Samuel Auchmuty, D.D., for the payment of ^40 New York currency towards the minister's support."0 The following copies^of the letter and petition are from the MSS. of the Ven. Society: --

a Book of Patents, Secretary of State's office, Albany. 6 Vestry book of St. Peter's church, Peekskill, pp. L % c Ditto, pp. 2, 3.

THE TOWN OF CORTLANDT.

THE CHURCH WARDENS AND VESTRY OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH TO THE SECRETARY.

" Peekskill, in the Province of New York, in America,

Oct. i$th, 1770.

Rev. Sir:

Permit us, as wardens and vestrymen for St. Peter's church, to address you, and acquaint you with the steps we have taken for settling a church, according to the established Church of England, and to solicit your assistance and interest with the Venerable Society, that we may be so happy as to be patronized by them, and obtain their charitable assistance towards maintaining a minister.

It is about four years since a few of us first attempted to begin the building of a church in the Manor of Cortlandt, near Peekskill, in the county of Westchester ; and on the 9th day of August, 1767, had got it so far finished, as to get the favor of the worthy and Rev. Dr. Ogilvie of New York, to open and consecrate it, which he did, calling it St. Peter's church; and have since (tho* not yet completely finished) made it a decent and a comfortable building for performing divine worship in. The next step we took, to enable us further to prosecute our design, was to apply to his honor, Lieut. Governor Colden for a charter, which he was pleased to grant us. Being so far advanced in our undertaking, Mr. John Doty, a gentleman educated at King's College in New York, offered himself as a candidate for our church, and has performed divine service for us most part of last summer; and has given such general satisfaction, that we have unanimously agreed to give him a call as soon as he is properly ordained, and authorized to peiform the office of a minister.