Here is information about the Harpersfield lands. Donna Delaware County, NY Genealogy and History Site _http://www.dcnyhistory.org/books/munsharp.html_ (http://www.dcnyhistory.org/books/munsharp.html) The History of Delaware County W.W. MUNSELL 1797-1880 THE TOWN OF HARPERSFIELD Electronic text by Marilyn L. Nichols Trumbull, Ohio THE HARPERSFIELD LANDS In 1776 or 1777 the Harpers, finding that the Indians had lands lying between the Delaware and Charlotte rivers, which they were willing to sell, determined to found a settlement of their own; but before they could purchase from the Indians it was necessary to procure a license from the governor of the province, for it seems to have been as unlawful to deal with Indians without a permit then as it is now. The following is copied from the original, by favor of Mr. D. N. Gaylord, a great-grandson of Colonel Harper: { L.S. } By his excellency Sir Henry Moore, Baronet, captain general and { (arms.) } governor in chief in and over the province of New York and the territories depending thereon in America, chancellor and vice admiral of the same, to all to whom these presents shall come or may concern, greeting. Whereas, John Harper, sen., William Harper, John Harper, jr., Joseph Harper and Alexander Harper, by their humble petition presented unto me and read in council on this day, have set forth that there are yet certain lands unpurchased of the native Indians of Onoughquage, of which they are the proprietors, situate, lying and being in the county of Albany, upon the head of the Delaware river: and the said Indians being disposed to sell the same, the petitioners, with their partners, are desirous to purchase one to enable them to obtain his Majesty's letters patent for the said lands, that they may settle, cultivate and improve the same; or any other unpurchased lands belonging to the said Indians where they may be disposed to give them, not exceeding the said quantity; and therefore humbly prayed my license for the purpose aforesaid- I have therefore thought fit, by and with the advice of his Majesty's council to grant, and I do by these presents give and grant unto the said John Harper, sen., William Harper, John Harper, jr., Joseph Harper and Alexander Harper full power, leave and license to purchase in his Majesty's name from the native Indian proprietors thereof the lands aforesaid; provided the said purchase to be made within one year from the date hereof, and conformable to the regulations contained in his Majesty's proclamation of the 7th of October, 1763; or that the parties do produce a certificate signed by Sir William Johnson, Baronet, his Majesty's sole Agent or Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Northern Department, that the Indians to be brought before me for the sale of the said lands are chiefs of or belong to the tribe or nation who are the owners and proprietors of the said lands, and that they have authority from such tribe or nation to dispose thereof. And for so doing this hall be to them a sufficient license. Given under my hand and seal at arms, at Fort George, in the City of New York, the ninth day of April, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-seven. H. MOORE By his Excellency's Command, G. Banyar, D. Sectry. The time given in the foregoing license was probably extended, as the purchase was completed the 14th day of June, 1768. A patent was soon after granted to John Harper, sen., William Harper, and seventeen others, most of whom afterward assigned their interest to the Harpers. This was done in compliance with the English rules, which in ordinary cases only allowed one thousand acres to each individual. The patent is granted in the name of the King, by Cadwallader Colden, Esquire, lieutenant governor, giving to each of the patentees and his heirs one thousand acres of land but excepting and reserving all mines of gold and silver, and all pine trees fit for masts, of twenty-four inches diameter and upwards twelve inches from the earth, for masts for the royal navy. The grant is made subject to a yearly quit rent of two shillings and sixpence sterling for each 100 acres, and is erected into a township, with all the powers and privileges of a township forever. This township is to elect annually two assessors, two over-seers of highways, two overseers of the poor, one collector, one treasurer and four constables, to be chosen at the most public places in the township. Vacancies to be filled by election within forty days after they occur. Digging the gold or silver, cutting the pine fit for masts, or default in payment of the quit rent, renders the patent void. These rents were released by the State for services during the Revolutionary war. Pursuant of the royal patent a deed was given to the patentees. It first recites their petition, in which they say they have "borne a proportionable part of the expenses attending" the purchase from the Indians of two hundred and fifty thousand acres, more or less, bounded on the south by the Delaware, on the north by a line a mile from the Susquehanna, and extending down the Delaware from its head "to the mouth of a certain creek called Canuskully." The deed then mentions the consent of the provincial authorities, and that the petitioners desired that such part of the tract "as had been lately surveyed for them, con-training twenty-two thousand acres, should be created a township by the name of Harpersfield, with the usual privilege." The deed concludes as follows: "In pursuance whereof, and obedience to his Majesty's said instructions, we, the said commissioners, do hereby certify that we have set out for them, the said John Harper, sen., William Harper, John Harper, jr., Joseph Harper, Alexander Harper, Andreas Rebar, William Golt, Thomas Hendry, John Wells, Robert Campbell, James Scott, John Wells, jr., Joseph Harper, jr., John Thompson, Robert Thompson, John Thompson, jr., James Moore, Robert Wells, James Harper, Timothy McIlvain, John Rebar and Johannes Walrad all that certain tract or parcel of land within the province of New York situate lying and being in the county of Albany, between the Cookquago branch of Delaware river and the branch of the Susquehanna river called Adiquitange, beginning at a rock maple tree marked on four sides with a blaze and three notches and with the letters and figure A.C. 1768, standing on a high point of land at the south side of a small pond of water called by the Indians Utsayanthe, from whence the said branch of the Delaware, called by the Indians Cookquago, issues and runs; thence north thirty degrees west five hundred and forty-nine chains; then south eighty-six degrees west two hundred and fifty chains; then south sixty-three degrees west one hundred and eleven chains; then south thirty degrees east seven hundred chains, to a tract of six thousand acres of land granted in the year one thousand seven hundred and forty to Arent Brant, Volkert Van Vechten and others; then along the northern and eastern bounds of the last mentioned tract northeasterly and westerly as they run to the said branch of Delaware river, called Cookquago; then up the north bank of said branch as it winds and turns to the rock maple tree where the tract first began-containing twenty-two thousand acres of land and the usual allowance for highways. "And in setting out the said tract or parcel of land, we, the said commissioners, have had regard to the profitable and unprofitable acres, and have taken care that the length thereof doth not extend along the banks of any river otherwise than as conformable to his Majesty's instructions." "Given under out hands at the City of New York the twenty-ninth day of November, one thousand seven hundred and sixty-nine, in the tenth year of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth." "Cadwallader Colden." "Andrew Elliott." "Alexander Colden." The following is a list of the earliest known settlers or owners of the several lots in Harpersfield: Lot 2, Aaron Scott; 3. Samuel Southmayd; 4. Daniel Lindsley; 6. John Brown; 8. Raymond Starr; 9. Ezra Nichols; 10. William Baird; 12. Captain James Smith; 13. Samuel Claxton; 14. Hazard Beardsley and Salmon W. Beardsley; 15. and 16. William Hendry; 17. Phinehas Bennett; 18. Joel Gaylord; 19. Jedediah Gaylord; 10. Isaac and Freegift Patchin; 22. Joseph and John Barnum; 23. Edward Evans; 24 and 25. Joseph Benson and Nathan Holmes; 27. Najah Beardsley; 28. Lewis Penfield; 29. John Lindsley; 30. Eden Hamilton; 31 and 32. Abijah Baird; 33 and 34. Caleb Gibbs; 35. Stephen Judd; 36 and 37. Lewis Penfield; 38. Joel Gaylord; 40. Daniel Edwards; 41. Samuel Stevens; 42. Ezra Thorp; 43. Daniel Thorp; 48. Gabriel Gray; 51 and 52. John and Samuel Knapp; 53. Matthew Lindsley; 54. Plyment Dayton; 55. ___ Voluntine; 56. Matthew Bonton; 57. James Stevens; 58. Samuel Wilcox; 59. Richard Bristol; 60. Aaron Wilcox; 61. William McFarland; 62. Freegift Patchin; 63. Sylvenus Graves; 65. John Montgomery; 66. Joshua Drake; 49. Enoch Copley; 70. Joseph Copley; 72. Benjamin Pierce, 73. Isaac Pierce; 75. ___ Owens; 76. James Bryan; 78. ___ Dayton; 79. David Lamb; 80. Zachariah Bryan; 81. Presbyterian Church; 82. Alexander Harper; 84. William Lamb; 85. Theulus Hotchkis; 88. Asa Warner; 89.___ Buck; 90. Gershom Davis; 91. Robert English; 95. John Birdsall; 100. James Campbell; 103. Isaac Dayton; 104. Abel Dayton; 105. Epinetus Buckingham; 106. Abel Seely; 107. Zadoc Osborn; 108. Colonel Harper; 110. Joshua H. Butt; 113. Richard Stanley; 114. ___ Buck; 117. Alden Bennett; 119. Jacob Titus; 120. Lemuel Birdsall; 124. William Harper; 125. Burgdyne McIlvain; 127. Hugh and John McCullough; 128. and 129. Benjamin Morse; 130. ___ Osborn; 131. Daniel Prentice; 132. Roswell Hotchkis; 133. Colonel Harper; 136. Davis Hubbard; 137. Martin Kellogg; 138. Elisha Sheldon; 139. Eliab Wilcox; 142, 143 and 144. William Birdsall, Gideon and John Wickam; 145. Ezekial Woodbeck; 152. Thomas Hendry; 153.Jonathan Hubbard; 154. Peter Dyzart; 155. Samuel Longhead; 156. Thomas Longhead; 159. Ransom Packard; 160. James Douglass; 161. Uriah Odell; 164. Eliab Wilcox; 168. ___ McMullen; 169. Heman Copley; 170. Robert Henderson; 173. James Bell; 174. Abel Seley; 178. John Hendry; 179. James Brown; 181. Joseph Hotchkis; 182. Joel Mack; 184. ___ Hamilton; 185. David Hendry; 188. William Wardwell; 189. John McClelland; 190. Thomas Porter; 195. Robert and John Wool; 196. John Wilson; 197. Daniel Butler; 103. Benjamin Odell; 105. David Wilcox; 207 and 108. Andrew Richey; 210. Stephen Churchill; 219. Peter Monfort. The writer does not assume to have named all the lots upon which persons have at some time resided; on the contrary, there are a number of lots settled early of which he has been unable to discover the first, or even much later settlers. Some of the names may be misplaced, but the list is believed to be nearly if not quite correct as far as given. It should also be remembered that many of the lots have never had a house built on them, and it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to learn the early occupants of such lots. In May 1770, Governor Franklin sent out a surveyor named Hooper to survey a patent of thirty thousand acres, which had just been granted to him; but before doing so it was necessary to run the boundaries of Harper's patent, which was done that year, and probably the lines of the Kortright patent were run at the same time. The thirty-thousand acre tract thus surveyed for Governor Franklin is still known as the Franklin patent.