USA > New York > Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 2 > Part 84
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WOLCOTTII -- was formed from Junius, (Seneca co., ) March 24, 1807. Butler, Huron, and Rose were taken off in 1826. It is the N. E. corner town of the co., Lake Ontario forming its N.
1 Moses and James SIIl kept the first inn, at Sodus Point, in the building erected for that purpose by Mr. Williamson. On the evening of June 13, 1813, a party of about 100 English landed at Sodus Point in boats, from the fleet of Sir Jas. Yeo, for the purpose of seixing or destroying what public stores they could find. They were opposed by about 40 Americans, under Capt. Hull. of Lyous. After the first fire the Americans retreated. The enemy burned 5 houses, and the old Williamson Hotel, owned by Capt. Wni. Wich ham. The public flour had been secreted in a ravine, and remained undiscovered. The next day a gunboat proceeded up The luke to Nicholas Point and burned a warehouse. The British had 2 killed, and the Americans 1 killed and 1 mortally wounded. The total amount of property destroyed amounted to about $25,000.
? The census reports 11 churches in town; 4 M. E., 2 Prot. E., 2 Presb , Bap .. Christian, Cong.
3 Named from Chancellor Walworth.
4 This nursery-established in 1840-occupies 75 acres, and produces annually 300,000 trees, mostly sent to New England, N. J., Md., and Va.
5 Among the other early settlers were George Millet, in 1802, Daniel Douglass and George Randolph. at West Walworth, Dr. Eurlbut Crittenden, in 1804, Deacon Gideon Hassett, Jamies and Jonathan Hill, Capt. Gilbert, - Hinckley, and Jobn and
Marshall Chamberlain. The first death was that of --- Green, killed by the fall of A tree, in 1806. The first store was kept by Thomas F. Kempshall. 6 There are 5 churches in town; 2 Bap., M. E., Cong., and F. W. Bap.
7 Nanied from Charles Williamson, the first agent of the Pulteney Estate.
8 Named from Sir Wm. Pulteney. On the morning of June 13, 1813, Com. Sir James Yeo, with a British force, made a desrent upon this place. Gen. J. Swift, who commanded the Americans. surrendered, with the stipulation that private property and persons should be respected. Most of the U. S. stores had been previously reinoved to a place of safety. The British had 2 killed aud 3 wounded.
9 Capt. Sam'l Throop. Jeremiah Selby, John Holmes, and Al- phens Curtis, came in 1806. Maj. Win. Rogers in 1807, and Dan'l Poppins, Timothy Smith. - Denning. Andrew Connell. Sam'l ledyard, and Jacob W. Hallett, soon after. The first child born was 11. N. Throop, in Nov. 1807. Major Rogers kept the first inn, in 1807; Jos. Colt, the first store. Capt. Sam'l Throop aud Jeremiah Selby built the first saw and grist will.
10 2 Presb., 31. E., Wes. Metb., Bap., Cong., Ref. Prot. D., and Union.
11 Named from Gov. Oliver Wolcott, of Conu.
695
WAYNE COUNTY.
boundary. Its surface is undulating, with a general inclination toward the lake. In several locali- ties are tracts of low marsh land. The streams are Wolcott and Big and Little Red Crecks, and several smaller streams, which flow N. into Lake Ontario. A part of Port Bay, in the N. w., Blind Sodus Bay,1 in the N. E., and two smaller bays, extend inland from the lake. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam. Iron ore is found in the N. E. part. Wolcott, (p. v.,) near the s. w. corner, was incorp. Feb. 24, 1852. It contains 4 churches, an academy,2 2 flouring mills, 2 sawmills, a furnace and agricultural machine shop, carding machine, and carpet and coverlet factory. Pop. 600. Red Creek, (p. v., ) in the s. E. part, is incorp., and contains 3 churches, the Red Creek Union Academy, 2 gristmills, 3 sawmills, a woolen factory, furnace, and tannery. Pop. in 1859, 597. Furnace Village,' in the w. part, contains a furnace, sawmill, and 12 houses. The first settlement was made by Jonathan Melvin, sen., on Lot 50, in 1805.' The first settled minister was Daniel S. Buttrick.5
Acres of Land, Valuation, Population, Dwellings, Families, Freeholders, Schools, Live Stock, Agricultural Products, and Domestic Manufactures, of Wayne County.
ACRES OF LAND.
VALUATION OF 1858.
POPULATION.
SCHOOL8.
NAMES OF TOWNS.
Improved.
Unimproved.
Real Estate.
Personal
Property.
Total.
Males.
Females.
No. of Dicellings.
No. of Families.
Freeholders.
No. of
Children
taught.
Arcadia
24.539
5,967₴
$1,421,601
$101,728
$1.523,329
2,832
2,684
987
1,102
796
24
1,993
Butler
15.316
6,920
580,494
21,850
602,344
1.126
1,099
414
438
360
12
815
Galen ..
24,3011
10,625
1,381,393
367,578
1,748,971
2,706
2,475
924
995
490
18
1,850
Huron
12.220}
7,692
575,999
31,444
607,443
985
896
886
384
315
12
775
Lyons
15,917
5,230
1,355,531
313,950
1,669.481
2,604 1,249
1,185
453
493
366
11
815
Marion.
14.3621
3,698
488,585
71,012
559.597
985
952
382
419
366
13
756
Ontario
13.8868
5,9782
464.509
72,588
537,097
1,222
1,101
451
466
371
11
943
Palmyra
17.099₺
4.2024
1,190,524
195,000
1,385,524
2,062
2,053
713
846
527
14
1,319
Rose.
13,272;
8.577 7.967}
455,362
8,000
463,362
951
811
343
349
212
13
719
Sodus.
29.963}
11.6972
1,085,811
116,089
1,201,900
2,331
2,207
908
932
777
23
1,880
Walworth
15.8582
4.605
578,442
82.470
660,912
991
973
390
417
347
11
703
Williamsou.
14.796
5,802
541.248
69,632
610,880
1,301
1,251
495
529
428
14
791
Wolcott
12,995
8,710
549,749
55,300
605,049
1,535
1,478
593
609
484
15
1,223
Total
254,451₴ 102,0624 12.308,024
1.364,222 13.512,246
23,964 22.796
8,708
9.376
6.844 || 219
17,222
LIVE STOCK.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
NAMES OF TOWNS.
Horses.
Working
Oxen and
Calves.
Cotos.
Sheep.
Stoine.
Winter.
Spring.
Tons of Hay.
Bushels of
Bushels of
Pounds
Butter.
Pounds
Cheese.
in Fards.
Arcadia
1,453
1.735
1,493
10,821
2,788
44,032
180,099
4,580
23,870
38,424
140.054
5,331
803
Butler ..
981
1,766
1,024
4,898
1,647
16,462
140,631
2.557
17,906
51.981
97,571
15.112
1,750
Galen ..
1.373
1.961
1,649
8,814
4.198
31,178
199,0924
3,806
19,546
49.588
140,558
16,278
1,271
Hurun.
712
1,091
675
3,716
1.438
10,357
113,035
1,910
15,895
20,361
59.850
4,844
1,310
Lyons
1,320
1.322
1,610
7.722
2,406
27.357
134.752}
3,430
17.473
51.526
89,472
4,128
360
Macedon
909
1,329
953
10.288
1,924
25,787
110.899±
3,163
16.777
27,949
77,662
9,900
32
Marion
846
1.084
974
3,763
1,632
12,473
108,744}
2.683₺
15,740
34,035
96,550
18,763
592
Palmyra
859
1,303
1,193
7.954
1,900
31,073
112,235
3.713
16.701
33,113
105,711
14,816
268
Kose ..
754
1.286
871
3,727
1,241
9.778
94,200
1,7241
13,246
28,535
66,330
7,075
845
Savannah ..
675
1.348
761
4.947
1,335
15,925
113,853}
1,904
14.376|
14,907
69,216|
2.290
1,366
Sodus
1,616
2,516
1,846
15,525
3,149
25.3964
207,5382
5,0721
30,847
70,448
177,259
9.755
770
Walworth.
877
1,148
878
6,845
1,644
12,500
113.7044
3,386
19,065
21,170
68.464
5,444
335
Williamson.
994
1,278
1,037
7,509
1,519
8,803
93,427
2,943
13.835
32,702
91,822
30,175
845
Wolcott.
673
1.327
882
4,296
1,692
9,103
112,750↓
1,713₺
10,854
17,456
79,186
2.452
839ł
Total
14.928 21,695 16,769 104.845 29,799 289.7344 1.918,572: 45,271} 261,403 509,626 1,446,080 163.763; 13,064}
I Named from the sandbar which stretches across its mouth from the w. shore.
2 The Leavenworth Institute, incorp. in 1859; named from Isaac Leaveuworth, who contributed one-half the total cost
3 Wolcott Furnace manufactures about 450 tons of pig iron per annum from ore dug in the N. E. part of the town.
4 Among the other carly settlers were. Adonijab Church, from Mass., in 1806, Osgood Church and family, in 1807, Dea. Knapp
and Lambert Woodruff, in the vicinity of Red Creek, Noadiah Child, in 1811, and Jacob Snyder. with his family of 10 children, in 1813. The first death was that of a son of George Salmon. Obadiah Adams kept the first inn, and Noadiah Child built the first saw and grist mill, in 1814.
6 There are 8 churches in town; 2 M. E., 2 Bap., 2 Presb., F. W. Bap., and Meth. Prot.
Ontario
886
1,201
923
4,020
1.286
9,510
83,609:
2,685₴
15,272
17,431
86,375
17,400
1.669
Savannah
11,250}
527.597
35,911
563,508
1,084
1,030
395
419
329
12
1,849
Macedon
18,674
4,3.89
951,179
121,670
1,072,849
2,601
874
978
676
13
Domestic Cloths,
BUSH. OF GRAIN.
DAIRY PRODUCTS.
Potatoes.
Apples.
of
Districts.
791
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
ST THIS county, constituting one of the original divisions of the State under the English rule, soon after the first conquest, was organized Nov. 1, 1683, with its present limits. It lies upon the E. bank of the Hudson, in the s. E. part of the State, and is bounded on the E. by Conn. and on the s. by Long Island Sound. It is centrally distant 105 mi. from Albany, and contains 525 sq. mi. The sur- face consists of several ridges of hills parallel to the river and separated by wide valleys. The hills are in two general ranges, the first extending along the river and the second along the Conn. SCA line. They are subdivided into a great number of minor ridges and hills, all extending N. and s. The highest summits are 600 to 1,000 ft. above tide. The valleys, extending N. and s., are continu- ous, affording ample opportunity for the construction of roads and railroads; and they are generally bordered by gradually sloping hillsides.1 In some localities the hills are abrupt and rocky. The principal streams are Peekskill Creek, Furnace Brook, Croton, Pocantico, and Neperhan Rivers, and Tibbetts Brook, tributaries of the Hudson; Bronx River, Westchester and Hutchinsons Creeks, Mamaroneck and Byram Rivers, flowing into Long Island Sound; Maharness and Stamford Mill Rivers, flowing E. into Conn .; and Muscoot Creek, Plum Brook, and Titicus, Cross, and Kisko Rivers, tributaries of the Croton. The lakes are small bodies of water scattered through the hilly portions. The s. E. portion of the co., along the Sound, is deeply indented with bays and estuaries, which in some places are bordered by extensive marshes. Most of the streams which flow into the Sound afford, by the reflux of the tide, an intermitting hydraulic power, which is employed in several places.
The rocks of the co. consist principally of granite and gneiss, of many dissimilar varieties, and of white crystalline limestone. These rocks crop out upon the declivities and summits of most of the hills, affording an abundance of the best kind of building stone. The marble quarries at Sing Sing and other places are extensively wrought, their products affording one of the most valuable exports of the co. Traces of various kinds of ore have been discovered ; but all search for profitable metallic veins has proved unsuccessful. Several mineral springs are found in differ- ent sections, the principal of which is the Chappaqua Spring, 3 mi. E. of Sing Sing. It emits sulphuretted hydrogen and is said to possess useful medicinal properties. The soil, derived prin- cipally from the disintegration of the primitive rocks, is light, sandy, and, naturally, ouly mode- rately productive; but, by a continued process of scientific culture, it has been rendered very fertile. Upon the Hudson and the Sound and in various other localities are drift deposits and alluvium, furnishing a much more productive soil. The people are principally engaged in gar- dening and fruit raising, fattening cattle, and supplying milk for the New York market. Bricks in immense quantities are manufactured along the Hudson for exportation. Other manufactures are largely carried on in the villages adjacent to New York.
This co. is distinguished for beautiful and picturesque scenery, noticeable in nearly every part. The highlands that border upon the Hudson afford an extended view of that river, the Palisades, and of the hilly country of Rockland and Orange. Along the s. E. border fine views are obtained of the Sound, the numerous green islands along the coast, and the adjacent shores of Long Island. In the interior the landscape is agreeably diversified by hills, dales, and clear, running streams. Many wealthy inhabitants of New York have erected beautiful villas and country residences upon the finest sites; and the hills of the co. are now studded with these splendid specimens of archi- tectural art.
In the vicinity of New York are numerous small villages inhabited by mechanics and working men doing business in the city. These people go back and forth daily on the lines of railroad, or by steamboat. living in the country for the sake of economy. A considerable amount of manu- factures is carried on at these suburban villages. A large transient population, mostly from New York, make this co. their residence during the summer months.
1 The roads that cross the co. E. and w. are a constant succession of ascents and descents, while those extending N. and s through the valleys are nearly level.
696
697
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
The co. is a half-shire, the co. buildings being located respectively at Bedford and White Plains.1 The courthouse at Bedford is a wooden structure; and attached to it is a jail for the temporary confinement of prisoners. The co. buildings at White Plains are of granite, and are the most commodious and costly buildings of the kind in the State.2
The poorhouse is located upon a farm of 173 acres in Mount Pleasant, 5 nii. N. of White Plains. The average number of inmates is 225, supported at a weekly cost of 68} cts. cach. The farm yields a revenue of $2,500. A school is kept throughout the year. The buildings arc of stone ; and the whole establishment seems to be well arranged.
The Hudson River R. R. extends along the river banks through Yonkers, Greenburgh, Mount Pleasant, Ossining, and Cortlandt. The Harlem R. R. extends N. through the central part of the co., extending through Morrisania, West Farms, Yonkers, East Chester, Scarsdale, Greenburgh, White Plains, Mount Pleasant, New Castle, Bedford, Lewisboro, and North Salem. The New York & New Haven R. R. extends from the Harlem R. R. at East Chester E. through Pelham, New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Harrison, and Rye. A branch road extends from the IIarlem R. R. at Morrisania s. E. about 2 mi. to Port Morris. The other principal public work in the co. is the Croton dam and the great aqueduct which supplies the city of New York with water. Lines of steamers ply between New York and the various ports along the Hudson and East Rivers, affording cheap and easy means of communication with the great city.
Five newspapers are now published in the co.3
When first known to the whites, this co. was occupied by the Mohegans, who were divided into several bands or clans with distinctive names." They paid tribute to the Five Nations, and were known in early documents as "River Indians."
1 At the organization of the co. in 1683, the courts were esta- blished at Westchester, and were continued there until 1759. A court of sessions was held at East Chester for some time. By act of Dec. 16, 1758, the justices and supervisors were directed to select a new site for a courthouse, which was located at White Plains; and in that year, 1760, and 1762, £2,000 wcre voted to erect and finish it. It was used until 1776, when it was burned. By an act of Mlay 1, 1786, £1,800 were appropriated for the erec- tion of a.courthouse at White Plains and another at Bedford, under the superintendence of Stephen Ward, Ebenezer Lock- wood, Jonathan G. Tompkins, Ebenezer Purdy, Thos. Thomas, Richard llatfield, and Richard Sacket, jr. Prisoners bad pro- viously been confined in the New York jail ; and courts had for a time been hield in the Presbyterian church of Bedford. Both buiklings thus erected are still standing, and owned by the co. A clerk's office was built at White Plains, in 1830, adjacent to the courthouse, in the okt part of the village. The Provincial Convention held its sessions a few days in July. 1776, at the courthouse in White Plains; and in front of it tho Declaration of Independence was publicly read upon its receipt by tliat body. The building, and what remained of the village, were wantonly burned by a New England major on the night of Nov. 5, 1776.
2 An act passed March 30, 1855, authorized the county trea- surer to loan $35,000 for the erection of a new conrthouse. jail, clerk's office, and surrogate's office, upon a site in White Plains, to be selected by the supervisors, and under a committee to be appointed by them. The present buildings were crected in 1856-57, under the superiutendence of Abraham llatfield. States Barton. Wm. Marshall, jr., David Hunt, aud Geo. C. Finch, at & cost of $120.000. They are built of granite quarried near the village, and form 3 buildings connected by corridors. The front part is devoted to the records of the clerk and surrogate. is fire- proof throughout, and its spacious rooms are furnished with iron cases for books and papers. The records have been re- cently bound, and put in complete order for preservation. The middle portion is devoted to court and jury rooms, sheriff's office and residence; and the rear building is the jail, connected with the court roon only by a verandah. Prisoners may be brought into court without liability to rescue by a crowd. The cells, 36 in number, are built in 2 tiers in a central block.
By an act of April 16, 1858, the office of Register of Deeds was created, to be filled by election triennially. The act took effect Jan. 1. 1859.
8 The Somers Museum was published by Milton F. Cushing in 1810.
The Westchester Gazette was published at Peekskill by Robert Crombie about 1810. It was afterward changed to
The Westchester and Putnam Gazette. Several changes of pro- prietors aud perhaps of name, occurred when iu 1832 it became
The Westchester and Putnam Sentinel, and was published a short time by Dr. Brewer. It was afterward pub- lished about 2 years by Samuel Heustis, as
The Sentinel. It then passed into the hands of Samucl Marks, who continued it as
The Westchester and Putnam Republican. In 1844 it was sold to Wm. Richards, who changed its name to
The Peekskill Republican. In 1852 Joseph 1. Chambers became proprietor, and in 1857 the paper was removed to Sing Siug, wbere it is now published as
The Republican, by J. II. Platt ; J. J. Chambers, editor. The Westchester Patriot was published at West Farms a short time in 1812 by ---- Lopez.
The Westchester Herald and Putnam Gazette was published at Sing Sing in 1817. It was subsequently published as The Westchester Herald, by Caleb Roscoe. The office was burned in 1856, and the publication has not been resumed.
The Westchester Spy was commenced at White Plains in 1832 by - Harpending. It was continued by William B. Lamphear, S. G. Arnold, John W. Bell, and others, until 1848, when it was discontinued.
The Hudson River Chronicle was commenced at Sing Sing in 1837 by A. 11. Wells. It is how published by Win. C. Howe.
The Protector, a campaign paper, was published in 1844. The Port Chester Banner was pub. by Win. A. Mc Millan in 1845.
The Eastern State Journal was commenced at White Plains in 1845 by Edmund G. Southerland, its present publisher.
The Westchester and Putnam Democrat was commenced at Peekskill in 18- by Bailey & Marks. It was con- tinued by Samuel Marks, and was for a time discon-
. tinued. It was revived by G. K. Lyman, and soon after it passed into the hands of J. Arnold, who con- tinucd it until 1851, when Ezra J. Horton became pro- prietor, and changed its name to
The Highland Eagle. In 1855, J. W. Spaight became the pub- lisher, and in 1858 the paper passed into the hands of Dr. Fenelon Hasbrouck. who changed its name to
The Highland Democrat, and still publishes it.
The Westchester Gazette was commenced at Morrisania in 1849. Stephen Angel was for some time editor. It was discon- tinued about 1856.
The Westchester County Journal was commenced at Morrisania in 1856 by Jaures Stillman, its present publisher.
The Plain Dealer .was removed from Roslyn, and afterward to Glen Cove.
The Westchester Gazetteer was commenced at West Farms in 1849, by 11. Coggshell ; it was removed to Mott Ilaven July 14, 1851. and discontinued in 1852.
The Yonkers Herald was commenced in 1852 by Thos. Suritb, its present publisher.
The Westchester News was cominenced at New Rochelle in 1853 by Thos. Towndrow. It was removed to Yonkers in 1854, and published until Jan. 1856, when it was pur- chased by MI. F. Rowe: and in Feb. following a new paper was issued iu its place. called
The Yonkers Examiner, which is still published by M. F. Rowe.
The Mount Vernon Gazette was commenced in 1854 by Egbert A. S. Manning. It was discontinued in 1857.
4 The Siwanoys occupied the shores of the sound from Nor- walk to near Hellgate: the Manhattans held the island of New York, and as far N. as opposite Tappan : the Wecquaskeeks held the shore from the Sint Sink to the Armonck ; the Sint Sinks occupied the present town of Ossining and its vicinity ; tho Kitchawunks claimed the territory on the Crotou, and N. to Anthonys Nose: and the Puchami and Wappingers the lligh- lands. The Tanketenkes resided iu the rear of Sing Sing .- Bolton's W. Chester, I, p. 10.
698
WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
Settlement began under the Dutch authority, in the southern part, and before the Revolution nearly every part of thic co. had been occupied. A large part was embraced by the Cortlandt, Philipsburgh, Pelham, Scarsdale, and Fordham Manors.1 Of these the first sent a representative to the General Assembly, and the second was forfeited by the attainder of its proprictor in the Revolution. The borough of Westchester, including the present towns of Westchester, West Farms, and Morrisania, was also represented by a member, and had a mayor's court. This co. was the scene of many events of great importance in the Revolution, and, from its occupying the middle ground between the opposing armics, was alternately overrun and pillaged by the refugees of both .? The southern part was taxed £2,000, May 6, 1784, to repay Revolutionary expenses.
BEDFORD'-was first formed under Connecticut, in May, 1697. Its rights were confirmed by New York in April, 1704; and it was fully organized as a town March 7, 1788. It is an interior town, lying N. E. of thec enter of the co. Its surface is elevated and broken by small hills and valleys, and is almost entirely available for agricultural purposes. Croton River forms part of the N. boundary ; Maharness River flows through a small portion of the s. part; and Cross River flows through the N. E. corner. Byram Lake lies on the s. border. The soil is generally a good quality of sandy and gravelly loam, but stony on the hills. Bedford, (p. v.,) s. E. of the center, is sur- rounded by hills, one of which on the N. retains its Indian name of " Aspetong." The village is a half-shire, and contains a courthouse,4 2 churches, the Bedford Academy, a Female Institute, and 30 houses. Bedford Station, (p. o.,) on the Harlem R. R., contains 10 houses. Ka- tonah, (p. v.,) on Cross River, near its junction with the Croton, contains 30 houses. Mount Kisko, (p. v., ) a station on the Harlem R. R., on the w. border of the town, contains 200 inhabit- ants. Whitlockville is a station on the Harlem R. R. near the N. border. The town was mostly included in a purchase made July 1, 1640, by Nathan Turner, for New Haven, and sold the same year by the latter to Andrew Ward, Robert Coe, and 20 others, for £33. Other Indian purchases were made, the last of which was July 24, 1703.5 There arc 8 churches in town.6
CORTLANDTI-was formed March 7, 1788. It lies upon the Hudson, in the N. w. corner of the co. Its surface is broken and hilly. The ranges of hills generally extend N. and s. and are separated by narrow valleys. The declivitics are often steep and nearly precipitous. An- thonys Nose,8 on the N. line, 1,228 ft. above the river, is the highest land in the co. Although very broken, the surface generally is susceptible of cultivation. The principal streams arc Croton River, flowing across the s. part, Furnace Brook, Peekskill Hollow Creek, and Gregorys Brook. The soil is generally a sandy and gravelly loam, with a strip of clay along the river. Among the mountains are found a variety of interesting minerals.9 Brick is extensively manufactured.10
I These patents were granted as follows :-
Cortlandt Patent was granted June 17, 1697, to Stephanus Van Cortlandt, with an annual quitrent of 40 shillings. It in- cluded the present towns of Cortlandt, Yorktown, Somers, and North Salem.
Philipsburgh Patent was granted June 12, 1703, to Frederick Philipse, at an annual quitrent of £4 12s. It included the present towns of Greenburgh, Mount Pleasant, and Ossining.
Pelham Patent was granted Oct. 25, 1687, to Jobn Pell, and in- cluded the present town of Pelham and a part of New Rochelle.
Fordham Patent was granted in 1671 to John Archer, and in- cluded 1,253 acres in the present town of West Farms.
Scarsdale Patent was granted March 21, 1701, to Caleb Heath- cote, subject to an annual quitreut of £5. It included the present towns of Scarsdale, New Castle, North Castle, and a part of White Plains.
? Two classes of brigands, equally destitute of principle, but professing attachment to opposite interests, infested the co., committing atrocious crimes without punishment, and often preying upon their nominal friends with as little mercy as upon their avowed eneinies Of these, lhe "Cowboys" pro- fessed tory sentiments, while the "Skinners" were ostensibly attached to the American cause. The two parties often ope- rated in concert, the Cowboys bringing contraband goods from New York to exchange for the property plundered by the Skin- ners; and, when a pretext was necessary, a skirmish would occur, and the goods from the enemy would be openly borue away, as if lawfully captured .- Boltim's Westchester, I, p. 211.
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