Description
[Thomas Burroughs, Brinley Sylvester and Mary Burroughs Sylvester] Manuscript Map from 1718 of Zebrowski-Morahan Demarest Kill Park in Rockland County New York Signed by Owners Brinley Sylvester and Joel Burroughs
Manuscript, ink on paper. 13 in x 16 ¼ in. One sheet of watermarked laid paper with vertical chain lines and the famous “Pro Patria” watermark with the enthroned Maid of Dort behind a circular fence with a crowned rampant Lion of Holland, holding a sheaf of arrows in its left paw and a drawn sword in its right paw. This watermark was of Dutch origin to commemorate the liberation of the Netherlands from Spain in 1648. The text is below the manuscript surveyor’s map on the same sheet. The annotation, “Mr. Sylvester Draft of Land Up N[orth] River,” now known as the Hudson River, is written on the verso. The sheet shows sixteen letter-folds, with a few fold separations without loss of map image or text. Both Brinley Sylvester and Joel Burroughs signed their respective names on their respective equal shares of the tract of land divided between them. Brinley Sylvester claimed his wife’s inheritance from her father, Thomas Burroughs, for her and in his name as her husband. Margaret Sylvester’s signature appears as a witness. She was Brinley Sylvester’s mother. Brinley Sylvester also fills in his name in two places on the document, as well as the day of the month the document was signed, the 14th of February 1718. This document proves Brinley Sylvester and Mary Burroughs were already married by February 14, 1718. It was previously thought they had married in December of 1718. The original Dutch and indigenous people’s place names appear on the manuscript map as they were in common usage at the time the surveyor drew it.
Text of the document:
“Whereas Thomas Burroughs Late of the City of New York Deceased did by his Last Will and Testament bearing the date the Eighteenth day of August in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and three Give devise and Bequeath unto his younger Son Joel Burroughs and his younger Daughter Mary Burroughs (Since intermarried with Brinley Sylvester) all his the said Thomas Burroughs’s Tract of Land Situate in Orange County within the Colony of New York near a Place called Quaspeck [Quassaic, today] to the heirs and assigns of the said Joel and Mary equally to be divided between them. Now in order for dividing of the said Land and ascertaining to each their Respective Shares thereof They the said Joel Burroughs of the one part and the said Brinley Sylvester and Mary his said wife on the other part Do hereby mutually agree for them and their heirs and assigns respectively that a Line Shall Be Run nearly East and West (as is described by the prict [dotted] Line in the above Draft) from Quaspeck Pond to Demarees Kill [Demarest Kill, today] So as to Leave an Equal Number of Acres on each Side of itt which Said Line of Division So to be Run as above said Shall be the Line of Division on the Said Parteys [sic] and their respective Heirs and Assigns forever the part of the said Joel and his heirs and assigns to be on the North Side of the said Line Mary and her Heirs and assigns to be on the south side of the said Line and the part of the said Mary and her Heirs and assigns to be on the South Side of the said Line. In Witness of which agreement we have hereunto put our hands and Seals at Southold this 14th day of February Anno Domini 1718. Signed Sealed and Delivered Joel Burroughs in the Presence of J. Smith Marg[are]t Sylvester.”
Today this manuscript map is easily recognizable by comparison to the 2016 map drawn by the Rockland County Planning Department of Zebrowski-Morahan Demarest Kill Park, now in present-day Rockland County, New York, is found here: Demarest_Kill_renamed.pdf (rocklandgov.com)
New York Innkeeper’s License 1796 Signed by New York City Mayor Richard Varick
Andrew Oliver Manuscript Autograph Letter Signed July 13 1738 to Brinley Sylvester on Shelter Island
Ten Letters 1702 – 1720 by Hannah Sylvester a Shelter Island Heiress
