274 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



" On the 19th of July, 1 781/' (says Thatcher,) " the British frigates that 

 passed up the North River, a few days since, took advantage of wind 

 and tide to return to New York. A severe cannonade commenced from 

 our battery, at Dobb's Ferry, where the river is about three miles wide. 

 They were compelled literally to run the gaunlet ; and returned the 

 fire as they passed, but without effect. On board the Savage, ship-of- 

 war, a box of powder took fire ; and such was their consternation, that 

 twenty people jumped into the river, among whom was a prisoner on 

 board, who informs us that he was the only man who got on shore, all 

 the rest being drowned. He reports, also, that the Savage was several 

 times hulled by our shot, and was very near sinking."* 



The remains of a second redoubt are still visible on the property of 

 Frederick W. Paulding, Esq. The village of Dobb's Ferry, one mile 

 north of Hastings, is prettily situtated on the rising hills of Greenburgh, 

 opposite the northern termination of the Palisades and the village of 

 Tappan. This place derives its present name from the ancient family 

 of the Dobbs, who have been long settled here, and also from the fact 

 that they were the early ferrymen. In the year 1698, there was living in 

 this vicinity, " Jan Dobs en zyn huys vrou," (and his wife,) Abigail, both 

 members of the Dutch church, Sleepy Hollow. Thomas, their son, was 

 born on the manor, A. D. 1 7 1 2. 



September 20, 1729, occurs a record in the Church books at Sleepy 

 Hollow, of a marriage between William Dobs, born in Philadelphia, and 

 Lea Van Waert, a native of the same place. They were perhaps Swedes, 

 originally from the Delaware. Jeremiah Dobs, former proprietor of the 

 ferry, left issue by Jane le Vines, besides two daughters, two sons Jere- 

 miah and Peter. Several sons of the latter are still living in Greenburgh. 



The Indian name of this place as already shown was, Weec-quses- 

 guck, literally " the place of the bark kettle." The aboriginal settlement 

 appears to have been located at the mouth of the Weghqueghe or Wick- 

 er's creek, (William Portuguese creek). This beautiful stream arises 

 from two distinct springs, situated on the lands of E. W. Waldgrove and 

 Frederick B. Wilsie, both of which, running nearly west, unite soon after 

 crossing the Albany post-road ; here, commingled, they flow through a 

 rocky glen enclosed between high wooded banks. Passing under the 

 arch of the Croton acqueduct, the waters again appear rushing over their 

 stony bed until their further progress is checked by the mill dam. Here 

 a pipe of nine hundred feet in length conveys the water to the neighbor- 

 ing mill, affording a fall of thirty feet to an overshot wheel. 



a Thatcher's Military Journal, 259. See Heath's Mem. 76, 294. 



