USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 54
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A letter from John Meares, Esquire, Sub-Lieutenant of the county of Berks, of the fifteenth of this instant, was read, inclosing his com- mission, and praying leave to resign the same. On consideration, Resolved, That the same be accepted.
A petition from divers merchants and captains of vessels of the city and port of Philadel'a, stating the cruel and severe treatment divers seafaring men of this State receive from the enemy at New York, and praying some relief from this Board, was read, and re- ferred for further consideration.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, January 19th, 1781. PRESENT :
Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read, Mr. Van Campen,
Mr. Piper, Mr. Cunningham.
1 In Council.
Saturday, January 20th, 1781.
PRESENT :
Honourable the Vice President. Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper, and Mr. Van Campen.
Mr. Cunningham
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In Council.
PHILAD'A, January 22d, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Van Campen, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper.
Mr. Cunningham,
On consideration,
Ordered, That Jonathan D. Sergeant, Esquire, be employed to assist the Attorney General of the State in the prosecution of James Mease and William West, Junior, agreeable to the recommenda- tion of Congress, and that he be allowed and paid the sum of ten pounds, State money, for the said service.
And an order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jonathan D. Sergeant, for the sum of ten pounds, State money, as a fee for the said service.
The Treasurer of Philadelphia county having laid before the Board a certificate, signed by Justice Moore and two freeholders, by which he is directed to pay Lieutenant Colonel Bush a pension of forty-two dollars and a half, specie, during his natural life ; such pension being supposed to be founded on an act of Assembly, passed the eighteenth of September, 1777, entitled " An Act making pro- vision for the relief of officers, mariners and seamen, who, in the course of the present war being in the service of the United States of America, have been or shall be maimed, or disabled from getting their livelihood, and shall be resident in or belong to the State of Pennsylvania."
And the said Treasurer requesting the advice of the Board therein, and the said act being examined,
Resolved, That the said certificate does not pursue the said act :
First. In that General Potter does not certify the disability of the said officer, farther than that he is incapable of serving in the army, whereas he ought to certify his disability of getting his live- lihood.
Secondly. That the late order of said Justice and freeholders show'd dircet payment from month to month, during his disability of body and residence in the county, or untill other order shall be made by the Assembly with respect to such pensioner.
And whereas, The pay and subsist'enceof the army have been materially changed since the passing of the said law, which makes it absolutely necessary to adopt some mode of payment of said pensions which may be general; therefore,
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Resolved, That such pensions be estimated and paid by the Trea- surer on the following principles, agreeable to the law and the present establishment of the army :
The half pay and depreciation thereon to be calculated agreeable to the fixed exchange. One ration valued at fifteen pence specie, and subsistence agreeable to the rank of the pensioner, agreeable to the resolves of Congress of the eighteenth of March, one thou- sand seven hundred and seventy-nine : Such subsistence money to be settled pursuant to the above exchange.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, January 23d, 1781, Tuesday. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President, Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper, and Mr. Cunningham.
Mr. Van Campen,
WHEREAS, A considerable number of officers belonging to the Pennsylvania line are now in the city, and unprovided with decent quarters :
Resolved, That the Deputy Quarter Master General of this city do give billets to all such officers as shall be returned to him by the commanding officers of regiments for that purpose, having due respect to the privileges of delegates in Congress, foreign minis- ters, and the conveniency of houses and private families.
A letter from Colonel Proctor of the artillery, dated this day, was read, representing that some of the men of his regiment were inlisted for the war, &c. On consideration,
The Council are of opinion, that as the men have been discharged, in consequence of the inlistments not being produced in due time, the engagements entered into with the line of Pennsylvania, ren- ders it improper to arrest them on the ground of a claim to their services ; and the Council will consider how far it may be proper to prosecute any of them on a charge of perjury.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Lewis Nichola, for the sum of two thousand pounds, State money, for the purpose of recruiting the Pennsylvania line, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. William Turnbull, for the sum of two thousand pounds, State money, for purchasing cloathing for the troops of the Pennsylvania line, for which he is to account.
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Ordered, That Colonel Morgan be informed that the officers of the Pennsylvania line, appointed to recruit the same, are to be sta- tioned as follows, vizt :
The regiment of artillery at Newtown.
The first regiment of infantry at Yorktown.
Second do.
at Yellow Springs.
Third do. at Easton.
Fourth
do
at Carlisle.
Fifth
do.
at Reading.
Sixth do.
at Lebanon.
That he be directed to give orders to the respective Commissioners for purchasing provisions, to supply the issuing Commissaries at the said posts with flour and meat sufficient to supply the said offi- cers and the men they may inlist with rations, taking the issuing Commissarie's receipt for the same ; and that Colonel Morgan do appoint an issuing Commissary at Newtown, in the county of Bucks.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, January 24th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Cunningham, and
Mr. Read, Mr. Piper. Mr. Van Campen,
A petition from divers persons, formerly officers in the Pennsyl- vania line, and claiming rights thercin, was read; and
Ordered, To lie on the table.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jonathan B. Smith, Joseph Dean and Jacob Morris, Esquires, the sum of three thousand pounds, new Continental or State money, for the purpose of paying in part the appreciation allowed by Assembly to the officers of the Pennsylvania line.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. William Wistar, for the sum of seven pounds ten shillings, State money, amount of his account for 500 best quills, one pound of dutch wax and two papers of ink powder, bought for the use of the Council.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, January 25th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Cunningham, and
Mr. Piper.
Mr. Van Campen,
A letter from Joseph Deane, Esquire, dated the twenty-fourth instant, requesting a quantity of cloathing may be forwarded for the Pennsylvania line, was read ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That Mr. William Turnbull be directed to send for- ward the cloathing now ready, and that the Deputy Quarter Master General be desired to supply Mr. Turnbull with a waggon for that purpose.
A petition of divers officers of the militia of the county of North- ampton, was read, inclosing a copy of a letter from Henry Alshouse, Junior, Captain in the said battalion, containing a complaint against Colonel Samuel Rea, Lieutenant of the said county, for having acted contrary to the militia law of this State. On considera- tion,
Resolved, That copies thereof be forwarded to Colonel Rea.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, January 26th, 1781. PRESENT :
Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read, Mr. Van Campen.
Mr. Piper, and
Mr. Cunningham,
A petition of Catharine Stewart was read, setting forth that she hath been convicted of larceny at the last city court, and sentenced by the said court to pay a fine to the use of the State, and to be publickly whipt, and praying remission of the same; where- upon,
Resolved; That the fine adjudged to be paid to the use of the State, and the said whipping, be remitted.
Charles Eller, of Germantown, labourer, being examined on oath, having declared that Catharine, the wife of John Sneider, some
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time last winter, shewed him bonds and other effects, to wit: & bed and a clock, belonging as she said to Henry Younken : A warrant was issued to the Sheriff of the city and county of Phila- delphia to make search in the day time for the said effects, and to make return thereof to this Council forthwith.
A letter to the Secretary from Frederick Phyle, Esquire, Naval Officer, offering John Bayard and Isaac Howell, Esquires, as his sureties, according to act of Assembly, entitled " An Act for an impost on goods, wares, and merchandize, imported into this State," was read, and the said sureties approved of.
A petition from the following named persons, vizt :
Yost Staut,
William Lurch,
Nicholas Allen,
Henry Philip,
Adam Platt,
Baster Trigeman,
Nicholas Haas,
Matthas Clay,
George Ludwick,
John Nicholas Philips,
John Althouse,
Conrad Luss,
Atelthar Fegal,
Michael Tomker,
Frederick John,
Yost Slough,
Philip Strauss,
Frederick Katt,
Michael Keelar,
Jacob Strauss,
Henry Bucker,
Daniel Stebey,
William Wiltonick,
Anthony Kirshmet,
George Belman,
William Lemeister,
Ulrick Banckintoss,
Conrad Christ,
Ludwick Tobias,
Matthias Weaver,
Matthias Rhodt,
George Rhodt,
Henry Keeser,
George Wicke,
Inhabitants of Bern township, in the county of Berks, was read, setting forth that they have been indicted and fined in the sum of three hundred pounds each, at the last Court of Oyer and Termi- ner, held at Reading for the said county, for confederating against the payment of certain fines for not qualifying to their returns of taxable property, and praying remission of the said fines.
A petition from Conrad Schneider and Jacob Trust, of the said township, convicted and fined as aforesaid, and praying remission of their fines, being also read ; thereupon,
Resolved, 'That the fines adjudged to be paid to the use of the State by the said persons, be remitted.
WHEREAS, 'The militia laws of this State requires that the Sub- Lieutenants of the city and counties respectively, shall once in every three months render an account to their proper Lieutenant of all monies receiv'd by them, and of their expenditures, by vir- tue of said act, and settle and pay the ballance of the same to him ; and that the Lieutenant of the said city and each county re- spectively, shall make out complete accounts of all the monies re- ceiv'd by him, and of his expenditures, and return the same to the
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Supreme Executive Council once in six months ; and on failure of so accounting, each Lieutenant and Sub-Lieutenant, shall forfeit and pay for every such neglect, ten thousand pounds, then current money :
Resolved, That the several Lieutenants and Sub-Lieutenants, be required to render their accounts, agreeable to said act, without de- lay, or in failure thereof the Attorney General be directed to put the said act in execution against all such as shall be found delin- quent, within a reasonable time after this date.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, January 27th, 1781, Saturday. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Van Campen, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper.
Mr. Cunningham,
The Secretary laid before the Council a letter from Robert Pat- ton, of the eleventh Pennsylvania regiment, who, as he says, has been a prisoner on Long Island, and liberated the third instant, claiming his rank, agreeable to resolve of Congress.
A certificate from the War office, that Colonel Moylan, Captain John Craig, Lieutenant John Sullivan, Thomas McCalla, surgeon, and William Thompson, Riding Master, were officers in the Penn- sylvania line, being laid before the Council, with a request that the same may be certified by the Secretary.
Ordered, That the Secretary do certify the same.
In Council.
PHILADELP'A, January 29th, 1781, Monday.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read, Mr. Piper,
Mr. Cunningham, and
Mr. Van Campen.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jonathan B. Smith and Jacob Morris, Esq'rs, Auditors of Accounts, or their VOL. XII .- 39.
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order, the sum of one thousand pounds, new Continental or State money, for the purpose of paying in part the depreciation allowed by Assembly to the officers of the Pennsylvania line.
On consideration,
Ordered, That John Cannon and Gideon Richey, both of the county of Bedford, be appointed Agents for Confiscated Estates in the said county of Bedford.
Petition of William Young, Junior, and certificate of his appoint- ment by the Minister of France, to collect plants, &c., were read ; and
Ordered, To lie on the table.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, January 30th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Van Campen.
Ordered, That the State Treasurer be directed to draw for the sum of five hundred pounds in favour of each of the following named persons, for the purpose of inlisting men into the Pennsylva- nia line of the army, vizt :
On the Treasurer of the county of Bucks in favour of John Hart, Esquire.
County of Chester, in favour of James Moore, Esquire.
Berks, in favour of Henry Christ, Esquire.
Northampton, in favour of John Arndt, Esquire.
Lancaster, in favour of Wm. Henry and John Thome, Esq'rs. York, in favour of Archibald McClean, Esq'r.
Cumberland, in favour of John Agnew, Esquire.
For which said sums they respectively are to be accountable.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, Jan'y 31st, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Piper, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Cunningham, and
General Potter.
Mr. Van Campen,
Representations being made that the remains of several of the State vessels which have been burned, now lie on the Jersey Shore, and there injure the fisheries, and that divers persons are willing to attempt to remove the same, provided they possess, unmolested by the State, such parts of the wrecks which they may raise.
Resolved, That the State will not lay claim to any thing which may be recovered from the said wrecks, provided nothing be done which may in anywise be injurious to the channel of the river.
A petition from Alexander Miller and Ann his wife, setting forth, that they have been convicted of keeping a tipling house, at the last city court, and sentenced by the said court, each of them to pay a fine to the use of the State of the sum of two hundred pounds, and to pay the costs of prosecution, was read, praying re- mission of the said fines, and they being recommended by divers persons in this city to this Board ; on consideration,
Resolved, That the fines adjudged to be paid by the said Alex- ander Miller and Ann his wife, be remitted.
On application,
Resolved, That James Reid, lately convicted of felony in passing counterfeit money, and now confined in the old goal, be discharged from his confinement upon paying his fees, anything contained in the pardon lately granted him by this Board to the contrary in any- wise notwithstanding.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, Feb'y 1st, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Van Campen, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper.
Mr. Cunningham,
WHEREAS, By an act of General Assembly, passed the twenty- third day of December last, the Supreme Executive Council are
€
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impowered and required, from and after the first day of this present month, to publish in the several English and German newspapers printed in the city of Philadelphia, in the first week in every month, the rate of exchange between specie and Continentall money, which exchange so published in each month, the said act declares, shall be the exchange between Continental money and the State money, thereby made legal tender.
Resolved, That the rate of exchange is seventy-five Continental dollars for one dollar in specie.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. Thomas Nevill, for the sum of fifty pounds, State money, for the purpose of repairing the barracks of this city, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of John Hazle- wood, Esquire, Commissioner of Purchases in the city of Phila- delphia, for the sum of two thousand pounds, State money, for the purpose of procuring supplies for the Continental army, for which he is to account ; the same to be charged to Colonel Jacob Morgan, Junior, Superintendent of the Commissioners in the several coun- ties, and to be deducted out of the first order to be drawn in his favour.
A letter from John Peters, Junior, of the thirtieth ult., was read, inclosing a commission appointing him Captain of the eight company in the third battalion of the militia of the city of Phila- delphia, and praying that this Board wou'd be pleased to accept his resignation thereof : On consideration,
Resolved, 'That the said resignation be accepted.
. A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi- dent, to William Coates, Esquire, of the Northern Liberties, con- veying a lott of ground, situate on Poplar lane, containing four acres and forty-eight perches, between Third and Fourth streets in the said Northern Liberties, and according to a late survey thereof bounded and being as followeth, that is to say : beginning at a post by the side of Poplar lane aforesaid ; thence extending by land of John Peters and others north thirty-four degrees and a half east twenty-eight perches and three-tenths of a perch ; thence by the same ground north twenty-six degrees east ten perches to a corner ; thence still by the same land south seventy-seven degrees and a half east eight perches and six-tenths of a perch to a post ; thence by the side of Third street ; thence by the side of Third street . north twelve degrees and a half east fifty-two feet to a post; thence to land of William Smith north seventy-seven degrees and a half west eleven perches and three-tenths of a perch to a corner ; thence by land late of Samuel Burge, deceased, the four following courses and distances, to wit: south seventy-one degrees west twenty- eight perches and five-tenths of a perch to a corner; thence north seventy degrees west six perches to a corner; thence south fifteen degrees and a half west four perches and a half to a corner; thence south thirty-eight degrees west twenty perches to a post by the side
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
of Poplar lane aforesaid ; thence along the said lane south fifty-six degrees and a half east twenty-one perches and one-tenth of a perch to the place of beginning; containing four acres and forty-eight perches of land, be the same more or less : Seized and sold agreea- ble to law as the estate late of Samuel Shoemaker (an attainted Traytor), for the sum of four thousand and nine hundred pounds, lawfull money of Pensylvania, to the said William Coates, Esquire, subject to a yearly ground rent of two bushells and nine-twentieth parts of a bushell of good merchantable wheat, payable to the trus- tees of the University of this State, for which purpose one-fourth part of the said purchase money is to remain in the said purchaser's hands, the other three-fourths being paid to the Agents for Confis- cated Estates in the said county of Philadelphia. Deed dated the thirty-first day of January, 1781.
WHEREAS, The publick necessities require that a number of the militia be called into service ; therefore,
Ordered, That the Lieutenant of the city of Philadelphia do immediately call into service one class of the city militia, and that he, as soon as may be, make return to Council of the number of men who enter upon duty in consequence hereof : On considera- tion,
Ordered, That the depreciation accounts of officers and soldiers be settled at the respective places of regimental rendezvous, and that the Auditors be informed thereof immediately.
· An application was made by Ann McCaleb, wife of Robert McCaleb, who was killed in an attempt on a block house, in New Jersey, requesting that she may have the pay and cloathing belong- ing to her late husband; and it appearing by certificates and re- commendations that she is the wife of the said McCaleb, and of good reputation ;
Ordered, That it be recommended to the Auditors for settling the depreciation, to advance to the said Ann McCaleb, one month's pay due to her husband; and on the settlement of her husband's accounts, to deliver to her the certificates due to her said husband ; that the State Clothier do deliver to her stuff for a gown and petti- coat, linnen for a shift, a pair of shoes, and a pair of stockings, in lieu of the clothing due to her late husband.
Major General Sinclair attended and informed the Council that an officer from each regiment had waited on him, and informed him, in substance, that they were under great necessity for money; that they had made contracts in the city which they were bound in honour to fulfill before they left town; that if money was not paid them they were determined to resign ; and that upon being informed through him that a further sum of money would not be granted, they wou'd immediately set about drawing up their resig- nations accordingly : That this communication was by order of the officers of the Pensylvania line generally ; and thereupon, a re- quest was made to Congress for a conference with them by a com-
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Mr. Walcott, Doctor Witherspoon, and Mr. M'Kean, a commit- tee of Congress, attended, and a free conference thereupon was had.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi- dent, to Isaac Sidman, conveying a certain messuage or tenement and tract of land situate in Bristol township, in the county of Bucks, bounded as follows : Beginning at a buttonwood tree stand- ing on the northeast side of Neshaming creek; thence by Mitch- ell's land north seventy degrees and a half east one hundred and sixty seven perches to a stake; thence by land of Matthew Rue, deceased, south twenty-five degrees east seventy-two perches to a stake ; thence by land of William Coxe, Esquire, south sixty four degrees and an half west two hundred and twenty-seven perches to a stake standing by the side of the said creek ; thence up the said creek and bounding thereon, north seventeen degrees west fifty- eight perches to a white oak stump; thence north thirty-five de- grees east fifty-nine perches to the place of beginning ; containing one hundred acres : Seized and sold agreeable to law, as the estate late of Andrew Allen, to the said Sidman, for the sum of eleven thousand five hundred pounds, Continental money, which sum he hath paid into the hands of George Wall, Esquire, Agent for Con- fiscated Estates, in the said county. Deed dated the first day of February instant.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, Feb'y 2d, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Hon'ble the Vice President.
General Lacey, Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Van Campen, and
Mr. Read,
Mr. Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jonathan B. Smith and Jacob Morris, for the sum of five hundred pounds, State money, or new Continental money, for the purpose of paying in part the depreciation allowed by act of Assembly to the officers of the Pensylvania line, for which they are to account.
Ordered, That Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to deliver to William Will, Esq'r, Sheriff of the city and county of Philadelphia, or his order, one hundred and fifty muskett cartridges for the publick service.
Jonathan B. Smith, Esquire, and Mr. Jacob Morris, lately ap- pointed Auditors for settling the depreciation allowed by act of As- sembly to the officers and soldiers of the Pensylvania line, attended and informed the Council that their private affairs will not admit
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
of their proceeding to the several places of rendezvous to settle the said depreciation, and praying leave from this Board to resign their said appointment; whereupon,
Resolved, That the said resignation be accepted.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, February 3d, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Honourable the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Van Campen,
Mr. Piper.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Morgan, Junior, Superintendent of the Commissioners of Purchases in the several counties, or his order, the sum of ten thousand pounds, State money, to be by him forwarded to the several Com- missioners, for the purpose of procuring supplies for the Continen- tal army ; and for which sum he is to be accountable.
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