Villages in the Town of Pelham Moved to Annex Unincorporated Town Lands in 1914 and 1915
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When the three original villages that once existed within the Town of Pelham were created in the 1890s, their boundaries did not encompass all land within the Town of Pelham. Thus, there were portions of the Town that were "unincorporated" and were known as "unincorporated sections."
Over the next two decades, most of these unincorporated sections were slowly annexed by the various villages. By 1914, only two unincorporated sections remained within the boundaries of the Town. One was a sliver of land along the New Rochelle border beyond Rochelle Terrace, adjacent to the Village of Pelham (today's Pelham Heights). This sliver existed due to an adjustment of the border between the Town of Pelham and the City of New Rochelle. The second was a large section adjacent to the Village of Pelham Manor that included an area where today's Fairway supermarket is located.
In about 1914, the Town Board of the Town of Pelham began agitating for the Village of Pelham (Pelham Heights) and the Village of Pelham Manor to annex the remaining unincorporated sections. Though news articles provide no explanation for why, it would appear that the Town hoped to shift its cost of maintaining roads, providing police services and the like in the unincorporated sections to the villages that already provided such services in immediately adjacent sections.
In mid-August, 1914, a petition circulated throughout the Town of Pelham, as then required by law, to place a proposition on a ballot in a special election in the Village of Pelham (Pelham Heights) to have the village annex the unincorporated section along the border with New Rochelle at Rochelle Terrace. Members of the Town Board signed the petition, among many others.
On November 10, 1914, the special election was held at the Pelham Heights police headquarters on Wolfs Lane. It attracted almost no voters. Only eleven votes were cast. The proposition was passed by a vote of 10 to 1. The land subsequently was annexed.
Detail of 1908 Map Showing Unincorporated Section Adjacent to
the Village of Pelham (Pelham Heights) Shown Along Right Side.
Source: Fairchild, John F., Atlas of the City of Mount Vernon and
The New York Public Library). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.
At about the same time, a petition circulated throughout the Town to have a special election in the Village of Pelham Manor to authorize the village to annex the unincorporated section adjacent to its borders. During the regular monthly meeting of the Village Board on Wednesday, October 7, 1914, according to one account, the following occurred:
"William Curry appeared with a petition requesting the annexation of the unincorporated section of the town of Pelham to the village of Pelham Manor and asked for the signatures of the members of the board not residents of Pelham Manor. The petition was read and the members not residing in Pelham Manor signed it and at the same time stated that it met with their approval. The advantages of the annexation were not stated. A resolution approving the annexation was passed by the entire board. . . ."
The special election in Pelham Manor was held on Friday, January 29, 1915. In advance of the special election, Pelham Town Supervisor Hugh Herndon issued a letter urging Pelham Manor voters to vote in favor of annexation of the unincorporated section. There were 61 votes cast at this special election, of which 53 votes were cast in favor of annexation and 8 against. The unincorporated section subsequently was annexed by Pelham Manor.
The following week, tongues all over Pelham began wagging. Because there no longer were any unincorporated sections left within the boundaries of the Town of Pelham, why would the Town continue to need various Town officers such as the Town Poormaster, the Town Superintendent of Highways, the Town Health Officer, Town Police and Constables, and the like. Those responsibilities would rest with the villages for the entirety of the Town following annexation of the last two unincorporated sections.
To make matters more complex, Town bonds previously had been issued to fund improvements in the unincorporated section to be annexed by Pelham Manor in the amount of $18,075. The Town of Pelham wanted the Village of Pelham Manor to assume the debt obligations because Pelham Manor would begin receiving the property taxes from this section upon annexation.
Despite such issues, annexation proceeded smoothly. The last unincorporated sections of the Town were now gone -- part of the villages within the Town.
* * * * *
"Pelham Heights
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May Annex Land.
A petition is being circulated to have a proposition placed before the voters in the near future for the taking over of the strip of land which is located outside the village of Pelham and extends between this village and the city of New Rochelle from North Pelham to Pelham Manor. The strip is in the unincorporated section of the town and is about a half mile from the unincorporated section of the town in Pelham Manor. The plan is to have this taken over by the village of Pelham. Before it can be placed before the voters, the matter must be submitted in a form of petition. The members of the town board have signed such a petition."
Source: Pelham Heights -- May Annex Land, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Aug. 11, 1914, p. 6, col. 1.
"Pelham Heights
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Special Election Tomorrow.
Tomorrow between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m., a special election will be held in the village for the purpose of voting upon the following proposition:
'Shall the following described property now being a part of the unincorporated part of the town of Pelham and lying outside the village of Pelham, be annexed to and made a part of the said village of Pelham: Beginning at the New Haven railroad at the intersection of the dividing line between the town of Pelham and the city of New Rochelle and the southerly boundary line of the village of North Pelham, running northwesterly with the southerly boundary line of the village of North Pelham to the easterly boundary line of the village of Pelham: running thence southerly with the easterly boundary line of the village of Pelham to its intersection with the southerly line of Colonial avenue, (formerly the Old Boston road) thence easterly with said southerly side line of Colonial avenue to its intersection with the dividing line between the town of Pelham and the city of New Rochelle; thence northerly with the said dividing line between the said town and city to the point or place of beginning. Said parcel being all of the unincorporated section of the town of Pelham bounded on the east by the city of New Rochelle; on the west by the village of Pelham and on the north by the village of North Pelham and on the south by the village of Pelham Manor. The polling place will be at the police headquarters on Wolf's lane between the hours mentioned above."
Source: Pelham Heights -- Special Election Tomorrow, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Nov. 9, 1914, p. 11, col. 2.
"Pelham Heights
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Few Vote in Village Election.
Little interest was shown Tuesday evening at the special election held in this village for the purpose of voting upon the matter of accepting or rejecting a section of the unincorporated part of the town of Pelham which is east of this village into the village of Pelham. Eleven votes were cast at the election, of which number, 10 were in favor of annexation and one was against. Athough the number is not a representative vote, it is understood that the election will stand."
Source: Pelham Heights -- Few Vote in Village Election, The Daily Argus, Nov. 12, 1914, p. 11, col. 3.
* * * * *
"North Pelham [sic]
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TOWN BOARD MEETING.
-----
Petition for Annexation of Unincorporated Portion of Town.
-----
The monthly meeting of the members of the town board was held Wednesday evening. . . .
William Curry appeared with a petition requesting the annexation of the unincorporated section of the town of Pelham to the village of Pelham Manor and asked for the signatures of the members of the board not residents of Pelham Manor. The petition was read and the members not residing in Pelham Manor signed it and at the same time stated that it met with their approval. The advantages of the annexation were not stated. A resolution approving the annexation was passed by the entire board. . . ."
Source: North Pelham --TOWN BOARD MEETING -- Petition for Annexation of Unincorporated Portion of Town, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Oct. 9, 1914, p. 7, col. 2.
"Pelham Manor
-----
Special Election on Friday.
A special election will be held in the village of Pelham Manor at the village hall on Friday, between the hours of 4 and 8 p.m., for the purpose of voting upon the question of annexing a portion of the unincorporated section of the town of Pelham to the incorporated village of Pelham Manor. The unincorporated section of the town is located between the New Haven tracks and the Harlem river branch of the same railroad beginning immediately in the rear of the Pelham post office and running thence in a westerly direction from the Split Rock road and the New York City line across the Boston Post road toward the Hutchinson river, taking in the Westchester Lighting company's plant, etc. Another small strip is located between the city of New Rochelle and the village line on the northerly side of the village beyond the street known as Rochelle Terrace."
Source: Pelham Manor -- Special Election on Friday, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Jan. 26, 1915, p. 11, col 3.
"Pelham Manor
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Vote Today on Annexation.
Between the hours of 4 and 8 o'clock this afternoon, a special election will be held at the village hall to vote upon the question of annexing a portion of the unincorporated section of the town of Pelham adjoining this village to the incorporated village of Pelham Manor. This matter is one of importance, not only to this village but to the town. A petition bringing about this election was signed by the members of the town board and residents of this village. Supervisor Herndon has sent out a letter urging that the section be annexed. There is slight opposition to the annexation."
Source: Pelham Manor -- Vote Today on Annexation, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Jan. 29, 1915, p. 11, col. 3.
"PELHAM MANOR . . .
-----
Annexation Wins.
Friday evening at the village hall the taxpayers of this village voted to annex the unincorporated section of the town of Pelham adjoining Pelham Manor to the incorporated village of Pelham Manor. There were 61 votes cast at this election, of which 53 votes were cast in favor of annexation and 8 against. If the village of Pelham annexes the remaining part of the town to the village there will be no more unincorporated section of the town of Pelham."
Source: PELHAM MANOR . . . Annnexation Wins, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 1, 1915, p. 7, col. 2.
"Legal Question Raised.
What does the annexation of the unincorporated section of the town to the incorporated village of Pelham Manor mean to the town offices, such as poormaster, superintendent o highways, constables, justices of the peace, police and health officer, was asked Wednesday evening about the town hall. Whether or not all these offices are abolished by this act is yet to be learned by Supervisor Herndon, who was not prepared Wednesday evening to give a legal opinion. There remains unincorporated in the town but a small strip of land, caused by the correction of the town line between the village of Pelham and New Rochelle, and this is soon to be annexed to the village of Pelham. With a town consisting of three incorporated villages there will be nothing left for the town officers to do, except in the case of the justices who will try cases not contained in the village laws. Another point is whether or not Pelham Manor will assume the obligations of the unincorporated part of the town annexed. The amount of bonds issued against this part of the town amounts to $18,075. It is advanced that as Pelham Manor derives the taxes from this section it should assume its obligations. However, a legal opinion will be submitted to the town board on the matter shortly."
Source: Legal Question Raised, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 5, 1915, p. 11, col. 3.
"Town Board Meeting.
The regular monthly meeting of the members of the town board was held at the town hall Wednesday evening all the members of the board, with the exception of Justice Rogers, who is out of town, were present. . . . The matter of the responsibility for the bonds issued against the section formerly unincorporated part of the town of Pelham was referred to the law committee."
Source: Town Board Meeting, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 6, 1916, p. 15, col. 4.
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Labels: 1914, 1915, Annexation, boundary, Boundary Dispute, Pelham Heights, Village of Pelham, Village of Pelham Manor
posted by Blake A. Bell @ 4:34 AM
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