Fowler seemed to think the dinner was more important than the building : he ordered everything removed from the table, the gentlemen assisting, and in a few minutes the table and contents were removed to the shade of a large willow, where all seated themselves, and appeared to enjoy the meal and the burning. The house was utterly consumed, with the contents, before the company separated. No effort was made to save an article not required for the better enjoyment of their meal. The same evening Colonel Fowler conducted a marauding party into the vicinity of Eastchester, where he was attacked and fell mortally wounded. Being brought back to the house of Cornelius van Ranc, overseer of Mr. Graham's farm, he expired that night.

return to America he advanced the cost of them to Congress. Before the peace, he was advanced to the rank of Brigadier-General. -- Travels iti North America, by Marquis de Chastellux, page 90-1. b Heath's Mem. 223.

280 HISTORY OF 'HIE

In 1791 the Manor of Morrisania was annexed lo the ancient borongh town of VVestcliester by an act of the letrislatnre,a aiid so continued until 1846, when it was added to the present townsliip. Its name is derived from the Morris family, the first mesne Lords and patentees under the crown, the termination " ania'' being in general nse in the latter part of the seventeenth century. At the period of the Dutch discovery, it was styled by the aborigines Ranachque, or Raraqne, an appellation which doubtless refers to some object peculiar to its geographical locality. The Indians appear to have resided principally on the shores of the East and Haarlem River. Of this, the extensive "shell beds," which are still to be seen, afford conclusive evidence. Within a few years several Indian tumuli have been accidentally opened in the vicinity of Governeur Morris's residence, and found to contain large sized skeletons of the aborio^ines.