One pair Smith bellows; one old anvil; one vice; one hammer; one large burnishing wheel; seven pair of tongs; eleven bars of lead, 1100lbs. 9 cases grape shot; | 200 musket balls. JOEL BAILEY, Inspector 1st Brigade, DICKINSON COLLEGE. Communication from a committee of the board of trus- Carlisle 30th December, 1828. In obedience to the act of the legislature of this commonwealth, passed the 13th day of February, 1826, the undersigned a committe of the board of trustees of Dickinson College, appointed for that purpose, present the enclosed "statement of the way and manner" in which the state's annuity of $3,000 and the other receipts during the past year, have been expended. We have the honour to remain, GEO. DUFFIELD. Receipts and expenditures of Dickinson College, during the year commencing October 5th 1827, and ending September. 24, 1828. 1827 Oct. 5 To balance Receipts, $478 12 [MAY ANNUAL WHITE WASHINGS. The following humorous account of a custom which prevailed when it was written and which is now coming in season, is from the pen of the Hon. Francis Hopkinson. As it has always afforded amusement, whenever it has been read, we insert it now, in the hope that it will enliven our readers-and that, at the same time, they may have an opportunity of testing the accuracy of the description. Letter from a gentleman in America, to his friend in DEAR SIR-The peculiar customs of every country appear to strangers awkward and absurd, but the inha bitants consider them as very proper and even necessaLong habit imposes on the understanding, and reconciles it to any thing that is not manifestly pernicious or immediately destructive. ry. veneration than its established customs: and it is almost The religion of a country is scarcely held in greater as difficult to produce an alteration in the one as in the other. Any interference of government for the reforma tion of natural customs, however trivial and absurd they may be, never fails to produce the greatest discontent, and sometimes dangerous convulsions. Of this there are frequent instances in history. Bad habits are most safely removed by the same means that established them, viz: by imperceptible gradations, and the constant example and influence of the higher class of the people. We are apt to conclude that the fashions and manners of our own country are most rational and proper, because the eye and the understanding have long since been reconciled to them, and we ridicule or condemn those of other nations on account of their novelty: yet the foreigner will defend his national habits with at least 3,000 00 | as much plausibility as we can our own. The truth is, 228 20 that reason has little to do in the matter. Customs are 3,965 78 for the most part arbitrary, and one nation has as good a right to fix its peculiarities as another. It is of no purpose to talk of convenience as a standard: every thing becomes convenient by practice and habit. 2,316 81 $10,149 80 I have read somewhere of a nation (in Africa I think) which is governed by twelve counsellors. When these counsellors are to meet on public business, twelve large earthen jars are set in two rows, and filled with water. The counsellors enter the apartment one after another, stark naked, and each leaps into a jar, where he sits up to the chin in water.-When the jars are all filled with $1,198 62 | counsellors, they proceed to deliberate on the great concerns of the nation. This, to be sure, forms a very grotesque scene; but the object is to transact the public business: they have been accustomed to do it in this way, and therefore it appears to them the most rational and convenient way. Indeed, if we consider it impartially, there seems to be no reason why a counsellor may not be as wise in an earthen jar as in an elbow chair; or why the good of the people may not be as maturely considered in the one as in the other. 937 58 251 02 | 1,544 23 821 62 4,948 39 448 34 $10,149 80 The undersigned, a committee of the board of trustees of Dickinson College, appointed for that purpose, certify that the above statement is correct, and made agreeably to the provisions of the act of the legislature, supplementary to an act, entitled "An act for the estab standards of propriety with the people who have adoptThe established manners of every country are the ed them; and every nation assumes the right of considering all deviations therefrom as barbarisms and absurdities. The Chinese have retained their laws and customs for ages immemorial: and although they have long had a commercial intercourse with European nations, and are well acquainted with their improvements in the arts, and their modes of civilization, yet they are so far from being convinced of any superiority in the European manners, that their government takes the most serious measures to prevent the customs of foreigners taking root amongst them. It employs their utmost vigilance to enjoy the benefits of commerce, and at the same time guard against innovations that might affect the characteristic manners of the people. Since the discovery of the Sandwich islands in the South sea, they have been visited by ships from several nations; yet the natives have shown no inclination to prefer the dress and manners of the visitors to their own. It is even probable that they pity the ignorance of the Europeans they have seen, as far removed from civilization; and value themselves on the propriety and advantage of their own customs. There is nothing new in these observations, and I had no intention of making them when I sat down to write, but they obtruded themselves upon me. My intention was to give you some account of the people of these new states; but I am not sufficiently informed for the purpose, having, as yet, seen little more than the cities of New-York and Philadelphia. I have discovered but few national singularities amongst them. Their customs and manners are nearly the same with those of England; which they have long been used to copy. For, previous to the late revolution, the Americans were taught from their infancy to look up to the English as the patterns of perfection in all things. I have, however, observed one custom, which, for aught I know, is peculiar to this country. An account of it will serve to fill up the remainder of this sheet, and may afford you some amusement. When a young couple are about to enter on the matrimonial state, a never failing article in the marriage treaty is, that the lady shall have and enjoy the free and unmolested exercise of the rights of WHITE-WASHING, with all its ceremonials, privileges, and appurtenances. You will wonder what this privilege of white-washing is. I will endeavor to give you an idea of the ceremony, as I have seen it performed. There is no season of the year in which the lady may not, if she pleases,claim her privilege; but the latter end of May is generally fixed upon for the purpose. The attentive husband may judge, by certain prognostics, when the storm is nigh at hand. If the lady grows uncommonly fretful, finds fault with the servants, is discontented with the children, and complains much of the nastiness of every thing about her: these are symptoms which ought not to be neglected, yet they sometimes go off without any further effect. But if, when the husband rises in the morning, he should observe in the yard, a wheel-barrow, with a quantity of lime in it, or should see certain buckets filled with a solution of lime in water, there is no time for hesitation. He immediately locks up the apartment or closet where his papers, and private property are kept, & putting the key in his pocket, betakes himself to flight. A husband, however beloved, becomes a perfect nuisance during this season of female rage. His authority is superseded, his commission suspended, and the very scullion who cleans the the brasses in the kitchen becomes of more importance than him. He has nothing for it but to abdicate, for a time, and run from an evil which he can neither prevent nor mollify. The husband gone, the ceremony begins. The walls are stripped of their furniture-paintings, prints, and looking-glasses lie in huddled heaps about the floors; the curtains are torn from their testers, the beds crammed into windows, chairs and tables, bedsteads and cradles crowd the yard; and the garden fence bends beneath the weight of carpets, blankets, cloth cloaks, old coats, under petticoats, and ragged breeches. Here may be seen the lumber of the kitchen, forming a dark 311 and confused mass for the fore-ground of the picture, gridirons and frying-pans, rusty shovels and broken tongs, joint stools, and the fractured remains of rush bottomed chairs. There a closet has disgorged its bowels-rivetted plates and dishes, halves of china bowls, cracked tumblers, broken wine-glasses, phials of forgotten physic, papers of unknown powders, seeds and dryed herbs, tops of tea-pots, and stoppers of departed decanters-from the rag hole in the garret, to the rat hole in the cellar, no place escapes unrummaged. It would seem as if the day of general doom was come, and the utensils of the house were dragged forth to judgment. In this tempest, the words of king Lear unavoidably present, and might with little alteration be made strictİy applicable. That keep this dreadful pudder over our heads -Close pent up guilt, Rive your concealing continents, and ask This ceremony completed, and the house thoroughly evacuated, the next operation is to smear the walls and ceilings with brushes, dipped in a solution of lime called WHITE-WASH; to pour buckets of water over every floor, and scratch all the partitions and wainscots with hard brushes, charged with soft soap and stone cutter's sand. The windows by no means escape the general deluge. A servant scrambles out upon the pent-house, at the risk of her neck, and with a mug in her hand, and a bucket within reach, dashes innumerable gallons of water against the glass panes, to the great annoyance of passengers in the street. I have been told that an action at law, was once brought against one of these water nymphs, by a person who had a new suit of clothes spoiled by this operation: but after long argument it was determined that no damages could be awarded; inasmuch as the defendant was in the exercise of a legal right, and not answerable for the consequences. And so the poor gentleman was doubly non-suited; for he lost both his suit of clothes and his suit at law. These smearings and scratchings, these washings and dashings, being duly performed, the next ceremonial is to cleanse and replace the distracted furniture. You may have seen a house-raising, or a ship-launch-recollect, if you can, the hurry, bustle, confusion, and noise of such a scene, and you will have some idea of this cleansing match. The misfortune is, that the sole object is to make things clean. It matters not how many useful, ornamental, or valuable articles suffer mutilation or death under the operation. A mahogany chair and a carved frame undergo the same discipline: they are to be made clean at all events; but their preservation is not worthy of attention. For instance: a fine large engraving is laid flat upon the floor; a number of smaller prints are piled upon it, until the super-incumbent weight cracks the lower glass--but this is of no importance. A valuable picture is placed leaning against the sharp corner of a table; others are made to lean against that, till the pressure of the whole forces the corner of the table through the canvass of the first. The frame and glass of a fine print are to be cleansed; the spirit and oil used on this occasion are suffered to leak through and deface the engraving-no matter! If the glass is clean and the frame shines it is sufficient-the rest is not worthy of consideration. An able arithmetician hath made a calculation, founded on long experience, and proved that the losses and destruction incident on two white-washings are equal to one removal and three removals equal to one fire. This cleansing frolic over, matters begin to resume their pristine appearance; the storm abates, and all would be well again, but it is impossible that so great a or convulsion in so small a community should pass over without producing some consequences. For two three weeks after the operation, the family are usually afflicted with sore eyes, sore throats, or severe colds, occasioned by exhalations from wet floors and damp walls. fendant could find nothing to obviate the charge, and so judgment went against him for debt and costs. A fortnight after the whole was settled and the money paid, one of the children found the receipt amongst the dirt in the yard. a religious rite preparatory to the Sabbath; and it is, I believe, the only religious rite in which the numerous sectaries of this large city perfectly agree. The cere mony begins about sunset and continues till ten or elev en at night. It is very difficult for a stranger to walk the streets on those evenings. He runs a continual risk of having a bucket of dirty water dashed against his legs; but a Philadelphian born is so much accustomed to the danger that he avoids it with surprising dexterity. It is from this circumstance that a Philadelphian may be known any where by a certain skip in his gait. The streets of New York are paved with rough stones. These, indeed, are not washed, but the dirt is so thoroughly There is also another custom, peculiar to the city of I know a gentleman here who is fond of accounting Philadelphia, and nearly allied with the former. I mean for every thing in a philosophical way. He considers that of washing the pavements before the doors every this, which I call a custom, as a real, periodical disease, Saturday evening. I at first supposed this to be a regu peculiar to the climate. His train of reasoning is whim-lation of the police; but, on further inquiry, I find it is sical and ingenious, but I am not at leisure to give you the detail. The result was that he found the distemper to be incurable; but after much study, he thought he had discovered a method to divert the evil he could not subdue. For this purpose, he caused a small building, about twelve feet square, to be erected in his garden, and furnished with some ordinary chairs and tables, and a few prints of the cheapest sort. His hope was, that when the white-washing frenzy seized the females of his family, they might repair to this apartment, and scrub, and scour, and smear to their hearts content; and so spend the violence of the disease in this outpost, whilst he enjoyed himself in quiet at head-quarters. But the experiment did not answer his expectation. It was im-swept from between them that they stand up sharp and possible it should, since a principal part of the gratifica- prominent, to the great annoyance of those who are not tion consists in the lady's having an uncontrolled right accustomed to so rough a path. But habit reconciles eveto torment her husband, at least once in every year; tory thing. It is diverting enough to see a Philadelphian at turn him out of doors, and take the reins of government New York. He walks the street with as much painful into her own hands. caution as if his toes were covered with corns, or his feet lamed by the gout; whilst a New Yorker, as little approving the plain masonry of Philadelphia, shuffles along the pavement like a parrot upon a mahogany table. There is a much better contrivance than this of the philosopher's: which is, to cover the walls of the house with paper. This is generally done. And though it does not abolish, it at least shortens the period of female dominion. This paper is decorated with various fancies, and made so ornamental that the women have admitted the fashion without perceiving the design. There is also another alleviation of the husband's distress. He generally has the sole use of a small room or closet for his books and papers, the key of which he is allowed to keep. This is considered as a privileged place, even in the white-washing season, and stands like the land of Goshen amidst the plagues of Egypt.But then he must be extremely cautious, and ever upon his guard: for should he inadvertently go abroad, and leave the key in his door, the house maid, who is always on the watch for such an opportunity, immediately enters in triumph with buckets, brooms, and brushestakes possession of the premises, and forthwith puts all his books and papers to rights, to his utter confusion, and sometimes serious detriment. I can give you an instance. A gentleman was sued at law, by the executors of a mechanic, on a charge found against him in the deceased's books to the amount of £30. The defendant was strongly impressed with a belief that he had discharged the debt and taken a receipt; but as the transaction was of long standing, he knew not where to find the receipt. The suit went on in course, and the time approached when judgment should be obtained against him. He then sat down seriously to examine a large bundle of old papers, which he had untied and displayed on a table for the purpose. In the midst of his search he was suddenly called away on business of importance. He forgot to lock the door of his room. The house maid who had been long looking for such an opportunity, immediately entered with the usual implements, and with great alacrity fell to cleaning the room and putting things to rights. One of the first objects that struck her eye was the confused situation of the papers on the table. These, without delay, she huddled together like so many dirty knives and forks; but in the action a small piece of paper fell unnoticed on the floor, which unfortunately happened to be the very receipt in question. As it had no very respectable appearance, it was soon after swept out with the common dirt of the room, and carried in a dust pan to the yard. The tradesman had neglected to enter the credit in his book. The de It must be acknowledged that the ablutions I have mentioned are attended with no small inconvenience; yet the women would not be induced by consideration to resign their privilege. Notwithstanding this singularity, I can give you the strongest assurances that the women of America make the most faithful wives, and the most attentive mothers in the world. And I don't doubt but you will join me in opinion, that if a married man is made miserable only for one week in a whole year, he will have no great cause to complain of the matrimonial bond. This letter has run on to a length I did not expect; I therefore hasten to assure you that I am as ever. Your, &c. &c. &c. June, 1785. THE CHARTER OF THE BOROUGH OF Preamble. GEORGE, by the grace of GOD, of Great-Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting. WHEREAS our loving Subjects, Anthony Burton, John Hall, William Wharton, Joseph Bond, and many other Inhabitants of the Town of Bristol, in the Province of Pennsylvania, in our Dominions in America, by their humble Petition presented unto William Keith, Esq; with our Royal Approbation Governor of the said Province of Pennsylvania, on Behalf of themselves, and others the Inhabitants and Freeholders of the said Town of Bristol, have set forth, That divers persons, naturalborn-subjects of our Kingdom of Great-Britain, who were formerly adventurers into the Province of Pennsylvania, and owners of a certain Tract or Scite of Land formerly called Buckingham, in the county of Bucks, in the Province aforesaid, did, by the approbation of the Honorable WILLIAM PENN, Esq; late Proprietor and Governor in Chief of the same province of Pennsylvania, appropriate several lots or Parcels of their Lands, lying or bounding on the River Delaware, for the Accommodation of Tradesmen and others to build and settle upon; and that many People since have thereby been encouraged to erect Buildings, as well for the Conveniency of trade and cohabitation, and lay out pub 1829.] CHARTER OF BRISTOL. lic Streets for the public use and benefit; as also to erect a Church and Meeting-house for the public Worship of God in the said Town; and that the Magistrates and Freemen of the said county of Bucks, by the Countenance and approbation of the Governor, caused a Court-House and Prison to be erected there, and have for long time held their Courts of General Quarter sessions of the Peace and Common-pleas at the said town of Bristol; and because that good order and rule is so very necessary to the well-being of a People and Place, though their Request is not to be granted of Right, but of Grace, have humbly besought the said William Keith, Esq; with our Royal approbation Governor of said Province of Pennsylvania, for our Letters Patents, under the Great Seal of our said Province of Pennsylvania, to erect the said town into a Borough, and to incorporate the freeholders and inhabitants of the same with perpetual Succession by what name soever the said William Keith, Governor of our said Province, shall think fit:As also, to grant such Immunities and Privileges as may be thought necessary for the well-ordering and ruling thereof. And we being willing to promote Trade, Industry, Rule and good order, amongst all our loving Subjects, by granting their reasonable Request n that behalf. THEREFORE KNOW YE, That we, of our special Grace, certain Knowledge and meer Motion, have erected, and do by these presents erect, the said town of Bristol into a borough, which shall be called, The Borough of Bristol, for ever. The extent of which town and borough is and shall be comprized within the following Boundaries, to wit, Beginning at the mouth of Mill creek where it empties itself into the River Delaware; from thence, extending by the Channel of the same Creek, upwards by the several Courses thereof to a Bridge, called Otter's Bridge; then by Joseph Bond's land, North fifty two degrees, East Ninety-six Perches to a post; then North thirty-nine degrees, East fifty-five Perches to a Post; then by the West and the Mill-dam South-east fifty eight Perches; then from the end of the said Dam Fast eight degrees. South one hundred and forty Perches to a Post; then South-east one hundred and five Perches to a Post by the said River Delaware; thence down the same river West twenty-seven degrees, South one hundred and ninety-two Perches to the place of Beginning, including Phineas Pemberton's Survey of the said town, with additions, according to the Agreement of the said Inhabitants. AND we do hereby grant and ordain, That the courses and distances of the streets already laid out in the said town and borough shall be and continue as followeth, to wit; The Mill-street, containing sixty-one feet in breadth, which begins at an Asp tree now standing at the North east side of the said Mill-street, and North west side of Radcliff-street, shall extend from thence North-west thirteen Perches and a half to Cedar-street, then three Perches for the said Cedar-street, and twenty-one Perches to Wood street: Then three Perches for that street, and fifteen Perches to Pond-street: Then three Perches for that street, and the same course to the Mill-race. The said Radcliff containing sixty-six feet in breadth, which begins at the said Asp tree, shall extend from thence East twenty-seven degrees, North fourteen perches and a half to Market-street: Then three l'erches for that street, and 27 perches to Mulberry-stree: then three peches for that street, and 23 perches to Walnutstreet: Then three perches for that street, and the same course to the extent of the said town. The streets from the said Mill-street to the said creek, being three in number, the first of them shall contain three Perches in Breadth, and shall extend from the South-west end of Cedar-street West thirty eight degrees, South to the said creek, the course of beginning at the South-west of Mill-street. The second shall contain three perches in Breadth, and shall extend from the South-west end of Wood-street, beginning at the North east side of Millstreet and runing South west to the creek. The third Vol. III. 40 313 shall contain the same breadth, and shall extend from South-west end of Pond street; the course begins at the North east side of Mill street, and run South west ninety-four feet from the South west side of Mill street upon the South east side of the said Pond street, and one hundred and twenty-four feet on the North west thereof; and then South ten degrees East to the said creek. And the streets laid out opposite to the end of the said Mill-street, Market street, Mulberry and Walnut street, shall contain the same breadth with the said street respectively, and shall extend from Radcliff street aforesaid twenty-seven degrees, easterly into the said river Delaware, leaving a convenient distance for public landings, at least fifteen feet beyond low water mark.And that there shall be another street, containing in breadth thirty-three feet, called Water-street, which shall begin at Mill street aforesaid, on Delaware, sixty feet from Radcliff-street, and run East twenty-seven degrees, North under the bank along the river side to the extent of the said town on Delaware aforesaid. And we further make and ordain, that all streets and Landing-places which now are, and hereafter shall be laid out, within the town aforesaid, shall be always free, and kept open for all the liege people of us, our heirs and successors, to pass and repass, without any Obstruction or impediment whatever. And we do hereby name and constitute the said Joseph Bond and John Hall to be present Burgesses; and Thomas Clifford High constable of the Borough; who shall so continue until the eighth Day of September next ensuing the date of these Presents. On which day, as also on the same day in the same month yearly afterwards for ever, it shall and may be lawful to and for the freeholders and house-keepers of the said town and borough publickly to meet in some convenient place within the same town, to be by them appointed for that purpose, and then and there to nominate, elect and choose by the Ballot, fit and able men of the inhabitants of the said town to be Burgesses and high constables, with all such officers, within the same, for serving and assisting the Burgesses in managing the affairs of the said Borough, in keeping of the peace and good order therein from time to time as to the said electors, or the Majority of them, shall seem requisite and necessary: And the Burgess first chosen, or having the Majority of the votes in the said elections, shall be called Chief Burgess of the said town. And we will and ordain, that all the said Burgesses for the time being shall be, and are hereby impowered and authorised to be conservators of the peace within the said borough; and shall have power by themselves, and upon their own View, without any Law-proceedings, to remove all nuisances and incroachments out of the said streets and public landing-places, as they shall see occasion. With Power also to arrest, imprison and punish rioters and breakers of the peace, and to bind them and all other offenders, and persons of evil fame, to the peace and good behaviour, as fully and effectually as any of the justices of the peace of the said County may or can do; and return or bring the Recognizances by them to be taken to the Court of Quarter-Session for the said County. And we do hereby grant and appoint, that the Sheriff and Clerk of the Courts for the said county of Bucks for the Time being, if not residents in the said borough, shall appoint and constitute sufficient deputies, who shall from time to time reside or constantly attend in the said town of Bristol, to perform the duties of their respective offices. But before any of the said Burgesses, Constables or other officers, shall take upon them the execution of their respective offices, they shall take and subscribe the oath enjoined to be taken and subscribed by the several acts of Parliament in that case made and provided, except the people called Quakers, who shall be qualified by taking and subscribing the several Attestations or Engagements allowed to the People called Quakers, instead of the tion, according to the Form of the Case lately made and provided. Oath of AbjuraStatutes in that A shall also be sworn or attested to the due Execution of their res- town of Bristol aforesaid, as if the said Powers, Authorpective offices. And every chief Burgess so elected ities, Liberties, Immunities, Privileges and Franchises from year to year as aforesaid, shall within five days im- were herein or hereby more fully expressed, according ediately after his election present himself at the city of to the intent and meaning of these Presents: and that no Philadelphia to be qualified, by taking and subscribing officer or officers of us, or any of our Successors, or any the oaths or attestations aforesaid before the Governor other person, shall molest or disturb the said Burgesses, for the time being, or before such other Persons as the High-constable, and inhabitants of the said town of BrisGovernor shall think fit to appoint for that purpose.tol in the quiet enjoyment of any of the privileges grantAnd the said chief Burgess being so qualified him- ed or intended to be granted as aforestid: TO HAVE self, to enter upon his Office; and the other Burgesses, AND TO HOLD all and singular the Privileges, AdConstable or other officers newly elected for that year, vantages, Liberties, Immunities, Franchises, and all oth shall and may be qualified by taking and subscribing er Premises herein and hereby given, or herein or the said oaths or Attestations before him the said Chief hereby that are meant, intended or mentioned to be Burgess, or before any two Justices of the Peace in the given or granted unto them the said Joseph Bond, chief said County of Bucks, who are hereby authorized and Burgess, John Hall, second Burgess, and Thomas Clifimpowered to administer the same respectively. ford, High-Constable, and their heirs, to and for the sole and only proper use, benefit and behoof of the said Burgesses, High-constable, and inhabitants of the said town of Bristol, and their successors for ever, And we do hereby further grant and ordain, that the High constable of the said borough for the time being shall be the Clerk of the Market, who shall and may have assize of Bread, Wine, Beer, Wood and other Things, and do, execute and perform all things belong-letters to be made patents, and the great seal of the ing to the Clerk of the Market within the said Town and Borough of Bristol. IN TESTIMONY whereof, we have caused these our said province to be thereunto affixed. Witness WILLIAM KEITH, Esq; with our royal approbation Governor of the said province of Pennsylvania, the Counties of New-castle, Kent and Sussex, on Delaware, this fourteenth day of November, in the seventh year of our Reign, Annoque Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty. WILLIAM KEITH. CAPTIVITY OF BENJAMIN GILBERT AND From the account published a few years after. Benjamin Gilbert, Son of Joseph Gilbert, was born at Byberry, about 15 miles from the City of Philadelphia, in the year 1711, and received his Education among the people called Quakers. And we do by the authority aforesaid grant unto the Burgess and their Successors, That if any the inhabitants of the said Town and Borough shall hereafter be elected to the office of Burgess or constable as aforesaid, and having Notice of his or their election, shall refuse to undertake & execute that office to which he is so chosen, it shall and may be lawful for the Burgess and burgesses then acting to impose such moderate fines upon the Refusers, so as the Burgesses Fine exceed not Ten Pounds, and the constables Five Pounds; to be levied by distress and sale of the goods of the party so refus ing, by Warrant, under the hand of one or more of the Burgesses, or by other lawful ways, to the Use of the said town. And in such case it shall and may be lawful for the said Inhabitants forthwith to choose others to sup- He resided at or near the place of his nativity for sev ply the defects of such refusers. And that it shall & may eral years; during which time of residence he married, be lawful for the said Burgesses & constable for the time and after the deccase of his first wife, he accomplished a being to summon and assemble town-meetings from time second marriage with Elizabeth Peart, widow of Bryan to time, as often as they shall find occasion: At which Peart, and continued in this neighbourhood until the meeting they may make such ordinances and rules (not year 1775, when he removed with his family to a farm repugnant to or inconsistant with the Laws of Great Brit- situated on Mahoning Creek, in Penn township, Northain and htis Province) as to the greatest part of the town-ampton county, being the Frontiers of Pennsylvania, meeting shall seem n cessary and convenient for the not far from where Fort Allen was erected The im good Government of the said town. And the same provements he carried on here were according to the rules and ordinances to put in Execution; and the same usual manner of new settlements, convenience being to revoke, alter and make anew as occasion shall re- principally attended to; his house and barn being of quire. And also impose such Mulcts and Amerciaments logs, to this he added a saw-mill and a commodious stone upon breakers of the said Ordinances as to the Makers Grist-mill, which, as it commanded the Country for a thereof shall be thought reasonable; to be levied as is a- considerable distance, conduced in some measure to bove directed in case of fines, to the use of the said render his situation comfortable. town, without rendering any account thereof to us, &c. This short account may not be improper, in order to or to the said proprietary, his heirs or assigns, with pow-interest our feelings in the relation of the many scenes er also to the said Meetings to mitigate or release the of affliction the family were reduced to, when snatched said fines and Mulcts upon the Submission of the Parties. from the pleasing enjoyment of the necessaries and conAnd we do further grant to the said Burgesses and veniencies of life. The most flattering of our prospects Inhabitants of the aforesaid town and Borough of Bristol, are often marked with disappointment, expressively inThat they and their successors shall and may for ever structing us that we are all strangers and sojourners hereafter, hold and keep within the said town in every here, as were our forefathers. week of the year one market on the 5th day of the week called Thursday; and also two fairs there in every year; the first of them to begin the eighth Day of May, and to continue that day and one day after; and the other of said fairs to begin the twenty-ninth Day of October, and to continue till the thirty-first day of the same month, in such place and places in the said town as the Burgess from time to time may appoint. This family was alarmed on the 25th day of the 4th month, 1780, about sun-rise, by a party of eleven Indians, whose appearance struck them with terror; to attempt an escape was death, and a portion of distress not easy to be supported, the certain attendant on the most patient and submissive conduct. The Indians who made this incursion, were of different tribes or nations, who had abandoned their country on the approach of And further we have, and by these presents do, for General Sullivan's Army, and fled within command of us and our successors, give, grant, ratify and confirm, the British Forts in Canada, promiscuously settling withunto the said Burgesses, Constable, & Inhabitants of the in their neighbourhood, and, according to Indian cus said town of Bristol, and to their successors, from hence-tom of carrying on war, frequently invading the Fronforth, all lawful Privileges, Immunities, Franchises Pow-tier settlements, taking captive the weak and defenceers and Jurisdictions, hereinbefore granted, or that are less. herein or hereby intended to be given or granted unto The names of these Indians, with their respective the said Burgesses, Constable, and Inhabitants of the Tribes, are as follow: |