THE TOWN 



OF 



"WIEJiST CHESTER, 



The township of Westchester* is situated sixteen miles south of the 

 village of White Plains, distant twelve miles from New York, and one 

 hundred and fifty from Albany ; bounded on the north by Eastchester, 

 east, by the Eastchester Bay or Long Island Sound, south by the East 

 River and west by the Bronx. " Its form is defined by water on three 

 sides, and of course irregular — but its medial extent North and South 

 may be four miles, and East and West about two and a half; with an 

 area of nearly ten square miles." Prior to 1846, this town embraced 

 West Farms and the manors of Morrisania and Fordham ; the three lat- 

 ter, have recently been attached to New York county. 



Like the adjoining lands, Westchester was originally purchased by the 

 Dutch West India Company, of the Mohegan sachems and other Indians, 

 who claimed it in 1640/ 



Upon the 14th of November, 1654, Thomas Pell of Fairfield. Connec- 

 ticut, obtained a second grant from the aboriginal proprietors, which also 

 embraced the present town. Thirty years later we find the sachems 

 Maminepoe and Wampage conveying to the inhabitants of Westchester 

 all that tract of land lying on the east side of Bronckses river." 



a This name is probably derived from the city of the same title in Cheshire, England. "Not 

 terfrornthernoutiioftheDeeinChesire, (says Camden,) stands the noble city, which Ptolemy 

 calls Dennana and Antonius, Deva, from the river; the Brit ms Caer-Legion, ft c. and by way 

 of pre-emineDce Caer; as our ancestors the Saxons called it Legeacerca, from the legion there, 

 and we more contractly Wentehester from its westerly situation, and simtily Chester according 

 to that verse, 



Cestria de Castris nomen quasi Castria sumpsit. 



Chester from Caster (or the camp) was named. 



A more appropriate name could not have been selected, as it was situated west of the New 

 England settlements. 



b Alb. Kec. voL ii. 147. 263 



