The town was settled by Huguenots French Protestants in who fled France following their failed rebellions. Many of the settlers were wealthy merchants, artisans and craftsmen from the city of La Rochelle , France, thus influencing the choice of the name of "New Rochelle". In , the city had a population of 73,, making it the seventh largest in the state of New York.
This royal edict had protected the minority Protestant population from religious persecution within certain defined areas of France. Despite the fact that the Protestants were France's most industrious class [ citation needed ] , Louis XIV was determined to drive them out of France.
Faced with the prospect of the resurgence of another war of religion , Protestant countries of Europe opened up their territories to these French Protestants, or Huguenots. Some 33 families established the community of New Rochelle. A monument containing the names of these settlers stands in Hudson Park, the original landing point of the Huguenots in His land patent was confirmed by his nephew, John Pell, who became lord of Pelham Manor - a feudal domain with its own civil and criminal courts.
It was from John Pell and his wife that Jacob Leisler , acting as an agent for a group of Huguenots in New York, purchased the land upon which they would settle for a sum of 1, pounds. In Pell officially deeded 6, acres 25 km 2 to Leisler for the establishment of a Huguenot community. In addition to the purchase money, Jacob Leisler and his heirs and assigns were to yield and pay unto John Pell and his heirs and assigns Lords of the Pelham Manor one 'Fat Calf' yearly as acknowledgement of their feudal obligation to the Manor.
Jacob Leisler is an important figure in the early histories of both New Rochelle and the nation. When word reached New York City of the invasion of England by William of Orange, forcing King James to flee to France, militia officers deposed the royal authority by force of arms but without actual combat and named Leisler their commander-in-chief. He went on to take control of Albany, and appointed himself lieutenant governor of the province, collected taxes and launched an unsuccessful invasion of New France Canada.
