426 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



Directly north of the Westchester turnpike is situated the old Pugsley 

 estate from which the adjoining creek derives its name. 



In close vicinity to the river Bronx is the estate and residence of 

 William Watson, Esq. 



About three miles from the mouth of the Bronx, and directly oppo- 

 site the village of West Farms, is the mill seat and property of the late 

 Philip M. Lydig, Esq., formerly cilled "Dc Lancey s Mill." Here it 

 is probable that Jonas Bronck (from whom the river derives its name) 

 erected a mill and laid out a plantation as early as 1639. "The tract 

 between the Harlem river and the large stream next eastward, was 

 Bronck's land," says Benson, and it was at the house of Bronck that 

 the Indians concluded a treaty of peace with the Dutch secretary, Cor- 

 nelis Van Tienhoven. in the spring of 1642.* Upon the 16th of August, 

 16S0, the town of Westchester did give and grant unto William Rich- 

 ardson and his associates, the privilege of the stream of Bronck's river, 

 to set up two mills, viz: — One saw and a corn mill, upon certain condi- 

 tions specified in the conveyance. h 



On the 2d of April, 17 n, Tryntje Byvanck, widow of Evert Byvanck, 

 granted to William Provost, four mills, to wit, three grist mills, and one 

 saw mill, situate in the the township of Westchester, and all rights and 

 privileges appertaining thereto, &c. ; also a certain privilege granted by 

 the freeholders of Westchester, of the stream of BroncKs river, &°c, cW. 

 From the Provost's, this property was purchased by Stephen de Lancey, 

 Esq., in whose will, made the 4th of March, 1735, occurs the following 

 item : — 



" ! ' herel y give, devise and bequeath unto my son Peter, and to his heirs, 



all my mills, mill-house, mill-boat, farm and land, and all and every the appur- 



es thereunto belonging, situate and being in the county of Westchester, 



upon Broncks'e river, lately known as the mills of William Richardson, to have 



and to hold unto my son Peter, and to his heirs and assignees forever." 1 -' 



James de Lancey, the eldest son of the above testator, was Chief Jus- 

 tice and Lieutenant-Governor of the province of New York. He mar- 



n B tnaon'fl M'-m. '27. Hi-t. of X. Xetherlands, O'Callahan, vol. 1250. Town Kec. Lib. 5T. 



6 Bee roL 



c Surrogate's Office, X. Y. lit), xiv, 91. It appears from the following, that there was an 

 ancieuf ound la the vicinity of DeLancey's mills, near tbe Bronx, approached by 



a narrow lane leading from the highway to Westchester road:—" John Felris, 01 the b 

 town of Westchester, in his lasl will, dated O'h of May, 1715, directs: 'as also the land lying 

 betwixt the highway thai leads to Thomas Hedden's mills and the way that leads from 

 Bronck s to Henry Bank's, with a fifty pound privilege* all that my 



land at Bronck's, containing twenty-fonr acres, be it more or less. Bnt, be 11 provided ai- 

 1 ire shaU be a rod square, free for all friends and friendly people to bury their 

 where they formerly buried, without any let, hindrance or molestation 

 whatsoever."— Surrogate's Office, X. Y., folio vlii, p. is'jl. 



