232 THE FEENCH BLOOD IN AMERICA 



iug " humble petition of ye inhabitants of New EocheUe, 

 humbly showeth." 



Petition for That your petitioners having been forced by the late persecutions in 



**^'P France to forsake their country and estates, and fiye to ye Protestant 



Princes. Their Majestyes by their proclamation of ye 25th of Aprill, 

 1689, did grant them an azile (asylum) in all their dominions, with 

 their Riyall protection ; \Yherefore they were invited to come and buy 

 lands in the province, to the end that they might by their labour help 

 the necessityes of their familyes, and did spend therein all their smale 

 store, with the help of their friends, whereof, they did borrow 

 great sums of money. They are above twenty (Ms. torn) poor and 

 needy, not able . . . ties and clothing, much . . . they did 

 hitherto bears above their . . . thereby reduced to a lamentable 

 condition, as having been compelled to sell for that purpose the things 

 which are most necessary for their use. Wherefore your petitioners 

 humbly pray, that your Excellency may be pleased to take their case 

 in serious consideration, and out of Charity and pity, to grant them 

 for some years what help and priveleges your Excellency shall think 

 convenient, and your petitioners in duty bound shall ever pray, etc. 



Thauvet Elsi Cothouneau. 



II 



Name of AmoHg the numbcr of those who had lived in New 



York a year or so previous to the coming of the main band 

 of settlers, and who later joined them in New Eochelle, 

 were Theroulde, Allaire, Le Vilain, Machet, Bougraud, 

 Thauver, Mercier, Mastier and Jouueau. The town rec- 

 ords, which were begun in 1699, give us the names of the 

 freeholders at several different periods. In 1708 the land 

 was divided among the following : Daniel Lambert, Elie 

 Badeau, Daniel Giraud, Gregoire Gougeon, Daniel Bon- 

 net, Elie de Bonrepos, Jean Magnon, Besly, Isaac 

 Mercier, Bartholomew Le Eoux, Pierre Valleau, Jacob 

 Scurman, Ambroise Sycart, Beujamin Faneuil, Alexander 

 Allaire, Jean Pemeau, J. Levillain, Daniel Eayneau, 

 Guilleaume Le Counte, Francois Le Couute, Zacharie 

 Angevin, and Frederick Schorman. The next sixteen 

 years must have seen many changes in the growing town, 

 for the list of freeholders for 1724 has a totally different 



Freeholders 



