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 53
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This street was again recorded in the year 1815, as ' beginning at a highway leading from Rye to Harrison a few rods north of Esther Hunt's house, running westerly across Blind brook, thence bearing southerly to a gate belonging to the heirs of Gilbert Brondage de- ceased.' The railroad embankment has cut off the western part of this road.
LOCUST AVENUE - the road leading from Rye across to North Street - was opened in 1853; the commissioners of this town laying it out as far as the boundary of Harrison, from which point it was continued by the commissioners of Harrison, to its termination, opposite the house of Mr. William II. Smith.3
" Ibid. p. 16.
1 Entering of Highways, etc., pp. 51, 52.
3 Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 324.
506
APPENDIX.
CEDAR STREET, or the road leading from Rye station to the post- road, on the west and north of the Seminary grounds, was laid out in 1732 : -
'Beginning at ye road that leads into Harrisons Purchase opposite to Benjamin Browns old house and running by ye land of Samuel Lane and Benjamin Pedrick on the north side thereof and on the south side of the land of Merritt Bush and Brown untill it comes to ye King's road near the house of Thomas Merritt deceased being four rods in breadth.' 1
The road leading from the post-road to the railroad station, and beyond it as far as the house of Mr. Charles Park, lately Allen Carpenter's, was (Meele probably one of the earliest roads constructed in Rye. It formed the lower part of the ROAD TO HOG-PEN RIDGE, long before the laying out of Harrison's Purchase ; and even as late as the beginning of this cen- tury it was often called the Hog-pen Ridge Road. A more common name, however, was the PURCHASE ROAD, or the road to Harrison's Purchase, which, until within a few years, was considered to begin at the post-road, near the house of the late David H. Mead.2 (The square GRACE CHURCH STREET, we have supposed, was originally a path along the northern fence of the Town Field. The eastern part of this road appears to have been 'opened ' as a highway in 1701: -
' At a meeting held by the properities [proprietors] of Peningo neck August the 29,1701 . . . . Jonathan Fowls and John Merit sener and Deliverance Browne sener is chosen by a meger [major] voat to mark out the road upon Bartons neck and the high way downe unto the solt water that is to say to mark out a good sofistient road and high way to the best of there discretion.'
'Jonathan Fowls and Deliverance Browne sener and John Merit sener being chosen to mark ont the road upon Bartons neck which may apeere by record and did decleare unto me Samuell Lane clarke this 16 day of Febewery 1702-3 that thay have now marked out the road upon Bartons neck a Long the way which John Merit and Joseph Bude Layd for a countrey road and is bounded as followeth easterly where there is Lottments Layd out to be bounded by them and so likewise on the west side and between those Lotments of each side to run by those marks which are now marked and also a high way by the soalt water beginning at the east corner of Bartons lott and so to run to the fild fence and from thence to run unto the said countrey road up- wards.' 3
We have shown elsewhere that Barton's Neck was the tract of land through which Grace Church Street runs, from Kirby Avenue to the brook near Dr. Sands' house. In 1703, the road above described is mentioned as ' the country road that goes through Barton's Neck.' 4
1 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 48. This road is referred to in several ancient deeds. The old Presbyterian Church before the Revolution stood on the northwest corner of Cedar Street and the post-road. In 1791 the town granted permission to Jesse Hunt 'to fix gates at the each end of the Road [that] leads from the Purchase Road to the ould meeting house across the cedars.' (Town Records, vol. D. p. 313.)
2 The road connecting the post-road with the Ridge Road, between the lands now owned by Dr. J. T. Tuttle and Mrs. Catlin, was laid out in 1857. (Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 153.)
8 Town Meeting Book, C. pp. 18, 20.
4 Town Records, vol. B. p. 162.
507
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.
A list of lands divided in 1723 is entitled, 'The Draught of Lots upon Barton's Neck, between the [Byram] river, and the road that runs through said neck.'' The name Grace Church Street, or Gracious Street, as it was already vulgarized, first occurs in 1736.
No considerable change seems to have been made in the course of this road, which probably remains at present almost as devious as when first laid out.2
Kirby Avenue, or the road leading from Grace Church Street to Manussing Island, was laid out by the commissioners as a highway in 1820. It is described as ' beginning at the gate, and running in a southerly direction through the lands called Bird's land to David Kirby's land ; thence through said land joining the west end of the mill-pond to Billa Theall's land joining the creek nearly as the road now runs that leads to Manursing Island.' 3
In 1747, there was a . road from the landing place laid out south of Joseph Sherwood's homestead,' to Grace Church Street,4 which may have coincided with the western part of Kirby Avenue. The Sherwood property was bought by Henry Bird before 1771.5
What is now a lane running through the late Provoost estate, was anciently a road that led from Grace Church Street to the landing, long known as RYE FERRY. This, a hundred years ago, was the most travelled road in our neighborhood. It does not appear to have been thrown open as a public highway. In 1804 the commissioners of roads altered . the road from the publick Landing (at a Beach North of Chay- alier Rock) to the publick road leading to Grace church street :' the alteration ' beginning at the beach and running a west course Nine Rods or thereabouts from thence to the publick Road leading to Grace church street.' 6
The ROAD TO FOX ISLAND from Grace Church Street is very ancient. In 1699, ' Att a lawful meeting of the proprietors of Peningo Neck the said proprietors do grant unto Richard Ogden an Island commonly called Fox Island at the mouth of Byram River, provided he the said Richard Ogden makes a good sufficient Cart bridge over the Run between Andrew Cos house and the field fence as Andrew Co . and Stephen Sherwood shall see convenient, by the last of June next.'?
1 Town Records, vol. B. p. 105.
2 A slight rectification was made, in 1841, nearly opposite Mr. A. Abendroth's residence. (Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 95.)
3 Town Records, vol. D. p. 386.
4 lb'd. p. 193.
5 Ibid. p. 284.
6 Town Records, Vol. D. p. 334. In 1829 the survey of a tract of public land near
'Cavalier's Rock,' was recorded. It comprised one acre, one rood, and fourteen rods, and was bounded ' beginning at a rock on the north side of Cavalier Rock,' etc. Town Rec- ords, 1815 to 1859, p. 41.
7 Town Records, Vol. C. pp. 1, 289.
508
APPENDIX.
SAW PIT.
' A public highway laid out in ye town of Rye in ye County of West-Chester be- ginning near ye dwelling house of John Fowlers so running opposite against Thomas Nichols dwelling house so four rods wide to his fulling mill and from thence to Rob- ert Bloomer seniors grist mill performed by us ye 28th day of April 1720.' 1
' A publiek highway laid out in ye town of Rye in ye County of West-Chester be- ginning near ye house of Robert Bloomer jun' in ye north end of Robert Bloomers land so running to Robert Bloomer seniors Grist mill two rods wide according to mark trees and stakes performed by ns ye 29th day of April 1723.
JOSEPH DRAKE, JOHN HOIT, Commissrs 2 JAMES STEVENSON, J.
A ' road laid out from Robert Bloomers Mills as ye path now goes untill it comes to ye hog pen ridge road then running sontherly along said hog pen ridge road untill it comes to the Land of Sam" Lane thence along said Lanes Land between that and the Rosevelts land untill it comes to ye road yt goes to the Sawpitt landing (so called) being four rods in breadth Laid out by us April ye 6th 1732.
SAMUEL PURDY, BENJAMIN BROWN.' 3
These records appear to describe portions of the road which runs from the Purchase Road across the valley of Blind Brook to the Ridge Road. John Fowler's farm, in 1742, bordered on the Purchase Road and this cross street.4 Robert Bloomer's mill was that now owned by Mr. Park. The road from Park's mill formerly terminated a short distance north of the point where it now intersects the Ridge Road and above the house of Mr. T. Lyon. The change took place in 1843, when the road was also straightened below Regent Street. The ancient road, however, still exists at this point, being that which terminates on Regent Street opposite Mr. E. B. Wesley's gate.5
'The road to the Sawpit landing,' it appears, had already been laid out in 1732. This is the present Purchase Street from Port Chester.
' May ye 18th 1730 A highway and landing place laid out in Rye beginning at a stump at ye north corner of Cornealus Flamins land from thence along ye Con- tery rode to a rock marked I D from thenee to a Rock near ye Mill-pond marked I D from thence along the sd mill-pond and Byram river sonthward till it comes to a Rock mark I D about ten rods & a half below Rosevelts storehouse and from thence about west to another Rock in ye medow marked I D and from thence to ye corner of ye sd Flamens Land or Storehouse & then to the stump where it began, by us.
SAMLL PURDY BENJA BROWN.' 6
This road was located at Saw Pit, but precisely where we cannot determine. Cornelius Flamen lived in 1741 on Merrit's Point, now Lyon's Point, in Port Chester.
I The New Receipt Book, p. 44.
3 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 48.
5 Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 310.
2 Ibid. p. 43.
4 Town Records, vol. C., p. 149.
6 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 30.
509
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.
In 1808, the commissioners laid out the street now known as WIL- LETT STREET : '-
' Beginning at the corner of the fence south of Reuben Coe's house where it now stands, and running south four rods thenee easterly continued to the corner of the horse-shed occupied by Elisha Brewster thence northerly by the Turnpike Road four rods to a stake, and thence running westerly to the first mentioned bounds.' ]
The ROAD ACROSS LYON'S POINT was laid out in 1803 : -
' Beginning at a stake and stones abont twenty-four feet westerly of the most East- erly part of a point of Rocks call'd Negro point in biram River opposite goose Island and from thence Runs south 38° West 70 Links to a stake and stones it being the East end of the road and from thence runs north 64º West, in a Direct line with the walnut tree standing in Kniffins hill Eight chains and 23 Links to the south Branch of Sawpit harbour between the storehouse of Silvenus Seaman and the bake house of Benjamin Rockwells and is the south line of the Road Laid out across the said point, the said road to be two rods wide and to lye North of the Last described line - the Landing is then laid out Beginning at the East bounds of the road being a stake with stones thence continues with the south line of the Road 2 chains to a heap of stones thence runs North 32º East one chain and ten Links to stones on a rock then south 74° East seventy Links to 2 stakes and stones upon the edge of the bank and from thence to the Channel including all the Lands as above Described for the use and benefit of the publick.
April 2nd, 1803.
WILLIAM T. PROVOOST, BARTHOW HADDEN, Commissioners.'2
KING STREET appears to have been laid out as early as the year 1683. This is, probably, the road mentioned in a deed of that date from Timothy Knap to Stephen Sherwood for a tract of eighteen acres on Byram Ridge, bordering on Byram River. 'There is a highway runs through the middle of it.' In 1700 ' the country road up Byram River' is mentioned. In 1733 it is spoken of as ' the King street road.' 3
There is a tradition in one of the families living on King Street that when their ancestor came thither about the beginning of the last cen- tury, ' King Street was nothing but a path through the forest.' This indeed was the aspect of nearly all our roads at that time.
HIARRISON.
Most of the roads in the town of Harrison are on record, having been laid out more recently than those on Peningo Neck. The vol- ume from which we have already quoted, containing ' Ye Entering of Highways from the Time of Wm. Forster being County Clerk,' men- tions several of them. These entries began in 1722, about the time when Harrison began to be settled.
The PURCHASE ROAD, leading from Rye northward through the
1 Town Records, vol. D. p. 359.
2 Ibid. p. 330. A diagram of this survey, apparently, is contained in the Records, 1851 to 1859, opposite the record of a new survey of the same road made in 1852, pp. 336, 338.
3 Ibid. B. 51, 146; C. 133.
510
APPENDIX.
Purchase to the neighborhood of Rye Pond, was perhaps laid out previ- ous to this date. Several descriptions of other roads refer to it as 'a road formerly laid out by the Commissioners along and near the mid- dle line' of Harrison's Purchase. From this fact it took the name of MIDDLE STREET, by which it was known as early as 1742. The Pur- chase Road, as already intimated, commences at a point near the house of Mr. Charles Park, lately Mr. Allen Carpenter's. Here is the boun- dary line between Rye and Harrison. Below this, the road from the post-road, northward, is, properly speaking, the lower part of the Ridge Road, which existed long before the Purchase Road was laid out.
The ROAD ABOVE THE FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE, was opened in 1723. It began at King Street, and ran across the northern part of the towns of Rye and Harrison, terminating near the White Plains. The entry in the Record of Highways is as follows : -
'A publiek Road surveyed & laid out for ye County of Westchester March 10 1722- 3 by Joseph Drake, John Stevenson and Lewis Morris Junr three of ye Commis- sion's for ye sd County Beginning at Kings street near ye house of John Clap so along between ye Land of said Clap and Thomas Sutton till it meets wth ye land of Augustin Graham so running between ye Lands of Augustin Graham & sd Clap over blind brook keeping between ye sd Lotts till you come to ye Land of Benjamin Bur- chum to ye southward of Rye ponds and so aeross pond brook and miry brook and from thence along by a Line of markt trees across Mamaroneck River and so over Brown's point along ye side of Long Meadow till you come to ye Lotts of John Hyatt and Caleb Hait then along between ye said Lotts and Sam" Cheesemans so over by Meadow brook upon Daniel Brundages Land till you come to fflat meadow brook and so through James Traveses Land in a Road formerly left by ye White Plains peo ple till it meets wth a Road laid out by ye Commission's keeping always four rod wide Surveyed & laid out by us
JOSEPH DRAKE LEWIS MORRIS JUNE JOHN STEVENSON.' 1
The road directly south of this, beginning at the Purchase Road op- posite the house of Mr. Sutton, and running in a northwesterly direc- tion to the road above described, was opened in the same year: -
' A publick highway laid out in Harrison's Purchase so called in the township of Rye, beginning at Richard Simmons land (at ye end of a highway formerly laid out by the Commission's along and near the middle line) and runs across said Simmons land to Benjamin Burehums land, across Burchums land by the west side of his house till it comes to Tredwell's land, then along the line between said Burchum and said Tredwell till it comes into the highway yt leads from John Claps to the White Plains. The abovesaid highway laid ont four rods wide according to marked trees this first day of November 1723.
WILLIAM WILLET } JOHN STEVENSON SILVANUS PALMER Commiss's ' 2
The road from North Street to Purchase Village seems to be that described in the following record of the same date : -
1 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 2. An alteration in this road was ordered in 1839. Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 85.
2 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 67.
511
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.
' A public highway laid out part in White Plains and part in Harrisons Purchase beginning at ye highway that leads from the White Plains to Rye near Caleb Hyat's honse and runs along the way yt leads to Brown's point crossing a small brook in said Hyat's land and so along Hyat's land till it comes to the corner stake between said Hyat and Thomas Fowler and soe along between them, each allowing two rods for ye way, till it comes to Jere Fowler's land - then along ye Division line between said Thomas Fowler and Jere Fowler till it comes into the highway that runs along and near the middle line each lott allowing two rods as aforesaid. All ye aforesaid highway laid out four rods wide according to marked trees the second day of Novem- ber 1723.
WILLIAM WILLET JOHN STEVENSON Commissrs' 1
SILVANUS PALMER
The following record likewise appears to describe the continuation of this road from the Purchase Road at the Harrison post-office to King Street : -
' A publiek highway laid out in ye township of Rye beginning (at a highway laid out in Harrison's Purchase along the middel Line) at ye bounds between Henry Du- senborrou's Land and Sam" ffields' Land and runs between said Dusenborrou's Land and sd ffield's Land taking one rod and a half from each of their Lotts wch makes ye Road three rods wide till it comes to John Saler his land and then along three rods wide upon Saler his land along the side of said Dusenborrou's Land till it comes to blind brook crossing blind brook and runs up between John Coc's Land and Samlt' Lane Junrs Land taking of a rod and a half from each of their Lotts weh makes the Road three Rods wide till it comes into King street - all said highway being three rods wide according to marked trees allowing liberty to ye persons that were Owners of ye Land to hang Gates across the Road (for to save them the charge of inakeing part of the ffencing) where they shall think it most convenient for themselves and for the Conveniency of Travellers they keeping said Gates in good repair at their own proper Costs and Charge as Witness our hands this second day of January Annoq. Dom. 1723-4
JNO. STEVENSON WILLIAM WILLETT JOSEPH DRAKE
Commissrs.' 2 SILVANUS PALMER
Another road laid out in Harrison is described as follows : -
' April ye 7th 1730. A highway laid out in Rye beginning at ye rode yt run up Harsons purches between the Land of Richard Semans and the Land of the Inte Joseph ffowler two rods wide one rod of each running westerly till comis to the Land of Roger Park
CALEB HYATT SAMLL PURDY BENJA : BROWN.'a
WHITE PLAINS.
NORTH STREET, or the road from Rye to the White Plains, is one of our most ancient highways. The following extracts from our Town Records show when it was opened : -
' At a towne meting in Rye Aprell 1 : 1699 John Lyon and Isack Dunham are chosen to Laye out a Rode to the White Playnes begining at the had [head] of Capt Thall [Theall's] Land and so to Run to the Caseaway brook.'
' At a towne meting in Rye Aprell 17 : 1699 the towne hath past an act that the
1 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 67. 2 Ibid. pp. 7, 8. 3 Ibid. p. 39.
512
APPENDIX.
Rode shall continue a Rode up to the Whit Playnes where John Lyon and Isaac Dunham hath mark it out and the said Rode to be 3 Rods in bradth.' 1
Causeway Brook is the stream that forms the outlet of Horton's Pond, near the White Plains. This brook is sometimes designated as the Mamaroneck River ; but that name properly belongs to the eastern branch, which joins it a little way below the White Plains, coming down from the neighborhood of Rye Pond. This stream our early settlers considered to be the river ; and the tract of land between this and Causeway Brook was anciently known as Brown's Point.
Thus it appears to have taken the settlers only two weeks to ' lay out' North Street in its entire length, from 'the head of Captain Theall's land ' to the entrance of White Plains. Of course they did nothing more than ' mark the trees' along which the path was to run. And for many years doubtless this road was simply a path through the forest. Tradition states that in those primitive times the journey to the Plains occupied a whole day ; and a huge boulder which lies a few rods above the North Street school-house, still known as the 'Bread- and-butter Rock,' is said to be the spot where they halted for refresh- ment by the way !
Frequent alterations have been made in the lower part of North Street. It is still a very crooked road ; but anciently its course was much more tortuous than now. In 1754 there was a change made in the White Plains road, 'beginning at a small brook below Beaver Swamp,' running thence southeasterly by certain trees, ' and so running between a small hill and a swamp to the old road.'2 The next year, a return was made of ' the regulating and ascertaining a highway from Rye to the White Plains' in the following terms : -
' Whereas the said Highway in the place where it crossed the Beaver Swamp was Disputable and Uncertain where it should eross the same, and we the subscribers hav- ing examined and inspected the same, that the said Highway might be in the most convenient place for transport and Travelling Do order and confirm said Highway be and continued over said Beaver swamp where it hath Been formerly & to be four Rods wide from Joseph Theals fence now standing northerly towards John Doughtys Land and so to remain and Highway there in that place over said Beaver swamp. Witness our hands the date aforesaid
WILLIAM WILLETT JONATHAN BROWN GABRIEL LYNCH Commissrs ' 3
North Street has been straightened in various places within the last thirty years. One of its former deviations can still be traced along the front wall of the Union Cemetery. The road formerly followed the course of this wall, crossing Beaver Swamp below the present bridge.
The Book of Highways already quoted contains the record of several
1 Town and Proprietors' Meeting Book No. 3, or C. p. 4.
2 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 60.
3 Ibid. p. 61.
513
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.
roads opened in the present town of White Plains. The following is one : -
' Rye November 13th 1730 A highway Laid out in the White Plains beginning at the street near ye Meeting house runing four rods wide by marked trees till it comes to the Bridge over Bronckes river near Jolin Garritsons Laid out by us
SAMLL PURDY CALEB HYATT BENJAMIN BROWN.' 1
In 1764 there was an alteration of this road, apparently, ' the road which lies near the Presbyterian Meeting house in the White Plains, on the north side of the burying-yard.' 2
RYE NECK.
Of the principal highway through Rye Neck, or Budd's Neck, as it was anciently called, - the old Boston Road, - we have given a sepa- rate account in Chapter XVI. Several other roads, which existed formerly in this part of the town, have completely disappeared. The most important of these, and probably one of the first ever laid out in Rye, was the ROAD TO BULLOCK'S LANDING. This road led from the post-road to the creek, through the land now owned by Mr. Genin. Bullock's Landing took its name from an individual who seems to have remained but a short time in Rye, during the early days of the settlement. This was Richard Booloch, or Bullard, an associate of John Budd. The landing appears to have been one of the first used by the inhabitants of Rye. There are traces of an Indian village in the vicinity of this spot, which is still identified by means of a rock, known to this day as Bullock's.
The road to Bullock's Landing was not closed until the year 1795. It was then ' exchanged ' for the road which now leads from the post- road, south of Mr. Sylvanus Purdy's house, to the bridge across Blind Brook above Milton. This new road was laid out in that year as fol- lows : ' Beginning at the north-west corner of John Purdy's land and running to the south-west of said land, about an east by south course until it comes to the orchard of Gilbert Brown, thence about the same course to the south' of his dwelling-house ' to the mill-pond. thence across the old mill-dam to the road leading to the mill creek landing.' This road was opened in exchange for . a road leading from the post- road on the south of said Brown's land to Bullock's landing so called.' In 1819 the new road had not yet been thrown open, and Gilbert Brown was ' ordered to take off his gates without delay.' 3
There was anciently a road where the lane now runs from the bridge near Mr. Richard B. Chapman's house, along the west bank of the creek.
2 Ibid. p. 73.
1 Entering of Highways, etc., p. 32.
3 Town Records, vol. D. p. 382.
The ' cross road to Milton ' has been straightened at different times. Such an alteration occurred in 1841. (Town Records, 1815 to 1859, p. 77.)
33
514
APPENDIX.
It led, apparently, from Lyon's mill to Bullock's Landing ; and this must have been the usual way to go from the old mill, which stood on the southwest side of the bridge, to the post-road on Budd's Neck. This road we suppose to be described in the following entry : -
' We the Commishoners for the Town of Rye and White Playns Do allow Joseph Lyon to Hang and Keep in Repair at his own proper cost a good swing Gate for Carts to go through to the Bnlock Landing so caled, between his own Land and the Land of Daniel Purdy. Witness our hands June ye 20th 1751.
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