History of Westchester county : New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. II, Part 173

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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elected District Attorney. In 1873, on the death of Elias Dusenberry, he was appointed Supervisor of East Chester, and was three times thereafter re. elect- ed. Mr. Pemberton, though residing in New York City, still maintains his business and influence in the town. His office is at Mount Vernon.

MR. P. L. MCCLELAN was born December 1, 1832, in New Rochelle, where he pursued his academ- ic studies under Mr. Eels and Professor Gibson. Mr. McClelan read law with his father, Mr. William McClelan, a well-versed and astute practitioner. In 1854 he was admitted to the bar, about which time he became Clerk of the Village of Mount Vernon, a posi- tion which he held for twelve years. In 1860-62 he was Supervisor of the town of East Chester, which, in the latter year, lie resigned in order to accept the po- sition of District Attorney of the county. Mr.

McClelan is still in active practice.

MR. JOSEPH S. WOOD, for many years Principal of the Publie School of the Village of Mount Vernon, in District No. 4, founder and editor of the Chronicle, and for 1879-81, School Commissioner of the First Assembly District of Westchester County, was born in New York City, and is a graduate of the College of the City of New York. Mr. Wood removed to Mount Vernon in 1865, and assumed the principalship of the school of District No. 4. After nearly eleven years of great success in teaching, Mr. Wood entered upon the practice of the profession of the law. The abilities and energy of this gentleman bespeak for him still greater honor and preferments. To Mr. Wood be- longs no small share of the credit of the establishment of the Pelham Bay Park, the value of which, it is be- lieved, will be more and more realized.

ISAAC N. MILLS, the present County Judge, removed into this town in October, 1876. Mr. Mills, who was born in Windham County, Conn., in September, 1851, is a graduate of Amherst College of the year 1874, being the Valedictorian of his class. He immediately entered the Law School of Columbia College, and re- ceiving its diploma, was admitted to practice in 1876. For a half a dozen years he was the senior partner in the firm of Mills & Wood. His election to the posi- tion on the bench, which he so ably fills, took place in 1883. The Presidential campaign of 1884 was made memorable in this town by the very able debate on the questions at issue in which Mr. Mills engaged with his late partner, Mr. Wood, and in which both of these gentlemen gained fresh laurels.

PHYSICIANS OF EAST CHESTER.

Dr. THOMAS WRIGHT, son of Edmond Wright and Sarah (née Townsend), his wife, of Oyster Bay, L. 1., settled in East Chester about the middle of the eigh- teenth century, and in addition to the duties of his profession, was Trustee of Public Buildings. He died in the Provost, New York, during the Revolution. His wife and two minor sons are buried in St. Paul's

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EAST CHESTER.

DR. BENJ. HUNT was a son of Moses Hunt, of Long Reach, East Chester, and resided on the road to Bed- ford and Vermont, at the corner of the road to Mile Square, where Abraham Valentine lived, in 1797. Dr. Hunt's daughter married Lancaster Underhill.

DR. JACOB SHAW .- At the breaking out of the Revolution, Jacob Shaw was in King's College (now Columbia), having entered in 1774. The college buildings were taken for military purposes and in- structious were suspended. Alexander Hamilton was in the same class. Dr. Shaw married a daughter of Thomas Butler, of East Chester, and in 1788 is prae- ticing in the town.

DR. JOHN G. WRIGHT was a son of Dr. Thomas Wright, and during the Revolution served in the medical department of the Continental army. He was, until his death, a physician of the town. Dr. Wright, it is said, was especially fortunate in his treatment of cancer sore throat. Dr. Wright was Supervisor of East Chester in 1793 and 1794. He was also a Trustee and Vestryman of St. Paul's Church.

DR. JOSEPH HUNT came hither, it is said, from the South, and settled in the upper part of the town. In 1810, at town-meeting, he was paid "$4.37} for attend- ance on Brown's wife."

DR. MOULTON was a native of New Hampshire, studied medicine at Dartmouth College, and was licensed in the city of New York, but settled in East Chester, Nov., 1819, where he obtained an extensive practice, extending to the ueighboring towns. He was an Inspector of common sehools in the town. He re- inoved his home in 1835 to New Rochelle, but to the day of his death practiced in East Chester.

DR. GERSHOM B. WEED was born in Danbury, Conn., in 1809, whence his father, but a few years after, removed to Scarsdale. In 1838 he entered upon the labors of his profession at East Chester, where lie mnet with immediate and increasing appreciation. Dr. Weed took a deep interest in the schools of the town, of which he was elected for several years an inspector, and afterwards superintendent. He was well known and influential in the counsels of the Democratic party of Westchester County. He died in 1881.

DR. - BRINCKERHOOF, who was a physician of great prominence in East Chester, left the town and went to California during the gold fever, but returned and practiced at New Rochelle, where he died.

DR. JOSEPH S. GREGORY was born in Florida, Orange County, N. Y., on the 13th of October, 1824. After graduating at Princeton College, N. J., in 1844, he commenced the study of medicine under the celebrated Dr. Willard Parker, attending also the lectures in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, from which, in due time, he received his diploma. He removed to East Chester in 1849.

For thirty-three years, over this town's hills and valleys, in heat and cold, often in rudest storms, at every hour of night as well as day, Dr. Gregory car- ried on the duties of his vocation, and gained that ii .- 66

popularity and fame to which faithful service gives just title. Dr. Gregory was a careful and successful practitioner, a conseientious Christian, an upright and active eitizen. In 1853 he was Superintendent of com- mon schools and at a later period President of the Board of Education of District No. 4.

DR. ARNOLD NAUDAIN, a native of the State of Delaware, and graduate of the University of Penn- sylvania, came to this town in the year 1852, and soon became distinguished for his great ability and success as a physician and surgeon. Upou the death of his unele, of the same name, he succeeded to his practice at West Farms, to which place he removed, to the great regret of his numerous friends and patients.

DR. HENRY C. JONES is a native of East Hartford, Conn., where he enjoyed the advantages of its Eng- lish and Classical High School. Dr. Jones studied medicine in Hartford, and graduated from the Wor- cester Medieal College. In the fall of 1856 he came to Mount Vernon, where he lias been engaged, until within a year, in the practice of his profession. Dr. Jones is a member of the " Westchester Homoeopathic Medieal Society " aud the "American Institute of Homeopathy," and has beeu for many years physician to the Luthieran Orphan Farm School, of this town.

DR. CHARLES J. NORDQUIST was born at Gotten- burg, Sweden, July 16, 1821 ; graduated from the University of Upsal, aud from the Medieal Depart- ment of the University of the City of New York. In 1857 he became a resident of Tuekahoe, and has been a very useful and popular physiciau. At the begin- ning of the Civil War Dr. Nordquist entered the army of the Union, and after rapid promotion became surgeon-in-chief of the Second Division, Fifth Army Corps. Resuming his practice he was elected coroner.

DR. WILLIAM M. DORRAN was a native of Ireland, and was born in the year 1831. His earlier years of manhood were spent in mercantile life ; but, under aspirations for professional usefulness, he entered the Thirteenth Strect College Medieal School, from which he graduated in 18 -. At the commencement of the Civil War he placed himself under the orders of the general government, and in 186- was in charge of the Hospital at Little Roek, Ark. After the war he prae- ticed in this town until his death in 1884.

DR. WILLIAM MURPHY was born in Ireland in 1811 ; eame to this country in boyhood; graduated in 1832 from the New York County Medical Society ; and settling in New York City, successfully carried on his practice for thirty-three years, for two of whiel (1864-66) he was Health Commissioner. In 1866 Dr. Murphy removed to Chappaqua, and iu 1872 to Mount Vernon, where, with great acceptableness aud benefit to many families, he continues his career of usefulness.

DR. - CASWELL practiced medicine in East Ches- ter for several years, and then removed to New York, where he now resides and has a lucrative practice.

DR. THOMAS F. GOODWIN, born in New York City in 1855, is a graduate of the College of the City of

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

New York and of the University Medical College. He removed to Mount Vernon in 1880, succceding to the practice of Dr. Gregory, an unele by marriage.

DR. ARCHIBALD M. CAMPBELL settled in Mount Vernon in 1876. He is of English birth, a graduate of Columbia College of the year 1865, from which he received his Master's degree in 1868. Dr. Campbell's medical diploma is from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York. He is visiting physician of the Home of Ineurables, and has held the position of President of the Medical Society of Westehester County. He removed into this town in 1876.

DR. EDWARD F. BRUSH was born in Ireland in 1847 ; served in the late Civil War as a private in the Sixteenth Maine Volunteers ; was licensed to practice pharmaey, in 1872, by New York Board of Pharmacy ; and graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medieal Col- lege in 1875. Dr. Brush is the present Health Officer of the town of East Chester, and also of the village of Mount Vernon. He has also been lately President of the Medical Society of the county, and surgeon of Butler Post No. 32, G. A. R.

DR. WILLIAM F. GREENE, born at New Ro- chelle, is a graduate of the College of the City of New York (1875) and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York (1878). After spending one year in Bellevue Hospital, four in practice in New York City and one year in Hainsburg, N. J., he came, in 1884, to Mount Vernon.

DR. STUART B. CARLISLE was born in the city of New York May 3, 1848 ; received his academic edu- cation in the New York City College, and graduating at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in March, 1881, commenced here the practice of medicine. He is a member of the Westchester County Medical So- eiety, and Surgeon of the Eleventh Separate Company.

DR. NATHAN NUTTING was born in Maryland on the 5th of August, 1846, and is a graduate of the New York Homeopathie College. In 1883 he removed to Mount Vernon; succeeding to the practice of Dr. Jones, who is retiring from duty. He also has in charge the Orphan Asylum at Union Corners.

DR. JOHN Q. A. HOLLISTER was born at Warsaw, N. Y., in 1839. In 1862 he graduated from Hamilton College, New York, and entered the army in the war against the Rebellion, where he rose to the rank of cap- tain of Co. E, Forty-second New York Infantry. In 1868 he graduated from the Eelectie Medical College of Cincinnati. After practicing medicine in Brockton, N. Y., and West Liberty, Iowa, he removed, in 1879, to Mount Vernon.

FAMILIES.

PINKNEY .- This family, at the first, was the lead- ing one of the town. Philip Pinkney, the original patentee and settler, was regarded with great defer- ence and respect in the management of affairs, and his son Thomas, who was styled "Justice Fowler," succeeded to much of his dignity and influence. The estate extended west from the Hutchinson's River to

the road to White Plains, and along it for one-half mile above and below Ann Hook's Brook, which runs across that old highway into Hutchinson's River. Jonathan, son of Thomas, first married a Ward, and then into a Dutch family. His children were in middle life at the commencement of the Revolution, and removed to Nova Scotia. Thomas, the eldest son of Justice Pinkney, and who survived the war, had a number of children, who intermarried in East Chester,-his eldest son, Thomas, with the Briggs family, Israel with the Rich, Philip and Wil- liam with the Townsend, Jemima with the Ward. Phœbe married Thomas Fowler and Sarah married John Williams.

William Pinkney's wife, whose Christian name was Freelove, sympathized, in pronounced manner with her brother, Daniel Townsend, in his strong patriotic feelings, and so much so, that the difference between herself and husband was notorious at the time. Their son Henry, who was killed during the war, had a son William, well known in New York, whose son William is a resident of New Rochelle, where he has been, for many years, Justice of the peace. Micajah, brother of Henry, resided in New York City, as did also his sons, much respected, -William T., James W., Isaae M., Abraham C., Joshua G., Alexander R. and Thomas C.

DRAKE .- This family, one of the most distinguished in the town and county, is descended from Samuel Drake, who had three sons and several daughters. Samuel, the second son, remained in Connecticut. The rest of the children emigrated, with their father, to East Chester. In the laying out of the land voted by the town from time to time, in the settling of dif- ficulties between the freeholders, and in the neces- sary interviews with the Governor, and in the com- missions from him, the services of Samuel Drake and his two sons, John and Joseph, appear to have been most valuable. John Drake was a member of the New York Assembly. The family continued, through the colonial period, to hold its position of honor and trust. In the Revolution, Colonel Joseph Drake was one of the most ardent patriots and one of the most brave and efficient officers of the war. The poet, Joseph Rodman Drake, Charles Drake, an eminent eity physician, and the two aldermen, James and Elias G., have still further contributed to keep up the distinetion of the family.

FOWLER .- This family was early spread over a large portion of the town. In the poll-list of 1725, of sixty-nine votes given, thirteen bear the name of Fowler. Henry, Moses, John, Jonathan, Solomon, Thomas, Theodosius and Philemon are well known in the history of the town. The family intermarried with the Pell, Pinekney, Hunt and Lawrence families.

WARD .- The name of Ward, which, indeed, is not found in the first book of minutes, and which is, in this neighborhood, almost altogether unknown at this day, was, during the eighteenth, and the first half of

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EAST CHESTER.

the nineteenth centuries, that of the strongest family in the town of East Chester. Edmund Ward is one of the patentees of the Long Reach grant, fifty acres of which he had been anthorized, in 1700, to buy from the Indians and possess. His son Edmund was the colonial member of Assembly, and his two grand- sons were distinguished in the Revolution,-Edmund

PHILEMON H. FOWLER.

for his inflexible self-sacrifice and loyalty and Steplien for his services in the patriot cause. Charles Ward and Jonathan Ward, sons of Stephen, rose to offices of influence and honor in the town. Stephen Ward, son of Jonathan, in 1826, '27 and '28, was clected su- pervisor. A third branch of the Ward family for a number of years held positions of usefulness. The representative of this branch was Isaac Ward, who died in 1826.

HUNT .- This is indeed a family of the town of Westchester, and yet quite early members of it set- tled in this town. James Hunt was one of the first supervisors of East Chester after the Revolution. Is- rael resided at Long Reach, as did afterwards his son Joshua, lately deceased. Nehemiah Hunt married Anna Lawrence, and had ten children, the seventh of whom, Aaron, married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Fowler, and had several children, among whom was Theodosius, whose son is Stephen Pell Hunt, at pres- ent an active citizen of the town. Basil Hunt, the eighth child of Nehemiah, had several children, among whom were Richard, father of Mrs. Coffin, and George R. and James O). Hunt. Another child of Basil Hunt was Mrs. Elizabeth Duryea, whose sur- viving daughters are Mrs. States Briggs and Mrs. Lewis Rich. Nehemiah Hunt's third child, Anna, married Carrington Wilson, whose surviving daugh- ter resides in Mount Vernon.

Dr. Benjamin Hunt was a son of Moses, of Long Reach, East Chester, who was a son of Josiah, com- inonly called Grove Josiah, whose father, Josiah, was son of Thomas, who removed from Rye to Westches- ter somewhere about 1667.

MORGAN .- James Morgan, from Wales, settled in East Chester, near the Wartburg Orphan Asylum, in the early part of the cighteenth century. No trace can be found of any close relationship between him and Rev. Joseph Morgan, the Congregational minis- ter of East Chester. James Morgan was elected col- lector of the town in 1718. From his two sons, Caleb and Charles, descended a family whose member-, for a century and upwards, largely contributed to the prosperity of the town and were associated with its official duties. Six of the most comfortable homes and most extensive and best cultivated farms of East Chester were for many years occupied by the Mor- gans. It is an indication of the almost entire change which the population of East Chester has undergone in thirty-five years that not one of those houses are now so inhabited, and that but one of them is owned by a descendant of the first James Morgan.

LAWRENCE .- Isaac Lawrence was brought by his father, Isaac, from Long Island to East Chester in 1689, being then about two years old. His grandson, Thomas (son of Isaac), married Martha Hunt, and resided on the place afterwards the property of Moses P. Prout, on the White Plains road. His son Jesse's daughter, Mary, married Philemon H. Fowler. His grandson, Augustus (son of Aaron), a lame man, who married Elizabeth Heustis, and who occupied a number of positions of public trust, and was well known as "Gus Lawrenec," was sexton of St. Paul's Church and church-yard from 1824 to 1842.

BUILDINGS.

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH .- The erection of this church was commeneed in 1764, and at the end of three years it was inclosed Work was not resumed on it until 1787. It is a solid structure of stone in rubble, withi brick quoinings, having a square tower surmounted by an octangular cupola. The highest stage and lan- tern are of wood and were an addition made in 1818. It is a matter of satisfaction here to record that these are to be shortly rebuilt in stone, and will here- after be a witness of the interest in this house of God of Miss Martha Wilson, who desires, also, that the name of her sister, Miss Harriet Wilson, be associated with this recollection of devotion to God and His church.

The great strength of the masonry of this building was realized when, some twenty years ago, two blasts of gunpowder were employed without dam- age to make an aperture through its walls. On the front of the tower, cut into the stone, are the fol- lowing letters, evidently the initials of three persons whose hearts the erection of the new church glad- dened : P. R. P., P. P. and L. V. Two of the names are detected-Philip Pell and Louis Vincent. It is a curious fact that the funds necessary in the construe- tion of what in its day was an ambitious edifice were partly obtained by publie lottery, a commou mode at the time of raising money for purposes of general

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

necessity. The conversion of this building in the Revolution into an hospital, during the British occu- pation of the town, gives it peculiar interest. The sufferings here endured, and the many deaths within its walls would, independent of its subsequent higher conseeration, diffuse around it all the odor of sanctity. It is possible that occasional religious services may have been held here between 1783 and 1787,-such, for instance, as that conducted by the Rev. Benja- min Moore, afterwards Bishop of New York, who came up, it is said, from the city and preached from a hogshead, with this suggestive text: " Let your mod- eration be known unto all men." However, in the month of June, 1787, the building found an import- ant use in the session in it of the Court of Oyer and Terminer, Chief Justice Richard Morris presiding.1 The celebrated Colonel Aaron Burr appeared as one

HALSEY HOUSE. A part of which was the original Vincent House.

of the counselors of this court in several of the cases before it, the most notable of which was that of Isa- mer Granger, charged with horse-stealing, who was, notwithstanding the efforts of his able defender, con- victed and sentenced to death. Soon after the ad- jourment of this court the necessary additions and improvements to the building were commenced, which fitted it for its intended religions service. It was not consecrated, however, until 1805.

In 1853 a chancel was built, which, as yet, serves only for vestry-room and Sunday-school purposes.

A painting of conceded merit hangs on the walls of this church, which is described by the artist himself as follows: "An oil painting, the subject of which is Paul before Felix; the time chosen is when 'Felix trembled.' There are six figures a little larger than life. The size of the picture is twelve feet high by nine feet wide, painted expressly for the church by F. W. Edmonds." In the tower hangs the old bell, which was cast in the White Hall Chapel Foundry, London, at the order and cost of the second colonial rector. It bears the following legend : "The gift of the Rev. Thomas Standard, 1758. Lester & Peck, fecit."

HALSEY MANSION .- This house at the Revolution was the property of the Vincents, the smiths of the village of East Chester, who were greatly respected. The violent death of one of them, in consequence of his devotion to religious duty, makes this spot saered. An American officer, who insisted upon the shoeing of his horse on Sunday, was as resolutely refused. The angry officer, with his sword, struek Gilbert Vincent to the ground. His brother Elijalı took a commis- sion with the enemy, and be- came the terror of American officers in this region. This place is also notable as the residence of Colonel W. S. Smith, a son-in-law of Presi- dent John Adams. Mrs. Smith (" Abigail Adams ") was a lady of great beauty .? Colonel Smith had been an officer of distinction in the Revolutionary army, lieuten- ant-colonel of the Thirteenth Massachusetts Regiment and aid to Washington. He had also been Secretary of Legation in England in 1785, and in 1789 United States mar- shal at New York. In 1804 he was president of New York Cincinnati, and from 1813 to 1816 member of Congress. During his residenee at East Chester he became involved with his son in the celebrated Mi- randa expedition. It is not at all improbable that its details were planned in this house. While the vel- low fever was reigning in Philadelphia, then the seat of government of the United States, President Adams and family made their home at East Chester. A num- ber of letters were here written by Mr. Adams, mainly with reference to the propriety of calling the next Congress to meet in New York City. The fol- lowing letter is selected :

1 On the 5th of July the Rev. Dr. Cutler, passing on his way to New York, writes-"At East Chester saw n Stone Church which was greatly injured by the British troops ; the windows, which were remarkable for their size, were taken out und destroyed, and have not since been re- placed. '- Vive Yok Heteraal Mage.me, June, 1513.

2 Griswold's " Republican Court "

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EAST CHESTER.

" EAST CHESTER, 12th of October, 1797.

" To T. PICKERING, SEC. OF STATE.

" DEAR SIR :

!' I arrived here at Col. Smith's last night with my family and I shall make this house my home till we can go to Philadelphia with Safety. . . . . If you address your letters to me at East Chester and recom- mend them to the care of Charles Adams, Esq., at New York, I shall get them without much loss of time, but if a mail could be made up for East Chester, they might come sooner. I know not whether this can be done without appointing a postmaster at this place, and I know of no one to recommend. I shall divide my time between New York and East Chester till the meeting of Congress.

" With great regard, &c., "JOHN ADAMS, "1

Colonel Smith's family remained at this house for many years. It was a singular eoineidence that the body of President Adams' grandson, George Wash- ington Adams, drowned in Long Island Sound in 1829, should have floated into East Chester Creek, and been recovered by one of the Wardens of St. Paul's Church. The mother of the young man, Mrs. John Quincy Adams, presented St. Paul's Church a silver cup in recognition of the service rendered her.

It is also to be remembered that the bell, with the Prayer-Book (1715) and Bible (1758) of St. Paul's Church, were buried in these grounds for safe keeping during the Revolution. (For a thrilling story,“ The Whispering Bell," based upon this faet, see Holden's Magazine, April, 1848.)

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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 173

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