On the 20th of September, while Leisler was exercising the full power of a Governor in all civil and mrlitary matters, John Pell, lord of the manor of Pelham, conveyed to him for the consideration of sixteen hundred and seventy-five pounds and five shillings sterling, "all that tract of land lying and being within said manor of Pelham, containing six thousand acres of land, and also one hundred acres of land more, which the said John Pell and Rachel, his wife, do freely give and grant for the French church erected, or to be erected," etc. This tract constitutes the present township of New Rochelle.

Leisler had shown in New York great interest in the Protestant religion, and to him a company of

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Huguenots, who had been eight years in England, made application to secure for them a location in the province of New York. Their attention had been attracted to this locality in previous years. Individual Huguenots had purchased several parcels of land here in 1686 and succeeding years, when their settlement began. Leisler's purchase was made for the Huguenots. In the following year he conveyed these lands to them, when his connection with the settlement ceased.

Some of the Huguenots came here by way of the West Indies, but the greater portion came from England. The main company landed at what is known as Bonnefoy's Point, in Echo Bay, adjoining Davenport's Neck. Numbers continued to arrive until the year 1700. Their new home was named in honor of that from which many of them had been driven, -- the city of La Rochelle, in France.