provided always that no person shall have any lands laid out to him, or shall be received into any township as a proprietor, until he brings a Certificate from the Clerk of this Comp that he is a proprietor and has paid all the taxes due on his rights or otherwise Satisfy the Committee now appointed to lay out townships, that they are proprietors in said purchase, and have paid all-the taxes due on their said rights; or if any taxes be due, that they pay the Same to the said Committee for the use of said Comp'; and that there shall be twenty settlers, settled within each of said townships within two years from the time of laying out the same, in order that said proprietors of said Townships shall hold the same.

20 Settlers must oc

cupy each Townp. within 2 years.

Also, Voted, that if there shall be more of the agrieved settlers that shall appear by the time aforesaid to settle on said lands, the said Committee are hereby empowSuffering Townp. on Muncy Creek. ered to lay out a township on Muucy Creek, of six miles square, to fifty-three proprietors, if so many shall appear by the time aforesaid, to be laid out into fifty-three shares and if not filled up by such suffering settlers the other shares to be filled up by the proprietors that come on to settle on their original rights Except the three public rights reserved for public use to be under the same regulations that the other townships are.

At a meeting of the Susquehanna Company held at Hartford, April 22, 1773.

Whereas there are many memorials and Complaints now Exhibited to this meeting of interesting Consequence to the settlers, and this Comp' is not furnished with proper Exhibits justly to determine the same, it is now thought best and

Voted, to refer the Consideration of all the aforesaid Complaints and Memorials to the Consideration of this Comp' at their Adjourned Meeting in June next, and that there shall be a letter of advice wrote to the Settlers on said Susq* land, advising them of the time of the adjournment of this meeting, and that they endeavor to make an amicable Settlement of all their plaints and grievances, and that the settlers appoint a proper Committee to appear at said adjourned meeting, and inform said meeting relative to said Complaints, that they may be heard and Equitably redressed, if not settled before.

Upon the memorial of Elisha Williams, Thomas Bollding (Baldwin) and Silas Dean, a Committee of the Town of New Weathersfield, Yalestown, Bethlehem, Judea, Charlestown and New Simsburg, on the West Branch on the Susquehanna River,

in part of their general rights in said purchase, praying that they may have a township granted to them on the said West Branch of said River, to settle on Compact together, in order to secure said West Branch.

Settlements on the
West Branch.

Voted, that the proprietors of said Township, shall have one Township of land laid out on the West Branch of said river, in some proper place, for the security and defense of said West Branch, Six Miles Square, and that the proprietors of said Township shall forthwith settle on said Township to the number of 120 settlers, and hold and keep said Townshipinopposition to any claim but the claim of this Comp3; and that said township now granted, shall be considered as one of the three townships formerly granted by this Comp", on the West Branch of said river, to be settled for the security and defense of our said purchase, and that this so settling and defending and holding said township now granted, shall be considered and allowed in lieu of the settlements on the above township, according to the votes of this Comp'; and to delay the settlement on said township for the term of five years, or to settle sooner, if it can be done with safety to themselves and the Comp'.

Civil Government prayed for.

Voted, that Col. Elizur Talcut and Sam' Gray, Esq., as agents for this Comp prefer a memorial to the Honorable the General Assembly of the Colony of Connecticut, to be held at Hartford in May next; representing that the great difficulty that the settlers of the Susq* purchase are under for want of Civil government and authority, praying that Civil government may now be appointed for, and among the settlers on the Susquehanna purchase.

Whereas, there is some difficulty with respect to the votes relative to the township of Hannover, and the number of said settlers to be placed in said township, it is the understanding of this meeting, that by the votes of this Comp', Capt. Lazarus Stewart and William Stewart and their associates, should have the direction of filling up said town of Hanover, and that there shall not be less than thirty-six settlers on said town to hold the same, the regulation of said town to be nevertheless under the Control of this Comp, as the other towns are.

Whereas, there were three townships of land formerly granted as a gratuity for the encouragement of settling on the West Branch of Susqa River which are not yet taken up;

And whereas, this Company have now granted one of said townships to the proprietors of the New Weathersfield, &c.

It is now voted, that the vote of this Comp', with respect to the other two townships be and the same is hereby reconsidered, and made null and void.

Whereas, this Comp' did at their meeting held at Windham, Oct. 9, 1771, order one hundred rights or whole shares in our said purchase on Susqa to be sold, which rights are in part sold, It is now Voted, that the clerk of this Comp' shall apply to those persons that were appointed to sell said rights, and know what are sold, and what yet remain unsold, and see that the same are settled, and the money paid in for the use of the Comp', and that there shall be no more rights sold in said purchase, but by one or more of the standing Committee of this Comp, and they not to exceed the number aforesaid with what has been sold.

Voted, that the proprietors of any towns, who on Carefully Examining the situation of the lands they have pitched on, if Locations may be disagreable, may have liberty to pitch or locate anew, not interfering with any prior pitch or location, and taking the same steps as formerly directed by this Comp by surveying and laying out the same.

changed.

Voted, that the whole share proprietors shall have liberty Each whole share to take up two fifty-third parts in the first town entitled to 2-53 of a Township. he shall come into, or one fifty-third part in the two first townships he shall come to.

And he that is a half share proprietor, shall have liberty to take up one fifty-third part in the town he shall just Come Pitches to be ob- into, which shall be considered in future in laying out said rights, reserving three rights in said township for public use, according to the former votes of this Comp".

served.

Voted, to adjourn this meeting to the first Monday in June next at Hartford.

At a meeting of the Susq Comp, held by adjournment at Hartford, June 2, A. D. 1773.

Articles of agree

ment.

Whereas, we the subscribers, inhabitants of Connecticut in New England, in America already settled, and about to settle on certain lands on the river Susqa in said Colony, by us and our associates some time since purchased of the original natives by and with the Consent of the said colony of Connecticut;

And Whereas, the same lands are claimed to be within the jurisdiction of the Province of Penna, and the Colony of Connecticut choosing to proceed with Caution and deliberation, have applied to counsel learned in the law, in Great Britain, for their advice therein, which at present the Colony have not received, by reason whereof we have as yet no established Civil Authority residing among us in said settlement; in Consequence

of which deficiency disorders may arise tending to disturb the peace and Harmony of the settlers as well as the peace of our Sovereign Lord the King which to remedy we have this day Come into the following heads of Articles of Agreement with each other:

Loyalty to the King of Great Britain.

First. We do solemnly profess and declare true and sincere allegiance to his Majesty King George III. and that no foreign Prince, person, prelate, potentate or State hath or ought to have any jurisdiction, power or authority, Ecclesiastical or Spiritual, within the realm of England.

Good behavior.

Secondly. We do solemnly promise and engage, that we will, so far as lieth in our power, behave ourselves peacably, Soberly and orderly, toward each other in particular, and the world in general. Carefully observing and obeying the laws of this Colony, as binding and of force with us equally and in all respects, as though we actually resided within any of the Counties of this Colony.

Duties of.

Thirdly. For the due enforcing such laws, as well as such other orders and regulations as shall from time to time be found necessary to be Come into by said Settlers and Company, We will immediately within each town already settled, and immediately after the settlement of those that may be hereafter Settled, choose three able and Judicious men among such settlers, to take upon them under the general directions of the Comp', the direction of the Settlement of each such town, and the well ordering and governing the same; to suppress vice of Every Kind, preserve the peace of God and the King therein, to whom each inhabitant shall pay such and the same submission, as is paid to the Civil authority in the several towns of this Colony. Such inhabitants shall also choose in each of their respective towns, one person of trust to be their officer, who shall be vested with the Same power and authority as a Constable, by the laws of this Colony is, for preserving the peace, and apprehending offenders of a Criminal or Civil nature.

Constable to be chosen.

Directors to meet monthly.

Fourthly. The directors in each town, shall, on the first Monday of each month, and oftener if need be, with such their peace officers, meet together as well to Consult for the good regulating thereof, as well to hear and decide any differences that may arise and to inflict proper fines or other punishment on offenders according to the general laws and rules of this Colony, so far as the peculiar Situation and Circumstances of Such town and plantation will admit of, and as the reforma

Court.

tion of offenders is the principal object in view, always prefering Serious admonition and advice to them, and their making public Satisfaction by public acknowledgement Trial and punisht. of their fault, and doing Such public service to the plantation as the directors shall judge meet, to fines in money or Corporal punishment, which however in Extreme Cases, such directors shall inflict, as said laws direct.

Fifthly. The directors of Each individual town or plantation, shall once Every quarter or three mouths, meet together, to Confer with each other on the state of each particular town in the Settlement, and to Come into Such resolutions Concerning them as they shall find for their best good, and also to hear the Complaints of any that may judge themselves agrieved by the decisions of the Directors in the several towns, who shall have right to appeal to such quarterly meeting.

Sixthly. No one Convicted of sudden and violent breach of the peace, of swearing, drunkeness, stealing, gaming, fraud, idleness and the like, before the Directors of the particular town in which he lives, shall have liberty of appeal to such quarterly meeting from the sentence of such particular Directors, without first procuring good Security, to the satisfaction of Such Directors, for his orderly and Sober behaviour until such meeting, and for his submitting to, and Complying with, the sentence of such meeting. No one in matters of private property, shall have liberty of appeal from such particular Directors, to such quarterly general meeting of Directors, where the Controversy is not more than twenty shillings.

ed peace officer.

Seventhly. Such quarterly meeting of the Directors shall apClerk to be appoint- point an officer statedly to attend them as their clerk, who shall Carefully register their proceedings, also an officer in the character of a general peace Officer or Sheriff, who shall also attend them, and to whom the inhabitants of the whole settlement shall submit, in the same manner as the inhabitants of any County within this Colony by law are obliged, to their respective High Sheriff.

Eighthly. All persons within Such Settlement accused of the high handed Crimes of Adultery, Burglary and the like, shall be arraigned before such quarterly meeting, and if Convicted shall be sentenced to banishment from such settlement, and a Confiscation of all their personal effects therein, to the use of the town where such offence is Committed; and should the still more heinous Crime of Murder be Committed, which God forbid, the offender shall be instantly arrested, and delivered into the hands of the nearest Civil authority of Connecticut, and should any person or persons be accused of Counterfeiting