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In 1697, Adolph Philipse (sometimes spelled Flypsen or Flipse) was
granted a patent for a large tract of land called the Highland
Patent, that would later become Putnam Valley County.
In 1717 this land became the South Ward of Dutchess County, one
of the original twelve counties in New York established in 1683.
A Dutchess County census taken in 1714 tallied just 18 heads
of households in what became the South Ward. The Philipse
family made little attempt to divide their land or encourage
settlement. By 1737 there were only 161 heads of
households in the entire ward.
The tract passed through the Philipse family, was divided
into lots in 1751 and eventually lot #4, which included the area
of Putnam Valley, was left to Colonel Beverly and Susannah
Philipse Robinson. As a result of their British loyalty
during the Revolutionary War, the State of New York confiscated
their property in 1779. Most of the land was sold in 1781
to tenant farmers already living and farming in this area.
It was not until 1812 that Putnam County was separated from Dutchess. The area that became Putnam Valley was part of
Philipstown, established in 1788. On March 14, 1839, the
independent town of Quincy was incorporated. It is thought
that the residents, being largely Democrats, took a skeptical
view of John Quincy Adams' political views, and therefore,
changed the name to the Town of Putnam Valley in February of
1840.
A small section of the town of Carmel, which lay northwest of
Peekskill Hollow Creek and east of what is now the Taconic State
Parkway, was annexed to Putnam Valley on April 13, 1861.
The residents of that area, having felt completely isolated from
the rest of Carmel but close to the settlement at Tompkins
Corners, petitioned for this change. |
