56 The Story of The Bronx 



It comprised 9166 acres, of which 6100 acres were bought 

 by Governor Leisler in 1688 for the Huguenot settlement of 

 New Rochelle, now the city of that name in Westchester 

 County. The middle portion of the manor is now the town- 

 ship of Pelham in the same county. The southern portion, 

 including City, Hunter, and Hart islands, is now a part of the 

 Borough; and nearly all of it, except City and Hart islands, 

 is within the limits of Pelham Bay Park. 



Thomas Pell died at Fairfield, Connecticut, in September, 

 1669, and by will devised "his lands and houses in any part 

 of New England, or in ye territoryes of ye Duke of York," 

 to his nephew, John Pell of Old England, the only son of his 

 only brother, John Pell, D.D. The second lord of the manor, 

 the John Pell of Old England, is said to have been drowned off 

 City Island by the upsetting of his boat in a squall. 



Of the earliest settlement at Westchester mention has al- 

 ready been made. The English name is derived from the 

 town of Chester, the site of an ancient Roman camp. As one 

 ancient writer remarks: "The name of Westchester is well 

 chosen, as it is the westernmost of the Connecticut settle- 

 ments. " The Dutch named it Oostdorp, or East-town, because 

 it was the easternmost of the Dutch settlements ; so the reader 

 may take his choice. 



Pell's possession of Westchester by the surrender to him of 

 their rights by the inhabitants, June 16, 1664, did not last 

 long, for on February 15, 1667, Governor Nicolls granted to 

 John Ferris, John Quimby, and others, the land bounded on 

 the west by Bronk's land, on the south by the Sound and 

 East River; on the east "by a certain neck of land, commonly 

 called Ann Hook's Neck or Mr. Pell's purchase"; and north- 

 erly "into the woods without limitation for range of cattle 

 or other improvements." Further, there were ratified, granted, 



