THE TOWN OF YONKERS. 647 



sett (observes Mr. Updike) was Rev. Luke Babcock, "an Episcopal clergy- 

 man at Philips's Manor, on the Hudson, where he died, leaving a wife 

 and several children." Hawkins, in his Historical Notices of the 

 Missions of the Church of England, says : " Another victim of ill treat- 

 ment already mentioned, was the Rev. Luke Babcock, missionary at 

 Philipsborough. He was seized by the insurgents, his papers were ex- 

 amined, and because he answered affirmatively to the question, ' Whether 

 he considered himself bound by his oath of allegiance to the king,' he 

 was deemed an enemy to the liberties of America, and ordered to be 

 kept in custody."" After four month's confinement his health gave way, 

 and he was then dismissed with a written order to remove within the 

 lines of the king's army. " He got home," (says Mr. Seabury.) "with diffi- 

 culty, in a raging fever and delirious, and there died, extremely regret- 

 ted." 2 ' Indeed, I know not a more excellent man ; and I fear his loss, 

 especially in that mission, will scarcely be made up. c 



His wife was Grace Isaacs, a cousin of Judge Isaacs of New Haven. 

 His children were Cortlandt, Frederick, the father of Mrs. W. L. Morris, 

 of Wave Hill, Yonkers, and Henrietta, who married a Mr. Richard Sal- 

 tonstal of New York. 



This parish suffered greatly during the war of the Revolution. The 

 church was used at intervals by both armies as an hospital ; and its pul- 

 pit was occupied by ministers of different denominations, who made some 

 strong efforts to retain possession. 



At the close of the war, May ist, the State of New York passed an act 

 vesting the church with two acres of land, and the glebe, in the corpor- 

 ation of the Episcopal church, Yonkers. 



This was confirmed by another act of the Legislature, passed April 3, 

 1792, wherein it is specified: "That all the estate, right, title, interest, 

 claim and demand of the people of the State of New York, in and to the 

 said church, and two acres of land, and in and to the said parsonage or 

 glebe, shall be, and hereby are granted to, and vested in the corporation of 

 the Episcopal church in the town of Yonkers, in the County of West- 

 chester and State of New York, and their successors forever, for the use 

 of the said corporation." 



This church had been previously incorporated under the act of 1784. 

 Sept. 15, 1787, Augustus van Cortlandt and John Warner, trustees. 



In accordance with the act passed for the relief of the Episcopal 

 church, passed March 17, 1795, it was again incorporated, Sept. 7, 1795. 



a He was seized and carried off a prisoner to Hartford, Conn. Here he was detained in 

 custody, from October, 1776, to February of 1777.— Editor. 

 b His remains were deposited in the family vault of the Van Cortlandt's.— Editor. 

 c Updike's Hist, of the Narragansett church. 310. 



