History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 170

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898,
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.E. Preston & Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

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MANUFACTURING AND MECHANICAL INTERESTS.

Among the early settlers of East Chester were several mechanics-as John Emery, a smith ; Moses Jackson, a weaver; John Jackson, a carpenter-who appear to have followed their vocations in the town, much appreciated. A town-meeting resolution of 1672 describes the first two " as endeavoring to carrie on their Trades for our comforts according unto rational endeavors," and guarantees "that if God take them or either of them away by deseas that their heirs shall enjoy theyr inheritance without any molis- tation as from assoshiat." Still earlier, iu 1670, we find John Jackson building the mill on Rattlesnake Creek for the town.

This mill was near the Westchester highway, a connecting road being soon laid out, since called " The Mill Road," on which is a piece of wild and beautiful scenery. This mill, no doubt, answers to Wright's Mill of a later date, vestiges of which are discovered at the ice pond at the rear of Odell's tavern. The keeping up the running of this mnill seems to have been one of the early anxieties of the town. It is thought not at all unlikely that when, in 1676, a sub- scription loan of twenty-two pounds is made up to induce John Embury to become the "smith," the person indicated is John Emery, who evidently had been obliged to remove, finding the supply of his immediate wants of more consequence to him than the generous provision made for his family after his death.

The subscription, however, served, if at all, only a temporary purpose, for in 1679 the inhabitants are making overtures to John Taylor, of Woodbridge, and by liberal offers engage him as their miller. Three acres of upland and two of meadow are set apart for this smith, who agrees "to grind the corn which comes first to the mill, and in scarcity of water to grind ondly for the inhabitants of East Chester, for the sixteenth parte towell of wheat and the twelth parte Indian Corn, and to pay twenty-eight pounds at or before the 25th day of December next." This ar- rangement, however, seems to have fallen through and in November of the next year (1680) the mill is sold to Samuel Goding, with a " covenant conserning keepin the mill and grinding our corn." Six years afterwards Thomas Norton's land is said to be adja- cent to "Goding's Mill." In November, 1682, Thomas Smith and Jeames Right are admitted to be inhabit-

ants and are encouraged by gifts of land, conditioned upon their continuance in the place and their pursu- ance of their trades, "the first being a smith, the second a boatman."

In the spring of that same year a piece of upland had been granted, evidently without result, to "Gab- relle Linch," on condition that he carry on his trade of a smitlı.

In 1685 Edward Gilliam, another smith, is solicite'l to come into the town and carry on his trade, and is promised the accommodation of upland and meadow, as formerly provided, and in case he shall continue seven years or die within that period in this place, then the upland and meadow shall be his, his heirs aud successors forever. The same offer is made in 1692 to Robert Lellhance, and in 1693 to Robert Stiner, both smiths.

On the 30th of December, 1692, Edward Avery, tanner and shoemaker, is engaged to carry on his trades for the term of three years, and is granted a home-lot of three acres. Iu 1698 Avery is allowed the use of the water or brook on the north part of the town for "to water his hides in for the term of Three years, he yearly paing to penc, If it be demauded." In 1703 Avery is granted two acres of land at fifteen shillings an acre.

In 1708 it was agreed that Lewis Guion should have the common meadow that was laid out for a smitlı, so long as he shall follow the said trade in the town of East Chester.

In 1694 a committee is appointed concerning the setting up and carrying on a saw-mill, "and the con- veaniancey or unconveaniancy of and for the said saw-mill." It would seem that permission was given by the town in 1696 to Colonel Heath te to build a mill or mills on Hutchinson's River or Creek, and that a formal covenant had been executed, but that John Pell would not consent; upon which the town, unwilling to lose the advantage, offer Colonel Heathcote the privilege of building the mills upon Rattlesnake Brook Creek and promise, on condition of the erection of such within eighteen monthis, that they will release him from his old obligation, and that a new covenant shall be drawn up by both par- ties. Privileges of this kind continue to be given-as in 1717 to Thomas Nichols, and as in 1727 to Aaron Owen, who may build a fulling or grist-mill upon Rattlesnake Brook, not "intruding on any grant before made by the town."

Permissions were also granted to construct mills at Fisher's Landing and at the town landing, then called Silleck's Landing; but it is believed that the structures contemplated were not erected. AA mill, however, was built about one hundred years afterward, in 1826,1 at Fisher's Landing (near Lockwood's Bridge), which remained there but a few years, being destroyed by fire. It is curious to note, however, the carc

1 Tide act of Legislature, 1826.

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

736

shown in the early grant that the navigation of the creek here should not be interfered with a-"pas- sage-way " "sufficient " for "eannoes to pass" is to be provided. So in the Act of 1800, authorizing the building of the turnpike road, a draw-bridge is ealled for over the ereek at this landing.

But perhaps the greatest advantage obtained in this part of the town was the construction of the mill since called " Bartow's " and Reid's Mill," at Sanders' Landing, by Thomas Shute and Joseph Stanton, in 1739. The articles of agreement between these per- sons represent them as having meadow lying on each side of Rattlesnake Creek, and bind them jointly for the expenses of construction, repair and care of the mill, and guarantee to each an equal share in the profits; and in case of the determination of either party to sell his share, give the other party the first right of purchasing it. Mr. Shute, in 1742, disposed of his share to Henry Tippitt.1 In 1759 the mill and other buildings were the property of Dr. Thomas Wright, who sold them to Adolph Waldron "Boulter," who, in 1766, sold to John Bartow, and he, in 1790, to John Reid,? father of Robert Reid, the last miller.

Referring again to concessions of the town, we find it in 1721 granting the privilege to Thomas Oakley to construct mills upon the Bronx, a inile from the north boundary of the town. Eight years after, for his encouragement to keep this mill for the public ad- vantage, a gift of land is made to him.

The fine water-power on the Bronx at what is called Bronxville has, for more than a hundred years, made this an interesting point for its manufacturing value. Here for many years Lancaster Underhill and his sons carried on a grist and saw-mill and a factory for the earding of wool. Some forty years ago it came into the hands of Mr. James P. Swain and was then known as Bronx Mill. Mr. Swain used it as a grist-mill and a serew and axle manufactory. The building, which is still standing, is described as of stone, four stories high and in dimensions forty feet by eighty feet.

A short distance below this on the Bronx, say one- quarter of a mile, is Mr. Frederick W. Kraft's piano and glove leather factory, in which, with twenty men employed, some fifteen to twenty thousand dollars' worth of goods are annually turned out. Mr. Kraft has been here since 1880.

The mills on Hutchinson River, in the northeast part of the town, havealso, for at least ninety years, been in working order. In 1797 they are spoken of as Burtis' and Shute's Mills, and some fifty years after as the " saw and grist mills of John Tompkins and Stephen Auderson."3 A rope and cord mannfactory was at one time also carried on here by Mr. Anderson.

On the Bronx, near the okl Hunt's Bridge, Mr. F. W. Weiss has a glue factory, which he first started

at Johnstown, Pennsylvania, but removed to East Chester in 1852. This business, with its five build- ings, takes up about one and a half acres. Employ- ment is given to six workmen, and about fifteen thou- sand dollars' worth of material is annually placed upon the market. The glue is said to be the purest manufactured.

The factory of Mr. James Wilkinson, also in the western part of the town, is a large four-story build- ing, sixty by thirty feet in size, with an extension, and in it, for seventeen years past, has been carried on the manufacture of black and shell jewelry, eombs and other useful artieles from raw horn, vulcanized rubber and tortoise shell. From thirty to fifty hands are frequently employed, the greater part of whom are skilled artisans.

It is now seventy years since the value of the quar- ries upon the land of Jonathan Ward came to be ap- preciated. Mr. James Moeherie, having purchased of Mr. Ward in 1823, began, with Mr. Franeis Kain, getting out stone for buildings. Mr. Abijah Morgan was soon associated with Mr. Kain. Among the very first edifices erected in New York City, for which this quarry furnished material, was the small but very pretty Tradesman's Bank, on Chatham Street. The stone was earted to East Chester Landing, and thence by sloop to the place of destination. The Sub-Treas- ury in Wall Street, the City Hall in Brooklyn, the General Post-Office in Washington, the Custom- House in New Orleans, and numerous private resi- denees, were built of East Chester marble. It is said that enough marble has been taken from these quar- ries to build whole cities. To the edifiees is to be added a vast number of monuments, notable among which, as one of the oldest and most conspicuous, is that of Thomas Addis Emmett, in St. Paul's Church- yard in New York City. The quarries passed into the hands of A. Gilbert Morgan and Alexander Mas- terton, then to James Hall and Alexander Masterton, and at the death of Mr. Masterton, his son, John M., sueceeded to his place in the firm. At the death of Mr. Hall, Mr. John M. Masterton beeame sole owner. The continuation of the vein of marble northward has oceasioned other quarries to be opened on the line above. After the construction of the Harlem Rail- road, connection was made with the quarry yards, and the stone has since been carried away by rail. It is a matter of pleasurable interest to reeall the names of four of the schooners engaged in transporting the stone,-the " Eliza Miller," the "Charming Sally," the " Miller's Damsel " and " Henrietta Jane,"-and also of the two brothers, still living, citizens of East Chester, who were in command of one or other of these vessels, Captains James and Gilbert Barker.

In 1857 an association was formed by enterprising citizens of Mount Vernon to erect a building with steam-power, to be available for manufacturing pur- poses. The corner-stone was laid on the 4th of July, Richard Atkinson, George Archer and John B. Bren-

1 Bank of Westchester County Deeds, vol. G. p. 388.

" Books of Deeds: Book 11. p. 162 strl 166, and L., p. 12.

. Bolton's " History of Westchester County, " vol. i. p. 162.

737

EAST CHESTER.

nan being the building committee. It is of three stories, and thirty-six feet high, and its ground floor dimensions are twenty-five by eighty feet.

Its first use was during the Civil War, when John- ston & Dow occupied it for the manufacture of car- tridges, for which they had contracts with the gov- ernment. At the time of the draft riots this building was in imminent danger, and the citizens were armed to defend it.

From January 1, 1865 to April 1, 1869, this build- ing was in possession of Benjamin W. Tilton, as a carriage factory. The vehicles turned out from this establishment were of superior workmanship, and equal to the best in the New York market. Veloci- pedes for country roads were also manufactured here.

For six or seven years Harrison, Bradford & Co. used this building as a pen factory. Seventy-five persons were under employ, and three hundred thou- sand gross of pens of every shape and size were an- nually prodneed.

The building belongs at this date (1885) to Mr. J. W. Nichols, who, from 1882, has carried on in it the manufacture of straw and felt hats from the im- ported braid and raw. One hundred hands are em- ployed. Mr. Nichols makes his own shapes and patterns, and turned out last Spring two thousand eases of goods.

In 1858 Mr. Edmund Hoole erected a building on Fourth Avenue, where now stands the Masonic Hall, in which he established a factory for the manufacture of duplex checks and railroad stamps, for each of which he had his own patents. Mr. Hoole met with great success in his business, and eventually removed it to New York.

In Spafard's Gazeteer of 1824 it is stated that 2735 yards of cloth were manufactured in East Chester in the year 1821.

MILITARY HISTORY OF THE TOWN .- The position of the early settlers in East Chester was one of ex- treme danger. The memory of the massacres at Throgg's Neck and Pelham was calculated to keep up their apprehensions. Under no mere fancy. then, did they unite with Westchester in an organization for defense. The following order of Governor Andross, dated November 25, 1675, presents the fact of the ex- istence of a military company in this vicinity, and its absolute necessity. The order is addressed to the captain (Osburn), and is as follows : " By the Gover- nor's order I am to inform you that, considering the distance of East Chester from your town and the com- petent number of men ther . . . have thought good to appoint a Lieut. ther, who is to be a second Lieut. to your company, and doth not thinke it con- veaniant for the tow towns to be called togeather so as to leave either of them destitute of men but upon very extraordinary occasion, so that eatch may Train in their own Town. the person pitched upon by the Governor is the old Lieut. Will Haiden, to whom I will take care to send a comishon as soune as pose-

bell I ean."1 It is evident that Haiden, who was one of the three original patentees of East Chester, and whose house was fortified, that it might, "by God's help and Blessing, answer our Honorable Governor's order and our preservation," had, at the organization of the militia, been made Lieutenant, but had re- signed. He was now reappointed, and afterward, at the formation of a separate company at East Chester, became its leader. In the town minutes in 1681 he is entitled Captain, and no doubt held the position from fifteen to twenty years. It was during the time of his command that, with seventy men, he marehed' to New York to assist Leisler and joined with him and others in signing the bold declaration of their fealty to the Protestant faith. He was suc- ceeded in office by his Lieutenant, John Drake. In 1700, in 'a report of the strength of the militia in the province of New York, a foot company in the town of East Chester is mentioned with the follow- ing officers: John Drake, Captain; Joseph Drake, Lieutenant ; Henry Tower, Ensign. In 1710, in a list of sixty-one of the male inhabitants of East Chester between the ages of sixteen and sixty liable to mili- tary duty, Captain John Drake is the leading name.

As in 1711, and frequently afterwards in the town minutes, Joseph Drake is styled Captain, it is plain that he must at this time have succeeded his older brother John in this position. He was in all likeli- hood followed by William Pinkney, whose tombstone is in St. Paul's Church-yard, inscribed with this title "Capt. Will Pinkney." He died in 1755, aged seventy-five years. In 1745 we have in the town minutes the name of John Fowler the fourth time, elected Supervisor, but who is now for the first time as subsequently, graced with the prefix Captain. Mr. Fowler doubtless held his military command for a number of years.

At this time the Regiment in Westchester County is reported to have one hundred and thirty officers and one thousand one hundred and forty-six men, and the military interest must have been largely awakened. In the wars with the French on the English colonial borders, in the middle of the eighteenth century, and which involved much anx- iety and enthusiasm in the Province of New York, Westchester County did her part, and the names of her inhabitants appear numerously on the muster- rolls, and East Chester is found not behind other towns in her devotion.

In the muster-roll (April 20, 1758) of the Company of one hundred and twenty men, of which Jonathan Fowler, of East Chester, is Captain ; and in the rolls Captains Verplanek (1758), Ogden (1758), Haight (1759), Bayeux (1760) and Stevens (1762), the names of the following natives of East Chester are found :

Name. Ave.

Gilbert Shute, sergeant

John Bates, sergeant 2.4

" Town minutes, Bk. 1, p. 23 or 24,

73-

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Nathaniel Appleby, sergeant

John ('rookson, corporal . .

Jobn Steves

William Johnson

John Naines

Joseph Aspendall

Barley Fowler .

lohn Pinckney, sergeant

Peter Rozel

Robert Stivers

:25

Richard Bisser

.Jeremiah Fowler

Gilbert Yeomans

Peter Williams

Richard Stevers

Isaac Briggs

Robert Stevens

and the name of Mark Christian is to be added, who, though a native of Boston, is recognized as one thor- oughly identified with the town.

In 1773 a large regiment of twenty-nine companies is in the county, each with its Captain, two Lieu- tenants and an Ensign.

At the commencement of the Revolutionary pro- ceedings in Westchester County, the following per- sous, residents of East Chester, were chosen as offieers of a company in full sympathy with the uprising : Stephen Sneden, captain; Thomas Piukney, first lieutenant ; Daniel Scaring, second lieutenant ; and William Pinkney, ensign.

Their commissions were issued September 20, 1775, but Captain Sneden and Lieutenant Searing haviug in the next spring been transferred to duty as mem- bers of the committee for the county, the officership was recast, and Thomas Pinkney beeame Captain ; William Pinkney, first Lieutenant; John Sneden, second Lieutenant ; and William Reed, Ensign.1

There appears to have been no restriction upon the preferences for this or that company or regiment in those enlisting in the Continental army. Theodosius Fowler, connected with a New York City regiment, it is stated on the evidence of an eye-witness, was engaged with success in recruiting duty in East Chester, among his old neighbors and relatives.2 Strong feeling on this subject of freedom of choiee in enlistment was exhibited. James Willis, a lieutenant of the New Rochelle company, swears that he was present with his command on the 22d of July, at East Chester, when the south part of Colonel Drake's regiment was called out ; that he was summoned into Mr. Forbes' house to meet the rest of the officers ; that he heard several of the militia say that they would rather fight on that " Green " till they were dead than to go under officers they did not like.3

While the Revolutionists were thus active, combina- tions were also being formed in aid of the forces of

1 1 alendar of llist. MISS., vol. i. pp. 158, 257, 632.

" Captain Theodosius Fowler, who was the son of Jonathan Fowler, Was in the service from the spring of 1776 to the close of the contest, bot being alrent during that whole period more than lifty days. He was in numerous battles from Long Island to Yorktown. Ile died in New Yoak r'ity, but is buried in the family vault at East ('hester.

Calendar of list. MISS., vol. i. p. 115.

the mother country. The Queen's Rangers, a regi- ment of Loyalists brought together in 1776, was com- posed, for the most part, of those "who had already been exiled for their attachment to the British Gov- ernment, and who now acted upon the firmest principles in its defense."+ Many of its recruits were from this neighborhood. John Ward, son of Edmund Ward, of East Chester, was an officer in this regiment, and also Captain Solomon Fowler, son of Moses Fowler. Both are deseribed as brave and gallant men. Captain Fowler was killed in an attaek on Horse Neek, but Mr. Ward survived the war and settled in New Brunswick.

The troop of Lieutenant-Colonel Emerich's Dra- goons was largely recruited from this county,-"ill- listed to serve His Majesty King George the Third in the above-mentioned corps of Provincial Chasseurs, and doth aeknowledge to have heard read unto him the second and sixth sections of the Artieles of War against mutiuy and desertion, and took the oath of fidelity mentioned iu the Articles of War."

During the seven years of the war, East Chester was the seene of eoutinued exeitement and of much dis- tress-the eentre "of the famous 'Neutral Ground ' of History, Romanee and Song."

Friday, the 18th of October, 1776, was a day of great anxiety in East Chester. The British progress from Rodman's Neck, dispu ted, as it was, by Colonel Glover with six regiments all the way to Pell's Bridge, was, no doubt, watehed with intense interest on this side of the Hutchinson River. The loss in this skir- mish was very heavy. The Americans returned to their eamp at Hunt's Bridge, while the Royalist army pitched its tents on the Pelham flats, not, however. until it had deposited its siek aud wounded in the yet unfinished stone ehurel, nor if the tradition in the Van Cortlandt family be correct, until after a grand evening parade on the Green. A halt was made for a few days, and then the English forces passed on to New Rochelle.

In February, 1777, it was deemed necessary by the Continental army to remove or destroy all the grain and forage in the town of East Chester and neighbor- hood, to prevent its falling into the hands of the enemy. A skillful disposition of the troops was, therefore, made in order to effect this without hin- drance. Five hundred of the Connectieut line were stationed along the Old Post road, between East Chester village and the junction of that road with the road from White Plains.5 The New York troops, three hundred and fifty in number, were ranged from Ward's house (where is now Judge Gifford's residenee) down to Benjamin Drake's (the old house on the westerly side of the White Plains road, above what is now called Sageman's Corner.) The remainder of the Connecticut troops were placed at Tuekahoe (the

+ Simcoe's Journal, p. 19 ; Moore's " Diary of the Revolution," p. Sos : Subine's " llist, of American Loyalists," p. 673.

5 Where Mr. John W. Hawxhurst now Ilves.

739

EAST CHESTER.

order says " Turkehole "). A company was also sent to Wright's Mills, which, it is believed, must have been the mill near Stephen Odell's tavern. The effort was entirely successful. The attack made on Ward's house on the night of the 17th of March was, no donbt, a scqnel of this. A detachment of the Royalists, under Captains Brandon and Campbell, overtaking a raiding party which had halted at this house, killed between forty and fifty in the fight, and took twenty- seven prisoners. Captain Campbell was himself killed, the most desperate part of this affair being the hand-to-hand struggle on the stairs.

Just ontside the village of East Chester Colonel Aaron Burr, at a later period, tried to intercept Gen- eral Tryon on his return from an expedition to Green- wich, but failed, not, however, withont recovering a large quantity of cattle and other plunder. The Ward house was the scene of another attack of the British, in November, 1778, who had determined to tear it down and use the material in the construction of huts for the soldiers during the coming winter. The building was entirely destroyed.

On Friday, the 28th of May, 1779, the right column of a new encampment of the British forces was placed in East Chester, in all likelihood along the Mile Square road, but extending down to the creek. The left column was at the Philipse house, Yonkers. The regiments at East Chester were the Queen's Rangers, the Legion, the Seventh and the Sixty-third Foot.1

It would seem that at one time and another small detachments of either of the opposing armies were billetcd in the village of East Chester. Colonel Emmerich, for lengthencd periods, made his Head- quarters at the house of William Fowler, near Guion's tavern.

The sufferings of the inhabitants of this town, in consequence of the presence or proximity of the two hostile forces, cannot bnt be here recalled.

The English Governor, writing home, says: "On my reviewing, the 4th inst. ... such part of the militia of Westchester Connty .. . upwards of five hun- dred men, . . I could not think it expedient at that time to invite them to take up arms, or to petition the King's commissioners, as either measure at that per- iod would, on the removal of the troops, bring down instant destruction to their properties and families. In- deed, what with the conflagrations of the rebels and the marauding of both armies, the inhabitants of that country are reduced to great distress."2

The reorganization of the militia of the State of New York, which took place in 1786, and which called, with certain restrictions, for the eulistment of all the able-bodied men of the State, made provision also from the very first for voluntary uniformed companies of infantry, artillery and cavalry. A troop of horse under command of Captain John Mondne, was in

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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 170

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