NEW EOCHELLE 241 



four huudred ; there is one dozen houses round the church, 

 near each other, which gives the place the appearance of 

 a town. There are several French families settled within 

 bounds of the settlement, who worship with the congrega- 

 tion. Such was the commencement of the beautiful and 

 picturesque village of New Rochelle. More than a 

 century and a half have passed away since its founders 

 immigrated to America, and their noble and holy princi- 

 ples have left good influences, evidently discernible in 

 the refinement, morals and religion of their descendants, The Bible 



' ° ' their Basis 



still bearing their patronymics. Let it not be forgotten 

 that the Bible came with these early settlers, & was 

 the foundation of their legislation. The Dutch and 

 Lutheran families generally unite with the church when 

 the service is performed in English, & they bring their 

 children to be baptized by the French ministers." There 

 was no school in the place, and the parents supplied the 

 deficiency by instructing their children. There were 

 about one hundred slaves in the settlement, who were 

 taught to read by their masters, and were baptized and 

 admitted to the communion. 



In July, 1760, the revered and venerable Pierre 1760 

 Stouppe rested from his labours on earth, leaving behind 

 him a reputation unsullied by a stain, after having, for 

 the long period of thirty-seven years, faithfully discharged 

 the duties of his mission. He was greatly respected by 

 his people, and at the time of his death the number of 

 his communicants amounted to eighty. As a mark of 

 respect his remains were interred under the chancel 

 where he had so long ofi&ciated. 



His successor was Rev. Michael Houdin, the last PastorHoudin 

 French preacher in New Rochelle. This zealous mission- 

 ary was born in France, in 1705. At the beginning of 

 war between France and Great Britain he quitted Canada, 

 where he first settled, and went to New York, where he 

 read his recantation, being previously a member of the 

 Chui'ch of Rome. Mr, Waldron tells us, in his Hugue- 



