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WESTCHESTER COUNTY. 703
uneven and in some parts stony. Davenports Neck,1 a peninsula containing 200 acres, and several
fine islands in the Sound, belong to this town.2 Crystal Lake, E. of the village, is chiefly cele¬
brated for its ice, large quantities of which are annually “harvested.” The soil is fertile and
peculiarly adapted to fruit raising.3 Mew Rochelle, (p.v.,) upon an estuary from the Sound,
in the e. part of the town, was incorp. Oct. 5, 1857. It contains 6 churches, several private
schools, and about 2,000 inhabitants. A portion of the village and the lands surrounding it are
occupied by elegant villas and country residences of persons doing business in New York. The
steamboat landing is a half mile s. w. of the village, on a small island connected with the main land
by a stone causeway. The village is a station on the N. Y. & N. II. R. R. Beechwood Cemetery,
incorp. Jan. 30,1854, lies a mile w. of the village. West Mew Rochelle, Petersville,4
and Upper Mew Rochelle are scattered villages, mostly inhabited by Germans. This town
was embraced in the Manor of Pelham, and was sold by John Pell, Sept. 20,1689, to Jacob Leisler,
for the settlement of a company of French Huguenots. These people are said to have been
brought over in one of the king’s ships, and to have landed on the n. e. part of Davenports Neck,
then called “Bauffets” or “JBounfoys Point.”5 They mostly purchased under Leisler in 1690.
There were 23 freeholders in town in 1708. The town records commence Nov. 1,1699, and until 1735
were kept partly in French. They were suspended from April 2, 1776, to June 24, 1783. A
French Church was organized in 1689, and in 1709 most of the members conformed to the Epis¬
copal faith; and this denomination are now owners of property given by Pell. The Presbyterians
also claim succession from the first French church, a part of the members of which did not
conform.6
MORTII CASTUE7 —was formed March 7, 1788. New Castle was taken off in 1791. It
occupies a long, narrow strip on the e. border of the co., adjoining Stamford and Greenwich, Conn.
Its surface is much broken by hills,8 particularly in the w. part. It is drained by Maharness,
Byram, and Bronx Rivers and their branches. Rye Pond lies on the s. border; Byram Pond on the
line of Bedford; and Wampus Pond on the line of New Castle. Cobamong Pond, a mile e. of
Byram Pond, has no inlet and is very deep. The soil is clay and sandy loam. Mortll Castle
(p.v.) contains a church and a few houses. Armonk,9 (p.v.,) near the center, contains 3
churches, a woolen factory, and 20 houses. Kensico,10 (p. v.,) in the s. part, contains several
manufactories and 103 inhabitants. Quarter Station is on the N. H. R. R., in the extreme s.
part. The first settlements commenced at a very early period.11 The census reports 7 churches in
town.12
MORTII SALEM13—was formed March 7,1788. A part was annexed to Lewisboro in 1844.
It is the n. e. corner town of the eo. Its surface is hilly, the summits rising 100 to 300 ft. above
the valleys. Croton River forms the w. boundary. Titicus14 River, a principal branch of the Cro¬
ton, flows w. from Conn. through near-the center. The valley of this stream varies in width from
J mi. to 1J mi., and is bordered by steep hills. Peach Pond, on the sr. border, covers 400 acres.
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8 Mt. Misery, in the s. e. angle, 200 to 300 ft. above the valley,
is named from the fact that a large party of Indians were cut
off here by the Huguenots, in retaliation for a descent upon
New Rochelle.—Bolton’s Westchester, I, p. 447.
8 Formerly “Mill Square,” and still often called by that name.
10 Formerly “Robbins Mills.”
U The Indian title to this town was obtained hy Caleb Heath
cote and others between 1660 and 1705, and confirmed by several
patents. Of these the “Middle Patent,” embracing 1,500 acres,
was granted Feb. 17,1701-02, and the w. portion was confirmed
to Anne Bridges and her associates Sept. 25,1708. A partition
of the Middle and West Patents took place June 23,1766. Thu
allotments were balloted for and sold to numerous persons,
of whom many named Brundage, Griffin, Lockland, Sillick, Sco¬
field, Clapp, and others are descendants.—Bolton’s Westchester,
i, p.m.
Major Andre immediately after his arrest was sent to Col.
Jameson, stationed in this town; and from here he was al¬
lowed, through the inadvertence of that officer, to notify Arnold
of his arrest.
12 3 M. E., 3 Prot. E., and Friends. (
13 This town was mostly purchased by Stephen Van Cortland*,
and was embraced within the bounds of his manor. The e. part,
within the Oblong, was purchased in 1708 by John Belden,
Sam’l Keeler, Matthew Seymour, Matthias St. John, and other
inhabitants of Norwalk, Conn. Upon the division of the Manor
of Cortlandt in 1734, this town fell to the share of Andrew Mil¬
ler, John Schuyler, and Stephen De Lancey.
14 Otherwise called Mutighticoss. The name in the text per
haps has been changed from this, and is said to have been de>
rived from an Indian chief. |
1
Formerly “Laylers” (“ Leslies”) and “Lecourts” Neck. Bought
in 1786 by Newberry Davenport, and since owned by the Daven¬
port family.
2
Davids or Hewletts Island. Named from Thaddeus Davids,
the owner. It contains about 100 acres, and is fitted up for pic¬
nic and pleasure parties. Steamboat excursions are occasionally
made thither from the city. Goat, Marketts, Whortleberry,
Locust, and Van Cleese Islands also belong to this town. Bur¬
dens Point, on Davenport Neck, is also a place of resort.
3
From 12 to 20 acres are devoted to raising blackberries,
—chiefly the variety known as the “ New Rochelle or Lawton
blackberry,” originally a seedling from the fields, which has
proved of much value. There are also extensive nurseries in
town.
4
Formerly called “New Jerusalem,”
5
6 The purchase included 6,000 acres, tp which Pell added 100
acres for the use of the French church. Among the refugees
were Francis Le Count, David De Bonrepas, Alexis Allaire, Har¬
vey Beignon, Esaye Valleau, Andrew Thaunet, David Bonnefoy,
Louis Guion, Pierre Das, Pierre Palcot, Andrew Naudin and
sons Andrew and Louis, Theophile and Chas. Fourrestier, Am-
broise Sycard and sons Ambroise, Daniel, and Jacques, Guil¬
laume Laudrie, G. Latteneau, Isaaq Caillard, Marie Cothon-
neau and her son Guillaume, Jean Newfuille, Estersie Lavigne,
and Jean Constant. Thos. Paine, author of “ Common Sense,”
died in this town in 1809, and his remains were taken to Eng¬
land by Cobbett in 1819. His admirers have erected a monu¬
ment over the spot where he was interred.
6
“Liberty of North Castle.”
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