194 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



During the winter of 1782, Capt. Daniel Williams, of the New York 

 levies, (stationed on the lines), having just returned from an excursion 

 to Morrisania, was surprised by a party of the enemy's horse, in a barn 

 near the Ferry House. George McClain, who behaved with the utmost 

 gallantry on this occasion, was killed ; the rest of the party effected their 

 escape on the ice. a 



The Van Cortlandt Cemetery is situated on the summit of a hill west 

 of the mansion. Here is a marble tomb erected to the 



Memory of the Honorable 



PIERRE VAN CORTLANDT, 



late Lieutenant-Governor of the 

 State of New York, 



And President of the Convention that 



framed the Constitution thereof during 

 the Revolutionary War with Great Britain. 



He departed this life on the first day of 

 May, in the year of our Lord 1814, in the 

 ninety-fourth year of his age. 



He was a patriot of the first order, zealous to 



the last for the liberties of his country ; 



A man of exemplary virtues ; kind as a neighbor, 



fond and indulgent as a parent ; an honest man — 



ever the friend of the poor ; 



respected and beloved. 



The simplicity of his private life was that 

 of an ancient Patriarch. 



He died a bright witness of that perfect 



love which casts out the fear of death, 



putting his trust in the living God, and 



with full assurance of salvation in the 



redeeming love of Jesus Christ, retaining 



his recollection to the last, and calling upon 



his Saviour to take him to Himself. 



Near the Lieutenant-Governor are interred the remains of his illustri- 

 ous son, Gen. Philip Van Cortlandt, who died November 21st, 183 1, 

 aged 82 ; and Johanna Van Cortlandt, wife of the Hon. Pierre Van 

 Cortlandt, daughter of Gilbert and Cornelia Livingston, born at King- 

 ston, in the county of Ulster, the 28th day of August, 1722, died at her 



a David Merrit of Cortlandtown, Oct. 12th, 1845, says : " When the Refugees surprised 

 Williams's post, at Orsers, a part of them went north and cut off ye retreat, driving Col. John 

 Post, the guide and others upon ye ice, when Odell fought with two and escaped."— Conver- 

 sation between Merit I and .las. McDonald. McDonald MSS., in possession of George 11. Moore 

 librarian of New York Hist. Soc. 



