20thly When you have Carryed the Line down to the Barrens below Crosswicks we think you need not Carry it farther because the true Line comes there very near to the Random, and we think the Random, with the Length of the Perpendiculars at Each mile Tree will be sufficient for the remaining Part. 21. When you have thus finish'd that Work you are fairly to Lay down on a Map the Random & true Lines with all the Things you Observ'd in their true Places, and make Return to Us of the Map and a Copy of your Field Work in Order for forming such Certificate of the Work agreeable thereto, as may be proper to be Recorded, you are also to Return your Commission in Order that it may be Recorded with that Certificate, and also the Original Agreement & of the Station Point herewith given You. JOHN HAMILTON. Letter from Governor Lewis Morris, of New Jersey, to Governor George Clinton, of New York. [From Papers of F. J. Paris in New Jersey Historical Society Library, Vol. A. p. 123.] Perth Amboy October 22a 1743. [Extract. * * * * I herewith Send you Coppys of the representation of the Proprietors of this province concerning the runing the Division Line betwixt this Province and New York, and of a petition of Some of the Inhabitants dwelling nigh where the Said Line is Supposed will run, complaining of abuses by some of the Inhabitants of New York; It is necessary that the Lines Should be run as Soon as may be, and untill that can be done, Some measures Should be taken to dis courage the proceedings complained of, which, unless done, will probably be attended with consequences, dangerous to the publick peace in those parts: and this I very much hope that your Excellency, by your orders to the Inhabitants of that part of the province of New York under your Government will endeavour to prevent; which is all I shall at present Say upon that head. * * * * Petition of Abraham Vanaken and Juriam Westphale to the Governor and Council of New Jerseyrelating to disturbances on the Northern boundary of the Province. [From Papers of F. J. Paris in New Jersey Historical Society Library, Vol. A, p. 129.] TO HIS EXCELLENCY LEWIS MORRIS ESQ Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesties Province of New Jersey and Territories thereon depending in America and Vice Admiral in the Same &C AND TO HIS MAJESTIES COUNCIL FOR THE SAID PROVINCE. The Petition of Abraham Vanaken and Juriam Westphale, in behalf of themselves and many other of the Inhabitants of the province of New Jersey living in and near to Minisinks Island in Delaware River HUMBLY SHEWETH THAT by the original grants of this province of New Jersey, the Same was to be Bounded on the North by a Streight Line between it and the province of New York Extending from the Latitude of 41" on Hudson's River to the Latitude of forty-one degrees and forty Minutes on the Northermost Branch of Delaware River That by one Act of Assembly of the province of New York pass'd in the year 1717, and by another Act of Assembly of the province of New Jersey pass'd in the year 1718-9 Commissioners and Surveyors were to be appointed as therein directed for Runing and Ascertaining the said partition line by Mutuall Consent and agreement That in the year 1719 Commissioners & Surveyors for the Said provinces Respectively were appointed pursuant to the directions of the Said Acts for Running and Ascertaining the Said Line of partition by mutual consent and agreement, and in the months of June and July 1719 they met together for that purpose on Delaware River and discovered the Northermost Branch of Delaware River to be that Branch thereof called the fish Kill, and after Many observations of the Latitude made on that Branch it was unanimously agreed that the Latitude of 419 40 was in the Indian Town called Cashieghtonk on the Said Branch of Delaware, which Indian Town is upwards of forty Miles above Minisink Island aforesad, and accordingly the Said Commissioners and Surveyors unanimously Executed Indentures under their hands and Seals Ascertaining the place aforesaid in the Said Indian Town to be the North point of the Said partition Line between the provinces of New York and New Jersey. That the Said Commissioners and Surveyors thereupon did direct a Line to be run and mark'd from the Said North partition point, as near as their Judgment could direct them, to the Latitude of 419 on Hudson's River, which Line was in the Said year 1719 run and mark'd accordingly and the Surveyors of both provinces Mett at M Corbett's near Tapan, where they took many observations in order for Ascertaining the Latitude of 41o upon Hudson's River, and for discovering whether the Said Line So Run and mark'd as aforesaid, did in any thing and in what differ from the True partition Line; but for what cause your petitioners Know not, the Same Latitude upon Hudson's River remains as yet unascertained, as does also the Streight Line of partition between the Said points of Latitude upon Hudson's River And Delaware River, if the Same Should be found in any thing to Vary from the Line run and mark'd as aforesaid. That your petitioners and their Neighbours hold Lands in and about Minisinks Islands by Titles under this Province, and many of them have been possessed thereof under those Titles upwards of twenty years and some of them near forty years. That there's So little probability that Minisinks Island can fall into the province of New York by the True Partition Line when Run, that your petitioners doubt not to prove that a Streight Line drawn from the Said partition point upon Delaware, to perth Amboy, will leave the Said Minisink Island to the Westward, and consequently that Perth Amboy and above one half of East New Jersey will be more in danger of falling into New York by the true partition Line when run, than the Said Minisink Island and Lands adjacent. And your petitioners humbly Beg leave further to Show that Notwithstanding their and their Neighbours titles and long possession under the province of New Jersey and the Said unprobability of their falling into New York by the true partition Line when run, yet have they been frequently taxed as inhabitants of the County of Orange in the province of New York, and those Taxes levied by the officers of the Said County, many miles within this province with Such circumstances of cruelty and injustice as we believe are hardly to be parallell'd, of which your petitioners can give variety of Instances. That Soloman Davis one of the Inhabitants of Lands adjacent to Minisink Island, and one of his Majesties Justices of the peace for the County of Morris, was Indicted by the Grand Jury of the County of Orange for Acting as a Justice of the peace within their County, when in Truth the place where he Acted was, and is as your petitioners Conceive, Several miles within this province, upon which Indictment the Said Davis was fined forty pounds and to Keep himself out of prison was oblidged to Give his Bond, and has since paid the Money. That your petitioner Vanaken having the honour to be Named in his Majesties Commission of the peace for the County of Morris, Issued a warrant against Johannes Westbrook Jun! and Peter Gomar for Breaking into a house in the Night: upon which they were taken & Bound over to Morris County Court: Soon after which, Coll: Vincent Mathews of Orange County, Came to Perth Amboy, and under pretence of Keeping the peace nigh the line of division Between this province and that of New York he entered into an Agreement with Joseph Warrell Esq Attorney Gen! which was that those people at or near Minisink who are inclined to be under the Government of New Jersey Should Signify it, by Signing a paper prepared for that purpose: and those who inclined to be under the Government of New York Should also Signify it by Signing a paper, as above, and that no power Should be Exercised over any person but by the officers of the Government under which he had chose to be: Upon this Agreement Mr Warrell discharged the two persons Bound over as aforesaid. And your petitioners have been Informed, and Verily believe that the Agreement above Sett forth, was entered into by Coll Mathews with no other intention than to get the two men discharged that were Bound over as aforesaid: and not with any real intention to preserve the peace as was pretended: for your petitioner Vanaken, |