Lewisborough is situated eighteen miles north of tlie village of White Plains, -- distant fifty miles from New York, and one hundred and nineteen from Albany,-- bounded north

Presbyterian t'hurcli, Lewisb )rough. j^y ]\^orth Salem, eaSt by

the State of Connecticut, south by Connecticut and the towns of Poundridge and Bedford, and west by Somers.

This town, prior to 180S, was called Salem, and afterward South Salem, to distinguish it from the northern town of that name.a- In 1840 the name was again changed to Lewisborough, in compliment to John Lewis, Esq., a liberal benefactor to its common schools.

The earliest sale of lands in this town is to be found in an Indian deed bearing date 15th of August, 1653, wherein Ponus Sagamore, of Toquams, and Onox, his son, (for the value of four coats,) conveyed to the people of Stamford all their land, extending sixteen miles north of the town plot of Stamford, and ^' two miles still further norths for the pasture of their cattle," (fcc.^ The above sale clearly embraced a large proportion (perhaps the whole) of Lewisborough. Some of these lands must have subsequently reverted to the Indians, for in 1699 the Kitchawan tribe again released the same territory to Stephanas van Cortlandt. This individual had previously obtained a charter from the

» Salem was incorporated on the 18th of March, 1791. b See page 6.

264 HISTORY OF THE

Crown, erecting the whole of his possession into the lordship and manor of Cortla:id(,a by which means the northern part of this town, came to be included in the manor.