THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 615 



1822. The ascent to the house is through the romantic woods of Cort- 

 landt's ridge. The road passes over a deep ravine, watered by a pictur- 

 esque brook, and through high masses of frowning rock. The lawn in 

 front commands a view of the vale of Yonkers, while at th ; foot of the 

 hill runs Tippetfs Brook. 



The farm house situated on this property was built by Frederick van 

 Cortlandt, A. D. 1766. In 1848, nourishing upon the lawn in the rear 

 of the mansion, was an aged apple tree marked with the name of Jacobus 

 van Cortlandt — date illegible. 



This property, which lies directly north of Berrian*s Neck, passed, up- 

 on the death of Frederick van Cortlandt, to his brother A igustus van 

 Cortlandt. The latter, by will, bequeathed the same to 1 s grandson 

 Augustus Morris, ''provided he assumed the name of Van Cortlandt.'' 

 Augustus van Cortlandt subsequently sold the property t > Samuel B. 

 Thompson, John Ewing, William C. Wetmore, and James R. Whiting. 

 The latter gentleman has recently erected a beautiful stone residence on 

 the western side of the neck, which commands extensive prospects of the 

 Hudson and palisades ; the entrance is by a beautiful road that winds 

 through a thick wood to the house. The Van Cortlandt mansion and 

 surrounding property belongs to Samuel B. Thompson, Esq.. and is now 

 occupied by the McFarlane family. The western side of Cortlandt's 

 ridge embraces fine views of the Hudson River, palisades and hills 

 stretching northwards. Upon the property of W. C. Wetmore, Esq.. 

 there is a celebrated white oak, which stands in the midst of a pretty 

 glade called the " Cow Bov Oak" from the fact that these lawless des- 

 peradoes were often suspended from its branches. 



" Short was their shrift, and sure the cord." 



\Rolitby. 



Cortlandt house, the ancient residence of the Van Cortlandt family, 

 stands in the vale below, about one mile north from Kings Bridge, on 

 the road leading to the village of Yonkers. Prior to the purchase of . 

 the Philipses, this estate (as before shown) formed a portion of the fief 

 of Colen-donck, and was styled the " Old Yonckers" From the Pat- 

 roon Adriaen van der Donck, it passed through the hands of various 

 proprietors to the Hon. Frederick Philipse, who sold it to his son-in-law 

 Jacobus van Cortlandt, AD. 1699. Since then, it has been considera- 

 bly enlarged by other purchases. The whole eight hundred and fifty 

 acres is now vested in his descendant, Augustus van Cortlandt, Esq., 

 with the exception of one hundred and five acres which has been laid 

 out by competent engineers, as Oloff Park. This beautiful and valua- 



