USA > New York > Westchester County > A history of the county of Westchester, from its first settlement to the present time > Part 6
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Mr. Muirson, besides his salary of £50 from the Society, was entitled to £50 currency, as settled by act of Assembly on Rye parish ; but as his people were poor and for the most part recent converts, he considerately forbore to press his legal claim, and during the first two years of his ministry, had only received about ten or twelve pounds currency ; thus plainly showing he sought not theirs but them.
" The following account of the Indians, written in the year 1708, will be thought interesting. As to the Indians, the natives of the country, they are a decaying people. We have not now in all the parish twenty families, whereas not many years ago there were several hundreds. I have frequently conversed with some of them, and been at their great meetings of "pawawing," as they call it. I have taken some pains to teach some of them, but to no purpose, for they seem regardless of instruction, and when I have told them of the evil consequences of their hard drinking, &c., they replied that Englishmen do the same, and
& Hawkins' Hist. Not. of Col Church, p. 279.
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that it is not so great a sin in an Indian as in an Englishman, because the Englishman's religion forbids it, but an Indian's does not. They further say they will not be Christians, nor do they see the necessity for so being, because we do not live ae- cording to the precepts of our holy religion. In such ways do most of the Indians that I have conversed with, either here or elsewhere, express themselves. I am heartily sorry that we should give them such a bad example, and fill their mouths with such objections to our blessed religion."
"He mentions in this letter that they had completed the house of God at Rye, by the subscription of the inhabitants ; a stately structure indeed."
" Mr. Muirson, after a short but a most useful service in the ministry of the church, died in October, 1708, much lamented by his friends, and missed by his parishioners."a
The last will of George Muirson, clerk, bears date September, 1708. By his wife Gloriana, daughter of the Hon. Colonel Wil- liam Smith,b he left one son, George Muirson, M. D.,c of Setau- kett, L. I., the father of Heathcote Muirson. The latter was a graduate of Yale College in 1776, and died from wounds received in the attack upon Lloyd's neck, Long Island, July, 1781.
Mr. Muirson was succeeded in January, 1709, by the Rev. Christopher Bridges.
"Upon the 9th of January, 1710, at a meeting of the par- ishioners, at the parish church in Rye, the following church- wardens and vestrymen were elected for the year ensuing.
Churchwardens.
Capt. Joseph Theale, Capt. Jonathan Hart, Cornelius Seely.
a Hist. Not. of the Ch. of England in the N. A. Colonies, 281.
b The Ilon. William Smith was chief justice and president of the Council of the Province of New York.
Anna, the eldest daughter of Dr. George Mnirson, married Cyrus Punderson, D. D. Their descendants are still residing upon Long Island. Mary the youngest married William Wickham Wills.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
Vestrymen.
Andrew Coe, George Lane, Jun.
John Merritt, Sen.
Joseph Lyon,
Daniel Purdy,
George Kniffen,
Thomas Purdy,
John Disbrow, Mamaroneck.
Thomas Merritt, Jun. John Miller, Bedford.
At a meeting of the vestry, held on the 29th of July, 1712, the Rev. Mr. Bridges presented the following communication from his Excellency Robert Hunter :
" You are to give order forthwith, (if the same be not already done) that every orthodox minister within your government be one of the vestry in his respective parish, and that no vestry be held without him, except in case of sickness, or that after notice of vestry summoned he omit to come."
Rev. Sir, the above copy of Her Majesty's instructions to me, I have thought fit to direct to the several ministers within this Province, that their respective vestries may regulate themselves accordingly, and if there be any practice contrary thereunto, I desire you may duly inform me, that effectual care may be taken therein.
I remain Reverend Sir, Your assured Friend and Servant, ROBERT HUNTER.ª
In 1712, " one hundred and fifty prayer books and five pounds worth of tracts, were voted to Mr. Bridges of Ryc. He was also allowed for the services of two school-masters in the parish, £5 per annum each, on a certificate, that they have taught thirty children the bible, the catechism and the use of the liturgy."b
In 1715, " Mr. Bridges at Rye had reduced many who were brought up in a very dissolute way of living and total neglect of public worship, to a more sober conversation and a constant at- tendance on the worship of God, using his utmost endeavors to put a stop to many disorderly practices."c
· Church Rec.
Reports of Propagation Soc.
e Reports of Propagation Soc.
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HISTORY OF THE
The same year the Propagation Society "presented to Mr. Huddlestone, schoolmaster in Rye, £5 additional salary and to Mr. Bridges some common prayer books and devotional tracts, of which the people were very desirous before he wrote, and heartily thankful for them since. To these donations the Society added two dozen prayer books, with the old version of the singing, and as many of Lewis's church catechism for exercise in his school, or in mornings of the Lord's days, (when not only his own scholars, but several of the young people of the town of both sexes come willingly to be informed,) one dozen bibles with the common prayer, and the new version of psalms, twenty-five psalters and fifty-one primers, all which he requested as contri- buting mightily to the spreading the good work he has in hand, having taught besides British children, six hundred Dutch and French to read and write English."a
The Rev. Christopher Bridges died on the 22d of May, 1719, having been ten years minister of this church.
A. D. 1720. "The Rev. Mr. Barclay formerly missionary to Albany was missionary of Rye with a salary of £50." The same year the Society "gave Mr. Barclay £10 in consideration of the hard circumstances he lies under." b
In 1721, the Rev. Thomas Poyer officiated here.c
Upon the 4th of June, 1722, the church wardens and vestrymen addressed the following letter to the venerable Propagation Society :
" We the churchwardens and vestrymen of ye parish of Rye, in ye province of New York, in America, having taken ye liberty soon after ye death of our late incumbent, the Rev. Mr. Christopher Bridges, humbly to pray that your honours would continue your usual bounty to our poor church, and supply us in our destitute condition with a Church of England minister in ye room of our late incumbent, do take this opportunity to return your honours our hearty thanks, as well for the constant supply which by your honours' favorable re- commendation we had from the clergy of this province, as for your resolution,
a Reports of Propagation Soc.
b Reports of Propagation Soc.
e The Propagation Society voted £50 to the clergy of New York for supplying the church at Rye, vacant by the death of the Rev. Mr. Bridges.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
appearing in print, to supply us with a minister to reside among us, as soon as one whom your honours can approve of shall offer. We have been, to our great detriment, destitute about three years, and now having the opportunity of one whom we are universally pleased with, ye Rev. Mr. Robert Jenney, chaplain of the forces of this province, who is willing to relinquish his place in the forces to settle amongst us and become our minister, provided he can have your honours' favor and bounty for his encouragement. We have taken ye liberty to give him a call, as ye act of assembly of this province empowers us, (which is enclosed to your honours,) humbly praying for your approbation, of what we have done, and that you will please to grant unto him as our min- ister, ye favour and bounty, being a person whose conversation, preaching, and diligence in his holy function we are well acquainted and satisfied with. We are confident that his residence amongst us will effectually reconcile all our differences, and heal all our breaches, occasioned by our being so long in want of a faithful and prudent pastor to guide and instruct us. That God Almighty will prosper your honours' pious and charitable endeavours for the service of his church in this wilderness, and that he will grant unto every one of you the choisest of his blessings, temporal and eternal, is the hearty prayer of
May it please your honours, your honours' most dutiful and most obedient humble servants. Signed by order,
JOHN CARHART, Clerk.ª
The Rev. Robert Jenney, minister of Rye, writing to the Pro- pagation Society in 1723, observes, "that he has several other townships under his charge, and that since his admission in 1722, he has baptized ten adults and fifty children ; number of communicants twenty-six."b In 1724 Mr. Jenney reported "the baptism of two adults and several children ; communicants twenty-eight.c A. D. 1725,d the quotas of the various districts stood thus :
Rye, £34 4 0 Bedford £16 2 0
Mamaroneck 18 00 Scarsdale 530
North Castle £2 90
Mr. Jenney was removed by the Society to Hempstead, Long
a Church Rec.
b Rep. of Propagation Soc.
· Ibid.
d At a vestry meeting held in Rye, January 18th, 1725, " it was voted that mo- ney be raised to purchase a drum for the church."
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HISTORY OF THE
Island in 1726. 'The vacancy created by the removal, the So- ciety proceeded immediately to fill by appointing the Rev. Mr. Colgan. Upon which we find the vestry addressing the secre- tary of the society as follows :
" REV. SIR : We, the churchwardens and vestry of the parish of Rye, re- turn our humble thanks to ye honorable Society for their pious and charitable care of this parish in providing so speedily to fill this vacancy by appointing ye Rev. Mr. Colgan for us. We conclude they have before this time been acquainted by our letters how far we had proceeded to obtain a minister, fear- ing the ill consequences of being left destitute ; and we hope ye honorable Society will put a favorable construction upon our proceedings, though we have given our call to the Rev. Mr. Wetmore, and he received induction im- mediately upon it, yet he always declared that he should submit to ye resolu- tions of the honorable Society, and not in any degree interfere with their de- termination, and though we find ye inclinations of ye people very much to have Mr. Wetmore appointed for us ; on which account we can't but desire that ye honorable Society would be pleased to favor it ; yet we shall always pay ye greatest defference to their pleasure, and if they finally determine that Mr. Colgan shall be for us, against whom we have no exceptions, as, being a stran- ger to us, we shall give him the best welcome we are capable of, but inasmuch as ye Rev. Mr. Colgan is willing, by exchange with Mr. Wetmore, to continue at New York, and that vestry has signified their approbation, we heartily join with them in requesting of ye honorable Society that they would confirm that agreement, and give liberty for Mr. Wetmore to come to this parish, who, by being born in the county and acquainted with the dispositions and customs of ye people here, will be acceptable to us, and we hope do much service for re- ligion. But all this with submission to that venerable body, whose pleasure we shall most cheerfully submit to ; and we pray ye continuance of their favour and charity to us, and that God would prosper their pious designs.
We are, reverend sir, the Hon'ble Society's, and your most humble and obedient servants. Signed by order.ª
JOHN CARHART, Clerk.
To the Rev. Mr. David Humphreys,
Secretary to ye Hon'ble Society for Propagating ye Gospel, &c., at ye Archbishop's Library at St. Martins in ye Fields, London."
In accordance with this request the society were pleased to confirm the appointment of Mr. Wetmore.
· Church Rec.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
We take the subjoined extract from a letter sent to the secretary of the society, in 1726-7.
" And now we are once more peaceably settled, we hope by the blessing of God to see religion revive among us, which by con- tentions and divisions is sunk to a very low ebb. As the Rev. Mr. Wetmore has been born in the county, and long known among us, who has had his conversation becoming his sacred character and profession, we doubt not but ye people of this parish will continue their affection to him, and hope to see this good fruit of it, viz : that they be brought to a proper sense of religion, and more general and constant attendance, in ye public worship and sacraments which for a long time have been very much neglect- ed among us ; we earnestly pray for the blessing of almighty God npon that venerable society whose extensive charity (under God,) finds food for so many souls famishing in ignorance and error, and shall always look upon ourselves strictly bound to pay it, the greatest honor and most cheerful obedience to all their commands and directions, and beg leave to subscribe with all du- tiful respects.
Rev'd. Sir, your and ye Honorable Society's most humble and obedient servants. Signed by order of the vestry,a John Carhart, clerk.
The Rev. James Wetmore, writes A. D. 1728, that his congre- gation is considerably increased, he has added nine new communi- cants and baptized nineteen. In 1729 he acquaints the society " that he meets with good success in his mission, that his num- bers increase, and that several of the independents have quitted that persuasion and very regularly attend divine service at his church."b July 1st, 1738, he says " I have baptized the last half year five adults besides several children. About fifty families in the adjoining parish have requested assistance. Mr. Purdy,"c (schoolmaster at Rye,) "teaches twenty-one children of church
& Church Rec.
৳ Propagation Soc. Rep.
Mr. Purdy died in 1753, and was buried on Ash Wednesday. Rep. of Propaga- tion Soc.
VOL. II. 9
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HISTORY OF THE
parents and fourteen dissenters, as likewise two Dutch, two Jew- ish and one colored child, in all forty.one. Mr. Dwight of White Plains, six miles from Rye, teaches twenty-seven children, in all forty-six."
" And adds, July 15, 1740, that besides his regular duty at Rye, he officiates once a month at Stamford and Greenwich. He had also spent some days last winter in visiting sundry families in the woods. Since the 3d day of May, 1739, he had baptized one hundred and eleven children, and twenty-seven adults ; his com- municants number fifty."a
Under date of September 28th, 1741, he observes " that by God's help the church maintains her ground notwithstanding the efforts of the sectaries in new methodism. He had baptized within a year sixty-nine children and six adults, &c."b
In 1745 Mr. Wetmore writes " that he is fully occupied in per- forming duty at Rye, Scarsdale and the White Plains, and begs for an assistant to officiate under him. At Bedford and North Castle there are four hundred families, &c."e
The same year Mr. Joseph Lamson was appointed assistant to Mr. Wetmore with a salary of £20; a gratuity of £20 was also made by the society, "out of compassion to Mr. Lamson's suffer- ings and necessities, who was taken prisoner, shipped and carried into France on his voyage towards England, and afterwards on his way from Port Louis in France, to London, was detained seven months by a fever at Salisbury. Mr. Lamson undertook the voyage to England for the purpose of obtaining Episcopal ordination.d In his first reports dated May 12th, 1746, Mr. Lamson writes " that he officiates by turns at Bedford and North
a Reports of Propagation Soc.
b Reports of Propagation Soc.
c Reports of Propagation Soc.
d Some idea (says the Rev. M. H. Henderson,) of the great disadvantages under which the church labored during our colonial existence, may be formed from the faet, that beside the great expense of the voyage, (£100,) an expense which candi- dates for holy orders could ill afford to bear, nearly one-fifth of all that went to England for ordination died, either from small-pox, or the dangers of the deep. " The number who had gone to England for ordination from the northern colonies, up to 1767, was 52 ; of these 42 only returned safely. Henderson's Centennial Dis- course.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
Castle to full congregations and had then baptized eleven children and three adults."a At a vestry meeting of this parish held at Mr. Benjamin Brown's, sen., in Rye, January 16th 1749, the Rev. James Wetmore delivered the following letter, from the Rev. Philip Bearcroft, D. D., secretary to the Honorable Propa- gation Society.
London, Charter House, June 27, 1749.
GENTS :-
It is with much concern that the Society for the Propa- gation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts are informed that your church and the parsonage house are very much out of repair, and that even the possession of the glebe is disputed against your very worthy pastor Mr. Wetmore, whose great pains and abilities in the cause of God's church, cannot but recommend him to every worthy member of it. Therefore the Society hope and expect that upon due consideration you will give orders for the full repair of the church and the parsonage house, and defend Mr. Wetmore in the maintenance of all his just rights, as you desire his longer continuance among you,
I am, Gentlemen, Your very humble servant, PHILIP BEARCROFT, Secretary.
To the Church wardens and Vestry
of the Church of Rye, New York.
Mr. Wetmore, in his report of 1751, mentions " that the church had lately been repaired and is made neat and beautiful."
In a letter of April 7th, 1759, Mr. Wetmore acquaints the So- ciety " that a very worthy person, a native of England,b but now being in New York had put into his hands £600 currency, of which he reserves to himself the interest during life, and hath left by his will £400 more to be added after his death, to pur- chase a convenient glebe, and other liberal legacies."c
& Rep. of Propagation Soc.
b St. George Talbot, Esq., see vol. i. 25.
e Reports of Propagation Soc
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HISTORY OF THE
The Rev. James Wetmore died on the 15th of May, 1760,a having been nearly thirty-four years minister of this church. His remains repose in the old parish burial ground, on the north-west side of Blind brook. A plain monumental tablet marks the spot and bears the following inscription.
Sacred to the memory of the REV. JAMES WETMORE, The late, worthy, learned and faithful Minister of the Parish of Rye, for above thirty years, who having strenuously defended the Church with his pen, and adorned it by his life and doctrine, at length being seized of the small pox, departed this life, May 15, 1760. ÆEtatis, 65. Cujus memoria sit in Benedictione sempiterna.
Mr. Wetmore left issue two sons, Timothy, afterwards attorney general of the province of New Brunswick, and James, of Rye; descendants of the latter are still living in the town. Also four daughters, Alethea, wife of the Rev. Jo- seph Lamson, Anna, wife of Gilbert Brundage, Charity, wife of Josiah Purdy, from whom descend the Purdys of Rye, and Esther who married first David Brown, and secondly Jesse Hunt, Esq. high sheriff of this county in 1780.
In a letter of May 6th, 1761, Mr. Timothy Wetmore com- plains to the Society, " that since the death of his father they had not been favored with a sermon, or either of the sacraments, for six or eight months."b
a The last will of James Wetmore, clerk, bears date Nov. 1759. Surrogate's office, N. Y. Lib. xxii. 123.
৳ Reports of Propagation Soc.
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
After a vacancy of nearly two years the mission was again fill- ed by the appointment of the Rev. Ebenezer Punderson.ª In 1763 this gentleman informs the Society " that since writing his last letter, besides two-thirds of the Sundays at Rye, and the other third at White Plains, North Castle and Bedford, he had been twice to Crumpond and once to Croton, he had also bap- tized nineteen adults and ninety-two children."
Mr. Punderson died in 1764. The following inscription is taken from his monument in the grave yard.
Sacred to the Memory of the REV. EBENEZER PUNDERSON, late Missionary to the Rev. Society for Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts, who died 22d Sept., A. D. 1764, being 60 years of age.
" With pure religion was his spirit fraught, Practiced himself what he to others taught."
Upon the 19th day of December, 1764, Grace Church, Rye, re- ceived the following charter from King George the Third.
CHARTER OF GRACE CHURCH, RYE.
George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ire- land, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting : Whereas our loving subjects, Peter Jay, Elisha Budd, Christopher Isinghart, Timothy Wetmore, Caleb Purdy, Joshua Purdy, John Guion, Joseph Purdy, Gilbert Willet, John Carhart, Thomas Sawyer, Gilbert Brundige, John Thomas, William Sutton, Anthony Miller and John Adee, inhabitants of the parish of Rye, in the county of Westchester, in our Province of New York, in communion of the Church of England as by law established, by their humble petition presented on the sixteenth day of November last past, to our trusty and well beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, our Lieu-
a For the induction of Mr. Punderson, see Surrogate's office, N. Y. Book of Com- missions, Fol. v.
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HISTORY OF THE
tenant Governor and Commander-in-chief of our Province of New York and the territories depending thereon in America, in Council did set forth that the inhabitants of the said parish of Rye, in communion of the Church of England as by law established, have by voluntary contributions erected and finished a decent and convenient church in the town of Rye, in the said par- ish, for the celebration of divine service according to the rites and cere- monies of the Church of England, but that from a want of some persons le- gally authorized to superintend the same and manage the affairs and interests thereof, the said church is greatly decayed, and the petitioners discouraged from contributing to the repair thereof, least the moneys given for that pur- pose may be misapplied, and that on that account also charitable and well dis- posed people are discouraged in their design of establishing proper funds for the future support of the said church and the better maintenance of the min- istry, and therefore humbly prayed in behalf of themselves and the rest of the inhabitants of the said parish in communion of the church of England as by law established, our letters patent incorporating them and the rector and in- habitants of the said parish in communion of the Church of England as by law established, for the time being a body corporate and politick, with such rights, privileges, and immunities, as should appear proper and expedient to answer the purposes aforesaid, Now We being willing to encourage the pious intentions of our said loving subjects and to grant this their reasonable re- quest, Know Ye that of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere mo- tion, we have ordained, given, granted and declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors, do ordain, give, grant and declare, that they the said petitioners and the rest of the inhabitants of the said parish of Rye in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and their succes- sors the inhabitants of the said parish of Rye in communion of the Church of England as by law established, with the rector of the said parish of Rye for the time being, for ever, shall for ever hereafter be one body corporate and politick in deed, fact and name, by the name, stile and title of the rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye, in communion of the Church of England as by law established, and them and their successors by the same name, we do by these presents for us our heirs and successors really and fully make, erect, create and constitute one body politick and corporate in deed, fact and name for ever, and will, give, grant, and ordain, that they and their successors the rector and inhabitants of the parish of Rye in communion of the Church of England as by law established, by the same name shall and may have perpe- tual succession, and shall and may be capable in law to sue and be sued, im- plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defend- ed in all courts and elsewhere, in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes, matters and demands whatsoever, as fully and amply as any other our liege subjects of our said Province of New York may or can sue or be sued, implead or be impleaded, defend or be defended, by any lawful ways or means whatsoever, and that they and their successors by the same name
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COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER.
shall be for ever hereafter capable and able in the law to purchase, take, hold, receive, and enjoy any messuages, tenements, houses, and real estate whatso- ever, in fee simple for term of life or lives, or in any other manner howsoever, for the use of the said church, and also any goods, chattels, or personal estate whatsoever, Provided always that the clear yearly value of the said real estate (exclusive of the said church and the ground whereon the same is built and the cemetery belonging to the same) doth not at any time exceed the sum of five hundred pounds current money of our said province, and that they and their successors by the same name shall have full power and authority to give, grant, sell, lease and dispose of the same real estate for life or lives, or years, or for ever, under certain yearly rents and all goods, chattels and personal es- tate whatsoever at their will and pleasure, and that it shall and may be law- ful for them and their successors to have and use a common seal, and our will and pleasure further is, and we do hereby for us, our heirs and successors, ordain and appoint that there shall be for ever hereafter belonging to the said church one rector of the Church of England as by law established, duly qualified for the cure of souls, two churchwardens and eight vestrymen, who shall conduct and manage the affairs and business of the said church and corporation in manner as hereafter is declared and appointed, and for the more immediate carrying into execution our royal will and pleasure herein, we do hereby as- sign, constitute and appoint Peter Jay and Elisha Budd to be the present churchwardens, and John Thomas, Joshua Purdy, Christopher Isinghart, William Sutton, John Adee, Caleb Purdy, Anthony Miller and Timothy Wet- more to be the present vestrymen of the said church, who shall hold, possess, and enjoy their said respective offices until Tuesday in Easter week, which shall come and be in the year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and sixty-six, and for the keeping up 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 in the said year of our Lord one thousand, seven hundred and sixty-six, and yearly and every year thereafter for ever, on Tuesday in Easter week in every year, the rector and inhabitants of the par- ish of Rye 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 their members to be church- wardens 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, exer- cise 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 elected and chosen in their respective places, and in case the churchwardens or vestry- men, or either of them, by these presents named and appointed or which shall be hereafter elected and chosen by virtue of these presents, shall die or re- move from the said parish of Rye before the time of their respective appoint- ed services shall be expired, or refuse or neglect to act in the office for which
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