John Ferris was one of the first patentees of the town of Westchester in 1667 ; he lived to an advanced age, and died in 1715, leaving five sons, viz., Samuel, one of the first assistants and common council of the borough of Westchester, John, James, proprietor of the homestead in 1740, Jonathan, ancestor of the Cortlandt-town branch, and Peter, of Westchester. His srand-

» See vol. i. 550.

b Tlio Ferrises were origiiiallj' from Leicestershire, England, and descend from the house of Feriers, Ferrerr, Ferreis or Ferris, the first member of which (in England) was Henry de Feriers, the sou of Gualchelme de Feriers, a Norman, who obtained of William the Conqueror large grants of land in the counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire.

c hi 1660 occurs the name of Jefferey Ferryes of Fairfield, Conn. Farmer's Register contains the names of Benjamin Fernis, of Salem, 1640, and Jeffrey of Mas.'^acliusctts, who was admitted a freeman, A. D. 1C35. , .

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 235

son, James Ferris, possessed this estate in 1776, wh-sn it was occupied by the British troops, under Lord Howe. The familyhappened to be at breakfast, in the present house, on the morning of the I2th of October, 1776, when a gun from the British flag ship announced the disembarkation of the troops ; this signal was instantly answered bv tlie enemies' shippino; which lay at anchor between City Ishuid and Throckmorton's neck. On the next day Lord Howe, supposing that he iiad been deceived by his guides and landed upon an island, summoned them before a board of officers ; as they entered, he struck the table violently with his sword, and demanded in a threatning manner, how they could dare to deceive him ? After a proper explanation had been made, he solemnly declared he would hang every one of them unless conducted safe from his present position.