The explanation of the land distribution in PA after William Penn became the owner is a complicated subject and probably will require the help of several Philadelphia lawyers to explain. Here's my explanation, maybe not the best. Penn had brochures published and distributed in England & Europe explaining to interested emigrants the rules for land distribution in PA. Basically there were three groups; the purchasers, the renters and the servants (indentured servants). Also, for their use, the Penn family and heirs were reserved more then 500,000 acres in the province by a formula which in Chester County directed the county surveyor to layout 500 acres sections for Penn for every 5,000 acres surveyed for purchasers in each of the townships. This formula wasn't applied as originally defined as later studies by the historians say the Penn family didn't own one tenth of the land in Chester Co. The purchasers and in particular the "first purchasers" were buyers of sections that were divided into 10,000 acres that were apparently only sold in England. These were buyers who purchased the right to land not yet seen or surveyed; only the promise that the land was there. The first purchasers might be called the wholesalers and then they retailed the sale of smaller lots and rental property. The purchase price was £100 per 5,000 acres plus 1 shilling quit-rent per 100 acres per year. The quit-rent started several years after the purchase to provide the proprietors with a steady income plus the taxes to pay the government. The original first purchasers were given additional incentives that were not extended to all eventual land purchasers. How many purchasers are defined as first, I don't know. Some first purchasers were friends of Penn and given large tracts of land and only paid the yearly quit-rent. Another incentive was a free lot in the city of Philadelphia with a major land purchase in the country. The renters paid one penny per acre per year on a lot limited to 200 acres. To encourage the poor to settle in PA a method was provided through the servant plan to gain land ownership. Once there 4 or 7 or 11 year term of service was completed a 50 acre lot was offered for rent at a rate of ½ penny per acre per year. I've seen different lengths of service mentioned in documents and may depend on the amount of money to be paid back for the boat trip from Europe. This deal was apparently only offered for a period of time as the "first purchasers" were immigrating. Eventually the renters and servants were able to save the money to purchase some land. The original land purchasers were free to sell the land to whoever then wanted. Some or many of the big wholesale purchasers never set foot in PA. They had agents to collect the rents and quit-rents and to buy and sell land. If the agents were honest they sent the money to the owners in England. There were a list of rules that governed the people including the regulation of land ownership and the right to sell A lot of land deeds are on film at Chester County archives and with a lot of perseverance and detective work you might be able to track down were the old homestead was located. I was able to locate several land sales and purchases by my ancestors from the early 1800's in Vincent Township. They have a very detailed description of the property boundaries and acreage. From those documents there is no way to go find that piece of property. The boundaries where listed as other farm boundary lines, trees, post and other objects long gone. I suppose that you could track the sales forward in time and eventually determine where that property was located. Then in another case I was able to located an existing 225 acre farm in West Vincent Township that was sold in 1929 by my 1st cousin, several times removed, that was first purchased by my 4th great grandfather in 1766. His father arrive in Philadelphia from Germany in 1733 and 33 years later the family bought some land and by about 1825 had most of the land purchased and three sons had separate farms going and these farms remained in the family for 163 years. I hope this was some help.

Orville, this is such great background and a great help in understanding my ancestor's entries in the Penn Archives! And I thank you! My ancestor, John Henrich KIRSTEN/KERSEN/KEARSTEN/KUIRSON came to PA with a deed he got in England from Frederick DeRedegelt in 1704, an agent for Wm Penn, I presume. I had found this in the Minute Book G of the Pennsylvania Archives: The first occurrence of this family line in Pennsylvania and America, was when John KUIRSON, woolen draper and citizen of LangereSalza, Thurengia, Germany, appeared before the Pennsylvania Commissioners 9/19/1705 and 'produced a deed, translated and certified by Daniel Pastorius, dated 8/5/1704, from Frederic de Redegoldt, Colonel and Essay Master Generall of the Province of Pensilv'a and Terr's annexed, in America (so runs ye Deed), for 750 a's of Land, Part of 10,000 acres purchased of the Prop'ry, as is said, in England, by the said Redegoldt, to be taken up between the Rivers Susq'a and Delaw'e, Rent Free for 7 years.' Another person had a 'like deed' for 250 acres which quantities they desire Warrants to Take up. Ord'd Warrants and that before any Confirmat'n, Redegoldt's Deeds or Copies of them be produced, Warrant to Dan'l Powell and Is. Taylor both. The Penn. Commissioners must have been skeptical of these deeds, as they ordered warrants, but wanted proof, even though the deed had been translated by Pastorius, Wm Penn's buddy!! The next land item I found for him was in Germantown, in 1709 where he bought land of the widow of Dirck OpdenGraf and a Reinert Sisen. I presume he was in Germantown for a time, until settling in Oley. Then in 1717 he went back to the Penn Commissioners and here is an entry: (Minute Book H, meeting of 1/18/1717 of Commissioners Isaac Norris, Richard Hill and James Logan.) Then, 'John Henry KIEURSEN having formerly purchased 100 [sic 1000 acres - see Minute Book I] acres of Land, Part of the 10,000 acres granted by the Prop'r to Coll. Rhedegelt, obtained a Warrant for laying of it out and afterward a Patent; but the Grant to Rhedegelt being then disputed, a Bond was taken of Kieursen to pay --- if the Grant to Rhedegelt did not appear Good, and now the s'd Kieursen supposing the same to appear Satisfactory, desires his said Bond may be deliv'd up to him.' Appearantly after 12 years, he assumed his warrant was good, and asked for refund on the bond he must have had to post in 1705! In 1718 they agreed, partially, to 300 acres in Oley: (Minute Book I, meeting of Commissioners Isaac Norris, James Logan, Richard Hill on 1/18/1717-8.): John Henry Kuirson having purchased 1000 acres, part of 10,000 ac granted by the Prop'r to Coll. Rhedegelt, formerly obtained a warr't for laying out the same and afterwards a Patent, but the grant to Rhedegelt being disputed, a Bond was taken from Kuirson to Pay &-- if this grant from Rhedegelt did not appear Good, and now the said Kuirson supposing the s'd grant to be sufficient, desires his bond may be delivered to him cancell'd, which is left to the consideration of the Commissioners next meeting. (Minute Book H, Commissioner meeting 1718): Agreed with John Henry Kiursen for 300 acres of Land at Oley, at &14 p. C't and 1 shill. Ster. quitr't, for w'ch a Warr't is signed and dated 8/2/1718.' John Henry Kirsten signed petition in 1720 5th of 7br to make a township of Oley, to include Pike, Earl, and Rockland. Others who signed were Gorge Boon, Anthony Lee, Peter Bertolet, John Joder, Yost Joder, Hans Schneider, Isaac DeTurk, Jonathan Herbein, Jorg Reider, Abram Zimerman, John and Benj Longworthy... all residents in that area. source: The Petitioners, 1991, compiled by James Biedler, p 22-23. He had a mill in Oley, eventually, and died there in 1725. But your information about the early land distribution surely helped me understand what my ancestor had to go thru in getting his land! Thank you for this background! Diana in AL ----- Original Message ----- From: "Orville Mock" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 20, 2004 2:43 AM Subject: Re: [PACHESTE] Early Warrants for Penn settlers > The explanation of the land distribution in PA after William Penn became > the > owner is a complicated subject and probably will require the help of > several > Philadelphia lawyers to explain. Here's my explanation, maybe not the > best. > > Penn had brochures published and distributed in England & Europe > explaining > to interested emigrants the rules for land distribution in PA. Basically > there were three groups; the purchasers, the renters and the servants > (indentured servants). Also, for their use, the Penn family and heirs > were > reserved more then 500,000 acres in the province by a formula which in > Chester County directed the county surveyor to layout 500 acres sections > for > Penn for every 5,000 acres surveyed for purchasers in each of the > townships. > This formula wasn't applied as originally defined as later studies by the > historians say the Penn family didn't own one tenth of the land in Chester > Co. > > The purchasers and in particular the "first purchasers" were buyers of > sections that were divided into 10,000 acres that were apparently only > sold > in England. These were buyers who purchased the right to land not yet > seen > or surveyed; only the promise that the land was there. The first > purchasers > might be called the wholesalers and then they retailed the sale of smaller > lots and rental property. The purchase price was £100 per 5,000 acres plus > 1 > shilling quit-rent per 100 acres per year. The quit-rent started several > years after the purchase to provide the proprietors with a steady income > plus the taxes to pay the government. The original first purchasers were > given additional incentives that were not extended to all eventual land > purchasers. How many purchasers are defined as first, I don't know. Some > first purchasers were friends of Penn and given large tracts of land and > only paid the yearly quit-rent. Another incentive was a free lot in the > city of Philadelphia with a major land purchase in the country. > > The renters paid one penny per acre per year on a lot limited to 200 > acres. > > To encourage the poor to settle in PA a method was provided through the > servant plan to gain land ownership. Once there 4 or 7 or 11 year term of > service was completed a 50 acre lot was offered for rent at a rate of ½ > penny per acre per year. I've seen different lengths of service mentioned > in documents and may depend on the amount of money to be paid back for the > boat trip from Europe. This deal was apparently only offered for a period > of time as the "first purchasers" were immigrating. > > Eventually the renters and servants were able to save the money to > purchase > some land. The original land purchasers were free to sell the land to > whoever then wanted. Some or many of the big wholesale purchasers never > set > foot in PA. They had agents to collect the rents and quit-rents and to buy > and sell land. If the agents were honest they sent the money to the > owners > in England. There were a list of rules that governed the people including > the regulation of land ownership and the right to sell > > A lot of land deeds are on film at Chester County archives and with a lot > of > perseverance and detective work you might be able to track down were the > old > homestead was located. I was able to locate several land sales and > purchases by my ancestors from the early 1800's in Vincent Township. They > have a very detailed description of the property boundaries and acreage. > From those documents there is no way to go find that piece of property. > The > boundaries where listed as other farm boundary lines, trees, post and > other > objects long gone. I suppose that you could track the sales forward in > time > and eventually determine where that property was located. Then in another > case I was able to located an existing 225 acre farm in West Vincent > Township that was sold in 1929 by my 1st cousin, several times removed, > that > was first purchased by my 4th great grandfather in 1766. His father > arrive > in Philadelphia from Germany in 1733 and 33 years later the family bought > some land and by about 1825 had most of the land purchased and three sons > had separate farms going and these farms remained in the family for 163 > years. > > I hope this was some help. > > ______________________________