdam,
dated New Netherland, 5th of August, 1657, says :—

“Qn the west side of the East River, about one mile through Hell-
gate, (as we call it), opposite Flushing, on the main, another English
village has been begun over two years. It was named Oost-dorp. The
inhabitants of this place are also Puritans, alias Independents. They,
also, have no preacher. They hold Sunday meetings, reading from an
English book a sermon, and making a prayer,”

As ‘all ecclesiastical business, at this time, was conducted by the
town, assembled in town meeting ; and as a meeting of the town was a
meeting of the congregation, which, after having disposed of matters
secular, could attend to the Church;” therefore, the early history of
religion is to be found principally in the town records.

Under date of July 29th, 1674, twenty-four years after the settle-
ment of the village, appears the name of the Rev. Ezekiel Fogge ; prob-
ably the first Indeperdent or Congregational minister that officiated
here,

The following entries are taken from the town books :—

“On the 11th of February, 1680, there was sprinkled with water by Morgan
Jones, (what they call baptizing, ) William Hunt, son of John Hunt, of Westches-
ter; witnesses present, Joseph Hunt and Bridget Waters.”

‘© WersToHEsTER, Oct. 7rH, 1680.—Morgan Jones married Isaac Dickerman,
of this towne, to Bethia, the daughter of Henry Gardener,

Recorded per me, Francis Frenou, Clerk.”

At a town-meeting, held in Westchester, April 2nd, 1684, it was re-
solved :-—

‘‘That the Justices and Vestrymen of Westchester, Eastchester and Yonckers,
do accept of Mr. Warham Mather, as our minister for one whole year; and that
he shall have sixty pound, in country produce at money price, for his salary, and
that he shall be paid every quarter. Done in behalf of the justices aforesaid.

Signed by us, JoHN QuimBy, JoHN Bay ey,
JosEPpH Hunt, Joun BurKspeEe.?

At a lawful town-meeting held in Westchester, by the freeholders and
inhabitants, and residents of said place, the 2nd day of January, 1692,
im order to_consult, conclude, and agree, about procuring an orthodox
minister in said town,—It is voted and agreed upon, “ that there shall be

a Doc. Hist. of New York, vol. fii., 107.
2 Westchester Town Rec., commencing A.D. 1665, p, 42.

315 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER

an orthodox minister in the town aforesaid, as soon as possible may be;
and to allow him forty or fifty pound per annum, equivalent to money,
for his maintainance. It is also voted and agreed upon, that a man shall
go to the Honorable Colonel Heathcote, and see if he can prevail with
him for to procure us a minister, in his travels in New England, other-
wise, that Captain William Barnes shall go and procure us a minister.”

Upon the 21st of September, 1693, the Act of Assembly for settling
a Ministry, was passed. By this Act, Westchester County was divided
into two parishes, viz., Westchester and Rye. The parish of Westches-
ter included the town or precincts of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonckers,
and the Manor of Pelham , and was required to raise #50 per annum
for the support of the minister, and to elect on 2d Tuesday in January,
ten vestrymen and two church-wardens. There was also to be called,
inducted, and established, @ good sufficient Protestant minister, to
officiate and have the care of souls within one year next, and after the
publication hereof. In Westchester two; one to have the care of West-
chester, Eastchester, Yonckers and the Manor of Pelham, &c.?

But so few persons were properly qualified at this time, to accept the
call of the vestry, that the act remained dormant in Westchester nearly
two years. An attempt, however, was made by some of the vestry to
have Warham Mather inducted, as appears by the following extract from
the town records:

‘“*At a meeting held in Westchester, the 7th of May, 1695, present, Justice
Barnes and Justice Hunt. Capt. William Barnes, President of the trustees:
‘‘ Whereas, the freeholders and inhabitants of this town of Westchester and
precincts, att this meeting have exprest their desires for the settling of Mr. War-
ham Mather amongst us as our minister for one whole year or longer; its there-
fore voated and agreed upon, that Mr. Justice Barnes, and Mr. Justice Hunt, and
Mr. Edward Waters, church-wardens, with as many of the vestrymen as con-
veniently can be gott together, should agree with the said Mr. Warham Mather,
and settle him with all expedition. Endorsed,

EDWARD COLLIER, Clerk.”

The Rev. John Miller, describing the Province of New York, in 1695,
says: ‘There is a meeting house at Westchester, and a young man
coming to settle there without orders. There are two or three hundred
English and Dissenters, a few Dutch.”

Mather’s call appears to have been confirmed, with all due expedition
by the Dissenters, probably in 1695; but, after Col. Caleb Heathcote

a Town Ree.
4 Acts of Prov. Assembly, N. Y., from 1591 to 1725,

ec Westchester Town Rec., Lib. vi. 56.
d Description of the Province of New York, by Rev. John Miller.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 317

had been chosen as one of the church-wardens of the parish, he positively
refused to use his influence with Gov. Fletcher to have Mather inducted
to that living,” as we shall have occasion to show presently, which finally
led to his removal in 1701.

Mr. Warham Mather, who was born at Northampton, Mass, in 1666,
and graduated at Harvard College in 1685,° was the son of Eleazer, and
grandson of Richard, who was the son of Thomas and Margaret Math-
er, and was born at Lowton, in the parish of Winwick, in Lancashire, in
1596; was sometime a student at Brazennose College, Oxford, ordained
by Bishop Morton, of Chester, in 1618, afterwards was chosen minister
and school-master at Toxtath park, near Liverpool, where he continued
for fifteen years. He was suspended for non-conformity, and removed
with his family to New England, in 1635 ; settled over the church of
Dorchester, Mass., 23d of August, 1636, and died 22d of April, 1669.
Wood denominates him “a pious man, and a zealous and laborious
preacher ;” and adds, ‘‘that he was much followed by the precise party ;
but that he was a severe Calvinist, and no friend to the Church of Eng-
land.¢ He was twice married. His first wife was the pious daughter of
Edward Holt, Esq., of Bury, in Lancashire; and his second wife, the
widow of Mr. John Cotton. He had four sons employed in the minis-
try, all eminent in their day. Nathaniel, Samuel and Increase, were
preachers in England, and all ejected by the fatal Act of Uniformity, in
1662.4 His son, Eleazer Mather, was pastor of the Church at North-
ampton, in New England, and was born at Dorchester, 13th of May,
1637 ; graduated at Harvard College, 1656 ; ordained 23d of June, 1661,
and died 24th of July, 1669, aged thirty-two; leaving by his wife, (who
was a daughter of the Rev. John Warham), the before mentionec War-
ham Mather. ‘On the 29th of May, 1697, John Yeats, of the city of
New York, sold several tracts of land in Westchester, to Warham Math-
er, of Northampton, in the county of Hampshire, in his Majesty’s Pro-
vince of Massachusetts Bay, in America, (student in Divinity), now re-
siding in the town of Westchester.” :

“In 1703, Warham Mather, of New Haven, student in Divinity, sold
his lands in Westchester to Daniel Clark.”* He died in 1745.9

@ Such was the law at this period that if any unqualified person was presented to a living
he that presented him could not afterwards present another, on the ground that no person
that has the presentation to a benefice can do it twice.

b Rev. Chas. W. Baird. There is a letter of his among the Mather papers. It is addressed
from Boston, July 6, 1688, to his unc:e Increase, who was thenin England. Warhamasked his
advice about going to England himself. ;

c Lives of the Puritans, by Brook, vol. iii., pp. 440-445. Palmer’s Noncon. Mem. vol. ii., pp.
245-355.—Mather’s Magnalia Farmers Register

d Lives of the Puritans, by Brook, 445.

e Town Rec. of Westchester, Lib. v. 78. ft Town Rec. of Westchester, Lib. vi. 30. ‘

g The date of his death is given in the Catalogue of the Prince Library, in connection with
the mention of a printed sermon attributed to Warham Mather—Rey. Chas. W. Baird.

318 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The old meeting house having fallen to decay, the following resolu-
tion was passed at a town meeting, held the 5th day of May, 1696 :—

“It is voated and agreed upon that the meeting house shall be re-
paired forthwith, and that two men shall be chosen to see it done—
Gabriel Legat and Josiah Hunt, is chosen to agree with a carpenter to
repair the said meeting house, and to bring an account to the town of
the cost and expence thereof whereby a rate may be made to defraye
the charge in so doing.”

On the 3rd day of May, 1697, at a meeting of the freeholders and
inhabitants of the town and precincts of Westchester :—“ It was voted
and agreed upon, that there should be a Town House built, to keep
courts in, and for the publick worship of God.”

Soon after this vote of the town, in the year 1699, an act of General
Assembly was made to enable the respective towns within the whole
province to build and repair their meeting houses, &c.* Whereupon
the inhabitants of Westchester laid aside the prosecution of building the
town house above, according to the said town vote, and took hold of
the said act, by virtue whereof a new Parish church was erected in .
1700, and a rate laid and levied on all the inhabitants, without any dis-
tinction, towards defraying the expenses.

The following resolutions were passed at a meeting of the trustees,
held on the 8th of June, 1700 :—

“Tt is voted and agreed upon by the trustees aforesaid, that the rate shall be
made up forthwith, and delivered to the constable, who shall have for collecting
the same, six pence per pound:

‘‘ Whereas att a general meeting held in the Borough town of Westchester, by
the freeholders and inhabitants of said town and precincts, on the 3rd day of
May, 1697, it was voted and agreed upon that there should be a town hall built
to keep courts in, and for the publick worship of God &c. ; but it being then ne-
glected, the Mayor and Aldermen, and trustees at this meeting did order with a
joynt consent, to build a house for the uses aforesaid and a prison. ‘The dimen-
sions of the house is to be twenty-six feet square, 16 feet joynts, a square roof,
6 window cases 5 feet square, &c. The trustees agreed with Richard Ward to
build said house for £382, and with Erasmus Orton to build the prison for £5,
which work is to be done by the 31st of October next.”’4 :

The subjoined order relates to the cartage of timber and other mate-
rial for the church &c. :—

a Westchester Town Rec. Liber. v. 59,

b Westchester Town Rec, Liber. v. 141. ‘It had been previously voted and agreed upon
that there should be a prison built with a town house upon it, according to the dimensions
made by Col. Heathcote, Lib. v. p. 77,

ec Laws of N. Y. vol. I. chapter lxxxiii. 37,

d Westchester Town Rec. Lib. v. 141.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 319

« At a meeting held by the trustees the r4th of of September, 1700,
present, Josiah Hunt, President, Edward Waters, Joseph Haviland, John
Hunt, Joseph Bayley, John Ferris, senr., and Richard Panton. ’Tis
voted and agreed upon that all that shall cart timber and stuff for the
meeting house, shall have six shillings per diem; and that Joseph Havi-
land and John Hunt shall agree with a carpenter for the timber work
and the prison, as they shall see cause, &c. Done in behalf of the
Freeholders and Commonality of the town.”

At a subsequent meeting of the trustees, held on the 26th day of
October, A. D, 1700, “It was resolved that Richard Ward shall build
the meeting house twenty-eight feet square, with a terret on the top, for
forty pounds.” =

In an address of the Venerable Propagation Society, the following
account is given of the building of this church :—

“We whose names are subscribed do hereby certify that the church of
Westchester was built by a rate laid and levied on the inhabitants of the
said town in proportion to their estates, in the year of our Lord 1700;
and that Mr. Morgan, a Presbyterian minister of Eastchester did some-
times come to preach in it, until such time as Mr. Bartow came and took

possession of it in the year 1702, since which time it has been supplied
by him, &c.”? ‘

This building stood on the site of the present church, upon what was
then styled the Town Green,@ adjoining the old County Court-house?
and jail. It was built of wood, quadrangular in form,’ with a pyrami-:

e Westchester Town Ree. Lib. v. 145.

é Westchester Town Rec. Lib. v. 145.

ce Hawks’ New York MSS. from archives at Fulham. vol. i. 463.

d On the 5th of June, 1696, the trustees granted unto the Mayor and Alderman of the Bor-
ough, for the use of the Corporation, part of the Green in said town, to erect a market house
and settle the market —Lib. v. 63.

e The following extract i3 copied from the New York Post Boy, for Feb. 13, 1758:—‘‘ We
hear from Weschester that on Saturday night, the 4th instant, the court house at that place
was unfortunately burnt to the ground, We have not heard yet how it happened.”

eth The Venerable Bede informs us, that in his time, the English churches were square.
Speaking of the building of St. Peter’s church, at York, in 627, by King Edwin, he says :—
‘Per quadrum cce pit cedificare basilicam.”—Vide Bedce Hist Eccles, Lib. ii. chap. 14.

320 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

dal roof and bell turret in the centre; and was used for the worship of
Almighty God until the year 1788, when it was removed, and the
present edifice erected. It now stands near the church yard, on the
property of the late Capt. Elnathan Hawkins, having been sold to Mrs.
Sarah Ferris, the grand-mother of the late Mrs. Eliza Hawkins, by order ©
of the vestry, in 1788.

The following extracts relates to the election of church-wardens and
vestrymen for this parish, in pursuance of the Act of 1693 :—

At a meeting held by the Parishioners of Westchester Division, in the borough
and town of Westchester, pursuant to an act of General Assembly, entitled an
‘* Act for the settling a ministry and raising of a maintenance for them,” this
second Tuesday of January, 1701-255 resent, Mr. Justice Barnes,

Mr. Justice Baxter.

bah en

Pampsford Church.

Ohurch-wardens chosen at said time:
Cot. Cates Hxarnoors,
Atp’N. JostaH Hunt.

Vestrymen Chosen:

Mr. Jonn Pert, Senr., for the Manor of Pelham,
Mr. Josepn Drake, for Eastchester,
Mr. CHartes VINoEN'’, for Yonckers.
( Mr. Wieriam WIL ert,
Mr. Tuomas Hunt, Junr., of the West Farms,
Mr. JosernH Havinanp,
Atp’M. JoHN Baytey,
Mr. Ricnarp Warp,
Mr. Jonn Buoxses,
EpwarpD CoLuizr, d
Entered by order, EDWARD COLLIER, Recorder.

a Westchester Town Ree. Lib. y. 145. _

For Westchester,

or

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 321

In the year 1702, came from England, the Rev. John Bartow, A. M.,
who was the first regularly inducted rector of this parish, elected by the
vestry under the act of 1693. He was the son of Thomas Bartow, M.D.,
of Crediton, in Devonshire ; by his wife, Grace ———, (who was buried
in the church yard of the Holy Cross, Crediton, Jan. 25th, 1676.) Mr.
Bartow at an early age was instructed by one Mr. Gregory, entered
Christ College, Cambridge, January 31st, 1689, where he was admitted

a sizer under the tuition of Mr. Lovett, and graduated in 1692.4 Soon
after his ordination he was inducted to the vicarage of Pampsford, in
Cambridgeshire, May the 28th, 1698, and removed to the Province o1
New York, by the leave of the Right Rev. Simon Patrick, the then Lord
Bishop of Ely. The first known ancestor of John was General Bertaut,
of Bretagne or Brittany, in France ; a Huguenot, who fled after the Mas-
sacre of St. Bartholomew, A.D., 1572, into Holland and came thence to
England, when the name was anglicised to Bartow. Of this family was
John Bertaut Siegneur de Freaville and de Courcelles and Counseiller
of the Parliament of Paris, who married Marie de la Garde, and had

@ Matriculation Books of Christ College, Cambridge, MSS. of Rev. Evelyn Bartow.

65 Pampsford is in the hundred of Childrod and Deanery of Camps, les seven miles south of
Cambridge.

to
te

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

vs

issue Francis Bertaut Ecuyer Signeur de Freaville et de Courcelles,
whose daughter, Marie Frances married in 1696 Frank Toussant de
Keakoeut ; and Anne, who married Philippe de Delley Ecuyer, who was
born in 1632.4

THE BISHOP OF LONDON’S ADMISSION OF MR. BARTOW TO
THE MINISTERIAL FUNCTION IN THE PROVINCE OF
NEW YORK.

‘‘Henry, by divine permission, Lord Bishop of London, to all whom these
presents shall or may concern, health in our Lord God everlasting. Whereas by
virtue of an act of Parliament, made in ye: first year of ye: Reign of our Soy-
ereign Lord and Lady, King William and Queen Mary, entitled, an act for ye:
abrogation of ye oaths of supremity and allegiance, and appointing other oaths,
it is provided and enacted, that every person, at his, or their respective admis-
sion to be incumbent in any ecclesiastical promotion or dignity in ye Church of
England, shall subscribe and declare before his ordinary, in manner and form as
in ye: said act as contained; now know ye, that on ye: day of ye: date hereof
did personally appear before us, John Bartow, Clerk, to be admitted to ye:
Ministerial Function in ye: Province of New York, in America, and subscribed
as followeth, as by ye: said act is required, I, John Bartow, Clerk, do declare,
that I will conforme to ye: Liturgy of the Church of England, as it is now by
law established. In witness whereof, we have caused our seal manual to be
affixed to these presents. Dated, the twenty-second day of the month of June, in
ye year of our’ Lord, one thousand seven hundred and two, and in ye twenty-
seaventh year of our translation.” ?

MR. BARTOW’S LICENSE FROM THE BISHOP OF LONDON TO
OFFICIATE IN THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK.

‘‘Henricus, permissione divina, Londonensis episcopus, dilecto nobis in
Christo Johanni Bartow, clerico, salutem et gratiam, ad peragendum officium
ministeriale intra provinciam de Novo Eboraco, in America, in precibus com-
munibus aliisque ministeriis ecclesiasticis ad officium ministeriale pertinentibus
juxta formam descriptam in libro publicarum precum, auctoritate parliamenti
hujus inclyti regni angli, in ea parte edita, et provisa, et canones, et constitu-
tionis, in ea parte legitime stabilitas, et publicatas, et non aliter neque alio modo;
tibi de cujusfidelitate morum integritate literarum scientia summa doctrina et
diligentia plurimum confidemus, (prestituta penitus parte juramus totam de

a Another branch of this family was Frances Bertaut of Donnai, whose sons were John
Bertaut, Bishop of Seez, 1606, born at Caen, 1559, died June 8th, 1611, and Francis Bertaut,
gentleman of the King’s bedchamber, whose daughter, Frances, born at Caen, 1614, was train
bearer to Queen Anne of Austria, and died in 1689. She married, in 1639, Nicholas Langlois,
Lord of Molteville, who died 1641. The arms of the Bertautes or Bertaudes, Du Hertray, Du
Hamel, Du Pointpierre, de la Poissoniere, Du Freaville and Du Courcelles, were: d’or a
bande de sable, chargee de trois berants d’argent accompagne de six annelets de geules, suis
en orle.

b Surrogate’s Office, N. Y. Rec. of Wills, vol. v, p. 79.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 323

agnoscendo regiam supremam majestatam, juxta vim formam et effectum statuti
parliamenti dicti regni anglize, in ea parte editi et provisi, quam de canonica obe-
dientia nobis et successoribus nostris in omnibus recitis et honestis per te praes-
tanda et exhibenda subscriptisque pertinentibus illis articulis mentionatis in
tricesimo sexto capitulo libri constitutorum, sive canonum ecclesiasticorum,
anno Domini, 1604, regia auctoritate editorum et propulgatorum licentiam facul-
tatum nostram concedimus et impertamur per precedentes, ad nostrum benepla-
citum dum tanat duraturas, in cujus rei testimonium sigillam nostram, (quam in
similibus plerumque utimur, ) presentibus apponi fecimus decimus dat vicesimo
secundo die mensis Junii, anno Domini millesimo septengentesimo, secundo
nastra translatione vicesimo septimo.”4

The following documents relate to his induction :—

MANDATE FROM GOVERNOTR CORNBURY TO INDUCT MR. JOHN
BARTOW INTO THE RECTORY OF WESTCHESTER.

‘*Edwardus illustrissim Vice comes Cornbury Provincie Novi Eboraciin
America Strategus et Imperator et ejusdem ; Vice-Thalassiarcha, etc.

Universis et Singulis Rectorib Vicar: Capellanis: Curat: Clericis et Ministris
quibuscumg in et per totam preedict provinciam ubilibet constitutis ac etiam
Honorab Caleb Heathcote armig et Josia Hunt Eccsia Paroch’lis de Westchester,
Eastchester, Yonkers et Man de Pellham, in dicta Provincia in pro hoc tempore
Adilibus, Salutem.

Cum Dilectum in Christo Johném Bartow clericum ad Rectoriam sive Ecclam
prdalem Proedict de Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers et Man de Pelham in
America jam vacantem prcesentata Rectorem ejusdem Rectorie Sive Eccle
proalis in et de eadem institus vobis conjunctim et divisim comitto et fermiter
injungendo mando, quatenus eundem Johiiem Bartow clericum sive procurat
suum legitim ejus nomine et pro se in realem actualem et corporalem posses-
sionem ipsius Rectorice sive Ecclee proalis de Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers
et Man de Pellham preedict. Glebarum, Jureumgq et pertinentiu suor universer
conferatis inducatis inducive faciatis: et defendatis inductum, et quid in pre-
missis feceritis me aut alium Judicem in hac parte competentum quemcunq
debite (cum ad id congrue fueritis requisiti) certificetis seu sic certificet ille ves-
trum qui proesens hoc mandatum fuerit executus. Dat sub sigillo progat dict
Provincise decimo nono die Novembris an6 salutis millesimo septengentessimo

secundo.”
CORNBURY.

CERTIFICATE OF MR. BARTOW’S INDUCTION INTO THE PARISH
CHURCH OF WESTCHESTER, &o.

‘‘Virtute infra scripti mandati Proesentia Hugh Farquhar & Thomas Hunt,
Joseph Haviland, Daniel Clark and Edward Collier nos Guielmus Vesey Clericus
& Josias Hunt adelis Parochial’s De Westchester & Eastchester &c induximus
Reverandu Johanem Bartow Cleric in Ecclesiam Parochialem De Eastchester
& Westchester, Yonkers et Man de Pellham et in realem actualem et corporatem
possessionem ipsius Rectorill sive Ecclesice Parochialis et proedict Glebara juritt

a@ Surrogate’s Office, N. Y., Lib. vi. -

324 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

et pertinentifi suora universoné ejusdum movilus et consue tri divibus solity and
Domini 1702 in cujus rei testimoniti presentibus subscripsimus Die 6to Decem-

bris Anno supra dicto.” GULIELMUS VESEY, neo Eboraci Rector.

JOSIAH HUNT, Churchwarden.
Huen FarquHar,

JosEPHm Havinanp,
Tuomas Hunt,
Dani. CLARK,
Epwarp COLtier.

‘* We whose names are underwritten doe certifie & declare That on Sunday
the 6th day of December Anno Dom. 1702, John Bartow, Clerk, after his induc-
tion, did in the Parish Church of Westchester Read morning and evening service
according to the exact form by act of Parliament prescribed & immediately after
the reading of ye aforesaid service did declare his unfeigned assent and consent
to all and every thing contained and prescribed in the book of common prayer as
the Law in that case directs, before ye congregation on the said day assembled:
and also did read ye book of ye 39 articles of the Church of England with the
Ratification, & immediately after ye reading of ye aforesaid articles & Ratifica-
tion before the Congregation ; did declare at the abovesaid time and place, his
unfeigned assent & consent to them and toall things therein contained. In testy-
mony whereof we who where present have hereunto subscribed our names this
6th day of December. Annoq Dom 1702:

JOSEPIE HAVILAND, WILLIAM VESEY,
H. Coruier, THomas Hunt,
Hvueu Farqunar, Wir11aM WILLETT,
JOSIAH Hunt, JOHN WILLIAMs.”2

It appears that Mr. Bartow was at first appointed to the parish of
Rye ; for in a letter to him from the Secretary of the society, the latter
says: ‘‘ That the society were displeased for his settling at Westches-
ter, being by my Lord of London sent for Rye.”®

“‘T did, in October last,” observes Colonel Heathcote, ‘ give my Lord
of London my reasons for the necessity of his being settled at Westches-
ter, the people in that place having been the first in this county who
desired a minister of the church, etc.’"*° To this Mr. Bartow alludes in
his first letter to the society :—

MR. BARTOW TO MR. WHITFIELD OR MR. SHUTE.

WESTOHESTER,
IN New York Provinog,

4th Nov. 1702.
Sir:—‘‘My Lord Cornbury is pleased to fix my abode at Westchester, at the request
of the vestry, and I suppose I shall enjoy the fifty pound per annum, which is

a Sarrogatc’s office, N. Y. Rec. of Wills, vol. v. p. 79. 80.
4 Wawks* New York MSS. from archives at Fulham.
ec See Col. Heathcote’s letter, April 10, 1704.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 325

settled upon the ministry by act of assembly, though there has been great en-
deavors made this session to annul that act ; but we are safe, as long as my Lord
Cornbury is Governor. ‘There is also fifty pounds settled upon the ministry at
Rye, sixty pounds at Jamaica, sixty pounds at Hempstead, and forty pounds
per annum at Richmond; all which places I hope the Reverend and Honorable
Society will take some speedy care to supply with ministers of the Church of
England. The hundred acres of glebe my Lord of London obtained of her
Majesty for Westchester, is all a wilderness ; there never was any house upon it,
nor any part of it cultivated; the meanest laborer here has three shillings per
deim wages, so that it will be a vast charge to make it habitable; what I can
bestow upon it in my time I will, but I cannot expect the assistance of the
Society, there being such pressing occasions for ministers. As I had not time to
furnish myself with books in England, I hope the society will bestow some upon
me ; or I beg you would be so kind as to send me these following, and let the
booksellers be paid out of my allowance; and you will ever oblige, Worthy Sir,

Your most humble and devoted servant,”

lybare Ae

“P.§. [have been at great expenses, but I do not grudge it in the service of
that God who I trust will bless me in my endeavours. We have a small house
built here for public worship, of boards; but there is neither desk, pulpit, nor
bell in it. The inhabitants indeed live all upon their own, but are generally
poor; my best friend is the gentleman, my Lord of London recommended me
unto, Col. Graham, who is a very worthy and ingeniuous Gentleman, and a great
lover of the Church. I have neither Church Bible nor Common Prayer Book,
which I hope the Society will send me, unto whom I desire you would give my
humble duty.

‘‘Mr. Keith, Mr. Ennis, Mr. Vesey, Mr. Mott, Mr. Talbot, and myself, met
last week at York, to contrive the most proper methods of settling the church,
at the request of the worthy Col. Nicholson, who gave £25 towards bearing our
charges, an account of which you will have.Ӣ

The following letter from Mr. Bartow to the Secretary of the Vener-
able Society, was probably written in 1702, or the year after ; although I
have given the date as it is in the manuscript, from which it was copied :—

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.

WESTOHESTER,
New York, Ist Dec., 1707:.
Sir :—“‘After a voyage of eleven weeks, we arrived at New York, Sept. 29th, >.
1702, where we found a very mourful town—there dying near twenty persons;

a Hawks’ New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. 10, 11.

326 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

daily for some months. I lodged one night in the town, and next day went to
Col. Grahams’s in Westchester, and lodged also one night; and the next day
some of the town of Westchester came for me, and desired me to go along with
them and give them a sermon the next Sabbath day? which I readily consented
to do, it being in my way to Rye, to which I was designed. Col. Heathcote
and some of the chief inhabitants being at church, the latter with his approba-
tion, invited me to stay amongst them; in regard, it was the County Town, and
reasonably ought to be supplyed first, which I referred to the determination of
my Lord Cornbury; my goods being on board still, (as I remember.) On
Monday I returned to York, and Mr. Vesey engaged me to preach for him on an
appointed fast, that week; after which I returned to Westchestcr, and preached
either there or at York every Sunday, until my Lord Cornbury returned from
Albany, when, with some of Westchester, who were very desirous I should stay
with them, I went to Jamaica to wait on his Lordship, (who went there by
reason of the sickness at New York,) to deliver him my credentials and receive
his commands, which were to continue in Westchester, to which place I was
soon after called by the vestry, and received instruments of induction from his
Lordship; but the troubles that soon followed to separate Eastchester and New
Rochelle from belonging to Westchester (of which I have given you an account)
were not inconsiderable.”

‘* Westchester was not wholly free from the mortal distemper at New York,
and such as were sick I visited, and baptized one man, (aged forty years) a few
hours before he died, who seemed thankful that he had at last such a blessed
opportunity after so long neglect. The first half year being winter, I lodged at
a public house, preaching once every Sunday, and upon occasion, visiting the
sick. After Winter was over, I lived at Col. Graham’s, six miles from the:
church, and all the summer preach’t twice every Sunday—sometimes at West-
chester and sometimes at Jamaica, on Long Island, about two miles distant from
Mr. Graham's, at my own charge; nor have I had any board given me since I
came, and once I met with great disturbance at Jamaica. Mr. Hobbart, their
Presbyterian minister, having been for sone time at Boston, returned to Jamaica
the Saturday night as I came to it, and sent to me at my lodgings (being then
in company with our Chief Justice, Mr. Mumpesson, and Mr. Carter, her
Majesty’s comptroller, ) to know if I intended to preach on the morrow; I sent
him answer I did intend it. The next morning the bell rung as usual, but
before the last time ringing, Mr. Hobbart was got into the church, and had began
his service, of which notice was given me, whereupon I went into the church,
and walked straightway to the pew, expecting Mr. {Ilobbart would desist, being,
he knew, I had orders from the Governor to officiate there—but he persisted, and
I forbore to make any interruption. In the afternoon I prevented him, beginn-
ing the service of the Church of England before he came; who was so surprised,
when after he came to the church door and saw me performing divine service,
that he suddenly started back, and went aside to an orchard hard by, and sent in
some to give the word that Mr. Hobbart would preach under a tree. ThenI
perceived a whispering through the church, and an uneasiness of many people—

a This is supposed to have been the yellow fever, although it was not so called in 1702.
It was brought from St. Thomas’s, and proved very fatal in New York.

2 This wason the 3rd of Oct, 1702,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 327

some going out, some seemed amazed, not yet determined to go or stay; in the
meantime, some that were gone out returned again for their seats, and then we
had a shameful disturbance, hawling and tugging of seats, shoving one the other
off, carrying tem out and returning again for more; so that I was fain to leave
off till the disturbance was over, and a separation made, by which time I had
lost about half of the congregation, the rest remaining devout and attentive the
whole time of service ; after which we lock’t the church door, and committed
the key into the hands of the sheriff. We were no sooner got into an adjoining
house, but some persons came to demand the key of their meeting house, which
being denyed, they went and broke the glass window, and put a boy in to open
the door, and so put in their seats and took away the pew cushion, saying they
would keep that, however, for their own minister; the scolding and wrangling
that ensued are by me ineffable. The next time I saw my Lord Cornbury, he
thanked me, and said he would do the church and me justice: accordingly, he
summoned Mr. Hobbart and the head of the faction before him, and forbade Mr.
Hobbart evermore to preach in that church; for in regard, it was built by a
publick tax, it did appertain to the established church, (which it has quietly re-
mained ever since, and is now in possession of our Rev. Brother, Mr. Urquhart).
My Lord Cornbury threatened them all with the penalty of the statute, for dis-
turbing divine service; but upon their submission and promise of future quiet-
ness and peace, he pardoned the offence. Not long after this, my Lord requested-
me to go and preach at Eastchester: accordingly, I went, (though some there
had given out threatening words should I dare to come), but though I was there
very early, and the people had notice of my coming, their Presbyterian minister,
Mr. Morgan, had begun service in the meeting-house, to which I went straight-
way and continued the whole time of service without interruption, and in the
afternoon I was permitted to perform the Church of England service; Mr. Mor-
gan being present, and neither he nor the people seemed to be dissatisfied, and
after some time of preaching there afterwards, they desired me to come oftener;
and I concluded to minister there once a month, which now I have done for about
three years, and Mr. Morgan is retired into New England. The winter drawing
on, and finding it too hard for me to ride from Mr. Graham’s to attend on my
ministry on all occasions, I returned to Westchester; and there being no very
suitable place for me to board at, I hired a house for a half a year, where I lived
alone, and had my victuals dressed at 2 neighboring house; and at the end of
half a year, being not permitted to renew my lease, I bought a house of my own,
and five acres of land, at £100, where (I bless God) I have inhabited ever since
in the conscientious discharge of my duty, hardly ever missing to officiate on the
Lord’s Day in my parish, and there have discharged that duty either in the Jerseys,
at Rye, or at some other place, excepting thrice by reason of sickness, and twice
for coldness and foulness of the weather, wanting a congregation; always
preaching twice a day in the summer, and once in the winter. I have been
always ready to visit the sick when sent for, and before frequently, if I knew of
it, not refusing in the time of very mortal diseases, which we have frequently had
since I came here, few houses escaping either sickness or death, being by night
and by day, frequently riding more than ten miles a day, I may say twenty. I
have administered the sacrament of Baptism to a great number of people, young
and old, and the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper publickly, three times a year

328 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

at the three usual feasts, Christmas, Easter, and Whitsunday ; to partake of
which I must confess, I have a few generally about twelve communicants, but
have administered it to many on their sick and dying beds, who never received
it before. I take care to catachise the children in the church; and to make
amends for an omission of that duty at any time, I allow a schoolmaster twenty
shillings per annum to encourage him to instruct the children in the Church cate-
chism. I can’t repeat to you the many janglings and contentions I have had
with Quakers and Dissenters; nay, I may say with Atheists and Deists, but beg
you will believe the whole course of our ministry has been very onerous and dif-
ficult; and if I have failed in any part of my duty, (as it seems you are in-
formed,) let me know it in your next, that I may amend. Perhaps there is more
my duty than I know of, especially if a minister may not be allowed judgment
of discretion in things that do not respect canonical obedience, but be obliged to
please singular fancies and humors repugnant to general reason and usage.

I must also tell you that our church is wainscotted, and in a short time will be
ceiled over head, and more decently seated, and the communion table enclosed
with rails and bannisters; and am very sorry for that great loss we have had at
sea of church ornament, not knowing how it may be repaired but by the same
gracious donors.

Since my last I have received some old arrears, and hope to have my salary
here better paid: when we are well settled, we may inform the remis that they
must pay their dues. I have obtained of the town of Westchester (on a time
when it lay in my way to do them service with the Governor) a grant of twenty
acres of glebe, and three acres of meadow within half a mile of the church;
which, in time, will be a convenient residence for a minister, and also a small
share in some undivided land, which will be to the quantity of about thirty acres
more, but about four miles distant. I shall only add humble thanks and duty
to the society, and that I remain, &c., &c. JOHN BARTOW.

Colonel James Graham, to whom Mr. Bartow alludes in the above
letter, was a native of Scotland, and a near relation of James Graham,
Marquis of Montrose.’ In 1691 he was returned as one of the four
members of the Provincial Assembly for the City and County of New
York, and in 1699 was chosen speaker of that body. He was the author
of the law for the maintenance of the clergy, and settlement of the Church
in 1693. He was also Recorder of the city of New York from 1693 to
1700, and subsequently received the appointment of Attorney General
of the Province. He was elected Senior Warden of the parish in 1703,

a Hawk’s New York MSS. from archives at Fulham vol. i, 171 2. 175.

b “The ancient and powerful family of Graham,” says Sir Walter Scott, in the Lady of the
Lake, “held extensive possessions in the counties of Dumbarton and Stirling. Few families
can boast of more historical renown, having claim to three of the most remarkable characters
in the Scottish annals; Sir John Greme, the faithful and undaunted partaker of the labours
and patriotic warfare of Wallace, fell in the unfortunate fleld of Falkirk, in 1298. The cele-
brated Marquess of Montrose, in whomi De Retz saw realized his abstract ideas of the heroes
of antiquity, was the second of these worthies; and notwithstanding the severity of his tem-
per, and the vigour with which he executed the oppressive mandates of the Punics, whom he
served, I do not hestitate to name, as the third, John Graham, of Claverhouse, Viscount of
Dundee, whose heroic death, in the arms of victory, may be allowed to cancel the memory of
his cruelty to the non-conformists, during the reigns of Charles IL, and James II.”

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 329

and for a time was one of its principal supporters. His residence stood
on the spot oceupied by the farm house of the late William H. Leggett,
Esq., of West Farms. He died in 1767, and left several children.
Augustine was Surveyor General of the Province, and Isabella married
the Hon. Lewis Morris, of Morrisania. @

In the vestry book of this parish occurs the following election for
church officers, about three months after Mr. Bartow’s arrival :—

‘* Att a meeting held in the Borrough town of Westchester, by the parishioners
of said parish, pursuant to an Act of Gcneral Assembly, entitled an act for the
settling a Ministry and raising a maintainance for them, and Mr. John Bartow
being settled minister of said parish, and his maintainance ought to be taken care
for, do voluntaryly make choice of the Vestry and Church-wardens this 12th day
of January, in the first year of the Queens Majesties Raigne 1702-3, as fol-
loweth :—

Present.
Mr. Justice Pett, Mr. Justice Jonn Hunt,
Mr. Justice WILLETT, Mr. Justice GRAHAM,
Me. Justice Jostan Hont, Mr. Justice Bayley.
Church-wardens.
LIzvTENANT Cot. GRAHAM, JUSTICE JosIAH HUNT.
Vestrymen
Tuomas Baxter, SEN., JOSEPH HAVILAND,
JosEPH DRAKE, Tuomas PELL,
Joun ARCHER, Mines Oaktey,
JouN BucxKseeg, DantreEt Crark,

Tuomas Hont, Sen., of West Farms, Prrer Le Roy,

Epwarp Coir, Clerk Erasmus ALien, Messenger.

At a meeting of the vestry, “held this 3rd day of June, 1703, by
reason of the County Courte, this day its agreed upon by ye Justices and
Vestry that they will meet at 12 o’clock on the 5th day of this instant
month, in order to regulate matters concerning the parish and the main
tenance of the minister.Ӣ

“Att a meeting held by the Justices & Vestrymen of Westchester,

a Surrogates Office, New York, Lib. xxvi 13,
b Westchester Vestry Book.
ec Westchester Vestry Book.

330 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Eastchester, Yonckers & the Manor of Pelham, being in one parish or
division this 5th of June, 1703 :—
Present
Mr. JusticE PELL, Mr. Justice Drake,
Mr. Justice PINKNEY, Mr. Justice BayLey.
Mr. Justick Hunt.

Vestry.
Mr. Joserpn DRAKE, Mr. Joseph Havinann,
Mr. Mires Oak ey, Mr. Joun Anrcuer,
Mr. Danret Crarx, Mr. JoHN Bucxksesr,

Mr. THomas Hunt, Jr.

“Tt is agreed upon by the said Justices & Vestrymen, that there shall
be raised fifty-five pounds for the Ministers maintenance & poor of the
parish. The Quotas for each place is as followeth :—

Westchester, £27 18 0

Morris Anna, 3 70
Eastchester, Telseo
Pelham, 1130
Rochelle, i BO)
Yonckers, 7 60

£5) 00

To be paid unto the Church-wardens att or before the 15th of December next
ensuing. EDWARD COLLIER, Clerk.”

The next letter from Br. Bartow, to the Secretary, bears date :—

WESTOHESTER,
in the Province of New York in America,
May 25th, 1703.

Srr :—‘‘ My Lord Cornbury is very kind in countenancing the settlement of
the Church of England, and to preserve that maintenance which has been pro-
vided by act of Assembly for orthodox ministers, altho’ there have been great
endeavours to annull that act since they saw the Church pouring in upon them,
which endeavours have been chiefly showed, in my parish of Westchester, as
follows: The act of Assembly doth unite Westchester, Eastchester, Yonckers,
and the Manor of Pelham, into one parish, who are obliged to contribute the
sum of £50 per annum for the maintenance of an orthodox minister.

Now Eastchester, having an independent minister, endeavours at my coming,
to make themselves a distinct parish, and used many means to prevent and dis-
turb my settlement at Westchester; but all their attempts were frustrated by my
Lord Cornbury ; and now they begin to come into better temper, many of them
having left their minister are joyned with us; nay, the minister himself talks
of coming to England for Episcopal orders.

a Ibid.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 331

Another obstruction has been in the manor of Pelham, the inhabitants of which
are French Protestants, who have Mr. Bondett for their minister; a gent in
Episcopal orders, (but not using the liturgy of the Church of England) and there-
fore they have the greater plea to sue for an exemption; but the Quota, West-
chester, intends to lay annually upon them (viz., £5) is so inconsiderable, and
the people many and wealthy, that my Lord Cornbury would not hear of any
alteration; and my Lord has prevailed with Mr. Bondett to cease from any
further endeavours.

That land which my Lord of London obtained of her Majestie for the church
at Westchester, is now claimed by an heir; the case in short is thus :—-

John Richardson, of the parish of Westchester, married his daughter Mary to
Joseph Hadley; the said John Richardson some time time after in his sickness
whereof he died, makes a will and bequeaths to his said daughter Mary, one
hundred acres of land. The said daughter dyes also soon after her father, but
left issue by the said Joseph Hadley, her husband. After her death, she dying
without a will, Joseph Hadley, the husband of the deceased, sells this land to
Thomas Williams; and the said Thomas Williams dyes in the possession of the
said land, intestate, and without heirs, and by that means the land by the judge
and the jury, was determined to be escheated to the crown. But now George
Hadley, the son and heir of the said Jos. Hadley, which he begot of the said
Mary, the daughter of John Richardson, puts in his claim for this land as his
mother’s heir; alledging that his father could not dispose of his mother’s in-
heritance, (altho’ it was not settled upon her by deed of jointure, nor yet be-
queathed to her and her heirs,) and the heir who was also his father’s exectr.
& admit., has (as I am informed) received part of the said purchase money
of the said Williams. I humbly beg you would lay this matter before the
Society, that they may assist us with timely advice yt ye Church may not loose
any of her rights. I have been at great charges since I left England, but doubt
not God will provide things necessary for my subsistence ; my earnest desire is
to answer the glorious ends of my mission, and my greatest circumspection is
to behave myself so as becometh one employed by so many great and good men,
that I may never give a reason to reflect ; I have been upon duty ever since I
came out of England, but asfor the proportion and commencement of my salary,
I thankfully submit it to the pleasure of the Society, for whose health and pros-
perity { shall ever pray, who am worthy sir.¢

Your most humble and obliged servant, JOHN BARTOW.”

The subjoined letter, from Colonel Heathcote to the Secretary, will
serve to throw additional light upon the early history of this parish :—

COLONEL HEATHCOTE TO THE SECRETARY.

Manor or Scarspate, New Yorx, 10TH Aprin, 1704.

Sir :—‘‘Mr. Bartow showed me the copy of a letter (the original, as he told
me, being sent to my Lord Cornbury) wherein you acquaint him that the Society

a Bawks’ New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i, 18,19. 20. In 1704 Mr. Bartow
received from the Society £50 per annum, and a benevolence of £39 —See first report of Ven-
erable Propagation Society, issued ijn 1704.

332 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

were displeased for his settling at Westchester, being by my Lord of London,
sent for Rye, and that he should get a line or two either from my Lord Corn-
bury, or, at least, from me, to satisfy him in that matter. I, did in October last,
give my Lord of London my reasons for the necessity of his being settled at
Westchester, the people in that place having been the first in this county who
desired a minister of the Church; and, being disappointed, might have been of
ill consequence ; for no sooner was Mr. Bartow arrived, but ye vestry immedi-
ately came to me and gave me no rest until I consented to use my interest with
my Lord Cornbury to have him inducted there; and the inhabitants of Rye, sup-
posing Westchester was first to be supply’4, were easy in that matter; there
being on one hand, no fear of disobliging the people of Rye, and on the other,
great danger of hurting the interest of the Church at Westchester, I desired my
Lord Cornbury to induct him there; and what I did therein, being intended for
the best, I beg that the Society would not take amiss. Sir, being favor’d with
this opportunity, I cannot omitt giving you the state of this county in relation
to the Church, and shall begin the history thereof from the time I first came
amongst them, which was about twelve years ago, when I found it the most
rude and heathenish country I ever saw in my whole life, which called them-
selves Christians—there being not so much as the least marks or footsteps of
religion of any sort. Sundays being the only time sett apart by them for all
manner, of vain sports and lewd diversions, and they were grown to such a
degree of rudeness, that it was intolerable; and, having then the command of
the militia, I sent an order to all the captains, requiring them to call their mer
under arms, and to acquaint them that in case they would not, in every town,
agree amongst themse!ves to appoint readers and pass the Sabbath in the best
manner they could, till such times as they could be better provided: that they
should every Sunday call their companies under arms, and spend the day in ex-
ercise, Whereupon it was unanimously agreed on thro’ the county, to make
choice of readers; which they accordingly did, and continued in those methods
some time. After which the people of Westchester, Eastchester, and a place
called Lower Yonkers, agreed with one Warren Mather, and the people of Rye,
with one Mr, Woodbridge, both of New England, there being at that time scarce
six in the whole county who so much as inclined to ye Church. After Mr.
Mather had been with them for some time, Westchester Parish made choice of
me for one of their church-wardens, in hopes of using my interest with Colonel
Fletcher to have Mather inducted to ye living. I told them it was altogether
impossible for me to comply with their desire, it being wholly repugnant to the
laws of England to compell the subject to pay for the maintenance of any min-
ister who was not of the national Church, and that it lay not in any governor’s
power to help them; but since they were so zealous for having religion and
good order settled amongst them, I would propose a medium in that matter;
which was, that there being at Boston a French Protestant minister, one Mr.
Bondett, a very good man, who was in orders by my Lord of London, and
could preach both in English and French; and the people of New Rochelle
being destitute of a minister, we would call Mr. Bondett to the living, and the
parish being large enough to maintain two, we would likewise continue Mr.
Mather, and support him by subscriptions. The vestry seemed to be extremely
well pleased with this proposal, and desired me to send for Mr. Bondett, which

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 333

I immediately did, hoping by that means to bring them over to the Church;
but Mather, apprehending what I aimed at, persuaded the vestry to alter their
resolutions, and when he came, they refused to call him; s9, that projection fail-
ing, and finding that it was impossible to make any progress towards settling the
Church, so long as Mather continued amongst us, I made it my business, in the
next place, to devise ways to get him out of the county, which I was not long in
contriving, which being effected, and having gained some few proselytes in every
town, and those who were of the best esteem amongst them, and being assisted
by Mr. Vesey and Mr. Bondett, who very often preached in several parts of the
country, baptizing their children. By these easy methods, the people were
soon wrought into a good opinion of the Church, and indeed, much beyond my
expectation ; and the truth is, nothing is so agreeable to my natural temper, nor
do I like any way in making converts so well, as by soft and easy means, in
convincing men’s minds, and satisfying them in all their foolish notions against
the best of churches; for as those are not only most agreeable to religion, so
they likewise do the work most effectually ; for when anything of that nature is
carried on with heat, loose and irreligious men immediately own the faith, and
turn violent persecutors ; being overjoyed ef any opportunity to gratify their
natural temper, and by the rigour of their proceedings, as well as their vicious
lives, not only bring a scandal upon the Church, but prevent its growth; for all
men who have any sense of virtue or honor, and might be a means of their con-
version to bring over many more, abhor to be directed by such guides; and,
indeed to do a work of this nature effectually, it ought to be managed with a
more than ordinary care, and those on whom the conversion is to be wrought,
in their infancy must be dealt with as much tenderness as children; for before
they are well fixed and rooted, the denying them a rattle or some indifferent
trifle, very often makes them start, but much more so when anything very mate-
rial and reasonable in itself is withheld them. A mischief of this nature had
like to have attended in this county for Westchester parish, which contains about
sixteen miles in length, wherein there are three towns, in each of which there is
a small church (viz.) Westchester, Eastchester and New Rochelle, besides a
place called Lower Yonkers; and, it being impossible that my one minister
could take due care of all those places, and then consequently very hard that
any people should pay to a minister, it was morally impossible for them to have
any benefit from; and Rye Parish being under the like misfortune, I brought
the towns in both parishes, except Westchester, to this result: that they
should petition the Governor's Council and Assembly,-that instead of two
ministers of the Church, there should be three appointed for the county, and that
they should live at the most convenient places for the service of the whole
county, dividing the bread of life so equally, that every town might have tkeir
fair and equal proportion; and when, with a great deal cf pains, I had brought
this matter to pass, and even whilst I was hugging myself with a satisfaction of
having finished my task in this county, to my wonderful surprise, I met with a
violent opposition from six or eight warm men of Westchester ; this storm, by
degrees, run to that height that we were obliged to decline the matter ; however,
with the blessing of God, nothing shall discourage me, for I neither have nor
shall be wanting in my best endeavors to preserve this people in a temper to re-
ceive the Church among them; and, was I worthy to give my advice in these

334 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

matters, it should be that every minister sent over by the Society should be re-
quired to send a list of all the inhabitants of their parish, with the towns and
places of their abodes, dividing the list of each town and place into three dis-
tinct parts; in the first, who are the communicants; in the second, those who
come to hear them, but do not communicate; and in the third, which are Quak-
ers and others who are Dissenters, and that they should be strictly directed con-
stantly to visit ye Quakers and those who dissent from the Church, and use
their best endeavors to persuade those who are reconciled to the Church and reg-
ular in their lives, and do not communicate to receive the sacrament, and to give
the Society an exact account every six months, at least, what progress they make
therein; and further, they should be ordered not to fail preaching in every town
within their respective parishes, according to the proportion of the inhabitants;
by this means the Society will have a true account of the growth of the Church,
and what service is done by those they send over, and the bread of life will be
equally dealt among the people; and in case the ministers find that their duty is
too hard, that they jointly solicit the government that this country might be di-
vided into three parishes, for one of which there cannot be a better man than
Mr. Bondett, whom I mentioned inthe former part of my letter, whose character
I have already very often and fully given to my Lord of London, and will be
altogether needless to insert here. We have in this county six small towns, viz.
Westchester, Eastchester, New Rochelle, Mamoroneck, Rye and Bedford—be-
sides a place called Lower Yonkers, containing about twenty families; and aa-
other, the Manor of Philipsburgh, about forty families. Now, were those three
ministers appointed for the county, viz. one at Westchester, which is the west-
ermost part of the county ; another at Rye, which is the eastermost ; and another
at New Rochelle, which is pretty near the centre; those dividing their duty
fairly and equally, the whole county might be taken care of, and the ministers
not over-burthened. Upon my word, sir, it gives me a great deal of concern,
when I consider what pains and charge the Society have been and are at to prop-
agate the Gospel in these parts of the world, and that a gent (I mean Mr. Bar-
tow, who is a very good man,) should be sent over on that errand to this
county, which consists of about four hundred families, of which not above forty
or fifty have any benefit of him; and should the minister of Rye serve us in like
manner, not above one-third of the county would be better for all the cost and
labor bestowed upon us; and notwithstanding the arguments which are used by
the men of heat—that the congregation ought to follow the minister, and not he
the people—it will be time enough to preach up that doctrine twelve or fifteen
years hence, when perhaps the county won’t only be much more willing, but
more able to maintain six ministers that they can three now; besides those who
live some three or four, others seven to fourteen miles from Westchester and
Rye, tho’ once in a great while they might come, I mean the masters and mis-
tresses of families, yet it will be morally impossible for them to move their chil-
dren so far, of whom the greatest hopes are, and with whom, by catechising and
other ways, the most pains ought to be taken. I had once formed a projection
for fixing schools in this county for the benefit of all the youths therein, in order
to their being trained up, not only in lcarning, but in their tender years to
ingraft them in the Church; bué the storm which was lately raised upon me con-
cerning Church affairs, made me lay the thought of it aside fora while. How-

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 335

ever, if God is pleased to spare my life a little longer, I will, with His assistance,
set it on foot, and hope it will be blessed with its desired effect. I am told it is
with a great deal of difficulty that any gentlemen are prevailed upon from any
of the colleges to come over to these parts, and it is no wonder to me that it is
so; for those who are ingenious men and regular in their lives, and qualified for
doing any service here, cannot want preferment at home—that for a remedy
therein, if it could be so ordered that such of the New England ministers as
should be willing to conform, could be ordained here; it would not be by much
so great a charge, and one of them would do as much or more service in bringing
home the people to the Church, as the best divine which could be sent from
home. If I am not misinformed, the Society allows those gentlemen which
come over £60 sterling per annum, and her Majesty is pleased to give every one
of ’em £20 to buy necessarys for their voyage. Now, was there only £20 laid
out in proper goods for these parts, it would make £50 this country money, and
pay for the extraordinary charge of insurance to prevent any risque in permit-
ting it that way, which, with the allowance of the parishes here, would amount
to £100 per annum, and would be a handsome benefice ; enough for any who has
had their education in Boston College, by which means these ministers might
be supported, with the charge of one as it is now; nor do I believe there can be
a more effectual way to do the work than by that method.

‘**Since writing the above, and whilst it was waiting for a passage, Mr. Prit-
chard is arrived, whom my Lord of London has directed to officiate in Rye par-
ish; he is a promising young gent, and I question not but will, with God’s assis-
tance, do great service to the Church: he shall not want anything I can do for
him to make his pilgrimage easy, nor any advice which I can give him to
answer the end of his coming; and be pleased to present my most humble duty
to the Society, and most hearty thanks for their favors, and may assure them
that so long as it shall-please God to spare my life, I won’t cease my best en-
deavours for the service of the Church, and should with the greatest satisfaction

imaginable, receive any commands from them on that account. I fear I have
been already too troublesome, so shall not enlarge further at present, but
remain, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant,

CALEB HEATHCOTE.”«

The following extracts from the town records relate to the twenty
acres of land given by Westchester division for a glebe :—

‘“*At a meeting held by the trustees, and the freeholders and commonality of
the town of Westchester, the 3rd of August, 1703, &c.”

Present,
Jostan Hunt, SENR., JOHN FERRIS, JUNR.,
JOHN FERRIS, Mites Oak.ey,
Joun Hoent, DanieEL TURNER,
Tuomas BaxTER, SENR., Tuos. Haven,
JOSEPH HoNT, JUNR., JOHN OAKLEY,
JOSEPH HAVILAND, Rogr. HeEvstis, JUNR.

a Hawk’s New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i, 33 to 39.

336 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

‘* Whereas motion being made to the trustees, that it would be very necessary
that some land near the town should be laid out for parsonage lands ; and be for
the use and behoof of such minister as from time to time should be settled
amongst us; it is therefore voted and agreed upon, by the major part of the
trustees aforesaid, that there shall be laid out for the use aforesaid, sixteen acres
of land, that is to say, four acres where Edward Collier’s old lott was, and that
twelve acre division which was laid out to Samuel Palmer and exchanged with
the town by Israel Honeywell, and that John Hunt, Miles Oakley and Joseph
Hunt, Junr., shall lay it out.”@

At a subsequent meeting of the trustees, etc., held the third day of
November, 1703, the minutes are as follows :—

‘* Whereas at a meeting of the trustees, held the 3rd of August last past, it
was voted, that four acres of Edward Collier's old lott should be laid out in part
of the parsonage lands; and the trustees at this meeting, having considered the
inconveniency at distance from the other part of the land intended for y* pur-
pose; it is therefore voted and agreed upon by the major part of the trustees
aforesaid, that the eight acre division of land in the lott fronting to the sheep
pasture, formerly adjoining to that lott of twelve acres which was Sam P——,
and did belong to Miles Oakley’s orphants, and the aforesaid twenty acres of
land shall be counted, deemed, and taken for Parsonage lands for ever; any vote,
agreement, or record of the trustees to the contrary in any wise notwithstand-
ing, &c,”> :

At a meeting held by the Trustees of the Freehold and Commonality of the
Town of Westchester, the 3rd of May, Annog Dom. 1704.

Present:
JOHN FeErris, senr., JoHN BAyty,
Tuomas BAXTER, senr., JoHN OAKLEY,
Rost. Huestis, Junr., Tuomas HapEn,

Mites OAKLEY.

‘*Tt is voted and agreed upon by the trustees aforesaid, that for a further en-
couragement given to Mr. John Bartow, Rector of Westchester, and his suc-
cessors, besides the 20 acres of land within the town, already laid out for a
Parsonage land forever, yet, nevertheless, for the better establishing of the
Church of England, and benefit of the said Mr. John Bartow and his successors,
the trustees aforesaid do give and grant three acres of salt meadow, be it more or
less, lying situate in the town aforesaid, and is butted and bounded as followeth:
—that is to say, on the west side of the great creek between Robert Huestis’ mead-
ow and Edward Harden’s meadow. Together with a twenty-five pound privilege
of commonage on the east side of Brunks’s River, of all the land which hereafter
shall be laid out, which said land has been for many years past known by the
name of the Long Reach.

Done in behalf of the rest of the trustees, and signed by us.”

THOMAS BAXTER,
JOHN BAYLY,
MILES OAKLEY.¢

a Town Rec, of Westchester, Liber vi. 17.
b Ibid. Liber. vi. 18.
ce Westchester Town Rec, Lib. vi. p. 44.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 337

The following extract is taken from a ‘‘summary account of the state
of the Church, in the Province, as it was laid before the clergy, Oct. 5th,
1704, at New York, &c.

WESTCHESTER, MR. BARTOW, RECTOR.

‘¢ Here is a church built, but not finished, being neither glazed nor ceiled. The
parish of Westchester is divided into four several districts, viz., Westchester,
Eastchester, Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham.

There is £50 settled on the ministers by act of Asssembly.

There is twenty acres of land given by Westchester division for a glebe.

There is one Independant Congregation at Eastchester, whose minister de-
signs to leave there, whose congregation upon departure, are resolved to join
with the Church,”4

Mr. Bartow, writing to the Secretary upon the 24th of May, 1704,

says :— :

‘*The affairs of the Church in this province (thank God) are very prosperous,
which are greatly owing to the influence of my Lord Cornbury. I have received
yours, together with the opinion upon the case of the land escheated to the
Crown, but can give no answer till I have directions from the Governor. Mr.
Lockier is dead and much lamented. The town of Hempstead, upon Long
Island, having long expected a missionary from the society, I hope they will
soon be answered. I beg you would give my most bounden duty and thanks to
that Revd. and Honorable body, and excuse my abrupt subscription of myself,

Sir, Your most humble and obliged servant,
JOHN BARTOW.?

On the 4th of August, 1705, another act of General Assembly was
passed, entitled :—

“An act for the better explaining and more effectual putting in exe-
cution, an act of General Assembly ; entitled, an act for settling a minis-
try and raising a maintenance for them, in the city of New York,
Counties of Richmond, Westchester and Queens’ County.”

This act, which was ratified by Queen Anne, on the 11th of April,
1706,° fully confirmed Mr. Bartow in all the rights appertaining to his
own benefice.

The following extract, from a letter of Mr. Bartew to the Secretary,
shows what kind of difficulties the former had to contend with, in the
discharge of his duties :-—

a Hawks’ New York, MSS., from archives at Fulham.

b Hawks’ MSS.. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. 29. On the 19th of April, 1704, the trastees--
of Westchester voted Mr. John Bartow, as a free gift of the town, “‘a certain piece-of
land at the rear of his house lot, from the corner of his lot next to John Williams, his lot on
the south-west, and straight upon a line until it comes to the west corner.”—Lib, vi. Taysn.
Rec. p. 22.

c Laws of N. Y., Ed. by Hugh Gaines, vol. i. 64.

38 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

On

WESTCHESTER,
tn New York, in America,
Aug. 14, 1706.

Srr :—‘‘ My great business is to plant the Church of England amongst preju-
diced poor and irreligous people, who are more apt to receive than to give, who
think it a hardship to pay their dues; and we dare not use the law for fear of
bringing an odium on the Church, and on all occasions expect to be civilly
treated by the minister. My task is greater than I can bear; I will hold out as
long as I can with submission to the divine will, who feedeth the fowls of the
air: trusting He will still feed me, by your means, when you come to be sen-
sible of our wants. Worthy Sir, Your most devoted and obliged servant,

JOHN BARTOW.”’¢
The following items are taken from the vestry minutes :—

“At a meeting of the justices of the vestry, the 6th of March, 1704-5,
John Williams, late constable for the year 1703, appeared with a receipt
from Mr. John Bartow, bearing the date 5th of March, 1704, for the
sum of £26.10, which is the full quota for the minister’s rate in West-
chester.”

At a meeting of the justices, church-wardens, and vestry of the parish
of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham, this
12th of December, 1706, in obedience to his Excellency, the Governor’s
order, &c :—

“It is voted and agreed upon by the justices and vestry aforesaid, that the
parish church in Westchester shall be finished—that is to say, to seal the sides
up to the wall plates, and lay a board floor, and make two new door cases, with
doors and window shuts for the windows in said church, the upper windows ex-
cepted: and whereas, Jeremiah Fowler and Isaac Underhill, presenting them-
selves to do said work; the justices and vestry have agreed with them to do said
work for £17, in good current money of New York, provided that as soon as
they have laid the under floor and made the doors, and door cases and window
shuts, they shall be paid to the value of said work, and the remainder of said
£17, at the finishing thereof: the justices and vestry to find boards, and nails

and hinges. EDWARD COLLIER, Clerk.”

“At a subsequent meeting held by ye justices, church-wardens and
vestry, &c., this 23d day of December, 1707, they found it necessary to
raise ye sumes, which followeth, viz. :—

To ye minister’s rate and collecting, sh 7 Sytem - £5210 0
To ye poor, etc. - ari} - ae - 29 8 0
To boards for Eastchester church, - = - - 50 0
To ye clerk of ye vestry, - - - ae bly |

a Hawks’ New York MSS., from Archives at Fulham, vol. i. 126.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 339

To ye bellringer, - - - - - - - 07 0
To ye collecting of, —- - : = - - LI ONG
To ye belfry roof of Westchester church, - - 0 9 0
To ye sacrament and collection, - = - Sescli0

At this period of Mr. Bartow’s labors, the Society appear to have
withdrawn their annual salary of £50; whereupon, we find the clergy
of the Province addressing the Secretary in his behalf :—

DIVERS MINISTERS OF NEW YORK TO THE SECRETARY.

Sir :—‘‘ We are informed that the Honorable Society have withdrawn their
allowance from our Reverend brother, Mr. Bartow, at which we are heartily
concerned, and think ourselves obliged to recommend him to your favor, as a
person truly deserving the continuance of your bounty. He has, in short, be-
haved himself soberly and prudently to the satisfaction of all his people, diligent
for the good of nis Church, and pious and exemplary in his life and conversa-
tion: we hope his piety and goodness will merit your allowance, especially when
you have considered the necessity ; it being impossible to subsist in the discharge
of his office, without an established salary from the Corporation. We shall not
offer any further trouble at present, only pray you to look upon our worthy
brother to be a sincere good man, and therein you shall oblige, Sir, yours, &c.,

Evan Evans, Witt1am VESEY,
New York, 17 April, 1707. Wn. Uraquuart, Enxias Nea,
JOHN THOMAS, GrorGE Morison.”

The next annual report of Mr. Bartow to the Society, shows that he
was still laboring with great diligence and success :—

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.

[Extract.]
From WESTCHESTER,

in New York, in America,
10th June, 1709.

Sm:—“T have paid my vists in the Jerseys, and preached there three Sun-
days: 1st, at Topenamus; 2nd, at Shrewsbury; 8rd, at Amboy; and Mr. Sharp
preached for me once at Westchester. Mr. Evans was at York one Sunday, in
my absence, and designed to go up and preach for me, at Westchester; but the
arrival of the Kinsale from cruising, obliged him to preach on board, so that my
parish was two Sundays without any ecclesiastical ministration, which they never
were, sO near together, sinceI came. In my way home, I had the honour to be
in the company of Col. Nicholson, and to receive of him a letter from his Grace
the Archbishop of Canterbury; and the same had all the other missionaries, of
which I shall always retain a grateful sense, as well for the subject matter there-
in contained as for his Grace’s great condescension in casting so favorable an eye
upon us. I have likewise to tell you that I have this day received yours, dated

a Westchester Vestry Book.

240 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

1st Feb., 1708-9, with some enclosed rules of the Society, for which I return you
thanks.

I find there might be a great many congregations made in the Jerseys, if there
were Episcopal ministers—but find no inclination to contribute towards their
maintenance ; however, I hope you will not leave them destitute of your assist-
ance. I know when those who are of the Church can be most prevalent in their
assemblies, (or if I may so say, Parliament, ) they will make some legal provision
for ministers: but at present the number of the Quakers, Anabaptists, Liber-
alists, &c., is so great that it cannot be obtained; but good missionaries will in-
crease the number of the one, and lessen the other.

Friday next we have an appointed fast, to supplicate God’s blessing on the
expedition to Canada, which with preparation for Sunday following, when Iam
to administer the sacrament, will not suffer me to add; but that I shall always
pray for the success and prosperity of the Society, and remain,

Sir, your most devoted and obliged servant, JOHN BARTOW.” a

At the end of two years, Mr. Bartow speaks with thankfulness, of
having, ‘‘ by the blessing of Almighty God, been instrumental in making
many proselytes to our holy religion, who are very constant and devout
in and at their attendance on divine service; and, those who were
enemies at my first coming, are now zealous professors of the ordinances
of our Church. The inhabitants of our parish live scattered and dis-
persed up and down in the woods, so that many cannot repair constantly
to the church, by reason of their great distance from it.” Mr. Bartow
appears, by his letter, to have been in the habit of making collections
in his church for any very urgent cases of distress. ‘Thus, we have the
following notices :—

“ Sept. 5th, 1708, came a distressed woman, widow of Maynard,
through Westchester, who had nine children murdered by the Indians.
Collected for her in the church, eleven shillings and six pence. The
following Sunday he made a similar collection for a poor man.”

Upon the 30th of October, 1709, he thus writes :—

‘* We want very mucha fixed school at Westchester; if Mr. Daniel Clark, my
neighbour, now in England, should wait upon you, desirous of that employment,
I recommend him asa person worthy of it; being of good report, a constant com-
municant, and being a clergyman’s son, has had a pious and learned education.
I pray you would accept my most bounded thanks for your constant favors to me
and your othtr missionaries ; we know you expect no returns but our constant
labours in the Church, which that God would give us ability to perform, and you
to support, shall be ever the prayer of, Sir, yours, &c.,

JOHN BARTOW’?

a Hawks’ New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. i. pp. 193 to 195.

b Hawks’ New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p. 207. Edward Fitzgerald was,
school-master of Westchesterin 1709; he wasa soldier in one of the independent companies,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 341

At a meeting of the church-wardens, vestrymen, freeholders and
parishioners of the borough of Westchester, held the roth day of
January, A.D. 1709, present :—

Justices.
JosEpH Hunt, Masor WitLiaM WILLETT,
Tuomas PINCKNEY, Jonn Honr.

The church-wardens chosen and appointed were:

JosEPH Hunt, junr., and JEREMIAH Fow Ler.

Vestrymen,

For the borough of Westchester. For Eastchester.
Mires Oak ey, Isaao Taytor,
Tuomas BAxtTER, SEN. JoHN LANOASTER.
Tuomas Hont, NATHANIEL TOMPKINS.

For Yonckers Precinct. For the Manor of Pelham.
JOHN ARCHER, THomas PELL,

Noau Barton.

For New Rochelle.
ANTHONY LISPENARD.

Collected for the minister, £50; for the clerk of vestry, £5; for collecting,
£2 13. The quotas for the different precincts were :

Westchester, £25 0 0 New Rochelle, £8 15 0
Eastchester, 90 0 Pelham, OAV
Yonckers, 800 Morrisania. 3 00

** Att a meeting held by ye justices, vestrymen and church-wardens on ye 18th
of JanY., 1708-9, it was ordered, yt the two church-wardens for this ensueing
year, shall goe to Mr. Morris to know if yt he will pay his arrearidges, or other
ways to knowe if yt he will joyne issue with ye parrish to try ye title whether
his mannor be in ye parrish or not, and make return att ye next meeting.”’¢

Mr. Bartow writing to the Secretary on the 5th of July, 1710, says:

Sm :—*‘Our church at Westchester increases ; that at Eastchester continues
constant; we have sometimes Negroes and Indians come to our assembly, and
behave themselves orderly ; but the slight and contempt of baptism by Quakers
and many others, I am persuaded keeps them from it ; for when they see so
many that call themselves Christians, allowed in the disuse of it, and the im-
morality of many that are baptized, they contentedly remaine unbaptized. I
have baptized in the year 1709, 42; 14 of which were grown persons. I have re-
ceived a parcel of books writ by the late Rev. Dr. Beveridge, on public prayer,
and the communion, &c., and though there is no advice from whom, I suppose

a Westchester Vestry Book.

342 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

they come from that fountain of piety and charity, the renowned Society, for
whose gracious assistance in the works of Christ’s ministry I remain their debtor,
and can only desire that God would abundantly reward their pious labours in Hig
Church, who am, Sir, yours, &c., JOHN BARTOW.a

Westchester, New York, 5th July, 1710.”

Mr. Elias Neau, a vestryman of Trinity church, N. Y., writing the
same day to the Secretary, bears the following testimony to Mr. Bar-
tow’s services :—

‘Most honored sir—Mr. Bartow has done a great deal of good here
these six years, for he preaches about in places where there are no
ministers, &c.”?

The following is Mr. Bartow’s second report for this year :—

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
WeEstcuEsTER, 30TH Nov., 1710.

Sir :—‘‘ The Rev. Mr. Bondett’s conformity has been of good effect ; a new
church is built in New Rochelle for the service of the Church of England, by
voluntary contributions: there is some of that place do yet dissent, but the major
and better part do conform and are zealous.

I want very much some Common Prayer Books, and Church catechisms: if the
society will be pleased to bestow any upon us, I pray they may be directed to
me.
I have lately baptized a free Negro man and three children, ¢m@' # ‘Negro
woman servant; but ’tis very rare that these people can be broug#t ‘to have
any true sense of the Christian religion.

We have many elderly people that will not be brought to have any concern
about the necessity of public worship, and yet not withholding their children
from coming to church: we hope they will not follow the example of their
parents, many of which have been baptized, and in sobriety, piety, do promise
zeal and constancy in the Church established.

I can say no more at present, but that I pray for the success and prosperity of

the Society, And remain, Worthy Sir, Yours, &c.
JNO. BARTOW.Ӣ

In answer to this letter, the Honorable Society sent the next year,
‘to the Rev. Mr. Bartow, fifty Common Prayer Books, and £5 worth
more of small tracts, tending to promote piety and virtue amongst his

people.”4
Five months later, he thus communicates the state of his parish :—

a Hawks’ New York MSS., from archives.at Fulham, vol, i. 218, 219.

b Ibid. vol. i. 216, 217.
c Hawks’ New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol, i. 229.

a Printed abstracts of Ven. Soc.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER, 343

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
(Extract. }
WESTOHESTER, 31st APRIL, 1711.

Worry Sir :—I hope you have had by this time an account of the state of the
Church at Jamaica, and the troubles Mr. Poyer has met with-all since his coming
to that place, from more certain information than I can give you. The vestry are
dissenters from the Church, and refuse still to call him, as the act of Assembly
cirects; and on that pretence still withold his salary, upon which I only presume
to observe, that as long as the inhabitants of the parishes here have the power
of choosing the vestry, the major part of which are Dissenters (by which the
vestrymen are constituted Patrons to elect, call and present a minister) the set-
tlement of our churches here is very precarious, and on every vacancy may
occasion a disturbance; for should a dissenting minister appear, whom the people
approved—as it nas happened now in the case of Jamaica—I question whether
any of our parishes, excepting York, would not call him and reject the clergy-
man. We cannot hope here for a better regulation of the act by our Assemblys,
who are also generally Disseaters ; but hope that you will think of some methods
to establish the Church of England in this Province.

I thank God my own parish are very well affected to our Church at present,
but we know not how soon the old leaven may work again; prejudice and
education are mighty tyrants upon men’s manners; we have very few but what
have been educated Dissenters, and have imbibed prejudices therein, and we
cannot be secure when they will be thoroughly worn out; therefore, should
be extremely glad if my Lord Bishop of London, or the Society, were the patrons
of our churches.

I have baptized, in the year 1710, 36 persons. Our church is pretty well
finished, with seats and rails, and bannisters about the altar. Our congregation
rather increases both in hearers and communicants, but our vestry are the major
part Dissenters; they will part with no money but barely what the Assembly
has allowed for the maintenance of the ministers and poor, so that we are un-
provided of a clerk—none being willing to atend constantly without rare allow-
ances; formerly the vestry would allow something, but now they wholly refuse
it, being encouraged by the success of Jamaica. It would add to the regularity
and decency of our worship, if the society would allow £40 or £50 per annum,
to a church clerk, and leave it at the discretion of a minister to choose him, and
to have power to turn one out and choose another, as he saw cause; and the
society order the salary to be paid him by the minister, that no opposition may
be made when a better may be gotten. _—‘ Sir, yours, &e.

JOHN BARTOW.”

The Venerable Society's abstracts for 1713, say :—

“Mr. Charles Glover is appointed schoolmaster at Westchester, with
a salary of £18 per annum, as he is recommended under the character
of a person sober and diligent, well affected to the Church of England,
and competently skilled in reading, writing, arithmetic, psalmody and

a Hawks’ New-York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p, 249, 250, 251.

344 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the Latin tongue, provided he comply with the society’s rules, in send-
ing certificates of the number of his scholars.Ӣ

The next year, Mr. Bartow writes as follows :—

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
WesrouestEer, Aprin 14, 1714.

Sir :—‘‘I have sent you enclosed, an account of the building of our churches,
and how they have been supplied, signed by those who were yesterday at our
vestry meeting, and have not leisure to get more hands: the ship (as we hear)
being ready to sail.

I have had some old arrears, £9 6 9, due to me, which I have been often try-
ing to get, but could not; until our present governor, upon my complaint, was
pleased to send a threatening letter to our vestry, which made those readily com-
ply to annex it to the church rate for this year, which said sum I have given to
the Church at Eastchester and Westchester, towards making and rectifying of
pews and seats.

The present of books the Society has sent, was very gratefully received by me
and by those to whom they are given.

The Common Prayer Books are the most acceptable to those who love the
Church ; and I could not avoid giving offence, having not enough for all.

The measles have been epidemical throughout the whole county this winter—
and having not had them myself, nor one in the family, and the distemper prov-
ing very mortal, I declined visiting and baptizing « dying child; if complaint be
made, I hope the society will not be offended. The parent said he would not
defer baptizing a child so long again. He is one in the scheme, in number, of the
half Quakers. Sir, in the last clause of the certificate of the vestrymen, you will
find that Eastchester was made a distinct parish from Westchester, in 1700; the
reason whereof, I understand, was this, (viz.) the people of Eastchester being
generally Presbyterians, and wishing to have a minister of their own, petitioned
the Assembly that they might be made a distinct parish from Westchester, (to
which they were before annexed by act of Assembly,) and obtained an act of
separation; but when I came among them, they were so well satisfied with the
liturgy and doctrines of the Church, that they forsook their minister, and have
ever since professed themselves members of the Church of England, (excepting
a very few who are rigid Independents, ) and they pay their proportion of the
fifty pounds per annum, as was allotted them by the first act of Assembly.

If the Society would be pleased to send over one of the few youths of the
Hospital, with an allowance of five pounds per annum, to teach the children,
sometimes at Yonckers, and sometimes at Eastchester, I know the inhabitants
would allow him £20 per annum more of this country money; and it would be
of excellent use, if he proved sober and diligent and well affectioned to our
Church;

I most gratefully acknowledge the piety, zeal, and generosity of the illustrious
Society, for their repeated and continued instances of sincere love unto Christ
Jesus, in spreading and supporting His religion with indefatigable care and im-
mense charges. And remain, Sir, &c.,? JOHN BARTOW.”

a Printed abstracts of Ven. Soc.
b Hawks’ New York MSS., from Archives at Fulham vol. i, pp. 473, 474.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 345

From the society’s abstracts we learn, that “in 1714, by the blessing
of God on Mr. Bartow’s ministry at Westchester, Eastchester, Yonckers
and the Manor of Pelham, where there were formerly very few of the
Church communion, there was visibly a very great reformation of man-
ners.”

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
[Eztract.]
WestouHEsTsEr, Fes. 9th, 1716.

Wortuy Sir :-—‘‘I have preached several funeral sermons since I came here,
and have not received anything, save once, a table for the communion was given
me by a joiner, having preached a sermon at his child’s funeral.”?

In answer to certain enquiries, Mr. Bartow again addressed the Sec-
retary :
MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
[Eztract]
WESTCHESTER, SEPT. 12th, 1717.

Wortny Sir :—‘: The church at Eastchester was built about twenty-two years
since, and supplied always by a Presbyterian minister till about one year after
my coming here, when they embraced the Church of England, and accepted of
me for their minister; and though they had obtained an Act of Assembly under
the government of Lord Bellamont, to make them a distinct parish, yet they
pay their quota of fifty pound per annum to me, according to the first establish-
ment. This conformity I acknowledge, greatly owing the measures of my
Lord Clarendon, then our Governour.

2. There is no parsonage house nor glebe. The church at Westchester was
built about twenty years since, and supplied about two years witha Presbyterian
minister, who had left them before Icame. There is no parsonage house, but
twenty-three acres of glebe given to me and my successors, of the Church of
England, which is now well worth one hundred pounds, as improved by me;
scarce worth thirty pound, when I had it first. I have likewise obtained for the
church a twenty-five pound share of an undivided tract of land called Long
Reach, the title of which has been long controverted between the towns of East
and Westchester, which will be about thirty acres more if Westchester be pos-
sessed ; but the dispute holds still, without signs of a determination.

3. Yonkers has no church; but we assemble for divine worship sometimes ina
house of Joseph Betts, deceased, and sometimes in a barn, when empty—but the
people begin to be in a disposition to build a church.

The other of your letters was dated 14th of May, 1716, wherein you say the
Society have ordered you to acquaint me, and the rest of the brethren, the clergy,
that at our next meeting we should inform them if any of our brethren are dis-
affected to the government of King George; and having had a meeting since,
not long before, can only say, that 1 am well assured there is not one clergyman
in this Province, but what is well affected to the government of his Majesty,
King George, whom God bless.Ӣ
~ @ Printed abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc.

b Ilawks’ New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. i. 519.
¢ Ilawks’ New York MSS, from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p. 245, 525.

346 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Mr. Bartow baptized (in the year 1718) ‘‘ thirty-two persons ; two of
whom were grown persons, and one negro man.”4
The Society’s abstracts for 1719 say :—

*'To Mr. William Forster, schoolmaster at Westchester, who has been
recommended as a person very well qualified to instruct the youth in
the principles of religion and virtue, ten pounds per annum is allowed ;
and a gratuity of £10 has been given him, in consideration of his past
services and his present circumstances.”

From the Rev. Mr. Bartow, minister of Westchester, in the same
Province, ‘that, in the year 1719, he had baptized twenty-two, one of
which was an ancient woman.Ӣ

From Mr. Forster, schoolmaster at the same place, “that he has at
present thirty-five scholars, whom he catechises every Saturday, and
also every Sunday that Mr. Bartow goes to another part of the parish,
together with all others who will attend, and has good success ; which is
also attested by the minister and chief inhabitants of Westchester.” 4

In 1720 the different quotas for the Church and poor of the Parish
stood thus :—

Westchester, £37 10 02 Eastchester, £12 14 113
Yonckers, 11 12 101 New Rochelle, 12 14 1}
Pelham, a ae Morrisania, 4 10 0

The Society’s abstracts, for 1720, say :—

“That letters have been received from the Rev. Mr. Bartow, minis-
ter at Westchester, in the Province of New York, that the number of
his Communicants increases, though some are dead or removed to other
towns ; and that he baptized in the year 1720, twenty-five—five whereof
were grown bersons.”

Also, “from Mr. Forster, schoolmaster at Westchester, in the Prov-
ince of New York, that he takes all the care he can of the children which
are sent to him, and has upwards of thirty scholars, which he instructs
in the Church Catechism.’

In 1721, Mr. Bartow informs the Society :—

“That, since the death of Mr. Bondett, he preaches at four towns:
Eastchester, Westchester, Yonckers and New Rochelle, and does other
occasional offices; and that the number of the baptized, in the year
1721, was twenty-eight—two whereof were grown persons,”/

a Printed abstracts of Ven. P. Soc. for 1718.
b Ibid. 1719.

e Ibid.

d Printed abstracts of Ven. P. Soc.

e Printed abstracts of Ven Prop. Soc.

F Ibid.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 347

The next year the Society allowed ‘Mr. Bartow, for his service
at New Rochelle, ten pounds.” In his report for 1722, Mr. Bartow
says :—

“That they are repairing the church there (Westchester) with the vol-
untary contributions of the people, procured chiefly by the zeal and
care of Mr. Forster, the schoolmaster there; that in the year 1722, he
baptized twenty-one persons, four whereof were adults, one a Negro
man.”

“Tn the year 1723, he baptized forty-five, four whereof were grown
persons. ?
Mr. Forster reports :—

“That the number of his scholars is as usual, and that he has very
good success in his teaching, and that they are this summer building a
new school-house ; and that he is raising an annual subscription for re-
pairing and finishing the church.’”¢

REY. JOHN BARTOW’S ANSWERS TO THE QUERIES OF THE
BISHOP OF LONDON.

[QUERIES TO BE ANSWERED BY EVERY MINISTER. |

WESTCHESTER,
in the Province of New York, in America,
July 13, 1724.

Q. How long is it since you went over to the plantations as a missionary ?

A, Twenty-two years,

@. Have you had any other church before you came to that which you now
possess; and if you had, what church was it, and how long have you been
removed ?

4. No other here ; but I was inducted to the vicarage of Pampsford, in Cam-
bridge, May 28th, 1697, and removed here by leave of Dr. Patrick, then Bishop
of Ely.

Q. Have you been licensed by the Bishop of London to officiate as a mission-
ary, in the government where you now are?

A. I was licensed by the Right Rev. Father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of
London, June 22d, 1702, to officiate as a missionary.

Q. How long have you been inducted into your living?

A. I was inducted to my living here, Nov. 19, 1702, Lord Cornbury being then
Governor.

Q. Are you ordinarily resident in the parish to which you have been inducted ?

A. I have been resident in Westchester ever since I came.

Q. Of what extent is your parish, and how many families in it ?

A. My parish is in length about twelve miles, in breadth about seventy ; about
two hundred families.

a Printed abstracts of Venerable P. Soc.
b Ibid.
¢ Printed abstracts of Ven. P. Soc. for 1723,

348 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Q. Are there any Infidels, bond or free, within your parish, and what means
are used for their conversion ?

A. We have Infidels, bond and free, who have liberty to come to the churches,
and are not denied baptism when fit and desirous of it; some of which I have
baptized.

Q. How oft is divine service performed in your church, and what proportion
of the parishioners attend it ?

A. Divine service is performed in one of our churches every Sunday, when
I have about seventy auditors in the afternoon—there being not quite so many
in the morning, by reason that those who live at a distance seldom come in the
morning.

Q. How oft is the sacrament of the Lord’s supper administered ; and what is
the usual number of communicants?

A. The Lord’s supper is administered by me, in the church at Westchester, on
Christmas day, Easter and Whitsunday, and at other times, occasionally iv other
places of the parish, and we have usually eighteen communicants, more or less.

Q. At what time do you catechize the youth of your parish ?

A. I have been wont to catechize the youth on Sundays in the afternoon, be-
fore we had a settled school; but now I leave that office to Mr. Forster, the
Society’s schoolmaster, who not only catechizes in the school, but in the church,
when I am absent, all that will come.

@. Are all things duly disposed and provided in the church, for the decent and
orderly performance of divine service ?

A. We have all things decent, excepting the surplice.

Q. Of what value is your living in sterling money, and how does it arise ?

A. The value of my living is £50 sterling of New York money; which is
almost £32 10, sterling, paid not without some difficulty and loss.

Q. Have you a house and glebe; is your glebe in lease or let by the year, or
is it occupied by yourself?

A, I have twenty-three acres of glebe in my occupation, but no parsonage
house. I lived at my first coming in an hired house, in expectation of a par-
sonage house; though talk’t of to be built, but finding it would not be effected
two years ago I purchased one.

@. Is due care taken to preserve your house in good repair, and at whose ex-
pense is it done?

A. I live in my own house adjoining the glebe, and have always repaired it
at my Own expense.

@. Have you more cures than one; if you have, what are they, and in what
manner are they served ?

A. I have four towns under my cure—Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers, and
the Manor of Pelham, (of whieh New Rochelle is a part)—in whose churches I
officiate on Sundays, according to their several quotas, on the payment of £50
per annum. I preach at Westchester every Lord’s day, excepting every fourth
Sunday at Eastchester, three times in the year at Yonkers, and so often as I can
at New Rochelle. ;

Q. Have you in your parish any public school for the instruction of youth; if
you have, is it endowed, and who is the master?

A, We have a pubiic school in Westchester, of which Mr. Forster is the soci-

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 349

ety’s schoolmaster, and we have private schools in other places; no endowment ;
some families of the Town of Pelham that are adjacent, come to Eastchester
church.

@. Have you a parochial library; if you have, are the books preserved and
kept in good condition? Have you any particular rules and orders for the pre-
serving of them? Are those rules and orders duly observed ?

A. We have no parochial library.
Le Da i taics

Rector, &c., of Westchester. %
In his report to the Secretary, Mr. Bartow observes :—

“That the church is much in the same condition as when he wrote
last; and that in the year 1724, he baptized thirty-nine, two whereof
were grown persons.”?

The subjoined extract is from a letter of his to the Secretary. The
Rev. Mr. Talbot mentioned in the beginning of it, was dismissed from
the society’s service for alledged Jacobitism :—

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.

Province or NEw York.
May 4th 1725.

Str :—“‘T am creditably informed that the Society have discharged the Rev,
Mr. Talbot from being any longer their missionary: whereby the fruits of the
pious bequest of the late Archbishop of Canterbury do descend to me, as being
the next oldest in their service, of that province, till by the providence of God
we have bishops here lawfully established. Nothing is too great for God to give,
even to the undeserving, and’therefore I humbly and thankfully should accept
it of His gracious providence; but be it at the disposal of the most Rev. and
Honorable Society, as seems by an abstract of their proceedings, Anno 1714—I
should not presume to ask it of them, nay, scarce desire it in my private thoughts
being conscious of my unworthiness, and enjoined to be content in my condition,
in which I remain, still praying to God for His blessings on their Christian labors.

Sir, Your most obedient. &c.,
JOHN BARTOW.’

Probably the last communication the Society ever received from Mr.
Bartow, is the following :—

a Hawks’ New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. 635.
b Printed abstracts of Ven. Soc.
e Eawks’ New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, voli. p. 64.

50 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

ou

MR. BARTOW TO THE SECRETARY.
WEsTcHEsTER, OoroBEr 6TH, 1725.

Wortny Sir :—‘‘ There being nothing happened extraordinary here, relating
to the Church since I writ last; (saving the death of the late Rev. Mr. Thomas,
of Hempstead, which church with that at Rye, are supplyed by the zealous
labours of the Rev. Mr. Jenny) I can only, as in duty bound, repeat my thank-
ful acknowledgment for the Society’s allowance, which is always duly paid by
their treasurer, and informing you that the pulpit and wainscoat of the church at
Eastchester, was since decently painte and a new gallery built, and the Presby-
terian minister when he comes, not permitted to officiate therein. That God
would bless the labours of the most Rev. and Honorable Society, is &e.

Sir, Your most obedient, &e.
JOHN BARTOW.Ӣ

This excellent minister died at Westchester, in 1726. Nothing now
remains to mark the site of his tomb; but one thing is certain, ‘‘ that he
who was with him in his last hour, and made his bed in his sickness,
will watch over the precious dust till He shall bid it rise.”

‘*So pious, just, and even, as if he meant’
His name should be his marble monument.”

‘Mr. Bartow,” says Dr. Hawkins, “continued in the discharge of his
important duties for the long period of a quarter of a century. He was
the instrument of bringing many separatists back to the Church, and ad-
mitting into it many hitherto careless adults. He likewise gave much of
his time to the instruction of the poor negroes. By such long and faith-
ful services, he secured the general esteem of his people.’”®

In 1705 he married Helena, second daughter of John Reid, Esq., of
Middrew Castle, parish of Kirkleston, Scotland; by this lady he left
issue six sons. Theophilus his second son, was the father of the Rev.
Theodosius Bartow, of New Rochelle, whose grandsons, were the late
Rev. Theodore B. Bartow, chaplain in the U.S. Navy, and the late.
Rev. Henry B. Bartow. John Bartow, the eldest son of Theophilus,
and brother of Theodosius, was the grandfather of the late Robert
Bartow of Pelham, and the late Edgar J. Bartow, the founder of Holy
Trinity church, Brooklyn Heights, L. I., who died at Morristown, New
Jersey, Sept. 6th, 1864, leaving by his wife, Henrietta C. Pierrepont,
Henrietta Pierrepont, and the Rev. Evelyn Bartow, of Baltimore, Md., a
grand-daughter of Theodosius. Fanny L., married the late Rev. George
A. Shelton, of Newtown, L. I.

The Rev. John Bartow purchased, April 6th, 1722, of John Mash

a Ibid, vol. i, pp. 664, 665.
6 Hawkins’ Hist. Notices of the Missions of the Church of England, p. 277.

Gebrge,
died

Il
Three sons,

died in

Rey. Ebenezer

Thomas Bartow, bapt, in the
church of the Holy Cross,

1676

chester, b.

Mary —Basil, of West Clarina, da. of

Quinby

of England

5

William

t

Mary Bartow, bapt. in the _Doctor Haskins

church of the Holy

Cross, 16

.-.-+, buried in the churchyard of the
chester, farmer,

| Holy Cross, Crediton, 1676

chester, born 1715;

|

Anthony Bartow, bapt. in the church
of the Holy Cross, Crediton, 1673:

died young

married secondly,

PEDIGREE OF BARTOW, OF WESTCHESTER.
Devonshire, England, 1672, of the Bertants of

Bielegus
l
f Shrews-_Ann Stillwell, who John, lawyer,of West- Anthony, of West-_Charity, da, of

Doctor Thomas Bartow, a piysician of Crediton,_Grace .

Niddey Castle, Scotland and one of the
Theodosius, 0

early settlers, of Freehold, N. J.

bury, a lawyer, b. 1712;

o

Arms :—D6r, a la bande de sable, chargee de trois bezants dirgent, accompaquee de six anuelets de gules, sais en orle.

Pell, of

Born at Crediton, 1673:

Theophilus, of West-_Bathsheba

founder and first rector of St. Peter’s
chester, b. Aug. 17,

died in Westchester, 1725

church, Westchester.

England,

Rev. ahi Bartow, A.M, Vicar of Pampisford,_Helena, daughter of Hon, John Reid, of

a lawyer, b. 1709:

To face page 350. vol. ll.
Thomas, of Amboy,

Es = —ElbertG.,d unm. M.
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BS | Waring —Isaac W., died unmarried died young
=a —Cornelius, of N.¥.,_Hannah Henry V. D
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[a2] —Cornelia, mar. oS born 1749 | Vardull|
Saml. Wiggins S —Thomas John Jane Smith
8 —Sophia, mar.
5 Er John B. Gillespie —Hannah Thos. Tucker |—Maria, died unmarried
3 te —Basil, d. unmar. —Charity, died unmarried
i —Ann —Kershaw
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Sy Ramiabaal = s! —Margaret M. Wm. Blackwell —Johbn V., unm
oC ay. —Barnabas, d. young —Leonard, died young —Cornel'a
= —Saiome, |—Rev. John Van-_Matilda|—Annie S. Prof. Z. M. Phelps —Caroline mar.
s d.unmar | der! Hoe eh Stewart|_Theodosius, N.Y. Matilda So lbtls
yx Baltinon Whittemore
—Anne, m. altimore —Susan, dead
ony. —Sarah A, P._Frank T. Montell
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7s NR. ’|—Blizabeth, d. young —Matilda, died young
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g B328
= —3 5 5 &|—Anthony A., of Horton
3 S26) Savannah
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BAH ' ; —Mary W._E. A. Whittemore
rs 8s (<2) BE —Theodosius, M. —Frances|—Whilelmina Rev. H. K. Rees ry
a 1 Sz D., of Savan- | L. Steb-|_Wrances S., General in the —Rev. Henry B._Mary W. Philips
g 5 ae nal bins Confederate service, mar. a _|_Leonard, died young f
5 3 win daughter of Hon. J. MePher- FS ee
3s 5 z 3 $ |—anarew A., of Mary son Berrien —Fanny L. —Rev. Geo. A. Shelton
= ay eeu Herkimer Co. | Uuut, of/ john, Surgeon, U. 8. N. —Anne F., died unmarried
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ge 2aa Point le = g
a = isu —Alfred F., _Mary W. Lathrop
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2 Bo a 5 a Isaac Hawes —Mary F.
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au @d —Henry Theodcsius, d. unmar.
os ie s a5 |—Amelia, mar. 5
3 = 55 Dr. Turk —Charles I., died unmarried
oe . F
fa —Saaah, mar, un
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THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 351

and Rosamond his wife, the farm now owned by the late Alderman
Abraham Hatfield, where he resided until his death in 1726; a small
spot was reserved by Mr. Bartow for the interment of his family. Here
rest the remains of his sons, Theophilus, George, John, Anthony, Basil,
and four infants ; other members of the family were interred here down
to 1816, when the last interment was made viz.: John Bartow of Pel-
ham. At the time the late proprietor purchased the farm, the cemetery
was enclosed by a fence with several mounds and tombstones in it, this
was disturbed, the land ploughed and the tombstqnes thrown aside.

The Society’s abstracts for 1725, says:—‘‘ That among other sums
granted, was a gratuity of fifty pounds which the Society have made to
Mrs. Bartow, the widow of the late Rev. Mr. Bartow, a missionary of the
Society at Westchester, in the province of New York, in consideration
of her husband’s good behaviour and dilligence in the Society’s mission,
for twenty-three years and upwards, and having six sons and a wife un-
provided for.”?®

Mr. Bartow’s last will and testament was made on the 24th of Janu-
ury, 1725, but not proved until the 1st of April, 1727 :—

THE WILL OF JOHN BARTOW, CLERK.

IN THE NAME OF Gop AMEN, the twenty-fourth of January, in ye twelvth year
of the reign of our Sovereign Lord, King George, Annog Dom, one thousand seven
hundred and twenty-five, I, John Bartow, of the Burrough Town of Westches-
ter, in the County of Westchester, and Province of New York, Clerk, being sick
and weak in body, but of sound and perfect memory, praise be given to God
therefore, and considering the uncertainty of this transitory life, do make this
my last Will & Testament in manner and form following, that istosay: First,
and principally, 1 commend my soul to Almighty God my creator, assuredly
believing that my sins will be remitted, and that I shall be saved by the precious
death and merits of my blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Christ Jesus; and my
body to the earth, to be buried at the discretion of my ex’tors, hereafter named :
and touching such worldly estate as God hath been pleased to bestow upon me, I
do hereby give and dispose of the same in manner and form following, that is to
say: First, I hereby give and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Helena, one

a In a warrantee deed bearing date May Sth, 1806, Basii J. Bartow and Eliza Ann, his
wife, did convey to Levi Caib, all those certain pieces or parcels of land situated, &c., in the
Town of Westchester containing 130 acres of land, more or less, excepting three English
Square rods of ground, which has heretofore been used as funeral ground; and reserving
nevertheless to the said Basil J. Bartow and his representatives, and the family in general,
of the Bartows, the free right to pass and repass, in, by, and through the premises bereby
granted from the above mentioned highway, for the use and enjoyment of the same three
rods of ground.—County Rec. Liber, N. J., p. 443.

b Printed abstracts of Venerabie Propagation Society, from 18th Feb., 1725, to 17th Feb.,
1726, ** At a meeting of the Trustees for theBorough of Westchester &c., the 6th day of March,
1726-7, the committee appointed to make report of the persons who had made encroach-
ments upon the sheep pastures, gave in the name of Mr. Bartow and others, whereupon,
Mr. Forster appeared in behalf of ye orphants of Mr. John Bartow, yt what they have taken
in upon ye sheep pasture, yt they will leave out when they rectify ye fences.”— Westchester
Town Rec. Lib. ix. 187-188,

352 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

equal third part of all my personal estate for the use of her, her heirs, and assigns
for ever. Jtem, I hereby will and order that my funeral charges, and all my just
debts be paid out of the remainder of my personal estate within convenient time
after my decease, by my executors hereafter named. Only it is hereby provided,
that whereas, John Mash, of Westchester abovesaid, boatman, for and in consid-
eration of my becoming bound together with the said John Mash, at his special
instance and request, and for the proper debt of the said John Mash, by a certain
obligation in the penal sum of four score pounds, current money of New York,
with condition for the payment of forty pounds of like current money, at a
certain day in the said condition exprest, and for other considerations, did by a
certain deed, indented under his hand and seal and the hand and seal of Rosa-
mond, his wife, dated the sixth day of April, anno dom. one thousand seven
hundred and twenty-two, convey unto me a certain Home Lot, scituate in said
Westchester, with its appurtenances, and a twenty-five pounds priviledge of
commonage in said town. If the said John Mash, his heirs, executors, or ad-
ministrators, do not well and truly discharge and pay off the said obligation and
all sums of money due thereon, within one year next after my decease, I hereby
order my executors to sell the said lott and priviledge, and to apply the money
arising by the said sale towards discharging of my debt. tem, I give unto my
beloved wife, the use of all the remaining part of my personal estate, except what
is herein afterwards expressly disposed of, during her widowhood. And if my
said wife shall marry again, (if her husband shall immediately, upon their mar-
riage, give good security to my children or their guardians, that all such part of
my personal estate as shall remain in my wife’s hands over and above her third
part given unto her as aforesaid, immediately at and before her marrying again,
shall not be wasted or embezzled, but that the same, or value thereof, shall be
made good at her decease,) then I give unto her the use thereof during the term
of her natural life ; and at her decease, or if upon her marrying again, the afore-
said security shall be refused to be given, then at her re-marriage, I give the
same equally between my six sons—Thomas, Theophilus, Theodosius, John,
Anthony, and Basil Bartow, for the use of them and their several heirs and as-
signs. Jtem, in consideration that ny beloved wife bring up my children I give
unto her the sole use and benefit of my dwelling house and homestead, and all my
iand adjoining thereto, and of all my land at Scabby Indian, bounded south-
easterly by the land of John Williams, westerly by the country road, northerly
by the road that goes to Thomas Haddon’s saw mill, and by Daniel Turner's land,
also of about two acres of land lying within said Daniel Turners’s land, and of
my orchard land, salt and fresh meadow, at the place commonly called below,
which was formerly Edward Collier’s, David Huestiss and Horseman Mullinder,
«nd also a twenty-five pounds privilege of commonage in said Westchester, for
and during the term of her natural life; and I also give unto my wife, until my
son John shall attain to the age of twenty-one years, the use of all such part of
my land in said Westchester, which I lately purchased of David Heustis,
Nathaniel Underhill, Daniel Clark, and Thomas Haddon, and John Huestis, as I
have not already let out upon lease, and the rents of all such part thereof as I
have leased. Jtem, I give unto my son, John Bartow, his heirs and assigns for
ever, all those tracts of land I lately bought of David Heustis, Nathaniel Under-
hill, Daniel Clark, and Thomas Haddon, and John Heustis, a twenty-five pound

THE TOWN OF W=ZSTCHESTER, 353

priviledge of commonage in said Westchester, together with all my right, title
and interest in a tract of land called the Long Reach; also four acres of salt
meadow in Westchester abovesaid, which I purchased of James Morris, by a
deed passed under his hand and seal, dated the fifteenth day of January,
Anno dom. 1722; also all my tract of land and meadow at Baranagat, in East
New Jersey, being about sixty acres; also two-eights of a moyety of a sixteenth
part of a twenty-fourth part or propriety in East New Jersey, granted by Gowen
Drummond to John Reid, Sen” , and by said John Reid to me, and my least gold
ring, and a new English Bible in Quarto. Jtem, I give unto my son, Theophilus
Bartow, his heirs and assigns for ever, my saw mill, situate and being in Mon-
mouth County, in East New Jersey, and all my tracts of land and purchase ad-
joining, containing about one thousand acres, be they more or less; also atwenty-
fourth part of a tenth part of an undivided twenty-fourth, or a propricty in East
New Jersey granted by Marion Cambell to John Reid, Senr ., and by said John
Reid to me, and my heaviest gold ring, and an English Bible in Quarto. Item,
I give unto my son, Thomzs Bartow, his heirs and assigns for ever, all my tract
of land in Monmouth County, in East New Jersey, on Milstone Brook, joining
to Coll. Anderson’s land, containing about eleven hundred acres, granted to me
and my wife Helena, by my father-in-law, John Reid, by deed bearing date the
tenth day of November, Anno Domiui one thousand seven hundred and five; al-
so one half of a fortieth part of a propriety in East New Jersey, granted to me
by said John Reid, by deed, dated the fourth day of April, Anno Dom, one
thousand seven hundred and fourteen, and all my Greek and Latin books, my
watch, and a new English Bible in Quarto. Jtem, I give unto my son, Theodo-
sius Bartow, his heirs and assigns forever, all my tract of land situate in Mon-
mouth County, in East New Jersey, on the east branch, containing five hundred
acres, joyning to James Edwards, also all my meadow on the south side of said
branch, from the lower end of the timber swamp down to the mouth of said
branch ; also all my tract of Indian purchase !and to the northward of this tract ;
also two-eights of a moyety of a sixteenth part of a twenty-fourth part of pro-
priety of East New Jersey, granted to John Reid, Senr., by Gowen Drummond,
and by John Reid to me, my other gold ring, and a new English Bible in Quarto.
Item, I give unto my son Anthony Bartow, his heirs and assigns forever, all my
tract of land on Monlapau River, beginning at the head of Mountbrook, and
runs thence south-east fifty-two chains, thence north north-west half a point,
westerly to the land late of Robert Barclay, thence south-west to the said River,
where said Mount-brook falls into said River, thence up the stream of said brook
to where it began; also that tract of my Indian purchase land joining on the
south to my son Thomas's land hereinbefore given him; also two-eighths of a
moyety of a sixteenth part of a twenty-fourth part or propriety of East New
Jersey, granted by Gowen Drummond to John Reed, Sen’., and by him to me,
anda new English Bible in Quarto. tem, I give unto my son, Basii Bartow, his
heirs and assigns forever, all my tract of land in the County of Middlesex, in
East New Jersey, on South River, being four hundred and fifty acres, and sixty
acres of salt meadow in the round-about meadow, also two-eighths of a moyety
of a sixteenth part of a twenty-fourth part of a propriety in East New J ersey,
granted by Gowen Drummond to John Read, Sen’., and by him to me, also my
tract of Indian purchase land, called Price Hill, and a new English Bible in_

354 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Quarto. /Jtem,I give all my lands, buildings, and meadows, and the twenty-five
pounds priviledge hereby granted, to my wife during her natural life; from and
after her decease, to my six sons—Thomas, Theophilus, Theodosius, John,
Anthony, and Basil—to be divided equally between, for the use of them and their
several heirs and assigns forever. Jtem, I give all my other English books
equally between my wite and my six sons aforesaid, each of them to have an
equal part. Ztem, I hereby will and order, that if one or more of my sons should
depart this life and leave no lawful begotten issue, that the lands, the meadows,
and all other the premises hereby given unto such son or sons, shall be equally
divided between my other sons, and the issue of such of them as may be deceased ;
that is to say, I will that the lawful issne of any of my sons which may be de’ed,
shall inherit in the stead of their de’ed Father one equal part among them, (if
more than one) with my surviving son or sons of such estate or estates as I have
hereby given unto such son or sons as may and shall dye under age, and without
lawful begotten issue as aforesaid, Jtem, I hereby order, that whereas one James
Miller, lays claim to some part of my lands and meadows in East New Jersey,
and that the said Miller has proposed to convey unto me all his right and title
whatsoever, of, in and to all and any part of my said lands and meadows, on
consideration of my paying unto him one hundred pounds, Proclamation money ;
if the agreement be not compleated before my decease, my ex’tors shall, upon the
said James Miller, or his heirs, or any others by him lawfully authorized, execut-
ing sufficient deeds in the law for all the right, title and demand of him the said
James Miller, his heirs or assigns, of, in, or to all or any of my lands, meadows,
and rights in the Province of East New Jersey, by which deeds the same shall
be confirmed pursuant and agreeable to this my last will and testament; and
for, and to the use and uses of such of my children to whom I have given the
same, pay unto the said James Miller, his heirs, ex’tors, adin’rs, or assigns, one
hundred pounds proclamation money, to be raised -out of my personal estate.
Lastly, I hereby nominate and appoint my beloved wife, and William Forster,
of Westchester aforesaid, to be ex’tors of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, the day and year

abovesaid. JOHN BARTOW.

Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and declared
by the said John Bartow to be his last will and testa-

ment, in the presence of
Tuo. Happen,

Wii. Tuompson, &
DanieEL TURNER.

Mr. Bartow was succeeded in 1727 by the Rev. Thomas Standard,
A.M., M.D., a native of Taunton, Somersetshire, England; and de-
scended from an ancient family of that name, formerly seated at White-
hill, in Oxfordshire.* He appears to have been brought up as a phy-
sician, but changed his profession and entered the ministry. In 1725
he was appointed by order of the Venerable Society, their missionary at

a The arms of the family were: vert, an arrow, in pale, or, feathered and headed arg.—Crest,
a cubit, arm, erect, vert, cuffed arg. holding in the hand ppr, a bow, strung. . . .

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER, 35

U1

Brookhaven, upon Long Island, From his first letter to the Secretary
of that body, we take the following extract :—

“October 5th, 1725.—It is with satisfaction on all sides, yt I can now
tell you that [ am safely arrived at New York, a country both pleasant
and plentiful, where I landed the roth of the last month, and where I
believe I shall take up my abode for the poor remainder of my life ; and
let me add, that it is a pity that some clergymen who are starving at
home, and who, to my knowledge, have sometimes been so hard put to
it, as not to be able to tell where to get a Sunday’s dinner for themselves
and family, should show so much unwillingness to transplant themselves
to our plantations, where their ministrations are so much wanted, and
where there is a people speaking their own language, and who are ready
to receive them with all marks of respect and affection, even here in
York, which I take to have a serene and healthful air above any other
of the plantations.

““P.S. October r9th.—I am now at the City of New York, where
I am collecting, among the church friends, for the building of a church
at Brookhaven, &c. Designing to set up catechising in my parish, I
have borrowed a few catechisms of Mr. Wetmore, &c. I hope the next
time you will put me into a condition to repay the same.”@

October, 1726, he writes to the Secretary thus :—

“Rey. Sir.—I humbly beg you would use your interest for me with
the Honorable Society, for my remove to Westchester, and that the
person assigned for Westchester (if any such there be), may be ordered
hither. Such a remove would be a very great favor to me, in my pres-
ent circumstances ; in that Westchester is between four or five hours ride
from York, where I may be abundantly supplyed with any convenience
of life.”®

The following mandate was issued by his Excellency, William Burnet,
on the 8th of July, 1727 :—

MANDATE FROM GOVERNOR BURNET TO INDUCT THE REY.
THOMAS STANDARD TO THE RECTORY OF WESTCHESTER.

Wiinermes Burnet Armiger Provincie Novi Eboraci, necnon Nove Cesariz
in America Strategus et Imperator ejusdemque Vice Admiralis, &c.

Universis et Singulis Clericis et Ministris Ecclesize Anglicans quibuscumque
in et per totam Provinciam Novi Eboraci Ubilibet Constitutis Sive Aidilibus
Ecclesize Parochialis de Estria Occidentalis in Comitatu Estrice Occidentalis infra
provinciam predictam prolix Tempore Salutem Cum dilectum in Christo Thoma
Standard Clericum ad rectoriam sive Ecclesiam parochialem predict Essriz Oc-
cidentalis in Comitatu in dicta Provincie Novi Eboraci in America, Jam vacan-
tem Ipsium que prceesentatum Rectorem Ejusdem Rectorize Sive Ecclesiz
parochialis in et de Eadem Admissam Vosts Conjunctim et Divisim Comitto et

a Uawks* New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol, i. 668, 671.
b Kawks’ New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. i, 674.

356 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

firmiter injungendo mando, Quatenus Eundem Thoma Standard Clericum Sive
procuratorem suum Legitimum Ejus Nomine et pro se in Realem Actualem Cor-
poralem possessionem Ipsius Rectorize et Ecclesiz parochialis de Estrize Occiden-
tali predict. Glebarium, Juriumque: et pertinentium Suorum Univer sorem.
Conferatis Inducatis Inducive faciatis et Inductum defendalis et quid in premissis
feceritis me aut alium Judicem in hac parte Competentum quemcumque ; debite
(cum ad id congrue fueritis requisiti certificetis seu sic certificet ille vestrum qui)
preesens hoc mandatum fuerit executus. Datum sub sigillo prerogativee dicts
Provincie Novi Eboraci viii, die Junii Anno Salutis MDCCXXYVII.
W. BURNET.
By His Excellency's Command,
Js. Bosry, D. See’ry.«

In his report for 1728, Mr. Standard says:

‘“That he preaches one Sunday at Eastchester and another at Westchester,
twice a day, for the summer half year, and that he catechises the children pub-
lickly at Eastchester: and has baptized since he came to Westchester about fifty
children, besides two grown persons; and that the number of his communicants
are about thirty.”

‘“‘ At a meeting of the trustees and freeholders of the borough town of
Westchester, held the 14th of March, 1729, present, Miles Oakley, presi-
dent, and Thomas Hadden, Nathaniel Underhill, Underhill Barnes,
Thomas Baxter, John Palmer, Thomas Hunt, Joseph Hunt, and James
Baxter, trustees:—ordered, that Nathaniel Underhill, treasurer, pay
Ebenezer Haviland:

For a spindle for the church, . : , : é » 63 ea 36
To Justice Happen, for lath and service aul P : ; . 2 8 0
To Caprain OAKLEY for service done, . 0 6-0
Allowed the treasurer for four white oak ante pafaee fie, aan
for the weathercock, . ; : a Kea a he (0)
To Wm. Oaxtey for bringing the preatiereace time N ew York, : 03 0
To IsrarL HonryweE tt for 4500 shingles and carting, and paid for
mending the windows, n iP jes CY ()
To Mr. Gitta for work done eee his peacies 9 23
To Mr. Gririarm for work as per articles, 42 0 0
To expenses at making the agreement, 20 0
To Mr. Barnet, expenses at this meeting, 0 95-0
To JEREMIAH FowLer’s expenses, 010 0
Total,”« . ; . ‘ ; : , . ‘ £58) xi o9

“ At a meeting of the trustees, &c., had on the 6th day of May, A. D.
1729, present, Miles Oakley, president, John Palmer, Thomas Baxter,
Joseph Hunt, Thomas Hadden, Thomas Hunt, Nathaniel Underhill,

a Albany deed book, Xii. p. 160.

b Printed abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc.
c Westchester Town Rec. vol, ix, p. 212.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 357

Jchn Cromwell, Underhill Barnes, and Miles Oakley, jr., trustees ; pur-
suant to an act of general assembly of this province, passed in the tenth
year of the reign of our late sovereign lord, King William the Third, of
glorious memory, entitled an act to enable the respective towns in
this province to build and repair their meeting houses and other publick
buildings :

« Resolved, nemine contra dicente, That the sum of £70 shall be raised, and also
the collection for the same sum, for the repairing St. Peter’s church in said
Westchester, and for no other use; and that they will make a rate accordingly,
agreeable to ye next assessments to be made and taken of the town sworn as-
sessors, and that they will meet on ye 22d inst., toagree with workmen for that
purpose. ”@

At a subsequent meeting of the trustees, ‘£16 was ordered to be
raised to finish the seats of the church, secure the frame, and to pay off
the arrears—the seats to be made with backs—including the collector’s
fees; and Underhill Barnes and Thomas Hunt are appointed over-
seers of the work, and to employ workmen. It was further ordered that
a warrant be issued for raising said money according to law, to be paid
at ye same time with the county tax. Also ordered, that the overseers
now chosen require Henry Gillaim to complete his work, especially the
front of the gallery, and to make it secure and substantial.’

MR. STANDARD TO THE SECRETARY.
WesroneEster, Noy. 5, 1729.

“Rey. Sir:—The difficulty of the undertaking has hitherto discouraged me
from attempting an answer to the letter of inquiries which was sent me long
ago; but I am resolved to send you the best account I can, with relation to those
heads of inquiry you were pleased to send me. i

‘As to the first, in my parish are three churches, the first of Westchester in
the town so called, deemed the mother church, in that the presentation from the
Governour runs thus:

‘To the rectory of Westchester, the glebe thereof, and to all the rights and
appurtenances of the same, in which is supposed to be included the church of
Eastchester, which my predecessor died possessed of.’

‘“The church of Westchester is a square of twenty-eight foot of a side, about
eighteen feet to the eaves, and near of the same dimensions and form as the
church of Eastchester, save that the church of Westchester hath a sort of cupulo
in which is hung a bell, so that the whole resembles much our pigeon houses in
England.

“The churches both of East and Westchester, and indeed most of the build-
ings of this country, are made after the following manner, viz.: they make a
frame of certain dimensions which they raise by piecemeal; first, placing the
under post upon stones placed here and there to support it; when the whole

a Westchester Town Rec. vol. ix, p. 206,
b Ibid, vol. ix. p. 213.

358 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

frame is put together they fill up the vacancies under the said frame, which they
call underpining ; then they raise the top part or roof in like manner as we do
with rafters, applying upon them laths, and upon them they nail some split
wood, commonly cedar, that being the most in esteem, of about half an inch
thick, and half a foot wide, and sometimes two, sometimes three foot long,
according to the intention of the builder, of being either more saving in charge,
or more secure against the weather. The wall part is likewise covered with
Jaths, and upon them are nailed, as on the roof, split wood which they call shin-
gles, and they are placed perpendicularly, but then not so thickly placed one by
the other as on the roof, where they resemble our tiles.

‘*The church of Westchester was built by the Quakers, (who were the first
settlers in this place, and are still the most numerous party in and about it; and
indeed the whole parish, as to their manners, are somewhat Quakerish) and. by
them was given to Colonel Heathcote, for the use and service of the Church of
England. ¢

‘*The Church is endowed with thirty acres of land at £3 per annum; besides
which the minister hath a salary of £50 of this currency, raised yearly by virtue
of an act of Assembly, of and for this Province. The second church is that of
Eastchester, built by the Independanis, and by them delivered up to Mr. Bartow,
who was formally inducted into the same, and kept quiet possession of it all his
time, permitting the Independants sometimes to assemble in it.

‘“The third, is New Rochelle, where Mr. Stoup officiates, and where acertain
number of the French nation have divine service according to the form and
manner of the Church of England; but the greatest number of that nation, flock
toa meeting house of their own erecting, who are particularly fond of the Ma-
hometan doctrine of absolute deerees, as the Dutch likewise of this country are.
who where they have no minister of their own, will establish a reader in order to
hinder their people from assembling with the English.

‘*To the second enquiry, I answer, that the number of those well affected to the
Church of England, were not above three or four families at the utmost ; those
that now frequent the church at West and Eastchester in the Summer-time, and
especially at the afternoon service, are about one hundred; but in the winter, not
half that number, though the number of inhabitants in my parish are computed
to be about six thousand. Their employments is husbandry, even innkeepers,
shopkeepers, smiths, and shoemakers not excepted; so that we pray, pay, and
wait too, for everything doue in this country.

As to their religion, those who first settled in Westchester town, some were
Quakers, those in Eastchester were New England Independants, who were in
love with extemporary prayers, and who remain so in some degree after they are
reconciled to our Church; so that the chief hope of making proselytes, lyes—
amongst the younger sort—and in order to this, I believe the reading of some of
our defences to the objections of the Dissenters particularly, and especially the
London cases abridged by Bennet, would be of singular use.

As the people of this country are all farmers, they are dispersed up and down
the country: and even in towns every one has a plott of at least ten acres, which

a These statements are certainly incorrect; for we have shown, Ist, that the early inhabi-
tants were Puritan Independents: 2d, the church was built by a public tax, levied on all the
inhabitants; and 8rd, wll public property became vested in the Church established by law.
Editor,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 359

distances his neighbor from him; but then they make up for the rareness of their
buildings by enlarging the compass of their towns, in that they generally make
townships many miles in length, it may be twenty or thirty.

“‘In my parish are two meeting houses, one of which is of Quakers, built within
a stone throw of the church of Westchester, and is indeed a better building than
that. The other is at New Rochelle. The church of Eastchester is about four
miles east of that of Westchester, and the church of New Rochelle is about four
miles east of Eastchester. In New Rochelle, besides the church there is a meet-
ing house of French Protestant Dissenters; no such meeting house being in
Eastchester, they supply that want by an intrusion into the Church: to which
they plead a right, as being the chief builders thereof. But I being legally pre-
sented and inducted, as was likewise my predecessor, I laid claim to it as my
own proper right, exclusive of them; and so kept them out of it for a time, but
they but rarely meeting in it, and threatening a law suit, I permitted them to
do as they had done in my predecessor’s time: being somewhat at a loss how to
behave in that affair, I should be glad to have the Society’s direction therein.

‘‘In the winter time we have severely cold weather, with very hard frosts and
deep snows, which hold us at least four months, beginning generally about the
middle of November, and ending about the middle of March; but we have very
cold winds sometime before and likewise sometime after the time aforesaid, so
that we reckon, six months of cold and six months of hot weather, four of these
being extremely cold, and four extremely hot. It is the business of the summer
here, to provide for the winter, by which means few of our farmers rise, or are
so much as beforehand with the world: but the far greatest number are involved
in debts and difficulties by means of the iatemperature of the climate, and the
indolence and restiveness of the inhabitants, but few here improve in their for-
tunes; so that for ought I could hitherto learn by any observation I could make
in my parish, the number of those that die in it exceeds not the number of those
that run out of it.

“To the third head of enquiry I answer, that there are three meeting houses in
my parish—one of the Quakers of Westchester, one of the Dutch, from it three
miles west, and one of the French at New Rochelle. The Duteh church has no
settled teacher, but is supplyed once a quarter from New York ; at other times it
is supplyed only by a reader. The Quakers preach against hireling priests, and
pretend to give nothing to their teachers. ‘Yhe other Dissenters support their
teachers by a free contribution raised amongst themselves.

‘«To the fourth head of enquiry, I say, there are three schools and three school-
masters. The first school is at Westchester, William Forrester, master, who has
a salary from the Venerable Society, whom we have the honor to serve. The
second is at Eastchester, one Delpech master, who is very well adapted and
fitted for that business, and is well spoken of as being diligent in it: the third is
at New Rochelle, where both French and English are taught. The two last have
no other encouragement than what the parents of the children taught, do give.

‘*To the fifth, there have been no donations that 1 know of, made either to the
Church of West or Eastchester, nor avy benefaction to the minister or school-
master of either place, nor is there any Library belonging to either church, save
a few books Mrs. Bartow delivered to me.

“To the sixth and last head of enquiry, I answer, that in the Township of

360 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Westchester, there are seventy-five; in that of Eastchester, twenty-six ; but few
of these negroes are in the service of those belonging to our Church; and then
farther the state of the negroes being servitude and bondage, all the week they
are held to hard work, but only Sundays excepted, when they fish or fowl or
some other way provide for themselves. Their scattered positions up and down
the country some distance from the church, but have all the prejudices of the
masters conceiving the worse for being taught, and more apt to rebel, (an un-
happy instance of which we had fourteen or fifteen years ago, in the City of
New York, when and where there was an insurrection of the negroes in which
several white people were destroyed, and it was observed, that the Catechumens
of that kind or the most instructed of the negroes were the very leaders in that
insurrection, q) are almost an invincible bar to their Christian instruction.

‘**But I had almost forgot one thing, which, however, is of great moment in this
case—and it is, that few of themare capable of being instructed. I have now two
negroes, since marriage—one of which isa girl about nine years old, whom I have
had above twelve months, and have during that time several times attempted to
teach her to read, but cannot yet make her know her alphabet; nor have auy
endeavours hitherto used with her, which have not been inconsiderable, been
sufficient to make her number ten, tho’ she was born in this country ; nor cana
fellow that is at least twenty, whom I have lately: bought, tho’ he has been
seven years in this country, count up that number; but notwithstanding what
hath been said, I hope so far to initiate them in the Christian religion as to fit
them for baptism.

“‘f have, in obedience to our principals, publickly exhorted those that have
negroes to instruct them in the principles of the Christian religion, and have
offered my assistance therein, but hitherto with little success. I hope I shall
succeed beiter in some future attempt.

‘*Tt is, I am sensible, expected that I should acquaint the Honorable Society
with my labours and the successof them. I preach one Sunday at Westchester,
another at Eastchester, and this I do twice a day for one half year ; but then dur-
ing the season, (@. e.) when the days are short and weather cold, and the people
are obliged in the morning to attend their cattle, we have divine service but
once, and that is about the middle of theday. Icatechize the children in the
public church at Eastchester, and have moved for it at Westchester ; but have
not yet succeeded, the master there not encouraging of it.

“Since I camehere, I have baptized about fifty children, besides two grown-
persons. The number of our communicants are about thirty. You were pleased
to tell me that the people of Setaucot, besides the allowance from the Society,
would do something among and of themselves; but nothing being hitherto done,
I desire if any subscription were by them sent to the Society—and such I am
told was sent—that you would communicate them to me, andin so doing you
will much oblige, Rev. Sir, your very humble servant,

THOMAS STANDARD.”?

a The “negro plot” of April, 1712. ‘The useful course of Mr. Neau’s labours, (says
Dr. Hawkins) was temporarily interrupted in 1712, by an insurrection of the negroes in the
city of New York ‘This, though soon put down, created a strong prejudice againsr the
school, which the masters, who were for the most part averse to their being instructed, well
knew how toturn to an account. There was no ground for it, however; as it appeared on
the trial that but one of all Mr. Neau’s scholars, and that one unpabtized, had any connexion
in the plot.” Note inserted by Editor. .

b liawks’ MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. pp. 26 to 35,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 361

In the spring of 1735 occurred an unhappy difference between the
Rev. Thos. Standard and Mr. Forster, the Society's school-master. It
appears, from a letter of Governor Cosby’s to the Bishop of London,
that when Mr. Vesey, the Commissary, ‘‘ was last at Westchester, (30th
of June, 1735,) to enquire into this affair, a complaint was exhibited
in form against Mr. Standard, by the principal men of his congrega-
tion ;” to which Mr. Standard gave in his answer, on the 8th of October
following, ‘“‘together with certain testimonials and affidavits which he
judged necessary to his vindication.” In transmitting Copies of these
proceedings, upon the zoth of October, 1735, to the Bishop of London,
and through him to the Venerable Society; Mr. Vesey observes:

“T have not as yet served Mr. Standard’s accusers with a copy of his
answer to their charges against him, nor examined into the truth of the
allegations ; being determined to proceed no farther in a matter of this
consequence, without my Lord’s and the Honorable Society’s express
order and directions, as also hoping that they will be pleased favorably
to accept his answer, seeing he has promised to reform himself and pur-
sue the great end and design of his mission with more care and diligence
for the time to come.”

Here the matter seems, fortunately for both parties, to have ended;
as no further proceedings were taken, and the Society still continued Mr.
Standard’s services at Westchester.

In 1743, Mr. Standard acquaints the Society, “ that notwithstanding
the country swarmed with vagrant preachers, called New Lights, he had
a more numerous congregation than usual, the Lord’s day preceding.”¢

“Upon the earnest petition of the church-wardens and vestrymen of
St. Peter’s church, Westchester, the Propagation Society appointed Mr.
Basil Bartow, school-master of the parish in 1744.” The King’s Com-
missary transmitted the following account of this individual :—‘ That
he is son to the Rev. John Bartow, late the Society’s worthy missionary
there. He is a person of good temper, sober, and pious, and well af-
fected to the present government ; conformable to the doctrine and dis-
cipline of the Church, and exceedingly well qualified for the instruction
of children.”4

The Society’s abstracts for 1745, say :—

“ Letters from New York bring an account that the churches of East
and Westchester, under the care of Mr. Standard, are in a peaceable and
growing state.’

@ Ibid vol. ii. pp. 80, 81.

b Ibid voi. ii. pp. 76, 77.

c Printed abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc. from 1743 to 1744.
d Ibid from 1744 to 1745.

e ibid.

362 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The following notice of Mr. Standard’s death, and the appointment
of his successor, appears in the abstracts for 1760:

.

“The Society being informed by a letter from the church-wardens of
Westchester, dated August the first, 1760, that the Rev, Mr. Standard,
their Missionary, was dead; and that for some time before his death he
had been incapable, through his great age, of performing his office in
the church of which he had been the incumbent, more than thirty-four
years—and they earnestly praying for a worthy successor to him, that
might collect the congregation, then scattered as sheep having no shep-
herd—the Society have granted their petition, by the appointment of the
Rev. Mr. Milner, a native of that Province, and son of a gentleman of
the City of New York, to the mission of Westchester; he coming over
from thence recommended to the Society by the Rev. Dr. Johnson,
President of the College, and by the Rev. Dr. Barclay, Rector of the
church of New York ; and being found worthy, was admitted into Dea-
con’s and Priest’s ordersin our Church ; and he now is on his voyage to
Westchester, where the society have good hopes he will answer the good
character transmitted to them of him, and both by doctrine and example
promote the knowledge and practice of the true Christian religion.”

From the date of Probate of Mr. Standard’s will, which generally
points out the period of the deceased’s death, it is probable that he died
at Eastchester,? in the early part of January, 1760. His body lies un-
der the communion table in St. Paul’s church, where a monument has
been erected to mark the spot where the ashes of this venerable mis-
sionary repose.

THE WILL OF THOMAS STANDARD, RECTOR OF THE PARISH
OF WESTCHESTER.

“Ty tHE Namg or Gop, AMEN.—I, Thomas Standard, Rector of the Parish
of Westchester, in the Province of New York, being far advanced in years, but
of sound disposing mind and memory, (thanks be to God.) do make my last will
and testament in manner and form following: first and principally, I commit my
precious and immortal soul into the merciful hends of God that gave it, and my
body to the earth, to be decently buried at the discretion of my executors, here-
inafter named, nothing doubting but I shall be raised again by the mighty power
of God to a Glorious Resurrection thro’ Jesus Christ my Blessed Saviour and Re-
deemer; and as touching my worldly estate, I do dispose thereof, as follows:
my Will is, that all my just debts and funeral charges be duly paid and satisfied
in some convenient time after my decease. I give and grant unto my executors
hereinafter named, full power and authority to sell and dispose of all my real
estate whatsoever and wheresoever, at vendue or otherwise, as they shall think

a Printed Abstracts of the Ven. Prop. Soc. from 15th Feb., 1760 to 20th Feb., 1761.

> The property opposite the present church, upon which Mr. Standard resided at the time
of his death, was sold by Andrew Clements, one of his executors, and now belongs to John
Alstyne, Esq.—Editor.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 363

fitt, and to make and execute good and sufficient deeds and conveyances in the
law to the purchasor or purchasors thereof ; I likewise give them power, and
order them, my executors, to sell and dispose of all my moveable and personal
estate whatsoever, and the monys arrising from the sale of my said real and
personal estate, together with all the monys I shall leave at my decease, either
in my house, or that shall be due to me on bond or otherwise, I order to be dis-
posed of as follows : and I do give and bequeath the same unto and amongst my
nephews and neices, namely, Thomas Standard, of London, barber, son of my
brother , and to George Standard and Mary Standard, children of my
brother, James Standard, late of Taunton, in Somersetshire, in Old England,
dec’d, and to William Burridge and Sarah Burridge, children of my sister, Sarah
Burridge, the wife of William Burridge, of Taunton aforesaid, equally to be di-
vided amongst them, share and share alike, each an equal part of all and singular
my said estate, and in case either of my said nephews or neices should happen to
die before the distribution of my said estate, leaving no lawful issue, then I order
the share of him or her so dying, to be equally divided amongst the surviving
legatees before named, but if those so dying shall leave lawfull issue, then I will
that the issue of such legatee so dying, shall have the share of their dec’d father
or mother. Lastiy, J Nomryate, constitute, and appoint my trusty friends,
James Bernard and Andrew Clements, both of Eastchester, in the Province of
New York, gent’s, executors of this my last will and testament, hereby making
void all former wills by me made, declaring this only to be my last will and
testament.

In Testruony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in Eastchester,
the first day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred
and fifty-eight.

THOMAS STANDARD, [1. s.]

Signed, sealed, published and declared by
the said Thomas Standard, as and for his last
Will and Testament, in the presence of us,
who subscribe our names as witnesses there-
to, in the testator’s presence.

Tuomas BUTLER,
CHARLES VINCENT,
Lewis GUIoN,

Jno. Bartow.”

**T, Thomas Standard, before named, do hereby further declare, that notwith-
standing I have given all my estate unto my nephews and neices, to witt :—
Thomas Standard, of London, barber, George Standard and Mary Standard,
William Burridge and Sarah Burridge, by the foregoing will, yet it ismy will, and
I do order and direct my executors before named, to pay to the heirs of William
Jesse, of Westhatch, near Taunton, the sum of forty pouuds, sterling money of
Great Britain, before they make a distribution of my said estate amongst my
nephews and neices before named; and I doorder this codicil to be a part of my
will, and to be of the same force and effect as if the same had heen inserted in
the body of the foregoing.

364 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Ix Testrwony whereof, I have hereto set my hand and seal, this fifth day of
May, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight.

Signed, sealed, published and declared by THOMAS STANDARD, [1 s.]
the said Thomas Standard, as and for a
codicil, in the presence of us who subscribe
our names as evidences thereof, in the tes-
tator’s presence. JNo Barrow,
CHARLES VINCENT,
Lewis Gurion,
THoMas Burier.’@

The state of the parish, about eleven months after Mr. Standard’s
death, is thus described by the Rev. Dr. Barclay, in a letter to the Sec-
retary, from which we take the following:

MR. BARCLAY TO THE SECRETARY.

(Extract.
New York, Deo. 10ru, 1760.

“* Westchester and Rye continue still vacant. . Religion is at the lowest ebb in
yt country, and unless some zealous and discrete clergyman be appointed to those
missions, the very term of it will soon disappear—as Westchester is a wide ex-
tended county, three missionaries can find more than sufficient employment, and
I know of no place where they can be more serviceable ; provided they have the
interest of religion at heart.”®

From the following passage, in the life of Samuel Johnson, D. D., by
Dr. Chandler, it appears that as early as 1755, the Society had provided
an assistant and suscessor to Mr, Standard, in the person of Mr. William
Johnson, a younger son of the Doctors; but unfortunately, their plans
were frustrated by his early death.” ‘ Mr. William Johnson embarked
for England, November the 8th, 1755, with a view of returning in Holy
orders, to assist and succeed Mr. Standard, the superanuated missionary
at Westchester. He was received by the Society, by Bishops Sher-
lock and Secker, and all the Doctor's friends, with great affection. They
recommended him to the University of Oxford, for the degree of Master
of Arts, which was readily conferred upon him, in the month of May,
and soon after to the Univesity of Cambridge, where he was admitted aa
eundem. He had received holy orders in March, and had preached
several times in and about London, with great reputation. But soon
after his return from Cambridge, he was seized with the small-pox, which
proved fatal to him on the 2oth of June, 1756. He was buried in Mr,

a Transcribed from a true copy, examined with the original, by P. Banyar, D. Sec. Date
of Probate, 26th Jan., 1760, Surrogates office, N. Y., vol. Xxi., p, 496.

6b New York MSS, from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. 282.—(Hawks.)

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 365

Morley’s vault, in St. Mildred’s in the Poultry, where there is a hand-
some marble monument erected to his memory. Thus, to the inexpres-
sible grief and disappointment of his friends, and to the great loss of the
Church in America, was this amiable and promising youth cut off, in the
bloom of life—making the seventh of those, who in their voyage to Eng-
land, for Holy orders, from the northern colonies, had perished by sundry
kinds of death.” 4

Upon the 25th of February, 1761, the Rev. John Milner, A.M., was
licensed as a Missionary, to the Province of New York, by the Bishop of
London. He was the son of Nathaniel Milner, of New York, a descendant
of the Mylners, (or Milners) of Pugesey, in Yorkshire. One of the early
pioneers of the family in this country,was Michael Milner, of Lynn, Mass.,
who removed to Long Island in 1640.¢ Mr. Milner was born in this county
circ. 1738,¢and graduated at Princeton College, New Jersey, in 1753.¢
In 1760 he went to England for Holy orders, and the same year was
ordained Deacon and Priest, by Bishop Sherlock. He embarked for his
mission sometime in March, 1761, and arrived home, after a long and
tedious passage, on the 13th of May, following. Upon the r2th of June,
of that year, he was instituted and inducted Rector of the Parish, by
Lieutenant-Goverrour Colden, in the following manner :—

LETTERS OF INSTITUTION BY LIEUT. GOVERNOUR COLDEN
TO JOHN MILNER, CLERK.

I, Cadwallader Colden, Esq., President of his Majesty’s Council, and Com-
mander-in-Chief of the Province of New York, and the Territories depending
thereon in America; do, in pursuance cf the power devolved on me, collate,
institute and establish you, John Milner, Clerk, Rector of the Parish Church at
Westchester, commonly called St. Peter’s church, including the several districts
of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham, in the County
of Westchester, within this government, to have the care of the souls of the
parishioners of the said church and district aforesaid, and to take your cure and
mine.

Given under my hand and the prerogative seal of the Province of New York,
at Fort George, in the City of New York, the thirteenth day of June, one thou-

sand seven hundred and sixty-one. CADWALLADER COLDEN.S

@ Life of Samuel Johnson, D.D., by Thomas Bradbury Chandler, D.D., formerly Rector of
St. John’s church, Elizabetbtown, N. J., p. 96,

6b The arms of John Mylner, Lord of the Manor of Pugesey were: Sable, three bridle bits
or, Crest. a bridle bit or.—See Berry’s Genealogies of Kent.

e Farmer's Register.

d “Mr. Milner was a native of Westchester Colony, his father residing in N. Y.’"—Fowler’s
MSS , B. iii, 573, B. v. p. 965.

e List of Princeton Graduates,
J Record of Commissions, Secretary of State’s Office, Albany, vol. v., pp. 188-9,

366 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

MANDATE FROM LIEUT. GOVERNOR COLDEN TO INDUCT JOHN
MILNER, CLERK, INTO THE RECTORSHIP OF THE
PARISH CHURCH OF WESTCHESTER.

The Honorable Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, President of His Majesty’s Coun-
cil, and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of New York, and the Territories
depending thereon in America: To all and singular, Rectors and Parish Minis-
ters whatsoever, in the Province of New York, or to Samuel Sneden and John
Hunt, the present church-wardens of St. Peter’s church, at Westchester, in the
County of Westchester, and to the vestrymen of the said church, and to each and
every of you, GreeTING; wnereasI have collected, instituted and established
our beloved in Christ, John Milner, Clerk, to be Rector of the Parish church at
Westchester, commonly called St. Peter's church, including the several districts
of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonckers, and the Manor of Pelham, in the County
of Westchester, within this government, vacant as is said by the natural death
of Thomas Standard, the Jast incumbent there, on the day of January, 1760,
with all its rights and appurtenances, observing the laws and canons of right in
that behalf required, and to be observed; To you therefore, jointly and severaly,
I do commit, and firmly enjoining, do command each and every of you that in
due manner, him, the said John Milner, or his lawful proctor, in his name and
for him, into the real, actual and corporal possession of the said Rectory and
Parish church at Westchester, including the districts aforesaid, and of all its
rights and appurtenances whatsoever, you induct, or have to be inducted, and
him so inducted, you do defend ; and of what you shall have done in the premises
thereof, you do certify unto me, or other competent Judge, in that behalf, when
thereunto you shall be duely required.

Given under my hand and the prerogative seal of the Province of New York,
at Fort George, in the City of New York, the thirtieth day of June, in the year
of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-one.

CADWALLDER COLDEN.«

The Rev. Mr. Milner, the Society’s Missionary at Westchester, in his
letter of October 3d, 1761, acquaints the Society, “that after a long and
dangerous passage, he arrived at his mission May 13th, and has ever
since preached to crowded audiences. His mission, he says, is of large
extent ; and he is obliged to attend three churches, and till Mr. Houdin
came to New Rochelle, officiated there once a month. One of his
churches is a new edifice, raised by the generosity of Col. Frederick
Phillips, who has given to its services a fine farm as a glebe, consisting
of two hundred acres; upon which he purposes to build a good house
for a minister. Mr. Milner has baptized forty-three white infants, and
four adults, twelve black children and three adults. His communicants
are sixteen. His catechumens, he says, have made a laudabie profici-
ency, by which means he hopes his communicants will increase.”®

a Ibid.

b Printed Abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc. for 1762-3-4-5-C-7-5, p. 51. The New York S ost Boy
of May 7th, 1761, says:—‘‘ The Rev. Mr. Milner has arrived froma London in the ship Oliver.”

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 367

Mr. Milner, in his letter dated June 29th, 1762, writes:—‘“ yt since
his arrival at his mission, which is fourteen months, he had baptized one
hundred and fourteen, of whom forty were adults, viz: thirty whites and
ten blacks, and had administered the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
four times, to thirty communicants, of which he hopes the number will
increase. He constantly attends three churches in three different town-
ships, preaching to crowded audiences of devout, well-behaved people.
They have no dissenters among them, except a few Quakers. He adds,
that the school is still vacant, and deprived of a teacher, but petitions
the Society to continue their bounty to some worthy person who shall
be chosen schoolmaster ; as the school is a nursery for the Church, and
of great service in these parts, which request is accordingly granted.Ӣ

In a Jetter dated June 4th, 1763, Mr. Milner “expresses his own and
his people’s sense of the favour done them, in giving them leave to
choose a schoolmaster for this place, tho’ they have not yet been able
to find a person properly qualified for that office. He likewise informs
the Society that he has procured a charter for St. Peter’s church, which
will greatly promote the interests of virtue and religion; and that his.
people have purchased a house, with a glebe of thirty acres, not far from
the church. From -June 29th, 1762, to the date of this letter, he has
baptized eighty infants, among whom three were blacks, and seven adults ;
one of them a man near sixty years old, who is since admitted to full
communion. The number of his communicants is increased to iifty-
three, above forty have been added since his arrival at his mission,
which was about two years at the time of his writing.”?

The following petition was presented for the charter alluded to in the
above letter :—

TO THE HONOURABLE CADWALLADER COLDEN, ESQ., HIS
MAJESTY’S LIEUTENANT GOVERNOUR AND COMMANDER
IN-CHIEF OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK, AND THE
TERRITORIES DEPENDING THEREON IN AMERICA.

The petition of the subscribers, inhabitants of the Borough Town of West-
chester, in the County of Westchester, in behalf of themselves and the rest of
the inhabitants of the said Town, in Communion of the Church of England, as
by law established ;

Humpty SHEWETH:

That for many years past there has been a church in the said town of West-
chester for the administration of Divine Service, according to the use of the

a Printed Abstracts of Ven. Propagation Society, for 1762.
b Printed Abstracts of Ven. Propagation Society for 1763.

368 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Church of England, as by law established ; but that for want of proper persons to
superintend the atfairs and interests of the same with legal authority, the build-
ing is now considerably out of repair—and pious and well disposed persons are
discouraged in their designs of contributing to, and establishing proper funds for
the support of the said church and minister thereof; for remedying which,

Your petitioners humbly pray, that our honour will be favourably pleased to
grant unto them his Majesty’s Letters Patent, constituting your Petitioners, or
such of them as shali be thought proper, a Body Politic and Corporate, for the
purposes of conducting and managing the affairs and interests of the said church
in such manner and form, and with such rights, priveledges and immunities, as
were heretofore granted to the inhabitants of the town of lushing, in Queen's
County, in communion of the Church of England, or with such other rights,
priveledges, and immunities, as shall be thought reasonable and proper ; and your
petitioners shall ever pray.

JoHN MILNER, Peter De Lanory,
Joun Bartow, N. Unperur1,

J. WILteETT, JAMES GRAHAM,

Lewis Morris, JRr., Jamzs V. CorTLANDT.@

On the rath of May, 1762, the petition was read and granted in the
following manner :—

ROYAL CHARTER OF ST. PETER’S CHURCH, IN THE BOROUGH
TOWN OF WESTCHESTER.

‘* George the third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland,
king, defender of the faith, &c., to whom these presents shall come, greeting:
whereas, our loving subject, the Rev. John Milner, Rector of St. Peter’s church,
in the Borough Town of Westchester, and the County of Westchester, in our
Province of New York, and John Bartow, Isaac Willett, Lewis Morris, Jr.,
Peter De Lancey, Nathaniel Underhill, James Graham and James van Cortlandt,
inhabitants of the said Borough Town of Westchester, in Communion of the
Church of England. as by law established ; in behalf of themselves and the rest
of the inhabitants of the said town, in communion as aforesaid, by their humble
petition, presented on the twelfth day of May last, to our trusty and weil beloved
Cadwallader Coiden, Esq., then our Licutenant Governour and Commander-in-
chief of our Province of New York, and the territories depending thereon in
America; in council did set forth, that for many years past there had been a
church in the said Town of Westchester, for the regular administration of Divine
Service according to the use of the Church of England, as by law established, but
that for the want of proper persons to superintend the affairs and interests of the
same with legal authority, the building was considerably out of repair, and pious
and well disposed persons were discouraged in the designs of contributing to and
establishing proper funds for the support of the said church and the minister there-
of; for remedying whereof, the said petitioners did humbiy pray a letter patent,
constituting the said petitioners, or such of them as shall be thought proper, a body

a New York Col. MSS. (Colden.) 1761-2, vol. xc. Sec. of State’s Office.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER, 369

politic and corporate, for the purpose of conducting and managing the affairs and
interests of the said church, in such manner and form, and with such rights, ‘priv-
ileges and immunities as were heretofore granted to the inhabitants of the town
of Flushing, in Queen’s County, in Communion of the Church of England, or with
such other rights, privileges and immunities as should be thought reasonable and
proper; now we being willing to encourage the pious intentions of our said loving
subjects, and to grant this their reasonable request, know ye, that of our especial
grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have ordained, given, granted and
declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors, do ordain, give,
grant and declare, that they the said petitioners, and the rest of the inhabitants
of the said Borough Town of Westchester, in Communion of the Church of Eng-
land, ag by law established, and their successors, the Rector and inhabitants of the
said Borough Town of Westchester, in Communion of the Church of England as
by law established, hereafter shall be a body corporate and politic, in deed, fact
and name, by the name, style and title of the Rector and inhabitants of the
Borough Town of Westchester, in Communion of the Church of England, as by
law established, and them and their successors by the same name. We do by
these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, really and fully make, erect and
constitute one body politic and corporate, in deed, fact and name forever, and we
give, grant and ordain, that they and their successors, the Rector and inhabitants
of the Borough Town of Westchester, in Communion of the Church of England,
as by law established, by the same name shall and may have perpetual success-
ions, and shall and may be capable in law to sue and be sued, implead and be
impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended in all courts
and elsewhere, in all manner of actions, writs, complaints, pleas, causes, matters
and demands whatsoever, as fully and amply as any other our liege subjects of
our said province of New York may or can sue or be sued, implead or be im-
pleaded, defend, or be defended, by any lawful way or means whatsoever; and
that they and their successors by the same name shall be for ever hereatter capa-
ble and able in the law to purchase, take, hold, receive and enjoy any messuages,
tenements, personal and real estate whatsoever in fee simple for the term of life
or lives, or in any other manner howsoever for the use of the said church; and
also any goods, chattels or personal estate whatsoever, provided always that the
clear yearly value of the said real estate (exclusive of the said church and the
ground whereon the same is built, and the cemetery belonging to the same,) doth
not at any time exceed the sum of five hundred pounds current money of our
said province, and that they and their successors by the same name shall have
full power and authority to give, grant, sell, leave and dispose of the same real
estate for life or lives, or year or for ever, under certain yearly rents, and all
goods and chattels and personal estate whatsoever, at their will and pleasure, and
that it shall and may be lawful for them and their successors to have and use a
common seal; and our will and pleasure further is, and we do hereby for us, our
heirs and successors, ordain and appoint, that there shall be for ever hereafter
belonging to the said church, one Rector of the Church of England, as by law es-
tablished, duly qualified for the care of souls, two church-wardens and eight ves-
trymen who shall conduct and manage the affairs and business of the said church,
and confer in manner as hereafter is established and appointed; and for the more
immediate carrying into execution our royal will and pleasure herein, we do .

370 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

hereby assign, constitute and appoint Isaac Willett and Nathaniel Underhill, the
elder, to be the present church-wardens, and Peter De Lancey, James Graham,
James van Cortlandt, Lewis Morris, John Smith, Theophilus Bartow, Cornelius
Willett and Thomas Hunt, to be the present vestrymen of the said church, who
shall hold, possess and enjoy their respective offices until Tuesday in Easter week
now next ensuing, and for the keeping of the succession in the said offices our
royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby establish, direct and require, that on
the said Tuesday in Easter week now next ensuing, and yearly and every year
thereafter, for ever on Tuesday in Easter week in every year, the Rector and in-
habitants of the Borough Town of Weschester in Communion of the Church of
England, as by law established, shall meet at the said church, and there by the
majority of voices of such of them as shall so meet, elect and choose two of their
members to be church-wardens, and cight others of their members to be vestry-
men of the said church for the ensuing year, which said church-wardens and
vestrymen so elected and chosen, shall immediately enter upon their respective
offices, and hold, exercise and enjoy the same respectively, from the time of such
elections for and during the space of one year, and until other fit persons shall be
elected and chosen in their respective places; and in case the church-wardens or
vestrymen, or either of them, by these presents named and appointed, or which
shall hereafter be elected and chosen, shall die or remove from the said Borough
Town of Westchester, before the time of their respective appointed services shall
be expired, or refuse or neglect to act in the office for which he or they is or are
herein nominated and appointed, or whereunto he or they shall or may be elected
and chosen, then our royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby direct and ordain
and require the rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in com-
munion as aforesaid, for the time being, to meet at the said church and choose
other or others of their numbers in place and stead of him or them so dying, re-
moving or refusing to act within thirty days next after such contingency; and in
this case for the more due and orderly conducting the said elections, and to pre-
vent any undue proceedings therein, we do hereby give full power and authority
to, and ordain and require that the rector and the church-wardens of the said ~
church for the time being, or any two of them, shall appoint the time for such
election or elections, and that the rectcr of the said church, or in his absence one
of the church-wardens for the time being, shall give public notice thereof by
publishing the same at the said church immediately after divine service, on the
Sunday preceding the day appointed for such elections, hereby giving and grant-
ing that such person or persons as shall be chosen from time to time by the rector
and inhabitants of the said borough town of Westchester in communion as afore-
said, or the majority of such of them as shall in such case meet in manner here-
by directed, shall have, hold, exercise and enjoy such the office or offices #0
which ke or they shall be so elected and chosen from the time of such election
until the Tuesday in Easter week thence next ensuing, and until other or others
be legally chosen in his or their place instead, as fully and amply as the person
or persons in whose place he or they shall be chosen might or could have done
by virtue of these presents, and we do hereby will and direct that this method
shall for ever hereafter be used for the filling up all vacancies that shall happen
in either the said offices between the annual elections above directed; and our
royal will and pleasure further is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and suc-

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 371

—

cessors, give and grant that as well the church-wardens and vestry, or those
present nominated and appointed as such, as shall from time to time be hereafter
elected and chosen as is herein directed, shall have, and they are hereby invested
with full power and authority to execute their several and respective offices in
as full and ample manner as any church-wardens or vestrymen in that part of
our kingdom of Great Britain called England, or in this our province of New
York, can or lawfully may execute their said respective offices ; and further our
royal will and pleasure is, and we do by these presents for us, our heirs and suc-
cessors, give, grant, ordain and appoint, that the rector and church-wardens of
said church for the time being, or any two of them, shall and may from time to
time as occasion shall require, summon and call together at such day and place
as they shall think proper the said rector, church-wardens and vestrymen for the
time being to meet in vestry, giving them at the least one day’s notice thereof,
and we hereby require them to meet accordingly; and we do hereby give, grant
and ordain, that the said rector, and one of the said church-wardens for the time
being at least, together with the majority of the said vestrymen of the said
church, for the time being, being met in vestry as above directed, shall for ever
hereafter, have, and they are hereby invested with full power and authority by a
majority of their voices to do and execute in the name of the rector and inhabit-
ants of the borough town of Westchester, in communion of the Church of Eng-
land as by Jaw established, all and singular powers and authorities herein before
given and granted to the said rector and inhabitants of the borough town of
Westchester in communion of the Church of England as by law established,
any wise touching or relating to such lands; messages, tenements, real and per-
sonal estate whatsoever, as they the said rector and inhabitants of the borough
town of Westchester, in communion as aforesaid, shall or may acquire for the
use of the said church, and also in like manner to order, direct, manage, and
transact the general interest, business and affairs of our said corporation, and
also shall have full power and authority in like manner to make and ordain such
Tules, orders, and ordinances as they shall judge convenient for the good govern-
ment and discipline of the members of said church, provided such rules, orders
and ordinances be not repugnant to the laws of that part of our kingdom of
Great Britain called England, or this our province of New York, but as near as
may be agreeable thereto, and that the same be fairly entered in a book or
books to be kept for that purpose, and also in like manner to appoint the form
of the common seal herein before granted, and the same to alter, break, and re-
make at their direction ; and also in like manner to appoint such officer or officers
as they shall stand in need of, always provided that the rector of the said church
for the time being shall have the sole power of nominating and appointing the
clerk to assist him in performing divine service, as also the sexton—anything here-
in contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding—which clerk and sexton
shall hold and enjoy their respective offices during the will and pleasure of the
rector of the said church for the time being; and in case of any avoidance of the
said church either by the death of the rector thereof or otherwise, then our royal
will and pleasure is that the powers and authority hereby vested in the rector,
church-wardens, and vestrymen, in vestry to meet as above mentioned, shall, until
the said church he legally supplied with another incumbent, vest in and be exe-
cuted by the church-wardens of the said church for the time being, provided al-

372 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ways they have the concurrence and consent of the major number of the whole
vestrymen of the said church for the time being, in any thing they shall in such
case do by virtue hereof; and further we do by these presents for us, our heirs,
and successors, give and grant unto the rector and inhabitants of the borough
town of Westchester in communion of the Church of England as by law estab-
lished, and their successors forever, that this our present grant shall be deemed,
adjudged and construed in all cases most favourably, and for the best benefit and
advantage of the rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in
communion of the Church of England as by law established, and that this our
present grant being entered on record as is hereinafter particularly expressed,
shall be good and effectual in the law to all intents, constructions and purposes
whatsoever, against us, our heirs and successors, according to our true interests
and meaning herein before declared, notwithstanding the not reciting or mis-re-
citing, not naming or mis-naming of any of the aforesaid franchises, privileges,
immunities, or officers, in either the premises or any of them, and although no
writ of ad guod damnum or other writs, inquisitions in precept hath or have been
upon this account, had, made, or prosecuted or issued, to have and to hold all
and singular the privileges, liberties, advantages, and immunities hereby granted
or meant, mentioned, or intended so to be, unto the said rector and inhabitants of
the borough town of Westchester in communion of the Church of England as by
law established, and to their successors forever. In testimony whereof we have
caused these our letters to be made patent, and the great seal of our said province
to be hereunto affixed, and the same to be entered on record in our Secretary’s
office, in our city of New York, in one of the books of patents there remaining.
Witness, our trusty and well beloved Robt. Monckton, our Captain General and
Governour-in-Chief of our proviuce of New York and the territories depending
thereon in America, Vice-Admiral of the same and Major General of our forces,
at our fort in our city of New York, by and with the advice and consent of our
Governour for our said province. Second day of December, in the year A. D.

1762, and of our reign the third.
PaeS4 Signed, CLARKE.”4

The Society’s abstracts for 1764, say :—

“The Rev. Mr. Milner, the Society's Missionary at Westchester, in
his letters dated June 8th, and December 21st, 1764; acquaints the So-
ciety that he has, at his own expense, laid out a sum, amounting to two
hundred pounds currency, repaired the parsonage house, built a new
barn and out houses, (the vestry promising to reimburse him as soon as
their circumstances will permit), and the people of Eastchester have laid
the foundation of a new stone church, seventy-one feet by thirty-eight,
in the room of a small decayed wooden building, erected in the infancy
of their settlement. Mr. Milner has, in pursuance of the powers given
him by the Society, appointed Mr. Nathaniel Seabury, a son of the late
worthy missionary at Hempstead, to be school master at Westchester.”

The church-wardens of Westchester in their letter, dated July 7, 1764,

a Alb. Rec. Book of Patents, No. xiii., p. 490-495. The original document or parchment is
in possession of the clerk of the vestry.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 373

acquaint the Society “that they have purchased a glebe of near thirty
acres, with a house, which, when they have repaid Mr. Milner the ex-
pense he has been at, will cost them, in the whole, near seven hundred
pounds, which they spend with great cheerfulness, as their minister’s
behaviour has very much endeared him to the people ; and his diligence
has been attended with such success, that whole families of Quakers—
the only dissenters in this parish—have conformed to the Church. Mr.
Milner has baptized, within the year, seventy-two whites, and nineteen
black infants ; and has fifty communicants.

Mr. Milner continued his services in the parish, until the fall of 1765,
as appears by the following extract from a letter of Mr. John Bartow, to
the Bishop of London :—

BorouGH oF WESTCHESTER, IN THE PROVINCE
or New York, Oocr. 15ru, 1765.

‘“*The Honourable Society’s Missionary for our parish of Westchester has left
us. I expect the vestry of this parish will soon address the Honourable Society
for the continuance of their favours ; and I beg your lordship’s care and protec-
tion over us, and that you will assist in sending a faithful minister to reside here.
I suppose our vestry may nominate, but still there may want inspection.”

For what reason Mr. Milner resigned his benefice, does not now very
clearly appear. It is not improbable, however, that the large sum of
money expended by him on the glebe, may have had some connection
with his leaving. In 1766, he was settled rector of the Isle of Wight
and Southampton, in Virginia. In 1768, he addressed the following
letter to the Secretary :--

MR. MILNER TO THE SECRETARY.
(EXTRACT. ]
Newport ParisH, Iste or Wicut, FEB. 3rp, 1768.

Rey. Sm :—‘‘I am very sorry to inform you that the people of Westchester
pay very litile regard, either to their promises, or the Society’s expectations; for
Iam informed by my lawyer that they absolutely refuse to-refund me one penny
of all the money I have expended on their glebe, which, without the repairs and
buildings I made, would have been entirely useless. I am now settled in Vir-
ginia, where the Church is established in reality, and some certain provision
made for the clergy, etc.Ӣ

“In 1766,” says Bishop Mead, “the Rev. Mr. Milner is the minister
of the parishes in the Isle of Wight and Southampton, and resigns in
a Printed abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc. from 17th Feb. 1764, to 15th Feb, 1765.

6 New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vil. ii., 330-332. (IMawk’s).
¢e Ditto, vol. ii., 446.

374 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

1770." He probably died in 1775, for his name appears among the
deceased clergy, in ‘“‘a list of persons licensed to the plantations,” end-
ing Dec. 28, 1777.°

A vacancy of nearly a year occurred before the Rev. Samuel Seabury,
A.M., was appointed to the mission. ‘In 1776,” says Dr. Hawkins, “‘ Mr.
Seabury intimated to the Society his wish to accept the offer of the mis-
sion of Westchester, which was made by him to the church-wardens and’
vestrymen ; and the Society consenting to his proposal, he removed
thither at the end of the year 1766.”°

Mr. Seabury was the oldest son of the Rev. Samuel Seabury, a de-
scendant of John Seaberry, of Boston, Mass., whose family were ongi-
nally seated at Porlake, in Devonshire, England. Samuel, the son of
John Seaberry, and Grace, his wife, was born roth Dec. 1640. Samuel
Seabury, M. D.,, was a noted surgeon at Duxbury, Mass., in the 17th
century. His son, John Seabury, was born in 1673, and died at Hemp-
stead, L. I., Dec., 17, 1759. His son, Samuel, was born in 1706, and
was graduated at Harvard University, in 1724. He settled at Groton,
Conn., as a Congregational minister, and is said to have married Abi-
gail Mumford. From intercourse with Dr. McSparran, of Narragansett,
Mr. Seabury became an Episcopal clergyman, and was appointed by the
Society, in 1728, the first missionary of St. James’s church, then at New
London. His wife died in 1731. In 1733, he married Elizabeth Pow-
ell, (she died Feb. 6, 1799, aged 87), the daughter of Adam Powell, a
merchant of Newport, R. I., and grand-daughter of Gabriel Bernon. In
1742 he removed to Hempstead, on L. I., where he died June 15, 1764.
The following is the inscription on his tombstone :—

‘Here lyeth interred the body of the
REV. SAMUEL SEABURY, A.M.,

Rector of the Parish of Hempstead,
who with the greatest diligence and most indefatigable labour, for 13 years
at New London, and 21 years in this Parish, having discharged —
every duty of his sacred function,
Died the 15th of June, A.D. 1764, xt 58.

a “Old Churches and Families in Virginia,”’ by the Rt. Rev. William Mead, Bishop of Virginia.
The Rey. H. Walcoxon in a letter to the author, dated Smithfield, Isle of Wight County, Va.,
Jan’y. 7, 1852, says: ‘‘The oldest resident,of my acquaintance, in the county thinks, he has
heard of Mr. Milner, but can give no certain or reliable information about him. The records
of the parish, for many years back, have been destroyed or lost. St. Luke’s church, Isle of
Wight Co., Va., was built in 1632, aud is undoubtedly the oldest building now standing in
America erected by English settlers. The walls and tower are nearly perfect.”—Circular by
Rev. Jaa. B. Crayhill, Suffolk, Va.

b Coll. of Prot. Epis. Hist. Society, 1851.

ec Hist. Notices of the Miss. of the Church of Eng. in the North American Colonies, by
Ernest Hawkins, B. D.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 375

In gratitude to the memory of the best of husbands, his disconsolate
widow, Elizabeth Seabury, hath placed this stone.”

His brother, Capt. David Seabury, (remarkable for his great bodily
strength,) died at the same place, Nov. 11th, 1750, aged fifty-two, un-
married.¢

The ancient orthography of the surname was Sedborough, until changed,
probably, by the early pioneers of the family in this country. Mr. Sea-
bury was born in Groton, Connecticut, November 3oth, 1729,” and
graduated A.M., at Yale College in 1748. He also received the degree
of A.M., from King’s College, New York, in 1761. Soon after complet-
ing his collegiate education, he was appointed catechist by the Vener-
able Propagation Society, under the direction of his father, at Hunting-
ton a town about eighteen miles distant from Hempstead. In 1753, the
Society received from Mr. James Wetmore, Missionary at Rye, a testi-
monial in favor of the Rev. Samuel Seabury, Jun., whom he represented
as “a man of unblemished moral character, sound learning, and so pru-
dent behaviour, that he would prove a worthy missionary. He accord-
ingly recommended him for the vacant cure of New Brunswick, in the
colony of New Jersey. The Society having now for some years had
knowledge of him in the subordinate office of catechist, immediately gave
its sanction to his coming to England for holy orders.”

“The Society have appointed the Rev. Mr. Seabury, son of the Rev.
Mr. Seabury, the Society's Missionary at Hempstead in Long Island, in
the Province of New York, to be their Missionary to New Brunswick,
out of regard to the request of the inhabitants, and to the united testi-

mony of the Episcopal clergy of New York in his favor ; as a youth of
good genius, unblemished morals, sound principles in religion, and one
that had made as good proficiency in literature, while in America, as the
present state of learning there would admit of; and he has gone for his
improvement to the University of Edinburgh, &c., &c.Ӣ

He entered on the duties of his mission at New Brunswick, in May,
1754, and in 1757 was promoted by the government to the living of
Jamaica, L. 1.4

He was admitted, instituted, and inducted rector of this parish by Sir
- Henry Moore, upon the 3d of Dec., 1766.

a The arms of the Seabury’s, or Sedborough’s, are:—ar. a fesse engr. betw, three Ibexes,
passant sa.

6 “Samuel, son of Samuel and Abigail Seabury, was born in Groton, Nov. 30th, 1729.
Samuel, son of Samuel and Abigail Seabury, baptized 14th Dec., 1729, by Rev. John Owen, of
Groton.”—Extracts from Town Minutes, kindly furnished by Miss Calkins.

c Hawkins’ Missions.—The Society’s abstracts for 1753.

d Some of his letters, whilst stationed at Jamaica, may be found in the 3d vol. of the Doc.
History of N. Y.

376 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

GOVERNOUR MOORE’S ADMISSION OF MR. SEABURY TO BE
RECTOR OF THE PARISH OF WESTCHESTER.

I, Str Henry Moors, Baronet, Captain General, and Governour-in-chief, in
and over the province of New York, and territories depending thereon, in Amer-
ica, Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the same; do admit you, Samuel Seabury,
Clerk, to be Rector of the Parish Church of Westchester, commonly called St.
Peter’s church, including the several districts of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonk-
ers, and the Manor of Pelham, in the County of Westchester, in the said province,
with all their rights, members and appurtenances. Given under my hand and
the prerogative seal of the province of New York, the third day of December, in
the year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and sixty-six.

H. MOORE.

LETTERS OF INSTITUTION BY GOVERNOUR MOORE TO
MR. SEABURY.

I, Sir Henry Moors, Baronet, Captain General and Governour-in-chief, in
and over the province of New York and the territories depending thereon, in
America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the same; do institute you Samuel
Seabury, Clerk, Rector of the Parish church at Westchester, commonly called
St. Peter’s church, including the several districts of Westchester, Eastchester,
Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham, in the County of Westchester in the said
province, to have the care of souls of the parishioners of the said parish, and take
your cure and mine. Given under my hand and the prerogative seal of the prov-
ince of New York, this third day of December, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. H. MOORE.

MANDATE FROM GOVERNOUR MOORE TO INDUCT MR. SEABURY
INTO THE RECTORSHIP OF THE PARISH
OF WESTCHESTER.

His ExcEe.tency, Str Henry Moore, Baronet, Captain General, and Gover-
nour-in-chief, in and over the province of New York, and the territories depend-
ing theron in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the same, to all and
singular, Rectors and Parish Ministers whatsoever in the province of New York,
or to the Church-wardens and Vestrymen of St. Peter’s church, at Westchester,
in the county of Westchester, and to each of you greeting. Whereas, I have colla-
ted, instituted and established our beloved in Christ, Samuel Seabury, Clerk, to
be Rector of the parish church at Westchester, commonly called St. Peter’s
church, including the several districts of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers, and
the Manor of Pelham in the county of Westchester, within this Government,
vacant, as is said, by the resignation of John Milner, Clerk, the last incumbent
there, with all its rights and appurtenances, observing the laws and canons of
right in that behalf, required and to be observed. To you, therefore, jointly and
severally, I do commit, and firmly injoining do command each and every of you
that in due manuer him, the said Samuel Seabury, or his tawful proctor in his
name aud for him into the real, actual and corporal possession of the said Rectory

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 377

and Parish Church at Westchester, including the district s aforesaid, and of all
its rights and appurtenances. Whatsoever you induct, or cause to be inducted
and him so inducted you do defend ; and of what you shall have done in the
premises thereof, you duly certify unto me, or other competent judge in that
behalf, when thereunto you shall be duly required, Giver under my hand aad
the prerogative seal of the province of New York, at Fort George, in the city of
New York, the third day of December, in the year of our Lord, One thousand
seven hundred and sixty-six, H. MOORE.a

The state of the parish, about seven months after his induction, pa-
pears from the following report to the Society :—

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.
[Eatract. |
WESTCHESTER, JUNE 20TH, 1767.

Rey. Sir :—‘‘ The congregation at Westchester is very unsteady in their attend-
ance; sometimes there are more than the church, which is a small old wooden
building, can contain; at other times very few, generally, near two hundred.
The communicants are few, the most I have had has been twenty-two; two new
ones have been added since I have been here. At Eastchester, which is four
miles distant, the congregation is generally larger than at Westchester. The
old church in which they meet, as yet, is very small and cold. They have erect-
ed, and just completed the roof of a large well-built stone church, in which they
have expended, they say, seven hundred pounds currency: but their ability seems
to be exhausted, and I fear I shall never see it finished. I applied last winter to
his Excellency Sir Henry Moore, for a brief in their favour ; but the petition was
rejected. Since I came into this parish I have preached every other Sunday at
Westchester, in the morning ; and have after prayers in the afternoon, catechised
the children and explained the catechism to them. I was the more inclined to do
this, as they have never been used to any evening service at all; and as there
seemed to be but little sober sense of religion amongst the lower sort of people, I
was in hopes by this means to lay some foundation of religious knowledge in the
younger part of the congregation. I cannot yet boast of the number of my cate-
chumens which is but ten, but most of them repeat the catechism extremely well.
There are also a considerable number of young people who attend to hear, and
are very attentive. I should be very much obliged to the Society for a number
of Lewis’s catechisms, and some small Common Prayer books, and such other
tracts as they think proper; these things presented to the children and younger
people by their minister, I have found by my own experience, gives them im-
pressions in his favour, and dispose them to come to church and to make their
responses,

At Westchester I have baptised six white children, and one mulatto adult; at
Eastchester, eight white, and at New Rochelle seven white and two negro chil-
dren. Before [ left Jamaica, I baptised there four adults and three infants. I
have made two visits there since, and baptised one adult, two white children and
three black ones; and 1 must do the people at Newtown the justice to inform the

a Albany Book of Commissions, vol. vy. 243.

378 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Society, that since my removal they sent me £20 currency. With regard to the
income of this parish, the salary, by an act of Assembly is £50 currency. The
exchange from N. Y. to London being generally from £70 to £80 for £100 sterl-
ing. Burial fees here, there are none; Dut the more wealthy families sometimes
give the minister a linen scarf, on these occasions. Marriage fees from one to
four Spanish dollars; but far the greater number go to an Independent teacher
in the Parish of Rye, because his ceremony is short, and they have nothing to
say. Possibly these fees may amount to £5 or £6 a year. The parsonage house
is so much out of repair that it will cost £100 currency to make it comfortable,
and the glebe has cost me near £20 to repair the fences; when it is put in good
order, it would, I believe, rent for £25 per annum. Some of the principal peo-
ple have been endeavoring to prevail on the congregation to make up the deduc-
tion from the Society's salary by subscription, but have not succeeded—owing to
the great expense they have been and must be at here in buying and repairing
their parsonage house, for which they are yet in debt £100, and to the necessity
they will shortly be under of rebuilding their church; and the Eastchester people
are exhausted by the church they have undertaken to build. I must defer writ-
ing concerning that part of the parish which is under Mr. Munroe’s care, till my
information is correct. The professed dissenters in this parish are not numerous;
some Calvinistic or Presbyterian French at New Rochelle, a few Presbyterians
at Eastchester, and some Quakers; at Westchester, a good many Quakers. But
there are many families, especially among the lower classes, who do not pretend
to be of any religion at all.”4

‘He states that one of the means which he adopted of communicating reli-
gious instruction to the people, was preaching at funerals in the more remote
districts, whereby he had the opportunity of addressing those who could not be
brought together at any other time.’

In 1768 Mr. George Youngs¢ was appointed schoolmaster at Westchester, in
the room of Mr. Nathaniel Seabury, the rector’s brother.

The Rey. Mr. Seabury, in his letter of October 10th, 1769, says:—‘‘The peo-
ple becomes gradually more devout, and read regular in the public worship. That
he had taken pains with the negro slaves and had baptized five adults with them.
The school adyances, and the children make a due proficiency in learning.”

The following year he thus writes to the Secretary :—

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.
[ Eztract. |

Westcuester, Maron 297Tn, 1770.

Rey. Sm :~‘‘ The violent party heats which prevail in this Colony as well as
in the others, engross at present, the attention of the people. But I think yt
even the disturbances will be attended with some advantage to the interests of the
Church. ‘The usefulness and truth of her doctrines with regard to civil govern-

a New York MSS., from Archives at Fulham, vol. ii.. 429 to 482. (Hawks).
b Hawkins’ Notices of the Missions of the Church of England, etc.

e Mr. Youngs continued his services here until 1772.

d Socicty’s Printed Abstracts,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 379

ment, appear more evident from those disorders which other princip!es have led
the people into. his is particularly remarked and publicly mentioned by the
more candid and reasonable people, who seem heartily tired with the great clam-
ours for liberty, &c., as it appears evident yt unbounded licentiousness in manners
and insecurity to private property, must be the unavoidable consequence of some
late measures, should they become prevalent. I hope the time is not far off when
these matters will be settled upon a firm and permanent foundation; but, how-
ever, yt may be, I am confident the behaviour of the Church people, considered
as a body, has been such as has done her honour, and will be remembered many
years in this country with approbation.Ӣ

Nine months after the date of this communication, we find him again
addressing the Secretary as follows :—

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.
[Hatract. |

WESTOHESTER, JANUARY 3D, 1771.

Rev. Sm:—‘ The state of this mission being much the same as when [I last
wrote, makes it unnecessary for me to say much on yt head. In general, I must
observe, yt though I think appearances are something mended since I have been
in this mission, yet my success has not been equal to my first expectations. I
find it very difficult to convince people yt religion is a matter of any importance.
They seem to treat it as a thing unworthy of their attention, except on some par-
ticular occasions, when they are otherwise disengaged. Many come frequently
to church and yet continue unbaptized, others come constantly and appear to be-
have devoutly, and yet cannot be prevailed upou to become communicants ; while
many others pay not the least regard to religion of any kind nor on any occasion.
I shall, however, endeavor to do my duty; and I hope, by God’s blessing, in due
time, I shall see some good fruit from my labours.”

During the year 1774, he had baptized forty-nine, and admitted three
new communicants.°

In April, 1775, he signed the protest at White Plains, in which he and
others declared their ‘‘ honest abhorrence of all unlawful Congresses and
Committees,” and determination, “‘at the hazard of our lives and pro-
perties, to support the King and Constitution ; and that we acknowledge
no Representatives but the General Assembly, to wnose wisdom and in-
tegrity we submit the guardianship of our rights, liberties and privileges.”

The following letter shows that some of the clergy had found it pru-
dent to withdraw from the surrounding troubles and seek refuge in
England :—

a New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. p. 505,—(Hawks.)
b New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. ii. 542.—(Hawks.)
c Printed abstracts of the Ven. Society,

380 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.
[ H2tract. }
WestouEsterR, May 30TH, 1775.

Rey. Srr:—‘‘ We are here in a very alarming situation. Dr. Cooper and Dr.
Chandler have been obliged to quit this community and sailed for England last
week. I have been obliged to retire a few days from the threatened vengeance
of the New England people who lately broke into this Province. But I hope I
shall be able to keep my station. The charge against the clergy here is a very
extraordinary one—that they have, in conjunction with the Society and the
British Ministry, laid a plan for enslaving America. I do not think that those
people who raised this calumny, believe one syllable of it; but they intend it as
an engine to turn the popular fury upon the Church, which, should the violent
schemes of some of our Eastern neighbours succeed, will probably fall a sacrifice
to the persecuting spirit of Independency. Iam, &c.,

SAMUEL SEABURY.”)

The calumny against the clergy, resembles the false charge brought
against the Episcopacy itself at this period, viz., that it was “‘one of
those causes which, as much as anything else, conduced to the horrors of
the Revolution.” It is almost needless to say that both were unfounded.
The real cause of the American Revolution was, whether the Parliament
of Great Britain had any power or authority to tax Americans without
their consent. This was the foundation of the whole dispute. But surely
the New England people had no right to complain, much less invade a
neighbouring province by force, when they practiced upon all other de-
nominations this ¢exation without representation.

The following letter from Mr. Seabury to his friend Isaac Wilkins,
Esq., (afterward rector of this parish,) dated May 3oth, 1775, is preserved
among the papers of the Wilkins family :—

My ever Dear Witxrys:—‘‘I hope you are safe in London; may every
blessing attend you. Mrs. Wilkins was well last evening. Isabella has had a
rash, but is better. Everything here quiet. Reported that two thousand men
are ready in Connecticut for any operation for which they may be wanted in this
province. The Asia is arrived—reported that she has demanded a supply of
provisions for Boston, and that it is agreed that they shall be furnished. The
association went on very heavily at W. C., very few signed. The Provincial

a In the old Wiikins mansion on Castle Hill Neck, Westchester, is still shown the place
where Doctors Cooper, Chandler and Seabury managed to secrete themselves for some time,
notwithstanding tbe most minute and presevering search was made for them; so ingeniously
contrived was tne place of their concealment in and about the old-fashioned chimney. Food
was conveyed to them through a trap-door in the floor.

6 New York MSS., from archives at Fulham, vol. ii, p. 571.—(Hawks.)

e This was precisely what the Puritans objected to in the English Parliament, at the very
moment they were doing it themselves, and for which they revolted. (See Chapin’s Puri-
tanism, p. 128.) The Society’s Abstracts, for 1175, say:—** Mr. Seabury, has been obliged to
Tetire from his mission at Westchester, but has not been able to secure himself from the ill
effects of the present distractions. Mr. Gott, the schoolmaster, a very attentive man in his
Office, has been obliged to quit the school on account of iil healtn.”

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 381

Congress have agreed to raise money upon the province—as the representatives
ofthe people. Mr. L. Morris has published his remarks upon the protest, &c.,
poor me—you are safe—I think Iam too. If I knew anything worth writing, I
would write it. I think the present scene will not last long. Drs. Cooper and
Chandler sailed last week. Tell Dr, Cooper I received his letter, and I will write
tohim. When I can collect anything worthy your notice, you shall have it. God
bless you, says your ever affectionate
SEABURY.”

The Society's abstracts for 1776, say :—

“In the course of this year two letters have been received from
the worthy Mr. Seabury. In the former, dated November 14th, 1775,
he writes, that his two congregations ; though less numerous, were then
pretty steady in their attendance; and that between Christmas and mid-
summer he had baptized twenty-seven white, and four black infants.Ӣ

The latter gives the following account of his seizure and detention :—

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.
[E£atract.]

WESTCHESTER, JANUARY 18TH, 1776.

Rey. Sm:—‘‘Since my last letter I have been seized by a company of dis-
affected people in arms, from Connecticut, in number about one hundred, and
carried to New Haven. This happened on the 22d of November, and I was kept
under military guard till the 23d of December. The particulars of this affair I
will send you when I find a safe opportunity. On the 2d day of this month I
returned to my family. How long I shall be able to continue here is very un-
certain; but I am determined to stay as long as I am permitted to discharge the
duties of my mission, whatsoever personal inconvenience it may subject me to.
My private affairs have suffered much on this occasion, I was compelled to
bear my expenses, and that has not been less then ten pound sterling. My
papers were all examined, and are thrown into such confusion that I can find
none of my memoranda relating to my mission or correspondence with the
Society. Iam, Rev. Sir, &c., j

SAMUEL SEABURY.?®

This invasion of the territory of New York, and violent removal of
its citizens, called forth a strong remonstrance from the Provincial Con-

a Printed Abstracts of Ven. Society, 16 Feb, 1776, to 2ist February, 1777.

b New York MSS., from Archives at Fulham, vol. ii: 575, 577. (Hawks.’) ‘In 1776, says Dr.
Hawkins, Mr. Seabury was seized by a party’of the disaffected in arms, and carried off to
New Haven; all his papers being examined for proof against him. After describing this out-
rage, he says: ‘God’s providence, will, I hope, protect His Cburch and clergy in this coun-
try, the disorder and confusion of which are beyond description "—Hawkin’s Missions.

382 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

gress* to Governor Trumbull, who demanded Mr. Seabury’s ‘imniediate
discharge.’ The more especially as, considering his ecclesiastical charac-
tnr, which, perhaps is venerated by many friends to liberty.» The
severity that has been used towards him may be subject to misconstruc-
tions, prejudicial to the common cause. Mr. Seabury was accordingly
set at liberty and returned to his parish.¢

The Venerable Society’s abstracts for 1777, say :—

‘«Three letters have been received from the Rev. Dr. Seabury ; the first of
them, dated December 29th, 1776, gives an account of the great distresses he
had encountered, greater than he can describe, greater, he believes, than he could
well support again. In the preceding year, he had been carried away by force
into Connecticut. After his return to his mission, he continued tolerably quiet
for a few weeks; but after the King's troops had evacuated Boston, he was per-
petually insulted by the rebels, on their way from thence to New York. This
lasted about a month. After the Declaration of Independency, an edict was
published at New York, making it death to support the King or any of his
adherents. Upon this he shut up bis church ; fifty armed men being sent into his
neighborhood. On the arrival of the British troops at Staten Island, and of two
ships of war in the Sound, the coast was constantly guarded, and the friends of
Government seized, so that his situation became critical, as he was particularly
obnoxious to the rebels. After their defeat on Long Island, a body of them fixed
themselves within two miles of his house, so that he thought it prudent to con-
fine himself; for it appeared he would otherwise be seized, frequent enquiries
being made for him, and his house being examined by the rebels.

On the Ist of September, it happened that they withdrew their guard from a
neighboring point of land on the coast, and the guard that was to replace it, mis-
taking their route, gave him an opportunity of effecting his escape to Long
Island. The rebels, finding they had missed him, vented their rage on his church
and his property, converting the former into an hospital, tearing off the covering
and burning the pews; and damaging the latter to the value of three hundred
pounds currency.

He accompanied the army into Westchester, and returned for one week to his
family ; but, on the army quitting those parts, he thought it prudent to retire with
his family to New York. He assures the Society that he did not leave his mis-
sion so long as it was practicable to stay.”’4

a The petition of the Rev. S. Seabury, presented to the Governor of Connecticut in 1775, for
relief and protection, shows that he received anything but gentle treatment at the hands of
his enemies. He defended himself against their charges, and pronounced his arrest “a high
infringement of that liberty for which the sons of America were then so nobly struggling.”
Whatever might have been his private views and feelings, he seems to have been a conscien-
tious and indistrious man; more heedful of the welfare of his flock and family, than of his
country’s political relations. Among other things he stated in his petition, *‘ that to discharge
his debts, he had opened a grammar school, and had made £100, York money, the previous
year, and was in a fair way of discharging his debts,—that he had five young men from the
Island of Jamaica, one from Montreal, four children of a gentleman then in Engiand, with
others in his care from New York and the country,—that it might be impossible to recover
his school, in which case he should be entirely at the mercy of his creditors.’”-—Extract from
an address delivered in St. Peter’s church, Cheshire, Conn., October, 1844, by Rev. C.E.
Beardsley, A.M. The site of Mr. Seabury’s grammar school, is still called Seabury Hill.

b Journal of N. Y. Prov. Con. vol. i, 214, 492.

¢ Doc. History of N. Y., vol. iii. 1062.

d Printed Abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 383

In his second letter, dated 29th of March, 1777, after alluding to the
death of Mr. Babcock, he says :—

‘* With regard to my own mission, I can only say that it is utterly ruined ; be-
fore the King’s troops went into that part of the country, the peopie were robbed
of their cattle and otherwise plundered by the Rebels; and, I am sorry to say,
that they suffered greatly in that way from the Royal army. Little or no dis-
tinction was made; no redress could be obtained, and no stop was put toit. As
soon as the King’s troops withdrew, the Rebels returned in parties, and every
party plundered the inhabitants. Many fled to this city, with what little they
could carry—many were deprived by the Rebels of every thing but the clothes on
their backs, and sent off with only six days provision, because they refused to
swear allegiance to the States of America. Children and infants have been de-
prived of their clothes, and women in child-bed have had the coverings, even the
sheets, torn from their beds, by these monsters, who seem to have nothing of hu-
manity left but the shape of men only. Many families of my parishioners are
now in this town, who used to live decently, suffering for common necessaries. I
daily meet them; and it is melancholy to observe the dejection strongly narked
on their faces, which seem to implore that assistance which I am unable to give.
To pity and pray for them is all I can do. I shall say nothing more of my own
Situation at present, than that I have hitkerto supported myself and family with
decency, and will not distrust the goodness of God which has hitherto preserved
me, nor render myself unworthy of it by repining and discontent.”@

In his letter of November rath, 1777, he observes :—

‘* That about a month before, he had visited Westchester, and thought of stay-
ing the winter there, but was obliged to drop such intentions on General Bur-
goyne’s defeat; as the Rebels upon that event came to that town by night and
carried off forty-two of the inhabitants.”

Dr. Seabury concludes with requesting that he may remove to Staten
Island if he finds it safer than Westchester ; and the Society, sensible of
his great worth, have signified their ready compliance with his request,
engaging to continue the salary of £50 per annum, during the present
disturbances.?

The abstracts for 1778, state that two letters have been received in the
course of the year, from the Rev. Dr. Seabury, Missionary at Staten
Island. In the former he acquaints the Society, ‘‘that in December,
1777, he preached there to a very decent and attentive congregation,
of near three hundred people, and baptized twelve infants, &c. That
the wretched state of his late mission at Westchester, is beyond descrip-
tion ; many of the inhabitants having removed to New York and Long
Island, where they want many comforts of life ; and some who have re-

a New York MSS., from Archives at Fulham, vol. ii. 617.—(Hawks.)
6 Printed Abstracts of Ven. Prop. Soc. for 1777.

384 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

mained at home, are continually plundered by knots and bands of dis-
orderly people; that all good principles and impressions of morality
seem to be wearing out in that devoted country.”

In his second letter he thus writes:

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.

[ Eztract.}
New Yorx, Novemser 22d, 1778.
Rey. Sm:—‘‘I am obliged still to continue at New York, it being impractica-

ble for me to return to Westchester, or reside with safety on Staten Island; and
though I am strong in hope that the commotions in this country will soon sub-
side, yet I confess the present appearances seem to indicate a fixed resolution in
the Congress to support their Independency, as long as they possibly can. I
am, however, confident it could not be supported against the vigorous efforts of
Great Britain for one campaign, as the resources of this country must be nearly
exhausted. I remain, Rev. Sir, &c.,
SAMUEL SEABURY.”>

From this time he continued to reside in New York, until the peace,
and served as Chaplain of the King’s American regiment, commanded
by Colonel Fanning. ¢

His last report to the Society is contained in the following communi-
cation :—

MR. SEABURY TO THE SECRETARY.
[ £ztract.]}

New York, June 24th, 1782.
Rey. Sm:—‘‘ The situation of affairs in this country, has for the last year
continued so much the same that I have nothing new of which to inform the
Society. Both Westchester and Staten Island remain in the same ruined state,
as much exposed to the incursions of the Rebels as ever. Though their incur-
sions have not lately been so frequent as formerly,’’4

In 1784 he went to England to obtain consecration as a Bishop, but
objections arising there, he was consecrated in Scotland, on the 14th
of November of that year,* by Bishops Kilgour, Petrie and Skinner.
Early in the summer of the ensuing year, he returned to Connecticut,

a Printed Abstracts of Ven. P. Soc. for 1778,
b New York MSS., from Archives at Fulham, vol. ii, 625. (Hawks.)
e Sabine’s Hist. of the American Loyalists.

d New York, MSS., from Archives at Fulham, vol ii, 657. (Hawks.) In 1783, the Society
paid Mr. Seabury a salary of £50. He was then residingin England. See Abstracts for 1783.

e Updike’s Hist. of the Narragansett Church.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 385

the first Bishop of our Church (for Talbot and Weldon left no traces
behind them,) that had been seen in that part of the North American
continent.

The following extract appears in a communication from the Rev. T.
B. Chandler, D D., to Isaac Wilkins, Esq., dated London, February
25th,1785. The bearer of which was the Rt. Rev. Dr. Seabury :—

My Dear Sir:—‘‘I hope that you may happen to be at Halifax when this
arrives there—both for your own sake and that of the bearer, who is no Jess a
person than the Bishop of Connecticut. He goes by the way of Nova Scotia for
several reasons, of which the principal is, that he may see the situation of that
part of his family, which is in that quarter, and be able to form a judgment of
the prospects before them. He will try hard to see you, but, as he will not have
much time to spare, he fears that he shall not be able to go to Shelburne in quest
of you. pi

You were acquainted with this Bishop and his adventures from the time of his
leaving New York, in 1788. He came home with strong recommendations to
the two Archbishops and the Bishop of London, from the clergy of Connecticut,
and with their most earnest request that he might have Episcopal consecration
for the Church in that State. Though no objections could arise from his charac-
ter, the Bishops here thought suck a measure would be considered as rash and
premature—since no fund had been established for his support, and no consent to
his admission had been made by the States; besides, no Bishop could be conse-
crated here for a foreign country, without an act of Parliament to dispense with
the oaths required by the established office. These difficulties and objections con-
tinued to operate through the winter, and several candidates for Priest’s orders,
who had been waiting near a twelve month, were about going over to the Con-
tinent, to seek for ordination in some foreign Protestant Episcopal Church. At
length a short act was obtained, authorizing the Bishop of London and his sub-
stitutes to dispense with the aforesaid oaths in the ordination of Priests and Dea-
cons for the American States; but nothing was said in it about the consecration
of Bishops. The Minister, it seems, was fearful that opening the door for the con-
secration of Bishops would give umbrage to the Americans, and, therefore, every
prospect of success dere was at an end.

Dr. Seabury, with his wonted spirit and resolution, then thought it his duty to
apply elsewhere, and by the intervention of a friend, consulted the Bishops in
Scotland, who were equally without the protection and the restraint of Govern- .
ment. They cordially met the proposal, and our friend was consecrated Bishop
for Connecticut, at Aberdeen, on the 14th of November last. I have been thus-
particalar, on the supposition that you may not have been acquainted with sa
much of this history.Ӣ

Bishop Seabury died February 25th, 1796, aged eighty-six years.
Two volumes of his sermons were published before his decease, and. ane
volume in 1798. A sermon founded on St. Peter’s exhortation to fear »

@ From the original letter in the possession of Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq.

386 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

God and honor the King, delivered before the provincial or loyalist
troops, was printed during the war by direction of Governor Tryon.
The following is inscribed on his tomb-stone, at New London:

HERE LIETH THE BODY OF
SAMUEL SEABURY, D.D.,

BISHOP OF CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND,
Who departed this transitory scene,
February 25th, 1796,
In the 68th of his age, and the eleventh of his
EPISCOPAL OONSEORATION.

Ingenious without Pride,
Learned without Pedantry,
Good without severity,
He was duly qualified to discharge
The duties of the Christian and the Bishop.
In the pulpit he enforced religion,
In bis conduct he exemplified it.
The poor he assisted with his charity,
The ignorant he blessed with his instruction.
The friend of men, he ever designed thei good,
The enemy of vice, he ever opposed it.
Christian! do’st thou aspire to happiness ?
Seabury has shown the way that leads to it.?

Charles Seabury the youngest son of the Bishop, was born in West-
chester, in May, 1770, and succeeded his father in the church at New
London. In 1796, he preached awhile at Jamaica, and died rector of
Caroline church, Setauket. His first wife was Anne, the daughter of
Roswell Saltonstall, of New London, by whom he had issue. His son,
the late Samuel Seabury, D.D., was the founder and first Rector of the
Church of the Annunciation, in the city of New York,° and was suc-
ceeded by his son the Rev. William J. Seabury.

By an act of the Legislature, passed 18th of April, 1785, it was or-
dered :—‘ That the district formerly called and known by the style of
the Borough and Town of Westchester, shall henceforth be called and
known by the name of the Town of Westchester.” Up to this date,
the church appears to have been governed by the charter of 1762. On
the 6th day of April, in the year 1784, the Legislature of the State of
New York, passed an aet entitled: “An act to enable all religious de-

a Sabine’s History of the American Loyalists,

b The above inscription was written by Rey. John Bowden. S.T.D., formerly Professor of
Moral Philosophy in Columbia College, N. Y.

c Updike’s History of Narragansett church.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 387
nominations in this State, to appoint Trustees, who should be a body
corporate, for the purpose of taking care of the temporalities of their
respective congregations, and for other purposes therein mentioned.”
Under the provisions of this act, St. Peter's church, Westchester, was
incorporated on the roth of April, 1788, the following persons being
chosen trustees: Lewis Graham, Josiah Browne, Thomas Hunt, Israel
Underhill, John Bartow, Phillip I. Livingston, and Samuel Bayard.’

The earliest record of the proceedings of the trustees, is dated May
12th, 1788, when “it was resolved that the old church be sold to Mrs.
Sarah Ferris, for the sum of ten pounds.” Their next business was to
obtain the necessary funds for the erection of another edifice. Accord-
ingly, at a meeting held September, 1788, Israel Underhill and John
Bartow, Jr., were authorized “to draw up a subscription paper, and
carry it round to the people, in order to raise a sum of money to build
a church, on or near the same ground where the Church of St. Peter,
late removed, stood.” At a subsequent meeting, held October 13th,
1788, Phillip I. Livingston laid before the corporation the following
petition to the Venerable Society :—-

“TO THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL
IN FOREIGN PARTS. THE PETITION OF JOSIAH BROWN,
LEWIS GRAHAM, SAMUEL BAYARD, ISRAEL UNDERHILL,
AND JOHN BARTOW, JR.,

. Humbly sheweth:—

*‘That your petitioners are by law Trustees of the Episcopal Church of St.
Peter’s, in the Township, late Borough of Westchester, and State of New York,
in North America. The Township in which your petitioners reside, from its
vicinity to the Capital of this State, was, during the late war, subject to the in-
carsions and depredations of both British and American armies, unprotected by
either. That thus circumstanced, their church and parsonage house very early
suffered the ravages of war, and have been so materially wasted as not to claim
the expense of areparation. That the greater part of their congregation have
been, also by these means, greatly injured in their estates, and many reduced to
abject poverty; and that under these calamitous events.they have been since the
commencement of the late war, and even unto this day, without a Gospel Minis-
ter established in their township—and therefore, as might be expected, vice and
irreligion tco much prevail amongst the people. And your petitioners further beg
leave to show, that from a sense of duty, owing to themselves—as well as from
a most unfeigned regard for the welfare of the souls of those with whom they
are connected in society—they are most anxiously solicitous, as soon as may be,
to erect another church upon their glebe, and establish a minister. But as the

a Laws of N. Y. from 1778 to 1787. Greenleaf, vol. i, chapter xviii, 71.
b County Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. p. 19.

388 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

greater part of the members of their church are unable to contribute any consider-
able sums towards these desirable purposes, your petitioners have the best reason
to believe their good intentions will be entirely defeated, unless they are aided
by charitable donations from abroad. And your petitioners beg leave to show,
that they are informed your Honorable Society have some property in this State,
bequeathed to your corporation for charitable purposes, by the will of St. George
Talbot, formerly of New York; and that it is your intention to bestow whatever
may arise from funds yet left in America, to American Episcopal churches.
Encouraged by this hope, and confiding in the well known pious and liberal dis-
position of your honorable board, your petitioners humbly request, that to enable
them to rebuild their church, they may be favored with the Society’s bounty,
and authorized to receive for this purpose, from any monies being the property
of the Society, which now are, or may hereafter come into the hands of the exe-

St. Peter’s Church, erected in 1790.

cutors of the late St. George Talbot, or any of them, or any person or persors
acting for them, or action of them, the sum of £200 sterling, or such other sums,
as to the piety and charity of your truly Christian corporation shall seem meet;
and your petitioners as in duty bound, shall ever pray, &c,”"4

Upon the 26th of January, 1789, the trustees made an agreement
with John Odell, of New York, carpenter, to build a church for the sum
of £336.”

At a meeting, Nov. 16th, 1789, Messrs. Bayard, Livingston and Bar-
tow, were appointed a committee to write a letter to the Rev. Dr.
Chandler, returning the thanks of this Corporation, for his favorable
recommendation of this congregation to the Reverend, the Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts; and for his assistance

a Westchester Vestry Book, p. 39.
b Westchester Vestry Book, p. 40,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 389

in procuring the benefaction which the Trustees are informed, the said
Society have been pleased to grant to this Congregation.@

The Trustees now proceeded to restore the services in the parish,
which had been suspended for nearly thirteen years. Accordingly, at a
meeting held July 5th, 1790, it was resolved :—

“That an application be made to the Rev. Theodosius Bartow, for the
purpose of engaging him as a minister to serve this church, for the term
of two years, every other Sunday in the year, and that the members of
this congregation be called upon, by the trustees, to subscribe such sums
as they think proper on this occasion.” ?

Upon the 2d of January 1792 the Trustees accepted the Rev. Theo-
dosius Bartow, as minister of the church, for a term of two years, from
the 1st of January, 1791. His ministrations were highly acceptable
during this short period. He was the grandson of the Rev. John Bar-
tow, the first minister of the church at Westchester.

The Rev. John Ireland, A.M., was elected his successor, on the zoth
of August, 1794. He was the son of John Ireland, an officer in the
British army during the revolution, who died in this country. He was
born in England, A. D. 1755; but at what institution he graduated, is
unknown. He came to this country some time prior to the adoption of
the federal constitution; studied for holy orders; was ordained deacon
and priest by the Rt. Rev. Samuel Provost, D.D., in 1792, and was called
to this parish, as we have seen, in 1794.

The following release for the site of the church, and viernes ceme-
etry, was given by the trustees of the town, to those of the Church in 1795.
But as the Rector of this parish had been inducted over all the nghts
and appurtenances of the Church for a period of nearly seventy-five
years, and more especially as the charter of 1762 had confirmed the
rector, wardens and vestrymen in possession, “‘ of the church and the
ground whereon the same was built, and the cemetery belonging to the
same,” we cannot see by what right the former party could release prop-
erty that did not belong to them. Such a conveyance amounts to noth-
ing at all.

RELEASE FOR BURYING GROUND FROM THE TRUSTEES OF
WESTCHESTER TO ST. PETER’S CHURCH.

‘« This indenture made the 20th day of January, in the year of our Lord 1799,
between the Trustees of the Town of Westchester, of the one part, and the Trus-
tees of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter’s, in the Town of Westchester, of the

a Ditto, p. 44. In 1791, the Society were pleased to grant the sum of £200.

b Westchester Vestry Book. In 1791 it was ordered, ‘‘ that a collection be made for the use
of the church and the minister, on every day on which Divine service shall be performed.

390 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

other part: Witnesseth, that the parties of the first part, for and in consideration
of the sum of twenty shillings to them in hand paid, at or before the ensealing
and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged;
have granted, bargained, so!d, aliened, released and confirmed, and by these
presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, release and confirm, unto the parties of the
second part, the Trustees of the Church of St. Peter’s, in said Town of West-
chester, and their successors for ever, ald that certain piece, parcel and lot of
ground on which the Episcopal Church of St. Peter’s, in the Town of Westches-
ier, is erected, and also the Burying Ground adjoining the said church, as it is
now enclosed and fenced, and which heretofore has been used for a Burial Place,
by the inhabitants of said Township, containing about one acre, be the same
more or less, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents,
issues and profits of the said premises, and of every part and. parcel thereof,
particularly all benefits and profits arising from a lease of the said Burial Ground,
heretofore granted to George Embree, and which will shortly be determined, and
all Estate, Right, Title, Interest, Claim and Demand Whatsoever, of the Trustees
of the Town of Westchester, of, in and to all and singular the said Premises, and
of and to every part and parcel thereof, with their appurtenances. ‘To have and
to hold the said Lots and parcel of land on which the aforesaid Church is erected,
and the aforesaid adjoining Burial Ground and Premises above mentioned, with
the appurtenances unto the said Trustees of the Episcopal Church, in the Town
of Westchester, and their successors, to the only proper use and behoof of the
said Trustees of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter’s, in the Town of Westches-
ter, and their successors forever ; Provided always, and upon condition that the
said Trustees of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter’s, in the Town of Westchester,
and their successors do and shall at all times hereafter permit and suffer the in-
habitants of the Town of Westchester, to Bury their Dead in the said Burial
Ground, without any fee or compensation being exacted therefor, in such vacant
parts of the said Burial Ground as shall be directed and ordered from time to
time by the said Trustees, of the Episcopal Church of St. Peters, in the Town of
Westchester, or their successors, or by any person legally authorized under them,
to direct the same; and provided always, that anything herein, notwithstand-
ing, the inhabitants of the said Town shall always be permitted to bury their dead
near to and adjoining their families who have heretofore been buried in the said
Burial Ground. Sealed with the seal of the Trustees, and signed by their order.

(Signed, ) ISAAC UNDERHILL, President.”

St. Peter's church continued under the act of 1784, providing for
the incorporation of religious societies generally, until the 2d of August,
1795 ; when, in accordance with the act passed for the relief of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, on the 7th of March preceding, it was
again incorporated. Israel Underhill and Phillip I. Livingston, Church-
wardens, John Bartow, Jr., Thos. Bartow, Oliver de Lancey, Warren
de Lancey, Joseph Brown, Johnathan Fowler, Robert Heaton and Nich-
olas Bayard, vestrymen.?

a Westchester Vestry Book, p. 22.
b County Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 58.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. - on

By this act the vestry, or a major part of them, were vested with full
power to call and induct*a minister. Accordingly, at a meeting, in
August, 1795, Mr. Ireland was confirmed in his call to the rectorship of
the church.

Mr. Ireland continued his ministrations till 1797 ;? during this period
the present church edifice was consecrated, and the congregation con-
siderably increased. In 1798 he was called to St. Ann’s church, Brook-
lyn, where he remained until 1806, when he removed to Grace church,
Jamaica, Long Island. In 1809, he ceased his parochial admuinistra-
tions, and entered the navy as a chaplain, in which capacity he served
up to the time of his death. He died in the Navy Yard, Brooklyn, on
the 25th of March, 1822. ‘‘ He was (says one who knew him intimately)
a very accomplished man, possessed of highly polished manners, and an
excellent scholar, being gifted with a remarkably harmonious and pleas-
ing voice: he excelled in the delivery of his sermons, whilst his style of
composition would compare with the best models in our language.” The
following is the the inscription from his tombstone :

REV. JOHN IRELAND,
died the 25th day of March, 1822,
aged 66 years.

‘At a meeting of the wardens and vestrymen, with the congregations
of Westchester and Eastchester, on the 7th day of June, 1798, it was re-
solved, that the said congregations do unite and associate, in order to pro-
cure a clergyman to officiate for them.” * Accordingly on the gth of March,
1789, the Rev. Isaac Wilkins, A.M., was elected minister of. the two
churches. As we have already seen, he was the son of Martin Wilkins,
a rich planter of Jamaica,W. I., where he was bornin 1741. His father
dying when he was quite young, he was sent to New York to be edu-
cated. In 1756 he entered King’s College, (now Columbia,) where he
graduated A.B. in 1760; receiving his A. M. degree in 1763. He pre-
pared himself for the ministry of the Church, but did not take holy orders
until 1798. Having settled in this county, he was returned as a mem-
ber of the House of Assembly, in which body he became a leader on the

a ‘*Induciion is the vesting of the minister with the temporalities of the Congregation, and
in the Church of England, is performed by the patron of the living, who also appoints the
minister; aud in the Church 1n this country the vestry or congregation choose the minister,
and fix his salary and other temporalities. The bishop or some other minister appointed by
him, institutes the minister thus chosen to the spiritual charge of the congregation. The
General Convention recognized the principal, and prescribed the office of Institution agreeably
to the above; Induction 15 tnat act by which a minister is vested with the temporalities of a
living ; Institution is that by which he is vested with the cure of souls.”’

b Agreeably to the 4th Canon of 1796, Mr. Ireland gave in to the Bishop his parochial report
the 4th of Oct., 1797.—See Journal of Diocesan Con. The parochial reports were not printed
with the journals until 1804.

c Westchester Vestry Book.

392 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ministerial side. His influence with his associates and with his party
was very great.

Mr. Wilkins’s zeal and extreme loyalty, rendered him very obnoxious
to the Whigs. Besides his prominent position in the Assembly, he gave
utterance to his thoughts, in essays. It is a singular circumstance, that
the youthful Hamilton, who was also born in the West Indies, undertook
the task of replying to two of his poetical effusions, One of them, the
‘Congress Canvassed,” &c., which was signed, A, W. Farmer, was ex-
tensively circulated ; and as well as that called, ‘“‘ A View of the Contro-
versy between Great Britain and her Colonies,” was summarily disposed of
whenever they fell into the hands of those whose measures they criticised

.and condemned.
In 1775 he left the country, and went to England. At the moment

of his departure, he issued the following address :—

New Yors, May 8p, 1775.

My CountryMEN :—‘‘ Before I leave America, the land I love, and in which is
contained everything that is valuable and dear to me—my wife, my children, my
friends and property—permit me to make a short and faithful declaration ; which
I am induced to do, neither through fear nor a consciousness of having acted
wrong. An honest man and a Christian hath nothing to apprehend from this
world. God is my judge, and God is my witness, and all I have done,
written or said, in relation to the present unnatural dispute between Great
Britain and ber Colonies, proceeded from an honest intention of serving my
country. Her welfare and prosperity were the objects towards which all my en-
deavors have been directed. They are still the sacred objects which I shall ever
steadily and invariably keep in view. And, when in England, all the influence
that so inconsiderable a man as J am can have, shall be exerted in her behalf. It
has been my constant maxim through life, to do my duty conscientiously, and to
trust the issue of my actions to the Almighty. May that God, in whose hands are
all events, speedily restore peace and liberty to my unhappy country. May
Great Britain and America be soon united in the bonds of everlasting unity ; and
when united, may they continue a free, a virtuous and happy nation to the end
of time. IJeave America, and every endearing connection, because I will not
raise my hand against my Sovereign, nor draw my sword against my country ;
when I can conscientiously draw it in her favor, my life shall be cheerfully de-
voted to her service. ISAAC WILKINS.”

In 1776, he returned to Long Island, where he remained until the
peace, when he returned to Shelburne, Nova Scotia. He remained in
Nova Scotia several years, and lived a part of the time at Lunenburgh.
He was ordained deacon in 1798, and afterwards priest by the Rt. Rev.
Samuel Provoost, D.D., of this diocese. In 1799 he was settled, as we
have shown, over this parish.

At a vestry meeting on the 22nd of July, 1801, it was resolved :—

“That the Rev. Isaac Wilkins, being now in priest’s orders, and hav-
ing officiated for us for two years past, to our satisfaction, be now called
to the Rectory of this Parish, agreeably to the resolution and intention
of the Church-wardens and Vestrymen on the gth of March, 1799.”

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER.

In 1806 Mr. Wilkins makes a réport to the Diocesan Convention of
forty communicants, and eighteen baptisms, &c. ; the following year his

communicants numbered nearly fifty.

The Rev. William Powell was elected his assistant on the 12th day of
July, 1829. The Rev. Isaac Wilkins died February the sth, 1830. His
remains were interred on the south side of the chancel of St. Peter's

church, under the following inscription :—

a

Tuls
Monument
commeniorates in filial piety of the

REVEREND ISAAC WILKINS, D.D.,
The honest and able representative of this Borough in 1775.

‘**T leave America and every endearing connec-

tion because I will not raise my hand against
my Sovereign, nor will I draw my sword
against my country; when I can conscien-
tiously draw it in her favor, my life shall
be devoted to her service.” A scholar, a
gentleman, and a Christian, he lived for
thirty-one years the diligent and faithful
minister of this Parish. Placed here, as he
believed, by his Redeemer, he was satisfied
with his lot, nor ever wished nor ever went
to seek a better living.

Died 5th February, 1830, tat 89.
His remains were deposited under the chancel
of the old church beside those of his wife,

ISABELLA WILKINS,

daughter of Hon. Lewis Morris.
Sacred to her memory
a monument had been erected, and inscribed :

By A GRATEFRL, FAITHFUL AND AFFECTIONATE HtsBAND.

Died 3ist October, 1810.

«Watchman, what of the night! Watchman what of the night!
Th: Watchman said, the morning cometh and also the night.”—Isa. xxi.

Westchester Vestry Book.

394 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The following obituary notice appeared in the Christian Journal for
March, 1830 :—

‘“* Died at Westchester, New York, on Friday, February 5th, in the eighty-
ninth year of his age, the Rev. Isaac Wilkins, D.D., Rector of St. Peter’s church,
in that place. ;

‘Tf the most stern and sterling integrity ; a conscience which knew no com-
promise; and an habitual purpose, passing by all selfish considerations, and aim-
ing, through good report and evil report, at duty, with all its sacrifices, responsi-
bilities, and consequences, form the upright, virtuous and honorable man, Dr.
Wilkins was among the most upright, the most virtuous and the most honorable.
If deep and thorough conviction of the great truths of the Gospel; the entire
submission of a more than ordinarily strong and enlightened understanding to the
teachings of God’s word; an abiding and humbling sense of a personal need of
a Saviour and Sanctifier; a child-like reliance on the Saviour and Sanctifier; re-
vealed in holy writ; devotion of the most intense character; and piety infusing
its holy influences into all the heart, all the soul, and all the mind, are contsti-
tuents of a true Christian, he has cause to thank God, who has grace to take pat-
tern herein, by the character of the venerable man now noticed. If love for that
Church which Christ loved even unto death; reverence for the appointments
which He made for its perpetuity and good order, and for its subserving the
great end of its establishment in the sanctification and salvation of His people;
a due appreciation of that primitive evangelical piety, which led Christians to be
of one heart and one mind, to continue steadfast in the apostle’s doctrine and
fellowship, and holding, as faithful members of the Church, the Head, which is
Christ, ¢ius to derive from Him grace to increase with the increase of God; if
these enter essentially into the character of a good Churchman, never had the
Church a truer son than in the subject of this notice. If talents and learning of
a superior order; an intimate acquaintance with the whole range of Christian
theology ; an ardent love for the duties of the ministry ; an abiding and practical
application to himself, of the truths and precepts which he delivers to others; a
rule and measure in delivering those truths and precepts, casting off all reference
to popular liking, and governed solely by the word of God, and by a sense of re-
sponsibility to Him; a conscientious fulfilment of the vows of ordination ;
faithful allegiance to the authorities of that portion of the Catholic Church to
which he belongs, and an enlightened and zealous devotion to its interests, mark
the able minister of the New Testament ; one of the best prayers we can offer for
the Church, is, that God raise up for her many ministers as well qualified for
their Master’s work, as was this venerable man.

‘A conscience so true as his; a sense of duty so far removed as was his, from
any sacrifice to personal interest, personal ease, and the satisfaction of wearing
the feather of popularity; and a mind of the more than ordinary clearness and
elevation, which characterized his, may sometimes fail, in what may be thought
due allowance for supposed errors of judgment, for the weakness of human na-
ture, and for the strength with which the world allures, to some abatement of the
rigid demands of duty in favor of what is eesier and more gratifying to the natural
man. However, this faithful servant of God (and his religious views, were of
too evangelical a character, to be blind to the fact, that the very best have their

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 395

imperfections), may have sometimes exemplified the truth of this remark, it was
only where he thought principle was concerned, and in honest compliance
with what he deemed duty, and what he deemed real charity, or a sincere de-
sire to be instrumental in leading others into the truth, and to avoid even the
appearance of sanctioning or conniving at error.

“In private and social life, the piety, kindness, benevolence, and cheerfuness of
the true Christian, an affectionate interest in the welfare and happiness of all
about him, the urbanity of an accomplished gentleman, the good sense and ex-
tensive information, of an intelligent and well read man, the fancy of a ready
poet, and the sprightliness of true and chastened wit, rendcred him one of the
most profitable and pleasing of companions. And for all the sweet charities, the
endearing sympathies, and the elevated affections of domestic life, he has left a
monument that will perish only with the hearts in which it is erected.

** Although from early life, of a religious turn of mind, much devoted to theo-
logical reading, attached to clerical society, and cherishing an affection and de-
sire, equal to his fitness for the ministry, it was not until he had attained to
nearly three-score years of age, that Dr. Wilkins found himself sufficiently re-
leased from civil and secular cares, to gratify his early and abiding preference of the
ministry as his profession. He was then ordained deacon, and afterwards priest, _
by the Right Rev. Bishop Provoost, of this diocese. He soon settled in the par-
ish, in the charge of which he continued until his death; having added to it,
for a time, that of St. Paul’s church, Eastchester. He continued in the exercise
of his public duties until within a few months of his death. He was a graduate
of Columbia College, in this city, and was for many years its oldest surviving
alumnus, having received the degree of B. A. in 1760, and of A. M, in 1763. In
1811, he was honored by his Alma Mater with the degree of D. D. His per-
formance of public services of the Church, was characterized by peculiar solem-
nity and dignity, and by a manner clearly indicative of the deep and engaged
interest which his heart felt in the holy offices. In his preaching, he aimed at
the faithful exhibition of the whole counsel of God; and explained and enforced
the doctrines of the Gospel, the distinctive principles of our Church, and the whole
range of Christian obligation and duty, with a clearness that manifested his own
understanding of them, and an earnestness which proved how deeply his heart was
engaged in the work. He was conscious of the existence of no error in faith or prac-
tice, against which he would hesitate boldly and fearlessly, to breast himself. He
saw nothing to be his own duty, or that of his people, to which he would not,
in the most uncompromising manner, devote himself, or which he would not
most faithfully and earnestly urge and enforce upon them. It has been said of
him, and it is here believed to have been most justly said, that had he lived in
times of martyrdom, there is not that thing which he thought it his duty to say
or do, which he would have left unsaid or undone, or the act or word which he
deemed inconsistent with the niost rigid demands of duty and of conscience,
which he would have done or said to save his life. His was a piety and virtue
which would have remained unmoved, when those more boasted might have
found more plausible excuses for giving way. The unrivalicd venerableness of
his appearance, for many years past, added to the worth, dignity and sanctity,
of his character, invested his public ministrations with a deep and peculiar in-
terest.

396 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

‘‘Rrom the year 1801 until, in 1821, he was obliged, by the infirmities of age,
to decline; Dr. Wilkins was uniformally returned as a clerical deputy from the
diocese of New York, to the General Convention, and attended the greater num-
ber of the meetings of that body. There, as in the Diocesan Convention, he was
the able and enlightened advocate of sound principles of ecclesiastical polity,
and of such measures as in his conscience he believed to be the most agreeable to
them. Indeed never had the Church a more disinterested friend. He everlooked
all selfish considerations, tending either to personal ease, or to the gratification
of receiving human commendation or applause, and went directly to the point,
whither he thought himself drawn by duty and conscience. The strength of his
faith, and the clearness of his religious views, were emineutly conspicious dur-
ing the progress of a most painful and distressing disorder towards its fatal ter-
mination. His mind unclouded, and his heart strengthened and sanctified by
the grace of God, he saw no fear in death; but anxiously, and yet meekly and
resignedly, desired its more speedy approach. The thought of being soon trans-
lated to Paradise, not only soothed and supported him, but ministered to the con-
stitutional and Christian cheerfulness which had characterized him through life.
At length the kind and gracious summons came, and rarely has a soul departed
stronger in the faith, richer in the hope, and more sincere and affectionate in the
genuine charity of the Gospel, than that which then entered on the great salva-
tion purchased by the blood of the everlasting covenant.”2

Dr. Wilkins had issue by his wife Isabella, daughter of the Hon.
Lewis Morris, and sister of Lewis Morris, a signer of the Declaration of
Independence, four sons and five daughters. The eldest son, Martin,
was a distinguished member of the New York bar, and proprietor of
Castle Hill neck. He was the father of the late Governeur M., Martin,
Gilbert, Lewis and Catharine, who married the late Henry Phelps,
whose son is the Henry D. Phelps of New Rochelle. The second son
was Isaac, of Westchester, who married Charlotte Seabury, daughter of
the Rt. Rev. Samuel Seabury. The third was the Hon. Lewis Wilkins, of
Windsor, Nova Scotia, member of Assembly and Speaker of the House
for that Province in 1806 to 1817, and Judge of the Supreme Court of
the same. Fourth, Thomas, born 1771, and died May, 1816. The
daughters were Sarah, married Archibald Burns, M. D.; Joannah, Isa-
bella, Mary and Euphemia, who married Ichabod Brush on the 27th of
April, 1830. The Rev. William Powell, B. A., having been assistant
minister to Dr. Wilkins for nearly a year, was called to the rectorship.
He was the son of John Powell, of Dublin, Ireland, whose family were
originally seated in Wales. He was born in Dublin, A.D. 1788, where
he received his education in Trinity College. In 1808 he came to this
country, under the patronage and guardianship of a Mr. Adamson,
his maternal uncle, then a respectable merchant of New York. He

a Christian Journal No III, March, 1530, p. 94,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 397

studied divinity under the late Rev. Edmund Barry, D.D., and was or-
dained deacon by the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Moore, D.D., in 1810. He
soon after removed to the charge of St. Andrew's church, Coldenham,
Orange County, and St. George’s church, Newburgh ; and in the former,
on Tuesday, June 29th, 1813, was admitted by the Rt. Rev. John H.
Hobart, assistant Bishop of the diocese, to the holy order of priests. In
May, 1816, he took pastoral charge of St. John’s church, Yonkers, and
on the r2th of July, 1829, settled as assistant minister in this parish, in
the charge of which he afterwards remained as rector, until the day of
his death. In connection with his pastoral duties, he maintained for
many years, a flourishing school for the education of boys, from which
many have gone forth, who can bear testimony to his excellence and
worth. ‘Mr. Powell (says one who knew him for forty-one years) was
a most sincere and devoted friend. He had all the traits of cordiality,
kindness and benevolence, so usually belonging to the best of his coun-
trymen.’’ He departed this life on Sunday, the 29th day of April, 1849,
at the residence of his brother-in-law, Stephen Cambreling, Esq., in New
York city. He was the fourth minister that died rector of this parish,
and the third buried in this town. His remains were brought to West-
chester, and interred in the grave-yard, on the south side of St. Peter's
church. The following is the inscription on his tombstone :—

Died
On the 29th of April, 1849,
the
REV. WILLIAM POWELL,
Rector of the St. Peter’s Church,
Westchester,
In the 61st year of his age

“Blessed are the dead, who die in the Lord; (even so saith the spirit), for they rest from
their labours.”’

The vacancy created by the death of Mr. Powell the vestry pro-
ceeded immediately to fill, by electing the Rev. Charles D. Jackson, A.
‘M., at that time assistant minister, to the rectorship, June 28th, 1849.
Soon after his entrance on his parish duties, measures were adopted for
the building of a new parsonage on the glebe in the place of the old one
which was effected, at a cost of six thousand dollars.

A new parish church was also erected in 1855 at acost of sixty thous-
and dollars; this edifice, which was destroyed by fire on the gth of

;

398 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

January, 1877, occupied a portion of the site of the old church structure
erected in 1790,%and consecrated by the Rt. Rev. Samuel Provoost, D.
D., first Bishop of the diocese, gth of December, 1795. The latter con-
tained the original bell, presented to the church by Col. Lewis Morris,
proprietor of the manor of Morrisania, in 1706. Round the lip it bore

in capital letters :
LEWIS MORRIS, 1677.

Active measures have been taken for the rebuilding of the church,
upon the old site. Indeed, the work is now fairly under contract

Rectory of St. Peter’s Church.

RECTORES DE WESCHTESTER.
Freop. [ysr. Reorors. VAoant. PATRONS.

19 Nov., 1702, Rev. Joun Barrow, Cl. A.M., pr. mort., Wardens and Vestry.

8 July, 1727. Rev. Tuomas Sranparp, Cl. A.M,, per mort., ‘‘ ds
12 June, 1761, Rev. Jonn Mirner, Cl. A.M., per resig. ie

$8 Dec., 1766, Rev. Samvcrt Seasury, Cl. A.M,

2Jan., 1792, Rev. Turoposrus Barrow, A.M.. Presb.,

20 Aug., 1794, Rev. Joun Irnztanp, A.M., Presb.,

9 Mar., 1799, Rev. Isaao Wirxixs, D.D.. Presb., pr. mort,
17 April, 1830, Rev. Wirt1am Powe, B.A., Presb., ‘“ ‘
98 June, 1849, Rev. Caartes D. Jacxs-n, A.M., Presb.,

26 Oct., 1871, Rev. Curisropner B. Wrarr, D.D, ‘ *

“ ae

a Ata vestry meeting, 1ith of January, 1793, ‘‘it was resolved to build a desk and pulpit
for the use of the church, correspondent, with the sounding board given to this church by
the corporation of Trinty church, N. Y.”

b This bell was destroyed by fire with the wooden church in i864,

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 399

The baptismal register of this parish commences in 1702. March 4,
1702, then baptized by Mr. John Bartow, Rector of Westchester, John
Haden, aged forty-one years; John Haden, son of said John Haden,
aged seventeen years; Abagail Haden, aged sixteen years; Samuel
Haden, aged thirteen years; Thomas Haden, aged eight years; Eliza-
abeth Haden, aged eleven years; Joseph Haden, aged one year and
seven months, &c.

a

\ ES
SS

ee oe

Seal of St. Peter’s Church.

THE VENERABLE PROPAGATION SOCIETY’S SCHOOL-MASTERS -
AT WESTCHESTER.

Tre or Appt. ScHOOL-MASTERS. SALARY.
1709, . EpWArpD FITZGERALD, £18 per annum.
1710, DANIEL CLARKE, ss or
1713, CHARLES GLOVER, ce HE
1719, WItiiAM Forster, £10 a
1743, Basti Barrow, rte es
1764, NATHANIEL SEABURY, ee oe
1768, GrorGe Younes, < es
1774, Me. Gort, ae os

_The communion plate consists of a chalice and paten, the gift of
Queen Anne, A. D. 1706, inscribed, ““ANN& Recin#.” This royal
lady, who for the Church’s sake, once merited the name of the “Good
Queen Anne,” also presented a Church Bible,* Book of Homilies, cloth,

@ The present Bible is an Oxford edition printed at the Clarendon Press by Wm. Jackson

and A. Hamilton, M.D., CCOLXXXI. The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the
Sacraments, etc., printed by Hugh Gaines, M.D., CCXCV.

400 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

for the pulpit, and communion table. The church just burnt contained,
besides the monuments to Doctors Wilkins and Jackson, a beautiful
sculptured slab in early English style of variegated marble containing a
head of Christ, which is said, alone, to have cost $1,500, adorned with
the monogram of I.H.S.,an ancient Labarum, and bearing the following
inscription :—
IN MEMORY OF
GOVERNEUR MORRIS WILKINS,

born November 4th, 1797,
Died February 7, 1871.
Erected by his widow.

‘“T am the resurrection and the life.”

The late chancel window, which was an exquisite production of fine
art in stained glass, designed and executed in London expressly for this
church in 1876, represented the reward of the righteous as given by our
Blessed Saviour in His parable recorded by St. Matthew, xxv: 35, 36:

‘For I was an hungered, and ye ye gave me meat ;
I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, &c.”

It consisted of six medallions containing figures, representing the six
works of mercy with a scroll, in the centre, beneath which were the
sentences in Latin placed upon olive branches interlacing or covering
the entire window.“ This beautiful memorial was erected by the relatives
of the late Mrs. Catharine Wilkins, (widow of Governor M. Wilkins,) to
commemorate with gratitude the constant deeds of love and charity
which she maintained to the closing days of her life on earth.
The chime of three bells, but little damaged by the fire, contain the

following inscription :

3 Keyed Bells,

D. B. G.
754, 908, 1222,
JoHNES & HiTcHoooK,
Foundry, Troy, New York.
3 Keyed Bells, D. B. G. Presented to the Ep. Church,
Westchester, A.D. 1857. George T. Adee, Governeur
Morris Wilkins, Denton Pearsall, William Watson,
Edward Haight, William K. Strong, John
M. Furman, Alfred Seaton, William
Whitehead, D. Lynch Lawrence,
William L. Youle, Daniel M.
Edgar.
(Parishioners.)

a By a happy coincident, altogether fortuitous, the above mentioned window was seen in its
place by the congregation for the first time at morning service on the fourteenth Sunday after
Trinity when the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew was the appointed second lesson. Goy-
ernour Wilkins, Esq., gave the white marble font.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 401

On or near the site of the old Court House and Jail, adjoining the
church-yard on the south, was erected in 18 , a beautiful parochial
school-house, costing $18,000. The building is well fitted up, and an-
swers the double purpose of a chapel and school-room.

To St. Peter’s church is attached a portion of the ancient glebe which
was given by the town in 1703, sometimes called the “‘ Parsonage Land,”
consisting of 8 3, acres, bounded north by river road, or Westchester turn-
pike ; east, by Avenue B; south, by Thirteenth street; west, by Four-

teenth street ; and 2 ,%, acres, bounded east, by Glebe avenue, and west

by Lafayette street. The church holds also the grave-yard and the
land on which the parochial school-house stands, containing 2 ,%j, acres,
also 4 fj, acres of salt meadow, bounded north, by Pugsley Farm ; south,
by Pugsley creek; east, by Pugsley meadow; and west, by a ditch.
The former parish house, or parsonage, which was purchased by the
vestry in 1763, stood at no great distance from the present edifice.

PRINCIPAL BENEFACTORS OF ST. PETER’S CHURCH.

Queen Anne, Col. Benjamin Fletcher, Edward Viscount Cornbury, Col. James
Graham, Col. Caleb Heathcote, Col. Lewis Morris, The Venerable Propagation
Society of England, the Rev. John Bartow, the Borough Town of Westchester,
Basil Bartow, Abijah Hammond, George Love, Robert Watts, the corpora-
tion of Trinity church, New York, &c. The latter have made the following
liberal grants to this church, viz: In 1795, the sum of $750; in 1796, $500;
and in 1809, five lots of ground in Reade, Chamber and Warren streets, New
York. The church still owns four of these lots, the present value of which is
$55,000.¢ It deserves to be mentioned, however, that this parish contributed
one-half of the original value of the lots.¢

The first dalegate from this parish to the Diocesan Convention in
1790, was Joseph Brown, M.D.

a Copied from maps belonging to Vestry of St. Peter’s church.

a Mr. Basil Bartow, by his will, dated 16th of Dec., 1780, bequeathed ‘unto the minister,
church-wardens and vestrymen, for the time being, of the Incorporated Church of England
koown by the name of Sc. Peter’s church, in the Borough town of Westchester, the sum o
£50 towards building a new church in said Borough town, or repairing or enlarging the pres-
ent church, for the worship of Almighty God, to be paid to them when they shall actually en-
gage io said work.” This will was proved 11th day of March, 1784, in Surrogate’s office, N.

+ Folioxxxv. -

3 Robert W atts and Mary his wife, released 35 acres to the vestry of St. Peters church, 29th
of May, 1797.—West. Co. Rec. Lib. M. of Deeds, pp. 116, 118.

e The rector and inhabitants of the city of New York, in communion of the Prot. Episcopal
Church to St. Peter’s church, Westchester, 17th Jan., 1511.—Rec. in the office of the Clerk of
the city of New York, Lib. No. 95, of conveyances, p. 547, 8th June, 1811.

d In 1807 the sum of $1,950 was raised by St. Peter’s church, Westchester, tendered to, and
accepted by Trinity church, New York, for the lots conveyed by their corporation to the vestry
of St. Peter’s. -One of the above-mentioned lots was taken by the Corporation of New York,
for widening Chapel street, and the award applied to the erection of gallery pews and the
carriage shed. In the possession of the clerk of the vestry isa lease from James McDonald,
of Bedford, a W. C. Co. farmer, to the Trustees of the Episcopal Church of St. Peter’s, in the
township of Westchester, for afarminthe township of Bedford, being the farm where Jno.
Banks formerly lived, containing 204 acres, for one year at the sum of 5s, 26p, Sept. 1791; also
a lot of four acres, commonly known by name of “Court House Lot,” in that town, signed
by James McDonald; witnesses, Alfred Livingston and James G. Fowler. The lease, however,
is not signed, interchangeably, by the Trustees of the church.

402 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

TOMB-STONES.

The church-yard, which is coeval with the settlement of the village,

contains numerous interments ; among the earliest are the following :—
‘Here lyeth the body of

WILLIAM (BAILY) QUERY, ESQ,

aged 50 years,
Deceased, March 27th, 1702.”

H. 1718. BP. 0. 1a

In memory of
PHILIP HONEYWELL, ESQ.,
He died of a lingering illness, at Greenburgh,

on the 8th day of Sepember, 1818,
in the 53d year of his age.

He was an active character during the Revolutionary War.
He lived respected, and died regretted.

Anne Eustace, his wife, died May 11, 1811, tat 50.

‘¢ Look on this stone and you will find,
My journey’s o’er, and yours behind ;
Think then, before you turn away,
That yours may end before this day.”

In memory of
OLIVER DE LANCEY, SEN.,

who departed this life April 4th, 1840,
Aged 70 years.

Sacred to the memory of
CAPTAIN STEPHEN BAYARD,

who was born Oct. 26th, 1785,
and died July 11th, 1814:

‘* My blessed Saviour receive my spirit,” were his last words, and
“Whosoever believeth in Him, tho’ he die, yet shail he live again,”

Ever will the sweet remembrance of your useful, generous,
forgiving and affectionate virtues, best of husbands and
fathers, be cherished in the hearts
of your wife and family.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER, 493

Sacra memoria of
PHILIP LIVINGSTON,

whose family were suddenly bereaved of a loving parent,
on the 27th Nov., 1808,
aged 74 years.
His afilictions were numerous and deep felt, yet was he comforted.

His heart, its confidence

Reposed in God, its strength and shield,
The paths of death in glory shine,
When saints the call obey,

A light from Heaven, an arm divine,
Are with them on the way.

Here lies
the mortal remains of

WRIGHT POST,

during many years eminent as
physician and surgeon
in the city of New York,
he was distinguished for sound judgment,
practical skill and unwearied diligence in
his profession, and for modest, dignified and
mild deportment in all the walks of life ;
an enlightened and attached member of the
Protestant Episcopal Church,
he was for many years a vestryman
of Grace Church
in the city of New York,
and for several years its senior warden.
Overplied by professional labours,
his feeble frame gradually gave way
to the attacks of pulmonary consumption.
He retired from the city to his country seat
in this neighborhood, and after a residence
of a few weeks, he departed this life
in full possession of his mental faculties,
at peace with the world,
and a devout hope of acceptance
with God, through faith in the merits of
Jesus Christ.
He died June 14, 1828,
aged 62 years, 3 months
and 26 days.

There are also memorials in the yard, to members of the Hunt, Doty,
axter, Bartow, Lewis, Arden, Findlay, Tucker, Reed, Burnett, Holsman

404 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and Wright families, &c., besides vaults belonging to the families of
Timpson, Adee and Ludlow, &c. Near the Episcopal grave-yard, is
situated the Ferris burying-ground,* which contains the family vaults of
Benjamin Ferris, and numerous head-stones to the Pell family.

‘

PEW HOLDERS IN 1790.

The following names appear on the Minutes, of individuals who purchased
pews in August, 1790, viz:—James Ferris, John Bartow, Jr., Philip Livingston,
Stephen Bartow, Elizabeth Harrison, John Valentine, Jonathan Fowler, Wil-
liam Hunt, Marcus Baxter, Solomon Baxter, Isaac Valentine, Jr., Peter Bussing,
Elizabeth Williams, Augustus Bartow, David Huestace, Ebenizer Leggett, Phin-
ehas Hunt, Anthony Bartow, Israel) Underhill, Anthony L. Underhill, 2 seats,
Israel Underhill, Israel Honeywell, John Doty, Robert Tucker, William Smith,
Thomas Bartow, Benjamin Roe, Joseph Brown, Lewis Graham, Robert Watts,
John Bartow, Benjamin Ferris, Samuel Bayard, Warren de Lancey, 2 seats,
Thomas Hunt, John Cox.

The old Orthodox Friend’s meeting-house now held by the Hicksite
party, which stands south of the church, was erected in 1723. The first
meeting of this numerous and respectable society in America, is said to
have been held at Westchester. ‘‘ Monthly meeting” was appointed by
the yearly meeting of Friends at Flushing, Long Island, to be held at
Westchester, N. Y.,on the ninth day of fourth month, (April,) 1725.°
There is also a tradition, that George Fox, the dauntless founder of
their sect, preached here in 1672. Nearly opposite stands the meeting-
house of the Orthodox Friends, erected in 1828.

The Methodist Episcopal Society of Westchester was first organized
in 1808, and incorporated 8th of March, 1809 ; William Johnston, Gil-
bert Lewis, Abraham Seacord, Benjamin Morgan, Moses Hunt, and
Gilbert Hunt, trustees. The present church edifice was erected about
1818.

The Roman Catholic church, dedicated to St. Raymond, is situated on
the road leading from Westchester to West Farms in close vicinity to the
present depot of the Harlem River Railroad; and attached to the
church is an extensive grave yard, rectory and parochial school house.
Its clergy has been the Rev. A. Higgins.

In the immediate vicinity of the Harlem River Railroad station is
situated “‘The New York Catholic Protectory.” This institution was
incorporated on the 5th of May, 1863.

a John Ferris of the borough town of Westchester, in 1715, by his last will. ‘‘ reserves the
burying ground for the people to bury their dead, in the place where they formerly buried
without any let or hindrance. Since known as the pasture hil] burying ground ”’

b “In that year, mention is made of the Quakers meeting-house in Westchester villave,
‘entering of highways,’ in Book of Kecords iu the County Clerk’s Uilice. White Plains, p. 3.
ne Hist. of Rye, p. 362.

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To face page 405, vol 1.

From an old deed,
1667.

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ae |

PEDIGREE OF THE UNDERHILLS, OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY. No. 5.

hs To face page 405, vol. iL
Captain John Underhill Tia Feke

|
Nathaniel ey Ferris

I
Abraham —Hannah Cromwell

From an old deed,
1667.

Tsaac Sarah Field

Pu ; I
Robert, of Croton..Mary da, Jesse pea 1, Yorktown,,..Rebecca, da, J oshua, N. Y , nat.__Mary, da. of calev, Yorktown, Elizabeth, da. Moses, Cayuga Co,,—Anne, da. of 2 5 P z Rebecca, nat. June —Moses Sutton Mary, nat May31,_Tsainh Quinby,New Haunah, nat. July1.James Quinby
Point, nat. June | Matlock, nat. nat. June 27th, 1768; of Jesse July 7th, 1765;m. | Richardson nat, June 16,1770 | Josiah Quinby nat, Aug. 20,1772; | IsaacMekeclh 2S = & 28d, 1757; ob. 1885 | Croton Valley, 1759; mar. 1793; Castle, nat. Dec. 15, 1769; ob. Oct | 2 Isaac Mekeel
16, 1761; ob, Apr. | 1767; ob. Nov. ob. May 6th, 1841 Field, ob, Novy. 18, 1789; ob. Sutton, nat. mar. 1791; ob. nat. Jan. 9th, ob, Apr. 23, 1813 nat. Sept.16, % i B a nat. 1755; ob. 1844 ob, 1824 3, 1769; ob. 1810 4th 1846 =
26th, 1929 25th, 1858 Fab, bth, Feb. 1st, 1589 Mar, 9 1767 Novy. 5th, 1834 1774; ob. Sept. 1780 & ¢& [TSU a = , : : , |
1 ob. July 12, 13th, 1847 Bo I B .
: is eel ap oe oh ok Pep eee CO RE BEE E Ben 2
Edward B., Yorktown Leg p Oh es GR Se LES TWP se 58 6 ao 8B Sg 2s 88 a a 28 3
$$ Boe BWP oS 8s Fa Bee BoA PEL RP ee e Bee Es # 822 5
eop Pi) st Sy AB eS piety By os | 2 a a i] = Chee te)
5 Bo ei ee ae a Gal oy 4 g JS ats Bi a a F wr
F i a & 2 ahs ) ee eee ea EE! mes
3 i—l Me mg ro} | TRI es En SRS io ac 5 g Es
et] en me incr fel Sees FOB 8 oF 5 8 & Ind lacetioie mee) Be az
eps Bigs 8 ¢ ogee “YES ME EE eaR FE a
ggg g's go re g Bes" Sef 2” fe 6 3 a BS a ar
ssa ea = = i g a: 2 8 eS :
Bee) 6 a ee eee z° soe 8 ze E
a 7 3 =
] [ | | i | | 5 |
wittam, of N.Y ,..Phaebe, da, John Joalan Os Pough-_ Hannah, da, Abm. ne Q., N. J.,—Mary, da. g Willet C., N. J.,Nancy, da. S = Aaron, nat. Mar. Elizabeth Richard M.,York-__Hannah, Alexander, Brook-_1.Phoebe W. Albertson Phebe _Stephen Wood
nat. May 5, 1793; | GriMn, nat. 1798; keepsie, nat.Aug | Underhill, nat, nat. July 5, 179s William Ze nat. Mar. 27, 1802 | Moses ee = 12, 180°; m. 137; | Vande- town, nat. Mar. da. of lyn, N.Y.,nat. June =2.Caroline Albertson |
ob, Sept. 7, 1859 | ob, 1872 28, 1794; m. 18°0; | May 9, 1791; ob. ob. Nov. 18, 186 Sutton - ob. Aug. 18, 1829} Smith aes ob, Feb. 13, 1874 | voort 5, 1808; m. 1°38; Moses Tih, 1809 | —3.Emma Conklin (alee
ob. July 29, 1870 Oct. 2, 1870 2 | ob. Apr. 21, 1ST7T Griffin fe x 4 > HY Ht
| | eit | | w | ey | | | | A, | ou 1 ei | I | Ih dl all | Seas HE 8 5
R44 ae og @ Boe 5 Bee 8 BS se Tee Beem Fo a gl BEE Alexander BF e588 8
a Se & = = =—| © 5 Se > p qt & §-| o & a = = = Sst i ® ae
4 Ep, 2 =e z Seria Et BS es. BO Be a 8 ce tS 5 Bes fe JE Sy
iS 4 3 a - ee 5 = a | | l >
2 E pl > Pp Bb mF we I l ~ 17 $ = 8 o 8 wp ns = | 26 68 6H US CBS CAlbert—MaryE. Silas Susan_J. Lane 5
Bite! oe | ks BL oa oS 4a oS I ° S = ss for Ses 3 nei vrata ®
co aL a gS) fF ss 46 Bes: an eae | ee ee ee pee ba Travis
$f 4 § . sie Sl Fi B ga ws * P| eee = ih, n 5 9 Ba ; 28 w Q
daa $ Ho oS 5 = Ze PF Ppl n of re) ¢ BP Laue =
p Fis sf 2 3 a eee Sy le ee 65 ° Ese a *&o—| wR seh id Bee eels as | | I
*f B BIE ee BPS Siig ze bis EAs] EY |2S BSE ow Ape aes |arer3 as John A. Edward A. George
/ de ; So ee 3° og Blo Peles Bo Sn es Be
a fe & & E : ere) Gereeeeee Sh FB :
i | | ; ] I |
olartaon Cornelia Vandervoort Aas Sarah Berry Woward, of California Buphemia3 ue P. pane ' Susan —Joshua Butts Phoebe T._Jno. Tellot Elizabeth Geo, Jackson Mary —Daniel Smith Ann _—Jno. Towner Jane_J. Moore
ob. 18:9 __2.Sherman Beardsley
persc | |
George. Miss Francis V. Julia Gertrude
Mundel ob. 8 Mar. 8,
ISTT, wt. 26 yrs, -
ee ee EE ee
| | | [ | =p | I | |
Walter, of N. Y.,Mary,da.of JoshuaS, of N. Y ,Alice, da, of Tra B., Burlington, Abigail, da. Abraham 8., N. Y.,Mary,da.of Elizabeth, nat Sept._Jno, R. Anna, ob. s., Dat. Sarah F., Jane, nat. Noy, 23d,__Jno, H. Caroline, Wm. Crom- Mary 8...Wm. Wood Hannah,
nat, Sept, 12, 1795; David nat, Noy. 14,1796; | Richard N.J., nat, Mer. 1!,| Ray nat. 1807; mar Joseph S 15th, 1790; ob. Willis, April 25th, 1793; Nat. Sept, 1801; ob. Mar. 8th, | Ferris, nat. 1803; well, ob. aes Fie ob. 8.
married 1895; Mitchell married 1854; Lawrence 1800; mar, 1839; King 1845 Shotwell July 9th, 1869 Ob, 1844 ob, January 13th, 9th, 1798 1877 ob. 1862 Ob. 1848 1872 2
ob Aug 17,1866 | ob. Mareh, 1857 ob. October, 1857 1873 =
lee | \ | wad Len! lees Fen age eae aaa | |
Walter M Zoe, da Mary S..Merritt Lydia..Menryl, B® oS Aero & ~~ & @9 & William W., N.Y.—Emily, da. of ob 5 > s ta na is
nat. 1828; | C A.Dane ‘Trimble Lawrence 8 2-|"" of =| FS ABO Jno, Grifin =o (9 Sr Ba te = mer 5
® - 2 ~ Ket = i] eS 2 = es .
obs | pelea «| ie ee ra _ 28 § F sé
L | Th 2ehe Finite kf hegeky se 2 fer) Be ee eae
a # BF EEE p(SPee mle<z az fb ZS aR E om g ze EF Sy
Rae 8 Se ae Q'gss2 Beas 88 5 oe 8 ££ ‘ ss ae Se R25 8S
5 4 = a * 45464 Ese 8 & PRR ie one $ 3 SB Ba
=] or P ‘ = ® 2 ° 5 5 ao
I t ¥ | S 3,31 N —_ Lydia, da. Reubi n 4 b R bi Daniel By Li bob Will ae J
Edmund, of N. Y.,..Pheebe Jare, da. George, of N. Y.,=Sally Ann, Robert R., Sarah, da. ong William A., Croton Abby, da. Alfred M., =Lydia, da. en 22 ef ebecca _Danie sther_Jabob ets ary Jane Henry
nat. Aug. 29, 1790; | Tlijah Ferris, nat. 1795; ob. Noy. | da. Wm. Tndianaas, | Jethro ay g Point, nat. 1803, Stephen Dutchess Howe, nat. Jan 8 z 2 Talleot Wood
ob, 1872 ob. Apr. 28, 1879, 17th, 186s Waring, ob, Aug. Wood Bk ob. Noy. Ist, 1873 | Wood County 15, 1S0S; ob, May é S
fot. 82 yrs. ob. 1872 24th, 1864 ae | 20, 1844 -_ ve,
! if | ira ilar ial ea Los | relay el gl (eae
Jonn F..Satrah Elijah Fm. = Mary Isaac =| i] et ae ae oo 2 a) Be y Q 4 & a = 2 g &
: Teann a Bolton, Ann | Farquir ES == = Be 2 = e & ae Ze & 2) <5 | Si) fag & & 3
ob, | vob. ae 5 BESS ace Ee bi pote | ath eed =e 4 z 8
| Saye i Pe 6B Be OE ot fs ees 5 E 8
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“3 88 “iss Ba > =S H5 = EEn | 2
7 50 S&s £2 § P ES = o a | g
| E | : | | (feel [ear I Re! a | j Tee Pal | L
a f illiam W..Mary Ann Robert, N.Y. Charlotte A.. —Pheebe T. Tit uklin, ob. S > Boe ck euben H.,_Harriet, da, Edward B. —Gertrude, da. of I Alfred A. Mary G., da of Joseph |
aN Tae Sutton ey Sever : da, Silas, nee aaee s peernin Senne nits 5 Bo ‘a E = Brooklyn, | Israel Suk: | L. M. Ferris S Turner g 5
wet, 83 yrs. eS a ae a Nets seeing iS & as
a ‘ick fe, da, Herbert Caroline Mat Adelaide Frances A. L L ad Eugene Roo Ci ! Lila 2 e a =P Rentlen L. | Lydiag Litdiey F. | | | Harrold * whtiam | | Jonepii T. 4 ee
ee an beanan %! : = = mar. Nov. 23d, 1879 oN se meet = B ob. Edmundc, ~~ Bessie C Edward B., Jr. Edward = Alfred M. a Eo
3 5 s = 5 Gertrude F, P
8 2

Caroline W.

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Mg Te tace page 408, vl PEDIGREE OF THE UNDERHILL’S, OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY, No. 4
Captain John Underhill a Feke
|
Nathaniel ro Ferris
From an old deed, Abrahams Hanah Cromwell
1667. ]
| | | ]
Abraham, of New Castle, ..1, Phoebe, da. of John Halleck Isaac, of Yorktown, nat.—Sarah, da, of Robert Field, Jacob, of New Castle, nat. Amy, da. John Halleck, Mary_Caleb Horton, of White Plains |
or Philipsburg, mi, 1746;| _.2.Kazlah, of Farrington June 21,1726; m. Aug. | nat. February 6th, 1734; May 25th, 1730; m. Jan. | nrt. June 3d, 1728; | 2 eee Meas ee Lockwood
ob. 1789 18th, 1756; ob. Decem- | ob. March 20th, 1812 29th, 1747; ob. September | ob. June 30th, 1808 ili JB Ce | Goh ae |
ber Sth, 1814 26th, 1807 E z ¢2P @ FE £ Abraham —_—Tsaac

2 ¢ | eo © Ss 2
] 1 1 Ee eT w 5 : =
See No. 5. See No. 6. s\ is Bee B 2 $ 2 L
BES El 2 Owl BE 2 8B
o 28 & fay 3 uy Ip § =]
a FG pe e Rp RG 36
I 2 2 & =i So i

es nn
|
Dahtel, of New Castle,..Sarah, da, of Reese Cox, Israel, of New Castle_Sophia, da, Abijah Haight

nat. Mar. 5th, 1765; nat, Nov, 28th, 1764; 5) Se Gre anny Haight aa ree
ob, Jan. 17th, 1847 ob. Nov. 25th, 1888 on ob. 8, Pierce
————- ee ee Ce Eee ee
an cs al nae ee | 1 i a 4 b fy L & Taane of Illinois Jane, da. of Horuend N., of Emil, D. al | ! !
5S =] =] = . +, of _Emi a
Abijan, Satan —Adonijan PhebeThomas Elizabeth_Liv- Charlotte Charles fe & & if & g : ‘Adoijan Underhill N.Y., ob. 1847 aaih sogend mies Ten 3 eed of John—Saral Caroline_ Aaron Jane —Alfred
ob. 8. Underhill, Carpenter ingston Carpenter Bg o bP teh IS 7 y os, Carpenter Young Quimby Underhill
son of Benjamin 3 Ky r N L fd EB e st ie
M4 De 24
= g 2 zg Eins g 5 Lillie W., mar. Nov. 17, 1875 Arthur D, Weeks Mary C. °
* a a ee eee an ee
| |

| | | | eta ie
Amos, of N. Y,_.Pamelia Avery Solomon, of Sing Sing __Pheebe, da. Jacob Conklin Reuben, Joseph, Phobe_Alex Mattha_Walter Baan enae Sarah Sam). aune Amy_Isaac
— . y eS

| B L Mi f New York, Elizabeth d a
Adonijan, of N. Y..Deborah, da. Daniel Stephen, of N. Y...Phaebe C, da. en}. evi, of New York, — zabet Andrew, of Poughkeepsie _1.Hannah, da. Jas, Clapp @ David, of N. Y._Sarah,da.of Abraham C., of N.Y.—1.Elizabeth, da, Peter Buckle Israel, N. ! ! |
nat. Feb. 17, 1788 | Sutton; ob. 1874 nat. Sept. 9th, Cornell, nat. 17925 nat. Dec. 18,1792 | Martigney nat. 1791; ob, 1875 =-2.Sarah Upton, da. Jora- |, B ob. July, 1870 | Thos. Pierce nat. Mar. 18, 1799 | —2.Almyra cteeee : nat. ae Wate ae 3 , SEB BY BY
ob. 1648 1789 ob. June 22d, 1872 ob. Feb. 28, 1862 than Haight 2 asd ob. | Ata 5B DnB me oS
ee John U. | | Mar. 2 1869 ar BS ise ay, 28
rahe l i it Thend Lemna tt = ge
5 7 _Y. to : ah
is) @ E 2; 8 g9 watlam, of Y._.Fanny Jenkins a: pe 9 9 3 a 5 5 B 2 2] 3 3 a Amanda Adelaiae Louisa John Sarah Cc. Mere 4 Lib 7 vaio & tp
3 EEE ae oN | 7s Be SEEBR SEBREEEE W. T Fleet [omy g Gee ¢ Bee ae
& j id ets Bas 2 1 e | | PES =
BE pl zee i" alba aA Bb BS Sho fe ise = S Ste me Danie _ | Emily | Elizabeth bh by bob b b il (5 BLS Ba B83
in a EB LB & : SB gl ae Bis i a ne aE 3 BREE FE ¢ ap 6 &
Bu Be do 38 Es go eer t 3° megane 8 § B84 pee B EF EF ¢
een Gt See ce fF ea ‘ SpA Mes oS
| | | | [
Henry 8. ..1.Mar Doty Adouijan, ob. 8. Jane Isaac Underhill Anna EK. _Edgar Laing Louisa_ Henry Cox. Harriet Deborah__Frank Macy
2. Ann Doty
bai
\ |
Richard Mary Ann
eee
| | |
John, of Amaywalk, Davenport Abraham, of Amywalk, ob. 1781_Phcebe Pugsley, ob. 1834 Isaac, of Dutchess Co., N.Y._—1.Anhe Pugsley Clemente, mar. Ave 14, Uae Hany Wilson, Oyster Bay, L. I.
i , —2.Rebecea Hunt Abraham Phoebe Henry | Mary Hannab
aaNontOnan: Sarah, ob. Thomas Amy Kaziah Sarah
oS ieeeees soe Ure — —
T 1 | Talat | ; Pint iT | | | | | | | | I |
Richardson Jenkins _ Isaac, mar, 1804_Elinor Cove La = To James. of Yorktown, _1.Lydia, da of Dani. Carpenter = Y Stephen, of _Arnold Abraham, of Deborah, da. of Henry U., of —Julia, da. of Jacob T._Hannah, da. of @ jy isc)
a $3 | 5 5 B a SUG ge emery da. of Daniel Car- = 5 5 Dutchess | Dutchess ‘Amos Barton Dutchess Jos. Carpenter 7 Amos Barton cy FA 2 B 2g =i
on re Jainos B. -Louls A Me. 8 a t , E s B ounty | County County 8 g 2 ® z E
nat. Mar. 8, Ihenny, ob. i) =) | | ay | 24 i] 2 A ot S
= = : ° | I [aalinesl Ls ce
1805 Jan, 27, 1877 Fs é 8 Cyrus 8. Sarah —Kipp = 5 Ey Alanson 5 a & 9 g L L L 5 Ek b Bawhra Taua 5 4 Bp OS B
= & ao 2 § ¢& a2 o = o ¢ 2
= 4 ae Be tt Ag 1a! cy ae AEE Ee OG) Ss ¢& &
& L : b k Lontsa -Ramund Pillet g 2 5 2a ass = z 3 = A 4 5 a F: g b
Lap Ss oO
8 oe ee = 5
fies 4 nalvard P.,ob.a | aw 7a BE ‘ : E
: * ward P., ob.8 my 5 s i
2s a 2° Frederick Clarence B @ 3
& & ® =
ssi 0 CC
| = ; | | |
Abraham, of N. Y. Eliza O’Strander, ob. Mar. 25, 1879 Baily, of N.Y , nat, 1809; ob, Feb. 15, Mary K. Griffin William P, Daniel C., ob. 1872_Mary B. Carpenter, nat. 1823; Elias H.—Elizabeth, da. of David Underhill pneebe Job Carpenter Maria_.Job Carpenter JaneThos. Carpenter Amos, Ob. 8,
1S78 | ob. 8. 1878 |___ ob. Nov. 16th, 1870 | =,
| Z : 7 i |
j | | : |
James Johnson Abita, Sienhan M., George Edwin shia Ae mar. Gopal Catharine Lyla, Catrie ace sulnitta David George | | Saran Robert chat ee tau obi
ob. Aug, 1878, ob. s. ob, Feb. 1st, H. MeWil- ob. 8. ob. 8, Kirkham Ackerman John Charlotte
tet. 40 yrs. 1880, wt, 8ST y. liams Augustus..Phcebe Knapp

oo oe ©

a : |
} THE Ueberina® oF Wester COUNTY

THe UMBENESIICIS, OF WEesTCHesrne co

7 Baar ivie ores erat, Aedtandh «os ¢

a

( kone seesares
: pean = Ane 682 Tae eee “Maen sd dulp 1
2 AA os MENT yy ntAamT = ao pe ee

yen oh, Oct yeert godaill pal ; ; wz! J

ih ee rw,

ee are: ay SC RS - Zz are 4 re |
at WK my - qeetear PF yn e4iT. Rasontye ;
wvi._War > 208 nap Lie - 8 : :
aa a tokinanti to i “awm.f g
o:t Stree Aa 4
ater | SamepR = Ce “a
oy nat 5, 1 do 5

Sl LRT qr te ; -
ans stoned weer A ae ipl pre fia itLxatae
Fee Td “@

| "Be ie

23° Coie :
i Wegme L 73 eE
stietoodt wot wots s9gT

A oa

:
ogee) A Dadnt

{ a 4 7
a Dei MerdOhL, sherri , er eae wea
inte ae, 1 +epete srafert,
1” pears ’ Sibert] ‘anaes

asda’

ara)
> oo

Froin an old deed,
1667.

To face page 405, vol. il.

PEDIGREE

OF THE UNDERHILLS, OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY,

No. 3°
Captain John Underhill ealisebedt Feke

|
Nathaniel ae Ferris

|
Nathaniel _Mary Honeywell

John —Ann Bowne

| | | |
Sarah, mar, Susan, mar. Eihe, mar. Hannah, Elizabeth, edema

| | | |
Jon, of 1.Anne Barker, b. Dee. 2, 1722; Benjamin, of Blizabeth Lancaster, of _Eudosia, da. Benj. Nathaniel, of, Rebecca, Frederick, Yonkers —Jane aN iano of Hannah Peter, of —1.Iester Bonnett
Newtown, ob. Aug. 16, 1786 Scarsdale, Bonnett Eastchester, Hunt, nat. Dec. New Brunswick, | da. Thos. nat. Mar. 27, 1749; | Bonnet Youkers, Hunt Yonkers a/AnnSehures Noah Tompkins Tompkins ob. 8. mar. Jno. Horton
Cont. 9.Dulhorisa Outhouse mar, 1768; nat. 1746; m. th, 1759; ob. N.S. Ward ob. Oct. 31, 1821 ob, 1857 ob. 1855 The man Bishop Odell
ie ob. 1818 1772; ob. 1845 | Sept. 21st, 1828 ‘
(ly a a | ae | [
uy Z ise] a Nicholas—Rebecca A. Lancaster __EMe M. Esther_J. W.Livins Magdalena_l. V.
=] | < & | | | | | ‘
s z BE 5 & cs £ 5 =3 Thomas B., of Susannah Frederick —Maria Poe dB pad o3 Bee Heustice, da, [peeree® Fowler
a 6 68 gs EF Bs 5s Yonkers, nat.7 Fowler K., of N, Y.| Sattle oS p Bie oe eeu, 2 of Daniel
BP SG & Be Ss pf ’ £25 ye SWB Le SHS
ia & eb SF Ey Aug. 12, 1794 - Boast See oe ion Pa tee Eo | | t,
¢¢ = ®2 oy Be Maria Bs) Boma say Parmelia, Susan _1.Dusenbury John —Euphemia M. Thorne
oS Sy Sp RM Sh OG . B ob. s, —2. Van Wort
a $ \, °o RS
a] ares
: (ee l Metecsleac ee
Jaleb F, of—Emily Ea of Eliza J. David Ann Eliza Shute Benjamin _Caroline we it =} be ee DM Eh | | |
Yonkers, | Sher- N. Hampshire, | Phillips F. C. Secor RAB mE BRE Sea os John B., of New Rochelle,_Archa Bonnett Jane_Abijah Morgan Ann, ob. 8.
wood nat. Aug, 6th, RES "Beis See Sp ob. July, 1868
1823 Ags i TE) . fa Hl Peter
\ | i | | ic It eal | | | | { [ce
Wilbur_Jemima Susan J., Frederic T. Eva Bell ss? 03292 92 5 & ElidaT. MaryL. Peter J, George W. L ,—Julia Barker Wm. Henry Mary Burpo Sarah Ann
8. Dusenbury — ob.s, 1852 me do Fae 2 B Tuckehoe, New Rochelle
Be Bo Se: ce ley ob. s.
Sy 2 | | | | | |
JohnQ.A. George Eugeina Sarah A, Wm, Henry Ida
ob. 8.
eal | | | | | |
Binathan,. Sara Smith Blenop, {Ann, da of Gilbert, of East-_Betsey Honey- Nathaniel, of Scars-_ Patience, da. of Isaac H.,_Mary Hatfield, ob, Jelae L., Tuckehoe_ Betsey John F.,of Yon- Ale mar. Savan —John 8. = ee —JoinMec- Hannah, m. Da., married Susan,
of N.Y. F'chester | Jno, Odell chester will dale, ob, 1853 Fred Underhill of N.Y. | Jan. 16, 1874, et. ‘Taylor kers, mar. John Martine Chaine Josh Under- Lyman mar.
ia 75 years Maria Smith Bonnett | | hill ; Seeley Disbrow
| I eth al | 1 onl | | | | b Li i | | | | | [ | | |
4s e g WF He = wf {z+} Q o no Qs ¢ Nancy _1.James Underhill Johu I’.._Hannah, Daniel Fanny, Be wm Adeline _ Reynolls Ferdinand Edward George James
ee pee 2 8 apne: 8) JB Z Bo EE 2) —Horton N.Y. [da Robt. H. da.P, BS ES -
BS aoe ee > 5 Sis AE ae os 2 eo ¢ 3 & Findley, ob 1864) Haney 33 5=
} 2% ee | Bilao Bee sf ob i S| = I ob. 1868 Faas
ESms! ly oe t § 4 l i 4 eo 4 gee ] apa
in He Bes zshLego gy S 39we |e | Mw I | Sse
SPE 8 ose & ey ot ee BT BES Zox Andrew F. ary Wiliiam MaryF. E47 78
= » & 758 & aod © of Ea A ora a 2 Daniel SEZs
? ese 4g $6 8s & 32 29 © Bom “a 5 APE.
: BSS B BB & ey OB RB ESS “Ss
he a s alee my ele .
7 | | E | |
Benjamin, of East-..Mary, da. of Thos. Noah, of Eastchester, —Wl\izabeth Odell, Lawrence, —Abigail Odell, nat. Mar. eaten nat. —Mary Hunt, nat... Elizabeth cura, nat. Andrew Shonnard, Emma, nat. William Underhill
chester, nat. Feb., Fowler, nat. 1776 nat. December, 1775; nat Oct. 1782; nat. Oct.,1777 eA AAU aes ae 1828 Dec. 8th, Shute Aug., 1786;| Shute 1789; ob. nat. 1774 1798; ob. New York, son
1774; mar. 1806 ob. Mareh, 1840 ob. Sept., 1831 ob. Dee 1853] 7 Bal ANAM NOs 1792 ob , 1837 1964 ob. 1832 1853 of Noah
== | | | | | inal 1 <7 ‘ |
George M.K ,-Aune. da. of Alfred, —Susan Thomas, Charles Lancaster O —Fow- 9 SEE 8 © Edward T. Sarah E. Dore- Trae L., of Aenen Peoria. _Bartow A. of Toon ob. 8, ena ob.s. Sarah _J. H. Morton,
Nie SEM Ov, 1878 | Albertis ob 28h Bronxville | ler z an 5 z 2 mas, ob. 1869 Chicago ok. 1866 Chicago Chicago
: — & Swe ao
| | BRS ae
ae. Ss. | | Mary L. Altea B. Anna &
Francis Flizabeth | 1 |
Wm. Henry Charles Oscar 8. Augusta _Duft Mary A. —Onderdonck Carrie Eugine Emly
* |
mana —Margaret, da, J. L. Cornell Joseph Tsanc_ Hlizabeth Brittingham econ 8 1852 ciard =—J. Bonnett | ae Burtis Aue Maria Elizabeth, ob. Ss.
| ~
| |
Aitrea —Weed Henry _Emma Horton Clarissa Horton cea
a Se EE
| | | }
John of Esther Pell Joshua, of _1. Peggy, da of Eli Angevine David. of Elizabeth Sarah_Lyon Hannah _ Stephen Horton Mary —Barnes Underhill uel ernine db. (858 Susan _Richard Griffin
N. ¥. nat, 1776; Scarsdale Scarsdale White
ob. Aug. ob. 1852 =2.Hannah Underhill
98, 1887 |
—8.Susan Angevine
i Le ee ease er ea | | | | |
Abraham L., of —Polly Geo ew Bs ES = = Fiizabeth, Wannah—Thomas Joshua, of New York, Rosanna .... - r, David B.,_Catharine Alpheus,of N, Y.,.Jane Roberts Ann Eliza —Jacob Luft
Hart’s Corner, l Burp $75 5S S85 8 & ob. 8. Hunter nat. 1810; ob. 1849 | of N.Y. Glass nat, 1807 I
New Rochelle Serie oF oes 9 | | ] 1 |
Abraham oe F z a Ts 3 _ Joshua, ob. s. James, ob. 8. aneae Dayid John George Caroline

|
atin of Green County, N. Y. Barnas,

Julia —Eben. Thorne, of N. Y.

of N. Y.,—1 Mary, da. of Benj. Underhill
nat. 1778; ob.

|
Mary —Hurlburt

2 2
William, ob, s. Ettlor Odell

1si0
—2.Polly, da of Hunt Underhili
| ——

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| |
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To face page 405, vol. iL. PEDIGREE OF THE UNDERHILLS, OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY. No. 2.

Captain John Underhill aaa Feke

Nathdniel ime Ferris

From an old deed, uinaneie Mary Honeywell
1667. | E
| - l |
sata of Yonkers..Ann Bown, Nathaniel, of Westchester _Ann, da. of Israel Bartow nat, Willlam, Olena isle Israel, of Westcnester, nat, Sept. 21, 1731; Abigail Lespenard, 4 av Bz b Mary, nat._1.Dr. N.Bayley |= zg 5 B Hilzdbeth, nat. Feb, —Gilbert Drake,
nat. Aug. 8,1718 | nat. Dec, 19, 1722 nat. Aug. 81, 1723; will Honeywell Oct. 23d, Yonkers, mar. March 4, 1761; burried at West- nat. Dec, 4, 1739; 28 x 5 Ee Jany. 2, 72.Purdy gs & 17th, 1735 mar. 1757
ob. Aug. 16, 1786 proved Feb, 18, 1784; 1725 nat. Feb. chester; ob. Sept. 28d, 1806 ob. Feb. 3d, 1806 2 5 & oF 1720 8 Sea
See No. 8 Lord Mayor Westchester 16, 1727 Py SB 25 Gilbert U
7 i | z | | | | | wk Bs 8 Fomean onlacn es z ert Nathan’l Elizabeth Frances
7 7 wuilam —Dorshia Gilbert Gedney SOUAIIED Hanah is 7 B 3 5 . 2 2 Ey er Sor
of Greenburg, nat. 1752; | Taylor | nat. 17 ya =
Arar g, ; | y | : 8 3 S g Anthony L. of New York, Clarina da. of Basil Bartow, 2 SY BEZER Mary, A. nat. March 10, 1766 ;_Wynant mee ue s il os b
I y E nat. Dec. 80th, 1763; nat. March 4th, 1769; B Ba ge pee Aa mar. June 21, 1788; Van gts F 3 F FB iS
L ay L J 5 L y tf | 4 g Poy mar. July 24th, 1783; ob. June 9th, 1836, 3 3 RES PS ob. August Ist, 1851 ae 8 - s ay E
a BpRE Sg Pe se PE ge 8 3 g — ob. July 18th, 1847 Buried in Maryland 4 > Sp a SS Sa SS Sai =z afBs
BS ae 2 3 EB g <? Ba ne z a st ue E 1, Charles William Charles Thomas Charles A, Robert B. Edwin 5 ©: 2 = 2
w age aR GEER G E a ey a ae oe
Ba 3 vce ® A Ss I 8 & @ §& 3H
l l Ee ;
Punderson B, Charlotte A. Smith Charles, of Elmira, 1.Caroline Hart, nat. Noy. 20, 1814 Henry, of N.Y.—Rebecca, EEO b | 2 oye ge Clarina, nat. June 1, 1792;—John I. Mumford, mone omy L
nat. Nov. N. Y., nat. Aug. —2.Portia M. da, Judge Brooks nat, Mar. 25th, | da. of z ¥ S S B e|"a5 oly BR ob Jan. 9th, 1862 | nat. 1791; ob, 1863 o_ Bg E ah S 5 2
21, 1787; 25th, 1794 —8.Sarah M, Miller, m. July 26, 1797; mar. 1820 | Samuel aoe 2 BR | oF 5 & ne i i a ot eis a
is . ares : . Barz °
mar. 1810; | ie | 1851 Hallett, Q > B = qn saree g ne Ferdinand John P. | Julia Angelina ge | #8 aan a
iy Pee fe Be Seee Sal ae ao @ & E—TESR 2 Mary L. e—_ly ge 8
a 4 3 | yD § : o nee ba
ay 3 ee 3 | a = | 3 4 Ey Baron eek 2 George E. James A._Catharine 4b Ew £ =) at © be ay 4 eal 5 See 1 5
Ree RE g ® BE Oy 32 FE 5 | 4 mar. 1848 | Hageman TSE & a ef 2 E_| Be) NS os an
ape * Bp pF! Be @ E Prank starr 2 eee Rep’ EF & Bl Bo 8 3B 2 (B58 iz
aoe Hi Julia Clarina Bo 3 a ge 3 “Se g
: = 5 Cs
| - e
anthony L., nat. 1880; mar. 1851 —Charlotte L. McBeth Caroline i, Charlas A., nat. June 14. 1834;_Ada Parks Octavias, nat. April 14, 1837;__G. W. Field Portia M.,
mar. 1832 married 1860 married 1871 ob. 8.
William, KdwinS. John AreliaL. Charlotte
ee ES — — — eee
| | | | |
Robert L, Bath, N.Y. ..Frances M. Howell Henry, nat. April, 1817 Henrietta Scott Mary E, nat. June 25,_Jno, Newall Clara L., nat. Sept, 15. 1815 J. B. Bliven Eugenia, nat. Eliza S._ Robert Piper charlotte A., nat. Jan. 21, 1823 _John Hall ntdinett —Sylvester King
nat. Dec. 1, 1811; 1818, 0 April 23, 1819
married 1836
| | | s
Baward H. Northrop Robert, nat. Hug. 19, 1841; ob. Noy, 12, 1870 Deniet H., nat. 1850; ob. 1857 Ambrose S., nat. July 1, 1855, ob. 1857 Charlotte E. Hanah L.
| | | |
Noah, Greenburg, N. Y. Nancy Travis Nathaniel, of N. Y. Elizabeth Oakley Gilbert, of Greenburg, N, Y. —1.Elizabeth Hart Benjamin, of..1. Margaret Lawrence Witllam._Abby, da. of Mary —Myer Sher- Aw =Moses Aaabeannal Charlotte_.Wm. Wright
—2.Hannah Cudney Greenburg —2. Hannah Crocker Moses Sherwood | woou | Clark | Killum |
let eer as ieee Cudney | aan 7 tr | | | | |
Alexander Nathan} suhia James =| i | a | Mens | ' | | Thomas 2 wb p au nd L L
ob. 8. aw awrence argaret Har meline Thomas B. Patience SEgs Ee s= § B we
Hannah C._ Aaron Seely coe! Odell are 3 BEES ee 2 *— g 5 5
lai ik i) ga a eed RES | ee: ii
Monmouth H., of N.Y. 1. Hanuah Whitfield, da. George an & & 5 James L.. of _1. Elizabeth Dusenbury =) & S| a) IL | b e
2. Sarah Whitfield, da. George = 5 5 5 E- = White Plains —2. Jane Carson =) 5 8 s =} 2 FA
eS i= o
SS Se EB 3 iy b> a L I 5 2 g a
| | L el & #8 P £ L A a eo @
Oscar —Hannah Combs Monmouth H, Emily Barn- & I 1 a h hana | ° es me i] 2 i)
ob. 1869 | ob, 1868 Well, da of @B RE 2 ¥ Sool st ee eis ee] eS
| __| Patrick 5 gP a a Ee 5 EB Bo Bl g Hi Ge) oe eee EA
Hattle _Renie | oe) be 7 E q | S
Joseph A. a B g° 3 3 s Cae st = & qi 34 a) 3 z
A Y
] | | i te | | |
William__Emma, da. Lancaster Underhill, Enoch, of Greenburg, —Elizabeth Gilbert Stephen Hezakiah Abraham Benjamin Nancy
nat. Mar. 80, 1791; ob. Sept. 80, N.Y., ob. 1861
1853

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PEDIGREE OF THE UNDERHILLS OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY. No, 1

Mn To face page 405, vol. il.
S :
Captain John Underhill, nat, about 1600; Elizabeth Feke, 2d wife, da. Robert

married, 1658; ob. July 2ist, 1672 Feke, of Flushing, L. I. Nat. 1633; ,
ob. 1674 ,
aes Lae ry | | “| |
From an old deed, Nathintel, of Westchester, nat. February 22d, —Mary, da. of John Ferris, David, of Oyster Bay, eee seeeee Bi nat. faire 1659 ier Townsend Hannah, nat, Feb. 10th, 1666; Thomas Alsop, BU eae uy nat, May 2d,_Joshua Smith
. . i. e 67: no iss' ob. January 30t 698 f a 4
1667 1668; married, December, 1685; ob. about of Westchester nat, Feb, 1st, 1672 ue iy, SUED; of Oyster Bay ob. 1767 of Newtown Jacob, nat. Oct 8, 1690
s 1710
| | | |
Nattlantel, of Westchester, nat...Mary Honeywell Whomas; of New Castle, Phoebe Davenport Abraham, of White Plains, Hannah Cromwell Benjamin of_...... John—...... Son residing South-east Mary —Horton
Aug. 11th, 1690; ob, Nov. 27th, Westchester Co, N.Y. will proved 1750, ob. zt. New Castile
1775 about 50 yrs.
See No, 2 See No 4. jo a a ree ee ee eS
eer nner nnn ———— a
| | Sarah Weeks, nat. Sept. i & L b L ae b be Tae f Ulster Co. Sarah Th s Ki f Daniel
Benjamin _1.Amy Weeks Samuel William..Mary Sutton ‘Thomas of Phillipsburg, Sarah Weeks, nat. Sep al oe S = nn > EE ts iS ) 0: er Co. Sarah Thorn amuel, of —.... aniel, of Ulster Co._.... Dau. _James Sniffin
no issue 2.Elizabeth Dean ,,|! Salem, nat. Mar. 26,1788; | 26,1789; ob. Oct. 23, 1825: =) 3 3 g = 5— & B As | 5, Ob. wt. 65 Ob, wt. 84 Newburg | and New Castle
Phoebe Dodge) ot as mar. 1761; ob. Mar 25,1822 | da. Abel Weeks B-| 6 nb —_ g z : simts EP eae i aS ae oe
Le i= so = | ©
—s ep es “ 5 wl & is & g = a John Tsaac Beane of Cayuga Co., N. Y.
as Cot Wh es 8
3 Folge Ogee OE :
8 i BS Be Bali) ee 2s] y | | i | | | |
oI i we é 5! fe) 3 5 B if Oe S S Isaac, of Ulster Co,_Millinex Daniel Nathaniel, Phoebe Samuel,N. Y Amy ret Jerusha
| nF E S ob. wt. h i
i 4 o6 wes E 2 = 33 $ 3 | 8 65 Orange Co | ob, Oct. 2, 1870 marianteste aon
g 5 SB Se z oe tb & em Elisha —Sophia, da. of Hannah _F, Ferdon
Re 0 Bh ® g_| 2 ole S Pierson | Abner Heaton
3 i] oO
§ & &
= = = | | | | | | | |
] | | | | | | | Abner H, —Mar. . of ris, os . 5.D.
julien Barthelics. raioal niiaveth =1.Weeks Hannah Phabe Basheba 5 L t Ae (| a Ze L L iu L ly al s IL acess p= L Q a a Titnnee es nat at a Josh, ob, 8.p Sean ee Emme Phoebe Mary TN
ob. B. 2. Whitney fo 3 @s 5 a Si se B= & ef ces se 3 3 8 ® iS 4 aes J.Purham J. Louns- Elijah A. Bald- =“ Martine
ae & Bea Ba 62g & O,F Fe gee 28 eG pos bury Fowler win
“s 3 Fl Er Bie ng “ee °F & cs j | |
= e 4 William J., of N.J. Louisa Prince Adna G, ary E. Sophia ee
1 | | |
Atel, nat. Feb. 26th, 1770..Phaebe, da, of Jesse Kipp Benjamin, Salem, nat. May 10th, 1778; ob, 1846 __Abby, da. Richardson Sutton, nat. Dec. 12, 1770 Sarah Robert Sutton Mary —M. Frost Martha, ob.s, 7 J. Miller A. E. Conover
; j I Se | i (albelenh ol deed Elinor Minnie Nelly William
Pi urd: Anna, nat. July 2, 1791. William Smith Sarah, nat. Noy. 25, 1795 Silas Weeks Elizabeth, nat. Joseph Weeks SE OPUE vf lS]
Honda pamela Purdy, 2 fed Dee, 11, 1797, had 2 daughters 5 a = s ¢ iI a 8 g bream ob. —Merey Paddock, ob. william, nat. —Abigail, da. aS Jonh C., ob. 8.
bE | | || 5 renee ae | | jl i & 5 a 3 BS July 26, 1795; | Jany. 1st, 1820; July 24, 1741; | Wallace, nat. Dec. |
Thomas.Cella Amazian_Marrict Allen—.. Alfred... Mary.Alfred Elma Phoebe Esther Sarah Benjamin Silas 5 ta ae ‘et. 66 yrs. wet. 75 yrs, ob. April 10, | 2ist, 1741 ; | ] | 1
West Barker Cayuga Co. dane | Avery 1913, Dorset, Mass., 1770 | ob. July 24,1831 William Austin John Alpheus
=e
| | | |
es Fawin Phebe Jane James, Oneida Co._Deborah, da. Abraham, nah.—1 Kaziah, Stepnhenof—Honor Thomas W.—Hannah te
j Sai) - a | = - | | T ] — hat. Sept. 26, 1768; | Sam’] Souther- Nov. 10,1770; | Sandford, Waterford. __nat. Feb. 9, | da Aaron Es
Isaac —.. James — David... wanlam Tlarmon Abraliam ... Nathaniel, of Dorset, —Levina Phoebe _Geo. Clark Mercy ob. Apr. 3, 1849 tobi ob, 1842 oa eee aie Nera Me ob. June, Raymond
| | nat. 1778; m. Jan. 15, 1800 | Strong ] y fa! 30d. E
— Sy issiincl ae. ileal fore) = eal > = | | eal ] eel laa da, of (Paglia °
(Do | iu Ue a ll ie ae | LS a ral el =I oce rsa eh eh te) & Eliza D., nat._Lorenzo Cauld- Aaron s Sarah_H.H.Young 7
é E E E b 2 7. é e g = oF? 2 =] 2 F 3 5 a2 gs & Be 2 ES 2 g g 5 5 a E E 88 a 8 iy cay fe E1804; ob. 1876 Welly N-Bruns- Raymond Z re | 5 a
8 S 2 Al EB E38 EF 4 4 GE 2 Se 5 : e 5 F ne = wick, N. J. 5
a one ee 74 eee 8 reer E RES ges Se S Pak ee veer EE teense : aE Looeles
= FP ss a & t SS au 2 | ‘5 Fm SSBePbace
Be gF =e -_* " 38 ey Pe Gee 2 _ 2 hy maaie Charles H. > * Bagge
BR o Be |go |ges EI BS Fe &3 Soe Rep
8 Ege 5 B fe ea | '
$ 2 2!
satan Jiho Henry antler autos =a | | | | | |
ee Eliza Embiy Charles Morris George B. George R._Ann Eliza, da. udward D. William A, James W.—Engenia, da. Henry B. —1.Harriet Fish Mary E.
nat. 1809 | Robt.Underhill nat. 1814. nat. 1816 nat. Sept 19, | John Bodine nat. Sept.14| ob. July 19, 1854 ob. 1839
ob. 8. 183' ob. 8. 1870 1818; ob. Dec. 1821 —2.Augusta V. Grove
20, 1876 ob. 4 uly 9, 1861 :
| | | —3.Julia A. Card,
Robert T._Rosina S George H._Maria a & b uf L RES L a5 L | noissue
. [| Allen = nat. 1843; fl Knight 3 -=2$ 2& Sao £25 | i
| 1 | | | = ob. 1873 =] Ig B 6 Sas eS William A. George L.
Morris George Mary Georgiana Louisa 5 1 S ty ee a ag He =
Henry Hi. ay el 4 F an? 83
. 1
.- aa SENG ance: > ee | 3 | eo m3
Alva, ob. 1866, Sarah Swan Sidney, ob. a ea ania Charles_.. prnrelin Aaa Waterman Andrew._Waterman, Ballston Harriet

.
Ransom, ob. Marcia L. Sanford, ob, Aug. 80th, 1878, N. ¥

| : Had two daughters
Julia JS, 8. Clark, New York

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 405

About two miles north-west of the village of Westchester is the resi-
dence and estate of the late William A. Spencer, Esq., now owned by
his son Lorillard Spencer.

This property originally belonged to the Underhill family, having been
purchased by Nathaniel Underhill of John Turner in 1685. Nathaniel
Underhill was the youngest son of the celebrated Captain John Under-
hill, commonly called Lord Underhill—descended, as we shall have
occasion to show presently, of an ancient and honorable family in War-
wickshire, England.

*“The name of Underhill,” says Lower, “‘is local, from residence at the
foot of, or under a hill. This hill was situated in Nether-Eatendon,* a
little below Halford on the eastern bank of the Stoure. The letters ea,
in our English, signifying water and dune or don, an ascending ground ;
for at the foot of an hill just near the river doth it stand.”®

There can be no doubt that Capt. John Underhill was descended of
the Underhills of Huningham in Warwickshire, a town four miles east
of Kenilworth on the river Learne; for their Christian names and arms
are the same.

The arms of the Huningham Underhills were, “argent a chevron
gules between three trefoils slipped vert,” and the crest as usually given,
*“‘a hind lodged or on a mount vert ;’ but an old seal of the Underhills
in the possession of Mr. Evelyn Ph. Shirley exhibits it as “‘a buck trip-
pant.Ӣ The seal of Captain John Underhill attached to his name as a
witness in a conveyance from the Indian proprietors of Matinecock,
Long Island, to Matthew Prior, dated Killingworth, 22d of June, 1664,
are ‘‘arg, three trefoils, slipped vert,” while the crest resembles that on
the old seal before mentioned, viz: ‘“‘a buck trippant” which clearly
proves that the bearer belonged to the old or parent stock carrying the
original coat plain without a difference.

“‘ During the reign of Elizabeth, when the prosperity of the family was
at its height, the Underhills acquired property in almost every parish
within six miles of Eatington.. They became connected by mamage,
also, with many of the best families of the county of Warwick, and at-
tained the honors of Knighthood. From the visitation of Warwick-

@ Patronymica Brittanica-Lower.

b Dugdale’s Warwickshire, p 479.

e See Miscellanea Gen, et Heraldeca by Jos, Jackson.

d In a catalogue of residents in the county of Warwick, taken by Henry Ferrers of Baddes-
ley, _ in the twentieth year of Queen Elizabeth, A.D. 1577-8, are the following bearing the
name 0: Underhull: Thomas Underhill, of Nether-Etington; Humfry Underhill, of Kineton,
his brother; John Underhill, of Whitchurch, his brother; William Underhill, of Stratford-
upon-Avon, son of William, brother of Thomas; Edward Underhiil, of Barton on the Heath,
brother of Thomas; Thomas Underhill, of Halford, second sonof Thomas.—Collectanea Topo- .
graphica et Genealogica, vol. Viii., 308.

e Collectanea Topog, et Genealogiea, vol. vi, 351-384,

406 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

shire in 1619, we learn that William Underhill of Wolverhampton,
County of Stafford, ‘“‘lyved in the yere of our Lord 1423,” and by his
wife * * * * daughter of Stanley of Bromwick, left Nathaniel
Underhill, who married * *. -*) *. davuebternr #9
Butt, County of Warwick, their son John Underhill,* of Huningham,
County of Warwick, had a lease for eighty years of the Manor of Eat-
ington, &c., County of Warwick, from Sir Ralph Shirley, in 1509; he
died November 29th, 1518. By his wife Agnes, daughter and heir of
Thomas Porter, of Eatington, County of Warwick, he had two sons—
Edward Underhill, his second son, who had a fresh lease for one hun-
dred years of the Manor of Eatington, in 1541; Francis, son of Sir
R. Shirley died Nov. 5th, 1546, and was the ancestor of the Underhills
of Eatington,? Tallicote and New Place, Stratford, &c.

‘*In the body of the church be severall marble grave stones,” says Dugdale,
whereon are portriatures in brasse, viz: The first of a man in a gown with his
wife, over whose heads are two coats of arms, I a cheveron betwixt 3 trefoils II
party per cheveron arg and sable, 2 morecocks, of the second, in chief, and at
their feet a plate with this epitaph:

Here lyeth buried under this stone

EDWARD UNDERHILL,

sometime gentleman of this town, with
MARGARET,
his wife, which Edward deceased this world

the fifth day of November, A.D. MDCLYI., on
whose follys Jhesu have mercy, amen.”

On another is the following inscription:

“‘ Here lyeth buried the bodyes of
THOMAS UNDERHILL,

of this town, Esquire, and
ELIZABETH,

his wife, who lived married together in perfect amitie
almost sixty-five years, and had issue between
them XX children, viz: XIII sons and
VII daughters.

a John Underhill was born in St. Martin’s parish, Oxford, entered New College in that city,
became an eminent preacher, chaplain to Queen Elizabeth, and made Bishop of Oxford in
1589, and died in 1592,and was probably of the Warwickshire family.—Collectanea Topo-
graphica et Geneologica, vol. ili, p. 361, p. 182.

b The chureh of Lower Eatendon, or Eatington, situated in the manor of that name which
the crown gave tothe canons of Kenilworth, still contains some remains of the brass effigies
iascriptions of the apcient family of the Underhills.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 4°7

She dyed 24 June, An. D. +. 1603;
and he the 6th day of Oct. next after

Their frugality in provision for their children,
their charitable deposition tu relieve the needy
and great bounty in hospitality was a pleasing
spectacle to their neigbours, and may be an al-
luring precedent to their posterity, as they lived
to the liking, and with the love of mortal men, so
they dyed in the true service and love of the
immortal God +. The poore, their tenants,
neighbours, will for a time bewaile the want of
them; but the angells of Heaven and Saints of
God will perpetually rejoice in the company of
them ; for God they feared, God they served,
God they loved, and to God they dyed. Their
warfare in God’s Church militant on earth hath
been short, but their glory in His Church Tri-
umphant in heaven will be eternal.”—Antiqui-
ties of Warwickshire, illustration by William
Dugdale, London, MDCLYI.

Thomas Underhill, the eldest son of John, of Huningham, marned
Anne, daughter of Robt. Winter,* of Hardington County, Worcester and
of Willey County, Warwick ; their eldest son was Edward Underhill of
Huningham, which he sold in 1545. He was distinguished by the title
of the ‘‘ Hot Gospeller,” and exchanged the life of a country gentleman
for that of a soldier and courtier. In 1543 he served as a man-at-arms
under Sir Richard Crumwell, captain of the horsemen in the Contingent,
sent to assist the Emperor at the siege of Landrevi in Hanault, and in
the following year when King Henry went to Boulogne, Sir Richard pro-
cured for Underhill a nomination among the men-at-arms who were em-
bodied to attend upon his Majesty's person being a band of two hundred
attired in a uniform of red and yellow damask with the bards of their
horses and their plumes and feathers of the same colors.

At the revival of the band of gentlemen pensioners in 1539 Edward
Underhill was appointed one of its first members. “In the year 1549
he, a second time, went to France on military service accompanying the
army of six thousand men sent under the command of the Earl of Hunt-
ingdon to check the French who were then aiming at the recapture of
Boulogne. On this expedition, Underhill served as comptroller of the
ordnance. His subsequent history, except as connected with the religious
persecution of the times in which he lived, is merely that of domestic
hife.”,»

“Tn 1645 he married Joan, daughter of Thomas Perryns, the daugh-

a Robt. Winter upon partition of that inheritance had, it seems, the manor of Huningham,
but conveyed the same to John Underhill.—Dugdale’s War. .

b Narratives of the Reformation printed by Camden Society, 1860, p. 132.

408 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ter of a citizen of London, of an obscure and unknown family ;Ӣ by
her he had issue four sons and seven Caughters. Guilford the eldest son,
godson to Queen Jane and named after her husband, the Lord Guil-
ford Dudley, brother of Robert Dudley, Earl of Penestor,) was born
3d July, 1553, and died young. Edward, the second son and heir, was
born the 1oth of February, 1555; John, the third son is said to have
died young in 1556,° while Henry, the fourth son, was born the 6th of
September, 1561. ‘The daughters were, first, Anne, born on St. John’s
day, on Christmas, 1548 ; second, Christian, born 16th September, 1548;
third, Elinor, born roth of November, 1549; fourth, Rachel, born the
4th February, 1551; fifth, Unyca, born on Palm Sunday, April roth,
1552; sixth, Anne, born the 4th of January, 1554; and seventh, Pru-
dence, born 6th of September, 1561.

“On the 13th of April, 1562, was buried at St. Botulphi without Ald-
gate, London, Mistress Underhill, a dozen of scucheons of arms, and
there did preach for her one whose name is not recarded.Ӣ

“Edward Underhill is styled of Bathkington. This not improbably
Bagginton near Coventry, to which neighborhood he removed, according
to his own account in the “autobiographical ancedotes.”* He must
have died sometime between the years 1562 and 1577, as he was still
living at the time of his wife's decease, and likewise when the ancedotes
were written in 1561, and moreover his name does not occur among the
list of residents in Warwickshire taken during the latter year. ‘It is a
little remarkable that the once wide spreading branches of the Underhill
family are no longer to be found among the gentry of Warwickshire.”

Tradition seems to point to a son of Edward Underhill, the ‘‘ Hot
Gospeller,” who was doubtless Edward, the second son, before men-
tioned as having, like his father, embraced the life of a soldier and a
courtier. This individual, a youth of about twenty, who must have re-
sided with his father, at Bagginton, (a town belonging to the Earl of
Leicester and about three miles from Kenilworth), probably like many
of the neighboring squires and their sons, helped to swell the pomp of
Leicester, in the capacity of servant or page, during Queen Elizabeth’s
visit to the castle of Kenilworth, on the roth of July, 1575; an event
which his son, the famous Capt. John Underhill, was afterwards proud
to commemorate in the naming of his first purchase from the Matine-
cock Indians of Long Island in 1667, Kenilworth, or ‘“‘commonly Kill-

a Narratives of the Reformation printed by Camden Society, 1860, p. 132.

6 How conid Jotn the third son have died the following year that his elder brother, Ed-
ward, is said to-have been born?

e Narratives of the Reformation, &c
d Narratives of the Reformation, &c., by the Camden Society, pp. 132-133.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 499

ingworth.”* Family tradition also associates him with the Earl of Lei.
cester, as the bearer of dispatches from Queen Elizabeth to the Ear]
of Leicester, then commanding the English forces in the Low Countries.
This is somewhat confirmed by the following extract taken from a letter
of ‘‘ Mr. Suntsey Walsyngham to the Earl of Leicester, December, 1585,”
‘My verie, good lord, your letters, sent by Mr. Henrie Astell and your
servante Underhill, I have received,&c.? Upon Leicesters recall and return
to England, Underhill joined him ; and upon the Earl's decease, in Sept.,
1588, he attached himself to the fortunes of the Earl of Essex, the un-
fortunate successor to Leicester, in Queen Elizabeth’s favor. He ac-
companied that gallant nobleman in his successful attack upon Cadiz,
and shared his ill fortune in his fruitless expedition against Tyrme, the
rebel chief of the revolted clans of Ireland; and, returning with the
Earl into England, by his attachment to that imprudent nobleman, sal-
lying into the streets of London in the petty insurrection, which cost
Essex his head, he was obliged to seek safety in Holland until the acces-
sion of King James, in 1603, when he applied for pardon and leave to
return to his native country; but no interest of friends, we are assured,
could procure it, When the Rev. Mr. Robinson, with a number cf
other separatists, fled from England to Holland, in 1603, he dwelt and
communed with them a number of years. The date of his death is un-
known. His son, the redoubtable Capt. John Underhill was born circ.,
1600, and had early imbibed an ardent love of liberty, civic and religious,
by his service as a soldier under the illustrious Maurice of Nassau,
Prince of Orange, in the Low Countries. ‘‘He was strongly solicited
to go with Governor Carver, Elder William Brewster and other worthies,
part of the Rev. John Robinson’s church, to the settlement of Plymouth,
and had partly engaged with them as their chief military officer; but,
Capt. Miles Standish, his brave fellow-soldier in the Low Countries, un-
dertaking the business, in 1620, he declined. How he joined Governor
Winthrop, does not appear ; but he came over to New England with him
“‘as captain of any militia force that might be employed or instituted,
as he had served under the great Dutch Prince in the war of the Nether-
lands,” in 1630; and soon after we find him disciplining the Boston
militia, where he was held in such high distinction that he was ap-
pointed one of the first deputies from Boston to the General Court,’

a Camden’s Brittania.

b Leycester Correspondence, Camden Soc. Edited by John Bruce, F.S8.A., MDCCCXLIV,
letter xvi pp. 34,35. The letter conveyed by Underhill was probably that of the Earl to
Walsingham, dated 26th of Dec., 1585, p. 29, of above, setting forth the gratitude of the
people of the Low Countries to Queen Elizabeth for her assistance &c.

e “ Algerine Captive,” by D. Undike Underhil, vol. i, 25, printed at Walpole, New Hamp-
shire, in 1797.

410 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and one of the earliest officers of the Ancient and Honorable Artil-
lery Company.” ‘He was sworn freeman, 18th of May,1630. In
1637, his great friend Sir Harry Vane, sent him as commander of the
colony troops, to Saybrook,* Connecticut.” The same year he was
“ disfranchised, and eventually banished from the jurisdiction of Mas-
sachusetts—his ideas of religious toleration being more liberal than those
around him.” ‘In 1638, he returned to England, but was banished
thence for certain religious and moral delinquences. While there he
published a work entitled ‘‘ Nevves from America, or a New and Exper-
imental Discoverie of New England; containing a true relation of their
warlike proceedings there, two years last past, with a figure of the In-
dian Fort, or Palizado. By Capt. John Underhill, a commander in the
warres there.” The book gives a very good account of the Pequot war,
in which he was a conspicious actor. ‘“ Myself,” he writes, “received
an arrow through my coat-sleeve, a second against my helmet, on the
forehead ; so, as if God, in His providence, had not moved the heart of
my wife to persuade me to carry it along with me, (which I was unwill-
ing to do), I had been slain. Give me leave to observe two things
from hence—first, when the hour of death is not yet come, you see God
useth weak means to keep His purpose inviolated ; secondly, Ze¢ zo man
despise advice and counsel of his wife, though she be a woman.” The
book abounds in similar quaint passages. It is filled with religious cant,
for he was an arrant hypocrite. He appears to be equally fond of sin-
ning and repenting. It is amusing to read in these pages of Winthrop,
how ingeniously he managed through several years, to delude the Puri-
tans by his professions of sanctity, while he led in their midst the most
dissolute of lives.”®

“In 1638 he was chosen Governor of Dover, New Hampshire, in
place of Burdett. The saine infirmity rendered his removal unavoida-
ble, and he went to the Dutch; with them he succeeded,” for governor
Kieft gave him a command of one hundred and twenty men in their
wars with the natives. In February, 1644, the Dutch soldiers, under
their valiant leader, encountered the Indians on what is now called In-
dian Hill, in the town of Bedford, leaving five hundred of their enemy
dead on the field. He totally extinguished the Pequots. Besides this,
Underhill is said to have killed one hundred and fifty Indians on Long
Island. He was a representative from Stamford to the General Court
of Connecticut, in 1633. In 1644, he came with the Rev. Mr. Denton,
~q Killingworth, near Saybrook, is said to have been named by Underhill.

b Manhattan Papers, No. 10. By Vanwargen.—Sunday Times.

c In 1653, Privateer’s commission was given to Capt. John Underhill and others “to goe
against the Dutch or any enemies of ye Commonwealth of New England.’”’—New vol. vii. No.

1,P°

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 4II

and others of his church, to Long Island and soon after became a resi-
dent of Flushing, where he evinced the same restless temper as formerly,
and was anxious for a military employment.” ‘ After wandering about
in different places he settied at Oyster Bay, in or about the year 1655.”
In 1665 he was a delegate from that town to the meeting at Hamp-
stead, by order of Governor Nicoll, and was by him made high sheriff of
the North Riding on Long Island. In 1667, the Matinecock Indians
conveyed to him a large tract of their land, a part of which, called Ken-
ilworth or Killingworth, a portion of which still remains in the family.

Captain John Underhill died at an advanced age on tie 21st of July,
1672, and was buried on his estate at Kenilworth, or Killingworth,
Queens County, L. I. By his first wife, Helena, who came with him
originally from Holland, he had issue, John Underhill, of Matinecock,
who was born during his father’s stay at Boston, r1th of April, 1642, and
baptized 24th of the same month. He became a member of the Relig-
ious Society of Friends and died on the 29th of October, 1692. This
individual was the ancestor of the Long Island branch of the Under-
hill family, and left issue by his wife, Mary, daughter of Matthew Pnor,
- (married Aug. 1st, 1668,) John Underhill, of Kenilworth, who had five
sons and four daughters; the sons were, John, born rst May, 1670;
Daniel, Samuel, Abraham and Jacob; the latter left Peter Underhill of
Westchester. Elizabeth, the daughter of Captain John Underhill by his
first wife, was baptized at Boston, 14th February, 1636. By his second
wite, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Feke, (whose wife was the widow of
Henry Winthrop, son of Goy. Winthrop,) he had issue, Nathaniel Un-
derhill, before mentioned, who was born 22d of February, 1663, re-
moved to Westchester in 1685, and bought lands of John Turner; a
second son of the Captain was David, born 4th of February, 1672, who
died young, leaving a natural son Peter. By his last will, bearing date
the

“18TH oF SepTeMBER, 1671.—Captain John Underhill bequeathes his whole
estate in possession of his wife, Elizabeth Underhill, during ye time of her widow-
hood ; but if she marry, then my brother John Bownes, Henry Townsend, Mat-
thew Pryor, and my son, John Underhill, I empower hereby that they see to ye
estate, that ye children be not wronged, nor turned off, without some proportion-
able allowance, as ye estate will afford; and that my son, Nathaniel remain with
his mother until twenty-one years, &c.”

Letters of administration were granted unto John Underhill of ye

de Savage’s Biog. Dict. The family Bible of Jno. Underhill says, born 4th mo. April 12th,

6 Thompson’s Hist. of Long Island, vol, ii, 361.

AI2 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

estate of his father, of Killingworth, 4th of November, 1975. Upon® the
22d of March, 1686.7, Nathaniel Underhill and Mary, his wife, of the
town and county of Westchester, conveyed all their land of every kind
at Matinecock, Oyster Bay, “which is the land that my father, John
Underhill, Senr., lived upon, with forty acres in the woods, which I
bought of the Indians,” to John Underhill of Matinecock.?

The sons of Nathaniel were Thomas, John, Nathaniel Underhill, Jr.,
from whom descended the late Anthony L. Underhill of New York, and
Lancaster Underhill, of Eastchester, and Abraham, from whom came
the Underhills of Yorktown and New York.

Nathaniel Underhill, Jr., grandson of Capt. John Underhill, died at
Westchester, in 1775. The following epitaph is inscribed on his head-
stone in the family cemetery :—

‘* Here lies the body of
NATHANIEL UNDERHILL,

who was born August the 11th, 1690,
and departed this life November 27th, 1775,
aged 85 years, 3 months, and 16 days.

Nathaniel, the eldest son of this individual, filled various public offices.
He was one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, for the County
of Westchester, in 1759; and in 1775, was elected Mayor of the Bo-
rough of Westchester.

Nathaniel Underhill, son of John Underhill, of Yonkers, (great grand-
son of Nathaniel and Mary Ferris), appears to have been a firm and de-
voted loyalist during the Revolutionary War. On one occasion he was
captured by a party of Tories or Cowboys, led by Isaac Martlingh, who
conveyed their prisoner to a neighboring barn, suspended him by his
feet, compelled him to eat oats off the floor, and otherwise badly treated
him, The sufferer on being released, vowed vengence on his tormen-
tors, declaring he would shoot every one of them if an opportunity
should ever occur; and happening to encounter Martlingh soon after-
wards, shot him dead on the spot.¢

The house of James Quimby (who married Hannah, daughter of
Isaac Underhill, of Yorktown, grandson of Nathaniel Underhill and
Mary Ferris), near the Spencer place, now owned by Doctor Pearsall,
‘was often robbed during the Revolutionary War, and the family hada
place of concealment to which they always fled whenever attacked on

a New York Surrogates Office, No. 1, 212.

b Queen's County Rec. Lib. B. 91.

ec This story was related by the late Lancaster Underhill, of Eastchester who had often
heard his father, a brother of Nathaniel, recount the adventure.

THE TOWN OY WESTCHESTER. 413

these occasions. One night Robert Underhill, (the brother of Mrs.
Quimby), James Underhill and Isaac Mekell, were stopping here when
Robert Underhill proposed defending the premises should the robbers
make their appearance during their stay—provided James, his cousin,
would only assist him. Singularly enough, the marauders came that
very night, demanding entrance ; but the heart of James failed him, and *
he fled with the rest. Robert, however, provided himself with a large
club and arranged chairs along the entry, upon which he suddenly com-
menced a violent attack, striking furiously with his club, at the same
time stamping furiously on the floor and making all the noise possible,
as though there were others aiding him on the inside, then he would
strike the door and dare the robbers to come on saying, ‘we are ready
for you this time!” adding occasionally the hoarse blast of a conck-
shell. The marauders somewhat bewildered, contented themselves with
firing a volley into the house, which fortunately missed its brave de-
fender, and retired. The defeated ‘‘ Cowboys” afterwards reported that
they thought ‘‘the Devil was in the house.”

Upon ‘“ Deorman’s Island,” (so called prior to 1704), in the north-east
corner of the town, the Eastchester creek bridge communicates with the
Westchester shore and Pelham neck.

The adjoining estate, Annie's Wood, is the property of John Hunter,
Esq., son of the late Elias Desbrosses Hunter, by his wife Anne Maria,
sixth daughter of Peter J. Munro, and grandson of the late John Hunter,
Esq , former owner of Hunter’s Island, who for many years represented
this district in the State Senate ; and, in 1846, was chosen a member of
the convention for revising the State Constitution.

The Hunter family is originally from the County of Ayrshire, Scot-
land ; two houses of that name having existed in that country, for many
centuries. ‘The surname,” says Robertson, ‘‘is obviously derived from
the chase, before the use of fixed family names, as at present. Thus
Johne le Hunter, de la Forester de Paisley ; the Hunter of Stragrife, ap-
pears in the Scoitish rolls.” The great-grandfather of the present pro-
prietor was Robert Hunter, of Armagh County, Ireland, whose ancestor
emigrated thither from Scotland, circ., the beginning of the seventeenth
century.

The estate of Rockfield, on the south, is the property of John M.
Furman. The views of the water from this place are of a beautiful des-
cription. In the immediate vicinity are located the residences of
Lawrence Waterbury and Lorillard Spencer. In close vicinity is Bay-
side, the Harlem River Railroad depot for this section of Westchester.

@ Memorandum of conversations; with Abraham I. Underhill, of Yorktown,

414 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

This portion of Throckmorton’s Neck, together with Dorman’s Island
formerly constituted the old Bayard estate, as noticed in the early part
of this town.

One of the most ancient and noble families of the County of Dauph-
ing in France, is that of Bayard ; and well have those who have sprung
from it maintained the honor of their house. For at the battle of Poic-
tiers, the great-great grand-father of Pierre Bayard, the good knight with-
out fear and without reproach, fell by the side of the French King John.
At the battle of Agincourt, was slain his great-grand-father ; his grand-
father was left on the field of Montlerey with six mortal wounds, not to
speak of lesser ones ; and at the battle of Guignegaste, his father was so
severely wounded, that he was never afterwards able to leave his house,
where he died at the age of eighty.”

Pierre du Terrail Signeur de Bayard was born in 1476, at the Chateau
de Bourg in the valley of Graisivudun, a few leagues from Grenable, the
principal city of Dauphiny. For more than thirty years he served in the
armies of France, For valor and skill as a leader he was unsurpassed,
in an age when chivalry was still honored. He was killed by a gun-shot
at Biagrassa on the 13th of April, 1524, at the age of forty-eight years
and died unmarried, and without issue.

During the religious troubles which distracted the kingdom of France
in the sixteenth and seventeeth centuries, some of the family descend-
ants from a branch of the Chevalier Bayard’s house, emigrated to Hol-
land; among these was Balthazar Bayard, a Huguenot clergyman and
professor of languages in Paris, who early in the seventeenth century left
France to escape persecution on account of his religion. There is a
tradition in the family that he was shipped from Rochelle in a hogshead.
He soon rallied around him a congregation of Huguenot refugees, whose
pastor he continued until his death. He murried, in Holland, Anna
Stuyvesant, sister of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch Governor of New
York. Madame Anna Bayard, her husband being then dead, accom-
panied her brother, Peter Stuyvestant, to New York with her three
children, all sons—Balshazar, Peter and Nicholas—where they landed on
the fourteenth of May, 1647. From these three brothers are descended
all who bear the name of Bayard in the United States. Peter purchased
lands on the Bohemia Manor, in 1684—a portion of which were in Del-
aware, and a portion in Cecil County, Maryland; he married Blandinas
Corde, a lady of fine talents and great culture. From them the Del-
aware, the Philadelphia, and the Pittsburgh Bayards, came. Nicholas, the
youngest of the three sons of the first Balshazar Bayard, was many years
a member of the Council of State for the Colonial Government of New

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER, 415

York. He «was eminent for his piety, as well as his political influence.
In the turbulent period in which he lived, his integrity was esteemed by
ail parties. In the changes from Dutch to English, and from English to
Dutch, and again to English supremacy, he maintained a high position.
The demagogue Leisler, during his usurped authority, found in Bayard
a formidable impediment, and caused him to be indicted for high treason.
The judge—Atwood—like another Jeffries, compelled the jury to find
him guilty and sentenced him to be hung. He appealed to Queen Arne,
and was pardoned.? Leisler was subsequently tried and convicted of
high treason, and hung.

Nicholas was several times mayor of New York, and when not mayor
was generally analderman. He died in 1711, leaving a son Samuel, Col.
Samuel Vitch Bayard, (a descendant of Nicholas, (was owner of the
Rivington property on Throgmorton’s neck, lately owned by Daniel M.
Edgar, Esq., and now held by Lawrence W. Waterbury. Col. Samuel
Vetch Bayard, served under the Crown of England, and was a distin-
guished military officer. He died in Wilmot, Nova Scotia, A. D. 1832,
aged seventy-five, and was the father of Capt. Stephen Bayard, born
Oct. 26th, 1785, was basely murdered, July 11th, 1814; married Eliza,
daughter of Oliver de Lancey, (son of Peter), an officer cf the British
Navy, and owner of the Mills on the Bronx, by his wife Rachel Hunt.
Their son was the late William Bayard, M.D., of West Farms ; the late
Mr. Edward Cooper of Throg’s neck, was another grandson of Col. Vetch
Bayard.

Bordering the Westchester and Pelham road, in this vicinity, is situa-
ted “‘Stony Lonesome,” a portion of the old Drake farm, lately held by
John Benson who sold forty acres to the present proprietor, Edward
Haight, Esq. On this property stands the celebrated “Spy Oak,” so
named from the fact that a spy found prowling around the American
camp, swung for his crime, from cne of its largest branches—tradition
says it was the limb that once overhung the road, but has been cut
short, upon which he died—much legendary lore is associated with this
ancient denizen of the forest, which has reached the huge dimensions of

feet in circumference. Many superstitious persons would rather
go a mile out of their way than pass this dreaded tree, beneath which
the dead soldier was buried; especially as the ghost has never been laid
to their ceitain knowledge.

Further south lies the Ferris property, which has been held by the
family of that name for five generations. The Ferris’s were originally
from Leicestershire, England, and decended from the house of Feriers,

a S2e Howell's State Trials, vol. xiv.

416 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Ferrerr, Ferries or Ferris, the first member of which (in England) was
Henry de Feriers, the son of Gualchelme de Feriers, master of the House
of the Duke of Normandy, who obtained of the Conquerer, large grants of
land in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
From Gualchelme de Feriers,* descend, the Ferrers of Groby, who bore
for their paternal coat of arms “gu. seven mascles or. a canton erm;
while their Westchester decendants carried, gu. a fleur de lis or., a can-
ton erm, with a crescent for difference. Jeffrey Ferriger or Ferris, of
Watertown, Massachusetts, was admitted a freeman, A.D. 1635.2 From
thence he removed to Weathersfield, in 1658, and must have been resid-
ing at Fairfield, in Connecticut, according to the following extract taken
from the Probate Records.—“‘ Order of the Courts of Probate, Fairfield,
on estate of Jeffrey Fferris, relative to marriage contract with his de-
ceased wife Susanna, by which he agreed to pay certain legacies to child-
ren of Robert Lockwood, deceased,” “according to the administration
entered in Courte, 20th October, 1658, &c.¢ At an early period, John
Ferris, removed hither from Fairfield, and became one of the ten pro-
prietors of Throckmorton’s neck. ‘These lands he probably obtained
by purchase from Thomas Pell, formerly of Fairfield. John Ferris was
one of the first patentees of the town of Westchester, in 1667. He
lived to an advanced age, and died in 1715. His will was proved 25th
of Feb., 1715-16. He left five sons, viz: Samuel, one of the first as-
sistants and common council of the borough of Westchester ; James,
proprietor of the homestead in 1746; Jonathan, John and Peter, of
Westchester. His grandson, James Ferris, possessed this estate in 1776,
when it was occupied by the British troops, under Gen. Lord Howe.
The family happened to be at breakfast, in the present house, on the
morning of the 12th of October, 1776, when a gun from the British
flag-ship announced the disembarkation of the troops; this signal was
instantly answered by the enemies’ shipping, which lay at anchor be-
tween City Island and Throckmorton’s neck. On the next day Gen.
Lord Howe, supposing that he had been deceived by his guides and
landed upon an island, summoned them before a board of officers; as
they entered, he struck the table violently with his sword, and demanded
in a threatening manner, how they could dare to deceive him?? After
a The arms of Gualchelme de Feriers, were ar. six horse shoes pierced sa. The ancient
armes of Ferrers, sa. six horse shoes, arg. three, two and one, The arms of Ferrie Des Ferris,
arms; Degueules, a trois annelets d. or. Couronne de Comte, supports Deux Lions. In
1265, Robert Ferré, Ecuyer, filde Raunl ou, Rodolphe Ferre. Sec de Magny Nobilliare de
Normandie, Tome 2.

b There was a Benjamin Ferris, of Salem,in 1640,who might have been a brother of Jeffrey,

a et Be bee ia, Nickolas Bayley, of Westchester, carpententer, sells his house lot,
which lies over against Mr. Pell’s house, and adjoining to that lot which was formerly mine,

and now is, John Ferrisses, to John Winter, of Westchester, and the commonage thereunto
belonging, &c.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 417

a proper explanation had been made, he solemly declared he would
hang every one of them, unless, conducted safe from his present posi-
tion. The retreat was ultimately effected by a bridge of boats.

James Ferris, the proprietor, was subsequently captured by the
* Queen's Rangers,” and removed to the New York Provoost. His de-
scendants are very numerous in the town. Mr. John Van Antwerp is
the present occupant of the homestead.

Throckmorton’s Point, situated at the south east extremity of the
neck proper, derives its name, as already stated, from John Throckmor-
ton, who took a grant for it under the Dutch, A.D. 1643. The name
has been abbreviated from Throgmorton’s to Throg’s, and finally cor-
rupted to Frog’s Neck.

From the Throckmorton’s and others the point passed by purchase to
the late Abijah Hammond, Esq., whose heirs sold to Mr. H. Le Roy
Newbold, Mr. W. Whitehead, Mr. James Duck, and the late Mr. Chas.
King. The mansion erected by Abijah Hammond is now owned by
Frederick C. Havemeyer.

The house occupies a splendid situation near the entrance of the
point, commanding on the right and left extensive prospects of the East
River. Mr. Hammond was the son of Abijah Hammond and grandson
of John Hammond, who emigrated to Massachusetts in 1680. His first
wife was Catharine, a daughter of Abraham Ogden, by whom he had,
with other issue, a son—the late Ogden Hammond—who resided for
many years on the point.

Upon the extremity of Throckmorton’s Point is situated Fort Schuyler
which was begun in 1833; and in 1851 was estimated to have cost in
construction and repairs $873,013. It was built to accommodate one
thousand two hundred and fifty men, and to mount three hundred and
eighteen cannon. With the projected work upon Wilkin’s Point, in
Flushing, Queen’s County, these fortresses would effectually protect New
York against the approach of a hostile fleet from the Sound. The fort
is built of granite from Greenwich, Connecticut; adjoining the fort is a
light-house, for this portion of the Long Island Sound.

Throckmorton’s Point is distinguished as being the scene of important
military operations, and was for a short time in the possession of the
enemy during the Revolutionary War. The following account is from .
General Heath’s memoirs :—

‘‘ OoroBER 3p, 1776.—The brigadier generals of our general’s division,# were -
in council, and several new works were laid out ; among others, a redoubt on the
hill above William’s Bridge. Our general, in reconnoitering his position, accom-

a@ General Heath.

418 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

pained by Col. Hand, below the camp of the rifle corps, being apprehensive that
the British might land on Frog’s Neck, took a view of the cause-way between
Westchester and the Point. Upon the neck, which runs between these two, is a
tide mill, and a plank bridge at the mill, at the west end of the causeway, (the
side of the American army,) was at this time a range of cord wood, as advantage-
ously situated to cover a party to defend the pass as if constructed for the very
purpose. After taking a full view, our general directed Col. Hand, immediately
on his return to his camp, to fix upon one of the best subaltern officers, and
twenty-five picked men of his corps, and assign them to this pass, as their alarm-
post at all times ; and in case the enemy made a landing on Frog’s Neck, to direct
this officer immediately to take up the planks of the bridge ; to have everything
in readiness to set the mill on fire; but not to doit, unless the fire of the riflemen
should appear insufficient to check the advance of the enemy on the causeway ;
to assign another party to the head of the creek ; to reinforce both, in case the
enemy landed; and that he should be supported. Col. Hand made his arrange-
ments accordingly.”

“‘ OcroBEr 7TH.—General Lincoln came to camp. He had come from Massa-
chusetts with a body of militia. This was the first of his joining the main army.
The same day the British were putting over horses from Horn’s Hook to Long
Island, and fixing their pontoons.”

** OoropeR 9TH.—Our general’s division was formed in line, with its advance,
reserve flank-guards, and artillery, all in order of battle, when they were
moved down over the different grounds, which it was supposed might be the
scene of action. Some of this ground was very broken, and there were many
fences. These afforded frequent opportunities for the troops to break off and
form, for the pioneers to open avenues, &c., and for the whole to become ac-
quainted with every part of the ground, and the best choice of it, if suddenly
called to action.”

‘‘Oocroper 12rn.— Early in the morning eighty or ninety British boats, full of
men, stood up the Sound, from Moatresor’s Island, Long Island, &c. The troops
landed at Frog's Neck, and their advancc pushed towards the causeway and
bridge at Westchester mill. Col. Hand’s riflemen took up the planks of the
bridge, as had been directed, and commenced a firing with their rifles. The
British moved towards the head of the creek, but found here also the Americans
in possession of the pass. Our general immediately, (as he had assured Col. Hand
be would,) ordered Col. Prescott, the hero of Bunker Hill, with his reigment,
and Capt. Lieut. Bryant, of the artillery, with a three pounder, to reinforce the
riflemen at Westchester causeway, and Col. Graham of the New York line, with
his regiment, and Lieut. Jackson of the artillery, with a six pouader, to reinforce
at the head of the creek ; all of which was promptly done, to the check and dis-
appointment of the enemy. The British encamped on the neck. The riflemen
and yagers kept up a scattering popping at each other across the marsh ; and the
Americans on their side, and the British on the other, threw up a work at the
end of the causeway. Capt. Bryant, now and then, when there was an object,
saluted the British with a field piece.

‘*In the afternoon forty or fifty sail of vessels passed up, and came to anchor

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 419

off Frog’s Point. The same evening Gen. McDougal’s brigade joined our gen-
eral’s divlsion,”

‘*Ooroprer 13trH—The brigade formerly under the command of our general,
when he was brigadier, joined his division. The division now became very
strong. The general officers of the army were this day in council at our general’s
quarters.”

“¢ OoroBer 141rH.—Our general, with the generals under his command, recon-
noitred the enemy at Frog’s Neck ; afterwards the general officers of the army
reconoitred the various grounds. The same day Major Gen. Lee was ordered to
the command of the troops above Kingsbridge, now become the largest part of
the American army. But Gen. Washington had desired him not to exercise the
command for a day or two, until he could make himself acquainted with the
post, its circumstances, and arrangements of duty. A great number of sloops,
boats, &c., were passing the Sound eastward, just at dusk, probably conveying
ammunition, provisions, &c., to the troops at Frog’s Point.”

‘‘Ooroper 15tH.—Five sailors came off from the La Brune; they informed
that there was a large body of the British on Frog’s Point, and that an attack
might be soon expected. The scattering fire across the marsh continued, and
now and then a man was killed.”

‘‘OcrosEr 16rTH.—Two works were discovered on Frog’s Neck, nearly finished.
The general officers of the army rode to reconnoitre the ground at Pell’s Neck,
&c., and it was determined that the position of the American army should be
immediately changed; the left flank to be extended more northerly, to prevent
its being turned by the British.”

“*OoroBeR 17tH.—Wadsworth’s and Fellow’s brigades came to Kingsbridge.
The British shipping, &c., continued moving eastward.”

‘‘OoroBEr 18tH.—The regiment at Westchester causeway had been relieved
by another. The officer on command there, this morning, sent up an express to
our general, informing him that the British were opening an embrasure in their
work at the end of the causeway, and that he apprehended they intended under
a cannonade from this, to attempt to pass. Our general ordered one of his aids
' to gallop his horse to the officer commanding the brigade near Valentine’s, the
nearest to Westchester, and order him to form his brigade instantly. Arriving
himself by the time the brigade was formed, he ordered the officer to march
with the utmost expedition, to the head of the causeway, to reinforce the troops
there; himself moving on with them. When the troops had advanced to about
half the way between the head of the creek and the post at the head of the cause-
way, another express met him, informing him that the whole British army were
in motion, and seemed to be moving towards the pass, at the head of the creck.
Upon this, the brigade was ordered to halt, the whole to prime and load, and the
rear regiment to file off by the left, and march briskly to reinforce the Ameri-
cans at the pass, at the head of the creek. At this instant, Gen. Washington
came up, and having inquired of our general the state of things, ordered him to
return immedi:tely and have his division formed ready for action, and to take
such a position as might appear best calculated to oppose the enemy, should

420 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

they attempt to land another body of troops on Morrisania, which he thought
not improbable. Our general immediately obeyed the order.

‘““The wind was now fresh at south-west. The British crossed to the other
side of Frog’s neck, embarked on board their boats, crossed over the cove, and
landed on Pell’s neck.”4

Throckmorton's point is likewise remarkable as the place where the
tides meet in the Sound. Directly opposite City Island, on the north-
east side of the point, are the famous stepping stones, a number of rocks
which project in a line from the Long Island shore, and show their bare
tops at low water; upon the highest of which stands the light-house
commonly called ‘‘Stepping Stone Light.” ‘An Indian origin (says
Hon. Egbert Benson) is asserted for this name, and tradition vouched
as the authority.” ‘It is said, that at a certain time, doubtless some
years ago, the evil spirit set up a claim against the Indians, to Connecti-
cut; as his peculiar domain; but they being in possession, determined,
of course, zo ¢ry to hold it. By Connecticut, the premises in question,
is to be understood, the original Connecticut proper—the territory be-
tween the od/ong, our eastern boundary in that quarter, and the Sound.”
The surfaces of Connecticut and Long Island, were then the reverse of
what they are now. Long Island was covered with rocks, Connecticut
was free from them. The Indians were fully sensible of what they had
to dread from such an adversary, and accordingly betook themselves to
a course not unusual on occasions of great difficulty and danger; they
referred the case to the squaws, the mothers of the tribes, who, it is said,
recommended an offer to quit, on being allowed their detterments—a
Novanglican law term, devised to signify the dwelling and other erec-
tions, and comprehending girding the trees to disencumber the land of
the wood, by a person entering without title, on land never before culti-
vated, known as wew or wild land, &c.’ No answer, as was to be ex-
pected, was given to this offer; and the parties claiming to be entitled
to the right of sovereign States, and there being no federal court to in-
terpose between them, had recourse to the “‘ alternate means, of discus-
sion between princes—to arms.” The parties foreseeing there would be
war, were, as behooved them, prepared for it.

The renowned arch-leader, an host in himself, took the field alone ;
and being an over-match for the Indians in skill and spirit, he at first
advanced on them; but, they having provided there should be con-
stantly reinforcements on their march, thereby preserving their corps
entire, and harrassing him incessantly, giving him no rest night or day,

a Heath’s Mem. 67.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 421

ne was obliged finally to yield to vigilance and perseverance, and fall
back. He retired collected, and, as usual, giving up the ground only
inch by inch; and, though retiring, still presenting a front whenever an
attack threatened; he kept close to the Sound to secure his flank on
that side; and, having reached Frog’s point, and the water becoming
narrow, to be crossed by the Indians in bark canoes, easily to be made
in the night, and the tide being out, and the rocks showing their heads,
he availed himself of them, and stepping from one to another, effected
his retreat to Long Island. He at first betook himself sullen and silent
to Coram, in the middle of the island ; but it being in his nature not to
remain idle long, and “‘ rage superadded, soon roused him and ministered
to him the means of revenge. He collected all the rocks in the island
in heaps at Cold Spring, and throwing them in different directions, to
different distances across the Sound in Connecticut, covered the surface
of it with them as we now see it; and it has been repeated from the
whites, the first settlers of land at Cold Spring, that the Indians, to
the last who remained, not only undertook to show the spot where he
stood, but insisted they could still discern the print of his feet.” “The
fact of tradition (adds Benson) among the Indians of Long Island, of a
war between those of Connecticut and the evil spirit, about the territory,
and of his being worsted and retreating to the island, &c., I had from
the late Mr. L’Hommedieu, a native of the island.” A projecting
point of land on the neck, still bears the name of “ Satan’s Toe.”

Upon the north-east side of Throckmorton’s point, lies Locust Island,
the property of the late Capt. Wright. On the south, the shores of the
East River are ornamented with numerous handsome residences, as the
country seats of Frederick C. Havemeyer, Francis Morris and Peter C.
Vansckeck, formerly belonged to Philip I. Livingston, Esq., who ex-
pended large sums in procuring every novelty in the vegetable world to
adorn this beautiful spot. The gardens at one time were very exten-
sive.

The finest Cedar of Lebanon, in the United States, is growing here,
being over forty feet high and spreading fifty feet. There is also a
superb specimen of the copper colored beech, twelve feet in circumfer-
ence. These trees were planted by Mr. Livingston one hundred years
ago. The road from the point to Westchester village, passes many
beautiful villas, among which may be noticed the late Mr. Jno. D. Wolf,
the Overing estate, and that of Mr. S. M. Stillwell. On the Fort Schuy-
ler and Hutchinson’s Bay, is situated Pennyfield, the residence of Geo.

a Memoirs of the State of New York, by Egbert Benson, 1817.

422 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

I. Adee. Schuylerville is a small scattered village in this neighbor-
borhood, containing three or four hundred houses.

Spicer's and Brockett’s Necks are situated at the south-west extremity
of Throckmorton’s neck proper, and constitute what was formerly known
as the “ Grove Farm.” This property, we have seen, was patented by
Governor Nicolls to Thomas Hunt in 1667, who bequeathed it in 1694
to his grandson Josiah Hunt. At Josiah’s death, A.D. 1729, it went to
his son Thomas Hunt upon the demise of the latter, in 1756 ; William
L. Ferris and grand-children, are the present owners. The old grange,
erected in 1687, is prettily located at the entrance of Spicer’s Neck,
on the margin of the Westchester Creek and the Oakland nurseries
formerly the property of William Livingston Ferris. Mr. Ferris has sold
land, but holds the nurseries, which are situated a little north of the
house. They are very extensive, and contain every variety of fruit and
ornamental trees. We believe this is one of the largest establishments
of the kind in Westchester County. There was formerly a ferry between
old ‘ erry Point,” the termination of Brockett’s Neck, and the opposite
shore of “‘ Powell's Point,’ or White Stone, Long Island. The passage
was performed in a peri-auger, during the provincial period of our
history,

The Westchester Creek which is here nearly three quarters of a mile
across, abounds with every kind and description of shell and salt water
fish. Among the latter, may be enumerated, bass, weak fish, black
fish, drum, eels, flounders, spice, tomicods, perch, porgies, horse mackerel,
herrings, bequeals, garnet, &c. One of the most popular fishermen in
this neighborhood is Natey Bergen, of Union Port, who has every sup-
ply on hand ; besides being well acquainted with the best fishing ground
both on the Creek and Sound.

On the eastern side of the Creek lies “ Cas¢le-hill Neck,” (so-called
from the Indian castle which formerly stood near the termination of the
neck,) the property of the late Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq., but now
owned by his son-in-law, John Screven, Esq. This estate was formerly
held by the Cromwell family from whom it obtained, for a while, the
name of ‘‘ Cromwells Neck.” In 1685, John Cromwell, supposed nephew
of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell, “and Elizabeth Cromwell, his
wife, exchanged six acres of meadow with Thomas Hunt, for eight acres
of upland, situated upon Castle Meck.”* From the Cromwells it went
to a younger branch of the Underhills’ who conveyed it to the Rev.
Isaac Wilkins. After being sold by Mr. Wilkins in 1784, it was succes-

a Co. Rec, Lib. K. 95. See Town of Harrison for full account of Cromwell family.
b Co. Rec, Lib, A, 214.

To face page 422. vol fl.

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j PEDIGREE OF FERRIS, OF WESTCHESTER.
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y J. Ferris, one of the first Patentees of the town of Westchester, granted under Governor Nichols, the 15th day of February, 1667, from James, Duke of York ;
2 confirmed under Governor Fletcher, from William III. King of England, this 16th day of April, in the Highth year of his reign. (1689).
Vi“ John Ferris, b. 1639_1.Mary ......
i, ob, 1715, =2.Grace ......, Ob. 1715, at
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March, 1685-6 da. John Pinckney 17 Aug.,1746 | SandsPt.,L.I. proved May 31, 1729, Mar., 1700 $ cy "; wee =
1753, 8. 0. :
| s | | | |
James, b. July 30, 1734,0.s —Charity Thomas Martha_Hunnewell Mary_Caleb Pell, Elizabeth _Jos. Cousten Anne Bentariny ob._Sarah ..... . apts of Grove Farm, b. June 1733; _Myanna Hunt, ob, at pele =Lawrence
will rec. June 11, 1783 of Pelham 1179, wt. 50 ob. at Grove Farm, Jan. 3, 1814 Grove Farm, July 9, 1809

| | | | | |
John, ob. young at sea William, ob. young Mary —Benjamin Pell Elvin—Muckleworth Jonathan.Ursula Catlin Elijah, b. Jan. 24, 1768;__1. Phoebe Haviland, b 1770 ane =Valentine Blidabeth, ‘Thomas Cock, M.D.

ob. May 7th, 1842 | 1 Amelia Livingston, b. 1772; ob, 1853 Seaman, M. D.
|
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i _2.Caroline Ferguson Mary M. —_— Elizabeth C.
| | | | |
Edward John F. Mary Augusta Anna H. | | | | |
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Anna A. John Chariton David Sands [eee te he in ne ees pew
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Mary here _Edw.W. Parsons Cornelia U. Wittlam Taber Caroline Murray Mabel Robert M. i
|
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| |

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THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 423

sively the property of the families of Pell, Russell, Gilchrist, Taylor and
Aspen, from whom it passed to Martin Wilkins, Esq., father of the late
Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq. The family of Wilkins was originally
seated in the County of Glamoyar, South Wales, and derives from
“Robert de Wintona, or Wincestria, who came into that county with
Robert Fitzhamon, who was lord of the manor of Languian, near Cow-
bridge, and built a castle there, the ruins of which are still extant. ‘The
valley underneath, is called Point Wilkyn (Welkyn’s vale) to this day.’
Members of the family yet reside at Brecon, Glamorganshire, and Maes-
lough, Radnorshire. About the year 1800, the Rev. Isaac Wilkins
took up his residence in Westchester county, New York, and was
settled over the Episcopal parish there. He continued in the min-
istry until his decease in 1830, at the age of eighty-nine. Doctor
Wilkins married Isabella, sister of Lewis Morris, a signer of the De-
claration of Independence, and of Governeur Morris, another distin-
guished whig. The mother espoused the royal side, and remained within
the British lines, Their correspondence with her during hostilities, oc-
casioned suspicion; and caused them difficulty, notwithstanding their
sacrifices and services. At the moment when Lewis voted in Congress
for independence, British ships of war were lying within cannon shot of
his house ; and soon after, his manor of Morrisania was desolated, his
woodland of one thousand acres was destroyed, and his family driven
into exile. Three of the sons of Lewis served in the whig army. Staats,
brother of Lewis and Governeur, was an officer in the royal service, be-
came a member of Parliament, and a lieutenant-general. ‘Thus was the
Morris family divided. Doctor Wilkins has a son in Nova Scotia who bears
the name of his uncle Lewis Morris, and who has obtained distinction.
He was elected a member of the House of Assembly, about the time of
his father’s return to the United States; and when, in 1806, William
Cottam Longe, Esq., who was elected speaker, was disallowed by the
governor, Lewis Morris Wilkins was chosen in his place ; and approved
of, and occupied the chair, by subsequent election, until 1817, when he
was removed to be placed on the bench of the Supreme Court of the
colony. Judge Wilkins resided at Windsor.¢

The residence of the late Governeur M. Wilkins is seated on the brow
of a hill, near the extremity of the neck and commands an almost unin-
terrupted view of the river with the adjacent shores. The interior con-

a The name is supposed to be derived from the Whelk, an imaginary animal, which tradi-
tion asserts inhabited the vale. ‘The WhelK 1s still borne on the coat armor of the family,
with the significant Welsh motto: Sun ar dy Hyn: anglice, beware of thyself.

b Burke’s Hist. of the landed gentry of England, vol. iii, 393.
e Lorenzo Sabin’s Biog. Sketches of American Loyalists.

424 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

tains some good paintings, particularly a view of the Arno, by Cole, and
a portrait of Martin Wilkins, Esq., by Rogers, &c.; also a beautiful
white marble bust of Washington, by Garacehi, and an Apollo, by Tan-
tenoin.

The old Wilkins mansion, which stands on the south side of the neck
is now converted into a farm house. Here in 1776, three of the clergy,
viz: Doctors Cooper, Chandler and Seabury, managed to secrete them-
selves for some time, notwithstanding the most minute and presevering
search was made for them, so ingeniously contrived was the place of
their concealment in and about the old-fashioned chimney. Food was
conveyed to them through a trap-door in the floor. The front of the
old house is shaded by some magnificent elms.

Cornell’s Neck, which is pleasantly situated in the south-west corner of
the town, contains about five hundred and fifty acres, having the Bronx
River on the west and Pugsley’s Creek on the east. We have seen that
Thomas Cornell, from whom it was originally named, became possessed
of the neck through the Dutch, who purchased of the Indians. From the
Cornells, it passed to the Willetts and Grahams. The executors of Lewis
Graham conveyed the western half to Dominick Lynch from whose
executors the Ludlows purchased it. ‘‘ Black Rock,” (so named after
the “great rock” mentioned in the patent of 1667, lying near the mouth
of the Bronx) the estate of Robert H. Ludlow, Esq., is situated on the
west side of the neck, not far from the Westchester Turnpike. The
house is of stone, and commands beautiful views of the East River with
adjacent shores andislands. The interior contains some valuable family
paintings, viz: Gabriel Verplank Ludlow, (son of Col. Gabriel Ludlow,
of Hempstead, Long Island,) aged fourteen, painted when at Oxford, by
the celebrated Opie; Mrs. Samuel G. Verplanck, daughter of Charles
Crommelin and Anne St. Clair,* with her grandson, Gulian McEvers, by
Copley ; Goldsborow Banyar, Deputy Secretary of the Province of New
York, under Governor Monckton, and Alderman of the city of Albany,
by Colonel Trumbull, one of his best portraits ; also a family portrait of
Robert H. Ludlow, Esq., Mrs. Ludlow and daughter, by Stewart Watson.
The Hon. Robert H. Ludlow, of Black Rock, (member of the Legis-
lature from New York city, 1845 and 1846, who married in 1831, Cor-
nelia, daughter of Jacob Le Roy, of New York,) is the second son of the
late Gabriel Ludlow, Esq., by Elizabeth Hunter. His grandfather was

a Anne St Clair was the daughter of Robert St Clair, or Sinclair, who emigrated to New York
in 1677, by his wife, Mary Duykinck, 1653. Robert was the son of James Sinclair, a lineal de-
scendant of the Sinclairs, Earls of Orkuey and Caithness. A silver tankard of the St Clairs,
in the possession of R. H. Ludlow, Esq., bears the following coat of arms: Qarterly, 1st azure
a ship at anchor sails furled, oars erect in saltier, or, within a double tressure counter-
flowered of the lastfor Orkney: 2d. a cross engrailed ; 8d, azure, sbip under sail, or for Caith-
ness, 4th, or, a lion rampant gu. for spar.

RO Seba DRED iere Ol PEDIGREE OF LUDLOW, OF WESTCHESTER.

Gabriel Ludlow _Sarah Hanmer.
Came to New York city, where he married f
and settled in the year 1697, from London,
Eng,

|
Gabriel _1.Francis Duncan

eldest son —2.Elizabeth Crommelin

| | I |
Gatriel —Ann Ver Planck George _Francis Duncan Daniel Arabella Duncan Robert—Elizabeth Conklin Ann_Frances Dashwood Elizabeth Francis Lewis (the signer)

Gallen —Maria Ludlow Mury _Frances Dashwood (no issue) Frances (infant) Gabriel Ver Planck_Elizabeth Hunter (daughter of Robert Hunter, Esq )

|

|
H. J. Auchmuty

] i aes [ri
gailan (infant) Gmina —Ludlow Dashwood Mabia_Jonn L. Morton (no issue) Arabella Louisa | Henry _ Wright Alfred (infant) Francis—Anthony Carroll
(no issue

| | | |
Gabriel A._Fanny Glover Robert H.—Cornelia LeRoy A. Eliza G._Horatio G. Lewis Edward H. —Eliza Livingston
(Families living in town of Westchester, N. Y.) =

(His family ronting at Fordham, now in New York city.)

|
Alfred —Lucy Bradish Johnson

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 425

the Hon. Gabriel Ludlow,Colonel in Brigadier-General De Lancey’s
brigade during the Revolution, and afterwards first Mayor of the city of
St. John’s in the province of New Brunswick, President of his Majesty’s
Council, and also for a time Governor of the same and Commander-in-
Chief of the forces. He died at Saint Johns, N. 3., and was buried in
the cemetery of the Episcopal church at Carleton,* N. B. His brother,
George Duncan Ludlow, was Chief Justice of the Province. His father
was Gabriel Ludlow, third sofi of Gabriel Ludlow, Esq., who was born
in 1663 and came to this country in 1694. He married on Easter Mon-
day, April 5th, 1697, Sarah, daughter of the Rev. Joseph Hanmer, D.
D., Chaplain to His Majesty’s forces in the Province of New York. He
was one of the first vestrymen of Trinity church, New York, in 1697, and
was the son of Gabriel and the grandson of Edmund Ludlow, second
son of Sir Edmund. Ludlow, Knt.; by his second wife, Margaret, widow
of Viscount Bendon, second son of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk.
Sir Edmund Ludlow’s eldest son, by his first wife, Bridget Coker, was
Sir Henry Ludlow, Knight, M.P. for that shire, born 1587, who married
Letitia, daughter of Thomas West, Lord Delaware, by whom he had
issue, with three daughters ; Edmund Ludlow, the celebrated republican
general during the civil wars in England, who died at Vivay in Switzer-
land, in 1693, aged 73, where a monument is erected to his memory ;
and Henry Ludlow, Esq., who married Webster, grand-daughter of
Margaret, second daughter of Sir Richard Bingham, the ancestor of the
late George James Ludlow, third Earl Ludlow, Viscount Preston, and
Baron Ludlow of Ardsalla in the peerage of Ireland, Baron Ludlow in
that of the United Kingdom, born 12th Dec., 1758.

The family of Ludlow, (which derives its surname from the ancient
town so denominated in the County of Salop,) settled at Hill Deverell
in Wiltshire, in the reign of Edward III. 1350, at which time lived
William Ludlow, Esq., of Wiltshire, who married Margaret, daughter of
William Rymer, whose son John Ludlow, married Leonora, daughter of
Thomas Ringwood ; their son was John Ludlow, who married Phillipa,
daughter of Nicholas Bulstrade, whose son William Ludlow married
Jane, daughter of Nicholas Moore ; leaving a son George Ludlow, Esq.,
who married Edith, daughter of Sir Andrew, Lord Windsor, whose son
was the before mentioned Sir Edmund Ludlow, Knight,

The old Willett homestead stood on Clason’s Point, the extremity of
Cornell’s neck, directly on the site of the late Mrs. Clason’s mansion,?

‘a Two silver cups bearing the crest of Ludlow, still preserved at Black Rock, are said to
have been used in the administration of the Holy Communion at Carleton church.

© On the north side of this house is a beautiful specimen of the Hycena Wisteria which is
Said to be indigeneous to the Neck.

426 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Directly north of the Westchester turnpike is situated the old Pugsley
estate from which the adjoining creek derives its name.

In close vicinity to the river Bronx is the estate and residence of
Wilham Watson, Esq.

About three miles from the mouth of the Bronx, and directly oppo-
site the village of West Farms, is the mill seat and property of the late
Philip M. Lydig, Esq., formerly called “ De Lancey’ss Mill.” Here it
is probable that Jonas Bronck (from whom the river derives its name)
erected a mill and laid out a plantation as early as 1639. ‘‘ The tract
between the Harlem river and the large stream next eastward, was
Bronck’s land,” says Benson, and it was at the house of Bronck that
the Indians concluded a treaty of peace with the Dutch secretary, Cor-
nelis Van Tienhoven, in the spring of 1642. Upon the 16th of August,
1680, the town of Westchester did give and grant unto William Rich-
ardson and his associates, the privilege of the stream of Bronck’s river,
to set up ¢wo mil/s, viz:—One saw and a corn mill, upon certain condi-
tions specified in the conveyance.?

On the 2d of April, 1711, Tryntje Byvanck, widow of Evert Byvanck, °
granted to William Provost, four midls, to wit, three grist mills, and one
saw mill, situate in the the township of Westchester, and all rights and
privileges appertaining thereto, &c.; also @ certain privilege granted by
the frecholders of Westchester, of the stream of Bronck's river, &c., &¢.
From the Provost’s, this property was purchased by Stephen de Lancey,
Esq., in whose will, made the 4th of March, 1735, occurs the following
item :—

‘“*T do hereby give, devise and bequeath unto my son Peter, and to his heirs,
all my mills, mill-house, mill-boat, farm and land, and all and every the appur-
tenances thereunto belonging, situate and being in the county of Westchester, .
upon Broncks’s river, lately known as the mills of William Richardson, to have
and to hold unto my son Peter, and to his heirs and assignees forever,”’¢

James de Lancey, the eldest son of the above testator, was Chief Jus-
tice and Lieutenant-Governor of the province of New York. He mar-

a Benson’s Mem, 27. Hist. of N. Netherlands, O’Callahan, vol. 1250. Town Rec. Lib. 57.
Rec. of Trustees, pp. 88, 89.

b See vol. i, 298.

ec Surrogate’s Office, N. Y. lib. xiv, 91. It appears from the following, that there was an
ancient burying-ground in the vicinity of De Lancey’s milis, near the Bronx, approached b
a narrow lane leading from the highway to Westchester road :—*‘ John Feiris, of the borough
town of Westchester, in his last will, dated 9th of May, 1715, directs: ‘as also the land lying
betwixt the highway that leads to Thomas Hedden’s mills and the way that leads from
Bronck s to Henry Bank’s, with a fifty pound privilege of commonage, and also all that my
land at Bronck’s, containing twenty-four acres, be it more or less. But, be it provided al-
ways, that there shall be a rod square, free for all friends and friendly people to bury their
dead in the place where they formerly buried, without any let, hindrance or molestation
whatsoeyer.”—Surrogate’s Office, N. Y., folio viii, p. 391.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 427

ried Anne, eldest daughter of Col. Caleb Heathcote, and left James,
Stephen, John Peter,“ Maria, Anne and Susan. James, the first of these,
was educated at Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, England, in which
college his father had been educated before him. On quitting college,
he entered the army, rising to the rank of captain. In the unfortunate
campaign against Ticonderoga, he was an aid of Abercrombie’s. When
his father died, or shortly after, Captain de Lancey sold out, inheriting
the principal estates of his family. He married Margaret, a daughter
of Chief Justice Allen of Pennsylvania, whose other daughter, Anne,
married John Penn, grandson of William Penn, the founder of Pennsyl-
vania,

Early in the Revolution, Capt. James de Lancey went to England.
Eventually he established himself at Bath. This gentleman, (and not
his cousin, Lt. Col. James, as Mr. Sabine supposes), “at the close of
the war, and at the formation of the loyalist agency for prosecuting
claims for compensation, was appointed agent for New York, and be-
came vice-president of the board. His own losses were large and diffi-
cult of adjustment, and occupied the attention of the commissioners for
some days. Excepting Sir William Pepperell,’’ Captain James de Lan-
cey appears to have been the most active member of the agency.” &
Five of the children of Capt. James de Lancey and Margaret, grew up,
viz: two sons and three daughters. Charles, the eldest son, was in the
British navy, and died a bachelor. James, late Lt. Col. rst Dragoon
Guards, is living, also a bachelor. Two of the daughters, Anne and
Susan, are single, and still living; While Margaret married the present
Sir Juckes Granville Clifton, Bart., and died early, childless.”

The second son of Stephen de Lancey, the Huguenot, was Brigadier
General Oliver de Lancey. Sabine, in his sketches of American Loyalists,
states that, “‘at the period of the French war, Oliver de Lancey occupied
a commanding position,” and perhaps he did not overrate his personal
influence when he said, that if in the expedition against Crown Point,
he ‘‘should accept the command of the New York regiment, he could,
in ten cays, raise the whole quota of troops allotted to that colony.”

his standing he maintained after his brother’s death, and until the
Revolution. ‘He opposed the dismemberment of the empire, and put
his life and property at stake to prevent it. In 1776, he was appointed
a brigadier-general in the royal service. Skinner, of New Jersey, Brown,
a former Governor of Bahamas, Arnold, the apostate, and Cunningham,
of South Carolina, were of the same grade; but their commissions were

a@ Ibid. 299.
b Sabine’s Sketches of American Loyalists,

428 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of a later date. Gen. de Lancey was, therefore, the senior loyalist offi-
cer in commission during the contest. His command consisted of three
battallions, known as “ De Lancey’s Battalions,”

“Previous to the Revolution, Gen. de Lancey was a member of the
Council, and was-considered to be in office in 1782, though a constitu-
tion was formed in New York in 1777, and a government organized under
it. By this government he was attainted of treason, and his large prop-
erty confiscated.” ‘At the evacuation in 1783, he went to England,
and died at Beverly, Yorkshire, in 1785, aged sixty-eight. His body is
interred in the choir of the Minster, while a monument standing near
the transept records his services.” “His son, Oliver de Lancey, Jr.,
was educated in Europe; put early in the 17th Light Dragoons; was a
captain at the commencement of the Revolution ; became Major in
1778, a Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1st, 1781, and succeeded André as
Adjutant-General of the British army in America. On his return to
Europe, he was made Deputy Adjutant-General of England; as a
Major-General, he got the Colonelcy of the 17th Light Dragoons; was
subsequently made Barrack Master General of the Sritish empire ; rose
through the grade of Lieutenant-General to that of General, and died
some six or eight and twenty years since, nearly at the head of the Eng-
lish Army list. This branch of the family is now extinct in the male
line; its last man having been killed at Waterloo, in the person cf Sir
William Heathcote de Lancey, the Quarter-master-General of Welling-
ton’s army.”

Peter de Lancey, youngest son of the Huguenot, to whom his father
devised the mills, was a man of wealth and of considerable influence in
the colony. His wife was Alice, daughter of Cadwallader Colden, lieu-
tenant governor of the Province of New York, in 1761. His children
were John, father of Mrs. Yates, Relict of Governor Yates, and Lt. Col.
James de Lancey, a distinguished military officer. ‘‘ James*was for a

a The command of the Loyalist Rangers afforded Colonel de Lancey facilities for commnu-
nicating with his old associates in this section of the country, and was the means of inducing
some of the landed gentry to take an active part in the contest. This was particularly the
case with Samuel Kip, Esq., of a family, which, from the first settlement by the Dutch, had
possessed a grant of land at Kip’s Bay, andin other parts of New York island. Members of
this family were named as officers under the Crown in the royal charter, granted when the
British first took possession of the colony in 1664, and in that given thirty years later. Hav-
ing been always associated with the government, and from their landed interest, wielding an
influence in its affairs, they were naturally predisposed to espouse the royal cause. In addi-
tion to thix, Mr. Kip’s estate was near that of Col. de Lancey, and a close intimacy had always
existed between them. He was, therefore, easily induced to accept a captains commission
from the royal government, and embark all his interests in this contest. He raised a com-
pany of cavalry, principaliy from his own tenants, joined the British army with the colonel,
and from his intimate knowledge of the country, was enabled to gain the reputation of an
active and daring partisan officer. For this reason he was for a time assigned to the com-
mand of the Loyalist Rangers. In one of the severe skirmishes which took place in West-
chester county in 1781, Capt. Kip, while charging a body of American troops, had his horse
killed under him, and received a severe bayonet wound. He survived, however, several
years after the war—though, like his friend de Lancey, a heavy pecuniary sufferer from the
cause he had espoused.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 429

considerable time sheriff of Westchester county. He took a battalion
in the brigade of his uncle Oliver de Lancey, called the Loyalist Ran-
gers, or “ De Lancey's Horse.” In consequence of -his familiarity with
the county, Lt. Col. James de Lancey was stationed most of his time in
Weschester, to keep open the means of procuring supplies. His corps
made free with the cattle of that part of the country, and got the soud-
riguet of “Cow Boys,” in revenge for their knowledge in the article of
beef. The colonel finally fixed his residence in Nova Scotia, and in
1797, Was sworn in as a member of the council of that colony. He
died at Annapolis, N. S., about the year 1809. Martha Tippett, his
widow, also died there in 1827, aged 73, and where his sons are still
living. Oliver de Lancey, third son of Peter and Alice, threw up his

: Se = one jax]
De Lancey Mills, Westchester, the head-quarters of Lt. Col. James de Lancey.
From the original picture in the possession of Dr. Bayard of West Farms.

commission in the British service at the commencement of the Revolu-
tionary war. His children are resident in the town. Peter, the fourth
son, and Lt. Col. Warren de Lancey, besides four daughters.

By an indenture bearing date the zgth of July, 1774, the trustees of
Westchester, for divers considerations, sold to James and Oliver de
Lancey, and their heirs and assignees, the ground under the water of
Broncks’s river, and all such lands as has been granted or appointed by
the town, for the use of the mills, etc.? The present proprietor, Philip
M. Lydig, Esq., holds by conveyance from under Oliver de Lancey,
Esq. The dwelling-house which once served as the head-quarters of
Washington, was destroyed by fire a few years since.

a For many of the above particulars we are indebted to Mr. Cooper’s correspondence in
the Home Journal in 1848,
6 Rec. of Trustees, pp. 88, 89.

430 HISTORY .OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The grounds, which display all the elegance of modern gardening,
rise In a succession of terraces from the water’s edge. Near the old
mansion stands a majestic pine tree—a noble relic of the past.

The following appropriate lines were written by a gentlemen, after a
visit paid to this beautiful spot, the former residence of the de Lancey
family :—

DE LANCEY’S ANCIENT PINE.

Where gentle Bronx clear winding flows,
The shadowy banks between,

Where blossomed bell or wilding rose
Adorns the brightest green ;

Memorial of the fallen great,

The rich and honoured line,

Stands high in solitary state,

De Lancey’s ancient pine.

There once at early dawn arrayed
The rural sport to lead,

The gallant master of the glade,
Bedecked his eager steed.

And once the lightfoot maiden came
In loveliness divine,

To sculpture with the dearest name,
De Lancey’s ancient pine,

But now the stranger’s foot explore
De Lancey’s wide domain,

And scarce one kindred heart restores,
His memory to the plain ;

And just like one in age alone,

The last of all his line,

Bends sadly where the waters moan,
De Lancey’s ancient pine.

Oh, victim of misguided zeal

To tell thy former fame!

Who bids the fretted stone reveal
The numbers of thy name?

Ere brightening up the eastern sky,
Another morn shall shine,

In equalizing dust may lie

De Lancey’s ancient pine.

Wo ho! the satiate traveler stays
Where eve’s calm glories shine,
To weep as tells of other days,
De Lancy’s ancient pine.

THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 43!

At a short distance from Lydig’s mills, on the property of Mr. Leonard
Mapes, may be seen the ruins of an old chateau, since the residence of
Lewis H. Guerlain. The following inscription upon a marble monu-
ment hard by, so touchingly records the history of its former inmates,
that any further account wouid be needless.

A.D. 1798,
Sacred to the memory of virtue, merit and beauty; to

SARAH GUERLAIN,

the beloved consort of
Lewis H. G@urRrLain.

Alas! ’tis in vain! the spirit has fled!

Sarah has sunk in the tomb,

The beauty of nature lies mix’d with the dead

Gods! how severe is the doom:

As a delicate lily that blows in the vale,

That springs to perfection and dies,

So she bloomed, and then sickened; but, shall we bewail !
The grave of the pure is the path to the skies.

- ETERNITY HOW LONG!

In 1798, 7th March, Sarah died in the West Indies, in the twentieth
year of her age—in the passage from St. Croix to St. Christopher’s—
and was brought back by her disconsolate husband to his peaceful man-
sion, the place of their union, the 4th of October, 1795.

Immediately north of the village of West Farms lies ‘‘ Bronx Dale,”’
the wooded sides of which present a most romantic appearance. In this
neighborhood is a small scattered hamlet containing two public houses,
two stores and about twenty dwellings ; also the extensive bleach factory
of the late Mr. James Bolton. Mr. Bolton, was a native of Great Bolton
in Lancashire, where he was born on the 8th May, 1780; he was the
youngest son of John Bolton? and grandson of James Bolton by his wife
Mary ————,, and came to this country in 1818, where by dint of hard
labor and industry he accumulated a considerable fortune.

On the Bronx are also situated the snuff mills of the late Peter Loril-
lard, Esq. The beautiful seat of the Lorillard’s is rendered particularly
attractive from the contiguity of overhanging woods and its close vicin-
age to the water. The late Peter Lorillard was a native of New York,
where he was born in 1799, and was one of its oldest merchants. His

@ The other children of John Bolton were Edmund, born Aug. 21, 1761; Robert, born Dec.

21, 1766; Elizabeth, born Dec. 4, 1772, and Johu Bolton, born duly 4, 1776. The family were
all baptized in the old parish church at Bolton.

432 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

father, Peter Lorillard, Senr., who died some years ago, was the oldest
son of Pierre Lorillard, a native of France in 1763, by his wife, Hannah
Moore. Peter, Senr., with his brothers, was one of the many men whose
energy and hard labor resulted not only in gaining them wealth, but in
promoting the prosperity which the metropolis of the United States now
enjoys. Descended from an ancient Huguenot family, the three broth-
ers—Jacob, Peter and George—commenced life in humble circum-
stances ; but by dint of hard labor, amassed a competency which their
heirs have greatly added to. The wife of Peter, Senr., was the daughter
of Nathaniel Griswold, long since dead, but during his lifetime one of
the most prominent merchants of New York. Peter Lorillard, Jr., soon
after leaving college connected himself with his father and uncle—Peter
and George—in the tobacco business. Possessed of uncommon business
capacity, he soon materially aided his firm in its progress to prosperity ;
and upon the death of his uncle George, who was a bachelor, he found
himself left the heir to a fortune valued at some $200,000. Upon the
death of his father, Mr. Lorillard succeeded to the business, which pros-
pered so well that it brought to its proprietor millions of dollars, and
made it what it now is, one of the largest tobacco houses in New York
city. Mr. Lonillard died at Saratoga, October 6th, 1867, aged seventy-
two.

The low ground east of the “ Bronx Dale” is called “ Bear Swamp,”
after the savage animal that about two centuries ago inhabited this wide
domain of forest and morass.

The general surface of Westchester is rolling, and in some places
hilly soil, clay loam, mostly susceptible of high cultivation. The lands
produce all kinds of grain, but they are best adapted to grass and pas-
turage. Almost every variety of fruit trees flourish here. The principal
growth of wood is oak of all sorts, chestnut and hickory, &c. It is freely
watered, in every part, by springs and rivulets.

2 ee Tow N

CF

Wit 22 eA ERIM SS:

MANOR OF WEST FARMS.

This township, which is now annexed to New York County, was
formerly a portion of the ancient borough town of Westchester. It is
bounded on the north by Yonkers, east by the Bronx, south by the
East River, and west by the Harlem River. Kings Bridge, across Harlem
River, is just within the line at the north-west corner of this town. It
derives its name from its situation being west of the New England set-
tlements. In 1663 it was claimed by Shonearockite and other Indians,
as appears from the following conveyance to Edward Jessup and John
Richardson of Westchester :

INDIAN DEED OF WEST FARMS.
West Cuester, Marcu THE 121TH, 1663.

This may certify whom it may concerne that we Shonearockite, Wapomoe Tuc-
korre Whawhapehucke, Capahase, Quanusco, Shaquiske, Fassachahenue,. Harra-
wooke, have aliened and sold unto Edward Jessup and John Richardson, both
of the place above said, a certain Tract of land bounded on the east by the River
Aquehung or Bronxkx to the midst of the River, on the northward by the Trees
marked, &c., by a piece of a hassock meadow, westward by a little brooke called
Sackwrahung, southward by the sea with a neck of land called Quinnahung,
with all the meadows, &c., uplands, Trees, &c., whatever else besides bee upon
ye said parcell of lands with all other commodities belonging to the same quietly
to possesse and enjoy tke same from us our heires or successors, to them their
heircs and successors for ever, and for their cattle to range in the woods so farre

as they please without any Molestation or Infringement, &c., and that this is our
433

434 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

true Intent and Meaning wee have sett to our hands the day and Yeare above

written. 1. SHonEAROCKITE, his marke, 2. Wapome, his marke,
5. TuckorrgE, his marke, 3. WHAWHAPEHUOKE, his marke,
4. CAPAHASE, his marke, 8. Quanusco, his marke,
7. SHAQUISKE, his marke, 6. PassACHAHENNE, his marke,

9, Harrawoorr, his marke.
Signed in presence of
Epwarp WALTERS,
Ricnarp Ponton,
NatHan Batiey.

March 12th, 1664, I Shawnarockett in the name and behalf of the rest doe ac-
knowledge to have received of Edward Jessup and Mr. Richardson full satisfac-
tion for the tract of land in this bill specified.

Witness, SHAWNAROCKETT, his mark.
Epwarp WALTERS,
RicHarpD PonTOoN,
NatHanl Barrey,@

Entered at Hampstead at ye v. 1e of the general
meeting there the 9th day of March, 1664.

Another deed from the above mentioned Indians to Edward Jessup
and John Richardson bears date March 12th, 1664, which was recorded
for Mr. Richardson, April 5th, 1667.?

The Indian purchases were patented in 1666, to Edward Jessup and
John Richardson of Westchester :

THE ROYAL PATENT OF WEST FARMS.

“Richard Nicolls, Esq., governor general under his royal highness, James
Duke of York and Albany, &c,, &c., of all his territoryes in America, to all to °
whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting : whereas, there is a certain
tract or parcel of land within this government, situate, lying and being neare un-
+o and within the limits of the towne of Westchester. Upon ye maine being
bounded to the east by the river commonly called by the Indians Aguehung,
otherwise Broncke river, extending to the midst of said river to the north, by the
qmark’t trees ard by a piece of hassock meadow, westwardly a little brook called
by the natives Sackwrahung, and southward by the Sound or East River, includ-
ing within a certain neck of land called Quinnahung, which said parcel or tract
and neck of land with the appurtenances, together with commonage and liberty
for range of horses and cattle, as free as they please into the woods, hath hereto-
fore been jointly purchased of the Indyan proprietors by Edward Jessup and
Jon Richardson of Westchester aforesaid, and due satisfaction hath ye then
been given for the same, as by the deed remaining upon record, more at large

a Albany Deed Book, vol. ii., 79-80.
b Albany Deed Book. vol. iii, 5S-59,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 435

doth and may appear, now it being mutually agreed upon ye both the afore-
said purchasers, that an equal division shall be made of the said parcel or tract
of land and appurtenences between them the said Edward Jessup and John
Richardson, their heirs and assigns, and to the end that the said lands may be
better manured and planted for a further confirmation unto each and either of
them, in their possession and enjoyment of the premises. Know ye, that by
virtue of the commission and authority unto me given by his royal highness, I
have ratified, confirmed and and granted, and by these presents do ratify, confirm
and grant, unto John Richardson aforesaid, his heirs and assigns, the moiety or
one-half of the aforesaid parcel or tract of land and premises, together with the
moiety or one-half of all the woods, meadows, pastures, waters, commonage,
marshes, rivers or lakes thereunto belonging, within their and every of them,
appurtenances and every part and parcel thereof, to have and to hold their said
moiety, or one-haif of the paid parcel or tract of land, commonage and premises,
with all and singular the appurtenances to the said John Richardson, his heirs
and assigns, unto the proper use and behoof of the said John Richardson, his
heirs and assigns forever, he or they rendering and paying such duties and ac-
knowledgements as now are or hereafter shall be constituted and established by
the laws of the government, under the obedience of his royal highness, his heirs
and successors. Given under my hand and seal at Fort James in New York, on
the island of Manhattoes, 25th day of April, in the eighteenth year of his majes-

ties reign, A.D. 1666.
RICHARD NICOLLS.

Edward Jessup one of the above patentees, like most of the original
settlers of Westchester, emigrated from Fairfield, Connecticut. In 1653,
occurs the name of Edward Jessope, owner of lands on Sascoe neck in
that town. By his wife Elizabeth Bridges, he seft issue a son, Edward,
and two daughters. Elizabeth married Thomas Hunt, of the Grove
farm, Westchester, from whom the Hunts of Hunt’s Point descend, Ed-
ward Jessup died in 1666; his will bears date the same year.

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF EDWARD JESSUP.

‘* Being sicke and weake in body, yet in perfect memory, I bequeath my soule
to ye Almighty God that gave it, and my body after my death to be decently
buried, my funeral to be discharged and my debts to be paid. I will and be-
queath to my daughter, Elizabeth Hunt, twenty shillings, besides which, I have
already given her to be paid in a year and a day after my decease. I wi!l and
bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Jessup, the sum of five and thirty pounds
with that she hath already, to be payed unto her at 18 years of age.

I will and bequeath unto my sonne, Edward Jessup, two mares with two colts
by their sides; one is a gray mare, and the other is a mare marked on both ears
with two half pence on each ear, to bee set out for him for his use a year and a
day after my decease.

I will and bequeath unto my grand-child, Mary Hunt, twenty shillings, to bee
paydin a year and a day after my decease. I will and bequeath unto my cousin

436 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ra

Johannah Burroughs, twenty shillings, to bee payd in a year and a day after my
decease.

Furthermore, I institute and appoint my well-beloved wife, Elizabeth Jessup,
to bee whole and sole executrix , and I do will and bequeath unto her, all my
lands and houses, and goods and cattle, moveable and immoveable, of this my last
will and testament, and to receive all debts, dues and demands whatsoever, to be
at her disposing, and she to pay all debts, dues and legacies whatsoever, and she
to bring up my two children in the feare of God. This I do owne to be my last
will and testament.

Further, [ do appoint my well beloved friends, Mr. Richard Cornhill, Justice
of the Peace, Mrs. Sarah Bridges, my well beloved brother-in-law, John Bur-
roughs, and Ralph Hunt, overseers of this my last will and teastament, likewise to
be assistants to my executrix in all cases and difficulties ; and this I do owne as
my owne act and deed, to all true intents and meanings, and due furthermore
ratify and confirm it as my owne act and deed by ye setting to my hand and
seal, the day and year underwitten. EDWARD JESSUP.

August the 16th, 1666.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence
of us, witnesses,

WILLIAM GoULDSTONE,
Joun RicHARDsoN,
Mark of % Ricnarp Horron.”@

Upon the 2oth of June, 1668, Robert Beacham and Elizabeth, the
wife formerly of Edward Jessup, of Westchester, in the North Riding
of Yorkshire, on Long Island, did fully and absolutely sell and “make
over unto Thomas Hunt, of Westchester, aforesaid, all those hoeing
Zands and accomodations that were formerly Edward Jessup’s, within
the bounds and limits of the aforesaid Westchester, that the said Ed-
ward Jessup and John Richardson purchased together, and procured
patents for from the Hon. Col. Richard Nicolls,” &c.

John Richardson, the surviving patentee, appears to have united
with Thomas Hunt, the foliowing year, in making an equal division of
these lands; for, on the 12th of August, 1669, occurs the following re-
port of the commissioners :—

‘‘We whose names are underwritten being made choice of by John Richard-
son and Thomas Hunt, bothe inhabiting in Westchester, in the North Riding of
Yorkshire, to make an equal division of a grant of land formerly purchased of
the Indian proprietors by Edward Jessup and John Richardson, being butted
and bounded by patent I say all those uplands and meadows within that
purchase, save some upland and meadows, which was formerly divided by the
forementioned persons, Edward Jessup and John Richardson, have been com-
mitted unto us, William Hayden, Samuel Drake, Thomas Lawrence and Jona-
than Hazard, to make an equal division, &c., &c. As first we find it neeessary

a Surrogates office, N. Y., wills administrations, No. 1, 1665 to 1683, p. 31.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 437

that John Richardson, having twenty acres of upland and meadow, more or less,
lying on the southermost poynt of the corne field neck, which tract of land is a
district of itself by a divisional line running west and by north-east and by
south, and all the rest of the upland, both in that neck and a little neck adjoin-
ing to it, is Thomas Hunt’s, with highways laid out, and into the above said
neck north to upland and meadows, with marks renewed between the mead-
ows and the upland, beginning at a white oak, which is the divisional line
between Thomas Hunt and John Richardson, which line runneth from the
white oak to the water east and by north, and all the meadow lying along be-
tween the water and the marked trees is John Richardson’s, until you meet an-
other divisional line that bears west aud by north and east and by south, which
line runs at the old highway, and all the rest of the meadows within the
neck to be Thomas Hunt’s, for and in consideration John Richardson hath all
the Long Neck lying upon the south end of the dwelling houses of John Richard-
son and Thomas Hunt, all the above said neck within fence, and further we
have laid out unto Thomas Hunt a tract of upland lying near his house contain-.
ing sixteen acres and forty-five rods, stretching from the creek north north-west
and south south-west to a great burnt stump, from thence west south-west to a
creek, and from the creek south south-east,” &c., &c.

The three daughters and co-heiresses of John Richardson were: Bertha,
wife of Joseph Ketcham, of Newtown, Long Island; Mary, wife of
Joseph Hadley, of Yonkers; and Elizabeth, wife of Gabriel Leggett,
from whom descend the Leggetts of West Farms. His last will bears
date 16th November, 1679; in it he bequeaths—

‘*To his beloved wife, Martha, all his housing and orchard, and all move-
bles without and within, and all live stock, also all his land and meadow on the
planting neck, and all the Long Neck that runs southward from Thomas Hunt’s
new dwelling house to the Sound, and this during her life to act and dispose as
she shall see cause.”

“To his son-in-law, Joseph Hadley, a pasture of three acres already laid out,
&c.,at or about the first spring, and all the meadow that is already divided,
that is on this side the river above ye planting neck.” ‘‘To his three daughters,
two hundred acres of land each; ” ‘‘ and to his brother’s son, in England, Joseph
Richardson, one hundred acres, if he come within the space-of one whole year
to receive it; and if he come not within the time prefixed, it shall remain in
Martha my wife’s hands.” ‘‘In conclusion, he constitutes and appoints his well-
beloved friends, William Richardson and Richard Ponton, both of Westchester,
and Jonathan Hayward, of Newtown, Long Island, overseers of his last will and
testament, and that it is his whole will and testament after his decease, he wit-
nesses it under his own hand the 16th day of November, 1679-1680.”

Signed, JoHN RioHarpson.’’4

Upon the 12th of January, 1686, Governor Thomas Dongan granted
a patent to Thomas Hunt, Sen., for all his land bounded on the east by

a Surrogate’s office, N. Y., Wills and Admr., 1665 to 1683. Vol. i., p. 431.

438 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the river Aquehung, or Bronx, extending to the midst of the said river,
on the north by certain marked trees and a piece of hammock, and on
the west by a certain brook called Sackrahung, for the value of one
bushel of good winter wheat.”

The following receipt appears to have been given for quit-rent due
on the above patent :—

“* Received of Thomas Hunt, Sen., twenty-five bushels and one-half wheat, in
full for his quit-rent for his land in the county of Westchester, upon Bronck’s
river, to the 25th of March last past. Witness my hand, in New York, this 9th
day of April, A.D. 1717. Riowarp NIcort1s,

Deputy Receiver.”

On the 17th of October, 1687, Joseph Hadley, of the Yonkers’
Patent, conveys to Thomas Williams, of the West Farms, eight acres
formerly given him by John Richardson. In 1711, the heirs of the pat-
entees united in a second division of the WestFarms :—

‘* Whereas Thomas Hunt, sen., of ye West Farms in ye borough town and
county of Westchester in ye colony of New York, yeoman, and Elizabeth Leg-
gett of ye same place, widow, did on the 9th day of May last past, by an instru-
ment under their hands and seals, formally agree and conclude that the West
Farms \ots containing twelve in number, should be surveyed and laid out by
myself or some other person, and that according to a former survey made by me
William Taylor, on or before the last day of June instant, with a further cove-
nant, promise, and agreement, each to the other, for themselves, or each of
their heirs, executors and administrators, as far as they or any of them are
concerned in the said lots, that the survey made by M. W. E., or some other
person, in manner as above, and the lines or bounds so run and settled should
remain, continue, and not be removed for ever hereafter upon the penalty of five
hundred pounds current money of said colony, to be paid by the party or persons
breaking the said conclusion or agreement and covenant to the party or persons
fulfilling and performing the same, &c., &c., as by the said instrument, relation
being thereunto had, will fully and at large appear. Therefore upon this request
and desire of the said Thomas Hunt, Elizabeth Leggett and others, the owners
and proprietors of said land, I have surveyed the said twelve lots of land as
followeth. That is to say, begin at a chestnut tree standing on the river side
above Byvanck’s mill, running thence north forty-three degrees, west two hun-
dred and eighty-three, to a marked white wood, thence south thirty degrees,
west about forty-five, eight rods to the north side and westernmost corner of the
sixth lot, and then upon several courses until it meets with the north-west
corner of the twelfth lot, then east twenty-one degrees and a half rod to ye
meadow, and from thence along the meadow and river to the place first begun as
appears in the scheme hereunto annexed, the whole tract containing 1096 acres,
&c., &c. It is firmly agreed and concluded upon by the said Thomas Hunt,

a Col. Rec. Vol. il. From the original in the possession of the late Mr. Daniel Winship,
Hunt's Point,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 439

Elizabeth Leggett and others concerned in the matter, that what every or any
lot wants or falls short of one hundred acres as above shall be allowed and made
up to them or theirs out of the land not contained within this survey. Compre-
hended with a certain patent granted by Governor Richard Nicolls to Edward
Jessup and John Richardson in the year of our Lord Christ 1666, except thirty
acres which he, said Thomas Hunt, formerly sold to John Feryedon and Robert
Manning; and also thirty acres belonging to the said Elizabeth Leggett, being in
lieu of the aforesaid thirty acres on which Thomas Davenport now dwells, in
witness whereof,” etc., etc.

In presence of JosepH Hunt, Tuomas Hunt,
Justice. ELizaABEeTH LEGGET,
JoHN LAWRENCE,
Matruyew PuGsiey.

‘«This survey was made and completed on the
26th day of June, 1711, by me,
Peter BERRIEN.”

On the 30th of September, 1723, William Davenport of Perth Amboy,
in East New Jersey, and Bridget, his wife, did convey all their right,
title and interest in the patent of West Farms unto William Leggett,
viz: “ All and singular ye flats, coves, bays, fishing places, etc.; also, all
their right, title, and property of fishing, hunting and fowling in this ye
same patent,” etc.

In the south-west corner of the patent of West Farms, was situated
a small tract of land, called the “debatable ground.” This territory ap-
pears to have been in dispute between the heirs of the patentees of
West Farms, and Lewis Morris, proprietor of the manor of Morrisiana,
from 1666 to 1740. At an early period, Lewis Morris laid claim to
most of the undivided lands of the West Farms’ patent, as belonging to
him.”

Upon the 4th of February, 1712, “Elizabeth Leggett, widow of
Gabriel Leggett and daughter of John Richardson, released her title
and interest of all the common and undivided lands, that Mr. Lewis
Morris makes any claim to within our patent of West Farms.” In
1737, ‘‘ William Leggett, assignee to the heirs of John Richardson, of
one-half moiety of the West Farms, and Abraham Lent, of the heirs of
Edward Jessup, jointly agreed to prosecute Lewis Morris, who is now
in possession of almost all the wadivided lands.”

A compleie settlement of the undivided lands was not made till 1740.
In 1830, the debatable lands were purchased by the late William H.
Leggett, Esq.

a The same rights had previously been conveyed by Thos. Davenport, father of theabove
grantor, to Abraham Leggett,

440 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The fwelve dots into which the West Farms was originally divided,
have been long since distributed among numerous proprietors.

The village of West Farms is pleasantly situated at the head of the
‘navigable waters of the Bronx, three miles from the East river, and
twelve from New York. This place, from its close vicinity to the city,
and its valuable water privileges, is rapidly increasing in importance.
It contains an Episcopal, a Dutch Reformed, a Presbyterian, and a
Methodist church ; several taverns, stores of different kinds, and a post
office ; also, several extensive manufactories.

Near the centre of the village is situated the Lpiscopal church; a
beautiful Gothic structure, of wood. The bell-tower is attached to the
north-eastern corner. Over the principal entrance, is a neat porch,
The corner-stone of this edifice was laid on Tuesday, November roth,
1846, by the Rev. Hugh Smith, D.D., rector of St. Peter’s church,
New York; on which occasion, an address was delivered by the Rev.
J. T. Cushing, minister in charge of the parish. Besides the officiating
clergy, there were present, the Rev. William Powell, rector of St.
Peter’s church, Westchester, and the Rev. Robert Bolton, rector of
Christ’s church, Pelham.

On the 28th of June, 1847, it was consecrated and set apart to the
worship and service of Almighty God, under the title of Grace church,
by the Right Reverend William Heathcote de Lancey, Bishop of the
Diocese of Western New York. The consecration sermon being
preached by the Rev. Kingston Goddard, of Staten Island.

Grace church, West Farms, was incorporated upon the 13th of
December, 1844. William A. Spencer and Philip M. Lydig, church-
wardens; Peter Lorillard, Richard Crowther, Dr. William Bayard,
Charles S. Valentine, Benjamin Lea, Jacob M. Van Winkle and Wil-
liam B. Hoffman, vestrymen.@

On June 3d, 1847, the Rev. Washington Rodman was unanimously
called to be rector of the parish. The credit of first attempting the
establishment of an Episcopal church in this village, is due, under God,
to Miss Margaret Hunt,? a lady whose intelligent zeal, kindly sympathy
and untiring benevolence, deserve especial mention. The work was
undertaken by this lady; and, although the number of Episcopalians
in the immediate neighborhood was then comparatively small, still a
considerable interest was awakened by her endeavors. The amount of
$2,061.00 was collected, to which the sum of $1,000.00 was added by
the munificent donation of Mrs. C. L. Spencer.

a Co. Rec. Religious Soc., Lib. B., p. 9
6 Daughter of ‘Thomas Hunt, fourth i descent from Edward Jessup, one of the first pat-
entees of the West Farms,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 44I

A beil weighing 535 pounds has been purchased by subscriptions
received principally from the members of the church.

The Presbyterian church stands upon the highest ground in the village.
It was incorporated, in 1814, by the name of the “ First Presbyterian
Church in the village of West Farms ;” Robert Givan, Caleb Pell, Ebe-
nezer Waterbury, James Bathgate, James Renwick and John B. Gilles-
pie, first trustees.* Prior to the year 1836, it belonged to the Bedford
Presbytery, but is now in connection with the second New Yerk Presby-
tery. The present church edifice was erected in 1815.

LIST OF PASTORS AND SUPPLIES.°

INsTALL or CALL. SUPPLY.
1815, Rev. Isaao Lewis, “fe
1819, Rey. TRUMAN OsBORNE, ‘s
1821, Rev. SamuEt Nort, “
1823, Rey. Joszpa B. Fett, CS
1823, _ Rev. Tuomas S. Wickes, s
1824, Rev. Irnamer Hixissvry, i
1824, Rey. E. D. WE LLs, ss
1825, Rey. Rey, J. D. WickHam, - us
1828, Rey. GreorGe STEBBINS, ts
1835, Rey. WItiiam Gray, uF
Jan. 22, 1836, Rey. M. I. Anam, pastor.
Feb. 1841, Rey. James B. Ramsey, if
1846, Rey. Cuarites Moass, ne
Oct. 28, 1847, Rey. Isaao Warts Pratt, died.
1858, Rey. Grorce Nrxon, resigned.
May 2, 1876, Rev. Carson W. Apams, D D. ae
Jan. 26, 1880, Rey. Witzarp Soorr, present pastor.

The Dutch Reformed church of this village was first organized in 1839,
under the pastoral charge of the late Rev. George Bourne, of New York,
and incorporated on the 16th of March, 1840.° First elders, Thomas
Butler, George Wilson, and Abijah Rogers; first deacons, James P.
Fitch, J. G. Rowland, and Stephen Kelly.

CALLED. List oF Mryisters.
1839, Rey. GrorGe Bourne, resigned 1842.
1842, Rey. Barnaras V. Cotirys, e 1845.
1845, Rey. Jonun Sronson, uy 1852.
1852, Rev. Pair Buresarprt, Be 1855.
1856, Rey. Poriemcs Van WYKE, - 1867.
1867, Rey. Evert Van Siyke, as 1871.
1871, Rey. Jonn Srwonsoyn, present minister.

a (o. Rec. Lib. A. 154.

b For some years this church was associated, in the support of a minister, with the Presby-
terian church of New Rochelle.

c Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. B. The first church edifice was erected in 1839.

442 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

An Episcopal Methodist Society was incorporated upon the 24th of
October, 1831 ; Andrew C. Wheeler, Joseph Smith, John F. Fay, Thomas
T. Phillips, and Thomas Bolton, trustees

In 1803 there appears to have been an academy existing here, the
trustees of which were the Hon. Governeur Morris, Dominick Lynch,
John Sloss Hobart, Abijah Hammond, James Morris, Daniel Ludlow,
Isaac Clason, Israel Underhill, Philip I. Livingston, Robert Gilchrist,
Joseph Given, Jonathan Randel, Andrew Barton, Israel Honeywell,
Samuel Kelly, Robert Heaton, and William H. Mornis.

During the Revolutionary war, West Farms was constantly exposed to
the daily forays of both armies, as they alternately held possession of the
adjoining country. ‘On the 25th of January, 1777, (observes General
Heath,) early on the morning, the enemy made a sally towards De
Lancey's Mills,» where they surprised and routed the guard, wounding
several, but not killing or taking any of them; and a regiment near that
place quitted their quarters.Ӣ

The Jhititary Blockhouse, which occupied the site of Mr. Mapes’s
Temperance House, was destroyed by Colonel Burr, in the winter of
1779. The event is thus related by Samuel Young, in a letter to Com-
modore Valentine Morris :—

‘*Soon after Tryon’s retreat, Colonel Delancey, who commanded the British
refugees, in order to secure themselves against surprise, erected a block house on
a rising ground below De Lancey’s Bridge. This, Colonel Burr resolved to de-
stroy. I was in that expedition, and recollect the circumstances.

‘*He procured a number of hand-grenades ; also, rolls of port fire, and canteens
filled with inflammable materials, with contrivances to attach them to the side of
the blockhouse. He set out with his troops early in the evening, and arrived
within a mile of the blockhouse by two o’clock in the morning. The Colonel
gave Captain Black the command of about forty volunteers, who were first to
approach; twenty of them were to carry the port fires, &c. Those who had
hand-grenades, had short ladders to enable them to reach the port holes, the ex-
act height of which Colonel Burr had ascertained. Colonel Burr gave Captain
Black his instructions in the hearing of his company, assuring him of his pro-
tection if they were attacked by superior numbers; for it was expected that the
enemy, who had several thousand men at and near Kings Bridge, would endeavor
to cut us off, as we were several miles below them. Burr directed those who
carried the combustables to march in front as silently as possible; that on being
hailed, they should light the hand-grenades, &c., with a slow match provided for
the purpose, and throw them into the port holes. I was one of the party that
advanced, The sentinel hailed and fired. Werushed on. The first hand-gren-

a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. B. p. 6. An incorporation of the Methodist Episcopal church
occurs in 1836, and again in 1843.—See Lib. B. 48, 76.

6 Now known as Lydig’s Mills.
e Heaths’ Mem. p. 111,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 443
ade that was thrown in drove the enemy from the upper story; and before they
could take any measure to defend it, the blockhouse was on fire in several places.
Some few escaped, and the rest surrendered without our having lost a single
man. Though many shots were fired at us, we did not fire a gun.”’4

Although the inhabitants appear to have suffered much during the
Revolution, they generally continued firmly attached to the interests of
their country. In 1775-occurs the following petition to the Hon. Pro-
vincial Congress, from the subscribers, inhabitants of the Manor of Ford-
ham and |West Farms, in the county of Westchester, which

‘““ Humbly Showeth that we were summoned to appear at Westchester in order
to choose officers, according to the resolution of the Congress, it having been
represented, as we understand, that there was not a competent number of men
in our district to form a company, we therefore beg leave to inform you that the
Manor of Fordham and the West Farms, have, in the militia, always been con-
sidered asa district by themselves ; and that within their limits there are upwards
of seventy men fit to bear arms, and that an attendance at Westchester upon the
meeting of the company will be attended with great inconvenience to many of the
inhabitants, and therefore injurious to the service intended to be advanced ; from
which considerations your petitioners humbly pray the Honorable Congress will
be pleased to order that the Manor of Fordham and the West Farms have a com-
pany with themselves, and that they elect their own officers under such inspec-
tion as the Honorable Congress, in their wisdom shall think best ; and your peti-
tioners shall ever pray.

Nicholas Berrien,
Isaac Valentine,

Levi Hunt,
Jeremiah Requa,

Hezekiah Ward,
Tunis Garrison,

Peter Valentine, Isaac Cant, James McKay,
John Stevens, Gilbert Taylor, Robert Campbell,
Benjamin Curser, Robert Gilmer, Eden Hunt,
Abraham Dyckman, Benjamin Archer, Jr., Isaac Hunt,

John Farmer,
Benjamin Valentine,
George Pilpet,

Isaac Valentine, Jr.,
Peter Bussing, Jr.,
Abraham Wilson,
Benjamin Curser, Jr.,
Hendrick Ryer,
John Lent,

John Ryer,

Isaac Curser, Jr.,
Tunis Le Joye,
Philip Hunt,

. Stephen Emboll,
Nathan’! Lawrence,
Peter Devoe,

James Swain,
Nazareth Brewer,
Edward Harris,
John Collard,
Cornelius Jacobs,

Daniel Devoe, Jr.,
John Embrie, Sen.
Jacob Lent,
Abraham Lent,
Dennis Hyer,
Jacob Valentine,
Abraham Garrison,
James G. Groot,
Thomas Hunt,
Abraham Leggett,
William Leggett,
John Leggett, Jr.,
Robert Hunt, Jr.,
Cornelius Leggett,
Mr. Woods,

John Hedger,
Thomas Hedger,
Stephen Edwards,
James Rock,
George Higby,
Jacob Hunt,

James Archer,
Samuel Embrie, Jr.,
John Embrie, Jr.,
Thomas Cromwell,
G. Cromwell,
Obediah Hide,
John Curser,
Simon Williams,
John Ryer, Jr.,
Jacob Chappel,
John Garrison,
John Jacobs,
Thomas Dogherty,
John Clark,

John de Noo,
John Blizard,
John Walbin,
John Warwick,
Thomas Gemble,
Peter Bussing,
Isaac Curser.

Congress was pleased to grant the prayer of this petition.
@ Davis's Mem. of Aaron Burr, vol. i, 164.

444 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The road passing the village landing south leads to the Great Plant-
ing neck, called by the Indians Quéxnahung, upon which are now many
beautiful country seats. At the south-east extremity of the neck is sit-
uated Hunt’s Point. ‘This property was formerly occupied by the Hunt
family, for nearly one hundred and sixty years, having passed into their
hands by the marriage of Thomas Hunt with Elizabeth Jessup, daugh-
ter of Edward Jessup, one of the first patentees. In 1688, Thomas
Hunt, of the Grove farm, granted to his son, Thomas Hunt, one hun-
dred acres, lying on the south side of Gabriel Leggett’s land, bounded
eastwardly and southerly by Bronck’s river. The old Grange erected in
1688, occupies a beautiful situation near the termination of the point,
overlooking the East river and Flushing bay.

This place was for many years the residence of Rodman Drake the
poet, and it was here that he wrote his well known lines on the Bronx,
on the neighboring banks of which he often wandered :—

I sat me down upon a green bank side,
Skirting the smooth edge of a gentle river,
Whose waters seemed unwillingly to glide,
Like parting friends, who linger while they sever ;
Enforced to go, yet seeming still unready,
Backward they wind their way in many a wistful eddy.

Gray o’er my head the yellow-vested willow
Ruffled its hoary top in the fresh breezes,
Glancing in light, like spray on a green billow,
Or the fine frost work which young winter freezes,
When first his power in infant pastime trying,
Congeals sad autumn’s tears on the dead branches lying.

From rocks around hung the loose ivy dangling,
And in the clefts sumach of liveliest green,
Bright rising-stars the little beach was spangling,
The goid-cap sorrel from his gauzy screen,
Shone like a fairy, enchased and beaded,
Left on some morn, when light flash’d in their eyes unheeded.

The hum-bird shook his sun-touched wings around,
The blue-finch carolled in the still retreat ;

The antic squirrel capered on the ground,
Where lichens made a carpet for his feet.

Through the transparent waves, the ruddy minkle

Shot up in glimmering sparks, his red fins tiny twinkle.

There were the dark cedars, with loose mossy tresses,
White-powder’d dog trees, and stiff hollies flaunting,
Gaudy as rustics in their May-day dresses,

MAP OF HUNT’S POINT.

il, 444.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 445

Blue pellorets from purple leaves upslanting
A modest gaze, like eyes of a young maiden
Shining beneath dropp’d lids the evening of her wedding.

The breeze fresh springing from the lips of morn,

Kissing the leaves, and sighing so to loose ’em,
The winding of the merry locust’s horn,

The glad spring gushing from the rock’s bare bosom ;
Sweet sighs, sweet sounds, all sights, all sounds exceluing
Oh! ’twas a ravishing spot, form’d for a poet’s dwelling.

And I did leave thy loveliness, to stand
Again in the dull world of earthly blindness ,
Pain’d with the pressure of unfriendly hands,
Sick of smooth looks, agued with icy kindness ;
Left I for this thy shades, where none intrude, ;
To prison wandering thought and mar sweet solitude.

Yet I will look upon thy face again
My own romantic Brona, and it will be :
A face more pleasant than the face of men.
Thy waves are old companions, I shall see
A well remembered form in each old tree,
And hear a voice long loved in thy wild ministrelsy.

The burial place of the Hunt family, is located near the entrance of
the point. The following inscriptions are copied from two of the monu-
ments in this yard :—

IN MEMORY OE
THOMAS HUNT,
who departed this life,
July 4th, 1808,
in the 80th year of his age.

He possessed the cardinal virtues in an eminent degree;
he was temperate, brave, patient and just :

The solid rock shall sink beneath
The iron hand of time,
But virtue dwells with

Immortality.
The other is
SacrED
to the memory
of
JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE, M.D.
who died September 21st, 1825,
aged 25 years.@

a The wife of R. W. Gilder, assistant editor of Scribner’s, is the grand-daughter of Joseph
R. Drake, author of the * Culprit ’ and the *‘ American Flag,” who died over fifty years ago,
at the age of twenty-five, with the reputation of one of the most gifted of American poets. He
had buc one child, the mother of Mrs, Gilder.

446 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Fitz Greene Halleck’s pathetic lines on the death of his companion,
will not be considered inappropriate here, especially as the last two of
the first stanza are engraved upon this tombstone :—

Greene be the turf above thee,
Friend of my better day !

None knew thee but to love thee,
Nor named thee but to praise.

Tears fell when thou wert dying,
From eyes unused to weep ;

And long, where thou art lying,
Will tears the cold turf sleep.

When hearts whose truth was proven,
Like thine, are laid in earth,

Then should a wreath be woven

To tell the world their worth.

And I, who wake each morrow
To clasp thy hand in mine,

Who shared thy joy and sorrow,
Whose weal and wo were thine.—

It should be mine to braid it
Around thy faded brow ;
But I’ve in vain essayed it,
And feel I cannot now.

While memory bids me weep thee,
Nor thoughts nor words are free,
The grief is fixed too deeply

That mourns a man like thee.

Upon Waddington Point, the south-west projection of the Planting
Leck, is situated Blythe place—formerly belonging to Francis Barretto,
Esq. The house is a handsome edifice of stone. The grounds are richly
wooded, and the views of the river extensive, and singularly beautiful.
Mr. Barretto for many years represented this county in Assembly. In
the immediate vicinity of Blythe place stood the residence? of the late
Thomas Leggett, whose ancestors had been resident proprietors of the
great Planting Neck, since the year 1690, if not before.

The Leggett family were formerly seated in Essex County, England,
and probably descend from Helmingius Legat, high sheriff of that
county, in 1404. As early as 1661, Gabriel Leggett emigrated to this
country; and in night of his wife Elizabeth Richardson, daughter and

a This house occupied the site of the old Leggett homestead,

To face page 446, Vol. il. PEDIGREE OF LEGETT, OF WEST FARMS.

Arms :—Az. on a bend ar. three human hearts gu. on a chief of the second, as many martlets sa. Crest.—A mermaid. ppr.
Gabriel Leggett, mar. 1676; will_ Elizabeth Richardson, da. of John Richardson,

dated 16th ‘April, 1697 | one of the first patentees of West Farms.
| | EE | |
2.Thomas—.. 1.John Leggett, proprietor_Chicely wirlim, nat. Sept. 1,_1,Sarah, Martha Mary Sarah Alice Elizabeth
nat. 1698 of the Planting Neck, 1691; will dated 2.Abigail,
nat. 1677. 1762; Mayor of the | July 3,

Borough of West- 1728, ob.
chester, A.D. 1734. | Ji une 2, 1813.

| | | | I | |
Gabriel David John — John, nat. William of. Abraham,—Geertje Sarah, nat._Charles Elizabdth, ondrity, Mary ele peas
Feb. 4, Mount nat. 1739,” hilds, Jan. 14, Fraser nat. Aug nat. 21st a duly, Law-
1732. Pleasant, ob. June | ob. Dec. 1720 17, 1725 = April, rence
Lrctogs 2, Tels 15, 1812 1724
5 . a
| | | | | | | | | | | Wiliam, nat. Aug. 4, 1749, ob. Apr. 29, 1828_. Rebecca Wood, nat. Jan, 18, 1761
| nat..Mary Gabriel James Isaac William John_ Cornelius_ Isaac_ Wil- ep UBeas ehacne | a |
1721 EKm- liam ham organ Sp @
bree, | 2.Catbarne & § TI | l
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THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 447

co-heiress of John Richardson, (one of the joint patentees,) became pos-
seessed of a large portion of the Neck. By his last will dated

“16th of April, 1676, Gabriel Leggett of the West Farms, bequeathed to his
wife Elizabeth, all his household goods, &c., &c. To his son John, all his house
and out-houses, orchard, land and the meadows in the Planting Neck, and the
meadow, &c., also that messuage and tenement which Thomas Williams dwells
upon, and was formerly my father-in-law’s, John Richardson, his now dwelling
house, and orchard and out houses with the land and meadow which I bought
of John Ferguson, Sen., and Robert Manning, together with fifty acres of wood
land, lying within the bounds of the patent of West Farms, &c. ‘I say to my
son Thomas,’ to his son William one hundred acres of woodland, and five acres
of meadow, lying behind the field, within the bounds of the patents of West
Farms together with all the undivided meadow, as also my house and house lot,
with an orchard thereon, lying in the town of Westchester. To his daughter
Martha, he bequeathed his little colored boy ; to his daughters Mary, Sarah, Alice
and Elizabeth, twenty pounds each.”4

John Leggett, the eldest son of the above testator, was the great
grand-father of the late Thomas Leggett. The following incidents are
related of Mr. Leggett, whose activity, energy and fearlessness of
character are well known.

While a youth, at the commencement of the revolutionary war, he was
living with his father on the farm adjoining Morrisania. All he pos-
sessed at this time was a very fine young mare, the gift of his parent.
Prior to Colonel De Lancey’s taking possession of his father’s house, a
party of British refugees took, with other property, his favorite animal,
whilst he, being unarmed, could only bluster and threaten. He refused,
however, to leave them, and actually accompanied the robbers two miles
on their route to head-quarters. As the party were passing the spot
which now makes the southern entrance to West Farms, two Continen-
tal soldiers rose up from behind a stone wall and fired. The man lead-
ing the mare was shot, and fell; the mare turned round and ran home-
wards, to the great delight of the owner, who immediately followed.
Soon after this event the family, driven from home, were compelled to
seek shelter elsewhere. Mr. Leggett and his two brothers went to Sara-
toga; here they cleared a small piece of land, erected a log house, and
prepared to spend the winter. But on the approach of Burgoyne, they
were taken prisoners by the Indian allies. His two brothers were car-
ried to Fort Edward by the Indians, whilst he himself was conveyed to
Burgoyne’s camp. Herehe fell in with a neighbor named Concklin,
who, after a fortnight’s detention, forged a pass for both. By this means

a Surrogate’s office, N. Y. Lib. ii. 24.

448 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the sentinels were deceived. Our heroes swam the north river, (it was
the early part of October,) and ran all that night. The next day they
concealed themselves in the woods, and the following night kept on
their way, avoiding all habitations of note. Not knowing the state of
parties in the country, they skulked from one place to another until they
reached Dutchess county,where Concklin was known. Here, they rested
themselves and obtained food. Soon after the treaty of peace, Mr. Leg-
gett removed to New York. He died October roth, 1843. His chil-
dren were Samuel, Joseph, Willam H. and Thomas, besides several
daughters.

Opposite the residence of the late Edward G. Faile, Esq., on this
neck, a rural lane led south-west to Morrisania. It was called La-
Fayette’s Lane, to commemorate the journey of that General, who
passed through it on his way to Boston.

On the west side of the Planting Neck lies the debatable territory
already alluded to.

In 1740 Lewis Morris and Isabella, his wife, conveyed to James
Graham, father of the latter, the following leasehold property :—

‘« All that certain tract of land being part of the manor of Morrisania, situate
lying and being in the county of Westchester, in the Province of New York
aforesaid, beginning at the mouth of a small brook or run of water commonly
called or known by the name of Wigwam Brook, but by some falsely called
Sackwrahung: it being the first brook to the westward of an isthmus or neck of
land known by the name Jeafferd’s Neck, and from the mouth of the said brook,
where it falls into the salt water, running as the said brook runs to the head
thereof, which being measured in a straight line north eight degrees thirty min-
utes more easterly, is forty and three chains running east, thirty-four degrees
northerly to Bound Brook; thence down the said Bound Brook, as it runs to
the mouth thereof, where it falls in a salt-water creek that runs by the house
of Gabriel Leggett; then along the said creek as it runs into the Sound to the
eastward of the said Jeajferd’s Neck; then along the Sound to the mouth of a
salt creek that runs up to Wigwam Brook; thence along up the said salt creek as
it runs to the mouth of Wigwam Brook, whence it first began, including the
said Jeafferd’s Neck, with the hammock, meadows and marshes thereunto adjoin-
ing and belonging, being bounded to the westward by the said Wigwam Brook
and the salt creek before mentioned that runs up to it to the northward, partly by
the lands of Morrisania and the salt creek that runs by the house of the said
Leggett to the eastward, partly by the said Bound Creek, and partly the salt
creek aforesaid that runs by the house of Leggett, and to the southward by the
Sound that divides Long Island, or the Island of Nassau, from Connecticut, etc. :
the grantee paying therefore yearly, on the 25th of March, siz ears of Indian
corn, &c.”

James Graham was an alderman of New York in 1680 and 1681. In

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 449

1683 he was appointed Recorder, and was the first who held that office.
He afterwards was appointed Attorney General of this province, His
subsequent career in public life was of the most prominent character,
having filled several high Legislative stations in this city and Province.
He removed in the later years of his life to the estate of Mr. Morris at
Morrisania which he took on lease and where he dispensed his hospitali-
ties on a magnificant scale. He died in the year 1701, leaving six chil-
dren, by his wife Elizabeth Windebane, of New York.4

From Austin Graham this property passed to the Leggetts, who have
sold various portions to Mr. Dater, Mr. Dennison and others.

Rose Bank, the charming seat of Mr. William H. Leggett, is situated
near the entrance of /effera’s Meck, on the banks of the East River, the
waters of which appear spread out into a vast lake.

The view in front of the house embraces Riker’s Island, the Two
Brothers, (called in the Dutch “* Gesellen,”) the entrance of the Gate,
and the distant shores of New York city, &c’ In the Graham mansion,
which formerly stood on the site of Mr. Leggett’s farm house, Major
Bearmore, a British officer, was surprised by Colonel Armand of the
French cavalry. ‘‘ November 7th, 1779, (says General Heath,) at night,
Colonel Armand proceeded with his corps from near Tarrytown to the
vicinity of Morrisania, to the house of Alderman Leggett, where he sur-
prised and took Major Bearmore and five other prisoners. The secresy,
precaution, gallantry and discipline exhibited by the colonel and his
corps on this occasion did them much honor. In the capture of Major
Bearmore, the inhabitants of the adjacent country were relieved from the
frequent excursions of a troublesome officer.” The destruction of the
old house took place under the following circumstances: Col. Fowler,
of the British army, who nad dispossessed the Graham family, and made
it his own quarters, invited all the officers and gentry in the neighborhood
to dine with him, preparatory to his change of quarters. The company
were assembled, and all seemed gay and happy. The more youthful of
both sexes were wandering about the lawn, enjoying the beauty of the
prospect, when a servant, (one of Mr. Grahams slaves,) announced the
important fact, ‘‘ Dinner is on the table.” All turned their faces to the
banqueting room, but before any one entered the door, there was a cry
of fire heard. Col. Fowler seemed to think the dinner was more import-
ant than the building; he ordered everything removed from the table,
the gentlemen assisting, and in a few minutes the table and contents
were removed to the shade of a large willow, where all seated them-

a On the 18th of July, 1884, a license of marriage was issued of the Prov. Sec. Office, N. Y.
for James Graham and Elizabeth Win:Jebank, N. Y. Col. MS4+., xxxiii, part ii., p. 2, arms of ©
Windebanke ;{Haine’s Co. Wilts) az a chey betw. 3 falcous volant or.

450° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

selves, and appeared to enjoy the meal and the burning. The house
was utterly consumed, with the contents, before the company separated.
No effort was made to save an article not required for the better enjoy-
ment of their meal. The same evening Col. Fowler conducted a ma-
rauding party into the vicinity of Eastchester, where he was attacked and
fell mortally wounded. Being brought back to the house of Cornelius
Van Ranc, overseer of Mr. Graham’s farm, he expired that night.
James Graham was a native of Scotland, and is found a resident mer-
chant of the city of New York, as early as July, 1678; and a few years
later, proprietor of lands in Ulster County, Staten Island, and in New
Jersey. He succeeded Mr. Budyard as Attorney General of the Pro-
vince of New York on the roth of December, 1685, and was sworn of
the Council on the 8th of October, 1687. ‘ When the government of
New England and New York were consolidated by James II., Mr. Gra-
ham removed to Boston as Attorney-General to Andros, the odium of
whose government he shared, and in whose down-fall he was committed
to the Castle. He returned to New York in 1691, where his enemies
assert that he insinuated himself into the confidence of Leisler and his
friends, so as to procure their interest to be chosen member of the As-
sembiy, of which he was afterwards elected speaker. He became, soon
after, the mortal enemy of Leisler and Milborne, of whose murder he is
charged, by his adversaries, with being the principal author. Thomas
Newton, Houghten’s Attorney-General, having left the Province in April,
1691, disapproving, probably, of the harsh measures of the government
toward the State prisoners, George Farewell was appointed to act in his
place ; but this appointment not being satisfactory to the Assembly, Mr.
Graham became again Attorney-General in the following May. He was
about nine years speaker of the Assembly, z.c. from 1691-1694, 1695—-
1698, and a part of 1699, when the friends of Leisler being in a
majority, the House voted a bill of Indictment, in the shape of a Re-
monstrance against their opponents, and had the cruelty to request their
speaker to sign it. To enable him to avoid this.unpleasant duty, Mr.
Graham was called to the Council in, 1699. His public career may be
said to have now closed. He appears to have attended the Council for
the last time, on the 29th of July, 1700. He was superseded in Octo- |
ber, of that year, as Recorder of the city of New York, after having
filled that office from 1683, with an interruption of only two years, and
was deprived of his office of Attorney-General on the 21st of January,
1701, but a few days before his death, which occurred at his residence
at Morrisania. His will bears date 12th of January 1700, and is on record
in the Surrogate’s Office, New York, Lib. i., 95. He left all his property,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 451

share and share alike, to his children—Augustine, Surveyor-General of
the Province, Isabella, wife of Lewis Morris, Esq.; Mary, Sarah, Mar-
garet and John. The other members of the family consisted, in 1698,
of one overseer, two white servants, and thirty-three slaves,”

MANOR OF MORRISANIA.

This Manor, formerly annexed in 1791 to the ancient Borough town
of Westchester was, by an act of the Legislature, in 1783, added to New
York county. Its name is derived from the Morris family, the first
mesne Lords and patentees under the crown; the termination “ ania”
being in general use in the latter part of the seventeenth century. At
the period of the Dutch discovery, it was styled by the aborigines Ran-
achque, or Raraque, an appellation which doubtless refers to some ob-
ject peculiar to its geographical locality. The Indians appear to have
resided principally on the shores of the East and Harlem River. Of this,
the extensive “shell beds,” which are still to be seen, afforded conclusive
evidence. Within a few years several Indian tumuli have been accident-
ally opened in the vicinity of Governeur Morris's residence, and found
to contain large sized skeletons of the Aborigines. The first grantee
under the Mohegan sachems of Ranachque, Shahash, Panazarah, Wana-
capun, Kneed, Taquamarke and Awarazawis, was Jonas Bronck; who
in 1639, purchased of them two hundred and fifty morgen of land—
about five hundred acres, for which he subsequently obtained a “ Grond
Brief” from the Dutch authorities,?

In 1639 we find the patroon of Bronck’s dand leasing a portion of his
territory in the following manner :—

‘** Appeared before me, Cornelius Van Tienhoven, Secretary in New Nether-
land, in presence of the undersigned witnesses—Mr. Jonas Bronck from one side,
and Peter Andriessen and Lourent Dayts from the other, who agreed together
amicably in the following manner: Said Mr, Bronck shall show to the persons
aforesaid a certain lot of land, of which he is proprietor, and which is situated
opposite the river and the plain of Manhattan; in which lot aforesaid they may
cultivate tobacco and maize, upon the express condition that they shall clear and
cultivate, every two years, a fresh spot for the raising their tobacco and maize,

a Documents relating to the Coi, Hist. of the State of N. Y., vol. iv., p, 847, edi
O’Callaghan, M.D. He eee Sare by 1B.
b See Col. Morris’s confirmation of Bronck’s purchase. ‘“ The land of Bronck
under a kind of co-operative system which benefitted the hardy woodsman as well fel ie ea.
terprising proprietor. As his axes felled the trees and his clearings yielded maize, he made
both of them utile for men by advancing still further into the wilderness and building mills
on the x =P Se ee i aa gi i biG In the Indian raids of 1643, his settle-
ments were desolated.”—New York in the en es, by J. Barnitz Ba z
the Harlem.—Sunday Times. fx hcg SA a ae

452 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and then the spot which they cultivated before shall return again to Mr. Bronck
aforesaid, to dispose of according to pleasure ; they shall be further obliged to re-
turn the field that they again surrender, that it is in proper order to be ploughed,
and sowed with grain; this lot of ground they shall have the use during three
years, for which Mr. Bronck shall have no other claim than that the land shall
have been cleared and brought into a proper manner of cultivation by the dili-
gence of Peter Andriessen and Lourent Dayts, who from their side shall be holden
to accomplish their task. .

2ist July, 1639. MAUNT JANSSEN, witness.”

We find Jonas Bronck again leasing land on the 15th of August, 1639,
to Cornelius Jacobsen Stoll and John Jacobsen.?

Jonas Bronck must have died sometime prior to the year 1643, for we
find his widow, Antonia Slaghboom, at that date married to Arendt van
Curler. His descendants are said to be still numerous in the vicinity of
Coxsackie, Green County, and Coeymans, Albany County, New York.

“ His widow, Antonia Slaghboom, married Arent Van Corlaer, whose
name became with the Indians the representative of justice and good-
will; and their amity for ‘Corlear’ embraced all the Dutch, to whom
they gave his name, ‘ Bronck’s, his land.’”’¢

By the marriage of Antonia Slaghboom, Bronck's land passed into
the Van Curler family. In a letter to the patroon Van Renssalaer,
dated, ‘“‘ The Manhattans, this 16th of June, 1643,” Van Curler says :—

“T am at present betrothed to the widow of the late Mr. Jonas Bronck.
May the good God vouchsafe to bless me in my undertaking, and
pleased to grant that it might conduce to His honor and to our mutual
salvation. Amen.” 4

On the 30th of October, 1644, Van Curler obtained a “grond brief”
for Bronck’s land from William Kieft, Director General. I cannot for-
bear quoting an interesting sketch of this distinguished individual by E.
B. O'Callaghan, historian of the New Netherlands :—

** Arendt Van Curler was one of those characters who deserve to live
in history. His influence among the Indians was unlimited, and in
honor of his memory these tribes addressed all succeeding governors of
New York by the name of ‘Corlear.’ He possessed feelings of the
purest humanity, and actively exerted his influence in rescuing from the
savages such Christians as had the misfortune to fall into their hands,
of whose danger he might receive timely notice. On his marriage with
Antonia Slaghboom, the widow of Jonas Bronck, he visited Holland, and
on his return moved to the Flatts above Albany, where he had a farm.
He was proprietor of a brewery in Beverwyck, in 1661. Being a cousin

a Alb. Rec.
b Alb. Rec.

c New York in the Olden Time, by J, Barnitz Bacon.—Sunday Times.
d O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. Y., 464.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 453

of the Van Rensselaers, he had considerable influence in the colony,
where he was a magistrate to the time of his decease. He was one of
the leaders in the settlement of Schenectady, in 1661-62, and in the
surrender of New Netherlands was especially sent for by Governor Nicoll
to be consulted on Indian affairs and the interests of the country gener-
ally.

“ He was highly respected by the governors of Canada, and the regard
entertained for him by Monsieur de Tracy, viceroy of that country, will
be best judged of by the following extract of a letter which that high
personage addressed him, dated Quebec, 30th April, 1667 :—

‘*« «Tf you find it agreeable to come hither this summer, as you have caused me
to hope, you will be most welcome, and entertained to the utmost of my ability ;
as I have great esteem for you, though I have not a personal acquaintance with
you. Believe this truth, and that Iam, sir, your affectionate and assured servant,

‘TRaoy.’

“Having accepted this invitation, Mr. Van Curler prepared for his
journey. Goy. Nicoll furnished him with a letter to the viceroy. It
bears date May 2oth, 1667, and states that ‘Mons’r Curler hath been
importuned by divers of his friends at Quebec to give them a visit ; and
being ambitious to kiss your hands, he hath entreated my pass and
liberty to conduct a young gentleman, Mr. Fontaine, who unfortunately
fell into the barbarous hands of his enemies, and by means of Mons’r
Curler obtained his liberty.’ On the 4th July following, Jeremias Van
Rensselaer writing to Holland, announces that ‘our cousin Arendt Van
Curler proceeds overland to Canada, having obtained leave from our
General, and been invited thither by the viceroy, M. de Tracy. In an
evil hour he embarked on board a frail canoe to cross Lake Champlain,
and having been overtaken by a storm was drowned, I believe, near
Split Rock. In his death this country experienced a public loss, and
the French of Canada a warm and efficient friend.’ ”4

Upon the 15th of January, A.D. 1676, the following letters of admin-
istration were granted unto Mr. Wiliam Beeckman of the estate of
Jufirou” Slaghboom.

‘Edmund Andross, Esq., &c. :—

‘‘Whereas Juffrou Antonia Slaghboom, the widow and relict of Monsieur
Arendt vau Curler, late of Schanecktade near Albany, is lately dead, and in her
last will and testament did nominate and appoint William Beeckman, Sen., of
this city, to be her executor, and the said William Beeckman having made appli-
cation unto me for letters of administration upon the estate of the deceased,”
&c., &c.¢

On the roth of July, 1651, sixteen years prior to his death, Arendt

a O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N. 322-3,
b A title of distinction for a lady among the Dutch.
c Surrogate’s Office, N. Y,, 261.

454 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

van Corlear, transported Broncks’ dand to Jacob van Stoll, from whom
it passed through several proprietors to Herman Smeeman.

**992d of Oct., 1664.—Herman Smeeman of Comoonepan on the maine, sold to
Samuel Edsall all that certain tract of land situated on the East river through
Hell-gate, commonly called Broncks’ land, containing 500 acres.”

This sale was confirmed to Edsall by royal patent the same year.

NICOLLS’ PATENT FOR BRONCK’S LAND.

Richard Nicolls, Esq., governor-general under his royal highness, James,
Duke of York and Albany, of all his territories in America, To all to whom
these presents shall come, sendeth greeting. Whereas there was a patent or
ground brief heretofore granted by the Dutch Gov. Will’m Kieft, unto Avent van
Curler for a certaine tract or parcel of land formerly in the tenure or occupa-
tion of Jonas Broncks, commonly called by the Indians by the name of Ran-
achgue, and by the Englisk Broncks’ land, lying and being on the maine to the
east and over against Harlem town, having a certain small creek or kill which
runs between the north-west part of it and Little Barnes Island, near Hell-gate,
and so goes into the East River and a greater creek or river which divides it
from Manhattoes Islands, containing about 500 acres or 250 margon of land,
and including all the push thereunto annexed or adjoining, which said patent
or ground brief so granted as aforesaid, bearing date the 20th day of Oct. 1644,
was by the said Arent van Curler, upon the 10th day of July, 1651, transported
and made over unto Jacob Jans Stoll, and upon the 19th day of December,
1662, conveyed by Matthews de Vos, as attorney of Geertruyt Andries, the
widow of the said Jacob Jansen Stoll, unto Geertrieu Hendrick, formerly the
widow of Andries Hoppen, and by her upon the same day, (with the approba-
tion and consent of Dirck Girrits van Tright, then her husband, ) made over to
Harman Smeeman, who, upon the 22d day of October, 1664, sold and conveyed
the same for a valuable consideration unto Samuel Edsall, late of this city,
beaver maker, now for a confirmation unto him, the said Samuel Esdall, in his
possession and enjoyment of the premises, Know ye that by virtue of the com-
mission and authority unto me given by his royal highness, I have ratified, con-
firmed, and granted unto the said Samuel Esdall, his heirs and assignees, all the
aforesaid parcel of land and premises, with all the soil, woods, pastures, meadow
ground, marshes, commonage, creeks, waters, lakes, fishing, hawking, hunting
and fowling, within the limits before set forth, described, and all other profits,
commodities and emoluments to the said parcel or part of land belonging or in
anywise appertaining, to have and to hold the said parcel or part of land and
premises unto the said Samuel Esdall, his heirs and assignees, unto the proper
use and behoof of the said Samuel Edsall, his heirs and assigns, forever, render-
ing and paying such duties and acknowledgments as now are or hereafter shall
be constituted and established by the laws of this government, under the obe-
dience of his royal highness, his heirs and successors. Given under my hand
and seal at Fort James in New York, on the island of Manhattoes, the day of

in the 20th year of his majestie’s reign, Anno Domini 166 .
RICHARD NICOLLS.

_ . ieee t> Mons, ov ame
: eB Bat SS. So. RTECS 8 tere | cyan yet

s o) *Pwect, Gy nto) ex

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To face page 455, vol il

PEDIGREE OF MORRIS, OF MORRISANIA.

Arms, gu. a lion, rampant, reguardant or, quarterly, with three torteauxes, arg. Crest, a casvie in flames.

William "ietaid of Tintern, Monmouthshire.

=
Colonel Lewis Morris, proprietor of the Tintern estate, Mary
Monmouthshire, England; Emigrated to Barbadoes

in 1662 ; removed to Morrisania, A.D. 1674.

|
Daughter_John Walters, of Piercefield,
Monmouthshire, England,

i
Richard, Captain in the regiment_Sarah Pole.
commanded by his brother Lew-
is, first proprietor of Morrisania

witllam proprietor of Denham, Wales, an officer_...
in the Parliamentary service; died at sea,

|
Capt. John Morris, a distinguished officer in the Parliamentary_...
service, A.D, 1651; this gentleman purchased lands in Bar-
badoes ; lost at sea off Deal Castle, A.D. 1688.

|
Hon. Lewis Morris, proprietor of Morrisania, Isabella, da. of James Graham,
first Governor of the Province of New Jer- attorney-general of New York,
sey, nat. 1672, ob. May, 1646, ; interred at mar. 3d Nov. 1691; interred in

Morrisania. the vault Morrisania.

| | =
John Morris of..Grizzle Wallace, witlam, of Lewis, of Richard of | | ey |
Antigua, ob, descended of Antigua, Barba- Barbadoes, Hon. Lewis, Judge of the High Court_1.Catharine Hon. Robert Hunter,_.., BerPppeee
gua, ’ BS
1687. the ancient ob. 8. p. does ob. 1718. of Admiralty; also, one of the Jud- Staats one of the proprie- Fe buscar
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Wallaces of ept., 1698, ob. 8d July, 1762. will da- Gouver- and Chief Justice of gt, Es L
Scotland. ted 19th Noy., 1760, No. 23, p. 426 neur, the same. Peace ae Get
Surrogate’s office. Interred at Mor- | ' Pe 2 z.
risania. | 2 3
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William, ob. 8.p. Saddier Lt. Col. in | da. and heiress of one of the signers | & Long nat. rineGor- nat. 15th | Lud- 528 Court of Oyer and Terminer. of Halifax.
John ee me Sener oe ie Declaration | ome Aug. donda.of Aug, low, ae | ee i | 1
regiment eynell,ma,.1704, of Independence, 1728. Wm.,2d 1730, da. of B = = 2 op ay Soe
ob.15 Feb. 115,’ Brigadier-Gew’l fh) 8 Harl of Hen- = 38 a RS aa TPT ek OAR ne Am na a ae aee
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pri, . Ro. Nov., 1816. the illustrious Oct., 1810. RB 1704, WEES
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Cortlandt ick van Cortlandt Lewis,M.D. M.D. HY ie oat A ES es cig eee ag ee

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 455

The next possessor of Bronck’s land was Captain Richard Morris,
who must have purchased of Edsall, cir. 1670. Mr. Sparks says that
there was a contract dated the 1oth of August, 1670, in which Richard
is styled “a merchant in New York,” and Lewis, his brother, ‘a mer-
chant in Barbadoes.”* “Tt follows,” remarks Dunlap, “that Richard
was in Barbadoes in 1670, and contracted to come on to New York to
purchase this grant of J/orrisania for himself and brother, Lewis, who
was to follow and settle on it; but that he did not come until the peace
of 1674, when he found the son of his brother an orphan, took him
under his protection, and built at Morrisania.”?

The Morris family are originally of Welch origin and of great anti-
quity, being lineally descended from “ Rys, sometimes called Rice Fitz-
gerald, brother to Rhys Prince of Geventland, which Rys or Rice Fitz-
gerald was settled in Monmouthshire.” “In 1171 Rice united with
Strongbow, Earl of Striquil and Pembroke, his neighbor, and landed at
Waterford in Ireland, with two hundred Knights and one thousand
archers, having been thereto authorized and encouraged by Henry IL.,
King of England and subdued the greatest part of that kingdom—which
extensive conquests occasioned the king to interfere and call them back,

nd giving them some indemnification, appropriated their conquests to
the English crown.”

“For his warlike achievments Rys, the companion of Strongbow, was
for pre-eminence called Maur Rys, or Maur Rice, ie, the great Rys or
Rice. The word mawr or maur in Welch signifying great, and his de-
scendants dropping the name of Fitzgerald for this, ever after thought it
an honor toretain that addition; and thus the name became Mawr Rys,
or Maurise, and finally Morris.”

About the middle of the fifteenth century a younger brother of the
family of this first Maurice, (still settled in Monmouthshire,) who was
named William, bore a commission in the army, and married a lady
of good fortune in Devonshire where he settled and had several
sons.°

“One of the descendants in 1623—Sir William Morrice—as it was
then corruptly spelt, settled in Cornwall. In the year 1635 the elder
branch of the family, the lineal descendants of the first Morris, still re-

a Articles of agreement were entered into between the two brothers, that if either of them
died without issue, the survivor, or issue of tue survivor, if any, should take the estate.

b Dunlap’s Hist. of N. Y , Vol. I , 272.

ce Account of the family of Morris compiled by Valentine Morris in 1790, the original MSS.

is in the possession of Harry M. Morris of New York. Among the unprovided brethren of St.

David’s College, Pembrokeshire, in 1553, was Lewis Morris, one of the ministers who received

a pension of £6 13.—Hist. of St. David’s Cathedral, by Broun Willy. Thearms of Rhys—ap—

Tewdrur - Mawr, (Priuce of Wales in 1077,) were gu. or lion, rampant within a bordure, in-
dented, or.

456 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

maining in Monmouthshire, consisted or three brothers—Lewis, William
and Richard,¢ sons of Col. Lewis Morris.

Lewis, the eldest son, who inherited the paternal estate of Tintern,” _
embarked for the West Indies as early as 1633, (according to the Eng-
lish State papers,) in the service of the New Providence Company. He
also commanded a troop of horse in the Parliament army against Charles
First for which the king afterwards confiscated his estates in Monmouth-
shire. In return for his losses Oliver Cromwell subsequently idemnified
him. At the attack upon Chepstow Castle, which was defended by Sir
Nicholas Kemys, “the king’s general,” Lewis Morris was the second in
command. After an obstinate resistance the garrison was reduced by
cutting off the supply of water which ran through the estate of Peirce-
field* then owned by Col. Morris’s son-in-law, John Walters, and setting
fire to the castle. From this circumstance the family assumed as their
crest a castle in flames with the following motto: ‘“¢andem vincitur,”
at length he is conquered.

It is a little curious that in the memoirs of Edmund Ludlow, Esq.,
an incident of the same character, and relating to a Mormis, is said to
have taken place at Pomfret Castle :—

‘*This place was seized by some of the king’s party, and was besieged by the
country, assisted by some of the army; Sir Hugh Cholmely commanding at the
siege: but the army, finding little progress made therein, ordered Col. Rains-
boro with more forces thither, appointing him to command in the room of Sir
Tiugh Cholmely. Whilst he was preparing for that service, being at Doncaster,
ten or twelve miles from Pomfret, with a considerable force in the town, a party
of horse dismounting at his quarters and going up as friends to his chamber,
under pretence of having business with him, seized him first, and upon his
refusal to go silently with them, murdered him. After his death, another com-
mander being appointed to carry on the siege, those in the castle were reduced
to such extremities that some of the most desperate of them resolved, together
with the governor, one Morris, who had been a page to the Earl of Stafford, to
endeavor the breaking through our forces on horseback, which they attempted ;
and, though most of them were beaten back to the castle by the besiegers, yet
this Morris made his way through, but was afterwards taken as he passed
through the country, in the disguise of a beggar, and carried to York, where he
was arraigned before Justice Thorpe, and, being found guilty of treason, was
executed for the same,”4

a Acc. of the family of Morris by Valentine Morris, 1790. ‘ '

b 'fhis property now beloags to Johu Curre, Esg., who obtained it by a marriage with a
Fielding, which family got it from the Dukes of Beaufort, descendants of the Marquis of Wor-
ye mel to whom Charles First gave it, having taken it from old Lewis Morris under for-

eiture.

¢ Piercefield, two miles west of Chepstow, was long the property of the Walters family till
the year 1739 when it was sold to Coloucl Morris, father of Vaientine Morris, Esq., who after-
wards possessed it aud to whose taste and liberality it is indebted for its chief artificial beau-
ties and its long established celebrity.—“ Beauties of England and Wales,’’ by Rev. J. Evans
and J. Briton, vol. ii., p. 134.

d Rdmund Ludlow. sq. Londoa. printed for A. Millar (page 79) and D. Brown, both in
Strand, and J. Ward ia Cornhill, MDCCCI.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 451

Timbs in his account of Pontepraet (Pomfret) castle, says: ‘In this
castle, Colonel Morris struck the first silver coin of Charles II., who was
proclaimed here directly after the death of his father.”4

While resident in the West Indies he purchased a lovely estate on the
Island of Barbadoes and was member of the Council of that island. In
1654, an expedition having been fitted out against the Spanish posses-
sions in those parts, a commission of colonel was sent to him by the
Protector Cromwell ; but when the fleet arrived at Barbadoes in 1656,
“he prized himself at so high a rate” that he demanded a present of
100,000 weight of sugar to pay his debts, before he would consent to ac-
company the fleet. He finally, however, consented and was present at
the reduction of Jamaica; after which he returned to Barbadoes, and is
said to have been interested in the purchase of St. Lucia in 1663. -He
now openly professed the principles of the Quakers, and as one of their
prominent members entertained the celebrated George Fox, at his seat
near Bridgetown, when he visited Barbadoes in 1671, and signed the ad-
dresses to the Governor and Legislature complaining of the persecution
to which the Friends were subjected. Mr. Morris, himself, having been
mulcted in fines to the amount of 16,193 pounds of sugar for refusing to
pay church dues and minister’s money, and to furnish men and horses
for the militia. On receiving intelligence of the death of his brother,
Richard, he came to this country whilst it was in possession of the Dutch
in the year 1673—and not after the peace of 1674 as erroneously stated
by Dunlap and others. After visiting Barbadoes, for the purpose of
winding up his affairs, he returned to New York in 1675 and settled
here.”

William Morris, the second brother, who had for his portion an estate
called Denham held jointly with one Blethioyn, considered at that time
to be worth between four and five thousand pound sterling a year, also
joined the Parliamentary service, and took an active part against the
king, when, (through his favorite, the Marquis of Worcester,) he at-
tempted to enclose Wendswood Chase, Monmouthshire. Upon the de-
feat of the popular party, William determined upon a sea-voyage till the
storm should have blown over. Ee was subsequently lost at sea. His
son, John, received a captain’s commission from the Parliament in 1651.
Like his father, he also perished at sea off Deal Castle in 1688; his body
was found under the walls of the Castle, and buried with military honors.
His descendants are still numerous in the Island of Barbadoes.

a Timb’s Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales.

b Doe. Col. Hist of N. Y., Holland Doce. vol. ii. p. 619.—Euitors notes.

e Lippincott’s Magazine, January, 1868, pp. 33-34. _‘*In the parish register of Barbadoes
Parish, St. Michaells, 1678, Nov. 1st, John, ye son of William and Dorcas Morris.—History of
Emigrants to America, 1700 to 1800, by Bouton, N. Y., p. 430.

458 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The following was communicated by William Penn to Samuel Car-
penter and three other friends assembled at the old slate-roofed house in
Philadelphia, February, 1700 :—

“*Let me interrupt thee a moment, Samuel,” said Penn. ‘‘ Thou wilt remem-
ber that Lewis Morris, the elder, served under my father the Admiral in the
West Indies; he wassomewhat blamed in the Hispaniola affair, but his conduct
at the taking of Jamaica in 1655, was much applauded, His association with
my father led to an intimacy with myself, although he was many years older,
and had its influence in inducing him to become a Friend. We corresponded at
intervals till the day of his death, when it appeared he had bequeathed to me, by
will, a negro man named Yaff, provided I should come to dwell in America. As
Iam now fairly established here, I may readily obtain the servant by mentioning
the affair to my young friend, Lewis Morris ; although a concern hath laid upon
my mind for some time regarding the negroes, and I almost determined to give
my own blacks their freedom. For I feel that the poor captured Africans, like
other human beings, have natural rights, which cannot be withheld from them
without great injustice, &c.’’4 ;

Richard Morris, the youngest of the three brothers, held a captain’s
commission in his brother Lewis’s regiment. Upon the Restoration he
retired to the Island of Barbadoes, where he married a lady of fortune,
named Sarah Pole.

In the Parish Registers of Barbadoes, among a list of owners of land,
hired servants, and apprentices, together with bought servants and
negroes, occurs the name of “ Richard Morris, the owner of thirty-five
acres of land, one hired servant, one bought servant and twelve negroes,”

In a list of the Masters’ and Mistresses’ names, with what land, and
servants and negroes they have, and also what christenings and burials,
we find Mr. Richard Morris, owning a hundred and fifty acres of land,
one man-servant, thirty-five negroes, and one man buried.°¢

Richard Morris was the first proprietor of Morrisania, in 1670; and
both he and his wife Sarah, died in the Fall of 1672.4 Their remains
were at first interred under the old Fort James on the Battery, but were
subsequently removed to Trinity church-yard, by Richard Morris, father
of the late Robert Morris, of Fordham. The following letter, addressed

a Lippincott’s Magazine, January, 1868, p. 34,

b List of emigrants to America 1700 to 2800, by Boynton of New York, page 467. In the
same work occurs the following entries: **‘ Twenty Maij, 1635, transported to Virginia, im-
barqued in the Speedwell, of London, Jo; Chappeli, Mr., being examined by the minister of
Gravesend, of intirmatie, to the orders and discipline of the Church of England, and have

taken the oath of Allegiance, RICHARD MORRIS, 19, &c.”’
Page 82. ‘A list of the names of the dead in Virginia near Aprill, last February, 1623, at
ye plantacon aucr against James Cittie. RICHARD MORRIS, dead,” page 192.

e Ditto, page 469.
d Lewis Morris tells us in the preamble to his will, that his mother died when he was about
six months old, and his father not long after.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 459

by the Secretary of the Colony of New York, to “Col. Morris, announ-
ces the death of Richard Morris and Sarah his wife :—

COLONEL LEWIS MORRIS AT THE ISLAND OF BARBADOES.

New York, 291m Ootroser, 1672.

Wortny Sir :—Since my reception of yours by William Shackerly, no oppor-
tunity of conveyance to you hath presented from hence till this present. Al-
though by the way of Boston, [ suppose you would sooner receive the sad tidings
of your brother's decease—in whom as you have lost an only brother, so have La
dear friend; I shall not insist upon many particulars relating thereto; our gen-
eral letters arriving to you herewith I hope sufficiently inform you; yet I cannot
but reflect upon the transitory condition of poor mortals, when I frequently call
to mind in how little time God hath been pleased to break a family, in taking
away the heads thereof ; first, a virtuous young woman in the prime of life, and
then a man full of strength and vigor, inured to hardships, of whom there is re-
maining but one poor blossom, of whom yet there may be great hope with your
kind friendship ; for it is a lovely, healthy child, and was well at Harlem, where
it is at nurse, and I went to see it yesterday. Iwas also at the plantation on the
other side, when there was some public correction of two or three negroes, and
breaking the necks of a mutiny among the white men by Mr. Gibbs, and through
his vigilance it is now in good order. The crime of the negroes is reported to be
so natural to them, which was both stealing and receiving stolen goods.

Wortay sir, Your most dutiful Humble servant,

The Governor presents you his MATTHIAS NICOLL.

kind respects and service.

“Letters of administration of the estate of Captain Richard Morris,
brother of Colonel Lewis Morris, were granted to Mr. Matthew Nicolls,
Mayor ; Captain Thomas De Lavall, Mr. Cornelius Steenwyck, Captain
John Berry, and Mr. Thomas Gibbs, trustees, in 1672.”

ist oF SEPTEMBER, 1673.—‘‘ The Worship" Orphan Masters of this city of New
Orange are requested and authorized to summon before them the Curators of the
estate left by dect Richard Morris and Walter Webley, and to require of them ad-
ministration of that estate, and as soon as possible to make a report thereof.’

29TH SEPTEMBER, 1673.—‘‘ On the request made on behalf of Colonel Lewis
Morris, pass and repass is granted him to come into this government, on condition
that he attempt nothing to its prejudice during his sojourn.Ӣ

The following order was issued to Lewis Morris in 1673 :—

‘“The Governor having read and considered the petition of Lewis Morris re-
questing in substance the guardianship of the minor child of his deceased brother

a Surrogates Office, N. Y. Wills and administration, 1665 to 1683, No. 1, p. 173,
b Doc. Col. Hist. N. Y. Holland Doc. 1657-1678, vol. ii, p. 95.
¢ Doc. Col. Hist. N. Y., Holland Doc. 1657-1678, vol. ii. p, 619.

460 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Richard Morris, and of his estate, without any exception, to be managed and
administered for the behoof of said orphan child, further to enjoy the same
privileges as are granted and allowed to the neighboring colonies of New Eng-
land and Virginia, &c.

It is ordered:

‘*The petitioner is allowed to have the guardianship of the surviving orphan
child of his deceased brother, the late Richard Morris; and granted such power to
take into his keeping all goods, effects, negroes and servants, as belonged, in law-
ful property to the said Richard Morris at his decease, on condition that he pay
therefrom the deceased’s funeral expenses. But he shall, first of all, deliver in
here a correct inventory of the property left by the deceased, to be recorded in
the Orphan Chamber; which being done, the necessary letters of administration
shall then be issued to him. With regard to the petitioner’s request to impart
into this government, some necessaries for advantages and maintenance of said
orphan and estate, the petition is allowed; provided it be done with such ships as
are already here or will be permitted, and on paying such customs and public
duties as are paid by other inhabitants. Regarding the request that he may have
such privileges as are granted in New England and Virginia, by the proclamation
dated last, the petition is refused and denied; being an inhabitant of
Barbadoes, which consequently cannot be considered with the neighboring colo-
nies of New England and Virginia. Moreover, the petitioner shall be at liberty
to show where any property belonging to the plantation is lying, and then order
will be given for its restitution to the right owner. And finally the petitioner is
allowed to employ such substitutes and servants as in case of his living or dying,
shall from time to time, with advice of the Orphan Chamber here, be deemed
necessary for the greatest advantage of the orphan; on condition that the peti-
tioner and his agents shail remain bound at all times to afford said Orphan Cham-
bers due account, proof and balance of their administration.

Dated Fort William Hendrick, this 11th October, 1673.4

On the petition of Lewis Morris, that he may have a grant of the
plantation of his late brother Richard Morris, for the benefit of his
orphan child, with the cattle and other dependencies thereof, together
with the guardianship of said child, &c., this is ordered :—

That the petitioner be allowed the requested Bouwery, buildings and materials
thereon, for the benefit of the Minor Orphan Child on a valuation made by im-
partial arbitrators; in like manner the petitioner shall be at liberty to appropri-
ate without any order, all the chattels which he can attach that have been re-
moved from the Bouwery, on condition that they may be brought to the Bouw-
ery and inventory delivered in; and whereas, since the surrender of the place, °
divers articles have been remioved hence by Walter Webly, it is herewith ordered
that said goods be returned to the plantation for the benefit of the child, when
the petitioner shall be granted letters of guardianship; the government will ap-
propriate on account, the fat cattle—such as oxen, cows and hogs—on condition
of being responsible for the payment of the orphan’s share.

Dated Fort Willem Hendrick, this 17th October, 1673.4

a Doc. Col. Hist. of N. Y., Holland Doc. 1657, 1678, vol. ii, p. 631-2,
b Doc, Col, Hist. N. Y., Holland Doc. 1657, 1678, vol. ii, p. 627.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 461

Fourteen days afterwards we find the following order issued :—

‘* Whereas it has been found that the two-third parts of the estate left by the
late Richard Morris belong in real propriety to his brother, Colonel Lewis Morris,
a resident of the Island of Barbadoes in the Caribbees, whose estate, Ly the Pro-
clamation dated the 20th of September last, is confiscated for the behoof of the
government; and it being therefore necessary that in addition to the guardians and
tutors of the aforenamed Richard Morris’s surviving orphan child, someone be
commissioned on the part of the government to regulate said estate. Therefore
have I resolved to commission and qualify Balthazar Bayard to that end, as he
is hereby commissioned and qualified to assume the said estate fcr the two-third
parts thereof which belong to the government, with said guardians by name,
Mess™ John Lawrence, Stephanus van Cortlandt and Waiter Webty, for the one-
third part thereof inherited by them ; to adjust and settle the debts and credits;
to sell the remaining personal property, and thereof to deliver into the Secretary’s
office pertinent account and balance when order shail be issued what further dis-
position shall be made therein.

Dated, Fort WitLEM Henpriok, Ist of Nov., 1673.”

Lewis Morris addressed the following to the Governor-General some
time during the same month :—

TO THE HONORABLE ANTHONY COLOE, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF
NEW NETHERLAND.

Rienr Hon®4* Sir :—‘‘ Whereas departing on your pass from New Orange to
Oyster Bay, and so to New Haven, I have recovered there some of the missing
estate belonging to my nephew’s plantation within your jurisdiction; I therefore
humbly request you to be pleased to grant me a pass to enable me to bring said
property which belongs tomy nephew whois one of your subjects with the sloop
belonging to my cousin’s plantation known by the name of Bro-.ck’s Land, or to
New Orange, or to Oyster Bay, or to Sylvester’s Island; my affairs being such,
your compliance herewith will oblige me to be and remain,

Your Honour’s faithful friend, in the name and at the request of
LEWIS MORRIS.

Ordered :—The Petitioner is allowed to come hither in person; and to bring all

such goods as lawfully belong to the Jate Richard Morris’s orphan child, also

said orphan’s boat.
This 30th Oct., 1673, by order of the Governor-General of New Nether!and.

(Signed, ) N. BAYARD, Secretary.”

Upon the 28th of February, 1674, Anthony Coloe, the Governor, ap-
pointed two new guardians, or commissioners, for the surviving orphan
child of Richard Morris, viz., Messrs. Dirck Van Clyff and Walter Webly
with Balthazar Bayard, the already appointed commissioner, (in place of

a Doc. Col Hist. N. Y. Holland Doc, 1657-1678, vol. ii. p. 650.
b Doc. Col. Hist. N. Y. Holland Doc. 1657-1678, vol. ii. p. 664

462 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

John Lawrence and Stephanus Van Cortlandt, excused,) to aid in regu-
lating in the speediest manner the estate of the above mentioned
Richard Morris, and to report the result to the Governor.

In 1676, Lewis Morris, second proprietor of Morrisania, and brother
of Richard, obtained the following letters patent :

GOVERNOR ANDROS’S PATENT FOR BRONCK’S LAND.

Edmund Andros, Esq., seigneur of Sausmarez, Lieut. Gow’nr Gen’l, under his
royal highness, James, Duke of York, and of all his territories in America, to all
to whom these presents shall come, with greeting: Whereas, Col. Lewis Morris
of the Island of Barbadoes, hath long enjoyed, and by patent stands possest of a
certain plantation and tract of land, lying and being upon the maine, over against
the town of Haerlem, commonly called Bronck’s land, the same containing
about five hundred acres, or two hundred and fifty morgen of land, besides the
meadow thereunto annexed or adjoining, cotted and bounded as in the original
Dutch ground brief and patent of confirmation is set forth ; and the said Col.
Morris having made good improvement upon the said land, and there lying lands
adjacent to him not included in any patent or grants, which land the said Col.
Morris doth desire for further improvement, this said land and addition being
bounded from his own house over against Haerlem, running up Haerlem river to
Daniel Turner’s land, and so along his said land northward to John Archer’s line,
and from thence stretching east to the land of John Richardson and Thomas Hunt,
and thence along the Sound about southwest, through Bronck’s kill, to the said
Col. Morris his house, the additional land containing (according to the survey
thereof) the quantity of fourteen hundred, and the whole, one thousand nine hun-
dred and twenty acres. Now know ye that by virtue of the commission and
authority unto me given by his royal highness, I have confirmed, granted and
given, and do hereby confirm, give and grant, unto the said Col. Morris, his
heirs and assigns, the afore recited land possessed by him, and the additional
land herein exprest, and bounded as aforesaid, together with the woods and mea-
dows, both salt and fresh waters and creeks belonging to the said land and prem-
ises, in his royal highness’s gift, with all and singular the appurtenances to have
and to hold these said lands and premises unto the said Col. Lewis Morris, his
heirs and assignees, unto the proper use and behoof of him the said Col. Lewis
Morris, his heirs and assignees, forever. He continuing in obedience and con-
forming himself according to the laws of this government, and yielding and pay-
ing therefor yearly and every year, as a quit-rent to his royal highness, five
bushels of good winter wheat.

Given under my hand and sealed with the seal of the Province of New York,
this five and twentieth day of March, in the eighth and twentieth year of his
majesty’s reign, Anno Domini, 1676. ANDROSS.
Recorded by order of the governor, the

day and year above written.
Martruias Niccorrs, Szc.

a@ Doc. Col, Hist. N. Y. Holland Doc. vol. ii. p. 691,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS... 463
A confirmation from the Indians occurs on the 7th of February, 1684:—

INDIAN DEED TO LEWIS MORRIS.

‘**To all to whom this present writing shall come, doth witness, that we Sha-
hash, Panazarah, Wanacapeen, Kneed, Taquamarke and Awarazawis, having
formerly sold unto Jonas Broncks, a large tract of land lying and being between
ye river commonly called Bronck’s river and Harlem kill, and more especially
that tract of land that Colonel Morris stands now possest of, as his draught and
ground brief bearing date in ye year 1675, excepting forty morgen@ of land that
we sold Daniel Turner ye elder, being bounded on the west side with Harlem
river, the aforesaid Colonel Morris his land, being bounded on the north side
with the land of John Archer, beginning at Crabb Island, and running east or
thereabouts, until it comes to ye corner tree of Richardson and Hunt, and so
down to ye southward according to ye marked line until it come to ye bound
brook between ye said Colonel Morris and ye said Richardson and Hunt, and
from thence a.ong ye creek to ye Sound or East river, until you come to Daniel
Turner’s land, that’s above mentioned, including the purchase of ye said Colonel
Morris, that point of land called Nauasin, where formerly lived a Frenchman
named Marcus Dossisway, all which parcel or tract of land we do for ourselves,
our heirs, executors, administrators and assignees, fully and wholly acquit and
discharge for ever, ye said Colonel Morris, his heyres, executors, and admin-
istrators, of all and every part and parcel of ye residue of ye money that should —
have been paid by ye aforesaid Bronck’s for the purchase of said land, declaring
to the world that we acknowledge for ourselves, our heyres, executors, and as-
signees, to be fully paid, satisfied and contented. In witness whereof we have
hereunto sett our hands and affixed our seals this seventh day of February, 1684-5,

in presence of us:

SAMUEL EDSALL, Ye mark ~ TAQUAMARKE.
Joun Basser, Ye mark O WANACAPEEN.
Joun Manvron.

Signed and sealed by AWANAWIS, Vitnessed by Lonee Ciassz,

SHAHASH, and KNEED. a lady WasTOWANCETT,

In presence of us, Ye marke of AWANAwIs,
Joun Ipenny, Ye marke of + SHanasu,
Epwarp Harratt, Ye marke of © Kneep.

JOHN EDSALL..

On the 25th of October, 1676, Colonel Morris purchased a large tract
of land in East Jersey, consisting of 3,540 acres, which he named Tin-
tern and Monmouth, after the paternal estate in Monmouthshire, Wales.

The last will and testament of Colonel Morris bears date 7th of
February, 1690. Although twice married, he left no issue ; his nephew,
therefore, according to the agreement of 1670, succeeded to the estates,
Upon the 15th of May, 1691, Henry Sloughter, Captain-General and .

a A Dutch morgen measured a little less than two acres English.

464 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

Governor-in-Chief, “ granted letters testamentary to Lewis Morris,
nephew to Colonel Morris, the executrix being dead.”

THE LAST WILL OF LEWIS MORRIS.

Whereas I formerly intended to have made my nephew, Lewis Morris, son
of my deceased brother, Richard Morris, my sole executor; his many and great
miscarryages and disobedience towards me and my wife, and his causeless ab-
senting himself from my house, and adhering to and advizeing with those of bad
life and conversation, contrary to my directions and example unto him, and for
other reasons best known to myselfe, I doe make and ordaine my dearly be-
loved wife, Mary Morris, sole executrix of this my last will and testament; and

To the meeting of Friends at Shrewsberry, in Monmouth Co.,
five pounds current money of New York per annum forever, to be paid out of
his plantation at Tinton iron works, to be paid on 25th March yearly.

To Thomas Webley,# of Shrewsbury, 250 acres on the westermost part of his
2,000 acres, lying between Swimming River and Hop River, Monmouth Co.,—
he paying quit rent one half penny sterling per acre.

To Lewis Morris, of Shrewsbury, one of his best mares in the woods, and £20
N. York curr’y.

To his nephew, Lewis Morris, son of his brother, Richard Morris, as soon as
he attains the age of 21, the rest, residue, and remainder of his e’te; 7. e. his
plantation and iron works at Tinton, with all lands, meadows, houses, barns,
mills, runs and ponds, of water, water courses, rivers, woods, trees, orchards,
gardens, all his negroes on that plantation, cattel, horse, kinde, swine, and all
other creatures ; all household goods, utensils, moveables, immo’bles, bills, bonds,
patents, books, of ac., debts belong’g to ye place, all profits, priviledges and ap-
purt’ces; also one flat handled spoon, one small tankard, one salt cellar, one
small sugar box all of silver, one small cabinet sealed up ;—wherein is four pearl
necklaces, three or four jewels set in gold, and several other things of value; one
negro woman named DGess,—which forementioned plate, cabinett, and negro
woman, were his brother’s—unto which he adds all the children of said woman
Bess, except one that is otherwise disposed of; 1 doz. silver spoons, one large
tankard, one large tumbler, one small tumbler, and one (porringer, all of silver;
all which last mentioned things he gives his nephew in lieu of some things that
are lost and supposed to be embezzled by Walter Webley ; also £20 in silver cur-
rent at New York, and ten guinneys, the whole given with this restriction and
limitation, that he shall quietly and peaceably acquiess and submit himself wholly
and absolutely unto every thing mentioned or to be 11’d in his will and t’t, and
shall make no opposition or objection against the same, nor any part thereof,
but to his power shall perform and fulfill all things whatsoever that on his part
I have hereby enjoyned unto him ; otherwise, it is my final determination and re-
sult, that if my said nephew, Lewis Morris, his h’rs or as’s, on any pretence or
right from his father af’d, whether by partnerships with me or purchase, or any
way else, shall at any time hereafter, either by himself or any other person or
persons claiming from, for, by or under him or them, by any manner of way or
means whats’r, make any demand or pretend any right, title or int’t to any part

a This Thomas Webley was a nephew of Lewis Morris,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 465

or p’l of estate that now doth or may hereafter belong unto me, more than I have
by these presents entitled him unto, then, and in such case, I do hereby revoake,
nullifie and make void, all and every part of what I have herein before given and
beq. unto my said neph’w, L. M. Andmy willis, that in case of any disturbance
by s’d n’w cone’g the premi’s or any part or par of e’te, real or p’l, hereby, oth’se
beq. and that my s’d dearly bel’d wife Mary M., her h’rs or as, shall thenceforth and
then immediately enter into possession, have, occupie and enjoy all and co’n part
and parcel of ye beforerecited premises, beq’ts and legacys given or to b’g,to my s’d
n’w L. M., if he or any, under pretence of him, shall at any time molest my s’d
wife, her heirs or assigns, in her or their peac’bl enjoy’t of whatsoever est’te, r’
or p’l, that is or shall be herein or hereby given and beq’d unto her or them, any
thing herein con’d to the contr'ry notw’hst’g, only giveing unto him; and I doe
hereby give and bequeath unto m s’d n L. M. the sum of ten pounds cur’t money
of N. Y., to be paid unto him by my s’d ex’x, hh’s and as’s in full of my bequests
and legacys unto him in case of any such disturbance or molestation as aforesaid.

Item. I give and beq unto my hon’d friend, Wiliam Penn, my negro man
Yaff, provided the said Penn shall come to dwell in America; otherwise the s’d
Yaff is to serve my said wife equally with other negroes. Jtem. I give and beq
unto William Bickley one negro girl named Maria. Jtem.. . . . to Wm.
Richardson one negro boy named Jack. Jtem.. . . . to Sam’! Palmer one
n. girl named Buckey. Jtem. I . . . unto my negro man Toney, the cooper,
the sum of 40 shillings a yeare during his life, besides his usual accommodation.
Item. . . . . unto my negro w’n Nell her ffreedom and liberty to goe att
large wheres’r she shall please after the dec’se of my s’d wife. These two last
beq’ts are with this restriction and limitation, that they yield all duty, full sub-
mis’n and faithf’] obed’ce in all respect as becom’h dilig’t serv’ts tow’ds my wife;
otherwise, they are to enjoy no benefit hereby, but their beq’ts to be void, as if
never written or ment. Jtem. I g and b unto John Adams, of Flushing, h h and
as’s, the sum of five pounds, which is due to me on his obligacon. Item. More-
over, I g and beq unto my said nep’w, L. M., all my land and m’ws att Mattini-
cott, on Long Isl’d, together with all the profits and privil’es adv’g thereof, to
him, his heirs and as’s for ever, tog’r with one half of all my pewter and the one
half of all my house linen for bedding and tabling that is on my plantation over
against Harlem, and all my printed books, except such as my said wife shall
please to reserve unto herselfe. Note, that these last bequests unto my s’d n’w
L. M. are given and beq’d under ye same limitations and rest’ns with those
legacys first above mentioned, and not otherwise. Item. I give and beq’th unto
ye meeting of Friends, in the prov’ce of N. Y., the sum of six pounds per an-
num, to be paid out of my plant’n ag’t Harlem afd, in the s’d prov’ce, by whom-
s’er shall enjoy the same, according to my devise thereof, as hereafter appears,
and on every 25th of the month called March, yearly and ev’y year forever, unto
such p’n or per as shall be thereunto ap’d.

Item. All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate and my plantation, r’l
and p’s, where I now inhabitt, over against Harlem af’d, I give and beq’h unto my
d’ly belov’d wife, Mary Morris, her heirs and as’s forever, the lands thereof,
cont’g about 2000 acres best m or 1, tog’r with all houses, barns, mills, runns and
ponds of water, water courses, rivers, orchards, gardens, trees, woods, negroes -
of all kinds, cattell, swine, sheep, horse, kinde, and all other creatures and im-

466 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

prov’ts whatsoever, as also all goods, household stuff and utensills, moneys, plate,
and every thing else moveable and im’ble within doors and w’t that can be named
or expressed, that now is, or hereafter shall be, in my pos’n or any ways belon’g
unto the s’d pl’n, except what is here otherwise disposed of and beq’d. Item. I
give and beq’h unto my said d’y bel’d wife all that my houses, land in N. Y. city,
situate over against the bridge, unto all appurt’ces, profiitts and advant’ges what-
soever thereunto belong’s, with all deeds, pattents, writings, bills, bonds, oblg’ions,
and all things else whats’r, named and unnamed, belonging: Item.
to John Bowne, of Flushing, one negro girl n’d Abba; is att old Thomas inte?
Item. . . . . to Miles Foster, one serv’ble negro boy, such as my s’d d’y
bel’d wife shall appoint. Jtem. . . . . to Ric’d Jones, Wht, of N. Y., one
negro boy or one negro girl, such as m b d wif shall appoint. Jtem.

to William Bickley and to my n’w, L. M., all my right, t and int., in and
to the ship Friends’ Adventure, as also all of my part of her profits and ad’ges
by freight or ortherwise, to each of th eq’l alike part. Item. . . . . mys’d
n’w, my gold seale and my negro man Yeabba; and whereas, I have beq’d unto
ms’dn’w, L. M., all m E at the ironworks at T., with this expression, viz: (as
soon as H s’] attaine to the age of 21 yeare), 49 as above written, I doe now re-
voke ye s’d expression as to time, giving unto him, my s’d n’w, full power and
auth’y to enter into and possess the s’d e’te, and ev’y part and p’l thereof, imm’ly
after my decease, anything before above w’n to the contrary not’g, but under the
same restrictions and limitations as before men’d, viz: by his conformity to the
fulfilling of this my last will and testament; all the rest of my plate and money,
silver and gold, I give and beq’h unto my dearly beloved wife. Lastly, I desire,
author’ and app’t my trusty friends, Ric’d Jones and Miles Foster, of N. Y.,
John Bowne, of Flushing, Wm. Richardson, of W C’r, Richard Hartshorne, and
John Hanes, of co of Monmouth, and Wm. Bickley of W’r co aforesaid, to be
my executors in trust, and overseers to see this my will punctually perf’d and
fulfil’d; and in reg’d to the remoteness of their abodes from one another, I do
order and appoint that any three of them may act as they shall find needfull,
provided Wm. Rich’n. Wm. Bickley, or Rich’d Hartshorne be of that number ;
and for want of a 8d person in the co Monmouth, R’d Hartshorne and John
Hanes may act there as they shall find cause, or may choose a 3d person to act,
&e., &.

And now, having thus disposed of that outward estate and substance that it
hath pleased God to possess me of, I commit my soul to God, &c.

In testimony whereof, I the s’d Lewis Morris, have hereunto to this my last
will and t’t subscrib’d, signed and fixed my seal, at my plant’n over against Har-
lem, in the p’e N. Y., this seventh day of this twelfth month called February, in
the year 1690, in presence of Johannis Vermilje, Jan Tibout, Lamueert Zoches,
David Lillies, marks of Susannah Roberts—Wm. Bickley.

The above will shows plainly that “ Colonel Lewis Morris was by con-
viction a Quaker, and apparently remained a Friend to the day of his
death; for he bequeathes five pounds to the meeting of Friends at Shrews-
bury, and likewise gives his negro man, Yaff, to his honored friend
William Penn, provided the said Penn shall come to reside in America.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 467

It is probable that Penn eventually received Yaff, and that it is he of
whom Penn says, (in his letter to Logan from London, April rst, 1703,)
“T have resolved after four years faithful service he shall be free..” A\-
though Janney, in his excellent life of Penn, says there is evidence that
Yaff was an African, he (Janney) being unaware of the preceding facts.

By THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

Whereas, Lewis Morris, gent., administrator of the goods, rights and
credits of Lewis Morris, deceased, is obliged to make and exhibite a
true and perfect inventory of all and singular the goods, rights and credits
of the said dece’sd, into the Surveyor’s office of this province. These
are to authorize and impower you, Stephanus V. Cortlandt, Nicholas
Bayard, John Pell and William Richardson, to make a true and faithful
appraisement of the goods, rights and credits aforesaid, according to the
best of your knowledge and discretion; and for so doing, this shall be to
you a sufficient warrant. Dated at Fort William Henry, the 23rd of

October, 1691.

Richard Ingoldsby to Stephanus Van Cortlandt, Nich Bayard, John Pell and
William Richardson, Lewis Morris, inventory. A true inventory of all and
singular the goods, chattels and credits of Coll. Lewis Morris, deceased, appraised
at the plantation, the day of 1691, by Coll. Stephanus Van Cort-
landt, Coll. Nicholas Bayard, John Pell and William Richardson, Esq., by virtue
of a warrant to them directed, under the hand of the Commander-in-Chief and
seal of the prerogative office, bearing date the day of October, Anno 1691,
and exhibited in the surveyor’s office, being the prerogative registry of this pro-
vince by Lewis Morris, administrator of all the goods, chattels and credits of the
said Coll. Lewis Morris, deceased :

Imprimus, 164.

Shop Goods. i

£ 3. a

386 Armes v. Alry, (vitriol) at 2s 6d, z - ‘ : 10 14 00

8 pieces and 3 strouds, - ys : : bie 44 00 00
8 tunn of iron at 14lb. p. tunn, . : : g 2 42 00 0

30 yds. and # of black silk prunella, : P = p 10 15 00

39 yds. lutestring, . : : : : : : 12 00 00

8 pieces of 10 yds. bagg, Holland, 33 yds. in each piece, at 8d.. 12 00

7 pieces white calicoes, at 20s. . : : : : 00 00

200ib. white sugar, ,
16 pr. of women’s worsted hose, i

coonwuaS
io)
cS
i)

16 pd. yarne, a ~ = “ 3 16 00
1 case black hefted eee : : : E : 6 00
10tb ginger, . : - = - ° : 2 00

a Arms, (2ams) an old Dutch measure.

468 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF

GOLD.
(169) 180 guineys, ;
1 double guiney, :
32 jacobuss, x
6} ditto, : : P
4} ditto, : : : :
1 pistolle,
2 double doubloons,
5 pr small clasps, ° . °
1 bullett,
1 plain piece,
1 single tooth-pick, -
1 double ditto, . :
1 case ditto with small bodkin,
2 bodkins,
1 mourning ring,
1 heart with lock of fan
1 mash bead, - °

WESTCHESTER,

. , >

cont. in all 4 oz. 5 pwts. aan 5 grs. at 47. 138, 9d. per Oz. .

Debts good and bad,

112 bottles, four of them with syrup, and other odd things,

WHEAT.
540 bushells at 3s. A . .
50 acres of wheat at 12s. . ‘ - = -
Srook, Viz.
24 oxen, 7 : .
17 cows, ayes : .
4 bulls, ° . . . ’ e °
8 year and vantage, : ’ : : ¢
5 yearlings, ; - . . -
2calves, . . . . 3
30 horses, mares aad colts, C s
30 head of swine, - z 2 7 ?
147 sheep, . 3 . ° : ° r
(170) PLANTATION IMPL’TS.

3 carts and 1 pr timber wheels,

1 sloop and yall, . : : F

1 yall and pinnace, - ;
12 lb deer suett at 6d. . - :

[=i l= i i —)

1919 0
2194 0 O

£3661 13 10
na: ls

81

for) a
aoocowodeo

i)

20

10

—
aoconnrvcoonao

—

acco

oo o.co ooc ©

oo oo

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 469

Hangings of the lodging rooms, three old cabbinetts for al. toois

utensils for the farme and family, apparell not particularized, . 20.0: 0
24 galls. refined molasses at 18d. . - . . : 116 0
7 £41384 5 10
N. B. Miss addition in folio 4, , 4 . . - ip 4)0
£4149 9 10
NEGROES.
22 man negroes at 20/7. ° e . 440 0 0
11 women at 152. - “ = = 165 0 0
6 boys at 157. : . 2 : 909 0 0
2 garles at 127. ° - - , 24 0 0
25 children at 51. . ] ; 125 0 0
‘£844 0 0

3 box irons heaters,
1 little letter box,
Memorandum ; we finde in fol. the particulars by the appraise-

ment to amount ir the sum of, . : : : : 195 14 §
in fol. 2, : A - : : : : 38 0 4
in fol. 3, : : é : : : : 107 18 3
in fol. 4, F - - . ° . . 135 7 8
in fol. 5, ; : : , , 5 : 98 12 5
in fol. 6, : P ; 2 - - 3023 11 0
in fol. 7, 472 11 0
£4071 16 3
Besides the negroes in fol. 7, more, ’ F : ; 814 0 0
Appraised by us underwritten,’
More 17 doz. scissors at 33. Ppa A, Step. V. CorTLanpr,
7 cwt. 1 qr. 9b. old lead N. Bayarp,
at 30s. per cwt. EE GEG JOHN PELL,

oe es Wma. RioHarpson.
£12 11 0 :
8. V. CorTLANpT.
Exhibited the seventeenth day of February, 1691, by Lewis Morris, adminis-
trator, &c., for a true and perfect inventory, &c., but under protestation of add-

ing, &e., &e. L. MORRIS.

Lewis Morris, heir of his uncle, Lewis, was born at Morrisania in
1671, and appears to have been a man of extraordinary talents. Chief
Justice William Smith informs us, that of all the members of the New
York Assembly in 1710, “ Colonel Morris had the gaeatest influence on
our public affairs. He was a man of letters, and, though a little whim-

47° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

sical in his temper, was grave in his manners, and of penetrating parts.
Being excessively fond of the society of men of sense and reading, he
was never wearied at a sitting till the spirits of the whole company were
dissipated. From his infancy he has lived in a manner best adapted to
teach him the nature of man, and to fortify his mind for the vicissitudes
of life. He very early lost both his father and mother, as we have seen,
and fell under the patronage of his uncle. Being a boy of strong pas-
sions, the general indications of a fruithful genius, he gave frequent of-
fence to his uncle; and, on one of these occasions, through fear of his
resentment, strolled away into Virginia, and thence to Jamaica in the
West Indies, where, to support himself, he set up for ascrivener.”* “As
a proof of his boyish propensities, (says Mr. Dunlap,) we are told that
when a pupil to Luke Copperthwait, a Quaker, Lewis, hid himself in a
tree by which his teacher was to pass; and in a feigned voice, with great
solemnity called upon Luke, (from above, of course,) and ordered him
to go and preach the gospel among the Mohawks. Luke considered the
bidding miraculous, and prepared to obey ; when, either by compunction
of the boy, or other means, he was undeceived. After several years
passed in the West Indies, the wanderer returned to Morrisania, and was
received by his uncle with forgiveness and joy. To settle him for life,
the uncle brought about a marriage between Lewis and Miss Graham,?
a fine lady, (continues Mr. Smith,) with whom he lived above fifty years,
in the possession of every enjoyment which good sense and polite man-
ners in a woman could afford.Ӣ

Upon,the 8th of May, 1697, Lewis Morris obtained royal letters patent
from King William the Third, erecting A/orrisania into a township and
manor, to be holden of the king in free and common soccage; its lord
yielding and rendering therefore annually, on the Feast Day of the An-
nunciation of our blessed Virgin Mary, the rent of six shillings.

THE ROYAL CHARTER.

William the Third, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., to all to whom these presents shall
come, sendeth greeting: Whereas, the Hon’ble Edmund Andross, Esq., Seig-
neur of Sausmarez, late Governor of. province of New York, &c., by a certain
deed or patent, sealed with the seal of our said province of New York, bearing
date the 25th day of March, in the year of our Lord 1676, pursuant to the com-
mission and authority then in him residing, did confirm unto Col. Lewis Morris,
of the Island of Barbadoes, a certain plantation or tract of land laying or being

a Smith’s History of N. Y.
b Duniap’s Hist, N. Y., vol. i. 278.
¢ Smith's Hist. of N. Y.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 471

upon the maine over against the town of Haerlem, commonly called Bronckse’s
land, containing 250 morgen or 800 acres of land, besides the meadow thereunto
anuexed or adjoining, butted and bounded as in the original Dutch ground brief
and patent of confirmation is set forth; which said tract of land and meadow,
having been by the said Col. Lewis Morris long possessed and enjoyed, and hav-
ing likewise thereon made good improvement, he, the said Edmond Andross, late
governor of our said province, did further, by the said deed or patent, sealed with
the seal of our said province, and bearing date as aforesaid, we grant and confirm
unto the said Col. Lewis Morris, for his further improvement, a certain quantity
of land adjacent unto the said tract of land—which land, with the addition,
being bounded from his own house over against Haerlem, running up Haerlem
River to Daniel Turner’s land, and so along this said land northward to Joho
Archer’s line, and from thence stretching east to the land of John Richardson
and Thomas Hunt, and thence along their lands southward to the Sound, even so
along the Sound about southwest through Bronck’s hill to the said Col. Lewis
Morris’s house—the additional land containing (according to the survey thereof)
the quantity of fourteen hundred and twenty acres, to have and to hold the afore-
recited tract of land before possessed by him, and the additional land within the
limits and bounds aforesaid, together with the woods and meadows, both salt,
and fresh, waters and creeks, belonging to the said lands, unto the said Col.
Lewis Morris, his heirs and assignees forever, under the yearly rent of four
bushels of good winter wheat, as by the said deed or patent, registered in our sec-
retary’s office of our said province of New York, &c.,—relation being thereunto
had—may more fully and at large appear. And whereas, our loving subject,
Lewis Morris, (nephew unto the said Col. Morris, lately deceased, his sole and
only heir,) who is now, by right of descent and inheritance, peaceably and quiet-
ly seized and possessed of ali the aforesaid tracts of land and premises within
the limits and bounds aforesaid, hath, by his petition, presented unto our trusty
and well beloved Benj. Fletcher, our Captain General and Governor-in-Chief of
our said province of New York and territories dependant thereon in America, &c.,
prayed our grant and confirmation of all the afore-recited tracts and parcels
of Jand and premises within the limits and bounds aforesaid ; and likewise that
we would be graciously pleased to erect the said tracts and parcels of land, within
the limits and bounds aforesaid, into a lordship or manor, by the name or title of
the manor or lordship of Morrisania, in the county of Westchester ; and whereas,
it is publicly manifest that the said Col. Lewis Morris, deceased, in his lifetime,
and our said loving subject, his nephew and sole and only heir since his decease,
have been at great charge and expense in the purchasing, settling and improving
of the said tracts and parcels of land, whereon considerable buildings have like-
wise been made; and our said loving subject, being willing still to make further
improvements thereon—which reasonable request, for his further encouragement,
we being willing to grant; and know ye, that we, of our special grace, certain
knowledge, and mere motion, we have given, granted, ratified and confirmed, and
by these presents do for us, our heirs and successors, give, grant, ratify and con-
firm unto the said Lewis Morris, his heirs and assignees, all the aforesaid tracts
and parcels of land within the limits and bounds aforesaid, containing the
quantity of one thousand, nine hundred and twenty acres of land, more or less,
together with all and every the messuages, tenements, buildings, houses, out-

472 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

houses, barne, barracks, stables, mills, mill dams, mill howles, orchards, gardens,
fences, pastures, fields, feedings, woods, underwoods, trees, timber, meadows,
(fiesh and salt,) marshes, swamps and pools, ponds, waters, water courses,
brooks, rivulets, baths, inlets, outlets, islands, necks of land and meadow, penin-
sulas of land and meadow, ferries, passages, fishing, fowling, hunting, and hawk-
ing, quarries, mines, minerals, (silver and gold mines excepted,) and all the
rignts, liberties, privileges, jurisdictions, royalties, hereditaments, benefits, profits,
advantages and appurtenances whatsoever to the afore-recited tracts, parcels and
necks of land, and mill, within the limits and bounds aforesaid belonging, ad-
joining, or in any way appertaining, or accepted, reputed, taken, known or
occupied, as part, parcel or member thereof, to have or to hold all the aforesaid
recited tracts and parcels of land within the limits and bounds aforesaid, con-
taining the quantity of one thousand nine hundred and twenty acres of land, more
or less, together with all and every the messuages, tenements, buildings, houses,
out-houses, barns, barracks, stables, mills, mill dams, mill houses, orchards, gar-
dens, fenees, pastures, fields, feedings, woods, underwoods, trees, timber,
meadows, fresh and salt, marshes, swamps, pools, ponds, waters, water courses,
brooks, rivers, rivulets, streams, creeks, coves, harbors, bridges, baths, strands,
inlets, outlets, islands, necks of land and meadow, peninsulas, land and meadow,
ferries, passages, fishing, fowling, hunting and hawking, quarries, mines and
minerals, (silver and gold mines excepted, ) and all the rights, liberties, privileges,
jurisdictions, royalties, hereditaments, tolls, and benefits, profits, advantages, and
appurtenances whatsoever, to the afore-recited tracts, parcels and necks of land
and mill within the limits and bounds aforesaid, belonging, adjoining, or in any
appertaining or accepted, reputed, taken, known unto him, the said Lewis Morris,
his heirs and assignees, to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of him
the said Lewis Morris, his heirs and assignees forever, and moreover; that if our
further special grace, certain knowledge, and mear motion, we have brought it
according to the reasonable request of our said loving subject to erect all the
afore-recited tracts and parcels of land and premises within the limits and bounds
aforesaid into a lordship and manor; and therefore, by these presents, we do, for
us, our heirs and successors, erect, make and constitute all the afore-recited
tracts apd parcels of land within the limits and bounds afore-mentioned, together
with all and every the above granted premises, with all and every their appur-
tenances, unto one lordship or manor, to all intents and purposes, and ’tis our
royal will and pleasure, that the said Jordship and manor shall from henceforth
be called the lordship or manor of Morrisania ; and know yee, that we reposing
especial trust and confidence in the loyalty, wisdom, justice, prudence, and cir-
cumspection of our said loving subjects, do, for us, our heirs and successors, give
and grant unto the said Lewis Morris, and to the heirs and assinees of him the
said Lewis Morris, full power and authority at all times forever hereafter, in the
said Jordship or manor, one court-leet, and one court-barron, to hold and keep at
such time and times, and so often yearly as he or they shall see meet, and all
fines, issues and amerciaments, at the said court-leet and court-barron, to be
holden within the said lordship or manor, to be set, forfeited or employed, or pay-
able, or happening at any time to be payable by any of the inhabitants of or in
the said lordship or manor of Morrisania, or the limits and bounds whereof, and
also all and every of the power and authority therein-before mentioned, for the

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 473

holding and keeping the said court-leet and court-barron from time to time, and
to award and issue out the said accustomary writs, to be issued and awarded out
of the said court-leet and court-barron, to be kept by the heirs and assinees of the
said Lewis Morris, forever, or their or any of their stewards deputed and appoint-
ed with full and ample power and authority to distraine for the rents, services,
and other sums of money, payable by virtue of the premises and all other lawful
remedies and means, for the having, possessing, recovering, levying and enjoying
the premises, and every part and parcel of the same, and all waifes, estrages,
meeks, deododans, goods or felons, happening and being forefeited within the
said lordship or manor of Morrisania, and all and every sum and sums of money
to be paid as a post fine, upon any fine or fines to be levyed, of any bounds, tene-
ments or hereditaments within the said lordship or manor of Morrisania, together
with the advowson and right of patronage, and all and every the church and
churches erected or established, or thereafter to be erected or established within
the said manor of Morrisania, and we do also give and grant unto the said Lewis
Morris, his heirs and assinees, that all and each of the tenants of him the said Lewis
Morris, within the said manor, may at all times hereafter, meet together and
choose assessrs, within the manor aforesaid, according to such rules, ways and
methods, as are prescribed for cities, towns and counties within our province
aforesaid, by the acts of General Assembly, for the defraying the public charge
of each respective city, town and county aforesaid ; and all such sums of money
assessed or levied, to dispose of and collect for such uses as the acts of the Gen-
eral Assembly shall establish and appoint, to have and to hold, possess and enjoy,
all and singular the said lordship or manor of Morrisania and premises, with all
their and every of their appurtenances, unto the said Lewis Morris, his heirs and
assinees forever, to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, in free and com-
mon soccage, according to the tenure 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 feast day of the Annunciation of our
Blessed Virgin, unto us, our heirs and successors, at our city of New York, the
annual rent of six shillings, in lieu and stead of all former rents, dues, services
aod demands whatsoever, for the said lordship and manor of Morrisania, and
premises ; im testimony whereof, we have caused the great seal of the said pro-
vince to be affixed. Witnesse our trusty and well beloved Benjamin Fletcher, our
capt. gen. and gov. in-chief of our province of New York, and the territories and
tracts of land depending thereon, in America, and vice-admiral of the same, our
lieutenant commander-in-chief of the militia and of all the forces by sea and land
within our colony of Connecticut, and of all the forts and places of strength
within the same, in council at our fort in New York, the 8th day of May, in the
ninth year of our reign, Anno Domini, 1697.4

By command of his excellency, BEN. FLETCHER.

Davin Jameson, Sect’y.

The greatest part of the life of Lewis Morris, before the arrival of

a Alb. Book of Pat. No. vii. 64 and 70.

474 HISTORY OF THE CCUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Governor Hunter, was spent in New Jersey,“ where he signalized him-
self in the service, both of the Proprietors and the Assembly. The
latter employed him to draw up their complaint against my Lord Corn-
bury, and he was made the bearer of it to the Queen. “In 1732,” says
Dunlap), “a question was raised, whether Van Dam (who administered
the government until the arrival of Cosby) should receive the whole sal-
ary allowed to a governor, and the opinion of the Assembly was asked;
but they declined giving an opinion, leaving it to the council, who con-
sented that the warrants should be drawn for the whole. Cosby on his
arrival and friendly reception by the Assembly, waited until their adjourn-
ment, and then produced the King’s instructions to take to himself one-
half the salary and emoluments, during Van Dam’s administration,
leaving him one-half. Van Dam agrees, provided Cosby accounts for

Autograph and arms of Lewis Morris.

certain monies received by him, and shares with Van Dam such monies.
Cosby refuses, and erects a court of exchequer to compel Van Dam to com-
ply with his terms. Suits commence on their part, but Cosby appoints the
judges. Van Dam denies the legality of the proceedings. Chief Justice

a “ He was one of the Council in that Province. and a Judge of the Supreme Court there in
1692. Upon the surrender of the government to Queen Aune, in 1702, he was named to be
governor of the colony; but the appointment was changed in favor of Lord Cornbury, the

ueen’s cousin.” ‘* Within the limits of Shrewsbury, (says Mr. Whitehead), Col. Lewis Mor-
ris had extensive iron works, employing sixty or seventy negroes, in addition to white ser-
vants and dependants.” ‘* The land (3540 acres) was granted to him Oct. 25, 1676. Full lib-
erty was given to him and his associates, ‘to dig, delve, and carry away all such mines for
iron, as they shall find or see fit to dig and carry away to the iron works, or that shall be
found in that tract of land that lies inclosed between the southeast branch of the Raritan
river and the whale pond on the sea-side, and is bounded from thence by the sea and branch
of the river. to the eastward, to the Raritan river, he or they paying all such just damages to
the owners of the land where they shall dig mines as shall be judged is done by trespass of
cattle or otherwise sustained by the carting and carrying of the said mine to the work.”—Z.
J, Records, B page 155.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 475

Morris declines to obey the Governor’s orders in the case, as illegal ; and
is by him suspended, after serving twenty years unimpeachably. James
de Lancey was appointed in his place.”* The following particulars in
relation to this affair, are taken from the Carribeana, a literary periodi-
cal purporting to be “written by several hands in the West Indies.”
The reader will see, that the Chief Justice performed his part with great
boldness and independence :—

‘* Sir :—You will preceive, by the enclosed copy of a letter, that the Original
was addressed to the present Governor of New York, on occasion of a new dis-
pute that arose between his Excellency and the Chief Judge of the province con-
cerning the establishment of a new Court of Equity. The Judge’s argument
upon the question is very long, and, for aught I know, very learned. I shall not
take it upon me to say whether his opinion is right or not; but certainly he was
right in giving his opinion upon a matter of law that came in judgment before
him, The governor, however, was offended at what was spoken, and demanded
a copy, which the judge sent him, 77 print, with the letter now mentioned.

I confess I had some curiosity to know the particular character of this extra-
ordinary personage, who would seem to act and speak like an inhabitant of some
other world. They tell me he is nothing but a man, and a plain man too; exactly
like one of us—eats beef and mutton, drinks Madeira wine, and sometimes rum
punch, as we do. His education was narrow, nor does he pretend to inspiration
or any supernatural aid. His knowledge is derived merely from reading and
observation, and his fortitude grounded on the Christian religion and the laws of
his country, which he fancies are commonly on the side of honesty, and a good
conscience.

I would not be thought to propose this northern magistrate to the imitation of
his brethren between the tropics. I hope and believe they will never meet with
such trials ; and, if they should, I am persuaded they will be more polite than to
copy after so coarse a pattern. I only meant to help out your next paper with a
strange and wonderful occurrance, which may perhaps amuse your gentle read-
ers as effectually as the accounts they have sometimes of hard frosts and huge
whales, though they never see such things in these parts.

Iam yours, &c., INDUS.

To his Excellency, William Cosby, Esq., Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief
of the Province of New York, New Jersies and territories thereon depending
in America, Vice Admiral of the same, and Colonel in his Majesty’s army,
&e.

May it please your Excellency :—

In obedience to your commands by F. M., Esq., deputy secretary, to send you

a copy of what I read in the Supreme Court concerning its having a jurisdiction

to determine causes in a Court of Equity, and a second message from him to

give it under my hand; I send you not only what I read, but what I said on that

head, as far as I can charge my memory. What was said, was spoken before a

numerous auditory, among which were the grand jury for the City and County

a Dunilap’s Hist. N. Y., vol. i, 295.

476 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of New York, and several other persons of distinction. I chose* this public
method to prevent, as much as I could, any misapprehension; and what I said
is as follows, viz :—

[Here follows the judge’s argument against erecting a Court of Equity, and
then he concludes with the remainder of his letter in these words, viz: ]

This, sir, is a copy of the paper I read in the Court, and the substance of what
I said besides on that head, as far as I can shape my memory. I have no reason
to expect that either this, or anything else I can say, will be at all grateful, or
have any weight with your Excellency, after the answer I received to a message
I did myself the honor to send you concerning an ordinance you were about to
make for establishing a Court of Equity in the Supreme Court; as being, in my
opinion, contrary to law, and which I desired might be delayed till I could be
heard on that head, I thought myself within the duty of my office, in sending
this message ; and hope I do not flatter myself in thinking I shall be justified in
it by your superiors, as well as mine. ‘The answer your Excellency was pleased
to send by Mr. J. W. was, that I need not give myself any trouble about that
affair ; that you would neither receive a visit or any message from me; that you
could neither rely upon my integrity nor depend upon my judgment ; that you
thought me a person not at all fit to be trusted with any concerns relating to the
King; that ever since your coming to the government, I had treated you—both as to
your own person and as the King’s representative —with slight, rudeness and imper-
tinence; that you did not desire to see or hear any further of, or from me. Tam
heartily sorry, sir, for your own sake, as well as that of the public, that the King’s
representative should be moved to so great a degree of warmth, as appears by
this answer, which I think would proceed from no other reason but by giving my
opinion, in a Court of which I was a Judge, upon a point of law that came before
me, and in which I might be innocently enough mistaken ; (though I think Iam
not); for judges are no more infallible, than their superiors are impeccable.
But if judges are to be intimidated so as not to dare to give any opinion but what
is pleasing to @ governor, and agreeable to his private views, the people of this

-province—who are very much concerned both with respect to their lives and for-
tunes in the freedom and independency of those who are to judge them—may
possibly not think themselves so secure in either of them, as the laws and his Ma-
jesty intend they should be.

I never had the honor to be above six times in your company in my life ; one of
those times was when I delivered the public seals of the province of New Jersey
to you on your coming tothat government ; another, on one of the public days, to
drink the King’s health; a third, at your desire, to wait on my Lord Augustus
Fitz Roy, with the body of the laws, to tell him we were glad to see him at
New York; and except the first time, I never was above a quarter of an hour
together in your company at any one time; and all the words I ever spoke to you,
except at the first time, may be contained on a quarto side of paper. I might
possibly have been impertinent, for old men are too often so ; but as to treating
you with rudeness and disrespect, either in your public or private capacity, it is
what I cannot accuse myself of doing or intending to do, at any one of the times

a Printing his argument and letter,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 477

Iwas with you. Ifa bow, awkardly made, or anything of that kind, or some
defect in the ceremonial of addressing you, has occasioned that remark, I beg it
may be attributed to the want of a courtly and polite education, or to anything
else, rather than the want of respect to his majesty’s representative. As to my
integrity, I have given you no occasion to call it in question. I have been
in this office, almost twenty years. My hands were never soiled with a bribe;
nor am I conscious to myself, that power or poverty hath been able to induce me
to be partial in the favor of either of them; and as I have no reason to expect
any favor from you, so I am neither afraid nor ashamed to stand the test of the
strictest inquiry you can make concerning my conduct. I have served the public
faithfully and honestly, according to the best of my knowledge; and, I dare, and
do, appeal to it for my justification. Iam, sir,

Your Excellency’s Most humble servant, LEWIS MORRIS.

And the Honorable Lewis Morris not only “resisted the tyranny of the
English Governor Cosby ; but he dared manfully to stand by Zenger in
defending the liberty of the press ; and became also the champion of
the people against De Lancey, Philipse, and other supportors of royal
prerogative ; a mutual antagonism, which in their descendants ran even
into the American Revolution.”®» In 1773, Lewis Morris was elected a
representative for the County of Westchester, in opposition to the aristo
cratic candidate ; and in 1738, appointed first Governor of New Jersey
as a separate province from New York. He was chosen a member of
the venerable propagation Society in 1700, and took a very active part
in promoting its interest. As early as September 14th, 1700, at a meet-
ing of that body, held in London, a memorial was received from him,
in which he speaks of the several townships of East Jersey, “‘as dis-
tracted by almost every variety of dissent, but with little appearance of
real religion among them.” He also suggests some measures which
may conduce to the bringing over to the Church the people in those
countries :—

“ First. That no man be sent a Governor in to any of these Planta-
tions, but a firm Churchman, &c. If possible, none but Churchmen to
be in his council and in the magistracy.”

“* Secondly. That Churchmen may have some peculiar privileges
above others. This (if practicable) must be done by Act of Parlia-
ment.”

““ 7hirdly. That there may be some measures fallen upon, to get
ministers to preach gratis in America, for some time, ’til there be suffi-
cient numbers of converts to bear the charge; and I presume that may
be accomplished this way: let the King, the Archbishop, the Bishops

a See Lewis Morris's Letters to the Lords of Trade in 1733, N. Y., Col. MSS. London Doc.
XXiv. pp. 951-955.
b N. Y. in the Olden Time, by Y. Barnitz Bacon, Sunday Times.

478 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and great men, admit no man for so many years to any great benefice, but
such as shall oblige themselves to preach three years gratis in America ;
with part of the living let him maintain a curate, and the other part let
him apply to his own use. By this means we shal! hav2 the greatest
and best men; and in all human probability, such men must in a short
time, have made a wonderful progress in the conversion of these coun-
tries, especially when it is perceived the good of souls is the only motive
to this undertaking. ’ ¢

About the same time he informs the Society that :—

“The want of a Bishop, and exorbitant power of the several Gover-
nors of the Plantations are great hindrances to the propagation of the
Gospel.”

The following extract is taken from his next communication to the
Secretary :-—

‘‘T have used some endeavors to persuade the Dutch in my neighborhood; into
a good opinion of the Church of England; and have had that success, that they
would, I believe, join, a great part of them, in the sacraments and worship, had
they Dutch common prayer-books, and a minister that understood their language.
Ihave taken some pains with one of their ministers, one Mr. Henricus Beyse,
and have prevailed on him to accept of Episcopal ordination. I think him a man
of the best learning we have in this part of the world, and I believe he may be
ranked among the men of letters in the other, but I must acquaint you that he
has had some falling out with his parishoners For my part I do believe he
is most falsely accused, I have observed his life, and have found nothing in it
irregular or unbecoming his character. The Dutch of best figure have a value for
him, and allow him to be the greatest master of the Dutch tongue they have
among them; and those in my neighborhood esteem him very much. If the
Society think fit to employ him, I shall add to what they give, £15 per annum,
for three years; and I believe he will do great service, and I doubt not you will
find him worth your acquaintance and favor. If the Society would send about
fifty Dutch common prayer books, I believe they would sell; and the money
might be returned or paid to their missionaries, as they thought proper. This
would be doing a great good, at a cheap rate. This, sir, is what offers at present
from Sir, Your affectionate, humble servant,
LEWIS MORRIS.?

Colonel Morris was at this time one of the most influential freeholders
in the parish of Westchester, and a liberal benefactor to its church.
The small bell that formerly hung in the turret of the old parish church
of St. Peters at Westchester was the gift of his bounty in 1706, and bore
this inscription :—

“LEWIS MORRIS, 1677.”

a New York, MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i. p. 106. (Hawks.)
i b New York MSS. from archives at Fulham, vol. i, pp. 159, 160. (Hawks.)

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 479

His manor embraced a large portion of the parish, and contributed an-
nually a small rate for the support of the rector and poor. The follow-
ing extracts are taken from the vestry book of St. Peter's :—

‘At a meeting held by ye Justices, Vestrymen and Church-wardens
on ye 17th of January, 1708-9, it was ordered, yt the two church-war-
dens for this ensuing year shall go to Mr. Morris to know if yt he will
pay his arrearedges, or otherways to know if yt he will joyne issue with
ye parish to try ye title whether his manor be in ye parish or not, and
make return at ye next meeting.”

At a meeting of the same body held the 24th day of January, A.D.
1709-10, &c. :—

“Tt being discovered amongst ye vestrymen, &c., yt some time since
Mr. Lewis Morris, a principal free holder of this parish made some
motion and overtures of erecting or building at his own proper charge a
convenient seat, place or pew, in some suitable part of ye church in this
town, for ye accommodation of himself and family; which generous
offer was by some (tho’ a diminutive number) of the vestry rejected ; yet
notwithstanding did conclude them all by a tame acquiescency to ye bare
negative voices of but two of them, who not well weighing ye consequen-
ces, nor seriously considering ye rationality of the offer, did refuse giv-
ing ye liberty to that worthy gentleman; which ye vestry now met,
having took into consideration, and seriously reflecting upon ye miscar-
riage of ye vestry in yt particular, (which, indeed, did look a little better
than black ingratitude,) have unanimously (xemine contradiconte) agreed
and concluded: That ye said Mr. Lewis Morris may, if he sees cause at
his own proper cost and charge, build, erect, make or set up any con-
venient pew, seat, &c., capacious enough for ye accommodation of his
worthy self and family, within any convenient place (as unto him shall
seem best) of ye body of said church.”

Among the early benefactors to Trinity church, New York, occurs the
name of Lewis Morris, who contributed the timber for its erection. In
- return for this act of munificence, the vestry of that church granted the
family a square pew. He was also a vestryman from 1697 to 1700. He
died at his seat at Kingsbury, near Trenton, on Wednesday the 21st of
May, 1746, aged seventy-three. .

In his will, (proved January 12th, 1746,) he directs his body to be
buried at Morrisania, in a plain coffin, without covering or lining with
cloth ; he probibited rings and scarfs from being giving at his funeral ;
he wished no man to be payed for preaching a funeral sermon upon him;
though if any man, churchman, or dissenter, minister or not, was in-
clined to say anything on the occasion, he should not object. He pro-
hibited any mourning dress to be worn on that account, as he should
die when Divine Providence should call him away, and was unwilling

480 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

that his friends should be at the unnecessary expense, which was owing
only to the common folly of mankind.”

The following notice of his death appeared in the New York Weekly
Post Boy for May 26th, 1746 :—

“New York, May 23d, Wednesday last departed this life, at Zrenton,
after a lingering illness, in an advanced age, his Excellency Lewis Morris,
Esq., Captain General and Governor-in-Chief of the Province of New
fersey:”?

The following items are taken from the journal of his son, Lewis
Morris :—

“May 26th, 1746, set out from Trenton with my father’s corpse for
Amboy ferry; got there that night about nine of the clock. His corpse
was attended by numbers of people, and his pall was supported by
Messrs Andrew Johnston, James Hide, Peter Kemble, Thomas Leon-
ard, Philip French, Daniel Cox, Philip Kearney and Charles Read.
The corpse was put on board of a large peri-augur,’ which came from
Morrisania, for that purpose, and arrived the next morning at Morrisa-
nia, the wind blowing at night at north-west extraordinary hard, and
being cold lay that night at the ferry.”

“May 29th. My father was buried at Morrisania in a vault built by
directions in his will) The materials and workmanship came to £10
6s. 74@. His bearers were the Chief Justice, Joseph Murray, Robert Wal-
ters, James Alexander, William Smith, David Clarkson, Abraham De-
peyster and Lewis Johnston. Dr. Standard, the minister of the parish of
Westchester, attended the burial and performed the service of the
Church,’’¢

By her last will and testament.4 Isabella Morris, wife of Governor
Morris, directs that “‘ her body be decently interred in the vault at Mor-
risania, near the remains of her deceased husband.’ This lady was the
daughter of James Graham, Attorney-General for the province of New
York, and a near relation of the Marquis of Montrose.

The subjoined notice of her decease appeared in the Pennsylvania
Gazette for April gth, 1752 :—

New York, April 6th.—‘‘ Last Monday, died in the eightieth year of her age,
and on Thursday was decently interred in the family vault at Morrisania, Isabella
Morris, widow and relict of his Excellency Lewis Morris, Esq., late Governor of

a See will in papers of Lewis Morris, New Jersey, Hist. Soc., p. 323.

b Peri-auger Petil, (little,) and the Spanish augua, (water,) a flat-bottomed boat like a
schooner without bowspit or gib with centre board.

c He adds, ** May 30th, sent back thechaises to Harlem that we borrowed for the burial.
There was one quarter cask of wine expended at the funeral to about two dozen bottles, and
about two gallons of rum, a barrel of cider and two barrels of beer, &c., &c. Nov. 6, 1746,
waited on my mother with my wife, begged her blessing and returned back at dusk.’’—Copied
from the journal of Hou. Lewis Morris in possession of the late Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq.

d Lib. xviii. of wills, Surrogates Office, N. Y., p. 94.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 481

the Province of New Jersey. A lady endowed with every qualification requisite
to render the sex agreeable and entertaining. ‘Through all the various scenes
of life, she was a pattern of conjugal affection, a tender parent, a sincere friend,
and an excellent economist. She was

Liberal without Prodigality, In Person, Venerable.
Frugal without Parsimony, In Conversation, Affable.
Cheerful without Levity, In Friendship, Faithful.
Exalted without Pride, Of Envy, Void,

She passed through life, endowed with every grace ;
Her Virtues, Olient Destruction can’t deface,

Or Cruel Envy e’er eclipse her fame,

Nor mouldering time obliterate her name.”

The sons of the Hon. Lewis Morris and Isabella his wife, were :—x1st,
Lewis, to whom his father bequeathed all that part of Morrisania lying
to the eastward of the Mile Brook ; and the remainder, westward of the
same stream, called O/d Morrisania, to his wife Isabella for life, and
after her death to his said son Lewis Morris, for life, with power to dis-
pose of the same by will to which ever of his sons he should see fit.* 2d,
Robert Hunter Morris, Chief Jusrice of New Jersey, who had for his
share the Jersey estates.

Lewis Morris, who by his father’s will, now took the lordship and
manor of Morrisania, was Judge of the High Court of Admirality and
one of the Judges of Oyer and Terminer, was born 23d of Sept., 1698,
and died 3d July, 1762. By his last will, dated Nov. 19th, 1760, he
devised “all that part of Morrisania situated west of the Mill Brook, to
his eldest son Lewis Morris.” ‘To his wife, ‘‘the land whereon his house
stands, west of the Mill Brook.” “To his brother Robert Hunter Mor-
ris, he bequeathed the pictures of his father and mother,” and “that of
myself and wife to my daughter Isabella.®

His, son, Governeur, was to have the best education that was to be
had in England or America.¢

His three sons by his first wife, Catharine Staats, were Lewis Morris,
fifth proprietor and third Lord of the Manor, General Staats Long
Mornis, who married Catharine, the celebrated Duchess of Gordon, and
Richard Morris, Judge of the High Court of Admirality in 1776.

Lewis Morris, the fifth proprietor and the last Lord of the Manor, .
was born at old Morrisania in 1726. Educated at Yale College, he
received his B,A. degree in 1746,and his M.A. in 1790, Returning .

a Prerogative Court, Trenton, New Jersey, Lib. E. of Wills, p. 11, &c.

b The above pictures are in possession of Lewis G. Morris, Esq., of Fordham.
¢ Surrogate’s office, N. Y., Liber. 23, 426,

482 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

from his Academic pursuits in 1746 he became a farmer in his native
town, he was opulent and desired no addition to his fortune ; but in the
struggle against the mother country his sympathies were for his native
land. He was a Brigader-General of the Continental army, and at
one time received’ orders from Congress to take possession, (with
his whole Brigade,) of such parts of the Sound and Hudson River as he
might think most exposed to the enemy. In 1775 he was sent from New
York to the Continental Congress where he distinguished himself—
being appointed to confer with the Aborigines and to bring them over
to the American side. He was in Congress in 1776, and his name is
in the great cluster of patriots attached to the Declaration of Independ-
ence. In 1777 he issued an address, or appeal, to the citizens of New
York on the constitution proposed by Convention of the United States
for their future government in that year. In 1798 he died at his farm
in old Morrisania, in the seventy-second year of his age.

Gen. Staats Long Morris was born on the 27th of August, 1728, and
educated at Yale College. Having entered the army, he became Cap-
tain in the Thirty-sixth Regiment of Foot on the 31st of May, 1756, and
attained the rank of Major in 1758. Government having resolved the
following year to raise an additional regiment of Highlanders, by the in-
fluence of the Gordon family—at the solicitation of the Dowager Duchess
of Gordon, Major Morris, to whom she had been lately married, was
appointed to raise that regiment, in which the Duke entered as Captain ;
Lord William, as Lieutentant ; and Lord George, as Ensign. In a few
weeks seven hundred and sixty men were mustered and marched to
Aberdeen, and Major Morris received a commission as Lieutenant-
Colonel of the new corps, which was called the Eighty-ninth Highland
Regiment, with it he embarked in December, 1760, for the East Indies ;
arrived at Bombay in November following, and served at the siege of
Pondicherry in 1761. On the 7th of July, 1763, he was appointed to
the local rank of Brigadier-General, and on the return of the regiment
to England it was reduced in 1765, and its Lieutenant-Colonel went on
half pay, where he continued until 1778.” It is said that upon receiv-
ing an order from the British Government to repair to America he re-
turned his commission, whereupon they appointed him Commander on
Cock’s Heath during the remainder of the war. ‘He became Major-
General in 1777, and was appointed Colonel of the Sixty-first, or South
Gloucestershire, Regiment in 1778. He rose to the rank of General in
the British army in 1796, received the sinecure appointment of Governor
of Quebec in 1797, and died in the early part of the year 1800 in the
seventy-second year of his age. General Morris was twice married ;

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 483

first to the Duchess of Gordon, as already mentioned, who died in 1770,
secondly to Miss Urquhart who survived her husband about a year.”4

Lewis married Mary Walton, who died the 11th of March, 1794.
The following notice of her death occurred in the Diary, or Evening
Register of that year :—

‘Died at Morrisania, Westchester County, on Tuesday the r1th inst.
in the sixty-seventh year of her age, Mrs. Mary Morris, wife of General
Lewis Morris. To say that she was an affectionate wife, a tender parent,
a firm friend and a good Christian might be thought to comprise an as-
semblage of virtues which it is not the lot of humanity to possess. But
all who knew her will bear testimony to this truth, and declare that this
eulogy far from being extravagant, is but a feeble tribute to her merit.
As her life was dear to all who prized the qualities for which she was
eminently distinguished, so her death produced the keenest sorrow in
the breasts of all her acquaintances, which nothing can mitigate ; but the
reflection that the good she did will on earth raise a monument to her
merit, and hereafter entitle her to that reward which will undoubtedly be
bestowed upon the truly virtuous.”

General Lewis Morris and Mary his wife, left six sons and four daugh-
ters, whose decendants are quite numerous. His eldest son was Lieu-
tenant-Colonel Lewis Morris, aid to Major-General Nathaniel Green,
who died at Morrisania, 22d of November, 1824. In the Protestant
Episcopal Church of St. Michaels, at Charleston, S. C., is the following
inscription to the memory of himself and wife, and son William :—

COLONEL LEWIS MORRIS,
who served in the War of ’76.

‘* The time that tried men’s souls.”
He was aid to GENERAL GREENE, at the Battles of Entaw
and Guilford. His good name is the best inheritance left
to his family. He died at Morrisania, New York,
November 22d, 1824.

His wife
ANN MORRIS,
Was a communicant of this church.
Her slaves and the poor can tell they have lost their best friend.
She died at Morrisania, New York.
April 29th, 1848, 42. 86 years.

a Ed. London Doc. N. Y. Col. MSS. vol. viii., p. 187. General Morris was a representative
of New York Province in 1750. There is a fine portrait of him in possession of William Morris

of Morrisanla.
b Diary or Evening Register, Saturday, March 15th, 1794, No. 652.

484 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

CAPT. W. MORRIS,
(Aid to Gen. T. Pinckney,)
Died at Sullivan’s Island, 8. C.,
September 7th, 1828, 48. 40 years.

‘Go my friend, with thy hundred virtues,
to the home of thy Fathers’, go with thy
noble to the bosom of thy God.
Brave and generous spirit. Fare thee
well.”—A. H.

Erected by the daughters of Col. Morris.

Lieut. Col. Morris was the father of the late Col, Lewis Morris of
Morrisania, who died at Adams Run, St. Paul’s Parish, S. C., 30th Sept.,
1863. The son of the latter, Henry M. Morris of New York, possesses
the following portraits, formerly preserved at Old Morrisania :—

Hon. Lewis Morris, first proprietor of Morrisania, of that name, Goy-
ernor of New Jersey; only son of Richard Moris, in yellow coat and
flowing wig. Gen. Staats Long Morris, attired in the uniform of a Brig-
adier-General of the British Army, red coat, white satin vest trimmed
with gold lace, black cocked hat trimmed in the same manner. Isaac
Gouverneur, dressed in a blue coat and a red waistcoat; An unknown
portrait in brown coat and scarlet waistcoat ; General Lewis Morris,
signer of the Declaration of Independence and Brigadier-General in the
Continental army, dressed in olive-green coat ; Mary Walton, wife of the
signer, dressed in a light blue silk dress; Sophia Elliott, by Waldo; Wil-
liam Elliott, by the same ; Colonel Lewis Morris, aid to General Greene,
a miniature, by Fraser, of South Carolina; a marble bust by Launitz, of
Ann B. Elliott, wife of the latter.¢

The Honorable Richard Morris, third son of Lewis Morris, third pro-
prietor and second Lord of the Manor, was born at Old Morrisania in
1730, and was Judge of the High Court of Admiralty in 1776; by
Sarah, daughter of Henry Ludlow, he left three children—Lewis R. ;
Robert, of Mount Fordham; and Mary, who married Brigadier-Major
William Popham. Robert, the second son, left the Honorable Robert
H. Morris, Justice of the Supreme Court of New York. This individual
died at the residence of his father-in-law Munson, at Astoria, Oct. 24th,
1857. The following notice of his death appeared in the papers of the
day :—

e@ Among the books formerly preserved in the library at Old Morrisania may be mentioned
Syrel’s History of England, Dugdale’s Summons of Parliament, Guillim’s Heraldry, Anderson’s

Roy. Gem. Del Pins, Commons Hist. Ang]. Scriptures Dea , Sall Mosi, Plaian Exercitatione,
Matthew Paris Historia-Chaucer, &c., &c. ;

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 485

“The death of Hon. Robert H. Morris, one of the Justices of the Su-
preme Court of this district, took place suddenly on Wednesday last, at
the residence of his father-in-law, Marcena Munson, Esq., of Astoria.
There was no member of the bar more generally known or more uni-
versally admired, and the intelligence of his death was received yesterday
with feelings of intense grief. It was but a few days since, on Tuesday
last, that we saw Judge Morris sitting as a spectator in the Court of
Oyer and Terminer, apparently in the enjoyment of good health; and on
Wednesday he was seized with a sudden attack, and died from the burst-
ing of one of the blood vessels of the heart. Judge Morris was fifty-two
years of age. His public career is familiar to almost every New Yorker.
He was born in this city in 1803, and when he was a mere lad his father
moved to Hudson, where the subject of this notice received his educa-
tion. He studied law in the office of Mr. A Miller, of Hudson, and
commenced practice at Johnston, Columbia County, and was made a
Justice of the Peace about the same time. In 1827 Mr. Morris came
to New York to act as Assistant District Attorney to his brother-in-law,
James A. Hamilton.

Mr. Morris became a member of the Legislature in 1834 or 1835, and
was re-elected twice—being three years in succession a member of that
body. He was elected Recorder in 1838, but it will be recollected that
in consequence of his seizing ‘“‘ the Glenworth papers,” while holding that
office, he was removed by a vote of the Senate, brought about by the
influence of Governor W. H. Seward. A plan was set on foot by John
B. Glentworth, before the Presidential election in 1840, to send on a
number of voters from Pennsylvania—nominally to lay the croton water
pipes through the city, but virtually to vote for General Harrison in op-
position to Martin Van Buren. Mr. Morris ascertained that documen-
tary evidence of this was in the house of a Mr. Pierce, of this city;
and a few days before the election he proceeded to Mr. Pierce’s, in
company with Jonathan D. Stevenson, and seized the ‘ Glentworth
papers” and revealed their contents. For this, as we have said, he
was removed; and Mr. F. A. Tallmadge was appointed Recorder in his
place. But the people of New York viewed the act ofthe Recorder in
a different light; and in 1841 he was elected Mayor of the city by
a majority of 7,000, and was re-elected to the high position of Chief
Magistrate of New York in 1842 and 1843—the only instance we
remember of a man being elected Mayor three times in succession. At
that period of our city’s history the Mayor was elected every year. In
1844 Mr. Morris was appointed Postmaster of New York by President
Polk, and he held that office for four years. While Postmaster, he was ap-
pointed, in 1846, a member of the Constitutional Convention of the
State, which formed the State Constitution under which we now act.
And last of all, he was elected, in 1853, a Justice of the Supreme Court
of the First Judicial District, for eight years, more than five years of
which are unexpired. Judge Morris’s popularity is apparent from the
number of important offices he has held, both by the gift of a President
and by the choice of the people. As an advocate at the bar he was at
times forcible, eloquent, sarcastic and jocose ; he was a sound lawyer,

486 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and in criminal jurisprudence he was considered a high authority. As a
judge he was impartial, just and patient; the tyro and the black let-
ter adept, alike received his attention and his courtesy; the young re-
ceived from him encouragement, whilst the experienced lawyer received
a becoming deference to his position and his standing in the profession.
As a private friend he was affable and sincere, and well stored with a
fund of ancedote and professional experience. Judge Morris was an ex-
cellent and entertaining companion. In his domestic relations he was
exemplary, and leaves a fond wife to lament his loss; but to the mem-
bers of the bar, who will meet in the Supreme Court on Saturday morn-
ing at ten o'clock, we leave the melancholy task of speaking in more ex-
tended terms of the character of the deceased Judge, as he was known
to the profession and to the community.”

The youngest son of Robert, of Fordham, is the present Lewis G.
Morris, Esq., of the same place.

Hon. Lewis Morris, fourth proprietor and second lord of the Manor of
Morrisania, by his second wife, Sarah Gouverneur, left one son—Gouver-
neur Morris—who was born at Morrisania, Jan. 31st, 1752, and graduated
at King’s College, now Columbia, in 1768. He was bred to the law, in
which he gained a great reputation. In 1775, he was a delegate to the
Provincial Congress in New York. The same year he was appointed a
member of the committee for Public Safety for Westchester County. In
December, 1776, he acted as one of the committee for draughting a
Constitution for the State of New York, which was reported in March,
1777, and adopted in April of that year, after repeated and able debates.
He resided at Paris, as American Minister, during the years in which
the French Revolution broke out and consummated. He went to France
in 1787, and remained until 1795 ; during that period it is stated that he
kept, at the suggestion of General Washington, a minute record of the
incidents of every day, and forwarded the whole to Washington. He
is said to have been the author of the memorable address of Louis XVI.
to the French people, and resembled the King so closely that he was
stopped at the barricades by the Revolutionary mob, in Paris, and only
allowed to proceed after exhibiting his cork leg at the carriage window.
In all his public capacities, he displayed great zeal and ability. After
the Revolution, he retired from public life and passed a number of years
in private pursuits—excepting that he was a very active member of the
Convention which framed the Constitution of the United States. “He
was chosen Senator of New York in 1800, and in 1808 appointed one
of their Commissioners to lay out the city of New York into streets and
avenues north of Bleecker street. In the summer of 1810, he examined

aN, Y. Evening Post,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 487

the route for the Erie Canal, and took an active part in originating and
promoting that noble work.” ‘The activity of his mind, the richness of
his fancy, and the copiousness of his eloquent conversation were the ad-
miration of all his acquaintance, and he was universally admitted as one
of the most accomplished and prominent men of our country.”* He
died at Morrisania, Nov. 5th, 1816, aged 64. His publications were
numerous. A selection from his papers, with a sketch of his life, has
been published by Jared Sparks, in three volumes.

He married Ann Cary Randolph, daughter of Thomas Randolph of
Roanoke, Virginia, who was descended in the fifth generation from the
celebrated Pockohantes, (literally a run between two hills),? the daugh-
ter of Wahunsonacock or Powhattan, Emperor of Attanoughkanonck, or
Virginia. His son is the present Gouverneur Morris, Esq., of Morris-
ania,

The principal proprietors, at present, of the ancient manor bearing the
name, are William H. Morris, Esq., who at one time held one-third part
of old Morrisania; Henry Lewis Morris, grandson of Commodore Rich-
ard Morris, and the Rev. Arthur Morris, Protestant Episcopal mission-
ary to Japan; also the present Gouverneur Morris, Esq., and his children,
who hold a portion formerly belonging to General Staats Long Morris,
and the other heirs of Gerard W. Morris. The manor is now divided
among a vast number of proprietors too, numerous to mention. Accord-
ing to the survey of Adam Findlay, made in 1849, ‘the Long Neck
Mansion House Farm of Old Morrisania, then belonging to the late
Colonel Lewis Morris, embraced 313,33, acres, which then included
everything, z. ¢. all the property unsold, excepting the lots on the Post
road between Orange and Mott streets, and the lot where the small
house stood in the rear of Parkers, and excepting the lands permanently
leased.Ӣ

‘“* Morrisania remained but sparcely settled for years. During the
Revolution its forests formed secure hiding-places for the royalist ref-
ugees,’@ and its thick coverts abounded in wolves.” It remained in the
{amily of its ancient owners until the first large advent of population to
its fields in 1848. An association then purcnased two hundred acres of
the northern part, and began a village. At that time there were but
three houses on the purchase. At first it was called ‘‘ New Village,” but
as it grew it assumed the name of Morrisania, while Bronck’s original

Barber’s Hist. Coll. of N. Y.
b 'Phis name was given to her under the supposition that the English could not bewitch her
with an assumed name.
e Copied from MSS. of H. M. Morris, Dec. 10th, 1857.
d New York inthe Olden Times, by J. Barnitz Bacon,

488 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

property was known as Old Morrisania. Afterwards Melrose, Mott
Haven, Woodstock, Eltona, and other places arose on the old domain,
until now it is the thickly populated Twenty-third Ward of New York.’

Mott Haven was named after the late Jordan L. Mott, Esq., who did
more than any other man to build up Morrisania. It is now very
thickly settled; here is established the extensive iron foundry which
has done so much to create a large business centre around it, still
owned by a son of the former Jordan L. Mottt, Esq. Adjoining the
foundry is the celebrated Harlem bridge, which communicates with
North New York and the Island. ‘This bridge, which was nearly six
years in building was opened about 1867 for the general transit of
foot-passengers and vehicles. The act authorizing its construction was
passed on the 17th of April, 1857, the words of which stipulated that it
should be commenced “as soon as the Commissioners thought it neces-
sary;” and about the latter end of November, 1860, the board in
question thought it was nearly time to begin, and the work was taken
in hand at that date.

From the water on the upper side, it looks remarkably well. The
engineer in charge was Mr. Erastus Smith, who had the charge of the
ram Dunderberg, and he was assisted in the work by Mr. Ethan
Rogers.

Pnor to the erection of the old wooden bridge, there appears to have
been a fording place between the two shores ; for, upon the 11th of Oc-
tober, 1666, Governor Nicolls granted “certain saw mills to Thomas
Delaval, John Vervelen and Daniel Turner, &c., lying over against
Verchers or Hogg Island, in the Sound, where a passage hath been
made to ford over from this island to the maine.”®

Governor Dongan’s patent for Haarlem, 1686, recites the following:

** And whereas the town lies very commodious for a ferry to and from
the maine, which may redown tu the particular benefit of the inhabi-
tants as well to general good. The freeholders and inhabitants of said
town should, in consideration of the benefits and priveleges therein
granted, as also for what advantage might accrue thereby, be enjoyned
and obliged, at their proper costs and charge, to build and provide one
or more boats fit for the transportation of men, horse or cattle, for which,
a certain allowance was to be given by each particular person,” &c.¢

Sometime in 1759, Benjamin Palmer of Great Minnieford or City

a New York in the Olden Times, by J. Barnitz Bacon.

b Harlem Conveyances. p. 6.

ce Harlem Conveyances, p. 7. Opposite to Mott Haven, on the Harlem side of the River, was
What was termed the ** Middle Koad,” at the extremity of which was ‘‘ Cole’s Bridge” after-
wards Known as‘: Harlem Bridge ;” while a little from the line of First Avenue, was the
**O.d Harlem Road,” at the foot of which was the before mentioned Ferry.—ditor,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 489

Island, built a free bridge over Haarlem River partly by subscription,
for which he also advanced out of his own funds £608; but it does
not appear that he was ever reimbursed.

In the vicinity of Harlem Bridge is the terminus of the New Haven
and Harlem River Rail Road Route. Here is a large Depot and Dock
for the convenience of passengers, by the steam boats of the Harlem
and New York Navigation and Morrisania Companies—whose steamers
leave Fulton Market Slip, connecting with New York and New Haven
Rail for Hunts’ Point, West Farms, Westchester, Bartow, (City Island,)
Pellam Manor, New Rochelle, Portchester, Greenwich, Stamford, Nor-
walk, Bridgeport, New Haven and all points East and North.

Upon rising ground a little North-east of the Depot, stands the
ancient manor house, of what was formerly known as “Old Morrisania.”
On or near this spot, Jona Bronck built his house in 1643. Here, also,
Richard Morris resided in 1670-1, and erected a house which occupied
the site of the present Mansion; at one period of the Revolutionary
War, the officers of the American picket guard had their head-quarters
in the Manor house, and subsequently it was occupied by Lieutenant-
Colonel James de Lancey, of the British Refugee Corps ; a little west of
the house, covered with willow trees, was formerly situated the family
vault of the Morris’s. The following extract, from a letter dated Peek-
skill, January 19th, 1777, shows the savage nature which marked the
Bnitish soldiery during their occupancy of Morrisania, in breaking open
vaults and plundering the dead :—

“*General Howe has discharged all the privates who were prisoners in New
York. One-half he sent to the world of spirits for want of food—the other he hath
sent to warn their countrymen of the danger of falling into his hands; and to
convince them by ocular demonstration, that it is infinitely better to be slain in
battle, than to be taken prisoners by British brutes whose tender mercies are
cruelty. But it is not the prisoners alone who felt the effects of British human-
ity; every part of the country through which they have marched, has been plun-
dered and ravaged. No discrimination has been made with respect to Whig or
Tory, but all alike have been involved in one common fate. Their march thro’
New Jersey has been marked with savage barbarity ; but Westchester witness-
eth more terrible things. The repositories of the dead have always been held
sacred, by the most barbarous and savage nations. But here, not being able to
accomplish their accursed purposes upon the living, they wreaked their vengence
upon the dead. In many places, the graves in the church-yards were opened;
and the bodies of the dead exposed upon the ground for several days. At Mor-
risania, the family vault was opened, the coffins broken, and the bones scattered
abroad. At Delancey’s farm, the body of a beautiful young lady, which had
been buried for two years, was taken out of the ground and exposed for five
days in a most indecent manner; many more instances could be mentioned, but

490 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

my heart sickens at the recollection of such inhumanity. Some people try to be-
lieve that it is only the Hessians who perpetrate these things ; Sut I have good
authority to say that the British vie with, and even exceed, the auxiliary troops
in licentiousness. After such treatment, can it be possible for any person seri-
ously to wish for a reconciliation with Great Britain,Ӣ

What remained of the venerated dead, was some years ago removed
to the new vault under St. Ann’s church, Morrisania. While the old
manor house and its surroundings have been turned into a tavern and
lager beer garden.

On the east side of the Mill Brook is situated the well-known country
residence of the late Hon Gouverneur Morris, which is highly spoken of
by travellers, and other persons of taste. Its location is very fine, just
on the south-west angle of what was formerly the township of Morris-
ania, nearly opposite to the beautiful scenery of Hellgate, and eight
miles from New York. It commands extensive views of the surround-
ing country, and the adjacent waters. “ Here he passed the latter years
of his life, exercising an elegant and munificent hospitality, reviewing the
studies of his early days, and carrying on a very interesting correspon-
dence with statesmen and literati in Europe:and America. Among his
principal guests were Louis Phillipe Le Duc d’Orleans, (afterwards king
of France), and John Victor Moreau, one of the most celebrated of mod-
ern French generals. Of the old mansion, which was constructed in
the French chateau style, nothing remains but the central portion, and
this has been greatly modernized by the present proprietor. The inte-
rior, however, retains much of its former consistence. The library pos-
sesses a very choice selection of books. It is chiefly remarkable for the
valuable manuscripts belonging to it, which are so extensively connected
with the history of its former owner. There are here, likewise, several
choice pieces of French furniture, some gobelin tapestry, and a good
portrait of the late Hon. Gouverneur Mornis, also a fine marble bust of
Mrs. Morris.

The grounds are enriched with many rare ornamental trees and
shrubs ; among the former deserve to be mentioned, two or three speci-
mens of the deciduous American cypress, (cupressus disticha), sad by
Gordon to be the finest of the kind in the United States. Of the lat-
ter, there are hedges of the g/iditsia tricanthus, and the gliditsia horrida.

The Mill Brook® valley passes near the house, and joins the Harlem
kills. It was through this historic valley that Harvey Birch, of Cowpens,

a Westchester Co. in 1777. From the Freeman’s Journal, or New Hampshire Gazette,vol.i.
No. 39, Portsmonth, Tuesday, Feb. 18th, 1777. Copied from Historical Magazine, New
Series, vol. viii, No. 6, Dec. 1870, page 370.

b This brook has now been converted into a sewer, and a main avenue is about being con-
structed over its surface, called Brook avenue,

‘oor

‘VINVSIUUOW ‘SINYOW UAANUTANOD ‘NOH ALVT AHL JO ToNsareait

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 491

the “spy,” is represented as having passed and repassed so frequently
in his daring forays. Near the banks of this stream, too, in the vicinity
of Tremont, and about two miles from Harlem Bridge, ‘the celebrated
Charlotte Temple lived. The sentimental tourist lingers long by the
stones that formed the chimney of the cottage, and the trunks of the
old apple trees which shaded her roof. The house in which her friend
lived, still stands, but is much decayed; and the little garden which
Charlotte planted with a gift of cucumbers, is in grass. A clear spring
rivulet runs close by. Alas, poor Charlotte; the tears that have been
shed over her tragic fate, would form another such rivulet.”

The property of Wiliam H. Morris, is situated on the hign ridge
west of the mill brook vale. The house built by James Morris Esq.,
occupies the site of one much older, erected in 1795. It is handsome,
and well placed; and the neighborhood is rendered extremely beautiful
by the inequality of the ground, and the fine mixture of wood and
pasture, which diversifies the appearance of the vales and eminences.
Within are some good paintings, viz , James Morris, by Benjamin Peale ;
Hon Daniel Webster, by Frothingham; and General Staats Long Morris,
artist unknown. A broad and fine carriage road, lined on either side
with elms,“ is terminated by a picturesque view of Melrose and its sur
roundings. At no great distance stands the residence of the late Com-
modore Valentine Morris.

Upon the east side of the Mill brook lay the old race course, which is
said to have been established by General Staats Long Morris, one of
the first importers of blooded horses at the north. The western portion
of Morrisania is watered by Cromwell creek,’ which discharges into
the Harlem river.

East of the Mill Brook, and nearly opposite the North and South
Brother Islands on the East River, “‘is situated Port Morris—unsurpassed
for the anchorage of large vessels, by any port in the world.” The Great
Eastern, with her immense size and capacity, formerly landed safely at
one of her docks; and just above Port Morris, and. about opposite
Riker’s Island, fronting the property of the late B. M. Whitlock, is a
bay, affording the best place for a navy-yard in any of the States ; inas-
much as here, alongside of the East River salt water frontage, might be
constructed a large fresh water basin—to be supplied by water, about a
mile distant from the Bronx’s River, in the village of West Farms—large
enough to float all the iron-clads of the world; and the corroding of the

a One of these trees measure fourteen feet in circumference, while its branches afford a

a shade of 120 feet. at i : :
b On this stream a mill was erected by Lewis Morris in 1760, of which nothing remains but

the mill dam.

492 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

iron of these vessels when not in active service, lying in salt water, re-
quires their anchorage in such a fresh water basin. The concentration
of the Hudson River, the Harlem, New Haven and Harlem River Rail-
roads in their freighting and passenger business, at their proposed new
grand depot, near Melrose and at Mott Haven, indicates that their im-
mense freight and passenger traffic from the Pacific coasts, and from
the West and the East, all must within a few years centre near the Har-
lem River, within the present town of Morrisania. These facilities will
be greatly increased by the proposed canal connecting the Harlem River
with the Hudson River, the removal of the obstructions at Hell Gate,
and the erection of the Suspension Bridge at Anthony’s Nose in the
Highlands, connecting with the New York City and Northern Railroad.
A branch of the old Harlem Rail Road terminates at Port Morris.
During the Revolutionary war, the British Frigate Hussar was wrecked
off Port Morris, laden with American prisoners and treasure ; for many
years divers have been at work upon the wreck, with but little success.
It is claimed, however, that the divers are now meeting with better en-
couragement, “‘as they are making rapid progress in removing the debris
that is supposed to cover many thousand pounds in English coin. Sid-
ney Cook, the diver in charge, believes he has reached the ship’s maga-
zine. He daily brings to the surface large cakes of gunpowder, and the
iron bands and wooden plates which once held together and fixed amu-
nition. A cartridge of wedge-shaped slugs, eight of which when joined
form a circle, kept in position by wooden disks, was brought up a short
time ago. These projectiles were used for cutting the rigging of an
enemy’s ship. But little remains of the frigate’s iron work. Some of
the wood work, after lying on the bottom of the river for ninety-six
years, is in a fair state of preservation. A knee and two lignum vite
sheaves of pulley blocks were well preserved. ‘The copper rivets of
manacles worn by the ill-fated American prisoners, chained to the gun
deck when the frigate went down, are occasionally found. Mr. Cook
brought to the surface not long since a massive block of oak, a part of
the frigate’s keel. Its shape shows that it was taken from near the
ship’s bow. In all former attempts to recover the treasure, no diver has
succeeded in reaching the keel.”

Adjoining Port Morris are many fine country seats; among which de-
serves to be noticed Rockwood, the residence of Samuel E. Lyon, Esq.,
a well-known member of the New York and Westchester bar.

Prior to the Revolution, Morrisania, as before stated, formed one of
the precincts of Westchester parish; and in 1703 paid as her quota
towards the rector’s support and poor £3. 75. ; in 1720 her-rate was £4

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 493

tos. Under the Manorial charter, the Morris’s were possessed of the im-
propriation and the patronage of all and every—the church and churches
erected or established within the manor of Morrisania. Still Morrisania
continued to be associated with Westchester in the support of a minister
till the year 1840, when the present parochial church of St. Ann’s was
founded by Gouverneur Morris, Esq., being the first building devoted to
worship and religious instruction ever commenced in Morrisania. The
church with its surrounding grounds was munificently conveyed to the
vestry, by its founder in 1841, under the following form :—

DEED OF GIFT.

‘“This indenture made this seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, between Gouverneur Morris, of Mor-
risania, in the County of Westchester, in the State of New York, Esquire, of the
first part, and the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Ann’s church at Mor-
risania, of the second part; Whereas the said Gouverneur Morris with a view to
the promotion of Religion and Piety, has at his own expense erected on his
estate on Morrisania aforesaid, a church or edifice intended for the public worship
of God according to the rites and ceremonies of the Protestant Episcopal Church
in the United States of America; and whereas a religious society has lately been
formed and incorporated according to law, by the name and style of The Rector,
Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Ann’s church at Morrisania; which corporation
are the parties hereto of the second part, and the said Gouverneur Morris has
promised to give to them the said edifice with the land hereafter described to be
attached thereto, with the exceptions, and on the conditions hereinafter expressed.
Now this indenture witnesseth that the said Gouverneur Morris, in the considera-
tion of the premises and of one dollar lawful money of the United States of
America, to him in hand paid by the said parties of the second part, the receipt
whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath granted, bargained, sold and conveyed, and
hereby doth grant, bargain, sell and convey unto the said parties of the second
part, their successors and assigns, all that certain piece or parcel of land situate in
Morrisania aforesaid, whereon the said church edifice hath been erected, and
bounded as follows, to wit: Beginning at a stake situate south sixty-six degrees
and forty-five minutes, east, sixty-eight and a half feet from an iron bolt in the
south corner of a large rock, which stake is the south-west corner of the lot
herein described, and running thence north twenty-three degrees and fifteen
minutes; east, two hundred and eighty feet six inches, thence south sixty-four
degrees and forty-five minutes; east, three hundred and ninty-five feet and two
inches, thence south thirty degrees and thirty minutes; west, one hundred and
twenty-six feet and eight inches, thence south forty-one degrees and thirty min-
utes; west, one hundred and forty-nine feet six inches, thence south forty de-
grees, west nine feet and two inches, thence north sixty-six degrees and forty-five
minutes, west three hundred and twenty-six feet and six inches to the place of
beginning, the last mentioned course being paralell with the front of the said
church or edifice, and distant therefrom one hundred and sixty-two feet and eight

494 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

inches, together with the said church or edifice and the hereditaments and appur-
tenances thereunto belonging, but excepting and reserving thereout the two vaults
hereafter mentioned. TZ have and to hold the said premises hereby intended to
be conveyed to the said parties of the second part, their successors and assigns
forever, but nevertheless on the conditions and subject to the stipulations and
covenants herein contained; that is to say, first, that the said church or edifice
shall be devoted to the worship of God according to the rites and ceremonies of
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and shall not
be used for ary other purpose. Second, that such of the pews in the said church
as are marked in the plan hereto annexed with the word Free, shall never be sold
or rented, but shall remain free; so that all persons coming to the said church
to worship therein may freely occupy and use the same. Third, that none of the
pews within the said church or edifice shal! ever be sold, but that all except those
intended to be used free as aforesaid, may be rented for terms not exceeding
three years; and that the rents arising therefrom shall be forever applied for the
support of the rector or minister for the time being who shall officiate in the said
church, and for no other purpose except for necessary repairs of the said church,
and for fuel and other necessary expenses for the services of the same. And
whereas a vault hath been constructed which is under the said church, and in
which are interred the remains of the mother of the said Gouverneur Morris and
whereas there is another vault within the boundaries above described, but not
beneath the said church, in which are interred the remains of the father of the
said Governeur Morris and of others of his family—now it is hereby declared that
each of the said vaults. and the ground whereon they are built, is hereby reserved
and excepted from the above grant and conveyance, (and it is one of the
express conditions of this conveyance,) that the said Gouverneur Morris, his
heirs and assigns, shall at all times have access to the said two vaults with the
privillege of opening and using the same for the burial of their dead. And
whereas the said Gouverneur Morris has also caused to be constructed under the
said church other vaults, it is also a condition of this conveyance, that if the
parties hereto of the second part shall sell or grant the right of using the same,
they shall invest all money to arise from such sales or as compensation for such
grants so that it may produce an annual interest or income, and shall apply such
interest or income to the support of the rector or minister for the time being
officiating in the said church, and for no other purpose whatever. And this con-
veyance is on this further condition, that the land hereby conveyed, and not
covered by the said church, shall be used for the purposes following and none
other; that is to say, a part not exceeding one half thereof may be used as a site
for a parsonage or dwelling house for the use of the rector or minister for the
time being officiating in the said church, and for a garden to be attached there-
to, and for a site for sheds for the protection of horses and carriages of persons
attending worship in the said church, and the residue of the said land shall be
used as acemetery or burial ground, and for no other purpose; and it is a further
express condition of this conveyance, that no rector or minister shall be called or
employed to officiate in the said church during the life of the said Gouverneur
Morris without his previous consent in writing, and further, that neither the
premises hereby conveyed or any part thereof, nor any of the said pews or vaults,
or any of the rents or income to arise therefrom from any part of the said premi-

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 495

ses, shall ever on any pretence, be mortgaged, or in any way or manner be made
liable for any debts or engagements of the parties of the second part, or of their
successors. And the said parties of the second part, for themselves and their
successors, hereby convenant with the said Gouverneur Morris, his heirs and as-
signs, that they the said parties of the second part and their successors, shall and
will faithfully observe and perform all and every of the said conditions ; and it is
hereby expressly declared and agreed, that if default shall at any time be made
in the performance or observance of any of the conditions above mentioned, or
of the said covenants, it shal] be lawful for the said Gouverneur Morris, his heirs
and assigns to re-enter into, and upon the said premises, or any part thereof, in
the name of the whole, and the same to have again re-possess and enjoy as in his
first and former estate, anything herein contained to the contrary thereof notwith-
standing. In witness whereof, the said Gouverneur Morris hath hereunto set his
hand and seal, and the parties of the second part have caused their corporate seal
to be hereunto affixed the day and year first above written.

Sealed and delivered). H GOUVERNEUR MORRIS,
pH.

in the presence of M. Morris. of Morrisania.¢”

The church of St. Ann’s is situated in a picturesque position, near Old
Morrisania, on rising ground, overlooking a clear and rapid little stream,
hastening to join the more expanded waters of the East River. It is a
pleasing gothic structure of marble, and comprises a nave with two
aisles, small recess chancel, and a spire over the southern end. ‘It
was erected by the present Gouverneur Morris, Esq., in a field on his
own estate, which had for some time been hallowed, as containing the
sepulchre of his parents. A vault was constructed to receive his remains,
and a tablet in the chancel contains the following inscription :—

THE RELICS OF THE

HONORABLE GOUVERNEUR MORRIS,

A name illustrious in his country’s annals,
were laid by his faithful widow.

In the year of our Lord 1837, she joined him with the dead ;
and over her remains has arisen this beautiful Sanctuary, which,
in remembrance of her, and with respectful regard to two
other valued relations of the name, was called St. Awnn’s
Cuurcu, from the blessed St. Anne of the Gospel, and con-
secrated by that name, on the 28th day of June, 1841, by
Bishop Onderdonk.

The act of incorporation of this church bears date July 2oth, 1841;
Robert Morris and Lewis Morris, wardens; Jacob Buckhout, Daniel

a Copied from the original in the possession of Gouverneur Morris, Esq., for a long time,
S-cretary aud Treasurer of the vestry of 8t, Ann’s church, Morrisania.

496 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Deveau, Benjamin Rogers, Benjamin M. Brown, Edward Leggett, Lewis
G. Morris and Henry W. Morris, vestrymen. The interior of the church
contains a well-arranged chancel and the tablet afore-mentioned, in-
scribed as follows :—

Conjugal Affection
Consecrated this spot, where
THE BEST OF MEN

Was laid until a vault could be erected
To receive
His precious remains.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, the interments of the Morris family
were made, as we have already seen, at Old Morrisania, near the manor

St. Ann’s Church, Morrisania.

house still standing. On the 15th of February, 1866, what remained of
the bodies were then transferred to the vault beneath this church.
Among these was the Hon. Lewis Morris, Governor of New Jersey;
Lewis Morris, signer of the Declaration of Independence, with their
wives; to which may be added Mary Mornis, sister of Lieutenant-
Colonel Morris (Aide of General Greene), his wife, Anne B. Morris,
and their grand-daughter, Emma Morris; Elizabeth Morris, youngest
daughter of Colonel Lewis Morris, Anna Rutherford, grand-daughter of
Lieutenant-Colonel Morris, and Sarah Morris, daughter of the signer.

A beautiful silver communion service—consisting of a flagon, two

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 497

chalices and paten—were presented by the ladies of the parish. There
is also an additional paten bearing the following inscription :—

“ Sie Anne Altart Voverunt Tres. J. H. C. Fest.
Pentecost, 1842.”

The donors were John Jay, Henry Hobart and Cleveland Cox. The

bell is inscribed :—
*“ Presented to

ST. ANN’S CHURCH

BY
GOUVERNEUR Morris.

J. P. Allaire, New York, 1841.”

On the west side of the church is a neat rectory.

RECTORS OF ST. ANNS CHURCH, MORRISANIA.

Inst. or Catt. INCUMBENTS. Vaoar. By.
1841, Rey. Artuur C. Cox, Deacon, resig.
1842, Rey. Cuarres Jongs, Presb., Ue

1843, Rev. Cuartes Axpis, Presb., a

1Sept. 1847, Rey. ApranaM B. Carter, Presb. oe

20 March, 1852, Rev. 8. Prrkngy Hammonp, Presb., es
Rev. Witt1am Hucket, Presb., present rector.

St. Paul’s church, which was formerly included in the parochial limits
of St. Anns, was on the 3oth of May, 1853, erected into a separate
parish.

Church work was begun at this point by the Rev. A. B. Carter, Rec-
tor of St. Ann’s, Morrisania. The congregation was duly organized by
Mr. Carter, as a Chapel of St. Ann’s, July 8th, 1849. On Sept. 15th,
of the same year, the corner-stone of the chapel was laid by the Rt. Rev.
W. R. Whittingham, Bishop of Maryland. The chapel was opened for
Divine Service on Easter Day, March 31st, 1850; and was consecrated
by Bishop Whittingham, June 22d, 1850. The chapel stands on a plot
of ground containing one acre, and bounded by two of the principal
avenues, having a front on each of nearly 150 feet. The building itself
was, and is still, a simple frame gothic structure, with open roof 80 x 30,
including chancel and tower.

On the 31st day of May, 1853, the connection of St. Paul’s chapel
with the mother church, St. Ann’s, was severed and a new parish organ-
ized under the title of St. Paul’s, Morrisania Village. On the first day
of September in the same year, the Rev. Benjamin Akerly was called as
the first Rector. Up to this time the services had been maintained by

498 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

Rev. A. B. Carter and Rev. J. Pinckney Hammond, Rectors of St.
Ann's. The Rev. Mr. Akerly continued Rector of the new parish, till
some time in 1857 or 1858. During his Rectorship, a commodious
Rectory was built on the church grounds.

In April, 1858, the Rev. Samuel G. Appleton was elected Rector.
During his Rectorship, the church was enlarged by the addition of a
transept. The parish was gaining fast in numbers and strength, when
an unfortunate division of opinion took place and a new parish was or-
ganized. The Rev. Mr. Appleton resigned soon afterwards—early in
1868, and was succeeded on the first of Nov. of the same year, by Rev.
Fredk. B. Van Kleeck. On May 1st, 1870, the Rev. Dr. Van Kleeck’s
resignation took effect, as he had accepted a call to Grace church,
White Plains; and on the same day his successor, Rev. Thomas R. Har-
ris, began his duties as Rector. In 1871 the church was raised and a large

Basement Sunday-school room added. In 1879, large repairs were made
to the church buildings and the interior of the church was decorated.
At the commencement of the Revolutionary struggle, Gen. Heath’s
division of the American army was stationed at Morrisania. From his
memoirs we gather the following particulars: “A picket from our gen-
eral’s division, of four hundred and fifty men, constantly mounted, by
relief, at Worrisania, from which a chain of sentinels, within half gun-
shot of each other, were planted, from the one side of the shore to the
other, and near the water passage, between Morrisania and Montresor’s
island, which in some places is very narrow. The sentinels on the
American side were ordered not to presume to fire at those of the Brit-
ish, unless the latter began ; but the British were so fond of beginning,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 499

that there was frequently a firing between them. This having been the
case one day, and a British officer walking along the bank, on the
Montresor’s side, an American sentinel—who had been exchanging some
shots with a British sentinel—seeing the officer, and concluding him to
be the better game, gave him a shot, and wounded him. He was car-
ried up to the house on the island. An officer with a flag soon came
down to the creek and called for the American officer of the picket, and
informed him that if the American sentinels fired any more, the com-
manding officer of the island would cannonade Col. Morris's house, in
which the officers of the picket quartered, The American officer im-
mediately sent up to our general, to know what answer should be re-
turned, He was directed to inform the British officer that the American
sentinels had always been instructed not to fire on sentinels unless they
were first fired upon, and then to return the fire; that such would be
their conduct ; as to the cannonading of Col. Morris’s house, they might
act their pleasure. The firing ceased for some time; but a raw Scotch
sentinel having been planted one day, he very soon after discharged his
piece at an American sentinel nearest to him, which was immediately
returned; upon which a British officer came down, and called to the
American officers, observing that he thought there was to be no more
firing between the sentinels. He was answered, that their own began;
upon which he replied, ‘he shall then pay for it.’ The sentinel was
directly after relieved, and there was no firing between the sentinels, in
that place any more ; and they were so civil to each other, on the posts,
that one day, at a part of the creek where it was practicable, the British
sentinel asked the American, who was nearly opposite, if he could give
him a chew of tobacco ; the latter, having in his pocket a piece of thick
twisted roll, sent it across the creek to the British sentinel, who, after
taking off his bite, sent the remainder back again.’’#

“On the 6th of October, 1776, (continues General Heath), orders
were given for throwing up a new work on Harlem creek below the
wood at Morrisania.”?

After the retreat of the American army northwards and the settlement
of their lines on the Croton, the British refugee corps were stationed at
Morrisania, under the command of Col. James de Lancey, who held his
headquarters at Col. Morris’s house. Here the British appear to have
been kept in a constant state of alarm by their vigilant enemies. Upon
the 5th of August, 1779, (says Heath) about 100 horse of Sheldon’s, Moy-
land’s, and’ of the militia, and about forty infantry of Glover’s brigade,

a Heath’s Mem. p. 62,
b Ibid. 68

500 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

passed by de Lancey’s mills to the neighborhood of Morrisania, where
they took twelve or fourteen prisoners, some stock, &c. The enemy
collected, a skirmish ensued, in which the enemy had a number of men
killed and wounded; our loss, two killed and two wounded.”* The
frequency of these attacks compelled De Lancey to shift his quarters
under the British guns of Fort No. 8,in Fordham. The dwellings at
Morrisania were burnt on the same day with the Westchester court
house.

In St. Anne’s churchyard repose the remains of Brevet Brigadier-
General W. W. Morris, U.S. A., a member of the Morris family, whom,
it will be remembered, was the first military officer who, during the late
Civil War, refused to obey a writ of Aabeas corpus, while in command
of Fort McHenry, at Baltimore, Md. At first public indignation was
aroused against him, and it was at one time proposed by the Govern-
ment to deprive him of his commission. Upon sober second thought,
the Government concluded that his act, though high-handed, was justi-
fied by the emergency. Following is the correspondence upon the
subject :—

HeapquartErs, Fort MoHenry, Mp.,
May 8ru, 1861.

CoLoneEt :—‘‘I wish most respectfully to inform the Lieutenant-General Com-
manding, that during the past week a writ of Habeas Corpus was issued by the
Hon, Judge Giles, of the United States District Court, for the District of Mary-
land, commanding me to produce the body of John G. Mullen, a recruit of the
United States Army, on the alleged ground that said Mullen was a minor at the
time of his enlistment.

I have the honor to enclose an article from the Baltmore Sun (No. 1); a copy
of my letter to Judge Giles, (No. 2,) and a copy of the Judge’s reply, (No. 3,)
which will afford the Lieutenant-General all the knowledge of the subject which
I possess.

I respectfully request that the Lieuteant-General will furnish me with the laws
and orders now in force with reference to the discharge of soldiers enlisted as

minors. Very respectfully your obedient servant,
(Signed, ) W. W. MORRIS,
Asst. Adjt. Gen., Major 4th Artillery,
Hd. Qrs. of the Army, Commanding.
Washington City.

From the Baltimore Sun of Monday, May 6, 1861.
(LOCAL MATTERS. )
The Habeas Corpus Refusal.—On Saturday it was stated that a Habeas Corpus,
issued by Judge Giles of the United States Court for the surrender of the body
of John G. Mullen, has been refused by the commandant of Fort McHenry. On

@ Heath’s memoirs, p. 214.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 501

Saturday Judge Giles issued the following order to be entered on the record of
the Court. After quoting the title of the case he says: ‘‘In this case a peti-
tion was presented to me, in the usual form, stating that John G. Mullen was il-
legally detained at Fort McHenry in this city, by the officer commanding at that
fort; that the said John G. Mullen was only twenty years of age, and had
been enlisted without the consent of his father, George Mullen, who united in
the petition, and made affidavit to the truth of the facts stated therein; and the
petition closed with the prayer for the writ of habeas corpus. In the discharge
of the duty required of me by the laws of the United States, upon the presenta-
tion of such a petition, I ordered the writ of habeas corpus to be issued, to be
directed to the commanding officer at Fort McHenry, commanding him to pro-
duce before me, at ten o’clock this morning, in the District Court-room in this
city, the body of said John G. Mullen, with the cause of his confinement, at the
hour mentioned for the return of the said writ. The deputy marshal, who was
sent down to serve the writ, filed in this court this morning an affidavit, stating
that it had been served on an officer in command of said fort, and who refused
to obey said writ.

This is the first time within my experience of thirty-three years at the bar and
on the bench that the writ of habeas corpus has failed in this State to procure
obedience to its mandate. It is a writ so dear to every freeman that the Constitu-
tion of the country has, with great care, provided ‘that it shall not be suspended
unless, when in case of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.”
With no suspension of this writ by competent authority, with no proclamation
for its suspension by any one claiming to possess such power, with no state
of affairs existing as would authorize its suspension, the court learns, with deep
regret, that an officer of the United States Army has thought it his duty to re-
fuse obedience to the writ. Unwilling to aggravate existing excitement by more
immediate action, the court will at present only pass an order that the commanding
officer at Fort McHenry show cause, on or before Wednesday next, the 8th inst.
at ten o’clock, why an attachment should not issue against him for his refusal to
obey the said writ; and the court sincerely hopes that, in a crisis like the present,
wiser counsels may prevail at the post, and that no unnecessary conflict of
authority may be brought in between those owing allegiance to the same govern-
ment and bound by the same laws.”

Fort MoHeEnry, Mp., ,
Monday, 6th May, 1861.
Hon. Wu.r1am Fey Gus, Judge of the U. §. District Court for the District of
Maryland:

Sir.—My attention has been directed to an article in the local column of the
Baltimore Sun of this date, headed, “The Habeas Corpus Refusal.” Presum-
ing that that article is authentic, I wish very respectfully to submit for your
consideration the following remarks on this unhappy ‘‘ conflict of authority be-
tween those owing allegiance to the same Government, and bound by the same
laws.”

To avoid implicating parties in no wise connected with this case, permit me

502 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

to observe at the threshold, that my action in the premises was taken entirely
on my own responsibility, without instructions from, or consultation with any
person whatever.

And now I wish most respectfully to inform your Honor, that I regard the
writ of Habeas Corpus as the very basis of free government, and that under all
ordinary circumstances I am very ready to acknowledge the supremacy of the
civil authorities. But, as you admit, the Constitution of the United States has
provided that this writ of Habews Corpus may be suspended in case of rebellion,
if the public safety require it. You, however, allege that there is ‘‘no such
state of affairs existing as would authorize its suspension.” On this point it is
with regret that Iam compelled to differ from so eminent an authority ; and I
am further constrained to add, that the question is one of fact, rather than opinion,

At the date of issuing your writ, and for two weeks previous, the city in which
you live, aud where your court has been held, was entirely under the control of
revolutionary authorities; within that period U. 8. Soldiers, while committing
no offence, had been perfidiously attacked and inhumanly murdered in your
streets; no punishment had been awarded, and I believe no arrests had been
made for these atrocious crimes ; supplies of provisions intended for this garrison
had been stopped; the intention to capture this fort had been boldly proclaimed ;
your most public thoroughfares were daily patrolled by large numbers of troops,
armed and clothed, at least in part, with articles stolen from the United States;
and the Federal flag, while waving over the Federal offices, was cut down by
some person wearing the unifor.n of a Maryland soldier. To add to the forego-
ing, an assemblage elected in defiance of law, but claiming to be the legislative
body of your State, and so recognized by the Executive of Maryland, was de-
hating the forms of abrogating the Federal compact. If all this be not rebellion,
I know not what to call it. I certainly regard it, as sufficient legal cause for sus-
pending the writ of Habeas Corpus.

Besides, there were certain grounds of expediency on which I declined obey-
ing your mandate.

ist. The writ of Habeas Corpus, in the hands of an unfriendly power, might
depopulate this fortification and place it at the mercy of a ‘‘ Baltimore mob,” in
much less time than it could be done by all the appliances of modern warfare.

2d. The ferocious spirit exhibited by your community towards the United
States army, would render me very averse from appearing publicly and unpro-
tected in the City of Baltimore, to defend the interests of the body to which I
belong. A few days since, a soldier of this command, while outside the walls,
was attacked by a fiend or fiends in human shape, almost deprived of life, and
left unprotected about half a mile from garrison. He was found in this situa-
tion, and brought in covered with blood. One of your evening prints was quite
jocose over the laughable occurrence.

And now, sir, permit me to say in conclusion, that no one can regret more than
I this conflict between the civil and military authorities. If, in an experience of
thirty-three years you have never before known the writ of Habeas Corpus to be
disobeyed, it is only because such a contingency in political affairs as the present
has not before arisen. I claim to be a loyal citizen ; and I hope my former con-
duct, both official and private, will justify this pretension. In any condition of
affairs except that of civil war, I would cheerfully obey your order; and as soon

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 503

as the present excitement shall pass away I will hold myself ready not only to
produce the soldier, but also to appear in person to answer for my own conduct ;
but 1n the existing state of sentiment in the city of Baltimore, I think it your
duty to sustain the federal military, and to strengthen their hands instead of

endeavoring to strike them down. I have the honor to be very respectfully,

Your Obedient Servant,
(Signed, ) W. W. MORRIS,
Major 4th U.S. Artillery,

Comd’g the Post.

MANOR OF FORDHAM.

The name of this town is of Saxon origin, compounded of fgord
@ (ford) and ham (mansion,) and was derived from the parish of the
same name in Norfolk, England. ‘Fordham was originally included in
the township of West Chester, but subsequently formed a portion of
West Farms, and now belongs to Northern New York.

Its early Indian proprietors appear to have been the Sachems Fec-
quemeck, Rechgawac and Packanariens, who sold the lands of Kekes-
heik, bordering the Harlem River to the Dutch West India Company,
Anno Domini, 1639. In 1646, we find the whole of Fordham as well
as the Yoncker’s land (then called Colen Donck,) in the possession of
Adrian van der Donck, whose widow Mary conveyed them to her brother
Elias Doughty. The following sales appear under the hands of the latter
in 1666-67 :-—

‘*Know all men, by these presents, that I, Elias Doughty, of Flushing, do
sell unto Mr. John Archer, of Westchester, his heirs and assignees, fourscore
acres of land and thirty acres of meadow, lying and being betwixt Brothers
River and the watering place at the end of the Island of Manhatans; and if the
land be not fit to cleare for the plow or hoe, this land is to lye together; and if there
be not a!l such land together as there should, or if there should happen eight or
ten acres of land that is not for such use, then the said Archer is to have it with
the rest; and he shall have equal right privilege in the commons as any other man
shall have within that Patent that hath no more arable land; and the meadow is

a Verstegan, in his * Restitution of Decayed Intelligence”’ says in foord, not only sundry
of our ancient English surnames herein end, but some also soseem to do which are of French
or Norman race—but this groweth by the not rightly distinguishing between foord and fort;
the first being a mere English termination, denoteth as yet we retain in memory a foord or
water passage. The other coming from the French, denoteth a place of strength by nature,
as “ Rochfort,” the “strong Rock,” &c.

b See Laws of N. Y. 1873, for annexation act since ariended.

504 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

to be mowed all. As witnesse my hand this first of March, 1666. As witnesse,
if there should lye any more land, that is to say, between thirty and forty acres,
it is all in common, and I am to give the said Archer a firme bill of sale under

my hand and seal.” ELIAS DOUGHTY.

‘“‘T Elias Doughty, do own to have received full satisfaction of the said
Archer for the said lands and meadow ; the house is yet to be: and he the said
Alrcher, is to have his within the above said tract of land. September the 18th,
1667.

‘It is to be understood that Mr. John Archer is to have the freshest meadow
(boggy) that lyeth to the north side of Westchester path, between the Patent of
Mr. O’Neale, within his second purchase, upon consideration that the said
John Archer shall pay to the said Doughty, &c., &c.; as witness my hand.”

ELIAS DOUGHTY.
Examined by Jonn West.

Upon the 4th of March, 1669, appears the following Indian confirma-
tion to John Archer :—

INDIAN DEED OF FORDHAM.

‘*Be it known unto all men by these p’sents that upon ye 28th day of Sept. in
the 21st year of ye Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord Charles the Second by ye
Grace of God of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defend® of the
faith, &c., Annoc Domini 1669, we Tacharetht, Mometaihatim Wackha, Pime-
kekeh, for and on ye behalfe of Ahwaroch, Achipor Miniquaes, Sachemacke, for
& in ye behalfe of Annetic Pownocke, for & on ye behalfe of Lyssie, & we on
ye behalfe of yerest of ye owners, for the consideration hereafter expressed have
graunted, bargained & sould, & by these p’sents due hereby grant, bargaine and
sell unto John Archer of Fordham, his heirs and assignss, a certaine Tract of up-
land and meadow ground upon ye maine, beginning Westward from a certaine
place by ye Indianscomonly called Muscota, so it goes to another place called by
them Gowahasuasing & from thence round about ye kill called Papiriniman & so
to rune into Harlem Ryver at ye Hook called Saperewack, from thence it reacheth
South East to ye place called Achqueehgenom, and from thence it reacheth
alongst Broncks Ryver to Cowangough, so on Sachkerah and so to the first place
Muscota, so that from Muscota to Sackerath it runs upon a straight east lyne to
Broncks Ryver & from Saperewack to Acqueehgenom, South East by ye said
ryver all w* tract of land, as it is before described here, the aforesaid Indians on
the behalfe of ourselves, those that have instrusted us and our associates have
sould unto ye said John Archer, his heirs & assignes for & in consid. of 13 coats
of Duffells, one halfe anchor of Rume, 2 cans of Brandy, wine w" several other
small matters to ye value of 60 guilders wampum. All which we acknowledge
to have received of him the said John Archer before the ensealing & delivery of
these pr’sents in full satisfaction for ye Jand afore men. Comed the w we doe
hereby resigne & make over unto ye s* John Archer, his heirs & assignes w' all
our right, title, and interest thereunto, as also those that have entrusted any of
us o” & associates ro HAVE & TO HOULD the s* tract of land & premises unto ye

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 505

s* John Archer, his heirs & assignes unto ye proper use & behoofe of him ye s?
John Archer, his heirs & assignes forever, free, quit and cleare from all & any
form of bargaine & sale, or any other incumbrances by us or by any from or un-
der us & to ye utmost of o’* powers shall keep and save him the s* John Archer,
his heirs & assignes, harmlesse in his or their quiett possession & enjoyment of
ye premises against any other Indian pr’tenders whatsoever. In witness whereof
we have hereunto put o’" hand & seales, ye day & yeare first within wrytten

This bargain & sale was made by ye
approbation & lycense of his Hon™ ye
governors between ye partyes mentoned,
with this Proviso that his Royall High-
ness, his Rights & Priviledges as Lord
Proprietor of theese his territoryes he
hereby not any infrigned, MATTHIAS NICOLLS, Sec™

Entered by Jonn Arouer, March 4th, 1669.4

By these and other purchases John Archer, Esq., eventually became
seized in fee of 1,253 acres. Upon the 13th of November, 1671, Francis
Lovelace, Esq., the Governor, issued the following letters patent erect-
ing the whole into an infranchised township or manor of itself to be
held by the feudal tenor of paying therefore yearly to the Duke of York
and his successors upon the first day of March, (St. David's Day,) when
demanded twenty bushels of good peas.?

THE ROYAL PATENT OF FORDHAM.

Francis Lovelace, Esq., one of the gentlemen of his Majestie’s Hon’ble Privy
Chamber, and Governor-General under his Royal Highness, James Duke of York
and Albany, and all his territories in America, to all to whom these presents shall
come, sendeth greeting: Whereas, there is a certain parcel or tract of land within
this government, upon the main continent, situate, lying and being to the East-
ward of Harlem River, near unto ye passage commonly called Spiting Devil,
upon which ye Vew Dorp or village is erected, known by the name of Fordham —ye
utmost limits of the whole tract or parcel of land, beginning at the high wood
land, that lyes do North-west over against the first point of the main land to
the East of the Island Pepiriniman—there where the hill Moskuta is—and soe
goes alongst the said kill, the said Jand striking from the high wood land before
mentioned East South-east, till it comes to Bronk’s, his kill; soe Westward up
alongst ye main land to the place where Harlem Kill and Hudson River meet,
and then forth alongst Harlem Kill to the first spring or fountain, keeping to the

a Albany Deed Book, vol. iil. pp. 127, 128.

b In Lewin’s report on the Government of New York, agent and servant to his Royal High-
ness in New York and Albany, &c, occurs the following: John Archer hath a patent granted
to Col. Lovelace of a manor called ffordham ffor which he payeth £3 158 1d p.ann”—N. Y,
Col. Doc, vol. iii., 3 3. Goy. Andros’s answer to Lewins’s report, 24th Dec., 1681. ‘*Mr,
Archer's and all other quitt rents have been from time to time accompted to his Royall
Highness as p. sd. accots.”—N. Y. Col. Doc. vol. iii., 309.

506 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

South of Crabb Island; soe Eastward alongst Daniel Turner’s land, the high
wood land, and ye land belonging to Thomas Hunt; and then to Bronk’s
Kill afore mentioned, according to a survey lately made thereof by the
surveyor-general—the which remains upon record; all which said parcel or
tract of land before described being part of the land granted in the grand
patent to Hugh O'Neal, and Mary his wife, purchase was made thereof by
John Archer, from Elyas Doughty, who was invested in their interest as
of the Indian proprietor, by my approbation, who all acknowledge to have
received satisfaction for the same; and the said John Archer having, at his
own charge, and with good success, begun a township in a convenient place
for the relief of strangers, it being the road for passengers to go to and fro from
the main, as well as for mutual intercourse with the neighboring colony, for all
encouragement unto him, the said John Archer, in prosecution of the said
design, and also for divers other good causes and considerations: know yee,
that by virtue of ye commission and authority unto me given by his royal high-
ness, upon whom, by lawful grant and patent from his majestie, the propricty
and government of that part of the main land, as well as Long Island, and all
the islands adjacent, amongst other things, is settled. I have given, granted, rati-
fied and confirmed, and by these presents do give, grant, ratify and confirm to
ye afore-mentioned John Archer, his heirs and assignees, all the said parcel or
tract of land butted and bounded as aforesaid, together with all the lands, soyles,
woods, meadows, pastures, marshes, lakes, waters, creeks, fishing, hawking,
hunting and fowling, and all ye proffits, commodityes, emmouluments and here-
ditaments to the said parcel or tract of land or premises belonging or in anywise
appertaining, and of every part and parcel thereof; and I doe likewise grant
unto ye said John Archer, his heirs and assignees, that the house he shall erect,
together with the said parcel or tract of land and premises, shall be forever here-
after held, claimed reputed, and be an entire and enfranchised township, manor
and place of itself ; and shall always, from time to time, and at all times hereafter,
have, hold and enjoy like and equal privileges and immunities, with any town
enfranchised or manor, within this government, and shall, in no manner of way,
be subordinate or belonging unto, have any dependence upon, or in anywise be
under the rule, order or direction of any riding, township, place or jurisdiction
either upon the main or Long Island; but shall, in all cases, things and matters,
be deemed, reputed, taken and held as an absolute, entire, enfranchised township,
manor and place of itself in this government, as aforesaid, and shall be ruled or-
dered and directed in all matters as to government, by ye governor and his council,
and ye General Court of Assizes, only, always provided that the inhabitants of the
said town, or any part of the land granted as aforesaid, shall be obliged to send
forward to ye next town or plantation, all public pacquetts and letters, or hue
and cryes, comming to this place or going from it towards, or to any of his maj-
estie’s colonies; and I do further grant unto the said John Archer, his heirs and
assignees, that when there shall be a sufficient number of inhabitants in the town
of Fordham, aforementioned, and the other parts of ye manor, capable of main-
taining a minister, and to carry on other public affairs; that the neighboring in-
habitants between the two kills of Harlem and Bronk’s, be obliged to contribute
towards the maintenance of their said minister and other necessary public char-
ges that may happen to arise ; and likewise that they belong to the said town, ac-

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 507

cording to the direction of the law, although their said farms and habitations be
not included within this patent, to have and to hold ye said parcel and tracts of
land, with all and singular the appurtenances and premises, together with the
privileges, immunities, franchises and advantages herein given and granted unto
the said John Archer, his heirs and assignees, unto the proper use and behoof of
him, the said John Archer, and his heirs and assignees forever, fully, truly and
clearly, in as large and ample manner, and from and with such full and absolute
immunities and privileges as is before expressed, as if he held the same immedi-
ately from his majesty, the King of England, and his successors, as of the Manor
of East Greenwich, in the county of Kent, in free and common soccage, and by
fealty, only yielding, rendering and paying yearly and every year unto his royal
highness, the Duke of York and his successors, or to such governor and gover-
ors as from time to time shall by him be constituted and appointed, as all ac-
knowledgement and quit-rent, twenty bushels of good peas, upon the first day of
March, when it shall be demanded. Given under my hand, and sealed with the
seal of the province of Fort James, in New York, on the island of Manhattan,
this thirteenth day of November, in the twenty-third year of the reign of our sov-
ereign lord, Charles the Second, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland,
France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith, and Anno Domini, 1671.
FRANCIS LOVELACE.
‘“MicoHaEL BAsTYENSEN,
‘““VALENTYN CLAESSEN.4

-“Tone at Fort William Hendricke, on the 18th Oct., 1673.”

The following year, John Archer, Esq., laid claim to a neck of land
called Humock Island, commonly named Pafiriniman,® which he asser-
ted he had by patent.

At a council held in the village of New Haerlem, this 4th of October,

1673.
PRESENT:—The Governor-General and Councillor, Cornelius Steen-

wyck.

The inhabitants of Fordham appear complaining in substance of the
ill-government of their landlord, John Archer, requesting that they may
be granted the nomination of their own Magistrates, as is allowed to all
the other inhabitants of this government. Whereupon, the aforesaid
John Archer being summoned to appear, the complaint is communi-
cated to him, who voluntarily declares that he desists from the govern-
ment, authority and patroonship of said town, reserving alone the
property and ownership of the lands and houses there ; according, there-
fore, to the said inhabitants the nomination of their own Magistrates,
which is confirmed to them by the Governor and Council, whereupon
the following minute is granted them :—

a Albany Rec. vol. xxiii. 26-52,
b See Yonkers.

508 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The inhabitants of the town of Fordham are hereby authorized to nominate,
by plurality of the votes of their town, six of the best qualified persons, ex-
clusively of the Reformed Christian religion, as magistrates of said town, and to
present said nomination by the first opportunity to the Governor-General, from
which his Honor will then make the selection ; it is also recommended them to
pay attention when nominating, that the half, at least of those nominated, be of
the Dutch nation.

Dated New Harlem, 4th of October, 1673.¢

** At a Council held in Fort William Hend-
rick, 15th June, 1674,

Present: GovERNOR-GENERAL ANTHONY QOOLVE,
CouUNCILLOR CORNELIUS STEENWYOK,
Fiscan WiLi1aM Knyrr, and
Sroretary Nicotars Bayarp, as assumed Councillors.”

John Archer requesting by petition, that Johannis Vervelen be ordered
to hand over to him (the petitioner) the books concerning the town of
Fordham. Ordered :—

“ Sehout Vervelen is hereby directed to hand over to the Petitioner
the books and protocols properly belonging to him.’”?

Upon the 18th of September, 1669, John Archer mortgaged the
Manor of Fordham to Cornelius Steenwyck, merchant of New York, for
the sum of 2,200 guilders; a second mortgage from John Archer to
Steenwyck occurrs on the 14th of November, 1671, for 7,000 guilders
seawant or the the value payable in twelve years on November 14th,
1683, with yearly interest. The mortgege was in fee, with proviso that
on payment of money mortgage was to be void, and Archer, his heirs
and assigns to re-enter. It was expressed in the mortgage that Archer was
to deliver the deeds unto Steenwyck, which the latter promised to return
on payment of the money.° The above mentioned sums were increased
by the additional mortgage of 24,000 guilders in 1676, payable seven
years thereafter as appears from the following document :—

This indenture, made the twenty-fourth day of November, in the 2d year of the
reign of our sovereign lord, Charles the Second, by the grace of God, of England,
Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the faith, and Anno Domini
1676, between John Archer, owner and proprietor of the manor of Fordham, up-
on the main, near Spiting Devil, on the one part, and Cornelius Steenwick, of

a N. Y. Col. MSS. vol. ii. p. 625.
b N. Y. Col. MSS. vol. ii., p. 721.

ec It does not appear that the deeds were ever returned to Archer or his heirs. Indeed from
that day to the present, the archer family have always disclaimed the possession of any
ancient deeds whatever. The Dutch Reformed Church of New York to whom Margaretta
Steenwyck (the widow of Cornelius and wife of Henricus Selyns) conveyed the Manor in 1694,
refuse auy examination of their papers,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 5°09

the city of New York, merchant, on the other part, witnesseth, that the said
John Archer, for, and in consideration of the sum of twenty-four thousand
guilders seawant, or the value to him paid, secured to be paid at or before the
ensealing and delivering of these presents by the said Cornelius Steenwick, where-
of and wherewith he, the said John Archer, doth acknowledge and confess him-
self to be fully satisfied, and thereof doth clearly acquit and discharge the said
Cornelius Steenwick, his heirs, executors, and administrators, hath allowed,
granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents doth fully, clearly and abso-
lutely alien, grant, bargain and sell unto the said Cornelius Steenwick, his heirs
and assigns forever, all his right, title and interest in the town and manor afore-
said, together with all the messuages, tenements, buildings and fences thereup-
on, and all the land improved or other ways now in the tenure or occupation of
him, the said John Archer, and others, his tenants or assigns, and also all and all
manner of rents, duties, and profits received or may be received, and payable for
and in respect of every or any of the said bargained premises, and also all and
singular deeds, patents, evidences and writings, touching and concerning the
same, and the privileges therein contained, to have and to hold the said manor of
Fordham, with the messuages and all and singular other the premises by these
presents granted or intended to be granted, bargained and sold, with their and
every of their appurtenances, unto the said Cornelius Steenwick, his heirs and
assigns to the only proper use and behoof of him, the said Cornelius Steenwick,
his heirs and assigns for ever, provided always, nevertheless, and upon the condi-
tion that if the said John Archer, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns,
or any of them at or in the new dwelling house of. the said Cornelius Steenwick,
situate and being in the city of New York, shall pay unto the said Cornelius
Steenwick, his heirs, executors, or administrators or assigns, that value of twenty-
four thousand guilders, or the value, within the time and term of seven years
after the date hereof, that is to say, before the 24th day of November, which
shall be in the year of our Lord, 1683, and also paying a yearly interest for the
same until the principal be paid, at the rate of six per cent., as allowed by law, and
that without fraud, or henceforth this present indenture or bargain and sale shall
cease, determine, and be utterly void and of none effect to all intents, construc-
tion or purpose; and that then also it shall and may be lawful for the said John
Archer, his heirs and assigns to enter into and upon the same bargained premises,
wholly to re-enter, and the same to have again, and to possess as his and their
former estates, anything contained in these presents to the contrary notwithstand-
ing ; and whereas the same John Archer, at or before the ensealing and delivery
of these presents, hath delivered to the said Cornelius Steenwick certain deeds,
patent evidences in writing, which he hath concerning the said bargained prem-
ises, he, the said Cornelius Steenwick, for himself, his heirs, executors and ad-
ministrators, doth by these presents covenant and grant to and with the said
John Archer, his heirs and assigns, and every of them, that if the said John
Acher, &c. De—— recorded 25th of November, 1678.

On the 20th of November, 1684, Cornelius Steenwyck, of New York,
merchant, and Margaretta his wife, made their last will and testament
in the Dutch language. After the usual preamble they express them-
selves to the following effect, viz:—

510 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

‘*We, the said testators, do declare that our earnest will and last desire is, that
the general inheritance of us, the said testators, and between our heirs, shall be
regulated after the form, manner, custom and practice of the Nether Dutch Na-
tion, and according to the articles made upon the surrendering of this place.
And I, the said testator, with the free consent of my wife, by form of a legacy,
have given, grant and legacied as I, the said testator, by form and legacy, do
give and grant by these presents, for and to the proper use and behoof of the
Nether Dutch Reformed congregation within the city of New York, for the sup-
port and maintainance of their ministers, ordained according to the church orders
of the Netherlands, now at present here in being or hereafter to be called, ordained,
or to come, all the testators right, property, title, and hereditaments in and to
the manor of Fordham, lying in the county of Westchester, together with all the
lands, meadows, fields, woods, creeks, rivulets, and other waters, as also all the
said testators jurisdiction, right, title, action and property, in and to the said
Manor of Fordham, with all the patents, deeds, schedules, hypothets, mortgages,
and other instruments of writing, to the said manor of Fordham, belonging or in
any wise appertaining, in as full and ample as the said manor of Fordham now
already in property is belonging, or hereafter more amply shall be confirmed
unto the said testator by deed conveyance, transport, hypothet, mortgage, judg-
ment or otherwise, from or by any manner of way or means, of John Archer,
deceased, last owner and proprietor of the said Manor of Fordham.

And I. the said testator, doe further order and declare, as my last will and
testament, the said manor of Fordham, together with all the benefits, profits, in-
comes, advantages, rents, and revenues, and all appurtenances thereof, shall be
conveyed, transported and made over, in a fee, quiet, and full property and en-
joyment by the testator’s appointed executrix, within the space of six months
after the testator’s decease, or upon lawful demand, to the elders and overseers
of the Nether Dutch congregation, for the proper use and behoof of the minister
of the said congregation, as herebefore at large is expressed and set forth, to be
held in full property, possession and enjoyment, inheritably and forever, by the
said elders or overseers at the time of the testator’s decease in being, and all
others that from time to time shall succeed in their places, to the end and use as
aforesaid, without any let or hindrance or contradiction of any person or persons
whatsoever.@

Provided always that none of the lands of the said manor shall be made away,
alienated, or contrary to the tenor of these presents, or otherwise disposed of,
but from thenceforth forever be and remain as lands of inheritance towards the
support and maintaining of the church ministry of the said congregation as before
expressed and recited and not otherwise. And finally, I, the said testator, do
hereby declare that I have nominated, appointed, and authorized my aforesaid
dear and loving wife Margarite Riemers® to be my only and lawful executrix

a On the 14th of Nov., 1671, occurs an agreement by which John Archer was to pay ten
per cent. upon the 7th of May, 1674. Thomas Gibs and John Curtis complained to the Gov-
ernor that John Archer, at Fordham, is owing them some money, and that said Archer is dis-
eae of his effects with intention to defraud his creditors of their just right; therefore the

shout and Magistrates of the aforesaid town of Fordham, are hereby ordered and com-
manded to arrest, on the complaint of said persons, the estate and effects of the above men-
tioned Archer, and to allow said persons, after due examination, and according to the state
of the case, to receive good law and justice.””—N. Y. Col. MSS. vol. ii, 708,

6 Margaret De Reimer was the daughter of —— De Reimer and Elizabeth Grevenrack.
Margaret, after the death of Steenwyck, married Dominie Henricus Selyns.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 512

of this my last will and testament, giving and granting by these presents unto
her my said wife as full and ample power and authority as all other executors by
law have and do enjoy, as in and by an English translated copy thereof and the
said original Dutch will in the hands and custody of the said minister, elders and
deacons doth fully and at large appear,” &c., &c.@

Soon after the making of this will the said Cornelius Steenwyck, died
so seized and possessed of the Manor as aforesaid.

Subsequently John Archer, the younger son and heir of John Archer,
first grantor of the manor of Fordham, by an indenture bearing date the
16th of October, 1685, “for and in consideration therein mentioned, did
grant, release and convey the said manor of Fordham, and his estate,
right, and title of it and to the same, and the equity of redemption there-
of, and all the deeds unto the aforesaid Margaretta Steenwyck, and make
livery in seize thereof,” &c. Upon the roth of January, 1694, Dominie
Henricus Selyns and Margaretta, his wife, formerly Margaretta Steen-
wyck, by their certain deed poll, under their hands and seals, did grant
and convey to Colonel Nicholas Bayard, Captain Isaac Vermilyea, Jacob
Bolen Rockloyzun, and John Harpendinck, then elders.and overseers of
the Nether Dutch Church within the city of New York, &c., and their
lawful successors and heirs and posterity the said manor of Fordham,
lying in the County of Westchester above mentioned :—

‘‘ With all the lands and meadows, fields, woods, rivulets, creeks and other
rivers, together with all the rights, title, property, jurisdiction, and interest which
either the aforesaid Cornelius Steenwyck or in quality as before in any other
manner of way before that time had in the said manor of Fordham, and its ap-
purtenances, whether it be by right from the said John Archer, or from his son,
John Archer, Jr., to be held and forever enjoyed, used, and possessed, and held
in full and absolute property, as an hereditary estate, by the said elders and over-
seers of the aforesaid congregation who were then in being, with all the profits,
incomes, benefits, and revenues, for the better support and maintainance of the
said minister, called pursuant to order of the Church of Netherlands then present
or that should thereafter be called and come.

‘Provided, and with the aforesaid condition and stipulant, that the Manor
with all its appurtenances, should, i7 no wise be alienated nor estranged, contrary
to the tenor of the aforementioned will and bequest, but should remain to the
use and behoof aforesaid, and not otherwise, releasing therefor, the said deed to
property, title and right that this said grantors as well for themselves or in
quality as avove heretofore had to the said Manor and its appurtenances, could

a The will bears date N. Y. 20. Nov. 1684 and was entered 8th of May 1685, surrogates office
N. Y., Vol. xix p. 189—140, inventory and appraisment of estateof Mr. Cornelius Steenwyck
decd. July °h 1686. In a list of debtors in the Book K among many others occurs the
following nuimes: 234 Lewis Morris, Jr,, guilder, 603,5.0; 264 Thomas Hunt, guild., 282,8.0,
Jan Archer at Fordham concerning land there included in the will guild. 38800,19; Philip
Pinkne East Chester guild. 100,0,0; Jacobus Terneur guild. 709; Jacobus Van Cortlandt guild,
59.142: Mr. Wm. Penn £120 &.; John Risbell guild. 10947, 1,—total am’t £15852.14.5. Surr,

offic, Vol. Xix 289.

ci2 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

~

or ought to have in any manner of way whatsoever as by the said indenture in
the hands and custody of the said Nicholas Bayard and the present elders of the
said Dutch church became seized and a of the premises aforesaid in trust
to the use and purpose aforesaid.”

The manor of Fordham was subsequenty confirmed to the Nether
Dutch Church within the city of New York by the royal charter, ninth
of William and Mary, May 11th, 1696.

On the 7th of Dec, 1724, a bill was filed in Chancery by the minis-
ter, elders and deacons, &c., of the Dutch church, against Lewis Morris
which shows that the orators were seized for many years of a certain
Manor of Fordham, situate, lying and being within the bounds of the
county of Westchester, to the eastward of Harlem river, near unto the
passage formerly called Spiten Divil, and now known by the name of
Kings Bridge, beginning at the high woodland that lys due north-west
over against the first point of the main-land to the east of Paperimiman
there where the kill Muskoota is, and so goes along the said kill; the
said land stretching from the high woodland aforementioned, east, south-
east, until it comes to Bronck’s kill, so westward up along the main-land
to the place where Harlem kill and Hudson’s river meet, and then fur-
ther alongst Harlem kill to the fresh spring or fountain lying to the
south of Crabb Island, so eastward along Daniel Turmmeur’s land the
high woodland belonging to Thomas Hunt and then to Bronck’s kill
aforementioned ; and also of and in a parcell of meadows number and
situate, lying and being on the said Harlem river near the Manor of
Fordham, beginning in the middle of a point to the north of Cregier’s
house, beyond of above the small cove that lyes above the said house
and south-west on Harlem river, and extends further northward to the
highway where the wooden bridge lyes.” Orator’s title derived by a
patent given to John Archer by Governor Lovelace, Nov. 13th, 1671,
strengthened and supported by a former purchase made of Elias Doughty
of part thereof which he held by a former patent, of land in Westchester
to one Hugh O’Neal, an old Indian purchase bearing date 2oth of Sept.,
1669, a warrant of survey and actual survey and return thereof made
to Governor Lovelace prior to said purchase with sundry powers and
privileges in said pattent mentioned and expressed. Receipts mortgage,
to Steenwyck, dated Nov. 24th, 1676, which came into the hands of
Margareta, widow and executrix of Steenwyck, and that after death of
Archer, Sr., Esq,, of release became vested in John Archer, Jr., son and
heir of John Archer the patentee. That by deed of said Archer, dated
16th of October, 1685, Archer conveyed to Margareta Steenwyck in fee
all the said manor of Fordham. Margaretta being so seized, did soon
thence after intermarrying with Henrycus Selyns, the minister of the
Dutch church in the city of New York; who afterwards on the 1st
day of January, 1694, with said Margaretta, by a certain deed pole
gave and granted the manor of Fordham unto ye Elders of the Dutch
church to and for the use of the Dutch church, and said manor was con-
firmed to said church by a charter dated May 11th 1696. ‘That within

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 513

some few years or months, they and their tenants, who hold part of the
said Manor, by, from and under them, have met with great disturbances
from Lewis Morris, Esq., Chief Justice of the Province of New York,
and the town or borough of Westchester, Daniel Turneur and Thomas
Hunt, of Westchester, who pretend title to some part or parts of the
same Manor, and more particularly the said Lewis Morris, Esq., hath
not only caused their fences to be pulled down and removed, but some
time within these two years, hath entered upon, &c., and taken posses-
sion of upwards of three hundred acres (of said manor of Fordham) of
the best of their land adjoining to his Manor of Morrisania, and hath
given out in speeches that unless they will release to him the said quan-
tity of land and of their said Manor, he will lay claim to their whole
Manor, either in his own nght or in the rights of the borough of West-
chester, and that if your orators will freely and peaceably release to him
and let him keep and hold the quiet possession and enjoyment of said
three hundred acres, he will release to ye orators all the rest of the
said Manor, and also procure to them the lke release to them from the
town of Westchester. As orators witnesses cannot live long who can
prove the running of the line—prays for examination “72 perpetuan rei
memoriam,” and asks for subpoena against Morris, Mayor, Aldermen and
Commonality of Westchester, Daniel Turneur and Thomas Hunt.”

On the 5th of May, 1725, appears notice of taxation of costs for
setting aside the subpcenas irregularly issued against the defendants in
the above suit, also a draft of the foregoing bill in Chancery, likewise a
copy of Mire vs. Trespass case without date. On the 27th of March,
1725, occurs the filing of a demurrer to above bill.

Besides the above documents, all of which are in the possession of
Gouverneur Morris, Esq., are the following: 1. Copy of O’Neal’s
Patent. 2. Dutch Church Charter. 3. John Archer’s Patent, 1671. 4.
Letter of Lewis Morris, April 25th, 1717, protests against surveying the
boundary line. 5. Elias Doughty to Betts and Tippets. 6. Petition of
Dutch Church, filed Dec. 7th, 1724, praying for an examination of wit-
nesses “in perpetuam rei memoriam,’ for the proof of the title of the said
Dutch Church to the manor of Fordham, a copy of original supposed to
be filed in Court of Chauncery. 7. Copy of panel of jurors dated Rye,
March 13th, 1759, Dutch Church vs. Lewis Gerardus Willets, e¢ a7. 8. A
green paper endorsed, “Papers relating to dispute between Morrisania
and the Manor of Fordham.” N. B.—lewis Morris, under the Ford-
ham title, possessed himself of the upper part of Morrisania—now
owned under his will by his son William. 9. Draft of advertisement.
to. List of jurors balloted, 15th March, 1759. 11. July, 1756, Supreme
Court, issue joined and Coroner directed to draw a jury. 12. Partial
draft of foregoing advertisement. 13. A brief submitted by Lewis Mor-
ris ; the same Lewis Morris, original defendant, died in May. 1746. 14. .

514 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Dec. rath, 1684, Lewis Morris is furnished with a complaint in trespass
brought by one Robert Huestis against William Walton, and is requested
by Walton to appear and answer at the next Court of Sessions then to de-
fend his title. 15. Memorandum of Testimony (no date). 16. The plea of
Daniel and Woodhull Turneurin the Supreme Court against the complaint
of the Minister, Elders and Deacons of the Dutch Church. They deny the
trespass, except cutting trees ; and as to that, say they are not guilty—
and of this throw themselves on the country; they say the trees were not
worth the value stated in the declaration, and that the Freeholders and
inhabitants of Westchester long before the trespass, Aug. 16th, 1680,
was seized of the lands; and on said day, at town meeting, gave to one
William Richardson and associates, the privilege of a certain stream
called Brunck’s river, to set up two mills, viz: one saw-mill and one
corn-mill, to continue so long as said mills should be kept up and main-
tained, with privilege of cutting timber growing on the common lands.
In pursuance of above, Richardson entered, &c., and built mills and
kept and maintained the same and fulfilled his costs by means of which,
grantee was seized in his desmessness long before Dec. 23d, 1692, when
he, Richardson, made his will and empowered his executors to sell his
estate, both houses, lands and mills ; and on July 23d, 1695, sold lands,
&c., to Evart Bybank, and Johannes Hoghland, heirs and assigns, Hogh-
land (date not given) did release to Bybank. Bybank so seized Dec. 24th,
1709, willed property to Wyntie, his wife, heirs and assigns, forever.
Soon after Evart Bybank died ; and Wyntie entered by virtue of
Evarts will, and on 2d of April, 1711, granted lands and privileges to
William: Provost, heirs and assigns. June 26th, 1712, Provost sold
land to Nicholas Brown; 31st of March, 1719, Brown sold to Turneur,
which Daniel Turneur is now seized of same; and the said Daniel and
Woodhull, servant of Daniel, did cut down said trees, “with as little
spoile” as may be. 17. Other copies of advertisement forewarning
persons not to purchase any part of the Manor of Fordham, if it lies
south of the southerly line of Hugh O’Neal’s patent. Then follow
memorandum as to mortgages from Archer to Cornelius Steenwyck, as
given in the preceding pages of the main text.

In December, 1753, the Lieuteuant-Governor of his majesty’s prov-
ince of New York, with the Council and Assembly, passed an act en-
titled :—

“‘ An act to enable the minister, elders, and deacons of the Reformed
Protestant Dutch Church of the city of New York to sell and dispose of

their lands, tenements, and hereditaments in the County of Westchester,
commonly called and known by the name of the Manor of Fordham, &c.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 515

And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the moneys
arising by such sale or sales shall not be disposed of to any secular use,
but the same shall be expended and used in purchasing or improving
lands and other real estate, in order to secure a better and more large
revenue or income towards supporting and maintaining of the said Dutch
minister, or ministers, of the said Dutch churches and congregations, as
near as may be agreeable to the will and intentions of the said donor,
Cornelius Steenwyck, &c.”

On the 25th of February, 1755, the above act was confirmed by the
king in Council.4

The principal grantees of the manor under the Dutch Reformed
Church were Charles Doughty, who held 230 acres; John Vanholst,
138 acres; Daniel Sicard, 108 acres, (of whom Benjamin Archer pur-
chased ;) Joseph and Bishop, 155 acres, the Dyckmans, &c. The resi-
due, consisting of forty acres, was sold to the Hon. Lewis Morris and
William Kelly in 1760. Upon the 2d of May, 1774, Lewis Morris and
William Kelly conveyed 110 acres to Peter Valentine, in whose de-
scendants this portion of the Manor is still vested.

Through the liberality of Mrs. Steenwyck, three hundred acres are
said to have been exempted from the sale to the Dutch Church, upon
which was situated the old manorial residence. Be this as it may, how-
ever, we find Benjamin Archer, son of Samuel, and grand son of John
Archer, first grantor of the manor of Fordham, in 1780, seized in fee of
a portion of the manor. Upon the death of Benjamin it passed to his
children—Benjamin Archer, John Archer, Sarah, the wife of Jacob Alord,
and Rachel, the wife of James Crawford. In 1786 Sarah and Rachel
conveyed their rights and interest unto Benjamin Archer, their brother ;
whose sons, the late William and Samuel Archer, conveyed to Gustav
Schwab, James Punnett, H. W. T. Mali, Loring Andrews, and F. L.
Johnson.

The family of Archer is of English origin—Fulbert L’Archer, (a sur-
name sigrifying for distinction’s sake the archer, or bowman,)the first of
whom any thing is known, came into England with William the Con-
queror.” The Archers for many centuries held large possessions in the
County of Warwickshire. The representative of the senior branch in
1560 appears to have been Humphrey Archer of Warwickshire,’ who was
born in 1527 and died October 24th, 1562, eldest son and heir of Rich-
ard Archer, twelfth in descent from the above mentioned Fulbert. Hum-

@ Inthe ancient catalogue, or Roll of Battle Abbey, Sussex, England, occurs the name of
** Archere,” Arms of Archer, of Umbusdale County, of Warwick: Azure, three broad ar-
rows in pale or, Crest out of a mural coronet gu—a dragons head arg.

b Andrew Archer, armiger, of Tanwork, was High Sheriff of Warwickshire, 6th of Jan.
1608 ; arms as above.—Fuller’s Worthies of England, vol. iii., p. 295.

516 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

phrey, married Elizabeth Townsend, and left among other sons—John
whose son John was the father of John Archer, first Lord of this manor.
The latter probably accompanied the early settlers from Fairfield, Conn,,
to Westchester, circ 1654-5; for in 1657 his name appears as plaintiff
in an action of debt brought against one Roger Wiles of the latter town.
His branch of the family might have removed out of Warwickshire into
Norfolk, from whence they came to New England. Several of this name
were early settlers of Massachusetts, viz., Henry, of Ipswich in 1641 ; and
Samuel Archer, a carpenter, who requested freedom, lived in Salem, and
died in 1667. Hubbard, in his ‘Indian Wars,” mentions a Layton
Archer, and his son of Rhode Island who were killed by the Indians,
25th of June, 1675% John Archer, first Lord of this Manor, was
Sheriff of New York city from 1679 to 1682. It is said that he suddenly
expired in his coach while journeying from his manorial residence to
New York city sometime in October, 1685, and was interred on Tetard
Hill. His eldest son, John Archer, second Lord of the manor, married
Sarah, daughter of William Odell, of Fordham, as appears by the follow-
ing license issued by Governor Dongan in 1686 :—

‘*By his Excellency the governor, whereas, I have received information of a
mutual intent and agreement between John Archer of the one part, and Sarah
Odell of the other part, to solemnize marriage together, for which they have re-
quested my lycense, and there appearing no lawful impediment for the obstruc-
tion thereof, these are to authorize and empower you to join the said John and
Sarah Odell in the bonds of matrimony, and them to pronounce man and wife, and
to make record thereof, if convenient to the laws in that behalf provided, for
which this shall be your warrant. Given under my hand and seal, at Fort James,
in New York, the seventh day of October, 1686, under the second year of his

majesties reign. THOMAS DONGAN.”

PROVINCE oF NEw York,

These may certify all persons to whom those presents shall come, that John
Archer, of the manor of Fordham, in the County of Westchester, and Sarah
Odell of the same place, by virtue of his Excellency the Governor’s license, bear-
ing date 7th day of October, 1686, were both joined together in matrimony the
day of December, in the year of our Lord God, 1686, and in the 2nd year of
his majesty’s reign. Ira Roeatvs, Attestator.

Joun PatmeEr, Justice of Quorum.

John Archer, although charged under the manorial patent as mesne
lord, with the proper oversight for the maintainance of a minister in the
town of Fordham, (the parishioners living between the two kills of Har-

a Farmer’s Register.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 517

lem and Bronck’s,) yet appears to have attached himself to Westchester ;
for in 1703 he was elected a vestryman of the precinct of Yonkers,
(which included Fordham, both towns being embraced in the extensive
parish of Westchester,) an office which he held for nearly seven years,
and died in 1783.¢

The children of John Archer and Sarah Odell, were: John, Samuel,
Richard, and others, who have left numerous descendants ; Samuel, the
second son, left one son, Benjamin Archer of Fordham, whose son Ben-
jamin was for many years owner in fee of part the manor.

In 1671, Daniel Turneur, of New Harlem, purchased forty morgen of land
from the Indian sachems Shatash, Panazarah and others, which said ‘‘tract of
land is lying upon ye maine next to ye land of John Archer, beginning at ye
bay on ye south side of Crabb Island and so running along ye creek parting ye
maine and Manhattan’s Island to Brunx land extending east and west so far as
the land of the said John Archer,” &c.5 This sale is presumed to have embraced
Devoe’s point, called by the Aborigines ‘‘ Nuasin.”

On the 15th of June, 1668, Richard Nicoll, Governor of the Province,
confirmed to the above grantee all that “certain piece or parcel of land
upon the maine, lying and being to the north of Bronck’s land, begin-
ning at the mouth of Maenneppis kill (Cromwell’s creek) and goes into
the woods the depth of fifty rods, containing eighty acres, &c.”

The following conveyance was made by the Indians in 1676, to the
widow of Turneur and his son Daniel :—

INDIAN DEED OF MENTIPATHE.
New York, May 10ru, 1676.

This day appeared here, in the office of Recorder, Jackeline Turnier, widow,
and Daniel Turnier, the sonne of Daniel Turnier, late of New Harlem, deceased,
who brought with him some Indyan proprietors to attend the governor, and, to
acknowledge before his Honor, the sale of a certain piece of land at Mentipathe
Kill, beginning from the mark’t white oake tree, so runs northerly to a creek
called Saproughah, by Crabb Island, then running east and west to Bronkx river.
But his Honor being absent and the said Indyans, having occasions abroad, so

a The will of John Archer, of Eastchester, bears date 4th of May, 1758, to his eldest son,
Abraham, his house and all my farm of land, &c., lying in Eastchester at a place called Pond
Field which I bought of Elisha Barton, &c.; to his son John, £5. he having received the rest
of his portion already ; to his grand-son, Jagob, son of Jacob Archer, the sum of £5; to his well
beloved wife, Elizabeth, all my household goods, &c. Proved 1zth of July, 1758, Surrogate’s
office N. Y., Rec. wills, No. 21, pp, 61-62. Will of Jonathan Archer, of Eastchester, 26th of
Sept., 1764, sons, Ezekiel and John, daughter Sarah, wife of Stephen Fowler, daughter Abigail,
wife of J oshua Peil, dJr., grandson, Caleb. Proved 19th of August, 1766, Surrogates office, Rec.
Wills, No. 25, 1765, 1767,p. 279. Will of Ezekiei Archer, 1773, wife Philenar, son Ezekiel. daugh-
ters Martha and Abigail, wife and sister Jane Tippet, brother-in-law Joshua Pell. Surrogates
office N. ¥., No. xxix p. 344.

b Vol. vii, Land Papers, Albany, 1643 to 1803, p. 42,

518 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

that they cannot attend his Honor’s returne, do hereby acknowledge that they
have sold the above named tract of land together with all manner of appurtenan-
ces, benefitts and priviledges thereunto appertaining, unto the afore-named Dan-
iel Turnier, his heirs and assigns forever, and that they likewise have received
full payment and due satisfaction for the same, and do also desire that this their
acknowledgement of the aforesaid sale may bee authoritick, legall and effectuall,
to all intent and purposes, whatsoever. In witness whereof, we the Indyan Pro-
prietors, namely: Jackeline, Aughwaron, Schapemosse, Toocooran, Narrowes
and Assinney, have hereunto sett our names, the day and year above written.

Acknowledged by the said Indyans RaxEnHowwaoon, © His mark,
in the presence of AvouwarosE, © His mark,
Wm. Darnatt, Sonapemoon, © His mark,
Rp. Meyer, TovoovRAN, © His mark,
G. MrniwEtt, NARROWNEXE, 9 His mark,
Rion. CHARLSON.4 AssInNEY, © His mark.

Upon the restoration of the Dutch in 1673, we find the inhabitants
of Fordham, petitioning at a meeting of the Governor-General, through
counsellor Cornelius Steenwyck, in the village of New Harlem, 4th of
October, 1673, ‘“‘upon which occasion the inhabitants of Fordham ap-
peared and complained, in substance, of the bad management of their
lord, (land-heer), John Archer, soliciting that they might be permitted
to make the nomination of their own magistrates, &c., as is granted to
all the other inhabitants under this government; on which, the afore-
said John Archer, being summoned, this complaint was communicated
to him, who voluntarily declared that he abdicated all authority and pa-
tronage over the villages, reserving only to himself the property of the
lands and houses there, and permitting the said inhabitants the nomina-
tion of their own magistrates, which was confirmed by the Governor and
Council. The following act was granted them:—

“The inhabitants of the village of Fordham are, by a majority of
votes, to choose a number of ‘six persons of the best qualified inhabi-
tants, and only those of the Reformed Christian religion, as magistrates
of the aforesaid village, and to present the aforesaid nomination, by the
first opportunity to the Governor-General, from which he shall make the
election. They are recommended to take care that at least the half of
the nominated are of the Dutch nation. Done in this village of New
Harlem, 4th of October, 1673.

‘‘From the nomination of the inhabitants of Fordham, there are elec-
ted, by the Governor, as magistrates of said village for the ensuing year.

“JOHANNES VERVEELEN, as Schefen and Secretary.

a Albany Deed books. In 1668, letters of Adm. were granted to Martha Turner, widow of
Lawrens Turner, of Westchester, in North Riding of Yorkshire. Sur. office, N. Y., Wills
and Adm. 1665 to 1683, No. 1, p. 71

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 519

The ancient Dorp, or village of Fordham, according to the annexed
survey, still preserved among the land papers at Albany, stood on or
near that part of the Westchester shore of Harlem River now called
Kings Bridge, or as the Royal Patent recites—“‘near unto ye passage
commonly called Spiting Divil, upon which land ye New Dorp or village
is erected, known by the name of Fordham.” Here John Archer, the
first mesne lord, “at his own charge, and with good success began a
township in a convenient place for the relief of strangers, circ 1668, it
being the road for passengers to go to and fro from the main, as well as
for mutual intercourse with the neighboring colony.” The old village
has long since disappeared—not a vestige remains behind, save a few
bricks and stones which serve to mark its site. The present village of
Fordham is situated on the line of the Harlem and New Haven Rail-
road, where is a depot of the former road, twelve and a half miles north
of the City Hall. Near the depot stands the civil and police courts for
the Twenty-third and Twenty fourth Wards of the city of New York, al-
so one of the largest and best arranged public schools of the city. Here
are four churches, numerous stores and manufactories, &c. A short dis-
tance north of Fordham is a depot for Jerome Park which borders on the
Croton Aqueduct. Here is located a large race course and club house .
belonging to the American Jockey Club.

Little is known concerning the early history of religion in the manor
except, that as early as 1671 “the inhabitants residing between the two
Kills of Harlem and the Broncks” were obliged to contribute towards
the support of a minister when one should be settled or called in the
Manor of Fordham.

In May 1696 a society was organized here by the Collegiate Dutch
Reformed congregation of New York. The Rev. John Montaigne being
minister; and Henricus Selyns, William Beekman, Johannes Kerbyle,
Johannes Depyster, Jacobus Kipp, Isaac de Forrest, and Isaac de
Reyner elders and deacons. The next minister seems to have been the
Rev. Henricus Beyse, who about 1709 resigned his pastorate and joined
the Church of England. For Colonel Lewis Morris writing to the
venerable Propogation Society in 1709, says:— .

*T have used some endeavours to persuade the Dutch in my neigh-
borhood into a good opinion of the Church of England; and have had
that success, that they would, I believe, join a great part of them in the
sacraments 2nd worship—had they Dutch Common Prayer Books and a
minister who understood their language. I have taken some pains with
one of their ministers, one Henricus Beyse, and have prevailed on him
to accept of Episcopal ordination,”

520 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The Provincial clergy addressing Governor Hunter of New York
May 14th, 1712, state among other things that :—

“The Reverend Mr. Beys has represented that he suffers hardships,
having no salary from the people of New Harlem where he officiates ;
and his establishment from the Society being uncertain through some
aspersions thrown upon him by his adversaries, we heartily recommend
him to your Ex’cy to protect and encourage him according to his serv-
ices.”

The last minister, prior to the revolution, was the Rev. Dom. John
Tétard.* This individual was of French descent and succeeded the Rev.
Jean Carle as pastor of the French church in New York. The name of
Tétard frequently occurs among the records of the French church Du
St. Esprit between the years 1680 and 1770."

The following minutes are extracted from the record of the New York
Classis:

“At a classis held in Flatbush on Tuesdav, September 2d, 1800,
&c. The church in the Manor of Fordham, beng reduced during the
war, and a prospect now opening of their being restored, Resolved, that
this Classis encourage and countenance them, by assisting and supplying
them. Resolved further, that Dr. Livingston visit and preach to them
as soon as convenient.”

“In 1802 Mr. Livingston reported that he had fulfilled his appoint-
ment, whereupon it was resolved that Mr. Jackson take charge of the
congregation and give them all the service in his power.”

“October 19th, 1809, the church of Fordham having called the Rev.
John Jackson he was approved by the Classis, who also resolved that the
Rev. Dr. Gerardus A. Kuypers, as primarius, and the Rev. Cornelius ©,
Vermilyea, as secundus, be a committee to install the Rev. John Jacksor *

LIST OF MINISTERS OF THE DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH,
FORDHAM MANOR.

Inst. on CALL. Pastors. VaoaTep By-
1696, Rey. Joun MontTaave, resignation.
1707, Rey Hewnricus BEyss, sé
1776, Rev. Dom. Joun Peter TETarp, Re
1802, Rey. Joun JAOKSON, oe
1840, Rev. Perer [. Van Pett, D.D., ae
1846, Rev. WILi1AM CaHoone, oe
1850, Rey. Rost. Van AMBURGH, £y
1853, Rey. Joun H. BeEvier, #4

a Doc. Hist. of N. Y., vol. III, p. 130.
b Sze Vorrien’s Hist. Discourse of the Church Du St. Esprit.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 521

1855, Rev. James Beatrix, te

1864, Rey. James Borton, sf

1866, Rey. James B. Harensuraa, stated supply.

1869, Rey. Joun Truman, resignation.

1874, Rev. Wm. Brusu, es

1876, Rey. D. Jewett, stated supply.
Oct. 1876, Rey. Wm. ANDERSON, present pastor.

The Dutch Reformed or Reformed church stands upon rising ground
on the north side of the road leading from the village of Fordham to
Kings Bridge near Jerome Park, close to the line of the Croton Aque- .
duct.

A still older stucture, however, was constructed in 1801, which
was superceded by the present edifice. The first church, which was
built in 1706, through the liberality of Margaretta Steenwyck or Selyns,
William Dyckman and others was standing in 1724 (but has long since
departed) on the farm of James Valentine,* now occupied by Moses
Devoe. The residence of the latter is said to have been the old Dutch
Parsonage.

The following inscription on the foundation stone of this edifice is
still preserved in the new church :—

EY¥eS:
1706.

Before the Revolutionary war the Manor of Fordham was considered
as joined for all ecclesiastical purposes to Yonkers, which formed one
of the three precincts of the parish of Westchester ; and we have already
seen that at least one of the Lords of the Manor, was a vestryman of
that ancient parish. Still Fordham like Morrisania continued to be as-
sociated with Westchester, even after the Revolution, in the support of
a minister, until the year 1853 when the present parish of St. James was ©
organized under the following circumstances :—‘‘ Numerous residents of
the Manor experiencing much inconvenience in attending Episcopal ser-
vices. on account of having no place of worship; and considering more-
over in the great increase of population, that the cause of the Church
might suffer by having no spiritual provision made for her members
where the wants of other Denominations are so amply considered, called
a meeting—which assembled at the house of William Alexander Smith,
Esq., on the 5th of July, 1853—for the purpose of organizing a parish,
and adopting such measures as would most effectually conduce to the

a The following inscription is taken from a stone in the Valentine house adjoining the site
of the old church: ‘*H. M. K.,1704."" The initials stand for Henry and Mary Kier,

§22 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

same. Oswald Cammann, Esq., in the Chair ; William Watson Waldron,
acting as Secretary. It was then and there,

Resolved: ‘‘ That the persons present do proceed to incorporate themselves as
a religious Society in Communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States of America ; and that the said Church and Congregation be known
in law, by the name and title of the Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of St.
James’ Church in the Manor of Fordham, town of West Farms, County of West-
chester. The meeting proceeded to choose two church-wardens and eight vestry-
men for the said church, when the following persons were elected: Lewis G.
Morris and William Alexander Smith, church-wardens; Oswald Cammann,
Francis McFearlan, William Watson Waldron, George Bement Butler, Samuel R.
Trowbridge, Gulian Ludlow Dashwood, William Ogden Giles and Nathaniel

latt Bailey, vestrymen.”

In 1864 the vestry purchased two acres of land, near the village of
Fordham, adjoining to and fronting on the grand Central Avenue lead-
ing from New York to White Plains. Here the corner stone of the new
Church of St. James was laid May 28th, 1864. The building so auspici-
ously begun was completed the following year, and consecrated on All
Saints day (Nov. 1st) by the Rt. Rev. the Bishop of the Diocese; the
Rev. Morgan Dix, D.D., rector of the Trinity church, New York,
preaching the sermon. ‘The edifice which is constructed of native stone,
with red sand-stone trimmings, is in the early English style, consisting of
nave, southern transept and apsidal chancel; to which it is proposed to
add in the future a tower over the south-west entrance.

. The four chancel windows, which are exceedingly rich both in tone
and color, represent the Evangelists, between which is depicted the
calling of the Apostle St. James the Great or the Elder (who was nearly
related to our Saviour) an angel in the back ground bearing a sword
emblematic of his martyrdom. ‘The fourth in this beautiful group of
windows is a memorial one erected by the parishioners to the memory of
George P. Cammann, M.D., one of the founders of the church and the
inventor of the world renowned ‘“‘ Cammann’s Stethescope’”—a discovery
which this noble and humane individual presented gratis to the medical
profession—representing the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate
by St. Peter and St. John. On the east side of the transept and almost
immediately over the font, is a memorial window, erected to Oswald
Cammann, representing St. John baptizing our blessed Saviour in the river
Jordan. All the before mentioned windows were manufactured at the
royal stained glass manufactory at Munich, Bavaria. In the transept
are also memorial windows to Miles Standish Davidson and Kate Miles
Davidson (lineal descendants of the celebrated soldier Miles Standish

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 523

the first captain of the settlers at Plymouth, New England, who was
born in England in 1584, and came to America with the pilgrim fathers
in 1620, and died 1656), children of the late Colonel M. O. Davidson, a
civil engineer of distinction, representing the infant Jesus bearing the orb
of empire ; and also St. Catharine leaning upon the wheel, an emblem of
the tortures to which she was exposed. The wheel window in the gable
end of the transept is a memorial to the late Mrs. Mary Bailey Woolsey,
wife of Theodore B. Woolsey, and daughter of Nathaniel P. Bailey, Esq.,
representing cross, anchor and flowers, among the latter the simple
Marguerites? or Daisies predomionate, her chosen favorite. Another
window on the west side of the transept is a memorial to Catharine and
Eliza Howell, and represents one of Fra Angelico’s winged seraphs or
angels, and Jesus bearing the lamb. In the south aisle of the nave is a
memorial window to Oswald Cammann, Sen., one of the benefactors of
the church and founder of the well known Banking house of Cammann
& Co., of New York city, depicting in one compartment the Chalice, or
sacramental cup, signifying faith ; in the other a crown of thorns, emble-
matic of suffering and victory. The north-west window in the nave isa
memorial to Charles Drake, M.D., erected by his sister, Mrs. Seaman,
of Kings Bridge, representing the Saviour’s healing of the blind man. A
richly ornamented Catharine wheel window occupies the west gable of the
nave, containing emblems of the Holy Trinity in unity and the four evan-
gelists. The altar and font are of caen stone, richly carved; the former is
placed in the centre of the apsis or chancel on the plan of the ancient
churches as described by Eusebius and other writers, the Bishops seat
being placed directly behind it against the wall of the apsis. The font
was presented to the church, by the young men of the parish. The
furniture of the chancel, pulpit, lectern and seats are of white oak ; a cross
stands on the altar, a memorial of William and Maria Mali deceased
parishioners. The bell was presented by the Rev. Charles C. Tiffany, a
former rector of the parish, The communion service consists of two
chalices, a flagon and paten inscribed as follows:
‘«Presented by the ladies of the parish,
A. D. 1854.”

William W. Waldron, by the donation of two hundred volumes, has
founded a parochial library for the benefit of all young persons resident
in the parish.

a ‘Sainte Marguerite whose legend and name signify a pearl, and has been given to that
little lowly flower we call the daisy, were botb introduced from the East by the first crusaders,
and now popular all over Europe. St. Margaret was the chosen type of female innocence and

meekness.”” “There are no less than 238 churches in England dedicated in her honor.’”’—
Mrs. Jameson’s Sacred and Legendary Art, &c.

524 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The parochial chapel of St. James, a portion of which was formerly
the Manor school house, has been greatly improved of late by the addi-
tion of a chancel and transepts, and now occupies a place in the north-
east corner of the church property. The font and lectern were presented
by the Rev.

RECTORS OF ST. JAMES’S CHURCH, FORDHAM.

Temp. Inst. ReEcrors. VAOAT. PATRONS.

Noy, 1854, Rev. Josuua Weaver, A.M., per resig, Wardens eae Vestry
Noy. 1, 1863, Rev. Taomas Rioney, D.D. pees 4

Dec. 25, 1867, Rev. Cuartes C. Tirrany, Presb,, ‘ ns
July 10, 1871, Rev. Myrron Maury, Presb., ks <
Sebt. 9, 1875, Rev. Josepa Biancnarp, Presb., present rector.

Immediately contiguous tothe Dutch Reformed Church is the Croton
Aqueduct, which at no great distance crosses the Harlem River on a
magnificent bridge of stone 1450 feet long, with fifteen arches, eight of
which are eighty feet span, and seven are fifty feet span; 114 feet above
tide water, at the top. The estimate cost of the whole, exceeding $900,-
ooo. Onthe New York side of the bridge is a stone tower, used for sup-
plying the higher portions of Manhattan Island with water—about a
half a mile north of the High Bridge, an iron suspension bridge is to be
erected uniting Manhattan island with the West Chester shore.

In this vicinity is situated Mount Fordham, the seat of Lewis G.
Morris, Esq., fifth in descent from the Hon. Lewis Morris third proprie-
tor of te manoz of Morrisania. This property was originally purchased
about 1760 by Chief Justice Lewis Morris, Governor of New Jersey, and
his grand-son Richard Morris, Judge of the Court of Admiralty under the
crown and subsequently Chief Justice of the State of New York. The
latter resided on this property at the breaking out of the Revolutionary
war, and willingly resigned his office as Judge of the English Court of
Admiralty rather than compromise his principles, which were decidedly
in favor of the popular cause. Governor Tyron thereupon directed an
officer of the British army to take possession of Judge Morris’ house, and
use it as long as required ; but ordered him, at the same time, to burn it
to the ground as soon as abandoned. This outrage was soon afterwards
perpetrated ; and Judge Morris, then advanced in years, was compelled
to fly for better security to Claverack in Columbia County.

The present house which is constructed of stone, is finely situated on
an eminence and commands a very extensive view of Harlem river and
surrounding country in which New York Island forms a beautiful feature.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 525

Here are portraits of the Hon. Lewis Morris, fourth proprietor of Morri-
sania, great grand-father of the present occupant; and his first wife,
Catharine Staats; and his son the Hon. Richard Morris, Judge of the
High Court of Admiralty in 1776 ; at the foot of this portrait is suspended
the hilt of the official sword that used to be borne by the Provincial
Judges of Admiralty. In one of the parlors of the mansion is to be seen
an original portrait of the celebrated St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of
the Jesuits, who was born in his father's castle of Loyola in the year
1491, of a race so noble, that its head was always summoned to do
homage to the throne of Spain by a special writ. He died first General
of his order in 1556, and was canonized by Pope Gregory XV. in 1622.
This picture was formerly in the possession of the late Jacob Lorillard,
Esq., father-in-law of the present proprietor, and has been long pro-
nounced an original by Peter Paul Rubens. The head, like the figure
painted by Rubens for the Jesuits at Antwerp, now at Warwick castle in
England, is wonderfully fine, and quite true to the Spanish type. Lewis
G. Morris, Esq., has been one of the most successful importers and
breeders of short-horn cattle in this country, and also very active in pro-
moting the improvements in the neighborhood in which he resides. His
brother, the late Hon. Robert Hunter Morris was Recorder, thrice in
succession Mayor and Post Master of New York city, and at the time of
his death a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State.

The ancient residence of the Archer family, now occupied as a farm
house by F. L. Johnson, Esq., is distinguished in the history of the
Revolution as the head quarters of Colonel James de Lancey of the
Royal Refugee corps. The following incidents show that although
situated directly under the guns of Fort No. 8, De Lancey’s position was
a very hazardous one, and required the utmost vigilance to guard against
a surprise.

In May, 1780, Captain Cushing of the Massachusetts line, with a
small detachment under his command, consisting of one hundred infantry,
made an excursion to this place. The expedition seems to have been
planned by his guide, Michael Dyckman, who had ascertained by close
observation that the British sentinels were not in the habit of changing
their countersign; the next step was to capture one of the refugees
themselves, from whom he obtained the countersign. By this means, so
sudden and complete was the surprisal of the enemy on the occasion,
that over forty of them were either killed or made prisoners. It was the
intention to capture De Lancey, but he was absent from his quarters.
The cantonment had scarcely been turned, when a large party of Yaou-
ger horse collected and pursued Captain Cushing; but he effected

526 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

his retreat with so much skill and gallantry, though charged repeatedly
by the enemy, that no injury was sustained. The enemy were far
advanced up the Saw Mill valley, ere they relinquished the pursuit. On
this occasion Abraham Dyckman arrested Captain Ogden in Colonel
Emmerick’s quarter’s (the house now standing at the foot of the steep
hill, on the road leading from Fordham to Kings Bridge, close by what is
known as Farmer’s Bridge, was the scene of the exploit) at the moment
when a British sentinel was pacing the bridge within musket shot.

“On the roth of January, 1781, (says General Heath,) 150 men from
the Connecticut line and 200 from the New Hampshire line were to move
towards the lines; these, with those who marched from Hazen's the
day before, were to form a covering party to the detachment under
Lieutenant Colonel Hull, who was to make an attempt on De Lancey’s
corps.”

The result of the enterprise, (which took place upon the 28th of Janua-
ry, 1781,) is thus related by Thacher :—

“A detachment, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Hull,
has returned from a successful expedition, having attacked by sur-
prise the Royal Refugee corps under the command of the noted
Colonel De Lancey, posted at Morrisania. Colonel Hull has for
several months past sustained the command of a detachment of our
troops posted in advance of our army, a situation requiring the most
active vigilance and precaution, to guard against surprise and strata-
gem. In this station, as in many others, this officer has evinced his
military skill and judgment. He has executed an enterprize with
such address and gallantry as to merit for himself and his detach-
ment the highest honor. He bravely forced a narrow passage to the
enemy, and besides a number being killed, he took upwards of fifty
prisoners, cut away the bridge, burnt their huts and a considerable
quantity of forage, and brought off a number of horses and cattle. Col-
onel Hull possesses in a high degree the confidence of the commander-
in-chief; and for his judicious arrangements in the plan, and intrepidity
and valor in the execution of the enterprize, he received the thanks of
his Excellency, and afterwards of Congress. The enemy pursued our
troops, and fell in with a covering party, under command of Colonel
Hazen; and in a skirmish which ensued, they suffered an additional loss
of about thirty-five. Of Colonel Hull’s detachment, one ensign, and
twenty-five rank and file were killed and wounded. This successful ex-
ploit is calculated to raise the spirits of our troops, and to divest their
minds from the unhappy occurrences, which has recently taken place in
camp, and at the same time it may convince the enemy that the affairs
of our army are not altogether desperate.Ӣ

a Heath’s Mem. 271.
b The pontoon bridge across the Haarlem river.
ec Thacher’s Journal, 245,

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 527

“4th of March, 1782, Captain Hunnewell with a body of volunteer
horse, backed by the infantry under the command of Major Woodbridge
made an excursion to Morrisania. ‘The horse proceeded down between
the British fort, No. 8, and the cantonment of De Lancey’s corps,* and
having turned the cantonments between day-break. and sun-rise, they
entered pell mell. The enemy was completely surprised, and fled in every
direction ; some were cut down on the spot, others so badly wounded as
not to be able to be removed. Some of the enemy availed themselves
of positions where the horse could not assail them, from whence they
began to fire on the house. This occasioned the firing of the alarm
guns at No. 8. The horse having nearly accomplished their design
moved off, taking the Eastchester road, in which Major Woodbridge had
posted the infantry in ambuscade. Captain Hunnewell had brought off
one subaltern, and twenty men prisoners, and twenty horses. The enemy
in the vicinity collected a number of horse, backed by light infantry,
and pursued Captain Hunnewell until he came to Major Woodbridge.
The enemy were drawn into the ambuscade, who made one or two dis-
charges on them, on which they broke and retired, but soon returned to
to the charge; skirmishing ensued, and continued to a considerable dis-
tance. Of the Americans, two privates were killed; Mr. Abraham Dyck-
man,’ one of the guides, a brave and active man, mortally wounded, and
three privates slightly wounded.Ӣ

“On the 26th of March, (says General Heath,) Mr. Dyckman,? one
of our guides on the lines, with thirteen volunteer horsemen made an
excursion to Morrisania, took five prisoners of De Lancey’s corps and
five horses ; on their return they were pursued by a party of the enemy’s
horse. who coming rather too near, the brave volunteers faced about,
charged vigorously, took one man prisoner with his horse, and put the
rest to flight. The enemy again appeared, on the Eastchester road near
Jonathan Ward’s house, in some force, at a distance, but dared not re-

new the attack.Ӣ
The following is General Heath’s account of the burning of Colonel
Hatfield’s quarters, which stood directly opposite Archer’s entrance :—

“ About this time (January, 1780,) a detachment from Colonel Mead’s
regiment of levies at Horseneck, and a number of volunteers from
Greenwich—the former under the command of Captain Keeler, the latter
under the command of Captain Lockwood—the whole about eighty,
marched to Morrisania ; and about one o'clock in the morning made an
attack on Colonel Hatfield. They first attacked the picket, killed three,
and drove the rest into the colonel’s quarters. The colonel and his men
took to the chambers, and fired out at the windows, and down stairs, at

a Froma m. ) ‘1 the possession of Lewis G. Morris it appears that at that time the highway
led past th: A ca-r house mentioned above, and between it and Fort No. 8 which occupies
the site of th..)" sent residence of Gustav Schwab.—Editor.

b Mr. Dyckman fell at Purdy’s corner near the intersection of the Eastchester and New
York roads.

e Heath’s Mem. p. 330.
d Michael, brother of Abraham Dyckman.
e Hieath’s Mem, 329.

528 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

those who had entered the house ; it appeared difficult, if possible, to
dislodge them ; the house was instantly set on fire, by puttirg a straw
bed into a closet, which compelled the enemy to jump out at the cham-
ber windows, to avoid the flames. Colonel Hatfield, one captain, one
lieutenant, one quarter-master, and eleven privates were taken prisoners
and brought off. This was a pretty affair, but was a little tarnished on
the return by some of the militia, who were fatigued, loitering on the
road, where they supposed there was no danger; but a party of horse
pursuing, overtook, killed and captured several of them.’ 4

Many other occurrences of the same kind might be related to show
that this vicinity was constantly harassed by small parties of American
volunteers, who made every effort to dislodge their wary antagonists.

Upon a lofty eminence to the north-west of the Archer house, stand
the remains of Fort Vo. 8. “The enemy (observes Heath) had a re-
doubt called No. 8,on the east side of Haarlem creek, nearly opposite to
the fort on Laurel Hill, and under the fire of its cannon, for the security,
of their advanced troops on the Morrisania side.”’ When the British
made the bold and successful attack upon Fort Washington in 1776, the
guns of No. 8, which lay directly opposite, covered the advance of the
Hessians and Lord Percy. ‘On the 20th of October, 1782, the enemy
were demolishing their works at No. 8, Morrisania.Ӣ

Fort Independence, the ruins of which are still visible on Zetara’s hil/,
was not dismantled until 1833. Prince Charles redoubt, and the Negro
Fort—both well known fortifications, in the annals of the Revolution—
lie on the south side of Valentine's hill, From the former, which com-
mands a splendid view of the surrounding country, the morning and
evening gun of the British was fired.

On this high ridge formerly the scene of so many bloody conflicts, are
located the country seats of H. B. Claflin, the late Charles L. Anthony,
Nathaniel P. Bailey, and the estates of S. L. M. Barlow, Oswald Cam-
mann, Loring Andrews, Albert N. Christie, Franklin Edson, F. L.°
Johnson, Emma Dashwood, “Fair Lawn” the residence of Hugh M.
Camp, ‘High Cottage”’ the residence of Mrs. Montgomery, “Hasle-
wood” the residence of Mrs. Lees, and “‘ Villa Boscobel” the residence of
William B.Ogden, and “ Number Eight” the residence of Gustav Schwab

Williams Bridge in the north-east corner of West Farms, bordering
on Fordham is situated on the Haarlem and New Haven railroad where
is a depot, thirteen and a half miles north of the City Hall,

Tremont, the next station south of Fordham and in close contiguity

a Ibid, 228.
6 Heath’s Memoirs, p. 223,
Heath's Mem. p. 357.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 529
to it, is a populous and flourishing settlement. A short distance from
the Tremont Station is situate Mount Hope, the well known “ House of
Rest for Consumptives.”

RT, REV. HORATIO POTTER, D.D., LL.D., D.C.L.,
PRESIDENT, ex-officio.

President.—Rev. T. M. Peters, D.D., Broadway cor 99th St.

Vice-Presidents.—W oodbury G. Langdon, Robert Watts, M.D., Lewis G. Morris.

Secretary.—Wm. Harold Brown.

Treasurer.—Peter C. Tiéman, Manhattanville.

Trustees— Wm. W. Mali, James Pott, Rev. A. B. Carter, D.D., Wm. Alex.
Smith, F. A. Schermerhorn, Samuel W. Bridgham, A. C. Zabriskie, Rev.
Joseph N. Blanchard, John H. Riker, J. Neilson Potter.

Medical Board.—L. A. Rodenstien, H. R. Pratt, J. E. Comfort.

Consulting Physician.—J. R. Leaming, M.D.

Financial Agent.—S. L. Douglas, 126 East 93d Street.

LADIES ASSOCIATION.
President.—Rev. T. M. Peters, D.D.
Vice-Presidents.—Mrs. Woodbury Langdon, Mrs. 8. J. Zabriskie, Mrs. Henry

Salisbury.

Secretary.—Miss M. E. Leavitt.
Treasurer.—Miss Alice R. Jones, 1 East 57th Street.
. Mrs. J. E. Zimmerman, Mrs. G. K. Sheridan, Miss J. T. Montgomery, Mrs.
David M. Turnure, Miss M. G. Barnes, Mrs. L. A. Rodenstein, Miss H.
M. Schwab, Mrs. W. C. Wetmore, Miss E. O. Wheeler, Miss L. Morris,
Mrs. 8. P. Nash, Mrs. Lewis C. Jones.

From the last report of the Executive Committee it appears that dur-
ing 1876, an average of twenty-one patients had been constantly cared
for in the institution ; and during the month of November, this average
had been maintained at twenty-five. Permits are given daily by the
Committee on admissions, and a full capacity of forty inmates will soon
be taxed to its utmost by the many applications for admission. Weekly
services are held here every Wednesday at 3:30 P. M.

The Haarlem river (Muscoota,) which forms the western boundary of
the town, is one of the sweetest streams that ever gave a charm to land-

“scape. On the Westchester shore high woods cover the sides of undul-
ating hills, while here and there rich meadows form a gradual and beau-
tiful descent to the waters edge. The opposite banks are abruptly
terminated with rocky declivities, and present by their greater boldness
a fine contrast. These waters afford an agreeable haunt to the sing
Jisher, “the most celebrated and besung of all other birds,” says Aldro-
vand, likewise to the Aeron and fish hawk.

530 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

On the East site of the Harlem Railroad contiguous to the village of
Fordham, on an eminence called Rose Hill, is situated St. John’s College,
a Roman Catholic institution. This place enjoys all the advantages
peculiar to the country, a pure and vigorous air an‘ retirement which is
so favorable to the formation and growth of studious habits; while at
the same time its proximity to the city, by means of the railroad, is a
great convenience. This institution, the only one of its kind in the
State, was first opened for the reception of students on the 24th of June,
1841.” It was incorporated by an act of the Legislature passed April
roth, 1846. The following is an extract from their rules and regula-
ticns: ‘ The system of government will be mild and paternal, yet firm
in enforce ng the observance of established discipline. The utmost at-
tention will be paid not only to the intellectual, but also to the moral
education of the pupils. As to their domestic comfort, every thing
which parental affection can desire will be found and supplied in the as-
siduous attention and skilful management of the Sisters of Charity, to
whom the charge of this important and highly responsible department is
mainly confided.” The college, which contains the rooms of the various
professors, library, &c., is a large, elegant, and commodious edifice. The
hall is adorned with some valuable engravings from Raphael’s frescoes
in the Vatican, presented by the late Pope Gregory XVL., to the Right
Rev. Bishop Hughes. The oil pictures consist of a ‘‘ Madonna de la
pesce,” a copy from the original by Raphael. This picture is from the col-
lection of the late Joseph Bonaparte ; the ‘“‘ Entombment of the Saviour,”
a copy by William Franquinet. The head of St. Joseph in this picture
is finely painted. The wooden building attached to the gardens on the
south was formerly the residence of Colonel John Watts and his wife,
the celebrated Lady Mary Alexander, daughter of Major General Lord
Stirling. The church is a very large and handsome structure of stone, in
the Gothic style. It is intended to embattle the tower, and carry up the
spire. The windows, which are filled with some excellent stained glass,
give the interior a very pleasing appearance. The apostles, St. Peter
and St. Paul, and the four evangelists are depicted in six windows—three
on each side. These figures are executed in the best style of modern
stained glass; they stand on floriated Gothic pedestals of gold, sur-
mounted by a rich canopy of the same. At the foot of the pedestal a
gold escutcheon, containing the name of each apostle and evangelist.
The whole were made to order, expressly for this church, at St. Omers
in France.

Adjoining the church on the west is the new divinity school of St.
joseph ; the grounds are extensive, and in a state of high improvement.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 531

The collegiate year commences on the first Monday of September.
Average number of students about 130.

Rose Hill place has been successively the property of the families of
Corsa Watts, and Brevoort, from whom it passed to Horatio Shephard
Moat, who sold it in 1836 to the present proprietor.

The “ Home of the Incurables ” was first started by the Rev. Washing-
ton Rodman, then Rector of Grace church, West Farms, in that village,
in the year 1866. Its officers were :—

President :
Bens. H. Frevp.

Vice-Presidents :
Martin E. Greene, Wm. H. Gurion.

Treasurer :
Henry J. CAMMANN. ,

Secretary :
R. A. MoCurpy.

Pastor and Superintendent:
Rey. WasHIneTon RopMAN,

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION OF THE “HOME FOR IN-
CURABLES.”

In conformity with the provisions of the act entitled, “ An Act for the Incorpo-
ration of Benevolent, Charitable, Scientific and Missionary Societies,” passed the
12th day of April, 1848, and the several acts amendatory thereof, and supple-
mentary thereto, the subscribers of full age, citizens of the United States and
of the State of New York, and residents within the city of New York, in said
State, being desirous to associate themselves together for the purpose of estab-
lishing and managing a Hospital and Home for Incurables, and to be a body
politic and corporate for that purpose, do hereby make and sign this certificate.

1st. The name or title by which said Society shall be known in law, shall be
the ‘‘ Home for Incura»les.”

2d. The particular business and objects of the said Society, shall be the estab-
lishing, founding, carrying on, and managing said Hospital and Home.

3d. The number of managers to manage the said Society shall be twenty-four.

4th. The names of the managers of the said Society for the first year of its
existence, are John T, Hoffman, Edward Haight, Wm. H. Guion, Benjamin H.
Field, Henry J. Cammann, Franklin F. Randolph, Geo. R. Jackson, Lloyd
Aspinwall, John H. Pool, Frederic Goodridge, William E. Curtis, Stephen E.
Cambreling, Benjamin B. Sherman, Richard A. McCurdy, Archibald Russell,
Livingston Satterlee, Martin E. Green, George T. M. Davis, Henry M. McLaren,

532 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

E. A. Quintard, D. D. Ives, W. A. Muhlenburg, Washington Rodman, and J.
Gallaudet.
In testimony whereof, we have hereunto sifbscribed our names, this 4th day
of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Bens. H. Frerp,
Epwarp Harenr,
Franxiry F. RAanpoupn,
S. CAMBRELING.
Acknowledged before WasuIneton RopMAN.
THOS. P. OKIE, Jr.,
Notary Public.

I hereby approve of the within certifi-
cate and consent that the same shall be

filed. J. W. GILBERT
Dated New York April 6, 1866.

In 1872, the Jacob Lorillard estate at Fordham, was bought, and the
Home for Incurables removed, after the whole building had been re-
paired and enlarged. The last Report, of 1878, is full of encourage-
ment, and most of the first officers still retain their positions. The
Physician, Arch. M. Campbell, reports that ‘during the past year 89
patients have been under treatment.”

Few institutions have been better managed. It is beautifully situated,
in a very healthy locality, and easy of access.

Andrew Corsa, who was born at Rose Hill in 1762, afterwards re-
moved to a farm situated nearly opposite, where he died in 1852. The
following obituary notice occurs in the Westchester Hera/d for that
rear :-—
oa THE LAST OF THE WESTCHESTER GUIDES.

On the evening of Sunday the 21st of November at his residence in Fordham,
ANDREW Corsa departed this life at the age of nearly ninety-one. He was born
on the 24th day of January, 1762, where the Roman Catholic College of St. John
now stands, on the farm occupied by his paternal ancestor, a native of Germany,
who settled on the Manor of Fordham about the year 1690. Both his father and
grand-father were natives of the same spot with himself. The latter was born in
1692, about the time of Governor Fletcher’s arrival in the colony, after whom he
was named Benjamin Fletcher. When the revolutionary troubles commenced,
Captain Isaac Corsa,@ the father of the subject of this notice, held a commission
under the crown, and like most persons similarly situated, espoused the royal
side throughout the great controversy. But parental authority was not sufficient
to keep the young Andrew, long within the limits of the ancient allegiance ; and
about the middle of the war, his strong inclinations in favor of American inde-

a Among the MSS. in the Secry’s Dept. are the original Muster Rolls of the companies
which served in the campaign of 1755 against the French; among others is Capt. Isaac Corsa's
Comp., Westchester 95 rank.—Doc, Hist. of N. Y. vol. ii, 696.

THE TOWN OF WEST FARMS. 533

pendence overcame every other consideration, and he commenced an independent
career by rendering important services to the Guides and scouting parties that
approached the British lines, whether for attack or observation. Minutely
acquainted with all the passes about Kingsbridge, Fordham and Morrisania—and
withal of a disposition sprightly, intelligent and communicative—his services
were anxiously sought for; when in the summer of 1781, after the allied forces
had been encamped upon the heights of Greenburgh about two weeks, Washing-
ton and Rochumbeau made ready for a formidable movement, with a select por-
tion of their army, towards the lines of the enemy. Preparatory to this operation,
Count Mathieu Dumas, the two brotheas Berthier, and several other young officers
belonging to the French staff, who had, for some days, been zealously engaged
in exploring the ground and roads and in sketching maps of the country between
the allied camp and Kings Bridge, were ordered by the French commander to set
out before daylight, and to push their examinations till they came within sight of
the enemy’s most advanced redoubts, at the northern extremity of New York
island. To protect these youthful adventurers, a strong detachment of the lan-
cers of Lauzun was sent along under Lieutenant Kilmaine, a young Irishman in
the French service, who some years afterwards became a General of Division and
enjoyed the reputation of being one of the best cavalry officers in Europe. The
command of the whole party was bestowed upon Dumas, while the celebrated
Cornelius Oakley of White Plaius was selected to act as principle Guide, accom-
panied by his cousin James Oakley and young Corsa. Below Mile-square the
reconnoitering party formed a junction with a select body of American light
infantry, who on the same morning had gone down to explore the ground on the
right ;and the two allied detachments then attacked and dispersed a strong patrol
of Delancey’s Refugees, and soon afterwards assaulted and drove across Kings
Bridge the Chasseurs that occupied the Hessian outposts :—pursuing the fugitives
till they came within musket shot of Prince Charles’ redoubt. This reconnoisance
established in favor of Kilmaine and of the elder Berthier, —the latter of whom
was afterwards a Marshal of France under Napoleon, and Prince of Wagram and
Neufchatel,—reputations for partisan skill and intrepidity that led to their sub-
sequent preferment.

A few days Jater occurred the grand reconnoisance, which was made on the
22d and 23d of July by the American and French commanders and engineers
supported by 5000 troops of the two nations, for the purpose of examining with
precision the British posts on New York Island between Hudson River and the
Sound,—and of cutting off, if possible, such of the enemy’s corps as might be
found upon the main. Young Andrew Corsa’s intelligence and exact knowledge
of the country about the British lines were such that his services were again
earnestly sought for upon this occasion ; and during both these days he was con-
stantly on horseback, riding and conversing with Washington, Rochambeau,
Lauzun, and the other Generals of the combined army, while they passed through
the fields of Morrisania, Fordham and Yonkers, halting from time to time as
they moved along for the purpose of enabling the engineers to examine the
grounds along Haerlem river and Spuytenduyvil creek. He used to relate that
when the allies, marching from the east near the Bronx and passing over the
high grounds around Morrisania house came in sight of the enemy, the fire which
the British artillery opened upon them from the fortifications at Randall’s Island

534 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and Snake-hill,—from the batteries at Harlem and from the ships of war at an-
chor in the river, was terrible and incessant ; and obeying the instinct of self-pre-
servation, which became suddenly predominant—he urged his horse foward at
full speed and rode for safety behind the old Morrisania mill. Here he pulled
up, and looking back, saw Washington, Rochambeau, and the other officers riding
along calmly under the fire as though nothing unusual had occurred. His self-.
posession now returned ; and, ashamed at having given way to an impulse of fear,
he at once pricked back with all the rapidity to which he could urge his horse,
and resumed his place in the order of march; while the commanding officers,
with good natured peals of laughter, welcomed him back and commended his
courage.

Mr. Corsa knew personally every individual of that celebrated band of volun-
teers called the ‘‘ Westchester Guides,” of whom he himself was the last and
youngest ; and he was among the most confidential friends of the heroic Abraham
Dyckman, who fell prematurely at the close of the revolutionary contest. Pos-
sessed of a memory unusually retentive, and residing constantly upon the borders
of the ‘‘neutral ground,” he was acquainted with all the distinguished partisans
both from above and below, and with nearly ell the military operations whether
great or small that occurred along this portion of the British lines; and which,
until within the last few days of his life, he continued to describe in minute de-
tail.

Upon the conclusion of the revolutionary war, his father’s lands, by a compul-
sory sale, passed out of the family; and although without any means at the
time, he did not hesitate to purchase, with money borrowed upon mortgage, a
contiguous farm—which industry and good management enabled him, not many
years after, to disencumber. Much engaged in the cultivation of fruit for the
market, he was particularly successful with the apple and pear; discovering
and bringing into use a new variety of the latter which bears his name, being
known distinctively as the Corsian Vergaloo.

For many years he was a member of the Reformed Dutch Church at Fordham.
His death was preceded by none of the diseases to which humanity is heir, and
he ceased to exist only because he was worn out by toil and time. The machine
which had been set in motion by its divine constructor and which had gone on
for more than four score years and ten, ‘‘at last stood still,” and the weary
occupant sought a better habitation. His memory continued unimpaired until
nearly the close of his existence. Among his survivors are eight children, and
numerous other descendants. Simple and patriarchal in his manners, a zealous,
generous, and useful friend, neighbor and citizen ;—estimable and upright in all
the relations of life—Andrew Corsa deserves to be held in honorable remem-
brance.

Z
5
3
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rt a
ationer. 26 John St.N.Y:

GOURT HOUSE,WHITE PLAINS.

ae a

=

THE TOWN

OF

NW ee EAD Bs EE AL LIN Se

White Plains is the shire town of the county, and is situated twenty-eight
miles from the city of New York ; one hundred and thirty-one south of Al-
bany, six miles east of the Hudson, and fourteen south of Bedford, (which
used to be the other half shire town,) bounded northerly by North Castle,
easterly by Harrison, southerly by Scarsdale, and westerly by Green-
burgh. The river Bronx runs south along the west line, and the Mama-
roneck river along the east—forming the boundary towards Harrison
township. The whole area of this town may be eight and a half square
miles.

White Plains originally formed a portion of the town of Rye, and de-
rived its name from the White Balsam, (Guaphaliunn Polycephalum of
Linnaeus) gnaphalium, signifying soft down or wool.

It was called by the Indians Quaroppas, under whom these lands
must have formed a portion of the ancient Domains of Weckquaskeck;
as we find Shapham, or Thapham, one of the sachems of that place con-
jointly selling lands there to the inhabitants of the town of Rye in 1683.

“Tt is so long since the Indians quitted these grounds, that their mon-
uments are almost effaced. Once in a while a point of an arrow, or a
stone axe is found which bears the mark of Indian labor and dexterity ;
and there is still to be distinguished the spot on which they had their
wigwams, and the cemetery where they buried their dead.” The former
is situated.on the land formerly of Mr. Gilbert Oakley, the latter on the
property formerly of Mr. Elisha Crawford, now owned by Mr. Carhart.
In the vicinity of the town is a small excavation, cut out of a granite
rock ; this was a mortar, where they pounded their corn. 535

536 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Upon the 22nd day of November, 1683, the inhabitants of Rye ob-
tained the following grant from the aboriginal proprietors :—

‘*To all Christian peopell to hom these presence shall com greting: Know
yee that we Shapham, Cockinseko, Orewapum, Kewetoahan, Koawanoh, Paatck,
Shiphatlash, Korehwewous, Panawok, Memishott, Pesekanoh, Oromahgah Path-
unck, hohoreis, sotonge, wonawaking, owhorawas, nosband, have for a valuabell
sum of mony to us in hand paid by the towne of Rye that are inhabitants bar-
gained, covinanted alinated and soulld unto the Inhabitance of the above said
towne of Rye a sartain tract of land lying within the towne bounds of Rye
Bounded as followeth, on the north-east with Mamarinek River, and on the south-
weast witha branch of the said River and marked trees till it coms to brunckes
River, and then to Runn by brunckes River till it cums to the head of the whit
plaines soe called and by marked trees from thence till it cums to the upper
most branch of Marrineck River which trackt of Land is commonly called by the
English the whit plaines, and called by the Indians Quaroppas which said tract
of land wee the above said Shapham, Cockinceeko, orewopum, Kewetoakon;
Koawanoh, Moahalice and the rest of the above said endians, have soulld as
above said unto the Inhabitance of the said towne of Rye, them, theire heires,
executors, administrators, or asignes for ever and Doe hereby bind ourselves, our
heires, execetars, administratars and asignes unto the Inhabitants of the above
said towne of Rye, them, theire heires, executors, administrators, or asignes, that
they may att all times, from and after the date hereof, peasably and quieatly
poses, occupy and injoy the above said tract of land free from all former
bargaines, salles, morgages, or other incombrances whatsoever and all soe to war-
rant and make good the above said salle against any parson, or parsons whatso-
ever, that shall or will make, or lay any claime or claimes theare unto, and in
testimony. There of wee have caused this bill of salle to be made and here unto
have sett our hands and sealles this two and twentieth of November, one thous-
and six hundred and eighty-three.

Sealed, signed and delivered in the The marke of
presence of us, SHAPHAM,
CoRNEILASs, COKENSEKO,
his mark OROWAPAM,
KeEwEronaM,
Josuua Knap, Koawanon,
The mark of pee, cate,
Morepearcu ATTHUNK,
oa Honornis,
Joun OppELL, SOTONGE,
his mark. OwWHORAWAS,
ORAMAPUAH.

This bill of salle is acknowledged
by the granters to be their ackt and
deed before me in Rye, the day and

yere above written,
JOSEPH HORTON, Vommissioner.

The inhabitants of Rye were now met by an opposing claimant in the
person of Mr. John Richbell of Mamaroneck. He was a native of

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 537

England, and claimed to have bought of the Indians in 1660 his right to
these lands ; was confirmed in 1662 by the authorities of New Nether-
land, and in 1668 by the government of New York. Mr. Richbell’s
patent gave him possession of the ‘three necks’ bounded on the east by
Mamaroneck river, and on the west by Stony brook, together with the
“ land lying north of these bounds ‘twenty miles in the woods.’ This con-
flicted with the foregoing deed. As Rye was the border town of Con-
necticut they conceived that their bounds extended westward as far as
the western line of that colony. This was ‘a line drawn from the east
side of Mamaroneck river, north northwest to the line of Massachusetts.’
Negotiations were now pending between Connecticut and New York for
a more satisfactory settlement of that boundary. And on the twenty-
eighth of November, 1683, the two governments agreed upon a line to
begin at the mouth of Byram river. Meanwhile, doubtless anticipating
this decision, the inhabitants of Rye on the twenty-second day of
November, only six days before the date of that agreement, concluded a
treaty with the Indian proprietors of the White Plains for the purchase
of that tract. They described it as ‘lying within the town bounds
of Rye.’

Mr. Richbell was not inclined to yield his claim, which he had now
held for twenty-three years. On the twelfth of March, 1684, he peti-
tioned the Governor, Colonel Dongan, on the subject: ‘ Having a desire
to dispose of some quantity of said land which is called the White
Plains’ and which was comprehended in his patent ‘to severall persons
to settle thereon with themselves and familyes’ he is ‘ wholly obstructed
and hindered by Rye men,’ who have ‘made a great disturbance amongst
them and pretends a right to the same.’ He cannot therefore dispose of
any part of these lands until the Governor ‘will be pleased to grant an
order to clear the same.’* This complaint came before the council at
Fort James on the seventeenth of March, 1684, and the inhabitants of
Rye or some to be deputed by them for that purpose, were summoned
to show cause at the next Court of Assizes in Westchester County, why
the said lands do not of right belong and appertain to John Richbell.

The dispute appears to have remained unsettled; for Richbell died
soon after this, July 26th, 1684,° and the greater part of his lands—includ-
ing allthe northern portion—came into the possession of the Hon. Caleb
Heathcote. [In 1701 Col. Heathcote obtained a comfirmation of his
rights to the Richbell estate by purchasing again from the Indians the
‘necks’ formally known as East and Great Neck, now called Orienta

a Land papers, Aibany. Vol. ii., 30. Quoted by Mr. Baird’s Fitstory of Rye.
b See Westchester Co. Records Lib. A, page 34,

538 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and Larchmont, with the lands lying north of them along Mamaroneck
river to its source and across to the Bronx.

This tract included the whole of the present town of Scarsdale, for
which Col. Heathcote immediately obtained letters patent from the
British Crown, securing him that territory and constituting the lordship
or Manor of Scarsdale. But his Indian grants iucluded, also, the whole
of White Plains which the inhabitants of Rye had purchased from the
Indians in 1683, and where some of them were already settled,though,
no division of the lands had yet been made. This new encroachment
on their limits occured just at the close of their unsuccessful attempt to
return to the colony of Connecticut. Having failed to recover the lands
appropriated by Harrison, the people of Rye probably had little hope of
resisting these claims. Col. Heathcote, however, seems to have been
disposed to treat them with great fairness. In the Charter which he
obtained for his lands exception was made of ‘ye land called White
Plains which is in dispute between ye said Caleb Heathcote and some of
ye inhabitance of ye town of Rye,’ to that land the patent gives him no
further title than he already possesses. The following action of the in-
habitants refers to this matter :—

‘‘ At a meeting held by the Properities of the White Plains purchase, Febe-
weary the 24, 1701-2, Hacaliah Browne and Deliverance Browne and Humphery
Underhill, Thomas Meritseuer, Isaac Deham, John Stokam, and Benjamin
Horton, are chosen a committee in the behalf of the above said Proprietors to
agree with Coll. Hathcoote consarning the running of a line between said Coll.
Hethcote’s patent and said White Plains purchase as They shall see good; and
what line shall be mutually agreed upon betweene the said commity and Coll.
Hethcote the said properities do ingage for Themselves and Their heirs and
successors to stand and abide forever; and what else the said commitie mutually
agrees upon shall be held good by them and their associates for ever.” 4

The controversy was still pending in 1702, when the Rev. Mr. Chris-
ttopher Bridge, Mr. Hacaliah Browne, Ensign John Horton, Capt. Joseph
Bude, and Mr. John Hoytt “are chosen to treat with the Honorable
Conl. Caleb Hathcut, about the White Plains purchase and to make
returne to the Proprietors of their treat upon what termes the Hon.
Coll. Hathcut will agree with them to acquit all his claime to the above
said White Plains purchase.” ®

At the time of Col. Heathcote’s death, which occurred four years
later, this question was still unsettled; but it does not appear that any
claim upon these lands was made by the heirs to his estate.

a Town and Proprietors Book, No. C, p. 20.—Baird’s History of Rye, p. 153.
b Rye Rec. Lib. A.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 539

Owing to these uncertainties and differences, the White Plains Pur-
chase remained undivided for many years. Occasionally from 1683 to
1715 we find in the town records entries like the following, which show
that the inhabitants had their eyes upon this precious inheritance and
meant to keep it for future distribution? :—

April 12, 1694.—“ Hacaliah Brown and Thomas Merril are appoint-
ed to go with the Indians and renew the marks of the White Plains pur-
chase, agreeing with the Indians as reasonably as they can.” ‘The
same year Thomas Merrit and Joseph Galpin were chosen to lay out
the land at the White Plains granted to Jonathan Horton by the
Town.” ¢

April 1, 1699.—‘“‘ John Lyon and Isaac Denham are chosen to laye
out a road to the White Playnes, beginning at the head of Capt. Theall’s
land, and so to run to the caseaway (causeway brook.”

April 17, 1699.—‘*‘ The Town hath past an act that the Rode shall
continue . . . up to the White Playnes, where John Lyon and
Isaac Denham have marked it out, and the said road to be 3 Rods in
breadth.”

February 14, 1699-1700.—Lieutenant Horton and others “are to
survey and lay out the 3 purchases of land. That is to saye, the White
Plains purchase, and Lame Will’s two purchases.”’

April 27, 1708.—“ The town chose Ensign Budd in the room of
Captain Horton (deceased) to lay out lands in the White Plains pur-
chase and Will’s two purchases according to the Towns acts.”¢

Finally “at a meeting held in Rye by the Proprietors of the White
Plaines purchase, Feb. 11, 1714-15,” Capt. Joseph Budd, Ensign John Hor-
ton, Mr. John Hoyt, Samuel Purdy, Caleb Hiat and George Lane Junior,
“are chosen to reetify all mistakes that has been formerly made by the
former layers out of the White Plaines purchase and also has power to
add or diminish the just and true proportion of all the lotments of lands
which is in dispute to be above or under the true proportion and to
lay out proportionable all the remaining part of the aforesaid purchase
and when so done to make return to the said proprietors.” ¢

The next notice of this town occurs on the 9th of February, 1720:—

“‘At a meeting held by the proprietors it is agreed that “Capt. Joseph
Budd, John Hoyt, Sen, John Horton, Caleb Hiatt, Samuel Purdy, and
George Lane, Jr., layers out of the said purchase chosen by the said
proprietors for laying out all the above said lands, as may appear by
record bearing date February 11, 1714-15. That the said iayers out
shall have for their trouble and industry for laying out the whole pur-
chase and returning the bounds at or between the thirteenth day of
April, which will be in the year one thousand seven hundred and twenty,

a Baird’s History of Rye, p. 156.

b Rye Rec. Lib. A.

¢ Ibid.

d Town Meeting Books, C and G.

e Records of Town Meeting, p. 9, and Baird's History of Rye, p. 156.

540 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

one hundred and ten acres of land lying between the lower end, the
ridges and Mamaroneck river, at the above said meeting ’tis voted and
agreed that David Ogden and Hacaliah Brown are to survey and lay
out the above said one hundred acres and ten of land as above men-
tioned.” @

The following is a list of the proprietors and the number of acres held
by them under the survey? :—

JOSEPH HORTON, « « « 18, JosEPH Bupp, aia AT ea Os
IsAA C0; DENHAM A) shod, ose Privie GALPIN, Aretha Pay oe):
PRANOIS}PGRDY; | jnmos) + fe; Ricuarp LowNsBEERY, A St
DELIVERANCE Brown, . . 30, Joun GALPIV, <6 js) 6 a +) By
GrorcE Lang, sini s , 2S,.. SOHN HORTON; 4.) 4.1.5. oe
Tuomas Brown, . . . 38, JosEPH Horron, « . |. 1%;
JouN Frost, emg a1} Henry Disprow, . . . 8,
Prrer Brown epics \-.ALaoe. GARRETT VURAVIS; (s) 0. i) elo
Prergr Disprow, . . . 22, JoHN StookHAaM, , . . JW;
Joun Meritt, 4 i fecseh JONATHAN FowLeR, . . 19,
CARRE EIATT 9 cies RiocHArRD WALTER, es Bh
Saxromn HOvTs.) =: sy, cake, ANDREW Cog, S aA) ce woo ade
Trwotuy Knap, . °* . 16, THOMAS JEFFREY . . . 2i,
JACOB IERASK (20 ec ay Sous Isaac SHERWOOD, . . . 38,
GxorcE KnIFFEN. . . . 12, JOSEPH SHERWOOD,. . . 384,
JosEPH Purpy, oye eb: Franois Brown, . . . 40,
Bensamin Horton, os EE Wir Opmrnn..” Fh)s) sears
TsAA0 ODETTE. Yc. si Weeeols JONAS SHERWOOD, . . . 28,
JOSEPH GALPIN, . - . 10, Tuomas Lyon, Wer tie pais fie
JOM HOYT A.) Wee) Ss sob: JOHN Bronpie, ele | col tie SO
Haoatran Brown,. . . 27.

“Tn 1721, Wiliam Burnett, Governor of New York, set out, in order
for patent, to Samuel Hunt, a certain tract or parcel of land lying and
being in the County of Westchester, being part of a large tract com-
monly known by the name of ‘The White Plains,’ beginning at three large
White Oak trees standing near together on the west side of Mamaro-
neck river, and runs thence, south thirty-nine degrees ; west, thirty-one
chains, &c., &c., containing two hundred and sixty acres, after five acres
deducted for every hundred acres for highways.” ¢

“Upon the 13th of March, 1721, his Excellency, Wiliam Burnett, grant-
ed letters patent to Daniel Brundage, all that tract of land in White
Plains, beginning at a small white ash stake standing on the east side
of the long meadow brook and runs thence, south fifty-three degrees,
west forty-three chains, and a heap of stones near the street, containing
one hundred and ninety-five acres. The patentee yielding therefor, on

b Sometimes called the second draught,
ec Albany Book of Patents, No. viti, 442.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 541

the Festival of the Annunciation, the annual rent of twenty shillings
and six pence for every hundred acres.”

King George the Second, the same year, issued the following royal
letters patent to Joseph Budd, John Hoit, and others :—

ROYAL PATENT FOR THE WHITE PLAINS.

George by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King
Defender of the faith etc. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting
whereas our Loving Subjects Joseph Budd John Hoit Caleb Hoit Humphrey
Underhill Joseph Purdy George Lane Daniel Lane Moses Knap John Horton
David Horton Jonathan Lynch Peter Hetfield James Traviss Isaac Covert
Benjamin Brown John Turner David Ogden and William Yeomans by their
Humble Petition presented to our Trusty and well beloved William Burnet Esq.
Captain General and Governour in Chief of our Province of New York in
Council the Twenty-first Day of December last did humbly pray that his said
Excellency would be favourably pleased to grant to them their heirs and assigns
his Majesty’s Letters patent for their Claims and purchase lying within this
province or the County of Westchester known by the Name of the White Plains
in such manner and under such Quit Rent provisions and Restrictions as is and
Directed in our Royall Commission and Instructions to our said Gevernour, which
Petition was then and there Read and Considered of by our Council of our said
Province untill the first day of this Instant they did Humbly advise our said
Governour and Consent that the prayer of the said Petition be granted. In order
to the granting whereof in Pursuance of and in Obedience to our Royall Instruc-
tions to his said Excellency given at St. James’s the third Day of June one
Thousand seven Hundred and Twenty in the sixth year of our Reign our said
Governour together with George Clarke Esq. secretary and Cadwallader Colden
Esq. surveyor Generall of the said Province three of the Commissioners appointed
by our said Instructions for setting out all Lands to be granted within our said
Province of New York did sett out for the said Joseph Budd John Hoit Caleb
Hoit Humphrey Underhill Joseph Purdy George Lane Daniell Lane Moses Knap
John Horton David Horton Jonathan Lynch Peter Hatfield James Travise Isaac
Covert Benjamin Brown John Turner David Ogden and William Yeomans, a
Certain Tract or Parcell of Land Scituate lying and being in the County of West-
chester and is Commonly known by the Name of the White Plains Beginning at
a large White Oak Tree Marked with Severall Letters where Two Brooks fall.
into the West Branch of the Momaroneck River and Runs thence by marked Trees
to Brunxes River near the Place where a small Brook falls into the said River by
a Bush of alders some of which are Marked thence up the Stream of Brunxe
River to an Ash Tree about Seventeen Chains above Anthony Millers fulling Mill,
thence by Marked Trees to White Oak Tree Marked near long Meadow Brook,
then Down the Stream of the said Brook to the Land laid out for Daniel Brondige
Then along his Lands to the said Long Meadow Brook then down the Stream of
the said Brook to the Place where it Falls into Momaroneek River and down the
Stream of the said River to the land granted to Christopher Bridge then along
his Line and the Lines of the Land laid out for Samuel Hunt to Momaroneek

542 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

River then down the Stream of the said River to the Place where the West
Branch Falls into the said River and then up the Stream of the said West Branch
to the Place where it begun Containing Four Thousand Four hundred and
Thirty five Acres with Allowance for Highways, and in the Setting out of the
said Tract of Land had Regard to the Profitable and unprofitable Acres and had
taken care that the Length of the said Tract do not Extend along the Banks of
any River Conformable to our said Royall Instructions as by a Certificate under
their hands bearing Date the Tenth Day of March last Entered of Record in our
Secretarys Office more fully and at large Appears Which Tract of Land set out
as aforesaid according to our said Royall Instructions Wee beirg willing to grant
tothe said JosephBudd John Hoit Caleb Hoit Humphrey Underhill Joseph Purdy
George Lane Daniel Lane Moses Knap John Horton David Horton Jonathan Lynch
Peter Hatfield James Traviss Isaac Covert Benjamin Brown John Turner David
Ogden and William Yeomans their Heirs and Assigns according to the Prayer of
their Petition Know Yee that of our Especial grace certain Knowledge and meer
Motion We have given granted Ratifyed and Confirmed and do by these presents
for us our heirs and Successors give grant Ratifie and Confirm unto the said
Joseph Budd John Hoit Caleb Hoit Humphry Underhill Joseph Purdy George
Lane Daniel Lane Moses Knap John Horton David Horton Jonathan Lynch
Peter Hatfield James Traviss Isaac Covert Benjamin Brown John Turner David
Ogden and William Yeomans their Heirs and Assigns all that the said Tract or
Parcel of Land Scituate lying and being in the County of Westchester which is Com-
monly known by the Name of the White Plains Beginning at a large White Oak
Tree Marked with Severall Letters where Two Brooks fall into the West Branch
of Momaroneek River, and Runs thence by Markt Trees to Brunxes River near to
the place where a small Brook falls into the said River by a Bush of Alders some
of which are Markt thence up the Stream of Brunxes River to an Ash Tree about
Seventeen Chains above Authony Millers fulling Mill thence by Markt Trees to a
White Oak Marked near long Meadow Brook then down the Stream of the said
Brook to the Land laid out for Daniel Brondige then along his Line to the said
Long Meadow Brook then down the Stream of the said Brook to the place where
it falls into Momaroneek River and down the Stream of the said River to the
Land granted to Christopher Bridge then along his Line and the Lines of the
Land laid out for Samuel Hunt to Momaroneek River then down the Stream of
the said River to the Place where the West Branch falls into the said River and
then up the Stream of the said West Branch to the place where it begun Con-
taining Four Thousand Four Hundred and Thirty five Acres with Allowance for
Highways Together with all and Singular Woods underwoods Trees Timber
Feedings pastures Meadows Marshes Swamps Ponds Pools Waters Water Courses
Rivers Rivolets Runs and Streams of Water Fishing Fowling Hunting and
Hawking Mines Minerals Standing being Growing lying or to be had used
and Enjoyed within the Limits and Bounds aforesaid, And all other Profits
Benefits Liberties Priviledges Hereditaments and Appurtenances to the same
belonging or in any wise Appertaining and all that onr Estate Right Title Interest
Benefit Claim and Demand whatsoever of in or to the same and the Reversion and
Reversions Remainder and Remainders and the Yearly Rents and Profits of the
same (Excepting and always Reserving out of this our present Grant unto us our
Heirs and Successors forever all Trees of the Diameter of Twenty four Inches

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 543

and upwards at Twelve Inches from the Ground for Masts of our Royall Navy.
and also all such other Trees as may be fit to make Planks Knees and other
things Necessary for the use of our said Navy which now are Standing Growing
or being in and upon any of the said Lands with free Liberty and Lycence for
any person or persons whatsoever by us our Heirs and Successors or any of them
to be thereunto Appointed under our or their Sign Manual with Workman Horses
Waggons Carts and Carriages and without to Enter and come into and upon the
said Lands and every part thereof, and there to Fell Cut Down Root up Hew Saw
and Rive have take Cart and Carry away the same for the uses aforesaid (Except-
ing also and Reserving all Silver and Gold Mines) To Have and to hold all and
Singular the same certain Tract of Land and Premisses with its Hereditaments
and Appurtenances (Excepting as before is Excepted and Reserved) unto the
said Joseph Budd John Hoit Caleb Hoit Humphry Underhill Joseph Purdy
George Lane Daniel Lane Moses Knap John Horton David Horton Jonathan
Lynch Peter Hatfield James Travis Isaac Covert Benjamin Brown John Turner
David Ogden and William Yeomans their Heirsand Assigns forever To be Holden
of us our Heirs and Successors in free and common Soccage as of our Mannor of
East Greenwich in the County of Kent within our Kingdon of Great Britain
Yeilding Rendring and paying therefore Yearly and every Year forever unto
us our Heirs and Successors at our Custom House in the City of New York unto
our or their Collector or Receiver General for the time being on the Feast Day
of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary commonly called Lady Day the
annual Rent of two Shillings and Sixpence for every hundred acres thereof in
Lieu and stead of all other Rents Services dues Dutys and Demands whatsoever
for the same four Thousand four Hundred and Thirty-five Acres of Land so
granted as aforesaid Provided always and these presents are upon this Condi-
tion that the same Joseph Budd John Hoit Caleb Hoit Humphrey Underhill
Joseph Purdy George Lane Daniel Lane Moses Knap John Horton David Horton
Jonathan Lynch Peter Hatfield James Traviss Isaac Covert Benjamin Brown
John Turner David Ogden and William Yeomans their Heirs and Assigns some
or one of the » shall and do within the Term and Space of three Years now next
ensuing the Date hereof plant Settle and Effectually Cultivate at least three
Acres of Lan:l granted as aforesaid and in Default thereof or if the said Joseph
Budd John Hoit Calep Hoit Humphrey Underhill Joseph Purdy George Lane
Daniel Lane Moses Knap John Horton David Horton Jonathan Lynch Peter Hat-
field James ':aviss Isaac Covert Benjamin Brown John Turner David Ogden and
William Yeomans their Heirs and Assigns or any other person or Persons by
their privity c msent or procurement Shall Set on Fire or Burn the Woods on
the Said Lands or any part thereof to Clear the Same so as Destroy Impair
or hinder thie Growth of any of the Trees that are or may be fit for Masts Planks
Knees or other Timber for our Royall Navy hereby Reserved unto us our Heirs
and Suceessors that then and in either of these cases this our present Grant and
every Article and Clause therein or thereof Shall Cease Determine and be Void
anything hercin Contained to the Contrary thereof in any wise Notwithstanding
And We @o further of our Especial grace Certain knowledge and meer motion
Consent and Agree that these presents being Entered upon Record as is hereafter
Appointed shall be good and effectual in Law to all intents and purposes against
us our Heirs and Successors Notwithstanding the not well Reciting or Misrecit-

544 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

ing of the premisses or any part thereof In Testimony whcreof Wee have
Caused these our Letters to be made Patent and the Great Seal of our said Pro-
vince to be hereunto affixed and the same to be Entred of Record in our Secre-
tarys Office in one of the Books of Patents there Remaining Witness our Trusty
and well beloved William Burnet Esq Captain General and Governour in Chief of
our Province of New Jersey and of all the Territories and Tracts of Land
thereon Depending in America and Vice Admirall of the same &c at Fort
George in New York the Thirteenth day of March in the Eight year of our
Reign Anno Domini 17214 W. ROBIN, D. Secr’y.

At this date, 1721, the occupants of the land on what is now called
Broadway, were George Lane, living on the Squires place, and included
Mr. Brown’s ; Daniel Brundage in the old house next to Mr. Brown’s, the
only house of that date now standing. The next north of Brundage, was
James Travis. On the west side of Broadway was Moses Knapp’s
house, about where Mr. Fiero now resides. John Hyatt lived a little
north of Knapp, and Daniel Lane’s house stood near the present resi-
dence of Elisha Horton. Anthony Miller owned the farm where the
Miss Tompkins reside above the old Methodist church ; he had a fulling
mill on the brook, near the Bronx river. The north-west corner of the
patent was seventeen chains north of this fulling mill. Christopher Tro-
main’s house was near the Bronx not far from where Mr. Champanies
lives on the road leading west from the old Methodist meeting-house.
Samuel Horton built and lived in the house now standing known as the
Jacob Purdy place at the foot of Frank Carpenters hill. The other
dwellings were on the road to Rye. The first was Joseph Purdy’s which
stood near the present house of Mr. Onderdonk. Next to Joseph Purdy’s
was Caleb Hyatt’s, and ashort distance south-east of it John Hoit lived
in the old house on the other corner of North street and the road lead-
ing past Bartholomew Gidneys. Samuel Hoyt lived a quarter of a mile
further on, on the same side of the road. Samuel Hunt’s house was
where Mr. Nelson Seymour lives. The next house which is still stand-
ing was Samuel Merrit’s, and further east and at some distance from, and
north of the road, was the house of Humphrey Underhill. These were
all the houses then standing in White Plains.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The Presbyterian church—a stone edifice erected in 1854—is the
third church built on that spot, and presents a pretty appearance upon
entering White Plains.

The first church was erected, but not finished, and services held in it

a Albany Book of Patents, Lib. viii. pp. 450-454, (new paging) pp. 462-466, (old paging )

aa—Stage-road from Ben-
nington to New York.
bb—Read to Rye town.

cc—Road to Mamaroneck
town.

dd—Road to a landing
called Rye Neck.
ee—Road to Dobb’s Ferry.

& ff—Called White Plains’
Street.

gg—Road to town of Har-
rison.

hh—Road to town of Green-
burgh.

ti, kKk—Roads for private
uses.

Magnetic variation, N. 3 W.
Annual variation, 3’ inclining Eastward.
No. 1.—Meeting-house of Methodist Society.

2.—Court House.
3.—Property of Presbyterian Society.
4.—Cassaway Brook.
5.—Golden Pine Brook.
6.—American Encampment in 177
7.—British Encampment in 1776.

MAP OF TIIE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS.

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THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 545

prior to May 12th, 1727.% It was built mainly through the exertions of
the minister, the Rev. John Walton, who gave for that purpose three
quarters of an acre of land in the north-east corner of his farm, and ap-
pears from his deed conveying the farm in 1729 to his successor, the
Rey. Edward Ward. Moses Owne subsequently became the owner of
the farm ; and in June t5, 1751, conveyed “one certain tract of land
with the meeting-house standing thereon, containing one acre more or
less,” to Caleb Hyatt, John Turner and Peter Hatfield. The road
which originally ran near the church was changed? in 1764 to its present
location, leaving between it and the said church a piece of undivided
land. This piece of undivided land was soon after date conveyed by
the proprietors of the White Plains purchase to the Presbyterian church,
as follows :—

‘*The undersigned, being such as have proprietors rights in the White Plains
in the township of Rye, &c.,

‘* Whereas there is a small piece of undivided Jand lying on the north side of
burying ground, near the Presbyterian meeting-house, being willing that the said
piece of undivided land, &c., we are willing that the same should be fenced in
to with the burying yard, to be appropriated for the use of a burying yard, to
be under the entire government and management of the said congregation.

JONATHAN Pourpy,

Before JonaTHAN G. TOMPKINS. Dayip Horton,
GaBRIEL LyNcH;
CaLesB Hyatt,
SamMvuEL Hounv.”

From these documents it would appear that there was a Presbyterian

church standing here in 1727. The first ordained minister was the Rev.
John Smith, D.D., who served the Presbyterian churches of Rye and
White Plains, and died in the year 1771, leaving flourishing congrega-
tions and commodious houses of worship in both places. His remains
repose in the burying ground, near those of his wife and daughter, in the
rear of the church. A plain head-stone marks the spot, and bears the
following inscription under a rudely carved similitude of a cherub :—

Here lie the remains cf the
REV. JOHN SMITH;

the first ordained minister¢e of the Presbyterian
persuasion in Rye and the White Plains,
who was born in England,
May 5, 1702,
a Memorial of Presbyterian church, White Plains, in the archives at Hartford.

6 Rye Records D. p. 188.
¢ Mr. Smith's name appears in the record of the Synod in 1753 as minister of Rye.

546 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

wore out with various labors,
and fell asleep in Jesus.
Deceased February 26th, 1771,
aged sixty-eight years, 9 months, and 22 days.

By faith he lived, in faith he died,
and faith foresees a rising day when Jesus comes,
while hope assumes and boasts his joy among the tombs.

Oh death! Oh grave! where is thy victory.

‘*Thanks be to God that giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

His brother was the Hon. William Smith. Lorenzo Sabine, Esq., in
his very valuable work on American loyalists, says of this individual :—
“ That he was Chief Justice and a member of the council of the colony,
and considered to be in office in 1782. His father, the Honorable
William Smith, an eminent lawyer and Judge of the Supreme Court,
died in 1769. William Smith, the subject of this notice, graduated in
Yale College in 1745. It appears, that he was at a loss as to the side
which he should espouse in the controversy which preceded the Revolu-
tion, and that he made no choice until late in the war. It seems, also,
that a number of other gentlemen of wealth and influence, who had
wavered like himself, joined the royal cause about the same time, in
1778. It is believed that, at first, he opposed the claims of the ministry.
However this may be, his final decision excited the remark of both the
Whigs and Loyalists. The former indulging their wit in verse, and call-
ing him the ‘weathercock,’ that ‘could hardly tell which way to turn ;’
and the latter noticing his adhesion in their correspondence. He settled
in Canada after the war, and was Chief Justice of that colony. He
published a history of New York, which was continued by his son
Wilham.”@

a * This eloquent man,” alluding to Judge Smith, “having been an adherent to the royal
cause in the Revolution, left the city of New York in 1783, with the British troops, and was
afterwards rewarded by bis sovereign with a high judiciary office at Quebec. Judge Smith,
although thus removed from the place of his origin, always contemplated the politics of his
native country with peculiar solicitude. One evening, in the year 1789, when Dr. Mitchell was
in Quebec, and passing the evening at the chief justice’s house, the leading subject of con-
versation was the new Federal constitution, then under the consideration of the States, on the
recommendation of the Convention which sat at Philadelphia in 1787. Mr. Smith, who had
been somewhut indisposed for several days, retired to his chamber with Mr. Grant, one of the
Inembers of the Legislative council, at an early hour. In a short time Mr. Grant invited Dn
Mitchell, in Mr Smiths name, to walk from the parlor into Mr. Smith’s study, and sit with
them. Mr. Mitchell was conducted to a sofa, and seated beside the Chief Justice, before whom
on w table was a large bundle of papers. Mr. Smith resumed the subject of American politics,
and noticed his papers. After searching among them a while, he unfolded a certain one,
which he said was written about thetime the colonial commotions grew violent, in 1775; and
contained a plan or system of government, sketched out by himself then, and which nearly
resembled the constitution afterwards proposed by the Federal Convention of the United
States. He then read the contents. The piece was long and elaborate, and written with much
beauty and spirit. ‘This, sir,’ said he, after finishing it, ‘is a copy of a letter, which I sent to
a member of Congress in 1775, who was an intimate friend of General Washington. You may
trace to this source the sentiments in favor of a more energic government for your country,
contained in the commander-in-chiet’s circular letters ; and from this, there can be no doubt,
that the citizens of all the States derive their leading traits for your new form of govern-
ment.’’—Lorenzo Sabine’s Biographical Sketches of American Loyalists.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 547

In 1776 the Rev. Ichabod Lewis, twin brother of the venerable Isaac
Lewis of Horseneck,was ordained pastor of the united churches of White
Plains and New Rochelle by the Presbytery of Dutchess county. About
12 o'clock at night on the 5th of November, 1776, the Presbyterian
church, together with a quantity of timber designed for its enlargement,
besides a number of other buildings, were set on fire by Major Osborne
of the Massachusetts line (under General Glover), for the purpose of
preventing them from being used by the British troops, then in the
neighborhood during the ensuing winter. These facts are fully proved,
by affidavits of witnesses now in possession of the trustees. After the
burning of the church, the congregation gradually declined; for the
members, being mostly staunch Whigs, were obliged to retire north to
avoid the depredations and assaults of British troops from New York.
The Rey. Ichabod Lewis removed to Bedford, but similar circumstances
constrained him to leave that place also for Salem ; where he spent the
remainder of his days, and lies interred. He left a legacy to the church
at South Salem of one thousand dollars, the interest of which at present
assists in supporting the pastor of that church.4 From 1784 to 1821 the
congregation enjoyed the privilege of occasional preaching. Upon the
13th of February, 1788, the church was incorporated under the title of
the “ Presbyterian Church in the White Plains,” Jonathan G. Tompkins,
Richard Hatfield, Daniel Horton, Jacob Purdy, Nicholas Fisher and
Robert Hart, trustees.?

During the years 1821 and 1822, the church was regularly supplied by
the Rev. Thomas G. Smith, of the Reformed Dutch congregations of
Tarrytown and Unionville, every second or third Sunday, for which he
received a small pecuniary compensation. In the spring of 1823, the
Rev. Marcus Harrison performed services for a short period as a
Domestic Missionary, and was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Ely, who
officiated here and at Lower Greenburgh (Dobb’s Ferry) about four
months under the direction of the Domestic Missionary Society of the
city of New York. For the successors of Mr. Ely, see the subjoined list
of pastors.

The second church was destroyed by fire in 1854. It took fire on a
Sabbath, when it was burnt to the ground; it originated this time in a
defect in the chimney from which sparks communicated to the belfry
during the morning service, and when discovered had made such progress
as to render all efforts to save the building unavailing ; only the books,

a Communicated to the author by the Rev. 8. Schenck, since the completion of Lewisborough
or South Salem.—See vol. i. 268.

& Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib, A. 15.

548 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

cushions and other moveable articles were saved. The loss was esti-
mated at $3,000.

A LIST OF PASTORS AND SUPPLIES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH OF WHITE PLAINS.

INSTALLED OR CALLED. ; Pastors. VAoATED By.
A.D., 1753, Rev. Joun Smira, D.D., death.
1770, Rey. IcHasop Lewis, resigned.
1821, Rey. Taomas G. Smirz, supply, ve
1823, Rey. Marcus Harrison, a es
1823, Rev. Mr. Ety. e es
Oct. 1823, Rey. Samvet RosBertson, pastor, os
A.D., 1825, Rey. Cuester Lone, # Je
1834, Rey. Jonn Wuite, cs a
1835, Rey. Epwarp WRIGHT, ce oN
1844, Rey. Exras §. ScHENOK, a fe
1849, Rey. Bronson B. BEARDSLEY, ‘‘ i.
1850, Rey. JoserH Forsyrue, ae ck
1853, Rev. Davin TEEsE, 2 oe
1871, Rey. Txomas C. STiELeE, ee A
Jan. 19, 1574, Rey. Epear L. HermMancer, present pastor.

This church is in connection with the Bedford Presbytery. The fol-
lowing inscriptions are taken from monuments in the grave yard :—

Here lie the remains of
CALEB HORTON, ;

who died August 24th, 1770,
aged 72 years.

i MARY,
wife of
MicHAEL CHADDERTON,

born June 25, 1706, married 1727,
and lived in that State forty-five years, ob. 1772."

There are also numerous memorials to the families of Miller, Fisher,
Varian, Purdy, and Tompkins, and the vault of William and Isabella
Pirnie. The remains of a British officer who fell at the battle of White
Plains, were interred in the south-west corner of this yard.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 549

METHODIST CHURCH, WHITE PLAINS.

Methodism was introduced in White Plains in the year 1775, by the
Rev. Cornelius Cook. The first Methodist. Episcopal church was built
in 1795, when Revs. Thomas Woolsey, Albert Van Nostrand and Jason
Perkins were the preachers on the circuit which embraced White Plains.
This church was forty four feet square ; and when completed, ready for
dedication, it was burned. At a meeting, called on the evening of the
same day, it was resolved to rebuild at once, and six hundred dollars was
subscribed on the spot for that purpose ; and it is said that some of the
members were in the roads felling trees and preparing timber before the
smoking embers were extinguished.

The first Methodist Episcopal church now standing on Broadway,
larger than its predecessor—sprang Phoenix-like from the ashes of the
old—and when dedicated was the second Methodist Episcopal church
north of the city of New York.

In the year 1836 the third Methodist church was built next door to
the parsonage of the Memorial church—a little less than one mile south
of the old church.

In 1863 the village was constituted a separate charge, and the Rev.
Gideon Draper appointed pastor, who remained two years. In the
years 1865 and 1866, Rev. W. M. Chipp was pastor ; Rev. J. P. Her-
mane, 1867; in 1868 and 1869, Rev. J. W. Beach; in 1870, the Rev.
E. B. Otherman ; in 1871 the Rev. Richard Wheatley became pastor.
During his pastorate, which continued until the Conference, 1873, the
Memorial M. E. church was built. Great credit is due to the Rev. Dr.
Wheatley for his untiring efforts, good taste and sound judgment in this
really greatest enterprise of the M. E. Church of White Plains. It con-
tains the memorial tablets of many of the great and good men who were,
indeed, giants in their day, The Memorial Church was dedicated on Sab-
bath, May 18, 1873; on the previous Saturday able and appropriate ser-
mons were preached by Rev. C. D. Foss, D.D., and Rev. Bishop Janes.
On Sabbath morning Bishop Simpson preached a very able sermon from
2d Peteri:19. Rev. Dr. Eddy preached in the afternoon. In the evening
the Rev. Bishop Hasen preached an able and appropriate sermon from
Psalm 1:2. On Sabbath morning, July 13, 1874, memorial services,
appropriate to the unveiling of the tablets (placed at the base of the
church windows) were held. Rev. Daniel Curry, D.D., Rev. J. B.
Wakeley, D.D., and Elijah Miller, Esq., were the speakers.

The Rev. W. F. Hatfield was the pastor of this church at the time it
was dedicated, and of the unveiling of the tablets. He remained three

55° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

years ; and in the spring of 1876 Rev. P. R. Hauxhurst was appointed.
At the Conference of 1877, the Rev. J. Y. Bates was appointed.

The present membership of the church, is 315. It has a large and in-
teresting Sabbath-school—of which Samuel Scott, Esq., is the superin-
tendent. The President of the board of Trustees, Samuel R. Pullen;
Secretary, J. Malcom Smith; Treasurer, J. R. Tompkins.

The old Episcopal church stood a little east of the old court house.
It was built of wood, with a tower and vestry room in the rear; the
tower contained a bell, weighing 1135 pounds. This parish was first
organized by the exertions of the Rev. Lewis P. Bayard in 1824, who
occasionally performed services there. Upon the 22nd of March, 1824,
the church was incorporated by the title of Grace (Protestant Episcopal)
church, White Plains, in remembrance of Grace church, Rye, whose

Grace Church, White Plains.

minister had officiated here at intervals from 1762 to 1816. As early as
1760, White Plains constituted one of the precincts of Rye parish, and
paid a small sum annually towards the support of the rector and the poor;
her connection with Rye was dissolved in 1816. Richard Jarvis and
Alan McDonald were the first wardens. William Purdy, John Horton,
Gilbert Hatfield, James Dick, Alexander Fowler, Joshua Horton, Wil-
liam Buckley and James Merritt, vestrymen.

The church edifice was consecrated on the 2nd of June, 1826, by the
Right Rev. J. H. Hobart. In 1833 Trinity church, New York, appro-
priated to this parish the sum of $750. In 1861 Mr. Pruden gave the
present site of ground to the rector, wardens and vestry on Rail Road
Avenue; and in 1864, the corner stone was laid. In 1865 the present

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 551

church was consecrated. It cost about $39,000; tower not completed.
In 1863 a handsome rectory was built on the same ground, south of the
new church, costing $3,000. In 1873 a Sunday-school room was com-
menced, 75x35 feet, to cost about $9,000 ; but it has not yet been com-
pleted.

The church still owns the old site on the old post road, which is kept
merely as a burying ground.

LIST OF RECTORS AND MINISTERS.

INST. OR CALL. INCUMBENTS. VACATED BY.
1824, Rey. W. C. Mean, Presb., resigned.
1826, Rev. ALEXANDER H. Orossy, A.M., Presb., &
1829, Rey. Jomun W. Curtis, Presb., W: .
1831, Rev. Rozerr W. Harris, A.M., “ ‘6
1855, Rey. THEopore 8. RuMNEY, se
1870, Rey. F. B. Van K1LeEeEcx, £6 present rector.

On the 19th of March, 1874, a large number of literary gentlemen of
the county met in the village of White Plains at the following call:—

Dear Sim:—We, the undersigned, have long felt the want in common with
others of a County Historical Society. Upon consultation with prominent men
we have been asked to call a meeting to organize such a Society for Westchester
county. And beg to name Thursday, March 19th, at 2 p.m., at the Orawaupunn
Hotel, White Plains; and hope you will take an interest, and if possible attend

the meeting. Signed,
Rey. Rogr. Botton, Jas. E. MAttory,
Rev. C. W. Botton, Jas. B. CUNNINGHAM,
Wo. Coventry H. WapDeE x1, Ep. J. CARPENTER,

EFFINGHAM Cook.

The Society was organized under the following Act :—

AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WEST-
CHESTER COUNTY, IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
The People of the State of New York, represented in the Senate and Assembly
do enact as follows:

§ 1. Rev. Robert Bolton, Wm. Coventry H. Waddell, James B. Cunningham,
Effigham Cock, Rev. C. W. Bolton, James E. Mallory, Edward J. Carpenter,
Wm. H. Robertson, Clarkson N. Potter, James W. Husted, Robert Rutherford
Morris, John Jay, Walter White Evans, Edward F. Delancy, O. R. Willis, Wm.
B. Tibbits; Henry Wood, John Jay Wood, Joseph Barrett, James Wood, Rev.
Charles Baird, David Rowe, Edward Wells, John Dewitt, Robert P. Getty, I. T.
Williams, Wm. Cauldwell, Amherst Wight, Robert S. Haviland, and their asso-
ciates who are now or may be hereafter associated for the purposes of this Act,

552 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

are hereby constituted a body corporate by the name of the ‘‘ Historical Society
of Westchester County,” for the purpose of collecting and preserving historical
information specially within the original limits of said county, and relative to
historical matters generally.

§ 2. For the purposes aforesaid the said society shall possess the general powers
and privileges and be subject to the general liabilities contained in the third title
of the eighteenth chapter of the first part of the Revised Statutes, as far as the
same may be applicable, and may not have been modified or repealed; but the
real and personal estate which the said society shall be authorized to take, and
hold, and convey, over and above its library, charts, maps, instruments and col-
lections, shall not at any time exceed in value that which does produce the clear
yearly income of ten thousand dollars.

§ 3. The officers of said society shall be a President and as many Vice-Presi-
dents, Secretaries and other officers as may from time to time be provided by the
by-laws of the society.

§ 4. The said society for fixing the terms of admission of its members, for the
government of the same, for changing the officers thereof and for the regulation
and management of its transactions and affairs shall have power to form a code
of by-laws, not inconsistent with the laws of the State of New York or of the
United States: which code when formed and adopted at a regular meeting shall,
until modified or rescinded, be equally binding as the Act upon its officers and
members.

§ 5. The Legislature may at any time alter or repeal this Act.

§ 6. This Act shall take effect immediately. ,

The first officers were: Presideut, Ed. F. Delancy; Vice-Presidents,
Rev. Robt. Bolton, Isaiah Wiliams, Rev. Chas. E. Lindsley, Robt. P.
Getty, Ed. Wills; ec. Secretary, Isaac Wright ; Corresponding Sec.,
Rev. Robt. Bolton; Foreign Corresp. Sec., W. Coventry H. Waddie ;
Treas., Ed. J. Carpenter; Librarian and Curator, Wm. B. Tibbits.

The village of White Plains is very pleasantly situated, and contains a
fine stone court-house and jail, Clerk’s office, Surrogate’s office, Treasurer’s
office, Record office, Grand Jury’s room, Supervisor’s room, and Sherifi’s
office; a Bank and Savings Bank, an Episcopal church, two Methodist
churches, a Presbyterian church, Roman Catholic church and Baptist
church, a young ladies’ seminary and a boys military school, several
factories, a large number of lawyer’s offices, two newspaper offices, two
large and fine hotels—the Orawampum and the Standard House. Also
several large livery stables, a large public school house, three carriage
manufactories, steam, saw and turning mill, gas house, engine house, and
a large number of beautiful stores. It has recently erected a very
beautiful soldier's monument. The whole town is richly wooded, and
well watered by the Bronx, Sheldrake and Mamaroneck rivers. These
streams form romantic valleys, and supply numerous mill seats, Since

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 553

the first settlement of this place, which commenced soon after its pur-
chase from the Indians in 1683, it has continued steadily to progress.

White Plains being a shire town the courts are all held here. The
court-house, a handsome stone building, stands near the centre of the
town on Railroad Avenue. The first court-house was erected in 1759,
upon the removal of the courts from Westchester. The first court of
Common Pleas assembled here on the 27th of May, 1760. The first
- court-house was burnt soon after the battle of White Plains, and the
second built on the same site, about 1784 or 1785. The third, or new
court-house and jail, were erected in 1854.

There are events connected with this spot, which will long live in the
pages of American history. It was here that the Whigs of Westchester

i
| Sar lh
Ni Ha une =

ol alin

Second Court House, White Plains.

County appointed to meet the committees of the several towns to elect
deputies to the Continental Congress, who were to assemble at Phila-
delphia, on the first day of September, 1774: The proceedings of the
various meetings held here would afford matter for a good size volume,
we shall therefore present our readers with a small part only of the im-
portant productions of those eventful times. The following resolutions
were adopted by the freeholders and inhabitants of Rye and West-_
chester :—

“On the roth day of August, 1774, the freeholders and inhabitants of
the township of Aye, made-choice of John Thomas, Jr. Esquire, Robert
Bloomer, Zeno Carpenter and Ebenezer Haviland, for a committee to
consult and determine with the committees of the other towns and dis-

554 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

tricts in the County of Westchester, upon the expediency of sending one
or more delegates to Congress to be held in Philadelphia, on the first
day of September, next. The. committee, after making choice of Eb-
enezer Haviland, as chairman, expressed their sentiments and resolu-
tions in the following manner, which was unanimously approved :—

‘“‘This meeting being greatly alarmed at the late proceedings of the British
Parliament, in order to raise a revenue in America, and considering their late
most cruel, unjust and unwarrantable act for blocking up the port of Boston,
having a direct tendency to deprive a free people of their most valuable rights
and privileges, an introduction to subjugate the inhabitants of the English
colonies, and render them vassals to the British House of Commons, Resolved,

1st, that they think it their greatest happiness to live under the illustrious house
of Hanover, and that they will steadfastly and uniformly bear true and faithful
allegiance to his majesty King George the Third, under the enjoyment of those
constitutional rights and privileges, as fellow subjects, with those in England.

*‘9nd, But we conceive it a fundamental part of the British constitution,
that no man shall be taxed, but by his own consent, or that of his Representatives
in Parliament.” And as we are by no means represented, we consider all acts of
Parliament imposing taxes on the Colonies an undue exertion of power, and subver-
sive of one of the most valuable privileges of the English constitution.

‘3d, That it is the opinion of this meeting, that the act of Parliament for shut-
ting up the port of Boston, and divesting some of the inhabitants of private
property, is a most unparalled, rigorous and unjust piece of cruelty and des-
potism.

‘‘4th, That unanimity and firmness of measures in the Colonies, are the most
effectual means to secure the invaded rights and privileges of America, and to
avoid the impending ruin which now threatens this once happy country.

‘5th, That the most effectual mode of redressing our grievances, will be by a
General Congress, of delegates from the different colonies, and that we are will-
ing to abide by such measures as they in their wisdom shall consider necessary
to be adopted on that important occasion.

By order of the committee,
EBENEZER HAVILAND, Chairman.”

The committee for the town of Rye will meet the committees of the other
towns and districts in the County of Westchester, on Monday the 22d day of this
instant, at the Court-house in the White Plains, to return an answer to a letter
from Mr. Isaac Low, chairman of the committee of correspondence in New
York.Ӣ

The Westchester 1esolutions were as follows :—

‘* At a meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants of the Borough town of
Westchester, in New York, the 20th of August, 1774, James Ferris, Esq., Col.
Lewis Morris, and Capt. Thomas Hunt, were chosen a committee to meet a com-
mittee of the different towns and precincts within this county, at the White Plains
on Monday the 22d inst., to consult on the expediency of appointing one or
more delegates to represent this county at the General Congress, &c., and James

a American Archives, fourth series, vol. i.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 555

Ferris, Esq., being unanimously chosen chairman ; the committee, after consid-
ering the very alarming situation of their suffering brethren in Boston, occasioned
by the late unconstitutional, arbitrary and oppressive act of the British Parlia-
ment, for blocking up their port, as well as the several acts imposing taxes on the
Colonies in order to raise a revenue in America, thought proper to adopt the follow-
ing resolutions, which were unanimously agreed to :—

** Resolved, Ast., That we do and will bear true allegiance to his majesty
George the Third, King of Great Britain, and according to the British constitu-
tion.

**2ndly, That we conincide in opinion with our friends in New York and every
other Colony, that all acts of the British Parliament imposing taxes on the Colo.
nies without their consent or by their representatives, are arbitrary and oppres-
sive, and should meet the abhorence and detestation of all good men; that they
are replete with the purpose of creating animosities and dissensions between the
mother country and the colonies, or thereby tend to destroy that harmony and
mutual agreement which is so much the interest of both to cherish and maintain.

‘83rd. That we esteem it our duty, and think it incumbent on all the colonies in
America, to contribute towards the relief of the poor and distressed people of
Boston ; and that a person of this Borough be appointed to collect such charita-
ble donations, within the same, as may be offered for their support.

**4th. That asa division in the colonies would be a sure means to counteract the
the present intention of the Americans, in their endeavors to preserve their rights
and liberties from the invasion that is threatened, we do most heartily recom-
mend a steadiness and a unanimity in their measures, as they will have the hap-
py effects of averting the calamity that the late tyranical act of the British Par-
liament would otherwise most assuredly involve us in.

“5th. That to obtain a redress of our grievances, it has been thought most ad-
viseable in the Colonies to appoint a General Congress; we will take shelter
under the wisdom of those gentlemen who may be chosen to represent us, and
cheerfully acquiesce in any measures they may judge shall be proper in this very

alarming and critical occasion.
JAMES FERRIS, Chairman.”

Upon the 6th of Apmil, 1775, appeared the following public notice,
addressed to the freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Westches-
ter :—

‘*You are earnestly desired to attend a general meeting of the county to be
held at White Plains, on Tuesday next, the 11th inst., to give your votes upon
the question :—Whether you are inclined to choose deputies to meet at the city
of New York, in the Provincial Convention? or, whether you are determined to
abide by the loyal and judicious measures already taken by your own wortly
Representatives in the General Assembly of this Province, for a redress of Amer-
ican grievances? The consequences that may arise from neglecting to attend at
White Plains on Tuesday next, to declare your sentiments relative to the appoint -
ment of deputies to meet in Provincial Congress, may be very fatal to this coun-
try. The friends of government and our happy constitution are therefore
earnestly invited in person, to oppose a measure so replete with ruin and misery.
Remember ihe extravagant price we are now obliged to pay for goods purchased
from merchants in consequence of the new importation agreement; and when

a American Archives, fourth series, vol. i., 726.

556 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the new exportation agreement takes place, we shall be in the situation of those
who are obliged to make bricks without straw.Ӣ

WauitrE Prarns, In THE Co. or W. C., Aprit 111TH, 1775.

On the 28th of March last, the following gentlemen, having received letters
from the chairman of the committee of the city and county of New York, re-
lative to the appointment of Deputies for this county, met at this place for the
purpose of devising means for taking the sense of the county upon the subject,
viz: Theodosius Bartow, Esq., William Sutton, Esq., Captain Joseph Drake,
James Willis, Benjamin Drake, Moses Drake, Colonel Lewis Morris, Thomas
Hunt, Abraham Leggett, James Horton, Jr., Esq., Stephen Ward and Abraham
Guion, Esq., who, having taken the same into consideration, agreed to send the
following notification to the principal freeholders in the different towns and dis-
tricts in the county, viz.:—

Maron 28ru, 1775.

Srr:—A number of persons from different districts in the county of West-
chester, having this day met at the White Plains, to consider of the most proper
method of taking the sense of the freeholders of the said county, upon the ex-
pediency of choosing deputies to meet the deputies of other counties, for the
purpose of electing delegates to represent this colony in the General Congress to
be held in Philadelphia, on the 10th day of May next, are of opinion that the
best way of proceeding for that purpose, will be to have a general meeting of the
freeholders of said county. As this county is very extensive, we take the liberty
of recommending the meeting to be held at the White Plains, on Tuesday, the
11th day of April next, at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, at the Court House, and
therefore do desire you to give notice of the same to all the freeholders in your
district, without exception, as those who do not appear to vote on that day will
be presumed to acquiesce in the sentiments of the majority of those who vote.
Weare, &c., &e.

The above notice having been generally given and distributed, a very numer-
ous body of freeholders of the county, assembled at the Court House, White
Plains, on the day apppointed, and chose Colonel Lewis Morris for their chair-
man. An inconsiderable number of persons, (among whom were many tenants
not entitled to vote), with Isaac Wilkins and Colonel Philips at their head, then
appeared ; and Mr. Wilkins, in their behalf, (as he said), declared that they would
not join in the business of the day, or have anything to do with the Deputies or
Congresses ; but that they came there for the sole purpose of protesting against
such illegal and unconstitutional proceedings, after which they departed. The
following question was then put to the people by the chairman, viz.:—whether
they would appoint Deputies for this County to meet the Deputies of the other
Counties at the city of New York, on the 20th of April inst., for the purpose of
electing delegates to represent this Colony in the General Congress, to be held at
Philadelphia, on the 10th day of May next? To which question they unani-
mously answered that they would. They then appointed the following eight
persons, or a majority of them, to be the Deputies of this County, for the pur-
pose aforesaid, viz., Colonel Lewis Morris, Stephen Ward, Daniel Drake, Esq.,

a American Archives, fourth series, vol. ji, 282.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 557

Colonel James Holmes, John Thomas, Jr., Esq., Jonathan Platt, Esq., Robert
Graham and Major Philip van Cortlandt. The two following resolves were
then unanimously entered into, viz.:—

Resolved, That the thanks of this body is given to the virtuous minority of the
General Assembly of this Province, and particularly to John Thomas and Pierre
Van Cortlandt, Esq., two of our Representatives, for their attachment to, and
zeal on.a late occasion, for the preservation of the union of the Colonies, and
rights and liberties of America; and that this resolve be communicated by the
chairman to every gentleman of whom that minority consisted.

Resolved, That the thanks of this county are due to the Delegates who composed
the late Congress, for the essential services they have rendered to America in
general; and that this resolve be forthwith published.

After the business of the day was thus concluded, the people gave three huzzas
for our gracious sovereign, and dispersed quietly without the least disorder.

LEWIS MORRIS, Chairman.”

PROTEST OF THE INHABITANTS AND FREEHOLDERS OF
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.
County oF WESTCHESTER, Aprit 13TH, 1775.

Mer. Rivineton:—Be pleased to insert the following, and you will oblige a
number of your friends and subscribers :—

‘““On Thursday the 11th inst., a very respectable number of freeholders and
inhabitants of the County of Westchester assembled at the WActe Plains in the
said county, agreeable to the notice given, that their sentiments might be known
concerning the choice of a committee to meet other committees in the city of
New York, for the purpose of choosing delegates to represent this Colony in the
next Continental Congress. The friends of order and government met at the
house of Captain Hatfield; more who were for a committee put up at another
public house in the town. About 12 o’clock, word was brought to the gentlemen
at Captain Hatfield’s that the opposite party had already entered upon the busi-
ness of the day ; upon which they immediately walked down to the court-house,
although not half of their friends, who were expected had yet appeared, where
they found the other company collected in a body. The numbers on each side
seemed to be nearly equal, and both together might amount to two hundred; or,
at most, two hundred and fifty. The friends to the government then declared,
that as they had been unlawfully called together, and for an unlawful purpose,
they did not intend to contest the matter with them by a poll, which would be
tacitly acknowledging the authority that had summoned them thither; but that
they came only with a design to protest against all such disorderly proceedings,
and to show their detestation of all unlawful Committees and Congresses; they
then declared their determination and resolution to continue steadfast in their
allegiance to their gracious and merciful sovereign, King George the Third, to
submit to lawful authority, and to abide by and support the only true representa-
tives of the people of this Colony, the General Assembly; then giving three

a American Archives, fourth series, vol, ii, 314.

558 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

huzzas, they returned to Captain Hatfields, singing, as they went, with loyal
enthusiasm, the good and animating song of ‘God save great George our King,”
“Long live our noble King,” &c., &c. At their return, finding that many of
their friends had arrived during their absence, and that many still kept coming
in, they proceeded to draw up and sign the following declaration, which they
seemed to do with as much patriotic zeal as ever warmed the hearts of true and
faithful subjects, and afterwards dispersed to their different habitations.

‘*Wethe subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Westchester,
having assembled at the White Plains in consequence of certain advertisements,
do now declare, that we met here to declare our honest abhorrence of all unlawful
Congresses and Committees, and that we are determined at the hazard of our
lives and properties, to support the king and constitution, and that we acknowl-
edge no Representatives but the General Assembly, to whose wisdom and
integrity we submit the guardianship of our rights and privileges.

Frederick Philips,
Isaac Wilkins,
Samuel Seabury,
Luke Babcock,

Isaac Fowler Judge,
Caleb Fowler Judge,
J. P. Horton, Esq.,
William Sutton, Esq.,
Daniel Oakley, Esq.,

Benjamin Fowler, Esq.,

William Davis, Esq.,
Wm. Anderson, Esq.,
Capt. Abra’m Hatfield,

Nath’! Underhill, May’r,
George Cromwell, Esq.,

Philip Pell, Esq.,
Joshua Pell,
James Pell,
Edward Pell,
Joha Hunt,
Gilbert Horton,
Adrian Leforge,
Joshua Gidney,
Joseph Bude,
James Wetmore,
Moses Williams,
John Haight,
Isaac Brown,
Philip Kelly,
James Haines,
Joseph Haines, Jr.,
James Haines, Jr.,
Matthew Haines,

Roger Purdy,
Gilbert Pugsley,
Abraham Leader,
Benjamin Brown,
Isaac Reed,
Aaron Buis,
Moses Weyman,
Israel Underhill,
John Baisly,
David Oakley, Jr.,
Isaac Smith,
John Hyatt,
Hezekiah Cudney
Abraham Odell,
Thos. Lawrence,
John Seysion,
Jeremiah Travis,
Griffen Carey,
Isaac Foshee,
Gabriel Requeau,
Samuel Webb,
Benjamin Downing,
Gabriel Archer,
Elias Secord,
Thomas Veal,
James Pierce
Edward Higbee,
David Haight,
Sylvanius Lyon,
Daniel Haight,
John Williams,
Joseph Purdy,
Ezekiel Halsted,

Jonathan Budd,
John Wetmore,
William Underhill,
Thomas Brown,
Lieut. Isaac Gedney,
Nehemiah Tompkins,
Henry Leforge,
Robert Brown,

Benj. Beyea,
Bartholomew Gidney,
John Loce,

Einathan Appleby,
John Baker,
Jonathan Underhill,
James McChain,
Benjamin Seacord,
Joshua Hunt,

Betts Chatterdon,
William Landrine
Enoch Hunt,

Peter Corme,
Dennis Kennedy,
James Hains,
Andrew Bainton,
Hezekiah Simmons,
Nathaniel Tompkins,
Caleb Archer,

Benj. Bugbee,
Francis Purdy,
William Odell,
Israel Hunt,
Thomas Tompkins,
Frederick Underhill,

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS.

Bartholomew Haines,
Gilbert Haines,

John Haines,

Elijah Haines,

Lieut. Solomon Fowler,
Isaac Williams,

John McCollum,
Joseph Clark,

Joseph Oakley,

Caleb Ferris,

Capt. Benj. Griffin,
Capt. Joshua Purdy,
James Mott,

Lieut. Will Lounsberry,
Lieut. Samuel Purdy,
John Ruster,

Nathan Osborn,
Philemon Halstead,
Daniel Purdy,

John Crab,

Izrahiah Wetmore,
Capt. Absalom Gidney,
David Haight,

John Brown,

Jasper Stivers,

Peter McFarthing,
Joshua Purdy, Jr.,
Hachaliah Purdy, Jr.,
James Tompkins,
Michael Chatterton,
Elnathan Taylor,
Gilbert Theal,
William Sexton,
Thomas Champoneers,
John Champoneers,
William Griffin,

Isaac Gidney,

John Bates,

Joseph Haviland,
Eleazer Hart,
Timothy Wetmore,
James Hunt,

Joseph Parker,

John Hunt, Jr.,
Isaac Purdy,
Elijah Purdy,
Abraham Loosee,
Isaac Tompkins,
William Gray,
Nathaniel Merrit,
Joseph Paulding,
Hendricus Storm,
Francis Secord,
John Parker,
Gilbert Hatfield,
Gabriel Purdy,
Alexander Hains,
Benj. Ogden,
Thos. Merritt,
Gilbert Bates,
John Gidney,
Stephen Arnode,
Israel Secord,
John Arnode,
David Purdy,
David Belcher,
Jordon Downing,
Levi Devoe,
Abraham Acker,

Cornelius van Tassel,

Elisha Merritt,
Jacob Schurman,
Joseph Appleby,

John Tompkins, Jr.,

Job Hadden Jr.,
Patrick Carey,
James Hart,
Gilbert Ward,
Joseph Hart,
Monmouth Hart,
William Dunlap,
Joshua Ferris,
Timothy Purdy,
James Macguire,
James Requea,
Daniel Shadin,

559

Peter Post,

Benj. McCord,

John Williams,
John Ackerman,
Peter Husting,

Thos Barker,
Jeremiah Hunter,@
Abraham Storm,
Peter Jansing,

Isaac Merritt, _
Edward Merritt,
John Gale,

John Smith,

Roger Purdy,

James Hart, Jr.,
Jonah Purdy, Jr.,
Monmouth Hart, Jr.,
Christopher Purdy,
Gilbert Purdy,
Edward Mefritt, Jr.,
Elijah Miller,
Henry Disborough,
Benj. Hunt,
Elnathan Hunt,
William van Wart,
Abraham Storm,
Thomas Berry,
Lancaster Underhill,
Charles Merritt,
Benjamin Underhill,
Benjamin Griffin, Jr.,
Jeremiah Coone,
John Hall,

James Angevine,
Jacob Coone,
Jeremiah Anderson, Jr.,
Gilbert Williams,
William Barker, Jr.,
Gideon Arden,
William Field,

. Joseph Purdy,

George Storm,
Jacob Vermilea,

a “NORTH CASTLE, MAY 8TH, 1775. Mr. RIVINGTON :—In your paper lately I saw my name
to a protest. I never signed it, but went to Capt. Hatfield’s house and was asked whether I
was a Whigora Tory? I made answer, that [ did not understand the meaning of those
words ; but was for liberty and peace. Upon which I immediately put down my name. Now,
sir, I desire you will print this to show the world that I have not deserved to be held up in
the light of a protestor.—JERZMIAH HUNTER.

560

Joshua Rarn,
Joseph Purdy,
John Park,
Samuel Purdy,
Gilbert Purdy,
James Chatterton,
John Dewsenburgh,
Thomas Cromwell,
Solomon Horton,
Peter Bussing,?
Thomas Valentine,
Peter Bussing, Jr.,
James Kniffen,
Nathan’! Underhill, Jr.,
Phillip Fowler,
John McFarthing,
John Tompkins,
Joseph Hart,
Jacob Post,
Joseph Gidney,
James Baxter,
John Hunt,
Cornelius Loosee,
Jesse Park,

Samuel Purdy,
Sylvanus Purdy,
Willliam Dalton,
David Davids,
Elijah Purdy, Jr.,
Elijah Tompkins,
Daniel Jerow,
Charles Lawrence,
Joseph Purdy, Jr.,
James Sniffin, Jr.,
Gilbert Valentine,
Andrew Guion,
Gilbert Hunter,

Lt. Peter Bonnett,
Samuel Sneeden,
Peter Fashee,

Jesse Lawrence,
William Sneeden,
Dr. Daniel Knap,
Solomon Dean,
Charles Vincent, Sen.,
Lieut. Thomas Hyatt,
James Gidney,
William Woodward,

HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Samuel Heusted,
Bartholomew Underhill,
Lieut. John Warner,
Nath’! Purdy,

Isaac Bennett,

Samuel Baker,@

John Cromwell,

John Storm,

Andrew Fowler,
Joshua Seacord,
Abraham Rich,
George French,

John Underhill,

Caleb Gidney,

William Underhill, Jr.,
James Hill,

William Watkins,
John Rustin,

Richard Baker,

Will Ascough,

Bishop Huestice,
James Miller,

Phineas Huut,

The following persons, not being able to attend at the Plains, requested by
their friends that their names might be added to the list of protestors, viz.:—

Jobn Hitchcock,
Joseph Bond.

John Hunt, Esq.,
Jeremiah Hitchcock,

Philip Palmer, Esq.,
William Bond,

The foregoing account is strictly true, as can be proven by the testimony (or,
if necessary, by the affidavits), of a number of persons of the most unquestiona-
ble character in this county. What, then, must we think of such persons as have
propagated a report that the friends of government were, upon this occasion, out-
numbered five to one; and that many of the persons whose names were subscribed
to the foregoing declaration, were not on that day present at the White Plains?
They must be conscious to themselves that they have spread abroad a falsehood.
and they are hereby called upon, if they dare, to set their names to those asser-
tions, In what manner those gentlemen who chose the committee at the Plains
proceeded, we cannot positively say; but this we can declare with truth, that
we do not believe they can produce to the public the names of a hundred
and fifty persons who voted for a committee that day, and we are surely persua-
ded that they did their utmost to make their party as numerous as possible,

a MR, RIVINGTON:—I did sign a protest which was printed in your paper, but I did so be-
cause I was told that the intent of signing it was to show that I was for the liberty of the
country. SAMUEL BAKER.

6 That our names were not subscribed to the protest of West¢hester, either by ourselves,
or our orders or permission, directly or indirectly, is certified by us, each for himself.

May 4th, 1775. PETER BUSSING. JOHN BUSSING,

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 561

How then can they justify their choice of a committee ? or how can they presume
to impose upon the world, and to insult the Loyal County of Westchester in so
barefaced a manner? It is well known here that two-thirds, at least, of the in-
habitants of this county are friends to order and government, and opposed to
committees and all unlawful combinations; and it will be made apparent to the
world that they are so, as soon as certain resolves, now signing freely by the
people, shall be ready for publication. And one principal reason why the friends
to government did not assemble in greater numbers than they did, on Tuesday
last, was that many of them had already, by signing those resolves, testified their
loyalty to the king, their attachment to the constitution, their enmity to the com-
mittees, and their acquiescence in the prudent measures taken by the Assembly
in the late session, for accommodating the unhappy differences between the
mother country and the colonies; and consequently thought they had done their
duty. The committee that was chosen, may, with some kind of propriety, be
said to represent those particular persons who chose them; but how they can be
denominated the Representatives of the County of Westchester, who, in general
abhor committees and committee men, and are determined to take no steps that
may lead them into rebellion, we cannot conceive; certainly the friends to gov
ernment who were collected at Captain Hatfield’s, had a better right from their
number to determine that there diiould be no committee than the opposite party
had to appoint one, and might with much greater propriety be said to show the
sense of the County than the few who acted without authority and in direct op-
position to government, and to the determinations of our worthy Assembly; and
we doubt not but the impartial public will consider the matter in this light,
and not esteem the act of a few individuals, unlawfully assembled, as the act
(which most assuredly is not), of the very respectable, populous, and Loyal
County of Westchester.2

In answer to the above protest, occurs the following letter from Lewis
Morris, addressed ‘to the public :”—

MoreisantA, May 71s, 1775.

“A very extraordinary paper called a protest against the proceedings of the
freeholders of the County of Westchester, relative to the election of Deputies for
the late Convention, and said to have been subscribed by the several persons
whose names are printed with it, was published in Mr. Rivington’s and Gain’s
Gazette, a few weeks ago.

By whom this performance was given to the public is uncertain; and, being
as little distinguished by decency as by truth, there is reason to suspect the au-
thor’s name will remain a secret. The falsities contained in this representation,
are too flagrant to impose upon any person in this colony; and, nothing but the
apprehension of its gaining credit in other parts of the world, would have in-
duced me to have made it the subject of animadversion.

I shall pass over the many little embellishments with which the author’s fancy
has endeavored to decorate his narrative; nor, is it necessary to call in question,
the reality of that loyal enthusiasm, by which it was said these good people were

@ American Archives, fourth series, vol. ii, 321.

562 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

influenced; and I really wish that had been the fact, because when inconsisten-
cies and fooleries result from inebriety or enthusiasm, they merit no pity, and
escape indignation and resentment.

Much pains, I confess, were on that day taken to make temporary enthusiasts,
and with other more exhilarating spirit of loyalty.

To give the appearance of dignity to these curious and very orderly protestors,
the author has been very mindful to annex every man’s addition to his name;
upon the presumption, perhaps, that it would derive weight from the title of
mayor, esquire, captain, lieutenant, judge, &c.

But it is not easy to conceive why the public should be less civil to the clergy
than to the gentry and commonalty. Samuel Seabury and Luke Babcock, cer-
tainly ought not to have been sent into the world floating on a newspaper in that
plain way ; the one is the ‘‘ Reverend Mr. Samuel Seabury, Rector of the united
Parishes of East and Westchester, and one of the missionaries for the propaga-
tion of the Gospel, (and not politics), in foreign parts,” &c., &c., the other is
‘the Rev. Mr. Luke Babcock, who preaches and prays for Mr. Philipse and his
tenants at Philipsburgh.”

In this formidable catalogue of 312 sober and loyal protestors, there are
not less than one hundred and seventy, who, after a most diligent inquiry, I can-
not find have the least pretensions to vote, and indeed many of them are also

under age.

Samuel Seabury,
Luke Babcock,
Benjamin Fowler, Esq,,
Joshua Pell,

Edward Pell,

John Hunt,

Gilbert Horton,
Adrian Leforge,
Moses Williams,
Philip Kelley,

James Haines,
Bartholomew Haines,
John Haines,

Elijah Haines,
Joseph Clark,

Joseph Oakley,
James Mott,

Daniel Purdy,

John Crab,

Izrahiah Whetmore,
Absalom Gidney,
John Brown,

Jasper Stevens,

Peter McFarthing,
Joshua Purdy, Jr.,
Hachaliah Purdy, jr.,

Their names are as follows .—

Elias Seacord,
James Pierce,
Edward Bugbe,
Daniel Haight,
John Hunt, jr.,
Abraham Losee,
Isaac Tompkins,
Joseph Paulding,
Henricus Storm,
Francis Secord,
John Parker,
Gilbert Bates,
David Purdy,
David Bleeker,
Jordan Downing,
Corn. Van Tassell,
Joseph Appleby,
Patrick Cary,
Gilbert Ward,
William Dunlap
Joshua Ferris,
Timothy Purdy,
James McGuire,
James Requeau,
Samuel Purdy,
Sylvanus Purdy,

John Williams,
John Ackemar,
Peter Bussing,
Jeremiah Hunter,
Abraham Storm,
Peter Jenning,

John Gale,

John Smith,

James Hart, jr.,
Jonathan Purdy, jr.,
Monmouth Hart., jr.,
Christopher Purdy,
Gabriel Purdy,
Edward Merrit, jr.,
Henry Desborough,
William Van Wart
Abraham Storm,
Thomas Berry,
Charles Merritt,
Benjamin Griffin,
Samuel Purdy,
Gilbert Purdy,
James Chatterton,
Thomas Cromwell,
Solomon Horton,
Nathaniel Underhill, jr.,

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS.

James Tompkins,
Gilbert Theal,
William Sexon,
Thomas Champoneers,
John Champoneers,
Eleazer Hart,
James Hunt,
Joseph Parker,
Joshua Barns,
John Park,

Tsaac Smith,

John Hyatt,
Abraham Odell,
Thomas Lawrence,
John Seyson,

Isaac Forshea,
Gabriel Requeau.
Gabriel Archer,
Peter Fashee,

Isaac Lawrence,
Will. Snider,
Solomon Dean,
Thomas Hyatt,
William Woodward,
John Whitmore,
Will. Underhill,
Nehemiah Tompkins,
Henry le Forge,
Evert Brown,
Benj. Beyea,
Charles Merritt.

William Dalton,
Elijah Tompkins,
Joshua Hunt,
Bates Chatterton,
William Landrin,
Dennis Kenndy,
James Haines,
Andrew Banton,
Nathaniel Tompkins,
Caleb Archer,
Benjamin Bugbe,
Francis Purdy.
William Odell,
Israel Hunt,
Thomas Tompkins,
Fred. Underhill,
Peter Post,

Benj. McCord,
John Loce,
Elnathan Appleby,
John Baker,
Jonathan Underhill,
James McChain,
James Angevine,
Jeremiah Anderson, jr.,
Will. Barker, jr.,
Gideon Arden, jr.,
Joseph Purdy,
George Storm,
Jacob Vermiller,
Samuel Snider,

563

Philip Fowler,
John McFarthing,
Jacob Post,
James Baxter,
John Hart,
Cornelius Loosee,
Jesse Park,

Roger Purdy, jr.,
Gilbert Pugsly,
Abraham Leaden,
Benjamin Brown,
Aaron Buis,

John Burzley,
David Oakley, jr.,
Charles Lawrence,
Joseph Purdy, jr.,
James Sniffen, jr.,
Peter Bonnett,
Samuel Huested,
John Warner,
John Storm,
Joshua Secord,
John Underhill,
William Underhill, jr.,
James Hill,
William Watkins,
Richard Baker,
Bishop Huestice,
Jeremiah Hitchcock,
William Bond,

Of the others who are freeholders, many also hold land at will of Col. Philipse,

so that the truth really is, that very few independent freeholders objected to the
appointment of deputies.” LEWIS MORRIS.

Upon the 29th of April, 1775, appeared the following document ad-
dressed to the public :—

‘‘We the subscribers do hereby make this public declaration, that whereas,
we and several others in Westchester county, having signed a certain number of
Resolves, which at the time of our said signing were deemed constitutional, and
as having a tendency to promote the interest of our country; but, since upon
mature deliberation and more full knowledge of the matter find not only injuri-
ous to our present cause, but likewise offensive to our fellow colonists, we do
therefore thus publicly testify our abhorrence of the same, and declare ourselves

a American archives, fourth series, vol. ii.

564 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

true friends to the colonies, and ever ready cheerfully to exert ourselves in the
defence and preservation of the same,” JONATHAN Fow ter, Esq.,

GEORGE CROMWELL, Esq.

“ At a meeting of freeholders of Westchester county, New York, at
the White Plains, on Monday, the 8th day of May, 1775, Governeur
Morris, Lewis Graham, James Van Cortlandt, Stephen Ward, Joseph
Drake, Philip Van Cortlandt, James Holmes, David Dayton, John
Holmes, Jr., Robert Graham, and William Paulding, were chosen to be
the deputies from this County to the Provincial Convention of the
Province of New York.”

“On the 30th of June, 1776, the Provincial Congress of this State
adjourned from the city of New York, to the Court Honse, in White
Plains, where they met on the goth of July following, and there continued
in session until the 29th of that month.Ӣ

In Provincial Congress, New York, 30th June, 1776, Sunday after-
noon, it was

Resolved. ‘‘That the treasurer and secretary of this Congress be and they
hereby are directed forthwith to repair, with all and singular, the public papers
and money, now in their custody or possession, unto the White Plains, in the
county of Westchester, and that this Congress be, and it hereby is, adjourned
unto the Court House in the White Plains aforesaid, there to meet on Tuesday,
the 2d of July next, and proceed upon business; and that the next Congress of
this county do meet at the same place on Monday, the 8th day of July aforesaid,
unless otherwise ordered by the Congress.”

It was carried in the affirmative ; for the question, 20, against ditto, 5.

And it was further ordered “that all the lead, powder and other military
stores belonging to this State, be forthwith removed to the White
Plains.”4

The journey between New York and the Plains was performed by the
members on horseback, Pierre van Cortlandt, the president, riding at
their head. As expresses overtook them from General Washington, the
house was called to order on horseback, and several resolutions passed.

“Tt was at White Plains, on the 9th day of July, the Provincial Con-
gress received the Declaration of Independence; there it was read, in
front of the Court House,¢ and there they solemnly in convention prom-

a Ibid. 446.

b American Archives, fourth series. vol. ii, 529.

ec Extract from address of J. W. Tompkins, Esq., 1845.
d Journal of N. Y. Provincial Congress, vol. i, 512.

e The declaration was read by John Thomas, Esq , and seconded by Michael Varian and
Samuel Crawford, two prominent Whigs of Scarsdale. The latter met a sad and early fate
by the hands of British refugees.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 565

ised at the risk of their lives and fortunes to join with the other colo-
nies in supporting it. The letter of John Hancock, enclosing to them
that declaration, after acknowledging their dependence for success upon
the Ruler of the Universe, with almost a prophet’s vision announced the
important consequences which would flow from that declaration.”* The
old Court House, honored by this fearless step in the cause of independ-
ence, and so intimately associated with the wisdom and virtue of such
men as Jay, Morris, Clinton, Woodhull, Hobart, Van Cortlandt, Liv-
ingston and Rutgers, was burnt on the night of the 5th of November, by
a New England major, without orders, together with every dwelling at
White Plains.’’®

* About 12 o'clock, this night, (Nov. 5th, 1776, says General Heath)
a party of Americans wantonly set fire to the Court House, and several
other private houses, which stood between the two armies. This gave
great disgust to the whole American army, and drew from the comman-
der-in-chief, the following paragraph, in his orders of the 6th: ‘It is
with the utmost astonishment and abhorrence, the general is informed,
that some base and cowardly wretches have, last night, set fire to the
Court House and other buildings which the enemy left. The army may
rely upon it, that they shall be brought to justice, and meet with the
punishment they deserve.Ӣ

Pierre van Cortlandt, vice-president of the committee of public safety,
under date of 28th November, thus feelingly alludes to the event :—

‘*Unhappy am I to add that amidst all our sufferings, the army employed for
the protection of America, have not refrained from embittering the calamities of
war, at a time when the utmost resources of this State were laid open to their
wants, and the members of Convention personally submitted to the labour and
fatigue which were necessary on a sudden emergency, and after frequent losses
of provisions and barracks, to supply two numerous armies, augmented by the
militia, with every article which they required, the Court-house and the remains
of the village at the White Plains, which had been spared on the retreat of our
forces, were, even after the enemy had in their turn retired, wantonly destroyed,
without the orders and to the infinite regret of our worthy general, besides, in
spite of all his Excellency’s efforts, wherever our troops have marched, or been
stationed, they have done infinite damage to the property of the people.

‘“*T am directed, sir, to submit it to the Hon’ble Congress, whether some effect-
ual remedy ought not to be provided against such disorderly and disgraceful
proceedings. The soldier, who plunders the country he is employed to protect, is no
better than a robber, and ought to be treated accordingly ; and a severe example,
in the opinion of the committee, ought to be made of the officer who, without
any necessity, or his general’s permission, set fire to the Court House and other -

a Extract from address of J. W. Tompkins, Esq.
6 Ibid.
e Heath’s Mem, 83,

566 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

buildings at the White Plains, He is guilty of the crime of arson, and if he
cannot be punished by the articles of war, ought to be given up to the laws of
the land. If so glaring a violation of every sentiment of humanity should be
passed over in silence, if the army is not reasonably restrained from such acts of
barbarity, the consequence must be fatal to the cause of a people whose exalted
glory it is to be advocates for the rights of mankind, against the tyranny and
oppression of lawless power. The resolutions which the committee of safety
have passed upon the subject are herewith transmitted.

‘*T have the honor to be, with great respect, sir, your most obedient and very
humble servant, ‘* By order

“PIERRE VAN CORTLANDT,
Vice President.”
‘*To the HonoRABLE JoHN HaANcooxK,
President of the Congress of the-United States.”

At a meeting of the committee of safety held Monday morning, 2d
December, 1776. It was resolved, ‘That the laws of the country are
not superseded by the military code in the pesence of the army ;” and
“That a letter be written to General Washington, requesting that the offi-
cer directing the burning of the Court-house and dwelling-houses at the
White Plains, be delivered to this committee or the Convention of this
State, in order to his being tried by the laws of the States, and, if guilty,
punished thereby.”

The following account of the military quarters in this town and its
vicinity, in October, 1776, is from the address of J. W. Tompkins, Esq.,
delivered at White Plains on the 28th of October, 1845 :—

‘‘The County of Westchester, at the commencement of the Revolution, con-
tainec a multitude of hardy yeomen inured to toil, whose ancestry had fled from
oppression abroad, and in the enjoyment of greater freedom in the colony, had
imbibed an ardent love of liberty. When the star of Independence arose in the
east, they were ready to follow its lead; and when New York, in 1776, was
threatened with invasion, they flocked with alacrity to its defence. When the
battle of Long Island turned the tide of war against us, they still adhered to the
American army, contending every inch of ground to Harlem, thence to King’s
Bridge, and through the southern part of Westchester to White Plains, where
Gen. Washington again determined to entrench himself and make another stand
against an overwhelming force of the choicest British troops, flushed with victory
and confident of success. A brief account of the movements of the two armies
to this place, and of their operations here, it is my purpose to give.

“The city of New York was selected by the English as the centre of their
military operations, with the view of commanding the North river and acting in
conjunction with a force from Canada, descending through Lake Champlain,
thus securing the Colonies. Their march into Westchester County was designed

a Journal of N. Y. Proy. Congress, vol. i. 723.
b Journal of N. Y. Proy. Congress, vol. i. 729.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 567

to obtain command of the two principal routes leading to New England, one
through Rye and the other by the way of Bedford, and thereby cut off the Ameri-
can army from its supplies, principally derived from the East, and obtain the
rear of General Washington’s army, and force him to a general battle, or to a
precipitate retreat. But Washington pentrated their intentions, and conducted
his forces northward from King’s Bridge with great skill, moving in a line
parallel with the British, a little in advance of them, facing them constantly,
with the Bronx in his front, which was fortified at every assailable point.

‘*On the 12th of October, ’76, a portion of the British army, consisting of the
Guard, Light Infantry reserve, and Colonel Dunop’s Corps landed at Throg’s
Neck ; and the night of that day, Colonel William Smith, (then a Lieutenant, )
with a Corporal’s guard, broke down the bridge connecting the Neck with West_
chester town. and left Sir William Howe upon an island. On the 16th and 17th
of October, the English forces at Throg’s Neck were augmented by the 1st, 2nd
and 6th Brigades crossing from Long Island, and by the 3d Hessian battalion
from New York. On the 18th, the whole British army crossed to Pelham Point,
and marching northerly, encamped the same night on the high ground between
Hutchinson’s River and New Rochelle village, where it remained till the 21st.
On the 21st, the British removed and encamped on New Rochelle heights, north
of the village, and on both sides of the road leading to Scarsdale. This camp
was broken up on the 25th, and the army moved forward to a position upon the
high grounds in Scarsdale, in the vicinity of the late John Bennett's farm, and
there remained till the morning of the 28th of October.

General Washington during that time had not remained inactive—as early as
the 11th of October, a part of his army crossed from Harlem heights, reached
White Plains on the 12th, and commenced erecting fortifications ; and on the 22d
General Washington, leaving his head-quarters at Fort Washington, established
them at Valentine’s hill, whence they were removed to White Plains on the 23d.

‘*The entrenchments at White Plains were erected under the directions of a
French engineer, and consisted of a square fort of sods in the main street with
breast works on each side running westerly over the south side of Purdy’s hill to
the Bronx, and easterly across the hills to Horton’s pond. When the English at-
tacked Chatterton’s hill on the 28th, they were unfinished; but during the night
of the 28th and 29th of October they were raised and strengthened, being only
intended for temporary use until the position above Abraham Miller’s in North
Castle could be fortified, which was done, and to which the American army after-
wards retired. :

‘General Howe committed a great mistake in not attacking General Wash-
ington’s fortifications in White Plains on the 28th instead of Chatterton’s hill.
He gained nothing in taking that hill. After the works at White Plains were
completed, great loss to Howe’s army must have attended their capture, and
Washington’s new position, (above Mr. Miller’s, ) appears to have been regarded
as impregnable. Washington’s policy at this time was, as he expressed it ‘to
entrench and fight with the spade and mattock.’ The experience at Bunker’s Hill
had made the English cautious in attacking Americans behind entrenchments.¢

a “General George Clinton, in a postscript to a friend, writing from Washington’s entrench-
ment on the night of the 20th October, says: ‘ Love to Mrs. Clinton—tell her { write from an
entrenchment. The British forces are in sight, and we shall probably have battle to-morrow
—tell her to entertain no fearsfor my safety,’”"— Mr. Tompkin’s Address.

568 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

“During the march of the two armies to White Plains frequent skirmishes
occurred. On the 18th, the vanguard of the British army were attacked by a
detachment under General Sullivan, and the fight which ensued, (near the road
reaching from New Rochelle,) has been always represented as very creditable to
the Americans.”

**On the 2ist, Colonel Rogers, a celebrated partisan officer in the French war,
had accepted a command in the English service, and lay at Mamaroneck. An
attack upon him was planned by Lord Sterling, and executed by a force under
the command of Col. Haslet, of the Delaware regiment. Rogers was completely
surprised; seventy or eighty of his men were killed or made prisoners, and a
considerable quantity of arms, ammunition and clothing taken by the Ameri-
cans. On the 23d of October, a spirited skirmish took place between Hand’s
Pennsylvania riflemen and a detachment of Hessian chasseurs, about 240 strong,
in which the Hessians were routed. These harassing encounters of the Ameri-
cans, (attended invariably with success,) tended to delay the advance of the
British and to make them cautious, while it cheered the desponding courage of
the Americans soldiers, and above all, gave General Washington time to remove
his stores and entrench himself where no army dare assail him.

‘‘On the morning of the 28th of October, the British army marched from
their camp in two columns—the right commanded by General Clinton, the left
by De Heister, and came in sight of the American forces about 10 o’clock.
On the 27th of October, two militia regiments had been sent over to throw up
entrenchments on Chatterton hill; and on the morning of the 28th, General
Washington ordered Col. Haslet to take command of the hill—having under his
command his own (the Delaware) Regiment, the Militia, and part of the Mary-
land troops. General McDougal soon followed him and took command. Col.
Haslet says, the enemy in the first place moved towards the fortifications in the
village—they then halted—the general officers had a council of war on horseback
in the wheat-fields, and the result was that their forces inclined towards the
Bronx. Fifteen or twenty pieces of artillery were placed upon the high ground
opposite the hill, and commenced a furious cannonade upon McDougal’s forces,
under cover of which fire the British built a bridge over the Bronx, and prepared
to cross.

“Gen. McDougal placed two field pieces upon a ledge of table rock, which did
great execution among the British artificers and soldiers. So soon as the bridge
would admit their crossing, they rushed forward and attempted to take the two
pieces by a charge up the hill—these two cannon were in charge of the late
Alexander Hamilton, (then a captain of artillery), and never did officers or men
do better execution. When upon the spot in after years, describing it to a
youthful friend, he was heard to say, ‘ For three successive discharges the advane-
ing column of British troops was swept from hill-top to river.’ The British find-
ing this table rock inaccessible, inclined to the left down the river, and joined
the troops under General Rahl, which had crossed about a quarter of a mile be-
low.

‘They now attacked McDougal, and attempted to turn his right flank. He
retreated, but contested the ground all the way up to the summit of the nll,
making a stand at every favorable point. At length the British cavalry gained
the crest of the hill, and charging, cut to pieces the militia on McDougal’s right.

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 569

The last stand was made by the Americans behind a fence at the top of the hill,
where the Delaware regiment and part of McDougal’s brigade, twice repulsed
the British Light Infantry and Cavalry. At length compelled to retreat, it was
done in good order over the bridge at the foot of the hill, under cover of some
regiments detached by Washington from his main army. The militia and a few
of the regulars were dispersed among the hills of Greenburgh, but soon returned
to Head Quarters. The British forces engaged in that attack, were the flower of
the army, consisting of the second brigade of British, the 5th, 28th and 49th
regiments, Rahl’s battalion, the Hessian Grenadiers, under Dunop, and a party
of Light Dragoons, all commanded by General Leslie.

“That General Washington did make a successful stand at this place, has
ever excited the wonder of military-men. His troops were greatly inferior in
numbers and discipline, and composed in part of militiaand raw recruits. After
the battle, the enemy for several days attempted to gain Washington’s rear,
tried to alarm him and induce him to retreat or fight by threatening his flanks.
At several times they formed a semi-circle about him. On the night of the 31st
of October, Washington evacuated his camp at White Plains@ and established his
new position in the hills of Northcastle, about one mile in the rear of his former
encampment, when the British appear to have relinquished all further offensive
operations. At the advance of the British army to White Plains, the Whig fam-
ilies were seen hurrying, unprotected before them, with thin clothing and a
seanty supply of provisions, to seek shelter for the coming winter, they knew
not where. Desolation and famine marked the fair region over which the two
armies passed. The English army finding all attempts to circumvent General
Washington hopeless, broke up their camp at White Plains, on the 5th of Nov-
ember, and retired to Dobb’s Ferry, and from thence to King’s Bridge, where
thny encamped on the 13th of that month.

‘Thus ended in Westchester, for the year ’76, the movements of the British
army; but soon the inhabitants of the North were overrun by loyalists from
Morrisania, and for a long time without protection, were exposed to every dan-
ger and suffering. In short, till the peace of 1782, Westchester was the battle-
ground of the disaffected, and the prey of both friend and foe. Scenes of
cruelty and bloodshed unknown in civilized warfare, marked their partizan en-
gagements, and in the defence of their homes, her valiant sons exhibited frequent
instances of personal bravery unexcelled in ancient or modern times. Among
the most daring were the guides—such men as Abraham Dyckman, Cornelius
Oakley and John Odell. In the darkness of night they have often surprised and
carried off captains, officers and men, under the guns of the British forts at Mor-
risania, or in small parties amused themselves by beating up De Lancey’s quar-
ters. Frequent alarms had made them watchful of surprise, and success rendered
them reckless of danger, til] they became the chosen leaders of each dangerous
enterprise against the enemy.

Why Gen. Howe so suddenly left the battle-field at White Plains has
been a mystery to many, but the following may explain it: “When he

« At the east end of the village is still to be seen the remains of Washington’s encamp-
ment. Of this nothing is left but a small portion of the embankment that runs partly across
the street, on the surface of which rests a mutilated howitzer. This relic of the past was
disinterred near the spot it occupies,

57° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

landed with his forces on Throg’s Neck, Gen. Washington withdrew all
his army—except a garrison at Fort Washington, a very strongly fortified
position, and considered impregnable. But treason can do what valor
and skill cannot.

Gen. Howe, as we shall see, had good reason to change his whole
plan; and that cause was, the treason of a commissioned officer of the
American army. Four years before, the traitor Arnold attempted to
betray West Point. A similar, but more successful traitor, betrayed
Mount Washington. On the 2d of November, 1776, Adjutant Magaw,
passed undiscovered, out of Fort Washington into the British camp, con-
veying the plans of the fort and full information as to all its works and
garrison, and placed them in the hands of Lord Percy.

On the 15th of November, the grand army of Howe, that was seen in
such splendor in White Plains but a short time before, now gathered
around the doomed fortress of Mt. Washington, and it soon fell by the
treachery of a traitor whose infamy ought to be known, and his name
branded with that contempt that traitors only deserve.

The following additional particulars respecting the engagement on
Chatterton’s hill are contained in Gen. Heath’s Memoirs:—

27th of October, ‘‘In the forenoon, a heavy cannonade was heard towards
Fort Washington. Thirteen Hessians and two or three British soldiers were
sent in on this day. From the American camp to the west, south-west, there
appeared to be a very commanding height, worthy of attention. The Com-
mander-in-Chief ordered the general officers who were off duty, to attend
him to reconnoiter this ground, on this morning. When arrived at the ground,
although very commanding, it did not appear so much so, as other grounds to
the north, and almost parallel with the left of the army, as it was then formed.
‘* Yonder,” says Major Gen. Lee, pointing to the grounds just mentioned, ‘‘is
the ground we ought to occupy.” ‘‘Let us then go and view it,” replied the
Commander-in-Chief. When on the way, a light horseman came up on full
gallop, his horse almost out of breath, and addressed General Washington—
‘‘The British are in the camp, sir.” The General observed, ‘‘ Gentlemen, we
have now other business than reconnoitring,” putting his horse in full gallop for
the camp, and followed by the other officers. When arrived at head-quarters,
the Adjutant-General, (Read,) who had remained at camp, informed the Com-
mander-in-Chief, that the guards had been all beat in, and the whole Ameri-
can army were now at their respective posts, in order of battle. The Com-
mander-in-Chief turned round to the officers, and only said, ‘‘Gentlemen, you
will repair to your respective post, and do the best you can.” “Our General,
(Heath, ) on arriving at his own division, found them all in the lines; and, from
the height of his posts, found that the first attack was directed against the
Americans on Chatterton's hill. The little river Bronx, which ran between the
American right and this hill, after running round its north side, turned and ran
down on the east and south-east. The British advanced in two columns. At

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS, 571

this instant, the cannonade was brisk on both sides; directed by the British
across the hollow and Bronx, against the Americans on the hill, and by them
returned. Almost at the same instant, the right column, composed of British
troops, preceded by about twenty light horse in full gallop, and brandishing their
swords, appeared on the road leading to the court-house, and now directly in the
front of our General’s division. The light-horse leaped the fence of a wheat
field, at the foot of the hill, on which Col. Malcolm’s regiment was posted, of
which the light-horse were not aware until.a shot from Lieutenant Fenno’s field-
piece gave them notice by striking in the midst of them, and a horseman pitch-
ing from his horse, They then wheeled short about, galloped out of the field as
fast as they came in, rode behind a little hill on the road, and faced about; the
tops of their caps only being visible to our General, where he stood. The column
came no further up the road, but wheeled to the left by platoons, as they came
up; and, passing through a bar, or gateway, directed their head towards the
troops on Chatterton’s hill, now engaged. When the head of the column had
got nearly across the lot, their front got out of sight; nor could the extent
of their rear be now discovered. The sun shone bright, their arms glittered, and
perhaps troops never were shown to more advantage, than those now appeared:
The whole now halted; ard for a few minutes, the men all sat down in the
same order in which they stood, no one appearing to move out of his place. The
cannonade continued brisk aeross the Bronx. A part of the left column, com-
posed of British and Hessians, forded the river, and marched along under the
cover of the hill, until they had gained sufficient ground to the left of the
Americans; when, by facing to the left, their column became a line, parallel
with the Americans. When they briskly ascended the hill,4 the first column re-
sumed a quick march. As the troops, which were advancing to the attack, as-
cended the hil!, the cannonade on the side of the British ceased; as their own
men became exposed to their fire, if continued. The fire of the small arms was
now very heavy, and without any distinction of sounds. This led some Ameri-
can officers, who were looking on, to observe that the British were worsted, as
their cannon had ceased firing ; but a few minutes evinced that the Americans
were giving way. They moved off the hill ina great body, neither running, nor
observing the best order. The British ascended the hill very slowly, and when
arrived at its summit, formed and dressed their line, without the least attempt to
pursue the Americans. The loss on the side of the Americans was inconsider-
able. That of the British was not then known. The British army having got
possession of this hill, it gave them a vast advantage of the See lines, al-
most down to the centre.”?

Botta, in his history of the American Revolution, says: ‘‘ The loss of
men in this action was great on the one part as well as on the other.Ӣ
Among the principal actors in this scene, upon the American side,

a While the British were thus advancing up the hill, a shot struck one of the standard
bearers dead.. Warren de Lancey, (then a boy fifteen years of age,) instantly seized the
colors, and rusning forward, was one of the first to gain the summit, , where he planted them
inthe ground For this act of bravery he afterwards received a cornet’s commission from
General Howe.—dA uthor.

b Heath’s Mem. 76.
ce The remains of those slain in the conflict, were interred ina hollow onthe south-west side
of Chatterton hili, near a hickory tree.

572 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

may be enumerated, Generals Washington, Clinton, McDougal, Lee,
Heath, Sterling, and Read, Colonels Haslet, Smallwood, Malcolm and
Glover; Majors Hand, Lee and Lieut. Fenno. On the British side,
Brigadier Generals Leslie, Knyphausen, Rahl, De Heister, and Mat-
thews ; Lord Percy, Count Dunop, Colonel Ralle, Colonel Ritzema, and
Major Rogers, &c., &c.

The following letter of General George Clinton, dated Camp, at the
old Place near White Plains, Nov. 2d, 1776, to a friend, is copied from
the journal of the Provincial Congress :—

My Dear Srr:—‘‘ Your favors of the 30th and 31st ultimo, were left at my
tent a few minutes since. Since my last to you, dated the day before yesterday,
the centre and right wing of our army having possessed themselves of the
heights in their rear, north-east of the road leading to Young's, yesterday morn-
ing evacuated that part of our lines which passed through the town, and south-
east of N , and fell back on those heights —firing all the barns, hay and corn
stacks in front. This induced the enemy to believe we had again retreated ; and
determined to take the advantage of our apparent flight, their army instantly
moved forward into the part of our lines which.were evacuated. This brought
on a pretty brisk cannonade, though at too great a distance to do much execu-
tion. I lost one man, and had two wounded. I have heard of no other injury
done us. We are by the late movements now far advanced—in front, of course,
most exposed. The enemy retired to their former encampment in the evening,
leaving strong advanced pickets, and working parties who are busily employed
in erecting banks on the heights in and near the town. Deserters, (especially
from the Queen’s light dragoons, ) come daily over to us; and now and then our
Rangers send in a straggling prisoner. Captain Van Wick of my brigade, who,
at his earnest desire, was appointed to a company of rangers, was day before the
yesterday unfortunately killed, He went out in the morning with about thirty
men, and fellin with about one hundred of the enemy in a house not far distant
from their lines—charged them with spirit, gave them a brisk fire, but unfortun-
ately, when loading his piece the second time, was shot in the head, and fell
dead. His lieutenant shot down the man who killed his captain. The enemy
fled ; our party brought off their captain, and yesterday evening I had him in-
terred with the honors of war. He was a good men, and a valiant officer. Pray
communicate this sad news to his widow, (to whom I would write, had I leisure, )
in a manner that will ieast affect her.

I know of no other news worth communicating you. Though in the camp, I
am not acquainted with the disposition of our army. Some brigades to the north-
east of us, in my humble opinion, are where they can do no good; perhaps I am
mistaken. I am not well acquainted with the country. I must beg an answer
to my letter, wherein I desired you to ask a favor of the Convention.

Iam, with the utmost esteem,
Yours affectionately, GEORGE CLINTON.

P.S.—I need not ask you to forward the enclosed. I know you will do it.
Though I determined never to meddle with the disposition of officers, 1 cannot

THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 573

help recommending Colouel Duboys and his officers, who served in our army to
the northward last year, to the Convention. Should they quit the army by any
neglect, it will be a public loss. They are brave men and good officers; at least,
such of them as have juined our brigade.”’¢

The head-quarters of Washington, while stationed here, were at a
small farm-house to the north of the village, situated amid a deep soli-
tude of woods, surrounded by hills and wild romantic scenery. The fol-
lowing account of a visit paid to this spot, is taken from a newspaper
printed in New York, in 1845.

‘‘When we entered the little room of Mr. Miller’s? farm-house, where that great
and good man had resided, and where he resolved to try the hazard of a battle,
with a flushed and successful foe, we could not repress the enthusiasm, which
the place and the moment and the memory inspired. We looked around with |
eagerness at each portion of the room on which his eye must have rested, we
gazed through the small window panes, through which he must have so often and
so anxiously looked towards the enemy, and at the old-fashioned buffets, where
his table service was deposited for his acommodation. But little change has
taken place in the building ; and its amiable and patriotic inmates have shown
their respect for the hero, by placing on the walls, his portrait and several repre-
sentations of his last moments at Mount Vernon.”

In the north-east angle of the town, lies St. Mary’s Lake—a large
and beautiful sheet of water, which falls into the Mamaroneck river.
Its banks on the north-west side are very steep, and the views from
the summits of the surrounding hills are extremely fine.

The general surface of White Plains, “‘is somewhat hilly, but mostly
arable ; soil, orincipally loam, well adapted to grass, and much of it
highly cultivated.”* The higher lands abound with good timber, which
consists chiefly of oak, chestnut and hickory. There is perhaps no town
in the county better watered by rivers, brooks, and springs.

a Journal of N. Y. Prov. Congress, vol. ii, 317.
b Mr. Elijah Miller (who is since deceased) was a soldier of the Revolution.
e Disturnell’s Gazetteer, N. Y.

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aS Si EN 3 Bee 2s ae Se oe

Yonkers is situated on the east bank of the Hudson, immediately
above New York Island, seventeen miles north of New York, one
hundred and thirty south of Albany, and ten south-west of White Plains;
bounded north by Greenburgh, east by Eastchester and a small angle of
Westchester, or by Bronx’s River, south by West Farms and New York
county, and west by the Hudson River. It extends near eight miles
along the Hudson, and has a medial width of near three miles.

The name of this town—at different periods written, Younkers, Younc-
kers, Jonkers and Yonkers—is derived from the Dutch “Jonker,” or
“Jonkheer,” meaning in that language the “ young gentleman,” a com-
mon appellation for the heir of a Dutch family.¢

Yonkers and the Mile Square constituted a township within the great
manor of Philipsburgh, until the year 1779, when the manor was confis-
cated and conveyed to the people of this State, A.D. 1788, the present
township was independently organized.2 Thirty years after the Dutch
discovery of the New Netherlands, A.D. 1639, we find the Dutch West
India Company purchasing lands in this town of the native Indian
sachems :—

‘* Appeared before me, Cornelis Van Tienhoven, Secretary of the New Nether-
lands, Frequemeck, Rechgawac, Packanniens, owners of Kekeshick, which they
did freely convey, cede, &c., &c., to the behoof of the General Incorporated
West India Company, which lies over against the flats of the Island of Manhates,
mostly east and west, beginning at the source of said kill till over against the

a Benson's Mem. of N. Y.
b Act passed 7th March, 1788. Rev. Stat, vol. iii. 286. 675

576 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

high hill of the flat lands—to wit, by the great kill, together with all the rights,
estate and title to them, the grantees, &c., &c. In testimony of the truth of
which, this is subscribed by witnesses. Done 3d of August, 1639, at Fort Am-
sterdam, in New Netherland,@ :

CoRNELIUS VAN DER HOYKEN,

Davipr PIETTERSEN DE vou t as witnesses,
In presence of me,

CoRNELIS VAN TparHovEN, Secretary.”

How long the Dutch West India Company held the lands of Kekes-
hick, does not appear; but about the year A.D. 1646, we find the Indian
sachem, Zacharew, granting lands in this town to Adrian Van der
Donck.’ In this sale the town is called epperhaem,° an Indian name
frequently applied to the village. Eighty years later we find it varied to
Nepterah,* the proper Indian orthography of which is evidently Vap-fe-
cha-mack, rendered literally the rapid water settlement, thus graphically
expressing the situation of the Mohegan village, at the mouth of the
Neperah, or rapid waters. ¢ In the deep seclusion of the ancient forests
that once bordered this beautiful stream, were located other Indian vil-
lages, some of the sites of which tradition has preserved to us; one of
these occupied the eastern edge of Boar Hill. A Mohegan castle
ornamented the steep side of Berrian’s Neck, styled in the Indian tongue
Nipnichsen. It was carefully protected by a strong stockade, from the
attacks of the war-like Sank-hi-can-ni, (fire workers,) inhabiting the
Jersey shores, and commanded the romantic scenery of the Spuyten
Duyvel Creek and Hudson River. The junction of the two streams was
called, in the Indian, Shorackappock. The last settlement of the Nap-
peckamak Indians remembered in this town stood near the present
residence of Abraham Fowler, on a rising bank of the Neperah, (saw
mill.) The crystal waters of this sweet stream, (which runs principally
north and south,) arise from two perennial springs in the bosom of the
Chappequa hills. To this nymph of the valley the Indians (as their cus-
tom was) offered sacrifice, the perpetuity of her motion tipifying to
them the eternity of God.

In the north-west corner of this town, west of the saw mill, (Neperah)
is situated the rock Meghkeckassin, Amackassin, or the great stone, some-
times called Meghkeckassin, and Macakassin, a name probably derived
from two Delaware words, ‘‘ Machaak,” signifying “great,” “ achsin,”

a Ab. Rec. ¢. c. 62.

b Sometimes called the Younger Van Dunke. Assize, Rec. Alb. 47.
de Alb. Rec. viii. 79, 80. Hol. Doc. vi. 118. Book of Pat. I., 56,—O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N.,

d Valentine’s Receipts for rent.

5 e Nipi, in the old algonkin, signifies water; Niess, in the Mowtauk.—Trans. Amer. Antiq
oc. ii.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 577

stone; or as rendered by some “ Aéekhhakhsin,” meaning copper, “ akk-
sin,” stone. The latter word appears to denote not a common stone,
but the “‘ colored copper stone” bound under some spell of Indian necro
mancy. On the east side of this enchanted rock are several Indian
marks almost effaced by age. ‘‘To these stones they paid all outward
signs of worship and devotion, not as to God, but as they are hierogly-
phics of the permanency and immutability of the Diety ; because these,
both for figure and substance, are, of all sublunary bodies, the least sub-
ject to decay or change.”® This stone lies in an obscure nook on the
eastern shore of the Hudson, at the foot of a steep bank whose sides are
shaded with masses of wild cedar and laurel, the beautiful lake like ap-

Indian Rock, Meghkeckassin, or AmackKassin.

pearance of the river giving additional interest and magical illusion to
the scene. At ebb tide the huge boulder must have reminded them of
a monstrous Neebanawbaig, (or water spinit,) afloat on the waves. To
the superstitious Indian its peculiar position must have been a subject of
deep interest. The name of this stone is sometimes applied to a brook
that flows in the vicinity. The term Sigghes, which also occurs in some
of the deeds, doubtless belongs to the Indian rock, situated still higher
up, west of the post road on the land of J.O. Dyckman. The two rocks
or stones and rivulet here referred to, still form a portion of the northern .
boundary of Yonkers, running east to Bronx’s river. In this town are al- -
so two Jndian burying grounds. The principal one lies two miles north

a Trans, Amere. Antiq, Soe. vol. ii. 336.
b Beyerly’s Hist. Virginia.

578 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of the village, on Blackwell’s hill. Within the recollection of many per-
sons stil] 1g, the graves were distinctly indicated by rude mounds of
earth; bu, « as! the plough has long since removed these memorials of
the ancient dead, and perhaps the mouldering relics themselves.

That remnant of a martial brow,
Those ribs that held the mighty heart,
That strong arm—ah! ’tis strengthless now.—Bryant.

And we. ‘night the poet add :—

Spare them! each mouldering fragment spare,
Of God’s own image—let them rest,

Till not a trace shall speak of where
The awfui likeness was impressed !4

The second and last place of sepulture used by the Indians in this
town, is now nearly covered by the barn and out buildings of Benjamin
Fowler, Esq. The site was well chosen, on rising ground, at the entrance
of the Sprain valley.

Besides the Tawasenthas, (or places of many dead,) numerous skeletons
have been discovered in different parts of the town, showing it to have
been once numerously populated by the Indian tribes. One of these was
recently disinterred in making some improvements on the Kings-Bridge
road, nearly opposite the Van Cortlandt residence ; it proved to be on
examination the full sized skeleton of an Indian, in a sitting posture,
holding the remains of a small child between its knees. Others have
been discovered lymg near the surface of the ground on Berrian’s Neck ;
the back part of the skull of one of these was found perforated by a
musket ball, which still remains in the cavity of the brain.?’ Of course
this Indian perished by fire arms. It may not be inappropriate to men-
tion that Hendrick Hudson had an engagement with the Indians in
1609, at the mouth of the Spuyten Dyvil creek.

The descendants of the last named chief, Zackarew, continued to re-
side in Yonkers for more than half a century after the sale to Van der
Donck, A.D. 1646, as we find Claas de Wilt, Neamerau, and a squaw,
Karocapacomont, confirming the Hon. Jacobus van Cortlandt, in pos-
session of the old Younckers, A. D. 1701.¢ 1692, we find an Indian
chief at Bedford, called Wappowham.?@

a Harper's Indian Traits, introd. i. 19.

b In possession of H. S. Gates, M.D., of Yonkers village.
¢ See Van Cortlandt’s confirmation.

d See Bedford.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 579

The last remnant of his tribe in this place was a noble Indian by the
name of Shucktaman, who occasionally visited the village, but was
oftener to be seen in his canoe cruising along the various fishing
grounds of the Hudson.

We have shown that the next grantee in Yonkers, under the Indians,
was the renowned Dutch De Heer Adriaen van der Donck.* “This
illustrious personage was the son of a free citizen of Breda in Dutch
Brabant, and a lineal descendant of Adriaen van Bergen, part owner of
the famous turf boat, in which a party of Dutch troops were clandestinely
introduced, in the year 1599, into the castle commanding that city, then
in the hands of the Spanish, by which stratagem that stronghold fell into
the hands of their high mightinesses the States General.” ‘Van der
Donck enjoys the distinction of having been the first lawyer in the col-
ony of New Netherlands. He received his education at the University
of Leyden, in Holland, where he attained the degree of Juris utriusque
Doctor ; he subsequently obtained permission to practice as an advocate
in the Supreme Court of Holland. In the autumn of 1641, he embark-
ed on board a vessel belonging to the Patroon Killian van Rensselaer,
for the New Netherlands. On his arrival he was created sheriff of Rens-
selaerwyck.Ӣ

After remaining here for two or three years, and finding himself dis-
appointed in his efforts to plant a colony in that neighborhood, “he
obtained, in consideration of the assistance he afforded in negotiating
the treaty between the Director General and the Mohawks, and in re-
turn for the advances he then made to enable the government to pur-
chase presents for the Indians, the tract of land called ‘‘ Vepperhaem.”
This valuable property, for which he received a patent from the Dutch
authorities in 1646, was situated on the east side of Hudson’s river,
about sixteen miles above New Amsterdam. It was bounded on the
north by a stream which the Indians called “ Maccakassin,” and ran
south to Wepperhaem ; thence to the Shorakapkock kill, and to Papir-
inimen creek, called by the Dutch ‘‘Spuyten Duyvel,” whence it stretched
eastward to the river Bronx. The title of this colony was “ Coden Donck,”
Donck’s colony, and the proprietor thereof, was invested with all the
rights and privileges contained in the charter of 1629.” @

He also obtained a deed of confirmation for the same from the an-
cient lords of the soil. This fact is proved by the testimony taken be-

_ @ Donck is a village in South Holland, three and a half leagues from Gorcum.
b O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N., 327.
e N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll. ii., Sec i. 27.
d O’Caliaghan’s Hist, of the Netherlands, vol. i. 382.

&

580 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

fore his Excellency, Richard Nicoll, the first English governor of Nz;
York, A.D. 1666, when it was distinctly declared,—‘ That the Indian
proprietor’s name, who was chief of them, was Zackarew, living at the
Navisans, (the highlands of the Nevisink, N. J.), who acknowledged ye
purchase as before described, and that he had received satisfaction for
it. Claes, ye Indian, having interest in a part, acknowledged to have
sold and received satisfaction of Van der Donck. All the rest of ye
Indians, being seven or eight, acknowledged to have received full satis-
faction® likewise.”

The Jonge Heer being now a member of the privileged order of Pat-
roons,” enjoyed all the feudal appendages attached thereto, such as
power to erect a church or churches; to administer jurisdiction, to
decide civil suits, to impose fines, to pronounce the first sentence, finally
to exercise all rights belonging to the jurisdiction, of Colen Donck to-
gether with the right of hunting, fowling, fishing and trading according
to immunities granted in the same. Soon after the settlement of
our Patroon at Colen Donck, there arose a controversy between the
government of the Colony of New Netherlands and several of the
colonists ; among the most forward of the latter was Adriaen Van der
Donck, who with others united in a strong remonstrance to the States
General of Holland, complaining of the power exercised by the Dutch
West India Company especially during the administrations of Kieft and
Stuyvesant. This remonstrance was afterwards printed at the Hague,
A.D. 1650, and formed a small vol. (quarto) of fifty pages entitled
‘“‘Vertoogh* Van Nieuw Nederlandt, weghens de Ghelegenhetyd, Vrucht-
baerheydt, en soberen Staet desselfs. Ins’ Graven Hage, 1650, (An
Exposition of the New Netherlands, in respect to the situation, fertility,
and wretched condition of the country. At the Hague, 1650.) This
attempt to shake the authority of the Dutch West India Company,
proved abortive, and only served to re-act unfavorably upon the dis-
affected ; 19 March. 1650, occurs a contract between the Dutch West
India Company, Van der Donck and others, for the transportation of
two hundred persons to New Netherlands. November 29, 1650, Cor-
nelis Van Tienhoven, Secretary of the New Netherlands, delivered to
the States General a short statement or answer upon certain points con-
tained in the memorial of Van der Donck and others to their High
Mightnesses.°

a Albany Rec., Court of Assize Deeds, vol. iii. p. 42.

b A title derived from the Latin Patronus like the French Seignior.
ec Vertoogh sometimes means remonstrance.

d Hol, Doc. xvi, 191.

e Holl. Doc, No. lviii. 360.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 581

Van der Donck, also appears to have been one of the commissioners
who repaired to Holland for a redress of grievances. For in May 13, 1652,
occurs the memorial of Adriaen Van der Donck tothe committee of the
States General, stating his intended return to the New Netherlands.

Again May 30, 1652, a second memorial from Adriaen Van der Donck
to the same body, “respecting various matters connected with his visit
to Holland on behalf of Gemeente at New Netherlands.’”®

During the Patroon’s stay in Holland, he had shipped for Colen
Donck seven persons, four of whom had cruelly deserted and betrayed
him. Upon this we find him again petitioning the Directors of the
Dutch West India Company’s department, Amsterdam :—

‘*Remonstrates reverently, Adriaen Van der Donck, residing in New Netherlands
that to the supplicant was granted by the Director General and Council in New
Netherlands, the accommodations the Saw Kill with the adjacent lands to erect
there saw and grist mills, and plantations and boweries according to his means
and ability, which grant was chiefly obtained because the supplicant had contri-
buted a vast deal by his services as mediator, to negotiate and conclude a peace
between the director Kieft from the one side and the Indians from the other side,
not without great sacritice from his side, as it was the first part of the year when
his presence was wanted at home, and all this at his own expense so that he might
assert without boasting that he contributed at least as much to its consolidation
than any other person whatever, so that at length peace was concluded when the
supplicant advanced the principal part of the money, as the Director General was
at that period not well provided with it to procure seawant,¢ which was wanted
for presents in confirmation of the peace which God be praised, remains yet
uninterrupted. After I attained this grant in the year 1646, I resolved to reside
here, erected a saw mill and laid out a farm and plantation, and was actualiy
resolved to continue on this spot, when I further with consent of the Director
General, purchased a part of said land from the Indians the original proprietors,
who reclaimed it as belonging to them, but the suppliant observing that near the
saw kill were valleys used as commons which by enclosure might be properly
adapted for hay lands, so was he permitted by the Director General to purchase
these valleys from the Indians, on the best possible terms. This induced the
the supplicant to follow his plan, having obtained as I already mentioned the con_
sent and approbation of the Director General and Council, and included said val-
leys in his purchase, as he did not possess other low lands. This valley contained
about 30 or 40 morgen,¢ with another handsome vale berdering on said, on the
back part of the Island of Manhattans, and stretching as far as Paprinemin called
by our people, ‘‘ In Spite of the Dyvel,” where the supplicant was determined to fix
his residence as soon as he should have finished all his concerns at the saw kill;
and which yet remains his firm determination as soon as he shall have returned

@ Holl. Doc, xxxii. 130. iv.
6 Holl. Doc. xxxviL, 141.
e Indian name for shell money.

a A Dutch morgen contained a little over 2 acres English ; 7 morgen containing 15 acres,
ao

582 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

in safety to that country, as he made every preparation to execute his purpose,
by commencing to build on that spot and cultivate the soil; so because he is
delighted with that situation, as because it shall enable him to reap all the advan
tages of the aforesaid valleys, without which all his great expenses which he
made at the saw kill, would be in vain and his prospects in future profits would
be obscured, while all his toils and labors would have been rendered useless with
respect at least to himself, and whereas the supplicant is informed that some
greedy land speculators arrived in 1652, to obtain a grant of these lands in a clan-
destine manner; so it is that the supplicant now addresses himself to your honors,
with great respect that it may please them to resolve that the supplicant shall not
be dispossessed of these lands and valleys, by any individual under any pretext
whatsoever, by which doing, &c., &c.” @

On the 26 May, 1652, occurs an octroy, granting to Adriaen Van der
Donck, Patroon of the Colony of Colendonck, power to bequeath his said
fief of Colendonck :—

‘*The States General of the United Netherlands, to all who shall see or hear
these presents, send health. Be it known, that we, at the humble request of Ad-
riaen Van der Donck, of Breda, Patroon of the Colony of Nepperhaem, called by
him Colendonck, situated in New Netherlands, within the limits of the priviledged
West India Company, and having taken into consideration the 5th article of the
freedom granted by the assembly of the nineteen of the said company, to all those
who shall plant in New Netherlands, aforesaid, have granted, consented and
priviledged, grant, consent and privilege, out of our sovereign will »y these our
letters, that he may dispose, bequeath and order the aforesaid, his fief named
Colendonck, either by codicil by form of testament, or last will, before a notary
and witnesses, superintendence within the property situated in the same, as or
otherwise as it shall please him, to the profit of his children, if he have any, or
other strangers,” &c., &c.?

About this period, the Patroon commenced the compilation of his
celebrated book, entitled “‘Beschyvinge van Nieuw Nederland,” or a des-
cription of New Netherland, the copyright of which, bears date, this
17th May, 1653.¢

This work is dedicated ‘‘ To the Illustrious, Most Wise and Prudent Lords, the
Honorable Ruling Burgomasters of the far-famed commercial city of Amsterdam,

Why mourn about Brazil, full of base Portuguese?

When Van der Donck shows so far much better fare ;
Where wheat fills golden ears, and grapes abound in trees ;
Where fruit and kine are good with little care ;

Men may mourn a loss, when vain would be their voice.
But when their loss brings gain, they also may rejoice.

6 Holland Doc. No. xxy, 118.

e Holl. Doe. No. xii, 4; No. xiii, 42; No. xiv, 43; No. xv, p.44; No. xvi. 45; No. xvii,47. This
book has been recently translated from the original Dutch, by the Hon. Jeremiah Johnson.
See I vol. new series N. Y. Hist. Soc.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. ~ 583

Then, reader, if you will, go freely there to live,
We name it Wetierland, though this excels it far ;
If you dislike the voyage, pray due attention give,
To Van der Donck, his book, which, as a leading star,
Directs toward the land where many people are,
Where lowland, Love and Laws, all may freely share.
[Hvert Nieuwenhof.”

On the 24th July of the same year, we find him petitioning the Direc-
tors of the West India Company, for permission to search the records of
the colony, and also for leave to pursue the practice of his profession.
The following appears in answer to it :—

“As Mr. Adriaen van der Donck has petitioned our college, (stating) first, that
he has received his degree at law in the university of Leyden, and been admitted
to practice it before the Supreme Court of Holland, he may be permitted to fol-
low his profession as advocate in New Netherlands. Secondly, That he may
examine all the records and documents in the secretary’s office to accomplish his,
history of New Netherlands, which he did undertake to write, so is our reso- .
lution upon these points, we consent and permit him, that, in conformity with
the rules and customs of this country, he may follow his profession as advocate
in New Netherlands, to give his advice to all who may desire to obtain it; but,
as regards his pleading before the courts, we cannot see that it can be admitted
yet, with any advantage to the Director and Council in New Netherlands; be
sides that, we are ignorant of there being any of that stamp in your city, (who
nevertheless, before they can be admitted, must apply to your honor, or directly
to our department), who can act an plead against Van der Donck, in behalf of
the other side. We trust, that in this, you will consult the interests of your gov-
ernment and the welfare of the inhabitants.

24th July, 1653.4

“ Adriaen Van der Donck died in this country in the year 1655,
leaving to his wife Mary, (whom he married in 1645, daughter of the
Rev. Francis Doughty, Patentee of Maspeth, L. I.)’ the colonies of
Colen Donck, or Yonkers. “ Agatha his mother, and Daniel his
brother, came to New Netherland in 1652. Guisbert, Daniel’s son, was
born in Holland in 1634. These are the ancestors of such of the name
as are now to be found in this country, though the family is called Van-
duck or Verdunck. They live principally on Long Island.Ӣ

The following letter was despatched by the Director General, Peter
Stuyvesant and council, to Holland, in a vessel called the Fox, comman-
ded by the skipper, Jacob Jansen Hayes :—

a Alb. Rec. vol. iv. 3.

b O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N. vol. ii, p. 551.

c Ditto see note. On the 26th of August, 1655, Governor Stuyvesant grants a piece ofland
lying on the north side of Manhuattans called Muscoota, to one Cornelis Van der Donck Alb.

Rec. xxv. In 1653 MadameAnna Van der Donck occurs as defendant in a suit, (her son
Guisbert.) Dutch Rec. N. Y. City Clerk’s office, 160.

584 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Honorable, Prudent, Wise and Right Respectful Gents :—

Although since our last letter, no act of hostility has been committed, yet those
of Hartford continue their threatenings, anticipates and encroachments, and pur-
chased from the savages, all the land between Westchester and the North river,
including different lots of land, which were as well under the administration of
the Hon. Gov. Kieft, as ours, inthe usual manner, granted by letters patent, and
in virtue of these, possessed by those of our nation, as so among others, the land
of Jonas Bronck, the lands of the old Verdonck, divided and settled by his children
and associates in Various plantations and farms, but who, in the massacre? were
absconded with many others, all which are situated here and bordering on our
island, only divided by a small creek, which in some places by low water is pas-
sable, so as they to us the savages declared and solicited them to purchase other
lands to the east and the west of the North river, dated 20th June, 1664.5

On the 12th of March, 1664, the Dutch possessions in America were
patented to his Royal Highness James Duke of York and Albany, by
his brother King Charles II. This grant was immediately followed
by a military and naval armament under the command of Colonel
Richard Nicolls, which reduced the New Netherlands to the subjection
of the English Crown, 27th August, 1664.

One of the articles of capitulation drawn up by the commissioners at
the surrender, declared that ‘‘all people shall continue free denizens, and
shall enjoy their lands, houses and goods, wheresoever they are within
this country, and dispose of them as they please.¢

On Sept. 21, 1666, Mary Doughty, widow of the late Adriaen Van der
Donck, and wife of Hugh O’Neale,¢ in right of her former husband,
aiaimed “all that land upon the maine not far from Westchester, called
the Younckers land, and brought forward several Indians to prove the
purchase.” ¢

On October 8, 1666, 18th King Charles II. Governor Nicolls granted
che following patent to Mr. Hugh O’Neale and Mary his wife :—

PATENT FOR NEPPERHAEM.

Richard Nicolls, Esq., governor under his Royal Highness, ye Duke of York,
af all his territoryes in America, to all to whom this present writing shall come,
sendeth greeting: Whereas there is a certain tract of land within this govern-
ment, upon the main, bounded to the northwards by a rivulet called by the

a The massacre here alluded to, took place Sept., 1655, during the absence of Stuyvesant,
when the warriors of the Algonquin tribes, made a furious onset upon the colony.—See Ban-
:roft’s Hist. U. S., vol. ii. 299.

o Alb. Rec. vol. xviii. 257.

- Smith’s Hist. of N. Y. p. 19.

d Hugh O’Neale, formerly of Newton, Long Island. Assize Rec. p.47. ‘The widow of
Adriaen Van der Donck afterwards married Hugh O’Neale, of Patuxent, Maryland, whither,
she and her father removed,’’—N. Y. ol, MSS., Holland Doc, vii, vol. I, p. 533’—[Editor.

e See confirm. of Van der Donck’s purchase,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 585

Indians, Macakassin, so running southward to Nepperhaem, from thence to the
kill Shorakkapoch, and then to Paprinimen, which is the southermost bounds,
then to go across the country to the eastward by that which is commonly known
by the name of Bronck’s his river and land, which said tract hath heretofore
been purchased of the Indian proprictors by Adriaen Vun der Donck, deceased,
whose relict, Mary, the wife of Hugh O’Neale, one of the patentees is, and due
satisfaction was also given for the same, as hath by some of the said Indians been
acknowledged before me ; now for a further confirmation unto them, the said
Hugh O’Neale and Mary his wife, relict of the aforesaid Adriaen Van der Donck,
in their possession aud enjoyment of the premises.

Know ye, that by virtue of this our commission and authority given unto me
by his Reyal Highness the Duke of York, I have thought fit to give, ratify, con-
firm and grant, and by these presents, do give, ratify, confirm and grant, unto the
said Hugh O’ Neale and Mary his wife, their heirs and assigns, all the aforemen-
tioned tract or parcel of land called Neperhaem, together with all woods, marshes,
meadows, pastures, waters, lakes, creeks, rivuletts, fishing, hunting, and fowling,
and all other profits, commodities and emoluments to the said tract of land be-
longing, with their and every of their appurtenances, and every part and parcel
thereof, to have and to hold the said tract of land and premises, with all and
singular their appurtenances, unto the said Hugh O’ Neale and Mary his wife,
their heirs and assignes, to the proper use and behoofe of the said Hugh O’ Neale
and Mary his wife, their heirs and assigns forever, he, she, or they, or any of
them, rendering and paying such acknowledgement, duties, as are or shall be
constituted and ordayned by his Royal Highness the Duke of York and his heirs,
or such governor or governors, as shall from time to time be appointed and set
over them within this province. That, if at any time hereafter his Royal Highness,
his heirs, successors, or assignes, shall think fit to make use of any timber for
shipping, or for erecting or repairing of forts within this government, liberty is
reserved for such uses and purposes to cut any sort of timber upon any unplanted
grounds on the said tract of land, to make docks, harbours, wharfes, houses, or
any other conveniences relating thereunto, and also to make use of any rivers or
rivuletts and inlets of water for the purposes aforesaid, as fully and free as if no
such patent had been granted.

Given under my hand and seal at Fort James, New York, on the Island of
Manhattan, the eighth day of October, in the eighteenth year of the reign of our
sovereign Lord, Charles the Second, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland,
France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., &c., in the year of our

Lord God, 1666. RICHARD NICOLLS.

Upon the 3oth of October, 1666, Elias Doughty purchased lands in
this town, of Hugh O’Neal and Mary his wife. The father of Elias was
the Rev. Franciscus Doughty. ‘This minister, Franciscus Doughty,
(says his son-in-law, Van der Donck,) in the time of the first troubles in
England, came over in order to escape from them to New England, and
found himself (to use a homely phrase,) out of the frying-pan into the

a Book of Pat. Alb.

586 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

fire. In order to be able to enjoy freedom of conscience according to
the Dutch reformation, which he certainly missed in New England, he
betook himself under the protection of the Dutch; and an absolute
patent, with privileges for a colony, was granted and conferred on him by
the Director General.” This patent consisted of thirteen thousand three
hundred and thirty-two acres of the lands called Mispath, the present,
Newtown on L. I.) It was conferred upon him and his associates, on the
28th of March, 1642.”% He had reinforced himself now in one year with
some families; but in consequence of the breaking out of the war, they
were all driven from their lands with loss of some people, and the destruc-
tion of much cattle, losing for the most part all their houses and whatever
they possessed. After they had remained a while, and consumed more
than they could collect, they came to the Manhattans, where all the
refugees resorted at that time, and Master Doughty was minister there.?
The Rey. Franciscus Doughty was a member of the ancient and honor-
able family of the Doughtys or Douteys of Easher Surrey, and Boston,
Lincolnshire, England, descended from an English Saxon house of
Dohteg, before the Conquest, A. D. 1066.

On the 15th May, 1677, Elias Doughty, (son of the above) propietor
of the land heretofore belonging to the Younckers van der Donck, near
Eastchester, was invested in the sole ownership by Hugh O’Neale and
Mary his wife.

The descendants of Elias Doughty are still numerous in the county
of Westchester. Of this family was Francis Doughty of Rye, in 1756,
father of John Doughty, Esq., and grand-father of the Hon. John
Doughty. The son of the latter is the present General George S.
Doughty, of West Farms, From Elias Doughty, the o/d or lower Yon-
kers passed to William Boltz or Betts, George Tippetts,° and Joseph
Hadley. ‘The name of the Jonckers, (says the Hon. Egbert Benson),
the proprietor of the creek, now Saw Mill creek, van der Kee; and it is
still to be collected from the documents, as not being improbable that
the lands granted to Van der Donck, and perhaps including the island
of the Indian name of Papuriminon, the southern shore at Kings

a O’Callaghan’s Hist. N. N. Appendix, 426.

b Van der Donck’s Vertooghe van N. N. ‘In 1642 a band of religionists, led on by the Rev
Mr. Doughty, Richd Smith, and others, who had followed the Pilgrims from Old England to
New England, were compelled to wsthdraw from the latter country by the persecution they.
received there, and after raaking formal application to the authorities of New Neatherlaud, they
had a grant of land assigned them, endowed with the usual privileges of free Manors, such as
a free exercise of their religion, powers to plant towns, build churches, nominate magistrates,
and administer civil and criminal jurisdiction.”—(C, F. Hoffman.)

c A. D. 1664, one George Tippett, being accused and found guilty of hogg stealing, the
Court doth adjudge the delinquent shall pay as a fine, to his majestie’s use, the sum of £14, or
receive ye corporal punishment of thirty-one stripes, at the common whipping-post, before
ye State house of this city, upon ye breaking up of this Court, &c.—Assize Rec. Alb. 311.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 587

Bridge, were the neighborhood called the Lower YoncKERS, as to be
distinguished from the other Yonckers, the lands of Van der Kee, on
the Saw Mill creek.* This distinction between the Zower Yonckers and
the upper, or as it was sometimes called, the /i##/e and the o/d¢ Yonckers,
clearly points to two different proprietors. The first may have been Van
der Kee, as Mr. Benson suggests, (although there is nothing in the shape
of evidence to support it), and the second Adraen van der Donck, the
Jonkheer or “young gentleman.”

On the 22d of February, 1670, Joseph Hadley sold fifty acres called
Georce’s Point, to Matthias Buckhout, who subsequently conveyed the
same, on the 22d January, 1694, to Frederick Philipse.

“Upon the roth of October, in the eleventh year of the reign of our
Sovereign Lord, William the Third, by the grace of God, of England,
Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., and in
the year of our Lord Christ, 1699, occurs the following indenture :—

‘*Between Frederick Felipse of the city of New York, merchant, of the one
part, &c., and Jacobus van Cortlandt, of the same city, merchant, of the other
part, witnesseth that the said Frederick Felipse, as well for and in consideration of
a certain sum of good and lawful money to him in hand paid, before the enseal-
ing aud delivery of these presents, by the said Jacobus van Cortlandt, &c., &c.,
hath given, granted, bargained and sold, conveyed, &c., unto the said Jacobus
van Cortlandt, his heirs and assigns for ever, all that fifty acres of land—with the
appurtenances lying within the limits and bounds of the Yonckers plantation in
the county of Westchester, known by the name of ‘Georges Point,’ butted and
bounded, &c., &c. Also one acre and a half of meadow, with the appurtenances,
&c., together with twenty-five acres more of upiand, with their appurtenances,
and the reversion and reversions and all the estate, right, title, claim and demand
whatsoever, of him the said Frederick Felipse, of, in, or into the said premises,
to have and to hold the several parcels of land and meadow, to the said Jacobus
van Cortlandt, &c., his heirs and assignees, forever. In testimony whereof the
parties to these presents have set their hands and seals, the day and year first
above written.”

This property is still vested in a descendant of Jacobus van Cort-
landt.

On the 13th August, 1701, we find the Indians confirming the Van
Cortlandts’ in their purchase :—

**To all Christian people, and others to whom the presents shall come, Clause
Dewilt, Karacapacomont and her son Nemerau, sendeth greeting :—

“Know yee, that wee, the said Clause Dewilt, Karacapacomont, and Nemerau,
native Indians and former proprietors of a certain tract of land, lying in the
county of Westchester, in the province of New York, in America, commonly
called and known by the name of the old Younckers, now in possession of Jacobus

@ Benson’s Mem. of N. Y., 56,

588 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

van Cortlandt, of the eity of New York, merchant, and the heirs of the Betts and
Tippetts, for and in consideration of two fathom¢ of duflfils and one pound two
shillings and sixpence, current money of New York, in hand paid unto us by the
said Jacobus van Cortlandt, have remised, released, and forever quit-claimed un-
to the said Jacobus van Cortlandt, and to the heirs of the Betts and Tippets, and
to their heirs and assigns forever, all our right, title and interest, which we ever
had, now have, or hereafter may have, or claim to the said tract of land called
the old Younckers, and to every part and parcel thereof; and do hereby acknowl-
edge the above consideration to be in full of all dues and demands whatsoever,
for the said tract of land and premises, to have and to hold the said tract of land
called the old Younkers, to the said Jacobus van Cortlandt, and the heirs of the
Betts and Tippetts, their heirs and assignees forever, witness our hands and seals

the 13th of August, 1701.” Craass Drwi1,
Sealed and delivered in the presence KaRAOAPACOMONT,
of GUALTER DU Bots, NEMERAU.

' WiLitiAm SHARPES,

The Little Yonkers in contradistinction from the O/d, above mentioned,
appears to have been included in the sale to Elias Doughty of Flushing,
30th October, 1666, who granted it 29th November, 1672, to Thomas
Delaval, Frederick Philipse and Thomas Lewis, mariner. Thomas De-
laval,* by a codicil of his last will, bearing date June roth, 1682, did de-
vise unto John, his only son, all his interest in a full third part.

On February 19, 1684-5, Thomas Dongan, Governor of New York,
by a patent did ratify and confirm unto John Delaval, Frederick Philipse
and Geertje Lewis, relict of Thomas Lewis, the aforesaid tract.

On August 27, 1685, John Delaval sold his third part in the same to
Frederick Philipse, as also Geertje, wife of Thomas Lewis, Lodowick
Lewis, Barent Lewis, Leonard Lewis, Katherine Lewis and Thomas
Lewis, by deed conveyed each their interest in third part to Frederick
Philipse, 12th June, 1686.4

On the 17th day of April, 1685, occurs the following agreement be-
tween Frederick Philipse, merchant of New York, and John Pell, Esq.,
of Annhoock’s Neck, in the County of Westchester :—

‘‘Tt was mutually agreed and consented unto by us underwritten, Frederick
Philipse, merchant of the city of New York, and John Pell, Esq., of Annhoock’s
Neck, that the Bronx’s river shall be the division between both their lands; and
that, if either the said Frederick Philipse or the said John Pell, shall at any time

a A Dutch fathom contained six feet English.

b Van Cortlandt papers.

e This individual was for many years Alderman, and Mayor of New York city in 1678,
d See RoyalCharter of Philipsborough.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 589

see cause to make any smal] dam across the said river, it shall b2 lawful for

either party to fix the end of their dam of each other side, without lett or moles-

tation,” FRrepDERIcK PHILIPsE,
Joun PE Lt.

Frederick Philipse being now vested in the fee simple, the whole
territory was by royal charter, erected into the lordship and manor of
Philipsborough, to be holden of the king,.in free and common soccage,
its lord yielding, rendering, and paying therefor, yearly and every year,
on the feast day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, at the
fort in New York, the annual rent of £4 12s.

THE ROYAL CHARTER.

‘‘William and Mary, by the grace of God, &c., king and queen of England,
Scotland, France and Ireland, defenders of the faith, &c., to all to whom these
presents shall come, greeting: Whereas, the Honorable Richard Nicolls, Esq.,
late Governor of our Province of New York, &c., by a certain deed or patent,
sealed with the seal of our said Province, bearing date the 8th day of October, in
the year of our Lord, 1666, pursuant to the authority in him residing, did give
and grant unto Hugh O’Neale and Mary his wife, their heirs and assigns, all that
tract of land upon the main, bounded to the north by a rivulet called by the
Indians, Meccackassin, so running southward to Nepperhan, from thence to the
kill Shorackkapock and to Paparinnemo, which is the southermost bounds, then to
go across the country, eastward by that whichis commonly known by the name
of Bronx’s river, together with all the woods, marshes, meadows, pastures, waters,
lakes, creeks, rivulets, fishing, hunting and fowling, and all other profits,
commodities and emoluments to said tract of land belonging, with their and
every of their appurtenance, to have and to hold unto the said Hugh O’Neale and
Mary his wife, their heirs and assigns forever, as by the said deed or patent, re-
lation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear ; and whereas, the
said Hugh O’Neale and Mary his wife, by their certain deed or writ, dated 30th
day of Oct., in said year of our Lord, 1666, did sell, alien, assign and set over all
and singular their right and title and interest of in and to the aforenamed tract
of land and premises, unto Elias Doughty of Flushing, in the Co. of York, on
Long Island, unto the said Elias Doughty, his heirs and assigns forever, as by
the said deed or writing, reiation being thereunto had, as may more fully and
at large appear; and whereas, the said Elias Doughty by his certain deed or
writing, bearing date 29th day of Nov., in the year of our Lord 1672, for the
consideration therein expressed and mentioned, did assign and set over, all and
singular his right and title and interest, of, in and to the aforementioned tract of
land and premises unto Thomas Deleval, Esq., Frederick Philips and Thomas
Lewis, mariner, to hold to them, their heirs and assigns forever, as by the said
deed or writing relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear;
and whereas, the said Thomas Deleval, in and by a certain codicil annexed unto
his last will and testament in writing, bearing date the 10th day of June, in the

a Co. Rec. Lib. A. 62.

59° HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

year of our Lord, 1682, amongst other things did devise unto John Deleval his
only son, all that his interest in the aforementioned Jand and premises, his one
full, equal and certain third thereof, as by the said codicil in writing, relation
being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear; and, whereas, the
Hon. Col. Thomas Dongan, late Gov. of our said province &c., and as by a cer-
tain deed or patent, sealed with the seal of our said province &c., and bearing
date the 19th of Feb., in the year of our Lord, 1684-5, pursuant to the authority
in him then residing, for the consideration therein expressed, did further grant,
ratify and confirm, unto the said Thomas Deleval, Frederick Philips, Geertje.
. Lewis, relict of the said Thomas Lewis, due their heirs and assigns, all the afore-
said tract and parcel of land beginning at asmall rivulet known and called by the
Indians, Makakassin, from thence into the woods due east by a great rock stone
and a lyne of marked trees, to Bronx’s river, and thence by said river, four miles
and something more, to a marked white oak tree upon the middle of a great ledge
of rocks, which is the north-east corner of the land of Francis French & Co., in
the mile square formerly sold out of the aforesaid patent, then by the said land,
west, 35 deg. northerly, 1 mile or 80 chains from thence east 35 deg. southerly
to Bronx’s river to a marked tree, which is the south-east corner of the mile
square, excepted out of the said patent, from thence by Bronx's, his river, 89
chains to a marked tree, which is the north-east corner of Wm. Betts and George
Tippets, and then by a certain lyne of marked trees due west 30 chains to the
marked tree or south-east corner of the purchase of John Heddy, then due N. 34
chains, from thence due west by their purchase, 90 chains to the north-west cor-
ner of the 300 acres, then due south 16 chains to the north-west corner of the 20
acres purchased of John Heddy, thence and by the said land west 12 chains to the
north-west corner, then by the side of the kill, south 18 chains to the land of
Wm. Betts and George Tippetts, from thence by a lyne of marked trees due west
79 chains, to a white oak tree standing on the bank of Hudson’s river, to the
south of Dog-wood brook 16 chains and } and then northerly by the Hudson's
river to Nepperha, which is near the Yonkers mills, and so continue by Hudson’s
river to the first mentioned small rivulet, Maccakassin, the whole being bounded
to the north with a lyne of marked trees and a great rock gtone, to the east by
Bronx’s river and the Jand of Francis French and Co., to the south by the land
of Wm. Betts, George Tippets and Thomas Heddy, to the west by Hudson’s
river, containing in all 7,708 acres, together with all and singular the messuages,
tenements, buildings, barns, stables, orchards, gardens, pastures, meadows, mills,
mill-dams, runs, streams, ponds, rivers, brooks, woods, under-woods, trees, tim-
ber, fencing, fishing, fowling, hunting, hawking, liberties, privileges, herdita-
ments and improvements whatsoever, belonging or in any way appertaining, to
have and to hold all the aforementioned tract and parcel of land, with all and
singular the aforementioned premises, unto said John Deleval, Frederick Philips,
Geertje Lewis, their heirs and assigns forever, as by the said deed or patent
registered in our secretary’s office of our province of New York aforesaid, relation
being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear; and, whereas the said
Thomas Deleval, by a certain deed of indenture, sealed with the seal, and bearing
date the 27th day of August, in the year of our Lord, 1685, did, for the consider-
ation therein mentioned, grant, bargain and sell, all that one full third part of all
and singular the said tract of land, afore recited, described and bounded within

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 591

the limits aforesaid unto him the said Frederick Philips one of the parties afore-
said, together with all that one full and equal third part of all and singular the
houses, out-houses, barns, stables, mills, mill-dams, buildings, fences and edi-
fices thereon erected and built ; and likewise one full third part of all and singular
the waters, water-courses, streams, woods, underwoods, fishing, fowling, hawk-
ing, hunting, hereditaments and appurtenances to the same belonging, or in any
way appertaining, to have and to hold unto the said Frederick Philipse, his heirs
and assigns forever, as by the said deed or indenture, relation being thereunto
had, may more fully and at large appear; and whereas, the said Geertje Lewis,
executrix of the last will and testament of Thomas Lewis, late of New York,
mariner, her late husband, deceased, and Lodivick Lewis, Barrent Lewis, Leon-
ard Lewis, Katharine Lewis and Thomas Lewis the children and co-heirs of said
Thomas Lewis and Geertje his wife, by a certain deed of indenture, sealed with
the seal bearing date the 12th day of June, inthe vear of our Lord 1686, did, for
the consideration therein mentioned, grant, bargain and sell, all that the full
one-third part of all and singular the said tract of land afore recited, decribed and
bounded with the limits aforesaid, unto him, the said Frederick Philips, one of
the parties aforesaid, together with all that one full and equal third part of all
and singular the houses, out-houses, barns, stables, mills, mill-dams, buildings
fences and edifices thereon erected and built, and likewise one full third part of all
and singular the water, water-courses, streams, woods, underwoods, fishing, fowl-
ing, hunting, hawking, hereditaments and appurtenances to the same belonging or
in any wise appertaining, to have and to hold unto the said Frederick Philips, his
heirs and assigns forever, as by the said deed or indenture, relation being thereunto
had, may more fully and at large appear; and whereas, the Hon. Sir Edmund
Andross, late governor of our said province of New York, &c., by a certain writing
or patent, sealed with the seal of our said province, bearing date the first day
of April, in the year of our Lord, 1680, pursuant to the authority in him then
residing, did give and grant unto the said Frederick Philipse, a certain tract or
parcel of land, beginning at a creek or river called by the Indians, Pocanteco or
or Wackandeco, with power thereon to set a mil] or mills, with a due portion of
land on each side, adjoining unto the said river, lying within the bounds of the
Indians land at Wickers creek, on the east side of the Hudson river, which said
Indian land, was by the said Frederick Philips purchased from the said native
Indian proprietors thereof, by the licence and approbation of the said Sir Ed-
mund Andross ; and the said Indian proprietors did, in the presence of Sir Ed-
mund Andross aforesaid, acknowledge to have received full satisfaction of him
the said Fredvrick Philips for the said land adjoining, to each syde of the creek
or river aforesaid, which said land is situate, lying and being on each side of the
said creek or river, north and south 1600 treads or steps which at 12 feet to the
rod, makes 40) rod, and runs up into the country so far as the said creek or river
goeth, with tlis proviso or restriction that if the creek or river called by the
Indians, Nippiorha, and by the charters Yonkers creek or kill shall come within
the space of land of 400 rods on the south side of the aforenamed creek or river,
that shall extend no farther than the said creek or river of Nippiroha, but the rest
to be so far up into the country on each side of the said creek or river called Po-
canteco as it runs, being about north-east, to have and to hold all the aforesaid
recited tract or parcel of land unto him the said Frederick Philips, his heirs and

592 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

assigns forever, as by the said grant or patent registered in our Secretary’s office
of our province of New York, &c., aforesaid, relation being thereunto had may
more fully and at large appear; and whereas the Honorable Thomas Dongan late
Goy. of our province of New York, &c., aforesaid, by virtue of the power inhim
then residing hath, by another grant or patent sealed with the seal of our said
province of New York, and registered in our secretary’s office of our province
aforesaid, bearing date the 23d of September, in the year of our Lord 1684, given
granted, ratified, and confirmed, unto said, Frederick Philips, his heirs and as-
signs, several tracts and parcels of land within the limits and bounds hereafter
mentioned, that were according to the usage, custom, and laws of our said prov-
ince purchased by the said Frederick Philips from the native Indians and pro-
prietors, in manner and form following, (that is to say,) all those certain parcels
and pieces of land lying about the Wigquaskeek that was on the 24th day of
October, in the year of our Lord, 1680, purchased by the said Frederick Philips
of the Indian Goharius, brother of Weskora, sachem of Wigquaskeek, for him-
self and by the full order of Goharius, which certain parcel or parcels of land are
lying about Wigquaskeek to the north syde and tending from the land of the
aforesaid Frederick Philips running along the North river to the north of the
small creek called by the Indians Sepackena creek, as far as it goeth into the
woods, and coming to the end of the aforesaid creek, then shall the aforesaid
pieces or parcels of land have their lyne north-east, or if the creek Pocanteco
Wackandeco upon which at present stands the mills of the said Frenerick Philips
shall run upon a north-east lyne, then the said land shall run along the said creek
Pocanteco, or Weghkandeco, into the woods as the said creek or kill shall go, and
there shall be the end or utmost bounds of the said certain pieces of land, as by
the said writing or Indian deed, relation being thereunto had may more fully and at
large appear ; as likewise another tract or parcel of land on the east side of Hud-
son’s river that was by said Frederick Philips purchased of the Indians Goharius
Cobus, and Togquanduck, on the 23d day of April, in the year of our Lord, 1681,
which tract or parcel of land being situate on the east side of the North or Hud-
son’s river, beginning at the south side of a creek called Bissigktick, and so rang-
ing along the said river northerly to the aforesaid land of the aforesaid Frederick
Philips, and then alongst the said land north-east and by east until it comes to
and meets with the creek called Nippiorha, if the said creek shall fall within that
lyne, otherwise to extend no further than the head of the creek or kill called
Pokanteco, or Puegkanteko, and southerly alongst the said river Neppiorha if the
same shall fall within the said line as aforesaid; or else in a direct lyne from the
head of the said creek or kill called Pocanteeo Puegkandico, until it comes op-
posite to the said first mentioned creek called Bissightick, and from thence west-
wardly to the head of the said creek and alongst the same to the North or Hud-
son’s river, being the first station, as by the said writing or decd, relation being
thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear, as also another certain tract
or parcel of land on the east syde of the said Hudson’s river that was by the said
Frederick Philips purchased of the native Indians Armaghqueer, Seapham, alias
Thapham, on the 8th day of April, in the year of our Lord 1682, which certain
tract or parcel of land is situate, lying, and being on the east side of the North or
Hudson’s river to the south of the land formerly bought by the said Frederick
Philips of the said Indians, beginning at the south side of a creek called Bissigh-

THE TOWN OF YONKERS, 593

tick, and so ranging along the said river southerly to a creek or fall called by the
Indians Weghquegsik, and by the Christians, Lawrence’s plantation ; and from
the mouth of the said creek or fall upon a due east course to a creek called by the
Indians Nippiorha, and by the Christians the Yonkers kill, and from thence
alongst the west side of the said creek or kill as the same runs to the before men-
tioned land, formerly bought by the said Frederick Philips of the sayd Indians,
and so along that land to the first station, as by the said writing or Indian deed,
relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear; as also another.
tract or parcel of land on the east side of Hudson's river that was by the said
Frederick Philips purchased of the native Indians Warramanhack, Esparamogh,
Annhook, &c., on the 6th day of September, in the year of our Lord, 1682, which
certain tract or parcel of land is situated, lying, and being on the west side
of the North or Hudson’s river, beginning at the north side of the land
belonging to Yonkers kill, Nippiorha, at a great rock called by the Indians
Meghkeckassin, or the great stone, (as called by the Christians,) from thence
ranging into the woods eastwardly to a creek called by the Indians Nip-
piorha aforesaid, and from thence along said creek northerly till you come
to the eastward of the head of a creek called by the Indians Wegquiskeek,
being the utmost bounds of the said Frederick Philips’s land, formerly bought of
the Indians, and from thence westwardly along the said creek Wegqueskeek to
Hudson’s river aforesaid, as by the said Indian deed, relation being thereunto had,
may more fully and at large appear, and also another tract or parcel of land that
was by the said Frederick Philips, purchased of the native Indians, Sapham,
Ghoharius, Kakingsigo, on the 7th day of May, in the year of our Lord, 1684,
which tract or parcel of land is situate, lying and being to the eastward of the said
Frederick Philips between the creek called Nippiorha, or the Yonkers kill, and
Bronk’s river, beginning on the south side at the northerly bounds of the Yonk-
ers land, and from thence along the aforesaid creek, Nippiorha, however it runs,
till you come to the most northerly bounds of the said Frederick Philips’s lands,
and from thence north-east into the woods unto Bronk’s river, as it runs south-
erly to the eastward of the Yonkers land aforesaid, and from thence with a west-
erly lyne, to the afore-named Younkers kill, or Nippiorha, as by the said Indian
deed, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear, all
which several tracts and parcels of land within the several respective limits and
bounds afore-mentioned, and purchased by the said Frederick Philips, of all and
every the respective native Indians aforesaid, in manner aforesaid, were by the
said Thomas Dongan, late governor of our province, under the seal of our said
province, bearing date as aforesaid, given, granted, ratified, and confirmed unto
him, said Frederick Philips, his heirs and assigns, together with all and singular,
the houses, buildings, messuages, tenements, and hereditaments, mills, mill-dams,
rivers, runns, streams, pons, with liberty to erect other miils or dams, or places
convenient, woods, under-woods, quarries, fishing, hawking, hunting and fowl-
ing, with all liberties, priviledges, and improvements whatsoever, to the said
land and premises, belonging in’ or in anywise appertaining, to have and to hold
all the aforesaid tract and tracts, parcel and parcels of land and premises, with
their and every of their appurtenances, unto said Frederick Philips, his heirs and
assignees forever, as by the said grant or patent, sealed with the seal of our said
province, and registered in our secretary's office of our said province, bearing _-

594 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

date 23d day of December, in the year of our Lord 1684, relation being thereunto
had, may more fully and at large appear; and whereas, the aforesaid Thomas
Dongan, late Governor of our said province, by virtue of the said power and
authority in him residing, hath moreover by another grant or patent, sealed with ~
the seal of our said province, and registered in our Secretary’s office aforesaid,
bearing date the 11th day of November, in the year of our Lord 1686, given,
eranted, ratified, and confirmed unto Philip Philips, eldest son of him, the said
Frederick Philips, all that tract or parcel of land commonly called by the Indians
Sinck Sinck, and situate, lying, and being on the east side of Hudson’s river, by
the northermost part of the land, purchased by the said Frederick Philips, and so
running alongst Hudson’s river to a certain creek or river called Kichtawan, and
from thence running alongst the said creek, two English miles, and from thence
running up the country upon a due east lyne, until it comes unto a creek called
Nipiorha, by the Christians, Yonkers creek, and so running alongst the said
creek until it comes unto the northerly bounds of the said land of Frederick
Philips aforesaid, and from thence alongst the said land until it comes to Hud-
son’s river, together with all manner of rivers, rivulets, runns, streams, feedings,
pastures, woods, under-woods, trees, timbers, waters, water-courses, ponds,
pools, pits, swamps, moors, marshes, meadows, easements, profits and commodi-
ties, fishing, fowling, hunting, hawking, mines, minerals, quarries, (royal mines
only excepted), and all royalties, profits, commodities, hereditaments and appurt-
enances whatsoever, to the said tract or parcel of land within the bounds and
limits aforesaid, belonging or in anywise appertaining, to have and to hold the
said tract or parcel of land and all and singular other the premises with their
and every of their appurtenances, unto the said Philip Philips, his heirs and
assigns forever, as by the said grant or patent, relation being thereunto had, may
more fully and at large appear, whereas the said Philip Philips did by mean as-
surance in the law, sell, alienate, enfeoff, and confirm unto his said father, Fred-
erick Philips, all the afore recited tract or parcel of land within the limits and
bounds above mentioned and expressed, together with all and singular, the prem-
ises, with their and every of their appurtenances, to have and to hold unto him
the said Frederick Philips, his heirs and assigns, forever, as by his deed of con-
veyance, under his hand and seal bearing date the day of

in the year of our Lord 168, relation being thereunto had more fully and at
large appear; and whereas, the aforesaid Thomas Dongan, late governor of our
gaid province, by virtue of the said power and authority in him residing, hath,
by another grant or patent sealed with the seal of our said province, and regis-
tered in our Secretary’s office aforesaid, bearing date the 27th day of June, in the
year of our Lord, 1687, given, granted, ratified, released and confirmed unto the
said Frederick Philips, all that the moiety, or one equal half part of a certain
entire parcel of meadow ground, situate lying and being at a certain place called
Tappan, near Hudson’s river, bounded to the north by a certain creek called or
known by the name of Tappan creek, to the east by Hudson’s river aforesaid, to
the west by a certain parcel of upland now in possession of George Lockhart, and
to the south by Hudson’s river aforesaid, and the moiety or equal half of the said
meadows to be laid out along the side of Hudson’s river aforesaid, throughout
the whole length of its bounds upon said river, from Tappan creek aforesaid, and
to be bounded on the north by Tappan creek, to the east by Hudson’s river, to the

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 595

west by the other moiety or half part of the said meadows, still running to the
said George Lockhart’s, and so to run southerly to the end of the said meadows,
nothing excepted or reserved thereof, to the said George Lockhart, his beirs and
assigns, but oue cart or waine way through the said moiety or half part of the mea-
dow aforesaid, which moiety or equal half part of the meadow aforesaid was by
mean assurance in the law, conveyed to the said George Lackhart and Janet, his
wife, unto the said Frederick Philips, his keirs and assigns, to have and to hold the
said moiety or equal half part of the said meadows and premises with the apperti-
nences unto the said Frederick Philips, his heirs and assigns forever, as by the
said grant or patent, sealed with the seal of our said province, and registered in
our secretary’s office aforesaid, bearing date the said 27th day of June, in the
year of our Lord, 1687, and as by the said deed of conveyance, under the hands
and seals of the said George Lockhart and Janet his wife, bearing date 20th day
of February, in the year of our Lord, 1685, relation being thereunto had respect-
ively, may more fully and at large appear; and whereas, Augustine Graham,
our surveyor-general for our said province of New York, &c., hath by warrant
bearing date the 11th of February, in the fourth year of our reign, surveyed and
laid out for the said Frederick Philips, a certain small parcel of salt meadows,
situate and being on the north side of Tappan creek, in the county of Orange, be-
ginning at a certain stake set on the east side of the said creek, and from thence
run east 37° 40 min. northerly to Hudson’s river, six chains and ninety links,
thence along the said river twelve chains and ninety links, south one degree,
westerly to the mouth of the aforesaid creek, and from thence along the said
creek, west five degrees thirty-five minutes, northerly eleven chains, thence north
twelve degrees, eastwardly two chains and forty links, thence east forty degrees,
southerly three chains forty-five links along the said creek, thence east eleven
degrees thirty minutes, southerly two chains twenty links, thence north six de-
grees twenly-five minutes, seven chains and seventy links, to the stake where
the line first began, being bounded on the north-west by a certain parcel of
meadow said to belong to Cornelius Claater, on the east by Hudson’s river, on
the south and west by the said creek, containing in all six acres three roods and
eight perches, as by the return of the survey, bearing date the 19th day of April,
in the said fourth year of our reign, and in the year of our Lord, 1692, relation
being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear, all which several tracts
or parcels of land lying together, and bounded and limited in manner hereafter
expressed and mentioned, (that is to say), all the saic tract and parcels of land
that are on the east side of Hudson’s river, are bounded on the northward by a
creek or river commonly called by the Indians Kightowank, and by the English
Knotrus river, and now Belonging to Stevanus van Cortlandt, Esy., and so east-
ward into the woods along the said creek or river, two English miles; and from
thence upon a direct east line to Bronxes river, and so running southward along
the said Bronxes river as it runs, until a direct west line cutteth the south side of
a neck or island of land, at a creek or kill called Papparinemo, which divides
York island from the main, and so along the said creek or kill as it runs to Hud-
son’s river, which part of the said creek is called by the Indians Shorackhappok,
and continues dividing the said York island from the main, and so from thence
to the northward alongst Hudson’s river, until it comes into the aforesaid creek
or river called by the Indians Kightawank, and by the English Knotrus river, and

596 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the salt meadow ground on the west side of Hudson’s river, are bounded and
limited as here before is plainly mentioned and expressed. And whereas, our
loving subject the said Frederick Philips, one of the members of our council of
our said province of New York, and the territories depending thereon in America,
hath by his petition presented to Benjamin Fletcher, our captain-general and gov-
ernor-in-chief of our said province of New York, &c., prayed our grant and con-
firmation of all and every the tracts and parcels of land within the limits and
bounds aforesaid ; and that we would likewise erect all the said tracts and parcels
of land within the limits aforesaid, into a lordship or manor of Philipsborough,
and that we would further grant unto our said loving subject, a certain neck or
island of land called Paparinemo, adjoining to the land aforesaid, with the salt
meadows thereunto belonging, together with power and authority to erect a
bridge over the water or river commonly called Spiten Devil ferry, or Paparinemo
and to receive toll from all passengers and droves of cattle that shal] pass there-
on, according to rates hereinafter mentioned ; and whereas, it is manifested that
our loving subject hath been a great charge and expense in the purchasing and set-
tling of the aforere cited tracts of land, whereupon considerable improvements
have been made, and that he islikewise willing at his own proper cost and charge to
build a bridge at the ferry aforesaid, for the benefit and accommodation of tray-
elers, which reasonable request for his future encouragement, we being willing to
grant, Know ye, that of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion,
we have given, granted, ratified, and confirmed, and by these presents do, for us,
our heirs and successors, give, grant, ratify, and confirm unto the said Frederick
Philips, his heirs and assigns, all and every the afore recited tracts and parcels of
land and meadow ground within the limits and bounds before mentioned and ex-
pressed, and likewise the aforesaid neck or island of land called Paparinemo,
and the meadow thereunto belonging, with power, authority and privilege to
erect and build a dam bridge upon the aforesaid ferry of Spitendevil or Papar-
inemo, and to receive rates and tolls of all passengers and for droves of cattle ac-
cording to the rates hereafter mentioned, (that is to say), three pence current
money of New York, for each man and horse that shall pass the said bridge in
the day time, and three pence current money aforesaid, for each head of neat
cattle that shall pass the same, and twelve pence current money aforesaid, for
each score of hogs, calves, and sheep that shall pass the same, and nine pence
current money aforesaid, for every boat, vessel, or canoe that shall pass the said
bridge and cause the same to be drawn up, and for each coach, cart, or sledge, or
waggon that shall pass the same, the sum of ninepence current money aforesaid;
and after sunset each passenger that shall pass said bridge, shall pay two pence
current money aforesaid, each man and horse, six pence, each head of neat cattle
six pence, each score of hogs, calves, and sheep, two shillings, for each boat or
vessel. or canoe, one shilling and sixpence, for each coach, cart, waggon, or
sledge, one shilling and sixpence; current money aforesaid, together with all
the messuages, tenements, buildings, barns, houses, out-houses, mills, mill-
dams, fences, orchards, gardens, pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, moors,
pools, woods, underwoods, trees, timber, quarries, rivers, runs, rivulets, brooks,
ponds, lakes, streams, creeks, harbours, beaches, ferrys, fishing, fowling, hunt-
ing, hawking, mines, minerals, (silver and gold only excepted,) and all other
rights, members, liberties, priviledges, jurisdictions, royalties, hereditaments,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 597

proffits, tolls, benefits, advantages, and appertinances whatsoever to the afore-
said tracts and neck or island of land and meadows, ferry, bridge, and mills be-
longing or in any ways appertaining, or accepted, reputed, taken, known, or
occupied as part, parcel, or member thereof; and moreover, know ye, that of our
further special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, we have thought fit,
according to the request of our said loving subject, to erect all the aforesaid re-
cited tracts and parcels of lands and meadows with the limits and bounds afore-
said, into a lordship or manor; and, therefore, by these presents we do erect,
make, and constitute all the aforesaid recited tracts and parcels of land and
meadows, within the limits and bounds aforesaid mentioned, together with all
and every of the afore granted premises with all and every of the appertenances
into a lordship or manor, to all intentsand purposes; and it is our royal will and
pleasure that the said lordship and manor shall from henceforth be called the
lordship or manor of Philipsborough, and the aforesaid bridge to be from henceforth
called Kingsbridge in the manor of Philipsborough aforsaid. And know ye, that
we, reposing special trust and eonfidence in the loyalty, wisdom, justice, pru-
dence, and circumspection of our loving subject, do, for us, our heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto the said Frederick Philips, and to the heirs and as-
signees of him the said Frederick Philips, full power and authority at all times
forever hereafter in the said lordship or manor, one court leet and one court
baron to hold and to keep at such times, and so often, yearly and every year, as
he or they shall see meet; and all fines, issues, and amercements as the said
Court Leet or Court Baron to be holden within said lordship or manor to be sett,
forfeited, or employed, or payable, or happening at any time to be payable by
any of the inhabitants, of or within the said lordship or manor of Philipsborough,
in the limits and bounds, asalso all and every of the power and authority herein be-
fore mentioned, for the holding and keeping the said Leet and Court Baron from
time to time, and to award and issue out the customary writs to be issued and
awarded out of the said Court Leet and Court Baron to be kept by the heirs and
assignees of the said Frederick Philips forever, in their or every of their stewards
deputed and appointed, with full and ample power and authority to distrain for
the rents, levies, or other sums of money payable by virtue of the premises, and
all other lawful remedies and means for the having possession, receiving, levying
and enjoying the premises and every part and parcel of the same, and all waifes,
estrays, wrecks, deodans, and of the fellons happening and being furnished with-
in the said lordship and manor of Philipsborough, and all and every sum and
sums of money to be paid as a parte fine upon any fine or fines to be levied of
any lands, tenements or hereditaments within the lordship or manor of Philips-
borough, together with the advowson and right of patronage of all and every the
church or churches erected or to be erected or established or hereafter to be
erected or established within the said manor of Philipsborough; and we do also
further give and grant unto the said Frederick Philips, his heirs and assignees,
that all and singular the tenants of the said Frederick Philips, within the said
manor shall and may at all times hereafter meet together and choose assessors
within the manor aforesaid, according to such rules, ways, and methods as
are prescribed for the cities, towns, and counties within our province afore-
said by the acts of General Assembly, for the defraying the public charge of
each respective city, town and county aforesaid, and such sums of money so

598 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

assessed or levied to collect and dispose of for such uses as the acts of General
Assembly shall establish and appoint, to have and to hold, possess, collect, and
enjoy, all and singular the said lordship or manor of Philipsborough, together
with the aforesaid halls and premises, with their and every of their appertinances
unto the said Frederick Philips, his heirs and assignees, to the only proper use,
benefit, and behoof of him, the said Frederick Philips, his heirs and assignees
forever, reserving unto us, our heirs and successors, free egress and ingress of all ‘
our and their forces, horse or foot, of our and their coaches, waggons, stores of
war, ammunition, and expresses, that shall from time to time pass the said bridge
for our their service, or anything contained to the contrary herein in any ways
notwithstanding, to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, in free and com-
mon soceage according to the tenure of our manor of East Greenwich within our
county of Kent in our realm of England, yielding rendering, and paying there-
fore, yearly and every year, on the feast day of the Annunciation of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, at our fort at New York unto us, our heirs and successors, the an-
nual rent of £4 12s. current money of our said province in lieu and stead of all
former rents, services, dues, duties, and demands for the said lordship or manor
of Philipsborough and premises. In testimony whereof we have caused the seal
of our province of New York to be hereunto affixed. Witness, Benjamin Fletch-
er our captain-general and governor-in-chief of our province of New York afore-
said, province of Pennsylvania and county of New Castle, and the territory and
tracts of land depending thereon in America, at Fort William Henry, the 12th
day of June, in the fifth year of our reign, and in the year of our Lord, 1693.”

Frederick Philipse, Esq., by his last will bearing date 9th of Decem-
ber, 1702, devised his lands*in this town and part of Greenburgh to
Frederick Philipse his grandson, born in Barbadoes ye only son of
Philip, his eldest son, viz :—

‘“The Island of Papirinemin with the meadows ye toll and all ye lands and
meadows called the Yonkers plantation, with all houses, mills, mill-dams, &c., as
also a piece of land in the mile square by me late bought of Michael Hawdon and
all that tract or parcel of land extending from the Yonkers patent or plantation
to a creek called by the Indians Wysquagua and by the Christians William Por-
tugues creek, aud thence according to ye course of that creek into ye woods to ye
head of ye same from thence on a last line to the creek called the Yonker’s creek,
and thence to continue on the same course to Bronck’s river; also the boat
Yoncker, with her furniture apparel and appurtenances, &c. Upon the death of
the Hon, Frederick Philipse, the above devisee of his grandfather Frederick in
1751, Colonel Frederick Philipse his son became devisee in tail male of the whole
manor of Philipsborough.”

These lands continued in the possession of Colonel Frederick Philipse,
till the year 1779. When having broken his military parole by not
returning to Yonkers, they became confiscated to the people of this State,
and sold and conveyed by Isaac Stoutenburgh and Philip van Cortlandt
Commissioners of Forfeitures, appointed in pursuance of an act of the

THE TOWN OF YONKERS, 599

Legislature of the State, passed rath May, 1784, to the following
persons :—

Mary Hunt 120 Jacob van Tassel 0
Abraham Archer 120 Peter Acker 186
Pierre van Cortlandt 150 Abraham Acker 239
ditto. 120 William Dalcher 215
His own 164 John Jewell 285
John Bishop 83 Jonathan Odell 463
Moses Ward 167 Daniel Wiltsie 829
Elijah Hunter 196 Jacob Storms 279
Peter Davids 200 Richard Delawley 220
Samuel Drake 115 | George Daterach 282
Arnold Hunt * 283 Philip Livingston 233
Richard Garrisden 123 James D. Clark 286
Abraham Orser 123 Peter Post 226
Thomas Bishop 159 Jacobus Dyckman 300
Job Sherwood 365 George Forster : 300
Gerard G. Beeckman 750 Garrett Brown 312
Cornelius Jones 200 Peter Forshee 171
Gerard G. Beeckman 0 Cornelius Darqua 29
Michael McKeel 827 Andrew Bostwick 279
John van Tassel 160 John Lawrence 175
David Storms 25 John Lamb . 202
James Hammond 0 Robert Johnson 190
and Cornelius P_ Lowe) 320
George Coombs 162 mills at Yonckerss
James van Wart 0 Sarah Archer 18
William van Wart 0 John Williams 0
William Hunt 270 Dennis Post 155
John van Wart 230 Thomas Valentine 238
Reformed Dutch Church 0 Joseph Oakley 164
Globe Requa 296 Elnathan Taylor 100
Frederick van Cortlandt 105 John Dead@ 136

On the east side of this town, bordering the Bronx’s river, is situated
a tract of land called the AZize Sguare, lying principally in a beautiful
vale, watered by the river and sheltered by picturesque hills. This tract
was exempted out of the great manorial patent of 1693, and appears
originally to have formed a part of the possessions of the Doughtys of
Flushing ; as we find John Doughty of that place in 1685 selling sixty-
four acres of land here, in one sguare mile, to Francis French, Ebenezer
Jones and John Wascot.?

a Liber B. Co. Rec. p. 53.

b On the 29th of January, 1779, occurs a petition of Jonathan Horton and 172 others, inhabi-
tants of Philipse’s Manor, ‘**whigs,” ‘“‘for ye refusal to purchase ye Manor farms in case of
contiscation and sale’? &¢.—Journals of Senate of New York, vol. 1779-85, p. 159.

600 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“22d May, 1674, John Winter of Westchester sold to to Joseph
Jeames of Fairfield, Connecticut, a parcel of land containing 120 acres,
which is one quarter part of ye tract of land Francis French and Ebene-
zer Jones bought of Elias Doughty. This land lay west northerly from
Eastchester, on the other side of Brunckses river.” —Fairfield Records.

In 1685, John Hiatt, of Bronx’s river, deeds sixty acres of upland to’
Hopestill Betts of the Yonckers, this sale being a part of the whole tract
of land called by the name of the AZZe Sguare. Tradition says that this
place was given by Frederick Philipse as a dower portion when his
daughter Annetjé married Philip French. From the French and Jones
family it passed by sale to the Oakleys, Bertines, Curwells, Sherwoods
and Riches. The latter family have been long residents here, and are
still possessed of a large estate, which has been successively occupied
for several generations. By marriage they are connected with the ancient
family of the Valentines. The Rich family originally came from Ger-
many, and are descended of the Ulrich of Flaack, whose son, Balthassar
Ryché, emigrated to this country at an early period of its settlement.
The following ancient document is still preserved in the family; it is
written in the German language, and was brought from Germany by
Balthassar Ryché :—

“J, Johann Conradt Heidegger, sen’r, of the corporation for Guild, and by the
council of the honorable city of Zurich, duly appointed sheriff of the county of
Kyburgh, certify and make known that on the date mentioned below, the bearer
of this, Balthassar Ryché, son of the late Uulrich of Flaack, situated in my jur-
isdiction, appeared before me, stating, that whereas having been many years and
days absent from this country, and in consequence of a purchase made by him,
intending to reside in future with his wife and children at Sandhussen in the
electoral palatinate as his permanent residence, he therefore humbly requested an
authentic certificate showing his honest birth, pedigree, and name, and likewise that
he leaves this country with a good name and character, in order that he may pro-
duce such testimony when and where it might be requisite. Wherefore I, hav-
ing heard the said Ryche’s petition, conceive it to be no more than right and just
to grant him his request. After having made diligent enquiries respecting his
character, and also obtained from the regularly ordained minister here a written
acknowledgment that his parents where lawfully married and he thus legitimate-
ly conceived and born, and subsequently baptized in a Christian like manner on
the first day of June, in the year 1662, in the presence of sponsors. It also ap-
pears that from his infancy and during the time he resided here he conducted
himself uprightly and without reproach ; and that when he left this place he car-
ried with him an honest reputation. In testimony whereof and in compliance
with his humble and dutiful request, I have caused this written certificate to be
prepared for the said Ryché and have caused the seal of office to be affixed thereto.

Done and passed on the sixteenth day of January, 1699, counting from the

birth of Christ our Saviour. Signed
The County Clerk (Scu1zex) at Kyburgh.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 601

Mile Square during the war of the Revolution appears to have been
a favorite camp ground with both armies, on account of its sheltered
situation and vicinity to the water. Here were quartered Colonel Em-
merick’s British light horse. The British Hussars were billeted here for
several summers. The Ryché’s mansion being occupied as head quar-
ters, it was the custom of the troopers to tie up their horses to long
cords stretched from the apple trees in the orchard, many of which are
still stending. For security the roads were patrolled and videttes
stretched along the neighboring heights. The remains of bastions are
still visible on their summits.

In 1776, the American Rifle Corps were stationed here; and from this
place crossed the Bronx to attack and harrass the British flank, as they
moved towards White Plains, after landing on Throgmorton’s neck.
Subsequent to the memorable battle of White Plains the British returned
to Mile Square, reconstructed Hunt’s bridge, and occupied the hill forts.

In 1778, the British light infantry and Highland companies under Gen-
eral Simcoe, formed an ambuscade in an orchard, at the place where
the roads fork to Hunt’s bridge and Valentine’s hill, in the hope of sur-
prising a large and strong body of the American army meving on the
opposite side of the Bronx. It appears from the British account as re-
lated by Simcoe, that,

“Hunt’s bridge was commanded by the heights on the side of Kings-
Bridge, which the enemy had fortified in 1776. In the British rear was
a wood; it had been designed to conceal the Queen’s Rangers under Gen-
eral Simcoe, and while the Yagers and cavalry should have engaged with
any corps who might patrole to Valentine’s hill, it was thought probable
that the enemy on the opposite side of the Bronx would pass over to
their assistance, when the infantry and Highlanders would rush from the
wood, and occupying the fences do severe and cool] execution upon them
as they were on the bridge and occupied in the deep hollow. An advanced
party of the enemy, notwithstanding the circumstances which made the troops
quit Valentine’s hill, had already passed the Bronx; the Yager cavalary were or-
dered to proceed towards Kings Bridge, slowly and in full sight of the enemy
who were on Hunt’s hill. There wasstill hopes by forming the ambuscade todo
some service, when, to Lieutenant Col. Simcoe’s great surprise, the enemy’s can-
non were fired at the infantry, whom he expected to have been hidden from their
sight, by the interventionof the woods; but it appeared that while Captain Ross
was with the advanced companies some officers imprudently had got upon a
fence, out of curiosity, and discovered themselves to the enemy. Lieutenant
Colonel Simcoe immediately withdrew his men out of the reach of any chance
shot, and made use of the low ground (the crossing of which would have led
him into the ambuscade,) to march his infantry under its cover, out of their
sight, or the reach of their cannon; he sent orders to Captain Ross to withdraw ;

602) HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and again ambuscaded the cavalry in a position to take advantage of the enemy
if any party of them should pursue him, or from Valentine’s hill should endeavor
to incommode his retreat. Observing the movement of the Yager cavalry, the
enemy marched a party to watch their movements, on the opposite bank, while
their main body formed the line. Captain Ross thought proper to wait for the
party that had crossed the Bronx. He permitted them to come close to him,
when his fire threw them into confusion; he then retreated, making a small cir-
cuit to avoid some riflemen who had occupied the wood, and the corps returned
to the camp.”’@ -

A day or two preceding the battle of White Plains a large body of
British horse advanced upon the road leading through this place for the
purpose of reconnoitering.

September, 1778, Sir Archibald Campbell, advanced with the 71st
regiment of the Scotch Highlanders, to Mile square. They were soon
after joined by General Grant, with another force of Highlanders who
occupied the ground from the Bronx at Hunt’s Bridge to the North
River. During the whole course of the war, Colonel James de Lancey
kept a recruiting officer constantly stationed at Jones’s house, in the
Mile square, as he always considered Mile square itself within the Brit-
ish lines.

On the road leading from the Mile square to the city of Yonkers, are
still visible, the remains of an old hostel—the keeper of which was one
Gainos, a Frenchman. This individual, during the occupancy of Mile
square by the American forces, supplied the army with liquor and pro-
visions. On the approach of the enemy from New York, he chose to
retire with General Washington to White Plains ; shortly after the evacua-
tion of the premises by Gainos, his tenants left in charge were alarmed
by the midnight attack of a gang of British Cow-éoys, a scuffle ensued,
during which one of the assailants was killed.

In the retreat of the robbers, they pitched the headless body of their
slain comrade, into the adjoining well. This tragical event has given
rise to strange stories; and has thrown over this spot a veil of horror,
which is heightened by the loneliness of the situation. Some benighted
countryman has construed the gnarled and fantastic cedars, (which sur-
round this spot), into the headless form of the cow-oy seated on the
well; and the sweeping blast, or gurgling brook, into his doleful groans.
The common people still regard this place with superstitious dread, no
one daring to approach it after dusk.

Valentine's hill, is a high ridge bordering the Mile square on the west;
its summit affords one of the finest views in Westchester county. To the

a Simcoe’s Milit. Journal, p. 77.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 603

east the eye ranges over an extensive country of hills, woods and vales,
stretching towards Long Island Sound; the distant horizon skirted by
light blue hills. To the north lie the Tuckahoe hills, while westward the
view is bounded by the Yonkers ridge, surmounted with lofty woods,
with here and there a glimpse to be obtained of the dark palisades peep-
ing through some opening in the trees; below lies a beautiful vale,
through which meanders Tippet’s Brook. At the base of the hill winds
the Croton Acqueduct.

Valentine’s hill and the adjoining property has been occupied by
the ancient and numerous family of the Valentines, for nearly one
hundred and twenty years. In this immediate neighborhood is situ-
ated the old burying-ground. Here are interred the remains of Frederick
Devoe, the grand-father of Col. Thomas Farringdon of New York
city, and several members of the Valentine and Brown families. It
is now included in Woodlawn cemetery. The ancestor of the family,
Matthias Valentine, having been one of the first tenants under the Phil-
ipses; on his settlement here, the whole surrounding country was one
vast forest, the lonely domain of the deer. The verges of these forests
also abounded with another noble species of game long since extinct,
and that was the wild turkey. It is said that flocks of them used to fly
from the Yonkers ridge on the west side of Tippet’s brook to this hill,
at certain seasons of the year, for the purpose of feeding on the acorn
and beech nut. The flight was always commenced by a large black
cock of the woods, sunset being the signal for departure; the leader
gave the well known note, and they were instantly on the wing for the
opposite hills. There yet remains a fine specimen of the ancient deni-
zens of the forests on the western edge of this hill, by the roadside lead-
ing to the village. This venerable chestnut tree, in the Fall of the year,
appears to be the favorite gathering place of thousands of swallows just
before they commence their migrations.

In possession of the Valentine family are numerous receipts given for
rent ; formerly due the Lords of Philipsborough. As a specimen occurs
the following :—

Op Nippera Des 20 Mars No. 1727,
den 20 Mars heft Theis Valentin en syn Moeder hier ‘men 134 boschel tar-
we vor de huer von land vor ye Tahr Ao 1726.
Yonckers, January ye 28 day, 1734-5.

Then received of Mr. Matthiase Vallentine 74 bushels of Rent wheat on behalf
of Mr. Philipse. I said received by me,

WILLIAM PECK.

604 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

At the commencement of the Revolutionary War this hill was rented
by two grand-sons of the first proprietor, Thomas and Gilbert Valentine,
who occupied it through the whole course of the war. In the summer
of 1775, the American army threw up entrenchments on its summit, the
remains of which are still visible. When his Excellency General Wash-
ington lay encamped on Valentine’s hill in the Fall of 1776, it was sup-
posed to be the design of the enemy to attack his position. On this
occasion Thomas Valentine was engaged with the General in conversa-
tion, leaning upon the pommel of his saddle, when the heads of the
British columns were seen approaching at a distance of three or four
miles on the opposite side of the Bronx, as if taking the direction of the
hill. Under this supposition, Washington ordered out several companies
to attack the flanking parties of the enemy, who, it was discovered were
taking the high road to the White Plains. It was afterwards asserted by
a British officer, that through the aid of their glasses they had seen
Thomas Valentine and the General in conversation.

Washington having ascertained the intention of the enemy, pushed on
his left wing to the White Plains, while his right occupied the hill.

From the 12th to the 27th of October, 1776, the American army lay
entrenched in detached camps, from this hill to the White Plains. On
the 27th, as the enemy continued to advance upon the White Plains,
General Washington suddenly called in all his detachments, and aban-
doning the position he had occupied along the Bronx, assembled all his
forces in a strong camp upon Chatterton Heights. Upon the 28th of
October, the day of the battle, it was asserted by the residents on the
hill, that not only was the cannonade distinctly heard, but also the sing-
ing of the Hessians as they advanced to the attack the American posi-
tion. After the battle of the 28th, the British infantry were stationed
here.

The old Valentine house, which stood north-west of the present resi-
dence, was used for some time by General Washington as head-quarters.

It would appear from the following letter, in possession of the family,
that Thomas Valentine had aided the advance of Washington’s left wing

towards the White Plains :—
VALENTINE’S Hitt, Jan’y 277TH, 1777.
These may certify, that on or about the 25th day of October last, I ordered
Thomas Valentine’s one yoke of oxen and cart, to be taken for the public service.
They carried a load to ye White Plains. There I discharged them. I am in-
formed they were further taken on their return, and that Mr. Valentine hath not

received them. . B. LINCOLN.

a Stedman’s Hist. of the American war,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 605

On the 6th of June, 1778, Sir William Erskine fell back towards Val-
entine’s Hill. The Queen’s Rangers encamping on Odell’s Hill, soon
after, these corps formed a part of an escort which accompanied the
English commander-in-chief to the White Plains, 1778. Lieutenant-
Colonel Tarleton was ordered, with the whole of the English cavalry, to
this hill, for the purpose of covering the right, when they endeavored to
surprise General Gist in the parsonage. The same year, upon the re-
tiring of Lieutenant-Colonel Simcoe, the Continental forces again took
possession of the hill.

On the 16th of September, 1782, (says General Heath), the enemy
made a grand forage near Valentine’s Hill; Sir Guy Carleton was out
in person, as was the young Prince, (William Henry, Duke of Clarence,
afterwards King William the Fourth). The covering party, it was said
consisted of five or six thousand men.?

During the absence of the armies, Valentine’s Hill was much exposed
to the depredations of gangs of outlaws called Cow Boys and Skinners,
who roamed the country in search of plunder. On one occasion, a
party of the former forced their entrance into the Valentine House;
seizing the proprietor, Thomas Valentine, they demanded his life or
money; whereupon, disbelieving, or affecting to disbelieve him, they
threatened, on his again refusing, to hang him instantly. Obtaining no
satisfactory answer, they carried him to the foot of a cherry tree, still
standing, near the corner of the old garden, and had placed the cord
around his neck, when he suddenly threw it off, exclaiming, “‘ Don’t be
such d d fools as to hang a man when he hasn’t any money.” The
coolness and apparent sincerity of his language, served effectually to dis-
arm the robbers; for they not only desisted from their purpose, but re-
leased him. Instances had occurred in the neighborhood, in which they
had actually carried their threats into execution.

One or two instances of heroic courage in a female of this family
(Susan Valentine, afterwards Mrs. Vredenburgh) is deserving of record,
These marauders, like all other villians, frequently proved themselves
great cowards. Miss Susan Valentine, when a young woman, prevented
a large party from entering the house by threatening them, single handed,
with a large oven shovel—solemnly protesting she would split the head of
the first man that dared to cross the threshhold. Her courage and deter-
mination alone served to protect the house from plunder. On another
occasion, an intimate friend, Mr. Sneden, had entrusted her with the

a Simcoe’s Mil. Journal.
6b Heath’s Mem. 353.

606 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

care of £30 in gold and silver—not daring to carry this amount about
his person, as he was going a long journey into the interior.

On receiving her charge, Miss Valentine, for greater security concealed
it in her dress, designing to keep it there until the owner’s safe return.

The same evening of Mr. Sneden’s departure, a party of Skinners
forced their way into her bed-room, dragged her from the bed, and
demanded her money. ‘This she either denied possessing, or refused to
deliver; whereupon, becoming violent, she called to her brother. During
the scuffle that followed her brother’s entrance, she contrived to crawl
out at the foot of the bed, hoping, in this way, to escape unobserved. In
this, she was disappointed ; the villains observed and again seized her. In
the violent attempt made to extricate herself the second time, the money
fell on the floor, or, as she herself described it “‘was fairly shook out of
her.” The freebooters greedily seized it, and marched off, delighted with
the success of their enterprize.

In this town is situated Berrian’s Neck, the ancient WVipnichsen of the
Mohegans. The Dutch conferred upon it the name of Konstabelsche
hoek, or Point, from its owner, William Constable. This neck forms the
northern bank, at the mouth, of the noted Spyt den Dyvel Kil, or
channel. At an early period it belonged to Samuel Edsall. From the
Edsalls it passed to the Tippetts, who, during the revolutionary struggle,
adhered to the side of the Crown. In consequence, their property was
confiscated to the State, (the Tippetts having removed to Nova Scotia,)
and sold to Samuel Berrian, who married Dorcas a daughter of George
Tippett,“ former proprietor. A second daughter became the wife of the
celebrated Col. James de Lancey, one of the boldest leaders of the
Neutral Ground. In 1796, Samuel Berrian, the father of Richard and
grand-father of the late Rev. William Berrian, rector of Trinity church,
New York, sold the whole estate of Tippett’s Neck, consisting of 200
acres, to his nephew, Abraham Berrian.

The latter was the son of Richard Berrian, by his wife Grace, daughter
of Abraham Riker of Newtown, L. I, and grand-son of Cornelius the
son of John, the eldest son of Cornelis Jansen Berrian who settled in
Flatbush, L. I.,.as early as 1669. He married Jannet, daughter of
Jan Stryker; and, being a person of character and education, enjoyed
offices in the town government, and was likewise a deacon of the Dutch
church. In 1685 he removed his residence to Newtown, where he died
in 1689.

a “‘A true inventory of all and singnlar the goods &c. of George Tippetts of Yonkers was
taken 29th day of Sept., 1675, by Thos. Hunt of Westchester, Wm. Heydon of Eastchester and
Edw. Griffin of Flushing.”—Surr. Office N. Y., No. 1, p. 234, wills and adm. 1665-1680.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 607

All testimony unites in ascribing to this family a French origin; and
is made probable that the seat of their ancestors was at Berrien, now a
considerable town in the department of Finisterre. Concurrent traditions,
existing in diverse branches of the family, declare their ancestor was a
Huguenot, who, during the civil wars of France was forced to flee and
take refuge in Holland.

The children of Abraham—were Abraham who died in 1851, aged 71;
Nathaniel, died in 1847, aged 65; Richard, blind, died 1827, aged 40;
Rebecca married George Brinkerhoff; Grace-Moore, married Major
Leonard Bleecker; Charity, married John Hoogland, and Mary.

The neck remains yet undivided. The heirs are Abraham Berrian,
John Hoogland, and Mr. Bleecker.

There are remains of three distinct forts on Tippett or Berrian’s Neck,
which once formed a part of the chain of hill batteries reaching from
the North to the East Rivers. On January the 19th, 1777, (says Gen.
Heath,) it was determined to make an attempt to cut off the British bat-
talion within King’s Bridge, early the next morning, by passing a strong
detachment over Spitten Devil Creek on the ice, which, however, was
not very strong, but the weather wascold. One thousand were detached
for this purpose ; but the weather having grown warm in the night, the
ice was judged, by the unanimous opinion of all the general officers on

*the ground, to be too hazardous, on the morning of the zoth, to venture
the attempt. On this day there was a cannonade on both sides, and the
enemy on the island side were thrown into much confusion. Our Gen-
eral observed that when the enemy within the island were cannonaded
across Haarlem Creek, they sheltered themselves behind the little hill
near the bridge, next to Spitten Devil Creek. On this afternoon he rode
round on to Tippett’s Hill, which was in its rear, and found that a field-
piece, drawn up on that side, would leave the enemy no hiding place.
On the 21st, a cannonade commenced again on both sides. In the
afternoon a field-piece was hauled up to Tippett’s Hill, and the enemy
being cannonaded both in front and rear, they were thrown into the ut-
most confusion : some secured themselves in their redoubt, others under
the banks ; some lay flat on the ground, and some betook themselves to
the cellars: so that in a short time there was no object for the gun-
ners.”

The principal fort now standing on the neck is situated a little south
of the residence of Mr. Whiting, on the property of Mr. John Ewings.
It is in the form of a hollow square, with banks fifteen or twenty feet

a Ricker’s annals of Newtown, L. I., p. 338-340,
b Heath’s Mem. 110,

608 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

high. Nothing can exceed the boldness ofthe scenery, as viewed from
this elevated spot ; below, the steep sides of the neck are bordered with
beautiful woodland that skirts the shores of the majestic Hudson; while
beyond, the palisades are seen abruptly rising in all their grandeur from
the opposite margin of the river. South-east are the distant heights
of Fordham and Westchester, and north, the Hudson reaching into the
Tappaan Zee.

The remains of “ Jndian shell beds,” are still visible immediately in
the rear of the fort. Foot paths leads through the woods that skirt the
river to the extreme point of the neck. ‘The Berrian residence, a fine
structure of stone, now occupied by Mr. Tucker, is situated on rising
ground near the extreme point; its beautiful situation claims notice.
The Hudson here expands its waters; and, united with those of the
Haarlem river at the mouth of the Spuyten Duyvel, gives a beautiful lake-
like appearance to the whole ; the winding creek, the heights of Ford-
ham and wooded hills of New York island, serve to unite and blend a
landscape which might have inspired the pen of a Thompson or the
pencil of a Claude. The old Tippett mansion is located on the eas-
tern side of this neck, embosomed in the bank and shaded with tall pop-
lars. It possesses a desolate and antiquated appearance, in perfect
keeping with the strange stories that are told of its still being haunted
by the ghosts of the old tories. Deer are.said to have frequented the
woods bordering on this neck as late as 1782.

The mouth of the Spuyt den duyvel kil and Berrian’s neck will ever
be memorable as the scene of the fight between Hendrick Hudson and
the Indians, A. D. 1609.

At day-break on the 22d of October, the Halve Maen (Crescent)
sailed from Tellers Point on her passage down the river, with a fair
wind, twenty-one miles, till the tides set too strong against her, when she
came to anchor near the upper end of Manhattan Island. ‘“ The two
captive Indians who had escaped at West Point had, it appears, made
their way on the east side of the river, rousing on their return the spirits
of Sleepy Hollow,¢ or the more ferocious Manhatta,» and here ‘in the
inlet of Haarlem river, they had concentrated a force that impatiently
awaited the arrival of the rich booty, which they flattered themselves
they should obtain.” __

“They had not waited long ere the Halve Maen appeared, and im-
mediately hove to, near their place of ambush. One of the Indians who

a Of the Mahicanni nation, who lived, says Moulton, 4 little north-west of White-Plains,—
Irving's Sketch Book.

b Who probably extended to Tappan Bay.—Moulton.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 609

had escaped from Hudson’s vessel now came out with many others,
armed with bows and arrows, expecting to betray them.”* But, says
Juet the mate of Hudson’s vessel, ‘‘we perceived their intent, and suf-
fered none of them to enter our ship, whereupon two canoes full of men
with bows and arrows shot at us after our stern, in recompense whereof
we discharged six muskets and killed two or three of them; then above
one hundred of them came to a point of land to shoot at us, then, I shot
a falcon at them and killed two of them: whereupon the rest fled into
the woods. Yet they manned off another canoe with nine or ten men,
which came to meet us; so I shot at it also a falcon, and shot it through
and killed one of them, then our men with muskets killed three or four
more of them, so they went their way.”8

It was here, too, that during the absence of the illustrious Peter Stuy-
vesant, who was then occupied in reducing the Swedish fortress on the
Delaware, a body of nine hundred Indians having crossed the river,
came and landed at ‘“‘Spiteing Devil” creek. Here they posted them-
selves, and remained until they were apprised of his return.¢

The waters of the kill or channel, derive their name from a daring
Dutch burgher of the Manhattans, who, bent upon performing some
deed of knight errantry, determined upon crossing this stream in a vio-
lent storm, in opposition to the remonstrances of his friends ; swearing
he would swim across “en spyt den duyvel,” (in spite of the devil), but
scarcely had he reached the channel when he was overwhelmed by the
stormy billows and sank to rise no more.

This incident has been well described in the Sketch Book, by Wash-
ington Irving, although he has fixed a much later date for the origin ot
the name than we find it recorded in the Colonial annals. It is entitled,

“THE DOLEFUL DISASTER OF ANTHONY THE TRUMPETER.”’

‘‘Stuyvesant resolutely bent upon defending his beloved city (New Amster-
dam) in spite of itself, called unto him his trusty Nan Corlear, who was his right
hand man in all times of emergency. Him did he adjure to take his war de-
nouncing trumpet, and mounting his horse, to beat up the country, night and
day, sounding the alarm along the pastoral borders of the Bronx, starting the
wild solitudes of Croton, arousing the rugged yeomanry of Weehawk and Ho-
boken, the mighty men of battle of Tappan bay, and the brave boys of Tarry-
town and Sleepy Hollow, together with all the other warriors of the country
round about; charging them one and all, to sling their powder horns, shoulder -
their fowling pieces, and march merrily down to the Manhattans. Now there .

a@ Moulton’s Hist. N. Y. part i, 272, 2,
6 Hudson's Journal.
ce Egbert Benson’s Mem. N, Y. 94.

610 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

was nothing in all the world, the divine sex excepted, that Anthony van Corlear
loved better than errands of this kind. So just stopping to take a lusty dinner,
and bracing to his side his junk bottle, well charged with heart inspiring Hol-
lands, he issued jollily from the city gate that looked out upon what is at present
called Broadway ; sounding as usual a farewell strain, that rung in sprightly
echoes through the winding streets of New Amsterdam. Alas! never more
were they to be gladdened by the melody of their favorite trumpeter! it was a
dark and stormy night when the good Anthony at the famous creek (sagely
denominated Harlem river) which separates the island of Manna-hata from the
main land. The wind was high, the elements were in an uproar, and no Charon
could be found to ferry the adventurous sounder of brass across the water.

‘For a short time he vapoured like an impatient ghost upon the brink; and
then, bethinking himself of the urgency of his errand, took a hearty embrace of
his stone bottle, swore most valorously that he would swim across, ‘en spyt den
duyvel,’ (in spite of the devil!) and daringly plunged into the stream. Luckless
Anthony! scarce had he buffeted half way over, when he was observed to
struggle violently, as if battling with the spirit of the waters; instinctively he
put his trumpet to his mouth, and giving a vehement blast, sunk forever to the
bottom !

‘*The potent clangour of his truampet—like the ivory horn of the renowned
Paladin Orlando, when expiring in the glorious field of Roncesvalles—rung far
and wide through the country, alarming the neighbours around, who hurried in
amazement to the spot. Here an old Dutch burgher, famed for his veracity,
and who had been a witness of the fact, related to them the melancholy affair ;
with the fearful addition, (to which I am slow in giving belief,) that he saw the
duyvel, in the shape of a huge moss-bonker, seize the sturdy Anthony by the leg,
and drag him beneath the waves. Certain it is, the place with the adjoining
promontory which projects into the Hudson, has been called ‘spyt den duyvel,’ or
Spuyten Duyvel, ever since. The restless ghost of the unfortunate Anthony still
haunts the surrounding solitudes, and his trumpet has often been heard by the
neighbors, of a stormy night, mingling with the howling of the blast. Nobody
ever attempts to swim over the creek after dark; on the contrary, a bridge has
been built to guard against such melancholy accidents in future.”4

This creek, and neighboring waters, are also celebrated for their shad
fishery. The season for fishing commences in March, and continues
throughout April and May. It is entirely governed by the influx and
reflux of the tide, or the last of the flood and ebb. The fishermen make
four lifts every twenty-four hours. The aggregate value of this fish,
(the Alosa Sapidissima, Rap.,) taken in the Hudson river. and neigh-
boring waters south of the Highlands, amounts to $100,000 annually.

The small settlement of Kings Bridge bordering on the Haarlem river,
took its name from a ferry and bridge established here at a very early
period of the Colonial administraticn. The Westchester side of the
bridge (where stands the Macomb’s mansion,) was formerly an island

a Beauties of Washington Irving, p. 198,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 611

called by the Indians Paperinemen, as we find the Director General,
William Kieft, granting unto Matys (Matthew) Jansen the isle of Paper-
inemen, 18th August, 1646.* 1674, John Archer, lord of the manor of
Fordham, laid claim to a neck of land called Humock Island, commonly
called by the Indians Paperinemen, which he asserted he had by patent.
But it would appear that governor Lovelace had already settled an indi-
vidual by the name of Vervelen upon the island to keep a ferry for the
accomodation of passengers between the island and the Westchester
shore. To satisfy Archer's claim, however, the secretary of the colony,
Matthias Nicolls, agreed to pay a yearly rent for the same,

In 1692, His Excellency the Governor “out of great favour and good -
to the city of New York proposed the building of a bridge over the
spiken devil ferry.”

The same year at a meeting of the Mayor, Aldermen and Assistants,
we find them petitioning the Governor : —

‘«That as Frederick Phillipse will undertake to build the bridge at the said plaze,
for the conveniency of all travellers and droves of cattle at a moderate and
reasonable toll; they do therefore humbly pray, that if the said Phillipse will
undertake, in one year’s time, to build a good and convenient draw bridge for the
passage of all travellers, droves of cattle and passage of carts and waggons, for
the toll of one penny for every neat cattle, and two pence for each man and horse,
and 12 pence for each score of hogs and sheep, and six pence for each cart and
waggon that shall pass thereon, that he may have the preference of their majes-
ties grant for the same by having a bridge built there.”

The following year, 1693, the 5th of King William the third and
Queen Mary, the Ferry, Island and meadow were confirmed to Frederick
Philipse, Lord of the manor of Philipsburgh, by royal charter and
power given him to erect thereon a bridge and to receive a certain toll
therein specified, and furthermore the said bridge to be henceforth
called King's Bridge.4

Madam Knight on her journey from New York to New Haven in the
year 1704, speaks thus of this place: ‘ About 5 o’clock came to Spiting
Devil, else Kings Bridge, where they pay three pence for passing over
with a horse, which the man, that keeps the gate set up at the end of
the bridge, receives.”

During the war of the revolution, Kings Bridge constituted the “ dar

a Dutch Trans. Rec. G. G. p. 360.

& Minutes of Common Council N. Y. Vol. ii. 70.
¢ Minutes of Common Council, Vol. ii. 70.

d Charter of Philipsburgh.

e Journal Madam Knight, 56,

612 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

rier” of the British line, when they occupied New York Island, while as
far north as the Croton extended, the “ eutral Ground.” Like the
pass of ancient Thermopylae, Kings Bridge can boast of her faithful
bands of Spartans, who fought for “liberty or death.” As early as May
25, 1775, Congress ordered :—

‘** That a post be immediately taken and fortified, at or near Kings Bridge, and
that the ground be chosen with a particular view to prevent the communication
between the city of New York and the country from being interrupted by land,”

On the abandonment of Manhattan Island in, 1776, by the American
Army, Kings Bridge was occupied by the American General as head-
quarters.

This bridge was the scene of a bloody conflict between a portion of
the Continental army under the command of Major General Heath, and
a large body of Hessians under Knyphausen.

January 17, 1777, a detachment ‘says Heath with two field pieces,
was ordered to move to the north of the fort, (in which was a garrison
of Hessians who had refused to surrender,) to a hill above Harlem
creek, not far from the New Bridge. When the detachment arrived at
this place, a battalion of Hessians appeared drawn up on the side of
the hill just within Kings Bridge, and back of Hyatt’s tavern. Our
general (Heath) ordered the artilery to cannonade them immediately.
The first shot cleared the nght of the battalion, nearly a platoon settling
down as the shot passed them, which entered the bank close behind
them. The second shot passed about the centre of the battalion, when
to the amount of a grand division settled down, which was an evidence
that they would not stand much longer. One of the pieces was ordered
to be drawn lower down the hill; on which the battalion quitted their
ground and marched off as fast as they could, without running to get
behind the redoubt and hill at the bridge, receiving one shot more as they
were turning round the point. It was not suspected that the enemy had
any cannon in the redoubt within the bridge, but they now began to
cannonade the artillery men who had descended the hill, who had to
draw up their pieces as fast as possible, which they effected without any
loss but received three or four shots quite among them, before they
could reach the top of the hill.”X The attack on the 19th and aist
has been already detailed in the account of Tippetts hill.

In July, 1778, Lord Cathcart held the command of the British forces
at Kings Bridge.

a The new bridge was erected by Jacob Dykeman and Johannes Vermilyea, previous to the
war, for the purpose of avoiding the toll of the old bridge.

b Heath's Mem. 109.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS, 613

“The late skirmish, (says Heath,) writing in 1781, near King’s
Bridge, was occasioned by the American army’s moving down, in order
to give the French officers a view of the British out-posts near the
bridge. A number of Americans were killed and wounded by long
shot from the yaugers of the enemy, who kept up a popping fire
whenever they could reach our troops.”4

The vestiges of the military camp pits can still be traced on the hills
around the bridge, while within a few feet of it the remains of a British
officer were recently disinterred—and, incredible as it may seem, in his
full uniform ; the brass buttons as perfect as the day they were moulded,
containing the number of his regiment.

King’s Bridge was also the rendezvous of a corps of freebooters
called “ Cow Boys,” whose bands ravaged the surrounding hills and
valleys. ‘On the part of the British,” remarks the author of the Spy,
“the stimulus of loyalty was by no means suffered to sleep where so
fruitful a field offered on which it might be expended. But their free-
booters were enrolled, and their efforts more systematized. Long ex-
perience had taught their leaders the efficacy of concentrated force ; and
unless tradition does great injustice to their exploits, the result did no
little credit to their foresight. ‘The corps—we presume from their well
known affection to that useful animal—had received the significant
appellation of ‘Cow Boys.’”’ The morality of these heroes of the
Neutral Ground, was of a singular kind: the rapine by which they
subsisted, they accounted lawful and honorable.

King’s Bridge lies prettily situated in a beautiful vale near the con-
fluence of the Hudson and Harlem Rivers. It is almost surrounded
by high rolling hills, whose tops are crowned by hill forts and fine spread-
ing woods. This spot was first chosen as the site of the city of New
Amsterdam, on account of its secure and inland position.

Immediately west of the bridge flows Z7ppet?s Brook, the Mosholu of
the Indians, and here it unites with the Haarlem River. This latter
stream, formerly called the Muscoota,’ has been long known as a favorite
resort to the angler. The beautiful striped bass (Labrax Lineatus,
Cuvier,) abounds in these waters. The fishing season usually com-
mences in May, and reaches perfection in the months of September and
October. The baits preferred (although they vary according to location)
are the soft crab, shrimp and squid, or common cuttle fish. The bass is

a Heath’s Mem. 294,
b Spy, i, 24.
c This name frequently applies to the Harlem River in the Albany and County Records. |,

614 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

well known to be an anadromous, living in the salt water, but generally
spawning in the fresh. These fish sometimes attain to a large size.

The favorite station of the angler is the New Bridge. The present
tavern at King’s Bridge occupies the site of the old Dyckman Hotel, in
which its landlords were wont to entertain the ancient aldermen of the
Manhattans.

The residence of the late Robert Macomb, Esq., now occupied by his
widow, lies beautifully embossed in shrubbery, commanding fine views of
the bridge, creek, New York island, and neighboring hills. Among the
latter stands prominent Zefard’s Height, with its powder house, and
Fort Independence. From this hill the continental army retreated, on the
approach of General Knyphausen, in 1776. The pleasure grounds
around the Macomb mansion, are tastily laid out in shrubberies and
walks, while the beautiful waters of the “dAfuscoota” add variety to the
scenery.

In one of the rooms we noticed a beautiful painting, by Waldo, of
Major Gen. Alexander Macomb. This family is descended from the
MacCombie’s, of Ireland, an ancient and honorable stock who removed
to that country from Scotland. The grand-father of the General was
John Macomb, who emigrated from Ireland to this country in 1742, and
held an official place under the Colonial government. He established
himself in New York, where his son Alexander Macomb, father of
Major Gen. Alexander, was educated. The father was a representative
in the State Legislature, from the city of New York, in 1787-8, and
during the late war with Great Britain he furnished five sons for the
service of his country in the militia and regular army. He afterwards
removed to Detroit, where he amassed a large fortune in the fur trade.
Here he married Catharine Navarre, a lady of noble French extraction.
Major General Alexander Macomb was born 3d April, 1782.

This distinguished individual was the hero of Plattsburgh, and sub-
sequently General-in-chief (May, 1828, until his decease, June, 1846) of
.the United States army. His sister married Capt. Arent Schuyler de
Peyster.

Leaving the Bridge, the approach to the village of Yonkers from the
south possesses many points of interest. Along the edge of the valley
are scattered beautiful knolls and high ranges of hills, either cultivated or
covered with woods ; to the left, seated on a fine, wooded hill, is a large
stone mansion, erected by Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq., A.D. 1822, up-
on the site of a much older building, which was destroyed by fire A. D.

a The arms of McComb or McCoombe, ar. a saltire per fesse and per saltire, or and az.
countercharged.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 615

1822. The ascent to the house is through the romantic woods of Cort-
landt’s ndge. The road passes over a deep ravine, watered by a pictur-
esque brook, and through high masses of frowning rock. The lawn in
front commands a view of the vale of Yonkers, while at the foot of the
hill runs Tippett’s Brook.

The farm house situated on this property was built by Frederick van
Cortlandt, A. D. 1766. In 1848, flourishing upon the lawn in the rear
of the mansion, was an aged apple tree marked with the name of Jacobus
van Cortlandt—date illegible.

This property, which lies directly north of Berrian’s Neck, passed, up-
on the death of Frederick van Cortlandt, to his brother Augustus van
Cortlandt. The latter, by will, bequeathed the same to his grandson
Augustus Morris, “ provided he assumed the name of Van Cortlandt.”
Augustus van Cortlandt subsequently sold the property to Samuel B.
Thompson, John Ewing, William C. Wetmore, and James R. Whiting.
The latter gentleman has recently erected a beautiful stone residence on
the western side of the neck, which commands extensive prospects of the
Hudson and palisades; the entrance is by a beautiful road that winds
through a thick wood to the house. The Van Cortlandt mansion and
surrounding property belongs to Samuel B. Thompson, Esq., and is now
occupied by the McFarlane family. The western side of Cortlandt’s
ridge embraces fine views of the Hudson River, palisades and hills
stretching northwards. Upon the property of W. C. Wetmore, Esq.,
there is a celebrated white oak, which stands in the midst of a pretty
glade called the “ Cow Bov Oak,” from the fact that these lawless des-
peradoes were often suspended from its branches.

‘* Short was their shrift, and sure the cord.”
[ Rokeby.

Cortlandt house, the ancient residence of the Van Cortlandt family,
stands in the vale below, about one mile north from Kings Bridge, on
the road leading to the village of Yonkers. Prior to the purchase of,
the Philipses, this estate (as before shown) formed a portion of the fief
of Colen-donck, and was styled the ‘‘ Old Yonckers.” From the Pat-
roon Adriaen van der Donck, it passed. through the hands of various
proprietors to the Hon. Frederick Philipse, who sold it to his son-in-law
Jacobus van Cortlandt, A.D. 1699. Since then, it has been considera-
bly enlarged by other purchases. The whole eight hundred and fifty
acres is now vested in his descendant, Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq.,
with the exception of one hundred and five acres which has been laid
out by competent engineers, as Oloff Park. This beautiful and valua-

616 HISTORY OF “THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

\
ble part of the Cortlandt estate, is but half a mile north of New York
city, and lies almost entirely on elevated ground, from portions of
which most beautiful views reward the visitor. Jerome Park lies just
south of it, and the magnificent Central avenue is not more than a
quarter of a mile distant.

A broad avenue named Van Cortlandt, has been opened through the
Park, and the most elevated portion has been set aside for a park within
a park. Fronting on this enclosure which has been named Stevenson
Park, are most beautiful villa sites, containing from ten to forty city lots.
Oloff Park has as its boundaries, three important and ancient roads; the
old Albany Post Road, the old Boston Post Road, and the road from
Yonkers to William’s Bridge and Westchester. In addition to these and
Van Cortlandt avenue, referred to above, Gouvenure avenue, Stevenson
avenue and Lesler place, have been laid out within the limits of the
park.

The Central Park Commissioners, who have done so much to beau-
tify and improve the upper portion of New York Island, now have,
by act of the Legislature, supreme control over this part of Westchester
County—and by opening Central avenue and Grand Boulevards, draining
low grounds and providing water supply for the future inhabitants, will
soon make this part of the county approximate in value to the most
valuable lots up town; and, secondly, it is very confidently predicted
that before many years, the business part of the city will be in the neigh-
borhood of the Harlem river. With Hell Gate cleared of its obstructions,
the last obstacle to the change in the course of shipping will be re-
moved.

It is believed that then, ships, instead of entering by way of the Bay will
come by way of Long Island Sound, and have their wharves near and
along the Harlem River ; that the latter will be made a grand ship canal
through which communication with the Hudson and inland towns will
be made. Already the late far-sighted Commodore Vanderbilt, has a
railroad chartered—and we believe, under contract—which is to connect
Spuyten Duyvil on the Hudson with the future port at the other end of
Harlem River.

Jacobus van Cortlandt, the first of the name who enjoyed this estate
was the second son of the Right Hon. Oloff Stevensen van Cortlandt,
a native of Cortlandt in Holland, who came out to this country in the
military service of the Dutch West India Company, and grandson of
the Right Hon. Steven van Cortlandt a lineal descendant of the ancient
Dukes of Cortlandt or Courland. Jacobus married in 1691 Eva
Philipse daughter of the Hon. Frederick Philipse of the manor of

To face page 616, vol ii. PEDIGREE OF VAN CORTLANDT, OF YONKERS.

Arms:—Arg. the wings or arms of a wind-mill slatierways sa, voided of the field, five estoiles gu. Crest :—An estoile gu. between two wings elevated arg. Motto :— Virtus sibi munus.

Right Hon. Steven Van Cortlandt_....

Right Hon. bio Stevensen, or__Annetje Loockermans, da, of Govert Loockermans

Orloff Stevens Van Cortlandt | and Ariantje his wife, mar. 1642, ob. 1669.
Right Hon. Stephanus Van Cortlandt,_Gertrude Schuyler Taedbus Van Cortlandt, of Yonkers, son of the _Eva Philipse, da, Peter Randolph DeVries and sohtanies Van Cortlandt,
nat. 7th May, 1643; ancestor of the Right Hon. Oloff Steveusen, nat. 7th July,| Margaret Hardenbrock, and adopted da. of nat. Oct, 18th, 1648, ob.
Cortlandt branch—vide Pedigree, 1658, marriage license dated 7th May, 1691. Frederick Philipse, Lord of the Manor of Phil- 1667, S. Dp.
| ipsborough, nat. 30th October, 1660
Frederick Van Cortlandt, nat. 1698, Frances Jay, married 19th January, mi areh A wratiam De Peyster fale —Hon, John Chambers Mary —Peter Jay, father of the
ob. 12th February, 1749. | 1724, ob. 2d August, 1780, Ton. John Jay.
Bs I f [= | F : j | fs
Jacobus Van Cortlandt, nat. Augustus Van Cortlandt, —1.Miss Cuyler, Frederick, nat. 28th March, Eva nat, 5th Nov. _Menry White, nat. Anna Maria —1,Nathaniel Marston Eva, nat, 28th Merch, 1752,
3d Mar., 1726, ob. 1st April, nat. 3d August, 1728, —2.Catharine Barclay, of 1730, ob. 8. p. 1800. 1737, ob. Ooct,, 28th Mar., 1782. nat. 1786, Whose da Mary mar. ob. 8. p. 1733.
1781. ob. 1823, Santa Cruz, West 1836. Captain Philipse.
: Indies. 2. Augustus Van Horn.
|
James van Cortlandt, Helen Van Cortlandt James Morris, of Anne van Cort- een White Admiral J an White Gen. trea White william White avn _Sir John Macnamara Hayes Haveaxet —Peter Jay Monro Frances—Archibald Bruce,
nat. 3d March, 1726, nat. 4th Jan. ,1768. Morrisania. landt, nat. 18th M.D.
ob. 1st April, 1781. Jan.,1766, ob, Aug. 3, 1814 7
7 i at 5 | |

L u y L b L ty L L 4 AGL en, ob. Ist April, 1839, aoe assumed the name of ale aercian Catharine. Fraiaed iechia Oe Gro- Harriet Angusta_E. N. Bibby, M. D.
I A s 4 = S & Se S. p. et. 44, assumed the Van Cortlandt, and inherit- Schermerhorn Bayley shong
a ¢ Roo 8 2 Pio 8 S name of Van Cortlandt, and ed the Yonkers estate, un- Ta r ail

hr Fy 6 sg inherited under his grand- der his brother’s will, ob. Augustus Van Cortlandt Henry W. Anne W._R.Glover — Frances_Thos. James

= ‘ father’s will, 13th October, 1839, zt. 38. heir of his uncle Augus- Bibby Augusta de Lancey.

tus, proprietor of Cort-

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THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 617

Philipsburgh. Besides the Yonkers estate, Jacobus van Cortlandt was
a large landed proprietor in the town of Bedford, in this county. This
individual was an eminent merchant of New York city, where he was
born on the 7th of July 1668. He was also one of the five members
returned by the High Sheriff to represent the city and county of New
York in the Colonial Assembly, A. D. 1691.

He was, too, elected to represent the Dock ward in the Common
Council for several years, and subsequently (1710-1719) held the office
of Mayor. He died in the spring of 1739.

By his will, dated 12th of May, 1739, he devised and bequeathed
unto his son Frederick van Cortlandt,

‘All that my farm situate lying and being in a place commonly called and
known by the name of the Little or Lower Yonckers &c., and all other the land,
meadows and real estate, Iam seized of or have a right to in the Manor of
Philipsburgh, &c., for his natural life, and from and after his decease to the heirs
male lawfully begotten, &c. To hiseldest daughter, Margaret, wife of Abraham
de Peyster, property in the city of New York; and the same to his remaining
daughters, Anne, wife of John Chambers, and Mary, wife of Peter Jay.

Frederick van Cortlandt only son of the above testator, married
Frances Jay, daughter of the Huguenot, Augustus Jay, by his wife Anna
Maria Bayard.

Upon the death of Frederick van Cortlandt, rath Feb., 1749,° the
estate devolved by the will of Jacobus, senr. to Jacobus van Cortlandt
jun., eldest son and heir at law of Frederick. This individual, better
known as Col. James van Cortlandt, nobly used his influence (while
residing here during the war,) in ameliorating the condition of his
suffering countrymen. It not unfrequently happened that a poor
neighbour was robbed of everything he possessed ; upon application to
Col. van Cortlandt he would assume his red watch coat, and mounting
his horse ride down to the city, to intercede in their behalf. He seldom
applied in vain, such was the universal respect for his character. Pre-
vious to the close of the war he was compelled to leave his country
residence at Yonckers, on account of ill health. He died shortly after-
wards in the city of New York, rst of April, 1781. His remains were
interred in the family tomb, Vault Hill. On the death of Col. James
van Cortlandt, the property passed to his brother, Augustus van Cort-
landt, the next heir of the entail. This gentleman held the office of Clerk
of the Common Council in New York, on the breaking out of the Rev-

a Surrogate’s office, N. Y. fol. xiii, 425.

6 The will of Frederick van C. bears date 2d Oct. 1749. To his wife Frances he bequeaths
two negro girls and a four wheeled chaise. His children were James, Augustus, Frederick,
Anna Maria and Eva —Surrogate’s office, N. Y. fol. xviii 62.

618 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

olution ; this appears from the following letter addressed by him to the
New York Committee of Safety—Dated Sept. 5, 1775 :—

“‘Gents.—Being requested by the Provincial Congress to enquire for some
place of safety to deposite the public records in, and to inform the Committee of
safety thereof, agreeable to which, Mr. Cortlandt informs the committee of safety,
that previous to the above request, he caused the public records to be put into
chests, and secured them in a cellar in his garden, made for that purpose, of
stone and brick, well arched and exceedingly dry. This precaution was taken
against accidents happening by fire; should the city be invaded by an army from
Great Britain, or British troops, he in such case intended to remove them to his
brother’s at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester. If the committee of safety
shall judge any other place more secure, Mr. Van Cortlandt will be glad to be in-
formed thereof, that he may communicate the same to the corporation of this
city for their approbation.”

He remains their most obedient humble servant,
AvGusTus VAN CorRTLANDT.

By the will of the above Augustus van Cortlandt, dated 2zoth of De-
cember, 1823, he bequeathes his property after the following manner :—

‘‘ WHEREAS, the greatest part of the lands and real estate which I occupy and
hold in the town of Yonkers, was derived to me by inheritance from my ances-
tors; and, whereas I have lately purchased several tracts and pieces of land also
lying in ye said town of Yonkers, which I at present occupy and possess, &c.
Item, it is my desire that the same remain entire, and pass from time to time to
one of my surname and family; whereupon I do hereby give and devise all my
lands and real estate, and all dwelling houses, mills and other buildings thereon
in the town of Yonkers, &c., unto my affectionate relations, John Jay and Peter
Augustus Jay, and to their heirs for ever, except a certain dwelling house and
farm in the said town of Yonkers, and a lot of ground near my mill-pond, &c.,
which belonged to my late brother, Frederick van Cortlandt, to hold. the same in
trust for the following uses: viz., 1st, To hold the same for my son-in-law, Hen-
ry White, late the husband of my deceased daughter, Anna White, for and dur-
ing the time of his natural life. 2nd, For and after the decease of my son in-law
Henry White, and in case Augustus, the son of the said Henry White and my
said deceased daughter shall survive the said Henry White, then to hold the same
for the use of the said Augustus, and his heirs and assignees, on condition that
from and after my decease, he do take and constantly and exclusively use the
name of Van Cortlandt, &c., &c.’

Augustus van Cortlandt, the above devisee, subsequently took posses-
sion of the estate under the will of his grandfather, the above testator.
The Revised Statues of 1825, having abolished the entail, Augustus
became possessed of the estate in fee simple. Upon the 18th of Feb.,
1827, Augustus van Cortlandt bequeathed the Yonkers to his brother

a American Archives, 4th series, vol. iii, 645.
b Surrogate’s office, N. Y

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 619

Henry, for life, and to his brother’s eldest son forever, provided they
take and constantly use the name of “Van Cortlandt ;” and upon the
failure of male heirs, to Henry, the testator provided that the property
should pass to his nephew, Augustus van Cortlandt Bibby, son of his
sister Augusta.

Henry, the above devisee, took possession of the estate on his brother’s
death, in 1839, and assumed the name of Van Cortlandt. Henry van
Cortlandt died October, 1839, and was succeeded by his nephew, the
present proprietor, Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq.

The present mansion house, a large edifice of stone, was erected by
Frederick van Cortlandt, A. D. 1748 ;% it forms a noble object when
viewed from the lawn. The situation commands nearly the whole length
of the vale of Yonkers; streaching south, the view is terminated only by

Cortlandt House, the residence of Augustus Van Cortlandt, Esq.

the high hills of New York island, and heights of Fordham. The pleasure
grounds in front, appear to have been laid out in the ancient Dutch style,
with high artificial banks, adorned with rows of stately box, venerable
for their height and antiquity ; while beneath are still visible the remains
of old fish ponds and jets d’eau. Above the old fashioned window, grim
visages in the shape of corbels seem to frown upon the beholder. We
suppose them to be a kind of “‘gemzi loci.”

Two eagles surmount the posts of the old gateway facing the stables.
These were part of the spoils taken from a Spanish privateer during the

a The following item occurs in the will of Frederick van Cortlandt, dated 2nd of Oct., 1749:
‘* whereas, I am now about finishing a large stone dwelling house on the piantation in which I
now live, which, with the same plantation, will, by virtue of my deceased father’s will, devolve
after my decease, upon my eldest son James, &c.—Surrogate’s office N. Y., fol. Xviil. 62.

620 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

war; and presented to Augustus van Cortlandt, by Rear Admiral Robert
Digby of the British navy. To the east of the house, the Mosholu (Tip-
petts brook) pent up by the mill dam, forms an extensive sheet of water,
which is greatly enriched by the vicinity of green meadows, orchards and
neighboring hills. South of the pond is situated the old mill. Amid the
grove of locusts on George’s point, a little north of the mill, stood the
original residence of the Van Cortlandts.

The interior of the present house is neatly fitted up and furnished, its
drawing room and library-windows look out on beautiful prospects ; in the
latter apartment are some fine family portraits: Henry White, jr., by
Jarvis; Vice Admiral Sir John White, in full uniform, a copy by Chap-
man from the original of Jarvis; Augustus Van Cortlandt, by Jarvis;
Thomas Bibby, by Chapman; Mr. Babcock, by Stewart; and John
White, sen., by Copley.

The old family Bible of the Van Cortlandt’s, printed at Amsterdam,
A.D. 1714, contains some curious memoranda of the Jay family. The
first entry occurs, New York, den roth Jan., 1723-4.

During the early period of the Revolutionary war, this house was gar-
risoned by a piquet guard of the Green Yagers, whose officers held their
head-quarters here.

His Excellency, General Washington, and aids, dined in one of the
apartments on the memorable July of 1781, when the British piquets
were driven within the lines upon New York Island. In another room,
the unfortunate Captain Rowe expired in the arms of his bride-elect.

To the north of the mansion, is seen rising Vault Hill, so called from
the family sepulchre, which is seated upon its summit. From this spot
hallowed by the remains of the illustrious dead, the view is exceedingly
beautiful; Tippett’s vale, the mill-pond, orchards, and neighboring hills.
The vault itself is a small square edifice of stone, surmounted with a
pointed roof, the whole enclosed by a solid stone wall. Within an ad-
joining vault, in the same yard, repose the remains of

CHARLOTTE AMELIA BAYLEY,«@
relic of Doctor RicHarp Bay ey,
who died the Ist day of Sept.,

1805.

It was upon this hill that General Washington stationed his troops and
lighted camp-fires for the purpose of deceiving the enemy, whilst he secret-
ly withdrew to join La Fayette before Yorktown, in Virginia, A.D. 1781.

a This lady was a sister-in-law of Augustus Van Cortlandt, Sen.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 621

There are still the remains of a considerable fort on the north end of
the ridge. During the Revolutionary struggle, the valley south from
Vault Hill to Kings Bridge, appears to have been the constant scene of
skirmishing between the two armies.

On the 3d of July, 1781, General Washington planned an expedition
to cut off Colonel James de Lancey, stationed in the vale, and Major
Pruschanck, another British officer occupying Cortlandt ridge, in com-
mand of the Yager horse.

It had been so arranged that the Duke of Lauzun should march to
Williams’ Bridge, and there make his rendezvous till daylight the follow-
ing morning. General Lincoln was to be piloted down from Tappan
and landed below Yonkers, while Washington himself should take post
on Valentine’s hill. Lauzun accordingly conducted his cavalry to Wil-
liam’s Bridge, where he halted. In the mean time General Lincoln had
been landed half a mile below the village, on the property now owned by
Thomas W. Ludlow, Esq., then occupied by Isaac Post. After landing,
Lincoln, guided by Major Lawrence, passed along shore south, missing
Col. Emmerick with his corps marching north to Boar hill; then cross-
ing over the hills east, Lincoln followed the course of Tippett’s brook,
for the purpose of avoiding Pruschank’s corps, stationed upon Cort-
landt’s ridge. Passing the Van Cortlandt residence, he kept close to the
edge of Gun and Locust hills, and had arrived in the vicinity of General
‘Montgomery's house, (then occupied by his widow,) unobserved by the
sentinels on the opposite side, when the enemy’s patrol fired. De
Lancey, instantly on the alert, commenced his retreat in face of General
Lincoln’s advancing columns. Totten, De Lancey’s leutentant, seemed
determined to make a stand, but soon received positive orders from De
Lancey to retire, which he did, just in time to avoid the surprisal.

Colonel Armand, the celebrated French cavalary officer made a dar-
ing and successful attempt to surprise a large piquet of Green Yagers,
stationed at Warner’s store, under the command of De Wurmb. For
this purpose Armand left his quarters above the Croton and proceeded
down the main post road to the village of Yonkers; after passing the
village, and when in the neighborhood of the enemy’s encampment, he
started his whole corps on a full gallop. The Yagershad taken the pre-
caution to post a sentinel at Hadley’s spring, but the poor fellow became
so perfectly alarmed and powerless on seeing the furious onset of Ar-
mand’s horse, that he could give no alarm, and was instantly dispatched.
The consequence was, the whole corps were killed or made prison-
ers. Cononel Armand then made good his retreat, passing in front of the
Van Cortlandt residence, and returning by way of Tippett’s valley. In

622 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the mean time the British bugle sounded to horse, and his enemies were
in full pursuit. On arriving at the Van Cortlandt house a vigorous
search was made for Armand, who was by this time far advanced on his
retreat to the Croton.

On the Van Cortlandt estate is situated Indian bridge and field; the
the former crosses Tippet’s brook, the latter forms a portion of the Cort-
landt woods—an extensive range of woodland to the north-east of the
mansion. Both these places are memorable as the scene of a severe
engagement between the British troops and Stockbridge Indians, on
the 31st of August, 1778.

The action is thus related in Simcoe’s Military Journal: —

“Tt. Col. Simcoe, returning from head quarters, the 20th of August, heard a
firing in front, and being informed that Lt. Col. Emmerick had patrolled, he
immediately marched to his assistance. He soon met him retreating; and Lt.
Col. Emmerick being of opinion the rebels were in such force, that it would be
advisable to return, he did so. Lt. Col. Simcoe understood that Nimham, an
Indian chief, and some of his tribe, were with the enemy; and by his spies, who
were excellent, he was informed that they were highly elated at the retreat of
Emmerick’s corps, and applied it to the whole of the light troops at Kingsbridge.
Lt. Col. Simcoe took measures to increase their belief; and, ordering a day’s pro-
vision to be cooked, marched the next morning, the 31st of August, a small dis-
tance in front of the post, and determined to wait there the whole day, in hopes
of betraying the enemy into an ambuscade; the country was most favorable to it.
His idea was, as the enemy moved upon the road which is delineated in the plan as
intersecting the country, to advance from his flanks; this movement would be
perfectly concealed by the fall of the ground upon his right, and by the woods
upon the left; and he meant to gain the heights in the rear of the enemy, attack-
ing whomsoever should be within by his cavalry and such infantry as might be
necessary. In pursuance of these intentions, Lt. Col. Emmerick with his corps,
was detached from the Queen’s Rangers and Legion, as Lt. Col. Simcoe thought,
fully instructed in the plan; however, he most unfortunately mistook the nearer
house for one at a greater distance, the names being the same, and there he posted
himself—and soon after sent from thence a patrol forward upon the road, before
Lt. Col. Simcoe could have time to stop it. This patrol had no effect,not meet-
ing with any enemy; had a single man of it deserted, or been taken, the whole
attempt had, probably, been abortive. Lt. Col. Simcoe, who was half way up a
tree, on the top of which was a drummer boy, saw a flanking party of the enemy
approach. The troops had scarcely fallen into their ranks, when a smart firing
was heard from the Indians, who had lined the fences of the road, and were
exchanging shot with Lt. Col. Emmerick, whom they had discovered. The
Queen’s Rangers moved rapidly to gain the heights, and Lieut. Col. Tarleton
immediately advanced with the Hussars and the Legion cavalry ; not being able to
pass the fences in his front, he made a circuit to return further upon their right;
which being reported to Lieut. Col. Simcoe, he broke from the column of the
Rangers, with the grenadier company, and, directing Major Ross to conduct the

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 623

corps to the heights, advanced to the road, and arrived, without being perceived,
within ten yards of the Indians. They had been intent upon the attack of
Emmerick’s corps and the Legion; they now gave a yell, and fired upon the
grenadier company, wounding four of them, and Lieut. Col. Simcoe. They were
driven from the fences; and Lieut. Col. Tarleton, with the cavalry, got among
them, and pursued them rapid:y down Cortlandt’s ridge. That active officer had
a narrow escape; in striking at one of the fugitives, he lost his balance and fell
trom his horse; luckily, the Indian had no bayonet, and his musket had been
discharged. Lieut. Col. Simcoe joined the batallion and seized the heights. A
captain of the rebel light infantry, and a few of his men were taken; but a body
of them, under Major Stewart, who afterwards was distinguished at Stony Point,
left the Indians and fled. ‘

‘“Though this ambuscade, its greater part, failed, it was of consequence.
Near forty of the Indians were killed, or desperately wounded; among others,
Nimham, a chieftain, who had been in England, and his son ; and it was reported
to have stopped a larger number of them, who were excellent marksmen, from
joining General Washington’s army. The Indian Doctor was taken ; and he said
that when Nimham saw the grenadiers close in his rear, he called out to his peo-
ple to fly, ‘that he himself was old, and would die there.’ He wounded Lieut.
Col. Simcoe, and was killed by Wright, his orderly Hussar. The Indians fought
most gallantly ; they pulled more than one of the cavalry from their horses.
French, an active youth, bugle-horn to the Hussars, struck at an Indian, but
missed his blow, the man dragged him from his horse, and was searching for his
knife to stab him, when, loosening French’s hand, he luckily drew out a pocket-
pistol and shot the Indian through the head, in which situation he was found.
One man of the Legion cavalry was killed, and one of them, and two of the Hus-
sars, wounded.”4

The scene of this conflict lies on the land of the late Frederick Brown,
now occupied by his widow. The struggle commenced in the second
field west of Brown’s house, and close by the present road leading to
Devaux’s. The opening in the Cortlandt woods still goes by the name
of Indian Field. Here the-dead were buried. The Indians, according
to the British account, led down the ridge across the present aqueduct,
to what is called Zrdian Bridge ; which then, as now, crossed Tippett’s
brook. On gaining the western bank, they secreted themselves amid
the rocks and bushes; here the cavalry pursued them ; but being unable
to scale the rocks, called upon the fugitives to surrender ; promising them
as a condition for so doing, life and protection. Upon this, three ver-
tured to throw themselves upon tlie mercy of the British soldier, and were
immediately drawn out by the bridge and cut to pieces. Notwithstanding
the strictest search that could be made for the remainder, four managed
to escape to the American lines beyond the Croton. One of the survi-

«a See Simcoe’s Military Journal, published by Bartlett & Welford, N. Y., to which work we
refer our readers for an engraved plan of the above mentioned action.

624 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

vors by the name of Job, lived to a good old age ; gaining his livelihood
by fishing on the banks of the Hudson ; but whenever he could be tempt-
ed to relate the horrors of that day, the big tears would start in his eyes
and he would sob like a child. Nimham, the Indian chief, fell as related
by the hand of Wnght, Simcoe’s orderly huzzar, in the swamp between
Jesse Halstead’s house and John and Frederick Devaux’s, now the Man-
kin property. There he was left a prey to the dogs and crows, to be de-
voured at their leisure. All traces of the bones are now gone. Eighteen
Indians were buried in one pit in an Indian field ; it is still a current tra-
dition, that the old Sachem haunts the scene of conflict.
** Does fancy’s mimic dread pourtray

Amid the boughs a spectre gray,

Or is it, the boding vision seen

Where murders bloody work has been?” [ Yamoyden.

It is not a little singular, that a few months preceding this battle, the
two British Generals Simcoe and Tarleton, had a narrow escape of their
lives, from these very Indians, These officers it appears were making
observations on the country, and patroling with a few huzzars. ‘‘The
Stockbridge Indians, about sixty in number, excellent marksmen, had
just joined General Washington’s army. Lieut. Col. Simcoe was de-
scribing a private road to Lieut. Col. Tarleton ; Wright, his orderly dra-
goon, alighted and took down a fence of Devaux’s farm-yard for them to
pass through; around this farm the Indians were lying in ambuscade.
Wright had scarce mounted his horse, when these officers—for some
trivial reason—altered their intentions; and, spurring their horses, soon
rode out of sight, and out of reach of the Indians.

In a few days after, they had certain information of the ambuscade,
which they so fortunately had escaped: in all probability they owed
their lives to the Indians’ expectation of surrounding and taking them
prisoners ””4

Bordering the road north-west of the Van Cortlandt’s, is the old Had-
ley property, owned by the late Major Joseph Delafield. The following
account of the family, has kindly been furnished by a member of it :—

In 1829 Major Delafield purchased a farm of 250 acres on the North River be-
tween Spuyten-Duyvel and the present village of Riverdale, to which he gave the
name of Fieldstonfrom a family seat in Great Britain. This name, until villages
sprang up with local designations, was generally used; and when, in 1873, the lo-
cality separating from Yonkers sought in town meeting its separate name, Fields-
ton fell short of being selected instead of Kings Bridge, but by a few votes.

Throuzh Fieldston easterly from the river ran the southern boundary, in many

a Simcoe’s Mil. Journal, p. 80.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 625

places still standing, of the old Phillipse manor. Against its walls, near the river,
now in a forest but said to have been cultivated lands a hundred years ago, re-
main the foundations of Nanny Piper’s cottage, perhaps the widow of an old re-
tainer or wood guard, by whose name a never dying spring, famous for the pur-
ity of its waters, is still known. Other springs with which the wooded hills are
wonderfully well supplied, yet point to old dwellings, especially one on the high
ground above the Albany turnpike, near which are the foundations of a house, of
which even Tradition can give no account; and another, hid in the woods, is
known as Cork Tom.

On the south of the farm, an upland pasture, until lately covered with ancient
apple trees, too old in this generation to bear fruit, was twenty years ago known
as Johnson's meadow. Here Johnson, a spy, was hung during the revolution.
Until increasing population and Riverdale avenue opened the woods and let in
the light, Johnson’‘s ghost haunted the spot, to the terror of young and old among»
the farmers of the soil. His was the only undoubted ghost of antiquity, certified
to by many eye witnesses that favored with his presence the rocky ridge from
Spuyten-Duyvel to Yonkers. In 1830 there were many traces of the revolution
remaining; an old chariot covered with gilt, taken from some British officer,
caltrops found on the broad river slope, thrown there to impede the charge of
cavalry ; old English muskets and a grind-stone, marked with the regal R, which
restored to a frame has until recently been in use.

On the turnpike stands the old stone farm house, then one of the best build-
ings in the neighborhood, occupied in turn by officers of either party and claimed
to have more than once given shelter to Washington.

In 1830 Major Delafield built himself a bachelor establishment (destroyed by
fire in 1833) directly over the river and near by a lime kiln, erected on a new
plan as described in volumes imported by him for the purpose from France.
This kiln, the first of its kind in America, became the model of all those subse-
quently built throughout the country. The enterprise proved very profitable, so
long as the coal dealers of New York gladly gave the coal dust in exchange for
carting it away from their yards; as lime kilns on the same plan increased and
other uses were found for coal dust the profits diminished and the work was
abandoned in 1837.

In 1849 Major Delafield built a residence in a beautiful position overlooking
the river, which he occupied in summer until his death. It is now enlarged and
occupied by his eldest son. His second son built at Fieldston in 1870.

Major Joseph Delafield born 22d. August 1790, graduated from Yale college
1808, studied law with Hon. J. Ogden Hoffman, admitted to practice 1811, ap-
pointed lieutenant 1810 and captain 1812 in Hawkins famous battery of artillery,
and in the following year major of the 46th U. 8. infantry. At the close of the
war he resigned his commission in the army and wishing active service accepted
the appointment first of acting and later as full agent for settling the northern
boundary of the United States under the 6th and 7th articles of the treaty of
Ghent. Until 1828 his summers were occupied in command of the detachment on
the boundary, there he commenced the formation of his afterwards famous col-
lection of minerals. The long cold winters of the north preventing active op-
erations he passed in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, always
studious but not neglectful of the pleasures of society. He married 12th De-

626 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

cember, 1833, Julia, eldest daughter of Maturin Livingston of Staatsburg, N. Y.,
and from henceforth devoted himself to his books and scientific pursuits. For
forty years was President of the Society of Natural History ; was a member of a
great number of scientific societies in this country and throughout Europe, was
trustee in many institutions, vestryman in Trinity church, &c., &c. After a
long and useful life he died 12 February 1875, in his 85th year at the same time
with his brothers, Henry and Edward, all of whom were buried on the same day
from Trinity church. The beautiful building could not contain one-fourth of
those who assembled on the 16th of February to pay the last honors to the
brothers Delafield. Major Delafield had issue four children, of whom two sons
and one daughter survived him,

1. Lewis L., married Emily, daughter of Frederick Prime, of New Rochelle,
N. Y., and has issue. 2 Maturin L., married Mary Coleman, eldest daughter of
Eugene A. Livingston of Dutchess County, N. Y., and has isssue. 38 Julia L.
4 Joseph died in childhood, The father John Delafield, born 16th March 1748,
died 3 July 1824, was the head of the English family of that name. His descent
may be found in Burke’s Commoners, in his Dictionary of the Landed Gentry,
and under the head of foreign titles in the Peerage and also in the German
Gothaischer genealogisches TashenSuch der Graflicen Hauser.. John Delafield
having expended most of his fortune returned to America, landing in New York
5 April, 1783. Settling in New York he entered into commerce, meeting with
the greatest success. He married Ann, daughter and co-heiress of Joseph Hallett,
and had nine (9) sons and four daughters. Of the daughters but one married;
Susan M., married to Henry Parish but had no issue. Two sons died young.
the eldest son. 1 John, born 22 January 1786, died 22 October 1853, banker;
President Phenix Bank, President New York State Agricultural Society &e,
married twice, Ist in England to a cousin Mary, only child of John Roberts of
Whitchurch, Burks and left issue. 2nd to Harriet Wadsworth, daughter of Col.
Benjamin Tallmadge of Litchfield, Conn., and left issue. 2d Joseph, born 22
August 1790, died 12 February, 1875, married Julia daughter of Maturin Liy-
ingston of Staatsburgh and left issue as above. 2d and 4th Henry and William,
twins, born, 19 July 1792, merchants. William died unmarried, 20 November
1853. Henry married Mary daughter of Judge L. Monson of Delaware Co., N.
Y., and dying February 15th 1875, left one daughter. 5 Edward, born 17 May,
1794, died 13 February 1875, M.D., President of College of Physicians and Sur-
geons and President of Roosevelt Hospital, &c., married twice ; 1st to Elinor E,
Langdon, daughter of Thomas Elwyn, of Portsmouth, N. H., by whom no issue
survived him; 2d to Julia, daughter of Hon. Nicoll Floyd of Mastic, Long
Island, by whom he left issue. 6 Richard, born September, 1798, died 5 Novem-
ber 1873, Brigadier General, Brevet Major General and Chief of Engineers U.
8. army; married twice, Ist to Helen, daughter of Andrew Summers, of Phila.
delphia, Penn., by whom he had no issue; 2d to Harriet B., daughter of Gen.
Elijah M. Covington, of Covington, Ky., by whom he left issue. 7 Rufus
King, born 18 November 1802, died 6 February 1874, merchant and President
of the Delafield & Bascher Cement Co., married Eliza, daughter of Wm. Bard,
of High Park, N. Y., and left issue,

The shore of the Hudson in this region is studded with beautiful villas,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 627

In the immediate vicinity of the latter is situated Font Hill, the seat
of Mr. Edwin Forrest, now owned by the Sisters of Charity of St.
Vincent de Paul. They have erected a very large young ladies academy.
The old edifice which is of stone, after the designs of Mr. Thos C.
Smith, presents a fine specimen of the English castellated style. The
building has six towers, affording extended views of the Hudson River ;
the highest of these called the flag or stair tower, is seventy-one feet
from the surface of the ground.

The gothic residence of the late Thomas W. Ludlow occupies a very
pleasant spot on the bank of the river, a short distance south of the
village, on a plateau with hills to the east, and the river in front to the
west. From this place the noble Hudson appears in all its glory. The
edifice is built of brick in the Elizabethian style. The exterior presents
quite the beau ideal of an old English country residence. A pretty
lodge in the rural gothic order adorned the entrance of the grounds, but
has given way'to a progress of the age; which by cutting streets through
the old domain, long since separated the place into many streets. Mr.
Thomas W. Ludlow is the youngest son of Thomas Ludlow, Esq., who
was Marshal of the Court of Admiralty in 1780.4 The family of
Ludlow derives its surname from the ancient town so denominated, in
the county of Salop, England. They afterwards removed to High
Deverell in Wiltshire, about the middle of the 14th century; at which
time lived William Ludlow, Esq., of High Deverell, from whom lineally
descended Sir Henry Ludlow, Knt. of Maiden Bradley, in the county
of Wilts, M. P. for that shire, father of Edmund Ludlow, the celebrated
Republican General during the civil wars, who died in exile, at Vevay,
in Switzerland, in 1693, where a monument is erected to his memory.
The half brother of Sir Henry Ludlow, was Edmund Ludlow, Esq.
ancestor of the American branch. Of this family, is Henry Ludlow,
Esq.

Near the city of Yonkers, is situated the farm and residence of the
late Elijah Rich. Directly opposite the house, a commanding eminence
of rocks rises very abruptly. Up the side of this steep precipice, General
Washington, pursued by the enemy’s patrol, was compelled to fly to
escape capture. From the high grounds in the rear, are fine views of
the river. Here, in 1777, a memorable engagement took place between
the two British frigates, the Rose and the Phoenix, which lay off at an-
chor, and the gun-boats of the patriots which sallied out of the harbor of
Yonkers, having in tow a large tender filled with combustibles, intend-

a His staff of office is still preserved at Yonkers in the shape of a silver oar, inscribed
“Court of Vice Admiralty, New York.”

628 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER,

ing to run it alongside of the frigates. The crews, however, kept it off”
by means of spars ; anda heavy fire of grape and cannister compelled
the gun-boats and their brave crews to seek shelter in the mouth of the
Saw Mill river.

The year »revious, General Heath had been requested by the person
in command of the fire ships, to be a spectator of the burning of these
vessels,

On the 16th of August, 1776, General Heath, accompanied by General
Clinton and several other officers, took a proper position on the banks
of the Hudson.

“The night,” says Heath, himself, ‘was pretty dark ; we soon found
that the gallies and fire vessels were silently moving up with the tide.
After some time, and almost immediately after the sentinels on board
the British ships, had passed the word ‘all is well,’ two of the fire vessels
flashed into a blazes the one close to the side of the Phoenix, the other’
grappling one of the tenders. To appearance, the flames were against
the side of the Phoenix, and there was much confusion on board, A
number of cannon were discharged into the fire vessel, in order to sink
her. A number of seamen ascended and got out on the yard-arm, sup-
posed to clear away some grapplings. The fire vessel was alongside, as.
was judged ten minutes—when the Phcenix either cut or slipt her cable,
let fall her fore-topsail, wore round and stood up the river, being immedi-
ately veiled from the spectators, by the darkness of the night. The Rose
and the other two tenders remained at their moorings.” 4

Cannon balls are still dug out of the banks in great numbers.

A little south, upon the east shore, lies the Vischer’s rock, or Fisher's
Point’ The Groshon place was frequently visited during the war, by
prowling bands of ‘‘ Cow-boys ;” who not only levied exactions of stock
and money, but compelled its inmates to find other shelter out of doors,
while they filled the rooms with straw and quartered themselves thereon
for the night. A cow and horse belonging to the family, were concealed
for some time in one of the hed-rooms; while the family silver was
stowed away between-the wainscoat.

Contiguous to the old village of Yonkers, and immediately south of
it, is situated on a commanding eminence, the hotel of the late De
Witt C. Kellinger, called the Mansion House.—

This place was called by its aboriginal possessors, Vap-pe-cha-mak, a
name derived as before stated from its situation at the mouth of the
Neperah; or in other words, it was the Rapid water settlement.”

The Dutch afterwards conferred upon it the name of the Zz¢t/e Jonk-
ers Plantation. This word was sometimes pronounced Yonkers, which

~ @ Heath’s Mem. 54.
b The word at this date has become Nepperhan (1979).

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 629

gives us the present name of the village. During the occupancy of the
Phill’ps’s, it was called PAidlipsborough, after the Manor.

The Dutch termed the Saw Mill, the Saeg kil (stream.) After the
Patroon’s settlement, it was named in compliment to him, the Jonkers or
Yonkers kill and Colendoncks kill. ‘Several fine creeks enter into the
North river, says Van der Donck, such as the Colendonck’s kill or Saw
kill.”@

Yonkers is now a large and flourishing city. On April rath, 1855,
14 miles on the river front and 4a mile in width was incorporated, and
this act was amended in’57, 60, 68 and ’71. The officers consisted of a
President, Wm. Radford ; Clerk, W. H. Post ; andsix Trustees: Lemuel
W. Wells, Wm. C. Waring, Thos. A. Farrington, Reuben W. Van Pelt,
Fulding S. Grant, Jacob Reed. By act of Legislature, June 1st, 1872
the whole township was erected into a city, by the name of the city of
Yonkers and divided into four wards—a Mayor, City Clerk, and one Leg-
islative Board, consisting of eight Aldermen, and called the Common
Council. The first officers were, Mayor, Jas. C. Courter; clerk, Wm. H.
Doty; President of Common Council, Ethan Flagg. For a time it
was under the Metropolitan police; but by an act of the Legislature,
passed in 1871, it was set off and formed a department of its own, con-
sisting of four commissioners, appointed by the Mayor—one each year
for four years term ; one captain, two sergeants, two seniors, two rounds-
men, and eighteen men. There are nine signal telegraph stations with
head quarters, besides telephones. The first commissioners were Chas.
R. Dusenberry, R. W. Cobb, Joseph Reene, Dennis McGrath.

An act to provide water for the city of Yonkers was passed Feb. 28th,
73, and amended in ’ 74 by the Legislature, and for the building of a
reservoir. The first commissioners were David Hawley, Peter P. Getty,
R. Eickemeyer, P. White, and S. Barker. Hawley and Barker resigned,
and J. H. Knox and Chas. H. Hamilton were appointed to fill the
vacancy. Wm. W. Wilson was appointed engineer.

The fire department consists of a chief engineer, two assistants, 259
members, of Engine, Hose, and Hook and Ladder companies. There
are three principal hotels—the Getty House, Yonkers Hotel, and Pea-
body House,

The city is lighted by gas. There are several very large factories. It
has some handsome buildings, and seventeen churches—three Protestant
Episcopal, three Presbyterian, one Reformed, two Baptist, two Metho-
dist, two Roman Catholic, one Unitarian, one German, one African,

a@ Vander Donck’s N.N., N. Y. Hist. Soc. p. Ser. i. 142.

630 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER

Zion church, and one Messiah, Colored Baptist, and five Union Free
schools.

On the organization of the city, a City Court was estal ished ; juris-
diction limited to $1000. Appeals taken to County or Suoreme Court,
according to amounts involved.

The old Philips Manor house was purchased by the city on the rst of
May, 1868, for public purposes. As few alterations were made in it as.
possible. It became necessary to remove the beams and garret floor of’
the north end of the building, in order to construct a Common Council
chamber, which has been done with great skill and taste. On the first
floor, which was the kitchen and drawing room, is now held the City
Court. The principal chamber is used as the office of the Board of
Water Commissioners. The large chamber, in the western end of the
building, is used for the Engineers of the Water Department. The old
parlor is now used as the Mayor’s and Clerk’s Office. The room used
as a sitting room or drawing room on the first floor of the old house is
used as an office for the City Treasurer, Receiver of Taxes, and Board
of Assessors. Yonkers has two Savings Banks, two Banks of Deposits,
and St. John’s Riverside Hospital.

THE SETTING OFF OF KINGS BRIDGE.

On Sept. 16th 1872, the Board of Supervisors of Westchester County
passed an act by which they set off and erected into a separate town-
ship, to be called Kings Bridge, about 4 of the territory situated south of
the old Post farm, and a line extending easterly therefrom to the Bronx.
River. This act was confirmed by the Legislature, on Jan. rst 1874,
Soon after, the towns of Kings Bridge, West Farms, and Morrisannia were
annexed to the city of New York. Formerly a beautiful road led to the
landing, which was tastefully ornamented with the fine horse chestnut.
(4Esculus.) This avenue afforded a beautiful sight in the month of May,
when those trees put forth their gay clusters of white flowers. In 1879
but one of these trees remained of all that in old times lined the western
side of the Post Road from its crossing of the Saw Mill to the road, to
the old landing, and thence toward the landing itself. This survivor is.
now in the centre of Washington avenue, and is protected from injury
by oaken strips and bands of iron. But the beauty of the coup ad’ vil is
the scene from the landing. In front flows the Hudson, like a broad sil-
very mirror ; while opposite, tower in majesty the basaltic rocks of the
Palisades.* Northward, the view is terminated by the highlands of Tappaan

a@ The Indian name for the palisades is supposed to have been that of the present town of
Wehawken ; the term awk, toindicate a structure of rocks resembling trees. —Schoolcraft.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS, 631

and the distant hills of Westchester, which bound the eastern shore of the
Tappaan Zee. The prominent cliff at the south-west corner of Rock-
land Co., presents a noble object viewed from this spot. It boldly pro-
jects at the entrance of the Zee, and in a bright summer's day may be
seen casting its shade upon the waters.¢ A very deep interest at-
taches itself to this spot, when we recollect, that on the afternoon of the
13th Sep., 1609, Hendrick Hudson “ taking advantage of a light wind and
and flood tide, anchored the ‘‘ Halve Maen”? near where the village pier
projects into the Hudson. The old Dutch Patroon of this town, Adri-
aen van der Donck, in his N. Werth. Vertoogh, (a rare old book printed
just 41 years after the discovery of Hudson) tells us what our native tribes
thought when they for the first time saw this wondrous vessel.”

“They did not know there weie any more people in the world than of the same
with themselves: much less, people who differ so widely from each other as our
nation and theirs; so that, when they first discovered our ship, they did not
know what to make of it. They were in great fear, and knew not whether it
might not be an apparition; but whether from Heaven or Hell, they could not
divine. Others supposed it to be a great sea monster, and that those in it had
more the appearance of devils than human beings; at least a strange report circu-
lated through the country, and caused a great consternation among them,.Ӣ

What must have been the wonder then, of the Nap-pe-cka-mak settle-
ment, when they beheld the apparition anchor off the mouth of the Saw
mill—especially when we conjure up old Master Hendrick Hudson stand-
ing upon the poop of his round built yacht, and Master Robert Juet and
brother officers in their tall shovelled brim hats and doublets. This
arrival must have created quite a talk among the Mohegan squaws of
Nappeckamack. In connection with the Palisades and the river, the
romantic legend of the “storm ship” must not be forgotten. To the
great terror of the early colonists, she would appear gliding by the Pali-
sades bearing her Dutch colors, the evening sun gilding her canvass as
she came riding over the billows on her voyage down the river like
Moore's spectre ship, bound to “Dead Man’s Isle.”

Occasionally, the old village and landing appear to have been enlivened
by the march and embarkation of troops. The following extract occurs
in the journal of Lewis Morris, Judge of the Admiralty:—

“June 4th, 1746, returned home, dined at Westchester, when the de-
tachments from Queens county and Westchester marched to Colonel

a Mr. H. Schoolcraft suggests, that the term ‘‘ Tabanzee,” which means in the Algonquin,
a short crouching person, may originally have been appli-d to this noble cliff. It is 549 feet
above the level of the Hudson. Proceed. of N. Y. Hist. Soc., 1844.

b Moulton’s Hist. of N. Y-, p. 238.

e Moulton Hist., p. 256,

632 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Philipse’s, in order to embark for Albany, on board of Captain Conradts
Derrike’s sloop, who lay there for that purpose.”

This was on occasion of the war with France, when the Colony of
New York was making formidable preparations for the reduction of
Canada.

Directly opposite the dock on the Jersey shore, is situated Closter
landing, from which a road gradually ascends to the summit of the Pali-
sades —a height of 517 feet above the river. Here Lord Grey, after
coming up the Hudson in barges, disembarked his troops for the purpose
of cutting off Baylor's light dragoons then stationed at Tappaan.?

During the winter of 1780, the river was frozen so hard, that sleighs
were driven from this place to the city on the ice. Ata short distance
above the landing, facing the post road, is the old AZanor hall. The
present front was erected cir. 1745 ; the rear, at a much earlier period—
which is reported to have been built soon after the Philipse family
purchased here, A. D. 1682—although the favorite residence, at first,
appears to have been Castle Philipse, in Sleepy Hollow.

The front of the Manor hall presented quite a handsome elevation
for a country residence of the olden time.

It is built in the Dutch style, so fashionable at that period ; its roof
is surmounted by a heavy line of balustrade forming a terrace, that com-
mands extensive views of the river.

The principal entrance is through the eastern porch, ornamented with
light columns and corresponding pilasters. There are likewise two
porches on the eastern front, looking upon the lawn. The interior is
fitted up with wainscoted walls, ceilings highly ornamented in arabesque
work, and carved marble mantels. The view from the south, commands
the old stone mill, village spires, and the wooded banks of Philip’s
point. On the west, beautiful prospects of the dock and river; on the
east, a verdant lawn skirted by garden terraces, horse-chestnuts and
the main road, above which rises Locust hill.

' The hall is capacious, and its wide staircase with antique balustrades
and banister, has a fine effect. The bedrooms are large panelled

a Journal of Lewis Morris.

b October, 1778, (says Thacher) the regiment of cavalry commanded by Col. Baylor bein
posted on our lines near Tappan, their situation was betrayed by some tories, and a party o:
the enemy surprised them while in a barn, in the night, and massacred a part of them under
circumstances of savage cruelty. The commander of the party who disgraced themselves by
this foul deed, was the Euglish General Grey. Col. Baylor’s detachment consisted of oue
hundred and four horsemen. The attack was so sudden, that they were entirely defenceless
and the enemy immediately commenced the h>rrid work of slaughter; their entreaties and
cries for mercy were totally disregarded by theirsavage foes. It has been well ascertianed
that the British soldiers were ordered by their inhuman officers to bayonet every man they
could find, and give no quarter.—Thacher’s Military Journal, 147.

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THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 633

apartments, with old fashioned fire-places faced in Dutch tile, represent-
ing thereon, Scripture stories with appropriate references.

The walks around are laid out in the shape of noble terraces, some
of which lead between tall avenues of box. The garden is extensive,
and enriched by valuable fruit trees and shrubs. The splendid orange
and myrtle trees that once adorned the green house, were formerly in
the possession of Mrs. Macomb of Kings Bridge. The green sward,
sloping gradually to the Hudson, is here and there dotted with fine
specimens of ornamental trees; this, during the occupancy of the
Philipse’s, was emparked and stocked with deer. Among other exotics
(which seem to thrive here,) we noticed on the edge of the river the
English yew ; judging from its appearance and the exposed situation
which it occupies, we should say it was quite hardy enough to endure
our coldest winters. We should be glad to see this beautiful tree,
whose dark verdure never fails, naturalized in the gardens of Westches-
ter.

In this mansion the lords of the manor, on the great rent days, feasted
their tenantry. Some idea may be formed of this establishment which
maintained thirty white and twenty colored servants. There appears to
have been two rent days yearly for the manor of Phillipsborough. One
in January, held at Yonkers, for the convenience of the lower tenantry ;
another a few days subsequent, at Sleepy Hollow, for the upper.

In lieu of rent, was frequently received a couple of fat hens, a day’s
work, or a trifling sum amounting to three or fourpounds. The farmers
bordering the river having greater privileges, paid higher rents. The
Courts Leet and Baron were held yearly at the house of John Cockles,
the site of the present Nap-pec-ka mak tavern. This court took cog-
nizance of all criminal matters, and sometimes inflicted punishments
that were even capital. In the administration of justice the baronial
lord presided, either in his own person or that cf his steward.

In the Manor Hall, July 3d, 1730, was born Mary Philipse, daughter
of the Hon. Frederick Philipse, speaker of the House of Assembly and
lord of the manor of Philipsborough. From this lady’s character
Fenimore Cooper formed the heroine of the .y, under the name of
“France.” It was in the drawing room of this old hall, the ceiling of
which is highly ornamented with arabesque work, that the charming
Mary Philpse was married to Colonel Roger Morris on Sunday afternoon
of January 15th, 1758.

That wedding, we are assured, was a pleasant romance of the
Hudson. The leading families of the province, and the British forces

a This is the description of the Manor house in 1848.

634 HISTORY OF THE CUUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

in America, had representatives there. The sleighing was good and the
weather was mild, and early as two o’clock in the afternoon the guests
began to arrive. The Rev. Henry Barclay, rector of. Trinity church in
New York, with his assistant, Mr. Auctmuty, was there at three o’clock.
Half an hour later the marriage was solemnized under acrimson canopy,
emblazoned with the golden crest of the family (a crowned demi-lion,
rampant, rising from a coronet) in the presence of a brilliant assembly.
The bridemaids were Miss Barclay, Miss Van Cortlandt, and Miss
DeLancey. The groomsmen were Mr. Heathcote, Captain Kennedy,
and Mr. Watts, acting Governor DeLancey (son-in law to Colonel
Heathcote, lord of the manor of Scarsdale) assisted at the ceremony.
The brother of the bride, the last lord of the manor—decorated with the
gold chain and jeweled badge of office of his family as keeper of the
deer forests of Bohemia—gave away the bride, for her father had been
dead seven years. Her dowry in her own right was a large domain,
plate, jewelry and money.

A grand feast followed the nuptial ceremony, and late on that brilliant
moon-lit night most of the guests departed. While they were feasting,
a tall Indian, closely wrapped in a scarlet blanket, appeared at the door
of the banquet hall, and with measured words said, ‘‘ your possessions
shall pass from you when the eagle shall despoil the lion of his mane.”
He as suddenly disappeared. This message was as mysterious as the
writing on the wall at Belshazzar’s feast. The bride pondered the
ominous words for years; and when, because they were royalists in
action, the magnificent domain of the Philipses was confiscated by the
Americans at the close of the Revolution, the significance of the
prophecy and its fulfillment were manifested. Such is the story of the
wedding as told by Angevine (son of the favorite colored valet of
Philipse), who was sexton of St. John’s church at Yonkers for forty-five
years.”

Captain, afterwards Colonel, Roger Morris greatly distinguished him-
self during the first American war, and was wounded in the battle of
Monongahela river; on which occasion General Braddock was killed
with most of his officers. In that engagement George Washington,
Robert Orme, and Roger Morris, Esqrs., were aids to Braddock.? At
the commencement of the Revolution he was a member of the Council
of the Colony, and continued in office until the peace, although the
Whigs organized a government as early as 1777, under a written and
well framed constitution. Col. Roger Morris died in England in 1794,
: oe ie New Monthly Mag. ‘Romance of the Hudson,” No. ecexi, April, 1876, vol. liii.

6 Burke’s Hist. of the Landed Gentry of England, vol. iv. 490,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 635

aged sixty-seven ; and Mary his widow died in 1825, at the age of ninety-
six. Their remains were deposited near Saviour-gate church, at York.
Their son was Captain Henry Gage Morris, R. N.

Their children were as follows: Henry Gage, above mentioned, a cap-
tain in the royal navy; Amherst, who was named for his god-father
Lord Arnherst, who was also a captain in the royal navy and who died
unmarried in 1802; Johanna, who married Captain Thomas Cowper
Hincks of the British dragoons, and who died in 1819; and another
daughter, whose name and fate have not been ascertained.

To the memory of Captain Arnherst Morris there is a monument at
Baildon, England. Of Captain Henry Gage Morris, honorable mention is
made in the British Naval History. Of Mrs. Morris’ early life there is a
most interesting incident. That Washington had some desire to become
her suitor, is a fact which rests on the highest authority.

In Mr. Sparks’ life of the illustrious commander-in-chief, there is the
following passage :—-

“While in New York in 1756, Washington was lodged and kindly
entertained at the house of Mr. Beverley Robinson, between whom and
himself an intimacy of friendship subsisted, which indeed continued
without change, till severed by their opposite fortunes twenty years after-
wards in the Revolution. It happened that Miss Mary Philips, a sister
of Mrs. Robinson, and a young lady of rare accomplishments, was an
inmate in the family. The charms of this lady made a deep impression
upon the heart of the Virginia Colonel. He went to Boston, returned,
and was again welcomed to the hospitality of Mr. Robinson. He lin-
gered there till duty called him away; but he was careful to entrust his.
secret to a confidential friend, whose letters kept him informed of every
important event. In afew months intelligence came that a rival was in
the field; and that the consequences could not be answered for, if he
delayed to renew his visits to New York. Whether time, the bustle of
the camp, or the scenes of war had moderated his admiration, or whether
he despaired of success, is not known. He never saw that lady again till
she was marnied to that same rival, Captain Morris, his former associate
in arms, and one of Braddock’s aids-de-camp.

“In an English work, shown to me by Mrs. Morris’ relatives in New
Brunswick, it is stated that she refused Washington. But this is very
doubtful; and the passage just cited, which is founded upon Washing-
ton’s papers, seems to utterly disprove the assertion. [magination dwells
upon the outlawry of a lady whose beauty and virtues won the admiration
of the great Whig Chief. Humanity is shocked that a woman was attaint-
ed of treason, for no crime but that of clinging to the fortunes of her
husband whom she had vowed on the altar of religion never to desert.”

a “The American Loyalists,” by Lorenzo Sabine. See also Historical view of the commis-
sion for inquiry into the losses and claims of the American Loyalists, by John Eardley Wilmot,
Esq., London, 1815,

636 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

*“‘ A part of the Phillips estate, (observes Mr. Sabine,) was in posses-
sion of Colonel Morris in right of his wife, and was confiscated ; and
that the whole interest should pass under the act, Mrs. Morris was
included in the attainder. It is believed that this lady, her sisters, Mrs.
Robinson, and Mrs. Inglis, were the only females who were attainted of
treason during the struggle. But it appeared in due time, that the con-
fiscation act did not affect the rights of Mrs. Morris’s children. The
fee simple of the estate was valued by the British government at £20,-
ooo; and by the rules of determining the worth of life interests, the
life interest of Col. Morris and his wife were fixed at £12,605, for
which sum they received a certificate of compensation.

“In 1787, the Attorney General of England examined the case, and
gave the opinion, that the reversionary interest (or property of the chil-
dren at the decease of the parents,) was not included in their attainder,
and was recoverable under the principles of law and of right. In the
year 1809, their son, Captain Henry Gage Morris of the royal navy, in
behalf of himself and his two sisters, accordingly sold this reversionary
interest to John Jacob Astor, Esquire, of New York, for the sum of
£20,000 sterling. In 1828 Mr. Astor made a compromise with the
State of New York, by which he received for the rights thus purchased
by him (with or without associates,) the large amount of five hundred
thousand dollars. ‘The terms of the arrangement required, that within
a specified time he should execute a deed of conveyance in fee simple,
with a warrantee against the claims of the Morrises—husband and wife
—their heirs, and all persons claiming under them; and that he should
also obtain the judgment of the Supreme Court of the United States
affirming the validity and perfectibility of his title. These conditions
were complied with, and the respectable body of farmers who held the
confiscated lands under titles derived from the sales of the commission-
ers of forfeitures, were thus quieted in their possessions. It is under-
stood that the British government made them a second compensation
for their losses, and that the whole sum received was £17,000 sterling.

There is a beautiful portrait of Mary Philipse still preserved at Phil-
ipstown in the Highlands, which represents the youthful heroine in all
her native loveliness. Itis in the possession of her namesake and grand
niece, Mary Philipse, widow of the late Samuel Gouverneur, Esq. In
Rivington’s Royal Gazette of May 18, 1773, occurs the following notice
of the commencement at King’s College, (now Columbia College) New
York.

“Tuesday being the day appointed for the annual commencement of
the graduates of King’s College in this city, a very numerous and splen-

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 637

did audience assembled at Trinity church. After prayers and a Latin
speech by the President, an elegant salutatory oration was delivered with
great propriety of pronunciation and gracefulness of action by Mr. Fred-
erick Philipse. The audience was then entertained with a discourse on
the happiness of connubial life, by Mr. Beverly Robinson, whose just ob-
servations on the subject did him much honor. Degrces were after this,
conferred on the following gentlemen: Beverly Robinson, Frederick
Philipse, Nathaniel Philipse, B. A. Philip Pell, and the Rev. Harry Munro,
1 EF Oh

Upon the arrival of the British forces in New York, Colonel Frederick
was arrested on some suspicions in the Manor Hall, at Yonkers, and
removed to Hartford, Connecticut, by the American anthorities. On this
occasion, his faithful colored valet, George Angevine, attended him
until his return to Philipsborough, which took place shortly afterwards.
Here Colonel Philipse was residing when the battle of White Plains was
fought.

After the departure of the family from Yonkers, in 1777, John Wil-
liams, steward of the manor, took charge of the property till the confis-
cation, A. D. 1779. As before mentioned, at the close of the war, the
whole manor became forfeited.

February 1, 1781, the following individuals were appointed Commis-
sioners for the southern district of New York: Stephen Ward, Mr. Law-
rence and Isaac Stoutenbergh. September 1785, those gentlemen con-
veyed the homestead and mills situated in Yonkers, amounting to 320
acres, to Cornelius P. Lowe ; bounded west by Hudson river, on the north
by R. Johnson, &c., &c. May 12, 1786, Cornelius P. Lowe conveyed part
to William Constable. April 29, 1796, Wm. Constable and wife sold to
Jacob Stout. April 1, 1803, Jacob Stout conveyed it to Joseph How-
land. It was finally bought under a decree of Chancery by Lemuel
Wells, Esq., at whose death in 1842, the Mansion House with 300
acres, passed to his heirs at law, he dying intestate. The present pro-
prietor of the Manor House is his nephew, Lemuel W. Wells, Esq. The
Wells family are originally from Cambridgeshire, England, and descend
from Richard Wells, who held the manor of Wells at a very early period.
In the possession of the present Lemuel W. Wells, Esq, is a coat of
arms beautifully embroidered in silk needlework. These arms were
granted to the Cambridge Wells’s, A. D. 1614. The present family
are more immediately descended from Samuel Wells, of Wethersfield,
Conn., who removed A. D. 1639, with his three sons—John, Thomas and
Samuel—to Milford, Conn.’ This family gave a Governor to that State.

a Berry’s Encyclopedia of Arms.
b Trumbull’s Conn., 105

638 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The last lord of the manor, Colonel Frederick Philipse, returned to
Chester, England, where he died, A. D. 1785, after a short illness, and
has a monument erected there to his memory. His faithful colored
valet, Angevine, who had accompanied his master in all his changes of
fortune, survived him but one year. They aré both interred in the same
church yard.

Charley Philips, son of Angevine, still lives on the banks of the Hud-
son, and was—under a succession of dynasties—45 years sexton of St.
John’s church, Yonkers.

There is still living in this village and near the landing, Capt. Joel
Cook, a hero of 1776, who belonged to Colonel Meigs’ regiment.4 The
day André was captured, Gen. Washington ordered the brigade then
stationed at Peekskill to march to West Point.

This gentleman during the war escorted 1500 men from Teller’s Point
to the neighborhood of Kings Bridge.

In compliment to the services of the old veteran, the citizens of
Yonkers presented him with a gold medal bearing the following in-

scription :—
Presented to

CAPT. JOEL COOK,
by the citizens of Yonkers,
in honor of his patriotic services in defence of
LIBERTY,
July 4th, 1845,
at the battles of
Lexington, Danbury, White Plains, Trenton und Stony Point,
Springfield and Tippacanoe.

The inhabitants of this town appear to have taken an active part
during the struggle for Independence.

On the 11th April, 1775, Colonel Frederick Philipse appeared at the
head of a large body of his tenantry, when the deputies from the several
towns of Westchester met at White Plains, for the purpose of electing
delegates to represent this colony in the general Congress to be held in
Philadelphia.?®

At a meeting of the Committee for this County held at White Plains,
on Thursday and Friday, the 17th and 18th days of August, inst., the
committee divided the County into districts or beats, agreeable to the
directions of the Provincial Congress, for forming militia and minute
companies.

Yonkers formed one of the districts of the southern battalion. The

a This was 1848,
b See page 350,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 639

officers chosen were John Cock, Captain; William Betts, first heutenant;
John Warner, second lieutenant; and Jacob Post, ensign.@

The following petition from the inhabitants of Lower Yonkers, occurs
in 1775:—

Lower Yonkers, Sept. 15, 1775.

To the Hon. the Provincial Congress for the Province of New York, convened
in their recess, to the Hon. Committee of safety. The humble petition of the
inhabitants of the precincts of Lower Yonkers, in the county of Westchester,
humbly showeth, that your Hon. House had made a resolve, and published the
same, recommending to the inhabitarts of every town, manor, precinct and
district within the province aforesaid, to meet, nominate and appoirt a captain
and other officers, to form themselves as companies of militia; and, whereas the
inhabitants of this precinct did meet agreeable to your said resolve, on the 24th
day of August last, under the inspection of the committee of that district, and by
a very great majority, as by the list will appear, did nominate and appoint Mr.
John Cock of the said precinct, for his known skill and ability in military discip-
line, and for other good causes, captain of the company for the district aforesaid ;
and, whereas, we are informed that a complaint hath been made to the committee
by a few of the inhabitants against the said Mr John Cock, out of spite and
malice, and as we conceive what has been alleged against him was before sign-
ing the association, we are well assured that since his signing the association, no
person can accuse him of breaking the same by any ways or means whatsoever ‘
therefore, we the petitioners and subscribers, do humbly beg the indulgence of
this Hon. House to grant Mr. John Cock the commission of captain for the com-
pary aforesaid; as we are convinced he was chosen agreeable to your said resolve,
and your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray.

Anthony Archer, John Devoe, Charles Tyler,
Basil Jacob Post, Martin Post,
Thos. Oakley, Israel Post, James Munro,

Jonathan Fowler,
Abraham Hick,
Matthias Archer,
Ezekiel Brown,
Araham Astor,
Robert Farrington,
‘John Odell,
Abraham Odell,
Abraham Post,
Dennis Post,
William Post,
Robert Brown,
Daniel Dean,
Stephen Bastine,
Henry Norris,
John Gresinall,

@ American Archives, p. 691.

Lewis Post,

John Warner,
Elnathan Taylor,
Jacob Taylor,
James Crawford,
Elnathan Taylor,
David Oakley, jr.,
Joseph Oakley, jr.,
George Crawford,
Moses Oakley,
Francis Smith,
Jordan Norris,
Frederick Vermilyea,
John Cartright,
Edward Cartright,
Henry Taylor,
Fred. Brown.

Anthony Allaire,
Edward Ryer,
Benj. Farrington,
Will. Rose.

Henry Presher,
Thomas Farrington,
Isaac Post,

James Rich,
Gilbert Brown,
Thomas Tippet,
Samuel Lawrence,
Thomas Merrit,
Samuel Williams,
Israel Underhill,
Henry Brown,
Benjamin Archer,

640 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The commanding eminence rising above the village directly east of
the Philipse Mansion, is called Locust Hill. Here the American army
were encamped during a part of the war, while the enemy lay in the
lower grounds.

October rath, 1776, the American army marched from Kings Bridge,
along the heights above Yonkers towards Dobb’s Ferry.

St. John’s church, Yonkers, together with its gothic parsonage, stands.
pleasantly situated on the south bank of the Saw mill. This church is.
one of the handsomest in the county, having been recently repaired and.

St. John’s Rectory.

beautified at a heavy cost. It owes its early foundation to the Philipses, .
who, as lords of the Manor at that time enjoyed the advowson or right
of patronage to all and every church erected therein. Its first founder
and patron was the Hon. Frederick Philipse, for some years speaker of
the house of the Assembly in the province of New York, 1721-8.

There is every reason to believe that this distinguished individual took
some steps towards the erection of the church previous to his death,
which happened in 1751: (he died of consumption at the age of 53.) »
In his will, which is dated the 6th of June, of the same year, he directs,

“That out of the rents that were, or should thereafter be due him, .
from the manor of Phillipsborough, the sum of £400 be by his execu-
trix laid out in erecting a building or finishing a church of England as.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 641

by law established, on the farm near and to the northward of the house
then in the tenure of William Jones, sen., unless he should build the said
church in his lifetime; and he devised all the said farm with all the
buildings thereon, unto all his children, and their heirs, in trust, for the use
of such ministers of the Church of England as by law established, as
should be from time to time admitted or instituted in the said church ;
and so for ever to remain for a glebe to the said church,”@

That the building was commenced in 1752, there is no doubt; for
among the family papers, occurs an account of the expenses on the
church at Philipsborough to the estate of Frederick Phillipse, debtor,
commencing Nov. 1752, closing December, 1753; whole amount, £623
6s.9@. This sum shows that his executrix had exceeded the original
bequest in the will, £223. The curious reader will not be displeased with
one or two more of these accounts, showing the expenses attendant on
building a church at that early period :—

BENJAMIN FOWLER’S ACCOUNT IN FULL FOR YE OHUROH.

May 11th, 1758, dito 6} days works at geting timber
for the dors and the winder frams for the church,
at 5 shillings per day, - - - - - £1126.

September the 20th, to working and going to ask the
peple to come to work at the church, 8 days,
&c., &e. - - < - = B 2 =

John Underhill’s receipt for supplying the workmen
at the church with beef, commencing Aug. 31st.
Madame Phitipse, dito, 69 pound of beef, at 2s 3d per
pound, - - - - - = = - £15103.
Received of BEvERLY Ropinson, the above amount in full,

JOHN UNDERHILL.

Nothing remains of the original structure, except the walls and tower,
the roof and wood-work having been destroyed by an accidental fire,
May, 1791. When the ruins of the church came to be examined after
this melancholy accident, the skeleton of a full sized man was discovered
behind the remains of the pulpit. In 1792, it was again repaired; and
on the 21st of August of that year, consecrated to the service of Al-
mighty God, under the name and title of St. John’s church, Phillips-
borough, by the Right Rev. Samuel Provoost, first Bishop of the State of
New York. The edifice consisted of a square tower surmounted with a
wooden cupola and spire, body and vestry-room in the rear.

The principal entrance was by a circular-headed door on the south

a Surrogate’s office, N. Y, No. xviii. 3.

642 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

side. There were two monumental tablets in the church; the first
placed against the south wall, is inscribed:

To perpetuate the memory of the

REV. ELIAS COOPER,

27 years Rector of this Church
who departed this life, January 16, 1816,
aged 58 years and 11 days.
He laboured industriously to promote the
happiness of mankind
by advancing the influence of the Christian religion.
Pious without superstition, and zealous
without bigotry ;

fiat

aT Ti

St. John’s Church, Yonkers, in 1752.

a friend to the poor and an ornament to the Church,
exemplary in the discharge of every relation
and professional duty,
respected and honored through life by those
who knew his virtues,
and in his death universally lamented.

This humble monument (not of his praise)
is erected by his faithful flock,
who knew him, loved him, and lament their loss,
and are desirous of recording in
this inscription,
their esteem, affection and regret.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 643
‘The second, on the chancel wall, is erected

TO THR MEMORY OF THE
REV. ALEXANDER H. CROSBY, A.M.,

10 years Rector of this Church,
who died at the Island of St. Croix,
January 4, 1839, aged 35 years.

In the Gencral Theological Seminary,

the piety, virtues and talents,

were nurtured, which fitted him for the

CHRISTIAN MINISTRY,
sincerity of character, kindness of heart,
and purity of life, united with steady zeal,
current principles, patient labor and true
devotedness to God, edified the Church,
won for him the hearts of his flock,
and were honored by his Divine master,
with abundant fruits.

In all things he was an example and a
pattern for the people to follow; and with
this testimony he has entered into his rest.

A BELOVED BROTHER,
and faithful minister in the Lord.
The flock

for whose sakes he gladly spent himself,

have erected this tablet to attest their sense
of his excellence,
and their grief for his loss.

The bell* was presented to the church by the late Joseph Howland,
Esq., and contains the following inscription:

“B. HANKS,
MANSFIELD, Conn., 1818.”

It is much to be regretted, that the old communion service of this
church was carried off during the war of the Revolution, for safe keeping,
to the city of New York. Some years after the close of the war, the al-
tar cloth was discovered in an old dusty box, where it had lain through
the whole period of the Revolution: this is now in use at St. John’s
chapel, Tuckahoe. The silver now used at the administration of the
holy sacrament, consists of one large silver flagon, two silver chalices, a

a Bells were used by the ancient Romans to signify the time of bathing, and naturally ap.
plied by the early Christians to denote the hours of devotion.

644 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

silver bason or font; the latter presented by a member of the Van Cort-
landt family ; and a silver plate bearing the following inscription :

‘* Presented
To the Episcopal Church
Of the town of Yonkers,
1795.”

During the troubles of the Revolution, an American soldier, killed in
this neighborhood, is known to have been interred beneath the floor of
this church, but there is no tradition of the cause of so unusual a place
of sepulture being chosen.

‘Here the warrior rests in peace,
And holy church his tomb doth grace.”

The church-yard has been long since abandoned on account of its
rocky situation. The one now used is located on the old parsonage
property, and formed once a portion of the glebe. It is beautifully situ-
ated on a rising knoll in the valley of the Saw Mill. The first interment
on record occurs 1783, Richard Archer Among other memorials in
this yard are those of

LEMUEL WELLS, ESQ,, MISS SUSANNAH HOWLAND,
born in the city of Hartford, born in Boston, 1753,
Mar. Eliza H. died in Greenburgh, 1823,
died Feb. 11, 1842, aged 73 years.
aged 82.

The first mention of the parish of Yonkers occurs in an act passed
during the first session of the third Assembly, 5th of King William and
Queen Mary, September, 1693, entitled an‘act for settling a ministry
and raising a maintenance for them in the city of New York, counties
of Richmond, Westchester and Queens; “ Wherein it was enacted by
General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that in each
county there shall be called and inducted two clergymen for the county
of Westchester—one to have the cure of Westchester, Eastchester,
Yonkers and the manor of Pelham ; the other to have the cure of Rye,
Mamaroneck and Bedford; and allowed £100 each, to each, £50 to be
paid in country produce. In raising the respective maintenances for
the ministers, the respective justices of every city and county aforesaid,
or any two of them are required to issue out warrants to the constables.
to summon the freeholders of every city, town and precinct, for the

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 645

choosing two vestrymen and two wardens. Confirmed the 11th of May,
1697. This act was further explained 3rd Queen Anne.”?

A. D. 1698, Lord Cornbury, Governor of the Province, issued an
order to the magistrates of the several towns in Westchester County
to build churches; by virtue of this, several towns were enabled to
build public houses for the worship of Almighty God. St. Peter’s
church, Westchester, was thus built and became the parish church
inclusive of the precincts of Eastchester, Manor of Pelham and Yonkers.

The quota contributed by the precinct of Yonkers towards the sup-
port of the Rector and poor of the parish in 1702, was £7.6, in 1709,
Baa

The first vestryman elected by the freeholders of this precinct was
Mr. John Archer ; seven years later John Archer and Noah Barton, were
‘vestrymen.

A. D. 1702, King William III. by Royal Charter, incorporated the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. The
principal object of this society was to send clergymen to the colonies;
‘and the society to earnestly request and beseech all persons concerned
that they recommend no man out of favor or affection or any other
worldly consideration; but with a sincere regard to the honor of
Almighty God and our blessed Saviour, as they tender the interest of
the Christian religion and the good of men’s souls.”¢

The first Rector of the parish of Westchester and precinct of Yonk-
ers was the Rey. John Bartow, who received his license from the Bishop
of London in 1702. The same year upon his arrival here, he was
inducted by the commission of his Excellency Governor Cornbury.

In 1703 Rev. John Bartow commenced his services within this
precinct. September 5, 1708, he writes to the society that he occasion-
ally preached at Yonkers, where the population was then 250 souls.4

In 1713, the Propagation Society founded a charity school for the
education of children in this town. The same year £5 per annum is
granted to a schoolmaster at Yonkers, where there is a large congrega-
tion of Dutch and English, for instructing the younger sort of both
nations in the catechism and liturgy, provided he can produce a certifi-
cate of his teaching thirty children. In that summer A. D. 1719, Mr.
Jones was allowed fifty shillings for teaching children to read at Mile
Square.

: Cary of Assembly passed in the province of N. Y. from 1691 to 1725, p. 23.
bid.
ec From a collection of papers printed by order of the Society, 9.
d From the Westchester Records we take the following extract, ** John Archer, constable
of the Yonkers appears, with a receipt from Mr. Bartow, bearing date ye 21 May, 1714-15 since
the year 1702, as the minister’s rate with the collection allowed, &c.

646 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

In 1761, the Rev. Mr. Milner, Rector of the parish, informs the
Propagation Society, that one of the edifices he preaches in at Yonkers
was a new one, raised by the generosity of Colonel Frederick Philipse
of Philipsborough, who has given to its service a fine farm as a glebe,
consisting of two hundred acres, upon which he purposes to build a good
house for a minister. In 1764 the society report that they have received
aletter from Colonel Frederick Philipse of Philipsborough within the
Province of New York, dated October 23, 1764, representing :—

‘“‘ That at the expense of himself and family there is now erected on
the Manor of Philipsborough a handsome stone church completely
finished, and everything necessary for the decent performance of divine
service prepared; that about three quarters of a mile from the church he
has laid out and appropriated two hundred and fifty acres of excellent
arable and wood land for a glebe for the minister for ever, and that he
fully intends as soon as they are happy to have a worthy clergyman
of the Church of England settled among them, to build him a genteel
and handsome house upon said glebe, the materials for which are now
providing, and which will cost at least £400. He therefore earnestly
requests the society to send them a missionary, that he and his tenants,
nearly one hundred and fifty families, may be no longer destitute of the
worship of the Church of England.”

The board taking this letter into consideration appointed the Rev.

Harry Munro,? a gentleman recommended to them by all the clergy of
@ Vol. i. 315,

New Jersey and the Rev. Messrs. Charlton and Auchmuty at Perth
Amboy, September 2oth, 1764, and by other very ample testimonials, to
be the society’s missionary at Philipsborough, with a salary of £30 per
annum.

June 8th, 1765, Mr. Munro himself, writes, “that on his arrival at his
mission, he found everything promising and agreeable, a neat church
(always kept in good repair by Col. Frederick Philipse and family) anda
decent congregation, materials already for a parsonage, the glebe well
fenced, plenty of wood, and a sufficient quantity of arable land.”

In 177.1, the Rev. Luke Babcock was recommended by the clergy of
New York, “being lately ordained by the bishop of London, as a proper
person for a missionary. And Colonel Philipse having requested that
the mission of Philipsborough formerly filled by the Rev. Harry Munro,
should be renewed; and the Colonel having made a proper provision
for the maintenance of a minister, with the assistance of the society,
they have accordingly appointed the Rev. Luke Babcock to the mission
with a salary of £30.”

The youngest son of Doctor Joshua Babcock, of Westerly Narragan-

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 647

sett (observes Mr. Updike) was Rev. Luke Babcock, “an Episcopal clergy-
man at Philips’s Manor, on the Hudson, where he died, leaving a wife
and several children.” Hawkins, in his Historical Notices of the
Missions of the Church of England, says: “ Another victim of ill treat-
ment already mentioned, was the Rev. Luke Babcock, missionary at
Philipsborough. He was seized by the insurgents, his papers were ex-
amined, and because he answered affirmatively to the question, ‘ Whether
he considered himself bound by his oath of allegiance to the king,’ he
was deemed an enemy to the liberties of America, and ordered to be
kept in custody.”* After four month’s confinement his health gave way,
and he was then dismissed with a written order to remove within the
lines of the king’s army. “ He got home,” (says Mr. Seabury,) “with diffi-
culty, in a raging fever and delirious, and there died, extremely regret-
ted.”® Indeed, I know not a more excellent man; and I fear his loss,
especially in that mission, will scarcely be made up.°

His wife was Grace Isaacs, a cousin of Judge Isaacs of New Haven.
His children were Cortlandt, Frederick, the father of Mrs. W. L. Morris,
of Wave Hill, Yonkers, and Henrietta, who married a Mr. Richard Sal-
tonstal of New York.

This parish suffered greatly during the war of the Revolution. The
church was used at intervals by both armies as an hospital ; and its pul-
pit was occupied by ministers of different denominations, who made some

strong efforts to retain possession.

At the close of the war, May 1st, the State of New York paced an act
vesting the church with two acres of land, and the glebe, in the corpor-
ation of the Episcopal church, Yonkers.

This was confirmed by another act of the Legislature, passed April 3,
1792, wherein it is specified: “ That all the estate, right, title, interest,
claim and demand of the people of the State of New York, in and to the
said church, and two acres of land, and in and to the said parsonage or
glebe, shall be, and hereby are granted to, and vested in the corporation of
the Episcopal church in the town of Yonkers, in the County of West-
chester and State of New York, and their successors forever, for the use
of the said corporation.”

This church had been previously incorporated under the act of 1784.
Sept. 15, 1787, Augustus van Cortlandt and John Warner, trustees.

In accordance with the act passed for the relief of the Episcopal
church, passed March 17, 1795, it was again incorporated, Sept. 7, 1795.

a He was seized and carried off a prisoner to Hartford,Conn. Here he was detained in
custody, from October, 1776, to February of 1777.—Editor.

6 His remains were deposited in the family vault of the Van Cortlandt’s.—Editor.
ec Updike's Hist. of the Narragansett church. 310,

648 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Augustus van Cortlandt and William Constable, wardens; John Warner,
Thomas Valentine, Isaac Vermilyea, Frederick Underhill, Shadrach
Taylor, Isaac Lawrence, Stephen Oakley and Jacob Post, vestrymen.
In the first Convention of the Protestant Episcopal church in the
diocese of New York, held in the city of New York, June 22d, 1785,
this church does not appear to have been represented.

To the Convention of 1787, she sent her first delegates, Augustus
van Cortlandt and Israel Honeywell, Esqrs.

The principal benefactors to this parish, have been, the Hon. Frede-
rick Philipse, Mark Noble, Esq., Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq.,4 andthe
wardens and vestry of Trinity Church, New York.?

In 1845, owing to the large increase of families within this parish, and
the numerous calls made upon its officiating clergy, it was deemed ad-
visable, after mature deliberation, to erect a patronage within the village
of Yonkers. For this purpose, an order was obtained the same year
from the Court of Chancery, to dispose of the old parsonage and glebe.
These were finally sold for $6,500. With part of these funds, the pre-
sent Rectory was built, the corporation reserving to themselves the
burying ground in the Saw Mill Valley.

A part of Philipse’s point in the rear of the present rectory, appears
to have been used as a grave-yard for strangers.

The following table extracted from the reports of the venerable Pro-
pagation Society and the church records,deduces the catalogue of in-
cumbents to the present time :-—

LIST OF MINISTERS AND RECTORS.

Instituted or called. Incumbents. Vacated by.
Sept. 20, 1764, Rey. Harry Munro, A.M. Clericus, Per resig.
1770, Rey. Luxe Basoock, Clericus, “* death.
Pili, Rey. GeorGe Parton, Clericus, “* resig.
1786, Rev. ANDREW Fow Ler, Presb. as WO
Sept. 10, 1788, Rey. Eras Cooper, Presb. “* death,
Mar. 14, 1816, Rey. Wr1r1am Powe t, Presb. “* resig.
Mar. 20, 1820, Rey. Jonn Grice, Presb. CS set
Oct. 17, 1823, Rey. Joun West, Presb. rae
Dec. 15, 1828, Rev. Arex. H. Crospy, A. M. Presb. ** death.
May 4, 1839, Rey. Smiru Pyng, A. M. Presb. ‘* resig.
Mar. 20, 1841, Rev. Henry L. Storrs, Presb. ‘* death.
1852, Rey. ApraHaM BEeAou Carrer, “* resig.

a This individual, by his will dated Dec. 20, 1823 bequeathed “*the sum of $500 to the
Rector, wardens and vestry of St. John’s church, at Yonkers, being the Protesant Episcopal
church of that town, to be put and kept out at interest by them, upon good real security, with-
in the County of Westchester.”

b In 18—, Trinity Church contributed $——— for a parsonage at Yonkers, to which was
added in is———,, the sum of #——.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 649

1869, Rev. THomas A. JaaGar, D.D., now Bishop, ‘‘ ‘‘
Novy. 1870, Rey. Wituiam S. Lanerorp, ey
Dec., 1875, Rey. A. B. Arxiys, D. D., sien kn
Oct., 1879, Rey. James HouGHrTon, Present incumbent.

There is also a Reformed Dutch Church standing directly south of
St. John’s, situated upon rising ground. This church was erected on a
portion of the estate of the late Lemuel Wells, Esq., which was given by
his heirs in 1844. The building is a neat edifice of brick. The interior
arrangements, and fittings up, are peculiarly appropriate, being neat
and simple. A chaste pulpit and communion table, occupy the west
end, while a gallery extends across the eastern.

This church was incorporated under the act of 1813, dated July 13,
1844. Lemuel W. Wells and Ducan McFarland, elders; Frederick
Nodine and Ralph Shipman, deacons. The first installed pastor was
the Rev. V. M. Hurlbert, present minister.

There appears to have been a Dutch Reformed congregation in this
town as early as 1784, “called the Reformed Dutch Church at the Lower
Mills, in the Manor of Phillipsborough,” incorporated under the Act of
1784, dated September 8th, 1786; William Warner, Abraham Odell,
Isaac Vermilyea, James McChain, Jacobus Dyckman, trustees.

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized March 1st, 1828, un-
der the name and title of Christ church: first trustees, Joseph Oakley,
Frederick Shonnard, Thomas Griffen and David Oakley.

North-west of the city is Wild Boar Hill,“ so called from the animal
that once frequented the solitudes of its ancient forests. So troublesome
and numerous had this animal become at one period, that the Provincial
Government was compelled to pass laws for its destruction.

Up to a late era, Indians occupied this hill in great numbers. From
here they are all said to have taken their departure in one night. The
scarcity of the wild game, together with the encroachments of the white
man, may in some measure, account for this sudden removal.

During one period of the Revolution it was the site of the American
encampment. Its summit commands fine views of the surrounding
country and the noble Hudson, stretching in one jong reach to Jersey
City.

Somewhere near this spot there formerly stood a peculiar shaped tree, -
as if adapted by nature to receive the body of a man. In this rustic
couch, the illustrious Washington, wearied with his toils, slept for two
hours ; his trusty guide, Martin Post, watching.®

a This hill is laid down in General Washington’s surveyed map of the county, as Boar hill.
6 Post was at this time attached to Co]. Schammel’s regiment.

650 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

In the summer of 1780, the famous spy Huddlestone was discovered
concealed in the woods upon this hill, and was afterwards hung at
Poughkeepsie. For a long time it was frequented by the American
water guards, whose business it was to intercept all traders passing to
the British lines.

On the south side of this hill fell the brave Captain Rowe of Pru-
schank’s yagers. This individual appears to have been in the habit of
making a daily tour from Kings Bridge, round by Mile Square, for the
purpcse of reconnoitering. On the morning of the melancholy accident
which terminated his career, he was on his last tour of military duty,
having already resigned his commission for the purpose of marrying the
accomplished Elizabeth Fowler of Haarlem ; when passing with a com-
pany of light dragoons he was suddenly fired upon by three Americans
of the water guard of Captain Pray’s company, who had ambuscaded
themselves in the cedars near the site of the present residence of Mr.
Bangalore. Their shot took deadly effect, for the Captain fell from his
horse mortally wounded. ‘The yagers instantly made prisoners of the
undisciplined water guards, and a messenger was immediately dispatched
to Mrs. Babcock, then living below in the parsonage, for a vehicle to re-
move the wounded officer. The use of her gig and horse was soon ob-
tained, and a neighbor, Anthony Archer, pressed to drive. In this they
conveyed the dying man to Col. Van Cortlandt’s. They appear to have
taken the route of Tippett’s valley, as the party stopped at Mr. Frede-
rick Post’s to obtain a drink of water. In the mean time an express
had been forwarded to Miss Fowler, his affianced bride, to hasten with-
out delay to the side of her dying lover. On her arrival, accompanied
by her mother, the expiring soldier had just strength enough left to ar-
ticulate a few words, when he sunk exhausted with the effort.

As late as 1780 a thick forest extended from the village north to Mr.
William Bolmer’s, bounded by the Hudson and Saw Mill rivers. The .
site of these woods on the Hudson shore is now occupied by a number
of country residences, among which are those of Sampson Simpson, Esq.
This gentleman’s father, in company with Col. James had charge of the
silver mines at Sing Sing previous to the Revolution. Also Pomona
Hall, the residence of Philip Rhinelander Roberts, Esq. In this house
the aspiring politician Colonel Burr found a safe asylum to shelter him—
self from the storm of indignation which followed the death of the illus-
trious Hamilton.

The eastern edge of Boar hill is still covered with beautiful woods,
sloping gradually to the bank of the Saw Mill river This lovely stream
rises among the picturesque hills of Chappequa; its source is formed

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 651

from two springs, one on the land of Job Collins, the other on the pro-
perty of Willett Kipps. Its descent from the springs lies nearly in a
south course of sixteen miles through the rich bottoms of a valley bor-
dered with high woodlands ; and not unfrequently its waters become lost
in some rocky dell or amongst dark foliage. At times it is seen stealing
through some green meadow with a babbling sound. or occasionally be-
coming impetuous, it rushes over rocks and stones in its headlong course;
but more frequently

“*Clear are the depths where its eddies play,
And dimples deepen and whirl away.”— Bryant.

At the foot of Boar hill a bridge crosses the stream nearly opposite the
Parsonage.* It was here that Eden Hunt, brother of Major David
Hunt, was waylaid and attacked by two soldiers belonging to the British
Refugee Corps. It would appear that the unfortunate man being better
mounted than the rest of his companions, who were all retreating before
Col. De Lancey, rode considerably in advance ; and on coming to the
cross roads near the Methodist church, he mistook his way, and was fol-
lowing the course of the Saw Mill road when he was mortally wounded.
The rest of the party made good their retreat by the Albany turnpike.

The old Parsonage, formerly called Babcock’s house, appears to have
been frequently garrisoned by the troops of both armies. It was here
that Lord Howe fixed his head-quarters, and here the American Col.
Gist was visiting in 1778, when the enemy determined upon his sur-
prisal. At this period the house was occupied by the handsome and ac-
complished widow of the Rev. Luke Babcock and Miss Sarah Williams,
a sister of Mrs. Frederick Philipse. To the former lady Col. Gist was
devotedly attached; consequently when an opportunity afforded, he
gladly moved his command into that vicinity. On the night preceding
the attack, he had stationed his camp at the foot of Boar hill, directly
opposite the parsonage, for the better purpose of paying a special visit to
this lady. It is said that whilst engaged in urging his suit the enemy
were quietly surrounding his quarters ; he had barely received his final
dismissal from Mrs. Babcock when he was startled with the firing of
musketry. The following account of the attack is thus given by the
British commander, Lieut, Col. Simcoe :—

** Colonel Gist, who commanded a light corps of the rebels, was posted
near Babcock’s house, from whence he made frequent patrols. Lieut.
Col. Simcoe had determined to attack him; when, a deserter coming
in, at night, who gave an accurate account of his position, the following

a This is a description of 1848.

6 52 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

morning was fixed upon for the attempt. General Kniphausen, who
commanded at Kings Bridge, approved of the enterprise, and ordered a
detachment of the Yagers to co-operate in it; Lieut. Col. Emmerick
undertook to lead the march, having in his corps people who were well
acquainted with the country.

The following disposition was made. Emmerick’s infantry, followed
by the Queen’s Rangers, were to march through the meadows on the
side of Valentine’s hill, opposite Cortland’s ridge, and pass between the
rebel sentries to Babcock’s house, when they would be in the rear of
Gist’s encampment, which they were immediately to attack. Lieut. Col.
Tarleton, with the whole of the cavalry, was to proceed to cover the
right, and arrive at Valentine’s hill by daylight ; a detachment of Yagers,
under Capt. Wreden, were to march on Cortland’s ridge, and to halt
opposite to Gist’s encampment; and a larger detachment of Yagers,
under Major Pruschank, were, at the same time, to be ready to force
Philipse’s bridge, then to proceed to the bridge opposite Babcock’s house,
and to cut off the enemy’s retreat by that road. The signal for these
divisions moving on, was to be the noise of storming Gist’s encampment.
Lieut. Col. Emmerick conducted the march in so able a manner, and the
whole corps followed with so much silence, that the enemy’s sentinels
were passed without alarm, and this division gained the heights in the
rear, and could see the whole chain of sentinels walking below them.
Major Ross was detached to possess himself of Post’s house, to preserve
a communication with Lieut. Col. Tarleton on Valentine’s hill; the
remainder of the Rangers inclined to the right, towards Gist’s camp,
and Lieut. Col. Emmerick was directed to secure the Saw Mill road.
Firing soon began; and it was apparent from Lieut. Col. Emmerick’s
quarter, whom the enemy had discovered. Lieut. Col. Simcoe imme-
diately moved rapidly into the road, and directly up the steeps to the
enemy’s Camp, as a nearer way than through the thickets; he attained it,
and, to his great surprise, found that Major Pruschank had not forced
Philips’ Bridge, as had been intended, but had crossed and joined Capt.
Weeden on Cortlandt’s ndge; and that Col. Gist had escaped through
the passage which had been so unaccountably left open. Lieut. Col.
Tarleton fell in with a patrol of cavalry, and dispersed it; and the
Queen’s Rangers, as soon as they got possession of Gist’s camp, having
ambuscaded themselves,took a patrol which came forward on hearing
the firing. The troops set fire to Gist’s huts and returned to their
camp.”

From the American accounts, it appears that all the roads and bridges
had been well guarded by the enemy, except the one now called Warner’s
Bridge, and that Capt. John Odell,upon the first alarm led off his troops
through the woods on the west side of the Saw Mill; here Colonel
Gist joined them. In the meantime Mrs. Babcock, having stationed
herself in one of the dormer windows of the Parsonage, aided their
escape whenever they appeared, by the waving of a white handkerchief.

a@ Simcoe’s Mill. Journal, p. 86.

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of Fordham, N.Y.
mentions: Hon, father John Odell, wife Hannah, brother Michael,
children, John, Isaac, Abraham, Jonathan, Hannah and Altien, | widow,” dated 28d May, 1780,
(N.Y. Wills, Liber, 18,

John

Te i or

guide to General
Washington, member of Assem-
bly.
Jane 0, M. Odell
b, 16th Feb,, 1800, of Yonkers,
|. Nov., 1850,
Jacob De Lance: aan ey Rich,
ee
. Ve, 0 on pinean
See N.Y. Gen. and Bio,
Record, Vol. 1X., p. 48.

|
Tsanc_.

: Jonathan sara!
Tsaac..———-Odeli_ of Onondaigua, fa- Clyntje. James Teller
ther of Isaac, late John, the father of Isaac

D. 188),

Tis will, N.Y., 26 Sept, 1785, proved July, 1788, | da, of Altien, of "Yonkers,
wife of Johannes Odell,” in the will of *Alltle Vermillie
(N.Y, Wills, Liber, 12,

Face p 653, vol il

winlam, DT yao"
b, about 1634, was one of the first settlers of Rye, N. Y., where he owned a large estate ; and d. about
1700, In 1681, he appears on the Fairfield Records, in a list of inhabitants, as owning there 362 acres. In
1084, he gave deed of land at Rye, to his **son Samuel, living in the same county.""

Jn 1697,

PEDIGREE OF ODELL, OF RYE, GREENBURGH AND YONKERS,

Revised and corrected by Rurvs Kina, of Yonkers, New York, 1881.

Arms :—Argent,

the emigrant to America, was at Concord, Mass., 1639,

three Crescents, gules,

Crest:—An Eagle displayed, gules.

Mr. William Odell _.
He removed to Fairfleld, Conn., about 1644, where his will, dated 6th June, 1676,

Motto:—Fac et Spera.

was proved 12th of same month, by his son, John Odell, who, with his son-in-law, Samuel Moorehouse, were made Executors. This will
mentions :—Sons, William and John; daughter, Rebecca Moorehouse ; grand-children, Samuel Moorehouse and Thomas Moorehouse, and

John Odell, sou of John Odell; also, daughter-in-law Mary Odell.

land in ye Common at ye Concord,” (Fairfield Wills, 1675 and 1689, p. 30).

The inventory of the estate amounted to £447 1-5, including * undivided

da. of

Mr. Richard Vowles, of Fairfield, who was free-
man in 1662, and representative of the Colonial
Government in 1665-8-9,

as resident

of Rye, gave deed to Stephen Sherwood. Savage calls him, ** William of Greenwich, Conn,, in 1631, aged
47." On 2d Oct,, 1668, as an inhabitant of Rye, he signed a petition as ** William Woodhull,’

of Fordham, N.Y., in 1685, sold Jand which was his * deceased
In 1785, is called “Hon, father John
Odell,” In son John's will, mentioned below.

father Wm. Odell’s."”

f

James

b. at Concord, 2d Dec. 1639,

buried there 4th Feb., 1641,

(N_E. Reg., Vol. 4, p. 272).

|
Rebecca= Samuel Moorehouse,
b, at Con- of Fairfield, Conn.

cord, V7th
May, 1642,

of Stratfield, Conn.; freeman, 18th Oct,, 1664; in 1666, executed deed in behalf of his father, William Odell;
Will, 22d April, 1707, mentions, wife Mary, di
Mary, and other daughters, (Fairfeld Wills), His grand-son, John Ouell, removed to Conn, Farms, N.J.,

in 1673, received grant of land from town of Fairfleld.

gonh, Senr.,... Mary ——-

where he m. Temperance, da. Rev. Jonathan Dickinson, and became the father of the Hon, and Rey,
Jonathan Odell, A.M., M.D , Rector of St. Mary’s church, Burlington, N.J, ; b, at Newark, N.J., 26th Sept.,

1737, died at Frederickton, N.B., 25th Noy,, 1818.

Whio died about 1711, Is called “ widow, of Stratfield,”
in Inventory of her estate taken by her son Samnel,
1th Mareh, 1711,

|
John Joanna Turner,

|
Join Tannah Vermilye,

|p. 166),

. Is called “Hannah

Devaux

ohn.

of Ford.
ham

and Jemima,

Hobbs

Benson

of Greenburgh, N,
at White Plains, N.Y,, dated 2ist June, 1819,
mentions: wife Rebecca; sons, Jacob and
Jonathan; da’s., Hannah Odell, Alida Oakley
and Rebecca Valentine, dec. Exors,,wife Re-
becca, son Jucob and nephew Abraham, son
of brother Jonathan, of Greenburgh, N.Y,

|
Abrahum Rebecca Dyck-
b, 22d April, 1726; will | man, b. 10 Dec.,

1727; d. 6 April,
1821,

General ein Devoor
of Yonkera, N.Y., b. 26th July, | widow of
1766; a distinguished oficer | Abraham
inthe American army ; buried | Brevoort,
In St. John’s cemetery, Yonk- | Of N. Y.
ers, N, Y. city.

Apa i, be Dec,, 1752.

Jane Abraham Valentine
b, 8th Oct, 1754.
Jonathan —
b, 28d June, 1760,
Rebecca _ Elijah Valentine

b. 19th June, 1766,

of Yonkers, N. Y,
b, 24th Nov., 1797,
d, 26th Mar, 1879.

Alida James Oakley

Elizabeth Underhill

of Greenburgh, N, Y.,
Sept., 1718, bur. at Tarrytown, N. Y. Will at
White Plains, dated 29th May, 1812, men- |
tlons: sons, William, John and Abraham,
and other relatives, including daughters,
Johanna Dyckman, Rebecca Dyckman and
Jane Vermilyea, i

—
Jonathan —

ml
Michael —

of Greenburgh, N.Y... |
4 Jan., 1760; d, 27
1820, Member of
State Assembly; buried |
at Tarrytown, N. Y.

Hannah _Tsaac Odell |

Johanna

Cornelius Manaeviite =1, Hannah Underhill
da, Bishop, of Scars-
dale; d. 2ist June,
1828,

2, Jane Odell,
da. Gen, Jacob, of
Yonkers, N. Y.

AVI buoy, 1782
Rachel, b. 16 July, 1785
William, b. 18 Jul:
Jacob, b. 28 Feb,, 1790
Catharine, b, 23 Noy., 1792
Johanna, b, 31 July, 1795
Anne, b. 22 June, 1500
Phavbe, b. 27 Feb., 1804,

rabilatian

I |
Samuel —Patience—— Tsauc Anne Tompkins — Bussing
who, 16 July, 1688, {8 called‘*Hannah Odell, of Fordham, N.Y. In 1697, is described as of Tryo, Fairfield Co., of Eastchester, N.Y. In 1699, at White Plains, Signed Oath In 1699, signed Oath of Hee RAP EN alae da Wit
wife of John Odell,” as witness of an as- Conn., and with wife Patience, gives deed of land there, In 1700, at of Alleg. to King William. In 1705, with wife Anne, assigned Allegiance at White na
sault on Richard Hubbard and others. Rye, N.Y., gives deed of val formerly belonging to his father, Wm. Odell. Jand at Rye, N.¥., to Humphrey Underhill. Plains, N.Y. i of Rye, N.Y., removed to Dutctre Co,
| | Sarah John Archer, Ea
‘Thompkins Joshua.Sarah Jones Ancestor of Jolin, U8 be
William ones Wilton Branch TMendrick Sarah Devaux iia tae of ie Minor of Fordham,
of Eastchester, N.Y., eldest son NY., 7 Oct.,1086: (See Archer’
, Pedigree),
i tI (aS E i E | | tt rl
Jonathan —Margaret Dyck- Hannah Daniel _ Valentine Joshua_Mary Vincent Joseph_Martha Manning John Mary James — Odell Margaret Charles Dusenberry
b, 26 Dec., 1730, d. 23 | man, d.20Mar,, —_Altien_John Devaux. of Mile Square, Canada Lower | of Yonkers, N.Y. | Wiltsea Stephen Elizabeth Sherwood Hannah Lewis Rich
1783, aged 51, A daughter_ Evert Brown ‘Abraham T 7 1 == ae Jonathan — Eleanor Underhill Sarah Matthias Archer
Buried at Tar- of Dutchess Co., N.Y, Joshua ramet Charles
rytown, N. Y. Joni prone Joseph Jacob Sarah
of Yonkers, N.Y Martha Eve |
|
|
| | ae an So,
| . “wae ; ; a a=. Elizabeth
| —— James Abby.
dla, of Col,
i = = | | 1 | a TTTT ha a ise | T I T TIT
Abraham_ Anne Mandeville, Colonel John_ 1.Hannah McChain, Jacob_.Hannah Tsaac —Phoebe Dean Willlam_ Hannah Wiltsea, Jemima=—Gerrit Dyckman | Jobn ~Esther Joseph. Rebecca Abraham —Mary Daniel_Ann James,.Elizabeth Jotnhd
da, of Cornelius, of Greenburgh, N.Y., b.| no issue, b, 26 Feb., 1752, | Stymus, b, 25 Sept.,1753, | of Croton, b. 13 Mar., 1762, (= Daniel. Jane. {y rene Honeywell of Duteh- | Crawford of Green- | Thomp- of Dutoh- Nelson Boyce Odell Sarah. Pothill
of Peekskill; b. 25 Oct., 1766, d. 26 Oct., 2.AbigallBrowne,da d, 20 Oct., 1798 da. Jas- «. 24 June. 1811, | N. Y. d.14Feb., 1856, ian coon myaerian ess Co, burgh kins eas Co, Abigail Lawrence
27 Nov., 1760; d. 1835; served with distinc- | Hachaliah, of Som- Will at White per, | Margaret dled young ne | Underhill
| 15 Aug., 1835. tion in the war of the | erstown, N.Y. (See Plains, dated 19 | ~ married | Tseno- Charity Law
Revolution, and received | Browne Pedigree), Sept, 1798, men- | Aletta, died young | |
Colonel's commission tlons: wife Han- | Jonathan, died in infancy |
from Continental | nah; sons, Jona- | Johanna | |
Congress, than and Jasper, i | ~
| and child unborn, |
| | | of yonkers Lycltt |
| | |
i [| [| Tritt Lid aa Tecate JI titi Mile Tid | Lit ttiid Pill |
Paneemianen Underhill Tonalh an teyane Thompkins Jonathea | Phave Thompkins JAG —Susan McChain Margaret _—— Barker 1 TE ‘Snsan Veter Joshua Jane Lynt Hephen Thomas B. Daniel Mary Isaac Odell Heh fashsh hd
of Scarsdale,N.Y. of Tarrytown, N.Y. niece of Gov. Daniel Charlotte Dean Altien — ry. Hannah Charity Daniel William L, Daniel Benjamin dD. ea Aug., Die Soph; Jonn
Jackson Anna Ward Jasper Wyllie Thompkins, of Isaac_Mary A. Barker ie 2 Joshua Betsy James Anne Gilbert ‘Tomp- Joshua Lawrence aaran E Moses
. 4 = Sin 7 R 6 A Blizabe' a Mary Mary Joseph
of Greenburgh, N.Y. da. Bartholomew Jacob ———-Smith New York. Abraham, died anmarried Eliza_. Densmore, of Isaac_Mary Odell John Elizabeth ee Sophia 7
b.8 May, 1792, (See Ward Pedigree) Daniel..Maria Chatterton Tacob — Brooklyn, Nv¥. Loe? At dnarity Benjamin Abigail Hannali Ven}, Brown Elizabeth Susan Cantcise Tancaster Sarah
d. 18 July, 1849, Margaret. Isaac Stymus William _Rebecca Dyck- mw. TAWraricn Charlotte Sarah Jane ‘8 ee
Grad. Columbia man William Caroline e
Coll. 0 Nov., 1814. Johanna _Gerrit Dyckman Harriett Charles
‘tasted Wm.Dyckman_—Fowler Anne Rachel. Estes
Marianne John V:

matried Rafus S. King,
of New York city; b. 11
Sept , 1798, d. 22 July, isto,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 653

During the winter of 1780 a gang of six or eight “cow boys” broke
open the Parsonage and robbed the defenceless ladies of everything
valuable. To escape detection, they had blackened their faces and
disguised their persons. Upon the departure of this gang their leader,
after making a profound bow, thus addressed Mrs. Babcock :—

‘Fare you well and fare you better,
And when I die, [’ll send you a letter.”

Fortunately, Mrs. Babcock, through the intervention of Col. James van
Cortlandt, obtained restitution of everything. Within a few years, trees
have been cut down near the site of Gist’s camp and found to contain
balls buried six inches in the wood.

North of the Parsonage, on the Saw Mill river road, is situated the
residence and property of the late Mr. Robert Reed. This patriotic in-
dividual having obtained certain information from King’s Bridge, that the
enemy were fitting out an expedition against Col. Thompson—then sta-
tioned at the Four Corners—and were on the eve of marching, he
instantly mounted his horse and rode up to the American quarters, a
distance of thirteen or fourteen miles, thus giving Thompson timely
warning of the enemy’s approach. The horse upon which he rode died
a few minutes after his arrival.

In the Saw Mill valley is also situated the residence of the late Gen-
eral Jacob Odell, a descendant of the ancient and honorable family of
the Odils. ‘‘The river Ouse,” says Camden, “runs under Odil or Wood-
hill, formerly Wayhull, which also had its Barons of Wayhull, eminent
for their ancient nobility, where was a castle.” The first ancestor of the
family in this country, was William Odell, of Concord, who removed to
Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1644. His son William was one of the prin-
cipal proprietors of Rye, in 1661-2.%

General Jacob Odell, at the early age of 21 years, embraced the mili-
tary profession, and in the year 1776, took up arms in defence of his
country. He used to recount with pleasure the time and the very spot
where himself and three other cousins of the name, volunteered their ser-
vices to the Continental Congress. It was beneath the white-wood tree
where the Westchester farmers stopped Major André, and found the
papers that revealed the treason of Arnold. After enlisting, he served in
Captain Samuel Drake’s regiment, belonging to the brigade of General
Scott. On the memorable retreat after the battle of Long Island, he was
on picket guard. At the close of the war, and as soon as the militia was
formed, he received his commission from Major General Morris.

a See Pedigree of Odell Family.

654 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Like the rest of the ‘“Veutral Ground,” this part of Yonkers was
infested with marauding parties of “‘Cow Boys” and “Skinners,” the
former of whom claimed the title of Loyalists; the latter, under the
mask of patriotism, called themselves Whigs.

During the war when General Odell’s father and family were living
in the homestead, a party of these lawless ruffians, with blackened
faces, armed with muskets, entered the house. ‘Their first act appears
to have been to secure the females in the cellar; having effected this,
they proceeded to interrogate the General’s father, and demanded his
money.

On his refusing to satisfy their demands, they immediately hung
him by his neck to an adjoining tree; and when life was well nigh ex-
tinct, they cut him down, and again repeated their threats, but to no
better purpose. Whereupon they once more suspended and lowered him,
leaving him for dead. sas

During these proceedings, the females had escaped from the cellar,
and Mrs. Odell, the General's mother, a woman of great intrepidity,
boldly assaulted them, upon which these cowardly villians attacked
her with the butt ends of their muskets. She managed, however, to
escape with a few broken ribs. On this occasion the General was too
young to take an active part in the affray, and narrowly escaped by
lowering himself with a cord from the garret window. His son Jacob
Odell, Esq., now owns the property. The adjoining estate, north,
belongs to his son-in law, Cornelius Odell, Esq.

The roads leading east of the Saw Mill valley intersect with the
Sprain valley road, which runs nearly north and south.

The Sprain river, called by the Indians A*monperahin, rises in two
springs north of Thirty Deer Ridge; the west branch in Wolf Swamp.¢
The other called the Grassy Sprain, on the lands of widow Underhill.
These two springs flowing south intersect a little east of Benj. Fowler’s.
They again divide at the northern extremity of Thirty Deer Ridge, and
running through two different vales again meet nearly opposite the Cat
rocks—so called for the abundance of wild cats that once frequented the
hill. These animals, Van der Donck assures us, had skins resembling
that of a lioness; and not unlike them in form, with the exception of
short tails like a rabbit or hare.

After uniting here, the Sprain pursues a south-east course until it
discharges into the Bronx, on the lands of Nathaniel Valentine. The
waters of the Sprain were pronounced by the commissioners in 1842, to
be the purest in Westchester county.

a A wolf was killed here as late as 1806.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 655

This beautiful stream was long celebrated for its trout. Well may the
lover of the sport exclaim with Cotton,

“* None so brigbt,
So pleasant to the taste, none to the sight:
None yield the angler such delight.”

This fish begins to bite in March or April. Very large sized trout have
been caught here about the middle of March, and they continue till the
months of July and August. They lie, generally, under the shelter of
stumps, bridges and stones.

The bait generally used in catching this fish, is the common earth
worm. By connoisseurs, the artificial fly is preferred.

The north-eastern part of this township is occupied by a high ridge of
hills, called the Tuckahoe Hills. This portion of the town, originally
formed a part of that large tract of land between the Saw Mill and the
Bronx rivers, which was ceded by the Indian chiefs—Sepham and others—
to Frederick Phillipse, June 5, 1684. Tradition says, that anciently, an
Indian Sachem of that name had his residence on one of these hills, and
exercised all authority among the tribes of the neighboring valleys.

The name Tuckahoe, means in the Algonquin, “ The Bread ;” literal-
ly, Tuckah (bread) the 0, oe, or ong, being merely an objective sign re-
lating to the plant itself.

The celebrated Captain Smith, in his travels and adventures, tells us,
“That the chief root the Indians of Virginia have for food, is called
Tockawhoughe. It groweth like flagge in marshes. In one day a say-
age will gather sufficient for a weeke. These roots are much of the
greatness and taste of potatoes. They are toasted, a great many of
them, with oke leaves and ferns, and then cover all with earth in the
manner of a cole pit; over it on each side, they continue a great fire
twenty-four hours before they dare eat it. Raw itis no better than poyson ;
and being roasted—except it be tender, and the heat -abated, or sliced
and dryed in the sunne mixed with sorrel and greens, or such like—it
will prickle and torment the throat, extraordinary; and yet in summer,
they use this commonly for bread.”

R. Beverly, in his History of Virginia, published A. D. 1722, calls
it Tuckahoe. :

“Respecting the frequent diet of the Indians in general,” [says John
F. Watson. “‘we may say that besides their usual plantations of corn,
they often used wild roots; of these they had tawho, [arum virginicum, ]

a Travels and Adventures of Capt. John Smith, p, 121.7.
b Beverly’s Hist. of Virginia, p. 153.

656 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

and tawkee, [orantium aquaticum.] ‘These roots grew in low damp
grounds, were a kind of potatoes to them, and were divested of their
poisonous or injurious quality by roasting." The Mohegan term for
bread is Tauquah.?

These names evidently point to one and the same plant, which still
flourishes along the moist margins of the-Tuckahoe creek. This stream
rises on the lands of John Tompkins, and waters the western side of the
ridge. Pursuing a south course,it discharges into the Armonperahin,,.
near where the latter forms a junction with the Bronx.

Upon the highest ground of the ridge stands the Episcopal chapel,
from which the eye can command a fine prospect embracing almost
every variety of scenery. This chapel was erected A. D. 1798, during
the Rectorship of the Rev. Elias Cooper, upon land the gift of the late
John Bowne, Esq. Mr. Bowne was the son of Thomas Bowne, and
grandson of John Bowne, formerly of Flushing, L. I., a descendant of the
celebrated John Bowne of that place, who was born at Matlock, Derby-
shire, England, March gth, 1627. The adjoining estate was occupied
by the sons of the late John Bowne, Esq.

We have seen a receipted bill rendered in 1798, for building the
Protestant Episcopal Church at Turkeyhoe, (it is now in the possession
of Elias Cooper Bowne, Esq., who is in his 84th year) to John Bowne, Esq.,
one of the founders of the church, and father to Elias Cooper Brown,
Esq. And on one of the guide-posts near the church, a few years ago,
as late as 1854, could easily be traced, the name ‘‘ Turkeyhoe,” painted
over with the pesent name “‘ Tuckahoe.” The valley to the west was
always famous, so Elias Cooper Bowne, Esq., informs us, for wild turkies.
An old resident informed us that when the market wagon came down the:
valley, which was called Turkey hollow, the driver would call out,
“ Turkey ! hoe.’’"— Editor.

For many years it was an appendage or chapel of ease to the parish
church of St. Johns, Yonkers. About 1846, the building underwent
considerable repairs, and a commodious vestry-room was added to the
chapel. On June 2gth, 1847, it was consecrated to the service of
Almighty God by the name of St. John’s chapel, Tuckahoe.

In 1853, it severed its connection with the parent church, after having
been a chapel for more than half a century.

Early in the summer of 1870, the church was put in thorough repair,
a recess chancel added, and several additional pews. An organ was
Suxchines in the same year:—

a John T. Watson, Hist. Tales, also Address of De Witt Clinton, &c., &c.
b Trans of Amer, Antiq. Soc,

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 657

LIST OF REOTORS AND MINISTERS.

CALL. REMOVAL.
Aug. 1, 1853, Rey. Cas. Jonss, 1858.
Oct. 1859, Rey. Aveustus Sr. Crarr, 1860.
July 1860, ~ Rev. Davin Doremvs, 1861.

eS 1865, Rev. A. M. Ivss, Died in 1880.

From 1861 to 1865, the church was closed.

In 1880, Elias Cooper Bowne, Esq., had the church completely reno-
vated-—frescoing it handsomely, and putting in beautiful stained-glass win-
dows, carpeting and cushioning it throughout. It is now one of the
gems of the county.

There are many interesting historical recollections connected with
this hill and vicinity. During the eventful week that preceded the bat-
tle of White Plains, General Washington’s advance corps lay upon the
Tuckahoe heights, under the command of General Scott, whose whole
corps numbered 2000 men. Directly south of the church, bordering
the Eastchester road, was the property of Mr. Valentine Odell. Here
a party of nine patriots were overtaken by a large company of DeLan-
cey’s horse, commanded by Colonel Oliver Hatfield. The whole party
were barbarously killed or mortally wounded.

A touching incident deserves to be recorded, in connection with this
melancholy affair. A dog belonging to one of the Americans that fell
upon this occasion, took up his quarters at Mr. Caleb Smith’s who lived
a mile below. The ladies of Mr. Smith’s family were frequently in the
habit of visiting their neighbor Mr. Odell, when the dog would go with
them half way and return. It appears nothing could ever tempt him to
pass the fatal spot.

On the farm of the late Isaac Lent west of the hill, the American offi-
cer (Major Leavenworth of the Massachusetts line) ambuscaded a large
detachment in 1778, for the purpose of cutting off Capt. Joshua Barnes
of DeLancey’s corps ; who, he ascertained, had gone up in the neigh-
borhood of Hart's Corners for the object of plundering. The better to
draw Barnes into his ambuscade, Shotwell posted a party of his com-
mand upon the hill a little below the church. Upon the return of
Barnes he immediately descried the detachment on the hill, to avoid
which he lead his men off by the opposite side, thus walking directly
into the trap laid by his wary foe. They received one heavy fire and
surrendered, consisting of one full company—sixty-four men.

In the house of Isaac Lent, then occupied by Jacob Vermilyea, a small
party of American volunteers under the command of Captain Honey-
well had stopped to take some refreshments, having just returned from

658 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

an incursion into Morrisania—when they were suddenly surrounded by
the enemy under Captain Totten, who fired upon the house killing one
of the patriots and making prisoners of nine. These, however, finally
rose upon the guard and escaped.

Near the vicinity of the school-house, Benjamin Hunt of the conti-
nental army, captured thirty of the enemy by stratagem, with a force of
half that number. Availing himself of the darkness of the night, he
called out as if in command of a large detachment, “‘ Lieutenant Such-
a-one to the right ;” ‘Captain to the left ;” in this manner he de-
ceived his enemy, who laid down their arms and surrendered at discre-
tion.

On the east side of the Tuckahoe hill is the property of Charles R.-
Dusenberry, Esq., one of the most active members of the Croton water
commissioners. The house occupies an elevated position, overlooking a
picturesque vale to the south-east.

The Methodist church is prettily situated at the foot of the hill, sur-
rounded by a fine locust grove, and near the margin of a small stream
that washes the eastern side of the hills. The edifice is a handsome
stone structure. This society was first organized in 1797, and called
“the first Methodist Episcopal Church of the town of Yonkers.”

The small set#ement of Tuckahoe is situated upon the western margin
of the Bronx. Here is a convenient depot of the Harlem railroad,
post office, stores, and India rubber manufactory.

The Tuckahoe bridge which crosses the Bronx at this place, appears
to have been erected at a very early period, as we find it recorded by
that name, A. D. 1728.4

During the encampment of the American army upon the hills to the
west, the British horse stationed above at Wood’s house, (afterwards
called Marble Hall), now the residence of S. D. Gifford, County Judge,
were in the constant habit of coming down to water their horses at the
foot of this bridge. On one occasion a small party of Continentals con-
cealed themselves in ambush on the margin of the river, and lay waiting
for the usual approach of the horse. A long interval elapsed, but at last
the well-known tramp declared the enemy near at hand. Every gun
was cocked, and a death-like stillness prevailed; but whether the enemy
suspected their designs, or obtained information, was never ascertained;
for, at that time, they came with nearly their whole force. To have fired
upon them, would have been but the prelude to a massacre; the patriots,
therefore, lay snugly concealed until their departure.

The following extracts from the town records, relate to the first elec-
~ a Records of Roads, Co. Records.

THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 659

tion of town officers, in 1756, and immediately subsequent to the Re-
volution :—

At a public town meeting of the frecholders and inhabitants of the Yonkers
and Mile Square, at the house of Edward Stevenson, in said Yonkers, on the
first Tuesday of April, in 1756, being the day appointed by act of the General
Assembly of this Province of New York, for choosing town officers, and likewise
to make regulation of creatures and fences. The under-written officers and
orders of creatures and orders of fences, were made by majority of votes,

James Corton, Supervisor and Pounder.
BENJAMIN Fow.erR, Town Clerk.
Tuomas SHERWOOD, Constable and Collector.

Davip OAKLEY )
Wuuam W ARNER, f Assessors.
Epwarp WEEKES,
WILLIAM CRAWFORD,
DanieL DEvoE, :
Joun Rwer, | Highway Hasters.
Tsaac ODELL,
HENDBICK Post.

ANDREW Noni,

CuarLes WARNER, | i
Moses Talzer, Fence and Damage Viewers.

Isaac ODELL,

At a town meeting held for the Yonkers, in the Manor of Philipsborough, at
the house of David Hunt, on the 28th day of December, 1788, under the Super-
intendence of Israel Honeywell, Esq., William Hadley and Thomas Sherwood,
in pursuance of an ordinance for holding elections in the southern district, by the
Council appointed. The act entitled an act to provide for the temporary govern-
ment of the southern part of this State, until the enemy shall abandon or be dis-
possessed of the same, and until the Legislature can be convened, &c. Passed
the 23d day of October, 1779. The following town officers were chosen :

IspaEL HonEYWELL, Esq., Supervisor.
Davin Hunt, Clerk.
Tuomas SHEEWOOD, Constable and Collector.
IspaEL HonEYWELL, Jr., Esq., Security.

WituiaM Berts, ) :
JACOB VERMILYEA, ) Assessors.

FREDERICK VERMILYEA, Overseer of Roads on the east side of Tippetts Brook,
WituiamM CrawFoerp, sf ‘6 6 for the upper part,

WILt. WARNER, ae 6 for the middle part,

BENJAMIN ODELL,

JouN ARCHER, = 6 for Tuckahoe,

660 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

cc se from Lent’s house to the mill,
“ sf the cross-road from Mile Square to

the Bridge.

Jacos LENT,
STEPHEN BERTINE,

Witui1amM Hantey,
JOSEPH CROOK,

IsAAO VERMILYEA :
= aed eee Dama Zewers.
STEPHEN SHERWOOD, ge Viewers

JoHN GARUS,
WILiiaAM CRAWFORD

ABRAHAM ODELL,
Witt. Havtey, ~ Commissioners of Roads.

THoMAs SHERWOOD, )

The general surface of the town is uneven and broken; soil, clay, and
sandy loam, mostly well cultivated. The natural growth of wood is very
extensive. We have already shown that it-is well drained by numerous

streams, upon which are several mill seats.

THE SPOWN

OF

ix. 2S Perey INT.

Yorktown is situated sixteen miles north of White Plains, the county-
seat, distant forty-two miles from New York, and one hundred and
seventeen from Albany; bounded north, by Putnam county; east, by
Somers and New Castle; south, by New Castle, and west by Cortlandt.

Prior to 1788, Yorktown and Somers constituted the ‘middle ward”
of Cortlandt’s manor, called “Hanover.” A portion of the former early
acquired the name of ‘‘Gertrude’s Borough,” in honor of Gertrude Beeck-
man, wife of Colonel Henry Beeckman, and one of the daughters and
devisees of De Heer Stephanus Van Cortlandt, first Lord of the manor
of Cortlandt. The present township was erected on the 7th of March,
1798.4

The Mohegan name “ Appamaghpogh,” appears to have been applied
to the whole Indian territory within the manor, west of Meahagh (Ver-
planck’s Point), which was subject to Weskhewen, chief sachem of
Sachus, as late as 1685. The eastern section of Yorktown still bears
the name of ‘‘Aemawalk,” probably an abbreviation and corruption of
the former town—thus, 4ppamaghpogh, Amaghpogh, Amawogh or Ama-
walk. The lands of “Appamaghpogh,” were originally granted to
Stephanus Van Cortlandt in 1683, by thetwo Indian sachems, Pewemind
and Oskewans, as mentioned in our description of Somers, &c.

The principal aboriginal settlement in this part of “‘ Appamaghpogh,”
occupied the summit of “Indian Hill,” a vast height which arises to an
elevation of nearly six hundred feet above the northern margin of “Lake
Magrigaries,” ‘“‘Magnegamus,” or ‘‘ Magregard,” (Hollow Lake), situated

a Revised Statutes of N. Y., p. 486. 661

662 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

in Jefferson valley. On the southern side of the hill lies the Indian
burying ground. The remains of several Indians were disinterred some
years ago, near the residence of the late Dr. Hosea Fountain,
whose property bordered on the lake. ‘Indian Hill” is also memorable
as the last spot inhabited by a band of Aborigines in Westchester County.
On the eastern border of the town is situated the Indian cemetery of
“ Appamoghpogh,” or as it is now called “ Amawalk.”

Upon the partition of the manor of Cortlandt, among the heirs and
devisees of De Heer Stephanus van Cortlandt, in the year 1734, the
following allotments were made in this town :—

North lot No. 2, Andrew Miller ; ditto, No. 3, Gertrude Beeckman;
ditto No. 4, Cornelia Schuyler and her husband, Col. John Schuyler.
This gentleman was the father of the illustrious Gen. Philip Schuyler, of
the Revolution. Middle lot No. 2 and 3, Gertrude Verplank; ditto
No. 4, Elizabeth Skinner; South lot No. 1, bordering the Croton river,
John Watts ; ditto, Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, Philip Verplank ; ditto, No. 8, Gert-
rude Beeckman ; ditto, No. 9, Susannah Warren. ‘The latter was the
wife of Admiral Sir Peter Warren, K. B., who died in 1752; he com-
manded the expedition which captured Louisburg, capitol of the Island
of Cape Breton, in 1745. They were married in 1731, lost two lovely
children, Peter and Elizabeth, in 1746 or 7, but left issue three daugh-
ters; first, Ann, who married Lt. Gen. Charles Fitzroy, (second son of
Lord Augustus Fitzroy, and grand-son of Charles, second Duke of Graf-
ton), first Lord Southampton in 1758; secondly, Charlotte Warren, who
married Willoughby Bertie, fourth Earl of Abingdon, in 1768; thirdly,
Susan Warren, who married Gen. William Skinner.@

Subsequently the devisees and their heirs, made other divisions.

A. D. 1784, Andrew Miller sold to John Strang a farm in west range
of north lot No. 2, consisting of two hundred acres, which he purchased
of John Watts.

Gertrude Beeckman bequeathed lot No. 8, south of the Croton to her
two nephews Philip and Wilham Ricketts van Cortlandt, as tenants in
common in fee tail.

Stephen van Cortlandt with his wife Catalina Staats, in 1791 gave a
release to Elvan Purdy, with the fee of a certain lot No. 3, heretofore
called Gertrude’s borough, being by division amongst the heirs of
Stephen van Cortlandt, deceased, allotted to Gertrude, one of his
daughters, late wife of Henry Beeckman, containing 156 acres.
~ @ Heraldrick Journal, Whittemore, vol. iii, 156. ‘‘Upon the 25th Jan., 1785, No. 19 was
sold to Mr. Gilbert Van Cortlandt, of New York, for £84, 6s; bounded north-easterly by lands.
now, or late of the heirs of Sir Peter Warren, deceased; and south-easterly, by Furnace lot

containing about 106 acres, forfeited to the people of this State by the attainder of Wm.
Bayard.’’—Abst. of sales of confiseated lands, White Plains, p. 8.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 663

The following receipts for rent prove the Purdys to have been tenants
in common, long prior to the above release. They also established the
early names of the town :—

“Rec'd, Hanover, May ye toth, 1760, by ye hand of Abraham
Purdy, three pound in part for his farm rent and for the use of Col.
Henry Beeckman, Esq., per me.

300 Joun Bryan.”

“ Received at Crompond, 16th Nov’r, 1786, per Mr. Elvan Purdy,
one pound 13s. in part of rent.
STEPHEN VAN CORTLANDT.”

“Received at Yorktown, Nov. 7th, 1789, of Mr. Elvan Purdy, £2,
19s. 9d. in full of rent due.
STEPHEN VAN CORTLANDT.”

The Purdy’s, who were among the first tenants of the Van Cortlandt’s
in this town, are descended from Francis Purdy, who died at Fairfield,
Conn., in 1658. His three sons—John, Joseph and Francis—were among
the early settlers of Rye in this county. Joseph is first mentioned as
residing in that town in 1677. “ He was a leading member of the com-
munity, being Supervisor of the town in 1707-1708; Justice of the
Peace in 1702, and after, representative of the county for-several years
in the Assembly ; and one of the chief promoters of the Church, writes
the Rey. James Wetmore, many years later. With Colonel Caleb Heath-
cote and others, in 1701, he purchased lands in New Castle, where
some of his decendants settled. His will is dated Oct. 5th, 1709. He
had seven sons, Joseph, Daniel, Samuel, David, Jonathan, John, (called
still John), and Francis.”* Daniel, the second son, was one of the
patentees of Budd’s neck, in 1720, and held a thousand acres in Cort-
landt’s manor. He had three sons—Hackaliah, Joshua and Daniel.
The latter was the father of Abraham, who was born on roth of Oct,
1716 ; married Pheebe, daughter of Daniel Strong, and died at Yorktown,
17th of April, 1778. His eldest son was Abraham Purdy, Esq., for
many years a lieutenant of Militia for the manor of Cortlandt, whose
son, the late Alvan Purdy, Esq., erected the family homestead at Crom-
pond, in 1775, and held a Lieutenancy in Captain Haddy’s company of
militia, belonging to the regiment of Col. Samuel Drake. The sons of
Alvan Purdy, were the late Abraham, ef Goshen Co., N. Y.; James of
Yorktown ; and Alvan, late proprietor of the homestead.

The Lees, too, were among the early tenantry of the manor, and are
supposed to have been a younger branch of the Lees of Lee—Magna,

a@ Baird’s Hist. of Rye, pp. 344, 435.

664 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Kent, England, who settled in Nottingham at an early period. Wil-
liam Lee, (whose sister Elizabeth, bequeathed her estate in England to
the heirs general), emigrated from Nottingham to America in 1675, died
in 1724, married Mary Marvin, and left three sons and seven daughters,
His sons were Thomas, of Long Island, who died without issue ; Joseph,
of Long Island, and Richard, who entered the French Military service
in Canada, and died without issue. Joseph Lee, second son of William,
on the 4th of December, 1753, purchased of Andrew Johnston, of Perth
_ Amboy, N. J., ‘All that lott of land in the manor of Cortlandt, known
by the name of Lot No. 18, and part of lot No. 17, in north lot No. 2.
He also purchased the farm on which his great-grand-son, Enos Lee,
now lives, in 1786; he also owned Crumpond Corner. His sons were
Joseph of Yorktown, who died aged 77, leaving William, who died aged
50; Joseph, who died aged 50; Hon. Elijah, who died aged 78, and
Enos, who died aged 70, (the father of Stephen, whose sons are David
and Enos of Yorktown). Thomas Lee, second son of Joseph, second
son of William, of Cortlandt manor, died aged 80, leaving six sons.
David, died aged go, married a Young; Peter, of Ohio, died aged 80;
Paul, died aged 70; Israel, of Orange Co., N. Y., died aged 80 ;Philipi,
also of Orange, died aged 80; and William of New Jersey, died aged 80;
John, third son of Joseph, removed from Long Island, to Yorktown, in
1750; he was born in 1726, married Sarah Perine, and died March rath,
‘1816; she died July 31st, 1796, aged 74. Their children were, Thomas,
died aged 40, without issue ; John, of New Jersey, died aged 84; Sarah,
died aged 65, married John Horton; Henry, died aged go, without
issue ; Hannah, died aged 87 ; Margaret, died aged 77, married Jonas
Williams; Abigail, died aged 60, married David Knapp; Phcebe, died
aged 78, married Francis Colgrove; Dinah, married Thaddeus Rock-
well; Robert Lee, of Yorktown, (father of the late Hon. Thomas R.
Lee, of Croton Falls); Phoebe, died aged 84, married Dennis Coombs ;
Anna, died aged 85, married — Martin; Ruth, died aged 84, married
John Wright ; Elizabeth, died aged 80, married — Martineau; Sarah,
died aged 60; Mary, died aged 64, and Abigail, died aged 18.4
In Crompond street, near the residence of Enos Lee, is situated an
ancient cemetery? surrounded by a dense locust grove, containing
memorials to the Travis’s, Hyatt’s, Ferris’s and Hughson’s:—

a The arms of this family are: az ona fesse, between two fillets, or, three leopard’s heads.
gu. Crest. A demi Moor ppir. vested gu. rimmed rourd the collar with two bars or, tied roun
the waist with a ribbon ar. wreathed about the head ar. and gu, holding in his dexter hand a
gem-ring of the third.

b This cemetery (which is doubtless a public one) containing about half an acre of land, is
Claimed by John J. Roak and Asa Adams,

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 665

Here lies interred
the body of
JOSEPH HUGHSON,
the son of
NATHANIEL HuGuHson,

Born Feb. the 16th day, 1744,
Departed this life June the 30th day, 1759,
Aged 15 years, 4 months
and 2 weeks.

In memory of
JEMIMA FERRIS,
wife of
GEORGE FERRIS,
who was born April 8th, 1766,
and departed this life
March 14th, 1806,
Aged 39 years, 11 months
and 6 days.
Hail sinful mortal read this lay
The type of thy short ending day,
For lo, thy flesh devoted must
Ere long return to native dust.

This parish was first organized under the ministrations of the Rev.
James Wetmore, of Rye, and the Rev. Ebenezer Dibblee, of Stamford,
Conn. Episcopal services, we are assured, were held at the village of
Crompond, in Yorktown, at a very early period by the former gentleman
who was not wanting in his endeavors to promote the interest of true
religion among the inhabitants; but his advanced age and their distance
prevented his being so very sociable, as otherwise he might have been.
In 1762 Mr. Dibblee, who had occasionally performed services at
Crompond, and St. George Talbot, Esq., in company visited this place.
The former described the people at that time, “‘as sheep without a
shepherd, a prey to various sectaries and enthusiastic-lay teachers.” He
also says “that he found here many well wishers and professors of the
Church of England, who told him they had not heard the Liturgy in
several years.” About 1774, a site was given by John Schuyler, Esq.,#
for the erection of an Episcopal Church at Crompond in the vicinity of
where the Congregational Meeting House stood; but the troubles
consequeni upon the breaking out of the Revolutionary war put an end
to the enterprise, and the deed of gift has been withheld ever since.
The original conveyance from Schuyler to Sackett is said to be in the

a John Schuyler, Esq., married Cornelia, daughter of Stephanus van Cortlandt. His son
was Gen. Philip Schuyler, of the Revolutionary war.

666 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

possession of Mr. Baldwin, of Lake Mahopac. ‘“ The house of Mrs.
Johnson stood on the church property, a little south of the Congrega-
tional Meeting House.”

A Presbyterian society in this town appears to have been first organ-
ized under the ministry of the Rev. Samuel Sackett, about 1740. Upon
the 2nd of January, 1739, we find a deed for three acres of land given
by Joseph Lane, Henry Beekman and Gertrude, his wife, unto John
Hyatt, John Haight and David Travis, trustees for the first Presbyterian
church, on which land the meeting house was erected; (said three
acres being part of two hundred and twenty acres leased to Joseph Lane
for three lives, 25th March, 1737,) dated 2nd of January, 1739, accord-
ing to the act of 1784, and the act of 1801.?

The following title occurs in an old hog skin record formerly in the
possession of the Rev. Silas Constant :—

‘*A Record of the Proceedings of the Presbyterian Society of Hanover, from
the seventh Day of \Aug., in the Thirty Fourth year of the Reign of our Sovereign
Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, Ireland
&c., and in the year of our Lord Christ one Thousand and seven Hundred and
sixty. An. Dom. 1760.Ӣ

On the 26th of May, 1784, this Society was incorporated under the
name and title of the “First Presbyterian Society, upon the plan of the
Church of Scotland.” Aaron Furman, Gilbert Travis, Ebenezer White,
Elijah Lee, Henry Strong and Gabriel Carman, trustees; elected 3d of
May, 1784. A re-incorporation of the same occurs on the 4th of March,
1806.4

The Presbyterian Church is handsomely located on the highest ground
of the village, commanding a fine view of the surrounding country ; it
was built in 1799, on the site of an older edifice erected cir. 1738, and
destroyed by fire in June or July, 1799. The late Thomas Strong
testified “that when the British, under Abercrombie, came to Crompond
and burnt Strong’s house, it was in the afternoon. But when their light
horse arrived under Tarleton, it was early in the morning of the 24th
of June. Tarleton came up by a circuitous route, following the Croton

a Testimony of Mrs. — Hyatt, of Somers. In reply to an enquiry on this subject, the Rey.
N. Hyatt thus addressed the author. ‘St. James’s Rectory, South Santee, Jan. 13th 1853.—
Dear Sir. I have yours of the 6th inst., making enquiry respecting ‘ta certain piece‘of property
in Yorktown saidto have been given for the use of the Church” All that I can say in reply
is, that the late Thomas Strong of Crompond, assured me of the fact that there was land
given for an Episcopal Church, and that it was near the Congregational Meeting House. I
do not remember by whom it was given, or how much was given. My impression is that it
was merely for a site for the church, though it may have been more. The time it was given
I think was about the period of the Revolutionary war ”

b County Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A, 83.
e Kindly furnished by the Rev. W. J. Cummings.
d Co. Rec. Regious Soc. Lib. A, pp. 77, 79, 81, 83, 147,

.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 667

above Pine’s Bridge one mile and a half or more, crossing the Croton
at Vails ford, advanced upon Crompond from the east by a road which
rounds like a semi-circle, coming into the Crompond road a little south
of where Delavan lived. It was at Delavan’s house, where they found
John Shaw, whom they killed—mistaking him for Capt. Delavan. This
happened in the morning of June 24th, on the road from Crompond to
Pine’s Bridge, about three-quarters of a mile from Crompond. Te
British burnt the Meeting House and parsonage and retired upon Pine’s
Bridge. On the 3d of June, 1779, Major Abercombie, burnt Mayor
Strong’s house then occupied as a Court House, and also burnt a store
house than used as a depot for arms and stores, &c., for the military. Shaw
was killed at Delavan’s stables; he defended himself stoutly, but was
set upon by five or six burly horsemen and cut to pieces. The ‘‘Cow
boys, Tories and horse thieves penetrated Westchester and Dutchess
counties all the way to Albany. On the 24th of June, 1779, some of
Tarleton’s men advanced a mile north of the meeting house as far as the
brook beyond my house.”

“Ezekiel Hyatt raised a company of minute men in rifle dress, say
about forty, with black gaiters, which were placed by the Provincial
Congress under the three committee men for Crompond, viz., Joseph
Strong, Abraham Purdy and Joseph Lee, who ordered Hyatt to appre-
hend one Chase a tory—very influential with the rabble. Chase was taken
and lodged in a guard house at Peekskill, whereupon two or three hun-
dred Tories assembled in arms and demanded his release ; Hyatt, how-
ever studily refused to give him up. Nathaniel Merritt, who lived in
Peekskill, was also another influential man among the Tories ; he assem-
bled a large company at his house and threatened to release the prisoner,
upon this my father, uncle Henry, and Joseph Strong, obtained six hun-
dred Continental troops of the committee, and disarmed the Tories and
placed their arms and instruments in the Parsonage house for safe keep-
ing. A more queer collection of arms it was impossible to collect to-
gether, old fire locks, rusty and worn out pistols, and ancient swords of
all descriptions, &c,”4

At the time of its destruction, the old church appears to have been
used as a store house by the Continental troops; for, during the year
1739, a select committee appointed by Congress to investigate Revolu-
tionary claims, reported “‘ That Congress pay the Yorktown congregation
the sum of three thousand five hundred dollars out of the first unappro-
priated funds—the Government having occupied the church and parson-

a Testimony of the late Thomas Strang, of Yorktown, in 1844, Mr. McDonald’s MSS. in the
possession of George Moore, Esq., of N. Y.

668 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

age as barracks and store houses, during the Revolutionary war.” This
appropriation, however, was never made by Congress.

The present edifice* is constructed of wood, presenting in front a lofty
colonnade, above which rises a neat tower, finished with a rich cornice
and pinnacles, in which is a large bell weighing over 600 lbs., inscribed

as follows :
“Cast by J. H. Thompson, New York, 1823.”

The Rev. Samuel Sackett, first pastor of this society, was the son of the
Rev. Richard Sackett, minister of the second society of Greenwich, in
1717, who graduated A.M. at Yale College, in 1709, and died in 1727,

Presbyterian Church, Crompond.

He was installed pastor of the Bedford society in 1743, and charged
with the occasional supply of Saiem and Cortlandt manor.

In 1747, Crompond obtained his services for half his time, and in
December, 1749, he was released from his labors here and gave the
whole of his time to Bedford. In 1753, he resigned the care of the
church in Bedford and settled at once over the church of Hanover, and
again he appears to have gone back to Bedford, was dismissed April rst,
1760, and the next year was installed againin Crompond. Mr. Sackett
had a great deal of trouble with his brethren in the Presbytery. He dif-
fered widely with them, in both the doctrine and government of the Presby-
terian church. On the whole he preached for twenty years here, and

a The celebrated Sampson Occom, of the Michign tribe, preached in this church on one
occasion.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 669

finally rested from his labors on the 5th of June, 1784. His tomb in the
adjoining grave-yard, bears the following inscription :—

REY. SAMUEL SACKETT,

who died June 5th, 1784.
He was a judicious, faithful, laborious
and successful minister of Christ.

Thrice blest departed spirit thou art free
From the toils of mortality.
The remains of his son Joseph, repose close by, with the following in-
scription on the tomb-stone :—

Here lyes the body of
JOSEPH SACKETT,

Born April 18th, 1735,
and departed this life Dec. 1757.

** Behold all ye that now pass by,
As you are now, so once was I,
As I am now, so you may be,
Prepare for death and follow mie,”

Hannah, his daughter, married Stephen James de Lancey, second son
of the Hon. James de Lancey, and a grand-son of Anna, daughter of
Hon. Stephanus van Cortlandt, Lord of the manor of Cortlandt. This
lady, mounted on a fine bay horse, was endeavoring to escape from the
burning of the meeting-house in July, 1779, when she was overtaken,
about one mile north of Crompond, by some of the enemies cavalry,
who robbed her of her shoe-buckles and ear-rings, and requested her to
dismount ; she refused and exclaimed, “Is this the way you treat unpro-
tected females ? I will inform your superiors! where is your commander?”
he appeared. “Iam the wife of Stephen de Lancey; is this proper
treatment for her? I demand an escort to a place of safety!” The
British officer, on hearing de Lancey’s name, granted her request. She
- carefully, however, abstained from telling him that she was the daughter
of Mr. Sackett, the whig Presbyterian minister of Crompond.

LIST OF PASTORS AND SUPPLIES.

INST. OR OALL. Pastors, VACATED BY
Supply in 1742.
Pastor 1761 Rev. SaMvEL SaoKETT death
Supply in 1785-6
' Pastor 1786 Rev. Sras Constant resigned
1808 Rey. ANDREW THOMPSON cs

a Testimony of Thomas Strang.—McDonald MSS. in possession of Geo. H. Moore, Esq.

670 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

{NST. OR CALL. Pastors, VAOATED BY
1822 Rey. Asanret Bronson as

June 14th, 1827 Rey. Riocnarp Wynkoope xe

April 18th, 1836 Rey. Roserr G. '\'nompson ne

Noy. 11th, 1847 Rey. Marrnzw T. ApAm «
1853 Rey. Samugn D. WEsrERVELT es

Oct. 15th, 1866 Rey. James W. Jonunsron a

Aug. 8th, 1877 Rey. WILLiAmM J. CumMMING present pastor.

In the grave-yard surrounding the church are monuments to Captain
Samuel Sackett, Deacon Knapp, Dr. Brewer, and others.

DR. JAMES BREWER,
a native of Massachusetts,
but for many years a practising Physician
in Yorktown.

Whilst visiting a patient in Jefferson Valley, he was
captured by Cow-boys, and trying to escape in Hog
Lane, was killed by them, November 20th, 1780,

aged 39 years, 4 months and 7 days.

In the south-east corner of the yard (just thirty-six feet from the present
east fence and six feet from the south fence), lie the mortal remains of Col.
Christopher Green, the hero of Redbank, and Major Flagg, his brave com-
panion in arms, both of whom fell by the hands of cruel treachery, on the
morning of the 14th of May, 1781. But where shall we look for a monu-
ment, or even a stone, to mark the spot where these brave patriots lie
pillowed in the dust? When will justice be rendered to the memory of
the brave and illustrious dead, who fell in the noble cause -of freedom ?

Near this spot are interred the remains of the noted Brom. Dyckman,
of Revolutionary fame.

The new parsonage is pleasantly situated, facing Crompond Street.
The old one, which has been sold, stood on the site of a still older edifice,
which was occupied for some time, during the Revolution, by the York-
town Committee of Public Safety. Here that tribunal transacted busi-
ness, disarmed the disaffected, and punished the incorrigible. Zepha-
_ niah Platt and others, aided by six hundred Connecticut troops, disarmed
the Loyalists of Cortlandt’s manor, during the winter of 1776. Here,
also, a convention of Congress assembled for the purpose of distributing
commissions to the officers who were empowered to raise the militia.

For the destruction of this obnoxious post, Col. Robertson obtained of
the English governor, a special order and the command of an entire regi-
ment. From New York, he appears to have proceeded by water to Peek-
skill, where he landed, swearing he would burn the d——d Committee

a@ His son is the present Mr. Richard Wynkoop of New York city.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 671

House ; and guided by a spy, named Caleb Morgan, marched to Crom-
pond, where he burnt the parsonage, then used as a store house and
arsenal. Upon the departure of the British troops, the Continental
guard took possession of the meeting-house.

The Congregational Society of Crompond, which was organized under
the ministry of the Rev. Silas Constant, has ceased to exist—the mem-
bers having been absorbed into the Presbyterian Church.

In 1787, Dr. Elias Cornelius and Mr. Benjamin Haight, were chosen
deacons. In 1790, a part of the members withdrew by mutual consent,
and formed a new church at Red Mills. About the year 1806, a
division occurred in the church, when more than two-thirds of her mem-
bers adhered to Mr. Constant, and maintained the Congregational mode
of worship, the remainder resumed the Presbyterian form.

In 1816, a number of members harmoniously left the society and
formed a church at Peekskill.

From the time of Mr. Constant’s death until the closing of the organ-
ization quite a number of ministers had officiated here, among whom
may be mentioned the Rev. Daniel Jones, Rev. Griffeth H. Griffeth,
Rev. Albert Hyde, and the Rev. J. B. Loring.

The church edifice has been sold and removed from its former site.

Among other monuments in the grave yard is the following:

In memory of the
Rev. SILAS CONSTANT,

who departed this life
March 22, 1825,
Aged 75 years, 2 mo. and 7 days.

The Friends meeting house is situated at a short distance from the
village of Crompond, and stands on land jointly given by John Clapp
and Joseph Waters, in 1774.

The following is a brief abstract of the conveyance :—

** John Clapp of Greenwich, and Joseph Waters of Cortlandt manor, of the
first part, convey to John Griffin, John Cromwell, John Cornell, Uriah Field and
Thomas Clapp, of the second part, all that tract of land being in Amaalk, in
Cortlandt manor, consisting of two acres lying and being in the north-east corner
of great lot No. 4. Dated 12 day of October, 1774.

The Methodist Episcopal society of Yorktown, was first incorporated
upon the 13th of August, 1792 ; Timothy Oakley, John Oakley, Solomon
Fowler, James Haden, Thomas Kirkham and Jacob Badeau, trustees.

a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 34. For re-incorporation, see pages 163, 175, &c.

672 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

A Baptist society was incorporated on the 27th of April, 1793 ; Reuben
Garrison, John Tompkins and Amos Lane, trustees.@

Crompond, the principal village in this township, is situated on the
high road leading from Somers to Peekskill; it contains a Presbyterian
church, a post office, a store, and several dwellings. The name is un-
doubtedly derived from the large pond that lies north-west of the vil-
lage, which, from its peculiar shape, is sometimes called the crooked
pond—“ Cron,” denoting in the Dutch language, crooked. This beautiful
sheet of water covers an area of 200 acres.

In the vicinity of Crompond, and bordering on King street, is the resi-
dence of the late Hon. Henry White, (now occupied by his nephew,
Constant White) one of the judges of the late Court of Common Pleas
in this county. Judge White was the son of Ebenezer White, M. D.,
who died 8th of March, 1825, by his wife Helena Bartow, and grandson
of the Rev. Ebenezer White of South Hampton, Long Island. Dr.
White left issue also, Bartow White, Dr. Ebenezer White of Somers-
town (for many years Surrogate of the County anda Member of Assem-
bly) Lewis of Peoria, James, Theodosius of Somers, and a daughter
Catharine. Judge White, died Nov, 5th 1857. Dr. White of Yorktown,
through the whole course of the Revolution sustained the character of
a patroit, with that devotion and firmness which characterized the many
at that eventful period of our history. It appears’that the enemy made
several unsuccessful attempts to capture this distinguished individual.
On one occasion they were desirous of exchanging the doctor for a
British surgeon then in the hands of the Americans. To effect his sur-
prisal a large party of Light Horse were despatched to Crompond, with
strict orders to surround his dwelling and make him prisoner. Some
kind friend, however, gave the doctor timely warning which enabled him
to escape.

As a substitute, they seized upon Dr. James Brewer, who resided in the
immediate neighborhood, and were proceeding home with their prisoner,
when passing through Stony street they were fired upon by a party of
Americans, who lay concealed behind the fences. Dr. Brewer received
a mortal wound and expired the next morning, Nov. 20, 1780, in the
arms of Dr. White—who had thus narrowly escaped the melancholy fate
of his friend. It deserves to be mentioned, that he was the only one
wounded of the party. Dr. Brewer, who thus perished at the early age
of thirty-nine, was a native of Massachussetts and left by his wife, Han-
nah Brewer,four sons and three daughters. His grandson is the present
Dr. James Brewer, of Peekskill.

a Ibid. Lib. A. 40. For re-incorporation, see page 93,

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i y harlotte his wife, a daughter of Francis Hurbert, being Protestants, were compelied to make their eseape from the city of Paris, in 1685, during the persecution.under Lo
XIV. Pe ae Coulis and Jesuits, and fete to the city of London, in Great Britain, where L'Estrange, through the interest of some merchants obtattied eeu, in the Gust
of James, then King of Great Britain, and continued there until 1688, when he with his wife embarked for America, in company with a number of French Protestant families, and arrived
at the city of New York, from whence they, moving to the town of New Rochelle, in Westchester County, settled themselves; after remaining some years there, they moved to the town of Rye, in the
same county, where they continued until the time of their respective deaths; Mr. L’Estrange dying a few years before his wife.

Danie) L’Estrange, nat, 1656, at Paris, will dated 1706, vol. 7,288__Charlotte, da, of Francis Hubert,

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In King street is also situated the residence of Major Thomas Strang
a soldier of the Revolution. Major Strang is the son of Capt. Henry
Strang who was the grandson of the worthy Huguenot, Daniel L’Es-
trange and Charlotte his wife. From the genealogical table in posses-
sion of the Strangs of Putnam, it appears that Daniel L’Estrange and
Charlotte his wife, (daughter of Francis Hubert) being Protestants, fled
from the city of Paris in the year of our Lord 1685, during the persecu-
tions under Louis the XIV, and came to the city of London. He ob-
tained a lieutenancy in the guards of James II., King of Great
Britain, and continued there until the year 1688, when with his wife he
embarked for America in company with a number of French Protestants
and arrived at the city of New York. From thence he went to New
Rochelle, and subsequently removed to Rye. Daniel L’Estrange who
was born in the city of Paris A. D. 1656, died at Rye in this county,
A.D. 1706. His will bears date the same year. The late Major Joseph
Strang, uncle of the present proprietor, greatly distinguished himself in
the bateaux service during the old French war.

In the same street resided Susan De Lancey and her mother Anne,
daughter of Col. Caleb Heathcote, and widow of the Hon. James De
Lancey, Lt. Governor of the Province of New York, who died in July
1760. These ladies retired here, for the sake of escaping the turmoils of
the Revolution. Mrs. De Lancey died here in 1779, and was buried at
Crompond; buther remains have since been removed to Heathcote Hill,
Mamaroneck. During the war their house afforded an asylum for the
persecuted, who found here a safe protection from their enemies. Susan
De Lancey afterward resided with her brother, John Peter De Lancey,
at Heathcote Hill, where she died in 1815 and was interred in the De
Lancey family burying ground.

Near the main road leading from Crompond to Somers is situated the
estate and residence of the late Robert P. Lee, Esq., for many years one
of the leading members of the bar in this country. Mr. Lee was the
youngest son of John Lee of Yorktown, whose grandfather William Lee,
emigrated to this country in 1675 from Nottingham, England.

The village of Crompond and its immediate neighborhood appears to
have been greatly harrassed during the revolutionary troubles by frequent
forays of the enemy. Before the morning of the 24th of June, 1779,
(says General Heath,) about 200 of the enemy's light horse came up as
far as Crompond, surprising two militia pickets, killed and took prisoners

a The followiug tradition has been handed down in the family, that the above Charlotte
L’Estrange wishing to accompany her husband in his escape from France left her infant as a
uostage in Paris, her enemies hoping by this artifice to insure her return, but taking ship the

first opportunity she crossed the channel into England. During the bitter prosecutiou that
preceded their flight the family Bible was concealed beneath the hearth stone.

674 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

nearly thirty men. About 130 light infantry of the enemy at the same
time came out from Verplank’s Point, made an excursion round and
then returned.“ | Upon another occasion the Continental troops having
stacked their arms in the church, then used as an Arsenal, were engaged
at breakfast when the enemy made a sudden and furious onset, captur-
ing and killing some and ‘compelling others to seek safety in flight.
Among the latter was Bot Lent who fled down King street, closely
pursued by two of the British hight horse. After following the road some
distance I.ent took to the woods, when his enemies gave up the pursuit.
They had scarcely, however, turned their backs, than he raised his rifle
and fired at the nearest. The shot must have taken effect, for his com.
rade was afterwards seen dragging him down the road covered with
blood. Major Strang, who happened to be miserably mounted, was
pursued down the same street,and narrowly escaped by jumping from
his horse.

It seems from the following letter, that timely notice was occasionally
given of the enemy’s approach :—

Hanover, Saturday Morning, one o'clock.

Sir.—Captain Buckhout and Mr, Hunt are sent by Colonel Putnam to inform
you that the light-horse are to be in this place about day-light. He is at Solomon
Hunt’s with his detachment ; any of the inhabitants who shall join him, will be
gratefully received. Iam yours,

JosEPH STRANG.

N. B —I am desired to let you know that it is expected that you will acquaint
your neighbors up the street, and Mr, Carmans.

The subjoined account of this place is given by Thacher, in his mili-

tary journal :—
‘‘CromponD, Maron, 1781.

‘*The advanced guard of our army, consisting of about two hundred men, is
posted at Crompond, about twenty miles below West Point, and is relieved every
two or three weeks. A surgeon constantly attends, and I am now ordered to re-
pair to that post, to relieve Dr. Thomas.

‘‘T have taken my quarters at Crompond, in a house with Major Trescott, who
commands at this post. This vicinity is constantly harrassed by small parties of
volunteers on our side, and parties of royalists and tories on the other, who are
making every effort to effect mutual destruction; seeking every opportunity to
beat up each other’s quarters, and to kill or capture all who are found in arms.
This is to be considered a very hazardous situation; it requires the utmost vigi.
lance to guard against a surprise. Major Trescott is an excellent disciplinarian, an
active vigilant officer, and well acquainted with his duty. A party of volunteers
collected here on horseback, for a secret expedition, and by their earnest request,
Major Trescott marched in the night with a party to cover their retreat, and to

a Heath’s Mem. 206,

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 675

take any advantage which might offer. The party returned the next day with
six tory prisoners, three of whom were wounded by the broad-sword. One of
our volunteers, named Hunt, received a dangerous wound through the shoulder
and lungs; the air escaped from the wound at every breath. Dr. Eustis
came to the lines, and dilated the wound in the breast; and as the patient is
athletic, and had not sustained a very copious loss of blood, he recommended
repeated and liberal blood letting—observing that in order to cure a wound through
the lungs, you must bleed your patient to death. He eventually recovered, which
is to be ascribed principally to the free use of the lancet, and such abstemious
living, as to reduce him to the greatest extremity, A considerable number of
wounded prisoners receive my daily attention.

‘*A gentleman volunteer, by name Requaw, received a dangerous wound and
was carried into the British lines; I was requested by his brother t9 visit him,
under the sanction of a flag of truce, in company with Dr. White, who resides in
this vicinity. This invitation I cheerfully accepted; and Mr. Requaw having
obtained a flag from the proper authority and procured horses, we set of in the
morning, arrived at Westchester before evening, and dressed the wounded man.
We passed the night at Mrs. Bartow’s, mother-in-law of Dr. W. She has re-
mained at her farm between the lines during the war, and being friendly to our
interest, has received much abusive treatment from the royalists. We were
treated in the most friendly manner, and her daughter, an amiable well educated
girl, entertained us in conversation till one o’clock in the morning, relating
numerous occurences and incidents of an interestirg nature, respecting the royal .
party. The next day we visited our patient again, paid the necessary attention
ard repaired to a tavern, where I was gratified with an interview with the much
famed Colonel De Lancey, who commands the Refugee Corps. He conducted with
- much civility, and having a public dinner prepared at the tavern, he invited us
to dine with him and his officers. After dinner, Colonel De Lancey furnished
us with a permit to return with our flag; we rode ten miles, and took lodgings in
a private house. Here we were informed that six of our men, having taken from
the refugees thirty head of cattle, were overtaken by forty of De Lancey’s corps
and were all killed but one, and the cattle re-taken. In the morning breakfasted
with a friendly Quaker family, in whose house was one of our men who had
been wounded when four others were killed ; we dressed his wounds, which were
numerous and dangerous. In another house we saw four dead bodies, mangled
in a most inhuman manner by the refugees, and among them, one groaning under
five wounds on his head, two of them quite through the skull bone with a broad-
sword. This man was capable of giving us an account of the murder of his four
companions. They surrendered and begged for life, but their entreaties were
disregarded, and the swords of their cruel foes were plunged into their bodies so
long as signs of life remained. We found many friends to our cause, who reside
on their farms between the lines of the two armies, whose situation is truly de-
plorable, being continually exposed to the ravages.of the tories, horse thieves,
and cow boys, who rob and plunder them without mercy, and the personal abuse
and punishments which they inflict is almost incredible.”

About a mile below the residence of Mr. William Smith, on the Pines
Bridge road, a narrow lane diverges south-west to Davenport, or Dan-

676 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

forth’s house. Here, Col. Christopher Greene was posted with the
Rhode Island regiment, in advance of the Continental army, in 1781,
and near the French force under Count Rochambeau. The following
communication appears to have been addressed to Col. Greene, by John
Dexter, of the orderly office, upon the reorganization of his force :—

OrvERLY Orrior, lorowa, Noy. 19th, 1780.
My pear Sir :—

I have been a considerable time expecting your arrival at camp, or at least a
deputy or delegate from our regiment, in order toa settlement of the officers who
continue in service from our State on the new arrangement. There are many
circumstances which must inevitably attend it, that may possibly and probably
not be considered without the most particular attention and deliberation. But
the most material, which I recollect at this time, is this—-‘‘ The filling up all the
vacancies in the regiment which happened previous to the passing the late reso-
lution, for the re-arrangement of the army as far as the officers in it will extend.”
This I have made particular enquiry respecting at head-quarters. They say it is
not only right, but tolerated, and is to be pursued in all the different lines of the
army.

In this promotion I conceive my brother will be intererested, and I would wish
to see the arrangement before it is delivered at head-quarters.

It has also been determined at head-quarters that the Captain Lieutenants must
continue on the new arrangements as Lieutenants pals but are to be the eldest
Lieutenants in the regiment.

Why I mention this circumstance is this: that on filling the vacancies in our
regiment my brother will be entitled to the Captain Lieutenancy as will Jeraul-
din Angells.

There are particular reasons, besides the justice of it, why I wish the vacancies
should be filled. These, however, I should wish not to communicate—only by
word of mouth.

You must all along observe that I have addressed you as the Colonel of the one
regiment to be raised by the State of Rhode Island, as I cannot entertain a thought
of your wishing to retire.

I should have seen you at Rhode Island before this time if the state of my
finances, would have admitted, but all the cry in camp is want of money, no
money, no money since the first of the year.

You may, if you please, show my brother this letter with my love to him—I
wish to see him. I would write him if I had time.

I am in the greatest hurry, but nevertheless do not forget that I am, with the

greatest respect, Your most obedient servant,
(Signed) Jno. DEXTER.

Eight days after the date of the above letter, the following order was
addressed to Col. Greene by General Washington :—
Sm:—

It is probable you wili receive the Count de Rochambeau’s order to march
with your regiment to West Point. Should this be the case you will only come

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN, 67 YJ

on with such officers as are to remain on service on the new arrangement, and
such men as are engaged for the war, or at least for a term that will last through
the nextcampaign. The other men you may dismiss, unless the Count de Roch-
ambeau, should find any employment for them where they now are. In this
you will perceive, it is presumed you have already agreed upon the arrangement.
I am, sir, your obedient humble servant,
(Signed) GEO. WASHINGTON.
Head-quarters, Nov. 22d, 1780.
Since writing the above, I have received your letter of the 18th.
5
Public Lervice,
CoLONEL GREENE,
Newport, Long Island. Gro. WASHINGTON.

The arrangement alluded to in the foregoing letter, must have soon
after taken place ; for on the 15th of April, 1781, the Colonel accom-
panied Major Flagg in viewing the lines at Pines Bridge, as it appears
from the following letter addressed by Col. Greene to Col. Samuel Ward
of Warwick, Rhode Island. It showed that the Colonel had some fore-
bodings of the fate which awaited him :—

Dear Cor:— Ruove Istanp ViLLaGE, 16TH Aprit, 1781.

I had the happiness to receive your two favours of the 12th and 8lst ult. by
Major Flagg, and, sorry you meet with so much difficulty in getting the matters
you have in charge for yourself and old mother officers settled to your mind;
however, I don’t doubt your perseverance will in ashort time effect it. I know,
nothing in your power will be omitted to serve your friends of which I have ever
had the strongest assurances of being one. I often very agreeably reflect upon
the toils and dangers we have gone through together, during the course of this
horrid war ; and nothing would have been more agreeable than to have had your
company in command to the end of it. But so it could not be, without injustice
to a great military character and a very worthy gentleman. We therefore
must, for the present, be apart. I was overjoyed at the Major’s arrival. I yester-
day went with him to the lines at Pines Bridge. I shall join him, myself, ina very
few days. We have at present but about two hundred, including officers, to guard
about twenty miles; but expect, as soon as the men get out of the small-pox, to
have the force augmented to three or four hundred. I am exceedingly sorry the
Governor and family had not the pleasure of Gen. Washington’s company when he
was in Rhode Island, as I am sure nothing could have been more pleasing to them.
I hardly know what to think of the plan of boats, as they call them, in the French
plan you sent me; and therefore can at present give no judgment on the matter.
Should you see any of the gentlemen of my acquaintance, please to present them
with my most respectful compliments. I hope to have the pleasure of their
company in the field this summer. I have been much indulged, and consequently
very lazy. Since I arrived here I have not been called upon for any regular tour

a Lieut. Col. Olney is here referred to.

678 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

of duty—unless dining out sometimes at headquarters, and often with Gen. Heath
and other gentlemen, can be called so. J expect when I go upon the lines to be
more industrious and alert, otherwise I may be surprised ; that, you know, I always
held up as unpardonable in an officer.

We have no late news, none later than has been in all the prints from Gen.
Greene. Iam exceedingly anxious to hear from him, his army I fear is too raw
to contend with the troops he has to oppose it. If he succeeds with such men
he must immortalize his name. I am certain he is as equal to the task as any
one, but Iam sure he must have his head as well as his hands full, and perhaps
the ablest generals and best troops in the British army to cope with.

The vilains who go by the name of Cow-doys, are often out stealing horses and
cattle from the inhabitants. The laws of the State, I believe, are not severe
enough upon them. I have heard of many being taken and none hanged.

And believe me to be your sincere Friend and Servant,
Cot. Warp. C. GREENE.
Address Cot. SamueL Warp,@

Warwick.
C. GREENE.”

Scarcely had a month elapsed ere Col. Greene’s worst fears were fully
realized by his surprisal at Davenport’s or Danforth’s house, by the
British refugees, upon the 13th of May, 1781. The following account
of this incursion, is given by General Heath :—

“The next day intelligence was received, that on the 13th, Col. Green of the
Rhode Island regiment, who was doing duty on the lines of the American army,
was surprised by a body of the enemy’s horse, supposed to be about 150 dra-
goons, and that the Colonel, Major Fagg, two subalterns and twenty-seven men
were killed, and several wounded. Col. Green was a brave and intrepid officer,
and his loss was much regretted. The colonel had taken post above and near to
Croton river, at a place where the river was fordable, to prevent the enemy pass-
ing up by this ford to ravage the country. He had practiced the greatest vigi-
lance in guarding this ford in the night time, taking off the guards after sunrise,
apprehending that the enemy would never presume to cross the river in the day
time; but the enemy, having learnt his mode of doing duty, on the morning of
the 13th effected his overthrow, by crossing the ford soon after the guards had
come off, and surrounding their quarters before they had an idea of any enemy
being near them. In this situation, the utmost exertion could not then avail
them.”

A person named Gilbert Totten, is said to have betrayed his country-
men to Col. Peter de Lancey, on this occasion, in retaliation for an act of
discipline administered under the following circumstances :—It appears
Totten had been for some time mustered into the English service, hold-

a This signature doubtless served as a passport to bearer. Copied from original docu-
ment in possession of the late John Ward, of Bond street, N. Y.

b Heath’s Mem. 288—9.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 679

ing a captain’s commission, and had just been arrested by Col. Dunmore
(who commanded a regiment of colored soldiers stationed near Pines
Bridge, about half a mile north-east of the pickets on Crow Hill) for
coming up with a flag, under peculiar circumstances, and a black sol-
dier placed over him as guard. Upon his discharge, shortly after, he
swore vengeance, ‘‘ declaring that the next flag sent up would be a red
one.”* “When Totten was up at Pines Bridge, in the spring of 1781,
and insulted, the officer of the guard said to him on parting: ‘‘ When
will you be up again with a flag, (or another one be sent ?’) To which
he replied: “The next flag that comes up “‘z// de a bloody one.”
With these ominous words he departed. ‘‘ When Totten was insulted
at Pines Bridge, just before the capture of Davenport’s house, he said
on parting, to the officer who commanded the guard, ‘When I come
up again it will be with a ved flag, and after that niggers will be
scarce.”®

True to his word, he went directly to Col. de Lancey’s head-quarters
at Morrisania and gave him the clue by which he might cross the Croton
and surprise, not only Green, but the negro guard at Pines Bridge.
Capt. Samuel Kipp (with Totten as guide)* probably led the party;
(which he was pleased to denominate Invincibles) over the ford, with the
full determination neither to give or take quarter.

July 1867, the late Joshua Carpenter informed the author, “that his
aunt Fanny Totten, told him that Gilbert Totten (her cousin) led de
Lancey’s party to Davenport’s house, and that the enemy came up
(after crossing the Croton at Oblenus’s ford) by way of the valley on
the east side of Turkey Mountain, then a perfect wilderness, until they
struck just west of the house ; when suddenly they wheeled and galloped
up the hill, surprising the sentinel who fired, and fled towards the house.
The American soldiers were lying on the stoop when alarmed by the
firing on the west side. Some managed to escape by jumping off the
east end of the piazza, and making for the orchard in the rear. When
the firing first began, the sun was about an hour high. The sliding of
the window by Mayor Flagg first attracted the enemies attention, and
induced them to fire into that part of the house. Between twelve and
twenty fell, in and around the house, and were afterward interred in one
common grave or pit in the north-west corner of the lot, near an ash tree.
The British returned by the way of the Crompond road and so to Pines

a Testimony of Gen. Nat. Montross, of Yorktown.—McDonald’s MSS. in possession of
George Moore, Esq.,
cers of Abraham Weeks of Somers, aged 82.—McDonald MSS, in possession of George

oore, Esq.

ec Totten was humane to prisoners and popular, bnt Capt. Samuel Kipp was severe.—Test.
of Joseph Putney, McDonald's MSS.

680 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Bridge, where they surprised and shot the colored picket guard stationed
there. One mile from the entrance of the lane, by a rock on the night
hand side of the road, and about a quarter of a mile from Pines Bridge,
descending, Green fell off the horse and was laid down to die.

De Lancey anxious for an opportunity to return the recent attack
made upon his quarters by Captain Cushing, instantly fitted out a force
of about 150 dragoons, as described by Heath. The route selected by
their experienced commander, was the road leading to White Plains, by
which means the party escaped through the only opening in the long
line of sentinels stretched across the country. Near Chappequa, they
halted for a short time at the house of Daniel Underhill, and then pro-
ceeded by the west road—which is an intersection of the present Sing
Sing turnpike—till they arrived at the residence of Mr. Lyon; here,
they anxiously awaited the withdrawal of the American guard at
Oblenus’s ford, which is nearly one mile west of Pine’s Bridge. Up to
this moment no one of the party, save their commande and his guide,
knew the object for which they had been detailed. According to Gen-
eral Heath’s account, the American officers appear to have had no idea
that the enemy would dare to cross the ford after sunrise ; and therefore
had taken no precautions to prevent it. By this means, Davenport’s
house was surounded by the enemy, and all possibility of escape cut off
before the danger was discovered. De Lancey remained on the south
side of the river, probably with a view to cover the retreat of the party,
if it should prove necessary.

To General Heath’s account of the surprisal, we must be permitted
to add the following extract from Col. H. Lee’s history of the Southern
war :—

‘*Tn the spring of 1781, when General Washington began to expect the promised
naval aid from our best friend, the ill-fated Louis XVI., he occasionally ap-
proached the enemy’s lines on the side of York island. In one of these move-
ments, Col. Green, with a suitable force, was posted on the Croton River, in
advance of the army. On the other side of this river lay a corps of refugees,
(American citizens who had joined the British army,) under the command of
Col. Delancy. These half citizens, half soldiers, were notorious for rapine and
murder; and to their vindictive conduct may be justly ascribed most of the cruel-
ties which stained the progress of our war, and which at length compelled Wash-
ington to order Captain Asgill, of the British army, to be brought to head-quarters,
for the purpose of retaliating, by his execution, for the murder of Capt. Huddy,
of New Jersey, perpetrated by a Capt. Lippencourt, of the refugees. The com-
mandant of these refugees, (Delancy was not present, ) having ascertained the posi-
tion of Greene’s corps, which the colonel had cantoned in adjacent farm houses—

probably with a view to the procurement of subsistence—took the resolution to
strike it. This was accordingly done, by a nocturnal movement, on the 13th of

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 681

May. The enemy crossed the Croton before daylight, and hastening his advance,
reached our station with the dawn of day unperceived. As he approached the
farm house in which the Lieutenant-Colonel was quartered, the noise of troops
marching was heard, which was the first intimation of the fatal design. Greene
and Major Flagg immediately prepared themselves for defence ; but they were too
late, so expeditious was the progress of the enemy. Flagg discharged his pistols,
and instantly afterwards fell mortally wounded, when the ruffians (unworthy the
appellation of soldiers) burst open the door of Greene’s apartment. Here the gal-
lant veteran singly received them with his drawn sword. Several fell beneath
the arm accustomed to conquer; till at length, overpowered by numbers, and
faint from the loss of blood streaming from his wounds, barbarity triumphed over
valor. ‘ His right arm was almost cut off in two places, the left in one, a severe
cut on the left shoulder, a sword thrust through the abdomen, a bayonet in the
right side, and another through the abdomen, several sword cuts on the head,
and many in different parts of the body.’

“‘Thus cruelly mangled, fell the generous conqueror of Count Donop, whose
wounds, as well as those of his unfortunate associates, had been tenderly dressed
as soon as the battle terminated, and whose pains and sorrows had been as ten-
derly assuaged. How different was the relentless fury here displayed!

“«The commander-in-chief heard with anguish and indignation the tragica! fate
of his loved, his faithful friend and soldier, in whose feelings the army sincerely
participated. On the subsequent day, the corpse was brought to head-quarters,
and his funeral was solemnized with military honors and universal grief.

The following additional particulars concerning this melancholy affair
are contained in a letter from the paymaster, Thomas Hughes to Mr.
Job Greene of Warwick, R. I, a son of Colonel Greene.

RuoveE IsLtanD VILLAGE, 147TH, May, 1781.

Dear Sim :—It is with pain I write on a subject that is so nearly and closely
connected to you as a parent ; I must, my dear friend, inform you of the unhappy
fate which befel your father.

This morning the enemy made an attack on the lines, which was a compleat
surprise, and he fell a sacrifice to the cruel hand of tyranny in defending himself
against the strokes struck by the light horsemen. He had his rite rist almost cut
off in two places, his left in one, a severe cut in the left shoulder, a sword run
through his body, a bayonett into his right side, another through his body, his
head cut to pieces in several plaices, his back and body cut and hacked in such a
manner as gives me pain to inform you; he was carried about three-quarters of a
mnile from his quarters, where they left him to dye, or rather through the loss of
blood and not strength to go forward, finished his days in the woods; and as they

a * When Davenport’s house was taken one Ackerly broke in and entered first ; Col. Greene
Seized and threw him down, and was on the point of dispatching him with his sword, when
he received a cut in the arm, which disabled him. Ackerly was from near Pines Bridge.”—Test.
of Joshua Putney, aged 84.—McDonald MSS. in possession of Geo. Moore, Esq., Lib. of N. Y.
Hist. Soc. The officer commanding at the Bridge, who insulted Totten escaped on the 14th of
May, 1781, by being absent accidentally at the time of attack, some two or three miles off.—
Test. of Joshua Putney.—McDonald MSS.

b At the close of the Revolutionary war Col. DeLancey politely forwarded to General

Thomas, of Harrison, the blood-stained pocket-books of Col. Green and Major Flagg. These
interesting relics, we regret to say, (since the General’s decease) have been destroyed.

682 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

went by the houses informed the inhabitants, should there be any enquiring after
the Colonel, that they left him dead in the edge of a wood. This cruel and
barbarous treatment was perpretrated by Dullenceas core, himself at the head.
Major Flagg, as he arose from his bed received a ballin hishead ; and when they
entered the house they stabbed and cut him in a cruel manner, that he expired
immediately. A doctor of the New Hampshire line, and a lieutenant of the
Massachusetts line, was wounded in the house and carried off. Lieutenant
Macomber being sick in bed, was made a prisoner. Ensign Guanman, who
commanded a guard at the bridge, with himself and all but me was taiking or
killed.

I went on the lines the evening before, to pay off the troops, and tarried with
Greeman, my horse being hitched at the door ; and when the alarm was given, I
saddled him and just made my escape. My flight was so rapid, I left my recpts,
behind. The womanof the house wasso kind as to hide them, so that [ received
them again. The loss, my dear friend, must fall heavily on the family; but as
life is uncertain, we must surrender it when the great Johovah calls. To-morrow
we shall bestow on each of them the honors that is due to men who so nobly
suffered the pains of death in the service of their country. It is uncertain what
number we had killed and taiking; but I believe about forty taiking, and near
twenty killed and wounded. Johnis killed, Prince wounded and [ am affraid will
dye.

Please to make my respects to your mamma and sisters, and believe me to be
with esteem [ Signed ]

your sincere friend and humble servant,
Mr. Jon GREENE. THOMAS HUGHES.4
Mr. Jos GRENNE,

Warwick.
Honored by ) ®
Lr. DEXTER. 5

We have seen that Davenport’s house was occupied at the time of the
surprisal by Richardson Davenport, who was one of the early settlers of
this portion of Cortlandt manor when it was a perfect wilderness. For
some time the family occupied a stone cellar, until the present structure
was erected in 1776, as appears from the following inscription placed in

\

\ \

\ Dec. the 11, 1776, R.D. /

the passage-way near the front door. For some years it was used as a
tavern, until occupied by Col. Greene as head-quarters. Jacob Carpen-
ter, who married Rachel, daughter of Richardson Davenport, moved

- Hughes was Capt. and Paymaster of the Rhode Island Regiment anda son of Col. Green,
» Copied from the original document in the possession of the late John Ward, Esq., of
Bond Street, New York.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 683

here in 1793. . He was a son of John Carpenter, whose family formerly
resided on Long Island, and subsequently emigrated to East or Westches-
ter, and from thence removed to New Castle. In the latter place, John
Carpenter died, and was buried at the Chappaqua meeting-house,
Jacob Carpenter’s sons were the late Joshua, of Davenport house; and
Jacob, now living at 34 Grove street, New York. Jacob’s daughter,
Amy W., married Daniel H. Gmiffen, who now owns the Davenport
estate and homestead.

Mr. Griffen still points out the spot where the bed of Col. Greene
stood, and the window from which the Lieutenant fired his pistols, and
through which Major Flagg received the fatal shot, while the old-fash-
ioned wainscoting and doors, are pierced with numerous bullet-holes.
A large addition has since been made to the house on the east. The
wonderfully extensive views which this elevated spot commands, will
amply repay the visitor, besides the interest attached to the above asso-
ciations.

The following communication is supposed to have been addressed to
Henry Ward, Esq , Secretary of State for Rhode Island, who was then
residing at Providence, uncle of Major Flagg, by Lieut. Col. Olney, who
succeeded Col. Greene in command :—

‘The advance guard of the American army, were on Crotonriver, which falls
into the Hudson about 30 miles above New York, over this were two bridges at
several miles distant from each other; near that on the main road, was stationed
the principal part of the guard, consisting on the whole, of a Major’s command;
a Captain’s command being detached some miles on the right and left. Small
parties patrolled below the bridges. The quarters Major Flagg had taken, were
two or three miles from the bridge, but at no great distance from the river, which
at that time was not supposed to be fordable: this, however, was a mistake, and
proved fatal to the party.

Col. de Lancey, who stooped so far from the dignity of a gentleman, as to com-
mand a regiment of freebooters, who subsisted on plunder, and served without
pay, marched a strong party of Horse and Foot, into the vicinity of the post un-
discovered, getting information of the quarters occupied by Col. Greene, Major
Flagg and several other officers, secured only by a sergeant’s guard; and finding
a fordable place in the river, not far off, he passed his troops, and dividing his
force into two parties, sent one to the bridge, where they surprised and took a
subaltern’s guard, and with the other, marched to Col. Greene's quarters. As
our Officer had no idea of their passing the river except at the bridge, they had
taken no precautions to prevent a surprise. In addition to this, the quarter
guard-sentinel, and all, were asleep; by this means the house was surrounded by
* the enemy, and all possibility of escape cut off before the danger was discovered.
The officers were all asleep in one room; on being awakened by the firing with-
out, they sprang from their beds and seized on arms. Near that on which Major
Flagg lay, there was a window; he received a musket-shot through this—if I am

684 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

not much mistaken—before he had time to reach his pistols, which were placed
near the foot of the bed. The ball passing through his head, he fell forward upon
the bed and there continued; the enemy breaking into the room, found him in
that situation—and thinking him to be sullen, gave him several cuts in the back
with their broad-swords—but he was probably out of the reach of their unmanly
rage, having expired the instant he received the ball. His remains were attend-
ed to the church-yard in Crompond, by the officers of the regiment and a respect-
able number of the inhabitants, and decently interred with the inhumanly man-
gled corpse of his Colonel.”’4

The news of DeLancey’s movement reached Washington, at West
Point, about six hours after Colonel Greene’s surprisal—too late to be of
any service, as appears by the following :—

‘*May 14th, about noon intelligence was received from Gen. Paterson, of West
Point, that the enemy were on the north side of Croton River in force ; that Col.
Greene, Major Flagg, and some other officers, with forty or fifty men, were sur-
prised and cut off at the Bridge, and that Col. Scammell, with the New Hamp-
shire troops had marched to their assistance. I ordered the Connecticut troops
to move and support those of New Hampshire. In the evening information was
brought that the enemy, consisting of about sixty horse and one hundred and
forty infantry had retreated precipitately. May 16th, went to the posts at West
Point ; received a particular account of the surprise of Col. Greene, and the loss
we sustained, which consisted of himself and Major Flagg killed, three officers
and a surgeon taken prisoners, the latter and two of the former wounded ; aser-
geant and five rank and file killed, five wounded and thirty-three made prisoners
or missing; in all forty four, besides officers.

In Rivington’s Gazette of May 16th, it is said that the party who
made the attack, marched from Morrisania under the command of Col.
De Lancey, and consisted of about one hundred cavalry and two hun-
dred infantry.’”?

Upon the same day that Washington visited the outposts at West
Point, he thus addresses the President of Congress :—

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

New Wrypsor, 177TH May, 1781.

Sir:—I{ am sorry to inform your Excellency, that a part of our advanced
troops were surprised on Monday morning near Croton River, by about sixty
horse and two hundred foot, under the command of Colonel DeLancey. Colonel
Greene, who commanded our party, was mortally wounded in his quarters. The
enemy attempted to carry him off, but he died upon the road. Major Flagg was

a Copied from the original, in the possession of the late John Ward, Esq., of Bond street,
New York, which was presented to Mr. R. R, Ward of New York, by Mrs. Bowen, daughter
of the above-mentioned Henry Ward.

b Spark's writings of Washington, Vol. VIII., p—4s. -

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 685

killed. The loss of these two oflicers is to be regretted, especially the former,
who has, upon several occasions distinguished himself, particularly in the defence
of the post at Red Bank, in 1777, when he defeated Count Donop. I enclose a
return of our loss upon that occasion.”

It may not prove uninteresting to add the testimony of Lydia Vail,
a grand-daughter of Richardson Davenport, owner of the house, who
was a young girl about eleven years old when the surprisal took place
in 1781 :—

“Oct. 19th, 1844.—When the house of my grandfather, Richard-
son Davenport, was attacked in May 1781, I was a girl ten or eleven
years old, or thereabouts. I was at Davenport’s house a few minutes
after the Refugees left. Part approached in front of the building, and
part by the.road from the Croton, which road then passed by the rear of the
house z. e. on the north and north-west of it. Greene, Flagg, anda young
Lieutenant, whose name I do not remember, occupied a large bed-room
in the north-west corner of the second story which communicated direct-
ly with the ground by an outer door at the rear or north end of the
house. In consequence of being built upon ground which rises in the
rear, Davenport’s house was then two stories high in front and but one
in the rear. This is partly the case at present. My grandfather was in
the adjoining apartment, and overheard all the conversation of the three
officers. The rashness and folly of the young Lieutenant was the cause
of the disaster, as my grandfather and his family always said; at least as
far as relates to the bloodshed. This was their account, which I heard
at the time and often afterwards. When the Refugees came up they
fired a volley, to signalize their friends in the orchard near Pines Bridge,
and approached the house without making further use of their arms,
calling upon the inmates to surrender. The young Lieutenant always
slept with a pair of loaded pistols upon a stand at the head of his bed,
and when he heard the niose he sprang up, raised the window sash, on
the west side of the room and discharged both pistols at the enemy—who
instantly cried out: ‘Kill! Kill! no quarter!’ Flagg then exclaimed
aloud to the Lieutenant, calling him by name, “ you’ve undone
us.’ These were the last words he was ever heard to utter. Green, half
dressed, but sword in hand, said, ‘ we must sell our lives as dearly as we
can!’’ and approaching, the head of the stairs, called aloud to the
soldiers below: ‘Stand to your arms men! Courage! They are only a
parcel of cow boys, fire away !’ Flagg approached the window from
which the Lieutenant had fired,and a volley was discharged at him.
He fell, pierced with five or six balls.

When I entered the house just after the refugees had left, the young
lieutenant was lying dead at the door. He was the first one they killed
on breaking in. Flagg, though desperately wounded, was yet alive and
they dispatched him. Four or five were dead, where the tents stood east
of the house, besides many wounded. A greater part, at least half of
the Rhode Island regiment were cut off at this time. Besides the officer I

a Washington’s Diary.

686 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

have mentioned, three others quartered at the time, at my grand-father’s;
whose house was Col. Green’s head-quarters, Dr. Cushman, (a Conti-
nental surgeon), and also a captain and heutenant, whose names I do
not recollect. The refugees retired by the south road or path to the
Crompond road, taking Greene with them on horseback; near where
this path or farm road comes out into the highway, Greene, faint with
loss of blood, fell off. Finding that he was dying they placed him in a
spot surrounded by whortleberry bushes, and putting something under
his head for support, left him in that state to finish his days alone.
Here he bled to death, and was soon after found with no clothing on but
his shirt and drawers. The whortleberry bushes were by or near to the
public highway, (¢. e. the Crompond and Pines Bridge road). They soon
after took the bodies of the dead officers and buried them with the hon-
ors of war, in Crompond church-yard, depositing the remains of Greene
and Flagg—and I believe, those of the young lieutenant—in one common
grave. ‘The widow of Col. Greene was present at this ceremony, which
was conducted with great pomp ; a large number of the military, as well
as of citizens, moving in the procession, while the bands played the
most solemn airs from the dead-march, &c.

Ensign Green, commanding the guards at Pines Bridge, was a nephew
of the Colonel.

After all the circumstances of the surprise at Davenport’s house came
to be known and understood, Col. De Lancey and the Refugees were not
blamed, ‘The impetuosity and indiscretion of a single individual, caused
probably, all the bloodshed at my grand-father's. The young lieutenant
atoned for his error, by fighting bravely to the last.”4

On the roth of November, 1844, Lydia Vail, adds to her former tes-
timony by saying :-—

“Two negro servants and my father were wounded, one in the arm
and the others in the shoulder. The very night before the surprise,
Greene said to my grand-father, ‘Mr. Davenport, you are a hap
man, surrounded by a fine wife and a dutiful family of children. I
envy you much, but I hope this unnatural.war is drawing to a close
and that this time next spring, I also shall enjoy domestic happiness, as
you do, with my wife and children.’ Twelve hours had not elapsed after
this, before he was a dead man. Davenport’s house was Greene’s head-
quarters. Greene was much beloved by my grand-father’s family, as well
as Flagg and the other officers ; and the death of those who fell, partic-
ularly that of Greene, was much and long lamented. This disaster
happened @ little before sunrise. I lived at my father’s, half a mile off
northerly, on the Crompond road; word came to us that they were all
cut off and killed at head-quarters, and we all ran through the fields to
Davenport’s house. The Refugees were at this moment retreating
through the woods towards Pines Bridge, and when we saw their glitter-
ing caps and arms, we stopped and hid till they had passed. We arrived
at “Davenport” s about sunrise or little af ter, and found the floors and walls

a Testimony of Lydia Vail of Somers, aged 74, given Oct. 19th, 1844.—-McDonald MSS. in
possession of Geo. H. Moore, Esq., Lib. of N. Y. Hist. Soc.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 687

covered with the blood of the dead, wounded and dying. Flagg and the
captain were killed outright. The Refugees forced Greene to mount a
horse, and retreated upon Pines Bridge by a lane which then led to the
main or Crompond road, through a piece of woods which at that time
extended to the main road. This lane was considerably south of the
present lane, which lead from Davenport’s house to the Crompond road,
and was a much nearer road to Pines Bridge. Green held on the
horse till they were just coming out of the wood into the main road. He
then fell off, and they found he had fainted and was dying from loss of
blood. They then laid him on the bank by the side of the road, and
passed on. Major Morrell escaped the disaster of Davenport’s house by
accident. He happened to pass that eventful night at a Mrs. Remsen’s,
who lived some where near Pines Bridge, (courting it was said) ; return-
ing to head-quarters (where he stayed) next morning, he heard a noise
which seemed to approach ; he rained up his horse, listened, and looking
in the direction from whence the sounds came, saw the glittering of the
soldiers caps and swords ; spurring his horse he leaped over the fence and
concealed himself in a thicket, until the detachment had passed by. The
widow Griffin’s house stood above the Croton on the west side of the
Crompond road ; her maiden name was Brundage. The widow Budd’s
house stood below the Croton, and at Pines Bridge, on the left side of
the road leading to White Plains, and on the right of the road leading
to North Castle Corner ; her maiden name was Griffin.”#

Lieut. Col. Greene was murdered in the meridian of life, being only
forty-four years old. He married in 1758, Miss Anne Lippitt, a daugh-
ter of J. Lippitt, Esq., of Warwick, whom he left a widow, with three
sons and four daughters. He was stout and strong in person, about
five feet ten inches high, with a broad round chest; his aspect manly,
and demeanor pleasing, enjoying always a high state of health, its bloom
irradiated a countenance which significantly expressed the fortitude and
mildness invariably displayed throughout his life.

The following communication was addressed by Washington to Col.
Greene, only seven days before Count Donop attacked Fort Mercer at
Red Bank, on the Delaware :—

Heap-Qvarters, OoToBER 15tTu, 1777,

11 @ clock at night.
Sm:—I am persuaded by intelligence from different quarters that the enemy
are determined to endeavour, by a speedy and vigorous effort to carry Fort
Mifflin, and for this purpose are preparing a considerable force. Their attempt
will probably be sudden and violent, as they are hardly in a situation to delay a
matter so essential to them as that of removing the river obstructions. It is-of
infinite importance to disappoint their intentions in this instance, as their keeping
or evacuating Philadelphia materially depends upon their having the communi-

a Testimony of Lydia Vail, aged 74, Nov. 19, 1844, grandaughter of Richardson Davenport,
and niece of Francis Totten,—McDonaid MSS. In possession of Geo. Moore, Esq.

688 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

cation with their shipping immediately opened, and it is not unlikely they may
despair of effecting, it if they should fail in the push, which I imagine they are
now about to make. Col. Smith’s present force is not as great as could be wished,
and requires to be augmented to put him in a condition to make an effectua]
opposition. I would therefore have you to detach immediately as large a part of
your force as you possibly can in aid of the garrison. JI cannot well determine
what proportion. This must be regulated by circumstances and appearances, but
my present idea is that the principal part should go to his assistance. To enable
you the better to spare a respectable reinforcement, I have directed General
Newcomb to send his brigade of militia to Red Bank or as many of them as he
can prevail upon to go. Colonel Angell will also march early to-morrow morning
to join you with his regiment. The garrisons and Steel’s may be informed. of
these succours ; by way of keeping up their spirits. I would not have you trust to
the houses in the neighbourhood of your post, as these in case of an investiture
will fail you; which makes it prudent to have a sufficient number of huts before
hand prepared within the fort.

I hope, and doubt not, you will keep fully in mind the prodigious importance
of not suffering the enemy to get entire possession of the Delaware ; and will spare
no pains nor activity to frustrate their efforts for that purpose. Be watchful on
every quarter and industrious in stopping every avenue by which you are assail-
able. Be cautious not to pay too much attention to any one part of your works,
and neglect the others, but take every precaution to strengthen the whole; for
otherwise the greatest danger may be where you least expect it. I am, sir,

Your obed’t serv’t.

N.B.—The above letter was written by his Excellency’s orders; but as he went
to bed before it was finished, it will be handed you without his signature.

(Signed) Avex. Hamitroy, A. D. C.,
3 (on public service).
COLONEL GREENE,
ALEx. Hamitton, A. D. C. Commanding Officer,
to ye Com. in Chief. a Red Bank.

The Rev. M. L. Weems, the former rector of Mt. Vernon Parish, Va.,
thus describes the attack made by Count Donop, on the Red Bank in
his Life of General Washington :—

“On the eastern or Jersey side of the river, at a place called the
Red Bank, Washington ordered a strong redoubt, the command of
which, with 205 men, was given to Col. Greene. These with some
chevaux-de-frise sunk in the river, and a few gallies, formed all the
barrier that Washington could present against the British Navy. The
strength of this barrier was soon put to a fiery trial. Great prepara-
tions were made to attack the Americans, at the same instant, both
by land and water. Count Donop, with a host of Hessians, was sent
over to be in readiness to attack Red Bank, while the tide of flood
groaning under their enormous weight, brought up the men of war.

eee from original document in possession of the late John Ward, Esq., of Bond St.

\ THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 689

The morning was still, and the heavens overcast with sad clouds—as if
nature sympathizing with her children, was ready to drop showers of ce-
lestial pity on their strifes. No sooner had the ships floated up with-
in three cables length of the fort, than they began a most tremendous
cannonade ; while cannon balls and fire-tailed bombs, like comets, fell
upon it thick as hail. The gallant Smith and his myrmidons, stood the
shock to a miracle, and like men fighting under the eye of their Wash-
ington, drove the two-and-thirty pounders through them, with such spirit
and success, that in a little time, the Augusta, a heavy 64 gun ship took
fire and blew up, the horrible balloon and many of the crew. Another ship
called the Merlin, or Black Bird, soon got on the wing, blew up likewise
and went off in thunder to join the Angusta. At the same moment Col.
Donop, with his Hessians, made a gallant attack on the fort at Red
Bank. After a few well directed fires, Greene and his men artfully re-
tired from the out-works, The enemy, now supposing the day their own,
rushed on in vast numbers along a large opening in the fort, and within
twenty steps of a masked battery of eighteen pounders, loaded with
grape shot and spike nails. All at once, hell itself seemed to open be-
fore their affrighted view. But their pains and their terrors were but for
a moment. Together down they sunk by hundreds, into the sweet
slumbers of death, scarcely sensible of the fatal blow that reft their
lives.

Heaps on heaps, the slaughtered Hessians lie ;

Brave Greene beholds them with a tearful eye.

Far now from home, and from their native shore,

They sleep in death and hear of wars no more.

“Poor Donop was mortally wounded, and taken prisoner. The atten-
tions of the American officers, and particularly the kind condolence
of the God-like Washington, quite overcame him: and his last moments
were steeped in tears of regret, for having left his native land, to fight a
distant people, who had never injured him. ‘See here, Colonel,’ said
the dying count, (to Col. Danl. Clymer, who had been sent by Wash-
ington to condole with him) ‘see in me, the vanity of all human pride!
I have shone in all the Courts of Europe, and now, I am dying here, on
the banks of the Delaware, in the house of an obscure Quaker.”

As Captain Mauduit Duplessis was traversing the scene of slaughter
after the repulse, he was accosted by a voice from among the slain:
“Whoever you are, draw me hence.” It was the unfortunate Count
Donop. Duplessis had him conveyed to a house near the fort, where
every attention was paid to his comfort; he languished fer three days,
during which Duplessis was continually at his bed-side. ‘‘ This is
finishing a noble career early,” said the Count sadly, as he found his
death approaching. ‘Then, as if conscious of the degrading service in
which he had fallen, hired out by his prince to aid a foreign power in

a Life of George Washington by M. L. Weems, formerly Rector of Mt. Vernon Parish.
ila. 1809, ;

690 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

quelling the brave struggles of a people for their liberty, and contrasting
it with that in which the chivalrous youth by his bedside was engaged—
“T die,” added he bitterly, ‘the victim of my ambition, and of the
avarice of my sovereign.” He was but thirty-seven years of age at the
time of his death.

According to the plan of the enemy, Fort Mifflin, opposite to Fort
Mercer, was to have been attacked at the same time by water. The
force employed was the Augusta of sixty-four guns, the Roebuck of
forty four, two frigates, the Merlin sloop of eighteen guns, and a galley.
They forced their way through the lower line of chevaux-de-frise; but
the Augusta and Merlin ran aground below the second line, and every
effort to get them off proved fruitless. To divert attention from their
situation, the other vessels drew as near to Fort Mifflin as they could,
and opened a cannonade; but the obstructions in the river had so
altered the channel that they could not get within very effective distance
They kept up a fire upon the fort throughout the evening, and recom-
menced it early in the morning, as did likewise the British batteries on
the Pennsylvania shore; hoping that under cover of it, the ships might
be got off. A strong adverse wind, however, kept the tide from rising
sufficiently to float them.

The Americans discovered their situation, and sent down four fire-
ships to destroy them, but without effect. A heavy fire was now
opened upon them from the galleys and floating batteries. It was
warmly returned. In the course of the action, a red hot shot set the
Augusta on fire. It was impossible to check the flames. All haste was
made with boats to save the crew, while the other ships drew off as fast
as possible to be out of reach of the explosion. She blew up, however,
while the second lieutenant, the chaplain, the gunner, and several of the
crew were yet on board, most of whom perished. The Merlin was now
set on fire and abandoned; the Roebuck and the other vessels dropped
down the river, and had kept up a brave defence against batteries di-
rected by the enemy on the Pennsylvania shore. A reinforcement of
Virginia troops made the garrison between three and four hundred
strong.

Floating batteries, galleys and fire-ships, commanded by Commodore
Hazlewood, were stationed under the forts and about the river.

Fort Mercer had hitherto been garrisoned by militia, but Washington
now replaced them by four hundred of Gen. Varnum’s Rhode Island

a DeChastellux, vol. i. p. 266. ‘*Donop was terribly wounded and taken to the house of a
Quaker near by, where he expired three days afterwards. He was buried within the fort. A

few years ago his bones were disinterred, and his skull was taken possession of by a New
Jersey physician.’’—Lossing’s Hist. of U. 8.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 691

Continentals. Col. Christopher Greene, was put in command; a brave
officer who had accompanied Arnold in his rough expedition to Canada,
and fought valiantly under the walls of Quebec. ‘The post with which
you are intrusted,” writes Washington in his letter of instructions, “is of
the utmost importance to America. The whole defence of the Delaware
depends upon it; and consequently all the enemy’s hopes of keeping
Philadelphia, and finally succeeding in the present Campaign.”

Col. Greene was accompanied by Captain Mauduit Duplessis, who
was to have the direction of the artillery. He was a young French en-
gineer of great merit, who had volunteered in the American cause, and
recelved a commission from Congress. The chevaux-de frise, in the
river, had been constructed under his superintendence.

Greene, aided by Duplessis, made all haste to put Fort Mercer in a
state of defense ; but before the outworks were completed, he was sur-
prised (Oct. 22d,) by the appearance of a large force from a wood
within cannon-shot of the fort. Their uniforms showed them to be
Hessians. They were, in fact, four battallions, twelve hundred strong
of grenadiers, picked men, besides light infantry and chasseurs, all com-
manded by Count Donop, who had figured in the last year’s campaign.
Col. Greene, in nowise dismayed by the superiority of the enemy, form-
ing in glistening array before the wood, prepared for a stout resistance.
In a little while an officer was descried, riding slowly up with a flag, ac-
companied by a drummer. Greene ordered his men to keep out of
sight, that the fort might appear but slightly garrisoned.

When within proper distance, the drummer sounded a parley, and, the
officer summoned the garrison to surrender ; with a threat of no quarter,
in case of resistance.

Greene’s reply was, that the post would be defended to the last ex-
tremity.

The flag rode back and made report. Forthwith the Hessians were
seen at work throwing up a battery within half a mile of the outworks.
It was finished by four o’clock, and opened a heavy cannonade, under
cover of which the enemy were preparing to approach.

As the American outworks were but half finished, and were too exten-
sive to be manned by the garrison, it was determined by Greene and
Duplessis, that the troops should make but a short stand there ; to gall
the enemy by their approach, and then retire within the est which
was defended by a deep intrenchment, boarded and fraised.

Donop led on his troops in gallant style, under cover of a heavy fire
from his battery. They advanced in two columns, to attack the out-
works in two places. As they advanced, they were excessively galled

692 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

by a flanking fire from the American galleys and batteries, and by sharp
volleys from the outworks. The latter, however, as had been concert-
ed, were quickly abandoned by the garrison. The enemy entered at two
places, and, imagining the day their own, the two columns pushed on
with shouts to storm different parts of the redoubt. As yet, no troops
were to be seen; but as one of the columns approached the redoubt on
the north side, a tremendous discharge of grape-shot and musketry burst
forth from the embrasures in front, and a half-masked battery on the
left. The slaughter was prodigious; the column was driven back in
confusion. Count Donop with the other column, in attempting the
south side of the redoubt, had passed the abatis; some of his men had
traversed the fosse ; others had clambered over the pickets, when a sim-
ilar tempest of artillery and musketry burst upon them. Some were
killed on the spot, many were wounded, and the rest were driven out.
Donop himself was wounded, and remained on the spot; Lieutenant-
Colonel Mingerode, the second in command, was also dangerously
wounded. Several other of the best officers were slain or disabled.
Lieutenant-Colonel Linsing, the oldest remaining officer, endeavored to
draw off the troops in good order, but in vain; they retreated in confu-
sion, hotly pursued, and were again cut up in their retreat by the flank-
ing fire from the galleys and floating batteries.

The loss of the enemy in killed and wounded, in this brief but severe
action, was about four hundred men. That of the Americans, eight
killed and twenty-nine wounded.

Washington Irving thus describes the attack made by the enemy on
Fort Mifflin and Mercer on the 22d of October, 1777 :—

‘‘On the forts and obstructions in the river, Washington mainly counted to
complete the harassment of Philadelphia. The defences had been materially im-
paired. The works at Billingsport had been attacked and destroyed, and some of
the enemy’s ships had forced their way through the chevaua-de-frise, placed there.
The American frigate Delaware, stationed in the river between the upper forts
and Philadelphia, had run aground before a British battery and been captured..

It was now the great object of the Howes to reduce and destroy, and of Wash
ington to defend and maintain, the remaining forts and obstructions. Fort Miff-
lin, which we have already mentioned, was erected on a low, green, reedy island
in the Delaware, a few miles below Philadelphia, and helow the mouth of the
Shuylkill. It consisted of a strong redoubt, with extensive outworks and batteries.
There was but a narrow channel between the island and the Pennsy]vania shore.
The main channel, practicable for ships, was on the other side. In this were
sunk strong chevaua-de-frise, difficult either to be weighed or cut through, and
dangerous to any ships that might run against them; subjected as they would be
to the batteries of Fort Mifflin on one side, and on the other to those of Fort
Mercer, a strong work at Red Bank on the Jersey shore.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 693

Fort Mifflin was garrisoned by troops of the Maryland line, under Lieutenant-
Colonel Samuel Smith of Baltimore ; and the attack on Fort Mercer was given up.

These signal repulses of the enemy had an animating effect on the public mind,
and were promptly noticed by Congress. Col. Greene, who commanded at Fort
Mercer; Lieutenant-Colonel Smith of Maryland, who commanded at Fort Miff-
lin; and Commodore Hazelwood, who commanded the galleys, received the
thanks of that body ; and consequently a sword was voted to each, as a testimo-
nial of distinguished merit.”

Shrub Oak is a small village, in the northern part of the town, form-
ing a portion of Jefferson valley, and situated not far distant from Lake
Magrigaries, or what is now denominated Lake Osceola. This place is
beautifully situated in a well watered and picturesque region, and, chief-
ly on account of its healthiness, is much sought after by New York citi-
zens who are erecting some fine country seats in the neighborhood.
One of the oldest residences in the village is located on Park street and
belonged formerly to the Paulding family, but is now owned by the Rev.
George S. Gordon, one of the former rectors of St. Peter’s church,
Peekskill. It seems that the celebrated John Paulding of revolutionary
fame, purchased the estate, on which the mansion stands, of Ezekiel
Knapp, probably before the Revolution or soon after. Upon the 11th
of January, 1817, we find the said John Paulding conveying to Natha-
niel Garrison of Cortlandtown, for the sum of $4,500, one piece (of this
very property), ‘containing eighty-two acres, be the same more or less,
excepting the lands deeded to the Methodist meeting house and Isaac
Knapp, and except the lot sold for a district school-house and a piece
containing four acres, two rods and six perches.” Garrison after-
wards sold to Dr. Collett (who married a daughter of Dr. Felton, then
rector of St. Stephen’s church, N. Y.) and the latter conveyed to the
Rev. George S. Gordon.¢ The old house, which was used as a tav-
ern during the Revolutionary war, is well constructed of heavy oak tim-
ber, while the parlor and dining room are finished with old fashioned
mantles and fire places six feet wide. Tradition says that a bold Tory
captain, who was suspected of being a spy, was shot at the gate while
attempting to escape. It is well known that Major Andre passed this
spot on his way to Crompond. The Five Mile Turnpike leading from
Peekskill to Red Mills, passes within one quarter of a mile of this place,
likewise the intended route of the railroad from Turners Station in
Rockland Co., to Fort Montgomery and thence by the great Suspen-

a From Irving’s Life of Washington, vol. iii, pp. 269 to 275.
b Copied from original Doc. in possession of the Rev. G. S. Gordon.

c The Rey. George S. Gordon is a son of the late Capt. Henry Gordon of U. 8. N. by Maria
da. of Will. and Mary Tapp. Wm. Tapp was born in London, Middlesex, England, 22d Dec.
1750.—N. Styles. :

694 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

sion Bridge across the Hudson River at St. Antony’s nose, next follow-
ing the Peekskill creek, passing through Shrub Oak to Hollocksville or
Mahopac, and thence south into New York city.

The Methodist Episcopal church is very pleasantly situated, almost
in the centre of the village, directly opposite the old cemetery. Itisa
large gothic edifice of stone, fifty by ninety, with a low embattled tower
of the same material, costing about $39,000. It was designed by the
well known architect, William F. Martin, a resident of this village; and
dedicated in December, 1870. To it,is attached a small parsonage of
wood and six acres of land, valued at $6,000. The interior of the
church is neatly finished in black-walnut trimming, while the windows
are filled with stained glass quarryings of lead work. ‘The desk Bible
contains the following :—

‘““CENTENARY METHopIsT EpiscopaL CruROH,
Shrub Oak, October, 1870.”

The bell weighs 1,950 pounds, and cost $1,000. The burying-ground
opposite the church, contains memorials to the Hyatt’s, Fowler’s, Louns-
burgh’s, Hall’s, Conklin’s, Horton’s, Crawford’s, Halleck’s, Smith’s, Wild-
ey’s, and Townsend’s, &c.

The Methodist Episcopal Church, it is said, was first organized here
about one hundred years ago; but be this as it may, we have already
seen that John Paulding, sometime before 1817, had deeded to the
“Methodist Meeting House” a small portion of his property. The old
church stands a short distance only from the present structure, and is
now used by the Roman Catholics for their services.

The present pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church is the Rev.
G. D. Gillespie, who reports 260 communicants.

Near Shrub Oak, a short distance only from the Peekskill turn-
pike, is situated ‘“‘ Lake Mohegan,” a charming sheet of water covering
an area of three hundred acres and one eighth in length. An analysis of
its waters gives the two following ingredients as held in solution—viz :
Sixty per cent. of lime, and thirty per cent. of magnesia. Many
fine bass and pickerel are taken here, (some of the former weigh-
ing five lbs) as well as white and yellow perch. Five years ago
an attempt was made to stock the lake with 10,000 salmon trout;
but since then the black bass have been introduced with better success.
At the head of the lake stands the residence of Charles D’Urban Mor-
ris, A. M., who for a number of years past has so successfully conducted
the “ Lake School.” This branch of the Morris family is not only de-
scended directly from the Philipses, (Manorial lords of Philipsburgh) but

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 695

is also connected with the Van Cortlandts, the lords of Cortlandt
Manor. Roger Morris (eleventh in descent from Cadugan of Philip
Dorddu, a powerful Welsh chieftain) who stood high in favor, and on
terms of great friendship, with the Duke of Argyle and the Earl of Pem-
broke in 1734, married Mary, daughter of Sir Peter Jackson, Knt., a
(Turkey) merchant of London, by Mary his wife, daughter of Sir Peter
Vandeput, Knt., sheriff of London in 1684, by Margaret his wife,
daughter of Sir John Buckworth, Knt. of West Shun Surrey. Roger
Morris died 13th Jan., 1748. The third son of Roger Morris and Mary
Jackson was Roger Morris, Esq., lieutenant-colonel in the British army,
born 28th of January, 1727, married 19th January, 1758, Mary, daughter
of Frederick Philipse, last Lord of the Manor of Philipsburgh. It was
from this lady’s character that Cooper formed the heroine of “‘ The Spy,”
under the name of Frances. Washington is said to have greatly admired
her. Col. Roger Morris served with distinction in the first American
war, and was wounded in the celebrated battle of the Monongahela
River, in which General Braddock was killed with most of his officers.
In that engagement George Washington, Robert Orme and Roger
Morris, Esqrs., were aides-de-camp to General Braddock ; and of the con-
flict, an original manuscript account, a very curious document, was in
possession of the late Capt. Henry Gage Morris, of the R. N.

Col. Roger Morris died 13th Sept., 1794, aged sixty-eight; Mary, his ~
wife, 18th July, 1825, aged ninety-six, having been born sth July, 1730.
The remains of this distinguished and worthy couple are deposited in a
vault in St. Saviours church, York, England, where the following inscrip-
tion occurs on a marble tablet :—

Near this spot are deposited the remains of
COLONEL ROGER MORRIS,
formerly of his Majesty’s 47h Regiment of Foot,
who departed this life on the 13th day of September, 1794,
in the 68th year of his age.

AND OF

MARY MORRIS,

relic of the same
who departed this life on the 18th day of July, 1825,
in the 96th year of her age.

AND ALSO OF
MARIA MORRIS,

the affectionate daughter of the above,
who departed this life on the 25th day of Sept., 1836,
in the 7ist year of herage.

696 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

Col. Roger Morris had five children; (1), Joanna Morris, married in
1787, to Thomas Cowper Hincks, Esq., Captain in the Dragoon Guards,
and left issue. (2), Amherst, (named after his god-father, Lord Am-
herst ', born in 1763, Commander in the Royal Navy; died at Bailden,
in Yorkshire, in 1802. The following inscription is on his grave-stone
there :—

To the memory of
CAPTAIN AMHERST MORRIS,

of the Royal Navy,
who died the 27th day of April, Anno Domini 1802,
aged 38 years.
Virtute nihil obstat et armis.

(3), Maria, died at York, as above; (4), Margaret, died young in this
country ; Henry Gage Morris, Rear Admiral of the Royal Navy, who
was born in 1770, married in 1805, died in 1851, and lies buried in the
church-yard of Beverly Minster, Yorkshire, leaving, by his wife Rebecka,
Newenham, Millard, Orpen, daughter of Rev. Francis Orpen, of Cork,
Ireland, and six sons, viz:—Rev. Francis Orpen Morris, Rector of Nun-
Burnholme, Yorkshire; Rear Admiral Henry Gage Morris, of the Royal
Navy, London; Frederick Philipse Morris, Barrister, London; Bev-
erly. Robinson Morris, M.D., Nottingham; Rev. Adolphus Philipse
Morris, A.M., first rector of St. Mary’s Parish, Yorktown, and now
curate of Leeds, Kent, England; and Charles D’Urban Morris, A.M.,
of Lake Mohegan.

The parochial church of St. Mary stands near the Lake, and the resi-
dence of Mr. Morris, fronting on the Peekskill road, leading from Lake
Mahopac to the latter place; it is built of stone concrete, in the early
English style. The church lot, embracing half an acre, was the gift of
Charles D’Urban Morris, A.M. ;

Shrub Oak contains a Methodist ‘church, a post-office, and about
fifteen dwellings. The Methodist society of this place was first incor-
porated upon the 22d of September, 1840; Newman Lounsberry,
Benjamin Curry, Solomon Requa, Thomas Curry, jr., and Jonathan
Danow, trustees. The church, which was erected in 1839, is a very
neat wooden structure. In the immediate neighborhood, lies Lake
Magrigaries, (Hollow Lake, already alluded to,) which is a beautiful
sheet of water, well stocked with fish.

A rich and picturesque vale extends south from Crompond, backed
by rolling hills. Upon one of the principal heights in this vicinity,

a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. lib. B. 65.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 697

called French hill, the French forces were encamped in 1781-2, under
Comte de Rochambeau. ‘ The French army, at the time the Marquis
speaks of, (Nov. 1782, says the translator of Chastellux,) had been for
some time encamped at Crompond, near Cortlandt’s manor, a few miles
from that of General Washington’s, and between which there was a daily
intercourse. The translator dined, in October, 1782, in General
Washington's tent, with the Marquis de Laval, the Baron de Viomenil,
and several French officers, within hearing of the British guns, which
were at that period happily become a Brutum fulmen.”* On the north-
west side of French hill, are the two ponds styled bythe Indians Keaka-
tis. The largest of these, sometimes known by the name of the Great
Pond, covers an area of 200 acres, and discharges its redundant waters
into the smaller one of 100 acres. Both are supplied by numerous
springs, and have their outlet in A/uscoola river. The site of an Indian
village is still pointed out, on the borders of the Great Pond, north of
cedar swamp, likewise the remains of a cemetery on Cedar Point.®

Several roads intersect the town, running principally north and south,
from the Mahopack turnpike to the great post-road, formerly called the
King’s road. These consist of Stoney, King’s Gormé, Amawalk, Toma-
hawk and Lovett streets.

The Pine’s Bridge road leading south from Crompond, affords magni-
ficent views of the rich and fertile country bordering the Croton River,
together with the village of Yorktown, and the Turkey and Collabergh |
mountains. Upon this road are situated the farms and residences of
General Bernardus Montross, Mr. Seth Whitney, Mr. James Underhill,
Mr. Richard M. Underhill and George McKeel, &c. Ina back room of
the General’s house, fell the notorious freebooter, Joseph Hueson, by the
hand of Seth Whitney, (father of the above mentioned gentleman) former
proprietor of the estate. Hueson was a perfect scourge and terror to
this part of the country during the Revolution, for he. devoted himself
to the most cruel pillage and robbery among the defenceless inhabitants.
Whilst in the act of entering the house for plunder, Whitney plunged
a bayonet into his body. Upon hearing their leader exclaim, “the rascal
has killed me!” a band of ruffians forced an entrance, seized Whitney,
and inflicted on him the most savage cruelties. Directly opposite the
mansion of the latter, stands the orthodox Friends meeting-house, erec-
ted in 1833.

A road diverging to the south-west, near the meeting-house, leads to

a@ Travels in North America in the years 1780, 81, 82, by the Marquis Chastellux. One of
the principal visitors at the French camp in 1782, was the Baron de Talleyrand.

b Upon Cedar Point an eccentric character known as Nancy Lane the hermitess, resided
for many years, ;

698 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

the Turkey mountain, a vast tract of woodland covering 800 acres;
from the summit of which, the spectator has a noble prospect of the
surrounding country. At the foot of the mountain is situated the resi-
dence of Mr. Edward Burrough Underhill, son of the late Abraham I.
Underhill, “a worthy and prominent member of the society of Friends,
who sustained throughout a useful and protracted life, an unsullied repu-
tation.” Abraham I. Underhill, who died on the 5th of May, 1841,
aged 78 years, was the second son of Isaac Underhill, fourth in descent
from John Underhill of Oyster Bay, L. I. In the old family mansion
which stands one mile south of this spot, (on the Pine’s Bridge road) is
shown the room where Major Andre and Joshua H. Smith breakfasted
on the 23d of September, 1780. At this period, the house was occu-
pied by Isaac Underhill and Sarah his wife, who appears to have been
a woman of good resolution and courage ; whilst engaged in entertaining
Andre and his companion, she took particular notice of the former—and
imagined she read in his confusion, a person embarrassed in some great
undertaking. A few days previous to this event, Mrs. Underhill had
visited head-quarters to recover some cattle carried off by a band of
marauders.

This lady was the daughter of Robert Field, whose nephew John was
a resident of Yorktown. The following notice of the death of Moses
Field, (son of John) occurs in the New York American of Oct. 25, 1833:

* Died at Peekskill, on the 18th inst., Moses Field of this city, aged
fifty-three years. The poor could not have sustained a greater loss in
an individnal. No man had more enlarged and persevering benevo-
lence in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and providing for the
sick. His greatest happiness appeared to be, to mitigate the suffering
and relieve the wants of the virtuous poor.”

Abraham J. Underhill, the son of Isaac and Sarah, has left us the
following account of his own and his father’s Reminisences of the Revo-
lution :—

“My father Isaac Underhill, born at White Plains, was a tall, healthy
man of great bodily strength, and very industrious even to old age—say
over eighty. During his life, he partly cleared three farms near Saw
Mill River, Nanahegan or Philips Manor, now the town of Mt. Pleasant.
He was possessed of good natural abilities and judgment, but like most
men of his time felt sadly the want of an early education. For many
years he was an elder in the society of Friends. Before leaving White
Plains my father had partly cleared the farms of his two brothers Jacob
and Abraham at Nanahegan, travelling to and fro by a foot path which

a Upon the 9th of Nov., 1832, George McKeel conveyed to Isaac McKeel, Daniel Smith,

Aaron Underhili and Edward Burrough Underhill, one acre of land, three miles north of
Pine’s Bridge.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 699

was then the only road between the two places—the surrounding country
being infested by Indians, and wild animals. He moved to Nanahegan
about the year 1738, at which time the Indians had not left the neigh-
borhood. In 1774 he settled down at Amawalk, (Yorktown) the farm
then having been one of the first cleared in that section of the country,

“During the Revolutionary war the main body of Washington’s army.
on its way from White Plains to New’ Jersey, marched past the house
going from Pines Bridge to Peekskill. I frequently saw Washington
pass during the time, so y that I knew him as well as I did anybody. He
always had a life guard of twelve young gentlemen nding before him
with drawn swords for protection and honor—they were said to be Vir-
ginians. I recollect perfectly well meeting him by the school house
near Parkers, and at another time a little south of the old Amawalk
meeting-house, and also when he passed our house. On the two former
occasions he was not with the army. On the latter he proclaimed his
intention to capture New York, and was making every exertion to col-
lect men and stores for that purpose; but his real object was to amuse the
British in New York, to prevent their sending forces to Yorktown in
Virginia to relieve Lord Cornwallis. Washington went down as far as
White Plains and then commenced forced marches to West Point and
so through New Jersey south to Yorktown, and succeeded in capturing
Cornwallis and all his army before he could be relieved from New
York. A sergeant’s guard was kept at our house almost throughout the
war.

“ Major Andre, with Lawyer Smith of Orange Co., called at my father’s
the day he was taken at about eight o’clock in the morning ; they wanted
breakfast. Andre was on his way from West Point to New York, and
made many inquiries respecting the road ; his mind appeared to be very
much impressed,so that he could not be still a moment. Smith eat
breakfast (which mother prepared for them) but Andre appeared very
agitated, walked back and forward before the front door and eat noth-
ing; he had on a blue tight bodied coat, made plain, after the fashion of
the New England farmers of the day. Smith went back north from our
house, and Andre went on toward New York alone—going south by the
way of Pines Bridge, and Tarrytown ; near the latter Eee he was taken
prisoner.

‘Tn the time of the Revolution the British Light Horse came through
this part of the country, taking the route from Crompond to our house.
On this occasion they burned many houses, killed several men and
wounded every one they met, carrying them off prisoners to New York.
Every house was robbed by them, and all the cattle they could possibly
find, driven off. A few weeks previous to this a violent hurricane had
taken off the back portion of the roof of our house. The British rode
up very furiously, with their swords, drawn and demanded which party
had removed the roof; I replied “‘ The upper party,” which they under-
stood to mean the Whigs—the British being the lower party. They then
placed a sentinel at the door who prevented any of the party from going .
into the house or taking anything from us, which we considered a re-
markable Providential preservation.

7OO HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

“Tn the Revolution robberies and murders were very frequent in this
part of the country. One night there were two strangers putting up at
our house, from New England; in the dead of night a man knocked at
the door—father asked who was there? the reply was “a friend.” Father
mistook the voice for that of a particular friend of his, but mother
thought they were robbers beyond any doubt; father got up and opened
the upper half of the door, and«soon found they were come to pillage
the house. Mother, while father was parleying with the gang outside,
armed all her children—seven sons and four daughters—(all as large as
men), put men’s coats and pants on the girls, in the space of a few min-
utes, and marched them into the room where father was; so large a
company struck such a damper upon the robbers, that they immediately
retreated. We then looked for the strangers who were stopping with us,
and after a considerable search, found them hidden away under the back
part of the bed. They appeared to be very much frightened, having
about their persons $1,500 in Continental money, (which was then
good). This was about 1776; they felt very thankful for their deliver-
ance.

. Qn another occasion, being detained at work in the field after dark,

on my return to the house, and when very near it, I suddenly found my-
self stepping on some men, and was much frightened. These men
(about 100), were lying flat on the ground, their quarters being at the
house then occupied by Joshua Carpenter ; an officer stepped up to me,
and enquired who I was and where I was going? I replied that my
home was close by, and I had been detained later than usual by work.
He made me promise to say nothing about what I had seen, and then
let me go. Their object was apparently to prevent surprise, or to inter-
cept some passing enemy.

* Joshua Huson was a notorious character in the Revolution, being con-
nected with the British army, although a native of Yorktown. He fre-
quently passed through the American army acting as a spy, and carrying
his information to Canada. Rochambeau’s army lay encamped in York-
town about six weeks, but it had scarcely been there one week before
Huson passed through it. He frequently lay in ambush and shot down
American officers, or others that he disliked. All efforts to secure him
were unsuccessful, though large rewards were offered for his apprehen-
sion. At length, aided by some confederates, he broke into the house
of Seth Whitney, (now Barney Montross’s), abusing and beating him
badly and carrying off any thing they wanted. Huson told Whitney
that he would come again and kill him. The old man (Whitney) fixed
a bayonet on a rake handle, determined to dispatch the robber, should
he ever try it again. Whitney's wife warned Huson to keep away, but
paying no attention to the warning, he soon after tried to break in ; when
about half way through the window, Whitney, true to his threat, stabbed
him just below the breast-bone, making a wound about one and
a half inches deep. . Huson, notwithstanding, made good his entrance
and beat Whitney until he thought him dead. Huson and his assistants
then mounted and rode away. At first the family believed Whitney
dead, but after a while they were successful in restoring him and he soon

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 7OL

got well. When I saw him the day after the beating, he was dreadfully
bruised. Huson’s wound proved much more serious than he had at first
supposed, for it bled internally; and when within twenty rods of our
house, exclaimed “I am a dead man,” and fell from his horse a corpse.
His comrades applied to some tories living in the neighborhood, who
took the body and buried it about eighteen inches deep, under an apple
tree in Veil’s orchard on the east side of the road. The next day they
dug another grave behind the hill in the woods, south-east of William
Smith’s house, a very out of the way place. The better to conceal the
grave, they cut down a tree—making it fall directly over the spot. Five
months afterwards, it became generally known that Huson was buried
there ; whereupon the neighbors disinterred the remains, and crowds of
people came, some from a great distance, tosee the remains of one who
had been such a terror and scourge to the whole country round. They
wanted to satisfy themselves that he was reatly dead ; some proposed to
hang the corpse on a jibbet, but finally better feelings prevailed and they
consigned it to the grave where it probably remained undisturbed.
Several of the men who first buried him we afterwards discovered to be
the same party who also robbed our tenant house and intended to pil-
lage us. Whitney, as a reward for killing Huson, was exempted from
paying taxes during the remainder of his life. This Huson was of the
same family as the man who was hung for instigating the negroes to in-
surrection in New York city.

Rochambeau, while in our neighborhood, had his head-quarters at
Parkers (then Samuel Dilway’s) while another French General was
quartered at my father’s. The Generals always dined together alternately
at each others quarters, this brought them, once a week, to our house.
Great preparations were always made on these occasions—a French cook
who had been in the employ of the king of France, and his assistants,
serving in the kitchen.

“T once entered a complaint, to the General staying at our Renee! that
some of his soldiers were in the habit of stealing turnips. He accom-
panied me to the field about three-quarters of a mile back of the house,
that he might judge for himself; when we came to the field he gave me
four crowns as pay for what turnips his soldiers had taken, that satisfied
me and we returned to the house. I recollect that while returning I
offered him a each, which he declined taking.

“One morning a man came running to our house saying, Col. Green
and about fifty of his men who were quartered at Danford’s, (now Joshua
Carpenter’s ) had been killed. It appeared that the British light horse,
each rider with another behind him, had surprised the Americans im-
mediately after they had drawn in their sentinels, early in the morning,
killing and wounding them as they lay in their tents, which were pitched
around the house. Col. Green was in bed at the time; he sprang up and
seized his sword, but was soon cut down. It was supposed nearly 200
bullets were fired into the house ; at the same time there was a party of
Americans stationed at our house commanded by a lieutenant—but it
was probably unknown to the British, or they might have cut them off
too. Had they attacked the house, the family would haye been in great

702 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

danger ; for some of the boys were in bed with the officers, and in the
confusion it is scarcely possible that all would have escaped injury. I
had often thought of making the house musket-proof by casing the out-
side with logs.

“he Btitish army had possession of New York; their northern lines
being at King’s Bridge, while the American lines were at Croton River,
about 25 miles north of the British The distance between being occa-
sionally occupied first by one party and then the other Thiefts and
murders were of constant occurance, so that few of the former inhabi-
tants of this portion of Westchester county chose to remain at home.
There being no cattle left to eat the pasture, the grass grew to a great
height, so that it fell down and rotted on the ground from year to year.
In 1777, we being just above the American lines, the Cow Boys, stole
from us 14 head of cattle and drove them off to Morrisania. Mother,
on horseback, traced them to the British lines and determined to recover
them by an appeal to the British General, then quartered on Harlem
heights. Upon her arrival at King’s Bridge, she discovered that the
sentinel stationed there, was the same light horseman that had once stood
guard before her own house at Yorktown, on occasion of the roof being
blown off. It was a mutual recognition, and the soldier kindly led her
across the bridge, for which she bestowed upon hima pistareen. Arrived
at headquarters she quickly proved to the guard’s satisfaction that her son
was one of the harmless people called Quakers, who took no part in the
war; whereupon he gave her an order directed to the Cow-Boys,
either to return the stolen property or pay its full value. Thus officially
armed she went to Morrisania and presented the order to the robbers
who, in a great rage, threatened not only to kill her but her family; a
few words, however, sufficed to quiet them down, and they paid her the
full value for the cattle, in gold. Upon reflection, she deemed it hardly
safe to return home through the Neutral Ground with so much money
on her person; so she deposited it with Israel Underhill, who then resid-
ed on the estate now owned by Lorillard Spencer, Esq., who concealed
it under a stone wall on his farm. The whole was returned safely after
the war. The Skinner’s somehow became aware of her errand, and
tried in every way, except by force, to get possession of the money; but
she quietly informed them it had been left at Westchester. On another
occasion, some Cow-Boys having stolen three horses, she followed
them on horseback and recovered them from the commanding officer
at Morrisania.”

Mr. Joshua Carpenter.@ the present occupant of the house, still points
out the spot where the bed of Colonel Green stood, and the window
from which Major Flagg fired his pistols, while the old fashioned wains-
coting and doors are pierced with numerous bullet holes. A large ad-
dition has-been since made to the house, on the east. The wonderfully
extensive views which this elevated spot commands, will amply repay the
visitor, besides the interest attached to the above associations.

a Mr. Carpenter isa grand-son of Richard Davenport, who held the property in 1780.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 703

In the south-east corner of Yorktown, is situated the great dam of
the Croton Acqueduct, one of the most important and extensive works
ever undertaken in this country. ‘The dam across the Croton is placed
where the river enters between the hills, after having passed for several
miles through a more level country. The hill on the south side is com-
posed of solid rock." The dam itself is not of great length, but is
one of the most ingenious works of substantial masonry any where to
be found. The highest point of the structure is rather more than fifty feet
above the natural bed of the Croton. By this elevation, the water is
thrown back more than six miles, forming a beautiful lake of several
hundred acres, containing about 100,000,000 gallons for each foot in
depth for the surface, The water is drawn into the acqueduct by means
of a tunnel cut into the rock, which constitutes the hill on the south
side. At distances of one mile, a circular hollow tower is erected over
the acqueduct, for the purpose of ventilation, these being composed of
white marble, produce a very pretty effect. Every three miles is an
apparatus for drawing off the water in case any internal repairs should
be necessary, &c.?

The whole quantity of land which the Water Commissioners have been
compelled to buy on the forty miles of the works, amount to nine hun-
dred acres, and the average price has been nearly five hundred dollars
per acre.

The great bend of the Croton, west of Pine’s Bridge, was denomina-
ted by the aborigines Keweghtegnack. Croton lake, bordered by mead-
ows and high hills, presents a lovely and interesting scene to the eye of
the beholder. The following lines, suggested by a visit to the lake, are
from the Hudson River Chronicle :—

TO CROTON LAKE.

How mildly beams the moon’s pale light,
As o’er thy breast we gaily glide ;
Her silvery lustre charms the night,
As swift we float along the tide.
Unruffled calm thy bosom lies,
Save where the oars the stillness break ;
Nor do the breezes dare to rise,
To mar thy beauty, Croton Lake.

a Disturnell’s Gazetteer of N. Y.
b Disturnell’s Gazetteer of N. Y.
e Ibid.

704 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

The purest joys that friendship yields,
We here in rich profusion taste,
While busy thought roams o’er the fields
Of memory, brightening from the past ;
Sweet recollections crowd the mind,
With former scenes of purest bliss ;
While now, a sweet delight we find
In musing o’er past happiness.

Now is the hour of tranquil peace,
While gliding o’er thy fair expanse ;
All fierce, trumultuous passions cease,
And heavenly joys the sou! entrance ;
The hallowed fellowship of friends
We here with rich delight partake,
Nor o’er, till this existence ends,
Shall we its memory dear forsake.

But list! the hour sounds to depart,
And thy bright shores we leave with pain;
Thou ever shalt be near my heart,
While life or thought or hope remain ;
The friends I here have found, shall be
Dear to my heart till life forsake ;
And often shall I think of thee,
Thou mildly beauteous Croton Lake.

The supplies of the Croton are derived exclusively from the elevated
region of the Highlands, in Westchester county and Putnam, being
furnished by the pure springs which so remarkably characterize the
granitic formation of this region. Many of the ponds and lakes from
which it is maintained, are, three or four hundred acres in extent, and
as large as 1,000 acres ; all these ponds are surrounded by clear upland
shores, which furnish soft and clear water. Half a gallon of water
taken from the Croton at Wood’s bridge, yielded by evaporation, 2,333
grains residuum, in the following proportions :—-Vegetable matter, 133;
Carbonates of lime and magnesia, 1,200; Muriate of magnesia, 1,000;
Total, of grains, 2,333.

Prior to the erection of the dam, shad fish annually ascended the
river some miles above the present lake. The fishing is now entirely
confined to trout, perch, and other fresh water fish.

In 1800 it was proposed to render the Croton river navigable, from
its mouth to Pine’s Bridge. The following report of the engineers is
entitled :—

a@ See Corporat, Doc. of N. Y., No. xxxvi. 409.

THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN. 7O5

‘S ESTIMATE OF EXPENSE TO MAKE THE CROTON RIVER NAVIGABLE FOR BOATS OF
TWO TONS.”

The falls at Croton river with a lock, : : : - . £3850
The falls below the Old bridge, : 2 : : ; - 250
Small rapid, : : Sey: : t ; 4 : 10
Rapid and stony, - « ais : - - 3 : 15
Two small falls, : 21 te A : : : 15
Rocky falls and stony water, ‘ - : - : 60
Fall both above and below Fowler’s mill, | : 2 - = 100
Rapids and rocks, : . F Ee 80
Long rapid water, two stony falls, P - y ‘i - 250
do do : ; ; - - ; 150
Fall at Carpenter's mills and locks . . : : J : : 110
A short rapid, : ; 2 - ; - 30

This brings us to Pines Bridge. Here we find eighteen obstruc-
tions, » such as small rapids, fish wares, stony, &e., &e.
The cost of which is estimated at . : ; y 230

£1,650

Pines Bridge crosses the lake about one mile above the dam. On
the south side of the Croton is a small settlement bearing the name of
Crotonville—which contains a Methodist church, a Friend’s meeting
house, two stores, a tavern, a post office, and several scattered dwel-
lings. The old bridge was situated west of the present structure, and
served, during the Revolution, as the principal communication between
the lines. Here the Americans generally kept a strong guard for the
purpose of affording timely notice of an enemy’s approach. It was also
a place of rendezvous, as appears from the following orders:—

Manor oF CorTLAND, 12th Nov., 1781.
Lieutenant Purdy, you are commanded to march twenty-four of your men,
well armed and equipt with six days provision, to Pines Bridge, by to-morrow
morning at 8 o’clock, with all the teams in your company.
SaMvEL Drake, Colonel.

DanFortn’s, 8 o’clock in the evening.
Sir—I have this moment received intelligence that the enemy are out as far as
Young’s. I shall be at the Bridge, ready to march, at 2 o’clock, and wish to
have all the militia in Crompond mustered and at the Bridge by that time.

I am, sir, your most obedient servant,
Wiri1aMm Hott, Lieut. Colonel.

P. S.—I beg you to send to Major Strang’s and Capt. Drake’s.

On the momming of the 25th of June, 1779, the British light horse,
and about 1,000 infantry, were at Pines Bridge. Gen. Heath “ ordered
200 light infantry, under the command of Lieut. Col. Grosvenor, to
march to Robinson’s stores, near Marpoach Pond, to cover that quar-
fer.%

a Heath’s Mem. 206.

706 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.

On the 21st of October, 1780, “intelligence was received that the ene-
my were meditating an excursion as far up as Crompond and its vicinity,
to sweep off the cattle.” Gen. Heath immediately ordered Col. Hazen,
with a detachment of 500 men, to move to Pines Bridge, and Lieut.
Col. Jameson, with the 2d light dragoons, to move from Bedford towards
Col. Hazen. The detachment arrived at Pines Bridge about two
o’clock the next morning. The evening of the 23d, Col. Hazen re-
turned with the detachment; the enemy did not come out.“ It was
in the vicinity of Pines Bridge that Enoch Crosby, the Westchester spy,
first commenced his career of secret service.

By way of a general geographical description of Yorktown, it may be
observed, ‘‘that the north is broken by the hills of the southern border
of the Highlands, and the general surface is hilly, though its hills are
of a moderate height in the south”® The numerous streams supply
abundance of mill seats. ‘The soil is generally productive, and well
distributed into arable, pasture, and meadow lands. Much of it is
stony ; and previous to the late introduction of gypsum as a manure,
many farms were nearly exhausted by constant tillage.”* The timber
is very thrifty and tall, consisting for the most part of oak, chestnut,
hickory and walnut, &c. The low grounds yield maple, black birch,
ash and hemlock, &c.

The first entry relating to town officers occurs in the manor book, en-
titled,

“ Record for the manor of Cortlandt and Yorktown.”

“At a town meeting held for ye manor of Cortlandt, on the first
Tuesday, in April, in the year of our Lord, 1760, to choose town officers
for ye said manor for the ensuing year, and the respective names and
offices of those chosen.”

PIERRE VAN CorTLANDT, Supervisor.
Moses Travis, Clerk.

JosEPH SHERWOOD, Treasurer.
DANIEL STRANG,
JosEpH Tipp,
Josepnu Travis, for the Water Collector at Peekskill.
Joun Travis, Pounder.

JEREMIAH DRAKE, Constable for the west part ;
Joun YEomans, for ye middle part ;

Joun Purpy, for ye east part, &c.¢

Assessors.

a Ibid, 260.
b Spafford’s Gazatteer of New York,
e Ibid.

- s See Rec. of Yorktown. The names of some twenty freeholders are also attached to the
St,

APPEN DEX | ak.

PEDIGREES OF THE FAMILIES
OF THE

SeunN TY. OF “WES Pieter sik.

Nore.—In the following pages b, stands for born; m. or mar. for married; d. for died;
da. for daughter; and et. for aged.

AMBLER OF BEDFORD. Two brothers of this name were among the early set-
tlers of Bedford. Benjamin Ambler, mar. Dibble, and left three
sons, Joseph, Joshua and Benjamin, and a da., Rachel, who mar.
Miller. Benjamin, the youngest, mar. Mary Wilson, and left Henry and Wil-
liam H. of Bedford.

ANGEVINE. The name of Zacharie Angevine, occurs as a freeholder of New
Rochelle, in 1710, mar. May, 1676. Pierre, probably son of Zacharie, left 1,
Louis; 2, Pierre; 3, Marie. Louis, mar, Esther Sicard, and had Louis, b. 19th
August, 1732. Pierre, b. 30 August, 1734. Marie, Esther and Annie, the latter
b. 1731. Pierre, second son of first Pierre, mar. Margaret , and
left a da. Esther, b. 4 Dec. 1729. John, a member of this family, left John
and Daniel. Mary, da. of John, d January, 1841, xt. 105. Daniel, mar. Cath-
arine Geraud, and left Daniel, who was lost at sea. Eli Angevine, of Scarsdale,
had nine children; 1st, Jonathan of Poughkeepsie; 2nd, Caleb of Poughkeepsie,
mar. Ostrander; 3d, Phaebe mar. Stephen Lockwood; 4th, Charity
mar. Israel Sheerly ; 5th, Susan mar. Isaac Purdy; 6th, Mary mar. Budd Purdy;
4th, Patience mar. Jacob Burnett; 8th, Peggy mar. Joshua Underhill; 9th, Eliz-
abeth mar. Richard Cornell. Jonathan of Poughkeepsie, mar. Susan Ferris, and
has Eli and Caleb.

AROHER OF ForDHAM. ‘The ancestor of this family is supposed to have been
Humphrey Archer who was born 1527, and died Oct. 24th, 1562, eldest son and
heir of Richard Archer, twelfth in descent from Fulbert L. Archer, one of the
companions of William the Conqueror. Humphrey mar. Elizabeth Townsend,

and left 1, Humphrey; 2, Arthur; 3, Andrew, who mar. Margaret Raleigh; 4,
707

708 APPENDIX A,

John, who mar. Eleanor Frewin; 5, Bridget, who mar. John Bancroft; 6, Mar-
jory, who mar. John Collis; 7, Elizabeth, who mar. John Hereford. Andrew,
third son of Humphrey, died 2 April, 1629, leaving issue by his wife Margaret two
sons, Simon, born September 21, 1624, who mar. Anne Ferris; and Lieut. Col.
Thomas, an officer in the Parliament service, who fled beyond the seas; Humph-
rey, Elizabeth and Penelope. Richard second son of Andrew by his wife Mary Bull,
left one son Rowland. John Archer, fourth son of first Humphrey by Eleanor
Frewin, left one son John the father of John Archer jirst Lord of the Manor of
Fordham, Westchester county. John, first Lord of the Manor, mar. Sarah Odell,
da. of William, and had one son John and three daughters, viz. Mary, Catharine
and Sarah. John, second Lord of the manor married Mary Fowler, had three
sons; J, Samuel; 2, Richard who mar. Sarah Valentine, and died 1783; 3, John
who mar. Elizabeth , will dat. 1708, no. xxi. 60, a da. Eleanor who mar-
ried Oliver Drew, Samuel Archer, first sou of John, left one son Benjamin of
Fordham who had first, Benjamin, owner in fee of part of the Manor, mar. Ra-
chel de Vaux; second, John; fourth, Mary whomar. John Pugsley ; fifth, Sarah
who mar. Jacob Alord, and sixth, Rachel who mar. James Crawford. Benjamin
first son of Benjamin, had 1, William of Fordham ; 2, Samuel of ditto, whose
sons are George, Charles, Benjamin, Lewis, William and Henry; 3, Catharine
who mar. Charles Valentine; and 4, Rachel who mar. Richard Archer. Richard
Archer, second son of John, second proprietor of the Manor by his wife Sarah
Valentine left two sons; 1, Anthony, born 1746, died 1838, mar. Margaret Mapes,
and had Elijah, Benjamin of N. Y., Richard, Charles, Anthony of Yonkers, Sa-
rah, Mary, Margaret, Eliza and Sally; 2, Matthias who had Matthias, who mar.
Sarah Odell, da. of Hendrick, and left Charles and Odell of Yonkers. John
Archer, third son of John second proprietor, had 1, Abraham of Eastchester, in
1764, mar. Mary ; 2, Jacob; 3, John of Winterhill, Eastchester, mar. Mary
Leggett ; 4, Jonathan of Eastchester, will dat. 1764, no. xxiv. 279, whose children
were Sarah who mar. Joseph Fowler, John, Ezekiel, and Abigail who mar. Josh-
ua Pell. John of Winterhill and Mary Leggett had 1, James who mar. Pheebe
, their children are Mary, Pheebe, Anne and Esther; 2, Gabriel who mar.
Susan Hunt and left John of N. Y., James, Daniel, Benjamin of New Castle,
Elizabeth who mar. Clark Guion, Sally wife of Stephen Hunt, Pheebe wife of
Robert Sarles, Mary wife of Isaac Carpenter, Hetty wife of Nehemiah Purdy,
and Susan the wife of Elisha Tompkins; 3, John mar. Susan Wheeler; 4, Cath-
arine mar. John Bashford: 5, Mary mar. John Brown; 6, Bridget mar. Samuel
Hitchcock; 7, Martha mar. William Green; 8, Sarah mar. Jacob ; 9, Han-
nah mar. Archer Reed.

Battzy oF Somers. Levi Bailey living in 1795, mar. Gilchrist. He
had De Vaux of Putnam co., James of Somers, Gilbert, Thomas, William of
Nova Scotia, Levi of Canada, Stephen, Daniel, Sarah who mar. Daniel Carpenter,
Esther who mar. John Steven and Sarah who mar. Nathan Brown. De Vaux
mar. Elizabeth Smith and left 1,Samuel; 2, Stephen; 3, Benjamin; 4, William;
5, Levi; 6, Horace; 7, Daniel; 8, Ira; 9, Isaac ; 10, Thomas; 11, Esther. Jamesof |
Somers mar. Ann Brown and had 1, Stephen; 2, Hachaliah of Somers d. 1845;.
8, Mary; 4, Ann; 5, Jane; 6, Susan; 7, Elizabeth; 8, Theodore. Gilbert mar.
Sarah Field and left—1, William; 2, Joseph; 3, Levi; 4, Solomon; 5, Simon,

APPENDIX A. 709

6, Claude; 7, Jane; 8, Elizabeth. Thomas mar. Sarah , and had Jacob and
Deborah. William of Nova Scotia left Levi and Esther. Levi of Canada had
John and Chloe. David left Daniel and Deborah.

BARKER OF SCARSDALE, —— Barker,left three sons, (I.) William of Scarsdale
mar. Fowler of Eastchester, and had 1, Thomas of Greeaburgh, mar.
Anne Horton whose sons are Peter, Caleb and Samuel. 2, John mar. Mary
granda. of the Rev. John Smith, their son is William Barker of White Plains.
3, William of Mamaroneck mar. —— Fowler of Eastchester, and left one son
Samuel; 4, Samuel of Scarsdale. 5, A da. mar. —— Bonnett of Philipse’s
Manor. (II.) Daniel the father of Daniel. (III.) Thomas of Dutchess county.

BayYARDs OF WESTOHESTER.— Stephen Bayard had two sons Col. Samuel Vetch
Bayard of Throckmorton’s Neck, Westchester; and William of New York.
Col. Samuel mar. 24th of April, 1778, Catharine van Horne and left—1, Wiliam
b. at Halifax, N. 8S. Feb. 14, 1779; 2, Elizabeth b. at N. Y. Dec. 1, 1780; 3,
Catharine nat. 13 Oct. 1782; 4, Stephen b. at Cornwalis, N.S , Oct. 26, 1785,
mar, Elizabeth Anne de Lancey and left Eliza Anne mar. Jacob Lorillard,
Stephen, and William, M. D. of West Farms; 5, Robert b. at Wilmot, N.5.,
March 1, 1788; 6, Samuel b. at Wilmot, N. S., March 1, 1790; ‘7, Frances b,
25 July, 1793; 8, Ethelinda; 9, Eliza mar. George L. Cooper; 10, Louisa;
11, Sarah. William of New York, second son of Stephen, mar. Harriet Cornell
and had 1, Harriet mar. Stephen van Renselaer; 2, Justina mar. Joseph
Blackwell; 3, Susan mar. Duncan P. Campbell; 4, Maria; 5, Robert of
Fishkill; 6, William of New York.

Bevepicr oF LewisporouanH.— Amos Benedict removed at an early period
from Norwalk to South Salem; killed by the fall of a tree. His children were,
1st, Solomon, who mar. Hannah Benedict and left one son, Solomon; 2, Jsaae,
mar. Elizabeth Burchitt, and had Isaac, Ady, Elizabeth, mar. Samuel Townsend,
Huldy, Anne, and Esther; 3, Amos, mar. Elizabeth Brown; 4, Jacob; 45,
Jonah, mar. Mary Rusky, and left Peter, the present occupant of the Home-
stead, near Long Pond.

BeErRRIAN OF YoNKERS.— The family of Berrian was among the French
Huguenots who fled from France to Holland on the Revocation of the edict of
Nantes. Nicholas Berrian, the first of the family who emigrated to this coun-
try, had five sons; 1, Nicholas; 2, Cornelius; 3, Richard; 4, Samuel; 5, Peter;
Cornelius, the second son, mar. Sarah Warner. Richard, who was b. in Hol-
land, resided for some time upon Long Island. He mar. Grace, or Geshé,
Ryker of Ryker’s Island, and left, 1, Abraham, second proprietor of Berrian’s
Neck, who mar. 1st, Mary Moore; 2nd, Mary Williams; their children were Col.
Abraham, Nathaniel of Berrian’s Neck, b. June 24, 1781, d. 1845. Richard,
Pheebe, Mary, Geshé, and Charity; Geshé, mar. Jesse Leverich. Samuel, 4th
son of first Nicholas, mar. ————— Tippet, and left twos ons; 1st,Samuel; 2nd,
Richard ; whose son was the Rev. William Berrian, D. D., late Rector of
“Trinity church, New York.

Berting or New Rocuetrte. The ancestors of the Gertines, or Berteins (as
the name was originally spelt,) were Protestants, inhabitants of Rochelle, in

710 APPENDIX A.

France. On the Revocation of the edict of Nantes, Pierre Bertine fled from
France to England, and soon after came thence to America. Two brothers by
the name of Peter and James were living at New Roclielle in 1742. Peter left
three sons, James, Peter, and Isaac, and a daughter Elizabeth, James mar. De-
borah Cozine, and had James, Thomas, Hannah, who mar. William H. Pinck-
ney of Eastchester; Sarah, mar. Henry Remsen; Eliza, mar. Gilbert Hatfield,.
and Julia, who married Gershom Smith.

BIRDSALL OF PEEKSKILL.—Daniel Birdsall of Peekskill, b. 17th January,
1734-5, d. Oct. 29th, 1800, mar. Hannah ———-—; she was b. 7th Nov. 1737.
Their children were, 1, Daniel, jr, of Peekskill, who mar. 1st, Phebe Brown;
and secondly, Letitia Lewis; and left William B. of Peekskill, James of New
York ; Samuel of Cincinnati, Ohio; Daniel, Mary, who mar. Medad Raymond;
Anne Eliza and Hannah; 2, Samuel, left William, who mar. 1st, Nancy Haws;
2nd, ——-—— Spock, and had Samuel of Peekskill; 3, Sarah, b. Nov. 6, 1758;
4, Mary Hannah, b. Sept. 1760; 5, Elizabeth, b. 8th July, 1765; 6, Martha.

BiercKker.—Jan Jansen Bleecker, a native of Meppel in the Province of
Overyssel, Holland, came to New Amsterdam from Holland in 1658, and subse-
quertly removed to Albany. He was one of the first aldermen named in the
charter of Albany, A. D. 1686; and mayor of that city in 1695, mar. Margaret.
da. of Rutger Jacobsen, A. D. 1667. Hed. et. 91. They had eight children;
1. John, Mayor of Albany in 1701, d. Sept. 1738, set 70, mar. Anna Coster, Oct.
1693; 2, Rutger, Recorder and Mayor of Albany, 1725, 6, 7, 8, d. Aug. 1756,
cet. 82, mar. Catalina Schuyler, da. of David 8.; 3, Nicolas; 4, Henry; 6,
Catharine, mar. Abraham Cuyler; 6, Jane, mar. John Glen; 7, Margaret, mar.
Henry Ten Eyck; 8, Rachel. John, the eldest, left five sons, John, Henry,
Nicolas, Jacob, and Anthony. John, eldest son of John, mar. 1st, ——Ten
Eyck; 2d, —— Brees, their children were, 1, Jacob; 2, John, d. Sept. 1747,
mar. Gerritje van Schaick, and left John, mar. —— Van Allen, Sybrant and
Jacob; 3, Gertrude, mar. Abraham Wendell; 4, Anne; 5, Catharine. Henry,
2d son of John and Anna Coster, d. in the country of the Senecas. Nicolas, 3d
son, mar. Margaret Rooseboom, and left three sons, Henry, John, and Nicolas.
Henry, the eldest, mar. Catharina Cuyler, their children are Nicolas of Albany,
mar. Nettje Staats, Henry of Albany, mar. Elizabeth Metcalfe, Margaret, mar.
Hermanus Ten Eyck, and Catharine, mar. James van Ingen. John, second son
of Nicolas, d. 1825, «t 87, mar. Margaret van Dusen, and left, 1, Henry S., of
Albany; 2, Nicolas, of Albany; 3, Jacob; 4, Eliza, mar. Jacob Brodhead; 5,
Harriet, mar. John Romeyn; 6, Margaret, mar. John van Schaick. Jacob,
fourth son of John and Anna Coster, mar, Margaret Ten. Eyck, and left one son,
Hermanus, who mar. Wendell, their sons are Jacob J. and Hermanus or
Albany. Anthony, fifth son of John and Anna Coster, d. without issue at Otse-
go. Rutger, second son of Jan Jansen, d. 1756, leaving two sons, John Rutger
and James, of New Rochelle, also a da. Margaret. John Rutger d A. D. 1800,
et. 88, mar. Elizabeth Staats da. of Barent S., and left, 1, Barent, of Albany
mar. Sarah Lansing; 2, John, mar. ist, Jane Gilliland; 2nd, Elizabeth van
Rensselaer, widow of John Schuyler. Their children were, 1, Eliza, mar. Grant
Powell; 2, Charlotte, mar. Vinal Luce; 38, Sarah; 4, Stephen, d. 1826; 5,

APPENDIX A. 7iI

John, d. 1832. 6, Catharine, mar. C. G. Van Rensselaer; 3, Rutger, mar. Cath-
arine Elmendorf, and left John R., Elizabeth, mar. Peter Brinckerhoof, Maria,
mar. Morris Mills, and Blandina, mar. Charles D. Dudley. James of New
Rochelle, second son of first Rutger, mar. Abigail R. Lispenard of New Rochelle,
and left, Ist, Anthony L., mar. Mary Noel; 2, Rutger; 3, David; 4, Andrew;
5, James; 6, John, mar. Anne Eliza Schuyler; 7, Leonard, mar. Ist, da. of
James Abeel; 2d, Grace Moore Berrian; 8, Elizabeth Grace, mar. William Le
Hart. Arms, az. two embattled chevrons or, empaling, arg. a rose branch ppr.
Crest, a pheon or.

Brewer OF PEEKSKILL.—The ancestor of this family was Daniel Brewer of
Massachusetts, who d. A. D. 1770. He mar. Phoebe Locke and left issue;
1, Samuel d. A. D. 1810; 2, James, M. D. b. 1741, d. Nov. 20th, 1780, mar.
Hannah Lee, da. of Joseph Lee, of Yorktown, she died Sept. 4th 1810; 8, Daniel,

d. 1777; 4, Phoebe mar. —-—— Jones of Ashbury, Mass.; 5, Lucy mar. -————
Darbe of Hanwick, N. H.; 6, Mary mar. Williams of Randolph, Vermont;
7, Sarah mar. ——-—— Willard of Maine; 8, Mette mar. Solomon Safford, of

Bennington, Vermont. James, M. D., and Hannah Lee, left, 1, Sarah mar.
Elias Cornelius, M. D., of Philipstown; 2, Mary d. Oct. 19, 1779, st. 33, mar.
Stephen Brown of Peekskill; 3, Joseph d. May 31, 1803, xt. 34; 4, Daniel d.
Sept. 6, 1804, zt. 33, mar. Phoebe Howell, left one son, James, who died young;
5th, James, died Oct. 24, 1810, «xt. 27 years, mar. Anne Brotherson, and left
James, M. D., of Peekskill, and Sarah Ann, who mar. Coffin S. Brown, of
Peekskill; 6, Phoebe d. July 7, 1816, et. 38, mar. Daniel W. Birdsall; 7, Samuel
d. March 1, 1815, set. 35. mar. Elizabeth, da. of John Titus of Flushing, L. L,
and left two da., Mary and Elizabeth, who mar. Thurston, Huntington.

Botton.—The surname of Bolton is one of considerable antiquity, and is
derived from the place of that name in Yorkshire, England.

‘* Bodelton or Bothelton, the ancient orthography of all the towns which bear
this name, (says Whitaker) is evidently from Boel, mansio, implying probably,
that it was the principal residence of some Saxon thane. The spelling, with a
slight variation, was continued a century or more after the conquest; for, in the
the time of Stephen, Abbot of Salley, (probably in Henry the second’s reign, )
Elias de Bothilton held lands in this place,* de Feodo de la Leya.”®

In the reign of Henry the third, Richard de Bonhilton is named of the village
of Bonhilton, in Yorkshire. The Testa Villarum of the time of Henry the third,
and Edward the first, contain the name of Robert de Bolrun, as holding six acres
of land at Bolrun, in Yorkshire. John de Bolton, bow bearer of Bolton forest,
in 1312, was the lineal representative according to Dugdale, of the Saxon earls
of Mercia. From Whitaker’s History of Craven it appears that Edwin, Earl of
Mercia, was seized of the manor of Bodeltonee before the conquest, and held it
five years after. This nobleman was son of Leofwine, and brother of Leopie,

a@ Parish of Bolton, juxta Bowland,
b Whitaker’s Hist. of the Deanery of Craven.

e The Manor of Midhope, one of the most extensive and vaiuable grazing farms in Craven,
was parcel of the great possessions of the Boltons, and passed into the Lister family, by
Marriage with a co-heiress of that most ancient name, in the time of Edward the Second.”
Whitaker’s Hist. of Craven. Bolton was, though the style hath been altered, (says Segar) an
ancient Barony by tenure’in Henry the S-con1’s time, and the Scroopes of Upsall and Masham

re in a direct line descended from the Barons Bolton of Bolton.” _

712 APPENDIX A.

earls of Mercia. In the year 1330, John de Bolton was rector of the church at
Bolton, in Yorkshire; and John de Bolton, patron of the same. Henry Bolton is
the next ancestor of whom we have any account, He appears to have been living
at Bolton in Lancashire, about 1332. He left Robert the father of William, who
had a son Robert.

Robert Bolton, the more immediate ancestor of the family, was residing at
Blackburn, Lancashire, in 1569. His sons were John and Robert. Of the
youngest, Fuller in his Worthies of England, thus speaks: ‘‘ Robert Bolton was
born at Blackburne, in Lancashire, on Whitsunday, 1572, a year as infamous for
the massacre of many Protestants in France, as for the birth of some eminent in
England. His parents having a narrow estate, struggled with their necessities to
give him a liberal education; he was bred first, in Lincoln, then in Brazen-nose
college, in Oxford. He had Isocrates’ six marks or properties of a good scholar.
His want of means proved an advancement unto him; for, not having whence
to buy books, he borrowed the best authors of his tutor, read over, abridged into
note books, and returned them. He was as able to express himself in Latin or
Greek, as English; and that, stylo émperatorio. He was chosen one of the
disputants before King James, at his first coming to the university, and performed
it with great applause.

Thus far I have followed my author mentioned in the margin; but we must
depart from him a little in one particular. Though Mr, Bolton’s parents were not
overflowing with wealth, they had a competent estate, (as I am informed by cred-
ible intelligence) wherein their family had comfortably continued long time in
good repute.

Sir Augustine Nicolls presented him to the rectory of Broughton, in North-
amptonshire: sending him his presentation unexpectedly, from his chamber in
Sergeant’s Inn, where Dr. King, Bishop of London, being accidentally present,
thanked the judge for his good choice; but told him withal, that he had deprived
the university of a singular ornament. Besides his constant preaching, he hath
left behind him, many useful books, the witnesses of his piety and learning;
and died, in the 59th year of his age, December 17, 1631.

The following epitaph is engraven on his monument in Broughton church
Northamptonshire:

ROBERTUS JACET HIC BOLTONUS,
CETERA NOVIT,
OCCUBITUS DEFLENS ANGLIA TOTA
DIEM,

PRIMUS ET OPTIMUS HUJUS, EO
OLESLE PRAOO
DOCTISSIME PIUS QUI 17, DIE
DEOEMB.,

ANNO DNI, 1631, PLACIDE OBDOR

MIVIT IN DOMINO.”

Rev. Robert Bolton mar. Anne Boyce of Kent, and left one son, Samuel and
four daughters. John Bolton, eldest brother of the above Robert, inherited his

APPENDIX A. 7L3

father’s property at Blackburn, and was living in 1632. Among the names of his
children, all of which are not preserved, we find Robert who was baptized at
Blackburn in 1609, father to John baptized in the same place, in 1632. John
died about 1700, at Sheffield, Yorkshire, he mar. Anne, and left Robert, b. at
Blackburn, 26 July, 1688; and a da. Anne, who mar. Thomas Richmond.
Robert emigrated from Sheffield to Philadelphia, Penn., in 1720, and mar. Anne
Curtis, widow of Robert Clay, on the 19th Feb., 1721. He was for many years
warden of Christ church, Philadelphia. He d. June 25th, 1742; shed. May 7th,
1747. Their children were; 1, Robert, b. January 1st, 1722; 2, Anne; 3, Mary,
mar. 1741, Hon. James Habersham of Savannah, Georgia; 4, Rebecca d. Dec. 22,
1729; 5, Joseph, d. May 1, 1725; 6, John, b. 1725, d. May 20, 1726; 7, John,
b. 1726; Joseph and Hannah, b. 20 June, 1727. Joseph, d. June 13; 1729,
Hannah, d. 25 April, 1728. Robert the eldest, removed to Savannah, Ga., where
he married Susannah Mauvé, a native of Vivay, Switzerland. He left Rover: of
Savannah, b. in 1757. Hannah, m. Mr. Moore; Sarah, m. Will. Evans; Anne,
m. Nathl. Adams; and Rebecca, m. Thomas Newell.

Robert of Savannah mar. Sarah McClean, and had, 1st,-Robert, b. at Savannah,
Sept. 10, 1788, baptized by bis grandfather, Robert. 2nd, Sarah, mar. her
second cousin, John Bolton. 3d, Anne, mar. her second cousin, Curtis Bolton;
4th, James mar. 1, Miss Clay of Philadelphia; 2, Honorah Richardson d. Feb.
16th, 1824, left three sons, James, Edward and William; 5, Frances mar.
Richard Richardson of New Orleans. 6th, Rebecca. Robert, the eldest, mar.
Anne Jay, da. of the Rev. William Jay of Bath, England; and had, Ist, Robert
Bolton, b. at Bath, April 17, 1814, mar. 1, Josephine, da. of Brewster Woodhull ; ©
2, Elizabeth R. Brenton, da. of James B.; 2nd, Anne ; 3d, William Jay; 4th, John;
5th, Cornelius Winter ; 6th, Mary Staitae 7th, spelen Sth, James; 9th, eee
10th, Abby; 11th, Meta; 12th, Adele and Adelaide; 13th, Frances Georgianna.

Bonnetr oF New Roonette.—The ancestors of the Bonnetts were Protest-
ants, inhabitants of Rochelle, in France. On the Revocation of the Edict of
Nantes, Daniel Bonnett fled from France to England. He subsequently emi-
grated to America. Daniel left, 1, Pierre, b. in England; 2, Jacques; 3, Daniel.
Jacques had Peter, who mar. Mary Parcot, and James, who left one son, Peter,
of New York. Peter, the eldest son of Jacques, d. in 1823, and had Salmon, of
Upper New Rochelle, and a da. Elizabeth, who mar. Bartholomew Ward.

Bronvig oF Ryzt.—John Brondish or Brondig, was one of the first and prin-
cipal proprietors of Manusing Island and Poningoe Neck, in 1662. He left four
sons—John, Joseph, Daniel and Joshua—ancestors of the numerous and respect-
able families which bear the name in Westchester County.

Brown or Ryze.—This family was a younger branch of the Browns of Beech-
worth, in the County of Kent, England, founded by Sir Anthony Brown,¢ who
was created a Knight of the Bath, at the coronation of Richard II. He left issue
two sons, Sir Richard his heir, and Sir. Stephen, Lord Mayor of Landon in 1439,
Sir Robert Brown, living temp. Henry VY. was father of Sir Thomas Browne,
treasurer of the household to Henry VI., and Sheriff of Kent, in 1444 and 1460

a The name of Brown is frequently written in ancient records with the addition of the e,
and several families have even retained this orthography.

714 APPENDIX A.

Thomas Brown, Esq., of Rye, County of Sussex, England, emigrated to Concord,
Massachusetts, cir. 1632, from whence he removed to Cambridge, where he lived
some time.¢ His sons were (I.), Thomas of Rye, whod. A. D. 1694, and Hachaliah
of Rye. The latter left issue; 1, Benjamin, d. in 1755, and had 1, Benjamin; 2,
Joseph ; 8, Daniel; 4, William. (II.), Peter, d. 1731-2, mar. Martha ————, he
left, Ist, Ebenezer; 2nd, Caleb; 3rd, Peter, d. 1739; he had Rebecca, mar. John
Purdy, and Sarah, mar. Thomas Sutton; 4th, Hon. Nathaniel; 5th, Hon. Nehe-
miah; 6th, Hannah: 7th, Sarah; 8th, Bebecca; 9th, Elizabeth. (III.), Thomas d.
1762; (IV.), Hachaliah, d. 1784, mar. Ann Kniffen; he left, 1st, Hachaliah of
Somers, b. August 20, 1727, d. May 22, 1813, mar. Abby Halsted. She was b.
1734, d. August, 1807. The children of Hachaliah and Abby Halsted, were
Nathan, b Aug. 24, 1756, d. March, 1814; Stephen, b. July 10,1 766; Lewis,
b. May 12, 1776, d. March 3, 1830, mar. Clarissa Clift of Somers; Ann, b. 28
Oct., 1754, d. July, 1804, mar. James Bailey; Mary, b. 22 June, 1758, d. 25
Aug., xt. 52, mar. Hon. Elijah Lee; Aner, b. 16 Feb., 1760, d. 7 April, 1807,
mar. Crane, M. D.; Adigail, b. 15th Jan., 1762, d. 20 April,
1828, mar. Colonel John Odell, of Greenburgh: Susannah, b. 15 Dec., 1763,
mar. John Titus; Hsther, b. 8 April, 1768, d. 16 April, 1798; and Sarah, b. 1
June, 1772, mar. Jonathan Ward. 2nd, Christopher of Somers, second son of
Hachaliah, had Isaac, Aaron, Frederick and Phebe. 3d, David d. 1773, mar.
Esther Wetmore, da. of Rev. James Wetmore. 4th, Nathan d, 1764, mar. Eliza-
beth Kniffen, he left Gilbert, d. Dec. 27, 1820, et. 61. Hulizabeth d. June, 1831,
wet. 71. Margaret d. Feb. 1, 1820, ext. 50; and Lavinia. 5th, Thomas d. April
6, 1815, <et. 86, mar. Jane Seaman, she d. April 8, 1813, et. ‘71. Their children
were, David, d. Feb. 5, 1847, xt. 85. Thomas d. Sept. 20, 1830, xt. 58 Nathan,
Hachaliah, Letitia, d. Sept. 20, 1830, et. 30, mar. Hon. Elijah Lee; Anne, mar.
David Stebbins. Jane, d. Sept. 24, 1830, et. 53. -Adigail d. 1813, mar. Thomas
Strang, and Catharine mar. Rey. Elias Cooper, Rector of St. John’s church,
Yonkers. 6th, Josiah d. Aug. 30 1789, et 47, mar. Deborah Brown, da. of
Jonathan; she d. January 18, 1830, «et. 76. Their children were, Hachaliah,
Nancy, mar. John Watson, Hiizabeth and Clarissa; 7th, Isaac; 8th, Gilbert d.
young; and 9th, Gilbert who also d. young. (YV.), Deliverance had three sons;
Ist, Deliverance; 2nd, Zebediah and Jonathan. (VI.), Anne mar. Daniel Purdy.
(VII.),.Mary mar. Absalom Brondige. Of this family, was Jonathan Brown,
whose son Jonathan left issue; 1st, Jonathan mar. Esther Parcels, he had,
Elizabeth mar. James Butterworth, and Clarissa who mar. — Perkins;
2nd, Obadiah, he left Isaac and Anne; 3d, Charles mar. — Wyrgans;
4th, Clarrissa mar. Nicholas Hasbraeck; 5th, Deborah mar. Josiah Brown.
Arms. sa, three lions, pasant, in bend, betw. two double cotteses, arg. Crest,
an eagle displayed vert. Another crest, a stag, ppr., altered and ducally gorged
and lined or.

Brown or PeEekskiL.L.—Several individuals of the name of Brown, were
among the early settlers of Massachuesetts, William Brown was born in Con-
necticut. His son Samuel was a freeholder of North Castle, in this County, and
left, (I.), Nathaniel of Nine Partners, Dutchess Co., who had a son James C. of
Saratoga, N. Y.,and ada. Mary, mar. Jonathan Griffin. (II.), Mordecai of Cox-

a See Farmer's Register.

APPENDIX A. yp A

sackie, who had Samuel, living near Lake Champlain, and James of Fishkill.
(II.), Thomas, formerly of Nine Partners, subsequently a resident at Peekskill,
where he d., cir. 1800, xt. 90, mar. Susannah Bugbee. (IV), William of Queens-
bury, Saratoga Co., left William of Queensbury. (V.), Benedict of Queensbury,
who had sons, Justus, Silas, Hougilland Timothy, Thomas, third son of Samuel,
left, 1st, Nathaniel, b. May 16, 1744, d. May 30, 1811, mar. Mary Hall, da. of
Caleb Hall and Jane Dagget his wife, she was b. Nov. 23, 1745, date of mar.
May 16, 1766, d. Jan. 24, 1835; 2nd, Gilbert b. 1746, mar. Levina Wolley, and
had David of New York, Isaac of New York, Cinthia, Fanny mar. Moses
Ward, of Newark, N. J., and two other da.; 3d, Nathan of Peekskill mar.
Peace, and left Gideon, Susan and Elizabeth ; 4th, Alvan, whose descendants are
livingin N. Y.; 5th, Phebe mar. 1st, ———-— Walters; 2nd, James Tucker.
Nathaniel, eldest son of Thomas, by Mary Hall, left: (I.), Stephen of Peekskill,
b. Feb. 23, 1767, d. at Purchase, May 2, 1831, while attending quarterly meeting
ing at that place. Mar. Sept. 3, 1791, Mary Brewer, da. of James. She was
b. Sept. 3d, 1766, and d. Oct. 19, 1799. Their children were, 1. Pheebe, b.
Sept. 30, 1792, d. April 28, 1805. 2. James, of Peekskill, b. Oct. 22, 1794, 3.
Hannah, b. Aug. 9, 1797, mar. Abner Brundage, of Peekskill. Stephen, mar.
secondly, Jemima Strang, da. of Major Joseph Strang, and had, 1, Ann, b. May,
1801; 2, Egbert, b, Jan. 7, 1803, d. Feb. 14, 1815; 3, Mary, b. January 22,
1805, mar. Sandford Knapp, M.D.; 4, Sarah; 5, Jane, d. 1819. (II.), Nathan-
iel, b. Feb. 17, 1769, mar. Charity Cox, and had Jacob, Samuel, of New York.
Stephen C., and Esther. (III.), Mary, b. Sept. 8, 1770, d. 1785. (IV.), Sarah, b.
Aug. 13,1771, mar. Jacob Bedle. (V.), Cornelius, b. May 24, 1773, d. Dec. 1831;
mar. 1st, Elizabeth Osborne, 2nd, Lea Jones, and left by his wife, Martha, mar,
Able Smith, by second, Nathaniel, Smith, Thomas, Edgar, and Anne Eliza, who
mar. —— Veeley. (VI.), Thomas, b. Sept. 13, 1775, d. 1829, mar. 1st,
Nancy Concklin ; 2d, Martha Birdsall. (VII.), Mary, b. Oct. 4, 1778, mar. Sopher
Jones. (VIII.), Susannah, b. June 8, 1780, d. 1781. (1X.), Caleb, b. May 22)
1782, mar. Phoebe Weeks, and left Hannah, who mar. John Merrit of N. Y.,
Thomas, Joshua, Dorothy, Mary, and Nathaniel. (X.), Gilbert, b. Sept. 24, 1784,
d. May 6th, 1837, mar. Hannah Osborne, and had two da., Elizabeth and Nancy.

Buppv.—John Budd, of Southold, L. I., mar. Catharine , and had John
Budd of Southold, first proprietor of Apawquammis or Budd’s Neck, 1661; will
dated 13th Oct. 1669; mar. and left issue two sons. 1, John Budd, to whom
his father bequeathed all his portion of the mills on Blind Brook, 1671. 2,
Joseph, first patentee of Budd’s Neck under the crown, 26th February, 1695, will
dated 1722; Surrogate’s office N. Y., viii. p. 311. Joseph, mar. Sarah :
and had, 1, John, who mar. Mary Strang; by whom he had Gilbert, M.
D., John, who left a son John, and Mary who mar. Gilbert Theal. 2, Joseph,
who married Ann , leaving Joseph, Nicholas, Underhill, Anne, and Sarah,
the wife of John Que of Dutchess. The will of Joseph, sen., is dat. 1768. 3,
Elisha, b. 1705, d. 1765, will dat. 1765, No. xxv. 252; mar. Ann Lyon, who d,
Dec. 6, 1760, «et. 60. Their children were, Jonathan, James, Merriam, who mar.
Jonah Maynard, Sarah, who mar. ——-——~ Purdy, Anne, who mar.
Brown, and Phebe. 4, Underhill, proprietor of Budd’s neck, b. April 29,
baptized 30th May, 1708, will dat. 1755, lib. xix. p. 280; mar. Sarah Fowler, b.

716 APPENDIX A.

June 17th, 1710, mar. Sept. 17, 1730, d. August 19, 1798. Their children were
Col. Gilbert, who d. 7th Sept. 1813, and left twin daughters, Ophelia and Sarah,
b. July 22, 1782; Sarah, b. July 21, 1781, Mary, b. Dec. 30, 1746, d. 1786.
Tamar, mar. Ebenezer Haviland, M.D., and Hetty, mar. William Colman.
5, Gilbert, who d. Oct. 14, 1805; 6, Hannah, who mar. —— Palmer; 7, Sarah;
8, Anne; 9, Tamar; 10; Mary.

Busu or Ryre.—Justus Bush was one of the eighteen proprietors of Poningoe
Neck, 1737. He mar. Anne who d. Aug. 5, 1745. His three sons were
Bernardus, Henry, and Abraham. Abraham mar. Ruth, da. Gilbert Lyon, and
had 1. Abraham, who left William of King Street, Rye, the father of William S.,
Andrew L. Hobart, and Newberry; 2, Gilbert; 3, Anne, mar. Jonathan
Fichers; 4, Sarah, mar. Thomas Theal; 5, Elizabeth, mar. Ezrahiah Wetmore;
6, Rebecca mar. Daniel Merritt.

CarPENTERS OF NortH CastLe.—Rich. Carpenter lived and died in Amesbury,
Wiltshire, England. William, his son, came to America previous to 1636, and
settled in Rhode Island with Roger Williams; he mar. Elizabeth, d. 1668.
Joseph, son of William, removed to Oyster Bay, Long Island and bought a tract
of land of the Indians near Glen Cove; had two sons, Nathaniel, who mar.
Tamer Coles, and William, who mar. Mary Coles, Joseph d. 1692. Nathaniel,
his son, who mar. Tamer, removed to North Castle near where B. A. Birdsall
resides at Armonk; his son was the first white child born in the county, which
so pleased the Indians that they gave it 100 acres in Byram Valley, about one
mile south of the Lake. The farmis bounded west by a precipitous line of hills
which extended north to Brimstone Alley. William, 2nd son of Joseph,
mar. Mary. Cole, removed to Long Island. Timothy, son of Nathaniel, b. 1698,
mar. Phebe Coles; he bought a tract of land in North Castle, east of Mile
Square (now Armonk) and west to what was known as Smith’s Tavern; he built
a log house on the ridge west of E. Stivers. They had issue. (I.) Samuel. (II.)
Ephraim. (III.) George. (IV.) Phebe. (V.) William. (VI.) Archalaus.
(VIL.) Silas. (VIII.) Benjamin, (these two last were twins). (IX.) Timothy.
(X.) Elizabeth. Samuel, 2nd, mar. Ester, and had children. William, Benjamin,
Rachel, Pheebe, Ester, and Coles. Jothan, son of Benjamin (VIII.) lived on the
Danbury Road north of Smith’s Tavern, and had Aaron F., John and Benjamin.
Silas, (VII.) removed to King st. and had ason Benjamin; George, (III.) William,
(V.) Ephraim, (II.) removed to Dutchess Co., Archalaus, (VI.) setttled near
Garrison Mills in Yorktown, Timothy, (IX.) mar. Hannah Ferris, da. of John, of
Bedford, in 1762. Their children were, John, William and Elizabeth. John,
mar. Susannah Kipp, and lived on King st. They had Hannah, Sarah and Eliza_
beth, twins, and Matilda. Elizabeth, mar. Caleb Merritt ; William, remained on
the Homestead and mar. Deboriah Cock in 1788, and had issue. (I.) Reese,
(1I,) Phebe, (III) Timothy, (IV.) David R., (V.) Ferris, (VI.) Hannah, (VIL.)
Sarah, (VIII.) William, (IX.) John H., (X.) Daniel, (X1.) Job. William, (VIIL,)
mar. Sally Ann Ward and lived at, Greensburgh ; and had issue, Ward, Rachel,
Samuel, Mary, Pheebe, John H. and William. Ward. mar. Francis Ward, and
had C. Theodore, Emma L., George E., Harriet L. and Josephine C. Theodore,
mar. Alice Thompson; and had Helen C., Francis Ward, Ward N., Birtha,
Edith, Chas. T. and Edward Russel.

APPENDIX A. TL

Criapp or Nortu Castir.—Two brothers of this name were among the earliest
settlers of West Farms. John removed to North Castle about 120 years ago.
His sons were (I.) John, proprietor of the Homestead, who left Thomas, Dorcas,
mar. 1, William Sutton; 2, Francis Nash. Mary mar. Joseph Carpenter, (II.)
Silas of Rhode Island. ({II.) Elias who had John and Benjamin. (IV.) Gibsom

Crark or Beprorp.—The names of William and Nathan Clark, occur in a list
of freeholders of Bedford, in 1713--14. William, mar. Hanhah —— and had
John, William, Ebenezer, David and Jabesh. Nathan left I. Stephen, father of
Cornelius. II, Nathan who had Daniel of Vermont, the father of Stephen of
Bedford. ILI, Reuben. IV, Martha. V, Sarah. VI, Joseph, proprietor of the
Homestead, mar. Sarah Smith, he left 1, James; 2, Joseph, mar. Hannah Clock;
their children were Israel, Sydney, Delaware, Lewis, John of Bedford, Joseph of
Salem, Isaac of Orange Co., Bethia, Takiah Canfield, Clara, mar. Caleb K. Hob-
by, Pheebe, mar. John Bussing, Hannah, mar. Abel B. Raymond, and Anne,
who mar. James Howe of Bedford. 3. Nathan of Bedford, mar. Lydia Holmes,
and had Albert, d. et. 23, Jeremiah of Bedford, Deborah, mar. James Ferris,
Sarah, mar. Jesse Hoyt, Catharine and Abigail.

Ciosr, or Norra Satem.—This family was formerly seated at Langley, near
Macclesfield, England, A. D. 1486. Cloughes, Clowes, or Close, is a Saxon word
signifying a cliff or cleft in a valley between high hills. Thomas Close, removed
from England to Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1665, d. July 26, 1683. His sons
were (I.) Thomas, (II.) Joseph. (III.) Benjamin, who left a son Benjamin, (IV.)
John. Joseph, the second son of Thomas, b. 1674, removed from Greenwich to
North Salem, in 1749, and d. in 1760, «et. 86. He mar. Rebecca Tompkins, she
d. A. D. 1761, xt. 82. Their children were Ist, Joseph; 2, Elizabeth ; 3. Solo-
mon; 4, Sarah; 5, Rachel; 6, Thomas; 7, Benjamin; and 8, Rebecca. Solomon,
second son of Joseph, was b. June 23, 1706, d. A. D. 1778, eet. 72, mar. Deborah
Brush. He had ten children, (1.) Solomon of North Salem, who left ——, mar. a
Paddock; Phoebe, mar. Epenetus Wallace, M. D. of North Salem. (II.) Nathan-
iel of North Salem, b. 1732, d. 1773. He had 1, Nathaniel of North Salem, d.
A. D. 1837, xt. 77, mar. Mary Wood, and left 1st. Ebenezer; 2d, Amzi of North
Salem, who had Isaac, Daniel H., Ebenezer L., Jeremiah, Margaret A., Ammi
K., Charles H., and Mary R.; 3, Nathaniel; 4th, Rachel; 5th, John of North
Salem. 2, Jesse of North Salem, d. et. 86, 3, Isaac; 4, Deborah, mar. Thomas
Chapman; 5, Rachel mar. Joseph Crosby; 6, Sarah; 7, Matilda. (III.) Deborah,
(IV.) Hannah, (V.) Rev. John of North Salem, a graduate of Princeton, N. J.,
minister at New Windsor, in 1792, b. 1737, d. 1813 at Waterford, New York, mar.
Miss Weeks of L. I., and left two da. who reside at Waterford. (VI.) Sarah.
(VII.) Jesse, in the military service of the Colony, d. at Half Moon Point, July
29th, 1758, «et. 17. (VIII.) Rev. David, a Presbyterian minister at Paterson, N.
J. This individual was a great friend to his country, and during the Revolu-
tion, suffered much at the hands of the enemy. He graduated at Yale College,
and d. at Patterson, in Putam Co., in 1783, cet. 41. (IX.) Rev. Tompkins, a
Presbyterian minister, d. at Fishkill, Sept. 26, 1770, et. 27, (X.) Mindwell, d.
Oct. 22, 1762, mar. Elizabeth ——.

Cor, OF Rye. Two brothers of this name, from Norfolk Co., England, were
settled in Massachussetts, as early as 1655. Robert removed to Durham, where

718 APPENDIX A.

his posterity still reside. He was b. 1629, mar, 1657, and d. 1659. He left
John, b. May 10, 1658, mar. Mary Hawley. John Coe, supposed brother of
Robert, removed to Newtown, L. I., thence to Westchester, and settled at Rye.
He was one of the principal proprietors of Poningoe Neck, 1662. His sons were
John and Jonathan. John left a son Andrew, who was living at Rye, in 1744.
Jonathan left John, the father of Jonathan, M. D., of Portchester. The latter
d, Nov. 28, 1809, mar. Esther Green, she d, Dec. 1, 1805. Their children were
1. Jolin of Saratoga, mar. Furman ; 2, Reuben, d. 21st March, 1822, xt.
67, mar. Phoebe Jordan, she d, Aug, 27th, 1842, et. 80, and 6 mo. He left
Charles, who d. Oct. 10, 1800, John, who d. Feb. 15, 1824, and Lavinia, who mar.
Willett Moseman; 3, Edward, d. at Marlborough; 4, Mary, mar. John Mead, of
Greenwich, Connecticut.

Coox.—Thos. Cock, M. D., N. Y., m. Elizabeth, 8th child of John Ferris of
Groye Farm, and had Eliza Ferris m. Jas. B. Parsons, Ann Augusta died in
France, m. Edward Willis, Emily L. m. Rich. H. Bowne. Thos. F., M. D.,
N. Y., m. Ist, Ann Augusta Wood; 2nd, Louisa De Forrest Woodruff. Eliza F.
and Jas. B. Parsons had Elizabeth Ferris m. Geo. M. Woodruff, John Bowne, d.,
Emily B., Catharine, d., Mary B. m. Henry Boller, Jas. B., d., Robt. Wm. m.
Julia Francis Russell, had Julia, Edward, Willis m. Mary F. Taber, had Edith,
Ann Augusta, and Edward Willis had Anna F. m. Robt. Bowne, Thos. Cock, d.,
Emily Augusta m. John F. Scott, Anna F., and Robt Bowne had Robert,
Edward, Willis, and Howland. Emily Augusta and John F. Scott had William
Sherman, Margaret Willis, d., Anna Augusta, John F., and Emily Willis.
Emily L. and Richard H. Bowne had Robert, d., Sarah m. Isaac Frances Wood,
Annie m. Charles Aliothe, and Eliza m. Thomas C. Bowne. Annie m. Charles
Aliothe, had Richard Bowne m. Elizabeth Ferris, and George M. Woodruff had
Geo. M., Elizabeth, and Janes. Ann Augusta and Thos, F. Cock, M. D.,N. Y.,
had Ann Augusta m. Joseph Chapin, and Mary, d. (See Ferris chart.)

Cooper or THrookmMorton’s Neox.—The ancestors of the Coopers emigrated
from England to Massachusetts, at a very early period. The name of Joan
occurs as freeman of Cambridge, in 1636. This individual is one of the grantees
named in the Indian deed of Southhampton, L. I., A. D. 1640. Mr. Cooper of
Suffolk Co., L. I., a descendant of the above, had two sons and a da., the latter
mar. and emigrated with her husband, to the western part of Pennsylvania.
His sons he brought up as physicians. The youngest, Jeremiah, settled at
Fishkill, in Duchess Co. The eldest, Ananias, settled at Rhinebeck, in the same
county, and was an active whig during the Revolutionary war. He had ten sons
and three da. Onesonand one da. d. young. (I.) Thomas, the eldest, graduated
at Princeton College, and became an eminent lawyer in the city of New York,
he mar. Catharine Colden, grand-da. of the Hon. David Colden, Lt. Goy. of the
Province of New York. He left 1. Colden, a lieutenant in the Provincial army,
and aid-de-camp to General Izard, 2. Edward, d. young 3. Alice Ann, (II.) John,
d. young, (III.) Henry, (IV.) Charles Dekay Cooper, M. D., fourth son of Ananias,
resided at Albany, here he mar. Margaret Vernor. He left three sons and two da.,
1, Major General John T. Cooper, of Albany, mar. Miss Henry, da. of John V.
Henry; 2, William mar. a da. of the late Judge Vanderpool; 3, Rev. Charles

APPENDIX A. 719

Dekay Cooper, of Rochester, mar. a da. of Judge Sutherland, formerly Chief
Justice of the State of New York; 4, Margaret; 5, Elizabeth. (V.) William, d.
young, (VI.) George D. Cooper, mar. Eliza Bayard, da. of Col. Samuel Vetch
Bayard, and left alarge family. 1, Catharine, d.; 2, Thomas, d.; 3, William B., d.;
4, Edward of Throckmorton’s Neck, mar. Miss Gamage, and had four da.;
5, Eliza, d.; 6, Mary; 7, Elizabeth Justina, mar. Isaac Heansey, M. D-; 8, Harriette
Bayard, mar. Rev. Samuel T. Evans; 9, Francis Bayard; 10, Georgiana Dekay,
mar. Edward P. Clark; 11, George Duncan, jr.; 12, Matilda Watts, mar. Henry
Whitehouse, Principal of St. Thomas’s Hall, Holly Springs, Mississippi; 13, Alice
Ann Swartwout. (VII.) Mary, d., unmar., (VII.) Francis, ditto, (IX.) Eliza
Ann Swartiwout, ditto, (X.) Joseph C., mar. Dorathea Staples, and left Thomas
Colden, and Charles Staples, (XI.) Gabriel of Albany, d., unmar., (XII.) Fayette,
M. D., of New York, (XIII.) Margaret, mar. Charles McEvers, and had three
da., (XIV.) Christina mar. William Bachke, and left 1, Eliza; 2, Ann; 3, Helen;
4, Theophylact; 5, William.

CoRNELLS OF WESTCHESTER.—Richard Cornell, the ancestor of this family,
emigrated from England to Long Island about 1655 to 1660. Under the Dutch
colonial government he purchased the estate of Little Neck. He afterwards
removed to Low Neck, whence he became possessed by patent from the British
colonial government dated 1686, of a tract of land, part of which he sold in 1691
to John Sands. He died cir. 1693, leaving five sons and two das., viz., William,
Thomas, Jacob, John, Richard who d. s. p., Mary and Sarah. William, the
eldest, left issue, (I.), Thomas. (II.), Richard of Success, mar. Phoebe Doughty,
and had, 1, Charles of New York, b. 1743, d. 1800, mar. Deborah Bowne;
2, Phoebe, mar. Thomas Pearsall; 3, Mary, mar. Elijah Pell; 4, Anne, mar.
Ferris Cornell of Scarsdale. Charles of New York and Deborah left, jivst, Charles
of Long Island, b. 1769, d. 1807, mar. Catharine Rodman, and had, a, Richard
of Long Island, b. 1792, d. 1831, s. p.; 4, Alexander, b. 1800, mar. Catharine
Magnus, and has Charles M., b. 1827, John F. D., b. 1829, Alexander, b. 1836,
Charlotte L., b. 1831, and Catharine R., b. 1834; c, Thomas F., b. 1804, mar.
Sarah F. Munn, and has Thomas F., b. 1830, Charles R., b. 1832, William T.,
b. 1833, and Stephen M., b. 1836; d, Pheebe, b. 1794, mar. Thomas Roe;
é, Charlotte, b. 1795, mar. Henry I. Hagner; jf, Adelaide, b, 1798, mar. 1st,
Edward Cossart, 2nd, H. I. Hagner. Second, Robert, second son of Charles and
Deborah, b. 1772, d. 1778. Third, Sarah, first da. of do., b. 1766, d. 1809, mar.
John J. Glover. Fourth, Pheebe, second da., b. 1775, d. 1776. (III.), Samuel
of Flushing, third son of first William, b. 1700, mar. 1st, Hannah Doughty,
2nd, —— Doughty, 3rd, Susannah Willett, and left; 1, Samuel mar.
Mampson of Newbern, and had, Elizabeth mar. William Bayard of New York,
Hannah mar. Herman Le Roy, Sarah mar. Matthew Clarkson of New York,
Mary mar. —— Edwards, and Susannah, who mar. —— Chads; 2, Charles,
b. 1788, d. 1790 at Bay Side, mar. Elizabeth Cornell, and left Samuel, who d. s. p.,
Archibald of Flushing, L. IL, b. 1733, mar. Elizabeth Allen, William, d. s. p.,
Phebe, b. 1773, mar. Lewis 8. Hewlett of Cow Neck, L. I., Sarah, Hannah
mar. William Coit, Avadella mar. Gordon Corning of Troy, Jannette mar. Ist,
William D. Cheever, 2ad, Samuel Huntingdon, Anne mar. Gershom Cook;
3, Robert mar. Anne Lines; 4, Hannah mar. Francis Brown; 5, Mary mar.
Arthur Mampson. h, Elizabeth, b. 1806, d. 1830, mar. W. H. Girard; 7, Abigail

720 APPENDIX A.

Jane, b. 1809, mar. W. H. Girard; j, Phebe. Ftfth, Mary, d. 1827, mar.
Nathan Palmer. 6, Annemar. Benj. Floyd. (IV.), John of White Stone, L. L.,
fourth son of first William, mar. Mary Clement, and left, 1, Thomas, b. 1742,
d. 1807, mar. Anne Gale, and had John, mar. Sarah Talman, and Thomas, mar.
Elizabeth Ackerman ; 2, John mar. Sarah Roe, and had Mary, mar. John Hunter,
and Sarah, who mar. William Barmstead; 3, Oliver mar. Anne Roe, and left
William, Oliver mar. Susan Bugby; Mary; Martha mar. Henry Lowerne, Charlotte
mar. Joel Hunter, Caroline mar. Jonathan Peck, Elizabeth mar. Samuel Ellis,
Margaret mar. Elijah Peck, Anne mar. Elijah Peck, and Sarah mar. Stephen
Leonard ; 4, Margaret, b. 1750, d* 1815, mar. Oliver Roe; 5, Mary mar. Austin
Field: 6, Anne mar. William Roe. (V.), Charles, youngest son of first William.
Thomas, second son of first Richard, left Thomas, member of Assembly from
1739 to 1764; Jacob, third son of first Richard ; John of Cow Neck, L. L., living in
1677, mar. Mary Russell, and had, (I.), Richard, who removed in 1725 to West-
chester, b. 1675, d. 1757-8, mar. Hannah Thorne of Flushing, she was b. 1678,
and d. 1756; their children were 1, Richard, b. 1708, mar. Mary Ferris, and had
Peter of Mamaroneck, who mar. Sarah Haviland, and left, First, Thomas, mar.
Hannah Lynch, and had, a, Peter, who mar. Margaret Gedney, and had John,
Thomas, Nathariel, Anthony, Cornelia, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary and Margaret ,
b, Samuel G; c, Thomas L., mar. Emeline Lawrence: d, Sarah, mar. John
Bates; e, Hester, mar. Timothy Haviland. Second, Richard, mar., 1, Elizabeth
Angevine ; 2, Ann Purdy, and had Caleb, Richard, Ebenezer, Jobn, Elizabeth,
mar. Jesse Seymour, Sarah Anne, mar. John Seymour, Deborah and Anne.
Third, Ebenezer, mar. Elizabeth Purdy, left a da. Susan. Fowrth, Haviland, b.
1764, mar., 1, Mary Gales; 2, Lavinia Storms, and had, a, Peter, b. 1789, mar.
Sarah Matthews, and had, Elijah, Thomas, Edward and Richard ; 2, Thomas, b.
1792, mar. Amy Merritt, and had Haviland, William, James, John, Mary, Ruth
and Ann; ¢, Haviland Cornell, b. 1801, mar. Ann Diilingham, da. of Henry
Dillingham of Mass., and Jerusha Strang of Yorktown, had, 1, Stephen D.; 2,
William H.; 3, Wallace; 4, Haviland; 5 and 6, George W. and Lafayette—
twins; 7, Mary Ann; §, Charles; d, Ebenezer, b. 1804, d. 1821; e, Dorothy,
b. 1786, d. 1817, mar. Joseph Griffin; jf, Sarah G., b. 1795, mar. Carpenter Mer-
ritt; g, Maria, b. 1798, mar. Benjamin Archer; 2, Joseph, second son of sec-
ond Richard, b. 1708, d. 1770, mar. Phoebe Ferris, and had, First, Joseph
of Mamaroneck, mar. 1735 Sarrah Hadden, and left, a, Richard, b. 1762, d
1795; b, Jonathan, b. 1764, d. 1834, mar., 1, Lydia Carpenter; 2, Jea.ima
Acker, and had Caleb, b. 1790, mar. Phabe Lamoree, who left Isaac, Ucorge
L., Merritt G., Jane and Deborah. Joseph, b. 1793, mar. Deborah D. Mer-
ritt, and left Theodore, b. 1819, d. 1822, Jonathan H., Caleb, Richard, Ly-
dia, mar. Lewis Ryn, Caroline, Emeline and Deborah 8. Zeno, b. 1795, d,
1795. Zeno, b. 1796, mar. Mary Brown, and had Anna Maria and Phebe,
Philip Ward. Deborah, and Sarah D. mar. Isaac L. Carpenter; ¢c, Willett, b. 1770,
mar. Mary Cock, and had Daniel, who mar. Francis P. Halstead, and left Cor-
delia, Mary Elizabeth and Ann Augusta; Ambroise, mar. Sarah Halstead, and
had Jonathan H., Willett and Albert, Charity, d. 1834, mar. James Tompkins,
Sarah, d. 1832, mar. Stephen Bradey, Rebecca and Lydia, mar. D. W. Chase;
d. Sussannah, b. 1757, mar. Newberry Fowler; ¢, Deborah, b. 1760, mar. Jona-
than Fowler. Second, Richard, b, 1738, d. 1748. Third, John of Mamaroneck,

APPENDIX A, 721

b. 1743, d. 1872, mar. Alice Williams; she was b. 1744, d. 1830. Their chil-
dren were, Jsaac, b. 1767, d. 1832, mar. Sarah Bennet., and had David M., b.
1798, mar. Elizabeth Clive, and left Isaac, John C., David, Mary Elizabeth,
Sarah Anne, Hester, Jane B. and Margaret. Charles, second son of Isaac and
Sarah, mar. Maria Champenois, and had Esther and Albert W. Mary, eldest da.
of Isaac, mar. Caleb Ward; Margaret, second do., Joseph Carpenter; Susan A.,
third da., William Varian; Sarah, fourth do., Timothy Calver. John L, sec-
ond son of John and Alice, b. 1781, mar., 1, Margery Williams; 2, Hannah An-
derson, and had George; William, mar. Susan Secor; Margaret, mar. Edwin
Underhill ; Sarah, mar. Lancaster Odell; Mary, b. 1809, d. 1832; Alice, b.
1§10, d. 1838, mar. William Champenois; Elizabeth, b. 1814, d. 1832; Susan,
Ann and Elizabeth. Margaret, eldest da. of John and Alice, b. 1765, d. 1821,
mar., 1, Isaac Horton; 2, William Anderson. Phebe, second do., b. 1769.
Mary, Third do., mar.,1, David Mann; 2, Rev. Samuel Haskell. Phebe,
fourth do., d. 1774. Sarah, fifth do., mar. J. Varian. Zlizabeth, sixth do.,
mar. James Varian. Fourth, Ferris, b. 1748, d. 1816, mar., 1, Anne Cornell ;
2, Hannah Quinby; 3, Sarah Cox, and had Richard, b. 1774, d. 177—, Joseph,
b. 1776, Thomas I., b. 1779, mar. Amy Fisher; 2, Gulielma Wood, and left a,
Richard, who mar. Mary Annette Phelps, and had Eliza P.; John b. 1832, d.
1832, and Anna, b. 1834, d. 1836; 5, Charles; c, Henry; d, Robert; e, Anne,
mar. Daniel Griffin; jf, Esther F., b. 1808, d. 1812; g, Amy W., b. 1812, d.
1812; h, Mary W.; 7, Phebe. Samuel, youngest son of Ferris, b. 1782,
mar. Martha Bonnet, and had Arthur, Elizabeth, Hannah and Rachel. Fifth,
Hannah, b. 1736, mar. James Fowler. Sixth, Sarah, b. 1739. Seventh, Mary,
b. 1741, mar. John Merritt. Eighth, Phoebe, b. 1750, mar Abijah Haight. 3,
John, third son of second Richard, b. 1717, d. 1781, s. p. 4, Benjamin, fourth
son, b. 1723, d. 1771, mar. Abigail Stevenson, and had First, Stephen of Ma-.
msroneck, b, 1749, d, 1802, mar. Margaret Haviland, and left, a, William H.,
b. 1776, mar. Dorcas Carpenter, and had Stephen, William, Deborah and Mary,
who mar. Jacob Miller; &. Richard, b. 1781, d. 1798; ¢, Stephen, b. 1785, d,
1815, mar. Anna Titus, and had Richard, b. 1811, d. 1887, Titus, mar. Phebe
Ann Mott, and had William and Stephen, b. 1814, d. 1814; d, Benjamin, b.
1788, mar. Sarah Titus, and had Mary ; e, Samuel, b. 1796, mar. Hannah Car-
penter, and had Richard, Stephen G., Henry G., Rebecca Jane and Elizabeth; /,
Deborah, mar. John Schuerman.; g, Mary, b. 1783, d. 1784; h, Mary, mar.
Henry Griffin ; 7, Abigail. Second, Benjamin, b. 1760, d. 1760. Third, Benjamin,
b. 1761, mar., 1, Alice Sutton; 2, Pamelia Farmington, and left ¢, John b, 1783,
mar., 1, Sarah Matthews; 2, Mary Ann Porter, and had William M. of New-
town, L. I., Andrew Jackson, Jesse, Arvin, Alice, Elizabeth, mar. Henry Hack-
ett, Ann Maria, Sarah and Emeline; 4, Jesse, b. 1785, d 1805; ¢, Silas, b. 1789,
mar. Sarah Mott, and had Thomas, James M., Richard M., b. 1822, d. 1823,
Anne M. and Sarah Alice; d, Thomas, b. 1794, d. 1797; e¢, Thomas T., mar.
Sarah Mott ; f, Benjamin F., b. 1873, d. 1874; g, Jane, b. 1787, d. 1830, mar.
David Arnold; 4, Phebe, mar. Stephen Underhill ; ¢, Dorcas, mar. Joseph Ar-
nold; j, Mary F. Fourth, Hannah, b. 1744, mar. John Burling. Fifth, Jane,
b. 1746, mar. Joseph Griffin. Sizth, Deborah, b. 1757, mar. Willett Bowne.
Sesenth, Anne, 1753, mar. Berjamin Haviland. Zighth, Phoebe, b. 1759, mar.
John Gibbs. Winth, Sarah, b. 1758, d. 1764. Tenth, Abigail, b. 1758, d. 1884.

722 APPENDIX A.

Fifth, Mary, first da. of second Richard, b. 1703, d. 1762, mar. Rev. Henry
Sands. Sizth, Deborah, second da., b. 1705, d. 1779, mar. Matthew Franklin.
Seventh, Hannah, third da., b. 1711, mar. Josiah Quinby. Highth, Phoebe,
fourth da., b. 1745, mar. Ebenezer Haviland. Vinth, Rebecca, fifth da., b. 1718,
d. 1735, mar. Edward Burling. Tenth, Elibabeth, sixth da., b. 1720, d. 1795,
mar., 1, Aaron Palmer; 2, Aaron Quinby, (II.), Joshua, second son of first
John and Mary Russell, mar. Sarah Thorne of Flushing, L. I, and had, 1,
Joshua of Harrison, b. 1696, mar. Charity Haight, and left, a, Joshua. b. 1726,
p. 1775, mar. Hannah Harrison, da. of John, and had, F’i7sé, Samuel of Smith’s
Cove, Orange County, b. 1741, d. 1812, mar. Eleanor Hunt, and left Aaron,
Eden, Isaac, Harrison, who mar. Charity Earle, and had Samuel, John and
Hannah ; John, Haydock, Rebecca, Phebe, Charlotte and Sarah, who mar. Erancis
Hazard. Second, Joshua of Yorktown, b. 1765, d. 1825, mar. Rebecca Haight,
and had Jesse, who mar. Ann Wortman, William, mar. Phoebe Carpenter, and
had John J., James B., Sarah Anne and Lydia P., James d. s. p., John H. mar.
Rachel Webster, Samuel P. mar. Julia Schooley, Lydia, mar. Hugh D. Webster,
Phebe, a. s. p., and Mary G. Third, John, b. 1769. Fourth, Charity b. 1759,
d. 1776. Fifth, Sarah, b. 1762: d. 1810. Siazth, Phoebe, b. 1768, mar. James
Hallett. Seventh, Hannah, b. 1775, d. 1777. Highth, Mary, b. 1716, mar. Wil-
liam Cromwell; 8, William, second son of Joshua and Charity Haight, b. 1728,
mar. Mary Quinby, and had, First, Richard. Second, Quinby, mar. Hannah,
Underhill. Third, James, mar., 1, Elizabeth Chadcaynes; 2, Phebe Smith,
and had Abraham, Oliver and Sarah. Fourth, John. d,s. p. Fifth, William
mar. Esther Underhill, and had Solomon, Joel, Aaron, William, Charity, De-
borah, Mercy and Mary. Siath, Daniel, mar., 1, Elizabeth Birdsall; 2, Merey
Bowman. Seventh, Josiah, twin brother of the former, mar., 1, Susannah Bird-
sall; 2. Anne Reynolds; c¢, John, third son of Joshua and Charity, b. 1738, d.
1873, mar., 1, Mary Quinby; 2, Mary Ann Allen; d, Charity, only da. of
Joshua, b. 1732, mar. Burnet Cornell, her cousin. 38, John, second son of Joshua
and Sarah Thorne, d.s. p. 4, Samuel of Cow Neck, Flushing, b. 1702, mar.,
1824. Hannah Carman, and had three sons and one da , viz. Boruch, who mar.,
1, Charity Cornell; 2, Mary Clark; John, d. s. p., Joshua, and Martha, b.
1726, d. 1758, mar. Henry Sands. Baruch and Charity left, ist, Joshua, d.
s.p. Second, Comfort, mar. Elizabeth Embree, and left Robert, who mar. Almy
Lovett, Abigail, mar., 1, Jacob Doughty. 2, Isaac Carse, Alice mar. Petre
Townsend. Zhird Samuel, mar. Sarah Miller, and had, a, Elijah, mar. Charity
Wills, and had Samuel M., mar. Emeline J. Howland; William W., Sydney,
mar, Sarah Ann Nostrand, Walter W., Ann, Eliza Ann, mar. William Binns,
and Mary Jane; 4, Samuel M. H., b. 1784, d. 1808; c, Charity, mar. John
Franklin; d@, Ann, mar., 1, Obadiah Bostwick; 2, John Fraher; e, Zipporah,
d. 1788, s. p. Fourth, Henry, mar. Sarah Coe. Fifth, John, mar, Letitia
Field. Sixth, Joshua, mar. Ann Van Nostrand. Seventh, Baruch, mar. Susan
Petit. Highth, Stephen, mar. Mary Wiggins. Winth, Hannah, mar. Jeffrey
Cornell. Tenth, Mary, mar. John Hicks. 4th, Sarah, eldest da. of Joshua and
Sarah, mar. Henry Franklin of Harrison. 5th, Elizabeth, second da., mar. Joshua
Franklin. (IIL), John, third son of first John, b. 1681, mar. Mary. Starr of
Danbury, Conn. (IV.), Caleb, fourth son, b. 1683, mar. Elizabeth Hagner of
Flushing, and had, 1, Richardson, b. 1706, d. 1732, 8. p.; 2, Caleb, b. 1709, d.

APPENDIX A. 723

1775, mar. Catharine Thorne, and left, First, Joseph, b. 1739, d.s. p. Second,
Richardson of Steubenville, Mass., d. 1741, mar. Tabitha Longfellow. Third,
Stephen, b. 1744, mar. Mary Platt, and had Epenetus, mar. Ann Knapp, Steph-
en, mar. Elizabeth Brown, Catharine, Maria, mar. John Morehouse, Sarah, mar.
Charles Gardiner. Fourth, Caleb, b. 1748, d. 1802, mar. Freelove Demilt, and
had Richardson, who mar. Martha Cornell, Phoebe, Catharine, and Mary, who
mar. Laton. Fifth, Aspinwall, mar. 1, Jane Mitchel; 2, Priscilla Mitchell, and
had’ Robert, Joseph, Pricilla, mar. —— Silly, Mary, mar. Mooney, and
Jane, mar. —— Silly. Sizth, Catharine, mar. Wessell Sills. 3, Jon, third son
of Caleb and Elizabeth, b. 1715, d. 1799, mar., 1, Martha Hewlett, ; 2, Pheebe
Hewlett, and had, First, Charles, d. s. p. Second, Hewlettt, mar. Elizabeth
Willis, and left John, mar. Mary Ann Tredwell, Charles, d. 1814, Walter, mar.
Sarah Allen, Margaret mar. Whitehead Mitchell, Martha mar. Richardson
Cornell, and Phebe mar. John Willis; 4, Richard, fourth son of Caleb and
Elizabeth, b. 1710, d. 1772, mar. Catherine Deans. Their children were,
First, Caleb, of the R. N., mar. Magdalene Butler. Second, Elizabeth mar.
Stephen Marsh of Philadelphia. Third, Mary mar. William Miller. Fourth,
Margaret mar., 1. George Graham; 2, William Cook; 3, William, fifth son of
Caleb, b. 1721, d. 1797, mar. Ruth Hewlett, and had, First, Samuel mar. Martha
Patterson of Franklin, Dutchess County, and had James, Samuel, Sa rah, Emma
Grace, Elizabeth and Mary. Second, Elizabeth b. 1754, d. 1825, mar. Charles
Cornell of Bayside; 6, Joshua, sixth son of Caleb, b. 1826, d. 1800, mar.
Hannah Hewlett, and had, First, Joshua, d. 1822. Second, Lewis b. 1757, d. 1804,
mar. Elizabeth Sands, and had Augustus b. 1791, and Grace b. 1793, who mar.
— Magruder. Third, Charles mar. Nancy Fleet of Flushing, and had Charles
Fleet and William Warren. Fourth, James d. 1825. 7, Elizabeth, eldest da. of
Caleb and Elizabeth, b. 1711, d. 1791, mar. John Sands; 8, Mary. second da. of
do., b. 1714, d. 1780, mar. Thomas Appleby; 9, Susannah, third da., b. 1715,
d.s. p.; 10, Margaret, fourth da., b. 1728, d. 1808, mar. John Willis. (V.),
Mary, eldest da. of Caleb and Mary Russell, b. 1679, mar. James Sands of
Matinecock, L. I (VI.), Rebecca, second da., b. 1685, mar. —— Starr of
Danbury, Connecticut. Of this family was John Cornell of Rockaway, son of
Thomas, second son of first Richard of Little Neck, who mar. (as supposed)
—— Whitehead, and left, (I.), Whitehead, who mar. Margaret Sebring, and had,
1, John mar. Sarah Cortelyou, and left, a, Hannah; b, George, d. young: c.
Catharine; d, Margaret; ¢, Ann mar. Arthur Hurst; jf, Whitehead mar. Juliet
Hicks; g, Simon d.; hk, George L. mar. Isabella Sheldon; 7, John S. mar. Mary
Randolph; j, Agnes; %, Peter C. mar. Elizabeth Bunce; 7, Isaac R. mar.
Elizabeth Duyckinck ; m, Samuel G., mar. Sarah Douglass; n, Mary; 2, Isaac
mar. Hannah Cortelyou ; 3, William mar. Catharine Cowenhoven. (II.), Thomas
mar. Elizabeth Thurston, and had, 1, John mar. Sarah Hicks; 2, Joseph mar.
Maria Striker; 3, Thomas mar. C. Skidmore; 4, Elizabeth ; 5, Abigail mar..——
Keeling. (III, William mar. Mary Mott, and had, 1, Abigail, who mar. C-
Mott; 2, Martha mar. —— Townsend; 3, Margaret mar. Lefferts Lefferts;
4, Elizabeth mar. Daniel Lefferts; 5, Samuel mar. Jane Hewlett; 6, Charles.
IV.), John had sons, 1, Whitehead d. in NeW Orleans; 2, Benjamin mar. Mary

illis; 3, William; 4, John. (V.), Silvester. (VI.), Daniel left, 1, Elizabeth
mar. —— Hendrickson; 2, Jane mar. —— Golden; 3, Silvester. (VIL),
Elizabeth mar. —— Horsefield. Arms.—Ar. five castles, in cross, sa.

724 APPENDIX A.

Covrants.—John Coutant, b. in France, 1648, mar. Sussanna, b. in France,
1660, had John, b. 1685, Peter, b. 1698, Judy, b. 1699, Hester, b. 1731. John
mar. Bonnefoy, had Isaac, b. 1723, d. 1802, mar. Fannie Badeau, b. 1781,
d. 1825, had Isaac (I.) b. 1751, mar. Susanna Bartine, b. 1757, John (II),
Isaiah (III.), mar. Wilson, James (IV.), mar. Jane Gereau, Frances, mar.
Eliajh Horton, Margaret, mar. John Hudson, Catharine, mar. Oliver Besley,
and Susanna, mar. John Le Fevere. Isaac had Deborah, mar. Jno. C. Miller,
Mary C., mar. ist, Aaron C. Burr, 2nd, Jno. Sneden. Isaiah had Isaac, mar.
Jane Bonnett, and Mary, mar. James P. Huntingdon. Isaac had James, mar.
Mary A. Jones, Richard B., and William. James had Richard B., mar. Hannah
D. Rundell, and Charlotte. Richard B. had Isaac. James (IV.) had Rev.
Lewis J. (I.), mar. Sarah A., da. of J. LeCount; Clarissa mar. Lewis F. Breschard,
of Paris, France; Margaret mar. Claudius Redon. Isaiah (IV.) mar. Deborah
Palmer; Elizabeth; Andrew (V.), mar. Esther Walker; James (IV.); John
(III.); Elijah (II.) mar. Phoebe Archer; and George (VII.), mar. 2nd, Rebecca
Morrell, Frances Bailey; and Jane. Rev. Lewis J. had James L., Sarah J.
Meliscent, mar. Samuel C. Welling, Louisa, mar. Albert T. Jones. Elijah (II.)
had James, Margaret L., Elizabeth, and Mary A. Andrew (V.) had Augustus A.,
mar. Jane Patterson, Augustus E , Margaret (V.), and Vesta J. George (VIL)
had by Frances Bailey, George W., mar. Susan A. Lane, Julia A., mar.
William H. Leonards, J. Edson, Caroline C., mar. Robert Cooper, and Leonard W.;
by Rebecca Morrell had Susan J., mar. John C. Dickinson, and Peter J., mar.
Margaret Vaile. Richard B. had Isaac. Augustus A. and Jane Patterson had
Augustus, Georgiene A., and Mary R.

CroMWELL oF Harrison.—‘‘The family of the Protroror, which arose in
Wales, and was deemed illustrious by the genealogists of the principality, bore
the surname of CroMWELL, by assumption only, its patronimic, Wi1tL1AMs, having
been abandoned at the special desire of King Henry VIII. ‘*That monarch,”
saith Noble, ‘‘strongly recommended to the Welsh, (whom he incorporated with
the English,) to adopt the mode of most civilized nations, in taking family
names, instead of their manner of adding their father’s, and perhaps grandfather’s
name, to their own Christian one, nep, or ap, between the Christian and surname,
as Morgan ap Williams, or Richard ap Morgan ap Williams, that is, Richard the
the son of Morgan, the son of Williams; and the King was the more anxious as
it was found so inconvenient in identifying persons in judicial matters. Richard’s
father seems to have taken the name of Williams for his family name; but as the
surname of Williams was of so late a standing, his Majesty recommended it to
Sir Richard to use that of Cromwell in honor of his relation, the Eart or Esszz,
whose present greatness entirely obliterated his former meanness.”@ The several
branches of the Cromwell family in America claim descent from the same parent
stock as that of the Protector Oxtver Cromwett. It is presumed that the
ancestors of the American line was Col. John Cromwell, third son of Sir Oliver,
and a brother of the Protrecror. John, a colonel in the royal army, mar.
Abigail —. He had a da. Joan and a son John, who emigrated from
Holland to the New Netherlands. John, son of Col. John, resided at Long Neck,
Westchester. He mar. Mary , and left two sons, John, from whom

a Burke's Hist. of the Landed Gentry of England, vol. i. 429,

APPENDIX A. 725

the present Oliver and Jeremiah of West Farms are descended, and James.
The latter was b. 1696, and d. 1780; he mar. Esther Godfrey, and left,
(1.) John, of Harrison, b. 5th December, 1727, d. 1805, mar. Anna Hopkins of
L. I. she was born January 12, 1730. (I.) —— Cromwell. (II.) James, who
left Oliver. (IV.) William of Poughkeepsie, who had William of New York, and
Robert of Canada. John, eldest*son of James and Esther Godfrey, had, (I.)
James, b. Nov. 6, 1742, d. 23d Dec. 1828, mar. 16th of May, 1782, Charlotte
Hunt, da. of Aaron; she was b. 18th Nov. 1762, and d. Jan’y, 18389. Their
children were, 1. Daniel, who mar. Elizabeth Townsend, and had Henry,
Edward, Daniel, and Charlotte, all of New York. 2, James, who mar. Anne
Abbott. 3, Oliver, mar. Sarah Titus, and left Joshua of Monroe Co., Thomas of
New York, James, John of St. Louis, and William of New York. 4, David,
mar. Rebecca Bowman, and had William D.; Henry, James, Frederick,
Anna, Sarah, Charlotte, Maria, Rebecca, and Emily. 5, Aaron. 6, William,
mar. Caroline Underhill, da. of Joshua, and had James W. and Caroline.
7, William and Mary, twins, d. et. nine months. 8, John of Orange Co.,
mar. Letitia Haviland, and has Walter of Orange Co., James, David, and
Oliver. 9, Hannah, mar. David Griffin. 10, Rebecca, mar. George Fritts.
11, Anne, mar. John Haviland. (II.) Daniel, b. 17th July 1755, left John and
Sarah, who mar. William Waring. John mar. Rachel ——, and had, 1, James T.,
M. D., of Indiana; 2, Daniel 8.; 3. Charles 8., of New York, who mar.
Henrietta Brooks, da. of Benjamin Brooks, Esq., of Bridgeport, Conn. This
lady is a lineal descendant of Colonel John Jones, one of the judges whose
signature appears to the warrant for the execution of King Cuarzzs L., by his
wife, Henrietta Cromuell, eldest sister of the Prorrctor. The children of
Charles T. and Henrietta are Charles B., Henrietta, and Oliver Eaton Cromwell.
4. Leonard T. of New York. (II1.) Naomi, b. 4th May, 1757, mar. Rev.
Halstead. (IV.) Esther, b. 1st Jan’y, 1760, mar. —— Griffin. (V.) Hannah,
b. 20th May, 1762, mar. —— Field. (VI.) John, b. 18th August, 1767. (VII.)
Joseph, b. 3d March, 1770, d. A. D. 1843, mar. Mary Clapp of Greenwich; he
left William of Harrison, who mar. Sarah Griffin. (VIII.) William of Canada,
b. 29th of April, 1773, d. left William. Arms. Sa. a lion rampant arg. Crest.
A demi lion rampant arg., in his dexter gamb a gem ring or.

Currey or Cortitanpt.—Richard Currey of Northcastle left three sons and six
das. I. Joshua. II. Stephen, mar. Francis Moore. III. Kichard, mar. Sarah
Ferris. IV. Jemima, mar. Elijah Horton. V. Pheebe, mar. John Sherwood of
Cortlandt. VI. Sarah, mar. John Jones. VII. Rachel, mar. William Lane.
VIII. Mary, mar. John Smith. IX. Elizabeth, mar. Joseph Lee.

DaAvENPOR? oF DavEeNPorRt’s NEok, New Rocuerte.—This family derive their
name from the town of Davenport or Danport in the county of Cheshire, Eng-
land. Camden calls them ‘‘the famous family of Davenport.’’ The first of the
name on record was Ormus de Davenport who lived at the time of the conquest.
William Davenport emigrated from England about 1670, and settled at West-
chester, he mar, Mary —————, and left 1, William of Perth Amboy, in 1723
proprietor of lands in West Farms, mar. Bridget —. 2, Francis, b. Ist
March, 1685, d. 8th May, 1720, mar. Martha Newberry; she was b. Nov. 7th,
4688. Their children were, 1, Francis, b. 3lst May, 1715, d. 2d Aug. 1797,

726 APPENDIX A.

mar. Mary Hewlett, da. of Lewis; she was b. 5th Nov, 1748, d. 23d June, 1781.
2, Walter, b. 20th March, 1716. 3, Samuel b. 22d Aug., 1718. 4, Anne, b.
20th July, 1712. Francis, eldest son of Francis, left, (I.), Zewts, b. 4th April,
1745. (II1.), Wewderry, b. 5th June, 1746, d. 4th Jan’y, 1829, first proprietor of
Davenport’s Neck in 1786, mar. Elizabeth Hewlett, da. of Joseph; she was b,
19th Jan’y, 1759, mar. 20th Feb. 1774. They had, 1, Joseph; 2, James; 3,
Hewlett; 4, Lawrence of Davenport’s Neck; 5, Newberry of Davenport’s
Neck; 6, Deborah; 7, Mary, mar. Samuel Davis; 8, Elizabeth, mar. Mr.
William Bush of Rye. (III.), Samuel, b. Oct. 5, 1752. (IV.), Martha, b. 2d
June, 1748.

DELAVAN OF Nortn SateM.—Timothy Delavan left nine sons, viz. : (1.), Timo-
thy, whohad Timothy. (II.), Nathaniel, who has several children. (III.), Samuel.
(IV). John, mar. 1st, —— Hustead, and had Chauncey, Jane, Catharine, and
Elizabeth; he mar. 2d Patty Keeler, and had John, Frederick, Deborah, and
Nancy. (V). Cornelius, d. s.p. (VI). Daniel. (VII). Abraham, the father of
Gilbert and Jesse. (VIII). Stephen, who has Daniel and Federick. (IX). Na-
than, the father of Charles and Elizabeth.

Drake or Easrousesrer.—‘‘Joln Drake, of the council of Plymouth, son of
the original company established by King James in 1606, for settling New Eng-
Jand, was a branch of the family of Drake of Ashe, several of whose sons came
to this country. John, who came to Boston in 1630, with two or more sons,
and who finally settled in Windsor.” Samuel Drake, son of John, last mentioned,
removed to Fairfield about 1650, and from thence to Eastchester in 1663. He
mar. Anne —— , and left Joseph of Eastchester, Samuel, heir of his father’s
lands at Fairfield, John of Eastchester, Sarah and Mary, who mar. Joseph
Joannes. Joseph, the eldest, mar. Mary Shute, and had issue, (I). John, who
settled at Peekskill Hollow. (ID, Samuel, of Fox Meadow, Scarsdale, d. A. D.
1774, wet. 75. He had, 1, Gilbert, d. 1803, et. 90; 2, Samuel, M. D., late of
Troy, N, Y., d. 1798, et. 63; 3, Uriah; 4, Sarah, mar, Job Sherwood; Sam-
uel, 2d, left Joshwa, d. 1790, Jasper, d. 1829, Elijah, set, 74, Francis, d. 1814,
Sarah, mar. John Mandeville, Ann, d. unmar., Mary, mar. Joseph Lockwood,
d. 1820, Rebecca, mar. G. Millegrew, and Samuel, M. D. (IID), Benjamin of
Eastchester left, 1, Benjamin, who mar. Ist, Susan Pell; 2d, Martha Seaman;
3d, Phoebe -——; 4th, Charity Archer. The children of Benjamin, jr., were
Thomas, who mar. Susannah Morgan, and left Charles, M. D., of New York, b.
1789, d. April, 1832, a distinguished physician, Sarah, mar. Jonathan Codding-
ton, Susan, still living, and Anne, who mar. John Seaman. Benjamin, b. 21st
Feb. 1763, d. 17th June, 1822, mar. Mary Parcot, she d. 1820. Their children
were Daniel of New Rochelle, b. 14th April, 1786, mar. Abigail Soulice, Susan-
nah, b. Jan’y 8, 1788, mar. Isaac Bonnet, and Nancy. James, mar. Sarah Dodge,
and left James, Susan, mar. Joseph Drake, Sarah, mar. Richard Lawrence, and
Mary, mar. Rev. Lismekeese. John, fourth son of Benjamin, jr., b. 1772,
mar. Magdalene Guion, b. 1774, and bad Joseph, b. 1796, Susan, Elias Guion, b.
7th Dec., 1799, Benjamin, b. 1801, John Erskine, b. 18th Sept. 1802; Jacob, b.
1813, Caroline, b. 24th July, 1807, mar. John R. Townsend; Angeline E., mar.
Samuel J. Skidmore; and Martha Magdalene, b. 18th Oct. 1778, d. Jacob, fifth
son of Benjamin, jr., mar. 1st, Mary Williams, and had Jonas W., b. 1799, mar.

APPENDIX A. 729

Mary Betts, Jacob, mar. 2d, Susan Ackerly, and left William Henry, Mary Anne,
and others. J/oses, sixth son of Benjamin, jr., b. 1776, mar. Susan Morgan. Sam-
uel, seventh son of Benjamin, jr., b. 1778, d, et. 22, mar. —— Morgan. Mary,
first da. of Benjamin, jr., mar. Henry Vervalen. Phebe, second da., mar.
Thomas Lovell. Amy d. unmar., and Martha d. xt. 10; 2. Col. Joseph, of
New Rochelle, second son of Benjamin, sen., b. 12th July, 1737, O, 8., d. 11th
Sept., 1836, «et. 99; mar. 1st, Phoebe Hunt, 2d. Lydia Miller; and left Joseph, b.
2d Dec. 1766, d. 16th of July, 1794. 3. Moses of Dutchess Co., d. during early
part of Revolutionary war; left issue three sons, viz., Jonathan, Richard and
Stephen. Jonathan had one son, JosEpH RopMAN Draxs, THE Post, b. 1795, d.
Sept. 1820, mar. Sarah Eckford, Janet, only child of the Port, mar. Col.
George Dekay of L. I. Jonathan had also three das. 4. Abigail. 5, Mary,

mar. Caleb Ward. 6. Sarah, mar. —— Hunt. 7. Rebecca, mar. Caleb Morgan.
(IV). Jasper, who lived in New York, had a son Francis who d. at sea, and sev-
eral das. (V). Rebecca. (VI.) Sarah. VII. Anna, mar. —— Fowler. Arms,

arg. a wivern with wings displayed gu. Crests, 1st, an eagle displayed; 2nd, a
naked dexter arm and hand erect, holding a battle axe sa. headed arg.

DyckMAN oF PuitipssorouGH.—All of this name in America are supposed to
have originated from William Dyckman, (a native of Holland,) who was among
the early settlers of New Amsterdam. This individual was a liberal benefactor
of the Dutch Reformed Church of Fordham Manor. His grandson Jacobus,
mar, Kesur. The children of Jacobus were, 1. Jacob, mar. Tryntje Ben-
son of Haarlem, and had 1, /acod, the father of Jacob and John; 2, Sampson,
mar. Rebecca Odell, da. of Isaac, and had 1st. Hannah; 2d, Catharine, mar.
Matthias Valentine. 3, Benjamin, mar. Martha Lent, da. of Jacob, and left
Willliam, John, Sampson, and Jane. 4, Jacob, mar. Margaret Post, da. of
Martin, and had Martin, Sampson, Benson, Staats Morris, Catharine, mar. Pell
C. Vought, Martha Maria, mar. Isaac Mandeville, and Elmira, mar. Louis Le-
vines. 5, John, mar. Letta Goetchius, and left issue Sampson and Rachel
Goetchius. 6, Garett, mar. Joanna, da. of Jonathan Odell, and had William
N. and Jacob G. 7, William N. mar. Rebecca Odell, da. of Jonathan. Their
children were Sampson, Jonathan, William, Cathaline, Maria and Rebecca. 8,
Maria. mar. John Clark. 9, Jane, mar. John van Vredenburgh. 10, Catharine
mar. Daniel Hale. Staats Morris, son of Jacob, mar, Eliza Corné, grand da. of
Peter Corné, and left Peter C., who mar. Susan Matilda Whetton, Eliza, da,
of Peter C., mar. Col. John P. Cruger. (II). William Dyckman, second son
of Jacobus, b. Aug. 23d, 1725, d. Aug. 10, 1787, mar. Mary Turner; she was
b. Feb. 4, 1728, d. Feb. 14, 1802. Their children were, 1. Jacobus, b. Sept.
18th, 1748, who left William, Frederick, mar. Eva Myers, John, Abraham, mar.
Margaret Honeywell, Jacob, James, Isaac, Michael, Hannah, mar. Caleb Smith,
and Maria. 2, Abraham, b. Aug. 25, 1754, one of the Westchester guides dur-
ing the Revolution. 3, Michael, b. August 9, 1756, d. Jan’y, 1808, a Westches-
ter guide, mar. Sarah Oakley, and had two das. Sarah and Maria. 4, Wélliam,
b. 9th Dec. 1792, also a Westchester guide; he left William and Evert, both re-
siding at the West. 5, John, b. 28th July, 1764, d. 15th April, 1774. 6. Mary,
b. June 2, 1752, d. 23d Feb. 1826, mar. Jacob Vermilyea. 7, Jane, b. 26th
June, 1759, d. 24th March, 1772. 8. Jemima, b. 25th Feb. 1765, mar. Evert
Brown 9, Charity, b. 18th May, 1770, mar. Benjamin Lent.

728 APPENDIX A.

Frevp.—The name of Field is of frequent occurrence in Doomsday’s book, and
there is often inter-changed with Lea—a word having the same signification,
John Field of Ardsley, County or York, England, was a distinguished mathema-
tician and astronomer. He is said to have been the first person who intro-
duced into England, by his writings, the discoveries of Copernicus. His Ephe-
merides was published in that country in 1556. His will bears date Doc. 28th,
1586, in which he directs his body to be interred in the church porch at Ardsley.
He mar. Jane Amyas of Kent, who d. A.D. 1609. His children were (I).
Richard, b. 1562, who left a da. Mary; (II), Christopher; (III), John; (IV),
Matthew of Ardsley, b. 1615; (V), Thomas; (VI), James; (VII), Martin;
VII), William, who mar. the widow of George Burdett, da. of John Totwell,
and had Judith, the wife of John Mundy. Matthew, fourth son of John, had
two sons, James and Robert. James had Robert, James, Anne, and Judith.
Robert removed to America, and settled at Flushing, L. I., in 1645. He left
Anthony, Benjamin and Robert. Anthony, the eldest, mar. Susannah ——, and
had first, John, who removed to New Jersey. He was the father of Jeremiah
and others ; secondly, Benjamin, who mar. Hannah Bowne, she was b. in 1665,
and d. A. D. 1707. The children of Benjamin and Hannah, were (I), Robert,
b. 1707, the father of Uriah. Uriah left 1. Aaron, who had first Charles, the
father of seven children, viz.: Edward, Richard, Charles M., Aaron, Phebe,
Jane, and Louisa M.; 2nd, Richard; 4th, Sarah C.; 5th, Anne; 6th, Eliza,
7th. Hannah: 2, Robert, second son of Uriah ; 8, Josiah, ibid. ; 4, James, ibid;
5, Abigail ; 6, Elizabeth; 7, Hannah; 8, Sarah; 9, Mary; 10, Anna. The two
das. of Robert, son of Benjamin, were Jerusha and Sarah ; (II), Benjamin, b.
1692; (III), John, b. 1694; (IV), Samuel, b. 1696, left three sons, William,
Stephen and John. William had William and Samuel; (V), Anthony of
Harrison, Westchester Co., b. 1698, mar. Hannah Burling, and had 1, John
of Yorktown, who mar. Lydia Hazard of Rhode Island; 2, Thomas; 3, Moses;
4, Samuel, mar. Abigail Haight; 5, Benjamin, b. 1732, d. 1818, mar. Jerushua
Sutton; 6, William, mar. Mary Hatfield; 7, Sarah, mar. Joseph Waters; 8,
Mary. John, eldest son of Anthony and Hannah, left nine sons and four da. ;
1, Hazard, mar., 1, Frances Wright; 2, Mary Bailey, and had two sons, Benja-
min and Joseph. Benjamin mar. Catharine Depeyster, and has one son, Cort-
landt. The four da. of Hazzard are Phebe, Hannah, Jerusha, and Abigail; 2,
John, mar. Frances Perry; 3, Daniel, mar. Elizabeth Field, and left one son
James, and two da. James had Edward, James, and Adele; 4, James; 5,
Joseph; 6, Moses of Peekskill, d. Oct. 18, 1833, mar. Susan K. Osgood, and
left, Maunsell, Osgood, Franklin C., Moses A., William Hazard, Susan K., and
Caroline M.; 7, William, mar. Sarah Fairchild, had a son William, who mar.
Margaretta Day. The latter left two children, viz., William and Helen; 8,
Hickson, mar. Eleanor K. De Forest, and had a son Hickson, who mar. Mary
Bradhurst, and a da. Eleanor, who mar. John Jay; 9, Seaman, youngest son of
John, mar. Eliza Debourg, and had De Forest, Eliza, mar. J. T. Blanchard,
Odell, and Clemence; 10, Abigail, mar. Leonard Van Hoosen; 11, Phebe,
mar, Henry Fowler; 12, Jerusha; 13, Josiah; 14, Sarah, mar. Caleb Horton;
15, Abigail, d. young. (VI), Joseph, b. 1702, left Gilbert, Nehemiah, Solomon,
and Comfort; (VID, Hannah, b. 1700; (VIII), Sarah, youngest da. of Benja-
min and Hannah Bowne, was b. A. D. 1704. Uriah Field of Greenwich, Conn.,

APPENDIX A. 729

son of Robert, by Robert’s second wife Abigail, daughter of Joseph Sutton, mar.
Mary Quimby, at Harrison’s Purchase, 18th Jan., 1764, and had the following
issue: (I), Aaron, b. 1764; (II), Abigail, b. 1766; (IIL), Robert, b. 1769; (IV),
Elizabeth, b. 1771; (V), Josiah, b. 1774; (VI), Hannah, b. 1778; (VII,), James, b.
1780; (VII]),Sarah,». 1782; (1X), Mary, b,1785 ; (X), Anne,i789. (1), Aaron, mar.
Jane Havaland, and had the following issue: 1, Charles; 2, Phoebe; 3, Richard;
4, Samuel; 5, Sarah C.; 6, Ann; 7, Eliza; 8, Hannah. 1, Charles, mar. Esther
Griffin, and had 1, Phoebe; 2, Jane; 3, Edward; 4, Richard M. 2, Jane,
da, of Charles, mar. Stephen Griffin, and had 1, Mary; 2, Henry; 3, Louisa;
4, Charles. 4, Richard M., son of Charles, mar. Deborah Merritt, and had 1,
Charles M.; 2, Louisa M.; 3, Aaron. 1, Charles M., son of Richard M., mar.
Annie Cromwell, and had 1, Henrietta; 2, Richard; 3, Caroline; 4, Frederick;
5, William; 6, Charles; 7, Charlotte. 2, Louisa M., da. of Richard M., mar.
Edward Stabler, and had 1, Mary; 2, Edward; 3, Louisa. 3, Aaron, son of
Richard M., mar. Charlotte Cromwell, and had 1, Fanny; 2, Henry; 3, Ed-
ward; 4, Herbert; 5, Hamilton. (II). Abigail, mar. Richard Mott, and had 1,
William; 2, Robert F.; 3, Maria. 2, Robert F., mar. Hannah Smith, and had
1, Richard F. 1, Richard F., son of Robert F., mar. Susan Thomas, and had 1,
Robert; 2, Amelia; 3, Richard; 4, Anna; 5, William. (III), Robert, mar. Hannah
Wood, and had 1, Mary; 2. Abigail; 3, Uriah; 4, Fanny; 5, Jacob Wood; 6, Wil-
let; 7, Henry C.; 8, Gulielina; 9, Elizabeth. 1, Mary. mar. Oliver Mathews,
and had 1, Robert F. ; 2, Jacob; 3, Albert; 4. Emily; 5, Mary Etizabeth; 6,
Edward F.; 7, Henry Clay; 8, Oliver; 9, Joseph B ; 10, Henrietta. 1,
Robert F., son of Mary, mar. Mary B. Loines, and had 1. Emily Alberta; 2,
Frederick L.; 3, Clara A. 2, Frederick L., son of Robert F., mar. Marianna Va-
lentine. 2, Jacob, son of Mary, mar. Ann Eliza Trowbridge, and had 1, John
A; 2, Helen A. 8, John A., son of Jacob, mar. Julia Marienes. 4, Albert,
son of Mary, mar. Louisa Strong. 5, Mary Elizabeth, da. of Mary, mar. Sam-
uel H. Tripp, and had 6, Louisa M.; 2, Caroline H.; 3, Henry L.; 4, Mary Alberta
5, Louisa M., da. of Mary Elizabeth, mar. Samuel Kipp. 6, Edward F.,son of
Mary, mar. Anna Cook. 17, Henry Clay, son of Mary, mar. Mary Richards.
8, Oliver, son of Mary, mar. Ellen Kenney, and had 1, Franklin; 2, Elianor.
2, Abigail, da. of Robert, mar. Edmund Griffin, and had 1, Hannah; 2, John;
3, Henry; 4, Charles; 5, Esther. 2, John, son of Abigal, mar. Mary Meckeel,
and had 1, Arthur; 2, Charles; 3, Edward; 4, George; 5, Mary Jane. 38,
Henry, son of Abigal, mar. Martha Valentine, and had i, Hannah; 2, Elizabeth.
1, Hannah, da. of Henry, mar. Daniel Willets. 2, Elizabeth, da. of Henry,
mar. James Havaland. 4, Charles, son of Abigail, mar. Sarah Valentine, and
had 1, Anna; 2, Henry; 3, Edith. 5, Esther, da. of Abigail, mar. Joseph Wil-
lets, and had 1, Ida; 2, Fanny. 3, Uriah, son of Robert, mar. Mary Jane
Quimby. 5, Jacob W., son of Robert, mar. Amanda McDonald, and had 1,
Sarah Jane; 2, Charles. (J.), Sarah Jane, da. of Jacob W., mar. —— Brennel.
(II.), Charles, son of Jacob W., mar. Sarah Sillick, and had, 1, Amanda. (V.),
Jacob W., son of Robert, mar. Margaret Wessels, and had, 1, Emma; 2, John.
(VI1.), Willet, son of Robert, mar. Rosanna Lee, and had, 1, Robert; 2, Edgar;
3, Uriah; 4, Hannah; 5, George. (VII.), Henry C., son of Robert, mar, Mary
Senreman, and had, 1, Henrietta; 2, Margelena. (I.), Henriette, da. of Henry C.,
mar. Charles Briggs. (1V.), Elizabeth mar. John Carpenter, and had, 1, Uriah F.;

730 APPENDIX A.

2, Aaron B.; 3, Mary; 4, Phoebe; 5, Joseph. (I.), Uriah F., son of Elizabeth,
mar. Sarah Ann Deall, and had, 1, Sarah Elizabeth. (I.), Sarah Elizabeth, da.
of Uriah, mar. Augustus Embury, and had, 1, Peter Augustus; 2, Clarance Uriah;
3, Alfonse Subat; 4, Emma; 5, Pauline; 6, Arthur Deall. (1.) Peter Augustus,
son of Sarah Elizabeth, mar. Isabella M. Hunt, and had, 1, Philip; 2, Caldwalder
Colden. (IIT.), Alfonse Subal, son of Sarah Elizabeth, mar. Ella Loines, and had,
1, Augustus. (II.), Aaron B., son of Elizabeth, mar. Adelia A. Cornell, and
had, 1, Mary Elizabeth ; 2, John J.; 3, Uriah F.; 4, Silas §.; 5, Deborah A. ;
6, George W.; 7, Aaron M. (1.), Mary Elizabeth, da, of Aaron B., mar. Richard
Loines, and had, 1, Ella. (1.), Ella, da. of Mary Elizabeth, mar. Alfonse Liebat
Embury. (III.), Uriah F., son of Aaron B., mar. Sarah Elizabeth Deall, and
had, 1, Richard Loines; 2, Willet Weeks. (IV.), Silas §., son of Aaron B.,
mar. Ada Thompson, and had, 1, Charles, (¥.), Deborah A., da. of Aaron B.,
mar. William Mathews, and had, 1, Edward. (VI.), Aaron M., son of
‘Aaron B., mar. Carrie Watson, and had, 1, George. (VI.), Phoebe, da. of
Elizabeth, mar. Silas Sutton, and had, 1, Elizabeth Ann; 2, John J. (1.),
Elizabeth Ann, da. of Phceebe, mar. John C. Davis, and had, 1, Florence;
2, Mary; 3, Edith L. (1I.), John J., son of Phaebe, mar. Alice H. Brister, and
had, 1, Amy; 2, Bessie. (V.), Joseph, son of Elizabeth, mar. Charlotte M.
Carpenter, and had, 1, Prissilla H.; 2, Phebe S.; 3, Emily; 4, Sarah Ann;
5, Elizabeth Jane; 6, Henry M.; 7, Aaron B.; 8, Josephine. (1.), Prissilla H., da.
of Joseph, mar. George W. Carpenter, and had, 1, Hannah; 2, Albert; 3, Sarah
Ann. (IV.), Sarah Ann, da. of Joseph, mar. David S. Haviland. (V.), Elizabeth
Jane, da. of Joseph, mar, Theodore Carpenter. (VIII.), Josephine, da. of Joseph,
mar. George Luke. (V.), Josiah mar. Hannah Griffin, and had, 1, Esther;
2, Phebe; 3, Sarah; 4, Richard; 5, Maria. (I.) Esther, da. of Josiah, mar.
Moses Quinby, and had, 1, Richard; 2,Walter W.; 3, George W.; 4, Aaron J.;
5, Mary Jane. (II.), Walter W., son of Esther, mar. Catharine Wilcox, and had,
1, Josiah; 2, Cornelia B.; 3, George M.; 4, Frank. (II.), Cornelia B., da. of
Walter W., mar. John C. Bailey, and kad, 1, Annie J.; 2, Lillian; 3, Mead;
4, John F.; 5, Alonzo 8S. (III), George M., son of Walter W., mar. Mary D.
Galve, and had, 1, Mabel; 2, Ethel. (III.), George W., son of Esther, mar.
Hannah Bowen, and had, 1, Emily; 2, Esther. (1V.), Aaron J., son of Esther,
mar. Margaret L, Munson, and had, 1, Elizabeth Jane; 2,George W.; 3, Esther F.;
4, Mary Jane; 5, Minnie Isabel; 6, Lucinda M. (I.), Elizabeth J., da. of
Aaron J., mar. Isaac H. Barton, and had, 1, George H. (V.), Mary Jane, da. of
Esther, mar, Isaac Rushmore, and had, 1, Lauria; 2, Townsend; 3, Robert;
4, Mary Jane. (II.), Phebe, da. of Josiah, mar. Josiah Barnes, and had,
1, Hannah G.; 2, Mary; 8, Sarah; 4, Josiah. (1.), Hannah G., da. of Phoebe,
mar. Frederick Waldon. (II.), Mary, da. of Phoebe, mar. Samuel Barnes.
(IIL), Sarah, da. of Phoebe, mar. John 8. Bowron, and had, 1, John; 2, Josiah F.;
3, Mariah A.; 4, Mary A. (II.), Josiah F., son of Sarah, mar. Eliza C. Conner,
and had, 1, Sarah F.; 2, Eliza; 3, Charles. (III.), Mariah A., da. of Sarah.
mar. William Tollfre, and had, 1, William, (IV.), Mary A., da. of Sarah, mar.
Sidney Firth. (V.), Maria, da. of Josiah, mar. Watson Bowron, and had,
1, William Henry; 2, Mariah, 3, Josephine; 4, Francis. (VII.), James, mar.
Pheebe Carpenter, and had, 1, Thomas C.; 2, Jane; 3, Joseph; 4, Edmond;
5, William C.; 6, Mary; 7, Sarah; 8, James; 9, Elias H. (I.), Thomas C.,

APPENDIX A. 731

son of James, mar. Esther G. Haviland, and had, 1, John; 2, Phebe C.;
8, Hannah; 4, Sarah. (1.), John, son of Thomas C., mar. Mary Gabriella Sutton,
and had, 1, Thomas A.; 2, William H.; 38, Uriah. (II.), Phoebe C., da. of
Thomas C , mar. David R. Underhill, and had, 1, Emma; 2, Carrie. (II.), Jane,
da. of James, mar. Allen Sutton, and had, 1, James F.; 2, William A. ;
3, Edmond F. ; 4, Pheebe Jane. (I.), James F., son of Jane, mar. Pheebe T.
Carpenter, and had, 1, Jane; 2, Hannah F. (II.), William A., son of Jane,
mar. Catharine Richardson. (III.), Joseph, son of James, mar. Mary Hatfield.
(1V.), Edmond, son of James, mar. Hannah L. Haight, and had, 1, Hannah Lydia.
(1.), Hannah Lydia, da. of Edmond, mar. Francis Carpenter, and had, 1, Frederick;
2, Mary; 3, Howard. (Y.), William C., son of James, mar. Mary Barnes, and
had, 1, Stephen B.; 2, William H.; 8, Hannah B.; 4, Phebe A. (IL),
_ William H., son of William ©., mar. Mary Carpenter, and had, 1, George;
2, Harriet. (VIII), James, son of James, mar. Elizabeth Harbough, and had,
1, Frederick Augustus. (IX.), Elias H., son of James, mar. Sarah Hunt, and
had, 1, Phoebe C.; 2, Lewis Eugene; 3, Jane Edmond. (VIII.), Sarah mar.
John Griffin, and had, 1, Phebe; 2, Mary; 3, George; 4, Eliza. (II.), Mary,
da. of Sarah, mar. Isah Quinby, and had, 1, John J.; 2, Eliza F. (1.), John J.,
son of Mary, mar. Hannah G. Haviland, and had, 1, Howard; 2, Frank;
3, Robert. (IL), Eliza F., da. of Mary, mar. Edward 8. Quinby, and had,
1, Elizabeth; 2, Edward; 3, Frederick. (III.), George, son of Sarah, mar.
Sarah Husted, and had, 1, Ada. (IY.), Eliza, da. of Sarah, mar. Hiram Bent.
(IX.), Mary mar. Daniel Griffin, and had, 1, Hannah; 2, Josiah; 2, Anna;
4, Daniel; 5, David. (I.), Hannah, da. of Mary, mar. Daniel Griffin, and had,
1, Marianna; 2, James; 3, Mariah. (II.), James, son of Hannah, mar. Sarah
Burling, and had, 1, Howard. (III.), Anna, da. of Mary, mar. Edwir Keeler,
and had, 1, Richard C.; 2, Edwin; 3, Phebe Jane. (I.), Richard C., son of
Anna, mar. Hannah Carpenter, and had, 1, James. (II.), Edwin, son of Anna,
mar. Susan Brown, and had, 1, Harold; 2, Edwin; 3, Louis M. (X.), Ann
mar. John Haviland, and had, 1, Mary; 2, Jane; 3, Richard F.; 4, James F.;
5, Phoebe; 6, Mariah; 7, Elizabeth; 8, John. (I), Mary, da. of Ann, mar.
George Provost, and had, 1, Emma; 2, Marianna; 3, John; 4, George; 5,
Louisa (II.), Marianna, da. of Mary, mar. Jacob Welles. (VI.', Mariah, da,
of Ann, mar. David R. Field. (VII.), Elizabeth, da. of Ann, mar. William
Horton. (VIII.), John, son of Ann, mar. Olive P. Eldridge, and had, 1, Olive
Janette. Arms, sa, a chev. betw. 3 garbs, arg. Crest, a dexter arm, issuing
out of the clouds, fesse ways, ppr., habited gu., holding in the hand ppr., a
sphere, or.

Fatconer.—Peter Falconer, one of the first patentees of North Castle, left
twosons. (I.), William, who had, 1, Josiah; 2, Ruth; 3, Catharine; 4, Hannah.
(1I.}, John of Eastchester, b, Dec. 18, 1747, d. June 24, 1831, et. 88, mar.
Elizabeth Purdy, she was b. May 31, 1749, d. Dec. 22, 1799. Their children
were, 1, David of N. Y., b. Dec. 10, 1772; 2, Jonathan of Miltown, N. Y., b,
Feb. 14, 1774; 8, Roger of N. J., b. Aug. 20, 1775; 4, Josiah of N. Y., b.
May 1, 1780; 5, William of N. Y., b. May 1, 1780; 6, Anne, b. Dec. 9, 1779,
mar. Matthew Fogel; 7, Elizabeth, b. July, 1781, mar. William Raldwiz ;
8, Catharine, b. January 8, 1782, mar. John Fisher of White Plains,

7132 APPENDIX: A,

Farrineton oF Eastonrester.—The family of Farrington are of Shaw Hall,
Lancashire, England. The Farringtons, of Farrington, Wearden and Shaw Hall,
all in the Parish of Leyland and County Palatine of Lancaster, arose at the time
of the Conquest, and have since preserved an uninterrupted male succession.
They resided at Farrington as recently as the time of Elizabeth, and continued
at Wearden until the close of the sixteenth century, when they removed to
Shaw Hall.

The manor and hundred of Leyland was held by them of King Edward the
Confessor; and the men of the manor (which was of a superior order), as well as
those of Salford, enjoyed the privilege of attending to their own harvest instead
of the King’s.

According to Thompson’s History of Long Island, one Edmund Farrington
with a number of others, embarked from Lynn, Massachusetts, in a vessel with
a Capt. Howe, on or about the 17th of May, 1640, and arrived at Cow Bay, L. L,
where they purchased of the Indians from the eastern part of Oyster Bay to Cow
Bay; and where they were dispossessed, by the Dutch Governor Kieft, on the
19th of May, 1640.

This Farrington originally came from Southampton, England. He, with the
others, afterwards bought Agawan of the Indians—a tract about twenty miles
long and six miles wide—and made a settlement, which he cailed Southampton.
They made their settlement on the 13th December, 1640. The consideration
paid was sixteen coats and eighty bushels of Indian corn for the land. Edmund
Farrington returned to Lynn, Mass., and in 1665 built a mill there, and dug a
pond and opened a brook for a half mile called Farrington’s Brook. Farrington
died in 1680, aged §8 years. Two of his sons, viz. Thomas and Edmund,
afterwards removed to Flushing. Thomas Farrington in 1645 was one of the
patentees of Flushing, and his brother Edward was a magistrate there in 1657.
The latter had a son named John Mastin Farrington.

Thomas Farrington, the first of that name mentioned in the Eastchester town
records, was one of their descendants. He emigrated from Flushing to East-
chester about the year 1750, and became one of the purchasers of a portion of
Long Reach, a district of the town; and the farm that he owned in that patent ig
yet in the possession of one of his descendants, Mr. Jonas Farrington of the city
of New York.

Thomas settled in Yonkers—afterwards removed near Hunt’s Bridge, and
then to Long Reach.

Thomas Farrington died about the year 1793, about 90 years of age; his
grave and that of his second wife lies at the junction of a lane called Far-
rington’s Lane, running through his farm with the White Plains Road. Thomas
Farrington mar., first wife, a Miss Norris; and his sister Jane Farrington mar,
John Norris, the brother of his first wife. Their children—1, Robert mar.
Charity, sister of Nehemiah Hunt; 2, Sarah mar. Anthony Valentine; 3, Thomas
mar. Miss Taylor; 4, Benjamin mar. Susannah Tompkins; second wife, Mar-
garet Mastin. Their children—1, Jonas mar. to Euphemiah Lawrence; 2, Mastin
died unmarried; 3, Hannah mar. Joseph Oakley; 4, Penelope died Oct. 10, 1838,
unmarried; 5, George mar. Frances Guion, d. April 16, 1830.

The following extract, from the Eastchester town records, apply to Thomas
Farrington, viz.: he was appointed overseer of the roads April 15th, 1774:—

APPENDIX A. 733

“There at is ye house of Thomas Farrington’s a road rooned horse aboute

fourteen hands high, shored before with a middle long tale, without either marke
or brand as can be perceived. Entered ye 28th day of December, 1766, by me.
£0: 0. 9. Sam’. SNEDEN, Town Clerk.”

The fol, ‘wing extracts from the town records apply to other members of his
family :—

‘‘George Farrington (his son) was appointed Overseer of the Roads on 1st
April, 1784. Appoinved Fence Viewer and Overseer of the Road on 5th April,
1796; re-electea 4th April, 1797. Appointed Overseer of the Poor 3d April, 1798;
also 2d April, 1799; also Overseer of Roads 1st April, 1800.

“Jonas Farrington, another son, was selected Overseer of Roads 3d April,
1798; Overseer of Highways, 11th Dist., on 7th April, 1812; re-appointed 6th
April, 1818; also 7th April, 1818; also 6th April, 1819.”

Jonas Farrington, the son of Thomas Farrington, was born May 26, 1754;
mar. Euphemia Lawrence, b. Jan. 20, 1764. Their children—i, Mastin b. Feb.
2, 1782; 2, Jane b. April 16, 1785; 3, George b. Aug. 10, 1787; 4, Jonas b.
May 8, 1790; 5, Hannah b. May 3, 1793, died in infancy; 6, Charles b. April 2,
1796; 7, John Rich b. Dec. 23, 1798; 8, Rebecca b. Nov. 10, 1801. Jonas da.
A.D. 1922, Sept. 22; Euphemia d. A. D. 1830, March 21. Their tombstones are
in Eastchester churchyard. Of these children— Tie First, Mastin Farrington, d.
March 29, 1823: mar. Keziah Oakley, b. July 25,1782. Their children -- 1, Oakley
b. Nov. 2, 1801, mar., 1825, May 8, to Mary Ann Boscawen, and had issue;
2, Mary b. Oct. 27, 1803, mar. a Mr. Munn, and had issue. Zhe Second, Jane
Farrington, mar. Anthony Valentine, and hal issue; shed. in 1838. Zhe Third,
George Farrington, mar. a Miss Morgan, and had issue. The Fourth, Jonas
Farrington, jr., mar. Sarah Wolff, and had—1, John, who mar. Margaret
Jourdan, and had issue; 2, Rebecca mar. Abel Wheaton, jr., and had issue;
3, John Smith; 4, Sarah mar. Wm. L. Barker; 5, Hannah. The Fifth, Charles
Farrington, mar. Catharine Boyce, b. A.D. 1799, and had—i, Emeline
Euphemia b. April 19, 1819, mar. Wm. 8. Wood; 2, Chas. W. b. April 4, 1835,
mar.*; 3, John Rich b. Feb. 4, 1820, mar.; 4, Eliza Rebecca d. The Sizth,
John Rich Farrington mar. Hannah Barker, and had issue. The Seventh,
Rebecca Farrington, mar. John P. Angevine A. D. 1837, and had Charles
Berrian b. March 15, 1840.

There are great numbers of the descendants of the other children of Thomas
Farrington settled in Westchester County, city of New York and Virginia.

FocntTarin or BEDFORD.—......... Fountain, Esq., descended from the Fountains
of Stockingham, Devonshire, England, was a merchant of opulence, and emigrated
to A:ncrica about 1650. Hed. et. 100, leaving Moses, and a younger son who
d.s. p. xt. 104, Moses, the eldest, had also two sons, viz.: Moses and Matthew.
The latter was a military officer of some distinction. Previous to the Revolutionary
war lic removed from Bedford to Eastchester, where he d. from the bite of a fox,
et. 56. He Jeft four sons, (1.), Stephen. (II.), Aaron. (III.), Rev. Ezra of
Bedford, b. 20th May, 1743, d. Oct. 15, 1840. (IV.), James of Bedford. Rev.
Ezra had, 1, James, M. D., of the New York University, who has Hosea, M. D.,
of Somers, Elias, Jabez, Husted, C. Horton, and Ezra James. 2, Hosea.
8, Tyler of Peckskill. -A7ms, arg. three bars, gamelles, gu, on a canton az. a lion
passant guardant, or. Crest, an eagle’s head erased, holding in his beak a snake.

734 APPENDIX A,

Fow.er or East AND Wesconestrer.—All of this name in Connecticut and
New York are supposed to have originated from William Fowler of New Haven,
who was elected a magistrate in 1637, and was one of the first settlers of Milford,
1639. John Fowler was living at Guilford, Conn. in 1650. Benjamin Fowler,
of Westchester removed to Phillipse’s Manor, b. 1715, mar. Sarah Vincent.
Their children were, (I.), Anthony, mar. Elizabeth Taylor, and had, 1, Benja-
min; 2, Abraham; 3, Anthony; 4, Nathaniel; 5, Sarah. (iII.), Vincent, mar.
1st, Dorothy Valentine; 2nd, Mrs. Merritt, and left, 1, Ann; 2, Abraham; 3,
Rebecca; 4, Benjamin; 5, Mary; 6, Sarah. (III.), Frederick, whose da. Jane,
mar. Jeremiah Dobbs; (IV.), Josiah, d.s. p.; (V.), Benjamin, d,s. p.; (VI.),
Hannah, mar. H. Fowler, M. D.; (VII.), Ann, mar. Dennis Brewer; (VIIL.),
Isabel, mar. Dennis Post. Henry Fowler of Eastchester was one of the associat
proprietors of the Long Reach Patent in 1708. He left Henry, the father of
William, who was b. A. D. 1701. William had Richard the father of Philemon
of Eastchester. Hdmund Fowler of Eastchester, d. A. D. 1747, mar. Rachel,
and left, 1, Gilbert; 2, Edmund, to whom his father devised all those lands in
Eastchester called Hutchin’s; 3, Solomon. John Fowler of Eastchester had
John, Abigail, who mar. Secor, and Jemima, who mar. —— Williams.
John Fowler, jr., d. cir. 1765, mar. Elizabeth, and left, 1, John; 2, Andrew; 3,
David; 4, Joshua; 5, Thomas.

GaAULLADET OF New RoonEetLe.—The ancestors of the Gaulladets were Prot-
estants, inhabitants of La Rochelle, in France. On the Revocation of the Edict
of Nantes Pierre Eliseé Gaulladet, a physician at Rochelle, fled from France to
England, from whence he removed to America and settled at New Rochelle.
His son Pierre, d. A. D. 1774, mar. —— Willmouth, and left, 1, Elisha; 2, Col.
Peter, commander of a troop of light horse in the Continental service ; 3, Joseph
of New Rochelle, mar. Ann Badeau; 4, Mary, mar. Samuel Pease; 5, Frances,
mar. —— Casting.

Guion or NEw RocHette.—Louis Guion, Heuyer, ‘‘the founder of this emi-
nently respectable family” was b. at La Rochelle, in France, about 1654. Four
years before the Revocation of the celebrated Edict of Nantes, he fied with his
family into England, from whence he emigrated to America and settled at New
Rochelle about 1687. Feb. 6th, 1695, he received letters of denization from
King William of England. His son Louis, who d. at New Rochelle cir. 1725,
mar. Tomaza ——, and left (I.), Louis or Lewis, b. at sea, who had 1, Isaac,
mar. Mary Bolt and left Thomas, Frederick §., Isaac, M. D., Letitia, mar. Jos.
Purdy, and Maria, b. 9th March, 1750; 2, Abraham, b. Ist Jan., 1719, d. Jan.
1, 1799, had issue 1, Frederick, b. W51, d. 1831, mar. Jemima Hackett, and left
Frederick Augustus, Maria, Alethea, Julia, and Cornelia; 2, John; 3, Major
Isaac of Natchez, mar. Sarah Lewis, and had Capt. Frederick, U. 8. A., Hon.
John of Vicksburgh, Hon. Lewis of Mississippi, Capt. Walter, U. 8. A.; 3,
David, mar. Esther Parcot; 4, Peter, d.s. p.; 5, John of Rye Neck, b. Feb.
1, 1723, d. June 21, 1792, mar. 1747, Anna Hart, she was b. April 11, 1728,
and d. Feb. 26,1814. The children of John and Anna were 1, Jonathan, b.
January 28, 1749, mar. Phebe Lyon. Children of Jonathan and Phebe Guion
were: 1, Anne, b. Dec. 2nd, 1774; 2, James, b. Sept. 20th, 1777; 3, Sarah,
b. Sept. 28th, 1779; 4, Mary, b, Aug. 28d, 1782; 5, Thomas, b. Aug. 11th,

‘APPENDIX A. 735

1786; 6, Phebe, b. April 24th, 1789; 7, Hetty, b. June 10th, 1791; 8,
Alvah, b. Oct. 21,1795. Phcebe, the wife of Jonathan, d. Dec. 11, 1819, Jonathan
Guion, d. Aug. 28, 1835. The children of Abraham and Mary were Anne Eliza,
d. Oct. 26, 1840, mar. Thomas Haviland of Rye, Sarah, d. May 15, 1798, Maria,
mar. John W. Conover, of New York, John, d. 19th, Feb. 1798, William Henry,
proprietor of the homestead on Rye Neck, Peter Knapp, d. July 10, 1838, mar
Jane Stockbridge of New York, James Hart of Rye Neck, mar. Jane Harriot,
Sarah Ophelia, mar. Royal C. Ormsby of New York, Charity Amelia, mar. Gar-
ret Vermilyea of Rye, Hetty Adeline, mar. Gilbert Haight of Mamaroneck,
Charlotte Purdy, d. April 2, 1824, and Chalan Gabriel of Rye Neck, mar. Sarah
Wright, of L. L.; 9, Isaac, b. Sep. 19, 1767, mar. Elizabeth Wilsey; 10, Elijah,
b. April 19, 1770, mar. Elizabeth Marshall, and left Rev. John M., and the Rev.
Elijah, who mar. Clara Beek ; 11, Monmouth Hart, b, Oct, 8, 1771, mar. Anne
Lyon. (II.), Isaac, second son of second Louis, mar. Maria —— and had Louis
of Eastchester, The latter left Lewis of Eastchester, Daniel of Eastchester,
Mary, mar. John Albeson, Isabel, Margaret, and Susannah. (III), Aman, third
son of second Louis, d. cir. 1757, mar. Elizabeth Samson, and had, 1, Elias, b.
Sept. 14, 1728, d. Nov. 26, 1811, mar. 16th December, 1770, Magdalene Soulice,
and had Elias of New Rochelle, b, Feb. 19, 1772, Mary Elizabeth, b. May 24,
1776, Magdalene, b. 19th August, 1774, mar. John Drake, son of Benjamin; 2,
Benjamin, b. Feb., 1730, mar. Sarah Pell, da. of Joshua, she was b. J uly 30,
1744. They left Phebe, bapt. 1784, and others; 3, Esaie, b. Aug. 26, 1736; 4,
Aman of New Rochelle ; 5, Elizabeth; 6, Susannah, mar. John Landrine. (IV.),
Susannah, only da. of second Louis, mar. John Soulice. Arms. D’arg, au cap
de vigne de sable chargé de trois grappes, de raisins de geules, :

2

HADLEY oF YONKERS.—Joseph Hadley was living at Yonkers in 1687. His
grandson, Joseph, mar. Hittabel ——-——, and left George, who mar. Phebe
Tippett. The children of George were (I.), Isaac. (II.), Frederick. (III.),
George. (IV.), Abraham. (Y.), Stephen. (VI.), William. (VII), Elizabeth.
William, sixth son ‘of George, mar. Elizbath Warner, and left 1, Joseph, ob. at
the West; 2, Moses, whose son Moses is still living; 3, William, d. at N. Y.;
4, Charles of Conneticut, where sons are still living; 5, John, d.; 6, James of
N. Y.; 7, Isaac, whose two sons d. in the U. §. A.: 8, Jacob of Western New
York; 9, Thomas d. at Charlestown; 10, George Washington.

Hanrorp oF Norra Sarear.—The Rev. Thomas Hanford, was the first Pres-
byterian minister of the town of Norwalk. Hed. A. D. 1693, and left several
sons. Thomas, the eldest, had Thomas. The latter left two sons, (1.), Thomas
of Norwalk, whose da. Mary mar. ————— Wentworth. (II.), Gershom of
North Salam, whose sous are, 1, Gershom; 2, Lewis, of North Salam; 3, John,
of North Salem; 4, Josiah; 5, Thomas; 6, Nehemiah ; 7, Stephen.

Hart or Rye.—Among several of the families worthy of note, is that of Ed-
ward Hart, the first of the family in this country. He settled in Flushing, Long
Island, and was a man of wl:om his descendants may well feel proud. He was
one of the leading men of that town; was town clerk when that was the highest
office. In Dec., 1657, the Dutch Governor and counsel issued an order requiring

736 APPENDIX A.

the people of Flushing, then called Vissengen, to cease from entertaining Qua-
kers ; and requiring them to apprehend and send to the city any who should profess
or preach the doctrines of that heretical sect. To this order astrong remonstrance
was returned by Edward Hart, signed by him as town clerk, with thirty of the
principle inhabitants of the town; and which was presented to Gov. Stuyvesant
by Tobias Feeke, the sheriff, who was immediately arrested. Hart was impris-
oned for writing this remonstrance; after three weeks confinement, he was com-
pelled to make a humble submission, and was then released—only at the earnest
intercession of his neighbors, as he was one of the oldest settlers, and had a large
family to provide for.¢ His son, Jonathan Hart, settled in Rye about 1685, and
was chosen a townsman in 1686. He married Hannah Budd. The Harts of
this county are descended from him.

Hormes oF Beprorp.—This family derive their origin from John Holmes,
who emigrated from Beverly, Yorkshire, England, to America, about 1660. In
1690, he was one of the resident proprietors of Bedford, b. cir. 1639, d. 1729.
His son John was for many years town clerk, and justice of the peace for Bed-
ford. John Holmes, jun, d. A. D. 1763, he mar. Jamima ——-——, and left
(1.), John, proprietor of the Cohamong farm, b. 1735, d. 1762, who had Lewis and
Catharine. (II.), Col. James, b. 1737, d. July 18, 1824, mar. Sept. 25, 1787, Tamar
Lounsberry, she d. Oct. 11, 1788. Their two da. were Tamar, b. June 4, 1786,
who mar. James Ronalds, and Sally, b. Oct. 27, 1787, who mar. Jeremiah Louns-
berry of Bedford. (III.), Stephen, proprietor of the homestead, d. Sept. 1779.
(IV.), Sarah. (V.), Rebecca. (VI.), Lois. (VIL), Emma. (VIII.), Dorcas. Of
this family was David Holmes of Bedford, in 1710, whose sons were (I.), Joseph,
who left Joseph of Bedford, the father of Nathan, The latter had two children,
viz., Joseph and Sarah, who mar. Charles Miller. (II.), Reuben. (III.), Jona-
than, who mar. Dorothy, and left 1. Jonathan, who had two da., Martha, mar.
Richard Wilder, and Mary, mar. Isaac Chase; 2, Solomon, mar. Rachel Miller,
and left a son and three da.; 8, Hezekiah, mar. Elizabeth Finch, he d. in 2813,
set. 100. The children of Hezekiah are James of Thompsontown, Jonathan,
Patty, et. 92, in 1847, and Rachel, et. 82; 4, Dorothy; 5, Mary; 6 Rachel.
(IV.), David, left two sons, 1st, David, the father of David, 2nd, Samuel, the
father of Stephen.

Horron or Ryz anp Waite Prarmss.—The Horton family are descended
from Barnabas Horton, one of the first settlers of Southhold, L. I. He, with
others, came from England and landed in New Haven, Conn., with the Rev.
John Young as their spiritual leader. With the assistance of Gen. Eaton they, |
about the year 1640, purchased the soil, and afterwards conducted the concerns
of the sett!ement in the manner of the New England towns.» Joseph Horton,
son of Barnabas Horton, mar. Jane Budd, a daughter of John Budd, settled in
Rye, 1669, and was chosen a selectman in 1671; he was thought equal to any
duty. He had several sons. Captain Joon, the eldest, left Join, who was living
at Rye, 1707. The latter had a son, Joseph, who mar: Elizabeth —————. David
of White Plains, supposed son of Joseph, had four sons, (I.), Joseph. (II),

a. In Callanan’s New Netherland, vol. 2, p, 351. Thompson’s Long Island, vol, 2, p. 72, 289
290.

a Thompson’s Long Island, vol. 1, p. 374.

APPENDIX A. 737

Thomas. (III.), John. (IV.), Daniel, who had 1, Stephen of White Plains, who
left David of Yonkers and Benjamin; 2, Daniel ; 3, Samuel; 4, George W. of
City Island; 5, Elijah C.; 6, Anne mar. Samuel Crawford of White Plains; 7,
Margaret Of this family was William Horton of King street, Rye, who had
(1.), Jeremiah of Mamaroneck, who mar. Elizabeth Hart, and left 1, Abrahain ;
2, James; 3, Benjamin; 4, Elijah; 5, Hannah; 6, Anne. (I1.), Isaac, d.s. p.
1821, mar. Sarah Cornell. (III.), Timothy of L. I. (V.), Rachel. (¥V.), Pruer.
Daniel Horton of Rye, a lineal descendant of first Joseph, b. Feb. 22. 1776, mar.
Anne Strang, she was b. Sept. 30, 1764. Their children were 1, James, b. Oct.
29, 1787; 2, Henry, b. Feb. 19, 1789; 3, Ebenezer, b. Nov. 30, 1796, ob. May
13, 1814; 4, Nathaniel, b. Jan. 17, 1794; 5, Phoebe, b. May 23, 1791; 6, Marga-
ret, b. Oct. 20, 1795, d. Oct. 28, 1793; 7, Mary Ann, b. Sept. 2, 1798, d. May 18,
1823 ; 8, Martha, b. Sept. 7, 1801; 9, Margaret, b. April 2, 1804; 10, Caroline,
Feb. 28, 1807; 11, Elizabeth Ann, b. Oct. 2,1824. Of this family was John
Horton of White Plains, who d. 1763, and left 1, Azariah ; 2, Phebe; 3, Patience;
4, Hannah.

Huestis or Evstis.—Robert Huestis removed from Fairfield to Westchester,
about 1664. By his wife Elizabeth, he had Robert, John, Samuel, and David.
James, whether connected with Robert or not is uncertain, came from Fairfield
to Eastchester, 1665. The children of James were ist, Jonathan, b. Nov. 12,
1667. 2nd, James, b. Feb. 15, 1669. 3d, Jndah, b. March 16, 1671. James,
second son of James, mar. Tamer Pell, da. of John, and left ist, James, d. cir.
1779-80, xt. 80, mar. Tamar Ferris, and had 1, James, mar. Griffen; 2, Caleb;
8, Samuel, a man of great literary attainments, lost his manuscripts by fire, which
brought on mental derangement, mar. —— Appleby; 4, Joshua, d. Dec.
1781, mar. Abbe Baker, she d. cir. 1821, et. 90; 5, Martha, mar. James Boyd;
6, Sarah, mar. Samuel Nelson. Joshua, fourth son of James, had 1, Thomas of
New Brunswick, -b. Dec. 25, 1760, mar. 1, Pheebe Mabee; 2, Eliza Smith. He
left by Phoebe Mabee, 1, Joshua, mar. Sarah Black; 2, Peter, mar. Miss Lefurge ;
3, James; 4, Nathaniel; 5, Catharine. By Eliza Smith, 1, Phebe; 2, Mabee,
mar. Simon Newcombe; 3, Abby; 4, Joshua; 5, Thomas. (II.), Mary, d. 1836,
mar. Benjamin Palmer. (IiI.), Benjamin, b. Dec. 1765, mar, Hannah Higby,
she was b. June 16, 1771. Their children were 1, Joshua; 2, Fleming; 3, Ben-
jamin; 4, Thomas Palmer; 5, Samuel; 6, William; 7, Daniel; 8, Harvey; 9,
Catharine, mar. Abraham Lent; 10, Mary; 11, Abigail Jane. (IV.), Joshua,
proprietor of Pelham Neck, b. July 15, 1768, mar. Leah Rodman, and left Ann
Maria, d. 1834, mar. Moses Odell. (V.), Elizabeth, b. Oct. 23, 1769, mar. Au-
gustus Lawrence, Esqr. (VI.), Daniel, mar. Susannah Rich, and left 1, Rebecca
Anne, mar. Nicholas Underhill ; 2, Mary, mar. Charles Augustus Briggs. (VIL),
Elijah of Ithaca, Thompkins Co., mar. Elizabeth Green, and had 1, Deborah
Ann, mar. Ist. William Riccards. 2nd, John Perry; 2, Jane, mar. 1st, John Far-
rell, 2nd, Will. Bennett: 3, Emmeline, mar. John Cutts; 4, Lorenzo Scott; 5,
Thomas Green; 6, Joshua; 7, Charlotte. James, second son of first James, left
secondly, John, b. cir. 1760, mar. Elizabeth Guion, and had (I.), John, ob. s. p.
(II.), David, mar. Abigal Morgan, da. of Charles of East Clinton, and left 1,
Augustus, Esqr., of Westchester, mar. Sarah Valentine, and left William, mar.
Miss Allerton; 2, Stephen; 3, Elijah; 4, Benjamin, mar, ist, Esther, 2nd,

738 APPENDIX A.

Martha Lawrence, by the latter left John Lawrence, William Augustus. James,
second son of first James, left thirdly, Samuel, of Long Reach, Erstchester. Arms,
sa. a saltier, betw. four martletts, ar. within a bordure erm.

Hont or Hunt’s Point.—This family are presumed to spring from one of the
younger sons of Thomas Hunt of Shrewsbury, county of Shropshire, England,
son of Richard Hunt, bailiff of Shrewsbury in 1613. Thomas was high sheriff
of Shropshire in 1656, and a colonel in the Parliament service; he died A. D.
1669.

Thomas Hunt of Rye removed to Westchester, where he purchased the Grove
Farm, which was patented to him by Governor Nicolls, 4th Dec. 1667. Will
dated 6th Oct., 1694,—Rec. Wills, No. v. 99; mar. Elizabeth Jessup, da. of
Edward. They had, 1, Thomas, a trustee of the freehold and commonalty of
the town of Westchester in 1692; 2, Josiah, a trustee of ditto in 1692; 3,
Joseph, who left a daughter Martha; 4, John, who mar. Grace ; his will
is dat. 7th Jan’y, 1711; 5, Abigail, mar. John Piockney. Thomas, the eldest,
was father to Thomas of Hunt’s Point, (who mar. Sarah Ward,) Augustus,
Lewis, Robert, (who d. 1749,) and Abigail. Thomas and Sarah Ward left, 1,
Thomas, b. 1727, d. July 4, 1838, mar. Ist, Milicent Wright, d. 15th Sept.,
1832; 2nd, Hannah Wright; 2, Jesse, high sheriff of the County and proprietor
of Hunter’s Island, mar. Miss Staples; 3, Ward, mar. —— Briggs of Eastches-
ter. Thomas, the eldest, left issue, 1, Thomas, who mar. Frances Ambroise de
Poline, and had Eliza and Frances; 2, Joseph, M. D., mar. —— Burnet of
Demerara, and left Joseph, Thomas, James of Michigan, and Henry; 3, Jona-
than; 4, James, mar. Ward, da. of Hon. Stephen; 5, Alsop, mar. Eliza-
beth Lockwood, da. of Major. Ebenezer; 6, Henry, mar. Rogers of Dem-
erara, and left two da.; 7, Joshua; 8, Richard, mar. 1st, Elizabeth Tice; 2nd,
Eliza Hardy; 9, Margaret of West Farms; 10, Sarah. Jesse, high sheriff of
the county, had Capt. Thomas, Lieut. Jesse, Samuel, and a da. who mar.——
Gracie. Ward, third son of Thomas and youngest brother of Jesse, left Mont-
gomery of Utica, and Walter of Mount Pleasant.

Josiah Hunt, second son of Thomas of the Grove Farm, by his wife Bethia
Horguson, left one son, commonly called Grove Josiah, who had 1, Thomas; 2,
Moses of Long Reach, Eastchester; 3, Josiah; 4, David; 5, Abner; 6, Phebe,
mar. —— Fowler; 7, Martha, and 8, Abigail, mar. Buckbed. Thomas, eldest
son of Josiah, d. cir. 1756, mar. Mary , and had Mianna, mar. John Fer-
ris, Stephen, father of Sylvester, Charles, of Long Reach, Eastchester, Hivin,
Martha, mar. James Tippett, Christina, Alathea Anne, mar. John Leggett, and
Helena, who mar. Jonathan Odell. Moses, second son of Josiah, d. cir. 1760 and
left Benjamin, Timothy, Gilead, Reuben, Mary, mar. —— Yomans, Rebecca,
Sarah, mar. William Oakley, and Martha, mar. —— Tippett. Josiah, third son of
Josiah, d. cir. 1748, and had, Jacob, Caleb, Solomon the father of Nathan, Abi-
gail and Anne; Tabitha, Rachel, mar. —— Fowler, Rebecca, mar. —— Pell,
Lydia, mar. Walter Briggs, and Tabitha. Joseph, third son of Thomas Hunt of
the Grove Farm, left Martha and others. John Hunt, fourth son of Thomas of
the Grove Farm, was a trustee of the freehold and commonalty of Westchester
in 1692, d. cir. 1711, mar. Grace , and had, 1, William, ancestor of the
Hunts of Tarrytown; 2, Joshua, d. cir. 1760, mar. Mary , and had, John,

APPENDIX A. 739

father of Joshua, Caleb, Enoch, Joshua, Israel, Miriam, mar. —— Oakley, and
Mary; 3, Jonathan; 4, Mary, mar. —— Underhill; 5, Jeremiah; 6, Israel,
whose son Israel left Joshua, the father of Gilbert and Israel. The latter resided
at Eastchester and mar. Bonnett; 7, James, to whom his father bequeathed
thirty acres upon Throckmorton’s Neck. Of this family was Ovadiah Hunt of
Phillipsborough, who d. 1736, and had Obadiah and Anne. Obadiah, jr., d. cir.
1760, and left, 1, Obadiah; 2, John; 8, Zebediah. Joseph Hunt, a resident of
Cortlandt’s Manor, d. cir. 1768, mar. Levina , and had, 1, Gilbert; 2,
Levina; 3, Eunice; 4, Jemima; 5, Anne; 6, Esther. Aaron Hunt of West-
chester, a descendant of Thomas Hunt of Hunt’s Point. mar. Rebecca Haydock,
and had, 1, Eden, b. Dec. 3, 1755, a guide to General Washington; 2, Major
David, b. Sept. 4, 1757; 3, Mary, b. January 10,1760; 4) Charlotte and Eleanor,
b. Nov. 18, 1762; 5, Eleanor, b. Nov. 21st, 1764; 6, Aaron, b. Sept. 24. 1767;
7, Roger and Haydock, b. Sept. 22, 1770; 8, Moses, b. Feb. 25, 1778, Wehe-
miah Hunt of Eastchester, mar. Lawrence, and had, 1, Euphemia; 2,
Anne; 3, Mary; 4, Frederick; 5, Phoebe; Theodosius; 7, Aaron, d. 1828,
mar. Elizabeth Fowler, da. of Thomas Fowler, and had Theodosius, Richard and
others; 8, Basil, who had Richard, Reuben, Nathan and Jacob; 9, Thomas;
10, Martha. David, fourth son of Josiah Hunt, called Grove Josiah, mar. Mary
Cromwell, and left (I.), Theophilus. (II.), Aaron. (III.), David, jr., who mar.
——Honneywell, and left Jemima, who mar. Sidney Bowne. (IV.), Philip.
(V.), Stephanus, mar. Liddia Lawrence, da. of Joseph, and left (I.), Joseph.
(II.), Josiah. (III.), Richard. (IV.), Lydia. (V.), Lott. (VI.), Effingham.
Josiah, second son of Stephanus, mar. Elizabeth Palmer, da. of Lewis, and had,
(1.), Rachel, mar. Thomas Tate. (II.), Gulielmo, mar. Samuel Tate. (IIL),
Lydia, mar. Jacob Weeks. (IV.), Charlotte, mar. William Sutton. (V.), Steph-
anus, mar. Phoebe Dickinson, and left 1, Josiah Dickinson ; 2, John Woolman;
3, Daniel ; 4, Elias Hicks; 5, Susannah; 6, Catharine. (VI.), Euphemia, mar.
Isaiah Travis. (VII.), Hannah. (VIII.), Lewis P., mar. Charlotte Weeks, da.
of Benjamin (I.). (IX.), Edmund L. (X.), Philena, mar. Louis de St. Croix.
Lewis P., (VIII.), by his wife Charlotte left, 1, Benjamin W., mar. Mary Quinbey,
da. of William. (II.), Edmund L_ (III.), Hannah. (IV.), Elizabeth, mar.
Charles Wright. (V.), James mar. Sarah Frances Carpenter. (VI.), Sarah,
mar. Elias Hicks Field. (VII.), Phoebe, mar. Peter Carpenter. Benjamin W.
(1.) left by his wife Mary (Quinbey,) (I.), William. (II.), Deborah. (III.),
Charles Lindley, who mar. Kate M. Carpenter. (IV.), Benjamin W. Arms,
per. pale, ar. and sa. a saltier; counterchanged. Crest, a lion’s head, erased,
per. pale, ar. and sa. collared gu. lined and ringed or.

Irvinc—The family of Irvine is from Scotland, in the northern part of which
kingdom it was, (as an ancient record quoted by Chambers the historian, and by
Sir Walter Scott observes, ) ‘‘an ancient and principal family.” Very frequent
mention is niade of them in the early annals of that country ; and in several in-
stances they are spoken of by the above named writers as possessing a distin-
guished position and great influence among the baronial families of the north-
east counties.

An old and curious manuscript history of this family is preserved by one of
them in this country, entitled, ‘‘The original of the Family of Irvines or

740 APPENDIX A,

Erivines, Written by Christopher Irvine, M. A., State Physician and History-
grapher to his majesty, King Charles the Second, in Scotland, and gent to his
brother Sir Gerard Irvine, Bart., of Castle Irvine in the kingdom of Ireland, in
the year 1660.” From this manuscript it appears that the oldest branch of the
family styled the ‘‘Irvines of Bonshaw,” were settled on the banks of the river
Eshe, where they continued for many successive generations with varying
fortunes. From this stock are descended the English and Irish Irvines, among
the latter having been the Rt. Hon. General Sir John Irvine, Commander-in-chief
of his majesty’s forces in Ireland in the year 1779.

A very early offshoot of this parent stock were the ‘‘Jrvines of Drum.” The
eldest son of the house of Bonshaw, William, having been knighted by King
Robert Bruce in the year 1296, and for long and faithful services in the field,
having been endowed with the lands of Drum on the river Dee in Aberdeenshire,
which are ¢o tis day in possession of his descendants. The castle of Drum is
about ten miles from the city of Aberdeen, and is now inhabited by Alexander
Irvine, Esq., the lineal descendant of the above Sir William. Sir William Irvine
of Drum married the daughter of Sir Robert Keith, Knight, Lord Marshall of
Scotland, and of Margaret Hay, daughter of Gilbert Hay, Lord Hay, first
Constable of that family. The manuscript referred to observes, that, ‘‘ The king
gave him the lands of the forest of Drum, and he himself having carried a private
coat of arms whilst he was concealed under the name of the Earl of Carrick,
he likewise gave him that, with permission for him and his descendants forever,
to bear it as their armorial bearing, with this motto, ‘‘szd sole, sub umbra virens,
alluding to the family’s great fidelity to him in his troubles. The badge or
bearing consists of three holly leaves banded gules, on a shield argent.” The
history relates the vicissitudes which befell this family with mnch minuteness
and records their alliances with many of the most distinguished families of the
kingdom: Abernethy, Forbes, Ogilvie, Douglas, Leslie, Dundas, &c., &c.
There were several families of consideration which sprung from these alliances,
among which are named the Irvines of King Caussie, Cutts, Glassil, Easterclane,
Cornyhaugh, Murthil, and Astainford, all of which estates were in the north-
eastern counties of Scotland. During the civil wars they suffered severely in
property, and have since lost much of their former influence, although still
retaining a position of the highest respectability among the gentry of that part of
Scotland.

The first of the family who settled in America was William Irviaog, the son of
Magnus Irving, who was born in 1731, and who on coming to this country in
1763, altered the orthography of the family name, changing the final letter from
e to g, to accord with the English usage. He was married at Falmouth, Eng-
land, in 1761, to Sarah, daughter of John Sanders, Esq., of Falmouth, England.
This gentleman was a very successful and highly respected merchant of the
city of New York, commanding universal esteem from his probity. He died in
the year 1807, leaving the following issue, I. William, ‘‘a merchant of the city
of New York. He was distinguished as a gentleman of literary taste, and in
1812 became a member of Congress. He was concerned with his brother,
Washington Irving, and Mr. J. K. Paulding in writing for Salmagundi;” b.
1766, d. 1821. He mar. Julia Paulding of Tarrytown, W. C. C., and left issue,
1. Lewis Graham. mar. —— Hale, and had Lewis and Charles. 2. Rev. Wil-

APPENDIX A. 741

liam Sanders of the Prot. Epis. Ch. d. s. p. 1823. 3. Oscar, late of Tarrytown,
mar. 1st, Miss Dayton, 2d, Eliza, widow of Mr. Romeyn. 4. Pierre Monro,
counsellor-at-law, N, Y., mar. 1st, Miss Berdau, and 2d, his cousin Helen, da.
of General Richard Dodge. 5. Henry Ogden of Tarrytown. 6. Julia, mar. M.
H. Grinnel, Esq., of New York. II. Anne, b. 1770, mar. General Richard
Dodge of Johnstown, Montgomery Co. ; she died A.D.-1808. III. Peter Irving,
M.D., of Tarrytown, b. in N. Y., 1772, d. 1837, interred at Greenburgh. IV.
Catharine Rodgers, b. 1774, mar Daniel Paris. Esq., son of the late Colonel
Isaac Paris. V. Ebenezer of Tarrytown, b. 1776, mar. Elizabeth Kip, (who
died in 1827,) a descendant of the old Dutch family of that name in the city of
N.Y. Their children are, 1. Pierre Paris, a clergyman of the Protestant Epis-
copal Church, mar. Anna, da. of John Deur, Esq., a grandson of the late Major
General William Alexander, (Lord Sterling,) and has issue, Leslie, Alexander
Duer, Anna, &c. 2. Edgar, mar. Amanda, da. of Thomas Tenant, Esq., of
Baltimore, and has issue, Washington. 38. Theodore, a professor in Geneva
College, mar. Jane, da. of the late Hon. Jacob Sutherland. 4. Sanders, mar.
Julia, da. of John A. Granger, Esq., of Canandaigua. 5, William. 6. Wash-
ington, and several das., yet unmar. VI. John Treat, b. 1778, educated at
Columbia College, a member of the bar, and for many years before his death,
which took place in 1838, first judge of the city and county of New York. He
mar. a da. of the late Hon. Gabriel Furman, and left issue, 1, Gabriel, mar. Miss
Eckford; 2, William, an officer in the U. 8. N., now deceased; 3, John Treat,
mar. a da. of Abraham Schermerhorn, Esq.; 4, Abby, mar. Henry Van Wart,
junior, Esq., of Birmingham, England; 5, George. (VII.), Sarah, b. 1780, mar.
Henry Van Wart, sen., Esq., of Tarrytown, Westchester County, for the last
forty years a resident of England. (VIII.), Washington Irving of Tarrytown.
Arms, arg. three bunches of holly leaves, three leaves in each hunch, vert, tied gu,
the strings flotant. Crest, an arm, couped above the wrist, in armour, ppr. lying
fessewise, holding in the gauntlet a bunch of holly, asin the arms. ~

Kir, oF New Castie.—Jacobus Kip, a native of Holland, emigrated from that
country to New Amsterdam, with his parents, about 1/45. He was b. A. D.
1631, and mar. (March 8, 1654,) Maria de la Montaigue. She was b. at sea, off
the island of Madeira, Jan. 26, 1737. Jacvbus left issue, Johannes, b. Feb. 3,
1655; Jacobus, b. Oct. 14, 1656, mar. Catharine de Hart; Adraham, b. Dec.
21, 1658; Jesse, b. Dec. 16th, 1660; Rachel, b. Jan. 7, 1664, mar. William
Teller; Maria, b. Dec. 2, 1666; Hendricus. b. Jan. 12, 1668; Catharine, b.
Jan. 25, 1671, mar. Hans Kiersted; Petrus, b. April 25, 1674; Benjamin, b.
Aug. 6, 1678, d. A. D. 1702; and Samuel, b. Nov. 4, 1682. Johannes, eldest son
of Jacobus, mar. Sept. 4, 1682, Catharine, da. of William Hans Kiersted, grand
da. of Annetje Jans Bogardus. Their children were 1, Maria, b. Sept. 13, 1686;
2, Sarah, b. Nov. 19, 1688; 3, Hans, b. Oct. 5, 1690; 4, Johannes, b. Jan. 31,
1694; 5, Catharine, b. Oct. 16, 1698 ; 6, Henricus, b. Oct. 20, 1700; 7, Benja-
min and Bladina, twins, b. March 21, 1703; Benjamin, 4th son of Johannes,
removed into Westchester County, where he purchased a farm of 400 acres.
He was a Justice of the Peace under the Colonial Government, d. May 24, 1782,
at Westchester, mar. Dorothy Davenport; she d. Sept, 3, 1807. Benjamin
left issue, (I.), Mary, b. Sept. 18, 1734, mar. Robert Runnells. (II.), William,

742 APPENDIX A.

b. June 28, 1736, d. young. (III.), Elizabeth, b. April 9, 1738, mar. John
Powell. (IV.). Jesse, b. Feb. 23. 1740, ob. Jan. 1, 1780, mar. Ann, da. of
Samuel Haight, she was b. April 18, 1745. They left six sons and two da.
First, Benjamin. Second, Gilbert, mar. Hannah, da. of John Searles, b.
Sept. 4, 1767. Third, John, b. April 27, 1768, mar. Ana, da, of Samuel Quinby,
and had four sons, and four da., viz., Jesse, Sophia, Quinby, mar. Corneiia
Halsted ; Jane, Moses, mar. Martha Worden; Mary Ann, mar. William Hal-
stead, of New York; Leonard B., and Catharine, Fourth, Phebe, b. Feb. 26,
1770, mar. Abel Underhill. Fifth, Caleb, b. October. 23, 1771, mar. Griffeny,
da. of Jacob W. Acker, and had four sons and one da. viz., Hiram, d. May 27,
1835, mar. Miss Harkwell, Solomon of the firm of Kip & Brown, New York,
mar. Esther Conway, and had Griffeny, Oscar, Amanda, Warren, and Celia;
Charles T, mar. Agnes Paxton, Rebecca Ann, mar. 1st, Conrad Gaynor; 2nd,
Francis Sniffen, of New York, d. July 13, 1843; Elias 8., mar. Elizabeth Lacy,
and left Caleb. Elizabeth, wife of Francis, d. Oct. 24, 1844. Miriam, b. Oct.
4,1773. Seventh, James, b. March. 9, 1777, mar. Abigail, da. of Sutton Rey-
nolds; and had Reuben, mar. Maria Fowler, Eden, Miriam, and Ezra. The
latter mar. Margaret Ann, da. of Seth Whitney; and had Seth, Elbert, and
James. Eighth, Jesse, of Somerstown, b. May 25, 1780, mar. 1, Elizabeth, da.
of Abel Smith, and left one da. Phoebe, who mar. Wilson Brown of N. J. Jesse,
mar. 2nd, Sarah Hunt, da. of Capt. Stephen, and had two sons and three da.,
viz., Elizabeth H., mar. Jesse Cole of Indiana. William, mar. Adelaide Gowdy,
Benjamin K., Margaret Ann, mar. Thomas Russel, and Sally Ann. (V.), Abra-
ham, third son of Benjamin, b. March 22, 1743, mar. Phoebe, da. of Samuel
Haight. They had 1st. Samuel, mar. Elizabeth Cipher, and had Abraham and
Walter; 2nd. Abraham, who mar, Catharine, da. of Samuel Quinby, and left
Reuben, Ann, Phebe, Mary, Josiah, Jane, and Abraham. (VI.), Jacobus, b.
Feb. 28, 1745, ad. young. (VII.), Sarah, b. Sept. 20, 1746, mar. James Weeks.
(VIIL.), William, b. Dec. 1748, mar. Mary Merritt, and left Isaac, who mar. Mary,
da. of Joseph Washburn; Sarah, mar. John Requa; Prudence, mar. John Sarles;
Dorothy, mar. Gilbert Baker; Thomas. mar. Amy, da. of Isaac Conklin; Martha,
mar. Moses Marshall; Abigail, mar. James Washburn; Benjamin, jun., mar.
Pheebe, da. of Isaac Conklin; and left, Conklin, jun., Charles, Mary Ann,
Rebecca, Sarah, Charlotte, and Aaron. Ann Kip, sixth da. of William
and Mary, mar. Joseph Tompkins. Tamar, the youngest, mar. Absalom
Underhill. (IX.), James, b. April 6, 1751, mar. Zipporah Carpenter, and
had John of Canada, who mar. Ruth Carpenter, da. of Caleb, Daniel, Elizabeth,
mar. William Green, and Charlotte, who mar. Samuel Hewlett of Dutchess Co.
(X.), Samuel, b. dec. 16, 1753, mar. Freeclove Totten, and left one son and
three da., viz., Freelove, mar, Silas Arnold; Samuel who mar. Tamar Thorn,
and had two sons, Stephen and Benjamin; Sarah and Lydia. (XL),
Thomas, b. July 14, 1756, d. Sept. 1, 1833, mar. Abigail Hatfield and had
three sons and three da., viz., Mary, mar. Stephen Kingsland, of N. Y., Isaac,
Benjamin William, Dorothy, and Jane. (XII.), Mary, b. Feb. 14, 1761, ob.
8. p.

Keeers or Nortn Sarem.—Samuel Keeler, emigrated from Devonshire,
England, and settled on Long Island and called the place Cow Bay; and left.

APPENDIX A, 743

Timothy who had Jeremiah, who left two sons, Zebediah and Job. The eldest
had Job of North Salem. Nathan, ditto, Jeremiah, ditto. A da, mar. —— Lobdell.
A da. mar. Brush, and ada. mar, —— Smith.

Lex oF Yorktown.—This family, supposed to have been a younger branch of
the Lee’s of Lee-Magna, Kent, England, settled in Nottingham at an early
period. William Lee emigrated from Nottingham to America in 1675, d. 1724,
mar. Mary Marvin, and left three sons and seven da. His sons were, Thomas of
Long Island, d. s, p.; Joseph of Long Island, and Richard, who entered the
French military service in Canada, d.s. p. Joseph, second son of William, had
(I.), Joseph of Yorktown, d. xt. 77; and left, 1, William, d. xt. 50; 2, Joseph,
d. xt. 50; 3, Abigail, d. et. 40; 4, Hon. Elijah, d. et. 78, mar. Ist, —— Conk-
lin; 2d, —— Brown; 3d, —— Brown; 4th, —— Williamson; 5; Enos, d. et.
70; 6, Anne, mar. Capt. Saml. Haight; she d. xt. '70; 7, Hannah, mar. James
Brewer, M. D., she d. xt. 70; 8, Phoebe, d, xt. 70, mar. Daniel Horton; 9,
Elizabeth, d. et. 60, mar. Joseph Ingersoll; 10, Sarah, d. eet. 20. (II.), Thomas
of Woodbridge, Cortlandt’s Manor, d. et. 80; left, 1, David, d. et. 90, mar.
Young; 2, Peter of Ohio, d. et. 80; 3. Paul, d. et.'70; 4, Israel of
Orange Co., d. wt. 80; 5, Philip, also of Orange, Co., d. et. 74; 6, William of
New Jersey, d, xt. 80; 7, Thomas, also of New Jersey; 8, Hannah, d. s. p. ; 9,
Phebe, d.s. p. (III.), John removed from Long Island to Yorktown, W. C.
Co., in 1750, b. 1726, d. March 12, 1816, mar. Sarah Perine, she d. July 31,
1796, «et. 74. Their children were, 1, Thomas, d. set 40, s. p; 2, John of New
Jersey, d. xt. 84; 3,Sarah, d. et. 65, mar. John Horton; 4, Henry, d. et. 90, s.
p.; 5, Hannah, d. et. 87, s. p.; 6, Margaret, d. et. 77, mar. Jonas Williams;
7, Abigail, d. «et. 60, mar. David Knapp; 8, Phoebe, d. et. 78, mar. Francis
Colgrove; 9, Dinah, still living et. 85, mar. Thaddeus Rockwell; 10, Robert
of Yorktown, still living wt. 81. (IV.), Pheebe, d. aet. 84, mar. 1744, Dennis
Coombs. (V.), Anna, d, zt. 80, mar. —— Martin. (VI.), Ruth, d. et. 80,
mar, Job Wright. (VII.), Elizabeth, d. xt. 80, mar. —— Martineau. (VIII),
Sarah, d. et. 60. (IX.), Mary, d. et. 64. (X:), Abigail, d. et 18. Azms.—Az.
on a fesse, between two fillets, or, three leopard’s heads, gu. Crest.—A demi
Moor ppr. vested gu. rimmed round the collar with two bars or, tied round the
waist with a ribbon ar, wreathed about the head ar. and gu. holding in his dex—
ter hand a gem-ring of the third.

Lz Comte, or Lz Count, or New Roonzette.—The ancestors of the Le Count’s
were Protestants, inhabitants of La Rochelle, in France. They were of honor-
able and noble descent, (as the name implies), and there possessed considerable
estates. On the revocation. of the Edict of Nantes, Guillaume Le Comte fled
from France to England, and soon after came to America. Guillaume mar.
Marguerita ——, and had Guillaume, Peter, and Esther. Guillaume, junior,
mar. Annette Martha ——, and left two sons, Francis and Josiah. Francis, the
eldest, had, (1), Paul, d. in 1815, s. p. (IL), Josias, mar. Anne Riché and John
of New York, and Thomas of ditto. (III.), John, mar. Hannah Ferris, and left,
1, Samuel; 2, Hannah; 3, Eleanor. (IV.), Joseph, mar. Hannah Raymond, and
had, 1, Platt; 2, Francis; 38, Joseph; 4, Elizabeth. Josiah, second son of 2d

a Elizabeth Lee, sister of the above mentioned William, bequeathed her estate in England
to the heirs general.

744 APPENDIX A,

Guillaume, mar. 1st, Susannah Solice, by whom he had 3 children, viz., Peter,
who it seems was lost at sea; 2nd, John, who mar. Sarah Badeau; and 3rd»
Mary, who mar. Nathaniel Lawrence. John and Sarah had offspring, 1st, Capt.
Josiah of N. Rochelle, who mar. Phebe Morgan of Eastchester ; 2nd, Susan, died
young; 8rd, Elizabeth, who mar. Wm. Le Count of N. Rochelle; 4th, Zipparah,
who mar. Rodman Bertine; 5th, Mirriam, who mar. Benjamin Yates of N. York
city; 6th, Elias, d. a young man; 7th, William, who mar, Hartwell of N. Y.;
8th, Walter, who d.a young man; 9th, Sarah A., who mar, L. J. Coutant of East-
chester; 10th, John, yet unmarried. Josiah, 2nd son of 2nd Guillaume, as above
stated, mar. for his 2nd wife Mary Angevine, who lived to be 105 years old.
They had no children.

Lx Frvre or New Roonerie.—Peter Le Fevre, a French Protestant refugee,
b. at Havre de Grace, fled from France to St. Domingo, W. I., and left a son
John, b. 1753, d. 1837, who removed from St. Domingo to New Rochelle. John
mar. Susannah Coutant, da. of Isaac; she d. 1802. Their children are, 1, Peter
E., mar. Mary Mount; 2, Prosper, mar. Palmer: 3, Rev. John W.; 4, Benja-
min, mar. 1st Tool, 2nd Wall; 5, Drake; 6, Harriet, mar. Deveau; 7, Julian,
mar. Foster.

Lent or Courtitanp.—Ryck Abrahamsen Lent, proprietor of Ryck’s Patent
left Hercules, who d. about 1765. Hercules had, (I.), Jacob. (II.), Hendrick,
the father of David. (III.), Abraham. (IV.), John Lent, who left John, Hur-
cules, present proprietor of the homestead, and Lewis of ‘Cortlandtown. (V.),
Rachel mar. James Lamb. (VI.), Catharine mar. Hendricke de Rondle. (VII.),
Elizabeth.

Le Rovx or New Roonerte.—The family of Le Roux was among the French
Huguenots that fled from France to America, Charles Le Roux, anative of France,
left Charles and others. Catharine, a da. of Charles, junior, mar. Thomas Lud-
low, from whom the Ludlows descend.

LisPENARD oF New Rocnette.—The Lispenard family were of French extrac-
tion, but have been in this country from an early period. Antoine or Anthony Lis_
penard was born in France, and emigrated to America about the year 1681 with the
Huguenots. He settled at New Rochelle when the town was first purchased by
his countrymen, about the year 1691.

The will of Antoine Lispenard of New Rochelle is dated July 5th, 1696, and
is executed at New York. It was proved before Benjamin Fletcher, General and
Governor-in-Chief of the Province of New York, etc., and is recorded in liber 5,
of wills, page 161 in the Surrogates office, New York, July 29th, 1696. Hegives
his estate to his wife, Abigail, and to his children, Anthony, Margaret, and
Abigail. This estate was the present Davenport’s neck—New Rochelle.

1705, Nov. 3rd, Anthony Lispenard (the son) mar. Elizabeth, daughter of Leo-
nard de Klyn of New York, (see Valentine’s Manuel for 1862.) Anthony Lispen-
ard, last mentioned, d. in the latter part of the year 1758 at an advanced age.
His wife d. before him. He left 5 children, viz.: Leonard, David, Magdalena,
Abigail, Mary, and three grand-children, daughters of his deceased son Anthony
(see Book of New York Marriages, in Society Library). His will is dated Aug.

APPENDIX A, 745

16, 1755, was proved Jan. 3, 1759, and recorded in liber 21 of wills, page 171, in the
office of the Surrogate in the City of New York.

Leonard Lispenard, the eldest son of Anthony, removed from New Rochelle
to the City of New York before the death of his father, as he was the Assistant
Alderman of the North Ward from 1750 to 1755, and Alderman of the same from
1756 to 1762. He mar. Elsie Rutgers, the daughter of Anthony Rutgers, of the
Kalck Hoak. The residence of Mr. Rutgers was the site of the present Hospital
grounds, where he lived for many years. Leonard Lispenard became a very
prominent citizen of New York, and fora period of fifty years was constantly hold-
ing offices of honor and trust.

In 1765 he was a delegate to the first Congress of the American colonies, held
in New York on the 7th Oct., 1765, and represented the colony of New York
with Robert B. Livingston, Philip Livingston, John Cruger, and William Bayard.
From 1759 to 1768 he was a representative in the colonial General Assembly of
N. Y. He was also a member of the Provincial Convention which met in New
York on the 20th April, 1775; and on the 23d of May, 1775, was a deputy in the
1st Provincial Congress of New York. During this period he was one of the
active sons of liberty. After the death of his father-in-law, Mr. Anthony Rut-
gers, in 1746, he became the proprietor of that portion of the Rutger estate,
afterwards known as the Lispenard Meadows, then in the outskirts of the city,
where he built a handsome mansion and resided until his death, on the 14th of
February, 1790.

The following notice of his death appears in the N. Y. Journal and Weekly
Register for Feb. 18th, 1790: ‘‘ Died on Sunday last, at his seat near this city,
greatly lamented, Leonard Lispenard, Esq.” He was buried in his vault in the
rear of Trinity church, New York, near the south-west corner of the presen;
church, where there is a white marble slab bearing hisname. Leonard Lispenard
had three children by his wife Elsie Rutgers, viz.: Anthony, Leonard, and Corne-
lia. Cornelia Lispenard mar. Thomas Marsten, Feb. 7th, 1759. Their daughter,
Alice Marsten, mar. Francis B. Winthrop, April 22, 1779. They had sons, H,
R. Winthrop and F. B. Winthrop. The three streets which were cut through
the old Lispenard Meadows in New York—Lispenard, Leonard, and Anthony
(now Worth)—derive their names from the Lispenard family. The name is now
believed to be extinct.

Lockwoop, or PounpripGE.—Robert, came from England, 1630, and by wife
Susanna had, Jonathan, b. Sep. 10, 1634; Deborah, b. Oct. 12, 1636; Joseph,
b. Aug. 6, 1638; Daniel, b. March 25, 1640; Ephraim. b. Dec. 1, 1641;
Gershom, b. Sep. 6, 1643; all b. in Watertown, Mass.; and John, Abigail,
Sarah, and Mary, b. in Fairfield, Ct. Jonathan, son of Robert and Susanna,
b. in Watertown, Mass., Sep. 10, 1634, by wife Mary had children (third
generation), Jonathan, Robert, Gershom, Joseph, and John. Joseph, (1st),
son of Jonathan and Mary, b. in Stamford, Ct., 1666, removed to Poundridge in
1748, d. 1750, st. 84 years. Mar., May 19, 1698, Elizabeth Ayres, who d.
Dec. 16, 1715. Mar., Aug. 10. 1716, Margery Webb, b. Oct. 4, 1683, d. Jan. 2,
1736 or 1737, da. of James and Hannah (Scofield) Webb. First wife’s children
(fourth generation), 1, Joseph (2nd), b. March 15, 1699, mar. Sarah Hoyt.
2, Hannah, b. March 24, 1701, mar. David Dan. 3, John, b. Sep. 18, 1703, mar.
Sarah Scofield. 4, Nathaniel, b. April 1, 1706, d. young. 5, Elizabeth, b. May

746 APPENDIX A.

15, 1708, mar. Job Hoyt. 6, Israel, b. June 4, 1710, mar. Susanna Smith.
7, Mary, mar. JamesJump. 8, Reuben, b. Dec. 15,1715, mar. 1st, Sarah Cramp;
2nd, Elizabeth Stevens. Second wife’s children; 9, Nathaniel, b. May 20, 1717,
mar. —— Patchin. 10, Nathan, b. March 25, 1719, d. March 25, 1731. 11, James,
b. July 15, 1722, mar. Mary Norton. Joseph (2nd), son of Joseph (1st) and
Elizabeth Ayres, his wife, b. in Stamford, March 15, 1699, removed with his
father to Poundridge, 1743, where he d. June 15, 1757, wt. 58 years. Mar.
Sarah, da. of Joshua Hoyt, one of the proprietors of the Stamford Patent granted
in 1685; his name is spelled ‘‘Hayte” in the Patent. She was b. in 1700, and
d. 1790. Had children (fifth generation), 1, Eliakim, b, 1730, d. 1737. 2,
Joseph (3rd), Known as Captain Lockwood, d. March 15, 1792, mar. Hannah Close.
3, Elizabeth, mar. Nathaniel Waring. 4, Gilbert, d. in 1740, «et. about 2 or 3
years. 5, Ebenezer, known as Major Lockwood, b. in Stamford March 31, 1737,
d. in Poundridge July 29, 1821, mar. Hannah Smith. 6, Rachel, mar. Ebenezer
Wood of Salem. 7, Mercy, mar. David Dan. 8, Hezekiah, d. xt. about 7 years.
9, Prudence, mar. Elijah Weed. Joseph (8rd), known as Captain Lockwood,
son of Joseph (2nd) and Sarah Hoyt, his wife, b. in Stamford, d. in Poundridge
March 15, 1792, «xt. 61 years. Mar. Hannah, da. of Solomon Close of North
Salem, N. Y. She mar. a second husband, Captain James Richards of New
Canaan. The children of Joseph and Hannah were (sixth generation), 1, Hannah,
mar. Captain Philo Lewis of Patterson. 2, Sarah, d. in Poundridge Sep. 7, 1838,
in her 77th year; mar. Thaddeus Hoyt of Stamford. 3, Joseph (4th), b. Dec. 3,
1764, d. in Poundridge Oct. 25, 1799; mar. Mary Drake. 4, Solomon, b. Aug.
28, 1766, d. March 9, 1841; mar. Mary Ciose. 5, Prudence, d. in Poundcridge
Dec. 28, 1850, in her 83rd year; mar. John Smith of Poundridge; he d. Dec. 14,
B809, xt. 43. 6, Mindwell, deceased. 7, Mercy, mar. Jotham Waring. 8, Matilda,
d. in childhood. 9, Matilda, mar. Seth S. Kellogg of New Canaan. 10, Nancy,
mar. Henry S. Jones, and resided at Wappingers Falls, N. Y. Joseph (4th),
son of Captain Joseph (3rd) and Hannah Close, b. in Poundridge Dec. 3, 1764,
d. Oct. 25,1799. Their children were (seventh generation), 1, Samuel Drake,
b. in Poundridge Aug. 2, 1789, d. in Batavia, Ill., April 23, 1874; was Judge of
Supreme Court, Ill.; mar. Mary V. 8. Nash. 2, Jesse Close, b. in Poundridge
Jan. 7, 1791, removed to McLeansboro, Illinois, about 1820, where he d. June
15, 1847; mar. Elsa R. Bartholomew. 3, Rebecca Ann, b. March 25, 1792,
d. June 5, 1827: mar. Jacob Potts of Victoria, Canada. 4, Cornelius, b. Nov.,
1793, d. Oct. 23, 1799. Solomon, son of Captain Joseph (3rd) and Hannah Close,
b. in Poundridge Aug. 28, 1766, d. in Poundridge March 9, 1841. Mar. Mary,
da. of Odle Close of Greenwich, Ct. She was b. April 16, 1770, d. May 6, 1848.
Their children were (seventh generation), 1, Bethia, b. June 21, 1791, d. May 14,.
1863; mar. Horatio Lockwood. 2, Odle, b. May 4, 1793, d. Aug. 15, 1873; mar.
Maria, da. of Justus Barnum. 3, Leander, b. Nov. 21, 1794, d. March 22, 1795.
4, Joseph, b. Sept. 23, 1796, d. Feb. 28, 1820; mar. Amelia D’Autremont..
5, Hannah, b. March 9, 1798, d. Feb. 21, 1868. 6, William, b. Sep. 14, 1800.
7, Catharine Mary, b. Oct. 13, 1802; mar. John Silliman. 8, Sarah Elizabeth,
b. Sept. 10, 1805; mar. Francis N. Murray. 9, Nancy, b. Nov. 4, 1807,
d. Nov., 1807. 10, Solomon, b. Sep. 5, 1810, d. Sep. 22, 1811. Odle, son
of Solomon and Mary (Close), b. in Poundridge May 4, 1793, d. in New York
Aug. 15, 1873. Mar., July 11, 1820, Maria, da. of Justus Barnum of

APPENDIX A. 747

Danbury, Ct. She was b. July 1, 1796, and d. in New York Jan. 20, 1851.
Their children were (eighth generation), 1, Joseph Barnum, b. in Jamaica, N. Y.,
Oct. 27, 1822; mar. Caroline Monroe Putnam. 2, Mary Jane, b. in New York
Dec. 5, 1825, d. in Catskill, N. Y., July 24, 1873. 3, William Christmas, b. in
New York May 14, 1830, d. in Poundridge Aug. 6, 1834. 4, Caroline, and her
twin sister, Angeline, b. in New York Feb. 13, 1832, Joseph Barnum, son of Odle
and Maria (Barnum), was b. in Jamaica, Long Island, Oct. 27, 1822. Mar., Dec. 3,
1856, Caroline Monroe, da. of Tarrant and Cornelia J. (Van Nortwick) Putnam of
New York city. She was b. Oct. 27, 1832. They reside in New York. Their
children are (rinth generation), 1, Joseph Barnum, jr., b. June 7,1858. 2, Tarrant
Putnam, b. Nov. 26, 1862, d. June 28, 1864. 38, Cornelia Putnam, b. July 8, 1866.
4, Maria Louise, b. May 4, 1870. Wiiliam, son of Solomon and Mary (Close),
b. in Poundridge Sep. 14, 1800. Removed to Bedford, 1860, where he now
resides. Dec. 6, 1826, mar. Maria, da. of Rev. Daniel and Auna Crocker. She
d. Dec. 14, 1843. April 29, 1847, mar. Jane, da. of Joshua and Reuhama
Raymond. She d. Jan. 25, 1858. Jan. 2, 1860, mar. Rebecca, da. of Uriah and
Sarah Raymond. Shed. Sep. 9, 1875. First wife’s children (eighth generation),
1, Emily Crocker, b. in Poundridge Oct. 14, 1827, d. in Waverly, Il]., Aug. 6, 1852.
2, William Tompkins, b. in Poundridge Feb. 2, 1830. Second wife’s children,
3, Theodore Raymond, b. Jan. 16, 1848. 4, Electa Raymond, b. Feb. 15, 1850.
William Tompkins, son of William and Maria (Crocker), was b. in Poundridge
Feb. 2, 1830. Mar., Feb. 11, 1857, Mary Eliza, da. of John and Sarah Vanderbilt
of Williamsburg, N. Y. She was b. Nov. 2, 1836. William T. is Secretary of
Great Western Insurance Co. of New York. Resides at Tarrytown. Their
children are (ninth generation), 1, Maria Louisa, b. in New York Nov. 9, 1857,
d. in Tarrytown Feb. 10, 1876. , Mary Vanderbilt, b. in Brooklyn, N. Y.,
Sep. 23, 1859. 3, Emily Crocker, b. in New York Dec. 21, 1861. 4, Carrie
Tompkins, b. in New York April 29, 1865. 5, William Tompkins, b. in Tarrytown
April 17, 1867. 6, Nellie McCutcheon, b. in Tarrytown Dec. 29, 1868. 7, Edith
Blanch, b. in Tarrytown Nov. 3, 1871. 8, Richard Lathers, b. in Tarrytown
Nov. 4, 1877. Ebenezer, known through the Revolutionary War as Major
Lockwood, son of Joseph (2nd) and Sarah (Hoyt), was b. in Stamford, Ct.,
March 31, 1737, d. in Poundridge July 29, 1821. Mar., Feb. 16, 1761, Hannah
Smith of Stamford, who d. May 3, 1787, st. 45 years. Major Ebenezer mar. a
second wife, Sarah Waring, widow of Doctor Wilson. She d. March 3, 1821,
et. 67 years. All his children were by his first wife (sixth generation), 1, Betsey,
b. April 4, 1762, d. in Poundridge Feb. 14, 1848; mar., Feb. 16, 1777, Alsop Hunt,
whod. June 16, 1816. 2, Ruhamah, b. Jan. 22, 1765, d. Oct. 3, 1825; mar. about
the year 1786 to Samuel Read; hed. at Woodbridge, N.J., Oct. 1834. 3, Hannah,
b. April 8, 1768, d. Jan. 8, 1841; mar. David Osborn, who d. Feb. 17, 1834
4, Mary, b. Nov. 21, 1769, d. about May 1, 1828; mar. Partridge Thatcher, who
d. Sep. 8, 1845. 5, Ebenezer, b. Oct. 27. 1771, d. July 5, 1811; mar. Sarah
Olmstead, who d. in 1845. 6, Clarissa, b. Dec. 29, 1773; mar. 1st, Solomon Cox,
d. about the year 1808; 2nd, Jesse Richards of New Canaan, who d. Dec., 1840.
4, Ezra, b. June 27, 1777, d. May 29, 1853; mar. Sally Weed. 8, Horatio, b. in
Ridgefield, Ct., Sep. 6, 1779, d. in Poundridge Nov. 5, 1853; mar. Berthia, da.
of Solomon Lockwood. 9, Lewis, b. Dec. 18, 1783, licensed us attorney-at-law
1806, d. March 9, 1816. Ebenezer, jr., son of Major Ebenezer and Hannah

748 APPENDIX A.

(Smith), b. Oct. 27, 1771, d. July 5, 1811; mar. Sarah Olmsted, who d. in 1846.
Their children were (seventh generation), 1, Ebenezer, b. May, 13,1791. 2. Eliza,
b. May 25, 1793. 38, Ruhama, b. April 13, 1795. 4, Caroline, b. Jan. 23, 1797.
5, Nathan Olmsted, b. Jan. 2, 1799. 6, Thomas, b. Jan. 8, 1801. 7, George, ».
Dec. 13, 1802. 8, Amy, b. Jan. 6, 1805. 9, Sarah Ambler, b. Feb. 9, 1807.
10, Hannah, b. July 6, 1809. 11, Clarissa, b. Dec. 4, 1811. Ezra, son of Major
Ebenezer and Hannah (Smith), was b. June 27, 1777, d. May 29, 1853. Mar.
Sally Weed, b. Aug. 14, 1779, d. Jan. 30, 1857. He was Member of Assembly
in 1806, and Surrogate of Westchester County in 1811; he took the official oath
as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas April 3, 1833, and again Feb. 17, 1840,
having received the last appointment from Martin Van Buren, the then Governor
of the State of New York. Their children were (seventh generation), 1, Albert,
b. Jan. 23, 1799, d. Jan. 5, 1868. 2, Lewis, b. Sep. 5, 1804, d. Feb. 11, 18'70.
Horatio, son of Major Ebenezer and Hannah (Smith), was b. in Ridgefield, Ct.,
Sep. 6, 1779, the year his father sought a temporary home in Ridgefield, after the
destruction by British troops of his residence in Poundridge; d. in Poundridge
Nov. 5, 1853. Mar. Bethia, eldest da. of his cousin Solomon Lockwood; she
was b. June 21, 1791, and d. May 14, 1863. Horatio represented his district in
the Assembly of the State of New York in the years 1823, ’34, ’35, ’36,’41 and’42.
Children were (seventh generation), 1, Mary, mar. Horace Reynolds. 2, Jane, d.,
mar. Nelson Raymond. 3, Sophia, d., mar. Philo Lockwood of Cayuga Co., N. Y.
4, Alsop Hunt, b. Sep. 17, 1814, d. Dec. 8, 1874; mar. Mary E. Reynolds.
5, Amelia D’Autremont, mar. James Betts of Stamford, Ct. 6, Betsey, d. young.
7, Solomon Read, d. Jan. 16, 1852. 8, Catharine, mar. LeGrand Keeler of
Wilton, Ct. Alsop Hunt, son of Horatio and Bethia, b. in Poundridge Sep. 17,
1814, d. in New York Dec. 8, 1874. Mar., Nov. 22, 1836, Mary E., da. of Gideon
Reynolds of Cross River, N. Y. Alsop H. was Sheriff of Westchester County
for the term of three years, commencing January 1, 1853; he was also Member
of Assembly in 1864and’65. Their children are (eighth generation), 1, Joseph A.,
b. Nov. f, 1847. 2, James Betts, b. July 18, 1849. 3, Dewitt Clinton, b. July 4,
1851. 4, Horatio, b. July 8, 1853, d. Sep. 4, 1877. James Betts, son of Alsop
Hunt and Mary E. (Reynolds), b. in Poundridge July 18, 1849, mar., Oct. 31,
1877, Cora H. Martin. Resides in White Plains. Counsellor-at-law, office in
New York. One child (ninth generation), Horatio, b. Jan. 29, 1879.

Lyon or NortH CastLe.—The first cmigrants of this family, (which claims
to be of Scottish origin, ) settled in Massachusetts. The name of John Lyon occurs
as early as 1648. Peter Lyon was admitted freeman in 1649. William of Roz-
bury, member of the artillery company, was a freeman of that place, and d. A.
D 1692. His son Joseph was b. 1654. John descended from the above, removed
to Rye about 1719. His son John had four sons, (I.), Capt. Roger d. May 18,
1797; mar. Mary Wilson, of Kings’ street, Rye; she died 19th May, 1813, et.
83. Their children were, 1, Major Samucl of the Continental army, mar. Mary
Lounsberry, and left Samuel, Esq., of North Castle, who married Rosalinda
Fowler; the latter d. Dec. 19, 1844; 2, Roger; 3, Justus or Jesse, who left John
of Bedford; 4, Gilbert of the Continental army had Jesse of Eastchester; 5, Dan-
iel; 6, Joseph; 7, Glorianna mar. Andrew Sniffen; 8, Sarah mar. William Wright,
(II). John. (III.), Samuel. (IV.), James, proprietor of Byram Point, left 1,

ae

APPENDIX A. 749

Daniel; 2, David; 8, Benjamin; 4, Woolsey; 5, James. Daniel, eldest son of
James, had Lauretta, who mar. Mr. Brock, and Lavina, who mar. John Horton.
Of this family was Peter Lyon, Esq., of North Castle, who had, (1.), Jonathan
of New York. (II.), James of Tarrytown, the father of William P. Lyon,
Esq., Principal of the Irving Institute, (III.), Samuel of Michigan. (IV.),
Edward of Seneca Falls. (V.), Peter of New York. (VI.), Ann mar. William
Britt. (VII.), Sarah mar. Abner Higgins. (VIII.), Phoebe mar. Harrison Pal-
mer. (IX.), Mary mar. 1, John Tucker; 2, Benjamin Watson.

MoKeet or Yoretown.—WMichael Mc Keel, who was one of the earliest set-
tlers of Yorktown, had sons Uriah, John and Isaac. ‘The latter left issue Jesse,
Jacob of Peekskill, Caleb of Scipio, New York, Joshua of Hector, Tompkins
Co., N. Y., Isaac of Yorktown, and George of ditto.

MeEAaD oF GREENWICH AND LewisBoroucu.—John Mead emigrated from
Greenwich, Kent Co., England, in the year 1642, and settled in the town of
Geenwich, Fairfield, Connecticut. Of his two sons Joseph and John, the first
d. young; the second (John) had eight sons and three da., viz: John, Joseph,
Jonathan, Ebenezer, Benjamin, Nathaniel, David, Samuel, Susanna, Abigail
and Mary. Jonathan, the third son of second John, left Elnathan, who had
Elnathan; Ennice mar. J. Close and Deborah. LElnathan, son of Elnathan, had,
(I.), Elnathan, who Jeft Elnathan and Sarah. Elnathan, great grandson of first
Elnathan, had 1, Hibbard; 2, Solomon, the father of William, Seth, Sarah,
Tyler, Charles, Thomas and Solomon; 8, Tyler, who left Mans, Hetty, Abel and
Floy. (II.), Henry. (III.), Abram had 1, Abram; 2; Esbon; 3, Jotham; 4,
Enos; 5, Daniel; 6, Lemuel; 7, Isaac; 8, Job; 9, Zebulon; 10, Mansah mar.
Electa Mead; 11, Eunice mar., 1st, Solomon Mead; 2nd, Benjamin Weed; 12,
Ruth mar. Major Brown. (IV.), Stephen had 1, Stephen, who left Jane and
Betsy; 2, Israel, who had James, Alfred, Alexander, Israel, Stephen, Lemuel,
Hiram and Mary; 3, Edward, the father of Edward; 4, James, who had John
Wolcott; 5, Amos; 6, Matthias; 7, Albert; 8, William; 9, Mary mar. Job
Brown; 10, Eunice mar. Mr. Platt.

Ebenezer, fourth son of second John, left Ebenezer, Caleb; Sarah mar. Jona-
than Hobby; Hannah mar. John Hobby; Jabez; David; Abigail-mar. Isaac
Holmes; Susannah mar. Moses Huested; Jemima mar. Moses Knapp.
Ebenezer, the eldest son of second Ebenezer, mar. Mary Mead, and left, (I.),
Ebenezer, whose children were, 1, Nancy; 2, Hannah; 3, Marrilda mar. T.
Broughton; 4, Ebenezer, who had Ebenezer the father of William, Ebenezer,
Maria, Theodore, &c.; 5, Hannah mar. T. Walker; 6, Jabez; 7, Amy mar.
Epenetus Lockwood. (II.), Hannah mar. Elkanah Mead, and Jeft Hannah,
Sarah and Amos. (III.), Enoch d. Sept. 18, 1807, et., 52, mar. Jemima Mead;
she d. April 4, 1837, xt. 82; her children were, 1, Solomon, who mar.——Gil-
bert, and left Mary, Enoch, Gilbert, Laura and Thurza; 2, Alfred mar. Mary
Brundage; 8, Thurza mar. Joseph Brundage; 4, Laura mar. Joel Todd; 5,
Henry d. Dec. 10, 1811, et. 11; 6, Rufus d. Sept. 15, 1799; 7, Nancy; 8
Sarah d. May 19, 1784. Silas of Quaker Ridge, Conn., second son of second
Ebenezer, b. 1719, d. 1817, mar. Mary Mead; she was b. 1724, d. 1787. Their
children were, (I.), Silas, b. 1748, d. 1813, mar. Sarah Mead, and left Sarah,
Francis and Silas H.; the latter mar. Harriet Mead, and had Sarah, who mar.

750 APPENEIX A.

Silas Savage, and Silas D., who mar. Iimily L. Close. Silas D. has one da.
Myrtilla M. (II.), Abner, b. 1750, d. 1810, s. p. (III), Aaron mar. Saraly
Mead, da. of Eliphalct, and left Aaron of Cross River, Lewisboro’, mar. Miss
Finch, Allen of Greenburgh mar. Mabel Todd, Amos of Cross River, Anna mar.
Isaac Seely ; Lucinda mar. Joseph Banks; Sarah, (Mrs. Hoyt,) Mary mar. Har-
vey Keeler. (IV.), Mary. (V.), Mary. (VI.), Calvin mar. Deborah Mead, da.
of Jehia Mead, and had 1, Leander of Quaker Ridge mar. Anna Mead; 2,
Luther of Ohio mar. Alice Mead, and had Marcus, Will. M., Joseph, Thos. L.
and Anna; 8, Theresa (Mrs. Palmer;) 4, Myrtilla; 5, Lisctta mar. Obadiah
Peck; 6, Marcus mar. Harriett Sturges, and has Will, Elizabeth and Alice; 7,
Rufus mar. Anna Waterbury, and has Lucinda, Harriet, Stephen, Catharine and
Sarah: 8, Mary Jane; 9, Herman mar. Margaret West; has Marcus W; 10,
Lucinda. Rev. Abraham, third son of second Ebenezer, d. xt. 22, Jonas,
fourth son of second Ebenezer, b. 1723, d. 1783, mar. 1, Sarah Ferris. 2, Sarah
Howe, and left 1, Solomon. (II.), Edmund, father of Solomon. (III.), Noah.
_ (IV.), Mark, who had 1, Jonas mar. Abigail Mcad, and left Isaac and Emeline;
2, Sylvester. (V.), Jonas had 1, Charles mar. Rachel Sackett, and left Sarah A.
and Whitman S; 2, Hannah mar. Benj. Mcad; 3, Mark; 4, Milo; 5, Sarah; 6,
Sarah. Rey. Solomon, fifth son of second Ebenezer, removed from Greenwich
to North Salem; first pastor of the Presbyterian Church in the latter place, A.
D. 1752, d. Sept. 1812, mar. 1, Hannah Strong; 2, Hannah Clark, and left 1,
Andrew, who mar. Miss Barton, and had Thomas, Benjamin, Strong, Alice,
Lucy, Hannah and Maria; 2, Theodosia, (Mrs. Smith ;) 3, Clark of Lewisboro’
mar. —— Gilbert and left Martin, Richard, Rufus, Sophia, Laura, Rhoda and
Linus; 4, Martin of Lewisboro’.

Deliverance, sixth son of second Ebenezer, d. «xt. 57, mar. Abigail Howe
and had 1, Elizabeth, b. 1760, d. 1823, mar. Job Lyon; 2, Sarah, b. 1761,
d. 1812, mar. Silas Mead; 3, Rachel, b. 1673, d. 1831, mar. Whitman Mead;
4, Hannah, b. 1765, mar. Joshua Mead, and left Solomon; 5, Jabez; 6,
Robert, b. 1768, d. 1836, mar. Prudence Mead, left Edward; 7, Mary; 8,
Huldah, mar. Zophar Mead; 9, Ephraim, b. 1775, mar. Zuba Mead, and had
Mary, mar. W. Merritt; Huldah, mar. D. 8. Mead; Thurza, Mithea, Jane, Isaac
D., Elizabeth, and Ophelia; 10, Jabez, b. 1777, d. 1839, mar. Sarah Krapp,
and left Julia, Belden, Mary E., and Will. K.; 11, Zenas, b. 1779, mar. Maria
Leshlers, and had Abigail, mar, Jonas Mead. Lucretia, Deborah, Henry, Julia,
Eliza and Lyman, Amos, seventh son of second Ebenezer, mar. Ruth Bush, she
d. «xt. 77; they had, 1, Richard, mar. 1st, Sarah Mead; 2nd, Rachel Mead; he
left Thomas, who mar. H. Seaman, and had Louisa, Thomas R , Seaman, Abi-
gail R., and Elizabeth. The sisters of Thomas are Sophia, Elizabeth, mar. ——
Webb, and Sarah, mar. —— Brush; 2, Thomas. Hannah, first da. of second
Ebenezer, d. wt. 22. Hdmund, eighth son of second Ebenezer, d. xt. 23. Jabez,
niath son of ditto, d. et. 30. Jared, tenth son of ditto, mar. Lydia Smith, and
had 1, Letta, mar. Ebenezer Mead; 2, Daniel, mar. Rachel Mead, and left
Smith, Jared, Letta, L. Delia, Elizabeth, Adeline, Edwin, and 8S. Mervin; 3,
Lydia, mar. —— Lockwood; 4, Alma; 5, Hannah, mar. Jonas Mead; 6, Jared,
mar. Anna Armstrong, and had Amzi Armstrong’; 7, Alvin, mar. Eliza Peck, and
left Ralph P., Warren B., Cornelia G., Melanchton W., and Elvan C. Abraham,

APPENDIX A. 751

eleventh son of the second Ebnezer, d. xt. 85, mar. Keziah Howe, and had, 1,
Deborah; 2, Zophor, who mar. Huldah Mead, and left Abram, Amelia, Louisa,
Oliver, Esther, Sarah, and Mary E.; 3, Isaac, mar. Clarinda Mead, and had Au-
gustus; 4, Oliver; 5, Esther; 6, Lucy; 7, Lucy; 8, Lucy. Caleb, second son
of first Ebenezer, the fourth son of second John, mar. and left, (I.), Elkanah,
who had, 1, Sarah, mar. D. Huested; 2, Hannah, mar. B. Smith; 8, Amos,
who left Elkanah, Stephen Waring, Catharine, Sarah, mar. B. Smith, Belcher,
and Mary. (II.), Jonah, mar. Ist, Mary Mead; 2d, Rachel Huested; 3d, Han-
nah Mead. (III.), Abel, left Zadok, Benjamin, Phebe, Lucy and Fanny. (IY.),
Jemima. (V.), Deborah, mar. Jehiel Mead, and had 1. Deborah; 2, Jehiel,
who left Lewis, Harriet, William, William, Mary, Mary Ann and Hanford.
(VI.), Stephen. (VII ), Zadok. (VIII.), Rebecca. (IX.), Hannah. (X.) Mary,
mar. Jabez Peck. (XI.), Caleb, had Rachel, Anne, Huldah, Hannah, Elizabeth,
Caleb, Jemima, and Rebecca.

Benjamin, fifth son of second John, left a son Benjamin, who had, (I.), Ben-
jamin, whose children were, 1. Mary; 2, Anna, mar. Ist, David Mead; 2nd,
James Bailey; 3, Theodosia, mar. Edmund Mead; 4, Obadiah, engaged to
Charity Mead, killed during the Revolution; 5, Phoebe, mar. Jehiel Mead. (IL.).
Thaddeus, who left 1, Edward Mead of Somers, mar. Miss Finch, and had Squire
Mead, John, Elizabeth, mar. Henry Lade, Anne, mar. James Banks, Clarissa,
mar. Mead Sutherland, Sarah, mar. David Horton, and Hannah; 2, Ebenezer,
mar. Abigail Chapman, and had Harvey, mar. Amy Brown, Whitman, Solomon,
mar. Nancy Ferris, and Edward; 8, Amaziah, mar. Miss Jessup, and had Wil-
liam and others; 4, Benjamin, left Solomon; 5, Sarah, mar. Stephen Suther-
land; 6, Mary, mar. Noah Lyon; 7, Martha, mar. Andrew Quick; 8, Tamar,
mar. Benjamin Jessup. (III.,) Sylvanus, who had 1, Whitman, mar. Rachel
Mead, and left Mary, who mar, John Sackett, Zophor, mar. Martha Seaman, and
left Araminta, Mary E, and Amelia. Whitman, mar. Grace Cornell, and had
Grace and Henrietta; 2, Platt, mar. Deborah Peck, and had Sackett, Sylvanus,
Sarah, mar. John Robbins, Hannah, mar. Daniel Peck, Gideon, Nathan, and
Harriet, mar. Bradley Redfield; 3, Gideon, mar. Mary Miller, and left Under-
hill, Mary, and Maria; 4, Asel, mar. Anne Mead, and had Martin, the father of
Alva, Amaziah, John, and Asel; Henry, the father of William H., and David ;
Levi, who has Joseph; Mary, mar. —— Bailey, and Hannah. (IV.), Gideon;
left Gideon. (V.), Edward (VI.), William, who had, 1, William; 2, Abigail,
3, Anna, (VII,), Benjamin, left, 1, Margaret, mar. Hon. Nathan Rockwell;
2, Elizabeth, mar. J. Brown of Somers}; 3, Sarah, mar. Joshua Peck ; 4, Mary,
mar. Sylvanus Ferris; 5, Rachel, mar. Caleb Lyon, jr. (VIII.), Sarah. (IX.),
Elizabeth, mar, Theophilus Peck. (X.), Keziah, mar. Isaac Howe, b. Feb. 1707,
d. 1808; (XI.) Eliphalet, b. 1708, d. 1796, mar. and left, 1, Eliphalet, 1738, d.
1808, mar. Anne , and had Darius, mar. Hannah Peck, and Anne
Darius left Anne, mar. Leander Mead; Adla, mar. Obadiah Mead; Huildah,
Alwah, mar. Jane Arundel, and had Samuel E., Hannah E., Samuel E., Leander,
Hannah E., and Mary E.; Adeléa, is the youngest da. of Darius; 2, Jehiel, mar.
Deborah Mead; 3, Jesse, mar. Rachel Knapp, and left a Jesse who mar N.
Compton, and had William, Elizabeth and George; 6, Elizabeth, mar. Daniel
Van Vard; c, Rachel, mar. Richard Dyckman; d, Rebecca; e, Dimions, mar.
Richard Loyd; 4, Abigaii, b. 1717, d. 1796; 5, Libeus, mar. 1st, Hannah Bene-

752 APPENDIX A.

dict, and 2nd, Widow Pocock, and has Eri, Martin, Jared, Hannah, Abby, Cla-
rissa, Eliphalet, Sarah, and Sibah; 6, Eli, mar. Deborah Brush, and had Polly,
Obadiah, Orson, Hannah, and Cynthia; 7, Sarah, mar. Aaron Mead; 8, Nancy,
mar. Ebenezer Mead; 9, Rachel, mar. Benjamin Knapp. (XII.) by second wife,
Benjamin had Rachel. (XIII.), Obadiah bad Pheebe and Mary. (XIV.), Zebe-
diah left Henry, b. 1754, Hannah, b. 1755, Lydia, b. 1757. and Levi, b. 1761.
(XV.), Nehemiah left, 1, Lucy, mar. Isaac Howe; 2. Sarah, mar. Richard
Mead; 3, Rachel, mar. Charles Weed; 4, Nehemiah, mar. Miss Richards, and
left Samuel, William H., James, Sarah, Laura, and Caroline; 5, Clarinda, mar.
Isaac Mead, and left Augustus; 6, Bethiel, mar. Stephen Davis.

Nathaniel, sixth son of 2d John, had (1.), Gen’] John, who left John, the father
of Seth, Walter, Hipsibeth, mar. J. Simmons, and Alice, mar. Peter Mead.
(II.), Capt. Matthew had, 1, Matthew, who left Matthew, Clemence, mar. R.
Rich, Hannah, mar. H. Merritt, Justus, mar. Nancy Hanford, and had Joseph,
Justus, Matthew, Andrew J., Eliphalet, and three others ; Mary, Thomas, Amos,
William, mar. E. Lawrence, and had Jane E., &c.; Hobdy, is the youngest son cf

Matthew; 2, Justus had Susan, mar. —— Eldridge, Bush, Walter, James, Joseph,
Rebecca, mar. ——- Marshall, Anne, mar. —— Craft, and William ; 3, Bush had
Sophia, mar. —— Russell, Pothena, mar. —— Holmes, &c. (III.), Nathaniel

left 1, Jaspar, the father of Bush; 2, Nathaniel ; 3, William, mar, and left John,
Gilbert, Nathaniel, William, Charity, Hannah, and Mary; 4, Charity; 5, Rachel,
6, Betsy;.7, Anna. Nathaniel Mead, mar. Prudence Wood, and had, (I.), Epe-
netus. (II.), Nathaniel, mar. Miss Brown, and left Nehemiah, Nathanel, Wil-
liam, Tyler, Epenetus, Walter and Harvey, &c. (III.), Joshua. (IV.), David,
mar. Anna Mead. (V.), Israel. (VI.), Halsey. (VII.), Jonathan, mar. —— ~
Lyon. (VIII.), Hannah, mar. —— Wheeler. (IX.), Dimny, mar. Thaddeus
Huestead. (X.), Theodosia, mar. Benjamin Close. (XI.), Robert. (XII),
Daniel 8. (XIII.), Isaac.

Samuel, seventh son of second John, left (I.), Peter, who had, 1, Peter, who
had Mary, Peter, Deborah, Cyrus, Luckur, Anna, and Sandford. Luckur mar.
Sarah Fletcher, and has Benjamin and Robert; 2, Zacheus has Histe, who mar.
Job Mead, and had Zaehcus, Amanda, Abraham, Emeline, and Eliza. Hannah,
youngest da. of Zachcus, mar. Mark Mead. (II.), Zacheus. (III.), Samuel, left
1, Charlotte; 2, Henry; 3, Artemas; 4, Bythemy ; 5, Priscilla; 6, Lavinia; ‘7,
Martha. Arms, sa. a chev. betw. three pelicans or, vulned gu.

Morts, or MamMaronecK.—Adam Mott, b. about 1596, came from Cambridge,
England, to Boston in 1635 with his wife, Sarah, and children, John, Adam,
Joseph, Elizabeth, Nathaniel, and Mary. His son, Adam, settled at Hempstead,
L. L., about 1656, and by his first wife, Phebe, had Adam, James, Grace, John,
Joseph, Gershom, and Henry; and by his second wife, Elizabeth, da. of John
Richbell of Mamaroneck, had Richbell, Charles, William (b. in 1674, ancestor of
Dr. Valentine Mott of N. Y.), Adam, the younger (and, as his oldest son Adam
was still living, this made two sons of the same name in the same family at the
same time), Mary Anne, and Elizabeth.

James, the second son of Adam Mott of Hempstead, came to Mamaroneck, and
about 1670 mar. Mary, da. of John Richbell, patentee of Mamaroneck, by whom
she had James, Mary, and Richbell. This Richbell Mott, son of James, had by

APPENDIX A. 753

his wife, Elizabeth, two sons and six das., viz.: 1, Edmond of Cow Neck, who
had Richbell, Edmond, John, and Margaret ; 2, Richard, who mar. Sarah Pear-
sall, and d. in 1743, leaving only James, b. 1741. The six das. were, 1, Elizabeth;
2, Mary ; 3, Ann, who severally mar. Adam Mott of Staten Island, Joseph Mott
of Cow Neck, and Jonathan Townsend of Oyster Bay; 4, Jamima, who mar.
Stephen Wood; 5, Kedzie, who mar. —— Jackson; 6, Deborah.

James, b. 1741, son of the above Richard Mott and Sarah Pearsall, mar. in
1764 Mary, da. of Samuel and Ann Underhill of Mamaroneck, and had Richard,
b. 1766, Ann, b. 1768, Robert, 1771, and Samuel, 1773. About 1775 James Mott
settled on the Farm and Mill property in Mamaroneck, opposite New Rochelle,
and long known as Mott’s Neck, but afterwards as Premium Point. His house
(now owned and occupied by Mr. Prior), near the upper end of the present Mill
Pond, was adjacent to the mill then standing on the creek, which he owned and
operated during the Revolution and long afterwards. In 1802 he and his sons
built the present dam about half a mile lower down the bay and the large mill,
with ten and afterwards twelve runs of stones, and supposed at that time to be
superior to any mill in the country, and named it Premium Mill, and operated it
till about 1815. This mill is still (1879) standing, in a somewhat dilapidated con-
dition.

Richard, eldest son of James Mott of Mamaroneck, b. 1766, retired from
Premium Mill about 1808; and afterwards built a cotton mill on property he
called Hickory Grove, between Mamaroneck and New Rochelle, and spun spool
cotton, etc., till about 1835. He was an eminent Minister of the Society of
Friends, and travelled much. He had mar. Abigil Field, and of several children
but one son, Robert, left issue, Richard F. of Burlington, N. J.

Anne, da. of James Mott, mar. Adam Mott, descended from Adam the younger,
above named, son of Adam Mott of Hempstead, and had, 1, Jatues of Phila., b.
1788, mar. Lucretia Coffin, celebrated as a Minister of the Society of Friends;
2, Sarah, b. 1791, mar. Silas Cornell of Scarsdale; 3, Mary, b. 1793, mar. Robert
Hicks of New York; 4, Abigal, mar. Lindley M. Moore; and 5, Richard, b.
1804, mar. Elizabeth Smith; and was Mayor of Toledo, O, 1845-6, and a mem-
ber of Congress from there in 1855-9.

Robert, second son of James, mar. Lydia P. Stausbury and died in 1804, leav-
ing several children.

Samuel, yonngest son of James, mar. Elizabeth Barnard, and had, Barnard,
1795; Abis, 1797; Andrew U., 1799; Charles, 1801; Elizabeth, 1870; Matilda,
1809.

Parmer oF Mamaroneck.—William Palmer of Westchester, d. about 1670,
left Joseph, Benjamin, Samuel, proprietor of Mangopson Neck, Mamaroneck,
Obadiah, and Thomas. Samuel of Mangopson Neck had issue, (I.), Obadiah, d.
1748, mar, Anne and left, 1, William; 2, Samuel; 3, Benjamin; 4, David; 5,
Obadiah; 6, Caleb; 7, Ester, mar. Angevine; 8, Mary Anne. (II.), Nehe-
miah, d. 1760, had one son and ada.. Mary. The son of Nehemiah left Harrison,
Drake, Aaron, Nathan, Benjamin, Nehemiah, and Elihu. (III.), Sylvanus of
Mamaroneck, d. 1741, mar. Mary, and had, 1, Robert, mar. Mary ; 2, Sylva-
nus; 3, John, mar. Rebecca, and left Joseph, Philip, Marcus, Lewis, Benjamin,
Thomas, Esther, and Martha; 4, Marmaduke; 5, Edward; 6, Anne; 7, Susannah;
8, Charity ; 9, Mary. (IV.), Solomon.

754 APPENDIX A.

Harrison Palmer of Westchester county, son of ——, b. Dec. 12, 1751, d. May
11, 1814, mar. 1st, ——, and had children, 1, Charlotte, who mar. John Coffin
of New York; 2, Elizabeth, who mar. Robert Tallerton of New York. Mar.
2nd, March 15, 1788, Phoebe Lyon, da. of Peter of North Castle, b. Dee. 25, 1762,
d. Jan. 12, 1849, and had children, 1, Richard, b. May 5, 1790, a. , mar.
Eliza White, d. 1859, sine prole. He wasadry goods merchant in N. Y. city
with his brother Harrison; 2, Harrison, b. March 12, 1793, d. Sept. 10, 1852,
mar. Ann ——,, and had children, Richard, Harrison, and Phebe Ann; 3, Fred-
erick, b. June 12, 1794, d. Sept. 27, 1796; 4, Hannah Field, b. Dec. 31, 1800,
d. August 11, 1863, mar. May 12, 1825, Charles Bluff, son of Christopher of
Maryland, and had children, Phoebe Ann, Richard Palmer, Charles, Harrison,
Pheebe Palmer, and James Berry. (The Palmers were Quakers).

Post oF YONKERS.— Post, anative of Holland, emigrated to the New Neth-
erlands. He had two sons, Jacob and Tine. Jacob held lands in Philipsburgh
under the Philipses. He mar, Anne Heddy, and left six sons and three das. (I.),
Jacob, proprietor of the homestead, Yonkers, mar. Rachel Pickney. She was b.
March 22, 1732. They had 1 Lewis, b. 15 October, 1756, mar. Abigail Oakley ;
2, Israel, b. May 15, 1758, mar. Nancy Rich; 8, David, b. March 28, 1760, d.
October 16, 1803, mar. Margaret Fowler; 4, Frederick, b. November 16, 1762,
mar. Elizabeth Lawrence; 5, James, b. September, 10, 1766, mar. Rebecca
Ferris; 6, Phoebe, b. October 20, 1764, mar. William Warner; 7, Elizabeth, b.
August 12, 1768, mar. Moses Warner; 8, Euphemia, b. May 7, 1772, mar Aaron
Warner; 9, Mary, b. June 11, 1774, mar. Abraham Berrian; 10, Getty, d. June
11, 1780. (II.), Abraham, mar. Rebecca Merrill, and had, 1, David of Balti-
more; 2, Jacob of Rockland, mar. Peggy Graham; 3, Abraham of Haverstraw,
mar. Widow Gesner ; 4, Clinton of Rockland, mar, Mary Briggs; 5, Grace, mar.
Daniel Gesner; 6, Elizabeth, mar. Abraham Scudder; 7, Rachel, mar. Isaac
Fredeker; 8, Peggy, mar. —— Hibbert. (III.), Isaac, proprietor of the Ludlow
estate, Yonkers, ma. Polly Lawrence, and had, 1, Samuel, mar. Polly Post; 2,
Lawrence, mar. Elizabeth Post; 3, William; 4, Betsy, mar. Timothy Briggs;
5, Mary; 6, Peggy, mar. Hibbert. (IV.), Martin, a guide to General
Washington, mar. Polly Brown, and left 1, Evert, d. s. p.; 2, Martin, mar. Polly
Brown; 3, Jacob, mar. Mary Lent; 4, Peter, mar. Betsy Anderson; 5, Peggy,
mar. Jacob Dyckman; 6, Polly, mar. William Dyckman; (V.), Peter, mar.
Dolly Warner, and left, 1, Jacob, mar. Ann Storms; 2, William, mar. Polly
Williams; 3, Harriet, mar. John Bowman; 4, Maria, mar. John Whipple; 5,
Nelly, mar. Stephen Smith; 6, Peggy, mar. Jacob Storms; 7, Elizabeth, mar.
Lawrence Post; 8, Susan, mar, Theodosius Rockwell. (VI.), Anthony of New
York, mar. Nelly Brower, and had, 1, Anthony, mar. Elizabeth Polhamus; 2,
Nelly, mar. Odell Valentine; 3, Betsy, mar. Robert Manly, M. D; 4, Ann, mar.
William Bailey; besides four other daughters who d.s. p. (VII.), Elizabeth,
mar. Thomas Gregier. (VIII), Margaret, mar. John Gregier, M. D. (IX.)
Annetje, mar. Elnathan Taylor.

Purpy or Rre.—The Purdy family were among the early settlers of Fair-
field Connecticut. Francis Purdy, the first member of the family of whom we
have any account, died in 1658, at Fairfield. His sons were Francis, John and
Samuel. John the second left Francis, who had two sons, Joseph and John.

APPENDIX A. wi

Joseph the eldest, one of the first proprietors of the White Plains and Lame
Will’s Purchases, d. about 1709, mar. Elizabeth —— to whom her husband con-
veyed his rights in the White Plains Purchase. They had, (1.), Joseph, who
left Obadiah, living in 1734, the father of Caleb, 1746. (II.), Daniel the father
of Solomon and Benjamin. (III.), Samuel left the Hon. Samuel, a judge of the
Court of Common Pleas, who had Samuel and Caleb. (IV.), David who had
David and Nathan of Ulster County, N. Y. (V.), Jonathan of White Plains,
mar. Mary Hart. He had 1, Hiijah, mar. Lavina Hoyt, and left Samuel, David,
John, Israel, Elijah, Mary, mar. John Purdy; Abby, mar. Jonathan Purdy;
Fridy mar. John Haviland; Levinia, mar. Isenhart Purdy, Hester and Melissa
who mar. Thomas Halstead ; 2, Jonathan of White Plains, mar. Charity Had-
den and had a, Jonathan, killed by the fall of a tree, et. 18; 0, Benjamin of
Purchase, mar. Elizabeth Purdy, da. of Samuel, and left Jonathan, d., Sylvanus
of Eastchester, Jonathan, Samuel, d., and Benjamin, &c; ¢, Timothy, mar. 1st,
Amy Hobbs; 2d, Mary Hunt; and had Augustus, Jonathan, Amy mar. John
. Stapley, Deliah mar. David Burgess, Charity mar. Fisher and Eliza, mar.
Thomas Dick; d, Job mar. —— Gedney; e, Nebe, mar. Amos Purdy, and left
Moses, Emery, Susan, Charlotte and Margaret; 7, Glorianna, mar. Henry Budd;
g, Sarah, d.s. p; h, Elizabeth, d.s.p; ¢, Charity; Joseph, mar. Charity Isen-
hart, and left Jonathan, Joseph, Henry, Wermoth, Michael. a da. De Lan-
cey, and Charity mar. Purdy; 4, Hlizabeth, mar. —— Williams. (VI.),
John mar. Rebecca. (VII.), Francis heir to his father’s lands on Budd’s Neck,
who left Daniel. John, the youngest son of second Francis, left a son Daniel
and others.

Samuel, youngest son of first Francis, mar. Penelope Strang la. of Daniel
Strang, and Charlotte his wife, and left issue three sons. First, Henry. Second
Josiah, mar. Wetmore, da. of Rev. James, and had 1, Seth, proprietor of
the homestead at Rye, mar. Phebe Ketchum of L. I., and left Joshua, Seth,
Josiah, Keziah, Alathea, Elizabeth, Charity, Melinda, and Phebe; 2, Alathea,
mar, Ist, Joseph Purdy; 2ud, William Purdy; 3, Esther, mar. Henry Purdy of
King street; 4, Hannah mar. Josiah Merritt. Zhird, Caleb, mar. Hannah
Brown, da. of Samuel and had, (I.), Caleb, mar. Ruth Peck, and left 1, Caleb;
2, Elias; 8, Ruth; 4, Sarah. (II.), Samuel mar. Glorianna Fowler, and had 1,
Gabriel; 2, Samuel; 8, Phoebe; 4, Elizabeth; 5, Glorianna; 6, Hannah. (iII.),
Josiah, mar. U. Knapp, and left 1, Josiah ; 2, Joshua, who is presumed to have
had two sons, Hachaliah, who left four sons, viz., Daniel, Hachaliah, John and
Elijah. Daniel, the eldest, had William of Salem and Daniel; Hachaliah had
Elijah of Somers; Elijah mar. Park and had issue. Joshua of Rye mar,
Mary Park, by whom he had, first, Joseph, who mar. Letitia Guion and had
three sons, viz., Isaac of North Salem, mar. Miss Hart, they left Isaac Hart of
North Salem, Sally Ann, mar. Lewis Brown, Rosanna, mar. Gerard Crane,
Clarissa, mar. Perry, M. D.; Lydia, mar. Mr. Howe; Mary, mar. Rev. D.
H. Short; Jane, mar. Floyd Keeler, Christina and Letitia. Thomas of Rye,
second son of Joseph and Leetitia, mar. Purdy ; and left Edward, Henry,
James, Elizabeth, Cornelia and Emeline. Hon. Joshua of North Salem, third
son of Joseph, is still living at North Salem. Second, Joshua, mar. Sarah Grif-
fin, and had Benjamin of Rye, mar. ——, da. of Jonathan Purdy, and left
Edward of Rye, William, Hetty, Mary, Julia, Ann, Harriet, and Adeline. The

756 APPENDIX A.

das. of Joshua and Sarah were Elizabeth, Deborah, Mary, Sarah, Esther, and
Harriet. Third, Roger of Rye. Fourth, Isaac of Rye. (IV.), Andrew, the
fourth son of Caleb and Hannah Brown, mar. Phceebe Merritt. and had Robert of
Eastchester, Andrew of Eastchester, John Merritt, Phoebe, and Havelindah.
(V.), Nehemiah, mar. Elizabeth Burchum, and left Thomas, Nehemiah,
Caleb, Hannah, Anna, Elizabeth, and Deborah. (VI), Sylvanus. (VII.),
Elias, mar. Rachel Merritt, a1d had Elias, John Merritt, William Henry, Caleb,
Sarah, and Ophelia. (VIII.), Caroline. (IX.), Hannah. (X.), Levinia. (XL),
Anna.

Abraham Purdy, of Yorktown, a descendant of first Joseph of White Plains,
b. 10 Oct. 1716, d. April 17, 1778, mar. Phoebe Strang, she was b. Feb. 7, 1732,
d. Oct. 27, 1759; their children were, (I.), Abraham, b. April 9, 1759, d. Aug.
1769, s. p. (II.), Alvan, b. Jan’y 11, 1757, d. July 16, 1830, mar. Lydia Hunt,
she d. Jan’y 27, 1842, wt. 83, and left issue; 1, Abraham, of Gosher, Orange
Co., mar. Charity Strang and had William, Alvan and Howell; 2, Alsop, d. s. p;
3, James, Post-master of Yorktown ; 4, David, d. s. p; 5, Alvan of Yorktown;
6, Elizabeth Ann, mar. J. H. Strang. (II.), Frances, b. July 23, 1753, mar:
Col. John Drake. (IV.), Ebenezer, b. Dec. 6, 1754, mar. Hon. Ebenezer Foot
of Délaware. Arms. Or, on a chevron az. between three mullets sa. pierced
of the field.

Raymonp, oF NorwaLk.—He drew a lot in that town Dec. 4, 1668, No. 21.
John Raymond, Jr., of Norwalk, b. 1671, mar. Mar. 7, 1690, Elizabeth, da. of
Samuel St. John, and had i, John Raymond, b. May 19, 1693; 2, Mary b. Mar,
5, 1694; 3, Elizabeth, b. Aug. 22, 1697; 4, Hannah, b. July 22, 1700; 5, Sam-
uel, b. Jan. 7, 1702; 6, Jabez, Apr. 1, 1705; 7, Asael Raymond, b. Sept, 22,
1707; 8, Sarah, b. Nov. 12, 1711; 9, Elijah, b. Nov. 7, 1709; 10, Zuriel, b.
Dec. 3, 1715: 7, Asael, son of John, removed to Mamaroneck, Westchester Co.,
N. Y., mar. —— and had 1, Sands, b. 1769, at Mamaroneck, removed to South
Salem. Twice taken prisoner during Revolution; 2, Asa, twin-brother of Sands,
b. 1769; removed to South Salem, assisted in raising old Court House at White
Plains, d. near Albany, Oct. 15, 1859; buried in cemetery north of Albany, and
mar. Sally Northrup, b. 1780, d. Nov. 16, 1853; buried with her husband; 38,
Absalom, removed to North Salem.

Rerps of Loch Hannoch, of the Clan Chattan, settled in Craigonhill, Ayrshire,
1844. Robert Reid, of Ayrshire, nat. Dec. 7, 1705, ob. Nov. 27, 1757, and
mar., 1735, (1st), Barbara Skiming, ob. 1742, and (2nd), Janet King, in 1743»
and had by the first wife, 1, Thomas; 2, Jane; 3, William. (I.), Thomas, a
rich banker of Glasgow, mar. , and had, 1, Robert, nat. Oct. 10, 1789;
2, Barbara, nat. March 10,1778. (II.), Jean, mar. Robert Spear. (III.), William,
mar. Ist, Isabella Shaw; 2nd, Isabella Smith. 1743, Janet King, aunt of Daniel
King of New York, and had, 1, Sarah; 2, John; 3, James; 4, David. (L.),
Sarah, da. of Robert’s second wife, mar. Alex. Wilson. (II.', John, son of Rob-
ert’s second wife, nat. Jan. 23, 1752, at Dalmellington, Ayrshire; settled at East-
chester and bought land of John Bartow; mar. Mary Bartow, and had, 1, Char-
ity, b. 1783, d. April 13, 1860; 2, Thomas, b. 1784, d. Oct., 1808; 3, Janet, b. 1786,
d. July 18, 1854; 4, Helena, b. 1786, d. Dec. 18, 1861; 5, Phoebe, b. 1789; 6,
John, b. 1790, d. Sept. 25, 1808; 7, Mary, b. 1791, d. Nov. 8, 1865; 8, Robert, b.

APPENDIX A. 757

1793, d. June 2, 1856. (III.), James, son of Robert’s second wife, mar. Janet
Jenison, and had, 1, Isabella: 2, James; 3, Robert. (IV.), David, son of Rob-
ert’s second wife, of Ancaster, mar. Mary: Stevenson, and had, 1, Robert; 2,
Jane; 3, Janet; 4, James; 5, Margaret; 6, William; 7, David. All these
never married ; resided down ‘‘ Mill Lane” all their life ; property in the family
nearly a century.

RENawD, oF NEw RocHette.—The ancestors of the Renauds were Protestants,
inhabitants of Rochelle, France. On the revocation of the Edict of Nantes,
Daniel Renaud, or Rayneau, fled from France to England, and soon after came
to America. He left a son, John, who left Stephen, who left John, b. 1743, d.
1837 ; mar. Mary Secor, left 1, Mary ; 2, James; 3, Andrew; 4, Stephen; 5, John;
Susannah, mar. Jas. Secor; and Jane, mar. Benjamin Secor. (I.), James mar.
Jane Renaud, left 1, Clara; 2, Clark; 3, Annanias; 4, Eliza; 5, Sarah; 6, Mar-
garet ; 7, Deborah; 8, Maria; and 9, Frederick §. (II.), Andrew left 1, Simeon,

2, Golsbury ; 3, Wilham H.; 4, Eliza; 5, Louisa; 6, Matson 8. ; and 7, ae
(IIL), Stephen mar. ist, Sacall Travis, and left Sarah; mar. ond, Martha Purdy-
left 1, Allen; 2,Mary; and 3, Eliza Jane. (IV.), John mar. Betsey Coles, left
Mary, and Fanny, mar. Andrew A. Dean.

Requa, oF GREENBURGH.—The Requas of Westchester County all descended
from Daniel Requa, who was an emigrant from La Rochelle, France. Daniel
came to New Rochelle, and afterwards moved over and purchased a farm on the
Hudson, about a mile and a half south of Tarrytown, where some of his
descendants yet live. He left four sons, 1, Gloade or Glode; 2, John; 3, David,
and 4, James. (I.), Gloade, the eldest, left six sons, 1, Isaac, b June 3, 1758, mar.
Henrietta ——: 2, Gabriel; 3, Samuel; 4, Daniel; 5, James; 6, James. (IL),
John, d.s. p. (III.), James, the youngest son of first Daniel, had, 1, Gabriel;
2, Joseph; 3, Daniel: 4. John; 5, James; 6, Gloade; 7, William; 8, Elijah;
9, Isaac, b. Jan. 31, 1779; 10, Gilbert.

~

RINELANDER, OF New Roonerre.—Philip Jacob Rhinelander, the founder
of the family, came from the Rhine, France, to America, soon after the Revo-
cation of the Edict of Nantes. He had three sons andada. (I.), Philip Jacob.
(II.), Bernard, who left, 1, William, b. 1745, mar. Hester Devaux, and had a da.
Mary Magdalen; 2, Jacob, b. Oct. 27, 1740, d. s. p. Philip, mar. Deborah
Allen, and left Deborah, who mar. Isaac Underhill. (III.), William, had,
1, William C. of New York; 2, John of Long Island; 2, a da. mar. William
Paulding. (IV.), a da. mar. Mr. Schureman.

Ricasgett—John Richbell was of South Hampton, England. His son John
came to America and had land in Delaware, then in Oyster Bay, L. L., and in
1660 became the first proprietor of Mamaroneck. He d. 1684; his wife Ann d.
1700. They had three da., (I.), Elizabeth, who became the second wife of Adam
Mott of Hamstead by whom he had 1, Richard; 2, Charles; 3, William, ancester
of Dr. Valentine Mott of New York; 4, Adam; 5, Mary Ann; and 6,Elizabeth;
(II.), Mary, mar. Capt. James Mott; (III), Ann, mar. John Emerson of Talbot
“Co. Maryland.

758 APPENDIX A.

RopMAN, oF RopMan’s Necx.—Samuel Rodman, mar. Mary Pell, and left, (I. ),
Joseph, proprietor of Morse’s Island, New Rochelle. (II.), William, heir to his:
father’s lands on Rodman’s Neck, mar. Leah Myers, and had Mary, who mar.
Nicholas Haight. (III.), Samuel, mar. Anne Hicks of Hart Island, Pelham,
and left 1, Samuel; 2 Capt. Charles Rodman of Eastchester; 8, Deborah, mar.
John Bertine. (IV.), Elizabeth, mar. Philip Riché.

Romer, OF GREENBURGH.—Jacob Romer, a native of Switzerland, emigrated
to America before the Revolution, and settled in Greenburgh. His sons were
Capt. John of Greenburgh, William and James.

Sroor, oF New Roonerre.—The ancestor of this family was Ambroise Secor’
or Sicard, or Seacord, a Protestant refugee of Rochelle, who fled from France
in 1681. He left 1, Ambroise; 2, Jacques ; 3, Daniel; 4, Mary, mar. Wm. Landrine,
and 5, Silvia, mar. Francis Coguillett ; 6, Jacques, mar. Catharine, and left, (I.),
Jacques or James, b. 1701, mar. Jane Bonnett, who left 1, Jacques, b. 1729;
2, Jeanne, b. 1731; 3, Catharine, b. 1733; 4, Benjumin, b. 1735; 5, Jacob, b. 1737;
6, Abraham, b. 1739; 7, Solomon b. 1741; 8, Marie, b. 1742, mar. John Renaud ;
9, Israel, b. 1748, mar. Jane, da. of Jacob Coutant, Israel left Madaline, mar. 1st,
— Bull; 2nd, — Huget; Elizabeth,mar. Jacob Lobe. (I.) David,mar. Esther Secor.
(II.), James, mar. Susannah Renaud. (IIJ.), Samuel mar. Sarah Drake. William.
(IV.), Benjamin, mar. Jeanne Renaud. (V.), Abraham, mar, 1st, Eliza Dixon;
2nd, Margaret Dixon, both sisters. (VI.), Richard, mar. Maria Gallaudet, and
Peter. (1.), David left Jane, Gilbert, Horace, Esther Ann, and Absolom T. (II.),
James left Cornelius, mar. Maria Holmes, Leonard, mar. Maria Secor, Lewis,
mar. Mary Price, Salmon B., mar. Mary Horton, Hiram D., mar. ist, Mary E.
Mullin; 2nd, Phebe A. Horton; Jerome B., mar. Deborah Ann Morse; Am-
broise, mar, Henrietta Bailey. (III.),Samuel left 1, Catharine; 2, Samuel; 3, Sarah
Maria; 4, Eliza; 5, Augusta; and 6, Harriet. (IV.), Benjamin, left 1, Albert;
2, Darias; 3, William Emery; 4, Charles Wesley; and 5, Edgar Raymond. (V.),
Abraham left 1, Howard Dixon ; 2, Susan Jane; 3, Margaret Ann; 4, Matilda V.;
5, Pauline B.; 6, John H.; 7, Mary E., d.; and 8, Mary. (VI.), Richard left
1, William; 2 Mary Ann; 3, Franklin, mar. Susannah Ann Underhill; and 4,
Caroline. (II.), Peter, owner of the property now occupied by Mr. Philemon,
Carpenter, mar. Esther Guion, da. of Isaac; and had, 1, Catharine, b. July 20,
1742; 2, Marie, b. March 24, 1731; 8, Esther, b. Jan. 22, 1788. (III), Am-
broise. (IV.), Paul. (V.), Daniel, owner of the property now occupied by
Mr. Benjamin Secor, mar. Mary Archer; and left, 1, Jonathan, b. Feb. 8, 1742;
2, Jeremiah, b. Jan. 22, 1740, and others.

SEAMAN VALENTINE -—Anna Ferris, mar. Valentine Seaman. M. D., of N. Y.,
da. of John Ferris of Grove Farm, and had issue, 1, William Ferris, M. D., mar.
Elizabeth Hicks; 2, James V., mar. Maria B. Wright; 3, John Ferris, mar.
Ann Drake ; 4, Valentine, mar. Anna Amelia Ferris, [see Ferris]; 5, Percival;
6, Willet, mar. Susan W. Hendricks; 7, Marianna, mar. Geo. Middlebrook; 8,
Anna, mar. Charlton Ferris, [see Ferris]; 9, Eliza, mar. Aug. W. Leggett.
James V. had, 1, Sarah W., mar. Edgar Lasak, and had Margaret; 2, Margaret
L. mar. Stephen Paddock, and had James S., Richard, Margaret ; 3, Marianna,
mar. Jordon L. Mott, and had Maria Louisa, Jordon L., Augustus W.; 4-

tae

APPENDIX A. 759

Wright; 5, Catharine, mar. Francis Randall, and had Caroline, Emiiy, Maria ;
6, James V. mar. Ellen Robertson, and had Alice, James, Marianna, Kate, Wil-
liam. Willet had, 1, William F.; 2, Eliza Ann, mar. Trancis McFarian. and
had Frank McFarlan; 3, Louise. Ziiza had, 1, Mortimer, mar. Jenny White-
head, and had William, Catharine, May; 2, Percival; 3, Wiliam, mar. Anni@
Birdsall, and had John, Augustus, Frederick C.; 4, Margaret, mar. Lewis T.
Ives, and had Augustus, Percy, Valentine; 5, Emma; 6, Elizabeth, mar. David
Snow; 7, Anna, mar. 1st, Wm. Christian, and had Eliza; 2nd, mar. Corydon
Randall, and had Huntley, Ferris, Chandler; 8, Augusta, mar. E. Brook Pease,
and had Percy; 9, Blanch I. See Ferris Chart—

RicHarD StH, oF Smitn Town, SuFFOLK Co., N. Y.—1,Jonathan; 2,Obediah;
3, Richard ; 4, Job; 5, Adam; 6, Samuel; 7, Daniel; 8, Elizabeth; 9, Deborah.
Job, mar. Elizabeth Thompson, and had, 1, Job; 2, Richard; 3, Timotlry; 4,
Adam; 5, James; 6, Joseph: 7, Elizabeth. Joseph, sixth son of Job 1st, mar.
Mary Aldich, and had, 1, Joseph; 2, David; 3, Stephen; 4, Graham; 5, Gil-
bert; 6, Rhuhamah; 7, Jane; 8, Mary; 9, Mehetabel. Joseph, first son of
Joseph, mar. Sarah Laxton, and had, 1, Eliphalet; 2, Joseph; 3, William; 4,
Daniel; 5, Selah ; 6, Catharine; 7, Rhuhamah; 8, Sarah. William, second son
of Joseph, mar. Sophia, da. of Benjamin Hawkins, and had, 1, Benjamin ;
Benjamin, mar. Deborah Harker, and had, 1, Morris; 2, Abel; 3, Benjamin; 4,
Nathaniel; 5, Isaac; 6, Richard; 7, James; 8, Elizabeth; 9, Sarah; 10, De-
borah; 11, Esther. Abel, second son of Benjamin, mar. Bersheta Hutchings,
and had, 1, John; 2, Benjamin; 3, Abel; 4, James; 5, Isaac; 6, Charity; 7,
Deborah; 8, Jerusha; 9, Bersheta; 10, Sarah; 11, Abigail. 12, Elizabeth.
Abel, third son of Abel, mar. 1st, Esther Purdy, and had, 1, Wilham, 2, Joseph;
3, John; mar. 2nd Mary Waterbury, and had, 1, Isaac; 2, Julia Ann; 38,
Thomas; 4, Elizabeth ; 5, Abel; 6, David W.; 7, Mary; 8,Sarah. David W.,
sixth son of Abel, mar. Hannah Barnes, and had, 1, Annie B.; 2, Abel; 3, Mary
Elizabeth ; 4, Samuel B.; 5, Naomi.

Sovuice, or New RocuEtite.—John Soulice, a native of the French Pyrenees,
in 1672, mar. Jane Curterrie, a native of the Rhine, and had two‘sons, viz,,
Joshua, whose da. mar. —— Blauvelt, and John, b. in the Pyrenees A. D. 1692.
The latter fied from the persecutions of the Protestants in France, and emigrated
to America A. D. 1700. He settled at New Rochelle, and mar. Mary Bonnett,
da. of Daniel ; she was b. in France 1695. John and Mary left issue, (I,) John
of New Rochelle, mar. Maria, and had, 1, Elizabeth, b. Aug. 24, 1729; 2, Esther,
b. Sept. 5, 1731; 8, Madaline, b. Sept. 9, 1733; 4, Catharine, b. Sept. 5, 1734;
5, Susan, b. 1750; 6, Maria, b. May 30,1745. (II), Daniel, ancestor of the
Soulices of Nova Scotia. (III.), Joshua, mar. Susannah Guion, and left, 1,
Joshua of New Rochelle. mar. Mary Bonnett, great grand-daughter of Daniel
Bonnett, the Huguenot, and had John Soulice of Upper New Rochelle ; 2, Su-
sannah, b. Oct. 4, 1765. (IV.), Susannah. (V-), Maria, mar, Abel Devaux,
(V1.), ada. mar. —— Dubois. (VII.), ada. mar. ——Unerray. (VIII.), Mag-
daline, mar. Elias Guion. (IX.), a da. mar. 2

Scrron, or New Castie.—This family derive their origin from Joseph Sut-
ton, whose father emigrated from the County of Lincolnshire, England, to Mas-

760 APPENDIX A.

sachussetts. Joseph, who removed to Long Island, d. betw. 1765 and 1770, et.
$0, mar. Mary Sands, and had, (I.), Joseph of North Castle, d. et. 80, mar. De-
borah Haight of Chappequa, and left several children. (II.), Caleb, d. set. 70,
mar, Abby Pell, and had, 1, Edward; 2, Andrew ; 3, Pell; 4, Mary; 5, Sophia,
6, Solomon; 7, Henry; 8, Caleb. (III.), James of Croton Valley, mar. Eliza-
beth Brown, and had, 1, Mary; 2, Jerusha; 3, Hannah; 4, Joseph; 5, Amy; 6,
Janes. (IV.), William of Croton, d. eet. 80, mar. Dorcas Clapp, and had, 1,
Jesse; 2, William; 3, Alice. (V.), Richardson of Croton, b. July, 11, 1782, d.
1776, mar. Elizabeth Quinby, da. of Moses; she was b. Feb. 28, 1736. (VI.),
Abby, nar. Robert Field. (VII.), Mary, mar. Samuel Palmer. (VIII.), Sophia;
(1X.), Jerusha, mar. Benjamin Field. Richardson, fifth son of Joseph, left
issue, 1, Esther, b. March 15, 1752, mar. Joseph Totten. (II.), Moses, b. March
15, 1756, mar. Rebecca Underhill, da. of Issac, and left, 1, Sarah, mar. Nehe-
miah Merrit; 2, Abraham, mar. Esther Carpenter; 3, Hannah, mar. Juseph
Pierce; 4, Isaac, mar. Sarah Underhill; 5, Mary, mar. David Merritt ; 6, Aaron,
mar. 1, M. Pierce, 2, Ann Haight; 7, Phoebe, mar. Aaron Quinby ; 8, Moses,
mar. Rebecca Underhill; 9, Abby Jane. (III.), Daniel, b. May 22, 1758, mar.
Phebe Huested, da. of Jonathan, and had, 1, Rachel, mar. Silas Birch; 2,
Esther, mar. John Griffen ; 3, Elizabeth, mar. Jesse Weeks; 4, Jacob, mar. ——
Wheeler; 5, Deborah, mar. Adonijah Underhill; 6, Ann, mar. Joseph Birdsall,
7, Henry; 8, Louisa. (IV.), Deborah, b. June 17, 1760, mar. Zopher Griffen,
(V.), Robert, b. April 5, 1762, mar. Sarah Underhill, and had, 1, Pheebe; 2,
Mary; 3, Thomas; 4, Deborah; 5, Gula, mar. John Mott; 6, Abby, mar.—
Carpenter; 7, Lydia, mar. Walter Haight; 8, Leonard; 9, Jane. (VI.), Samuel,
b. Jan. 22, 1764, mar. Sarah Underhill, da. of Abraham, and left, 1, Richard-
son, mar. Maria Wing; 2, Joshua, mar. Phebe Burling; 3, Caleb, mar. Rebec-
ca Kingsland; 4, Amy, mar. Isaiah Quinby; 5, Abraham; 6, Daniel; 7, Ed-
mund; 8, Stephen, mar. Ann Burling; 9, Sally. (VII.), Phebe, b. Aug. 27,
1765. (VIII.), Mary, b. March 7, 1767. (IX.), Jerusha, b. Sept. 2, 1768. (X.),
Abigail, b. Dec. 12th, 1770. (XI.), Frances, b. Dec, 13, 1772. Arms—Ar. ona
chey. betw, three annulets gu. as many cresents or. Crest—A greyhound; head
couped, erm., collared gu., garnished and ringed or, on the collar three amulets
of the last. The motto was ‘‘ Midelis usque ad mortem,”

TELLER, OF TELLER’s Pornt.— William Teller, the ancestor of this family,
emigrated from Holland to New Amsterdam. He d. about 1698, mar. Mary
; she d. in 1701. Their children were, (I.), Jacob, mar., 1, Anna Mar-
garitje —— ; 2, Christina Ashfield, and had two da., Anna and Margaret. (II,),
William of Teller’s Point, d. 1710, mar. Rachel Kiersted, and had, 1, Johannes

of Teller’s Point, mar. —— Vermilyea; 2, William; 3, Jacobus of Teller’s
Point, mar. Marietje Vermilyea, and left John, Pierre, Tobias, James of Teller’s
Point, Rachel, Syrché, mar. —— Valentine, Margaret, and Mary. Pierre, second

son of Jacobus, had, 1, James; 2, Pierre; 3, Solomon; 4, Daniel; 5, Isaac; 6,
Miriam ; 7, Unas, mar. Robert McCord. (III.), Andrew, father of Andrew.
(IV.), Johannes. (V), Casper. (VI.), Elizabeth. (VII.), Mary. (VIII), Jane,
mar. —— Schuyler.

Tuomas, oF Harrison.—Rev. John Thomas, a missionary of the Honorable
Propagation Society at Philadelphia, 1703, and first Rector of St. George’s church,

APPENDIX A. 761

Hempstead, L. I., 1704, mar. , d. 1723-4, buried at Hempstead, and had
Hon. John Thomas, first Judge of the county of Weschester, and a Representa-
tive in General Assembly, d. May 2, 1777; interred in Trinity churchyard. He
mar. 19th Feb. 1729, Abigail, da. of John Sands of Sands Point, L. I, b. Jan.
1708, d. 14th Aug. 1782; buried at Bedford, and had, 1, John; 2, Thomas
Thomas; 3, William; 4, Sibell; 5, Charity; 6, Margaret ; 7, Glorianna. (L.),
John, Sheriff of Westchester county, b. 3d Feb., 1732, mar. Phoebe Palmer, and
had, 1, Edward; 2, John T. 1, Edward, son of John, Surrogate of Westchester
Co. d. 2nd May, 1806, wt. 44. He mar. Anne Oakley, d. May 12, 1807, et. 45,
and had, 1, William of N. Y., d. Aug 22, 1836, et 37,; 2, Capt. John T., son
of John, mar. , d. Jan. 6, 1835, and had, 1, Capt. Benjamin, d. 16 Sept.,
1813, in N. Y.; 2, John of N. Y.; 3, Sophia, mar. —— Deighton, Mi D.; 4,
Catharine, mar. O. Dewitt. (II.), Major General Thomas Thomas, a distin-
guished officer of the continental army, and a member of the Legislature of the
State of New York, b. 17 June, 1745, d. May 29, 1824, interred on the estate,
and mar, Catharine Floyd of Mastic, L. I., b. 9th May, 1746,d. Jan. 15, 1825, et.79;
and had, 1, Floyd, b. 1778, d. 2nd June, 1802; 2, Glorianna, b. 9th Dec., 1772, andd.
9th Dec., 1779 ; 3, Nancey, d. Feb. 1, 1795, set. 19; 4, Catharine, 1795. (III.), Wil-
liam, b. Ist Aug., 1736, d. Sept. 21, 1740. (IV.), Sibell, b. 15th Jan., 1780, mar.
Abram Field. (Y.), Charity, b. 3d July, 1734, mar. James Ferris, and had, 1,
George; 2, Abigail. 1, George, son of Charity, mar. Post, and had, 1,
Thomas, heir of the Thomas property, at Harrison; 2, Abigail, da. of Charity,
mar. David Harrison, and had, 1, David Harrison, of N. Rochelle. (VI.),
Margaret, b. Aug. 1, 1738, mar. Charles Floyd. (VII.), Glorianna, b. Sept.
27, 1740, mar. James Franklin.

TownsEnD, or Eastourester.—This family is descended from the Townsends
of Long Island. John Townsend, son of John of Oyster Bay, d. 1788-9, and
had, 1, Daniel of Eastchester, who left John of Eastchester, Senator for the Second
District in 1821, and Elijah; 2, Freelove, who mar. William Pickney. From
the Long Island family also descended Sylvanus Townsend, who removed to
North Salem, and left issue William, Sylvanus, set. 91, James, Samuel, and Jus-
tus, all residing at North Salem.

VALENTINE, OF YONKERS.—Benjamin Valentine, the ancestor of this family,
was a dragoon in the French military service, Canada. Heremoved to New York
circa 1680, and settled upon the farm (in Yonkers) now owned by Frederick Rich.
He mar. Odell, and had three sons, Matthias, first proprietor of Valentine’s
Hill, Yonkers, b. 1698, d. 1781, buried at Eastchester; Vccholas, who removed
South, and Joseph. he latter individual was so passionately fond of the violin,
that he obtained the surname of ‘‘ The Fiddler.” Matthias, the eldest son, mar.
1, Anna Rych; 2, Mary , and left, (I.), Abraham of Yonkers, b. 1719, d.
19th Oct., 1768, buried at Eastchester, mar. Deborah Barton, and had, 1, Gilbert,
b. 1748, d. 1819, mar., 1, Mary Morgan, da. of Charles. 2, Martha Briggs; by
first wife he had Abraham, b. June 16, 1773, mar. May 27, 1798, Hannah Briggs;
she was b. May 2, 1776. Abraham and Hannah left, a, Abraham of New York,
b. May 10, 1804, mar., 1826, Jane Bates, and had Abraham, Edward, John,
William, George, Mary Jane, Emily, d. 1843, and Catharine; 3, Edward Briggs,
b. Jan. 25, 1809, d. Sept. 23, 1834, mar., 1833, Eliza E. Pickney ; c, Sam. Morgan

762 APPENDIX A.

of Poughkeepsie, b. Nov. 14, 1814, mar., 1848, Elizabeth Hempstead, and has
Sam. Hempstead; d, James, b. June 10, 1813, d. June 20, 1813; e, William
Henry, b. May 10, 1822, d. Aug. 18, 1836; f, Anne Delia, b. June 23, 1802, mar.,
Dec. 8, 1821, Edward G: Faile of West Farms; g, Harriet, b. May 27, 1806, mar.
Gilbert Bates; 4, Hannah, b. March 9, 1811, d. s. p. Dec. 10, 1812; ¢, Mary
Jane, b. Sept. 19, 1818, d. Feb. 10, 1825. Gilbert Valentine, by his second wife,
Martha Briggs, left three sons and two das., viz., a, Matthias, mar. Hannah
Briggs, and had Matthias, Thomas, Martha, Mary, Sarah, and Stacia; 0, John,
mar. Mary Bussing, and left Gilbert, John, Peter, Mary, and Georgia; c, Gilbert,
d.s.p.; d, Mary; e, Sarah; 2, Abraham, second son of first Abraham, mar., 1;
Jane Odell; 2, Fanny Newman; 3, Elizabeth Lent, and had Samuel, Odell,
James, Gilbert, Jacob, and Ann, who mar. Elijah Williams; 8, Dorothy, eldest
da. of first Abraham, mar. Fowler; 4, Nancy; 5, Sally; 6, Mary; 7,
Susan, b. 1756, still living, mar. Mr. Vredenburgh of Yonkers. (II.), John,
second son of first Matthias. (III.) Matthias. (IV.), Samuel. (V.), Thomas
of Valentine’s Hill, b. April 29, 1723, mar. 1, Isabel Lawrence; 2, Mary Barton,
and had 1, James, who mar. Miss Warner, and had Staats, Charles, and Nathaniel;
2, Elijah, mar. Odell, sister of General Jacob; 3. Nathaniel of Valentine’s
Hill} who had Bishop, Burling, Elijah, ete; 4, Thomas of Pelham had Charles of
Eastchester; 5, Matthias, mar. —— Deighton, and had Samson of Eastchester ;
6, Margaret, mar. Isaac Odell ; 7, Anna. (VI.), Dorothy, b. April 16, 1716, mar.
William Warner. (VII), Sarah b. Oct. 19,1719, mar. Richard Archer. (VIIL.),
Jane, b. Jan. 27, 1724, mar. Reuben Fowler. (IX.), Mary. Joseph Valentine,
the youngest son of first Benjamin, had Caleb, who left two sons, Caleb and
Anthony. Anthony mar. Farringdon, and had 1, James; 2, Anthony; 3,
Jurdan; 4, Daniel, who mar. Miriam Fisher, da. of Thomas, and left Fisher of
Eastchester, David, Clerk of the Common Council, New York city, Daniel,
Evaline, Elizabeth, Amelia, and Emma. Avms, Arg. a mullet between three
human hearts gules.

Van TassELL, OF GREENBURGH.—Derick van Tassel of Tarrytown, had Cor-
nelius, who mar. Elizabeth Storms, and left Leah, the wife of Capt. William
Romer ; Joanna mar. Aaron van Wedmer; and Mary mar. Sybout Acker. The
descendants of Jacob van Texel, the ancestor of this family, are very numerous
in Westchester county.

Van Wart, or Greenpurcn.—This family derive their origin from Joachim
van Weert of Philipsburgh in 1697, who had several children. Isaac van Wart,
one of the captors of André, probably a grandson of the above, was b. Oct. 25,
1762, d. May 23, 1828, mar. April 14, 1778, Rachel] ——, she was b. June 4, 1760,
d. 1834; their children were, Alexander, b. Sept. 28, 1779, mar. March 27, 1822,
Eshton, and has James, Frances, Esther, Rachel Anne, and Hannah. 2,
Abraham, b. Aug. 12, 1785, and has Isaac; 3, Anne, b. 1782; Fanny, b. May
12, 1793.

VERMILYA, OF GrEENBURGH.—Isaac Vermilya of Yonkers d. about 1766, and
left three sons and five das., (I.), Johannes of Kingsbridge, mar. Charity Dyck-
man, and had, 1, Jacob, mar. ist, Mary Dyckman, 2nd, Maretje Dyckman, and
le*t Isaac of New York; 2, William, mar. Mary Forbes, and had William and

APPENDIX A. 763

Thomas of New York; 3, Isaac, mar. Susan Myersof Haarlem, had Isaac of Yon-
kers; 4, Jane, mar. Edward Prior; 5, Rebecca, d. s. p.; 6, Ellida, mar. James
Teller. (II.), Isaac of Croton Valley. (III.), Peter, also of Croton Valley. (IV.),
Aeltje. (V.), Maretje. (VI.), Santje. (VII.), Rebecca. (VIII.), Hannah.

Watiace.—James Wallace, a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland, A. D., 1676, was
a scion of the parent stock from which the renowned Sir William Wallack de-
scended. Eeinverus Galleius, its founder, was a subscribing witness to King
David’s foundation charter of Kelso Abbey, A. D. 1150.

James Wallace emigrated from Scotland to Ridgefield, Conn., cir., 1676, and
subsequently removed to North Salem, ob. March, 1762, et. 87. His wife Mary
Hyatt, ob. Dec. 20, 1768, «et. 84; buried at Ridgefield. His children were, 1,
John of North Salem, mar. Martha Scofield; 2, James, nat. Feb. 28, 1713, ob.
March 20, 1780, «et. 69, left one son Jacob; 3, Jacob of North Salem, (see Rec.
of Wills, Surrogate’s office, N. Y., lib. xix. 176.); 4, Thomas, ob. xt. 24; 5,
Rachel, ob. Nov. 20, 1748, mar. Vivus Douchy. John, the eldest son of James,
was nat. 16th Oct. O. 8. 1709, ob. 23d March, 1812, xt. 102 years and 5 mos.
His wife Martha ob. March 1770, et. 44. Their children were, 1, John of Nova
Scotia, nat. 2d June, 1747, ob. Dec. 1828; 2, William, nat. Oct. 16, 1750; 3,
Jonathan, nat. Noy. 18, 1752; 4, Samuel, nat. Nov. 1754, ob. 19th April, 1826 ;
5, Jacob, nat. June 1, 1759, left a son Jacob heir to his uncle Jacob; 6, James,
nat. July 8, 1762; 7, Epenetus, M. D., of North Salem, nat. Nov. 18, 1766, mar.
Pheebe Close, da. of Solomon; 8, Martha, nat. June 2, 1747, ob. Oct. 27, 1826;
9, Rachel, nat. Jan’y, 1749, ob. xt. 62, at Onondaga; 10, Ruth, nat. Dec. 1756 ;
11, Mary, nat. Aug. 28, 1769. The children of Epenetus, seventh son of John,
are i, Solomon, nat. Oct. 23, 1798; 2, Charles, nat. Sept. 17, 1796, mar. Clara
Townsend; their children are Epenetus, nat. Jan. 22, 1830; Isaac, nat. March,
23, 1832; Elbert, nat. Oct. 19, 1834; Justus P., nat. Sept. 5, 1836, d. Aug. 16th,
1838; Ann Augusta, nat. July 3, 1838; Majra G., nat. Sept. 10, 1841, and
Eleanor, nat. Oct. 27, 1844; 8, John, third son of Epenetus, nat. Dec. 1, 1801;
4, Tompkins Donald, nat. Jan’y 18, 1814; 5, Matilda, nat. 11th May, 1789; 6
Jane, nat. 22d Feb. 1791; 7, Abigail, nat. March 8, 1799; 8, Martha M., nat.
14th June, 1804; 9, Phebe Ann, nat. July 29, 1807; 10, Rachel E., nat. 14th
Dec. 1810. Family Arms—Gules, a lion rampart or. Crest—Two eagles’ necks
and heads conjoined.

Wescorte, oF Beprorp.—Richard Wescotte was one of the early proprietors of
Bedford. He mar. Rachel ——, and Jeft issue, Richard, Daniel, Rachel, Ruth,
Rose, and Millison. Ananias Wescotte, a descendant of the above Richard, mar.
Hannah ——, she d. Nov. 24, 1833, zt. 83. The children of Ananias were, 1,
Huly W. of Bedford, b. May 27, 1798, mar. Deborah Wreden, and left Ezra,
William, Eliza, and Susan; 2, Stephen of Stocktown, Cayuga Co, N. Y.; 3,
Smith of North Salem, b. April 23, 1790; 4, Mary, b. April 20, 1789 ; 5. Abigail,
b. Feb. 8, 1796; 6, Ezra W.,; 7, Susan, b. Jan’y 24, 1821; 8, Sally; 9, Maria;
10, Ruth.

Wuirte.—John White came to Southampton, Long Island, about 1640. He left.
two sons, viz., (I.), Rev. Ebenezer, minister of the Presbyterian church, Bridge-
hampton, b. 17th Feb., 1672, graduated at Harvard, 1692, and installed minister

764 APPENDIX A.

of Southampton church, 9th Oct., 1695, d. March, 1756, mar. Miss Pierson; and
(II.), Captain Thomas White. Rev. Ebenezer and Miss Pierson left, sons,
Elnathan, Rev. Sylvanus, Silas, and a da. Hannah, who mar. Rey. —— Rossiter
of Stonington, Conn. Rev. Sylvanus, second son of Rev, Ebenezer, was. b. A.
D. 1704, graduated at Harvard 1723, minister of Southampton church 1727, d.
22d Oct. 1782. mar. Phoebe Howell, da. of Hezekiah, who d. July 24, 1783.
They had nine children, (I.), Sylvanus of Blooming Grove, Orange Co., N. Y.,
d. wt. 80, mar. Eunice Herrick of Southampton, and had Sylvanus, Nathan Her-
rick, Phoebe, and Eunice. (II.), Edward of New Windsor, d. June 4, 1767, et.
36, mar. Hannah Pelletreau, da. of Francis, she d. March 1, 1810, xt. ‘74. Their
children were, 1, Edward of Geneva, n. 1745, d. Aug. 1827, et. 65, mar. Rachel
Smith, da. of Henry, and had Harry, who d. Oct. 1833, Sophia, Phoebe, and
Mary, d. «et.12; 2, Hannah, mar. Charles Merrill ; 3, Mary, d. Dec. 27, 1798, set. 33;
4, Phebe, mar. Reuben Colton. (III.), Hezekiah, mar. Abigail Sayre of Bridge-
hampton, settled at Blooming Grove, Orange Co. ; they had six children. (IV.),
Daniel, d. autumn of 1781, mar. Euphemia Bartow, da. of Rev. John, and left
Daniel, Theophilus, Pheebe, Bathsheba, who mar. Don Joseph Barnubeau, Spanish
Consul General, Matilda, and Euphemia. (V.), Silas of New Windsor, mar.
Sarah Newson, and had, 1, James Tiley; 2, Silas; 8, Levi of New Windsor,
who mar. Ellen Cox, and had Charles, George, Robert, Adelia, b. 1814, Elvira,
b. 1816, Harriet, b. 1829, and Eleanora, b. 1830; 4, Robert ; 5, Harriet. (VI.),
Ebenezer, d. et. 15mo. (VII.), Hon. Ebenezer, M. D., of Yorktown, d. 8th March
1825, wt. 81, mar. Helena Bartow, and had, 1, Bartow, M. D., member of Con-
gress for Dutchess Co.; 2, Ebenezer, M. D., of Somers, who mar. Miss Green,
and has John of N. Y., Samuel of Somers, Bartow F. of Round Hill, Conn.,
Henry, M. D., of Peekskill, Euphemia, Phebe, and Eleanor; 3, Henry, M. D.,
of Yorktown; 4, Lewis, late of Peoria, Illinois; 5, James; 6, Theodosius, b.
1836; 7, Catharine, mar. Sam’l Strang, M. D., of Peekskill. (VIII.), Henry,
M. D., mar. Ann Eels, da. of Nathaniel, and had Sylvanus, Hannah Eels, mar,
James Parker, and Ann. (IX.), Phoebe, mar. James Tilly.

WILEns, oF WESTOHESTER.—The ancestor of this family emigrated from Lon-
don, Middlesex, England, to the parish of St. Dorothy, Island of Jamaica, ante
1719. He mar. Anne and left issue Martin, a large landed proprietor in the
island of Jamaica, whose last will bears date September 19, 1748, and ada. Anne.
Martin, mar. Jonathan Hay, and had issue a son-and a da., viz. Rev. Isaac, D.
D., for thirty-one years Rector of St. Peter’s Church, Westchester, d. Feb. 5,
1838, et. 89, mar. Isabella Morris, da. of Hon. Lewis, she was b. Feb. 8, 1748,
d. Oct. 21, 1810. -Anme. mar. Hawks. Rev, Isaac had (1.), Martin, a dis-
tinguished member of the New York bar and proprietor of Castle Hill Neck,
Westchester, who mar. Sarah Nutter, da, of Valentine, and left 1, Gouverneur
of Castle Hill Neck; 2, Martin of South Carolina; 3, Gilbert of New York; 4,
Lewis of Madison County New York; 5,Catharine, mar. Henry Phelps; 6, Anne,
mar. Robert Turnbull, M. D.; 7, Matina, d. s. p. (II). Isaac of Westchester.
mar. Charlotte Seabury, da. of Right Rev. Samuel Seabury. (III.), Hon. Lewis
of Nova Scotia, had James of New York, Hon. Lewis of Nova Scotia, Martin
and others. (IV.), Thomas, b. 1771, d. May, 1816, s. p. (V.), Sarah, mar.
Archibald Burns, M. D, (VI.), Joannah. (VII), Isabella. (VUI.), Mary.

APPENDIX A. 765,

(IX.), Euphemia, mar. Ichabod Brush of New York. Armas, per pale or. and
ar. a whelk vert. Ovest, a whelk’s head, erased, vert. Motto, Sun ar. dy hyn.

Witctert or Wittert’s Necx.—Captain Thomas Willett of Plymouth, Mass.,
in 1629, mar. Mary Brown. July 6, 1636, and left (I.), Colonel Thomas of New
York in 1667, afterwards of Flushing, L. I., who had two sons, William, heir of
his father’s lands on Cornell’s or Willett’s Neck; and Thomas who succeeded
his brother. Thomas the youngest had William who d. 1783, and left 1, Wil-
liam: 2, Isaac, High Sheriff of Westchester County. d. s. p. mar. Isabella Mor-
ris, da. of Lewis; 3, Thomas to whom his father bequeathed his property at
Flushing ; 4, Cornelius, heir to his brother, mar. Elizabeth ——, and left liza-
beth, d. June. 1772, Hannah, mar. Frederick Stephens; Mille. mar. Rev. George
Ogilby, Mary, mar. 1st, Van Romer; 2d, —— Graham; fachel, mar. 1st.
—— Lecraft; 2d, Haviland ; Martha, mar. —— Hatfield; and Sarah, mar.
Mr. Berrian; 5, Mary, mar. Mr. Rodman; 6, Anne, mar. Mr. Jones (II.),
James of Narragansett, second son of Captain Thomas, had Frances of Rhode
Island. (III.), Andrew, (IV.), Samuel. (V.), Hezekiah, killed by the Indians
during King Phillip’s war, June 26, 1676. (VI.), Hester, mar. John Suffin.
(VII.), Rebecca, mar. Samuel Hooker.

Woop or Cuerry Street, Beprorp.—Three brothers of this name emigrated
from England to Connecticut, viz. Isaac, Daniel, and Obadiah. The latter re-
moved to Salem where he died. He mar. Sarah Abbott and left (I.), Obadiah,
mar. Anna Roe. and had William Wood, M. D. of Bedford. (II.), Lemuel, mar.
Sarah Whitlock, and had 1, Lemuel; 2, Obadiah; 3, Thomas of Fairfield. (III.),
Ebenezer of Salem, b. July 18, 1731, mar. Rachel Lockwood, da. of Ebenezer,
d. 20th Oct. 1824, xt. 93. She was b. Feb. 13, 1734, mar. 1759. d. 21st July.
1825, xt. 91, and had 1. Prudence, b. May 3, 1761, d. January 9, 1815; 2, Sarah,
b. August 18, 1768, d. March 12, 1844 ; 3, Rachel, b. October 18, 1765, d. June 8,
1785; 4, Mary, b. Aug. 29, 1770; 5, Ebenezer, b. Nov. 26, 1773; 6, Joseph,
b. Nov. 15, 1778, d. Sept. 18, 1779, ([V.), James, mar. Eunice Barnum, and had,
1, Levi of Danbury; 2, James, d. xt. 20; 3, Joseph. d. (V.), Michael of Balls-
ton, mar. Margaret Scribner, and left 1, Abraham; 2, Uriah; 3, David: 4,
Michael.

Wootsey or Beprorp.—This family is descended from George Woolsey, ‘‘ the
son of Benjamin, and grandson of Thomas, a near relative of Thomas, better
known in history as Cardinal Wolsey ; who, to the liberalty of his royal master,
Henry VIII. was indebted for his extraordinary elevation. George Woolsey
was b. October 27, 1610, and had probably resided some time with his father in
Holland, having come over with the Dutch emigrants in 1623, while yet a mere
boy.” From New Amsterdam George removed to Flushing, where he purchased
a plantation and established himself. Hed. August 17, 1698. By his wife Re-
becca, he had three sons, George, Thomas and John, and three da. Sarah Hallett,
Mary Woolsey and Rebecca Wiggins. For the descendants of George, see
Thompson’s History of Long Island. Thomas, the second son, b. 1655 removed
to Bedford, Westchester County, and left three sons, viz. Richard, William and
Thomas. Richard, the eldest, b. 1697, d. 1777, mar. Sarah Fowler, and had (1.),
Josiah, d. 1778, mar. Mary Owen and left 1, Stephen of Ulster Co., b. 1758; 2,

766 APPENDIX A.

Thomas of Bedford, b. 1766, d. 1839; 3, Josiah of Bedford; 4, William of Bed-
ford, b. 1770, d. 1836. (IL), Thomas of Virginia, left Simeon and Daniel of
Bedford. (III.), Daniel had Aaron and others. (IV.), Benjamin had Jeremiah
of New York. (V.), John had 1, John of Ulster County; 2, Henry of Ulster;
3, David; 4, Rev. Elijah; 5, Thomas. (VI.), Richard of Vermont, has Richard
of Delaware Co.,N. York. (VII.), Henry, killed by lightning. (VIII.), Joseph,
mar. Mary Haight, and left 1, Richard of Seneca County, New York; 2, Joseph
of Cayuga County ; 3, Jonathan of Newcastle, Delaware ; 4, Daniel of Bedford.
(IX.), Mary, mar. Loton of Albany. (X.), Saran, d. in Ulster County,
(XI.), Ruth, mar. Jacob Griffen of Fishkill. (XII.), Hannah, mar. Joseph
Sarles. William of Bedford, second son of Thomas, left two sons, viz. John and
Jonathan. John, mar. Ruth Owen, by whom he had issue, John of Bedford.
The latter mar. Knowlton and had 1, Nathaniel; 2, John of Bedford, who
mar. Elizabeth Fountain, da. of Ezra. Their descendants are very numerous in
the western part of this State. Thomas, youngest son of Thomas, resides at
Bedford. Ams, sa. on a cross, angr. ar. a lion passant, guardant gu. crowned
or. betw. four leopards’ faces az, on a chief, of the second, a rose of the third,
betw. two Cornise choughs, ppr. Crest, a naked arm, embowered, grasping a
ghin-bone, all ppr.

DrrEcTIONS FoR THE READER.—In the preceding pages b. stands for born; m.
or mar. for married; d. or. ob. for died; da. for daughter; set. for aged; cir. for
about, s. p. for without issue; and nat. fur born.

——

ee Be

ACKER, Jacob, i. 552
Ackhongh, i. 260
AckKquacknouncke River. i. 242; ii. 68
Act of General Assembly, i. 225; ii. 337, 514
disannulled by Queen Anne, 226
of the Legislature, i. 236; ii. 447
confirming title of Presbyterian Church in
Sing Sing to land, ii. 15
of Governor and Council, ii. 518
to incorporate County Hist. Society, ii. 551
Acts of General Assembly of New York, ii. 177
Address of Rey. Isaac Wilkins, D.D., to his
countrymen, ii. 392
of people of New Rochelle to V. P. S., i. 615
Admission from Gov. Moore, ii. 376
Advertisement for deed of Harrison’s Pur-
chase, i. 370
Aepjen, chief Sachem of Mohegans, i. 84
Agreement between Caleb Hall and others, i.150
among first proprietors of Eastchester, 1.204
among people of Eastchester, i. 238
between people of Stamford and Ponus
made and confirmed, ii. 105
confirmed by Catonah, ii. 107
among first settlers of Manussing Is!’d,ii.161
betw’n Fred’k Phiiipse and John Pell,ii.588
Allaire, Alexander, i. 678
James P., i. 678
Ander:on, Hon. Joseph H., i. 386
André, Major John, i. 168, 197, 275, 279
biographical sketch of, i. 322
letters and documents relating to capture
of, i. 311, 451
statement of, i. 328
appeal to Washington by, i. 331
last words of, i. 334
execution of, i. 279
will of, i. 336
monument to, i. 340
thanks voted to captors of, i. 319
incidents in life of, i. 716
Angle Fly Brook, ii. 260
Anjevin family, ii. 231
*‘ Ann-hoock,” alias Wampage, ii. 33
Annsville, i., 158
Answers, Rev. Peter Stouppe’s to the Bishop
of London, i. 634

Anthony’s Nose (mountain), i. 163
Apawamis, or Budd’s Neck, ii. 150
Archer family, ii. 515

Armonck, i. 713

Arnold, Benedict, i. 169, 197, 275
Avery, Rev. Ephraim, i. 65

BALLAD of Capt. Kidd, i. 683
Ball, Rev. Eliphalet, i. 50
Bartow, ii. 88
Rey. John, induction of, i. 229
letters of, ii. 324-359
answers of, to the Bishop of London,
il., 347-349
death of, ii., 350
last will of, ii 351
Rey. Theodosius, i. 66, 663, 664
Bayard, Pierre du Terrail Seigneurde, ii. 414
Rey. Lewis Pintard, i. 242 665, 666
Bayside, ii. 413
Bear Ridge, i. 563
Swamp, ii. 264
Bedford, town of, 1. 1
deviation and etymology of the name, i. 1
called originally Catonah land, i. 3
expedition of Dutch and English against
Indians at, i. 8.
conclusion of peace at i. 12
settlement of, i. 13
name of, given, i. 19
land of Kohamong conveyed to proprietors
of, i. 19 :
discussion between New York and Con-
necticut as to ownership of, i. 20, 21
applies to Connecticut for patent, i. 22
protection of Connecticut granted to, i. 23
Governor Fletcher’s proclamation to, i. 23
dispute about, referred to the King, i. 23
asks for and receives patent, i. 24
disputes between New York and Connecti-
cut about, i. 28
common Jaws Of, i. 28
sale of land to John Johnston, by, i. 28
purchase of land from Katonah by, i. 29
released from allegiance to Connectic’t, i. 29
meeting of Commissioners to fix the
boundary line of, i. 29
; 767

768

Bedford finally secured to New York, i. 29

sale of land to John Diblee, by, i. 30

purchase of land from Katonah, ete., by,
i. 31 {

Royal Patent obtained for, i. 34

purchase of land from Lackawawa and
others by, i. 35

division of land among proprietors of, i. 36

the old court-house in, i. 38

academy of, i. 39.

female institute of, i. 39.

old burying-ground of, i. 40.

first religions society organized in, i. 40.

religious services conducted by laymen of,
i. 42, 43.

first regular call to a minister by, i. 46.

change in form of church government by,
1. 48

incorporation of Pres. Society of, i. 53

laying of corner stone of new Presbyterian
church of, i. 57

organization of Presbytery in i. 57

dedication of new Pres. church of, i. 57

list of ministers of Congregational church
in, i. 57

list of ministers of Presb church in, i. 58

a precinct of Kye parish, i, 58

vestry-men chosen for, i. 59

missionary appointed for, i. 60 .

rector of Rye objects to the appointment
for, i. 60

application of Rye to V. P. 8. for an assist-
ant minister for, i. 64

his appointment for, i. 64

money left in trust for churches of North
Castle and, i. 65

the church ia, destroyed by fire, i. 65

first and second incorporation of present

- parish of, i. 65, 66

erection of parsonage, in, i. 66

endowment of churches of New Castle and,
i. 66

eall of rector to the unitcd churches in, i.67

St. Matthew’s church in, i. 67

list of ministers and rectors of, i. 68

incorportion and consecration of St. Mary’s
church in, i. 68

organization of Baptist Society of, i. 69

election of pastor of Bapt. church of, i. 69

situation of Union Academy in, i. 70

burning of village of, i. 71

Turtle Rock in, i. 75

Deer’s Delight in, i. 76

the Jay homestead in, i. 77

collection of portraits in the Jay homestead
in, i. 78

anecdote of John Jay of, i. 79

Katonah, village in, i 80

Beechwood, i. 549

INDEX,

Beeckman family, i. 547
anecdote of, i. 532
Gerard C., i. 532
Mrs, Cornelia, i. 632
Penedict, Mr., i. 54
Bequest of Manor of Cortland, i. 734
of lands by Hercules Lent, i. 92
of lands by Frederick Philpse, ii. 598
of lands to Frederick Van Cortlandt, ii. 617
from Augustus Van Cortlandt, i. 618
Berrian family, ii. 606
Birch, Harvey, i. 75
“* Bishop Rocks,” ii. 25
Black Dog River, i. 246 -
Blatchford, Rev. Samuel, i. 53
Blind Brook, ii. 129
Bolton, Mr. James, ii. 431
Rey. Robert, ii. 89
Bondet, Rey. Daniel, i. 607
Bonnett, Daniei, i. 595
Bonrepos, Rey. David, i. 603

| Bondinet, Elias, i. 602

s0utonville, ii. 124
Brant, Col., anecdote of, i. 187
Brennen, Alexander M., ii. 780
Brewer, Dr. James, ii. 672
Briar Cliff, ii. 24
All Saints’ church erected in, ii, 24
Bridges, Rey. Christopher, ii. 182
Brimstone Alley, i. 719
Boscobel, i. 179
Brockett’s Neck, ii. 268
Bronck, Jonas, i. 262, ii. 426
Bronx Dale, ii. 431
River, i. 250
Bronxville, i. 252
erection of Dutch Ref. Church in, i. 22
Brook, Andre, i. 368
Angle Fly, ii. 260
Blind, ii. 129
Cedar Tree, or Gravelly, i. 34
Hutchinson’s, i. 246
Mill, ii. 260
Plum, ii. 255
Pockeotessen, ii. 20
Stillwater, ii. 124
Stony Hill, ii. 123
Stony, or Beaver Meadow, ii. 150
Tippet’s, or Mosholu, ii. 613
Brown, Deliverance, i. 59
James, i 412
Brown’s Point, i. 381
Brundage, Rey. Albner, i. 146
Bud, John, ii. 155
Buel, Rev. Clarence, ii. 14
Byram River, ii. 205

CAMPBELL, Cap’t. Archibald, i. 253
Camp Field, i. 723

INDEX,

Carter, Rev. Lawson, i. 242
Castle Hill Neck, ii. 264
Catonah, Sachem, i. 733
death of, i. 36
Cedar Tree Brook, ii. 84
Certificate of trustees of Eastchester, i. 238
of recognition by Governor of Connecti-
cut, ii. 56
of General Assembly of New York, ii. 311
of induction, ii. 323
of lease of land in North Castle, 1. 726
by Caleb Heathcote to character of Rev.
Daniel Bondet, i. 610
of dismission to Mr, Jean Carle, i. 674
of incorporation of Home for Incurables,
ii. 531
Charter, Royal, for Cortlandt Manor, i. 94
of Grace church, Rye, ii. 187
for Manor of Philipsborough, ii. 589
for Morrisania, ii. 470
of St. Peter’s church, Peekskill, i. 120
of St. Peter’s church, Westchester, i. 301
Trinity church New Rochelle, i. ¢52
Chastellux, Marquis of, i. 171
Chatterton Height, i. 356
Chatterton Hill, ii. 570
Chauncey, Rev. Peter S., ii. 12
CGAsqua River, i. 38 —
City Island, or Great Minniefords, ii. 74
ferries of, established, il. 77
Grace church organized and erected in,
ii. 82
rectory of Grace church in, ii. 82
list of rectors of Grace church in, ii. 83
Methodist Episcopai church in, ii. 82
Clapp, Thomas, ii. 385
Clinton, Gen., ii. 166
Sir Henry, ii. 275
Coe, John, ii. 152
Cohamong Pond, i. 722
Colgan, Rev. Mr., ii. 183
Commission of Rey. Daniel Bondet, i. 618
Conover, Rev. Edward, ii. 150
Constant Silas, i, 133
Conveyance of land, abstract of, for Friends’
meeting-house at Crompond, ii. 671
by Andrew Johnson to Caleb Hall and
others, i. 113
by Indians to West India Company, ii. 575
for church in New Rochelle, i. 672
by John Wale, ii. 266
by Lewis Morris to James Graham, ii. 448
to Presb. church in White Plains, ii. 545
Cook, Capt. Joel, il. 638
Cooper, James Fenimore, ii. 249
residence of, ii. 249
Cogper’s Corners, or Wilmou, i. 694
St. John’s church in, i. 694
St. John’s church, list of rectors of, i. 694

769

Copp, John, i. 27
Cornell’s Neck, or “‘ Snakapins,” ii. 264
Cortlandt House, ii. 613
Cort'andt, town of, i. 83
Manor of, i. 83
first independent election for, i. 200
partial division and partition of, i. 105
Indian burying-ground in, i. 84
erection of Manor of, i. 94
Royal charter for Manor of, i. 94—98
Peekskill formerly in, i. 112
three precincts in Manor of, i. 118
Cortlandatville in, i. 126
Annsville in, i. 158
Verplanck in, i. 165
Parsonage, or Montrose’s Point in, i. 172
Manor, the old Dutch church of, i. 172, 173
erection of first church in, i. 174
erection of present church in, i. 174
Cortiandtown, incorporation of Dutch Reform-
ed church of, i. 177
list of ministers of the Ref. Dutch Church
in, i. 177
Crugez’s in, i. 180
Croton, vilage in, i. 184
Van Cortlandt cemetery in, i. 194
Coutant family, i. 689
County Historical Society, formation of, &, 551
Covel, Samuel, i. 70
Cow Boys, i. 306
Crawbucky Point. ii. 20
Creek, Hutchinson’s, i. 246
Rattlesnake, i. 245
Tuckahoe, ii. 656
Westchester, i. 422
Creighton, Rev. William, i. 296
Crompond, ii. 665, 672
Episcopal services held at, ii. 665
Presbyterian Society organized and incor-
porated in, ii. 666
erection of Pres. church in, ii. 666
Presbyterian church in, burned by the
British, ii. 666
present Presbyterian church in, ii. 668
list of pastors and supplies of Presbyterian
church in, ii. 669
Congregational Society of, ii. 671
Friends’ meeting house near, ii. 671
Revolutionary trouble at, ii. 674
Davenport’s house in, ii. 682
Cromwell family, i. 372
Col. John, i. 371
story of, i, 373
' Crosby, Enoch, i. 199
| Rev, Alexander H., i. 252
| Cross or Peppeneghek Pond, i. 488
river, i. 460
Baptist church incorporated in, i. 400
| Meth, Epis. church incorporated in,d. 460

770 INDEX,

Croton, i. 184
Protestant Episcopal church in, i. 184
Methodist Episcopal church in, i. 184
Friends’ meeting-house of, i. 184
Manor-house of, i. 184
Dam, breaking away of, i. 186
Falls, ii. 259
Crotonville, ii. 705
Methodist church in, ii. 705
Friends’ meeting-house in, fi. 705
Cruger, Hon. Nicholas, i. 183
John, i. 181
Cruger’s, i. 180

DANIELS, Isaac, i. 174
Dark Valley, i. 719
Davenport, Rey. John, i. 51, 63
Davenport’s Neck, i. 686
Deed, abstract of, to John Paulding, i. 155
abstract of quit-claim, to Dutch Reformed
church of Cortlandt, i. 175
for church lot in Cortlandt, i. 119
for church lot in New Rochelle. i. 644
for glebe to Presb. ministers of Salem, i. 443
for site of Second Presbyterian church of
Bedford, i. 52
of St. Ann’s church, Morrisania, ii. 493
to Pres. church of Bedford, i. 49
of glebe lands in Lewisboro, i. 432
partition, of Manor of Cortlandt, i. 106
to East Chester, i. 210
to Johu Knights, i. 92
to Petrus Stuyvesent, i. 265
warrantee from James Cockscroft to Ref
Dutch church of Cortlandt, i, 174
Deeds for church lot in Lewisboro, i. 423-429
**Deer’s Delight,” i. 76
De Graff, Henry B., i. 183
De Kalb, Baron, i. 193
De La Fayette, Marquis i, 112, 188
Delafield family, account of, ii. 624-626
Major Joseph, ii. 624
De Lancy family, genealogy and arms of, i.
478, 480
Bishop William Heathcote, i. 487
James, i. 725, ii. 427
John Peter, ii. 736
Mills, ii. 429
Oliver, Brig. Gen., i. 109, fi. 427
Stephen, i. 735, 736
De Lancy’s Neck, or Long Beach Point, £ 463
De Lauzun, Duke, i, 188
Denham, Isaac, i. 59
Rey. Thomas, ii. 42
Devil’s Den, ii. 124
Dibble, Rey. Geo. i. 65
John, i. 32
Dibblee, Rev. Ebenezer, i. 742
Disbrow, Peter, i. 498, ii. 129

Dobb’s Ferry, i. 274
retreat of British to, i. 275
meetiug of Arnold and Andre at, 1. 275
engagement of British and Americans at
i. 279
American army encamped at, i. 280
Washington’s head-quarters at, i 280
French army encamped at, i. 281
meeting of British and American com-
manders at, i. 281
** Dobs Jan,” i. 274
Document at Albany, i. 473
endorsed Van Freederick
Philipse, i. 511
to the public, ii.563
ancient in the Rich family, ii. 600
Documents relating to Andre’s capture, i 311,
451
Fordham, ii. 507, 611 x
Donald, Capt. Lewis M., i. 52, 66.
Dongan, Goy., ii. 137
“ Dorman’s Island,” i. 413
Doty, Rev. John, i. 128, 132
Doughty, Elias, ii. 586
Gen. Geo. H., ii. 586
Hon. John, ii. 686
Rev. Franciscus, ii. 686
Drake, Rodman, ii. 444
Samuel, i. 250
Dyckman, Staats Morris, 1. 178

EASTCHESTER, town of first so called, i. 202

agreement of proprietors of, i. 204

Royal Patent of, i. 205

Inagistrates appointed for, i. 208

Long Reach in, i. 210

confirmed by deed, i. 210

Royal Patent of Long Reach in, i. 211

public lands of, i. 212

Mount Vernon in, 1. 213

first settlement in, i. 213

name, confirmed by charter, 1. 213

first school-house erected in, i. 214

election of first representative from West-
chester county, i. 215

first Congregational church in, i. 218

first minister called to, i. 219

made a precinct of Westchester parish,1.221

old church of, i. 222

made a distinct parish, i. 225

list of ministers of Cong’l church of, i. 228

foundation of present church in, laid, i. 234

St. Paul’s church erected and incorporated
in. i. 235

land appropriated to the church of, i. 240

second incorporation of St. Paul’s chureh
in, i. 240

Meth. Epis. church organized, incorpor-
ated and erected in, i. 244

Ss

INDEX.

Eastchester, West Mount Vernon in, i. 250
erection of Dutch Reformed church of
Bronxville in, i. 252
Stephen Ward’s house in, attacked by the
British, i. 252
Waverly, village in, i. 213
Washingtonville in, i. 213
East Patent, or Undivided Land, i. 402
East Tarrytown, i. 549.
“E. H.,” anecdote about, i. 75
Euketanpnanson, or Hog-Pen Ridge, i. 134
Eustis, James, i. 250
Extract about de Lancy’s movement, ii. 684
concerning the state of the church in West-
chester, ii. 337
from address of J. W. Tompkins, ii. 566
ancient town records of Westchester, ii.
296
assize records, ii. 271
British acconnt of ambuscade at Mile
Square, ii 601.
Col. Morris’s letter to V. P. S., ii. 519.
diary of Pres. Styles, ii. 73
family ledger of the Philipse family, 1. 511.
Irving’s life of Gen. Washington, ii. 692
sketch book, ii. 609
Wolfert’s Roost, i. 587
journal of Judge Lewis Morris, ii. 631
Lee’s history of the southern war, ii. 680
ietter from Peekskill, i. 489
of Frederick Philipse, ii. 646.
of Leonard Lispenard, i. 642
of M. de Tracy, ii. 453
of Mr. John Bartow, ii. 373
of Mrs. Cormelia Beeckman, ii. 525
of Pierre Van Cortlandt, i. 565
of Samuel Young, ii. 442
of St. George Talbot, i. 743
of Viceroy of Canada, ii. 453
from Mr. Bondet’s report to V. P. §S.,i. 618
from N. Netherland Vertoogh, ii. 631
from New York paper of 1845, ii. 573
from original records of old Dutch church
in Sleepy Hollow, i. 539
from Philipse family papers, ii. 641
from record of New York Classis, ii. 520
from records of Salem, i. 461
from Sparks’s life of Washington, ii. 636
from town records of Harrison, i. 387
of North Castle, i. 713
of Pelham, ii. 101
of Yonkers, ii. 659
of Yorktown, ii 706
of Underhill’s Reminiscences of the Revo-
lution, ii. 698
of Weems life of Gen. Washington, ii. 688
will of Catharine Philipse, i. 529
will of Hon. Frederick Philipse, ii. 640
will of Mrs. Anne Richbell, i. 473

771

Extracts foom Gen. Heath’s memoirs, ii. 417,
570, 678
from letters to V. P. S., iit 614, 623, 661
from Simcoe’s Military Journal, il. 622, 651
from Thatcher’s Military Journal, i, 555, ii.
674

FANCHER, John, il. 115
William, ii. 116

Fauconier, Peter, i. 569

Felch, Rey. Nathan, i. 67

Ferguson, Rey, Geo. W., ii. 14

Ferris, Hon. Charles G., i. 377

Flandreau family, i. 690

Field family, i. 378

Flanagan, Betty, i. 553

Fletcher, Gov., i. 23
Flora, i. 767

Fordham, manor of, ii. 503
Indian proprietors of, ii. 503
Manor of, confirmed by royal charter, ii.512
situation of ancient village of, ii. 519
situation of present Village of, ii. 519
Dutch Ref. church organized in, ii. 519
list of Dutch Ref. ministers in, ii. 520
St. James’ Prot. Epis. church incorporated

and consecrated in, ii. 522

list of rectors of St. James church in, ii.524
revolutionary incidents, ii. 525
fortications in, ii. 528
St. John’s college in, ii. 530
St. Joseph’s divinity school in, ii. 530
Home for Incurables in, ii. 531

Forrest Edwin, ii. 627

Fort Hill, i. 723
Independence, i. 160, ii 528, 614
Mercer, ii. 693
Mifflin, attack upon, ii. 692
Montgomery, i. 163
No. 8, ii. 528
Schuyler, ii. 417

Foster, Rev, Isaac, i. 53

Fountain, Elder Ezra, i. 69
James, i. 73

Four Corners, account of engagement between

British and Americans at, i. 553

Kosciusko’s hcad-quarters at, i. 561

Fowler, Rev. Andrew, i. 132

Erauklin, Dr. Benjamin, i. 188

Freeman, John, i. 149

Friends, or Quakers, the, i. 381.

Goat Island, i. 696
Golden’s Bridge, i. 460
Meth. Epis. church in, i. 460
Graham, Isaac G., i. 563
James, ii. 329, 449
Grant for settlement, i. 203
for Throckmorton’s Neck; ii. 264

ty

Grant for Cornell’s Neck, ii. 270
John Pell’s of New Rochelle, i. 583
to people of Rye, ii. 536
of ‘Hop Grounds by Katoonah and others,
i. 13
Rey. Ebenezer, i. 55
Green, Rey. Jacob, i. 55
Greenburgh, town of, i. 258
aboriginzl name of, i. 258
Presbyterian church organized and erected
in, i. 281
Episcopal church organized and incorpor-
ated in, i, 282
list of rectors of Zion church in, i. 282
erection and consecraiton of Zion church
in, i. 283
erection of Zion chapel in, i. 283
St. Barnabas’ church incorporated and con-
secrated in, 284
Viliage of Hastings in, i. 272
Villiage of Dobb’s Ferry in, 274
village of Tarrytown in, i. 294
location of, 1. 349
Presbyterian church organized in, i. 349
list of ministers of the Pres. church in,i.
349
present Pres. church erected in, i. 350
attack upon cow-boys in, i. 355
village of Hart’s Corners in, i. 357
village of Greenville in, i. 358
Greene, i. 277
Greenville, 1. 358
Dutch church organized and incorporated
in, i. 358
list of ministers of Dutch church in, i. 858
Guion family, i. 670
Tsaac, i. 636
Guion’s Neck Ii. 207

“H,” Elisha, a spy, (Hames or Holmes), i. 71
Haight, Samuel,i. 271
Halliday, Rev. D. M., i. 148, 149
Hamilton, James A. i, 285
Hammond, David, i. 308
Harlem Bridge, il. 488
River, i. 529
Harrison family, i. 371
John, i. 370
Harrison, town of, i. 361
first proprietor of, i. 361
settiers of, i. 371
Brown’s Point in, i. 381
purchase in, i, 381
Friends’ settlement in, i. 381
revolutionary engagement in, i. 386
Hart Island, ii. 84
Hart’s Corners, i. 356
Meth. church erected in, i. 357
Haskell, Rev. Samuel, i. 135

INDEX.

Hastings, or Burying Hill, i. 272, ii. 160
officers appointed for government of, ii. 163
merged into Rye, ii. 163
fight in, between Hessians and Americans,

i, 272

Hawley, Rey. Charles, i. 677
Rey. Thomas, i, 738

Hayes, Col. Isaac, i 436

Heath, Gen., i. 166

Heathcote, Col. Caleb, ii. 212, 217, 229
appointed judge advocate of a court mar-

tial, il. 225 ;
death of, ii, 227
last will and testament of, ii. 227
family, sketch of, ii. 215—217
Hill, i. 493

Heights of North Castle, i. 723

Henderson, Rev. Josiah, i, 54

Henlet’s Island, i, 696

Heyward, Col. John R., i. 247

Holmes, Col. James, i. 70
Mrs. Patty, i. 73

Hotel, Flanagan, i. 553

Houdin, Rey. Michael, 1. 647

Howe, Gen., i. 166

Hoyt, Rev. Warner, i. 436

Huggeford, Dr. John, i. 118
Peter, i. 117 :

| Hugn¢nots, the, or French Protestants, ii. 587
history of, ii. 587
Hunt, Stephanus, i. 177
Walter, i. 563
| Hunter’s Island, ii. 88
| Huntingdon, James P., 1, 677
| Huntington, Gen., i. 166

Hunt's Point, ii. 444

Hurtlebury Island, i. 696

Hutchinson, Ann, ii, 29
murder of, by Indians, ii, 32

Hutchinson’s Brook, i. 246
Creek, i. 246
River, i. 242, ii. 68

INDENTURE, i. 763
conveying land to Thomas Putchard, i. 62
between Thomas Pell and Edward Blagge,
li. 60
between Thomas Pell, sr., and Thomas
Pell, jr. ii. 61
between Nanette Anne Bolton and Chrisi
church, Pelham, ii. 99
between Robert Walters and others and
Indians, i. 106
said, confirmed by Royal Patent, i. 107
between Frederick Felipse and Jacobus
Van Cortlandt, ii. 587
said confirmed, ii. 588
Indian Bridge, ii. 623
deed, i. 19

INDEX.

of Ridgefield, i. 393

deed of Apawamis, ii. 150

of Euketaupucuson, ii. 135

of Fordham, ii. 504

of Harrison, i. 362

of Honge, ii. 136

of Kewigheleck, i. 93

of Manussing, ii, 130

of Meahagh, i. 86

of Mentipathe, ii. 517

of Mockquams, ii. 131

of Neppiran, to Hon. Frederick Philipse, i.
270

of Nippizan to Hon. Frederick Philipse, i.
269

of Patthunck, ii. 140

of Pekcantico, to Hon. Frederick Philipse,
i, 268

of Rahonaness, ii. 130

of Sachus, i. 88

of Senasqua, i, 85

of Shenorock, ii. 150

of Shenorock, and others, ii, 152

of Toquams, i. 104

of Wampus’s Land, i. 566

of Wapeto and others, ii. 142

same confirmed, ii. 143

of Weckquaskeck, i. 507

of Weghqueghe, to Hon Frederick Philipse,
i. 270

of Westchester, ii. 289, 290

' of West Farms, ii. 433, 434

of Wishqua, i. 89

of quit claim to Sam. B. Isaacs, i. 417

to Captain Patrick, i. 390

of same confirmed to Mr. Stephen Goodier,
i, 391

to Col. Caleb Heathcote, ii, 211

to Daniel Simpklns, i. 22

to Jacobus Van Cortlandt, and Zachariah
Roberts, i. 32

to John Belden and others, i. 392

to John Dibble, i. 31

to John Richbell, i. 465

to Lewis Morris, ii. 463

to Master Roger Ludlow, i. 389

to the planters of Norwake, i, 391

deeds for portions of North Castle, i, 699,
700, 701, 702, 703

to Bedford, i. 29, 31, 35

Field, ii. 623

money, ii. 5

Inglis, Rev. David, ii. 56
Inscription in cemetery of North Salem, i. 759

in Christ church, Pelham, ii. 96

in Christ church, Tarrytown, i. 296

in desk Bible of Shrub Oak M. E, church,
ii. 694 :

773

Indian deed confirming lands to the proprietors | Inscription in old parish burial-ground in Rye,

ii. 186

on bell of old Dutch church in Sleepy Hol-
low, i. 527

on bell of St. Peter’s church, Westchester,
ii. 478

on foundation stone of old church in Ford-
ham, ii. 521

on head-stone to Major Samuel Pell in
Eastchester church-yard, ii. 68

on head-stone to Rey. John Smith, ii. 545

to Washington Irving, i. 537

on medal to Capt. Joel Cook, ii. 638

on monument in Chester cathedral, Eng-
land, to Frederick Philipse, i, 524

monument to Andre’s captor’s, i. 345

monument to George McChain, i, 145

monument to Isaac Van Wart, i. 350

monument to John Paulding, i. 142

monument to Rey. Ebenezer Punderson,
ii. 187 ;

monument to Rey. Silas Constant, il. 6T

monument to Sarah Guerlain, ii. 431

monument to Thomas Hunt, il. 445

monument to Thomas Paine, i. 694

in old Dutch church in Sleep Hollow, i. 526

in Ref. Dutch church of Tarrytown, i. 296

on slab to Governeur Wilkins, ii. 400

slab to Rev. Epenetus Townsend, i. 430

slab to Washington Irving, i. 292

on stone in grave-yard, i141

stone to Capt. Stephen Bayard, ii. 402

stone to Edward Underhill, ii. 401

stone to Isabella Wilkins, ii. 393

stone to James Bailey in Union burying-
ground, Somers, ii. 250

stone to John Jay, in family cemetery,
Rye, ii. 204

stone to Joshua Purdy, ii. 205

stone to Judith Watkins, ii. 204

stone to Margaret, wife of Enoch Crosby,
in Somers grave-yard, ii. 261

stone to Peter J. Munro, ii, 204

stone to Philip Honeywell, ii. 402

stone to Philip Livingston, ii. 403

stone to Rev. David Foote, ii. 193

stone to Rev. Evan Rogers, ii. 196

stone to Rey. Isaac Wilkins, ii, 393

stone to Rev. John Ireland, il. 391

stone to Rev. William Powell, ii. 397

stone to Sir James Jay, Kn’t, ii. 204

stone to Thomas Underhill, ii. 406

stone to William (Baily) Query, ii. 402

stone to Wright Post, ii. 403

tablet in Christ Church, Rye, i. 176

tablet in St. Peter’s chapel, Peekskill, i. 138

tablet to Col. Roger Morris, ii. 695

tablet to Hon. Gouverneur Morris, ii. 495

tablet to Rey. Alex. H. Crosby, ii. 643

774

>. x wet

Inscription tablet to Ebenezer Dibblee, i. 744
tablet to Elias Cooper, ii. 642
tablet to James Wetmore, in Parish burial
ground, Rye, ii. 186
William Thompson, in Christ church, Rye,
li. 176
tomb of Anne Van Cortlandt, i. 195
tomb of Catharine Van Cortlandt, i. 495
tomb of Gerard G. Beeckman, i. 195
tomb of Pierre Van Cortlandt, i. 194
tomb-stone to Polycarpus Nelson, 1. 495
tomb-stone of Rev. Samuel Seabury, ii. 374
tomb-stone of Rt. Rey. Sam’‘l Seabury, ii.386
vault of Charlotte Amelia Bayley, i. 620
over the porch at Sunny Side, i. 286
Tomb-stone to Amherst Morris, i. 696
to Amos N. Raymond, i. 431
to Ann Raymond, ii. 483
to Barnardus Swartwont, i. 536
to Capt. John Buckhont, i. 536
to Capt. W. Morris, ii. 484
to Catharine Thomas, i. 378
to Charity Haggeford, i. 384
to Charles Floyd Thomas, i. 378
to Col. Gilbert Budd, i. 495
to Col. Lewis Morris, ii. 483
to Col. Thaddeus Crane, i. 759
to Dr. Benjamin Delavan, i. 759
to Hannah Mead, i. 450
to Hon. Col. William Smith, ii. 226
to Isaac Lounsberry, i. 574
to James Bailey, i. 574
to James Wright, ii. 258
to John Bruen, i. 249
to John Lewis, i. 435
to Joseph Rodman Drake, i. 445
to Lemuel Wells, ii. 644
to Maj. Gen. Thomas Thomas, i. 435
to Martha Tunstall, ii. 227
to Miss Susannah Howland, ii. 644
to Mrs. Althea Lamson, i. 65
to Nancy Thomas, i. 378
to Peter Paulding, i. 536
to R. W. in Friends grave-yard, in Pur-
chase, ii. 884
to Rev. Abraham Purdy, i. 759
to Rev. Augustine P. Prevost, i. 244
to Rev. David Scott, i. 431
to Rev. Ebenezer Grant, i. 55
to Rev. Russell Trevett, i. 760
to Solomon Meade, i. 450
to Samuel B. Isaacs, i. 418
to Sally Hoyt, i. 431
to Stephen Hoyt, i, 431
to Stephen Ward, i. 255
to William Leggett, i. 669
Inscriptions in burial-ground in Poundridge,
li. 112
in burial-ground in Rye, ii. 186-196

INDEX.

Inseriptions in cemetery at Clinton, i. 424
in cemetery at Lewisboro, i. 431
in cemetery of Pres. church, Lewisboro, i.
450
in cemetery of Pres. church, Sing Sing, ii.
16, 86
in Christ church, Petham, ii. 96-98
in Dale cemetery Sing, Sing, ii. 4-8
in De Lancy cemetery, Mamaroneck, i. 494
in Jay family cemetery, Rye, ii. 204
in Middle Patent burying-ground, i. 722
in Pelham Manor cemetery, ii. 86
in Purdy family burial-place in Rye, ii. 205
in Yorktown cemetery, ii. 665
on grave-stones in Bedford Cemetery, i. 40
on grave-stones in North Salem cemetery,
i. 759
Monuments in Dale cemetery, Sing Sing, ii. 4-9
in Pres. grave-yard, White Plains, ii. 548
in Somer’s grave-yard, ii. 261
to members of the Pell family, ii. 86
Stones in grave-yard of old Dutch church,
Sleepy Hollow, i. 536
in old burying-ground in NewRochelle,i.668
in burying-ground in Rye, ii. 196
tombs in Crompond grave-yard, ii. 669
Instructions to John Richbell, i. 465
Inventory of estate of Pres. society, in Lewis-

boro, i. 445
of estate of Sir Thomas Pell, ii. 46
of money, plate, &c., belonging to Philipse,
manor-house, i. 519
Treland, Rev. John, ii. 389
Irving, family of, i. 290
Irving, Washington, i. 265
Isaacs, Samuel B., i. 418
Island, City, or “ Great Minniefords,” ii. 74
Goat, i, 696
Hart, 1i. 84
Heulet’s, i. 696
Hunter’s, ii. 696
Hurtlebury, i. 696
Locust, i. 696
Manussing, or Minnerris, ii. 129
Maskett’s, i. 696
Pea, 1, 696
Vanchese, i. 696

JACKSON, Rev. Charles, ii. 397
Jay, Augustus, ii. 200
Homestead, i. 77
Hon. John, i. 37,7:
s RN TT OH BE
principal events in life of, i. 79
tribute to, i. 79
resolutions of Supreme Court
upon death of, i. 79
Hon. John anecdote of, i. 79
“biographical sketch of, ii. 201

“ “
“ “

“ “

INDEX.

Jay, Isaac. ii. 199
Judge William, i. 37, 80
Judge William, death of, i. 80
Peter, ii. 201
Pierre, ii. 197
Jeffard’s Neck, ii. 449
Jenney, Rey. Robert, ii. 183
Jessup, Edward, ii. 435
Johnson, Mr. William, ii. 364
Jones, Morgan, i. 220
Rev. Eliphalet, ii. 170
Rey. John, i. 47

“ KAAKEOUT” Hill, i. 550
Kastoniuck, ii. 2

Katonah, i. S0

Katonah, situation of, i. 0
Katonah, churches of, i. 80
Katonah, incorporation of M.E. church in, i, $1
Kearny, Rev. Ravand, i. 241
Keeler, Jeremiah, i. 428

Keeler, Jonah, i. 741
Keelerville, i. 741

Keusico, M. E. Church in, i. 714
Kieft, Director, i. 261

King Street, ii. 209

King’s Bridge, ii. 433, 610
Kinnicut, Luther, ii. 118
Kirby’s Pond, i. 578

Kosciusko, Thaddeus, i. 561

LAKE, Assognatah, or Trinity, i. 435
Byram, i. 721
Mohegan, ii. 693
Osceola, or Magrigaries, ii. 661
St. Mary’s. ii. 573
Waccabuck, or Wepuck, i. 457.
Lamson, Rey, Joseph, i. 64, ii. 187
Larchmont, i. 502
Laurens, Henry, i, 602
Lawrence. Isaac, i. 247
Lawton, William, i. 671
Lease and release of land in North Castle, i. 723
for church lot in Scarsdale, ii. 244
of portion of Bronck’s Land, ii. 451
Lee farnily, ii. 664
Le Count family, i. 679
Leggett, Gabriel, ii. 446
Rev. John H., i. 147
Thomas, i. 447
Leisier, Hon. Jacob, i. 585
table of descendants of, i. 555
Lent, Hercules, i. 91
Letter, from André to Gen. Washington, i. 453
from Augustus Van Cortlandt, ii. 618
from R. Lincoln, ii. 604
from Col. Greene, ii. 677
from Continental officer, ii. 122
from Gen. Israe] Putnam, i. 153

775

| Letter from Gen. Samuel Parsons, i. 500
from Gov. Hunter, i. 629
from Goy. Nicoll, ii. 459
from Goy. Tompkins, ii, 235
from Goy. Tryon, i. 500
from Jno. Dexter, ii. 676
from John Jay, i. 37
from Joseph Strang, ii. 674
from Judge Young, i. 556
from Lewis Morris, second, ii. 475
from Lieut. Col. Tarleto , ii. 121
from M. Etienne de Lancy, i. 482
from Mr. Barclay, ii. 36“
from Milner, ii. 373
from Oliver Cromvwell, ii. 53
from Rey. David Bonrepos, i. 604
from Rey. John Jones, i. 47
from Rev. John Nye, ii. 55
from Rev. Peter Stouppe, i. 636
from Secretary of New York ii. 459
from settlers of Hastings, i. 162
from vestry of Peekskill, i. 125
from vestry of Rye, ii. is2
from Washington Irving, i. 534
of instructions to vestries, fi. 181
to Gen. Maunsell, ii. 76
to Gen. Washington. i. 34S
to Hon. Provincial Congress, ii. 117
to vestry or Rye, ii. 185
to vestry of Trinity church, N. Y., i. 241
Letters from the church of New Rochelle, i.
613, 614, 646
from Col. Caleb Heathcote, i. 368, 612, 614,
ii, 331,
from Gen. Washington, i. 695, ii. 684, 687
from Gen. W. W. Morris, ii. 500
from Gov. Peter Stuyvesant, ii. 279, 281, 583
from Lewis Morris, ii. 451, 561
from Mr, John Bartow, i. 633, ii. 324
from Rey. Daniel Bondet, i. 611, 626
from Rev. Ebenezer Dib'lee, i. 419, 743
from Rev. Mr. Houdi», i. (48, 657
from Rey. Thomas Standard, ii. 354-364
from Thomas Hughes, ji “Si, €83
of administration on estat: of Capt. Rich-
ard Morris, ii. 459
of administration on estate of Jwfrow
Slaghboom, ii. 453
of administration to Mr. William Beeck-
man, ii. 453
of institution, ii, 365, 376
relating to André’s capture, i. 311, 451
to Gen. W. W. Morris, ii. 500
to Gov. Stuyvesant, ii. 280, 281
to Lewis, John, i, 433
Lewisboro, town of, i. 389
original name of, i. 389
incorporation of, i. 389
hame changed to, i. 389

776 INDEX.

Lewisboro, church erected in, i. 415
church in, sold, i. 422
church in, reorganized and incorporated,
i. 425
church in, named, erected and consecrated,
i. 427
list of rectors of church in, i. 452
church in, endowed, i. 432
corner-stone of St. Paul’s in, laid, i. 435
rectory of St. Paul’s erected in, i. 436
Vista, village in, i. 428
first Presbyterian ordination in, i. 440
first Presbyterian church gathered in, i. 440
erection of first Presbyterian church in,{.449
present Presbyterian church erected in, i.
449
parsonage erected in, i. 449
list of ministers of Presbyterian church in,
i, 449
Presbyterian church in, incorporated, i. 450
temporary prison of André in, i. 451
Cross River, village in, i. 4£0
Golden’s Bridge, village in, i. 450
License for settlement in New Netherlands, ii.
264
from Bishop of London to Mr. Bartow, ii.
322
from Caleb Heathcote for sale of land, i. 699
Goy. Dongan for marriage, i. 516
to Adriaen Van d.r Donck to bequeath
property, i. 5S2
to Elias Bonrepos 9s school-master, i. 606
to erect a ciurch in New Rochelle, i. 619
Lines by Rodman Drake, ou the Bronx, ii. 444
of Fitz Greene Halleck, to Croton Lake, ii.
703
upon André’s capture, i. 344
Lispenard, Antoine, i. 686
Leonard, i. 687
Livingston, Col. Henry B., i. 170, 188
John, i. 65
Lockwood, Capt. Joseph, ii. 109
Hon. Samuel Drake, ii. 119

As st “sketch of, ii. 119-12"
Maj. Ebenezer, ii. 113
“ “

sketch of, ii, 113,115
Locust Island, i. 696
Long Pond, i. 457
**Long Reach,” i. 210
Lorillard, Peter, ii. 431
Ludlow family, ii. 627
Lyon Os i. 721
James, i. 73
Rey. David C., i. 57

MAMARONACK, Indian chief, i. 84

Mamaroneck, town of, i. 4638
meaning of name, i. 463
original inhabitants of, i. 468

Mamaroneck site of Indian village in, i. 464
records of, i. 492
Heathcote Hill in, i. 493
de Lancy cemetery in, i. 49-4
Episcopal church erected and consecrated
in, i. 496
present parish organized and incorporated
in, i. 496
list of rectors of, i. 497
Methodist Episcopal society organized in,
i. 497-
Larchmont, village in, i. 502
River, i. 492 F
Mandate from Goy. Burnet, li. 355
from Gov. Cornbury, ii. 323
from Gov. Moore, ii. 376
from Gov, Tryon, i. 128
from Lieutenant Governor Colden, ii. 366
Manussing Island, or Minnerris, ii. 129
list of first settlers of, ii. 161
settlers of, declare allegiance, ii. 161
Maramaking, or “t Lame Will,” ii. 128
Marshall, Rey. Wiiliam, i. 148
Maskett’s Island, i. 696
Mather, Warham, ii. 317
Mayaro, Indian, 1. 1
Mead, Rev. Edward N., ii. 12
Rey. Solomon, i. 441
Mehanas River, i. 722
Merwin, Jesse, or *‘ Ichabod Crane,’ i. 533
a letter of Irving’s to, i. 534
Metsewakes, i. 84
Middle Patent, i. 722
(5 ae M. E. church, in, i. 722
Mile Square, in Greenburgh, 1. 599
Miles, Rev. John, i. 151
Mill Brook, ii. 260
Mills, Jonathan, i. 72
Rev. Samuel, i. 51
Milner, John, i. 234, ii. 356, 374, 650
Milton, ii. 196
Grace chapel in, ii. 195
Mohegan Lake, ii. 693
Mongockonone, Sachem of Weckquaskeck, i.
259
Monument to Coi. Benjamin Greene, ii. 261
to Hon. Col. William Smith, ii. 226
to John Bruen, in old church of Tarvin, ii.
249
to Martha Tunstall, ii, 227
Morris, Col. Roger, ii. 634, 695 ,
family, sketch of, ii. 455-478
“© Yorktown branch of, ii. 695
Hon. Lewis, il. 239
Lewis, 1st, i. 215, ii. 455
“9nd, ii. 469, 478
Richard, ii. 458
Morrisania, manor of, ii. 451
derivation of name, ii. 451

a

|

INDEX. 77 :

SS,
Morrisania, first proprietor of, ii. 458 New Castle, list of rectors of St. Mark’s church
erected into township and manor, fi. 470 in, i. 577
present proprietors of, ii. 487 Sarlesville, hamlet in, i. 577
Melrose, in, ii. 488 Friends’ meeting-house in, i. 517
Mott Haven, in, ii. 488 New Rochelle, town of, i. 581
Woodstock in, ii. 488 the Huguenots of, i. 587
Eltona in, ii. 488 village of, incorporated, i. 601
formerly a precinct of Westchester parish, settlement of, i. 601
ii. 492 name of, i. 601
St. Ann’s church, founded in, ii. 493 first church built by Huguenots in, i. 608
list of rectors of St. Ann’s church in, ii. 497 erection of church in, i. 622
St. Paul’s parish, organized in, ii. 497 disturbances in the church at, i. 630
division of Continentals stationed at, ii, 498 meeting-house erected by seceders in, 1. 630
Mosier, Lieut. William, i. 183 church closed in, i. 662
Moit’s Neck, i. 503 parish reorganized in, i. 663
Mount Misery, i. 395 present church edifice in, i. 666
Mount Pleasant, town of, i. 505 old burying-ground in, i. 668
Sleepy Hollow in, i. 505 list of ministers and rectors of, i. 670
sé ses church in, i. 526 Presbyterian church incorporated, built
grave-yard of old Dutch church in, i. 536 and dedicated in, i. 675
Beechwood in, i. 549 Presbyterian church in, i. 671
St. Mary’s church in, i, 548 list of ministers of Presbyterian church in,
Pleasantville in, i. 549 i. 676
St. John’s church in Pleasantville, in, i. 549 present Presbyterian church erected in,1.676
East Tarrytown in, i. 549 - Beachwood cemetery incorporated in, i. 678
county poor-house in, i. 549 M. E. society organized and incorporated
Four Corners in, i. 553 in, i. 678
Unionville in, i. 562 Baptist church in, i. 678
Mount Vernon, i. 213 : Roman Catholic church erected in, i. 678
incorporated, i, 213 Upper Rochelle, hamlet in, 1. 694
West, i. 250 Coopers’ Corners, or Wilmot, in, i. 694
Mountain, Anthony’s Nose, i. 163 sufferings of, in the Revolution, i. 695
Buttermilk, i. 563 Nicholls, Gov. Richard, ii. 38
Turkey, ii. 698 Nippiran Island, i. 269
Wepuck, i. 457 North Castle, town of, i. 697
Mountains, Asproom, i. 396 origin of name of, i. 697
Muirson, Rev. Geo., ii. 178 Indian name of, i. 697
Munro, Peter Jay, i. 502 Mount Misery in, i. 698
Munro’s Neck, or Larchmont, i. 502 Armonck, village in, i, 713
Muscoota River, ii. 260 Kensico, Pee leas
Mutighticoos River, i. 734 North Castle, ‘* ‘* i. 714
Myanos River, i. 13 St. Stephen’s church organized and’erected
in, i. 715
NEGRO Fort, il. 528 list of rectors of St.Stephen’s church in,i.715
** Neutral Ground,” the ii. 612 old M. E. church incorporated in, i. 715
New Castle, town of, i. 565 new M. E. church erected in, i. 715
Indian name of, i. 565 Col. Jameson’s headquarters at, i. 716
aboriginal proprietor of, i. 565 Brimstone Alley, in, i. 719
principal proprietors of, i. 672 Heights of, i. 723
New Castle corners, village in, i. 573 Fort Hill in, i. 723
@ precinct of Rye parish, i. 573 Camp Field in, i. 723
St. George’s church in, i. 574 Rye Pond in, i. 723
incorporation of St. George’s church in, i. | North Salem, town of, i. 733
575 erection of township of, i. 733
Methodist Episcopal church incorporated organization of parish in, i. 742
in, i. 575 union of parish in, with churches in Ridge-
present M, E. church erected in, i. 575 field and Ridgebury, 1. 744
erection and incorporation of St. Mark’s union of Bedford and Stephentown with,

church in, i. 576 i, 755

778 INDEX.

North Salem, erection of St. James’ church in, | Order of Governor Richard Nicolls, ii. 271

i, T57

listof rectors of, i. 756

church incorporated in, i, T57

erection of second church in, i, 758

first Presbyterian congregation in, i. 760

its incorporation as a Congregational
church in, i. 761

its incorporation as a Presbyterian church
in, i. 762

list of pastors and suppiies of, i. 762

erection of old Presbyterian church in, i.
762

erection of present church in, i. 762

organization of M. E. society in, 1. 763

incorporation of Baptist society in, i. 763

incorporation of Universalist society in, i.
763

erection of Friends’ meeting-house in,i. 763

erection of academy in, i. 763

act of incorporation of academy in, i. 766

Natural Bridge in, i. 766

chalybeate spring in, i, 767

boulder-stone in, i. T67

first election of town officers in, i. 769

Notice, obituary of Andrew Corsa, ii. 532

of Father Orsenigo, i. 768

of Hon. Pierre Van Cortlandt, i. 110

of Hon. Robt. A. Morris, ii. 435

of Moses Field, ii. 698

of Mrs. Mary Morris, ii. 483

of Rev. Andrew Fowler, i. 132

of Rev. Isaac Wilkins, ii. 394

public, for sale of lands, i. 570
BS of survey and balloting for lots, i.706
Be to freeholders and inhabitants of
Westchester Co., ii. 556

of sc Tryon, i. 128
of Thomas Pell, ii. 287
of town officers of Rye, ii. 164
to Capt. Jacques Cortelyon, ii. 469
to Thomas Peli, ii. 469
Orders of Gen. Assembly at Hartford, ii. 280
to Lewis Morris, ii. 459
Ossining, town of, ii. 1
orthography of, i. 1
Sing Sing in, ii. 4
Sparta in, ii. 15
Crawbucky Point in, ii. 20
Zion Hill in, ii. 21
Briar Cliff in, ii. 23
Oblong, description of, i. 396, 737
map of, i. 737
release of, to Jonah Keeler, i. 739
controversy concerning, i. 396
settlement of boundary line of, i. 397
ceded to New York, i. 397
Royal patent for lower portion of, i. 408

PaGE, Rev. Bernard, i. 132
Paine, Thomas, i. 691, 694
Palmer, Benjamu, ii. 79
Francis A., i. 57
Sir Edmund, i. 153
Parcot family, i. 689
Parsonage, or Montrose’s, Point, i. 172
Point, Prot. Epis. church at, i. 178
Passport to Daniel Bonnett, i. 595
Patent, Bedford, i. 24
de Lancy, i. 735
for Cornell’s Neck, ii. 273
for Grove Farm, ii. 268
for Nepperhaen, ii. 584
Gov. Andros’s, for Bronck’s Land, ii. 462

OBITUARY NOTICE, see notice.

Odell, Gen. Jacob, ii. 653
Jonathan, i. 285

Ogilby, Rey. John, il. 24

Onderdonk Rev. B. T., ii. 12

**Oostdorp,” ii. 279

Order for invent. of Lewis Mot ris’ estate, ii. 467

from Baron DeKalb, i. 193
from Col. L. Morris to Gov. Coloe, ii 461

general of N. Y. State Society of the Cincin-

nati, i. 242
in Council, ii. 277
of Col. Drake, ii. 705
of Col. Hull, ii. 705
of Congress, ii. 612
of Council of War, i. 208
of Council to people of Rye, ii, 472
of Court of Sessions, ii. 272
of Dutch authorities, ii. 277
of Gen. Washington, ii. 676
of Governor and Council, ii, 155

letters, for Mamaroneck, i. 470
middle of North Castle, i. 701
Nicoll's, for Bronck’s Land, ii. 454
* Rie,” ii. 141
royal for Bedford, i. 34
« -Bronck’s Land, ii. 454
“ & Budd’s Neck, ii. 156
“church and ground at New Ro-
chelle, i. 625
“ s6 ferry, ii. 206
“ “ WFlarrison’s Purchase, i. 364
«* “lower portion of the Oblong, i. 403
“ “ Scarsdale, ii. 212
** letters, of Middle Patent, i. 74
‘© of East Chester, i. 205
** of Fordham, ii. 505
“© of Long Reach, i. 211
‘¢ of part of North Castle, i 728.
* of Rye, ii. 146
‘* of Sachus, or Ryck’s Patent, i. $9
© of West Farms, ii. 434

—— <=

INDEX. 779

Patent royal of White Plains, il. 541
to people of Stamford and the same con-

Peekskill, address of William Pauiding in,i 143
Dutch Reformed church founded in, i. 144

firmed by Indians, ii. 105, 106
West of North Castle, i. 567
Patents Royal for the Oblong, i. 399, 400
for Pelham Manor, ii. 38, 57
for Westchester, ii. 287, 289
Paulding, John, i. 117, 141, 142, 156, 308, 309
birth and death of, i. 155, 156
William, i. 143
Pea Island, i. 696
Peach Pond, i. 767
Peekskill, town of, i. 112

earliest settlement of, i. 113

settlement of present village of, i. 113

Village of, incorporated, i. 113

village government of, organized, i. 113

educational advantages of, i. 114

mInilitary academy in, i. 115

academy in, i. 115

high school of, i. 115

St. Gabriel's school (Episcopal) in, i. 115

the Seminary of Our Lady of Angels, (Ro-
man Catholic) in, i. 155

young ladics’ school in, i. 115

earliest records of parish of, i. 118

supplies for divine service in, i. 11S

erection and dedication of St. Peters
church in, i. 119

confirmed in possession of church grouhd
and cemetery, 120

St. Peter’s church in chartered, i. 120

first vestry-meeting of church in, 124

the ch. in, petitions the V.P.S. for aid, i. 124

first rector called to, i. 127

Tector admitted to the rectory in, and in-
stituted by Gov. Tryon, i. 12S

g.ebe secured to parish of, i. 129

troubles in the church in, i. 131

religious services suspended in, i. 132

sacked and burnt, i. 132

Presbyterians attempt to seize church and
gilebe in, i. 132

first incorporation of St. Peter’s church af-
ter the revolution, i. 133

second rector called to, i. 133

resignation of second rector of, i. 134

rectors of St. Peter’s church in, i. 135

sale of the glebe of, i. 136

St. Paul’s church organized in, i. 136

St. Peter’s chapel incorporated, erected and
re-incorporated, as St. Peter’s church of
Cortlandt in, i. 139

list of rectors of Cortlandt in, i. 140

monument to the memory of John Pauld-
ing in, i. 141

public honors to the memory of John Pauld-
ing in, i. 143

Indian name of, i. 112

incorporation of Van Ness Reformed Dutch
church in, i. 145

erection of first Presbyterian church in, i.
146

incorporation of Independent Presbyterian
church in, i. 146

organization of the present Presbyterian
church in, i. 147

organization of second Presbyt=rian church
in, i. 148

erection and dedication of church edifice
in, i. 148

erection of parsonage in, i. 149

organization of first Baptist church in, i.
150

erection and dedication of meeting-house
in, i. 150

list of pastors of Baptist church in, i 150

Baptist burying-ground in, i, 150

M. E. church incorporated and erected in,
i. 150

Protestant Methodist society esiablished
and incorporated in, i. 151

list of Wesleyan or Primitive Methodist
ministers of, i. 151

erection of Wesleyan church in, i. 151

society of Friends organized, and mesting-
house erected in, i. 151

Rom. Cath. church and institutions in, i. 151

execution of Edmond Palmer a3 a spy in,
i, 153

British in possession of, i. 157

account of engagement with the British in,
i, 157

destruction of old Continental village of, i
159

remains of Fort Independence in, i. 160

Sir Henry Hudson’s impressions of this re-
gion, i. 160

Pelham Bridge, ii. $4

Dale, ii. 68
Neck, ii. 70 -

‘© landing of British forces upon, ii. 73
Priory, ii. 37

Pelham, town of, ii. 27

origin of name of, ii. 27

plantation of Ann Hutchinson in, ii. 29

Indian Massacre in, ii. 32

Manor of, erected, ii. 56

Royal Patent granted to, ii. 57

Bartow, village in, ii. 88

parish of Christ church organized and
church erected in, ii. 94

rectory erected in, ii. 99

list of rectors of Christ church in, ii. 100

erection of Huguenot Forest Memorial
chapel in, ii, 101

780

Pelhamville, ii. 69
Episcopal church in, ii. 69
Pell family, pedigree of, ii. 39, 64
Rey. John, ii. 50
cs “ diary of, ii. 51
letters of, ii. 29, 52
Thomas, Will of, ii. 63
Pellew, Henry Edward, i. 780 ,
** Pequot Mills,” i. 396
Perry, Rev. David, i. 755
Petition for patent for the church at New Ro-
chelle, ii. 622
this reported upon, ii. 623
for royal patent for oblong, i. 400
“6 “ “ “c &“ granted, i. 399
from Adriaen van der Donck, ii. 581
from church of New Rochelle, i. 642
from East Chester, i. 230
from French church at New Rochelle, i. 651
from John Richbell, i. 467
from Lower Yonkers, ii. 639
from Mayor and Alderman of New York,
ii. 611
from New Rochelle, i. 588
from people of Fordham and West Farms,

“ “

il. 448
from people of Rye, ii. 145
ac “ “ce

Westchester, ii. 285
from proprietors of Ridgefield, i. 397
from Rey. Mr. Bondet, i. 608
from trustees of St, Peter’s church, West-
chester, ii. 387

Westchester, ii. 367,

from the vestry of Peekskill, i 126
ih 2 * Salem, i. 745

Indian, i. 473

to collect funds for the erection of a minis-
ter’s house at New Rochelle, i. 650

to Goy. Geo. Clinton, i. 405

Petitions from people of Bedford, i, 23, 24
from Richard Mis, ii. 284

Philipse family, sketch of, i. 508
Frederick, i. 508
Hon. Frederick, i, 268, 522
Mary, ii. 633
Philip, i. 517

Piamikin, i. 1

Pinckney, Henry, i. 248
Philip, i. 249

- Pine’s Bridge, ii. 705

Pintard, Capt. Sam., i. 679
Dr. John, i. 596

Pleasantville, i. 563
M. E. church in, i. 563

Plum Brook, ii. 255

Pocantico River, i. 268, 506
description of, i. 545

Pockeotessen Brook, ii. 205

Poem upon Andre, i. 320

INDEX.

Pomeroy, Maj. Gen. Seth, i. 141
Pond, Beaver, i. 251
Cohamong, i. 722
Crom, or Crooked, il. 672
Cross, or Peppeneghek, i. 488
Long, i. 457
Peach, i. 767
Rye, ii. 723
Simmons’, i. 578
Wampus, i. 578
Poningoe Neck, ii. 129
Ponus Neck proprietors of, ii. 144
Ponus i. 2.
Popham, Brigadier Maj. William, ii. 240
family, ii. 240
Portchester, ii. 206
Pres. church erected in, ii. 207
list of pastors of Pres. church in, ii. 207
Somerfield M. E. church built and dedicated
in, ii. 208
Baptist church dedicated in, ii. 20S
list of pastors of Baptist church in, ii. 208
Rom. Cath. church in, ii. 208
Be ee “ pastors of, ii. 208
corner-stone of Prot. Epis. church in, 208
consecrated and named, ii. 209
rectory built in, 1i, 209
list of rectors of, ii. 209
Port Morris, ii. 491

| Poumpahowhelbsheln, i. 260

Poundridge, town of, ii. 103
origin of name of, ii. 103
transferred from Connecticut to New York,
li. 108
first settlers of, i. 109
Presbyterian church
erected in, ii. 109
government of Presbyterian church in, ii.
109
list of ministers of Presbyterian church in,
ii. 110
a precinct of Rye parish, ii. 111
Episcopal services In, ii. 111
M. E. church incorporated and erected in,
ii. 111
skirmish between British and Americans
in, ii, 118
account of action in, ii. 121
Boutonville, village in, ii. 124
Powel, Rey. William, ii. 397
Powhag, or Pinaghag, ii. 105
Prevost, Maj. Gen. Augustine, ii. 69
Prince Charles’s redoubt, ii. 528
Pritchard, Rev. Thomas, i. 60, ii. 178
Protest of inhabitants and freeholders of West-
chester County, ii. 557, 561
Prudden, Rey. John, i. 41
+: s Peter, ii. 171
Public notice, See notice.

incorporated and

INDEX. 781

Punderson, Rey. Ebenezer, i. 65, ii. 187

Purchase by Frederick Philipse from the In-

dians, and the same confirmed, ii, 3
by Zachariah Roberts from Indians, i. 32
of ** Hop Grounds ” from Indians, i. 13

of Meahagh, (Verplanck’s Point.) by Hon.

Stephanus Van Cortlandt, i. 86

of Rippowams, or Bedford, from Indians,

1. 2

of Salem from Indians, i. 733
Purchase, or Rye Woods, ii. 381

Friend’s meeting-house in, ii. 351
Purdy family, ii. 663

Francis, ii. 166

Hon. Joshua, i. 597
Purdy’s Station, i. T68
Putnam, Gen. Israel, i. 153

QUANTINE, ISAAC, i. 636
Quinnahung, or Great Planting Neck, ii. 444

*RAVEN’S ROCK,” i. 551, ii. 123
Raymond Hill, ii. 117
Rece:pt for manorial quit-rent, i. 98
for money by Rachel Pell, i. 587
for quit-rent of East Patent, i. 402
e ef on Ryck’s Patent, i. 91
ss ES to Bedford, i. 35
a ee from Thomas Pell, i. 687
Receipts for quit-rent, i. 438, 477

for rent to Lords of Philipsborough, ii. 603

“ % « Purdy’s of Yorktown, ii, 663
Reed, Elder Nathan, i. 70
Reid, Robert, ii. 246, 653

Release between Caleb Fowler and Joseph Sut-

ton, i. 710

from Levinus and Anne Clarkson, to B.

Smith and others, i. 708
from Indians to Geo. Booth, i. 703

of burial-ground of St. Peter’s church, ii.

339

of church glebe from executors of*Joseph

Pell to David Guion, i, 658
of land to Frederick Philipse, ii. 2
“« « 6 “Huguenots, i. 586

of Oblong proprietors to Jonah Keeler, i.

7359

Report of engineers upon navigation of Croton

River, ii. 705
Requa, Capt. James, i. 117

Resolutions adopted by people of Rye and

Westchester, ii. 553
adopted by Provincial Congress, ii. 564
cf “© Westchester, ii. 554

Rhinelander, Philip Jacob, i. 674
Rich family, ii. 600
Richardson, John, ii. 437
Richbeil, John, i. 465
hiker, i. 90

River, Acquacknouncke, or Hutchinson’s, i. 242,
Bronx, i. 250 [ii. 68
Byram, or Armoncek, ii, 205
Cisqua, i. 38
Cros3, i. 38
Croton, i. 83
Harlem, i. 529
Kisco, i. 579
Mehanas, i. 722
Mill, i. 437
Muscoota, ii. 260
Pocantico, i. 258, 506
Pockeotessen, ii. 205
Sheldrake, i. 492
Sin Sinck, ii. 4
Sprains, ii. 654
Titicus, i. 734
Wysquaqua, i. 259
Rivington, James, ii. 269
Roberts, Zachariah i. 18
Robinson, Col. Beverly, i. 129, 130, 275
Rochambeau, Count de, i. 188, 250
Rodman, Rev, Washington, ii. 240
Rodman’s Point, ii. 31
Ryder, Mrs. Susannah, ii. 22
Rye Pond, i. 723
Rye, town of, i. 23
protection of Connecticut granted to, i. 23
meeting of Commissioners to fix the bound-
ary line of, i. 29

finally secured to New York, i. 29

ovigin of name of, ii. 127

Indian name Of, ii. 127

claim of Connecticut to, ii. 132

annexed to Connecticut, ii. 133

settlement of boundary of, ii. 134

agreement for change of boundary of, ii. 138

claims of New York and Connecticut to, re-
ferred to the King, ii. 138

the King’s proclamation regarding, ii. 139

boundary line of, finally settled, ii. 129

list of early inhabitants of, ii. 139

application for Patent for, ii. 140

list of deputies from, to General Court, ii.
142

Royal Patent issued to, ii. 144

people of, ask for Patent, ii. 145

Royal Patent granted to, ii. 146

the State claims quit-rent of, ii. 150

Budd’s Patent in, divided, ii. 159

first settlement in, ii. 160

Burying Hill, or Hastings in, ii. 160

Manussing Island in, ii. 160

Hastings merged into, ii. 163

erected into a market-town, ii. 165

ferry established between Long Islamd and,
ii. 165

first religious society of, ii. 167

ljst of ministers of Cong”! church in, ii, 172

782

Rye, Presbyterian church erected in, ii. 173
Presbyterian church in, burned and rebuilt,
ii. 174
formal organization of Presbyterian church
in, ii. 175
Presbyterian church and chapel erected in,
ii. 175
list of pastors of Presbyterian church in,
li. 175
Grace church erected and chartered in, ii.
167, 187
precincts of, ii. 177
name of Grace church changed to Christ’s
church, ii. 193
new church built and consecrated in, ii. 193
Christ’s church in, burned, ii. 193
new church built and consecrated in, li. 193
Christ church incorporated in, ii. 193
list of rectors of Christ’s church in, ii. 194
Methodism introduced into, ii. 195
Methodist Episcopal church erected and re-
modeled in, ii. 195
Milton, village in, ii. 196
Jay fami'y residence in, ii. 203
Port Chester, village in, ii. 206
ferry established in, ii. 206
King street M. E church in, ii. 209
Ae “Baptist church in, ii. 209
list of pastors of, ii. 209
Continental forces quartered in, ii. 210

SACKET, REy. RICHARD, i. 50
Sackett, Rev. Samuel, i. 146, 668
Sale of land by New York, for quit-rent, i. 108
in Fordham, ii. 503
in North Castle, by Indians, i. 702
in Rye, by John Coe, i. 133
in Westchester, by John Wile, ii. 26é¢
to Caleb Hall, by Andrew Johnson, i. 113
to Geo. Booth and others, i, 211
to John Johnston, by Bedford, i. 28
to John Sent, by Philip Verplanck, i. 107
lands of Pres. church in Lewisboro, i, 447
Sands family of North Castle, i. 715
Sarah Bishop cave, i. 458
Sarles, Nancy H. i. 71
Sarlesville, i. 577
Scarsdale, town of, ii. 211
origin of name of, ii. 211
erected into manor, ii. 212
parish organized in, ii. 243
corner-stone of church laid in, ii. 243
church of St. James-the-Less incorporated
in, ii. 243
grounds conveyed to church in, ii, 243
list of rectors in, ii. 247
tragical occurrence in, ii. 248
British forces in, ii. 248
Friends’ meeting-house in, ii. 250

INDEX,

Schieffelin, Col. C. M., i. 246
Schuyler, Gen., i. 185
Schuylerville, ii. 422
Seabury, Rey. Samuel, 1i. 374
. ve isp es LSE YY
“* institution as Rector
of St. Peter’s church, Westchester, ii. 376
Seabury, Rev. Samuel, Jr., letters of, ii. 877-384
consecrated Bishop, ii. 384
death of, ii. 385
Secor family, ii. 232, 689
Shanarockwell, or Shanarocke, ii. 117
Shebeck, Rey. Geo., i. 755
*¢ Shippa,” i 581.
Shrub Oak, ii. 693
M. E. Church organized, incorporated and
erected in, ii. 694, 696
St. Mary’s parochial church in, ii. 696
Lake Mohegan, near, ii. 694
Shute, Elisha, i. 250
Simmon’s Pond, i. 578
Sing Sing, ii. 4
Village of, incorporated, ii. 9
St. Paul’s Prot. Epis. church in, ii. 11
rectory of St. Paul’s in, ii. 13
list of rectors of St. Paul’s chureh in, ii. 13
Trinity church organized in, ii. 13
M. E. church in, ii. 14
Baptist church organized and erected in,
ii. 14
present Baptist church erected in, ii. 14
list of pastors of Baptist church in, ii. 14
Pres. church erected in Sparta, afterwards
removed to, ii. 15
present Pres. church erected and consecra-_
ted in, ii. 16
list of ministers of Pres. church in, ii. 16
Americans surprised by British troops in
ii. 19
State-prison in, ii. 21
Crawbucky point in, ii. 20
Sisranoys, ii. 28
Skinners, the, i. 306
Slawson, Nathan, ii. 117
Sleepy Hollow, i. 505
Dutch Reformed church in, i. 526
old Dutch church first organized and erect-
ed in, i. 538
first minister of church in, i. 533
list of ministers of, i. 542
onderlingen en diakenen of old Dutch
church in, i. 543
Headless Horseman of, i. 546
Smith family of North Castle, i. 712
Joshua H., i. 275
Matson, i. 677
Rey. J. Ritchie, i. 149
Rey. John, ii. 173
Somers, Capt., ii. 251

“e “ “

INDEX.

Somers,
town of, ii. 251
first name of, ii. 251
origin of name of, ii. 251
village of, ii. 255
St. Luke’s church incorporated in, ii, 257
list of rectors of St. Luke’s church in, ii. 257
Presbyterian church incorporated in, ii. 257
present Presbyterian church erected in, ii.
258
list of pastors of Presbyterian church in, ii.
258
first M. E. society incorporated in, ii. 258
Methodist brick church incorporated in, li.
258
Croton Falls, village in, ii. 259
Presbyterian church organized and erected
in, ii. 260
West Somers, village in, ii. 260
Mount Zion M. E. church incorporated and
erected in, ii. 260
Soulice family, ii. 690
Sparta, ii. 25
Spencer, Rev. J. Selden, i. 296
Spicer’s Neck, ii. 264
“ Spy Oak,” ii. 415
St. Mary’s Lake, ii. 573
Standard, Rey. Thomas, ii. 234, 354
letters of, ii. 354-364
death of, ii. 362
will of, ii. 362
“ Stepping stone light,” ii. 420
*“Stoney Hills,” ii. 123
Stouppe, Rev. Pierre, i. 634
Strang family, ii. 673
Maj. Thomas, ii. 673
Strebeck, Rev. Geo., i. 67
Stuart, Rev. Alexander, i. 60
Studwell, Thomas, ii. 152
Sturgeon, Rev. Robert, i. 50
Summerville, James, i. 255
Sunny Side, i. 285
Surrender of rights by people of Westchester,
Sutton family, i. 571
Survey of West Farms, ii. 438

TALBOT, St. George, i. 65, 743
Taphance, ii. 105
Tarleton, Col., i. 74
Tarrytown, i. 294
settlement of, i. 294
churches of, i. 294
erection and consecration of Christ’s ch.
in, i. 295
erection of second Ref. Dutch ch. in, i. 296
of first Ref. Dutch church, the old Dutch
church in, i. 296
succession of pastors ofRef. Dutch churches
in, i. 297

783

4
Tarrytown, Asbury M. E. church, incorporated
and re-organized, in, i. 297
erection of second M. E. church, in, i. 298
se “ §$t, Paul’s, i. 298
Baptist church, in, i. 298
capture of Andre, in, i. 299
monument to Andre’s captors, in, i. 346
Revolutionary incidents in conuection with,
i. 346
Teller, William, i. 85, 196
Teller’s Point, i. 85
Ten Broeck, Rev. Petrus, i. 136
Tennent, Rey. William, i. 48

Testimony about Col. Green’s surprisal, ii. 685
Tetard’s Height, or Hill, ii. 528, 614
The old Westchester Path, ii. 128
Thomas family, i. 373
Hon. John, i. 373
Rey. John, i. 374
Thomson, Rey. John, i. 146
Throckmorton, John, ii. 266
Throckmorton’s Neck, li. 265
as Point, ii. 41T
Tippett’s Vale, ii. 620
Tompkins, Hon. Daniel D,, ii. 233
ancestors of, ii. 233
family of, 233
biographical sketch of, ii. 233, 239
death of, ii. 239
Townsend, Rey. Epenetus, i. 736
death of, i. T54
Tremont, ii. 528
Mount Hope, or House of Rest for Con-
sumptives, in, ii. 529
list of officers of Consumptives’ Home, in,
ii. 529
Trevett, Rev. Russell, i. 760
Tryon, Goyv., i. 128
Tuckahoe, ii. 655
Episcopal chapel erected in, ii. 656
list of Rectors of St John’s chapel in, ii. 657
Meth. church in, ii. 653
settlement of, ii. 658
Tuckahoe Hills, ii. 657 —
historical incidents connected with, ii. 657
Turner, Nathaniel, i. 2
“Turtle Rock,” i. 75
Twitching’s Corners, i. 561
Isaac, i. 561

UNDERHILL, Capt, John, i. 7, 197; ii. 30
battle of » With the Indians, i. T
biographical account of the family of, ii.
405
Elder Charles H., i. 70
family, ii. 698
Unionville, i. 562
Dutch Ref. church organized and incor-
porated in, i. 563

784 INDEX.

Upper Rochelle, i. 694 Venerable, petition to, from church of New
Meth. church in, i. 694 Rochelle, i, 642

Verplanck, i. 164

Verplanck’s Point, i. 163

Vincent, Gilbert, Jr., i. 245

Vista, i. 488
churches and other public buildings of, i.

VALENTINE family, ii. 603
Mathias, ii. 603
Susan, anecdote of, ii. 605
Valentine’s Hill, ii. 528
Van Cortlandt family, ii, 616

. in 438
Col. Philip, i. 109, 111 i
residence of, i. 184 Vote : anary by Congress to Andre’s captors,

brief sketch of life of, i. 111
Gertrude, wife of Stephanus, 1. 105
Hon. De Heer Stephanus, i, 101

Vredeland, ii. 275

Pierre, i. 109 WaccaBuck Lake, i. 457
principal events in life of, i. 109 Waddington Point, ii. 446
death of, i. 110 Wampum, i. 5
Jacobus, i. 36; ii. 616 Wampus Pond, i, 578
, partition of the estate of, i. 37 Wapingi, i, 163
Manor, partial division of, i, 105 Ward, Hon. Stephen, 1. 254
final partition of, i. 106 Warrant for seizure of John Richbell, L. 471
Oliver, i. 105 Survey of Harrison’s Purchase, i, 364
ducal arms of, i. 99 Warren, Joseph, i. 135
Oloff Stephenson, i. 100 Wascussue, i 1
autograph and seals of, i. 100 Washington, Gen. Geo.,, i. 167, 280
Stephanus, i. 86, 94, 98, 734 head-quarters of, i. 280; ii. 573, 604
first lord of the manor, i. 98 Washingtonville, i. 213
descended from, i. 98 Waverly, i. 213
Van @urler, Arendt, ii. 452 Webb, Gen. James Watson, i. 547
sketch of, ii. 452 Weed, Elnathan, ii. 115
Van der Donck, Adrien, ii. 579 Wells, Rev. Geo., i. 67
Van Elslandt, Claes, ii. 276 West Farms, town of, ii. 433
Van Tassel House, i. 286 Kings Bridge, in, ii. 433
Jacob i. 287, 290 survey of, ii. 438
Van Tassels, Abraham, ii. 23 village of, ii. 440
Van Wart, Isaac, i. 309, 552 churches in, ii. 440
Varian family, ii. 247 Episcopal church erected, consecrated and
Vancluse Island, i. 696 incorporated in, ii. 440
Vanet Hill, ii. 620 Presbytei1ian church incorporated and
Venerable Propagation Society, i. 232 erected in, ii. 441
address of people of New Rochelle to, i. list of pastors of Presbyterian church in,
615 li. 441
extracts from letters to, i. 614, 623 Dutch Ref. church organized and incor-
extracts from Mr. Bondet’s report to. i. porated in, il. 441
618 M. E. society incorporated in, ii, 442
Col. Heathcote’s letters to, i 612, 614 during the Revolutionary war, ii. 442
Gov. Hunter’s letter to, i, 629 Manor of Morrisania in, ii. 451
letter from, ii. 185 Manor of Fordham in, ii. 503
vestry of New Rochelle to, i. 646 William’s Bridge in, ii. 528
letters to, i. 232, 419; ii. 182, 218 Tremont, in, ii. 528
spy the clergy of the Province, Home for incurables first, in, ii. 531
i, 339 « ae ty 2 = removed to Fordham,
Lewis Morris’ second letter to, i. 478 fi. 532 *
Mr. Bartow’s letters to, i. 633 ; ii. 324 West Somers, ii. 260
Mr. Bondct’s letters to, i. 611, 626 Westchester, town of, ii. 263
Mr. Hondin’s letters to, i. 648, 657 original purchase of, ii. 263
Mr. Milner’s letter to, ii. 373 ~ first settlers of, ii. 264
Mr. Standard’s letters to, ii. 354, 364 ancient name of, ii. 264
Rey. Peter Stoupe’s letters to, i. 636, 645 Dutch and English claims to, ii. 275
Rt. Rev. Dr. Seabury’s letters to, ii. 377- first patent granted to, ii. 287

384 I second ‘* Bs ss ii, 289

INDEX.

Dutch, ii. 289

landing at, ii. 295

school-districts in, ii. 295

Village, ii. 295

first settlement of, ii. 295

witchcraft in, ii. 297

shiretown in county, ii. 299

court-house in, burned, ii. 299

market and fair in, ii. 300

incorporated as borough-town, ii. 300

Royal Charter granted to, ii. 300

first settlers of, Congregationalists, ii. 314

parish of, ii, 316

first church edifice in, ii. 319

second church edifice erected in, ii. 320

first rector of, ii. 321

charter granted to St. Peter’s church in, ii.
368

St. Peter’s church incorporated in, ii. 387

second incorporation of St. Peter’s church
in, ii. 390

new parish church erected in, ii. 397

this church burned in, ii. 398

list of rectors in, ii. 398

list of V. P. S. school-masters in, ii. 399

Hicksite Friends meeting-house erected in,
li. 404

Orthodox Friends meeting-house erected
in, ii. 404

M. E. society organized and incorporated
in, ii. 404

present M. E, church erected in, ii. 404

Roman Catholic Church in, ii. 404

Schuylerville, village in, ii. 422

De Lancey’s mills, in, ii. 429

Wetmore, Mr., i. 63

Rev. James, ii. 185

Whippoorwill Hill, i. 719

the, i. 719
song of, i. 720

White, Dr. Ebenezer, ii. 672

family, ii. 672

White Plains, town of, ii. 535

derivation of name, ii. 535

difficulties of, with Rye, ii. 536

list of original proprietors of, {i. 540

Presbyterian church in, incorporated, ii.
547

erected, ii. 173

burned, ii. 547

list of pastors of Presbyterian church in,
ii. 548

first M. E. church erected in, ii. 548
ec «burned in, ii. 549

second** ‘* erected in, ii, 549

third “ “ ow “oe * ii. 549

Memorial M. E. erected and dedicated in,
ii. 549 :

Westchester, submission of, tendered to the | White Piains, Grace Protestant Episcopal ch.

organized and incorporated in, ii. 550
originaily a precinct of Rye parish, ii. 550
Grace church consecrated in, ii. 550

present church erected and consecrated in,

ii. 551
list of rectors of Grace church in, ii. 551
Roman Catholic church in, ii, 552
Baptist church in, ii. 552
public buildings in, ii. 552

Declaration of Independence received by

Provincial Congress at, ii. 564
burned, ii. 565
battle of, ii. 566
mnilitary quarters in, ii. 566
head-quarters of Washington in, ii. 573
St. Mary’s Lake in, ii. 573
White Point, ii. 25
Whitfield, Rev. Geo., i. 152, 188
Whitlock, Rev Henry, i. 436
Wild Boar Hill, ii. 649
Wilkins, Rev. Isaac, i, 241; ii. 391
Will of Andre, i. 336
Capt, Johh Underhill, ii. 411
Col. Caleb Heathcote, ii. 227
David de Bonrepos, i. 605
Edward Jessup, ii. 435
Gabriel Leggett. ii. 447
Frederick Philipse, i. 513
Gertrude Van Cortlandt, i. 105
James Brown, i. 413
John Richardson, ii. 437
Lewis Morris, ii. 464
Oliver Van Cortlandt, i. 105
Peter de Lancey, i. 736
Philip Van Cortlandt, i. 109
Rey. Daniel Bondet, 1. 632
Rey. John Bartow, ii. 351
Rey. Thomas Standard, ii. 362
Stephanus Van Cortlandt, i. 102
Stephen de Lancey, i. 736
Stephen Van Cortlandt, i. 108
Thomas Pell, ii. 44
“ “ Senr., ii. 63
Willard, Rey. Livingston, i. 149
Willett, Hon. Thomas. ii. 274
William’s Bridge, ii. 528
Capt. Daniel, ii. 19
David, i. 74, 255, 309
Rev. C. C., i. 150
Wilmot, or Cooper’s Corners, i. 694

YERKS, John, i. 309, 562

Yonkers Ridge, ii. 603
town of, ii. 575
derivation of, name of, ii. 675
Indian name of, li. 576
Mile Square in, ji. 599
Valentine’s Hill in, ii. 603

785

786 INDEX.

Yonkers Ridge, Washington’s head-quarters in, ; Yonkers Ridge, St. John’s rectory erected in,

ii. 604 ii. 648
Berrian’s Neck in, ii. 606 list of rectors of St. John’s church in, ii.
Kings Bridge in. ii. 610 648
Cortlandt House in, ii. 619 Dutch Ref. church incorporated and erect-
Vault Hill in, ii. 620 ed in, ii. 649
Indian Bridge and Field in, ii. 622 M. E. church organized in, ii. 649
engagement between British and Indians Wild Boar Hill in, ii. 649
in, ii. 622 Howe’s head-quarters in, ii. 651
a city, incorporated, ii. 629 Revolutionary incidents connected with,
public buildings and churches of, ii. 629 ii, 651
Kings Bridge set off from, ii. 630 Yorktown, town of, ii. 661
Manor Hall in, li. 632 township of, erected, ii. 661
Locust Hill in, ii. 640 village of Crompond in, ii. 665
St. John’s church in, burned, repaired and parish of, organized, ii. 665
consecrated, ii. 640 M. E. society incorporated in, ii. 671
first mention of parish of, ii. 644 Baptist “ ef “ ii, 672
first rector of, ii. 645 Shrub Oak village in, ii. 703
church erected in, ii. 646 Croton Dam in, ii. 702
suffering of, during the Revolution, ii. 647 Crotonville in, ii .705

St. John’s church incorporated in, ii. 647 ZION HILL, ii, 21
?

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Rape

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