The New York herald., 1878-11-20
VALUABLE LAND IN DISPUTE.

CLAIM or THE HEIIS-AT-LAw OF ROGER MERRITT
TO THE GROUND ON WHICH poRTcHEsTEn
STANDS s#sH
About the year 1906 there died in the village of
Portchester. Westchestcr county. Dir. Roger Merritt
gentleman of large landed property who aourishcd
in that section Of country in both colonial and Revo-
lutonary days. Portchester then consisted of . mere
handful of houses tho chief and commanding ono
among them being that OF Merrits, which stood on
rising emnence the heart OF the present
town, half surrounded by grove Of locust
trees and overlooking the waters of Long Island Sound
Mr. Merritt held the land for miles around in fee and
was almost monarch of all he surveyed. Westchescr
county was then but thinly populated and real estate
drug in tho market. Merritt lived after the
fashion of the country gentlemen of the odea time
fond of outdoor sports, and practised wide ard
warm hospitality. When the war OF the Revolution
broke out he cspoused the patriot side and when il
was over he retired to his home in Port
chester. where he passed the remainder of
his years in peace. honor and competence.
He died intestate but in his lifetime he made lease
of the property which now constitutes the town OF
Porchestcr TO different parties Tor term OF ninety
nine ycars. 1t Is alleged by the heirs OF Mr. Merritt
who now about entering legal contest for tho
recovery of their rights to the property ia question
that this lease was OF record until within ten or
twelve years ago, whe.L II AZ cunnded. it must have
been at.tractcd from the record and nothing let to
denote its existence except the reference in tho index
The book Is flo in the Clerks Office u, White
Plains and the leaf which the index refers is torn
out. The heirs however state that there are wit
ncsses living who the original lease in tho
book of record and testify its contents anil
ainon,, them fortunate enough to take the
prccaution OF making and retaining copy of It.
They claim too. that even OF the present prop
crty holders holding rcd;y covered BY the lease OF
Roger Merritt admit tho existence of such lease.
but insist that the hcirs-st-Lw have no rem
edy, because owing to its destruction it viii be
impossible for them to prove its exact contents.
The number of the heirs atlnw varies from forty to
eighty. They reside. not only in the State OF New
York, bu. in Michigan ana other States. General
Merritt, Collector OF the Port Is said to be Of tho
heirs and In lincal succession to Roger Morritt-
The CT the property III dispute lis
about two miles long and ono mile wide,
and much OF 10 is along tho water front on
the Sound. making u thereby very valuable.
II is estimated 10 be worth all along 5000 900
10 slI 10000, end its prospective value when New
York city has spread away over Westehestcr county
Is altogether incaicnable Tho town OF por.chcs.er
which In Roger ycrrtt's time WAS a hamlet Of about
q hundred people, is now snug town of 12OJU
inhabitants with great fu lure before Il.
About dozen OF tno heirs held meeting yesterday
in the Office OF cxJudge George NJ Curtis Park row,
who IL engaged az their counsel and the question of
the remedy 10 be adopted IN their discussed
at some longth. steps have already been taken
the purpose OF minute research and investigation,
and confidence IL entertained by counsel that the
heirs right TO maintain action and to recover will
be sustained. The plans for future proceedings
for the present Kept prigase III order that nothnt,
nl1y intervene 10 mar tho sacccss Of the suit.