THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 607 



All testimony unites in ascribing to this family a French origin; and 

 is made probable that the seat of their ancestors was at Berrien, now a 

 considerable town in the department of Finisterre. Concurrent traditions, 

 existing in diverse branches of the family, declare their ancestor was a 

 Huguenot, who, during the civil wars of France was forced to flee and 

 take refuge in Holland. 



The children of Abraham — were Abraham who died in 1851, aged 71 ; 

 Nathaniel, died in 1847, aged 65; Richard, blind, died 1827, aged 40; 

 Rebecca married George Brinkerhoff; Grace-Moore, married Major 

 Leonard Bleecker; Charity, married John Hoogland, and Mary. a 



The neck remains yet undivided. The heirs are Abraham Berrian, 

 John Hoogland, and Mr. Bleecker. 



There are remains of three distinct forts on Tippett or Berrian's Neck, 

 which once formed a part of the chain of hill batteries reaching from 

 the North to the East Rivers. On January the 19th, 1777, (says Gen. 

 Heath.) it was determined to make an attempt to cut off the British bat- 

 talion within King's Bridge, early the next morning, by passing a strong 

 detachment over Spitten Devil Creek on the ice, which, however, was 

 not very strong, but the weather was cold. One thousand were detached 

 for this purpose ; but the weather having grown warm in the night, the 

 ice was judged, by the unanimous opinion of all the general officers on 

 •the ground, to be too hazardous, on the morning of the 20th, to venture 

 the attempt. On this day there was a cannonade on both sides, and the 

 enemy on the island side were thrown into much confusion. Our Gen- 

 eral observed that when the enemy within the island were cannonaded 

 across Haarlem Creek, they sheltered themselves behind the little hill 

 near the bridge, next to Spitten Devil Creek. On this afternoon he rode 

 round on to Tippett's Hill, which was in its rear, and found that a field- 

 piece, drawn up on that side, would leave the enemy no hiding place. 

 On the 2 1 st, a cannonade commenced again on both sides. In the 

 afternoon a field-piece was hauled up to Tippett's Hill, and the enemy 

 being cannonaded both in front and rear, they were thrown into the ut- 

 most confusion : some secured themselves in their redoubt, others under 

 the banks ; some lay flat on the ground, and some betook themselves to 

 the cellars: so that in a short time there was no object for the gun- 

 ners." 6 



The principal fort now standing on the neck is situated a little south 

 of the residence of Mr. Whiting, on the property of Mr. John Ewings. 

 It is in the form of a hollow square, with banks fifteen or twenty feet 



a dicker's annals of Newtown, L. I., p. 33S-340. 

 b Ileath'aMem. 110. 



