Yonkers New York

Manhattan Tribe

Manhattan Indians (‘the hill island,’ or ‘the island of hills,’ from manah ‘island’, –atin ‘hill.’ Tooker). A tribe of the Wappinger confederacy that occupied Manhattan Island and the east bank of Hudson river and shore of Long Island Sound, in Westchester County, New York. Early Dutch writers applied the name also to people of neighboring Wappinger tribes. The Manhattan had their principal village, Nappeckamack, where Yonkers now stands, and their territory stretched to Bronx river. From their fort, Nipinichsen, on the north bank of Spuyten Duyvil creek, they sallied out in two canoes to attack Hendrik Hudson when he returned … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arthur Houghton Otis

Otis, Arthur Houghton; Northern Ohio mgr. Otis Elevators Co.; born, Yonkers, N. Y., Aug. 21, 1881; son of Norton Prentiss and Elizabeth Fahs Otis; educated, Yonkers public and High School, and Princeton University, B. S., 1906; married, Cleveland, June 21, 1912, Mildred Vilas; issue, Malcolm V. and Arthur H., Jr.; since graduation from college, connected with The Otis Elevators Co.; mgr. for Northern Ohio; his father, who died in 1904, was pres. of the Otis Elevators Co.; was a native of Vermont; member of New York Assembly, and Mayor of Yonkers; served two terms in Congress, and in 1900, was … Read more

Will of William Betts – 1673

WM. BETTS, Yonkers. “The Twelfth day of the Twelfth month 1673.” “I William Betts of the Yonckers Plantation, in the Jurisdiction now of New Orange so called.” Leaves to wife Alice, “house, barn and home lot, and meadows that are lying by my house lot,” also one third of my lot in the Planting Field, during her life: Also leaves her household goods. Leaves to son Samuel Betts, after his wife’s decease, the said house, Home lot and meadows, and one third of all lands in the Yonckers Plantation. Also a Home lot next to the home lot of Goodman … Read more

From New York City to Yonkers along the Hudson River

This upper landing of the Hudson River Day Line has a beautiful location and is a great convenience to the dwellers of northern Manhattan. On leaving the pier the steel-arched structure of Riverside Drive is seen on the right. The valley here spanned, in the neighborhood of 127th Street, was once known as “Marritje Davids’ Fly,” and the local name for this part of New York above Claremont Heights is still known as “Manhattanville.” The Convent of the Sacred Heart is visible among the trees, and Trinity Cemetery’s Monuments soon gleam along the wooded bank. Among her distinguished dead is … Read more

From Yonkers to West Point along the Hudson River

Passing Glenwood, now a suburban station of Yonkers, conspicuous from the Colgate mansion near the river bank, built by a descendant of the English Colgates who were familiar friends of William Pitt, and leaders of the Liberal Club in Kent, England, and “Greystone,” once the country residence of the late Samuel J. Tilden, Governor of New York, and presidential candidate in 1876, we come to Hastings to Dobbs Ferry Hastings, where a party of Hessians during the Revolutionary struggle were surprised and cut to pieces by troops under Colonel Sheldon. It was here also that Lord Cornwallis embarked for Fort … Read more