The original parishes of Westchester County all had glebes ; and so, towards the close of the Colonial era, had the diff'erent churches and parishes erected and formed at different places, out of those parishes. Of course, all the original parishes as well as the later ones, were parishes and churches of the Church of England, as is shown by their very nomenclature. A nomenclature which the dissenting organizations of all kinds always repudiated, and never have used, since they severally came into existence during the last three centuries. Like all English parishes these in Westchester County were territorial divisions, each having Church Wardens, Vestrymen, and minor Parish officers.

In addition to their duties and powers relative to the Parish church, its Rector, and the maintenance, of church services in their I'uUness and propriety, the Wardens and Vestrymen possessed, exercised, and were by law bouudto perform, many civil duties, now laid upon, and performed, by Town and County officers, such as the repairs of highways and bridges, maintenance of the poor, the assessing and collection of rates and taxes, and similar local duties, including the preservation of the public peace. They were not, as Church wardens and Vestrymen now are, officers of a purely ecclesiastical organization, but the civil officers of the parishes or territorial organizations of the church of England, as established by law in the County of Westchester. They were elected by all the freeholders resident in their respective parishes, whatever their religious views might be. And before entering upon the duties of their offices, pursuant to a law of the Province passed the 27th day of July 1721, took the following oath annually, which of itself demonstrates their powers in one of the important respects just mentioned : --