| You are here: Home >> American Archives |
Three of the Members of the Committee at Smithtown made a Return of the Militia Officers of the Company at Smithtown, and Commissions, bearing date the 13th current, were issued to them accordingly, to wit: To Philetus Smith, Captain; Edmund Smith, Jun., First Lieutenant; Daniel Tillotson, Second Lieutenant; and Richard Smith, Ensign. The Committee adjourned to nine o’clock, to-morrow morning. Die Jovis, 9 ho. A. M., September 21, 1775. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: For ORANGE, John Baring, Esq., Chairman. The Petition of David Purdy and John O’Connor was read, and is in the following words, to wit: “New-York, September 20, 1775. “ To the Gentlemen of the Committee of Safety. “The humble Petition of DAVID PURDYand JOHN O’CONNORsheweth: “That the said David Purdy and John O’Connor have been long confined, and have now nothing to subsist upon, and far from their friends; that they can have no help from them, and for want must now greatly suffer, or else live by the charity of charitable people. Your petitioners, therefore, pray that they might be brought to an examination soon; and said Purdy has a family, a wife and eight children, which have no subsistence only by the industry of said petitioner; and said O’Connor has been confined now these nine weeks, and knows not for what reason. Therefore your petitioners humbly pray that they may be heard and discharged. “JOHN O’CONNOR, Ordered, That Col. McDougall direct John O’Connor, David Purdy, and Alexander Bell, to be brought before this Committee. Ordered, That the Sloop Francis, William Ritchie, Master, belonging to Mr. William Lowther, bound for Edenton, in North-Carolina, be permitted to sail with her lading on board, as reported to this Committee. Ordered, That Mr. Isaac Day be permitted to go on board of the Ship Asia, to deliver a Letter to Captain Vandeput. Alexander Bell being called in and severely reprimanded for his past ill conduct and bad company, and charged to avoid such practices as are or may be deemed to be injurious to this Country or its liberties, on penalty of such punishment as he may deserve, was thereupon discharged. David Purdy being called in and examined, was reprimanded for his conduct, and charged to conduct himself well for the time to come, and was discharged. John O’Connor was examined, and recommitted till the afternoon. The Committee adjourned to four o’clock, in the afternoon. 4to ho. P. M., September 21, 1775. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: For ORANGE, John Haring, Esq., Chairman.For NEW-YORK, Mr. Beekman. For ALBANY, Major Nicoll. For DUTCHESS, Mr. Gilbert Livingston. For WESTCHESTER, Mr. Paulding. For KING’S, Mr. Remsen. For SUFFOLK, Mr. Foster. For CUMBERLAND, Major Williams. For CHARLOTTE, Mr. Watkins. John O’Connor being brought in and examined, says, that three Indians were hired to guide him through the woods; that he went with White to Montreal, to get some money of one Bennet, who went with Guy Johnson; that he knew Bennet went with Guy Johnson, and expected he was at Montreal; that he has a brother at Montreal; that he was the person who carried Sir John Johnson’s letter to White, on a Sunday evening; that a negro of Sir John’s went with him to White; that no person at Johnstown, or in Tryon County, ever asked him to sign the Association, or threatened him in any manner; that he did tell Sir John Johnson that he was threatened, and wanted to leave the place; that he told Sir John so to answer his own private ends; that Clement and Cone carried the provisions to White; that he never threatened Mr. Gilleland. The said John O’Connor was thereupon discharged. The Committee adjourned to nine o’clock, to-morrow morning. Die Veneris, 9 ho. A. M., September 22, 1775. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: For ORANGE, John Haring, Esq., Chairman. Major Nicoll informed the Committee that the Commissioners for Indian Affairs, at Albany, having occasion for Gunpowder to make presents to the Indians, the Committee of Albany had, on application of the said Commissioners, spared to them the Gunpowder which was lately ordered for the County of Albany; and Major Nicoll informed, that Albany is entirely destitute of Powder: Ordered, That two hundred weight of Gunpowder be supplied to Major Nicoll, or his order, from the Powder-Mill in Rhinebeck Precinct, to be delivered to the Committee of the City and County of Albany; and that the said Committee pay for the said Gunpowder, to the manufacturer thereof, at the rate of twenty Pounds per hundred. A Letter to the Hon. Robert R. Livingston, Esq., was read and approved, and is in the words following, to wit:
SIR: The Committee of Albany have spared their small supply of gunpowder to the Commissioners for Indian affairs, and earnestly requested of us an order for two hundred pounds. We have given an order for two hundred weight, on your mill, to Major Nicoll, or his order; the Committee of Albany are to pay for it, to you or your order. We are, most respectfully, Sir, your very humble servants. By order of the Committee. To the Hon. Robert R. Livingston, Esquire, at his Seat, Manor Livingston. Ordered, That a copy thereof be engrossed, and signed by the Chairman, and transmitted. Ordered, That the Brigantine Elliott, William Hallock Master, now nearly ready to put to sea, be permitted, and is hereby permitted to proceed on a whaling voyage. A Letter of John Weatherhead, dated the 17th of September, put under cover, directed to this Committee, was read and filed. He therein mentions sundry reports which, he says, have been propagated, and are injurious to his character, and declares that said reports are not true. A Certificate of Captain Vandeput, dated the 3d instant, certifying that John Weatherhead did not give him the intelligence that the Guns were to be removed from the Battery on the 23d ultimo, was read and filed. A Letter from David Pye, Esq., was read and filed, and is in the words following, to wit:
|