USA > New York > Westchester County > Rye > Chronicle of a border town : history of Rye, Westchester county, New York, 1660-1870, including Harrison and the White Plains till 1788 > Part 15
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Labor was well paid in early times, at least that of the white man. In 1680, a day laborer in Connecticut had two shillings, and sometimes two shillings and sixpence per day. Provisions were cheap. Wheat sold at four shillings a bushel ; peas at three
1 Town Meeting Book, G. p. 4.
2 Old people tell us of these fire-places, where as children they would ensconce themselves, sitting on each end of an enormous log ; and where they could ' look up and see the stars ' through the vast chimney overhead.
3 History of Norwich, by Miss F. M. Canlkins, pp. 76, 77.
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130
1
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
shillings ; Indian corn at two shillings and sixpence ; 'Porek' at threepence per pound ; ' Beif' at twopence half-penny ; butter at sixpence.1
In 1681, Humphrey Underhill engages to pay seven hundred pounds for the Vineyard Farm at Rye ; payment to be made in provisions at the following rates : Beef at twopence and one far- thing a pound ; pork at threepence, one farthing; winter wheat at five shillings, and summer wheat at four shillings sixpence the bushel ; Indian corn at two shillings sixpence the bushel.2
In 1700, the town orders Mr. Bowers's salary to be paid 'in specie as followeth ; Wheat at five shillings per bushel ; Indian Corn two shillings sixpence pr bushel, and all other provisions pay equivalent.' 3
The week-day life of our early settler was one of hard and un- remitting toil. No ' eight hours' labor ' law would have suited his ideas or agreed with the requirements of his position. His acres of forest land must be cleared and fenced, his meadow and upland lots be tilled by his own strong arms, aided perhaps by those of his stalwart boys. Not less busy were the wife and the daughters, upon whom devolved not only the cares that now rest upon the humblest of their sex, but also the labor of preparing, through every stage of manufacture and adjustment, the coarse but substantial gar- ments of the entire family.
The ' TRAYN BAND of Rye' is mentioned in the Colony Records of 1667. This was the militia company of the town, such as every settlement in Connecticut was required to maintain.4 It consisted of all male persons between sixteen and sixty years of age, ministers and magistrates only excepted. The officers of the train- band were a captain, a lieutenant, an ensign, and four sergeants. Not fewer than sixty-four, and not more than two hundred men, might constitute such a company. The arms of the private sol- diers were pikes, muskets, and swords. These they provided, if able, for themselves. The muskets had matchlocks, or firelocks, and to each there was a pair of ' bandoleers,' or pouches for powder and bullets, and a stick, called a rest, for use in taking aim. The pikes were poles, with a spear at the end, fourteen feet in length.5 For defensive armor, corselets were worn, and coats quilted with
1 Public Records of Connecticut, vol. iii. p. 300.
2 Rye Records, vol. B. p. 49.
8 Town Meeting Book, C. p. 8.
4 Palfrey, History of New England, vol. ii. p. 49, note.
5 Public Records of Connecticut, vol. ii. p. 45.
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THE TRAIN-BAND OF RYE.
cotton. It does not appear that any uniformity was attempted in dress.
' Trainings' took place six times a year. These were great occasions, and were usually solemnized by prayer. The time of meeting was eight o'clock in the morning. No man could be ab- sent unless excused, without incurring a heavy fine. Ministers, as well as magistrates, were exempted from training; but they too, with every other male person above sixteen years of age, were required to ' bee allwaves provided with, and hane in readiness by them, halfe a pound of Powder, two pound of shott, and two fathom of Match.' 1 Good Mr. Denham, at Rve, had his 'mus- quett ' and his ' two-edged sword,' which he could doubtless make use of, upon occasion. 'A pair of shot moulds,' is an item of frequent occurrence in lists of household effects.
Convenient to the spot where these martial exercises took place, stood the village stocks. For here, in full view of the concourse, unhappy culprits were sometimes put, as a punishment peculiarly severe. Thus persons found guilty of cursing and swearing, were fined ten shillings, and were condemned 'to sit in the Stocks two howers the next Trayneing day.' 2
. In Rye, there was a place ' in the heart of the towne, where they usually traine.' 3 This we conjecture to have been where the flag- staff now stands, at the junction of the post-road and the road to the purchase. Here, perhaps, in 1697, ' Major Sellick, of Stand ford, with about fifty Dragones whom he called his life guard,' made his appearance, ready to defend the town against the author- ity of New York, from which it had revolted.
The train-band of Rye does not seem to have been completely officered for a number of years. Joseph Horton is confirmed in 1667 as 'lieutenant to the trayn band.' The fact is, our town did not number persons enough, until near the close of the cen- tury, to entitle it to have a company under the law. 'Captain Jo- seph Horton' is first heard of in 1690. Captain Theall, who is mentioned about the same time, had been ' the chief military offi- cer for the train-band' of Bedford, and hence probably retained his title after coming to this place.
The train-band was held to be a most important means of pub- lic security in every town. Rye, from its remoteness and its feeble condition, must have depended peculiarly upon this defence.
1 Public Records of Connecticut, vol. ii. p. 544.
2 Tbid. vol. i. p. 50.
3 New York Colonial MSS., vol. xli. p. 56.
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MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
In 1673, when there was a prospect of collision with the Dutch, who regained possession of New York for a short period, 'Rye, being near' to the enemy's position, was ' excused' from sending its quota, to form a company of five hundred dragoons, who were to be drawn from the train-bands of the several towns for the pro- tection of any threatened part.1
Our early settlers had doubtless brought with them many old- world customs which are little known to us. One of these they observed in the conveyance of lands : it was called the investiture ' by turf and twig.' This was a relic of feudal times. It con- sisted 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 practised by the feudal lord, in conferring a fief upon his vas- sal.2 We find it observed on Manussing Island in 1693, with all formality, and on Budd's Neck as late as 1768. In a dispute be- tween Samuel Odel and the heirs of Jonathan Vowles, about the ' southernmost part' of that island, John Frost testified that in 1693 he went by request of Vowles to the said island, ' where he did see Jonathan Vowles upon the said southernmost part of said Island, (being in a manner Divided from ye other part of said Isl- and by a Sand Beach,) cutt a Turfe upon the same as also Cutt a Stick or Twigg thereon ; and the said Jonathan Vowles did then and there deliver the said Turfe and Twigg to the said Samuel Odel, who desired this Deponent to take notice that Jonathan Vowles did putt him in full and peaceable possession.' 3
1 Public Records of Connecticut, vol. ii. p. 207.
2 Hallam, Middle Ages, vol. i. p. 170.
3 Land Papers in Secretary of State's Office, Albany, vol. iii. p. 4.
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6
Great Stone by the Wading-place.
CHAPTER XV.
OLD NAMES AND PLACES.
INTHE quaint nomenclature of our early settlers is rapidly passing out of mind. Many of the names traced on our ancient records have become quite obsolete, and will be as novel to the descendants of those who used them as to those of us who dwell in places that know them no more. Yet it may be presumed that some interest will be felt in the effort to recall, and as far as possi- ble to locate thiem.
The Indian names, Peningo,1 Apawamis,2 Manussing,3 Honge,
1 Not Poningo, as Mr. Bolton (History of' Westchester) writes it, doubtless misled by the resemblance of the letters e and o in the ancient style of writing. This name occurs several hundred times in our records, and usually as spelt in the text. Some- times it is written Peninggoe, and occasionally, in later times, Penning's Neck. Of course the derivation of the word from Ponus, the title of an Indian chief living at Stamford in 1640, becomes improbable. We have, however, no other to suggest.
2 Variously spelt: Apawammeis (Ind. deed 1661 : Colonial Records of Connect- icut, i. MS. 334) ; Epauquammes (John Budd's will, 1669 : Indexes of Southold, L. I.) ; Epawamos (decd J. Budd, 1678, B. 9) ; Opquamis (deed J. Budd, 1682, B. 55) ; Apawquammis (Budd's patent, 1720 : Book Patents, Alb. No. 8, p. 375).
3 ' Of two words meaning Island,' says Dr. Trumbull, 'MUNNOHAN, or, rejecting the formative, MUNNOH (Abnaki, menahan ; Delaware, menatey ; Chippewa, minis, a diminutive) is the more common, but is rarely, if ever, found in composition.' ' Long Island was Menatey or Manati, " the Island " to the Delawares, Minsi, and other neighboring tribes. Any smaller island was menatan (Mass. munnohhan) the indefinite form, or menates (Mass. munnises, manisses ), the diminutive. Campanius mentions . .
134
OLD NAMES AND PLACES.
Eaukecaupacuson, Quaroppas, Pockeotessen, Mamaroneck, Mock- quams, or Moaquanes, Armonck, were carefully retained by the early settlers in their deeds, but most of them were never used. The Armonck was already known as Byram River, the Mock- quais as Blind Brook, when they came here. Eaukecaupacuson soon yielded to 'Lame Will's Purchase,' and ' Rye Woods.' Pockeotessen was called Stony Brook. Apawamis became Budd's Neck, and later Rye Neck. Quaroppas was replaced by 'The White Playnes.' Only Peningo, Manussing, and Mamaroneck remain in common use. It must be confessed that the aboriginal designations had little of beauty or euphony to recommend them.
Homely as they were, the Anglo-Saxon names of these locali- ties were certainly more convenient. We begin our list where the settlers began when they crossed from Manussing Island to the main shore.
' The Flats,' and the ' Horse-race,' were ancient names for our beautiful beach. 'Burying Hill' was the point of land which terminates it on the east - now the site of a hotel. The channel or creek between the island and the main shore has always been known as ' The Gut.'
' Rye Ferry,' the ancient landing-place, was north of the present steamboat landing, at the end of a lane on the Provoost estate. The late residence of Mr. Jacobs was known as ' The House by the Ferry.' 'Fishing Rock,' mentioned as early as 1699, and also called Ogden's Dock, is on Fox Island, at the mouth of Byram River. 'Chevalier,' or ' Cavalier's Rock' is within sight, just below the steamboat landing.
" Manataanung or Manaates, a place settled by the Dutch, who built there a elever little town, which went on increasing every day," now called New York. New York Island was sometimes spoken of as " the island," Manaté, Manhatte ; sometimes as " an island," Manathan, Menatan, Manhatan ; more accurately, as " the small island," Manhaates, Manattes, and "the Manados " of the Dutch. The island Indians col- lectively were called Manhattans ; those of the small island, Manhatesen. . . . Manisses or Monasses, as Block Island was called, is another form of the diminutive, from munnoh ; and Manhasset, otherwise written Munhansick, a name of Shelter Island, is the same diminutive with the locative affix, munna-es-et. So is " Mannsses " or " Mennewies," an island near Rye, N. Y., now written (with the southern form of the locative) Manussing.' ( The Composition of Indian Geographical Names, illustrated from the Algonkin Languages. By J. Hammond Trumbull. Hartford, 1870 : pp. 22, 23.)
The earliest and usual form of this name in our records is that which Dr. Trum- bull gives as the correct one - Manussing. There are, however, some twenty varia- tions, the most extreme of which are Mounsons, Mounsting, Man, and Nassau. ' Nursin ' Island was common fifty years ago.
' Minnewies ' or ' Minnewits' was an early name of City Island I find no evidence that Manussing Island was ever so called.
135
OLD NAMES AND PLACES.
' Fox Island' was ' commonly so called ' as early as 1699.
' Goose Island' is to be sought not very far from Fox Island, about half a mile up the Byram River, and directly opposite Lyon's Dock, at the termination of the road across Lyon's Point.
' Negro Point' is the name of a locality on the west side of Byram River, just below Lyon's Dock. It was formerly indicated by a rock which ' has been blown off, but may yet be found at low water a few feet outside the dock.' 1
The 'Wading-place' across Byram River was at the point where the bridge now crosses that river. Here, on the Connecti- cut side, close to the northeastern corner of the bridge, is the ' Great Stone by the Wading-place,' which has been a boundary mark for two centuries past. There was another wading-place used in former days, about where the New Haven Railroad crosses the river. This was called the 'lower going over.' It is so designated in our town records in 1711. This came to be pro- nounced the ' Loginover,' a corruption that was familiar to the inhabitants fifty or seventy-five years ago.
. The ' Scotch Caps' are the rugged masses of rock that lie off the tapering point of land known as Brown's or Wainwright's Point. They received this name from the first settlers, who also called the southern part of the peninsula itself the 'Scotch Cap Neck,' or ' Ox-pasture Neck.'
' Parsonage Point' is the next projection from Peningo Neck on the east. It is the site of the residence of Mr. Van Wagenen.
' Kniffin's Cove' is a small inlet of the Sound, on the lower part of Mr. Underhill Halsted's land, in the rear of Mr. Bidwell's house. Here there was anciently a ' warehouse ' and a dock.
'Ware's Cove' or Reynolds' Cove, is below this, opposite the north end of Pine Island. This island contains about eight acres, and lies within a few rods of the shore. 'Galpin's Cove' was on Budd's Neck, below 'Bullock's Landing,' at the foot of Mr. Genin's land.
We have on record the names of several brooks which are represented at the present day only by very insignificant rills. There can be no doubt that they were more deserving of the name when the forests and the swamps were here to feed and shelter them. Besides Blind Brook and Stony Brook, there was Bound Brook, Gunn Brook, Hassock Meadow Brook, Horseneck Brook, Rattlesnake Brook, Blind Brook Branch, Crooked Gutter,
1 Survey of road and landing, Negro Point, in Port Chester, 1852; Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 336.
136
OLD NAMES AND PLACES.
and Causeway Brook.1 These were noted boundary marks in other days ; and in our fall freshets they sometimes approach their former volume.
' Before these fields were shorn and tilled, Full to the brim our rivers flowed ; The melody of waters filled The vast and boundless wood.'
Our ancient inhabitants had names for the hills and slopes upon which their most eligible lands were situated. Some of these we have not succeeded in locating. Who can tell us where to find ' Walles' Ridge,' ' Raccoon Ridge,' or 'Taffy's Plain ' ? 'Tom Jeffer's Hill' we have identified as the elevation upon which the Epis- copal Church stands. There are more permanent names, how- ever, which can be assigned without much danger of mistake. In the beautiful valley of the upper Blind Brook, we have ' Branch Ridge,' and ' Brush Ridge.' These names were given to the east- ern slope, along which the present Ridge Street proceeds as far as the road to Park's mill, and perhaps some distance beyond. Above this the same street runs over ' Hog-pen Ridge,' by which elegant term the settlers, as early as 1682, were pleased to designate some of their choicest lands.2 ' Byram Ridge' was the tract of land on the west side of Byram River, from the junction of Ridge and King streets, or thereabouts, down to the neighborhood of the present village of Port Chester. 'Wolf-pit Ridge' or 'Pulpit Plain,' has already been described as the high ground north of Rye, upon which our district school, academy, and seminary are now situated. A modern name for the same region -itself more more than a century old, however -is ' the Cedars.' ·
' Steep Hollow' was the name of a beautiful glen on the prop- erty of Mr. Quintard. It was so called as early as the year 1700. The ' Upper' and ' Lower Hassocky Meadows' 3 lie in the valley between Grace Church Street and the post-road, through which
1 Bound Brook was perhaps the rivulet flowing through Dr. Cockey's land. Gunn Brook begins on Dr. Tuttle's land, and joins Hassocky Meadow Brook, which takes its rise near Mr. Jonathan Sniffin's. Rattlesnake Brook flows through Mr. Brevoort's land, from a spring known as Cold Spring on Dr. Jay's land. Horseneck Brook flows into the creek of the same name on Mr. S. L. Mitehill's land.
2 ' Itt is ordered [March 1641] thatt all those thatt have hoggs shall drive them from the plantation abont 5 miles from the towne, and haunt them forth abroade, neverthelesse every one is to endeavonr to secure their corne by sufficient fences.' New Haven Colony Records, vol. i. p. 52.
8 This has been considered an Indian word. Mr. Bolton ( History of Westchester County, ii. 16) and Mr. Mead ( History of Greenwich, Conn.) mention ' Haseco,' as one of the aboriginal names of Rye and Greenwich. Our records speak of ' hassoek ' and
137
OLD NAMES AND PLACES.
the railroad passes from Rve to Port Chester. 'Sniffin's Hill' is the rounded eminence since known as Bloomer's Hill, above Port Chester, upon which a house has lately been built.
' Barton's Neck' is the ancient name of the tract through which Grace Church Street runs, from the neighborhood of the road to Manussing Island, as far as the entrance to Port Chester.
' Saw Pit,' the ancient name of that village, occurs for the first time in 1732. Before that date we find mention of the ' Saw-log Swamp.' ' Merritt's Point' is now known as Lyon's Point.
The swamps, now happily disappeared, had each its peculiar designation. The ' Long Swamp' lay back of the home-lots, in the Town Field, east of the Milton Road and Grace Church Street. The ' Great Swamp,' lay north of the present Roman Catholic Cemetery, and east of Ridge Street. 'Beaver Swamp' was in the valley of Stony Brook, where the Union Cemetery is situated. ' Timothy's Swamp,' named perhaps after the old constable of Rye, Timothy Knap, was a part of the 'Saw-log Swamp.'
Sundry persons or families bestowed their names upon certain localities. The land between Regent Street and King Street, from the post-road to Purchase Avenue, was long known and is still remembered as ' Kniffin's land.' The extreme eastern part of the Town Field, bordered by Grace Church Street and the road to Kirby's mill, was anciently ' Coe's land,' since 'Bird's land.' ' Bloomer's Island' is a tract of a few acres in the old Town Field near the creek or Sound, the waters of which surround it at high tide. 'Bullock's Meadow' was a part of the farm now owned by Mr. Stevens.
' hassocky ' meadows in various localities ; in one place the language is ' fresh or hassocky meadow.' The word is obviously English. Wright's Provincial Diction- ary defines Hassock, '1. A reed or rush, a tuft of rushes . . . . 3. Anything grow- ing thick and wild. Sussex.'
CHAPTER XVI.
THE BOSTON ROAD.
' Yon rugged road which like a stream Bursts through the shadowy forest to the west.' 1 The New Pastoral.
TN a local history, some notices of the principal roads within the limits of the town will not be out of place. To the inhabitant this record will possess a certain interest, for it relates to our most enduring monuments of the past. The travelled highway, which retains the course of some ancient forest path, first worn it may be by the Indian hunter, then used by the early settlers, and grad- ually improved with the progress of the community, is often the link that most visibly connects the present with by-gone times.
But a wider interest belongs to the great thoroughfares of the land, such as that which crosses the town of Rye. The post-road from New York to Boston intersects the lower part of our town, and forms the main street of the village. This road did not exist at the time of the first settlement. The only avenue of communica- tion by land with other places was, as we have seen, the 'old Westchester Path.' An Indian trail originally, it was never laid out as a public highway, but was used for awhile by the inhabit- ants of the towns through which it passed, as well as by occa- sional travellers to New York or Connecticut. In all likelihood, this for several years was the route of the monthly post on his way to the eastern settlements. Here, not far from the line over which the engine now speeds hourly, our settlers may have heard the shrill notes of the messenger's horn that announced his ap- proach to the village.
The ' country road,' as it was called, appears to have been laid out about the year 1672. In May of that year, the General Court of Connecticut appointed -
' Mr. John Holly, Lnt Jonathan Bell and John Green to veiwe the townshipp of Rye, and to consider what highways may be requisit and necessary for the use of the towne and Colony, and lay them out and see them recorded in the town book ; and if the said highwayes shall fall
139
FROM TOWN TO TOWN.
in any man's perticuler proprietie, the sayd committee are hereby ap- poynted to order such person or persons reasonable sattisfaction for the same, which shall be allowed out of the common lands within that town- ship not allready layed out. And the sayd Gent" are desired to take care to lay out the highwayes so as may be least prejudiciall to the pro- prietors.' 1
The roads here provided for were for the most part neighbor- hood roads simply. As yet there was no public thoroughfare through Connectient or New York. But the convenience of every town would require that there should be at least a road to the near- est settlement. This, at Rye, was the road to Greenwich or Stam- ford, which was probably one of the roads laid out under the order of 1672. ' The Stanford road'-' the path commonly called the Standford Road'-is mentioned in 1680, eight years after that order.2 We suppose this to be identical with our present post- road, leading from Mamaroneck River to Byram River, in the same general course as now. That portion of it which passes through the village of Rye along the bank of Blind Brook, must have been opened before the year 1676.3
The ' country roads' leading from one town to another came in time to be considered as the public highway of the colony and the province. In 1679, the General Court of Connecticut ordered : -
' That the present roades from plantation to plantation shall be re- puted the country road or King's highway, and so remayne untill the Court doe see good reason to make alteration of the same. And whereas the inhabitants of each plantation are by law required once a yeare to worke a day in cleareing of the brush, it is by this Court recommended to the townesmen of the severall plantations to improve their inhabitants in cleareing the comon roades, in the first place, that lye between towne and towne, vntill the sayd roades are cleared at least one rod wide.' 4
1 Public Records of Connecticut, vol. ii. p. 170.
2 A record of John Brondig's land in 1680, describes a meadow lot lying on the ' Stanford road.' (Town Records, vol. B. p. 6.) Jacob Pearce, in 1683, had a meadow lot on the ' Stanford path.' (Ibid. p. 23.) In 1686, John Winter of Westehester sold to Francis Brown of Rye forty acres on the ' path commonly called the Standford Road.' (County Records, vol. A. p. 176.) This was on Budd's Neck.
3 This I think is evident from the fact that the old house known as Van Sicklin's or Doughty's, and which is believed to be the building referred to in 1676 as a forti- fied place, stood fronting on this road. Two other buildings that front on this street -'Strang's tavern' and the tenement house belonging to Mr. Joseph Kirby - are supposed to have been erected in the latter part of the seventeenth century. It would be difficult to account for their position without supposing that there was already a publie highway along Blind Brook at the time of their erection, a fact which is abundantly proved by other indications.
+ Public Records of Connecticut, vol. iii. p. 30.
140
THE BOSTON ROAD.
The 'country road' is mentioned as already existing in 1699, when a survey of it was ordered by the town : -
' At a towne meeting in Rye aprell: 1: 1699.
'John Merrett Senior and Joseph Budd are chosen surveyors to run the contere Rode and Lay it out begining att Birriam River and so to Run to Mamoranock River.'
This survey was ordered probably with a view to the widening of the road, which prior to this may have been but one rod wide, as prescribed by the colony law.1
Rye was then claimed by Connecticut as still within the colony's limits. But in 1700 the town was returned to the province of New York. The towns of this province under the Dutch and Eng- lish governments, like those of Connecticut, had the superintend- ence and management of all their local affairs, including the lay- ing out of roads. In 1691 an act was passed 'to enable each Town to regulate its Fences and Highways.' By this law free- holders were impowered to meet in their respective towns and to choose annually three surveyors or 'ordrers' to lay out and re- pair roads. Their ' orders' were to be 'entered in the Town's books for that purpose and approved by the next Court of Ses- sions.' This law was in force until the year 1703. In that year an aet was passed for laying out highways throughout the sev- eral counties of the province. Among other provisions, it directed that -
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