Hi Marie, Croton on Hudson and that whole area from Ossining north to Peekskill, had active brick making and quarrying industries at the time. The same industries were going on directly across the Hudson in the fertile soil of Rockland County. The resulting bricks and stone were harvested and shipped by barges to NYC for the building construction business. Many immigrant Irish and Italians were employed in both industries in Northeastern Westchester County, the Italians being the more skilled laborers and the Irish being the donkeys. In 1802, north from Croton, the US Military Academy was constructed with Hudson River stone. By 1825 construction of the Erie Canal was completed. All of these small riverfront towns participated in actively trading from NYC to Buffalo. Small hotels, taverns, and feed business lined the Hudson docks. The same quarry stone was used to build the original Sing Sing Prison "up the river" in 1828, to relieve the prison population at Newgate in Manhattan. In 1837 Construction of the Croton Dam was begun due to the ever growing need of pure water in Manhattan. By 1842 about 40 miles of water pipes transported clean water to NYC. A few decades later, another increased need for pure wanter in Manhattan, created more extensive work on the Croton Dam. This area around the Croton River was also known for its airy farms [Bordens began up there], fruit orchards, and livestock, to supply NYC as its farmlands decreased in numbers. . All of this was prior to the construction of railroads that some thirty years later traversed both banks of the Hudson. Yes, these were the days when townspeople worked together, with American made products, for the common good. Barb N of NYC Marie= BSKTBTQUE@aol.com writes: > > I had family in West Farms when it was in Westchester Co. abt. > 1850s...trying to figure out why they were up there. Other part of family > seemed to have > started out in Croton on Hudson and wound up in downtown NYC by 1860 > census..cannot find any record of their arrival and what was doing up there > in the > 1850s workwise. 18 Crotn Dam was built Daily farms Rive ports ************** A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219671244x1201345076/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fwww.freecreditreport.com%2Fpm%2Fdefault.aspx%3Fsc%3D66807 2%26hmpgID%3D62%26bcd%3DfebemailfooterNO62)