Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-20

"And we being willing according to the prayer of
the said petitioners to create and make the said
tract OF lana hereby granted a township, with such
other Of the adjacent lands rs are included and
COmprehended within the bounds and limits follow
ing, that IS to say, beginning at hemock tree
aud beech tree growing close together, having
two large stones laid between them, standing In the
line run for the bounds Of the province Of the Mas
saChusctts Bay, and which beech tree is marked
with these words, "the corner OF Cumberland, - and
runs thence nOrth ten degrees east, six miles
then north, eighty degrees west six miles; then
south ten degrees wcst six miles to the aforesaid
line run for the bounds OF the province Of the Mas
sachusetts Bay and then along the said line south
ten degrees east, six miles, to the said place OF he
ginning and to grant TO the inhabitants OF the
same such powers and privileges as the Inhabitants
OF other townships In our said province OF New
York have ana do enjoy. Know ye therefore that
OF our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere
motion, we do by these presents create, erect and
constitute the said tract OF land hereby granted,
and all other the lands included within the bounds
and limits last mentioned, and every part and par
Gel thereof one township, forever hereafter to he,
continue aud remain, and by the name OF Whffing'
ham forever hereafter to be called aud known; aud
for the better and more easily carrying on aud
managing the public affairs and business OF the
said township, our royal Will and pleasure, We do
hereby for us, our heirs and successors, give and
grant to the inhabitants Of the said township all the
powers, authorltlcst privileges and advantages
heretofore given and granted or legally enjoyed by
all, any or either our other townships within our
SAID province and we also ordain and establish
that there shall be forever hereafter in the said
township two nsscssOrs, one treasurer, two over
secrs OF the highways, two oycrsecrs Of the poor,
one collector and four cOnsahles, elected aud Chos-
en- out Of the inhabitants of the said township
yearly, and every year the drst Tuesday in May,
ut the most public place in the said township, by
the ma jOrty Of the frecholdcrs thereof then and
there met and ass embed FOR that purpose; hereby
declaring that WhCTcsucycr the nrst election in the
said township shall lie held, the future elections
shall forever thereafter be held In The same place,
near as may be-"
Provision is made for ulliug vacancies, and the
tenure OF utce Uf the several Ufcers is established;
also the manner OF calling town meetings. Proys-
iOu Is also made that settlement amounting to at
least one family for every thousand acres must he
made within three years, and three acres for every
nifty granted must be encctually cultivated within
three years, or the grant Is to be void. he grant
Is also made void II any one OF the grantees cut
down o. destroy Preserved" pine tree. The ques-
tiun might he raised as to who would he a witness
against his ueighbOr II he knew It would result In
the reNerslCn Ui ais farm.
This elaborate document closes IN the following
manner: ain testimony whereof We have caused
these our letters to be made patent, and the great
seal Of our sad Province Of New York to be here
unto ullXcd. Witness our said trusty and we'll
beloved CudwalHdcr Golden, Esquire, our said
Lieutenant Governor and Commandet-ln-Chicf Of
our said Province Of New York, and the territories
depending thereon, in America, at our Fort IN our
city Of New York, the twelfth day Of Mar h. In the
wear OF our Lord one thousand, seven hundred aud
and seventy, and OF our reign the jCuth "
II is thus made clear tina this town was created
erected aud chartered by the STATE OF New YOIk,
without inlrudiBg upon any other charter or grant;
aud the l2th day Of March, 100, 1t was win the
restrictions have alluded to, the properly Of the
following named persons