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776. Io7o. 
 
 Cenlennial i^nniversary 
 
 Aii]eiH(ian lnJcpcuJei^ce 
 
 SING SING, N. Y. JULY 41L \m. 
 
 ("ONTAlNIXd TFIH IMHX'HKDIXIJS OF THIC CKN 
 
 TKNNIAL FOrirni OF .MLV COMMFrTFF 
 
 OF SINd SlNd — FKAVFII liV 1JF\'. A. 
 
 1). (IILLFTTF— OKATIOX I'.V HON. 
 
 CIIArNrHY M. l)Fr»F\V— lIlSTOli 
 
 ICAL SKETCH I*.Y KFV. 
 
 ALKX. WATSOX. 
 
 Compiled by C. B. Palmer, Sec. of the Committee. 
 
 scAKnoKoroii : 
 IMMXTFl) r.V TIN-: srXXY SIDK IMHXTIXC. <'0. 
 
1776, 
 
 1876, 
 
 Centennial i^nniversary 
 
 OP 
 
 (^ 
 
 'A 11] eiM c h 1) 1 \\ il epei] J ei) de : 
 
 SING SING, N. Y. JULY 4tll, 18]6. 
 
 CONTAIMXC. Till-: l'IM)("i:Kl)IN(iS OF Till-: CKX- 
 
 TKNNiAL rorirni of .ii:lv committee 
 
 OF SINd SIN(; — PliAYEK JiY JJEV. A. 
 
 I). (MM.ETTF— OKATIOX HV HOX. 
 
 CIlArNCEV M. DEPEW— IIISTOK 
 
 ICAL SKETCH liY KEV. 
 
 ALEX. WATSON. 
 
 E 187d. ., 
 
 Compiled by C. B. Palmer, Sec. of the Committee. 
 
 iMMXTi:i) in THI-: srxxv side phixtixg co. 
 
 1H76. 
 
,©u®u 
 
Proceed nigs. 
 
 A iiMTiiiii: (if ><\<'i;il (iii/cii^ i>\ Sini; Sin.ir, .•iiimii;,' oi licrs 
 \{i\. \U. A. I). Cillcllc. 'Inuiisnul '^'..im;:. C. H. I'alin.i, /. C. 
 Iii.vl.r. Sl.i.In-ii Aylfs, I). K. I'lovosf, \v:is licld nii tlir «•V(•llill^' 
 ot .M:iv I'.illi. iHTli.atO.I.I K.lluus' Hall. ( ulii.h IwmI l.c.ii <l(>n:ili-.l 
 jrnUuitoiisly (or tin- iisi- of tlir iiicitiiiu i tnr ihc imriKisf of 
 instituting; jncliiniiiary ni<aMiri-s Im tin- |iru|i(r ulix r\ ante 
 <.f the ('.-ntrnMial I'.mrtli ol .liil\ at Sin- Sin,-. 
 
 I^'v. Dr. (Jillcltf was s.lc.ir.l as Cliairmaii ami C. 15. I'alni<i 
 ajipointcd Sccniaiy. 
 
 <>\\inj,' to the lew jifrsoMs iircsciit lli<- meet in.LT was adjoiirned 
 for one week. 
 
 On the exeninL' ol' May '2'm\\. a laijier niinilier l>ein.ir present, a 
 Coniniittee ol' live was appt)inle(l, eonsistiiiir of .lanies \\'illiani- 
 son, isaar 15. Noxon. Tlionias I.eary. .\. H. Keynol.ls. Zel.nlon 
 ('. Inslee, to solicit suliscriptions I'or the (lelrayment of ex- 
 penses. 
 
 Tlie Serretar.x was direrted to open a eorrespondeme witli 
 the Hon.. John i'. JIolVmaM. and oiIhi.-. for liie >e]( .■li.>n of an 
 orator of ilieday. 
 
 .\l a slll.>e,|ii.ii| merlin- iieid June ]sl, tile Seeretary ve- 
 jM.rted the following leiiei having: heeii receiv.'d lr(.m Kx-(i(.v. 
 Ilotrnian: 
 
 AniANV, May ;!lith. ISTC. 
 (iKN ri IM I \ : 
 
 I feel .leepiy I he hoiioi' done me 1 .> no many <.f my old friends 
 and miirhliorN in inxilin.u me lo dejixer the ( 'entennial 4th of 
 .Inly Miation al Sim."- Sin;^'. I wouhl aicepi wiih ,L;reat pleasnre, 
 if i eonld do so u it li .jnstice to myx if or lo iliem: Imi all 
 thr«)n^di next month ni.\ en.ua.uenieiils aic >o nnmeroM> (hat I 
 <-annot j:i\e the time nece>.-ai\ forilne prepaialion. 
 
 Keliexe me when 1 >a\ thai I -i\e this answer with ;;reat 
 rejrret. 
 
 \'er\ trnl.\ .\ ouin. 
 
 .I(»IIN 1. IKtri'MAN. 
 
 To Townsend Vonn?. Chairman. \ c. 
 
 It was therenpon on moti<m .adopted that the lion. Chanmey 
 M. Depew he inxil.d 1 o deli \ el t he Oi at ioii. a nd .la me> W illiain - 
 
son, Isaac B. Noxon and J. Holly Piatt were appointed a Com- 
 mittee to wait upon Mr. Depew. 
 
 The following gentlemen Aveie appointed a General Commit- 
 tee to carry out the wishes of the meeting, and subsequently 
 sub-committees were arranged as follows : 
 
 Comniitttts. 
 
 diairman. 
 Townsend Young. 
 Secretary. 
 C. B. Palmer. 
 Treasiirer. 
 Isaac B. Noxon. 
 Arrangements and Decorations. 
 C. C. ChUds, Jr., Richard Taylor, 
 
 C. B. Palmer, Daniel D. Maugam, 
 
 John E. Cooley, G. Ten Eyck Sheldon, 
 
 Z. C. Inslee, J. H, Dunscomb. 
 
 Speaker and Reception. 
 James Williamson, J. Holly Piatt, 
 
 Isaac B. Noxon, Dr. B. Brandreth. 
 
 Fireworks. 
 C. C Childs, Jr., Isaac B. Noxon, 
 
 Andrew Finegan. 
 Music. 
 Robt. M. La\\Tence, Daniel D. Mangam. 
 
 Refreshments. 
 Stephen Ayles, Ricliard Taylor. 
 
 Printing. 
 William C. Howe, A. B. Reynolds, 
 
 Andrew Finegan. 
 Finance. 
 James Williamson, Z. C. Inslee, 
 
 A. B. Reynolds, Thomas Leary, 
 
 Isaac B. Noxon. 
 
 The citizeus' meeting was thereupon ad.iourned sine die. 
 
 The General Committee was immediately called to order, and 
 Townsend Young elected Chairman, C. B. Palmer Secretary, 
 and Isaac B. Noxon Treasui-er of said Committee, 
 
At the IIHTlili;: lliltl .IllIK- N|ll. lllf Cnllllllittrc tn wllMIl) WMS 
 
 rctVncil the sulijccl ol (HMtur, rcpni ltd linviiiy siTiircd tlic 
 s«Tvi(«-s of lion. ClumiM-.-y M. |).-i..\v. .iikI tiiitlH-r, tin- H.-v. 
 Ah'XiiinIci W;it>oii lia<l tniixiitcd to lucpiirc :iii lli>liti i«:il 
 Skftfh of jIm- Villa;;.- of Sin- Sin^', :mmI thai tli.' K.v. Waltrr 
 Srotr would n-ail tlit- |)»<laiat ion of liHlrp.-nd.-nrc 
 
 Tlic ('oniniillic of Ariani^cincnls i(|ioitc(l that tlu-y had In- 
 vilrd Ma.j. \V. \V. I'..ii.iaiiiin lo a<I as Marshal of the Day and 
 that In- had a<-<r|.tcd the sani<-. Thr ('oniniittr.- fnilh.T rr- 
 I)ort.-d that they had srctnvil Mt. IM.-asant A.-aih-niy -rounds 
 lor the (X.Tciscs of the orrasion, and tiir iiyiotcrhnic disjjlay 
 would l.c ha.l on I lie -rounds of Sf. John's Schocd, Kastt-rn av«'- 
 mif. An invitation was din-clcd to In- s»'iit to the .Military and 
 Kirr Companies, and all Civic Or^'anizalioiis of tin- \ iilairi-. 
 
 An invitation was dirc.tcd to he .st-nt to.lanns 15. Weeks, \'. 
 'riionii>s«»n. 1). H. I'rovost and II. Kin-, ehoir ina>tersof ilie vari- 
 ous churches, that tlu-nisehcs and choristeis itaiticipate in 
 sinjrin^' on the Fourth. 
 
 At the UH'etin^' held June 1'Jth, the Finance ( 'oniinit tee re- 
 ported nearly seven hundred dollars sul.scril.ed. wliereuiion ap- 
 pro]u iatinns were made lo llie vaiioii> >ul>-coniniit lees. 
 
 At the ineeliii- held June -JlMli. isjii. coninin ideation from 
 (Je... W. Cartwriuht, i'residi-nl id' the villa.uc ou I.elialf of liini- 
 self and the lioard cd' Trustees, was received, arn|ilin- invita- 
 tion <d' Coninnttee to jiarlicipate in i)rocessi(Ui. 
 
 .\l this nieetini.', on motion <d' Tow n>end Voun-. F.>m-. <'hair- 
 nnin, it w:isado)ited that Dr. I>. Mrandretli Ite invited to acl as 
 Cliairnnin of tin- nieelin- on the 4tli of July. 
 
 Th(- Connnittc-e directed t.> wait ujiou Dr. r.randrei li, reported 
 that Dr. r.randreth fully appreciale<l ilie honor leudeied him, 
 l»ut was forced to decline. 
 
 Atthe.samemeetin.i:. .Messrs. (;. T. F.Siieldoii and C. I'.. I'almer, 
 
 to whom had iu-en refeired the matter of I'ro-ra le, icporled 
 
 the follow in- as havin.ir l>een a<lopled: 
 
 (Tflfhiation of Jlmcrifaii itiiititpfiibfiuf. 
 
 At Sing Sing, N. Y. July 4th, 1876. 
 
 The One llundreih Anni vei >:ii\ ot .Vm.ii.an Indepeuden.-* 
 will !).• u>liere.l in l.y (he riu^in- of the C'hur.li l.ell> at nd.l- 
 
niglit. At sunrise a National Salute will he fired and the Church 
 bells Avill he runji: ; and there will he firinjj of cannon and ring- 
 ing of hells at 13 oVlock noon, and at sunset. It is requested 
 that the American Fla^ he dis]>hiyed over all puhlic buihlings 
 and private residences, and such otlier ornamentation as may be 
 deemed appropriate, particularly along the route of the pro- 
 cession. 
 
 Will he fornuMl at 9 o'ck)ck, A. M. on Spring Street, tlie riglit 
 resting on Waller Avenue. Tlie order of procession will be as 
 follows : 
 
 Detachment of the Kith Battalion, N. G. S. N. Y., 
 
 t'ol. Alfred C'ooh^y, Coninninding, 
 
 Orator, Historian, Readei' of tlu^ Day, Clergymeu, 
 
 and Ceil ten nial C<niin(ittee. 
 
 Presidcnr and Trustees of the Village, 
 
 Tliirty-eight Young Latlies in carriages — 
 
 Emblematic of the several States. 
 
 Civic Organizations. 
 
 Invited Guests in carriages. 
 
 Fire Department. 
 
 Citizens in carriages. 
 
 Tire Line of iMlareh.. 
 
 The line of march will be as follows, Adz: — From Waller Ave- 
 nue through Spring St. to Main St., down Main St. to State St., 
 through State St. to William St., up William St. to Highland Ave- 
 nue, through Highland Avenue to Ellis Place, up Ellis Place to 
 Churchill St., through Chnnhill St. to P^astern Avenue, through 
 Eastern Avenue to Pi-os))e(t Place, through Prosjiect Place to 
 EUzabeth St., through Elizabeth St. to Toni])kins Avenue, 
 through Tompkins Avenue to Clinton Avenue, through Clinton 
 Avenue to Linden Avenue, through Linden Avenue to Croton 
 Avenue, down Croton Avenue to Highland Avenue, throngh 
 Highland Avenue to North Malcolm St., throngli North Malcolm 
 St. to Broadway, up Broarlway to Mill St., up Mill St. t«) Main 
 St., down Main St. to Spring St., and the Grounds of Mt. 
 Pleasant Military Academy. 
 
 Oi-tlei- ot" Exei-cjiseasi. 
 
 DoxOLOOY, Old Hundred. 
 
 Prayer. Rev. A. D. Gillette, D. D. 
 
 Anthem — " Let Every Heart Fiejoice and Sing." 
 Reading of the Declaration ok Independence, 
 
 Rev. Walter Scott. 
 
Solo and C'iiokis— " Stiir Sjtimirlcd H;imi«i." 
 
 OkatioX, linn. ClKimMCN M. Dtp.-w. 
 
 Soi.o AND (MroKis.— •' Lainl .il l'ii<«l<.iii." 
 
 IhsToKirAi. Skik II K<v. Al<\. W :itsi.ii. 
 
 ('ii.)Ui s— " Aim. ricM— M.v Coimiiy " Tis of rii.c." 
 
 lU.MI.I. HON K'.v. |).l..s Lull. 
 
 'ni<iv uilli.cii -imimI (li-i.lM.v <)i Kir.- WnrUs in tli.' .x-iiiii- 
 coiimu-iu-iii;; at s ..■.lo.k. .>n tlu- (Jioim.U ..I tli.- St. .I..liii'> 
 Srh.M.l. (the Ki'v. Dr. ( JiLsoiTs.) Kast.iii .\v.-mi.', wlii.li will 
 i-oiu-liulc til.- pill. 11. • ..l.-.i \ an.'.- .•! tli.- .lay. 
 Bv Oni.T ..I til.- ('..iiimiii.-.' ..t Anall^M•lll.•Ilts. 
 
 .M \.i. W. W. HF.N.IAMIN'. 
 
 .Marshal. 
 Ma.i. W. a. 1)..\VN<. , . 
 
 I. II I I.. I. .s. \ AN ('..iMi.vM.r. \ ■^"'"■ 
 
 .\l iiii.liiiv'lit <»! July :{(1, tli.- riii.iriiiir «.f tin- vari.Mis <-lmi.li 
 ImIIs. III.- I'll iiiir ol' .-ami. Ill an. I vari.ms haiiils .d' niiisi.- nianliiii^' 
 lliroii-li 111.- -ti.-.ls. slarli.-il llit- sl.-.-pin.i;- iiiliaWitaiits of Siiiir 
 Sin-, anil aiin«>iiii.-.il, willi a will, at l.-ast, lo llial parti. iilar 
 
 poiti >f till- K'.piil.li.-. lliai il lia.l .-iil.-r.-.l iii>oii tlic .^r.-oml 
 
 .-.-nlmy of il> .-m-^i.-ii..-. Kai 1\ . .rou.l,-- Ix-iraii to tratln-r iip.tii 
 til.- sii.tis, an. I tin- pro.-.-ss .if .Ic.-.dat i.ni upon many r.-si.l.-n.-.-s 
 lliroii-li.iiit the villair.- was l.roii^'lit I., .-oniiil.tion. Tli.- 
 .Marshall, assist.-*! hy his ai.|>. Ma.i. W. A. |)..wns an.t 
 Li. -111. .1. S. Van Cortlandi. w.i.- .arly .m tli.- ;:roiiii.l, 
 .-ii,i:air<-.l in ananjrin^r lli<- \aii.)iis ori^aiii/alioiis takinjr 
 pari ill the i)i-o.-.-s>ion. rin- (■.miiiiit I.-.- Iiavinj: in .-liaij.'*' 
 ill.- anan;:cni.-nt .-on.iir.-ual.-.l al lli.- .M. I-",, ("lim.-li, on 
 Spriiif,' sti.-ct. .A iVw ininiil.-s jiasl tin- annoiun-.'.l linic. tin- 
 ii;;lit of pro.-.-ssi.)ii liini.-d into .Main sti.-.-l. pi.-c-.l.-.l l>y thr 
 IClh liaitali..!! Ban.!, nnd.-r ih.- l.-;..l. rship of .los.-pli Qiii.-k. 
 Ks(|. l-'.v.-r.\ wIh'1'«' al.niir lilt- line .>f inai.-h .Ic. ■orations w.-rc 
 ii.itif.-alil.'. .\inony: many .illn-is was tin- r.-si.l.-n.-c .tf .Ja.-olt 
 B. ("Iai»i), Spiinj:slr.-.-f ; ..n William sii.-.i. M.ssis. Tnttl.-. Duns- 
 coml.. an. I I'i.-iM.ii : on lli-lilan.l av.iiii.-. Mr. ('. 'I'. Drapor and 
 S. .M. M.-Cor.l siis]..-nd.-.i a v.-ry lim- Am.-ri.-an tiaj:: tin- r.->i- 
 don.-cof (', B. Palm. -rand th.il .if .Mr. \V. A. B..wr..n. a.l.i..iii- 
 u\ix wt-rc tastcliilly d.-coral.-d with Inintinj: ami flairs; .Mr. Win. 
 (J rant's rrsidrm-c, corner .Manri.-c avciiiU'. lucscntrd a very tine 
 apii.'aranfc. d«'«'oiat«'il with Imiitinjr, and a larjrc riaj.' «»ii tlio 
 iMii»ola ; Mr. D. 1). .Man^'am had arranjrt-d a j)rofiision of Ha^'s 
 and lanterns upon the piazza and tlirou};:!) the trees; at the resi- 
 
of Mr. H. J. Baker, the large Corinthian cohimns, being wonnd 
 with red, white and blue bunting-, presented an attractive ap- 
 pearance; all along the line of Ellis Place, elaborate decorations 
 appeared, among other houses those of Henry C. Nelson, Dr. G. J. 
 Fisher, A. L. Young, S. F. Washburn, and Mr. Abram Hyatt; 
 consi>icuous for elal>orate decoration was the residence of Wm. 
 G. Hidl, on the corner of Tompkins and Linden avenues; on 
 Croton avenue, the residences of J. Johnson, J. Holly Piatt, 
 Postmaster Williamson, Wm. E Ryder, E. G. Blakslee, 
 and Mr. Thomas Leary were conspicuous among many 
 others; on North Malcolm street extensive decorations ap- 
 peared; a large arch appropriately decorated had been 
 constructed across the street near the residence of Pat- 
 rick Eigney ; the residences of Capt. S. Raymond and 
 several others displayed the colors ; on Broadway, E. M. Col- 
 Iyer's residence attracted particular attention ; on Mill street, 
 Mr. A. Finegan had appropriately decorated the large columns 
 in fi'ont of his residence ; at the corner of Mill street, the Amer- 
 ican Hotel and Masonic Hall, including the Register office, dis- 
 played American flags ; the excuse of the res])ective proprie- 
 tors that the decorations were not more elaborate, was that all 
 decoration material in the village was exhiiiisted ; all along the 
 line of Main street a grand sight was presented ; Messrs Kro- 
 mer & Kuhn presented an elaborate decoration, also C. M. Ray- 
 m<md, J. S. Wood, and others; Palmer Hall was tastefully ar- 
 rayed in a set of dags of all nations, surmounted by a large 
 American flag ; the stores of Messrs. P. J. Keenan, Herman 
 King, J. Brakely, Wm. H. Dean, Ira Sarles, J. C. Mead, Wash- 
 burn & Sons, and many others, each \\vd in presenting the tin- 
 est appearance; Barlow Block, on south sicb;, including the Re- 
 publican office, displayed an Ameiican flag from each window. 
 
 The procession liaving arrived at the grounds of the Mt. 
 Pleasant Academy, (politely tendered to the committee by 
 Messrs. Benjamin & Allen,) where a commodious stage, beauti- 
 fully decorated, had been erected, the literary exercises, as an- 
 nounced in the programme, took place. Upon the stage, during 
 the exercises, were the Hon. N. Holmes Odell, M. C, D. P. 
 Bacon, Esq., and several other prominent individuals. 
 
 In the evening a large concourse of people gathered upon St. 
 John's School parade ground, where the fire works had been 
 placed. Among the larger pieces was " Goddess of Liberty," 
 " Maltese Cross," "American Flag," " 1776— July 4—1876." This 
 ended the observances of tlie day, and one of the, if not the 
 finest ever participated in in Sing Sing, with not a single acci- 
 dent to mar its pleasures. 
 
. raver. 
 
 By Reverend A. D. GILLETTE. D. D. 
 
 Aliiii-lity and ever UIcss.mI (;<)(!; llic Falhrr of (.iir 
 Lord .h'siis. in whose name we come, coiitVssin'j- our mani- 
 fold tians<iTi'ssions; jaavinj; for pardon and Jnstitication, 
 wifli all needetl tiMnporal and ••tcrnal blessings. 
 
 'I'lic li('a\(Mis declare tliy j^lorv and tlie tirmament sliow- 
 ctli ills handiwork: da.\ inito da.\ ntteretli sijeech, JUid 
 nijiht nnto ni;;iit siio\v«'lii kno\vled<;('; we jiive the«' most 
 hearty and unfeigned thanks, for our creation, and for all 
 the lilessin^'s of this ])resent life; and above all for the 
 iiM'stimabh' jiift of thy Son. to l>e (»ur Teacher. Ivxeniplar 
 and fjlorious Kedeemer. 
 
 We a«h)re thee for the way in which thou hast led us 
 as a iK'ojde; for havinj; ke|)t this ^iieat lainl from oc- 
 (•upancy by despotic rulers, and ijiiioraut subjects, until 
 thou hadst ])ut upon its shores, nntler thy shadowinjj 
 wins, tli<»><<^ ^^■ll<» kiu'w tliy name and reverenced thy 
 laws, knowinj; their social and jMditical lijihts, livinjr, 
 lej^islatinji and worsliii)pin},f in ways which neither kinjis 
 nor ])relates dared to dictate or hinder, W<' thank thee 
 for our history — tin* hundred years past this <lay, and for 
 what thou didst enable the founders of our ti-overinnent 
 to resolve and <lo, an<l for tho way in which thou didst 
 j^iiide their counc'ils. direct their lejiislation, jiiviu}; them 
 wisdom, and in war an earnest (U'sire that conHict 
 should end in vict(M-y and itea<'e, and i)leuty for all. 
 
 We devoutly praise thee for mo\in<i- upon their hearts 
 to plant churches in all their settlements, and brin^ them 
 
10 
 
 nltiniately into cliristian l>i<)tlierlio(»d, love, freedom and 
 e<|ualit.y before (lod and tlie laws of the land. 
 
 We bless thee for (nir institutions of Ininianity, our ex- 
 cellent s<'hools, and the ability of those who control and 
 instruct them. We bless thee that slavery is abolished ; 
 and pray that the work of moral freedom nuiy jn'ogress 
 ujitil the slavery of sin shall be ended, and our sons aiul 
 our daiijihters shall enjoy the fteedom wherewith Christ 
 makes free all who believe on his holy name. 
 
 Be thou pleased, in the future, so to bless our connnon 
 country, in all its departments, that we may become, in- 
 deed, that happy people, wiiose (xod is the Lord. Bless, 
 we l)eseech thee, the Presi<lent of these United States, 
 our Congress, our Governors, Legislatures and all in au- 
 thority. May our votes ever be given for men good 
 and true to occupy jiositions of usefulness and honor. 
 Bless the peo])le of our county, our town, and our village 
 with disi>ositions to be wise, virtuous, teiu])erate, moral 
 and religious. Give intelligence and ability to those who 
 are alxmt to address us, and may we so obser\e this Cen- 
 tennial Anniversary that all shall redcmnd to the good of 
 America and the world. 
 
 "Our F'ather who art in heaven, hallowe<l be thy 
 name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as 
 it is in heaven ; give us this day our daily bread ; and 
 forgive us oui- trespasses, as we tbrgive those who tres- 
 pass against us, and lead us not into tem])tation, but de- 
 liver us from evil ; for thine is the kingdom, the power, 
 an<l the glory fore\er and e\ er. Amen." 
 
OratioT]. 
 
 By Hon. CHAUNCEY M. DEPEW. 
 
 We stand to-day in the picsciicc of tlic most inipoi-tant 
 lmndr«'d years in history. In »'\ nyt liin^ wliicli adds to 
 tlu' comfort an<l happiness of man ; in acliievtMm'nts whicli 
 cnnohlt' and a(h)rn onr common human natnic ; in dis 
 coxnics wliich alh-xiatc sntVcriu};, annihihitc space, and 
 increase the sources of wealtli and |U-ospcrit\ ; in llie 
 extension of Clnistian and piiihinthrojiicettoits ; in scicn 
 titic resear<'h. in activity of tJioujiht, in freedom of dis 
 cussion, an<l in tlic spread and ;ir(»\vth of liberty, this 
 ccntuiy has no etpial. It has '/iwu us the stcamsliip, the 
 railidad, th«' teh'jiraph. It has hiidj;-ed (Means, wedded 
 seas, and belted the j;iol)e with lij;htninj;. It has l)r<)u;;ht 
 all nations in close contact, and undei' the intiuence of a 
 common and enlightened |Hd»lico|>inion. It has o\er-turn- 
 ed the desp(>tisms of aji»'s, estal>lishe<l widely represent 
 ative <i()\«Mnment. and a reco^iiiition of the rijihts of the 
 indi\idual man. It has eidVanchised tiie slaxc, andjiiveii 
 to humanity ami the world the American l\ei)uhlic. 
 
 In the early days it was accounted that ln' would he a 
 fortunatt' and happy man who shoidd se«' a Century of In 
 dependence. .Vnddst the hostile predictions of its ene- 
 ndes and the doubts of its frien<ls, occasioned by the utter 
 prostration of I»usiness and cicdit, and tlu' disa<;reements 
 and «listrust which followed for aw hile the Kevolutinary 
 War, a conviction ^iicw tliat if the nation, with its insti- 
 tutions intact, its liberties secure, its terrilori«-s uiumpair- 
 ed, passed the maj:ic jx'iiod of one hundred \eais, its 
 prosperity and -^reatnes.N were assured for I'lidlos genera 
 
12 
 
 tious. While in the kn'tilities, all over the land, made 
 sacred by the blood of patriots and their deeds, the people 
 are assembling;- to celebrate theii- several Centennials, and 
 the grand panorama with its pictnred story, beginning 
 with Concord and Lexington and Bnnker Hill, maiesti- 
 cally nufolds, with what emotions do we entertain the 
 crowding' memories of those heroic days. 
 
 As Antneus in his battle renewed his strength wheneA'er 
 he touched his mother earth, so shall the Republic li^•e 
 as long as its children recall, to follow and imitate, the ex- 
 amj)les of their revolntiouary sires. 
 
 This day rounds and (romi)letes the first century of tlie 
 Republic, and we behold, and are the citizens, of a nation, 
 broader in territorial exi)anse, richer in material wealth, 
 strongtn- in e^'ery element of empire, exerting- a wider 
 and more benelicent intiuence, and possessing a grander 
 freedom than was ever dreamed of by its founders. Ko 
 8u^^ivor of the revolution remains to us. We cannot 
 gather, as did the preceding generation, about the knees of 
 the aged veteran " while lie shoulders his crutch and shows 
 how fields were won." The wonderfid e\'ents whi(;h lune 
 intervened, our material ])rogress, the great civil war, with 
 its sorrows and sacrifices so fresh in our nu^mories, have 
 relegated to a dim and distant past the stirring' incidents 
 of 1776. I conceive no duty more urgent, no task more 
 gTateful, than to gather and present, whatever there may 
 be of history which sanctifies aiul enriches the immediate 
 S])ot whereon we stand. For any re\iew of the years, 
 from 1774 to 1783, from Concord to Yorktown, would be 
 sadly incomplete which did not give a conspicuous iK)sition 
 to our old County of Westchester. 
 
 For ten long years, the coloinsts strugghMl, petitioiuMl, 
 remonstrated with the mother country for their rights. 
 They asked for no new inivileges, no unusual power, but 
 simply to be left undisturbed in the enjoyment of rights 
 guaranteed by their charters, and secured to every sub- 
 ject of Great Britain by the successive victories of a thous- 
 
l.'i 
 
 Mild \r;irs lAcf (lie ;lll>il liirv pictciisiojl-- nf tlir fl-u\\ li. 
 Kilt a iiiiiiistix ;;i»a(lfil li\ .:icf(l ami liiiaiicial ciiiltaiiass 
 iiinits, lircaiiH- llic iiisiriiiiiriils ol' t\raiiii\ to oppress, 
 aii<l of l'ro\ idciir.- t«. roii>.,li.lal.- and i-iiriaii<|iis.-, fhr 
 Amci-icaii |»ro|>lc. Wf liml cVfiv iiiatfiial and natural 
 t'acilitv for iiiaiiiilai-tiin-> and ><t wnc |iro|iiliiird IVoiii 
 iiiakinu an> article of wear, an \ i in piemen t of a.L;ririilt lire. 
 aii> weapon of tlie elia>e oi war. or of l)ii\ iiii; t liem fiom 
 a II \' source iiiit (li-eat Uiilain. With lai-.ue surplus pro 
 diictions from our iiidiisl lies, and e\ei\ element <»f pros 
 l>eloii> commerce, we w efe rorltiddeli to tia<le except with 
 the mother coiiiil IV : we were taxed wit hoi It a N'olce as to its 
 imposition or cxpeiidiliirc : we w ere commanded to <piar 
 t«'r and maintain troops sent to keep iis in siiltjeelioii ; we 
 \v«M'«* to ha\( nt» loii^cr a \)iice in the appointment or con 
 trol of onr lei;islalors. jiidi;fs. eoiiiil \ or town oHieers; and 
 the saenMJ li-lit of the trial !•> .jiir\ was to he vi(»lat<'d I»y 
 the traiis|M>rtalioii ofoin citizens hesoiid tin' sea for ti-ial. 
 Whilr Adams and Hancock, in Massaeliitsetts ; .lelfeison 
 and lleiirx in \'ii:.;iiiia, and other colonial statesmen were 
 «'lo»|iientlv piotesliiiii ajiaiiisl t lie>e t.\ laniiies, and ediica 
 \\U<X the people to <lie freeliieli raiher than li\e sla\es. 
 W'esteliester in herlown meet iiius and eoiiilt\ co|i\ ellt ions, 
 
 was passing i<'soliirions of eiicoiiraucment anddeliaiiee; 
 and her .lavs and \'an Coitlandts and Morrises in tin- 
 State rroxiiicial ("oiiiiiess. and out of it. wrredoin- more 
 than all others to keep New N'oik tine to the common 
 cause. On the Idtli .la\ ol Aii.uiist. 1771. the freeholders 
 and inhaliitants of the town of U\e met. ami appoiiitetl 
 John 'riiomas. Jr.. K'oI.eit lijooimr. Zen.> ( 'arp.'iiler ami 
 I-]l»eiiezer I la \ ilaiid. a commit lee to con ler w it li the otln-r 
 low lis ill the eoniil V. and llie asseinlil\ spoke a^ lollows: 
 ••This meelin-. ^reatl> alaiined at the lale proceed in, -s 
 of the Hrilish railiaineiit in order to raise revenue in 
 America, and considerinL; their lale mosi (aiiel. iiniiist, 
 and iinwarrantalile act of lilockiiiL: up the poll <•!' Kosion. 
 lia\ili.u a direct lelidelic\ lodeprixea tree people of their 
 
14 
 
 most valuable rights and ]>rivilej>es, an introductiou to 
 subjugate the inhabitants of the English Colonies, and 
 render them vassals to the IJritish House of Commons," 
 Resolved, 1st. That '' tliey woidd bear true allegiajiee to 
 the King, but only uudei enjoyment of the same constitu- 
 tional rights and i>ri\ileges as the peoj^le of England." 
 2nd. That " no man should be taxed except by his own 
 consent or that of his rejiresentative in Parliament." 3r(l. 
 That it was the "• opinion of the meeting that the Act of 
 Parliament shutting u|) the Port of Boston was a most 
 rigorous and unjust piece of cruelty and despotism." 4th. 
 They advised unanimity iind Hrmness in the <M)h)nies ; and 
 oth. They called tor a (liMieral Congress, and agreed to 
 abide by its decision. 
 
 Similar resolutions declaring "that the Acts of the 
 British Parliament are arbitary and oi>pressive, and 
 should meet the abhorrence and detestatiou of all good 
 men," were ]>assed by the other towns, and in due time the 
 C(mnty Convention met at White Plains and .icted in the 
 spirit of these resolutions. 8uch was the attitude of this 
 county, and such its pul)lic acts on the great <piestion at 
 issue, one hundred and two years ago, and a year before 
 the battle of Concind. On the lOtii <lay of May, 1775, 
 another great war meeting was held at White Plains, and 
 after the retirement of the Mob element, sent there to 
 make trouble, they unanimously resolved "to send Depu- 
 ties to meet the Deputies from the other counties, for the 
 purpose of electing delegates to represent the Colony of 
 New Yoj'k in the (ieneral Congress of all the CohMiies at 
 Philadeljtliiii," and in the list of tlu)se delegates occur the 
 well-known county names of Col. Lewis Morris, Steph- 
 en Ward, Daniel Drake, Col. James Holmes, John Thom- 
 as, Jr., Jonathan Piatt, Robert Graham, and Phillip Van 
 Cortlandt. Among the res«>lutions of that County Con- 
 vention, was one of thanks to the patriotic minority of the 
 General Assembly of the Province, who strove to commit 
 that lK)dy, then controlled by the English and aristocratic 
 
iiidiuMiccs, to ;i sni.|H.rt ol'thr Sons <A' I-ilu'ilN, wild wciv 
 (•oill|K'llillji IIm' tr;i ships to s:til out of tin- liJillior of New 
 York witlioiit miloadiii^i- tlicir (•:ii-;io. ;iii(l for<-iii«i- the Ko.\ 
 iiM JoNcnior to rt'tiini liis stamps to tlic l-liiiilisli ( !o\ mi 
 iiiciit ; and tlic It-adrrs in tliat lira\raii(l ^laliant iiiinoritx, 
 \\«'ic .loliii Tlioiiias, .Ir.aini ri.-irr \an ( 'oil laiidl . tlic ivp- 
 r»*s«'iitativ«*s IVoiii this coMiitN. 
 
 In .Iiiiu', 177(». the l'io\ iiicial < 'oiiLiit'ss. sitt iiii; in Nt-w 
 York, alaniicd l..\ Ilic nrar appioadi of the iJiilisli. ad 
 joiinuMl ti> While Plains. Tin y taiiic in no palace cars, or 
 (■«)iiit'ortal>le coaches. ( 'oinltiniiiu in theiroMice tlic civilian 
 and the .soldier, and \\i«-idiii^- the pen or the sword, as the 
 rxijirncy <h'iiianded. they iiioxed on lioisehack with rieire 
 \'an Cortlandt, their I'residenl. at Iheii head: an<l as 
 often M]ion the Joiirney as the express of the ( 'oniinainh'r- 
 in-Clnefovt'itook them, calliiin for iininediat*- a<-tioii upon 
 soiiH' nrjient matter of siippl.\in<; men, anus or material 
 of war. tlie\ wheeled their horses together, eoii\ened their 
 Itody, passed the re(piisit«' lejiislation, and iiio\ed on, 
 their (lisciissions distinjinished l»y none of the uairiilons 
 and endless ;;al)lile of the modern le<:islatnre. ( )n the tUh 
 of .Inly, 177«i, the Provincial ('on-;ress then in session at 
 the Court house in White Plains, receiNcd the I )eclaiat ion 
 of IiKlepeiideiicc IVoiii the ( onliiiental <'on.<:ress at Pliila 
 delphia. .\ccoiiipaii\ in- it was a letter from .lolin Han- 
 co<k linrniiiu with fervid paliiotism and hopeful piophec\-. 
 In from of Ihe Court house, in the presence of the Con- 
 gress and the assemliled people, llie immortal docnmeiil 
 was read, and then and lliere lhe> pledged llieir foriimes 
 and their*li\«'s thai ihe late Coloiix and now Soxcici^n 
 State of Nt'W York should join with and stand In the ol h 
 t'l- C<»lonies in sustaining it lo the end. \v.[y]\ in 177<i the 
 whole jiower of the Pritish iia\.\. army and Hessian iner 
 eeiiaries, was concent rated for the caplnieof the Cil\ of 
 New York, and Washin.utcai marched to its defence with 
 all tlie Continental forces. 
 
 After the disastrous Wattle (.f Loiio Poland, and the de 
 
16 
 
 feat upon TIarleiii TToijilits, tlie Aiiiericaii trooi)8 retreated 
 into Westeb ester, and from tlieiice till the close of the 
 struggle — for six long- and terrible years — it was the the- 
 atre in which were enacted all the liorrors of war. Hos- 
 tile forces niarched and counter marclied a(;ross its fields. 
 The terrific onset of oi)en combat, the and)uscade, the mid- 
 night surprise, reddened with blood every handet and 
 cross-road. The Hessian, the cow-boy, and the skinner, 
 ])illaged and outraged at will, and the track of the marau- 
 der was marked by the flames of burning houses, and the 
 wailings of hel])less wumen aiid children. The inhabitants 
 of neutral ground could keep no stock, for it Avas stolen ; 
 conld ha^'e no furniture, for it was taken fi-om them or 
 wantonly destroyed ; could raise no cro])s, for they were 
 carried to the cani]> ; could cut no grass, for it was foraged ; 
 and freciuently without regard to age or sex, they were 
 stripped of necessary clotliing in the dei)ths of hard win- 
 ters. But I cannot find that any pr()])osition for surrender 
 was ever entertaine<l, or prayei- foi- submissive ])eac(; ever 
 uttered; steadly they turnished tln'ir qiiotas to the ])atriot 
 army, and sullenly, defiantly, yet hopefully, battled for 
 liberty and peace. It was the aim of the British to make 
 New York City their centre of operations, and great de])ot 
 of supi>lies, to control the North Kiver, and make a junc- 
 tion with their for(;es in Canada, and cut oft' the Eastern 
 from the Southern and Western States. For this pnr]»ose 
 it was necessary to ca])tnre and hold the Hudson high- 
 lands and West Point ; but the latter resisted both treason 
 and assault, and the Westchester hills, defended by her 
 sons and their compatriots, were never successfully carried 
 and held. On the 12th of October, 1776, the British land- 
 ed on Throgg's Neck in this county, and by the l.Stli the 
 whole English army was encamped near New Kochelle, 
 with the intention of getting in Washington's rear and 
 cutting him off, or driving him to a disastrous retreat. 
 But the American (xeneral divined their ])uri)0se, and 
 steadily and skillfully withdrew his forces, interposing ev- 
 
i'vy ..hstMcl,. to l.is i.dv.-iSMiv's :„lv;..„v, :,„(1 nv.,,,.-,.! Iv 
 w imiiii- in skinnisl, and snd.l,-n assault, those advanti-.-s 
 ^vlM.•I. .lisfa.t uu ru.un- ;,n<l vastly inspirit a n.u- annv 
 (.cnnal Snilivan atlack.-.l ilu- van-.iaid <>m tlir mardi' 
 5in.l asfonislird til.' vcfians l.y tlir dash and the st'cadi' 
 .M'ssof his n.Nv tnM,,,s. Cni. |'„.,,s, a Ton K-ad.-r, ha.l 
 won^ivat ta,n<. as a partisan ran;;,..' in th. <,Id Fn-nch 
 :"id Indian wars; but with all his wanness and pn-sti-v 
 <'<'!. llMslel, with a Delawaiv n-inn-nt, snip.isr.l an.I de- 
 leated his coinniand, and killcl or t-aptinvd n.a. Iv e\,.i v 
 oiM'ofth.Mi. near Nelson's Hill. i„ the town of Maniaio 
 iM'-k; wliile<.nanotl„,n,a.|. Hand and his iVnnsylvania 
 nthMiien en;,a,i:ed and .-on.pleiely lonK-.l a ImmIv" of the 
 <J'''"<l'''l llrssians. h, ,1... meanwhil.., Washington had 
 «>''f<''-'".>MMlton,ak,.astandaI White IMains, and tbrthat 
 l»nip<.se ha.l thrown np intivnehnients tlin.n-h the vil- 
 !:«-«' and upon the hills al.oni. On the L'Ttl, of Oetoher 
 while examining, the works al.vady m.ished an.I plannin.; 
 otlMTs a li^i.t ho,s..n,an. at l-ill sp.-e.l. .lashed np an.I m- 
 t<.nn...l hiin that ll... .-nen.y w.-re in .n..ti.,n. Washinotoi. 
 nH\r to hea.l-.p.art.is. was t..hl that th.' ona,<l,s ha.l been 
 iM-aten HI, ni.Ml to his ollh-.-rs : - (b-ntlen.en, vou will re- 
 IMir to y.Hir respe.tive e.minian.ls, an.I do the best vou 
 *-aM," and the battl.' be^an. It was a tryin- m.,n,ent'for 
 the Patriot ('hi..f; un.ler him was an army of whom two- 
 thmls wer.. raw militia, nn.lis.-iplin.MJ, nnnnitbrm.'.l, badly 
 anne.l ; while man-hin- t.. t!..- assault, in sp|..n.li.l arrav 
 were thirt.vii thonsan.l ..f th.- th.w.'r .,f th.' iJiitish ami 
 (bTman tbives, vet.'rans of many batth'-ti.'l.ls in inanv 
 l;iiHls. and arme.l ami .'.piipped with everv km.wn appli- 
 ain-e .tf war. 
 
 (J.'iieial il..w.' m,.v,'.| tbrwai . I with ..ne division ..f the 
 Hntish t.»atta.konrintrem-lin...nts in the villa-e, while 
 the.,thermareh.'.l t.. assanit the sli^^ht w.,rk.s erected by 
 t M' Am.'rieans th.' ni-ht b.-iore oh Chattertou's Hill 
 ^MuM. o,,,,osite the villa^.. int ren.'hm.'nts, the bor.semeu 
 lu a.lvan.-e were sn.l.lenly s.'nl ba.k in .lisorder by the 
 
IS 
 
 well-diivcted tiro of our cannon, and tlie officers, luistily 
 lioldiii<i- a consultation in tlic tields, imnicdiately changed 
 their course to the left, towards Chattertou's Hill, where 
 their first division was already engaged. Here Howe 
 made his mistake; the intreuchments in the village were 
 very weak, (H)mp()sed only of earth and sods, on hea])s of 
 corn-stalks, afftmling- no protection against cannon balls, 
 aiid ;in attack u}>ontheni might have led to thedisi)ersion, 
 if not the loss, of the Annn-ican army. Witli twenty 
 pieces of artiHery they opened a furious cannonach' upon 
 the works on C/hatterton's Hill to cover tlieir crossing of 
 tlie Bronx, while young Oaptain Alexander Hamilton, 
 with a battery of two guns, answered trom the table-rock 
 on th<' to[). Slowly Ueueral McdJougall retires u]» tlie hill, 
 contesting every inch of ground, and successfully oj»j>()s- 
 ing his pooily-e((ui])])ed patriots to the sui)erb discijtline of 
 the enemy; but on the one side are only discipline ajul 
 brute courage ; on the other are muskets which thiidc, and 
 men who have for years pledged and taught that "they 
 were rea<l\' to sacrifice their estates, and every thing deai' 
 in life— yea, life itself — in the support of the common 
 cause." Hamilton with his guns swei)t whole platoons 
 oft" the face of the Hill, and diove them back twice in con- 
 fnsion in the ri\er ; but at length, outflanked, outiuim- 
 bered five to one, tiie Americans, umler cover of the sui>- 
 port of (reneral Putnam and his reserves, withdrew to the 
 intreuchnuMits in the village, carrying oft" their wonnde*l 
 and artillery, and leaving behind oidy their shattered 
 fcu'tifications. The British rested upon their arms- all 
 night, and fearing to pursue or continue the assault upon 
 the new positioji Washington had taken in the North Cas- 
 tle Hills, retreated back to the Harlem River. This bat- 
 tle kept oi)en the all impcntant communications with the 
 East, the sour(;e of most of our sui)]»lies, saved the high- 
 lan<l passes, prevented the Junction of the British in 
 Canada and New York, and the dismemberment of the 
 colonies. We i)ass bv four eventful vcais, and on an An- 
 
W) 
 
 -list .l:iy, ill ITSll. sn- l',.-iir.|i,t Aliinl.l :iii<I WMsliiii-Kui 
 :it I»«-cksl<ill. The liittnli;!- just .•(.miiiissi..|i»'(l the tulllKT 
 to tlif ••uiiiiikiihI of W.'si I'oiiit, tlic most iiii|)ort;iiit -ift — 
 
 till- Ivcv to ilic f.iit s of lilt' Rc|Mil)lif. It is one of tlic 
 
 (hirkt'st simmu'rs of ilic whole r<'\ oiiii i(iii;ii\ slni^iulc; 
 <lis:isf«'is ;iiul <lcf<-;ils li;i<|.iis|iiiitr<| t lie li:it ioii. Liii.-olii 
 siincmlcicil ;it ( 'li;iricstoii. \\ itli li\f t lioiisniiil im-ii mimI 
 \:ist lli;it<ri;ih of Will'. ( l.itfs \\;is hciilcii ;it < ';ilii(lrii. w it h 
 Uiciit loss ill ivillctl. woiiiidcd. ami ])risoiicrs, :iii<l his \\li(»It' 
 army ioiiIimI and dis|)cr .cd. '{'In- South was prosiratc, 
 the Kast o\.-iiim. llir nvdii of the K'l-piililir at its lowest 
 cltl). Til.' iviiiiiaiii of thf Coiitim-iital army jiartooU of 
 the Liciicra! i;loom and di-^trcss, and was held toiictlici- 
 mainly lt.\ tlir wisdom, iMiidciicc, iiilliiciKM', and tlioii^ilit 
 fid soli«-itiid('(>f Washinuton. Tlu* ( 'omiiiittc«'of ( 'oii,i;rcss 
 ir|>oitt'd: •• 'IMm' soldiers unpaid for months, the |tro\is- 
 ioiis iircunlar and insiillirieiit, the medical de|»artiiieiil 
 without siippjii's tor the sick, and e\-ei'.\ department of 
 service alike without money, and not e\cn a shadow of 
 cK'ilil left," while the Coiitiiielital ciiiielic.\ in which tlie\ 
 wcie paid had so depreciated in vjiliie, that their families 
 were sulVeiinu' from iiial)ilil\ to piirchas*' witli it the neces- 
 saries of life. 
 
 At this most propitious moment for t he enemy, he de- 
 termined, at one stroke, to eii<l the war. if he coiihl 
 capture West roiiit. he would naiii |>oss«'ssion ot' much of 
 tile .\inericaii iniinitions and armament: he could dis 
 perse Washinj^toirs arm.\ . open communications with < 'an 
 ada, and destroy the <-ololiies in detail. lie selected i5eii 
 edict Arnold as the instniiii. Ill who should dest roy thelih 
 cities of hiscoiiiitr\. plied him with a lirilte, and he fell. 
 .Vriiold and .\iidre spent I he ni.i;ht and <lay tc.iicther at 
 Smith's house op|to.>iie Cioion, concertinu- upon the price 
 and the terms. .\iiiold was to rccei\f a stipidaleil Nam, 
 ami a position in the lliitisii army, and t<» so weaken and 
 distrilmie the lorces at West INiint as to make it an easy 
 prey to the eiieiii>. Andre recei\cd from him all I he pa 
 
20 
 
 pers which expLdned the coiulition of the post and how 
 its garrison shonld be so dij^i)osed as to tall helpless vic- 
 tims to captivity or death. 
 
 Upon the issue of that British Major's snccessful return 
 to New York, with those'' documents depended results 
 mio-htier than the men of that time knew. The ( Jortlandt 
 Town farmers had <lri\en the sloop-of-war " V^ultnre" down 
 the bay, and cut off his retreat by Avater. He essayed it 
 by land, he had escai)ed numberless i)erils, had passed the 
 last American sentinel, and was gaily humming- in antici- 
 pation of victory and promotion, when a fire-lock was sud- 
 denly presented at his breast, and Paulding cried, '' halt !" 
 All the power, wealth, and culture of Great Piritaiu, in the 
 person of her Adjutant-General, there confronted the lib- 
 erties of America in the custody of three humble yeomen 
 of Westchester ; they were witliout fortune, of limited ed- 
 ucation, fanners' sons ; to them were proffered riches be- 
 yond any sum with which they were familiar. Upon their 
 action hung the haj)])iness of millions, but they had with- 
 in them that virtue and love of independence which gold 
 could not buy nor power subdue. The money was spurn- 
 ed, treason was defeated, Andre died the death of a spy, 
 and his captors became immortal. While time endures, 
 and patriotism is hehriionorable, our county and our c(mn- 
 try will keep among their most cherished recollections the 
 names of Paulding, Williams, and Van Wart. 
 
 Upon the muster-roll of the Continental Army duriug 
 the war api)ear the names of two hundred and thirty-one 
 thousand seven huudred and ninety-one men, and but one 
 traitor. A review of revolutionary Westcliester would be 
 incomplete which did not set forth some of those incidents 
 that escape the notice of the general historian, and are 
 preserved by tradition and in local annals, but which best 
 illustrate the time, its perils, its sacrifices, its sufferings, 
 and its rewards. Could we have watched with Enoch 
 Crosby, the Westchester »py, whose adventures suggested 
 Cooper's immortal fiction, from his lofty crag in the high- 
 
'Jl 
 
 ImikIs. l.i\(tii;ick.'i| Willi Alti;ili;iiii I ).\ cUiiiaii. or ('<.riu-Iiiis 
 
 (►jlklc.V, (.1 Jnlili O.lrll. tlirdMlill-; -lli(U-S, wllilc tlwV phlll- 
 iM'd :iii iittack ii|miii ;i Tui \ ciiiiip, or soil;:lit to avcii^ii' 
 some Itloody oiitiiiuf. Iiou well could we ;i|»in<'ci;it»* our 
 }m('«\stors daily li\«-.s; how well iiiidn stand that the hills 
 and vallrysoftliisold «-oiinty an- lioly ^iroiind I Corllandl 
 saw h.-irhirCvillauv (.1" IN'ckskill twic- pilla-.-d anil l.iiiii- 
 nl. and I lit- su noil ndiiii; coiiiit ly ia\ a, ^fd. time and a^^a ill ; 
 linl ill iiian.N an rn.uau<nifiii and >kiiinisli the militia wrrr 
 siici-i'ssliil. Tlif nit'iiioi \ orCoiiiclia I'x'fkinan's dignity 
 and roiirai^r in d< rtiidin^ lin pcison and Iiomm*. air a pleas- 
 ant ivcnlh.ti )f ihi' tow iisfolk : wliilc u|miii (Jallows Hill, 
 
 rainier tin- sp\ expiated liis eriine, and old (ieiieral IMit- 
 iiain penned lii.s fanioiis inessa;:e lo Sir lleni\ ("liiitoii's 
 (leinainl lor liis release : 
 
 Sii; : I'Miiinnd rainier, a n (.tlieer in I he eiieiii\ "s ser\ iee, 
 was lakeii as a s|»\. InikiiiL; within the Anieiieaii lines. 
 
 He has heeii tried as a sp.\ . .• leimied as a spy. and shall 
 
 lie exeentetl as a sp\ . and the llau is ordered to (h-part 
 iiiiinediately. 
 
 IsK' \KI. rriNAM. 
 
 I'. S.— lie has l.eeii executed accoidin,ul> . 
 
 At i'ine"s I'.iidi:-.. the -allant Colonel ( iiveii— t 1m' <-on- 
 (pieror of ('oiiiil l>Mnop — and his coininand were o\cr 
 whelmed li,\ I >e I, alley's Iroopeis, and iiearix e\er\ oiieoT 
 them put to the swonl. while the eiieiii.x ra\ai:ed ^ ork- 
 tow n, sweejtinji otVpropert.N and carr,\in^ scores of residents 
 to the ]»rison pens in New \ ork ; and the (»ld Cninipond 
 ('liiirch was ledilced to aslie>. liecanse it was the ineetin- 
 
 place of thr Town Col itiee of Safet.\. ami the r.iitish 
 
 (ieiM'ral said he wdiild. *- i>niii the dainiiied rel>el iie>l out. 
 aiixhow:" luit he tired oiil\ i h.' >liell. lor t he spirit of the 
 old chapel li\ed and uiew in iiiteiisit\ and xi-or. At ihc 
 lour corners over here in .Mount I'leasant. when Col. 
 'riioiiipson was slrii.u.ulin.u desperately with a superior 
 force of Hessians, and the \vint«'r air was warm with the 
 tiames of the nei^hliorin.u dwellings, one ol oni horsemen. 
 
pursued by two Britisli Cavali ynuMi, stuck fast in the deep 
 suow, threw up his aims and erii'd for (piaiter, '' we'll quart- 
 er you," they shouted, i-aisin.ii;' their sabres, when the Ameri- 
 cau tiring-, halved them, by killinj>- one, and the other tied. 
 Over the roads, all about, where we are iu)\v assend>led, 
 rode Tarleton and his (hai;-oous, Enieriek and his Hessians, 
 I)e Laney and his Tories, plunderinji' farms and dwelliugs, 
 capturing- aud carrying ott' well-known loyahsts, and per- 
 petrating CN'ery s])ecics of nutragc; wliik' upon their rear 
 aud tlauks, hung avengers, the liardy yeonianry of the 
 divstrict, fighting from every roc^k aud fence aud tree. 
 
 While other i)ortious of the couutry experienced the 
 horrors of war, foi' a t\nn\ aud theu, by the canii)aigu sliift- 
 iug- to the otlier quarters, were relieved, there was no time 
 when om* county was free from the tramp of hostile armies 
 or the incursions of i)redat(U'y bands. 
 
 Bedfor<l was twice luu-ncd, the last time becausi^ Tarle- 
 ton said, who had been raiding over Poun<lridg-e, ''of the 
 inveteracy of the inhabitants iu not acceptiug his otter 
 to withhold the torch, if they wouhT stop shooting from 
 behind V)arns aiul stone walls."' \V(ndd you understand 
 more clearly the si>irit of those times ? The P^ughsh 
 CohMiel Fowler had turned the family out of one of the 
 stateliest mansions of the Town of Morrisauia. He ga\e 
 a dinner party, aud as he aud his guests were about to sit 
 down, the house took fire; "Let it burn," he cried ''but 
 bring the diiuu^r out on the green;" and while the fiames 
 crackled, aud the helpless inmates «)f that dwelling bewail- 
 ed this wanton destrnctitm of their home, the win«'-glasscs 
 clinked merrily, and the joke passed gaily around the table 
 on the lawn ; but that night the swift avengers routed his 
 forces, and he <lied at the head of his couunand with a 
 Westchester bullet through his brain. How Lieutenant 
 Mosher whijtped the enemy — three times outnund)eriug 
 Iniii — ;it Harrison: how Col. Arm and destroyed the Hes- 
 sians at M(M'risania ; how Col. Aaron Burr captured De 
 Lancy's dreaded Refugee Corps under the veiy gnus of 
 
'j;{ 
 
 tlh- liritisli tort m-.w Kiiiirs r.n. lir<': li<nv ("nl. Hull snr- 
 rouiiiliMl tlic iiHi><t iiiiscliicvoiis cnu of Tories uml ('t»\v- 
 lin\s;it Tan \ town, wliiii tln\ vmic tiill of tin- spoil of 
 siH-n'sstiil toia\ upon tlu' |>ro|»l«' of tin* ronnTy, anil in 
 t'aiici(>il srciirit.v. wfic playin;: ranis: an<l how, wliiN- his 
 jinanis appran-d on all sides, he. with j:riin humor, sjtran;; 
 into the midst, swinj^iii^i a bin stirk. and sh(»ntin;r. •• rlnlis 
 art' tnimi»s. ;;<Mith*nn-n : sniKMidt-r or di«*." TIm-s*' and 
 scores ot" other county exeiits. incidents, and ad\entnres, 
 time fails me to nairate. 
 
 From tin' l»«'i;innin;; to the dose of the contest this vil- 
 lage, thonjih the s<-em' of n(» jireat conflict, was snliject to 
 ]terpetual alarms, and freipn-ntly the theatie of bloody 
 strife ami fnrions letieat and pursuit. Foi- years tin* ail- 
 Nance jruard of the .Vnu-rican arm.\ patrolled the<'roton, 
 and daily i)arties of patriots dashed throu;;h these streets 
 to attack or repel the Toi> oi- Hessian i-ompanies which 
 Will- Iiarrassiiiu the neighborhood, and often the villa;;ers 
 wei-e terrorizcfl b\ these Toiy or Hessian companies or 
 Uritish dragoons, sucepin;:- throu;ih tlic town f(»r a niid- 
 ni;rht snrpiisc to tin- American j:uaids. Amoni; the lirst 
 to arm and drill to lesist the cncroaclnnents ot' t\i-anny 
 w«'i»' the citizens of this \ illa-c. As earl\ as 1771 a le;ii- 
 inent was toinicd here, and imm«'diat«'ly aft«*r Concord 
 and Le\in;:ton. in .luiic. !77.*>. under the command ofCol- 
 oni'l Janu's. the director ot tin old silver mines. marehe«l 
 to liunker Hill. In I77'.t ( ajuain Hopkins, a ;:allant and 
 dashin;r «-a\ airy ollicer. comminded a troop of li;;ht horse, 
 stationed in this lu'i.uhborhood. His company, largely re- 
 cruited from here, were H;;litinir for their honn's and fam- 
 ilii's. On the :?(Uh of Au.i:u>i. in that year, he attacked 
 and routed Fmmerick's coi p> of Tories and Hessians, 
 kilh'd twenty three in his first charjic and sent them tiy- 
 iuiT t<»wai-ds Tarry tow n : theie a stron;r force of the I'ue- 
 my stopped the tlij;ht.and Hopkins, lar«;ely outnund>cred 
 retreated: but when he came upon these hills he mad«' a 
 d»-si»erate stand, drove l>ack the Hes>ians. ami saved the 
 
24 
 
 villajje. Ill October, of the saiiie year, a Briti.sli war ves- 
 sel, tlie "Belloiia," lay ott" in the bay. The (|uiet homes, 
 scattered over these hill-sides, offered a teiii])tiug- oi)portu- 
 iiity for i)lunder and destruetion ; but of the party who 
 landed all were g"lad to escape with their lives; and the 
 captain of the shi]) and other British officers remained 
 prisoners in the hands of the vif>ihint Hopkins to exchange 
 for the unfortniiate Continental soldiers who were suffer- 
 ing ;ind dying in the sugar houses and jn-isonships, in 
 Xew York. The winter of 1782 was memorable in the re- 
 colle(!tion of the old residents of this town. The expiring 
 embers of the long war tlamed up with relentless tury. 
 Ea(5h side was alert and vigorous in attack and defence. 
 The guards of the Croton, sometimes the ])ursuers some- 
 times jnirsued by their enemies, were daily scouring these 
 fields, and skirmish audbattle were of constant occurrence. 
 Sing Sing was a lively residence for a i)eaceful (ntizen in 
 those <lays. His most im])ortant occupation each morning 
 was to return (le\'out thanks that only his |)roperty 
 w as ])liindere(l, and neither his house burned or his family 
 murdered the night before. About midnight a tramp of 
 horsemen was heard upon the snow, and like a tiash rode 
 by a regiment of Tory cavalry. Their jney \^ as a body of 
 Americans under Cai)tain Williams, stationed at the Ohl 
 Orser Farm on the Croton lload. Williams was com- 
 pletely surprised, his command cut to pieces, some of them 
 chased down the bank out on to the frozen river, and there 
 killed, while Williams himself escai)ed only by his siijier- 
 ior skill as a swordsman and horseman. Cutting his way 
 through the surrounding enemy, and followed by a British 
 dragoon, he reined suddenly to one side ; the luirsueing 
 trooper, unable to stop, dashed by, and as he passed, 
 Williams cleaved him down with a backhanded blow, and 
 carried his horse and trai)pings in trium]>h to head-quar- 
 ters. From Teller's Point, in 1780, served by our Towns- 
 men, thundered a single piece of ordnance upon the " Vul- 
 ture." Anxiously, from Smith's house, Andre watched 
 
this (•imiioiiiKlf : :iii(l wlicn (lie IJritisli sloop of war 
 \v»'iylu'<i anclioi iiiid diitpprd down tlir lixt-r. his licart 
 saidv witliiii liiiii. Ills only cscap*' was tliat JoiiiMcv l>v 
 hiixl wliich ni(h(l in his capture and thr salvation of tlu' 
 l{('pid>lif. That old -iin kn..\vn as ••( Hd Wlntc," has for 
 ncarl.N a ccntnrN, on each iirnniii;: anni\ tTsary, urouscd 
 Ihf <"»ho«'s and tiic nicinoiics of that cvcntftd <hiy. May 
 it remain forexcr in .\oni' possession as a clierished ine- 
 nuMito, and no otiin ntccssity arise t'oi- its use. than to re- 
 eall reeoUeetions of tlie >ih»rious past. 
 
 West<^liester was n(>t only eonspieuons in the lu'<;innin^', 
 hnt was also the theatre of the events which niarUi'd tlie 
 close of the war. Wlu-n IJunker Hill, White Plains, Sar- 
 atojia, and .Monmouth, had lieen followed Ity the surrender 
 of Cornwallis at Vorktown, and the recojiiiition of Ameri- 
 can Indei»endenee, Washinjiton and the Kn«iiish jivnerals 
 met at Dohh's Ferry in this county, and eomi)leted the 
 tinal anan^icments for the exacuation of New York, and 
 the departure of the last \ est i;ie of the Hritish jM>werfroin 
 the land. In I)ect'ml>er, se\ fntei'U hundred and «'i<;hty- 
 three. the curtain fell upon the closinj;' act in the drama 
 of the .seven y»'ar.s' war. .Vs the Kn^lish troops end>arke<l 
 fiom the r>attery, \\ashin;;ton mai-ched (h»wn liroadway, 
 his escort tiie Westchestt'r li.i;ht-hors«', his surroundinjjs a 
 tree. happN. enthusiastic p«'ople, hailin<i- iiiin with j^rateful 
 cheers as the Father of his Country. I have tlnis endeav- 
 (»red briefly aiul hurriedly to present Westchester's .story 
 duriufj the revolutionary period. Thnuifjh its dark and 
 l>loo«ly lecoid lun the lessons of fidelity to ])rineiple, de- 
 voti«>n to ct»untry. love of liberty and lofty i)ublic virtue, 
 which this da.\ is set apart for us to rev«'rently study and 
 faithfully follow. Our county t(» day. within its ori^nnal 
 limits, has nearly as much jiopulaticm and more wealth 
 than did the whoh' State in 177«>. C'omi)are Westchester 
 tlu'U with now; see its thri\ in*i' villa;;es, its richly-cidti- 
 vated farms, its s]>len(bd residences, its manifold iiuhis- 
 tries, its schools and academics, and we ha\«' the best illus- 
 
26 
 
 tratioii of wlmt we have gainerl by oiu- fatlievs steadftist- 
 uess and (*()uia.i>e. How our county re.spondeil to t\w eall 
 for the preservation of the National life is within tlie r«^- 
 cent recollections of us all, Nearly every battle-lield at- 
 tested the valor and ]iatriotisni of her sons^the stalwart 
 veteran dignifyino- the citizenship for which he fought, by 
 the industrious pursuit of the avocations of peace ; the 
 wounded soldier whose empty sleeve or biirtneued crutch 
 elocpiently voices his story, are the living witnesses; 
 while the silent ones, ai'e tlie little hillocks far away, the 
 flag-crowned graves in the country chuich yards, the va- 
 cant seats b> the family hearthstones. 
 
 The goveinment which the colonial statesmen founded, 
 and for which the (Jontinental soldier fought, has stood 
 the wear and strain of a century. It has repelled tbreign 
 foes, it has i)roved suflticiently «'ompact and elasti<' to re- 
 sist the shock of and successfully subdue the mightiest 
 civil con\nlsion of modern times; it lias eliminated slav<'ry 
 from its polity, and assimilated the freedmen by its laws; 
 it has ext(Mided its bounderies far and wide, and created 
 and adoi)t<;d new states, grim enqni-es in themselves ; it 
 has received with 0])en hos])itality the emigrant from ev- 
 ery land, and conterred upon him the equal rights of citi- 
 zenship ; its people have enjoyed un])araneled pros])erity 
 and i)rogress in material wealth, and it has withstood the 
 coriui»tions which inevitably follow in the train of givat 
 riches, to sap and mine all fi-ee institutions. iSunnning 
 up all these results, and enjoying the full measure of all 
 these blessings, while the Kepublic lives let us fulltil the 
 ])rophecy of old John Adams, and welcome every recur- 
 rence of this day, "with thanksgiving, with festivity, with 
 bontires, and illuminations, and with every manifestation 
 of exultation, gj-atitmle, and Joy." 
 
 In the generous spirit of our time, and the hioadcatiio- 
 licity of this hour, we cultivate no resentments and harbor 
 no revenges. We remember Great Britain, not as the 
 land of George the Third and Lord North, but as the country 
 
i>r( 'li;illi:iiii iiimI r.iiikr. W illi tlit'snilK* l;ili;iil:i;^<' !lll(l lilH'- 
 i(;iv, we III) loii-t r s.-iilf niir (lilliciill ics Ity tin' Itloody 
 issiK's i»f \\;ii-, Itiit 1».\ iM-iircliil ;ii-l»itr;i1inii. ami arc ri\als 
 oiil\ ill t!ic lacf Inr a Itrttcr civili/aiiitii ami its iiciiflii-cnt 
 iTsiilts. No >ralV.iltl slamls amid tin- aslirs of tin- n-ltcli 
 ii>ii. mMliiii.ucnii door clox'-. ii|m)ii a |iiilitical otVciidrr ; lnit 
 holding- out niir amis lo our souIIkmii Itrct liicii, wr sa> , 
 •' von roii;^iil lor a s_\strm and nii id«'a and tailed ;" l>y our 
 i-onimon memories, aneestr.\ and intei-ests. unite with ns 
 in stfen.utln-ninu-. enlar.uin.uand perpetuating- the Ivepnlilie. 
 We 1<)(»U abroad and liehold restrictions upon snlVraj:e 
 and disabilities upon icliiiions disappear Irom (Ireat 
 
 r.ritain: France driliin.u- into I'epnhlieanism. as tl iil> 
 
 stable .govern nt; the (icnnan antl Italian pe<»ple seek 
 
 ini; for nationality ; and \\c hopelidly await the time when 
 the lca\('ii of liltcit.N from America shall have re.ufnerat«'d 
 Ihc political c(nMliiions of c\ciy race. The contemplation 
 of the subjects sn^.u<'>^l»'<l '•> '1''"^ ••:•>■ brills licfoic the 
 mind, in all their .liiand propoitioiis, the actors in the 
 stniiiule for Independence, with tlicii- ]>alriotism, stat<*s- 
 manship and pni)lic xiitiie. The man w ho led the ai'mi(>s, 
 the men w ho sat in tin' Continental < 'on;L;iess, the men who 
 iraim-d t lie Const itntion. lia\c left behind them a herila.m' 
 of eonraue. ideas and pi imiples. which will |n-eser\t' our 
 institutions so Ioiil; as tlic\ aie animate and inspire the 
 condnct ami characti-r of ihc nation. I'.iit o\ er and above 
 them all <»f that a-c. and ofc\ery a.iic, like the .\lpso\er- 
 w helm _\(»n u itii their uriHidciii' as yon a]>|>roach. and w lio>e 
 summits are lost in the clouds as y(»n recede, towers the 
 ceiitial liiiiire of the ccnliir\ — Ceoriic Washin.^ton. Oiir 
 llau floats over lis toda.N with no star dinimecl. eml>lcm 
 aticof more tliaiicvei- befoie : shonhU-r toshoidder, heart 
 beat to heart beat, in the full bla/e of the risiii-; sun of 
 the second cciiiuiN.and in its clear li.ulit. see before ns 
 our duties and respoiisiliilil ii-s ; with oiiexoicclct ns le 
 jicat that nolile liturgy of lib.-rty nttcud by oin- martyr 
 
28 
 
 President, Abraham Lincoln, ^^tliat this nation shall, un- 
 der God, have a new birth of freedom ; that the govern- 
 n.ent of the people, by the people, and for the people shall 
 not perish forever from the eaith." 
 
HivStoncal jSkctcli. 
 
 By Rev. ALEXANDER WATSON. 
 
 'I'lic |»r<»|.ri- liist(»i-y of Sin- Siii^ li.-s all within the 
 limits of tli<- now past cfiiliirN — llic pfiiod of our indr- 
 IM-ndciit national cxisttncr. 
 
 Wliatcvcr pivctMlo this, niinuN's wit li the -mnal his- 
 
 toi'\ oi' the ivi:ion. and until within a litth- u- than 
 
 twcntx Vfiirs its sultsf.|nrnt r»M'ord is l)h'n(UM| with tin- 
 town of Mount IMrasant. ot wlii<-h it t'onnrd a pait. 
 
 To Oft at our central siiltji'ct, then-lore, a pr«'linMnar.\ 
 ulaiMT at its earlier iclation^ is neeessarx. 
 
 In or aWont the _\eai' Hi.M>. a patent was -ranted Itv 
 the liritish ciow n to N'n-drvek Flypsen. or, as after 
 ward written. J-'rederieU IMiilipse, permitting him -Mo 
 tV<'ely l»iiv" the district of eonntrv exteiidiiiji from 
 Spu.vten hn.wel ereek, northward to tlie <'r<»toii ri\er. 
 Tliis lie ]>roeeeded to do, and at various times from Kisd 
 to KIS4 or <), ill several lots, and at interxals. he pnrehase<l 
 the whole n-jiioii from tin- Indians, and these jnirehases, 
 with others made on the we>t sid»- ot the Hudson altont 
 
 Tappan. .Vc. were .•outir <1 to him lt\ the K'o.xal Charter 
 
 of William and Marv, Kin;: and (,>ueen «.f ( Irt-at I'.ritain. 
 witnessi-d li\ (loxt-riKH- Benjamin Kleteln-r. at I'ort W il 
 liaiii H(-nr.\. on the I'-'th dav of .June, l»i!».5. 
 
 The last of these pniehasi-s of Indian lands ( Aii-ust 
 L'l, H>sr») was of tin- - traet or paieel (»f land iommonl\ 
 ealled hy the Indians Snirk SineU. of which the l.ouu.l 
 aiy l»e;;aii at tin- Hudson ii\er lt\ tiie northernmost pait 
 of thf land, already owned hy the said Frederick Philipse,*' 
 \vlii<-li would prohaltly l)e nor far from the Ha\»'nclie, for 
 
30 
 
 he was eini^owered, m bnyiiijo- the Pocaiitico valley, to 
 l)iiy laud to the extent of 400 rods ou ejich side of the 
 stream. Froni this ]K)iiit it ran alouj"- the Hudson uoitli- 
 ward to the Orotou (or " Iviehtawau"), "along- the said 
 ereek or river two English miles, and from thence n]> 
 the country upon a due east line" until it came to the 
 Ni[)liorlia (Xepera), or wliat we call saw mill river, which, 
 however, a due east line from the ])oint indicatinl would 
 never stinke, but run ('onsiderahly to the north of its 
 head waters. 
 
 Mr. Philipse was the grandson of a Bohemian of some 
 distinction, whose family was driven from his native 
 home on account of the faA'or he had shown to John 
 Huss ami Jerome of Prague. 
 
 For a time they resided in East Fricshmd, and here, in 
 lO.K), Frederick Philipse, the tirst " lord of the manor of 
 Philil)sbnrg" was born. In 1658 we tind his father, 
 Frederick Phili])se, emig'rating from Bolswiiert in Holland 
 to N(nv Amsterdam (JSTew York), wdiere he becanu^ a siu*- 
 cessful merchant. His son and successor, Fr(^<h'rick of 
 the Manor, made large purchases of land in and about 
 New Amsterdam, besides the various lots that united 
 to form the Manor of Pliilipsburg. 
 
 The northern line of the Philips Manor, at the Cro 
 ton, touched and ran eastAvard conterminously with the 
 southern boundary of the Manor of Van ('orthnult. 
 
 After a few years, the two manoriril hsmilies weie 
 united l>y the marriage of Frederick Fhilipse to Catharine 
 Van Cortlandt. But the fannlies thus happily united in 
 one generation were divided in the m^\t but one. * W'hen 
 " the times that tried men's souls" came on, the Van 
 Cortlandt's, to their honor, and in spite of allurenu^nts 
 to a contrary course, adhered to the clause of fivcdom and 
 their country, while the fandly of Pliilijtsc, or Fh psen, 
 went with the British. 
 
 At the triumphant close of our Kevolntirtnary strug- 
 gle, the whole conliscated manor of Pliilipsburg was sold 
 
;;i 
 
 iimlrr coiiiiiiissidiirrs of loi ftit me, :ii»iHiinfc<l lor lliis pur 
 |M»sc l.N tin- Si. lie. (M lli<' .MiiIKil l.iii<i lliiis sni.l. the 
 tiiwii of MoMiil rir:is;iiit foi iiu-d tin- iiorl li-w cstcni por 
 tioii. lis ItoiiiHliii ics (•\t<'iMliiin from tin* Ainlic Itrook 
 on till- soillli ;iloii,u the llil<!soii lo^lir ( 'lotoii on (lie n(»itli. 
 iind <':ist\v;ii<l t<» llic lint- of llir town of Ncwciistlr. tlic l:it 
 trr hoiMMliny- it on its (msIciIv, :niti < 1 kmiiImii;^ on its 
 sonliicilv hoidrr. 
 
 ip i<». :in(l tiiroii^li tin- icvolufionar.x pi-riod. tin- 
 township ti'iiitoiy, ;is thus indicated, was Itnt spais<'l> 
 srtth'd. its occupants — tenants of the manor — Ikmuil; 
 mostl.N des(U'ndants of tlie first setth-is; tiie nnnyU'd 
 |)iitclian<l French, and Swiss, and a \ ei> scaid adnnx- 
 tuie of liish. Scotch and laii-li^h, whom religious ])cr 
 secutioii liad <lri\en from their l<'ui<tpean homes, with, 
 perliaps. sonn- aihlitions hy hit«*r immi.yration. They 
 were tile Ackers, A Users , Keekinans, liishops, lluckiiouls, 
 Cauuills, Collx-ers. I.<'.«:.uetts. Waslihurus, Fosiiays, Davids 
 or I)a\ is's, ( Jai'i'isons. I)ela\ans. Hunts, I litchcocks. Mor- 
 tons. McCords. .Millers. .Mei i its^OrsiMs. Palmers, I'li-s- 
 leys. Sees. Ifyders. ivaymonds. Sherwoods, Smiths. Tomp- 
 kuis. Storms's. Wards. Willi ims. Wln'eiers. Van Warts. 
 Van Tass.-lls. 
 
 < M' many of thes«' names some were foinid on eacji side 
 in the war of Indepcndem <•. lor that crucial contest, like 
 oui- most recent snii.ui,de. divided tiunilies an<l alienated 
 near friends, and l»o(ii atlorded iiumi-rous illusHalions of 
 the trutii. that hi a -i-eat crisis, the most dan.iici'ous 
 mend»ers of community are L;ood men wron^-. 
 
 Hut the i»|ood of re\-olutionary whiizs anil tories. noltle 
 patriots and conscientious traitors, combine in tlu' \«'ins 
 of tlieir urandchildreii and urt-at-^^raiidchildren around us. 
 and in its min.iiled How oliliterates tlu' uu-mories of 
 hale; sa \c in a few a;iii:ra\ ated cases, where fauuly tia- 
 dilions are stdl pieservcd of outrau<vs. lite endurance of 
 which has curdled the Mood of iieu«'i-ations. and whose 
 
32 
 
 bare recital, even at this (listaiice of time, stirs the soul 
 to its deei)est depths. 
 
 These, however, with nil oiir more recent wounds we 
 ma,y confldeiitlv hope that time, the great healer, will 
 perfectly cure, leaving 'neither scar nor callosity upon 
 any heart, north or south, east or west. 
 
 Soon atter the close of the Revolutionary War and the 
 niauor sales of which we have spoken, certain English 
 families settled upon the river, just south of our pi-esent 
 village, and to these additions were at various times made 
 from the same source, the families gradually extend- 
 ing their selection of localities northward to a little be- 
 yond the present boundaries of our village incorporation. 
 The jnoueers of these were the father of the late Judge 
 Edward Kemeys, and the brothers Thomas and John 
 Agate, with Hilyer, Priestly and others. By these a 
 small settlement was formed, which they called S])arta. 
 \A'^hy they so named it we are left to eonjectiu-e. Some 
 have said, "because a band of Spartans came there and 
 worked in the brick yard." But this inverts the natural 
 order of things in such matters, and it was donbtless 
 the proprietors that named the place; and in exjtlana- 
 tion of their choice of the brief and excellent designa- 
 tion, it has been surmised that among them some one, 
 at least, was found, tamiliar with the general character 
 of Grecian Sparta, which is so extremely rocky that in the 
 days of the modern (Ireek struggle for independence, 
 when the American missionary. Dr. King, was lidingwith 
 Prince Mavrocordata through the region of ancient Sparta, 
 now called "Mani," the Prince, A\itli some pardonable 
 exaggeration said to the doct(U\ 'vAll the .stones that God 
 made he strewed in Mani." There were, however, as we 
 know, enough left to pave our Si>arta, and justify its 
 naming after its rocky predecessor, whether this theory of 
 the fact be true or mistaken. 
 
 For quite a number of years Sparta was the chief 
 business point of the whole township. Market sloops 
 
x\ 
 
 1:111 tVniii ils ii;itiir;il riM'k |iici-s. cnnNiiii; tlic |»r(Mliic<' 
 (.r llir .•(.illill> lo New V(»lk. 'I'lic <)iil\ coiliiUy stores o|' 
 (•(iiisr(|lli'licr were t lit'lc. ;| ml | iiolcil il> tliclc ;irr pcisniis 
 hnv l...l:i\ uIm. in cliil.lli.MMl li:i\r trotlfd ;ilni|M si.l.-. 
 of tlirir inothfis tVoiii Sin- Sin- to S|.;iit;i to <|o tin- 
 t;iniil\ tr;i(lin.u. 
 
 .Mncli cuiiosity lias Im-cu Icit in respect to the ori-iii 
 anil nieanin- of the name of mii' \ illa-f. and \ arimis coii- 
 jeetiires. more or less plaiiNilde, lia\«' i>een formed respect- 
 ing it. 
 
 I'oity years a-o. and later, there were many who 
 settled coolly down up(»n the coiicliisioii that it had deriv- 
 ed its name from the \eneialtle William Siii^-, one of the 
 
 earliest l-]n.-lisli set t lei> in onr i 'diate \ilh»ji-e; a<{uiet, 
 
 earnest Christian man, who ne\fr thoiij^iit of heiiij;' 
 thus immortalized. 
 
 P.ailiei-, in his Historical collections, tells a story (.f 
 its heiiii:- .ui\en !»> two castaway Chinese sailors, who 
 had somehow found their wa\ here, and iiameil it thus 
 after their own Asiatic In. me. \U\\ this leuvndary theory 
 seems scarcely woitli\ (»f invest i-at ioii ; ami, dismissing; 
 it. we turn to the records of the colonial <lays for re- 
 lialtle inforinaiioii. In these, hoth piihlie and ]M'i\at4s 
 we tiiid mention made of ceiiwin Indians inliahitiiif;' the 
 coiintrx Itetwccii the two ri\iilet>, •• .Vinionk" and " Sinek 
 Siiick." That a part of these Indians — jteriiaps a sniall 
 clan ot tiiem, prol>altly of the .Moiie-an trihe— had their 
 homes just here, and it is most likel.N that the •• Kill brook" 
 of our day is the -Siiick Sinck" of the Indian. I'.nt 
 whether or not this was Sinck the Sinck stream, the 
 Indian settlement of the <lan was here; lor, as l»efore 
 noted, this their teriitor.\ wa> the la>t purchase made 
 l»\ Fredeii<'k riiilipse to complete his manorial -irant. 
 S(» als<» in leaxin- this \er\ pidpert> to his ^rand 
 son. the Frederick I'hilipse who lorfeited the manor in 
 177(i — he lirst spell.-> it as two words •• Cimpie Single," 
 and then as one w ord. w it h the same letters hut with- 
 
34 
 
 out the secoiul capital. It would therefore seem eleiir 
 that the stream, and the chin, aud their settlement, 
 were called by a name of the sound of which these words 
 are the expression, and we liaxc simply continued it 
 from its Indian authors. 
 
 The meaning;' of the term and its d(n'ivation, were ex- 
 amined in 1.S4J:, by Henry M. Schoolcraft, at the s])ecial 
 instance of (tcmi. Aaron Ward, at that tinu' Kei>resent- 
 ative in Conjiress from this District. Mr. Schoolcraft, 
 with an etymologist's freedom, concluded that Sing' Sing- 
 was derived from, or was a modification of Ossinee Os- 
 sinee, meaning Stone n])on Stone. We have not Mr. 
 Schoolcraft's Indian pronunciation of the word ()ssinee 
 before us, if, as we supi)Ose, he gave it. But since the evi- 
 dence seems clear that the terms we now use ex])res.s 
 almost precisely the Indian sound i)i' their own nanu% 
 and the name of the brook and locality, it is a Httle difii- 
 cult to understand how Mr. Schoolcraft reached his 
 conclusion. Still it was so far acce])te«l, that in May, 
 1845, when our preseut town was taken from Mt. Pleas- 
 ant, it was constituted under the name of " Ossinsing." 
 But in March of the next year, this was changed, by 
 dropi)ing out the third " s," making- it read '' Ossining," 
 which pleasant name the town still retains, while our vil- 
 age bears its much older name of " Sing Sing." And as 
 there is no other ])hice on the Hudson — where the piling 
 of stoue upon stone is trcipiently found — nor in the Union, 
 nor, so far as we are infornie<l. short of the home of the 
 two mythical Chinese of whom Barber tells, bearing tlie 
 same name, a further doubt, we think, is thrown ni>on 
 the correctness of Mr Schoolcraft's derivation. 
 
 The cliief ])urchasers in 1784-5 of the land which 
 our village and town inc^ludes, were (larrison. Ward, 
 Hunt, Hunter, Auser, Orsor, Cronk, with the Ackers, Mil- 
 lers, Storms, Balyes,Bishoi)s, McCords, Rydersand others. 
 
 At the time of the manor sales, Sing Sing had a name 
 aud little more ; but in entering on the race with Sprata, 
 
wlirli it l»c;i:ili to Itr :i \ ill;i;;(', its s|M'ci;il ;i(l\ ;ilit;i;X<"^ 
 \vri-«' loiiiiil in it> Imxiii;; !i Ix-tlrr ;irist mill sH-tMin :iimI in 
 (•(.ns.Mincncf. |.i..l.;il.i\ . it >o<.n Innl ;llsn t lie In-t trr Mark 
 sinitli's sintp. A t :in\ ratr, at t|nitf an fail\ (la.\ sonic 
 I'-astrrn faniilio canir ni. and a> .\rais |ia.N>c(| tin- 
 stoivs at tl.r •• npprr <lo< U." k.-|.t l.y Mark Vair an<l 
 othcis (li.l nio>i ..r thcl.Msinrssof the \ illa-v, lia\in- tin' 
 a<l\antai:<' of iirin.u in-ar to the lisliin;: jiroiiinl of ( 'raw • 
 Ixi.kir iM-acli. .-t.-.. an.l o| tin- woikiii-: of a l)rirk vaid 
 
 in the ininn-diatc vi<'iiiit.\. In thr Mrssrs. \V 1, after 
 
 wards of TaiiN t(»\\ n. 
 
 I'.nt most of the fandlirs sonlli of tin- Kill, or Sinrk 
 Sin«k I'.r.Mik, .-illn'r traded at Spaita or witli liolu-rt 
 K. Foster, who lia.l located -on the hill." n|)on the north 
 side of Main street, not far from the site of the old stoin- 
 
 ••mansion." (|H'ohaltl.\ of • stor.\ ) in which Ilolton says 
 
 Moses Ward had ivsidc.l. and whi<di was •• nsed for (h- 
 fence a-ainst the Indians." This donn-stic honn- made 
 fort nnrst lia\e stood [ircttN nearl.\ on the spot now 
 occnpicd 1».\ the ("roton \<|nednct w heiv it strikes Main 
 street : and a little to llic wot or sonthwcst. Itelwccii 
 
 this and ••liicleSai .\ Molt's" tan.xard and residence. 
 
 the latter of which sto<»d upon the spot now co\ »-i'ed 
 lt\ the |>oint of r.arhtw I'dock, Mr. l*'oster opened a 
 shoe and ;;t'iieral connlr\ store. His father or nncle Innl 
 •'l)lii/,«Ml rheway" tliron-;Ii the hnesi from ( "<»nnect icnt to 
 this point, and »|iiite earl.\ in the histor.x of onr \illaj:-c 
 he hecann' jioslmastcr. holdin- the position foi- many 
 .\ears, 'I'he nann- and st.\le of our post ollice was then 
 •• Mount IMeasaiil," which nann- it retaiiu'd nntil a late 
 day. alrhoujili as early as IS!;; Sin;; Sin;; lu-cann- an in 
 rni-porat;'d \illa;:e. 
 
 This is a<-coniited for In the fact that Sparta and 
 Sin;; Siiiu Were theonl> hnsiness points l>in;: upon the 
 ri\ei- within the limits ol the town of Mount Pleasant. 
 .Ml tin- traileof its south. 'rn jiortioii w cut to ••Tarrytown 
 point." whi«-h is in the town of ( ircenlMir^. e.\cc)»t so 
 
36 
 
 much of it as migLt be attracted bv the stores of 
 Peter See and Nathaniel Bayliss, whicli w<'re on this 
 side of the Greeiil>ur,ii' line, n]M»ii the Bedford road, Just 
 in the eastern edge of '' Beekinaiitown," which at that 
 time, with tlie exce[>tioii of these stores and one or two 
 dwellin<is hiy almost '' in commons," as did also most of 
 the woodland belonging- to the Beekman estate (of some 
 ]()(►(> acres), lying between this jKnnt and the a«]ueduct 
 arch, where it crosses '' the Albany Post lload,'' at the 
 foot of " the Leggett hill." 
 
 The village of Sing Sing continued to attract poj»ula 
 tiou and business, especially after the construction of 
 the Highland Turnpike or Albany Post Road, and the 
 Croton Turnpike, with a stage line, run by Hachaliah 
 Bailey, of Somers, from Xew York to Danbury in the 
 winter, and in summer connecting with the steand)oat 
 John ''Jay at our lower landing, and thus forming a still 
 better connection with the city. 
 
 About this time, say 1828-30, the census of the village 
 ])roper, roughly taken, showed a ]»opulation of about IKK), 
 with three physicians of rejtutation, Dr. ,7. I). Fowler. I)i-. 
 Wm. N. Belcher aiul Dr. A. K. Hotfman, the father of the 
 ex-governor, while east of us was ])r. Bowron and north- 
 east Dr. Fountain, both commanding wide contidence 
 in their profession. We had also two lawyers of stand- 
 ing, General Aaron Ward, son of Moses Ward named 
 above, who derived his military title from his engage- 
 ment in the war of 1812, and his command in the State 
 ]Militia, and Bichard B. Yoris, Esq., the father of our 
 neighbor Dr. Yoris and of the estimable and highly re- 
 spected lady of Marlborough Chnrchill, Esq.; we had 
 also at least three honest hotels, not established as spe<'- 
 ulations upon debased ai>petite, but for veritable public 
 accommodatiou, as stage houvses an<l for travelers. But 
 one newspaper was then published in the place, the 
 "Westchester Herald," first issued by Mr. Addington; 
 bought of him by Stephen Marshall, and by him sold to 
 
.•^7 
 
 Ciilrh IJnscof. uIki imlilislnd it lor iii;iiiy \<-;ns, :iiiil iiiilil 
 
 ;it'li-r tl <lMl>lisliiiirlil ot'<>lli)-r.jniirii:il> :iiii(>ii^ us. W itli 
 
 so liiiiiird ;i j)o))ll1:ititiM, ol ruiiisf niii Nticrtv wrir leu. 
 'I'll.- Ili;:lihiii(l Tiinipikr, ..1 •• All.;iii\ l'..st K'.m. I." simply 
 
 piisscd lis nil ils \\;i\ In tin- ill. I'lif <'i,,tnii Timi 
 
 pike propn. or •• DiiiiImiin Siaur i;n;i<l." riKinl jii-vl u line 
 
 now tllf r.MIlk sl:ill. Is. 1)111 W llirh \\;is llicll lilf -^ilr ..|' I lir 
 
 rcsidriMT of l-:s<|iiiiv ("liMilrs ^•o.•, :i pkiiii iind iipn-lil 
 iiiiiii, loii^ liic only .iiisti.c ot ihc I'.m.c \\c li;id. Ilnr 
 it stiiN-k tlM' Mijililnnd 'rmnpikr. and lln- hanlnny sla-cs, 
 tnriiiiiii soiitliuard. ut-nl on to lln- ( 'rosl»\ staj^r lioiis*', 
 kepi In l-aiocli ("iosh\. Jr.. Ilir woriliv son of iln- \V.-s| 
 clM'slcr sp\ — a man lo wlioiii cncii ••tin- tVirnds of Icnii* 
 naiKi'" iiiiLilit lia\<- lirni williiii; lo \ otc a licriisc lor a 
 
 tlionsaiid Near: proc-cdini: tiinirc llir.m^ili Cliiircli 
 
 slrn-t lo Main and lo tin- landiii;:. or ili)-\ ivaclu'd llir 
 saiiir poini i.\ kr.-pin- .ar.-rnily around Hi. -old ••Wai.l 
 
 Mouse," uliii-h sloo.l out in ri.'asant s.piaiv. al I as far 
 
 as wIhtc III.' pnmp and w al.M- t loii-li ii.iu slan.l. passin- 
 III.' ivar of til.' r.aplisi (linivli. a ml s.t ^oin.u .liiccl ly dou ii 
 Main siiv.-t ami lli.' h.x-k liill. Tli.' st.-amlM.al .lo.k 
 «'\l('ii(l«'d pn'il\ well oiil. uhil.' \.'l lli.' mark. -I s|oop> laii 
 lip <piil.' in I.) 111.' rani;.' oT wlial is now S.-coi A; W a■^ll 
 
 liiirir> liiml)cr \ard. I iload iiilo llic sloivlion^.' tli.'ir 
 
 r.'Inrn Ir.'ijulit iVom N.-w \ oik. Tli.-n. as now. lli.- same 
 small .Iw.-llin-s l.iiilt into lln- luiik. skirt. -.1 tli.' rnilli.-i 
 sid.' ..r Main str.-.-l al its low .-r .-ml, w li.-i.- il .l.tlcls lo 
 III.' s.Milliw.'sl ward aloiiu wlial was .nif.' a small ita_\ or 
 inlcl. W at.-r >t r.-.'l ran, as it still runs, li.-lw.-.-n lli.- up 
 p.-r ami l.>w.-i' lamlin-s. and upon it li\.-d Captain ll.-iii\ 
 Harris, ami soim- olli.-is. with tin- par.-iits of tli.w.ll 
 known hiiil.l.'is of Hi.- -iM.-w," Hi.- •• riioinas CoIIn.-i" 
 and olli.-r sl.-amltoals. 
 
 'I'll.' •• npp.-i.l.K-k hill" ha.l Ih.-n ..nly a d..nl.l.- ontl.-t 
 t.. flu- Ali.aii\ r'.>sr I.N.ad: om- .lir.-.-t t.. the W ,->t<'hr>t.-r 
 !'.ri.r«i.', tin- oIIht acr.iss tin- Itri.l^ir at th.- -list mill (ii.nv 
 tih- works), just wln-iv Hi«- nohh- ar.h .»f th.- a. pi. -.In. -t 
 
38 
 
 spans tlu' kill, and ont by tln^ pivsent American Hotel. 
 Si»rinjj: street, so named from the strong- s]ning' that boile<l 
 up on its eastern si<le Just south of Main street, was (►i)en<'<l 
 only to Liberty street oi- a little beyond. State street 
 was closed by a j>ate and fence across it, near the house 
 so lonji' occu])ied l>y the venerabh* and vigorous E(bnnnd 
 Blunt, and in which he died. Hiuiter street ran along 
 somehow through the State Prison ftirm, and cre])t into 
 Sp.irta ; and liroad axenue was only a ])leasaiit entrance 
 to the Dehnan scljool for young ladies. ]'()il(t font! 
 as tlie Prenclisay, thcsr ircre (til, and these in ])oor keej)ing 
 and condition. If then we take a map of our village and 
 blot out all but tliese, with abnost eveiy dwidling of com- 
 fort and beauty aiul luxiuy, ui>on which our eyes now 
 look Avith inide and ])leasure, we shall <»btain a vivid 
 conce|>tion of the change that has conn^ o\«'r us within a 
 little h'ss timn tifty years. There ar«' not a <h)/en com- 
 fortably inhalfitable dwellings in our village limits which 
 this period has not seen eiihej newly built or thoroughly 
 renovated; and our iK)pnlation of 1,100 has swelled to 
 
 t.lmk;. 
 
 The hK-ation of the Mt. Pleasant State. Prison in onr 
 neighborhocKl in ISi'O-l'S gave a very sensible imjudse to 
 business at this ]>oint. The building of this institution by 
 tlH> convicts was an undertaking full of risk and ])eril to 
 any but aman of tin' \ cry highest decision of chai-acter, 
 and such an one was fonmi in ('ajttain Elam Lynds, who 
 diiected it to a suecessful accomplishment. 
 
 "A man,'' said Messienrs I)e Tocciiunilleand Peainnont, 
 in their official report to the l-'rench (lovernment ''a 
 man of nu)re eneigy of will than a n,\ other we have e\'er 
 met." A nntst Htting trilmte to a st<'rn bnt just officer, 
 who would do no ott'ender wrong, bnt insisted on making 
 a ilistinction l)etween a man and a horsethief, and this 
 not — as seems sometinu's to be done — to the disathaiUage 
 
(»f tho loniHT. With tlir Widuw (I I.'.. II :ili.l :ill just 
 tliiiikci-s, lie Ik'IiI lliiit 
 
 "•'I'is not ;ill lu\r ;il..l sirUi-^li su<-<l 
 Milk. -S this uulhl II. .1 lh.-l..thrl .umph.lr.- 
 W'ollhl thilt tlir Stall- :iii(l ii:itii)ii hnil ;i t IkhismikI 
 
 siirh In ihi\. to slmiiir, jiikI it iHMMlfill si- -.• th<- Uj.i- \n 
 
 liolirslN :iiii| tllllh. 
 
 I'roiii thiv liiiii- i)ii\\:ii(l ihr iiii-:iiis of (•uiiiiiiiiiiiiM I ion 
 Willi New ^ ork li\ >t<Mml.o;it .st(';nlil\ iiii|iro\r.| m|i to 
 the o|ifiiiii.<: ot' tlir lliiilsoii K'i\<-r i.';iih'o:iii to thi> point 
 ill IS4i>. i'his prrt'tTtinu its iiir;iiis .»f r:i|.iil iiitfrrcdirsr 
 with the -ri'Mt ti:i«h- crnlii'. tin- t'st:il>lishnifnt ol its 
 own liilllk. ;iImI olhcr iliipoi liinl iiio\ t'lnrlits oj' r;i|)il;il 
 h:i\ (• (hmlith'ss >fciir»'tl lor it ;i |m-i'iii:iii*'IiI (Mifridf i;row 1 1: 
 ;iinl |»ids|M'ri I \ . in s|iitr ol' ;in\ t<'iii|tor;ii\ chcrks or ir- 
 \ cisrs th:it it lii;i> liii-rt. 
 
 Thr tirrs which ol kite Nciiis li;i\r swept ;iw;i\ illlliost 
 its wlioh' liiisiiicss portions h;i\c sinipl_\ .ui\('ii occjision for 
 tin- <-oiistrnclioii of moiv iiiitl lirttn l)iiihliii.i:s. until its 
 stores of \:irioiis kiinks \ ic with those of New ^ ork in 
 their :ittr:ieti\eness. Mild ill t he :ilinii<kiiil \:iiiet,\ ol their 
 iirtieies of nierchiiiMlise. 
 
 It is ;i little iciiniikiilth- th;it re\ «iliit ion;ir> liistor\ ;if 
 fonis oiilv ineii|eiit;il iiieiitioii of Sin- Sini:. :in«i reeonis 
 
 no e\ellt of iliiporniliee einilieetiliL; with olir \ill;i;ie. 
 Kwu Allilre missed its 1»\ eoiiiiii;^ out oil the •• old All»;ili> 
 I'ost lio;l(l lieiir Sp;iit;i." 
 
 Tlu' tloatiii.ti- tr:riitioiis ot Washin-toirs diiiiii-s ami 
 iTstiiij;. ami the more exeiiin- stories of •• K'itle Jake's" 
 shots ami es<-apes : tliesain> exploits of ( "roshv. the West 
 ••licstri- sp\ . in inakiiii: sport tor ids men 1»\ lining miwaiy 
 r.i'itislM'rs from their \ essel lo Ihe shore and eaptiiriii^ 
 tllClll. with the re eehoiliu s.Mllid ot •• nld W llite\"s" eail- 
 noliadill^ of the \lllt lire olVSelias«|na lieek (Teller's roiiil ), 
 mi-iht form a pleasant readin- iiook for l»oys. i.iit liardiv 
 rise to the ehaiaeter of liistoi ie e\ eli t s. Oiil task is a 
 se\ere one; not to mak«" or to distort historx. not even 
 
40 
 
 to embellish it, but to sketch it tnithtully ; aiifl we confess 
 to a feeling' of rejiret tluit the ;il)ove statement is tjuc 
 and thciefoic oui" sketch must be tiimc. 
 
 Tlieic is, however, an affair which occuiicd lieie, 
 that has subtle and intimate relation to that controlling 
 e\'ent of the war, the ea]>ture of An<lre ; its connection 
 with which, so far as is known, having hitlicrto passed 
 without recognition. 
 
 The jiffair rcf(^rred to is thus naiiiitcd in IJolton's His- 
 tory of W«\stchester, Vol. 1, pj*. oOU—i : 
 
 " During- the winter of 17<S2, Capt. Daniel Williams 
 nn<lejtook, with a small ])arty <»f di'agoons, a toraging 
 expedition into the neigiil>orhood of Morrisania. Suc- 
 cess had atten«h'd the enterprise, an<l they were thus far 
 on their way homeward, when they halted to refresh them- 
 selves. Not ap]»rehending- pursuit, they neglected to 
 ]>ost guards, and the road being hichU'ii by a small knoll, 
 which rose directly in front of the wijidows, they were 
 not aware of an enc^my's ap])roach nntil nearly surround- 
 ed by ( 'ajtt. Bearmore and liis dragoons. (This was at the 
 ohl A user homestead, familiarly known tVuty years ago as 
 " the Bob A user phu-e," now the property and residence of 
 Benjamin ."Moore, Es(j.) The coidusion that ensued may 
 be inmgined. Some of the Ameri<'jins were cut down with- 
 ni and abont the house; (the old farm house in which the 
 writer, in his ycmth, has moie than once enjoyed the hospi- 
 tahty of its owner) others rushed along the steei»baidv 
 to the river, which was frozen, th«'ir enemies following in 
 hot ])ursnit. Several were slain uponthe ice; among 
 the latter was George McChain.'" 
 
 Let us till out this narrative, and see how it links with 
 the most imiKUtant event of the war, the capture of 
 Andre. We do this from unquestionable family tradition. 
 At the tinu' of this exi»edition, the Captain of the West- 
 diester Light Horse, or Dragoons, was contined to his bed 
 by sickness, and at his bidding his younger biother, then 
 
•n 
 
 ;i stiiitliiii:, lodc his Imrsc ;is one i>\' tlir |»;iitv, iimlcr 
 Ctiptaiu Williiiiiis. 
 
 Tlic ('X|K'<liti(iii, as al)n\r stat«'(l, was siicccssrul ; hut 
 oil tlu'ir way l>ack tlicN lialird at a t'aiiii liousc, (wciipicMl 
 hv an old and well known nt-iuhbor of some of tluMu, lull 
 who, lu'iiij;- of Tory proclivities, liad tenip<narily ex<-lian;; 
 ed residence with the patriotic owner of the lowt-r home 
 sti-ad ; for on the neutral jironnd, which included and was 
 covered by tin' IMiilipse manor, ji i)at riot could not live, 
 ami north of it a tory had a sfniy life, if he did live. 
 Here tli»']>arty halted, and thrown oti" their jjiiard by their 
 
 ac(|naintance witli ll cupant, they probaI»ly talk<'d 
 
 freely of their fiiitiiiT couisc ;md moxcments, without 
 Iliinkinuof bctiayal. On anixin^al tl Id A user home- 
 stead, they tied their Iiuims in the b;iiii :ind went to 
 supper; in the midst of which Heaniiore's men snr 
 prise<l them. A few moments suni<-e(l t(. cut their hmses 
 loose and mount who <-oiild. r.nt MeCliain tied afoot, 
 was oxfitaKeii upon the ice and shot. Ahead of him 
 wereJoiin I'aulilin- an<l the >(inn- st liplin- xdlnnteer. 
 Tlu'y were taken |nisoiiers and coiitined in the NJew 
 York supir bouse. 
 
 Tln-ee days before the capture of Andre, Paiildin;.; es 
 (•aped in the dress of a (lerman ya;;er, and den. N'aii 
 Cortlandt states (as you will lind by referring- to Lossing, 
 or Bolton, \'ol. 1, [>. L'L'4, Note,) that lie wore this dress 
 on the day of the capture, which tended t<)d«'ceive Andre, 
 and led him to exclaim in answ«'r to tlu'ir reply, "Thank 
 (lod. 1 am anionji: friends." To which wi' ma> add the 
 other seemingly unaccountable and far more important 
 avowal of his IJritish militai\ i>osition, for J'aulding t«'s- 
 tities that "on seeing (leii. Arnold's pass, he should hav«* 
 let him g<», if he had not jtreviously said lu^ was a British 
 otHcer."' Thus, in Provideiic*', we may say the surjuise 
 at Auser's ga\e Banlding the yager's coat which captured 
 Andre. 
 
42 
 
 We return to our own more iuinvediate history. 
 
 At the tune of the sales by the f -oramissioners of For- 
 feiture, 1785, Bolton, probably on the authority of Gen. 
 Ward, says, " There were but three dw elling houses in 
 Sing Sing-," and we are pretty safe in concluding that 
 as late as at the opening of this century, their nuni- 
 bej" had not more than doubled. In tmith it simply 
 had its name as a camping ground of the Indians, with 
 the stone dwelling, Avhi(;h had been used for defence 
 against them. It was without either school house or pla(;e 
 of worship. But within the i)resent boundaries of om- 
 town, though beyond the \illage line, there stood then, 
 and had sb)o<l fcn^ years, a small hip-roofed church, in or 
 adjoining the ohl Spai'ta burying ground, and in this 
 church the Gospel had been long preached to a people 
 whom the close of the war found, in the most emi)hatic 
 sense of the terms, scattered and i)eeled. 
 
 This church organization, formed, it is said, in ITOS, 
 was transferred to Sing Sing about the year l.SOO. x\.t the 
 same time the building was removed to the west side of 
 the ohl Albany post road, ^ery near to the present site of 
 the house at the corner of the road leading to Scarborough 
 depot. It was converted hito a dwelling, and in after 
 days was occupied by Capt. Thomas Ootterel, (or Cat- 
 terall), who taught the school at the foot of the " Long 
 Hill," for so many years that the district was commold^ 
 called by his name. From the time of this chiuch 
 removal until now, the whole region, including the 
 village of Sparta, has been regarded as missionary 
 ground, and religious labor and service for its inhabi- 
 tants has been for years past systematically pursued, with 
 a pleasant measure of success, and an eidarging promise^ 
 of still greater good. 
 
 In the year 1800 the Presbyterian ('hurch in Sing Sng 
 was built upon a lot deeded, with this object, by Moses 
 Ward, for a nominal consideration, to that society. In 
 
i;; 
 
 l.s;U tlu' fniiiic slnu-tmv \\;i> t;ikfii dnwn iiiid the cluirrli 
 ivlmilt Willi l.iicU. In isni* this l.iiil.lin- uikI tin- lot 
 wt'iv sold, win! tlu' piTsciit I'lcslutoriuM Churcli erected in 
 18<>«>-7(>. 
 
 The llaptist Cliiireh of <nir vill;i-e \\;is i)i;i:nii/.ed in 
 17!»K In JSl.') its lirst house of woishipoviiieii also served 
 tlie pMipose (»t a school li(»iise, was erected, ui)Oii laiul 
 ,ui\cn t<» the Society 1>.V Mii.jali Hunter, who ,ua\'e it also 
 separat*' lots (jf land lor a parsona;^e and other uses. In 
 iS.i-t this lirst ciiurch building' was thoroughly renoxated 
 oi- r«'l>uilt, chietly under the active a^eiu-y and su|»erin- 
 teudeuce of ("apt. Calelt Willis, who, when tin' rnlthish 
 was ch'ared away, locked the <loor, put the key in his 
 pocket and startt-d loi- his h.tnie, a few rods down the 
 street, hut dieil i)elore leariiin.L; it. 
 
 This huildin^ continued until IST-"., when the present 
 structuH' was built. 
 
 Kioui (|uite an early date in our villaj;e and town his- 
 toiy, the Methodists have held services aniouji' us, but 
 their tiist church l)uihlin;;, on ISprinj; stre«'t, was elected 
 iu 1,S.}(»-,>1, a frame structure, which was removed in 
 IS,")! and replacetl \)\ an enlarged bri«k church. 
 
 A second M«'thodi».t church was organized in North Sin^ 
 Sin- in iSdtl-TO, and a pleasant buildinu erected loi- its 
 use. 
 
 In ls;;.l-;{(i, St. Paul's I'.piscojial church was built ol 
 stone on Liberty street, bein;^- dedicated did.x (i, 1S;>(;, 
 sa\ forty years a.^o. 
 
 In IS.V.. a small stone llpiscoj.al cliurch (designated 
 "All Saints") was built at I'.riar ClilV. some two miles 
 south east from Sin- Sin-, li\ the li.v\ . Dr. O^ilby, of 
 New York. 
 
 In is:.!, a somewhat similar small stone church (St. 
 Mary's) was erected ou the \h)s\ load, altoiit two miles 
 south of our \illa-e. and \ cr\ neai- our i>re>ent town 
 
44 
 
 liue, by Eev. Drs. Cieightou and Mead, of the Epitscopal 
 church. 
 
 And in 1869, a portion of the members of St. Paul's 
 church, in Sing Sing, formed a second Episcopal society, 
 known as Trinity church, and pui chased the brick Pres- 
 byterian church for their ijlace of worship. 
 
 The Eoman Catholics at the first temporarily occupied 
 a small hu-ed brick bnilding upon the property of Rev. 
 Mr. Alburtis, of the Keformed Dutch Church, afterwards 
 the property of Thomas Smidl. The>' then for a time held 
 their service in the Franklin Academy. But in 1850 
 their brick chmx'h upon the Albany Post Poad, in North 
 Sing- Sing was comi)leted, consecnited and occupied. 
 
 Sabbath Schools Avere introduced among us at (luite 
 an early date, but as late as 1828-30 were in a compara- 
 tively weak and unsatisfactory condition, while the 
 efforts which were sometimes made to establish outl.^ing 
 schools, commonly failed through want of wisdom and tact 
 in their promoters. In the latter year, on the re(|uest 
 of Messrs. Leonard Bleecker and Rev. Spencer H. Cone, 
 the Baptist Sunday School received a donation of fifty 
 New Testaments from the New York Bible Society, and 
 in the same year a new impulse was given to the Presby- 
 terian Sunday School by the influence of Rev. J)r. N. 
 S. Prime, and the active interest taken in it by his fan'iily 
 and teachers. 
 
 Up to this time the Sabbath Schools liad been held in 
 the chuiches, and it was the custom to disband them for 
 tlie winter. Onr first winter Sabbath School was held 
 about this time in the Presbyterian Church, or its newly 
 built Sabbath School-room, under the superintendence of 
 the present writer. All the churches enumerated above 
 have now their Sabbath Schools, with suitable S("hool 
 ap])ointments, and they aie held without inteniiplioii 
 throughout the year. 
 
 While the religious pecidiarities and necessities of our 
 
;i(l\;ilicili^ p()|iiil;ilinii li;i\ •■ 1 liil.s Ix-cii ;i in |il\ |irn\ i(lr<i tV»v, 
 the iiitcrt'sts iff ;:('iicr;il and tlKinin'^li eiliicat inn liaxc 
 rec*M\c'(l t'(|Uiil attention. 
 
 The MoMiit IMcasanI Ar;i.lcin\ was first toimdctl i>\ 
 tlir inlialtitants olonr villa-.- in isl I. was incdiporatnl in 
 ISL'O, and passed nndn-n lir < ontiol of tiif IJc-nits of the 
 I'liiversitv. It wasai liist locatfd on IjIm-iIn sticct. in 
 a larjiT Iranic Iniildin.u on tlirsitror tin- invst-nt parson 
 a<;vof St. I'aui's I'lpiM-opjl < ■jiurrii. luii in is;;n-;;i, t li.- 
 tnistct's dt'iciiniiKMl on its rt-nioNal and cnlaiji^'nicnt, and 
 the jncsoiit stone aeadem.v, i-ostiiiji some ."^IS.OltO, was 
 erected, and tlie IJe\. Dr. N. S. rrinie. wlio had lieen lor 
 some time |»iinri|»al ol tiie aea(hMny. iteenpied tlie new 
 laiihlin^ witii ^reat siieeess iiidil his suhsetpu-nt iemo\al 
 to Newlaiiji. 'JMu' (»ld Imihlin^ which he had vacated was 
 a^iain for a niindter ot vcais ocenjiied for the jmiposes ()f 
 education, l»e;niii<;- tlie lith- of the Franklin Academv. 
 
 'I'lie school now Unown as St. John's, nndei' the Kev. 
 1)1. (iil.x.n. was or;;aniz.«l as a Militarv lioardin^" School 
 l.\ MaillM.roii,i:ii Clmivliill. Ks<|.. a graduate ..f West 
 Toini. and laii-lil '>> liini some t w enl.\ four years. 
 
 On the south t-nd »»f llie liei-ht known as Simon Mill 
 standstill' Mililar.N Academ\ of Kev. Mr. Iloll.rook. and 
 in the more iioiilieil\ part of the \illa,uc near the upper 
 landing, in what used to l>e known as the residence of 
 Colonel Snowden, the Militarv School of Captain S\ 
 monds is located. 'I'lie iiiilitar\ .school s\steiii is also 
 siicc«'ssfnllv adopted W\ Messrs. I>eiijainiii ^; .\lleii, in 
 tln'ir nnina^cnient «»f the .Mount Pleasant Academ,\. 
 
 District scluM.ls are still k.pt in our town; hui in the 
 villaue oui- larji'e, commoditais and well appointed piihlic 
 .school has worthily <lisi>laced them, and raised the -lad*- 
 of our c4»mmon school (>dncation. 
 
 Of its -iirks' .schools, from the primarx for little ones, 
 lip to the Cla.ssical InstituK" for y<tnn;i ladio. Sin- Siu^ 
 may he justly proud. Of the hijiher cla.ss ot thc^e, hcuin 
 
M\ 
 
 iiiiig- witli that taught first by Misss Ddaxaii, daughter of 
 (leii. Delavan, of the Ke\'ohitioii, and afterward, hi 1830-1, 
 by Miss Maria Prime, and rnnning on for more than 
 forty years to the present — which compares advanta- 
 geously with all the past — we have a series of schools 
 fairly and fully snstaining the Character that ought to 
 attach to such institutions. 
 
 These various educational instituti<Mis arc all successful, 
 aud mark and giACcharacter to our village. It is the 
 beauty of its scenery and the salul)rity of its air that make 
 such -success possi))le in the hands of their able conduc- 
 tors. 
 
 The general and just apincciation of its surpassing 
 scenery was coiiceiitiated in the words of Mr. De Tocfpie- 
 ville, before named, when standing on the eastern heights 
 of Sing Sing, and h)oking northward and southward 
 aud westward, he said to his companion, " I must ex- 
 cept the \iew of the Bay of Naples, out of deference to 
 the opinion of the civilized world, but with that excep- 
 tion, the world has not such scenery." Aud the pre- 
 \ ailing and almost perpetual healtlifulness of our Aillage 
 and the region about it, is strikingly shown by the fact 
 that no serious sickness has ever interfered with the oi)er- 
 ations of any of our schools, and that death among- our 
 pu])ils has been almost unkno\Mi. 
 
 These various religious and edu(;ational priA ilegcs and 
 institutions are an honor to our community, have a claim 
 ui>on the regard of all, an<l are worthy of oiu' iiulividual 
 ])eisonal interest in their increase, tlieir continued useful- 
 ness and their enlarging lU'osperity. 
 
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