Its east boundary was Union Avenue, continued to the head of Bungay Creek and thence to Harlem Kills, and its south and west boundaries, the Harlem River and Kills. The division between the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Wards is now extended along the old ilivision between the townships of West Farms and Morris.Tnia, oast to the Bronx.
On April 22, 1864, the town was divided into four wards, in each of which three trustees were elected for two years, at the same time as the supervisor. When it was set off from West Farms the assessed valuation of property was $1,788,840.
Gouverneur Morris, elected in 1856, was the fii-st supervisor of the town. William Cauldwell was elected in 1857, and served until 1870, when he was succeeded by Silas D. Giflbrd. In 1871 Mr. Cauldwell was again elected. In 1872 John H. Hopkins was chosen, but the next year Mr. Cauldwell began another term, during which annexation took place.
It maj- be mentioned here that, before the selection of the site on the Potomac, a very strong feeling existed in favor of locating the capital of the nation at Morrisania. The files of the New York Historical Society contain the draft of a petition which Lewis Morris forwarded to Congre.ss on that subject. It bears no date, but must have been written shortly prior to 1790, when Congress had the question of a site under consideration. It is as follows :
*' To his Excellency the President and the Honorable the Memher» of the Congress of the United StttO-s nf America.