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 9
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TOWN OF BEDFORD.
(Continued from page 190, Vol. 1.)
The township of Bedford is nearly a square tract of country containing about thirty-six square miles east and north of the central portion of Westchester County and about thirty-five miles from New York city. It is one of the oldest settled por- tions of the State and the oldest town in the County, having been created a municipality by council at Hartford in 1681 and 1682. The northwestern portion bordering on what was form- erly Croton River, now New York City Reservoir, is quite hilly and rough. The southeastern portion rolling and sandy. It was originally a part of Stamford and belonged to the State of Connecticut, known in its earliest times as the Hop Ground.
About the year 1644, an Indian settlement occupied a tract south of what is now called The Cliffs. It was surprised by a company of soldiers from Greenwich, Connecticut, and prac- tically exterminated.
About 1681, some twenty-four persons from Stamford, Con- necticut, established the settlement of Bedford and laid it out after a plan of a New England town, with the Green or Square in the center, similar to Lexington Green in Massachusetts.
"Among those that came first, we recognize the familiar names of Ambler, Weed, Slawson, Westcott and John Cross, after whom Cross River was named, Clark, Bates, Waterbury and others, now familiar family names in the town." These original settlers brought with them from Connecticut a spirit of independence which the English governor found difficult to subdue.
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" The principal matter of contention appeared to be, what minister should officiate in the church. There was also a strong desire shown on the part of the original settlers to remain loyal to the State of Connecticut, in the controversy between that State and the State of New York as to the boundary line. This matter was finally settled, though years later, by com- missioners appointed by each State who met at Dover, Dutchess County, and established the boundary. From that time on the town has been without controversy, a part of the State of New York.
" The townspeople were very much averse to being in the same parish and connected with the Church of England Mission at Rye to which they were obliged to contribute each year.
" Even public and social matters at that time were centered in church and church controversies.
The original settlers brought with them from their New England homes to Bedford, the old idea of a town meeting at which all the town business was transacted. This exceedingly democratic institution outlasted colonial governments, Revolu- tionary War and the formation of state and federal constitu- tion, and continued down to a very recent period. Soon after the coming of the first settlers the vicinity of Bedford became quite a populous part of the county for that time.
The Presbyterian Church in Bedford, used as a Court House, was destroyed by the British. On June 24, 1779, Tarleton's and Simcoe's Cavalry, of the British forces, came up from White Plains, by way of Pine's Bridge, and burned it. The Church parsonage, ten days earlier, had met the same fate at the hands of a detachment from Verplanck's Point, under Lieut .- Col. Robert Abercromby, of the 37th regiment.
About the year 1786 a court house was established in the town (though courts had been previously held in the Presbyterian Church), and the town became thereby a half-shire town (that is, a town in which the court of records in the county were held alternately at Bedford and White Plains). The trial to deter- mine the respective rights of the different branches of the Friends' Society was held here. Also a criminal case which at that time attracted great attention not only because of the char- acter of the men on trial but of the great moral upheaval that grew out of it. This was the indictment of Tom Hyre, a cele- brated pugilist who had always been considered the greatest fighter that ever stood in the prize-ring, John Morrissey and
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others as accessories to the killing of McCoy in the prize-ring at Hastings by one Lilly. This event put an end to public prize fights in the State of New York. Also in other trials held here was heard the greatest forensic talent at that time, to wit: Charles O'Connor, John VanBuren (son of President Martin VanBuren), John Voorhis, Samuel E. Lyon, Joseph Warren Tompkins and others.
The County Court House, erected in 1787, still stands; the building is now being used as the Bedford Town Hall.
About 1810, the village of Bedford was one of the most impor- tant villages of the County, far outrivalling in that respect White Plains.
During the War of 1812 an incident occurred which at the time was but little known, and since then has been almost forgot- ten. A feeling based on rumor, having arisen in the city of New York that the British contemplated an advance on the city; one of the then most prominent and strongest banks in the city gathered up its specie reserve, amounting to fifty thousand dollars in silver (at that time an enormous sum), and shipped same in nailed kegs by trucks to the town of Bedford under guard, and secreted it in the cellar of the old Isaac Smith house, near Bedford village, where it remained until the alarm was over.
In the year 1800, John Jay, ex-Governor of the State of New York and ex-Chief Justice of the United States, and holder of numerous positions of high honor, established a permanent resi- dence in the northeast portion of the town near what was then called Cantito, on his estate of about six hundred acres. The residence he formerly occupied now stands and is owned by descendants.
This distinguished American held some of the high positions in the gift of his countrymen. Delegate to the first National Congress, also one of the delegates to form the first State Gov- ernment for the State of New York, minister plenipotentiary to Spain, and with other commissioners negotiated the first treaty between the Colonies and Great Britain after the close of the Revolutionary War. On his return to the United States, he was sent as minister plenipotentiary to the court of St. James and negotiated the treaty that still bears his name. On his return to the United States he was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and was afterward chosen Governor of the State of New York in 1801. In 1805 he retired to his estate
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in Bedford, and from that time until his death in 1829, never again went to the city of New York.
On his return to the United States, after negotiating the treaty, owing to his being presented at court and kissing the queen's hand, he fell into disfavor with the radical Democratic- Republican section of the United Colonies. The contention being that his previous republicanism had drifted toward royalty. He also advocated the form of government proposed by Hamilton and was a co-worker with Hamilton in politics. He, like Hamilton, having little faith in the capacity of the masses of the people to govern themselves, taking directly the opposite view of Jefferson.
A descendant of Governor Jay, namely, his son William Jay, once occupied the bench as County Judge. His grandson, John, minister to Vienna under General Grant's administration, and his great-grandson, Colonel William Jay, have continually occupied the Jay mansion, which is situated in one of the most attractive sections of Westchester County.
County Judge William Jay, second son of John Jay, was born June 16, 1789. He was Judge of Common Pleas in this county from 1818 to 1820, in the latter year Governor Daniel D. Tompkins (a native of this county) appointed him first Judge of this county, in which position he remained until 1842. He died at his home in this town, in 1858.
Judge Robert S. Hart, one of the ablest lawyers of West- chester County in his day, resided in Bedford, and was the last judge that occupied the bench in the old Court of Common Pleas of the County, which was abolished by the Constitution of 1848.
Doctor Seth Shove, in his day the most famous surgeon in the County, from the beginning of his practice to his death, resided on Cherry Street in this town.
Judge William H. Robertson also was born, lived and died in Bedford, and held many prominent positions: County Judge, State Senator, Congressman, Collector of the Port of New York, leader of the Republican party in the County, and one of its strongest supports in the State.
General James W. Husted, well known Republican party leader, known throughout the State as the " Bald Eagle," Mem- ber of Legislature and many times Speaker of the Assembly, was born and raised in Bedford.
Among the oldest families are those who first immigrated to
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the town and laid out the town site, heretofore mentioned. In addition to these in the northeast part were the Greens, Dick- insons and Powells; in the northwest, Whitlock, Wood, Haines and Fowler; in the south portion, Carpenter, Knowlton, Ray- mond, Fish, Sutton and Hubbell; in the southeast portion, Bar- rett, Trowbridge and Lounsberry.
In the year 1807 was organized by the people of Bedford, the old Bedford Academy. The building was completed the next year and is the same building which is now occupied by the Bedford Library. It was opened June 6, 1809.
Among the first subscribers of the school were ex-Governor John Jay, Ebenezer Grant, Benjamin Isaacs, Aaron Read, Jesse Holly, Peter Fleming, N. S. Bates and others. Donations were frequently made by prominent citizens of the city of New York. Among the latter was one Richard Riker at one time District Attorney of the city of New York, Member of the Assembly and Recorder of the city.
The Recorder's Court was a court of criminal jurisdiction for the city of New York, and while he was Recorder it was said of Riker that he would sign his own death warrant if it was laid before him; this he did when a joke was finally practiced upon him. He occupied the position of Recorder from 1821 to 1829. Other supporters of the Academy were Pierre E. Van Wyck, who held the office of Recorder and District Attorney between the years 1806 and 1812; Governor Daniel D. Tompkins, Joseph Constant, Peter J. Monroe, a famous lawyer of his day, and Gen. James W. Husted, who at one time was an instructor in the Academy. Among those who attended the school were Con- gressman John McCloskey, and the Reverend Joseph Owen, who became a missionary to India and witnessed some of the terrible scenes of butchery in the Sepoy insurrection in India; many prominent physicians were in part educated at this institution ; also many prominent lawyers, as Honorable John Jay, grandson of the Governor, who was afterwards U. S. Minister to Austria under the administration of President Grant, Honorable Chaun- cey M. Depew, railroad president and United States Senator, Honorable William H. Robertson, Lewis C. Platt, first elected Surrogate of Westchester County, and the late Silas D. Gifford, County Judge of Westchester County ; prominent military men received a portion of their instruction at the old Bedford Acad- emy. Col. Platt was a scholar here; he was colonel of a regiment in the Civil War at the battle of Gettysburgh, being twenty-seven
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hours under fire and received a sunstroke from which he never recovered, Major John L. Knapp was also a student in the Bed- ford Academy, and after the close of the Civil War was appointed Superintendent of the Marine Hospital at Key West, Major W. O. Scribner served in the Civil War and afterward became captain, being wounded in the battle of the Wilderness, he was assigned to the charge of the Freeman's Bureau of Petersburgh, Va .; Major-General Phillip Kearney entered Bedford Academy preparatory to entering Columbia College, with the view of becoming a lawyer, but being fascinated with a military life, he joined the army. He went abroad to study and report upon the French Cavalry tactics, entering the French Army; he fought later in Italy, and for meritorious service was decorated with the Cross of the Legion of Honor; he was also with the U. S. Army in the Mexican War, and lost an arm in his charge in the city of Mexico; he fought on the side of the Union during the Civil War and rose to the rank of Major-General, but was killed in the battle of Chantilly, September 1, 1862.
Among the prominent business men who were students at the Bedford Academy we find Benjamin Loder at one time president of the Erie Railway Company, William H. Vanderbilt, presi- dent of the New York Central Railroad Lines, Francis I. Palmer in his day the owner of the Dry Dock and Broadway stage lines and president of the Broadway Bank, William Darling, Sur- veyor of the Port of New York, James Lounsbery and his two sons, James and Richard, merchants and brokers, J. Lee Smith at one time president of the St. Nicholas Bank, George Waring, ancestor of the celebrated Colonel Waring who organized the street cleaning department of the city of New York. Many prominent men were also principals of this institution and many teachers in public institutions have received instructions here. The late Joseph Barrett, for many years School Commissioner in the Third Assembly District and for a long time connected with the custom house in New York city, received his youthful training at this school.
The localities within the town are, Mount Kisco (part of the village), Katonah, Bedford, Bedford Centre, Bedford Hills, Succabom Corners, Cantetoe Corners, Wood's Bridge, Howland Lake, part of Byram Lake, Cross River Reservoir.
About 1846, the Harlem Railroad was laid through the town and three new village sites were founded, namely: Mount Kisco, Bedford Station and Whitelockville which is now Kato-
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nah. In the construction of the new Croton Reservoir, the village of Katonah was wiped out and the new village projected and built.
The strictly rural air and country characteristics which once prevailed throughout this town have since the coming of later facilities of travel, nearly passed away. Many of the wealthy and opulent citizens of New York city have established their summer residences and country seats over nearly the entire township.
The Montefiori Home for Consumptives established here is located on a hill to the west of Bedford Hills, and the State Reformatory for Women, established a few years ago by the State, is located a mile to the east of the village of Bedford Hills, suggesting as they do close proximity to the city. The condemnation of land by the city of New York for Croton Water purposes for the city of New York has also had much to do with changing the social and business atmosphere of old Bedford, as well as its property boundaries.
Notwithstanding all these, some advantages and others drawbacks, the town of Bedford still possesses its attractive topography and charming native forests, making it an exceed- ingly beautiful section of the county.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
E. PERCY BARRETT.
Edward Percy Barrett, Chairman Board of Supervisors, in 1912-13; Su- pervisor of the town of Bedford, was born on June 25, 1875, in the town of which he is now the official head and where he has always resided, the third son of Joseph and Emma (Rob- ertson) Barrett.
He received an education in the public schools of his native town, but is essentially a self-made man. He chose the profession of law, and after being admitted to practice es- tablished offices in White Plains, the county-seat.
Mr. Barrett is one of the young- est men now serving in the County Board of Supervisors, though num- bered among the oldest in time of service; that he is an acceptable representative is proven by his re- peated re-election at the hands of his townspeople. He is an active member of the board-watchful and
observant of everything that is pass- ing, and ready to interpose objec- tions or suggest amendments that he deems proper. Quick of perception he readily discovers defects, and his sagacity and good sense as readily prompts the remedy., He seldom speaks on any subject other than by few explanatory remarks, giving his views succinctly and with more ad- vantage to the public than by the delivery of an elaborate speech.
He was elected Supervisor in 1905, and has been re-elected every two years since, his new term being for the years 1912-13; was elected Chairman of the Board of Supervis- ors in November, 1911.
To establish the fact that Mr. Barrett is a man of affairs, and prominent in the business world, mention may be made that he is an active member of the Katonah Fire Department, passed through all grades until he became the head; is an active official in the Katonah
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Village Improvement Association | in the year 1861. Two of his sons and a conscientious member of the Katonah Presbyterian Church. have since been graduated from the same institution, and all were mem- bers of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He was inclined toward a mercantile career, but he was com- pelled to heed the call of his fellow citizens when the request came that he give some of his time to the dis- charge of public duties.
President and director of the Ka- tonah Lighting Company; President and director of the Hoyt Brothers Company general-department-store, Katonah; secretary and director of the Katonah Land Company; secre- tary and director of the Bedford Hills Real Estate Company; secre- tary and director of the Central Westchester Co. Real Estate Com- pany; president, treasurer and di- rector of the Carbon-less Paper Company or New York; vice-presi- dent and treasurer of the Andes- Bullion Mining Company of White Plains; sole owner and proprietor of the Westchester Wood-Working Mill of White Plains; secretary and director of the Fowler & Sellers Hardware Company ot White
Plains ; director of the Reed & Clark Real Estate Company of White Plains; secretary and treas- urer of the Westchester Electric Supply Company of White Plains; secretary of the Bedford Union Cemetery Association of Katonah.
Mr. Barrett married, on November 27, 1901, Miss Estelle A. Travis, daughter of Byron A. and Margaret (Putney) Travis of Katonah. Of this union there are two children, Douglass L., born December 3, 1902, and Katherine E., born May 20, 1908. The family place of residence is in Katonah.
JOSEPH BARRETT.
Joseph Barrett, School Commis- sioner, Supervisor and Deputy Col- lector of the Port of New York, was born May 25, 1840, a son of Moses St. John and Mary Elizabeth (Nex- sen) Barrett, and a grandson of Samuel Barrett who was among those who settled in the town of Bedford in the year 1700. Joseph was born in the Barrett homestead on the road leading from Bedford Station to the Bedford Baptist Church. His mother died when he was only two years of age.
He received his education in the district school near his home and in the Bedford Academy where one of his instructors was the late General James W. Husted. Here he prepared for college; he was graduated from LaFayette College, in Easton, Pa.,
In the Spring of 1866 Mr. Barrett accepted appointment to fill the po- sition of School Commissioner in the Third District of the County; at the expiration of the term for which he was appointed he was elected to the office, and reelected, again serving until January 1, 1876-ten years in all. His second son later held this office.
He was next elected Supervisor of the town of Bedford (an office his third son now holds), and this posi- tion he held for six terms, from 1879 to 1885. Quiet and thoughtful, ob- serving closely and proving his judgment in that way which is of all others the wisest, after practical waiting for evidence, Supervisor Barrett at once became a valuable member of the Board of Supervis- ors. The writer remembers him as one of the board's ablest members in a period when the board was com- posed of the County's men of dis- tinction.
When Judge William H. Robert- son became Collector of the Port of New York he appointed, in 1881, Mr. Barrett a Deputy Collector. Subsequently the latter was ap- pointed by Collector Robertson as Cashier of the New York Custom House, and at the expiration of Col- lector Robertson's term, he was made Receiving Teller in the Cash- ier's office, retaining latter posi- tion until he resigned in 1905.
Governor Odell on April 23, 1901, appointed Mr. Barrett one of the first Board of Managers of the New York State Reformatory for Wo- men, at Bedford, and on being re- appointed, held the position at the time of his death. He served as treasurer of the Board of Managers. In this position a son succeeds him, as manager and treasurer.
In 1909 Mr. Barrett was ap- pointed by Supreme Court Justice Keogh a Commissioner in land condemnation proceedings relative
CHARLES HAINES
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to the Ashokan aqueduct; this posi- tion he held at the time of his death.
For many years Mr. Barrett was identified with the work of the Katonah Village Improvement So- ciety, serving as its President in re- cent years, and contributed largely to the success of the New Village project when the former village was taken by the city of New York in connection with the enlargement of Croton Lake.
Soon after the organization of the Katonah Presbyterian Church Mr. Barrett ยท became identified with it, serving its interests faithfully as Trustee, Treasurer, Elder and as Superintendent of
the Sunday School for thirty-one years.
He was a promoter also of the local Free Library and the Choral Club, as well as everything that had for its object the improvement of condi- tions educational, moral or physical, within the locality of which he was a part.
Hon. James Wood, his neighbor and life-long friend, in speaking of Mr. Barrett, says: " No community has ever had too many citizens such as Joseph Barrett has been, and any community that has had one such has been truly fortunate. By his death every worthy enterprise has lost a sympathizer and a promoter, everything that is noble and pure and good and that benefits humanity has lost a friend and a helper."
" Katonah is better because Jo- seph Barrett here had his home; the town of Bedford is better be- cause he was one of her sons and so long took part in her public affairs; Westchester County is better because he was one of her citizens who by the influence of his character made the moral tone of her citizenship higher and purer and by his devo- tion had her best interests served and promoted. In proportion as have been the benefits of his life are now the losses sustained by his death."
Mr. Barrett was married on Feb- ruary 13, 1867, to Miss Emma Rob- ertson, daughter of Henry and Hul- dah H. Robertson, his wife being a sister of Judge William H. Robert- son. Until 1890 they resided in the Robertson homestead, near Cantito Corners, then removed to Deer Park Farm, a half mile east of Katonah, where they continued to reside until
the home in New Katonah was oc- cupied in 1898. To them five chil- dren were born, four sons and one daughter, Henry R., William G., Edward Percy, Robert T., and Elizabeth.
The death of Mr. Barrett occurred on Sunday afternoon, March 13, 1910, at Galen Hall, Atlantic City, N. J., to which place he had gone, in hopes of benefitting his health, ac- companied by Mrs. Barrett and Miss Elizabeth Barrett. The two last named, and his four sons, called has- tily on the day previous, were gath- ered about his bedside when he passed away peacefully, in the seven- tieth year of his age.
CHARLES HAINES.
Charles Haines, one of the best known members of the Westchester County Bar, leading lawyer of the town of Bedford, with offices in White Plains, the county-seat, was born in the town of Bedford, on August 9, 1846, a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Powell) Haines.
His education began in the little district school of his native town; with this exception he is entirely self-taught. He studied law in the office of Robert S. Hart, who was the last Judge of Common Pleas in the County, and began practice in the year 1872, being admitted to the bar at Poughkeepsie general term in that year.
Though he persists in being a bachelor, Mr. Haines is the most genial of men, and still maintains the family home on Bedford Hills, where hospitality is liberally dis- pensed.
It is said the subject of this sketch is a firm believer in women enjoying all the rights given them by the Constitution, and probably a little more; and to this belief, it is alleged, is owing his determina- tion to remain single, that he be not tempted in any way to interfere with a woman's rights. He is ad- mitted to be the best legal authority in the county relative to the prop- erty rights of married women.
Mr. Haines drew the first statute adopted by the State Legislature installing the present system of drawing jurors in Justice Courts. His persistent efforts succeeded in
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effecting a most desired change; the | years before he can march to victory substituting of an honest and fair and find himself in public office by aid of his party's vote alone. His fight for that reward which loyalty to principle gives, will surely profit him. Henry Clay once said, "It is better to be right than to be Presi- dent.'' system for a mode devoid of any system suggestive of fair-dealing. The bill providing for the change was before five different Legisla- tures in this State, in so many years, before it was passed; finally it was put through by the aid of Senator Robertson and Speaker ISAAC W. TURNER. Husted of this county.
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