History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 134

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 134

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Mr. Anderson had three children, Ja des M., Eu- gene, and Elizabeth, who, with his widow survive him.

Amos Newman, another of the representative eiti- zens of Bedford, was born at Carinel, Putnam Co., November 2, 1797. His father, Stephen Newman was related to the Bedford family of that name, and his mother was Eunice Hait or Hoyt, the name being spelled and pronouneed both ways indifferently. Her family has also long been resident in the town. During Mr. Newman's youth his parents removed to Bedford, and lived on the farm now owned by Mr. E. J. Purdy, a short distance east of Katonah. He was married, January 4, 1826, to Phebe Powell, daughter of Abra- ham Powell, of Bedford, and continued for the next four years to reside with his parents. At the end of that time he went to live on the Powell homestead, the early home of his wife, near Cantito Corners, now owned by the Messrs Lyon. Here, with his three brothers-in- law, Jared, Abraham and Dickinson Pow- ell, he made his home for twenty-five years, and here

576

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

several children were born, only one of whom, Ste- phen P. Newman, lived to reach manhood. In 1855 he bought of Thomas S. Lyon the farm a mile east Katonah, and in 1862 built a handsome house, of which was his home during the remainder of his life.

Ilis later years brought a severe affliction in the death of his only son. Stephen . P. Newman was married October, 9, 1867, to Miss Clarissa, daughter of Phineas Lounsbery, of Bedford, and sister of the late Doctor S. Stepheu Lounsbery, of Mamaroneck; was taken ill upon his wedding journey, and died at Niagara Falls on the 22d of the same month. De- prived thus painfully, by death, of the only stay of their declining years, the aged parents placed their affections upon the youthful widow, who after that time lived with them, making it the purpose of her life to contribute to their comfort, and being cherished as a daughter in return.

Mr. Newman died March 1, 1880, his widow sur- viving him until the fall of 1885. He was a man of unassuming manner and industrious habits. Hay- ing no ambition beyond the honorable and successful pursuit of his ealling, he attained that object, and died as he had lived, respected by the community where his life was spent.

The average extent of the farms of Bedford is, perhaps, uot much above one hundred acres each, though there are a considerable number twice that size, and here and there one of three or four hundred acres. For- merly all farm produets were conveyed with great labor either to villages on the Sound or on the Hud- son. The building of the Harlem Railroad, about forty years ago, changed this, and changed also the character of farm products. Instead of producing wool, flax, grain and butter, the majority of farmers now turned their attention to the production of milk for the New York market.

The town has never possessed mannfacturing inter- ests of importance, beyond such of the ordinary mechanic arts as are necessary for the convenience of her own people. The factory of the American Lens Company, established a few years ago at Katonah, is the only one now in operation in the town. It gives employment to about thirty persons.

There are in Bedford four villages-Bedford, Kat- onah, Bedford Station and Mount Kisco.

The first-named was the site of the original settle- ment, and the nnelens of the present town. Occupy- ing one of the most picturesque spots in all this region of country, it early became the most prominent vil- lage of the north part of the county, if not of the whole county, 1 and soon after the establishment of the State government it was made a half-shire town with White Plains.2 The present court-house was built in 1787, but courts had been held in the Presbyterian

meeting-house before that date. The town continued to be one of the county-seats till 1868, when the hold- ing of courts here ceased, by aet of the Legislature. Several years after that date the old eourt-house was presented to the town by the Board of Supervisors, and is now used for elections and other local publie pur- poses. It is rapidly going to decay. Down to the end of the stage-coaching days the village was a con- siderable business centre, but after the building of the New York and Harlem Railroad, which is four miles off at the nearest point, trade and travel were diverted to the stations, and since that time its history has been quiet and uneventful. It has always been a healthful and agreeable place of residence, and of late it has been greatly embellished by the liberality of some of its citizens, notably Messrs. James and Richard Lounsbery. The Presbyterian, Methodist and Catholic Churches are situated within a few steps of each other. The old Bedford Academy, the for- mer Bedford Female Institute, and the district school complete the list of publie buildings. There is no hotel, though for many years one was kept oppo- site the court-honse, where Cornelius Seely kept the "ordinary" in 1698. There are six or seven stores and shops. One mile north is a small hamlet of a dozen houses, where the Episcopal and Baptist Churches are, and where formerly were two stores, This has sometimes been called the upper village of Bedford, but it has no distinctive name.

The place where Katonah now is was open farm- land when the railroad reached this point, in 1848. Whitlockville was half a mile to the west, and that was for the first few years the name of the station and the post-office. The present name was chosen in honor of the old chief whose home is supposed to have been in the northern part of the town. The place, though picturesque in its surroundings, has but scanty natural advantages in the way of attractive building sites or extended streets. The Cross River flows through the village, and furnishes power for the American Lens Factory and Cox's Mills, at Whitlockville, or the "old village," as it is now usually called. In 1873 a serions fire occurred, which destroyed several stores and houses, and for a year or two had a discouraging effect on the growth of the place. This gave rise to the formation of the Kato- nah Fire Department, consisting of three companies, which has been maintained since that time, and which compares favorably with those of some larger vil- lages. There is a Village Improvement Society, or- ganized a few years ago, chiefly by the intelligent ef- forts of Henry E. Pellew, who is its president. It has under its care an excellent library and reading-room, and has been the instrument in various matters of improvement and reform. Of the two churches, the Presbyterian and Methodist, more extended mention is made further on.

Among the business enterprises of Bedford, that es- tablished by the Hoyt Brothers at Katonah is widely

1 The Census of 1590 Bedford was the most populous town the county. 2 For several years after the establishment of the State Government, the meetings of the Board of Supervisors were held here each alternate year.

James & Sort

577

BEDFORD.

and favorably known along the railroad and through- out the upper part of the county. James E. Hoyt, one of the firm, is the third son of James Hoyt, who re- moved from Lewisboro' to Bedford about 1820. His mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Banks, a daughter of Jonathan Banks, of Banksville, to whom reference is made in the history of North Castle. His father lived for several years on the farm now owned by James F. Merritt, and in 1843 bought the proper- ty known since that time as Hoyt's Mills, and now owned by his son, Seth S. Hoyt. James E. Hoyt was born May 31, 1839. His boyhood was spent at home, and he received a common-school education, a part of the time at South Salem, where the district school was considered to be in advance of the smaller schools about the country, in the advantages it offered to pu- pils. At the age of sixteen he entered the store of David Putney, at Katonah, as a clerk, and after a year there went to Purdy's Station to take a similar position with William A. Moore. In 1858 he returned to Putney's store and remained until 1862, when he formed a co-partnership with William Banks, under the firm-name of Banks & Hoyt. They carried on the business of a general store at New Castle Corners

until 1865. In that year, in connection with David Putney and his younger brother Albert, he again en- tered the mercautile business at Katonah, in the same store where he began. The firm of Putney & Hoyt Brothers was succeeded in January, 1866, by the present firm of Hoyt Brothers, consisting of Samuel B., James E. and Albert Hoyt. In addition to the usual business of a country store, they have a furniture store and undertaking business, which had previously been the property of the senior member. The busi- ness thus established has been well conducted and prosperous.

Since attaining his majority, Mr. Hoyt has been a Republican, influential in the local couneils of his party and active in election work. Though often so- licited to become a candidate for office, he always de- clined, and held no political position until 1873, when Governor Dix appointed him one of the loan commissioners for this county. Hc discharged the duties of the office with fidelity for ten years.

In June, 1881, by the death of Mr. George Fisher, one of the superintendents of the poor of the county, a vacancy occurred in that office. A meeting of the Board of Supervisors was to be held on the 17th, and it was understood that an appointment would be made. On the morning of that day the then super- visor of Bedford asked Mr. Hoyt to allow the use of his name as a candidate. After some hesitation he consented, and was chosen on the first ballot to serve until a successor should be chosen at the next elec- tion. In the fall of that year he was elected over Mr. M. J. Dillon by a majority of three hundred and eighty-five, carrying his own town by a handsome vote. He was renominated in 1883, and again elect- ed by a plurality of twenty-three hundred and ninety-

three votes over Mr. Andrew George, and a majority of twenty-three hundred and thirty-nine over two competitors. As the county was strongly Democratic, this vote shows the public confidence which Mr. Hoyt had gained during his two years' service. By reason of a change in the application of the law, he is now (1886) serving as sole superintendent for the county. By his careful business methods, judicious management and humane consideration for the unfor- tunate objects of his care, Mr. Hoyt has won the ap- proval of his constituents and the commendation of the charitable associations which interest themselves in matters of that nature.

He was married, October 4, 1865, to Miss Matilda Kirby, daughter of Leonard Kirby, of Kirbyville. She died in 1879, leaving no children.

Mr. Hoyt is an active member and officer of the Katonah Methodist Church, and has been for several years superintendent of its Sunday-school. He has always been a zealous advocate of the temperance cause, and gives his influence and assistance to all enterprises that promise good to the community in which he is a useful and honored resident.

The district school has two departments and an excellent building. There is a Post of the Grand Army, which owns its hall and the land on which it stands. There are some eighteen stores and shops and a hotel.

Bedford Station is now the nearest point on the rail- road from which Bedford village is reached, and a mail stage connects the two places. Consisting of only a house or two when the depot was established, its growth at first was slow. It has become a community of thrifty and industrious people, and a shipping- point for a good farming neighborhood The Metbo- dist Episcopal is the only church. The district school occupies a commodious building, and is well cared for. There are eight or ten stores and other business places and a hotel.

The neighborhood about Mount Kisco was called by that name from the earliest settlement. The record of the division of the West Purchase (1701-08) re- peatedly refers to "Kisco Plain"1 (now Oakwood Cemetery and the lands east of it), "Kisco Brook " and " Kisco."

The present village lies in both the towns of Bed- ford and New Castle, the boundary crossing the rail- road slantwise some twenty rods south of the station. Though no larger at the beginning than the other stations, its better natural position has been conducive to more rapid growth, and several years agoit was in- corporated, taking within its limits the two hamlets of

1 In the deed of the West Purchase, "Cisqua Meadow and "Cisqua River" are mentioned, and by some this has been supposed to be the true spelling. But Jolin Copp, the surveyor of the West Purchase (the most accurate of those who made the early records), always writes it Kisco. The accuracy of the deed is questionable, for it has " Muscotali " instead of "Croton," a palpable blunder. The conveyancer probably confounded Kisco and Cisqua, the latter name belonging to another lo- : cality.

578

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

New Castle Corner and Kirbyville, lying a mile east. Its chief manufacturing interest is that of the Spencer Optical Works, which was established here some years ago. It is in New Castle, the operatives resid- ing in both towns. The Presbyterian and Catholic Churches, and the Friends' Meeting-House are in Bedford, the Methodist Church. in New Castle. Two weekly papers are published,-The Mount Kisco Weekly, which was started by Carpenter Brothers, in 1872, and is now published by Charles S. Patteson, and The Recorder, which was first printed by Miller & Lockwood, at Katonah, in 1873, and removed to this place some five years ago. It is now conducted by Frank Dromgoole. Both are enterprising and ereditable publications. Mount Kiseo has a library and reading-room, an efficient Fire Department, a Masonic lodge, a Grand Army Post, bearing the name of Stewart Hart, a resident of the village, and one of the earliest volunteers in the late war. The school-house of Union Free School District No. 13 occupies a central position in the village. It is a handsome building of two stories, and there are at present four departments. The building erected some thirty years ago for the Mount Kisco Educational Institute stands on a commanding site a little east of the station. It was occupied for some years as a school, but is now used as a hotel. There are in the village some forty stores, offices, shops and other places of business and three hotels.

Two miles east of Katonah is the Jay estate, owned by that family since 1743, when Mary, wife of Peter Jay and mother of Chief Justice Jay, inherited it from her father, Colonel Jacobus Van Cortlandt.1 It then consisted of twelve hundred and ninety-nine acres, which, on the death of Peter Jay, in 1782 went to his three sons,-Peter, Frederick and John. The latter became an owner of a part of the shares of Peter and Frederick, and received also a part of the share of John Chambers. About that time he built the old- est part of the present house (west of the main hall), and it was occupied by his agent in charge of the farm. At the close of the century, when he was pre- paring to retire from public life, he built the castern part of the house, and in 1818 the north wing and the kitchen. At the end of his second term as Goy- ernor he came here to reside, arriving with his family in May, 1801, and made this place his home till his death, in 1829. He was instrumental in the founding of Bedford Academy and the building of St. Matthew's Church, and took a cordial interest in the affairs of the town. The famous elms and maples which adorn the roadsides in the neighborhood attest his foresight and public spirit. From him the estate passed to his

' The other heirs were Frederick Van Cortlandt ; Margaret, wife of Abraham Depeyster ; and Anne, wife of John Chambers, Colonel Van Cortlandt was one of the proprietors of the Northwest Corner Purchase, and bought lands also in the Vineyard and Dibble Purchases and In the withwest part of the town. At the time of his death he owned over five thonsand neres.

son, William Jay, who may be said to have succeeded also to the respect and esteem in which his father's name and memory were always held in this commun- ity. He was for many years one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of this county, and his active interest in philanthropic and religious matters is too well known to need particular mention. On his death, in 1858, the present owner, Hon. John Jay, came in- to possession of the homestead. The farm now com- prises about seven hundred acres, one hundred on the south side of the road, which belonged to the original estate, now being owned by Mr. Henry E. Pellew, a brother-in-law of Mr. Jay. The site of the homestead is one of the most delightful, having a southern exposure and a commanding view. The house contains many valuable family portraits by eminent artists, and an ex- tensive library collected successively by Governor Jay, Judge Jay, and the present owner. Near Mr. Pellew's residence (called Katonah's Wood, built by Hon. John Jay about 1850 and occupied by him until the death of Judge Jay) is the spot which tradition has pointed out as the grave of Katonah, the Indian chief, and his wife.

Onc of the institutions of the town which is worthy of mention here, is the " Farmers' Club of the Town of Bedford," which was founded about thirty-five years ago by practical farmers of the town, and has held monthly meetings regularly ever since. Of its original members few are now living. Its aim has been to advance the interests of agriculture in this and neighboring towns, and its discussions have been able and useful. It has occasionally sent delegations to the State capital to advise in respect to pending legislation affecting local interests, and it was in re- sponse to its urgent request that the Harlem Railroad, a few years ago, consented to adopt the excursion rates, which are still in force. Its meetings in sum- mer are held at the houses of the members ; in winter, in a publie hall. In the month of June in each year there is a show of flowers and small fruits.

INDIAN HISTORY AND GRANTS,-The earliest date at which any part of the present town of Bedford passed out of Indian possession was July 1, 1640, when the New Haven colony, through their agent, Captain Nathaniel Turner, bought from Ponus, Saga- more of Toquams, and Wascussue, Sagamore of Ship- pan, a tract of land, including the present town of Stamford, Conn., running eight miles along the Sound and extending sixteen miles into the wilder- ness lying to the northwest. During the summer of the next year a settlement was made at Stamford, first called Rippowam, by twenty-eight men from Weth- ersfield, one of the three plantations of the Con- necticut colony, who had become wearied with the "contentions and fends which for four or five years had rendered their home in that new colony com- fortless and unprofitable." 2 But no inland settlement

= Huntingdon's " History of Stanford."

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BEDFORD.

was made under Turner's deed for forty years after- ward, the early pioneers preferring to dwell within easy reach of navigable waters. We may well im- agine, however, that the settlers and their sons, as they grew up, became familiar with the hunting and fishing-grounds of the friendly Mohegans, and had made prospecting tours to " loeate " available spots for future settlements when they should find them- selves outgrowing their home on the Rippowam Har- bor.

So, perhaps, it happened that following up the Myanos 1 to its bend, just southeast of the present vil- lage of Bedford, noting the mill-site, a short distance above where James Miller's mill now is, the fertile meadow-lands of the valley, the warm soil of the In- dian corn-fields, on the plains to the west and north, and, it may be, equally appreciating the picturesque loveliness of the whole surrounding country, they chose this beautiful spot to be their home and that of their deseendants. In 1680 twenty-two Stamford men, having obtained a grant from the Stamford authori- ties of a tract of land "at the north end of Stamford bounds," bargained with the Indians for it in the honest fashion of the eastern colonists. The deed, the first under which the settlement of Bedford was actually made, is given entire as an example of those which follow :

"Stamford, this twenty-third day of December, one thousand six hun- dred and eighty.

" Witness these present, that we, whose names are underwritten, namely Katoonah, Rockahway, Sepotalı, Jovis, Tomacoppah, Kakenand, we doe for ourselves, our heires, executors, administrators and asigns, and for and in the behalf of al the other propriators of the land commanly called the hopp ground ; we say we doe hereby sel, alinate, asign and set over from us, our heires, exeentors, administrators and asigns for ever, a eertain parsel of meddow and upland commonly ealled and known by the hopp ground, which land lyes at the north end of Stamford bounds ; as it is already bounded with markt trees, only the west line to be exten- ded southward til it shal meet with a southwest line drawn from three markt white oaks, standing very neere together at the southeast corner of the sd land, we, the above named, do hereby sel, alinate, asign and Bet over from us and ours, the land above specified, with all the rights and privileges thereunto belonging unto Richard Ambler, Abraham Am- bler, Joseph Theale, Daniel Weed, Eleazar Slawson, John Weseot, Jona- than Pettit, John Cross, John Miller, Nicholas Webster, Richard Ayres, William Clark, Jonas Seely, Joseph Stevens, Daniel Jones, Thomas Pan- noyer, John Holmes, jun., Benjamin Stevens, John Green, Sen'r., David Waterbury, Samuel Weed, Jonathan Kilborn ; them, their heires, excentors, administrators and asigns, for ever, quietly to posess and in- joy without molestation by us or ours, or any by our means or procure- ment ; moreover, we, ye above mentioned Katoonalı, Rockahway, Se- potah, Jovis, Tohmacoppah, Pannaps, Kakenand, doe bargen and here- by grant full liberty of timber and herbedge for them and their creatures upon our aieent [adjacent] lands for ever, and do hereby aeknowledge to have received full satisfaction for the land above sd, in witness of truth we have caused this bil of sale, and hereby set our hands and seals the day and date above written.

" Thus under writ, signed, sealed and delivered in presence of us :

"Joshua Knap,

David Waterbury, taco, 7 his mark, poading, o his mark, Katoonah, x mark,

Rockaway, o mark,

Jovis, § mark,

Tolimapalı, « mark,

Pannaps, p mark,

Kakenand, s mark."

1 Spelled also Mianus, Mahanes, Maharness. The local pronunciation was Marnus.

" STAMFORD, 234 December, 1680.

" Then paid unto yo Indians specified in this within bill of sale for the purchase as follows :

8. d.

12 Indian Cotes. .

g 0 0

6 blankets

0 0

300 gilders wampum 16 0

two yard red brodcloth

six yard red eoton 1 10 0

more by expenses.

totals 146; 16

" The above bill of sale is acknowledged by the grantors the Indians, by theire several names-i say acknowledged before me

" RICH LAW, Comis.

" STAMFORD, December 23,1680.

"Entered upon record 26 of Feb., 1691,

"ABRAHAM AMBLER, recd'r." 2

The traet conveyed by this deed was referred to for several years afterwards as " Bedford Three Miles Square," but its extent was somewhat greater. It comprised the southeastern seetion of the present town, extending north as far as Cantito Corners, and Broad Brook was its western limit.3

The priee paid for this tract of seven thousand six hundred and seventy-three aeres, as appears by the memorandum recorded with the deed, was about £46. But real estate was not high in those days, though it seems to have been improving, for the whole eity and county of New York was sold in 1626 for twenty- four dollars. In only one other of the Indian deeds is the eousideration stated. The bargains were usually made "to the full satisfaction " of the grantors ; and the doubtful phraseology leads to the suspicion that some of the early settlers had the knack of mak- ing easy terms with the red meu when they were in good humor. Doubtless they had mueh other traffie with the Indians beside the purchase of lands. This region was rich in fur-bearing animals, and the snc- eessful hunter was only too eager to exchange the product of his skill for the attractive but cheap com- modities which the white men had brought with them.+

2 I. Vol. Bedford Deeds, page 129.

3 Among the records of Bedford is a book in MIS., entitled " The Laws and Orders of Coneticut Colony, passed by the Generall Assembly, from time to time, In Hartford. Entered up in Record by Zacharialı Roberts."

On a blank leaf of this book, in the handwriting of John Copp, town elerk some twenty years later, is the following memorandum, showing the acreage of eael purchase, and made, evidently, to determine the share of the quit-rent payable by the proprietors of each. [See l'atents, etc.]

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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 134

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