Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
RS 108 Land Petitions: Original Series 1783-1918
Petition of William Secord and others, Kings County, 1785, PANB
microfilm F1026
[page 1]
To His Excellency Thomas Carleton Esquire Captain General and Governor in Chief of the Province of New Brunswick &ce &ce &ce
The Petition of the Subscribers Humbly Sheweth
That your Excellencys petitioners arrived in this province, about eighteen Months past, and finding no Lands Located and Surveyed for their Settlement, they was urged by Necessity to set themselves Down and put their Familys under Cover they accordingly fixed themselves on long Island lying in the River St John which appeared to be ungranted Lands, where your petitioners have Built houses and made some Improvements towards the Support of their Familys.
Your Excellencys petitioners humbly Prays as they are unprovided for Elsewhere that your Excellency would please to grant them Lands whereon they have Improved and Such a quantity of the same to Each of them as your Excellency may think proper and that your Excellency would order the Land Surveyed that petitioners may know their Boundaries and go on with the Cultivation of the same, And Petitioners with every Sentiment of Gratitude will Ever Pray
Parr 25th of Janry
1785
John
Golding
[page 2]
[listed as "Men with Familys"]
Joseph Golding
Stephan Golding
Gilbert Pugsly
William Secord
Daniel Gerow
James Gerow
Henery Dusenberry
Robert Smith
James Megs
John Cromwell
Joseph Bulyeay
Daniel Parent
James Wood
Robert Merret
Caleb Merret
[listed as "Single Men"]
Robert Bulyea
Archelaus Purdy
Abraham Golding
Zephenah Washborn
Benjamin Golding
Israel Merritt
[page 3]
To His Excellency Thomas Carleton Esqr Captain General and Governor in Chief over the Province of New Brunswick &e &e &e
The Petition of John Golden and William Secord in behalf of themselves Gilbert Pugsley Daniel Gerow James Gerow Robert Smith John Crummell Joseph Belyea Daniel Parent James Wood James Megs Joseph Golden Benjamin Golden and George Hays Most Humbley Sheweth
That they are all Settlers on Long Island in the River St Johns with Familys and have made Considerable Improvements thereon and the Reason of our Settling the Same was a promise from the agents then bairing Rule that wee Should have Said land Granted to us provided it Should be Escheated and finding the Court of Inquiry hath Condemned it
Do Humbly beg that Each of us may have the Said land granted to us as Neither of us have Drawn any land Elsewhere the Island is in Some part Composed of Low and Marshy land but wee are Willing to Except of fifty Acres Each untill your Excellency Shall think proper to order them more and your Excellencys Petitioners as in Duty bound will ever pray
City St John August 31st 1785
please to turn over
[page 4]
the persons living in Said Island have Annexed their Names all that are present
John Golding
William Secord
Joseph Golding
James Gerow
Gilbert Spugsly
Daniel Gerow
John Cromwell
Robert Smith
James Wood
Joseph Bullyea
James Mags
Benjamin Golding
Daniel Parent
The names written on page 2 do not appear to be original signatures, but rather a list of names written in perhaps two different hands. Here is a sample:
The names on page 4 do appear to be original signatures. Here is a sample:
