| The Village of Elmsford, originally a part of Phillipsburgh
Manor, was named Storm's Bridge in the early 1700's and as Hall's
Corners during the middle of the nineteenth century. One-mile square,
it is midway between White Plains and Tarrytown. Shortly afterward,
in respect to the father of our country, George Washington, who referred
to it as the "ford over the Nepperhan at the elm tree,"
Elmsford was given its present name. Adopted in 1870, it was inspired
by a mammoth elm tree, nearly thirty feet in circumference, which
had been a landmark since revolutionary days.
In Elmsford's central square was a tavern, built in the early 1700's
by Abraham Storm, and known later as O'Brien's Chateau. During the
Revolutionary War, French and Colonial officers often gathered in
this tavern and the barmaid, Betsy, frequently garnished their drinks
with the tail feathers of chickens appropriated by the Colonials from
Torie's hen-coops in the neighborhood. Thus Elmsford became the birthplace
of that celebrated libation, "the cocktail." The tavern
was also the scene of the escape of Harvey Birch, famous American
spy, as related by James Fenimore Cooper in "The Spy." In
his writings Cooper also mentioned another historical place in Elmsford,
"Katy's Cave, " where American soldiers were hidden during
the Revolution.
Through the greater part of the 1800's Elmsford grew very slowly.
It was just a little hamlet with a church, a school and a store, surrounded
by outlying farms. Then in the last decades of the century the railroad
followed the river northward and established a station there. This
meant that people who worked in New York City could now live in Elmsford.
The village experienced a population explosion, which culminated in
its incorporation in 1910.
The easy accessibility of the community has contributed greatly to
the industrial and commercial position of the village. One of the
first radio stations in the county and perhaps the state, WRW began
operation in Tarrytown in 1920 by an Elmsford resident. Descendants
of Alexander Hamilton and Isaac Van Wart have resided in Elmsford.
Van Wart, one of the captors of Major John Andre, during the Revolution,
is buried in the cemetery of the Elmsford Reformed Church. Steeped
in such traditions and proud of its heritage, Elmsford, in 1910, then
having a population of 990, was incorporated as a village under the
laws of the State of New York. Its first Mayor was Theodore Burke,
assisted by two trustees, J.E. Luscombe and A. McConnell.
As early as December 1908 there was a proposal to create a regular
police force in the unincorporated area of the Town of Greenburgh
- an area that included Elmsford. But the Town Board took no action
to forward the proposed act to the Board of Supervisors and thence
to the State Legislature. (1)
"…The new village delayed in establishing its own police
force. So pleased were local residents with the protection afforded
by the detachment of Aqueduct Police, that in September a petition
bearing 62 signatures requested the Village Board to enter a resolution
of thanks in their minutes. The petitioners also expressed the
hope that 'the said detachment will remain upon duty here until such
time as their valuable services are no longer required.' The
resolution was spread upon the minutes, and a copy sent to Sergeant
Smith who was in charge of the Elmsford Precinct. In due time
a letter from the Chief Inspector of the force expressed gratitude
for the resolution of thanks - but made no mention of a future commitment.
(2)
Nor did the village have a police justice in 1910. A justice appointed
by the town continued to serve until the end of 1912.(2)
"…By the close of the year 1912, the Board decided to appoint
its own police officers. In 1913 there were three men on the
force: William Fulton, Peter Hordan and Grover Moore. Later,
Thomas English and William Maurer became policemen in Elmsford. Evidently
the officers were efficient in their work, for in 1914 Trustee Gallagher
complained of too many arrests! (By the end of the decade, policemen
were being paid 50 cents per hour.) (3)
"…Police protection as well as fire protection was improved.
In 1921 there were two police officers, William Fulton and Grover
Moore. Each worked a 16-hour week spread over six days. The
men devoted most of their time to traffic problems, and the nightly
'door check.' In December the Village Board applied to the Civil
Service Commission to increase police hours to 25, and permission
was granted. With a rate of 60 cents per hour, the weekly pay amounted
to $15. The hours went up again, to 33 weekly, early in 1922,
and Moore's salary rose to $100 per month later that year. (4)
Shortly after the new Board took office in the spring of 1921, it
passed a resolution creating the Elmsford Police Department, and named
Grover Moore as the first Chief. The idea of purchasing a motorcycle
for the police was broached in 1925; almost immediately two applications
to ride it were filed. The next year, the first motorcycle policeman
was employed. But tragedy struck the village on October 18,
1929: Patrolman George Olson was killed on the motorcycle while chasing
a speeder. To the deep grief of Elmsford residents there was
added the realization that there were no benefits for Olson's widow.
To correct the situation the Village Board started the Patrolmen's
Benevolent Fund, which still existed in 1976 as the Elmsford Police
Retirement Fund. The village system, funded through license
fees and village taxes, supplemented the state retirement program
begun in 1937. (4)
Police headquarters were located in the rented Village Corporation
Rooms. From 1929 until 1947, the location was a store near the southeast
corner of Central and Main. Elmsford at this time did not have its
own jail, though at times the idea of establishing one was discussed.
An abandoned building on the aqueduct was proposed as a jail in 1926.
By arrangement with Ardsley, the Village continued the use of its
'Lock-up' to detain prisoners. (4)
By 1935 the Village had a police car, and Trustee Sipple suggested
that a heater be purchased for it. His idea was rejected on the grounds
that there was 'no need for such an improvement.' Later that
year the Village bought a new police car - without heater. It
cost $338 plus trade-in of the old vehicle. (4)
By the end of 1938, Elmsford's police force consisted of Lieutenant
Dobbs, Sergeant Lander, and four patrolmen. A police car furnished
24-hour patrol service of all village streets. The men also covered
the village on a motorcycle and on foot. During the year there
had been 220 arrests, four persons reported missing and four located,
four autos reported stolen and the same number recovered. The
police were doing a good job." (4)
"…Elmsford continued to be proud of its Police Department,
which now had its headquarters in the Municipal Building. By
the 1960's the force had increased to ten men and the village was
patrolled round the clock by cars equipped with two-way radios.
The regular force was supplemented by the volunteer Auxiliary Police
who developed out of the wartime Civil Defense organization. (5)
The beloved 'Pop' Fulton had retired from the force in 1947. No pension
had been available for him under Civil Service Law, and the Village
Board, though willing to give him a pension, could not do so legally.
However, with the aid of the area representatives in Albany, a special
bill was passed which allowed the Village to pay him a pension in
his retirement. (5)
The Elmsford Police conducted a drive in 1955 for disaster relief
for flood victims in Pennsylvania and New England. Clothing,
food, and cash collected at police headquarters were turned over to
the Salvation Army for distribution. They also campaigned for
traffic safety by rigorously enforcing the speed limits and by publicizing
information on safe driving methods. (5)
George McElroy, son of the former Mayor of the same name, became Chief
of Police in 1963 and was still serving in 1976, with a department
of fourteen. In the early 70's he and Judge Leone received awards
from the State for twenty-five years of service to the Village.
The head of the Auxiliary Police force was Henry Nichols, Sr. (5)
1.Storm's Bridge: A History of Elmsford,
N.Y. 1700-1976 (Pp.106-107)
2.Storm's Bridge: A History of Elmsford,
N.Y. 1700-1976 (p.112)
3.Storm's Bridge: A History of Elmsford,
N.Y. 1700-1976 (pp 114-115)
4.Storm's Bridge: A History of Elmsford,
N.Y. 1700-1976 (Pp.148-151)
5.Storm's Bridge: A History of Elmsford,
N.Y. 1700-1976 (P.181) |
