Historic Pelham Blog Archive
October 30, 2007

350TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION BOOK:  "THOMAS PELL AND THE LEGEND OF THE PELL TREATY OAK" -- $11.95 (PROCEEDS AFTER PRINTING COSTS WILL GO TO BARTOW-PELL MANSION MUSEUM).  CLICK HERE TO BROWSE BEFORE YOU BUY! LEARN MORE.

On June 27, 1654, Thomas Pell signed a "treaty" with local Native Americans acquiring the lands that became Pelham and surrounding areas. A copy of that treaty, said to be in Thomas Pell's handwriting, exists. It is among the Pell family papers maintained by the Fort Ticonderoga Museum. That document offers some of the best evidence we have of those who knew Thomas Pell.

For more than a year I have been researching the lives of those Englishmen who witnessed the agreement on June 27, 1654. An image of that agreement and a transcription of its text is available on the Historic Pelham Web site by clicking here. Among those whose signatures or marks appear on the document as witnesses are "Richard Crabb", "Henry Accorly", "John Ffinch", "Thomas Lawrence" and "William Newman". Inquiry into the backgrounds of these men, hopefully, may shed additional light on Thomas Pell and his purchase.

Periodically I have published on the Historic Pelham Blog a little of the information of the massive amount of information I have assembled about these various Englishmen of the 17th century. For example, see:

Friday, August 10, 2007: Information About William Newman, A Witness to the Signing of Thomas Pell's Treaty with Local Native Americans on June 27, 1654

Thursday, August 9, 2007: Information About John Ffinch, A Witness to the Signing of Thomas Pell's Treaty With Local Native Americans on June 27, 1654

Friday, November 03, 2006: More About Richard Crabb, the "Magistrate" Who Witnessed the Signing of Thomas Pell's Treaty with Local Native Americans on June 27, 1654

Friday, September 22, 2006: Henry Accorly: A Witness to the Signing of Thomas Pell's Treaty with Local Native Americans on June 27, 1654

Friday, September 15, 2006: William Newman: A Witness to the Signing of Thomas Pell's Treaty with Local Native Americans on June 27, 1654

Thursday, May 18, 2006: Richard Crabb, the "Magistrate" Who Witnessed the Signing of Thomas Pell's Treaty with Local Native Americans on June 27, 1654

Today's Historic Pelham Blog posting begins a four-part series of postings regarding the lives of four of the five Englishmen who witnessed the signing of the treaty: Henry Accorly, Richard Crabb, John Ffinch and William Newman. The data is taken from a book on the history of Stamford, Connecticut published in 1868. Today's excerpt from that book relates to "Henry Accorly". The excerpt is followed by a citation to its source.

"AKERLY, HENRY, received Dec. 7, 1641, two acres, homelot, and three acres of woodland [in the new settlement known today as Stamford]. Savage makes him at New Haven in 1640. The Colony Records mention him there, as rebuked for 'building a cellar and selling it without leave' in April of that year. Hinman supposes he came with Underhill and Slawson, while our record makes him precede them nearly a year. He was a house carpenter and farmer. His death is recorded here, June 17, 1650. This name on the records is spelled as above, and also, Akerlye, Ayckrily, and on the inventory of his estate, which was witnessed Jan. 4, 1658, Accorley. His widow, Ann, is said to be 75 years old in 1662. This name is, perhaps, now represented by Ackley."

Source: Huntington, E. B., History of Stamford, Connecticut, From its Settlement in 1641 to the Present Time Including Darien, Which Was One of its Parishes Until 1820, p. 27 (Stamford, CT: Published by the Author, 1868).

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/
Click here to see a single index of all Historic Pelham Blog Postings to date.

posted by Blake A. Bell @ 5:06 AM Comment

Click Here To View the Actual Blog Posting for October 30, 2007.

Home |  Articles |  Bibliography |  Biographies |  E-books |  Ghosts/Legends |  Links |  Maps
Memorials |  Pelham in Court |  Photo Catalog |  Place Names |  Postcards |  Societies |  Timeline
Virtual Tour |  Contact Us

© 2003-2007 Blake A. Bell. All Rights Reserved.

Designed by Internetcomealive, Inc.
Web Design, Hosting, Consulting