Walking Tour: Westchester County: East Port Chester

…bought a home in East Port Chester and owned it 'free and clear. '

Six months after the 1880 Census was taken, John passed away 

My grandmother told us that Anne continued working for the Reid family. 

In 1891, Anne purchased a home on William Street, Port Chester, from James S. Merritt; research indicates the address was 306 William Street.

The house, shown as found today (2025 Zillow search) stayed in the family - Mr. and Mrs John William Gagan (Mary - Anne’s oldest daughter) are listed as living there in a 1922 obituary.In 1925, Margaret Nolan Murphy (Anne's youngest daughter) sold the home to Mary Hassan, the mother in law of Irene Gagan (Mary Nolan Gagan's youngest daughter who married Daniel J. Hassen.) 

When I began this research, I was ready to find that a man legally owned the home (perhaps a brother in law or her son John) as I was under the impression that property ownership was restricted to men.; I learned that I was wrong; thanks to Susan B. Anthony, women in New York could own property! 

• Anne purchased the home in what I think was a new subdivision -- from James and Emma Merritt and Purdy G. and Mar Sands Mr. Merritt was a sheriff in Port Chester, and held other positions including Post Master and town trustee. Merritt lived in the area all of his life; his grandfather, James Merritt is listed in the 1790 U.S. Federal Census as a resident of Rye, New York. His father Clark, married James's mother, Hannah, and they had 6 children; Hannah died not long after James was born and his father remarried Emily. Emily is listed as James stepmother in the 1870 and 1880 federal census. James married Emily (Emma) Gendey in 1890. He is listed as working in real estate; I do not find any indication that James and Emily had children. James passed away in 1919.

• The second land owner named in the documentation is Purdy G. Sands (and his wife Mary). The Sands family tree extends back to the American Revolution and I am surmising that they owned a great deal of land in the Rye area of Westchester County. Purdy was the Town Clerk of Rye.  I've not found photos of the Sands nor have I found any documentation of their family; I do note that the Sands name is on many older maps in the Port Chester area.

The lot purchased was lot 88 in Washington Park.  Below is a 1892 map of Port Chester; Washington Park is the top center of the map  - just north of Regent Street (with the fold line going through the neighborhood map) The second image is a zoomed in view of the Washington Park area. I believe that Lot 88 eventually became 306 W Williams Street, Port Chester. 

1892 Map of Port Chester 

Washington Park area of Port Chester

Next Stop: Port Chester