This ship foundered in Boston bay, and every soul on board perished."^ Thus terminated the short and sad career of the first rector of the parish.

Mr. Townsend was one of the numerous descendants of the three brothers, John, Henry, and Richard Townsend, who settled at Oyster bay, in 1667.^ Previous to his embarkation, Mr. Townsend had deposited in the hands of the Rev. Benj. Moore, (afterwards Bishop Moore) the library, silver chalice and velvet cusliion, belonging to this church, desiring him to keep them until called for.

The Rev. Benjamin Moore in 17S5 informed i\Ir. John Wallace and Ebenezer Lobdell, churchwardens of this parish, that the above mentioned articles were left with him for safe keeping, and that St. James's Church might have them by sending an order for that purpose. The Rev. David Perry was accordingly deputed to receive them, in the name of the vestry. ^ Immediately after the close of the revolutionary war, the Rev. David Perry (then in deacon's orders) officiated here and in the neighboring parishes. In the year 1797 the old church edifice was found to be in a ruinous condition ; whereupon it was dismantled and sold at public auction May 25th, 1797. Upon the decease of John Wallace and Ebenezer Lobdell, first wardens of the parish, their successors, Benjamin Close and Gershoni Hanford,^ together widi the vestry, resolved on the erection of the present building. The corner stone was laid on the 30th of August, 1810, by the Rev. Nathan Felch, who delivered a well adapted discourse upon the occasion. The principal benefactors were Epenetus Wallace, M.D., and Joseph Purdy, Esq., with others. Trinity Church also liberally contributed the sum of $1000 in 1813.