History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 193

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 193

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).

º N. Y. Col. Docs., xiii. 36. 'Idlem, 65.

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

772

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

tion, provided they be allowed to choose their own officers for the enforcement of laws which may be inade for the good of the township. Their petition was granted and on March 16, 1656, they were al- lowed to depart for Vredelandt and also to nominate a double number of officers, subject to the approval of the Director-General and Council. They at once organized and elected Lieutenant Thomas Wheeler as their magistrate, and his selection received the sanc- tion of the director on the same day. Some of the party, however, were ordered to leave the province unless they gave bail for good behavior.1

In 1655 another Indian war broke out. The savages came down the Sound in their canoes as far as Hell Gate, and Peter, the chimney-sweep of New Amster- dam, was taken prisoner. Captain Nuton was di- rected to caution the people in the country to keep together and not wander far from the plantations. 2 The New Englanders settled at Westchester were sus- pected of having entered into a conspiracy with the Indians so as to throw off the Dutch yoke, and they were also in constant correspondence with the English authorities in Connecticut. This settlement was called by the Dutch "O'ostdorp," and the insubordinatiou of its inhabitants was a constant annoyance to Stuy- vesant. 34 The Dutch West India Company also ex- pressed its disapproval of the course the New Eug- landers were pursuing with reference to Ostdorp, or Westchester village, and their wicked attempts to "purloin it." 5

Van Couwenhoven made a report to the Governor and Council that, on the 15th of March, 1664, an In- dian named Hiekemick came to his house and told him that the Esopus and Wappinger Iudians were ready for an insurrection, and that the English at Westchester had promised that they would first con- quer Long Island and then the Manhattans, but that the Indians must help them. The Indians said that they were willing, but the thrifty New Englanders asked, "When you have done it, how much land sha!l we have then?" The land at Esopus was promised if the English would help them kill the Dutch. The ,Indians made another visit to Westchester and tried to consummate the bargain, but were answered, “It cannot be done at present, as our Sachem (evidently meaning Lieutenant Wheeler) has made an agree- ment with Stuyvesant for a year." After some un- successful palaver the Indians left, saying, "It is bet- ter to make peace with the Dutch ; the English are only fooling us."

But the inhabitants of Westchester did not feel satis- fied under the Dutch rule, and in the following August of 1664 informed the commissioners of Her Majesty's affairs in New England of their arrest by the Dutch and the hardships they had to endure in the hold of a

vessel and in a dungeon at the Manhattoes; that the sole cause of their arrest was that they opposed the Dutch title to the lands; that after their release some of their companions were driven away and the residue were enslaved. This was undoubtedly an allusion to the compulsory visit Wheeler aud his friends made some years before to New Amsterdam. 6

But Stuyvesant's contests with and suspicions of the unruly New England settlers at Westchester were soon ended. Charles II., of England, in March, 1664, lib- erally presented to James, Duke of York, the whole colony of New Netherlands, with other possessions which he never owned. In August Colonel Richard Nicolls, with his English squadron and New England soldiers, captured the city of New Amsterdam, and in September, 1664, we can imagine that Wheeler and his fellow-citizens in Westchester village rejoiced in godly New England style over the downfall of the valiant Dutch Governor, Petrus Stuyvesant, and the accession of James, Duke of York, and his Governor, Nicolls, as lord proprietor of New York aud West- chester township. ?

FORDHAM AND THE FERRIES .- West of Bronx River are the regions formerly known as the Manors of Fordham and Morrisania and the West Farms Patent, and lately as the townships of West Farms and Morrisania. The early history of Ford- ham and Morrisania is closely allied with that of Harlem, and many of their first settlers came from the latter village. In 1658 the director-general and Council passed an ordinance at Fort Amsterdam for the promotion of neighborly correspondence with the English in the north, and as a practical measure for the closer communication of the two peoples, they au- thorized the establishment of a ferry with a suitable scow ncar Harlem, besides promising, that a good wagon road should be built from Fort Amsterdam to Harlem by the company's negroes as soon as the population of the latter had increased to twenty or twenty-five families.8

The promised ferry and road remained only a pro- ject in the minds of the Dutch authorities, but never- theless many of the Harlem people were attracted to the main land and some cultivated boueries or farms in the neighborhood of Bronxland and Spuyten Duyvil. Nicolls, the new English Governor, a man of enterprise and tact, who paid much attention to developing the settlements and obtaining the good will of the Dutch, in 1666 granted a charter to the inhabitants of Harlem, which, among other things, provided for " a ferry to and from the main which may redound to their particular benefit," and author- ized them "at their charge to build one or more boats for that purpose fit for the transportation of men, horses and cattle, for which there will be such

1 N. Y. Col. Docs., 67.

2 N. Y. Col. Docs., xiii. 43; Laws of New Netherland, page 198.

3 N. Y. Col. Docs., xi. 550.

[ 4 Idem, 527, 529.

5 Holland Docs., ii. page 219.

6 N. Y. Col. Docs., xiii. 363, 392.

72 Bancroft, 69 (Little & Brown's ed.).

8 Riker's "History of Harlem " is the source from which most of the information in the following pages is derived.

773

WESTCHESTER.

a certain allowance given as shall be adjudged rea- sonable." About this time it was found by the Har- lem people that as there was a convenient fording- place at Spuyten Duyvil, a good road should be made to Harlem and a good ferry established over the river; so, on January 3, 1667, at a meeting of the mayor and magistrates, it was determined that the Harlem people should make one-half the road from Harlem to the Manhattans and that Spuyten Duyvil " be stopped up "; that like care be taken for a suit- able ordinary (tavern) for persons coming and going; and the mayor, Captain Delaval, promised the nails and the making of a scow, on condition that the ferryman should repay him when required to do so.

Johaunes Verveelen agreed to take the ferry and the ordinary for six years. He was duly sworn to provide lodgings, victuals aud drink for travelers, but to tap no liquor for the Indians ; he was also allowed to have six extra feet to his lot of land in Harlem, as he was cramped for room, and must make convenienee " for his ordinary." Travel toward Westchester and the castward gave a new spur and energy to Harlem. Verveelen fitted up his ordinary and provided the boats, and his lusty negro, Matthys, was placed in charge. People enjoyed the hospitality of the inn on their way to and from Bronxside, and their cattle were safely ferried across at the following rates : " For one person, four stivers, silver money ; for two, three or four, each three stivers, silver money ; for one beast, one shilling ; and for more than one, each ten stivers silver." Riker locates the inn and ferry at the north side of Que Hundred aud Twenty-third Street, three hundred feet west of First Avenue. It would seem that the worthy inn-keeper and ferry-master was not always observant of the excise laws. He thought that as he was put to some expense pro bono publico in keeping up the ferry, he should not pay the exeise fecs, and the mayor and alderman thought there was sufficient equity in his claim, for, on the 3d of July, 1667, an agreement was made between them that he should have the ferry for five years, provided he keep a convenient house and lodging for passengers. He was also given about an acre on Bronxside, and a place to build a house on. At what point this was located the present historian can not deeide. At the end of five years the ferry was to be farmed out, but during that time he was to pay nothing for it, and in ease the ferry should be let to another, the house was to be valued as it stood, and Verveelen was to be paid for it. Then the rates of ferriage were fixed thus : For every passenger, two pence silver or six pence wampnm; for every ox or cow that shall be brought into the ferry-boat, eight pence, or twenty- four stivers; cattle under a year old, six pence or eighteen stivers wampmm; " all cattle that are swum over " paid but half-price. He was to take from every man " for his meal, cight pence; every man for his lodging, two penee a man; every man for his horse shall pay four pence for his night's hay or grass, or

twelve stivers wamupuiu, provided the grass be in fence." Government messages between New York and Connectieut were free. In consideration of his having to build a house on both sides of the ferry, the Governor freed him from paying any excise " for what wine or beer he may retail in the house" for one year from the date of the agreement.1

In October, 1667, Governor Nicolls granted a patent to the inhabitants of Harlem. Thomas Delaval, Daniel Turneur, John Verveelen and others were the first patentees. He also granted to them four lots of land on the maiuland numbered one, two, three and four, near Spuyten Duyvil. He also granted to the people of Harlem, Stony Island, or that part of Mor- risania now known as Port Morris.2 The people at Harlem, though they had passed resolutions to stop the passage at Spuyten Duyvil, found that it was no easy matter to do so. The fence was thrown down and the cattle from the island forded over to the main. The location of this fording-place is at the island iu front of the residenee of Joseph H. Godwin, at King's Bridge. John Barker from Westchester, in spite of the ferry regulations at Harlem, had swum a large number of horses and cattle across at Spuyten Duyvil. Verveelen, the ferry master, made com- plaint to the Mayor's Court of the city of New York, and judgment was rendered that Barker pay the ferry master for all horses and cattle which had been "eon- veyed by him over the Spnyten Duyvil whilst the. ferry has been at Harlem," which money the ferry- master was ordered to apply to the repair of the fences at Spuyten Duyvil.

Iu the meantime John Archer, of Fordham, and the people at Harlem were disputing over the lands and meadows at Spuyten Duyvil.3 Like the other large proprietors, he leased his lands in pareels of from twenty to twenty-four acres to such persons as would clear and cultivate them. The tenants also had a house aud lot each in the village, so that in 1668 -- 69 a goodly number of Harlem people went to reside on Archer's property. The village was lo- cated very near the present settlement of King's Bridge near to the "fording-place" iu Spuyten Duyvil Creek, and hence is derived the name of Fordham- ford, a fording place ; ham, a mansion.4 But Nieolls had granted the Harlem people four lots on the main-

1 Riker's " Harlem," page 269. 2 N. Y. Col. Docs., vol. xiii. 421.

3 Archer hind years before bought from the Indians a large tract, now known as King's Bridge, Fordham, High Bridge and Belmont, and ex- tending as far north as Williams' Bridge. His nationality is disputed. Bol. ton says the family was of English origin, Riker says his name was Jan Arcer, alias Neuswys, and that he came from Amsterdam. At this time (1668) he had lived in Westchester a dozen years, having married a woman from Cambridge In 1659, and hence the Dutch Arcer or Aarsen may have become anglicized into Archer. Riker, who had access to the original records of Harlem, saw his signature, and says it was Invariably Jan Arcer. The author of this chapter has also seen it written the same way. Ile was also called "Koop al," the Dutch for " Buy all," and Riker suggests that he was a shrewd fellow and had an eye to business. 4 Bolton's " Westchester."

774

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

land and Archer's cattle trespassed on the Harlem lands. The cattle were seized and a complaint made against Archer to the new Governor Lovelace. This was in 1668-69. Archer said he did not claim the lots but that he had purchased the lands adjoining from the Yonker Vander Donck, and he was ordered to bring in his patent to show by what right he had the land where he had built.

In the meantime viewers were appointed to see the meadow and make report how it could be preserved from trespass, and were also directed to examine the passage at Spuyten Duyvil, with a view to its being made more convenient for passengers aud the " drift of cattle," as the ferry at Harlem was found incom- modious and did not answer the ends as formerly in- tended.

Abont this time Daniel Turnenr, one of the original patentees of Harlem, who claimed title by an Indian deed of several years earlier date, was permitted by Governor Nicolls to settle on some eighty-one acres of land on Harlem River, which lay between Archer's land and Bronck's land, bounded on the east by the Maeneppis Kill, or Cromwell's Creek. The con- struction of Sedgwick and Central Avenues has almost effaced the northern boundary corners of this tract, but it comprises within its limits the high lands be- tween the Harlem River and Cromwell's Creek, now called Devoe's Point, the Devoes being descendants of a daughter of Turneur. The small stream, which formerly emptied into Harlem River just south of High Britlge, was the north bounds, and then it ran west across to Cromwell's Creek to a point not very far north of the preseut road-house tavern on Central Avenne, known as Judge Smith's. Turnenr was a man of parts, and not only a very important person at Harlem, but also frequently acting as arbitrator for the people of Fordham and others in the vicinity.

On February 27, 1669, Governor Lovelace sent a communication to the mayor and aldermen of Harlem to the effect that, as the Harlem Ferry was to be abandoned, and Verveelen had represented that snch abandonment worked a hardship to him, as it closed out his nnexpired five years' contract, he referred the question to them. On March 2d the Harlem officials concurred in the change of the ferry " to the wading- place," and recommended that Verveelen be appointed ferry-master for three years, he to give an account of the annual income of the ferry. On the same day Lovelace ordered Verveelen to proceed to Spnyten Duyvil and build a fence so as to keep all manner of cattle from going or coming to and from the passage withont leave or paying therefor, and to lay out a place at Paparinamin on the main land near the passage, for his habitation and the accommodation of travelers. A lease was made between Governor Lovelace and Verveelen, dated July 15, 1669, settling the ferry "at the place commonly called Spnyten Duyvil, between Manhattan Island and the new vil- lage called Fordliam." Verveelen was to erect "a

good dwelling-house on the island, or neck of land called Paparinamin, where he was to be furnished with three or fonr good beds for the entertainment of strangers, and also with provisions at all seasons for them, their horses and cattle, together with' stabling." He was to have "a sufficient and able boat " for the transportation of the same, and the pass upon the island near to the Spuyten Duyvil was to be suffi- ciently fenced in with a gate, which was to be kept locked so that no person should pass in or out without his permissiou. He was to bear one-third of the ex- pense of making the bridge over the meadow land to the town of Fordham, and the town was to bear the remainder. Verveelen, or his depnty, was to be in attendance at all seasonable hours, and in cases of emergency where public affairs were concerned, he was to be ready at all hours when called upon. Pen- alties and the mode of inflicting them were provided for, and in consideration " of the well execution of his office," he was to receive an allotment of the entire neck or island of Papparinamin, whether encompassed with water or meadow land, and also a piece of meadow gronnd adjoining to it as laid out by Jacques Cortilyou, the surveyor.

The island or neck and the ferry franchise was to vest in Verveleen, his heirs and assigns, for their use and benefit for eleven years, beginning on November 1, 1669. Verveleen was also appointed constable ot Fordham, which village was to have its dependence on the Mayor's Court of New York, as the village of New Harlem also had, but they could try all small causes nnder five ponnds among themselves, as was allowed in other Town Courts. After the expiration of the eleven years Verveelen had the first proffer to continue as ferryman, or, in case he was dead, his uearest relation or assign should have the preference. A clause was inserted as to repairs and good condi- tion of the property and boats at the expiration of the term, and he was obliged to receive all passen- gers, whether afoot or ou horseback, horses and cat- tle for lodging, diet, feeding, passage or ferrying, ac- cording to the ferry rates.1 Persous on government business were to pass free, and also snch persons as, npon any "emergent or extraordinary occasion," should be summoned to appear in arms. On days for holding fairs, all droves of cattle and horses were free during the time of keeping the fair, and also a day

1 The rates of ferriage, hoard and lodging were prescribed as follows : " For lodging any person, eight pence per night, in case they had a bed with sheets; and without sheets, two pence in silver.

" For transportation of any person, one pence in silver.

" For transportation of a man and a horse, seven pence in silver. " For a single horse, six pence.

" For a turn with his hoat, for two horses, ten pence, and for any more, four pence apiece ; and if they he driven over, half as much.

" For single cattle, as much as a horse.

" For a hoat-loading of cattle, as much as he hath for horses.

" For droves of cattle to be driven over and opening ye gates, two pence per piece.

" For feeding of cattle, three pence in silver.

" For feeding a horse one day or night with hay or grasse, six pence."

775

WESTCHESTER.

before and a day after its expiration. The quit-rent which Johannes had to pay for this franchise to the Duke of York was ten shillings. This ferry was just north of what is now known as Godwin's Island, but the location of the inn is uncertain.

Verveelen was soon settled at Spuyten Duyvil, where, in addition to his duties as ferry-master, he was appointed constable. William Betts, Sr., and Kier Walters, a tenant of Archer's, were appointed overseers and assistants by the Governor. The next year (1670), Verveelen began "the making of a bridge over the marsh, between Paparinamin and Fordham.

It seems that William Betts, George Tippett and John Hedger (Heddy), who lived some distance from the town of Fordham, proposed to the Governor that if they were excused from their proportion of work in making the causeway, they would make a bridge at their own charge over Bronx River, on the road leading to East Chester, which they said was also very necessary. Debate was had on this proposition in the Governor's presence at Fort James, Tippett, Betts and Hedger being present and also divers of the inhabitants of Fordham. The people of the town other than the three offered to help build the bridge over the Bronx "after ye eausey shall first be finisht " as the causeway would be a difficult job the governor, finding that the proposition of the three townsmen tended to greater expedition in both works, ordered that the three persons would first join the rest of the town of Fordham in making the eause- way, and that afterwards they all should join in making a convenient bridge over the Bronx. The latter was to be provided with a gate on the East Chester side, so as to keep the " Hoggs " from eom- ing over, and the people of Fordham, in consideration of their assistance, were to have the right of passing over the ferry free of charge, so long as Johannes Verveelen or his assigns enjoyed the ferry under the foregoing agreement. We may safely eonelude that this order in Couneil was the first legislation ever made as to Williams' Bridge. The causey or causeway must have been somewhere near the present route of the depot road to King's Bridge. The Farmers' Bridge is of later date, and the destruction of every- thing in the neighborhood by the retreating Ameri- cans and the British during the Revolution changed the whole aspect at Fordham or King's Bridge.

On May 3, 1669, Governor Lovelace gave leave to John Archer to settle sixteen families on the main- land, " near the wading-place," and ordained that whatever agreements Areher should make with the inhabitants as to their proportions of improvable lands and hamlets, he would confirm, but postponed prescribing the limits of the settlement until he had made a visit to the place, and then he promised a patent for their further assurance.

From February 12, 1669, to October 11, 1671, the records at Harlem show that Archer, the owner of

the soil about Fordham, had leased most of the farmns to several parties, but in 1671 his leases provided that the rent should be payable to Cornelis Steen- wyck, of New York. Archer had, on September 11, 1669, given a mortgage on his lands to Steenwyck for eleven hundred guilders in wampum. He gave another mortgage to Steenwyek in 1676, but in the mean time, in order to get rid of continual interfer- ferenee by the Harlem magistrates, he obtained from Governor Lovelace a patent for his lands, which were purchased by him from Doughty and the Indians. It is difficult to trace, from the description, the exact bounds, but, after a careful study of the territory and the description, the traet seems to have been bounded as follows : It lay on the eastward of Harlem River, near unto the passage commonly called "Spiting Devil," upon which " ye new Dorp or village is ereet-

A SMALL ORAUCH:

FORDHAM &THE MEADOW'S

VOL.I. LAW PAPERS PAGE I ?

OFFICE CE THE SIL Y. OF

STATE

ed, known by the name of Fordham." (The accom- panying map of the village of Fordham is referred to, and it seems, from the best authorities which ean be obtained, that the ancient village was located some- where near the present King's Bridge depots of the New York Central and New York City and Northern Railroads, as now situated.)

The language of the documents is "ye utmost limits of the whole traet of land, beginning at the high wood land." This was probably the hill up which the Boston road now runs, for Lovelaec had already granted the meadow about Paparina- min to Verveleen, the ferryman, and he would not, of course, make another grant to Areher. Thenee the north line ran, substantially, as the south line

776

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

of the former town of Yonkers ran east to the Bronx; while, from the ancient map and the location of the honses npon it, the village street ran north and sonth, substantially as the present highway runs, and part of the village was in Yonkers and part in West Farms. The Doughty purchase, by Archer, only ap- plies to lands in Yonkers. All that he owned in West Farms he purchased from the Indians, but he very wisely had both included in Lovelace's patent. His nickname of Koopal (buy all) was very ap- propriate.

The patent recites that as John Archer had, at his own charge and with good success, begnn a township in a convenient place for the relief of strangers, it be- ing the road for passengers to go to and fro from the main, as well as for mutual intercourse with the neighboring colony, and in order to enconrage Archer in the prosecution of his design, he (Lovelace) grants to Archer all the said land, and that the same shonld be an enfranchised township, manor and place of itself, and enjoy all the privileges and immunities which any other town in the province had, free from any dependence on any other riding, township, place or jurisdiction. It was to be ruled by the Governor and his Conncil and the General Court of Assizes only, bnt the town was to send forward to the next town or plantation all public packets and letters and hues and crys coming or going from or to any of His Majesty's colonies. The Governor further granted that when there should be a sufficient number of inhabitants in the town of Fordham and in the manor capable of maintaining a minister and to carry on public affairs, the neighboring in habitants between the Harlem and the Bronx should be obliged to contribute towards the maintenance of the minister and other public charges. Archer's holding was to be for himself, his heirs and assigns forever, in as large and ample a manner as if he held immediately from the King, "as of the Manor of East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, &c., &c., by fealty only yielding, rendering and paying yearly and every year unto His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, and his successors or his governors duly con- stitnted, as quit-rent, twenty bushels of good peas npon the first day of March when demanded." The patent was dated at Fort Jamcs, November 13, 1671, and also marked "Done at Fort William Hendricke on the 18th October, 1673." 1

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 Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 193

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