THE TOWN' OF NORTH SALEM. 765 



to say that, for the last five years, the Academy has been closed for 

 educational purposes and is now occupied as a dwelling house. The 

 last principal was the Rev. Chas. H. Holloway. During the Revolution, 

 the Academy was used as a jail and court house for the detention and 

 trial of refractory tories. Here, one Paine was tried and condemned as 

 a spy ; he was executed about half a mile from the Academy, though it 

 appears that circumstances afterward threw some doubt upon his guilt. 

 It is said that a reprieve was forwarded from head-quarters, and that 

 when the unfortunate man was swung off, the bearer had just reached 

 the Episcopal church, which was a mile as the road then ran, from the 

 place of execution ; he was, of course, too late. When the French army 

 passed through this town in 178 1, on their way from Rhode Island to 

 Dobb's Ferry, where they crossed the Hudson to join Washington, they 

 encamped near the Academy two days, and Rochambeau and his officers 

 occupied the building."* The situation of the Academy is exceedingly 

 beautiful, and the view of the Mutighticoos valley is such as can seldom 

 be equalled. 



ACT OF INCORPORATION OF THE TRUSTEES OF THE ACADEMY 

 OF NORTH SALEM. 



The Regents of the University of the State of New York, to all whom these 

 Presents shall or may oome, Greeting : Whereas, Benjamin Haight, Philip van 

 Cortlandt, Jun., Joseph Travis, David Birdsall, Thaddeus Crane, Philip van 

 Cortlandt, Joseph Browne, Ebenezer Purdy, James Duane, Richard Varick, Al- 

 exander Hamilton, John Lawrence, Richard Piatt, Samuel Jones, Isaac Stoleten- 

 burgh, Peter Jay Munro, Frederick Jay, William Malcom, Samuel Barnum, Dan- 

 iel Dezevai'd, Uriah Wallace, Daniel Purdy, Jun., John Paulding, Benjamin 

 Wood, Hackaliah Brown, Stephen Ward, James McDonald, Israel Underhill, 

 John Strong, Philip Pell, Junior, Samuel Lyon, Ebenezer Lockwood, Richard 

 Sackett, senior, Isaac Webber, Richard Hatfield, Jesse Holly, John Thomas, John 

 Delivan, and John Garrison, by an Instrument in writing, under their hands and 

 Seals, bearing date the ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thous- 

 and seven hundred and eighty-seven, after stating among other things that they 

 are Founders and Benefactors of a certain Academy at North Salem, in West 

 Chester County, in the State aforesaid, who have contributed more than one-half 

 in Value of the real and personal Property and Estate collected or appropriated 

 for the use and Benefit of the said academy, did make application to us, the said 

 Regents, that the said academy might be incorporated and become subject to the 

 visitation of us and our Successors, and that we would signify our approbation 

 that Ebenezer Purdy, John Delivan, Solomon Close, Samuel Barnam, Benjamin 

 Wood, Thaddeus Crane, Philip Livingston, Benjamin Haight, Uriah Wallace, 

 Hackaliah Brown, Ebenezer Lockwood, John Davenport, John Strong, Silas 

 Constant, Ichabod Lewis, Samuel Mills, Philip von Cortlandt, Jonathan G. Tom- 



a Communicated by Mr. JohnF. Jenkins, A.M., late principal of theNorta Salem Academy 



