▁no ▁record ▁that ▁would ▁prove ▁this . ▁ ▁His ▁land l ord ▁was ▁a ▁Virgin ian ▁who ▁had ▁married ▁into ▁the ▁Philip se ▁family , ▁whose ▁vast ▁land hold ings ▁extended ▁from ▁the ▁G arrison ▁area ▁almost ▁to ▁what ▁is ▁today ▁known ▁as ▁Sp uy ten ▁Du y vil ▁in ▁the ▁Bron x , ▁was ▁like ▁his ▁in - la ws ▁a ▁Lo yal ist ▁during ▁the ▁Revolution ▁who ▁act ively ▁fought ▁for ▁the ▁crown . ▁The ▁Robinson ▁and ▁Philip se ▁lands ▁were ▁conf isc ated ▁during ▁the ▁war , ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁colon ists ' ▁victory ▁he ▁left ▁for ▁England . ▁Man dev ille ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁live ▁out ▁his ▁life ▁on ▁the ▁( now ▁sub div ided ) ▁property ▁he ▁had ▁le ased , ▁and ▁after ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 4 ▁it ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁his ▁son - in - law , ▁Josh ua ▁Nelson . ▁ ▁Nelson ▁further ▁sub div ided ▁the ▁property , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁sold ▁the ▁ ▁par cel ▁including ▁the ▁district . ▁From ▁him ▁it ▁passed ▁through ▁several ▁other ▁own ers , ▁who ▁appear ▁to ▁have ▁continued ▁to ▁farm ▁and ▁mill . ▁The ▁last ▁of ▁these , ▁Thomas ▁Ar den ▁and ▁his ▁family , ▁acquired ▁the ▁property ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁own ▁it ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁century . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁the ▁Ar den ia ▁Corporation , ▁a ▁local ▁conservation ▁organization , ▁took ▁title ▁and , ▁shortly ▁after