Westchester County was represented in the first Legislative Assembly of the Colony, which met at New York on the 9th of April, 1691 ; 6 and it has constituted one County to this time, having been organized as such by the General Acts of 1788 and 1801. It is situated on the east side of the Hudson, immediately north of New York County ; bounded north by Putnam and Dutchess Counties ; east by the State of Connecticut; southerly by Long Island Sound and East River; west by Haarlem River and the Hudson River, or by New York County, the State of New Jersey, and the County of Rockland in this State. The area may be 480 square miles -- 307,200 acres -- situated between 400 47', and 410 22'- north latitude, 103' east, and 32' east longitude from New York.

The County is thus described by William Smith, the historian, of New York, in 1756.

"Westchester County is large, and includes all the land beyond the Island of Manhattans along the Sound to the Connecticutliiw, which is its eastern boundary. It extends northward to the middle of the Ilighlands, and westward to Hudson's River. A great part of this county is contained in the manors of Philipsburgh, Pelham, Fordham, and Courtlandt, the last of which has the privilege of sending a representative to the General Assembly. The county is tolerably settled. The lands are in general rough but fertile, and therefore the farmers run principally on grazing. It has several towns, Eastcliester, Westchester, New Rochclle, Rye, Bedford, and North Castle. The inhabitants, are either English, or Dutch Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Quakers, and French Protestants. The former are the most numerous. The two Episcopal missionaries are settled at Rye and Eastchester, and receive each £60 annually taxed upon the county. The town of Westchester is an incorporated borough, enjoying a mayor's court and the ' right of being represented by a member in Assembly."