USA > New York > Westchester County > Westchester county in history; manual and civil list, past and present. County history: towns, hamlets, villages and cities, Volume III > Part 18
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He became possessed of a good education by the aid of private tutors and up-to-date public schools of which his native town was justly proud. He has never ceased to be a student; after leaving school he could be found devoting his spare time to the higher branches of study and the accumulation of general knowledge.
At an early age he entered as a student the law offices of Martin J. Keogh, now Supreme Court Justice, who even at that time had taken a prominent rank in his profession. His employer was not long in recog- nizing the abilities of young Tier- ney, and he soon became Mr. Keogh's managing clerk in the New Rochelle office.
The first political office Mr. Tier- ney held was that of a Town Auditor, and this position came to him soon after he was entitled to vote as an elector. Closely following this came his election as Police Justice of the village of New Rochelle, mak- ing him the youngest man ever hold- ing this important position. As a Police Magistrate he served eight years, until he found that the de- mands of his profession required his relinquishing the discharge of pub- lic functions.
He was admitted to the bar in 1885, and remained with Mr. Keogh until 1895, when the latter went upon the bench. In the year 1895 Mr. Tierney swung out his shingle and embarked in business on his own account, and it is said that from the start he attained success far beyond the expectations of his most san- guine well-wisher.
His popularity as a citizen and as a lawyer is responsible for his be- ing next called to the position of Corporation Counsel to the village of New Rochelle; in this capacity he served eight years, and this long period of holding is evidence that he discharged his duties acceptably.
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On the incorporation of New Ro- chelle as a city Mr. Tierney was chosen its first corporation Counsel, and a great part of the intricate work necessary to properly and legally launch a city devolved upon hım. Again in 1908 the office came to him unsolicited. The total num- ber of years he has served as New Rochelle's official legal adviser is five, with fair prospects of serving more years, if he be so inclined.
Frequently he is named by Courts to serve at head of Commissions to consider important matters, involv- ing large sums of money.
He was elected Vice-President of the Westchester County Bar Associa- tion in 1912.
It is no unkind reflection upon other distinguished members of the profession to say that to-day Mr. Tierney is admitted to be the lead- ing member of the bar in his native city; and has no superiors, and few equals in the county. As a trial law- yer he has earned an enviable repu- tation. His success recorded in cases conducted in many sections of this Judicial District, as well as in different portions of the State, has attracted attention and created an unceasing demand for his services. Very frequently he is found in the Supreme Court, and in the higher Courts, pleading as trial lawyer the cases of other lawyers. His popular- ity with jurors is marked; his man- ner of conducting a case shows that he has his case well in hand, that he has come fully prepared by study of every feature; his graphic and pleasing description seldom fails to enable a juror to see things through the eyes of the pleader. No litiga- tion of importance takes place in his home city without introducing Mr. Tierney as counsel, on one side or the other.
In speaking of Mr. Tierney we give no unjust praise, but strive only to give credit due. Permit us to speak generally, and say that the subject of our sketch belongs to that class of self-made men who, under our liberal institutions, form the most substantial portion of the com- munity. Without the advantage of wealth or influence in early life, they work their way slowly but surely to positions of competence and distinction. Such men are en-
titled to commendation and never fail, in the end, of being appre- ciated by their fellow citizens.
Mr. Tierney is a member of the Westchester County Bar Associa- tion; and being fond of aquatic sports, and owning a yacht on which his few idle hours are spent, he is a member of the New Rochelle Yacht Club, as well as a member of the New Rochelle Rowing Club; is a charter member of the local lodge of Elks.
He was married on November 27, 1888, to Miss Katherine Brady, daughter of William and Mary (Gaffney) Brady, of New Rochelle. Of this union there are living eight children, Martin J., aged 21 years; Marie, aged 19 years; Katherine H., Eleanor R., Marguerite, Jerome, Raphael and Beatrice.
JOHN HOLDEN.
John Holden, lawyer, president of the Board of Trustees Public Li- brary, City of New Rochelle, etc., was born on March 30, 1862, in Clif- ton, Staten Island, N. Y., a son of Isaac and Esther (Stead) Holden.
His parents became residents of Bridgeport, Conn., when he was quite young. He attended the public schools of that city and graduated from the Bridgeport High School. Entered Yale College and graduated therefrom in 1884. He spent the next two years in California in busi- ness and journalism and continued newspaper work up to and for some time after his admission to the Bar.
The profession of the law, which in our country has such fascination for all men who study, and out of their study learn to reflect and rea- son, had its attractions for young Holden, as he found real life coming out before him, and he devoted him- self to it. He attended the Colum- bia Law School and was admitted to practice in 1888.
He entered the law offices of Gray & Davenport in New York city in 1886,
He began practice on his own ac- count in 1888. At present he has law offices at No. 141 Broadway, New York city.
Mr. Holden became a resident of New Rochelle in the year 1894. Be- ing a man of recognized ability, in
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various directions, he early became interested in affairs concerning his residential town, and became known in political circles, in which he has since occupied a foremost position. Though applying himself assiduously to the duties of his profession, he has found time to bestow on literary and political subjects, and is the au- thor of several interesting papers treating on important topics.
His election as president of the Public Library Board placed him in a position suiting his tastes and gave to the office a man well fitted to fill it. During his administration as such officer many desired reforms have been inaugurated, better adapt- ing the Library to the service of the public.
He is a member of the New Eng- land Society, of the New York Bar Association, of the Westchester County Bar Association, of the Yale Club, and of the Huguenot Yacht Club, of New Rochelle.
Mr. Holden was married on No- vember 22, 1892, to Miss Florence Heywood, daughter of Rev. William S. and Abbie (Ballou) Heywood, of Sterling, Mass. There are two chil- dren, son and daughter, Heywood and Constance.
WILLIAM A. MOORE.
William A. Moore, former Assist- ant District-Attorney, former State Transfer Tax Counsel, etc., was born in Rutland, Jefferson County, New York, on July 5th, 1873, and is the son of George A. and Cornelia E. (Dunlap) Moore, both of whom were born in the same town. His father's family had moved into Northern New York from Massachusetts in the first decade of the 19th century, driving their team up through the State of Vermont across the northern part of New York into the Black River Valley. His mother's people were of Scotch Irish descent. His father was a farmer and his early school years were spent at the country district school from which he later went to the High School in the neighboring city of Watertown, New York, where he graduated as salutatorian of his class in 1890. The next year he spent in teaching in a district school and later took up newspaper work,
serving upon the staff of the Water- town Herald; this work was for the purpose of procuring money for his college course. He entered Yale Col- lege the following year and gradu- ated in the Class of 1895. He paid the expenses of his college course by teaching and newspaper work. After graduation from College he again took up work as a teacher until 1896 when he received an ap- pointment as a University scholar at Columbia University. The succeed- ing year was spent in the study of political science at that institution, from which he received the degree of M. A. in 1897. The following year he began the study of law at the New York Law School from which he received the degree of LL.B. in 1899 and was admitted to the New York Bar in June of that year. As is customary with most young men in New York he began a clerkship with a firm of attorneys, later en- tering the office of Guthrie, Cravath & Henderson, where his clerkship ended in 1901 by his removal to New Rochelle where the firm of Dun- lap & Moore was organized in that year. The following year the firm opened an office in New York, tak- ing a third partner, Mr. Joseph R. Swan, who had been a classmate of Mr. Moore at college.
In 1904 he was appointed Assist- ant District Attorney of Westchester County by J. Addison Young, who was at that time District Attorney of the County. Previous to this time the work of the office had been car- ried on by the District Attorney and one assistant, but the rapid growth and development of the county brought with it a tremendous in- crease in the criminal business in the District Attorney's office requiring further assistance. Mr. Moore was the first to hold the position of Sec- ond Assistant District Attorney, which position he held until the term of Mr. Young expired at the end of 1907. During this period he represented the State in the prosecu- tion of a large number of important criminal cases, Westchester County securing a series of convictions in pool room cases which were af- firmed by the Court of Appeals and were the first actual adjudications secured in this State of the Percy Gray racing bill.
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Mr. Moore also prosecuted with marked success the cases growing out of the movement in Peekskill in 1906 for the civic improvement of that prosperous community and re- ceived the generous commendation of the citizens of Peekskill for his work.
After retiring from the District Attorney's office in 1907, he became a member of the firm of Redding, Greeley & Austin, 38 Park Row, New York city, who were engaged in the practice of both patent and general law.
During this time he served upon three successive charter commissions for the City of New Rochelle, mak- ing a comprehensive study of muni- cipal government. He prepared the original draft from which was derived the present charter of that City, considered a model charter for third class cities.
On January 1, 1911, both Mr. Moore and his former partner, Mr. Swan, who also had become a mem- ber of the firm of Redding, Greeley & Austin, withdrew and formed the partnership of Swan & Moore, with offices at 29 Liberty Street, New York city.
During the years 1910 and 1911 Mr. Moore represented the State Comptroller as attorney in transfer tax proceedings, in Westchester County, and established record for the prompt disposition of all questions which arose in those pro- ceedings. He established the custom of having regular office days in the Surrogate's office at White Plains and also at his office in New York, where matters in charge of New York attorneys received attention.
He is a member of the Association of The Bar of the City of New York; Westchester County Bar As- sociation; the Republican Club of New York; the Republican Club of New Rochelle; the Yale Alumni As- sociation; the American Society of International Law; the Huguenot Yacht Club and the Underwriters' Club.
Mr. Moore was married on July 30, 1903, to Miss Lois Cooper, daughter of Charles Howell and Anna Churchill Cooper, of Water- town, N. Y. Two children bless this union, both sons : William Cooper Moore, aged six years, and Anson Moore, who was born in 1912.
SAMUEL F. SWINBURNE.
Samuel Foster Swinburne, City Judge, former Justice of the Peace, former Police Justice, etc., was born October 16, 1868, at Natick, Mass., a son of Samuel and Sarah J. (McCracken) Swinburne.
He was educated in the schools of his native town and graduated from Harvard College in 1890.
He became a resident of New Ro- chelle in the year 1891; opening law offices here, where he was not long in establishing a prosperous business, principally relating to the closing of estates and appearances in the Surrogate's Court, though his law practice is general; his success as a practitioner was marked and continuous. He is justly rated among the leading lawyers of the county.
He has always devoted himself so closely to his profession as to pre- vent all thought of political prefer- ment until 1894 when he accepted the office of Justice of the Peace, serv- ing out the term but declined re- election on the ground that demands of his profession required his un- divided attention. He has on several occasions declined the offer of a nomination from his political party for the office of Mayor. He yielded in 1909 to become a candidate for Police Justice, and again in 1911 to be a candidate for the new office of City Judge, because such official positions were in line with his pro- fession.
The unprecedented majority he re- ceived for the City Judgeship may be considered as strong evidence of his popularity, especially at an elec- tion when the opposing political party elected by large majorities the Mayor, Comptroller and a majority of the members of the Common Coun- cil.
Judge Swinburne is a member of the New York State Bar Association, and of Bar Association of city of New York, is a Past Master of Hugenot Lodge, F. and A. M., of New Rochelle, a member of Mount Vernon Council Bethlehem Com- mandery Knight Templar, of Mystic Shrine, served as District Deputy Grand Master, 12th Masonic District in 1909-10; was the first elected Ex-
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alted Ruler of the New Rochelle Lodge of Elks, No. 756, organized in 1902; a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and a member of the Junior
Order of American Mechanics.
Judge Swinburne is married to
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Miss Emma R. Strain, daughter of P. H. and Margaret Strain, of New York.
He has three children, Alcester, aged sixteen years; Edith, aged twelve years, and Ruth, aged six years.
For biographical sketches of other residents see elsewhere in this book, and in volumes one and two.
TOWN OF NORTH CASTLE.
(Continued from page 234, Vol. 1.)
The census of 1910 gives this town a population of 1,522. The town was organized March 7, 1788.
The "North Castle of the Revolution" is of special historic interest, owing to scenes of strife enacted in the locality during the Revolutionary period.
The "Heights of North Castle" is where General Washington and his small but determined army camped after the battle of White Plains.
In the southern section of the town, near the North White Plains railroad station, stands the old building that Gen. Wash- ington occupied as his headquarters, from October 23 to Novem- ber 9, 1776, at the time of the Battle of White Plains; overlook- ing these headquarters is "Castle Heights," upon which can yet be seen the breastworks, about four feet high, which the patriot soldiers threw up; a little further east, is the building which Gen. La Fayette occupied as his headquarters, at the foot of " Mount Misery." * On this elevation also can yet be seen the breastworks behind which the patriot soldiers laid in wait for the coming enemy. When the writer visited them, in the fall of 1912, both buildings were in excellent state of preser- vation, and to a great degree in original condition.
In the story relating to Major André's capture localities in this town figure conspicuously.
In the eventful month of September, 1780, Col. Elisha Shel- don, in command of the Second Dragoons, of the patriotic forces, was stationed at Sands' Mills (later known as Armonk), and the next in command, Lieutenant-Colonel Ebenezer Jameson,
* The patriot soldiers who suffered great privations gave this high ground the name now applied to it.
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had his headquarters at the Robbins house, Kensico. The Sec- ond Dragoons is described as having been considered " one of the finest," as it was supplied with arms and accoutrements bought in France, and was in part mounted. It guarded the lower section of the County, bordering on "neutral land," subject to periodical invasions and depredations by the enemy; by the skirmishing squads sent out by the British in New York city, and by " Cowboys," or " Skinners."
It was to this town that Major André was brought after his capture at Tarrytown. His captors decided that he be taken forthwith to the nearest American military post, and deliv- ered up to the officer in command. The John Robbins' house, at Robbin's Mills (more recently Kensico), was being used as the headquarters of Lt .- Col. Jameson; this being the nearest post, to this place André was brought, accompanied by Pauld- ing, Williams, Van Wart and their five companions. The Rob- bins' house was a small frame building, of the style of architec- ture in vogue in those days, situated on land acquired in 1896 by the City of New York as part of the reservoir watershed; the house was destroyed about two years later. In Washington Irving's "Life of Washington," is told the pathetic story how when André and his captors arrived at the Robbins' house the family was at dinner, that André was asked to "sit by" and become one of their number in partaking of the humble meal. His reply was, in his most polite manner, "Oh, madam, it is all very good, but indeed I cannot eat." Irving added that it was a very elderly lady who told him of this incident, saying that she was a young girl at the time and one of the company seated about the dinner table, and even in later years when recalling the scene she had difficulty in restraining her tears.
As Lt .- Col. Jameson was not found at the Robbins' house, the captors and the captured journeyed on six miles distant to Sands' Mills (later known as Armonk), the principal head- quarters of Colonel Sheldon, in whose stead Lt .- Col. Jameson was acting, the Colonel being absent.
Williams (one of the captors), in his narrative given later, says : "We kept to the by-ways, and went as quickly and silently as we could. He (André) suffered much in mind, as was appar- ent from his great dejection, but he acted like a gentleman, can- didly and politely, and never once attempted to escape."
Sands' Mills (known as Mile Square, and later as Armonk) was a small hamlet, possessed of a saw-mill, the Sands' resi- dence, and little else.
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The facts relating to Jameson's mistake in attempting to send the captured André and his papers to Arnold, to the subsequent recall of André, and to the unfortunate neglect to recall also the papers, is told elsewhere in the story relating to André's capture.
The guard under Lieutenant Allen sent to convey André to Arnold did not include any of his captors, it was composed of Connecticut militia. It is stated that when Allen received the communication ordering him to bring André back to Col. Shel- don's headquarters, his men, composing the guard, were almost mutinous on being told they would have to return with André, and André encouraged them, making it difficult for Allen to compel them to return.
The order sent to Allen directed that he take his prisoner to Capt. Jeronemus Hoogland, of Second Dragoons, at Lower Salem (known as South Salem, now as Lewisboro) ; but instead (for some unexplained reason) of going to Lower Salem, André was taken back to headquarters at Sands' Mills, arriving at about 9 A. M., on Sunday, September 24. From latter place André was sent to Lower Salem. This was after Major Tall- madge had met André for the first time, and from appearances generally judged him to be a British soldier, prevailed upon Jameson to send the prisoner to Col. Sheldon, then at Lower Salem. Under escort of the valiant Major and a squad André was marched to Lower Salem. Paulding, Williams and Van Wart, who happened at Sands' Mills headquarters, accompanied the party part of the way. André, on arriving at the latter place was taken to the house of 'Squire John Gilbert, in Lower Salem, under an escort of twenty dragoons, mounted, commanded by Major Tallmadge. The route was by Coman's Hill, Bedford Village and Cross River to Lower Salem.
At the present time the ownership of most of this historic land has passed to New York City, to be used in endeavor to give that fast growing municipality a sufficient water supply.
On the site of Kensico Lake, in this township, and covering in addition thousands of acres of land adjoining, acquired by the City of New York to aid its water supply, is to be built one of the largest reservoirs in the country, if not in the world.
The water of this lake were drawn off and the fish therein carefully removed and transferred to nearby Rye Lake and Grassy Sprain Lake, in August, 1911.
There are no incorporated villages in this town. The several
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principal localities are named as Valhalla, Armonk, Banksville, Byram Lake, Wampus Lake, Kensico Reservoir, part of Rye Lake, Mianus River and Byram River.
The population of the town has been as follows: In 1830, 1,653; in 1835, 1,789; in 1840, 2,058; in 1845, 2,010; in 1850, 2,189; in 1855, 2,415; in 1860, 2,487; in 1865, 2,198; in 1870, 1,996 ; in 1875, 1,961; in 1880, 1,818; in 1890, 1,475; in 1892, 1,403; in 1900, 1,471; in 1905, 1,483; in 1910, 1,522.
For biographical sketches of other residents see elsewhere in this book, and in volumes one and two.
TOWN OF NORTH SALEM.
(Continued from page 235, Vol. 1.)
Like other towns in the upper section of the County, Salem, Lower or South Salem, and North Salem, have prominent men- tion in the story relating to the capture of Major André in the Revolutionary period. It was to Col. Sheldon's headquarters, in Lower Salem, that André was brought, after his capture, and was there at the time Gen. Washington ordered his removal to West Point. André arrived at 'Squire John Gilbert's house in the morning, at about 8 o'clock. The Gilbert house stood on the west side of the road leading north from Lower Salem, between where more recently stood the residences of Mrs. Abby Hoyt and John I. Bouton. The Gilbert house, standing on land recently acquired by New York City, is, like many other buildings, a thing of the past.
It was in the Gilbert house that André wrote his first and celebrated letter of appeal to Gen. Washington, in endeavor to state his position, under date of September 24, 1780.
Lieutenant Joshua King (later a General), of Sheldon's com- mand, was among those who received André on his arrival, and in whose charge he was put. In speaking of the prisoner later, Lieutenant King said :
"He (André) looked somewhat like a reduced gentleman. His small-clothes were nankeen, with handsome white-top rid- ing boots-in fact his undress military clothes. His coat was purple, with gold lace, worn somewhat threadbare, with a small- brimmed tarnished beaver on his head. He wore his hair in a queue, with long black beard (probably a beard of several days'
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growth, being unable to get a shave on the road), and his clothes were somewhat soiled by dust and mud. In this garb I took charge of him. After breakfast, at which he ate very sparingly, my barber came in to attend to my needs, after so doing I requested the barber to submit André to the same operation, which he did. When the ribbon was taken from his hair, I observed the hair full of powder; this circumstance, with others that occurred, induced me to believe that I had no ordinary person in charge. He requested permission to take the bed while his shirt and smallclothes might be washed. I told him that was needless, for a shirt was at his service, which he accepted. We were close pent-up in a bedroom, with a vidette at the door and window. There was a spacious yard before the door, which he desired he might be permitted to walk in with me. I accordingly disposed of my guard in such a manner as to prevent an escape. While walking together, he observed he must make a confidant of somebody, and he knew not a more proper person than myself, as I had appeared to befriend a stranger in distress. After settling the point between us, he told me who he was, and gave me a short account of himself from the time he was taken a prisoner at St. John's, in 1775."
André was confined in the Gilbert house while waiting orders from Gen. Washington, as to what was to be done with the prisoner.
At about midnight of the 25th day of September, a messenger from Gen. Washington arrived at the Salem headquarters, and delivered the expected order to Lt .- Col. Jameson. The order was as follows:
HEADQUARTERS, ROBINSON HOUSE, 7 P. M., 25th September, 1780.
"Sir :- I wish every precaution and attention to be paid to prevent his (André's) escape. He will without doubt make it if possible; and in order that he may not have it in his power, you will send him under care of such a party and so many officers as to protect him from the least opportunity of doing it.
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