I So HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



be thought interesting : "As to the Indians, the natives of the country, 

 they are a decaying people. We have not now in all the parish twenty 

 families, whereas not many years ago there were several hundreds. I 

 have frequently conversed with some of them, and been at their great 

 meetings of ' pawawing,' as they call it. I have taken some pains to 

 teach some of them, but to no purpose ; for they seem regardless cf in- 

 struction. And when I have told them of the evil consequences of their 

 hard drinking. Sec, they replied that Englishmen do the same; and that 

 it is not so great a sin in an Indian as in an Englishman, because the 

 Englishman's religion forbids it, but an Indian's does not. They further 

 say that they will not be Christians, nor do they see the necessity for so 

 being, because we do not live according to the precepts of our holy re- 

 ligion. In such ways do most of the Indians that I have conversed 

 with, either here or elsewhere, express themselves. I am heartily sorry 

 that we should give them such a bad example, and fill their mouths with 

 such objections to our blessed religion." 



He mentions in this letter " that they had completed the house of God 

 at Rye, by the subscription of the inhabitants ; a stately structure in- 

 deed." 



•• Mr. Muirson, after a short but a most useful service in the ministry 

 of the church, died in October, 1708, much lamented by his friends, and 

 missed by his parishioners.' 1 



The last will of George Muirson, clerk, bears date September, 1708. 

 By his wife. Gloriana, daughter of the Hon. Colonel William Smith/ he 

 left one son, George Muirson, M.D., C of Setaukett, L. I., the father of 

 Heathcote Muirson. The latter was a graduate of Yale College in 1776, 

 and died from wounds received in the attack upon Lloyd's Neck, Long 

 Island, July, 1781. 



Mr. Muirson was succeeded in January, 1709, by the Rev. Christo- 

 pher Bridges. 



•• Upon the 9th of January, 17 10, at a meeting of the parishioners, at 

 the parish church in Rye, the following churchwardens and vestrymen- 

 were elected for the year ensuing : 



Clt urch-wardens. 



C apt. Joseph Tiieale, Capt. Jonathan Hap.t, 



Cornelius Seely. 



a Hist. Not. of the Ch. of England in the N- A. Colonist, 231. 



b The Hon. William Smith was Chief Justice and President of the Council of the Province 

 of New York. 



c Anna, the eldest daughter of Dr. George Muirson, married Cyrus Punderson, D.D. Their 

 till residing upon Long Island. Mary, the youngest, married William Wick- 

 ham Wills. 



