Lot
John L. Norton Farm
Lot Group
Original Grants and Farms
Property Was Used in 1660 For:
Full Stokes Entry (See images below)
THE JOHN L. NORTON FARM (The Hermitage) Block Check List. 1096-1076-995-815-789-763-10311050-1051-1052-1053-1094-1096.
The great central area of Manhattan Island was not settled during the Dutch occupation. No grants were made north of the Great Kill on the Hudson River, or of Turtle Bay on the East River, or south of the Harlem line.
Several Dutch patents were issued for lands in Harlem. The most southerly of these was at Rechewanis, Montagnes Point.
It is true that Jan Cornelissen of Rotterdam built a house just north of the Great Kill (No. 14 on the Manatus Maps), but his land reverted to the Dutch government at his death in 1643, and was not regranted until 1667.
In September of that year, Thomas Hall and three associates procured a patent from Gov. NicoUs, which they estimated at 500 acres.
Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Thomas Hall, John Vigne, Egbert Wouters, and Jacob Leenderts. Patent dated Sept. 3, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 97 (Albany).
Conveys "A Certaine Parcell of Land lying and being upon this Island Manhatans to ye North of ye great Creeke or Kill Stretching alongst by ye North Ryver 500 r. and running in Depth into ye Island 300 r., a lyne being drawn North East it containes in all about 500 acres or 250 Margen."
Just a month later, Johannes van Brugh having joined the syndicate, a new patent superseded the first one.
Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Johannes van Brugh, Thomas Hall, Jan Vigne, Egbert Wouters and Jacob Leendersen. Patent dated Oct. 3, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: III (Albany).
Conveys "A Certaine Tract or Parcell of Land upon this Island Manhatans lying and being to ye North of ye Great Creeke or Kill Stretching in Length from ye said Creeke alongst ye Ryver comonly called and knowne by ye name of Hudsons or ye North Ryver 800 r. and from ye said Ryver stretching in depth or breadth from ye length aforementioned into ye woods 250 r., conteyning in all by estimation about acres or Margen."
The second patent cautiously avoided the subject of acreage. The tract actually contained about 1300 acres. Along the Hudson River it extended north 800 English rods (13,200 ft.) from the mouth of the stream at 42nd St. to a point midway between 89th and 90th Sts. and backward into the woods 250 rods (4,125 ft.). Its easterly boundary became coincident with the west line of the commons.
Johannes van Brugh, the wealthiest of the patentees, acquired the southerly 150 acres of the land lying along the Great Kill, undoubtedly the most desirable farm. Jan Vinge got 150 acres, more or less, north of Van Brugh's land.
After the 300 acres had been set apart, the remainder of the tract was carefully surveyed and laid off into ten lotSj of about 100 acres each.
The survey was probably made by Capt. James Hubbard of Gravesend. In a petition to Nicolls, March 15, 1667, he is called "Your Excellency's land surveyor Mr. Hubbard." — Riker, Hist, of Harlem, 267.
Each patentee was to have two lots, one equal one fifth of the whole.
The boundary lines of the lots are well defined on the Randel Map and on later property maps. Each lot had a width of 60 English rods (approximately 1,000 feet), and extended from the river to the line of the commons.
Lots I and 2 fell to Jacob Leendertsen van de Grift.
Lots 3 and 4, to Thomas Hall.
Lots 5 and 6, to Johannes Van Brugh.
Lots 7 and 8, to Egbert Wouterse.
Lots 9 and 10, to Jan Vinge.
The allotments to Wouterse a.j\d Vinge have not been absolutely proved from the records. It is possible that Vinge got lots 7 and 8, and that Wouterse got lots 9 and 10. But there are indications that the list is correct.
In the records the lots are not numbered. For convenience, they have been numbered from south to north in this compilation.
Lot I became nearly identical with the John Hopper farm.
Lot 2, with the Cosine farm.
Lots, 3, 4, and 5, with the John Somarindyck farm.
Lot 6, with the Jacob Harsen farm.
Lot 7, with the Teunis Somarindyck farm.
Lots 8, 9, and 10, with the Oliver De Lancey farm.
Maria van Brugh, a daughter of Johannes van Brugh, who owned the 150 acres at the southerly end of the patent, married Stephen Richard, July 23, i6g6. Her son, Paul Richard, was born April 11, 1697. In 1713, the farm was still spoken of as the land of Trintje ver Brugge. (See the R. B. Norton farm.)
James de Lancey and Paul Richard to Joseph Murray. Deed dated June 2, 1744. Not found of record; recited in Lifer Deeds, CLXXXV: 98 (New York).
Conveys "All that certain dwelhng house, messuage or tenement together with the farm land or plantation thereunto belonging, situated and being in the Outward of the City of New York, at or near a place called Great Kills." The rest of this long description follows a survey of which no copy has been found, and is printed in Tuttle, Abstracts of Farm Titles, Vol. III. A protraction of this deed shows that it covered the entire farm, except a small parcel at the north-east corner, at the road, which was purchased from Wolphert Webber to straighten out the north line of the property. This parcel is shown in dotted lines on the map.
Wolphert Webber to Joseph Murray. Deed dated Nov. 19, 1748. Not found of record; recited in Liber Deeds, CLXXXV: 98 (New York).
Conveys a parcel of land bounded north by the straight line of the farm as shown on the map. This deed is interesting because the surveyor's notes give the exact location of Webber's house.
A small parcel of land in the Weylandt patent, which had formed part of the farm of Jacobus van Orden, became vested in Joseph Murray by deeds not found of record. It was included in the deed from the executors of Murray to John Leake. Its south line was almost on the line of 39th St.
Joseph Murray was an eminent lawyer of New York, an ardent royalist, a member of the provincial council until his death. He had married a daughter of Gov. Cosby.
In October, 1753, when Sir Danvers Osborn arrived in New York as governour of the province, he became the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Murray, at their town house on lower Broadway. Mrs. Murray was related to the late Lady Osborn. A week later, Osborn, in a fit of nervous depression, hung himself in Murray's garden. See Chronology, Oct. 6 and 12, 1753.
It is likely that Murray built the house on this country estate that was so long known as "The Hermitage."
Joseph Murray died, April 30, 1757. There is a long obituary in the A^. Y. Post Boy, May 2, 1757. The article recites his virtues, tells of his interment in the chancel of Trinity church, and concludes, "We hear he has generously bequeathed the bulk of his Estate to the Governors of King's College." His hbrary which he left to the college was valued at £8,000.
Will of Joseph Murray, dated April 26, 1757, proved May 2, 1-757. — Liber JVills, XX: 233 (New York), gave power of sale to his executors.
Charles Williams and Thomas Jones, Executors or oseph Murray, to John Leake. Deed dated Nov. ii, 1757. —Liier Deeds, CLXXXV: 98 (New York).
Conveys the premises conveyed to Joseph Murray by the two preceding deeds.
John Leake died seized of the above described premises.
"John Leake, of the Hermitage, in the City and County of New York, Gentleman," as he called himself in his will, left the Hermitage farm to his niece, Martha Norton, for life, with reversion to her son, John Leake Norton. He also left a quaint devise to Trinity Church of "One thousand pounds lawful money . . . to be put out at lawful interest and the annual income thereof to be laid out in six-penny wheaten loaves of bread and distributed on every Sabath day in some part of said church after divine Service in the morning to such poor as to them shall appear most deserving."
"His Excellency, George Clinton, Esquire, the present Governor of the State," and John George Leake were executors of this will which was dated May 7, 1791; proved June 13, i-]r-— Liber Wills, XLI: 18 (New York).
The distribution of the Leake dole of bread is still carried out in accordance with the terms of the will. For more than a century the loaves were distributed at St. John's chapel every Saturday morning. They are now given out at St. Luke's chapel.
John George Leake, who was one of the executors of John Leake's will, was not related to him by blood ties. He was a son of Robert, Leake, "Commissary-general of His Britannic Majesty's forces in America." John George Leake left a large fortune which was devoted to the founding of The Leake and Watts Orphan House. The two men are frequently confused. The story of John George Leake's will is as strange as fiction, but forms no part of the history of this farm. It may be found printed in Paige's Chancery Reports, I: 347, "The Public Administrator of New York vs. Watts and Le Roy."
When Martha Norton died in or about the year 1797, her sons, John Leake Norton and Robert Burrage Norton, inherited adjoining farms. John Leake Norton took the Hermitage farm; his brother, the farm which has always borne the name of the Robert Burrage Norton farm.
A map of "The Hermitage" is in the office of the register of New York. Map No. 24.
The great central area of Manhattan Island was not settled during the Dutch occupation. No grants were made north of the Great Kill on the Hudson River, or of Turtle Bay on the East River, or south of the Harlem line.
Several Dutch patents were issued for lands in Harlem. The most southerly of these was at Rechewanis, Montagnes Point.
It is true that Jan Cornelissen of Rotterdam built a house just north of the Great Kill (No. 14 on the Manatus Maps), but his land reverted to the Dutch government at his death in 1643, and was not regranted until 1667.
In September of that year, Thomas Hall and three associates procured a patent from Gov. NicoUs, which they estimated at 500 acres.
Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Thomas Hall, John Vigne, Egbert Wouters, and Jacob Leenderts. Patent dated Sept. 3, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: 97 (Albany).
Conveys "A Certaine Parcell of Land lying and being upon this Island Manhatans to ye North of ye great Creeke or Kill Stretching alongst by ye North Ryver 500 r. and running in Depth into ye Island 300 r., a lyne being drawn North East it containes in all about 500 acres or 250 Margen."
Just a month later, Johannes van Brugh having joined the syndicate, a new patent superseded the first one.
Richard Nicolls, Governour, etc., to Johannes van Brugh, Thomas Hall, Jan Vigne, Egbert Wouters and Jacob Leendersen. Patent dated Oct. 3, 1667. — Liber Patents, II: III (Albany).
Conveys "A Certaine Tract or Parcell of Land upon this Island Manhatans lying and being to ye North of ye Great Creeke or Kill Stretching in Length from ye said Creeke alongst ye Ryver comonly called and knowne by ye name of Hudsons or ye North Ryver 800 r. and from ye said Ryver stretching in depth or breadth from ye length aforementioned into ye woods 250 r., conteyning in all by estimation about acres or Margen."
The second patent cautiously avoided the subject of acreage. The tract actually contained about 1300 acres. Along the Hudson River it extended north 800 English rods (13,200 ft.) from the mouth of the stream at 42nd St. to a point midway between 89th and 90th Sts. and backward into the woods 250 rods (4,125 ft.). Its easterly boundary became coincident with the west line of the commons.
Johannes van Brugh, the wealthiest of the patentees, acquired the southerly 150 acres of the land lying along the Great Kill, undoubtedly the most desirable farm. Jan Vinge got 150 acres, more or less, north of Van Brugh's land.
After the 300 acres had been set apart, the remainder of the tract was carefully surveyed and laid off into ten lotSj of about 100 acres each.
The survey was probably made by Capt. James Hubbard of Gravesend. In a petition to Nicolls, March 15, 1667, he is called "Your Excellency's land surveyor Mr. Hubbard." — Riker, Hist, of Harlem, 267.
Each patentee was to have two lots, one equal one fifth of the whole.
The boundary lines of the lots are well defined on the Randel Map and on later property maps. Each lot had a width of 60 English rods (approximately 1,000 feet), and extended from the river to the line of the commons.
Lots I and 2 fell to Jacob Leendertsen van de Grift.
Lots 3 and 4, to Thomas Hall.
Lots 5 and 6, to Johannes Van Brugh.
Lots 7 and 8, to Egbert Wouterse.
Lots 9 and 10, to Jan Vinge.
The allotments to Wouterse a.j\d Vinge have not been absolutely proved from the records. It is possible that Vinge got lots 7 and 8, and that Wouterse got lots 9 and 10. But there are indications that the list is correct.
In the records the lots are not numbered. For convenience, they have been numbered from south to north in this compilation.
Lot I became nearly identical with the John Hopper farm.
Lot 2, with the Cosine farm.
Lots, 3, 4, and 5, with the John Somarindyck farm.
Lot 6, with the Jacob Harsen farm.
Lot 7, with the Teunis Somarindyck farm.
Lots 8, 9, and 10, with the Oliver De Lancey farm.
Maria van Brugh, a daughter of Johannes van Brugh, who owned the 150 acres at the southerly end of the patent, married Stephen Richard, July 23, i6g6. Her son, Paul Richard, was born April 11, 1697. In 1713, the farm was still spoken of as the land of Trintje ver Brugge. (See the R. B. Norton farm.)
James de Lancey and Paul Richard to Joseph Murray. Deed dated June 2, 1744. Not found of record; recited in Lifer Deeds, CLXXXV: 98 (New York).
Conveys "All that certain dwelhng house, messuage or tenement together with the farm land or plantation thereunto belonging, situated and being in the Outward of the City of New York, at or near a place called Great Kills." The rest of this long description follows a survey of which no copy has been found, and is printed in Tuttle, Abstracts of Farm Titles, Vol. III. A protraction of this deed shows that it covered the entire farm, except a small parcel at the north-east corner, at the road, which was purchased from Wolphert Webber to straighten out the north line of the property. This parcel is shown in dotted lines on the map.
Wolphert Webber to Joseph Murray. Deed dated Nov. 19, 1748. Not found of record; recited in Liber Deeds, CLXXXV: 98 (New York).
Conveys a parcel of land bounded north by the straight line of the farm as shown on the map. This deed is interesting because the surveyor's notes give the exact location of Webber's house.
A small parcel of land in the Weylandt patent, which had formed part of the farm of Jacobus van Orden, became vested in Joseph Murray by deeds not found of record. It was included in the deed from the executors of Murray to John Leake. Its south line was almost on the line of 39th St.
Joseph Murray was an eminent lawyer of New York, an ardent royalist, a member of the provincial council until his death. He had married a daughter of Gov. Cosby.
In October, 1753, when Sir Danvers Osborn arrived in New York as governour of the province, he became the guest of Mr. and Mrs. Murray, at their town house on lower Broadway. Mrs. Murray was related to the late Lady Osborn. A week later, Osborn, in a fit of nervous depression, hung himself in Murray's garden. See Chronology, Oct. 6 and 12, 1753.
It is likely that Murray built the house on this country estate that was so long known as "The Hermitage."
Joseph Murray died, April 30, 1757. There is a long obituary in the A^. Y. Post Boy, May 2, 1757. The article recites his virtues, tells of his interment in the chancel of Trinity church, and concludes, "We hear he has generously bequeathed the bulk of his Estate to the Governors of King's College." His hbrary which he left to the college was valued at £8,000.
Will of Joseph Murray, dated April 26, 1757, proved May 2, 1-757. — Liber JVills, XX: 233 (New York), gave power of sale to his executors.
Charles Williams and Thomas Jones, Executors or oseph Murray, to John Leake. Deed dated Nov. ii, 1757. —Liier Deeds, CLXXXV: 98 (New York).
Conveys the premises conveyed to Joseph Murray by the two preceding deeds.
John Leake died seized of the above described premises.
"John Leake, of the Hermitage, in the City and County of New York, Gentleman," as he called himself in his will, left the Hermitage farm to his niece, Martha Norton, for life, with reversion to her son, John Leake Norton. He also left a quaint devise to Trinity Church of "One thousand pounds lawful money . . . to be put out at lawful interest and the annual income thereof to be laid out in six-penny wheaten loaves of bread and distributed on every Sabath day in some part of said church after divine Service in the morning to such poor as to them shall appear most deserving."
"His Excellency, George Clinton, Esquire, the present Governor of the State," and John George Leake were executors of this will which was dated May 7, 1791; proved June 13, i-]r-— Liber Wills, XLI: 18 (New York).
The distribution of the Leake dole of bread is still carried out in accordance with the terms of the will. For more than a century the loaves were distributed at St. John's chapel every Saturday morning. They are now given out at St. Luke's chapel.
John George Leake, who was one of the executors of John Leake's will, was not related to him by blood ties. He was a son of Robert, Leake, "Commissary-general of His Britannic Majesty's forces in America." John George Leake left a large fortune which was devoted to the founding of The Leake and Watts Orphan House. The two men are frequently confused. The story of John George Leake's will is as strange as fiction, but forms no part of the history of this farm. It may be found printed in Paige's Chancery Reports, I: 347, "The Public Administrator of New York vs. Watts and Le Roy."
When Martha Norton died in or about the year 1797, her sons, John Leake Norton and Robert Burrage Norton, inherited adjoining farms. John Leake Norton took the Hermitage farm; his brother, the farm which has always borne the name of the Robert Burrage Norton farm.
A map of "The Hermitage" is in the office of the register of New York. Map No. 24.
