Home / Scharf, J. Thomas, ed. History of Westchester County, New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I. Philadelphia: L.E. Preston & Co., 1886. / Passage

History of Westchester County, New York, Vol. I

Scharf, J. Thomas, ed. History of Westchester County, New York, including Morrisania, Kings Bridge, and West Farms, which have been annexed to New York City, Vol. I. Philadelphia: L.E. Preston & Co., 1886. 324 words

The only record in connection with Scarsdale pertaining to this member of the family is that of his death, showing that Samuel Drake, son of Joseph Drake, of East Chester, " died at the Fox Meadows in 1774, aged seventy-five years." The present head of the family in Scarsdale is the venerable Elias G. Drake, now in his eighty-si.xth year, having been born just before the close of the last century, December 9, 1799. Mr. Drake is the great-grandson of Benjamin Drake, a brother of the Samuel just mentioned, and settled within the town about thirty years ago. Although of late years not taking an active part in town politics, he has figured in many of the older records as the holder of various offices in the town.

Another of the prominent families of the town in former days were the Varians, of Huguenot descent, who occupied the house now known as the " Wayside Cottage " just north of the Popham estate. Of this

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HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

family, the first of tlie name in tliis countiy was Isaac Varian, who " appears as a butcher in the city of New York in the year 1720, located in the ' Old Slip ' market." He was admitted as a " freeman " of the city of New Y'ork January 23, 1733. In 1737-38 he was a member of the military company of Captain Cornelius Van Home. He accumulated considerable property and died at his residence in Bowery Lane, about the year 1800. He left five sous, of whom three -- James, Richard and Michael -- were ardent patriots and warmly espoused the Revolutionary cause. Of these, however, only James and Michael appear to have been identified with Scarsdale. In the " Book of the Varian Family " the following record is given of these members: "James Varian, second son of Isaac, born in New York City, January 10, 1734; died Scarsdale, N.