734 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



was made of Catonah, the chief sachem, and the other Indians, who 

 were the proprietors of that part of the country." a 



Van der Donck, the historian, in his map of 1656, locates the Indian 

 village of Pechquenakonck somewhere in this vicinity. The Indian 

 burying ground is situated on the estate of the late Hon. Isaac Purdy, 

 in this town, a little north-west of the mansion house. In 1778 upwards 

 of forty mounds were visible. Vast quantities of arrow and spear heads 

 are found on the higher grounds of this town, showing that Mamanus- 

 quag and Appamaghpogh were once great hunting grounds. The Titi- 

 cus river still retains a portion of its ancient Indian name, Mutighti- 

 coos. 6 This beautiful stream rises from the West Mountain, a portion 

 of the "Asproom Ledges" or hills, in the town of Ridgefield, Con- 

 necticut, upon the estate of Thomas Smith, commonly designated as the 

 "Indian Farm," near which were the two ponds denominated Nasso- 

 pack and Askeeto. Tradition asserts that the Mutighticoos was some- 

 times called Buffalo Creek. What similarity exists between the Indian 

 name and its English substitute, or if any, we are unable at this distant 

 period to determine. The latter certainly bears ample testimony to the 

 fact, that the vast gorges of the Highlands and these vales once abound- 

 ed with the buffalo. Van der Donck, the patroon of Yonkers, writing 

 in 1656, says of this animal : "Buffaloes are also tolerably plenty; these 

 animals mostly keep towards the southwest, where few people go." 

 "Again, it is remarked (says the same writer) that the half of these ani- 

 mals have disappeared and left the country." It ought to be remem- 

 bered that, long after the discovery of this country by the Dutch in 

 1609, and up to a very late period, Salem and the adjoining territory 

 was an unexplored wilderness. A small tributary of the Mutighticoos 

 bears the Indian name of Mopus. 



Stephanus van Cortlandt, the first grantee under the Indians, by his 

 last will, dated 14th of April, 1700, devised and bequeathed the whole 

 manor of Cortlandt to his eleven children, who thus became seized in 

 fee. In 1734 the devisees and the legal heirs of those who were dead, 

 made a partition of the manor among themselves. By this division, 

 North Salem fell to the share of Mr. Andrew Teller, Col. John Schuyler 

 and Stephen de Lancey, in the following order : — north lot, No. 8, An- 

 drew Teller; ditto No. 9, John Schuyler; ditto No. 10, Stephen de 

 Lancey. 



The latter individual subsequently became vested in lot No. 9. The 



a Trumbull's Hist, of Connecticut. Philip Money, a lineal descendant of the aboriginal pro- 

 prietors waslivtng in this town, A.D. 1784. Absalom, the son of Philip, left issue, Philip and 

 Philander, besides a daughter, Sarah. 



b So called in the cortlandt Manor map. 



c Van der Donck's Hist, of the New Netherlands, N. Y. Hist. Soc. vol. i. 108. 



