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)
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
Philipsburg Manor…A Must Visit For Yerks (Jurckse) Family Members
By Philip HayesPublished On: November 4th, 2022Categories: Places: Philipsburg, Surname: YerksTags: Philipsburg, Tarrytown, YerksI vaguely remember visiting Philipsburg Manor as part of a school trip I went on when I was little. I didn't remember much about its history, but I definitely remembered it was there, across the street from the well-known Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. I would never have imagined that I would marry someone with a direct
The Philipsburg Encampment of 1781
By Philip HayesPublished On: October 20th, 2022Categories: Events, Surname: YerksTags: American Revolution, George Washington, Philipsburg, Westchester, YerksPhilipsburg Manor in Westchester County was home to many Yerks families, including Colleen's 6th great-grandparents. I grew up in Westchester County, knowing little about Westchester's role in the revolution. But through genealogy, I have learned that my children's ancestors were right there at ground zero and were known as Patriots of the cause. In
The Yerks Family’s of Neperhan / Unionville/ Hawthorne and Pleasantville in 1867
1 – A Yerks A Yerks > William Brook Yerks (Mary) > William Yerks (Catherine) Location: Rosedale Nursery, Saw Mill Road, Hawthorne, New York Most likely, the site of the farmhouse that Catherine See & William Yerks (my wife’s 6th great grandparents) and their ancestors lived in while tending the 300-acre family farm in
Yerks Farm Overlay in Hawthorne with Modern Map – 1925-2021
By Philip HayesPublished On: December 15th, 2021Categories: Surname: YerksTags: 1925, 2021, aerial, HawthorneThe black and white photo of the Yerks farm was taken in 1925 as part of an aerial photographing project. The modern map comes from a screenshot of Apple Maps. The Apple map was then manipulated to match up certain landmarks that have survived the 100-year difference. What a difference a hundred years make!
1925 – Catherine Yerks Farm in Hawthorne Revisited.
On December 6, 1785, the Commissioners of Forfeitures for the Southern District of New York awarded Catherine Yorkse (Yerks), widow of William Yerks, the 300-acre farm that her husband and her husbands family had been farming for many decades as tenant farmers of Philipsburg Manor. Philipsburg Manor was a large swath of central Westchester land
A YERKS Family Bible Found!
More than a decade ago, I came across an archived newsletter in which a person named Cula Katzky indicated that she was in possession of a "Yerks" family bible with several dates in it. She was not a Yerks family member and was seeking to return it to someone in the family. The