USA > New York > Westchester County > A history of the county of Westchester, from its first settlement to the present time > Part 21
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
the said church and confer in manner as hereafter is established and appoint- ed, and for the more immediate carrying into execution our royal will and pleasure herein we do hereby assign, constitute and appoint Isaac Willett and Nathaniel Underhill, the elder, to be the present churchwardens and Peter de Lancey, James Graham, James van Cortlandt, Lewis Morris, John Smith, Theophilus Bartow, Cornelius Willett and Thomas Hunt, to be the present vestrymen of the said church, who shall hold, possess and enjoy their respec - tive offices until Tuesday in Easter week now next ensuing, and for the keep- ing of the succession in the said offices our royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby establish, direct and require, that on the said Tuesday in Easter week now next ensning, and yearly and every year thereafter for ever on Tuesday in Easter week in every year the rector and inhabitants of the bo- rough town of Westchester in communion of the church of England as by law established, shall meet at the said church, and there by the majority of voices of such of them as shall so meet, elect and choose two of the members to be churchwardens, and eight others of their members to be vestrymen of the said church for the ensuing year, which said churchwardens and vestrymen so elected and chosen shall immediately enter upon their respective offices and hold, exercise and enjoy the same respectively from the time of such elections for and during the space of one year, and until other fit persons shall be elect- ed and chosen in their respective places, and in case the churchwardens or vestrymen, or either of them, by these presents named and appointed, or which shall be hereafter elected and chosen, shall die or remove from the said borough town of Westchester before the time of their respective appoint- ed services shall be expired, or refuse or neglect to act in the office for which he or they is or are herein nominated and appointed, or whereunto he or they shall or may be elected and chosen, then our royal will and pleasure is, and we do hereby direct and ordain and require the rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in communion as aforesaid for the time being to meet at the said church and choose other or others of their numbers in place and stead of him or them so dying, removing or refusing to act within thirty days next after such contingency, and in this case for the more due and order- ly conducting the said elections, and to prevent any undue proceedings there- in, we do hereby give full power and authority to, and ordain and require that the rector and churchwardens of the said church for the time being, or any two of them, shall appoint the time for such election or clections, and that the rector of the said church, or in his absence one of the churchwardens for the time being, shall give public notice thereof by publishing the same at the said church immediately after divine service on the Sunday preceding the day ap- pointed for such elections, hereby giving and granting that such person or persons as shall be so chosen from time to time by the rector and inhabitants of the said borough town of Westchester in communion as aforesaid, or the majority of such of them as shall in such case meet in manner hereby directed, shall have, hold, exercise and enjoy such the office or offices to which he or
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they shall be so elected and chosen from the time of such election until the Tuesday in Easter week thence next ensuing, and until other or others be le- gally chosen in his or their place instead, as fully and amply as the person or persons in whose place he or they shall be chosen might or could have done by virtue of these presents, and we do hereby will and direct that this method shall for ever hereafter be used for the filling up all vacancies that shall hap- pen in either the said offices between the annual elections above directed, and our royal will and pleasure further is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, give and grant that as well the churchwardens and vestry, or those present nominated and appointed as such as shall from time to time be here- after elected and chosen as is herein directed, shall have and they are hereby invested with full power and authority to execute their several and respective offices in as full and ample manner as any churchwardens or vestrymen in that part of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, or in this our pro- vince of New York, can or lawfully may execute their said respective offices,, and further our royal will and pleasure is; and we do by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, give, grant, ordain and appoint that the rector and churchwardens of said church for the time being, or any two of them, shall and may from time to time as occasion shall require, summon and call together at such day and place as they shall think proper the said rector, churchwar- dens and vestrymen for the time being to meet in vestry, giving them at the least one day's notice thereof. and we hereby require them to meet accordingly and we do hereby give, grant and ordain that the said rector, one of the said churchwardens for the time being at least, together with the majority of the said vestrymen of the said church, for the time being, being met in vestry as above directed, shall for ever hereafter have, and they are hereby invested with full power and authority by a majority of their voices to do and execute in the name of the rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in communion of the Church of England as by law established, all and singular powers and authorities herein before given and granted to the said rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in communion of the church of England as by law established, any wise touch- ing or relating to such lands, messuages, and tenements, real and personal estate whatsoever, as they the said rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester, in communion as aforesaid, shall or may acquire for the use of the said church, and also in like manner to order, direct, manage, and trans- act the general interest, business, and affairs of our said corporation, and also shall have full power and authority in like manner to make and ordain such rules, orders, and ordinances as they shall judge convenient for the good govern- ment and discipline of the members of the said church, provided such rules, orders and ordinances be not repugnant to the laws of that part of our kingdom of Great Britain called England, or of this our province of New York, but as near as may be agreeable thereto, and that the same be fairly entered in a book or books to be kept for that purpose, and also in like manner to appoint
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the form of the common seal herein before granted, and the same to alter, break, and remake at their discretion, and also in like manner to appoint such officer or officers as they shall stand in need of, always provided that the rector of the said church for the time being shall have the sole power of nominating and appointing the clerk to assist him in performing divine service, as also the sexton, anything herein before contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding, which clerk and sexton shall hold and enjoy their respective offices during the will and pleasure of the rector of the said church for the time being, and in case of any avoidance of the said church either by the death of the rector thereof or otherwise, then our royal will and pleasure is that the powers and authority hereby vested in the rector, church- wardens, and vestrymen, in vestry met as above mentioned, shall, until the said church be legally supplied with another incumbent, vest in and be exe- cuted by the churchwardens of the said church for the time being, provided always they have the concurrence and consent of the major number of the whole vestrymen of the said church for the time being, in any thing they shall in such case do by virtue hereof, and further we do by these presents, for us, our heirs, and successors, give and grant unto the rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in communion of the church of England as by law established, and their successors forever, that this our present grant shall be deemed, adjudged and construed in all cases most favorably and for the best benefit and advantage of the rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in communion of the church of England as by law esta- blished, and that this our present grant being entered on record as is herein- after particularly expressed, shall be good and effectual in the law to all in- tents, constructions and purposes whatsoever, against us, our heirs, and successors, according to our true interests and meaning herein before declared notwithstanding the not reciting or mis-reciting, not naming or mis-naming of any of the aforesaid franchises, privileges, immunities, officers, in either the premises or any of them, and although no writ of ad quod damnum or other writs, inquisitions in precept hath or have been up this account, had, made, or proscuted or issued, to have and to hold all and singular the privileges, liberties, advantages, and immunities hereby granted or meant, mentioned, or intended so to be, unto the said rector and inhabitants of the borough town of Westchester in communion of the church of England as by law established, and to their successors forever, in testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent, and the great seal of our said province to be hereunto affixed, and the same to be entered on record in our secretary's office, in our city of New York, in one of the books of patents there remaining. Witness our trusty and well beloved Robt. Monckton, our captain general and governor-in-chief of our province of New York and the territories depending thereon in America, vice admiral of the same and major-general of our forces at our fort in our city of New York, by and with the advice and consent of VOL. II. 28
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our governor for our said province. Second day of December, in the year A. D. 1762, and of our reign the third.a
Signed CLARKE,
[L. S.]
Upon the 7th of July, 1764, the church wardens of the parish, stated to the Propagation Society, " that they have purchased a glebe of near thirty acres with a house, which will cost them in the whole, near £700, and that whole families of Quakers have conformed to the church." On the 8th of July, Mr. Milner in- formed the same body, that he had at his own expense, laid out £200 on the parsonage, built a new barn and out houses, &c., &c., and further added, that he had appointed Mr. Nathaniel Seabury, a son of the late worthy missionary, at Hempstead, schoolmaster.
" In 1766, (says Mr. Hawkins) Mr. Seabury intimated to the so- ciety, his wish to accept the offer of the mission of Westchester, which was made to him by the churchwardens and vestry, and the society consenting to this proposal, he removed thither at the end of the year 1766.b
His average congregation at this place, was about 200; and he states, that one of the means which he adopted of communicating religious instruction to the people, was preaching at funerals in the more remote districts, whereby he had the opportunity of ad- dressing those who could not be brought together at any other time. In 1776 he was seized by a party of the disaffected in arms, and carried off to New Haven, all his papers being exami- ned for proof against him. After describing this outrage, he says, "God's providence will, I hope, protect His church and clergy in this county, the disorder and confusion of which are beyond description." He says, in a letter dated New York, De- cember 29th, 1776, " since my last letter, I have undergone more uneasiness than I can describe : more, I believe, than I
8 Alb. Rec. Book of Patents, No. xiii. 490.
b The Rev. Samuel Seabury was instituted rector of St. Peter's church, West- chester, by Sir Henry Moore, Baronet, on the 3d of Dec. 1766.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
could well support again." He goes on to say, "I continued tolerably quiet at home for a few weeks, till after the king's troops evacuated Boston, when the rebel army passing from thence to New York, bodies of them, consisting of twenty or thirty men, would every day or two, sometimes two or three times a day, come through Westchester, though five miles out of their way, and never failed to stop at my house."
"Soon after this, the British fleet and army arrived at Staten Island. The rebels then became very alert in apprehending the friends of government. Many had retired to Westchester from New York. These were first sought after : some escaped, many were seized. My situation became daily more critical, as they began to take up the inhabitants of the county. At length two ships of war came into the Sound and took their station in sight of my house.
Immediately the whole coast was guarded, that no one might go to them. Within a few days, the troops landed on Long Island, and the rebels were defeated ; a body of them then took post at the heiglits near King's bridge, in my parish, and began to throw up works. Another body fixed themselves within two miles of my house. For some time before, I had kept a good deal out of sight, lodging abroad, and never being at home for more than an hour or two at a time, and having a number of people whom I could depend upon, engaged, who punctually in- formed me of every circumstance that was necessary for me to know." With some difficulty he effected his escape to Long Island. The troops then, having burned the pews, converted his church into a hospital. They also quartered cavalry in his house, and consumed all the produce of his farm. A school which he had opened at Westchester, was necessarily broken up, and thus he was deprived of every means of support."a
The following notice of this individual occurs in Sabine's bio- graphical sketches of American Loyalists. "Samuel Seabury,
a Hawkins Hist. Not. of Col. Church. Original letters Lambeth collection vol xix. 189.
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HISTORY OF THE
D. D., the first bishop of the Episcopal church in the United States. He was the son of the Rev. Samuel Seabury, who was a Congregational minister at Groton, and subsequently the first Episcopal minister of New London. He was born at New Lon- don in 1728, and graduated at Yale College in 1751. Soon after completing his collegiate education, he went to Scotland for the purpose of studying medicine, but changed his purpose and de- voted his attention to theology. In 1753 he took orders in Lon- don, and returning to his native country, was settled at New Brunswick, New Jersey. After the death of Mr. Colgan, Sir Charles Hardy, governor of New York, introduced him as eler- gyman of the Episcopal church at Jamaica, Long Island, where he remained from 1756 to 1766. Near the close of the latter year he removed to Westchester, and continued there until the commencement of hostilities. In April, 1775, a large number of loyalists asseml led at White Plains, and adopted the following protest. Mr. Seabury's name is the third affixed to it; that of the Rev. Luke Babcock, another Episcopalian minister, is the fourth. "We, the subscribers, freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Westchester, having assembled at the White Plains in consequence of certain advertisements, do now declare, that we meet here to declare our honest abhorrence of all unlawful con- gresses and committees, and that we are determined, at the hazard of our lives and properties, to support the king and con- stitution ; and that we acknowledge no representatives but the general assembly, to whose wisdom and integrity we submit the guardianship of our rights, liberties, and privileges." Mr. Sea- bury went into New York after the Revolution opened, and at one time was chaplain of the king's American regiment, com- manded by Colonel Fanning. At the peace he settled at New London. In 1784 he went to England to obtain consecration as a bishop, but objections arising there, he was consecrated in Scot- land on the 14th of November of that year by three non-juring bishops. For the remainder of his life he presided over the diocese of Connecticut and Rhode Island. His duties were dis- charged in an exemplary manner. He died February 25th, 1796, aged sixty-eight years. Two volumes of his sermons were published before his deccase, and one volume in 1798. A
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
sermon founded on St Peter's exhortation to fear God and honor the king, delivered before the provincial or loyalist troops, was printed during the war by direction of Governor Tryon."a The following is inscribed on his tomb-stone at New London.
Here lies the body of SAMUEL SEABURY, D. D. Bishop of Connecticut and Rhode Island, who departed this transitory scene, February 25th, 1796, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, and the eleventh of his Episcopal Consecration. Ingenious without pride, Learned without pedantry,
Good without severity.
He was duly qualified to discharge
The duties of the Christian and the Bishop ;
In the pulpit he enforced religion ;
In his conduct he exemplified it.
The poor he assisted with his charity ;
The ignorant he blessed with his instruction.
The friend of men, he ever designed their good ; The enemy of vice, he ever opposed it.
Christian ! dost thou aspire to happiness ? Seabury has shown the way that leads to it.
"Charles Seabury, the youngest son of the bishop, was born in Westchester, in May, 1770, and succeeded his father in the church at New London. In 1796, he preached a while at Ja- maica. His first wife was Anne, the daughter of Roswell Sal- tonstall of New London, by whom he had issue. His son, Samuel Seabury, D. D., is the present rector of the church of the Annunciation, in the city of New York, and editor of the CHURCHMAN, a religious newspaper."b
During the American Revolution religious services appear to have been suspended in this church.
On the 6th day of April, A. D. 1784, the legislature of the state of New York, passed a law entitled " An act to enable all religious denominations in this state to appoint trustees, who
« Sabine's Hist. of American Loyalists.
b History of the Narragansett Church, by Wilkins Updike, page 144.
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HISTORY OF THE
should be a body corporate, for the purpose of taking care of the temporalities of their respective congregations, and for other pur- poses therein mentioned." Under the provisions of this act St. Peter's Church was incorporated on the 19th of April, 1788, Lewis Graham, Josiah Browne, Thomas Hunt, Israel Underhill, John Bartow, Philip I. Livingston and Samuel Bayard, trustees. a
Upon the reorganization of the church, the Rev. Theodosius Bartow was called to the rectorship. For the successors of Mr. Bartow, see list of rectors. The present edifice was erected in 1794, on the site of the old church, and consecrated upon the 9th of December, 1795, by the Right Rev. Samuel Provoost, bishop of the diocese. It is a neat wooden structure surmounted by a cupola. The latter contains the original bell presented to the church by the Morris family, inscribed
"LEWIS MORRIS, 1677."
The communion plate consists of a chalice and paten, the gift of Queene Anne, A. D. 1706.
Anne Regine
a Co. Rec. Religious Soc. lib. A. 19. A second incorporation occurs on the 2d of Angust, 1795 ; Israel Underhill, Philip I. Livingston, churchwardens ; John Bar- tow, jun., Thomas Bartow, Oliver de Lancey, Warren de Lancey, Josiah Brown, Jonathan Fowler, Robert Heaton, and Nicholas Bayard, vestrymen. Lib. A. 58.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
The queen also presented a church bible, book of homilies, cloth for the pulpit, and communion table.
On the south side of the chancel is a plain stone tablet, bear- ing the following epitaph :
Sacred to the memory of THE REVEREND ISAAC WILKINS, D. D., who, for thirty-one years, was the diligent and faithful minister of this parish, placed here, as he believed, by his Redeemer. He remained satisfied with the
pittance allowed him, rejoicing that even in that he was no burden to his parishioners ; nor ever wished, nor ever went forth to seek a better living. Died 5th February, 1830, aged 89 years.
A monument on the north side, records the death of Mrs. Wilkins :
Sacred to the memory of
MRS. ISABELLA WILKINS, the humble hanmaid and faithful worshipper of God, her Saviour, She died the 31st October, A. D. 1810, in the 64th year of her age, and lies buried here.
This monument in conjugal love, is raised
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and inscribed, by her grateful, faithful and affectionate husband. And now Lord ! what is our hope ? Truly our hope is ever in thee.
In the vestry room are memorials of the Hoffman, Wilkins and Turnbull families, &c.
To St. Peter's church is attached a small glebe and parson- age.
The following liberal grants have been made by Trinity parish, New York, to this church, viz. : in 1795, the sum of $750, in 1796, $500, and in 1809, five lots of ground in Reade, Cham- ber and Warren streets, New York, the present value of which is $22,500.ª The first delegates from this parish to the dioce- cesan convention, in 1785, were John Jay and Richard Morris, Esqrs.
RECTORS OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH, WESTCHES- TER.
Inst. or call.
Rectors.
Vacated by Death.
A. D. 1702, Rev. John Bartow, Clericus,
A. D. 1723, Rev. Thomas Standard, Clericus, the same.
12 Nov. 1761, Rev. John Milner, Clericus,
the same.
3 Dec. 1766,
Rev. Samuel Seabury, Clericus,
5 July, 1790,
Rev. Theodosius Bartow, Presb.
resignation. the same. the same.
August, 1794,
Rev. John Ireland, Presb.
Rev. Isaac Wilkins, D. D., Presb.,
Death.
9 March, 1799, 27 April, 1830, Rev. William Powell, Presb. pres't incumbent.
Notitia Parochialis.
A. D. 1718,
Communicants, -
Baptisms, 32.
1761,
ditto 30,
ditto 114.
1764,
ditto 50,
ditto 91.
a Hist. of Trinity Church, N. Y., by William Berrian, D. D.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
1774, 1844,
ditto -
ditto
18.
ditto
40,
ditto
13
SC
E
GILL.ECCLES
OCCIDENTE L
Seal of St. Peter's Church, Westchester.
'The baptismal register of this parish, contains the following memoranda :
" March 4th, 1702, then baptized by Mr. John Bartow, Rector of Westchester, John Haden, aged 41 years ; John Haden, son of said John Haden, aged 17 years; Abagail Haden, aged 16 years ; Samuel Haden, aged 13 years ; Thomas Haden, aged 8 years ; Elizabeth Haden, aged 11 years ; Joseph Haden, aged 1 year and 7 months, &c.a
The church yard, which is probably coeval with the settle- ment of the village, contains numerous interments.
" Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,"
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep .- Gray's Elegy.
The following inscriptions are copied from the monuments Here lyeth the body of William -- , Esq., aged 50 years, deceased March 27th, 1702. H. 1718. P. B.o 1727. In mem-
a Westchester. Rec.
VOL. II.
29
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HISTORY OF THE
ory of Philip Honeywell, Esq., he died of a lingering illness, at Greenburgh, on the Sth day of Sept. 1813, in the 53d year of his age.
He was an active character during the Revolutionary war, he lived respected and died regretted. ANN EUSTACE, his wife, died May 11, 1811, ætat 50.
Look on this stone and you will find, My journey's o'er, and yours behind, Think then, before you turn away, That yours may end before this day.
In memory of Oliver de Lancey, senr., who departed this life April 4th, 1840, aged 70 years. Sacred to the memory of Captain Stephen Bayard, who was born Oct. 26th, 1785, and died July 11, 1814: " my Blessed Saviour receive my spirit, were his last words," and whosoever believeth in him, tho' he die, yet shall he live again. Ever will the sweet remembrance, of your useful, generous, forgiving and affectionate virtues, best of husbands and fathers, be cherished in the hearts of your wife and family. Sacra memoria of Philip Livingston, whose family were suddenly bereaved of a valued parent, on the 27th Nov. 180S, aged 74 years. His afflictions were numerous and deep felt, yet was he comforted.
His heart, its confidence Reposed in God, its strength and shield, The paths of death in glory shine, When saints the call obey, A light from Heaven, an arm divine, Are with them on the way.
Here lies the mortal remains of WRIGHT POST, during many years eminent as a physician and surgeon in the city of New York,
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
he was distinguished for sound judgment, practical skill and unwearied diligence in nis profession, and for modest, dignified and inild deportment in all the walks of life, an enlightened and attached member of the Protestant Episcopal church,
he was for many years a vestryman of Grace church in the city of New York, and for several years its senior warden, overplied by professional labours, his feeble frame gradually gave way to the attacks of pulmonary consumption. He retired from the city to his country seat in this neigeborhood, and after a residence of a few weeks, he departed this life in full possession of liis mental faculties, at peace with the world, and a devout hope of acceptance with God, through faith in the merits of Jesus Christ. IIe died June 14, 1828, aged 62 years, 3 months and 26 days.
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