1774 Notice of Public Sale of Applebee's Island, Later Known as Hunter's Island, in the Manor of Pelham

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On January 17, 2006, I posted to the Historic Pelham Blog an item entitled "John Pugsley, An Early Owner of Appleby's Island Later Known as Hunter's Island". In that posting I detailed advertisements published in 1770 and 1771 containing notices of public sales by the executors of the estate of John Pugsly (also spelled Pugsley) seeking to sell the island known then as Applebee's Island (known today as Hunter's Island) as well as twenty acres on the mainland adjoining the island.

I have located an advertisement published in 1774 offering the same lands for sale at a public auction by the executors of the estate of John Pugsly. It would seem, of course, that the lands did not sell in the early 1770s despite the efforts of the executors of the estate to dispose of them.

Below is the text of the advertisement. It is followed by a citation to its source.

"This is to give NOTICE,

That there will be exposed to sale, by way of public vendue on the premises, on Tuesday the 22d of November next, by the executors of the estate of John Pugsly, deceased. Sale to begin at ten o'clock.

The island called and known by the name of Appleby's Island, and Twins, lying and being within about 22 miles of New-York, containing about 230 acres of land and salt meadow, be it more or less; it joins the Manor of Pelham, and leads on with a Causeway. There is on said island a good dwelling-house, barn and orchard, a well of good water, two living springs, and several streams of water; about 60 or 70 acres of wood land. The quality of the land is so well known that it needs no recommendation.

ALSO will be sold, twenty acres (on the Main) of excellent land, adjoining said Island, on which there is a commodious dewlling-house, with four rooms on a floor, and kitchen; a cyder-mill, mill-house, and several other out-houses, two neat gardens well fenced, a good well and a stream of water near the house; excellent fishing, fowling, lobstering, claming and oystering, and in reality fitting for any Gentleman. The conditions will be made known on the day of sale; a good title, and reasonable time given for the payment of the purchase money, by us

JAMES PUGSLY,
WILLIAM PUGSLY,
GILBERT PUGSLY,
DAVID PUGSLY.

N. B. Great plenty of dung can be made by the seaweed that drifts on said Island."

Source: This Is To Give Notice, The New-York Gazette; And The Weekly Mercury, Oct. 31, 1774, Issue 1203, p. 4, col. 4 (see also This Is To Give Notice, The New-York Gazette; And The Weekly Mercury, Nov. 14, 1774, Issue 1205, Supplement p. 1, col. 1).

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Abstract of 1768 Will of John Pugsley of the Manor of Pelham, Proved December 31, 1768

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On Monday, December 4, 2006, I posted to the Historic Pelham Blog an abstract of the 1768 Will of John Pugsley. See Monday, December 4, 2006: Abstract of 1768 Will of John Pugsley of the Manor of Pelham.

I since have located a more extensive abstract of the same will. Below is the text of an abstract of the will of John Pugsley of the Manor of Pelham. The will was proved December 31, 1768. A citation to its source follows the text of the abstract.

"ABSTRACTS OF WILLS -- LIBER 26. . . .

Page 482. -- "In the name of God, Amen. I, JOHN PUGSLEY, of the Manor of Pelham, in Westchester County, Gent., being sick. My executors are to sell all my lands, tenements, and fresh and salt meadows in the Manor of Pelham, and all my lands, tenements, and meadows in the Borrough Town of Westchester, commonly called Cow Neck, and all my right in the Sheep Pasture; Also all my movable estate is to be sold, and my negroes are to have the liberty of choosing their masters, 'and shall not be sold to any one contrary to [Page 228 / Page 299] their inclination.' After all debts are paid, I leave all the rest to my children, James, William, Samuel, Stephen, Gilbert, Israel, John, and David, and to my daughter, Sarah Oakley, And one share is to be deposited in the hands of my executors for the relief and support of my daughter Phebe, wife of Bartholemew Hadden. I leave to Elizabeth Bugby a feather bed and £20; To Elizabeth Taylor, of the White Plains, and to Mary Weeks, of Hunttington, £20 each. £100 are to be placed in the hands of my son James for the support of my daughter-in-law Elizabeth, wife of Israel Pugsley. I made my sons, James, William, Gilbert, and David, executors.

Dated December 20, 1768. Witnesses, William Adams, Peter Bertram, Jr., Thomas Wright.

Codicil. -- 'Whereas in my will I left a share of my estate to my son John, and now calling to mind, to my great grief, that for a long time past he has led a dissolute and idle life, and has made a very bad use of what I have heretofore given him: my executors shall take his share and carefully lay it out for him in purchasing a farm, but not to be at his disposal, but he may live upon it during his life, and then to his children.'

Dated December 24, 1768. Witnesses, Samuel Pugsley, Sarah Wright, Thomas Wright, Physician. Proved, December 31, 1768."

Source: Pelletreau, William S., ed., Abstracts of Wills on File in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York. Vol. VII. June 6, 1766 - November 29, 1771. With Letters of Administration, January 6, 1767 - January 11, 1773. in Collections of The New-York Historical Society For the Year 1898., pp. 228-29 (NY, NY: The New-York Historical Society 1899).

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