Tiiomas to the society, whose distinguished ornament he was, and presume from oifier circumstances, that he died near about tiiattirne; but, in the Society's annual report printed in London, Feb. 16ih, 1727, we have discovered the followirtg touching memento, viz., a gratuity of £50, to Mrs. Thomas, is voted, the widow of the late Rev. Mr. Thomas, missionary at Hempstead, in New York, in consideration of his loi]o and faithful services, upwards of 2U years. "^

His eldest son, was the Hon. John Thomas, (already alluded to) first Judge of the county of Westchester, and for many years a representative in the geiieral assembly of the province. This distinguished gentleman was a warm whig, and took an active

. part in the scenes that preceded the Revolution, on which account he was particiilai-ly obnoxious to the enemy. Judge

.■ Thomas was seizad in his bed by a party of British troops, at 10

; o'clock on Sunday morning, March 22d, 1777, and conveyed to New York, where he was committed to the Provost. Here fie lingered until the 2d of May, 1777, when (between four and five

•' o'clock in the morning of that day.) death released hi;n from his sufferings. His remains were interred the following Saturday evening between seven and eight o'clock in Trinity Cfiurch yard.'^ " The following is a brief summary" (says Dr. Tliatcher)

_ of the systematic method adopted and practiced for "the destruction of American prisoners," as taken from the New London

- Gazette, from General Washington's letter of complaint to General Howe, and from the verbal statement of the ofiicers and soldiers who have returned from New York, by exchange. They were crowded into the holds of prison ships, wtiere they were almost suffocated for want of air, and into churciies, and open sugar houses, etc., without covering or a spark of tire.