The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-11-20
The Cowboys Oak.

In the midst OF pleasant WOOD OF
second growth timber, behind -Tippet's
Hill" still stands and fourishes, in green
old age, most glorious white oak, of
Revolutionary memories-"The Cow
boys Oak" The little wood was once
pretty glade, and alone in it the tree
must have looked far up and down the
great river and into "Spuyten-D -Duyvil
KILL" where it enters the Hudson
This oak is thought to be nearly three
centuries old, and must have been large
tree in 1909, when Hendrick Hudson,
in his famous vessel, the Halve Maen
(rCrescent") fought the Indians dwell
ing on the east bank of the river, at the
Kills mouth-they attacking him in ca
noes, at which, the ships mate, Juet,
tells US, the crew shot off their muskets,
"and let off a falcon,' killing some ten
or twelve; "when they went their ways
Every mark of age, except its feeble
ness, this old tree shows: great size,
gnarled and knot:ed roots above the soil,
rough bark and twisted limbs, some of
the lower SCARED as if by the binding of
rope, and beyond the scar blasted,
black, and dead, as by slow fire. Super
stition has it, that branches whereon
men are hanged to death also wither and
die, and the old oak bears its testimony
in favor of the notion, for it gained
much fame and a name as a fayorite glib
bet with the stern Revolutionists, our
forefathers. We have much good tradi-
ton that many cruel, cowardly Cow
boys expatiated their crimes under its
shadows. "Short was the shrift and
sure the cord" given these rascals.
Kings Bridge was favorite marauding
ground for them, as Spuyten-Duyvil
Creek during the Revolutionary War
constituted the "barrier" of the British
line south of the Neutral Ground, which
extended thence up to the Croton River,
and, being neutral, was favorite field of
combat between the advanced positions
of both armies, especially when COM
manded by General Heath, of the Con-
tinentals, and the Hessian Knyphausen,
who fought the most bloody battle of
Kings Bridge. Cowboys and SINNERS
were to those Revolutionary armies
what the guerrillas were in the late cam
paigns between the United States and
the Southern Confederacy, holding very
close allegiance to neither, yet generally
espousing one or the other cause: the
SINNERS that of the Americans, and the
Cowboys the British side of the quarrel.
Cooper, in "The Spy" draws a picture
of party of the latter as they surprise
Harvey Birch crossing the hills toward
Harlem: "At the moment that he gain
ed the path body of horse came over
little eminence, and was on him before
he perceived them. 1t was too late to
retreat, and, after taking view of the
materials that composed the scouting
party, Birch rejoiced in the rencounter.
There were some eighteen or twenty
men, who we're mounted and equipped
as dragons, though neither their ap-
pearance nor manners denoted much
discipline. At their head rode heavy,
middle-aged man. He wore the dress of
an officer, but there was none of that
neatness in his attire nor grace in his
movements that was usually found about
the gentlemen who bore the royal COM
mission. His limbs we're firm and not
pliable, and he sat his horse with strength
and confidence, but his bridle-hand
would have been ridiculed by the mean
est rider in Virginia regiment" The
scene which follows describes the brutal
character of the outlaw, and his blood
thirsty execution of Skinner, anxious
to turn traitor, who had thrown himself
upon the peddler's society. Of him,
Cooper writes: ellis dress was of the
meanest description, his linaements be-
spoke a mind long agitated by evil pas
sions. His hair was prematurely whiten-
ed, and his sunken, loweridg eye avoid
ed the bold, forward look of innocence.
There was a restlessness in his move
ments and an agitation in his manner
that proceeded from the foul spirit with
in him, and which was not less offensive
to others than distressing to himself"
The description of these men, although
fictitious, may be taken as trustworthy
impressions of the class of rascals to
whom they belonged, mean and coward
ly creatures, who deserved, what they
often received on sight, the severest pun
ishment, indiferently from the patriots
whom they disgraced, or the royalists
whom they professed to serve.
An old inhabitant of the Neutral
Ground, who was living quite recently
at the ancient residence of her family on
Valentines Hill, Miss Snsan Valentine,
used to tell story of her own proves
with these villains hen she was young
woman-how she kept four or five Of
them at bay before the door, BY threat
ening them with fire shovel, solemnly
protesting that she would split the head
of the first man who should attempt tc
enter; and, on another occasion, wrest
ling with one of them to keep a bag o.
thirty pounds in gold she had concealed
under her petticoats, but which fell tc
the floor in the struggle, and was snatch.
ed up by another of the gang and made
off with.
| People in the neighborhood of the ia
nous old oak have a strange dread Of it
vicinity in the nighttime; as usual
? some even may be found who declare
q they have seen strange lights under thu
moonshine.
d THE HIGHER MATHEMATICs.-Civ
: Engineer Thomas G. Clarke states a fac
:, that has long been apparent to practica
s men, when he says that much time i
wasted in our colleges and technologica
u schools over the higher mathematics
: Every engineer" he adds, twill agre
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