NOTES ON THE 18th CENTURY HOME AND MILL OF COLONEL DERICK BRINCKERHOFF Charlotte Cunningham Finkel*
One of the most beautiful and historic houses in Southern Dutchess County is the Brinckerhoff mansion two miles east of Fishkill. It stands on land purchased by Dirck Brinckerhoff (1667-1748) ' of Flushing, L. I., from Madam Catharyna Rombout Brett in 1718. The two southwest rooms on the ground floor were built of stone shortly thereafter by his oldest son, Abraham (1700, died before 1743), and considerably enlarged by Abraham's oldest son, Derick (1721-1789), sometime before the Revolutionary War. Later alterations were made during the 19th century.' When the Brinckerhoffs first settled here, there were still many Indians in Dutchess County. There is a believable famly tradition that they used to congregate on the hill beside the house, sleeping through the night wrapped in their blankets. Chief Daniel Nimham was said to have been among them.2 Down by the Fishkill Creek, a short distance from the house, the Brinckerhoffs built the second grist mill in Rombout (Fishkill) Precinct, and also operated a store, located between the house and the mill. These succeeded to Derick upon the death of his father, though Revolutionary War records indicate management was at that time also conducted by his younger brother, Colonel Abraham; also by Derick's son Jacob and perhaps his son Abraham. Being a man of energy and ability, Derick Brinckerhoff prospered and became increasingly prominent in County affairs. From 1768 to 1775 he was a member of the Provincial Assembly; in 1775 a delegate to the first Provincial Congress, held in New York City. He was a representative at each of the ten sessions of the N. Y. Assembly (17771787) with the exception of the fourth and sixth.3 He was chairman of the Committee for Safety in Rombout Precinct, and h's name tops the notice of the first meeting of the Committee held May 5th, 1775.4 He also seems to have been involved in what may well have been the first recorded group protest made by women in Southern Dutchess. The following item is in John Holt's New York Journal & General Advertiser, August 22, 1776: "A few days since, about 100 women, inhabitants of Dutchess County, went to the house of Col. Brinckerhoff, at Fishkill, and, insisting upon having tea at the lawful price of six shillings per pound obliged that gentleman to accommodate them with one chest from his store for that purpose. Shortly after, he sold his cargo to some Yorkers, who, for fear of another female attack, forwarded the nefarious stuff to the North River, precipitantly, where it is now afloat, but the woman have planted their guards on each side."5 *Mrs. J. Manfred Finkel, a member of the Dutchess County Historical Society and one of the outstanding historians of Dutchess County, is the official Historian of the Town of East Fishkill and Historian of the Melzingah Chapter, N.S.D.A.R.
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