USA > New York > Westchester County > Tarrytown > Souvenir of the revolutionary soldiers' monument dedication, at Tarrytown, N.Y. October 19th, 1894; > Part 16
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The names of Solomon and Isaae Yerks appear among the soldiers of the French war 1759-61, from this Manor. In the eensus of Mt. Pleasant for ISo1, the following appear : John Yerks son of John, William Verks son of William, William Yerks son of John, and John son of William. Doubtless most of these were Revolutionary soldiers.
Jolin Yerks, Jr., makes the following statement in his endorse- ment of the application of Mary Dean, widow of Sergt. John Dean, for a pension, date of April 24, 1837 :
"John Yerks, of the town of Mt. Pleasant, County of West- chester, being duly sworn saith that he was 77 years of age on the 11th day of November last. That he lived with his father at the beginning of the Revolutionary war, about one mile nortli of the house of Joseph
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Youngs, where the Americans generally kept their headquarters. That some time about the 23d of September, 1780, Jolin Dean, together with the deponent, and John Paulding, Isaac Van Wart, David Williams, Abraham Williams, James Romer and Isaac Sce, being on a scouting party between the American and British out-posts, proceeded near to the old Post Road, or what was then called the North River Road, near Tarrytown. That their object was to intercept droves of cattle that were frequently stolen and drove to the British troops. That the party there halted, and the better to effect their object, mutually agreed to separate. The said Jolin Dean, James Romer, Abraham Williams and Isaac See, and the deponent, undertook to watch the private road about one-quarter of a mile cast of the said Post Road, and Isaac Van Wart, John Paulding and David Williams were to remain on or near the old Post Road. That a short time after the said party had so separated, Isaac Van Wart, John Paulding and David Williams joined the others of the party on the top of the hill with a prisoner who called himself John Anderson. The prisoner when taken had a horse, saddle and bridle, a gold watch and some money. That thic whole of said party immediately procecded with said prisoner to Col. Jameson's quarters, who then commanded on the lines, and delivered lini into his custody with a number of papers found concealed about him. That the said prisoner was discovered to be Major John Andre who was executed as a Spy a few days afterwards."
Jolın Yerks, Jr., in his application for a pension dated Sept. 3d, 1832, says that hic enlisted about the first of March, 1776, in Capt. Wmn. Dutcher's Co., at Tarrytown ; helped to construct Ft. Independence ; then at Dobbs Ferry until the battle of White Plains ; after that at Peckskill, and then at Dobbs Ferry until the expiration of his term of enlistment. In March, 1778, enlisted in Capt. Sybert Acker's Co., was quartered at Peter and Cornelius Van Tassel's till June. In Feb., 1779, enlisted in Capt. Gilbert Dean's Co. of Rangers, and was stationed at Young's House, the Dutcher house, and the Acker house, on or near the lines. In July he was in an expedition to the southern part of the County, and in a skirmish with the enemy at Tucky-ho, in which he was wounded in the thigh, and at the expiration of his term was honor- ably discharged at Tarrytown. Was in Capt. Jesse Baker's Co., Han- mond's Regt., from May, 1779, to May, 1780, during which he was stationed at Philipsburgh and Bedford. That he assisted in the Cap- ture of Andre, as set forth in the following :
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That when the said Van Wart, Paulding, and Williams, who had remained upon the highway, joined your petitioner and his company and brought Major Andre a prisoner with them, Paulding said, "We have taken a prisoner, and have searched him and found papers in his boots, and we do not know what to do with him." Whereupon your petitioner observed, "Let us take him a prisoner to Gen. Washington." Major Andre then said he would give us any sum of money if we would release him, but his offers were rejected by us, and we proceeded with him to the quarters of Col. Jameson, an officer of the American any.
Jolin Yerks made another statement date of Nov. 12, 1845, from which the following is copied : "I am now 87 years old. Six of us started from North Salem, being at that time either volunteers in the service, or eight months' men. At Cross River we were joined by David Williams. We then passed Rundell's Mills on Cross River and so through Bedford to where Union Village now stands and stopping at the Widow Anderson's, inquired for news. She informed us that she had just come up from Morrisania, 'where there appeared to be great commotion among the British troops. We then proceeded about three-fourths of a mile further towards Tarrytown, and after resting awhile in a hay barrack, resumed our march and arrived in the night at Jacob Romner's, situated a quarter of a mile from the White Plains and Tarrytown Road, where we took supper. We then took advice and held a council of war. That night we passed at Jacob Romer's, and having matured all our plans rose early in the morning. We then took our stations, Paulding, Williams; and Van Wart watching the Post Road and the other four ambushing the Refugee's path. It was about ten or eleven when Maj. Andre was taken, and his captors soon joined us at our station when we all proceeded with the prisoner to Jacob Romer's where we partook of some refreshments, Andre refusing to eat or drink anything ; seemed unwilling to talk and desirous of being alone. Before starting on the expedition, we had applied to Capt. Baker and our other commanding officers, and they had full knowledge of and approved our enterprise.
Jolın Verks, Sr., in his will dated Jan'y 13, 1795, gave to his wife Susannah, sons John, Jr., James, Peter, William, and daughters Sarah, Abbe, Elizabeth, Susannah, Jean, Eve, and Mary. His grave is in the old Dutch Churchyard. John, Jr., was buried at Unionville. Geo. W. Yerks of Albany, is a great-grandson of William Yerks through John Foshay Yerks, late of Unionville, and Win. Henry Yerks. Super- visor Elijah W. Yerks, of Yonkers, is of this family, through his father
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Elijah and grandfather William who was a grandson of Jolin Yerks, Sr. Moses Yerks of Tarrytown, and Mr. Verks of Neperan are also of this same family.
The See Family.
Riker says in his history of Harlem, "The See family, whose name is carly recorded, takes the several forms of Cie, du Cie, Sieck, Zy, and Sie. Consisted, so far as appears, of Isaac See and wife Esther, their son Isaac, Jr., and daughter Marie, wife of Nicholas de Vaux. The wife of Isaac, Jr., was also named Maric. The Sees obtained two farins, 194 acres, on Karles Neck, Staten Island, by patent of Sept. 29, 1677, but after living there for some years, they removed to Philipse Manor, the father and son appearing as church members at Sleepy Hol- low (the old Dutch Church), in 1697. Isaac and Marie bad son Peter born in Europe who married Pizonella, Jacobus b. 1675, Simon b. 1679, and other children. The family is still numbered among the miost respectable residents there, and from the several branches have been a number of well-known clergymen." From the same source it is learned that the De Voe family removed to Philipse Manor with the Sees. 'The before mentioned Peter See had son Isaac born 1703 who married Eve Foshay and had son, Peter, who was probably the Peter See whose name appears on the list of Revolutionary soldiers. The direct connection of the other members of the See family who were patriot soldiers with the ancestral trec, has not been traced. It is only known of their service that one of them, Isaac, was of the party on the hill to the eastward at the time of the capture of Andre, and that Sergt. Isaac, possibly the same man, or it may have been that the former was Isaac, Jr., and the latter, Isaac, Sr., was at one time a prisoner in New York. David, James, Isaac, Peter and John See took title to various lands from the Commissioners of Forfeiture. The See family is claimed to be of French Huguenot origin.
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Wm. Davids.
How and Where He was Wounded.
The following account of the wounding of William Davids, and some mention of the Davids family will be of interest here :
I do hereby certify, that. William Davids, a private of my Regi- ment of Militia, was employed as a Guide in the year 1779, and when near Verplanck's Point was taken by the enemy when on service, and wounded so as to be left for dead ; and that on account of said wounds lie is now unable to labor for liis subsistence. Given this 12th day of June, 1782.
JAS. HAMMOND, Lieut .- Col.
To All Whom it may Concern :
Be it known, that on the 19th of July, 1779, William Davids was left on the ground near Croton River wounded in a most shocking man- ner in both body and limbs, with both baul (sic) and bayonet, to the number of eighteen or nineteen wounds, having lost a considerable part of the bone of his left arm, also having a tendon wounded in his left thigh, has left him with lameness of left leg, and being thereby incapa- ble of getting support by labor.
Certified to at Crompond, this 21st day of June, 1782. EBENEZER WHITE, Surgeon. By his Excellency, George Clinton, Governor of the State of New York :
These may certify, that satisfactory proof has been shown to me that William Davids, a private of Lieut. - Col. Hammond's Regiment of Westchester Militia of this State, employed as a Guide to the Division of the Army of the United States under the command of Major General Howe, in the month of July, 1779, and being out with a party of Militia near Verplanck's Point, was wounded by the enemy with balls and
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bavonets, both in the body and limbs, in such manner as to be left for dead on the field ; which wounds have so disabled him as to prevent his gaining a livelihood by labor, and I am of the opinion that an cxeep- tion should be made in his favor, and an exemption granted him from doing guard or garrison duty, he having a family and being otherwise peculiarly circumstanced. Given under my hand and seal this 22d day of June, 1782.
GEORGE CLINTON.
Interest in that tragic event is increased by the fact that this William Davids was a son of William Davids, Esq., long a Justice of the Peace on this Manor, Supervisor, and one of its most prominent and
OLD DAVIDS-STEPHENS HOUSE.
respected citizens, whose home was the present Stephens place, on the old County House Road, the house still standing that was there during and prior to the Revolution, and now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. James ' Hawes, she being a lincal deseendant of William Davids, Sr., who was born Nov. 6, 1707, and died Sept. 11, 1787. He had married Nov. 10,
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1733, Nellie Storms, who dicd 1794. Their son William, of the Revo- lution, was baptised 1735.
The old Davids-Stephens house, a picture of which herewith appears, has additional interest from the fact that Washington once held a Council of War in it, and breastworks were thrown up on the grounds adjoining on the west, overlooking the river.
As to the origin of the family, the descendants of William Davids, Sr., claim Dutch ancestry, which claim is substantiated beyond doubt by the fact that the old family records are in Dutch ; probably the descendants of Win. Davids who was a large taxpayer in Flatlands, L. I., as early of 1683.
The Youngs Family.
Joseph Youngs of the historic Youngs House noted as the headquarters on the American lincs for so long a period, and until'its destruction on Feb. 3, 1790, after which it was known as Youngs' "Burnt House," was a Justice of the Peace, and a Member of the Committee of Public Safety, as well as a member of Captain Gabriel Requa's Company of Militia, and was a man of consequence before the Revolution, his family among the foremost on the Manor. He was cap- tured in the raid made by Major Bearmore upon his house on the 25th of December, 1778, and remained a prisoner until the 25th of September, 1779. The Youngs family had social prominence in the neighborhood. They had come from Great Neck, L. I., after 1760.
Lieutenant Samuel Youngs, the son of Joseph Youngs, Esq., was a very interesting character. During the early part of the war he was a volunteer in various companies, did service as a guide, and in 1782 was commissioned as Lieutenant in a company attached to Sheldon's Dragoons. Being much about the headquarters at his father's house he was familiar with army movements in this locality, and in later years, was a solicitor of pensions for the Revolutionary soldiers of this vicinity, lie became, to a large degrec, their unconscious historian, as the files of old papers in the Pension Office at Washington give abundant testi-
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mony. After the war he taught seliool, studied law, was a meniber of Assembly, served several terms as Surrogate of Westehester County and was a Master of Chancery. His later life was spent at Tarrytown, where he died unmarried, Sept. 12, 1837, in liis 77th year. It is elaimed by some that he was the actual "Ichabod Crane" of Irving's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
The Wildey Family.
The Wildey family, prominent at this place in the early days, was descended from Thios. Wilde, who probably came here from Mama- roneek, though of a still earlier date, (1698) the names of Thos. Wilde and Elizabeth his wife appear in a census of Flushing, L. I. Quite likely the father and mother of Thomas Wilde of Philipse Manor. This Thomas is said to have been killed at the Battle of White Plains. He made his will, date of Oet. 7, 1776, and it showed him to be possessed of a eou- siderable estate. The farm, consisting of 262 aeres, comprising thie present Benedict-Cobb estate and other lands adjoining, after the Revo- lution came into the possession of his sons-in law Col. Hammond and Capt. Geo. Comb, who were his executors. He left sons, Griffin, Joseph, Jacob, Caleb, Thomas and John, and daughters Nencia, wife of Col. Hammoud, Elizabeth, (wife of Capt. Comb,) and Sarah.
Thomas Wildey, Jr., (as the name is now written) had a son William who had Win. H. Wildey, now of Peekskill. Caleb Wildey, son of Thomas, Sr., lived in a house on the site of the Bull place, eor- ner of Wildey St. and Broadway. He married Deborah MeKcel and had son Pierre who married Mary Ann Mandeville and had Pierre W. Wildey, Esq., of New York. Caleb also had sons Caleb, Jr., and Elisha. A daughter married the late Henry L. Haight, and he and Pierre Wildey, the father of Pierre W., were in business here for many years and were well known and influential members of the old Point Doek Regeney. Saralı, another daughter of Caleb, Sr., married Jasper Odell and was so the mother of Jolin J. Odell of Tarrytown.
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The Romer Family.
Mrs. Charity Tompkins, in an interview, date of Aug. 31, 1847, gives the following sketch of the Romer family, carly of this vicinity : "Old Mr. (Jacob) and Mrs. Romer, parents of John Romer, came from the same parish, or village, in Switzerland, and had become attached to each other in early infancy ; she the daughter of a farmer, and he the son of a tailor, and a tailor himself. When grown up they wanted to marry, but her parents refused consent. They then determined to seek their fortunes in America, and left their native place together. When they arrived at New York she had money to pay her passage, while his means were exhausted. He was about to sell himself for a time, as the custom then was, when she said, 'You can earn money to purchase miy freedom sooner than I can yours. Let me be sold then and you work at your trade until you can carn enough to buy my time, when we will marry.' He consented to this arrangement and paid for his passage with her money, while she was sold. When he had carned sufficient, her freedom was bought," and so they were married, Aug. II, 1754. Her name was Frena Haerlanger.
'This Jacob had three sons, Jolin, James and Hendrick, all of whom were Revolutionary soldiers. The latter, born 1755, afterwards removed to Cortlandt town, where he died 1808, leaving descendants by two marriages. John married Lea, the only daughter of Cornelius Van Tassel, as already stated in the story of that family. James Romer was one of those who made up the party at the time of capture of An- dre, but the following account is given by John, who was afterwards known as Capt. John Romer: "The captors of Andre stopped at iny
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father's in the morning before day and took breakfast, and took a din- ner, prepared for them by my mother, in a pewter basin and basket. They stopped a while upon the hilloek cast of the road and north of the brook, and there took their repast ; afterwards erossed the road and when they captured Andre were south of the brook. After the eapture they forgot all about the basket and basin, but on arriving at our house deseribed where they had left thein and I was sent for and found them on the above-mentioned hilloek. (That basin is still in existenee in the hands of J. C. L. Hamilton, a grandson of John Romer.) Pauld- ing returned from the eapture in advance of the rest. My mother was a very warm Whig. Paulding said to her, 'Aunt Fanny, take earc what you say now ; I believe we've got a British offieer with us.' There was a eart road leading from James Requa's to Isaac Read's tay- ern, though I think Andre went on by Requa's to wliere Peter See's store is, and so towards Tarrytown. My father's house was about a quarter of a mile from the White Plains and Tarrytown road, and a mile from the Post road. (It was located near the pump house of the Tarrytown Water Works.) The brook where Andre was taken was called Clark's Kill. After his capture he was taken into the thicket on the cast side of the road and to the old white-wood tree, about one liun- dred and fifty yards from the brook near which he was taken, and it was under that tree that they searched him and discovered his papers.""
'Then there appears to have been another Hendriek Romer not the son of Jaeob and ealled Hendriek, or Henry, Sr. Perhaps a nephew or brother of Jacob. He had married Christiana, daughter of Peter Van Woermer, and lived on Beaver Mountain, east of the Saw Mill River Valley. The following notice of her was published in the West- chester Herald, date of Sept. 16, 1856, she having died Aug. 31st of that year, aged 104 years: "Mrs. Romer was seventeen years of age at the time of her marriage with Hendriek Romer. Her husband en- listed in the Continental army, leaving her with only a young brother and slave in charge of the farm. I shall never forget her manner when stating at the age of 100 years her baking operations for the enemy. (She did the baking unwillingly and under compulsion.) On one of these occasions she had eoneealed several Americans not far from the house, and while feeding the enemy remembered her friends. She rose up suffused with tears, and yet in langhter, as she said, 'While the , hungry dogs were eating I would now and then eateh up a loaf inder my short gown and nim round and throw it in to my men under the roeks.' Mrs. Romer's health was good almost to the last. She was
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very companionable with any who eould speak the Dutch language. Her Dutch Bible was ever near her, and she seemed to know its great truths as familiarly as she did her alphabet. Her funeral serviees were in the Church at Greenburgh, and her remains borne to the old burial- ground at the old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow."
Capt. Israel Honeywell.
The following letter from Capt. Israel Honeywell, Jr., to the N. Y. Convention, dated at Philipse Manor, Westehester Co., Mareh 28th, 1777, is copied from the original in the State Archives :
"'The situation of affairs in our country is truly deplorable. We have daily aeeounts of cattle being stole and drove downwards to support our eruel, mereiless and inveterate enemies, by our more than savage Tories, who have of late beeomne so insulting as to hiss at men passing, and several have been fired at in the road. Isaac Oakley, at the Plains, was robbed of 36 head of eattle the night before last. Last evening a number of our Guard went down below Peter Van Tassel's, consisting of Capt. Dean and 19 privates, and about 4 o'clock this morning were alarmed. A number of Regulars and Tories had come to Mr. Acker's, and were driving off all his stock, upon which a small skirmish ensued on their mareh to Mr. Van Tassel's, in which our men beat them off and saved the cattle. You have undoubtedly heard of Judge Thomas and Mr. Walter being taken prisoners and earried down. P. S .- The Tories are daily going down in droves, 31 went at one time."
A letter from Gen. Sam'l Parsons to Gen. Heath, dated Camp at the Highlands, Jan. 25, 1781, giving aceount of an expedition Jan. 22, 178I, to destroy "the Hutts in Morrisiana which covered the thieves assembled there under the direction of Col. DeLancey," says that "Capt. (Israel) Honeywell, who on this oeeasion had collected about seventy horsemen, was particularly serviceable."
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Capt. Honeywell was taken prisoner June 24, 1779 and exchanged Aug. 15, 1779. His house, whieli stood near the line between present Greenburgh and Yonkers, was burned beeause of his activity and efficieney as a Patriot offieer.
Israel Honeywell took title to two large farms from the Com- missioners of Forfeiture, the one of 270 acres, as previously possessed by him, and the other of 230 aeres formerly oceupied by Gilbert Pugs- ley. The lands were bounded on the west by the Saw Mill River, and adjoined the Jas. MeChain and the Col. John Odell farm on the east. Capt. Honeywell was a member of the County Committee, 1776-7, was one of the Justiees of the Peace of the Manor, and was Supervisor of the Yonkers preeinct 1784-5. Afterwards removed to Orange Co., where he was highly respected, and at his death was buried with military honors.
Capt. Oliver Ferris.
Capt. Oliver Ferris was born in Greenwich, Conn., Nov. 22, 1753, the son of Josiah, and through John, Jr., and John, was descended from Jeffrey Ferris, the ancestor of that family in this country. Oliver Ferris was married to Abigail, daughter of Enos Loekwood on the 10th of Feb., 1776, by the Rev. Blackleach Burritt, who, on the 17th of the following June was taken prisoner and carried away to be incarcerated in the old Sugar House Prison on aceount of his staunch patriotism. Captain Ferris did good service in the Conneetieut Militia, and after the Revolution came over to Tarrytown and purchased the historic Major Jacob Van Tassel place, the date of the transfer being March 31, 1802. He died Aug. 17, 1825, and his son, Benson Ferris, Sr., in 1835, sold the homestead, comprising ten aeres, to Washington Irving, who re-built it, and gave it the title of Wolfert's Roost. Mr. Benson Ferris, son of Benson, Sr., and grandson of Capt. Oliver Ferris, was born there. The records of the Pension Offiee at Washington show that Oliver Ferris enlisted May 10, 1775, and was in the expedition to Canada under Gen. Montgomery; was in Col. John Mead's Regt. from Aug. 14, to Sept. 25, 1776; in Col. Wooster's Regt, 1777; in 1778
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Quartermaster in Col. John Mead's Regt. ; March 9, 1779, appointe !! Commander of the war vessel "Wakeman"; July 4, 1781, commis. sioned Brigade Quartermaster of the 4th Brigade of Militia of the State of Connecticut. Widow applied for pension Feb. 18, 1837. He dica i11 August, 1825.
Capt. George Comb.
Captain George Comb was a brother-in-law of Colonel Hammond, they having married sisters, the daughters of Thos. Wildey. He was a Lieutenant and member of the County Committee, 1775 ; appointed Commissary July 16, 3776 ; and Captain in 1778. Was Justice of the Peace, Coroner, a member of the Assembly in 1800, and a prosperous inan of affairs. Lived at the present .Dean Corners on upper Mair St. Capt. Comb and Col. Hammond took title from the Commissioners of Forfeiture to the farm which had been occupied by their late father- in-law, Thos. Wildey, south of and adjoining Tarrytown, comprising 262 acres. Capt. Comb had sons William, George and Thomas, and five daughters, who mostly married and settled herc. He died May 2, 1827, in his 85th year. His wife was Elizabeth Wildey.
Capt. Jonas Orser.
Capt. Jonas Orser's application dated Aug., 1832, states that he was then a resident of Mt. Pleasant, and aged 88 years. In the years 1776-7 and up to the first part of 1778, when he rec'd his commission as Captain, he was a Lieut. in the Co. commanded by Capt. Abraham Ladieu ; in the month of July, 1776, at Tarrytown ; was called out at various timnes, in the years 1776, '77 and '78. Commissioned by Gov. Geo. Clinton, June 26, 1778 ; commission on file with his application for pension. Jonas Orser was elected Overseer of the Poor of the Manor in April, 1779. Elizabeth, wife of Capt. Jonas Orser died in 1826, aged 77 years, as is recorded ou hier memorial stone in the old Dutch Churchyard. He died July 7, 1834.
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