Item 3: A Copy by Zebulon Butler of His Original Letter to Isaac Tracy (removed to legal box #1) , [ca. bef. 1774]
Item — Box: 10, Folder: 3
Dates
- Created: [ca. bef. 1774]
Creator
- Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter.
Condition Note:
Good. The paper is in relatively good condition outside of some minor tattered edges, very minor folds, some staining, and browning of the paper.
Measurements:
13 ⅛ in. x 8 ¼ in.
Description:
This letter is written by Zebulon Butler, a lieutenant colonel during the American Revolutionary war, to Isaac Tracy. In the letter, Butler is writing to Tracy concerning the proprietors of a township previously called Berlin. Butler states that the people have given him their trust in their security after finding that they have not fully laid out their township. Butler explains that he has a tract of land that has been previously surveyed and laid out that he is willing to sell to the proprietors. He notes that there is a recognition of this ability for one standing county to absorb another failing under the Susquehanna Company claim titles, and offers it to Tracy to share with the proprietors. He concludes that, while he could get a considerable offer for the land, he is willing to sell it for less if the people would wish to move their belongings to it and be under his title.
The Cincinnati Public Library has a digitized volume of The Harvey Book, which offers a brief biographical sketch of Tracy during his service in the Susquehanna Land Company, found first on page 329.
Transcription:
Sir the Trust Reposed in me by the Proprietors
of Berlin Lays me under an obligation to attend to their
Intr[est] (sic) [Interest] as Berlin is out of our County I could not do anything—
Now sir according to the Rules of the Sus[quehann]ah
Company if the Proprietors of any Town find that the
Town they have Laid out is not convenient or does not Suit
them that have ^a rite (sic) ^to move it if to Some other Land in the purchase.
Now Sir if the Proprietor of Berlin would wish to move
that Town into this County and ^will give me orders I will do To
Move it I will do it and get A new grant in the year 1774
or thereabouts I was ordered by the ^Susq[uehanna]h Company to cut a Rode (sic) [Road] from
Wyoming on the East Branch to Manse [house] on the West I cut
about 20 miles and about 9 [illegible from ink] miles from Wyoming
I came upon what I thought A Tract of Land set for a
Townsh[ip] of 5 miles Squair (sic) [square] and I made a Pitch and Survey
but not run round it and it remains in that situation it has
not be (sic) [been] Taken up by any of our proprietors but I suppose that
Like all other Land has been surveyed by Pennsylvanians.
I should have move itmov’d Berleen (sic) [Berlin] on that place before ^then but did not know the mind of
the Proprietors whether they would wish it or not as there must
be the Cost of Surveying and Loting the Town out.
What has started the Proprietors perhaps you can best judge
but the woods are full surveying Towns under the Susque[hanna]h Titel (sic) [Title]
and frequent Applications even as far as for from Rode Island (sic) [Rhode Island] of
of Proprietors for Liberty to survey.
Now sir if the Proprietors should conclude to Proceed in this
Matter I suppose they would send on some Suitabel (sic) [suitable] Person
to vew (sic) [view] the Land and Judge wheather (sic) [whether] it is worth while
to take it. and if that should not Suit he can take it
up in any other place where it suits but that shall be reservod (sic) [reserved]
untill I hear from you which I’ll thank you to attend to
I suppose I could Receive Considerabel (sic) [Considerable] for my Pitch & discovery
but Littel (sic) [little] will do and you can have it. but would wish
an answer as Soon as convenient
Z B
Isaac Tracy Esqst(?) [Esquire?]
[Back] Coppy (sic) [Copy] of Letter to Berleen(sic) [Berlin] Proprietors
[Back] Coppy (sic) [Copy] of Letter to Berleen(sic) [Berlin] Proprietors
Creator
- Butler, Zebulon, 1731-1795 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu