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1707 New York Land Sale Document Signed by Founders of Rye, New York

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:400.00 USD Estimated At:500.00 - 600.00 USD
1707 New York Land Sale Document Signed by Founders of Rye, New York
Colonial America
1707 Early Colonial Rye, New York Land Sale Document Signed by the Original Westchester County, NY Founders
February 17, 1707-Dated Early Colonial Era, Manuscript Document Signed, Land Sale Agreement, for Rye, Westchester County, New York, Choice Very Fine.
An original Manuscript Document, dated in 1707, where Daniel Purdy has sold to Hackeliah Brown a parcel of land in Rye, New York, Westchester County. This impressive Land Deed measures a large 12” x 16” being nicely penned in black ink on laid period paper. Signed at bottom left by several men of prominence in the Westchester area including: Daniel Purdy, Joseph Cleator, Samuel Lane and Policarpus (Polycarpus) Nelson. Expected normal central horizontal fold and trivial damp stains, yet in overall nice quality. Some chipping at edges and a small 1” wide tear in lower left not affecting text. Daniel Purdy was born in 1683 - Rye, Westchester, New York, died and was buried there. Today, the Purdy family legacy remains intrenched in the area, having a “Purdy’s” Exit and Train Station stop off of NY Highway 684.
Daniel Purdy was the constable of Rye, NY, around 1711, at about thirty-five years of age. Samuel Lane was the town clerk of Rye from 1697 to 1736. Joseph Cleator was the first school teacher for Rye.

Polycarpus Nelson was born July 21, 1688 and died Dec. 19, 1738. His life from his infancy was spent at Mamaroneck where he was elected constable April 4, 1707 and April 2, 1712. He was an overseer of highways in 1708, 1711, 1712, and elected again on April 7, 1719. Nelson was a signer of the famous declaration by the chief citizens of the country, in support of William and Mary, and in opposition to the House of Stuart.

In 1847, Issac Hart Purdy agreed to allow the New York and Harlem Railroad to build their main line through the community for one dollar upon the condition that they establish a station within the community for both passengers and freight. NY&H was acquired by New York Central and Hudson River Railroad in 1864. The decline of the railroads after World War II threatened the very survival of the station until a descendant of Purdy drove to New York City with a copy of the original contract in order to thwart a potential closing in 1955. At some point, a smaller station house was built along the Grand Central Terminal-bound which still survives to this day.

As with most of the Harlem Line, the merger of New York Central with Pennsylvania Railroad in 1968 transformed the station into a Penn Central Railroad station. Penn Central's continuous financial despair throughout the 1970s forced them to turn over their commuter service to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority which made it part of Metro-North in 1983.