History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 130

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 130

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).

Pew No. 3 to Gould Bouton for . 10

= 18 " James Reynolds for . 10 0

7 " John Bouton for . 2 5 0

2 " Daniel Bonton for 2 10 0

46 1 " Nathan Rockwell for 4 13 0

66 6 " Stephen Gilbert for 5

= 5 " Josiah Jones for . .3

12 0

4 " Job Smith for . 4

4 4 18 " Samuel Ambler for 1

8 " Jacob Conklin for 4

11 " Pettit Loder for . 3

10 " Thomas Gilbert for 0

9 " Epenetus Bishop for 5

15 " Michael Brooks for 0

66 16 " Andrew Massey for 1 12 0

17 " Aaron Keeler for . 1 10 0

December 3, 1805, it was voted that some wood be given to the singing-school, at the school-house, and to keep fire in the school-house on Sabbath day, at noon, between meetings. It was also voted that the ii .- 49

west door be fastened up through the winter. Novem- ber 8, 1810, it was voted that Job Rockwell will take eare of the meeting-house for two dollars.

September 2, 1813, Rev. Jacob Burbank was called to be pastor, at a salary of three hundred dollars and use of parsonage. March 2, 1818, Rev. Charles F. Butler was called to be the pastor.

In 1825, the old church edifice being out of repair, it was resolved to build a new one. Accordingly, the present edifice was erected. In 1873 the church was again repaired and remodeled, inside and out, at a cost of $8430.57.

LIST OF PASTORS.

1752 . Rev. Solomon Mead.

1800

Rev. Robert Porter.

1802

Rev. Robert II. Chapman.

1803

Rev. Mr. - Osborn.

1801 Kev. John Ely.

1813

Rev. Jacob Burbank.

1818

Rev. Charles F Butler.

1834

Rev. Reuben Frame.

1852

Rev. Aaron L. Lindsley.

1863

Rev. Daniel S. Gregory.

1871

Rev. Thomas Gray.

1876

Rev. Henry J. Owen.

1877

Rev. G. A, Seeley.

1878

Rev. George M. McCampbell.

1883

Rev. Dr. Buchannan.

1884 Rev. L. D. Calkins, present incumbent.

The first bell was purchased in 1846. In 1852 the trustees petitioned Judge John W. Mills for permis- sion to sell certain real estate. Such permission was duly granted, April 16, 1852, and the land sold.

In the grave-yard which surrounds the church rest the remains of the Gilberts, Websters, Benedicts, Rockwells, Keelers, Boutons, Lawrences, Meads, etc. Near the southwest corner of the yard stands a plain marble slab bearing this inscription,-

"To the Memory of Rev. Solomon Mead First l'astor of the Presbyterian Church in this Place .E 86.

He had charge of this people 48 years. Ob. September 1812

While Marble Monuments decay The righteous live in Endless day, And Earthly temples turn to dust Blest is the Memory of the just."

Just east of the path leading up to the church from the south is the grave of Josiah Gilbert, one of the first men among the early settlers of Salem. He was the first town treasurer and one of the first church members. A plain slate slab marks the head of his grave, with the following inscription :

" To Ye Memory Josialı Gilbert, Esqr Who departed this life Oct 20, 1781 in ye 834 year of his life. A person very Eminent to promote ye Gospel and ye public good."

Near the grave of Josiah Gilbert (the first) is the grave of his grandson Josiah (the second). The in-

14 " Nathan Adams for 3

558

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

seription on the stone that marks his last resting-place is as follows :

" To the memory of Josiah Gilbert Died October 25th 1858 In the 77th year of his age

For forty - five years he was a member and thirty-six years an Elder of the Presbyterian Church."

In the town cemetery, a short distance west of the church, monuments have been erected by the Ray- monds, St. Johns, Woods, Williamsons, Adamses, etc. The oldest grave-stone in the church-yard is that erected to the memory of Jacob Benediet, son of Amos and Martha Benediet, who died October 2, 1755.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH .- In the year 1759 the Rev. Ebenezer Dibble, a missionary from the Church of England, located at Stamford, in the colony of Con- neetieut, says, in his report, that on the 24th day of June, in the above year, he " preached in the lower distriet of Salem to considerable of an audience of decently behaved people." In a letter written to the Home Secretary, in September, 1759, he says- " the people of Lower Salem are poor, but I shall do all I ean to serve them. I preached to them two weeks ago on a special fast, appointed in that Prov- ince, to implore the smiles and blessings of Divine Providence to attend his Majesty's arms in the ensu- ing campaign." In 1767 the Rev. Epenetus Townsend was appointed missionary to Ridgefield, Ridgebury and Salem. He held services at the dwell- ing-houses of James Brown and others until 1771 when a church was completed and consecrated. It stood opposite where the road leading from New Ca- naan to South Salem unites with the Ridgefield road to the latter place, now known as Keeler's Corner The building stood on land now owned by the heirs of the late Thaddeus H. Keeler, whose grandfather sold the lot to the trustees-Gershom Selleck, James Brown and others. Mr. Townsend preached in this church until July, 1776, when, the independence of the colonies having been declared, and many of his most active members having joined the Continental army, they requested Mr. Townsend to omit that part of the service where divine blessings were invoked for the King and the royal family. Mr. Townsend declined; and, on the following Sabbath, when that part of the service was reached, the patriots rose up in a body and forbid him proceeding further with the service. He closed his book and left the church, the congregation following him. The church was closed and the key taken possession of by the patriots. Mr. Townsend was soon after arrested as a person dan- gerous to the American cause, and sent a prisoner to Fishkill. In 1780 the church was used by Colonel Sheldon's troops as a hospital, and several sokliers who died there were buried in the little grave-yard near by. This ground is now used as a private burial- place for the Keeler family. Subsequently, Mr. Ben-

jamin Chapman, a contractor, took the property, to satisfy his elaims against it, and fitted it up for an inn. For yearsafter it was known as the " Church Tav- ern." In 1795 Mr. Chapman sold the property to Mr. John L. Morehouse, who disposed of it to Jeremiah Keeler. In 1796 Mr. Keeler took down the building and removed the material. Some of the partitions that were taken from the church ean still be seen in the Keeler mansion, nearly opposite where the church once stood.

After the closing of the church, in 1776, there was no organization in Salem until 1811, when a church was incorporated under the title of The Church Wardens and Vestrymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Salem. The vestry were Augustus Me- Carroll and William Sherwood, ehureli wardens ; Henry Hoyt, Gould Bouton, Samuel Ambler, Absa- lom Holmes, Jesse Jervis, Samuel B. Isaacs, Joseph Nash, James Church, vestrymen.

There was no church edifiee in which to hold ser- viees, which were held in various places in the town until 1852, when Rev. Alfred Patridge commeneed to hold meetings in a grove on the land of Stephen L. Hoyt, just west of the Presbyterian Church, South Salem. In a short time the parish was again reor- ganized under the title of St. John's Church of South Salem, and on the 16th of August, 1852, the following vestry were chosen : Jonathan Beers and Isaac Hays, church wardens; Stephen L. Hoyt, Samuel Field, Amos N. Raymond, Timothy Jones, William H. Robertson (afterwards collector of the port of New York) Ferris Bouton, William Lockwood and John Burr Whitlock, vestrymen.

Mainly through the influence of Rev. Mr. Patridge, Stephen Lewis Hoyt deeded to the church a lot of land six rods square, in the grove where the meetings had previously been held, and in 1853 a neat stone edifice, thirty-eight by forty-eight feet, with tower, was erected, and September 18, 1855, the church was eon- seerated by Right Rev. Horatio Potter, bishop of the dioeese. Benjamin Loder, of New York, presented the church with a bell weighing six hundred and ninety-seven pounds. For some years no regular serviees have been hell in this church.

In 1870 John Lewis, of Clinton, Conn., gave the church twenty-eight aeres of land in the lower part of Lewisboro, on condition that a chapel should be built thercon, to be called St. Paul's Chapel. On the 12th of April, 1871, the corner-stone of St. Paul's Church was laid, on the land which had been given by Mir. Lewis. No further progress has been made towards the erection of the church.

In 1871 a reetory was completed, a part of which was the former residence of Isaac B. Hays, situated on the forks of the road leading from South Salem and Ridgefield to New Canaan. Near the reetory, in a tower, hangs the bell presented to St. Paul's Church by William MI. Tweed, of New York.

In the cemetery near the reetory repose the remains

559

LEWISBORO.

of John Lewis. A neat tomb-stone bears this inserip- tion,-

John Lewis Born February 4th, 1793, Died October 1st, 1871.

He was a liberal benefactor to the public schools of Lewisboro, after whom the town was named; also the donor of the adjoining parsonage property to the Protestant Episcopal Church of St. John's.

The rectors and ministers who have officiated in South Salem Episcopal Church are :

1759

Rev. Ebenezer Dibble.

1771

Rev. Epenetus Townsend.

1810

Rev. Mather Felch.

1816

Rev. George Weller.

1852

Rev. Alfred Patridge.

1855

Rev. Franklin Babbitt.

1859

Rev. David Scott.

1861

Rev. A. M. Ives.

1868

. Rev. Robert Bolton.

1879

Rev. Alexander Ilamiiton.

The present officiating rector is the Rev. Mr. Sel- leck, of Norwalk, Conn.

FRIENDS' MEETING-HOUSE (Golden's Bridge) .- Meetings of "The Religious Society of Friends " be- gan at the house of Robert Runnels, in the town of Bedford, in 1792. In the summer of 1798 an acre and a half of land was purchased near Golden's Bridge. This land was conveyed by Isaac Frost to Isaac Mc- Keel, of Yorktown, and Abraham I. Underhill, of Cortlandtown, who were appointed by Chappaqua Monthly Meeting (of which the Salem Meeting was then a constituent branch) as trustees to take the title. As the records make no mention of the erec- tion of a meeting-house at that time, it may be in- ferred that there was a building on the lot that an- swered for a meeting-place. In 1810 the meeting at Peach Pond, that had existed for about seventy years, was discontinued and the remaining members of the so- ciety there were assigned to Salem. Upon the establish- ment of a Monthly Meeting at Amawalk, in the town of Yorktown, about the year 1800, Salem Meeting be- came a branch of it, and in 1814 the present meeting- house was erected, an addition to the old lot having been purchased for forty-one dollars. Amawalk Monthly Meeting appointed Henry Jackson and Josiah Cock to hold the title in trust, to whom Isaac Frost and Patience, his wife, and Stephen Frost, and Mary, his wife, gave a quit-claim deed dated 15th of Fourth Month, 1815, for two acres and thirty rods of land.

There is no data for computing the membership at the beginning of the present century, but prominent among the members at that time were Edward Brun- dage, Henry Dickinson, Robert and Elijah Reynolds, Richard Weeks, Abraham Powell, Abel Underhill, Robert Hallock, Sylvanus Townsend, James Kniffin, Holly Lyons, Jared Green, Isaac Field, Thomas Smith, Joseph Bailey, William Field. Ezekiel Hal-

stead became a member in 1811, and was for many years a prominent minister. In 1829 the member- ship assigned to this meeting numbered fifty-one. Religious meetings were held regularly twice a week from their beginning until 1880, and in 1882 they were formally discontinued, since which time the house has not been occupied, except on special occasions.

The present trustees are Richard Wecks, of Somers; Joseph T. Hallock, Jesse H. Griffin and Wright Hallock, of Yorktown; and Edmund P. Hallock, of Peekskill.

In the burying-ground near this meeting-house re- pose the remains of

" Arnell Dickinson Died Oct 29th, 1832, Aged 60 years 3 mº & 13d ds."

"Silas Weeks Died 7th Month 29th, 1868, Aged 74 years."

" Joseph Weeks Died 7th Month 4th day, 1876, Aged 76 years, 4 mnº & & ds .??

"Oliver Green, Born 15th of 24 Month, 1788, Dicd 18th of 10th Month, 1862."

METHODIST CHURCHES .- The Methodist Protes- tant Church ( Vista) was organized in 1853, with John S. Hoyt, Anson Benedict and Samuel Benedict, trustees. The first minister was Rev. O. C. Dykman and the present pastor is Rev. Mr. Dibble.

The Methodist Episcopal Church (Cross River), was incorporated March 28, 1843, with Joseph Wilson, Daniel Silkman, John Silkman, Aaron Silkının, Walter S. Lyon and John Brady, trustees.

Hermon Chapel, near the residence of Mr. Edward Brady, and the Methodist Episcopal Church at Golden's Bridge are under the same ministry with Cross River.

BAPTIST CHURCHES .- The Baptist Church (Cross River) was incorporated March 28, 1842, with Lewis Holmes, Abijah Reynolds, Lewis Mead, Titus Rey- nolds and Josiah M. Ehnore, trustees.

In 1830'a Baptist Church was erected in the lower part of Lewisboro, near the present residence of Aaron O. Wakeman, by Walker Wakeman, Asa Ray- mond, Amos Northrop and others. Rev. Ebenezer Raymond preached in this house for a number of years. Other ministers who supplied the pulpit there were Elder Flandreau, of New Rochelle; Elder Goldsmith, of Guilford, Conn. ; and Rev. Mr. Card, of Cross River. Elder Hobby, of Cross River, was the last. In 1870 the church was taken down and the material removed.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS .- In 1839 John Lewis, a wealthy citizen of New York City, whose ancestors were natives of South Salein, and whose name has hereto- fore been mentioned in the course of this narrative, proposed that if the name of the town was changed in honor of him, he would give the income from ten thousand dollars for the support of the common schools of the town. Accordingly, in March, 1840, an act was passed by the Legislature changing the

560

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

name of the town to Lewisboro. Mr. Lewis then set aside ten thousand dollars, profitably invested, for the town. The interest he paid over semi-annually for the use of the sehools, it amounting to the sum of six hundred dollars per year. By aet of the Legisla- ture, passed in 1842, Jerentiah Howe, Charles Wright and Isaac Hayes were appointed trustees of the " Lewis School Fund," to receive the money and apportion it among the several sehool distriets. In 1856 Mr. Lewis turned over to the trustees ninety- nine hundred dollars in stocks and bonds and was relieved from further obligations. In 1884 the in- come from this fund was three hundred and forty- seven dollars. In 1880 the number of childrett in the town between the ages of five and twenty-one was four hundred and nine.

LIBRARY. - A library was purchased in 1798 by the inhabitants of the town of Salem (Lewisboro), and was opened to the public in 1799-Aaron Keeler, librarian ; and Thomas Rockwell, Samuel Ambler, Isaac Pardee, Thomas Mead and Thateher Hayes, trustees.

In the spring of 1804 "The trustees of Salem Library met pursuant to public notice and agreeable to the aet passed the first day of April, 1796, for the purpose of incorporating public cireulating libraries, attd proceeded to make certain by-laws for the bene- fit of said society," etc. The library was incorporated under the general laws of the State. Any person wishing to become a member must be regularly pro- posed by a member, balloted for and, if accepted, pay fifty eents a year. If books were damaged a fine was imposed. Only one book eould be taken out at a time and all members were forbidden to lend books to non-subscribers. The institution flourished for a number of years. New books were added from time to time until the catalogue contained some two hundred volumes. As a new generation came on interest in the institution began to wane. The most valnable books were carried away by any one who took a fancy to them, until of this once valuable collection nothing desirable remains. Sidney R. Lockwood was the last librarian. The Rev. Reuben Frame, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, was at one time treasurer and librarian. Below is a copy of otte of his characteristic reports,-

" The Trensurer would report that at the annual meeting of the trustees last March there were in his hands . . $75.7214

Since which time he hns received .

Making the sum of . $75.9814

of which he has expended for books 6 44

Leaving in his hands at present . $69,5414

"R. FRAME.

" The Treasurer and Librarian would beg lenve from them to state that if his unfaithfulness In office should not be a sufficient reason for bestowing the honor he has had for three years on some more worthy person, then for different reasons, not necessary to state, he would express the wish not to have the honor placed upon his head, or the burden on his shoulders any longer.

" Most Remwetfully Yours, &c.,

" R. F'NAME. "

LEADING RESIDENTS OF LEWISBORO .- On the road leading from South Salem to Cross River stands the palatial residence of the late Cyrus Lawrence (1st), now occupied by his son, James S. Cyrus Lawrence (Ist) was born in Lewisboro. He entered into town polities when quite young ; served one year as super- visor, three years as town clerk and was a justice ofthe peace for forty years. In the latter part of his life he engaged quite extensively in the practice of law, and was for some time counsel to the County Board of Excise. He died in 1864, at the age of ciglity-one.

Cyrus Lawrenee, the present postmaster, was born in Poundridge. In early life he adopted the pro- fession of school-teaelier. Subsequently he became a country store-keeper, and after the death of Gould Hawley, in 1864, he was appointed postmaster. In 1872 he was elected justice of sessions in Westchester County, and continued in that office for three terms. In 1876 he ran for county clerk and came within a very few votes of being eleeted. For many years he has held the office of justice, and at the last session of the Legislature (1884-85) he held the office of index clerk to that body.

Jeremiah Howe was born in Lewisboro. He was a farmer, and was elected supervisor in 1830, holding the office for eight years. In 1850 he was elected town elerk, which office he held fifteen years. Fred- erick Howe, son of Jeremiah, is the present town clerk, and has already held the office ten years.

On Mead Street, a short distance south of the " Waceabuc House," stands the country residenee of Robert Hoe, of New York City. Mr. Hoe is a son of Robert Iloe, one of the celebrated manufacturers of saws and steam printing-presses.

One and a half miles east of Golden's Bridge Depot, on the road to Lake Waceabuc, stands the large three-story farm-house of Mr. E. B. Brady. Mr. Brady is the largest farmer in the town. He is said to be the owner of one thousand six hundred acres of land, and makes about forty quart cans of milk per day.

Edward B. Brady is a son of Simeon Brady, who died at Golden's Bridge, and was a well-known and successful farmer of the town of Lewisboro. Simeon Brady had five children, of whom Edward B. was the third. He was born in Lewisboro, April 5, 1833, and is of the fourth generation residing in that town.

He spent his early childhood in the district school. After leaving this he became actively engaged in the farming and live stock business, together with his father, in which he has since remained. He deals very extensively in eattle, shipping largely from vari- ous parts of the West.

Contrary to the generality of Eastern farmers, he has made a success of his business, being now in pos- session of an extensive tract of land in the northern portion of the county, where he is largely engaged in the production of milk.

He married Julia, daughter of Martin Todd, of

Camil Hunts

561

POUNDRIDGE.

Lewisboro. They have nine children, six sons and three daughters-Arthur L., Julia, Cornelia, Edward, Hortense, Simeon, Martin, Enoch and Harry-all of whom reside with their parents.

Mr. Brady is well known throughout Westchester County and is greatly respected for his steady busi- ness habits and his sterling integrity.

Nearer to Golden's Bridge, on the same road, is located the residence of Mr. Norman Merritt, the next largest farmer in the town. Mr. Merritt is the owner of seven hundred and fifty aeres of land, and makes about thirty forty-quart cans of milk per day.

Daniel Hunt was of English descent. His father, Daniel Hunt, removed from North Salem to Lewis- boro, where he bought a large farm and resided upon it until his death. He had five children, of whom Daniel, the young- est, was born May 19, 1818. Daniel received his education in the dis- triet school at South Salem, which he left for the farm at an carly age.

Mr. Hunt was for many years prominently connected with every good work in and about Lewisboro and was wide- ly known for his liberal- ity and sterling quali- ties. In his twenty-third year he was elected super- visor of the town of Lewisboro, which office he filled for thirty- three years consecutive- ly. During the latter portion of this time he experienced no opposi- tion. He was also justiee of the peace for many years and filled the posi- tion with ability and in- tegrity. He died May, 14, 1874.

He married, January 1, 1851, Jane A., daughter of Jeremiah Howe, of Lewisboro. There are three children-Louisa, Frank and Carrie E .- all of whom reside at the homestead.

Sen Keln

CHAPTER X.

POUNDRIDGE.

BY GEORGE THATCHER SMITH.

A QUIET town, lying in the most remote part of the connty, and a little apart from the main lines of travel, Poundridge affords no extensive field for the occurrence of notable events, and naturally its history has been a more modest one than that of its larger and more pretentious sister towns in the county. Poundridge is situated upon the eastern border of the county, and, though distant only about sixteen miles in a direet line northeast of White Plains, yet, follow- ing the ordinary line of communication aud travel, the distance the county-seat is twenty- five miles. It is one of the oldest townships, having been organized in 1788. Bounded on the north and east by Lewisboro, and on the southeast and south by the Connecticut towns of New Canaan and Stam- ford, it enjoys the prox- imity of the "Land of Steady Habits." On the west are North Castle and Bedford. The gen- eral surface of the town, as its inhabitants are well aware, is no prairie land, and may be generally described as rough ; but it has its compensations in that the land is good and yields a fair return for labor, the springs and streams of water are frequent and abun- dant, the air of the hills and valleys is fresh, pure and conducive to long life.

Across the northwest part of the town ruu the Stone Hills, a high, rugged and broken range, about four miles in length and presenting the wildest and most beautiful scenery in the county. Here, although within fifty miles of New York, the hunter and trap- per find the solitude of the original forest, and there are localities in these hills seldom trodden by the foot of man. Here the copperhead or red adder still finds a secure retreat, and numbers of them are yearly killed along the base of the hills. Just opposite this range, to the sontheast, rises another high and rocky range, three-quarters of a mile in length, called Candle-wood Hills, a name

562

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

derived from the excellence of the fuel found there. From the top of these hills a fine view of Long Island, with the Sound and intervening country, is obtained.

About half a mile to the south, upon an elevated ridge, also commanding a good view of Long Island and the Sound, stands the village of Poundridge. It is nearly in the centre of the town and contains two churches, one sehool-house, one store, a post-of- fice and about twenty dwelling-houses.

Through the eastern part of the town is a chain of ponds, five iu number. The most northerly is Cross Pond, covering an extent of one hundred acres, and note l for abundance of fish. This is fed by springs, and has its outlet into Cross River ; thenee into the Croton. A short distance south of this are, or were, three others-Round Pond, Middle Pond and Lower Pond-all communicating with each other and hay- ing an outlet into Tatomnek or Mill River, which empties into the Sound at Stamford. In the year 1869 the Stamford Water Company, looking to the permanenee of their water supply, built a dam twen- ty feet high across the outlet, raising the water so that the three ponds were united in one, which was appropriately ealled " Trinity Lake." It is a beauti- ful body of water, one and one-quarter miles in length, with high banks well wooded with evergreen and other trees, aud, among the evergreens, fiue pienie- grounds, which are becoming quite a resort for par- ties of pleasure. A natural curiosity of the lake is its floating islauds. These, though only a few rods in extent, present the phenomenon of rising to the surface of the water in the summer, and sinking to the bottom of the lake on the approach of winter. Not far from the west shore of the lake is a large boulder known as the " Rocking Stone," and weigh- ing ten tons or more, which is so exactly balanced on a rock beneath, that a child, or even the breeze, ean cause it to rock. Several similar boulders lie on the top of a ridge southwest of the lake. A short dis- tance southeast of Trinity Lake, and separated from the Mill River Valley by an intervening ridge, is Mud Mill Pond, a pretty sheet of water in spite of its name. It lies among wooded hills, and its southern extrem- ity reaches into Connecticut.

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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 130

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