Tradition says, that the lather of Caleb was a man of fortune, and mayor of Chester, in England ; but Caleb had two brothers born before him, who, probably, one or both, inherited the father's estate ; both procured titles, and founded fiimilies well known in England. The oldest brother was Sir Gilbert Heathcote, the founder and first president of the Bank of England, and Lord Mayor of London. Caleb, the youngest, had formed a matrimonial engagement with a lady of great beauty, but unfortunately took his elder brother, Gilbert, to see his intended wife. Gilbert was struck with the lady's beauty, and supplanted his brother, who sought refuge with his uncle in New York, married a daughter of " Tangier Smith,"a of Long Island, and became a distinguished man in our history He was a sincere Episcopalian, and probably seconded from principle, tlie views which Fletcher advocated from interest, and in obedience to his orders, Heathcote, in his military capacity, had command of the West Riding, on Long Island, and in one of his letters, gives this account of his method of "converting," as my friend Doctor De Kay, from whom I have the extract, says, " military into religious exercises."

The colonel came to America in 1692, as I gather from this letter, which is dated in 1704. and he must have had both influence and fortune to have attained a seat in the council, the first year of his arrival.

He writes thus :--" I shall begin the history of the church from the time 1 first came among them, which was about twelve