The first mention of the parish of Yonkers occurs in an act passed during the f.rst session of the third Assembly, 5th of King WiUiam and Queen Mar>', 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 Queens ; " \\'herein 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 countrj' produce. In raising the respective maintenances for the ministers, the respective justices of every city and county aforesaitl, or any two of them arc required to issue out warrants to the constables to summon the freeholders of every city, town and precinct, for the-

THE TOWN OF YON'KERS. 645

choosing two vestrymen and two wardens.'' Confirmed the nth of May, 1697. This act was further explained 3rd Queen Anne."^

A. D. 169S, Lord Cornbury, Governor of the Province, issued an order 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 for 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 Yonkcrs.