History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 117

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

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. II > Part 117

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).

James II. Russell, private, Fourth Artillery, Company A, August 1, 1862.

William Russell, private, One llundred and Thirty-fifth Infantry, Con- p.iny F, November 1, 1862.

John W. Knapp, private, Fourth Artillery, September 25, 1861.

Amus P. Quick, private, Fourth Artillery, Company L, March 3, 1864. Ira F. E. Bush, private, Fourth Artillery, Company L, March, 1864. James Quick, private, Thirty-eighth Infantry, Company G, June 3, 1861. Andrew J. Sarles, private, Fourth Artillery, Company S, June 26, 1-64. Nelson Cree, private, Fourth Artillery, Company I, January 21, 1864.

Theodore Quick. private, Fourth Artillery, Compauy A, September 25, 1861.

George S. Robinson, private, Fourth Artillery, Company A, September 19, 1861.

James M. McKeel, private, Fourth Artillery, Company A, September 25, 1861.

Edward 1I. Dibble, corporal, Sixth Artillery, Company D, August 23, 1862.

Isaac S. Wallace, private, Fourth Artillery, Company A, September 25, 1861.

Stephen D. Merritt, private, Sixth Artillery, Company D, Angust 20, 1862,

Edwin Rockwell, private, Fourth Artillery, Company A, October 7, ISGI. Ezra Miller, private, Sixth Artillery, Company D, August 1, 1862.

Thomas Hartigan, private, Fourth Artillery, Company F', August 30, 1862.

Anthony M. Sutton, private, Fourth Artillery, Company L, January 5, 186-1.

John N. Cree, corporal, Sixth Artillery, Company D, August 8, 1862. Napoleon B. Lynes, first lieutenant, Fourth Artillery, Company A, August 28, 1862.

Eugene Johnson, corporal, Fourth Artillery, Company F, August 28, 1862.

Abram S. Kuapp, private, Fourth Artillery, January 26, 1864.

George Turner, private, Sixth Artillery, Company J, February 1, 1864. Lyman Ferguson, private, Fourth Artillery, Company J, February 1, I864.

Of these, Charles White, George Reynolds, Ira Bush, A. J. Sarles, Nelson Cree, Stephen Merritt, N. B. Lynes and Abram Knapp were at the surrender of General Lee and the Confederate army. Charles Bailey was wounded at Petersburg, and died June 30, 1864. James H. Russell was taken prisoner at the battle of Ream's Station, about the 25th of Angnst, 1864, and confined at Salisbury Prison, where he died abont February 8, 1865.

J. Wesley Knapp was taken prisoner at Ream's Station, confined in Salisbury Prison, paroled Feb- rnary 20, 1865, and died at home March 30th following. James Quick, wounded at the first battle of Freder- ieksburg, December 12, 1862, died January 5, 1863, at Eekington Hospital, Washington, D. C. James M. McKeel was killed at the battle of Ream's Station August 25, 1864. Engene Johnston, taken prisoner at the battle of Rean's Station, was confined in Salisbury Prison six months.

EARLY ROADS AND RAILROADS .- An act of Leg-

1 Many years ago a young woman, by name Surah Bishop, having been disappointed in life, came to the extreme southeast corner of the town and took up her abodo nuder a large, overhanging rock, occasionally going down to Ridgefield with a few articles she hud for sale. Sho re- sided here muuy yeurs, and from this fact the place derived Its name.

Dutches County

ROCKY · HILLS

from Dutches nou N ST È

middle ware

SZAVER PONO sunnended with toys

.....

* - progetto 3.76 v

Stephen Town

TYTAOUS RIVER

.. Y.

oflong

71 -

MOUNTAIN

N 87°℃

as the magneticne needle +1+0

mountains

N. B.

The figures 2.9. represent the situations of the academy " YMarketerson thesting house. The figures 6.6. a gift will & sawmill The figures 8.9. a guff mell to bas mat The %. a gift will.

The figure 10. 4 . a forger for making isme .

The singles dated lines represents High- way. He double distra leves Most or stage roads from Nio Stork to Versusover

1 40 elimine to an inclus The plot of this town was drawn hoping of this and for that pompoen by actual survey morader sirens

This 14th 2 Jan . 1798

Dans Del avaus. Superación of The Town of North Salmon

LONG

D &

Peach Pond

504

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

islature was passed in 1796 authorizing the survey of the towns of Westchester County. In accordance with its provisions, the town of North Salcin was sur- veyed January 14, 1798, under the superintendence of Daniel Delavan, then supervisor, of the town. From this survey, a copy of which is here inserted, it will be noticed that a post road passes through the town from the north between Lake Peliquennakonck and the Connecticut line and on the west side of Long Pond or Lake Wepuc. It was the post road from Vermont to New York.

Highways were laid out as early as 1769, across the town from east to west, one following the course of the Titicus River to Croton River, the other from the post road, below Lakc Pehqnennakonck, to Croton River, and from this point along its eastern bank into Lewisboro'. Between Croton Falls and Purdy's Station a road crossed the Croton River into Stephen- town (now Somers). The bridge at this place was built before the Revolution, as in April, 1777, the British army, under General Tryon, crossed when Danbury was burned. A bridge was rebuilt at the place by the town at a cost of £100, under the charge of Hachaliah Brown. Other roads intersected these named and ran north and south.

RAILROADS .- There is at the present time but one railroad that runs through or touches the town, viz. : the New York and Harlem Railroad, which passes through the west end of the town its entire width from north to south. Some thirty years ago there was a projected road between New York and Dan- bury, which would cross the northeastern portion of the town, and for a time much interest was felt in the enterprise. A survey was made and the proposed line ran directly through the village of North Salem. A few years afterward the expectations of the citizens were stimulated to an extent that led them to engage in building and other preparations for the location of a railroad station, but the project was abandoned, and with it the transient business activity ceascd. The New York and Harlem road reached Croton Falls in 1846-47. Isaac Hart Purdy, whose farm covered the present site of Purdy's, and in whose honor the place was named, proposed to the railroad company to give a certain portion of land for their use in the erection of suitable depot buildings, cattle-yards, etc., pro- vided they would locate a station here. This location was to belong to the railroad company so long as it was used as a depot or station. If it was ever aban- coned, the land was to revert to the owner or his heirs. The company accepted the proposal and exe- cuted the necessary writings. Croton Falls was for some time the northern terminus of the road, so far as the running of regular trains was concerned. Im- mediately upon the decision of the railroad anthor- ities to locate a depot at Purdy's, Mr. Purdy began the erection of a hotel. The company notified him of their decision on the 12th of June, and on the 4th of July following the frame of the large hotel now

owned and occupied by Eli Reynolds was raised. Previous to this there were but three buildings in the place, but dwellings now went up rapidly and settlers inoved into the place. Stores, lumber-yard, factories, shops, etc., followed in rapid succession. Some of the people of North Salem were interested with Somers people in the then profitable "show " business, the Junes, Tituses, Angevines and Quicks being prom- inent owners of the shows that traveled through the country during the summer season. After the coming of the railroad huge buildings for animals were erected at Purdy's, where these shows then wintered, which, of course, gave an air of prosperity to the place. Some of these buildings still exist, but have been separated into different sections and utilized as barns, stables, . etc. During the earlier days of the railroad, milk and farin produce of various kinds constituted the prin- cipal carrying trade, and carloads of these products were shipped twice each week (on market days) to New York City. Of late years, however, the principal shipment is milk, cither in the crude state or after having passed through the manipulations of the con- densing factory.

At Croton Falls, previous to the construction of the Mahopac Branch of this road through Somers, all of the passenger traffic from Lake Mahopac was re- ceived, which during the summer months was im- mense, as the latter is a well-known summer resort for the citizens of New York and other cities. At both these stations in the town of North Salem are also received from the western counties large num- bers of cows constantly brought to this market by cattle dealers to furnish the milk farmers of this sec- tion a source from which to keep their yards supplied with fresh stock. It is safe to assert that the towns of the northern portion of Westchester County have been and are the chief source of revenue to the New York and Harlem Railroad Company, and it is from this section that a very considerable portion of the wealth accumulated by this railroad has been ex- tracted. In the carlier days of the road its stock was not casily disposed of in the market for from seven to thirteen dollars, while at the present it is held for from one hundred and ninety to two hundred dollars.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS .- Stephanus Van Cortlandt, by will dated April 14, 1700, devised Cortlandt Manor to his cleven children. In 1734 a partition deed was excented, and in this division lot No. S, embracing part of North Salem, Somers and Lewis- boro', fell to Andrew Miller ; lot No. 9, lying to the east, to Colonel John Schuyler, and later to Stephen De Lancey ; lot No. 10, still farther east, to Stephen De Lanecy, who married Anne Van Cortlandt, a daughter of Stephanus Van Cortlandt. By will Ste- phen De Lancey devised all his estate in the town (now North Salem) to his eldest son, James, who, ou the 29th of December, 1744, conveyed lots 9 and 10 to his second son, Stephen. These two great lots were divided into thirty-six lots, which were leased

505

NORTII SALEM.

to settlers who began to emigrate to this region from Connecticut. Mr. De Laneey resided at the place now occupied by the academy, and which location is mentioned by him iu deeds as De Laneey Town. No title was passed from him to the settlers until 1769, in which year he began the sale of lands to the tenants, who had for several years been in possession. Mention is made in all deeds of the land as being in actual possession of parties purchasing. The deeds were made "by force of the statute for transferring uses into possession." A part of the "Oblong " also eame into his possession. In the deeds to part of the property conveyed, James De Lancey, a brother, and Judge Thomas Jones, a brother-in-law, united with him in conveying title. It is difficult at this day to determine at what time the land was first leased to tenants, but the Rev. Ebenezer Diblee says that in 1763 he had preached in the upper district of Salem for abont fifteen years, which would signify that set- tlers were quite numerous. The Episcopal meeting- house was ereeted in 1763. The first deed on record of property conveyed by the De Laneeys was to the Rev. Epenctus Townsend, rector of the Episcopal Church, afterwards "St. James'." It was for sixty acres in lot 10, adjoiuiug the church property. He built upon it a large house and resided there until his removal, in 1777. The property some years later passed to Dr. Epenetus Wallace.

Dr. Wallace was the father of the present Charles Wallace, and was one of the moving spirits of the earlier times. He several times held the position of supervisor of the town, and also town clerk, and was one of the prominent and early patrons of the North Salem Academy. In 1827 he was clerk of the academy board. He was also one of the carly ves- trymen of St. James' Church, the church building, which was erected in 1763, being located on his property. He exchanged the present site of the church for its former location. The old " Wallace House," a strong, durable, roomy building, still stands on the uorth side of the highway leading from Salem Centre to North Salem. It was erected by the Rev. Epenetus Townsend and purchased, to- gether with the sixty acres of land connected with it, by Dr. Wallace. Charles Wallace was born Sep- tember 17, 1796, and, althoughi of such advanced age, is still an active man, often walking from four to six miles a day without fatigue. His faculties are clear, and he recounts with pleasure and ani- ination the incidents of his early life, and deseribcs the scenes of the days of his student experience at the old North Salem Academy with life-like fidelity. He is enjoying a ripe old age in peace and quiet- ness. Mr. Wallace is one of the oldest living natives of the town, and is a member of one of the most prominent early families. The family are of Scotch descent, James Wallace having emigrated from Scot- land to Ridgefield, Conn., about 1676, and from there to North Salem, where he died in 1762, aged eighty-

seven years. His son, Captain James, whose tomb is noticed elsewhere, was an officer of prominence dnr- ing the Revolution. His oklest son, John, was the father of Epenetns, M.D., who married Phoebe, dangh- ter of Deacon Solomon Close.

On the 10th of April, 1769, Denton Smith received a deed for one hundred and fifteen acres of land on farm 16, of the division of lot No. 10. He lived upon the property until his death, in 1808. By his will, dated October 20th in that year, he left his prop- erty to his wife, Elizabeth, and children,-sons, Daniel Denton, Nathaniel ; daughters, Minee, Loretta, Sally (Halsted) Rebecca (Howley) and Hannah (Steven- son).

Levi Baily, on the 26th of October of the same year (1769), bought two hundred and twenty-seven acres on farm 5, on lot 9, bordering on the highway. It is from him the family in the town descended,

Nathaniel Delavan, November 25, 1769, purchased sixty acres of farm 12, lot 10, and on the 27th of May, 1774, he purchased two tracts of forty-six and thirty-three acres adjoining lands of Denton Smith, Ebenezer Lobdell, the Oblong line and Titicus River, and on the 8th of September, 1775, leased one hun- dred and seventy-six aeres for ninety-nine years, and on September 3, 1778, assigned it to John Knox, by whom it was held for many years. Before 1846 it was in possession under the lease of Harrison Bying- tou, who, on March 17, 1775, became the owner of oue hundred and fifty-eight aeres. Nathaniel Dela- van also bought twelve aeres of land in 1769, ou lot 10, between the farms of Sylvanus Townsend and one formerly occupied by Captain Joshua Lobdell, de- eeased.

Sylvanus Townseud, who is mentione I in 1769 as living on land adjoining the farm of Nathaniel Dela- van and Denton Suiith, died in 1799, and left his property to his sons, William, Sylvanus, Justus and Samuel, and one danghter, Esther.

John Delavan, on the 18th of April, 1770, pur- chased thirty acres " at Delancey Town," north of the highway that leads from Croton River to the Oblong. Captain Joshua Lobdell lived adjoining the land of Nathaniel Delavan, but the family still remained.

On May 27, 1773, Dauiel Lobdell bought one hun- dred and twenty-three aeres of land, on which he then lived and which he had agreed previous to the date of the deed to convey to Gershom Hanford, but he did not convey it until May 3, 1774, at which time Gershom Hanford resided upon the farm. Daniel Lobdell was in possession of other lands adjacent. Ebenezer and John Lobdell were also in possession of lands in the vicinity. John bought, May 27, 1773, fifty-two acres, and one hundred and sixty acres, August 15, 1774, on the manor traet and on the west Oblong line. The deeds state that on it "was bog meadow known by the name of Sunken bogs." The land lies north of the Titieus River, at the licad of the stream that joins the river near or at the old Rey-

506

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

nolds farm. The "Sunken bogs" are laid down in the town map of 1798. Near this land, and adjoining, was a tract of one hundred and sixty acres that had long been in possession of Ebenezer Lobdell, probably as a tenant. Owing to financial trouble it was seized by the sheriff. of Westchester County as the property of Stephen De Lancey, and sold at public sale September 6, 1788, Samuel Lyon being the purchaser. He conveyed it, October 2d the same year, to Ebenezer Lobdell, Jacob Lobdell and Ebe- nezer Lobdell, Jr.

Abraham Delevan, on the 27th of May, 1773, bought twenty-three acres, on which he was living, and rented other lands, as the De Lancey rent-rolls show. On the 1st of January, 1774, there was due four pounds from Hannah, his wife, for the rent of No. 12, "Crow Hill."

Timothy Van Seoy, a tenant, was paying rent on farm 25, lot 9, January 1, 1773, and on the 27th of May, in that year, he bought fifty-nine acres, and sub- sequently added to it. Abraham Van Scoy the same day received a deed for forty-three acres adjoining Timothy, and on which he resided. Halsey Wood, also a tenant, bought seventy-three aeres adjoining Ebenezer Purdy's land, May 27, 1775, which adjoined the land of David Browu. The latter owned twenty acres, which he sold, June 14, 1774, to Nathaniel De- levan.

David Nash bought eighty-six acres adjoining the above, January 26, 1774, and on August 18th, the same year, conveyed it to Nathaniel Delevan.

John Patrick (Pedrick), May 27, 1773, purchased one hundred aud sixteen acres, on which he resided.

Matthew Delevan, May 27, 1773, purchased the tract of eighty-nine acres on which he lived. He also bought, April 1, 1775, the twenty aeres of Nathaniel Delevan, which formerly belonged to David Brown, and in 1783 purchased eighty-seven acres of Nathan Delevan, adjoining land of Titus Reynolds. On April 24th, of the same year, he bought other land of Nathan Delevan, adjoining Halsey Wood, Titus Rey- nolds and Nathan Delevan's other land. Titus Rey- nolds, who was a tenant, bought, May 10, 1786 seventy acres south of the road leading from Salem to Croton River, and adjoining land of Stephen Baker and N. Delevan. His will bears date November 8, 1808, and the property was left to his sons, Benjamin and Samuel, and daughters, Sarah and Mary, and is now owned by Horace B. Reynolds, son of Sammel.

On the 15th of April, 1771, Samuel Scribner pur- chased three-quarters of an aere of land in Delan- ceytown, between the lots of Delancy and Jacob Mcad. Cornelius Steenrod, on the 26th of May, 1773, bought at Delanceytown five and a half acres, and, January 5, 1777, one Imndred and eight acres, with a large dwelling-house and barn, adjoining lands of Isaac Norton, Isaac Keeler, Abraham Delevan, Ebenezer Lobdell and Nathaniel Delevan. This locality be- came what is now North Salem village, and Steenrod

built mills there which passed to Jesse Brush and later to Epenetns Howe and others. The mill prop- erty is now in the possession of Walter Kecler's heirs.

Caleb Smith, June 21, 1773, purchased two huu- dred and eighteen and a half acres of a north farm in lot 9, on which he was living at the time. Epenetus Weed, a previous purchaser of land on the manor, sold ten acres to Ebenczer Lobdell, April 15, 1771. It was "near the house Jacob Lobdell for- merly lived in."

The Ebenezer Lobdell farms were divided between his two sons, Ebenezer and Jacob. Henry Lobdell, the present owner of part of the estate, is a son of Nathan and grandson of Jacob. Abraham Knox, also a tenant on the manor lands, ou the 16th of August, 1784, purchased four hundred and fifty acres, part of lot 10, adjoining lands of Ebenezer Purdy, William Bloomer, Gershom Hanford and the school-house lot, and on the road that leads to Daniel Purdy's.

Micajah Fuller purchased, December 24, 1793, two hundred and thirteen acres, adjoining Michacl Hal- stead's land. Sammel Theale, on January 14, 1795, became the owner of two hundred and twenty-two aeres on the road that leads to Dean's Bridge, ad- joining lands of Gilbert Bailey, Ebenezer Theale and John Finch. The land of the latter at that time was occupied by Abraham Knox. Stephen Field re- sided, in 1795, on twenty acres, adjoining the land of Dr. Samuel Belden, which Jacob Kecler purchased January 19th in that year.

Colonel Thaddeus Crane, a resident of the town long before the Revolution, went out iu the Coutinen- tal army as major and was promoted to lientenant- colonel. He was supervisor of the town from 1784 to 1788, member of the Assembly in 1777-78-79 and a member of the convention to deliberate upon the adoption of the Coustitution and voted in favor of it. He sold land, July 3, 1795, to John Lobdell. His will on record is dated July 2, 1803. He left a wife, Lydia, and sons, Peter and James, and daughters, Mary (Mrs. Nathaniel Paddock), Sarah (Mrs. Abraham Smith), Elizabeth (Mrs. Nathaniel Smith), Ruth (Mrs. Jotham Smith), Abigail, Fanny, Lydia, Theda, Weltham and Sally.

There were other families not mentioned in the above that were also tenants and purchasers of the De Lancy lands, notably the Bakers, Howes, Nortons and Benedicts. The remainder of the lands unsold by Stephen De Laney were devised by him to his brother, JJohn Feter De Lancy, of Mamaroneck, Janu- ary 1, 1795. They were left by him, January 28, 1823, to his three daughters, by whom they have in part been sold from time to time.

That portion of the town known as the Oblong or Equivalent Lands was not embraced in the original Cortlandt Manor. It was a tract of sixty-two thon- sand aeres, about a mile and three-quarters wide by about sixty-two miles long, set off' by Connectient to

507

NORTH SALEM.

New York in May, 1731. On the 8th of June in that year fifty thousand aeres were granted by John Montgomerie, then Governor of New York, to the Rev. Thomas Hawley and twenty-three others. James Brown, one of the number, retained a portion and the rest was divided among others, of whom Jonah Keeler received a part March 10, 1732, on which hc then resided. James Brown's land was west, Joseph Keeler's and David Sherwood's on the north, and Thomas Smith's and Ensign Benediet's on the east. Jonah Keeler left the land to his son Jeremiah, who had three sons. The property is still in the family. The Keeler lands extended into Connectieut. James Brown, on June 8, 1749, sold three hundred and twenty-six aeres of the land mentioned above to Solomon Close, it being on the western boundary of the Oblong Tract. Daniel Sherwood's land was on the north and Jonah Keeler's on the east. Solomon Close was a grandson of Thomas, who came to Green- wich from England in 1665. His father was Joseph. who moved to the Oblong soon after the purchase and died there in 1760, aged eighty six years. Solo- mon died in 1778, aged seventy-two years. He left ten children, of whom Phoebe married Dr. Epenetus Wallace and Nathaniel, settled on the homestead and to whom his father conveyed eighteen and one-half acres April 16, 1759, on the Titicus River and along the Oblong line to the land of Stephen Brush. On March 29, 1770, he conveyed fifty-four aeres adjoin- ing the other and above it. Of other children, John was a graduate of Princeton College. David gradu- ated at Yale College. They, with their brother, Tompkins, became ministers of the Presbyterian Church. Jesse, another son, was in the colonial military service, aud died at Half-Moon Point in 1758. John Close, a descendant of Solomon, resides in the town, in a comfortable home, thickly sur- rounded with trees and shrubbery, near the Episcopal Church. At one time he, with his brother, condueted a hotel here, but of late years he has not engaged in active business life.

Odle Close, of Croton Falls, the present supervisor of the town, is a member of another branch of the Close family, always resident in Greenwich, Conn. Mr. Close resides at Croton Falls in a handsome res- idence beautifully situated on an elevated plateau just east of the depot, and commanding an extensive view of the surrounding country. The residence is built of wood, in the modern style of architecture, with irregularly arranged angles and a finely propor- tioned tower. The grounds surrounding the dwelling are kept scrupulously neat and attractive and are well filled with shrubbery. Here Mr. Close enjoys the privacy of an elegant home, surrounded by all the accessories of a cultivated taste and the refinements of an educated mind. His private law-office is lo- cated in the village, and near his home, but he spends much of his time at White Plains, in the general office of Close & Robertson. He is widely known as

a talented aad most efficient member of the bar. He was born in Greenwich, Conn., and graduated from Yale College in 1842. He studied law in Bedford, and was, while pursning his studies there, the princi- pal of the old Bedford Academy for three years. His college classmates are many of them eminent men of the age. Chief Justice J. A. Peters, of Maine ; Chan- cellor Runyon, of New Jersey ; Judge Douglas Board- man, of New York ; Rev. Dr. Hall, of Brooklyn ; and Hon. Calvin Frost, of Peekskill, were among them. He entered into a law partnership with Hon. William H. Robertson, and they opened an office first in Mott Haven, removing to White Plains in 1865. Mr. Close- came to Croton Falls to reside in 1854. He married Miss Samantha B. Numan, of Glens Falls, N. Y., in 1846, and had three children-one son and two daugh ters. One daughter only survives. His reputation for integrity and professional probity is second to none in the State. In 1868 he was elected supervisor of North Salem, which position he has filled in such an accept- able and honorable manner that he has held it sueces- sively ever since and is the present incumbent. In addi- tion to these local honors, he held the office of register in bankruptcy in 1867, and for some twelve years there- after, and was appointed by Governor John T. Hoff- man, in 1873, one of the commissioners to draft amendments to the Constitution of the State. Mr. Close has been thoroughly identified with the inter- ests and prosperity of the town, and is ever jealously watchful of its financial, political and material inter- ests.

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. II, Part 117

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898, Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286