Series 226
Tavern Recognizances, 1797-1800
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
|
Documentation
demonstrating that a potential tavern, hotel or innkeeper agreed
to pay a fee of fifty pounds or 125 dollars if he violated any of
the conditions of tavern operation.
Such conditions required that the keeper maintain a moral
and orderly business and refrain
from sponsoring any sort of gambling (from cock-fighting to card
games). |
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Series 227
Common Pleas -- Bail Pieces, 1800-1846
1.50 cubic ft. Chronological by filing date |
| Up until 1831, most civil cases required some form
of bail to ensure the defendant's appearance in court and the
payment of a debt or adverse judgment. There were two levels
of bail requirements: common bail and special bail. In cases
of common bail, a defendant could name fictitious sureties to back
his promise to appear. In cases of special bail, at least
one specific person signed for the defendant and guaranteed the
payment of his obligations. |
| |
Series 228
Common Pleas -- Narratio, 1802-1846
2 cubic ft. Chronological |
| The narratio (or narr.) was a plaintiff's initial
declaration in a suit, setting forth his cause of action and
demands. It was normally filed after the defendant had been
served with a writ or capias ad respondendum (Series
221). After 1829, a plaintiff could commence an action
with a narratio, without requiring a writ of capias. The
narr. gives a detailed statement of the plaintiff's complaint, but
it tends to be repetitious and does not elaborate on the
circumstances. Many of the documents in this series are
fragile and deteriorated. |
| |
Series 229
Common Pleas -- Writs of Replevin, 1781-1843
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Replevin was a form of action that allowed the
plaintiff, in advance of a court hearing, to recover immediate
possession of personal property that the defendant had wrongly
taken or detained. |
| |
Series 230
Common Pleas -- Writs of Inquiry, 1781-1846
1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| The writ of inquiry was issued in cases where a
plaintiff was owed damages following a judgment by default.
It called for a sheriff to empanel a jury, in order to determine
the exact amount the plaintiff could claim. |
| |
Series 231
Common Pleas -- Appeals, 1809, 1822-1849
1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Mainly appeals from justice court decisions, along
with some appeals in errors, made on the basis of points of
law. Of particular interest are the narrative details these
records contain on justice court proceedings. |
| |
Series 232
Common Pleas -- Appointments, 1790-1852
1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| The Court of Common Pleas was responsible for the
announcement of the appointment of officeholders, administering
their oaths, and holding their bonds for the performance of their
duties. Among officials included here are sheriffs,
undersheriffs, treasurers, tax collectors, and meat inspectors. |
| |
Series 233
Common Pleas -- Petit Jurors, 1824-1866
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Lists of jurors selected for the court. |
| |
Series 234
Common Pleas -- Venire, 1806-1829
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| The writ of venire facias juratores informed the
parties to an action that a jury had been selected and notified
the parties of the court date for the commencement of arguments. |
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Series 235
Common Pleas -- Pleas
1.0 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Defendants pleaded in response to the plaintiff's
declaration or narritio, denying the charges or giving
"notice" of their intended defense. These
documents provide few details about the case. |
| |
Series 236
Common Pleas -- Petitions, Notices and Motions, 1791-1847
1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| These documents petition the court to perform a
service, give formal notice of a party's intentions, or move the
court for an order or ruling. They involve various
procedural steps or matters such as insolvency cases or minor's
petitions. |
| |
Series 237
Common Pleas -- Discharge, 1790-1793, 1821-1830
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Petitions for the discharge of insolvent debtors |
| |
Series 238
Common Pleas -- Demurrer, 1812-1846
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Demurrer is a plea that objects to the legal
sufficiency of an action, without regard to the merits of the
case. Analogous to a motion to dismiss, the plea asks the
court to rule on the point of law. |
| |
Series 239
Common Pleas -- Writs of Execution, 1780-1844
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Writs of execution were used to enforce court
judgments, usually by ordering the seizure and sale of a judgment
debtor's property (writ of fieri facias, or fi.fa). |
| |
Series 240
Common Pleas -- Cognovit, 1811-1840
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Cognovit was a defendant's formal admission of
liability towards the plaintiff. The defendant
"confessed the action" and agreed to pay the debt or
damages owed. When a defendant "relinquished his
plea", dropping his earlier defense and agreed to pay the judgment,
the action was known as "Relicta" or "Relicta and
Cognovit". |
|
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Series 241
Common Pleas -- Bonds, 1791-1857
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Bonds are written as obligations whereby a person
places an amount of money with the court to guarantee the
performance of an action or until certain circumstances have been
met. Included here are bonds for costs (required of
non-residents), appeal bonds, official bonds, and replevin bonds. |
|
|
Series 242
Common Pleas -- Replication, 1812-1847
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological by Filing Date |
| A replication is a plaintiff's response to the
defendant's plea, particularly when the defendant has alleged new
facts. These replies generally reaffirm the plaintiff's
declaration and give few details on the case. |
|
|
Series 243
Common Pleas -- Reports for Damages, 1815-1842
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| These reports state the amount of damages to be
recovered from the defendant. They are signed by the court
and marked as promissory notes. |
|
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Series 244
Common Pleas -- Satisfaction Pieces, 1822-1845
Less than 1 cubic ft. Chronological |
| A satisfaction piece is an official acknowledgment
by a winning party that a judgment has been satisfied. |
|
|
Series 245
Common Pleas -- Miscellaneous Records, 1773-1847
1.25 cubic ft. Chronological |
| Papers to and from the court on various subjects
and which have eluded separate classification. Included, for
example, are inspection and referee reports, miscellaneous
summons, oaths, opinions, and agreements. |
|
|
Series 246
County Executive Administrative Records, 1939-1992
|
| Subject, chronological, and administrative files
pertaining to the operation of the office of County
Executive. Currently being processed; records not yet
open to the public. |
|
|
Series 247
Court of Oyer & Terminer, 1790-1890
3.75 cubic ft.
Chronological by type of record |
|
The
Court of Oyer & Terminer was the criminal counterpart to the
traveling Circuit Court of the New York Supreme Court of
Judicature, which heard civil cases.
Among the duties of the Court of Oyer & Terminer was
the exclusive jurisdiction over all cases punishable by the death
penalty or life imprisonment.
With the judicial reorganization in 1846, the Court of Oyer
and Terminer continued to operate as part of the Supreme Court
until 1896 when it was abolished. Specific types of records
available include true bills (indictments), minutes, and panels of
jurors. Materials from this court relating to the case of
Robert Mattias and Sojourner Truth are also included in this
series. |
|
|
Series 248
Westchester County Airport Scrapbook, 1944-1984 (bulk 1950-1966)
3 v., Chronological |
|
Newspaper clippings, photographs, personal
correspondence, business correspondence, advertisements, event
programs and menus, award ribbons and organization and membership
cards that relating to the Westchester County Airport. The
scrapbooks document press coverage of the airport, which was owned
by Gulf Oil Corporation and operated by its subsidiary, County
Airport Corporation for Westchester County.
The airport supported personal, corporate, commercial and
military air traffic. Clippings
cover the airports relationship with the Westchester County
government, various public events held at the facility, news about
local persons, the airport’s importance to the New York area,
and significant events including airplane accidents and crashes.
Many clippings and other items concern Robert W. Gallaway, airport
general Manager. These include correspondence and photographs.
Some material are included about his personal life,
primarily clippings about his son, Robert Draper Gallaway. |
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Series 249
Cemetery Deeds, Rural Cemetery Deeds, 1851-1900
24 v. Chronological |
| Indexed by purchaser (1857-1904), purchaser and
cemetery (1851-1864, 1928-1930), cemetery (1930-1964), and grantor
and grantee (1912-1920). Amawalk
Hill Cemetery primarily occupies 1964-1990.
Sales and purchases, usually showing number or section and
plot in cemetery, area in square feet (some have small measured
drawings), and county clerk register number, with statement about
rights, privileges and rules of the cemetery. |
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Series 250
Supreme Court, 1806-1909
5.25 cubic ft.
Chronological by type of record |
| Individual filings related to cases heard by the
New York State Supreme Court held in Westchester County. Types of
records available include minutes, decisions, satisfactions,
depositions, testimony, affidavits, and judgments. Records
relating to a single case are not grouped together. |
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Series 201-225
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Westchester County Archives
archivesreferencedesk@westchestergov.com
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