SCHOOLS. There are in the county 149 district school-houses. In 1846, schools were taught an average period of nine months, and 8512 children received instruction, at an expense of nearly $23,000. The number of volumes in the district libraries was 26,485.

The same year there were eighty-nine private schools, with 1354 scholars; five academies, and two female seminaries, with 196 pupils, and St. John's College, a collegiate school, with thirteen instructors and 115 students.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Friends, Baptists, Dutch Reformed, Roman Catholics, Congregationalists, and Universalists. Total number of churches, 111; of clergymen, 101.

HISTORY. The first settlement in this county was probably made in 1642 or 1643, by Mr. Throgmorton, and thirty-five associates, in the town of Westchester. Mr. Throgmorton emigrated hither from New England, and commenced his settlement with the approbation of the Dutch, who named it Eastdorp. The promontory on which Fort Schuyler now stands, received its name of Throg's point from this gentleman. In 1648, the territory now included in the town of Yonkers, was granted to Jonge Heer Van der Donk.*

The boundary line between New York and Connecticut was the cause of almost incessant bickering during the Dutch and the earlier part of the English colonial administration. This settlement of Eastdorp, as well as others in this county, were claimed by Connecticut.

In 1681, a settlement was made in Bedford, at a place called the Hop Ground, under a Connecticut license, and in 1697, a patent was issued for the town by the Connecticut Colonial Assembly. In 1700, however, the settlement was attached to New York by order of King William. A patent was granted to Frederick Philips, for the tract known as Philips' patent, which was south of the Croton river, and was about twenty miles

square.

In 1689, Governor Leisler purchased the manor of Pelham, including the present town of that name and New Rochelle, from the heirs of Thomas Pell, to whom it had been granted in 1666, for the Huguenots, who fled hither from France, on account of persecution.

Governor Leisler was warmly supported in his administration by the citizens of this county, and particularly by those of East Chester.

In 1697, the two tracts of land, known as the Cortland manor, lying in this county, and consisting of more than 86,000 acres, were granted to Stephanus Van Cortland. This patent, as

Probably Adriaen Van der Donk, the words Jonge Heer being merely the title of the individual.

usual at that time, gave to the manor the right of representation in the assembly.

Passing over the period from 1700 to 1775, during which few incidents of interest are recorded by historians, we find this county deeply concerned in the events of the revolution. After the disastrous battle of Long Island, and the evacuation of New York city by the American army, in September, 1776, General Washington had entrenched himself in a strong position at Kingsbridge.

Finding it impossible to dislodge him from this post, General Howe, the commander of the British forces determined to cut off his communication with the eastern provinces, and then, if he declined an engagement, to shut him up on the island of New York, or its immediate vicinity, whence it would be impossible for him to retire without serious loss.

Accordingly leaving a sufficient force in New York city, the British General embarked with a large body of troops, for Throg's point. Landing there, and having remained a few days, to receive further reinforcements, and remove obstructions from the roads over which he intended to pass, he marched to New Rochelle, where he left a corps of German troops, to secure the lower road leading to Connecticut. He, himself, proceeded slowly and cautiously towards White Plains, the post of the Highlands, which commanded the other road leading to the

east.

Meantime General Washington's army occupied a position parallel to and west of the river Bronx, extending from Kingsbridge nearly to White Plains. During the progress of the British army, he sent out frequent parties to skirmish with the enemy, and thus accustomed his troops to meet a foe, who had hitherto inspired them with dread.

Upon their approach, however, the American commander called in all his troops, and took a strong position near White Plains, on the west side of the Bronx. His righting, being more exposed than the remainder of the army, was protected by a battery, erected on a hill, about a mile distant from the camp.

On the morning of the 28th of October, the English army advanced in two columns, and having driven in the outposts, attacked the American camp. Perceiving the importance of the battery which protected the right wing of the Americans, the British commander resolved to capture it. After a desperate conflict and severe loss on both sides, it was carried by the enemy.

Night put an end to the conflict. Washington improved the interval in strengthening his entrenchments, and the next morning awaited an attack. The British general delayed for further

reinforcements, and when these arrived, a storm prevented an engagement.

Meantime, on the night of the 1st of November, Washington abandoned his encampment, and removed to a stronger position, near North Castle, some seven or eight miles north of White Plains. Finding it impossible to dislodge him from this, the British general withdrew from the pursuit, and determined to reduce the posts, still held by the Americans, in the neighborhood of New York city.

The principal of these were Fort Washington, on New York island, and Fort Lee, on the New Jersey side of the Hudson. Despite Washington's efforts to prevent it, he succeeded in capturing both these forts, though not without severe loss, and the American general was compelled to retreat, with a constantly diminishing army, into New Jersey.

In March, 1777, the Americans having collected a quantity of military stores at Peekskill, General Howe sent a powerful armament up the river, to destroy them. The American troops, finding it impossible to defend them, set fire to the stores and abandoned the place, leaving the British a barren victory.

In August, 1777, while General Putnam's head quarters were at Peekskill, two noted British spies, Strang and Palmer, were detected in the camp of the Americans, and hanged at Oak hill, in the town of Cortland, near Peekskill village. Sir Henry Clinton interfered in behalf of the latter, by sending a flag of truce, demanding his release. General Putnam's reply was characteristic; it was as follows:

Head Quarters, 7th August, 1777. Sir,-Nathan Palmer, a lieutenant in your king's service, was taken in my camp as a spy, he was tried as a spy, he was condemned as a spy, and you may rest assured, sir, he shall be hanged as a spy. I have the honor to be, &c.

ISRAEL PUTNAM.

I. P.

His Excellency Governor Tryon. P. S. Afternoon. He is hanged. With a view of making a diversion in favor of General Burgoyne, then closely besieged by General Gates, Sir Henry Clinton in October, 1777, ascended the Hudson with a force of between 3000 and 4000 troops, and landed at Verplank's point, a short distance below Peekskill.

From thence he proceeded secretly across the river and gained the rear of forts Clinton and Montgomery, in Orange county. By his adroit manœuvres he succeeded in deceiving General Putnam, and prevented his affording aid to those forts, which might have prevented their surrender.

After the capture of the forts, the British again crossed the Hudson, burned Continental village, where military stores to a

considerable amount had been deposited, and proceeded up the river to commit similar ravages upon the towns of the adjacent counties. They were, however, soon compelled to return to New York.

During the whole war of the revolution, this county was neutral ground between the two contending armies-the British lines being generally in the neighborhood of Kingsbridge, and those of the American army in the neighborhood of White Plains.

The territory between these two armies was infested by a gang of marauders attached to each army. That belonging to the British army was principally composed of tories of the most infamous character, who were denominated "Cowboys." The American gang were equally unprincipled, and had received the title of" Skinners." The inhabitants of the county were plundered by each in turn, and dispirited by their sufferings and losses, looked on all whom they met, as foes.

It was in this county that in September, 1780, Andre was captured, on his return from the interview in which Arnold had consummated his treason.

The place of his capture was in the town of Greensburgh, about a fourth of a mile north of the village of Tarrytown. The names of his captors were Isaac Van Wart, John Paulding and David Williams. They were militia men, and had been on an expedition to rescue some property taken the previous night by the Cowboys. They were concealed for this object, when Andre, disguised as a citizen, passed on the road near them, on horseback. They stopped him, and, losing his presence of mind, he exclaimed, "Gentlemen, I hope you belong to our party." One of them enquired, "what party?" Andre replied, "the lower party." They answered "we do," and Andre at once declared himself a British officer, on urgent business, and begged to be suffered to proceed without delay.

Paulding then informed him that they were Americans, and Andre immediately produced the pass with which Arnold had furnished him, and professed that his former statement was a falsehood, invented to enable him to escape from arrest by the British patroles.

Their suspicions, were, however, aroused, and they insisted upon searching him, and found papers in his stockings, proving his real character and his purposes. He offered them immense rewards if they would permit him to escape, but in vain. They delivered him to their commanding officer, Colonel Jamieson, then stationed at North Castle, who imprudently suffered him to apprise Arnold of his He was tried by a court martial and sentenced to be hung as a spy, and

arrest.

was accordingly executed at Tappan, October 2d, 1780.

Each of his captors were rewarded by Congress with a farm worth $1250, an annuity of $200 for life, and an elegant silver medal with the inscription on one side "Fidelity," and on the other "Amor vincit Patriæ,"-The love of country conquers.

VILLAGES. WHITE PLAINS, one of the county seats, is a pleasant village on the Bronx river. It has an academy and a female seminary, both in a prosperous condition.

BEDFORD, the other half shire village, in the town of the same name, is a small place, only important as being the county seat. It has a female seminary.

Singsing, in the town of Ossinsing, is delightfully situated on the bank of the Hudson. From the village, the prospect of Hudson river, forming Tappan bay, in connection with the distant mountains, and the lofty wall of the palisades, is hardly surpassed by any other in the Union.

The Mount Pleasant academy and female seminary are both excellent institutions, well located, and occupying elegant edifices.

The Croton aqueduct bridge, a noble structure, here crosses the Singsing creek by a single arch of eighty-eight feet span, and is 100 feet in height.

There are several extensive quarries of marble, worked by convicts.

The Mount Pleasant State Prison located here, on the bank of the Hudson, is an immense marble structure. The main building is 484 feet long, forty-four wide, and five stories high, containing 1000 cells. Connected with it are workshops of different kinds, and apartments for the keepers,-all built of marble.

The female prison, also of marble, of the Ionic order, stands on elevated ground, and has nearly 100 cells, besides apartments for the matron. All these buildings were erected by the convicts.

The name given to the town, Ossinsing, is of Indian origin, and signifies "the place of stone." Population about 2600.

Peekskill, in the town of Cortland, is pleasantly situated on Peekskill bay, a beautiful expansion of the Hudson. It is famous for having been the head quarters of both Washington and Putnam. The small one story house occupied by the latter, is still standing. The Peekskill academy, located on Oak hill, near the village, is situated but a short distance from the spot where the tory spies, Strang and Palmer, already mentioned, were executed. The village has some manufactures. Population, 3,000.

Tarrytown, in the town of Greensburgh, is finely situated on the Hudson, and contains the Irving Institute, and the Greenbank female seminary, both schools of high reputation. The village has some trade with New York city. Population about 1000.

The capture of Andre near this village, has been already noticed. Near it too is the far famed "Sleepy Hollow," whose legend, Washington Irving has rendered immortal.

Mr. Irving resides about two miles below the village, in an ancient Dutch mansion, known as the Van Tassel house, which the former proprietor forfeited by his adherence to the British interests.

New Rochelle is pleasantly situated on Long Island Sound, and is a favorite resort for the fashionable from New York, during the summer months. Its first settlers were Huguenots, who named it from their native residence, Rochelle, in France. Many of their descendants still reside here. It has one male and two female boarding schools. Steamboats ply between the village and New York, daily.

Dobb's Ferry is only worthy of notice from its historic interest.