History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 60

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 60

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The Harris Patent was granted to " Robert Harris late Mate of his Majesty's Hospital," and contained "All that Tract or Parcel of land," "Beginning at a certain White Oak Tree-commonly called and known by the name of John Wood's Tree, standing in the Western bounds of a tract of land formerly granted and com- monly called Honan & Howdon's Patent or Kakiat, which White Oak Tree is the second station mentioned in the bounds of a Tract of land at this time-laid out for James Marcus Provost, and this tract runs-from the said White Oak Tree along a line marked for the West- ern Bounds of the said Honan & Howdon's Patent or Kakiat-North 40° West, 247 Chains 60 Links; thence

South 68° West, 11 Chains; thence South 45° West, 205 Chains to the North Bounds of the said tract of land laid out for James Marcus Provost; thence along the same South 60° 37' East, 198 Chains to place of begin- ning-containing 2,000 acres of land and the usual al- lowance for highways."

The Muller Patent-Granted to "Jacob Muller, late a captain in the 16th Regiment," and containing "all that tract or parcel of land " " Beginning in the Division line between the Province of New York and New Jersey as the same is now run and marked by commissioners appointed by a law of this province, passed the 16th day of Febru- ary 1771, to perform that service in conjunction with commissioners on the part of the Province of New Jersey. At the most westerly corner of a tract of 5,000 acres of land at this time laid out for James Marcus Provost, 11 chains 57 links westward from the 16th mile stone in the said line: and running from the said place of beginning along the land so laid out for James Marcus Provost, north 35° 50', east 73 chains, and south 54° 10' east 23 chains; thence north 36° east, 160 chains; thence north 54° 10' west 142 chains and 40 links; thence south 36° west, 233 chains to the division line aforesaid; thence along the same south 54° 10' east, [19 chains and 60 links to place where this tract first began, containing 3,000 acres of land and the usual allowance for high- ways."

The Spence Patent .*- Granted to "Peter Spence, late a surgeon's mate of the 16th Regiment," and containing " All that tract or parcel of land beginning in the divis- ion line, etc., (see Muller Patent) at the most westerly corner of a tract of 3.000 acres of land at this time laid out for Jacob Muller 28 chains 83 links eastward from the 18th mile stone in the said line, and running from the said place of beginning along the westerly bounds of the tract of land so laid out for Jacob Muller; north 36° east 233 chains; thence north 54° 10' west, 59 chains 60 links, thence south 50° west, 185 chains; thence south 12º east 40 chains to Potake Pond; thence along the same pond south 35° west 27 chains to the aforesaid line run by commissioners; thence along the same line south 54° 10' east 74 chains 33 links to the place where the tract first began, containing 1820 acres of land and the usual allowance for highways."

To each of these patents was attached the following modifying clause: "Except and always reserved there- out unto our Sovereign Lord, the King, his heirs and successors forever, all mines of gold and silver, and also all white and other sorts of pine trees fit for masts of the growth of twenty-four inches in diameter and upwards at twelve inches from the earth for masts for the Royal Navy."

Each of the patentees were required "To yield, ren- der and pay therefor yearly and every year after the 18th day of January, which will be in the year of our Lord 1785, unto our sovereign Lord the King, his heirs and successors, at the custom house in the city of New York,

"It will be observed that in this patent exception is made of the prop- erty of Sobrisco, Wannamaker, and Van Buskirk. For a better under- standing of these descriptions see Map of Patents.

*Of the 4,820 acres in Spence and Mullers Patents but 480 acres are arable.

262

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

unto the Collector, or Receiver General, therefor for the time being, on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, more commonly called Lady Day, the yearly rent of two shillings and sixpence sterling for each and every hundred acres of the ahove granted and bar- gained premises, and so in proportion for any lesser quantity thereof saving and excepting such parts allowed for highways above mentioned."

After the Revolution, when all the rights of the King reverted to the State, this last clause in these patents be- came the ground for the quit rents required by the State for these lands, which quit rents were paid for many years, or until they were commuted by the payment, as we are informed, of 14 shillings for every shilling of rent.

. Of the subsequent history of the lands covered by these patents it will be sufficient to state, that on the 5th of April 1775, James Marcus Provost sold his entire patent for £200 to Robert Morris, John De Lancey, and John Zabriskie, and that on June 4th 1776 John Zabriskie sold his entire equal undivided third part for £200 to Morris and DeLancey. In like manner the patents of Harris, Muller, and Spence came into the hands of these two gentlemen from whom therefore all valid titles of lands covered by the four patents just described arise.

It may be interesting to know that though the legal title was Morris and De Lancey,* these two gentlemen appear only to have had a beneficial interest in a certain part, and that the real ownership was Robert Morris 3-11, John DeLancey 4-11, John Jay 2-11, and Lawrence Kortright 2. 11. (This last appears to have held one of his elevenths in trust for John Harper, "Of Harper's field in the county of Montgomery.") By far the largest purchaser of lands from this company was John Suffern, who appears to have acted as agent on the ground, for the company.

It will be seen upon consulting the map of patents that there still remains a portion of this so-called vacant sec- tion of our town whose history has not yet been given. The tract of which we speak lies in the extreme west and northwest of the town. For its history we recite a portion of an act passed by the Legislature of New York, March 28th 1800, entitled " An act directing the surveyor-gen. eral to sell certain vacant lands in the counties of Orange and Rockland," which reads:

" Whereas Jno. Hathom, Peter Townsend, Wm. Hause, Hezekiah Mead, Saml. Drew, Ezra Sanford, Jas. Mc- Cann, Wm. Booth, Daniel Benedict, Abner Patterson, Wm. Ellis, David Sanford, Thos. Sanford, David Haw- kins, Samuel Ketchum, Henry Wisner, Henry Bush, Saml. Bush, Abraham Smith, Jno. Smith, Adolphus Shuart, Nicolas Conklin, Jno. Becraft and Jno. Jenkins, by their petition presented to the Legislature, have stated that they are settled on and have improved in Orange

county (which at the time the petition was made in- cluded Rockland) under the Proprietors of the Patent of Wawayanda, which lands have been adjudged to be unpatented and to belong to the people of the State, and are included with other lands not settled on or improved as aforesaid, within the following boundaries, to wit: South- westerly by the State of N. J .; Northerly by a line (the Gore Line) running from the 31st mile stone in the line of division between this State and the State of N. J. to a monument erected by Commissioners at the N. W. Corner of a Tract of land granted to Daniel Honon and Michael Hawdon, called Kakiate, and easterly and southerly by patented lands. And by their said petition have prayed that they may be quieted in their said possessions, and to purchase in addition thereto such other quantity of vacant land within the boundaries aforesaid, and on such terms as the Legislature shall direct. Therefore, Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, Represented in Senate and Assembly, that it shall and may be lawful for the Surveyor General to grant to each of the Petitioners above named all the estate, right, title and interest of the people of this State of, in and to the lands improved by them respectively, with such other vacant lands within the said boundaries of not less than 100 acres and not more than 400 including their respective improvements, they paying therefor not less than the sum of 25c. per acre."

From this it will appear that the first title of lands located in the northwest and extreme west of the town came from grants from the State to different individuals, which grants were made in the first years of the present century.

EARLY SETTLERS.

I. Indian .- To what tribe the native Indians of this town belonged is unknown. In the Colonial History of New York, a conference of Indians is described, at which, classed along with the Cayugas, Senecas, and Oneidas, a tribe of Munsies is mentioned. It may have been after this tribe that the village of Monsey is named (See History of Monsey.)

Tradition says that a tribe of Ramapaughs "of suffi- cient importance to compete with the Mohawks," dwelt in the " Ramapo Pass." Of this we cannot speak with as- surance. But though we do not know the tribe, we do know the names of certain prominent Indians.

In a deed dated November 18th 1709*, Memerescum is spoken of as "Sole Sachem of all the nations of In- dians on the Ramapock River, on the West and East branches thereof, On Saddle River, Pasquack River, Narashunk River and Hackensack River " and other " Right, Sole and Intire native owners," are given as Tap- paan, Japhome, Waparent, Sipheme, Rawantogues and Maskainapulig. And from a similiar sourcet are found the names of native Indian Proprietors in the Ramapo Pass to have been Mane's, Kahawe, Shawenkis, Saw- wagky, Wacken, Sewes, Ayro, and Nakama.

*This deed conveyed the Ramapock Tract to Peter Fauconler, John Harbarie. and others. (See also Indian deed for ('heesecocks Patent). tDeeds to Van Blarcum and Van Gelder of lands in the Pass.

* Robert Morris was the great financier whose name is so prominent among the signers of the Declaration of Independence. At one time during the llevolution he had pledged his personal credit for supplies fur the ariny to the amount of $1.400,000.03. But in his later years he became Involved in land speculations which resulted ruinously, and the last years of his life were spent in confinement for debt.

John De Lancey belonged to the brilliant family of that name In New York elty.

RAMAPO-EARLY SETTLERS IN THE CLOVE.

263

From these Indians niany early settlers purchased their lands, and upon lands so purchased descendants of original white settlers are living to-day. But in every case valid titles were obtained only from the State or Crown. The English maxim "That the King is the fountain of all real property and that from that source all titles are to be derived " obtained here, and no Indian titles were ever recognized.

On the line between the Provost and Harris Patents,

The old Sidman house, marked on Moffat's map, stood about 50 rods north northwest of the "John Wood's on the south side of Ramapo River, just west of a little stream that flows into the river at that point. A house belonging to the Pierson estate, known as the Smith place, stands on the old site.

Tree," on the right hand side of the road running north from Tallman's Station, and on the top of the hill is a large rock, split into several parts and known as Spook Rock. This rock is on the old Indian trail which led from New City to Suffern, and thence through the Ram- apo Pass. It received its name from the fact that here the Indians used to stop to offer sacrifices of tobacco to the spirits (spuke in Dutch).

From this rock there is a magnificent view of the val- ley to the west.

Elizabeth Eisler, born in 1740, was accustomed to affirm, that in 1747 the Indians of this part of the coun- try assembled near her father's house on the Haverstraw road, three-quarters of a mile north of Suffern, at the junction of the road which branches to the east, where they had a dog feast, and then took their departure through the Pass toward the setting sun, never to return again.

II. In the Clove .- The eastern part of the Ramapo Valley or Clove, which includes the village and works of Hillburn, was part of the Ramapock Tract, purchased by Peter Fauconier and Company from the native Indians mentioned above, and also claimed by this company as having been granted to them by the " Proprietors of East New Jersey." (Sce full description under heading Title of Lands).

The western part of the valley is in Orange county, and so does not come under the scope of the present work.

It is the middle part, which includes the villages of Ramapo and Sloatsburg, of which we now wish to speak. Of this, the eastern section was purchased April 23d 1724. by John Van Blarcum of " the natural and lawful Indian

It will thus be seen how the " Van Blarcum Tract " came into the possession of John Suffern. And it only remains to add, that, having extinguished the claims of the original inhabitants, Mr. Suffern completed his title proprietors of all the lands lying on both sides of the by obtaining new deeds from Robert Morris and John Ramapo River." The land is described as "beginning at a place called Mawewier by the line* of Peter Fau- conier and Andrew Fresneau and their partners, thence upon a Northwesterly course to a place called Pothat and so on both sides of Pothat creekt to the complement of 400 acres English measure."|

This Van Blarcum Tract passed into the hands of Isaac Van Duser, and was sold by him before the Revolution

to Samuel Sidman, from whom the pass took the name of "Sidman's Clove " and whose son John is said to have guided Washington to the top of the " Torne."

At the death of Samuel Sidman, the west portion of this Van Blarcum Tract came into the posession of his son . in-law John Smith, who, with his wife Nancy, sold it to John Suffern, March 5th 1789, reserving in the deed 50 acres of land " around the house where they now live."

The only relics of the family, which are left, are a few rough stones in a little burying ground on a small hill east of the house. The following are the inscriptions: "Nancy Smith, died Aug. 19 1803 aged 77." "Agnes Smith, died Feb. 4 1760, died Aug. 10 1804." Another stone bears this inscription " 1776 AcToBAR 13 G N [or G V]." Who rests there no one can tell.

The east part of the Van Blarcum Tract, (1) at Sidman's death, came into the possession of John and Joseph Brown. Their house is also marked on Moffats map of 1786, as standing on the south side of the road now the Orange Turnpike,on what is still called the "Stone House Lot," about half a mile west of the Erie Railroad station at Ramapo.

The line of division between the lands of Smith and Brown was about twelve rods west of the house, and ran along and across the river on a course N. 67º E., to the " Torne Clove Brook."

This tract was sold by John and Joseph Brown, of "Mamecotton, Shawangunk Precinct, County of Ulster," to John Suffern, April 8th 1789: the deed describes the tract as " Beginning at a Basswood tree formerly marked standing on the southerly bank of the Ramapo in the line called the line of Peter Fauconier where Shuart's people live. thence S. 40° W. 20 chains to high rock (2) with stones laid on it at the mountain."

De Lancey, into whose hands the lands had lawfully come through their purchase of the . Muller and Spence Patents.

In this last deed to John Suffern, the eastern bound- ary is described as " the line of Lewis and John Shuart," whose house we know was located very near the present railroad bridge at Ramapo. (See history of Orange Turnpike.)

The western section of the middle part of the " Ram- apo Pass," which includes the village of Sloatsburg, was

*This line ran in a southwesterly direction across the pass or valley just west of tho Railroad and Turnpike bridges over the Ramupo below Ramapo Works. It marked the northwest llinit of Romopock Tract.

+At Sloatsburg-Pothat Creek was the outline of Pothat -now Negro Pond.

. IThe above facts are rocited in a survey of the lands made by Thomas Moffat, March 20th 1756. The names of the Indians from whom Van Blarcum purchased uro Manes, Knhawe, Showenkis and Suw wagky.

(1.) We may here remark thut the tract purchased by Vou Hlarewin was claimed to extend beyond Sloatsburg alinost to Stony Brook anul that the west is included within the limits of the " Van Gelder Tract" hereafter to be described.

(2) This " High Rock " which marked the southeast corner of Brown's land was located near the granite quurry in the ledge of rocks south of the Ramapo River.

Jacob finden

264

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

purchased of the Indians by Wynant Van Gelder. The hands and fixed our seels this 7 of march in the year of deed is now in the possession of Mr. Henry R. Sloat, of our Lord and saviour 17378 and in the Elevent year of the Raigne of our Soveraiugne Lord the good and great king of England garsg the saxkond over England Scot- land france and Irland defend of the faith. Sloatsburg, and was evidently written by a Dutchman whose knowledge of the English language was limited. As it is the only original Indian deed now existing for any part of the Ramapo Valley, it is here given en- his tire as a curious relic of the past.

" Whearas I manis, Wacken, Sewes, Ayco, nakama, Be- ing by all natur propriator of a cartain tract of Land Laying at a plas caled Pothat Beginning at a Rak so alan the montan to a Wit ook tree marked on fowor sids from dans all a Lang the Lyn of John Van Blarcoms ws to a Blak ook tree marked from dans kraws the Rever to brok by an austree standin on the est side of the Brook, from dans all alalang the brok aginst the strem to a wit pin tree marked on for sied, from dans to a brok so alang the brok aginst the strem to a hakkerre tree marked on for sids from dans allang the montain to the bons of Ysack Vanduesen a blak ook tree marked, from dans allang the Ling of Ysack Vanduesen to a Rack waer it first began, and have from generation to generation held the same in peacable and quit possession without the mollestation of any poina or potantate whatsoever, now Bee it know unto all people and nations unto whom this present Writing shall or may come that I the said manis by and with the consent of my friends and Relations as our manner is Viz, wacken, sawes, Ayco, nakama, have given grandded and freely conveyed and for Dives good causses, valueable consideration thirunto esyenally moveing freely fully and absolutely geve grant and make over unto Wynnant Vangelder of the county of Bergen and province of East new gersey subjects to the good an great king of England our Royall friend and Alie and their heirs and assignes for Ever, all that piece or percell of the above mentioned Land butted and Bounded as aforesaid with all and singuler its Rights titles previledges and appertianing with all ponds pools medows marshes swamp brook creeks coves watters watter courses woods under woods timber and timber trees stonse and quaries of stons ways passages Easmants proffits and Commoditias watsoever, as hawking fishing fowling, to have and to hold the said Land and premises with all and singuler the be- fore mentioned appurtenances unto the said wynnant Vangelder his heirs and assignes for Ever and to be and Remain to the sole proper benefite and behoff of them the said Wynnant Vangelder their heirs and assignes for Ever and we the said manis, wacken, sewes, Agco, nakama, doe for ourselves and our heirs and Every of us Covenant grant and agree to and with the said wynnant Vangelder wee will well and fully warrat and for ever de- fend th said Wynnant Vangelder his heirs and assigns the peaceable and quiet possession of the above granted Land and premeses with their appurtences and Every part and percell thereof against all person and persons Lawfully claimin any Right or title in and to the sanie not att all questioning the good king of England in his great justice his Rattifieing and Confirming the same to the use wee hereby intand and no other whatsoever. In testimony

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Wynant Van Gelder conveyed this tract to his son-in- law, Isaac Van Duser, by an assignment endorsed upon the original deed, June 13th 1747, and witnessed by David Ogden jr. and Peter Cloover.

This Isaac Van Duser was probably the first white man who lived in the Ramapo Valley, and in the notes of James Clinton who made the survey of Cheesecocks Patent, we find the following entry, "Lodged with Van Duser in ye Clove September 21st 1739."

At this time he was probably living on the " Van Blarcum Tract," and perhaps at the homestead after- wards owned by Samuel Sidman.

On the 3d of June 1763 he conveyed the tract to his son-law Stephen Sloat,* by an assignment also endorsed on the original deed, and witnessed by Thomas Van Buskirk and George Dearnian.

In this assignment the western boundary is described as "the line of Edward Parleman," who therefore must have been living to the east of Stony Brook.

III. In Kakiat .- The first settlers in this portion of our town were the original company of men who, in 1711, purchased the north moiety of this patent. They were almost entirely from Queens county, L. I. As far as pos- sible the home lots of this body of pioneers have al- ready been located. Of some of them, however, we may give the following facts in addition:

The first one to arrive was Abram Denton, a descend- ant of Daniel Denton who, about 1660, wrote the first description of the Province of New York. It is probable that he was the agent through whom the purchase was made. He was followed, soon after, by Joseph and

. It is necessary in order to complete the history of these early settiers in the Clove to state: That when the land in the Clove was owned by Stephen Sloat, Samuel Sidman, Joseph Brown, and Joseph Shuart under Indian deeds, these four persons " petitioned the Crown for a confirma- tion of their title." "The Proprietors of the Cheesecocks Patent entered a caveat against the petition and the Crown refused to give them a grant for the same. In the Interim the Crown granted letters patent " to Mulier and Spence for the entireland, from whom, In order to save where of we have according to the English manner set our | their lands, the original settlers were obliged to purchase.

---

265

RAMAPO-EARLY SETTLERS.

Jonathan Seaman, sons of Captain John Seaman, a prom- inent citizen of Queens county. Jacomiah, son of. Jona- than Seaman "was the first white child born in New Hempstead."

Of the other proprietors, it is known that Charles Mott, who seems to have owned the largest share of the purchase was living near Jamaica, L. I., in 1711; that William and Nathaniel Osborn were in Queens county in 1710, before which they were living in East Hampton, L. I., where they were known as the sons of Thomas Osborn, one of the first settlers of that place in 1657; that John and Joseph Wood were the descendants of Jonas Wood, who settled in Southampton in 1640, but moved to Huntington, L. I. about 1670, where his descendants, among whom we may mention the late Hon. Silas Wood, author of the first history of Long Island, still live; and that Cornelius Cooper was the son of Klaas Jans Van Purvement one of the early Dutch settlers of Tappan. His trade was that of a cooper. Hence his name, Cornelius Klaasen Cuyper or Cornelius, son of Klass, the cooper. Guisbert, son of Cornelius Cooper, was the father of Gilbert and Theunis Cooper who figured so prominently in the early history of our town.

On Erskine's map of the road from Kings Ferry to Suffern, the house of William Smith is located. The little known of the history of this man is contained in the following inscription on his tombstone in the "Brick With the light we now have, to Philip Vors must be given the honor of being the first one to settle in this part of our town. His first house, built of logs, about 1700, stood 100 yards northeast of his third house, built Church " grave yard. " In memory of William Smith Esq., a native of Hibernia. Born March 17th 1745 O. S. Died Sept 23rd 1794. He was raised to the sublime de- gree of a royal Arch-Mason in his youth. His conduct in 1726, of which we have already spoken. His second through life has manifested that his principles were truly Republican."

It was probably his son, Frederick Smith, who, in 1787, built the old stone house now standing on the New City road a mile northeast of the "Brick Church " and at present occupied by Nelson Hopkins-a descendant of Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declara- tion of Independence.

Among other dates found upon tombstones in this same burying ground the following may preserve facts relating to our earlier families.

Hannes Smith, died Jan 8th 1794, aged 79 y. 4 m. and 2 d.

Dr. Nicholas Slype, born in Dort, Holland, Feb 18th 1763, died April 16th 1817.

Jacobus Waldron, died Dec. 2d 1814 " aged four-score years."

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History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 60

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