and how to named. promised to be given as bounty lands, by laws of this ftate, and for other purposes therein mentioned, paffed the eleventh day of May, one thoufand Each township. to feven hundred and eighty-four; which townfhips Thall contain 65,000 acres; refpectively contain fixty thoufand acres of land, and be cut, numbered, and laid out as nearly in fquares as local circumftances will permit, and be numbered from number one progreffively, to the last inclufive; and the commiflioners of the land-office fhall likewife defignate every township by fuch name as they fhall deem proper; the first of which townfhips to begin on the western fide of the Onondaga-River, at the falls thereof; and all of them to be laid out contiguous to each other, within the limits and bounds of the tract of land fet apart for the ufe of the troops of this ftate as aforefaid, fo that no part of the faid townfhips fhall extend further eaft than a line to be drawn north and fouth from the fouthweft corner of the lands referved by the Oneida Indians for their own ute, from and out of the ceffion and grant made by them to the people of this ftate, at the laft treaty held with them by the commiffioners appointed by a law of this ftate for that purpofe. Provided always, That no part of the faid townships fhall interfere with, or be laid out on any part of the lands reserved by the Onondaga and Cayuga Indians, for their own ufe or the ufe of any particular perfon or perfons in the ceffion or grant made by them to the people of this flate, by the treaties lately held between the Onondaga and Cayuga Indians, and the commiffioners appointed for that purpose. make a map of each the fame into one hun ry's office, keeping the office. II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Surveyor-general to That the furveyor-general, as foon as may be, fhall make a towship, and divide map of each of the faid townships, and each township shall dred lots, and file a be fubdivided on fuch map into one hundred lots, as neatly. copy in the fecreta- fquare as may be, each lot to contain fix hundred acres, or original in his own as nearly that quantity as may be; and the lots in every township fhall be numbered from one to the laft inclufive, in numerical order; and one copy of fuch map fhall be filed in the fecre tary's office of this ftate, and the original fhall be preferved in the faid furveyor-general's office: And the furveyor-general fhall immediately after having filed fuch map as aforefaid, in the fecretary's office, give notice thereof to the commiffioners of the land-office; which faid commiffioners shall thereupon caufe a notice to be publifhed fix weeks fucceffively, in one or more of the news-papers printed in each of the cities of New-York and Albany (whereof the news-paper publifhed by the printer to this ftate, if any fuch there be, fhall be one) requiring all perfons entitled to grants of bounty and gratuity lands as aforefaid, who have not by themselves or their legal reprefentatives, already exhibited their claims, to exhibit the fame to the faid commiffioners on or before the first day of January, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one. 1791, the commiflion termining faidclaims, perfon's fhare. Altered, IH. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, After ft January, That the faid commiffioners after the day fixed by the said ersto proceed in de- advertisement, fhall proceed to examine and determine the and to billot for each claims of all and each of the perfons, or their legal reprefentatives, entitled to grants as aforefaid, in fuch mode and manner as to them fhall appear equitable and juft, so that the bounty and gratuity intended to be given by the flate, be not extended to perfons who may not be entitled thereto; and after fuch determination as aforefaid, the faid commiffioners fhall cause the names of each of the officers, non-commiffioned officers and privates fo by them ad 13th feff. ch. 59. judged to be entitled to the bounty and gratuity as aforefaid, to be written on feparate ballots or tickets, and as many more names of the commiffioned officers entitled to fuch bounty on feparate ballots or tickets, as there shall be six hundred acres in the fare to which fuch officers refpectively are entitled by virtue of the law and refolutions aforefaid; referving the furplus that may happen to be due to fuch officers, and which cannot be fatisfied exactly by the division of the faid townfhips, into lots of fix hundred acres, to be provided for in the manner herein after to be directed. Provided, That no commiflioned officer fhall be entitled to any addition of land as a bounty or gratuity on the part of this ftate, on account of any promotion conferred on him by the acts of congrefs of the thirtieth of September, and the first of November, one thoufand leven hundred and eighty-three. take an account of 1nch lands for the ufe of the flate. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Commiffioners to That it fhall be the duty of the commiffioners of the landall perfons entitled to office, and they are hereby directed and required to take an bounty lands from congrefs, and to pro- account of all perfons to whom lands fhall be granted by cure an affigment of virtue of this act, and who were entitled thereto by any act, or refolution of congrefs, and of the quantity granted to each perfon fo entitled, and to require from each of the faid perfons, an affignment of his, her or their proportion and claim of bounty and gratuity lands under any act or acts of congrefs, to be made to and in the name of the furveyor-general, for the ufe of the people of this flate; which account and affignments fhall be depofited in the office of the furveyor-general of this ftate, in order that this flate may receive a juft compenfation for the lands which fhall be granted by virtue of this act, conformably to any requifition of congrefs: And it fhall be, and it is hereby declared to be the duty of the furveyor-general for the time being, to locate and procure grants in the manner prefcribed by congrefs, for fuch land fo to be affigned to the people of this ftate. Provided always, That if it fhall be in the power of the faid commiffioners to fell and difpofe of the whole or any part of fuch rights fo to be derived under affignments as aforefaid, it fhall, in that cafe be lawful for them, and they are hereby authorised to direct the furveyor-general to fell the fame, for any public fecurities iffued by the treasurer or auditor of this flate, at fuch price as the faid commiffioners fhall think fit and reafonable. lots. V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, Commiffioners di- That the faid commiffioners fhall caufe the ballots or tickets rected how to proceed in balloting for the aforefaid, to be rolled up and put into a box, and then shall caufe one hundred ballots or tickets to be made and numbered, from number one to one hundred; which faid ballots or tickets fhall alfo be rolled up and put in a separate box, for township number one; and fo as many ballots or tickets numbered, rolled and put up as aforefaid, for township number two and fo on for each other township, which shall be laid out to fatisfy the claims of perfons entitled to grants of bounty and gratuity lands as aforefaid; and after having completed the fame, the faid commiffioners fhall proceed to the balloting of the faid lands, which fhall be performed in the following manner; that is to fay, They fhall appoint one or more perfon or perfons, who fhall firft draw a ticket from the box in which the names are put, and then a ticket of the number of township number one, until the number of ninety-four names, and as many lots have been drawn ; and after drawing for the lots in the faid township number one, in manner aforefaid, they fhall proceed in the fame manner to draw the lots in the other townships, until the whole drawing is compleated; and the lots in each township drawn next after the tickets marked with the name of the perfon entitled to fuch lands, fhall be the feparate and diftinct fhare of the perfon whole name was marked on the ticket drawn as aforesaid immediately before, or of his legal reprefentative, and of all perfons holding under him or her; of which balloting, and all the proceeding relating to the fame, the faid com. miifioners fhall make a full and fair entry and minute in a book, one copy thereof certified under their hands, or the hands of a majority of them, fhall be filed in the secretary's office, and the other copy certified in like manner, in the clerk's office of the county of Montgomery, in each township, how to be difpofed of. VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid Six remaining lots That the fix lots remaining in each townfhip not balloted for as aforefaid, fhall be by the commiflioners aforefaid, affigned in the manner following; that is to say, One thereof for the promoting the gospel, and a public fchool or fchools, one other for promoting literature in this flate, to be applied in fuch manner as the legislature may direct, and the remaining four lots to fatisfy the furplus fhares of commilioned officers not corresponding with the divifion of iix hundred acres as aforesaid, and to compenfate fuch perfons as may by chance draw any lot or lots, the greater part of which may be covered with water. map thereof. VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, After the balloting That the faid commiffioners, after compleating the ballotis performed, farveyor general to furvey ing as aforefaid, fhall direct the furveyor general, by himthe lands, and make felf or his deputies, to furvey the out-lines of the faid to winfhips, at the expence of the flate, as foon as conveniently may be, and to make a map of each of the faid townships agreeable to fuch furvey, and on the fame to fub-divide the lots in manner as before mentioned; one copy of which to be filed in the fecretary's office, and one other copy in the office of the clerk of Montgomery county. VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That it fhall and may be lawful for the faid commisioners to direct letters patent to be prepared and granted to each of the perfons by them adjudged to be entitled to grants of lands as aforesaid, and that the commiffioners and secretary fhall refpectively be entitled to the following fees, for their fervices performed, or to be performed by them refpectively, by virtue of this act; and to be paid by the person or perfons in whofe favor any letters patent fhall iflue; that is to fay, To the governor, for his attendance on figning and affixing the great feal to fuch letters patent, the fum of eight fillings, and to the other of the faid commiffioners jointly, exclufive of the fecretary, the like fee of eight fhillings, to be divided as to a majority of them fhall feem proper; to the fecretary, for preparing the letters patent, recording and keeping the minucs of the faid commiffioners, the like fees as allowed herein before to the governor; and it is hereby made the duty of the faid commiffioners, to direct letters patent to be granted to any perfon who fhall apply for the fame, or his legal reprefentatives, including the whole of the lands to which fuch perfon, or his reprefentatives, may be entitled as aforefaid in one patent; provided the fame does not exceed one quarter of the quantity of a township. IX. A d be it further enaded by the authority aforefaid, An actual fettle. That on the lands to be granted by this act, there fhall be an every fix hundred actual fettlement made, for every fix hundred acres which years from ift Janna- may be granted to any perfon or perfons, within feven years ry, next after the from the first day of January next, after the date of the patent by which fuch lands fhall be granted; and on failure of fuch fettlement, the unfettled lands fhall revert to the people of this flate. ment to be made on acres, within feven grant. X. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That all letters patent to be granted by virtue of this act, fhall be in fuch words and forms as the faid commiflioners fhall direct; and fhall contain an exception and refervation to the people of this flate, of all gold and filver mines; and fhall convey the lands therein mentioned, to the grantee and his heirs. rights may locate on ans, which they might XI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, Perfors holding clats That it fhall and may be lawful to and for any perion or any of the lands pur perfons holding and being entitled to any certificates itlued chafed from the Indi in pursuance of the act, entitled, An act for railing two have located upon the regiments for the defence of this ftate, and the act entitled, ift May, 1736. ‡ An act for raising troops to complete the line of this state, and the two regiments to be railed on bounties of unappropriated lands, and for the further defence of the frontiers of this ftate, to locate the lands to which they refpectively became entitled, in any part of the lands purchafed or to be purchased by the people of this ftate, from the Onondaga, Cayuga or Seneca nations of Indians; which they might have located upon, on the firft day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand feven hundred and eightyfix; and that it fhall and may be lawful to and for the commiflioners of the land-office to grant letters patent for the fame, in the manner profcribed by former laws refpecting lands located in confequence of fuch Except the lands al certificates. Provided always, That no fuch locations fhall and the township or be made on any of the lands affigned to the troops of the And fach locations line of this ftate, or in any part of the township of Cheto made within a mung. And provided always, Such locations be made within one year after the paffing of this act. fine to the army, Ch. mung year. land-office to examine Ironis Lieb, and his alociates. XII. And whereas it has been fuggefted to the legislature, that Johannis Lieb, and others his affociates, were, previous to the revolution, entitled to a grant for a tract of land in the county of Montgomery, and that the faid lands were granted by the people of this ftate as a compenfation for military fervices to other perfons; therefore, Be it further enacted by the au thority aforesaid, That it fhall and may be lawful to and for Commiffioners of the the commiffioners of the land office, to examine into the into the claims of lo claims of the faid Johannis Lieb and his affociates; and if, upon fuch examinatior, it fhall appear that the faid claim is equitable, and ought to be allowed, and that the faid lands have been granted by the people of this ftate, as a compenfation for military fervices, it fhall and may be lawful to and for the faid commiffioners, to direct the furveyor-general to furvey and lay out, at the expence of the faid Johannis Lieb and his affociates, a tract, equal in quantity to the lands fo granted, of any of the ungranted lands of this flate, not included in the late Indian purchases, or particularly referved to the people of this ftate, by any former law, and to grant the fame in like manner, and on the fame conditions as other lands granted on equitable claims, were granted before the expiration of the time limited by former laws for that purpose. XIII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, When locations are That whenever any perfon fhall have located, by virtue of made on lands already occupied, how the fur- the laws of this ftate, on lands belonging to this flate, which were occupied and improved on or before the 25th July, 1782, the furveyor-general fhall, at the expence of the perfon or perfons having located fuch lands, caufe the fame to be furveyed, veyor general is to proceed. There is not any act with either of these titles; but fee 4th fell, chap. 32, and 5th feff, shap. 22. and alfo caufe notice to be given in writing, to the occupant or occupants," and if the occupant or occupants do not apply for the fame, within four weeks after fuch notice hath been given, the furveyor-general fhall then make a return of the furvey of fuch lands, to the commiflioners of the landoffice, and the perfon or perfons having located the fame, fhall be entitled to letters patent therefor; and whenever any person shall have made a claim to unappropriated lands by virtue of improvements made, and occupancy had, prior to the faid 25th July, 1782, the commiflioners of the landoffice fhall direct the furveyor-general to furvey fuch lands at the expence of the claimant, and give public notice of fuch claim in one of the public newspapers printed in each of the cities of New-York and Albany, for three weeks fucceffively, of fuch location; and if no caveat be entered in the ref pective offices of the fecretary and the furveyor-general, fatisfactory proof of fuch improvement and occupancy being made to the faid commiffioners, the claimant fhall be entitled to letters patent for fuch lands in manner by law di rected; provided the quantity of each claim do not exceed two hundred acres; but if caveats be entered in the refpective offices of the fecretary and furveyor-general within the time before mentioned, the commiffioners of the land-office fhall proceed to hear and deterinine fuch claims in the manner directed by the act, entitled, ‡ An act to extend the pow11th fell. ch. 89. es of the commiffioners of the land-office to the cafes therein mentioned, and for other purposes, paffed the 20th of March, 1788; provided that all fuch locations or claims as aforefaid, be made on or before the first day of January, one thousand feven hundred and ninety-one, XIV. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That the com- ! miflioners of the land-office are hereby directed to grant to lieutenant Elijah Bill, a refugee from Nova-Scotia, the proportion of land he would have been entitled to by any former law of this ftate, had he applied within the time limited by the faid law, out of the lands fet apart for the Canadian and Nova-Scotia refugees. XV. And be it further enailed by the authority aforefaid, That the time limited for fuing out letters patent, by the first paragraph of the fifth fection of the act, entitled, An act to extend the powers of the commiffioners of the land-office to the cafes therein mentioned, and for other purposes, paffed the 20th of March, 1788, is hereby extended to the first day of March, one thoufand feven hundred and ninety, fo far as it refpects the Canadian and NovaScotia refugees. XVI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforefaid, That it fhall and may be lawful for the commiffioners of the land-office to grant letters patent to Luis Cook, alias Hadaquitochrongwen, for fuch tract of land, lying on the Niconfiaga river, beginning at the first falls on the faid river, and extending up the fame on both fides thereof, as they fhall find to be his diftinct property; provided the fame has not been other wife appropriated CHAP. XLVI. A ACT to liquidate and fettle Claims for building the Court-Houfe ana IV. [This act, except the following claufe, is obfolete.]. AND whereas the inhabitants of the county of Clinton are difpofed to build a block-house at Platfborough, in the faid county, to be afed as a gaol, until a gaol can be erected for the faid county: Therefore, |