D 

Declaration of Intention Record Books. 1855-1906.
Series 6
14 v. Arranged chronologically. Indexed online.

Each declaration includes immigrant's name, age, country of former allegiance, signatures and date filed. Date of arrival, street address or town of residence may be present.

Continued by: Series 33

Related Records: Series 11, Naturalization Petitions, 1895-1991; Series 13, Naturalization Record Books, 1844-1906; Series 14, Naturalization Petitions, Rejected, 1898-1906; Series 15, Naturalization Petitions, Miscellaneous, 1808-1924.

Declarations of Intention. 1906-1980.
Series 33 
105 v. Arranged chronologically. Indexed online through 1930 and by Series 130 through 1972.

Original declarations filed by immigrants who wished to be naturalized. Entries including the following information about the immigrant: name; age; occupation; color; complexion; height; weight; color of hair and eyes; any distinctive marks or scars; birthplace and date; address at the time of filing; when, how and where emigrated to the U.S.; and the date of filing.

Continues: Series 6;

Related Records: Series 11, Naturalization Petitions, 1895-1991; Series 13, Naturalization Record Books, 1844-1906; Series 14, Naturalization Petitions, Rejected, 1898-1906; Series 15, Naturalization Petitions, Miscellaneous, 1808-1924.

Deeds. 1680-1930.
Series 47
2,074 v. Arranged chronologically. Indexed by: Series 34.

Official records of property transactions in Westchester County. Drawings of maps may be part of the record.

Related records: Many related maps may be found in the Archives' collection of property maps. The Archives maintains a separate in-house database of these records.

Deeds Index, Grantee. 1680-1907.
Series 108
10 reels and 54 volumes. Arranged alphabetically. Index to Series 47.

Index to deeds arranged by grantee (buyer) for the period 1680-1897; and by town, then grantee for the period 1897-1907. Each entry indicates the buyer and seller of the property and gives the deed volume reference.

Related records: Series 34, Deeds Index, Grantor, 1680-1907. 

Deeds Index, Grantor. 1680-1931.
Series 34
114 v. Arranged alphabetically. Index to Series 47.

Index to deeds arranged by grantor (seller) for the period 1680-1897; and by town, then grantor for the period 1897-1931. Each entry lists the buyer and seller of the property; year, month and day recorded by the County Clerk; and gives the deed volume reference by liber and page. Note: because these records are available online at the Westchester County Clerk’s Westchester Records Online system, the Archives does not normally make available the bound volumes of grantor index records it holds from 1898-1931.

Related records: Series 108, Deeds Index, Grantee, 1680-1907. 

Dental Hygienists Affidavits. 1947-1950.
Series 39
1 v. Arranged chronologically. View online index.

Registrations filed with the County Clerk. Each entry includes date of registration, name of hygienist, age, birthplace, office and postal addresses, date and number of license, and school granting the license.

Dentists Register and Affidavits. 1941-1950.
Series 38
1 v. Arranged chronologically. View online index.

Registrations filed with the County Clerk. Each entry includes date of registration, name of dentist, age, birthplace, office and home addresses, date and number of license, and issuer of the license.

E

Eastchester Drainage Certificates of Sale, 1874-1875
Series 106
1 v. Arranged by parcel number.

Volume recording the sales of parcels of land, pursuant of Chapter 882, Laws of New York State, for a period of one thousand years for "drainage tax assessed" in regard to the drainage of certain low and wet lands located in the town of Eastchester. There are approximately thirty such sales in this volume, all to a Joseph Bellesheim, one of the three listed Commissioners involved in handling the sales. All property descriptions in the volume refer to parcels located in Central Mount Vernon (in the Town of Eastchester) on County Clerk Map 206 dated September 3, 1853. According to the text in the volume, the sales took place in 1874 and were recorded in 1875.

Coroner's Inquests Index, 1886-1925
Series 74
2 v. Arranged alphabetically.

Each entry includes the name of the deceased (if known), date of the inquest, date of filing in the County Clerk's office, and the name of the Coroner. Cause of death is not noted in this index. Please note that the records which these volumes index are not in the Archives.

Coroners' Inquest Records, 1805, 1808, 1823-1829, 1832-1843 (gaps), 1853, 1874, 1897, 1905, 1909, 1911 
Series 266
3 cubic ft.  Arranged chronologically in two subseries. Index is available online as a .pdf document.

Inquests, also referred to as inquisitions, by the coroner into causes of death. For the most part, the inquests from the 19th century include the name of the deceased (when known), gender, and presumed cause of death; many note the condition and position of the body when found; and some the date of death. The towns where the deceased were found are noted, but the towns where they lived are not recorded. Each inquest is signed and sealed by the coroner, the foreman, and a panel of witnesses or jurors. The records also include one coroner’s warrant and one ante-mortem inquisition.

A significant percentage of the deceased covered by these records were discovered on the side of a road, lying on a beach, or floating in a body of water, often in an advanced state of decay. Many of the deaths were witnessed, however, and took place in houses, barns, or off of boats. Between ten and fifteen percent of the deceased were not identified. The Coroners’ Inquests are largely devoted to violent, sudden, or unusual deaths. Drowning, accidents and misfortune, suicide, and “the visitation of God” are the four most frequent causes of death. Others include intoxication, syphilis, lightning, and murder. Cases of suicide are usually attributed to bouts of insanity or seduction by the Devil. For ten percent of the legible cases, the cause of death was officially declared unknown. It seems that the determination of cause of death was typically made through visual observation alone; there are only a few inquests that describe autopsies. Due to water damage suffered by the records from the 19th century, part of the page is illegible or nonextant on many of the documents, consequently the cause of death cannot be discerned on about twenty percent of the inquests. Due to the fragile nature of these records, scanned images only are available to the public.

The records available for 1905, 1909 and 1911 are fully intact and in fairly standard format. They include testimony of witnesses who either knew the deceased and/or witnessed the death, the report on the body by the examining physician, and the concluding pronouncement of the coroner as to the cause of death. Sometimes the testimony recounts the lineage of the deceased -- where he/she was born and the names and places of birth of his/her parents.  One of the primary causes of death for the records available for this period was being struck by a train. Other causes of death included accidental drowning and disease.  

Corporation Registers, 1885-1929 (actual dates of documents recorded 1848-ca. 2001) 
Series 292
14 v. Arranged chronologically.

Each of these fourteen registers lists, by company, the documents filed for it with the Westchester County Clerk, for corporations incorporated during the time period 1848-January 1929. Documents listed include initial incorporation papers and all subsequent records filed for each company, such as amendments, changes of stock information, change of names, and dissolutions. Most, but not all, of the original documents listed in Volume 1 of this series are available in Series 279. The records listed in Registers 2-14 are available through the Office of the County Clerk.

County Clerk Correspondence and Memos, 1939-1981
Series 53
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Communications between the County Clerk and various County departments.

County Clerk Financial Records, 1956-1982
Series 54
1.5 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Incoming and outgoing correspondence, memos and other records concerning budgets, capital budgets, audits and expenditures. 

County Clerk Personnel Records, 1947-1982
Series 56
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Directories, job specifications, organization charts, memos and general correspondence about County Clerk personnel. This series does not include records about individual employees. 

County Clerk Property Map Index (Block Index), ca.1766-1992
Series 205
30 v.  Arranged by block number.

Indexing system created by the WPA for all maps filed with the County Clerk's office, from 1766-1992. Under the system the County was divided into 324 geographical sections ("blocks"), and every map was identified and indexed as to which "block" it touched upon. [Note: the "blocks" define in this index are unique to the system and do not correspond to tax blocks or any other "block" identifying system within the county.]  Each page of the index provides the map number, title of map, date of filing, made by (surveyor or engineer), and remarks (may reference a deed or mortgage liber). 

County Clerk Reports, 1940-1980
Series 55
1.5 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Annual reports (1974-1980), various monthly reports (1941-1957), and goals and accomplishments reports (1958-1969). 

County Clerk Subject Files, 1940-1981
Series 52
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Miscellaneous files which include items such as the County Flag specifications (1978); facilities recommendations for the County Clerk's office (c.1950); files on historical societies, and files on the New York State Association of County Clerks.

County Court, 1823-1870
Series 260
2 cubic ft.  Arranged chronologically by type of record.

Prior to 1846, each county had a Court of Common Pleas and a Court of General Sessions, for civil and criminal cases, respectively. With the judicial reorganization under the new state constitution of 1846, these two courts were combined to form the County Court. It has jurisdiction over lesser civil and all felony cases. For all intents and purposes, this is the existing County Court that exists today. Records existing for this series include minutes and decisions, and the records are organized by type of record rather than by case name. The relationship between these records and those in Series 342 (County Court Minutes) and Series 348 (County Court Case Files) is unknown. Case numbers have not been found on these records.

County Court Case Files, ca.1847-ca.1911
Series 348
42 cubic ft. Arranged by case number.

County Court case files. Files are organized by case number. Note, however, that case numbers do not appear to have been assigned chronologically, therefore the exact date range of this series is only an approximation. Cases are indexed by plaintiff in Series 341 and lists of documents filed for specific cases are available in Series 337.

Related records:  Series 341, County Court Case Index, 1868-1933; Series 337, County Court Registers, 1847-1911; Series 342, County Court Minutes, 1853-1911.

County Court Case Index, 1868-1933
Series 341
7 v. Arranged alphabetically by plaintiff.

Indexes to County Court Cases filed in Westchester County from 1868-1933. County Court case files themselves, through 1911, are available from the Archives. County Court case files for 1912-1933 must be obtained through the office of the Westchester County Clerk.

Related records:  Series 342, County Court Minutes, 1853-1911; Series 337, County Court Registers, 1847-1911; Series 348, County Court Case Files, ca. 1847-ca. 1911.

County Court Minutes, 1853-1911
Series 342
15 v. Arranged chronologically.

Minutes to cases heard by the Westchester County Court. Includes names of jurors, witnesses for defense and prosecution and verdicts. Testimony is not included.  Beginning in 1896 minutes are divided between Civil and Criminal divisions of the County Court. A few of the later books have their own indexes by name of plaintiff (Civil division) / or defendant (Criminal division). County Court case files themselves are available from the Archives.

Related records:  Series 341, County Court Case Index, 1868-1933; Series 337, County Court Registers, 1847-1911; Series 348, County Court Case Files, ca. 1847-ca. 1911.

County Court Registers, 1847-1911
Series 337
10 v.  Arranged chronologically.

Registers to County Court cases listing out all documents filed in cases. Cases are indexed by plaintiff. Actual case files are available at the Archives. 

Related records:  Series 341, County Court Case Index, 1868-1933; Series 348, County Court Case Files, ca. 1847-ca. 1911; Series 342, County Court Minutes, 1853-1911.

County Elections and Appointments Records, 1907-1922, 1935-1981
Series 152
3 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Certificates of election and appointments to office filed with the County Clerk. Included are appointments to the Bronx Parkway Commission (1907 ff.), the County Welfare Department (1917 ff.), and the County War Council (1942).

Related records: Series 140, Elections and Canvasses Records, 1892-1921, 1936-1998; Series 153, Municipal Elections and Appointments Records, 1898-1978 (gaps). 

Court Administration Facilities Records, 1959-1977
Series 151
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Records of the County Clerk concerning courtroom assignments, equipment, supplies, courthouse construction and the renovation of courtrooms and chambers.

Related records: Series 24, Courthouse Development Committee Records, 1948-1968. 

Court Administration Financial Records, 1956-1973
Series 71
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Audits, budgets, memos and correspondence.

Court Administration Miscellaneous Records, 1948-1981
Series 59
2 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Office files of the Administrative Judge. Includes memos and correspondence with State authorities, County departments and City Court officials. Also includes various Court rules and statistics. 

Court Administration Personnel Records, 1957-1977
Series 150
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Job descriptions, leave policies and personnel studies for the county court. These files do not contain records of individual employees.

Court Administration Reports, 1952-1977
Series 101
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged alphabetically. View box and folder list.

Annual and miscellaneous reports and statistics maintained by the County Clerk as Clerk of the Supreme and County courts. 

Court of General Session, 1768-1857 (gaps)
Series 251
5.75 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically by type of record.

In 1777 the Court of General Session was created as a criminal counterpart to the Court of Common Pleas. Both of these courts operated at the county level under the Supreme Court of Judicature system. The Court of General Sessions could try all criminal cases except those punishable by death or life imprisonment. When the courts were reformed in 1846 under the new state constitution, the Supreme Court of Judicature was replaced by the Supreme Court and the Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions were replaced by the County Court. The records in this series are individual court filings, including true bills (indictments), affidavits, subpoenas, recognizance, and minutes. Documents relating to the same case are not filed together. 

Court of Sessions Minutes, 1684-1895
Series 43
10 v. Arranged chronologically.

Records of the Court which heard criminal cases between 1684 and 1895. Cases heard by the court include assault, murder, rape, fraud, treason, illegal voting, gambling and matters involving the Overseers of the Poor (public charges, manumission and bastardy). Included are lists of jurors, jury foremen and Justices of the Peace. These records do not usually include testimony. 

Court of Special Sessions, 1812, 1828, 1841-1879, 1889-1890
Series 259
3.5 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically by type of record.

Courts of Special Sessions were criminal courts at the town level. They were presided over by three justices of the peace (after 1845 only one was required) and handled misdemeanors and minor felonies. Though courts of justices of the peace were not normally courts of record, any convictions were required to be filed with the county clerk. Courts of Special Sessions are not to be confused with the Court of Sessions or the Court of General Sessions. These entities were county courts with more complete jurisdiction over criminal matters. The Courts of Special Sessions were abolished in 1896. Included in this series are true bills (indictments) and minutes, along with miscellaneous documents not readily categorized. 

Court of Special Sessions -- Miscellaneous, 1832-1846, 1859-1860, 1891, 1908, 1912
Series 261
Less than 1 cubic ft.  Arranged chronologically.

Includes complaints, examinations, certificates of conviction, minutes, inquest testimony, statements of defendants, arrest warrants, and orders for commitment from the Court of Special Sessions.

Cross Index to Surnames, 1898-1931
Series 127
1 v. Arranged alphabetically.

Lists surnames and alternate spellings of family names common to Westchester County. This volume was used in the County Clerk's office.  View this volume online.

Common Pleas, Court of -- Minutes, 1710-1846
Series 9
7 v. Arranged chronologically.

Records of the court which heard civil cases between private parties from 1710 through 1847. These minutes record only actions in the cases and do not normally include testimony. The minutes for the 1710-1722 are interspersed in a volume with the minutes of the Court of Sessions.

Related records: Series 220, Common Pleas -- Minutes (drafts), 1791-1797, 1804-1847

Common Pleas -- Minutes (draft), 1791-1796, 1804-1847 (gaps)
Series 220
2 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Draft of minutes found in Series 9. Although the minutes in Series 9 are more complete, these drafts show some process, with marginal comments and correction.  

Common Pleas -- Miscellaneous Records,  1773, 1780-1789, 1800-1847 (gaps) 
Series 245
1.25 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Papers to and from the court on various subjects and which have eluded separate classification. Included, for example, are inspection and referee reports, miscellaneous summons, oaths, opinions, and agreements. 

Common Pleas -- Narratives, 1802-1846 (gaps)
Series 228
2 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

The narratio (or narr.) was a plaintiff's initial declaration in a suit, setting forth his cause of action and demands. It was normally filed after the defendant had been served with a writ or capias ad respondendum (Series 221). After 1829, a plaintiff could commence an action with a narratio, without requiring a writ of capias. The narr. gives a detailed statement of the plaintiff's complaint, but it tends to be repetitious and does not elaborate on the circumstances. Many of the documents in this series are fragile and deteriorated. 

Common Pleas -- Partition Papers, 1808-1841
Series 224
1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Parties had to petition the court to divide real property held in joint tenancy or by tenancy in common. Partition papers also concern the appointment of guardians for minor heirs, the reports of commissioners describing the property, and rules and notices of sale or division. 

Common Pleas - Petit Jurors, 1842-1866 (gaps)
Series 233
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Lists of jurors selected for the court. 

Common Pleas -- Petitions, Notices and Motions, 1789-1795, 1808-1847 (gaps)
Series 236
1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

These documents petition the court to perform a service, give formal notice of a party's intentions, or move the court for an order or ruling. They involve various procedural steps or matters such as insolvency cases or minor's petitions. 

Common Pleas -- Pleas, 1895-1991 
Series 235
1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Defendants pleaded in response to the plaintiff's declaration or narritio, denying the charges or giving "notice" of their intended defense. These documents provide few details about the case. 

Common Pleas -- Replication, 1812-1813, 1820-1847 (gaps) 
Series 242
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically by filing date.

A replication is a plaintiff's response to the defendant's plea, particularly when the defendant has alleged new facts. These replies generally reaffirm the plaintiff's declaration and give few details on the case.

Common Pleas -- Reports for Damages, 1815-1842
Series 243
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

These reports state the amount of damages to be recovered from the defendant. They are signed by the court and marked as promissory notes. 

Common Pleas -- Satisfaction Pieces, 1822-1845
Series 244
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

A satisfaction piece is an official acknowledgment by a winning party that a judgment has been satisfied. 

Common Pleas -- Venire, 1806-1810, 1822-1829
Series 234
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

The writ of venire facias juratores informed the parties to an action that a jury had been selected and notified the parties of the court date for the commencement of arguments. 

Common Pleas -- Writs of Inquiry, 1781-1846
Series 230
1 cubic ft.  Arranged chronologically.

The writ of inquiry was issued in cases where a plaintiff was owed damages following a judgment by default. It called for a sheriff to empanel a jury, in order to determine the exact amount the plaintiff could claim. 

Common Pleas -- Writs of Replevin, 1781-1843
Series 229
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Replevin was a form of action that allowed the plaintiff, in advance of a court hearing, to recover immediate possession of personal property that the defendant had wrongly taken or detained. 

Common Pleas -- Writs of Execution, 1780-1844 (gaps)
Series 239
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Writs of execution were used to enforce court judgments, usually by ordering the seizure and sale of a judgment debtor's property (writ of fieri facias, or fi.fa). 

Common Pleas -- Affidavits, 1781-1847
Series 219
2 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Sworn, voluntary statements of fact, which notify the court of various legal actions taken or inform it of particular circumstances. This series includes affidavits of service (of legal papers) and of defense, as well as affidavits concerning the posting of bonds, the settlement of debts, the residency of available witnesses, and requests to postpone trial. 

Common Pleas -- Appeals, 1809, 1822-1849 (gaps)
Series 231
1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Mainly appeals from justice court decisions, along with some appeals in errors, made on the basis of points of law. Of particular interest are the narrative details these records contain on justice court proceedings. 

Common Pleas -- Appointments, 1790-1867, 1892
Series 232
1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

The Court of Common Pleas was responsible for the announcement of the appointment of officeholders, administering their oaths, and holding their bonds for the performance of their duties. Among officials included here are sheriffs, undersheriffs, treasurers, tax collectors, and meat inspectors. 

Common Pleas -- Bail Pieces, 1800-1846
Series 227
1.50 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically by filing date.

Up until 1831, most civil cases required some form of bail to ensure the defendant's appearance in court and the payment of a debt or adverse judgment. There were two levels of bail requirements: common bail and special bail. In cases of common bail, a defendant could name fictitious sureties to back his promise to appear. In cases of special bail, at least one specific person signed for the defendant and guaranteed the payment of his obligations. 

Common Pleas -- Bonds, 1791-1795, 1809-1857 (gaps)
Series 241
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Bonds are written as obligations whereby a person places an amount of money with the court to guarantee the performance of an action or until certain circumstances have been met. Included here are bonds for costs (required of non-residents), appeal bonds, official bonds, and replevin bonds. 

Common Pleas -- Calendars, 1805, 1813-1820, 1838-1845 (gaps)
Series 223
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Calendars compiled by the court clerk listing the cases to be heard before a session of the Court of Common Pleas. In many cases there are two copies of the calendar, one marked "draft" (or "For the Bar") and the other prepared "For the Court". The court's copy lists cases in order of appearance, and in some cases notes the action taken. 

Common Pleas -- Capias, 1781-1842
Series 221
5 cubic ft. Grouped by outcome, then arranged chronologically by year.

Capias are writs authorizing the sheriff to arrest defendants in court cases. Based on the outcome of the arrest attempt, the sheriff would make a note on the writ – either (1) cepi corpus (“I took the body”) to indicate an arrest was made, or (2) non est inventus (“he was not found”) if the defendant was not found – and the writ was then filed with the Court.

Common Pleas -- Certiorari, 1830-1847
Series 225
1.5 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

The Court of Common Pleas removed cases from justice courts by issuing a writ of certiorari, which instructed the justice court to "return" a certified copy of its proceedings in a case for the court to review. Certiorari cases differ from other appeals in this formal removal. The returns are among the few Common Pleas documents that relate actual testimony.

Common Pleas -- Cognovit, 1811-1840
Series 240
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Cognovit was a defendant's formal admission of liability towards the plaintiff. The defendant "confessed the action" and agreed to pay the debt or damages owed. When a defendant "relinquished his plea", dropping his earlier defense and agreed to pay the judgment, the action was known as "Relicta" or "Relicta and Cognovit". 

Common Pleas -- Demurrer, 1812-1846 (gaps)
Series 238
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Demurrer is a plea that objects to the legal sufficiency of an action, without regard to the merits of the case. Analogous to a motion to dismiss, the plea asks the court to rule on the point of law. 

Common Pleas -- Discharge, 1790-1793, 1821-1830
Series 237
Less than 1 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Petitions for the discharge of insolvent debtors. 

Common Pleas -- Insolvency Papers, 1790-1794, 1807-1835 (gaps)
Series 222
3 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically.

Records regarding the voluntary or involuntary assignment and sale of property belonging to insolvent debtors. Generally provided are a petition for assignment, accounts of debts and personal property, notices of sales, and a discharge for the debtor. 

Common Pleas -- Judgment Records, 1782-1847
Series 218
9.5 cubic ft. Arranged chronologically, by term, according to date case was initiated

Judgment Records summarize the parties, complaint, and proceedings in a case, followed by the signed and dated judgment. They constitute formal records generally prepared at the conclusion of a case, and rarely contain transcripts of testimony or other proceedings. Intermingled with the Judgment Records, particularly for the later period, are some certiorari cases called up from the justice courts.