The Deed Reflecting John Pell's Sale of the Lands that Became New Rochelle

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On September 20, 1689, John Pell and his wife, Rachel, conveyed to Jacob Leisler of New York City 6,100 acres of land that had formed the northeastern part of the Manor of Pelham acquired in 1654 by Thomas Pell, John Pell's uncle. The original deed is framed and maintained among the collections of the Thomas Paine Cottage in New Rochelle. An image of the deed appears immediately below, followed by a transcription of its contents.






"TO ALL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE To whom this present writing shall come John Pell proprietor of the Mannor of Pelham within the County of Westchester in the province of New York within the Domminion of New England Gentleman and Rachell his wife Sendeth Greeting in our Lord God Everlasting. Know Yee that the said John Pell & Rachell his wife for an in consideration of the sume of Sixteens hundred twenty & Five pounds sterling currant silver money of this province to him in hand paid & secured to be paid att & before the ensealing & delivery hereof by Jacob Leisler of the Citty of New York Marchant, the Receipt whereof they the said John Pell & Rachell his Wife doe hereby Acknowledg & themselves to be fully Sattisfied & contented & thereof & of every part & parcell thereof doe hereby freely & cleerly Acquitt exonerate & discharge the said Jacob Leisler his heirs Executors Administrators & every of them by these presents, HAVE Granted bargained & sold & by these Presents Doe grant Bargaind & sell unto the said Jacob Leisler his heirs & Assignes ALL that Tract of Land lyeing & being within the said Mannor of PELHAM containning Six thousand acres of Land And also One hundred Acres of Land more which the said John Pell & Rachell his Wife do freely Give & Grant for the French Church erected or to be erected by the Inhabitants of the said Tract of Land or by their Assignes BEING butted & bounded as herein is After expressed beginning att the west side of A certaine white Oak tree marked on all foure sides standing at high water mark & at the south end of Hog Neck by Shoals harbour & runs north westerly through the great & fresh Meadow lyeing between the Roade & the sound & from the north side of the said Meadow where the said line crosses the said Meadow to run from thence due north to Bronckeses River which is the west divission line between the said John Pell's Land and the aforesaid Tract bounded on the south Easterly by the sound & Salt water & to run east northerly to A certaine peice of Salt Meadow lyeing att the Salt Creek which Runneth up to Cedar Tree brook, or Gravilley, brook, and is the bounds to the southern. Bounded on the east by a line that runs from said Meadow north-westerly by marked trees to a certaine black Oak tree standing A little below the Roade marked on fouer Sides & from thence to run due north fouer miles and one halfe more or lesse AND from the north end of the said west line ending att BRONCKESES River, and from thence to run easterly till it meetes with a North end of the said easternmost bounds, together with all and Singuler the Islands & Isletts before the said tract of Land lyeing & being in the sound & Salt water with all the Harbours creeks Rivers Riveletts Runs Waters Lakes Meadows ponds Marches Salt & fresh swamps Soyles timber trees pastures feedings, Inclosures fields Quarryes, Mines mineralls, (Silver & gold Mines only excepted,) fishing hunting fowleing hawking AS Also the Messuages Houses tenements barnes Mills Milldams as they were at the time of the ensealing & delivery of the Articles of Aggreement of Sale for said Land bearing date the second day of July in the Yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty-seven, AS Relatôn being thereto had doth more fully and att large Appeare, AS allso the Reversion & reversions, Remainder & Remainders of a certaine Lott of Land & Meadow now in the tenure & occupâton of John Jefferd & Olive his wife being parts of the aforesaid six thousand Acres of Land with all the Privilidges belonging thereto or any wise appurtaineing or there with now used occupied & enjoyed; AS allso the Right title interest Reversion, Remainder, property claimd & demand whatsoever of in & to the same & every parte thereof as is hereafter expressed, TO HAVE & TO HOLD the Aforesaid Tract of Land with all other the Above granted premisses unto the said Jacob Leisler his heirs & Assigns for Ever to his & there own sole & proper use benefitt & behoofe for every YIELDING & paying unto the said John Pell his heirs & assignes Lords of the said Mannor of PELHAM or to the Assigns of him or them or their or either of them as an Acknowledgment to the Lord of the said Mannor one fatt calfe on every fouer & twentyth day of June YEARLY & Every Years forever (if demanded) AND the said John Pell & Rachell his Wife for themselves their heirs Executors & Administrators Respectively doe hereby covenant promisse & grant to and with the said Jacob Leisler his heirs & Assignes in mannor & formd following (that is to say,) that att the time of the ensealing hereof they the said John Pell & Rachell hi Wife doe Avouch themselves to be true Sole & lawfull owners of all the afore bargained premises and that they are lawfully seized of & in the same & every part thereof in their owne proper Right of a good & Indefinable estate of Inheritance in fee simple & have in themselves good Right full power & lawful Authority to sell & dispose of the same as Aforesaid AND the said Jacob Leisler his heirs & Assignes shall & may from henceforth & forever hereafter peaceably & Quiettly have hold occupy possesse & enjoye the Above Granted premises & every parte & parcell thereof, free & clear without any charge or Incumbrance caused made Suffered or granted by said John Pell & Rachell his Wife or either of them their or either of their heirs in Estate Right title interest in law or Equity trust charge or other Incumbrance whatsoever, AND the said John Pell & Rachell his Wife for themselves Respectively & for their Respective heires doe covenant promisse & grant to warrant & defend the Above Granted premisses with their appűrtenânces & every part & parcel thereof Unto the said Jacob Leisler his heirs & Assigns forever, Against the Lawfull claimes & demands whatsoever, IN WITNESSE whereof the said John Pell & Rachell his Wife have hereunto Sett their hands & Seales in New York & the twentyth day of September in the First years of the Reigne of our soveragne Lord & Lady William, & Mary, KING & QUEEN of England &c., and in the Years of our Lord One thousand Six hundred Eighty & Nine.


JOHN PELL.


the mark R
Rachell Pell"


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