There can be no doubt that some of the French Huguenots had already commenced a settlement at New Rochelle prior to the above mentioned confirmation from Dongan to Pell ; for Maria Graton, widow of William Cothonneau, had conveyed to Alexander Allaire a tract of land, in what is now New Rochelle, on the 24th of September, 1686; and Allaire also states that he had sold a tract of land to Theophelus Forestier, of New Rochelle, on the 17th of March, 1687/

Upon the 20th of September, 1689, we find John Pell, lord of the manor of Pelham, and Rachel, his wife, conveying to Jacob Leisler of the city of New York, merchant, " all that tract of land lying and being within the manor of Pelham containing six thousand acres of land, &c, &c. (the present township of New Rochelle.) The grantee and his heirs

a See Pelham for Thomas Pell's Patent.

b See Pelham for John Pell's confirmation.

t White Plains Hec. Book of Deeds, vol., E, p. 29, vol. F p. 2.

THE TOWN OF NEW ROCHELLE.

yielding and paying unto the said John Pell and his heirs, &c, as lords of the said manor, one fat calf on every four and twentieth day of June (festival of St. John the Baptist) yearly, &c, if demanded, &c."

JOHN PELL'S GRANT OF NEW ROCHELLE. To all Christian people to whom this present writing shall come, John Pell, proprietor of the manor of Pelham, within the county of Westchester, in the province of New York, williiu the dominion of New England, gentleman, and Rachel his wife, sendeth greeting in our Lord God everlasting. Know tee that the said John Pell and Rachel his wife for and in consideration of the sum of sixteen hundred aud seventy-five pounds and twenty-five shillings sterling, current silver money of this province, to him in hand paid and secured to be paid at the, or before, the ensealing and delivery thereof by Jacob Lcisler of the city of New York, merchant, the receipt whereof the}-, the said John Pell aud Rachel his wife, do thereby acknowledge themselves to be fully satisfied and contented, and thereof, and of every part and parcel thereof, do hereby freely and clearly acquit and exonorate and discharge the said Jacob Lcisler, his heirs, executors, administrators, and every of them, by these presents have granted, bargained and sold, and by these presents do grant, bargain aud sell unto the said Jacob Lcisler, his heirs and assignees, all that tract of land lying and being within said manor of Pelham, containing six thousand acres of land, and also one hundred acres of land more, which the said John Pell and Rachel his wife, do "freely give and grant for the French church erected, or to be erected, by the inhabitants of the said tract of land, or by their assignees, being butted and bounded as herein is after expressed, beginning at the west side of a certain white oak tree, marked on all four sides, standing at high water mark at the south end of Hog Neck, by shoals, harbour, and runs, north-westerly, through the great fresh meadow lying between the road and the sound, and from the north side of the said meadow where the said line crosses the said meadow, to run from thence due north to Bronckes river, which is the west division line between the said John Pell's land aud the aforesaid tract, bounded on the south-easterly by the sound and salt water, and to run east-northerly to a certain piece of salt meadow lying at the salt creek which runneth up to Cedar Tree brook, or Gravelly brook, and is the bounds to southern.