USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. XIII > Part 14
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The Honorable John Lacey, Jun'r, Esquire, presented to the Board the following account, vizt :
Dr. The State of Pennsylvania to John Lacey, Jun'r.
To his attendance in Council from the 1st to the 4th of April, 1781,
4 days, a 25s per day, inclusive, State money, - - £ 5
-1
From the 5th of April to the 22nd of Sept'r, 1781, specie, inclusive, 171 days, a 25s. per day, - £ 213 15
From the 16th of October to the 20th of Dec'r, 1781,
66 days a 25s., - 76 10
£ 290 5
Contra,
1781. Dec'r 19. By cash received at several times, - 170 /
Balance,
- £ 120 5
And thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable John Lacey, Jun'r, Esquire, for the sum of five pounds, State money of seventh of April, 1781, and the sum of one hundred and twenty pounds five shillings specie, agreeably to the above account.
The Honorable James Potter, Esquire, presented to the Board the following account, to wit :
Dr. The State of Pennsylvania in account with. James Potter, Es- quire.
To attendance in Council from the first to the fourth of April, 1781, inclusive, 4 days, a 25s., State money, - - £ 5
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MINUTES OF THE
To do., from the 2nd of Oct'r to the 14th of November,
1781, 43 days, at 25s., specie, -
.
£53 15
To mileage, 170 miles, a ls., - -
8 10
Contra. By cash rece'd of David Rittenhouse,
50
£ 12 5
Balance, specie, - And thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable James Potter, Esquire, for the sum of five pounds, State money, of the seventh of April, 1781, and the sum of twelve pounds five shillings specie, agreeably to the said account.
The Honorable John Piper, Esquire, presented to the Board his account for 38 days' attendance in Council, from the 13th of No- vember to the 20th of Dec'r, 1781, inclusive, a 25s., - - £47 10 Mileage from Bedford to Philadelphia, 200 miles, als., - - 10
And thereupon,
£57 10
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable John Piper, Esquire, for the sum of fifty-seven pounds ten shil- lings specie, amount of the said account.
The Honorable John Bayard, Esquire, presented to the Board an account for his pay as a member of this Board, 69 days, from the 13th of October to the 20th of December, 1781, a 25s., £86 5
And thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable John Bayard, Esquire, for the sum of eighty-six pounds five shil- lings specie, amount of the said account.
The Honorable Dorsey Pentecost, Esquire, presented to the Board his account for 31 days' attendance in Council, from the nineteenth of November to the twentieth of December instant, a 25s. per day, - - £38 15 Mileage, 350 miles, coming from Washington county, a Is., 17 10
Balance specie, - £ 56 5 And thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Dorsey Pentecost, Esquire, for the sum of fifty-six pounds five shil- lings specie, amount of the said account.
The Honorable John Byers, Esquire, presented to the Board his account for 31 days' attendance in Council, from the twentieth of November to the twentieth of December, 1781, a 25s. per day, - £38 15 - - -
Mileage 125 miles, a 1s., -
6 5
Specie,
- -
-
- - £45
.
£ 62 5
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SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
And thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable John Byers, Esquire, for the sum of forty-five pounds specie, amount of the said account.
The Honorable Christopher Hayes, Esquire, presented to the Board his account for 28 days' attendance in Council, from the 23d of November to the 20th of Dec'r, 1781, a 25s, per day, £35 Mileage, 310 miles, coming from Westmoreland county, als., 15
Specie, - - £ 50
And thereupon,
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable Christopher Hayes, Esquire, for the sum of fifty pounds specie, amount of the said account.
The Council being informed that the frigate Hermione, belonging to His Most Christian Majesty, is nearly ready to sail from the Chesapeake Bay, but that she is in wants of hands; on consid- eration,
Ordered, That the fines of the following named persons now in the gaol of the city of Philadelphia, be remitted, on consideration that they enter on board the said frigate, to wit : Brian Doran, Alexander McDonald, Cornelius Elderton, Alexander Stewart, Si- mon' Barnes, Thomas Browne and Reuben Parker, and that the Sheriff of the said city and county do release them upon their en- tering accordingly ; that Henry Mckeever be also released from his confinement, on his entering on board the said frigate.
Petitions from Thomas Prudden and Andrew Caldwell, mates in the General Hospital of the United States; Gustavus Henderson, Apothecarie's mate in the said hospital; and Alexander McCara- ken, a Commissary in the said hospital, praying a settlement of the depreciation of their pay, agreeably to act of Assembly, passed the first day of October last, were read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the said petitions be dismissed, it being the opinion of this Board that the said persons do not come within the meaning of the said act of Assembly.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, December the twenty-first, 1781. PRESENT :
As yesterday.
A paper, signed by Nathaniel Falconer, Joseph Cowperthwaite, and . Jacob Howell, purporting to specify the persons alluded to, and the facts on which the general allegations contained in the pe-
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MINUTES OF THE
tition against the election of a Councillor for the county of Phila- delphia being received and read, it was observed that it was deficient in the form, so far as not to be properly before the Board.
Ordered, That the Secretary request that they, the said signers, "or one of them, attend in the Council Chamber as soon as may be.
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In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, Dec'r 22d, 1781.
PRESENT :
As yesterday.
A letter from his Excellency John Hanson, Esquire, President of Congress, dated the 17th of Dec'r instant, inclosing an ordinance of Congress, ascertaining what captures on water shall be lawful ; and the same being read, .
Ordered, That the same be immediately laid before the General Assembly.
The Secretary laid before the Board a return of the servants in the service of Robert R. Livingston, Esquire, Secretary of the United States for Foreign affairs, in the following words, vizt :
"Negro men slaves, negro women slaves, in the service of Mr. Robert R. Livingston, Secretary of the United States for Foreign affairs.
" PHILADELPHIA, December the 12, 1781.
"Sharp, Cato, George, Judith, Mary, Grace, one white man ser- vant, namely, Patrick Lemon.
ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON."
WHEREAS, By an order of this Board of the fourteenth instant, a petition from Alexander Stuart, late Surgeon in the Hospital of the United States, praying a settlement of the depreciation of his pay, was rejected, as not being within the meaning of the act of Assembly passed the first of October last; and the said Alexander Stuart having since produced to the. Board sundry papers in sup- port of the said petition, by which it appears that he is entitled to the benefits of the said act of Assembly ; therefore,
Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition be granted, and that the Auditors be directed to settle the said depreciation, any- thing in the order of this Board of the fourteenth instant to the contrary notwithstanding.
A memorial from Christian Wirtz, late Commissioner of Pur- chases in the county of Lancaster, setting forth that the commis- sions allowed him were greatly inadequate to the trouble and
155
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
expence he has been at in performing the duties of the said office, and praying some relief from this Board, was read; and there- upon,
Ordered, That the said petition be referred to the General As- sembly, the Council having no power but by a resolve of the House, in opposition to the law and the House, now sitting.
A petition from Nicholas Miller, of the county of Lancaster, praying remission of his fine for not performing his tour of militia duty, was read ; and on consideration the same was dismissed.
WHEREAS, This Council have heretofore appointed Archibald Lochry, Esquire, of the county of Westmoreland, to be Prothono- tary of the said county, and commissioned him accordingly :
And whereas, The said Archibald Lochry is said to be deceased, or made captive by the Indians : On consideration,
Resolved, That the said appointment and commission be super- seded, and made null and void, anything in the said commission' contained to the contrary hereof, in anywise notwithstanding.
The Council took into consideration a plan for recruiting the Pennsylvania line ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the sum of nine pounds specie be paid as a bounty to each able-bodied recruit who shall enlist to serve during the war, the bounty to be paid in the presence of the Justice of the Peace before whom the same shall be attested ; that to avoid the difficul- ties of settling the expences of recruiting parties, the sum of sixteen dollars specie be allowed for each able-bodied recruit, in lieu of subsistence money, for the recruit, the expence of recruiting parties, gratuity to the office, and all other expences; that the aforesaid bounty and allowance, in lieu of all other expences, be allowed in the recruiting officer's account, for each recruit passing muster, which he shall deliver at a place of rendezvous, and for which re- cruit he shall produce to the Superintendent of the recruiting ser- vice, the receipt of the commanding officer at the place of rendezvous, a receipt for the bounty, signed by the recruit, a certificate of his attestation, signed by a Justice of the Peace, and a certificate signed by the same Justice, of the payment of the bounty in his presence, and for no other, on any pretence whatever.
That the towns of Newtown, Reading, Lancaster, York, and Car- lisle, be appointed the places of rendezvous, at each of which rations are issued by the Continent.
That Colonel Richard Humpton be appointed Superintendant of the recruiting service, and that all monies appropriated to that service be paid into his hands; and for which he is to account.
That Colonel Richard Humpton do appoint the officers for the recruiting service, assign to them their respective districts, and from time to time advance them such sums of money as he shall judge necessary, not exceeding the bounty and expence of eight recruits in the hands of any officer at one time, except only in
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MINUTES OF THE
such instances as he may judge absolutely necessary ; and he shall also appoint the officers to reside at the several places of rendez- vous.
That Colonel Richard Humpton make returns to the Council monthly of the state of the recruiting service.
That the certificate to be given by the Justice of the Peace shall be in the form following, to wit :
I certify, that of the regiment has inlisted as a soldier, to serve during the war, and has paid him in my presence a bounty of nine pounds in specie. Witness my hand, this day of 178 .
That the form of enlistment, receipt, and attestation, be as fol- lows, to wit :
I, do acknowledge myself to be fairly and truly inlisted in the service of the United States, in the regiment of the Pennsylvania line during the present war. In witness whereof I
have set my hand, this day Anno Domini, 178 .
Witness-
Received of the State of Pennsylvania, by the hands of the sum of nine pounds in specie, being the bounty for my enlist- ment to serve during the war. Witness my hand, this day of A. D. 178 .
I do swear that I am not a deserter from the Brit- ish army or from the army or navy of the United States; that I renounce, refuse & abjure any allegiance to the King of Great Britain, his heirs or successors; and that I will faithfully serve them in the Pennsylvania line during the present war ; and I will be obedient to the orders of Congress, and the officers by them set over me, according to the Continental articles of war, and the establishment of the corps in which I am now enlisted. So help me God.
Sworn before me this day of 178 .
That no British deserter nor soldier now belonging to any regi- ment, troop or company in the service of the United States, be enlisted on any pretence whatever.
That each recruit be carefully examined before he be paid the bounty-money, to see that he has no rupture, lameness, or disorder, that may render him incapable of doing soldiers' duty, as the re- cruiting officer will not be allowed the bounty and expence for such as do not pass muster.
'That the sum of two thousand and seven hundred pounds be now paid into the hands of Colonel Richard Humpton, for the recruiting service, and that upon a return being made by him of one hundred recruits delivered at the places of rendezvous, the fur- ther sum of one thousand three hundred and fifty pounds be paid to him, and so on for every hundred recruits, so long as the service may require it.
157
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Monday, Dec'r 24, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency WILLIAM MOORE, Esquire, President.
The Honorable JAMES POTTER, Esquire, Vice President.
Mr. Bayard, Mr. Piper,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Pentecost.
The Council resumed the consideration of the proposals of Mi- chael Hooffnagle, for supplying the militia and rangers of West- moreland county ; and thereupon,
Agreed to pay him eleven pence half-penny per ration in specie, for the rations delivered at Hanna's town and Ligonier, and twelve pence per ration for the rations delivered at Rook's blockhouse : The Lieutenant or Sub-Lieutenant of the county, countersigning the orders of the officers, to be vouchers for settlement; Mr. Hooffnagle's accounts to be settled once in every three months. Provisions taken by the enemy having escort, which is to be granted by the Lieutenant of the county on application of the contractor, shall be paid for as rations issued, and if any magazine shall be taken by the enemy, the same shall be paid for in like manner, the contractor producing proper vouchers in both cases of the quantity so taken ; and that the Council will give their draft on the Trea- surer for the sum of one hundred pounds in specie, to be paid to Mr. Hooffnagle by the county Treasurer of Westmoreland.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of Michael Hooff- nagle, for the sum of one hundred pounds specie, for paying for provisions to be purchased by him for the troops stationed in West- moreland county for the defence of the frontiers, agreeably to con- tract entered into this day, for which sum he is to account.
A petition from Barbara Young, praying a pass to go to the city of New York, was read; and on consideration,
Ordered, That a pass be granted to her, on condition that she do not return again during the continuance of the present war.
The petition of Doctor John Duffield, Surgeon's, Mate in the Hospital of the United States, praying a settlement of the depre- ciation of his pay, agreeably to act of Assembly passed the first day of October last, was read ; and thereupon,
Ordered, That the prayer of the said petition be granted, and that the Auditors be directed to settle his depreciation accordingly.
A return of the general election of the county of Westmore- land was read, by which it appears that the following gentlemen were duly elected, vizt :
Representatives-Isaac Meason, John Proctor and John Carna- han.
A
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MINUTES OF THE
Sheriffs-Matthew Jack and Moses Watson.
Coroners-Michael Rough and William Jack.
Commissioner-Joseph McGary.
On consideration,
Resolved, That Matthew Jack, Esq'r, be appointed Sheriff of the county of Westmoreland ; and that Michael Rough be appointed Coroner of the said county ; and that they be commissioned accord- ingly.
Matthew Jack, Esquire, Sheriff elect for the county of West- moreland, now offers the Honorable Christopher Hayes and John Proctor, Esquires, of the said county, as sureties for the faithfull performance of the duties of Sheriff for the said county according to law.
The Council took into consideration the appointing a Prothono- tary, Clerk of the Court of General Quarter Sessions and Orphans' Court, and also a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Westmoreland, in the room of Archibald Lochry, Es- quire, superseded ; and Michael Huffnagle and James Kinkead, being recommended to the Board as proper persons to hold the said offices, the said gentlemen were ballotted for, when Michael Huffnagle, Esquire, was unanimously elected ; whereupon,
Resolved, That Michael Huffnagle, Esquire, be appointed Pro- thonotary, Clerk of the Court of General Quarter Sessions and Orphan's Court, and a Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Westmoreland, in the room of the said Archibald Lochry, and that commissions be made out accordingly.
The Council took into consideration the appointment of Sub- lieutenants for the county of Washington, agreeably to the militia law of this State; and William McCleiry, William Parker, George Vallandigham and Matthew Ritchie being recommended ; on con- sideration,
Resolved, That William McCleiry, William Parker, George Vallandigham and Matthew Ritchie, be appointed Sub-lieutenants of the county of Washington, and that they be commissioned ac- cordingly.
159
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Wednesday, Dec'r 26, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Byers, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Pentecost, and
Mr. Bayard.
Mr. Piper,
A petition from Matthew Maus, Surgeon to the Invalid Regi- ment, praying a settlement of the depreciation of his pay, agreea- bly to act of Assembly passed the first day of October last, was read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition be granted, and that the Auditors be directed to settle the said depreciation accord- ingly.
The following deeds were examined and signed by his Excel- lency the President, for sundry lots of ground in the city of Phila- delphia, sold agreeably to law for the redemption of the bills of credit of this State of the twenty-ninth of April, 1780, marked in the general plan of city lots, viz :
To Francis Shields, for lots marked from No. 592 to 601. Con- sideration three hundred and ninety-seven pounds.
To do., for lots marked from No. 1135 to 1142. Consideration two hundred and forty-three pounds.
To James Stewart, for lots marked from No. 1171 to 1178. Consideration three hundred and twelve pounds.
To ditto, do. for 1351 to 1356. Consideration two hundred and eighty-seven pounds.
To George Cooper, for lots No. 470 and 471. Consideration one hundred and twenty-nine pounds.
To ditto, for lots marked from No. 1093 to 1097. Consideration three hundred and eight pounds.
Which sums the said persons have paid into the hands of Mr. David Rittenhouse, State Treasurer, as appears by his receipts. Deeds dated the twenty-sixth instant.
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MINUTES OF THE
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Thursday, Dec'r 27, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Gardner, Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Piper, Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Pentecost.
The Council taking into consideration the appointing officers for the ranging company for the county of Washington,
Resolved, That John Hughes, Esquire, be appointed and com- missioned to be captain of a company of Rangers to be raised in the county of Washington; and that Gabriel Peterson be appointed Lieutenant, and James Morrison Ensign of the said company, and that they be commissioned accordingly.
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Friday, Dec'r 28, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard,
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Pentecost.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer on favor of his Excellency the President, for the sum of one hundred pounds specie, in part of his salary, for which he is to account.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of the Honorable James Potter, Esquire, for the sum of one hundred pounds specie, in part of his salary, for which he is to account.
The form of the specification of persons and facts alluded to in the petition against the election of a Councillor of the county of Philadelphia, being amended in the address, was again read :
Whereupon, Colonel Bayard, the Councillor returned for the said county, requested leave to decline voting on any question which should arise upon the said petition ; and the request was granted accordingly.
SUPREME EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. 161
On consideration,
Ordered, That the petitioners be heard by a committee of Coun- cil : that the Honorable the Vice President, Doctor Gardner, and Mr. Pentecost, be the said committee ; that they be authorized and directed to hear the evidence, and report the facts to the Council, for their consideration and determination thereupon ; that Thurs- day, the third day of January next, be appointed to hear the peti- tioners, at the State house in Philadelphia, at ten o'clock in the forenoon.
Colonel Bayard, in the name and behalf of the county of Phila- delphia, prayed that the county may be heard, by their counsel, in support of the return of the election of a Councillor for the said county in October last ; and, on consideration,
Ordered, That the county of Philadelphia be accordingly heard by their Council.
Ordered, That public notice be given that the petitioners against the late election of a Councillor for the said county of Philadel- phia, will be heard by a committee of the Council, at the State house in Philadelphia, on Thursday, the third of January next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon ; at which time and place the said coun- ty, by their counsel, and the several persons charged in the specifi- cation of persons and facts alluded to in the said petition, will also be heard.
Mr. Hill and Mr. S. Morris, a committee of the Honorable House. of Assembly, attended in Council, and requested a confer- ence with the Board respecting the office of Auctioneer for the city and liberties of Philadelphia; and a free conference was had thereupon.
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A petition from Mrs. Sarah Tricket, praying a pass to go into the city of New York, was read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That a pass be granted, on condition that she do not return again during the continuance of the present war.
A petition from praying a pass to go to New York, was read ; and thereupon,
Resolved, That the same be granted.
Council having received information that John Connelly, an offi- cer in the British service, is now in this city : On consideration,
Resolved, That a warrant be issued for apprehending and bring- ing before this Board forthwith the said John Connelly, for exami- nation.
John Connelly being brought before this Board and examined, it appears that he has violated a parole given in the State of Vir- ginia, and come into this State without permission.
Resolved, That the said John Connelly be committed to the common gaol of the city and county of Philadelphia, and there safely kept, until delivered by due course of law, he being a per- son whose going at large is dangerous to the public welfare and safety.
VOL. XIII .- 11.
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MINUTES OF THE
In Council.
PHILADELPHIA, Saturday, Dec'r 29, 1781.
PRESENT :
His Excellency the President.
The Honorable the Vice President.
Mr. Bayard, Mr. Gardner,
Mr. Piper,
Mr. Hayes, and
Mr. Byers,
Mr. Pentecost.
An order was drawn on the Treasurer in favor of John Proctor and Isaac Meason, Esquires, for the sum of five hundred pounds specie, to be forwarded to Brigadier General Irvine, for the purpose of recruiting the regiment stationed at Fort Pitt for the defence of the western frontiers, for which he is to account.
A petition from William Peeland and Margaret his wife, con- victed at a Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace for the county of Philadelphia, of having kept a disorderly house, and sen- tenced by the said court (among other things) each to pay to the use of the State a fine of one hundred pounds, and that the said William Peal stand committed for the space of three months, and until the residue of the sentence be complied with, was read, pray- ing remission of one-half of the fines aforesaid, and the residue of the said term of imprisonment : On consideration,
Resolved, That the prayer of the said petition be granted.
On consideration of the proposals made by John Cannon, Es- quire, for supplying the militia and Rangers of the county of Wash- inton which may be employed for the defence of the frontiers of said county,
Ordered, That twelve pence per ration, in specie, be allowed for the rations delivered at such places as the said troops may from time to time be stationed, within the said county of Washington. The rations to consist of
One pound of bread.
One pound of beef, or ¿ths pound of pork.
To every hundred
One gill of whiskey per day, and rations.
One quart of salt, and
Two quarts of vinegar.
Eight pounds of soap, and ? To every seven hundred ra-
Three pounds of candles. tions.
And that the sum of fifty pounds specie be advanced to the said contractor.
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