page 11 been one of the largest land owners in Gravesend" (page 356). On 25 January, 1664, the year of the surrender of New Amsterdam to the British, Richard Stout and others purchased land at Navesink of the Indian sachem Popomora, and in April, 1666, Colonel Nicolls, the "Governor under his royal highness, the Duke of York, of all the territories in America," confirmed this purchase, and granted a patent of the whole of Monmouth and a great part of Middlesex counties unto Richard Stout and associates, who were "some of the Inhabitants of Gravesend upon Long Island." (New Jersey Archives, volume 1, page 44.) It has been said that the first local government to be established in East Jersey was organized under this grant of Governor Nicolls. (Joel Parker in Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, second series, volume 3, page 19.) Smith expresses some doubt as to there being English and Dutch settlers in those parts at an earlier date than 1669. A discrepancy of twenty years is also to be noted here between the legend and! the records. In regard to an earlier settlement than that which took place in Monmouth county under the patent granted by Governor Nicolls, it has been claimed that Penelope Stout induced her husband to sail across the bay to visit her preserver and other Indian friends, and it is presumed that on such occasions they were accompanied by some of their white friends, and that about 1648, he and four or five other heads of families settled where Middletown now is. It is supposed they page 12 remained there only four or five years, being forced to leave by the breaking out of hostilities between the Dutch and Indians. "This corresponds very nearly to the time of the fearful Indian uprising in New York in 1655." (Salter's History of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.) Smith says the settlers were not forced to abandon their homes, but that their stay there was permanent. He states: "The old Indian [Penelope's preserver] used frequently to visit her; at one of his visits she observed him to be more pensive than common, and sitting down he gave three heavy sighs; after the last she thought herself at liberty to ask him what was the matter? He told her he had something to tell her in friendship, thought at the risk of his own life, which was, that the Indians were that night to kill all the whites, and advised her to go off to New Amsterdam; she asked him how she could get off? He told her he had provided a canoe at a place--which he named. Being gone from her, she sent f! or her husband out of the field, and discovered the matter to him, who, not believing it, she told him the old man never deceived her, and that she with the children would go; accordingly going to the place appointed, they found the canoe and paddled off. When they were gone, the husband began to consider the thing, and sending for five or six of his neighbors, they set upon their guard. About midnight they heard the dismal warwhoop; presently came up a company of Indians; they first expostulated, and then told them if they persisted in their bloody designs, they would sell their lives very dear. Arguments prevailed, the Indians