CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, AS SEEN FROM THE AIR IN 1938.

HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

By HERBERT B. NICHOLS

Published Bv, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION NEW ROCHELLE/ NEW YORK 1938 COPYRIGHT 1938 BY HERBERT B. NICHOLS

FIRST EDITION

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THE LITTLE PRINT, NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y. HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

FOREWORD

To the publication ~f a little booklet designed for classroom use throughout the public schools of New Rochelle treating of sig­ nificant events in the historic development of the city, impetus was given early this year by the observance of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the fou~ding of the "Queen City of the Sound". Preparation at th~t tiine for a pageant revealed that only isolated bits of historic materials were available and that nowhere I was there in print, suitable for school use, a concise and orderly treatment of the circumstances and conditions that led, first, to the selection of a site for refuge for. the fleeing French Huguenots and, later, to its settlement and dev,elopnient. . To meet the deficiency, a committee was entrusted with the responsibility of assembling, preparing and editing all known information. How well that job was done "Historic New Rochelle" reveals. Not a booklet, but a full-sized text, scholarly, well organized, care­ fully and authentically documented, and yet, withal, attractively written, interestingly and entertainingly presented, is here given the girls and boys, their parents, the teaching staff, and others who may be interested. In the pages and chapters which follow, environ­ ment becomes a living reality and the reader is privileged to follow, from t}:le beginning to the present, the colorful and intricate threads that make up the historic and fascinating tapestry of New Rochelle. Although not the work of any one person as the author gener­ ously recognizes in the preface, credit for "Historic New Rochelle" goes largely to Herbert B. Nichols of the Social Studies Department of the Senior High School who, from its inception, organized, delegated, and finally carried through to completion an activity v\~hich is certain to make more real and meaningful the processes that are involved in the discovery, settle11J.ent and evolution of a community. To Mr. Nichols in _particular and to the ·others who assisted him grateful acknowledgment is made.

HEROLD C. HUNT, Superintendent of Schools.

N e,v Rochelle, New York, November, 1938.

Vll PREFACE

To make a lasting contribution to the community, as a part of the 250th Anniversary Celebration, the New Rochelle public schools sensed the need for a book pertaining to the local History of the City. With this in mind, Superintendent Herold C. Hunt appointed a committee of teachers to plan a book that would give some of th~ history of New Rochelle that could be used in the social studies program of the schools. The result is HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE.

From the start the committee realized that the task would be a difficult one as few teachers had ever had an opportunity to work on the history of the community. The members of the committee put forth their best effort, and after the plan had been approved they decided to place the responsibility for the book upon the chairman of the committee.

The committee of -teachers was Ellen U. Bishop, Sadonis H. Burroughs, Georgiana Carter, Jessamine G. Chase, Annie K. Dillon, Grace M. Francis, Hadassah K. Holmes, Gladys Jacobson. Amy F. King, Sylva A. Kunce, Frederick L. Lobdell, Ruth M. Marvin, D. Alice Milton, Elsie F. Neuner, Samuel Schmuckler, Emilie S. Sears, Helen A. Smith, Margaret E. Waterbury, Jane N. Wise, and Herbert B. Nichols, Chairman.

The work has been planned on the basis of several mono­ graphs rather than of one chronological history. Consequently, any chapter constitutes a complete unit without necessarily depend­ ing upon any other chapter. However, the chapters have been arranged in such a way as to give, if used in series, a more or less complete history of New Rochelle. This feature makes it possible to use the material in grades starting with the fourth. National events have been indicated so that the study of local history will illustrate them. It has been assumed that since all events happen at some one place that all history is, in a sense, local history. Some events are more far reaching than others, and it has been the plan to stress the more important ones in New Rochelle history so as to emphasize the part she has played in helping to build up the country.

Vlll PREFACE

In addition to the printed word the value of visual aids has not been overlooked. To this end many illustrations have been included, to the fullest extent possible, to make the history real in the mind of the student. At the end a short Reference List has been included for those who may be interested in doing a bit of research, and for those who would like fuller accounts of certain events that could not be included in a work of this scope. Care has been taken to describe places defj.nitely so that they can be visited. Of course, only by visiting the site can the history become more meaningful.

The author wishes to express his deep appreciation to Morgan H. Seacord, Vice-President, 'Historian of the Huguenot and His­ torical ·Association of New Rochelle. Only by his encouragement, his deep interest in the project, and his generous gift of time, coupled with his rare knowledge of local history, has this work been brought to fruition. He followed the project, from beginning to end, with keen interest and the author here wishes to express his everlasting thanks to Mr. Seacord.

The end pages were drawn by students at New Rochelle Senior High School under the guidance of Selma Engelbrekt, instructress. Emilia Pisani, a junior, drew the map of La Ro­ ch.elle; Daniel Decarlo, a senior, was the delineator of the map of New Rochelle.

Many others have lent a helping hand to the project and the author desires to show appreciation by mentioning them by name: Herold C. Hunt, Superintendent of Schools; Peter J. O'Brien, Secretary, Board of Education; the late Richard Webber; Leon J. Sturtevant, for reading many of the chapters; Leslie H. Tyler and Ralph B. Boyle, Special Representatives of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Co.; William H. Wheeler, Super­ intendent of the Third Avenue Railway Co.; Otto H ufeland; Eugene H. Cranch, New Rochelle Water Company; Morton S. Fuerst, the New Rochelle Boys' Club; Frank C. Cobb, Scout Executive, Siwanoy Council; Frank Cowan, New Rochelle Tele­ phone Company; Jacob J. Dorst, for pictures; Robert L. Forbes, for cut of anniversary flag; Woman's Club of New Rochelle; Colonel Edwin Gunner, Commandant, and Chaplain George F. PREFACE

Rixey of Fort Slocum; Marie D. Loizeaux and Josephine Edwards of the New Rochelle Public Library; Henry C. Strippel of the New York Public Library; New York Historical Society; H ugue­ not Y.M.C.A.; Thomas J. Murtha, Westchester Lighting Com­ pany; Edward Van Altena, for photographic work; Harry and Meyer Berkowitz of the Little Print for their untiring effort in printing and designing this book; Huguenot and Historical Asso­ ciation of New Rochelle; City of New Rochelle for diagram of city government; De Witt D. Wise for proof reading and making the index; and all others who have helped in the securing of pictures and information. HERBERT B. NICHOLS. New Rochelle, N. Y.­ September, 1938.

X CONTENTS Chapter Page I. Indian Life and Times 1 II. Huguenots in France and An1erica . 10 III. Founding of New Rochelle . 16 IV. Colonial Architecture 24 V. Colonial Trades and Business 29 VI. Colonial Home Life-Manners and Customs 35 VII. Old French War 40 VIII. Stage Coach and Tavern Days . 45 IX. Democratic Government 53 X. Survival of French Language and Customs 59 XI. Revolutionary War . 63 XII. George Washington in New Rochelle 80 XIII. Conservation and Horticulture . 84 XIV. Transportation and Communication 87 XV. Development of Light and Power . 100 XVI. Changing Sources of Water Supply . . 105 XVII. Geography and Geology . . 109 XVIII. Educati.on through the Years . 116 XIX. The French Church and Others . . 124 XX. War of 1812 . 128 XXI. Slavery and the Civil War . . 133 XXII. Famous Residents . 139 XXIII. How New Rochelle Has Grown . . 153 XXIV. Parks-Residential and Recreational . 156 XXV. Spanish-American War . . 159 XXVI. World War . . 162 XXVII. Legends and Stories . 167 XXVIII. Organizations in New Rochelle . . 172 XXIX. Anniversary Celebrations . 180 References . 190 Index . 197

Xl

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE City of New Rochelle, New York, as Seen from the Air in 1938 Frontispiece Siwanoy Indians, New Rochelle, N. Y. 2 Indian Image Stone 3 Site of Indian Village on Davenport Neck 5 Indian Quartz Quarry . . 6 Adrian Block's Ship, the "Restless" 7 New Rochelle Road Marker . 9 An Old View of La Rochelle II City Hall, La Rochelle, France . 12 French Huguenot Fugitives 14 Grave Stone in Huguenot Burying Ground 15 John Pell, Lord of the Manor of Pelham 16 Pell-Leisler Deed for New Rochelle 17 Huguenot Monument at Hudson Park 18 Huguenot Family Name Tablet 19 A Portion of the Huguenot Burying Ground 20 Jacob Leisler Monument . 22 Guion-Allaire House . 23 Jacob Coutant House 24 Landrine House . 25 Parcot-Drake House 26 LeConte-Jondron House 27 Colonial Trading Sloop 29 Colonial Farmer Plowing His Fields 30 Flax Wheel 31 Lispenard Tide Mill 31 Dam and Flood Gates at Lispenard Mill Site 32 Coutant Chair Manufactured in New Rochelle . 33 New Rochelle, the Home Town Road Marker 34 Huguenot Gentleman . 35 Huguenot Lady 36 Dipping Candles . 37 Acadia National Park, Maine, Commemorative Postage Stamp 40 Deportation of the Acadians 41 The Death of General Wolfe at Quebec 43 General Wolfe's Army Scaling the Heights at Quebec 44 A Part of t_he Old Boston Post Road in New Rochelle 44 LeRoy House Hotel 46 Besly's Tavern . 47 Pelor' s Hotel, Known as the Cross Keys 48 Neptune House on Neptune Island 49 Weed's Hotel • 51 LeRoy House Hotel 52 City Hall, New Rochelle 53 First Town House . 55 Diagram, Council-Manager Government in New Rochelle 57

Xlll ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE Grave Stone, Inscribed in French for John Coutant 59 George Washington 63 Colonel Joseph Drake's House . 65 General Sir William Howe 66 General Sir William Howe's Headquarters 67 Baron Knyphausen 68 Part of an Old Map, Showing Headquarters for Tories 70 General David Wooster 75 Colonel John Graves Simcoe 76 Site of a Battle in New Rochelle 77 Colonel Anthony Walton White 78 General George Washington 80 George Washington Marker in Davenport Park 81 Churchland Pear Tree 84 Specimen of Lawton Blackberry 85 23rd Milestone on Boston Post Road 87 An Early American Stagecoach 88 New Rochelle Wagon 88 Working New Rochelle Roads in the 186o's 89 Toll Gate House 90 Early Locomotive on New Haven Railroad 91 New Haven Railroad Train in 1856 92 First Railroad Station in New Rochdle 93 An Early Trolley Car That Ran to New Rochelle 95 An Early Overland Coach-and-Four .. 96 First New Rochelle Telephone Directory 97 A New Rochelle Telephone Installer and Repair Man 98 Drawing Showing Old Boston Post Road in 1798 99 An Air View Showing Huguenot Street in 1938 99 Westchester Lighting Company Office · . IOI Electric Control Board . • 103 Indian Spring on Davenport Neck . 105 Reservoir No. r, New Rochelle \Vater Company . 106 Ancient Well on Main Street . 107 Old Water Tower and Pumping Station • 108 Glacial Boulder . 109 Ice Cutting on Crystal La~e, New Rochelle, N. Y., in 1846 . II I Glacial Grooves in Rocks at Davenport Park . 114 Pine Brook and Pinebrook Boulevard . 114 Mine Pit on Davenport Neck, near Inlet . 1:r:4 Silver Mine Entrance on Halcyon Terrace, Halcyon Park . 114 John Jay . 1·16 Philip Schuyler . 1i6 Brewster School House 1i:8 Some New Rochelle School Buildings . . . 120 The Four Buildings Ho.using the ~nior. H~gh ~ Schqol . .. . . First Stone Church, 1710

xit'·. ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE First Building of First Presbyterian Church . 126 First Building of First Methodist Church . . 127 Commodore Stephen Decatur . 128 Rodman-Davenport House on Davenport Neck . 129 American Ship "Hornet" Sinking the British Ship "Peacock" . 130 Site of Naval Engagement off Davenport Neck, Sept. 9, 1813 . 131 Naval Engagement between "United States" and "Macedonian'' . 132 John Dyott, Prominent Actor Who Lived in New Rochelle . 133 Burtis Mill on Mill Road • 134 De Camp General Hospital During Civil War . 136 Soldiers' Monument . 138 Peter F aneuil . 139 Colonel Joseph Drake . 14r Home of Lewis Pintard . 142 Thomas Paine . . 143 Thomas Paine Monument . . 143 A Letter by Thomas Paine to John Fellows • 144 Thomas Paine Cottage and Museum. 145 Site of Thomas Paine's Grave as It Appeared in 1868 . 1 47 William Leggett . 148 Susan B. Anthony . 151 Susan B. Anthony Commemorative Postage Stamp . 152 Historic New Rochelle Sign Post . 152 Entrance to Rochelle Heights . 156 Air View of Huguenot Park, Lake and High School . 158 Unveiling Spanish-American War Memorial . 1 59 Firing Minute Guns at Fort Slocum at Death of President McKinley . 161 Fort Slocum and the New Rochelle Shore Line . 162 Tablet Presented to Trinity Place School . 164 New Rochelle World War Memorial . 165 New Rochelle, City of Homes, Churches and Schools, Road Marker . 166 Cat Rock Cave . . 170 New Rochelle-La Rochelle, Road Marker . 171 New Rochelle Public Library . 1 75 Boys' Club in Feeney Park . 178 Huguenot Y.M.C.A. • 179 Replica of Jean Guiton Statue . . 180 Loving Cup from New Rochelle to La Rochelle . 181 Huguenot Memorial Oak Tree 181 Huguenot Association Float, 225th Anniversary, 1913 . 182 Port de La Rochelle, France . 183 Obverse and Reverse of New Rochelle Half Dollar, 1938 . 184 Historic Culverin or Cannon, 1628 . 187 Keystone from City Hall at La Rochelle . 188 250th Anniversary Celebration Flag, 1938 . 189 Map-Historic Landmarks of Westchester County, 168~-1933 facing 196 A Map of the City of New Rochelle, N. Y., Showing Historic Sites facing 196

xv

I

Indian Li£ e and Times

HE Indians lived in the area now known T as New Rochelle for many centuries before the coming of the Europeans. The great forests furnished the Indians with shelter, food and amusement. The Sound furnished food and transportation. The small streams running into the sound pro­ vided bays and sheltered banks for villages. In every way this area was ideal for Indian occupation, and in turn it ,vas later found to be greatly desired for the founding of colonies by the pale faces from across the sea.

The native Siwanoy .Indians, ,vho occupied this area, were a tribe of Mohegans of Algonkin stock. They were quite numerous because of the excellence of the location. Their government was very si1nple; each tribe had a ruler, called a Sachem. These Sachems represented the tribes in general councils of the nation. They seldom met except in time of great emergency, so that the local tribes were really sovereign and independent, except for the fact that they paid trihute to the Iroquois. The Shvanoy tribe extended along the Sound from the Bronx to Greenwich, Con­ necticut.

The largest Indian village located ,vithin the limits of N e,v Rochelle was on the outside of Davenport Neck on the banks of a cove that includes a part of the present Davenport Park and extended ,vestward. Shell deposits at this ·point and the finding of 1nany objects of Indian manufacture here prove this to have been a village of some size. Even to· this day Indian artifacts are now and then picked up on this site. Other smaller villages ,vere located on the N eek. .A.n Indian village ,vas situated on the inlet at the foot of present Franklin Avenue. .A.t the n1ouths of the various strean1_s that flo\ved through this land and emptied into the Sound evidences of Indian occupation have been discovered. Settlements have also been discovered on the various islands along the shore~ as Glen Island, Davids' Island (no,v Fort Slocum) ; and in some

1 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE instances small sites have been found at some distance from the shore. The Indians \Vere described as follo,vs by an early settler of N e,v Netherland: "The natives are generally ,vell li1nbed, slender around the ,Yaist, broad shouldered; all having black hair and bro\vn eyes; they are very nimble and s,vift of pace. ,vell adapted to travel on foot and to carry heavy burdens; they are dirty and slovenly in all their habits; make light of all sorts of hardships, being by nature from youth up,vard accuston1ed thereunto. They resemble Brazilians in color, or are as tawny as those people ,vho sometimes ramble through Netherland and are called Gypsies. Generally. the men have very little or no beard, some even pluck it out; they use very fe\iv ,vords, ,vhich they previously ,vell con­ sider. Naturally they are quite modest, ,vithout guile and inex­ perienced, but in their ,vay haughty enough, ready and quick-,vitted to comprehend or learn, be it good or bad, ,vhat ever they are most inclined to." Another ,vriter says: "The Indians . . . have black hair, ,vith a long lock, ,vhich they let hang on one side of the head. The hair is shorn at the top like a cock's comb ..."

SIWANOY INDIANS, NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y. Squaw grinding corn, Indian making a boat

2 INDIAN LIFE AND TIMES

"By far the co1nmonest headdress among the local tribes was, to make a bull, none at all ... the men often shaved their heads and left standing a ridge of hair, like a gigantic cock's comb, several inches high and t,vo or three fingers broad, running from the forehead to the nape of the neck. This they often 1nade longer and more ferocious bv the addition of dved deer's hair. The elab- - ~ orate eagle feather headdress was unkno,vn to all Dela,vare, Mohe- gan and Iroquois tribes." It is ,vell established that the Indians burned off their hair ,vith red hot stones ,vhich ,vas probably a painful operation at best.

Indian women ,vere particular about their personal appearance as are ,vomen today. The Indian ,vomen sometimes painted their faces and dre,v a black ring around their eyes. The Indian girls -,.vere married at about fifteen years of age. Children were carried on the back of the mother. Indeed the women had 1nuch of the ,vork to do, probably 111ost of ,vhat ,vas done, except that the men did the hunting and engaged in ,varfare.

The d,vellings of the Indians ,vere made by planting poles into the ground in a circular fashion, then bending the poles to the center and lashing them together. The frame vvork thus con­ structed ,vas strengthened by other poles in the opposite direction and the entire frame,vork covered ,vith bark or thatched ,vith reeds. .~ hole vvas left in the top over the fire to allo,v for the escape of smoke. A circular bench ,vas often made inside around the ,valls for sitting or sleeping purposes. These houses ,vere about thirty feet in dia1neter, ,vere ,vater tight and said to have been ,var111 in ,vinter. S01ne of the Indian houses ,vere oblong in shape but constructed along the same general lines as just indicated. The furnishings of an In-' dian house ,vere very meager and -vv:ould

INDIAN IMAGE STONE hardly be accepted · b-y Paine Cottage Grounds us today as suitable for·

3 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE an afternoon camping party. It \Vas ali they had, and they made the best of it, and, not knowing any better, were satisfied. There were three chief sources of food supply for the, Indians living here. First, there ,vas the Sound, which provided them \.vith fish, shell-fish, oysters, clams and other sea foods. Second, the forests, which ,vere \Vell filled ,vith deer and other game ani­ mals, nuts, berries and other ,vild gro\vth. Third, their cultivated gardens, in "\Vhich were raised such crops as maise, beans, pump­ kins, squashes and other vegetables. Tobacco ,vas raised here for use in the Indian pipes. The Indians cleared tracts of land by a slo,v process of girdling the trees so that they ,vould die and then dug the earth ,vith a rude hoe fashioned fron1 a clan1 shell, a shoulder blade of a deer, or a stone attached to a stick. Crude, but they were able to raise food, and ,vhen the soil became exhausted, they kne,v enough to fertilize it ,vith fish secured front the nearby Sound. The Indians did not require 1nuch clothing in the ,vann seasons of the year. They ,vore a loin cloth around their thighs, and ,vrapped the1nselves in a sort of blanket: Their 1noccasins ,vere, at times. n1ade of corn-husks. Deer skins were at times used for leggins and moccasins. From the forests they caught fur-bearing animals-bears, otter, mink and wild cat, which provided fur skins for use in cold weather. They, of course, painted their faces in a weird fashion. In all they ,vere satisfied with very primitive clothing effects. The Indians fashioned boats, so1netimes from logs, which they burned out and finished by scraping ,vith a stone implement. At other tin1es they n1ade a frame,vork of light ,vood and covered it ,vith bark. There is evidence to sho,v that the Indians celebrated a kind of thanksgiving day in N e,v Rochelle before the coming of the Europeans. The Si,vanoys held this ceremony around a curious ,vater-,vorn and much ,veathered native stone, consisting of an erect knob arising from a flat surface. It was near a spring in the rear of the Soulice farm in upper N e,v Rochelle not far from _the Quaker Ridge raihvay station. This ,vas a harvest festival. At these times fires ,vere built near and around the stone as a means of preparing the food. These celebrations continued even after

4 INDIAN LIFE AND TIMES the settlement of the Huguenots and were participated in by a remnant of the Siwanoy tribe ,vhich had removed itself to Con­ necticut. In later years the stone ,vas moved, and it can now be seen on the grounds at the Thomas . Paine Cottage near the little school house. The Si,vanoys had the civilization of the stone age. They experienced difficulty in finding suitable materials for the manu­ facture of stone implements. At times they were able to trade for some varieties of stone not found in this area. Most of the time they had to depend on glacial stones found upon the beaches, or upon the quartz found in a large outcropping of white quartz in Eastchester, near the Ne'\\.,. Rochelle line by the old reservoir of the New Rochelle Water Company. Here the Indians quarried the necessary stone from which they made most of their arrow points. This quarry can still be seen and is interesting, as shown in the accompanying illustration. Hundreds and hundreds of Indian artifacts have been found in the New Rochelle area and many of them have been arranged in the Darius A. Seacor col­ lection in the Indian room at the Thomas Paine cottage. In this collection one may find arrow points, celts, hammer stones, net sinker stones, grooved axes, mortars and pestles. The manufacture of arrovv points is very interesting. First, the Indians selected a stone that provided the proper grain to be ,vorked. Then it ,vas roughed out by pounding it with a hammer

·...... ,,. ..

SITE OF INDIAN VILLAGE ON DAVENPORT NECK Water in foreground afforded a sheltered cove for Indian boats

5 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

stone. Then the real ,vork began by flaking the stone with a piece of bone or antler taking off small chips until the finished arro,v head resulted. This ,vas very hard on the hands. Many of the stone objects ,vere made by grinding and polishing rather than by chipping, such as grooved and ungrooved axes, banner stones and pestles.

INDIAN QUARTZ QUARRY Important source of quartz stone for Siwanoy Indian implements. Located in upper New Rochelle and still extant.

The Si,vanoys used bone for some of their small sharply pointed articles as aw ls, fish-hooks, harpoons, needles, and arro,v points. These articles are seldom picked up except in shell beds. The Siwanoys manufactured wampum (money) from shells. There \\rere t,vo kinds, black and ,vhite, the former being the 1nost valuable. Pottery was made by the local Indians for use in connection ,vith cooking and eating. It was very crude, poorly finished, and without much artistic decoration. Pieces of pottery can be seen in the Indian collection at the Thomas Paine Cottage, and some crude design ,vork will be noted~ Indian clay pottery ,vas made by using a vvicker basket fonn over which the clay was molded. Over the outside a coarse fabric was pressed to hold the clay. Then the ne,vly molded pot with forms attached

6 INDIAN LIFE AND TIMES was put into the fire and baked. During this latter process the forms were burned off leaving an impression of both the basket and the fabric in the clay pottery. Some of the pottery ,vas later smoothed by rubbing. The Indians of this area seem not to have developed a very high order of civilization before the coming of the ,vhite man. Of course they ,vere quick to adopt his methods after he arrived and because of this there ,vas possibility of trade ,vith th~ aborigine-his need for n1an ufactured articles and the ,vhite n1an's need for furs. The Indians ,vere not to re111ain in possession of this land forever. Changes ,vere to take place. Henry Hudson, an Englishman sailing for Holland, explored a river in 1609, since named for him­ ..... _ .. the Hudson River. The Dutch -- ...... - .....-::a: • ,vere anxious to control and

. ".'::, •. :,.. .. - .. --:.:.-:t., .. - •. ·;::--.... # .. : --;;,;.__- .i. -::. ·- ~ n1ake use of these new lands --- ·-~ ~- '-' ADRIAN BLOCK'S SHIP, THE "RESTLESS" just discovered by Hudson. In First white man's ship to visit 1612 and 1613, Adrian Block Long Island Sound and other Dutchmen came over to trade with the Indians. However, in the latter year they lost their ship by fire. Necessity being the mother of invention, they set about to build another ship at New Netherland (no,v called N e,v York City) ,vhich is said to be the first ship built by Europeans in America. This ne,v ship ,vas completed in 1614 and ,vas christened the "Onrust" ("Restless"). In this 45 foot boat with lee-boards, Block sailed up Long Island Sound past Hell Gate and visited every nook and corner along the shores of present Westchester County. He explored the coves and inlets during 1614, thus be­ ing the first ,vhite man to visit the Siwanoys, and the first to see the lands later to be called New Rochelle by the Huguenot settlers. Block continued up the Soun1, and today we remember his trip· of exploration by Block Island to which his name ,vas given. Thus did this territory become a part of New Netherland, a colony owned by Holland. So did the Indian period come to an end. The Dutch purchased this land from the Indians in 1640 and

7 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

in later purchases in the name of the Dutch West India Company. However, this did not keep the Indians from selling it again to Thomas Pell, on November 14, 1654. This purchase was made under a venerable white oak tree near the shore of the Sound south of Shore Road and of the house no,v used by the Inter­ national Garden Club in New York City. That then ,vas a part of the purchase of Pell and became a part of Pelham. This deed from the Indians was signed by the Sachems, Maminepoe, Ann­ hoock, alias Wampage, (who is said to have killed Anne Hutchinson and to have adopted as his name thereafter '"...t\nnhoock"), and five other Indians. This grant was subsequently confirmed in Council. Pell did not let the conflicting Dutch claim to Pelham, which included all of the· present New Rochelle, disturb him; and al­ though he was warned by the Dutch that he was within their terri­ tory, he held on until the surrender of the Dutch to the English in 1664. In 1666 a large portion of the Indian grant of 1654 ,vas con­ firmed to Thomas Pell, Esq., by his excellency Richard Nicholls, governor of New York. By his will he bequeathed all of his lands in America to his nephew John Pell, who was living in England. He soon came over and took up residence in Pelham. So we have the title of the land from the Indians, and we will soon find the Huguenots coming to Pell to purchase land to start the Huguenot settlement of New Rochelle. The Indians sold the land; yes, they sold it several times, !)ut they did not understand ownership of property other than asso­ ciation with physical possession. The Indians did not even con­ sider it necessary to move after selling the land. They soon, ho,v­ ever, after the coming of the settlers, disappeared into the less inhabited portions of Westchester County and further north. Fort­ unately there were fe,v conflicts behveen the Indians and the Whites, and it was not long before Indian domination ceased, and a ne,v day was at hand. The early white men to visit this area, long before the founding of New Rochelle, were ahvays on the lookou·t for precious metals such as gold and· silver. They discovered ·stone ,vhich contained something that looked like silver and they started to mine it. A big

8 INDIAN LIFE AND TIMES

hole in the ground, where mining operations were carried on, can still be seen on the south side of Halcyon Terrace in Halcyon Park. Since some tools "\Vere later discovered in the 1nine it is thought that the miners may have been scared off by the Indians. Several mine holes have been found on Davenport N eek. i\ very interesting one still remains. Upon careful analysis of this rock it has been found not to contain any silver. The two mine holes which have just been discussed are pictured in the c;hapter on Geography and Geology. Today ,ve have a fe,v reminders of the first inhabitants in the name of Siwanoy Avenue, Sivvanoy Pharmacy, Sh,vanoy Lodge F. &.. A. Masons, and the Siwanoy Boy Scout Council ,vho in turn call the scout_ can1p, Siwanoy. Wykagyl is a shortening of the name for the Indians who lived ,vest of us near the Hudson. That name has been attached to a residential section and a club. Let us not forget the aborigines~ but re1nember that they were the first to live here.

9 II

Huguenots in France and America

EDIE\lAL Europe ca1ne to an encl during the 15th and 16th 1M centuries \vith the coming of the Renaissance and the Pro­ testant R.. eforn1ation. Modern Europe ,vas slo,vly ushered in, but not ,,·ithout much suffering. The Protestant Reforn1ation was carried on in France during the 16th Century by Zwingli and Calvin. In England some of the Protestants ,vere called Pilgrims and Puritans, but in France they ,vere kno\-vn as Huguenots.

The nan1e Huguenot, in the beginning, ,vas an epithet of re­ proach, but in tim~ it became a symbol of religious freedom. The origin of the tern1 has been lost. One explanation is that a certain French n1onk in the 16th century said that since the Protestants of Tours 1net at night before the gate of the patron saint, King Hugo, a spirit that n1oved about only at night, they should be called Huguenots.

The Roman Church, in po,ver in France through the govern­ ment authorities, proceeded to stamp out the religious and political 1noven1ent of the Refonnation. T'his brought on repeated civil and religious ,vars that ,vere to torment the people of France for over two centuries. During the tn-iddle of the 16th century, Henry of Navarre and Gaspard de Coligny headed the Huguenots. ~\dmiral Coligny, the leader of the Huguenots, thought that he had settled the differences, but the cruel Massacre of St. Bartholo­ n1ew, staged by the opponents of the Huguenots, which resulted in the death of n1any thousands of people proved that he had not. Coligny himself lost his life in the 1nassacre. Many of the Hugue­ nots then fled to La Rochelle ,vhere they successfully fought off a siege of six months in 1573, and ,vere given the right to ,vorship as Huguenots.

Henry of Navarre, a Huguenot, becatne King Henry IV, of France in 1589. It appeared as though the Huguenot party had ,von. However, Henry ,vas soon forced to adhere to the Roman Church. He issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598, which gave political, rather than full religious. legality to Protestantism.

10. HUGUENOTS IN FRANCE AND AMERICA

They could not hold services in all places, but ,vere given several ,valled cities, the chief of ,vhich ,vas La Rochelle. Later RichelieuJ ,vho did. not like the Huguenots to have special ,valled cities, attacked La Rochelle. After a siege lasting a year, during which time Jean Guiton, Mayor of La Rochelle, led the Huguenots, they ,vere forced to surrender in 1628. Richelieu showed his brother­ hood to,vard men by continuing the religious rights granted to the Huguenots by the Edict of Nantes, but he took away their right to have independent ,valled cities. Thus did the crown regain ~tn important commercial center of France which carried on trade ,vith n1any distant places. A. replica of the flag that Mayor Guiton carried during the siege of La Rochelle by Richelieu ,vas presented to New Rochelle in 1913 at the time of the 225th anniversary celebration. It hangs in the Council Chamber in City Hall. ...A.. culverin, or small cannon~ used during the siege of La Rochelle in 1628, ,vas also presented to the city at the same time. It mav no,v be seen at the N e,v . ~ Rochelle Public Library. Ren1inders of the great struggle of the Huguenots for freedom, many years ago, from far a,vay I .... a Rochelle, have found their way to N e,v Rochelle. These memen­ toes help to cement the old and the ne,v, and give New Rochelle a heritage of ,vhich she n1ay ,vell be proud. Chapter twenty-nine on Anniversary Celebrations gives additional information and illus­ trations of events mentioned in this chapter.

AN OLD VIEW 01-· LA ROCHELLE Showing the waterfront

11 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Th~ Huguenots enjoyed the privileges of the Edict of Nantes for nearly a century. Louis XIV, King of France, gradually made it harder and harder for the Huguenots to ,vorship. As time went on the Protestants who ,vould not give up their faith had dragoons (soldiers) quartered in their homes to encourage them to change to the Roman Church. These barbarities became known as dra­ gonnades. In 1685~ King Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes. This Revocation of the Edict of Nantes did a,vay ,vith the right of the Huguenots to ,vorship in France. It was unla,vful for Huguenots to leave France and the main roads were guarded. It was, ho,vever, impossible to guard all of the ,vays of escape; ,vhen so n1any thousands made up their minds to leave. Huguenots had left France in s1nall numbers, since early tin1es, to settle in America. In 1656, after King Louis XIV indi­ cated that Huguenot persecution ,vas to be recommenced, the numbers leaving France increased rapidly. Even though they met opposition, many n1ade good their escape. At the sa1ne time great numbers died fro111 the exposure and fatigue connected ,vith their flight. Niany vvere killed by the armed guards, and thousands ,vere caught and itnprisoned. In most cases they had to use: some .kind of disguise to pass the guards. The attempts to escape by

CouR INTERIEURE DE L'HoTEL DE VILLE City Hall, La Rochelle, France

12 HUGUENOTS IN FRANCE AND AMERICA

the sea \Vere the most frequent and probably the most successful. They ,vould hide along the shore until darkness came, and then 1nake their way by sn1all boats to a ,vaiting ship in the ocean. The hardships ,vere 1nany, but the need was urgent after the Revoca­ tion in 1685. The Bonnett fan1ily, ,vho settled in N e\v Rochelle, escaped fron1 their hon1e in Thorigne, Poitou, France. According to tradi­ tion Daniel Bonnett ,vith his vvife and t,vo small children accom­ plished the flight in a novel ,vay. They pretended to be itinerant venders with the children concealed in the panniers of their donkey, and covered by a supply of fresh vegetables. The children were ,varned to keep silent under any and all circumstances. Their journey was interrupted ,vhen they ,yere overtaken by a trooper, ,vho demanded to kno,v ,vhat the panniers contained. The mother replied, "Fresh vegetables". ..As if doubting her word, the soldier

rode to the side of the donkev.,; and thrust his S\\i'"Ord into the nearest pannier, exclaiming as he rode by, "Bon voyage, mes amis !" i The agony of the parents, until the soldier ,vas ,vell out of sight, was intense. One of the children was found to be wounded, the sword having pierced the calf of the leg. So ,vell had he obeyed the instructions of his parents that he had not cried out when the cruel steel of the trooper had gone through his leg. Huguenots by the thousands n1ade their ,vay to syn1pathetic countries, especially to England. Germany, Holland and ·Switzer­ land. Many of the Huguenots settling in these countries ,vere absorbed in the population. France ,vas greatly ,veakened by the loss of 111any Huguenot artisans. Some lines of production ceased entirely. l\:fany of them excelled in the n1anufacture of silk. ,veav­ ing, n1aking of crystal glass and je,velry, but the loss to the French ,vas the gain of the countries to ,vhich they ,vent. Not being content to remain in foreign countries in Europe, 1nany of the Huguenots continued their ,vanderings to America. Large numbers early ,vent to the French YVest Indies to the islands of St. Christopher, Martinique and Guadaloupe. As long as France did not push persecution in her possessions in the ne"V\r ,vorld they made out nicely, but ,vith the rene,ved activity of King Louis XIV those Huguenots felt it necessary to con1e to America, many of them landing in New York City. The Dutch had invited the

13 HISTORIC NE\V ROCHELLE

Huguenots to N e,v A111sterdam and later the English ,velcomed them to their colonies. The Huguenots ,vere not entirely satisfied to live in English colonies and lose their identity as Huguenots. They ,vanted to continue French habits, customs, and traditions. This could best be accon1plished by establishing little French settlements on Eng­ lish territory. Several atte1npts ,vere made to do this along the A.. tlantic seaboard, notably at N e,v Oxford in Nlas!Sachusetts; Frenchto,vn at Narragansett in Rhode Island; Demarest's Settle- 1nent on the Hackensack River in N evv Jersey; N e,v Paltz, Bush­ ,vich, and N e,v Rochelle in N e,v York; and a few· other places. Son1ething or other happened to all of then1, except N e,v Rochelle, to keep them from becoming successful settlements. The. folks at New Oxford ,vere scared off by the Indians, those at Frenchto,vn had difficulties ,vith their land titles and those at New Paltz never increased above the thirteen original patentees. N e,v Rochelle ,vas the largest and most successful. It came the nearest of all of the Huguenot settlen1ents to carry out the ideas of the founders. Its

FRENCH HUGUENOT FUGITIVES Awaiting a boat to escape from F ranee

14 HUGUENOTS IN FRANCE AND AMERICA

population continued to be increased by many ne,v Huguenot settlers who continued to come until the .i\n1erican Revolution. Son1e of the remnants of the unsuccessful settlements later came to New Rochelle to take up land. Let us turn no,v fron1 the several Huguenot settlements in America to the founding of New Rochelle ,vhich is the subject of the next chapter. Before leaving the subject of the Huguenots ,ve should note

that manv... of them continued to live in France' and met the hard- ships as best they could. They had to ,vait more than a hundred years after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes before they were again given recognition. In 1787, King Louis XVI issued the Edict of Toleration which ended more than two centuries and a half of suffering. .A.t last they were allowed freedom of ,vorship. but during the interval irreparable loss and harm had come to France through the emigration. of so many Huguenots.

GRAVE STONE IN HUGUENOT BURYING GROUND Located at southwest corner of Division Street and Union Avenue. Inscribed in French to Susanne Landrin, 1750.

15 III

Founding of New Rochelle

Evv· ROCHELLE depends upon New N York City for food, many useful arti­ cles, and as a place of business. So it has been since the beginning. Plans ,:vere made in the 1680's in N e,v York Citv.., for the estab- lishment of a new· Huguenot colony-Ne,v Rochelle.

New York City ,vas a popular place for JoHN PELL . Huguenot i1n1nigrants after the 1niddle of Lord of the Manor of the 17th Century. The French element be­ Pelharn. Deeded the New Rochelle Lands came so important that it has been estimated to the Huguenots that the Huguenots made up about one fourth of the entire population of New York City. Immigration was greatly stin1ulated by the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 and refugees continued to come for many years. A great 1nany of them can1e from the islands of St. Christopher, Martinique, and Guadaloupe in the French vVest Indies. The settlement of New Rochelle ,vas first planned by the leading merchants among the Huguenot refugees in New York City. A group of Huguenots composed of merchants, traders, and men of means vvorked together to find a suitable place for a colony, and also ways of financing the proposition. Along with Minvielle, Des Champs. Bouteillier, Thauvet and others, Jacob Leisler, a friend of the Huguenots, ,vorked actively to organize the new settlement. An ..Agreement of Sale. ,vas n1ade ,vith John Pell on July 2, 1687. for the purchase of a tract of land which was to becon1e New Rochelle. Under this contract the Huguenots took up lands and began the settlement in earnest. No doubt there had been a very few who had come a little earlier. It appears that John J efferd and Olive, his ,vife, were already living within the area of the new settlement, and ,vere operating a grist mill near the Boston Post Road opposite the present Stephenson Boulevard. If there ,vas need for a mill there must have been some farm activity in the vicinity.

16 FOUNDING OF NEW ROCHELLE

The Huguenot leaders ,vho were associated \vith Jacob Leisler in the establishment of the Huguenot colony at New Rochelle appear to have had a falling out before the plans ,vere completed. This disagreement may, in part, account for the passing of the land title to Leisler alone. The deed from John Pell and Rachell Pell, on September 20, 1689, conveyed six thousand acres of land in consideration of the payment of £1,625 sterling current silver money of the Province, and added as a gift one hundred acres for the French Church, all ,vith the condition that Leisler pay to Pell or his heirs "as an Ackno,vledmt to the Lord of the said Manor, one fatt calfe on every fouer and twentyth day of June YEARLY & Every Year forever, if demanded". Leisler seems to have continued the project alone, and later deeded farm plots to the early pioneers of the colony as they completed payments under their contracts. It is interesting to note that Colonel Gabriel Minvielle, who had been appointed l\{ayor of N e,v York City in 1684, and later ,vas on the Governor's Council, was one of the important founders of N evv Rochelle, and associated ,vith Jacob Leisler. Ho,vever, in 1691 he ,vas in part responsible for the execution of

PELL-LEISLER DEED FOR NEW ROCHELLE

17 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Jacob Leisler in connection \vith the Leisler Rebellion in N e,v York.

It can thus be seen that there is no kno,vn

~- ~<- .. . . .,. .. • ' -~ ·:< . ~ :~,. ':

-~~r ~l~ -:~

. ~-~~'"'" .

.. ~.::...... ·: . ··. -~ :.' { ;··t

ij., .·

Ht.:<,CENOT Mo:--vMENT AT HuosoN PARK Erected 1898

18 FOUNDING OF NE\V ROCHELLE

Some of the· above pioneers of New Rochelle purchased land but never took up residence in the colony. There ,Yere a fe,v ,¥ho did not o,vn land. .A.. list of Huguenot family na1nes associated \vith N e,v Rochelle during the Colonial period, that is from the beginning of the settlement to the American Revolution. has been cast into bronze and placed on the Huguenot Memorial Marker

in Hudson Park. The list contains one hundred and fiftv-one_, names.

H1·cuENOT FAl\HLY NA:\IE TABLET Located in Hudson Park

The H.everenLatin equivalent, Nova Rupella. l'his is the first and earliest 111ention of the 11a111e of the settle1nent. Less than half of the first Huguenot pioneers had originally con1e from La Rochelle. so that it is clear that thev nan1ecl the colon,·

19 HISTORIC NE\\7 ROCHELLE

New Rochelle because of the outstanding importance of La Rochelle. Reverend Selyns also reports the arrival of a ne,v minister ,vhich sho,vs that the church had early been established. This is taken up in the chapter on the French Church. Some settlers, no doubt, brought their household goods from N e,v York City to New Rochelle by boat. Tradition says that the first group ,vere fe,v in numbers, and at first lived in a small com- 1nunity house on Bonnefoy Point, no,v Hudson Park. The first houses ,vere located along the n1ain road ,vhich was the Old Boston Post Road~ no,v Huguenot Street. Some form of government ,vas soon established, but this is related in the chapter on Den1ocratic Government. The Huguenot pioneers found a country little cleared, if any, except for land ·about the mill in possession of Jefferd. It was covered with virgin fore st save for the salt meadows along the Sound, and the fresh meado,vs kept damp by the upland creeks and brooks. The land was fairlv-· level with an occasional rise of ground. The soil ,vas adapted to grass for cattle and capable of cultivation. There ,Yas also some swamp land. Sickness and

A PORTION" OF THE HUGUENOT BURYING GROUND Southwest corner of Union Avenue and Division Street Left, stone inscribed in French to Susanne Landrin, 1750. Right, oldest dated stone in yard, "S C T 1728."

20 FOUNDING OF NEW ROCHELLE

death brought to m~nd the need for a cemetery. Louis Bongrand met the situation by giving to the people of the place a piece of his property, forty. paces square, for a cen1etery, about 1691. This is one of the oldest remaining institutions in N e,v Rochelle. It is located on the south,vest corner of Division Street and Union A. venue. Rows of unmarked rough field stones still stand to mark the final resting places of many of the pioneers of New Rochelle. Trinity Church no,v assumes the sacred obligation for keeping this hallo,ved spot as a beautiful and impressive men1orial to the Huguenot founders.

In the beginning the land ,vas divided into lots that ran from the Boston Post Road south to the Sound shore. Here ,vere the home lots. i\ middle line ,vas early set down which ran north fron1 the Boston Post Road to divide the east and west allotments. This line became, ,vith deviations, a road ,vhich is no,v kno,vn as North Avenue. Since . the road on the middle line has deviated materially, North Avenue might properly be called Deviation Avenue. North of the Boston Road and ,vest of the line ,vere the Great Lots. On the east side of the line ( east of North A venue) the land was divided into large tracts ,vhich were probably held for speculation.

A military company had been organized in New Rochelle, and some of its officers went to New York City in the spring of 1690 to call on Governor Jacob Leisler in connection with a tax levied because of an invasion by the French, of upper N e,v York Colony. Captain Cothonneau, of the Foot Company of Ne,v Rochelle, apparently caused a con1motion when he informed Governor Leisler that the people of New Rochelle did not look with favor upon a tax which was levied to carry on ,var vvith the French, and that they refused to pay the arbitrary tax. It appears very certain that the inhabitants of New Rochelle did not favor Leisler and his government, .and that they were not afraid to oppose hin1 openly. N e,v Rochelleans were not flush ,vith cash in the early days, and they had to petition the government in 1694 to ask to be excused from making payment. Life was not too easy in the early days.

\Vith all of the hardships the colony gre,v, and in 1698 the

21 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

first census of record sho,vs that the population had gro,vn from a f e"· families at the time of settlement to 232 men, ,v o m e n, and children. ,vhite and colored. free and bond. 188 ,vere ,vhites and 44 \Vere slaves. For more facts on population changes consult the chap­ ter on Ho,v N e,v Rochelle Has Gro,vn.

A fevv .Ivears later.• 1704. \iVe have the Journal of Madam Sarah Knight. a N e,v England w o 111 a n ,vho traveled through N e,v Rochelle on her ,va v from Boston to N e ,v York. She thought that

}AcoB LEISLER MoNUl\-IENT it ,vas n1uch to be pre­ At entrance to Broadview ferred to the places to the east and the ,vest. Under date of December 22, 1704 she records: "\Ve set out for New Rochell. ,vhere being con1e vve had good Entertainn1ent and· Recruited ourselves very ,vell. This is a very pretty place ,vell compact, and good hanclso111e houses. clean. good and passable Rodes, and situated on a Navigable Rivec abundance of land well fined and cleerd all along as ,vee passed. \\-·hich caused in me a Love to the place,· ,vch I could have been content to live in it. Here ,vee Ridd over a Bridge made of one entire stone of such a Breadth that a cart 1night pass ,vith safety. and to spare-it lay over a passage cut through a Rock to convey ,vater to a mill not far off. Here are three fine Taverns ·"rithin call of each other, very good provision for Travailers."

Let us leave the founding of N e,v Rochelle ,vith Madam Knight's "·ord picture in our mind. The development of the

22 .. FOUNDING OF NEW ROCHELLE community is continued in the coming chapters under yarious topic headings ,vhich connect the past ,,dth~ .. the present.

Gmo::--:-ALL.AIRE HousE This house was built shortly after the coming of the first Huguenot settlers. It originally stood on the south side of Old Boston Post Road (now Huguenot Street) south of World War Memorial. The house was demolished some years ago. This is the earliest house in New Rochelle of v.. ·hich there is a picture. IV

Colonial Architecture

O vV old is an old H house? This is a very hard question to ans,ver even if you go to look at an old house. Houses cannot talk, and the builders usu­ ally did not put a date on any part of a house. Corner stones were not placed in foundations very often. However, the former home ]ACOB COUTANT HOUSE Originally stood on North Avenue, near] y opposite of Colonel Joseph Drake, Mayflower School. Built 1727, demolished 1927. which was located on the northwest corner of Drake Avenue and Pelham Road, did have t,vo corner stones in the front corners of the original foundation. But instead of putting on the date the builder had his initials plac--ed on the stones. In this case they were "T B". If you want to see one of these corner stones, just look in the ,vall by the steps leading into the apartment house on the same corner at the Drake A venue entrance. It was placed here after the house had been demolished. The Huguenots ,vho came to New Rochelle found their ne,v location distant from civilization. Consequently they had to de­ pend upon their o,vn abilities to prepare the materials from which their houses were to be constructed. This took much time and patience. Some of the Huguenots remembered the stone houses ,vhich they had occupied in their native France. But probably in order to save time the first houses in our community were con­ structed of wood. This seems quite possible, as the ground was covered ,vith many varieties of trees from which they could make lumber. A little later the Huguenots began to construct their houses of stone. These houses ,vere usually one story high with an attic. ·rhese stone houses ,vere constructed in man'y places about the settlement. Unfortunately they have all disappeared with the passage of time. The last stone Huguenot house stood on North

24 COLONIAL ARCHITECa.JRE

Avenue, opposite and south of Mayflower School. This house ,vas built in 1727 and stood for exactly t\vo hundred years; it was taken do,vn in 1927 to make room for a more modern building. Follo,v­ ing- this period of stone houses, it became the style to build of ,vood. :\lost of the houses of the latter half of the eighteenth century ,vere so constructed. Let us trv.. to form some idea as to ho,v much work it was to build a house in N e,v Rochelle in the peri,od prior to the Revolu- tionary \Var. The ,vood ,vas obtained by cutting do",.n trees and letting them season for a time. Then the logs ,vere ,vorked into shape by a process known as he,ving. This "\Vas done by cutting the ,vood ,vith a broad axe, to shape the nearly square timbers. The main house timbers varied in size, but ,vere often about five or six inches square. The stones for the foundation and the chim­ ney ,vere found on the ground, as they had been placed by nature. The lath upon ,vhich the plaster was placed also had to be split by hand. Pegs had to be made to fasten the large timbers to­ gether. Very important was the making of nails. All nails ,vere made by taking nearly square strips of soft 1nalleable iron. First, they ,vere cut into proper lengths and wrought into shape by hitting them ,vith a hammer. The point was dra,vn by hammer blows and the head was made by flattening the other end. It took a·long time to make enough nails to build an entire house. Remem­ ber that each piece of lath had from three to six or n1ore nails in it. Literally hundreds and hundreds of nails ,vere required. A clay plaster was put on the lath as a first coat. For the top ,vhite coat, shell lime was used. Shell lime was made from oyster. clam and peri,vinkle shells. They ,vere found in big shell heaps which had been left by the Indians, in the manufacture of vV an1pun1 (Indian money). The stone ,vork for the foundations and the chimneys was usually laid LANDRINE HOUSE Built at northeast corner of North and up dry; that is, ,vithout Fifth Avenues, 1701. Demolished 1903.

25 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

anything bet,veen the stones in the \vay of a binder. The out­ sides of the ,valls ·were pointed up ,vith clay. Lime ,vas too scarce and expensive. and cement ,vas unkno,vn. These ,valls ,vere ,vell put up and even though done differently from the present day they lasted through the severest tests. some having been preserved to the present time. One of the most important, and, at the same time, most inter­ esting features of old houses ,vas the fireplace. The chimney was built in the gable end of the house. If the hons':" ,.vas not constructed of stone,· the gable end containing the chimney ,vas made of stone. At a later period, chimneys ,vere often built in the middle of the house so that fireplaces might be located in all of the rooms. The :fireplace ,vas the only ,vay of heating colonial houses. The lintel or charging piece over the fireplace ,vas ahvays made of ,vood. It ,vas constructed from a timber about a foot square and cham­ phored at the hack to help keep it from catching on fire. Fireplaces ,vere often six feet ,vide and four feet high and four feet deep.

This size lvas necessarv., for the kitchen in order to n1ake roon1 for the hanging of cooking utensils. Other fireplaces ,vere of vary­ ing sizes, depending upon the use to be made of the room. Ovens ,vere built into the kitchen chin1neys for use in baking. The uses

PARCOT-DRAKE HousE One of the oldest existing Houses in New Rochelle. Northwest corner of Eastchester and Clove Roads.

26 COLONIAL ARCHITECTIJRE for fireplaces and ovens are explained more fully in the chapter on Huguen.ot Manners and Customs. Something should be said about the general plans and appear­ ance of the later colonial Huguenot houses. These ,vere usually constructed of ,vood, a story and a half high; that is, the sec­ ond floor was only half as high as the first, the slope of the roof giYing added head room. The second floor windovvs ,vere only half as high as the ones on the first floor. The ,vindo\vs on the main floor ,vere constructed ,vith t,venty-four panes of glass; that is, t\velve in each sash. The chimneys ,vere in the center of the house! and the stairs ,vere placed in front of the entrance alongside of the chimney. The chimneys, ,vhile being constructed of stone, ,vere capped on the top, ,vhere it sho,ved, ,vith bricks. The outsides of the houses ,vere covered \vith shingles. Sometimes they ,vere square on the end. but at other tin1es thev ,vere rounded. as can be seen in ~ . the picture of the Pugsley house. The roof lines ,vere usually sym- n1etrical. not having a long sloping roof in the rear as is found in houses in N e,v England. If such a roof condition is noted now on an old house. it is because of later alterations and additions. The early houses vvere ,vithout cellars ,vhich were an after consideration. The attics ,vere used for sleeping and storage. Niany of the houses here ,vere built ,vith outer half-doors, following an old cus-

LECONTE-JoNDRON HousE Originallv stood at northeast corner of North Avenue and Lovell Road. L •

27 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

tom. In colonial houses the builders preferred open beam ceilings rather than plaster. Clay ,vas difficult to place on ceilings and lime \Vas scarce. Instead of using rock wool in the outer ,valls to pro­ tect against cold~ clay ,vas used in some early N e,v Rochelle houses. Unfortunately at this tin1e it is hard to find existing- examples of these early houses. The Parcot House that no,v stands on the north,vest corner of Eastchester and Clove Roads offers the best chance to get a look at an early story and a half house in N e,v Rochelle. The other old houses have been reconstructed by rais­ ing the roof and making a full second story and attic. The only ,vay to really find out about a house is to take it down and see ho,v it is constructed. Then one can reallv tell ,vhether it ,vas an old house or not. But, alas, then the old house is no more. Another ,vay is to lift some _of the shingles and examine the construction beneath. Remember, then, that houses ,vhile not dated really date them­ selves in va·rious ways. i\s has been stated old houses can be told by the kind of timbers, hand-made nails, hand-wrought hinges and hardw·are, and hand-split lath. After a bit of practice you can learn some of the ways of testing a house to see if it ,vas built in early times or ,vhether it ,vas built 111ore recently. Some existing examples of early . houses in New Rochelle should be examined at least from the outside. The Parcot House at the northwest corner of Eastchester and Clove Roads and the Channing Burnz House, located on Wilmot Road nearly opposite Sprague Avenue. are t,vo of the oldest houses now extant. Both of these were built son1e time before the n1iddle of the 18th century. Other houses of the period just preceding the American Revolution are the Israel Seacord House at the northeast corner of North _A.venue and Quaker Ridge Road, the Pintard House on Marvin Place, the Shute House at 21 Coligni Avenue, and the Rodman House on Davenport N eek. Old houses in N e,v Rochelle built after the Revolution include quite a number, as the Thomas Paine Cottage at Paine and North A venues, the Berrian House, 1120 North A.. venue, the Pell House, 24 La,vn Avenue, and a fe,v others.

28 V Colonial Trades and Business

HE founding of a community in T a new and undeveloped country is difficult because trades and busi­ nesses have not been established. Hu- 111an existence requires many different kinds of services, such as house build­ ers, doctors, store keepers, millers, harness makers and numerous others. .,.:..;,-..1;::.,:-.., ...... ~"-~=--,~-~--'~.. • It ,vas immediately necessary for New

CoLONIAL TRADING Rochelle to beco1ne some,vhat self- SLooP sufficient; that is, to provide the needed services for themselves. They could not depend upon outsiders. Fortunately, the Huguenots belonged to the highly skilled classes of France and therefore ,vere able to introduce these skills and manufacturing abilities into our con1n1unity. This education. coupled ,vith the ability to teach their skills to others, accounts in large measure for the success of the young Huguenot settlement of N e,v Rochelle. These settlers possessed energy, po,ver of en­ durance and industry, all of ,vhich are vital in pioneer life. Capital ,vas lacking; but ,vhen the settlement had but fe,v inhabitants, it ,vas possible to manufacture sufficient articles in their homes to satisfy the demand. Fro111 humble beginnings they set up their industries and prospered. In the early decades of life here, practically every 111an ,vas a farmer. Some farms contained hundreds of acres and others only a few. However, everyone raised his food for the table. There ,vere no food stores and everyone depended largely upon hi111self for much of what he had to eat. N o,v it is just the opposite; ,vith the division of labor, everyone depends upon others, and in our city there are very fe,v farmers. In addition to farming nearly every man had some specialty in ,vhich he ,vas proficient, more capable, than n1any of the others. Let us take a fe,v examples. ..A. man in addition to farming ,vould be a good butcher. He did not stand behind a counter as he might be expected to do today. He went from farm to farn1 and killed the cattle for farmers ,vho ,vere not skilled in that ,vork. After the slaughtering the farmer

29 HISTORIC NE\V RCCHELLE

Yvould proceed to make Yarious uses of the n1eat. ...\nother farmer ,vould be a maker of saddles and harness. Harness 111aking ,vas yery important in the days ,vhen all po"\ver ,vas real horse or ox po,ver. The last occupation n1entioned depended upon leather for a source of material from ,vhich to make harness. Tanning ,vas an important occupation in N e,v Rochelle. The hides of co,vs and other animals ,vere taken to a man \Yho ,vas skilled in the art of leather making. and tanned. Records sho"· that a tannery ,vas located and operated on a piece of s,vampy ground on North ..\venue near Fifth. It can easily be seen that in a small community there ,vould not be enough business to keep the skilled ,vorkers busy all of the time. Some of the ,vork \Vas ,vhat is called seasonal; that is. at certain times their services ,vere needed. and then again there ,vas no ,vork. In the slack times the artisans ,vorked their farn1s and raised their food. Thus by combining farn1ing ,vith one or more trades \Vere the settlers able to make a living. Carpenters ,vere · often in great de1nand for building houses. There ,vere those among the Huguenots ,vho kne,v ho,v to plan a house, ho\v to join the big bean1s together. and still those ,vho ,vere adept in the art of fine ,voocl ,vork for finishing the interiors. Stone n1asons ,vere alvvays needed in connection ,vith house building.

CoLo~IAL FARMER PLo\VI:'."G Hrs FIELDS

30 COLONIAL TRADES AND BUSINESS

They put up the foundations and built the large· massive chimneys. In the construction of a stone house they did the ,vork on the ,valls. The masons also did the plastering of the interior ,valls. The methods of building are f]escribed in the chapter on architecture, but here ,ve are in­ terested in men ,vho understood the art of building construction. Re- 111 ember that there ,vas not always building to be done, and in between tin1es these builders ,vorked on their farms. K e,v Rochelle, situated on the FLAX WHEEL Sound. ,vas naturally a seafaring to,vn. This occupation ,vas very im­ portant, and it took the tin1e of many men, not only to sail the boats but also to 111ake then1. Boat-building vvas an occupation of early N e,v Rochelleans. Thev 111ade sailboats for the carrying of

LISPENARD TIDE MILL This grist-mill was built at foot of pre~ent Water Street about 1724. Later known as Titus Mill. Long ago demolished.

31 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE goods to N e,v York City and to other coast,vise to,vns and ports. Transportation by boat \Vas by far the easiest ,vay of moving goods during the entire colonial period, and indeed up to the time of the coming of railroads. In connection ,vith farn1 ,vork, tools and chains were needed. Such articles ,vere n1ade by the blacksmith, if you please, by the Yillage blacksmith. Broken parts on plo,vs ,vere taken to the sn1ithy to repair. It ,vas he ,Yho 111ade the ox chains used in con­ nection ,vith hauling heavy objects. Horses ,vere given shoes. and oxen also were shod ,vith a special ox shoe. You will agree that this ,vas a very important occupation which in turn helped n1en to carry on their daily ,vork. Along ,vith the blacksmith there ,vas the ,vheehvright ,vho made wheels and built wagons, carts, carriages and ,vheelbarro,vs. Even in those days the daily life in N e,v Rochelle depended upon ,vheels, but not then, for the n1otor car, as no,v. Clothing was needed and demanded even in this far away tin1e. vVhile it is true that the women did 111 uch along this line~ there ,vere, very early, tailors in to,vn, and there were also ,veavers of flax and wool. l\.f ention is 1nade of these occupations .as well as shoemakers ,vho fashioned the boots and shoes for a rural

D.u,r AND FLOOD GATES AT L1sPENARD MILL Sin This recent picture shows how it appears at this time.

32 COLONIAL TRADES AND BUSINESS

community. Here again we find the need for leather ,vhich meant ano4:her job fc!" the tanner. The professions ,vere practiced to so1ne extent, and here in -town we find doctors to care for the sick and injured, lavvyers to handle the disputes and legal matters that are to be found in any place where there are people. .t\.long with the professions we find the tavern keeper and the manager of the general store. The services rendered by these men are obvi

of the 18th centurv.- Later the factorv., ,vas continued by his son David Cou­ tant. He stan1ped his name on the chairs that he made thusly: "D. Cou­ tong". If you "rill examine the old fashioned chair in the Local History Room at the Thomas Paine Cottage

_,vou will find that it has this mark. It is one of the chairs made at the

chair factorv- shortlv_, after the Revolu- tion. This factorv continued to run

for a nun1ber of .,vears into the 19th century. Did the settlers of N e,v Rochelle have work to do? Yes. and manv COUTANT CHAIR Manufactured in New Rochelle 1nore kinds of ,vork had to be done. about the time of the There ,vere those ,vho specialized in Revolution. coffin 111aking. Others taught school. Still others took the part of a chapn1an or cattle drover. This was the man "'~ho collected the cattle and drove them into the city to the butcher. As has been mentioned before, refrigeration was not

33 HISTORIC NE\V ROCHELLE

kno,vn and the best ,vay to preserve meat was to transport it on the hoof. How queer it ,vould be to see a herd of cattle being driven do,vn the Boston Post Road today destined for a slaughter house in do,vn-town New York. Times have changed. The cooper was for use in pickling foods ; he also made the pork barrels, the pails and tubs. Do not forget that the miller used the product of the cooper to barrel his flour. Each occupation in turn ,vas a necessity for our community in order that it might carry on its daily life. The needs and wants of man never cease. and ,vhile the life in our town ,vas primitive at first~ it vvas not long before the population worked so ,veil together that they made N e,v Rochelle an important place. In more recent times, ,vith ne,ver and faster means of transportation, conditions have changed and have taken away from our city the need for manufacturing. Because of its closeness to N e,v York City ,ve have surrendered our self-sufficiency, and have become a residential district for those who ,vork in different lines in other places and commute daily to and fro.

34 VI Colonial Home Life--Manners and Customs

IFE in colonial New Rochelle differed greatly L from present day manners and custo1ns. The Huguenots found life here in i\merica very diff­

erent from what thev.; ,vere used to in native France. While living in early N e,v Rochelle ,vas not as difficult as that experienced by the ~ Pilgrims in Plymouth, it ,vas hard for the Hugue­ ::1.ots to adj1.1st themselves to the hardships "\Vhich ...,. ... _. they found here. Great credit must be given to these people. The Huguenots in no other ,vay revealed their French background so thoroughly as they

35 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

the tasks of building their ho1nes and establishing themselves in the new vvorld. Their houses ,vere not very large or very fancy as \Ve learned in the chapter on Colonial Architecture. They ,vere, ho,vever. substantially and co1nfortably built. It was the interiors of the houses which really reflected their artistic temperaments and good taste. In all colonial homes of those days the furnishings ,vere meager and usually of crude handi,vork. Only a fe,v people ,vere able to afford imported articles. The Huguenots used ,vhatever articles ,vere available and fashioned around them a setting ,,rhich satisfied their beauty-loving natures. This caused their Dutch and English neighbors to marvel. It is easy to picture the ,vomen in the homes busily spinning the linen yarn for their curtains and bed-spreads. They dyed it their favorite shades, usually light blue, dusky green or soft gold. They then wove it into a solid color material ,vhich ,vas finer and more delicate than that made by their neighbors. As soon as they ,vere able, they sent to Germany, Holland and England for good spinning wheels and looms. These "rere of better quality than those ,vhich could be obtained in this country. It has been said that the Huguenots were the first to utilize old garments in the n1aking of floor coverings. The garments ,vere cut into narrow pieces, and these ,vere ,voven into strips of carpet. The plain-looking furniture ,vas given decorative touches bv the addition of bright little lace and embroidery pieces. The ,vomen spent 111 uch time in ,vorking on these. They had learned. in France, the art of lace-n1aking and embroidering. The "~omen folk. of course, found it necessarv to spend much time in clean- ing and tidying. Because they "~ere quick to figure out the best and easiest ways to do things, they

,vere as neat as the Dutch HUGUENOT LADY

36 COLONIAL HOME LIFE-·MANNERS AND CUSTOMS women without having to spend as much time in the process, or to expend as much energy. Huguenot cooking was not so elaborate as that to '\\-'"hich many of them had been accustomed. It was never­ theless wholesome and palatable even though only the coarsest and most meager materials were available. What did the Huguenots eat? They appear to have been too busy to record much information on this important activity. Liv­ ing as they did near the salt water they, too, as the Indians had done before them, made use of the oysters, clams, fish and other seafoods that were at hand. They depended upon the forests to furnish game of various kinds. In addition they made greater use of cultivated foods than did the Indians. Among the cultivated crops ,vere corn, ,vheat, beans and many other vegetables ,vhich ,ve no,v have on our table. The Huguenots prepared their fresh meat and vege­ tables in ste,vs, 1nade by cooking carrots, onions, tur­ nips and potatoes ,vith meat. Local mills ground the grain for use in porridge and for baking. The John Jef­ ford mill ,vas located on ,vhat is now Main Street, opposite Stephenson Boule­ vard, and was operating here as a grist mill before the DIPPING CANDLES coming of the Huguenots. Wool wheel in background The Huguenots, no doubt, brought with them from France some ideas on cooking. We should expect them to cook some highly flav_ored soups, to make some omelets or to put up some distinctive French dishes. Other dishes were without doubt suc­ cotash, hoecake, suppa,vn, salt pork, samp porridge, and jarret, a meat dish using fresh pork. Foods ,vere cooked over an open fireplace. These were de­ scribed in the chapter on Colonial Architecture. Large iron pots ,vere suspended over the fire by means of a crane, or a back bar by means of chains and hooks. Baking was done in chimney ovens

37 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

,vhich were built into the huge chimneys and were heated by firing them with brush wood. When the oven was hot, the coals ,vere removed and the baking placed in the oven. In these early days the problem of keeping food supplies ,vas a very important one. They did not have ice boxes. They de­ pended upon drying foods of various kinds as squash, corn, apples, etc. Meat was kept by either salting or drying it and then storing it in a dry place, as the attic. Pickling was used for preserving meat, vegetables and ·other food supplies. This was done by making a heavy salt brine into which the food was placed. The entire content was kept in a wo9den tub with a cover. Thus ,vere the Huguenots able to preserve food so that they might have it during seasons when it could not be produced. The types of dishes and utensils used to cook food and to serve food were very different from the present day. Very little, if any, glassware and china were used at first. Most of the dishes were of wood, clay, pewter, horn, gourds or something similar. Later these native materials ,vere less used and china, glassware and silver,vare ca1ne into use. How different the Huguenot dinner table must have looked from what ,ve are used to no,v. Amusements ,vere few. The tavern, it will be seen in a later chapter, furnished an important center of entertainment outside of the home. The men engaged in sports of skill as target shoot­ ing, quoits, running, jumping, ,vrestling and other athletic skills. What did the ,vomen do for entertainment? Probably they looked on as interested spectators, aside from their duties as hostesses.

The ,vomen ,vere economical and thriftv.., There was little ,vaste in the home. This ,vas true in the matter of clothing. 1"'he making of dresses and other clothes took up much time. The good taste and the artistry ,vhich characterized their home decorations ,vere revealed also in their dresses. The most noteworthy features of the early Huguenot homes ,vere the cheerfulness and gaiety with which all work was under­ taken. Even though these people had a greater tendency to seek pleasures than most of their English and Dutch neighbors, prob­ ably the greatest source of their enjoyment was in '1vork itself. Laughter and song frequently accompanied the carrying out of the most arduous tasks.

38 COLONIAL HOME LIFE-MANNERS .A..'1\lD CUSTOMS

l\!Iarriage customs were different in Huguenot days. vVhen a marriage was contemplated, marriage-banns ,vere published by pasting them on the church door for three successive Sundays. If no one raised an objection, the ceremony ,vas performed. This was the method used under the Roman-Dutch lavv, and it was continued here under the English rule. At the present time the la,v calls for seventy-two hours between the time of obtaining the 111arriage license and the performing of the marriage ceremony. Good will toward their neighbors 'Nas characteristic of most of the inhabitants. Hospitality and good cheer were to be found in each home, regardless of the wealth of the fa1nily which lived in it. Even more evident in each home \Vas the fine culture which had characterized the people in France. Polite manners were con­ sidered very important even for the youngest children. The little girls ,vere frequently taught polite manners and graceful gestures by 111eans of little games. This matter of politeness ,vas reflected in the way children were reare~. They vvere accorded much more gentle and considerate treatment than the children of, for example, the New England settlements. The gentleness of breeding which has always characterized the French was very apparent in the inhabitants of early New Rochelle. We have seen that the Huguenots were eager to seek pleasures and enjoyments, even though their days were full of work and hardship. On weekdays, whenever they could, the people would meet together at one of the homes to dance. They loved dancing. In such ways did these people, away from their homeland, come to feel that New Rochelle ,vas really their home. They had conquered their ne,v surroundings. They adjusted themselves to the new con­ ditions. In short the Huguenots transplanted their manners and customs to New Rochelle. They advanced with the years and developed a community that has become famous as a residential city and a center of culture and refinement.

39 VII Old French War

VERY interesting group of A French people came to New Rochelle in May, 1756. The story behind their coming was different from the one which brought the original settlers here. T h e s e newcomers arrievd in to,vn after a very long and hard sea trip ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE fron1 far a ,vay Acadia in Nova Commemorative Postage Stamp, Scotia. Issue of 1934. To understand this story ,ve 1nust go back to a bit of Colonial History. North A1nerica was settled in the eastern part by two rival European powers-England and France. These countries had fought each other over co1nmerce and other things since the Hundred Years' War in the 14th Century. This ancient rivalry continued bet,veen the colonial settlements in A1nerica and led to a series of Colonial Wars. As a result of ,var England had taken Nova Scotia, the Eng­ lish name for Acadia. and had given the Acadians permission to move, but because of various obstacles they remained. Nothing that England could do would induce the French to becon1e loyal and she found it necessary to subdue them. British troops were sent out on an expedition to Nova Scotia at the beginning of the French War (1755). After a siege lasting a fortnight the Acadians gave up and put themselves upon the mercy of the British. The French Acadians refused to take an oath of loyalty to England; so their houses and property were confiscated. Half of the population~ nearly seven thousand people, ,vere put on board English ships and taken a,vay from their homes. The Acadians ,vere taken away in October, 1755, and distributed in sn1all groups to many English settlements along the coast from l\tiassachusetts to Georgia. Others reached Louisiana and other French colonies. The interesting thing about the expulsion of the i\cadians is that some were brought to N e,v York and distributed to Long-

40 OLD FRENCH WAR

Island, Staten Island, Rye, Bedford, and New Rochelle. It is still a matter of record. We even know the names of those placed in our City. The records show that Charles Savoit, wife and eight children, Ba Salena and ,vife, Charles Lamotten, wife and child came to New Rochelle in May, 1756. Henry Wads,vorth Longfellow in his poem EVANGELINE, A TALE OF ACADIE tells about the separation of Evangeline fro1n her lover Gabriel and hovv she spent her life trying to find him and succeeded in doing so only at the end of his life. She finally found him upon his deathbed. It would appear that the families that were assigned to N e,v Rochelle fared better, _for they ,vere kept together, as can be seen by the list in the previous paragraph. The most thrilling part of the French War was the way by ,vhich the British general, Wolfe, found out about a path which led up to the Plains of Abraham at Quebec. Because of this dis­ covery the English ,vere able to bring about the· fall of Quebec and eventually to ,vin the ,var ,vhich gave them all of the French lands on the continent. Doubly interesting is the connection of this event with N e,v Rochelle.

DEPORTATION OF THE AcADIANs During the War between France and England, October, 1755.

41 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Let us turn and follow the storv.,. in the order oi events . .Nlichael Houdin was born in France about 1705, became a Franciscan £riar and later headed a convent in Montreal, Canada. However, he l;i.ter tired of monastic life and came to N e,v York. While in N e,v York he renounced his religion and became a men1ber of the Church of England. Later he became an itinerant missionary in N e,v Jersey in and around Trenton. At the outbreak of the French vVar Michael Houdin becan1e a chaplain to the British Army and served under General Loudin in 1756 and 1757. Next he served under General Abercrombie in the campaign against Louisbourg in the summer of 1759. Later Chaplain Houdin joined General Wolfe's army and acted as his Intelligence Officer or Guide. Houdin was ,vell acquainted ,vith the country and ,vas of great value to the English general. In a letter written by l\llichael Houdin from Quebec, October 23, 1759, some five ,veeks after the fall of Quebec to the English he says in part: " ... what I have done from the beginning was to obey the orders of my Lord Loudin and other commanders in chief after him who depended much upon my being well ac­ quainted with all of the country I could be of service to them. 'fhe desire ( that) I had for the good success of his Majesty's arms, hath given me strength above my age and constitution, to bear all the fatigues of such campanes (sic), and blessed be God, that he hath been pleas' d to crown our labour this year beyond, I can say, our expectation." It appears that there is little doubt that it was Houdin who told General Wolfe of the winding path that led up from .A.nse du Foulon, now called Wolfe's Cove. to the heights above called the Plains of Abraham. By means of this path forty-five hundred British soldiers ,vere able to place themselves across the plateau before the very walls of Quebec. This strategy greatly surprised General Montcalm, the leader of the French armies. A great battle follo,ved; and while both the leaders lost their lives. General Wolfe had the pleasure of kno,ving that his army was victorious. No mention is made of Michael Houdin in Wolfe's letters, but that is only as it should be. No general would write about the ,vork of his Intelligence Officer because he ,vould not want to expose his name or the nature of the things he ,vas doing. How-

42 OLD FRENCH WAR ever, Houdin in the same letter quoted from above says also that ·'I am entirely deprived of my expectations by the death of our brave General \V olfe, who promised me to remember my labours and services, and as they are unknown to General Murray, he keeps n1e here this ,vinter vvithout any advantage ( to me)."

Because of the death of General Wolfe, Michael Houdin went unhonored and ahnost unknown as the important man in this great campaign. Only recently has this story been discovered. Shortly after,vard, ,vhen the Quebec campaign ,vas closed we find Houdin returning to N e,v York in 1761. In August of that year Houdin was appointed by the Church to be the missionary and 111inister to the congregation at N e,v Rochelle. Thus did General Wolfe's ex-intelligence officer become the fifth minister of the Episcopal Church at New Rochelle. He was an elderly man at this time and had endured many hardships; so he had a short pastorate here. Rev. Houdin died in October, 1766, and thus passed the last of the French pastors. He was the last to preach

THE DEATH OF GENERAL WOLFE AT QUEBEC General Wolfe, the English commander, and General Montcalm, the French commander~ both lost their lives in the Battle of Quebec, September, 1759. This battle marked the end of the French Empire in North America. England was supreme.

43 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

regularly in French sometimes, and in English at other times. New Rochelle ,vas very loyal to the British during the French War and sent many men to the battle field for service. The Huguenots were loyal to the land of their adoption. The fact is recorded in a report ,vritten by the Rev. Mr. Stoupe, pastor of the N e,v Rochelle Church in 1758 ,vhen he says in part: ''Since the ,var hroke out great alterations have taken place in the congregation, .by ,vhich I have lost many members. This is caused by removals and enlisting in the King's GENERAL WOLFE'S ARMY SCALING service." So the toll of \Yar ,vas paid THE HEIGHTS AT QUEBEC, 1759 in N e,v Rochelle. In our cemeteries By way of a path suggested by Michael Houdon. today rest men ,vho served in this great struggle which proved England to be supreme in colonial America. This situation ,vas not to last for long because the rumblings of another conflict ,vere soon to be heard that ended in the Revolutionary War and the independence o+ the United States.

' • •:_ '. • A ~

, _::, "-~~ , ..

A PART OF THE OLD BosTON PosT RoAD IN NEw RocHELLE Showing the Anglican Church, located in the road on the "Place des Armes," where the Reverend Michael· Houdin preached.

44 VIII

Stage Coach and Tavern Days

A VERNS in early days ,vere places where travelers spent a night and received food and drink while journeying from place to place. In the more populated sections of T America, as New England and New York, taverns flourished and ,vere popular. However, in the south travelers ,vere rela­ tively fe,v and tavern keepers could not ------make a living. So travelers were cared for at a plantation, usually free of charge; hence the beginning of southern hospitality. Plantation owners were rewarded by hearing the latest ne,vs_ from their chance visitor. Taverns ,vere the center of life and activity in s1nall places like N e,v Rochelle. To insure proper conditions tavern keepers were licensed and the proprietors had to be men of respect and good reputation. The taverns ,vere located on the old Boston Post Road, ,vhich is no", Huguenot Street. Many of the taverns had a parlor. ,vhere ladies could be entertained. However. the tap room ,vas the largest and the most used. Here it ,vas that the townsfolk could come for rest and entertainment. Here it ,vas that the citizens of New Rochelle could meet the chance traveler and learn from him ,vhat was happening in our big country. Places of entertainment ,vere f e,v and far bet,veen in earlv.· New Rochelle. There ,vere no 1novie houses or theatres. but at the tavern dancing could be enjoyed and a pleasant evening spent. Many social affairs ,vere held at taverns because meeting places ,vere not other,vise provided. In fact all to,vn meetings. ,vhere the business and la,vs for the community were passed~ were always held at taverns in N e,v Rochelle until 1829. ,vhen the first to,vn hall, o,vned by the to,vn, ,vas first used. l\1ore ,vill be said about this in the describing of some taverns in to,vn. Taverns usually had an ornamental sign to announce to trav­ elers that accon1modations could be had. These have all dis­ appeared long ago. There was need for rules of conduct ,vithin. These too have disappeared from all local taverns; ho,vever, here

45 HISTORIC :'\TEW ROCHELLE

is a set that was used in an old time tavern. They vvill help you to appreciate the problems that faced tavern keepers. The sign read:

RULES OF THIS TAVERN Four pence a night fer Bed Six pence with Sup­ per No more than five to sleep in one bed No Boots to be worn in bed Organ Grinders to sleep in the Wash house No dogs allowed up­ stairs No Beer allowed in the Kitchen LEROY HousE HoTEL No Razor Grinders Originally stood on south side of Main Street, .or Tinkers taken near present site of Ware's Department Store. 1n. According to the records taverns were established here very soon after the settle1nent of the place. One of the first _,vas located on the old Post Road, now Huguenot Street, not far from the early site of the French Church. It ,;vas kept by Alexander .L.\llaire in the 1690's. This vvas probably one of the "three fine taverns ,vith­ in call of each other" mentioned by Madam Sarah Knight in the journal which she kept of her trip from Boston to N e,v York City in December, 1704. On her ,vay to N e,v York she had a "good breakfast" in N e,v Rochelle after a 111ost miserable night at Rye. On her return trip she says in part: " ... ,:ve set out for N e,v Rochelle. ",here being come ,ve had good entertainment and Recruited ourselves verv ,veil. . . Here are three fine taverns ,vithin call of each other~ very good provision for Travailers." A news-letter in the NEW YORK v\iEEKLY JOURNAI., of

Nov. 5.• 1733., describes a hotlv_,I contested countv.,/ election of October 29 at Eastchester. It tells about the coming of some of the voters on Sunday afternoon and evening, "so as to be at N e,v-Roche11 by Midnight." "About midnight they all met at the house of Willian1 Le Conte, at New Rochell, who~e House not being large enough to entertain so great a Number, a large Fire ,vas made in the street, by ,vhich they set 'til Day-light, at which time they

46 STAGE COACH AND TAVERN DAYS began to move." This tavern stood near the present southeast corner of Huguenot Street and Mechanic. One of the most interesting taverns in Ne\v Rochelle of the period of the Revolution is kno,vn as Besly's. Besly's tavern stood on the north side of the Boston Post Road, now Huguenot Street, at North A venue, very near ,vhere the Schiff Building, New Ro­ chelle ·s skyscraper, no,v stands. On April 6, 1773, "the freeholders and Inhabitants of New Rochel did me_et at the house of James Bayley" for the annual town meeting. This tavern was a building a story and a half in height, with hand made beams and hand forged nails, and everything that ,vent with a structure of the period of 1760. It ,vas here at Besly's on March 11, 1775, that a trial about a disputed horse race that had been run on Rye Flats was tried. Citizens from New Rochelle were called to serve on the jury. All refused because they claimed horse racing was against the laws of Congress. The Judge ,vas obliged to try the case himself ,vith­ out a jury.

BEsLY's TAYER~ Originally stood on northeast corner of Huguenot Street and North Avenue. Built before the Revolution, demolished 1928. 47 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Besly's tavern before and during the Revolution \Vas the center of activity in our town, standing as it did at the junction of the Post Road and the road leading to the northern part of town. North Avenue. It was here that the stage coaches stopped to take on and let off passengers. From its windo,:vs probably ,vas wit­ liessed in January, 1776, the harro,ving spectacle of the execution by burning of a negro ,vho had been found guilty of murder. Town meetings ,vere held here from 1772-1776 and from 1783 to 1785 and again after a break at the turn of the century for many years till 1815. Interesting incidents happened in the half dozen or n1ore taY­ erns in New Rochelle during the Revolution but these ,vill be told in the chapter on the Revolutionary War. Before leaving Besly~s tavern one should· remember that the first to,vn meeting after the close of the Revo1ution was held at Besly's. During the war to,vn meetings ,vere not held. More ,vill be said about these 1neetings in the chapter on Town Government. Tho1nas Paine's voting experience at the Besly tavern, in 1806, is told in detail in the chapter covering his residence in New Rochelle. Many interesting events have taken place here but ,ve must not tarry too long at one tavern. The old Boston Post Road, now Huguenot Street, continued to be the main highway through N e,v Rochelle until the opening

PELoR's HoTEL, KNOWN AS THE CRoss KEYS General Lafayette was entertained here on August 20, 1824.

48 STAGE COACH AND TAVERN DAYS of the Westchester Turnpike Road, present l\Iain Street, about 1800. This ne,v toll road which straightened and improved the route from N e,v York City diverted stage-coach travel and other through travel from the Boston Road. From this time on the public houses on the old route suffered from lack of patronage. New houses ,vere built on the new highway. The proprietor· of old Besly's tavern attempted to keep his business by cutting a road through to Main Street. It ,vas publicly opened in 1815 and was later called Rose Street. Of course' now this roadway has been widened and is included in North A venue. Later part of Besly's tavern was used as a school, which ,vas taught by Miss Amanda Eels. New Rochelle was not a regular overnight stop in_ the early postcoaching days. It ,vas without doubt a stage or relay station for the post rider. We must now examine a few of the public houses that opened up on Main Street after it was put through as a toll road. · Captain Pelor's hotel known as "The Cross Keys" stood at the nort~1 west comer of 1\1:ain Street and Centre A venue. Town_ 1neeting~ were

NEPTUNE HousE Originally stood on Neptune Island where Neptune Park has since been laid. out.. 49 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE held here, and here it ,vas that General Lafayette ,vas entertained on August 20, 1824, ,vhile enroute to New England. This occasion is described in the chapter on Anniversary Celebrations in New Rochelle. Later this became kno,vn as the Mansion House. It was a commodious and popular hotel ,vith an extensive garden running back to Huguenot Street. It had a large ball room, which was the scene of many brilliant social even ts. The stages from Fordham brought to its doors many gay parties of summer resorters and distinguished visitors. The 1\/Iansion House ,vas the starting place, in 1842, of Cox's Tally-Ho Line of Post Coaches, ,vhich ran daily to Eastchester and to F ordhan1, connecting ,vith trains at that place for New York Citv. ~ Robert Bolton in his GUIDE TO NEW ROCHELLE in 1842 has the follo,ving to say regarding the hotel situation here: "There are several hotels which afford excellent accommoda­ tions to parties visiting New Rochelle for the amusement of fishing, the salubrity of its air, or the beauty of its scenery ... "The LeRoy House. in the town of New Rochelle, is an excellent and comfortable establishment. well suited for those who prefer the small stir of the viilage. while they are not too far removed from the banks of the Sound. I ts proprietor is Mr. Banks. "There are also two other excellent hotels in the village well n1anaged,-the Mansion House, and New RocheIIe Hotel. "The steam-boat landing. about half a mile s. w. of the village, is delightfuily situated. It is approached by a solid causeway of stone. which leads to the dock, and to a well built hotel called the Neptune House. This establishment is well situated on account of its close vicinity to the water. It stands in the center of a smail wooded island, approached by the causeway above n1entioned. At high water the scenery presented in front of the hotel is altogether unrivalled: the harbour in the fore-ground-the long surface of the waters. stretching seven miles across to Long Island; the winding streams of the creeks on each side, and Davenport's Neck and Island, around help to fill up the landscape; and in addition to the healthfulness of the spot, give it advantages which few of our watering places possess. The buildings and improven1ents on the island have been erected at the private cost of Philip Underhill, Esq. "Here also the angeler and sailor can enjoy their tastes to perfection. The accommodations are on an extensive scale, and the whole is under the excellent management of Mr. Rice. "Here all the luxuries of sea-bathing may .likewise be enjoyed, without the inconvenience of a heavy surf or publicity. "Pleasure boats and fishing tackle can also be procured on the spot."

50 STAGE COACH AND TAVERN DAYS

The Proprietor of the Neptune House announced among-other.-. accommodations, "·warm and cold salt and fresh water baths ready at all times . . . Pleasure and fishing boats for aquatic excursions, and vehicles and horses for driving or riding provided at a mo­ ment's notice." The N e,v Rochelle Hotel stood on the north side of Main Street on the present site of Liggett' s Drug Store and in Division Street. It was a comfortable hostelry w~th a double-deck veranda extending across the entire front. It was later known as Sibrey's Hotel for more than twenty years up to 1875. In earlier days this was known as Weed's Hotel. Some to,vn meetings were held here. The LeRoy House stood ,vell back from the Westchester Turnpike Road, no,v Main Street, ,vith a large grove in front, just east of Center Avenue, near the present site· of Ware's Department store. It served as the country home of Capt. Henry Fanning. It \Vas a ,vooden structure ,vith a broad portico and large airy rooms~ built about 1806. For fiftv vears from the 1830's the two most •' -' important public houses in N e,v Rochelle ,vere the Neptune House

WEED'S HOTEL Also known as New Rochelle Hotel, and later as Sibrey's Hotel. Originally stood at northeast corner of Main and Division Streets.

51.-- STAGE COACH AND TAVERN DAYS

and the LeRoy House. The LeRoy House was· the fashionable summer hotel in the village on the main street. Caroline LeRoy, a daughter of LeRoy was courted by Daniel Webster and became his second wife in 1829. She boarded at the LeRoy House a number of years before her death there on February 26, 1882. The hotel burned in 1885. A ne,v means of transportation had been slowly developing through the first half of the 19th century-the railroad. The New York and New Haven Railroad opened its line through New Rochelle on New Year's Day, January 1, 1849. The Railroad tolled the knell of the post-coach and this event marks the beginning of the ·decline of the taverns in New Rochelle. More facts will be presented about the new means of transportation in another chapter on Transportation and Communication.

LEROY HOUSE HOTEL

52 IX

Democratic Government

ODERN Ne,v Rochelle with a Coun­ M cil-lvlanager form of city govern­ ment is very different from Colonial Ne,v Rochelle ,vith its To,vn Meetings. The area of New Rochelle has remained prac­ tically the same throughout the years, ten and a half square miles. What a job it is to handle the present city· with 127 miles of streets, 161 n1iles of se,vers, the need for 94 firemen and 142 policemen, 15 school buildings, 909 fire hydrants and 17,814 registered voters. The present population of about 60,000 makes a big family for the city government to care for, especially ,vhen they live over such CITY HALL, NEw RocHELLF. an extended area. Built as a new Town Hail, 1868-1871. Let us· go back to trace the develop­ ment and changes in democratic govern­ ment in New Rochelle from the time of settlement. Unfortunately there are no records in existence before. 1699. There are other records to show that Governor Leisler of New York commissioned Andre Thauvet, of New Rochelle, a J u-stice of the Peace on December 14, 1689. Leisler took steps to establish local govern- 1nent in New Rochelle in October, 1690, by ordering an election for assessors and collectors. He was apparently interested in the collection of taxes to run the Colonial government of New York. The basis of local govern111ent was the annual town meeting at \Vhich the freeholders elected officers and governed themselves. '"fhe population being small, needs for government were few. The first extant book of To,vn Records begins ,vith the Town Meeting held December 2, 1699. It is no,v in the custody of the City Clerk. This ancient book of records, which is still very read­ able, was originally bound with ra,v hide and held together with clasps. It was printed by the City of New Rochelle in 1916, with the scattered entries in French translated into English. Copies

53 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

may be found in school and public libraries. At the annual Town Meeting in 1699, t,vo were named "for to be Surveyers about the fences in all plantations of this Place". It was their duty to see that all fences were at least four feet high at that time. The records of later To,vn Meetings, or General Assemblies as they were first called, sho,v ho,v the inhabitants, meeting as a legislative body, enacted laws ,vhich promoted the peaceable liv­ ing together of all of the people in the growing community. In 1700, an assessor and a collector of taxes, and two surveyors for the highways were elected. In 1701, the annual assembly named three men "to be town-men for to Look and menage the prudeneich affaires of the place". In 1702, by a plurality of v~tes~ Paul Beig­ noux was named "for to be record of alls our Poublik affaires and so to keep the pubiic book for the same." Isaac Dutuffeaux was thanked for having kept the records "without any cros or defect­ uosity". One hundred years later, in 1802, the Town Clerk was "hereby authorized to provide a chest or trunk for the purpose of keeping the town Books". Records of deeds for the sale of land, regulations for the division of Common Lands, ordering the laying out of highways and roads, a✓ fe,v wills and other legal items are found scattered through the To,vn Record Book. The early records show many entries concerning the animals belonging to the inhabitants. In 1708, "all the inhabitants have agreed that after the first day of next Christmas the pigs ,vill not run out of the plantations and each one will keep theirs within their property". In 1717, it was necessary to elect a Poundmaster who, the following year, was authorized "to pound" all hogs ( over three months) which ,vere not "yoked and ringed", and to fine owners who permitted their rams to run at large. At Town Meet­ ings, owners frequently recorded the "ear Marks" of their cattle. In 1745, it ,vas "agreed that ye cheeps (sheep) should not rune into the common." There are no records of government in New Rochelle during the American Revolution because Westchester County was har­ assed by the English and American armies. However, the govern­ ment ,vas resumed on June 24~ 1783, with. the first independent election "for the Regulation of said Town and carrying into execu­ tion the La,vs of the State ..." The Tovvn of New Rochelle ,vas formed. l\,Iarch 7. 1788, by Act of the State Legislature.

54 DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT

From the records follo,ving, ,ve find provisions being made for the care of the poor and the needy sick, as well as for freeing certain slaves. In 1788, ,ve learn "'Agreed by the To,vn that the sum of three pounds ten shillings be .allowed to Der. Smith for attending the sick Dutchman" and '"that the sum of fifty pounds be Raised this year for the support of the Poor". In 1799, the records state "I Hannah Pugsley . . . do . . . give my . . . Negro Woman Hannah her freedom and That_ She Shall be No Longer a Slave ..." · In the To,vn Meeting of .,April 1796, five Commissioners of Common Schools ,vere elected in accordance with the 'general school la,v of the State of N e,v York. enacted by the State Legislature in 1795. In 1813. the To,vn began electing School Inspectors as pro­ vided for in the State la,v of 1812. From the beginning, all ' To,vn Meetings ,vere held in tav­ T erns, not al ,vays in the same one. vVilliam Henderson, a public spir­ ited citizen of New Rochelle, left the Town a legacy of $1,200 for the erection of a To,vn Hall. Al­ though he died in 1812, it ,vas not until 1828 that the money ,vas received. The first Town House ,vas built on the site where the present City Hall no,v stands, and the To-,vn Meeting of the spring F .,.. H IRST .1 OWN OUSE of 1829 ,vas the first regular town Erected in 1828 on site of present City Hall. meeting held therein. A special Now it stands at 10-12 Lawton Street. meeting had been held in the new To,vn House on December 18. 1828 to accept the building and to provide for its use. The Old To,vn Hall was moved, in 1868, to Lawton Street where you may see it today (Number .10-12 Lawton Street) greatly changed in appearance. The amount of govern1nent that is needed depends upon the density of population. The greater the population the greater the demands upon the government. When a part of a to,vn in Ne"r York State has become more closely populated it has been the cus-

55 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

tom to incorporate it as a village. Population in N e,v Rochelle tended to be greater in the neighborhood of Main Street, Huguenot ·Street, and lower North A venue. During the 50' s this part of the 1"o,vn of N e,v Rochelle felt a need for a special taxing area to provide _more governmental services. Consequently a part of N e,v H.ochelle, included generally bet,veen Titus lVlill Pond on the south to a line five hundred feet north of Winyah Avenue and from the World vVar Memorial on the east side to a line just west of Drake Avenue, applied for a Village Charter during the fall of 1857. 'fhis area contained 950 acres and a population of 1,707. The appli­ cation ,vas granted on the 23rd of November, 1857, and the Village ,vas organized, officials elected, and the first meeting of the Village ,.f rustees held at the store of States Barton on January 21, 1858. The Village limits were .later enlarged to extend to the Town of Pel­ ham on the west and the To,vn of Mamaroneck on the east. It must be remembered that the Village government was sepa­ rate from the Town government, but still a part of the Town of New Rochelle. To,vn government continued during the time that the Village government ,vas operating. In other words the resi­ dents in the village portion Qf the town paid both a Town tax and a Village tax. Village meetings were held in the Town Hall after the first until 1868 when the To,vn decided to build a new Town Hall. At this time the old Town Hall was moved to 10-12 Lawton Street and the Village Trustees met in the old Hall for many years while the Town Meetings were held in the new Hall, which by the way is now the City Hall with additions. In later years the Village m~etings ,vere held .in various places and finally ,vere moved to a building on Main Street, corner of Rose Street and it was here that they held their last meeting on April 24, 1899, when the entire Town of N e,v Rochelle, including the Village of N e\-v Rochelle, became the City of New Rochelle. All of the minutes of Town Meetings, and all of the minutes of the Village Board of Trustees are in the vault at City Hall written into many large volumes. They tell a very complete story of the growth and development of our To,vn and Village. However, space ,vill not allo,v for a recital of many of these events. vVork accom­ plished .vvill be noted in many of the chapters~ The rapid growth and development of New Rochelle made. it advisable to incorporate the Town of New Rochelle into the City

56 COUNCIL-MANAGER GOVERNMENT AS IT OPE.RATES IN NE\V ROCHELLE

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ADVISORY I1-1 DIRECTOR I BOARDS I DIRECTOR DIRECTOR DIRECTOR or or or or PURCHASE PUBLIC WORKS PUBLIC SAF"E TY PUBLIC WELrARt AND SUPPLY

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UNDER - OfFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES NOTE - ALL APPOINTEES REMOVABLE AT WILLOf" APPOINTINC, POWER-SUBJECT TO SUCH CIVIL SERVICE RULES AS APPLY - HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

of N e,v Rochelle. This was accomplished by an Act of the Legis­ lature of the State of New York. During April, 1899, elections were held and City officials were selected. The first meeting of the law making body, the Board of Aldermen, was held on May 2, 1899. Thus ,vas a ne,v city with a population of about 14,000 launched. The government ,vas of the Mayor and Council type and con­ tinued until 1929, ,vhen a ne,v City Manager type of government ,vas suggested for the City. The new charter adopted by the citizens at a general election in November, 1929, by a vote of 5,650 to 3,797, became effective after the election of a new council in the fall of 1931. The charter, \,·hich is like a constitution, provides for the officers of the gov­ ernment, and states the powers and duties of the city officials. The Mayor and the Council, of which the Mayor is the presiding mem­ ber, are elected by the voters for a four year term. The Council in turn appoints the City Manager ,vho serves as long as his ser­ vices are satisfactory to the Council. The City Manager is respon­ sible for preserving peace within the City, supervising the affairs of the City and carrying out the ordinances of the City and the laws of the State. He prepares and submits the annual budget to the Council, and appoints the heads of the six Administrative De­ partments of the City ,vhich are: Finance, Law, Public Works, Public Safety, Public Welfare, and Purchase and Supply. The diagram .shows the set up of the government in our City. If you follo,v it carefully you can note the three branches of gov­ ernment: the legislative branch ,vhich makes the laws is the Coun­ cil; the executive branch which carries out the laws is headed by the City Manager and the heads of the departments; and the Judi­ cial branch which explains the laws is the City Court. i\. copy of the City Charter, ,vhich is obtainable at City Hall, will give 1nany more details of the .present government. It is important to know about the government of New Rochelle in order to be a good citizen and to vote intelligently.

58 X

Survival of French Language and Customs

EW ROCHELLE, a community settled by N French Huguenots, held in part to French customs and language until after the American Revolution and even into the 19th century. For a period of more than a century, even though surrounded by the English and Dutch, French ways persisted in this distinctive Hu­ guenot town. GRAVE STONE It is easy to understand how the Dutch, Inscribed in French for John Coutant. In the isolated as they ,vere along the Hudson River, Huguenot Burying maintained their language. It is, however, Ground. quite remarkable that the Huguenots, closely associated ,vith other nationalities, ,vere able to maintain the French tongue for such a long time in New Rochelle. "fhe earliest settlers here ,vere French, as the first deeds and other records sho,v, with the exception of John J efferd and his wife, Olive, who were English tenants of John Pell. J efferd oper­ ated a mill located near our present Main Street and Stephenson Boulevard. From a community made up almost entirely of French people let us trace briefly French influence and its gradual dis­ appearance over more than a century. The town was called upon in 1690 to nominate several candi­ dates for the office of Justice of the Peace. This ,vas most difficult because only one prominent individual could be found to meet the full requirements of appointment, "a kno,vledge. of the English tongue." Governor Leisler was notified of this condition in a letter written in French by the local pastor. The census of 1698 of New Rochelle showed forty-four families. All were French but five. Thus did the French continue to pre­ dominate in the early days of the settlement. Of the non-French, three were Dutch, one German and one English. The census of 1710 showed about the same situation. At this time there were forty-nine families of which all were French save seven, divided three Dutch, two German and two English. To show the coming

59 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE of non-French to N e\v Rochelle a century after the founding- of the community the census of 1771 sho,vs sixty-seven families of which all are French except thirty-three, of ,vhich three are Dutch, three German and t,venty-seven British. By this time .F'rench families included just a full half of the population, ,vhile non-French made up the other half. During the first three quarters of a century after the founding of the town, the French language, while losing in numbers, seems to have held its o,vn very well, despite some lack of interest in the French tongue, and contact wtih neighbors ,vho did not speak Ji""'rench. Services in the Episcopal Church in 1713 were performed in English every Third Sunday. In 1760 the Church petitioned the English Missionary Society to send them a clergyman ··com­ petently versed in the French language, that he n1ay so1netimes officiate therein for the benefit of some of our ancient people; but if this is not practicable, ,ve shall be content to have service ,vholly in the English tongue, which is by 1nost the best understood by the greatest part of the congregation." The Reverend Michael Houdin ,vas appointed by the Society to be the pastor in New Rochelle in 1761, "he being a Frenchman by birth," says the correspondence, "and capable of doing his duty to them both in the French and English language, but he is to officiate for the most part in English, that being well understood by much the greater part of the congregation." The Reverend Seabury, rector of the parish, tells the Society about the church at New Rochelle in a conununication in 1767, which in part said, that "the congregation consists of near two hundred people ... part English and part French. The French all understand English. tolerably ,vell; and except half a dozen old people in whose hands is the chief management of affairs, fully as well as they do French." The Reverend Boudin was the last French pastor sent to New Rochelle. It can be said that New Rochelle lost its real French distinction by the time of the Revolutionary War, although the French language and some French customs ,vere continued by some of the inhabitants for many years to come. Ttie teaching of French by residents of N e"v Rochelle ,vas an important· occupation. The fame of the ability of the residents

60 SURVIVAL OF FRENCH · LANGUAGE AND CUSTOMS

here to impart really good French to their scholars ,vas known far and wide. Many people sent their children here to acquire French from real French people. More is said on this subject in the chapter on Education. · In a French community it ,vould be expected that the to,vn records would have been ,vritten in French. The records before 1699 have not con1e do,vn to us, and so ,ve do not know in ,vhat language they may have been ,vritten._ The first extant tovvn meeting records are written in English; however, deeds and ,:vills included in the record book are \vritten in ~rench, in part. The first minutes of To\vn Meetings to be recorded in French are for the year 1705. From 1705 to 1737 all Town Meeting Minutes are recorded in French except for a special meeting held in December. 1714. .L.\fter 1737 there are no To,vn lVIeeting Minutes in French. English and French are used at various tin1es for various entries on the To,vn Record Book during the period of 1705 to 1737 during­ ,vhich ti1ne minutes ,vere kept exclusively in French. There are very fe,v entries in French in the Reco!d Book after 1737. The records of the Non-Conformist church organization are all in French, and they go as late as 1764. Today a fe,v reminders of the French language can still he seen. In the Huguenot Burying Ground at the south,vest corner of Division Street and Union A venue there are a fe,'\r g-rave stones inscribed in French. The stones still extant are those of Isaac Coutant. ,vho died in 1747, Susanne Landrin. ,vho passed on in 1750 and John Coutant whose grave stone is illustrated. Perhaps there ,vere once stones with French inscriptions bearing later dates. but thev., do not exist todav., . The Reverend Hague in his book entitled LIFE NOTES says~ "At the opening of the 19th century, the French language, spoken in purity and elegance, still lived as the vernacular of homelife in N e,v Rochelle . . . ,,..\ fe,v ,vho ,vere the children at that period are yet living. and remember the ladies ... like Mary Beslie. ,vho had the younger children of the family circle, ... each in turn. take a lesson on the different spellings of French ,vords that sound alike.~' Thus do ,ve find the use of French declining in our little French settlement. Each year fe,ver and fewer kept up the old 6t HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

tongue for general use. Still it ,vas used in the home an

62 XI

Revolutionary War

HE run1blings of discontent throughout the T colonies, regarding England's treatment of An1erica occasionally came to the attention of the fe,v hundred people inhabiting New Rochelle in the 1770's. It did not_ seem very real to them~ ho,vever, because definite news reached them

GEoRGE WAsHINGToN slo,vly even though they were located on the Boston Post Road. But it was this very loca­ tion that gave then1 a real chance to realize that a long struggle ,vas ahead of them ,vhen George vVashington, "\vho had just been selected by the Continental Congress to be General and Com­ mander-in-Chief of the Continental army, passed through the to,vn on June 27, 1775. General Washington, on his ,vay to take command of the army at Cambridge, Massachusetts, stopped for a short time in N e,v Rochelle to confer on military matters. From then on the inhabitants of the to,vn ,vere ,var conscious.

To be sure the inhabitants had been infor111ed by a rider from New· England of the Battles of Lexington and Concord. A Com­ mittee of Safety for Westchester County ,vas organized and Apraham Guion of N e,v Rochelle ,vas appointed chairman of the subcommittee, ,vhich included N e,v Rochelle, and had many prominent names on the list. .A.. grave stone still to be seen in the Huguenot Burying Ground carries this inscription, "In mem­ ory of Abraham Guion. Esq. ,vho died in· January 1799 aged 80 years". Another n1en1ber ,vas one Comfort Sands. ,vho had very recently come from N" ew York. He had taken an active part in the demonstrations of the Sons of Libertv and ,vas well known to Joseph Drake, the Supervisor of the To,vn. Yes, and in April of 1776, General Washington, the hero of the Boston Campaign, re­ turned from N e,v England on his ,vay to fortify New York City against expected British attack. Ne", Rochelleans then became interested in current events and every few days brought them ne"\\7 and interesting developments in the struggle ,vith Britain. Joseph Drake, ,vho had recently retired from business in N e,v York City and had come to N e\v Rochelle to iive in 1770. quickly

63 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

gained political favor and ,vas elected as Supervisor of the Town in 1774. He was captain of a company in the Nlilitia in 1775. and during the same year he ,vas promoted to be Colonel of the First Regiment of Westchester County Militia. Colonel Drake was the most important man in town at the outbreak of hostilities. Not only ,vas he the head of the local govern1nent as Supervisor. but he had charge of military affairs in this area as head of the militia regiment. In August of 1776 ,ve find Colonel Drake engaged in protecting the area from plundering. He ,vas active in guarding­ against a surprise landing of the British~ if they atten1pted to reach the rear of General Washington's arn1y. Lewis Pintard, a Ne"v York City merchant. ,vho had come to N e,v Rochelle to live in 1774~ ,vas appointed in the early part of the war by General Washington as Commissary for American Prisoners in New York. He rendered valuable service to the .A.merican cause for ,vhich he ,vas. by General \Vashington. co1n­ mended. This fact is noted on a bronze placque to be seen on his former house-now the manse of the First Presbyterian Church on Pintard Avenue. The bringing of the first submarine to N e,v Rochelle in Octo­ ber. 1776, as noted in Hufeland's "Westchester County During- the ...A .. merican Revolution", is extremely interesting. It ,vas a machine invented by a Mr. Bushnell. of Connecticut. It was intended to be used to blow up British ships. The machine. which ,vorked under water. "conveyed a magazine of po,vder. ,vhich was to be fixed under the keel of the ship, then freed from the machine. and left with clockwork going. ,vhich ,vas to produce fire when the machine got out of the ,vay." The machine ,vas brought by boat from Connecticut as far as Ne,,,. Rochelle and then conveved overland to the Hudson River. It did not ,vork verv successfullv ~ ag-ainst British ships. and it ,vas to be many years before the idea came to fruition. N e,v Rochelle had a very important prisoner at the beg-inning­ of the Revolution. Frederick Philipse. ,vho o,vned all of the land along the Hudson River from Spuyten Duyvil now in Ne"~ York City to the Croton River above Ossining, · ·was, according to his petition, dated Nov. 29. 1776, held a prisoner here. - Quoting from the petition: ". . . on the ninth day of August last. j,our: memor:· REVOLunoNARY WAR ialist was by order . . . taken in custody at his own house [ still standing in Yonkers] and immediately sent prisoner from thence to New Rochelle, where he was closely confined for eleven days and thence removed to the State of Connecticut." New Rochelle played its part in the obstruction of the East River between the Grand Battery and Governor's Island. The N e\v York Convention meeting at Harlem on August 17, 1776, empowered General Morris "to purchase a sloop belonging to Jesse Hunt, at New Rochelle, and to order the same to be ... immed­ iately delivered . . . at New York, loaded ,vith stone." This ,vas a part of the American attempt to keep the British from moving up the Sound. The Westchester campaign of 1776 is closely connected ,vith N evv Rochelle in several ,vays. Let us first follow the plans of the American army under General \Vashington, and then follo,v the British frotn N e,v York City to N e,v Rochelle. General Washington, after he ,vas defeated at the Battle of Long Island, retired ,vith his ar1ny to Manhattan Island. He was

CoLONEL JosEPH DRAKE's HousE, WITH LATER ADDITIONS Northwest corner of Pelham Road and Drake Avenue. Used by the British as a temporary hospital after the Battle of White Plains, r 776 Destroyed by fire December, 1925.

65 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE unable to hold N e,v York City because the British had command of the ,vaters surrounding the territory-East 'River and Long Island Sound on the east, and the Hudson River on the ,vest. After the American victory in the Battle of Harlem Heights on Sept­ ember 16, 1776, General vVashington planned to concentrate his 111en and supplies at White Plains. The latter place ,vas easy to fortify because of the topography of the country. .,Accordingly the Americans, with extreme difficulty because of a lack of transport wagons, gradually moved through the County along the ,vest side of the Bronx River, arriving at vVhite Plains from the 23rd of October until the tin1e of the Battle of White Plains on the 28th. The British plan ,vas to extend a line of communication across Westchester Countv from N e,v Rochelle on the sound. bY - . - ,vay of White Plains, to Tarrytovvn on the Hudson. They hoped to cut off the retreat of the Americans from New York City and effect their capture and thus bring the Revolution to a summary con­ clusion. If this could have been done the British would then have had free use of the Hudson River and communication could have been established by then1 from New York City to Canada. Thus could the colonies soon have been brought to submission to the Crown. But the Brit­ ish were to fail. To follo,v their plan the British at­ tempted a landing at Throgg's N eek on the 12th of October, but they ,vere repulsed by the Americans under Colonel Hand, using a ,vood pile as a protection at the causeway over vV estchester Creek. After a rest of nearly a ,veek General Howe crossed over to the far side of Eastchester Bay. but in GENERAL SIR WILLIAM HowE attempting to follo,v Split Rock Road he Commander of British Forces in America. Had his head­ ,vas fired upon by the Americans under quarters in New Rochelle, Colonel Glover from behind stone walls that October, 1776. lined the road near Split Rock. Thus was he delayed. and after due consideration an advanced guard ,vas 1noved into N e,v Rochelle follo,ving the Ba.ttle of Pelham on the 18th of October. General Ho,ve, Commander-'in-Chief of the British forces moved the main army into N e,v Rochelle on the 21st of October, and took up headquarters in the Pugsley House, located

66 REVOLUTIONARY WAR on North Avenue in \vhat is now Beechmont, nearly opposite the present Senior High School. Here he remained for three days, ,vith the main portion of the British army encamped along the '·Road to White Plains" now called North Avenue. He had out­ posts in Eastchester, lVIamaroneck and Scarsdale. Let us now look at New Rochelle and note the events that took place there during the British occupation. Civil government ceased upon the arrival of the British, and it appears to have re­ mained dormant until after the war in 1783. As the British entered N e,v Rochelle, they came upon a church filled with salt. In a letter ,vritten at N e,v HaYen, Connecticut, dated October 23, 1776~ is the following description: "The enemy [British] have extended themselves this way [ toward Connecticut] as far as N e,v Rochel, and small parties of them have advanced as far as Marrineck. In one of the churches at N evv Rochel was stored more· than two thousand bushels of salt, ,vhich has fallen into the hands of the enemy (the British). It ,vas o,vned by the State of Ne,v York." A British officer ,vriting to a friend in London said: ". . . As to

GENERAL S1R WILLIAM HoWE's HEADQUARTERS Established at the Pugsley House, New Rochelle, October, 1776. Formerly stood on North Avenue opposite Senior High School.

67 l lISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

provisions they [ the Rebel army] have been pretty ,vell supplied; more care has been taken of their bellies than their backs. But we have lately made a prize that must distress them exceedingly, no less than church full of salt; so that the poor Yankees literally won't have salt to their porridge." This event is supposed to have taken place at the stone church erected in 1710. In General Howe's Orders issued on the 23rd of October, "The Provost Guard is fixed at the Church in New Rochelle." Here ,vas the British military jail during their occupation of New R-ochelle. General Howe issued military orders from his headquarters at the Pugsley House on October 22, 23 and 24. The original orderly books can still be seen as preserved in the library of the

New York Historical. Societv._, On the 22nd, "Salt will be issued to the Troops ( at the rate of a bushel per Regiment) this Day at Noon, at Head Quarters, to make Use of ,vith their fresh Pro­ visions. The Quarter Masters of Corps to apply immediately for it." On the 24th General Ho,ve directs that "one vVaggon Load of Onions for each Regiment ,vill be immediately issued at Mam­ aroneck." In "After Orders, 9 O'clock at Night" on October 24th General Howe notes: "Tents to be struck to-morrow morning at 6 o'clock; the Baggage to be Loaded, and the Army to be ready to march at Seven, in two Columns by the right . . ." This order caused the movement of the main portion of the British army fron1 N e,v Rochelle on October 25th, preparatory to participating in the Battle of vVhite Plains on October 28th. While the British Army lay encamped at N e,v Rochelle, they ,vere reinforced by the arrival of Lieutenant-General Knyphausen. ,vho landed on Davenport N eek ,vith 8,000 men on October 22nd. He remained in town for about a ,veek. Never again was N e,v Rochelle to have so many visitors all at once until Decen1ber. 1917. during the "\i\Torld War ,vhen the city ,vas s,van1ped with thousands BARON KNYPHAUSEN of recruits for the American army that could Comander of the Hessians, in New Rochelle, 1776. not be accommodated at Fort Slocum. New Rochelle was under martial law vvhile the British occu­ pied the town and the inhabitants were not free to move about as

68 REVOLUTIONARY WAR usual. It happened that Mrs. Coutant, an elderly lady, died at this time in the Coutant ho~~tead located on Eastchester Road on the south side and west and down the hill from present Web­ ster Avenue. The military authorities would not allow her burial to be made in the cemetery in the main portion of the town, and it became necessary to bury her in a corner of the farm, near East­ chester Road and Webster Avenue. A grave stone has since been erected to her memory in what is now called Coutant Cemetery on the same site. Rev. Lewis J. Coutant, in his reminiscences on New Rochelle history, tells an amusing incident connected with the activities of the Hessian women camp followers here in New Rochelle. The surrounding country suffered much from the soldiery and camp followers. The Coutant family, by reason of their proximity to the army, had their share. The live stock of every kind disap­ peared, while the granaries and barns were speedily emptied of their contents. While the soldiery were engaged in this external department of plunder, the Hessian women ransacked the houses from kitchen to garret in quest of food, clothing or any article that might seefl1: of use to them. So frequent were their visits that even the meat and vegetables were taken from the pot in the process of cooking. At length Isaac Coutant was compelled to apply to General Knyphausen for protection, since his farnily were in danger of starvation. A stalwart Highlander was detailed to guard the premises. Hardly had he entered upon his duty ,vhen one of these female harpies entered the house, and, ,vith meat hook in hand, made her way, as usual, to the dinner pot suspended over the fire. But as she stooped to raise the lid the soldier dealt her a blow with the flat of his sword which materially interfered with her investigations, and when she arose in wrath and advanced upon him with the meat-hook (without giving the countersign) he dealt her another thwack with his broadsword ,vhich sent her staggering to the floor, from which she retreated in the direction of the camp. Such were illustrations of life in N e,v Rochelle dur­ ing military occupation.

The Americans under General Washington were making every effort to get their army and supplies moved from New York City to White Plains. At the same time they thre,v up earthworks at

69 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE many places along the Bronx River to guard against possible British attempts to move from the N e,v Rochelle area westward across the county. General \Vashington ,vas at a great disadvant­ age because he had no maps and had never been to White Plains. Accordingly Colonel Rufus Putnam, Chief Engineer of the Amer­ ican army, ,vas sent out on the 20th of October and acted the role of a spy. He ,vanted to obtain information in regard to the British and to make a map of this territory. He took the road to N e,v R.ochelle instead of one to v\Thite Plains and came into view of a house occupied by a British guard. However, he found out that a large British force was in N e,v Rochelle, and that a large quantity of .A.n1erican stores was at White Plains guarded by only 300 militia. \\Tith this information at hand General Washington was enabled to proceed in such fashion as to save the American army and to come out victorious in the Westchester Campaign.

So close ,ve_re the American and British armies operating that little conflicts occasionally took place. However, for the most part

PART OF AN OLD MAP Showing "Headquarters for Tories During the Revolution·· in New Rochelle. Site now on Congress Street just west of Fifth Avenue.

70 REVOLUTIONARY WAR each was desirous of getting into good position and thus the British allowed a number of good chances to attack the Americans to go unchallenged. When the British entered New Rochelle, however, they caught up with the baggage of two American officers, ·General Lee and Captain Alexander Hamilton, which they took. The greatest loss suffered by the Americans was the salt taken by the British at New Rochelle as noted before.

Now let us turn to look at New Rochelle after the retirement of the invading forces at which time the town became a part of the so called Neutral Ground. New Rochelle had many Tories and was thus divided in allegiance. On a map of the Peter's farm, drawn in 1846, there is noted the location of "Headquarters For Tories during the Revolution." The site is out Fifth Avenue on the west side of Congress Street near the far end. The accompany­ ing map shows its origi~al location. At the time of the Revolu­ tion the house was owned by James Pitcher, who described him­ self as "Commissary of the Musters of his Majesty's forces in North America." The only approach to this house was by a long narrow lane from North Avenue, which gave it the privacy de­ manded for such a purpose. While no records of what happened are extant, it is reasonable to su1_)pose that here in a house sur­ rounded by many trees, meetings were held, Tory bands left for marauding expeditions, and recruiting was done for the British army. The house disappeared long ago.

New Rochelle as a part of the Neutral Ground was open to raids by bands from both sides and life was miserable indeed. Dur­ ing this time, a story is told by Charles Pryer in his book entitled REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD WESTCHESTER HOME­ STEAD on page 40. Mr. Pugsley, the owner of the house which the British had recently occupied as headquarters, had a large sum of money ~ecreted in or near the house. Accordingly the skinners, anxious to get the money, made a trip to the Pugsley House and demanded the money from the old gentleman. He refused to give up the money or to tell where it was hidden. After several attempts to torture him they decided to put a rope around the neck of his fifteen-year old daughter and suspended her in mid air. Fortunately a colored servant had observed the happenings and sent for help. After a little skir1nish in ,vhich one of the skinners lost his life

71 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE the others were forced to leave. The young lady was brought down to earth and after much care was restored to life and health. Such were the fortunes and lives of those who braved the lawless­ ness that characterized the Neutral Ground. Davenport N eek seems to have been a favorite landing place for the whaleboatmen, who came down from the southern part of Connecticut on foraging expeditions along the shores.

Upon one occasion a party of ,vhaleboatmen, consisting of some half dozen persons, landed at Davenport N eek, and went over to the Ferris Tavern which was run by a Tory. This house was located on a high rocky bluff on ,vhat is now Pelham Road, between Alpha Place and Echo Avenue.

From the elevated position of Ferris Tavern overlooking the creek which was known as Ferris Creek, the party of whaleboat­ men were taken prisoners by surprise by a group of outlaws. Among the whaleboatmen was a man named Smith, and among the raiding party there was a man named Merritt, known as the one-handed Shube Merritt. By the accidental discharge of a gun he had lost part of one forearm, but when he rested his gun on the mutilated member he was a formidable enemy. Of the robbers that infested the lower part of the County, Merritt was among the most feared, the most bloodthirsty and the most relentless.

Merritt, it would seem, owed Smith a grudge on account of some former difficulty between them, and had s,vorn that he would shoot Smith if he ever caught him. Now that Merritt had Smith in this party at the Ferris Tavern he accordingly proceeded to carry his threat into execution. Merritt's party remonstrated against the unsoldierly act of shooting a prisoner of ,var; but Mer­ ri-tt persisted in his design. However, Merritt remarked that he would give Smith some chance of escape; for if his gun should snap three times in succession, he would spare Smith's life for that time. Merritt took deliberate aim at his victim, and tried the experiment. Once-twice-three times his gun did snap successively; where­ upon Merritt's party interfered, and ,vith difficulty restrained him from any further attempts of violence against the life of Smith. After some further delay by parleying the prisoners were released. and both parties ·went their way.

72 REVOLUTIONARY WAR

The whole affair is an illustration of the terrible conditions that existed in the Neutral Ground. Such disorder continued for the years of the war without any competent authorities to restrain them, so that force, and force only, ruled. .

With the civil government not existing, with churches closed, with money, silverware and pewter hidden, with continuous stealing and murder being committed just one more story of la,vlessness in New Rochelle will be given to bring to a close a picture of the conditions in the Neutral Ground.

In the Genealogy of the De Veaux Family by De Voe, this story of Jeremiah Schureman is given. Schureman, a ,vell-to-do farmer, lived in upper New Rochelle at the outbreak of the Revo­ lution. He o,vned some very fine cattle which attracted the atten­ tion of the Cow-Boys soon after the war started. One night they stole his best horses and got away with them unnoticed. The next morning Schureman, by the tracks, traced the location of the horses and brought them home just as they ,vere about to be sold and taken south for the use of the army. This apparently angered the thieving desperadoes, who beca111e more bold during the British occupation of the town, and they later visited Schure­ man's farm, but the hurried hoofs of the cattle aroused him, and he hastily arose from his bed and opened the upper half of the door. He saw at least one of the thieves ,vhom he knew, and he said, "I know you, boys; I'll report you tomorro,v." At the same moment one of the scoundrels fired his musket at him and shot him down at his door, where he died a few moments later. This was a terrible blow to his wife and young family of five children. Some of you may think that, while ,var is terrible today, the Revolutionary War was glorious. Perhaps it was, but these stories have been included to give you a picture of New Rochelle at the time of the Revolution and. to show that the struggle for Inde­ pendence was really a war with its many horrors.

General Heath, in command of the American forces in West­ chester County, pursuant to General Washington's request that an attack be made upon New York City, ordered General Wooster to make headquarters at New Rochelle in January, 1777. General HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

vV ooster n1arched fron1 N e,v l{ochelle, do,vn the Boston Post Road, to,vard N e,v York City in connection ,vith a general attack upon the fortifications there on the 17th. The attack in general ,vas not very successful. _-\. big rain storm on the 24th drenched the militia and damaged their po,vder. Consequently, when a heavy snow storm appeared in1minent on the 29th, General Heath ordered General Wooster back to his previous camp in N e,v Ro­ chelle. A committee of the Convention of the State of New York met to consider what action should be taken in light of the failure of General Heath just noted above, the expiring enlistinents of the 1nilitia, and the boldness of the Tories in foraging the county. It was decided on the 6th of February, 1777, to raise more troops and "to destroy all the forage and Grain to the south,vard of the Post Road from New Rochelle to Eastchester . . . "

General David Wooster ,vrites: "N e,v R.ochele, Feby 21st, 1777. It please Your Excellency (General Washington): I take this opportunity to acquaint Your Excellency, that since General Heath's departure to Boston, I have taken· Post at this place ,vith seven hundred men exclusive of officers ... T,vo 111en of ,var lay continually off this place; and at Fort Independence, and Kings­ bridge, according to the best intelligence I can collect, from de­ serters and other ways; there are about t,velve hundred men or more in that quarter who are endeavoring to forage this way but we have hitherto disappointed them, and drove then1 back with empty carriages. This country is very much infested ,vith our Tory Enemies, who use their utmost dilligence, both by night and day to carry provisions, etc., to the enemy. I am taking every precaution in my power to preYent and detect them in their In­ fan1ouss Practices. The troops here under my command are en­ listed only to the 15th of March next; during which time I shall do everything in my po"\ver to defend this part of the country; tho under the greatest disadvantages possible. .A.s General Heath after our inglorious expedition to,vards Kings bridge, ordered all Field Pieces to Peeks-kill so that I have only small guns to oppose ,vhatever the Enemy may bring against tne ·.... "

74 REVOLUTIONARY WAR

General \Vooster \vrote another let­ ter two davs later to the Committee of ,.I Convention in Westchester County, tell- ing them of conditions in the New Ro­ chelle area. "fhe letter begins: ··Head­ quarters, N e,v-Rochelle, 23d Feby, 1777" and in part it says: •• ... that without an imn1ediate reinforcement shall be unable to effect it ( Destroying forage), or even GENERAL DAvm WooSTER to maintain 1ny post here ... I cannot n1uster more than six hundred n1en. i\ body of the enemy are actually fonned on Long Island, in order to attack us from the ,vater, vvhilst the rangers come against us from the fort; and on Thursday night last actually landed about 300 men on the New City island for that purpose, ,vhen a party from the fort came up, attacked one of our advanced posts, fired a house, etc. but by the vigilance of my troops ,vere detected, ,vhich, in such case, you kno,v is a defeat, they retreated ,vithout executing their design. I am determined to sacrifice everything for the salvation of my coun­ try; but to expose and sacrifice my troops ,vithout a reasonable prospect of doing essential service ,vould be deemed rashness and folly. I have already acquainted you, I again repeat it, that unless I have an immediate reinforce1nent of at least five or six hundred men I shall think it unsafe to remain here. You ask me to fix the day of general conflagration of Tory forage; as I am unable to furnish a sufficient party for the purpose without too n1uch weak­ ening my arn1y and endangering the ,vhole, must defer fixing the day until I shall be reinforced sufficiently for the purpose; which I trust your zeal and ardor in the cause, the pressing necessity and the honour as ,vell as safety of your State, ,vill not permit to he delayed a 1110111ent."

Since help ,vas not forthco1ning, General Wooster made his threat good by giving up his position in N e,v Rochelle; and re­ treated east,vard to Rye a couple of days after ,vriting the above letter. General Washington later criticized vVooster's action.

New Rochelle ,vas not entirely ,vithout a battle during the Revolutionary War. On August 5, 1779~ the Boston Post Road, from a point a little east of the present Huguenot School to the

7S HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Mamaroneck town line and beyond, ,;vas the. scene of an important skirmish. It would seem that the Americans had surprised the British quarters, taken some prisoners, and made away. In con­ sequence of this, the British, under Lieutenant-Colonel Simcoe, Commander of the Queen's Rangers, along with some cavalry and infantry, left Kingsbridge in the middle of the night in an attempt to overtake the Americans and the Loyalists whom they had taken. The advanced guard of the British overtook Colonel Anthony Walton White, who commanded the Americans, at Ne,v Rochelle. Let us now examine the position which the Americans took at New Rochelle in order to meet the enemy. Colonel White placed his infantry behind the stone wall along the Post Road a little \Vest of opposite the present World War Memorial, to hold back the British until he could withdra,v cavalry across the bridges to the height of land beyond, bordering the present Old Post Road and on top of the hill near the junction with the present Petersville Road. This vvas a very good position as it commanded the Post Road, and it was impossible for the British to approach that point in any other way than by frontal attack. If you will glance at the picture of Crystal Lake you will see that the Post Road at that point, at that time, was flanked on one side by Crystal Lake and on the other by the Sound. The Post Road was carried on a cause,vay ,vith bridges over the overflow streams from Crystal Lake .

...~ t first Colonel Simcoe believed that the Americans had a larger force at Mamaroneck, but he soon learned frotn a Refugee, who had escaped fron1 the Americans, that they were unsupported. The British receiving fire from behind the stone wall and from the hill beyond attempted to make a frontal attack. In the meantime Colonel Simcoe, who could procure no guide, tried to get information COLONEL JOHN GRAVES SIMCOE Commanded British in a fight of any collateral road, by which, without at New Rochelle. passing the bridge, he could pursue the enemy, but he could find none, as there was no other way. Quot­ ing from Simcoe's Journal he says: "It was obvious that there ,~,ould be little probability of cutting off White's fatigued cavalry, unless the fire of the infantry could be passed; Lt. Col. Simcoe

76 REVOLUTIONARY WAR attempted to rush past it, hoping that the enemy's confusion and their position close to the road, would, as the event justified, hurry them to give their fire obliquely; unluckily, it was fatal on the most essential point; four Huzzars, and five horses, being either killed or disabled in the front, which "\Vas checked; and, at the same time, from some unknown cause, the rear moved about, and con­ fusion reached to the center. Lt. Col. Simcoe, in this disorder, or­ dered Captain Diemar, who commanded an independent troop of H uzzars, which followed the Queen's Rangers, to pass the ,vall in pursuit of the enemy's infantry who had fled from it; he did so; and Captain James, with his troop, and others of the Legion _followed him ______" Colonel Simcoe'·s attempt to carry the American's main position failed because he was unable to make a successful frontal attack upon them. The British cavalry pursued the Americans to Byram's bridge at Port Chester but ,vere unable to overtake them. Ho\vever. the British succeeded in rescuing some more of the Loyalists. Thus did Colonel White, in face of a much superior force, give

;ir..-.;-~~;.;u·,' . , .. : . -v,:. ··:<··/ . . ·~. ,• -~ _::,· __.: ..

SITE OF A BATTLE IN NEW ROCHELLE Fought on August 5, 1779. Old Boston Post Road up hill from present Main Street to Petersville Road. Picture taken in 1906.

77- HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

fight to the British in N e,v Rochelle and at the same time 1nake good his retreat east,vard beyond the Byram RiYer and not have any of his n1en captured. Tradition has it that blood stains were visible on the rocks at the scene of the battle, and also that hvo of the ,vounded ..A.mericans were cared for bv Dr. Nich­ olas Bailey. "·ho lived just over the line in Mama­ roneck. These two \\rounded soldiers later died and ,vere buried on the north side of the Post Road near the N e,v Rochelle-l\'1a!llaroneck boundary line. COL. A'.\;"THO~Y The British in N e,v York. sent out their ,vagons WALTO~ WHITE Commanded the the next day to take back their soldiers who had American forces been killed in the battle. It was said that the nu111- in a fight at New Roche1le. her of British killed was sixteen, but there is no account of the number wounded. The An1ericans had t,vo killed and two severely ,vounded ,vho later died making a total of four A.mericans killed in the skirmish.

General \Vashington in cooperation ,vith General Rochan1- beau of the French forces in America decided to make a combined attack upon N evv York City in the summer of 1781. Accordingly the two armies joined at a point near Ardsley in vV estchester County and plans for a Grand Reconnaissance ,yere perfected. The combined armies spread from New Rochelle on the east a11 the ,vay over to the Hudson River. This gave the1n control of all of the roads leading from N evv York City, ,vhere the British had been stationed since the beginning of the active ,varfare in this section in 1776. On the night of July 21, 1781, a force of 5.000 started for,vard to N e,v York City follo,ving all of the 111ain roads. General \Vaterbury. from the neighborhood of N e,v Rochelle. marched do,vn the easterly side of the county to Eastchester and on to N elv· York. He ,vas ordered to post "an ambuscade of a subaltern and t,venty men-on the side of the road leading from New Rochelle to Eastchester-with orders to apprehend all per­ sons going to,vard Kingsbridge." While the French soldiers vvere ~tationed in YN' estchester County they ,vere apparently anxious to see Ne,v Rochelle. ,vhich had been built in part by the Rocheloi~. In Claude Blanchard's Journal (he ,vas commissary of the French auxiliary army sent to the United States during the American

78 REVOLUTIONARY WAR

Revolution) he says: "Our arn1y ,vas pretty near to it (N e,v Rochelle) in 1781 and several of our officers ,vent to it." i\t last the ,var ,vas over, peace had arrived, and N e,v York City had been evacuated by the British on November 25, 1783. Then it ,vas that on the 22nd of December, 1783, a To,vn meeting ,vas held at the home of Gilbert Brush in N e,v Rochelle '"in per­ suance of an Ordinance of the Council appointed by the act of Legislature entitl~d an act to provide for the temporary Govern­ ment of the Southern part of this State ,vhenever the enemy shall abandon or be Disposest of the same ..." a To,vn meeting had been held in June at ,vhich time a partial slate of officers had been elected. Local government was gradually reestablished. N e,v Rochelle ,vas returning to normalcy, but it had been hard hit. and it took time to recover. This is shown in a letter quoted in Brissot de Warville's NEW TRAVELS IN THE UNITED STATES OF .AlVIERICA as follo,vs: "From Horseneck we passed to Ne,v Ro­ che11e. a colony founded the last century by some French etn i­ grants. ,vhich appears not to have prospered. Perhaps the appear­ ance results from the last ,var; for this place suffered much from the neighborhood of the English. ,vhose headquarters were at N e,v York . . ." Independence had been ,von and N e,v Rochelle ,vas to prosper. During the War there had been many ,vho had espoused the British side. The Continentals visited severe punishment upon tnany of them, either driving them out of to,vn, doing them in­ jury or confiscating their property. Others ,vere more fortunate. A.mong those who lost their property ,vere DeVeaux. Cornwell, de St. Croix and Gidney. The farm belonging to the first of these ,vas presented by the State of N e,v York to Thomas Paine for his im­ minent services to the young republic. So ,ve find that after the smoke of battle had cleared there ,vere ne,v o,vners for some of the farms in our town. Some of the old faces were not seen after the ,var: either they had been killed ; they had moved a,vay to a ·safer place and never had returned, or they had been driven away. N e,v faces came in to take up. the confiscated property. With the healing of the scars of war, people ,vere attracted to the to,vn and the population gradually increased, although ,vhen the first Federal census was taken in 1790 N e,v Rochelle had a population of only 690 people.

79 XII George Washington in New Rochelle EORGE vVASH­ G INGTON never spent a night in New Rochelle. He ,vas, how­ ever, our most distin­ guished visftor. Indeed he traveled up and do,vn the old Boston Post Road several times before, dur­ ing, and after the Revo- 1utionary War. Washington believed in standing up for his rights. During the French War he maintained that colonial military officers should be recognized as equal in rank to British officers. To prove his point he made a long trip from Virginia to Boston GENERAL GEORGE W ASffiNGTON to put the facts before As he appeared during the Revolution. Governor Shirley. It ,vas on this trip that he met Polly Philipse in New York City. Tradi­ tion says that she refused his hand in marriage. Moving eastward he passed through N e,v Rochelle toward Massachusetts. After getting his military rank approved by the Governor, he probably returned to his home by ,vay of the Post Road through N e,v Rochelle. The most important visit of Washington to our to,vn ,vas at the beginning of the trouble with England, ,vhich led to open ,var­ fare. The Continental Congress, realizing the danger~ appointed George Washington to be General and Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial forces. After receiving his commission fro1n Congress, General Washington started out from Philadelphia to take com­ mand of the Continental army, which at that time was at Cam­ bridge, Massachusetts.

80 GEORGE WASHINGTON IN NEW ROCHELLE

On 1'uesday, June 27, 1775, General Washington reached New Rochelle, escorted by Generals Charles Lee and Philip Schuyler. General Schuyler had received a part of his early education in a school here, and may have recalled pleasant memories of earlier days. The Commander-in-Chief \Vas met here by General Wooster's and Colonel Waterbury's regiments. It appears that these gentle- 111en conferred briefly here in town, perhaps at a tavern near the church, or at Besly's tavern, before continuing the trip eastward. They probably spoke about military matters and General Washing­ ton \vas probably interested in the military strength that could be sho-\vn in this vicinity. There is little doubt that the coming of such an important body of 111en in unifonn made a great impression on our con1- 1nunity. By the ti111e that they left tolvn, ,vithout doubt, quite a number of people had gathered to bid them Godspeed and suc­ cess. The next

governn1ent \Vas established under a Constitution vvhich ,ve still re­ spect and honor today. Because of \tVashington's ability and n1erit, he \vas unanimously chosen to be the first President of the United States. From his executive mansion in the first capitol, New York City, he decided to make a tour of the Eastern States. This trip ,vas made to help unite and bring the states into closer harmony. The route of this trip brought President George vVashington through N e,v Rochelle on October 15, 1789. At this time he ,vas keeping a diary and in this record he ,vrote: "Thursday, 15th. Commenced n1y journey about 9 o'clock for Boston and a tour through the Eastern States ... We arrived at ... a tavern at Kings-Bridge, ,vhere we, that is, l\1ajor Jackson, Mr. Lear and n1yself, with six ~ervants, which composed my retinue, dined. After dinner, through frequent light sho,:vers \Ve proceed'd to the Tavern of a Mrs. Haviland at Rye; who keeps a very neat and decent Inn. The road for a greater part, indeed the ,vhole way, ,vas very rough and stoney ... The distance of this day's travel ,vas 31 miles, in vvhich we passed through ( after leaving the Bridge) East Chester, New Rochelle, and Mamaroneck; but as these places ( though they have houses of worship in then1) are not 1.;egularly laid out, they are scarcely to be distinguished from the intermed- 1ate. f arms ...,, After visiting N evv England President Washington returned by way of the Post Road through New Rochelle on November 13th. This, so far as we knovv, is the last time that the father of our country honored us by his presence here. New Rochelle has never forgotten the times that George Washington was here. To prove this fact a monument was erected in our city to indicate the old Boston Post Road. It ,vas placed in Faneuil Park, east Main and Huguenot Streets, and the inscrip­ tion reads: "Over this road . . . General Washington hastened to take command of the American Army at Cambridge in 1775 ..." This memorial \Vas dedicated by Huguenot Chapter, Daughters of the Revolution, State of N e,v York, on May 31, 1909. This is one instance of the perpetuation of the memory of the man who made _.t\merican Independence possible. Tvvo hundred years after the birth of George vVashington New Rochelle held a big birthday anniversary celebration. \Vash-

82 GEQRGE WASHINGTON IN NEW ROCHELLE

ington ,vas born February 22, 1732, and so in the year 1932 our city celebrated, through the guidance of the New Rochelle Bi­ centennial Commission, by having many meetings and programs in his honor. These are told about in a report which they pub­

lished at the conclusion of the anniversarv._, At this time thirteen trees ,vere planted in Davenport Park, on Davenport N eek, in honor of Washington's interest in trees and because of his great part in uniting the thirteen colonies into the United States. A great boulder ,vas set up with a bronze tablet placed upon it. It reads: "These thirteen trees planted by the George Washington Bicentennial Con1mission of New Rochelle in honor of the Thirteen Colonies of the United States of America. May 5, 1932."

Ne,v Rochelle has always honored the memory of George Washington. His death ,vas received everJnvhere with deepest regret. It occasioned n1any funeral orations throughout the length and breadth of the land. Most of them have been lost. However, the one in New Rochelle ,vas printed and has been preserved for us. The news of the death of Washington spread very rapidly for those days, and on January 1, 1800, only two weeks later, Samuel Bayard, Esq. delivered a funeral oration. It was given in the Episcopal Church, located near the site of present Trinity, at New Rochelle. Bayard, vvho ,vas the Presiding Judge of Westchester County, received thanks for his excellent oration, and was asked for a copy for printing. Washington had appointed Bayard to carry out some of the provisions of the Jay Treaty, and thus his interest in honoring Washington's memory. · Today ,vhen ,ve travel along Huguenot Street, the former old Boston Post Road, ,ve see a very different New Rochelle from that as seen by Washington. Ho,vever, there is just one object re1naining that ,vas passed and repassed by him. It stands as a tie between the days of Washington and ours, it is the 23rd Mile­ stone. This milestone vvas. erected in Colonial times to mark distance on the main high,vay. It is still preserved in nearly its original position in the foundation of the Lambden Building at the south ,vest corner of Huguenot and La,vton Streets. This old red stone that has endured so long still reads: "23 Miles to N. York 1771 '-'. So by enduring monuments are the past ages connected, thus linking us ,vith the past, and giving us -inspiration for the future. 83 XIII

Conservation and Horticulture

EW ROCHELLE is blessed ,vith N a ,vonderful heritage of natural resources. Added to this there are many parks and beautiful home sites which allow nature to sho,v her beauty. Attention is called to the preser­ vation of our natural beauties each year by the setting of a special time for the observance of Arbor Day. This is done under a la,v of the State of CHURCHLAND PEAR TREE N e,v York by the Con11n issioner of Growing in Davenport Park. Education. No class of people kne"v better how to cultivate gardens than did the Huguenots. They are reputed to be the best fruit and vine growers in · the ,vorld. John H. Roosevelt in a speech at the Centennial Celebration in 1876 at Hudson Park said: "We rejoice none the less, that ,ve are residents of this place, this beautiful garden spot, beautiful in every direction; that produces the largest blackberries ever seen ; the largest and n1ost delicious strawberries; the s,veetest pears; and as loving hearts and smiling faces as the ,vorld has ever known. He who cannot live and grow stronger and better here, year by year, ,vill find himself at a loss to know where on earth to find a home." N e\v Rochelle is noted for the propagation of trees and shrub­ bery, especially fruit trees. vVherever the Huguenots settled they proved to be great propagators, and took special pride in the devel­ opment of ne,v varieties of fruits and flowers. The Churchland Pear is a native of N e,v Rochelle. The orig­ inal tree. raised by an old Huguenot settler, stood near Center Avenue bet,veen Trinity Place and Isaac Young High School on land owned by the church. hence its name. This pear is described in a book, entitled "The Pears of N e,v York," as follo,vs: "Fruit medium . . . becoming yello,v at maturity, with fine dots; flesh fine, very buttery, melting, ,vith a very rich, sweet and highly perfumed flavor." A specimen of this pear is now growing at Daven-

84 CONSERVATION AND HORTICULTURE

port Park between the house and the Sound. If one happens to be in the park the latter part of July he may be fortunate enough to get a sample. There are t\VO other native pears of New Rochelle that should be mentioned; namely, the Parsonage and the Huntington pears. The pear tree, found on the parsonage grounds of Reverend Doctor R. U. Morgan, Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, was introduced as the Parsonage pear in 1857 by Stephen P. Carpenter of the Huguenot Nurseries of New Rochelle. A pear tree, found in the woods by James P. Huntington, ,i\Tas, when small, transplanted to his yard on Main Street. In 1856, when the tree was -estimated to be about t,venty years old, it ,vas introduced by Mr. Catpenter. The Mammoth Black­ berry or Lawton Blackberry was discovered by Lewis A. Seacor in 1834 on the south side of Pelham Road east of the Pelham boundary line. This very large blackberry immediately attracted atten­ tion and for years was sold by nurseries as the finest ob­ tainable. Specimens are now growing in every part of the United States. SPECIMEN OF LAWTON BLACKBERRY Discovered in New Rochelle, 1s34. A circular advertising public exhibitions of Fruits and Flowers in advance of the regular organization of a horticul­ tural society in N e,v Rochelle, September 19, 1859, with exhibitions in Reeber's Hall, sho,vs the interest in plant life in New Rochelle in that far a,vay day. An interesting advertisement of the Huguenot Nurseries of New Rochelle appeared in several numbers of "The N e,v Rochelle Press Almanac" published during the late 7O's and early 8O's of the last century. It mentions "a fine stock of the new golden Arbor vitae, 'Geo. Peabody', ,vhich originated on these grounds, the fin­ est of all the golden arborvitaes ... I call attention to the Mount Paine 1\1 ulberry, one of the old Huguenot fruits, a beautiful tree

85 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

and the fruit is very fine ... I am constantly testing all the nevv varieties and can therefore ahvays supply the best for this locality. The tvvo ne,v raspberries, the 'New Rochelle' and the ·Caroline', originated here and are among the best." It should be ren1embered that th~ mulberries referred to stood in a field on the h~gh ground in the rear of present Beechmont~ not far from Beechmont Lake. They have all disappeared; the last, a ,vhite mulberry, died about 1898. N e,v Rochelle is noted for its fine trees which add greatly to the beauty of its streets and houses. There are many fine specimens of oak, elm, maple, tulip, ash, locust, beech and many others. Dogwood and magnolia are outstanding, especially in some of the residential parks. Much has been done to supplement nature by the forming of groups as the Junior Civic Club organized at Trinity Place School in 1912, the Garden Club, the Junior Garden Club, Conservation Committee of the Woman's Club, National Plant Flo,ver and Fruit Guild, and many others. The actual planting of trees and shrubs has been of great importance to the city. Many plantings have been designated as memorials. Some of the special memorials are the Dolbear Memorial near Barnard School, Nature Study Woods in Huguenot Woods, George Washington Trees and Border Planting at Davenport Park, Japanese Cherry Trees on edge of Huguenot Lake in 1932, Bovie Tree at entrance to Rochelle Heights, tree for Superintendent of Schools Bragdon on grounds of Isaac Young Junior High School, Silver Linden Tree at Paii1e Cottage planted in 1913 as a part of the 225th anniversary celebra­ tion and an Oak Tree on Senior High School grounds dedicated by the Local History Club of the New Rochelle High School to the Huguenots, April 29, 1938 as its contribution to the 250th Anni­ versary Celebration. This tree is illustrated in Chapter XXIX. A glance at the frontispiece will prove to you that N evv Ro­ chelle, although built up and supporting a population of sixty thousand, still is a city of trees. Everyone should do all in his po,ver to conserve nature so that the city may continue to be a beautiful and prosperous con1munity.

86 XIV

Transportation and Communication

COMMUNITY that is isolated cannot A grow. It must have communication ,vith other places. N e,v Rochelle has been most fortunate in her location on the Boston Post Road and her_proximity to Long Island Sound: She has ahvays had the latest in all kinds of con1munication and transportation facilities. ROADS The Indians had a ,vay of traveling along the shore of Long Island Sound and it was called the vVestchester Path. This ,vas indeed the forerunner of the Boston Post Road which was blazed by the first Post Rider who left New York City on January 22, 1673, to carry mail to Boston. There was at that tin1e no continuous road and the Post 23RD MILESTONE Boston Post Road Rider did the best he could to lay out a route at New Rochelle. that he could follow regularly. This first Post R.ider came through the Manor of Pelham and passed through ,vhat ,vas, in a fevv years, to be New Rochelle. The fine work of the Post Rider has been commemorated by the placing of a beauti­ ful tablet in bronze on the grounds of the New Rochelle Public Library in 1929, by the. Daughters of the American Revolution. The Boston Post Road ran from the fort at the lower end of Manhattan to Boston. Today the route of the old road enters New Rochelle from Pelham on Kings Highway to Main Street, and then through Huguenot Street past Faneuil Park and up the hill on what is called Old Post Road, and out to Main Street and the l\1amaroneck line. The early settlers used the road for walk­ ing, horse-back riding and for wagons. Travel became sufficiently important so that milestones ,vere erected at the end of each mile on the road in 1771. The only survival of this series of stones on the Boston Post Road in Westchester County is the twenty-third, ,vhich originally stood on the \vest side of Huguenot Street just

87 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE east of Mechanic Street. This stone has been preserved in a wall of the Lambden building on the other side of the old road, now Huguenot Street, and the inscription can clearly be read: "23 Miles to N. York 1771". The Boston Post Road is today one of the most heavily traveled in the United States and has appropri­ ately been designated as U.S. Route 1.

AN EARL y AMERICAN STAGECOACH

"The Stage Coach between New York and Boston, vvhich for the first time sets out this Day" is advertised under the date of June 24, 1772. This ,vas a major improvement in transportation. Ho,vever, it was to be interrupted during the Revolution. Imagine for just a minute that a stage coach ,vas the most luxurious means of public transportation available. Then think of all the motor cars and busses that travel over the same route NEw RoCHELLE WAGON Originated in New Rochelle for sale today, and you will during the J:?epression of 1857. realize the changes that have come over transportation on this ancient high,vay. In the chapter on the founding of N e,v Rochelle, mention ,vas made of

88 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION a visit of Madam Knight to New Rochelle in 1704. She came on horseback and traveled ,vith the post rider as a guide. During the period of the panic of 1857 a wagon ,vithout springs, called the N e,v Rochelle Wagon, was manufactured to meet the needs of a period of depression. A map of N e,v Rochelle in 1710 sho,vs very fe,v roads other than the Boston Post Road just described. Fro1n this road there ,vere a fe,v roads that led down to the ,vater; namely, what is novv Weyman A v e n u e, , Drake Avenue, Cen- ter Av e n u e, and Echo Avenue. Going north there was just the present North Avenue, and branch­ ing \Yest ,vas East­ chester Road. That ,vas the road net­ ,vork at, the begin­ ning of the 18th Century. A glance WORKING NEw RocHELLE RoADs IN THE 186o's _ Oxen were mainly used at this time. at the present map of the city "rill show what a tremendous change has taken place just in the matter of road building. The many miles of just dirt roads in the to,vn ,vere very difficult to keep in passable condition. It was necessary to work the roads. This was done in various ,vays. The illustration sho,vs a man ,vith a team of oxen putting in his time to improve the roads. Sprinkling carts filled with ,vater vvent up and do,vn the streets to help to keep down the dust. These were the methods and problems before the time of paved streets. One more road must be described before leaving the subject. The Boston Post Road had many turns and took a long ,vay to come from N e,v York City by way of Yonkers. In 1800 a corporation ,vas formed and given permission to straighten the old road, and in places to construct a ne,v route. This ,vas kno,vn as the West­ chester Turnpike Road. When it came through N e,v Rochelle it made a straight line instead of follo,ving the crooked road which is now Huguenot Street and follo,ved the line of present Main Street.

89 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

This road ,vas opened to traffic about 1802, as a toll road. The toll gate house ,vas built in the road west of Drake Avenue, just opposite present Everett Street. Here toll ,vas charged according to the kind of conveyance, or the use to ,vhich the road TOLL GA TE HocsE ,vas put. Here are a fe,Y Western To:l Gate on \1/estchester Turnpike Road in New Rochelle. Used from 1802-1867. selections from the toll charges: Every horse and rider, four cents; _one horse passenger vehicle, ten cents; chariot or coach, t,venty cents. Tolls ,vere not charged on Sunday to those going to or from Church. The tolls ,vere printed and posted at the toll gate. Milestones ,vere placed at each n1ile. The nineteenth milestone still remains and can be seen on the grounds of the Thomas Paine Cottage on North .A. venue. Origin­ ally it stood on the north side of the Pike, no,v Main Street, on the ,vest corner of Echo Avenue. The inscription reads, "19 Miles from N. York". By the close of the Civil \!Var the government bought the rights in the road from the company. and thre,v it open to free use about 1867. Since that time no toll has been charged to ride through N e,v Rochelle.

BOATS The Sound ,vas used by sailing vessels during the early days of the colony. As time ,vent on, and Fulton made a steamboat that would work,. steam navigation was introduced on the Sound. The trip to N e,v York City by steam boat ,vas very popular in the thirties and forties of the last century. It ,vent out, in part, with the introduction of the railroad to to,vn, about the middle of the 19th Century. New Rochelle has had changes in her center of activity be­ cause of the changes in kinds of transportation. In the beginning the Post Road ,vas the center of things and. taverns vvere located along that road. Later ,;vith the con1ing of the Westchester Turn­ pike Road the taverns shifted over to the ne,v road. When the

90 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION steamboat made its app~arance a ne,v business center developed in the vicinity of the docks near ,vhat ,ve no,v call Neptune Park. Here ,vas the big hotel called the Neptune House which is de­ scribed in the chapter on Taverns. This continued until 1849, and with the opening of the N e,v Haven Railroad business again shifted back to nearly the place where it had started, but for a ne\v and different reason. At the present time ,vith the popularity of the motor car, the business sections of the city have been shifted to several centers ,:vhich offer good access and parking facilities.

THE RAILROAD Most ne,v inventions meet competition, and so it ,vas with the invention of the steam railroad. It feared steamboat competi­ tion. The first railroad north from N e,v York City ,vas the N e,v York and Harlem Railroad ,vhich came through the middle of the County far from steamboat competition on the Hudson or the Sound. In 1846 the Ne,v York and New Haven Railroad Con1pany 1nade an agreement ,vith the N e,v York and Harlem Railroad Con1pany to use their tracks, from just north of Williamsbridge into N e,v York City. Al­ though this was done be­ fore the New Haven road had laid their tracks, yet it provided that the latter would pay so much a passenger to the N e,v York and Harlem. This EARL y LOCOMOTIVE arrangement, with re­ Used on the New Haven Railroad in the 185o's. Note cord wood fuel in tender an"d screen over smoke stack. newals of the agreement, exists today and you still pay fare to t,vo railroad con1panies to ride from New Rochelle to the Grand Central Terminal in N e,v York City. The N e,v York State Legislature held up the charter for the N e,v Haven Railroad because it ,vas claimed that the ne,v means of transportation ,vould injure the business of the Westchester Turnpike Road. The toll road company that operated what is novv Main Street, in N e,v Rochelle, fought against the coming of the railroad. Ho,vever, the charter was later granted, ,vith compensa-

91 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

tion to the turnpike. Tra~ks for the New Haven Railroad were put into position, through New Rochelle, in 1848. Apparently the first trial trip over the ne,v line was on Christmas Day, 1848. J. B. Ha,vley, writing a letter on January 3, 1894, says in part, "On the 28th day of December, 1848, I ran the first train for the New York and New Haven". He was the first engineer and Eli Quintard ,vas his conductor. One of the famous early riders on the railroad in N e,v Rochelle ,vas William C. Macready, an English actor playing in N e,v York City. Ho,vever, because of a misunderstanding, a supposed grudge led to the Astor House Riots in 1849. Macready escaped by car­ riage from the City of N e,v York to N e,v Rochelle. He boarded the train at the New Rochelle station on May 11, 1849 and made good his escape to. Boston. An interesting thing to be noted, in connection \:Vith the open­ ing of the railroad through N eV\7 Rochelle, is that it ,vas a part of the first all rail route from N e,v York City to Albany. Change of cars was made at Bridgeport to the Housatonic Railroad. Just imagine going from New York City through New Rochelle to ...t\lbany, N e,v York; and it was the only all rail route. Perhaps just as interesting is the fact that during this period a steamboat took passengers from N e,v York City up the Sound, past N evv Rochelle, to Bridgeport. From there they took the Housatonic R.ailroad train to Albany. The opening of the New Haven line soon caused the steamboat to be abandoned in connection with this route from the metropolis to Albany.

NEW HAVEN RAILROAD TRAIN Made up at New York in 1856 for run through New Rochelle to Boston.

92 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

For a long time the trains upon leaving lo,;ver N e,v York City ·were dra,vn up town by horses to the terminal at 26th Street, and later to 32nd Street and Fourth Avenue. At the up-town terminal the locomotive, spoken of as an iron horse, was harnessed to the train, and the long trip began. This operation of cars taking an engine is illustrated from Ballou's PICTORIAL DRAWING­ ROOM COMPANION of January 24, 1857, by courtesy of the Ne,v York. Ne,v Haven and Hartford Railroad Company. i\ t first the road ,vas a single track. In 1853, however, double tracks ,vere laid from N e,v Rochelle to New Haven, but a single track remained from N e,v Rochelle. to Williamsbridge until 1857, ,vhen it vvas also double tracked. While the single track remained from N e,v Rochelle to Williamsbridge, a Yery serious accident, a head-on collision of h,vo trains at N e,v Rochelle, took place in 1851. This accident caused serious loss of life and injury to per­ sons, and damage to equipment. The expense of this disaster, to the railroad company, was estimated at about $65,000. Thus the first railroad ,vreck on this line occurred at N e,v Rochelle. N e,v Rochelle ,vas the last station, for a number of years. on the N e,v Haven Railroad, going toward N e,v York. The next stop after N e,v Rochelle ,vas Williamsbridge on the Harlem Road. The cholera in N e,v York City, mentioned in the 1850 annual report of the N e,v Haven Railroad. reduced the receipts of the road. The rules of the road issued in 1851 are in­ teresting. Rule No. 2, "All trains going into N e,v York will keep out of the wav of all trains out of N e,v York". If this rule had been follovved the train wreck just noted at N e,v R o c h e 1 1 e tn i g h t have been avoided. More than two hun­ FIRST RAILROAD STATION IN NEW ROCHELLE Removed when second station building was erected. dred companies com­ Recently demolished. bined to make up the

93 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

present N e,v Y~ ork, N e\v Haven and Hartford Railroad Cotnpany in 1872. One of them ,vas the N e,v York and N e\v Haven Railroad Con1pany. The line is no,v popularly called the N e,v Haven Rail­ road. The construction of a railroad along the shore route ,va~ for years considered impossible. What was done ,vas to lay tracks until such rivers as the Connecticut and Thames ,vere reached, and then ferry boats ,vere used to take the trains over. It is clain1ed that little tin1e ,vas lost at the ferries. Bridges ,vere con­ structed over the Connecticut River in 1870, and over the Thames in 1889. So it ,vas that in 1889 a complete all rail route, along the shore. ,vas realized. For the first time, in 1889, a trip using the shore route from New Rochelle to Boston could be made entirelv., by train "\vithout the use of ferry boats. During the 1890's a train of white ·cars made regular trips bet,veen N e,v York and Boston by passing through New Rochelle. Because of its ,vhite cars, \\rhich passed through during the night. it ,vas called "The Ghost Train". This train ,vas the last word in luxurious travel in its time. New Rochelle Junction, the point ,vhere the Harlen1 River Branch and the main line to Grand Central Terminal meet. is prob­ ably the busiest traffic junction within a hundred miles of N e,v York City. The N e,v Haven line was electrified through New Rochelle in 1907. thus doing away \\rith the engines ,vhich issued forth dirty s111oke and cinders. Thus did the railroad take on its· present appearance. With improvements in rolling stock, and in the right of ,vay, we have the railroad of today.

HORSE CARS AND ELECTRIC TROLLEY CARS Transportati0n in New Rochelle was ahvays a problen1 be­ cause· the town was spread over a wide. area. It took a long tim~ · to walk or drive a horse from upper New Rochelle to Main Street. In 1885 definite steps were taken to put horse cars into operation in the village. The N e,v Rochelle and Pelh~m Raihvay Company and the Ne,v Rochelle Street Horse Railway Co1npany were organ­ ized in that year. They received consent from the village to use certain streets for the laying of tracks. The first horse cars started

94 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION at the railroad station, ,vent to North Avenue, along Rose Street to Main, along l\iiain to Center, down c;::=enter Avenue to Pelha111 Road, and thence to the steamboat landing and Glen Island land­ ing. A line ran out North A venue to Coligny A venue and another line on Webster Avenue ran as far as the village line ,vhich ,vas four hundred feet north of Winyah A venue~ also a line went down Franklin Avenue to Hudson Park. There ,vere changes in company names, but horse car trans­ portation continued fro111 1886, vvhen the first lines ,vere co1npletecl, until 1898 \vhen electric cars ,vere substituted for horse dra,vn cars. The routes at first \Vere substantially the same as the horse car routes, except for the extension to Mount Vernon and New York City. By the turn of the century extensions vvere under ,vay. The North Avenue line ran to Cooper's Corners, the Fifth Avenue line ran to \ly eeks Place, and the Main Street line ran to Ma111aro­ neck. By the connection n1ade to Mount Vernon, one could ride to N e,v York City by trolley car. The trolley and its connection ,vith N evv York City had been fought by local n1erchants because they feared that shoppers ,vottld take the trolley to N e,v York instead of shopping in New Rochelle. In 1910 the Fifth Avenue line "vas extended to the then ne,v City Park. The follo,ving year some double tracks ,vere put do,vn. Up to that time everything ,vas single track with turnout s,vitches

A~ EARLY TROLLEY CAR THAT RAN FROM NEW YORK CITY TO NEW ROCHELLE

95 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

at intervals for the passing of cars going in opposite directions. With only a single track, tie-ups ,vere frequent and then the entire line in both directions was at a standstill. The first electric com­ pany in town was the Westchester Electric Railroad Company. Later it all became a part of the Third Avenue Raihvay System. i\s such it is best known today. For years the electric cars served local transportation, but changes \Vere to come and the 30's brought the suspension of some of the lines, ,vith busses substituted. Whether busses are better for general traffic conditions. or ,vhether busses or trolley cars are the most comfortable for riding has not been decided. The decision ,vill rest ,vith .,vou .

TELEGRAPH One of the biggest and most far reaching developments in communication took place \Vith the invention of the telegraph by

Samuel F. B. Morse. The first line ,vas operated i11 1 1844. It ,vas not long before telegraph companies ,vere organized and a line put through N e,v Rochelle. A line followed the Westchester Turn­ pike according to a lease granted by then1 to The A111erican Tele­ graph Company in 1861. Before this ti111e the Union Telegraph had run lines through N e,v Rochelle as their station ,vas used as a place for posting notice of the intended incorporation of the Village of N e,v Rochelle in 1857. The first telegraph in to,vn probably dates from about 1846. Later the lines ,vere consolidated and today ,ve have two telegraph companies in to,vn, the Western Union and the Postal Telegraph.

A:-.r EARLY OVERLAND CoACH-AND-FOUR The invention of the Railroad, the Trolley Car, the Telegraph, and the Telephone soon put the old Stage Coach out of business. The modern motor car takes its place on the highways.

96 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

TELEPHONE The telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, came to N e,v Rochelle in 1883. At first a very small switchboard served only a few tele­ phones. The switch­ board ,vas of the mag­ neto type, and it ,vas necessary for the user to turn a crank in order to signal the 1:~, o p e r a t o r. At first f. :- .. there were only t,vo day operators, and a boy who took over th e switchboard at night. The first tele­ phone directory which is pictured is very dif­ ferent from the pres­ ent one ,vhich now in­ cludes the names of over fifteen thousand N e,v Rochelle tele­ p h o n e subscribers.

w The first office was FIRST NEW ROCHELLE TELEPHONE DIRECTORY located in the Old Issued August 15, 1883. One page was enough to To,vn Hall on Law- include all telephone subscribers in New Rocheiie. ton Street. The problem of servicing the early lines ,vas very great. The repair man traveled from one trouble spot to another by riding a bicycle. He went through the streets of the community with rolls of wire and a ladder. He must have presented a queer picture with all of this equipment on just a mere bicycle. Again the state­ ment, times have changed, is certainly true. At first all of the wires ,vere above ground and were strung individually on poles. An idea of the ~nsightly appearance of so many wires in the street can be seen in the Besly Tavern picture, as shown in the Tavern chapter. The many unprotected ,vires

97 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE often caused trouble. During the blizzard of 1888 so 111any \Vires ,vere down that telephone service was necessarily discontinued for several days. Now many of the wires are in cables ,vhich give good protection. It is becoming ever more popular to place these cables under ground, so that in• time the streets of the community will not be lined with poles and wires. During the early years of the telephone, people insisted on calling by name, instead of by number. It was necessary for the operator to remember the name and number of every subscriber in town. This was not such a hard job because at that ti1ne there were less than a hundred phones. The popularity of the telephone grew and expansion was very necessary. In 1897 the Westchester Telephone Company, which operated in New Ro­ chelle, was taken· over by the New York Telephone'. Con1pany and they soon took up office space on Huguenot Street where, with additions to the building, they still are located. During 1904, ,vith the installation of a new switchboard, N e,v Rochelle turned its back on the "Crank-turning Era". All that was necessary then was to lift the receiver which automatically lighted a light which attracted the operator's attention. The New Rochelle office serves the telephones with a New

A NEW ROCHELLE TELEPHONE INSTALLER AND REPAIR MAN As he appeared to local residents in 1906.

98 TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION

Rochelle designation as well as the Pelham numbers. Since 1929, ,vhen a new designation was needed, this office has cared for Hamilton numbers. The telephone type of communication has become most popular; indeed, it has become a necessity in modern life. It would be very difficult to see how modern business and social life could be carried on if it ,vere not, in large measure, for the telephone.

DRAWING SHOWING OLD BosTON PosT RoAD Now called Huguenot Street. As it appeared in 1798.

AIR VIEW SHOWING HUGUENOT STREET Formerly Old Boston Post Road. As it appeared in 1938-just 140 years after the old drawing illustrated above.

99 xv

Development of Light and Power

N the days of the Huguenots candles were the means of lighting I after sunset. The greater the number of candles the brighter the light. It is from candle days that we receive the idea of meas­ uring light by candle power. Now, however, the size of electric light bulbs is usually measured by watts. There were two kinds of candles, molded and dipped. Dipped candles were made from ordinary grease left over from the kitchen by hanging wicks on a stick and dipping them into the grease pot. When cold they were dipped again, and so on until they took on the proper size. This kind of a candle did not give a very good light and burned rapidly. Tallow candles ,vere usually made in candle molds. The molds were long tubes of metal with several fastened together. A ,vick ,vas first placed in each mold; then the tallow, which ,vas a superior fat, was poured into each. This kind of a candle burned longer, and gave a brighter and a more even light, than the ordinary dipped candle. Pine knots were also used as a means of illumination. They were cut from pine ,vood and burned by placing in a metal holder. Whale oil was a very important material for lighting. The ,vhales ,vere first caught by whalers and the oil thus obtained. The oil ,vas burned in several kinds of whale oil lamps. Whale oil gave a greater light than that obtained from candles. Later tapers ,vere invented ,:vhich used whale oil as a fuel. A taper ,vas made of a disk of wood about the size of a very small button ,:vith a short ,:vaxed wick threaded through the center. The lower part of the wick was in the whale oil. The wooden disk floated on the surface of the oil while the upper end of the wick which was the part that was lighted stood above the oil. The discovery of mineral oil, which was found in the ground, made possible the manufacturing of a new liquid called kerosene. Kerosene oil was used in lamps which were also called oil lamps. This new type of lamp, which came into un.iverskl use, was made with an oil reservoir below and a wick of webbed cloth extended above. This was the part which was lighted. Above the wick was

100 DEVELOPMENT OF·LIGHT AND POWER

a glass chimney to produce the proper draft and to protect the flame from air currents. However, for outdoor use a type of lamp called a lantern provided additional protection from the wind: Oil lamps continued in general use until the coming of gas and later electric­ ity. Even today there are houses in New Rochelle in which oil lamps provide the only means of lighting. Street lighting is a very modern idea. All during the entire existence of New Rochelle from its beginning to the Civil War period street lighting was unknown. People traveling at night usually carried a lantern to aid them in finding their way. This condition continued here until about the time of the Civil War when street lighting began. In the center of the village gas was used to light the streets, but in the outlying districts, where gas mains had not been installed, naphtha lamps were used. They were equipped with individual "knapsacks" filled with naphtha. During this period oil street lamps were used in many communities. Elec­ tricity has gradually replaced gas as the modern means of lighting New Rochelle streets. After a few attempts v1ere made to bring gas to New Rochelle as a means of lighting, the New Rochelle Gas Company was organ­ ized in 1862. They began by building a manufacturing plant on Lawton Street directly opposite the present Police station and the erection of a gas storage tank. It was 1863 before the plant was completed and gas mains laid in the streets. Opposition to a gas \vorks located in the center of the Village of N e,v Rochelle ,vas soon heard. After much agitation the plant was moved to Cedar Street in 1868. The old gas house, constructed of brick, still remains on the east side of Cedar Street opposite the entrance to the freight yard and is used by the \N" estchester Lighting Company. .L\. very different kind of light­ ing was soon to be perfected. At first the early electric lights were

WEsTcHESTER LIGHTING CoMPANY OFFICE of the kind known as arc-lamps. Huguenot St., New Rochelle. These ,vere made by placing

101 . HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

pieces of carbon at the end of wires carrying electric current ,vith a small space between the carbons. When the electric cur­ rent jumped from one to the other it caused a light ,vhich ,vas very bright. Such a light ,vas only suitable for out-of-door use. Gradually improve-ments were made and Thomas A. Edison and others ,vorked on an electric lamp for general use. After much experimentation the. __ tungsten electric _light bulb has come to be the usual means of lighting our modern homes and streets. You are all familiar ,vith this type of lighting in the home and the school. The history of bringing electricity to your door in New· Rochelle is interesting. .The N e,v Rochelle Electric Light Company was the first to produce electricity for our community. This company ,vas organ­ ized in 1887 and art electric plant was constructed in New Rochelle on the east side of Church Street just south of Union Street. In 189-1 this company was consolidated with the Eastchester Electric Company and the New Rochelle pla11t ,vas closed. Electric stations at first only operated from dusk to midnight. Electricity at first was only used for lighting purposes and there­ fore was not needed in the day time. Apparently everyone was supposed to be in bed by midnight and hence no need for electricity after that time. Uses for electric current increased and it became necessary to provide current during the entire twenty-four hours of the day. By so doing it has become possible to light the streets all night, to pump water supply, to move the sewage, to produce continuous refrigeration, to run various kinds of electrical equip­ ment and to perform many kinds of work upon which depend the safety, health and comfort of the residents of New Rochelle. At the turn of the century the electric light companies in parts of Westchester County underwent further consolidation. The \Vestchester Lighting Company was incorporated in 1900. It took over many of the smaller companies and began furnishing elec­ tricity to much of Westchester County including New Rochelle. This ne,v electric company decided to build a new and up-to-date electric plant in New Rochelle to supply the Sound section of the County. This ne,v plant ,vas located near the southeast corner of Main ·Street and Echo Avenue. It was opened for operation in the fall of 1901 and ,vas at that time the most up-to-date in

102 DEVELOPMENT OF LIGHT AND POWER

the New York area. This plant continued to serve our city until 1928 when a change was made and our current then· came from N e,v York City and Niagara. The power producing equipment was completely dismantled at this p,ant in 1934, although the site still continues in use by the company as a distributing station. New Rochelle's chief sources of electric supply are the Con­ solidated Edison Company and the Niagara-Hudson System, the greatest electrical resources in the ,vorld. The p~wer for New Rochelle comes principally through the large distribution station at Dunwoodie, Yonkers. The importance of the combination of the Edison system and the Niagara-Hudson system is in the equalizing of the electric current. The same amount of current is not used at all times. For instance a great deal more current is needed all at once just as it begins to get dark in the evening and when people begin to use electrical appliances for the preparation of supper. It is the job of the distribution stations to provide enough current in the lines to care for the changing needs of the users of current. Current for the Consolidated Edison Company is generated by steam from coal which is brought by the water route into New York harbor. Niagara-Hudson's power is generated from water power. The many sources of its water power are the Mohawk

ELECTRIC CONTROL BoARD Interior of Distributing Station at Dunwoodie, where electric current for New Rochelle and vicinity is equalized between the Edison and Hudson-Niagara Systems.

103 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

River, Niagara Falls and other up-state water power sites. The excess of water power in the northern part of the state is now transmitted to down-state areas as electricity carried over high tension wires. When water power runs low, the Consolidated Edison's steam plants reciprocate by sending some of their elec­ tricity up-state. Thus are all kinds of varying needs for current and the many problems of producing sufficient current for a given time regulated by the melting together of the po,ver from the two great systems. It takes the services of nearly 170 men in the New Rochelle district of the Westchester Lighting Company to serve the city with gas and electricity. Altogether there are about 40,000 meters, including gas and electricity in New Rochelle alone. Try to visu­ alize the enormity of the job to supply the where-,vith-all for you to be able to just turn on your light. Think of this the next ti1ne you push the light switch. Gas is still used in great quantities even though electricity has become more popular as a means of lighting. Gas is now used in .the kitchen range, for the water heater, for automatic refrigeration and for house heating. While gas and electricity are no longer produced on Lawton ··street or at Echo Avenue yet they are still important factors in the daily life of the inhabitants of N e,v Rochelle.

104 XVI

Changing Sources of Water Supply

SPRING which still supplies good water can be found today A on the inside of Davenport N eek very near the salt water. In fact at high tide some salt water runs into the spring. This spring no doubt supplied water to the Siwanoy Indians who lived in a village nearby. Later this spring no doubt served the early Huguenot settlers in that neighborhood. In early times there ,vere many springs in New Rochelle, but of course most of them have now disappeared. 1"'he Huguenots as they established themselves here in New Rochelle dug wells and lined them with stones found in the fields. Wells were the most important source of water here for two cen­ turies. However, very few wells are now used in our city today. Before 1885 water for don1estic use was supplied either by springs, wells or cisterns. A cistern is a tank which is filled by running the rain water from the roof of the house into it. The first of the rain is used to wash off the roof and then the ,vater is run into the cistern. To protect the city against loss by fire several wells were dug along Main Street. These fire ,vells were covered and could be opened in case of fire nearby, to allow the fire engine to drop its hose down into the ,vater. Thus ,vas ,vater pumped into the fire. These wells ,vere located at vari­ ous places along the main thor­ oughfare: one ,vest of Center Ave­ nue, another in front of the present location of Ware's Department Store, one around· the corner on South Division Street near present Loft's Candy Store, another in front of the Town Hall which is no,v the City Hall, and still another near Rose Street which is no,v called North Avenue. INDIAN SPRING ON DAVENPORT NECK The need for a more adequate water supply ,vas long realized. In the 80's of the last century the idea of

105 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

organizing a water company was conceived. Several of the lead­ ing merchants and men about town attempted to raise money for the project but they "vere unsuccessful. Adrian Iselin, Senior, became deeply interested and bought the outstanding stock, thus insuring the success of the N e,v Rochelle Water Company which ,vas incorporated in 1885. The Francis Davis farm located above the north end of North Avenue ,vas purchased. The old mill dam located there was re­ placed ,vith a higher one and Reservoir #1 thus created. A twelve inch main then brought the water to the Village of New Rochelle. In addition to providing a reservoir to insure a supply of water it was necessary to lay pipe lines in the streets from which house connections could ~e made. This took time and much money. Ho,vever, ,vithin three years it was completed and many people vvere enjoying the new service. Additional water was needed from time to time. In 1894 the dam at the end of North A venue was raised ten feet thereby pro­ viding more water. In 1907 an additional reservoir vvas constructed on the Hutchinson River. The business_ of the company increased to such an extent that in 1910 a fourth reservoir was built in Y onk­ ers on the ,vatershed of Troublesome Brook. vVater was pumped fron1 here over to Reservoir #1. In order to get increased pressure a water tower was built at Reservoir #2 near Union Corners. This tower can be seen in the accompanying picture along \ivith the roof and smoke stack of the Union Corners' Pumping Station. The ice house can be seen on the extreme right of the picture. A look ahead made the officials of the N e,v Rochelle vVater

RESERVOIR No. 1, N°Ew RocHELLE WATER Co}4PANY Now owned by the Westchester County· Park Commission.

106 CHANGING SOURCES OF WATER SUPPLY

Company realize that still more ,vater ,vould be needed in the future. So ,vhile the Catskill Aqueduct ,vas in the course of con­ struction in 1914 an application for a connection ,vas made. A sixteen inch conduit line ,vas laid to the aqueduct and the connec­ tion made in Yonkers ,vhere a shut-off valve and meter ,vere placed. No ,vater ,vas dra,vn from· the aqueduct until 1917 because our reservoirs provided adequate supply. But long dry spells made it occasionally necessary to add to the local supply. The rapid gro,vth of pop-:­ ulation in New Rochelle and the surrounding area serviced by the New Rochelle Water Company made it difficuit ~? supply enough ,vater at suffi:... cient pressure for home use and to insure proper fire protection. On November 15, 1926 the Ise- lins sold their entire interest ANCIENT WELL ON MAIN STREET in the New Rochelle Water Still in use. Company to the Community Water Service Company. By this transaction the local ,vater company became a department of a large company ,vith operations in several states, although it still retains its name-New Rochelle Water Company. With the ne,vly reorganized water company many ne,v im­ provements could be made, such as the laying of a ne,v sixteen inch ,vater main from the pumping station in upper N e,v Rochelle to Main Street near the Public Library. Our local ,vater is very corrosive and it often ran out of the tap with a reddish tinge caused by iron rust. To overcome this condition the new main was lined with cement. Some of the local difficulties were eliminated in May, 1929, ,vhen the N e,v Rochelle reservoirs were abandoned and all ,vater supply in New Rochelle came from the N e,v York City Aqueduct. The old ,vater shed property of the New Rochelle Water Company ,vas purchased by the Westchester County Park Com­ mission for park, parkway and recreational purposes in 1927. A

107 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

part of the land was used to carry the Hutchinson River Park­ way. At present the old reservoirs serve as part of the beautiful scenery along the highway, and they would only be used for water supply in case of extreme emergency. The most recent and most elaborate alteration of the New Rochelle water service was the new connection with the Croton Aqueduct in 1937. It necessitated the laying of four miles of thirty­ six inch steel and reinforced concrete pipeline to connect with the Croton Aqueduct at Ardsley. This has replaced the former connection with the Catskill Aqueduct. The reason for this new arrangement was to take advantage of a lower price for Croton water than that charged for Catskill water. So it can be seen that a water company with property worth over $5,000,000 has been organized to supply, through more than 200 miles of ,vater pipes, the residents of our community with pure water in excess of 5,000,000 gallons a day.

OLD WATER TOWER AND PUMPING STATION New Rochelle W3:ter Company.

108 XVII

Geography and Geology

EW ROCHELLE is a city N of about sixty thousand population and is located on the southeastern side of W estches­ ter County. I ts area is approxi­ mately ten square miles. It borders on Long Island Sound GLACIAL BouLnER for about two miles (in a B~tween North Avenue and Carlton Terrace. straight line) and extends An enormous rock deposited here thousands northward for more than six of years ago by a glacier. miles. Thus it appears on the map as a long slim rectangle \Vith a ragged fringe at the southern end. To the east are the towns of Mamaroneck and Scarsdale; to the west the to,vns of Pelham and Eastchester. To the north is Scarsdale. North A venue extends nearly the entire length of New Ro­ chelle, and is approximately perpendicular to Huguenot Street, Main Street, and Pelham Road, all of which run east and west. New Rochelle at its highest points is only a few hundred feet above sea level. I ts shore line is decidedly jagged, as shown by even a casual glance at the map. While much of the water front is owned by private individuals or by beach and yacht clubs, yet Hudson Park, Davenport Park and Glen Island are all open to the public. Davenport Park is ,vorth visiting not only for its scenic beauty but also from the historical and geological standpoints. Here may be seen the shore line, rocks, soils, and glacial grooves on the rocks. Until the beginning of the present century the greater part of the area of New Rochelle was farm land. ,vhen Albert Leonard Junior High School was built, the land directly behind it ,vas a cow pasture. Many old apple trees in Beechmont and Forest Heights today are relics of orchards in those sections a generation ago. Tumbled stone walls, some through the woods as around Barnard School, others through areas now entirely built up, bear

109 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

\iVitness that farms occupied this land of our city just a short time ago. Most of the land in New Rochelle has become too valuable for farn1s. It has been divided and subdivided into lots for private homes. It contains many apartment houses as well, practically all of ,vhich have been erected during the last fifteen years. There are several lakes in N e,v Rochelle. Beechmont and Bergholz Lakes may be mentioned because they were never used as a part of a water supply system. Beechmont Lake is an artificial lake made on the site of a natural s,vamp in the bed of Pine Brook. Bergholz Lake is at the edge of North Pelham, directly down the hill from Webster School. This is a natural lake and very deep, probably a glacial· kettle hole. It lies in a deep ravine, its inlet being under-ground. Huguenot Lake is artificial and was once a part of the water supply for Mount Vernon. It was formerly ·~Mahlstedt's Ice Pond", and ice was harvested from it each winter. I ts beauty, coupled ,vith the park, called Huguenot Park, that has been developed around it, gives the Senior High School a unique location. Along the western boundary of N e,v _Rochelle is the Hutchin­ son River and a series of lakes that were until very recently the source of N e,v Rochelle's water supply. Hutchinson River, named after Anne Hutchinson, becomes Eastchester Creek in Pelhatn, flo,ving into the Sound in Pelham Bay Park. It has the mouth of a typical dro,vned river bordered by salt marshes and peat beds. It shows that our land vvas at one time higher out of the ocean, but later settled allo,ving the Sound to enter the mouth of the stream. Along a portion of this river and through the valley the Hutchinson River Parkway has been constructed. The park,vay idea has been developed to protect natural beauties, to care properly for the health of the valley and to provide for an arterial highway from N e,v York to Connecticut. J?evelopment along streams in more modern times did not keep pace with other developments. Thus was land, relatively un­ used, available for parks and parkways. This ,vas true along Pine Brook ,vhich runs near the eastern boundary of N e,v Rochelle. Here are some lakes which belong to the Larchmont Water Com­ pany. The city made use of the valley for the construction of

110 GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY

Pinebrook Boulevard, a part of which has been opened, ,vith the upper part at present under construction. Thus has New Rochelle made plans for a beautiful parkway to extend the full length of the city, when it is completed. An interesting brook, in some ways, is the one that rises east of North Avenue and north of Paine Lake and runs along the eastern side of Huguenot Lake and then apparently disappears. Older residents in N e,v Rochelle remember that this brook, called by various names as Tom Paine Brook, Sucker Brook, and the Io,ver end known as Stony Brook, was piped under-ground. The large viaduct runs under North Avenue, down through- Halcyon Park, down under the railroad and under Stephenson Boulevard, and thence to the Sound. In the first days of settlement in New Rochelle a dam was erected across the valley of this stream near the present JVIain Street (then Boston Post Road) and the power \Vas used to grind grain into flour. The lake thus formed was kno,vn in 1845 as Crystal Lake because of the great purity of

lcE CurnNG ON C~YSTAL LAKE, NEw RocHELLE, IN 1846 Drawn from nature by Edwin Whitefiel_d, a "visiting Englishman," noted for accuracy. Operated by the Crystal Lake Ice Company. Note the runway over the Post Road to convey ice to ice houses shown on edge of Sound inlet. Lake was drained about 1868.

111 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

its waters. Ice was cut here for use in New York City. After the Civil War the lake was drained. In 1913 Stephenson School was erected on a high point of land which had previously been an island in Crystal Lake, called \Tineyard Island. Throughout New Rochelle there are glacial boulders deposited thousands of years ago during the last glacial epoch or ice age. At that time all N e,v England, all Westchester and all northern New York were covered by glacial ice. As the ice receded, rock and soil debris was left which is in some places only a few feet deep, and is everywhere interspersed ,vith rounded rocks and stones which characterize all glacial deposits. Such rocks are noticeable in recent excavations as cuts for ne,v roads or cellars. N e,v Rochelle is close to the terminal moraine which is found on Long Island. Interesting glacial boulders can be seen in various places: notably a very large one between North Avenue and Carlton Terrace, an­ other on the Shore Road at the New Rochelle-Pelham boundary line, and also the rocking stone on Rocking Stone Avenue, Mamaroneck. Pot holes have been found in rocks in New Rochelle and ad­ jacent towns. Most of them have been blasted away or destroyed. These pot holes ,vere bored into the bed rock by water under the glacial ice sheet which was estimated to have been about a thousand feet thick over the New Rochelle area. The movement of the water under the glacier caused the stones to rotate in such a manner as to drill holes in the rocks. In Bronx Park a big stone can still be seen in the bottom of a large pot hole. Today fine and interesting pot holes can be seen in the rocks near the Sound in Larchmont Shore Park. The rocks of N e,v Rochelle for the most part belong to a series of very ancient metamorphosed gneisses and mica schists. They go back to archaeozoic times when the Atlantic Coast ,vas mostly under a shallow sea. As time went on the sedimentary rocks thus formed became metamorphosed, alternately lifted and ,vorn away. Today most of the rocks show evidence of much crumpling and folding with intrusions of · igneous formatio~s coming up through the older rocks in some places. These "ribbons" of igneous rock may be recognized generally by their lighter color and more solid appearing texture, and they seem quite obviously to have been

112 GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY

squeezed up through cracks in the older rock. On Davenport N eek there is an outcropping of serpentine, which is seldom found in the vicinity of N e,v York City. The annual precipitation in New Rochelle is slig~1tly over 42 inches. That figure or 42.10 inches represents the average annual precipitation as computed from observations stretching over a century. This rainfall is ample to water the beautiful lawns and gardens which abound in this city. This is especially true since it is so evenly divided over the entire twelve months of the year._ In no n1onth is the average less than three inches and the highest is in July and August being 4.08 inches and 4.29 respectively for those t"\\i~o months. The average number of days it has rained each year during the past century is 131 and the annual average number of days ,vith thunder is only 31. The climate of this area inclines toward the humid side, the average relative humidity being over 70%. It is, however, quite even, being 72% average for July and 74% for January. In tem­ perature the climate is considered equable. The average daily range is bet,veen 13 degrees and 15 degrees F. The average ex­ tretnes are 95 degrees and 1 degree respectively. The hottest recorded is 104 degrees and the coldest 13 degrees belo,v. (These are official figures and not those of local ainateur meteorologists.) The temperature conditions of N e,v Rochelle are, of course, largely due to its proximity to the Sound. As low pressure areas approach us from the west, as is their habit, winds blo,v to,vard them from the east and south-east. Such ,vinds come from over the warm gulf stream, and at such tin1es ,ve feel the ,var111th and also benefit frotn the n1oisture contained in the111. N e\v Rochelle is located in the belt vvhere isothern1s are close together. That is a peculiar condition here on the east coast. It is caused chiefly by the gulf stream pushing the isotherms north­ \vard and the Labrador current pushing then1 south,vard so that by traveling northward one experiences a rapid change do,vn,vard in temperature and by traveling southward the opposite experi­ ence is true. Bathing at N e,v Rochelle beaches is safe since they are pro­ tected from the great rollers of the Atlantic by Long Island, but there are enough waves and sufficient tide so that excellent beaches

113 1. Glacial grooves in rocks at Davenport Park. 2. Pine Brook and Pinebrook Boulevard. 3. M"me Pit on Davenport Neck, near inlet. 4. Silver Mine entrance on Halcyon Terrace, Halcyon Park. GEOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY

have been produced by the sand from wave-ground rock. The tide range for New Rochelle averages from 4 to 6 feet. Davenport Park, on Davenport Neck, may be used as an example of the types of rock formations found along the New Rochelle shore and on the islands nearby.

The rocks here belong to part of the Manhattan schist forma­ tion. They are metamorphosed and the olp. layers that were once horizontal now stand almost on end, pitching steeply to the south.

There is a conspicuous dike across the layers of schist in the rocks at the shore line. This dike is about five feet wide, is com­ posed of a light colored igneous rock known as pegmatite, and be­ ing less easily eroded than the schist it stands as a low wall ex­ tending out into the ,vater. Pegmatite is a coarse kind of granite ,vhich contains large crystals of quartz and feldspar, indicating that it cooled slo,vly. There is a still wider and longer dike of the same material on Pine Island, used by the New Rochelle Rowing Club, just 0ff the shore from Davenport Park. At Davenport Park in the same rocks is still another geological high-spot, a fault or split in the rocks caused by a quick slipping of the earth's crust at that place. The fault is near the middle of the rocks at the ,vaterfront cutting the schist nearly at right angles. Layers of rock are displaced along this fault for nearly a foot. While the older rocks exposed here at Davenport Park belong, according to the best authorities, to the extremely old archaeozoic formations~ many of the layers that ,vould be expected above them have been eroded so that in places there are horizontal layers of very recent salt-,vater peat superimposed directly upon these older rocks of many million years earlier. The rocks have been ,vorn by glacial erosion and some of them contain glacial grooves or scratches indicating the course of the glacier, substantially from north to south.

You may then revie,v in an afternoon the story of the earth's history in this area from the times before the earliest life right up through the ice ages and recent sedimentary deposits. If you should visit the Park during 1\1:ay or June you can see one of the finest peony garderis and mass plantings of iris in the county.

115 XVIII

Education through the Years

DUCATION developed with the E community from the time of its founding by the Huguenots two and a half centuries ago. In early days, chil­ dren were taught at home by a private tutor or in small groups by a licensed teacher. Public schools, as they are known today, were not to come to New Rochelle until after the Revolution. The pastor of the church often in­ structed children because he was usu­ ally the best educated man in to-,vn. Pierre Stouppe, who came in 1724 to serve the church in New Rochelle, for JOHN ]AY many years kept a boarding school in Attended. school in New Rochelle. the parsonage located on the west side of present Division Street, approximately at the railroad cut, where he gave instruction in both French and English. Reverend Stouppe drew some pupils from .distant places. Since New Rochelle was perhaps the only place in the English colonies where French was currently spoken, naturally some well-to-do men sent their sons here to school. John Jay, in 1753, at the age of eight, \\rho afterwards became famous as the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court and Governor of N e,v York State, attended school in the parsonage under Reverend Stouppe for three years. The French that Jay learned at N e,v Rochelle greatly aided hin1 in France ,vhen he ,vas negotiating the Treaty of Paris, ,vhich gave independence to the United States. The fame of Reverend Stouppe's school reached as far as Albany, and Philip Schuyler was sent to N e,v Rochelle for schooling in 1748. Again Reverend Stouppe vvas teac~ing French to a boy who later became· an important general PHILIP SCHUYLER in the Revolutionary War. Schuyler's French Attended school in New Rochelle. became exceedingly useful thirty years later when

116 EDUCATION THROUGH THE YEARS

he took charge of the French-speaking soldiers and officers who had surrendered with Burgoyne's army at Saratoga. Joseph Shippen, member of the class of 1753 at the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, came to New Rochelle during the summer of 1752 to study French by living with the family of Monsieur Gillot. Here we have an early example of acquiring proficiency in the French language by the conversational n1ethod. Joseph Shippen was Peggy Shippen's uncle. You will remember that Peggy was a friend of the British Major Andre and later became the wife of the American General Benedict Arnold. She was thus implicated in the plot to turn over West Point to the British which fortunately failed, thus saving the American army from defeat. Joseph Shippen later became head of the British spy system in America during the Revolution. Public school education which was introduced into N-ew Ro­ chelle under an Act of the State Legislature in 1795, provided funds for local schools. New Rochelle _took advantage of the monetary aid and divided the town into three districts. The first district was located in the Academy building on the old Boston Post Road ( now Huguenot Street). The second district made use of the school building situated at Lester's Rocks on North Avenue just north of Paine Avenue. The third held sessions in a new school at Cooper's Corners in upper New Rochelle. Reverend L. J. Coutant has described the schools of this period: "The schoolhouses of the times of ,vhich we have been speaking were small, unpainted shanties, usually located on some surplus angle of the streets or on rocky land, unfit for cultivation; thus economising ground and making these barren spots, ,vhere no vegetation could gro,v, produce the precious fruits of education. The inside of the houses was of the crudest and cheapest finish, ceiled round ,vith unpainted boards, shrunken from their grooves; consequently no ventilators were needed. Their fixtures were extremely crude an~l simple, consisting for the most part of pine boards nailed up to the sides and ends of the room for desks, with sometimes a shelf underneath, on which to keep books and slates. They were furnished -vvith seats of long oaken slabs with legs driven into auger holes at each end ... The schoolroom was some­ times ,varmed by a fire in an open fireplace, but mostly by a small

117 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

cast-iron stove, set upon a pile of bricks in the middle of the room." Textbooks presented a striking contrast to those of the present­ day school room. As reading books there were the New Testament, The Sequel, The American Preceptor, the Ne,v York Reader-a pioneer in New Rochelle, and the Child's Instructor for the older pupils. A few primers were available for the younger children. Such were the conditions to be found throughout the length and breadth of the land. N e\iv Rochelle was no exception; she ,vas keeping up to the best to be had in education. The Bre,vster School building, used as a private school in the 1830's, is still stand­ ing on the Paine Cottage grounds. It is similar in appearance to the public school buildings of the period. As the Act of 1795 lapsed after running five years, it was not until 1812 that New York State passed an important law which became the foundation of the educational sys­ tem. T h i s statute created the office of State Superintendent of Common Schools, divided the State into school districts a n d . ,,.,,, ,•. gave definite powers to boards of education. Free public education w a s not established until 1849. Previously, poor children had re­ ceived schooling from the town; others had had to bear a part of the cost. The school located at 28 Mechanic Street took c a r e of all the .children in the lower part of the Town dur­ BREWSTER SCHOOL HousE ing the period from Used over a hundred years ago. Now standing on Paine Cottage Grounds 1829 until May, 1852,

118 EDUCATION THROUGH TIIE YEARS

when the class became so large that the teacher, David Miller, could not handle it. The class was then divided and the girls were given Phoebe A. Horton, the first female teacher in the New Rochelle public school system. The girls' class held school in a different building. However~ in 1853, the girls and boys were again combined into one class in the Mechanic Street School. This situation continued until the building of Trinity Place School in 1856. It is interesting to note that in 1938 there were 446 people ,vorking in the public school system, and of this number 350 were ,vomen. For some time N e,v Rochelle was served by the Trinity Place School, constructed in 1855-56. Here the first Regents preliminary examinations were given in 1880. The building burned in 1882, but ,vas replaced by a new sixteen-room brick structure which was opened in February 1884, and with additions is still in use. Gradu­ ally, other elementary schools have been erected. Lincoln School ,vas built in 1898; Huguenot School, 1898; Columbus, 1909; May­ flower, 1910; Stephenson, 1913; Roosevelt, 1920; Washington, 1921 ; Daniel Webster, 1930; Henry Barnard, 1931; and Jefferson, 1932. The appointment of Isaac E. Young as principal in 1880 marked the beginning of the expansion of the educational program in New Rochelle. American history, bookkeeping, algebra, physics, physi­ cal geography, civil government, and zoology were added to the senior year grammar department. It was at this time that Regents examinations were introduced. New Rochelle ,vas a leader in establishing the position of superintendent of schools and in setting up qualifications for the office. In 1891, the office was created in New Rochelle and ,vas filled by Mr. Young. The Board of Education formulated the qualifica­ tions for the office in 1902, which was the first time that such a step had been taken in all of Westchester County. From this time, the Board of Education regarded the superintendent as an educational leader and an executive officer. When Dr. Albert Leonard became superintendent of the N e,v Rochelle schools in August 1907, the system comprised 128 teachers and 4,446 pupils. "Under his enthusiastic and inspiring direction of one-quarter of a century, the schools of New Rochelle reached a high plane of excellence" ,vith a teaching personnel numbering over 400 and ,vith an enrollment of 9,552 at the time of his death, December 5,

119 SOME NEW ROCHELLE SCHOOL BUILDINGS

WASHINGTON

JEFFERSON

DANIEL WEBSTER

COLUMBUS JUNIOR HIGH AND ELEMENTARY

STEPHENSON

ROOSEVELT

HENRY BARNARD

HUGUENOT

lsAAc YouNG JuNIOR HIGH MAYFLOWER SCHOOL LINCOLN SCHOOL EDUCATION THROUGH THE YEARS

1931. Because of Dr. Leonard's failing health, two assistant super­ intendents had been appointed in 1930: Clifford S. Bragdon for secondary schools and Sim J. Smith for the elementary schools. After several months as acting superintendent, Mr. Bragdon was appointed to succeed Dr. Leonard by unanimous vote of the Board of Education in April 1932. Until his retirement in June 1937, l\1r. Bragdon headed the system in which he had completed twenty years of service. Herold C. Hunt, the pr,esent superintendent, was selected by the Board of Education, April 29, 1937. Under his regime, the By-Laws of the Board of Education ,vere revised to 1nake the superintendent the chief administrative office_r of the Board with full executive power and control. Although the French language had been used in the early days of the New Rochelle settlement and had been taught in the schools. no instruction in that language was offered in the public schools before the opening of the high school. An effort was made early in 1859 to have French taught, but the Board of Education refused to enlarge the curriculum. In February 1873, a resolution was introduced at a regular Board meeting that "in the opinion of this board the interests of the district do not at the present time require the teaching of any other than the English language in the schools." The high school movement started in New York State in 1847. Development was slow, and it was not until the 90's that it began to take root in New Rochelle. In 1893. an additional year was added to the grades and by 1896 the first high school graduating class, two in nun1ber, received diplomas. Thus, by degrees, a complete high school becan1e an accomplished fact. The high school received its charter fron1 the University of the State of Ne,v York in 1897. The high school began in Trinity Place School and continued there until 1899 when space was rented in the Welsh Building. ,vhich still stands on the northwest corner of Huguenot Street and North A. venue. The first floor of the \Velsh Building housed a meat 1narket and other stores. Ho,:vever. the high school ,vas separated from the grammar grades and this meant much in the develop1nent of a real institution of higher learning for N evv- Rochelle. The number of students increased until in 1906 there ,vere about three hundred. At first only academic subjects ,vere taught but before leaving this building commercial subjects ,vere added to aid students in preparing for business careers.

121 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

TRINITY PLACE SCHOOL First building used by the New Rochelle High School, 1893-1899. Now Trinity Place Elementary School.

WELSH BUILDING. Second building used by High School. 1899-1906.

N .EW ROCHELLE HIGH SCHOOL Third building. First building built espe­ cially for high school. 1906-1926. Now Albert Leonard Junior High School.

NEW ROCHELLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Fourth and present building, used since fall of 1926.

122 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Interest in the high school mounted during the years, and- there ,vas a decided conviction that the time had com~ when a city like New Rochelle .should have a building that would adequately meet the gro,ving demand for high school education. Accordingly, in November 1906, a new structure was completed and ready for occupancy. This building, with several additions, is still in use and is no,v kno,vn as the Albert Leonard Ju~ior High. For t,venty years this building housed the senior high. By 1926 the public was making greater demands for better educated students, and to meet this condition the junior high school idea ,vas introduced. In the reorganization, the elementary school was changed to include kindergarten and grades one through six, ,vhile grades seven through twelve formed the secondary level. The latter was divided so that the junior high was composed of the seventh, eighth and ninth grades, the senior high of tenth, eleventh and t,velfth. There are now three junior highs-Albert Leonard, Isaac E. Young and Columbus-and one senior high. The ne,v senior high school building was occupied for the first tin1e in the fall of 1926. The registration has gro,vn rapidly so that during the year 1937-38 over two thousand students ,vere enrolled. In the senior class of June 1938, there ,vere five hundred and fifty members, a striking contrast to the t\vo students who composed the entire first class of 1896. Columbus Junior High School ,vas also constructed and first occupied in the fall of 1926. Not only great advancement has been achieved in the material equipment of the schools but also revision has been and is being made in the curriculum. Many new courses have been added in the past few years to meet new demands and to prepare students for the future. The problem of education is training for living-to keep abreast of the times. The school system of N e,v Rochelle meets this challenge by developing leadership and follo,vership qualities that are needed in a great democracy. Each year a ne,v class composed of young citizens helps to add to the glorious history of the past. The boys and girls do their part to prepare themselves for life and to continue the educational traditions that have been developed through the years in N e,v Rochelle.

123 XIX

The French Church and Others

HE beginning of a church in T N e,v Rochelle came with the founding of the settlement. It followed the Reformed Church of France. It ,vas for their religion that the Huguenots suffered in their native country; and to enjoy its privileges unmolested, they fled to foreign countries. The beginning of the French Church in New Rochelle is lost to the present generation, as are F1RsT SToNE CHURCH other details about' the early set- Built in 1710, and located in the Boston Post Road near the present northeast corner of tletnent, largely because of the Huguenot and Division Streets. absence of early records, and also because it had a small gradual development. In October, 1688, there is a record that New Rochelle received a new minister, and his name ,vas David De Bonrepos. This sho,vs that there was a min­ ister in town before that time with a church organization, but his name is not positively known. The early pastors, from the time of settlen1ent to 1766, were French and preached regularly in French, and at other times in English. Reverend De Bonrepos, the second pastor, resigned and went to N e,v Paltz in 1695. · Reverend Daniel Bondet, the third pastor, continued until his death in 1722. He consummated, in 1709. the change in church government fro1n French Reformed to .l\nglican, which is commonly known as the Church of England. This ,vas an important move because as an Anglican Church they could receive financial help from the government as ,vell as through the missionary society of the English church. The fourth pastor. Reverend Pierre Stouppe, remained at N e,v Rochelle for nearly forty years until his death_. He preached in French, the only lagnuage that many of the inhabitants of the to,vn at that time could understand. He also preached in English at times for non-French members. Mention has been made in the

124 THE FRENCH CHURCH AND OTHERS

chapter on Education of his school in the parsonage and the 111any famous scholars under his care. The fifth, and last French minister was Reverend Michael Houdin. During his tin1e the church ,vas 'granted a Royal Charter by the Governor of N e,v York in 1762 under the name of Trinity Church. The church still functions under this ancient charter, which vvas confirmed by Governor George Clinton of New York State in 1793. Houdin's connection with the Old French War was related in the chapter under that heading.

Let us turn no,v to early church buildings in to,vn. Mention ,vas early made of a Temple ,vhich probably dates before 1689. In 1697 a ne,v church building ·w-as erected near the site of present Trinity Church on the Old Boston Post Road (now Huguenot Street). Vlhen the conformation ,vas made to the liturgy of the Church of England in 1709, plans were soon made for the building of a ne,v church of stone. This building, erected in 1710, ,vas placed in the Boston Post Road at the present northeast corner of Division· Street. So anxious were all to contribute something towards its completion, that even vvomen carried stones in their hands and mortar in their aprons, to complete the sacred ,vork. During this time, bet,veen 1709 and 1714, a solid silver chalice was presented to the church pursuant to the order of Queen i\.nne of England. The chalice which is inscribed "Anne Regina" is still one of the treasured possessions of Trinity Church. This stone build­ ing, thirty by forty feet, continued in use for more than a hundred years. It ,vas used for the Provost Guard at the time of the Revolution.

I~ the original deed from John Pell to Jacob Leisler for the purchase of N e,v Rochelle, provision ,vas 1nade for a gift of a hundred acres to the French Church. The conforn1ation of 1nost of the members of the French Church. in 1709, to the Anglican Church brought about a bitter controversy as to ,vho o,vned the land giye11 to the French Church. In other words did it belong to the Non­ Conformist Group or did it belong to the 111ajority ,vho had con­ fonned to the Anglican Church. .A.fter a la,v-suit the English Chur~h got possession of the church lands fro1n the Non-Con­ formist French Congregation. The church land had been assigned years be£ ore, in a part of the undivided lands on Pelham Road, west of Weyman Avenue. As time passed parts of it ,,rere sold, and still

125 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

later Trinity Church purchased a tract of land between Center Avenue and present Church Street, which did not extend north as far as Main Street. Ho,vever, this ,vas sold off piece by piece until it ,vas all converted into cash more than seventy years ago. The ans,ver to the question as to which church today traces back to the original French Church is unsolved. Both Trinity Church and the First Presbyterian Church claim such honors. There are difficulties in the claims of both. In 1709 ,vhen the French congregation conformed to the English liturgy there ,vere t,vo members ,vho voted against it and they secured possession of much of the church property. The Anglican group built a ne,v building, as noted above, and held regular services until the death of Reverend Houdin i.n 1766. Then there was a ti1ne ,vhen services ,vere intermittent. Following this came the Revolution and the closing of all churches until after the war, ,vhen Reverend Theo­ dosius Barto,v ,vas ordained in li90. From that time to date Trinity Church has had continuous existence. Now let us turn to the two members of the French Church ,vho did not conform, ,vho were kno,vn as the Non-Con­ formist or as the French Calvinist Congregation. They met at v a r i o u s F1RsT Bu1LDING oF F1RsT PRESBYTERIAN CHURcH places until they secured Built 1815 on point between Huguenot and 1 Main Streets, west. Later moved across a regu ar pastor some Huguenot Street; demolished 1934. years later. Regular ser- vices ,vere held until the 1740's and only intermittently after that tin1e until the 1760's ,vhen the church ceased to hold services. When they no longer had a regular pastor, in the 1740' s, they sometimes ,valked to New York City to attend services at the French Church . ...t\.fter the passage of more than forty years a new organization termed "The Presbyterian Church in the To,vn of N e,v Rochelle, formerly kno,vn by the name of the French Church" ,vas set up in 1808. They built their first building in 181q. From this time on they have continued and are now known as the First Presby­ terian Church. It is perhaps best to leave the honors divided and realize that

126 THE FRENCH CHURCH AND OTHERS

continuous life for any organization from Colonial times, through the Revolution to the present day, was next to impossible. Lack of continuous life does not in any way eliminate historical and tradi­ tional connections, and both churches have an abundance of these. One other church organization should be mentioned in the early religious history of N elv Rochelle because it grew up before the time of the Amer­ ican R e v o 1 u t i o n. Methodism ,vas intro­ duced into town by Robert Williams in June, 1770. He prech­ ed, according to As­ bury' s JOURNAL to ~~Frederick Devoue, \Yhose house and fam­ iiy in N e,v Rochelle, ,vere the first to re- ceive a n d ,velcon1e

FIRST BUILDING OF FIRST METHODIST CHURCH the Methodist preach­ Built in 1788 on present site of church building. ers; and thus beca111e Removed in 1838 and demolished in 1928. the gate by which ,ve have had such an abundant and per111anent entrance into the State of N evv York." The Methodist Church organization ,vas re­ organized after the Revolutionary War. In 1788 they built their first edifice on the same site as the present First Methodist Church on North ..:\venue opposite the Wykagyl Country Club grounds. This organization later divided and St. John's Church on l\1ain Street ,vas organized. The story of the churches in N e,v Rochelle is an interesting one. They have ahvays played an in1portant part in the iife of the to,vn. lviai1y other denominations gradually made their appear­ ance. The Catholic Church called "St. Matthe,vs" ,vas built on Drake A venue in 1848. The Baptists built a church in 1849 on old Rose Street, arid the Lutherans ,vere here as early as 1855. So on and on could the story be taken until all of the thirty or more churches were included. This is impossible at this time, but let it be said that while New Rochelle· has been called the City of Parks it could vvell be called the City of Churches.

127 xx

War of 1812

HE War of 1812 is often called the T Second War for Independence. In this conflict the United States was fight­ ing, among other things, against the ac­ tions of Great Britain on the high seas. England was hard pressed by Napoleon, and she searched American ships and took our seamen and placed them in her navy. N e,v Rochelle, with its location on the Sound, came ,vithin the ,var area, as 111uch of the conflict was fought on or COMMODORE STEPHEN DECATUR near the sea. During this ,var the port of New York City ,vas blockaded by a British squadron, ,vhich made it impossible to get out to the sea by the usual route through the lower bay. Consequently, boats, sailing fron1 the port of N e,v York, put to sea by sailing up the East River, past N e,v Rochelle. and through Long Island Sound, thereby avoiding the British ,var vessels near Sandy Hook. The .. A111ericans brought captured British ,var vessels through the Sound to the Port of Nevv York. The "United States",- a 44 gun frigate built by our government in 1798, fought a sea battle ,vith the British frigate "Macedonian" near the island of Madeira. on October 25, 1812. Captain Stephen Decatur, the American conunan

128 WAR OF 1812 two ships. Such was the case of the engage1nent between the ··Hornet," an American sloop-of-war under command of Captain James Lawrence, and the "Peacock", a British brig-of-war, on the 24th of February, 1813. The British vessel sank so rapidly that many on board were drowned. The survivors were treated ,vith kindness by Captain Lawrence;, and the "Hornet" arrived in Long Island Sound in March and sailed past New Rochelle and through Hell Gate to arrive in N e,v York City on the 25th of March, 1813. There ,vas a great deal of important traffic on the Sound during the period that New York harbor was blockaded. The British later found out that the Americans were leaving New York City by ,vay of the Sound. They decided to extend their blockade and stationed several war vessels in the Sound near the vicinity of New London, Connecticut. The Ameri­ cans refitted the captured British ,var vessel "Mace­ donian", but Commodore Decatur ,vas unable to get to sea ,vith his squadron.

Ho,vever, by the end of RoDMAN-DAvENPORT HousE May, 1813, he decided to Built on Davenport Neck before the Revolution. try to run the blockade in Militia stationed nearby in 1813. the Sound. Accordingly he passed N e,v Rochelle on the 25th ,vith the "United States," 44 guns, and the "Macedonian," 38 guns, and the "Hornet," 16 guns. Up to the time of the War of 1812 no vessels the size of these had ever attempted to pass Hell Gate and get to the sea in that direction. Decatur accomplishe·d this feat success­ fully, although he was unable to pass the British ships stationed near New London and had to remain inactive. The British squadron stationed in the Sound made a demon­ stration on September 8, 1813, in the direction of N e,v York City. They sailed down the Sound and came to ,vithin twelve miles of New York City, passing N e,v Rochelle on the way. The Atneri­ cans, commanded by Commodore Le,vis, started up the Sound ,vith t,venty-five gun boats to meet the enemy. They anchored in Hempstead Bay, which is directly opposite New Rochelle, at 1 :00 p. m. on the 9th. Later in the day the British, who had moved eastward from their advanced position on the 8th, returned and

129 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

exchanged shots with the American gun boats off Davenport N eek, New Rochelle. The British after alarming the Americans with­ drew up the Sound toward Connecticut, leaving the American boats free to return to New York City. This naval demonstration off New Rochelle caused great alarm in the town and in other places along the Sound. The militia were called out in haste and guards ,vere posted on Davenport N eek. i\ con1pany of mounted artillery with t,vo field pieces of cannon left New York City on the afternoon of the 8th for New Rochelle. These were exciting days in town. Now let us turn from the naval engagen1ent off Davenport ·N eek to the land side of the battle as described by Coutant in his reminiscences. Th~s part of the engagement turned out to be the funny and interesting part of the entire affair. During the night, follo,ving the fight in the Sound, the militia continued their post on the N eek, fearing that the British might return under cover of darkness to effect a landing. The guards were relieved at mid­ night after ,vhich they gathered around the ,vell in Davenport's yard to get a drink. The squeak made by the rising and falling of the ,vell-s,veep aroused the sleeping soldiers in the barn. Those in the barn-barracks sa,v the returning guard standing there in the light of the moon and mistook them for British soldiers, think-

- - 1

AMERICAN SHIP "HORNET" SINKING THE BRITISH SHIP "PEACOCK" Old drawing of a Naval Engagement during the War of 1812.

130 WAR OF 1812 ing that the squeak of the well-sweep was the cry of the wounded. Believing that they ,vere surrounded, they made preparations for attack, but discovered that they had left their powder on the main­ land across the inlet. The captain gave orders to run. This order ,vas carried out according to individual desires. Some took the mill dam crossing, others waded through the mud and water and some hid in the bushes. After reaching the ammunition, they re­ turned to the N eek to find it all quiet and occupied only by the relieved guard. . . Thus runs the story of events that happened near the house which is still standing on the N eek more than a century and a quarter after the event. Pryer gives a little different version of this exploit in his Reminiscences and ends his account with this statement: "However, they succeeded in getting to their old quarters without seeing a living thing, and at length reached the shores of the Sound; but they saw nothing more formidable than a flock of geese floating near the shore; indeed son1e say they ,vere even mistaken in this, and that they only sa,v the1nselves reflected in the ,vater, but I believe this last assertion to be slander got up by s0111e malicious person, and, as for myself, I always honor the brave and give fu11 credence to their account of their deeds." It ,vas during this same war that an American g_entleman by the name of Francis Scott Key ,vas detained by the British during their bombardn1ent of Fort McHenry near Baltimore. During the engagement he ,vas an observer and ,vrote on the back of a letter, ,vhich he happened to have in his pocket, some verses entitled

SITE OF NAVAL ENGAGEMENT OFF DAVENPORT NECK Battle was fought on September 9, 1813. Picture was taken from shore line at Davenport Park.

131 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER. While this important event, which gave us our national anthem, had nothing to do ,:vith New Rochelle, it is interesting to kno,v that his grandson and great grandson are buried in Beechwoods Cemetery in New Rochelle. Their grave is marked with a stone bearing this inscription: "Fran­ cis Scott Key III . . . Francis Scott Key IV . . ." With this account of the War of 1812 in your mind you can visualize these scenes when you stand down by the ,vater at Daven­ port Park, or by the old house near which the militia was stationed. In Beechwoods Cemetery you can connect the War and the "Star Spangled Banner" through the interment of two direct descendants of the author of our National Anthem. May all of these memories be kept alive in our minds from generation to generation.

BA"ITLE DURING THE WAR OF I 8 I 2 "United States," under command of Commodore Decatur, engaged in a naval battle with the British ship "Macedonian." The Americans were victorious.

132 XXI

Slavery and the Civil War

EGRO slaves were first introduced N into New Netherland, later to be­ come New York,_ in 1626. Slavery con­ tinued in this locality for two centuries, until by act of the Legislature of the State of New York it was practically exterminated ·in 1827. The first great act for gradual abolition of slavery was passed in New York State March 29, 1799, which provided that any child JoHN DYOTT born of a slave after the next Fourth of Prominent actor who lived in New Rochelle. · July would be considered as born free ; but if a male, to be a servant of owner until reaching the age of twenty-eight years; if a female, at the age of twenty-five years, at which time she would be entirely free. On the fourth day of July, 1827, according to the law of 1817, every slave in this state born before July 4, 1799, became free. New Rochelle had its full quota of slaves as can be seen from the earliest known census of our town taken in 1698. It shows that out of a total population of 232 there were 188 whites and 44 slaves. At this time the first colonial enumeration was made, showing a total of 2,170 slaves in New York Colony. Many of the Huguenot families had slaves. The slaves were well treated and ,vere often well liked by the entire family with which they lived. The male slaves worked on the farms, and the fem ale slaves assisted their mistresses with household duties. The slaves assumed the surname of their masters and were given such Christian names as Honeyball, Jupiter, Dafne and Flore. The law of 1799 provided "That it shall be lawful for the owner of any slave . . . to manumit such slave by a certificate for that purpose under his hand and seal." Accordingly New Ro­ chellans freed their slaves from time to time. Several records of freeing slaves are still in existence. Records also show the re­ cording of the birth of children of colored people as required by law. The granting of freedom to a negro woman, Hannah, by

133 HISTORIC NEV/ ROCHELLE

Hannah Pugsley, on August 15, 1799, is noted on the To,vn Record Book and can be found on page 388 as published by Jeanne A. Forbes. The Pugsley slaves were buried in a slave plot novv in­ cluded in Beechmont. The slave problem had been solved in New Rochelle long before the outbreak of the Civil War as it had been in most of the northern states. H·owever, New Rochelle was to suffer and pay the price of war in order that slavery might be abolished in the southern states. New Rochelle and Westchester County had not given a n1ajority of votes to President Lincoln, and they did not take kindly to the conscription law later put into effect. Ho,v­ ever, New R.ochelle was from the first called to send volunteers to the front and to make provision for those left behind. The New Rochelle Cadets were organized on June 25, 1861, for home defense. Many of these men later ,vent into active service with other military organizations. Henry vV. Clark, who had been second lieutenant of the New Rochelle Cadets, was made captain of Company G, 17th Regiment, National Guard, State of New York. This company was made up largely of New Rochelle men, a number of who111 had been in the New Rochelle Cadets. They received an ovation as they left N e,v Rochelle to serve for thirty days at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, Maryland. They all

... -~. • ••~ ; ' d/,.;•:: > '•' ;r,·--;:· . .:~_ .·/ ... ··,xr~ .'. ~f' '.' ~--.· .

~.....

BURTIS MILL oN MILL RoAD The Hutchinson River furnished the w_ater to run this mill. Site taken by New Rochelle Water Company. Building demolished.

134 SLAVERY AND THE CIVIL WAR returned alive and were given a big party by a group of New Rochelle women at Cadet Hall, which was located on Main Street west of Center Avenue, beyond Pelor's Hotel. This affair, which included a dinner with dancing and comic songs, was held on Wednesday, August 12, 1863. Near the far end of North Avenue on Mill Road there- stood a mill which ground grist and performed, necessary services. Dur­ ing the Civil War it is said that gun carriages were manufactured for use in the Union Army. The mill has ~isappeared and the mill pond was increased in size and used as a part of the New. Rochelle water supply. More recently the property has been taken over by Westchester County, and it now forms a part of the Hutchinson River Parkway. The Zuayes came to New Rochelle and marched through on their way to the Louis Morris place in upper New Rochelle off W iln1ot Road. The soldiers stopped at the Cornell house on North A venue to rest while enroute to their camp. Some soldiers \Vere kept here until after the war when they were finally dis­ charged. The Draft Riots which took place in New York City threat­ ened to spread to our town. Indeed tracks on the New Haven were torn up along the Bronx River. New Rochelle prepared to meet this situation, as it looked for a time as if trouble would extend out from New York. Great was the anxiety in town all this time. However, the mob violence spent itself when they reached Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle was spared. In 1863 the war was dragging and it became necessary to call a special meeting in the Town House. Men were urged to volun­ teer, and not wait to be drafted. Measures were taken for raising on the credit of the Town, money to procure volunteers to fill the quota and to furnish substitutes. The women and children did their part to help win the war. Women knitted, rolled bandages and ministered through soldier's aid societies to the needs and com£orts of the men. The women also aided in work at De Camp General Hospital on Davids' Island by bringing delicacies and cheer to the sick and wounded. The Misses Jane and Hannah Conway recollec~ed that in old Trinity

135 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Place school "they used to pull lint for the soldiers. I remember that they brought the wounded soldiers to Davids' Island, ·and that is where they used the lint. Miss Hannah Underhill was our teacher. She said that in our desks we left over enough food to feed the soldiers on Davids' Island." The most interesting event that took place in New Rochelle during the Civil War was_ the bringing of Southern prisoners to the De Camp General Hospital, which was locate~ OI?- Davids' Island, now known as Fort Slocum. The hospital was named for Dr. Samuel G. De Can1p. Thaddeus Davids owned the island and it was rented to the United States government in 1862. Here was established a large hospital, which administered to thousands of soldiers during the _period of the war. The island was purchased by the, U.S. Government in 1867.and has been used by them ever since for military purposes.

DE CAMP GENERAL HOSPITAL DURING CML WAR Located -on Davids' Island, now called Fort Slocum. Reverend Robert Lowry, Chaplain U.S.A., met the first trans­ port of Southern prisoners at Philadelphia, and returned with them to Davids' Island, New Rochelle. He testified that "the prisoners were in a most filthy condition, mi~erably clad, and covered with vermin." These so-called 'Rebel · Prisoners' arrived here in July, 1863. At one time there ,:vere about two thousand five hundred of them upon the island.

136 SLAVERY AND THE CIVIL WAR

Augustus Van Cortlandt, a New Rochelle man, who was Act­ ing Assistant Surgeon at the De Camp General Hospital testified: "I was on duty at this hospital when the last load of rebel prisoners arrived during the latter part of July, 1863. Some were lodged in pavilions, and some in tents . ~ . I had ten tents under my charge, which contained ninety-four rebel patients and nurses . . . During the ensuing cold weather the prisoners were removed to the pavilions, and had all necessary fuel and warm clothing ..." Dr. Edwards in speaking of the Rebel Prisoners said, "they were allowed to go fishing or claming, as they~ pleased, when they first came, till several escaped: when a line of sentinels was placed around the island upon the beach . . . The majority of the priso­ ners left the island during the month of October, 1863." At all times there were numbers of Union soldiers here in the hospital. Religious services were held in the chapel twice every Sunday, and two or three times during the week, the capacity of the chapel being three hundred. John Dyott \Vas a New Rochelle resident and an actor of note. He played in theaters in many parts of the country. On the night of April 14, 1865, he was acting in OUR AMERICA:t-~ COUSIN with Laura Keene at Ford's Theater in Washington, D. C., and Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, was sitting in one of the boxes. This ,vas the fatal night for President Lincoln, as he was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. It is inter­ esting that a New Rochelle resident had the leading male part in the drama enacted on that most momentous occasion. Dyott's house is still standing at the southwest corner of Church and Prospect Streets. The news of the assassination of President Lincoln was re­ ceived with deep regret in New Rochelle. Mourning was expressed by wearing badges draped with crepe. John Fowler, Jr., delivered '·An Address on the Death of President Lincoln," at the request of the citizens of New Rochelle, on Thursday evening, April 20, 1865, in the Old Episcopal Church. Erskine N. White, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in New Rochelle, delivered a sermon on National Flag Day, Thursday, J u'ne 1, 1865, on "The Personal Influence of Abraham Lincoln." Even though the citizens of the town had not given him a majority in the Presidential election in

137 SLAVERY AND THE CIVIL WAR

1860, they had come to admire and respect the man who so ably guided the national through the great conflict and thus preserved the Union. As time passed, the citizens realized the desire for a monument to commemo­ rate the memory of those from the town who had supported the cause of the Union in the Civil War. To carry out this idea a monument was erected at the junction of Main and Huguenot Streets, west, in­ scribed: "New Rochelle's Tribute to Her Loyal Sons, _1861." It ,vas dedicated on May 9. 1.896. and un­ veiled by Miss Cushing. General Sickles, an important leader in the war, spoke at the dedication exercises. He had co1nmanded at Gettysburg, where he had been severely wounded by an explod­ ing shell which shattered one of his legs. SOLDIERS' MONUMENT Erected to Civil War soldiers in 1896 With the passing of the last at Main and Huguenot Streets, west. New Rochelle veteran in the Civil War, Warren D. Secord, on May 3, 1938, the Civil War becomes a memory. However, the Soldiers Monument stands as a reminder of the part played by the community in that mighty conflict. Let us pray that never will such a crisis again arise, and that we may ahvays live at peace with our countrymen.

138 XXII

Famous Residents

GREAT many famous people have lived in New Rochelle-so many, in fact, that there will not even be room to name them all. Just a few A of the famous people who have lived here will be told about in this- chapter. However, it is hoped that your interest will be aroused to such an extent that you will look up further inforn1ation about the famous people who have resided here. There are many books available which will help you. Some of them are given at the end of this book. The people selected to be briefly described are arranged in chronological order of their residence. With this let us read about famous N e,v Rochelleans of the past. After you have heard of them, you 111ay select a group of fan1ous living New Rochelleans and discover for yourself what they have contributed to American life.

PETER FANEUIL

Benjamin Faneuil owned a big farm in Ne,v Rochelle located on North A venue near the present site of the Wykagyl Country Club. Here it was, on this farm, that Peter Faneuil ,vas born on June 20, 1700. Peter vvas lame from birth and lived to be only forty­ three years old. His father was a New York merchant and ship builder. The Faneuils were Huguenots from the City PETER FANEUIL Born in New Rochelle, 1700. of Rochelle, France. Peter Faneuil's uncle Andrew, \ivho lived in Boston, was a rich merchant with no heirs. He invited Peter and his brother Benjamin, Jr., to live with him after the death of their father. Accordingly they ·went, and uncle i\ndrew selected Benjamin, Jr. to be his heir, providing, however,; that "his heir must be content to live a single life." When Benjamin, Jr., became engaged to

139 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Mary Cutler, uncle Andrew cut him off in his will and named Peter in his stead. At the time of his uncle Andrew's death in 1738, Peter came into his inheritance, and thus became the richest man in Massachusetts. The need for a market_ in Boston caused Peter Faneuil to erect what was to be called Faneuil Hall and present it to the Town of Boston in 1742. The great fire in 1761 destroyed all but the four walls of the building. However, it was rebuilt using the original walls. The hall was enlarged in 1805 and entirely re­ modeled in 1898, but it is said that a part of the original wall still remains. Faneuil Hall was used during the Revolutionary War period for meetings and became known as "The Cradle of Liberty". When Faneuil had been thanked by the citizens of Boston for the hall he replied: "I hope what I have don~ ,vill be for the service of the whole country." This wish was fulfilled although Faneuil did not to live to see it. Here we have a native son of New Rochelle, a descendant of a Huguenot, playing an important part in the life of our country by using some of his wealth for the help of the citizens of Boston and for the furtherance of the cause of independence.

JOHN JAY AND PHILIP SCHUYLER

John Jay, Minister to foreign countries, negotiator of the treaty of peace that ended the Revolutionary War, ,vriter of some of the "Federalist Papers", governor of New York State, and first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, is Westchester's most distinguished son. Jay's experiences in school here in New Rochelle are told in the chapter on Education. He is mentioned here in this chapter just to remind you ·to associate him with famous men in New Rochelle. Philip Schuyler, who became a major general in the American army during the Revolutionary "y\T ar, did a very important job in connection with the campaigns in northern New York. Schuyler, as Jay, was a scholar in Rev. Stouppe's parsonage school in New Rochelle, as you have read in the chapter on Education.

140 FAMOUS RESIDENTS

COLONEL JOSEPH DRAKE Joseph Drake was born in East­ chester, and as a native son of the County played an important part at the outbreak of the Revolution in New Rochelle. He was a merchant of prominence in New York City, and prospered during the years before the war. As the quarrel with England became more acute, he associated himself with the Sons of Lib­ erty. Many were the interesting escap- CoLoNEL JosEPH DRAKE ades ,:vhich he had with the patriots in Supervisor of New Rochelle, 1774-1776. New York.

In 1770 Drake retired from active business in New York Citv.., and moved to New Rochelle. He took up residence on a farn1 located on Pelham Road and Drake's Lane, no,v Drake Avenue. His house stood at the north,vest corner of those two thorough­ fares well back from the road. \i\Thile living here in New Rochelle, Drake quickly gained political favor, holding several civil positions until he was elected Supervisor of the Town of N e,v Rochelle in 1774. He held this· office until the coming of the British to our To,vn in October, 1776. Drake was appointed Captain of the N e,v Rochelle and Pelham Company of Militia in 1775. During the same year he ,vas a delegate to the first and second Provincial Congresses of N e,v York Colony. Also. during the same year, he ,vas commissioned Colonel of the First Regiment of Westchester County lVIilitia, and ,vas the Chairman of the local Committee of Safety. Colonel Drake found hims.elf a busv 1nan as Revolutionarv J - affairs progressed. He ,vas the chief executive officer of the Tovvn of N e,v Rochelle and responsible for orderly govern1nent; and at the san1e ti1ne he ,vas a 1ne111ber of the Sons of Liberty. a Colonel in the Militia. and chainnan of the Committee of Safety favoring Rebellion and Independence. The occupation of New Rochelle by the British in October, 1776, terminated all civil government. It also dissolved the revo­ lutionary militia organization in the s_outhern part of the County. Colonel Drake retired at this time from his former activities and

141 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

took up the work of providing supplies for the American army and for the friendly inhabitants of the States. After the War Colonel Drake did not return to N ev1 Rochelle to live but took up life in Connecticut. Today his grave 1nay be seen in a cemetery in N e,v Haven. His house in N e,v Rochelle stood for many years as a reminder of Drake's activities, and as a place pointed out as a temporary hospital for wounded British soldiers in the Battle of White Plains. However, nothing no,v remains but one of the corner stones of the house which has been reset in a wall at the entrance to an apartment house on Drake Avenue, near Pelham Road.

LEWIS PINTARD The name Pintard is familiar to many in N e,v Rochelle. The manse of the First Presbyterian Church is the former hon1e of Lewis Pintard, an American patriot of Huguenot descent. Most of you know Pintard A venue that passes by the N e,v Rochelle Public Library. Ho,vever, very few of you have probably· ever heard much about the man himself. Lewis Pintard ,vas born in N e,v York City in the year 1732. Before the Revolution he became a very prominent and ,vealthy merchant. He came into possession of the house and property in New Rochelle in 1774 and occupied it as a residence. He died in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1818. Let us turn to the activities of Le,vis Pintard in the Revo­ lutionary War. He was appointed, on May 1, 1775, a member of the Committee of One Hundred to help organize for the defense of

the colonv_, of N e,v York. Later that same year he ,vas ap­ pointed on a co1nmittee by the Provincial Congress of N e,v York to e1n ploy a ship to purchase ,var supplies. This matter ,vas carefullv attended ol to by Pintard. as that ,vas simi­ lar to his regular occupation. HoME OF· LEw1s PINTARD Later he was appointed a Still standing on grounds of Commissary for American First Presbyterian Church. Prisoners in New York, and rendered valuable service . to the

142 FAMous· R.ESIDENTS

American cause, for which he was especially commended by General Washington.

In 1926, as ~ part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the Revolution, the N e,v Rochelle members of the Westchester County Historical Society arranged a meeting at the house, and unveiled a bronze tablet which can still be seen on the outside of the pre­ Revolutionary structure.

THOMAS PAINE Thomas Paine is recognized as a founder of the United States. Paine with his pen, next to Washington with his sword, was instrumental in bringing about our independence from Great Brit­ ain and the establishment of our endur­ ing republic. Perhaps the thing for which he is most famous was the pamphlet entitled COMMON SENSE, ,vhich he THoMAs PAINE issued in January, 1776, which caused 1737-1 809 nearly everyone of that time to think about declaring freedom from England. He served our country in other \\Tays, but it is easy to find the accomplishments of this man 1n n1any books available to you.

The State of N e,v York presented a large farm in N e,v Rochelle to Paine in 1784, for the eminent services he had ren­ dered to the United States. This farm had been confiscated from a Tory sympathizer The farm was located on the east side of North Avenue and was entered by a lane ,vhich is no,v called Paine A venue. Paine, however, soon left the United States for European travel and exploits, and conse­ quently did not come to live on this farm until 1804. By this time Paine was an old man and found it convenient to spend THOMAS p AINE MONUMENT North and Paine Avenues. much time in Ne,v York City. Erected 1839.

143 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

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A LETTER WRITTEN BY THOMAS PAINE AT NEW ROCHELLE TO JOHN FELLOWS The letter, written April 22, 1805, was sent "by the New Rochelle boat" to . John Fellows, Auctioneer, Water Street, near the Coffee H~use, New York City.

144 FAMOUS RESIDENTS

On Christmas eye, 1805, Christopher Derrick, an irresponsible character of the neighborhood who had done work for Paine, fired a gun at him while he sat in the study of his New Rochelle house. In a letter written by Paine from New Rochelle under date of January 16th, to William Carver, he says in part: ". . . What you heard of a gun being fired into the room is true ... about eight o'clock at night the gun was fired. I ran immediately out, one of 11:r. Dean's boys with me, but the person that had done it was gone. I directly suspected who it was, and I halloed to him by name, that he was discovered. I did this that the party who fired might know I was on the watch. I cannot find any ball, but whatever the gun was charged with passed through about three or four inches below the window making a hole large enough for a finger to go through-the muzzle must have been very near as the place is black with powder, and the glass of the window is shattered to pieces."

Fortunately Paine ,vas not injured and continued his residence in N e,:v Rochelle. While living in N e,:v Rochelle in the Spring of 1806 he at­ tempted to vote at the annual Town 1\ieeting ,vhich was held that year at the tavern of Peter Jones on April 1st. This is commonly

THOMAS PAINE COTTAGE AND MUSEUM Southeast corner of North and Paine Avenues .. Headquarters, Huguenot and Historical Association of New Rochelle.

145 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

referred to as Besly's Tavern which stood on_ the north-east corner of Huguenot Street (Boston Post Road) and North Avenue, since removed in connection with the widening of the streets at this point. When he arrived at the meeting he was denied the right to vote because his American citizenship ,vas challenged. This greatly affected the pride of Paine, who had done so much to establish our country. It was a bitter blow to the author of "Common Sense". Respecting this incident we find him writing to George Clinton, Vice President of the United States, as follows:,. "New York, Broome Street, May 4th, 1807. Respected Friend: Elisha Ward and three or four other Tories, who lived within the British lines in the revolutionary war got in to be inspectors of the election last year . at New Rochelle. Ward was supervisor. These men refused my vote at the election, saying to me, 'You are not an .A.merican; our minister at Paris, Gouverneur Morris, would not reclaim you when you were emprisoned in the Luxembourg prison at Paris, and General Washington refused to do it.' Upon my telling him that the two cases he stated were falsehoods, and that if he did me injustice I would prosecute him, he got up, and, calling for a constable, said to me, 'I will commit you to prison.' He chose, how­ ever, to sit down and go no further with it. . . ." Paine wrote to Joel Barlow on the same day as above and in 111 uch the same language described what took place at the election in New Rochelle, except that he added a spicy item regarding Ward: ". . . the chief of them (Ward, supervisor, whose father and all of his brothers had joined the· British, but himself not being old enough to carry a musket staid at home with his mother) ...." Thus Paine was treated as a man without a country. How ungrateful was the country to a man ,vho had done so much to bring about its very existence as a nation. Thomas Paine moved from New Rochelle in 1806. He died in 1809, ,vhile residing in Greenwich Village, which is now a part of N e,v York City. His body ,vas brought to new Rochelle and buried in a corner of a field in the front of his farm. The site is no,v partially under the side walk on the east side of North A venue a little south of Paine Avenue. In September, 1819, William Cobbett came to New Rochelle and removed the remains of ·Paine and had them sent to England. Later they were lost and now poor Pain~' s last resting place is not known.

146 FAMOUS RESIDENTS

The house in which he lived has been moved from its original position, on top of the hill on Paine Avenue, to a little park at North and Paine Avenues. It is maintained as a museum by the Huguenot and Historical Association of New Rochelle and is open for visitation every afternnoon, except on Mondays, from two till five. Paine had many important associations with New Rochelle during his lifetime and has been memorialized here for present and future generations by the erection of a big monument, the preser­ vation of his house located on a part of his farm, and by the build­ ing of the Paine Memorial House by the Thomas Paine National Historical Association. Take an afternoon and visit the little his­ torical spot and see all of the various interesting things that will be pointed out to you by the hostess at the Paine Cottage and the house manager at the Memorial House.

SITE OF THOMAS PAINE'S GRAVE AS IT APPEARED IN 1868. Thomas Paine was buried here in 1809. His remains were removed by William Cobbett in September, 1819. This site is now under a portion of the sidewalk on the east side of North Avenue just south of Paine A venue.

147 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

ROBERT WALTER WEIR Robert Walter Weir was a prolific painter. He painted some especially nice scenes of the Hudson River. Some of his best known canvases include "The Embarkation of the Pilgrims", which is in the rotunda of the National Capitol; "The Landing of Henry Hudson" and "Child's Evening Prayer". For many years he was instructor in drawing at West Point Military Academy. In 1811 his father bought some property in N e1iv Rochelle, located on Main Street, now kno,vn as Premium Point Park sub­ division. Here he lived with his family until they moved back to New York City about 1817. As Robert -was born in 1803, he was only a lad in his teens ,vhen: living here. While Robert_ W. Weir was not born in our town, it is very interesting to note that he later became a famous artist. It would seem as though many artists of all generations have been asso­ ciated in some way with our community. You, as readers, will be able to supply many others, including several of the present day. WILLIAM LEGGETT William Leggett was a literary man and assistant editor of the NEW YORK EVENING POST under William Cullen Bryant. While Editor Bryant was in Europe from June, 1834, to October, 1835, Leggett was editor. Leggett's n1other was a New Rochelle woman, and in 1828 Leggett married Almira Waring a New Ro­ chelle girl and took up his residence here. He, himself, was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1801.

Leggett is described as a "1nan of middle stature, compact frame, great en­ durance, and a constitution naturally strong but somewhat impaired by an at­ tack of yellow fever while serving ,vith the United States squadron in the West Indies. His naval training had given him a dignified bearing~ his address ,vas easy, and his affability and mildness of manner surprised those ,vho had known him only through his fiery ,vritings." WILLIAM LEGGETT . 1801 - 1839 The friendship that existed bet,veen Bryant and Leggett was

148 FAMOUS RESIDENTS

of help to both. They were happily described in the "Courier and Enquiree' as· the "Chaunting Cherubs of the Post", a title which clung to them. Leggett was a facile ,vriter, and ·it caused Bryant to remark, "How he finds time to write so ~uch, I know not." He was in the thick of many a fight. As an ardent abolitionist, his adherence to that cause cost him the democratic nomination for a seat in the Congress. Leggett's health began to fail in 1838. Bryant wrote the following after his death on May 29, 1839: "For more than a year past, Mr. Leggett was not engaged in public controversies of the time, his health being too precarious and enfeebled to admit of much exertion. He latterly resided at New Rochelle, about nine­ teen miles from New York, a charming spot on the Long Island Sound, the shores of which in sight of his dwelling, are beautifully indented with coves, and the water gemmed with woody islets." Leggett died in New Rochelle, mourned by many. He was interred in Trinity Episcopal Churchyard on Huguenot Street. Walt Whitman later, in his writings, pointed out the necessity of following "the great Jefferson and the glorious Leggett." Leggett was "one of the most sincere and brilliant apostles of democracy that America has ever known." In the summer of 1840 a committee of New York City friends of the late William Leggett visited New Rochelle, and held a meet­ ing at the Mansion House to make arrangements for erecting a monument to his memory. This monument of marble surmounted with a medallion likeness of the deceased now stands over his grave in Trinity Episcopal Churchyard with the following in­ scription written by William Cullen Bryant: "William Leggett. Born in N e,v York, April 30, 1801. Died at New Rochelle, May 29, 1839. To WILLIAM LEGGETT the eloquent journalist whose genius, disinterestedness and courage ennobled his pro­ fession, who loved the truth for its own sake, and asserted it with most ardour when ,veaker minds ,vere most dismayed with oppo­ sition; who could endure no form of tyranny, and raised his voice against all injustice, on whomsoever committed, and whoever were its authors. The Democratic Young Men of New York, sorrowing that a career so glorious should have ceased so prematurely, have erected this monument."

149 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

This brief sketch of this interesting character is closed by quoting a poem written by William Cullen Bryant as a tribute to William Leggett. The earth may ring, from shore to shore, With echoes of a glorious name, But whose loss our tears deplore, Has left behind him more than fame. For when the death frost came to lie Upon that warm and mighty heart, And quench that bold and friendly eye, His spirit did not all depart. The words of fire, that from his pen Were flung upon the lucid page Still move, still shake the hearts of men, Amid a cold and coward age. His love of truth, too warm, too strong, For hope of fear to chain or chill, His hate of tyranny and wrong, Burn in the breasts he kindled still. ASA WHITNEY Asa Whitney is known as the father of transcontinental rail­ roads. He was a New York merchant and a man with vision and travel experience. He owned the large house on North Avenue, at the southeast corner of Manor Place, which has just recently been demolished. Here it was that he lived for a few years in the 1830' s as a resident of New Rochelle. A trip to China in the 1840's is supposed to have shown Whit­ ney the need for a transcontinental_ railroad from the Atlantic to the Pacific. When he returned in 1844 he clearly realized the benefits to be derived from such an undertaking, and he spent a great deal of money in trying to get the Congress to take up the project. This was not immediately accomplished, but in the end a road was constructed, and Whitney lived to see his dream realized in 1869 with the opening of the Union Pacific. The story of Whitney's part in transportation is v~ry interest­ ing and a good account of his activities can be had by reading in Seymour Dunbar's A HISTORY OF TRAVEL IN AMERICA.

150 FAMOUS RESIDENTS

SUSAN B. ANTHONY Susan B. Anthony was born in 1820 and was destined to be a noted reformer. Her chief interests were the abolition of slavery, the promotion of the temperance movement, and campaigning for woman suffrage. She was president of the Na­ tional Woman Suffrage Association for a number of years. In many ways Susan B. Anthony was very modern. She caus­ ed a stir when she appeared publicly in bloomers and short skirts.

SUSAN B. ANTHONY At the age of twenty-eight. Miss Anthony's early life is interest- ing to New Rochelleans because she came here to teach when nineteen years old. "Susan had several schools offered her and finally accepted one at New Rochelle." She came here as an assistant in Eunice Kenyon's Boarding School. The principal was ill most of the time, and Miss Anthony had to take entire charge. Quoting directly from Harper's LIFE AND WORK OF SUSAN B. ANTHONY: Miss Anthony "speaks also of watch­ ing night after· night ,vith only such rest as she gets lying on the floor. She gives some idea of the medical treatment of those days: 'The Doctor came and gave her a dose of calomel and bled her freely, telling me not to faint as I held the bowl. Her arm com­ menced bleeding in the night and she lost so much blood she fainted. Next day the Doctor came, applied a blister and gave her another dose of calomel.' "

Quoting from the same source we get an interesting picture of Ne,v Rochelle at the time of the visit of President Van Buren. "The staid and puritanical young woman is much disturbed at the enthusiastic reception given President Van Buren at New Rochelle, and vvrites home: 'We had quite a noise last fifth day on the occasion of Martin's passing through this village. A band of splendid music ,vas sent from the city, and large crowds of people called to look at him as if he ,vere a puppet show. Really one ,vould have thought an angelic being had descended from heaven, to have seen the commotion. The ,vhole village was in an uproar. Here was a mother after her children to go and gaze

151 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE upon the great man, and there ,vas a teacher rushing with one child by the hand and half a dozen running after. Where was I? Why I, by mustering a little self-government, concluded to re­ main at home and suffer the President to pass along in peace.' " "While in New Rochelle Susan became greatly interested in the culture of silk-worms, upon which the principal was experi­ menting. She writes home full descriptions and urges them to ascertain if black mulberry trees grow about there; she herself kne,v of one. She insists that the sisters can teach school and take care of the silk-worms at the same time, but evidently receives no encouragement as no more is heard of the project ... A box of shells is carefully gathered for brother Merritt, and sent with a grass green linen handkerchief for sister Mary ... She frequently walks down to Long Island Sound, a mile and a half away ..." "Her school commenced [ in New Rochelle] May 23, [ 1839] and closed September 6 [ 1839], a term of fifteen weeks, for which she received $30.00, and she expresses her grief that after having paid for necessary clothes and incidentals, she has only enough left to take her home." The United States government issued in 1936 a Susan B. Anthony Postage Stamp upon the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of the ratification of the nineteenth amendment to the Federal Constitution, which granted suffrage to women. Thus was a young lady, ,vho taught school in New Rochelle many SusAN B. ANTHONY COMMEMORATIVE STAMP years ago, interestingly honored. Issue of 1936.

152 . XXIII

How New Rochelle Has Grown

HE growth of New Rochelle over a period of two centuries T and a half has been very gradual. The settlement started with a fe,v families and increased to 233 people when the first known census ,vas taken in 1698. The census was taken by Constable Le Roux ,vho omitted his name and perhaps that of another from the list. He signed the census as follows: "a trou Leas mad by 1ne peter Le roux Contobeall of nuro cheall." He ,vould hardly pass as a good speller today. Be it remembered that in tho_se early days there were many who could not even write their own name. The census of 1771 sho,vs a population of 714 which gives an idea of the number of people living in N e,v Rochelle at the time of the Revolution. The next census ,vas not taken until 1790 and these figures show a decrease in population. Many people left this locality when the Revolution broke out. After the conflict some of them returned and population started to grow quite rapidly as can be seen by subtracting the number reported in the 1790 census report from the figure in 1800. N e,v Rochelle ,vas returning to normalcv., . New Rochelle as a Town reached about three thousand by the time of the incorporation of a part of it into the Village of New Rochelle in 1857. From the period of the 1880' s the growth of New Rochelle vvas much more rapid than in previous years. This can be accounted for by the development of commuter facili­ ties, the coming of the railroad, the horse cars, and more recently the motor car. The Town and Village population reached about 14,000 at the time of the incorporation of the City of New Rochelle. In recent times the depression has held back population gains . .At the present time the population is just about holding its own.

New Rochelle has grown as a residential city, not at all as a manufacturing center. People have come here to live in a residential community and still be able to get into New York City and to return daily. This great movement of perhaps nearly ten thousand people is ,vhat makes for the congestion on North Avenue and the vicinity of the Railroad station, night and morning. Many

153 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE people leave town and return in motor cars, and this makes for busy high,vays during commuting hours. According to the City Auditor the activity distribution of the population of New R.ochelle is as follo,vs: 24% Housewives 27% Gainful workers in city 16% Gainful ,vorkers outside of city 21 % School children 12% Infants l t can quickly be seen that children make up the greater part of the population, 33%. They represent the largest group in the table above. Statistics sho,v that the average size of a family in New Rochelle is 4.3 persons. This means that on the average every family would have a little over two children apiece. Of course there are no children in some families and a great many in others. How can so many gainful ,vorkers find something to do \vithin a city which has so little manufacturing? The chief industry of New Rochelle was building, which employed during good times almost three thousand men. Now, with the depression, only a small number of them have had employment and that accounts in part for the amount of unemployment during the depression of 1929. As the economic situation corrects itself, the population of the city will continue to grow and more building ,vill be necessary. Then these men will again be able to have work. The kind of dwellings used by residents of New Rochelle is interesting as is also the distribution of the population in each classification. Some of the interesting figures in this chapter have come from Roland Skinner, "Economic and Social Conditions in New Rochelle." Again let us look at a table of fact showing the type of dwelling place of New Rochelleans: Single family dwellings 47% T,vo Family Dwellings 17% Three Family Dwellings 8% Apartment Buildings _20% Hotels and Rooming Houses · 8% Here can be seen the proof of the statement that ,ve have a com­ munity of homes as almost half of the population live in single

154 HOW NEW ROCHELLE HAS GROWN

family dwellings. Two-thirds of the population live in either single or two family dwellings. Just a word about the nationalities that go to make up the population of the city. At first most of the settlers were Huguenots, who came fron1 France. Other nationalities very early began to filter in and gradually the French element lost. itself in other nationalities until now they represent the background for a very small number of the inhabitants. Ne,v Rochelle like most cosmo­ politan places has its racial sections and its racial groups. The latter make up a big percentage of the total population. A census is the official counting of the people in a- city or country. The Constitution of the United States provides for the taking of a census every ten years. The first federal census was taken in 1790 and has been taken at every ten year period since. There used to be a provision for a census of the State of New York every ten years, and they were staggered with the times for the federal census. However, the state has now discontinued taking a count of its population by itself, and it depends entirely upon the official count of the federal government. This accounts for the population figures, given in the table at the end of this chapter, being approximate. There is, however, local provision for the taking of a school census. Such a count was made in N evv Ro­ chelle in 1938. To show the gro,vth of New Rochelle from to,vn to city the following chart of population growth from 1698 to 1938 is given. It ,vill help you to understand some of the statements made earlier in this chapter. Population Figures 1698--231 plus 2 1820-1,135 1890-9,057 171~264 1830-1,274 1900-14,720 1712-304 1840-1,816 1910--28,867 1727-400 (approx.) 1850-2,458 1920-36,213 1771-714 1860-3,519 1930-54,000 1790-692 1870-3,915 1938-60,000 1800-1,274 1880-5,276 (approx.)

155 XXIV

Parks --Residential and Recreational

EW ROCHELLE Nl has long been known as "The City of Parks", first because of her many b e a u t i f u 1 residential parks, and secondly be­ cause of many p u b 1 i c parks "\vhich total 1nore than a hundred acres. Of the more than fifty resi­ ENTRANCE TO ROCHELLE HEIGHTS dential parks that have A residential park of New Rochelle. been laid out and built up, Huguenot Park, Rochelle Park and Residence Park \-Vere among the first to be developed. There are others of more recent date as Rochelle Heights, Beechmont and Wykagyl which are also noted for their attractiveness as residential parks. Space will only allow for naming a few of the parks in to,vn; however, each has a history all of its o,vn which could be ,vorked out. It would be interesting to kno,v the why and wherefore of the development of the section in ,vhich you live. That ,vill have to be left to the reader. In the early days when N e,v Rochelle vvas a to\vn, or a bit later when a portion of it ,vas incorporated as a village there were many open spaces ,vhere residents might glimpse the ,vild life. enjoy the sun light, and romp and play. However, as the popula­ tion increased, the need became apparent that more- attention must be given to setting aside certain lands for park purposes. The first big park that was owned by the Town ,vas Hudson Park. It was acquired in 1886 after a special act had passed the State Legislature, which was followed by a special election in June 1886 for the inhabitants to vote as to whether the Town of New Rochelle should purchase Hudson Park.·. Those in favor carried the day, and the park was established. It was increased in size in 1923. It no,v affords excellent bathing facilities, flower gardens, and general recreational facilities. This was one of the

156 PARKS-RESIDENTIAL AND RECREATIONAL

first important parks established, and it stamped New Rochelle as a progressive community. Hudson Park is widely known for its rose garden with more than a thousand varieties. N eptu~e Park, situated on Neptune Island, \Vas presented to the City by Adrian Iselin in 1903. It contains about two acres on the site of the former Neptune House which was described in the chapter on Taverns. For a long time a need was felt for a park that would be suitable for such sports as baseball and football. In 1910 the City purchased a tract of land out Fifth Avenue, near the Mamaroneck­ New Rochelle boundary line. The park contains nearly thirty acres, a part of which has been left as natural ,voodland. The rest, with a suitable athletic building, has been conditioned into baseball diamonds, football fields and a running track. Huguenot Park, containing about forty-three acres, ,vas acquired in 1923. A part of the area is a lake which now' :forms a beautiful setting for the N e,v Rochelle High School. The lake ,vas formerly an ice pond and later was a part of the Mount Vernon water supply, but now is a part of the park system of the city. Japanese Cherry Trees planted here will in time make the park a very beautiful spot. Lydia W. Thorne, in her ,vill, left her property in 1929 to the City of N e,v Rochelle to be used as a riding and walking park. This eighteen acre plot on Davenport N eek, running as it does down to the Sound, is most attractive. It is restricted against use as a place for boating and bathing. It is to be used for quiet enjoy­ ment. This park~ kno,vn as Davenport Park, has been laid out ,vith walks and gardens. l\:Iention of some of the things to be seen there has been n1ade in the chapter on geography. There are many sn1all parks in the city such as Faneuil Park at the junction of Main and Huguenot Streets, east. Here the World War Memorial and the Post Road Marker have been placed. In the triangle at RooseYelt Square, at Huguenot and Main Streets, ,vest, the Civil War Memorial has been erected. Feeney Park is one of the ne,ver developments. There are many others that will come to mind, but enough have been mentioned to show that New Rochelle is truly a city of parks. Glen Island, although it is a County park, is the largest park

157 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

in New Rochelle, being considerably more than one hundred acres in extent. The County purchased this island in 1924. Later they replaced the chain ferry by constructing a . modern draw bridge. With the blasting out of rock a very fine new beach ,vas con­ structed. A bath house ,vas put up. All of these facilities for salt water bathing, along with the casino for dining, have made a fine recreational center of this spot. The earlier: history of the islands under the direction of John H. Starin need not be recited here as it has been written upon in other places. One of the more recent developments in parks is known as the parkway or boulevard idea. It consists, usually, of a strip of land along a stream with a development of the stream, the build­ ing of a roadway, and the landscaping of the remaining portion. The Pinebrook Boulevard is such· a development in New Rochelle. This project has not been completed because of the depression, but in time it will serve not only as a most important high,vay through the City, but it will be a beauty spot for all time, includ­ ing the healthful preservation of Pine Brook.

AIR VIEW OF HUGUENOT PARK, HUGUENOT LAKE AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

158 XXV

Spanish-American War

"R EME1\1BER the 'Maine' " was the slogan that ,vas heard the length and breadth of the United States early in 1898 after the destruction of the United States battleship "Maine" on February 15. Chaplain John P. Chid"vick, aboard at the time of the explosion, took valiant part in the rescue work and was one of the last to leave the ship. Because of his services his name became famous and thereafter he was revered by American bluejackets. All of this was a long way from New Rochelle. It so hap­ pened that in 192;4 The Right Reverend Mgr. John P. Chidwick, ex-Chaplain of the "Maine" was named president of the College of New Rochelle, which office he held until his death in 1935. On Memorial Day in 1925 the citizens of New Rochelle dedicated a memorial monument "To the men of Ne,v Rochelle ,vho in the Spanish-.....\.merican War of 1898-9 gave eager service in the Ar1ned

UNVEll.ING SPANISH-AMERICAN wAR MEMORIAL Dedication by Ex-Chaplain Chidwick of the U.S.S. Maine.

159 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

forces of the United States ..." This memorial,. which was un­ veiled by Ex-Chaplain Chidwick, stands at the entrance to Rochelle Heights on North Avenue near the Albert Leonard Junior High School. New Rochelle sent many of her boys to fight in the war with Spain even though the conflict did not last very long. The De Camp General Hospital on Davids' Island, used during the Civil War for sick and wounded soldiers, was not needed for that pur­ pose after the conflict. The isla1;1d was reoccupied and abandoned for military purposes by the government several times during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Davids' Island ,vas estab­ lished as a recruiting station in 1894. In 1896, with the construc­ tion of earth,vorks on the island as a part of the outer defenses of New York City, it was named Fort Slocum after General Henry Warner Slocum. These earthwqrks and mortar entrenchments. although now abandoned, ,vere used during the Spanish-American \Var and troops ,vere stationed here to protect the Sound. The Twenty-Second Regiment, Infantry, New York Volunteers, was divided on June 10, 1898, and parts assigned to Fort Totten at Willett's Point, Fort Schuyler on Throggs Neck, and Regimental Headquarters and Companies B, E and I to Fort Slocum. They were mustered out of service on November 23, 1898. All of the above mentioned fortifications are still extant although not now of military importance. Admiral George Dewey, of the American Fleet, was ordered to Hongkong, China, shortly before the opening of the Spanish­ American War. He ,vas instructed to go to the Philippine Islands if ,var was declared. With the declaration of vvar .i\dmiral Dewey, ,vith his fleet, appeared in Manila Bay opposite Fort Philippe at Cavite. Again ,ve are a long distance fron1 N e,v Rochelle; but after the war was over, John H. Starin, ,vho operated the amusement park at Glen Island, New Rochelle, erected a memorial to Admiral Dewey and the Navy of the United States. · The inscription on the marker tells the story: "In commemoration of the Battle of Manila Bay, May 1, 1898. When Commodore Dewey_ with six War Ships, 7,000 miles from a port of refuge in case of disaster, engaged Spain's fleet of Ten War Ships supported by strong shore fortifications, and defeated them sinking every Spanish ship, capturing the strongly

160 - SPA... "NISH-A ... 'T\IBRICAN WAR fortified city of Cavite, ending forever Spain's power in the east, without the loss of a ship or a man. This monument represents a corner of Fort Philippe, one of those defending Cavite. Every stone here laid being one dislodged that day by Dewey;s American guns is dedicated to Admiral George Dewey and the Navy of the U. S. by John H. Starin. These stones were brought to this coun­ try in ballast by permission of Admiral Dewey in the sailing shjp 'Crown of Germany' as is verified by papers signed by Captain Mcllcorn and first Officer David P. Flack." Unfortunately, this interesting memorial has disappeared. President 1\1:cKinley, Commander-in-Chief of the military forces of the United States during the Spanish-American War, was not to live very long after the conflict. He was shot by an anarchist in Buffalo, N. Y. and died a few days later. Guns boomed all day at minute intervals at Fort Slocum on September 14, 1901, in a memorable day of mourning. A picture of one of the batteries in action showing the earthworks at Fort Slocum is, indeed, an interesting. memento of the occasion preserved by Jacob J. Dorst of New Rochelle. The war, not wanted by President William McKinley, set the United States up as an imperialistic nation with possessions in the Pa~ific Ocean. It is still remembered by deed, ,vord and picture in a community far from the fields of battle.

FIRING MINUTE GuNs AT FoRT SLOCUM AT DEATH OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY September 14, 1901. Note earthworks and water tower in background.

161 XXVI

World War

HE mighty conflict in Europe, kno\vn as the World War, Tbroke out in 1914, but the United States remained neutral for some time. However, matters gradually became involved with the sinking of the "Lusitania'\ the breaking of the "Sussex Pledge", and \vith resun1ption of unrestricted submarine ,varfare. So at last the United States declared \var on Gern1any, i\pril 6, 1917. New Rochelle and every community in the country imme­ diately felt the effect and importance of the ,var and did all in their po,ver to help to ,vin. Fort Slocutn immediately became a very active station and ,vas made ready to receive recruits by the construction of thirty-three one story frame barracks and other necessary buildings including ten mess halls. 140,000 recruits passed through the Fort during the period fro111 April, 1917 to January 1, 1919. They vvere equipped ,vith clothing, housed and fed before starting on their vvay to the front. The United States Govern1nent announced the closing of voluntary enlistn1ents on Decen1ber 15, 1917. .This caused many men in the area fron1 Maine to Pennsylvania to flock into N evv Rochelle to volunteer for service at Fort Slocun1 before the closing date. Men began to arrive in N e,v Rochelle by the thousands and

FORT SLOCUM AND THE NEW ROCHELLE SHORE LINE As seen from the air in r 9 3 8.

162 WORLD WAR it soon became impossible to accomn1odate them at the Fort. In the emergency men were housed in public halls, churches, school buildings, Y.M.C.A. and indeed in any available space. The· prob­ lem of feeding the thousands vvas tremendous. However, every­ one in the city arose to the occasion and did his bit to make the volunteer recruits happy and comfortable. This incident is known as Recruit Week. A full account of this crisis will be found in Conde B. Pallen's NEW ROCHELLE-HER PART IN THE GREAT WAR under the f ollo,ving chapter headings: "Recruit \i\T eek", "A Critical Mon1ent", and "Office of the Quartermaster, Recruit Depot, Fort Slocum, New York".

New Rochelle furnished an unusually large number of volun­ teers ,for service. The governn1ent decided to institute a selective service draft and accordingly had all men register, at first between the ages of t,venty-one and thirty-one. and later bet,veen the ages of eighteen and forty-five. Thus ,vas the ma~ po,ver of the city, after the drawing for ntunbers at \Vashington, conscripted for military service. In all, N e,v Rochelle furnished 2,547 men for the armed forces of the country, and of these 61 gave their lives. Every organization furnished ,vorkers and everyone ,vas called upon to subscribe to the various Liberty Loans and to contribute to Red Cross drives and the like. The hardships of ,var ,vere also felt by those back hon1e. Food. fuel, and. supplies had to be conserved at hon1e to insure enough for American soldiers and those of the allies. This meant going without; and wheatless, fuelless, and meatless days ,vere ordered, and the amount saved sent to the front. The school children entered into the spirit of ,vinning the ,var. Some of the older boys enlisted, but most of them obeyed the suggestion of President Wilson that they could serve best by continuing their education. The salute to the flag each day in the schools-"! pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of A111erica and to the Republic for ,vhich it stands, one nation indivisible, ,vith liberty and justice for all"-,vas a controlling 1notive in the lives of the boys and girls. Enthusiasm ran so high that $680 ,vas contributed by the school children to be sent to La Rochelle children ,vho had lost their fathers in the war, an expression of the good feeling and brother­ hood that existed bet,veen the younger generation in New and

163 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Old Rochelle. The chapter, "The Public Schools in War Time", in Pallen's book gives an interesting picture of the schools. At last the great conflict was over, the war was won, and news of the Armistice was received. Schools were closed, business ,vas suspended and a big parade and celebration staged. This brought to a close the work of the many special committees and groups, but there were many results. to bring great satisfaction to the many workers. The war was ,von and golden memories re­ mained in the minds of the citizens. However, such memories pass with the lives of the participants. To preserve a few of them for coming generations, memorials of stone and bronze have been erected in the city to perpetuate the activity of New Rochelle during the World War. To Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of America during the war, the New Rochelle High School was dedicated. A bronze marker was placed just inside the entrance facing Woodrow Wil­ son Drive, which reads in · part: "New Rochelle High School, dedicated to the Memory of Woodrow Wilson, Educator, Publicist, Statesman, and President of the United States, 1913-1921". The men cared for at Trinity Place School during Recruit \¥eek raised a fund for a tablet to be placed in the school in appre­ ciation of hospitality received. The inscription as shown in the illustration tells the story. A collection 9f dimes from the many recruits cared for in New

TAB LET PRESENTED TO TRINITY PLACE SCHOOL Donated by Massachusetts Recruits during World War.

164 WORLD WAR

Rochelle during Recruit Week made up a fund from vvhich a bronze plaque was made and placed over the main stairway of the Public Library. The inscription reads : "This tablet is erected by the volunteers of the National Army in grateful appreciation of the kindly ,velcome and warm hospitality extended to them by the people of New Rochelle from Dec.ember 10th to 20th, 1917. Coming in such numbers that the Recruiting Station at Fort Slocum could not provide accommodations for them, these thou­ sands of men found food and shelter in the homes and public buildings of the city while awaiting reception into the service of the nation". It was dedicated on March 15, 1919. At the ~ibrary in the Local History Room may be seen a wall display with the pictures of New Rochelle men who lost their lives in serving the nation. Some of the war dead are buried in Beechwoods Cemetery. At eleven o'clock on Armistice Day, 1927, a memorial tablet was unveiled near the main entrance. The inscription reads: "This memo~ial group of trees was planted May 30, 1920, in honor of

NEw RocHELLE WoPJ...D WAR MEMORIAL Dedicated December I I, I 921.

165 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

the New Rochelle heroes of the vV orld War ,vho rest in Beech­ woods Cemetery, by the N e,v Rochelle Branch of the National Plant, Fruit and Flo,ver Guild". This is follo,ved by the names of the seventeen men. The citizens of N e,;v Rochelle raised a large fund and erected a World War Memorial "To the men of N e,v Rochelle ,vho served in the Great War for the rights of humanity, 1914-1918". It is located in Faneuil Park at the junction of Huguenot and Main Streets, east. The cornerstone ,vas laid on Decoration Day. May 30, 1921, at ,vhich time the Hon. J. Mayhe,v Wain,vright. Assistant Secretary of War, spoke. The monument vvas formally dedicated on December 11, 1921, with Hon. J. Addison Young as the principal speaker. For beauty, simplicity, and character of design it ranks among the finest.

Fort Slocum continues to serve the nation as the largest re­ cruiting station in the east. Here n1any thousands of 111en still pass through New Rochelle to enter the military service of the United States. While it no longer serves as the main outer defense of the City of New York, it still serves an important part in keep­ ing the army of the United States to strength. Even ,vith this reminder of the military, the people of New Rochelle rank first in the promotion of peace. Ho,vever, they hope daily that our country may always be on the best of terms ,vith all countries of the world.

166 XXVII

Legends and Stories

LL ,vork and no play makes Jack a dull boy. So runs an old A truism. So perhaps it might be said that all history and no stories or legends make dull reading. However that may be, let us turn in this chapter to discover a bit of the literature about New Rochelle, for entertainment and enjoyment rather than for historic value. Some Sunday afternoon when you may be strolling along the road on Davenport N eek, let your imagination reign and, wander­ ing back to the time of the War of 1812, in your mind's eye, you may see an English frigate anchored in the Sound, off the N eek. Especially may this be so if you have read in Charles Pryer's little book, entitled REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD WESTCHES­ TER HOMESTEAD, the story entitled the Battle of Davenport N eek. While you have the book in your possession also read the chapters entitled: "The Spirit. Lady," "A Queer Old House," "' ...A... Noted Musician," and "The Treasure Hunters." Yes, just stories, but pretty good stories, based upon a bit of fact. Based upon N e,v Rochelle a very fine novel called A PRIN­ CESS AND ANOTHER was ,vritten by Stephen Jenkins. This is a tale based on many old letters and papers and records found by the author ,vhile traveling in France. This is really a good story ,vhich holds your attention because of the activities of the char­ acters and because they are placed in N e,v Rochelle. Elizabeth W. Cha111pney's story, entitled A DAUGHTER OF THE HUGUENOTS, takes American soil and the colonial period for her story. The first chapter is called "When New Rochelle "\l-1 as New." Other parts of the book deal ,vith the Siege of La Rochelle and the Huguenots of the N e,v World. J\1 uch of general interest may be found by reading this book. BECAUSE OF CONSCIENCE. a novel relating to the adven­ tures of certain Huguenots in old N e,v York, by Amy E. Blanchard. is another interesting book on N e,v Rochelle. The chapter entitled "The Feast of the Fat Calf" is based upon the provision in the deed from Pell to Leisler that called for the presentation of a fatted calf on a day in June ,vhich marks the_. feast of John the Baptist.

16i HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

Ask your librarian about this interesting book for those who like to read stories. For those who like to read historical pageants get a copy of WESTCHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL PAGEANT, THE BOOK OF THE WORDS, copyrighted by Violet Oakley. "Epi­ sode IV, The French," gives three scenes based upon the history of New Rochelle. Other parts may also be of interest. There are many other story books that have a New Rochelle background but you may like to discover some of them for yourself. Ho\\rever, there is one very beautiful Indian love story that interests everyone, but it is hard to find. It was written by William Com­ stock, and is called MARIE'S MOUND, A TALE OF NEW ROCHELLE. Here it is with a few changes: It was the first day of the week in New Rochelle, about midsummer in the year 1710. The sun was high in the heavens, and the little village, with the wilderness in the background, shone like a jewel. In the distance sparkled the still waters of the Sound. Far beyond loomed up the shores of Long Island, that natural barrier of the sea, which says to the waves of the Atlantic, "Thus far shalt thou come and no farther." At a little distance to the eastward of the town went up the smokes of many wigwams from a large settlement on what is now termed Davenport's N eek. The Indians had probably settled there for the advantage of fishing, not only from the waters of the Sound itself, but because it was contiguous to Crystal Lake, from which they procured sun-fish, perch, pickerel, catfish, and every· other kind which can be obtained from fresh water, in great abundance. There was a bridge formed by a single rock, tunnelled to afford passage to a mill stream, near the terminus of the principal street. There upon that rock stood one solitary Indian, leaning upon his bow, and apparently lost in meditation. Occasionally he raised his eyes, and his vision wandered over the settlement till it rested upon one building taller than the rest, and near the center of the village. Then his gaze was steady and intense, so that no doubt could be entertained by an observer that there was svmething connected with that building or its inmates which had unusual interest for him. Now and then he exhibited slight symptoms of impatience and then he cast down his eyes sadly, as if in disappointment, and ruminated in silence for a long time before he ventured to look about him again. For more than an hour the lone Indian had ~aintained his position on the stone bridge, when the door of the· tall house opened and a maiden of some seventeen or eighteen years stepped forth into the quiet and deserted street. She did not look towards the Indian, but she slowly advanced in the direction of the bridge with eyes cast down like one endeavoring to collect

168 LEGENDS AND STORIES

her scattered thoughts for an em·ergency which she was compelled to meet. She wore a gown of red cloth with a very long waist, and swelling volumin­ ously at the hips, with high-heeled shoes that concealed the lower part of her ankles, and on her head was a wide straw hat, well adapted to shield her bare neck from the sun's rays. Her complexion was a pure olive with raven locks that curled upon her shoulders, and full black eyes with long dark lashes. Her mouth was small, with red lips; and small, even teeth of pearly whiteness. The Indian advanced to the extreme end of the bridge to meet her. He was youthful and handsome, and seemed to be a person of some conse­ quence; to judge by his air and address. "It is good. You have come," said the man of the wilderness. "Yes, Serringo, I am come," said the maiden in French, "but to what purpose? Three times has the full moon mirrored: itself in yon waters, since I told thee that sorrow to us both would result1--nothing but sorrow-from thy visitation to the wigwams ~f the Christian." "Marie," cried the other, "your words are as true as the arrow of W amago that goes straight to the mark; but they are sharp as the hatchet of the Mohegan, when he rushes on the sleeping foe at midnight. Three moons .have I thought upon your words, and then the shade of my .father came to my tent in the darkness, when the stars were hidden by thick clouds, and said, 'Serringo, seek the pale face once more.' " The maiden looked at the speaker mournfully before she replied, "I have a father too, an old man, whose heart is bound up in his daughter. If you have obeyed your father, shall I not also obey mine?" The Indian quickly caught at her words. "Does the daughter of the pale face obey only her father, when she bids me seek a woman of my own tribe?" "Serringo," replied the other, while the rich blood mantled both neck and forehead, "you dwell in the wilderness. Your ways are not like our ways; and the God of my fathers has never authorized the rites which your religion prescribes. See you not how inappropriate would be the union of the pale-faced maiden and the Indian brave?" The young chief raised his hand to Heaven as he said: "You stand upon the ground, and see no fartlier than yonder oak which looks down from the hill upon· your father's roof; but the Great Spirit is higher than the sun, and he sees the hunting grounds of the redman as well as the little speck which the whites have taken for their own. He sees Serringo when he kneels upon the banks of the Hickiawane, as plainly as he describes the white man praying from his books. He reads the heart of Serringo and has seen his love for Marie, and says it is good. He can read in the heart of the daughter of the pale face, too." Marie sighed in such a manner that a less interested observer than the young Indian would have argued that her lover's hopes were not altogether

169 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE vain. At length she replied, and there was sadness in her words: ''Whatever may be the truth, Serringo, circumstances are against, us. Every morning my parents look toward the dark and boundless sea which separates them from their loved home. Their feet are on the rocks of thy native clime, but their hearts are in the vineyards of France. Me only-their daughter-can they now look upon with pleasure. I am all that is left to them, and were I to wed contrary to their wishes, the sun would darken before their aged eyes.'~ '_'The arrows of Serringo are sharp, and his arm is strong," cried the young chief with a lofty gesture. ..He can protect the lark fron1 the kite. and bring down the eagle on the wing. vVhen your father is afar off in the Spirit land, who wiII shield you fron1 the north wind, and wrap you in furs when the snow is deep in the valleys?" During their conversation, the sky had becon1e overcast. Thick, dark clouds hid the sun. But this: change in the appearance of the sky had scarcely been observed by the two lovers, so intent were their thoughts upon the subject of their conversation. Now, however, the heavy drops began to fall, sending up little puffs of dust where they struck the dry ground, and pattering on the leaves, while the roar of the gale was heard con1ing through the forest. Marie looked toward the house, but the storn1 had increased. The air was filled with dust and various fragn1ents, leaves and straws, and sheets of rain came down with such violence as to cut off her retreat in that direction. A vivid stream of jagged lightning shot through the tree tops and seemed to open to view the very depths of the wilderness, and the thunder followed in a sharp crack. Serringo seized the hand of Marie and led her quickly to the shelter of an arched rock on the brow of a neighboring hill, covered with tall chestnut trees. But the thunder and the lightning continued to flash and roar and strean1s poured down the sides of the hill till they whehned the valley beneath. The very rock shook above them as -the thunder split the trembling heavens. "Serringo, is there not danger here?'' cried the maiden, as the Indian wrapped her in his loose robes and CAT RocK CAVE pressed her to his side. Encl of Boulevard on cast side of Rock­ "It is the will of the Great Spirit." land Place in Rochelle Heights. Scene of part of "Marie's Mound .. story. replied the other calmly. "He will do Now ~•II blasted away. what is right.'' Marie thought that doctrine sounded very well fron1 the pulpit, but it did not still the tre111hling of her from amid the angry dash of the elements. Yet, ashan1ed to show less trust in God than "a heathen savage," she forbore to express her fears aloud. LEGENDS AND STORIES

At the same moment that the crash of a huge oak, struck by lightning, jarred her ear, she discerned through the gloom a dark body of men approach­ ing the spot. The bursting of the oak caused her to utter a loud scream of terror, while the approach of the party from the village caused her to start up and fly toward then1. Both were the natural impulse of fear. Serringo, who had not observed the approach of the whites, supposing that Marie had only fled in terror, followed quickly to afford her his protection. The whites came around the corner of a clump of underwood, just as Serringo regained the side of the maiden. l\r{arie's father was one of the band, and having heard her scream and seeing the Indian in pursuit, the sudden conclusion was that the savage was pursuing 1'Iarie for purposes of violence. Two swords were instantly aimed at the head of the savage. Quick as a stream of light, the fairy form of the maiden darted between the uplifted hands of her lover and received their points in her own bosom. The Indian howled in agony and embraced the bleeding form of Marie, which he lifted from the ground. She gave but one shudder, turned her eyes on Serringo, and life had departed. The beautiful body only remained. The spirit had passed amid the tempest, and soared on the wings of the lightning to Heaven. There was for n1any years a little knoll, overgrown with clover and wild flowers, to the west of the original boundary of New Rochelle, where the maidens were wont to repair at twilight and scatter rose buds on one solitary grave which lay in the midst. There, too, as late· as the year 1740, can1e later an old man, leaning upon his staff, and pondering in silence for hours, as if communing with the dead. Serringo showed himself no n1ore, openly, to the inhabitants of the Yillage: but the n1idnight traveler reported that a1nid the darkness and the blinding stonn he had seen. with bared head and vestments neglected, a tall Indian seated on the ground and in rock-like silence, co111muning by the side of the little, solitary grave on MARIE'S MOl.TND.

171 XXVIII

Organizations in New Rochelle

EW ROCHELLE is unique in the variety and number of its N organizations. Some two hundred organizations, associations and institutions put our city far in advance of the ordinary. With such a list of organizations it can quickly be seen that most of them cannot even be named and only a few will be described. One of the great problems is to provide means of support for the organizations. For many years each one was left to get as much in the way of subscriptions from the public as it could. However, this individual means of support was very unsatisfactory from many angles. So to remedy the situation in part the Com­ munity Chest was organized with ten _member agencies; namely, Boys' Club of New Rochelle, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, Home for Aged of New Rochelle, Huguenot Y. M. C. A., New Rochelle Day Nursery, Salvation Army, Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Tuberculosis Aid Society, and Visiting Nurse Associa­ tion. Since 1936 the above agencies have united through the Com­ munity Chest to put on one drive for funds. The chest has benefitted the community as a whole: it has benefited the social agencies which render service, it has benefited the unfortunate people who are dependent upon agencies for assist­ ance, and finally it has benefited the contributors. The chest has had a unifying effect upon the community and it has been the means of increasing the total community contribution for social work. It has caused more people to understand the work of the agencies, and has shown the importance of maintaining them at a high level of efficiency. Let us divide the organizations into two groups: those for adults, and those for young people. It must be plain to everyone that the city government cannot give all of ~he services that are needed and demanded by the people. Hence various organizations are formed to supplement the work done by the city. Let us turn to a few of the organizations for adults.

172 ORGANIZATIONS IN NEW ROCHELLE

THE HUGUENOT AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION Local history has been taken for granted for many years. In­ deed, because it is so close to us, we are apt to think that we know all about it. All history is local history because everything has to happen somewhere, and that somewhere has often been New Rochelle. History, then, ·is a collection of all local history com­ bined to portray the development and progress of our country. The Huguenot and Historical Association was organized in 1886. I ts objects are to discover, procure, preserve and perpetuate what­ ever may relate to the settlement by the Huguenots and to the history of New Rochelle. The Association has during more than half a century done much to perpetuate the history of the city. The Thomas Paine cottage was preserved, renovated and opened as a museum. Many celebrations have been carried out during this period. Books, documents and relics have been collected and put on display at the Paine Cottage. Suitable markers have been erected to perpetuate important events. Books and pamphlets on the history of the com­ munity have been published. Much, however, remains to be done. History is never finished. Meeting-s open to the public are frequently held at which new historical discoveries are explained. Young folks in school shoul~ interest themselves in the history of the city and thereby better prepare themselvs to assume the duties of citizenship.

NEW ROCHELLE HOSPITAL The New Rochelle Hospital has served the people of New Rochelle ever since July 1, 1892. It began as a charity for the sick and injured who ,vere too poor to pay. William R. Pitt was the sponsor of the plan for the hospital and became its first presi­ dent. Funds were raised by lectures and amateur performances. The hospital, at first, occupied a rented house on Huguenot Street, which was used for two years. There were but three rooms for patients. It is interesting to note that this house still stands al though it has been moved to the rear of the lot at 286 Huguenot Street.

173 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

The second hospital building was at Guion Place and Burling Lane where the present hospital is located. It "vas a three story frame building ,vith a capacity of about t,venty-five beds. Lack of room led to expansion and a three story brick building ,vas erect­ ed and opened July 4, 1908. This same year the N e\v Rochelle Training School for Nurses was established. The Lester lVIemorial Building in honor of Mrs. Joseph vV. Lester, an incorporator of the hospital association, was given by her children and opened in 1912. This building gave a 1nuch needed unit to the hospital and provided an isolation ,vard for contagious diseases. It was in this year that an electric ambulance was pur­ chased to take the place of the horse drawn one. From time to ·time additions and alterations have been made. In 1934 a pool similar to the one at \N' arm Springs, Georgia, ,vas made possible by a gift. Today a ne,v building of several stories is under construction to meet the community's need for hospitaliza­ tion. Thus has the hospital kept pace with the demands of a grow­ ing city and the advances in medical science.

WOMAN'S CLUB OF NEW ROCHELLE The ,vorthwhile things in life cannot all be_ furnished by the government. Programs for the betterment of life and American democracy can be thought out and carried out by such bodies as the Woman's Club of New Rochelle. This organization ,vas started in 1912 by a group of civic n1inded ,vomen numbering less than fifty, but no,v comprising more than five hundred. At first the club met at various church parlors until they erected their own club house on Lock,vood Avenue, ,vhich they occupied in the spring of 1924. From this time on the club has grown rapidly and has filled a real need in our city. Many of the things ,vhich today New Rochelle takes for grant­ ed were started and carried through by the club. A long list of important activities could be recited as fly ca1npaigns, cleaning of vacant lots, organizing baby week_ which eventually developed into the Child Welfare Association and the recommending that a Chil­ dren's Court be established here.

174 ORGANIZATIONS IN NE\V ROCHELLE

A lVIunicipal Survey sponsored by the Club resulted in the revision of city activities. School playgrounds ,vere advocated and a Neighborhood Club ,vas started at one of the schools. There is such a long list that they cannot all be mentioned. The Club also has as one of its objects the education of its members. This is done by dividing the Club into groups that study various topics aside from local civic ,vork. Learning continues for these women long after they leave school.

NEW ROCHELLE PUBLIC LIBRARY The earliest kno,vn library in N e,v Rochelle was that of Reverend Daniel Bondet, an early pastor of the French Church fron1 1695 until hi~ death in 1722. He bequeathed

NEW ROCHELLE PUBLIC LIBRARY his four hundred books to "the Located at southwest corner of use of the Church at N e,v Ro­ Main Street and Pintard Avenue. chelle". Unfortunately these books have not co111e do,vn to the present day. It vvas only natural that books should be collected in the schools. The District Library for School District No. 1 ,vas organized after Trinity Place School ,vas erected in 1856. By 1860 thev. had over a thousand vohunes. This library- circulated books to all inhabitants of the district and thus ,vas the first public library established in N e,v 'Rochelle. The State Legislature passed the University La,v in 1892 ,vhich proYided for the separation of school and public libraries. The latter ,vere to be adn1inistered by a Board of Trustees appointed by the local Board of Educa­ tion. Under this la,v the Ne\\· Rochelle Public Librarv ,vas incorporated and began the circulation of books on N oven1ber 10. 1893. It was housed in a roo111 in Trin itv- Place School for three. months. Horace CrosbY. a n1e1nber of the Board of Education. -· . was especially active in organizing the Library and served as the first president of the Board of Trustees. The library soon outgre,v its first quarters and moved to 40 Center Avenue, a store building ,vhich has since been demolished. The site at present is used as a parking lot. During its seven

li5 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

year stay here the original 1800 volumes in tl).e library were in­ creased to nearly ten thousand. The library moved into a part of the Masonic Hall located on Main Street and LeCount Place in 1901, with space for books. with adults' and children's reading rooms. From time to time there was talk of a library building. After three applications, a grant of $60,000 was made by Andrew Carnegie for the present main library building located at Main Street and Pintard Avenue, which was opened on May 9, 1914. Branch libraries were started at first in Mayflower and Colum­ bus Schools. They resulted in the Huguenot Park branch in 1926, and the Columbus Branch in Feeney Park in 1931. The Beach Library at Hudson Park followed in 1936. Weekly playground ser­ vice started in 1937, and in 1938 an outdoor reading room was estab­ lished under a bright umbrella at Huguenot Park. From the cradle through the span of life the Library seeks to serve. Babies receive a letter from the librarian when but a few weeks old. The Children's Room on the first floor, where the children's librarians advise, provides pictures and books for chil­ dren, with occasional story hours. As soon as a child can write his name he may secure a reader's card and borrow books. Vacation reading lists are furnished to readers of all ages, and the Readers' Advisory Desk in the front hall prepares book lists and supplies general information. Aside from the Circulation and Children's Departments, will be found the Reference Department which is located on the second floor. Here facilities are offered, with the help of the Reference Librarians, for research work on all subjects. A picture collection of 100,000 prints is available to use in the Library or on loan. Books may be reserved that are out. A messenger service will bring library books to your door if you are unable to go to the library, and vacation privileges include taking books for all summer. A Local History Room to the rear of the Reference Room has recently been established. The pictures of New Rochelle's World War dead adorn the side wall; shelves and cabinets containing material on the history of New Rochelle and Westchester County take up the rest of the space. In every way are the needs of the reading public provided for by the Library.

176 ORGANIZATIONS IN NEW ROCHELLE

Dozens of other organizations will come to mind but these will be left for the reader to work out and discover. We will turn now to a few junior organizations.

GIRL SCOUTS The Girl Scout movement, started by Juliette Gordon Low at Savannah, Georgia, in 1912, was introduced into New Rochelle in 1919 with the formation of four troops. Girl Scouts discover new ways of having a good time in singing~ dancing, dramatics, games, and story telling.. They explore new fields of knowledge to develop interests, and they discover the happiness and joy of giving service. Their motto is "Be Prepared." Girls at t_he age of seven may become Brownie scouts. At ten years of age they become full fledged Girl Scouts and continue until they become young women. Camping is enjoyed during the summer, but the New Rochelle Girl Scouts are fortunate in having a Girl Scout House located on North Avenue between Paine Avenue and Valley Road. Since April, 1927, they have used this charming miniature home where they may gather for troop meetings, supper parties. craft work, hospitality and homemaking. There are at present nineteen troops with nearly four hundred members. They cover nearly every section of the city. Many_ of the groups meet in school buildings after school. ScQuting com­ bines the building for good citizenship with pleasure.

BOY SCOUTS

The Boy Scout movement started in 1910 and was later intro­ duced· into New R.ochelle with the formation of one troop. The purpose of scouting is to promote character development, citizen­ ship training and physical fitness through an interesting program for boys from the cub age of nine to young manhood. Th~ benefits to be derived from the scouting program have· been recognized by more and more boys every year. At present there are twenty-one troops and four cub packs in New Rochelle which include over eight hundred boys and more than two hundred men leaders who are known as scouters. The ten year goal which was set up by the Boy Scouts in

177 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

1932 aims to have one out of every four new male citizens a four year trained scout. This is very important, as time has proven that trained scouts make law-abiding citizens. The Sound side of the County is united in the Siwanoy Council which maintains its own camp at Wingdale, called Camp Siwanoy, which was opened in 1927. This affords untold opportunities for the boys connected with scouting in this area. The chief Scout Executive for the Boy Scouts of America, James E. West, is a resident of New Rochelle. He often appears at local functions which are in charge of Frank C. Cobb,. Scout Execu­ tive for Siwanoy Council. These leaders believe in close coopera­ tion between scho9l and scouts and this is shown by the fact that fifteen out of twenty-four troops meet in school buildings. The scouting program really gives a meaning to their motto: "Be Prepared." BOYS' CLUB A need was long felt for an organization that could care for the boys in our city who did not plan wisely for their leisure time. With this in mind the Boys' Club of New Ro­ chelle, Inc. was founded and Boys' Cum IN FEENEY PARK set up by Morton S. Fuerst in 1929. The objects of the club are "to promote the physical, mental, moral and social well-being of the boys of New Rochelle by providing such means of education, recreation and amusement as seem most likely to achieve such ,, end s ... The club has grown from a few members to a present member­ ship of some eight hundred boys. With their present new club house and gymnasium equipped with rooms for special activities they have become an established institution in New Rochelle. The club house is located in Feeney Park near Columbus School. The continuation of the club has been made more secure since the beginning of the Community Chest movement in New Rochelle. The club has been a member since its inception. With a substantial

178 ORGANIZATIONS IN NEW ROCHELLE

organization the club can continue to operate in a pleasurable manner to build boys to function in our American democracy. The club aids in building friendships and promoting the spirit of liking to work together for the common good of all.

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

A start was made to organize a Y. M. C. A. in New Rochelle as early as 1899 with quarters in the old Arcade building on Main Street. Later the building located at 490 Main Street was purchas­ ed and used as club rooms. A drive, started HUGUENOT y. M. C. A. in 1929, resulted in the raising of sufficient money to erect a building on land purchased on the corner of Burling Lane and Division Street. This site had been formerly used by the Eagle Hotel, a· building a century old. The new building was occupied in 1932 and serves an important

need in the citv.J The Huguenot Y. M. C. A. of New Rochelle is organized on a family basis and serves the entire family: mother, father. and children. Here under one roof there is an institution which works cooperatively with other organizations to provide for character­ building and recreation, both physical and mental. The equipment provides a swimming pool, gymnasium, hand ball courts, badminton courts and meeting rooms. Here we have a place for the family to make good use of leisure time and to build for citizenship.

Many other interesting junior organizations will he known by the reader but they will have to be left for you to examine and study. Everyone should have some hobbies for leisure time and it is an individual problem for everyone to decide with what worth­ while organizations he will associate himself.

179 XXIX Anniversary Celebrations RIENDSHIP and friendly relations F have always existed between La Ro­ chelle, France, and New Rochelle, New York. Abundant evidence exists to prove this fact. The many celebrations and occa­ sions held in the Town and City show the reverence and patriotism of the c1t1zens. Let us take the occasions in the order of occurrence. The death of George Washington, De­ cember 14, 1799, was received everywhere with deepest regret. In New Roche11e a funeral oration, occasioned by the death of General George Washington, was delivered on the first of January, 1800, in the Episco­ pal Church, by Samuel Bayard, Esq. This was a sad occasion, but it so impressed

REPLICA OF JEAN GUITON the citizens, that, because this oration was STATUE printed, it has come down to us word for Mayor of La Rochelle during siege in 1628. word that we too may share their feelings. The tith: page of this very early item on New Rochelle history is reproduced on the inside cover of the Report of the New Rochelle George Washington Bicentennial Commission, 1932. The biggest social occasion known to have taken place in New Rochelle, up to that time, was the entertaining of General Lafayette at Pelor's Hotel on August 20, 1824. This famous French soldier knew Westchester well and was making a tour to renew old associations. He came up the Boston Post Road with a military escort, a band, and a group of citizens. He stopped at Captain Pelor's Hotel, located on the northwest corner of Main Street and Center. Avenue. Here Lafayette was welcomed on behalf of New Rochelle, having been presented with a _welcome address in advance of his arrival within the limits of the town. "At New Rochelle the scene was brilliant in the extreme. The balcony and roof of the post office, and of Captain Pelor' s hotel . . . were filled with ladies. The same demonstration of joyous welcome was

180 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS here displayed by all. The shouts of the people, the roaring of the cannon, the music of a full band, the eager, yet respectful, anx­ iety of the people to shake him by the hand and bid him welcome, must have made as gratifying an impression on the mind of the General as any reception which had gone before ... A salute of nineteen guns was fired at New Rochelle by the artillery and LOVING CUP the crowd was very· great." After the great Presented by New Rochelle reception the honored French general was to La Rochelle, I 9 I 3. escorted on his way to visit points east, after "receiving the huzzas of the populace.'' That was an occasion long to be remembered. Fourth-of-] uly Celebration& began very early in the history of New Rochelle. For many years they were held in the grove in front of the Le Roy House on Main Street, about the place where Ware's department store stands today. The steps and porch were used as the speaking center. The programs included the reading of the Declaration of Independence by a good reader, as John Dyott the actor, the deliyery of an oration, music and the firing of an old cannon. The cannon belonged to the Davenports and had been handed down from the time of the Revolution. Tradi­ tion has it that · it belonged to General Knyphausen and had been left by him on the N eek in 1776. Upon one occasion too great a charge was placed in the old cannon and, when fired, it exploded, send­ ing pieces in all directions. In the eve­ ning a display of fireworks completed the anniversary celebration. There are records of many Independ­ ence Day celebrations. The order of the celebration of the 4th was issued as a broadside, a sheet of paper printed on one side, in 1837, copies of which are HUGUENOT MEMORIAL OAK TREE extant. This shows how, early such oc­ Planted at Senior High School by casions took place in town. In 1867 the Local History Club, April, 1938. (See Chapter XIII) announcement of that year was printed 181 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE in a pamphlet. The program took place at this time at the resi­ dence of Mr. Leland at Leland's Castle. The building is now on the grounds of the <;::allege of New Rochelle. This was a great occa­ sion with a parade, gun salutes and "desultory firing, both of pistols and crackers ..." However, the big celebration of the 4th, which topped them all, was held on the occasion of the One Hundredth Anniversary of i\1nerican Independence in 1876. This will b.e treated in its proper order. The death of Lincoln was marked by special addresses in both of the churches in town. The details regarding these marks of respect to our departed leader are given more fully in the chapter on the Civil War. 1876 marked the One Hundredth Anniversary of American Independence. This celebration was nation-,vide and was especially marked by the Centennial held at Philadelphia to which many thousands thronged. In New Rochelle a special July 4th observ­ ance was carefully planned. A big parade marched through the streets of the town, ending at Hudson Park. The speaking pro­ gram was held in the grove at Hudson Park. At that time this area was in the private possession of Alexander B. Hudson. The Declaration of Independence was read, an address was made by John H. Roosevelt in which he detailed a bit of the history of the town, other talks were given and fireworks were shot off on a vacant lot at Locust and Siwanoy Avenues in the evening. New Rochelle very fittingly celebrated the first hundred years of the independence of the United States.

HUGUENOT AssocIATION FL0AT-225TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION PARADE, 1913.

182 . ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Brief mention should be made here of the celebrations held at various times by the firemen of New Rochelle. On October 1, 1895, they held a county firemen's parade for the first time in town. In 1910 another big fire parade was staged at which time represen­ tatives from all parts of the country were present. Dedications of war memorials have been among the long list of celebrations held in New Rochelle. In 1896 the Soldiers' Monu­ ment for the Civil War heroes was unveiled. Later, at appro­ priate times, similar ceremonies have taken place in connection with a memorial to the soldiers in the Spanish-American War and in the World War. Accounts of these appear in connection with chapters on those even ts. New Rochelle is not without a number of historical markers which help to emphasize important events in the history of the community. Such markers play~ very important part in keeping alive the events of the past which have made possible the present. The first of these erected in town was the marker on Dave:p.port Neck, in Hudson Park, to com­ memorate the coming of• the Huguenots. It was erected in 1898 with appropriate ceremony. Very brief descriptions of the historical monuments are given here as thev. have been well described in a book, entitled ' ' 1 8 8 6- THROUGH THE YEARS- 1936," ,vhich tells about the work of the Huguenot and Historical Association of New Rochelle, and gives the details in regard to his­ torical markers erected. The un­ veiling of the statue in honor of Jacob Leisler and his part in con­ nection with the founding of New Rochelle makes an interesting

PORT DE LA ROCHELLE, FRANCE story of an event that took place Showing Towers of St. Nicolas and La in 1913 in connection with the Chaine guarding entrance to inner harbor. 225th anniversary of the founding From a painting by Yvonne Chambord, a La Rochelle school girl. of New Rochelle. T h e New

183 HISTORIC NE\V ROCHELLE

Rochelle Huguenot memorial alcove in the Church of the H ugue­ nots, at Huguenot Park, Staten Island, was dedicated on Huguenot Day of Remembrance, May 27, 1928. This memorial includes a few wall cases filled "\vith interesting historical items from New Rochelle. Other Huguenot settlements have similar memorials in this church. Museums provide the finest means in which to celebrate the history of a community at all times. New Rochelle was fortunate in having the former home of Thomas Paine available for museum purposes in 1908 when it was presented to the Huguenot and His­ torical Association. The building was reconditioned and articles having an important historical association with New Rochelle and the Huguenots, as well as items associated with the former occupant, were ar­ ranged and the entire memorial dedicated on July 14, 1910. The Paine

OBVERSE Cottage is located in a REVERSE New Rochelle park at North and Paine New Rochelle Half Dollar, i938 Avenues. The interesting Half Dollar, 1938 exhibits have been mentioned in various places in this book in con­ nection with the particular part of our history under examination. The museum and its contents are fully described in a book, entitled THOMAS PAINE COTTAGE AND GROUNDS, so that further details need not be given here. The Thomas Paine Memorial House located on North A venue just above the Paine Cottage was erected shortly after 1925 and has been opened as a museum of Paineana. The 200th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Paine ,vas recognized in connection with celebrations in several places on and near the anniversary of his birthday, January 29, 1737. Details regarding these activities are to be found in a book, entitled THOMAS PAINE BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, pub­ lished by the Thomas Paine National Historical Association. New Rochelle is well supplied with museum facilities but more active work is needed to make the exhibits applic~ble to the needs of school people. To aid in this a Children's Museum has been opened in the Huguenot School with rotating exhibits to illustrate work done in the schools.

184 - ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

The sequicentennial of the Revolution was observed by the State of New York beginning in 1926. New Rochelle, as a part of her activities in noting the passing of 150 years, celebrated by marking the Pintard House on Pintard Avenue. Lewis Pintard was Commissioner of Prisoners in New York City during the war and was commended by General Washington. This was an im­ portant occasion and the affair was published in a book, entitled THE PINTARD HOUSE MEMORIAL. Here will be found interesting material on the life of Pintard and also a story by Miss Lindsley, entitled "A Backward Glance at New Rochelle," which is also very interesting.

1932 stands out in American History as the George Washington Bicentennial year. A great celebration was planned and carried out under the direction of the New Rochelle George Washington Bicentennial Commission. Washington passed through our town several times, and one of these is noted on the Old Boston Post Road Marker, placed by the Daughters of the Revolution in 1909, at the junction of Main and Huguenot Streets, east. In connection with the bicentennial celebration a bronze marker was placed in Davenport Park to mark the thirteen trees planted in honor of the thirteen colonies. This was all done with appropriate ceremonies and it is all detailed in the REPORT OF THE NEW ROCHELLE GEORGE WASHINGTON BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION published in 1932 by the City of New Rochelle. More than thirty­ five programs were carried out in our city in connection with this cne celebration, and Washington still lives in our memories, as the "father of our country."

There have always been strong ties of friendship between La Rochelle and New Rochelle, although the two places are separated by an ocean. A period of more than two centuries and a half since the Huguenots left France has elapsed, and yet ties of friendship still bind the mother and daughter cities. The exchange of gifts and official visitors on occasions, important to both, strengthens the bonds and brings the cities, one in the old ,vorld and one in the new, together in a spirit of good will and friendship. One of the first of these occasions took place at La Rochelle in 1911, when that city unveiled a statue to Jean Guiton, heroic mayor of that city during the terrible siege ordered by Cardinal Richelieu in

185 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE

1628. The citizens of New Rochelle contributed toward this monu­ ment and two delegates represented our city at the unveiling cere­ monies. Mayor Harry E. Colwell, of New Rochelle, selected Charles Pryer and Henry M. Lester to do the honors. They took with them, from New Rochelle, a large silver loving cup lined with gold and mounted on a piece of rock taken from Hudson Park, ,vith suitable inscriptions, as a gift to the mother city. Along with the cup was sent a book of photographs. to give the Rochelois an idea of the appearance of the daughter city. The help of New Rochelle in erecting the monument is noted in the inscription on the monument in La Rochelle. To show the mutual good feeling between the cities, La Rochelle sent a replica of the Guiton Monu­ ment to New Rochelle. It is now on exhibition at the Thomas Paine Cottage.

Several books have been sent to us from La Rochelle. In 1911 Emile Conneau, a Municipal Councilor, presented to New Rochelle a richly bound copy of his book on the history of La Rochelle. entitled "La Rochelle Disparue", with many beautiful pictures of the city. It may still be seen in the Public Library. There are two other books in the Public Library which show us the beautiful things in La Rochelle. One is a large volume with many illustra­ tions, entitled "The Good City of La Rochelle Past and Present," which was presented to our city by the Sporting Club of La Ro­ chelle. The other is a fine-tooled leather-bound album containing a beautiful collection of photographs of many sites in La Rochelle. This book was brought over on the "Normandie" on its maiden voyage in 1935.

The spirit of friendship between the two cities has not all been expressed by the older folks. In the New Rochelle High School Library there are three very interesting volumes depicting La Rochelle which have been made by students in La Rochelle schools for the school children of New Rochelle. One of these was pre­ sented in 1927. The book is addressed to "Dear Friends of New Rochelle". It contains a description of La Rochelle, some photo­ graphs and a large number of pictures dra~n and painted by scholars in the High School for Girls, La Rochelle, France ( College du La Rochelle). "We hope our book will be as agreeable to you as yours is to us, and we wish to become great friends. And so

186 ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

it will seem that the Ocean does not really separate new and old Rochelle." It is a beautiful piece of work. One of the beau­ tiful illustrations, "Port de la Rochelle" done by Yvonne Chambord, sixteen and a half years old, is reproduced in this book. Again in 1928 another book of views was received from the students in the College of La Rochelle. The third book in the high school library was received in 1932. In the front there is a letter which reads in part: "July 18, 1932. Dear Friends,, Last year we received with great pleasure your album that was very interesting and made with much taste. Now we send one also and we hope that it will please you. We tried to make it as pretty as we could. Our pic­ ture book is a kind of history of Aunis and Saintonge, the capitol of which is La Rochelle." It was written by a French girl and she closes it with this, "We made it with all our heart as a token of love for our friends across the sea and we send it with our best wishes." In these books we have fine illustrations of international peace and goodwill. May we always have peace. 1913 was taken as the year to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the founding of New Rochelle. By unanimous vote of the City Council of New Rochelle, the Mayor of La Rochelle was invited to be the city's guest at the celebration. He was unable to come himself, but he appointed two residents of La Rochelle to represent him and to represent La Rochelle during the celebration week in N evv Rochelle. These delegates from France presented to the city

HISTORIC CuLVERIN, OR· CANNON Used by La Rochelle in Famous Siege of 1628. Now on exhibition at New Rochelle Public Library.

187 HISTORIC NEW ROCHELLE a small historic culverin, or cannon, used by their city in the famous siege of 1628 and a replica of the blue and red silk stand­ ard of Jean Gui ton. Both of these mementos are on exhibition in the city. Perhaps the greatest tie between the 225th celebration and the 250th celebration in 1938 is the growing Silver Linden tree that was planted by the Fr~nch delegates in 1913. It now stands on the grounds of the Huguenot and Historical Association near the Paine Cottage as a living testimonial of the ever-growing friendship that exists between new and old Rochelle. May it grow for years to come and continue as a symbol of growing friendship. Many were the gala affairs held in New Rochelle during the 225th anniversary celebration, but more of the details can be found in the literature on. New Rochelle. Let us now turn to other ex­ pressions of friendship and mutual help between the two cities. For many years the members of the house committee of the Huguenot and Historical Association arranged to care for a French orphan of La Rochelle, and also sent many Christmas boxes to French chil­ dren. The cordial relations between the two cities have continued without interruption.

The occasion of the maiden trip of the new French ship "Nor-:­ mandie" in June, 1935, brought gifts from La Rochelle to New Rochelle. These were presented by the French Consul General in New York to representatives of New Rochelle on June 4, 1935. The gifts were a 16th century key­ stone from a facade of the Hotel de Ville (City Hall) of La Ro­ chelle and an album filled with photographs of interesting and im­ portant places in La Rochelle. These gifts have been placed upon display and have been enjoyed by many of the citizens of the city. In accepting these gifts Council- KEY STONE From City Hall at La Rochelle, France. man Jones said in part, "We of On exhibition at Public Library. New Rochelle. hope that we may have an opportunity soon again to exchange greetings with La Rochelle." This opportunity was to come in connection with the plans for the observance of the 250th anniversary celebration. The

188 · ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS celebration would not be complete without having representatives from the mother city present, and a cordial invitation was sent to La Rochelle inviting their active participation in the week of celebration in June, 1938. The 250th anniversary again brought to the citizens of New Rochelle the realization of the age of the settlement, and it also brought to mind the honorable tradi,tions of the past. New Rochelleans should study the development of the community from a small town to an important city, and relive the life of the past in order to make the future of the new world city a credit to the United States and a worthy daughter of the old world city from which it took its name.

250TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION FLAG, 1938

189 References NOTE: In using this brief list of books on New Rochelle history refer to GENERAL REFERENCES as well as to SPECIAL REFERENCES suggested for various chapters. Books treating topic_s -from a National point of view have, in most cases, not been included; but much back­ ground material could be secured by consulting books to be found in the Public Library. GENERAL REFERENCES ON NEW ROCHELLE HISTORY: Augur, C. H. New Rochelle Through Seven Generations. 1908. Bolton, Robert History of the County of Westchester. 2 vols. 1848, 1881, and 1905. (Bolton, Robert) A Guide to New Rochelle and I ts Vicinity. 1842. Cushman & Nichols Historic Westchester. 1933. Flick, Alexander C., History of the State of New York. 1933- (Ed.) 1937. Hufeland, Otto A Good Humored Traveler in New Rochelle One Hundred Years Ago. 1929. Forbes, Jeanne A. Records of the Town of New Rochelle, 1699- 1828. 1916. H ufeland, Otto Westchester and Bronx Counties Biblio- graphy. 1929. Huguenot and Historical Association of New Rochelle. New Rochelle Public Library. Scharf, J. Thomas History of Westchester County. 2 vols. 1886. Seacord, Morgan H. and Hadaway, Wm. S. Historical Landmarks of New Rochelle. 1938. Shonnard & Spooner History of Westchester County. 1900. Westchester County Historical Society. QUARTERLY BULLETIN. Library at White Plains in County Office Building. SPECIAL REFERENCES FOR CHAPTERS: Chapter I. Indian Life and Times. Bolton, Reginald Pelham Indian Life of Long Ago in the City of New York. 1934. Bolton, Reginald Pelham New York City in Indian Possession. 1920. Milton, Theodora Indians in the New Rochelle Region. 1938. Skinner,. Alanson Indians of Greater New York. 1915. Chapter II. H_uguenots in France and America. Baird, Charles W. History of Huguenot Immigration to America. 1885.

190 REFERENCES

Delmas, Louis Huguenots of La Rochelle. 1880. Dupont, Henry A. The Story of the Huguenots. 1920. Fiske, John The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America. 2 vols. Volume II, p. 337 ff. Fosdick, Lucian J. The French Blood in America. 1906 and 1911. Sizoo, Joseph R. The Huguenot Contribution to American Democracy. 1938. Taylor, Charles The Huguenots 'in the Seventeenth Century. 1892. Unveiling of the Jean Guiton Statue at La Rochelle, Oct. 8, 1911. Report of the Delegates.

Chapter III. Founding of New Rochelle. Seacord, Morgan H. Huguenot Settlement of New Rochelle. In QUARTERLY BULLETIN, West. Co. Hist. Soc., Vol. 9, No. 3, July, 1933. Seacord, Nichols, Webber T·homas Paine Cottage and Grounds. 1931. Chapter on Jacob Leisler, p. 36 ff.

Chapter IV. Colonial Architecture. Consult general references.

Chapter V. Colonial Trades and Business. Consult general references.

Chapter VI. Colonial Home Life-Manners and Customs. Brooks, Geraldine Dames and Daughters of Colonial Days. 1900. Chapter. IV, Madam Sarah Knight. Clark, Imogen Old Days and Old Ways. 1928. Singleton, Esther Social New York Under the Georges, 1714- 1776. Smith, Helen E. Colonial Days and Ways. 1900.

Chapter VII. Old French War. Post Office Department A Description of United States Postage Stamps. 1937. Consult references on French and Indian War.

Chapter VIII. Stage Coach and Tavern Days. Earle, Alice Morse Stage Coach and Tavern Days. Lathrop, Elsie Early American Inns and Taverns. 1926. Webber, Richard Early Taverns of New Rochelle. MSS. Excerpts in ST AND ARD-STAR, March 2, 1924.

191 REFERENCES

Chapter IX. Democratic Government Charter of the City of New Rochelle, N. Y. Forbes, Jeanne A. Records of the Town of New Rochelle, 1699- 1828. 1916. Planning Board City Plan and Twenty-Year Progran1 of Public Improvements for New Rochelle. 1929. Chapter X. Survival of French Language and Customs. Consult general references.

Chapter XI.· Revolutionary War. Flick, Alexander C. The American Revolution.in New York. 1926 Goodwin, Maude W., etc., Historic New York. The Half Moon Papers. (Eds.) See Pryer's The Neutral Ground. Vol. IL H ufeland, Otto Westchester County During the American Revolution. 1926. Johnston, Henry P. The Campaign of 1776. 1878. Simcoe, Col. John G. A History of a Partisan Corps Called the Queen's Rangers, commanded by Lt. Col. Simc,oe during the War of the American Revolution. 1787 and 1844.

Chapter XII. George Washington in New Rochelle. Fitzpatrick, John C. (Ed.) The Diaries of George Washington. 1925. Vol. 4, p. 21. New Rochelle Report of the New Rochelle George Wash- ington Bicentennial Commission. 1932. United States Commission The George Washington Atlas. 1932.

Chapter XIII. Conservation and Horticulture. Consult general references.

Chapter XIV. Transportation and Communication. Comstock, Sarah Old Roads From the Heart of New York. 1915. Dunbar, Seymour A History of Travel in America. 1915 and

1937. . ' Hungerford, Edward Early Railroads in Westchester County. In Anne Hutchinson and Other Papers, Pub. by West. Co. Hist., Soc. 1929. Jenkins, Stephen The Old Boston Post Road. 1913. New York and New Early Annual Reports. Haven Railroad

192 REFERENCES

Withington, Sidney The First Twenty-five Years of Railroads 1n Connecticut. 1935.

Chapter XV. Development of Light and Power. Consult general references. Chapter XVI. Changing Sources of Water Supply. Consult general references.

Chapter XVII. Geography and Geology. Berkey, Charles P. New York City and Vicinity. XVI Inter­ national Geological Congress. 1933. Lewis, Harold M. Physical Geography-New York (City). Redway, Jacques W. Elementary Physical Geography. Tarr, Ralph S. New Physical Geography U. S. Geological Survey Geological Survey of the United States, New York City Folio. G.P.0. 1901. Chapter XVIII. Education Through the Years. Board of Education. Living and Learning. 1938 . Coutant, Rev. L. J. A Brief History of Public Schools in New Rochelle, N. Y. Pub. Hug. and Hist. Ass'n. Vol. I, Part I. 1924. Dunlap, Agnes C. Studying French in New Rochelle. QUART­ ERLY BULLETIN, West. Co~ Hist. Soc. Vol. 4, No. 1, Jan., 1928. Leonard, Albert Evolution of Present New Rochelle School System. From Early Days of Huguenots t~ Today. In STANDARD-STAR, March 6, 1926. Seybolt, Robert F. The Act of 1795 For the Encouragement of Schools and the Practice in Westchester County. 1919. Chapter XIX. The French Church and Others. Bolton, Robert History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the County of Westchester. 1855. Churc.h Yearbooks issued by churches in New Rochelle. Trinity Church Trinity-Church, New Rochelle, N. Y. 1688- 1938. 1916. \Vebber, Richard The Beginnings of Methodism in New Rochelle. EVENING STANDARD, Dec. 20, 1921; also STAR. Chapter XX. War of 1812. Guernsey, R. S. New York City and Vicinity During the War of 1812-15. 2 vols. 1889.

193 REFERENCES

Chapter XXI. Slavery and the Civil War. Fowler, John, Jr. An Address on the Death of President Lin­ coln. Delivered ... in the Old Episcopal Church, New Rochelle, 1865. G.P.O. Washington Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion. Vol. I, Part III. 1888. Town Records of New Rochelle, 1861-65.- u.· S. Sanitary Commis- Narrative of Privations and Sufferings of s1on U. S. Officers and Soldiers while Prisoners of War in the -hands of the Rebel Authori­ ties. 1864. '\Vhite, Erskine N. The Personal Influence of Abraham Lincoln. 1865.

Chapter XXII. Famous Residents. Austin, Mary S. Philip . Freneau The Poet of the Revolution. 1901. Brown, Abram E. Faneuil Hall and Faneuil Hall Market or Peter Faneuil and his Gift. 1900. Conway, Moncure D. The Life of Thomas Paine. 2 vols. 1892. _Dictionary of American Biography. Dunbar, Seymour A History of Travel in America. See Asa Whitney. Fox, Dixon Ryan Caleb Heathcote, Gentleman Colonist. 1926. ·Harper, Ida H. The Life and Works of Susan B. Anthony. 3 vols. 1899-1908 .. Jay, William Life of John Jay. 2 vols. 1833. Lossing, Benson J. Life and Times of Philip Schuyler. 2 vols. 1872. Monaghan, Frank John Jay, Defender of Liberty. 1935. Nichols, Herbert B. Thomas Paine Bicentennial Celebrations, 1737-1937. 1937. Pintard House Memorial. Seacord, Nichols, Webber T·homas Paine Cottage and Grounds. 1931. Sedgwick, Theodore, Jr. A Collection of the Political Writings of William Leggett. 2 vols. 1839.

Chapter XXIII. How New Rochelle Has Grown. U. S. Census Reports.

Chapter XXIV. Parks-Residential and Recreational. <:ity of New Rochelle Report of. the Department of Parks, Docks, and Harbors. 1916.

194 REFERENCES

French, Alvah P. (Ed.) History of Westchester County. 1925. Chap­ ter LIV, Public Parks in Westchester County, by Downer and Owen. Chapter XXV. Spanish-American War. Consult general references on Spanish-American War. Chapter XXVI. World War. Davis, George M., Jr. History of New Rochelle Post No. 8, Ameri­ can Legion. 1938. Chap. I, New Rochelle in the World War. Pallen, Conde p_- (Ed.) New Rochelle-Her Part in the Great War. 1920. Chapter XXVII. Legends and Stories. Blanchard, Amy E. Bec;ause of Conscience. 1901. Burke, W. Emerson The Pageant of New Rochelie. 1938. (Mimeo­ graphed) Champney, Elizabeth W. A Daughter of the Huguenots. 1901. Comstock, William Marie's Mound-A Tale of New Rochelle. In THE WESTCHESTER NEWS, May 6, 1853. Jenkins, Stephen A Princess and Another. 1907. (Oakley, Violet) The Book of the Words - Westchester County Historical Pageant. 1909. Pryer, Charles Reminiscences of an Old Westchester Homestead. 1897. Chapter XXVIII. Organizations in New Rochelle. Barnard, Therina T. Woman's Club of New Rochelle, Inc., 1912- 1932. Camp bell, Grace A Brief History of the Teachers' Club of New Rochelle. 1933. Hadaway, William S. 1886-Through Fifty Years-1936. 1936. An Account of the Huguenot and Historical Association. New Rochelle Hospital A Brief History of F orty-:five Years of Health Protection. Chapter XXIX. Anniversary Celebrations. Forbes, Robert L. (Ed.) New Rochelle-Two Hundred and Fifty Years. 1938. Froendt, Antonia H. The Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary. 1924. Hadaway, William S. 1886-Through Fifty Years. 1936. New Rochelle Report of the New Roe.belle George Wash- ington Bicentennial Commission. 1932. Nichols, Herbert B. Thos. Paine Bicentennial Celebrations. 1937. Pintard House Memorial, The. 1927.

195

INDEX

A Memorial to World War Heroes .... 165, 166 National Plant, Fruit and Flower Acadia National Park, Maine Guild ...... 166 Commemorative Postage Stamp Beignoux, Paul ...... 54 (photo) ...... 40 Bell, Alexander G ...... 97 Acadians Bergholz Lake Deportation from Nova Scotia...... 40 Location ...... 110 Deporting to New Rochelle (Illus.).... 41 Origin ...... 110 To New Rochelle ...... 41 Berrian House built after Revolution...... 28 "A Daughter of the Huguenots" Beslie, Mary ...... 61 By Elizabeth W. Champney...... 167 Besly's Tavern Allaire, Alexander ...... 18, 46 Paine denied right to vote...... 145, 146 Andre, Major John ...... 117 Photo of ...... 47 Anniversary Celebrations Scene of Conferences...... 81 (See Celebrations) Scene of town meeting, 1806 ...... 146 Anthony, Susan B ...... 150•152 Blackberry · "Anthony, Susan B., Life and Works Mammoth or Lawton...... 85 of", Harper ...... 151 Photo of ...... 85 Harper's "Life and Work of Susan Blanchard, Amy E. B. Anthony" ...... 151 "Because of Conscience" ...... 167 Interested in silk-worm culture...... 152 Blanchard, Claude--J oumal ...... 78, 79 Photo of ...... 151 Block, Adrian Photo of commemorative stam.p ...... 152 Builds the Ship, "Restless" ...... (illus.) 7 President, National Woman Suffrage Explores Westchester shores...... 7 Ass'n ·····-·············································151 Name given to Block Island...... 7 Resident, New Rochelle ...... 151 Trades with Indians...... 7 Teacher, Eunice Kenyon's Boarding Block Island-Named for Adrian Block...... 7 School ...... 151 Board of Education Visit of Pres. Van Buren in N.R ...... 151 By•Laws revised ...... 121 .cA Princess and Another" Crosby, Horace ...... 175 Novel by Stephen J enkins...... 16 7 French, teaching of...... 121 Arbor Vitae--"George Peabody"...... 85 Library Trustees Appointed by...... 17 5 Architecture, Colonial ...... 24-28 Qualifications for Superintendent...... 119 Chimneys ...... 26 Boats ···································-······················· 90, 91 Corner stones ...... 2 4 New business center...... 91 Lath ··----············································ 25 Steam ...... 90 Lime ...... 25 Bolton, Robert-"Guide to New Rochelle" SO Nails ...... 2 5 Bondet, Rev. Daniel Plaster ...... 2 5 Bequeathed his library for use of Ardsley ...... 7 8 Church ...... 175 Arnold, Gen. Benedict Third pastor, French Church...... 124, 175 Married Peggy Shippen...... 117 Bongrand, Louis Asbury, Francis-..J ournal" ...... 12 7 First settler of New Rochelle...... 18 Astor House Riots...... 92 Land given by, for cemetery...... 21 Bonnefoy, David...... 18 B Bonnefoy Point Now Hudson Park...... 20 Bailey, Dr. Nicholas...... 78 Bonnett, Daniel ...... 13 Ballou's Bonneville, Mrs. "Pictorial Drawingroom Companion" .. 93 Letter, Thomas Paine...... 144 Banks, Wm. L. Booth, John Wilkes...... 137 Le Roy. House Hotel proprietor...... 46, 50 Boston Post Road Baptist Church ...... •...... 127 Attack on New York City...... 74 Barlow, Joel-Letter from Thomas Paine.. 146 Beginning and end ...... 87 Barnard, Henry, School (see Schools) Drawing of, About 1798...... 87, 99 Barton, States ···········---·························· 56 Grist mill ...... 16 Bartow, Rev. Theodosius History of ···································"········87 •90 Ordained, 1790 ...... 126 Mile stones ...... 83, 87, 88 Battle of New Rochelle...... 75•78 News of Revolution, via...... 63 Photo of site...... 77 Now called Huguenot St...... 20 Site ...... 76 Photo of ...... 77, 99 Bayard, Samuel Present site of marker...... 157 Washington funeral oration...... 83, 180 Route of Geo. Washington...... 80•83 Presiding Judge ...... 83 Route for Gen. Lafayette...... a••••••••••• 180 "Because of Conscience" Site of Academy building...... 117 Novel by Amy E. Blanchard...... 167 Site of battle of New Rochelle...... 75.7g Beechmont Site of ectrly houses...... 20, 23 Attractive residential park...... 15 6 Site of early taverns...... 45, 47, 48, 49 Mulberry trees in...... 86 Site of Anglican Church...... (illus) 44 Orchards, site of former ...... 109 Washington Marker ...... 185 Pugsley house, site of...... 67 Bouteillier, Jean Slave burial plot, site of...... 134 First settler ...... :...... 18 Beechmont Lake-Artificially made...... 110 Organizer of New Rochelle settlement 16 Beechwoods Cemetery Bovie Tree ...... 86 Graves of Francis Scott Key, III and Boy Scouts ...... 177, 178 IV. ···········--··································132 Camp Siwanoy ...... 178 Graves of War dead...... 165 Cobb, Frank C. ························---178

197 INDEX

Community Chest ...... 172 Wdshington Bicente!lnial ...... 82, 83, 185 Cub packs, number...... 177 W o::-ld War . l\1.emonals ...... 164-166 1\,1 otto ...... 178 (photo) .. 165 Purpose ...... 177 Census of New Rochelle...... 22, 59, 60, 153-155 Siwanoy Council ...... 178 Chambord, Yvonne Ten· Year Goal ...... 177, 178 Painting of La Rochelle Port by Troops, number ...... 177 (illus.) ...... 183, 187 West, James E ...... 178 Champney, Elizabeth W. Boys' Club ...... 178. 179 ..A Daugnter oi the Huguenots"...... 167 · Community Chest ...... 172, 178 Charters Fuerst, Morton ...... 178 City, 1899 ...... 56, 58 Location of ...... 178 City 1'1anager, 1::tl8 ...... 58 Objectives ...... 178 Village, granted ...... 56 Photo of ...... 178 Chidwick,, Rev. John P. . Present membership.-...... 178 Chaplain, Aboard "U.S.S. Maine" ...... 159 Bragdon. Clifford S. Photo of ...... 159 Asst. Supt. of Schools ...... 121 · President, College of New Rochelle.... 159 Retirement ...... 121 Unveiled Memorial ...... 159, 160 Superintendent of Schools...... 121 Children's Museum . Tree planted in honor of...... 86 Huguenot School ...... 184 British in New Rochelle...... 66•71 Churches ...... 124·127 British men•of.war Anglican (see Episcopal) · Off New Rochelle...... 7 4 Building erected, 1710...... 125 Bronx Park ...... 112 Controversy with French Church, Bronx River re 100 acres ...... -125 Earthworks along ...... 70 Drawing of ...... 44 Route for American transports...... 66 First stone church...... (illus.) .. 124 Brush, Gilbert ...... 79 Outgrowth of French Church, 1709.... 124 Bryant, William Cullen Baptist ...... 127 Close Friend of Wm. Leggett...... 148, 149 Catholic, ''St. Matthews" ...... 127 Description of New Rochelle...... -·•····· l 49 Editor, "New York Evening Post" .... 148 Episcopal (see Anglican) Epitaph written for Wm. Leggett's Bartow, Rev. Theodosfos...... 126 grave stone ...... 149 Caretaker for Huguenot burying ground ...... 21 Poetic eulogy written by, Chalice presented by Queen Anne...... 125 for Wm. Leggett...... 150 Chartered by Gov. Clinton.... ____ 125 Bumz, Channing House, one of two oldest extant...... 28 Chartered by the crown·----·---····-······125 Burtis Mill Churchyard, Wm. Leggett's Grave...... 149 Gun carriages made here...... 13 5 Land purchased by···········----·······126 Photo of ...... 13 4 Memorial address for Lincoln...... •...... 137 Bushnell, David Seabury, Rev. Samuel...... _____ 60 Inventor of submarine...... 64 Time of Continuous Existence...... 126 Business, Colonial ...... 29·34 Washington funeral oration...... 83, 180 (see Trades, Colonial) French · Becomes Anglican_..:.··································· 124 Beginning of ...... ;.~~·····---··················124 C Bondet, Rev. Daniel. 3rd pastor.... 124, 175 Calvinist Congregation ...... 126 Cadet Hall ...... 134, 13 5 De Bonrepos, Rev., 2nd pastor...... 124 Caillaud, Isaac ...... 18 Earliest known library...... 175 Calvin, John ...... •...... 10 Boudin, Rev. Michael, last pastor...... 125 Carnegie, Andrew Lawsuit between Anglican and...... 125 Grant of money for library...... 176 Pell's gift of 100 acres to...... 17, 125 Carpenter, Stephen P...... 85 Preaching in both French and English.. 124 Carre, Louis ...... 18 Stouppe, Rev. Pierre, 4th pastor.. 124, 125 Carver, William Temple before 1689 ...... 125 Letter.... , Thomas Paine...... 144 Lutheran ...... ~ ...... 127 Recipient of letter from Paine...... 145 Methodist Cat Rock Cave First edifice built...... ____127 Photo of ...... 170 Introduction of Methodism.·---·······l27 "Marie's Mound" ...... 168• l 71 Photo of first church...... ___127 Catskill Aqueduct connection with N.R.106•108 St. John's organized...... ·-·····---l27 Celebrations ·······················-·····················180 · 189 Williams, Robert ...... •.. 127 Centennial, American Independence.... 182 Presbyterian Civil War Memorial...... 183 (photo) .. 138 First building ······-····-·-·········---·l26 Huguenot Day of Remembrance...... 184 Manse, former home 9f Louis Pintard.. 142 General Lafayette's Visit... .48. 50, 180, 181 Organization of· ...... 126 La Rochelle, 1911...... 185, 186 (illus.) .. 181 Photo of first building...... -----.126 Paine Bicentennial ...... 184 Photo of Pintard House...... ____142 Sesquicentennial of Revolution...... 185 Placque, Manse ··················-----64, 143 Spanish•Ameriqi.n War Memorial...... 183 Sermon on Lincoln...... ~~ ...... 137 (illus.) .. 159 Traces to French Church.... :..... ___126 225th Anniversary ...... 183, 187, 188 City Auditor Float -·----··············(photo) ..182 Distribution of population.··, ...... 154 250 Anniversary ...... 86, 188, 189 City Government Fla¥: ...... (photo) ..189 (see Government, democratic)

'.198 INDEX

City Hall Terminus of North Ave. line...... 95 Photo ...... 53 Cooper, James F. First Town House (Hall) .... (photo) .. 55 "Notions of the Americans"...... 62 First, begun by legacy...... S5 Attended N .R. church...... 62 Second and present one ...... S6 Cornell House-Zuaves Soldiers ...... 135 City Park Cornwell ...... 79 Area, almost 30 acres...... 15 7 Cothonneau, Elias ...... 18 Athletic facilities ...... 1S 7 Cothonneau, William ··················----···· 18 Purchased by City in 1910 ...... 1S 7 Cothonneau, Capt. Terminus of electric trolley·······-··········· 9 5 Of Foot Infantry Refuses to l\fa1-:e Civil War ...... 133·13 8 Tax Payment to Leisler...... 21 Cadet Party at Cadet HalL ...... 135 Council DeCamp General HospitaL...... 135 Duties ·········---···································· 5 8 Photo of ...... 13 6 Manager Government Chart...... 57 DeCamp, Dr. Samuel G., name given "Courier and Enquirer" to hospital ...... 13 6 Description of Bryand and Leggett...... 149 . Draft Riots in New York City...... 135 Coutant Cemetery Gun Carriages Made, Burtis MilL ...... 135 Gravestone for Mrs. Coutant...... 69 Monument to Veterans...... 138, 183 Coutant Homestead, Site of ...... 69 Photo of ...... 13 8 Coutant, David New Rochelle Cadets...... 134 Chair Manufacturer ...... 33 Rebel prisoners, Davids' Island.... 136. 137 (Photo) of chair...... 3 3 Secord, Warren D., last N.R. Civil Coutant, "Isaac War veteran ···············---··············· 138 Grave ·································•·---········· 61 Sickles, General ...... 138 Sought Protection from General Southern prisoners to DeCamp Gen· Knyphausen ...... 69 eral Hospital ...... 13 6 Coutant, Jacob Women's part ...... 13 5, 136 House .(photo) ...... 24

Zuaves in New Rochelle...... :... 135 House built3 1727 (photo) ...... 23 Clark. Henry W. Manufactured chairs ···············---- 33 Second Lieutenant. Coutant, John New Rochelle Cadets ...... 134 Grave and stone...... 61 (photo) 59 Climate of New Rochelle...... 113 Coutant, Rev. Lewis J. Clinton, George Incident of War of 1812...... 130, 131 Vice·President of U. S ...... 146 Description of EarlY.rrSchools ...... 117 Recipient of letter from Paine...... 146 Incident from reminiscences...... 69 Clinton, Gov. George Coutant, Mrs.. Death oL...... 69 Chartered Trinity Church ...... 12 5 Cox's Tally.Ho Post Coaches...... SO Cobb. Frank C. Crosby, Horace Scout Executive, Siwanoy CounciL.... 178 First President, Library Trustees...... 175 Cobbett, William "Cross Keys" Removed Thomas Paine's remains to Pelor's Hotel ...... 48, 49, SO England ...... 146, 14 7 Later known as Mansion House...... 50 Coins Croton Aqueduct . Commemorative half dollar.... (photo) .. 184 Source of N. R. water...... 108 Coligny, Admiral Gaspard de ············~··········· 10 Croton River ...... 64 College of New Rochelle Crystal Lake Rev. Mgr. John P. Chidwick, Pres..... 159 Use of ...... 111, 112 (illus.) .. 111 Present owner of Leland's Castle...... 182 Vineyard Island ...... 112 Columbus Elementary School (see Schools) Culverin Columbus Junior High School (see Schools) New Rochelle Library...... 11 (photo) .. 187 Colwell, Harry E. Cushing, Miss Mayor New Rochelle. 191 L ...... 186 Unveiled Civil War Monument...... 138 "Common Sense" · Customs and Manners...... 3 5.39 Pamphl~t by Thomas Paine...... 143 Cutler, Mary Commumcat1on ...... 96·99 Became wife of Benjamin Faneuil, Jr... 140 Telegraph ...... 96 Telephone ...... 9 7. 99 D Community Chest Ten member agencies...... 172 Daughters of American Revolution Community Water Service Co. Memorial to post rider...... 87 Acquires New Rochelle Water Co ...... 107 Daughters of Revolution Daily volume...... 10 8 Boston Post Road Marker...... : .. 82, 185 Property value ...... 108 Davenport Neck Water from N.Y.C. aqueduct...... 107 Indian spring ...... (photo) .. 1O 5 Comstock. William India~ _village lar~est on.. 1 (photo) site 5 "Marie's Mound, a Tale of New Landing of Hessians...... 68 Rochelle" ...... 168• 171 M!litia _on, During War of 1812 ...... 130 Conneau, Emile Mme pit ...... (photo) .. 114 Municipal Councilor ...... 186 Naval Engagement off ...... 129, 130 Author, "La Rochelle Disparue" ...... 186 (photo) ...... 13 l Conservation ...... 84·86 Outcropping of serpentine...... 113 Consolidated Edison Co...... 103, 104 Pryer's "Battle of Davenport Neck" .... 167 Convention of State of New York...... 74 Rock formation ...... 115 Conway. .iane an-i. Hannah Rodman•Davenport House...... 28, 130 De Camp General HosoitaL...... 135, 136 (photo) ...... 129 Cooper's Comers-School district..... ---117 Spring Water ...... 10 5

199 INDEX

Trees planted in memory of Elected New Rochelle Supervisor·----···141 Geo. Washington ·------·----··------·------83 Home ···-···--·--··-···---···--·-·-···-····-·---·--·-·24, 141 Whaleboatmen ----·--·----·------·----·-·-···-----· 72 Photo of -···-········-·--····---··-··-·-··----··---·---- 65 Davenport Park Home, temporary British hospitaL---··-142 Churchland Pear--··--·-··84. 85 (pl~oto) __ 84 House burned ·-··----··-··-···-·-·-·--··--··------·---- 65 Geological Setting -·----··-···-·----···------··-----109 M em her, Sons of Liberty _·--·-···---·--·------141 Glacial Grooves.·--·-·-----········--·- (photo) __ l 14 Moved to Connecticut after Location ------·------·-·---·------·--·--·--·------·---·---15 7 Revolution ------·--··--·---·-----··------···· 142 Rock formations ------·------·----·-·---·------115 Photo of ---·--·--···------··---·-···---·------·---·-----··-141 Used for riding and walking_··--·--·------··157 Resided on farm, Drake's Lane_··--··----·141 Washington Marker_··--···--··81 (photo)_. 81 Supervisor ·-·--··-··--·-·-·----·-···---·······-··------·· 63 Washington Memorial Trees ___ .82, 86, 185 Drake's Lane Davenports Named for Col. Joseph Drake__ ··-··-··-·-·141 Owner of an old cannon ______·--·-----·-·---181 Du Bois, Jacques·-·------···---·------·········-··-··---··· 18 Davids' Island Dunbar. Seymour Indian occupation -·-----·--·-·------·-·--·---···----- 1 "A History of Travel in America"·--·-·-·150 Now known as Fort Slocum .. ·---··----·---··136 ' Dutch West India CompanY-·-··--·-···-···-··--··---7, 8 Now used as- a ·Recruiting Station.. ----166 Dutuffeaux, Isaac ---·--·-·--···-·----··------··-·--- 54 Rented and purchased b:v U.S·----········136 Dyott, J oho-Engraving of ·---·---··-·---·······-·-·133 Site of De Camp General Hospital...... 135 Ford's Theatre, Washington, Photo of ····-·········-·-·-·--··--·-··-···------······· l 36 April 14. 1865 .... -.. ---·--·-----·----·--···--··-·-·--13 7 Used as recruiting station during Good. reader ···---····------·------··-·-··---··-·-·-· 181 Spanish War -··-···-·--·-·--···-----·-·····-·-······ 160 House --·--··-·-·--·------·----···-···-··------··-·-··------13 7 Davids, Thaddeus New Rochelle resident _____ ···------·------·- 13 7 Owner of Davids' Island-····-···-··--···-·-··-·136 Davis. Francis Farm purchased by Water Co. --·--·----106 E Day Nursery -·-·--··------··-··--··---·-···-·--·······-······-·· 172 Deans Boys, Mr. Eastchester Letter, Thomas Paine----·····-·-·-····-··-········145 Ambuscade at -··-·-·--·-·-··--··-·-···----·-···----·--- 78 De Bonrepos, Rev. Davi-I Birthplace of Col. Joseph Drake---·-··---141 Second pastor, French Church·-·-····18, 124 Boundary to New Rochelle.. ·-··-·-·------··109 Pastor to New Paltz...... -••·--124 Grain destroyed -----·---·------···-···---··--····--·· 7 4 De Bonrepos, Elie ······-····-·········-··-················· 18 Indian white quartz quarry_····------··-··-·· 5 De Camp, Dr. Samuel G. · Outpost of Gen_ Howe----·-···---···--··-··-··-·· 67 Honored by naming De Camp Hos- Washington, Geo. ----·----···-···-·--·--·····---·---- 82 pital ·-·-·----·-·---··------·--·-·-·-·-··--·-···------·---· 13 6 Eastchester Creek-Location ··----·----·····-····· 110 De Camp General HospitaL .. -···-······--···--······135 Eastchester Electric Co. -···---·-·------··-·------···---102 Photo of ·····-··········--····-····--······-·············-·· 13 6 "Economic and Sodal Conditions in New Named for Dr. Samuel G. De Camp... _136 Rochelle". by Roland Skinner·--··-·----···-·154 Augustus Van Cortlandt.. ·--·-··-···········--·137 Edict of N ,mtes-····--·--·------··-··-·--·------·--··--10, 11 After Civil War, no longer used for Revoked -···-··-·---·-··--······--·······---·---····-·-----· 12 that purpose ···-···-································ 160 Edict of Toleration .. ·-···-·-·······--·------·--·-·-·····--·· 15 Decatur, Stephen Education through the years·-··----·----·-·--116· 123 Commander of "United States"...... _128 (see Schools) Photo of ··-·········--·······-····-······················-·-128 Edwards, Dr.-Southern prisoners ------··-·--137 Tries to run Sound blockade... -•····-·······-129 Eels, Amanda-Teacher ·--·-·--·····-··----····-···---- 49 Derrick, Christopher Electric Trolley Cars.·-----·-······:··········-··-·-··95, 96 Shot at Thomas Paine.... ·-··-··-·····-·-········ 145 Horse Car Line Extended.. ·-···---····-···--·· 95 cle St. Croix ··························-·····-·-·-··---·········· 79 Photo of -·---·--········-·---··················-····-··--··· 9 ~ Des Champs, Isaac Brussard...... ·-·····-······ 16, 18 Third Ave. Railway System.. ·------··-----·-·· 96 De Veaux ·············-········-···--·-·········-·····-·········-·· 79 Routes ·-·---·-······-·····-··--···----··-··-·----·····--·--· 9 5 Deviation A venue North A venue. Main Street, New So-called name for North A venue...... _ 21 York Citv. Fifth A venue De Voe. Thomas F. Westchester Electric R.R. Co. -·--·-··-· 96 "Geneology of De Veaux Family"...... 73 ''Evangel:ne'' ··-··-·---···--···-·------······-·----·-·-----·-·-·· 41 Devone, Frederick ················-·-················--····· 127 de Warville. Brissot "New Travels in the U.S.A."-············· 79 F Dewey, Admiral George M.anila Bay ··············-·····-····-··················-· 160 Family Memorial to, on Glen Island..... _.. 160, 161 Size of average, in New Rochelle..... --.154 Memorial erected by John H. Starin.... 160 Faneuil, Benjamin Dolbear Memorial ·······-·························-········ 86 Father of Benjamin Jr_ and Peter... __ . __ 139 Dorst, Jacob J. New York merchant and ship builder._139 Firing of minute guns ...... (photo) .. 161 Owner of New Rochelle farm__ ·--··--·-·-·-· 139 Drake Avenue Faneuil, Ben]amin, Jr.. Named for Col. Joseph Drake...... 141 Cut off in Andrew's will because of Drake, Col. Joseph .... ········-·-·······-··········· 141, 142 · marriage -·--···----·--···--····-··--···--·······-·-·--·· 140 Appointed Captain of Militia...... 141 Lived with Uncle Andrew in Bosto11 .... 13

Faneuil Park Gillot; Monsieur Location ...... 15 7 Joseph Shippen Lived With...... 117 Monument ...... 82 Girl Scouts Old Post Road...... 87 Brownie ...... 177 Site of Post Road Marker...... 157 Community Chest Membership ...... 172 Site of World War Memorial...... 157 Girl Scout House...... 177 Faneuil, Peter ...... 139, 140 Introduced in New Rochelle...... 177 Born in New Rochelle...... 139 Motto of ...... 17 7 Built Faneuil Hall, Boston...... 140 Number of troops and members...... 177 Death of father...... 139 Purpose ...... 17 7 Died at age of 43 ...... 139 Glacial action Inherited Uncle Andrew's estate...... 140 Glacial grooves in rocks at Davenport Lame, from birth...... 139 Park ...... (photo) .. 114 Lived with Uncle Andrew in Boston.... 139 Location of ...... 112, 115 Photo of ...... · ...... 139 Glacial Boulder ...... (photo) .. 109 Richest man in Mass...... _ 140 Glen Island Fanning, Capt. Henry-Le Roy Hotel...... 51 Early History, John H. Starin...... 158 Feeney Park Facilities of ...... 158 Newer development ...... 15 7 Horse car's terminus...... 95 Site of Columbus Branch Library...... 176 Largest park in New Rochelle.... 157, 158 Fellows, John•-Letter from Thos. Paine.... 144 Memorial to Admiral Dewey...... 160 Ferris Creek ...... 72 Open to public...... l 09 Ferris Tavern Owned by Westchester County...... 158 ·Merritt•Smith feud...... 72 Glover, Col. John ...... 66 Run by T"ory ...... 72 Firemen-Parades ...... 183 Gombauld, Daniel ...... 18 Flax Wheel ...... (illus.) .. 31 Government, Democratic ...... 53.58 Forbes, Jeanne A. Administrative departments ...... 58 Town Record Book...... 134 Appointments by City Manager...... 58 Forest Heights-Site of former orchards .... 109 Council Manager ...... 53, 57, 58 Fort Schuyler Chart of Council Manager...... 5 7 Location ...... 160 Duties of City Manager...... 58 22nd Regiment ...... 160 History and evolution ...... 5 5.5 8 Fort Slocum Method of selecting City Manager...... 58 Active recruiting station, World War .. 162 Three branches of...... 58 Air (view), 1938 ...... 162 (See Town Meeting) Construction of 33 one•story barracks.. 162 Government in City Davids' Island, former name...... 136 (see Government, Democratic) Firing minute guns...... ~ ... (photo) .. 161 Growth of New RochelJe ...... 153-155 Largest recruiting station in East...... 166 Distribution of population...... 154 Named after Gen. Henry W. Slocum .. 160 First Known Census...... 153 "New Rochelle-Her Part in the Industry of New Rochelle...... 154 Great War" ...... 163 Kind of dwe1lings in N.R ...... 154 Outer Dt-fences of N Y. C ...... 16'l Population figures ...... 155 Part of 22nd Regiment at ...... 160 Guion, Abraham Recruiting station during Spanish- Comm. of Safety for West. County.... 63 American War ...... 160 Huguenot Burying Ground...... 63 Recruit week ...... 68, 162, 163 Guion-Allaire House...... (photo) .. 23 Recruits during World War...... 162 Guiton, Jean Sketch of island during Civil War...... 136 Flag Replica Carrie--1 During Siege of.. 11 Fort Totten Mayor of La Rochelle...... 11, 185 Location ...... 160 N.R. citizens contribute to statue...... 186 22nd Regiment ...... 160 Replica of standard...... 188 Founding of New Rochelle...... 16·23 Replica of statue in Paine Cottage...... 186 Fowler, John, Jr. Statue erected and unveiled ...... 185 "Death of President Lincoln"...... 137 Statue of ...... (photo) .. 180 French General Montcalm at Quebec...... 43 Houdin, Michael ...... 42, 43 H N. R. settlers from Acadia...... 40 Soldiers in N .R...... 78, 79 Hague, Rev. Wi11iam-"Life Notes" ...... 61 Survival of French Language and Halcyon Park Customs ...... 59-62 Silver mine ...... (photo) ..114 Teaching ...... 60, 61, 116.117.121 Viaduct . ." ...... 111 Teaching of ...... 60, 61. 116, 117. 121 Hamilton, Capt. Alexander...... 71 French Church-( see Churches) ...... 124.12 7 Hand, Colonel ...... 66 French War. Old...... 40•44 Harlem Heights-Battle ...... 66 Fall of Quebec...... 41 Harper H ou-iin, Michael ...... 42·43 "Life and Work of Susan B. Washington's idea for colonial officers 80 Anthony" ...... 15 l Fuerst. Morton S. Hastier, Jean ...... 18 Founder, Boys' Club ...... 178 Haviland. Mrs.-Tavern at Rye...... 82 Hawley, T. B ...... 92 G Heath. Gen. William ...... 73, 74 Garden Club ...... 86 Hell Gate ...... 7, 128, 129 Geography ...... 109-115 Henderson, Wm...... 55 Geology ...... 109• l 15 Henry of Navarre...... 10 Gidney ...... · ...... 79 Henry IV of France...... 10

201 INDEX

Hessians in New Rochelle Historical Float, 225th celebration Landing ----·····-·······-····················--·-··-······· 68 (photo) .. 182 Ravages -········-·····-·······················-·········· 69· Local History; Emphasized...... 173 Home for Aged... ·--····-·--·······················-·······- 172 Memorial dedicated ·----···········-···l84 Home Life, ColoniaL...... - ...... 35-39 Museum of, in Paine Cottage...... 147 Horse cars ---··········-··························94-95 Organized in 1886...... _173 Nam.es of companies.. ·--················-········-· 94 Paine Cottage as museum...... 173, 184 Replaced by Electric Tro!leys...... 95 Presented with Paine's home...... 184 Route in New Rochelle...... 95 Publications : Horticulture -···············-·······························84-86 "Thomas Paine Cottage and Arbor Vitae--«Geo. Peabody"-··--········· 85 Grounds ...... 184 Blackberry- "A Brief History of PubEc Mammoth or Lawton...... {photo) .. 85 Schools" ····---············-···············19 3 Mulberry-Mount Paine...... ·-·-·-·-······ 85 "Through the Years, 1886-1936"-·····183 Pears- Purpose of ---·······-·-----173 Churchland ·······-··················(Photo).. 84 Site of Silver Linden, planted by Huntington -·--······································ 85- La Rochelle representatives...... 188 Parsonage ·······-···································· 85 Huguenot Lake- Raspberry- Air view of ···-·····-····················· (photo) ..158 . Caroline and New Rochelle...... -...... 86 Brook east of ...... 111 Horton, Phoebe A. ·············-························· 119 Japanese Cherry trees...... 86 Hospital ·-·---······-····································-·· 17 3-17 4 Known as Mahlstedt's Ice Pond...... 110 Ambulance ··············-································· 17 4 Location ·································--········-······ 110 Date of establishment.... •············-········-···173 Source of water for Mt. Vernon...... 110 First location of····-······-···-·················-···· 173 Site of ...... · ...... 110 Lester Memorial Building...... 174 Huguenot Memorial Oak New Unit Under Constructio,...... 174 Photo of ·········-········································ 181 Nurses Traininfl' SchooL...... _...... 174 Planted by Local History Club...... 86 Sponsor, Wm. R. Pitt...... -.173 Huguenot Nurseries ...... 85 Pool -·----···························---············· 17 4 Huguenot Park Second and Present Locatio:i of...... 174 Air view of ...... 158 Houdin. Michael Among first developed ...... 15 6 Chaplain in English army...... 42 Contains 43 acres...... 15 7 Fifth and La!-t French Pastor...... 12c; Established ...... 157 French by birth...... 4 2 Japanese Cherry Trees ...... 15 7 Friar at Montreal...... 42 Lake formerly an ice pond...... 157 IntelliJ?"ence officer to Gen. Wolfe...... 42 Setting for New Rochelle H. S ...... 157 Last French minister in N.R. ... .43, 44, 60 Site ...... 110 Letter ...... 42 Site of Branch Library ...... 176 H ousatonic Railroad ...... 92 Huguenot School-(See Schools) Houses-( see Architecture. Colonial) Huguenots ...... 10-23 Classification of. in N.R...... 154 Amusements and sports...... 38 Howe. Gen. Sir William Artisans ...... 13 Comman

French West Indies...... , ___ .. 13, 16 Description of ...... 2, 3 Fruit propogators ········-·······················~ 84 Dwellings ·····································--- 3 Fugitives ....,---···················(illus.)_ 14 Food Supply···········------4 Gardners ······--·····················-~ 84 Image stone ...... (photo) ..3, 4 Gentleman ...... (illus.).. 3 5 Pottery ...... 6, 7 Guion-Allaire House...... (photo) .. 23 Quartz ...... 5 (photo)_ 6 Home Furnishings, Artistic Yet Home Sachem ····················-- ____ 1 Made ...... 3 6 Sachems-Maminepoe, Annhoock.._ 8 Houses of wood and stone...... 24, 25 Siwanoy...... 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 (Painting).. 2 Invited to New Amsterdam...... 14 Spring ...... 1O 5 udy ·····························---(illus.)_ 3 6 Thanksgiving ...... 4 Land from PelL... -----·-·······-- 8 W ampuni Source ...... 6, 25 Last stone house--Coutant...... 24, 25 Westchester Path .---····················· 87 Later colonial houses...... ·-··········,--- 27 Women ...... 3 Le Roux, Peter, constable...... _153 W ykagy1 ...... 9 Manners and customs of...... 35-39 Industries Marriage customs ·····························~··· 39 New Rochelle, building...... 154 Means for cooking and baking...... 37, 38 (see Colonial Trades and Business) Memorial Marker of early family (see Developmeyt of Light and names ...... ,----··························· 19 Power) ········---··········-········100· 104 Memorial Oak to...... 86 (photo) .. 181 (see Transportation and Communica- Monument to, at Hudson Park...... •. _183 tion) ·······················----··········87•99 Photo ...... 18 International Garden Club...... -...... 8 Negro slaves in family ...... 133 Iselin. Adrian, Sr. New Oxford. Mass ...... 14 Backer and stockholder of N .R. New Paltz, N. Y...... 14 Water Co...... 106 New York City ...... 16 Interests sold to Comm. Water Origin of name...... 10 Service Co. ····-···································· 107 Pell-Leisler deed, story...... 167 Presented Neptune Park to City...... 157 Pintard. Lewis. of Huguenot descent.. 142 Preserving food, means of...... 38 J Recreation-dancing ...... 39 Relics preserved in Paine Cottage J amain, Nicholas ...... 18 Museum ...... 173 Japanese Cherry Trees ...... 86, 15 7 Settlements in America...... 14 Jay, John Settling of New Rochelle...... 16-22 Attended school in N.R...... 116 Skilled craftsmen ...... 29, 30 First Chief Justice U. S. Supreme Social classes represented...... 3 5 Court ...... 140 .Spring water ...... 10 5 Foreign minister ...... 140 Survival of their language and Gover~or, New York State...... 140 customs ...... 5 9 -62 Illus. ···························-························, ._l 16 Water supply, early...... 104 Treatv of Peace, N egotiator...... 83, 140 Woman dipping candles...... (illus.) .. 37 Jefferd, John and Olive Huguenot Y.M.C.A. Grist Mill ...... 16, 20, 3 7 Community Chest ...... 172 Tenants of Pell...... 59 Equipment ...... 179 Jefferson School-(see Schools) Family Institutio:i ...... 179 Jenkins, Stephen · First location ...... 179 Novel-"A Princess and Another"...... 167 Photo of ...... 179 Jones, LeRoy F. Present building ...... 179 Receives La Rochelle gift for the Second location ...... 179 City ...... 188 Site of Eagle HoteL...... 179 Jones, Peter Hunt. Herold C. Tavern where Paine voted ...... 145 Present Superintendent of Scho:>Js. .... : .. 121 J ouneau: Pierre ...... 18 Hunt, Jesse "Journal," by Asbury...... 127 Sloop sold for war purposes...... 65 Junior Civic Club...... 86 Huntington, James P...... 85 Junior Garden Club ...... a...... 86 Hutchinson, Anne Killed ...... 8 K Named Hutchinson River...... 110 Keene, Laura ...... _ 13 7 Hutchinson River Kenyon, Eunice--Boarding School...... 151, 152 Origin of ...... 110 Key, Francis Scott Outlet ...... 110 Grandson and great grandson buried Power for Burtis Mill...... 134 in Beechwoods ...... 132 :Reservoir constructed here...... 106 Kingsbridge ...... 76 Site ...... 11 O Hutchinson River Parkway British leave ...... 76 Burtis Mill ...... 135 Geo. Washington ·································-· 82 Route ...... 110 Kings Highway ...... 87 Water Co., land acquired by...... 107, 108 Knight, Madam Sarah "Journal" records visit to N .R...... 22 Quote ...... 46 I Visit to N .R...... 88, 89 Knyphausen, Baron Lieut.-Gen. Indians ...... 1-9 Cannon left by, on Davenport N eck.... 181 Artifacts ...... 5, 6 Landed Davenport N eek...... 68 Boats ...... 4 Photo of ...... 68 Clothing ...... 4 Protection to Coutants...... 69

203 INDEX

L Scene of July 4th Celebrations...... :.... 181 Leonard, Dr. Albert . . Lafayette, Marquis de Appointment ...... 119 Entertained at Pelor's Hotel Death ...... 119 48, 50, 180, 181 Leonard, Albert, Junior H.S. (see Schools) Welcome address to...... 180. 181 Le Roux, Peter Lambden-Building ...... 83, 88 Constable and census taker...... 153 Lamotten, Charles ...... 41 Le Roy, Caroline Landrin, Susanne Courted by Daniel Webster...... 52 Grave ··························---~--- 61 Le Roy House Hotel Grave Stone ...... 61 (photo) .. 15. 20 Banks, Wm., proprietor...... 50 Landrine, William-House...... (photo) .. 25 Burns ...... 52 Larchmont Shore Park-Glacial action...... 112 Country home of Capt. Henry Larchmont Water Co. Fanning ...... 51 Source of water in New Rochelle ...... 110 (Photo) ····························-··················46 52 La Rochelle Scene of July 4th Celebrations...... :181 City Hall ...... (photo).. 12 Lester, Henry M. Culverin Presented to N.R. .... (t>hoto) .. 187 Delegate to La Rochelle celebration.... 186 Fatherless children receive $680 from Loving cup sent by N.R. via...... 186 New Rochelle Childrf>n ...... , "'-~ Lester, Mrs. Joseph W. Gifts to New Rochelle...... 186-189 Memorial Building, hospital unit...... 174 Loving cup presented to...... (photo) .. 181 Lester's Rocks-School site...... 117 Port of, a painting...... (illus.) .. 183 Le Vilain, Josias ...... 18 Representatives of. Lewis, Commodore ...... 129 Sent to N.R., 1913 and 1938.... 187, 189 "Life Notes", by Rev. Wm. Hague...... 61 Siege of ...... 10, 11, 185, 186 Light and Power, Development oL...... 100·104 Story Ahout Siege of...... 167 Candles ...... 100 Ties of friendship between, and N .R. Pine Knots ...... 100 185•189 Whale oil ...... 100 View of waterfront...... 11 Kerosene ...... 100, 101 "La Rochelle Disparue"-Emil Conneau.... 186 r.as ...... 10 l "La Rochelle, Past and Present-The Electricity ...... 1O1.104 Good City of" Lincoln, Abraham Presented by Sporting Club to N.R... 186 Assassination of ...... 137 Memorial addresses here...... 137, 182 Lasty, Jacques ·······························---····· 18 New Rochelle and Westchester, Lawrence. Tames-Cantain of "Hornet".... 12Q Not a majority of votes for...... 134 Lawton, William-Blackberry...... 85 T ,incoln School-(see Schools) Le Boiteux. Gabriel ...... 18 Le Conte, Guillaume ...... 18 Lindsley, Miss Emily Le Conte•Jond .. on House...... (photo) .. 27 Story. "A Backward Glance at Le Count, William-Meeting...... 46 New Rochelle" ...... 185 Lee, Gen. Charles...... 71, 81 Lispenard, Anthony Legends ...... 167 • l 71 Tide Mill ...... (photo) .. 31 (see Stories about New Rochelle) Photo, Present Site.. -...... 32 Leggett. William ...... 148• l 50 Local History Club Abolitionist ...... 149 Huguenot Memorial Oak...... 86 Associated with Wm. C. Bryant.. 148. 140 (Photo) of Oak. Senior High School..181 Born in Savannah. Ga...... 148 Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth ...... 41 Bryant's description of N.R ...... 14Q Long Island Sound...... 7 Bryant's poem to...... 150 Louis XIV, King of Franc'!...... 12 Buried in Trinity Churchyard...... 149 Louis, XVI, King of France...... 15 Died in New Rochelle...... 149 Loving Cup Editor. "New Y nrk Evening- Po"t"...... 148 Delivered by Charles Pryer and Monument inscription by BryanL...... 149 Henry M. Lester...... 186 Mother, New Rochelle woman ...... 148 Mounted on rock from Hudson Park.. 186 Resident of New Rochelle...... 149 Photo of. Presented by New Rochelle Walt Whitman's eulogy to...... 149 to La Rochelle ...... 181 Wife. New Rochelle girL...... 148 Low, Juliette Gordon...... 177 Leisler. Jacob Lowrv, Rev. Robert . Commissioned a N.R. Justice of Peace 53 Chaplain, U. S. A ...... 136 Deed from John PelL...... 125 Southern prisoners ...... : ...... 136 Execution ...... ~ ...... 17, 18 Lutheran Church ...... 127 Levied tax on N.R. because of French invasion of upstate...... :...... 21 M Lieutenant.Governor ...... 18 Machet, Jean ...... 18 Not Popular with N.R. Residents...... 21 Macready.:- William ...... 92 Occasjon for Unveiling Statue...... : ...... , R~ Mahlstedt's Ice Pond...... 110 Organized New Rochelle...... J 6 Mamaroneck PPll Conve:vs Land Title to Him...... 17 Boundary to N.R...... 109 Provision in deed, story...... 167 Defenses inspected by Geri. Wash- Oualifications for Justice of Peac~...... ::o ington ...... 81 Statue of. at Broadview...... (photo) .. 22 Dr. Nicholas Bailey...... :...... 78 Leland. Simeon . Gen. Washington ...... 82 Owner of Leland's Castle...... 182 Onions to British...... 68 Leland's Castle Outnost of Gen. Howe...... 67 Now owned by New Rochelle College.. 182 Rocking Stone Avenue...... 112 Residence of Mr. Leland...... 182 Scene of battle...... 76-78

204 INDEX

Terminus of electric car...... 9 5 New Paltz. N. Y. Manners and Customs...... 35 •39 Rev. de Bonrcpos from New Rochelle124 Mansion House New Rochelle Scene of meeting for memorial to Area ...... 53, 109 Wm. Leggett ...... :.... 149 Battle of ...... 75·78 Starting point of post coaches...... 50 Boundaries ...... 109 "Marie's l\i1ound" British occupation of...... 67, 68 Story by Wm. Comstock...... 168·171 Census ...... 22, 153•155 Marvin Place-Site of Pintard House...... 28 City chart erect ...... 5 6 Masonic Hall-Public library, 1901·1914.... 176 Council chamber-La Rochelle flag...... 11 Massacre of St. Bartholomew...... 10 Early planning of, by Huguenots...... 20 Mayflower School-(see Schools) First census of ...... 21 McKinley. William First recorded mention of...... 19 Killed in Buffalo ...... 161 Founding of ...... 16, 18, 23 Minute guns fired at Fort Slocum...... 161 Government Photo of firing minute guns...... 161 (see Government, Town :Meeting) l\I ercier, Isaac ...... 18 Land purchase ...... 8, 16 Merritt, Shube ...... 72 Names of first founders and settlers.... 18 Methodist Church (See Churc:1c.s) Pell•Leisler Deed...... (photo) .. 17 Milestones "Report of Washington Bicentennial Nineteenth ...... 90 Commiss:on", published by...... 185 Twenty-third ...... 83, 87, 813 Statistics ...... 53 Miller, David ·······································---119 Town formed ...... 54 ·Mines ...... 8, 9 225th Anniversary of...... - 86 Mine pit on Davenport Nec·~ .. (photo) .. 114 250th Anniversary of ...... 86 Silver mine entrance, Village chartered ...... 56 Halcyon Terrace ...... (photo) .. 114 Wagon ...... 89 (illus.) .. 88 Minvielle. Col. Gabriel Washington in ...... 80·83 Founder of New Rochelle...... 16, 17, 18 New Rochelle Cadets-Organizcd...... 134 Partly responsible fo, execution of New Rochelle College Leisler ...... 17 (see College of New Rochelle) Montcalm, Generai New Rochelle Gas Company...... 101 Battle of Quebec...... 43 "New Rochelle-Her Part in the Great Morgan, Rev. Dr. R. U ...... 85 War," by Conde B. Pallen...... 163, 164 Morris, General ...... 65 New Rochelle Hotel...... 51 Morris, Gouverneur ...... 146 New Rochelle in World War...... 162-166 Morris, Louis ...... 13 5 "New Rochelle Press Almanac"...... 85 Morse, Samuel F. B...... 96 New Rochelle Rowing Club-Location...... 115 Mount Vernon New Rochelle Water Co. Mob violence, Draft Riots...... 135 Beginning of ...... 105, 106 One•time water source in N.R. .... 110, 157 Community Water Service Co...... 107 Trolley cars from New Rochelle...... 9 5 Connection with Catskill Aqueduct...... 107 Mulberry-Mount Paine ...... 85 Iselin interests ...... 106, 107 Museums Reservoir No. 1 constructed (photo) .. 106 Children's, Huguenot School...... 184 Reservoir, Hutchinson River...... 106 Paine Cottage ...... 5, 6, 33, 147, 184 Reservoir No. 4 constructed, Paine Memorial House...... 147, 184 Troublesome Brook ...... 106 Water tower .~ ...... 106 N Water tower and pumping station (photo) .. 107 National Plant, Fruit and Flower Guild New York and Harlem Railroad Conservation ...... 86 First road north from N. Y. City...... 91 Memorial, Beechwoods Cemetery.. 165. 166 New York & New Haven R.R. Nature Study Woods...... 86 (see New York, New Haven and Neptune Rouse Hartford R.R.) Built by Underhill ...... 50 New York, New Haven and Hartford R.R. Important hotel ...... 51 Collision in N. R...... ,...... 9 3 Location ...... 50, 157 Early locomotive ...... (photo) .. 91 Managed by Mr. Rice...... 50 Early rules ...... 9 3 Near steamboat dock...... 91 Electrification ...... 94 Photo ...... 49 Ferry across Connecticut rivers...... 94 Neptune Island-Site of Neptune Park...... 15 7 First New Rochelle station.... (photo)._ 93 Neptune Park First train ...... 92 Located on Neptune Island...... 15 7 ..Ghost train" ...... 94 Presented to City by Adrian Iselin.... 157 New Ro::helle junction...... 94 Site of former Neptune House...... 15 7 N.R. last stop before Williamsbridge.... 93 Neufville, Jean ...... 18 New York & Harlem R.R. tracks used 91 Neutral Ground in New Rochelle.... 71, 72, 73 Opening ...... 52 New Haven, Conn. Burial olace oI Joseph Drake...... 142 Photo of train...... 92 Letter irom ...... 67 1851 Rules ...... 93 New Haven R.R. New York City (see New York, New Haven and Attac~.. on ...... 73, 74. 78 Hartford R.R.) Boston Post Road ...... 87, 89 New Netherland British in ...... 78 First ship, "Restless"...... 7 Cholera ...... 93 Settler ...... 2 Draft Riots ...... 135 Slaves introduced ············---·········133 Drake, Joseph ...... 63, 141

205 INDEX

Electric Trolley from New Rochelle...... 9 5 Paine Cottage Evacuation of British...... 79 Brewster School; Located at (photo)_l18 East River ...... 65 Coutant Chair in Museum.. 33 (ill'US.) .• 33 First Railroad North from...... 91 Dedicated ----···························184 First U. S. Capitol...... 82 Grounds ···-----·················---3, 5 First Post Rider ...... 87 Headquarters, Huguenot and Histori- Fortified by Washington...... 81 cal Association (photo) ...... --.. 145 · Fort Slocum, Outer Defenses of...... 160 Indian Collection ...... 5, 6 Ice Cut in New Rochelle for ...... 112 Local History Room...... _ 33 Macready, William C ...... 92 Museum Content Described, "Thomas New Rochelle Electricity from ...... 103 Paine Cottage and Grounds" ...... 184 Non-Conformist French Church to...... 126 Museum Maintained by Huguenot and Pintard, Louis ...... 64 Historical Association ...... 147, 184 Philipse, Polly ...... 80 19th Milestone ...... 90 Port Blockaded During War of 1812 .... 128 Presented to Huguenot Association...... 184 Railroad Route to Albany...... 92 Replica of Jean Guiton Statue in...... 186 Railroad Terminal ...... 9 3 Book Describing Content of ...... 184 Rendezvous for Huguenots...... 16 Paine Lake-Site ---································ 111 Source of New Rochelle Water.... 107, 108 Paine Memorial House Stage Coach to Boston...... 88 Built by National Association...... 147, 184 Steamboat Trip to New Rochelle...... 90 Paine National Historical Ass'n, Thomas Spuyten Duyvil ...... 64 Built Paine Memorial House...... 147 Washington, George.. 65, 66, 69, 78, 80, 81 Celebrate 200th Anniversary of Paine's New York Convention ...... 65 Birth ·····················-································ 184 "New York Evening Post" Published "Thomas Paine Bicentennial Edited by William C. Bryant...... 148 Celebrations" ...... 184 Assistant Editor, William Leggett..... 148 ·Paine, Thomas ...... 143•147 New York Historical Society Attempted Shooting of...... ~.·-··············· 145 Orderly Books of Gen. Howe...... 68 Avenue Named for...... ·-············ 143 New York Provincial Congress Besly's Tavern ...... 145 ( See Provincial Congress of N. Y.) Buried on Own Farm...... 146 New York Telephone Co. Cobbett, William ...... 146, 147 Exchanges in New Rochelle...... 98, 99 "Common Sense" ·····················-···· 143, 146 . New Rochelle Office...... 98 Cottage Built After Revolution...... 28 Westchester Telephone Co., former Cottage, A Museum ·······-···················147 New Rochelle ...... 98 Died in Greenwich Village...... 146 New York Weekly Journal-Letter...... 46 Farm Presented to, by N. Y ...... 79, 143 Niagara•H udson Power...... 103, 104 Huguenot and Historical Ass'n.... 145, 147 Nicholls, Richard ...... 8 Letter to Joel Barlow ...... 146 N olleau, Jean ...... 18 Letter to William Carver ...... 145 "Normandie" Letter to George Clinton...... - ..... 146 Bears Gifts from La Rochelle...... 188 Letter to John Fellows...... 144 Maiden Trip ...... 186, 188 Memorial House ...... :...... 147 North Pelham ·····-········································· 110 Moved to New York City...... 146 "Notions of the Americans" National Historical Ass'n ...... 147 By James F. Cooper...... 62 Paine Avenue, Named for ...... 143 Nova Rupella Photo of ...... 143 Latin equivalent, New Rochelle...... 19 Photo of Cottage and Museum ...... 145 Nurses' Training School...... 174 Photo of Monument...... 143 Photo of Site of Grave...... 147 Remains Removed to England ...... 146 0 Tories ...... 146 Oakley, Violet-"Westchester County His­ Voting Experience of...... 48, 145, 146 torical Pageant, The Book of Words, Pallen, Conde B.•-"New Rochelle-Her Episode IV" ...... 168 Part in the Great War" ...... 163, 164 Parcot•Drake House Occupations One of Two Oldest extant...... 26 ( See Trades, Colonial) Photo of...... 26 Organizations in New Rochelle...... 172-179 Story and a Half...... 28 Boys' Club ...... 178, 179 Parks•-Residential and Recreation...... 156-158 Boy Scouts ...... 177, 178 Beechmont ...... 156 Community Chest ...... 172 City ...... 157 Girl Scouts ...... 177 Davenport ············,······.·····························157 Hospital ...... 173, 174 Faneuil ...... •.... , ...... 157 Huguenot and Historical Ass'n..... ~ ...... 173 Feeney ...... ~ ..... 157 Huguenot Y .M. C.A...... 179 Glen Island ...... 157, 158 Public Library ...... 175, 176 Hudson ...... 156, 157 Woman's Club ...... 174, 175 Huguenot ...... ~ ...... 156• l 58 Ossining ...... 64 Neptune ...... 157 Pinebrook Boulevard ...... : ...... 158 p Residence ...... 156 Rochelle Heights...... (photo) 86, 156, 170 Paine Avenue-Named for Thomas Paine.. 143 Rochelle Park ···························-··············156 Paine, Tom, Brook-Location...... 111 Wykagy 1 ·····························-··················· 15 6 206 INDEX

Pears Memorial Tablet Unveiled for...... 143 Churchland ...... 84 (photo) 84 New York Merchant...... 64, 142 Huntington ...... 85 Of Huguenot Descent...... 142 Parsonage ...... 8 5 Photo of Home ...... 142 Pelham Purchaser of War Supplies...... 142 Battle of ·-··············································· 66 Pitcher, James Boundary to New Rochelle...... 109 Tory Commissary of Musters...... 71 Company of Militia in Revolution...... 141 Pitt, William R. Eastchester Creek ...... 110 Sponsor, New Rochelle Hospital...... 173 Horse Car Company...... 94 Population of New Rochelle...... 153•155 Manor of Pelham...... 8 Distribution of Population...... 154 Pell, Johµ ...... 8, 16, 17, 59, 125, 167 First Known Census...... 153 Pell, Thomas ...... 8 Industry of New Rochelle...... _154 Post Rider, Route Through...... 87 Kind of Dwellings in New Rochelle...... 154 Route of Post Road...... 87 Population Figures ...... 155 Pelham Bay Park-Location...... 110 Port Chester Pell House in New Rochelle B yram' s B n.d ge ...... 77, 78 Built After Revolution...... 28 Postage Stamps Pell, John Acadia National Park...... 40 Conditions of Land Sale...... 17 Susan B. Anthony ...... 152 Gift of 100 Acres to French Church.... 125 Postal Telegraph ...... 96 Portrait of ...... 16 Post Rider Provision in Deed, Story...... 167 First ...... ····- 87 Rented Land to J efferd...... 59 New Rochelle ...... 49 Sale of Land to Huguenots...... 16 News of Lexington and Concord Westchester Land Inherited from Battles ...... 63 Uncle ...... 8 Post Road (See Boston Post Road) Pell, Thomas Power, Electric ...... 100· 104 Purchase of Land...... 8 Precipitation in New Rochelle...... 113 Pelletreau, Jean ...... 18 Premium Point Park-Scene of Robert W. Pelor's Hotel (photo) ...... 48 Weir's Residence ...... 148 Known as "Cross Keys"...... 48. 49, 50 Presbyterian Church, First Mansion House--Later Name...... 50 (See Churches) Place of Entertainment for Gen. La• Provincial Congress of New York fayette ...... 48, 5 0, 180 Joseph Drake, Delegate to...... 141 Peter's, John R., Farm Lewis Pintard Appointed cu Commit- Tories' Headquarters ...... 71 tee by ...... 142 Philipse, Frederick Pryer, Charles Held Prisoner in New Rochelle ...... 64, 65 Delegate to La Rochelle Celebration.... 186 Philipse, Polly Loving Cup Sent by New Rochelle via.. 181:1 George Washington Met...... 80 Incident, War of 1812...... ~ .... 131 "Pictorial Drawingroom Companion" ...... 93 "Reminiscences of an Old Westchester Pine Brook ...... (photo) .. 115 Homestead" ...... 71, 167 Site of ...... 110 Public Library ...... 17 5• 176 Pine Brook and Pinebrook Boulevard Books About La Rochelle...... 186 (photo) ...... 114 Board of Education...... 175 Pinebrook Boulevard Board of Trustees...... 175 More Recent Development by City...... 158 Bondet, Rev. DanieL...... 17 5 Photo of ...... 114 Branch Libraries ...... 176 Site ...... 111 Bronze Plaque, Recruit Week...... 165 Pine Island-Rock Formation...... 115 Carnegie, Andrew ...... 17 6 Pintard House Children's Room ...... 176 Location of ...... 142, 185 Circulation Department ...... 176 Memorial Tablet U nveiled ...... 143 Crosby, Horace ...... 17 5 Occasion for MemoriaL ...... 143, 185 Culverin...... 11 (photo) .. 187 Present Presbyterian Manse...... 142 Earliest Known in New Rochelle...... 175 "The Pintard House Memorial" pub• First in New Rochelle...... 175 lished ...... 185 Local History Room ...... 176 Westchester County Historical Society Memorial · to New Rochelle Men- Sponsors Memorial ...... 143 Local History Room...... 165 "Pintard House Memorial" Photo of ...... 17 5 Published on Memorial Unveiling...... 185 Present Building Opened...... 176 Story, "A Backward Glance at New Prints ( 100,000) ...... 17 6 Rochelle" ...... 18 5 Reference Department ...... 176 Pintard, Lewis ...... 142• 143 Second Location ...... 175 A venue Named for ...... 142 Tablet to Post Rider...... 87 Born in New York City...... 142 Third Location, Masonic HalL...... 176 Commended by Gen. Washington.. 143, 185 Trinity Place School...... 175 Commissary for American Prisoners University Law ...... 17 5 64, 142, 185 Public Schools (See Schools and Education) Died in Princeton, N. J ...... 142 Pugsley, Hannah Early House ...... 28 Negro Slave Freed by...... 5 5, 133, 134 Home, First Presbyterian Manse...... 142 Pugsley House Member, Committee of 100 ...... 142 Attempted Hanging at...... 71, 72

207 ·INDEX

Headquarters, Gen. Howe...... 66, 67, 68 Rochambeau, General ...... 78 Pugsley, James Rochelle Heights ·(photo) ...... 15 6 House (See Pugsley House) ...... 27 Site of Cat Rock Cave (photo) ...... 170 Putnam, Col. Rufus Bovie Tree ...... 86 Chief Engineer of American Army...... 70 Rochelle Park-Among First Developed.... 156 Rodman, Joseph Q Early House ...... 28 Quaker Ridge ...... 4 Photo of House...... 129 Queen Anne of England Roosevelt, John H. Presented Chalice to Trinity...... 125 Speaker at CentenniaL...... 84, 182 Quintard, Eli ...... 9 2 Roosevelt School (See Schools) Rye R Tavern-Gen. Washington...... 82 Railroad ...... 91 ·94 s (See N.Y., N.H. & Hartford R.R.) St. Matthews Catholic Church...... 127 Raspberries Salena, Ba ...... 41 Caroline ...... 86 Salvation Army ...... 172 · New Rochelle ...... 86 Sands, Comfort Reeber's Hall ...... 85 Sons of Liberty ...... 63 References for Reading and Study...... 190·195 Savoit, Charles, and Family...... 41 "Reminiscences of an Old Westchester Scarsdale Homestead," by Charles Pryer.... 71, 167 Boundary to New Rochelle...... 109 "Report of the New Rochelle George Outpost of Gen. Howe...... 67 Washington Bicentennial Commis• Schools ...... 116· l 23 sion'' ...... 185 Act of 179 5 ...... 117 Residence Park Anthony, Susan B., Teacher...... 151, 152 Among First Developed...... 15 6 Board of Education...... 119, 121, 175 Residents, Famous ...... 139·152 Brewster Building (photo) ...... ! 17 Anthony, Susan B...... 151•152 Children's Museum, Huguenot...... 184 Drake, Joseph ...... 141, 142 Commissioners Elected ...... 5 5 Faneuil, Peter ...... 139, 140 Contribute $680 to La Rochelle Chil• Jay, John ...... 140 dren ...... 163 . Leggett, William ...... 148•150 Description of Early...... 117 Paine, Thomas ...... 143• 147 Division into Three Districts...... 117 Pintard, Lewis, Active in...... 142, 143 Eels, Amanda ...... 4 9 Schuyler, Philip ...... 140 Female Teacher, First...... 119 Weir, Robert Walter ...... 147, 148 Free Public Education ...... 118 Whitney, Asa ...... 150 French, Teaching of ·····;························121 Revolutionary War ...... 63-79 Inspectors ...... 5 5 Blockade of East River...... 65 Junior Highs Established...... 123 Committee for Safety of Westchester Kenyon's, Eunice, Boarding SchooL.. 151 County ...... 63, 141 Miller, David, Teacher... : ...... · ...... l 19 Commissary for American Prisoners "New Rochelle-Her Part in the 64,142,143 Gerat War" ...... 164 Drake, Joseph, Part in ...... 141 Regents Examinations, First...... 119 Faneuil Hall, Used for Meetings ...... 140 Registration, Senior High ...... 123 First Submarine ...... 64 Salute to the Flag...... •...... 163 New Rochelle ...... 63•79 State Superintendent Office Created.... 118 Pintard, Lewis, Active in ...... 142, 143 Superintendent of ...... 119, 121 Sons of Liberty...... 63, 141 Teachers, Number of, in 1938...... 119 Westchester Campaign ...... 65, 66 Textbooks, Early ...... 118 Rice, Mr.-Manager, Neptune House...... 50 Underhill, Hannah-Teacher at Trin• Richelieu, Cardinal-Ordered Attack on La ity School-Civil War...... 136 Rochelle ...... 11, 185. 186 Welsh Building, High SchpoL...... 121 Roads ...... 8 7. 9 0 (photo) ...... 122 Boston Post Road ...... 87, 88 World War Volunteers Housed ...... 162 Drawing, 1798 ...... 99 Barnard, Henry Photo, 1938 ...... 99 Built ...... 119 Early Roads, 1710 ...... 89 Dolbear Memorial Near...... 86 Huguenot Street ...... 87•89, 99 Photo of ...... 120 Main Street ...... 89·90 Stone Walls Nearby...... l 09 Milestones ...... 88, 90 (photo) .. 87 Columbus Elementary New Rochelle W agon ...... 89 ; Plate.... 88 Built ...... _...... ·...... 119 North A venue ...... ~...... 21 Photo of ...... : ...... 120 Paine Avenue ...... 143 Library Branch ...... 176 Rose Street ...... 49 Columbus Jr. High SchooL...... 123 Rockland Place (photo) ...... 170 Photo of ...... 120 Split Rock Road ...... :...... 66 Huguenot South Division Street...... 105 Built ...... 119 Stage Coach (photo)...... 88 Photo of ...... 120 Toll Gate House (photo) ...... 90 Jefferson Westchester Turnpike Road...... 89, 90 Built ..... ·...... 119 Working the Roads (photo)...... 89 Photo of ······································-············ 120 208 INDEX

Leonard, Albert, Jr. High School.... 109, 123 Shippen, Peggy Photo of ...... 122 Friend of Major Andre...... 11 'J Lincoln Married Benedict Arnold...... 117 Built ...... 119 Niece of Joseph Shippen...... 117 Photo of ...... 120 Ships (See Boats) Mayflower First Built in America "Restless"...... 7 Built ...... 119 Trading Sloop (illus.) ...... 29 Photo of ...... 120 Shirley, Governor ...... 80 Library Branch ...... 176 Sibrey's Hotel ...... 51 Roosevelt Sicard, Ambrose ...... 18 Built ··················-······································ 119 Sickles, General, Speaker at Civil War Photo of ...... 120 Monument Dedication ...... 138 Senior High School Sign Posts Air View of ...... 158 Historic New Rochelle (illus.) ...... 152 History of ...... : ...... 12 l, 123 Indian (illus.) ...... 9 Library-3 Vols. from La Ro~helle New Rochelle, City of Homes. Schools ...... 186 Churches and Schools (illus.) ...... 166 Local History Club...... 86, 181 New Rochelle--La Rochelle (illus.) .... 171 Located behind Lake at Huguenot New Rochelle, the Home Town (illus.) 34 Park ...... 157 Simcoe, Col. John G. Oak Tree in Honor of H ugueonts...... 86 (photo) ...... 181 Commander of Queen's Rangers...... 76•78 Photo of ...... ·...... 122 Photo of ·················································-· 7 6 Siwanoy Site ...... -...... 11 O Boy Scout Council ...... 9, 178 Stephenson Built ...... 119 Boy Scout Camp ...... 9, 178 Location ...... 112 Siwanoy Camp Photo of ...... 120 Located at Wingdale...... 178 Siwanoy Council Trinity Place Boy Scouts ...... 178 Built ...... 119 Frank C. Cobb, Executive...... 178 Burned ...... 119 Conservation Activities ...... 86 Siwanoy F. & A. M. Lodge...... 9 Drawing of ...... 122 Siwanoy Indians ( See Indians) ...... 1 ·9 High School First Started at...... 121 Siwanoy Pharmacy ...... 9 Hospital Work for Civil War...... 135, 136 Skinner, Roland-"Economic and Social Public Library, First...... 17 S Conditions in New Rohcelle"...... 154 Rebuilt ...... 119 Slavery ...... 133, 134 Recruit Week Marker...... (photo) .. 164 Exterminated by N. Y. Legislature.... 133 Washington First Introduced in New Netherland.... 133 Built ...... 119 First Legislative Act for Abolition in Photo of ...... 120 New York State...... 13 3 Webster, Daniel Hannah Pugsley Frees Slave...... 133, 134 Built ...... 119 New Rochelle Census, 1698...... 133 Photo of ...... 120 New York State Law of 1799 ...... 133, 134 Young, Isaac E., Jr. High School Slocum, Gen. Henry W. Built ...... 123 Fort Slocum Named After...... 160 Photo of ...... 120 (See Fort Slocum) Tree in Honor of Supt. Bragdon...... 86 Smith, Dr...... 55 Schureman, Jeremiah-Murder ...... 7 3 Smith, Sim J. Schuyler,' Philip Assistant Superintendent of Schools .... 121 Attended Sc·hool in New Rochelle.. 81, 116 Smith, Whaleboatman ...... 72 Escort for Gen. Washington...... 81 Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Chil- General in American Army...... 140 dren ...... 172 Photo of ...... 116 Sons of Liberty Seabury, Rev. Samuel...... 60 Joseph Drake, Member ...... 141 Seacor, Darius A.-Collection...... S Comfort Sands, Member ...... 63 Seacor, Lewis A.-Blackberry Found...... 85 Soulice Farm ...... 4 Seacord, Israel-Early House...... 28 Spanish-American War ...... 159-161 Secord, Warren D. Admiral Dewey Memorial Glen Island.. 161 Last Civil War Veteran ...... 138 Chaplain John P. Chidwick...... 159 Selyns, Rev. Henricus Davids' Island, Recruiting Station...... 160 Early Letter Referring to New Ro• Dorst, Jacob J...... 161 chelle ...... 19 Fort Slocum, Firing Minute Guns...... 161 Letter to Amsterdam ...... 19, 20 Fort Slocum, Outer Defenses of New Senior High School (See Schools) York City ...... 160 Silver Mines ...... 8, 9 Glen Island, John H. Starin...... 161 Silver Mine Entrance, Halcyon Park Memorial to Veterans of...... 159, 160, 183 (photo) ...... 114 Photo, Fort Slocum, Firing Minute Mine Pit on Davenport Neck (photo) .. 114 Guns ...... 160 Shippen, Joseph Photo, Unveiling Memorial...... 159 Head of British Spy System ...... 117 President McKinley Mourned...... 161 Studied French Here...... 117 22nd Regiment, Fort Slocum...... 160

209 INDEX

Sporting Club of La Rochelle Scene July 4th Celebrations...... ___181 Presents Book to New Rochelle...... 186 Mansion House. . . Stage Coach Days...... 45-52 (See Pelor's Hotel under Taverns) .... 50 Stage Coaches Starting Point of Post Coaches__ ···· 50 Cox's Tally-Ho Lines to Eastchester Meeting for Memorial to Leggett...... 149 and Fordham ...... 50 Neptune House First from New York City to Boston.. 88 Photo of ...... 49 Illustration of ...... 88 Built by Philip Underhill...... 50 Overland Coach-and-Four (illus.) ...... 96 Location ...... 50 Starin, John H. Managed by Mr. Rice...... 50 Early History, Glen Island...... 158 Near Steamboat Dock ...... 91 Erected Memorial to Admiral New Rochelle Hotel Dewey ...... 160, 161 Known as Sibrey's Hotel...... 51 Operator of Glen Island...... 160 Known Earlier as Weed's Hotel...... 51 "Star Spangled Banner, The"...... 132 Mentioned -·······---·························· 50 Staten Island Photo of ···················-·················-·············· 51 Church of the Huguenots...... 184 Pelor's Hotel Stephenson Boulevard "Cross Keys" Another Name...... __48-50 · Site of Viaduct...... ! 11 Mansion House, Later Name...... -. 50 Stephenson School (See Schools) Photo of ...... 48 Stony Brook-Location ...... 111 Gen. Lafayette Entertained...... 180, 181 Stories About New Rochelle...... 167-171 Sibrey's Hotel "A Daughter of the Huguenots"...... 167 (See New Rochelle Hotel under Taverns) "A Princess and Another"...... 167 Weed's Hotel "Because of Conscience"...... 167 (See New Rochelle Hotel under Taverns) "Marie's Mound" ...... 168-171 Telegraph ······································-·················· 9 6 "Reminiscences of an Old Westchester Invented ; Postal Telegraph; W estem Homestead" ...... 167 Union ...... 96 "Westchester County Historical Pa- Telephone ...... 97 .99 geant," Episode IV ...... 168 Blizzard, 1888 ...... 98 Stouppe, Rev. Pierre Early History ...... 97 Boarding School ...... 116 Early Servicing...... 97 (photo)._ 98 Church Report ...... 44 Exchanges in New Rochelle...... 98, 99 Fourth Pastor, French Church...... 124, 125 New Rochelle Directory, 1883 ...... 97 · French Teacher to Jay and Schuyler.... 140 New York Telephone Co ...... 98 Street Lighting ...... 101 Westchester Telephone Co...... 98 Streets (See Roads) Thauvet, Andre Streing, Daniel ...... 18 Justice of peace...... 53 Submarine, First ...... 64 Organized New Rochelle Settlement.... 16 Sucker Brook-Location ...... 111 Settler ...... 18 Superintendent of Schools Theroulde, Jacob ...... 18 Isaac E. Young ...... 119 Thorne, Lydia W. Dr. Albert Leonard ...... 119, 121 Deeded Davenport Park to City...... 157 Clifford S. Bragdon...... 121 Throgg's N eek Herold C. Hunt ...... 121 Landing of British, 1776...... 66 Location of Fort Schuyler...... 160 T "Through the Years, 1886-1936" Published by Huguenot and Historical Tannery Association ...... 183 Located, North Avenue near Fifth...... 30 Titus Mill Pond...... 56 Tavern Days ...... 45-52 Tolls on Westchester Turnpike Taverns Charge ...... 90 Entertainment Center ...... 45 Gate House ...... (photo).. 90 Location in New Rochelle...... 45 Tories Rules of Conduct...... 45, 46 Ferris Tavern ...... 72 Tap Room, Most Used...... 45 Foraging ...... 74, 7 5 Town Meetings ...... 45 Headquarters ...... 70, 71 Besly's Map of ...... 70 During Revolution ...... 81 Refused Thomas Paine's Vote...... 145•146 Horse Race Dispute...... 47 Town Clerk ...... 54 Paine, Thomas ...... 48 Town Government (See Town Meeting) Photo of ...... 4 7 Town Houses Scene of Burning of a Negro...... 48 Building, First ...... 5 5 School ...... 49 Building, Second .. : ..... ~ ...... 56 Telephone Wires ...... :..... 97 First ...... : ...... (photo) .. 55 Town Meetings ...... 48 Second ...... (photo) .. 53 "Cross Keys" ...... 48, 49, 50 Volunteers for Civil War...... 135 (See Pelor's Hotel under Taverns) Town Meetings LeCount, William ...... 46 First ...... 53 LeRoy House, Hotel First Election-Assessors and Col- Banks, William, Proprietor...... 50 · lectors ...... 53 Burned, 1885 .,...... 52 Paine, Thomas, Tries to Vote...... 145 Country Home, Capt. Henry Fanning 51 Surveyors Appointed ...... 54 Photos of ...... 46, 52 Town Clerk ...... 54

210 INDEX

Town Formed, Act of Legislature...... 54 War of 1812...... •. ---···················128-132 V-;· elfare Work ...... 5 5 Blodcade of Sound by British...... 129 Town Records Drawing of "Hornet" vs. "Peacock".. 130 Animals in City...... 54 Drawing, "United States" vs. "Mace- Election of Officials...... 54 donian" ...... 132 First Extant Book of...... 53 Naval Engagement off Davenport Slave Freed by Hannah Pugsley...... 134 Neck ...... 129, 130 Written in French...... 53, 61 "Hornet" vs. "Peacock"...... 129 Trades and Business, Colonial...... 29•34 New Rochelle ...... 128, 129, 130 Blacksmith ...... 32 "United States" vs. "Macedonian".... 128 Boat•building ...... 31 Ward, Elisha-Tory...... 146 Butcher ...... 29 Ware's Department Store Carpenter ...... 30 Site of Old Fire Well...... 105 Chapman ...... 33 Site of Former LeRoy House...... 51 Coffin l\,Iaker ...... 3 3 Waring, Almira Cooper ...... 34 Married to William Leggett...... 148 Doctor ...... 33 \Vars ( See under each) Farmer ...... 29 (illus.) .. 30 French, Old ...... 40•44 Harness Maker ...... 30 Civil ...... 13 3-138 Lawyer ...... 33 Revolution ...... 63-79 Mason ...... 31 Spanish.American ...... 159• 161 Miller ...... 33 War of 1812...... 128·132 School Teacher ...... 33 World War ...... 162 · 166 Shipping ...... 32 Washington, George ...... 80•83 Shoemaker ...... 32 Attacks New York City, 1781...... 78 Store Keeper ...... 3 3 Commends Lewis Pintard...... 64, 143, 185 Tailor ...... 32 Gen. Heath in Westchester...... 7 3 Tanner ...... 30 In New Rochelle...... 80·83 Tavern Keeper ...... 33 Letter from Gen. Wooster...... 7 4 Weaver ...... 32 Photo, Marker ...... 81 Wheelwright ...... 32 Photo of ...... 63, 80 Training School for Nurses Paine, Thomas ...... 146 Date of Establishment...... 174 Through New Rochelle...... 63 Transportation Westchester Campaign...... 65, 66, 69, 70 Boats ...... 90, 91 Washington School (See Schools) Busses ...... 96 Waterbury, .General ...... 78, 81 Electric Trolley Cars...... 94·96 Water Street Horse Cars ...... 94, 9 5 Site of Lispenard Tide Mill foot of Railroad ...... 91-94 (illus) ...... 31 Roads ...... ~.. 87-90 Water Supply Whitney and Transcontinental R.R..... 150 Changing Sources ...... 105•108 "Travel in America, A History of" Webster, Daniel ...... 52 By Seymour Du.nbar...... 150 Webster, Daniel, School Trees ...... 84, 86, 181, 188 See Schools Trinity Episcopal Church (See Churches) Weed's Hotel ...... •...... (photo).. 51 Trinity Place School (See Schools) Weir, Robert Walter...... 148 Tuberculosis Aid Society...... 172 Instructor of Drawing, West Point Military Academy...... 148 u Lived in Premium Point Park...... 148 Underhill,- Hannah Moved to New York City...... 148 Teacher, Trinity School, Civil War...... 136 Painter of Historical Scenes...... 148 Underhill, Philip Well Owner of Neptune House...... 50 Old Main Street Extant...... (photo) .. 106 Union Corners Welsh Building Site of Tower and Pumping Station.... 106 Used for High School...... 121 · (photo) .. 122 West, James E. V Chief Scout Executive...... 178 \Vestchester County Valleau, Isaiah ...... 18 Attack ort New York City from...... 78 Van Buren, Martin Bayard, Presiding Judge...... 83 Visit to New Rochelle...... 151 Campaign of 1776...... 65, 66, 67, 69, 70 Van Cortlandt, Augustus Committee of Convention...... 7 5 Acting Asst. Surgeon, DeCamp Committee of Safety for...... 63 Hospital ...... 137 Electric Light Companies Combine...... 102 Vineyard Island Gt':~e!al Health, Commander in...... 73 Location ...... 112 M1ht1a ...... 64 Visiting Nurse Association ...... 172 Owner of Burtis Mill Property...... 135. Purchased Glen Island, 1924...... 158 w Regiment of Militia from ...... 141 "Westchester County During American Wainwright, J. Mayhew Revolution"-H ufeland ...... 64 Lays Cornerstone, World War "Westchester County Historical Pageant," Memorial ...... 166 Episode IV-Violet Oak:ley...... - .. 168

211 INDEX

Westchester County Historical Society Municipal Survey...... 17 5 Unveils Bronze T'ablet to Lewis Pin- School Playgroµnds ...... 17 5 tard ·······························--······················· 143 Woman Suffrage Association, National, \Vestchester County Park C()uunission Susan B. Anthony, President...... 151 Owner of Reservoir No. l (photo) 106-107 Wooster, General David Westchester Creek ·············-·---······················ 66 Conference with Washington...... 81 Westchester Lighting Co. Failure of New York City Attack...... 74 Consolidation of Electric Companies.... 102 Headquarters in New Rochelle...... 73, 74 Eastchester Electric Co, ...... 102 Letter to Gen. Washington...... 7 4 Meters ...... , ...... 104 Photo of ...... 7 5 New Rochelle Electric Light Co...... 102 Withdrew from New Rochelle...... 7 5 New Rochelle Gas Co .... , ...... 101 World War ...... 162-l 66 Office ...... (photo) .. l O1 Beechwoods Cemetery Memorial..165, 166 Service Men ...... 104 Churches-Recruit Week ...... 163 Source of Power...... 102. 103, 104 Fort Slocum, Active Recruiting Westchester Path ...... 87 _ Station ...... 162, 163 Westchester Turnpike Road Fort Slocum, Air View...... 162 Bought by Government...... 90 Fort Slocum, Active Now as Recruit- Fight Railroad Charter...... 91 ing Station ...... 166 Route ...... 89, 90 La Rochelle Fatherless Children Taverns Follow ...... 90 Aided ...... 163 Through Main Street...... 49 Memorial Location ...... 15 7 Toll Gate House...... (photo).. 90 National Plant, Fruit and Flower Tolls Charged ...... 90 Guild Memorial...... 165, 166 Toll Road Opened about 1800 ...... 49 "New Rochelle-Her Part in the Western Union Telegraph ...... 96 Great War" ...... 163, 164 West Point ...... 117 Pallen, Conde B., Author of above West Point Military Academ:y Book ...... 163, 164 Robert W. Weir, Instr~ctor...... 148 Public Library Memorial...... 165 White, Col. Anthony W. "Public Schools in War Time" ...... 162-164 Commander of American For:::es in Trinity School Marker...... (photo) .. 164 New Rochelle...... 76-78 (photo) .. 78 Wainwright, J. Mayhew ...... 166 White Erskine N. Wilson, Woodrow...... 163, 164 Sermon on Lincoln...... 137 World War Memorial 166, 183 (photo)165 Whitefield, Edwin Young, J. Addison...... 166 Drawing of Crystal Lake...... 111 Y. M. C. A ...... 162 White Plains World War Memorials Battle of ...... 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 141 Beecbwoods Cemetery ...... 165, 166 Whitman, Walt Faneuil Park ...... 166, 183 (photo) .. 165 Eulogy to William Leggett...... 149 Public Library ...... 165 Whitney, Asa ...... 150 Trinity School ...... (photo) .. 164 Dunbar's "A History of Travel in Wykagyl America'' ...... 150 Attractive Residential Park...... 15 6 New York Merchant...... 150 Indian Name ...... 9 Resident of New Rochelle ...... 150 Wykagyl Country Club Transcontinental Railroad ...... 150 Location ...... 12 7 Willett's Point Site of Benjamin Faneuil's Farm...... 139 Location of Fort Totten...... 160 Williams, Robert y Introduced Methodism ...... 127 W illiamsbridge New Haven Uses N.Y. & Harlem Yonkers Railroad Track ...... 91 Boston Post Road Route...... 89 Connection with Catskill AqueducL.. 107 Single Track from, to N~w Rochelle.. 93 Electricity from Dunwoodie...... 103 \Vilmot Road Philipse, Frederick, Home...... 65 Site of Bumz House...... 28 Photo of electric control board...... 103 Wilson. Woodrow Troublesome Brook, Site of Reservoir High School Dedicated to ...... 164 No. 4 ...... 106 Suggestion to School BoJs.. :...... 163 Wingdale Young, Isaac E. Site. Camp Siwanoy...... , ... 178 Principal ...... 119 Wolfe, General Superintendent ...... 119 Army at Quebec ...... (illus.) .. 43 Young, Isaac E., Junior High School Death ...... 43 (illus.).. 43 (See Schools) Path to Heights at Quebec...... :..... 41 Young, J. Addison . Woman's Club ...... 17 4, 17 5 Speaker at Dedication, World War Activities ...... 17 4, 17 5 Memorial ...... 166 Child Welfare Association ...... 17 4 Y. M. C. A. Children's Court ...... 17 4 History of ...... 179 Club House Opened...... 174 Housed World War Volunteers ...... 163 Conservation Committee ...... 86 Date of Beginning...... 17 4 z Early Meeting Places...... 174 Education of Members ...... 17 5 Zwingli ...... 10

212