Sir John Pell

Sir John Pell IV, 2nd Lord of Pelham Manor (February 3, 1643 – ) was an English-born American landowner who owned Pelham, New York, as well as land that now includes the eastern Bronx and southern Westchester County, New York.

Early life

Pell was born in London, England on February 3, 1643. He was the only son born to Ithamaria (née Reginald) (His mother's maiden name is sometimes spelled Reginald or Reginoilles.)

His paternal grandparents were Mary (née Holland) Pell and the Rev. John Pell. His father's only brother was Thomas Pell, a physician who was Gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles I. Pell's uncle Thomas signed a treaty with Chief Wampage, and other Siwanoy Indian tribal members, that granted him of tribal land, including all or part of the Bronx and land to the west along Long Island Sound in what is now Westchester County, extending west to the Hutchinson River and north to Mamaroneck. Thomas founded the town of Westchester at the head of navigation on Westchester Creek. with a letter proving his claim from Lord Brereton to Governor John Winthrop of Connecticut. He was commissioned Captain of Horse in 1684 and Major in 1692, and was a Vestryman and Warden in St. Peters Church. and the land grant was renewed in 1687 by Governor Thomas Dongan, 2nd Earl of Limerick as "The Lordship and Manor of Pelham." In 1689, Pell sold of what eventually became the city of New Rochelle to Jacob Leisler and the French Huguenots. As partial payment, the Huguenots agreed to pay to Sir John, "the Lord of the Manor, the Pell heirs and assigns forever, one fatte calf."

Personal life In 1684, Pell was married to Rachel Pinckney, daughter of Dinton-born Phillip Pinckney II and Jane (née Phippen) Pinckney. Her father had first settled in Boston, then Fairfield before buying, with nine other men, a large tract of land called "Ten Farms" on the Hutchinson River (in what is now Westchester County) from his uncle Thomas Pell in 1664. In 1681, Pinckney became a captain in the local militia a commissioner of Eastchester in 1686 before selling his land to Nathan Gold in 1688. Together, Rachel and John were the parents of two sons and two daughters:

Thomas Pell II (1686–1739), third Lord of Pelham Manor, who married Anna (or Ann), a granddaughter of Wampage I, Sachem of the Siwanoys, and Susanna Cole (daughter of William and Anne Hutchinson, who was killed during Kieft's War). Elizabeth Pell (1680–1778), who married Samuel Huestis.

Sir John Pell died around 1712 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas Pell, who inherited of land.

Descendants Through his son Thomas, he was a grandfather of seven sons, including Joseph Pell (1715–1775), who became the 4th Lord of Pelham Manor upon Thomas' death. Each of Thomas' sons, Joseph, John, Thomas, Joshua, Philip, and Caleb Pell, received of land upon his death. The 4th Lords son, Thomas Pell (b. 1744), who married Margaret Bartow, was the last owner of the property, which later passed into the possession of the Bartow family.