WHITE PLAINS. THE half-shire town of the county is situated twenty-eight miles from New York, one hundred and thirty-one south of A'bany, six miles east of the Hudson, and fourteen south of Bedford, the other half-shire town; bound ed northerly by North Castle, eastwardly by Harrison, southerly by Scarsdale, and west by Greenburgh. The river Bronx runs south along the west line, and the Mamaroneck river along the cast, forming the boundary towards Harrison township. The whole area of this town may be eight and a half square miles." White Plains originally formed a portion of the town of Rye, and derived its name from the White Balsam, (Gnaphaliumb Polycephalum of Linnæus,) which still grows in great abundance in and around the plains. It was called Quaroppas by the Indians, under whom these lands must have formed a portion of the ancient domains of Weckquaskeck, as we find Shapham, or Thapham, one of the sachems of that place, conjointly selling lands here to the inhabitants of the town of Rye in 1683. "It is so long since the Indians quitted these grounds, that their monuments are almost effaced. Once in a while a point of an arrow, or a stone axe is found, which bears the mark of In a Spafford's Gazetter of N. Y. From the Greek Gnaphalon, a word signifying soft down or wool. dian labor and dexterity; and there is still to be distinguished the spot on which they had their wigwams, and the cemetry where they buried their dead." The former is situated on the lands of Mr. Gilbert Oakley, the latter on the property of Mr. Elisha Crawford. In the vicinity of the village is a small excavation cut out of a granite rock, denominated the Indians' seat. Upon the 22d day of November, 1683, the inhabitants of Rye obtained the following grant from the aboriginal proprietors. "To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come, greeting: Know ye, that we, Thapham, Cockinseko, Orawapum, Kewetoham, Koawanohpaatch, Shipharrash, Korehwe wous, Panawok, Memishote, Pewekanoh, Oromahqah, Pathunck, Hohoreis, Debenga Wonauahing, Owhorawas, and Onoshand, have for a valuable sum of money to us in hand, bargained, covenanted, alienated and sold unto the inhabitants of the above said town of Rye, a certain tract of land lying within the town bounds of Rye, bounded as followeth, on the north-east with Marrineck river, and on the south-east with a branch of the said river and marked trees till it comes to Broncks's river, and then to run by Broncks's river till it comes to the head of the White Plaines, so called, and by marked trees from thence till it comes to the uppermost branch of Marrineck river, which tract of land is commonly called by the English the White Plaines, and called by the Indians Quaroppas, which said tract of land wee, the abovesaid Thapham, Cockinseko, Orawapum, Kewetoham, Koawanoh, Moahatice, and the rest of the abovesaid Indians have sold as abovesaid unto the inhabitants of the said town of Rye, them, their heirs, executors, administrators, or assignees, for ever, and do hereby bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, administrators, and assignees, unto the inhabitants of the abovesaid town of Rye, them, their heirs, executors, administrators, or assignees, that they may at all times from and after the date hereof appear, peaceably and quietly possess, occupy, and enjoy the abovesaid tract of land free from all former bargains, sales, mortgages, or other incumbrances whatsoever, and also to warrant and make good the abovesaid sale against any person or persons whatsoever that shall or will make or lay any claim or claimes thereunto, and in testimony thereof we have caused this bill of sale to be made, and hereunto have sett our hands and seals this two and twentieth of November, one thousand six hundred and eighty-three. Sealed, signed. and delivered in the presence of us, On the 30th of April, 1802, Elisha Brewster and wife sold to Isaac Valentine "all that land bounded as follows: at a mulberry stump by the road that leads to New York, thence running southerly by and with said road to a black stump, from thence by and with said road to the Indian graves," &c. "12th of April, 1694, Hachaliah Brown and Thomas Merritt were appointed to go with the Indians and renew the marks of the White Plains purchase, agreeing with the Indians as reasonably as they can." "The same year Thomas Merritt and Joseph Galpin were chosen to lay out the land at the White Plains granted to Jonathan Horton by the town." The next notice of this town occurs on the 9th of February, 1719, when, at a public meeting held by the proprietors of the White Plains, it was voted and agreed by the said proprietors that Captain Joseph Budd, John Hoyt, sen., John Horton, Caleb Hiatt, Samuel Purdy and George Lane, jr., layers out of the said purchase chosen by the said proprietors, for laying out all the above said land, as may appear by record bearing date February 11th, 17, that the said layers out shall have for their trouble and industry for laying out the whole purchase and returning the bounds at or between the thirteenth day of April, which will be in the year one thousand seven hundred and twenty, one hundred and ten acres of land lying between the lower end, the ridges and Mamaroneck river. At the above said meeting tis voted and agreed that David Ogden and Hachaliah Brown are to survey and lay out the above said one hundred acres and ten of land as above mentioned."a The following is a list of the proprietors, and the number of acres held by them under the survey.b Joseph Horton, 18 Isaac Denham, 1 Francis Purdy, 2 Deliverance Brown, 20 George Lane, 23 Thomas Brown, 3 John Hoyt, 36 Joseph Budd, 26 Philip Galpin, 9 Richard Lounsberry, 33 John Galpin, 5 Joseph Horton, 17 Henry Disbrow, 8 Thomas Lyon, 14 John Brondig, 4 Hachaliah Brown, 27 "In 1721, William Burnet, governor of New York, set out in order for patent, to Samuel Hunt, "a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of Westchester, being part of a large tract commonly known by the name of the White Plains, beginning at three large white oak trees standing near together on the west side of Mamaroneck river, and runs thence south thirty-nine degrees west, thirty-one chains, &c., &c., containing two hundred and sixty acres after five acres deducted for every hundred acres for highways."c Upon the 13th of March, 1721, his Excellency, William Burnet granted letters patent to Daniel Brundage for that tract of land in White Plains, beginning at a small white ash stake standing a Rye Rec. lib. A. e Alb. Book of Pat. No. viii. 442. b Sometimes called the second draught, on the east side of the Long Meadow brook, and runs thence south fifty-three degrees, west forty-three chains, to a heap of stones near the street, containing one hundred and ninety-five acres, the patentee yielding therefor on the festival of the Annunciation, the annual rent of twenty shillings and sixpence for every hundred acres. a King George the Second the same year issued the following royal letters patent to Joseph Budd, John Hoit, and others. CHARTER OF WHITE PLAINS. George, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., To all to whom this present shall come, greeting: Whereas our loving subjects Joseph Budd, John Hoit, Caleb Hoit, Humphrey Underhill, Joseph Purdy, George Lane, Daniel Lane, Moses Knap, John Horton, David Horton, Jonathan Lynch, Peter Hatfield, James Travis, Isaac Covert, Benjamin Brown, John Turner, David Ogden, and William Yeomans, by their humble petition presented to our trusty and well beloved William Burnet, Esq., captain-general and governor-in-chief of our province of New York, in council, the twenty-first day of December last, did humbly pray that his said Excellency would be favourably pleased to grant to them, their heirs, and assignees, his true letters patent for their clains and purchase, lying within this province, in the county of Westchester, known by the name of the White Plains, in such manner and under such quit rent, provisions, and restrictions as is and are directed in our royal commission and instructions to our said governor where petition was then and there received and considered of by our council of our said province, untill the first day of this inst., they did humbly advise our said governor, and consent that the prayer of the said petition be granted. In order to the granting whereof in pursuance of and in obedience to our royal instructions to his said Excellency, given at St. James the third day of June, one thousand seven hundred and twenty, in the sixth year of our reign, our said governor, together with George Clarke, Esq., secretary, and Cadwallader Colden, Esq., surveyor general of our said province, three of the commissioners appointed by our said instructions for setting out all lands to be granted within our said province of New York, did set out for the said Joseph Budd, John Hoit, Caleb Hoit, Humphrey Underhill, Joseph Purdy, George Lane, Daniel Lane, Moses Knap, John Horton, David Horton, Jonathan Lynch, Peter Hatfield, James Travis, Isaac Covert, Benjamin Brown, John Turner, David Ogden, and William Yeomans, that tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the county of Westchester, and is com Alb. Book of Pat. No. viii. 442. |