USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 53
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Given by order of the Council, under the hand of his Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President, and the seal of the State, at Philadelphia, this second day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one.
JOSEPH REED, President.
Attest'd-TIMOTHY MATLACK, Sect' y.
A petition from Mary Bryan, praying a pass to the city of New York, was read, and the same was dismissed.
A petition from Catherine Holmes, for a pass to the city of New York, was read; and
Ordered, That a pass be granted, on condition that she do not return again.
591
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, Jan'ry 3d, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Read, and
Mr. Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Hon'ble Henry Wynkoop, Esquire, for the sum of fifty pounds, State money, in part of his pay as a member of Congress for this State, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Major Gene- ral St. Clair, for the sum of two hundred pounds, State money, for which he is to account to the Auditors for settling the accounts of the officers and privates of the Pennsylvania line.
A letter from his Excellency General Washington, of the twenty- eighth of December last, was received and read, informing this Board that he hath ordered a detatchment from the army to march to relieve the garrison of Wyoming, belonging neither to the troops of Pennsylvania or Connecticut ; whereupon,
Resolved, That Colonel Samuel Hunter, Lieutenant of the county of Northumberland, be directed to send forward to the gar- rison of Wyoming the provisions lately stopped by him.
e
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, Jan'y 4th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
. Mr. Lacey, Mr. Read,
Mr. Potter, and Mr. Piper.
James Mease, Hugh Shiell, and Samuel Caldwell, of the city of Philadelphia, having purchased, at a late sale of confiscated estates, one-third part of the Island commonly called Hogg Island, late the estate of Joseph Galloway, an attainted traitor,
Resolved, That the Sheriff of the county of Chester do give pos- session to the same James Mease, Hugh Shiell, and Samuel Cald- well, of the part of Hogg Island purchased by them as aforesaid, in due form of law, they paying the incident expences.
Resolved, That Abraham Kintzing be directed to keep posses- sion of Hogg Island in behalf of this State, and that in case of ne-
592
MINUTES OF THE
cessity, the Sheriffs of the counties of Chester and Philadelphia do aid or assist him in holding the possession against all intruders : That the Attorney General of the State be directed to support the claim of the State against sundry persons who have lately attempted to take possession under some pretended rights, and take proper steps to cause the persons who are witnesses to the late forcible en- try, to attend at the next Chester court, in order to lay the complaint therein before the Grand Jury.
A petition from Henry Hancock, now confined in the old goal, was read, praying remission of his fine, and to be discharged from confinement. On consideration,
Ordered, That the said Henry Hancock's fine be remitted, and that he be discharged from confinement, on condition that he leave this State immediately, and not return again on pain of being re- committed.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Frederick Sneider, for the sum of eleven pounds ten shillings, State money, ballance of his account for his wages to the thirty-first of December last, and cash paid for sundry articles purchased for the use of the Council.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, January 5th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Potter, and
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper.
James Cunningham, Esquire, Councillor elect for the county of Lancaster, attended in Council, and took the oaths required by the Constitution ; and thereupon took his seat accordingly.
The Council resumed the consideration of two petitions from di- vers of the freemen of the counties of Philadelphia and Chester, representing, that many advantages will be derived from a road being opened from Darby road to the Lancaster road, to cross the Mill Creek at the Rocks, and praying that a jury may be appointed to lay out a road accordingly : And the Council being of opinion that a road there laid out would be a publick benefit,
Ordered, That Jonathan Paschall, Stephen Paschall, David Gibson, John Sellers, Philip Price, Isaac Pearson, and Joshua Humphreys, or any four of them, do view and lay out a road ac- cordingly, and make return thereof in writing to the Secretary's office, within two months from this date.
593
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Joseph Dean, Jonathan B. Smith, and Jacob Morris, appointed Auditors to settle and adjust the depreciation, &ca., appeared in Council, and respectively took the oath required by the law entitled An Act to settle and adjust the accounts of the troops of this State in the service of the United States, and for other purposes therein mentioned.
A lettter from Brigadier General Wayne, dated Mount Kemble, January the second, 1781, was read, together with several other letters, giving a state of the facts relative to the present situation of a number of the men belonging to the Pennsylvania line who have mutinied : And the same being considered, and it appearing to' be of great importance to put a stop as soon as possible to so dangerous a measure, the Council are unanimously of opinion that it is expedient for the President and General Potter imme- diately to set out for New Jersey, and to use their endeavours to quiet the minds of the said people, and if nothing less will satisfy them, to discharge the whole of them.
A resolve of Congress of this day's date was now read, appointed a committee of Congress to act in concert with Council, " and fully "impowering them to take such measures as may appear necessary " to quiet the disturbances in the Pennsylvania line." And Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Witherspoon, Mr. Mathews, Mr. Atlee, and Mr, Bland, attended in Council, in conference : Whereupon it was agreed, that his Excellency the President and General Potter, do proceed on immediately, and that the committee of Congress do fol- low on to-morrow morning.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Brigadier General Potter, or his order, for the sum of one hundred pounds, State money, to bear his expences into New Jersey on publick business.
On application from Frederick Sneider, Door-keeper to this Board, for an increase of his wages,
Resolved, That Frederick Sneider be allowed ten shillings specie per diem, for his services as Door-keeper, from the first instant.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, Jan'y 6th, 1781.
PRESENT :
Hon'ble Vice President.
General Lacey, Doctor Gardner, Colonel Piper.
Mr. Read, and
Mr. Cunningham,
The present low state of the Treasury, and the critical situation of public affairs, rendering it indispensibly necessary to borrow a TTAT
594
MINUTES OF THE
1
sum of money from individuals, to be ready in case of an important emergency, and divers good citizens expressing a willingness to lend their money to the State,
Ordered, That David Rittenhouse, Esquire, State Treasurer, do give his note for such sums of money as shall be subscribed and paid to him, the same to be repaid, with interest, as soon as circum- stances will admit.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, January 8th, 1781. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
1
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Cunningham, and
Mr. Reed, Colonel Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Morgan, Jun'r, Superintendent of the Commissioners of Purchases in the several counties, for the sum of ten thousand pounds, State money, to be by him forwarded to the said commissioners, and for which he is to account.
On consideration,
Resolved, That Colonel Valentine Eckhart, of the county of Berks, be appointed Lieutenant of the said county, in the room of Colonel Jacob Morgan, resigned ; and that John Mears, Esquire, be appointed sub-Lieutenant of the said county, in the room of the said Colonel Valentine Eckhart.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Nathan Jones, for the sum of three pounds, State money, amount of his account for eight copies of a long letter to the commissioners of the several counties.
A return of justices for the district containing the townships of Manallin and Tyrone, in the county of York, was read, by which it appears that Robert Chambers and William Gilleland were duly elected Justices of the Peace for the said district; whereupon,
Resolved, That Robert Chambers, Esquire, be appointed a Jus- tice of the Peace for the county of York, and that he be commis- sioned accordingly.
On application, a pass was granted to Mrs. Stansbury, (wife of Joseph Stansbury,) for herself, six children, and a servant maid, with her cloathing, bedding, &ca.
A representation being made that Clement Stocker, now of New York, son of Anthony Stocker, had in his possession books and papers relative to the estate of his Excellency Thomas Wharton, jun'r, Esquire, late President of the State, and that he was desir-
595
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
ous of coming to this city to settle the accounts of the partnership which subsisted between the said Anthony Stocker and the late Pre- sident, while he was concerned in trade.
Ordered, That a pass be granted to the said Clement Stocker to come to this city, with his books of accounts.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, January 11th, 1781. PRESENT :
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Cuningham, and
Mr. Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Thomas Paine, Esquire, late Clerk of the General Assembly, for the sum of forty-four pounds three shillings and two pence, State money, on account of his services as Clerk of the General Assembly .- See acct. in the hands of the Treasurer.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Lud- wick Weltner, for the sum of eleven pounds seventeen shillings, State money, for five hundred and ninety-two pounds of salted beef delivered to Frederick Antis, Commissioner of Purchases in the county of Northumberland, for the use of the Continental army.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Hon'ble John Lacey, jun'r, Esquire, for the sum of thirty pounds, State money, in part of his pay as a member of this Board, for which he is to account.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, Jan'y 10th, 1781. PRESENT.
Hon'ble the Vice President. Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Cunningham, and Mr. Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. William Turnbull, for the sum of four thousand pounds, State money, for pur- chasing cloathing for the troops of the Pennsylvania line, for which he is to account.
596
MINUTES OF THE
A letter from David Deshler, dated Allentown, January the eighth, 1781, directed to Colonel Morgan, was read ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That. Colonel Morgan be directed to order Mr. David Deshler not to send forward to Wyoming any liquor, flour, or other provisions, in consequence of orders from Colonel Butler, or any other military orders ; but that he obey only such orders as he may receive from Council, thro' Colonel Morgan.
It being represented that Sergeant James Anderson is now on command to collect deserters, and that he is in want of some cloathing,
Ordered, That Colonel Lewis Farmer be directed to deliver to the said Sergeant Anderson one coat and a pair of shoes.
A letter from his Excellency the President, dated Maidenhead, January the eighth, was read ; and the same containing a request to have the specie which was returned into the Treasury by Gen- eral Potter sent up to his Excellency, at Trenton,
Ordered, That the same be sent up to Trenton to the President.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer, to pay the same into the hands of the Secretary, to be sent by Benjamin Davis, jun'r, one of the light horse.
The Secretary returned from the Treasurer, and brought with him two bags, sealed, containing the money left at the Treasury by Gen'l Potter ; and the same being opened, there appears to be
Eighty and one half English guineas, a 35s, -
£140 17 6
Three French guineas,
a 34s,
-
5
2
Five and a quarter Moidors,
45s,
11 16 3
Five Spanish pistoles,
28s, -
7
Four Ducats,
14s 6,
2 18
One half Caroline, -
18
Ninety-nine and five-eighths half Johannes's
298 17 6
Forty-three dollars and one-eighth of a dollar,
16
7 6
Three and a half English shillings,
53
£484 2
And the same was delivered, in the presence of the Council, to Benj'n Davis, jun'r, one of the corps of light horse, to be by him delivered to his Excellency the President, at Trenton, to which place he is to set out immediately.
597
SUPREME EXECUTIVE.COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, Jan'y 11th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Cunningham, and Mr. Piper.
A petition from Conrad Heiler, setting forth that he hath been convicted of larceny at the Court of Quarter Sessions held the twen- tieth day of, September last, in the county of Northampton, and sentenced by the said court to be publickly whipp'd, and pay a fine to the use of the State, was read, pray remission of the said fine ; whereupon,
Resolved, That the fine adjudged by the said court to be paid to the use of the State by the said Conrad Heiler be remitted, on con- dition that he enlist to serve as a soldier in the Pennsylvania line during the war, without any bounty.
A letter from his Excellency the President of Congress of the ninth instant, inclosing copies of two acts of Congress of the fifth and eighth instant, was received and read ; the former setting forth that from the inwarrantable and cruel treatment which our people who are prisoners with the enemy have of late received, it is the opinion of Congress an exercise of the law of retaliation has be- come necessary, and especially recommending to the Executive of the States respectively, to take effectual measures for carrying into execution the acts of Congress taken by the citizens, troops and ships of particular States.
And the latter (of the eighth instant) recommending to the States; from New Hampshire to North Carolina, inclusive, to procure and forward to the Treasurer of the United States or to their Commis- sary of prisoners appointed to reside at New York, by the first day of March next, for the use of the officers in capacity at that place and on Long Island, and to be charged to the United States, the following sums respectively, in specie or in bills of exchange on New York, to wit :
Dollars.
Dollars.
New Hampshire,
2,319
Pennsylvania,
13,334
Massachusetts,
13,334
Delaware,
987
Rhode Island,
1,160
Maryland,
9,159
Connecticut,
9,855
Virginia,
14,492
New York,
4,347
North Carolina,
5,796
New Jersey,
5,217
598
MINUTES OF THE
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, Jan'y 12th, 1781.
PRESENT :
Hon'ble the President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper. and Mr. Cunningham.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Thomas Fol- well, for the sum of fourteen pounds twelve shillings and six pence, State money, ballance of money due to him for five head of beef cattle, delivered to Thomas Craig, Commissioner for purchas- ing cattle in the county of Bucks, for the use of the Continental army, agreeable to an act of Assembly passed the first of June last.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, Jan'y 13th, 1781. PRESENT :
Hon'ble WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read, Mr. Piper,
Mr. Cunningham, and Mr. Van Campen.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, Jan'y 15th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President. Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Piper, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Cunningham, and Mr. Van Campen.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Major Wil- liam Armstrong, for the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds, Continental State money, for the purpose of paying the workmen employed at Mud Island, and purchasing the necessary provisions. An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Alexander Coils, Jonathan Hutton, Thomas Stuart and Charles Drum, for the
1
599
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
sum of two pounds ten shillings, State money, (each amounting to ten pounds) being one month's pay, for which they are to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Daniel Rees, for the sum of fifteen pounds, State money, to be by him paid to Thomas Bowyer, of Northumberland county, for taking and secur- ing an Indian, agreeable to the proclamation of this Board of the second of April last.
A letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the twelfth instant, was received and read, inclosing a resolution of Congress of the ninth instant, recommending to the Supreme Ex- ecutive authority of this State, a prosecution of James Mease, late Clothier General, and William West, jun'r, his deputy, in the name of the United States, in the ordinary course of law, for the abuse of office and breach of trust complained of.
Resolved, That the same be sent to the Attorney General of this State.
Colonel Nichola having been called to a settlement of the monies furnished last summer for recruiting the Continental army, and having rendered among other things, the following account, vizt :
1779.
Dollars.
August 16th, by Lieutenant Bigham,
14,068
£5,268
Sept'r 9th, by Captain M'Ilhatton,
12,000
4,500
Nov'r 29th, by Lieutenant Wigton,
10,000
3,750
Dollars,
36,068
£13,518
Resolved, That the Auditors of the accounts be directed to apply to General Wayne, or other officer commanding the Pennsylvania line at the above periods, for an account of the above money, and settle the said account, returning the vouchers to this Board.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, Jan'y 16th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Van Campen,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Cunningham, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. William M'Cullough, for the sum of twenty-one pounds five shillings, State money, amount of his account for an anchor furnished to the State Navy Board, in the year 1777, for the State fleet.
600
MINUTES OF THE
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Captain Na- than Boys, for the sum of seventy pounds sixteen shillings and four pence, State money, amount of money due to the officers and men of the Gallies, in lieu of their rations and refreshments from the sixteenth of December last, to the thirteenth instant.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Hon'ble John Lacey, Jun'r, Esquire, for the sum of thirty pounds, State money, amount of his account for his services as Brigadier General on the late call of militia, vizt :- His Continental pay and the allowance from this State, from the tenth of August to the tenth of Septem- ber last.
A letter from Lewis Gronow, Esquire, Sub-Lieutenant of the . county of Chester, dated January the fifteenth instant, was read, representing the application of the seven month's men for their pay. On consideration,
Ordered, That the Paymasters of the militia in the city of Phil- adelphia and counties respectively, do pay off the seven month's men at the rate of fifty shillings per month, old Continental money; that for this purpose the respective Lieutenants of the city and counties of the State, do advance to the said Paymasters, such sums of money as may be necessary for this purpose, and that the said Paymasters do, as soon as possible, make up their accounts of the said payment.
The President reports that he had on Sunday last sent up to Trenton, to Joseph Dean and Jonathan Bayard Smyth, Esquires, two of the Auditors appointed to settle the depreciation of the pay of the army, the sum of three thousand pounds, State money, and the sum of seven thousand five hundred dollars of the new Con- tinental State money, to be by them paid to the soldiers now to be discharged, to each one month's pay : That for the first said sum a receipt has been given to the Treasurer by the Secretary, and for the latter sum a receipt has been given to the Treasurer by the Vice President; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the Treasurer be directed to charge the said sum of three thousand pounds, State money; and the said sum of seven thousand and five hundred dollars of the Continental State money, to the Auditors appointed to settle the depreciation of the pay of the Pennsylvania line.
Ordered, That the Agents for Confiscated Estates do make returns to Council, of all confiscated estates that remain unsold, with a description of the same; containing the quantity of land, the im- provements, situation and valuations of each: The return to be made on the fifteenth of February next, or sooner, if possible.
His Excellency laid before the Board a receipt signed by Joseph Borden, of Bordentown, acknowledging to have receiv'd of Jona- than B. Smith, Esquire, fifty half johannesses, fifty guineas, and twenty-one dollars in specie, to be delivered on demand, to the order of the President of Pennsylvania.
601
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
Wednesday, January 17th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Read, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Piper.
Mr. Van Campen, and
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Frederick Sneyder, for the sum of five pounds, State money, for purchasing sundry articles for the use of the Council, for which he is to ac- count.
A petition from the following named persons, vizt :
John Schweitzer,
Nicholas Deck,
Henry Kepplinger,
Peter Ritzman,
Jacob Decker,
Andrew Shott,
Nicholas Kessecker,
Nicholas Cowper,
Adam Albert,
Michael Poffenberger,
Henry Holtzman,
George Wigal,
Charles Bombenger,
Conrad Kessler,
Peter Moon,
Christian Welborne,
Henry Schaffer,
George Mayer,
Philip Cundrum,
Martin Cundrum,
Jacob Singer,
Albright High, Jacob Bortner,
George Read,
Joseph Keesler,
George Wolfe,
Stophel Wolfart,
Michael Wolfart,
Anthony Getzler,
Henry Lebo,
Valentine Moyer,
Jacob Lebo,
Peter Krecker,
John Schaffer,
Jacob Weiser,
Thomas Corr, Jun'r,
Michael Wolborne, George Wentelwolfe, Jacob Read, Michael Read,
Philip Read, Casper Read,
Peter Kreitzer,
Leonard Stupp,
George Cepheart,
Inhabitants of the county of Berks, convicted of a Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery, held the sixth day
Peter Lebo,
John Wolporn,
Jacob Bretz,
George Hawk,
Peter Schwartz,
Valentine Keefer,
602
MINUTES OF THE
of November, 1780, for the said county, of associating themselves together to oppose the collection of the publick taxes, and sentenced by the said court, each of them to pay a fine to the use of the State of the sum of three hundred pounds, was read, praying remission of their fines: A recommendation from divers inhabitants of the said county in favour of the said persons being also read ; there- upon,
Resolved, That one moiety, or half part of the fines of each and every of the said persons, be remitted.
A temporary order having been given on Monday last to the Naval Officer by the President, not to clear out any vessels untill farther orders; His Excellency now, with the approbation of the Council, countermanded the said order.
A circular letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the fifteenth instant, on the subject of supplies for the army of the United States for the year 1781, and the arrearages of pay due to the officers and soldiers of the said army, was receiv'd and read, enclosing an estimate of the sums necessary to be forwarded by the respective States from Pensylvania to New Hampshire, in- clusive, for the immediate pay of the army composed of the lines of those States ; calculated on six months pay in specie value, one half of which to be advanced without the least delay, and the re- mainder by the first of April next.
Total, 879,342 dollars,
Apportioned by Congress as follows :
New Hampshire,
51,726
Massachusetts,
-
-
-
284,493
Rhode Island,
-
25,863
Connecticut,
155,178
New York,
77,589
New Jersey,
4
51,726
Pensylvania,
-
-
232,767
Total, -
879,342 dollars, specie.
A petition from Catherine McCoy, now confined in the old gaol, praying the remission of her fine, and to be released from confine- ment, was read; and, on consideration,
Resolved, That the fine adjudged to be paid to the use of the State be remitted, and that she be released from confinement, on condition that she leave this State immediately, and not return again on pain of being re-committed.
603
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, January 18th, 1781. PRESENT :
Honourable JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Van Campen, and Mr. Piper.
Mr. Cunningham,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Lewis Nichola, for the sum of eighteen pounds fourteen shillings and four pence, State money, amount of money due to Colonel Lewis Nich- ola, Captains Woelpper, Rielly and McIlhatton; and Lieutenants Honeyman, Wood and Pugh, in lieu of their rations and refresh- ments from the seventeenth of December last to the fourteenth in- stant.
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