This letter is still legible. The present proprietor of the farm has the ancient deed for the lot of ground in his possession. For some reasons now unknown, it was determined to erect the church on another site, (then in the same town, now in New Castle,) six miles distant from the former. This was done, and that building, long since taken down, was called "St. George's Church, North Castle."a

St. Stephen's Church, North Castle, was incorporated on the 23d of August, 1844. Israel Townsend and Samuel B. Ferris, churchwardens, John Merritt, Reuben M. Green, Leonard B. Tripp, Joseph Close, Zeah Eggleston, Elisha Sutton, Jonathan H. Green, and Samuel Townsend, vestrymen. The Rev. Robert W. Harris, M. A., first and present incumbent.

Notitia Parochialis.

1844, communicants, 11;

baptisms, 11.

this place was first incorCaleb Merritt, Sen., Oth

The Methodist Episcopal church of porated on the 2d of February, 1792. niel Sands, James Hall, Thomas Nash, Charles Green, and John Ferris, trustees.c

The Friends meeting house was erected about 1798.

A little west from the latter flows Wampus brook, which issues out of the pond of that name. Upon this stream is the grist mill of Mr. Evans, and the woollen manufactory of Job and Wm. Sands and Co. One of the principal proprietors of Bedford New Purchase, in 1746, was Othniel Sands,e whose son Caleb subse

Parochial report of the Rev. Robert W. Harris in 1843. See Journal of the 59th Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the diocese of New York MDCCCXLIII. 137. The rock above mentioned is situated on the property of Mr. Job Sands.

b Religious Soc. Co. Rec. Lib. B. 39.

Religious Soc. Co. Rec. Lib. A. 30. A second incorporation occurs on the 30th of May, 1800, and that of the Wesley Methodist Episcopal chapel on the 3d of April, 1824.

d Upon the 5th of April, 1737, John Halleck received permission to erect a mill on Wampus brook, near Abel Weeks's.

• In 1728, James Sands of Nassau Island, conveyed to his son Othniel Sands, a farm situated in the township of Oyster Bay.

A

Abigail

quently removed to North Castle. On the 16th of October, 1790, Thomas Sands (son of Caleb) purchased of William Latting and Sarah his wife, "one hundred and twenty acres of land and all the buildings and mills on the same, which said land and mills are situated in the town of North Castle," &c. The Sands family were originally seated at St. Bees, in Cumberland county, England, and are descended from Richard del Sandys, who was returned a knight for the shire in 1377. Of this family was Comfort Sands of Sands Point, Long Island, who "united with his brothers, Richardson and Joshua, in a contract with Robert Morris, to supply the northern army with provisions for 1782."b

Colonel Jameson's head-quarters at North Castle The building attached to the barn on the left is the one in which Andre was confined.

Within a few rods from Mr. Sands' residence stands an old wooden barn, formerly the head quarters of Lieutenant Colonel Jameson of the Continental army. Here (on the 23d of September, 1780,) the unfortunate André was delivered up to that officer with all the papers which had been found upon his person.c "The course pursued by Jameson (observes Mr. Sparks)

Burke's Hist. of the Commoners of England.

Thompson's Hist. of Long Island. For a further account of this family, see

pedigree.

was extraordinary and inexplicable. On examining the papers, he found them to be in the undisguised hand-writing of General Arnold, with which he was perfectly acquainted. Their contents and the manner of their being found, was such, as one would think, could not fail to excite suspicion in the most obtuse mind, whatever might be the rank or character of the party concerned."a

"With these papers in his hands, bearing incontestable marks of their origin, and procured in a way that indicated most unequivocally the designs of the person with whom they were found, Jameson resolved to send the prisoner immediately to Arnold! How far he was influenced by the persuasion or advice of André is uncertain; but it cannot be doubted, that all the address of the latter was used to advance a purpose, which opened the only possible door for their escape. Could he proceed to Arnold at West Point before the report of his capture should go abroad, it might be practicable for them both to get within the British lines, or to take such other steps for securing themselves, as the extremity of their affairs should make necessary. It has been represented, that André's magnanimity was the principal motive by which he was actuated in concealing the agency of Arnold. His subsequent conduct gives him every claim to the praise of honor and nobleness of mind; yet on the present occasion, it is obvious, that his own personal safety was as much consulted, to say the least, as his sentiments of generosity towards his associate.

Jameson penned a hasty line to Arnold, saying merely that he sent forward, under the charge of Lieutenant Allen and a guard, a certain John Anderson, who had been taken while going towards New York. He had a passport, said Jameson, signed in your name; and a parcel of papers taken from under his stockings, which I think of a very dangerous tendency. He then described these papers, and added that he had sent them to General Washington.

There appears to have been some misgiving in the mind of

For the André papers, see Greenburgh.