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 154
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1773-74. George W. Wesley.
1801-4. John Guion.
1874-83. Sammel Win. Johnson.
1805-6. Samuel Marvin.
1>>3-86. Ww. Ryan.
TOWN.S.MEN.1
1671 .- Joseph Horton, Thomas Brown, John Brondig.
1683 .- Joseph llorton " and others."
1697 .- llachaliah Browne, Thomas Merritt, John Frost, John Horton, Jonathan llart.
1699 .- Joseph Theall, Hachaliah Browne, Thomas Merritt, Sr., John Lyous, Sammel Lane.
1701 .- John Merritt, Andrew Coe, Joseph Brudd, Robert Bloomer, Samuel Lane.
1702 .- Joseph Theall, George Lane, Sr., Robert Bloonter, Samuel Knitlin, Samuel Lane.
1703-11 .- Joseph Theall, Robert Bloomer, Samnel Lane.
1713-18 .- Robert Bloomer, Thomas Merritt, Ir., Daniel Purdy.
1728,-Jonathan Brown, Andrew Merritt, William Fowler, Daniel Purdy, Joseph Knitlin, William Willett.
1729 .- Samuel Purdy, Robert Bloomer, Jr., David Ogden, Benjamin Brown, John Thomas, Jonathan Haight, Jolin Horton.
TOWN CLERKS.
1678-93. John Brondig.
1833-36. Ilorace B. Smith.
1696. John lloit. 1838-39. Joshna Lyon.
1697-1736. Samuel Lane. 1840. William Provoost.
1737-16. Samnel Purdy.
1841-15. Jonathan J. Pcall.
1747. Ebenezer Kniffen.
1846. Edward Field.
1748-50. Samuel Purdy.
1847-8. William Horton.
1751. Gilbert Bloomer.
1×49-52. Charles W. Field.
1752. Samuel Purdy.
1853-55. Eli Curtis.
1753-69. Ebenezer Kniffen. 1856-58. Charles D. Pixley.
1770-72. Dr. Eben. Haviland.
1783-86. John Thomas.
1788-93. John Merritt.
1862-64. Edwin Horton.
1791-99. John Doughty. 1>65-66. J. M. McCarty.
18GT-GS. Ch. G. Pixky.
1800-1. Ezrahiah Wetmore.
1×02-11. Philemon Halsted, Jr.
1815-24. Charles Field.
1871-74. Herman L. Marshall.
1871-76. Charles De Mott.
1876-86. Purdy >. Sauds.
1886. Charles De Mott.
1829-32. Joseph 11. Anderson.
CONSTABLES.
1671. George Lane. 1711-13. Daniel Purdy
1678. Caleb Iliat. (Son of John.)
1681-82. Thuothy Knap. 1714. Anthony Miller.
16-1-85. Thomas Merritt. 1715. Robert Bloomer, Jr.
1696. Deliverance Brown. 1716. Benjamin Brown.
1697. Robert Bloomer. 1717. Daniel Purdy
1699. Caleb lliat. (Son of Francis. )
1701. Samuel Kniffen. 1718. Sammel Miller.
1702. John Hoyt. 1719. Joseph Brondige, Ir.
1703-8. John Dlsbrow.
1720-22. Abraham Miller.
1 After 1711 these otlleers are called " Trustees or Overwers."
1859. Edward H. Purdy.
1860-62. 11. M. Henderson.
1860-71. Edwin Horton.
1825. William Bush.
1826. John Theall.
1827-28. Josiah Bulkley.
1807-8. Saumel Armor.
663
RYE.
1723. Joseph Horton, Jr. 1724-25. Abraham Miller. 1726-36. Thomas Fowler. 1737. Francis Doughty. 1738. Abraham Miller. 1739-41. Joshua Brondlige. 1742-43. Joseph Haight. 1744-49. ITachaliah Theall. 1750. John Doughty. 1751-56. Benjamin Brown, Jr. 1657. James Wetmore.
1863. William M. Slater. John Shearer. George W. Lee. Alexander Worden. 1864. Purdy Slater. Robert Archer. Matthew Brundage. Alexander Worden. 1865. Charles Merritt.
1881. John II. Webb.
Wm. M. Slater. Jos, Ilains.
Alex. Worden. Edw. Kane. Wm P. Wallace.
1885. John Sivalls.
Samuel Il. Graham.
1882. Michael O'Neil. Wmn. M. Slater.
Alex. Worden.
Wm. M. Hutchison. Theo. C. Parker.
Edw. Kane.
1886. John Sivalls.
Purdy Slater.
Chauncey Haviland.
Samuel II. Graham.
Richard Archer. J. If. De Camp.
Alex. Worden.
W. J. Devanny.
1866. Samuel Hopps.
W'm. P. Wallace.
T. C. Parker.
Purdy Slater.
Elisha Tuttle.
W. P. Wallace.
J. II. De Camp.
lohn Sivalls.
G. S. Merritt.
1783. John Merritt.
1867. John Hughes.
1884. Elisha Tuttle.
ledw. Desmond.
Iohif Sivalls.
Jas. S. Merritt.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1663. John Budd. 1831.
Abram Guion.
Purdy Slater.
1678-88. Joseph Horton.
1831.
James W. Brown.
A. M. Perrin.
1685-1710. Joseph Theale.
1832.
Thomas W. Garniss.
1804-20. Jolin Hawkins.
1869. Purdy Slater.
IG98-1716. Deliverance Brown.
Davul HI. Mead.
I821. Ezrahiah Wetmore.
1822. Ezraliah Wetmore. IIenry Belden.
1870. Win. II. Henderson.
1710-22.
Joseph Budd.
David II. Mead.
1823. Ezraliah Wetmore.
William Romer.
1710-17. Isaac Denham.
Ralph Marshall.
1824. Ezrahialı Wetmore.
- Tompkins.
1720-53.
Samuel Purdy.
Peter W. Edgel.
Jolin Theall.
1871. James Dusenberry.
1726-53.
Caleb Hyatt.
David H. Mead.
1825. Ezrahialı Wetmore. Daniel S. Merritt.
Edwin Parker.
1728-46.
Benjamin Brown.
James W. Brown.
1826. Alexander Eunis.
Alex. Gourley.
1731-67.
Daniel Purdy.
George W. Smith.
1833-36. Sylvanus Merritt.
1872 Geo. II. Ellis.
1734.
Thomas Fowler.
1837.
Darins W. Todd.
1838-40. William Bettys.
Jas. Halstead.
John F. Brennecke.
Jas. Dnsenberry.
1739.
Samuel Thorn.
18-16 47. Vincent Slater.
Geo. II. Ellis.
1739.
Samuel Brown.
1848. Purdy Slater.
Geo. Bacchus.
1740.
George Lane.
1839.
Darins W. Todd.
George S. Bartlett.
Ed. Brundage.
1743.
.Jolin Bloomer.
J iah Bulkley.
1850. George S. Bartlett.
1874. Geo. II. Ellis.
1746-69.
Gilbert Bloomer.
1860.
Alexander Ennis.
Thos. G. Willson.
1753.
Jonathan Purdy.
A. Van Amringe.
1851. William II. Guion.
Wm. M. Stilwell.
1754.
Lewis McDonald.
1861.
A. Van Amringe.
1875. Ed. Brundage.
Elisha Tuttle.
Ifachaliah Browne.
1863.
Joseph G. Fowler.
1852. William II. Guion.
Henry Zeh.
1756-69.
Ebenezer Kniffen.
1864.
Shubael R. Strang.
1853. Purdy Slater.
1876. Ed. P. Brundage.
1765.
Gabriel Lynch.
1865.
G. Il. Haight.
Coles T. Morrell.
Henry Zeh.
Joseph Bild.
1868.
II. M. Henderson.
1854. William HI. Guion.
W'm. M. Slater.
IIach'ah Brown, Jr.
1869.
S. R. Strang.
Purdy Slater.
Elisha Tuttle.
1769.
John Thomas,
1870
G. R. Haight.
1856. Ezra Kniffen.
1877. Ed. Parker.
Hach'ah Brown, Jr.
1871.
I. C. Sheldon.
Naaman II. Turner.
Elisha Tuttle.
Charles Theall.
1872.
Il. M. Henderson.
1857. Ezra Kniffen.
Chas. A. Gleason.
Roger Lyon.
1873.
S. R. Strang.
Purdy Slater.
S. A. Marshall.
Abraham Hatfield.
1874.
N. Tompkins,
1858. Samuel Bouton.
John O. Merritt.
Samuel Purdy.
1875.
W. Ryan.
John Shearer.
1878. Stephen A. Marshall.
1773.
William Anderson.
1876.
II. M Henderson.
Purdy Slater. William Slater.
IIenry Zel.
1793.
Thomas Browne.
1877.
J. Dusenberry.
1859. Isaac Covert.
Wm. M. Hutchison.
1799.
John Brown.
1879.
w. Ryan.
Purdy Slater.
1879. Stephen A. Marshall.
Isaac Sniffin.
18:0.
I !. M. Henderson.
1860. Purdy Slater.
C. A. T. Rodrian.
Elislia Tuttle.
1812.
Rivers Morrell.
1×82.
T. C. Palmer.
John Shearer. Cli. McIntosh.
Jas. McGearry.
1821.
Nehemiah Brown.
1882.
M. Connolly.1
1861. Purdy Slater.
Win. M. Hutchison.
1880. Steplien A. Marshall.
1830.
John II. Smith.
1884.
II. M. Henderson.
John Shearer. Ch. McIntosh.
Wm. M. Hutchison.
William T. Praul.
R. C. Downing.
1862. Purdy Slater.
W'm. Hodgins.
John Shearer.
Jas. McGearry.
George Bailey.
C. A. T. Rodrian.
1 To fill a vacancy.
1758-6I. Benjamin Brown. 1762-65. Gilbert Brondige. 1766-67. James Anderson. 1768-73. John Doughty.
1784-87. William Brown.
1788. John A. Hawkins.
1789-95. John Hawkins, Jr.
1796-1800. Ezrahialı Wetmore. 1801. Philemon Ilalsted, Jr. I802-3. Ezrahigh Wetmore.
Michael Burns.
1693. Daniel Straing.
Ilorace B. Smith.
William Romer. Michael Gorman.
1703-15. Joseph Purdy.
1833.
Jolui II. Smith.
1705-18.
Caleb Heathcote.
Rivers Morrell.
George IIains.
Thomas Burns.
1720-31. Jonathan Ilaight.
1834. John Hf. Smith.
Joseph Hains.
1728.
Charles Thea Il.
1835. Jonathan II. Gidney.
I827-32. Ezrahialı Wetmore.
Purdy Slater.
1734-52. Francis Donghty.
1836. James W. Brown.
1837. Sylvanns Van Sicklin.
Purdy Slater.
1738-75.
John Thomas.
David II. Mead.
1844. George Provoost.
1×38.
Peter W. Edgel.
1815. William Bettys.
1873. Jas. Dusenberry.
1740-48.
John Lyon.
Oliver F. Green.
1849. William Bettys.
Jos. Halstead.
1741-45.
John Budd.
Samuel Kelly. Charles Theall.
Purdy Slater.
James Stevenson.
E. P. Morrell.
John Donovan.
1755.
Moses Owen.
1862.
C'h. W. Field.
William A. Purdy. Purdy Slater.
Wm. M. Slater.
1757-61.
Elisha Iliatt.
Wm. Young.
Joli Hyatt.
1867.
R. F. Brundage.
John Shearer.
C. A. T. Rodrian.
Samuel Marvin.
A. Fowler.
Elisha Tuttle.
Jonathan Bailey.
1878.
T. C. Palmer.
David Munson.
1883.
M. Connolly.
IS86.
T. C. Palmer.
1841-43. Purdy Slater.
1738-45.
Samuel Tredwell.
Adam Seaman.
Merritt Brown.
Thomas Purdy.
E. Sours.
William A. Purdy. Birdsey Wakeley. Samnel Sniffen.
Abraham Guion.
J. Henry Gilbert.
Monmonth Lyon.
1868. W. Romer.
Purdy Slater. R. C. Singler.
1883. Edw. Kane
D. A. Butterfield.
Kódw. Kane. Chauncey Hlaviland.
Elisha Tuttle.
IIngh Riley.
Sanmel Haviland.
664
HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LANDS.
1869. Wilfred P'. Purdy.
1878. Michael Stuber.
Jonathan Purdy.
Mathew Connolly.
George L. Cornell.
1879. Henry I. Raymond.
1870. Aug. Abendroth.
Michael Stuber.
Jonathan l'urdy.
Bernard Baruchı.
1971. Ang. Abendroth.
W'm. B. Halstead.
1880. Geo. Ilurlbutt. Wm. D. Beck. E. B. Valentine.
1872. E. Sonra.
Wm. Purdy.
ISSI. Geo. Hurlbntt.
1873. Wilfred P. Purdy.
A. M. Halstead.
William Purdy.
Theo. Vau Amringe.
Samuel Bonton.
1882. Wilfred P. Purdy.
1874. Michael Stuber.
William H. Tyler. Theo. Van Amringe.
Jacob Messereau.
Samuel Bouton.
1883. Wilfred P. Purdy. William H. Tyler.
1875. Jacob Messerean.
Theo. Van Amringe.
Jonathan Purdy.
1881. Wilfred P. Purdy.
1876. Jacob Messerean .
William II. Tyler.
Theo. Van Amringe.
William Gedney. Jonathan Purdy.
1885. John Sherburn.
1877. Thomas. B. Peck. Michael Stuber.
Theo. Van Amringe.
Thomas G. Willson.
1886. Theo. Van Amringe. John Sherburn.
Wilfred P. Purdy
FARMERS OF THE EXCISE.
1710.
The Justices.
1714. September 4.
Joseph Budd.
1716. September 4.
Joseph Budd.
1720. November 19
Joseph Budd.
1737. October 14 Ebenezer Heveland (and others).
1741. November 3
James Wood.
1743. December 2
Samuel Purdy.
1747. October 31
Sammel Purdy.
1748. November 12
Samuel Purdy.
1750. October 12
Benjamin Brown, Ir.
1750. October 12
I'nderhill Budd.
1752. November 11 Benjamin Brown, Jr.
Underhill Budd.
1763. December 13 John Thomas, Jr.
1765. December 23 John Thomas, Jr.
1768. February 3 John Thomas, Jr.
1769. December 30 John Thomas, Ir.
1770. December 22 Jolin Thomas, .Ir.
1772. February 26. . John Thomas, Jr.
1774. February 8
John Thomas, Jr.
1775. January 31
John Thomas, Jr.
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS-SLAVERY-VILLAGE INNS, ROADS, ETC .- The home life of the people of Rye in early times was of the simplest character. There was not much variety in the furniture. Each room, even the kitchen and parlor or "best room," was generally supplied with a bed. Besides this, a table or two, a cupboard and some chests constituted the heavier articles of "household stuff." Of chairs there were few, sometimes none, rnde stools and the invariable coffer or chest supplying the necessary seats. The dishes in ordinary use were of wood ; the choicer utensils, pewter. The elothing was mostly of clomestie manufacture. Leather garments were much worn at this period. Deer-skin and buek-skin, rac- coon and fox-skins, wolf and bear-skins were used for this purpose. "Indian stockings " or moccasins were worn to some extent instead of shoes. The house- hold linen and other valuables were stored away in the great "chests," three or four of which appear to have been owned by every family. The floors were
generally bare. Feather beds were used. The "warm- ing-pan" was considered indispensable for comfort. Every house possessed a loom. A huge fire-place, ten or twelve feet wide and half as many deep, occu- pied one side of the kitchen. Labor was well paid. In 1680 a day laborer in Conneetient received two shillings and some times two shillings and sixpence per day.
Rye, in common with other Connectient towns, maintained its militia organization. The "Trayn- Band of Rye" is mentioned in the colony records of 1667. It consisted of all male persons between six- teen and sixty years of age, ministers and magistrates only excepted. Trainings took place six times a year. They were great occasions, usually solemnized by prayer. The place of training was "in the heart of the towne." This, it is conjectured, was where the flag-staff now stands, at the junction of the post road and the road to the Purchase. The train-band does not seem to have been completely offieered for a number of years. Joseph Horton was confirmed in 1667 as "lieutenant to the trayn-band." The town did not number persons enough until near the close of the century to entitle it to have a company. "Cap- tain " Joseph Horton is first heard of in 1690.
Many of the names of places in common use in early times have disappeared. The Indian names Peningo, Apawamis, Manussing, Honge, Eaukceanpaeuson, Quaroppas, Poekeotessen, Mamaroneck, Mockquamsor Moaqnanes, and Armonck were carefully retained by the carly settlers in their deeds, but most of them were never nsed. The Armonek was already known as Byram River, the Mockquams as Blind Brook, when they came here. Eaukceaupacuson soon yieldled to "Lame Will's Purchase" and "Rye Woods." Pock- cotessen was called Stony Brook. Apawamis be- eame Budd's Neck, and later Rye Neck. Quaroppas was replaced by "The White Playnes." Only Pe- ningo, Manussing and Mamaroneck remain in common use.
Beginning with the nomenclature of the township where the settlers began it when they erossed from Manussing Island to the main shore, we have "The Flats " and the "Horse Race," as the ancient names for the beach. "Burying Hill" was the point of land which terminates it on the cast-now the site of a hotel. The channel between the island and the main shore was known as "The Gut." "Rye Ferry," the ancient landing, was north of the present steamboat landing, at the end of a lane on the Provoost estate. The residence in recent years of Mr. Jacobs was known as " the house by the ferry." "Fishing Roek," men- tioned as early as 1699, and also called Ogden's Dock, is on Fox Island, at the mouth of Byram River. "Chevalier " or " Cavalier's Rock," is within sight just below the steamboat landing. Fox Island was com- monly so called as early as 1699. " Goose Island " is not far from Fox Island, about half a mile np the Byram River and directly opposite Lyon's Dock.
William Gedney.
Wilfred P. Purdy.
1878. Thomas B. Peck.
665
RYE.
"Negro Point" is the name of a locality on the west side of Byram River, just below Lyon's Dock. The "Wading-Place" across Byram River was at the point where the bridge now crosses that river. Here, on the Connecticut side, close to the northeastern corner of the bridge, is the "Great Stone by the Wading-Place," which has been a boundary mark for two centuries. There was another wading-place used in former days about where the New Haven Railroad crosses the river. This was called the " lower going over," a name afterwards corrupted into "log in over." The "Scotch Caps" are the rugged masses of rock that lie off the tapering point of land known as Brown's or Wain- wright's Point. The southern part of the peninsula itself was called the "Scotch Cap Neck " or "Ox-pas- ture Neck." "Parsonage Point " is the next projection from Peningo Neck on the east. "Kniffin's Cove" is a small inlet of the Sound on which was formerly a warehouse and a dock. " Ware's Cove " or "Reynolds' Cove" is below this, opposite the north end of Pine Island. "Galpin's Cove" was on Budd's Neck, below " Bullock's Landing." The records disclose the names of several brooks which have dwindled to insignifi- cant rills since the disappearance of forests and swamps. Besides Blind Brook and Stony Brook, there was Bound Brook, Gunn Brook, Hassock Meadow Brook, Horseneck Brook, Rattlesnake Brook, Blind Brook Branch, Crooked Gutter and Cause- way Brook.
Among the ancient names of hills and slopes are "Walles' Ridge," "Raccoon Ridge," "Taffy's Plain," "Tom Jeffer's Hill" (the elevation on which the Episcopal Church now stands), "Branch Ridge" and "Brush Ridge," designating the slope along which the present Ridge Street procceds as far as the road to Park's mill and perhaps some distance be- yond. Above this the same street runs over " Hog Pen Ridge," by which name the settlers as early as 1682 desig. nated some of their choicest lands. "Byram Ridge" was the tract of land on the west side of Byram River from the junction of Ridge and King Streets, or therc- abouts, down to the neighborhood of Port Chester. "Wolfpit Ridge " or "Pulpit Plain" was the high ground north of Rye upon which the district school, academy and seminary are now situated. A more modern name for the same region is "The Cedars." "Steep Hollow" was the name of a beautiful glen on the property of Mr. Quintard. It was so called as early as 1700. The "Upper " and "Lower Hassocky Meadows" lie in the valley between Grace Church Street and the post road, through which the railroad passes from Rye to Port Chester. "Sniffin's Hill" is the rounded eminence since known as Bloomer's
Hill, above Port Chester. "Barton's Neck" is the ancient name of the tract through which Grace Church Street runs, from the neighborhood of the road to Manussing Island as far as the entrance to Port Chester. "Saw Pit," the ancient name of Port Chester, occurs for the first time in 1732. " Merritt's Point " is now known as Lyon's Point. The swamps of early times had each its own designation. There was the "Long Swamp," back of the home-lots in the Town Field, east of the Milton road and Grace Church Street; the "Great Swamp," north of the present Roman Catholic Cemetery and east of Ridge Street ; " Beaver Swamp," in the valley of Stony Brook, where the Union Cemetery is situated; "Timo- thy's Swamp," named, perhaps, after Timothy Knap, once constable of Ryc, and part of the "Saw-Log Swamp." The names of persons or families were bestowed upon certain localities. The land between Regent Street and King Street from the post road to
HORSE ROCK.
RYE FERRY.
HOUSE BY THE FERRY.
Purchase Avenue was long known and is still remem- bered as "Kniffin's land." The extreme eastern part of the Town Field, bordered by Grace Church Street and the road to Kirby's mill, was anciently "Coe's land," since " Bird's land." "Bloomer's Island" is a tract of a few acres in the old Town Field near the creek or Sound, the waters of which surrounded it at high tide. Bullock's Meadow was part of the farm owned in recent years by Mr. Stevens.
The people of Rye were content, for the most part, to call themselves by the humble but honest name of yeomen. They were farmers, living frugally upon the produce of the soil. By the middle of the last cen- tury, however, a number of trades had been established in Rye, such as those of whcelwrights, cordwainers, carpenters, saddlers, tailors, hatters, weavers, rope- makers and the like. In many cases these were also farmers who joined some handicraft to their ordinary business, particularly in winter. From early times
HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
the town had a considerable number of millers, the numerous streams affording exellent facilities for mills. Of these there were fifteen or twenty in oper- ation before the Revolution. The first were grist- mills. John Budd's, afterwards known as Lyon's mill, on Blind Brook Creek, was built some time prior to [669. Not long after, perhaps, the mill on the opposite side of Rye Neck was built by the same pro- prietor on Mamaroneck River. In 1696, Samuel Lane and Joseph Lyon received permission from the town to build a mill on Blind Brook,-the location of which is supposed to be that now occupied by Park's mill. This was long known as Bloomer's mill ; and there were at least two others, above it, on the same stream. What is now known as Davenport's mill, near the outlet of Stony Brook, was owned in the latter part of the last century by Justice Gilbert Bloomer; and that heretofore known as Van Amringe's was formerly Deall's mill. In 1705, Samuel Hunt had leave to build a grist-mill, on Mamaroneck River at the falls above Henry Underhill's. He must build within two years, and "grind the town's corn for the 14th part." In 1711, Richard Ogden was allowed to build a mill on Byram River, "between the lower going over and the country road." Peter Brown's full- ing-mill stood in 1731 in the rear of the late " Penfield House,"-now owned by the family of the late D. H. Mead. Kirby's mill was built about a hundred years ago by one Wright Frost. Colonel Thomas' mill is indicated on our Revolutionary chart of 1779; it stood near the cross-road from Harrison post-office to King Street. Kennedy's mill is marked on a map of Rye in 1798.
No carly mention is wade of saw-mills at Rye. The first settlers built their houses without the aid of sawed lumber. Not only the beams, but even the planks and shingles were hewn and shaped by hand.
Many of the inhabitants "followed the water." Within a few years after the settlement of the town there were several docks or landings along the shore. From these, small fishing-erafts put out into the Sound, and before long a few sloops or barges sailed to Oyster Bay and New York. A century ago most of the families composing the little village of Saw Pit derived their support from these pursuits. So, too, did many of those living on the lower part of Rye Neck. A hundred years ago the oyster fishery had become quite an important business at Rye. In 1753 meh excitement was caused by a " great destrue- tion of our oysters in Byram River." Certain persons were " getting great Quantities with Rakes to Burn into Lyme." Action was taken in town-meeting to put a stop to the practice. Besides the market-sloops that sailed from Saw Pit, Rye and Rye Neck to New York, there were some large vessels sailing to distant ports. In 1774 there was a whaling sloop belonging to Mamaroneck.
The farmers of Rye led a comparatively easy life. Land was plentiful and cheap, and the soil fresh and
productive. We have a graphie description of the farms and the farming in this region, as they ap- peared in 1789, from the pen of General Washington. Writing at Mrs. Haviland's, in Rye, he speaks of the land he had passed through during the day, as " strong, well covered with grass and a luxuriant erop of In- dian Corn intermixed with Pompons (which were yet ungathered) in the field. We met four droves of Beef Cattle for the New York Market (about thirty in a drove) some of which were very fine-also a floek of sheep for the same place. We scarcely passed a farm-house that did not abound in Geese. Their cattle seemed to be of a good quality, and their hogs large, but rather long legged. No dwelling-house is seen without a Stone or Briek Chimney, and rarely any without a shingled roof-generally the sides are of shingles also. The farms are very elose together, and separated, as one enclosure after another also is by fences of stone, which are indeed easily made, as the country is immensely stoney."
The town poor were eared for by the vestry of Rve, and the fund for their maintenance was raised by tax- ation. Nothing is said of any appropriation for this purpose until 1725, when the vestry agreed that there should be raised, besides the money for the minister, the sum of eight pounds for the poor. This moderate amount appears to have sufficed for several years. Later on, however, the amount required was from forty to fifty pounds, and sometimes even as much as ninety or a hundred. Just before the Revolution the cus- tom was introdneed in Rye of putting up the poor at quetion. Before this they had been taken in to board with families whose bills, if approved, were paid by the vestry. But in 1775 'the Justices and Vestry agreed that the poor of the parish should be Sett at Vandue to the Lowest bidder, and that the Clark of the Ves- try put publie advertizement for the same." The sale was simply a contraet with'parties who engaged to support the poor at the least expense to the vestry, and the suuts for which the paupers were "sold," rep- resented the amounts which the successful bidders were willing to take for their board. The parochial system eeased at the time of the Revolution, and the vestry of Rye became a defunet institution. After the war the eare of the poor devolved upon the county officers. Trivial infractions of the law were punished with the stocks and the whipping-post. In 1739 and for two subsequent years the town elected a "public whipper." Thomas Riekey and Samuel Bumpas were the persons chosen to this office.
Among the institutions of the olden time in Rye, slavery must not be left out of the account. It is, in faet, little more than half a century since slavery ceased to have a legal existenee in the State of New York. The first settlers appear to have brought a few negroes with them from Connectieut, and for a considerable length of time the number of slaves in Rye was small. A census taken in 1712, fifty years after the founding of the town, showed but
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eighteen negroes, of all ages, withiu its limits, which then included Harrison and the White Plains. The first mention of slavery in the records of Rye occurs in 1689. Jacob Pearce, one of the original planters, left, among his goods and chattels, a negro woman named Rose.
With the growth of the town the number of slaves increased very considerably. From eighteen, accord- ing to the census of 1712, it had risen, in 1755, to one hundred and seventeen. A list of the families own- ing slaves at that period shows that they were dis- tributed very widely through the town. Neither lay- man nor ecclesiastic appears to have had any scruples as to owning this kind of property. The names, even, of several members of the Society of Friends are on the list. Few families owned more than two or three negroes. Mr. Jay, Colonel Willett aud Mr. Thomas were the largest owners.
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