294 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



out of that number to each priviledge ; a cow in lieu of five sheep, a horse, mare 

 or an ox ; iu lieu of a sheep a calf, in lieu of two sheep a yearling. If any person 

 who have a right or rights shall turn on above the abovesaid regulation, or if any 

 person not having a right shall turn ou any sheep, cattle, or horse kind they 

 shall be liable to such fines and forefeitures as this body or their successors shall 

 from time to time according to their power by charter be established, &c."« 



The " sheep pasture " embraced what was subsequently known as the 

 *' Commons" upon this extensive water, consisting of four hundred 

 acres ; the freeholders of the town enjoyed the free use of pasturage, 

 under the before mentioned regulations. Attached to the "sheep pas- 

 ture " was a small quantity of salt meadow opposite to Bridge Hill near 

 the causeway leading from West Chester to Throckmorton's Neck which 

 has been for some time fenced and closed up near the railroad station ; 

 at Tompson's was also a small gore of land attached to the " sheep pas- 

 tures " consisting of one and a half acres lying on both sides of Stony 

 Brook where the freeholders of the town were in the habit of folding and 

 washing their sheep. 



'• The trustees gave land to the town of Westchester for their minis- 

 ters. They also gave the landing place to said town that lays adjoining 

 to the creek and crossway which goes from Westchester to Frog's Neck, 

 and they also gave the town what is called Bridge Hill adjoining the 

 said bridge for the support and keeping the bridge in good order. I 

 suppose there is about three acres of land on said hill. All these above- 

 mentioned lands and privileges was given to said town by the trustees, and 

 those trustees gave to their proprietors, whose names are herein men- 

 tioned in a tract of land called the Sheep Pasture unto forty and five 

 men ; some purchased five, twenty-five pound Rights ; the number of 

 Rights is one hundred and six granted to the said proprietor ; and they 

 sold their Rights to others and bought Rights of other men who had a 

 mind to sell. The trustees had no Right to sell any of their land at 

 all. neither had they right to fence or to lease any of said land, &c." 6 



The " Commons " were purchased by Martin Wilkins, Esq., of the 

 trustees in 1825, and after passing through other hands were again pur- 

 chased by his grandson, the late Governcur M. Wilkins, Esq., of Castle 

 Hill Neck for $30,000, who sold them to an association called Union 

 Port for the location of a village. 



The village of Westchester is situated at the head of navigation on West- 

 chester Creek, twelve miles from the city of New York, contains three 

 taverns, a post office, several stores, and a depot embracing the new and 



a Minutes of Mayor's Court, formerly in possession of the late William II. LeggBtt, Esq. 

 b Extract from original document, signed Benjamin Palmer New York, 29 July, 1S02, in 

 pOBBeastan of New York IILst. Society. 



