New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-08
MILLIONS OF OWNERS FOR MAHTOCKE1.
CLEAR TITLES IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL THE Law on
OLD COLONY TIMES Is REMEDIED.

OLD COLONY TINES Is REMEDIED.
Boston, March speciAl.-At a bearing before
tho House judiciary Committee at the state HOUSE
yesterday H. b. worth, OF NewBodford, said that pre-
vIotis TO tho year 1903 the Island OF Nantuehet DO
longed 10 tho Colony Of New-York II was eeded In
that year to the Massachusetts, Bay Colony In 1871,
10 inhabitants, with Thomas Macy at their head,
purchased the title Of the indian owners and In 1854
the island was owned equally IN common BY twenty
seven men, among whom sheep raising was tho prin'
clpal occupation IL became necessary TO ascertain
how many sheep each owner could fairly pasture on
the island II was deemed that one acre could maxi
tain one sheep, which was called sleeps common
and which became tho unit OF value Of land. Ae-
oGrding to their rude estimate the Island contained
io40 acrs, thus emitting each Of the iwentyseven
az his Individual interest IN the land TO 40 shceps
commons In 1717, by & statute Of Anne.
TIE owncrs constituted proprietary" quasi
corporation In which Sleeps commons were treated
as shares, tho proprietors voting power depending
uron the number Of sleeps commons which no
owned. add In that year, by sse, inheritance, etc,
tho number Of proprctors had increased to about nf
no one owning exactly 72o shops cOmmons.' some
moro and the greatcr number Of them less Then they
began 10 lay OF tracts OF land which they termed
adIyisions,S each being surveyed and divided Into
twenty seven equal parts termed shares. The proprie
trs were arranged In groups, each OK whoss aggregate
holdings was 100 "shbeps' commons Each group, by
undivided among themselves. but being Invested OF
all interest In the other shares IA that particular
Division In the hrst division, called shimmoo,
werc tho progcnitors Of all Of the principal families
OF Nantucket The Maceys, Gardners, Collins, Husseys
PniLhams. DanaFds. FolgeD, Wogths and starbueks.
The sboep's commons were Transferred, 10 case OF
change of ownership, By decd. some carrying with
thom division land, ohers only the UNI
divided interest In tho case Of SHIN
moo, which Is typical OF tho Other divisions,
II was never acquired by one person. but by transfer
and Inheritance the original interests have been divided
and subdivided until tho number Of owners now
reaches among the millions, and they are IN every
part Of the Inhabited globe The descendants Of the
Cofnns alone now number hundreds Of thousands.
what s true Of the division land Is equally true Of
the land which uever divided and which comprises
about ono half Of the island It "a evident that It.
Il practically an impoaSIbility to obtain deeds from
All OF the living owners of much OF these lands, and
without snch deeds the titles would remain cipuded.
Untu recent years much Of this land has not been
considered worth the expense Of even attempting to
secure q title and II was never taxed until 1887
In All twentyone divisions set oil, tho last In
1855 and, VI course the degree OF confusion OF tho
tis decreases according to the laeness OF the date
OF its partition. Even where the owners ere COM
peratiyely wen Known IN many cases, II Is difficult
10 locate their land because Of the crudity Of tho
original surveys. These lands are more or less IN
demand for summer residences, but intending pur
chasers are frightened away BY tho confused titles
and the lands lie idle and uninproved, tho town thus
losing much benefit. bill was presented 10 the
ooppjttee providing In substance that persous own
,ra land IN certain divisions who do not within two
years claim, identity and pay FAX on their land aha
town 1t Is stated that the confusion mcreasea with
ume; that sooner or laior the Lesislatpre must
s oo st@ Acct IN Sut that tho ons
surrestcd iphicN en- Injury 70 Actual owners so
enthusiastically small that It would never DO fslh Ia
iaet large proportion Of the actual owners have
rot tho least knowledge OF their ownership. The
number OF acres Affected n rom $4,000 70 $4,000,
me total area Of the island according 10 more
recent surveys, being about 10000 ceres All or
nearly al Of the owners, who are aware Of their
interests agree % The proposed bill