Equally esteemed and confided in by the governments of James as duke and king, and by William and Mary in the troublous times in which he lived, and sustained by all the governors, even though, as in Bellomont's case, they did not like him personally, no skill, and integrity." of his greater He died proof on thecould 25th beof adduced November, 1700.ability, Under date of November 10, 1077, Yan Cortlandt received from Governor Andros a license authorizing him to acquire such lands " on the east side of Hudson's River " as " have not yet been pur-

HISTORY

WESTCHESTER

COUNTY

chased of the Indyan proprietors," " payment whereof to be made publicly at the Fort or City Hall." He did riot begin to avail himself of this privilege, however, until six years later, when (August 24, 16S3) he bought from seven Indians, " in consideration of the sum of twelve pounds and several other merchandises," what is known as Verplanck's Point (called by the Indians Meanagh, whence the present local name of Meahagh), together with an adjacent tract of running eastward, called Appamapogh. The general situation Being " follows: as deed the in is described the purchase thus made on the east side of the Hudson River, at the entering in of the Highlands, just over against Haverstraw." Van Cortlandt purchased Earlier in the same year (July 13, 1683) from the Haverstraw Indians a tract of about fifteen hundred acres on the west side of the Hudson, " directly opposite to the promontory of Anthonv's Nose and north of the Dunderberg Mountain, forming the depression or valley through the upper part of which, m capthe Revolutionary War, Sir Henry Clinton came down and tured Forts Clinton and Montgomery." The territory below Verplanck's Point, extending to the mouth of the Croton River, was originally bought from the Indians in part by one Cornelius Van Bursum, of New York City, and in part by of the Governor Dongan.