New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-04
TAKE ALL HARLEM.
Plan to Gust Present Property Oacn-
erS as TreSpGSSerS.
TRACING HEIRS OF OLD PATENTEEs

Information is being collected by Henry P. Toler
20 prove that the lands the old town OF New
Harlem still belong 70 the descendants OF the orlgl-
nal patentees and TO enable those heirs to obtain
possession OF the land and eject tresP2ssers the
present holders. The work of gathering the neces-
sary information has been going on for about two
and half years, and it is expected that a meeting
OF the heirs viii be held, at which steps VIII
be taken TO bring legal action.
Before engaging III the work Of research Mr.
Toler became convinced that the town Of New
Harlem had never ceased TO exist, that it had
never been legally merged into the city or New
York. and that the trust conferred by the Nicoils
and Dongan patents upon the twenty-three pat
entees who constituted that time ali the land
treeholders OF the village, had never lost
its force II was learned that other attempts 20
regain the Harlem lands had been made. but had
failed through miscoEception on the part OF the
htgants OF the legal status o. ne o"h if o.
IONS Oh me GROUND ttat ttt -; 7ses 1sf7
the Ncols and Dongan patents issued IN dooo 51g
eov,n IF i4arier and that these lands We're
therefore. not held IN joint tenancy or tenancy IN
common. but owned by the corporation and Us
dispose OF them.
CLOUD on, HARLEM REAL ESTATE
is said to be old story TO the present owners
of property in Harlem and fact well known Tor
years to the legal fraternity, that cloud rests
upon the titles TO real estate in Harlem above the
celebrated Harlem line. running from Seventy
fourth-st and the East River north 10 One-hun-
dred-and- twenty-n on the Hudson Ihls
cloud owes origin TO the records Of the Harlem
patents in the Secretary Of States office at Albany
When the United States constructed the Harlem
Ship Canal between the Harlem and Hudson rivers
at the northern end Of the island of Manhattan,
much Of the abutting property was condemned IN
legal proceedings and when payment was made oy
the government the courts ordered that certain Of
the purchase moneys be deposited with the trust
companies 10 the credit Of unknown heirs Pre-
vious to this beginning in 1772. acts of the New
York legislature were passed providing FOR the
confirmation OF the me nehtl0ieo IN 10 and
by the city Of New York, and further providing Tor
the appreciation OF the King, which royal approVai
were appointed acted, and filed their reports, as
more fully appears in the documents en- record m
the office Of the Register in the city OF New foTk
IN l775 the Confirmation act was passed by me me
and 1923 Under the acts mentioned in confirmation
of the Harlem line, all the common lands OF Har-
1875 passed 10 Dudley Seldom Under the con-
matoTy grant or I wSr decsred belong to the
town OF Harlem. and all south and west OF ms
however. the Harlem waterfront
DIFFICULTY IN TRACING HEIRS.
The great difficulty in the undertaking has been
10 awaken the old corporation Of the town of
New-Harlem. The task involved the unravellng Of
a seemingly hopeless mass of genealogical threads,
together with the acquisition of the proofs of
lineage Of thousands Of heirs in their from
the original patentees of 1865 to the present day,
covering period OF more than two hundred and
thirty years. This, however, was but the begin
ming OF the solution the problem. The thousands
Of members OF the corporation, living des endants
only to be proved ENTHUSIASTICALLY by good and suff-
cient legal evidence, but their addresses likewise
steps 10 be taken on their behalf in the recovery
of the Harlem lands and properties by process process
patentees being found. and the vast army of
aside proved, and names are being added to the
list at the rate OF TWO thousand month. A con
scendants at forty thousand,
The names have been compiled largely by means
of the old parish registers, and the work has been
greatly embarrassed by the fact that many of the
have led 10 great confusion but the greatest care
and exactness have been maintained throughout
the work by the verifcation bureau to prevent i'm
positions upon the corporation
PROMINENT NAMES IN LIST.
Among the heirs who have already been proven
are President Roosevelt Governor Oden, Percy
Pyne. Schuyler Colfax Moses Taylor and mem
bers of the Vanderbilt, Havemeyer. BECKER Low,
La Montague, Bogert, De Peyster and Van Buren,
families. 1t was found that the large majority OF
the heirs knew Of the GAINS to the Harlem lands
by tradition, but by tradition only.
Because the heirs to the Harlem lands are so
widely scattered. II viii be found necessary. in
Harlem 70 Properties to APPOINT one head that the
work may be organized with one man having full
meeting of the heirs, which viii probably be held
shortly officers of the corporation will be elected
from their own number. and Mr. Toier will lay
before the corporation proposition TO carry on,
porate ownership Of the Harlem land and. as his
compensation, viii ask for - per cent Of the net
proceeds.
Owing to the large number of inquiries from all
parts of the United States and Europe II was
deemed best TO establish publishing company for
the purpose of getting out complete history of
Town New la Tlem. This book, which VIII
be published in the near future, will contain the
original grants and charters, names, history of
original patentees and full lists Of those who are
entitled by marriage participate IN the prop
critics. and also carefully estimated numbers of
each family yet be traced. II viii also recount
former attempts to recover property rights IN Har-
lem and will give a history of the present move
nent together with the legal proofs of ownership.
The receipts from the book are TO be devoted 10
carrying OF the work.