131 | To Richard Jackson

    Castle William July 6th. [1762]524

    Dr. Sr.

    I wrote to you at the beginning of march last a letter, which send by the Packet,525 containing an Acct. of the province of Sagadehock & the methods the Government was taking to settle it, also some particulars concerning a part of it. as these went by the packet inclosed in a Cover to the Lords of trade I sent no duplicates of them. in the latter end of April I wrote to you informing that Mr. Bollan was suddenly discharged from being Agent, that Mr. Mauduit was chosen in his room, & you was appointed an Second, in case of his disability or refusal, & he was directed to consult you in all Law matters &c. This letter went from Boston ^ap 26^ in the Brig Bristol Packet Bartlet for Bristol; and the duplicate of it in the Brig New Swallow Gardner for Bristol which Sailed May 5th526 The displacing Mr. Bollan (which was quite unforeseen by me) & the relation to this province which I hope you will be content to bear in its present imperfect manner in which you are called, will oblige me to be very troublesome & especially in some businesses which more immediately belong to me at present than the General province. And first of the first.

    In February last the General Court made a grant to me of the Island of Mount desart on the North East side of Penobscot Bay. As this is part of the territory of Sagadehock, this grant by the terms of the charter of William & Mary, must have the Kings Confirmation before it can be effectual. For this purpose. I sent the Grant under the province seal & signed by my self the secretary for the Council & the speaker for the House to Mr. Bollan desiring that he would solicit the Kings confirmation, before it can be effectual with all convenient speed, I wrote Also to the Secretary of State & Mr. Pownall for the Board of trade,527 As these letters did not go from hence ’till March 6th I cant expect now to hear to any purpose from Mr. Bollan, having but just learnt that the ship which carried the first set of these papers arrived safe at London. Nevertheless as it may be apprehended that Mr. Bollan upon hearing of his dismission may resolve to leave England this Summer, I thought it necessary to engage some one to take this business of his hands, if he has not already taken or shall not find it convenient to take Effectual Measures to finish it: & I could not propose any person more fit to undertake this business than you being Confident that your inclination to assist me will equal your Ability Upon that Assurance I must desire you would with all convenient Expedition, look into this Affair, & either as an Assistant or a Principal, as you shall see expedient, bring it to a good Conclusion as soon as may be

    If you should take this into your hands you will consider it as a Provincial Affair: for tho’ this particular grant is only intresting to me; yet the Right underwch it’s claimed & the precedent it will make in regard to the townships which the Genl. Court has agreed to grant as soon as the Surveys which are now making can be returned, make the event of this sollicitation of great Consequence to the province in general It would therefore be proper to desire Mr. Mauduits Assistance as provincial agent; at the same time you may let him know that as soon as a survey of the River St. Croix shall be taken, which is to be done next month, & some certain Enquires made a full state of the provinces right to the continent & Islands thereto belonging up to the River St. Croix will be prepared & sent to him, who will according to his instructions advise with you about it. As for Lord sterlings claim (the only one I know of at present) that it is under a grant from the Plymouth Company to the first Earl of Stirling (whose Heir the present Earl does not pretend to be)528 made 140 years ago without any possession ever taken, or any claim made within these last 100 years & more untill within these 4 or 5 years last past.

    Tomorrow 4 weeks I set out for the Eastward with the Committe appointed to survey the Bay of St. Croix. whilst they are about that I shall reconnoitre Mount desart, erect an house there, which I have now framing on this Island; lay out a Town for which I suppose there a 100 families now waiting;529 contract for erecting 2 or 3 saw mills, look for brick clay & Limestone &c I should not precipitate in this manner, if I was not hurried by the importunity of the people, whom I should entirely lose, if I was to put them of till I heard of the confirmation of my grant. Nevertheless my entring into expence will make me Very desirous to get the Confirmation as soon as possible; and for that purpose I Should not grudge a little Money for Expedition. I will suspend my acct. of the Island till I have seen it; in the mean time will assure you that it is a thing of much greater value than was apprehended at the time of the Grant; and therefore I would not spare money to obtain the Confirmation.

    As this Affair finishes the sheet, I will conclude it by assuring you that I am

    Dr. Sr. &c &

    R Jackson Esqr.

    L, LbC BP, 2: 194-197.