THE TOWN
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Yonkers is situated on the east bank of the Hudson, immediately above New York Island, seventeen miles north of New York, one hundred and thirty south of Albany, and ten south-west of W/iiie Plains; bounded north by Greenburgh, east by Eastchester and a small angle of Westchester, or by Bronx's River, south by West Farms and New York county, and west by the Hudson River. It extends near eight miles along the Hudson, and has a medial width of near three miles.
The name of this town -- at different periods written, Younkers, Younckcrs, Jonkers and Yonkers -- is derived from the Dutch "Jonker," or " Jonkheer," meaning in that language the '■'■young ge7itk?nan" a com- 'mon appellation for the heir of a Dutch family. «
Yonkers and the Mile Square constituted a township within the great manor of Philipsburgh, until the year 1779, Avhen the manor was confiscated and conveyed to the people of this State, A.D. 1788, the present township was independently organized.^ Thirty years after the Dutch discovery of the New Netherlands, A.D. 1639, we find the Dutch West India Company purchasing lands in this town of the native Indian sachems : --
" Appeared before me, Cornells Tan Tienhoven, Secretary of the New Netberlaiidi!, Frequemeck, Rechgawac. Packanuicns, owners of Kekeshick. which they *Ji(l freely convey, cede, ice, &.C., to the behoof of the General Incorporated West India Company, which Hc3 over against the flats of tlie Island of Manliates, mostly east and west, beginning at the source of said kill till over against the