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ROCKLAND COUNTY.
1703.1 The old courthouse, built about 1739 for that part of Orange co. s. of the mountains, was at
Tappantown, opposite the old Ref. Prot. D. church, and was burned before the Revolution. The
first settlers were Dutch, who located in the s. e. part of the co. from 1690 to 1710.2
C E A SI RSTG WX—was formed from Haverstraw, March 18,1791. It lies upon the Hudson,
and is the central town upon the e. border of the co. Yerdrieteges Hook, a rocky ridge 500 to 800
feet above tide, extends along the n. line, and the Nyack Range occupies a considerable portion to
the s. e. corner. The remaining parts of the town, comprising four-fifths of its surface, are rolling
or moderately hilly. Hackensack River flows s. through near the center, and a narrow swamp
extends along the greater part of its course. Rockland Lake, about 1 mi. from the Hudson, is a
fine sheet of pure water, 3 mi. in circumference and 160 feet above the river. The soil is a reddish,
sandy loam underlaid by clay. Considerable attention is given to fruit growing. Rockland
ILalie,3 (p.v.,) in the e. part of the town, and extending from the lake to the river, contains a
church, a foundery and machine shop, and a ship yard. Pop. 430. An extensive business is
carried on at this place in preserving and exporting ice.4 Mew City, (Clarkstown p.o.,) the
co. seat, a little n.w. of the center, contains the co. buildings, a church, and 28 dwellings.
IVannet, (p.v.,) formerly “Clarkstown Station” a station upon the Piermont Branch of the Erie
R. R., in the s. w. part, contains 1 church and 20 dwellings. Clarksville, (Nyack Turnpike
p.o.,) in the s. part, contains a church and 18 dwellings. Dutch Factory, a hamlet in thew.
part, contains a cotton factory and 2 woolen yarn factories. The first settlements were made by
the Dutch, at an early period. The first church (Ref. Prot. D.) was formed near Clarksville.5
HAVERSTRAW6—was formed March 7, 1788.7 Clarkstown and Ramapo were taken
off in 1791. It lies upon the Hudson, in the n. angle of the co." Nearly the entire surface is
hilly and mountainous. The Ramapo or Blue Mts., extending through the n. w. part, are divided
into numerous precipitous and rocky peaks, and spurs from the principal range extend to the banks
of the Hudson.5 Verdrieteges Hook, a long, rocky ridge, forms a considerable portion of the
N. border. The s. e. portion is moderately hilly. The valleys separating these mountains are
mostly narrow, rocky ravines. Stony Point is a small rocky peninsula on the river, near the center
of the E. border of the town.9 The principal streams are Minisceongo and Cedar Pond Creeks,
flowing into the Hudson, and Stony Brook, a tributary of Ramapo River, a branch of the Passaic.
The soil is a sandy loam underlaid by clay. Extensive beds of a fine quality of clay border upon
the river above Warren, and from them are annually manufactured 150,000,000 of bricks, giving
employment to over 1,000 men. Limestone crops out near Tompkins Cove, from which large
quantities of lime are manufactured. A gas spring is found 2J mi. s. of Stony Point.10 Warren,11
(Haverstraw p. o.,) situated upon the Hudson, in the s. e. angle of the town, was incorp. in 1854.
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the quantities of wild o.ats growing on the borders of the river
when the town was first settled.
7 The date of formation as! a precinct was not ascertained.
Their distance from Tappan occasioned an act, June 24,1719,
allowing the inhabitants to elect a supervisor, a collector, 2
assessors, a constable, and 2 overseers of highways, on the 1st
Tuesday of April annually.
8 The principal of these peaks are the Dunderbergh and West
Mts., in the n.e.; Buchan,Barrack, Bulson, Pine, and Collaberg
Hills, near the center; Rock House Hill, Blackmine Ridge, and
Horsepond Mts., in thew.; and Haslia Hill and Cheese Coats
Hill in the s.
9 During the Revolution, Stony Point and Verplancks Point, on
the opposite side of the Hudson, were strongly fortified, the two
fortresses commanding the channel and Kings Ferry, the prin¬
cipal route between New England and the South. On the 1st
of June, 1779, Gen. Vaughn, at the head of a considerable British
force, made an attack upon these places and captured both.
The garrison at Fort La Fayette, on Verplancks Point, consisting
of 70 men, were taken prisoners; and that at Stony Point, con¬
sisting of 40 men, evacuated the place on the approach of tho
British. Gen. Clinton immediately ordered the works strength¬
ened, and prepared for permanent occupation. Stony Point was
surrounded on 3 sides by water, and on the fourth by a marsh
covered at high tide, and crossed by a narrow causeway. On
the night of July 16, 1779, this place was stormed and taken by
an American force under Gen. Wayne. The- loss of the Americans
was 15 killed and 83 wounded, and of the British, 63 killed and
543 prisoners. This action was one of the most daring and bril.
liant that occurred during the war. A light was erected on the
site of the fort in 1826.
10 Geol. 1st Dist. p. 107.
11 Locally known as Haverstraw. The large rolling mill of
the Sampson Iron Co., 1| mi. w. of this place, usually employing
100 to 150 hands, has suspended operations. |
1
This tract is described as follows:—“A certain tract of va¬
cant land within our county of Orange called' by the Indians
Whorinims. Peruck, Gemakie, and Nanashunck, and is in several
small pieces; and also another parcel of land, beginning at the
south bounds of lands lately granted to Daniel Honan and
Michael Hawdon, being a small creek that runs into Demaree’s
Creek to the southward of Nanashunck, and runs from thence
by Demaree’s said creek as it runs southerly to the lyne parting
our said Province from the Jerseys; and soe by the said parting
line westward to a small river called Saddle River, thence by the
said river northward until an east line doe run to the southwest
corner of the said Honans and Hawdons land, containing by
estimation two thousand acres of improvable land, Ac. &c.”
Another deed on record commences, “ To all X Tian People,”
(Christian People,) Johannes Mynne, of Haverstraw, &c. Ac. to
Albert Mynne, of Haverstraw, Ac. &c., and dated 1694.
Witness, Thomas Luirens, Prans Wessel, and Peter Jacobus
Maurius.
2
Among these early settlers were Capt. Cornelius Cuyper,
Capt. Cornelius Harring, Johannes Meyer, Gerhardus Clowes,
Derrick Straat, Jacobus Swartwout, Jonathan Ross, Thomas
Pulling, John Gaile, Cornelius Smith, Jacob King, William Kur-
track, John Ellison, Rinear Kiserike, Col. Vincent Matthews,
Hendrick Ten Eyck, Guylbert Crom, Minard Ilogon Kamp,
Gerrit Sneideker, Daniel Denton, Petress Decker, Jonathan Sea¬
mens, Thos. Maybee, Daniel De Clark, William Wyant, Evert
Hombeck, John Van Fliet, Johannes Blauvelt, Nicholas Concklin,
Lambert Auriancey, Teunis Van Houten, and Teunis Talman.
3
The landing at this village is sometimes called Slaughters
Landing.
4
200,000 tons of ice are annually exported. The business
gives employment to 1000 men during the season of securing
5
® Signifying Oat Straw. The name is said to be derived from
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