Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 7, January 1735 - December 1741. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1930.
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'Journal, February 1736: Volume 45', in Journals of the Board of Trade and Plantations: Volume 7, January 1735 - December 1741, (London, 1930) pp. 87-92. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/jrnl-trade-plantations/vol7/pp87-92 [accessed 26 April 2024]
Journal, February 1736
Tuesday, February 3. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Pelham.
New York.
Mr. Stork.
Mr. Stork upon the subject of his petition for land, read the 27th ult., acquaints the Board that the description of the tract, then desired, not being ready, he desired a further day, and the Board postponed this affair till next week.
Virginia.
Mr. Leheup, Agent.
The Board reconsider the two laws and Mr. Fane's report, mentioned in the minutes of 28th ult. They have no objection to that for the better support of William and Mary College; and to talk with Mr. Fane next Thursday upon that for settling titles to land.
Mr. Leheup presents from the Governor a list of persons fit to supply vacancies in the Council, which was read, and ordered to be entered on the book of councillors.
Wednesday, February 4. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Colonel Bladen, Sir A. Croft, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Plummer.
New England.
Plantations General.
The draught of a bill, prepared by Mr. Fane, to prevent the destruction in the woods, was read.
Draught of a representation upon the subject of Governors having voted as councillors, ordered to be prepared the 28th instant, was agreed to.
Thursday, February 5. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Colonel Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Pelham.
New England.
Plantations General.
Mr. Fane.
The draught of the bill, read yesterday, for the better preservation of the king's woods in America, was again read, and the Board made a progress in the consideration thereof.
Virginia.
Mr. Fane.
The Board reconsider the Act for settling titles to land, mentioned in the minutes of 3rd instant, and have no objection thereto.
Ordered a representation to confirm this Act, and that for the better support of William and Mary College, mentioned in the minutes of the same day.
Friday, February 6. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman.
Virginia.
Representation for confirming the two Acts, mentioned in yesterday's minutes, for settling titles etc. and that for the support of the colledge etc. was agreed to and signed.
New York.
Plantations General.
Representation upon the subject of Governors voting as councillors, ordered to be prepared the 22nd ult., was agreed to and signed.
North Carolina.
Order of Committee, referring McCulloch's petition for two tracts of land amounting to 132,000 acres, was read.
To be further considered next Thursday, and McCulloch to attend.
Tuesday, February 10. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Plummer, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Brudenell, Sir A. Croft.
New Hampshire.
Massachusets.
Capt. Tomlinson.
Captain Tomlinson desires the Board to reconsider the Massachusets law to prevent the currency of New Hampshire bills, mentioned in the minutes of 9th December.
This day sennight appointed; Mr. Wilks and he to attend.
New England.
Plantations General.
Mr. Fane.
New York.
Mr. Milan.
Draught of a bill for preventing the destruction of the woods, again considered and read. [Vide supra February 4th, 1735/6.]
Mr. Milne, late Commissary for the Indians, desires to be heard against the petition of Stork and Livingston, mentioned in minutes of 3rd instant. The Mohawk Indians are settled upon the tract; some of the land worth £10 an acres; desired to put his reasons against the petition in writing.
Mr. Stork.
Mr. Cooper.
Mr. J. Sharpe.
Mr. Stork, Mr. Cooper, Mr. J. Sharpe present a map of the desired tract and a description of the place, which was read.
Wednesday, February 11. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Brudenell, Colonel Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman.
Jamaica.
Order of Committee, dated 24th ult., referring a petition from the Jews, praying against the annual tax laid upon them, was read.
Mr. Wood, in behalf of the Jews, is to attend the Board next Friday morning.
New England.
Plantations General.
Draught of the bills, for preventing the destruction of the woods, again considered.
Ordered that a copy thereof be sent to Sir Charles Wager.
Thursday, February 12. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft, Sir O. Bridgeman, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.
New York.
Mr. Milne.
Letter from Mr. Milne, who attended the 10th instant, upon Mr. Stork's petition for land, was read, declaring his having now no objection to Stork's petition.
Ordered that a copy of Stork's petition be sent to the Governor for his observations.
North Carolina.
Mr. McCulloch.
Mr. John Sharpe.
Mr. McCulloch presents proposals for making his settlement, according to his petition, read the 6th instant, which was read.
Ordered to lay before the Board as good a draught of the two tracts he desires, as he can possibly get.
Jamaica.
Secretary acquaints the Board, that Mr. Wood, who (yesterday) was ordered to attend to-morrow, cannot then attend; ordered that a letter be wrote to Mr. Wood with certain queries upon the petition, ready yesterday, for his answer as soon as possible.
North Carolina.
Mr. Jenner, Agent for the Swiss.
Captain Burrington.
Mr. Ochs.
Captain Burrington delivers from the Swiss a memorial, desiring to be settled nearer the mountains than what is described in their proposal, read 22nd ult., was read. They do agree to pay 4 shillings proclamation money for every 100 acres, for all the land that shall be taken up.
Friday, February 13. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Sir A. Croft, Sir O. Bridgeman.
Virginia.
Ordered that a letter be wrote to Major Gooch to know what steps have been taken towards settling the boundaries.
New York.
Letter from Colonel Cosby with papers, Acts, and in answer to the Parliament enquiry; read.
Ordered that the Acts be sent to Mr. Fane.
New England.
Two letters from Mr. Belcher, one of the 23rd October and of 8th December, the first in answer to the Parliament enquiry, and the other in answer to the Board's letter of 10th September last, were read.
The Board agreed to consider further of the last letter from Belcher at another time.
Ordered that a copy of the Attorney General's report concerning the private bank, read the 5th of December last, be sent to Belcher.
Tuesday, February 17. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Pelham, Colonel Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe, Sir A. Croft.
New England.
Plantations General.
Ordered that a copy of the bill for the better preservation of the woods, read the 11th instant, be sent to the Attorney and Solicitor General for their opinion, and that Mr. Fane be desired to confer with them upon it.
Massachusets.
New Hampshire.
Mr. Wilks, Captain Tomlinson, Mr. John Sharpe and several merchants attend upon the Massachusets law to prevent the currency of New Hampshire notes. Wilks apprehends that, should the law be repealed, the trade will be ruined, because money of base value will be poured in upon them from all parts. Sandford says that New England bills are fallen in value. Tomlinson says that New Hampshire bills are equal value with New England bills; says there is an association of the best people in the province to be answerable for the whole sum, which amounts to about £6000. All the bills are not signed by the same gentlemen; Act read; a list of the association read; ordered Act to be repealed.
North Carolina.
Mr. McCulloch.
Mr. John Sharpe.
Mr. McCulloch presents his draught of the land he petitions for, ordered to be prepared the 12th instant.
Ordered a copy of McCulloch's petition, and of the above draught, be sent to the Governor for his observations; but upon further consideration the Board resolved not to send the petition to the Governor, but to reconsider it again next Tuesday.
Mr. Jenner.
Captain Burrington, etc.
Draught of the tract the 6000 Swiss propose to settle; to-morrow sennight they are to attend again.
South Carolina.
Next Friday appointed for Mr. Wragg to attend upon the subject of his petition for land, read the 17th of December last; ordered that Mr. John Sharpe do attend at the same time, according to the directions of that day.
Wednesday, February 18th. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Pelham, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Plummer.
New England.
Massachusets Bay.
Draught of letter to Mr. Belcher, ordered to be prepared the 13th instant, was agreed to, and ordered to be sent.
Virginia.
Draught of letter to Major Gooch, the Governor, ordered to be prepared the 13th instant, was agreed to, and ordered to be sent.
New York.
Draught of a letter to Colonel Cosby, the Governor, ordered to be prepared the 13th instant, was agreed to, and ordered to be sent.
Massachusets.
New Hampshire.
Order of the Committee, directing the Board to propose the names of commissioners to settle the bounds, was read.
Memorial from Mr. Paris, proposing nine persons for that purpose, was read.
Ordered that Mr. Wilks, agent for the Massachusets, and Captain Tomlinson, agent for New Hampshire, be desired to attend next Thursday sennight, in order to propose to them the giving in some names of persons for the above purposes.
Jamaica.
Plantations General.
Order of the Committee, with a petition from merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool, complaining of duties, rates of coin, paper money etc., was read, and to be further considered.
Thursday, February 19. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman.
Jamaica.
Letter from Mr. Wood, inclosing an answer to certain queries sent to him the 12th instant, relating to the tax on Jews, was read.
The Board then reconsidering the Jews' petition, read the 11th instant, gave directions for preparing the draught of a report, proposing an instruction to the Governor not to pass any Act for laying a tax on the Jews, but by a separate Act, and with the suspending clause; and that the Governor do send over the reasons why the tax has been laid on the Jews, over and above the ordinary taxes.
Friday, February 20. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Pelham, Mr. Plummer, Mr. Ashe, Colonel Bladen.
Plantations General.
Letter from the Duke of Newcastle, directing the Board to lay before the House of Commons copies of the several papers, desired by their addresses of the 6th instant, was read; and Colonel Bladen, being desired to lay the said papers before the House, he took the same and lists thereof to the House accordingly.
North Carolina.
Mr. Wragg.
Mr. Craven.
Mr. Shelton.
Mr. Deane.
Order of Committee with the petition of Wragg and Deane, read the 10th December last, for 6000 acres to erect a sawery, again considered.
They are now in possession already of the whole tract.
Mr. John Sharpe, attending, as he had been desired, acquainted the Board that Mr. Froysen and Swinton had two warrants, one of 700 and one of 350 acres, part of the land petitioned for, granted by Johnson a year before his death, run out and surveyed.
It appears to the Board that the land claimed by Mr. Wragg is by virtue of a warrant of survey in the year 1713, signed by the proprietors, and directed to the Surveyor General; but that the land was not surveyed till the year 1723, and then by a surveyor, but not the proprietors' surveyor.
Mr. Craven says, he has seen the saw mill erected by Wragg etc., saw with 36 saws at once, and that the men they had there were taken away on account of the Indian war.
South Carolina.
Wragg and Deane's petition.
To attend again.
The Board then desired they would reduce into writing a state of the expence they had been at, and shew how they claim under Danson, to whom the warrant was directed. In answer thereto, they produced a deed of partnership in 1713, signed by Mr. Danson, William Wragg, etc., under which they claim, and promised to bring an affidavit to the truth of what they have averred with regard to their expence.
Tuesday, February 24. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Ashe, Sir O. Bridgeman, Sir A. Croft, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer.
North Carolina.
Mr. McCulloch.
Mr. McCulloch's petition, read the 6th instant, praying for two tracts of land, again considered; he agrees to pay the quit rent of 4 shillings per hundred acres after the first ten years, and to pay quit rent for the whole tract or forfeit the whole.
Ordered the draught of a report be prepared in favour of the petition.
Miscellanies.
Letter to the Board of Works, ordered to be sent, desiring a water closet to be made.
North Carolina.
Friday next.
Plantations General.
To-morrow.
Ordered that Captain Burrington and the Swiss, who were to attend to-morrow, be deferred till Friday next; and that the Board do consider to-morrow morning the Order of the Committee, read the 18th instant, with the petition of the merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool.
Wednesday, February 25. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Plummer, Sir A. Croft, Mr. Ashe.
Russia.
Trade.
Mr. Chitty, etc.
Mr. Bond.
Order of the Lords of the Committee with the petition of Mr. Chitty, relating to a contract about rhubarb, broke through at Petersburgh, contrary to treaty, was read. Mr. Chitty to attend again Wednesday the 10th of next month, when this matter is further to be considered. The Russia Company to attend at the same time.
Jamaica.
Plantations General.
Two Orders from the Lords of the Committee, one read the 17th of December last, the other of the 18th instant, with the petitions from the merchants of London, Bristol and Liverpool, relating to duties, etc., were again read.
Ordered that the draught of report be prepared upon the first Order, and that the second be reconsidered this day sennight. [Next Wednesday].
Thursday, February 26. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen, Mr. Brudenell, Mr. Ashe.
New York.
Mr. Stork.
Mr. Stork attending, was acquainted that his petition for a tract of land on the Mohawks River, mentioned in the minutes of the 12th instant, was sent to the Governor of New York for his observations upon it, and that when the Governor shall have made his report, Mr. Stork shall have notice of it; to be further considered.
North Carolina.
Draught of a report upon Mr. McCulloch's petition for land, ordered to be prepared the 24th instant, was agreed to.
Jamaica.
Draught of report upon the petition of the Jews, against the tax laid on them, mentioned in the minutes of 16th instant, was agreed to.
Massachusets.
New Hampshire.
Mr. Wilks.
Captain Tomlinson.
Mr. Paris.
The Board proposed to them to give in the names of persons proper to be appointed commissioners for settling the boundaries between the two provinces, according to the Order of the Lords of the Committee of Council, read the 18th instant; and Mr. Wilks said, that as he knew no persons proper for that purpose, he had no list of names to deliver.
To be further considered.
Mr. Tomlinson delivers a list of persons in behalf of New Hampshire, which was read. This matter to be further considered.
Draught of report for repealing the Massachusets Act for preventing the currency of New Hampshire bills, ordered to be prepared the 17th instant, was agreed to.
Friday, February 27. Present:—Earl Fitz-Walter, Mr. Ashe, Mr. Plummer, Colonel Bladen, Sir O. Bridgeman, Mr. Pelham, Sir A. Croft.
North Carolina.
Captain Burrington.
Mr. Jenner.
Mr. Ochs.
Proposals from Mr. Jenner for settling 6000 Swiss, read the 22nd ult., again considered.
Ordered that a copy thereof be sent to the Governor of North Carolina for his observations upon it.
Ordered that the seven proposals in Mr. Jenner's above paper be transcribed, with such observations as have occurred to the Board thereon, in order to be communicated to the Swiss for their answer.