Loyalist Petition for Pleasant
Ridge 1807
MEMORIAL &c for LAND at PLEASANT RIDGE (NICHOLAS JOHNSON & OTHERS 1807) Reference: Surveyor General's Papers:
St. Andrews 22d August 1807Sirs,
At the request of several respectable Settlers [herein?] I have taken the liberty of Inclosing to you a Memorial for a grant of land laying between the Settlements in this County and the Oromocto River ---
I hope the claims of the memorialist will appear to you, and that they may be honoured with your patronage, as the promise stated by them was made at the time, and never yet fulfilled ---
They are loyal Subjects who may be Depended upon. --- An establishment where they propose Settling same, bids fair to [formate?] the Settling of the vacant lands in that quarter, which are available --- and very fit for Cultivation ---
The names Erased were persons not answering the Particular Description of Settlers in the Memorial ---
I will take care that the necessary fee is paid for lodging and recording the Memorial at the Secretary's Office.
I have the honour to be with the greatest Respect ---
Your obedient Humble Servant
Sign. [Robert?] Pagan
The Honourable Gabriel G. Ludlow, Esquire, President, &c. &c. &c.{Note on outside: In Council 13th July 1807. Compiled with such of the Applicants as have Families to be registered for 300 acres --- and those who are single for 200 acres, and such reservations to be made for Glebes & Schools as are required by the Royal Instructions.}
To His Honour Gabriel D. Ludlow, Esquire
President of the Province of New Brunswick &c &c
The Memorial of Nichs. Johnson and other Inhabitants of the parish of St. Andrews, and its vicinity, in the County of Charlotte. ---
Humbly Seweth.
That your Memorialist in general are of the number of those Loyalist, who emigrated into this country at the peace with America in 1783, or their sons now of age, and were mostly comprised among those Loyalist denominated the Penobscot Association, who settled in and about Passamaquoddy bay, and were promised One hundred acres of lands for themselves, and Fifty for their wives, and for each child. ---
That from various intervening impediments your Memorialist never received their full allotments of land which Government had at first given them good reason to expect would not have been delayed.
That during this long lapse of time your Memorialist have laboured under great difficulties to maintain themselves, and bring up large families of children, who, by the divine blessing have increased to a pleasing degree, as Your Honor will perceive by the annexed list of them. ---
That your Memorialist, stimulated by parental affection to provide for their offspring have anxiously sought for unoccupied lands whereon to form a settlement for themselves and families so that by their united endeavours they may be enabled to surmount their present hardships ---
That your Memorialist are informed of a Tract of Land lying between this county and the Oromocto river commonly called Pleasant Ridge, being in a wilderness ungranted, which if secured to your Memorialist by a Grant, might answer all their claims as to quality, and they believe is a good quality, and calculated for a large settlement. ---
Your Memorialist therefore humbly pray Your Honor will be pleased to Grant them such a portion of the above Tract of Land as may be sufficient for their accommodation and also reserve and lay out such portions of the same, as Your Honor may deem expedient for public purposes, as they with satisfaction look forward to a large and flourishing settlement there if their Memorial is compiled with, and Your Memorialist as in duty bound will ever pray ---St. Andrews 21st August 1807
The following is a list of the families of the Subscribers attested to in the Memorial hereto subjoined ...
{Signatures of all Memorialist follow / w = wife s = son(s) d = daughter(s)}
Nichs. Johnson w 5s 1d Josh. Smith w 2s 2d
Neal McCurdy w 2s 4d Reuben Tradwel w - -
James McCurdy - - - John Joice w 6s 1d
Somo. Greenlaw w - - Bena. Rideout - - -
Laughlan McCurdy w 2s 4d Iavin Manser w 4s 4d
John Ryan & his mother - - - Amos Hichens/Hickens w 3s 3d
Willm. Cookson w 2s 1d James " / " - - -
Anthy. W. Carpenter w 5s 4d Geoe. " / " w 1s -
Thos. Greenlaw w 3s 1d Willm. " / " - - -
Martin Carlow w 2s 3d Gordon Gilchrist w 1s 2d
Jacob Carlow - - - Benja. Johnson w 1s 3d
Joseph St[inson] w 4s 2d Willm Harvey w 2s 4d
Alex. McCurdy w - 2d Chas. Stinson w - 3d
Donald McCullish w 4s 2d Willm. McGear w 1s 4d
Alex. Fullerton - - - James Berry w 5s 3d
Ephrm. Turner - - - Dougal Thompson w 5s 4d
Eben Goodel w 4s 1d Alex. Greenlaw, Senr.w 2s 6d
Danl. Grant w 5s 4d Alex. Greenlaw, Jr - - -
Jona. Greenlaw, Senr w 1s 5d Ebenr. Greenlaw w 3s 3dTotal: 33 Men 27 women 61 boys 67 girls
We certify that we are acquainted with the foregoing Memorialist in general --- That they are Loyal Subjects, and useful Settlers --- And we most Respectfully beg leave to Request that the prayer of their Memorial may be compiled with.
Hugh MacKay, J.P. Robt. Pagan
Thos. Wyen
Danl. Mc[Inaiter]
Don. McLachland13th Jul 1808 The Lands are Vacant in the Situation applied for in this Memorial and have been frequently reported to me to be of a very good quality - A settlement in that situation will completely open the inland communication between Fredericton and Charlotte County ---
Geo. Sproule, S. Genl.