additional expense of $900. It was dedicated to the worship of God, September, 1833, and has ever since been attached to the Presbyterian church of Rye. At the foot of King street is located the Methodist Episcopal church. This society was incorporated on the 16th of December, 1829. Horace B. Smith, R. Meade, Elisha Halstead, John Seymour and William Fowler, trustees.a Near the western entrance of the village stands the residence of the Merritt family. Mr. Merritt the present occupant, is a lineal descendant of John Merritt, one of the original proprietors of Rye. Of this family was "Thomas Merritt, a cornet of cavalry in the Queen's Rangers, A. D. 1780. This gentleman subsequently settled in Upper Canada, and held the offices of sheriff of the District of Niagara, and surveyor of the King's forests. He died at St. Catharine's, May, 1842, aged eighty-two." King street extends nearly seven miles north of Portchester, and finally terminates in the north-west corner of Greenwich township, Connecticut. The surrounding country is a fine agricultural district, embracing some of the finest farms in the county. Among the principal farmers in the vicinity of Portchester are William Bush and James Blackstock, Esqrs. The border hamlet of Glenville is situated on the west bank of the Byram, east of King street. Here are the grist mill and lead manufactory of Samuel G. Cornell, Esq. During the Revolutionary war the continental forces appear to have been frequently quartered in this town. On the 8th of January, General Parson's brigade were posted in King street. The same year, General Wooster's division retreated as far as Rye neck. Lieutenant Colonel Van Rensselaer also received orders from congress to maintain his station until obliged to retreat upon Rye neck. Subsequently the enemy occupied this portion of Westchester county, where the soldiers did much wanton mischief and plundered most of the houses. Their principal encampment seems to have been on the high ground between the villages of Rye and Portchester. Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. B. 1. The earliest record of town officers occurs on the 25th of April, 1671. Upon this occasion, "George Kniffen and Francis Purdy were appointed pounders." "Upon the 3d of October, Joseph Horton, Thomas Brown and John Brondig were chosen town and selectmen for the year ensuing." "28th of September, George Lane was elected constable." "13th of June, 1691. Mr. Joseph Theall, supervisor." "June 26th, 1696, Deliverance Brown was chosen constable for the town of Rye, and Mr. John Hoit, recorder." Sig. John Lyon. Hachaliah Brown. The general surface of the town is uneven and stoney." The land, however, is under good cultivation. The soil consists of a clay loam. The natural growth of wood is oak, chestnut, walnut, hickory, &c., on the higher lands, and in the low lands, ash, birch, and maple. We have already shown that it is drained on the east by Byram river, and on the west by Blind brook, both flowing into Long Island Sound. Upon these streams are numerous mill seats. Among the principal mineral productions of the town may be noticed Chlorite,b "a soft greenish substance, composed of minute scales, closely compacted together. It differs very little from soapstone," also Tourmaline, in long slender crystals.c a Disturnell's Gazetteer of N. Y. Rocks containing it are said to be Chloritic. See geological survey of the state, 1840. SCARSDALE. THIS town is bounded on the north by White Plains and Greenburgh, east by Mamaroneck, west by Greenburgh, and south by Eastchester and Rochelle. Under the colonial government it constituted a portion of Scarsdale manor, which also, embraced the greater part of White Plains and the townships of North and New Castle.a The place acquired its name from the Heathcote family, who originally came from Scarsdale, Derbyshire, England. "More onward, says the learned Camden, (describing that part of Derbyshire,) we see Chesterfield in Scarsdale, that is, in a dale enclos'd with rocks: For crags were call'd scarrs by the Saxons." Under the Mohegan Indians Scarsdale is believed to have formed a portion of the Indian territory of Quaroppas, which was ceded to John Richbell by the Indian proprietors in 1660. A. D. 1696. Col. Caleb Heathcote obtained of Anne Richbell, relic of John Richbell, deceased, a full patent right to purchase lands, "which are already included in her husband's sale of 1660."b Upon the 30th of March, 1701, occurs the following indenture "between Col. Caleb Heathcote on the one part, of Mamaroneck, gentleman, and the Indian proprietors, Patthunck, Beaupo, Kohawney, and Wapetuck, on the other part, "Witnesseth that the said Patthunck, Beaupo, Kohawney, and Wapetuck, &c., for and in consideration of a certain sum of good and lawful money to them in hand paid, and secured to be paid, at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, by the said Caleb Heathcote, the receipt whereof the said Patthunck, Beaupo, Kohawney, Wapetuck, &c., doth hereby acknowledge themselves therewith to be fully satisfied and contented and paid and thereof and therefrom do acquit, exonerate and discharge the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs, executors, and administrators have given, granted, sold, The present township was organized on the 7th of March, 1788. bargained, alienated, enfeoffed, and confirmed, and do by these presents give, grant, bargain, sell, alienate, enfeoffe and confirm unto the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assignees forever, all our rights, title, and interest in a certain tract of land lying and being in the county of Westchester, bounded as follows: To begin on the west side at southermost end of a ridge known by the name of Richbell's or Horse ridge, at a great rock, and so to run a north-north-west line to Broncks's river, and on the eastermost side with Mamaroneck river, and from the head thereof to Broncks's river, to have and to hold the said bargained premises, with every of the appurtenances thereunto belonging, to the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assignees, forever; and that the said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs, executors, administrators, and assignees, shall and may at all times hereafter, and from time to time, peaceably and quietly have, hold, use, occupy, and enjoy, all and singular the herein before mentioned bargained premises, with their and every of their appurtenances, without the let, hindrance or molestation of them the said proprietors, their heirs or assignees. In witness whereof they have hereunto set their hands and seals, the day above written. Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us, Upon the 21st of March, 1701, the extensive purchases of Colonel Caleb Heathcote in Westchester county were erected into the lordship and manor of Scarsdale, to be holden of the king in free and common soccage, its lord yielding and rendering therefor annually, upon the festival of the Nativity, five pounds current money of New York, &c. THE ROYAL CHARTER. William the Third, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. to all to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting: Whereas our loving subject Caleb Heathcote, Esquire, hath petitioned the Honorable John Nanfan, our Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-chief of the Province of New York in America, and our Council of the said Province, for a confirmation of a tract of land in the county of Westchester, beginning at a marked tree by Mamaroneck river, which is the eastermost side of the northern bounds of Mamaroneck township, being about two miles from the county road, and to run along the said river to the From the original, in possession of the Rt. Rev. W. Heathcote de Lancey. head thereof, and thence in a north line until eighteen miles from said marked tree is completed, westerly at the marked tree or a great rock, being the westermost part of the said northern bounds of the aforesaid township being about two miles from the county road, and thence to run northerly eighteen miles as ye line on ye eastermost side of the said land runneth, including in ye said manor his eighth part of the two miles laid out for ye town of Mamaroneck, with ye lott he now liveth on, and ye lott bought of Alice Hatfield, with the lands and meadows below, westerly to a path to him belonging by virtue of his deeds and conveyances, part of which land within the bounds aforesaid was purchased by John Richbell from ye native Indian proprietors, which said John Richbell had a grant and confirmation for ye same from Francis Lovelace, late Governor of our said Province, and ye right of ye said John Richbell therein is legally vested in ye said Caleb Heathcote, and other parts have been purchased by ye said Caleb Heathcote of ye native Indian proprietors, and whereas the said Caleb Heathcote hath further petitioned our said Lieutenant Governor and Council that the said tract of land may be erected into a manor by ye name of ye manor of Scarsdale, whereupon our said Lieutenant Governor, by and with the advice of our Council, directed a writ to the high sheriff of the said county of Westchester to inquire to what damage such patent would be, which writ issued accordingly with a proviso that it should not give the said Caleb Heathcote any further title than which he already hath to ye land called White Plains, which is in dispute between ye said Caleb Heathcote and some of ye inhabitants of ye town of Rye, whereupon ye said sheriff returned that ye jurors found that there is no damage to ye King or his subjects in erecting the manor aforesaid, except ye said White Plains which are in dispute and contest between ye said Caleb Heathcote and ye town of Rye, and excepting James Mott and ye rest of ye purchasers of Mamaroneck which have deed within ye patent of Richbell, Know ye that of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have given, granted, ratified and confirmed, and by these presents do for us, our heirs and successors, give, grant, ratify and confirm unto ye said Caleb Heathcote, his heirs and assignees, all and every ye aforesaid tracts and parcels of land and meadow within ye respective limits and bounds before mentioned and expressed, together with all and every the messuages, tenements, buildings, barns, houses, out-houses, fences, orchards, gardens, pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, pools, ponds, waters, water-courses, woods, under-woods, trees, timbers, quarries, runs, rivers, rivulets, brooks, lakes, streams, creeks, harbours, beaches, bays, islands, ferries, fishing, fowling, hunting and hawking, mines, minerals, (royal mines only excepted,) and all the rights, members, liberties, privileges, jurisdictions, royalties, hereditaments, profits, benefits, advantages and appurten ances whatsoever to aforesaid several and respective tracts and parcels of lands and meadow belonging or in any ways appertaining or accepted, reputed, taken, known or occupied as part, parcel, or member thereof to have and to hold all the aforesaid several and respective tracts, parcels of land and mea 582534 |