THE TOWN OF EAST CHESTER. 225 



Having now obtained the services of a minister, and finding the 

 Church pouring in upon them, the inhabitants once more determined to 

 pettion the Assembly for an act to separate them from Westchester. 

 Whereupon, at a town meeting, 14th of October, 1700, "Mr. Henry- 

 Fowler., sen., was authorized by the inhabitants to proceed to New- 

 York to petition the General Assembly for the calling and settling a 

 minister with ourselves, and that we may be freed from Westchester in 

 the ministry." 



12th of King William III, A. D., 1700, occurs an act of the General 

 Assembly, entitled as follows : — 



AN ACT FOR DECLARING THE TOWN OP EASTCHESTER IN THE 

 COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER, A DISTINCT PARISH FROM THE 

 TOWN OF WESTCHESTER IN THE COUNTY AFORESAID. 



Passed the 29 th of October, 1100. 



" Whereas, by an Act of the General Assembly of this Province, entitled : — 

 An Act for settling a ministry and raising a maintenance for them in the City of 

 New- York, County of Richmond, Westchester and Queens County, it is amongst 

 other things declared and enacted, that the towns of Westchester, Eastchester, 

 Lower Yonkers and the Manor of Pelham, in the county of Westchester, should 

 be a parish together, for the better maintaining of a good and sufficient Protestant 

 minister ; and, whereas, since the making of said act, it has been found incon- 

 venient, and to the great discouragement of religion and the public worship of 

 God, for the inhabitants of Eastchester to travel to Westchester aforesaid, to be 

 present at the preaching of the Word of God ; wherefore, the said Inhabitants 

 and Freeholders of the town of Eastchester aforesaid, have, by their humble 

 Petition to the House of Representatives, now convened in General Assembly, 

 most humbly prayed, that it might be declared and enacted. 



" I. And be it Declared and Enacted, by His Excellency, the Governour 

 and Council and Representatives, now convened in General Assembly, and by the 

 authority of the same, that the said town of Eastchester, in the County of West- 

 chester be for henceforth and forever hereafter, separated from the parish of 

 Westchester, Eastchester, Lower Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham, to all in- 

 tents, constructions, and purposes whatsoever ; the said act, entitled an Act for 

 settling the ministry and raising a maintenance for them, in the City of New- 

 York, County of Richmond, Westchester and Queens County, or any other act 

 to the contrary thereof in any ways notwithstanding. 



4 ' II. And be it Further Enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the said 

 Town of Eastchester, in the County of Westchester, be, and is hereby declared 

 to be and remain forever a distinct parish from the Parish of Westchester, East- 

 chester, Lower Yonkers, and the Manor of Pelham, by the name and style of 

 the Parish of Eastchester, in the County of Westchester ; Provided, that the 

 Freeholders and Inhabitants thereof do maintain a good orthodox Protestant 

 minister in the said town of Eastchester ; any law, usage or custom to the con- 

 trary thereof, in any ways notwithstanding." 



