USA > New Jersey > Minutes of the Council of Safety of the state of New Jersey > Part 9
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Adjd till 3 O'clock P. M.
Met pursuant to adjt Present as before,
Lieut John Troop of the 3rd Battalion of New Jersey Vol- unteers, in the Enemy's service, having been apprehended by order of the Governor & Council as a Spy or recruiting for the Enemy was brought before the Council & Examined,
Ordered that the said Lieut John Troop, With his examina- tion, be sent to Gent Washington.
Ordered That Henry Shoope & Peter Saunders, suspected as Spies from the Enemy, taken with Licut Troop, be remanded to prison in order to determine whether they will take their trial or go on board the Navy of the United States.
Adjourned till tomorrow Morning 8 O'clock,
The Council met pursuant to adjt
Present His Excellency the Governor M' Condict M' Mchelm Mr Halsey. M' Hart Silas
Mr Ehner Mr Manning
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Silas Drake appeared before the Board pursuant to citation, and took & subscribed the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance as by Law appointed,
Benjin Tuttle & John Abel prisoners taken near Elizabeth- town, belonging to Co' Buskirk's Regiment was brought before the Board and Examined.
Ordered, That the said Benj" Tuttle & John Abel be re- manded back to prison to determine whether they will take their trial or go on board the Navy of the United States.
Adja till 3 O'clock P. M.
Met pursuant to adjt Present as before,
Cornelius Herring, John Debarre, John Duryea, Samuel Leydecker, & James Campbell, prisoners from Bergen, were brought before the Board & upon examination declared their innocence & offered to take the Oaths to the State, & no Evi- dence of Guilt appearing Against them they were discharged upon taking & subscribing the Oaths of Abjuration & Alle- giance as by Law appointed.
Casparus Westervelt, one of the Bergen prisoners was dis- charged upon taking the Oaths & entering into recognizance with security to appear at the next Court of Gen' Qr Sessions of Peace for the Co of Bergen, and to be in the Meantime of Good behaviour.
Adjourned till tomorrow Morning 9 O'clock.
Friday August ye 15th
The Council met.
Present. His Excellency the Governor.
M' Condict M' Hart
M' Elmer M' Mehelm
M' Manning M' Halsey.
Cornelius Banta a prisoner from Bergen, was brought before the Council & examined & upon his entering into recognizance with Simon Simonson security to appear at the next Court of G'en' Q' Sessions of the Peace & taking & subscribing the Oaths, was discharged.
David J. Duryea, Simon Simonson, Jacob Demot & Peter Perry, prisoners from Bergen, were discharged upon taking & subscribing the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance as by Law appointed.
Adjourned to 3 O'clock P. M.
Met
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Met pursuant to adj. Present as before.
The board being informed that Walter Rutherford & Jas Parker, of Hunterdon, who refused to take the Oaths when cited before the Gov' & Council of Safety for that purpose, and were bound in Recognizance to Appear at the last Court of Gen' Q' Sessions of the peace to be held at Trenton, have also refused to take ye s'd Oaths before the sd Court.
Ordered that the said Walter Rutherford & James Parker, be brought forthwith before ye Governor & Council as persons disafected to this State.
Garret Demarest, Cornelius Bogert, John Powlison, Peter J. Herring, John Vanbuskirk, Gabriel Van Norden, Abraham Vanguson, Garret Vanguson, prisoners from Bergen were brought before the Board & examined ;
Ordered That the said Garret Demarest, Cornelius Bogert, John Powlison, Peter J. Herring, John Vanbuskirk, Gabriel Van Norden, Abraham Vangicson, & Garret Vangieson, be confined as disaffected persons to the State, until an Equal number of our subjects, captivated by the Enemy, in that County be released, or until further order be taken therein.
Adja till 8 O'clock tomorrow Morning.
August 16th 1.777.
Met pursuant to adjt
Present Ilis Excellency the Governor M' Manning M' Elmer
M' Hart M' Halsey
M' Condict
M' Camp appeared & took his seat.
John Bray appeared before the Board & being duly sworn his deposition was taken in writing & filed.
Ordered that Benjamin Pound, Cornelius Boice, Daniel Ran- gan, Leonard Boice, & George Boice, be cited to appear before the Council on Tuesday next ;- All of Middlesex ;-
Agreed That Ebenezer Bishop, Jacob Rowland, David Jer- vard, also be cited to appear before the Council on Tuesday next, & that Ichabod Bunn, Thomas Bloomfield, Sr, & Samuel Freeman, be cited as Evidence &c, Also Samuel Heard, Michael Long, John Kinsey, & Samuel Insley, be cited as Evi- dence ; all of Middlesex County.
James Smith appd before the Board & took & subscribed the
Oaths
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Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance, & gave in Evidence against James Stevens which was committed to writing & filed.
Ordered that M' Camp pay Col Morgon the sum of £26 - 18 -3 for apprehending & securing John Troop & others.
Agreed, That John Munson be appointed Co1, Robert Gaston Lieut Co1, Sam1 Savers 1st Major & John Start 2nd Major of the Western Battalion in Morris County.
Ab" Vanguson a prisoner Confined in the Common Gaol of Morris, was brought before the Board, & confessed he had been 3 times into the Enemies Lines in New York.
Ordered, That the said Abn Vangusen be confined in Morris- town, in order to exchange for some one of the Good people of this State now confined in New York.
Edward Barnfield appeared before the Board and took & subscribed the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance.
Adjd till 3 o'clock P. M.
Met pursuant to adj".
Present The Governor.
Mr Halsey M' Camp,
M' Hart M' Elmer
M' Condict
1
Abm Campfield appd before the Board, and took & sub- scribed the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance.
Agreed That Lieut, Jedadiah Mills, take John Stewart & bring him before the Board on suspicion of being disaffected to the present Govt & that Noadiah Crammer be cited to appear next Monday to give Evidence against sd Stewart.
Adjd to Monday Morning 9 O'clock.
Augt 18. 1.777
Met pursuant to adjt.
Present His Excellency the Governor. M' Hart M' Condict M' Halsey !
M' Elmer
Pursuant to an order of Saturday last, Gabriel Vanorden,. Cornelius Bogert, Garret Demarest, John Vanbuskirk, Garret Vangieson, John Pawlison & Peter J. Harring appeared before the
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the Board & executed their Bond, to his Excellency the Gov- ernor in the sum of £5.000 dated 18 Augt 1.777 conditioned for them & each of them to be & remain at the late dwelling house of Nicholas Houghman, in Morristown or within one Mile thereof, and not to depart the limits above, without the Leave of the Council of Safety. & the Bond delivered to ME Condict to keep.
Adj'd till 3 O'clock in the afternoon.
Met pursuant to adjt: Present as before,
Agreable to citation, Noadiah Crammer appeared before Council & gave Evidence against John Stewart, the same was taken in writing.
Sundry prisoners desiring to come before the Council, were admitted and heard, Also several of their parents were heard in behalf of & relative to the peculiar circumstances of their unhappy offspring.
The number of members being insufficient to make a board no determination could be had,
Adjourned till tomorrow Morning 8 o'clock.
Tuesday 19 Augt 1.777
Met pursuant to adjt
Present His Excellency the Governor M' Elmer M' Hart
M' Halsey
M' Condict
There not being a sufficient number to make a board, Adja till 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Met pursuant to adjt.
Present His Excellency the Governor. M' Elmer Mr Hart M' Condict, M' Mehelm.
M' Halsey.
Thos Bloomfield, Ebenezer Bishop, & Sam' Freeman, cited to give Evidence against Benjamin Pound & others, was Ex- amined but their Evidence not being material, it was not com- mitted to writing.
Egbert Saunderson a prisoner from Essex, appeared before
the
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the Board & no particular charge nor any Evidence appearing against him, he was discharged upon taking & subscribing the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance as by Law appointed.
Adjd till tomorrow Morng 9 O'clock.
Wednesday August 20th
The Council met pursuant to adjt Present as before.
Abm Vanguson appd before the Board, and gave bond with two securities for the sun of £500 penalty for his continuing within one mile of the Court House in Morristown, until dis- charged by the Gov' from his confinement.
N B ye Bond is committed to ye care of Mr Condict
Cornelius Vanguson & Isaac Vanguson persons from Essex, taken by, Co1. Morgan, was brought before the Board, and upon taking & subscribing the Oaths by Law Appointed were discharged.
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David Brown, John Abell, Benjamin Tuttle, Henry Sharpe & Peter Saunders, prisoners to whose consideration it was re- ferred, whether they would Enlist on board the Navy of the United States, or take a trial at Law for their offences, were brought before the Board & declared their Willingness to Enlist & did accordingly Enlist on board the Navy afsd, upon which the Board ordered them to be sent to Philadelphia under a Guard, to be put on board any of the vessels of war belong- ing to the United States which they may chuse.
John Stager & Aaron Clawson prisoners from Essex, were brought before the board & discharged upon their taking & subscribing the Oaths of Abjuration and Allegiance as by Law appointed.
Adjd till 3 O'clock P.M.
Met pursuant to adjt
Present, His Excellency the Gov"
M' Condict Mr Mehelm Mr Eliner
M' Hart
M' Halsey.
The above mentioned prisoners who were permitted to go on board some of the vessels of war, belonging to the United States, signed an Enlistment in the Words following, viz.
Morristown
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Morristown Augt 20 1.777
We the subscribers do hereby severally promise & agree to and with His Excellency Governor Livingston, to enter our- selves as Mariners on board of some vessel of War belonging to the United States of America, on our arrival at Phila, to serve during the present War, reserving to ourselves the privi- lege of Election as to the particular vessel, and considering ourselves as Enlisted in the service of the United States from the day of the date hereof, with the reservation afd;
Witness our hands the day & year above written
Witness JOHN MEHELM.
DAVID BROWN HENRY SOUPE PETER SAUNDERSON BENJAMIN TUTTLE JOHN ABELL.
A true copy of the Enlistment.
Leonard Boice, & Daniel Runyan, pursuant to a citation, appeared before the Board and took & subscribed the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance as by Law Appointed.
Walter Rutherford & James Parker Esqrs appeared before the Council, pursuant to citation, & after being examined it was resolved, that the said Walter Rutherford & Jas Parker Esgrs be confined as persons disaffected to this State, until an Equal number of our subjects captivated by the Enemy be re- leased, or other order be taken therein.
Adja till 8 O'clock tomorrow Morning.
Thursday, August ye 21st,
The Council Met, pursuant to adjournment.
Present. His Excellency the Governor. M' Elmer Mr Hart
M' Halsey Mr Mehelni
M' Condict M' Camp appeared & took his seat.
Resolved, This His Excellency do draw upon the Treasurer of this State, in favour of M' John Hart, for the sum of £200 being the remainder due of the sum of £1.000 made subject of draught of the Governor, by advice of the Council of Safety, by an Act of the Council & Assembly of this State, Entitled an Act for investing The Governor & A Council consisting of twelve, with certain powers therein mentioned.
Adj'd to 3 O'clock P. M.
Met
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122
Met pursuant to Adjt Present as before.
Agreed That Capta Abm Harring be directed & authorized to enlist a Company of 36 men, and to choose one other com- missioned Officer, to serve as Volunteers of the Militia of the Co of Bergen, to be employed for 3 mos, unless sooner dis- charged, as a Gard for the North & East frontier parts of said Co. & that the said Captn be authorized to purchase provisions for the said party when on actual service, or to appoint some proper person to purchase the same, & transmit proper accounts thereof to the Legislature, or in their Recess to the Council of Safety, & that M' Camp do furnish Col Teunis Dey with £35. Cash to purchase Ammunition for said party & that the sd Captn do account for the expenditure of such ammunition when the said service is over.
Whereas the Coy of Militia commanded by Sam' Pinson, has for sometime past done duty in the North Battalion of the Regiment whereof Philip Van Courtlandt Esq' is Colonel, which considering that a chief part of them reside in the Southern District has proved greatly inconvenient to the men,
Resolved That the said Coy be for the future Joined to & do duty in the South Battalion of the said Regiment.
Walter Rutherford & Jas Parker Esq' appeared before the Board & executed a Bond £2.000, conditioned to remain at the Court house in Morris County, or within one mile thereof, until further order be taken therein ; & the Bond committed to M' Condict.
The deposition of Wm Burnet Jun" was presented to the Board, setting forth That the Honble Peter Kemble Esq' had . granted protection under Gen' Howe's proclamation. Ordered that the said Peter Kemble Esq' be cited to appear before the Board tomorrow Morning 9 O'clock.
Adjd till tomorrow Morning 8 O'clock.
The Council met, pursuant to Adjt.
Present. His Excellency the Governor M' Elmer M' Hart Mr Mehelm
M' Condict
Mr Halsey
Agreed,. That the Governor direct Major Benoni Hathaway, to deliver the Field pieces & appurtenances, and also the powder you
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you are to receive for the public use, to the Commanding Officer of the Militia Stationed along the frontiers near Staten Island, or to his order, taking his receipt or the receipt of the person by him authorized to receive it.
His Excellency was pleased to sign the foll" Certificates.
To Benjamin Halsey Esq', for the sum of £12, with £3. 12| paid him in June last, 26 days attendance in Council.
To John Mehelm for the sum of £23. 8| for thirty nine days attendance in the Council of Safety.
The Council of Safety recd a fine of Justice Halsey, of £6. for which they are accountable to the Treas", the same being a fine sd Justice received of Sam' Wells of Morris County.
Mr Kimble having been cited to appear before the Board, in- formed the Govm by a letter, that he was, thro' indisposition, of Body, unable to attend.
Ordered, that Justice Halsey calling to his assistance another of the Magistrates of the Co of Morris, do wait upon the sd Peter Kimble and take his recognizance to appear at the next Court of Gen1 Q' Sessions of the Peace, to be held for sd County & in the meantime to be of good behaviour.
Ordered, That the Speaker pay John Martin $9.00 for 18 days attendance on the Council as DoorKeeper.
Benjamin Hatfield being brought before the Board, on a charge of trading with the Enemy, Confessed the fact, & made his Election to go on board the Navy of the United States.
Ordered, That M' Hart pay Alexdr Carmichael £9. 11. for sundry services performed by order of the Council.
Ordered, That M' Elmer pay Fredk King £3 15| for five days riding Express for the Governor & Council.
. Adjd to Tuesday next to meet at Princetown.
Princetown, Augt 26th 1.777
The Council met, pursuant to adjt
Present. His Excellency the Gov Mr Elmer Mr Hart M' Manning.
There not being a sufficient number of members to proceed to business, adjd till tomorrow Morng 9. O'clock.
Wednesday,
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Wednesday, Augt 27th 1.777
Met pursuant to adjt
Present, His Excellency the Governor Mr Elmer Mr Combs Mr Hart Mr Scudder
M' Manning
Ordered the wives & children (under age) of John Hearn, Ellis Barron, Wm Smith, Isaac Freeman, and Sam' Moores, late inhabitants of the Township of Woodbridge, but now with the Enemy, be immediately apprehended, & sent over to Staten Island; & that Co! Fredk Frelinghuysen be directed to carry this order into execution.
A number of letters recd from Co' Fredk Frelinghuysen, were by his Excellency laid before the Board, and read, & his Excellency was requested to answer.
It appearing that the Co of Hunterdon is entirely delinquent in furnishing their Quota of the detachment of Militia ordered out under Col Frelinghuysen, His Excellency was desired to issue immediate orders, to the several Colonels belonging to sd County, forthwith to furnish & send off their respective Quotas of sd detachment.
Adja till 3 O'clock P. M.
Met pursuant to Adjt Present, as before,
His Excellency having occasion to call a privy Council, the business of which will probably take up a principal part of the afternoon,
Adj'd till tomorrow Morning 8 O'clock.
Thursday, Augt 28th 1.777
Met pursuant to Adjt
Present. His Excellency the Governor M' Hart M' Combs
M' Manning M' Elmer
There not being a sufficient number of members to make a board, Enos Kelsey Esq" one of the Justices of the Peace for the Co of Somerset, was called in & took his seat in Council.
Thomas Flemming Employed as Doorkeeper at 5!" p day.
Gen!
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Gen' Sullivan came in & laid before the Board sundry papers, found with the prisoners lately taken on Staten Island.
James Hetfield of Elizabethtown, who had been taken up as a suspicious person, was brought before the Board & being ex- amined, Ordered, that he be continued under guard, until further orders from the Governor & Council of Safety.
Ordered, That Mr Hart pay Lieut George Allen, the sum of €4. 17. 6, it being the expenses of bringing nine prisoners from Elizabeth Town to princetown, by order of Co' Freilinghousn.
Jacob Hetfield was brought before the Board as a person disaffected to the present Govt, & being examined, ordered that he be discharged on his taking the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance as by Law directed, with which he complied.
Benjm Barlon, son of Co! Joseph Barlon, taken up & sent under Guard by Gen1 Sullivan, was brought before Council; It is said that the said Barlon is appointed a Capt" in the British Army; Ordered, That he be continued under Guard, until further Enquiry can be had therein;
Adjd to 3 O'clock in the afternoon;
Council met pursuant to adjournment;
Present as before.
James Wells and Richard Churchward, late of Raritan landing, having been apprehended as Disaffected & Dangerous persons, were brought before the Board & upon Examination, acknowledged that they had been in New York with the Enemy, but said that they obliged them so to do, at the time when the British troops left Brunswick. No proof appearing against them contradictory to their own confession, Ordered that the said Jas Wells & Richard Churchward be discharged upon their taking the Oaths of Abjuration & Allegiance as by Law directed, which they did accordingly.
Jonathan Clawson late of Piscataway, was brought before the Board as a disaffected person, who, being examined, said that some time last winter, being threatened & frightened by the provincials to such a degree to be in fear of his life, he fled into Brunswick for safety, and being there taken sick, he con- tinued till about 3 weeks after the British troops left Jersey, and then retd home & was soon taken up, by Col Dunn, and Sent under guard to Elizabeth town.
Cornelius Clowson brought before the Board in like manner, and upon examination, appeared to be in nearly the same cir- cumstances, having being voluntarily within the enemies lines, for a considerable time, & his general character being dis- affected to the present Government;
Ordered
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Ordered That the said Jonathan & Cornelius Clawson have it in their Election to enlist on board some of the vessels of war belonging to the United States of America, or be confined & take their trial agreable to the Law of this State.
Adjourned till tomorrow Morn8 8 O'clock.
Friday, Augt 29th 1.777
Met pursuant to Adjt
John Rynile, Jacob Long & James Medder, late of the Co of Northampton, in Pennsylvania, having been apprehended upon Schooley's Mountain, in New Jersey, and many suspicious Circumstances attending their Conduct, were brought before the Board & being examined, declared their willingness to enter into the Service of the United States, and promising to enlist with an Officer present, were discharged.
Michael Brein who was taken up, at the same time and place, with the above last named, being brought before the Council & examined, also agreed to Enlist in the Continental Army, was thereupon discharged.
James Compton of Baskingridge having been apprehended as a disaffected person, was brought before the Board, upon his examination confessed that he being frightened from home went over to Staten Island, in May last, & after continuing there about two months, returned home; He also acknowl- edged to have been at the takeing of Gen' Lee, but says the British Light horsemen forced him to go with them for that purpose, threatening to kill him on refusal.
Also James Worth of the same place with the sd Compton, having been apprehended on like suspicion, was brought before the Board & upon examination, by his own Confession, found guilty of going voluntarily into the Enemies' lines, upon Staten · Island, and after some considerable stay on the said Island, returned to this State, gives no better reason for this his con- duct, than the gratifying his curiosity.
Benjamin Worth brought in as the two foregoing, and ap- pearing in the same predicament as the others, The Board considered their case, & agreed to give Each of the three liberty of Entering on board the vessels of War of the United States of America, or take a trial for their lives agreably to Law. Which being made known to the prisoners they desire time until tomorrow, to make their choice, which is granted by Council, and the prisoners remanded back to the Guard Room.
Benjamin Barton of Sussex County, (said to be appointed a Cap'n in the British Service) again brought before the Board
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& upon examination, utterly denies his own knowledge of any such appointment, or that he has ever acted inimical to American liberty.
Adja till 3 P. M.
· Met pursuant to adj:
Present as before & Cap'n Scudder
Benjamin Barton took the Oath of Abjuration & Allegiance & entered into Bond with Richard Edsal of Orange C°, in the State of New Jersey, & Richard Edsal the 3d of Sussex, to re- main in his house or within two miles of it, till leave ob- tained to the Contrary ; and also into recognizance to appear at the next Court of Oyer & Terminer to be held for the Co of Sussex.
Michael Loffy was brought before the Board & Examined ; when it appeared that he had lately taken & subscribed the Oaths to the State before the Governor & Council of Safety ; Wherefore as no Evidence appeared of any subsequent ill con- duct he was ordered to be discharged.
Benjamin Townshend & Levi Townshend, were next brought before the Board, and after examination remanded to the Guard House.
William Quail a prisoner formerly belonging to the 55th Regt was ordered to be sent to the board of War.
Adjd till tomorrow Morng 8 O'clock.
Saturday Augt 30th
Met pursuant to adjt
Present. His Excellency the Governor M' Hart M' Kelsey
M' Manning Mr Scudder
M' Combes
Cornelius Clawson, James Cumpton, Benjamin Worth, & Jonathan Clawson, again appearing before the Board & choosing to take a trial by their Country, were ordered into confinement for that purpose and Mittimus were made out against them, directed to the Sheriff of Morris County,
M' Henry Waddel appeared before the Board, pursuant to citation, and having taken the Oaths of Abjuration & Alle- giance as directed by Law were thereupon discharged.
M' Joseph Leonard, appeared in like manner, and upon tak- ing & subscribing the s" Oaths was also discharged.
Adjd to 3 O'clock P.M. Met
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Met pursuant to adjt.
Present as before,
Mess James Grover & Thos Thomson, appearing before the Board pursuant to citation, took & subscribed the Oaths to the State as prescribed by Law, & were discharged.
Mittimus was ordered to issue against James Hetfield, di- rected to the Sheriff of Morris County.
Benjamin Townshend & Levi Townshend were ordered un- der Guard to Philadelphia, there to be delivered to the Man of War.
James Musher & John Martin Sreider were brought before the Board, who took & subscribed the Oaths to the State & were thereupon discharged.
Haddonfield, Sept 5. 1777
His Excellency called a Council of Safety.
Present. His Excellency the Governor M' Condict Mr Manning
1 M' Dick. M' Mehelm
Mr Camp.
Ezekiel Beech formerly an inhabitant of Morris County, who joined the Enemy on Staten Island, last January, & was taken prisoner, there by Gen1 Sullivan, and delivered to this Board ; was examined, and confessed himself a subject of the King of Great Britain, & acknowledged that he had gone to the Enemy last January.
Ordered That the said Ezekiel Beech, be committed to the Common Gaol of the County of Morris for High Treason on his own Confession.
Ordered That the Wives of William Lucy and Chevalier Joint and also Betsy Longworth, Charity Longworth, Eliz- abeth Van Gieson, Elea White, Mary Billington,
HERE VOLUME 2ª ABRUPTLY ENDS.
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Volume III.
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12 Decr.
MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OF SAFETY.
Silas Condict
John Mehelm
Wm Paterson
Caleb Camp,
Nath' Scudder, Jacob Drake,
Thos Elmer Jon" Bowen,
John Hart
John Combs,
Benji" Manning John Buck,
Peter Tallman, Wn P. Smith
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