NYGenWeb Putnam County,NY -- History, Chap XXII
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NYGenWeb Putnam County, New York
History of Putnam County

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Chapter XXII
Town of Southeast

     The cemetery at Doansburg is generally known as the "Sears Burying Ground," from its being near the farm and homestead of Archibald Sears, who was during a long life a well known citizen of the town. The ground was a part of the estate of Frederick Philipse, and was given by him for burial purposes. In the field book of survey of Lot 8, of Philipse Patent, it is described: "Begins at the middle of the road leading from Archibald Sears to Lyman Sherwoods, and the N. E. corner of Robert Penney, thence N. 5o W. 7 chains 60 links along the middle of the road; thence S. 32-3/4 W. S. 74 along another road and turnpike leading to Sing Sing; thence S. 87o E. 5.60 along said Sears and Penney to the beginning, containing 2 acres 8 rods; deed of gift."
     Within this enclosure rest the early settlers of the neighborhood, and six minister of the parish have found here their last home. Many of the inscriptions are growing illegible, and to preserve them seems a duty not to be neglected. The oldest tombstone is erected to the memory of the wife of Rev. Elisha Kent, and a copy is given in the sketch of the church history:
Thomas Paddock, died June 11th, 1799, age, 77;
Mary, wife, July 8th, 1778, 55;
Peter Paddock, April 10th, 1760, 63;
Sarah wife, Oct. 22d, 1776, 80;
Peter Chapman, Oct. 8th, 176, 33;
David Crosby, Nov. 16th, 1816, 79;
Bethia, wife, July 2d, 1776, 41;
Thomas Chapman, June 6th, 1827, 68;
Samuel Lawrence, Nov. 10th, 1831, 84;
Thankful, wife, Aug. 30th, 1811, 52;
James Paddock, Aug. 9th, 1761, 67;
Dr. Stephen C. Barnum, Aug. 11th, 1849, 60;
Clarrissa, wife, May 14th, 1834, 40;
Hannah, wife, April 14th, 1861, 66;
Peter Crosby, Nov. 9th, 1831, 68;
Ruth, wife, July 31st, 1830, 67;
Zebulon Crane, Aug. 17th, 1848, 60;
Weltha, wife, Sept. 6th, 1860, 71;
Zebulon Crane, Dec. 31st, 1814, 68;
Hannah, wife of Nathan Gray, 1789, 78;
Charles C. Crosby, Nov. 1848, 51;
Jane, wife, Dec. 9th, 1857, 64;
Nehemiah Jones, Dec. 18th, 1805, 71;
Peter Hall, July 2d, 1795, 75;
Abigail Hall, 86;
Thomas Sears, April 26th, 1804, 59;
Deborah, wife, Sept. 13th, 1828, 79;
James Foster, Aug. 18th, 1814, 81;
Bathsheba, wife, Sept. 12th, 1820, 72;
Thankful, wife, July 2th, 1772, 31;
Edmond Foster, Esq., May 5th, 1845,77;
Sarah, wife, March 1st, 1847, 77;
Ruth Doane, Sept. 30th, 1801, 69;
john Raymond, Feb. 15th, 1829, 85;
Mary, wife, July 27th, 1787, 40;
Stephen Waring, Jan. 22d, 1815, 43;
John Waring, Feb. 17th, 1809, 73;
John Waring, jr., April 15th, 1812, 43;
Joanna Waring, April 28th, 1779, 48;
Susannah Waring, Aug. 10th, 1837, 76;
Stephen Paddock, May 2d, 1832, 82,
Joanna Williams, April 5th, 1867, 87;
Mary Waring, Dec. 13th, 1839, 89;
Susan E. Williams, Oct. 25th, 1872, 60;
Elnathan Doane, Aug. 13th, 1806, 59;
Phebe, wife, June 10th, 1788, 32;
Elnathan Doane, Nov. 11th, 1845, 53;
Edmond Doane, July 6th, 1825, 49;
Demas Doane, July 23d, 1830, 44;
Roxanna, wife, June 7th, 1838, 45;
Mr. Ezekiel Burgis, Feb. 16th, 1784, 79;
Sarah, wife, Dec. 18th, 1774, -;
Simeon Perry, Sept. 8th, 1853, 94;
Ebenezer Perry, May 2d, 1862, 63;
Rd. Daniel Reed, Feb. 6, 1854, 83;
Sarah, wife, Oct. 22d, 1856, 79;
Archibald Penney, Oct. 1st, 1840, 67;
Henrietta, wife, Dec. 15th, 1854, 69;
Robert Penney, April 28th, 1836, 60;
William Penney, jr., Aug. 8th, 1807, 65;
Sarah, wife, March 23d, 1814, 74;
Capt. John Penney, Sept. 27th, 1826, 69;
Desire Crosby, wife, June 5th, 1849, 90;
Capt. Azor Barnum, Sept. 9th, 1807, 61;
Azor Barnum, jr., April 28th, 1816, 71;
Sally, wife, Oct. 13th, 1803, 17;
Eli Crosby, Nov. 22d, 1827, 78;
Jonathan Barnum, Oct. 7th, 1843, 83;
Judge Stephen Barnum, July 12th, 1825, 64;
Maj. Joshua Barnum, jr., June 4th, 1818, 53;
Thankful, wife, Nov. 30th, 1841, 73;
William Penney, Feb. 21st, 1786, 70;
Capt. Joshua Barnum, oct. 23d, 1822, 85;
Adah, wife, April 1th, 1810, 73;
Moses Crosby, July 2d, 1821, 66;
Abner Crosby, May 5th, 1813, 67;
Ruth, wife, Oct. 1st, 1816, 67;
David Crosby, Oct. 20th, 1793, 85;
Reliance, wife, Feb. 25th, 1788, 75;
Dea. Elkanah Young, May 20th, 1809, 59;
Huldah, wife, Feb. 14th, 1830, 73;
Samuel Bangs, March 1st, 1787, 64;
John Bangs, March 30th, 1784, 35;
Hannah, wife, Oct. 29th, 1758, 33;
Elihu Gage, Aug. 14th, 1802, 76;
Grace, Feb. 24th, 1814, 78;
Rebecca, wife of Thomas Gage, Dec. 5th, 1759, 53;
Mercy, wife of Theodorus Crosby, Aug. 20th, 1811, 70;
Oliver, son of Henry Hoyt, April 29th, 1792, 2;
Lydia, wife of Joshua Crosby, Sept. 10th, 1781, 67;
Hannah, daughter of Joshua Crosby, March, 1757, 13;
Naomai, daughter of Capt. Burgis, March 1st, 1784, 22.
     The Sears farm, which lies directly opposite to the burying ground and a part of which is on the north side of the road, is probably the one owned by Zebulon Bass, in 1766. It was sold to Archibald Sears, July 17th, 1815, by Frederick Philipse. The land to the east of the Oblong line, and adjoining the homestead, is part of Oblong Lot No. 10. The north part of this lot seems to have belonged to the Crosby family from the earliest times, and was probably first owned by Joshua Crosby in 1749.
     East of Doansburg, on the east bank of the Croton River is a locality known as De Forest's Corners. This derived its name from David L. De Forest, a prominent citizen of former times. He was one of the builders of the church in 1794. He died November 26th, 1819, at the age of 57. He was a liberal supporter of the church and left a thousand dollars to it in his will. His home was a large brick house still standing here, and owned by some of his descendants.
     On the west bank of the Croton, to the north of the road from Doansburg, is the original homestead of the Barnum family. The ancestor of this family was Capt. Joshua Barnum, who came from the town of Danbury, Conn., and settled here. This farm is a part of Lot 12 on the Oblong, and remains in the possession of his descendants. About a mile west of the church at Doansburg is the farm which, at the close of the last century, was owned by Peter Crosby, who was a prominent citizen. Owing to financial difficulties, the farm was sold at sheriff's sale, to Edmund Doane, May 2d, 1821, and by him to William K. Comstock, May 3d. It was sold May 10th, 1824, to Samuel Brewster, and is now owned by his son, Frederick D. Brewster.
     The ancient division line between Lot 9 of the Philipse Patent, which belonged to Roger Morris and his wife, and Lot 8, which belonged to Philipse Philipse, runs just south of Doansburg. The east corner is, as the old survey states, on the Oblong line on the " west side of a rocky hill." This point is 15 chains and 40 links east of the road, and from this place the line runs west and is the dividing line between the homestead and farm of Lyman Sherwood on the north, and the house and farm of Benjamin Foster on the south. The line is about one quarter of a mile south of the burying ground. Beyond this it forms the boundary between the farms of Frederick Brewster on the north, and Mrs. Robert Newman on the south. To the west of the road on Brewster Hill, it runs across the farm of Morgan Townsend. Here the line crosses Lake Tonetta (south of the middle) and can be distinctly traced to the west. At the Tilly Foster Mine, it forms the line between Theodore Kelly on the north, and the estate of Theodore Reed on the south, and is the north boundary of the land belonging to the Tilly Foster mine Company.
     The line crosses the reservoir at the east end of the bridge, and forms the north boundary of the school house lot in District No. 10. Beyond this a line of stone wall extends to the west corner of the two lots, on the town line of Carmel, which is the east line of Lot No. 6 in the Philipse Patent. At this point stands a walnut tree, which may have sprung from the root of the one mentioned in the original survey, which is described as "standing on the south side of a hill near an old meeting house." The land on both sides of the line is owned by Elijah Fowler.


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