iSoMERS is situated twenty miles north of the village of White Plains, distant fifty miles from New York, and one hundred and twenty from Albany, bounded north by Dutchess county, east by North Salem and Lewisborough. south by Bedford and New Castle, and west by Yorktown.

Prior to t'le year 1788 Somers formed a part of the township oi Hanover, within Cortlandl's manor. Upon the 7th of March, 1788, it was independently organized under the title of Sfephentowji, a name adopted out of compliment to Stephen van Cortlandt, one of its principal proprietors. The present name was bestowed, A. D. 1808, in honor, it is said, of Captain Somers, one of the gallant heroes of the Tripolitan war. This individual terminated a short but brilliant career in the bay of Tripoli.

The name of Somers, (says Mr. Silliman,) the twin brother in arms of Decatur, shines brightly in the history of American warfare; and the last desperate action which terminated his short and brilliant career with his life, is stamped in colors so indelible, that nothing but the destroying finger of time can eflace it from its pages. After a severe and continued fighting before Tripoli, the Turkish flotilla withdrew within the mole, and could not be induced to venture themselves beyond the guns of the Tripolitan battery. The ketch Intrepid was fitted out as a fire-ship, filled to the decks with barrels of gunpowder, shells, pitch, and other combustible materials ; and Capt. Somers, with a volunteer crew, undertook the hazardous, almost desperate, task of navigating her in the darkness of the night into the middle of the Turkish flotilla, when the train was to be fired and they were to make their escape as they best could in her boats. Lieutenants Wads worth and Israel were the only officers allowed to join the expedition, which was composed of a small