History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 126

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 126

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" This meeting thinks it contrary to natural right as well as to ye in- tentions of ye law that they should be thus exposed and endangered in their lives and estates to gratify ye aroricious inclinations of a Doctor or ye Doctors of ye Colony of Connecticut or any other person, &c., &c."

April 5, 1763, the meeting chose Thomas Hayes, Esquire Crane and Abijah Gilbert "to take an assess-

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ment of all ye lands lying in ye town of Salem and make a rate on ye owners and proprietors for one year's quit-rent dne his Majesty. Chose Josiah Gil- bert as treasurer to receive ye quit-rent and keep it till called for."

"Solomon Close to collect ye rent and pay it over to Esquire Gilbert for six pence a pound."

April 2, 1765, it was voted that the town clerk should purchase a book for a town record, the price not to exceed forty shillings.

"At a meeting of the proprietors and freeholders of the town of Salem, being legally warned and convened at the house of Josiab Gil- bert, in said Salem, on the 19th day of September, 1765, the aforesaid meeting made choice of Peter Benedict for their Moderator and chose Abijah Gilbert for their clerk, to enter their votes.

"C'hose Lieutenant Benjamin Close, James Brown and Josinh Gilbert, Esq., Ezekiel Hawley and Esquire Thaddeus Crane for a committee or agents to act for the whole and manage their affairs, if either of them should be mollested or disturbed by any person or persons laying claim to their lands and by a further vote of sd meeting, Deacon Solomon ' 'lose was chosen to hold and keep a bond given by said committee to in- demnify those persons that have subscribed to them.

"The above being a trne record of ye votes and proceedings of said meeting by me.

"ABIJAH GILBERT, Clerk."

April 2, 1771, it was voted " that if any person or persons whatsoever, who live in this town, that shall take or receive any eattle from Connecticut of such persons as have no interest or lands in this town and shall let them run at large in any of the highways on common lands of Salem, or shall in any way be in- strumental in salting or wonting such cattle, shall be assesed or rated one shilling per head for such cattle,

" At a meeting of ye proprietors and freeholders of ye lower division of ve Oblong being legally warned and convened at ye meeting-house in Salem, on ye 22nd day of October, 1771.

" Jonah Gilbert, moderator.

" Abijah Gilbert, clerk.

" Voted Deacon Solomon Close, John llawley and Abijah Gilbert as- sexsors to take an assessment and make up the quit-rent of sd lower division. "Chose Thomas Baxter collector to collect for ten pence on ye pound.

" Also voted to allow the assessors one dollar each for their labor."

REVOLUTIONARY HISTORY .- In 1775, when the county of Westehester was divided into military dis- triets, Salem comprised two districts, the Upper and Lower. The following officers were appointed to or- ganize and take command of the militia ; For the Lower District-Abijah Gilbert, captain; Jacob Haight, first lientenant ; Sands Raymond, second lientenant ; Joseph Cooley, ensign. Forthe Upper District-Thad- ‹leus Crane, captain ; Jesse Truesdale, first lieutenant ; Ezekiel Hawley, second lientenant ; Ebenezer Brown, ensign.

At a regular town-meeting held at the meeting- house in Lower Salem, April 4, 1775, Esquire Crane offered a " resolve" which, according to the town rec- ords, was disposed of as follows:

" On Squire Crane's introducing to the consideration of ye meeting some 'resolves,' recommended by Colonel Phillips against nppointing elelegates for Congress, the previous question being put, whether this meeting will comply with ye od ' resolve,' and voted in ye affirmative by only three or four voices, there being a considerable number that re- fused to uct. On ye question being pot whether we will not comply with ve w] resolven, which was carried by about twenty or thirty volces."

The above record is somewhat obscure, but the records of 1777 show more clearly the position of the town on Revolutionary matters. On May 2, 1777, it was " voted that there shall be a tax raised on ye freeholders and Inhabitants in ye manner other taxes is paid to raise a bounty for one-fourth part of ye Militia now ealled for service. Voted 2ª to Raise eight pounds for each man who shall inlist and go into three months' service to be employed for ye use of each class and to be equally divided to each man in sª Class according to what each man pays except on agreement made to ye contrary. Sª Mecting Chose Joseph Truesdale and Solomon Close a Committee for ye purpose before mentioned."

"At a meeting of the inhabitants and freeholders of the District of Salem, at the Presbyterian Church, in the said Distriet, April 6th, 1779, Capt. Nathan Rock- well and Isaac Norton were appointed to meet the Coin- mittee from other Distriets in this County to consult matters that concern the safety of the States." In 1780 a portion of Col. Sheldon's Second Regiment of Light Horse was encamped in the town. The main body were eneamped on Keeler's Ridge, southwest of the Keeler mansion. This spot was no doubt selected on account of its close proximity to the Bedford road, which was closely watched after the battle of Ridge- field, on account of its commanding position and the extensive view to be had from its summit of the sur- rounding country.

The horses were quartered on the farmn of the late Jeremiah Wood, then owned by his father, Ebenezer, grandfather of the present Ebenezer Wood, Sr. Some of the officers were quartered with James Brown, whose house stood on the Bedford road, oppo- site the present residence of Miss Lucy Wood. Col. Sheldon's headquarters were at the house of Esquire Gilbert, which stood about half a mile north of South Salem Meeting-House, on the road to Upper Salem. Joshua King (General King, of Ridgefield, Conn.), then a lieutenant-colonel in Sheldon's Second Regi- ment of Light Horse, had charge of headquarters at Squire Gilbert's September 24, 1780. Early on the morning of that day an adjutant and guard ar- rived from Colonel Jamison's headquarters at North Castle with a prisoner who called himself John Anderson, whom he had been ordered to deliver to Colonel Sheldon for safe keeping. Accordingly, Lieutenant King took charge of hiu. Though the prisoner's garments were soiled and travel-stained, he had the appearance of being a gentleman. Lienten- ant King was being shaved when the prisoner arrived, and when the valet had finished with him, he politely asked Mr. Anderson if the like operation would not be agreeable to him. The prisoner readily accepted the offer, and when the powder began to fly from his hair Lientenant King was convinced that he had no ordinary person in charge. After the shaving and hair-dressing had been concluded, Mr. Anderson asked the privilege of retiring to a bed, that his soil d

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linen might be washed. Lieutenant King replied that it would not be necessary for him to go to bed, as whatever change he might desire was at his ser- vice. With many thanks the prisoner availed him- self of the offer, and soon reappeared, his condition very much improved. As much as was consistent with their respective positions, these two became friendly. They occupied the same room and the same bed. The room being small, the prisoner asked Lieutenant King if they could not walk in the door- yard. His request was granted, and they walked and talked together. The prisoner appeared nervous and anxious, and at last remarked that he must make a confidant of some one, and knew no more proper per- son than the lientenant. He then told him his true name was John Andre, that he was a British officer, etc. He requested pen, ink and paper, and wrote to General Washington the letter to be found in this volume on page 207.

After the latter was despatched to General Washing- ton his mind seemed relieved. He drew an amusing sketch of himself and his escort, and presented it to the officers with the remark that " It will give an idea of the manner in which I was escorted to my present quarters."

About midnight the express returned with orders from General Washington to Colonel Sheldon to send Major Andre to headquarters immediately. Lieuten- ant King started with him at once, though the rain fell in torrents and the night was dark. Before he arrived at Upper Salem Meeting-House he met another express with a letter addressed to the officer who had Andre in charge, directing him what route to take and disclosing the treachery of Arnold, etc. After they arrived at headquarters Lieutenant King re- mained with the prisoner until his execution, even walking with him to the gallows.

In 1817 a friend wrote to General King asking him for the exact facts in relation to the capture and exe- cution of Andre. The general's reply, though often requested for publication, was never made public un- til 1878, when it was published in Teller's "History of Ridgefield " as follows:

" RIDGEFIELD, June 17, 1817.

"DEAR SIR : Yours of the 9th is before me. I have noted the con- teuts and am sorry to express the indignation I feel at the idea of being obliged to translate a foreign language to obtain a true history of any part of our revolution. The facts, so far as I am acquainted with thein, I will state to the best of my ability or recollection.

"Paulding, Williams and Van Wart I never saw before or since that event. I know nothing about them. The time and place where they stopped Major Andre seem to justify the character you have drawn of them. The truth is, to the imprudence of the man, and not the patriot- iam of any one, is to be ascribed the capture of Major Andre. I was the first and only Officer who had charge of him whilst at the Head Quarters of 2dl Regiment of Light Dragoons, which was then at Esquire Gilbert's in South Salem. He was bronght up by an adjutant and four men be longing to the Connecticut Militia, under the command of Lieut .- Col. Jamison, from the lines near Tarrytown, a character under the disguised name of John Anderson. He looked somewhat like a reduced gentleman. His small clothes were Nankin, with long white top boots, in part his undress military suit. His coat purple, with gold lace, worn somewhat threadbare, with small brimmed tarnished beaver on his head. Hle wore his hair in a queue, with long, black band, and his clothes somewhat-

dirty. In this garb I took charge of him. After breakfast my Barber came in to dress me, after which I requested han to undergo the same operation, which he did. When the ribbon was taken from his hair I observed it full of powder. This circumstance, with others that occurred, induced me to believe I had no ordinary person in charge. Ile requested permission to take a bed, whilst his shirt and small clothes could be washed. I told him that was needless, for a change was at his service, which he accepted. We were close pent up in a bed-room with a guard at the door and window. There was a spacious yard before the door which he desired he might be permitted to walk in with me. I accord- ingly disposed of my guard in such a manner as to prevent escape. While walking together he observed he innst make a confidant of somebody, and he knew not a more proper person than myself, as I had appeared to be- friend a stranger in distress. After settling the point between ourselves. he told me who he was and gave me a short account of himself from the time he was taken at St. John's, in 1775, to that time. He requested pen and ink and wrote immediately to Gent. Washington, declaring who he was. About midnight the express returned with orders from Gen! Washington to Col. Sheldon to send Major Andre immediately to Head- quarters. I started with him and before I got to North Salein Meeting- house met another express with a letter directed to the Officer who had Major Andre in charge and which letter directed a circuitons route to Head Quarters, for fear of recapture, and gave an account of Arnold's desertion, &c., with directions to forward the letter to Col. Sheldon. I did so, and before 1 got to the end of my journey I was joined by Capt. lloodgers first, and, after, by Major Talmage and C'apt. Rogers, Having given you this clue, I proceed with the Major's own story. Ile said he came np the North river in the Sloop of war "Vulture' for the purpose of seeing a person by flag of truce. That was not, however, accomplished. Of course he had to come ashore in a skiff, and after he had done his business the wind was so high, the Dutchman who took him ashore clare not venture to return him on board.

" The night following the Militia had lined the shore so that no at- tempt would he safely made. Consequently he was furnished, after changing his clothes, with a Continental horse and General Arnold's pass, and was to take a route by Peekskill, Crumpond, Pine's Bridge, Sing Sing, Tarrytown, &c., to New York.

" Nothing occurred to disturb him on his route until he arrived at the last place, except at Crumpond. He told me his hair stood erect and his heart was in his month on meeting Col. Samuel B. Webb, of our army, plump in the face. An acquaintance of his said that Col. Stod- dert knew him and he thought that he was gone, but they kept moving along and soon passed each other. He then thought himself past all danger, and while rmninating on his good luck and hair-breadth escapes he was assailed by three bushmen, near Tarrytown, who ordere him to stand. He sald to them, 'I hope, gentlemen, you belong to the lower party." ' We do,' says one. 'So do 1,' says he, 'and by the token of this ring and key you will let me pass. I am a British Officer on business of im- portance and must not be detained.' One of them took his watch from him and then ordered him to dismount. The moment that was done he said he found he was mistaken : he must shift his tone. Ile says, 'I am happy, gentlemen, to find I am mistaken. You belong to the upper party and so do I, and to convince yon of it, here is Gen1 Arnold's pass, handing it to them. 'Damn Arnold's pass,' said they. 'You said you were a British Officer. Where is your money ? ' ' Gentlemen, I have none about me,' he replied. 'You a British Officer with a gold watch and no money ! let us search lim.' They did so, but found none. Says one, 'He has got his money in his boots ; let's have thiem off and see.' They took off his boots and there they found his papers, but no money. They then examined his saddle, but found none. He said he saw they had such a thirst for money he would put them in the way to get it, if they would be directed by him. He asked then to name their sum to deliver him at King's Bridge. They answered him in this way, 'If we deliver yon at King's Bridge we shall be sent to the Sugar llonse and you will save your money.' lle says, ' If you will not trust iny honor, two of you may stay with me and one shall go with the letter 1 will write. Nam your sunt.' The sum agreed upon I cannot recollect, whether it was 500 or 1000 guineas, but [ think the latter was the sum. They held a consultation a considerable time and finally they told him if he wrote a party would be sent ont to take them and then they should all be prisoners. They said they had concluded to take him to the Commanding officer on the lines. They did so and retained the watch nntil General Washington sent for them to Tappan, when the watch was restored to Major Andre.

"Thus, you see, had money been at command after the imprudent con- fession of Major Andre, or any security given that the British would have put confidence in, he might have passed on to Sir Henry Clinton's

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Headquarters with all his papers and Arnold's pass into the bargalu, I do not recollect to have seen a trne statement of this business in any history that has fallen into my hands. If my memory serves me Ar- nold solicited and obtained the command of West Point in consequence of his being an invalid, and the reason why his negociations' were not com- pleted by flag or truce, I will state what General Washington told the French embassador Luzerne. He stated on his route to Hartford, that he dined with General Arnold at Haverstraw, at Joshna Smith's, where Arnold and Andre met. General Arnold showed him a letter from Gen- eral Robinson directed to General Israel Putnam, or Officer Commanding West Point, requesting an interview by flag on business of the first in- portance to the l'nited States. General Arnold asked Gen! Washington if be should go and hear what he had to say. General Washington re- plied that it would be very improper for the Commander in chief of a post to meet anybody himself. Ile could send a trusty hand if he thonght proper. But he added, 'I had no more suspicion of Arnold than I had of myself.' This accounts for Major Andre's failure to negociate by flag and his subsequent movements. I have thus complied with your request, giving you such facts, viz. : what I had from the month of Major Andre and what I heard Gen Washington tell the French Minister soon after the execution of Andre."

Ten years ago the Gilbert mansion, where Andre was confined during his stay in Lower Salem, was still standing, and an attempt was made by the Hon. John Jay to preserve this Revolutionary relic. But for some reason the payments were not made and Mr. Linus Hoyt, the owner, took down the building and removed the material.

Josiah Gilbert, the original owner of the building, was among the first settlers of Salem (Lewisboro'). He was the son of John Gilbert, of Stratford, in the colony of Connecticut. He is said to have been a man of more than ordinary abilities, with a fair edu- cation for those days. From the first he took a lead- ing part in the affairs of the town and the church. At the first town-meeting, held in 1747, he was elected town treasurer, and continued to hold the office for many years. He was one of the first eighteen mnem- bers to form the "Church of Christ " in Salem, which is now the Presbyterian Church. He was the first justice of the peace and the only one in the town for many years. Meetings of the town and of the church were frequently called at his house. Mr. Gilbert's advice in all matters appertaining to the church or the publie welfare was always songht for and fol- lowed. He died October 20, 1781, at the age of cighty-three. His dust mingles with the mold of the little graveyard where, at eventide, the shadow of the tall spire of the church he loved so well falls softly on the mound that marks his last resting- placc.

Abijah Gilbert, son of Josiah, was elected town clerk April 6, 1756. On the 2d of April, 1771, he was elected supervisor and town clerk and held both offices continuously until he was relieved of the duties of town clerk by Jacob Gilbert, April 3, 1792. The office of supervisor he continued to hold until 1807. He was a man of education, of sound judgment and an excellent penman, as the town records show. Benjah Gilbert, a son of Josiah Gilbert, was the grandfather of the present Thomas Gilbert, of Lewis- boro'.

The Reynolds family, of Lewisboro', also took a

prominent part in the Revolutionary War. The late Alvah Reynolds, better known as Deacon Reynolds, of Lewisboro', was a son of Lientenant Nathaniel Reynolds, who served with distinction in the Revolu- tionary army. He was present at the battles of White Plains and Ridgefield, and was finally captured while on guard by the British Light Horse Cavalry, under Colonel Simcoe. After two years and four months' imprisonment he was released and returned to the homestead at Lewisboro, where his son Alvah was born September 23, 1796. The latter resided at Lew- isboro till he was forty-five years of age, when he re- moved with his family, consisting of his wife, two daughters and one son, to the town of Yonkers. Here he purchased the farm of John Underhill, whose grandmother had reecived the property by grant from the British government. After living for ten years upon the place he sold it to James Chambers and rc- moved to another farm in the northern portion of the town of East Chester. Here he resided for nineteen years, till 1872, when he returned to Lewisboro, where he died May 6, 1881. Mr. Reynolds married Phebe Ann, daughter of Thomas Field, a landed proprietor of the town of Mount Pleasant, with whom he lived at the time of his death.

He was a strictly religious man, a Baptist in his church connection, and very liberal in his gifts to benevolent objects. He helped to build the Bap- tist Churches of Yonkers, Tarrytown, Mount Vernon and New Rochelle. In the churches of New Rochelle and Lewisboro he held the office of deacon.

He had four children, two daughters and two sons,-Mary E., Elmira C., Thomas F. and George W., all of whom are married and still survive.

James Brown, one of the prominent figures of the Revolutionary period, was the son of James Brown, gentleman, of Norwalk, in the colony of Connecticut, one of the original proprietors of Ridge- field. It will be remembered that on March 31, 1729, the proprietors of Ridgefield released to James Brown, of Norwalk, one of their number, one hun- dred acres of land lying on the west side of the Oblong, along the twenty-mile line. On this land he erected a dwelling-house, which stood on the north side of the road Icading from Ridgefield to Bedford, opposite the present residence of Miss Luey Wood. Into this house moved his son, James Brown, Jr., and commenced the manufac- ture of potash for the West India trade. The works stood near a swamp south of his residence und the labor was all performed by negro slaves, who lived in log huts near the potash works. The founda- tion of the building in which the business was carried on is still to be seen. Near by is the finest spring of pure water to be found in the town. At the death of James Brown, Sr., he bequeathed to his son, James Brown, " the dwelling he now lives in at Salem, and all the lands I have, which lyeth north of the

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road or highway leading from Ridgefield to Bedford ; also my uegro Lucas and his son Dyar." Also to his sons James and Samuel the barn standing on the south side of the road leading from Ridgefield to Bed- ford, with one-half the land lying " on the south side of said road, which is bounded south by a pond called Cross Pond, to be divided between them so as to make it equal between them, or near as may be Quality and Quantity," etc. He also gave to his daughter, Jo- anna Brown, his negro man Cato and "the wench he hath now married. Likewise I give and bequeath to my daughter Joanna one cow and calf sueli as she shall chose and my young mair colt which eame from my old black pacing mair," etc.

James Brown was eleeted supervisor of Salem, April 7, 1752, and continued to hold the office for fifteen years. He was also a justiee of the peace. He was a stanch sup- porter of the King and the Church of England. At his death the property passed into the hands of his nephew, Samuel B. Isaacs, and from his heirs to Aaron Hull, who sold it to Wakeman B. Wood, who built a new house and took down the old Brown mansion. The last of the slaves was " Old Tower," who re- sided in a hut under Tower Hill. He per- ished in the great Christmas snow-storm of 1811.

Alvah Reynolds

On the corner where the New Canaan road leaves the road leading from South Salem post- office to Ridgefield, Conn., stands the Keeler mansion, erected in 1788 by Jeremiah Keeler, whose grand- father, Timothy Keeler, was one of the original pro- prietors of Ridgefield.

The house is a large two. story structure, with an immense stone chimney in the centre. The massive hewn oak timbers placed in the building ninety-eight years ago are still as sound and free from decay as when they were brought from the forest.

Jeremiah Keeler was a soldier of the Revolution, born in Ridgefield, Conn., May 6, 1760. In April, 1777, when young Keeler was not yet seventeen, he witnessed the battle of Ridgefield, which so aroused the patri- otism in his soul that he immediately enlisted in the Continental army for three years, or during the

war. After serving for three years in the " Connecti- eut Line," he was selected, with other young men, by Baron Steuben, for a brigade of light infantry then forming for the Marquis De Lafayette, who was to fur- nish them with uniforms and equipments of the latest French style. The brigade was formed and drilled under the eye of the baron, and in the new French uniforms made an imposing appearance. Mr. Keeler soon rose to be orderly sergeant of Captain Chap- man's company. In 1781 the brigade marched to Virginia to oppose Arnold, who was making a raid in that State. Instead of meeting Arnold, they met Cornwallis. . After a number of skirmishes, marches - I and counter-marches they drove Cornwallis into Yorktown, where he was held until the arrival of Washington and the army from the north. Then, with the aid of the French fleet to bloekade the mouth of the James River, began the siege of Yorktown. Two British redoubts in front of York- town greatly annoyed the Ameriean lines. Wash- ington resolved to eap- ture them. Lafayette's light infantry brigade was selected to storm one, a French brigade the other. One dark, stormy night the troops were ordered to fall in, and silentl., through rain and inky darkness, with unloaded muskets aud fixed bayoncts, they marched toward the fort. Close under the walls they halted for a moment to allow the axe-men to elear away the abattis. The noise of the axes alarmed the British. The sentry hailed them, fired his musket and ran. The word eame " forward at double quick !" and with a cheer, through a mur- derous fire, the brigade went over the walls, and the fort was captured. Sergeant Keeler was the second man to jump into the fort. For his gallantry on this occasion, and for the skill and energy he displayed in re-forming his company after the capture, to be ready to repel any attempt that might be made by the enemy, he received the thanks of General Lafayette. He witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis, and his vivid description of that eventful day and the im- posing appearance of the French army on that oeea- sion was very interesting. Though the surrender of Cornwallis virtually ended the war, he remained

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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. II, Part 126

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