On the first Wednesday of December a Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Jail Delivery was to be held. Westchester remained the shire or county-town until November 6, 1759, when the last session of the Court of Common Pleas was held there. * The New York Post-Boy of February 13, 1758, contained the following item : " New York, Februarv 13th. -- We hear from AVestchester that on Saturday the 4thinst., the court-house at that place was unfortunately burnt to the ground,

1 Civil List, 1880, pp. 211 and 212.

- It seemed to have had same powers as general term of present Supreme Court. 3 Westchester County was in the Second Circuit. * See records of Court of Common Pleas.

We have not heard how it happened." ^ The destruction of the court-house on February 4, 1758, and the felt necessity for a more central location for the county town, led to the passing of the following act on December 16, 1758 : " An Act to impower the Justices of the Peace and Aldermen of the Borough of Westchester, in conjunction with the Supervisors of the said County, to ascertain and fix the place for erecting a new Court-House and Gaol for the said County ; and for raising a sum not exceeding One thousand Pounds, on the Estates, real and personal, of all the Freeholders and Inhabitants of the said County, for and towards erecting the said Court- House and Gaol." White Plains was selected as the place, and on November 7, 1759, the Court of Common Pleas held its first session in the court-house.* The act of February 6, 1778, directed the supervisors to meet in the court-house. In July, 1776, the Provincial Convention met in it. November 5, 1776, the building was burned by some of the American troops, the records having previously been removed to a safe place.