I 7 5 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



For collecting the minister's maintenance, writs of mandamus were is- 

 sued to the justices and vestries, empowering them to make a rate for 

 raising the rector's tax. 



The following are specimens of the original taxation rolls of this ben- 

 ifice, in 1725. 



Bedford, jQ\6 2 o. Mamaroneck, ,£iS o o. Scarsdale, ^5 3 o. 

 North Castle, £2 9 o. Total with Rye, ^67 180. 



The first inducted rector of the parish was the Rev. Thomas Pritch- 

 ard. In a summary account of the state of the Church in the Province 

 of New York, as it was laid before the clergy, convened October 5th, 

 1704, at New York, &c, it was stated, that "at Rye, of which the Rev. 

 Thomas Pritchard is rector, there is no church, but the minister preach- 

 es in the town house; the parish is divided into three districts, viz. Rye, 

 Bedford and Mamaroneck. ,;■ 



"There is a salary of ^50 per annum, established by act of Assem- 

 bly ; the number of communicants are considerably increased, since tie 

 first celebration of the sacraments, &c." a 



In a letter addressed to the Propagation Society, dated Rye, Novem- 

 ber 1st, 1704, Mr. Pritchard proposes to that body the Rev. Mr. Stew- 

 art, then missionary at Bedford, as a most suitable person to fill the va- 

 cant parish of Hempstead, Long Island. 



The Rev. Thomas Pritchard married Anna Stuyvesant, daughter of 

 Nicholas William, and grand-daughter of the illustrious Peter Stuyves- 

 ant. 6 Mr. Pritchard appears to have been inducted in 1702. He died 

 A. D. 1706. 



His successor was the Rev. George Muirson. Of this gentlemen the 

 Rev. Mr. Evans thus writes in a letter to the Bishop of London, under 

 the date of October 17th, 1704. " This comes by the hands of the in- 

 genious Mr. George Muirson to receive holy orders from your Lordship, 

 by the approbation of his Excellency my Lord Cornbury. I find that he 

 is very well beloved and esteemed by all sorts of people, a man of a very 

 sober and blameless conversation. He seems to be indued with great 

 humility of mind, and has the character of being very prudent in his con- 

 duct. I give him this recommendation, not to gratify himself, nor any 

 body else — but because I sincerely believe he may be very instrumental 

 of doing much good in the Church." c 



Mr. Muirson having been ordained, was appointed to the mission of 

 Rye. In his first report to the Society he states "that he had a very 



a Church Rec. Vol. i. No. 16. Franci3 L. nawk-. ]j. L)., editor, 



b R -p. of Propagation Soc. 



c N. Y. Hist. Collections, New Sjries, vol. i. 455. 



