A considerable eminence rises a little to the east of the Presbyterian church, from the summit of which is an extensive prospect of the beautiful country bordering the Sound and the distant shores of Long Island, &c.

Prior to 1775, Poundridge constituted one of the precincts of Rye parish. In 1816 Episcopal services were performed here by the Rev. George Weller.

The Methodist Episcopal church of this place was first incorporated in 1822, James Brown, John Haws and Samuel K. Olmstead, trustees. The present church edifice was erected in 1833.

The village grave-yard is pleasantly situated about a quarter of a mile south of Poundridge upon a gentle acclivity. The head stones record the names of Thaddeus H. Lockwood who died in 1774: Ebenezer Lockwood, Esq., who died July 29th, 1821, æt. 84: John Ferris who died A. D. 1788, and Captain John Grinell, born in Nantucket, Mass., December 7th, 1795, and died in Cronstad, Russia, June 3d, 1831, æt. 34, &c., &c. Others are simply

This individual was a native of Scotland and a classmate of Robert Pollock, author of the Course of Time.

b Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. A. 170. A second incorporation occurs on the 21st of December, 1832. The Methodist Protestant Church and Society in Poundridge, were incorporated on the 16th of March, 1833. Selby Fancher, William Brown and Joseph Waterbury, trustees. Co. Rec. Religious Soc. Lib. B. 12.

inscribed with the initials of the deceased. A. B. 1771. I. M. L. 1787, &c.

On the south side of the village, being a part of the old estate of the Lockwoods, are the residences of Horatio and Ezra Lockwood, Esqrs. These gentlemen are the sons of Major Ebenezer Lockwood of the Continental army, one of the most active and efficient members of the committee of public safety,a He was the son of Capt. Joseph Lockwood, one of the first setlers of Poundridge.

The Lockwood family originally derived from a place of the name in Staffordshire, England, and are probably descended from Edmund Lockwood, a freeman of Massachusetts in 1631, who subsequently removed to Connecticut with Messrs. Hooker and Stone.

Ezra Lockwood, Esq., of Poundridge, was for many years a judge of the late court of common pleas, in this county. Of this family is the Hon. Albert Lockwood, present judge of the county, and General Munson I. Lockwood, county clerk,

During the contest between England and the colonies, the inhabitants of Poundridge, generally, appear to have taken a decided stand in favor of liberty. The following letter from the committee of public safety, to the Hon. Provincial Congress, is found in the acts of the latter body,

HONORED SIRS:

Poundridge, 15th of Oct. 1776,

"We the sub-committee of Poundridge, in Westchester County, beg leave to inform your Honors, that we are apprehensive that there is danger of our prisoners leaving us and joining the ministerial army, as we are not above nine or ten miles from the water where the sound is full of the ministerial ships and tenders. One of our number is already gone to Long Island, and numbers are gone from other places, who are no doubt now with the ministerial army. There are disaffected persons daily going over to

Major Lockwood was also a member of the convention that framed the first constitution of the state, and a judge of the county in 1778,

them which gives us much trouble. Therefore, we humbly beg your Honors would give us some directions concerning them, that they may be speedily removed at some farther distance. We would also inform you that for the misdemeanors of one of them and our own safety, we have been obliged to commit him to jail at the White Plains. These with all proper respects, from yours to serve. JOSEPH AMBLER.a

Chairman of Committee.

In July, 1779, a skirmish took place in this village between the Americans and a strong force of the enemy, under Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton.

"About three hundred and sixty of the enemy's light horse, and light-infantry, (says General Heath,) came out from Mile-Square, and attacked Colonel Sheldon's light-horse, who were posted at Poundridge, about ninety in number. The superior force of the enemy obliged our horse at first, to retreat; but being reinforced by the militia, they in turn, pursued the enemy. Our loss was one corporal, one trumpeter and eight privates, wounded; three sergeants, one corporal and four privates missing; and twelve horses missing. The standard of the regiment being left in the house when the dragoons suddenly turned out, was lost. Of the enemy, one was killed, four taken prisoners, four horses taken, and one horse killed. The enemy set fire to and burnt the meeting house, and Maj. Lockwood's house; they also burnt Mr. Hay's house, at Bedford."

It appears that one of the principal objects in this sudden foray of the enemy, was the surprisal of Major Ebenezer Lockwood, before mentioned, for whose head forty guineas had been offered. The day previous, however, Luther Kinnicut, a spy in the employ of the committee of public safety, gave notice of the intended attack, and advised the major to be on his guard. The night being very dark and stormy, Colonel Sheldon did not expect the enemy; he nevertheless ordered the horses to be tied up in readiness.

• The descendants of this individual still reside in the vicinity.

The British "would not suffer the family to take any thing away." See New York Journal, for Holts account of the action.

• Heath's Mem. 208.

To General Heath's account of the action, we append the report of Lt. Col. Tarleton to Sir Henry Clinton.

Sir:

Dated, Camp on the Bronx, July 2, 1779, eleven P. M.

I have the honor to inform your excellency, that I moved with the detachment you were pleased to entrust me with, consisting of seventy of the 17th light dragoons, part of the legion infantry and cavalry, Queen's rangers, Hussars and some mounted yagers, in all about two hundred, at half past 11 o'clock last night. The weather being remarkably bad, prevented my making North Castle church before 4 o'clock next morning, where I received confirmation of my intelligence relative to the numbers and situation of Sheldon's regiment and one hundred Continental foot, but no tidings of Moyland's regiment of dragoons. I pursued my route through Bedford to Poundridge, without any material occurrence, in the district of the ridge, and within three hundred yards of the enemy, who were not alarmed. My guide in front, mistook the road; another guide informed me of the error, and it was rectified as soon as possible." The enemy's vidette had noticed our passing their front. The whole regiment was mounted and formed behind the meeting house. An attack was instantly made by the advanced guard, consisting of the 17th light dragoons, the ground not allowing more than seven or eight in front. The enemy did not stand the charge; a general route ensued. The difficulties of the country, und their being no possibility of obtaining their rear, enabled the greatest part of the regiment to escape. The pursuit continued for four miles on the Stamford and Salem roads. The loss of men in Sheldon's dragoons, upon enquiry and comparison of accounts, I estimate at twenty-six or twenty-seven killed, wounded and prisoners. But their disgrace in the loss of the standard of the regiment and of helmets, arms and accoutrements, was great. A part of the officers and regimental baggage fell into our hands. I have hitherto omitted mentioning the militia to the amount of one hundred and twenty, who, together with the Continental foot, broke and dispersed at the appearance of the king's troops. The militiaa assembled again on eminences and in swamps, and before we quitted the ground on which the first charge was made, they fired at great distances. We were successful in killing, wounding and taking fifteen of them, the rest hovered almost out of our sight. The inveteracy of the inhabitants of Poundridge and near Bedford, in firing from houses and out houses, obliged (us) to burn some of their meeting and some of their dwelling houses, with stores. I proposed to the militia, terms, that if they would not fire shots from buildings, I would not burn. They interpreted my mild proposal wrong, imputing it to fear. They persisted in firing till the torch stopped their progress, after which not a shot was fired."

With pleasure I relate to your excellency, that the loss sustained by his

majesties troops is trifling, one hussar of the legion killed, one wounded, one horse of the 17th dragoons killed. The whole of the detachment, except the above, being returned to camp. The infantry of the legion mounted on horses, were extremely fatigued by a march of sixty-four miles, in twenty-three hours.

I have the honor to be, &c.
Signed,

BANASTRE TARLETON,

Lt. Col. British Legion.

The following additional particulars respecting this engagement, are contained in a letter from an officer (of Sheldon's regiment as supposed) dated at Salem, July 3rd, 1779.

"Yesterday morning about sunrise, a detachment of the second regiment of light dragoons, consisting of ninety men, commanded by Col. Sheldon, posted near Poundridge meeting house, was notified of the advance of the enemy by our videttes. Our horses being previously saddled and bridled, the men were ordered immediately to mount. As soon as we were paraded, the enemy's horse were discovered rapidly advancing, about three or four hundred in number. The enemy having driven in our advanced parties, they began the charge on the detachment, which from the great superiority of the enemy, was obliged to move off. The enemy pushed hard on our rear for more than two miles, in the course of which, a scattering fire was kept up between their advance and our rear, and a constant charge with the sword, the country through which we passed being very mountainous and rocky, caused many of our horses to blunder and fall, which occasioned some to fall into the hands of the enemy. We immediately collected some of the militia, and began to pursue the enemy, following them below North Castle church. They moved off with such great precipitation, that we could not come up with them. Before the enemy moved off, they burnt the meeting house at Poundridge, and the dwelling house of Benjamin Hays, at Bedford. They (as usual) plundered most of the houses they came to and set fire to several houses which were fortunately extinguished. Our loss on this occasion, was ten wounded, eight missing and twelve horses missing. The enemy's loss, one killed, wounded uncertain, four prisoners, four horses taken and one ditto killed."

The general surface of Poundridge, is uneven, and much of it stony, but having a due admixture of arable, with pasture and meadow lands; it forms a tolerable productive agricultural township. The soil consists principally of a gravelly loam, and is well adapted to grass and pasturage. It is also excellent for orchards and fruit trees of all kinds. The growth of wood consists of white, red and black oak, hickory and chesnut, &c. The northern portion of the