SERRELL, JOHN J., city surveyor. Two manuscript maps of the Upper West Side, around 70th to 73rd streets and "Eighth" and "Twelfth" Avenues (i.e. Central Park West and Riverside), both titled: "Map of the Real Estate in the 12th Ward of the City of New York belonging to Jacob Harsen, M.D. Surveyed November 1848," being pen, ink and wash plans, edged with red cloth ribbon, backed onto linen, folded. Both with damage to folds and outer margins with small losses. Comprising:
1. Survey of four blocks between 70th and 72nd street and "tenth" (i.e. Amsterdam) and "twelfth" (i.e. Riverside) avenues, 750 x 1315 mm.
2. Survey of four blocks between 71st and 73rd street and "eighth" (i.e. Central Park West, including The Dakota) and "tenth" (i.e. Amsterdam) avenues, 717 x 1308 mm.

These maps cover a portion of what was originally a 94-acre farm, bought for £450 by Cornelius Dyckman in 1701, centered on what is now Broadway and 73rd Street. Dyckman's daughter Cornelia married Jacob Harsen, and the farm eventually passed into Harsen family ownership. It apparently covered an area between that is now approximately bordered by Central Park West and Riverside and 69th and 73rd Streets. The larger area became known as Harsenville. John J. Serrell is the eldest of three brothers who were surveyors or engineers with official connections to New York City.