History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 131

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 131

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The surface of the town is uneven, being traversed by broken ridges running in the same general direc- tion-north and south. The high and rugged hills, with the deep adjacent valleys, furnish some fine natural scenery. Specially noticeable are views in the vieinity of the residence of N. B. Adams, opposite the Stone Hills ; also about Trinity Lake and along the valley of the Mill River.

The soil is mainly a gravelly loam suitable for grass and pasturage, and yielding a good return in grain and fruit. The prevailing interest is the agri. cultural, and the proximity of such places as Stam- ford and Norwalk gives the farmers a good market for their produce. There are no manufacturing es- tablishments, although in years past the making of

boots and shoes was an important industry. The name Ponndridge, so say the traditions of the old in- habitants, is derived from an inelosure, or pound, erected in early times on the ridge near the site of the present village, for the purpose of colleeting and con- fining the eattle when they were driven in from the common pasturage on the uninclosed land. Another versiou is, that the Indians, availing themselves of the Stone Hills on the northwest and the chain of lakes on the east, elosed the opening between them with pali- sades and assembling in large numbers, drove the game from the south and west into the inelosure or pound thus formed. But a thorough acquaintance with the ground will convinee any one of the improbability that such a thing has ever been done in that locality. Hence the name could not be derived from the In- dian romance, and we must accept the more prosaie derivation.

Poundridge appears to have beeu ineluded in an Indian grant or sale to Capt. Nathaniel Turner and others in 1640,1 which grant was confirmed by the Indians to the settlers of Stamford in 1655. The boundaries of the grant are rather indefinite, but in- cluded also the towns of Darien, New Canaau and a great part of Bedford and Greenwieh.

In making this grant, the chiefs, one of whom was Ponus, "Sagamore of Toquams (Stamford)," reserved a piece of ground for himself and the other Indians to plant on. These grounds were in the vicinity of Stamford, near the street that still bears his name. In 1667 the Indians again confirmed the agreement of 1655. In answer to an application from the pro- prietors, inhabitants of Stamford, for a confirmation of their title, the General Court of Connecticut, on the 26th of May, 1685, issued a patent to them of which the following is an extract :

[1 .. S.]. " WHEREAS the General Court of Conn. hath formally granted unto the Proprietors, Inhabitants of the Town of Stamford, all those lands, both meadow and npland, within these linttments ; upon the South East on Je Five Mile Brook, between Stamford & Norwalk, from ye month of said brook, till it meet with the cross-path that now is where ye Con- try Road crosses the said River, and from thence to run up into ye conD. try till twelve miles be run ont upon ye same line-that is, between Stamford & Fairfield, and upon the West to Totomak Brook, where the lowermost path or road that now is to Greenwich, East by said Brook, and from thence to run in a straight line to the West end of a line drawn from the Falls of Stamford, Mill River, which line is to run a due west point towards Greenwich bounds, a short mile, and from the West end at the said line, to run dne north, to the north of the present country road to Rye, and from thence to run up into the country, the same line that is between Norwalk & Stamford, to the end of the bounds, the said land having been, by purelinse or otherwise, lawfully obtained of the Indians, native proprietors. Ac., &r. . Know ye that the said Gov. and company aforesaid, in general Court, according to the conditions granted to them by his Majesty in his Charter, have given and granted, and by these presente do give, grant, ratify and confirm unto Mr. John Bishop, Mr. Richard Lowe, Capt. Jonathan Selleck, Capt. John Selleck, Lient. Francis Hill, Lient. Jonathan Ihill, Ensign John Dales, Mr. Abraham Ambler, Mr. Peter Ferris and Mr. Joshun Hoyt, & the rest of the said present proprioters of the Township of Stamford, their heirs, successorsund assignees forever, the aforesaid parcel of land, &c., &c., Ac., &c. .

" In witness whereof, we have caused the Seal of the Colony to be

1 Stamford Town Records.

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POUNDRIDGE.

hereunto affixed, this 26th of May, 1685, in ye first year of the reign of our Lord King James the 2d of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faitlı.

" ROBERT TREAT, Governor."

In 1701 occurred another confirmation of title to the inhabitants of Stamford by the Sagamore Catonah and other Indians. The boundaries given on the north-" by the Stone Hills upon a straight line east- ward into ye upper end of ye Long Pond and from thence an east line until it meets with a line drawn north from ye upper end of Five-Mile River "- would seem to have included nearly the whole town within the township of Stamford.

In 1731, at a settlement of boundary lines between the colonies, Poundridge fell within the limits of New York.

In 1741 a settlement was made where the village now stands by Joseph Lockwood, James Brown, David Potts, Ebenezer Scofield and others from Stam- ford. Joseph Lockwood (then seventy-seven years of age) was accompanied by his son Joseph, who had married Sarah, a daughter of Joshua Hoyt, one of the original proprietors, and his grandson Ebenezer, then a boy of six, who was destined to take a prominent part in the coming Revolutionary struggle. Eleven years before this, in 1730, Deacon John Fancher had settled in the town, being, as far as can be ascertained, the first settler. He had seven sons and two dangh- ters and from him are descended all the Fanchers of Poundridge.

No extraordinary event appears to have marked the early years of the settlement. There were no Indian troubles to disturb them ; in fact, the Indians had en- tirely disappeared from view. No record or tradition recalls their presence and were it not for the numer- ous arrow-heads that have been picked up on the ridge where the village is located, and which proves it to have been an Indian resort, there is nothing to re- mind one that such a people ever existed.

Accustomed as we are to the rapid growth of our country in population, it appears at first sight re- markable that a town within fifty miles of a great eity should, since 1855, have steadily decreased in the number of its inhabitants, until at present the total is not as great as it was ten years after the Revo- lution. This is due to several causes-first, the lack of special manufacturing facilities and difference in methods of manufacture. Formerly shoemaking was a leading industry in the town. The workmen then went to the " shoe-shops " in adjoining towns, re- ceived their work cut out and took it home, each one making the whole article, whether boot or shoe. But now, the invention of machinery and the practice of working in gangs or teams obliges the most of the work to be done in the large factories, so that workmen are compelled to live near the fac- tory, and as farming is almost the only remaining source of employment, it naturally follows that me- chanical occupations and business opportunities must

be sought elsewhere, and thus there is a constant drain upon the population.

Another cause lies in the decrease in the number of children. Fifty or sixty years ago there was not a school district but that had several families with from six to ten children each. Now there are very few such families in the town. Twenty-five years ago the number of children of school age (five to twenty-one) in School District No. 5 was one hundred and twenty. Now it barely reaches eighty.

STATISTICS OF POPULATION.

Year.

Pop.

Year.

Pop.

1790

. 1062

1850 .

1486

1800

1266

1860 .

1471

1810.

1249

1865

1299

1820

. 1359

1870.

1194

1830

. 1137

1875

1008

1840

1407

1880 .

1034

EXTRACTS, CENSUS OF 1880.

Total population 1034

Number of persons above seventy years of age 57

eighty

ninety

Number of voters .

322

" children less than one year of age

" deaths for year ending May 31, 1880

" farms in the town

197

" inhabited dwelling-houses

251

" families

273

Average number in a family

3 8-10

Area, 10,914 acres.

Assessed value 1874, $302,726 ; Valne per acre, $27.73 ; Corrected value 1874. $293,007 ; Value per acre, $26.85, Assessed value 1884, $297,318; Value per acre, $27.19; Corrected value 1884, 8288,987 ; Value per acre, $26.43.

Rate of tax in 1885, 8 36-100 mills on the dollar. This does not in- clude the school or road-tax.

Poundridge is rather remarkable on ccount of its freedom for many years from the sale of intoxicating drinks. The sentiment and practice of the people here in early times in regard to the use of intoxicat- ing drinks probably did not differ much from that of those in the country generally. Rum and cider were in common and daily use in nearly every family, not even excepting those of the minister and officers of the church. This is proved by the day-books of the vil- lage store, fragments of which are preserved which cover a period of several years not long after the be- ginning of the present century. In these the names of all the principal families of the town occur as debtor for various articles of daily consumption, and in almost every group of charges is found some such item as, "To one Gill of Rum, 6d.," " 1 Pint Rum, 12d.," "1 Pint of Brandy, -," " 1 drink Rum, 3d.," etc., tlie "(till of Rum " occurring most frequently. Moderation in drinking was the temperance preached in those days, and no doubt it was earnestly advo- cated ; but any one who has talked with the old peo- ple about those "old times" will be convinced that the proportion of moderate drinkers was very large. The first men in the town who openly and earnestly advocated temperance on a total abstinence basis

564

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

were William L. Smith 1 and Benjamin Keeler, about the year 1826. Meetings were held in the school- houses or in private houses in different parts of the town, and a gradual change in public sentiment took place. But this was not effected without long-eon- tinued effort and in the face of strong opposition, The ease of Daniel Potts, of Bedford, in 1845, who died on his way home from one of the places in this town where lignor was sold, had mueh influence in bringing publie opinion to the "no license " point ; and when, about 1848, the question of "lieense or no license " was brought squarely before the people to be voted on, the "no license " party had thirty-nine majority. That "settled the question " from that time to this, and no license has been granted since.

The names of most of the early settlers, the Seo- fields, Fanchers, Bontons, Selleeks, Potts, Hoyts, Adamses and others are still borne in the town by numerous descendants, but it is noticeable that one family, the Loek- woods, formerly the most numerous and influential, have now but one rep- resentative bearing the name. There are also very few left in the town to perpetuate the names of two other of the original families, the Browns and Danns. 2

Miles Adams, one of the leading citizens of the town, is descended from Nathan Adams, one of five brothers, who came from England to settle in South Salem (now Lewisboro) prior to the Revolution.

Nathan Adams had four sons-Abraham, Moses, Nathan and Hosea. Hosea married a daughter of Timothy Reynolds, who was captured by the Indians on Long Island and held by them for seven years, and afterwards escaped to enlist in the patriot army, serving throughout the Revolution and receiv- ing a pension from the government for life. He was the father of six children-Nathan B., Timothy C., Lizetta, Clarissa, Nancy and Sally. Nathan B. was the father of Miles Adams, who has for the past nine years represented the town of Poundridge in the Board of Supervisors.

Mr. Adams was born at Poundridge January 6, 1835. He was educated in the district school of that neighborhood, and for the greater portion of his life has pursued the calling of a farmer. His good judgment, integrity and prudent methods of deal- ing with men brought him forward years ago as a per- son worthy of political honors. He has held a number of positions by appointment of the State, and was at one time a lieutenant in the militia under Governor Fenton. During the war he was chosen inspector of elee- tions for seven consecutive terms, easting the soldiers' vote by proxy, and, as stated above, is at present serving his ninth term as supervisor of his native town.

Miles Adams

1 William L. Smith (great-grandson of Joseph Lockwood, one of the original settlers) was born July, 1803, died January 17, 1885. Hle early in life identified hinself with the temperance cause, and his house is said to have been the first one "raised" in the town without the aid of whiskey. lle also showed his disregard of a popular superstition by having the "raising " on Friday. In spite of prophecies to the con- trary there was plenty of help at the "raising," many coming from curiosity to see if the frame could go up withont rum. He was also the first to discontinue the practice of giving whiskey and cider to his hired men, and all his life was a zealous advocate of total abstinence, In politics he was, in the early part of his life, u Democrut, but with de- cided anti-slavery opinions, and joined the Republicans upon the forma- tlon of that party. Ile filled in succession all the various town offices, anel was an active leader in everything pertaining to the public good. For fifty-two yoare he was an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and for more than sixty years connected with the Sabbath-school either ux tencher or superintendent

: The genenlogies of most of the early families ure to be found in pu- pers left by the late Judge Earn Lockwood, and to memoranda compiled by him the writer is Indebted for many facts contained in these juges.

In polities he is a Demo- crat, but his impartial manner of dealing with political questions has won him many stanch supporters in both parties. For twelve years he has been a member of the County Committee, and has also served a number of times as dele- gate to State and National Conventions. He is a member of the Methodist Church in his town, of which he has been an official since 1868. His habit of mastering every matter submitted to his considera- tion has given him a breadth of knowledge and a fund of information which not only makes him a thor- oughly intelligent legislator, but also a very active and conseientions Christian.

The line of the projected New York, Portehester and Danbury Railroad runs through the town, about one mile east of the village, and was graded for about one-third of its extent before work was suspended. At present there is a daily mail stage running be-

565

POUNDRIDGE.

tween the village and Stamford, Connecticut, a dis- tance of nearly twelve miles. The nearest railroad station is New Canaan, seven miles away. Bedford, on the Harlem Railroad, is eight miles distant from the village.

MILITARY HISTORY .- Nothing took place to excite a military spirit in the people of Poundridge until the contest between England and her colonies, when nearly all the people were found on the right side. There were a few Tories, for tradition has preserved the names of two or three, and a letter1 from the Committee of Safety (which we here append) confirms it :

" POUNDRIDGE, 15 October, 1776. " Hon. Sirs :

" We, the Sub. Com. of Poundridge, in Westchester Co., beg leave to inform your Honors that we are apprehensive that there is danger of onr prisoners leaving ns and joining the Ministerial Army, as we are not above 9 or 10 miles from the water where the Sound is full of the Minis- terial Ships or tenders. One of our number is already gone to Long Island, and numbers are gone from other places, who are no doubt now with the Ministerial Army. There are disaffected persons daily going over to them, which gives us much trouble. Therefore, we humbly beg your honors would give us some directions concerning them, that they may be speedily removed at some farther distance. We would also in- form you that for the misdemeanors of one of them, and our own safety, we have been obliged to commit him to jail at the White Plains ; these, with all proper respects,

" From yours to serve, " JOSEPH AMBLER, " Ch. of Com."

The year 1779, when the whole county of West- chester was the theatre of blood, rapine and plunder, and life and property were in danger from foes with- out and traitors within, brought its share of suffering and hardship to the people of Poundridge. The whole of the county below North Castle was in the hands of the British, and from their lines parties of Tories and British made frequent excursions for forage and plunder, keeping the inhabitants in a state of alarm. Neither life nor property were safe. Joseph Pelham, living near the Stone Hills, was awakened in the night by a noise at his barn ; going out, he found a party of marauders stealing his cattle, aud before he could do anything to stop them he was shot down and killed.

Prudence Smith, daughter of Joseph Lockwood, and niece of Major E. Lockwood, who, at the time of Tarleton's raid, was a girl of eleven years of age, has often told the writer of this chapter that she dis- tinctly remembered that her father and other resi- dents of the village feared at times to sleep in their houses at night, and used to go to a secluded place iu the woods, east of the village, and sleep in an old saw- mill. She also had a vivid recollection of the appear- ance of Tarleton's men as they charged through the village in pursuit of Colonel Sheldon's men "stand- ing up in their stirrups and shouting and whirling their swords over their heads." She also said that after burning the church they brought fire-brands from it to burn the house she lived in, but just as they

reached it they were fired upon by some militia who were concealed in a field of wheat, west of the village, and dropping the fire-brands, they shouted "The rebels are upon us !" jumped upon their horses and quickly rode off.

The village was at this time occupied by Colonel Sheldon's regiment of light dragoons, who made the house of Major Lockwood? and the church their headquarters. The regiment was engaged in frequent skirmishes with the British and Torics, and it was for the surprise of this regiment, and the capture of Major Lockwood, that Sir Henry Clinton sent Colonel B. Tarleton with a detachment of dragoons and mounted infantry (about three hundred men) on the night of July 1, 1779. The precaution of the Com- mittee of Safety had placed in the enemy's eamp below the lines, the spy Luther Kinnicutt who, on the day previous, gave notice to Colonel Sheldon of the intended attack, but could not find out the precise day.

The night proved stormy and the torrents of rain would have retarded the progress of a commander of less intrepidity than Tarleton. Because of the storm, Sheldon apprehended no danger, but took the precau- tion to have his horses in readiness. Sentinels were placed about a mile from the church, on both the north and south roads leading to Bedford. The senti- nel on the north road at early dawn descried a large body of dragoons under rapid movement, who passed the junction of the roads leading from Bedford to Poundridge and continued on toward Ridgefield. This mistake of the enemy in pursuing the Ridge- field Road for half a mile or more gave time for the vidette to return and give notice. Sheldon supposing it might be Colonel Moyland's regim nt, which was expected, dispatched Major Talmage, with a few men, to reconnoitre. About half-way to the junction of the roads, as Talmage ascended a hill by the present residence of Nathan Brisco, he met the troops of Tarleton ascending the hill on the other side. Tal- mage wheeled and returned at full speed with Tarle- ton at his heels aud burst into the village, giving Sheldon's command barely time to mount their horses, which were tied to the fence on the east side of the road by the meeting-house. A general rout ensued. Sheldon's regiment moved off down the road leading to Stamford for about three-quarters of a wile, then separated, part taking the Stamford and part the New Canaan road, with Tarleton's dragoons follow- ing and harassing their rear, killing one and wound- ing and taking prisoners some eighteen or twenty. Among the prisoners taken was Alsop Hunt, a son- in-law of Major Lockwood. Mr. Hunt was a member of the Society of Friends, and although a non-com- batant, was an ardent friend of his country. He was taken to New York and lodged in the provost prison.

2 So conspicuous by this tiene for his activity in the patriotic cause that a reward of forty guineas was offered for his head.

1 Records Prov. Cong.

566

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

He would have escaped had not his young wife, Betsy, a girl of seventeen, insisted upon being taken upon the horse with him.

The pursuit lasted several hours, when Tarleton, unable to overtake Sheldon, returned to the village and burned Major Lockwood's house, with most of its contents, one of his officers so far forgetting himself as to strike the major's wife with the flat of his sword npon her refusing to bring him some articles that he de- manded. He also burned the Presbyterian church and was about to commit further outrages when the militia rallying, fired upon his troops. He then re- treated, carrying away all the plunder possible. He was pursued to North Castle by the militia.

Several incidents of the retreat and pursuit have been preserved and are as follows :

John Buekhout, who happened to be in the rear of Sheldon's regiment during the retreat, was accosted in an imperative tone by a British dragoon, "Sur- render, you d-d rebel, or I'll blow your brains out." John, not heeding the threat, was saluted with a pistol- shot, which hit his eap and perforated his sealp on the side of his head without further injury. "There (says the dragoon), you d-d rebel, a little more and I should have blown your brains out." "Yes, d-n you (replied John), a little more and you wouldn't have touched me." John continued his speed and escaped.

Jared Iloyt, a brave soldier also in the rear, was hard pressed by Tarleton's advance, and within strik- ing distance of his assailant, when he received a blow from the heavy entlass of his pursuer on the head. The blow, accompanied by eurses and demands to surrender, only eleft the skin and hair from the side of his head. Hoyt instantly returned the blow back- handed, which struck his assailant directly in the month, enlarging that organ from ear to ear, and sileneing him.

On returning from the pursuit, three of Tarleton's men stopped at the residence of Judge William Faneher, and while plundering the house of every thing that seemed to them of value, one of the sol- diers noticed a ehest which was locked, and ordered Mrs. Fancher to bring the key. She refused. He then became abusive and threatened to kill her. One of his companions, a petty officer, told him to let her alone. He thereupon went out and returned with a large stone, with which he smashed in the lid. They took some valuable papers from the chest, and mounting their horses rode a few steps to a little brook, where they stopped to let them drink. At this moment a man named William Brown, standing at a distance of sixty rods, fired at them. The ball, nearly spent, struek the soldier who broke open the chest, upon the top of the head, stunning him so that he fell from his horse. His companions hastily examining him, and thinking him dead, took his money and valuables and rode off. Brown then came up, when the soldier, who was only stunned, began to revive, whereupon Brown placing the muzzle of his gun close to his head, sent a bullet through it. It was a

barbarous aet, with no extenuation, save perhaps the bitter state of feeling which the marauders them- selves eaused by acts of plunder and violence.

The spirit of the women is shown by the answer of Mrs. Sarah Loekwood, who, when the British rode up to her door and demanded-" which way the rebels had gone?" replied, "I know no rebels but your- selves, and you are rebelling against the Almighty."

Following are contemporaneous accounts of the affair :

"Holt's account, published at Poughkeepsie, it the New York Journal of July 5th, 1779 :

" We hear that last Friday 300 of the enenties' light horse came ont as far as Pound Ridge, with intent to surprise part of C'ol. Sheldon's regi- ment of Light Dragoons, which was quartered at|Major; Lock wood's. Col. Sheldon having very short notice of their coming, had only just time to mount his horses, when a skirmish ensued, which lasted but a short time. Col. Sheldon being overpowered, was obliged to give way. The enemy burnt the merting-house and Major Lockwood's house at that place, and would not suffer the family to take anything away. On their return they burnt several other houses and plundered as usual. The militia collected to about 350 and pursued them, but as the enemy were on home- back they could not overtake them. The enemy lost 2 killed and 4 taken prisoners. C'ol. Sheblon hnd 4 of his men taken, and likewise 4 of the inhabitants fell into their hands. The number wounded on either side cannot be ascertained."

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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 131

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