Stephanus van Cortlandt, the first grantee under the Indians, by his last will, dated 14th of April, 1700, devised and bequeathed the whole manor of Cortlandt to his eleven children, who thus became seized in fee. In 1734 the devisees and the legal heirs of those who were dead, made a partition of the manor among themselves. By this division, North Salem fell to the share of Mr. Andrew Miller, Col. John Schuyler, and Stephen de Lancey, in the following order : north lot, No. 8, Andrew Miller; ditto, No. 9, John Schuyler ; ditto. No. 10, Stephen de Lancey.

The latter individual subsequently became vested in lot No. 9. Stephen de Lancey married Anne van Cortlandt, one of the above devisees, and left issue three sons and two daughters. By will, Stephen de Lancey devised all his property in this town to his eldest son, James de Lancey. On the 29tli of December, 1744, James de Lancey conveyed all his lands in North Salem to his son, Stephen de Lancey,b whereby the latter stood seized for the use of the same for life, with remainder to his issue male, in fee tail male.

This indenture, made the twenty-ninth day of December, in the year one thousand seven hundred and forty-four, between James de Lancey, Esq., chief justice of the province of New York, of the one part, and Stephen de Lancey, son of the said James de Lancey, of the other part, witnesseth, that the said James, for, and in consideration of the natural love and affection which he, the said James, beareth to his said second son Stephen, doth for him and his heirs covenant and grant to and with the said Stephen and his heirs, that the said James and his heirs shall and will, from henceforth, stand and be seized of, and in all that tract or parcel of land in the manor of Cortlandt, in the county of Westchester, distinguished and known by the name of nortii lot number nine, and north lot number ten, whereof the said James is now seized of an estate in fee simple, to the use of the said James for and during the term