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700 WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
by building associations. This town appears to have been a favorite residence of the natives ; and
when first settled by the whites it contained traces of former occupation. The Indian title was ac¬
quired in 1654 and confirmed in 1654, 1666, and 1700. Thos. Pell, the purchaser, granted it to
James Eustis and Philip Pinkney, of Fairfield, Conn., and their associates. In 1665, 26 persons
signed a covenant for the security of their mutual rights.1 The settlers were incorp. by patent,
March 9, 1666,2 and for many years were engaged in a controversy with Westchester concerning
the bounds of their grant. A house was fortified in Oct. 1675, as a place of refuge from Indians.
The first schoolhouse was agreed upon in 1683 ; and the site has ever since been occupied for this
purpose. A townhouse was voted in 1685. East Chester was celebrated for the interest it took
in behalf of Leisler.3 The Cong, church of this town was formed in 1665; and a place of worship
was built about 1700,4 The town suffered greatly in the Revolution, from its being the middle
ground between tbe opposing armies. A farm of 252J acres was granted in tbis town to David
Williams, one of the captors of Andre, June 16, 1783. He afterward removed to Schoharie co.,
where he died.
GREENBITRGH4—was formed March 7, 1788. It lies on the w. border of the co., s. of the
center. Its surface is much broken by bills parallel to the Hudson, and separated by narrow val¬
leys, through which flow several streams, the principal of which is Neperhan or Sawmill Creek.
Hudson River forms the w. boundary, and Bronx River the e. The soil is clay and sandy loam.
Several marble quarries are worked near the Hudson. Hastings, (Hastings upon Hudson
p.o.,) near the s.w. corner, a station on the H. R. R. R. and a steamboat landing, contains 2
churches, steam marble works, limekilns, and a limited number of manufactories. Pop. 1,135.
BoHHs Ferry,6 (p. v.,) a station on tbe H. R. R. R. and a landing on the river, contains 3
churches and 1,040 inhabitants. Irvington,7 (p. v.,) a station on the H. R. R. R. and a landing
on the river, contains 2 churches and 599 inhabitants. Tarrytown,5 (p.v.,) on the N. border,
a steamboat landing and a station on the H. R. R. R., contains 4 churches, the Paulding Insti¬
tute, and about 3,000 inhabitants. Harts Corners, (Moringville p. o.,) a station on the
Harlem R. R., is a hamlet; Middletown is a settlement below Tarrytown; Halls Cor¬
ners,6 a neighborhood in the n. part; AsHford, a settlement 3 mi. below; Abbotsford,
a locality near Dobbs Ferry; and Greenville, a neighborhood in the s. part. The first
Indian purchase was made in 1649. In 1662 Connecticut bought all the Indian lands w. to the
North River, and in 1681-82-84 Frederick Philipse bought the lands now included in this and
other towns which, by Patent of 1693, were formed into the Philipsburgh Manor. In 1779 they
were forfeited hy the attainder of Col. F. Philipse and sold for small sums to the former tenants,7
under a pre-emption clause in the general act of May 12, 1784, for the sale of confiscated estates.
The census reports 6 churches in town.8
HARRISON 9—was formed March 7, 1788. It is an interior town, near the e. border, s. of the
center of the co., its n. e. corner touching the line of Conn. Its surface is generally level. Blind
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6 Named from a family of this name who were early settlers
and kept a ferry. The first interview between Arnold and Andre
was to have taken place here; hut, for some reason, it did not.
The British commissioners sent up to obtain Andre’s release
had their interview here with Gen. Greene. Gen. Washington
and Gov. Clinton here met Gen. Tarleton, at the close of the war,
in 1783.
f Named from Washington Irving, whose quaint Dutch home¬
stead, “ Sunny Side,” is a short distance above. The village
was formerly called “Dearmans,” or “ Bearmans Landing.”
8 From “Tarwe,” wheat; and, by the natives, Alipconck, or
Place of Elms. By an act of May 1,1786, a tract of 2 acres for
a burial place, 100 acres for a glebe to the Ref. Prot. D. church,
and 17 acres to the Prot. E. church, were confirmed. The vil¬
lage is pleasantly situated opposite the widest part of the Tap¬
pan Zee. The site of Andre’s capture, marked by a handsome
monument, dedicated Oct. 7, 1853, is about three-fourths of a
mi. N. E. from the station.
® Near the Presb. church is the monument to Isaac Van Wart,
one of the capturers of Major Andre,—erected by the citizens of
the co., June, 1829.
w Among these were families named Van Tassel, Van Wart,
Odell, Lawrence, Post, Archer, Hart, Acker, Dyckman, and
Requa.
n 2 M. E., 2 Ref. Prot. D., Prot. E., and Bap.
i2 Sometimes called “ Harrisons Precinct,” or “ The Purchase.”
Prior to 1774 it formed one of the six precincts of Rye Parish.—.
Bolton’s Westchester, I, 246. It was named from John Harrison,
who purchased it from the Indians Feb. 1,1695, and confirmed
to Wm. Nicolls, John Harrison, and others, June 25, 1696. It
was formed a separate precinct by act of March 9,1774. |
1
Thos. and Richard Shute, Nathaniel and .Tohn Tompkins,
Thos. and John A. Pinkney, Joseph Joans, John and Moses
Hoitt, James Eustis, Daniel Godwin, Wm. Squire, David Os-
burn, John Godiug, Samuel and John Drake, John and Moses
Jackson, Nathaiiiel White, Wm. Haidon, John Gay, Richard
Hoadley, Henry Fowler, John Emory, and John Clarke were
the signers of this agreement.
2
Philip Pinkney, James Eustis, and Wm. Haidon were named
in this patent; and these persons resigned their trust to the
inhabitants soon after.
3
Bolton’s Westchester, 7,135.
4
D., Bap., R. C., and Univ.
5
the Indians, Weckquaskeck, Wec.kquoesqueeck,Wiequoeshook,—
in pure Algonquin, Weic-quoes-guck, the place of the hark
kettle.—Bolton’s Hist. Westchester Co., I, p. 163. This town was
inhabited by a powerful tribe of Indians known as the Wick-
6
quoes-quicks, called by the English Wickers Creeks; and until
the middle of the last century the natives were numerous. A
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cold blooded murder of an Indian was avenged 20 years after¬
ward by his nephew, in Sept. 1691. The Dutch attempted to
8
retaliate, but without success. In Feb. 1641, the Mohawks
made a descent upon these Indians, who fled to the Dutch for
protection. The soldiers of the fort by night crossed to New Jer¬
9
sey, where the Indians had assembled, and wantonly butchered
nearly 100; and 30 were murdered at Corlears Hook. This
barbarity aroused 11 tribes to vindictive war, in which the Dutch
settlements around Fort Amsterdam were laid waste. A peace
was agreed upon April 22,1643, but was not fully established
for many years.
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