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 3
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On the third day of January, 1660, we find Peter Disbrow in treaty with the Indians of Peningo Neck for the purchase of that tract of land. What negotiations had preceded this transaction, and what were the terms of sale, we do not know. The deed of this purchase has long since disappeared. It was lost during the lifetime of Disbrow himself.2
préparées où ils sement du bled et de l'avoine . . Les premiers venus y ont trouvé des terres toutes propres desertées autrefois par les sauvages qui y faisoient leurs champs. Ceux qui sont venus depuis ont defriché dans les bois.' - Novum Bel- gium : an Account of New Netherland in 1643-44. By Rev. Father Isaac Joques, of the Society of Jesus. New York : privately printed, 1862. (Astor Library.)
1 History of Guilford, Conn., a fragment, by Rev. Thomas Ruggles, 1769. Printed from the original manuscript in The Historical Magazine (Henry B. Dawson, Editor), vol. v., 2d series, pp. 225-233.
2 Town Records, 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. The petition of the people of Rye in 1720 for a patent from the Crown, recounts the measures by which they had acquired possession of their
10
THE INDIAN PURCHASES.
It is singular that this purchase should have been made in mid- winter, and - so far as appears - by Peter Disbrow alone. Was he the first to visit and explore these shores ? We have no means of knowing where, and under what circumstances, on that Janu- ary day in 1660, the bargain took place. Not unlikely, it may have been at the Indian village that stood near the lower end of the Beach. Here, perhaps, 'Coko the Indian,' and others whose less pronounceable names are affixed to the ancient deeds, gathered about the white man, and received his coveted gifts of wampum and articles of clothing.
This First Purchase on Peningo Neck comprised the lower part of the present town of Rye, on the east side of Blind Brook. From the extreme end of the peninsula proper, or Brown's Point, as it has long been called, this territory extended north as far as the present village of Port Chester. A line of marked trees from cast to west was the boundary of this tract, beginning a little below Park's Mill, where a branch of Blind Brook empties into that stream, and running in a southeasterly direction to Byram River.
Nearly six months elapsed before any further step was raken by our planters. They had no intention of settling, as yet, on the land thus acquired upon the main. But east of Peningo Neck, separated from it only by a narrow channel, lay an island about a mile in length, called by the Indians Manussing. This island ap- pears not to have been included in the first purchase. It offered manifest advantages for the commencement of the plantation. On the twenty-ninth day of June, 1660, Peter Disbrow, with John Coe and Thomas Stedwell, concluded a treaty with the Indian proprietors for the purchase of this island. The deed is as fol- lows : -
' Be it knowen vnto all men whom it may concern both Indians and English that we Shanarockwell sagamore, Maowhobo and Cokensekoo have sold unto Peter Disbro, John Coo, Thomas Studwell, all living at this present at Grenwige, to say a certain parcel of land the parcel of land
lands, as follows : 'One Peter Disbrow many yeares since by anthority 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 Cer- taine Trnet of Land lyeing on the maine between a sertaine place then called Rahon- aness 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 afore- said Two Rivers then called Penningoe extending from the said Path to the North and Sonth to the Sea or Sound.' 1
1 Land Papers, Secretary of State's Office, Albany : vol. vii. p. 171.
11
SECOND PURCHASE.
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 liere by virtue of this bill doe sell all our right and title unto John Coo, Peter Disbro, Thomas Studwell, quietly to injoy from any molesta- tion of us or any other Indians to them and to their heirs, assigns and executors for ever, and farther we have given unto Peter Disbro John Coo and Thomas Studwell feed for their cattle upon the main called by the Indians Peningo and what timbers or trees that is for their use and not to be molested by us or other Indians : and we doe hereby acknowledge to have received full satisfaction for this purchase of land above mentioned to say we have received eight cotes and seven shirts fiftene fathom of wompone which is the full satisfaction for the parcel of land above mentioned and for the witness we have hereto set our hands.
IPAWAHUN
SHANAROCKWELL
ARAMAPOE
ARANAQUE
WONANAO
CoKOW
TOPOGONE
WAWATANMAN
MATISHIES
COKINSECO
RICHARD
MAOWBERT
QUARAIKO.'
The sixth name may have been that of an interpreter, whose services would very likely be needed in the transaction.
By these two treaties, our settlers acquired the lower half of the present territory of the town, between Blind Brook and the Sound or Byram River ; together with the adjoining island of Manussing. Nearly a year after, they bought the land lying farther north, between the same streams. This included considerably more than the present territory of the town. The deed of the purchase is dated May 22, 1661: -.
' Be it known to all men whom it may concern both English and In- dians that I Cokoe and Marrmenkhong and Affawauwone and Nahti- meman and Shocoke and Wauwhowarnt do 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 the Blind Brook, bounded northward with marked trees which leads down to a little brook which runs into the Blind Brook. The which
12
THE INDIAN PURCHASES.
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 quiet possession for ever without any molestation either from Dutch, Indians or English. We the above said Indians have also sold this tract of land above mentioned with all the trees, grass, springs and minerals, with feed range and timber north- ward twenty English miles above the said purchase of land ; and do acknowledge to have received full satisfaction for the said land. In witness hereof we the above said Indians have set to our hands this present day and date above written.
MARRMEUKHONG his mark AFFAWAUWONE his mark NAHTIMEMAN his mark COKOE his mark '
These three purchases completed the territory of Rye on the east 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, founded upon the Indian purchase just related, gave rise to not a little trouble in the subsequent relations of the two towns.
Our planters next turned their attention to the lands lying west of Blind Brook - a much more extensive and important field. Eastward, they could not hope to extend their limits further than the bounds of the neighboring town of Greenwich, a member of the same colony with themselves. But westward, there were no rights which they considered themselves bound to respect, inter- posing a barrier to their spread into the unknown and limitless forest waste. And unquestionably, it was in this direction that they chiefly hoped to secure a wide and valuable domain. Accord- ingly, within a little more than a year after the last purchase east of Blind Brook, they had bought from the Indians the lands on the west side of that stream, extending to Mamaroneck River, and indefinitely beyond. Upon these purchases, the town of Rye subsequently founded its claim to the territory now known as Rye Neck, and to the present townships of Harrison, and the White Plains.
In these transactions John Budd takes the lead, instead of Pe- ter Disbrow. His first treaty with the Indians is dated Novem- ber 8th, 1661, when he bought the tract of land called by the In- dians Apawamis, and by the white men Budd's Neck. This tract was bounded on the east by Blind Brook, and on the west by the little stream whose Indian name was Pockcotessewake, since known
13
APAWAMIS OR BUDD'S NECK.
as Stony Brook, or Beaver Meadow Brook. Northward, it ex- tended as far as the Westchester Path, and southward to the sea. The land thus described constitutes now the southwestern part of the town. It has always formed a part of the territory of Rye. But, unlike the former purchases, it was claimed by a single pro- prietor, and .for a period of nearly sixty years, was held under a distinct patent.
' 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, Nanderwhere, Tomepawcon, Rawmaquaie, Puwaytahem, Mawmawytom, Howhoranes, Cockkeneco, Tawwayco, Attoemacke, Heattomeas, all Ingains, for divers good causes and con- siderations us hereunto moving, have fully and absolutely bargained and doe for ever sell unto John Budd, senior, of South hole, 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 Pockco- tesswake river, and at the north up to the marke trees nyeer Westches- ter 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 northward into the country, and trees to fell at his or their pleasure, and to their proper use and improvements of the said John Budd, his heirs, executors, &c., for ever to enjoy, possess and keepe as their real right, as also peaceably to inherite the sayd track of land with all thereone, and we the before named Ingains doe acknowledge and confesse to have re- ceived 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,1 without lett or molestation of any one. Now for the more true and reall enjoyment and possession of the said John Budd his heirs, &c., we doe jointly and severally, us and either of us, or any by or under us, for ever assign and make over by virtue 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 directly 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
1 Egress and regress.
14
THE INDIAN PURCHASES.
make good this our obligations as aforesaid. I Shanarocke, Rackeate, Mepockheast, Tawwaheare, Nanderwhere, Tomepawcon, Rawmaquaie, Pawwaytahem, Mawmawytom, 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 No- vember, 16GI. Signed, sealed and delivered.
THOMAS REVELL The mark of SHANOROCKE JOHN COE NANDERWHERE
THOMAS CLOSE
MEPOCKIIEAST
HUMPHREY HUGHES
HOWHORANES
RAWMAQUAIE RACKEATE PAWWAYTAHEM
COCKENSECO '
A second deed, executed a few days after the date of the above, related to the islands in the Sound, near the territory thus pur- chased. These were Hen and Pine islands, and the Scotch Caps.
. Know all men whom this may concern, that I Shenerock, sachem, have bargained sold and delivered unto John Budd the islands lying south from the neck of land the sayd John Budd bought of me and other In - gains, and have received 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 SHENOROCK, sachem.
SHENOROCK
Witnesse THOMAS CLOSE 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 lying between Stony Brook and Mamaroneck River.
' 11 month, twelfth day, 1661.
' Know all men whom this may concern, that I Shenorock, Rawmaqua, Rackeatt, 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 satisfaction in coats and three score faddom 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
15
LAND ABOVE WESTCHESTER PATH.
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 CLOSE
WILLIAM JONES his marcke
RAWMAQUA his mark
HOWNIS
PRAM his mark RAZI his mark'
The last of these purchases was made in the following summer, - on the second day of June, 1662, - by John Budd in company with the other three purchasers. It is the first occasion upon which these four names appear together. The settlers now bought the tract of land above the Westchester Path, and west of Blind Brook, or directly north of Budd's Neck. This was the territory of the present town of Harrison ; and the following deed exhibits the claim of the proprietors of Rye to that tract, which was wrested from them forty years later :
' 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, their heirs and assigns for ever ; as witness our hands this present day and date, June the 2: 1662.
SHOWANNOROCOT his mark ROMKQUE his mark'
To complete our series of Indian deeds, we here give the follow- ing, which is a confirmation of the last grant, for the land above Westchester Path. Four years after the sale of this land to Budd and his three associates, the Indians confirm the tract to Budd alone, as included in the grant which they had already made to him individually, November 8, 1661, of a tract of land extend- ing 'northward into the country' sixteen miles from West- chester Path. Thus by three distinct grants from the Indians, our early settlers were secured in the possession of the territory, which was afterwards given to Harrison and his associates. It is not surprising that they should have felt this to be a most oppressive act, nor that they should have resisted its execution to their ut- most ability.
16
THE INDIAN PURCHASES.
. To all Christian people, Indians and others whom it may concern that we whose names are hereunto subscribed living upon Hudson's river in America, Shonarocke, sagamore, and Romackqua and Pathung, whereas we have formerly sold a tract of land unto M' John Bud senr., bounded on the sea on the sowth, on the north by Westchester path, and the name of the tract of land is commonly called Apauamiss, and whereas we have sold unto the sayd Mr John Budd twenty English miles northwardes from the above sayd tract of land which is called by Apauamis, the above sayd twenty English miles we doe acknowledge that we have sold unto M' John Budd for range, for feed, for timber, for graseing, to him and his heirs for ever, and now we doe acknowl- edge that we have bargained, sold and delivered, we and every one of us, from our heirs, executors or assynes jointly and severally unto John Budd, his heirs, executors or assigns, a track 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 Mamarranack river, and the north bounds is sixteen Eng- lish miles from Westchester path up into the country, for which land we received already in hand a certain sum, 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 we doe acknowledge we have bargained, sold and delivered unto John Budd and his' heirs for ever, with warrantie against all men, English, Dutch and Indians, and doe give him full possession, and promise so to keep him, to the which bargain and agreement we have hereunto set our hands this day, being the 29 of April, 1666.
Witness, JOSEPH HORTON The marke of SHANAROCKE
Witness, JOHN RAWLS The markes of ROMACKQUA Sachems both The mark of Coco the Indian The mark of PATHUNG ' 1
The valuation at which our settlers bought their lands from the Indians, deserves attention here. It has often been represented that such purchases were made at a merely nominal price : a few old coats and worthless trinkets. The deeds we have quoted show that this is far from being true of the purchases at Rye. The clothing given was indeed no trifle in those days. The ' eight coats and seven shirts' which formed part of the payment in the purchase of Manussing Island, had a considerable value in the eyes of the planters. But in addition to these, they gave ' fifteen fathom of wampone,' or about four pounds ten shillings sterling.2
1 Col. Rec. of Coun., vol. i. (MS.) p. 334.
2 Wampum, or wampumpeag, was the Indian currency. It consisted of cylindrical pieces of shells, a quarter of an inch long, and in diameter less than a pipe-stem, drilled lengthwise so as to be strung upon a thread. For the most part, it was made out of the shell of the hard clam ; that made out of the blue part or heart of the shell
17
EXTENT OF THE TOWN.
What were the terms of the first purchase on Peningo Neck, we do not know ; nor do we learn what the 'full satisfaction' acknowl- edged for the second purchase was. But it appears that Mr. Budd paid for the land which he bought on the west side of Blind Brook, the value of abont one hundred and twenty pounds. Pre- suming that the lands on the cast side cost our settlers about as much more, we find that they must have expended nearly or quite two hundred and fifty pounds in their Indian purchases. These facts certainly confirm the statements of Dr. Trumbull, relative to the expenses borne by the early settlers of Connecticut. Their lands, he says, ' though really worth nothing at that time, cost the planters very considerable sums, besides the purchase of their pat- ents, and the right of preemption. In purchasing the lands and making settlements in a wilderness, the first planters of Connecti- cut expended great estates.' 1
We have anticipated the course of events, in the history of our settlement, in order to complete our account of these Indian pur- chases. They occupied, it appears, a period of two years and a half. Meantime, the three purchasers, who were living at Green- wich when the first two treaties were made, had come down with some others to the little island of Manussing, near the mouth of Byram River, and were already preparing to cross over to the main. The account of this settlement we reserve for another chapter. Elsewhere, too, we shall consider the relation in which John Budd stood to the other colonists, and that of his claims to theirs. But it may be remarked here, that by the several pur- chases now recorded, 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, besides 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 having the highest value. Wampum, or sewan, as the Dutch called it, continued long to be a part of the currency among the whites as well as the Indians, 'and was even paid in the Sunday collections in the churches.' The value of this currency was determined by law, and was subject to occasional changes. At this period, wampum was reckoned at one farthing per bead or shell. (Palfrey, History of New England, vol. i. p. 31.) The shell being a quarter of an inch long, 288 shells, making a fathom, would be worth 6s.
The Indians who frequented the shores of the Sound were noted for the manufac- ture of wampum.
1 History of Connecticut, by Benj. Trumbull, D. D., vol. i. p. 117. .
2
18
THE INDIAN PURCHASES.
Greenwich 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. It is not surprising that our settlers should have enter- tained very vague conceptions upon this subject. Except along the seaboard, the country was almost utterly unknown. The vast wilderness that spread down to the very border of their fields upon the coast, remained for years a mystery and a terror to the few settlers who had ventured upon its outskirts.
CHAPTER III.
THE ISLAND.
1660 -- 1664.
' Look seaward thence, and naught shall meet thine eye But fairy isles, like paintings on the sky, And waters glittering in the glare of noon, Or touched with silver by the stars and moon.'
' Towards that smiling shore
Bear we our household gods, to fix for evermore.' PINKNEY.
I THESE dealings with the natives for the purchase of their lands were still in progress, when the settlement on Manussing Island was commenced. The precise date we are unable to fix, but it must have been in the summer or the fall of the year 1660. Disbrow and his companions, it will be remembered, were 'all living at Greenwich ' when they concluded their treaty with the Indians for the purchase of the island. This was on the twenty- ninth day of June, 1660. But the next deed, - that for the pur- chase of the northern part of Peningo Neck, - dated May 22, 1661, mentions ' the bounds of Hasting on the south,' showing that the lands previously bought had received a name, and implying that they were already occupied. It is unlikely, indeed, that the set- tlers would delay their coming, after securing the site which they judged to be favorable for the purpose ; and accordingly we pre- sume that they arrived in July or August, 1660. They came un- doubtedly in boats. It was but an hour's sail, and they could thns transport their families and household goods much more readily than by the Indian paths through the forest, and across the ford from Peningo Neck.
It is easy to see why this spot should have been chosen. Here the settlers would be almost in sight of Greenwich, whither they could speedily retreat if molested. They were not likely to be noticed by the Dutch, though their island lay within the line des- ignated by the last treaty. From their savage neighbors they would be comparatively safe. And here, while exploring the ad-
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