PELHAM AND WESTCHESTER 175- 



lors, realizing their unpreparedness for war and the superiority of 

 the invading English, surrendered to Nicolls without any show 

 of resistance. 



Colonel Nicolls became Governor of New York, and all those 

 who held deeds from the Dutch Company were given new ones in 

 the name of the Duke of York. Pell's purchase of 1654 was oc- 

 cordingly confirmed on October 6, 1666, by the governor, and a 

 patent was granted him creating him Lord of Pelham Manor, "as 

 if he had held the same immediately from his majesty the King of 

 England." The annual quit-rent was a lamb "if the same shall be 

 demanded." 



Pell's possession comprised 9,166 acres. Of this tract John 

 Pell, nephew of the first owner, sold 6,100 acres to Governor 

 Leisler in 1688 for the Huguenot settlement of New Rochelle, now 

 the city of that name in Westchester County. Pelham township, 

 of the same county, was also part of the original Pelham Manor. 

 The portion belonging to the Borough comprises what was once 

 Annes Hoeck (later called Pell's Neck) and Rodman's Neck, as- 

 well as Hunter, Twin, Hart, High and City Islands. 



Thomas Pell died in September, 1669, at Fairfield, Connecticut. 

 He bequeathed "his lands and houses in any part of New England, 

 or in ye territoryes of ye Duke of York," to John Pell, in England, 

 the only son of his only brother, the Rev. Dr. John Pell. This John 

 Pell, who is supposed to have been lost in his yacht off City Island 

 in 1702, was succeeded by his son Thomas, whose descendants were 

 proprietors of Pelham, down to the fourth and last lord of the 

 manor, who died in 1776. 



The original Pell manor-house was situated on the east side 

 of the Eastern Boulevard, near the present Bartow mansion, 

 tho another authority says it was located on the extreme end 

 of Pelham Neck. The story runs that while Pell was looking 

 for a site to build his dwelling he noticed nests of fish-hawks in the 

 oaks and chestnuts near Pelham Neck. He was at that time 

 possessed of a superstition that where this bird nested there good 

 luck would come. The word Pelham is formed from Pell and Ham 

 (Home). 



Between the Bartow mansion and the Sound is the Pell family 

 burial ground. The four stone corner-posts bear the coat-of-arms 

 of the Pell family — a Pelican Gorged — and each has a different 

 inscription, as follows: 



