742 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



of which is occupied as Union Hall a large room for assemblies and 

 public occasions while adjoining is Floral Hall for fairs and horticultural 

 exhibitions. 



In the midland section of the town are some fine grazing farms ; 

 among which may be mentioned the Lobdell estate. This property 

 originally consisting of nearly two hundred acres was formerly included 

 in the manor of Cortlandt, and leased by Ebenezer Lobdell of Stephen 

 James De Lancey before the Revolution, and subsequently purchased 

 by him at a sheriff's sale. Ebenezer Lobdell at his death divided the 

 farm between his two sons, Ebenezer and Jacob ; the latter had four 

 sons — Anson, Nathan, Joshua and Samuel. Nathan was the father of 

 the present Mr. Henry Lobdell, who resides on a portion of the old es- 

 tate. 



This parish, which appears to have been formerly united with Ridge- 

 field and Ridgebury, was first organized under the ministry of the Rev. 

 Ebenezer Dibblee, D.D., of Stamford, Conn., about the year 1749." At 

 that period, there was no minister of the Church in the county nearer 

 than Rye, between thirty and forty miles distant from Salem. 



Mr. Dibblee was the eldest son of Wakefield Dibblee, of Danbury, 

 Conn., whose ancestor, Thomas Dibblee,^ was a freeman of Dorchester, 

 Mass., in 1639. He was born at Danbury, in 17 12. In the will of 

 Wakefield Dibblee, which was proved May 2d, 1734, he directs his exec- 

 utors to pay all "ye charges which do, or may arise upon ye education 

 of his son Ebenezer; also ^30 towards furnishing him with books," 

 &c. c 



Mr. Dibblee was graduated AM. and S.T.D. at Yale, in 1734, and D.D. 

 at Columbia, in 1793. After leaving college he was at first licensed as 

 a candidate among the Dissenters, and allowed to preach in their con- 

 gregations ; he soon, however, left the Congregational persuasion of re- 

 ligion, and became a convert to the Episcopal Church. He went to 

 England for Holy orders in 1747, returned to New York the 23d of Oc- 

 tober, 1748, and was appointed missionary at Stamford, where he ar- 

 rived on the 25th. d 



The following extract occurs in a letter of his to the Venerable So- 

 ciety : 



a Dr. Dibblee, says : "Arrived at my mission (Stamford) the 26th of October, 1748, and be- 

 gan to do duty the Sunday following." From his parochial register it appears that his first 

 ministrations commenced in the oblong November 11, 1749 ; and he continued, with but short 

 intervals, his services both in the Oblong and Cortland Manor, until February, 1790. 



b Arms of Diblee or Dibble— " Sa, on a chief ar<r. a lion passant, gu.— Crest, on a chapeau 

 a lion statant guardantand ducallygorpccl, tail extended. 



c Will made January 1st, 1733-34. Fairfield Prob. Rec. 1716-1735, page 263. 



d Conn. MSS. from archives at Fulhain (Hawks). 



