564 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



true friends to the colonies, and ever ready cheerfully to exert ourselves in the 

 defence ami preservation of the same."'* Jonathan Fowler, Esq., 



George Cromwell, Esq. 



" At a meeting of freeholders of Westchester county, New York, at 

 the White Plains, on Monday, the 8th day of May, 1775, Governeur 

 Morris, Lewis Graham, James Van Cortlandt, Stephen Ward, Joseph 

 Drake, Philip Van Cortlandt, James Holmes, David Dayton, John 

 Holmes, Jr., Robert Graham, and William Paulding, were chosen to be 

 the deputies from this County to the Provincial Convention of the 

 Province of New York." 6 



"On the 30th of June, 1776, the Provincial Congress of this State 

 adjourned from the city of New York, to the Court House, hi li'/iite 

 Plains, where they met on the 9th of July following, and there continued 

 in session until the 29th of that month. " c 



In Provincial Congress, New York, 30th June, 1776, Sunday after- 

 noon, it was 



Resolced. "That the treasurer and secretary of this Congress be and they 

 hereby are directed forthwith to repair, with all and singular, the public papers 

 and money, now in their custody or possession, unto the White Plains, in the 

 county of Westchester, and that this Congress be, and it hereby is, adjourned 

 unto the Court House in the "White Plains aforesaid, there to meet on Tuesday, 

 the 2d of July next, and proceed upon business ; and that the next Congress of 

 this county do meet at the same place on Monday, the 8th day of July aforesaid, 

 unless otherwise ordered by the Congress." 



It was carried in the affirmative ; for the question, 20, against ditto, 5. 



And it was further ordered " that all the lead, powder and other military 

 stores belonging to this State, be forthwith removed to the White 

 Plains." d 



The journey between New York and the Plains was performed by the 

 members on horseback, Pierre van Cortlandt, the president, riding at 

 their head. As expresses overtook them from General Washington, the 

 house was called to order on horseback, and several resolutions passed. 



" It was at White Plains, on the 9th day of July, the Provincial Con- 

 gress received the Declaration of Independence; there it was read, in 

 front cf the Court House, e and there they solemnly in convention prom- 



a Ibid. 446. 



b American Archives, fourth series, vol. iL, 529. 



c Extract from address of J. W. Tompkins, Esq., 1S45. 



d Journal of X. Y. Provincial Congress, vol. 1, 512. 



e The declaration was read by John Thomas, Esq , and seconded by Michael Varian and 

 Pamuel Crawford, two prominent Whigs of Scarsdale. The latter met a sad and early fate 

 by the hands of British refugees. 



