The Yerks Family: Colonial Tenants Turned Patriots of Mount Pleasant
Long before the first Dutch and English settlers arrived, the region that would become Mount Pleasant, New York, was a vibrant homeland to the Weckquaeskeck, a branch of the Wappinger Confederacy within the Algonquin nation. These Indigenous people lived along the Saw Mill River, relying on its fish-rich waters, fertile floodplains, and connecting trails for
Philipsburg Manor… Walk in the Footsteps of Your Ancestors
A Visit to Philipsburg Manor, Sleepy Hollow, NY If you're part of the extended Yerks family — or descended from any of the tenant farmers who once lived and worked in colonial Westchester County — then Philipsburg Manor isn’t just a historical site. It’s a living connection to your past. OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
John Dean’s Role in Major André’s Capture and Escort
Background: Capture of Major André (Sept 23, 1780) On the morning of September 23, 1780, British Major John André was captured near Tarrytown, NY by a small patrol of New York Patriot militiamen. The three famed captors – John Paulding, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart – stopped André (who was traveling under the alias
John Yerks and the North Salem Patrol that Caught Major André
Background: Westchester’s Neutral Ground in 1780 During the American Revolution, Westchester County, New York lay in a volatile “Neutral Ground” between British-occupied New York City and American-held northern positions. It was a lawless battleground plagued by constant raids and skirmishes. Regular troops and irregular bands – dubbed “Cowboys” (Loyalist marauders) and “Skinners” (renegade Patriot militia)
David Beattie and the Burita: A Deep Dive into His Maritime Service and Final Voyage
Early Life and Seafaring Career of David Beattie David Beattie was born 25 August 1842 in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, the son of Robert Beattie and Eliza (née Gordon). He went to sea as a young man, joining the British Merchant Navy in the late 1850s. By his late teens, David had gained experience as a sailor
Robert Beattie and the Smack Eliza of Kirkcudbright: A Mariner’s Legacy
In the Scottish coastal town of Kirkcudbright, long known for its seafaring traditions and salt-laced air, the year 1836 marked the launch of a modest but sturdy sailing vessel—a 20-ton smack christened Eliza. She was no ornate clipper or great merchantman, but rather a workboat designed for the rugged life of the Solway Firth, transporting
The Yerks Brothers And The Great War: Valor, Loss, And Legacy
In the quiet hamlet of Bedford Hills, Westchester County, New York, three brothers came of age in the early 20th century: Ralph, William, and James Yerks. Their lives—like those of countless young men—were forever altered by the outbreak of World War I. Two would don the uniform of the United States Army and be shipped
The Saw Mill River: A History of Mills, Industry, and Renewal
By Philip HayesPublished On: July 25th, 2025Categories: American Revolution, In History, Places: Chappaqua, Places: Eastview, Places: Philipsburg, Surname: YerksFlowing 23.5 miles through the hills and valleys of Westchester County, New ork, the Saw Mill River has long shaped the communities along its banks—from its early days as a resource-rich stream for Native Americans, through the rise and fall of water-powered industry, to its present role in urban restoration and environmental renewal. The Name
COBUS YERKS – From “The Book of Saint Nicholas”
Translated from the Original Dutch of Dominie Nicholas Aegidius Oudenarde Little Cobus Yerks—his name was Jacob, but being a Dutchman, if not a double Dutchman, it was rendered in English Cobus—little Cobus, I say, lived on the banks of Sawmill River, where it winds close under the brow of the Raven Rock, an enormous precipice