Historic Pelham Blog Archive
October 17, 2006

350TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BOOK:  "THOMAS PELL AND THE LEGEND OF THE PELL TREATY OAK" -- $11.95 (PROCEEDS AFTER PRINTING COSTS WILL GO TO BARTOW-PELL MANSION MUSEUM).  CLICK HERE TO BROWSE BEFORE YOU BUY! LEARN MORE.

A review of colonial statutes passed in the Colony of New York between 1664 and the Revolutionary War reveals several that relate to Pelham in Westchester County. For example, a statute enacted in 1750 appointed Philip Pell, Sr. of Pelham to oversee public roads in the area. Today's Historic Pelham Blog transcribes the text of that entire statute. The transcription appears immediately below including editorial comments from the publication in which the statute appears, cited in full below].

"[CHAPTER 905.]

[Chapter 905 of Livingston & Smith, where the act is printed in full. Chapter 905 of Van Schaack, where the title only is printed. See chapter 801, which is revived by chapter 1458.]

An Act to alter part of an Act Entitled an Act for the better Clearing Regulating & further laying out Publick High Roads in the County of West Chester

[Passed, November 24, 1750.]

WHEREAS many of the Commissioners for Regulating & Laying out High Ways in the County of Westchester, appointed in & by an Act Entituled an Act for the better Clearing, Regulating, & further laying out Public High Roads in the County of Westchester, passed in the nineteenth Year of his Majesties Reign are Dead, Since the passing the said Act, by which Means the goods Ends & Purposes intended thereby may be defeated, for preventing whereof.

BE IT ENACTED by his Excellency the Governor the Council & the General Assembly & it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the Same, That the Several Persons herein after named, To wit

For Westchester & Fordham Edward Stephenson Joshua Hunt & Anthony Bartow

For East Chester, William Pinckney John Burling & Charles Vincent

For New Rochell & Pelham Collonel Anthony Lispenard, Philip Pell & Joseph Rodman.

For Rye & the white Plains Collonel William Willet Jonathan Brown & Gabriel Lynch.

For Memoranack James De Lancey Esq'r John Gedney & Underhill Bud

For Bedford John Holmes, Abraham Miller & Marcus Moesman,

For North Castle George Dennis, Daniel Seaman & James Weeks

For Salem Josiah Gilbert, James Brown Esq'r & Peter Benedict

For the Mannor of Cortland Philip Verplank Esq'r Hercules Lent and Pier Van Cortland.

FOR the mannor of Phillipsburgh Frederick Philipse Esq'r Major Frederick Philipse Nathaniel Underhill & James Van Cortlandt Esq'r Shall be and hereby are, appointed Commissioners to regulate & lay out High Ways in the said County, for the Places for which They are respectively appointed, and Shall be and hereby are vested with as full Power and Authority for that End, To all Intents Constructions and Purposes whatsoever as if they had been Actually named & appointed in and by the aforesaid Act, any Thing therein Contained to the Contrary notwithstanding"

Source: The Colonial Law of New York From the Year 1664 to the Revolution Including the Charters to the Duke of York, The Commissions and Instructions to Colonial Governors, The Duke's Laws, The Laws of the Dongan and Leisler Assemblies, the Charters of Albany and New York and the Acts of the Colonial Legislatures from 1691 to 1775 Inclusive, Vol. III, pp. 829 - 830 (Albany, NY: James B. Lyon, State Printer 1894).

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posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:05 AM Comment

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