Page images
PDF
EPUB

lying betwixt litle egg harbour and Cape May and Cape May all along delaware river to the falles, to all wch Philip Walls [Wells] is wholly a Stranger and hath no ground but report and conjecture, and it is more probable y' west Jersey is larger for quantity of land than east Jersey by the line lately run by aggreement although we will affirme nothing positively without a true survey of the wholl, And though the Surveyor of west Jersey, being a proprietor pleads hard for west Jersey, y' the branch of delaware river may be found on a brook y' runs into delaware, in ye latitude of 41 deg: 40', y' is so easterly, y' the line wold run from litle egg harbour within 4 or 5 miles of Amboy & so make east Jersey scarse worth the name of a province yet diverse affirme they heard Andrew Robeson' and the other 2 Surveyours aggree in theirr opinion, y no stream or run y' did goe into delaware river, was to be taken for the branch.

Minutes of the West Jersey Proprietors, respecting running of the line between the two provinces, in accordance with the award of Reid and Emley.

[From original in New Jersey Historical Society Library. Papers relating to West Jersey Line. Bundle 6, No. 4.]

AT A COUNSELL held at Burlington in ye house of John Cripps ye 21st of ye od month 16872

The Deputy Gouvernour hauein informed his Counsell wharfore he called them togather was y' Samvel Window Miles Foster & John Cambell requested they might have ye opertvnity to deliver to vs a matter they had in Charge from ye Gouvernor & Counsell of East Jersie Concerning runing ye line of pertision to wch he had ansered y' if it was Conserning runing

[blocks in formation]

ye Line he Judged it rather proper to haue a meeting of ye propriators, wch if they plased as ye Gouvernors Representative he would call togather, though as one of y propriators they behoued to excuse him from any further transacting in y' affair unleas they gaue him vp his bond wch as a propriator he had signed to wch they ansered they had his bond heare, but their busines was not with ye propriators but with the Gouernor of Counsill; wharefore those gentlemen being admited Samvel window in behalfe of ye rest haueing prodused a Commission vnder ye hands of Gouvernor & Counsell of propriators & Sale of ye province of East Jersie Impowering them to give notis vnto them y' ware Conserned y' they should send & meet their Svrvayor Ginerall at little egg harboor vpon yo 26 day of this month in order to ye runing y1 line of pertision according to ye Award of william Emly & John Reed as ye Said Commission more at large imports weh being Considered by ye Counsill it was Judged by them yt ye Contense of their Commission was most properly to trate wth those propriators conserned in y signing y foresaid arbetration & in respect yt all ye Counsill only one expected ware Conserned with those who had protested against ye Said arbitration &c they tharefore Could not assvme to themselves a power wch they had not, of giveing away yo perticuler estates of all y' ware purchasers of propriaties or parts thareof through this province; after weh ye Gouerner did tell ye Said persons if they had showed this their Commission before he would have ordered those persons who wth him are Conserned in yt Arbetration & had only as propriators takeing burden for themselves & not for ye rest of ye propriators to haue given them ye meeting if they pleased to Stay so long hee would forthwith send for them or if it might be more exceptable hee would order all ye inhabitant propriators to be Svmoned with all possible dilligence.

JOHN CRIPPS Sacretary

Intended Surrender of the Government of East

Jersey.

[From P. R. O., B. T. Proprieties Vol VI G 47.]

Draught of a Surrender of Government intended to have been presented to the late King James by the prop of East Jersey in April 1688.11

James

To all to whom these p'sents shall come Earl of Perth Lord High Chancell' of the Kingdom of Scotland, John Earl of Melfort Principall Secretary of State for the said Kingdom of Scotland, Robert Barclay Esq William Penn Esq Robert West Esq Andrew Hamilton Doct! in Physick, Thomas Cox Gent, Robert Burnet Esq Thomas Hart Merchant, James Brain Merchant, Walter Benthall Merchant, Thomas Barker Merchant, Augustin Gordon Gent, Clement Plumsted Merchant and Thomas Cooper Merchant, Propriets of the Province of EAST NEW JERSEY in America send greeting Whereas his Most Excellent Matie King James the second was heretofore gratiously pleased to grant to the Propriets of the said Province their heirs and Assigns the Government of the said Province and severall powers Authorities and Jurisdictions relating thereunto which his said Matie for severall weighty reasons of State is desirous to resume, and to take the said Province into his own more im'ediate Protection now ye that the Propriet's above mentioned in humble submission to and acquiescence in his Maties Royall wisdom and pleasure Have Surrendered and yeilded up and by these p'sents doe in behalfe of themselves and of all other the Propriet" of the said Province Surrender and yeild up to his said Matie

1 Communicated to the Board of Trade by Mr. Dockwra December 11th, 1701, but it is said to have been accepted by the King at the time it was made. See "Grants and Concessions," pp. 604-5.-ED.

the Government of the said Province and All the Powers Authoritys and Jurisdictions relating thereunto formerly granted by his said Mate to the Propriet's of the said Province, And all other their Authorities and powers of Government there whatsoever In witnesse whereof the said propriet" have to these p'sents affixed the Com'on seal of the said Province the Thirtieth Day of Aprill in the Fourth year of the Raign of our said Soveraign Lord James the second by the grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defend' of the Faith &c Annoq.: Domini 1688:

Letter from Andrew Hamilton to William Dockwra, about his private interests in the Province.1

[From the original among the manuscripts of W. A. Whitehead.]

[merged small][ocr errors]

before ships

Perth Amboy May 26 1688

I have several of yors via New England, New York Road Island, Delaware &ca. To answer each in lettTM were reed their order so many crouding vpon me since divers months any opportunity offered from hence were to give you infinit trouble. But since They գ. gradual chiefly concern yo' Land yo' stock, servants, very easie. Secr: Regr: & Treas office: Ld Neils assetts gibbons &ca: I shall take them in order as they ly, & jo as to yo' Land. Mr. D. as my kindnes to you &

came away.

writing were

Although this letter relates entirely to the private affairs of the parties, yet, the references to the condition of the Province at the time, the mode of living, and other matters throwing light upon the affairs of the settlers, render it admissable into this collection. The lines in italics are those underlined by Mr. Dockwra and to which his notes in the margins refer.-ED.

q: my Lands yo' family is really tender so I have wit

Interest.

he

me. vid, the

that I have

ince hands.

all Increase of

buy hay in

Debts paid in

tation.

q.

gott in?

says it has nessed it in the choice of yo" Land: as in helpt to repair the shedule annexed. yo' interest indeed severall Tracts was but very inconsiderable when I came & ReportOwns here & I think myself very happy in being [well deserv'd ane instrument to help repair you, who beat the Prov- sides the merit of yo' good family have yo' self so well deserved at the province hands. As to yo' stock of Catle they are as in the shedule. It is not worth your while to keep them or run Cattle scarce the risk, besides That it takes vp one boyes Winter. whole tym to herd them & [their?] increase Despose them will scarce buy hay for them in the winter, Cattle. Enough if ever you Come here you have as many to stock a plan outstanding debts (which will be impossible why not to recover in any other way but catle) as will stock a plantation, & therefor I shall be of opinion to dispose of them as occasion offers between [this] and the fall. It is the greatest cut throat in the world to medle in any thing toutching a plantation if a man is not his own overseer vpon the spot. And therefor I myself being tyed by the foot to attend at Amboy must forbear to form any design Servants eats vpon my plantation till I can live vpon it, man be ther. for servants eats a man vp if he is not Constantly over ther heads; And lykewise if any Ground is cleared (besides the vast charge of cleared if not kept ing & fensing) if it is not kept in Constant tillage for some years it runs vp in brush & becomes worse then the first clearing & if a man were to sell it p'haps not advance the rate of it a farthing As to yo' outstanding debts it is impossible to raise them in money, But shall essay all means & them with all debts as recov expedition & as they are recovered shall reered to Jones mit them to Mr Jones. But indeed you will bills for re- find great loss & difficultie to remitt them to England, but if I can purchase bills vpon

vp all vnless a

ground clear

so is not worth any thinge more than rough

remit my

q. if can get

turns.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

.

« PreviousContinue »