The Hunter family is originally from the County of AjTshire, Scotland; two houses of that name having existed in that country, for many centuries. " The surname," says Robertson, " is obviously derived from the chase, before the use of ftxed family names, as at present. Thus Johne le Hunter, de la Forester de Paisley; the Hunter of Stragrife, appears in the Seoitish rolls." The great-grandfather of the present proprietor was Robert Hunter, of Armagh County, Ireland, whose ancestor emigrated thither from Scotland, circ, the beginning of the seventeenth century.

The estate of Rockfield, on the south, is the property of John M. Furman. The views of the water from this place are of a beautiful description. In the immediate vicinity are located the residences of Lawrence Waterbury and Lorillard Spencer. In close vicinity is Bayside, the Harlem River Railroad depot for this section of Westchester a AleiiiurauJuni of conirersatiDn ; with .VbraUaai I. Unci rluil, of Yorktos\-u,

414 HISTORY OF THE COL^-^Y OF WESTCHESTER.

This portion of Throckmorton's Neck, together with Dorman's Island formerly constituted the old Bayard estate, as noticed in the early part of this town.

One of the most ancient and noble families of the County of Dauphing in France, is that of Bayard ; and well have those who have sprun^ from it maintained the honor of their house. For at the battle of Poictiers, the great-great grand-father of Pierre Bayard, the good knight without fear and without reproach, fell by the side of the French King John. At the battle of Agincourt, was slain his great-grand-father; his grandfather was left on the field of Montlerey with six mortal wounds, not to speak of lesser ones ; and at the battle of Guignegaste, his father was so severely wounded, that he was never afterwards able to leave his house, where he died at the age of eighty."