York. It is distant sixteen miles south of the village of White Plains, and about one hundred and forty-one miles from Albany. "Kiugs bridge, across Harlem river, is just within the line, at the north-west corner of this town."

Our intention is to take up separately the three former divisions of the present town, viz., West Farms, Morrisania and Fordhamn.

From the following patent, it appears that the proprietors of the lands subsequently called the West Farms, in 1666, were Edward Jessup and John Richardson, of Westchester.

PATENT OF WEST FARMS.

"Richard Nicolls, Esq., governor general under his royal highness, James Duke of York and Albany, &c. &c., of all his territoryes in America, to all to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting: whereas, there is a cer

Westchester prior to the division embraced an area of twenty sqaure miles. b Laws of N. Y. 69, sess. 1846.

tain tract or parcel of land within this government, situate, lying and being neare unto and within the limits of the towne of Westchester. Upon ye maine being bounded to the east by the river commonly called by the Indians Aquehung, otherwise Broncke river, extending to the midst of said river to the north, by the mark't trees and by a piece of hassock meadow, westwardly a little brook called by the natives Sackwrahung, and southward by the Sound or East river, including within a certain neck of land called Quinnahung, which said parcel or tract and neck of land with the appurtenances, together with commonage and liberty for range of horses and cattle, as free as they please into the woods, hath heretofore been jointly purchased of the Indyan proprietors by Edward Jessup and John Richardson of Westchester aforesaid, and due satisfaction hath ye then been given for the same, as by the deed remaining upon record, more at large doth and may appear, now it being mutually agreed upon ye both the aforesaid purchasers, that an equal division shall be made of the said parcel or tract of land and appurtenances between them the said Edward Jessup and John Richardson, their heirs and assigns, and to the end that the said lands may be better manured and planted for a further confirmation unto each and either of them, in their possession and enjoyment of the premises. Know ye, that by virtue of the commission and authority unto me given by his royal highness, I have ratified, confirmed and granted, and by these presents do ratify, confirm and grant, unto John Richardson aforesaid, his heirs and assigns, the moiety or one-half of the aforesaid parcel or tract of land and premises, together with the moiety or one-half of all the woods, meadows, pastures, waters, commonage, marshes, rivers or lakes thereunto belonging, within their and every of them, appurtenances and every part and parcel thereof, to have and to hold their said moiety, or one-half of the said parcel or tract of land, commonage and premises, with all and singular the appurtenances to the said John Richardson, his heirs and assigns, unto the proper use and behoof of the said John Richardson, his heirs and assigns forever, he or they rendering and paying such duties and acknowledgments as now are or hereafter shall be constituted and established by the laws of this government, under the obedience of his royal highness, bis heirs and successors, given under my hand and seal at Fort James in New York, on the island of Manhattoes, 25th day of April, in the eighteenth year of his majesties reign, A. D. 1666."

RICHARD NICOLLS.

Edward Jessup one of the above patentees, like most of the original settlers of Westchester, emigrated from Fairfield, Connecticut. In 1653, occurs the name of Edward Jessope, owner of lands on Sascoe neck in that town. By his wife Elizabeth Bridges, he left issue a son, Edward, and two daughters. Elizabeth married Thomas Hunt, of the Grove farm, Westchester,

from whom the Hunts of Hunt's point descend. Edward Jessup died in 1666; his will bears date the same year.

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF EDWARD JESSup.

"Being sicke and weake in body, yet in perfect memory, I bequeath my soule to ye Almighty God that gave it, and my body after my death to be decently buried, my funeral to be discharged and my debts to be paid. I will and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Hunt, twenty shillings, besides which, I have already given her to be paid in a year and a day after my decease. I will and bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Jessup, the sum of five and thirty pounds with that she hath already, to be payed unto her at 18 years of age.

I will and bequeath unto my sonne Edward Jessup, two mares with two colts by their sides, one is a gray mare, and the other is a mare marked on both ears with two half pence on each ear, to bee set out for him for his use a year and a day after my decease.

I will and bequeath unto my grandchild Mary Hunt, twenty shillings, to bee payd in a year and a day after my decease. I will and bequeath unto my consin Johannah Burroughs, twenty shillings, to bee payed in a year and a day after my decease.

Furthermore, I institute and appoint my well beloved wife, Elizabeth Jessup, to bee whole and sole executrix, and I do will and bequeath unto her, all my lands and houses, and goods and cattle, moveable and immovable, of this my last will and testament, and to receive all debts, dues and demands whatsoever, to be at her disposing, and she to pay all debts, dues and legacies whatsoever, and she to bring up my two children in the feare of God. This I do owne to be my last will and testament.

Further, I do appoint my well beloved friends Mr. Richard Cornhill, justice of the peace, Mrs. Sarah Bridges, my well beloved brother-in-law, John Burroughs, and Ralph Hunt, overseers of this my last will and testament, likewise to be assistants to my executrix in all cases and difficulties, and this I do owne as my owne act and deed, to all true intents and meanings, and doe furthermore ratify and confirm it as my owne act and deed by ye setting to my hand and seal, the day and year underwritten.

Signed, sealed and delivered

in the presence of us, witnesses,

August the 16th, 1666.

Will'm Gouldstone, John Richardson,

mark of Richard Horton. X

EDWARD JESSUP.

Upon the 20th of June, 1668, Robert Beacham and Elizabeth

the wife formerly of Edward Jessup of Westchester, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, on Long Island, did fully and absolutely sell and "make over unto Thomas Hunt of Westchester aforesaid all those hoeing lands and accommodations that were formerly Edward Jessup's, within the bounds and limits of the aforesaid Westchester, that the said Edward Jessup and John Richardson purchased together and procured patents for from the Hon. Col. Richard Nicolls," &c.

John Richardson, the surviving patentee, appears to have united with Thomas Hunt the following year in making an equal division of these lands, for on the 12th of August, 1669, occurs the following report of the commissioners.

"We whose names are underwritten being made choice of by John Richardson and Thomas Hunt, bothe inhabiting in Westchester, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, to make an equal division of a grant of land formerly purchased of the Indian proprietors by Edward Jessup and John Richardson, being butted and bounded by patent I say all those uplands and meadows within that purchase, save some upland and meadows, which was formerly divided by the forementioned persons, Edward Jessup and John Richardson, have been committed unto us, William Hayden, Samuel Drake. Thomas Lawrence and Jonathan Hazard, to make an equal division, &c., &c. As first we find it necessary that John Richardson, having twenty acres of upland and meadow more or less, lying on the southermost poynt of the corne field neck, which tract of land is a district of itself by a divisional line running west and by north east and by south, and all the rest of the upland both in that neck and a little neck adjoining to it, is Thomas Hunt's, with highways laid out, and into the above said neck north to upland and meadows, with marks renewed between the meadows and the upland, beginning at a white oak, which is the divisional line between Thomas Hunt and John Richardson, which line runneth from the white oak to the water east and by north, and all the meadow lying along between the water and the marked trees is John Richardson's, until you meet another divisional line that bears west and by north and east and by south, which line runs at the old highway, and all the rest of the meadows within the neck to be Thomas Hunt's, for and in consideration John Richardson hath all the Long neck lying upon the south end of the dwelling houses of John Richardson and Thomas Hunt, all the above said neck within fence, and further we have laid out unto Thomas Hunt a tract of upland lying near his house containing sixteen acres and forty-five rods, stretching from the creek north northwest and south south-west to a great burnt stump, from thence west southwest to a creek, and from the creek south south-east, &c., &c."

'The three daughters and co-heiresses of John Richardson were Bethia, wife of Joseph Ketchanı of Newton, Long Island, Mary, wife of Joseph Hadley of Yonkers, and Elizabeth, wife of Gabriel Leggett, from whom descend the Leggetts of West Farms. His last will bears date 16th November, 1679. In it he bequeaths "to his beloved wife, Martha, all his housing and orchard, and all moveables without and within, and all live stock, also all his land and meadow on the planting neck, and all the Long neck that runs southward from Thomas Hunt's new dwelling house to the Sound, and this during her life to act and dispose as she shall see cause."

"To his son-in-law, Joseph Hadley, a pasture of three acres already laid out, &c., at or about the first spring, and all the meadow that is already divided, that is on this side the river above ye planting neck." "To his three daughters two hundred acres of land each;" "and to his brother's son, in England, Joseph Richardson, one hundred acres, if he come within the space of one whole year to receive it, and if he come not within the time prefixed it shall remain in Martha my wife's hands." "In conclusion, he constitutes and appoints his well beloved friends, William Richardson and Richard Ponton, both of Westchester, and Jonathan Hayward of Newtown, Long Island, overseers of his last will and testament, and that it is his whole will and testament after his decease, he witnesses it under his own hand the 16th day of November, 1679."

Upon the 12th of January, 1686, Governor Thomas Dongan granted a patent to Thomas Hunt, sen., for all his land bounded on the east by the river Aquehung or Bronx, extending to the midst of the said river, on the north by certain marked trees and a piece of hammock, and on the west by a certain brook called Sackrahung, for the value of one bushel of good winter wheat."a The following receipt appears to have been given for quit rent due on the above patent.

⚫ Co. Rec. vol. ii. From the original in the possession of Mr. Daniel Winship, Hunt's Point.