History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 192

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 192

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Mr. Ewen was a Democrat, and, with the exception of his vote for Mr. Lincoln, his political course was

with the Democratic party. He was associated with the late Mr. Havemeyer in the city government during tlic first term of the latter as mayor. In addition to the civic appointments and offices of trust held by him at varied times, he also held high rank among the citizen soldiery of New York. Elected in 1836 licu- tenant-colonel of the Eighth Regiment of Light In- fantry, he was soon afterward chosen colonel, and in 1847 was clected brigadier-general of the Fourth Brigade. This command included, at the outbreak of the Civil War, the famous Sixty-ninth and Seventy- ninth Regiments. The former, composed almost ex- clusively of men of Irish birth, upon the first call for volunteers, recruited within a week a number sufficient to fill nearly seven regiments. The Seventy- ninth was made up mainly of Scottish citizens, about three hundred of whom were reported to have been stone-masons. Both regiments were engaged at the first battle of Bull Run, the Seventy-ninth carrying through the fight a silken banner presented by Mrs. Ewen.

Upon the invasion of Pennsylvania General Ewcn lastened to the front in response to the call for aid, and with his command acted under the orders of General Baldy Smith until the withdrawal of the invaders. Having retired of late years from public affairs, in consequence of failing health, the result of overwork, he is less widely known to the active men of the present day than to their fathers 'and to those imme- diately interested in the corporation at whose head he had been for so many years, but these will cherish his memory as that of a good citizen, a constant and benevolent friend, a fond husband and father, an hon- est man.

ISAAC G. JJOHNSON.

Isaac Gale Johnson was born at Troy, N. Y., Feb- ruary 22, 1832. His father, Elias Johnson (who mar- ried Laura, daughter of Solomon Gale, of Vermont), was a resident of Westfield, Mass., from which place he removed to Troy, and was for many years exten- sively engaged in the manufacture of stoves as a member of the well-known firm of Johnson, Cox & Fuller. He was the first manufacturer who nscd a cupola-furnace, for melting iron, north of Philadel- phia, and the business of the firm assumed large pro- portions, the products of their works being shipped to all parts of the country, while, during the Mexican War, they furnished to the government large quanti- tics of shot and shells.

Mr. Johnson was educated for a civil engineer and B.N.S., and graduated at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of Troy, N. Y., in 1848. He practiced the profession of an engineer for a short time, and then found employment from the firm of which his father was a partner. Soon after he went to Philadelphia studied chemical analysis, and took lessons in draw- ing at the Franklin Institute. About this time his attention was drawn to the subject of malleable iron,

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

and to this he devoted his time and labor, conducting a series of experiments which led to very important discoveries. The malleable iron which was produced at that time was an inferior article, no means having been discovered for making it of a uniform quality and sufficiently good to answer the many purposes for which it was required. The great object of his labors and experiments was to find some means by which arti- cles now made by the slow process of forging could be made from cast irou. These efforts have been crowned with complete success, and bid fair to work a complete revolution in the manufacture of iron implements. In 1853 Johnsou, Cox & Fuller came to Spuyten Duyvil and purchased a tract of one hundred and eighty acres of land, on the north side of Spuyten Duyvil Creek and adjoining Hudson River. Here they es- tablished a foundry and stove factory and carried on the business. Mr. Johnson, having once fairly started ou his new process, pursued it with his wonted vigor. In 1861 Geueral Delafield, of the Uuited States army, desigued the gun which bears his name. The first cannon, which were made at the famous Parrott Foundry, at Cold Spring, failed to stand the test, and burst after a few discharges. Without any knowledge of this fact, Mr. Johnson made a proposi- tion to furnish four guns of his pattern and warrant them to stand firing one thousand rounds each with- out bursting. The offer being accepted, the guns were furnished, and not one failed. This not only estab- lished the fame of the inventor, but of the manufac- turer as well, and sixty-four additional guns were made, which did good service in the field. Soon after Mr. Johnson entered into an agreement with the Par- rott Company, and made shot and shell for them dur- ing the war. To explain the process by which the various articles are produced at the Johnson Foundry, and to enumerate thewi, would very far exceed our limits. It is sufficient to say that they are the results of a thorough knowledge of chemical analysis, a care- ful selection of materials and a skillful mode of prepa- ration. These products are of endless variety-from the tinned handles of a milk-can (which were the first articles manufactured) to the ponderous rolls for iron- rolling mills, weighing several tons. The enterprise, which at first was carried on with the help of six meu, now gives constant employmeut to three hundred, and the business must continue to increase as the articles manufactured are introduced to public notice.

Mr. Johnson is a Republican in politics, but his time is so fully occupied in his business affairs that he has declined all offers of public office. He is, how- ever, the vice-president of the King's Bridge Associa- tion. In religion he is connected with the Baptist Church, and is one of the deacons of the society.

He married Jaue E., daughter of Gilbert Bradley, of Sunderland, Vt. Their children are Elias M., Isaac B., Gilbert H., Arthur G. and James W. Two of these are now in partuership with their father, and their skill and talent bid fair to lead to uew discover-

ies. It deserves especial mention that Mr. Johnson has always evinced a deep interest in the welfare of his employés, aud a well-furnished reading-room affords them means for mental culture, while a well- conducted Sunday-school has a tendency to elevate their moral nature.

The manufacture of gas and steam-fittings in this establishment has been brought to such a degree of perfectiou that their productions can be sent to foreign countries and sold at such prices as to defy competi- tion-a result which has been accomplished by im- proved methods of manufacture and without reduc- tion of wages. Mr. Johnson is a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, and is deeply interested in all that pertains to scientific re- search.

CHAPTER XX.

WESTCHESTER TOWN.

BY FORDHAM MORRIS.

FROM THE DISCOVERY TO THE REVOLUTION .- The most celebrated of American historians says, " To the enterprise of proprietaries New Netherlands was to owe its tenants," and he lays great stress upon the fact that the Dutch West India Company insisted that the Indiau title should first be extinguished be- fore any of the Dutch settlers could obtain perma- nent rights in the soil.1 Though Henry Hudson was the first discoverer of Hudson's River and Spuyten Duyvil Creek in 1609; though Adrian Block, in his yacht, the "Ourest," in 1613-14, made the first white man's cruise to the east of the ancient township that has given its name to a county ; and though Chris- tiansen had established his trading post on the site of the future Fort Orange or Albany about the same time, we have no record by government, republic or company of what was formerly known as, and still forms a part of, the town of Westchester for many years after the discovery of New Netherlands by the Dutch. The natives belonging to the tribe of Weekquaesgeeks were the sole patroons or lords of

the soil, and from their movements we obtain our earliest knowledge concerning Westchester township. In 1616 all the southermost part of Westchester County and as far north as the Saw-Mill or Nepperhan River, at what is now known as Yonkers, was in possession of that tribe ; and in 1626 2 one of the tribe with his nephew, crossed Harlem River and got as far south as the " Kolck " Pond, or Canal Street, on New York Island, for the purpose of trading his beaver skins. Governor Minuit's servants met them both and stole the skins and murdered the uncle. The

1 Bancroft's "United States," vol. ii. page 42. Little & Brown's Ed.

2 Broadhead, page 74; Schoolcraft, page 101.

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ISAAC G. JOHNSON & CO.'S WORKS, NEW YORK.

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WESTCHESTER.

young savage, escaped, but swore he would revenge himself on the Dutch.123

In 1640 the progress of enterprising settlers of New England along the shores of Long Island Sound awakened the fears of the governing powers in New Netherland and Director Kieft dispatched his faithful secretary, Van Tienhoven, to purchase the Archipelego at Norwalk, or islands at the mouth of the preseut Norwalk River, together with all the adjoining land, "and to prevent any other nation from encroaching on our limits." These instruc- tions were accomplished and the West India Com- pany obtained the Iudian title to all the lands be- tween the Norwalk River and the North River.4 In the previous year Van Tienhoven witnessed another Indian transfer to the West India Company of Keskes- keck which also covers by its description the town of Westchester.5

Within this grant was included the towu now described as Westchester. The present limits (1885) are, on the north Pelham or East Chester Bay, and a line extending in a westerly direction to Bronx River; the East River aud the beginning of Long Is- land Sound form the south and east boundaries, and Bronx River is its western boundary ; but, originally, Westchester township consisted of all that portion of the southern part of Westchester County which was bonnded on the north by Pelham Bay, East Chester, and Yonkers; its west, south and east boundaries were Harlem River, Harlem or Bronek's Kills, the East River and Long Island Sound.

About 1639-40 one Jonas Bronck or Bronx ar- rived from Hoorn, in Holland, in the ship "Fine of Tray." Bronck was of Swedish extraetion. His last European residence was in Amsterdam, and there lie married Antonia, daughter of Juriaen Slagboom. Enterprise and discovery was then the fashion in Europe, and from interviews with persons familiar with the New Netherland discoveries, he be- came informed of its fertility, and with his family, farmers, female servants and cattle arrived in July, 1639, at New Amsterdam. He purchased from Ranachqua, or Ranaque, and Taekamuck, Indian chiefs, a tract of five hundred acres, "lying between the great kill" (Harlem River) and the "Ahqnahnng," (Bronx) part of which is now included in Morrisania. Here he erected a stone house covered with tiles, a barn, tobacco house and two barracks.6 From the old map of Bronxland on file in the office of the Secretary of State at Albany, it appears that Bronx's house was situated not far from the present depot of the Port Chester Branch Railroad, and from the inventory of Bronx's estate it is quite certain he was a gentleman

of learning and refinement, for he had in his library books written in several languages, used silver on his table and had napkins and table-cloths, and as many as six linen shirts.7 The books were, many of them, religious. He undoubtedly believed that cleanliness and godliness were twin sisters.

Bronx was hardly settled in his new quarters at Enimaus, as he piously termed it, before an Indian war broke out. The young Weckquaesgeek who had witnessed the killing of his uncle by Minuit's servants had attained manhood. Claes Smits, a harmless Dutchman, had built a small house on the East River near Harlem, on the Manhattan side, now One Hun- dred and Twenty-third Street, near the river. He was a wheelwright by trade. The young savage came one day and offered to barter some beaver skins for duffels, and while Smits was stooping over the chest in which he kept the goods the Indian killed him with an axe, plundered the house and escaped with his booty into Westchester.

Nan Dunks

COPY FROM TRACING OF BROUCKSLAND. OFFICE SECY.OF STATE ALBANY VOL.I. LAW PAPERS P.17.

260

Rienes

Hoy Bounds

Fullgate

Governor Kieft demanded satisfaction from the tribe; the sachem refused to give him up and sol- diers were sent to arrest him, but they failed to do so.8 The prudent burghers of New Amsterdam were op- posed to a war, and the director very wisely saw that if one was begun he would have to bear the blame. He therefore sought connsel of the community, and the twelve men, from whom, by the charter of the company, he was directed to ask advice agreed that Smits' murder should be avenged, but they thought that " God and the opportunity" should be takeu into consideration and that the director should make the necessary preparations. They advised that trade and intercourse with the savages should in the mcan- time be maintained and no hostile measures should be adopted against any one but the murderer until the hunting season was ended, and then it would be proper to send out two parties, one from the Sound or East River side and the other from the Hudson

1 1 Broadhead, 167.

2 De Vries' "Voyages," 164, Journal Van New Netherland.

3 Hall Docs., iii. 105, v. 314.

41 Broadhead, 296.

6 N. Y. Col. Docs., xiii. 5.

6 Riker and N. Y. Col. Docs., vol. xi. 102.

¡ N. Y. Col. Docs., xi. 102.

31 Broadhead, 316, "Doc. Ilistory N. Y.," iv. 8, 9.

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

River side to surprise them. It was also suggested by the twelve men that the director should "lead the van," but that in the meantime a shallop should be three times sent to demand the murderer.1 Kieft would not listen to this wise counsel; by private col- loquy with each of the twelve he tried to advise them to sanction a war, but they voted to await the arrival of the next ship from Fatherland.2 A treaty of peace was finally made with the Indians at the house of Jonas Bronx's3 in 1642, and in 1643 Jonas Bronx, probably the first white settler in Westchester town, died at his home, and his estate was administered upon by friends at Harlem4.

Everardus Bogardus, the Dutch minister in New Amsterdam (husband of the far-famed Anneke Jans) and Jochim Petersen Keyser, or Kuyter, of Harlem, made up the inventory of his estate. His widow was present, as was also his son, Peter Bronx, and from him are descended a numerous family settled at Al- bany since that time.5

About the time of Bronx's death some persons from New England settled on what is now known as Throgg's Neck or Throgg's Point, the extreme eastern part of the township. This locality was called by the Dutch Vreedelant, or the " free land," owing to the fact that New Englanders, to escape intolerance in their own settlements, persecution for witchcraft, Quakerisın and other offenses came to this region to enjoy civil and religious liberty, guaranteed to all persons who chose to come under the dominion of the Dutch West India Company. In the permission to settle there given by Director Kieft to John Throck- morton and his associates the territory is described as along the East River of New Netherland, "being a piece of land surrounded on one side by a little river and on the other side by a great kill, which river and kill on high water running to meet each other." This description covers the present Throgg's Neck or everything east of Westchester Creek and west of East Chester Bay. Throckmorton and his associates, however, had but a short enjoyment of

their new homes. The treaty of peace signed at Bronx's house was of no avail. The Indians were committing depredations, and Director Kieft, with the assistance of a council of only eight men, this time determined on an Indian war. As large a force as the good burghers of New Amsterdam could afford to pay for was promptly enlisted, good and fitting ordinances against taverning and all other irregularities were " ordained," and, possibly to prevent such worldly practices, a week's preaching was ordered. Captain John Underhill, a hero of the Pequod War, was placed in command of the expedition.

Either by reason of the delay in recruiting or the week's preaching, or some other misfortune not men- tioned in the documents of that date, the troops took the field too late, and were unable to repel au attack made by the Weckquaesgeeks, who, at Pelham Neck, or, as it was then known, Annie's Hoeck, murdered the celebrated refugee Ann Hutchinson, and de- stroyed houses and cattle. Thence they went to " Vreedelandt," where such of the Throckmorton or Cornell families as were at home were murdered and the barns and houses burned. A boat landing there about that time, some of the women and children fled on board, but eighteen persons were massacred.

This raid seems to have extended a consider- able distance. Westchester was laid waste and Long Island was almost cleaned out of inhabitants and stock. The eight men of New Amsterdam wrote a pitiful tale to the Most Worshipful Directors of the West India Company, saying : " Famine stares us in the face. Not a plough can be put in the ground. This is but the beginning of our troubles." 7

The southwest part of Throgg's Neck, or Pilot's Point, and the old Ferris place, as now known, in the possession of the Ferrises, Mr. Zenega, Jacob Lorillard and others, was granted to Thomas Hunt about 1686.8 Farther west were Willett's and Cornell's Necks, called Black Rock. This latter extended westerly to the Bronx, but did not include that part of the town- ship which formed the borough. In 1663 that por- tion of the original town west of the Bronx, including the present village of West Farms, Hunt's Point and as far west as Leggetts Creek, vested by purchase from the Indians iu Edward Jessup and John Rich- ardson. Bronx's land evidently lay between Bungay and Cromwell's Creeks. Devoe's Point, or Daniel Turneur's land, now forming the point between Cromwell's Creek and Harlem River south of High Bridge, purchased originally in 1671 by Turneur from the Indians, and Archer's patent, also an Indian pur- chase, formed the northwest corner of the territory.

The method pursued by the West India Company

1 1 Broadhead, 318, "Doc. History," v. 326, 329.

2 1 Broadhead, 319.

$ 1 Broadhead, 330.

4 Riker's "History of Harlem," 158-59 ; vol. xi., N. Y. Col. Docs., 44.

5 Tuentje or Turuje Juriansen was Bronx's widow. Her name would hardly be recognized to day as the synonym of Antonia Slagboom; but Turnje is the Dutch nickname for Antouia, and as her father (Slagboom) was baptized Jurian, she was Turnje, the daughter of Jurian, and so called, though to-day she would be Mrs. Bronx. After Broux's death slie married Arendt Van Corlaer, the sheriff of Rensselaerwick, and on July 10, 1651, Van Corlaer sold Broux's land to Jacob Jans Stoll. In 1662, Matthias de Vos, as attorney for Geertruit Andries, the widow of Van Stoll, conveyed it to Geertrieu Hendrick, the widow of one Audries Hoppen, and she, on the same day, with the consent of her husband, Dirck Gerritts Van Tright, sold to Harmann Smeeman, who, on the 22d of October, sold the same to Samuel Edsall, a beaver-maker, of New York City, who held it until 1668-70. Edsall was a useful man. Iu the ex- ercise of his business he had considerable intercourse with the Indians, and learned their lauguage. We find him on several occasions, at Fort Amsterdam and elsewhere, acting as an interpreter. He removed from Bronx land and finally settled in New Jersey.

6 1 Broadhead, 366 and 367, and Docs. quoted. O'Callaghan's " Histo- ry New Netherlands," 258. Bolton's "History Westchester." vol. ii. page 264. Alb. Records, G. G., 98, N. Y. Col. Docs., xi.44. N. Y. Col. Docs., xi. 102.

" Bolton's " Westchester," vol. ii. page 269. Mr. Bolton gives in his history a copy of the original deed. Albany Records, vol. ii. page 79.

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WESTCHESTER.

in the first planting of settlements was as follows : The company, at their own cost and in their own ships, conveyed the farmers (boors, bauers) to the new country. The tenant was granted a bon- erie, or farm, for a term of years, and was to clear the land. The company furnished a house, barn, farming implements and tools, horses cows, sheep and pigs, in proportion to the acreage. The farmer had the use of these animals for the term, and on its expiration he was to return to the company the number of domestic animals he had re- ceived, he to keep part of the increase. The com- pany, for several years from its ontset, distributed its live-stock among those farmers who had not the means to buy. All risks of the cattle dying were shared between the company and the farmer. By this process the boors, in a few years, managed to amass sufficient money and cattle to enable them to purchase lands from the company or some patroon. Under the private proprietors the method was some- what similar. The proprietor gave permission to his tenants to clear the land and plant crops on it, but they were obliged to break up new land after the land already cleared had been in use by the tenant for the number of years specified in the lease.

The landlord had the option to determine what land should be cleared and planted. He rarely re- ceived a money rent, but got his land back in his pos- session, cleared and prepared for agricultural por- poses. Sometimes the landlord would furnish horses and cattle to the tenants. Many of the tenants were persons whom the landlords had assisted to emigrate by advancing their passage money, and they would pay that back whenever they had the ready means, either in cash or in crops. Tobacco and wheat were the principal crops.1

In 1654-55 some New Englanders settled at or near Westchester without Stuyvesant's permission. On the 19th of April, Van Tienhoven, the Fiscal, issued a writ commanding Thomas Pel, or whomsoever else it might concern, to cease from trespassing and to leave the premises, and intrusted the writ to Claes Van Elslaut, the court messenger, and promptly on the 22d Claes arrived at the new village which was building at Vreedelandt. Four armed men came to meet him at the creek and demanded what he was after. Elslant asked, "Where can I land near the houses ?" The reply was, "You shall not land." The messenger said, "I am coll, let me land," and he sprang ashore. Albert, the trumpeter, was with him, and both were placed under guard by the set- ters and told not to advance a foot. The commander of the party advanced with a pistol in his hand and with eight or ten men following. The faithful mes- senger did his duty; he read the protest or warrant and handed it to the leader, who said, " I cannot un- derstand Dutch; why did not the Fiscal send it in

English? If you send it in English, then shall I answer in writing." He added, " But that's no mat- ter ; we expect the ships from Holland and England which are to bring the settlement of the boundary. Whether we are to dwell here under the States or the Parliament time will tell ; furthermore, we abide here under the States of England. If we had a sup of winc we should offer you some, but we have not any."

They then discharged their guns all round. Elslaut tried to see their houses and fixtures, and also the Parliament's arms, which the English said were hung on a tree and carved on a plank, but the people left the messenger standing in a hut on the shore well guarded by men. The messengers were finally per- mitted to return and Van Elslant made his report. 2

Such treatment roused the indignation of Stuyve- sant. On the 6th of March, 1656, he and his Council instructed Captain Frederick de Conninck with Cap- tain Lieutenant Brian Nnton and the Fiscal, Van Tienhoven, to proceed to Westchester or Ostdorp by night with a detachment of soldiers and take posses- sion of the houses of the Englishmen, and direct them to remove with all their movable property and cattle ; they were to proceed against them by force, if necessary, and the houses were to be demolished. A lieutenant-Wheller or Wheeler-seems to have been the principal man at the settlement, which, according to Van Tienhoven's account of the population, con- sisted principally of fugitives, vagabonds and thieves, who, on account of their bad behavior in New England, had fled to Westchester. The expedition ordered on the 6th reached Westchester on the 14th of March, and were met there by the people, who had drawn up in line under arms, and showed themselves unwilling to remove, saying that the land belonged to them. Cap- tain-General Conninck deprived them of their arms and took twenty-three of them prisoners, and brought them to New Amsterdam on the ship " de Waagh." Only a few, with the women and children, were left behind to take care of the goods. The wives of the captives, however, plead for their husbands' release, and the soft-hearted Governor and Council finally re- solved to release the prisoners after they promised, under oath and over their signatures, to remove from Vredelandt and out of the province within six weeks, and not to come back withont the consent of the Datch government. The prisoners were also rc- quired to pay the expenses of their apprehension. The petition of the captives, though quaint in lan- guage, is almost pathetic. They beg that the Gover- nor and Council will be pleased to take into considera- tion the humble request of the poor and humble pe- titioners, and that "whereas, it doth appeare " that the government does make claim to the place where they were settled, they state that they are willing to submit themselves unto the government of the Neth- erlands, so long as they continue within that jurisdic-

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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 192

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