USA > New York > Bronx County > History of Bronx borough, city of New York : compiled for the North side news > Part 3
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"What have you done since you were here last that you should have left undone?" she would ask.
Then the man, who was not afraid of the savages, would quail under her glance and confess his sins, the worst being drinking rum or dancing at a tavern with some girl.
"Will you never become good?" she would say in despera- tion, and then to one of her followers: "Bring me the fool's cap."
Then on the head of the daring Indian fighter would be placed the long, peaked cap, and he would sit in front of the others to do his penance. But just as soon as the cap was re- moved from his curly locks, he would again become the same raystering, good fellow.
We may trace for a few minutes the ancestry of this re- markable woman who had left her home in civilization to seek religious freedom among the Indians of Pelham. She is said to have been related, collaterally, to the poet Dryden. Her hus. hand is described as a "mild, amiable and estimable man, pos- sessed of ae onsiderable fortune, and in high standing among his Puritan contemporaries," who died a short time before her pil- grimage to Pelham. Accompanied by her husband and children she left the shores of England, coming to Massachusetts Bay in 1630. When she aroused the ire of the Puritans, she sought shelter in Rhode Island. Her husband dying in 1642, she and what was left of her family came to Pelham, at that time a primeval wilderness.
One day an Indian appeared at the door of her little cabin.
Anne received him cordially, feeding him on fresh bread and cakes and clams.
"Where are all the men?" he asked of her.
"There are no men here," she declared. and, pointing to her oldest son, "this is the only man I have."
"Ugh!" was the response. "Him no man; only little boy." - The Indian went his way with a smile on his face, promis- ing to bring some more game the next time he came. He came again, all too soon, and the game was an Indian game. That same night the savages came in force, setting fire to her cabin and slaying the inmates, including Anne Hutchinson herself. Her little eiglit-year-old daughter was carried off into captivity by the Indians, ouly to be taken from them so long afterwards that she had almost forgotten her native language and was de- cidedly unwilling to leave her captors.
It so chanced that John Underhill was in his tavern when he learned of the news of the massacre. Dashing his mug of ale from his lips he resolved to seek vengeance on the guilty savages, if possible. Following the Indians into Connecticut, he completely encircled their camp so that hardly an Indian escaped. Standing on the edge of the bluff, and gazing at the blood-stained snow, the ruins of the camp and the bodies below, he said, quietly :
"I have done my best, but if we had killed a thousand more of the red devils, it would not have paid for a single drop of Anne Hutchinson's blood !"
Along in the fall of 1642 another early settler made his ap- pearance in the Borough of the Bronx. He selected Throgg's Neck as a dwelling place and his name was John Throckmorton. With others he had secured from the Dutch government a license, bearing date October 2, 1642, allowing him to settle within three Dutch, or twelve English, miles of New Amsterdam. What was styled a "land brief" was granted to "Jan Throckmorton," in- cluding "a piece of land-being a portion of Vredeland-con- taining as follows: Along the East River of New Netherlands, extending from the point half a mile, which said piece of land aforesaid on one side is bounded by a little river, and on the other side by a great kill, which river and kill, on high water running, meet each other, surrounding the land."
This locality, from the name of its original occupant, be- came known as "Throckmorton's Neck," soon shortened into "Throgg's Neck." It even appears as "Frog's Point." By way of explanation it may be stated that the "Little River" re- ferred to, is Westchester Creek, and the "Great Kill" the Sound or East River.
Associated with Throckmorton was another emigrant from England, by name Thomas Cornell, who settled on the long neck of land south of Throgg's Neck, which was styled after him "Cornell's Neck." Below is an abstract of Governor Kieft's patent to Cornell, taken from the translation of the Book of Dutch Patents:
"We, William Kieft, Director General, and the Council . . in New Netherlands residing . . . have given and granted unto Tomas Coornal a certain piece of land lying on the East River, beginning from the Kill of Bronck's land, east south east along the river. extending about half a Dutch Mile from the River till a little Creek over the Valley (Marsh) which runs back around this land. . .
"Confirmed with our seal of red wax here and under- neath suspended. Done in the Fort Amsterdam, in New Netherland, this 26th July, A. J., 1640.
"Willem Kieft."
HON. RICHARD H. MITCHELL
9
HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
Cornell's Neek has almost lost its familiar, old naine in the modern title of "Clason's Point," and the romantic roadway that leads from the old Westchester Turnpike is one of the most ideally shaded and rural in our neighborhood. Cornell, it is stated, had come here along with John Throckmorton and
O'd Wilkins' Farm House, Screven Point
Roger Williams. Together they had journeyed from Rhode Island, where they had been the most intimate friends. Both Throckmorton and Cornell at first settled on Throgg's Neck until driven away by the attacks of the hostile Indians in the next year. The savages "killed several persons belonging to the families of Mr. Throckmorton and Mr. Cornell," say the early reports.
Of this Indian war Roger Williams write: "Mine eyes saw the flames of their town, the frights and hurries of men, women and. children." In the words of Governor Winthrop we learn that "by the mediation of Mr. Williams, who was there to go on a Dutch ship to England, the Indians were pacified and peace was re-established." Thus much do we owe to the efforts of Roger Williams.
When the war was over, Cornell came back again, this time taking up his residence on Cornell's Neck or Clason's Point. In 1665 he was "driven off the said land by the barbarous vio- lence of the Indians." The name of Willett's Point, which is given to this section is after a Thomas Willett, who married
Ruined Chimney in Lord Howe's Headquarters, Clason's Poirt
Cornell's daughter. And right here we may mention that one of the early Willetts died, leaving a widow, young, attractive and worth a small fortune in Bronx Borough real estate. Result -- she had suitors too numerous to mention, so that she was obliged to appeal to the courts for protection. On August 11th, 1647,
John Dolling, one of her many admirers, was forthwith "ordered by the court not to trouble or annoy Sarah Willett." Shortly afterwards we learn that her anxieties in this direction were over when she married Charles Bridges, Governor Stuyvesant's English Secretary of the Province.
In this same connection we may say that, seven years later. a Colonial maid produced several letters-promissory of mar- riage, from a young nrin, and the Court ordered that he le "condemned to marry her." Another young man of New Netherland declared that instead of being obliged to wed kis fair sweetheart "he would rather go away and live with the indians"-a truly terrible threat !
From tradition we learn that the Willett mansion stood on the present Clason's Point Road, about opposite the Christian Brothers' Academy, but it was burned many years ago. This Academy is described as a large stone chateau, the most i :- portant house on the point. and built towards the end of the eighteenth century by a wealthy New York merchant, Dominick Lynch, for his own home. From the balconies of this stacey building may be seen a fine prospect of the Sound and the sur- rounding region, with Flushing Bay and College Point in the distance. On the extreme end of Clason's Point there stoo i
Ruins of Lord Howe's Headquarters, Clason's Point
until recently, the ruins of an ancient farmhouse, the stones ci which have in great part found their way into the presen: Clason's Point Inn. This old house, which even in its ruined state presented a most picturesque appearance, was one of the early Willett houses, and its immense fireplace and oval brick oven were one of this borough's most striking reminders of the past. Another name of this ancient structure was "Lord Howe's Headquarters." and I have been told that the British commander made it his place of residence while his men were in the region.
It is interesting to note a remarkable Indian deed, conveying property in this vicinity and signed by the most famous sachem, Saringo. It is as follows :
"The: 4: of July-170 :.
"Biet (be it) known to all home it may consarn, That I. SARINGO, hafe This day Soll unto Joseph Horton, saner (senior) A sarten Track or parsal of land Setuaten & Lyen within the profence of Nu Yorcke, which land beginned at the purch (ase) lastly purch'ed by Cornal Hacoc't, John Horton. Cap'tt Thall. Joseph Purdy, and all the Land wassward ta- pureh'd and so to run upward to brinkess reuer ( Bronx R ..... and I SARINGO do oblidge myself, my ars (heirs) or aseas (assigns) to marcket 'mark it) oute by Mark Treese as may aper her agan (appear here again) & This To be marched cute
10
HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
The Sext, or Saventh Day of This entant (instant) munth and for the Tru Berformance I haf Sat my hand & Sale Sinedee, Saled and Dleaved In prants (presence) of us This been in order To a furder confmashon.
"SARINGO; X
"(and three other Indians, names illegible.)"
Endorsed on this deed is the following:
"I, Joseph Horton oblige mysalfe To pay one Sareugo he performen his part accorded to bagen (bargain) as may apen consarned land which he Is or . . . (illegible) . . . to per- forme.
"The a buv named horton Is obliged To Pay Sringo the ras (rest) of his . . . (illegible) . . . as follas: I barrel of Sidar, 6 shurts, 5 gaians of rum, I Cot (coat) I shepe. And this is to be payd at or before The furst day of Jnery nex in . . . (illegible) . .. The day manshshened (mentioned) July : 4: 17001 (so in original) : I hors, I sadal, I bridal, 2 cots, I call, 2 shurds (shirts), I ancher of rum."
Figuring most conspicuously among the first settlers of our borough was Dr. Adrian Van der Donck, a native of Breda in Holland. His land embraced the tract from Spuyten Duyvil Creek north to a stream styled the Amackassin, in Yonkers, and extending eastward to the Bronx River. It was a portion of the Indian Keskeskeck region, purchased from the natives by Secre- tary Van Thenhoven for the West India Company in 1639.
"Appeared before me Cornelius Van Thenhoven, Secre- tary of the New Netherlands, Frequemeck, Rechgawac, Peckan- niens, owners of KEKESHICK, which they did freely convey, code, &c., &c., to the behoof of the General Incorporated West India Company, which lies over against the flats of the Island of Manhates, beginning at the source of said kill, till over against the hill of the flat lands, to wit, by the great kill, together with all the rights, estate, title to them the grantees, &c., &c.
"In testimony of which the truth of this is subscribed by witnesses.
"Done 3d of August, at Fort Amsterdam, in New Nether-
land,
"CORNELIUS VAN DER HOYKEN, "DAVIDY PIETTERSEN DE VRIES,
"In presence of me,
(As witnesses.)
"CORNELIUS VAN THENHOVEN, Secretary."
About this time a slave averaged sixteen dollars, a horse fifty pounds, a pair of oxen forty pounds and a good cow thirty pounds, while during harvest the day's wages of a laborer were thirty cents.
Dr. Van der Donck was certainly one of the most pictur- esque figures of our early settlement. We learn that in 1646 an Indian sachem, Tacharew, granted lands in Neperhaem, to one Adriaen Van Der Donck. But being a truc Dutchman what he wanted was "that indispensable requisite of a Dutch farm- a salt meadow." This he succeeded in finding in the level marshes just above King's Bridge, described as "a flat with some convenient meadows about it," and this he at once ob- tained both by a further grant from Kieft and by a purchase from the Indians. On the ancient corn ground of the ludians he laid out his "Bouwerie" or farm, including a "planting ground," extending from what are now the Colonial Gardens in Van Cortlandt Park up to the heights above, and from Broad- way (the old Albany Post Road) to and possibly beyond Van Cortlandt Lake on the east.
Van der Donck's land became known as "Colen Donck," or
Donck's colony. The entire patroonship of Van der Donck afterwards became known as "De Jonkheer's Land," or "De Jonkheer's," signifying the estate of the young lord or jonk- heer. From this is easily traced the present name of the City of Yonkers. "On the flat just behind the present grove of locust trees, north of the old mill, he built his farmhouse, with his planting field on the plain, extending to the southerly end of Vault Hill." Most likely the residence that Van der Donck began to build before his departure for Holland in 1649 was on that very plain, and its location was a short distance north of the old Van Cortlandt Mills.
Many interesting tales are recorded about this Van der Donck. He wrote a:
"BESCHRYVING
van "NIEUVY-NEDERLANDT"
Beschreven door ADRIAEN_vander DONCK.".
Following is the translation of the entire title page:
"Description of New Netherland, Comprising the Character, Situation, and Fertility of the Said Country ; and also the Man- ners and Peculiar Qualities of the Wild Men or Natives of the Land. And a Separate Account of the Wonderful Character and Ilabits of the Beavers . . . Described by Adriaen Van der Donck, Doctor in Both Laws, Who at present is still in New Netherland."
A few quotations from Van der Donck's book may prove of interest :
"Buffaloes are tolerable plenty. These animals must keep towards the southwest, where few people go." In March, 1647, "the whales swam up the (Hudson) river forty (Dutch) miles, from which place one of them returned and stranded about twelve miles from the sea, near which place four others also stranded the same year.
"I have been frequently told by the Mohawk Indians that far in the interior parts of the country there were animals, which were seldom seen, of the size of horses, with cloven hoofs, having one horn in the forehead . . . and because of their fleetness and strength they were seldom caught or en- snared. The deer are incredibly numerous in this country. Al- though the Indians kill many thousands throughout the year. and the wolves also destroy many, still the land abounds with them everywhere, and their numbers appear to remain un- diminished."
Van der Donck enjoyed the distinction of being the very first lawyer to practise in the Colony of the New World. In Court the judges "agreed to allow Lawyer Van der Donck to give advice, but forbade him to plead on the novel ground that there was no other lawyer in the colony to oppose him."
In 1655 Van der Donck, the Patroon, died. and in that year occurred a serious massacre by the Indians of the residents of the outlying settlements, that compelled the others to seek the walls of Fort Amsterdam for protection. We can look back, "through the lenses of history," and see the early Dutch settlers, dressed in their quaint costumes, surrounded by the usual crowd of Indians, conversing with them. not in broken English. but in broken Dutch. 'AAs the wood-choppers swung their axes, the trees came rustling, crackling. crashing, thundering down. The white chips flew in every direction as the beams were hewn!"
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CHAPTER IV
THE SETTLEMENT OF WESTCHESTER
Thomas Pell-His Deed of Westchester-St. Peter's Church-The Old Bowne House and Other Old Houses
Among the early settlers who came to this region may be classed Thomas Pell, after whom the beautiful Pelham Bay Park takes its name. A curious fact led him to make his home in what was then the remote wilderness north of the Hutchin- son River. He had come from Connecticut in 1654, and after obtaining a deed from the Indian sachems Maminepoe and Annhoocg his first thought was to seek a site for a dwelling place. He had seen fish-hawks nesting in the great oaks and chestnuts near Pelham Neck. Now he was a great believer in the fact that where this kind of bird nested, there good luck would come. So he built his house, as I have been told, on the east side of the Eastern Boulevard, almost in front of the pres- ent immense Bartow Mansion, and just above the Split Rock Road. Another authority places the "Old Pell House" "just over the brow of Prospect Hill and in full view of the Boston Post Road."
It need not be mentioned that the word Pelham is made up of two others, Pell and ham (home.) The story runs that John Pell. the second Lord of the Manor and nephew of Thomas Pell, had been confined to his bed for years with rheu- matism. One day, much to his amazement, a slave came run- ning into his room shouting that there was a mad dog running loose. Rheumatism or not, it produced a magical effect on the invalid. Jumping from his bed, he displayed wonderful agility. in climbing the stairs to escape the enraged beast and we learn that the cure was permanent, although the mad dog story was nothing but a hoax, gotten up to frighten the slave.
But to turn to Thomas Pell's deed of Westchester: On No- vember 14, 1654. Thomas Pell purchased from the Indian chief- tains, Maminepoe and Annhoocg and five other braves, "all that tract of land called Westchester, which is bounded on the east by a brook, called Cedar Tree Brook or Gravelly Brook, and so running northward as the said brook runs into the woods about eight English miles, thence west to . . . Bronck's River to a certain bend in the said river, thence by marked trees south until it reaches the tide waters of the Sound . . . together with all the islands lying before that tract."
A few days before the execution of Pell's deed from the Indians, on the fifth of November, 1654, we learn that English settlers had begun to put in an appearance in Westchester. An old record tells us :
"Whereas a few English are beginning a settlement at no great distance from our_ outposts, on lands long since bought and paid for, near Vredcland." an interdict was ordered sent to them by the council and director-general of New Nether- land, asking them not to proceed further, and commanding then: to leave the spot. One of the very first acts of the English
colonists was to nail to a prominent tree the arms of the Parlia- ment of England.
Soon afterwards the English dwelling there were firm in al- legiance to the Dutch rule, although practicing the English form of worship, as we find by the following entry :
"31 December. (1656)-After dinner Cornelius Van Ruyven went to see their mode of worship, as they had yet no preacher. There I found a gathering of about fifteen men and ten or twelve women. Mr. Baly said the prayer, after which one Robert Bassett read from a printed book a sermon composed by an English clergyman in England. After the reading Mr. Baly gave out another prayer and sang a psalm, and they all sep- arated."
One of the landmarks of Westchester is St. Peter's Church, the front portion of whose property has been unfortunately diminished by the widening of the street in front. The pres- ent building is the fourth of the series, the first having been
St. Peter's Church. W'estchester
erected in 1700. In that year the trustees met and resolved "to build a church twenty-eight feet square, with a terret on top." I: cost the then large sum of forty pounds, and stood on the old "Town Green." close to the former County Court House. about on the site of the present Sunday School building. The congregation increased ; its members were ambitions, and in 1;62 they took the important step of securing from King George Ill a charter, styled :
"The Royal Charter of St. Peter's Church, in the Bor- ough Town of West Chester."
To proceed with the history of this church-the second edifice, nich larger and more imposing, was built ninety year- later, in 1700, at the increased cost of 36 pounds. The year isst beheld a sad sight in Westchester-St. Peter's a smoking
SCENE ON BRONX RIVER IN BRONX PARK
13
HISTORY OF BRONX BOROUGH
and blackened ruin. Nothing daunted, however, the parishioners in the following year erected a new and more modern edifice, which was fated only to fall a second victim to the pitiless flames.
The St. Peter's of to-day is of solid stone, as imposing without as it is beautiful within. To the landed possessions of the church, close to the parsonage, is added a portion of the" "Ancient Glebe," given by the town in 1703, and otherwise styled the "Parsonage land," while an adjacent roadway bears the appropriate name of "Glebe Avenue."
Westchester was the ancient "Vredeland" of the Dutch, a term signifying "Free land," or Land of Peace. Another name was Oostdorp, or Eastern Village, perhaps to distinguish it from the "West Farms," further to the westward.
Westchester, although a portion of New York City, still re- tains ies countrified aspect, and a number of ancient houses are still to be found close to that modern means of transportation, the trolley car. One of these is the shingle-sided. old-fashioned house, once so well known as the country store of S. B. Bowne & Son, close to Westchester Creek. This is said to have been a sales-place for almost anything under the sun. Some young men, to annoy the storekeeper, who was a staunch old Quaker, once asked him if he had in stock such a thing as a pulpit. With great slowness of speech, the Quaker settled the question by saying to his assistant: "If thee will go up in the garret, thee will find Parson Wilkins' old pulpit behind the chimney."
Another landmark of Westchester, once located on Main Street, was an ancient stone building, erected over 100 years ago by Captain Bowne, who brought the stones used for its construction in his sailing vessel from England. The old house is said to have been intended for a bank, but it was never used for that purpose. The first drug store in Westchester was located herc.
Under the shadow of St. Peter's spire lies the venerable church-yard, dating as far back as the very first settlement of the village and numbering amongst its interments many of West-
chester's most illustrious dead. One or two of the inscriptions may here be quoted :
Here lyeth the body of WILLIAM (BAILY) QUERY, ESQ., aged 50 years B. P. O. 172 ;. II. 1718
Deceased, March 27th, 1702 In memory of PHILIP HONEYWELL, ESQ., Died on the 8th day of September, 1813, In the 53d year of liis, age. He was an active character during the Revolu- tionary War. He lived respected, and died regretted.
Near . St. Peter's burying-ground is the Ferris graveyard. also -known as the Pasture Hill Burying Ground, in which are the family vaults of Benjamin Ferris, also numerous head- stones to the Pell family.
Many of the monuments and gravestones in line with the new grade of the avenue have been removed to other cente- teries. The handsome monument to George Townsend Adee. whose name appears on the "three-keyed bells" in St. Peter's tower, now stands in Woodlawn Cemetery, near Central Ave- nue, not far from the southern entrance.
Until recently, the ancient Orthodox Quaker Meeting ITouse, built in 1723, and afterwards occupied by the Hicksire party, stood a short distance south of the church. while neas !; opposite was that of the Orthodox Friends. built in 18=8 Both within a few years have been burned to the ground ani. as rumor gocs, on the same night. Just beyond flows Indian Brook, on whose banks the celebrated Gorge Fox is said to have addressed the first Quaker mecting ever held in America.
On the opposite side of Westchester Road St. Boniface': Inn used to display this curious inscription :
"No Really Destitute Person Need Pass This House Hungry."
CHAPTER V
EASTCHESTER
St. Paul's Church and Churchyard-The Vincent-Halsey House-Reid's Mill-Mill Lane
To describe the whole of Eastchester is a difficult under- taking, as a portion of it lies within the Borough of the Bronx, while the northern part is outside of the city. The best way, therefore, is to go beyond the exaet limits of this work, and tell of Old Eastchester as a whole, disregarding the northern boundary of the city.
If any one should ask what is the most eonspieuous land- mark in all Eastehester, he would at once be told "St. Paul's Church." One glanee at the massive stone tower, with the date of erection (1765) quaintly earved over the doorway, one look at the well filled graveyard, containing six thousand bodies, lying peacefully asleep, one of them said to be petrified. and a Single examination of the unique interior. with its strange col-
been buried during the war of the Revolution for safekeeping. dug up afterwards and restored again to the church. One thing about the great prayer book eannot fail to attract attention. This is the place where is printed, in large antique type, the prayer for King George. Just after the Revolution the rector, whose sentiments were far from being with the royal family across the seas, pasted a strip of paper across the King's name, writ- ing in its place that of George Washington. To-day these strips have been torn away, showing the page as originally printed, but the stubs are still to be seen where the patriotic rector showed his honor for the first American President.
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