USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 63
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"Mr. Duncan, the Commissioner of Purchases for Westmoreland, will have orders to make as suitable provisions as the country will admit, and to whom you will direct any orders, on the accommoda- tion of yourselves or attendants. In marking the said line, you
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will clear out at least fifteen feet in width, and on large trees or other suitable objects, you will cause the letters "P." and " V." to be marked on the different sides.
" You will receive herewith an order on the Treasury for four hundred pounds, to bear the contingent charges of the guards, and other necessary expenses, of which you will keep an ac- count, and make a report of your proceedings to Council as soon as may be.
" JOSEPH REED, President."
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, April 24th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Read, and Mr. Hayes.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Morgan, Junior, Superintendant of the Commissioners of Purchases in the several counties, for the sum of twenty thousand pounds, State money, for the purpose of procuring supplies for the use of the army, for which sum he is to be accountable.
On consideration,
Resolved, That David Jackson, practitioner of physick, together with Mr. John Nicholson, be appointed Commissioners to pay the one-third of the depreciation in this city, as directed by the late act of Assembly, and renew the certificates ; that the said commis- sioners do proceed immediately to the payment of the following officers, vizt :
Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Harmer.
Major James Hamilton. Do. Evan Edwards.
Captain Ebenezer Carson.
Do. John Pearson.
Do. Lawrence Keene. Lieutenant Stephen Stephenson.
Do. Henry Peercy. Do. James M. Jones. Do. Mc Pherson.
Major James Moore. Do. Joseph Banks.
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That in making such payment, they strictly conform to the act of Assembly, which authorizes this payment only to such officers and soldiers as are in actual service ; that receipts be taken on the old certificate for the sum paid, and such certificates be carefully returned to the Council. None to be settled with but such as ap- ply personally, and produce the former certificate.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Messrs. David Jackson and John Nicholson, Commissioners for paying one- third of depreciation certificates, for the sum of three thousand pounds, of the money emitted by act of Assembly for striking the sum of five hundred thousand pounds, &ca., passed the seventh in- stant, for the purpose of paying to divers officers in the city of Philadelphia, one-third of their depreciation certificates, for which sum the said commissioners are to account.
The delegates of Pensylvania in Congress, attended, and re- quested a conference with the Council respecting the letter of the eighteenth instant, received from his Excellency General Washing- ton, stating sundry difficulty's with regard to a supply of bread for the army ; and accordingly a conference was had on the subject of the said letter.
In Council.
PHILADELP'A, April 25th, 1781, Wednesday.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President. Mr. Hayes.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner, and
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Jonathan D. Sergeant, Esquire, for the sum of thirty pounds, State money, for his services in assisting the Attorney General on the tryal of James Mease and William West, Junior, the same to be charged to the United States of America.
A letter from his Excellency General Washington to Congress, being receiv'd from his Excellency the President of Congress, from which there is reason to believe that a detachment of the enemy was about to be sent from New York, and may be intended to in- vade this State, or take post on the river Delaware. On considera- tion,
Ordered, That the Lieutenant of the city do immediately call into service one company of Artillery for garrisoning the forts at Billingsport and Mud Island, and that he carry this order into exe- cution with all possible dispatch.
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The Board having taken into consideration a letter from the Honourable Board of Admiralty, inclosing a resolve of Congress of the twenty-fourth instant, and a letter from the Board of War, together with a letter from his Excellency General Washington, containing advices of the most interesting nature, and praying the assistance of this Board to procure a number of seamen and ma- riners to man the frigate Trumbull, for the security of the river Delaware, in the present emergency.
Resolved, That this Board will immediately advance to the Board of Admiralty a competent sum of money, on account of the United States, as a bounty to engage two hundred seamen and mariners, to serve on board said frigate, in the river only, and to be dis- charged at the expiration of three weeks, or sooner, if the present necessity shall cease.
Resolved, That this Board preferring voluntary engagements to coercive methods, do earnestly recommend to all persons well af- fected to the publick interests, to promote and forward the man- ning said vessel without delay, as the only means to avoid the dis- agreeable alternatives of impressing or interrupting the trade of the port.
Resolved, That the Council will give such farther aid to the Board of Admiralty as shall appear necessary to equipp said ves- sel without delay.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Honourable Christopher Hayes, Esquire, for the sum of two hundred pounds, State money, in part of his pay as a member of this Board, for which sum he is to be accountable.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, April 26th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Read, and Mr. Hayes.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Messrs. Jackson and Nicholson, Commissioners for paying one-third of depreciation certificates, for the sum of fifteen hundred pounds, of the money emitted by act of Assembly for striking the sum of five hundred thousand pounds, &ca, for the purpose of paying to divers officers and soldiers in the city one-third of their depreciation certificates, for which sum the said Commissioners are to account.
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Major Hamilton, of the second regiment, having represented that he has accidently lost his certificate of depreciation, and re- quested that it may be renewed, and he entitled to draw his one- third, agreeable to the late act; and it appearing reasonable to repair the said lost certificate, shou'd it be hereafter produced
Resolved, That upon Major Hamilton's lodging an affidavit of said loss with the Auditors, mentioning the number and amount of the certificate, and giving security to indemnify the State against said certificate, the Auditors pay him one-third of said amount and renew his certificate as in other cases.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Honourable Francis Lewis, Esquire, on behalf of the Board of Admiralty of the United States, for the sum of fifteen hundred pounds, State money, the same to be charged to the United States of America.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of James Trimble, for the sum of ten thousand pounds, of the emitted money by act of Assembly for striking the sum of one hundred thousand pounds, &ca., passed the seventh instant, to be by him forwarded to Mr James Stephenson, or Henry Christ, Esquire, at Reading, for the purpose of paying to the officers and soldiers of the Pensylvania line in actual service one-third of their deprecia- tion certificates, for which sum the said James Stephenson is to ac- count.
A petition from Catharine Archibald, was read, together with an account containing sundry charges against the publick, for goal fees, for receiving divers deserters from the army into the goal of the county of Lancaster, from time to time; and the said petition and account being considered ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the Board are of opinion, it is the duty of a goaler to receive deserters without charging the publick with goal fees, and no such account has ever been rendered ; the wood, coffin, and other such articles, shou'd be paid by the Barrack Master or Deputy Quarter Master of the United States.
In Council.
PHILADELP'A, Friday, April 1st, 1783.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President. Mr. Lacey, Mr. Reed, and Mr. Hayes. Mr. Gardner,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Messrs. John Nicholson and David Jackson, Commissioners for paying one-
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third of depreciation, for the sum of two thousand pounds, of the money emitted by an act of Assembly for striking the sum of five hundred thousand pounds, &ca., passed the seventh instant, for the purpose of paying divers officers of the Pensylvania line in the city of Philadelphia, going on command, for which sum the said Commissioners are to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mr. John Nicholson, one of the Commissioners for paying one-third of the depreciation certificates, for the sum of ten thousand pounds, of the money aforesaid, for the purpose of paying one-third of depre- ciation certificates to officers and soldiers of the Pensylvania line, in actual service, for which the said John Nicholson is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Sam- uel Miles, Dep'y Quarter Master General, for the sum of fifteen hundred pounds, of the money lately emitted, the same to be charged to the United States of America, for the use of the Quar- ter Master's department.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi- dent, to Mr. Benjaman Harbeson, conveying a tract or piece of land, situate in the township of Roxborough, in the county of Phila- delphia, and bounded as follows, vizt: Beginning at a red oak tree by the side of the river Schuylkill, at a corner of Samuel Powell's land ; thence by the same north sixty-three degrees east forty seven perches and one-fourth of a perch to a corner of Daniel Clymer's land ; thence by the said Clymer's land south twenty-eight degrees east forty-four perches and three-fourths of a perch to a corner of Christian Vanlashet's land; thence by the south sixty-three de- grees west thirty-nine perches and one-fourth of a perch to the river Schuylkill; thence up the said river along the several courses thereof forty-four perches and eight-tenths of a perch to the place of beginning ; containing eleven acres and one hundred and fifty-six perches, be the same more or less : Seized and sold agreeable to law, as the estate late of Christopher Laur, the older, to the said Benjamin Harberson, for the sum of six thousand pounds, Conti- nental money, subject to a yearly ground rent of three bushells of good merchantable wheat, payable to the Trustees of the Univer- sity of this State, three-fourths of which sum he hath paid into the hands of the Agents of Confiscated Estates in the county of Phila- delphia, the remaining one-fourth being reserved for the purpose aforesaid. Deed dated the fourth day of February, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency to William Coates, Esquire, conveying two tracts, pieces or parcels of land situ- ate in the Northern Liberties of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, between Hickory lane and Poplar lane ;, one of them be- ginning at a corner of Hickory lane in the line of land of Isaac Melchior and others; thence extending by the same north forty degrees east forty-six perches to a corner ; thence by the next de-
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scribed lot south fifty degrees cast fourteen perches and nine-tenths of a perch to a corner ; thence by lands late of Jeremiah Elfricth, deceased, south forty degrees west forty-five perches to Hickory lane aforesaid ; thence by the same south fifty degrees west fifteen perches and one-tenth of a perch to the place of beginning : con- taining four acres and thirty-eight perches, be the same more or less. The other of the said tracts beginning by the side of Poplar lane aforesaid ; thence extending by land now in tenure of Hugh Roberts, Junior, south thirty-five degrees west twenty-six perches to a corner ; thence partly by land of the said Jeremiah Elfrieths, deceased, and partly by the first described lot north forty degrees west twenty-nine perches and four-tenths of a perch to land of the said Isaac Melchior and others ; thence by the same north forty degrees east sixteen perches and three-tenths of a perch to Poplar lane aforesaid ; thence by the same south seventy degrees east twenty-eight perches and seven-tenths of a perch to the place of beginning ; containing three acres and thirty-two perches, be the same more or less : Seized and sold as the estate late of Isaac.Al- len, for and during the term of his natural life, to the said William Coates, Esquire, for the sum of one thousand three hundred and fifty pounds, Continental money, which sum he hath paid into the hands of the Agents of Confiscated Estates in the county of Philadelphia. Deed dated the twenty-seventh instant.
This day being appointed to take into consideration the return of the road leading from Darby road to the bridge at the middle ferry on Schuylkill, George Gray, Esquire, attended in Council, and made his objections to the conformation of the said road ; whereupon, the further consideration thereof was postponed.
The Board taking into consideration a letter from Henry Miller, Esquire, Sheriff of the county of York, informing of the escape of William Rankin from the Goal of the said county ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the following proclamation be issued, vizt :
By his Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President, and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth.
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, William Rankin, yeoman, and late a Colonel of mi- litia of the county of York, now or late of the township of New- berry, in the said county, hath adhered to and knowingly and wil- lingly aided and assisted the enemies of this State and of the United States of America, by having joined their armies within this State or elsewhere :
We, the Supreme Executive Council aforesaid, by virtue of cer- tain powers and authorities to us given by an act of General Assem- bly, intitled "An Act for the attainder of divers traitors if they " render not themselves by a certain day; and for vesting their es- " tates in this Commonwealth; and for more effectually discovering
-
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" the same; and for ascertaining and satisfying the lawfull debts " and claims thereupon," do hereby strictly charge and require the said William Rankin to render himself to some or one of the Jus- tices of the Supreme Court or of the Justices of the Peace of one of the counties within this State, on or before Thursday, the four- teenth day of June next ensuing, and also abide his legal trial for such his treason, on pain that he, the said William Rankin, not rendering himself as aforesaid, and abiding the trial aforesaid, shall, from and after the said fourteenth day of June next, stand and be attainted of high treason to all intents and purposes, and shall suf- fer such pains and penalties and undergo all such forfietures as persons attainted of high treason ought to do.
And whereas, The said William Rankin having been appre- hended by virtue of a warrant from the Honourable the Chief Jus- tice of this State, upon a charge of high treason, and committed to the prison of the county of York, did lately break the said prison and make his escape from justice : We do, therefore, farther hereby offer a reward of fifty pounds, State money, to any person or persons who shall apprehend the said William Rankin, and de- liver him to the keeper of any goal within this State : And all the faithfull subjects of this State are to take notice of this pro- clamation, and govern themselves accordingly.
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 twenty seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one.
JOSEPH REED, President.
Attest :- T'Y MATLACK, Sec'y.
GOD SAVE THE COMMONWEALTH.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, April 28th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Read, and Mr. Hayes.
Mr. Gardner,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Barber, for the sum of one hundred and seventy pounds of the money emitted pursuant to the act of Assembly pass- ed the seventh instant, for striking the sum of five hundred thou- sand pounds, to be paid-one hundred pounds to Major Reid, and
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seventy pounds to Captain Pry, of Colonel Moses Hazen's regiment, to be accounted for by them, as part of their depreciation.
Resolved, That Mr. Reid and Doctor Gardner, be a committee of this Board to examine and give directions for repairing the lower rooms of the east wing of the State House, for the purpose of de- positing therein the books and papers belonging to the officers of the Secretary and Receiver General of the Land Office.
Resolved, That General Lacey and Mr. Hayes, be appointed a committee to make inquiry into the state of the arms lately re- ceiv'd from the Honourable Board of War, and that Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to attend the said committee, and inform them respecting the said arms.
A petition from Morgan O'Bryan, convicted of stealing the goods of Nicholas Jacobs, and sentenced to be publickly whipp'd, and pay the costs of prosecution, was read, praying remission of the said punishment : Thereupon,
Resolved, 'That the said punishment be remitted, on condition that he enter on board the Continental frigate Turn bull, and serve during the present war.
A petition from Susanna Collings, praying a pass to New York, was read, and the same was rejected.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, April 30th, 1781.
ยท
PRESENT.
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Read, and Mr. Hayes.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Honourable John Lacey, Junior, Esquire, for the sum of thirty-six pounds four- teen shillings and five pence, State money ; and one other, for the sum of thirteen pounds five shillings and seven pence, like money, in part of his pay as a member of this Board, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Colonel Jacob Morgan, Junior, Superintendant of the Commissioners of Pur- chases in the several counties, for the sum of twenty thousand pounds of the money emitted by act of Assembly passed the sev- enth instant, for the purpose of procuring supplies for the use of the army, for which sum the said Colonel Morgan is to account.
The representatives of the two companies of militia Artillery, lately ordered on duty, having been read and considered,
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Resolved, That the circumstances under which the former orders were given having changed, the march of the said companies be countermanded.
On consideration,
Ordered, That Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to purchase, in behalf of the State, twelve hun- dred weight of gun powder, three thousand weight of lead, and ten thousand flints, at the most reasonable rates, for the purpose of de- fending the frontiers of this State.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of his Excellen- cy Joseph Reed, Esquire, President, for the sum of nine pounds three shillings, State money, in part of his salary, for which sum. he is to account.
A letter from his Excellency Samuel Huntingdon, Esquire, Pre- sident of Congress, of the twenty-ninth instant, was read, inclosing a resolution of the Honourable Congress of the twentieth instant, recommending to the several States of Rhode Island and Providence plantations, New York, New Jersey, Pensylvania, Delaware, Mary- land, and Virginia, to make good the depreciation of the monthly pay to the officers and soldiers of Colonel Moses Hazen's regiment, that are considered as part of the States' quotas, in the same man- ner they have made good the depreciation to the officers and sol- diers in the battalions belonging to the line of these States respec- tively.
And thereupon, the same were ordered to be filed.
.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, May 1st, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Read, and Mr. Hayes.
On consideration,
Ordered, That Colonel Lewis Farmer be directed to deliver to Captain David Zeigler, Sub-Clothier, six hundred and sixty pair of shoes for the use of the troops of the Pensylvania line, taking a receipt for the same.
John Pierce, Esquire, Paymaster General, presented to the Council an order of Congress, in the following words, vizt :
13,740 dollars, new emission.
Gentlemen :- Pay to John Pierce, Esquire, Paymaster General, or his order, the sum of thirteen thousand seven hundred and forty
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dollars, new emission, for expediting a detachment of the Pensyl- vania line to the southward, for which sum the said Paymaster General is to be accountable.
By order of the United States in Congress assembled, April 28th, 1781.
SAMUEL HUNTINGDON, President.
Passed in the Auditor General's office April twenty-eighth, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-one.
PATRICK FERRALL, CI'k.
His Excellency the President and the Supreme Executive Council of the Commonwealth of Pensylvania.
Ordered, That the Treasurer be directed to pay the aforesaid draft of Congress in favour of John Pierce, Esquire, and that the order for so doing be indorsed on the said draft, in the following words, to wit.
For 13,740 dollars.
SIR :- Pay to John Pierce, Esquire, Paymaster General, or his order, the sum of thirteen thousand seven hundred and forty dol- lars, agreeable to the within draft of Congress, and charge the same to the United States of America.
JOSEPH REED, President.
To David Rittenhouse, Esquire, Treasurer.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Henry Bar- net, for the sum of five hundred pounds, of the money emitted by act of Assembly, passed the seventh instant, to be by him forward- ed to John Arndt, Esquire, of Northampton county, for the pur- pose of paying the bounty to recruits, and the gratuity allowed by the Assembly to the retained soldiers.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of John Lu- kens, Esquire, one of the Commissioners for running the line be- tween the State of Virginia and this State, for the sum of seven hundred and fifty pounds, State money, for paying the expences of the Commissioners appointed to run the said line, and their attend- ance, for which sum the said John Lukens is to account. , The said order to include an order granted the twenty-third ult., for four hundred pounds, alledged to be lost or mislaid.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Honourable Christopher Hayes, Esquire, for the sum of three thousand pounds, of the money emitted by act of Assembly passed the seventh of April last, for the purpose of defending the western frontiers of this State, for which sum he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Honoura- ble Christopher Hayes, Fsquire, for the sum of ten thousand pounds, of the money emitted by act of Assembly passed the seventh of April last, to be by him forwarded to Mr. John Nicholson, or Henry Slagle, Esquire, at York town, for the purpose of paying to officers
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and soldiers of the Pensylvania line, in actual service, one-third of their depreciation certificates, for which sum the said John Nichol- son is to account.
A petition from George Dougherty, setting forth that he hath purchased from Michael Green, a mariner on board the Privateer Active, his share of prize money ; that the said Michael Green, at the time of his entering on board said vessel, was a deserter from the Continental army, whereby the said prize money became for- fieted to the use of the State, was read, praying the aid of this Board therein. On consideration,
Ordered, That the said petition be rejected.
An order was drawn in favour of Frederick Sneyder, for the sum of twenty pounds, State money, dated the seventh of April last, for which he is to account.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, May 2d, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Read, and
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes.
The following orders were drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the following persons, vizt :
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