USA > New York > Putnam County > History of Putnam County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 59
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The original deeds are now in possession of the Philipse family, at Garrison's. The lands lie along the Oblong, in the northeast part of the patent and most of them are east of Cro- ton River, and include the farm lying north of Cowl's Corners, as far as the patent line.
Among the old documents which are remaining, as relics of the past, is a lease, written and signed by Beverly Robinson, the original owner in the right of his wife, Susannah Philipse, of all the north part of the present town of Patterson. This lease, dated December 30th, 1769, granted to Dennis Wright, of Fredericksburg, "All that certain farm sitnate in Fredericks- burg, being part of a farm described in a map and Return Book made by Jonathan Hampton, as Farm Number 8 of Lot No. 7, Beginning at a white oak tree, standing on the Oblong line, and is James Calkins southeast corner. From thence west 9 chains to a stake, then south 70 degrees west, 11 chains to a stake, then north 14 degrees east, 9 chains to a stake, thence North 28 degrees East 4 chains, then North 37 degrees East, 15 chains, then North 7 degrees 30 minutes East, 17 chains to a stake in Benjamin Chase's line, then along Chase's line west 49 chains 69 links to the northeast corner of Benjamin Gifford's, then along Gifford's, and Alexander Grant's line south 6 degrees 30
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minutes west, 34 chains 90 links, then south 24 degrees 30 minutes west 25 chains 49 links, to a stake which is a corner of David Calkins, then south 68 degrees East 33 chains 70 links to a beech sapling standing on the west side of a saw mill brook, and on the east side of the road, then running along David Calkins and Reuben Close's line, to the said Close's Corner, in David Aiken's line, then east along said Aikin's line to the Oblong line, and then along the Oblong line to the beginning, Containing 426 acres."
The lease reserved all mines and minerals, and all mill priv- ileges. The term of the lease was during the life of Dennis Wright, who was at the time 58 years old, and for the lives of his two children, Dennis, jr., aged 8 years, and Barsheba, aged 5. The annual rent was to be "113 Spanish milled pieces of eight," and the tenant was to set out three hundred apple trees "of good fruit." This place appears to have passed, after the Revolution, into the possession of Asa Haynes, and was generally known as the " old Asa Haynes place." It was purchased from his heirs by Murray Aiken, who married his daughter, Lucy, and it is now owned by his descendants. The original north boundary is now the south line of the farm of Gilbert Tabor (which is generally considered the county line), and whose farm was the "land of James Calkins " at the time of the lease. The old homestead of the Aiken family stands near the brook, close to the Oblong line.
"General List of all Dwelling Houses, which with the out houses appurtenances thereto and the Lots on which the same are erected (not exceeding two acres in any case) were owned, pos- sessed or occupied on the first day of Oct., 1798, in the town of Franklin, Sixth subdivision being within the first assessment District, in the fourth Division, in the State of New York, ex- ceeding in value the sum of one hundred dollars:
" Daniel Aiken, John Ambler, Enoch Ambler, Benj. Bene- dict, John Birdsall, Phineas Baker, Avery Baker, Dr. Richard S. Bryan, Elisha Brown, Stephen Barnum, Gideon Baxter, Wm. Burnes, Jacob Bustick, Isaac Beech, Augur Beech, David Bar- num, Joseph Boughton, James Baker, George Bustick, Lewis Burtin, Thomas Birdsall, Silas Burch, Daniel Burch, James Birdsall, David Burch, Joel W. Church, Reuben Crosby, Abner Crosby, Eli Crosby, Moses Crosby, James Crosby Isaac Crosby, Edward Crosby, Benj. Cowl, Aaron Coe, Thomas Crosby, Samuel
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
Colwell, Solomon Crane, Stephen Crosby, Samuel Cornwall, Alexander Douglass, John Douglass, Elijah Dean, Reuben Dean, Nathaniel Delavan, Jabez Elwell, Abner Elwell, Jabez Elwell, Jr., Elijah Fairchild, Charity Foster, Edmond Foster, Lydia Foster, Jonathan Fowler, Andrew Frasier, John Fowler, Jane Fisher, Samuel Aikins, Darius Aikins, Nathaniel Baker, Jacob Burch, James Burton, Silas Burton, Michael Bowsems, John Bradshaw, Azariah Bolt, Joel Church, Peter Delavan, Daniel Flynn, James Fairchild, Elisha Gifford, Wm. McGilland, Abraham Hill, Asabel Hamilton, Josiah Hinckley, James Hays, Jr., Nehemiah Jones, Sarah Jones Elizabeth Jones, Eli Jones, Simon Jennings, Benj. Isaias, Wm. Merritt, John Mulinix, Edward Mooney, James Grant, Thomas Hinckley, Samuel Hic- kock, David Hill, David Hickock, Asa Hanes, John Hinckley, Zebulon Homan, Abel Hodges, Stephen Hurlburt, Stephen Hayt, John Hayt, Samuel Hayt, David Haviland, Ferris Hill, Gamaliel Hickock, David Hickock, Jr., Obadiah Howland, Nath. Haviland, Benj. Haviland, Daniel Haviland, Daniel Havi- land, Jr., Timothy Haviland, Thomas Haviland, Moses Havi- land, Zach. Hinman, Peter Hepburn, Samuel Haviland, Jr., Birdsall Haviland, John Hubbard, James Hartwell, Benj. Isaacs, Nehemiah Jones, Nathaniel Jones, Joseph Jones, Blackleach Jessup, Ezra Jennings, James Kellogg, Enoch Lewis, Elisha Lewis, Stephen Lawrence, Amos Leech, Amos Leech, Jr., Jesse Lane, John McLane, Daniel McLane, Gilbert Merritt, Violet Morrison, Higham Mabee, Martha Newman, Seth Nickerson, Joshua Newbery, Edg. Newbery, Eli Northrup, Isaac Northrup, Seth Nickerson, Jr., Joshua Nickerson, John Olmstead, Benj. Ogden, Medad Palmer, Ebenezer Palmer, -- Phillips, James Phillips, Matthew Paterson, John Pater- son, Simeon Perry, Pat. Stiles, James Parrott, Nath. Richards, Joseph Rogers, Joseph Robertson, Lewis Robertson, Amos Rogers, Martin Robertson, John Sunderland, Jeheiel Stephens. Abijah Starr, Elijah Stone, Uriah Sills, John Stewart, Darius Stone, Mary Sturgis, Jonathan Squires, John Tweedy, Samuel Towner, Peter Terry, Joseph Truesdale, Henry Thomas, Ebenezer Truesdale, James Wright, Elizabeth Watts, Justice Weed, David Mooney, John Miller, Abm. Maybee, Elijah Moor- house, Isachar Nickerson, Wm. Palmer, Nathan Palmer, Ebenezer Palmer, Abner Philips, Stiles Peet, John Robinson, Peter Scot, John Stephens, Wm. Stow, Darius Stone, John
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Toger, Gilbert Turner, Henry Thomas, Hezekiah Wheeley, Jane Watts, Zebulon Washburn, Elijah Wixon, Stephen Yale."
A few years before the Revolution, a number of Scotch fami- lies settled in this vicinity and the names-Paterson, Grant, McLean, Fraser and others frequently appear, but the greater portion of the settlers came from the eastern part of New Eng- land, and a few came from Westchester county. Fredericks- burg village was considered a place of some importance during the Revolution, though there were but few houses there. The story goes that several persons whom the war had driven from New York came to this place. On one occasion they took a fancy to elect a mayor and aldermen, and went through the ceremony of establishing Fredericksburg as a "City." The name seemed to "take" and it was for a long time generally known by that title, and is even now occasionally mentioned as "the City."
Matthew Paterson, after whom the town was named, was a native of Scotland, and came to this country about 1752. He was an officer in the French war, and served under General Abercrombie. After the war, he returned to New York, where he engaged extensively in business. He had intimate business connections with Beverly Robinson, and this was probably the reason of his coming, in 1770, to Fredericksburg, where he held a farm for some years, as a tenant. It is supposed that it was his influence which induced many other Scotch families to settle here. During the whole of his life in this town he was one of its most prominent citizens; and was for many years justice of the peace. During the Revolution he was of great service to the government in many ways, though he took no active part in the war. From 1782 to 1789, he was member of Assembly for Dutchess county. After a long life of nsefulness, Mr. Paterson died February 18th, 1817, in the 85th year of his age, and his remains rest in the village burying ground, by the Presbyterian church, of which he was an active member. Mr. Paterson mar- ried Sarah Thorpe, December 27th, 1761. Their children were: John, born October 3d, 1763, married Sarah Livingston; Martha, born February 28th, 1765, married Samuel Cornwall; James B., born April 17th, 1767; Jean McLean, born January 22d, 1769, married Harry Livingston; Susannah Philipse, born November 20th, 1770, married David McLean; Alexander Kidd, born March 18th, 1773; Matthew, born November 18th, 1775, died
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
October 9th, 1799; Peter N., born November 5th, 1777, died April 8th, 1778; Margaret, born June 1st, 1779, married Stephen Mitchell.
Of these children, John Paterson, the oldest son, was a prom- inent citizen, holding the office of supervisor for many years. He was sheriff of the county in 1820, and member of the Legis- lature in 1804. He died at his residence in the town of Patter- son, November 23d, 1821, in the 58th year of his age. His child- ren removed to the Western States.
Alexander Kidd Paterson married Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Palmer. The greater part of his life was passed in his native town, but in his old age he went to Illinois, where his children resided, and died there.
James Bard Paterson was a prominent business man in New York, where his life was spent. He married Mary, daughter of Col. Charles Wright. Their children were: Matthew C., Robert H. L., James, Alexander H., and Edward S.
The Paterson farm and homestead is one of the few which have continued in the possession of the same family since the Colonial times. It was originally held by Matthew Paterson, as a tenant of Beverly Robinson. After the Revolution, when the estate of Beverly Robinson was confiscated, the commissioners of forfeitures, Samuel Dodge and John Hathorn, sold to Mat- thew Patterson, December 26th, 1781, " All that certain tract of land in Fredericksburg late the property of Beverly Robin- son and Susannah his wife, and now in possession of Matthew Paterson. Beginning at a black ash tree, standing on the bank of Croton river being the Southeast corner of the farm. From thence running South 85 degrees west 36 chains 75 links, to a stake. Thence North 19 degrees East 26 chains 13 links to a stake. Thence Sonth 76 degrees East 31 chains 2 links. Thence S. 2 degrees East 8 chains 17 links thence South 82 degrees East 53 chains 8 links to Croton river, and thence down the river to the place of beginning, Containing 157 acres."
The homestead, with the greater part of the farm, is now owned by the children of Robert H. L. Paterson, who are the present representatives of the family in this town.
The principal roads in the northern portion of the town are : first, the main street of Patterson village, or what was formerly known as the "City Street"; second, the highway running south from the east end of this street, under the hills which
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TOWN OF PATTERSON.
form the eastern bounds of the valley; third, the road running southwesterly from the west end of the street, by the mill, and which is the main road to Carmel. The mill site and land ad- joining are probably the same which were in occupation of Malcom Morrison at the time of the Revolution. In 1777, a committee, appointed by the Provincial Convention, reported that " as a very considerable lodgment of stores in the quarter master's department is formed at Morrison's Mills in Freder- icksburg, to and from which there will be much carriage, a proper farm in its vicinity, for supporting the cattle that may from time to time be employed will be absolutely necessary, and that the farm lately in the occupation of Beverly Robin- son, Jr., will be very convenient for that purpose."
They further suggested that the commissioners of sequestra- tion be directed to lease the farm to the quartermaster general for that purpose. The report was agreed to by the con- vention. The stream the mill stands on has ever been known as the Mill Brook, and runs into Muddy Brook, which is the outlet of Hinckley Pond, and thence into Croton River. The mill, in the latter part of the last century, was owned by Stephen Hayt. On the corner, opposite the mill, on the road to Carmel, stood a block house during the Revolution. East of the mill on the north side of the street, is a house now owned by Mrs. David Kent. This was in the early part of this century the residence of Epenetus Crosby, who kept an inn, and the swinging sign, with its legend, " Accommodation for Man and Beast," was a welcome sight to the weary traveller. On the south side of the road, and next to the Mill Brook, was a piece of land owned by Peter Carley, and bought by him from the commissioners of forfeitures. This piece he sold to John Hayt, the ancestor of the family of that name, who came to this town in 1785, and bought this piece on the 8th of May, and set up a tannery by the side of the brook.
On the corner of the road was a store, kept in 1793 by Joseph and James Rogers, and east of this was a farm, part of which was on the north side of the street, which was owned in 1785 by Humphry Ogden, and sold by him to John Townsend in 1787. This farm was sold by Thomas Townsend to John Hayt April 29th, 1793. It was bounded on the south by the farm of Matthew Paterson, and extended east "to the land of the Presbyterian Society." The house stood on the part north of
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
the road, and is now the home of Mr. Richard S. Hayt. The western end of the house is the same that was standing on the place when purchased in 1793, Dr. Richard S. Bryant was an- other early resident, and was living in 1790 where the present residence of William Merritt stands. North of the Presbyterian church was the house of Ebenezer Weed. Tradition says that this was the first frame house built in this neighborhood. The house of Jacob Stahl now stands on its site. On the south side of the street, a few rods east of the railroad, was the house of Ezra Ayres, who owned a large farm lying on both sides of the road. He was a prominent citizen and supervisor of the town for several terms. The honse of Mr. Edson Sloat is on the site of the old one.
About 80 rods east of the railroad, and on the north side of the street. was the house of Capt. Alexander Kidd, who was a resident here before the Revolution. He was a Scotchman and an intimate friend of Matthew Paterson, who named one of his children after him. He was also a magistrate and a man of means and importance. The house of Lewis G. Pugsley stands on the site of his residence, which was torn down many years ago. In the village burying ground stands the tombstone of Capt. Kidd. Upon it is the representation of a full-rigged ship, and an inscription which records his death in 1806, at the age of 78. Also the following verses :
" By Boreas' blasts and Neptune's waves We were tossed to and fro, Now well escaped from all their rage, We anchor here below.
" Safely we ride in triumph here With many of our fleet; Till the signal calls to weigh again, Our Admiral Christ to meet."
The Delavans, a Huguenot family, lived north of the ceme- tery on a place now owned by Miss Julia Paterson.
The Grant family lived north of Patterson, in the town of Pawling. The head of the family was an officer in the British army and fell at the storming of Fort Montgomery. The tombstones of some of this family are in the village church- yard at Patterson.
At the east end of the street, on the road running south to Cowl's Corners, is a place which is quite noted in local history. This place was originally owned by Elijah Hawley, who sold it
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TOWN OF PATTERSON.
to Samuel Haviland May 6th, 1795. The place was described as "50 acres of land bounded west by Croton River, north by the farm of Samuel Augustus Barker, and east and south by the road," also 50 acres on the east side of the road. Here Samuel Haviland, and his son David after him, kept a tavern, which was a noted resort for many years. A tract of three or four acres on the south side of the road was bought of Ezra Jennings, who owned a large farm and whose dwelling house is still standing (though in the last stages of dilapidation and long since abandoned), about one-eighth of a mile south of the corner. Upon this tract the "General trainings" were held in the old days of militia companies, and here at stated times, troops of home made soldiers, arrayed in motley garb and bear- ing weapons which might have seen service in the Revolution, appeared and were duly " trained " by officers who enjoyed the happiness of a little brief authority. The day concluded with horse racing, and not unfrequently the ceremonies were diversified by fights, brought on through the influence of New England or West India rum, obtained at the neighboring tavern, and which was quite as potent in its effects as the whisky of more modern times. The place was afterward sold to Elisha Aikin, whose son, Anthony Aldrich Aikin, is its present owner. It is now generally known as "Aikin's Cor- ners," and only fond memories remain of the time when the tavern sign swung to and fro and good cheer awaited the traveller.
The road at this place, which runs north to Pawling, and south to Cowl's Corners and beyond, is one of the oldest in the country. It was laid out in 1745, and described as running from Col. Beekman's Patent to Westchester. The farms through which this road runs were all laid out, bounded on the west by Croton River and on the east by the Oblong. At the time when settlements were first made here (which was at a period when the boundary between New York and Connecticut was not clearly defined), the land in the valley was low and swampy, and covered with a thick growth of bushes and trees. For this reason, the first settlers built their houses on the high land to the east, and in walks over these hills, it is no un- common thing to find the foundation stones of dwellings, the memory of which has long since perished, and these and a few bunches of tansy and yellow lilies, perennial plants which
41
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
have long survived the hands that planted them, are all that is left to tell where the mansion stood and
" Where once a garden smiled."
The farm now the homestead of Hon. Henry Mabie, about a mile south of Aikin's Corners, was at the time of the Revo- lution, and for many years previous, the farm of Thomas Men- zies, a magistrate and prominent man in his day, and one of the magnates of the old "Sonth Precinct of Dutchess County." He adhered to the Royal canse during the war and lost his prop- erty like many others. To the north of this was the farm of David Hill, which was sold to him by the commissioners of for- feitures December 2d, 1780. In the deed it is thus described: "Farm No. 13 on the map of Benjamin Morgan, beginning at the Southwest corner of farm 12, now or late in possession of David Aikin and running east 123 chains, to the Oblong, being in breadth north and south 16 chains and 30 links bounded E. by the Oblong, West by Croton river, North by farm 12, South by farm now or late of Thomas Menzies, containing 195 acres except 34 acres leased to Isaiah Aikin." David Hill sold it to Ebenezer Palmer, and it is now owned by his grand- daughter, Miss Caroline Palmer. The farm No. 12 is now owned by the heirs of Henry A. Stephens.
The road that runs up the mountain to the east of the school house runs through the large farm which was leased in 1762 to Dennis Wright as stated before, and seems to have been in pos- session of the Aiken family from very early times. The old homestead of this family is near the Oblong line, and to the east of a small brook. From the summit of a hill near this place a person has a most extensive view of the surrounding region, embracing the valley which forms so important a portion of the town, and the hills which surround it, forming a vast amphi- theatre, while to the north the eye wanders far up into Dutchess county. Near the Aiken homestead is a family burying ground, where many of the past generations rest.
North of the Aiken farm is the one now belonging to Gilbert Tabor and formerly owned by Comfort Field. The south line of this farm is considered the county line, and consequently the farm is in Dutchess county. The road that runs to the northeast, up the hill from Aiken's Corners, is part of the old Philipstown Turnpike, and the portion of the turnpike which was first abandoned. The Gilbert Tabor farm runs north along
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TOWN OF PATTERSON.
the Oblong for some distance, and its north line is not far from the original north bounds of the old Philipse Patent.
Two miles south of Aiken's Corners, and at the entrance to Haviland Hollow, is the locality known as "Cowl's Corners." This was where Uriah Sill formerly had his residence, and the old house is yet standing on the north side of the road which runs east through the hollow. To the east of him lived James Birdsall, and still further east was the farm of Oliver Yale. Benjamin Cowl came to this town from Providence, R. I., and as early as 1802 had a tannery near the bridge, at this locality, over Croton River. He also kept a store, and by industry and good calculation accumulated a fortune. Uriah Sill also had a tannery here, and also a store on the corner, on the south side of the road. The store, with land on both sides of the road, was sold by Benjamin Sill (son of Uriah) to Benjamin and Henry Cowl January 28th, 1835.
The house of Benjamin Cowl, now owned by the heirs of William H. Cowl, is on the east side of the road and about thirty rods south of the road running east of Haviland Hollow. This house stands on the site of a house which was owned by Nathan Burcham at the time when the Philipse Patent was sur- veyed in 1754. At a point in the road where the Oblong line crosses it, and which is about eight rods south of the house, is the southeast corner of Lot No. 7 of Philipse Patent and the northeast corner of Lot No. 8. The original survey states that the corner is "at a rock and heap of stones on the Oblong line, in a road, two chains south of Nathan Burcham's house." The Oblong line runs from this point north, and crosses the road at Haviland Hollow, just west of the Methodist chapel, and runs up the mountain. On the top of the mountain is a heap of stones which is the 14 mile monument on the Oblong. From the corner of Lot 7, mentioned above, the Oblong line runs south and crosses the swamp. A large willow tree and an elm tree stand on the line.
From the east corner on the Oblong line, the line between Lots 7 and 8 runs west and is the north line of the land of George W. Kinner. West of the swamp it is the north line of the farm of John Haines and the south line of the farm of Alanson Palmer. It runs near the house of Alanson Palmer and over the hill to the west of his house, a stone wall stands on the line. At the west end of this it crosses a road and runs a few feet south of
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HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
the barn south of the house of Dennis Palmer. West from this it is plainly marked by a stone wall running over a high hill. This line crosses the Harlem Railroad at Towner's Station, ex- actly at the south end of the covered bridge, where the New York and New England Railroad and the Harlem Railroad cross each other. To the east of this, in the swamp and beyond it, is the boundary between the farms of Mrs. Carrie P. Haines, on the north, and the farm of Herman Rogers on the south. West of the railroad it is the dividing line between the farm of Charles Towner on the north, and the land of Michael Orman and George W. Dykeman on the south. Passing over the hill still further to the west, it passes a short distance south of the house of Edson Smith and was formerly the south boundary of the farm of Peter S. Kent, which is now owned by Mr. Smith. The line crosses the road about thirty rods west of Mr. Smith's house, and on the south side of the road forms, for a short dis- tance, the southerly boundary of an orchard; while on the north side of the road a line of stone wall stretches unbroken to the west to a point where it again crosses the road. To the west of this last point the line of fence is broken and the line for a long distance is obliterated. The west end of the line which is the southwest corner of Lot No. 7 and the northwest corner of Lot No. 8, is on the line between the towns of Kent and Patter- son, about 80 rods south of the house of Lewis G. Robinson, and is at the point where the town line approaches nearest to the middle branch of Croton River. At this place a stone wall on the farm of Mr. Robinson (and which is on the town line) terminates, and another wall runs to the east, which is the original lot line.
The southern part of the town of Patterson is the north half of Lot 8 of Philipse Patent, and the early inhabitants of this portion were tenants of Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, widow of Philip Philipse, and her children. A list of the owners of farms on this lot will be found in the sketch of the town of Southeast, and it only remains to notice a few of the most important places.
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