Announcement of Two-Day Fair in Pelham in 1842 to Raise Money to Build Christ Church

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Today's Christ Church, Parish of Christ the Redeemer, in the Village of Pelham Manor was built in 1843 of native granite.  The cornerstone of the sanctuary was laid on Friday, April 28, 1843.  The church building was completed and was consecrated on September 15, 1843.

The opening of the church building was the culmination of a dream long held by the first rector of the church, The Rev. Robert Bolton.  Father Bolton was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1788, the son of a prominent merchant also named Robert.  As a young man, Robert Bolton traveled to England and became a merchant in Liverpool, England.  

In 1836, Robert Bolton returned to the United States with his family.  They settled at Bronxville, in Eastchester, on a beautiful farm.  Robert Bolton became the rector of the parish of East Chester.  The Rev. Robert Bolton had a large family including five sons (each of whom became Episcopal priests) and eight daughters.

In 1838, the Bolton family built Bolton Priory in Pelham Manor.  The home still stands and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1840, Bolton -- in addition to his ministerial duties in Eastchester -- began holding a Sunday service in his residence, Bolton Priory.  By 1842, an effort was underway to organize a parish and construct a church building.  According to the second edition of Robert Bolton Jr.'s History of Westchester County published in 1881, prior to consecration of the new church building:

"the Reverend Founder prepared a deed transferring the church, and a quarter of an acre of land on which it is situated, to a parochial corporation, when one should be there formed -- reserving, however, six free seats, the southeast and northwest transepts, and two vaults beneath the floor of the church; and, further, it provides that no rector or minister can be called or employed to officiate in the said church without the written consent of a majority of his heirs residing in America be given thereto.  The act of incorporation bears date 25th of September, 1843.  Richard Morris and Henry Grenzabach [sic], church-wardens; Isaac Roosevelt, George F. Mills, John Bolton, William J. Bolton, Peter V. King, Jacob LeRoy, Cornelius Winter Bolont, and Robert Bolton, Jun., vestrymen."

Source:  Bolton, Robert, The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, from its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by its Author, Vol. II, p. 95 (NY, NY:  Chas. F. Roper, 1881).

Robert Bolton, of course, became the first Rector.

Christ Church, Shortly After It Was Constructed, as

Depicted in the 1848 First Edition of Bolton's History

of Westchester County, Volume 1.

Recently I ran across a fascinating announcement published in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of a fair to be held in the summer of 1842 on the grounds of Bolton Priory to raise money for the construction of an "Episcopal Chapel for Pelham" -- i.e., Christ Church.  Immediately below is the text of that brief item published on July 25, 1842.  

"A FAIR.-We are informed that a Fair will be held on the grounds of the Rev. Robert Bolton, Pelham Priory, near New Rochelle, on Wednesday the 27th, and Thursday the 28th inst., to aid in the erection of an Episcopal Chapel for Pelham.  If the weather should prove unfavorable, the Fair will be opened on the first fair day, and continue two days.  The steamer Fairfield will convey such as are desirous of attending, leaving Fulton Market slip, New York, at 7 A. M. and returning at 5 P. M.  Many of the fair will doubtless embrace the opportunity to contribute to so worthy an object, and such of the sterner sex, too, as believe this method of raising funds for benevolent objects to be the fair thing, of which, we confess, we are not one:  Provided always, that the articles offered at said fairs, are such as come in competition with those produced by that large and worthy portion of the fair, whose object is a livelihood for themselves and children."  

Source:  A FAIR, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Jul. 25, 1842, Vol. I, No. 191, p. 2, col. 2.  

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Gouverneur Morris Jr. Lived His Later Years, and Died, in Bartow-on-the-Sound in the Town of Pelham

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Gouverneur Morris Jr. was the son and namesake of Gouverneur Morris, a founding father of the United States who was a signer of the Articles of Confederation, author of sections of the United States Constitution (and a signer of the document), a member of the Continental Congress, a United States Minister to France, and a United States Senator. among other accomplishments.  Gouverneur Morris Sr. was the owner of the estate known as Morrisania in lower Westchester, part of an area that was annexed by New York City in 1874.  

Gouverneur Morris Jr. became a major railroad entrepreneur and a tireless cheerleader for industrialization in the Bronx in his own right.  He was born on February 9, 1813, the son of his namesake father and of Anne Cary Randolph Gouverneur.  Gouverneur Morris Jr. was known by the nickname "Gouverno" for much of his life.  He married a distant cousin named Martha Jefferson Cary, a daughter of Wilson Jefferson Cary and Virginia Randolph Cary.  The couple had five children including one, Anne Cary Morris, who edited and published some of her grandfather's (Gouverneur Morris Sr.'s) papers.  

Gouverno served as Vice President of the New York and Harlem River Railroad and oversaw the construction of the rail lines that run beneath Park Avenue in New York City.  According to one source, in 1840 "he donated St. Ann's Church [in Morrisania] as a family memorial.  He promoted Port Morris as a commercial port, and donated land to skilled workers in 1848, to create an ideal workingman's village if it were called Morrisania.  That is today's Morrisania neighborhood [in the Bronx].  He spent much of the later part of his career in Vermont, as president of the Vermont Valley Railroad."  Gouverneur Morris Jr., Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia (visited Aug. 24, 2014).  

Gouverneur Morris Jr. died the morning of August 20, 1888 in a family home in the area known as Bartow-on-the-Sound in the Town of Pelham.  According to one of his many obituaries, when the area known today as Morrisania was annexed by New York City in 1874, Gouverno decided he did not want to live in New York City.  According to that account:

"Mr. Morris, who had an inherent objection to being one of a million people in a city, left Morrisania and made his home in a quaint anti-revolutionary [sic] house at Pelham, belonging to members of his family.  Here he lived quietly owing to failing health, among his books and papers, and surrounded by friends to whom he ever extended the heartiest welcome, for in him the purest and most perfect hospitality was exemplified."

Undated Engraving Depicting Gouverneur Morris Jr.

Below are a number of obituaries that appeared shortly after the death of Gouverneur Morris Jr. at his home in Bartow-on-the-Sound on August 20, 1888.

"GOUVERNEUR MORRIS of Morrisania, was born February 9th, 1813, died at Bartow-on-the-Sound, the morning of August 20th, 1888.  He was the only son of Gouverneur Morris of Morrisania, to whose active energies & far seeing intelligence the country, in its infancy, owed so much.  Mr. Morris, his mission to France ended and the period of his wandering over, returned to America and when nearly fifty-five years old married Miss Anne Cary Randolph of Virginia, and died leaving to her care his son, not yet four years old.  From his father Mr. Morris inherited a strong love of country and an earnest desire that she should take the first rank among nations.  As his father had given the best years of his life to arduous labor, first in forming the government and then in opening the vast resources of the country by means of canals, so his son devoted the prime of his life to the development of his father's projects, by means of steam, and to perfecting as well as organizing the railway system of the United States.

Inheriting a large and beautiful estate in West Chester County from his father, Mr. Morris' early years were passed in the occupations of a gentleman farmer, inheriting with his estates a strong interest in nature and all her marvellous [sic] processes.

When the lower portion of West Chester County became a part of New York city, Mr. Morris, who had an inherent objection to being one of a million people in a city, left Morrisania and made his home in a quaint anti-revolutionary [sic] house at Pelham, belonging to members of his family.  Here he lived quietly owing to failing health, among his books and papers, and surrounded by friends to whom he ever extended the heartiest welcome, for in him the purest and most perfect hospitality was exemplified.

Not sorry to be far away from the stir and weariness of life, Mr. Morris quietly waited for the end; and when, though attended by much suffering, it finally came, he met death fearlessly, and with the same heroic spirit that had been so strong a characteristic of his life.  Gouverneur Morris married his cousin, Miss Martha Jefferson Cary, daughter of Wilson Jefferson Cary, of Carysbrooke, Virginia, whom he survived fifteen years, and he leaves five children, one of whom bears his name."

Source:   Obituary . . . GOUVERNEUR MORRIS in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. XIX, No. 4, Oct. 1888, pp. 177, 179 (NY, NY:  New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, Oct. 1888).

"GOUVERNEUR MORRIS.
-----

Gouverneur Morris, the only son of the famous Gouverneur Morris, died on Monday Aug. 20, at Bartow-on-the-Sound, after a protracted illness.  He was born in Morrisania in February, 1813, and was one of the pioneer railroad builders and projectors of the United States.  Beginning his career in that line in the early days of the New York and Harlem Railroad, he finished it when he retired from the presidency of Vermont Valley railroad, about ten years ago.  He was an original member of the republican party, having been a Whig until the dissolution of that organization.  He leaves two sons, one of whom bears his name, and three daughters.  One son is in Colorado, engaged in business, and one daughter, the wife of J. Alfred Davenport is abroad.  An unmarried daughter is Miss Annie Carrie Morris who last year contributed two interesting papers to Scribner's Magazine on 'Glimpses of the Diary of Gouverneur Morris,' and who has done other literary work to perpetuate the memory of her distinguished grandfather.

In his day Gouverneur Morris, Sr., of Morrisania was among the distinguished statesman [sic] and orators.  Graduated from King's College in 1768, he studied law and was admitted to practice in 1771.  His rise was rapid.  He was a delegate to the New York Provincial congress in 1775, and was one of the committee that drafted the state constitution in 1776.  He was a member of the continental congress in 1777-80, serving on several important committees.  In 1781 he was the colleague of Robert Morris as assistant superintendent of finance.  In 1786 he purchased from his brother the estate of Morrisania and made it his future residence.  He was one of the committee that drafted the federal constitution in the convention of 1787.  He was United States Minister to France from 1792 to October 1794, and was United States senator in 1800-03, acting with the Federalists, and actively opposed the abolition of the judiciary system in 1801 in speeches of great ability.  He was chairman of the canal commission from 1810 until his death in 1816.  He was the author of a series of essays on the continental currency and finance, of eulogies on Washington, Hamilton, and George Clinton, and published numerous pamphlets.  He was the second president of the New York Historical Society."

Source:  GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, The Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Sep. 1, 1888, Vol. XLIV, No. 22, p. 2, col. 4.  

"Gouverneur Morris.

Gouverneur Morris died at his home at Bartow-on-the-Sound at 9 A.M. Monday.  He had been a sufferer from rheumatic gout, and was practically confined to his house for the last year.  Last week he grew steadily worse, and his death was not unexpected.  He was a son of Gouverneur Morris, of Morrisania, who was a member of Congress from New York, Chief Clerk to the Revolutionary Department of the Treasury, Minister to France, Senator from New York, and one of the projectors of the Erie Canal.  The subject of this notice was born in Morrisania in 1813, and became one of the earliest railway projectors and constructors of the United States.  His railroad career began in the early days of the New York and Harlem Railroad, about 1830, and terminated with his resignation of the presidency of the Vermont Valley Railroad in 1880.

During these years he was connected with the Erie and New York Central roads; he served as president of the Harlem, and built the Port Morris of that road.  He was one of the originators of the Illinois Central and the Iowa system of roads, and an original suggestor of the Union Pacific road.  As a hereditary Federalist, he naturally became first a Whig, then a Republican of the anti-slavery type, and until the time of his death, remained an ardent supporter of the Republican party.  His mother was a niece of Thomas Jefferson; and in early life he married Patsey Jefferson Carey, of Virginia, a grand-niece of Jefferson.  His second wife,, who died about four years ago, was Miss Annie Morris, also a cousin.  The children, all from his first marriage, who survive him are two sons, Gouverneur and Randolph, and three daughters, Anne Cary, Mary Fairfax (Mrs. J. A. Davenport) who is travelling in Europe at the present time, and Maragaret Ruth.

Gouverneur Morris was a large real estate owner in Morrisania, at Bartow and other localities; and until about a year ago was actively engaged in the management of his property.  Owing to his failing health a division of the estate among the heirs was made some months ago.  The funeral occurred at St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Morrisania."  

Source:  Gouverneur Morris, New Rochelle Pioneer, Aug. 25, 1888, Vol. XXIX, No. 22, p. 3, col. 5.

"Gouverneur Morris Dead.
-----

NEW YORK, August 21.--Gouverneur Morris, the only son of the famous Gouverneur Morris, died yesterday morning at Bartow, after a protracted illness.  He was born in Morrisania in February, 1813, and was one of the pioneer railroad builders and projectors of the United States.  He was an original member of the Republican party, having been a Whig until the dissolution of that party.  He leaves two sons, one of whom bears his name, and three daughters."

Source:  Gouverneur Morris Dead, The Auburn Bulletin [Auburn, NY], Aug. 21, 1888, Vol. 37, No. 5721, p. 1, col. 2.  See also Gouverneur Morris Dead, The Newtown Register [Newtown, Long Island], Aug. 22, 1888, Vol. XVI, No. 34, p. 1, col. 2 (same text).

"Death of Gouverneur Morris.

BARTOW, N. Y., August 20.-Gouverneur Morris, one of the oldest residents of Westchester county, died at this place this morning, aged 75.  He was a large real estate owner here and in New York.  His grandfather was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence."

Source:  Death of Gouverneur Morris, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Aug. 21, 1888, p. 3, col. 6.  

"Death of a Prominent Railroad Builder.

NEW YORK, Aug. 21.-Gouverneur Morris, who died yesterday at Bartow-on-the-Sound after a protracted illness, was the only son of the famous Gouverneur Morris.  He was born in Morrisania in February, 1813, and was one of the pioneer railroad builders and projectors of the United States.  He was an original member of the Republican Party, having been a Whig until the dissolution of that organization.  He leaves two sons, one of whom bears his name, and three daughters."

Source:  Death of a Prominent Railroad Builder, Rome Semi-Weekly Citizen [Rome, NY}, Aug. 22, 1888, Vol. XLIX, No. 21, p. 3, col. 1.  

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More About Reid's Mill Built in 1739 on Eastchester Creek Adjacent to Pelham

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One of the earliest technological developments that contributed to the growth of the region in and around the Manor of Pelham before the area became a Town in 1788 was the construction of a tidal mill along Rattlesnake Brook, a small creek that once emptied into Eastchester Creek (i.e., the Hutchinson River) in an area that is part of today's Co-Op City.  Although efforts to construct a mill along Rattlesnake Brook began in the 1690's, the tidal mill that later became known as "Reid's Mill" seems to have been built in 1739.  

Generations of farmers from Pelham, Eastchester and nearby communities carted their grain to that tidal mill, the remnants of which stood until about 1900 when the remainder of the original mill structure was blown down in a storm.  

The tidal mill eventually came to be known as Reid's Mill, named after the family that took it over and operated it from 1790 until the time of the Civil War.  The mill was such a landmark (and was so famous and well-known throughout the northeast) that it was the subject of a delightfully-quaint short story published in Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly Magazine in August, 1888 entitled "The Miller's Daughter."  The short story was about the owner of the mill during the Revolutionary War, a notorious Tory (and his rebel daughter) who continued to operate the mill in the midst of the Neutral Ground during the war.  See Seton, William, The Miller's Daughter, Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, Vol. 26, No. 2, p. 177 (Aug. 1888). 

Illustration from "The Miller's Daughter" that

Appeared with the Following Caption in August, 1888:

"Again the sentinel bade her give the countersign; and now,

to her surprise and delight she recognized the voice.  'Why,

it's Polly.  Don't you know Polly?' she answered."

Source:  Seton, William, The Miller's Daughter, 

Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, Vol. 26, No. 2, p. 177 (Aug. 1888).

I have written about efforts to construct a mill in this area on a number of occasions.  For examples, see:  

Tue., Aug. 01, 2006:  Reid's Mill Built in 1739 on Eastchester Creek Adjacent to Pelham.

Wed., Sep. 13, 2006:  Early Efforts of the Town of Eastchester To Obtain Cooperation of John Pell For Construction of a Saw Mill.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog provides further information about Reid's Mill, an important early gathering place for local farmers.  Several important images of the remnants of the mill before it was blown down in 1900, as well as images of the Reid home that no longer stands, are included.  In addition, at the end of this posting is a detail from a map published in 1868 showing the location of the mill.

Detail from Photogravure Entitled "OLD MILL-WEST CHESTER"

Showing Remnants of Reid's Mill in About 1894.  Source:  eBay

Listing Describing the Full Item as "Orig 1894 Photogravure 10.5 x

13.5 Old Mill Westchester Lake Boat New York NY" and "Vintage

and Original High-Quality Photogravure Published by Parish in 1894.

Rare. Excellent Condition"  Brought to Author's Attention by Jorge

Santiago of the East Bronx History Forum.

Reid's Mill in an Undated Photograph Taken Prior to 1900.

Source:  Courtesy of The Office of The Historian of The Town of Pelham.

Undated Photograph of Remnants of Reid's Mill, Taken from

an Unusual Angle.  Source:  Courtesy of Mike Virgintino Collection /
Bronx Historical Society.  This Image May Be A Detail from the
Image Immediately Below Published in 1913.

"OLD REID'S MILL, EASTCHESTER" in Undated Photograph.

Source:  Cook, Harry T., The Borough of The Bronx 1639 - 1913 Its

Marvelous Development and Historical Surroundings, p. 139

(NY, NY:  Harry T. Cook, 1913).

"Reid's Mill, Eastchester.  From a Water-Color by Mrs. Lascelles."

Source:  Jenkins, ,Stephen, The Story of The Bronx From the Purchase

Made by the Dutch from the Indians in 1639 to the Present Day, 

Opposite p. 424 (G.P. Putnam's Sons, NY and London, The

Knickerbocker Press, 1912).  Note:  The Westchester County

Historical Society Has a Glass Negative with an Image of This

Lascelles Watercolor.



This Seems to Be the Photograph Published in The Story of the Bronx
by Stephen Jenkins Shown in the Immediately Preceding Image.
The Image is "Embedded" within this Blog (Not Copied To This Blog),
Directly from the Online Collections of The Museum of the City of
New York and, Thus, Cannot Be Resized.  Source:  "[Watercolor of Reid's Mill]
DATE: ca. 1900 gelatin silver print" and
"X2010.11.14008"

"The Old House Near Reid's Mill, About 1665-1670, Eastchester."

Source:  Jenkins, ,Stephen, The Story of The Bronx From the Purchase

Made by the Dutch from the Indians in 1639 to the Present Day, 

Opposite p. 424 (G.P. Putnam's Sons, NY and London, The

Knickerbocker Press, 1912).



This Seems to Be the Photograph Published in The Story of the Bronx
by Stephen Jenkins Shown in the Immediately Preceding Image.
The Image is "Embedded" within this Blog (Not Copied To This Blog),
Directly from the Online Collections of The Museum of the City of
New York and, Thus, Cannot Be Resized.  Source:  "[Eastchester,
Old House Near Reid's Mill]  DATE:  ca. 1900 gelatin silver print" and
"X2010.11.13997"

Undated Photograph Purporting to Show the Reid Homestead
Once Located Near Reid's Mill.  Home Was Said to Include a 
Portion That Dated from 1668, But It No Longer Exists.  
Source:  Office Of The Historian of The Town of Pelham.

Undated Photograph Believed to Show Members of the Reid
Family Who Were the Last Operators of Reid's Mill Before It
Was Abandoned After the Civil War.  Source:  Courtesy of 
Mike Virgintino Collection / Bronx Historical Society.

Below are transcriptions of various resources that touch on the history of Reid's Mill.  Each is followed by a citation to its source.  These research resources are in addition to the ones collected in previous Historic Pelham Blog postings about Reid's Mill and its predecessor(s) (see above).

"But perhaps the greatest advantage obtained in this part of the town was the construction of the mill since called 'Bartow's' and 'Reid's Mill,' at Sanders' Landing, by Thomas Shute and Joseph Stanton, in 1739.  The articles of agreement between these persons represent them as having meadow lying on each side of Rattlesnake Creek, and bind them jointly for the expenses of construction, repair and care of the mill, and guarantee to each an equal share in the profits; and in case of the determination of either party to sell his share, give the other party the first right of purchasing it.  Mr. Shute, in 1742, disposed of his share to Henry Tippitt. [Footnote '1']  [Footnote 1 reads:  '1 Book of Westchester County Deeds, vol. G, p. 388.']  In 1759 the mill and other buildings were the property of Dr. Thomas Wright, who sold them to Adolph Waldron 'Boulter,' who, in 1766, sold to John Bartow, and he, in 1790, to John Reid, [Footnote '2']  [Footnote 2 reads:  'Book of Deeds:  Book H, p. 162 and 166, and L, p. 42.']  father of Robert Reid, the last miller."

Source:  Scharf, J. Thomas, History of Westchester County, New York, Including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, Which Have Been Annexed to New York City, Vol. II, p. 736 (Philadelphia, PA:  L. E. Preston & Co. 1886).  

"The small stream which waters the western part of the village of Eastchester was formerly known as Rattlesnake Brook.  An early town order requires the inhabitants to meet together one day in the spring for the destruction of this dangerous reptile.  As late as 1775 one of them was killed near the brook, measuring some six feet.  Feb. 1st, 1696-7, John Pell, Sen., had the privilege of erecting a mill on this brook.  In 1721 Nathaniel Tomkins was permitted by the town to erect a fish-weir on Rattlesnake Creek, 'to ye advantage of himself to catch ye fish that swimmeth therein, for ye space of ten years from this date, providing he put it up at once.' [Footnote 'c']  [Footnote c reads:  'Town Record.  It appears from the Town Record, that as early as 1708 there existed a mill covenant between the town and Col. Caleb Heathcote.  Town Record, vol. ix, p. 54.']  

Near the mount of the brook, on 'Mill Lane,' is situated the tide mill of the late Robert Reid, Esq.  This gentleman was the son of John Reid, who was born at Dalmellington, Ayreshire, Scotland, in 1752, and bought land of John Bartow.  His grandfather, Robert Reid, was of Ayreshire, Scotland, and descended from the Reids of Loch Hannoch, of the Clan Chatu, settled at Craig-on-Hill, Ayrshhire, 1644.  Robert Reid's mother was Mary Bartow.  He had five maiden sisters; one of whom, Phoebe, still survives and occupies the property which they have held for nearly a century.  The Reid cottage occupies an extensive view of the winding creek and the high grounds of Pelham.  The adjoining property formed a portion of the ancient planting grounds of Eastchester."

Source:  Bolton, Robert, The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, From its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by its Author, Vol. 1, pp. 245-46  (NY, NY:  Chas. F. Roper, 1881) (edited by the Rev. C. W. Bolton).

"The Bronx remained divided into various estates and settlements throughout the eighteenth century.  Most of the East Bronx remained undeveloped swampland that had few roadways.  However, farming was the mainstay for many inhabitants of the upland areas (Jenkins 1912:  103).  Manufacturing began only at the onset of the American Revolution, a result of the Non-Importation agreement.  Colonists now had to make items previously imported from England.  Several saw and grist mills opened on local waterways (Jenkins 1912:  103, 104).  Reid's Mill was the first mill to operate on Eastchester Creek (Hutchinson River) (McNamara 1984:  480).  Originally known as Sanders' Landing, the mill dates to the 17th century, operated first by Thomas Shute, followed by Joseph Stanton and later by John Bartow (Ibid.:  208).  John Reid (also spelled Reed) acquired the mill in 1739 and passed it to his son, Robert, in 1790, who operated the mill until the 1850's.  Abandoned after the Civil War, the old mill blew down during a storm in 1900.  Reid's Mill would have been located near the center of the present Co-Op City to the south of the project site (Ibid.:  480).  Reed's Mill Lane, which ran from Boston Post Road to the mill, once traversed the southeast corner of the project site."

Source:  Historical Perspectives, Inc., New York City School Construction Authority Phase 1A Archaeological Assessment P.S. 189 - X Steenwick Avenue and Reeds Mill Lane Bronx, New York, p. 12  (Westport, CT:  June 26, 2001).

"REID'S MILL LANE.  This lane dates back to the 1600's, when it led from Boston Road to a mill on the Hutchinson river.  The mill was operated in succession by Thomas Shute, Joseph Stanton, John Bartow and (in 1790) John Reid.  His son, later, was the miller.  In the ensuing century, the name was rendered 'Reed.'  The mill stood until 1900 when it was blown down".   

Source:  McNamara, John, History in Asphalt:  The Origin of Bronx Street and Place Names, Borough of the Bronx, New York City, p. 191 (Harrison, NY:  Harbor Hill Books, 1978).

"REID'S MILL.  This was the first tidal mill to be erected on Eastchester Creek, or the Hutchinson River.  The year was 1739.  John Reid (sometimes spelled Reed) was the miller in 1790, and his son, Robert, continued on until the 1850's.  After the Civil War, it was abandoned and stood forlornly on the salt meadows for decades, finally to be blown down in a storm in 1900.  Its site would be roughly the center of Co-Op City.

REID'S MILL ROAD.  This is the former name of Provost Avenue from Boston Road to the City line.  It followed the general line of Steenwyck Avenue to Rattlesnake Creek on which the mill was located."

Source:  McNamara, John, History in Asphalt:  The Origin of Bronx Street and Place Names, Borough of the Bronx, New York City, p. 451 (Harrison, NY:  Harbor Hill Books, 1978).

"SANDER'S LANDING.  This was formerly the end of Reid's Mill Lane at Eastchester Creek (Hutchinson River), as noted in 1668.  In 1739, a tidal mill was erected there by Shute and Stanton.  This was run by John Bartow in 1766, and passed into the ownership of John Reid in 1790, and to his son Robert."

Source:  McNamara, John, History in Asphalt:  The Origin of Bronx Street and Place Names, Borough of the Bronx, New York City, p. 460 (Harrison, NY:  Harbor Hill Books, 1978).  

Detail of 1868 Map Showing Portion of East Chester Where

Reid's Mill (Denoted as "G. Mill" Near End of "Mill Lane") Once Stood.

Source:  Beers, F. W., "Town of East Chester, Westchester Co., N.Y.

With Waverly With Lakeville With East Chester With Washingtonville"

in Atlas of New York and Vicinity, p. 32 (NY, NY:  Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1868).

It is important to note that the detail of the 1868 Beers map immediately above shows not only the location of the mill, but also the location of the Reid family home in relation to the location of the mill.  The structure depicted just to the northeast of the mill is labeled "Miss Read" and is likely a reference to Phoebe Reid, the last of the five "maiden" sisters of the Reid family who continued to live in the Reid family home long after the mill was abandoned.  See Bolton, Robert, The History of the Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, From its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by its Author, Vol. 1, pp. 245-46  (NY, NY:  Chas. F. Roper, 1881) (edited by the Rev. C. W. Bolton).

Detail of 1867 Map Showing Portion of East Chester Where

Reid's Mill (Denoted as "Reed's G. Mill" in Upper Left of
Map Detail) Once Stood.  Source:  Beers, F. W., "Plan of East
Chester, Pelham and New Rochelle, Westchester Co.,
N.Y." in Atlas of New York and Vicinity from Actual Surveys
by and Under the Direction of F.W. Beers, Assisted by Geo.
E. Warner & Others, p. 7 (NY, NY:  Beers, Ellis & Soule, 1867).

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Westchester County Board of Supervisors Decided To Extend the Hutchinson River Parkway Through Pelham in 1923

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Originally, the Hutchinson River Parkway was envisioned as a beautiful parkway intended to serve local Westchester County traffic.  In October 1928, construction was completed on roughly an eleven-mile stretch of the parkway running from the Boston Post Road in Pelham to Westchester Avenue in White Plains.  The parkway was stunning with bridle paths along the roadway (and a riding academy where members of the public could rent horses).  According to one source, "The parkway complied with the design standards of the era, with four 9-foot-wide travel lanes and a 40 MPH design speed.  It did not have median separation, shoulders or acceleration-deceleration lanes."

In 1923, the Westchester County Board of Supervisors formally requested the Westchester County Parks Commission to extend what was then the planned parkway called the "Hutchinson River Boulevard" from its planned termination at East Lincoln Avenue "all the way to Pelham Bay Park in New York City."  The following year, the Westchester County Parks Commission recommended construction of the parkway, with initial plans to extend it to Boston Post Road in Pelham.  (The parkway, of course, was subsequently extended at both its north and south ends, becoming the major roadway that it remains today.)

Construction of the Hutchinson River Parkway began in 1924.  In December, 1927, construction crews completed an initial two-mile stretch of the Hutchinson River Parkway in Pelham.  During the next ten months, the completed stretch was expanded to the full eleven-mile section that ended at Boston Post Road.  

Interestingly, the development of the Hutchinson River Parkway was closely tied to a water supply system that included Pelham Reservoir and the waterworks and filter beds that once were located there.  Care was taken to preserve the water supply system even though planners understood that the system was nearing the end of its useful life and would have to be replaced with more reliable and safe alternatives.

Today's posting to the Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of an article that appeared in the July 6, 1923 issue of The Pelham Sun announcing the decision of the Westchester County Board of Supervisors to request the Westchester County Park Commission to extend the parkway from its termination at Lincoln Avenue to Pelham Bay Park.

The Hutchinson River Parkway in an Undated Photograph

Taken Shortly After Completion of the Initial 11-Mile Stretch

in 1928.  Source:  Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs

Division, LC-119876 via Eastern Roads, Hutchinson River Parkway - 

Historic Overview (visited Aug. 25, 2014).

To learn more about the history of the Hutchinson River Parkway and to see the source from which certain quotes and information relied upon above have been taken, see Eastern Roads, Hutchinson River Parkway - Historic Overview (visited Aug. 25, 2014).  

"River Parkway To Go Through Three Villages
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Board Of Supervisors Also Want Glen Island Bought For Bathing Park
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Definite Course Of Road Through Pelham Not Yet Determined But Surveyors Are Now At Work
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River Parkway to go Through

At a joint meeting held in White Plains on Monday, the County Board of Supervisors formally requested the Park Commission to extend the proposed Hutchinson River Boulevard from its termination at East Lincoln Avenue all the way to Pelham Bay Park in New York City.

The exact course of the parkway has not yet been determined, but engineers are now surveying and the Parks Commission will soon begin to look over the property for the Hutchinson River Parkway.

Glen Island, if the request of the Board of Supervisors is complied with, will be purchased and turned into a public park.  A large bathing beach will be constructed and in all probability a bridge will be built from the mainland to the island.  

The report of the Commission to the Board of Supervisors met with such favor that the Board went further and requested that the Hutchinson Parkway be extended and that Glen Island be purchased.  Part of the report follows:

Another project of county-wide importance and of particular interest to the Pelhams, the cities of Mount Vernon and New Rochelle and the town of Eastchester, includes a protective strip along the Hutchinson River from Lincoln Avenue, Mount 

(Continued on page 3)
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Hutchinson River Parkway Approved 
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(Continued from page 1)

Vernon to Eastchester Road and from thence a considerable portion of the lands in the Hutchinson River Valley now used for water supply purposes extending to Drake Road in the village of Scarsdale and connecting with the Bronx River Parkway at the New Rochelle Water Company's crossing between Crestwood and Scarsdale.

The Commission has no doubt of the desirability of acquiring between 800 and 900 acres in this section.  The lands are particularly beautiful and for the most part already developed as a park.  The three lakes or reservoirs are splendid park features.  However, these lands and lakes now constitute the greater part of an important water supply system, furnishing water to the city of New Rochelle, the town of Eastchester and the villages of Bronxville and Tuckahoe.  

While there is no question of the desirability of acquiring these lands for park use, it would not be feasible to interfere with the water supply at this time.  The important thing is to insure that this picturesque tract will eventually be available as a public park.  The Commission is, therefore, negotiating with the New Rochelle Water Company for the purchase of these lands on the basis of the Water Company's retaining the right to use the same for water supply purposes for a period of twelve to fifteen years, by which time it is assumed that the population will have so increased as to affect the purity of the water supply and at the same time the demand for park spaces will be more urgent.  Such an arrangement would operate to materially reduce the purchase price to the county and at the same time insure in value during the fifteen year period.  Negotiation to this end are [sic] in progress and if satisfactory arrangements can be concluded with the Water Company, the Commission will recommend to your Board the acquisition of this tract."  

Source:  River Parkway To Go Through Three Villages, The Pelham Sun, Jul. 6, 1923, p. 1, col. 6 & p. 3, col. 5.

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Earthquake! Is Pelham on Shaky Ground?

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Early yesterday morning, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake damaged buildings and knocked out power to thousands in northern California.  Dozens reportedly were injured, some critically.

Earthquakes don't happen in Pelham, do they? 

Well, most recently . . . . . . . .  Shortly before 2:00 p.m. on August 23, 2011, many in Pelham and surrounding areas could not believe their senses.  Dishes seemed to rattle.  Tables and chairs seemed to vibrate.  Some thought they perceived a rumble.  It was not their imaginations.  The earth shook that day.

The earthquake felt that day in Pelham (and in more than a dozen eastern states and Canada) originated 4 miles beneath ground surface in Louisa County, Virginia, nearly 350 miles away.  It registered a magnitude of 5.8 and a maximum perceived intensity of VII on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (very strong).

Could a damaging earthquake occur in Pelham?  Is Pelham on shaky ground?  The answer to both questions may surprise you:  "yes."  In fact, history reveals that Pelham already has suffered damaging earthquakes and likely will experience more.

Major Temblors

The earliest major earthquake in the Pelham region in historical times occurred on December 18, 1737.  Scientists estimate that like the recent quake centered in Louisa County, Virginia, the 1737 New York quake reached a perceived intensity of VII on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale and registered a magnitude between 5.0 and 5.5.  It toppled chimneys and rang bells in the New York City region and reportedly was felt as far away as Boston, Philadelphia and Delaware.

There is no record of damage in Pelham during the 1737 earthquake.  That, however, is no surprise.  The region known as the Manor of Pelham at the time was virtually uninhabited.  There were only a few households in the area consisting mostly of members of the Pell, Rodman, Rylander and Contine families.

By the 19th century, however, the population of Pelham had grown.  On a sultry summer morning, July 11, 1872, just as the sun began to rise, the earth quaked and Pelham shook again.  At about 5:30 a.m., according to witnesses, an earthquake seemed to begin to the south and roll to the north.  According to the New York Times:

"Houses were shaken to their foundations, and crockery and glassware in the closets were considerably disturbed by the shock.  Timid ladies became greatly alarmed, fearing results of a more serious character.  In the villages of East Chester, Mt. Vernon, Pelhamville, New Rochelle, Mamaroneck, Rye and Portchester, in Westchester County, and at Greenwich, Conn., the earthquake was both heard and felt very distinctly."

A dozen years later, on August 10, 1884, Pelham and much of Westchester County experienced another such earthquake -- this one significant.  That day, a magnitude 5.2 quake centered off the shore of Far Rockaway, Queens shook the New York metropolitan region at about 2:00 p.m., followed by aftershocks as late as the following day.  The initial shock was so great that a bell in White Plains was rung.  Once again, according to the New York Times:

"[I]mmense trees were swayed to and fro.  Houses trembled to their very foundations, shaking loose articles from their fastenings and causing general consternation among the inhabitants.  People rushed from their houses to the streets, asking each other the cause of their own fright.  The course of the earthquake was from the northwest to the southeast."

The same article noted that the earthquake was the fourth significant temblor to strike the region in 35 years, the others occurring in 1850, on August 7, 1868 and, as noted above, on July 11, 1872.

The New York Herald described the earthquake that day as follows:

"In Westchester county the shock was felt in every town and village, and while it lasted there was great consternation.  People ran out of their houses, and some of the superstitious fell on their knees, fully believing that the judgment day had come.

"The shock was announced by a shaking of houses and a rattling of windows.  Then a noise resembling the approach of a mighty wind was heard.  The dwellings shook more violently and the inmates began to scamper for the open air.  The sick suffered especially, and last evening many serious relapses through fright were reported by the physicians.  The shock came at precisely seven minutes past two o'clock.  It  seemed to pass from east to west.

"In New Rochelle, Pelham, Mount Vernon, Port Chester, White Plains, Tarrytown, Sing Sing, Yonkers and Peekskill the shock was felt.  At White Plains the shock was so great as to twice distinctly ring the gong in the hall door of the Orawaupum Hotel.  Professor John Swinburne, how has boarded in the hotel for thirty years past, has taken great pains to select a very valuable collection of minerals, agates, rare stones, shells and specimens of all the ores and quartz known to the world.  These he has in a glass case, which occupies one side of his room.  When the shock came Professor Swinburne was asleep, but was awakened by the rattling of his mineraological specimens.  When he examined the case he found many of the specimens displaced.  Some had fallen from the shelves against the glass door and others had huddled together as if for protection. 

"One gentleman in New Rochelle described the undulations as resembling the rapid rolling of a heavy cannon carriage over the bare floor of an upper room.  He said the house in which he resided shook so that he thought it was coming down.  The brick dwellings trembled more violently than the wooden ones, but, as far as heard from, no damage of any kind was done to property.

"From all along the Hudson River come reports of a similar experience to that just detailed.  At Hudson two distinct shocks were felt at a quarter past two o'clock."

Source:  THE SUBURBS IN A FLURRY.  HOUSES EMPTIED, DINNERS ABANDONED AND THE SUPERSTITIOUS FRIGHTENED, N.Y. Herald, Aug. 11, 1884, p. 3, col. 3. 

Could It Happen Again?

The 1884 earthquake was the last significant quake experienced in Pelham.  That is not to say, however, that it was the last earthquake centered in the region.  According to the United States Geological Survey, since 1974 there have been 18 earthquakes centered within 50 miles of southern Westchester County.  They ranged from magnitude 2.0 to magnitude 4.0.  Also according to the USGS, there is a 3.742% chance of a major earthquake centered within 50 miles of southern Westchester County within the next 50 years.

Nor should this surprise.  Few may realize it, but only 13 miles from Pelham -- far beneath 125th Street in Manhattan -- lies the so-called "125th Street Fault Line."  While it is nothing like major fault lines such as the "San Andreas Fault" on the west coast of the United States, the 125th Street Fault Line is still a concern to experts who recognize that population growth (as well as urban and suburban development) in the region since the late 19th century have increased the risks of substantial damage from major earthquakes in the region.  Indeed, in a report entitled "Earthquake Loss Estimation Study for The New York City Area" published in 1999, experts from Princeton and Columbia concluded that: 

"New York City's seismic risk exposure is of increasing concern.  The New York City metropolitan area has been classified by the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) to the moderate level for potential earthquakes. . . . Risk is typically defined by three components:  a hazard (the earthquake), the assets involved and the fragility of those assets.  For New York City, the probability of a large earthquake is moderate, however, it becomes an area of high risk because of its tremendous assets and the fragility of its structures, which have not been seismically designed as most on the West Coast."

Moreover, recently a group of scientists and engineers who formed the "New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation" released a report concluding that a "catastrophic" earthquake with a magnitude of 6 or larger is possible in this region and estimating that a magnitude 6 earthquake striking the region at 2:00 p.m. would cause up to 1,170 deaths and up to $40 billion in damages.

Though a major temblor may never occur in our lifetimes in Pelham, if history is any indication, the region remains on "shaky ground" and faces further quakes.



Learn More About Earthquakes in Pelham and Future Risks

I have written before about earthquakes in Pelham.  See, e.g.:

Tue., Sep. 15, 2009:  An Earthquake in Pelham and Surrounding Areas on Sunday, August 10, 1884. 

Mon., Aug. 08, 2005:  The Day the Earth Shook in Pelham: July 11, 1872. 

Tantala, Michael, et al., Earthquake Risks and Mitigation in the New York / New Jersey / Connecticut Region (The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation:  2003).

Nordenson, Guy, et al., Earthquake Loss Estimation for The New York City Area (The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation:  May 1, 1999).

NYCEM:  The New York City Area Consortium for Earthquake Loss Mitigation (Apr. 30, 2013).

THE SUBURBS IN A FLURRY. HOUSES EMPTIED, DINNERS ABANDONED AND THE SUPERSTITIOUS FRIGHTENED, N.Y. Herald, Aug. 11, 1884, p. 3, col. 3.

United States Geologic Survey:  New York Earthquake History (Apr. 30, 2013).

An Earthquake in Westchester County and Long Island, N.Y. Times, Jul. 12, 1872, p. 5.

The Earthquake, New Rochelle Pioneer, Aug. 16, 1884. 

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