John Ward, Justice.* In 1G96, the year before Colonel Heathcote purchased from her the Mamaroneck lands, he obtained from Mrs. Richbell her written consent to his getting the usual deeds of Confirmation* from the then Indians of the neighborhood for the lands formerly bought from Wappaquewam and other Indians by her husband John Richbell. The above deeds seem also to have been obtained to remove any |)ossible claim to the Fox meadows from any jjartics whatever whether Indians or whites. He also obtained on the eleventh of June 1701 from the same Indians Patthunke, Beopo, and Wapetuck a similar deed of confirmation for Richbells Mamaroneck two miles tract.*

In the course of the same year and the next he obtained, with others in interest, similar Indian deeds of Confirmation for all the lands in the great "West," "Middle" and "East Patents" v,'hich together covered all the county between the Manors of Cortlandt on the north, I'hilipsburgh on the west, Scarsdale on the south, and the Connecticut line on the east.

3 From an ancient cop.v of the original in the writer's poeeesslon. < Before explained in this essay. 5 West. Co. Records Lib. D 52.

HISTORY OF WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

a short account of which will be given in another coflnection.

At the time of his purchase from Mrs. Ann Richbell of the entire estate and rights in her Mamaroneck and Scarsdale lands, in 1697, Colonel Heathcole was residing at Westchester, which the year before, through his influence, had been created a Borough- Town, with all its municipal privileges of a Mayor and Aldermen and Assistants, and the additional one of a representative of its own in the Assembly of the Province,' its charter, by which he was named its first Mayor, bearing date April 16th, 1696. He was a merchant in New York, where he also had a town residence, and a member of the Council of the Province.