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WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
3 mi. from the Souna, contains 4 churches, a carpet factory, molding mill, and gristmill. Ford-
harn, (p. v.,) on the r. r., in the n. part of the town, contains 4 churches and is the seat of St. John’s
College.1 Tremomt,2 Central Morrisania,3 Williams Bridge, (p. o.,) and Fair-
mount are modern villages. The last named is a station upon the Harlem R. R. Claremont
is a small village on the line of Morrisania. The eastern part of the present town, originally known
as “The West Farms,” was patented April 25,1666, to Edward Jessup and John Richardson. Indian
purchasers.4 Fordham was bought by the Dutch in 1639, and in 1646 it was owned b^rAdrien
Yan der Donck. In 1671 John Archer, owner of 1,253 acres, obtained a patent under the title of
the “ Manor of Fordham.” It passed to Cornelius Steenwyck, and was conveyed by his widow in
1694 to the Dutch church in New York, in whose possession it remained 60 years.5 The High
Bridge of the Croton Aqueduct connects the s. w. corner of this town with N. Y. City and Ma¬
comb’s Bridge, in the N.w. corner. Fort No. 8 was built upon the eminence n. w. of the Archer
homestead in the Revolution ; and its guns assisted in the capture of Fort Washington in 1776. It
was demolished by the enemy Oct. 20,1782. Fort Independence, on Tetards Hill, was dismantled
in 1833. Prince Charles Redoubt and the Negro Fort of the Revolution were on the s. side of
Valentines Hill. There are 9 churches in town.6
WHITE PE AIMS—was formed March 7,1788. It is an interior town, lying s. of the center
of the co. The surface is rolling and hilly. Mamaroneck River forms its E. boundary, and Bronx
River its w. St. Marys Lake lies along its e. border. The soil is a clayey and gravelly loam.
White Plains7 (p. v.) is situated near the w. line of the town. It contains the old and new
co. buildings, 3 churches, and several private seminaries. It is a station upon the Harlem R. R.,
and contains about 1,000 inhabitants. This town was purchased Nov. 22,1683, by the inhabitants
of Rye, and was settled soon after. In 1720 it was divided among 41 proprietors ;8 and a charter
was granted March 13, 1721, with a quitrent of 2 shillings 6 pence to every 100 acres. It em¬
braced 4,435 acres. Many important historical events occurred in this town during the Revolution.
The village was wantonly burned Nov. 5, 1776, by a New England major. The battle of White
Plains was fought on Chatterton Hill, in Greenburgh, opposite, and within view of the village.
There are 6 churches in town.9
YOIRERS 10—was formed as a town March 7, 1788. It is the most southerly town in the co.
upon the Hudson. The surface is rugged and broken by several ridges extending sr. and s. Va¬
lentines Hill,11 the highest point, is 400 ft. above tide. Tuckahoe Hill, in theE. part, and Thirty
Deer Ridge, extending into Greenburgh, are prominent points. The principal streams are Bronx
River, forming the E. boundary, Spuyten Duyvil Creek, forming the s. boundary, Neperhan
River, flowing through the center, and Sprain River and Tibbetts Brook.12, The soil is a clayey
and gravelly loam. The people are largely engaged in manufactures.13 The heights along the
river are studded with elegant country residences. Many of the inhabitants are engaged in busi-
it was in dispute between the patentees of West Farms and
Morrisania from 1666 to 1740.
6 An act of General Assembly, Dec. 12, 1753, allowed the
Dutch church to sell the Manor of Fordham^—which was done,
and the money received is now vested in the city. Three hundred
acres were excepted from this sale by, Mrs. Steenwyck.
6 3 Prot. E., 2 Ref. Prot. D., 3 M. E., Presb., and R. O.
7 This village is divided into two parts,—the old village, lying
about three-fourths of a mile from the r. r., and the new vil¬
lage, lying between the old village and the r. r. station.
8 Among these were families named Horton, Denham, Purdy,
Brown, Lane, Frost, Disbrow, Merritt, Hyatt, Hoyt, Knapp,
Pease, Kniffin, Odell, Galpin, Budd, Lounsberry, Travis, Stock
ham, Fowler, Walter, Cox, Jeffrey, Sherwood, ’Lyon, and
Brondig. Several of these names are still common in town.
9 3 M. E., Prot. E., Presb., and R. C.
10 Pronounced Yunk'ers. It is a Dutch word, signifying “gen
tleman,” or country nobleman,—a title of respect applied first
in this place to Adrien Van der Donck, the patentee and first
proprietor. This town and Mile Square formed a township in
the great Manor of Philipsbnrgh, until the Revolution. The
Indians called the place Ke-ke-shick.
u Named from the family who owned the adjoining property
for about 130 years.
12 Sprain River was called by the natives Ar-men-pe-ral; ana
Tibbetts Brook, Mos-ho-lu.
13 There are about 20 manufactories in town, employing, when
in full operation, 1,200 to 1,500 persons. Two hat factories each
employ near 200 operatives. The foundery at Spuyten Duyvil
employs about 300 hands; and a pickle factory, on the Hudson,
a still larger number. The Neperhan, a stream that enters
the Hudson in the lower part of Yonkers Village, affords a con¬
siderable amount of water-power.
1
This oollege, situated on Rose Hill, immediately e. of the
Harlem R. R., is under the control of the R. C. denomination.
It was incorp. April 10,1846, having been opened tor students
June 24,1841. It is under the direct charge of Jesuits, who,
being associated for religious motives, receive no salary beyond
personal support. Six other persons are employed as special
instructors upon pay. In 1858 it reported to the Regents 59
undergraduates, besides which it has about 100 other pupils.
Upon the premises is a large and handsome gothic church, and
St. Joseph’s Theological Seminary. The main building, of stone,
2
stories high, with an attic, contains the parlor, chapel, and
professors’ apartments, and is adorned with valuable paintings.
Two front wings, of brick, one story each, 90 by 25 feet, contain
the refectory, kitchen, study hall for the first division, and
general assembly room. A large brick building contains the
study hall for the second division, sleeping, play, and wash rooms.
At each end of the front wings is a 3 story brick building, for
reading hall, music, drawing, and class rooms, and dormitories.
A 3 story brick building, 100 by 20 feet, contains the library,
museum, wardrobe, and walking hall, for the senior division. The
farm and property are valued at $147,000. Its libraries number
12,090 volumes, and it has a valuable cabinet of minerals.
2 Formerly “ Upper Morrisania,” “South Fordham,” “Adams-
ttille,” and “Mount Hope,”—all of which are now embraced in one
village under the general name of Tremont.
3
A town hall was authorized to he erected April 15,1854, and
was located e. of Fordham Avenue, in Central Morrisania. It
was built at a cost of about $15,000. By the subsequent erec¬
tion of Morrisania it is brought near the s. border of this town.
4
This patent was bounded e. by Bronx River, and w. by a
5
little brook called by the natives Sachwrahung,—including a
6
neck of land called Quinnahung. The s. part of the town, or
7
“ Planting Neck,” was called by the Indians Quinnahung. The
8
W. side of this neck was called the “Debatable Ground,” because
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