258 The Story of The Bronx 



lader Colden, dated June 30, 1761. In his report to the 

 Society on October 3, 1761, he says: 



"My mission is of large extent; and I am obliged to attend 

 three churches, and till Mr. Houdin came to New Rochelle, 

 officiated there once a month. One of my churches is a 

 new edifice, raised by the generosity of Colonel Phillips. I 

 have baptized forty-three white infants and four adults, 

 twelve black children and three adults. My communicants 

 are sixteen." 



Later, June 29, 1762, he reports: 



"I constantly attend three churches, in three different town- 

 ships, preaching to crowded audiences of devout, well-behaved 

 people. They have no dissenters among them except a few 

 Quakers. The number of my communicants is increased to 

 fifty-three." 



The "new edifice, raised by the generosity of Colonel 

 Phillips" was St. John's Church in Yonkers. It was erected 

 into a separate cure in 1765, when the Reverend Harry Munro 

 was appointed rector; he was succeeded by the Reverend 

 Luke Babcock, one of the signers of the White Plains Protest, 

 whose death in 1777 was accelerated, so it is said, by the 

 ill-treatment and confinement he had undergone at the hands 

 of the patriots. 



By royal charter of December 2, 1762, St. Peter's at West- 

 chester was incorporated under the title of "The Rector and 

 inhabitants of the Borough Town of Westchester, in Com- 

 munion of the Church of England, as by law established. " 

 This gave them the right to sue and be sued, to acquire prop- 

 erty, and to lease or otherwise dispose of it, as well as power 

 to build and repair, and to conduct their affairs as a body 



