Crawford-Morris House

Samuel Crawford, the original builder of the Crawford Morris House in 1766, was one of the two seconders of the motion to adopt the Declaration of Independence by the state of New York. He was also a member of the Committee of Safety, First Lieutenant of the White Plains Minute Men and a Captain of the Militia. Crawford was killed in a battle against the British in 1777 in Eastchester. To commemorate Crawford’s death a bronze tablet mounted on a large boulder was placed at the intersection of Post Road and Winter Hill Road.

The next owner only held the Crawford Morris house for four years before the house was sold to the famous Richard Morris, son of New Jersey governor Lewis Morris, in 1788. When the Revolutionary War broke out, Richard was a judge of the High Court of Vice-Admiralty.

Richard Morris’ descendants lived in the home until Cornelius Ross purchased it in 1949. When Mr. and Mrs. Ross purchased the home they restored the entire house including the nine functioning fireplaces. They left the earliest, southern portion of the home, including the stone lower level and timber level framing in the original design. During the restoration the four rooms upstairs were made into two large rooms in order to make ample space for closets and modern plumbing. The two living rooms downstairs were made into one. While doing these renovations, the owners tried to retain much original material. Only a few rooms required new flooring. There is a high degree of Carpenter Gothic detail in the house, which is unusual for a home in this village.

1. Lederer , RIchard M. "The Crawford Morris House." Scarsdale Public Library (Scarsdale) . .
2. Scarsdale Inquirier, Historical Newspapers. October 3rd 1968. Accessed November 29th 2020.
3. Lungariello , Mark. Skeleton of Washington's unknown solider lost in Tuckahoe, lohud. May 26th 2018. Accessed December 14th 2020. https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2018/05/26/washingtons-unknown-soldier-lost-tuckahoe/620823002/.