This gentleman held the office of Clerk of the Common Council in N. Y. on the breaking out of the Revolution; this appears from the following letter addressed by him to the New York committee of safety-Dated Sept. 5, 1775.

GENTS. Being requested by the Provincial Congress to enquire for some place of safety to deposite the public records in, and to inform the committee of safety thereof, agreeable to which, Mr. Cortlandt informs the committee of safety, that previous to the above request, he caused the public records to be put into chests, and secured them in a cellar in his garden, made for that purpose, of stone and brick, well arched and exceedingly dry. This precaution was taken against accidents happening by fire; should the city be invaded by an army from Great Britain, or British troops, he in such case intended to remove them to his brother's at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester. If the committee of safety shall judge any other place more secure, Mr. Van Cortlandt will be glad to be informed thereof, that he may communicate the same to the corporation of this city for their approbation.

He remains their most obedient

humble servant,

AUGUSTUS VAN CORTLANDT.

By the will of the above Augustus van Cortlandt, dated 20th of December, 1823, he bequeathes his property after the following manner:

"Whereas the greatest part of the lands and real estate which I occupy and hold in the town of Yonkers, was derived to me by inheritance from my ancestors; and, whereas I have lately purchased several tracts and pieces of land also lying in ye said town of Yonkers, which I at present occupy and possess, &c. Item, it is my desire that the same remain entire, and pass from time to time to one of my surname and family; whereupon I do hereby give and devise all my lands and real estate, and all dwelling houses, mills and other buildings thereon in the town of Yonkers, &c., unto my affectionate relations, John Jay and Peter Augustus Jay, and to their heirs for ever, except a certain dwelling house and farm in the said town of Yonkers, &c., and a lot of ground near my mill-pond, &c., which belonged to my late brother, Frederick van Cortlandt, to hold the same in trust for the following uses: viz., 1st, to hold the same for my son-in-law, Henry White, late the husband of my deceased daughter, Anna White, for and during the time of his natural life. 2nd, for and after the decease of my son-in-law Henry

American Archives, 4th series, vol. iii. 645.

White, and in case Augustus, the son of the said Henry White and my said deceased daughter shall survive the said Henry White, then to hold the same for the use of the said Augustus, and his heirs and assignees, on condition that from and after my decease, he do take and constantly and exclusively use the name of Van Cortlandt, &c., &c.

Augustus van Cortlandt, the above devisee, subsequently took possession of the estate under the will of his grandfather, the above testator. The Revised Statutes of 1825, having abolished the entail, Augustus became possessed of the estate in fee simple. Upon the 18th of Feb., 1827, Augustus van Cortlandt bequeathed the Yonkers to his brother Henry, for life, and to his brother's eldest son forever, provided they take and constantly use the name of " Van Cortlandt ;" and upon the failure of male heirs, to Henry, the testator provided that the property should pass to his nephew, Augustus van Cortlandt Bibby, son of his sister Augusta."

Henry, the above devisee, took possession of the estate on his brother's death, in 1839, and assumed the name of Van Cortlandt. Henry van Cortlandt died Oct., 1839, and was succeeded by his nephew, the present proprietor, Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq.

The present mansion house, a large edifice of stone, was erected by Frederick van Cortlandt, A. D. 1748;b it forms a noble object when viewed from the lawn. The situation commands nearly the whole length of the vale of Yonkers; stretching south, the view is terminated only by the high hills of New York island, and heights of Fordham. The pleasure grounds in front, appear to have been laid out in the ancient Dutch style, with high artificial banks, adorned with rows of state

a

Surrogate's office, N. Y.

b The following item occurs in the will of Frederick van Cortlandt, dated 2nd of Oct. 1749" whereas, I am now about finishing a large stone dwelling house on the plantation in which I now live, which, with the said plantation, will, by virtue of my deceased father's will, devolve after my decease, upon my eldest son James, &c. Surrogate's office N. Y., fol, xviii. 62.

ly box, venerable for their height and antiquity; while beneath are still visible the remains of old fish ponds and jets d'eau. Above the old fashioned windows, grim visages in the shape of corbels seem to frown upon the beholder. We suppose them to be a kind of "genii loci."

Cortlandt House, the residence of Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq.

Two eagles surmount the posts of the old gateway facing the stables. These were part of the spoils taken from a Spanish privateer during the war; and presented to Augustus van Cortlandt, by Rear Admiral Robert Digby of the British navy. To the east of the house, the Mosholu (Tippetts brook) pent up by the mill dam, forms an extensive sheet of water, which is greatly enriched by the vicinity of green meadows, orchards and neighboring hills. South of the pond is situated the old mill. Amid the grove of locusts on George's point, a little north of the mill, stood the original residence of the Van Cortlandts.

The interior of the present house is neatly fitted up and furnished, its drawing room and library windows look out on beautiful prospects, in the latter apartment are some fine family portraits: Henry White, jr., by Jarvis; Vice Admiral Sir John White, in full uniform, a copy by Chapman from the original of Jarvis; Augustus van Cortlandt, by Jarvis; Thomas Bibby,

by Chapman; Mr. Babcock, by Stewart; and Henry White sen., by Copley.

The old family Bible of the Van Cortlandts, printed at Amsterdam, A. D. 1714, contains some curious memoranda of the Jay family. The first entry occurs New York den 19th Jan'ry, 1723-4.

During the early period of the Revolutionary war this house was garrisoned by a piquet guard of the Green Yagers, whose officers held their head quarters here.

His Excellency, General Washington, and aids, dined in one of the apartments on the memorable July of 1781, when the British piquets were driven within the lines upon New York island. In another room the unfortunate Captain Rowe expired in the arms of his bride elect.

To the north of the mansion is seen rising Vault Hill, so called from the family sepulchre, which is seated upon its summit. From this spot, hallowed by the remains of the illustrious dead, the view is exceedingly beautiful; Tippett's vale, the mill pond, orchards, and neighbouring hills. The vault itself is a small square edifice of stone surmounted with a pointed roof, the whole enclosed by a solid stone wall. Within an adjoining vault in the same yard repose the remains of

CHARLOTTE AMELIA BAYLEY,

relict of Doctor Richard Bayley,

who died the 1st day of Sept. 1805.

It was upon this hill that Gen. Washington stationed his troops and lighted camp fires for the purpose of deceiving the enemy, whilst he secretly withdrew to join La Fayette before Yorktown in Virginia, A. D. 1781.

There are still the remains of a considerable fort on the north. end of this ridge. During the Revolutionary struggle the valley south from Vault hill to Kingsbridge, appears to have been the constant scene of skirmishing between the two armies.

3d July, 1781, General Washington planned an expedition to cut off Colonel James de Lancey, stationed in the vale, and Major

This lady was sister-in-law of Augustus van Cortlandt, sen.

Pruschanck, another British officer occupying Cortlandt ridge, in command of the Yager horse.

It had been so arranged that the Duke of Lauzun should march to Williams's bridge and there make his rendezvous till daylight the following morning. General Lincoln was to be piloted down from Tappan and landed below Yonkers, while Washington himself should take post on Valentine's hill. Lauzun accordingly conducted his cavalry to Williams's bridge, where he halted. In the mean time General Lincoln had been landed half a mile below the village, on the property now owned by Thomas W. Ludlow, Esq., then occupied by Isaac Post. After landing, Lincoln, guided by Major Lawrence, passed along shore south, missing Col. Emmerick with his corps marching north to Boar hill; then crossing over the hills east, Lincoln followed the course of Tippett's brook, for the purpose of avoiding Pruschank's corps, stationed upon Cortlandt's ridge. Passing the Van Cortlandt residence, he kept close to the edge of Gun and Locust hills, and had arrived in the vicinity of General Montgomery's house, (then occupied by his widow,) unobserved by the sentinels on the opposite side, when the enemy's patrol fired. De Lancey, instantly on the alert, commenced his retreat in face of General Lincoln's advancing columns. Totten, De Lancey's lieutenant, seemed determined to make a stand, but soon received positive orders from De Lancey to retire, which he did, just in time to avoid the surprisal.

Colonel Armand, the celebrated French cavalry officer, made a daring and successful attempt to surprise a large piquet of Green Yagers, stationed at Warner's store, under the command of De Wurmb. For this purpose Armand left his quarters above the Croton and proceeded down the main post road to the village of Yonkers; after passing the village, and when in the neighborhood of the enemy's encampment, he started his whole corps on a full gallop. The Yagers had taken the precaution to post a sentinel at Hadley's spring, but the poor fellow became so perfectly alarmed and powerless on seeing the furious onset of Armand's horse, that he could give no alarm, and was instantly dispatched. The consequence was, the whole corps were either killed or made prisoners. Colonel Armand then made good his