SOMERS is situated twenty miles north of the village of White Plains, distant fifty miles from New York, and one hundred and twenty from Albany, bounded north by Dutchess county, east by North Salem and Lewisborough, south by Bedford and New Castle, and west by Yorktown.

Prior to the year 1788 Somers formed a part of the township of Hanover, within Cortlandt's manor. Upon the 7th of March, 1788, it was independently organized under the title of Stephentown, a name adopted out of compliment to Stephen van Cortlandt, one of its principal proprietors. The present name was bestowed, A. D. 1808, in honor, it is said, of Captain Somers, one of the gallant heroes of the Tripolitan war. This individual terminated a short but brilliant career in the bay of Tripoli.

The name of Somers, (says Mr. Silliman,) the twin brother in arms of Decatur, shines brightly in the history of American warfare; and the last desperate action which terminated his short and brilliant career with his life, is stamped in colors so indelible, that nothing but the destroying finger of time can efface it from its pages. After a severe and continued fighting before Tripoli, the Turkish flotilla withdrew within the mole, and could not be induced to venture themselves beyond the guns of the Tripolitan battery. The ketch Intrepid was fitted out as a fire-ship, filled to the decks with barrels of gunpowder, shells, pitch, and other combustible materials; and Capt. Somers, with a volunteer crew, undertook the hazardous, almost desperate, task of navigating her in the darkness of the night into the middle of the Turkish flotilla, when the train was to be fired and they were to make their escape as they best could in her boats. Lieutenants Wadsworth and Israel were the only officers allowed to join the expedition, which was composed of a small

crew of picked men. The Intrepid was escorted as far as pru. dent by three vessels of the squadron, who hove to, to avoid suspicion, and to be ready to pick up the boats upon their return; the Constitution under easy sail in the offing.

Many a brave heart could almost hear its own pulsations in those vessels, as she became more and more indistinct and gradually disappeared in the distance. They watched for some time with intense anxiety, when a heavy cannonade was opened from the Turkish batteries, which, by its flashes, discovered the ketch determinedly progressing on her deadly errand. She was slowly and surely making for the entrance of the mole, when the whole atmosphere suddenly blazed as if into open day. The mast with all its sails shot high up in the air; shells whizzed, rocket-like, exploding in every direction; a deafening roar followed, and all sunk again into the deepest pitchy darkness. The Americans waited-waited-in anxious-at last sickening suspense. Their companions came not-the hours rolled onno boat hailed-no oar splashed in the surrounding darkness. The east grew gray with the dawn-the sun shone brightly above the horizon, nought but a few shattered vessels lying near the shore-the flotilla-the batteries-and the minarets of Tripoli gilded by the morning sunbeams, met their gaze. Those noble spirits had written their history. Whether consigned to eternity by a shot of the enemy, prematurely exploding the magazine, or from the firing of the train by their own hands, must always remain untold and unknown."a

The U. S. brig Somers, lost in a gale off Vera Cruz, January, 1847, was also named after this young hero.

Under the Mohegan Indians, Somerstown formed an appendage to the great territory of Amaghpogh or Ammawalk. In 1699 a deed for this tract was executed by Sachima Wicker, the chief of the Kightawonck tribe, (within whose limits Amagh pogh was comprehended,) to Stephanus van Cortlandt.

The principal Indian settlement appears to have stood upon

a Silliman's Gallop among American Scenery.

the summit of a rocky ridge bordering the Croton river, on the lands of Gerard Crane, Esq. Indian lodges also occupied the higher grounds and adorned the romantic banks of the numerous streams intersecting this town. In the woods of Ray Tompkins, Esq., situated upon the east side of Angle Fly brook, are yet visible the remains of Indian habitations. The Indian burying ground lies near Wood's bridge, at the junction of Plum brook and Croton river. This beautiful portion of Westchester county, so highly diversified with hills and dales was once covered with extensive forests, abounding with every species of wild game. Deer were numerous here as late as 1780, and wolves, though rare, were not extinct at that period. The Indians, for the better purpose of hunting the large herds of deer that roamed through these forests, annually burnt the higher grounds. "This practice (says Vanderdonck,) is named by us and the Indians, ‘bushburning,' which is done for several reasons; first, to render hunting easier, as the bush and vegetable growth renders the walking difficult for the hunter, and the crackling of the dry substances betrays him and frightens away the game. Secondly, to thin out and clear the woods of all dead substances and grass, which grow better the ensuing spring. Thirdly, to circumscribe and enclose the game within the lines of the fire, when it is more easily taken, and also because the game is more easily tracked over the burned parts of the woods. The bush burning presents a grand and sublime appearance. On seeing it from without, we would imagine that not only the dry leaves, vegetables and limbs would be burnt, but that the whole woods would be consumed where the fire passes, for it frequently spreads and rages with such violence, that it is awful to behold," &c. The last burning remembered by the oldest inhabitant took place on the high ridge cast of Primrose street.

By the royal patent to Stephanus van Cortlandt in 1697, it will be seen that he enjoyed the sole right of hunting deer within the forests of Cortlandt, a privilege usually conceded to the Ranger of the county.b

N. Y. Hist. Collect. 2d series, vol. i. t See Cortlandt town, vol. i. 46.

The deep seclusion of the woods bordering Plumb brook afforded an agreeable haunt to the beaver, and here these industrious animals had constructed an extensive dam which long survived their existence.

Upon the partition of the manor of Cortlandt among the heirs of the Hon. Stephanus van Cortlandt in the year 1734, the following allotments were made in this town; north lot, No. 5, Mrs. Margaret Bayard; ditto No. 6, Philip van Cortlandt; ditto, No. 7, Andrew Johnston; part of north lot No. 8, Mr. Miller; south lot, No. 5, Stephen de Lancey; ditto No. 6, Stephen van Cortlandt; ditto half of lot No. 7, Stephen van Cortlandt; part of south lot No. 9, Mrs. Susannah Warren; ditto, No. 10, Stephen de Lancey; this lot has since been annexed to the town of New Castle by an act of the legislature, passed in 1846. Subsequent to the above division, we find the heirs of Stephanus van Cortlandt disposing of their respective rights in the same. On the 4th of June, 1760, Samuel Bayard granted to Hachaliah Brown, gentleman, of the town of Rye, "all that tract of land being in the northernmost part of the manor of Cortlandt, bounded north by the dividing line of Dutchess and Westchester, to the line of Philips's upper patent, west by lot of Andrew Johnston, south by bounds of Samuel Brown and east by Croton river."

In the year 1762, Andrew Johnston conveyed to Hachaliah Brown, "all that lot of land, situate, lying and being in lot No. 6, east range, and being part of north lot No. 7, at Plum brook, consisting of two hundred and thirty acres,b

It appears that Andrew Johnston did also in his lifetime, by a certain indenture bearing date, 20th March, 1762, lease to John Hampstead a certain lot of land, lying and being at Plum brook, in the manor of Cortlandt, known by the name of farm No. 4, west range, and is part of great lot No. 7. The same was again

■ Co. Rec. Lib. I. 61. Upon the 17th of June, 1760, Hachaliah Brown of Rys, conveyed the same to his eldest son, Hachaliah Brown, Jun. The property is still vested in their descendants.

b Co. Rec. Lib. I. 66.