The History of Rockland County, New Jersey
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I.
Indian History... 1
CHAPTER II.
Patents... 13
CHAPTER III.
Early real estate speculation. Transfers of the De Harte patent. Survey of the boundaries between the De Harte and Cheesecocks patent. Sales from the Quaspeck patent. Settlement of division line between the Quaspeck and Kakiat patents. Division of the Kakiat patent. Sales from the Kakiat patent. Settlement of division line between the Kakiat and Cheesecocks patent. Sales of land from the Cheesecocks patent. Sales of land from the Stony Point patents. Transfers of land in Ramapo. The settlement of the Orangetown patent. The different systems of patronymics used by the Dutch and the origin of Dutch family names... 28
CHAPTER IV.
Organization of Orange County including the present Rockland. Physical condition of the County at the time of erection. Fraudulent election returns from it. First officers. Establishment of a court. Early census returns. Organization of the first church society. Early super- visors' records. Building of the first church edifices at Tappan, Clarkstown and Kakiat. Punishments inflicted on malefactors. Establishment of church societies north of the mountains. Opening of highways. Erection of County buildings north of the mountains. The establishment of inns. The beginning of the controversy with Great Britain... 44
CHAPTER V.
The revolution of civil government... 62
CHAPTER VI.
The war of the revolution... 76
CHAPTER VII.
The war of the revolution... 105
CHAPTER VIII.
Dreadful financial condition of the County at the close of the Revolution. Energy of the people to re-establish business. The first houses of the settlers. Later architecture. Domestic life among the Dutch: Their occupation and manner of work. The modes of travel in early days. The style of dress. Amusements. Causes of veneration for the clergy. Church attendance. Funerals. Forms of old wills... 128
CHAPTER IX.
The causes which led to the creation of a Federation. Their slight influence on this section. The feeling among the people regarding it and the reason for that feeling. The vote of the delegates at the Convention. Reasons why Rockland County was erected. Its boundaries. Its townships. Its first officers... 147
CHAPTER X.
Early industries of Rockland county... 161
CHAPTER XI.
The early militia of Rockland County. War of 1812. The militia of the County called upon for service. The companies of Captains Blauvelt and Snedeker leave for Harlem. The Light Horse ordered to report for duty. Organization of a battalion of artillery. Desertions. Organization of the National Guard. Muster roll of the militia of 1812... 183
CHAPTER XII.
Proposition for a turnpike from Nyack to Suffern: Bitter opposition. The bill as passed. Renewals of the charter. An act incorporating the New Antrim and Waynesburgh Company, passed. The beginning of steamboat communication with New York. Later steamboats. Charters for ferry-boats. Chronological list of steamboats. Opening of the Erie and other railroads... 198
CHAPTER XIII.
History of the Reformed Church at Tappan, at Clarkstown. Of the "Brick" or Reformed Church at West New Hempstead. Of the Reformed Church at Nyack, at Piermont, at Spring Valley. History of the "English" or Presbyterian Church at Hempstead. Of the Presbyterian Church at Haverstraw, at Ramapo, at Greenbush, at Nyack, at Waldberg, at Stony Point, at Palisades, and of the Central and Mountville Presbyterian Churches. History of the Baptist Church at Nanuet, at Haverstraw, at Viola, at Piermont, at Nyack, at Spring Valley.... 222
CHAPTER XIV.
History of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Rockland County. History of the Methodist Protestant Church at Haverstraw and Tomkins Cove. History of the Roman Catholic Church in Rockland County. History of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Rockland County. History of the Universalist Church at Nyack and Orangeville; of the Quaker Church at Ladentown; of the True Reformed Church at Monsey, at Nanuet and at Tappan. History of the Congregational Church at Monsey and Tallmans. Of the M.E. Zion at Nyack and at Haverstraw. History of the Union "Stone Church," or Upper Nyack, Wayside Chapel, Lake Avenue Baptist, West Nyack Chapel and Steven's Sunday Schools. History of the Rockland County Sabbath School Association... 24i
CHAPTER XV.
Slavery in Rockland County. The "Underground Railroad." The County Buildings. The Rockland County Bible Society. The Rockland County Medical Society. Agricultural Society. Rockland County Teachers' Association. The Rockland County Historical Society. Civil List of the County... 278
CHAPTER XVI.
Period of civil war... 293
CHAPTER XVII.
Orangetown... 331
CHAPTER XVIII.
Haverstraw... 370
CHAPTER XIX.
Ramapo... 392
CHAPTER XX.
Clarkstown... 414
CHAPTER XXI.
Stony point... 429
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Twenty years passed, after the Dutch had landed in this colony, before a white man attempted to settle in our County. Then, in 1640, Captain De Vries, sailing up the Hudson in search of a location for a colony, "arrived about even at Tappan." Here he found, in the meadows south of the present Piermont, "an extensive valley containing upwards of 200 or 300 morgens of clay land, which is three or four feet above the water mark. A creek coming from the highlands runs through it containing good mill seats." This land De Vries purchased from the Indians, gave it the name of Vriesendale, and began the formation of an establishment for trade with the savages.
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