Daniel Chadeayne purchased 300 acres of land in Kitchawan in Cortland Manor (now Yorktown, NY) in 1755 from William Skinner, a son-in-law of Stephanus Van Cortlant. This was, perhaps, the first portion of land to be sold outside the Van Cortlant family. About four years later, a farmhouse went up and in front of it were planted two marriage trees, one for Daniel and one for his wife Marie. The farm, named Just A Mere, remained in the Chadeayne family for over 200 years. It still stands at the corner of Pines Bridge Road and Chadeayne Road in southern Yorktown, NY.

An article from The Farm Journal (August 1925)	The Oldest farm - who has it? That is, the farm which has been longest in the same family. David L. Chadeayne, Ossining, NY, has an old one, as the following letter shows: "The farm I own and now live on has been in the family and occupied by Chadeaynes 170 years, having been purchased by my great grandfather April 4, 1755 from William Skinner, a son-in-law of Stephanus Van Courtland, who owned a large tract of land in this section known as Van Courtland Manor. This farm was part of plot No. 7 on the south side of Croton River, and was probably about the first land sold by the Manor in this section. I also have a copy of a war map made by Washington's engineers in 1776, covering this section, when his troops were stationed about two miles from this farm. This map shows the location of this house with the name Daniel Chadeayne." Who can beat this? Speak up, New England folks.
As it looked then... (Note the two large pine trees, planted as "marriage trees" for David and Marie)
Another shot ...
Photo courtesy of Mary Lee Gellhaus
Another nice old photo with Elizabeth (Libbie) Chadeayne seated in the yard...
Photo courtesy of Mary Lee Gellhaus
And Just a mere in 1998...
Photo courtesy of Kerry Magner Lantz
A closer look...
Photo courtesy of Kerry Magner Lantz
The sign in front...