At a meeting of the Committee for this County held at White Plains, on Thursday and Friday, the 17th and ISth days of August, inst,, the committee divided the County into districts or beats, agreeable to the directions of the Provincial Congress, for forming militia and minute companies.

Yonkers formed one of the districts of the southern battalion. The officers chosen, were John Cock, Capt., William Belts, first lieutenant, John Warner, second lieutenant, and Jacob Post, ensign. b

The following petition from the inhabitants of Lower Yonkers, occurs in 1775.

Lower Yonkers, Sept. 15, 1775. To the Hon. the Provincial Congress for the Province of New York, convened in their recess, to the Hon. Committee of safety. The humble petition of the inhabitants of the precincts of Lower Yonkers, in the county of Westchester, humbly showeth, that your Hon. House had made a resolve, and published the same, recommending to the inhabitants of every town, manor, precinct and district within the province aforesaid, to meet, nominate and appoint a captain and other officers, to form themselves as companies of militia ; and, whereas the inhabitants of this precinct did meet agreeable to your said resolve, on the 24lh day of August last, under the inspection of the committee of that district, and by a very great majority, as by the list will appear, did

* See page 350.

b American Archives, p. 691.

HISTORY OF 'I'lIE

nominate and appoint Mr. John Cock of the said precinct, for his known skill and ability in military discipline, and for other good causes, captain of the company for the district aforesaid ; and, whereas, we are informed that a complaint hath been made to the committee by a few of the inhabitants against the said Mr. John Cock, out of spite and malice, and as we conceive what has been alledged against him was before signing the association, we are well assured that since his signing the association, no person can accuse him of breaking the same by any ways or means whatsoever ; therefore, we thepetitionersand subscribers, do humbly begthe indulgence of this Hon.