The Methodist Episcopal Church in the village of Eastchester was first organized in 1836, and incorporated the same year by the name and title of " The Methodist Episcopal Church in the town of Eastchester." Thomas Griffin, Peter Bertine, Josiah Sickles, Nicholas Duff, and Gilbert Underbill, trustees. The church was erected in 1837, and a small parsonage has been added since.

RECTORY OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, EAST CHESTER

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, EAST CHESTER.

THE TOWN OF EAST CHESTER.

This portion of Westchester County seems to have suffered severely during the War of the Revolution, and was constantly the scene of marches, points of defence, and skirmishes. Here, also, the lawless "skinner" and "cow-boy " practised their black deeds of rapine unmolested.

In October, 1776, a skirmish took place in this town between the patriots, on their route from King's Bridge to Westchester, and the enemy, under Lord Howe. For some time the Connecticut troops were billeted in the village. Here Gilbert Vincent, Jr., who, like his father, was the blacksmith of the town, was shot by order of a French officer belonging to Col. Armaud's cavalry of the French Legion for refusing to shoe his horse on the Lord's Day, in consequence of which Elijah, his brother, joined the British army, took a lieutenant's commission, and throughout this whole region became a terror to all who opposed the Crown. On the 3d October, 1779, "Lieutenant Gill of the American Dragoons, patrolling in Eastchester, found a superior force in his rear, and had no alternative but to surrender or cut his way through them ; he chose the latter, and forced his way, when he found a body of infantry still behind the horse. These he also charged, and on his passing them his horse was wounded, and threw him, when he fell into the enemy's hands.