March 8, 1691 from John Pell and Other Magistrates to the New York Attorney General

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Below is the text of a letter issued by the Magistrates of Westchester County, including John Pell, to the New York Attorney General, James Graham, on March 8, 1691. The purpose of the letter was to request that two men who had interfered with the responsibilities of the Undersheriff to be "sent for" from New York and "secured" there.

"THE MAGISTRATES OF WESTCHESTER CO TO COLL. GRAHAM.

Westchester March 8 1691

SR - The occasion of troubling your Honour att this time is to acquaint thatt there is a number of People in this County who have Richard Penton at their head who doe denie the Government and Vilify all authoretie in this County yea declaring that the Comander in Chiefes his Administration of the Government to be without Authoroty and all proceedings under him to be Illegal upon That foundation they glory Themselves of a Turne; and are so bold to publicly declare themselves Leisler's men which they presumptiously without regard or respect To Law haue abused the Justices in Executing there office by ill wordes animating Each other; so thatt itt is to be feared; they haue no better intention than a New Rebellion, to prevent which if the Principall Ringleaders might be sent for to New Yorke and there secured itt might prevent the Mescheife of Tumultuos Breaking the Geiyle here in this County for such things haue been threatened; If such as oune Penton to be there Major & Penton declares to be his Captain and others thatt dare and threaten ye under Sheriffe in the Executing of his office be fetcht doune It may preuent further trouble the Person Principally concernd is Richard Penton & one Robert Bloomber and such others as you may be informed further by the Report and affidavets hereinclosed all which is sent you by the undersheriffe who can declare further The aspect of ye times and the Common Safety of the County oblidgeth us to give you this trouble Desiring, thatt according to our bounden Duty our humble Indeavors & Service be presented to the Comander in Chiefe and Councell Wee Subscribe ourselves

humble Servants
JOHN PELL
JOHN PALMER
WILLIAM BARNES

Addressed,

To ye Honble
James Greyham Esqr
theire Magesties Attorney
Generall
in
New Yorke"

Source: O'Callaghan, E.B., ed., Documentary History of the State of New-York. Arranged Under Direction of the Hon. Christopher Morgan, Secretary of State, Vol. II, p. 187 (Albany, NY: Weed, Parsons & Co., Public Printers 1850).

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John Pell's Early Public Service in the Late 1600s

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John Pell inherited the lands that came to be known as the "Manor of Pelham" from his uncle, Thomas Pell, following Thomas Pell's death in late September, 1669. John Pell arrived in America from England to claim his inheritance about a year later.

Within a short time, John Pell was a respected citizen of the area that came to be known as Westchester County. He became involved in public service.

A book published in 2005 summarized John Pell's public service. It noted that an examination of the earliest records of the Court of Sessions held in Westchester suggests that the first Court of Sessions was held on June 3, 1684. That year, according to the account, "it seems" that John Pell was appointed First Judge of Westchester County. Additionally, Pell "seems to have been recommissioned by James II in 1688, after the status of the latter had changed from the duke to the king."

In 1691, "John Pell represented Westchester in the 1691 General Assembly, which is known as the First General Assembly. He was also a member of the Second Assembly, 1692-93, and with Joseph Theal sat in the Third Assembly, 1693, also in the Fourth (1693-94), with Humphrey Underhill."

Source: Chester, Alden, Courts and Lawyers of New York: A History 1609-1925, Vol. I, pp. 1298-1299 (Clark, NJ: The LawBook Exchange, Ltd. 2005).

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