Lyon, Samuel, 1764-1856
John M. McDonald interview — 1845-09-23
Samuel Lyon (1764-1856) of Yonkers begins his interview by recounting a skirmish that took place in Tarrytown and present-day Sleepy Hollow and Irvington on September 4, 1781. He also discusses the murder of Isaac Martling in Tarrytown by Loyalist Nathaniel Underhill on May 26, 1779 (not January 30, 1770 as mentioned in the interview). Martling’s tombstone, damaged and no longer legible, is located in the Old Dutch Burying Ground adjoining the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow. Lyon concludes by noting that Samuel Youngs had a sister interred near Martling’s grave.
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Transcription
172 1845. 37. him of it tho he begged hard. They shot him and cut his body in pieces. The reason assigned for his barbarity was that he had burnt the dwellings and barns belonging to some of the Refugees, and had attempted to set fire to Colonel DeLancey's."
September 23. Samuel Lyon of Yonkers. "When we pursued the Cowboys (September 4. 1781) we first discovered them from the hill near the Old Dutch Church. They were then passing (on the road by) near Andrés great white wood tree. We held a Council of war and determined to attack them on the level ground just below Tarrytown, but they got near where Irving now stands before we could attack them."
Capt. Isaac Martling was killed at Tarrytown (on 30th of January 1770 probably) by Nathaniel Underhill
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173 1845. 38. His tomb stone is on the east side of the old Dutch Church burying ground will show the time of his death. Saml Young had a sister interred very near.
Monday, Sept. 25. Jonathan Keeler of Harrison's Purchase, Clapp's Corner. "I am a native of Ridgefield, Connecticut, and remember very well Tryon's expedition to Danbury. I had a brother in that affair. I was of the age of twelve when the war began. On their retreat the British encamped for the night a little south of the Congregational Church in Ridgefield. The soldiers were so exhausted by the long march and by two successive nights of watchfulness that the sentries divided, sleep soon after being posted. The next day there was militia enough to have taken Tryon's force, but these were in a state of insubordination, there being no