Pelham Once Was Part of Yorkshire in the Province of New York

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The period between 1664 and 1683 is a fascinating time in the history of Pelham.  Thomas Pell, who acquired the lands that became the Manor of Pelham from local Native Americans in 1654, did not reside on his lands.  Rather, during the period before his death in late September, 1669, he managed those lands from his home in Fairfield in the Colony of Connecticut.  In 1670, Pell's nephew and principal legatee, John Pell, arrived in New England and proceeded to Connecticut and then to Pelham to claim the lands he had been bequeathed.  

During this time, the region was experiencing great change.  On August 29, 1664, forces loyal to the Proprietor of the Province of New York, the Duke of York, captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch and proceeded to take all of New Netherland.  They renamed New Amsterdam as New York and constituted the Province of New York to include large parts of today's New York (including New York City, Long Island, Westchester County, and Albany) as well as parts of New Jersey, Vermont, and even southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware.

The first English colonial governor of the Province of New York was Richard Nicolls.  Under his guidance, the so-called "Duke's Laws" were prepared and distributed throughout the Province.  This was, in effect, New York's first set of English statutes to govern the conduct of New Yorkers.

The only unit of local government created by the Duke's laws was a unit named "Yorkshire."  Though often referenced as a county, Yorkshire was a slightly different entity that might best be described as a governmental administrative area.  It encompassed parts of the region of today's New York City that included English settlers:  Manhattan, today's Westchester County, Long Island, and Staten Island.  It was named after Yorkshire, England in northern England, an administrative area or "shire" so named-because it encompassed the City of York.  As one scholar has written about Yorkshire in the Province of New York:

"The only unit of local government created by the Duke's Laws was the county of Yorkshire.  It contained the areas of English occupation -- Long Island, Westchester, and Staten Island -- and like its namesake, it was divided into three ridings.  The east riding comprised the towns at the east end of Long Island (now Suffolk County); the west riding, the middle section of Long Island (parts of Suffolk, Nassau, and Queens counties) and Staten Island; and the north riding, the west end of Long Island (Queens and Kings counties) and Westchester.  The focus of administration in the ridings was the court of session.  The officers of the court were justices of the peace and under-sheriffs who were chosen by the governor.  Their duties were to hear appeals from the town courts, supervise the collection of taxes, and entertain petitions from aggrieved individuals or towns.  The high-sheriff of the county supervised the work of the courts of session.  In theory, he was chosen from nominations made by the sessions in a three-year cycle.  In practice, the governor chose his own man and kept him in office as long as he liked.  As the chief liaison with the towns the sheriff had to be someone who had the confidence of the governor."

Source:  Ritchie, Robert C., Duke's Province:  A Study of New York Politics and Society, 1664-1691, p. 35 (Chapel Hill, NC:  The University of North Carolina Press, 1977).

After his arrival in the Manor of Pelham in late 1670, John Pell became a friend of then New York Governor Francis Lovelace.  Pell was appointed a Justice of the Peace to serve in  the north riding of Yorkshire encompassing the west end of Long Island (today's Queens and Kings Counties) and today's Westchester County.

The Dutch briefly recaptured New York from the English in August, 1673.  Within a few weeks the local government structure returned to that which had been in place during the original Dutch reign over New Netherland.  Theoretically, at least, Yorkshire was no more.  

Only weeks later, on February 9, 1674, the Treat of Westminster ended the Anglo-Dutch War and transferred the territory that had been the Province of New York back to British control.  The English colonial authorities promptly re-instituted the governmental structure that previously existed, including Yorkshire that included the Manor of Pelham.  

On November 1, 1683, English colonial authorities eliminated Yorkshire.  The various ridings were converted into counties.  The North Riding that included the Manor of Pelham was converted into Westchester County (including much of the modern Bronx County), Queens County (including much of the modern Nassau County), and New York County.  

Thereafter, the Manor of Pelham no longer was part of the administrative area known as Yorkshire.  Rather, it was part of Westchester County.

Burr, David H., "Map of the County of Westchester" (1829).

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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References to John Pell in the Papers of Edmond Andros, Governor of the Province of New York, 1674-1676

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The Dutch colony of New Netherland was taken by an English fleet in 1664 and renamed New York.  In 1673, a Dutch fleet retook the colony.  Only a year and three months later, the English retook the colony and installed a royalist government headed by Edmond Andros, 

Engraving of Colonial Governor Sir Edmund Andros.

Source:  Wikimedia Commons.

As part of the New York Historical Manuscripts Series, various papers of Colonial Governor Edmund Andros have been published for the period 1674-1676.  That covers a period after the death of Thomas Pell, who acquired the lands that include today's Pelham from Native Americans on June 27, 1654.  However, it is within the early years of Thomas Pell's successor to the lands -- his nephew, John Pell.  

John Pell is often referenced erroneously as the "Second Lord of the Manor of Pelham."  He was the nephew and principal legatee of Thomas Pell, often referenced erroneously as the "First Lord of the Manor of Pelham." 

Born in England in 1643, John Pell traveled to America in 1670 following his uncle's death to claim his inheritance that included the lands that formed the Manor of Pelham.  It is believed that John Pell built a Manor Home worthy of his vast land holdings.  Its location has long been lost in the mists of time. Some authorities have suggested two possible locations for Pell's Manor House:  (1) near today's Bartow-Pell Mansion; and (2) on Rodman's Neck, also known as Pell's Point and Anhooke's Neck. See, e.g., City History Club of New York, Historical Guide to the City of New York, p. 210 (NY, NY: 1909) ("Not far away [from the Bartow-Pell Mansion] is the site of the original Pell Manor House, though some say that it was on the extreme end of Pelham Neck.").  

I have purchased yet another in the "New York Historical Manuscripts Series" -- and read -- a copy of  "THE ANDROS PAPERS 1674-1676."  There are a number of references to John Pell in Provincial Governor Andros's papers for that two-year period beginning only four years after John Pell arrived in the Manor of Pelham and took control of his inherited lands.  

Below are transcriptions of a couple of the John Pell references included within "THE ANDROS PAPERS 1674-1676."  These serve as examples of some of the research on 17th century Pelham that I have been working on for the past fifteen years.

DECEMBER 9-10, 1674:  JUSTICE JOHN PELL ABSENT FROM THE RIDING OF THE COURT OF SESSIONS; ALSO, A NOTE REFLECTING HIS DEBT TO JOHN COOMES INTRODUCED IN EVIDENCE IN DISPUTE BETWEEN JOHN COOMES AND THE ADMINISTRATOR TO NICHOLAS DAVIS.

"At Court of Sessions held at Jamaica the 9th day of Dec. 1674

Present.

The Governor. 
The Secr.
Mr. Robert Coe         }
Mr. Richard Cornell  }     of this Riding
abs= Mr. John Pell   }

Capt. James Hubbard     }
Capt. Richd Betts            }  of the West
Capt. Elbert Elberts         }
Capt. Jaques Cortelyau  }

ab   Mr. Jonas Wood        of the East.

The Constables of 
       { Hempsteed
ab.  { Westchester
       { Oysterbay
       { Huntington

The Justices called.
The Constables
A Jury empannelled and sworne.
The Causes call'd over.  

*     *     *

Afternoone

Present

The Governor
The Secr
Mr. R. Coe
Mr. R. Cornell.
C. James Hubbard.
C. R. Betts.
C. Elb:  Elberts
C. Jaq:  Cortelyau

The Jury called. 

*     *     *  

John Coomes Plt.
Henry Taylour as Adm. to Nich. Davis Deft. . . . . 

The plt. endeavors to prove his debt by Nich:  Davis and Mr. Pells notes for 5£ 10s

Referred to the Jury."

Source:  Christoph, Peter R. & Christoph, Florence A., The Andros Papers 1674-1676 Files of the Provincial Secretary of New York During the Administration of Governor Sir Edmund Andros 1674-1680, pp. 49-51 (Syracuse, NY:  Syracuse University Press, 1989) (Translations from the Dutch by Charles T. Ghering).  

The above-quoted reference from the afternoon session (from which John Pell is absent) included a case in which John Coomes sued to collect a debt owed to him by Nicholas Davis.  Henry Taylour appeared as Administrator to Nicholas Davis, the Defendant.  As part of the evidence that the plaintiff introduced to establish the debt that was owed to him by Nicholas Davis were notes (i.e., I.O.U.'s) issued to him both by Nicholas Davis and by John Pell.  The existence of such notes, of course, suggests the possibility of some commercial transaction, relationship, loan or loans between John Coomes, on the one hand, and Nicholas Davis and John Pell on the other.  The following day (Dec. 10, 1674), the jury returned a verdict in favor of plaintiff, John Coomes, against Henry Taylor (Administrator to Nicholas Davis) awarding the money owed to Coomes as well as the costs of suit.  Id. at 51.  

DECEMBER 10, 1674:  COURT OF SESSIONS SEEKS AN APPROPRIATE PERSON TO OPERATE A FERRY AS SUGGESTED TO JUSTICE JOHN PELL AND JUSTICE RICHARD CORNELL.

"At Court of Sessions held at Jamaica the . . . Dec. 10th, 1674 . . . Afternoone. . . . 

The Ferry recommended to Justice Pell and Justice Cornell to pitch upon a fitt person; of Consider Wood or John Marsh.

The Charge 4 s horse and man single, 2 s each other:  single man 1 s two 1 s 6 d and so proporcionable."

Source:  Christoph, Peter R. & Christoph, Florence A., The Andros Papers 1674-1676 Files of the Provincial Secretary of New York During the Administration of Governor Sir Edmund Andros 1674-1680, pp. 49-53 (Syracuse, NY:  Syracuse University Press, 1989) (Translations from the Dutch by Charles T. Ghering).  

FEBRUARY 4, 1674:  DURING EXAMINATION OF CAPTAIN JOHN MANNING REGARDING PROPRIETY OF HIS ACTIONS WHEN DUTCH RETOOK NEW YORK IN 1673, A REFERENCE TO GOVERNOR FRANCIS LOVELACE VISITING JOHN PELL'S ESTATE ON ANNHOOK'S NECK IN JULY, 1673.  

In early 1674, the English royalists were engaged in a rather nasty inquiry into how, exactly, "New Yorke Fort" was surrendered to the Dutch in July, 1673.  During the investigation, the officials conducted an examination of Captain John Manning.  

"Examinations concerning the surrende[r] of New Yorke Fort to the Dutch, in Ju[l]y 1673, taken February 4th 1674. . . . 

[RESPONSE OF JOHN MANNING TO THE ARTICLES]

[my A]nswere [to the Articles drawne] against [me, which I] doe in [all hum]ble and Submissive [Man]ner [ten]der unto your Honors serious Considera[cion] not to Justify me Selfe but to shew your Honor how farr I Indeavered for the preservacion of this place.

Imprimis, I Answer, That I did not know the Shipps to bee Enemies before the 29th of July at five a Clock in the Evening, but aboute five Moneths before heareing of an Enemys Floeete that was bound for Verginia, and from thence to this place; Governor Lovelace being then at Mr. Pells at Annhookes Neck I imediately sent notice to him of the same who immediately came and seeing noe Enemy slited my care and said this is one of Manning's Larrums, which newes I thought would have Caused him forthwith to prepare the Fort, and procure such necessaryes as would have beene Convenient and were wanting to withstand an Enemy, He haveing received into his Custody the Contribucion money that was gathered for that Intent. . . .

To the Right Honorable the Governor and Counc[ell]

A Narrative of Capt. John Manning

Sheweth unto your Honor that before the Enemies F[leete] [came] heare we had Intelligence by one who was a prisono[r] Capt. Dellincourt and one Mr. Hopkins gave informac[on that] their was a fleete of Shipps comeing from the [West] Indies intending to make Spoile at Verginia an[d] thence to New Yorke as they was certainely In[formed] abaoard the said Capts. Shipp at that Instant Co[ll.] Lovelace was at Mr. Pells to whome imediately an ex[press was] sent and his Honor returned the day following [and] [with all] expedicion sent a dispatch for Capt. Sallsbury and [ ] men from Albany alsoe Issued out a Warrant to [Capt.] Chambers of Sopus for 20 men who was Ord[ered to] return soone after their coming . . . " 

Source:  Christoph, Peter R. & Christoph, Florence A., The Andros Papers 1674-1676 Files of the Provincial Secretary of New York During the Administration of Governor Sir Edmund Andros 1674-1680, pp. 65-70, 76-77 (Syracuse, NY:  Syracuse University Press, 1989) (Translations from the Dutch by Charles T. Ghering). 

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