Mount Vernon Proposed Annexation of Pelham in 1890 (Before Trying Again in 1909)

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In 1909, the Mayor of the City of Mount Vernon proposed the annexation of the Town of Pelham and surrounding towns.  It was, as recently noted in an Historic Pelham article, "as if a bomb had exploded in the very center of the Town of Pelham."  See Mon., Oct. 09, 2017:  City of Mount Vernon Proposed Annexation of Pelham and Surrounding Towns in 1909.  

It may have been as if a bomb exploded in the very center of Pelham when the City of Mount Vernon proposed annexation of the Town in 1909, but it certainly was not the first time Mount Vernon had approached Pelham about annexation.  Indeed, Mount Vernon proposed annexation of Pelham in 1890, nearly two decades earlier.

In 1890, before any villages had been incorporated within the Town of Pelham, the nearby settlement of Mount Vernon was beginning to feel the nearby City of New York breathing down its neck.  As a potential mechanism for fending off its own annexation by New York City, Mount Vernon residents established a "Committee for the Obtainment of a City Charter."  Members included Jared Sandford, R. W. Macgowan, C. S. McClellan (who owned properties in Pelham), and James T. Adee.  

On Wednesday, October 15, 1890, members of the Committee for the Obtainment of a City Charter visited the little settlement of Pelhamville and met with local residents at the home of Captain A. P. Delcambre.  Among those Pelhamville residents who attended were Isaac C. Hill, W. Harrison, V. Barker, W. Everet, T. R. Scott, A. Anderson, and S. Gregor.

Jared Sandford and C. S. McClellan spoke for the Mount Vernon Committee.  They proposed that Pelhamville join with Mount Vernon to become "part and parcel" of a new municipality to be known as the City of Mount Vernon.  The Pelhamville representatives were aghast.

Members of the Mount Vernon committee argued their case, likely focusing on the need to block New York City from annexing the entire region.  According to one account:  "The Pelhamville representation was cold at first, but after argument, confined their objections to the presumed attitude of Pelham Manor to such a proposition."  In short, Pelhamville knew that the Town of Pelham would have to be annexed to block New York City from taking the region.  Thus, a blocking annexation by Mount Vernon could not be effected without the cooperation and consent of the entire town including, among other settlements, the settlement of Pelham Manor.  As the meeting ended, the members of the Pelhamville delegation promised only that would "confer" with other Pelhamville residents and with representatives of Pelham Manor about the matter.

Over the next two weeks, all of Mount Vernon awaited the results of the discussions in Pelham.  Indeed, on October 21, 1890 the local Mount Vernon newspaper reported ""A committee of Pelhamville gentlemen will wait on a contingent of Pelham Manor representatives in the latter place during the course of the week to confer concerning the advisability and feasibility of joining with Mount Vernon and taking steps to incorporate as one city.  Two or three representative Mt. Vernonites are to be present at the conference."

By October 28, 1890, the matter was all over.  Pelham had made clear to Mount Vernon that it wanted no part of annexation.  In fact, at about the same time, Pelham Manor residents began efforts to incorporate their small settlement as a Village within the Town of Pelham.

Mount Vernon seemed almost to be offended.  The local newspaper reported, in a rather hurt tone, "The people of Pelhamville and Pelham Manor have concluded that they do not want to be annexed to the City of Mount Vernon.  Such being the case the City of Mount Vernon will be incorporated without them."  The report then explained why, one day, Pelham would regret its decision.  The report continued:

"It takes time for new ideas to get into the heads of most people.  It took years for the people of West Mount Vernon to conclude that annexation to Mount Vernon would be desirable.  East Mount Vernon also took a long time to make up its mind and so too did Chester Hill.  But there isn't one of them you could drive out or coax out of Mount Vernon now.  And so it will be with Pelhamville and Pelham Manor by and by.  Perhaps the people of Mount Vernon may not be willing then to take them in.  As it stands now, they have not enough people to the square mile to form an incorporated village and hence must do one of three things:  continue to exist as now under a town government, be annexed to Mount Vernon or be annexed to New Rochelle.  

Facts and figures prove that Mount Vernon is the first station out of New York on the N. Y. N. H. & H. Railroad, and that in population and general improvement, it has made strides during the past ten years which are unprecedented in Westchester County.  The man or men who don't think it wise to become a part of such a city don't know when a good thing is offered them.  

A cynic once stood on London Bridge and offered to sell good sovereigns for a crown.  He found no purchasers."

Pelham, it seems, had dodged the annexation bullet yet again.

1950 Map of the Town of Pelham Showing the Town Bounded

by the City of New York, the City of Mount Vernon and the City

of New Rochelle. NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *           *

"Messrs. Jared Sandford, R. W. Macgowan, C. S. McClellan and James T. Adee of the Committee for the Obtainment of a City Charter, visited Pelhamville on Wednesday evening, and conferred with a number of gentlemen of that Village.  Mr. Jose S. Wood, who was to have gone with the delegation, was called out of town by important business.  By appointment the gentlemen proceeded to the residence of Capt. A. P. Delcambre, and there found the following representative citizens of Pelhamville, Capt. Delcambre, Messrs. W. Harrison, V. Barker, W. Everet, T. R. Scott, I. C. Hill, A. Anderson and S. Gregor.

Messrs. Sandford and McClellan were the spokesmen for our delegation, and made the proposition to Pelhamville, that as Mount Vernon was on the brink of endeavoring to incorporate as a city, they came to Pelhamville to invite them to become part and parcel of the new municipality.  The Pelhamville representation was cold at first, but after argument, confined their objections to the presumed attitude of Pelham Manor to such a proposition.  On discussion, our neighbors warmed up in the matter, and promised to confer with their many fellow citizens absent.  Besides this informal action, a committee will call up in Pelham Manor, and it is hoped that next Wednesday evening, there will be a formal discussion of the matter, at which a Pelhamville committee will meet a Pelham Manor representation at Pelham Manor.  A few of our Mount Vernon committee will be invited to be present at the conference."

Source:  [Untitled], The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 17, 1890, Vol. XXII, No. 1,342, p. 2, col. 1.  

"A committee of Pelhamville gentlemen will wait on a contingent of Pelham Manor representatives in the latter place during the course of the week to confer concerning the advisability and feasibility of joining with Mount Vernon and taking steps to incorporate as one city.  Two or three representative Mt. Vernonites are to be present at the conference."

Source:  [Untitled], The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 21, 1890, Vol. XXII, No. 1,343, p. 3, col. 1.  

"Good-by [sic], Pelham!

The people of Pelhamville and Pelham Manor have concluded that they do not want to be annexed to the City of Mount Vernon.  Such being the case the City of Mount Vernon will be incorporated without them.  It takes time for new ideas to get into the heads of most people.  It took years for the people of West Mount Vernon to conclude that annexation to Mount Vernon would be desirable.  East Mount Vernon also took a long time to make up its mind and so too did Chester Hill.  But there isn't one of them you could drive out or coax out of Mount Vernon now.  And so it will be with Pelhamville and Pelham Manor by and by.  Perhaps the people of Mount Vernon may not be willing then to take them in.  As it stands now, they have not enough people to the square mile to form an incorporated village and hence must do one of three things:  continue to exist as now under a town government, be annexed to Mount Vernon or be annexed to New Rochelle.  

Facts and figures prove that Mount Vernon is the first station out of New York on the N. Y. N. H. & H. Railroad, and that in population and general improvement, it has made strides during the past ten years which are unprecedented in Westchester County.  The man or men who don't think it wise to become a part of such a city don't know when a good thing is offered them.  

A cynic once stood on London Bridge and offered to sell good sovereigns for a crown.  He found no purchasers."

Source:  Good-by [sic], Pelham!, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 28, 1890, Vol. XXII, No. 1,345, p. 2, col. 1.

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