Hyatt, Joseph
John M. McDonald interview — 1847-10-22
Joseph Hyatt (1787-1848) recalls the location of several houses in the vicinity of Pines Bridge. (A note placed by John Macdonald indicates that an interview with Samuel Chadeayne contradicts Hyatt’s statement.) Hyatt then describes the location of Vail’s Ford, which British Colonel Banastre Tarleton used during his raid on Crompond on June 24, 1779. Hyatt supposes that British Major John André and Joshua Hett Smith took breakfast at the home of the Widow Griffen on the morning of September 23, 1780 (this is incorrect, as they took their meal at the home of William Underhill). Hyatt concludes his interview by discussing the murder of Isaac Smith, Deputy Sheriff of Westchester County, by John Ryer, a Loyalist, outside a tavern in present-day Bronx County on May 17, 1792. Hyatt states that his father, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, captured Ryer in Montreal, Canada. There, Samuel Kipp, who had served as a captain in DeLancey’s Refugees, led a party that attempted to rescue Ryer, but the British government provided an escort for Hyatt’s father to bring Ryer back to the United States.
Manuscript page facsimiles
High-resolution images served from the Westchester County Historical Society's IIIF endpoint. Click any page to view full size.
Transcription
October 22d Joseph Hyatt, of Pines Bridge: "During the Revolutionary war there were two ancient low houses near Pines Bridge, one on either side of the river*. [marg: * Mr. Chaddeayn says there was none on the north side of the river — J. M. M.] André may have stopped at the one on the north side. (?) The widow Budd was on the south side.
Vail's ford was situated about four miles or more east of Pines Bridge (about four and a half miles exactly). The road which now runs directly north from the Ford is modern, but a mile north of the Ford is a road which runs north west, west, and then a little south very crooked which comes out into the Crompond and Pines Bridge Road about a quarter of a mile south of Samuel Delavan's house. This, I think, is the road Tarlton took, June 24th 1779.
I think it must have been the Widow Griffen's where Andre and Smith took break fast. I think
she was a Dutch woman.
Aunt Jenny Montross must recollect a good deal of the Revolutionary war, I will speak to her.
When Isaac Smith was killed, a reward was offered for Ryer's apprehension My father (who had been a Lieut. in Van Cortlandt's regiment) pursued him to Montreal where he was concealed. Capt. Samuel Kip who [interl: was] living there took Ryer's part and opposed my father, but the British government furnished him with an escort. Captain Kipp with a strong party of his friends armed themselves for a rescue, but my father with the governor's assistance escaped with his prisoner."
Where was Ryer executed?