Lot
Robert Burrage Norton Farm
Lot Group
Original Grants and Farms
Property Was Used in 1660 For:
Full Stokes Entry (See images below)
THE ROBERT BURRAGE NORTON FARM
Block Check List. 1094-1053-1050-1069-1070-10711090-1094.
In 1640, Hendrick Pietersen sold "his plantation situate against the Reed Valley beyond Sappokanican on the island of Manhate." His farm was just south of the Great Kill. The description applies perfectly to this 80 acre farm north of the stream.
Jan Cornelissen and Hendrick Pietersen built houses north and south of the kill in very early days. The Manatus Maps show them as Nos. 14 and 15. The deep bay that separated them has never been named, although Turtle Bay on the East River was named by the Dutch before 1639.
The Great Kill and the Reed Valley had not changed much when Randel surveyed them and preserved them for us. It is to be regretted that Bernard Ratzer's wonderful topographical map did not extend far enough to embrace this section of the island.
The story of this farm, until it vested in Johannes van Brugh as part of his 150 acre tract, is identical -with the history of the John L. Norton farm.
The heirs of Van Brugh undoubtedly sold to Aernout Webbers. His daughter, Sarah, was the wife of Sybrant Brouwer who held part of this land. (See recitals in Liber Deeds, XXXVII: 748, for the Aernout Webbers family.)
Aernout Webbers and Jannetie, his wife, to John Balme. Deed dated Nov. a, 1713. — L/3erDf^Jj,XXXI 1227 (New York).
Conveys "Two House lots lying and being near the Great Kill, bounded southerly part upon the land of Tryntje Ver Brugge, deceased, part upon the land of Sybrant Brouwer; Northerly on the land of the said Tryntje Ver Brugge, East along the path that goeth down to Sapocanica as far as to the Turnouts, and West to Hudson's River or North River aforesaid. And also one half or moiety of the meadow belonging to me the said Aernout Webbers, lying and being along the North side of the Great Kill, and so far northerly as it extends meadow."
John Balme, Gentleman, to Matthias Hopper, formerly of Hackinsack in the county of Bergen in New Jersey, yeoman. Deed dated Aug. 13, 1714. — Liber Deeds, XXXI: 230 (New York).
Conveys same as preceding deed.
Oct. 17, 1778, one Matthew Hopper made a will devising the tract of land known by the name of the Great Kills to his three sons, John, Matthew and William Hopper. This will was proved Nov. I, 1779. — Liber Wills, XXXII: 144 (New York). This testator could hardly have been the Matthias Hopper of 1714; probably a son of that Matthias Hopper.
Matthew and William Hopper mortgaged the farm to their brother, John, Feb. 7, 1785, for £250. It was then in the possession of one James Polsine (Paulison?) — Liher Miges., IV: 27 (New York).
Before the next deed was executed, WiUiam Hopper and John Hopper seem to have conveyed their interest in the farm to their brother, Matthew Hopper.
Matthew Hopper to John Leake. Deed dated Dec. 18, \-]%(>.— Liber Deeds, CXCIV: 352 (New York).
Conveys "All that certain farm or plantation . . . commonly called and known by the name of Great Kills, now in the occupation of the said Mathew Hopper . . . containing 80 acres of land or thereabouts."
By the will of John Leake this farm was devised to his niece, Martha Norton, for life. With reversion to her second son, Robert Burrage Norton after her death. Mrs. Norton died about 1797. The will of John Leake is set forth with the history of the J. L. Norton farm.
Robert Burrage Norton died seized of this farm. By his will dated Feb. 18, 1805; proved March 11, 1805 (Liber Wills, XLV: 404, New York), he devised the house "now occupied by Mr. James Seton," with five acres of land, to his son, James Clinton Norton. The house stood on a rocky knoll north of the bay and the mouth of the Great Kill. From the Manatus Maps it would seem that Jan Cornelissen 's house occupied that same situation. Robert Burrage Norton's will calls this farm "The Hermitage." The name has never been found applied to the farm in the records.
Further title history of this farm, showing the partition of the property between the heirs of Norton, will be found in Tuttle, Abstracts of Farm Titles, Vol. III.
Block Check List. 1094-1053-1050-1069-1070-10711090-1094.
In 1640, Hendrick Pietersen sold "his plantation situate against the Reed Valley beyond Sappokanican on the island of Manhate." His farm was just south of the Great Kill. The description applies perfectly to this 80 acre farm north of the stream.
Jan Cornelissen and Hendrick Pietersen built houses north and south of the kill in very early days. The Manatus Maps show them as Nos. 14 and 15. The deep bay that separated them has never been named, although Turtle Bay on the East River was named by the Dutch before 1639.
The Great Kill and the Reed Valley had not changed much when Randel surveyed them and preserved them for us. It is to be regretted that Bernard Ratzer's wonderful topographical map did not extend far enough to embrace this section of the island.
The story of this farm, until it vested in Johannes van Brugh as part of his 150 acre tract, is identical -with the history of the John L. Norton farm.
The heirs of Van Brugh undoubtedly sold to Aernout Webbers. His daughter, Sarah, was the wife of Sybrant Brouwer who held part of this land. (See recitals in Liber Deeds, XXXVII: 748, for the Aernout Webbers family.)
Aernout Webbers and Jannetie, his wife, to John Balme. Deed dated Nov. a, 1713. — L/3erDf^Jj,XXXI 1227 (New York).
Conveys "Two House lots lying and being near the Great Kill, bounded southerly part upon the land of Tryntje Ver Brugge, deceased, part upon the land of Sybrant Brouwer; Northerly on the land of the said Tryntje Ver Brugge, East along the path that goeth down to Sapocanica as far as to the Turnouts, and West to Hudson's River or North River aforesaid. And also one half or moiety of the meadow belonging to me the said Aernout Webbers, lying and being along the North side of the Great Kill, and so far northerly as it extends meadow."
John Balme, Gentleman, to Matthias Hopper, formerly of Hackinsack in the county of Bergen in New Jersey, yeoman. Deed dated Aug. 13, 1714. — Liber Deeds, XXXI: 230 (New York).
Conveys same as preceding deed.
Oct. 17, 1778, one Matthew Hopper made a will devising the tract of land known by the name of the Great Kills to his three sons, John, Matthew and William Hopper. This will was proved Nov. I, 1779. — Liber Wills, XXXII: 144 (New York). This testator could hardly have been the Matthias Hopper of 1714; probably a son of that Matthias Hopper.
Matthew and William Hopper mortgaged the farm to their brother, John, Feb. 7, 1785, for £250. It was then in the possession of one James Polsine (Paulison?) — Liher Miges., IV: 27 (New York).
Before the next deed was executed, WiUiam Hopper and John Hopper seem to have conveyed their interest in the farm to their brother, Matthew Hopper.
Matthew Hopper to John Leake. Deed dated Dec. 18, \-]%(>.— Liber Deeds, CXCIV: 352 (New York).
Conveys "All that certain farm or plantation . . . commonly called and known by the name of Great Kills, now in the occupation of the said Mathew Hopper . . . containing 80 acres of land or thereabouts."
By the will of John Leake this farm was devised to his niece, Martha Norton, for life. With reversion to her second son, Robert Burrage Norton after her death. Mrs. Norton died about 1797. The will of John Leake is set forth with the history of the J. L. Norton farm.
Robert Burrage Norton died seized of this farm. By his will dated Feb. 18, 1805; proved March 11, 1805 (Liber Wills, XLV: 404, New York), he devised the house "now occupied by Mr. James Seton," with five acres of land, to his son, James Clinton Norton. The house stood on a rocky knoll north of the bay and the mouth of the Great Kill. From the Manatus Maps it would seem that Jan Cornelissen 's house occupied that same situation. Robert Burrage Norton's will calls this farm "The Hermitage." The name has never been found applied to the farm in the records.
Further title history of this farm, showing the partition of the property between the heirs of Norton, will be found in Tuttle, Abstracts of Farm Titles, Vol. III.
