THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT. I09 



heirs of the above grantee still hold lot No. i. Lot No. 2 belonged to 

 Oliver de Lancy, and lot No. 3 to John Watts. 



Philip Van Cortlandt the eldest surviving son of Stephanus was 

 born on the 9th of August, 1683. He married Catharine de Peyster, 

 and on the failure of heirs, male, to his elder brother John, continued 

 the line of the family. Upon the death of Philips (which took place 

 21st of August, 1746,) his property became divided among. his six chil- 

 dren, viz., Stephen, Abraham, Philip, John, Pierre and Catharine. Ste- 

 phen, the eldest, married Mary Walton Ricketts. Their descendants at 

 present reside in England, and have intermarried with many members 

 of the British nobility. 



The fifth son, Pierre Van Cortlandt, ultimately became the oldest 

 surviving representative of the Van ' Cortlandt family in America, and 

 the heir at law of the entail. 



Upon the breaking out of the revolutionary war, Pierre Van Cortlandt 

 was appointed president of the committee of public safety, and was sub- 

 sequently elected Lieutenant Governor of this State. Throughout the 



a The will of Philip Van Cortlandt bears date Aug. 1, 1746. In which he gives and devises 

 " all that my three farms or lotts of land described in the map or survey of the Manor of 

 Cortlandt, by the south lot No. 1, to wit, the farnie where Johannes Bachies lives on, and the 

 f arme where Johannes Snock, Blacksmith, lives on, and the farme where Andrews Miller now 

 lives on, each farme to contain 250 acres adjoining to each other, with all rights, privileges, 

 &c, belonging, &c, first during the tenure of his natural life ;remainder to James De Lancey, 

 Esq., and Peter DeLancey, gentlemen, both of New York,and the survivors of them and the heirs 

 of such survivor for and during the life of my said son Stephen, to the intent to support the 

 contingent Remainders in this my will after limitted so that the same may not be destroyed 

 but in trust nevertheless to permit and suffer him my said son Stephen to possess the said 

 farms and premises with the appurtenances and to receive and take the rents, issues and 

 profits thereof to aid for his own use during his natural life and from and after his decease, 

 then I devise the said three farms to the first son of the Body of my son Stephen, lawfully is- 

 sued, (whether then born or unborn) and to the heirs, male, of the body of such first son law- 

 fully issuing, and for default of such issue, then likewise to the second, third and any other 

 son of my said son Stephen successively, and in their order the one after the other as they 

 shall be in seniority of age and priority of birth and the several and respective heirs, male, of 

 the Body and bodys of every such second, third and other son or sons (the eldest of such sons 

 and the kins, male, of his Body being always preferred and to take before any of the younger 

 sons and heirs, male of his Body) and in case of all such issues, male, failing, then I do give 

 and devise the said three farms, &c, unto my second son Abraham, on the same conditions." 

 Then to his third son John and from him to his ^urth son Pierre. "And in default of such 

 issue, male, of all my said sons, then I devise the remainder in fee of the three said farms, 

 &c, unto my own right heir, male, &c." " To his second son Abraham, he bequeaths his 

 dwelling house and joined thereto belonging fronting Stone street, New York, wherein he 

 now lives, &c, " also all that last part of the fourteen farms called or known by the name of 

 my north lott (No. 6,) in the Manor of Cortlandt as the same as described in the map or sur- 

 vey from No. 1 to 7, also the farm where John Jurree Seer now lives on to contain 250 acres 

 adjoining to each other, &c, on the same conditions as before mentioned from Abraham to 

 Stephen, from Stephen to John and from John to Pierre, "all failing to his right heir, male.'" 

 Three farms in the Manor of Cortlandt known as No's 8, 9 and 10. " To his fourth son Pierre, he 

 devises all that my house and farm or lott of land described on the map or survey of the Ma- 

 nor of Cortlandt, known by the name of south lott (No. 1,) being the East River lott, from 

 Teller's Point, extending all along Croton River together with the Perry-house and Ferry 

 thereunto belonging, including the farm where David Brown now lives, and also a lott of 

 land on the east side of Croton River in the Manor of Cortlandt, known by the lott (No. 1) now 

 in possession of Peter Williams and the widow of Hendrick David, the whole as it 

 is conveyed to me also four farms in the Manor of Cortlandt in north lott (no. 6) No's 11, 12, 

 13 and 14." "And that all and every of my said four sons Stephen, Abraham, John and Pierre, 

 and the heirs, male, of their respective Bodys, shall and may from time to time and at all 

 times hereafter at all fiting seasons in the year have full and free liberty, leave and lysence to 

 Hunt, Fish and Fowl near, about, in and uuon Croton Fiver, when and as often as they shall 

 think fitting. This Will was proved 17th of Nov., 1748, Surrogate's Office, N. Y., Lib. xvi, p. 

 375. The fishing rights of the Van Cortlandt's are said to have extended two miles, ?'.e.,_from 

 Deer Island in the river Croton to the marked rock on Crawbucky Point near Sing-Sing. 



