The first mention of the parish of Yonkers occurs in an act passed during the first session of the third Assembly, 5th of King William and Q,ueen Mary, September, 1693, entitled an act for settling a ministry and raising a maintenance for them in the city of New York, counties of Richmond, Westchester and dueens ; "Wherein it was enacted by General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that in each county there shall be called and inducted two clergymen for the county of Westchester, one to have the cure of Westchester, Eastchester, Yonkers and the manor of Pelham ; the other to have the cure of Rye, Mamaroneck and Bedford ; and allowed £100 each, to each £50 to be paid in country produce. Jn raising tlie respective maintenances for the ministers, the respective justices of every city and county aforesaid, or any two of them are required to issue out warrants to the constables to summon the freeholders of every city, town and precinct, for the chosing two vestrymen and two

478 - ■' HISTORY OF THE

wardens. a Confirmed the 11th of May, 1697. This act was further explained 3rd Q,ueen Anne.^

A. D. 1698. Lord Cornbury, Governor of the Province, issued orders to the magistrates of the several towns in Westchester County to build churches ; by virtue of this, several towns were enabled to build public houses (or the worship of Almighty God. St. Peter's Church, Westchester was thus built and became the parish church, inclusive of the precincts of Eastchester, Manor of Pelham and Yonkers.