History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I, Part 200

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 200

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Another of these works is on the lawn of N. P. Bai- ley, which has been identified as the King's Battery. On the grounds of H. W. T. Mali earthworks are also recognizable near the line of the New York City and Northern Railroad. The residence of Gustav Schwab stands upon the site of Fort Number 8. Immediately south of that fort, and in the valley just below tlie residence of ex-Mayor Franklin Edson, still stands an old stone farm-house which during the Revolution was occupied by one of the Archers, and the writer of this article remembers to have heard his grandfather give an account of his visit there when the fort on the hill was in the occupation of the British.

Farther south and crossing a small stream which intersects the ridge at this point, soon to be the route of a thoroughfare called Burnside Avenue, one comes to the residence formerly of Mrs. Emma Dashwood, now owned by Timothy C. Eastman, and nearer the river, fronting on Sedgewick Avenue, is the residence of Gulian Ludlow Dashwood, clerk of St. James' Vestry, president of the Fordham Ridge Whist Club, and the bachelor factotum of the neighborhood. According to Burke's "Landed Gentry of England," Mr. Dashwood is Baron de Spencer in his own right, but, like a sensible man, he prefers his American

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friends and a competency in his native land to an | empty title in a foreign one.

Just south of the last place is Fairlawn, the beauti- ful residence of Hugh N. Camp. On the river side of the homestead stands the picturesque cottage of his son-in-law, Perry Williams. At some point of the ridge near this place the batteries of the British troops were stationed, and under the cover of their fire the British flat-boats were able to descend the river and scale the heights of Laurel Hill, immediately opposite, when the attack was made on Fort Washington. From Mr. Williams' house the earthwork at Laurel Hill is discernible. Immediately opposite Mr. Camp's en- trance-gate, on the site now occupied by the embank- ment of the Croton Aqueduct, stood the residence of Richard Morris, colouial judge of Vice Admiralty, and afterwards second chief justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. Mr. Lewis G. Mor- ris, who owns a part of the original farm of Judge Morris, occupies the adjoining place, Mount Fordham, inher- ited by his father, Robert Morris, from the chief justice.

Still farther south on the same ridge are several beautiful residences. At the beginning of the century this tract was known as the Poole Farm, and John Poole, one of the original family, still occupies a portion of it. The most northerly of these places is High Cottage, belonging to the estate of the late Romanzo W. Montgomery, a wealthy merchant of New Orleans, though originally from the Eastern States. The view from High Cottage is one of the finest on the Ridge. Mrs. Lecs, widow of the late James Lees, of the well-known firm of Lees & Wal- ker, now succeeded by Lindlaw & Company, oecu- pies the next place, and the most southerly prop- erty on the former Poole Farm is Villa Boscobel, the residence of the late William B. Ogden, the first mayor of Chicago, and a railroad king of the West. During his later years he gave full rein to his refined taste and Villa Boscobel, with its beautiful grounds, green-houses, choice shrubberies, flowers and arbor- etums, is a fit monument to his taste and refinement. He was also much interested in developing the neigh- borhood. To his wise counsel and experience much is due for the present plan for laying out and improving the city suburbs, of which Villa Boscobel will for years form a notable feature. His widow keeps up the villa in a style befitting its founder, and her kind deeds in this vicinity and in other communities give additional lustre to the memory of one who has left a precious trust in worthy hands.

Just south of the Ogden estate is a pretty cottage belonging to the estate of Mr. Ogden's sister, the late Mrs. Judge Wheeler, whose husband, Norman K. Wheeler, was the first police magistrate appointed to serve in the annexed district after West Farms was annexed to New York City.

Just south of the Wheeler and Ogden properties the stone aqueduct known as High Bridge crosses the Harlem.

South of High Bridge, not far from the junction of Ogden Avenue and Woolfe Street, is a small stream which was the southern boundary of the Archer pat- ent, already mentioned. Crossing the stream, the lands iu Daniel Turneur's patent are reached, and all south of the stream, bounded on the cast by the Har- lem and on the west by Cromwell's Creek, was after- ward known as Devoe's Point-the Nuasin of the Indians. Upon this southerly end of the back-bone of Westchester is situated the settlements of Cler- mont and Highbridgeville. Ogden Avenue passes along the ridge in a southerly direction, and after leaving the village passes between several very pretty residences. On the highest part of the ridge is Woody Crest, the residence of the late Mrs. An- derson, and somewhere near this place stood the house of Daniel Turneur, the original patentec. At the terminus of Ogden Avenue a junction is formed with it and Central or Jerome Avenue and Sedg- wick Avenues, and the Harlem River is crossed at this point by the Central Bridge or Macomb's Dam.

Returning to the Yonkers line, and taking in all the territory lying between the summit of the ridge and the Harlem Railroad, are two valleys, one the head- waters of Cromwell's Creek, the other that of Mill Brook. Immediately at the Yonkers line are the lands of the American Jockey Club, formerly the Bathgate Farm. The property belongs to the cor- poration known as the Jerome Park Villa Site Im- provement Company, but the American Jockey Club is the lessce. This club was formed soon after the close of the Civil War, for the purpose of improving thoroughbred stock, and conducting race meet- ings honestly, free from the rowdy and gam- bling element which had brought them into disre- pute. Leonard W. Jeromc, William R. Travers and S. L. M. Barlow, of New York, John Hunter, of Westchester, and Governor Oden Bowie, of Mary- land, were the leading spirits in establishing the organization. It at once raised the standard of racing in America, and from this Renaissance of tlie turf dates the present prosperity and good manage- inent of all our large race courses, and the increased interest in improving the breed of horses. It is a curious coincidence that "Eclipse," the celebrated American racer of former days, was for some time under the care and management of James Bathgate, the former owner of the present park of the Ameri- can Jockey Club.

To the east of Jerome Park is the farm of Michael Varian, in whose family the lands on which the old stone house stands have been held for nearly, if not more than, a century. Upon the crest of the high ridge, overlooking the Bronx Valley to the eastward, stood an earthwork erected by General Heath in 1776, so as to command the crossing of the Bronx at Wil- liams' Bridge. This site has now been acquired by the city of New York for a reservoir, in which the waters

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of the Bronx River are to be stored and from which they will be distributed through the city.

Still farther east, and at the northeast corner of what was formerly West Farms, is the small village of Williams' Bridge. The ancient highway which passes through this section east and west and descends the steep hill to the Bronx was the former road to Con- necticut and the other New England States, and be- fore the construction of Harlem Bridge was the only traveled route to New England. It is still known as thic "Boston road," but should not be confounded with another highway farther to the eastward in Mor- risania, also called by the same name. In the valley to the east of the residence of Mr. Varian is the res- idence of Hon. W. W. Niles, a prominent lawyer in New York City, who has represented the district several times in the New York Legislature. He is a friend of Hon. Samuel J. Tilden and is recog- nized as a leading man in the counsels of the De- mocracy.

Returning to the west and the line of the aque- duct, south of the Jockey Club, stands the Dutch Reformed Church of the Manor of Fordham, and near by are the residences of H. B. Claflin and Wil- liam G. Dun, of the great dry-goods house of H. B. Claflin & Co. On the hill, to the east, is the old Briggs house, onc of the land-marks of the neighborhood, and now celebrated on any race-day as the place of assemblage for the crowd who desire to witness the events without paying entrance-money at the gates. It has recently received the appropriate appellation of " Donnybrook Hill," and many scenes transpire there similar to those which are enacted at the his- toric fair in Ireland. Near by is the residence of Charles L. Cammann, of the old banking firm of Cam- mann & Co., whose wife, Cornelia de Lancey, belongs to the family of de Lancey, so closely identified with the history of the township. Next-door is the resi- dence of the Rev. D. Lawrence Jewett, whose wife, Miss Dickinson, was the daughter of the Rev. Dr. Dickinson, one of the oldest and most respected of the late residents of the township, and on Central Avenue, not far from the last, is the residence of Frederick W Devoe.

Farther down the Fordham and King's Bridge road is the residence of Hon. A. B. Tappen, ex-jus- tice of the Supreme Court of this State. The old Josiah Briggs homestead stands on the crown of the Fordham Ridge, and across the way is an humble cottage, the residence of the poet, Edgar Allen Poc, about the years 1843-45. It is said that while re- siding in this house he composed "The Raven." Near the present Central Avenue is the old Peter Valentine homestead farm-house, now much modern- ized by the "old squire's " son-in-law, the Hon. John B. Haskin. Mr. Haskin has filled many offices of trust and honor. He served at one time as chair- man of the Board of Supervisors, was president of the Board of Education of School District No. 2, and

represented the district in the House of Representa- tives.

Just south of the Haskin property, extending east from the Croton Aqueduct to the valley of the Mill Brook, were the Butler, Berrian, Bassford and Fisher farms, now mostly cut up into village lots and fast improving. Just west of Mr. Haskin's house, on the corner of Jerome and Croton Avenues, stands the church and rectory of St. James Parish, Fordham ; and east of the railroad is St. Jolin's College, near which is St. Mary's, the Catholic parish church. On the rocky ridge on the west side of Mill Brook is the Methodist Episcopal Church and the old Bash- ford homestead, in recent years much improved by the late E. V. Welch. To the south are the growing villages of South Fordham, Mount Hope and Mount Eden, and, overlooking the village of Tremont, the House of Rest for Consumptives.

The territory south of the King's Bridge road and as far south as the south boundary of the Woolf farm and the north boundary of the present Zborowski place was still in the Manor of Fordham, and at the beginning or early part of this century was divided up between the Butlers, Berrians, Archers, the easterly part of Judge Morris' farm, the Fishers, Weeks, Poole and Woolf families. The Woolfs were of Hessian origin, their ancestor, Anthony Woolf, hav- ing come to this country with the Hessian troops during the Revolution ; but taking a fancy to Amer- ica, he did not return, and settled on the Woolf farm on Cromwell's Creck, which, by his industry and fru- gality, he was enabled to purchase. The present owner of the property is now the lessee of the de Lancey or Lydig's Mills at West Farms.

South of the Woolf and Weeks farms we strike the line of the old Manor of Morrisania. On the hills overlooking central Morrisania stands the hand- some residence of the late Martin Zborowski, who built it about 1855-56. The land came to him by his wife, Miss Anna Morris, a descendant of the original patentees. The house is very beautiful and the grounds about it well laid out and finely wooded. This place is soon to be taken in as a part of Cler- mont Park by the city of New York. Eliot Zborowski is the present owner. Adjoining the Zborowski place is a tract of land now called Inwood, formerly the property of Mrs. Julia Stebbins, née Morris, a sister of Mrs. Zborowski, but the property has been sold off into small lots and has lost its distinctive features. South of the Zborowski places and In- wood was the former Cromwell farm and that part of the Manor of Morrisania which fell to the share of James Morris, formerly sheriff of New York City. The mansion-house is still standing and occupied by his son, William H. Morris. It commands a fine view of the Mill Brook Valley to the east and the now growing village of Morrisania. Much of this tract has been sold by Mr. Morris to the Astors and others. Bordering upon his lawn the Gentlemen's Driving

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Association have established a race track called Fleetwood. While Fordham boasts of the American Jockey Club, Fleetwood is patronized by the lovers of that purely American institution, the trotter. Not far from the park Mr. Robert Bonner had his residence, and "Dexter," "Maud S." and other "flyers" are familiar with Fleetwood. It is a notable fact that before the Revolution a portion of the same ground was used as a race-track. The rest of the territory between Cromwell Creek and the Harlem Railroad is greatly subdivided. The creek is spanned by two bridges built by the town trustces of Morrisania during their existence. The whole of this region has been largely affected of late years by the opening and construction of Central or Jerome Avenue. This broad avenue, seventy-five fect wide, runs from the Central or Macomb's Dam bridge north, first through the Cromwell's Creek Valley and thence to the Woodlawn Cemetery gate in Yonkers. The old Macomb's Dam road was taken into the lower part of the avenue and the excavations and embankments have practically changed the surface. The avenue is the favorite resort for persons owning fast horses. The commissioners who were charged with the con- struction of the road thoughtfully planted shade trces at the sides and in a few years' time it will be one of the best shaded avenues in the city.

Returning to Williams' Bridge, we find just at the foot of the hill, on the Bronx, the large estate of Peter Lorillard, which occupies most of the space between the Harlem Railroad and the Bronx, the estate being on both sides of the latter river. Saint John's Col- lege comes iu at this point and just south of the col- lege grounds comes in the Powell farm. This prop- erty was owned in the early part of the century by the Bayard family, and the widow of Mr. Bayard married Revereud William Powell, rector of St. Peter's Church at Westchester. Iu addition to his parochial duties, Dr. Powell kept a boys' school at Fordham, which, in its day was as famous as any of the present modern boarding schools for young men. The old house is still standing, but the property has been cut into lots and Dr. Powell's pupils would have great difficulty in recognizing their former play- grounds. South of the Powell farm, at the junction of three roads at Belmont, is located the Home for Incurables, on the property formerly owned by Jacob Lorillard, deceased. Going cast, toward the village of West Farms, we reach the fine brick mansion built by Captain Frederick Grote, and occupied by him for many years. Captaiu Grote served the town for some time as supervisor.

West of Belmont is a large tract of land formerly belonging to the de Lanceys, but now owned by the Lydig estate. It extends east of the Bronx and has within its limits de Lancey's Mill of revolutionary fame, but known for more than half a century as Lydig's Mills. The most beautiful part of the place is on the border of the Bronx, where a pond has been

formed by the mill dam. It is in about the centre of this pond that the several boundary lines of the Archer, Westchester Borough and Jessup and Richardson's patents met.1 Mr. David Lydig, an ex- tensive miller of his day, purchased the place in the early part of this century, and therc established him- self in the old de Lancey house, which stood on the east side of the Bronx. The old house aud the mill were burnt, and another house was built west of the Bronx which is still standing.2 Mr. Lydig owned mills in the valley of the Genesee when that region was the grain-growing part of our country and later on he built the mill near West Point, ou the Hudson, which was turned by the stream which forms the Buttermilk Falls. His son, the late Philip Lydig, who married a Miss Suydam (the daughter of another Genesee miller celebrated in his time), succeeded to his father's estate and lived there for many years. He was the father of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Lydig, who served with distinction as assistant ad- jutant-general on the staff of General Ambrose Burn- side during the Civil War. His brother, David Lydig, resides part of the year at the family home- stead. This Mr. Lydig married a granddaughter of the late Vice-President and Governor, Daniel D. Tompkins, of Westchester County. One of the daughters married Hon. Charles P. Daily, chief jus- tice of the Court of Common Pleas in the city of New York. Another daughter married Hon. John R. Brady, one of the present justices of the Supreme Court in the First Judicial Department, of which a portion of our townships form a part. The Lydig place, together with much of the land adjoining it on the north and east, will soon be condemned by the city authorities as a public park which is to be named Bronx Park. Just south of the Lydig place is the village of West Farms.

This village, formerly known as de Lanccy's Mills, owes its settlement to the location of the mills at that point, but prior to the building of the Harlem or Coles' Bridge its population was inconsiderable and the village of Westchester was the principal village of the township. The making of the Coles or Bos- ton road through the village placed it on the highway between New York and New England, and for several years the Bronx attracted many manufactorics to it. 3 The terminus of the Harlem Bridge and West Farms Horse Railroad and the depot of the Port Chester Branch of the New Haven Railroad just east of the Bronx renders it accessible. In the centre of the vil- lage stands the residence of Samucl M. Pnrdy, Esq., counselor-at-law, who on several occasions represent- ed the township as justice of the peace and member of Assembly. He at one time was elected to the lat-

1 Personal information given me by Andrew Findlay, the oldest and most experienced surveyor of the neighborhood.

" Old merchants of New York.

3 Its water was found to be particularly suitable for the preparation of textile fabrics.

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ter office by the unanimous votes of his townsmen. James L. Wells, twice member of Assembly and since annexation twice alderman, also resides in the village, and here Daniel Mapes, a respected, public- spirited citizen, resided for many years and kept the country store.1 At the south end of the village is the tidy residence of Dr. Norman K. Freeman, one of the oldest practitioners of medicine and surgery in the district. The doctor was also much interested in former years in organizing a higher grade in the common schools in the township and has held many offices of a public nature. Along the line of the Southern Boulevard, southwest of the village, stands the Vyse mansion, formerly erected by Thomas Rich- ardson, a wealthy Irish linen merchant, and at the junction of the Westchester road and Southern Boul- evard stood the Fox Mansion, this point being known, and still by old settlers spoken of, as "Fox's Corners."

William Fox was a wealthy merchant of New York City. He married a daughter of William Leg- gett, of West Farms and Leggett's Point. He was of the Quaker persuasion, and the members of the Fox and Leggett families are buried in the old Quaker burying-ground at Westchester, just south of the Episcopal Church. He had several children,-Wil- liam, George, Mrs. Augustus Schell and Mrs. Tucker. From him is descended the Tiffany family (who still own some of the original property) and Austin G. Fox, a rising lawyer of the New York bar, and Mrs. Rebecca Riggs, of the same city.

To the east of Fox's Corners stands Brightside, the beautiful residence of Colonel R. M. Hoe, of the world-renowned firm of R. M. Hoe & Co., printing- press manufacturers.

Since this work has been in press Mr. Hoe died in Europe. Though a poor boy, by the industry and mechanical skill of himself and his brothers, the firm increased its business to such an extent that it has its factories on both sides of the Atlantic. Most of the improvements made in the steam-presses of to-day are duc to the careful study and knowledge of practi- cal mechanics which Colonel Hoe possessed. The colonel was also diligent in the affairs of his town- ship; was one of the commissioners who constructed the Southern Boulevard, a promoter of the Morri- sania Steamboat Company and the Suburban Rapid Transit Company, and vestryman of St. Ann's Church at Morrisania. He was respected and be- loved by his fellow-townsmen.

Near the southeast corner of the Westchester road and the Southern Boulevard stand the residences of the brothers Simpson, the well-known bankers; and on Hunt's Point, to the east of Fox's Corners, are the former residences of the late Edward G. Faile, Panl N. Spofford, William Caswell and Francis Baretto.

Edward G. Faile was one of the founders of the firm of Thomas Hall and Edward G. Faile & Co., grocers

in New York. He settled at Hunt's Point about the middle of this century, erecting a handsome mansion and making great improvements on the farm. He was an extensive breeder and importer of Devonshire cattle, and at one time was president of the New York State Agricultural Society. He was a vestry- man of St. Ann's Church, Morrisania, and engaged in many works of charity and benevolence. He left surviving him, Thomas Hall Failc, Charles and Edward (merchants), Samuel (a farmer at Whitc Plains), and Mrs. William Smith Brown.

Paul N. Spofford was one of the founders of the firm of Spofford & Tileston, of New York, the well-known shipping merchants and man- agers of the Charleston and Savannah Line of steamers. He moved to Hunt's Point about 1830 and built the present house now standing on the Hunt's Point road. He left several children, among whom are General Paul Spofford, Gardner Spring Spofford, Joseph Spofford and Mrs. Thomas Pearsall.

William Caswell, a member of the well-known grocery house of Wm. Caswell & Co., of New York City, married Miss Watson, a daughter of William Watson, of Westchester. (q. v.)

Francis Barretto, a New York merchant, married a Miss Coster, daughter of John G. Coster, of New York, and settled at Hunt's Point many years ago. Mr. Barretto represented the township in the Board of Supervisors ; was also at one time a member of As- sembly.

The view from Hunt's or Barretto's Point is one of the finest on the East River. It commands a view eastward of the entrance to Long Island Sound and to the south of Flushing Bay and the Long Island shore. On it is also the old family cemetery of the Hnuts and in it repose the remains of Joseph Rodman Drake, the poet, the author of the famous poem to the American flag. It is said that Drake wrote those lines while having before him the pano- oramic view of the region now being described. On the stone over his remains are inscribed the im- mortal words,-

" None knew him but to love him, None named him but to praise."

During the author's last visit to this cemetery the tombstone was in disrepair. Some literary organiza- tion should see that Drake's last resting-place is prop- erly preserved.

Southwest of Hunt's Point, and divided by the Sack- wrahong Creek, is Leggett's Point, the most southerly and westerly part of the former Jessup and Richard- son's patent, and later on township of West Farms. Originally possessed by the Richardsons, by inter- marriages and purchases it finally came into the pos- session of the Leggetts, a respectable Quaker family, for more than a century identified with the history of West Farms. It was finally purchased by Benjamin Whitlock, of the formerly well-known firm of grocers,

1 Sketches of these gentlemen appear elsewhere.

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B. M. & E. A. Whitlock, who greatly improved it ; later it fell into the hands of B. S. Arnold, a wealthy coffee merchant of New York, and now has become a pleasure resort. To the west of this point and along the line of the Southern Boulevard is the coun- try-seat of Mr. Samnel B. White, formerly owned by his father-in-law, Mr. Dennison, an old and respected merchant of New York. Mr. White was at one time president of the Grocers' Bank in New York City, but has now retired. Near by is also the former resi- dence of Philip Dater. Much of this property has been cut up into city lots, but some of it still remains in the family's possession. Philip Dater, of New York, merchant, succeeded the firm of Philip Dater & Sons.

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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 200

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