USA > New York > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 10
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The place where they crossed Tippets Brook is still known as Indian Bridge, and an opening in the Cortlandt woods yet bears the name of Indian Field, and there the dead were buried. It is said that the spirit of the sachem still haunts the field of his last battle, and that the sound of his war cry still rises on the midnight air, and greets the ear of the belated traveller as he treads on his lonely way.
From that time the Wappingers ceased to have a name in his- tory. A few scattered remnants still remained, and as late as 1811, a small band had their dwelling place on a low tract of land by the side of a brook, under a high hill, in the northern part of the town of Kent,' but all that remained of them have long since passed away, and the place that knew them once will know them no more forever.
A person who stands on the high land in Carmel, south of Lake Gleneida, sees far to the northwest, three lofty mountains that tower above all the country round. To the middle peak, which is the highest, we have given the name of the last Sachem of the tribe that once ruled all the lands that can be seen from its highest summit: and we trust that in honor of his valor, and of the faith sealed with his blood, on the field where he fought for the liberty of America, it will bear to all future time the name of Mount Nimham.
1The site of this village is on the farm of Isaiah Booth, about half a mile south of the Putnam county road, near the west line of Lot 5.
CHAPTER VI.
CONFISCATION AND SALE OF THE SHARES OF THE PATENT BELONGING TO SUSANNAH ROBINSON AND MARY PHILIPSE.
S EVERAL years previous to the death of her father, Susan- nah Philipse was united in marriage to Col. Beverly Robinson, and the mansion built by him and still standing on the shores of the Hudson has ever been an object of interest and curiosity, as associated with one of the most important episodes in the history of Putnam county. Her sister, Mary Philipse, if any reliance can be placed upon the testimony of tradition and the description of her contemporaries, must have been one of the most beautiful and fascinating women of her time, and numbered among her worshiping adorers no less a personage than the illustrious Washington. Her heart and hand were at length won by Col. Roger Morris, a gentleman of ex- cellent family, and who as an aide to the ill-fated Braddock had distinguished himself, and was among the wounded in the bat- tle of the Monongahela. Previous to their marriage an ante nuptial contract was executed, and her extensive landed estate was provided for by the following Instrument:
"This Indenture made the fourteenth day of January in the thirty first year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ire- land King Defender of the ffaith, &c. and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty eight, Between Mary Philipse of the first part Major Roger Morris of the sec- ond part and Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson of the third part Witnesseth that in consideration of a Marriage in- tended to be had and solemnized between the said Roger Mor- ris and Mary Philipse and the Settlement herein after made by the said Roger Morris on the said Mary Philipse, and for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings Current Money of
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the Province of New York by the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson to her the said Mary Philipse at or before the ensealing and Delivery of these Presents well and Truly paid, the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and for di- vers other Good Causes and Considerations her thereunto moving, She the said Mary Philipse Hath Granted Bargained Sold Released and Confirmed and by these Presents Doth Grant Bargain Sell Release and Confirme unto the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson (in their actual possession now being by virtue of a Bargain and Sale to them thereof made for one whole Year, by Indenture bearing date the Day next be fore the day of the Date of these Presents and by force of the Statute for Transferring of uses into possession) and to their Heirs All those Severall Lotts or Parcels of Land known by the Severall names of Lot Number Three, Number Five, and Num- ber Nine, and one third part of the Meadow Land lying in Lot Number Two which Lotts Number Three Five Nine and two are part of a Certain Tract or Parcel of Land Granted unto Adolph Philipse since Deceased by his Late Majesty King William the third by his Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Province of New York bearing Date the Seventeenth day of June in the Year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety seven, scituate lying and being in Dutchess County in the high lands on the East side of Hudsons River and are Butted and Bounded as follows to wit, Lot Number three beginning at two hemlock bushes Standing in a Gully between Bull and break neck hills on the East side of Hudsous River and from thence running North seventy seven Degrees East three hundred and eighty-six chains to a heap of stones and walnut bush marked P. R. 1753 Standing in the West Line of Lot Number four and is also the North East Corner of Lot Number two, then North ten degrees East two hundred and twenty eight chains to a heap of Stones thirty Links North of a White Oak Tree marked P. 1753 being the Northwest Corner of Lot Number four, then South eighty seven degrees West four hundred and eight chains to the Mouth of the Fish kill from thence down the Several Courses of Hudsons River to the Beginning including Pollaples Island, containing about Eight thousand six hundred Acres. Lot Num- ber Five beginning at a heap of stones in the Line of the Man- nor of Courtlandt at the South East Corner of Lot Number Four, then North ten degrees East nine hundred and forty seven
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GENERAL HISTORY.
chains to a heap of Stones at the North East Corner of Lot four, then North eighty seven degrees East three hundred and forty four chains to a heap of Stones which is the North West Corner of Lot Number six, then South ten Degrees West along the Line of Lot Number six Nine hundred and sixty Chains to a heap of Stones on the Line of the Mannor of Courtlandt at the South West Corner of Lot Number six, then West along the Line of the Mannor of Courtlandt three hundred and forty Chains to the Beginning Containing about thirty one thousand two hundred Acres. Lot Number Nine Beginning at a hemlock Tree standing on the South side of the East branch of Croton River and a heap of Stones on the North side which is also the South East Corner of Lot Number six in the Line of the Man- nor of Courtlandt from thence running North ten degrees East three hundred and thirty three Chains to a heap of Stones and a walnut Tree markt P. R. 1753 on the South side of the hill near an old meeting house in the Line of Lot Number six, being the south west corner of Lot number eight then east along the line of Lot Number Eight three hundred and thirty-seven Chains to a Chesnut bush markt P. R. 1753 Stand- ing in the oblong Line on the West side of a Rocky hill which is the South East Corner of Lot Number eight, then Southerly as the Oblong line runs three hundred and thirty three Chains to the North East Corner of the Mannor of Courtlandt in Peach Pond, then West along the said Mannor of Courtlandt three hundred and thirty six Chains to the Beginning, Containing about Eleven thousand two hundred and twenty Acres and the one third part of the Meadow Land lying in Lot Number Two Beginning five chains from the upland upon Danfords Creek, and running to Crooked Creek five Chains from the upland then down Crooked Creek to the Meadow belonging to lot number one, then North West to Martlers Rock, then along the upland the North side of little Island in the Meadow to the Mouth of Danfords Creek then up the said Creek to the Beginning Con- taining about Eighty two Acres. And also All and Singular the Lands Tenements Hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever of her the said Mary Philipse. And also all the Estate Right Title Interest Possession Claim and Demand what- soever of her the said Mary Philipse of in and to all and Singu- lar the said Lotts or Parcels of land above mentioned and De- scribed and all and Singular her other Lands Tenements Hered-
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
itaments and real Estate whatsoever or any part or parcel thereof with the appurtenances To have and to hold all and Singular the said several Lots of land herein before mentioned or intended to be hereby Released and all and Singular other the Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate whatso- ever of her the said Mary Philipse with their and every of their members and appurtenances unto the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson and their Heirs To and for the several uses intents and purposes herein after declared expressed, limited, and appointed and to and for no other use intent and purpose whatsoever, that is to say, to and for the use and behoof of them the said Johanna Philipse & Beverly Robinson and their Heirs until the solemnization of the said Intended Marriage, and from and immediately after the solemnization of the said Intended Marriage then to the use and behoof of the said Mary Philipse and Roger Morris and the Survivor of them for and during the Term of their natural lives without Impeach- ment of Waste, and from and after the determination of that Estate then to the use and behoof of such child or children as shall or may be procreated between them, and to his her or their Heirs and Assigns forever, but in case the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse shall have no child or children begotten be. tween them, or that such child or children shall happen to die during the life time of the said Roger and Mary and the said Mary should survive the said Roger without issue, then to the use & behoof of her the said Mary Philipse and her Heirs and Assigns forever, and in case the said Roger Morris should sur- vive the said Mary Philipse without any issue by her or that such issue is then dead without leaving issue then after the de- cease of the said Roger Morris to the only use and behoof of such Person or Persons and in such manner and form as she the said Mary Philipse shall at any time during the said intended Marriage devise the same by her Last Will and Testament for that purpose, which last Will and Testament it is hereby agreed by all the parties of these Presents that it shall be lawful for her at any time during the said Marriage to make publish and declare, the said Marriage or any thing herein contained to the Contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. Provided Nevertheless and it is the true intent and meaning of the Parties to these Presents that it shall and may be Lawful to and for the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse jointly at any
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time or times during the said Marriage to Sell and Dispose of any part of the said Several Lots or Parcels of Land or of any other her Lands Tenements Hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever to the value of three thousand Pounds Current Money of the Province of New York, and in case the said sum of three thousand Pounds be not raised by such Sale or Sales during their joint Lives and they have issue between them that then it shall be Lawful for the survivor of them to raise the said Sum by the Sale of any Part of the said Lands or such deficien- cy thereof as shall not then have been already raised there- ont so as to make up the said full sum of three thousand pounds anything hereinbefore contained to the contrary there- of in any wise notwithstanding. And the said Roger Morris for and in Consideration of the premises and the sum of five shillings Current Money of the Province of New York to him in hand paid by the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robin- son Doth hereby for himself his Heirs, Executors and Admin- istrators Covenant Promise Grant and agree to and with the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson their and each of their Heirs Executors and Administrators in manner and form following that is to say, that in case the said Mary Philipse shall survive him the said Roger Morris, that then & in such case immediately after his Death all & singular the Monies and personal Estate whatsoever lie shall die possessed shall be ac- counted the proper monies and Estate of the said Mary Philipse during her Natural Life, and after her Decease in case there be no issue begotten between the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse then living that then the said Monies and Personal Estate shall and may be had and taken by the Executors and Administrators of the said Roger Morris these Presents or any thing herein Contained to the Contrary thereof in any wise not- withstanding, but if such Child or Children shall survive the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse then the said monies and estate to be divided among them in such Shares and Propor- tions as he the said Roger Morris shall think fit at any time hereafter by his Last Will and Testament or otherwise to order and direct.
"In witness whereof all the parties first above named have to these Parts hereof all of the same Tenor and Date set their Hands and Seals the Date and Year first above written.
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
" MARY PHILIPSE. (L. S.)
" ROGER MORRIS. (L. S.)
" JOHANNA PHILIPSE. (L. S.)
" BEV. ROBINSON. (L. S.)"
Recorded in Secretary of State's office, Albany, Liber 20, p. 550.
Five days after the execution of this instrument, on the 19th of January, 1758, Col. Morris and Mary Philipse were married in the old Manor House at Yonkers, with all the pomp and splendor that was worthy of their station and suited to their circumstances. The greater portion of their time was passed in the city of New York, and the place where they lived is well known in modern times as the famous Jumel man- sion, within whose walls have congregated alike the noted men of the early days of the republic and the distinguished char- acters of more recent times. At the time of the commencement of the Revolution, Col. Morris was a member of Council for the colony, and continued in office till the close of the war and the declaration of peace put a final end to British rule and estab- lished a new nation. As a more extended sketch of Col. Robin- son and Col. Morris will be found in another place, it is suffic- ient to state that both were among the most prominent of the royalists, who throughout the war, supported the efforts of the British government to crush the liberties of their native land. Under these circumstances it can not be surprising, that when the final triumph came, the State should deem unworthy of its protection the persons and the property of those who had ad- hered to the cause of the enemies of its freedom.
It was in accordance with this view that an act of attainder was passed confiscating the property of the most prominent of the royalists, and banishing them from the State:
"An act for the forfeiture and sale of the estates of persons who have adhered to the enemies of this State, etc., passed Oc- tober 22d, 1779:
" Whereas, during the present unjust and cruel war waged by the King of Great Britain against the State and the other United States of America, divers persons holding or claiming property within this State, have voluntarily been adherent to the said King, his fleets and armies, enemies to this State, and the said other United States, with intent to subvert the govern-
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GENERAL HISTORY.
ment and liberties of this State and the said other United States and to bring the same in subjection to the Crown of Great Britain; by reason whereof, the said persons having severally justly forfeited all right to the protection of this State, and to the benefit of the laws under which such property is held or claimed: And whereas the public justice and safety of this State absolutely require, that the most notorious offenders should be immediately hereby convicted and attainted of the offence aforesaid in order to work a forfeiture of their respec- tive estates and vest the same in the people of this State.
" And whereas the Constitution of this State hath authorized the Legislature to pass acts of attainder for crimes committed before the termination of the present war.
"Section 1. Be it therefore enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that William Tryon, Esq., late Governor of the said Colony, * * Roger Morris, . * * Mary Morris, wife of said Roger Morris, * * Beverley Robinson, * * Susannah Robinson, wife of said Beverley Robinson, be, and each of them are hereby severally declared to be ipso facto convicted and attainted of the offense aforesaid, and that all and singular the estate, both real and personal, held or claimed by them the said persons severally and respectively, whether in possession, reversion or remainder, within this State, on the date of the passage of the act, shall be, and hereby is declared to be forfeited to, and vested in, the people of this State."
By the provisions of this act John Hathorn, Samuel Dodge and Daniel Graham were appointed commissioners to sell con- fiscated and forfeited estates. Under the power given to them by this act, they proceeded to the sale. In a large number of cases, in fact a majority, the lands were sold to the parties who were already in possession of the various farms, as tenants of Beverly Robinson and Roger Morris, by the right of their respective wives. On the 12th day of May, 1781, another act was passed " for the speedy sale of confiscated and forfeited estates and for other purposes." By this act, Daniel Graham, one of the former commissioners, was appointed a sole commis- sioner for sales in the middle district. He employed Henry Dodge, Esq., of Poughkeepsie, as surveyor to assist in the work, who stated at a later date that "he was a long time em-
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
ployed and formed a field book of at least a quire of paper, completely filled with descriptions of the parcels disposed of by Mr. Graham."
This field book and every trace of the proceedings of Mr. Graham as sole commissioner were lost and have never been found.
The Legislature, in 1819, passed a concurrent resolution: " Re- solved that the Surveyor General cause to be surveyed and as- certained the lands forfeited to the people of this State by the attainder of Robert Morris and Mary his wife situated in the former County of Dutchess and now in the Counties of Dutch- ess and Putnam, claimed by John Jacob Astor and others, and that he also ascertain whether any and which of the said lands so forfeited and claimed remains unsold by or under the author. ity of this State, and that he report thereon to the Legislature at their next Session."
In accordance with this the surveyor general appointed Henry Livingston his agent to obtain the requisite information. He engaged as surveyors Mr. James Dodge, of Poughkeepsie, and Mr. Samuel Thurston, of Clinton, and they with six assistants met on Lot No. 3, on the 2d of August, 1819, and finished their surveys on the 16th. The report which he made to the surveyor general conveys a very extended information on the subject, and states, " I caused the exterior limits of Lots 3-5-9 with every open highway and all the ponds to be carefully surveyed and the maps designated every house and the name of its occupant." The sales made by the three commissioners first named were en- tered in a book in abstract. The abstract gives the name of the purchaser, the price paid, the date, the name of the person by whose attainder it became forfeited, and a full description of the land by the courses and distances of survey. This book is Liber 8, of the Record of Deeds, in the office of the clerk of Dutchess county. The first page, which is mutilated by having about one-third torn off, contains a formal deed to one David Collins. On the last page of the book is the following:
"The foregoing is a true abstract of the sales of forfeited estates made by us the subscribers Commissioners of Forfeiture for the Middle District, in the County of Dutchess, in the State of New York, pursuant to the directions of sundry laws, of the said State in that case made and provided."
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GENERAL HISTORY.
"New York 30th August 1788.
" JOHN HATHORN, Commissioners of
" SAML. DODGE, Forfeiture for the
" DANL. GRAHAM, Middle District."
The following list is taken from the report of Henry Living- ston to the surveyor general. It seems that formal deeds were given to the various purchasers, many of which have been put on record in the offices of the clerks of both Putnam and Dutch- ess counties, and abstracts alone were entered as stated, in Liber 8 of Deeds.
" Sales of land in Lot No. 5, of Philipse Patent, belonging to Roger Morris and his wife Mary :- Wm. Smith land near Red Mills, 32 acres; Wm. Smith The Red Mills including the large Island, 188, 172, 71, 314; John Drake, 262; Abraham Hyatt, 70; Joseph Gregory, 279; John Crane, 164; John Berry, 50; Joshua Horton, 262; Jehiel Bouton, 189; Isaac Pierce, 126; James Cock (small island), 6; Josiah Faulkner, 43; John Avery, 159; John De Clare, 89; Charles F. Weisenfels, 137; John Berry and John McLean, 141; John Oakley, 111; Joseph and Daniel Cole, 230; John Dearman, 72; David Smith, 318; Nathaniel Nott, 98; Ebenezer Cole, 36; Isaac Requa, 130; Isaac Lounsberry, 202; Jonathan Stokum, 97; Charles Agor, 94; Isaac Rhodes, 221; Hannah Brewer, 89; Thomas Bryant, 129; Isaac Rhodes, 221; Hannah Brewer, 89; Elisha Cole, 117, 396; Isaac Barrett, 121; Isaac Austin, 92; Nathan Lane, 278; John Smith, 70; John O' Brien, 210; Ebenezer Boyd, 71, 98, 8, 157; David Frost, 168; John Booth, 128; Thomas Horton, 160; Abraham Mabie, 187; Joseph Farrington, 141; Josiah Farrington, 310; Justus Berrit, 130; Joseph Ogden, 34; John Russell, 39; Samuel Hunt, 117; James Townsend, 352; Wm. Haddon, 138; Jeremiah Sprague, 98; Amy Haight, 96; Ebenezer Boyd, 461, 110, 220, 400; Isaac Rhodes, 32; Peter Badeau, 217; Jabez Berry, 188; Peter Mabie, 105; Peter Mabie, 68; Peleg and Shubael Wixom, 193; Israel Pinckney, 144; Comfort Chadwick, 68; Abner Doty, 90; James Cock, 131; Wm. Hitchcock, 178; Peter Banker, 149; John Gean, 194; John Crane and others, 360; Charles Serrine, 198; Joseph Gregory, 130; John Merritt, 94; Tho. & Zebedee Kirkland, 336; James Serrine, 111; Charles Heroy, 112; John Adams, 90; Robert Hughson, 363; Daniel Knapp, 162; Robert Russell, 62; John Secor, 124; Isaac Secor, 124; Moses Knapp, 230; Timothy Carver, 355; Abigail Clark, 132; Ebenezer Lockwood, 144; Isaac
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Badeau, 94; John Requa, 132; Isaac Hopkins, 13; Israel Knapp, 120; Solomon Hopkins, 341; Benj. Knapp, 127; Wm. Hitch- cock, 26; Solomon Hopkins, 220, 82; Samuel Ballard, 54; Wm. Ballard, 93; Isaac Drew, 187; Comfort Chadwick, 117; James Smalley, 232; Moses Mead, 256; Samuel Hawkins, 100; John Post, 81; Johnston Deakin, 230; Joseph Farrington, 160; Robert Fuller, ; Peter. Anderson, 250; John Beyea, 132; Thomas Russell, 166; Wm. Goodfellow, 66; John Russell, 39; Samuel Morger, 211; Jesse Hunt, 163; Wm. Falconer (island), 1. "Sales in Lot. No. 9: Ebenezer Philipse, 162; Ezra Gregory, 106; Jonathan Brown, 351; Jonathan Crane, 125; Edmond Mead, 218; Charles Graham, 316; Philip Leek, 129; Moody Howes, 259; James Sackett, 138; Isaac Townsend, 156; Seth Paddock, 293; Nathan Green, 269; Thomas Lowrie, 119; Silas Paddock, 174; John Gove, 237; Timothy Delavan, 106; Benj. and Enoch Crosby, 276, 103; Stephen Field, 405; Maurice Smith, 206; Nathaniel Delavan, 228; Ezra Richards, 187; Jacob Ellis, 146; Peleg Bailey, 123; Wm. Yeomans, 122; John Crab, 143; Joseph Haskins, 174; John Gannung, 178; Gilbert Haight, 48; Wm. Field, 100; Billy Trowbridge, 287; Samuel Delevan, 112; James Dunn, 30; Abel Van Scoy, 120; Jacob Van Scoy, 88; John Davis, 116; Sylvanus Covert, 49; Gilbert Haight, 64; Mahar Nelson, 132; Wm. Higby, 128; Henry Charlick, 383; Ichabod Marvin, 74; Thomas Adams, 270; Thomas Russells, 166; Richard Williams, 109; Joseph Randall, 221; Samuel Carle, 270; Frederick Pickney, 29; Wm. Lovelace, 107; Moses Rich- ards, 177; Mary Haines, 301; John Platt, 100; Edmond Rice, 284; David Paddock, 304; Hannah Nickerson, 229; Nehemiah Wood, 147: John Field, 354; Uriah Wallace, 69; Jeremiah Mead, 111; David Cowen, 92; John Townsend, 100; John Dan, 99; Isaac Paddock, 153; Moses Gage, 97; John Dickinson and David Bull, 17; John Dickinson, 210; Heman King, 284; Michael Platt, 167; Solomon Field, 267; Caleb Palmer, 75; Consider Carman, 180; Samuel Hawkins, 27; Richard Ayres, 200; Robert Shaw, 190; Abel Van Scoy, 76; Samuel Jones, 194; David Por- ter, 190; Jacob Kniffen, 260; Zacheus Newcomb, 165; Henry Charlick, 171; Daniel Hunt, 8; Ichabod Marvin, 100.
" Sales made in Lot 3 of Roger Morris: Jonathan Pine, 240; Maurice Smith, 142; John Haight, 256; Wm. Wright, 125; Cor- nelins Adriance, 212; Joseph Huestis, 296; Benjamin Bloomer, 4604; Gilbert Bloomer, 2988; John Barton, 1081; Charity Hues-
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