THE TOWN OF WESTCHESTER. 423 



sively the property of the families of Pell, Russell, Gilchrist, Taylor and 

 1, from whom it passed to Martin Wilkins, Esq., father ot the late 

 Governeur M. Wilkins, Esq. The family of Wilkins" was originally 

 seated in the County of Glamoyar, South Wales, and derives from 

 " Robert de Wintona, or Wincestria, who came into that county with 

 Robert Fitzhamon, who was lord of the manor of Languian, near Cow- 

 . and built a castle there, the ruins of which are still extant. The 

 valley underneath, is called Point Wilkyn (Welkyn's vale) to this day.* 

 Members of the family yet reside at Brecon, Glamorganshire, and Maes- 

 lough, Radnorshire. About the year 1800, the Rev. Isaac Wilkins 

 took up his residence in Westchester county, New York, and was 

 settled over the Episcopal parish there. He continued in the min- 

 istry until his decease in 1S30, at the age of eighty-nine. Doctor 

 Wilkins married Isabella, sister of Lewis Morris, a signer of the De- 

 claration of Independence, and of Governeur Morris, another distin- 

 guished whig. The mother espoused the royal side, and remained within 

 the British lines. Their correspondence with her during hostilities, oc- 

 casioned suspicion ; and caused them difficulty, notwithstanding their 

 sacrifices and services. At the moment when Lewis voted in Congress 

 for independence, British ships of war were lying within cannon shot of 

 his house ; and soon after, his manor of Morrisania was desolated, his 

 woodland of one thousand acres was destroyed, and his family driven 

 into exile. Three of the sons of Lewis served in the whig army. Staats, 

 brother of Lewis and Governeur, was an officer in the royal service, be- 

 came a member of Parliament, and a lieutenant-general. Thus was the 

 Morris family divided. Doctor Wilkins has a son in Nova Scotia who bears 

 the name of his uncle Lewis Morris, and who has obtained distinction. 

 He was elected a member of the House of Assembly, about the time of 

 his father's return to the United States; and when, in 1806, William 

 Cottam Longe, Esq., who was elected speaker, was disallowed by the 

 governor, Lewis Morris Wilkins was chosen in his place ; and approved 

 of, and occupied the chair, by subsequent election, until 181 7, when he 

 was removed to be placed on the bench of the Supreme Court of the 

 colony. Judge Wilkins resided at Windsor. c 



The residence of the late Governeur M. Wilkins is seated on the brow 

 of a hill, near the extremity of the neck and commands an almost unin- 

 terrupted view of the river with the adjacent shores. The interior con- 



a The name is supposed to be derived from the Whelk, an imaginary animal, which tradi- 

 tion asserts inhabited the vale. The Whelk is still borne on the coat armor of the family, 

 with Hie Mgniiicant \\ elbh motto : Sun ar dy liyn : anglice, beware of thyself. 



b Burke's Hist, of the laadsd gentry of England, vol. iii, 393. 



e Lorenzo Sabiu'a Biog. Sketches of American Loyalists. 



