In Search of Teatown — Origin of the Name

Source: https://www.crotonfriendsofhistory.org/in-search-of-teatown

Historian Lincoln Diamant investigated Teatown's etymology in the 1970s. Local tradition suggested the name derived from an English village, but a British Museum librarian confirmed in 1831: "I have made a search of the various gazetteers, old and new, and have failed to discover any place in Britain bearing this name."

The true origin: a Revolutionary War-era incident. During the 1770s, tea drinking was politically proscribed as unpatriotic, yet many women secretly desired the forbidden beverage. By summer 1776, tea had become scarce inland. Merchants hoarded supplies anticipating price increases. The pivotal event occurred after the Battle of White Plains. John Arthur, a former New York grocer, relocated to Westchester County near present-day New Castle, bringing merchandise including Bohea tea. Approximately thirty women on horseback assembled from Dobbs Ferry, Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, and Sing Sing, led by Jonas Orser's wife. Arthur directed them along a circuitous route while he rushed home to prepare defenses.