USA > New York > Westchester County > A history of the county of Westchester, from its first settlement to the present time > Part 22
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There are also me.norials in the yard, to members of the Hunt, Doty, Baxter, Bartow, Lewis, Arden, Findlay, Tucker, Reed, Burnett, Holsinn and Wright families, &c., beside vaults belonging to the families of Timpson, Adee and Ludlow, &c. Near the Episcopal grave yard, is situated the Ferris burying ground,a which contains the family vaults of Benjamin Ferris and numerous head stones to the Pell family.
The Friends' meeting house which stands south of the church, was erected cir. 1747. 'The first meeting of this numerous and
a John Ferris of the boroug thown of Westchester, in 1715, by his last will, " re- serves 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 hill burying ground."
228
HISTORY OF THE
respectable society in America, is said to have been held at Westchester. There is also a tradition, that George Fox " the dauntless founder of their sect," preached here in 1672.
'The Methodist Episcopal society of Westchester, was first or- ganized in 1808, and incorporated Sth March, 1809; William Johnston, Gilbert Lewis, Abraham Seacord, Benjamin Morgan, Moses Hunt and Gilbert Hunt, trustees.a The present church edifice was erected about 1818.
The Roman Catholic church dedicated to St. Raymond, is pleasantly situated on the road leading from Westchester to West Farms. The Rev. A. Higgins is the present incumbent.'
A number of handsome residences adorn the village. Among them may be noticed, the mansions of Captain E. Hawkins, Mr. George Adee, Mr. Paul Lalavette, Mr. Stephen Scribner and Captain Cornell Ferris, &e.
About two miles northwest of the village, is the residence and estate of William A. Spencer, Es1, Within a few years, great additions and improvements have been made to this beautiful spot by the present occupant, who has enlarged the mansion and completely reformed the gardens and grounds. This pro- perty 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 Cap- tain John Underhill, commonly called Lord Underhill, descended of an ancient and honorable family, in Warwickshire, England.
As early as 1416, we find John Underhill and Agnes his wife, seated at Uningham in Warwickshire, and in 1587, occurs the name of Sir Hercules Underhill, Knight, High Sheriff of that county.b
The following account of Captain John Underhill, " of whom so frequent mention is made in the early histories of New En- gland and New York," is taken from a small printed volume, called the " Algerine Captive," by John Underhill. He had
a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. B. 30.
b The celebrated Mr. Edward Underhill, one of Queen Mary's band of gentle- men pensioners, in 1558, was a member of this family.
To face page
Holland. ards Field.
hester_Mary ; liv. | Ferris
David
1 "1 hos.
1 Isaac
1
Deborah == Henry
Alsop
Smith
Townsend
1
1
of Westches -- Anna, da. h Ang 1650, IV 1775. apt. Spen-
of Israel Honey - well
Abraham. of White_ Hannah Cron- well Plains, became a member of the Reli gious Society of Friends, and most of his descendants to this day have been born members of that society, ob. æt. 50.
Benja. Battow Mary min
Arms .- Ar. vert, as ma a hind, lod
228
HISTORY OF THE
respectable society in America, is said to have been held at Westchester. There is also a tradition, that George Fox " the dauntless founder of their sect," preached here in 1672.
'The Methodist Episcopal society of Westchester, was first or- ganized in 1808, and incorporated Sth March, 1809; William Johnston, Gilbert Lewis, Abraham Seacord, Benjamin Morgan, Moses Hunt and Gilbert Hunt, trustees.ª The present church edifice was erected about 1818.
The Roman Catholic church dedicated to St. Raymond, is pleasantly situated on the road leading from Westchester to West Farms. The Rev. A. Higgins is the present incumbent.'
A number of handsome residences adorn the village. Among them may be noticed, the mansions of Captain E. Hawkins, Mr. George Adee, Mr. Paul Lalavette, Mr. Stephen Scribner and Captain Cornell Ferris, &c.
About two miles north west of the village, is the residence and estate of William A. Spencer, Esq, Within a few years, great additions and improvements have been made to this beautiful spot by the present occupant, who has enlarged the mansion and completely reformed the gardens and grounds. This pro- perty 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 Cap- tain John Underhill, commonly called Lord Underhill, descended of an ancient and honorable family, in Warwickshire, England.
As early as 1416, we find John Underhill and Agnes his wife, seated at Uningham in Warwickshire, and in 1587, occurs the name of Sir Hercules Underhill, Knight, High Sheriff of that county.b
The following account of Captain John Underhill, " of whom so frequent mention is made in the early histories of New En- gland and New York," is taken from a small printed volume, called the " Algerine Captive," by John Underhill. He had
a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. B. 30.
b 'The celebrated Mr. Edward Underhill, one of Queen Mary's band of gentle- men pensioners, in 1558, was a member of this family.
To face pago 22×, vol !!
PEDIGREE OF UNDERHILL OF WESTCHESTER.
John Underhill, a distinguished British officer, who served_1 Mary Mosely, who came with him from Holland with great reputation In the bow enunties, Irefond, and Cadiz Pinigrated to America in 1632, proprietor of Ken- nelworth, Oyster Bay , L I , ob 1672.
David
=7 hna, Alsup
Deborah= Henty Towalend
1
Esmuel
Daniel Abraham_Sarah
- Jacob-
-Mary
....
-Salal
Hannah
Thomas -Phrebo, North- castle
Daveo- port
Jobo Nathaniel, of Wesiches -_ Anno, ds ter, nat 11:8 Aug 2640, ob 27th Nov 1,75 Burind on Lapt. Spen- Cer's estate
of leszel Houcy- well
Abraham, of While_Hannah Cria wel: Pleine. become a meinber of the Rell groos Society of Friends, and numi of hle descendants to this dny binve been born members of that society, ub ml 50
Arma .- Ar on a chev. na. belw. three trefoils, slipped, verl, os many bezanis. Crest,-On a mount vert, a hind, lodged, or.
Tlinmos_ Snrah nat 1758. nh 21 85 |
Dewijn = Amy Weeks Samuel=Phihe
William=Mary
Natha. =. Phphe biel
Weeks
Jos _Prudence Caleb_Hannah Curp- enter. Rode- ers-
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Sarah_Hyatt
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Cayngs Ca, V Y not May 10 174J
N. Y.
Sullon
for Benjamin Gilb __ Chza Willl _Tay. ert
Natha- ale
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Jesse_Pamelo Purdy
Ange __ Willis Smith
COUT
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Benjamin,
Lancaster -Theodosia, of Fast-
Freder =Jono trk | Bonnett
Peter
Sarab=Bi-
Touspkins
Hannah, ob.
Odeli
Thomas_Celia Amuziah,Harriet Wurt Barker
Allen Allied
Mary == Alfred Jane
Avery
1
Anthony L. Underhill, of New York,_Clarins Barlow,
larmel
vb. lou6, ut 60,
14, 1774,
1 George M. K. Alfred
Thomas
Cbarica
J. I. Mum- Mary, ob. ford 179.5
Hannah J I Moore
1 ....= Suydam
George Edgar
Antbony
1
Abraham=1 Phobe Hallock
Lsanc, of Yorktown, Sarah da of Robert ond
Jacob.Amy Hallock
Mary_Horton
Hannalt=
Bariha Jabez Lockwood
=2 keziah Farrington
MNE 1725 har 175G, ob. Dec, 28, 1814. 1
Caleb Eliz-
Yurk
nbcth ccipo, jila of
Quin- Cay-
by, UL.I I'n Me.
N. Y.
ikerl
-Aurun, ob. 1805
-Isaac. ob 1794
-Rrbecc 1, 1b. 1:5=M bution
-Hannab, ob. 1847=Jnincs
I Quinby
Josiah_ Plæbe Birdsall
Jacob
-Daniel
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-Phobe-Sandford Hlong
-Suroh, où.
-Mary_Cornell
-Patience_Jacob Young
-Chansty.Richard Halstend
Charles R .= Elizabeth Quinby
Townsend, ob
-Hannah_Ats Upton
-Sorah- Isaac Buttun
-Lydia_James Brown
-Deborah James Coprklin
-David-Hannatt Ltutfield
-Aaron-Phobe S Upiun
-L.clitia- Hobert Griffin
-Dorcon=Ezra Haight
Jacob_Sarah Underhill
Jelen H _Eliza Sutton
-Anna_Joshon Mekeel Saroh_George Mekeel
Rebecca=Mones Sutton, Jr.
Anne_James Quinby -Catharine_ Eblu Griffin -Sarah __ Donic! HovHand
-Edmund __ Phobe 3. Ferris
-Robert R , Sorale Wood -George_Sally AnnWaning
-Richard T.
-Wullam A_Abby Wood
-Allard_Lydia Hows
-Itebecca_Dantel Taleou
|-Esther_Jncnh Willed
1-Mary Jane_Henry Wood
-Willauc Phube Griihn
-1mac () = Mary Sutton
-Willeti c =Nancy Smith -C'ol> W = Mary A Baner
-Phobe=Stephan Wand -Alex'r. Febr Albertson -AarosCliz'h Vandervart -Richard M =Han L Grathu
-Sarah_ Abraham Van Epps
-Mary -Hezekiah Collina
-Anne __ Richard Hunt
-HanDab_ Noah Lennis
Anne -Amy_Isaac Fierce Sarah_Samuel Sulton -Haunalı James 8: d-all -Mirtha. Walirr Haight -Phubesu Alex Young -Reubeu, ob.
-Walter M.
-Mary S.
-Lydia G.
-Anna
-Joshua Ls
-Henry Il.
-Francis
-Howard
-Willau Wilson
-Corneha
- Ebzabeth John R Willla
Inne, John II. Fertis
-Corotjoe - William Croniwell
-Mary $-Wm Word
-Adyuljah_Ulebor'h Button
-Stephen-Phche C'ornell
Levi=Khzn'th Martingley
- And-+W -- Sarnh Enight
Das id=Surnh Pierce
-f&raul- Marv t. Willhims -Abraham __ Ellz'I: Unikley
-John, mb 1810
-Deborah=Stephen Atcher Father __ Robert Pas tinud -Hannah_Jantes Grita
-Chariotte __ Carpenter -Enzabeth=Livingston -Pinrbe = Thes Carpenter -Saralı __ Adonigalı Uudet.
-Robert
-Auront
-Marin_Van Zandt
-EDZa __ Thompson
-Cicmenthae __ Edgut
-[sanc_Jane Underhill
Jane __ Alfred Underhill -Caroline- Aaron Quituby Jobs_Saralı Young -Ellas_t arpenter -David_Emeline Bendy -Townsewol, _Emily 2mith
Abrafrom_Pincebe Pugsley
l'higenthe_ Whitron
John -. 1 Davempeut =2 Fowler.
Birh-Jen kina
Abra. Wenige Phm _ Smith I'nn -- "ha Ichin- Themap MY
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Benjamin,= Abigal, da of Thomas, of Nova Scotia
Jaa
Mary
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James
Phoebe
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Miriam_Allen
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Phobe-Joseph Week. & JesseWeeks
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-Sarah=Robert Dodge.
Nathaniel, J.roel, of West =Aldgall I.lpe- of West-
cheater
William, of_Dean nord, 1PL. 1740, Tuckahoe ob 1846
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1
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1
Daniel Amos fralah Thomas Deborah Stary
Peter, of Westchester
=2. Elizabeth Feeks, family nome, afterwards Fuld.
John Underhill, of Matinrenck, Long Intand ,_Mary Prior will dated Oet 16th, 1692 Queen's Co record Arenie a member of ibe Reli- ginur Snelety ut Friends
A da.
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Faria
Smith
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1
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1645
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of Jes. nat. Ju da of town,
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229
COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
early imbibed an ardent love of liberty, civil and religious, by his service as a soldier among the Dutch, in their glorious and successful struggle for freedom, with Philip the second of Spain ; when, though quite a youth, he held a commission in the Earl of Leicester's own troop of guards, who was then sent to the assist- ance of that brave people, by the renowned Queen Elizabeth of England. The extravagant passion, which that princess was supposed to entertain for various male favorites, which occa- sioned the disgrace of one, and the premature death of another, while it has furnished a darling theme to the novelist, and has been wept over in the tragic scene, has never yet received the sober sanction of the historian. A traditional family anecdote, while it places the affection of the queen for Leicester beyond doubt, may not be unpleasing to the learned reader, and may benefit the English historiographer.
It is well known that this crafty queen, though repeatedly so- licited, never efficaciously assisted the Netherlanders, until their affairs were apparently at their lowest ebb, and they in such des- perate circumstances, as to offer the sovereignty of their country to her general, the Earl of Leicester. Captain Underhill car- ried the dispatches to England, and delivered them at the office of Lord Burleigh. The same evening, the queen sent for the captain, and, with apparent perturbation, inquired of him, if he was the messenger from Leicester, and whether he had any private dispatches for her. He replied, that he had delivered all his letters to the secretary of state. She appeared much disap- pointed, and, after musing for some time, said, "so Leicester wants to be a king." Underhill, who was in the general's confi- dence, replied that the Dutch had indeed made the offer of the sove- reignty of their country to her general, esteeming it a great honor, as they said, to have a subject of her grace for their sovereign. No, replied the queen, it is not the Dutch ; they hate kings and their divine rights ; it is the proud Leicester, who yearns to be independent of his own sovereign, who moves this insolent proposal. Tell him from me, that he must learn to obey, be- fore he is fit to govern. Tell him, added the queen, softening her voice, that obedience may make him a king indeed. Imme- .
diately after Captain Underhill had taken his public dispatches,
230
HISTORY OF THE
the queen sent for him to her privy closet, recalled her verbal message, delivered him a letter for Leicester, directed with her own hand, and a purse of one hundred crowns for himself ; charging him to enclose the letter in lead, sink it in case of dan- ger in his passage by sea, and to deliver it privately. On the re- ceipt of this letter, Leicester was violently agitated, walked his chamber the whole of the ensuing night. Soon after, he resigned his command, and returned to England, animated by the bright- est hopes of realizing the lofty suggestions of his ambition. With him Captain Underhill returned, and upon the decease of the Earl of Leicester, attached himself to the fortunes of the Earl of Essex, the unfortunate successor to Leicester in the queen's favor. He accompanied that gallant nobleman in his successful attack upon Cadiz, and shared his ill fortune in his fruitless expedition against Tyronne, the rebel chief of the re- volted clans of Ireland ; and, returning with the earl into En- gland, by his attachment to that imprudent nobleman, sallying into the streets of London in the petty insurrection, which cost Essex his head, he was obliged to seek safety in Holland, until the accession of King James, in one thousand six hundred and three, when he applied for pardon and leave to return to his na- tive country. But that monarch entertained such an exalted idea of the dignity of kings, and fro n policy, affected so great veneration for the memory of his predecessor, that no interest of his friends could procure his pardon for an offence, which, in this day and country, would be considered a simple rout or riot, and punished with a small fine, in that age of kingly glory was supposed to combine treason and blasphemy : treason against the queen in her political capacity, and blasphemy against her, as God's representative and vicegerent on earth.
The Rev. Mr. Robinson, with a number of other pious puri- tans, having fled from the persecuting fury of the English pre- lates, to Holland, in one thousand six hundred and three, he dwelt and communed with them a number of years. He was strongly solicited to go with Governor Carver, Elder Brewster and the other worthies, part of Mr. Robinson's church, to the settlement of Plymouth, and had partly engaged with them, as
231
COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
their chief military officer; but, Captain Miles Standish, his brave fellow soldier in the Low Countries, undertaking the bu- siness, he declined. How he joined Governor Winthrop, does not appear, but he came over to New England with him, and soon after we find him disciplining the Boston militia, where he was held in such high estimation that he was chosen to repre- sent that town in the general court ; but, his ideas of religious toleration being more liberal than those around him, he lost his popularity, and was, on the twentieth of November, one thousand six hundred and thirty-seven, disfranchised and eventually ban- ished the jurisdiction of Massachusetts.
The writers of those times differ, as to the particular offence for which he was punished. Some say that it was for holding the Antinomian tenets of the celebrated Anne Hutchinson, others that the charge against him was for saying, that the government at Boston were as zealous as the Scribes and Pharisees, and as Paul before his conversion. The best account, I have been able to collect, is, that at the time when the zeal of our worthy forefathers burned the hottest against heretics and sectaries, when good Roger Williams, who settled Providence, the pious Wheel- right, and others, were banished, he, with about sixty other im- prudent persons, who did not believe in the then popular argu- ments of fines, imprisonment, disfranchisement, confiscation, ban- ishments, and halters for the conversion of infidels, supposed that the Christian faith, which had spread so wonderfully in its infancy, when the sword of civil power was drawn against it, in that age, surrounded by numerous proselytes, needed not the same sword unsheathed in its favor. These mistaken people signed a remonstrance against the violent proceedings, which were the order of that day. William Aspinwall and John Goggeshell, two of the Boston representatives, who signed the remonstrance, were sent home, and the town ordered to choose others in their room. Some of the remonstrants recanted, some were fined, sorne were disfranchised, and others, among whom was Captain Underhill, were banished." " When the sen- tence of banishment passed on Captain Underhill, he returned to Dover in New Hampshire, and was elected governor of the European settlers there; but, notwithstanding his great service
232
HISTORY OF THE
to the people of Massachusetts, in the Pequod wars, his persecu- tors in Boston would not allow him to die in peace. First, by writing injurious letters to those he governed ; by threats of their power; and lastly, by determining that Dover was within the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, they forced him to flee to Albany, then possessed by the Dutch, under the name of Amboyna.
The Dutch were highly pleased with the captain, and after Dutchifying his name into Captain Hans van Vanderhill, they gave him a command of one hundred and twenty men, in their wars with the natives. It is said that he killed one hundred and fifty Indians on Long Island, and upwards of three hundred on the main. The laurels of the famous Colonel Church wither in comparison."a " At the period of his military employment (says Mr. Thompson,) he lived at Stamford, Connecticut, was a delegate from that town to the general court at New Haven in 1613, and was appointed an assistant justice. In 1644 he came with the Rev. Mr. Denton and others of his church, to Long Island, and soon after became a resident of Flushing, where he evinced the same restless temper as formerly, and was anxious for a military employment." " He was afterward settled in Oyster Bay, for in 1665 he was a delegate from that town to the meet- ing at Hampstead, 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 lands, a part of which, called Killingworth, b remained in his family for nearly two hundred years."c Captain John Underhill, at an advanced age, died in Killingworth, leaving several sons ; the youngest of whom, Nathaniel, (before mentioned,) removed to Westchester, in 1685. By his last will, bearing date the 18th of September, 1671, Capt. John Underhill bequeathes " his whole estate in possession of his wife Elizabeth Underhill, during ye time of her widowhood ; but if she marry, then my brother John Bowne, Henry Townsend, Matthew Pryer, and my son John
a The " Algerine Captive," by Dr Updike Underhill, vol. i. 25, printed at Wal- pole, New Hampshire, 1797.
b Originally Kenilworth, from the place of the same name in Warwickshire, Eng.
" Thompson's Hist. of Long Island, vol. ii 358.
233
COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
Underhill, I empower hereby that they see to ye estate, that ye children be not wronged, nor turned off, without some propor- tionable allowance, as ye estate will afford; and that my son Nathaniel, remain with his mother untill twenty-one years, &c."a
Upon the 22d of March, 1636-7, 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, sen., lived upon, with forty acres in the woods, which I bought of the Indians," to John Underhill of Matinecock.b
The sons of Nathaniel were Thomas, John, Nathaniel Under- hill, jun., from whom were descended the late Anthony L. Un- derhill of New York, and Lancaster Underhill of Eastchester, and Abraham, from whom come the Underhills of Yorktown and Cortlandtown, &c.
Nathaniel Underhill, jr., died at Westchester in 1775. The following epitaph is inscribed on his head stone in the family cemetery.
Here lies the body of NATHANIEL UNDERHIL, who was born August the 11th, 1690, and departed this life November the 27th, 1775, aged 85 years 3 months and 16 days.
Nathaniel, the eldest son of this individual, filled various pub- lic offices, and in 1775 was elected mayor of the borough of Westchester.
Upon Dorman's Island,c in the north-east corner of the town, is situated the estate of Mr. Thomas C. Taylor ; the dwelling- house, a fine stone structure, occupies a pleasant position, over-
: Thompson's Hist. of Long Island, vol ii. 361.
b Queen's Co. Rec. lib. B. 91.
c So called prior to 1704.
VOL. II.
30
234
HISTORY OF THE
looking the Eastchester bay and opposite shores. The grounds are tastefully arranged and ornamented with thriving plantations. The Eastchester creek bridge communicates with the Westches- ter shore and Pelham neck.ª
The adjoining estate, Rockfield, is the property of Augustus F. van Cortlandt, Esq. ; the house is a very good specimen of the rural Gothic style, and agrecs well with its picturesque situation. A choice collection of paintings adorns the walls, viz., St. Agatha, Carlo Dolci ; Marianne Wellesley, Marchioness of Wellesley, Sir Thomas Lawrence. This lady was the daughter of Richard Caton, Esq., of Philadelphia, and widow of Robert Patterson, Esq. Titian's Mistress, Heely ; Augustus van Cortlandt of Yonkers, Jarvis ; Mrs. van Cortlandt, (a miniature) Leslie. The views of the water from this place are of a beautiful description. In the immediate vicinity are located the residences of Mr. Daniel D. Edgar and Mr. Robert R. Morris. This portion of Throck- morton's neck, together with Dorman's island, formerly constituted the old Bayard estate, as noticed in the early part of this town.
Further south lies the Ferris property, which has been held by the family of that name for five generations. At an early period John Ferris, b removed hither from Fairfield, c Connecticut, and became one of the ten proprietors of Throckmorton's neck. These lands he probably obtained by purchase from Thomas Pell. 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, leaving five sons, viz., Samuel, one of the first assistants and common council of the borongh of Westchester, John, James, proprietor of the homestead in 1746, Jonathan, ancestor of the Cortlandt-town branch, and Peter, of Westchester. His grand-
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