History of Rockland County, New York : with biographical sketches of its prominent men, Part 74

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 74

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).

"The sd. 4 tracts together containing 6,000 acres of land and the usual allowance for highways."

" All those four tracts of land in the Highlands in the County of Orange (and part of the lands formerly By patent of George the Second, to Thomas Ellison and Lawrence Roome, dated November 12th 1750, six tracts of land are granted, only one of which is within Stony Point, and is thus described: granted to Captain John Evans, and resumed) the first of which four tracts begins at the northwestmost corner of a tract of land formerly granted to the sd. Richard Bradley called Bear HIill tract and runs thence N. 34° "And the 6th and last of said 6 tracts begins in the south bounds of sd. tract granted to Richard Bradley and at the northwest corner of a tract of 500 acres grant- E. 50 chains, then N. 59º W. 161 chains; then N. 98 chains; then S. 75° E. 72 chains; then S. 20 chains to the north end of a pond where the brook called Puplops ed to Sarah, Catharine, George, Elizabeth, and Mary Kill comes out of the same and then S. 35° W. 215 Bradley, and this tract runs thence along this line S. 25

C.P.allison

322

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

W. 81 chains; then N. 65° W. 52 chains; then N. 50 chains; then N. 49° E. 44 chains, and then S. 62° E. 56 chains along the line of sd. tract granted to sd. Richard Bradley to the place where this 6th tract began, contain- ing 500 acres and usual allowance for highways."

The Patent of George the Third, under date of March left a wife, Grace, and four children, Edward, Jane, 18th 1769, conveys to William Kempe, James Lamb, and John Crum, a large irregular tract of land surrounded on all sides except'the southwest, where it lies on the north- west line, and for a short distance on the east on the river, by tracts above described. The patent conveys to each of the above named,

" An equal third part of all that tract of land part of the resumed lands once granted to Captain John Evans in the county of Orange, beginning at the S. E. corner of a tract of 407 acres granted to Gabriel and William Ludlow, and runs along the bounds of a tract granted to Vincent and David Mathews, E. 7 chains; then S. 29° W. 75 chains; then S. 45° E. 18 chains; then S. 30° W. 3676 chains; then N. 45° W. 51 chains to a tract of 1437 acres called Queensbury, granted to sd. Gabriel and William Ludlow; then along the bounds thereof S. 45° W. 10 chains and S. 17º E, 80 chains to a tract of 370 acres granted to some of the children of the late Richard Bradley, Esq .; then along the bounds thereof S. 25° W. 113 chains to the south bounds of sd. resumed land; then along sd. south bounds S. 45° E. 66 chains to a tract of 840 acres granted to sd. children of sd. Bradley; then along the bounds thereol N. 45° E. 40 chains and N. 79° E. 152 chains to a tract of 1000 acres granted to sd. Richard Bradley; then along the bounds thereof N. 45° E. 108 chains to Hudson's River; then westerly along sd. river as it runs to a tract of 500 acres granted to sd. children of sd. Bradley; then along their bounds S. 62° W. 86 chains and N. 50° W. 43 chains to a tract of 500 acres granted to Thomas Ellison and Lawrence Roome; then along their bounds S. 52° W. 2 chains; then N. 65° WV. 52 chains; then N. 50 chains: then N. 49° 44 chains to a tract of 800 acres called Bear Hill tract granted to sd. Bradley; then along the bounds thereof N. to the South Side of Puplops Kill; then up sd. Kill as it runs to the sd. tract of 407 acres granted to sd. Gabriel and William Ludlow; then along the bounds thereof S. 20° W. to the S. E. corner thereof where this tract began, containing 3000 acres and the usual allowance for highways.

By a deed of lease and release dated March 21st 1769 these parties sold the tract to John Tabor Kempe, and he sold one-half of the same to William Kempe, Septem- ber 22d 1769. The original deed to William Kempe, written on parchment and reciting the foregoing facts, is now in possession of Benjamin F. Oliver, of New York city.

Tract was sold by the Surveyor General to Samuel Brewster, November 16th 1785, for £593. The other half remained in the hands of his brother William and his descendants. John Tabor Kempe went to England and was killed by being thrown from his carriage. He

Philadelphia, and Elizabeth, none of whom left issue. William Kempe had a wife, Mary, and two sons, Thomas and William. The latter had two children, Sarah and Edward, whose son, Jeremiah G. Kempe, is now living in New York. Thomas Kempe had a son, Thomas, who also had a son Thomas, whose son, Theodore, is now liv- ing above Caldwells, on the original tract granted to his ancestor, William Kempe. It is a somewhat curious fact that he is the only man within the limits of the old pre- cinct of Haverstraw who is descended from one of the original patentees, and is now owning land which was granted to his ancestor.

Of the Stony Point Tract William Jamison trans- ferred his share to Richard Bradley, and on the 25th of March 1742 (O. S.), Bradley sold to Abraham Betts 300 acres at the north end of the tract. The remainder, which was supposed to contain 750 acres he sold to Harrick Lent, February 2d 1742 (O. S.). Harrick Lent (or as he was also called, Ryck Abrahamse Lent) lived in Westchester county, where he had a grant of land. He died previous to 1764, and left his property to his son Hercules Lent, who seems to have been an only son. In the will of Hercules Lent, which is dated April 4th 1765, his part of Stony Point Tract is devised as follows: "I leave to my daughter Rachel, wife of James Lamb, all that part of my lands and meadow situ- ate in Orange county by Hudson's River, known by the name of Stony Point, also as much more of my land on the north part of my tract as will make the two parcels contain the quantity of 382 acres, to my said daughter Rachel during her natural life, and after her decease to the children of her body lawfully begotten.

" I give to my daughter Catharine, wife of Hendrick De Ronde, the quantity of 382 acres, lying in Orange county aforesaid, bounded on the south by the north- west line and Stony Point, on the east by Hudson's River, and on the north by the land devised to my daughter Rachel, as the same is laid out and divided."

Hendrick De Ronde and wife Catharine, daughter of Hercules Lent, had seven children: Abraham, Jacob, Leah (who married Jacob Lent), Catharine (who married Benjamin Benson), Rachael (who married Abraham Cronk), Tobias, and William. The children above named, except Catharine, released to their brothers, Wil- liam and Tobias, last named, all their right to the tract by a deed dated April 12th 1775, in consideration of the sun of £296. Catharine Benson released her claim Febru- ary 26th 1801.

The Kempe family are descended from William Kempe, whose children were John Tabor, William, above men- On the 11th of September 1792, Tobias and William De Ronde divided their tract of land between them. In the tioned, Elizabeth, Philadelphia, Catharine, and Jane. John Tabor Kempe was the last Attorney General of the deed of partition William De Ronde conveyed to his Province of New York. After the Revolution his prop- brother Tobias "All that parcel of land on which the erty was confiscated, and his half of the Dunderberg said Tobias now lives, two separate lots, the first begin-

323

STONY POINT-LAND TITLES.

ning on a marsh on the west side of Stony Point on the Northwest line, and from thence runs along the N. W. line 40 chains 50 links to a black oak stump, then N. 5° E. 30 chains to a buttonwood stake in a ineadow. Then S. 7012° E. 32 chains 60 links to Hudson's River then southerly along the river and the water running out of said marsh to the place of beginning containing 149 acres. Also another lot lying Northwest of Wmn. De Ronde's land, beginning on the said N. W. line at a Chestnut stake & running along the same 15 chains 25 links to Shaw's tract, now Brewster's, to a heap of stones, then N. 43º 15' E. 23 chains 25 links to a heap of stones, the southwest of John Crom's land. Then S. 89º E. 20 chains to a black oak tree in the line of John Crom's land. Then S. 4216° W. 36 chains to the place of beginning, containing 47 acres."

Tobias conveyed to his brother, William De Ronde, " The tract on which Wm. De Ronde now lives, begin- ning at a Chestnut Oak tree, the southeast corner of John Crom's land on the West bank of Hudson's River and running from thence N. 89° W. 49 chains to a black oak tree which is a corner of the wood lot of Tobias De Ronde, thence S. 4272° W. 36 chains to the N. W. line to a chestnut stake, then Southeast on the said line 41 chains 25 links to a black oak stump, then N. 5° E. 30 chains to a buttonwood stake in a meadow, then South 7072° E. 32 chains 60 links, to Hudson's River, then Northerly along the river to the place of beginning, Con- taining 201 Acres." The house of Tobias De Ronde stood where a small house now stands, on the property of Dr. N. A. Garrison, on the south side of the road, nearly opposite his dwelling house.

Rachel, daughter of Hercules Lent, married James Lamb, and her share of the Stony Point Tract descended to her children: Rachel, who married John Crom; Eliza- beth, wife of John Waldron; Catharine, wife of. Jacob Waldron; and Hannan, wife of John Armstrong. The tract which belonged to them, exclusive of Stony Point proper, was divided into three lots. The south lot, con- taining 92 3-10 acres, fell to Rachel Crom. The middle lot, of 18472 acres, descended to Catharine, wife of Ja- cob Waldron. The third lot, which contained 92 acres, belonged to John Waldron, and his wife, Catharine. Probably they purchased the share of Hannah Arm- strong, but of this we find no certain proof. The lot which Catharine held she gave to her daughters, Hannah and Margaret, by quit claim deed, dated August 7th 1834, and her husband willed the same land to his sons, William and Resolvert; but when they found that their father had no title, they allowed the sisters undisputed possession, and also gave them certain sums of money, as directed by the will.

Hannah and Margaret sold it to James Conway; he to Benjamin T. Allison, who sold it to Ebenezer Gay jr., and he transferred it to the House of the Good Shep- herd. The south line of this property is the original line between the Crom and Waldron lots.

The lot of 92 acres of Rachel Crom was divided into two parts by a line drawn west from the river. The

south half was sold to Eli Blancher, who sold it to Calvin Tomkins.

The large and commodious public school building at Tomkins Cove, erected through the munificence of Cal- vin Tomkins, and by him presented to the school district, stands on the south side of this lot. The De Ronde tract adjoins this on the south.

The north half of the Crom lot was sold by the heirs to John Crom, son of Rachel. The first lime kilns were built on this lot.

John Crom sold the lime kilns to Abraham Waldron, and his heirs sold to the Brewsters, who sold to the pres- ent owners, the Tomkins Cove Lime Company. John Crom sold the rest of the lot to Calvin Tomkins. The share of James Crom and the life right of John Thomp- son were sold to John Crom by John S. Gurnee, Decem - ber 5th 1839.

Stony Point proper remained undivided among the heirs of Rachel Lamb until long after the Revolution, and the land of the Waldron family was wet with blood of the opposing British and American forces.

James Lamb Armstrong (son of John Armstrong) sold one-eighth of the tract to Richard W. Brewster, May 17th 1802; Abraham Waldron and his wife Harriet sold one- eighth to Samuel Brewster, May Ist 1845; Catharine Wal- dron sold one-fourth to William H. Brewster, September 29th 1818, for $225.00; Cornelius Waldron and his wife Nancy sold one-eighth to William H. Brewster, May 19th 1817, "also one-half of the same undivided."

In 1826, the National Government wished to purchase a site on the Point for a light-house, but there was a dif- ficulty in obtaining a title on account of minor heirs, and heirs residing in other parts of the country.

An act was passed, appointing commissioners to ap- praise the land and report its value. A lot which in- cludes the eastern part of the Point was taken and val- ued at $300.00, and the title was then declared vested in the United States. The money was deposited with the Court of Chancery, and the proceedings duly recorded in the County Clerk's office. This lot includes the ancient fortifications, and the light-house stands within them.

The remainder of Stony Point was sold by the Brews- ters to Daniel Tomkins, at a comparatively recent date. In the deeds it is described as " fifty acres, more or less."

The old homestead of William De Ronde is the pres- ent residence of Samuel Osborn.

In 1712 a Patent was granted to Samuel Staats eni- bracing a certain tract of land,

" Beginning on the West side of Hudson's River just against Anthony's Nose at the mouth of a small rivulet called by the Indians Assinnipinck, and thence up Hud- son's River as it runs a northeast course 200 chains which is about 4 chains northward of Princes Falls. Thence up into the woods northwest 20 chains to the mountains, thence along the mountains parallel to the Hudson's River to the head of said Assinnipinck thence down the said rivulet as it runs to the Hudson's river to the place where it begun, together with a small rock isle

324

HISTORY OF ROCKLAND COUNTY.

and a small piece of boggy meadow called John Canton Hook, all which contains 400 acres English measure, to- gether with a small strip of land 4 chains broad on each side of a fall of water that falls into a small run of water that comes into Hudson's River just below the meadow at John Canton Hook, and up against the stream of said fall of water, over the top of the mountain to a pond of water and round this pond keeping still the said breadth of 4 chains broad.'

Now if the reader will refer to the Bear Hill Patent he will find it described as granted to Richard Bradley in 1743-thirty-one years after the Staats Patent -- and " be. ginning on the north side of a certain brook in the High- lands called Poplops Kill falling into the Hudson's Riv er opposite Anthony's Nose where the west line of the bounds of the lands formerly granted to Samuel Staats crosses the said brook and runs thence N. 28° E. along the said line 4 chains," being the width of said Staats Patent, "thence N. 55° W. 49 chains," &c., enclosing eight hundred acres, and in its last course-" Up the Hudson's river to the said land granted to Samuel Staats, thence along the bounds thereof to the place where this tract first began," " in which tract all of Bear Hill, and part of the said Poplops Kill and part of the lands there- · to adjoining, remaining yet unpatented are included."

Richard Bradley sold the whole of the Bear Hill tract to Roger Tomkins, reserving "all of Poplops Kill and the falls of water thereon and the lands on each side within the distance of four chains and one half."

In May 1760 Elizabeth Bradley, widow of Richard Bradley, by virtue of her husband's will, sold all the lands reserved in the above deed to William Donaldson. The Staats Patent, or the part which is included in the tract four chains wide around the fall or small run of water came into the possession of Eugene Lucet. In Caine's Reports, N. Y. Superior Court, vol. 2, page 363. In the case of " Jackson, ex dem. Donaldson, vs Lucet," it was decided that Poplops Kills is the one mentioned above in the description of Staats Patent.

In accordance with that decision the strip of land 4 chains wide is therefore at the extreme northeast corner of the town of Stony Point and of Rockland county.

ERECTION OF TOWN.

The town of Stony Point forms the northern part of Rockland county, having been set off from Haverstraw and incorporated as a separate town, in 1865, by act of Assembly, as follows:

" Chapter 152.

"An Act to erect a new town from a part of the town of Haverstraw, in the County of Rockland.

" Passed March 20 1865. Three fifths being present.

" The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:

ginning at a point on the Hudson River, the southeast corner of the land of Abraham B. Conger, about twenty- one chains southerly from the end of the Steamboat Wharf at Grassy Point, and running thence south about eighty-five and one-half degrees west eighteen chains to the ' Minisceongo ' Creek, and southwest corner of said 'A. B. Conger's land;' thence along said Minisceongo Creek, southerly, westerly and southerly, to the north- east corner of the land known as the 'Silas D. Gardner farm;' thence along said farm south eighty-eight and one- half degrees west, fifty-four chains to the public road leading from North Haverstraw to Benson's Corner; thence along said public road and west line of the said Silas D. Gardner's farm five chains and eighty-five links to southeast corner of the land of William C. and James A. Housman; thence along the line of said Housman's land to the south line of Wm. Call's land, the south line of Washington Waldron's land, the south line of Ben- jamin F. Valentine's land, and through other lands, north sixty-six and three-quarters degrees west, one hundred and thirty-five chains fifty links to an apple tree on the south side of the public road in front of Hiram Phillips' house; thence along said road, on the south side, to the junction of the Monroe and Haverstraw turnpike; thence along the south side of said turnpike westerly to the di- vision line between 'Great Mountains lots' three and four; thence following said division line north forty-five degrees west, to the division line between the Counties of Orange and Rockland; thence along said Orange County line northeasterly to the Hudson river; thence along the west shore of said Hudson river southerly to the place of beginning.

"§ 3. The first annual town meeting in said town of Stony Point hereby erected, shall be held at the store of Robert Kerr, in said town, on the second Tuesday of April, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five, and in each year thereafter on the third Tuesday of February; and Frederick Tomkins, Abraham S. Vanderbilt, and George Knapp are hereby appointed to preside at such Meeting, appoint a clerk, open the polls, and exercise the same powers as Justices of the peace when presiding at town meetings.

" § 4. Henry M. Peck, Edwin Marks, Henry G. Knapp, William Benson, Abiam Weyant, and Alexander Wald- ron be and are hereby appointed to apportion the town debt on each town according to the valuation of the real estate on the last assessment-roll of the town of Haver- straw, and the apportionment shall be made between the first day of May and the first day of July, eighteen hun- dred and sixty-five.

"§ 5. This Act shall take effect immediately."

TOWN OFFICERS.

Wesley J. Weiant was supervisor for 1865 and 1866; Daniel Tomkins for 1867; Frederick Tomkins for 1868; and 1877; William E. King for 1878 and 1879; Fred-

" Section 1. There shall be erected out of the town of Haverstraw, in the County of Rockland, a new town, to George W. Weiant for 1870-75; Hiram Osborn for 1876 be called the town of ' Stony Point.'

"§ 2. The saichtown shall be bounded as follows: Be- erick Tomkins for 18So-84.

325

STONY POINT-SETTLEMENT.

The first town clerk was Benson Briggs; He was suc- | taverns where men congregated. The country has thrown ceeded by Edward A. Thompson.

The first justices elected were Alexander Waldron, Wesley J. Weiant, Alfred M. Wiles, and Josiah M. Dalson.

EARLY SETTLERS.

Among the early settlers of the town of Stony Point we find the names of Judge Samuel Goetchius, Jacob Rose, John De La Montanya, Captain Samuel Brewster, Jacob Waldron, Captain James Lamb, Nicholas Call, Jacob de Ronda, Dr. Richard Osborn, Henry Herbert, John Wygans, Samuel Bard, Lewis Constant, Isaac Barns, Daniel Phillips, Richard Jones, John Crum, Thomas H. Smith, Daniel Bulson, Nicholas Statter, Jacob Blauvelt, Abraham Bulson, Alexander Bulson, John Odell, George Weyant, Caleb June, Abraham June, Baxter June, Lem- uel June, William Rhodes, John Brooks, Ithial June, Peletiah Harris, Daniel Ten Eycke.

These names we find in the old deeds and legal re- cords, and to-day many of them are but names. Those who might remember them have long since themselves slept with their fathers. But traditions met at many a fireside, and an occasional old letter give us glimpses of those early days.

Those early settlers were honest, frugal, industrious, and simple in their tastes. Accustomed to hard toil from the first light of morning till sunset in the long summer days, they soon retired without even lighting a candle, and found sweet sleep, nor waked till the morning again called them to toil. No hurrying to meet cars or steam- boats, no anxiety as to bank accounts, nor even a post- office. They learned of what was going on in the outside world only at long intervals, when one, more adventurous than the rest, boarded a slow moving sloop, and visited the great city to barter the few bushels of grain which he and his neighbors had raised for goods from Holland or the Indies. His return was anxiously but patiently awaited, and the subjects on which information was sought were but limited in comparison with the wide range of knowledge which the modern newspaper has introduced into even the humblest household.

The prices of the few articles of commerce, the cur- rent stories of sailors, the bits of news brought across the seas by the more recent emigrants, some memoirs of events in the French and Indian war, or more distant echoes of the "Seven years' war," the raids of the dreaded cowboys in Westchester county, bringing close to their doors the possibility of bloody conflict, were themes of conversation and interest in those early days. By and by came an awakening to the possibilities of an American people, then the appearance of war vessels in the Hudson, the marching and countermarching of armies through their hills, the massacre at Fort Clinton and storming of Stony Point, at their very doors, events calculated to stir the slowest blood and quicken the dul- lest intellect.

off one government. What shall be the next! In our reading of history we enter the halls of conventions and congresses, read the long speeches and arguments de- livered there, but we are apt to forget that these same subjects were discussed in every hamlet and where at a cross roads, but two or three were met together. Ancient Rome gave a name to the questions which in her day were discussed under such circumstances, She called them trivial-questions of the three ways. But in America we realize a higher education in wayside discussions. We find that the topics argued often have to do with the most weighty matters of political economy and human government, and that from these primary gatherings, flow the arguments and truths which, being represented in the halls of State, establish, direct, and limit the ad- ministrative powers of the government.

In those early days of our history, schools were few and the sessions of short duration. There was too much work to be done in wresting from the hard soil the means of livelihood, for much time to be spent in the mere learning of letters. A few weeks in the school room for the more ambitious opened very slightly the door to the path of learning, but few cared to walk far in that direc- tion.

In religion most of the early settlers seem to have been of Huguenot or Lutheran antecedents, and while there were few opportunities for public worship, the voice of prayer and praise was heard beneath many an humble cot- tage roof, and, not infrequently, in the open air, among the hills and forest trees, declaring the glory of God.

The element of religion entered largely into the colon- ization of America, and, almost universally, the Bible was among the household effects, first in honor, respect, and love.

The sincere truths of the gospel were taught the chil- dren, while an occasional visit from some preacher of the Cross awakened men's thoughts and led them to self examination and not infrequently to a more earnest faith, a deeper repentance, and a holier life.

FORT CLINTON.

In the extreme northern point, the dwelling of Mr. Pel! occupies the site of Fort Clinton. This fort, standing on the south bank of Poplope's Kill, 123 feet above the river, and Fort Montgomery on the north bank of the same stream, were erected early in the war for independence. Their position at the elbow where the river sharply turns around Anthony's Nose, was most commanding. From Montgomery to Anthony's Nose a boom and chain were stretched across the river to obstruct the passage of ves- sels. The point on the eastern side where this chain was attached may still be made out. That on the west has been destroyed. These forts were taken by the British forces on the 6th of October, 1777.

General Burgoyne was in the north, advancing south- erly. Sir Henry Clinton, in command of the British forces in New York, desired to make a diversion in his favor

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 74

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