USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XIII > Part 12
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To do., for two certain pieces or parcels of land contiguous to each other, situate in Germantown township, in the county of Phila- delphia; containing six acres and three-quarters of an acre : Seized and sold agreeably to law, as aforesaid, for the sum of one thousand six hundred and ten pounds old Cotinental money, which sum hath been paid as aforesaid. Deed dated the twentieth day of November, 1781.
To Peter Blanchard, for three lots of ground in the city of Phila- delphia, marked in the general plan of city lots No. 417, 418 and 419, sold agreeably to law for the redemption of the bills of credit of this State of the twenty-ninth of April, 1780, for the sum of ninety-two pounds.
To Joseph Dean, Esq'r, for 9 city lots, numbered from 392 to 400, sold as aforesaid, for two hundred and fifty-two pounds, and lot No. 378 sold for forty-five pounds.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
To do., for lots No. 74, 75, 76 & 77, sold for two hundred and fifty-five pounds. Deeds dated this day.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, Nov. 24, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Col. Bayard,
Mr. Byers,
Gen'l Lacey,
Mr. Hayes,
Doct'r Gardner,
Mr. Pentecost, '
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Levan, and
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Ewing.
The President laid before the Board a letter signed by Joseph Cowperthwait and John Jones, and dated November the 23d, 1781, which he reports came to his hand yesterday afternoon after the Council had adjourned, and the same was read; by which it ap- pears that they decline to specify to Council the names alluded to in the representation of divers inhabitants and freemen of the county of Philadelphia, or to specify the facts on which the gene- ral allegations in the said representations are founded.
The Council resumed the consideration of the cases of James Jones and Mary Hall, ordered for execution this day; and there- upon,
Ordered, That the execution of the sentence against James Jones and Mary Hall, be delayed until Saturday the first day of Decem- ber next; and a warrant was accordingly issued.
A committee of the General Assembly, appointed by the Hon- orable House, to confer with the Council upon a bill for the fur- ther relief of the frontier counties, intitled "An Act for the relief of the suffering inhabitants of Northampton, Bedford, Northum- berland, Westmoreland and Washington counties, and the town- ship of Armagh, in Cumberland county," attend in Council.
The minute of the House expresses "to confer with Council on the subject of the defence of the frontiers, and to bring in addi- tional clauses for that purpose," as appears by a note of the minute not signed ; and
A free conference being had, it appeared to be the sentiments of the Council and of the committee, that an additional company is necessary for the defence of Washington county, and to complete the four companies now established, and that it might be proper to make application to Congress for such assistance from the United
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States as would render an incursion into the Indian country pru- dent and practicable.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Samuel Sterett, Esquire, for the sum of seventeen pounds five shillings specie, for twenty-three days' service as Muster Master of the militia of this State.
On consideration,
Resolved, That Joseph Reed, Esquire, William Bradford, Junior, Esquire, Attorney General of the State, and James Wilson, Esquire, be appointed to appear as Council in behalt of this State, on the fourth Monday of June next, being the day assigned for a hearing of the dispute subsisting between this Commonwealth and the State of Connecticut, at the place in which Congress shall be then sitting.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, Nov'r 26th, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Byers,
Gen'l Lacey,
Mr. Piper,
Dr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Pentecost.
Mr. Levan,
The petition of Thomas Pixley, praying a pass to go to New York, and from thence to England, was read; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the same be granted, on condition that he do not again return.
A letter from Charles Hall, dated Lancaster, November the 23d, 1781.
A letter from Robert Morris, Esquire, Superintendant of Finance, and Richard Peters, of the Board of War, respecting the state of the barracks.
The Committee of General Assembly, appointed to confer with Council on the defence of the frontiers, &c., again attended in Coun- cil, and read a draft of a report intended by the said committee to the House, and observations thereon were made by several of the members of the Council.
On consideration of the proposals made by Bernard Dougherty and Charles Cessna, for supplying the Ranging company and mili- tia which may be employed in Bedford county for the defence of the frontiers,
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
Ordered, That twelve pence per ration be allowed from the first day of March next, so long as the said troops shall keep the field.
The rations to consist of
One pound of bread,
One pound of beef, or & 1b. of pork,
One gill of whiskey per day, and
One quart of salt, & 2 To every hundred rations.
'Two quarts of vinegar, S
Eight pounds of soap, & Three pounds of candles, S To every 7 hundred rations.
The rations to be delivered at such places as the said troops may from time to time be stationed within the county of Bedford, aud that seventy-five pounds specie be advanced to the said Contractors.
Several depositions respecting the robbery of several of the Col- lectors of the county of Chester being read, an essay of a message to the General Assembly was also read, and being amended, was signed, and is as follows, viz :
A message from the President and Council to the Representa- tives of the freemen of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Gen- eral Assembly met.
GENTLEMEN :- The daring and too successful attempts which have been lately made to rob the Treasurer of the county of Bucks, and several Collectors of that county and of Chester, are truly alarm- ing. As the proclamation issued by us offering a large reward for ap- prehending the perpetrators of the robbery committed on the said Treasury has not yet had the desired effect, and the vigilance of the officers of justice has hitherto been eluded in the other instances, should every means in our power prove ineffectual to discover and bring those villians to justice, there is reason to fear that like at- tempts will be made in other counties of the State, especially as it is but too probable there may yet remain some among us whose . disaffection to the present revolution may induce them to counte- nance or conceal men guilty of such atrocious crimes. We have, therefore, thought fit to lay before the House such depositions as have been given in to us concerning those robberies, in full confi- dence that you will give attention to a case of so great importance, and make such laws as will deter the disaffected from such mis- chievous and dangerous measures, and be most likely to prevent a repetition of such enormities.
WILLIAM MOORE, President.
IN COUNCIL, ยท Phila., Nov. 26, 1781. 5
VOL. XIII .- 9.
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MINUTES OF THE
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, November 27, 1781. PRESENT :
As yesterday.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, or his order, for the sum of four hundred pounds specie, to be charged to his account.
The petition of Joseph Morris and Thomas Forrest, respecting a lot of ground claimed in right of Samuel Fox, was read and re- ferred to John Lukens, Esquire, Surveyor General, to report thereon.
The Council being informed that his Excellency General Wash- ington arrived last evening in this city,
Ordered, That the following address to him be presented, to wit :
To his Excellency George Washington, Esquire, General and Commander-in-Chief of the allied army :
SIR :- Our cordial acknowledgments are ever due to your Excel- lency for the great and disinterested service you have rendered our common country ; but on this occasion we approach you with pe- culiar pleasure, and can only regret that the common language of congratulation will too imperfectly convey our grateful sense of the late eminent display of your military virtues in the capture of a British General and his whole army. We are at a loss which most to admire, the wisdom of the plan, or the skill and gallantry of the execution, and are too sensible of the important consequences flowing from this great event, to wish to restrain the effusion of gratitude to your Excelleney, to our brave and generous allies, and to our gallant countrymen, thus led by their beloved General to victory and to glory.
Our prayer shall ever be that Heaven may distinguish you with its choicest blessings, as the best reward of such great and glori- ons services.
IN COUNCIL, WILLIAM MOORE, President. Phil'a., Nov. 27, 1781. $
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. 131 1
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 1781. PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard, Mr. Byers,
Gen'l Lacey,
Mr. Piper, and
Dr. Gardner,
Mr. Pentecost.
Mr. Cunningham,
His Excellency the President reports that the address to his Excellency General Washington, was this morning presented to him, and that his Excellency the General was pleased to make the following reply, to wit :
To his Excellency William Moore, Esquire, President of the Su- preme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania :
,
SIR :- I consider this very polite address of the Supreme Exe- cutive Council as a fresh mark of that attention which I have ever received from them.
My services I consider as my country's due, and when they meet the approbation of my fellow-citizens, I shall ever esteem myself happy in so agreeable a reward.
The late success of the American arms at Yorktown, in Virginia, so vigorously aided by the noble exertions of our generous ally, if properly improved, will, I doubt not, be attended with the happiest consequences.
I must sincerely thank you, sir, for your kind wishes for my per- sonal prosperity, and beg you to be assured that a full establish- ment of peace, liberty and independence to this and the other Uni- ted States of America, is the most ardent wish of,
Sir, your most obed't & very h'ble servant, G'E WASHINGTON.
Application was made for a pass for Mrs. Lawrence, her daugh- ter and three servants, to New York, and also Mr. John and Staats Lawrence to Elizabeth town. On consideration,
Ordered, That a pass be granted to Mrs. Mary Lawrence, and her daughter Mary Lawrence, to go to New York, not to return du- ring the war, and that a pass be also granted to John Lawrence and Staats Lawrence to go to Elizabeth town.
His Excellency the President laid before the Board a representa- tion on behalf of the people called Quakers, signed by "John Drinker, Clerk," on behalf of a meeting " of the representatives of the said people in Philadelphia, the 22d of 11th mo., 1781." 1
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An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Captain Philip Shrawder, or order, for the sum of one hundred and eighty pounds specie, to be paid by him to John Arndt, Esquire, of the county of Northampton, for the purpose of paying the bounty to the men enlisted in the said Shrawder's company of Rangers, for which said sum the said John Arndt is to account.
An order was also drawn in favor of the Honorable James Potter, Esquire, or order, for the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds specie, to be by him forwarded to Colonel Samuel Hunter, Esquire, of the county of Northumberland, to be applied only in recruiting Captain Robinson's company of Rangers, raised for the defence of the frontiers, and for which said sum Col'l Hunter is to account.
The petition of Daniel Rundle and George Rundle, respecting a still, said to be seized, was read, and rejected.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, Nov'r 29, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Levan,
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Byers,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Piper, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Pentecost.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Mr. William Turnbull, for the sum of eleven hundred and ninety-five pounds nineteen shillings and three pence specie, balance of his account for cloathing purchased for the Pennsylvania line.
A resolution of the House of Assembly of the twenty-eighth instant, appointing Mr. Delany, Mr. Wilkinson, Mr. James M'Lene, Mr. Dougherty, Mr. William Montgomery, and Mr. Maclay, a Committee of the House to confer with a Committee of the Coun- cil, and a Committee of Congress, on the subject of an expedition against the Indians next spring, was received and read ; and there- upon,
Resolved, That the Honorable the Vice President, Mr. Pente- cost, Mr. Piper, and Mr. Hayes, be a committee to confer with the said Committee of the House and a Committee of Congress on the said subject.
Mr. McClean, Mr. Montgomery, and Mr. Maclay, a committee ap- pointed by the Honorable House of Assembly to confer with this Board, and the officers of the Land Office, on the subject of estab- lishing a Board of Property in this State, attended in Council, to-
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
gether with the Surveyor General, the Secretary, and the Receiver General of the Land Office, and a free conference was had there- upon.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, Nov. 30, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Lacey, Mr. Levan,
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Pentecost.
A petition from Thomas Bay, of Washington county, praying to be reimbursed for sundry expences he has been at in raising twelve volunteers in the Spring of the year 1780, for the defence of the said county, was read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the said petition be presented to the General As- sembly.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Bernard Dough- erty and Charles Cessna, Esquires, for the sum of seventy-five pounds specie, for the purpose of furnishing the Ranging company and militia that may be employed in the county of Bedford, agree- ably to contract entered into on the twenty-sixth instant, for which the said contractors are to account.
A return of the general election of the county of Cumberland was received and read, by which it appears that the following gen- tlemen were duly elected, vizt :
Councillor.
John Byers,
Representatives.
James McLene, John Allison, James Johnson,
Robert Magaw, John Montgomery, and Stephen Duncan.
William Brown,
Sheriffs.
John Boggs, and
Samuel Postlethwaite.
Coroners.
William Rippey, and
William Holmes.
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Commissioner. 1
John Agnew.
-
And the same being considered,
Resolved, That'John Boggs, Esquire, be appointed Sheriff of the county of Cumberland, and that William Rippey be appointed Coroner of the said county, and that they be commissioned ac- cordingly.
John Boggs, Esquire, Sheriff elect of the county of Cumber- land, now offers James Johnson and James Dunlap, Esquires, of the said county, as sureties for the faithful performance of the du- ties of the office of Sheriff according to law, and the same are approved.
A return of the general election of the county of Bedford was received and read, by which it appears that the following gentle- men were duly elected, to wit :
Representatives.
Bernard Dougherty, and Charles Cessna.
Sheriffs.
John Cessna, and
John Bennett.
Coroners.
Georg Funk, and
John Wilt.
Commissioner.
Robert Galbraith.
And the same being considered,
Resolved, That John Cessna be appointed Sheriff of the county of Bedford, and that George Funk be appointed Coroner of the said county, and that they be commissioned accordingly.
John Cessna, Esquire, Sheriff elect for the county of Bedford, now offers Charles Cessna and Allen Ross, of the said county, as sureties for the faithful performance of the duties of his office of Sheriff according to law, and the same are approved.
A return of the general election of the county of Washington, was read, by which it appears that the following gentlemen were duly elected, vizt :
Councillor.
Dorsey Pentecost.
Representatives.
James Edgar, and John Cannan.
Sheriffs.
Van Swearingen, and Andrew Swearingen.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
135
Coroners. William McFarlen, and William M'Comb.
Commissioners.
George Valandyham, John McDowell.
Thomas Crooks, and
On consideration, .
Resolved, That Van Swearingen, Esquire, be appointed Sheriff of the county of Washington, and that William McFarlin be ap- pointed Coroner of the said county, and that they be commissioned accordingly.
Van Swearingen, Esquire, Sheriff elect for the county of Wash - ington, now offers Andrew Swearingen and Richard Yeates as sureties for the faithful performance of the duties of his office of Sheriff, according to law, and the same are approved.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, December 1, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Pentecost, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Hayes.
Mr. Levan,
The Council taking into consideration that the reprieve granted on the twenty-fourth ultimo, to James Jones and Mary Hall, now under sentence of death in the old gaol, expires this day,
Resolved, That the said James Jones and Mary Hall be reprieved for the further term of fifteen days from this day.
Ordered, That the Sheriff of the city and county of Philadel- phia be directed to permit the following named persons to embark. for France in the ship now ready to sail, vizt :
William White, George Murphy, Dennis M'Cue, William Wil- son, James Jones, George Crowder, alias Kidd, Thomas Wilkinson,. and John Holmes, now in his custody.
WHEREAS, By the instructions given by this Board to the com- manding officers of the several companies of Rangers for recruiting the same, dated February 10th, 1781, it was ordered that the sum of nine pounds, State money, bounty, should be paid to the non- commissioned officers and privates ; on consideration,
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Ordered, That the sum of six pounds specie, be paid to each non-commissioned officer and private instead of the said nine pounds State. money.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Colonel Clement Biddle, Quarter Master General of the militia of this State, for the 'sum of five hundred pounds specie, for paying for sundry articles purchased by him for the use of the militia lately called into ser- vice under General Lacey, agreeably to order of Congress of the tenth of September last, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of Captain Philip Schrawder, for the sum of forty-five pounds specie, on ac- count of his pay as Captain of a Ranging company raised in the county of Northampton, for which he is to account.
A petition from Thomas Forrest, Esquire, setting forth his right to two lots in the city of Philadelphia, appurtenant to the original purchases of Charles Marshall and John Marsh from William Penn, the first proprietary of Pennsylvania, and praying this Board to grant him a hearing touching the same, was read; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the said petition be sent to the Surveyor General of the State, that he be directed to make enquiry respecting the same, and report thereon to this Board as soon as may be.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, Dec'r 3, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
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The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Pentecost.
The following orders were drawn on the Treasurer, vizt :
In favor of Mr. William Levis, for the sum of two hundred and fifty-eight pounds five shillings specie, amount of his account for paper for printing the votes of the House of Assembly.
In favor of Joseph Reed, Esquire, for the sum of thirty pounds specie, as a retaining fee for his services in a cause now depending between this Commonwealth and the State of Connecticut.
In favor of James Wilson, Esquire, for the sum of thirty pounds specie, as a retaining fee for his services in the cause aforesaid.
In favor of William Bradford, Jun'r, Esquire, Attorney General of the State, for the sum of thirty pounds specie, as a fee for his services in the cause aforesaid.
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In favor of the said William Bradford, Esquire, for the sum of twenty-five pounds specie, for his services in a cause now depend- ing between this Commonwealth and Baron Hurst and company.
In favor of Frederick Sneider, for the sum of twenty-six pounds fifteen shillings and seven pence specie, amount of his account for his wages for the month of November, and several articles furnished for the use of the Council.
On consideration,
Ordered, That Captain Joseph Stiles, Commissary of Military Stores, be directed to deliver to the Honorable James Potter, Es- quire, one thousand gun flints, to be by him forwarded to Colonel Samuel Hunter, Lieutenant of the county of Northumberland, for the use of the troops stationed in the said county.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour of John Arndt, Esquire, for the sum of one hundred and eighty pounds specie, for the purpose of paying the bounties to men enlisted in Capt'n Shrawder's company of Rangers, raised in Northampton county.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Tuesday, Dec'r 4, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Hayes,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Pentecost, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Levan.
Mr. Byers,
A petition from Robert Johnson, a Physician and Surgeon in the hospital of the United States for the southern department, praying a settlement of the depreciation of his pay, agreeably to act of As- sembly passed the first day of October last, was read; and there- upon,
Ordered, That the prayer of the said petition be granted, and that the Auditors be directed to settle his account accordingly.
The record of the conviction of negro York, of a rape, and of the sentence of the Court of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery held at Lancaster, for the county of Lancaster, the nine- teenth day of November last, thereupon, to wit : That he be hanged by the neck till he be dead; being read and considered,
Ordered, That execution of the said sentence be made and done upon him, the said negro York, on Saturday the fifteenth instant,
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between the hours of ten of the clock in the forenoon, and two of the clock in the afternoon of the same day, at the usual place of execution, and that a warrant be issued accordingly.
A letter from his Excellency John Hanson, Esquire, of the thirty-first ult., inclosing resolutions of the Honorable Congress of the twenty-third, respecting infractions of the laws of nations, and the erection of proper tribunals for punishing them, was read ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the same be laid before the General Assembly.
A deed was examined and signed by his Excellency the Presi- dent to Charles Syng, conveying a certain tract of land situate in Earle township, in the county of Lancaster, containing one hun- dred and sixty-seven acres and allowance : Seized and sold agree- ably to law as the estate late of John Rhine, an attainted traitor, to the said Charles Syng, for the sum of twenty-two thousand two hundred pounds, old Continental money, which sum he hath paid into the hands of the Agents of Forfeited Estates in the said county. Deed dated the 24th Dec. 1781.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard, Mr. Byers,
Mr. Lacey,
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Cunningham,
Mr. Pentecost.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favour. of Messrs. James Stevenson and John Nicholson, for the sum of two thousand pounds, State money of the seventh of April, 1781, for the purpose of pay- ing to officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania line one third of their depreciation certificates, for which they are to account.
Ordered, That Doctor Gardner and Mr. Bayard be a committee to enquire of the Surveyor General, why the plan of the city lots intended for sale to-morrow was not laid before the Council.
The said committee report that some difficulties had arisen which rendered the advice of Council necessary ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the sale of the city lots advertised to be to-mor- row, be postponed till Thursday next, and that public notice thereof be given in the paper of to-morrow.
The depositions of the following named persons, of a robbery said to have been committed on Daniel Pettit, a Collector of the
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county of Bucks, were read, vizt : Two of Daniel Pettit, of Martha Pettit, of Joseph Williams, of Francis Gibson, of Hester Heson, and of Jane Jones.
The depositions of the following named persons respecting a robbery said to have been committed on Job Barton, a Collector of the county of Bucks, were read, to wit : Of Job Barton, of Joseph Barton, of Thomas Barton, of Amos Fell, and of Abraham Pugh.
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