THE TOWN OF EAST CHESTER. 237 



tmrial ground shall, and of right, ought to belong to the Church." After 

 the election of the Trustees, too, the sexton was always appointed by 

 the Church. 



On the 10th of December, 1787, an agreement was entered into be- 

 tween a majority of the Trustees of the Episcopal Church in Eastchester, 

 of the one part, and William Heskins, carpenter, of the other part, where- 

 in the latter agreed " To erect and build a pulpit, reading desk, and 

 clerk's seat in the said church, according to the dimensions in the plan 

 by him exhibited to the said Trustees, and the form of the pulpit in the 

 church at Yonkers, &c." 



The Trustees not only anxious to finish the church, but to obtain the 

 services of a suitable minister, addressed the following letter to the Rev. 

 Mr. Moore, afterwards Bishop of the Diocese : — ■ 



TO THE REV. BENJAMIN MOORE. 



Eastchestee, 15th Dec, 1787- 

 Mev. Sir, 



" We have this day disposed of the pew ground in our church in a manner 

 that promises success to our religious endeavors. We have also a prospect of 

 completing our church in a respectable manner, and New Roche lie will join us 

 in engaging a gentleman of the profession of the gospel to officiate in the two 

 places. From a reliance on your pious wishes to promote the Christian Religion, 

 we beg leave that whenever a gentleman of character, and qualified, in your 

 opinion, for our purpose, may come to your knowledge, and whose condition, 

 may be adapted to our situation, that you'll please to signify the same to us. 

 We are, Rev. Sir, with much respect, 



Your humble servants, 



The Trustees." 



In 1789, the Trustees appointed Marcus Christian for one year, bell- 

 ringer of the church, for which service he was allowed $4 per annum.* 



The following year, the inhabitants of Eastchester appear to have as- 

 sociated themselves in the ministry, with the parish of Yonkers ; for, "at 

 a meeting of the Trustees, March 20th, 1790, Mr. Pell, one of the Trus- 

 tees, produced a letter directed to the Right Rev. Samuel Provoost, D. 

 D., Bishop of the State of New York, requesting the favor of his visiting 



a At a meeting of the Vestry on the 7th of May, 1791, " Marcus Christian, the sexton to the 

 church in Eastchester, was sent for and examined respecting the bell's being rung on Satur- 

 day, the 30th of April, on the family of James Bogart's moving out of this place ; which charge 

 he denied, and, in his examination, said he was lame in bed, and was not at the church that 

 day. He was further examined on his former conduct, on his selling licure in the belfrie of 

 the church, on a training day, which he acknowledged. Whereupon they did agree he was 

 not worthy to keep the keys of the church, or to be employed as sexton ; upon which he de- 

 livered the key and was dismissed the service." 



In 1791 James Pell was elected sexton and bell ringer. He was succeeded by Benjamin 

 Bartow in 1794. 



