USA > New York > Westchester County > History of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the county of Westchester, from its foundation, 1693, to 1853 > Part 50
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He was one of the Jefferson Electors, and was the last survi- ving one from this State. He represented this District for two years in the Congress of the United States, and was subsequently One of the Electoral College, that voted for Gen. Harrison. At the time of his decease, he was President of the Westchester County Bank. An elder sister, Mrs. Beekman, died March 14th, 1847-and the only survivor of the family is the aged widow of the late Philip S. Van Rensselaer, Esq. of Albany.
Gen. Van Cortlandt held a high place in the esteem of all who knew him. He was interred in the family burying ground, at Croton Manor, on Thursday, and a large concourse followed him to his tomb. His memory will long live in the hearts of all who knew him.
The earliest records relating to the history of this parish, now accessible, are principally to be found in the MSS. of the Ven. Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. From these docu- ments it appears, that as early as 1744, the Rev. James Wet- more of Rye performed divine service at Peekskill. Writing to the Society on the 3d of April, 1746, he says :- " That as there 37
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
are great numbers of people in the wilderness northward of Bedford and Westchester, who have very little knowlege or sense of religion, Mr. Lamson's labors will be employed to good purpose among them." In 1761 Mr. Dibble officiated here, where he inforins us, " he found no settled teacher of any de- nomination, but met several heads of families, professors of the Church of England, and many others well disposed towards it." Mr. Talbot, who accompanied Mr. Dibble on this occasion, writing to the Society says :- " The state of religion I truly found deplorable enough, they were as sheep without a shep- herd, a prey to various sectaries, and enthusiastic lay teachers ; there are many well wishers and professors of the Church among them, who doth not hear the Liturgy in several years."
It appears from the following Indenture that as early as 1750), the inhabitants of Peekskill had provided six acres of land to promote the erection of a church edifice. The conveyance bears date 23d of March, 1750, and is as follows :-
DEED FOR CHURCH LOT.
(EXTRACT.)
st Andrew Johnson of Perth Amboy, East Jersey, party of the first part, for the value of five pounds, conveys to Caleb Hall, Joseph Travis and Palatiah Haws, par- ties of the second part, a parcel of land lying at a place called Peekskill, being a part of lot No. 8, beginning at the north east corner of the second parcel of land lately purchased of Joseph Taylor, by the north side of Crumpond road, containing six acres, &c., to have and to hold in trust for a school and burying place, and also for their executors and successors in trust, to the only proper use, benefit and behoof and exercise of the public worship of God; and that it be for that purpose in the arecting and building of a meeting house or houses for the religious, (under the pro- tection of our most gracious Majesty.) either the Church of England, Presbyterian, Independents, Baptists or Congregational, &c. to erect and build a house for the re- Jigious exercise of the public worship of God, with a convenient yard thereto, for each or either of the above written denominations, to them the said Caleb Hall, &c. their heirs and successors, in trust for the neigbourhood and inhabitants round about from generation to generation for ever, and for no other use, purpose or intent whatsoever.">
· County Rec. Lib. H. 333,
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AND CHURCH OF CORTLANDT.
Yet no building appears to have been begun until 1766, when Beverly Robinson, Jeremiah Drake, Caleb Ward, Isaac Hatfield and Charles Moore were appointed trustees (by certain subscri- bers, both in Cortlandt's manor and the lower end of Philipse's upper patent, towards the erecting of a church,) for directing and carrying on a building, and for securing it to the inhabi- tants as a place of public worship, according to the establish- ment of the Church of England. This edifice, which was subsequently dedicated to the service of Almighty God, by the Rev. John Ogilvie, D. D. on the 9th of August, 1767, is the present parish church of St. Peter's, which stands upon the summit of a high knoll directly east of the late General Pierr ; Van Cortlandt's residence.
Upon the 18th of August, 1770, the members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, and the lower part of Phil- ipse's patent, received (in answer to their petition presented on the 21st of March,) the following charter from Governor Colden, erecting them into one body corporate and politic, and confirm- ing 'them in possession of the above mentioned church, "the ground whereon the same was built, and the cemetery belong- ing to the same."
ROYAL CHARTER OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH.
" George the Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c., to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting : Whereas, our loving subjects, Beverly Robinson, Charles Moore, Jeremiah Drake, Caleb Ward, John Johnson, Joshua Nelson, Thomas Davenport and Henry Purdy, on behalf of themselves and sundry inhabitants ou the upper part of the manor of Cortlandt, and the lower part of Philipse's patent, in communion of the Church of England as by law established, by their humble petition, presented on the 21st day of March now last past, to our trusty and well beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esq., our Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-chief of our Province of New York and the territories depending thereon in America, iu Council, did set forth that the petitioners have at a great expense and trouble erected a convenient house for a place of divine worship near Peekskill, to be according to the Church of England as by law established, and being very desirous of promoting the same, and settling a minister among them, did humbly conceive that if our said Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-chief would be pleased to take the matter iuto consideration, and to grant them a charter with such priviliges, immunities and conditions as our said
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-chief should see fit, and that the said Beverly Robinson and Charles Moore may be appointed churchwardens, and the said Jeremiah Drake, Caleb Ward, John Johnson, Joshua Nelson, Thomas Daven- port and Henry Purdy, vestrymen, in the charter, by the name of the churchwar- dens and vestrymen of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peek- skill. Now, we being willing to encourage the pious intentions of our said loving sub- jects, and to grant this their reasonable request, know ye, that of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, we have ordained, given, granted and declared, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, do ordain, give, grant and de- clare, that the said petitioners and such other person and persons, and their successors for ever, as now are or shall hereafter from time to time be, as well of the Church of England as by law established, as members of the congregation of the said church in the herein above recited petition, called St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cort_ landt, near Peekskill, and also contributors to the support and maintenance of a minister of the Church of England as by law established, to officiate in the said church for the time being, shall, with the rector of the said' Church of St. Peter's for the time being, forever herafter be one body corporate and politic, in deed, fact and name, by the name, style and title of the rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill. 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 politic and corporate in deed, fact and name for ever, and will give, grant and ordain that they and their successors, the rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, by the same name shall and may have perpetual succession, and shall and may be capable in law to sue and be sued, impleade and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended in all courts and elsewhere in all manner of actions, suits, complaints, pleas, causes, matters and demands whatsoever, as fully and amply as any our liege subjects of our said province of New York may or can sue or be sued, impleade or be impleaded, defend or be defended, by any lawful ways or means whatsoever ; and that they and their successors by the same name shall be forever hereafter capable and able in the law to purchase, take, hold, receive and enjoy any messuages, tenements, houses and real estate whatsoever 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 one thousand pounds current money of our said Proviuce; 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 estate whatsoever at their will and pleasure. And that it shall and may be lawful 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
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AND CHURCH OF CORTLANDT.
and appoint that there shall be forever hereafter belonging to the said church, one rector of the Church of England as by law established, duly qualified for the cure of souls, to churchwardens and six 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 hercin, we do hereby assign, constitute and appoint Beverly Robinson and Charles Moore to be the present churchwardens, and Jeremiah Drake, Caleb Ward, John Johnson, Joshua Nelson, Thomas Davenport and Henry Purdy to be the present vestrymen of the said church, who shall hold, possess and enjoy their said respective offices nutil Tuesday in Easter week now next ensuing; 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, now next ensuing, and yearly and every year thereafter for ever, on Tuesday, in Easter week, in every year, the rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, 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 churchwardens, and six others of their members to be vestrymen of the said church for the ensuing year, which said churchwardens and vestry- men 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 elected and chosen in their respective places ; and in case the churchwardens or vestry, men, or cither of them, by these presents named and appointed, or who shall be hereafter elected and chosen by virtue of these presents, shall die before the time of their respective appointed 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 where- unto he or they shall or may be so elected and chosen, then our royal will and pleas- ure is, and we do hereby direct, ordain and require the rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, for the time being do meet at the said church, and choose other or others of their members, in the place and stead of him or them so dying, or neglecting or refusing to act within thirty days next after such contingency. And in this case for the more due and orderly conducting the said elections, and to prevent any undue proceedings therein, we do hereby give full power and authority to ordain and require that the rector and the said churchwardens of the said church, for the time being. or any two of them, shall appoint the time for such election and elections, and tha the rector of the said church, or in his absence, one of the said 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 next preceeding the day appointed 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 members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, 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 they shall be elected and chosen, from the time of such elections until the Tuesday in Easter week thereon next ensuing, and until other or others be lawfully chosen in his or
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
their place and stead, 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 forever hereafter be used for the filling up all vacancies that shall happen in either the said offices between the anual 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 vestrymen to these presents nominated and appointed as such, as shall from time to time be hereafter 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 province of New York can or law_ fully 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 the said churchwardens of the 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, churchwardens and vestymen for the time being, to meet in vestry, giving them at least one days notice thereof; and we do hereby require them to meet accordingly. And we do hereby give, grant, and ordain that the said rector and 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 forever hereafter have, and they are hereby invested with full power and authority by the majority of their voices, to do and execute in the name of the rec- tor and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peek- skill, all and singnlar the powers and authorities herein before given and granted to the said rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt near Peekskill, any wise touching or relating to such lands, messuages and tene- ments, real and personal estate whatsoever, as they the said rector and members of said church in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, shall or may acquire for the use of the said church, and also in like manner to order, direct, manage and transaet 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 government 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 or 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 the form of the common seal herein before granted, and the same to alter, break and re- make at their discretion, and also in like manner to appoint such officer or offi- cers 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 appoint- ing the clerk to assist him in performing divine service, as also the sexton ; any- thing herein before contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding, which
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AND CHURCH OF CORTLANDT.
elerk 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 whereas there hath not yet been any minister presented or inducted to the said church, our royal will and pleasure therefore is, that until the said church shall be supplied with a. minister of the Church of England, as by law established, as is herein after inen- tioned, and also in case of every avoidance of the said church thereafter, either by the death of the rector thereof or otherwise, that the powers and authorities vested in the rector, churchwardens and vestrymen in vestry met as above men- tioned, shall, until the said church be legally supplied with another incumbent, vest in and be executed by the churchwardens of the said church for the time be- ing, together with the vestrymen of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cort- landt, near Peekskill ; provided always, the concurrance and consent of the major . number of the whole vestrymen of the said church for the time being be had in every thing that shall in such cases be done by virtue hereof. And we do by thesc presents, for us, our heirs and successors, give and grant that the patronage and advowson of the said church, and the right of presentation thereto, shall forever thereafter belong to and appertain. and is hereby vested in the churchwardens and vestrymen of the said church for the time being, or the majority of them forever, whereof one churchwarden shall always be one. And further we do by these presents, for us, oar heirs and successors, give and grant unto the rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill 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 said rector and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, 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 intents, constructions and purposes whatsoever, against us, our heirs aud successors, ac- cording to the true intent and meaning herein before declared, notwithstanding the not reciting, or mis-recital, not naming, or mis-naming of any the aforesaid franchises, privileges, immunities, offices, or other the premises or any of them ; and although no writ of ad quod damnum or other writs, inquisitors or penalities hath or have been, upon this account, had, made, issued, or prosecuted. 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 them the said rec- tor and members of St. Peter's Church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peeks- kill, and to their successors forever. In testimony whereof we have canseu these our letters to be made patent, and the great seal of our said province to be here- unto 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 said trusty and well beloved Cadwallader Colden, Esq,, our said Lientenat Gover- nor, and Commander-in-chief of our said province of New York, and the terri- tories depending thereon in America, at our fort in our city of New York, by and with the advice and consent of our Council for our said province, the 18th day of August in the year of our Lord, 1770, and of our reign the 10th."-
· Book of Patents, Secretary of State's office, Albany.
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
The following minutes relate to the first vestry meeting held under the charter :- " September 1st, 1770, at a meeting of the churchwardens and vestry of St. Peter's Church, in the ma- nor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill ; present, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Charles Moore, wardens ; Mr. J. Johnson, Mr. Caleb Ward, Mr. J. Nelson and Mr. Jeremiah Drake, vestrymen. The charter being read, they proceeded to choose Mr. John Johnson, clerk for the present year. Resolved, to sett a subscription on foot in favor of Mr. John Doty, and endeavour to settle him as our minister. Also, resolved, that although the subscription men- tions to be paid yearly, yet all those who shall subscribe to ye support of a minister, upon their moving out of a place, shall be discharged from their subscription, &c."a
At a meeting held 15th of October, 1770, it was "agreed to give Mr. John Doty a call as rector of this Church, when he is properly ordained. The vestry also preferred a petition to the Soci- ety for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, for recom- mending Mr. Doty, and praying their assistance for his main- tenance. They likewise addressed a letter to the Rev. Dr. Bar- ton, Secretary of that body, giving an account of the state of the Church, and on the same day entered into a bond to the Rev. Samuel Auchmuty, D. D. for the payment of £40 New York currency towards the minister's support."b The following copies of the letter and petition are from the MSS. of the Ven. Society :--
THE CHURCHWARDENS AND VESTRY OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH TO THE SECRETARY.
" Peekskill, in the Province of New York, in America, Oct. 15th, 1770. $
REV. SIR,
Permit us, as wardens and vestrymen for St. Peter's Church, to
· Vestry book of St. Peter's Church, Peekskill, pp. 1-2.
bditto pp. 2-3. At this meeting the following seal was adopted by the Corporation viz :- " a dove with an olive branch in her bill."
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AND CHURCH OF CORTLANDT.
address you, and acquaint you with the steps we have taken for settling a Church, according to the established Church of Eng- land, and to solicit your assistance and interest with the Vene- rable Society, that we may be so happy as to be patronized by them, and obtain their charitable assistance towards maintain- ing a minister.
It is about four years since a few of us first attempted to be- gin the building of a church in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, in the county of Westchester, and on the 9th day of August, 1767, had got it so far finished, as to get the favor of the worthy and Rev. Dr. Ogilvie of New York, to open and consecrate it, which he did, calling it St. Peter's Church ; and have since (tho' not yet completely finished) made it a decent and comfortable building for performing divine worship in. The next step we took, to enable us further to prosecute our design, was to apply to his honor, Lieut. Governor Colden for a charter, which he was pleased to grant us. Being so far ad- vanced in our undertaking, Mr. John Doty, a gentleman edu- cated at King's College in New York, offered himself as a can- didate for our Church, and has performed divine service for us most part of last summer ; and has given such general satisfac- tion, that we have unanimously agreed to give him a call as soon as he is properly ordained, and authorized to perform the office of a minister. And as we are well acquainted with his moral life and conversation, we beg leave to recommend him to the Venerable Society as a person worthy of that sacred func- tion, and don't doubt but he will have ample testimonials from the worthy clergy of New York, of his education and abilities. We send by Mr. Doty, our petition to the Venerable Society, a copy of our charter and of our subscription paper for his main- tenance, which amounts to £61 15s. New York currency annu ally ; but as many of the subscribers are very poor, and some of them we apprehend will be necessarily obliged to leave the neighbourhood, we fear it will be difficult to collect some of the subscriptions, but that Mr. Doty may be certain of receiving something, we have given our bond to the Rev. Dr. Auchmuty,
.
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HISTORY OF THE PARISH
as trustees for the Society, obliging us to pay annually to Mr. Doty the sum of £40 currency during his continuance amongst us, as our minister, and if the whole subscriptions are received it is all to be paid to him. 'The church is in a very thickly settled country, (tho' no kind of public worship is established in the neigbourhood) yet at present there are but very few that profess to be of the Church of England, which makes it fall very heavy upon those few, so heavy, that we could not have gone thro' with our undertaking but by entering into an agreement with the people on the lower end of Philipse's upper patent, in the County of Dutchess, that if they would join in the build- ing of St. Peter's church, and in the subscription for the sup- port of the minister, that when we obtained a missionary he should be settled for both places, so as to make but one congre- gation of the whole (we wish we could say parish for the number) to preach every other Sunday at the house of Jacob Mandeville, till such time as we could build a church in that neigbourhood, so that we humbly request, if we are so happy as to gain the Venerable Society's assistance and protection, that Mr. Doty may be settled by them as their missionary for both the above mentioned places. The churches will not be more than eight miles asunder. It would give us great pleasure if we could inform the Venerable Society of our having a glebe and parsonage house provided, but that we are sorry to say is not yet accomplished. The people that make up our congrega- tion are so very poor, that we have been discouraged from attempting to purchase a piece of land for that use. But we can nevertheless assure the Venerable Society, that from the gra- cious offer of Mr. Beverly Robinson, we have not the least doubt of having a very good glebe provided within the year. For a more particular account of the manner in which we expect to obtain the glebe, we must beg leave to refer you to Mr. Doty, who is well acquainted with every circumstance relating thereto.
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