USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XII > Part 67
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A memerial was also presented by the Surveyor General, Secre- tary, and Receiver General of the Land Office, setting forth sundry defects and omissions in the act for opening the Land Office, under which their several appointments have been made.
Resolved, That the said memorialists be directed to lay the case and difficulties therein stated before the Honourable House of As- sembly, for their consideration and relief.
The record of the conviction of John Shaffer, convicted of bur- glary, at a Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Goal Delivery held at Yorktown, for the county of York, the twenty-first day of May last, and sentenced to be hanged by the neck till he be dead ; being now read : A petition from divers inhabitants of the borough and county of Lancaster, in behalf of the said John Shaffer, being also read ; thereupon,
Resolved, That a pardon be granted to the said John Shaffer, on condition that he inlist as a soldier in one of the regiments of this State, to serve during the present war, without a bounty.
The record of the conviction of John Baker, convicted of bur- glary at the said court, and sentenced as aforesaid, being now read and considered ; thereupon,
Ordered, That a warrant be issued under the less seal of the State, for execution of the said sentence on Saturday the thirtieth day of June instant, between the hours of ten of the clock in the forenoon, and two of the clock of the afternoon of the same day, at the usual place of execution.
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The record of the conviction of John Perry, found guilty of burglary at a Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Goal De- livery held at Carlisle, for the county of Cumberland, the twenty- eighth day of May last, and sentenced by the said court to be hanged by the neck till he be dead, being now read : The record of the conviction of negro Suckey, found guilty of arson at the said court, and sentenced as aforesaid, being also read ; thereupon,
Resolved, That a warrant be issued under the less scal of the State, for execution of the said sentence upon them, the said John Perry and negro Suckey, on Saturday, the seventh day of July next, between the hours, &ca., as aforesaid.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, June 9th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Van Campen, Mr. Whitehill.
Mr. Delany, Mr. Mark Bird, Mr. Montgomery, and Mr. Gal- braith, a committee of the Honourable . House of Assembly, at- tended and requested a conference with the Council on the subject of recruiting the Pensylvania line, and a conference was accordingly had, at which General Irvine was present.
A letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the sixth instant, was receiv'd and read, inclosing a resolution of the Honourable Congress, directing that all bills issued in the respect- ive States, in pursuance of the resolution of the eighteenth of March, 1780, after the expiration of one year from the time the interest on such bills begins to be compleated, be stamped with the words or characters : "Int'st p'd one (or 1) year." That such of the said bills as have already issued, whenever the said interest is paid, be stamped in like manner to prevent the necessity and ex- pence of exchanging them; that the several States suspend as far as possible, the issuing of such part of their respective quotas of said bills as remain to be issued.
A petition from William Williamson, convicted of felony in stealing the goods of Samuel Oliver and Martha Fox, at a city Court held in October last, and sentenced to be publickly whipp'd and pay two several fines to the use of the State, was read, praying remission of the said fines ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the same be remitted.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, June 11th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Thompson, Mr. Whitehill, and
Mr. Van Campen.
On consideration,
Resolved, That John Hambright, Esquire, of the county of Lan- caster, be authorized and directed to take charge of the barracks of the said county, untill the farther order of this Board.
The Council taking into consideration that the reprieve lately granted to Thomas Wilkinson, confined in the old goal, under sen- tence of death, expired this day.
Resolved, That the said Thomas Wilkinson be reprieved for the further term of twenty-one days, from this day.
A petition from Stephen Collins, setting forth that an estate lately seized by the Agents of Confiscated Estates, as the estate of Benjamin Booth, an attainted traitor, situate on the west side street near the corner of Arch street, is vested in certain trustees for the benefit of the creditors of James Steele, deceased ; that the said Benjamin Booth hath no interest, share, or part, in the said premisses, and praying that the same may be discharged from the seizure aforesaid ; thereupon,
Ordered, That the Agents of Confiscated Estates in the city of Philadelphia, be directed not to proceed to a sale of said estate untill the farther order of the Board.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the President, to Major James Parr, conveying one full, even, and equal moiety, or undivided half part of a certain three story brick messuage or tenement and lott of ground thereunto belonging, situate on the north side of Mulberry street between Third and Fourth streets, in the city of Philadelphia; containing in breadth sixteen feet, and extending in depth one hundred and forty feet : bounded eastward by the Presbyterian meeting house; northward by a twenty-six feet wide alley, formerly called Appletree alley ; westward by a messuage and lott, late of Lawrence Growden, deceased; and south- ward by Mulberry street aforesaid : Seized and sold agreeable to law, as the estate late of Joseph Galloway, an attainted traitor, to the said Major James Parr, for the sum of one hundred and thir- ty-five pounds, lawfull money of Pensylvania, which sum he hath paid into the hands of the Agents of Confiscated Estates in the city of Philadelphia. Deed dated the seventh instant.
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A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Pre- sident, to Major James Parr, conveying a certain lot and piece of ground and wharf, with the stores thereon erected; situate on the east side of Water street, and on the south side of Sassafras street, in the city of Philadelphia, containing in breadth twenty feet, and extending from Water street aforesaid into the river Delaware, as far as low water mark ; bounded southward by other ground late of John Parrock, now of Jacob Bunner, Esquire, eastward by the river Delaware, at low water mark aforesaid, north- ward by Sassafras street aforesaid, and westward by Water street aforesaid : Seized and sold agreeable to law as the estate late of John Parrock, an attainted traitor, to the said Major James Parr, for the sum of one thousand eight hundred and fifty pounds, law- full money of Pensylvania, subject to a yearly ground rent of fifty five bushells of wheat and one-half bushell, payable to the Trus- tees of the University of this State; three-fourths of which sum he hath paid into the hands of the Agents of Forfieted Estates in the city of Philadelphia, the remaining one-fourth being reserved for the purpose aforesaid. Deed dated the seventh instant.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Mess'rs James Stephenson and John Nicholson, for the sum of two thousand five hundred pounds, State money, for the purpose of paying to officers and soldiers of the Pensylvania line, one third of their deprecia- tion certificates, for which sum they, the said Stephenson and Nicholson, are to account.
A return of an election of Justices for the township of Sads- bury, in the county of Chester, being read, and the same being irregular,
Resolved, That the said return be sent back to the Judges of the said election, and that they be directed to make a return in due form of law.
A resolution of the Honourable House of Assembly of the ele- venth instant, was receiv'd and read, directing that the average price of common labour by the day, for the purpose of ascertaining the pay of fines and penalties of the militia of this State, be three shillings and six pence, payable in gold or silver money.
Ordered, That the same be filed.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Tuesday, June 12th, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President. T
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Whitehill,
Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Van Campen.
A petition from Ashton Humphreys, praying to be appointed a Notary Publick in this State, being read and considered,
Resolved, That the same be dismissed.
The following message being read and considered,
Ordered, That the same be presented to the Honourable House of Assembly.
Message from the President and Supreme Executive Council to the Representatives of the Freemen of Pensylvania in General Assembly met :
GENTLEMEN-We have receiv'd an alarming account of the de- predations of the savages, and presing demands for ammunition, which we communicate : We also send you the report of the State Commissary of Military Stores, by which you will see our inability to give them even this necessary assistance.
We are farther to acquaint you that, in our present circumstances we cannot procure the desired articles, consistent with your resolve of the eleventh instant, without the special aid of your Honoura- ble House : We are importuned to call out the militia for the sup- port of the remaining settlers, and are disposed to comply, but, in the present unprovided state of supplies and amunition, we do not see that any effectual service can be expected : We must, therefore, recommend this important subject to your consideration.
JOSEPH REED, President.
Council Chamber, June 12th, 1781.
An application from Lieutenant Solomon Bush, for a settlement of his depreciation, agreeable to a late act of Assembly, being read and considered,
Resolved, That the same be referred to Messrs. James Stevenson. and John Nicholson, Auditors for settling the depreciation of the pay of the officers and soldiers of the Pensylvania line, and that the said Auditors be directed to apply to the Attorney General of the State for his advice and opinion thereupon.
A letter from his Excellency General Washington of the seventh instant, was receiv'd and read, urging a strict compliance with the VOL. XII .- 48.
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requisitions of Congress of the thirty-first ult'o, upon this State, for four battalions of Infantry, one company of Artillery, and a corps of horse of sixty-four Dragoons ; and requesting that orders may be given to the officers commanding the respective corps to march by detachment, as they are raised and equipped, to what- ever place may be the head quarters of the American army in Vir- ginia, or in Maryland, (shou'd the enemy have advanced into that State,) and take their further commands from the General or other commanding officer.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Wednesday, June 13th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Van Campem, and Mr. Whitehill.
Mr. Thompson,
The Council taking into consideration the case of Jonathan Kirk- bride and John Beaumont, who have produced to this Board their respective claims against the estate of Alexander Corbitt, an attaint- ed traitor, situate in Upper Makefield township, in the county of Bucks; and the said claims appearing to be well founded,
Resolved, That George Wall, Junior, Esquire, Agent of Confis- cated Estates in the said county, be directed not to proceed to a sale of the said estate.
Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Harris, Mr. J. Burd, and Mr. Brown, a committee of the Hon'ble House of Assembly, attended, and re- quested a conference with the Council on the subject of the message of Council to the General Assembly respecting the defence of the frontiers ; and thereupon a conference was had accordingly.
A petition from John Connor, praying that the brigg Elizabeth, and her cargoe, lately seized by the Naval Officer, may be restored to him, was read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the same be referred to a committee, vizt : Hon- ourable the Vice President, Doctor Gardner, and Mr. Thompson.
.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Thursday, June 14th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esq'r, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thompson, and
Mr. Van Campen, Mr. Whitehill.
A petition from Francis Oberlin, of the county of Northampton, . merchant, praying a pass to the city of New York, for himself and family, was read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the same be granted, on condition that he give sufficient security not to return again during the continuance of the present war.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi- dent, to Captain Michael Simpson, conveying a certain lot or piece of ground, situate on the east side of Water street, between Sas- safrass and Mulberry streets in the city of Philadelphia, contain- ing in breadth twenty-five feet six inches, and extending in depth from Water street aforesaid into the river Delaware to low water mark : Bounded, northward by ground late of John Parrock, now of Jacob Bunner ; eastward by the river Delaware at low water mark, as aforesaid; southward by ground of Joseph Warner; and westward by Water street aforesaid : Seized and sold agree- able to law, as the estate late of John Parrock, an attainted trai- tor, to the said Captain Michael Simpson, for the sum of five hun- dred and sixty pounds, lawfull money of Pensylvania ; subject to a yearly ground rent of sixteen bushells and eight-tenths of a bushell 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 said city, the remaining fourth part being reserved for the purposes aforesaid. Deed dated this day.
The Secretary reports, that he had delivered to Francis John- ston, Esquire, Receiver General of the Land Office, the books and papers of the Receiver General's office, agreeable to the order of this board of the seventh of May last, as follows, vizt : €
"A list of books, containing the Records of the Receiver Gene- " ral's office, under the late Government of Pensylvania, vizt :
" Thirteen rent rolls, not bound, indorsed as follows : A rent " roll of Philadelphia county, beginning with the Northern Liber- " ties.
"A rent roll of Philadelphia, beginning with Oxford township, "1722; (these two contain 85 pages, and there is an alphabet " referring to them )
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" Philadelphia county rent roll, containing Oxford, Dublin, " Byberry, Bristoll and Cheltenham townships, (with an alphabet, " 14 pages. )
" Rent roll for the county of Philadelphia, (58 pages with an alphabet.)
" Rent roll for the county of Philadelphia, (63 pages with an alphabet.) This book is very old, and torn in the middle, but the " writing remains legible.
" Rent roll for the county of Chester, beginning with Chester " township, thirty eight pages.
" Rent roll for the county of Chester, beginning with Chiches- " ter township, (53 pages, from 39 to 91, inclusive,) (no alphabet " to these two.)
" Welsh township, Great Valley, Chester county, (28 pages ; " this book is very old, torn in the middle, but the writing legible, "with an alphabet.)
" Rent roll, county of Bucks, (37 pages and alphabet.)
" Rent roll for the county of Bucks, (27 pages.)
" Rent roll for Bucks county, (50 pages and alphabet.)
" Rent roll of lands lately granted-See Supplement, (92 pages " and alphabet.)
" Rent roll, supplement to lands granted particularly for Lan- " caster county, (90 pages with an alphabet.)
" Six large folios, bound and indorsed as follows, vizt :
" Rent roll for the county of Philadelphia, 210 pages ; P. C. 1 " to 182; P. C. 183 to 364 ; P. C. 365 to 546; P. C. 547 to 728 ; " P. C. 729 to 906. (The five last mentioned contain the number " of pages on them respectively, and have each of them an alphabet " list. )
" One endorsed Philadelphia city, Rent roll C. P., and alphabet " aforesaid.
" Five large folios, bound and endorsed as follows, vizt :
" Rent roll for Bucks county, 1 to 118; B. C. 1 to 182 ; B. C. "183 to 360; B. C. 361 to 536; B. C. 537 to 714; (these four " contain the number of pages endorsed upon them respectively, and " have each of them an alphabet prefixed.)
" Six large folios, bound and endorsed as follows, vizt :
" Rent roll for the county of Chester, 1 to 239, 66. 1 to 176, "C. C. 177 to 335; C. C. 336 to 531; C. C. 532 to 709 ; "C. C. 710 to 835, (containing the number of pages endorsed on " them respectively, and have each of them an alphabet prefixed.) " Six large folio rent rolls, bound and endorsed, vizt :
" Lancaster county, 1 to 183; Lancaster county, 185 to 344; " Lancaster county, 345 to 524; Lancaster county, 525 to 806 ; " Lancaster county, 807 to 1000; Lancaster county, 1001 to 1196 ; " containing the number of pages endorsed on them respectively, " and they have each of them an alphabet prefixed to it.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
"Three folio rent rolls for the county of York, bound and en- " dorsed as follows, vizt :
"Y. C. 1 to 200; Y. C. 201 to 400; Y. C. 401 to con- " taining the number of pages endorsed on them respectively, and " they have each of them an alphabet prefixed to it.
"Three folio rent rolls far the county of Cumberland, bound "and endorsed as follows, vizt :
" Cumberland county, I to 200; Cumberland county, 201 to "400 ; Cumberland county, 401 to
" Four folio rent rolls for the county of Berks, bound and en- " dorsed as follows, vizt :
"B. E. R. 1 to 200 ; B. E. R. 201 to 390 ; B. E. R. 391 to " 593 ; B. E. R. 349 to
" Four folio rent rolls for the county of Northampton, bound and " endorsed as follows, vizt :
" N. C. 1 to 184 ; N. C. 185 to 372 ; N. C. 373 to 574 ; N. C. " 575 to
" Four smaller folio rent rolls endorsed as follows, vizt :
" Carlisle lotts ; Yorktown lotts ; Reading lotts ; Easton lotts ;
" (alphabets prefixed to each of the foregoing fifteen books.)
" Two unbound folios, endorsed as follows, vizt :
" Philadelphia city rent rolls, for the streets north and south ; " Philadelphia city rent rolls for the streets east and west ; (alpha- " bets to each.)
" Three cash books of quit rents, vizt :
" One quarto, not bound, endorsed quit-rent book A, paged to " 23; one folio bound, endorsed B quit-rent, 1743, containing 180 " pages ; and one folio bound, endorsed C, paged to 133.
" Fourteen waste books, from 1719 to 1779, eighteenth Decem -. " ber.
" Eight journalls, from A to H, inclusive.
" Eight ledgers, (with alphabets,) from A to H, inclusive.
" Receiv'd the tenth day of June, 1781, of Timothy Matlack,
· " Esquire, Secretary of the Council, the books mentioned in the fore- " going list, agreeable to the order of the President and Council of " the seventh of May last. I say, receiv'd.
" FRANCIS JOHNSTON, R'r Gen'l."
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In Council.
PHILAD'A, Friday, June 15th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Van Campen,
Mr. Whitehill and Mr. Thompson.
The following Message being read and considered, vizt :
Message from the President and Supreme Executive Council to the Representatives of the Freemen of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met :
Gentlemen :- We have receiv'd this day a requisition of the Honourable the Congress for a corps of Cavalry. Your aid will be necessary to effect our compliance We therefore communicate the requisition, that it may be included in your consideration on the subject of supplies now before you.
JOSEPH REED, President.
Council Chamber, Philad'a, June 15, 1781.
Ordered, That the said message be presented to the House of Assembly, with the following papers, receiv'd and read, this day.
A letter from his Excellency the President of Congress, of the fifteenth instant, inclosing a resolution of Congress of the twelfth, for compleating Colonel Moylan's corps of Dragoons, by inlistments for three years, unless sooner discharged ; and calling upon this State for three troops of militia Cavalry, including those called for by the act of Congress of the thirty-first ult'o, to serve for three months, to be marched by detachments as they are compleated, to join the Southern army, and discharged in proportion to the num- bers inlisted into Moylan's corps.
WHEREAS, The Honourable the Continental Congress have re- quired of this State three troops of militia Cavalry, consisting each of sixty-four non-commissioned officers and privates, for field ser- vice ; thereupon,
Resolved, That the Lieutenants of each county do immediately direct the Light Horse of the several counties to hold themselves in readiness for field service at a short notice, and also do make a return forthwith of the state of the Cavalry, in numbers, horses and equipments.
Resolved, That the commanding officer of the Light Horse of the city of Philadelphia, do give the like orders to that corps, and do make a special return in like manner.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
A petition from John Patton and Benjamin Davis, Junior, set- ting forth their right to a city lott, in consequence of a purchase from the heirs or representatives of Thomas Seny, an original pur- chaser, such lott to be located at the south-east corner of Tenth and Mulberry streets, to be of ninety-nine feet front, and three hundred and six feet deep, appurtenant to the said grant, and pray- ing that the Attorney General may be directed to receive a declara- tion in ejectment for the premisses, so that the same may be brought to a tryal, and it appearing to the Board that the posses- sion of said lott remains in the Commonwealth,
Resolved, That the prayer of said petition be granted, and the Attorney General directed to receive a declaration in ejectment for the premisses, agreeably to the late act of Assembly.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Saturday, June 16th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President. Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Van Campen,
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Whitehill, and
Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Cunningham.
The following message being read and considered, vizt :
Message from the President and Supreme Executive Council, to the Representatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Pen- sylvania in General Assembly met :
GENTLEMEN :- We send you a requisition this moment delivered us, from the Board of War. You must be sensible that in our present situation, the Executive powers of the State have not the means of complying with this requisition, even for immediate sub- sistence. Nor can we entirely acquiesce in the reasoning on which this measure, so distressing to this State, has been founded, as we are fully persuaded that upon candid inquiry into the supplies fur- nished by the State of every kind, it will appear to bear a compari- son with every of its neighbours. But, however just the reasoning, or however proper the measure, our compliance is impracticable without your immediate assistance.
JOSEPH REED, President. Council Chamber, Philad'a, June 16th, 1781.
Ordered, That the said Message be presented to the Honourable House, with a letter from his Excellency General Washington, re-
.
.
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ceiv'd this day, directing that the Convention troops be halted at Easton, in the State of Pensylvania, and setting forth his reasons therefor ; also, a resolution of Congress approving the same, and sundry other papers inclosed in the said letter.
In Council.
PHILAD'A, Monday, June 18th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency JOSEPH REED, Esquire, President.
Honourable WILLIAM MOORE, Esq'r, Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, : Mr. Whitehill, and
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Thompson,
Mr. Van Campen.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of his Excel- lency the President of the State, for the sum of five hundred pounds, State money, dated the twenty-ninth of April, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, in part of his salary as President, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of the Honoura- ble James Thompson, Esquire, for the sum of thirty pounds, of the State money, dated the twenty-ninth of April, one thousand seven hundred and eighty, in part of his pay as a member of this Board, for which he is to account.
A petition from Susannah Murphy, praying remission of a fine, adjudged by the Court of Quarter Sessions of the county of Phila- delphia to be paid by her, amounting to the sum of twenty pounds, was read; thereupon,
Resolved, That the said fine be remitted, and that the said Su- sannah Murphy be released from confinement, on condition that she departed the State forthwith, and not return again, on pain of being recommitted.
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