USA > New York > Westchester County > Tarrytown > Souvenir of the revolutionary soldiers' monument dedication, at Tarrytown, N.Y. October 19th, 1894; > Part 7
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THE CAPTURE OF MAJOR ANDRE.
It was the constant objeet of the commanding officer, Col. Jancson, to protect the whig families from the inroads, the ravages and robberies of the "cow-boys" and "skinners," at almost all times traversing the county, and pillaging from the inhabitants whatever they could take away ; and on one occasion, Mr. Dean was directed by him to set a guard at each of the roads west of the Sawmill river, and passing through the village and cast of Tarrytown. In performing this service, which he did wisely and promptly, it appears Mr. Deall was instrumentally connected with the capturc. of Andre, by assigning as he did, to those incorruptible men, Paulding, Williams and Van Wart, the post to guard on the road leading through the then sparsely settled village of Tarrytown ;- while he with John Yerks, James Romer, Isaac See and Abraham Williams took charge of the ridge road and the passes east of that point.
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When Andre was taken, it will be remembered, by the first named trio, they brought the prisoner at once to their comrades on the heights-and all together proceeded with him from thenee to the houses of Romer, Mrs. Read and Jolm Dean, where a horse was procured for him, and from thence the whole partry proceeded to Col. Jameson's quarters, where he was surrendered into the eustody of their superior officers. Sergt. John Dean, who took the lead in these matters, described Andre as a fine looking man, but at that time with a pale countenance, and depressed spirits ; Abraham Williams, who appears to have been the most talkative of any of the captors, kept questioning the prisoner about the adventures, and other matters, and thereby annoyed him very much. After proceeding thus for some time, Andre requested Sergt. Dean to shield him from these annoying questions, saying, "all will be explained when we reach the Colonel's quarters." He did restrain the men from any further unwelcome questions ; and soon after arrived at the aforcsaid head quarters in Northcastle. What took place there, and how the Spy was taken from there to another post in Salem, 12 or 15 miles further north, in this county, to prevent a recapture by Delancey's "Rangers," and his subsequent removal from thence to Washington's Headquarters, then at Tappan, in Rock- land County, where he was tried and executed, are well known matters of history by this community, and need not be detailed in this connec- tion. Sufficient for this occasion it is to say that when the importance of this arrest, and the magnitude of the interest involved in the defec- tion of Gen. Arnold, became known, Col. Jameson was directed to report the names of all the men concerned in the capture ; he of course, applied to Sergt. Dean, whom, as we see, he had directed to station the guards of the passes; and he, forgetting himself, returned only the names of the men he had placed upon that duty ; thus it was, as we are credibly informed, that Sergt. John Dean, although intimately eon- nected with a patriotic transaction which had shed so imperishable a halo of glory upon the memory of the actors in it, was not included by name with those whom the Nation has ever since delighted to honor, because of its important bearing upon the liberties of our country. Further reference is made to Sergt. Dean's connection with the capture of Andre in Lient. Samuel Youngs' statement endorsing the application of the widow Mary Dean for a pension.
The following ineident is of interest in that the incident referred to occurred on the day after Washington's memorable mareh through Tarrytown with the Continental army on the evening of July 2d, 1781,
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on their way if possible to surprise the British forces in New York. And it shows that Sergt. Jolin Dean was in the advance, in a position of trust and responsibility, that he was as ever in active service at the point of danger.
Philipsburgh, July 9. 179 !.
Certifies, that John Dean of Courtland's Manor, was a guide to a party of which i had the command on the morning of the 3d inst., near --- House, where said party was attacked by a superior number of the enemy, and that said Dean lost his horse. saddle and bridle, they being taken by the enemy and not by reason of any neglect of the said Dean. JOSEPH A. WRIGHT, Capt.
in the 2d Conn. Regt.
Head Quarters
I certify that Capt. Wright was in command of the advanced Picquet towards Phillipsburgh on the 3d inst. D. HUMPHREYS, Adi't Gon'l.
DEAN ROCK.
There was a large rock on the west side of and near the Saw Mill River, on the Widow Yerks' farm just adjoining his place, where he was wont to take his stand and on occasion secrete himself if necessary, and from which he would sally forth and attack the enemy, and which is called, "Dean Rock" until this day.
The instances of the brave and adventurous disposition of John Dean, the unpretentious hero before us, might be multiplied, or enlarged upon ; but these will suffice.
As to the subsequent life of Mr. Dean, it may be opportune
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and proper here to add, that though not rich, he had always been industrious and frugal, -living by his labor upon his paternal home as an agriculturist, and departed this life at an advanced age, lamented, loved and honored of all who ever knew him.
Lossing says in his Field Book of the Revolution :
While strolling among the ancient graves in Sleepy Hollow churchyard I was joined by an elderly gentleman, the son of John Dean of the Revolution. He pointed out a brown freestone at the head of his father's grave, on which is the following inscription :
"In memory of John Dean, born September 15th, A. D., 1755, and died April 4, A. D., 1817, aged 61 years, 6 months and 20 days."
"A tender father, a friend sincere, A tender husband slumbers here ; Then let us hope his soul is given A blest and sure reward in heaven."
He died in the Dean house on the corner of Broadway and Main Street, Tarrytown, which he had purchased from Capt. Geo. Combs.
His traits of character appear to have been sharply marked. Throughout his life, he was an earnest and ardent whig ; but a man of too few words ever to have won a place in carly politics. His war reminiscences, it is curious to note, were rarely related except to his immediate family circle.
STATEMENT BY LIEUT. SAMUEL YOUNGS.
The following statement made by Samuel Youngs, Esq., endors- ing the application of Mary Dean, widow of Sergt. John Dean, for a Pension, is herewith given entire, as covering in nearly full detail the various periods of general enlistment and mustering into service of the Militia of the Manor, as well as giving a vivid description of some scenes in which he was an active participant :
That in the summer of 1775, John Dean lived at the house of his father, Joseph Youngs ; that he enlisted in Lieut. Isaac Van Wart's Co. in Col. Holines Regt. and that after the Company was completed they embarked on board of vessels at Tarrytown, and sailed to the north- ward ; that he was present at the embarkation when they so went to reinforce Gen. Montgomery in the expedition against St. John's in Canada. That in the month of December, 1776, all the Continental troops having been withdrawn from what was then established as the American lines, which was from Tarrytown on the Hudson River east- wardly by the way of the house of Joseph Youngs and the White Plains
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to the East River, the inhabitants residing on these lines were left exposed to the plundering parties of the British Refugees, who with some British troops held possession of the southern part of the county. The Committee of Public Safety ordered out the Militia of that part of the county who belonged to Col. Hammond's Regiment, who were accordingly stationed, some of them at the house of said Joseph Youngs, on the Tuckahoe Road, and some of them at the houses of Peter Van Tassel and Cornelius Van Tassel on the Saw Mill River Road ; that about 120 of Col. Hammond's Regt. were continued in the American service on those lines from the beginning of Dec. 1776, until May, 1777. That the said John Dean was in the whole of that service and did duty as Sergeant of his Company. That in the month of May, 1777, a Regi- ment was raised in the county consisting of about 300 inen, and put under the command of Col. Hammond and Major Joseph Strang, and a Ranging Company commanded by Capt. Gilbert Dean ; that the term of that serve was three months, and that John Dean was then attached to Capt. Gilbert Dean's Company ; that after three months, when the balance of the Regiment was discharged, Captain Gilbert Dean's Com- pany of Rangers was still continued in the serviec.
That in the month of August, 1777, a Regiment of levies was raised in the Counties of Dutchess and Westeliester, consisting of about 500 men, and placed under the command of Col. Ludington and Lient. Col. Hammond, for the term of four months; that Col. Ludington's headquarters were at the house of Joseph Youngs, and that Capt. Gilbert Dean's Company was also continued in the service, but was under the immediate command of the Committee of Safety. In the month of November or December, Col. Ludington's Regiment was discharged, having served the period of their enlistment, and the defence of the American lines was again left entirely to the Whig inhabitants ; that Col. Hammond ordered out a part of his Regiment for the protection of those who were daily sustaining serious losses from the plundering British Refugees ; and these Lines were wholly defended at that period by the Whig Militia of Col. Hammond's Regiment, front October, 1777, to the beginning of May, 1778.
That sometime in March, 1778, Col. Emneriek, who commanded about 300 inen composed of British and Refugees, sent out Lieut. Alt- liouse with 32 men, to take and bring in the cattle of Joseph Youngs, and of other Whig inhabitants of that neighborhood. It was the prae- tice of the Militia, after keeping guard during the night, to return to their homes and attend to the necessary business of their farms. Col.
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Emerick having doubtless been informed of these praetiees was induced to make an effort to take their eattle in the daytime.
The deponent, Samuel Youngs, was entting wood about one- quarter of a mile from his father's, the said Joseph Youngs' house, when he was informed that a party of the British were approaching his said father's house. He immediately started for his home, but when lie had arrived within about 50 yards, he discovered the party of Alt- house driving the stock from the yard. Then he ran toward the house of Sergt. John Dean, whom he soon inet and informed him that the British were then driving off his father's eattlc. Dean was well armed, and told the deponent that he would find arms and ammunition at his house, and that in the incantime he would endeavor to get a shot at them. The deponent aeeordingly proceeded to Dean's house, and Mrs. Dean handed him three muskets and two bunehes of cartridges, while the enemy were within 300 yards of them. . That deponent then soon got to the south of Althouse's party of marauders, knowing where he should fall in with about twenty of the Militia ; during which time John Dean, Jaeob Acker and Hendriek Romer had attacked the enemy and eommeneed firing upon them. This alarmed the Militia so that when the deponent arrived at the house where they were stationed he found about 25 men ready for the contest, but without an officer to command them. The Militia eonecaled themselves behind a stone wall near the road that Althouse must pass with his men and the stock which he had taken. They were permitted to approach within about fifty yards before thic Militia opened fire. Althouse had divided his party, one part driving the stoek while the main party was approaching the stone wall. Before the main attaek was made John Dean and his companions, Jaeob Aeker and Hendtiek Romer, had commenced their attaek on the party driving the stoek and had killed a man named Mike Hart. Imic- diately after Hart fell wc opened fire, killing one and wounding threc. We then sprang over the wall to attack them with the bayonet. Alt- house gave us his fire as we were on the wall, by which John Bucannan was shot through the shoulder and Nicholas Banker through the thigh. Althouse immediately abandoned his plunder, and retreated. We were there joined by John Dean and his companions, and after a running figlit of about four miles, we succeeded in killing or taking Althouse and all of his men, except his Guide.
During the month of April, 1778, a Regiment was raised in the counties of Dutehess and Westehester for the terin of nine months, and placed under eonnnand of Col. Morris Graham, who so ordered the
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Militia on the Lines sometime in the first part of May 177S. Col. Graham also established his headquarters at the house of Joseph Youngs. and the provisions and other stores of this Regiment were kept at the store house of his father, the said Joseph Youngs, until some time after the battle of Monmouth, when Gen. Washington with his ariny arrived and encamped about S miles below the White Plains. That for the time Col. Graham's Regiment was stationed at his father's, Joseph Youngs', Jolin Dean performed the duties of Quarter Master for the said Regiment. In the month of August Gen. Washington removed the Continental Army from the County of Westchester, so that Col. Graham's Regiment was again left in charge of the Lines, and that Sergt. John Dean continued to aet as Quarter Masteruntil Christmas Eve of the year 1778, when the house was attacked by a superior foree of British Refu_ gees under command of Major Bearmore, and taken by storm. Two men were killed, and Capt. Williams and some of his men and Joseph Youngs were made prisoners, after which the remainder of the regiment which escaped returned to their homes.
The Militia residing on and near tlicse lines, were again ealled out and took position at that station until the middle of January, 1779, when Colonel Aaron Burr took command with about 500 Continental troops. A number of young men of that neighborhood enlisted to serve under him as horsemen at that time, of whom were the deponent and Sergt. Jolin Dean. Col. Burr was succeeded in. April, 1779, by Major Win. Hull, who was driven from those lines in June following, by a party of British Troopers under command of Col. Tarleton.
After the defeat and retreat of Hull, the Whig inhabitants of Col. Hammond's Regt. immediately formed themselves under some of the officers of said Regt. and for a time kept the plundering parties of Ref- ugees in cheek, until almost all the stock was driven back into the country for safety, when the Militia also had to retire over the Croton River. That Sergt. John Dean was then in service. That the deponent was a sergeant in Baker's Company of Hammond's Regt. That in the winter of 1780 the deponent engaged to serve as one of the Guides to the Continental Troops stationed on those lines. That some time in the month of September while the deponerit was a Guide to the Troops on those lines, and then under the command of Col. Jameson, whose headquarters were at a place called Mile Square in said County of West- chester, that about the 23d day of Sept., 1780, the deponent well recol- lects that the said Jolin Dean, Isaae Van Wart, David Williams, John Paulding, James Romer, Abraham Williams, John Verks and Isaac See,
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DANIEL ODELL ARCHER.
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arrived at the quarters of Col. Jameson, bringing with them a prisoner who said his name was John Anderson, together with a number of papers concealed in the boot of the prisoner at the time he was taken, and that a few days afterwards it was discovered that the prisoner was Major John Andre, Adjutant Gen'l. of the British Army, &e.
The above statement is dated June 1, 1837.
Mary, (b. 1756, d. 1846), the wife of John Dean, was the daughter of David and Mary (Gardinier) Storm. Their children were Mary, (b. 1777), inar. Isaae Hammond ; Susan, (b. 1779), mar. John Verks of Mt. Pleasant; Elizabetli, (b. 1782), mar. John Areher of Tarrytown, parents of President Daniel O. Areher of Tarrytown ; Armenia, (b. 1787), mar. Benjamin Roselle of Mt. Pleasant; Sarah, (b. 1789), mar. Oliver Westeott of Sing Sing; Charlotte, (b. 1797), mar. Daniel Odell; and Thomas, (b. 1794), :nar. Harriet, only dangliter of Samuel and Auley (Archer) Martine of Greenburglı.
Thomas, well known to the older residents of Tarrytown, died 1872. At the age of twenty-one he was the owner of a Sloop plying between Albany and New York. He was a lumber dealer, mereliant, a founder of the old Tarrytown Library, and the first Postmaster of 'Tarrytown, holding that office for twenty-oue years. He was also prominent among Free Masons, as one of the first in this eounty to attain the 32d degree. He was also one of the founders of King Solomon's Lodge.
Thomas Dean last referred to, had only one ehild, a son William Dean, Esq., who graduated at Columbia College 1855, and has a law offiee in New York; lives in Tarrytown. A son Bashford Dean is a grad- uate of tlie College of the City of New York, where for a time he was engaged as a tutor, and now lias the position of Professor of Biology at Columbia College, so rapidly has he been advaneed by reason of his high qualifications in the branches of study which he has made a specialty. He has twiee been abroad, onee as the special agent of the U. S. Commission of Fisheries, where he acquitted himself with honor. Professor Bashford Dean was recently married to Miss Dyekman, the daughter of Isaae M. Dyekman, Esq., of the old Kingsbridge Dyekman family. Win. Dean also has a son Thomas and a daughter Harriet M.
This mueh to show that Sergt. John Dean of the Revolution has posterity as well as aneestry. That there was eause for his being the hero and patriot that he was.
Capt. Gilbert Dean, who was the son of Isaae and brother of Thomas, senior, is said to have been a merchant at one time, probably
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prior to the Revolution, in New York, and had his residenee at the time of his Revolutionary serviee at or near Tarrytown. He was appointed a 2d Lieut. in the East Philipsburgh Company, Benjamin Vermilye Captain, Sept. 20, 1775; was made Ist Lieutenant, Oet. 23, 1776, and Captain in 1778. It is stated that at one time he entirely fitted out a Company at his own expense.
Two children were born to Capt. Gilbert Dean and Effie his wife; a son John, whose line seems to be extinet, and a daughter Emma who married Daniel Delanoy and lived at Sing Sing. A daughter and only ehild, Mary Ann Delanoy, married Isaae Nelson of Somers and Sing Sing, and so beeame the mother of Hon. Henry C. Nelson of that place and of David D. Nelson formerly of Sing Sing and now of New York, who has four sons and two daughters by a mar- riage with Sarah C. News of Cortlandt. Two of the sons are graduates of the College of the City of New York, one of whom, Dean Nelson, is a inember of the Society of the Sons of Revolution of New York. After the Revolution Capt. Dean was at one time Under Sheriff, was Keeper of the Jail, and Superintendent of the Poor of the County of Westchester.
It is said that when the British retreated from burning the chureh at Pound Ridge on July 2d, 1779, Capt. Gilbert Dean's wife, who was a sister of Col. Samuel Drake, armed with her husband's gun, attacked and made prisoner a Refugee (Tory) soldier, who lagged behind, as related by Mrs. Patty Holmes of that plaee, in Nov., 1844.
A silver smiff box that bears unmistakable evidence of having once been the property of Capt. Gilbert Dean is a prized keepsake in the possession of Mr. Daniel Delanoy Nelson, given him by his grandmother. Capt. Dean died about 1820, and is buried in the old Duteli Churchyard. Another added to the long list of Revolutionary war-searred Patriots whose remains were laid to rest there.
The Dutch Church records show that Thos. Dean, Sr., was mar- ried to Maritje Jureks, Sept. 15, 1750, and Couzen's map of the old Philipsburg Manor shows that his farm was on the Bedford Road near New Castle, where he had a farm of 134 acres, while his son John Dean lived just east of Buttermilk Hill, on what had been the Thos. Brett place.
Isaac Dean, Jr., who was a soldier in the Continental line, was married to Maritje Yerks, widow, May 9, 1784, and had sons Samuel and Abraham and other ehildren. She appears to have been the mother of Wh1. Verks, who lived adjoining the place of Sergt. John Dean, and was the grandfather of A. A. Coles of this place.
Colonel John O'dell and the Odell Family.
A sketch of the Odell family, so long occupying a prominent place on this Manor and in the County of Westchester, is well given herc, furnishing as it did some of the most active and prominent patriots of the Revolution, several of whose namcs appear upon the monument. Though not all embracing, it is hoped that it will be found of some his- torieal as well as personal interest.
Win. Odell, the first of the family in this country, was at Concord, Mass., 1639. Probably came to New England with the Rev. Peter Bulkley, who was rector of the parish of Odell, in Bedfordshire, Eng- land, 1620. The Odell family had been settled in Bedfordshire for many generations, and it is probable that Mr. Win. Odell was a resi- dent of that part of England. He died at Fairfield, Conn., in June, 1676, leaving sons John and William. Win. Odell, Jr., was of Fairfield, and afterwards of Rye, N. Y., where he owned a large estate. From this Win. Odell, Jr., the descent of Jonathan Odell of Philipse Manor is in the line of Joli of Fordham, whose wife was Johanna Turner ; and John Jr., whose wife was Hannah Vermilyca.
Jonathan Odell, son of Jolin and Hannah Vermilyea Odell, was born Dec. 26, 1730, and Margaret Dyckman his wife, in 1732. Slic dicd March 29, 1783, and he died Sept 25, iSI8,-both buried in thic old Duteh Churchyard. They lived in the old Stone Inn still standing on the roadside, at Abbotsford, just below Irvington. Being ardent and undaunted Patriots, they suffercd all the devastating consequences of living upon the border, the Neutral Ground, Mr. Odell himself and also some of his nciglibors, being carried off and incarcerated in the old
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Dutch Church Prison, New York, in the autumn of 1776, and soon afte: the battle of White Plains, as related by his son, Col. John Odell, in his statement published herewith. In the later days, after the Revolution :. it said by those who remember him, that he presented a picturesque appearance as he drove up the road in his gig to attend the Sabbath day 'services at the old Dutch Church, where he worshipped. He pox- sessed a large landed estate, 563 acres, extending from the Hudson River to the Saw Mill River. He was indeed an interesting historie character, and was popularly known as the father of all of the Odells.
The old Odell Inn at Abbotsford, erected by Captain John Harmse, probably as early as 1693, is noted as having been honored
THE ODELL INN.
with the holding of a session of the Provincial Congress (the N. Y. State Convention as it was also called) there, as the records show, on Aug. 31. 1776, on which occasion an address was made out and forwarded to Washington who was then with the army at New York. It is said that on occasion when the Hessians made a raid on the Odell premises they hung up a faithful slave Caesar three several times so as to make him tell where the pork was seereted, but he would not, and at last they left him hanging until some one eut him down as soon as they were gone.
Of the capture of Jonathan Odell, his grandson, Jackson Odell says: "My grandfather was made prisoner after the battle of White
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Plains and confined in the Sugar House, together with Jacob and Abra- ham Storms, Tennis Cronk, and Garret Lent. They all died there but my grandfather, Jonathan Odell." Gen. Vaughn of the British army was eneamped for some days on the high ground west of the turnpike road, and adjacent to Jonathan Odell's house, ealled Odell's Hill; in the course of which time his orehard was cut down, about 1,000 bushels of wheat distroyed in the sheaf, and his hogs killed by the enemy. For the latter it is said he was afterwards fully paid.
Col. Jolin Odell, so called from having commanded a regiment of militia after the Revolution, born in 1756, was the eldest son of Jona- than. He was a stalwart patriot, and did valiant serviee in the cause of his eountry, winning distinetion as one of the famous Westchester Guides. In a memorial to the legislature of this State date of Feb. 22, IS30, his services are sueeinetly set forth as follows :
" The Memorial of John Odell of Greenburgh, in the County of Westchester, Respectfully showcth :
That in the summer of the year 1776, your memorialist, being then aged between nineteen and twenty years, entered the service of his country as a private, in a Regiment raised under the authority of the government of this State, and commanded by Samuel Drake, Esq., now deeeased ; and that he continued to do duty in such Regiment for the spaee of six months, the period the enlistments were inade.
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