Tracadie, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada (Upper Big Tracadie)
December 1787 - Land Grant

Crown Land Grant, Old Book 19 doc. 15
BROWNSPRIGGS & 73 OTHERS
1787 December

NOVA SCOTIA. GEORGE THE THIRD, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, KING, Defender of the Faith, and so forth. To all to whom these Presents shall come, GREETING. Know ye that we of our Special Grace, certain knowledge and (illegible), have given and granted, and by these Presents, for Us, our heirs and Successors, do give and grant unto:
Thomas Brownspriggs, Peter French, Samuel Milton, James Lenox, Benjamin Gero, Thomas Richardson, Alexander Elmes, Richard Jordan, Samuel Dismal, Prince Hederick, Robert Bachus, John Skelly, James Emma, Anthony Morris, Quart Shepard, Isaac Bolton, John Devos, John Slaught(er), Charles Ringwood, James Thomas, William Gordon, Samuel Grierson, Charles Lamb, John Green, Jr., John Bratton, Pompey Colt, Samuel Willis, Adam Minton, Gamet Hart, Anthony Barton, Charles Sweeny, Charles Ash, Pompey Clark, Prince Frederick, Bachus Erwin, Joseph Ringwood, Christopher King, Moses Redwick, John Vanbright, John Framer, Samuel Smith, Joseph Colt, John Robertson, Jacob Westoff, Cornelius Hunt, Samuel Hawkins, Wm Sampson, Andrew Izard, Cesar Jordan, Willis Page, Joseph Harris, Joseph Bowers, Philip Thompson, Robert Dawton, Daniel Brown, King Farr, Jacob Brady, Samuel Magra, Seven Waters, Prince Costly, Gilbert Lafforts, George Baker, Clause Herring, Philip Batley, Robert Conway, John Ireland, Dinnah Lumian, Rachel Brewer, Violet Milles, Mina Townsend, Thomas Bailey, York Berden, Abraham Bayard, & Andrew Whitehead, their Heirs & Assigns, a Tract of land in Severalty containing three Thousand Acres, at a Place called Traccadie in the County of Sydney, beginning at the upper bound of Land laid out for Peter Bennors & Sons, on the east side ofTraccadie Harbour, thence to run South eighty-seven degrees east ninety three Chains thence South twelve degrees East one hundred & sixty Chains thence, South Sixtey one degrees, West two hundred and twenty four Chains, thence North twenty nine degrees West Ninety Eight Chains & ninety links thence North Sixty one degrees East one hundred & sixty chains to the Harbour or River Traccadie, thence running down said River & Harbour & crossing over the same to the bounds first mentioned.

And hath such shape, form and marks as appears by a plat thereof hereunto annexed; together with all woods, underwoods, timber, trees, lakes, ponds, fishings, waters, water courses, profits, commodities, appurtenances, and hereditaments whatsoever, therunto belonging or in anywise appertaining; together also with priviledge of hunting, hawking and fowling in and upon the same, and mines thereon; and also saying and reserving to us our heirs and successors all white pine trees, if any shall be found growing AND TO HOLD the said parcel or tract of Three Thousand acres of land and all and singular other premises hereby granted unto the said Several and Respective Grantees, their Heirs and Assigns, the aforesaid three Thousand Acres share and share alike forever in free and common Soccage the said Grantees their Heirs or Assigns, YIELDING and PAYING therefore unto us, our heirs and successors, or to our Receiver-General for the time being, or to his Deputy or Deputies for the time being, yearly, that is to say, at the Feast of St. Michael, in every year, at the rate of two shillings for every hundred acres, and so in proportion according to the quantitites of acres hereby granted; the same to commence and be payable, from the said Feast of St. Michael, which shall first happen after the expiration of Ten years from the date hereof. Provided always and this present Grant is upon condition, that the said Grantees, their heirs or assigns, shall and do within three years after the date hereof, for every fifty acres of plantable land hereby granted, clear and work three acres at least in that part thereof as he or they shall judge most convenient and advantageous or else to clear and drain three acres of swampy or sunken ground, or drain three acres of marsh, if any such contained therein; and shall and do within the time aforesaid, put and keep upon every fifty acres thereof accounted barren three neat cattle, and continue the same thereon until three acres for every fifty acres be fully cleared and improved; and if there shall be no part of the said tract fit for present cultivation without manuring and improving the same, he or they, within the time aforesaid, shall be obliged to erect on some part of their said land one good dwelling house, to be at least twenty feet in length and sixteen feet in breadth; and to put on their said land the like number of three neat cattle for every fifty acres, or otherwise, if any part of the said tract shall be stony or rocky ground, and not fit for planting or pasture, shall and do within three years as aforesaid, begin to employ thereon, and continue to work for three years then next ensuring in digging any stony quarry or mine, one good and able hand for every fifty acres, it shall be accounted a sufficient cultivation and improvement. Provided also that every three acres that shall be cleared and worked or cleared and drained as aforesaid shall be accounted a sufficient seating cultivation and improvement, to save forever from forfeiture fifity acres of land in any part of the tract hereby granted. And the said Grantees, their heirs and assigns, be at liberty to withdraw his or their stock, or forbear working in any quarry or mine in proportion to such cultivation and improvements as shall be made upon the plantable lands, swamps, sunken grounds or marsh therein contained. And if the said rent hereby reserved shall happen to be in arrear or unpaid for the space of one year from the time it shall become due, and no distress can be found on the said lands, tenements and hereditaments hereby granted, or if this grant shall not be duly registered in the Registrar's Office of our said Province within six months from the date hereof, and a docket also entered in the Auditor's Office of the same, then this grant shall be void, and the said lands, tenements and hereditaments hereby granted, and every part and parcel thereof shall revert to us, our he irs and successors. And provided also and upon this further condition, that if the land hereby given and granted to the said Grantees and their heirs as aforesaid shall at any time or times hereafter come into the possession and tenure of any person or persons whatever, inhabitants of our said Province ofNova Scotia, either by virtue of any deed of sale, conveyance, enfeoffment or exchange, or by gift, inheritance, descent, devise or marriage, such person or persons being inhabitants as aforesaid, shall, within twe lve months after his, her or their entry and possession of the same, take the oaths prescribed by law, and make and subscribe the following proclamation:

That is to say, 'I do promise and declare that I will maintain and defend to the utmost of my power the authority of the King in his Parliament as the supreme Legislature of this Province' before one of the Magistrates in the Secretary's Office of the said Province, the person or persons so taking the oaths aforesaid, and making and subscribing the said declaration, shall be deemed the lawful possessor or possessors of the lands hereby granted. And in case of default on the part of such person or persons in taking the oaths, and making and subscribing the declaration within hvelve months aforesa id, this present grant, and every part thereof, shall and we do hereby declare the same to be null and void to all intents and purposes, and the lands hereby granted, and every part and parcel thereof, shall in like manner revert to and become vested in us, our heirs and successors, anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. Given under the Great Seal of our Province of Nova Scotia. Witness our trusty and well-beloved JOHN PARR, ESQ, Our Lt. Governor & Commander-in-Chief in and over our said Province this Twentieth day of December, in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Seven and in the twenty-seventh year of our reign. By Command of the Lieut. Governor J. Parr. Rchd Bulkeley. Signed in Council. Richd Bulkeley. Registerd 20th Dec., 1787.

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