History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 165

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 165

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As enrly as 1843 the Rev. HI. A. Mead, a local elder, commenced preaching here in a school-house

and in a private dwelling. The present house of wor- ship was built in 1855-56. This church was long connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church of White Plains. Mr. Mead remained in charge for a few years, when he removed from White Plains to Port Chester and ceased his ministrations. In 1868 Rev. Aaron Rogers became pastor of this chapel and another on West Street, a position which he held for one year. Subsequently, meetings were conducted for a number of years by pastors or members of the church at White Plains. In April, 1881, Rev. William A. Hughson was appointed pastor of the churches at Purchase, Lake Street and Rosedale. Mr. Hughson occupied this position for a year before the churches were taken into Conference, after which he remained in charge for the full term of three years. In 1885 the number of members connected with the three churches was twelve, and that of probationers was forty. The value of the church property in the charge was estimated at three thousand five hundred dollars.

The trustees of the Purchase Street Church in 1885 were William M. Field, Tertullus Martin, Wil- liam Peppard, John Weeks and Charles H. Fisher.

The Lake Street Methodist Episcopal Church, men- tioned above, is also in the town of Harrison. Previ- ous to the establishment of this church services had been held for a number of years in Park's school- house, under the leadership of members of the Methodist Church at White Plains. The Lake Street Church was erected in 1874. The trustees in 1885 were George M. Platt, Augustus Garrett and J. II. Purdy.

There are a number of very handsome residences in the vicinity of Purchase. Bordering the village on the south, and extending along Purchase Street, is the " Ophir Farm," now the property of John Roach, the noted ship-builder. The very elegant mansion which adorns "Ophir Farm " was erected in 1870-71, at a cost of abont two hundred thousand dollars, by Benjamin Holliday, the former proprietor of the overland stage route across the plains to the Pacific Ocean, who bought the land, in the shape of a num- ber of small farms, in 1864. Mr. Holliday's total purchase amounted to seven hundred and fifty aeres. He resided but little on the estate. His wife and other members of his family lived there, however, for a few years. Mr. Holliday died and was buried on Ophir Farm. The Mutual Life Insurance Com- pany, of New York, which held a mortgage on the property, then became its possessor, and eventually sold it to Mr. Roach. The property has been the oc- casion of a good deal of litigation. The magnificent stone mansion has remained almost unoccupied since Mrs. Holliday's death. This lady, who was a Roman Catholic, caused a small stone chapel to be erected near the house. It is never opened for worship.

During Mr. Holliday's lifetime an attempt was made to establish a private park on the property. A

RESIDENCE OF CHAS. PARK, HARRISON, WESTCHESTER CO., N. Y.

713

HARRISON.

piece of ground adjoining Westchester Avenue was fenced in, and a number of buffaloes and deer were placed in the inclosure. But the animals having in several instanecs leaped out and caused damage to the neighboring property, the plan was abandoned.

Adjoining the Ophir Farm on the south, and facing Purchase Street, is the handsoinc residence of Elwood Birdsall, of the firm of Russell, Birdsall & Ward, proprietors of a large screw and bolt manufactory at Pemberwiek, Conn. In the immediate vicinity there are several substantial farmn-houses, occupied by Messrs. J. C. Haviland, W. F. Haviland, D. A. Havi- laud and Charles C. Haviland. The Havilands are at the present time the most numerous family in the town of Harrison. They are descended from five men who are mentioned in the records of Rye- Jacob, in 1715 ; Benjamin and Adamı, in 1716 ; and Thomas and John, in 1723 and 1725. Iu 1724, Benja- min, called Junior, conveyed a farm of one hundred and thirty acres, in Harrison, to his son, Ebenezer. " Solomon, son of Benjamin, deceased, married Han- nah, daughter of Thomas Carpenter, September 17, 1742."-Friend's Rec. Charity, daughter of Benjamin Haviland, married John Hutchins, 16th of Fourth Month, 1742. William Haviland, supposed to have been a graudson of Jacob, resided in Harrison's Pur- chase, and " was the father of Margaret, who married Stephen Cornell, 16th of Eighth Month, 1775, (Friend's Rec.) ; and Charity, who married Richard Beuling, 4th of Twelfth Month, 1776."

About the middle of the eastern side of the town stands the residence formerly occupied by Warren Leland, at one time proprietor of the Metropolitau Hotel, of New York, and the Grand Union Hotel, of Saratoga. Mr. Leland became a property-owner in Harrison in 1857. His house and farm are now owned by Mr. Joseph Park, of Rye, of the firm of Park & Tilford, of New York City. Mr. Park is the largest owuer of real estate in Harrisou, his posses- sions within the town amouuting to about one thou- sand two hundred acres.

Bordering on Harrison Avenue, on the eastern side of the town, was, in early days, the farm and residence of the Hon. John Thomas, the patriot, who died a prisoner in New York in 1777.1 Thomas Thomas, of Harrison, the third son of Judge Thomas, was, like his father, an ardent supporter of the American cause, and for this reason was bitterly hated by the British and their sympathizers. He was one of the most prominent Whigs of the North and a distin- guished military officer. He had been elected chair- man of the Committee of Public Safety in 1776, and as an active partisan leader had given much annoy- ance to the enemy. It may well be imagined how much the latter desired and strove to effect his cap- ture. But Col. Thomas was as wary as he was brave, and to surprise him was uo easy matter. It was done,

at last. On Friday, November 13, 1778, about daybreak Col. Thomas' house was surrounded by a party of the Queen's Rangers under Lieut .- Col. Simcoe. The patriot had slept at home that night-for the first tine in many months. The British troops had gone into winter-quarters ; his own spies had reported to him that the Queen's Rangers were to march to Long Island. He, therefore, had every reason to feel secure. Col. Simcoc, who tells the story in his Mili- tary Journal, having gone with a party to pull down some frame houses in order to procure planks for the huts of the soldiers who were to remain in the vicinity at King's Bridge, left a detachment to do this work, and marehed all night with the remainder of his force to surprise Thomas. A shot fired from the house killed a soldier by the side of Col. Simcoe. The British then forced their way into the house and killed the man who fired the shot. "This person, as we learn from local tradition, was James Brundage, a son of Gilbert Brundage, of Rye, a young man of fine eharaeter and high promise, whose cruch death was long remembered here. He was killed 'while on his knees begging for his life.' Thomas Carpenter, auother youug man who was also in the house at the time, came near losing his life, being stabbed in many places by the soldiers' bayonets, while hidden under the bed." Colonel Thomas nearly effected his escape, but was retaken by one of the soldiers. The cavalry then advanced towards an American pieket, about a mile distant, hoping to surprise a party of light horse stationed there. The noise of the firing at Thomas' house had put the Americans on the alert, and after firing their carbines at the enemy and wound- ing one of the officers of the Rangers, they fled and escaped without injury. "The spot ccupied by the American foree, whose picket-guard Simcoe had hoped to surprise, was probably at the head of King Street, near Rye Pond."

Subsequently General Thomas was exchanged.' Af- ter his death his sister Charity, wife of James Ferris, of Throckmorton's Neck, fell heir to his possessions. The property eventually passed out of the hands of the Ferrises, and now belongs to the estate of A. T. Stewart. The remains of the members of the Thomas family are buried in an inclosure on this farmi. A memorial to General Thomas bears the following inscription :

" SACRED to the memory of MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS THOMAS who died on the 29th of May A. D. 1824, in the 79th year of his age. As a soldier of the Revolution of 1776, he aided in achieving the independence of the United States : As a member of the Legislature of the State of New York he assisted in laying the foundation of those institutions, that are intended to perpetuate the Republic."

1 Sce notice in " Bench and Bar."

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

The epitaph of General Thomas' wife is as follows :

" SACRED

to the memory of CATHARINE THOMAS widow 01 Thomas Thomas, who died on the 15th day of January, A. D. 1×25, in the 79th year of her age."

There are also gravestones over the remains of Gen- eral Thomas' children, - Charles Floyd, Naney and Gloriana.

In 1824 the town of Rye was visited by General Lafayette, then on his way from New York to New England. He is said to have been introduced on this occasion to Mrs. General Thomas, who had been widowed only a few months before. This interview took place on the 20th of August, 1824, and the cir- emmstance is commemorated by an inscription on a pane of glass, which may still be seen in the side- light of the main entrance to the hotel in Port Ches- ter, where the illustrious foreigner was stopping.

On Purchase Street, north of the hamlet of Pur- chase, are the handsome dwellings of Richard S. Col- lin-, a gentleman of large fortune, who has retired from active business, and is a minister among the Orthodox Friends ; John C. Burling, a grocer in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Milton Knapp, who is engaged in the floating elevator business in New York ; Elna- than Carpenter, a farmer ; and others. At the ex- treme northern end of the town is Rye Pond, already described. This pond is now the property of the city of New York, and is the source from which the water supply for the upper wards of the city, north of the Harlem River, is obtained.

Bordering upon the Rye Pond is a fine dairy farm, of about four hundred and fifty acres, owned by Mr. Frank Tilford. This property formerly belonged to the Cromwell family, who owned a large estate in the town'at an early period. They claimed descent from Colonel John Cromwell, son of Sir Oliver Cromwell, and cousin of the Protector. John Cromwell, of Har- rison, was taken prisoner by the British and conveyed to New York. Early in 1780 a body of Continental troops were stationed on the Cromwell homestead, and some gallant fighting took place in that vicinity. The Cromwell family is represented in West Farms, but the Harrison branch has disappeared.

Not far south of Rye Pond are the meeting-house, free school and grave-yard of the Society of Friends. As we have already seen, Samuel Haight, and most of the early settlers on this land belonged to this sect, and it would seem to have been their intention to found a " Quaker " settlement here. It will, there- fore, be not without interest to follow the rise and progress of this colony.

The earliest mention of n meeting of Friends in Westchester County is in 1723, when there was a " Quaker meeting·house in Westchester village." In 1726 and 1727 meetings of Friends are recorded as

having taken place in Rye and Mamaroneck. The Purchase Meeting-house was built in 1727. The land on which it was erected is said to have been the gift of Anthony Field, who removed in 1725 from Flush- ing, Long Island, to the farm adjoining the meeting- house lot. The Field family were long respected residents of Harrison, but their property is now owned by other parties.

Great excitement seems to have attended the efforts of this religious body to spread their creed here. " Where any of them settle," writes Mr. Wetmore rector of Rye in 1730, " they spare no pains to infect their neighborhood." Where they meet with any encouragement they hold meetings day after day. Celebrated preachers are procured from a distance, and " a great fame " is spread before them " to invite many curiosities." " Our people of credit," says he, "will often go to their meetings, especially their great and general meetings," which, he thinks, are very pernicious, and ought to be suppressed.1 It is difficult to realize that these things were written con- cerning " the calm community of Friends." Such a stir reminds us of early Methodism, and of the fervid zeal of Makemie and the Tennents among the Presby- terians. But it is well known that the religious movement which commenced with George Fox was characterized in its earlier phases by great enthu- siasm, and by active exertions to propagate the prin- ciples of its members. The Friends who settled in Harrison appear to have been of this spirit. "Swarms of them," complains the troubled rector, "make fre- quent visits hither." They " hold their yearly meet- ings, monthly, quarterly and weekly meetings, yea, and sometimes daily." They seatter books all over the parish, and Mr. Wetmore, who is a ready writer, feels constrained to write and print two letters and three dialogues in refutation of their arguments. These, he hopes, will be of great service to "stop the growth of Quakerism in these parts." 2

In 1742, on the " Eleventh day of First Month" (January), the Monthly Meeting was transferred from Mamaroneck to the " Meeting-House in Rye Woods" [Harrison]. This meeting was now held at three places on the main : alternately, at Westchester, Ma- maroneck and Purchase, and subject to it, meetings had by this time been cstablished at New Milford, the Oblong and Nine Partners. $ And in 1744, on the "Eighth day of Ninth Month " (September), a prop- osition was made to establish a Quarterly Meeting "on this side,"-i. e., on the main. Accordingly, the Yearly Meeting, still held at Flushing, on the

1 Bolton, "Ilistory ol the Protestant Episcopal Church," etc., page 254.

2 lbid, pages 256, 257. These publications were entitled "Two Letters in Answer to the Quakers," 1730; and "Dialogues in Answer to the Quakers," 1732, Ibid, page 287.

8 A meeting was commenced ut North Castle In 1961, and was held once a fortnight In winter. The North Castle Meeting-house was built itt 1708.

RESIDENCE OF R. S. COLLINS, PURCHASE ST., HARRISON, WESTCHESTER CO., N. Y.

715

HARRISON.

13th of Fourth Month (April), 1745, appointed a Quarterly Meeting to be held at the Purchase. 1

Little remains to be said of the external history of this community. In 1778 the Monthly Meeting was held in King Street, at the house of Thomas Clapp, on the 13th day of Eighth Month (August). The reason for this change was, "the Meeting-House at Purchase being made use of for a hospital for the sick of the Army." September 10th, " The Meeting House is not yet to be had." October 8th, the meeting is held as formerly in the Purchase Meeting-House.

On the 11th of February, 1779, it is represented at the Monthly Meeting that "several young men of the society are now prisoners, and are likely to be brought uuder great suffering by refusing to bear arms and do other military service." " Those in authority are willing to release them, providing they can make it appear that they are members." A com- mittee is appointed to assure the authorities of their membership.

In 1782 a record is made concerning the sufferings of Friends connected with this Monthly Meeting, in consequence of their testimony against war. The total amount of loss on this account is stated to be £1445.

In 1784, on the 14th of Tenth Month (October), the following action was taken: "The Meeting- House in the Purchase having been used for a Court of Judicature, and being likely to be used for that purpose again, a committee is appointed to apply to those in anthority to prevent such use."

In 1797 the meeting-house was enlarged to its present size by an addition on the east side.

The Society of Friends, to its immortal honor, has always been the consistent and earnest opponent of negro slavery. The Friends of Harrison have a rec- ord on this subject not unworthy of that of their brethren elsewhere. It appears that about the time of the Revolution some individuals belonging to their body were owners of slaves. The following facts are gathered from the Society's books:

" Twelfth of Ninth Month, 1776. This meeting appoints certain per- sons ' a Committee to visit those that keep negroes as slaves-agreeably to directions of the Yearly Meeting-and report to a future meeting.'

"Tenth of Fourth Month, 1777. The Committee report, ' We have, according to appointment, visited nearly all those within the verge of this Monthly Meeting that hold slaves, and hereby inform the meeting that a considerable number have been declared free under hand and seal since last year, and we have encouragement to hope that if the practice is kept up of treating with them that still hold them, that the good effect of such sincere labour will not be lost, but turn to the satis- faction and comfort of others as well as of ourselves.'"

A committee was appointed to examine acts of manumission, and have them recorded if authentie. .

" Fourteenth of Fifth Month, 1778. It was resolved that ' Friends con- tinuing to hold slaves,' and ' who still refuse to free them, shall be dealt with us disorderly members.'

" Ninthi of Twelfth Month, 1779. Three Friends were disowned for not setting their slaves free.

"Seventh of Eightli Month, 1781. It appears by the Yearly Meeting extracts [Flushing] that the state of negroes set free by Friends was

taken into consideration ; ' whether Friends who had had their services during the prime of their lives should not do something for their com- pensation and support ; and also investigating into their temporal and spiritual condition and the education of youth.'

" Twelfth of Fourth Month, 1782. The committeo appointed to make these inquiries [in Harrison] reported that the condition of most of the negrocs set free was satisfactory ; but there was 'great shortness in re- gard to instructing youth, though some appear careful on that ac- count.' " 2

In 1827 a separation took place in the Society of Friends in this country. Two distinct bodies were formed, each claiming the name of Friends. The one party, however, became known as the Orthodox, and the other as Hicksites, from Elias Hicks, whose opinions they were understood to approve. In the town of Harrison the separation occurred the next year, in 1828. The "Orthodox " Friends erected a meeting-house near the old building, which is held by the other branch.

The number of members of the Hicksite denomi- nation at Purchase is at present (1886) about one hundred and seventy-five. The number of Orthodox Friends is somewhat less.

Iu 1828 Thomas Clapp, of Greenwich, Conn., left by will one hundred and fifty acres on the west side of Rye Pond for the education of poor children of the town of Harrison. No income was derived from this bequest, however, until a few years ago, when the property was sold to the Westchester Ice Company, for fifteen thousand dollars. This fund has been placed under the care of a board of trustees connected with the Hicksite Church, and with the interest a school- house, located just beside the church, is maintained. It is attended by about fifteeu scholars and has one teacher.

In accordance with a regulation adopted by the Friends at the Purchase Monthly Meeting, held on the 10th of Sixth Month, 1874, grave-stones are not allowed to be placed in the burial-ground "con- taining any inscription, except the name of the de- ceased, with the name of Husband or Wife or Parents, when desired, and the date of Birth and Death ; " not exceeding " 16 inches in width, 5 inches in thickness, and the necessary height above the surface of the ground to receive the aforesaid inscription legibly." The oldest grave-stone is marked with the following brief inscription :

" R. W., March 31, 1731."

In this grave-yard repose the remains of the wife of Major Wm. Lainey Huggerford, of Revolutionary fame. Her epitaph reads as follows :

" The Remains of CHARITY HUGGERFORD lies here. Called to the eternal world the tenth day of July, 1807, In the 52d ycar of hier age."

The Friends in Harrison, though not so numerous as they were a hundred years ago, are still a highly

1 Records of the Society in Harrison.

2 Records of the Society of Friends in Harrison. -

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

respectable and influential community. They have the characteristic traits of this peaceable and quiet people-frugality, simplicity of manners, strictness of morals, care for their poor, and abhorrence of op- pression in every form. Many of their families who brought this faith with them into this region, a cen- tury and a half since, have removed from the Purchase and their lands are now owned by persons of other religious persuasions. But a number remain ; and the old meeting-house itself abides, substantial and unadorned, as when first reared amid the primeval forest, having witnessed the turmoil and suffering of war, as well as the silent worship of a religion of peace ; and near by, in the grave-yard, the founders of the community and several generations of their descend- ants rest.

A short distance west of Purchase village, on the road leading to White Plains, is a small burying. ground iu which repose tbe remains of members of the Anderson, Avery, Wheeler, Hatfield, Waydell, Travis and Hyatt families. The cemetery is includ- ed in the farm once owned by the Andersons, but now belonging to John Roach. Joseph H. Ander- son, who once resided on this farm, was a prominent man.

" In 1832 and 1833 he was elected member of As- sembly for this county ; in 1834 he was elected sheriff of the county for the term of three years; and in 1842 and 1844 he was elected Representative in Con- gress from this district. Few of our citizens have been more honored by the public voice." 1 Mr. An- derson was a native of the county. "In public as in private life he ever bore an untarnished reputation, commanding the respect of his fellow-citizens." In politics he was a Democrat. He died January 17, 1870, and was buried in the cemetery above men- tioned, where his father and mother already reposed.

Just beyond the liue of White Plains, in Harrison, between the Mamaroneck River and Westchester Avenue, is a row of about twenty houses, occupied chiefly by colored people, which has received the humorous designation of " Blackberry Row." In this row is located St. Luke's Methodist Episcopal Church, the members of which are colored people. The colored people originally attended the Methodist Episcopal Church on Broadway, in White Plains. As early as 1845, and possibly four or five years earlier, a fund was raised by subscription, and a small frame building was erected in the north western part of the town of Harrison, just over the line of North Castle, which was used by the colored people as a school- house and chapel. Religious services were conducted there for a number of years by white people belong- ing to the White Plains Methodist Episcopal Church. A division occurred among the colored people, how- ever, and a number of them, under the leadership of Richard O'Neil, withdrew, and, after worshiping for

four or five years in private houses, erected the pres- ent church, on Westchester Avenue. The edifice was dedicated August 29, 1874. The church has been served by four ministers from the African Methodist Episcopal Conference, but, about the beginning of 1886, beeame connected with the Methodist Episcopal Conference. The present pastor (1886) is Jaines A. Whyte, and the number of members is ten.

The original eongregation continues to hold meet- ings in the church, in the northwestern corner of Harrison. The membership is small.

Our highways have been greatly improved since the days of Madame Knight, who complained so bit- terly of their wretched condition in the early part of the eighteenth century, as, indeed, the " Father of his country " did eighty-five years later.

The old Purchase road (now Purchase Street) crosses the town in its length, running from Rye to Rye Pond and North Castle. Many memories of the Revolutionary days are connected with this road. On the east side of it can be seen the grave of an old veteran, by the name of John Peter Follow, who died at the advanced age of one hundred and twenty. He requested that the following epitaph might be in- scribed on his tombstone :

" Ilere lies as good a soldier As ever fought in Flanders. "

In the same vicinity is the grave of Louis Burling, a colored soldier of the Revolution, who served as a private in Colonel Samuel Pell's regiment.

Lincoln Avenue, on the east side, runs almost par- allel with the Purchase road. This thoroughfare en- ters Rye town at both ends, thus insulating a part of Harrison, which indents the line of separation from that town. Mamaroneck Avenue, on the west side, runs along Mamaroneck River and connects the towu of that name with Harrison. It branches off ncar the river, and, running in a northeasterly direction into Harrison, connects with the Purchase road.

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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 165

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