124 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



other the premises, or any of them ; and although no writ of ad quod damnum 

 or other writs, inquisitors or penalties hath or have been, upon this account, had, 

 made, issued, or prosecuted. To have and to hold, all and singular, the privil- 

 eges, liberties, advantages and immunities hereby granted or meant, mentioned 

 or intended so to be, unto them the said rector and members of St. Peter's 

 church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, and to their successors for- 

 ever. In testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent, 

 and the great seal of our said province to be hereunto affixed, and the same to be 

 entered on record in our Secretary's office in our city of New York, in one of the 

 books of patents there remaining. Witness our said trusty and well beloved 

 Cadwallader Colden, Esq., our said Lieutenant Governor, and Commander-in- 

 Chief of our said province of New York, and the territories depending thereon in 

 America, at our fort in our city of New York, by and with the advice and con- 

 sent of our Council for our said province, the 18th day of August in the year of 

 our Lord, 1770, and of our reign the 10th"» 



The following minutes relates to the first vestry meeting held under the 

 charter: — " September ist, 1770, at a meeting of the church-wardens 

 and Vestry of St. Peter's church, in the manor of Cortlandt, near Peek- 

 skill ; present, Mr. Robinson and Mr. Charles Moore, wardens ; M. J. 

 Johnson, Mr. Caleb Ward, Mr. J. Nelson and Mr. Jeremiah Drake, 

 vestrymen. The charter being read, they proceeded to choose Mr. 

 John Johnson, clerk for the present year. Resolved, to sett a subscrip- 

 tion on foot in favor of Mr. John Doty, and endeavour to settle him as 

 our minister. Also, resolved, that although the subscription mentions 

 to be paid yearly, yet all those who shall subscribe to ye support of a 

 minister, upon their moving out of a place, shall be discharged from 

 their subscription, &c." & 



At a meeting held 15th of October, 1770, it was "agreed to give Mr. 

 John Doty a call as rector of this church, when he is properly ordained. 

 The vestry also preferred a petition to the Society for the propagation of 

 the Gospel in Foreign parts, for recommending Mr. Doty, and praying 

 their assistance for his maintenance. They likewise addressed a letter 

 to the Rev. Dr. Barton, Secretary of that body, giving an account of the 

 state of the church, and on the same day entered into a bond to the 

 Rev. Samuel Auchmuty, D.D., for the payment of ^40 New York 

 currency towards the minister's support." The following copies of the 

 letter and petition are from the MSS. of the Ven. Society: — 



a Book of Patents, Secretary of State's office, Albany. 

 b Vestry book of St. Peter's church, Peekskill, pp. 1, 9. 

 c Ditto, pp. 2, 3. 



