USA > New York > Westchester County > A history of the county of Westchester, from its first settlement to the present time > Part 23
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a See vol. i. 550.
b The Ferrises were originally from Leicestershire, England, and descend from the house of Feriers, Ferrerr, Ferreis or Ferris, the first member of which (in Eng- land) was Henry de Feriers, the son of Gualchelme de Feriers, a Norman, who obtained of William the Conqueror large grants of land in the counties of Stafford- shire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire.
c In 1660 occurs the name of Jefferey Ferryes of Fairfield, Conn. Farmer's Register contains the names of Benjamin Fernis, of Salem, 1640, and Jeffrey of Massachusetts, who was admitted a freeman, A. D. 1635.
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son, James Ferris, possessed this estate in 1776, when it was oc- cupied by the British troops, under Lord Howe. The family happened to be at breakfast, in the present house, on the morn- ing 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 an- chor between City Island and Throckmorton's neck. On the next day 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 threatning manner, how they could dare to deceive him ? After a proper explanation had been made, he solemnly declared he would hang every one of them unless conducted safe from his present position. The retreat was ultimately effected by a bridge of boats.
James Ferris was subsequently captured by the " Queen's Rangers," and removed to the New York Provost. His descen- dants are very numerous in the town. Mr. Edward Cooper 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 Throckmorton, an Englishman, who took a grant for it under the Dutch, A. D. 1643. The name (says Judge Benson,) has been abbreviated from Throgmorton's to Throg's and finally cor- rupted to Frog's neck.
From the Throckmortons and others the point passed by pur- chase to the late Abijah Hammond, Esq., whose heirs sold to Mr. H. Le Roy Newbold, Mr. W. Whitehead, Mr. James Drake, and the late Mr. Charles King, &c. The mansion erected by Abijah Hammond 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 Ham- mond, and grandson of John Hammond, who emigrated to Mas- sachusetts in 1680.ª His first wife was Catharine, a daughter
" The Hammond family claim descent from the house of Penn through the mar- riage of William Hammond with Elizabeth Penn, daughter of Sir William and sister of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania.
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of Abraham Ogden ; several children survive. His son, Ogden, for many years resided on the point. His daughter Mary is the wife of William H. Harrison, Esq., of New York.
Upon the extremity of the point is now " in course of erection by the United States government, a very strong fortification, called Fort Schuyler. It is calculated, when completed, to de- fend this entrance and protect the city of New York from foreign invasions, in connection with the formidable works of a similar character erected at the Narrows."a
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 fol- lowing account is from General Heath's memoirs.
"October 3d, 1776. The brigadier generals of our general's division,b 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, accompanied 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 advantageously 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 do it, unless the fire of the riflemen should appear in- sufficient 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 sup- ported. Col. Hand made his arrangements accordingly.
· Disturnell's Gazetteer of N. Y.
b General Heath.
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"October 7th. Gen. Lincoln came to camp. He had come from Massachusetts 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.
"October 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 acquainted with every part of the ground, and the best choice of it, if suddenly called to action.
" October 12th. Early in the morning eighty or ninety British boats, full of men, stood up the Sound, from Montresor's Island, Long Island, &c. The troops landed at Frog's neck, and their advance pushed towards the causeway and bridge at Westches- ter 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 he would do,) ordered Col. Prescott, the hero of Bunker Hill, with his regiment, and Capt. Lieut. Bryant, of the artillery, with a three pounder, to reinforce the riflemen at Westchester causeway, and Col. Gra- ham of the New York line, with his regiment, and Lient. Jack- son of the artillery, with a six pounder, to reinforce at the head of the creek ; all of which was promptly done, to the check and disappointment 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 ob- ject, saluted the British with a field piece.
" In the afternoon forty or fifty sail of vessels passed up, and came to anchor off Frog's Point. The same evening Gen. Mc- Dougal's brigade joined our general's division.
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" October 13th. 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.
" October 14th. Our general, with the generals under his com- mand, reconnoitred the enemy at Frog's neck ; afterwards the general officers of the army reconnoitred the various grounds. The same day Maj. 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 arrange- ments of duty. A great number of sloops, boats, &c., were pass- ing the sound eastward, just at dusk, probably conveying ammu- nition, provisions, &c., to the troops at Frog's Point.
" October 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 scatter- ing fire across the marsh continued, and now and then a man was killed.
" October 16th. Two works were discovered on Frog's neck, nearly finished. The general officers of the army rode to recon- noitre 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 pre- vent its being turned by the British.
"October 17th. Wadsworth's and Fellow's brigades came to Kingsbridge. The British shipping, &c., continued moving eastward.
" October 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
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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 causeway, another ex- press 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 creek. 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 Americans 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 immediately and have his division formed ready for action, and to take such a position as might appear best cal- culated to oppose the enemy, should 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."a
Throckmorton's point is likewise remarkable as the place where the tides meet in the Sound. Directly opposite are the famous stepping stones, a number of rocks which pro- ject in a line from the Long Island shore, and show their bare tops at low water. "An Indian origin (says Judge Benson) is asserted for this name, and a 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 Connecticut, as his peculiar domain ; but they being in possession, determined, of course, to try to hold it. By Connecticut, the premises in question, is to be understood, the original Connecticut proper, the territory between the oblong, 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.
a Heath's Mem. 67.
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The Indians were fully sensible of what they had to dread from such an adversary, and accordingly betook themselves to a course not unnsal 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 betterments, a Novanglican law term, devised to signify the dwelling and other erections, and comprehending girdling the trees to disencumber the land of the wood, by a person en- tering without title, on land never before cultivated, known as new or wild land, &c." " No answer as was to be expected, 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 interpose between them, had recourse to the "alternate mean of discussion between princes, to arms." The parties foresee- ing 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 overmatch for the Indians in skill and spirit, he at first advanced on them ; but, they having provided there should be constantly reinforcements on their march, thereby preserving their corps entire, and harassing him inces- santly, giving him no rest night nor day, he was obliged finally to yield to vigilance and perseverance, and fall back. He re- tired collected, and, as usual, giving up the ground only inch by inch ; and, though retiring, still presenting a front whenever at- tack 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 a night, and the tide being ont, and the rocks showing their heads, he availed himself of them, and step- ping from one to another, effected his retreat to Long Island. He at first betook himself sullen and silent to Coram, in the mid- dle 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 Connecti- ent, covered the surface of it with them as we now see it ; and
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it has been repeated from the whites, the first settlers of the lands at Cold Spring, that the Indians to the last who re- mained, 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 Judge 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 re. treating to the island, &c., I had from the late Mr. L'Hommedieu a native of the island."a 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 James Drake. On the south, the shores of the East river are ornamented with numerous handsome re- sidences, as the seats of Mr. W. H. Carter called Bella Vista, Mrs. Wright Post, Mr. Barker and Mr. Thomas Ash. The property of the latter gentleman, formerly belonged to Philip I. Livingston, Esq., who expended large sums in procuring every novelty in the vegetable world to adorn this beautiful spot. The gardens at one time covered several hundred acres. "The finest cedar of Lebanon in the Union, (says Mr. Downing) is growing in the grounds of Mr. Ash, being 50 feet high, and of corresponding breadth."b "There is also a superb specimen of the copper coloured beech. The road from the point to Westchester village, passes many beautiful country villas. Spi- cer's and Brockett's necks are situated at the south-west extremi- ty 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, the Grove farm descen- ded to his eldest daughter, Mianna Hunt, who married John Ferris. Their son was the late Elijah Ferris, whose sons, John H., William and Charlton Ferris, are the present owners. The old grange erected in 1697, is prettily located at the entrance of
& Memoirs of the State of N. Y., by Egbert Benson, 1817.
b Downing's Landscape Gardening. VOL. II. 31
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Spicer's neck, on the margin of the Westchester creek, shrouded by a group of venerable locusts. The nurseries of Mr. William Ferris, situated a little north of the house, are very extensive and contain every variety of fruit and ornamental trees. We be- lieve this is the largest establishment of the kind in West- chester county. There was formerly a ferry between Ferry point, the termination of Brockett's neck, now called Laing's Isl- and, and the opposite shore of Powell's point, L. I. The pas- sage was performed in a peri-auger.
The Westchester creek which is here nearly three quarters of a mile across, abounds with every description of shell and salt water fish. Among the latter, may be enumerated, bass, week fish, black fish, drum, eels, flounders, spice, tomicods, perch, porgies, horse mackerel, herrings, bequeals, garnet, &c.
On the eastern side of the creek, lies Castle-hill neck,a the property of Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq. This estate was for- merly held by the Cromwell family.b In 1685, John Cromwell and Elizabeth Cromwell his wife, exchanged six acres of meadow with Thomas Hunt, for eight acres of upland, situated upon Castle neck.c From the Cromwell's,d it went to a younger branch of the Underhill's,e who conveyed it to the Rev. Isaac Wilkins. After being sold by Mr. Wilkins, in 1784, it was successively the property of the families of Pell, Russell, Gilchrist, Taylor and Aspen, from whom it passed to Mar- tin Wilkins, Esq., by whose son it is now enjoyed. The family of Wilkins, was originally seated in the county of Glamorgan, South Wales, and derives from " Robert de Wintona, or Wincestria, who came into that county with Robert Fitz- hamon, who was lord of the manor of Languian, near Coubridge and built a castle there, the ruins of which are still extant. The
a A name derived from the Indian castle which formerly stood near the termi- nation of the neck.
b From this family, it obtained the name of Cromwell's neck.
c Co. Rec. Lib. A. 95.
d See vol. i. 251.
· Co. Rec. Lib. A. 214.
f The name is supposed to be derived from the Whelk, an imaginary animal, which tradition asserts, inhabited the vale. The Whelk is still borne on the coat armor of the family, with the significant Welch motto: Sun ar dy Hyn : anglice, beware of thyself.
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valley underneath, is called Pant Wilkyn (Welkyn's vale) to this day.a Members of the family, yet reside at Brecon, Gla- morganshire and Maeslough, Radnorshire. The more immedi- ate ancestor of the American branch emigrated to Jamaica, West Indies, in 1720, and settled as a planter at St. Dorothy's in that colony. His grandson, was the Rev. Isaac Wilkins, D. D.
Of the latter, the following account is given in " Sabine's Sketches of American Loyalists." His father was " Martin Wilkins," a rich planter of Jamaica, and died when he was quite young. He was sent to New York to be educated, and enjoyed the best advantages which the country afforded. He prepared himself for the ministry, but did not take orders. Having set- tled in the county of Westchester, he was returned as a mem- ber of the house of assembly, in which body he became a leader on the ministerial side. His influence with his associates, and with his party, was very great. Near the close of the session of the assembly of February, 1775, Col. Woodhull, (a whig who met a sad and early death) moved that the thanks of the house should be presented to the delegates to the continental congress who met at Philadelphia, in September previously. The motion was opposed and lost, Mr. Wilkins voting against it. When the question of appointing delegates to the second congress, came up, he made a speech, which was much admired by his friends for its eloquence, clearness and precision. Schuyler and George Clinton were his principal antagonists in the debate. As this speech affords a good specimen of the views of loyalists and of the state of the controversy at that period, I insert it entire, and nearly verbatim, as it was delivered ; as a matter of curious his- tory, and as the effort of an able man, the reader will be inte- rested in its perusal.
MR. SPEAKER,
The subject now under consideration is the most important, I believe, that has ever come before this house ; nothing less than the welfare, I had al- most said the existence, of this colony, and perhaps of all America, depends upon the result of our present deliberations. Deeply impressed with this idea, I rise with great anxiety of mind to deliver my sentiments on this oc-
a Burke's Hist. of the landed gentry of England, vol. iii. 393.
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casion. Whether they are such as this house will think proper to approve, I cannot tell ; but sure I am, they are such as are dictated by an honest heart, an heart biased by no selfish or sinister motives, and warped by no attach- ment to sect, persons or party. There is not, I am persuaded, an individual in this assembly, who does not wish well to America in general, and who is not solicitons for the preservation of this province in particular. For my own part, I feel more real concern than I can well express, at the gloomy prospect of our affairs, and I would sacrifice more, much more, than most men would be willing to believe, if I could by that means rescue my country from the ruin and destruction that is now ready to overwhelm her. The ne- cessity of a speedy reconciliation between us and our mother country, must be obvious to every one who is not totally destitute of sense and feeling ; so that there can be no dispute now, I presume, but about the means of accomplish- ing it. Before I give my opinion, however, upon this matter, I must beg the indulgence of the House, while I exhibit a short view of the rise and progress of our present disturbances in America.
" Ever since the first settlement of these colonies, Great Britain has claimed and exercised the right of jurisdiction over them, and her claim was founded in reason, and in the nature of civil government, for it is certain beyond all manner of doubt and controversy, that the supreme authority of every empire, must extend over the whole and every part of that empire, otherwise there must be imperium in imperio, two absolute and dis- tinct powers in one and the same government, which is impossible ; and consequently the supreme authority of the British empire, which is vested in the king, lords, and commons, must extend over these colonies, which are a part of the British empire. This authority was never disputed by the colonies, till the time of the stamp act, and then no farther than as to the right of imposing internal taxes ; for the right of regulating trade, and of imposing duties upon articles of commerce, was universally acknowledged as essential to the supremacy of the British parliament. Their right of inter- nal taxation over the Colonies, was by the Americans opposed upon this prin- ciple, that it was contrary to one of the fundamentals of our free Constitution, which forbids the taking of the subjects' money without their consent, given either personally or by their representative. This power of disposing of their property, they imagined and asserted, was lodged in their Provincial Legisla- tures only. Be that as it will, this was certainly placing their liberty upon a proper basis : here they ought to have rested ; here they ought to have bound- ed their demands ; this would have been a sufficient barrier against arbitrary power. The Parliament, in consequence of this, although they did not relin- quish their claim or right to tax the Colonies, repealed that impolitic and op- pressive act ; and although they afterwards imposed duties on paper, glass, paints, colors, &c., yet those also, in compliance with our demands, were taken off: so indulgent has our mother country been to the claims and humors of her children. This complying disposition, however. in her so far
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from exciting our gratitude, or satisfying our uneasiness and discontent, has only emboldened us to make farther encroachments upon her authority. We foolishly attributed this gentle conduct towards us to fear, and to a conscious- ness of her inability to compel us to submission. And when a three penny duty on tea was demanded of us, we peremptorily refused to comply ; and instead of expostulating or of showing our disapprobation of that act, by remonstrating in a legal and constitutional way, as we ought to have done ; or instead of taking that easy and effectual method that offered itself to us, I mean the not purchasing that commodity, while encumhered with the duty, we flew into the most indecent rage, and hastily adopted every unwarrantable measure that could irritate and provoke the government ; we either destroyed or sent back, in a most contemptuous manner, all the tea that entered our harbors ; we insulted her ministers, and absolutely denied her authority.
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