Colen Donck

He named his estate Colen Donck (or "Colendonck"; spellings vary, the latter being more consistent with Dutch construction) and built his house between current-day Van Cortlandt Lake and Broadway.

[2] Van der Donck paid the Indian chief Tacharew, whose tribe used to live on the land, as a gesture of friendship.

The estate was so large that locals referred to him as the Jonkheer ("young gentleman" or "squire"), the source of today's name "Yonkers".

[3] Records of the following January indicate there was a dispute between his relations over two bibles taken by Indians in the sacking of his home in the raids known as the Peach War, leaving the cause of his death unknown.

Obtaining confirmation of title from Governor Richard Nicolls, she sold the land to her brother, Elias Doughty, who then began to sell off parcels.