The Whelk is still borne on the coat armor of the family, with the significant Welch motto : Sun ar dy Ilyn : angiice, beware of thyself.

COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 243

valley underneath, is called Pant Wilkyn (Welkyn's vale) to this day.=i Members of the family, yet reside at Brecon, Glamorganshire and Maeslongh, Radnorshire. Tlie more immediate ancestor of the American branch emigrated to Jamaica, West Indies, in 1720, and settled as a planter at St. Dorothy's in that colony. His grandson, was the Rev. Isaac Wilkins, D. U.

Of the latter, the following account is given in *' Sabine\s Sketches of American Loyalists.''^ His father was " Martin Wilkins," a rich planter of Jamaica, and died when he was quite young. He was sent to New Vork to be educated, and enjoyed the best advantages which the country afforded. He prepared himself for the ministry, but did not take orders. Having settled in the comity of Westchester, he was returned as a member of the housa of assembly, in which body he became a leader on the ministerial side. His influence with his associates, and with his party, was very great. Near the close of the session of the assembly of February, 1775, Col. Woodhull, (a whig who met a sad and early death) moved that the thanks of the house should be presented to the delegates to the continental congress who met at Philadelphia, in September previously. The motion was opposed and lost, Mr. Wilkins voting against it. When the question of appointing delegates to the second congress, came up, he made a speech, which was much admired by his friends for its eloquence, clearness and precision. Schuyler and George Clinton were his principal antagonists in the debate. As this speech affords a good specimen of the views of loyalists and of the state of the controversy at that period, I insert it entire, and nearly verbatim, as it was delivered ; as a matter of curious history, and as the effort of an able man, the reader will be interested in its perusal. , - ■