Barons of Broadway #21
In this episode, we journey down Defendorf Lane at 539 North Broadway in Upper Nyack. This unmarked, winding, sandstone-lined path descends from North Broadway to a 1,000-foot-long landing area on the Hudson River. The lane might have once been used by Indigenous people heading to a summer fishing camp. Since around 1735, the Smith family owned the land, and during the Revolutionary War, a small stone cottage on the property became a makeshift fortress, equipped with a swivel gun to ward off British raiders. Major John Smith, the brave owner, later established a quarry on the site, leaving behind sandstone fragments.
Smith, a true Revolutionary War hero, passed away in 1799, but his legacy lived on. His farm became the birthplace of several grand estates built by “Barons of Broadway”, including Larchdell, Underclyffe, and River Hook, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the land.
Indigenous Roots
In the early 20th century, Rockland historian George Budke’s map of Rockland County artifact sites revealed a dense concentration of Indigenous artifacts and pottery along the stretch from Defendorf Landing to Nyack Beach. These finds suggest the presence of a thriving Indigenous community during the summer.
Around 1930, a story surfaced about a large oyster midden near the old Smith cottage—evidence of Indigenous people feasting on the bounty of the Hudson River’s vast oyster beds. Though the exact location of this midden remains a mystery, the area was once filled with these shell piles. Farmers burned them for lime, and others were lost as land was cleared for new homes. A freshwater stream that empties into the river here likely made this area even more livable.
The significance of this site reaches further into history. In 1817, six canoes from Long Island, likely carved in the traditional manner from mature tulip trees, stopped here while journeying upriver—an act that felt like a final farewell to the old ways. The canoes returned later that year, the passengers selling handmade baskets during their stay. These visits were a poignant coda, marking the end of an era for the Indigenous people along the Hudson Valley riverfront.
The Smith Family Legacy
Lambert Ariaensen Smith arrived in New Netherland around 1660. As one of the original signers of the Tappan Patent, he helped lay the foundations for settlements west of the Palisades, along the Hackensack River. By 1800, Smith had become the most common surname in Rockland County.
In 1735, Lambert’s son, Arie Lambert Smith, acquired around 350 acres in Upper Nyack, passed down to his grandsons, John L. Smith and Aury L. Smith. John inherited the upper half of the estate, which included the river landing, while Aury received the land that stretched to West Hook Mountain.
John L. Smith (1744-1797)
John L. Smith’s bravery during the Revolutionary War etched his name into local history. After marrying Elizabeth Remsen from Upper Nyack in 1764, the couple likely lived in the riverside stone cottage near today’s 641 North Broadway. Together, they raised eight children. After Elizabeth’s death at age 51, John followed two years later, leaving behind a divided estate. His will parceled out the property to his sons, with a fourth portion going to William Palmer, who lived three farms north and married Smith’s daughter Catherine.
By 1820, the Smith family’s four-generation residency in Upper Nyack had ended, with all the parcels sold outside the immediate family. Major Smith, his wife, his brother Aury, and their father Lambert now rest in the Old Palmer Burial Grounds.
War Comes to the Hudson River Valley
War came to the lower Hudson Valley in 1776 when the British made the strategic decision to divide the colonies at the Hudson River. Washington and the British understood that maintaining control of the Hudson River was the key to success. The British fleet arrived in New York Harbor on July 12, 1776. Soon British ships were sent upriver to test the strength of local defenses.
Naval Action Against the Phoenix & the Rose
The HMS Phoenix with 44 guns and the HMS Rose with 20 guns along with several tenders under the command of Hyde Parker Jr. moved north to Tarrytown and into Haverstraw Bay . Captain Wallace, commanding the HMS Rose, went ashore at Tompkins Cove himself, robbed a couple of hogs off Halstead’s Farm and burned some outbuildings causing a great alarm. Colonel A. Hawkes Hay commander of the Patriot Shore Guard, deployed a force of 400 men from the Long Clove to Dunderburg Mountain to counter the potential for shore raids.
On the night of August 16, 1776, two Patriot fire ships along with a few galleys silently moved upriver with the tide to meet the British gunships. Surprising the British, both fire ships closed with the gunships and nearly succeeded in setting them ablaze. The Phoenix and a fire ship remained attached for some 15-20 minute. In the end, the British disengaged, having lost one tender. Washington, in a letter to Joseph Trumbell, noted that “Though this enterprise did not succeed to our wishes, I am inclined to think it alarmed the enemy greatly.” While the battle counted as a loss for Washington’s river defense, it did mean that the British did not totally control the river. Unfortunately, the captain of one Patriot fire ship remained missing.
Folksingers Ed Renehan and Pete Seeger recorded a folksong in Woodstock in 1976 written by William Gekle about the naval action called The Phoenix and the Rose.
Major Smith & the Nyack Shore Guard
During the Revolutionary War, John and Aury Smith joined forces in the Nyack Shore Guard under Colonel Ann Hawkes Hay. In 1777, at the Skirmish at Sarvent’s Quarry, Smith and his fellow patriots successfully fended off a major British incursion. Outnumbered but determined, they fired on British boats as they approached, forcing the enemy to retreat after several failed attempts. The British left, but not before shelling the home of Henry Palmer, forcing his wife to flee. A historic marker on North Broadway now stands as a tribute to this valiant defense.
Major Smith tuned his stone cottage into a small fortress by mounting a swivel gun—ready to defend against British assaults. On a least one occasion, Smith’s swivel gun was important in warding off boats. The gun had a range of ½ mile, not far enough to bother the main British fleet that traveled the main channel off Tarrytown. But the swivel gun did help fend off the attempted landing of two British boats with one boat being captured.
During another artillery duel, a ball knocked the swivel gun off its mount and hit a stone wall upon which Cornelius Cuyper was standing. “Hell, don’t shoot my legs off,” people heard him shout.
In September 1780, the British finally succeeded in burning down the Smith house, as noted in a letter from General Nathanael Greene to George Washington.
The Smith Quarry
In 1785, John and Aury Smith opened one of the first quarries in Nyack, mining brownstone that soon became highly sought after in New York City. As demand grew, about 30 quarries sprung up in Nyack, with water transport providing a direct route to the city. Today, remnants of the Smith quarry remain visible from North Broadway, just north of Defendorf Lane.
Legacy of Major John Smith
The last riverside colonial cottage stood strong for over two centuries, witnessing the rise of Nyack and the birth of new estates. Though the house has vanished, its stories and the indelible marks left by the Smith family live on.
Barons of Broadway Series
#1 The Magnificent Saga Of Larchdell
#2 Revisiting Underclyffe–A Lost, Gilded Age Mansion
#3 The Adriance Era At Underclyffe Manor
#4 The Flying Dutchman Lands at Underclyffe Manor
#5 The Saga of Rivercliff”s Storied Residents
#6 The Winding Saga of River Hook
#8 The Legacy of Belle Crest: From Clockmakers to Tennis Champions
#11 The Dynamite Baron- Wilson P. Foss Legacy at Under Elms
#12 Atlas Acres – The Botanist in Under Elms’ Garage
#13 The Baroness of Shadowcliff
#14 The Peace Room at Shadowcliff – The Story of the Fellowship of Reconciliation
#15 The Troubled Legacy of Williamson Manor
#16 The Moorings: A Confederate General & the Cottages
#17 The Moorings: A Glimpse into the Clarkstown Country Club Era
#18 The Legacy of Henry Palmer – Nyacks First Baron of Broadway
#19 Glenholme: A Historic Estate’s Evolution & Enduring Charm
#20 From Humble Beginnings To Glen Iris: The Rise Of Judge Tompkins
Mike Hays lived in the Nyacks for 38-years. He worked for McGraw-Hill Education in New York City for many years. Hays serves as President of the Historical Society of the Nyacks, and Vice-President of the Edward Hopper House Museum & Study Center. Married to Bernie Richey, he enjoys cycling and winters in Florida. You can follow him on Instagram as UpperNyackMike.
Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Sun River Health and Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty. Sun River Health is a network of 43 Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) providing primary, dental, pediatric, OB-GYN, and behavioral health care to over 245,000 patients annually. Ellis Sotheby’s International Realty is the lower Hudson Valley’s Leader in Luxury. Located in the charming Hudson River village of Nyack, approximately 22 miles from New York City. Our agents are passionate about listing and selling extraordinary properties in the Lower Hudson Valley, including Rockland and Orange Counties, New York.
