THE TOWN OF WHITE PLAINS. 547 



In 1776 the Rev. Ichabod Lewis, twin brother of the venerable Isaac 

 Lewis of Horseneck,was ordained pastor of the united churches of White 

 Plains and New Rochelle by the Presbytery of Dutchess county. About 

 12 o'clock at night on the 5th of November, 1776, the Presbyterian 

 church, together with a quantity of timber designed for its enlargement, 

 besides a number of other buildings, were set on fire by Major Osborne* 

 of the Massachusetts fine (under General Glover), for the purpose of 

 preventing them from being used by the British troops, then in the 

 neighborhood during the ensuing winter. These facts are fully proved, 

 by affidavits of witnesses now in possession of the trustees. After the 

 burning of the church, the congregation gradually declined; for the 

 members, being mostly staunch Whigs, were obliged to retire north to 

 avoid the depredations and assaults of British troops from New York. 

 The Rev. Ichabod Lewis removed to Bedford, but similar circumstances 

 constrained him to leave that place also for Salem ; where he spent the 

 remainder of his days, and lies interred. He left a legacy to the church 

 at South Salem of one thousand dollars, the interest of which at present 

 assists in supporting the pastor of that church. a From 1784 to 1821 the 

 congregation enjoyed the privilege of occasional preaching. L'pon the 

 13th of February, 1788, the church was incorporated under the title of 

 the " Presbyterian Church in the White Plains," Jonathan G. Tompkins, 

 Richard Hatfield, Daniel Horton, Jacob Purdy, Nicholas Fisher and 

 Robert Hart, trustees. 6 



During the years 182 1 and 1822, the church was regularly supplied by 

 the Rev. Thomas G. Smith, of the Reformed Dutch congregations of 

 Tarrytown and LTnionville, every second or third Sunday, for which he 

 received a small pecuniary compensation. In the spring of 1823, the 

 Rev. Marcus Harrison performed services for a short period as a 

 Domestic Missionary, and was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Ely, who 

 officiated here and at Lower Greenburgh (Dobb's Fern-) about four 

 months under the direction of the Domestic Missionary Society of the 

 city of New York. For the successors of Mr. Ely, see the subjoined list 

 of pastors. 



The second church was destroyed by fire in 1854. It took fire on a 

 Sabbath, when it was burnt to the ground ; it originated this time in a 

 defect in the chimney from which sparks communicated to the belfry 

 during the morning service, and when discovered had made such progress 

 as to render all efforts to save the building unavailing ; only the books, 



a Communicated to the author by the Rev. S. Schenck, since the completion of Lewisborougb 

 or Soutb Balem.— See vol. i. 268. 



b Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 15. 



