History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 139

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 139

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Tarleton lett his eamp at Mile Square, near the present village of West Mount Vernon, in the town of Yonkers, at half-past eleven o'clock on the evening previous, and arrived at Poundridge by way of New Castle Corner (now called) and Bedford, during the

1 From The " History of New York during the Revolutionary War," written by Judge Thomas Jones, of Queens County, between 17s2 and 1792, and published 1879, nuder the auspices of The " New York Historical Sociely," edited by Edward F. de Lancey,-n Loyalist necount of the subject of which it trents.

2 " lle was a Presbyterian, and, of course, a flaming Republican." "History of New York during the Revolutionary War," by Thomas Jones.

3 " The British army overran the whole county of Westchester. If ever iwo parties mel, The rebels were always defented. The towns of Bedford, Salem, North Castle, a number of reputable farm-houses In different parts, and nbout len sacred edifices of every denomiunlion of Protestants were burned. : What end a proceeding of this kind answered I never could devise."-From The " History of New York during the Revolution- ary War. By Thoms Jones, Justice of the Supreme Court of The Province," wrillen before 1792, remained in MISS. till 1879, when pub- | Ilshod by New York Historical Society.

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BEDFORD.

forenoon of July 2d. Here he was confronted by Colonel Elisha Sheldou with ninety cavalry, and Major Leavenworth with one hundred and twenty untrained militia. " Sheldon in his report estimates the number of the British at three hundred and sixty, while Tarleton gives 'about two hundred.' As he re- ports seventy of the light hussars, and mentions four other regiments from which he had seleeted his men (probably in equal proportions) his estimate 'about two hundred' would be sufficiently elastie to embrace the number given by Sheldon. Before so superior a foree of picked soldiers the Americaus had to retreat precipitately." 1 Tarleton, after routing them and taking a few prisoners, burned their camp equipage, plundered and burned the dwelling of Major Lock- wood, whom he had failed to capture, aud burned the meeting-house. Retreating toward Bedford, he was harassed by Sheldon's cavalry, aided by the inhabit- ants, and by the time he reached Bedford they made it so uncomfortable for him that he threatened to burn the village unless they desisted. "They interpreted my mild proposal wrong, imputing it to fear," says Tarleton in his report. " They persisted in firing till the torch stopped their progress, after which not a shot was fired." The tradition is that only one house was left standing after this raid, and that was pulled dowu a few years ago. The house where Benjamin Hayes kept a tavern, owned by Colonel James Holmes, and standing where William Raymond lately resided, was among those burned. The Presbyterian Church at the foot of the hill, where the blacksmith-shop is now, of course, did not escape. Tarleton retreated by the White Plains road, burning several farm-houses in Bedford aud North Castle as he went, among them that of John Ferris. They entered the house of Daniel Ferris to burn it, but finding the fire ont, went to a log-house a short distance away, and were re- turning with a fire-brand when they were fired upou by a party of six Americans concealed near the house, among the trees. The man who carried the brand was wounded and was carried away by his comrades, and the house was then saved.2 It seems to have been currently believed in Bedford after the war that Colonel James Holmes accompanied the expedition, one story being that the single house permitted to re- main belonged to him, and another being that he caused his own house to be burned, expecting, iu the event of final success by the British, to be paid for it. But the truth probably is that he had nothing to do with the affair. The corps of Westchester County Refugees are not mentioned as a part of the expedition, nor was he its lieutenant-colonel until 1781. 3

Aside from his shifty course in political matters, he

had the reputation of being an "honest, worthy, humane, friendly man," and not at all the sort of person to lead an attack on his native town. His own account of his whereabouts at the time also seeitis to indicate that the general impression was errone- ous. Nor is it likely that Tarleton would have lost his way in going from Bedford to Poundridge if Holmes had been in his company, as he reported that he did. It appears to the writer that the bad notoriety attached to Holmes' name in this matter is due more to his conspicuous position, and the general detesta- tion in which he was hekl at the time than to auy faets which can now be ascertained.

" On this raid Tarleton not only carried off arms and helmets from Sheldon's camp, but seenred some very important papers, as we learn from a letter of Washington to Major Tallmadge, who was posted at Bedford, dated July 5, 1779:

" Sir :

""" The loss of your papers was a most unlucky accident, and shows how dangerous it is to keep papers of any consequence at an advance post. I beg you will take care to guard against the like in future.

"' The person who is most endangered by the acquisition of your letter is one HI., who lives not far from the Bowery on the island of New York. I wish you would endeavor to give him the speediest notice of what has happened. My anxiety on his account is great. If he is really the man he has been represented to be, he will in all probability fall a sacrifice."

" There are good reasons for inferring that this ' H ' was Elisha Holmes; who was one of Washington's most confidential spies, and who died in Bedford about thirty-five yearsago. Ile was allowed to take a command under Sir Henry Clinton, and was entrusted by Washington with the minor military movements, in order that he might give information to the English and thus prove the value of his services. Happening to be in New York City in June, he heard of an intended movement against Bedford, his native village. As there was no time to communicate with Washington, he sent to the American commandant at Bedford n dispatch signed 'E. H.' As the handwriting was unknown to the officer, he forwarded the note immediately to Washington, who was then in the lligIdands. On receiving it, he wrote on it in pencil, . Believe all that E. H. tells you, George Washington,' and ordered the courier to return with the utmost speed. It was this dispatch which Washington feared would endanger the life of his friend. It seems that II., a few days after Tarleton's expedition, was summoned by Sir Henry Clinton, who alter asking several questions in a general way, suddenly presented the note and inquired if he knew the handwriting, and who E. II. was. ' It is Elijah Hadden, the spy you hanged yesterday at Powles' Ilook,' was the quick answer. Ilis coolness and ready wit saved his life."+

the British lines, where he remained about a mouth, and then went to the south part of Long Island, where he remained inactive till the year 1779 ; then, hearing that his brother at Bedford had died, he repaired within the American lines, put himself within the power of the American army, and by order of Governor Clinton was escorted to the jail in Poughkeepsie, and put into close continement and there continued until July, 1780. He then made an escape, was betrayed in about five days and committed to the dungeon, where he remained thirteen weeks ; was then let out of the dungeon, but continued in prison until July, 1781, during which time he was not admitted to bail, notwithstanding ample security was offered. Ile then made his escape again and went within the British lines. During his confinement his estate was confisented. Ile was now destitute of property, and having no means of subsistence, he accepted the appointment of lieutenant-colonel of the corps of West- chester County refugees."

From " A Short Account of the Descent and Life of James Holmes, Esq., communicated by himself, for the benefit of his two daughters and their de. scendants, and committed to writing by a friend," New Haven, 1815. (Re- printed in Jones's " History of New York during the Revolutionary War.")

+ From " Tarleton's Raid through Bedford in 1779. " Address before the Westchester County Historical Society, June, 1878, by Rev. Lea Lnquer, rector of St. Matthew's Church, Bedford.

1 Addresses of Rev. Lea Lnquer before the Westchester County His- torical Society, June, 1878.

2 Related by Mrs. William Benedict, of Pleasantville, a descendant of Daniel Ferris.

3 In the spring of 1778 "he was made prisoner . .. . ordered to the guard-house and put under the charge of a captain's company. He soon made an escape from the severe treatment he received, and went within

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Throughout this period the people of the town were in a constant state of alarm from the sudden raids of the enemy, and were often conforted by the presence of detachments of American troops. The army of Rochambeau passed through the town in 1781, on their way from Rhode Island to the Highlands, and a portion of it remained here for several days. It is a tradition that the cavalry, or a part of them, were en- camped on the farm owned till his death by the late Ilenry Robertson, and then owned by his father. 1

The house of Daniel Ferris, south of the village of Bedford, was taken possession of by British offi- eers and soldiers at one time during the war and used by them, together with its furniture, during their stay in the neighborhood. At that time they

"captured a deserter whom they punished by running the gauntlet through a double row of soldiers, receiving thirty-nine stripes. The inner row of soldiers stood with Inshes in their hands, the onter row with swords. When the man was ready for the race an English shilling was placed between his teeth, and was dented by his sufferings. He was carried into the house and lay in a helpless condition for three weeks. lle hiually recovered. This took place in the lower part of Bedford, on the flat meadow, north side of Coman Brook, on the east side of the road lending from White Plains to Bedford. " 2

The War of 1812 found two uniformed companies in the town, one of cavalry and one of artillery. These both went, with drafts from the three militia companies of the town, to the defense of the city of New York, then threatened by the British fleet, and were stationed at Brooklyn for several months. So far as the writer ean ascertain, the only one of these veterans now living is Mr. Zebulon Reynolds, of Mount Kiseo. During the late Civil War the town was early represented in the field. Meetings were held soon after the fall of Fort Sumter, and the senti- nent of the town was earnestly patriotic. It has not been practicable to obtain lists of those who vohin- teered from this town. They were numerous, and were distributed among many regiments. Several died in battle or by disease contracted in camp, and their record is that of the record of their noble com- rades all over the country. Later on in the course of the war the ladies of the town contributed nobly to the work of the Christian and Sanitary Commissions. Meetings were held at various honses, and by sys- tematic and continued industry, large quantities of hospital supplies were forwarded to the seat of war. When the time eame that volunteers were no longer easily obtained, the town provided for paying boun- ties for volunteers, and for taking care of their fami- lies in their absence. When drafts were ordered, spe- cial meetings were frequently held, and money was

voted to pay the commutation of those drafted or to provide substitutes for them. Town bonds were issued from time to time by the supervisors of the town 3 aggregating about $75,000, all of which were paid off year by year as they became due. The last were paid about ten years after the close of the war.

CIVIL AND OFFICIAL HISTORY .- In the early times the most important office in the town was that of town elerk. Whatever interest this or any his- torieal sketch may possess is due to the faithful and painstaking men who preserved for us, often in labored and unaeeustomed handwriting, and in quaint and awkward phrase, not only the votes and enactments of our ancestors, but even their ideas and peculiarities. It is most fascinating to trace "be- tween the lines " of these blurred and ancient records the changes of thought and habit, the rise and fall of little ambitions, the spirit of speculation and of thrift and the evidences of successes and failures. As we attempt to "reeall and reconstruct the past," by the aid of these early seribes, we come to feel almost a personal acquaintance with them, and relinquish their society with regret. Among those especially worthy of our appreciation are Abraham Ambler, Zachariah Roberts, John Copp, Cornelius Seely, Zachariah Mills, John Holmes, Reuben Holmes and James Holmes. Those in later years who have held the office longest and fitted it best were Benjamin Isaaes and Jabez Robertson.

Next in importance was the office of justice of the peace. Abraham Ambler was the first incumbent, having been designated by the General Court of Con- neetient, and it would appear that the office con- tinned to be filled by that authority, as there is no mention of justices being elected at the annual town- meetings of that period. It was customary to elect a messenger and constable for the Town Court, from which it is to be inferred that the justice's court was one of some dignity.4 There is no record, however, giving us any information of this, and our only record of the names of the early justices is where they ap- pear as taking acknowledgments of deeds. Joseph Theal held the office as long as he remained in the town. Roberts became justice in 1702, and held the office till his death, in 1707 or 1708. Many deeds were acknowledged before him as justice and recorded by him as town clerk. He was suceceded by John Bayley, before whom Jolin Copp took the oath as town clerk, April 30, 1708. After this time the record became obscure, for the reason that many deeds are recorded without acknowledgment, and later it was the practice to acknowledge them before a judge of a Court of Record.

Caleb Ilaight was the first justice elected at town-

1 "On The morning of The 2d of June, 1781, The grenadiers and chas. seurs of the regiment of Bourbonnais left Ridgebury for Bedford, which they reached after a hard march ncross w hilly country, a distance of fifteen miles. At Bedford this detachment made a junction with The legion of banzun, winch hal until this point marched on the left flank of the ummy, but now took a strong position beyond Bedford."- Muga zine of Amerienn History, January, 1880.

2 Ruluted by Mrs. William Benedict, of Pleasantville, a grunddangh . ler of Mr. Ferris.

3 11. 1. Ambler, 1862-63 : James Wood, 1864-65 ; 11. D. Robertson for several years ufter.

4 The small stream flowing through The valley, between The village and The seminary, was known from a very early dale as " Whipping. Post Irvok." Perhups this term commemorates The method of punish- ment intlicted by the early justices.

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BEDFORD.

meeting in the town, in 1830. Jabez Robertson was chosen the following year.

Those who have held the office the longest in later years are Jabez Robertson, Jared P. Hoyt, Myron B. Silkman and Moses W. Fish.

The office of supervisor, as now constituted, did not exist under the early government. There was an office of that name, to which Zachariah Roberts was chosen in 1693 and John Miller in 1703, but there is no other mention of it in the early years, and its duties are not known to the writer. The important positions thien were "towne's men" (the selectmen of New England at present), assessor, collector, sur- veyor, and, perhaps, most of all, fence-viewer and " pounders." Each year the fence viewers were enjoined "to find defects with moderation," and pound-masters were a serious necessity, when the whole tillable lands of a town were enclosed by a single fenee. The record of town meetings is com- plete since the one held April 6, 1784, "at the Pres- byterian meeting-house." 1

This meeting

" Made choice of Zebadiah Mills, Moderator. also, Philip Leek, Town Clerk Do. Peter Fleming, Supervisor. Do. Lemuel Light, Constable and Collector. James McDonald, Esqr., his Surety.

" Made choice of Philip Leek, one of ye Assessors. Do. Richard Sacket, one other. Do. John Miller, one other. Do. Ephraim Raymond, one other.

" Made choice of James McDonald, and Eli Taylor, Commissioners of the Roads.

and Zebadial Mills, " Made choice of Nathan Canfield, Pounder, as usual."

The list closes with the names of eight fence- viewers and thirty-one highway masters.

In 1807 David Miller was elected supervisor, and held the office twenty-six years. Henry Robertson succeeded him, continuing in the position fourteen years. Since that time no one individual has hield the place so long as either of the above.

The civil history of Bedford, during those two eeu- turies of her existence has been an honorable one. The administration of town affairs, while careful and economical, has always been directed for the interest of the people. The town has not lost a dollar by defaulting officers or by other breaches of trust. Her citizens have always been of excellent reputation for morality, intelligence and rectitude. They have from time to time occupied nearly every position of trust in the county, and have frequently been chosen to the Legislature, and it has twice happened that each branch of the Legislature had at the same time, for its presiding officer, a native of this town.2

Bedford has been represented in the Halls of

Congress 3 and Foreign Courts ; ' she has exerted lier full influence in times of peace as well as in war times, and her public mnen, as well as her private citizens, have been respected for their integrity and for their faithful discharge of public duty.

CHURCHES.

There are in the town of Bedford thirteen places of worship-three Presbyterian, at Bedford Village, Mount Kisco and Katonah ; four Methodist Episco- pal, at Bedford Village, Katonah, Chestnut Ridge and Bedford Station; one Protestant Episcopal and one Baptist, situated a mile north of Bedford Village ; two Roman Catholic, at Mount Kisco and Bedford Village; one of the Society of Friends, at Mount Kisco, and the Bethany Union Chapel, two miles from Bedford on the road to Cross River. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Mount Kisco is in the town of New Castle, standing very near the town line, and a large part of its congregation are Bedford people.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF BEDFORD had its origin in the strong religious sentiment which was a distinguishing feature of the Puritan settlers. Obeying the injunction of the General Court, one of their very first acts was to provide a suitable house lot for their future minister and a site for the meeting- housc. For several years the history of the town and the history of the church are inseparable. At the same meeting " the town by major vote " chose their loeal officers, offered a bounty for wolves, and levied the "yearly reate " for the support of the minister.

At this early date the church in Bedford was not, it is true, under the form of government known now as Presbyterian, for there was no Presbytery organized in this country until 1705. " But they were Presbyte- rians in the larger sense in which that name was used from the beginning among the Connecticut churches. The ecclesiastica! system that prevailed in Con- necticut was one that bore a close affinity with the Presbyterian order, and that was frequently desig- nated, even at a very early day, Presbyterian. . The principal friends and patrons of this colony in England from the beginning, and many of those who came over to settle here, were avowed Presbyterians. Thus there was much to justify the usage, in accordance with whieh, from early times, and down to a period comparatively recent, the ehurehes of Connecticut have been familiarly styled Presbyterian. Such, at all events, was the designation of the Bed- ford Church from the beginning."5 In December, 1681, the town called "mr. priddon, of Gemeco "

1 The minutes of town meetings between 1722 and 1784 are not to be found. It is probable that they were destroyed when the village was burned, during the Revolution.

2W. H. Robertson, President of the Senate ; James W. Hnsted, Speaker of the Assembly.

3 W. II. Robertson, 1867-68.

4 Hon. John Jay, Minister to Austria.

5 From " History of Bedford Church, Discourse delivered at the Cole- bration of the Two hundredth Anniversary of the Founding of the Presbyterian Church of Bedford. Westchester County, N. Y., March 22, 1881, by Charles W. Baird, D. D." A most interesting and valuable contribution, not only to the history of this church but also to that of the town and county.

602

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

(Jamaica, L. I.) to be their minister, designating Captain Theale " to goe to mr. priddon to declare theire mind, and Abraham Ambler "to write to Mr. priddon in their name and behalf."

" It has been stated that John Prudden came to Bedford and preached here for some time. This, how- ever, is a mistake. Mr. Prudden, of Jamaica, con- tinued the Minister of that town for ten full years from the date of his call in 1676. Bedford remained for three years without a resident minister."1 Dur- ing this time it was the practice of the people to designate one of their own number " to carry on the Lord's day," among whom were John Hohnes, Abra- hamn Ambler, John Wescot, Zachariah Roberts, Cor- nelius Seely and Daniel Jones. The first settled minister was Thomas Denham or Dunham. He died here, and is buried in the ancient grave-yard at the foot of Bates' Hill, doubtless with many of his par- ishioners, whose graves are ummarked and unknown.

When the town came under the government of New York, in 1700, our people found themselves in the parish of Rye instead of the parish of Stamford. The Provincial Assembly had, in 1693, passed an "Act for Settling a Ministry in the City and County of New York " and in three adjacent counties. One of the parishes mentioned in this act included Rye, Mamaroneck and Bedford. No particular church was mentioned in the act, and all the members of the assembly which passed it, save one, were Dissenters. But the Governor of the province, who was a zealous adherent of the Church of England, made every effort to execute the law for the benefit of that church. The third minister, John Jones, hesitated to accept the call of the Bedford people, fearing that he should not be able to conduct his ministry without unpleas- antly encountering the government of the province. The people had met in town-meeting and petitioned the General Assembly to exempt them from the pro- visions of the act of 1693, and had Jacobus Van Cort- landt convey their message, but in vain. Rye, being then without a minister, had for the time yielded, and the Propagation Society sent Mr. Thomas Pritchard to be their missionary at Rye and Bedford. On his arrival here he found most violent opposition. Headed by Justice Zachariah Roberts the people had voted in town-meeting not to pay Mr. Pritchard his salary, and Mr. Jones was fearless and unceasing in his war- fare upon the Church of England and the Provincial Government. The Governor was finally obliged to come to the defense of his missionary. Jones was compelled to give bonds to appear at the next term of the court and Roberts was left in the custody of the sheriff. This was in May, 1705."2 Disgusted

1 Balrd's History of Bedford Church.

2On Juge 21, 1705, Robert+ und his wife sold to Pritchard for one hun- fred pounds sterling, three hundred acres in the northwest corner pur- clase ; "one hundred and ten roda northward along the Indian path which leads to Muscouta, and thence ruus westward on the said path in length one hundred rods," etc. This was a curious transaction, c n.

with that sort of life Mr. Jones left Bedford within a few months. Another effort was then made by the people to be released from the maladministration of the act of 1693. Being again refused by Lord Corn- bury they gave up the struggle, and for fifteen years were without a minister. "They were taxed year by year for the support of the Church of England mis- sionary at Rye, twenty miles off, the constable of the town being required to collect the quota assessed upon this part of the missionary's parish," and pay the amount in half-yearly instalments to the church war- dens. 3 This continued till the Revolution, the tax constantly increasing from about twelve pounds per year in 1710 to ninety-nine pounds in 1776.

Among the nineteen ministers of this church, from the beginning to the present time, there have been several who are worthy of special mention for their exceptional ability and character. The brief limits of these pages permit reference to but one-the fourth pastor, Rev. William Tennent, "that eminent man, whose name is intimately associated with the early history of Presbyterianism, and of evangelical religion in this country. It was probably under Mr. Ten- nent's ministry that this church came for the first time under the care of a Presbytery.4 A clergyman of the Irish Episcopal church, he had removed to America less than two years before, and had joined the Synod of Philadelphia, upon giving his reasons for dissenting from the doetrines and practices of prelaey. After preaching for eighteen months in Eastchoster, N. Y., he came to Bedford. He was now forty-eight years old, and his four sons, Gilbert, Wil- liam, John and Charles, were youths nine to seven- teen years of age. Bedford had no more interesting association than that of the presence of this remarka- ble family within its precinets." 5

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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 139

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