History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 168

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1354

USA > New York > Westchester County > History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I > Part 168

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Fortunately, there was an insurance on the build- ing, and, although much difficulty and delay were experienced in settling matters with the insurance companies, who preferred to rebuild themselves rath- er than pay the insurance, work on a new chinrch was finally begnn, and after many mouths of anxiety and trouble the new building was completed, services being meauwhile held in private houses.

The services of re-consecration took place on the 4th of November, 1883, just nineteen months after the conflagration, and were conducted by the Right Rev. H. C. Potter, assistant bishop of New York, aided by several others of the clergy. Of these ceremonies the Churchman for November 17th has the following account : "This church was re-consecrated on Sun- day, November 4th, by the assistant bishop of the diocese, aided by the Rev. Francis Chase, rector ; the Rev. Dr. Olseu, a former rector; the Rev. W. W. Montgomery, of Mamaroneck ; the Rev. F. B. Van Kleeck, of White Plains ; and the Rev. Messrs. Forbes and Drisler. The church, repaired and rebuilt after the fire of last year, and adorned with many gifts from parishioners and friends, was bright and cheer- ful. A large congregation was in attendance and the music, though simple, was perfect. The bishop de- livered the sermon, which was worthy to be heard in

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every quarter of the commonwealth. Three persons were confirmed. In the afternoon the Rev. Dr. Olsen preached to his former flock. It was a day to be long remembered in Scarsdale."

In external appearance the new church is very like the first building, differing in no essential particular, although the workmanship in parts is inferior to that of the former. Within, also, the church is little changed, the arrangement and construction of chan- cel, nave, roof and windows being as before. The tone of the walls and woodwork is, however, much lighter than in the former building, while the stained glass is but a parody upon the beautiful chancel windows of the old church. The font has been almost exactly restored, and stands just outside of the chan- cel. on the right. The new furniture, consisting of altar, chancel-chair, double stall, reading desk, pulpit and brass lectern, is quite different in style from that which it replaces, but is handsome,and harmonizes well with the surroundings. It is the gift of friends of the parish, in memory of Mrs. Valeria Baugess, a former parishioner, whose remains lie in the little churcli- yard. Other gifts include a full set of lesson-books, and pulpit-lamp, altar-cover, altar-vases and alms- basin, all in brass. The organ,-of one manual,- from the shops of Hood & Hastings, Boston, is very prettily decorated, and was purchased with the insur- ance money of the former organ, occupying the same position,-at the western end of the nave. The chap- el is nearly an exact counterpart of the one it re- places.

Belonging to the church is a commodious rectory, situated on a pleasant spot nearly due north of the church, and about five minutes' walk from it.

Following is a list of all the rectors of Scarsdale :

Election or Acceptance of Call. Resignation.

January 31, 1850, Rev James F. Le Baron

April 1, 1831, Rev. William M. Olsen October 1, 1871.

December 3, 1871, Rev. Stephen F. Holnies . . May 1, 1872. July 1, 1872, Rev. Henry Webbe August 31, 1873. January 28, 1874, Rev. William A. Holbrook . . October 8, 1877. February 1, 1879, Rev. Francis Chase.

In 1853, two years after the consecration of the church, the following were the published statistics of the parish : Families, 20; sonls, 115; baptisms, 4; communicants, 50. In 1855 the church building and lot were valued at 86500, and the seating capacity of the former was for 211 persons. The attendance was 120 persons, and the communicants numbered 53. In 1865 the valuation of the property had risen to $8000. There were 60 communicants and an average attend- ance of 40 persons. The following are the latest par- ish statistics : Families, 45; souls, 214; baptisms, 7; confirmations, 3; marriages, 3; burials, 6; commun- icants, 74; Sunday-school scholars, 44; teachers, 7. Total amount collected for all objects, $2555,02.

The following were the original officers of the par- ish : William S. Popham and Mark Spencer, church wardens; Charles W. Carmer, William H. Popham,

Francis McFarlan, Joshua Underhill, Edmund Lud- low, Samuel E. Lyon, Augustus Bleecker and Orrin Weed, vestrymen. The following are the present offi- cers of the parish, the senior wardenship being now vacant on account of the recent death of the Honora- ble William S. Popham, who had held the office of senior church warden continuously since the founda- tion of the parish, viz .: Lewis C. Popham, church warden ; Alexander B. Crane, James Bleecker, Charles K. Fleming, Oliver A. Hyatt, S. Bayard Fish, Lewis B. Atterbury, Henry W. Bates and Cornelius B. Fish, vestrymen.

The iuterments in the parish graveyard number one hundred and ten. To the southwest of the church are the vaults of the Bleecker, McFarlan and Pop- ham families, and in the last-named repose the re- mains of the late William Popham, of Revolutionary fame, and his son, William Sherbrooke Popham. In this churchyard lie the remains of several un- known persons who died within the town limits, and so were given burial here. The following curious epitaph, -the only peculiar one in the little burying- ground,-appears on the tombstone of James Bell. The stone was prepared by him and the lines were pre- sumably of his own composition,-

" All you friends who are gathered here to weep, Behold the grave wherein I sleep ; Prepare for deatlı while you are well,- You'll be entombed as well as Bell."

At the northwest corner of the Fox Meadow estate, and within a few rods of Hartsdale Station, stands a small two-story frame structure formerly known as the "Fox Meadow Chapel." This building was first used as a carriage factory, but soon after the estate passed into the hands of Charles Butler, in 1856, it was converted into a private chapel under the above name. The first floor contained seatings for about a hundred persons and at the south end of the room was a dais with a small pulpit. The second story was merely used as a loft. For many years the chapel was used by no organized society, but its pulpit was occupied, upon invitation, by various Presbyterian clergymen, among others, by the Rev. Drs. Lyman Abbott and Irenæus Prime. At a later period the chapel was used by the Methodist Society of Hartsdale, who held there their Sunday-school and afternoon services, - their own church being inconveniently situated. This was continued until the building of a new church by the society rendered the use of the chapel un- necessary. Since then the chapel has not been used for religious purposes beyond the holding of an oc- casional prayer-meeting within its walls. For some time thereafter the upper floor was occupied by a local temperance club as its meeting-room, and in 1875 and again in 1882 the lower floor was used as a theatre for the presentation of amateur performances, under the name of the "Scarsdale Opera-House." The building is now arranged for such purposes, with a stage, etc., on the ground floor, the auditorium

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having a seating capacity for about one hundred and twenty-five persons.

Although, until the building of the Church of St. James the Less, Scarsdale had no place of worship besides the Friends' Meeting-House, services were held in the town for many years previous to that date. For this purpose use was made of the old "Fox Meadow " school-house, which formerly stood on Fish's Hill, the Methodists and Presbyterians holding services on alternate Sundays. The Rev. George Donovan, a clergyman of the former denomination, who contributed so much to the early success of the public school, often officiated here as pastor as well pedagogne. Again, during the Rebellion, when there appears to have been some interruption in the services at Fox Meadow Chapel, services were fre- qnently held in the house of Dr. Bruen, on the former Cooper estate.

SCHOOLS .- Although the early records of the Scars- dale public school have entirely disappeared, there ap- pears to have been snch a school in existence at the end of the last century, for the town-meeting of 1784 was held "att the School-house in said Manner near Captain Jonathan Griffin's." The building here mentioned was probably the first one in the town and stood at the top of the steep bank to the west of the White Plains road, just north of the road to Hartsdale Station. Nothing now remains to mark the spot but a portion of the foundations, the building itself har- ing been destroyed by fire early in the present century. In 1796 the offices of "Commissioners of Schools " were first instituted in the town, J. Barker, William Popham and Caleb Angevine being chosen to fill the position for the first year.

In 1809 was built a new school-honse to replace the one destroyed, and this still remains, but is now occupied as a dwelling. It formerly stood part way np Fish's Hill to the north of the roadway, but was moved many years ago to its present site, to the north side of the Hartsdale road. There is much of interest connected with this old school- honse, thongh in itself it is quite nnpretending. It is a small frame building of two stories, measuring about twenty-five by twenty feet in the ground plan, and unpainted. The school-room was on the ground floor and above was a loft. Soon after the erection of this building the school acquired considerable prominence from the scope of its cnrric- nlum, and it is related that people living in New York sent their children to board in the town that they might enjoy the advantages of its public school. This prominence was largely dne to the ability of the Rev. George Donovan, before mentioned, a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, who, on becoming a resident of the town, in 1802, at once interested him- self in the school, and introduced there the study of the ancient langnages, in addition to the common- school branches. In 1817 we find that he was elected " Inspector of Schools," his colleague being William

Popham, their offices being in addition to the school commissioners before mentioned. During these early days of the century the school came to be known as the " Scarsdale Academy," from the high grade of its instruction. Later on, however, when the conduct of the school passed into other hands, much of its reputation was lost, and it is stated that two of the old time pedagogues came to untimely ends from their fondness for strong drink. One was drowned, while intoxicated, in the deep spring on the west side of Dobb's Hill, just sonth of the site of the birth-place of Governor Tompkins and the other in a drunken frenzy committed suicide in a field nearly opposite the present school. This second building was known as the "Fox Meadow School-House" and we find it thus mentioned as a frequent place for holding town meet- ings. The State census of 1845 gives figures in relation to the school as follows, Valne of building, one hundred dollars ; Number of pupils, 35; average at- tendance, 18.

The present school records only cover a period of about twenty years, and are very brief. In 1870 the school trustees were Philip Waters, James McCabe and John Carpenter, Benjamin Palmer being clerk. In this year five hundred dollars was voted for the expenses of the school, and the teacher was Miss Eliza Algood, who occupied the position for a nnm- ber of years.

In 1874 it was determined to erect a new and more suitable building for school purposes, and a thousand dollars was voted by the town for procuring the nec- essary land, while in the following year twenty-five hundred dollars was appropriated for the building itself and nine hundred for furnishing it suitably. The building committee consisted of Benjamin F. Butler, Benjamin Carpenter, Peter Dobbs, James McCabe and John Read. The building was begun early in Feb- ruary of the centennial year, and was ready for occn- pancy the following September. In 1880 the school- tax amounted to 8796.25, being assessed at the rate of $1.86 per thousand dollars. For that year the statistics were as follows : There were one hundred and twenty- six children in the school district between the ages of five and twenty-one, and sixty between the ages of eight and fonrteen. School was held during forty- two weeks of the year. The trustees were John H. Carpenter, Peter M. Dobbs and James D. McCabe, Gilbert W. Dobbs being clerk. The teacher was Miss Ameigh. At this time the library contained one hundred and fifty volumes.

The following are the statistics for 1884: Trustees, David A. Weed, Benjamin J. Carpenter and F. W. Brooks ; Clerk, Gilbert W. Dobbs; Teacher, Miss Mars- land; number of weeks of school, forty-three ; children in district between the ages of five and twenty-one, one hundred and thirty-six ; between the ages of eight and fourteen, sixty-six. Books in library, two hnn- dred and fifty. The school-tax for the year amounted to 8841.25, being assessed at the rate of $1.92 per thousand.

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

The new school-house is situated at the junction of the old and new White Plains post roads, just at the foot of Fish's Hill, a little north of the Hartsdale road, and faces due west. It is about fifty by thirty feet on the ground plan, with two stories and a basement, the entrance to which is on the east. The latter is now used by the town as a place of meeting and for the holding of elections. In its external aspect the build- ing is very pleasing, the basement being of stone and the upper part frame, clapboarded, and a slate roof. The front gable is surmounted by a small open cupola, in which hangs the school bell. The building is neatly painted in a light shade of gray, with darker trimmings. The ground floor proper is occupied by a commodious and well-arranged school-room, fitted up with modern school furniture, and adjoining are the vestibule and cloak-rooms, the former opening upon a small porch. The loft above is unfurnished, but the basement is fitted up for the uses of the town with benches and a small dais at the west end of the room, the walls being finished in plaster.

In this connection it is interesting to note that the percentage of illiteracy in the town has of late years been very low, as is evidenced by the following figures, taken from the State census reports : In 1855 it was 1.10 per cent .; in 1865, 1.07 per cent .; and in 1875, 1.51 per cent.

Shortly after the erection of the Church of St. James the Less the organization of a parish school was undertaken, and the first notice of this is found in the report of the convention of New York for 1853, which says, " Asmall building for the purposes of a Parochial School is now being built." This stood in a pleasant situation a few hundred yards to the northwest of the church, and on a private road leading through the Popham property to Scarsdale Station. The next year the convention records contain no report of the parish school, but in 1855 we find the following: " Daily Parish Schools, One, part free-Males, 6; Females, 11." That year eighty dollars was contrib- uted by the church toward the parish school building. The next year the number of scholars had risen to twenty-males, fourteen ; females, six-and one hun- dred dollars was contributed by the parish towards the support of the school. Two years after, there were thirty scholars in the school-malcs, seventeen ; fe- males, thirteen-and the reports say of the school, "Teacher boarded free of charge ; otherwise self-sup- porting." In 1859 the number of scholars was largely increased, the average attendance being, males, twen- ty-five ; females, seventeen ; and the total number of those who had attended at least one quarter was sixty- four. The parish contribution towards the school this year was seventy-five dollars. The following year, 1860, is the last in which mention is made of the school in the convention reports, and it shows a great falling off in the attendance,-namely : males, twenty ; females, ten. During the winter a night- school had been held for three months, which proba-

bly accounts in some measure for the decrease. The attendance at the night-school aggregated twenty-one, thus giving a total of fifty-one scholars. The parish contribution had fallen to fifty dollars for this year. Shortly after this last report the school was given up, apparently from lack of support, and the school- building was used for other purposes. It was moved from its original situation to a position nearly adjoin- ing the rectory of the church, which was built in 1860.

Of private schools there have been several in Scars- dale at different times, but none of them have been sufficiently successful to remain. The census report of 1845 makes brief mention of two private schools, but this is the only record that remains of them. Another was started about the year 1871, but proved unsuccessful, and shortly after was closed. Thus the public school is the only one now in existence, but, owing to the excellence of its management, it leaves little to be desired by the townspeople.

LEADING RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES .- Among all the natives of the town, past or present, no one has been more prominent in the history of the county than Daniel D. Tompkins,1 Governor of the State, and after- wards Vice-President of the nation. His ancestors were among the first to settle in the town, and they have at all times figured conspicuously in its history. It is said of him that he embodied in himself, besides the noble virtues, the more commonplace, but none the less important ones of activity, energy and perse- verence, while his talents, no matter how tried, were always equal to an emergency. The reputation he gained at the bar and in the gubernatorial chair, was one of unflinching integrity combined with an un- common charm of manner and the greatest consider- ation for the feelings of all. His administration of the office of Governor during the trying times of the second war with Great Britain was unimpeachable, while his generous and entirely unsolicited financial aid to the government was especially noteworthy. In the capacity of military commander he likewise suc- ceeded admirably, being especially thanked for his services by the President. Governor Tompkins died on Staten Island June 11, 1825, and his remains are interred in the vault of the Tompkins family, at St. Mark's " in the Bowerie," New York City.

Jonathan Griffin Tompkins, father of the Governor, though not as distinguished in the history of the nation, was more identified than his son with the history of the town. But besides holding very many town offices, he was a member of the State Con- vention which adopted the Declaration of Independ- ence and the first Constitution of the State. Mr. Tompkins was one of the inspectors of the first town meeting held under the national government, and was chosen first supervisor of the town. This office he

1 A full sketch of Vice-President Tompkins and his father and brothers will be found in the first volume, in the chapter on the Bench and Bar.

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held for ten years, from 1783 to 1792, by annual re- election, besides other minor town offices. After the death of his adopted father Mr. Tompkins removed from the house where his son Daniel was born to the Griffiu homestead, now known as the Sedgwiek house, on the northern crest of Dobb's Hill, and the old inansion was afterwards torn down.

The Tompkins family were of English extraction, and cuigrated from the north of Eugland to Plym- outh, Mass., during the times of religious perse- cution. According to Bolton's narrative, from Plyn- outh they went in turn to Concord, Mass., Fairfield, Conn., and East Chester, N. Y., and thence finally to Scarsdale. It is probable that the family was repre- seuted in the town as carly as the beginning of the last century, for as many as six generations have lived here. Of the sons of Jonathan G. Tompkins, several settled perma- nently within the town, and proved useful and worthy citizens. The first of these was Caleb, the oldest of the Governor's brothers, who was born in 1759, and he left a son, J. G. Tompkins, Jr. The former held the offices of poor master, town clerk and supervisor in the town, being chosen to the last-named office at three different times, while his son was twice elected su- pervisor. Another of the brothers, Enoch, born in 1771, held this office for ten years continuously, besides at other times holding numerons minor offices. Another brother still, George Washington Tompkins, likewise made Scarsdale his home for a time, and here was born to him a son, Warren Tompkins, who afterwards took up his residence in White Plains.

The Popham Family .- About one-half mile from the railroad depot at Scarsdale, and shadowed be- neath the branches of huge trees, whose leaves en- tirely obscure its inmates from the gaze of the curious, stands the ancient homestead of Chief Justice Richard Morris. It is one of the oldest houses in the couuty, and although it has from time to time been altered aud extended in order to meet thic require- ments of modern life, it still retains, in its sloping roof and ample chimney, a general appearance of antiq- uity. It is now iu the possession of the Popham fam- ily, of whom we subjoin a sketch.

The Pophaus trace their English ancestry as far into

HON. DANIEL D. TOMPKINS.

the past as the beginning of the thirteenth eentury, when their records show that one Gilbert Pophanı, of the Manor of Popham, married Joan, a daughter of Robert Clarke, also of that manor. Members of the family held high offices during the reigns of Henry III. Edward III. and Henry IV. Sir John Popham, Knight, was lord chief justice in the reign of Elizabeth, and so popular had the family become that Charles I. made John Popham, one of its members, a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber upon the occasion of his coronation. The family was also represented at the coronation of Charles II. by Sir Francis Pop- ham, who was a Knight of the Bath.

At the time of the civil war in England the family became divided, and Sir Franeis, who was sixth iu descent from the chief justice, rendered himself so obnoxious to Charles I. by his course at that time, that his son John, who was eolonel in com- mand of a cavalry regi- ment, was forced to re- move iuto Ireland, where he purchased the estate of Bandon. Mindful of the family reverses, he named his oldest sou Icha- bod.

John Popham, the son of Ichabod and father of William Popham, from whom are descended the family so long identi- fied with the history of Scarsdale, was a linen draper, of Cork, aud was widely known for his learning, intelligence and piety.

His three children were James, William, aud Eli- zabeth, who married the architect, John Cook.

William Popham, the second child, married a daugh- ter of Rev. William Millet, a Presbyterian elergyman of Bandon, whose family numbered nineteen daughters and three sons. Of their children, Alexander, John and William, the last only, who was boru at Bandon, September 19, 1752, came with his father to this country.

He was but nine years of age at the time, and was left in the care of two maiden aunts living in New Jerscy. By them he was entered at Princeton College, from which he graduated just as the Revolution was breaking out. Joining the Continental army, he almost immediately rendered himself famous by the capture of the notorious Captain Rugg and eighteen others at the battle of Long Island. As a reward for his bravery, he received a captainey, which was subse-

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

quently supplemented by a major's commission, in recognition of distinguished services rendered at the battles of White Plains and Brandywine.

At the close of the war Major Popham resided for a few years at Albany, New York, where he studied law. While there he met and became enamored of Miss Mary Morris, daughter of Chief Justice Rich- ard Morris, with whom, being forced by her father's hostility, he eloped.

In 1804, having meanwhile effected a reconciliation with his father-in-law, he established a legal practice in New York City and became in time clerk of the Court of Exchequer. He retired in 1811 to his farm in Scarsdale, where he resided till the death of his wife, in 1836. His own death occurred in New York eleven years later, in 1847.

While Major Popham was yet a young man his father, journeying a sec- ond time to this country, was taken sick upon the voyage and died. He was bnried by his son at Perth Amboy, N. J.

The major at the time of his death was presi- dent of the New York State Society of the Cin- cinnati. He was also its president-general by vir- tue of his right as oldest member. Upon the occa- sion of his decease lıis name received honorable mention in general orders and his loss was lamented by many who had been his warm friends and acquaintances.

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History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 168

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1354

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, ed
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1354