John's church, Stamford and St. George • Talbot, Esq. Here the former preached and baptized several children.0 At this time there appear to have been several families professors of the Church of England. Mr. Talbot subsequently devised in trust, the sum of six hundred pounds, (for the use and benefit of the churches of Northcastle and Bedford.) this amount appears to have been in possession of Lewis Macdonald and others, trustees under the will of Mr. Talbot.

" From letters received by Dr. Auchmuty, Rector of Trinity church, and Mr. Livingston (executor of the late Mr. St. George Talbot,; dated December 8th, 1769, it appears that the heirs at law leave no method untried to defeat the purposes of Mr. Talbot's will j and, by evasive practices in law, the cause is still undetermined."

In 1 77 1, Mr. John Livingston informs the Propagation Society, that with regard to Mr. Talbot's will the attorneys have judged it expedient to come to an agreement with the heirs of Mr. Talbot, by which the executors should pay them ^1300, in full for their claim and demand on the real and personal estate. It will be seen, however, that the Church did not receive the legacy until the year 1803.

Mr. Punderson, who succeeded Mr. Whitmore in 1762, died Anno Domini 1764, and was followed by the Rev. Ephriam Avery in 1765.

From this period nothing worthy of especial importance appears in the Society's Reports relative to Bedford. Mr. Avery's death took place soon after the exciting scenes of the Revolution had commenced, and during the subsequent years the whole parish of Rye suffered considerably from the confusion that attended the Revolutionary war. The Parochial Church was destroyed by fire, and the parishoners dispersed in every direction. ,