History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 59

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993

USA > New York > Rockland County > History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men > Part 59

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

This decision was of no little value to the town of the extent of the jurisdiction of New York and New Jer- sey, and, " to the frequent and dangerous riots," which had arisen and were likely to arise between the border- ers as to the property of the soil .*

The decision as to where the line should run having been rendered, and, though not entirely satisfactory to either New York or New Jersey, ratified by both, it only remained to run the line. This was at once attempted, and though violently opposed for a time, as, for exam- ple, on the 7th of June 1770, when " They were stopped a few chains across Saddle River by at least 50 men," on the 3d of November 1774, William Wickham and Samuel Gale, commissioners on the part of New York, and John Stevens and Walter Rutherford, on the part of New Jersey, reported that the work had been done.t

(4). Having established the boundary between the Patents of Kakiat and Cheesecocks, and the boundary be- tween New York and New Jersey, the claims of the two remaining patents, Cheesecocks swooping down on the land from the north and Waywayanda from the west, had also to be settled. This was done by drawing a line from the northwest corner of the Patent of Kakiat, which corner we have seen was located in the north boundary of the town, and thence along the said northern bound- ary of the town in a direct course to the 31st mile stone on the New Jersey line.

This line, which was run by Charles Clinton jr., son of General James Clinton, in 1786, was called the "Gore Line," and the land in Orange and Rockland counties bounded by it, the New Jersey line, and the line estab- lished as the west bounds of Kakiat, was familiarly known as the "Jersey Gore."

By this Gore Line, the Patents both of Cheesecocks and Waywayanda were excluded from the town.

The history of the " Jersey Gore " is as follows, for which we are greatly indebted to Mr. B. Fernow, of the Department of Historical Records, Albany, from whose letter we largely quote: Blandina Bayard bought, August roth 1700, from the Indians, five tracts of land, called Ramapough, Jaapough, Jandekagh, Aringee, and Cam- guee, three Dutch miles wide and four long, covering most of the land in the triangle of which the Gore Line is the northwest side. She improved and settled this land, and upon her death left it to her children, Petrus and Sarah. Petrus, and later his widow, lived on the land and continued the improvements. When the widow

map on which probably for the first and only time the term " Jersey Gore " was used. He probably called the triangle the " Jersey Gore " on account of the above re- cited fact. It was never so called officially, for the sur- veyor-general, in a report to the Legislature on this tract, calls it " Vacant lands between the lately established boundary line of the Patent of Cheesecocks and the State of New Jersey " (March 12th 1801).

HAVERSTRAW CORE LINE

KAKIAT

ORANGE Co.

VACANT

CLARKSTOWN

NEW JERSEY.

It will be seen by consulting the diagram, that when the boundary line between New York and New Jersey was established, which put an end to the claims of New Jersey from the south, and the "Gore Line " was run which silenced similar claims on the part of the proprie- tors of both Cheesecocks and Waywayanda from the north and west, that the town of Ramapo virtually became di- vided into two sections, one occupied by the Patent of Kakiat, and the other substantially vacant. We would consider these two sections.

I. KAKIAT .- The full history of this patent has al- ready been given (see history, page 138), but a recent discovery of a portion of the Field Book of a survey made by Cornelius Low in 1724 has furnished the fol- lowing additional facts:#

These notes will be unintelligible without consulting the Map of Patents in this work; but by consulting this, they will be found extremely interesting.

The owners of the North Moiety in 1724 were Corne-

*Had the lino run from 41º ou tho Hudson to 41º 40' on the Delaware, which last poiut had been located by joint surveyors of New York and New Jersey in 1719, at Cochecton, it would have caused one-half of the town to lie in the State of New icrsoy.

"This line was resurveyed and marked in 1874.

* Kiersted was one of the so-called purchasers of the Romopock Tract.

+They were, however, claimed by both Cheesecocks and Way wayanda. #This book is now in the possession of Ellas G. Sherwood, of Sher- woodville. A copy of it is In the possession of the Rockiand County Historical Society.

258

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

lius Cuyper. Charles Mott, John Allison, Thomas Kirbie, Jacob Remsen, Thomas Barker, Elbert Monfort, Wil- liam Hutchings, Timothy Halstead, William Campbell, George Downing, Nicholas Conklin, Jonathan Rose, Richard Pearce, William Osborne, Abraham Denton, Jon- athan Seaman, John Wood, John Palmer, and Richard Coombs.

For each of these, who owned a full share, a homestead of 400 acres was laid out.

For this purpose two tiers of lots were formed, one called the East and the other the West Division, the line between Clarkstown* and Ramapo marking the bound- ary between the two.

The eastern boundary of the East Division is the high- way, generally called the "Street," running north from New City. The western boundary of the West Division is a north and south line running along the east line of the farm of John R. Smith.

Besides these homesteads, there were several lots of the same size laid out in other localities for some of the owners. The homestead of Jonathan Seaman was 66 chains square. The north part of it is now the farm of John R. Smith, whose grandfather, Hans Smith, bought it of Jacomiah Seaman, son of the original owner.

To the north of Seaman's lot a series of lots, each of the same length and extending to the north bounds of the patent, was laid out. This tier was called " Seaman's Range " or "The Range of Seaman's Home Lot," and as such is frequently mentioned in old deeds.

Lot No. 1 in the West Division was the homestead of Nicholas Conklin, north of which a tier of lots called the "Conklin Range " was laid out. This last tier was bounded on the west by "Seaman's Range."

On the west line of the patent was a tier of lots called the " West Range." These began with No. 1, which was bounded south by the line of division between the north and south moieties of the patent, and ran west to the pat- ent line. The famous " John Wood's Tree " was at the southwest corner of this lot.

Lot No. 9 is now the homestead of Elias G. Sherwood. North of this, the lots in this range were bounded on the west by the base of the West Mountain, Lot 14, the last in the range, being south of the Methodist church at Ladentown. Lot 6 in "Seaman's Range " extended west along the north side of Lot 14 of the West Range

to the mountain. The church at Ladentown is on this lot. | ing as far east as the Hackensack River, or " Demarest's

Lot 6 in "Conklin's Range " is near the homestead of Josiah Conklin at the head of the mountain, and Lot 3 of the same range is the farm of the heirs of Jesse Gur- nee. This last was formerly the home of Judge Benja- min Coe and near the railroad station called " Mount Ivy."

The " English Church" and the old Coe homestead are

on Lot 4, in the west tier of the 400 acre lots, and this lot was probably the original home lot of Jonas Halstead. The Court House, at New City, is at the east end of lot No. 5, in the East Division.

At the time of the survey in 1724, a lot of 400 acres was laid out to be sold, which is thus described: " Be- ginning at the South East corner of the Lot where Jona- than Seaman lives and running N. 75° W. 133 chains 34 links, thence S. 15° W. 30 chains, thence S. 75 W. 133 chains 34 links, thence N. 15° E. 30 chains to the first station." This lot, which was bounded on the east by the land of Jonas Halstead, was sold to Jacobus Brink- erhoff and Jacobus Hendricksen Banta, for £150. The deed, dated May 26th 1724, is signed by all the owners mentioned above.

The home lot of Jonathan Rose was at the southeast corner of the " North Moiety."

Lot I, in the East Division of 400 acre lots, belonged to Charles Mott. On the north of this, a lot was laid out as an addition to the land of Nicholas Conklin, and from this a tier of three lots to the north. This tier was called the " Range of Conklin's Addition Lot."

On the east side of the road running north from New City there were laid out four lots. The south one, of 100 acres, was given to Joseph Wood, of Hempstead, L. I., on condition, that coming to Kakiat, he should set up the trade of blacksmith and work at it as long as he was able. North of this was a lot of 246 acres, which was bounded on the north by another lot of 300 acres. This last was called Lot No. 5. It originally belonged to Wil- liam Campbell, who sold it to Jacob Blauvelt, May 9th 1741, the latter giving the north half of it to his son, Ja- cob J. Blauvelt, May, 1753.

These two parts are separated by the road running east from the "Street," just south from the school house, in District No. 4, in Clarkstown. The line between John Van Houten and Henry Phillips is the north bound of the lot, while the south line is the boundary between the home lot of Mr. Machin, and the land of Florent Verdin.

The north line of this lot is also the south line of the tract called "The Dry Swamp," and a portion of the north half of this lot is now owned by Tunis Blauvelt, a descendant of Jacob J. Blauvelt.

The lot south of No. 5 -was drawn by John Palmer.

The tract on the south side of the mountains, extend- Kill," was called " The Dry Swamp," and was divided into 18 lots. North of the mountains was a tier of lots, each of which ran from the Minisceongo Creek to the mountains.

Of these lots nothing is known, save that they are men- tioned in deeds. Lot I began on the east side of Lots 3 and 4, in " Conklin's Range," and on Lot 7 are the Meth- odist church, at Garnerville, and the land of the Rock- land Print Works.

*The boundary between Clarkstown and Ramapo reads as follows: " Beginning at the North West corner of the land of Jno. M. Hogen- " Welch's Island " was divided into 18 lots, but how kamp, called his middle town lot, and running from thence N. 3º W. to the division line between the North and South Moiety of the Patent of the owners of Kakiat came to own it is unknown. The Kaklat, and then along the same, East to the line of division between fact that the lots are mentioned as the "Contest Lots " would seem to indicate a controversy concerning them. the East and West four hundred acre lots, of said North molety and then along that line," etc.

259 5.59

RAMAPO-LAND TITLES.

The west mountains were divided into 18 lots, by Da- vid Pye and Joseph Johnson, May 7th 1773. The origi- nal map is now in the possession of Elias G. Sherwood, but a copy may be seen in the County Clerk's Office.

The last division in Kakiat was the Verdrietig Hook Mountains, from the head of the mountain to the Short Clove. A line was run along the top of the mountain, from which lots were laid on either side. This line is the boundary between Clarkstown and Haverstraw.

Concerning the South Moiety of Kakiat, it is only known that it was divided into lots by John Alsop, about 1723, but neither his map nor field notes can be found.

We come now to consider the title of lands in that part of the town which we have regarded as

II. VACANT .- By which is meant unoccupied by those having valid titles. In this large part of the town on January Ist 1775, there were only three persons who had titles to their property recognized by the Crown. These persons were: John Sobrisco, who owned 630 acres near Tallman's; Coenard Wannamaker, who owned 105 acres near the 15th mile stone on the Jersey line; and Jacobus Van Buskirk, who owned a mill right of one acre on the Mahwah, near the point where that stream is now crossed by the Nyack Turnpike .*

How did these three persons come into possession of their lands? The answer to this question will require a brief review of New Jersey history.

THE ROMOPOCK TRACT.

March 12th 1664,

Charles II., King of England, granted to his brother James, Duke of York, afterwards King James II., the entire region between the Connecticut and the Delaware. "To remove any doubt of the validity of the Duke's title either from the want of seizin in the crown when it origi- nated, or on account of the intermediate conquest by the Dutch," this grant was confirmed July 29th 1674. June 24th 1664,

Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, confirming his sale as above, July 29th 1674.

July Ist 1676,

Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret divided New Jersey into two divisions-called respectively East and West New Jersey-by a line drawn from "Little Egg harbor to a point on the Delaware in latitude 41º 40'," Lord Berkeley having West New Jersey and Sir George Carteret, East.

This division being made, Lord Berkeley sold West New Jersey to John Fenwick in trust for Edward Byllinge and his assigns. There is no further need of mentioning West New Jersey; for no part of it touches the town of Ramapo, as will readily be seen by consulting a map of New Jersey.

January 13th 1680,

Sir George Carteret died, directing in his will that East New Jersey should be sold to pay his debts.

February 2d 1682,

East New Jersey was sold to William Penn and eleven associates called the " Twelve Proprietors." Soon after, these "Twelve " each took a partner making "The Twenty-four Proprietors of East New Jersey."

March 14th 1682,

The Duke of York made a fresh grant of East New Jersey to the " Twenty-four Proprietors."

April 15th 1702,

The "Twenty-four Proprietors " surrendered " their right to govern " to Queen Anne, reserving their title to the land.

Two days later the Queen accepted the government and affirmed to the Proprietors their right and title to the land.

The office of the "Twenty-four Proprietors of East New Jersey " was (and still is) at Perth Amboy. Each proprietor owned an equal undivided 1-24 part of the whole. They disposed of property to others as a body, through their surveyor-general, and no individual could dispose of a foot of land, save as he might have come into possession of such lands through individual purchase or the granting of dividends .*

December 10th 1709,

Peter Sonmans, representing himself as "Sole Agent, Superintendent, General Attorney & Receiver General of the rest of the Proprietors," but really only a single proprietor, inheriting his property from his father, Aarent, conveyed to John Auboineau, E. Boudinot, Peter Fau- conier, L. Kiersted, John Barbarie, Thomas Barjaux, An- drew Fresneau, and Peter Bard, 42,500 acres in Northern New Jersey, lying between the Ramapo and Saddle Riv- ers, and called the " Romopock Tract."

This tract is thus described: " Beginning at a spring called Assenmaykapahaka, being the North-East most

The Duke of York sold what is now New Jersey to head spring of a river called in Indian Peramsepuss, and by the Christians Saddle River, thence running Souther- ly down the East side of said river, including the same, to a place where a small creek, or river, coming from the Northward, called Raighkawack (Hohokus River), falls into said Saddle River, about sixteen miles distant from the above head spring, let it be more or less, thence Northwesterly just by a great rock, or stone called Pam- mackapuka, distant from the above said river about two miles, and so on the same course to that river known by the name Romopock, Punto, and Pissaick, just by a small fall of water above the plantation of Major Brockholst

* These dividends were a certain number of acres granted to each proprietor for his own. Such grants the Proprietors could locate on vacant land wherever they chose. There have been fourteen such divi- dends. As these have never to our knowledge appeared In print, we give them here.

*There were many Inhabitants In this part of the town at that time. and some held recorded Indian deeds; nevertheless the above statement is true.

The only possible qualification may be in reference to the Sterling Company who may have had a valld title to a few acres In the extreme west of the town.

1686 .... 10,000 acres.| 1813 .... 3,000 acres.

1698 .. 5.000 1817 .... 1.200 ..

1:02.

2.500 4. 1823. . .. 1.000

1:40

2.000

1828. ... 1,000

17 ....

. 3.000

1834 600

1801 .... 3,000

1838. .. 1,000

1809. ... 2,000

1850 .... 1,000

Besides In early years, four dividends of 2.000. 1.000. 1.000. and 1,000 acres each of " Pine " or poor lands.

260

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

(Pompton, at now the steel works); and from thence crossing the said river about a mile above a place where another river coming from the Northwestward called Panamaquamy, Pequaneck, and Haysaghkin (Pequanack) falls into said river, to the top of the opposite mountain; thence along the top of the said mountains and up the said Romopock river, and about one mile up every creek that falls into the said river, crossing said creeks to the top of every opposite hill, and so along said mountains and hills and creeks to a place about two miles above an Indian field called Mowayway (Mahwah) just over against the North side of a small red hill called Mainaitung; thence along the Northeasterly side of said hill Easterly to the above spring where the first course began." From this description it will appear that the Romopock tract was bounded in general, on the north by a line from the mountains to Saddle River, which line would pass a lit- tle to the north of Tallman's station; on the east by Sad- dle River; on the south by a line from the Saddle River at the mouth of Hohokus Creek to Pompton; and on the west by the Ramapo Mountains, the northwest boundary being a line drawn across the entire Ramapo Pass, just northwest of the railroad bridge near Ramapo Works. And that, therefore, quite a portion of it lay in the town of Ramapo.(I)

Of this tract, Peter Fauconier (2) owned the largest part, viz .: 7-24 of the whole, and he it was who was most interested in its purchase and settlement (3).

November 6th 1724.

Peter Fauconier, John Barbarie (4) & Co., sold to John Sobrisco (5) his tract of 630 acres near Tallman's Sta- tion.

(1) A parchment map of this traet, made by Ryerson, Hampton & Mor- gan in 1767-8, inay be scen at the office of the proprietors of East New Jersey at Perth Amboy.

The proprietors in 1746, speaking of this so called purchase of the Romopoek Tract, say: "Au unhappy gentleman, since deceased (he died

in 1734), then a Proprietor, was imposed upon to sign * * * a deed for about 50,000 acres of land at Romopoek, without any legal appropri- ation thereof to him and without any consideration paid to him, as ever after during his life he averred, and that he did not dream or believe that a foot was in East New Jersey." Weregard this as a cloak of char- Ity cast by the Proprietors over the memory of a deceased comrade. For Peter Sonmans, educated at Leydeu, "one of the Council and after- ward a member of Assembly from Bergen Co.," was too shrewd a man to sell 50,000 acres withont knowing where it lay. For full history of this bold, had man, see Whitehead's contributions to East New Jersey, page 75.

(2) He, too, was a bold, bad man, who gained admission to the Gov- ernmental ring. and so held higb othein! positions, though notoriously had in character.

In Colonial history he is described as "A Frenchman and a bankrupt," who " provides (poor) clothing for the soldiers," " Detains books and papers relating to the customs."" Eludes all accountability," "has part in all the valuable grants of land." " Pays publie money on mere warrant of Governor," etc. A ilt companion of Sonmans.

(3) Charles Clinton, in his survey of Cheesccoeks Patent in town of Ramapo, says: " May 21st 1739, entered into a cleared field belonging to Edward Jeffers, tenant to Mr. Fauconier." " May 2d 1:39, a field cleared by Solomon Peterson, a free negro settied by Mr. Fauconicr."

(4) John Barbarle claims the distinction of being the son of tlie father who named his four sons respectively, John, Peter, John Peter. and Peter Jolın.

(5) Albert Saboroweski, who emigrated from Poland to America in the Dutch ship For during the year 1of2 und settled in Hackensack, had & son John, whoin we take to be the one to whom reference is here made. May 18th 1739, Clinton, in passing over this truet, says:

" Entered a elcared field. Here n negro house, belonging to Samuel Francisco, a free negro who settled the place for John Sobrisco, who holds it under a Jersey title, as I am Informed."

The Piermont Branch crosses this tract about 10 rods west of the de- pot at Taliman's. The western boundary. toward the north end, is the line between the land of Henry Tallman on the west and Erasmus Han- son on the east. The southwest corner is the farm of Nelson Smith. Tbe southeast corner is the southwest corner of a farm of lacob Sni- der. Here an old schoolhouse stood within the memory of those now living

April 15th 1734,

The proprietors of East New Jersey going to this "Very Remote " region (the Romopock Tract) to lay out divi- dends were interrupted and threatened by the settlers. "We found that on pretence of that deed, about 20 per- sons had been imposed upon to buy "-are their words.

They therefore instituted ejectment suits and upon not being successful in these and still being determined to maintain their rights-they offered to compromise with bona- fide purchasers for f20 per hundred acres.

February 4th 1744,

Peter Fanconier conveyed "all his estate, right, title, and interest in said tract to Theodore Valleau and David Stout, and on August roth 1752, they conveyed the same to Magdalene Valleau, daughter of William Fau- conier.

March 29th 1753,

The proprietors of East New Jersey, granted 900 acres to Magdalene Valleau and she thereupon "released to the proprietors all her claims in said large tract.

May 23d 1753,

Magdalene Valleau conveyed to Coenard Wannamaker 105 of the 900 acres just granted hier. This is the origin of the Wannamaker Tract.

February 12th 1762,

David Ackerman, who had somehow obtained the same from the proprietors of East New Jersey, sold a mill right of about one acre to Jacobus Van Buskirk.

From this brief history of the Romopock Tract it will be clear to all how Messrs. Sobrisco, Wannamaker, and Van Buskirk, obtained their titles from East New Jersey.

In 1774 when the line between New York and New Jersey was finally established, these three bone-fide* purchasers from New Jersey-were confirmed in their title by the government of New York.

For the information of those who have followed the history of this Romopock land grant-we will add:

That one by one the proprietors of East New Jersey came to an understanding with the other so called owners of the Romopock Tract and then with the several tenants located by these owners. So that on the 14th of April 1787 the Romopock Committee could report to the pro- prietors "That they believe there will be no further trouble with the tenants of Romopock, and expect the tract in two or three years to produce a handsome revenue."

Having thus traced the history of the three property owners in this so-called vacant section of Ramapo, we come now to show how this vacant section was filled up.

This was done by four patents from the King, granted on the same day, January 18th 1775,f to four reduced officers of the British army.

*In the inap of the Romnopoek Tract of Perth Amboy-the Sobrisco Traet is marked by the " proprietors" "ns sold but no deed given." We assume that such a deed was afterward given. At all events New York confirmed hlin in his title.

"That these British offleers barely escaped losing their patents will appear from the following extraet from the XXXVI Section of the Con- stitution of the State of New York, which rends, "all grants of land within this State, inde by the King of Great Britian, or persons acting under hils authority, after the 14th day of October 175, shall be null and vold."

261

RAMAPO-LAND TITLES.

These patents which were laid out by David Colden, " Pursuant to a Warrant from the Honorable Cadwal- lader Colden, Esquire, his Majesty's Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of New York and the Territories depending thereon in America, dated the fifteenth day of November one thousand seven hun- dred and seventy-four," are as follows:

The Provost Patent* granted to " James Marcus Pro- vost, late Brevet Major " in his Majesty's army-whose young wife Theodosia afterward married Aaron Burr- and containing " All that Tract or parcel of land situate lying and being in Orange Co. on the west side of Hud- son's river, Beginning in the Division line between the Provinces of New York and New Jersey as the same is run and marked by Commissioners appointed by a Law of this Province, passed the 16th day of February 1771, to perforni that service in conjunction with Commission- ers on the part of the Province of New Jersey at the dis- tance of 7 chains and 43 links Eastward from the ninth milestone in the said Line, and running thence along a line marked for the Western bounds of a Tract of land formerly granted, and commonly called Honan and How- don Patent or Kakiat, North 25° 40' West, 335 chains and 30 links to a white oak tree, commonly called John Wood's tree; thence North 60° 37' West, 198 chains; thence South 45° West, 66 chains and 60 links; thence North 54° 10' West, 77 chains; thence South 35° 50' West, 73 chains to the said line run and marked by the Commissioners, and then along the said line South 54° 10' East, 579 chains to the place where the tract first began; excepting thereout the three Tracts and parcels of land hereinafter described, which were purchased and held as part of the Province of New Jersey, before the settle- ment of the Division line between that Province and the Province of New York, and which three parcels of land were, by the before mentioned law, confirmed to the several possessors, to wit: one tract to John Sobrisco containing 630 Acres; one other tract to Coenard Wan- namaker containing 105 acres; and one parcel of land to Jacobus Van Buskirk containing about one acre; after deducting which said three parcels, there remains for the said James Marcus Provost 5,000 acres of land and the usual allowances for Highways."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 59

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 993

Author: Cole, David, 1822-1903, ed. cn; Beers, J. B., & co., New York, pub
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : J. B. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 993