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New Jersey Declaration of Independence Signer Approves a Land Survey (SOLD) |
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Survey of land in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, signed by Abraham Clark, as a member of the Committee of Elizabethtown.
ABRAHAM CLARK.
Manuscript Document Signed, Elizabethtown, New Jersey, October 13, 1783, 1 p.
Inventory #22076
SOLD — please inquire about other items
Full Transcript
Surveyed and laid out for Peter Merselis, on the Right of John Gould, one of the Associates of Elizabeth-Town, Fourteen Acres of Land, lying on the South Side of the first Mountain, in the County of Somerset, and within the Purchase of Elizabeth Town; and adjoining Twenty six Acres of Land, which is now resurvey’d, with the above Fourteen Acres, being Part of the Land, purchased by Peter Merselis decsdand Peter Stiguson decsd both of the County of Bargen [Bergen], of the Committee of Elizabeth-Town, in the Year of our LORD. 1746; both of which Tracts are contained in this Return.
Beginning at a Black oak Tree, No3. In the Proprietors Survey, being the Northeast Corner of John Vails Lot; Thence running Noth [North] Twenty Five Degrees and Thirty Minutes West (allowing the Variation) along sd. Vails Line, Ten Chains to a Stake and an Heap of Stones; thence North Sixty four Degrees and Thirty Minutes East, (allowing the Variation) Forty Chains to Vermoules Corner; thence down his Line, allowing the Variation, South twenty five Degrees and thirty Minutes East Ten Chains to a Stake and an Heap of Stones, being Samuel Whitehead’s Corner; and from thence of a direct Course to where it first began. Containing forty Acres of Land, be the Same more or Less. And is bounded Westerly by sd. Vail; Northerly by the sd. First Mountain; Easterly by Vermoule; and Southerly by the Heads of the Lots of sd. Whitehead, David Coriell, sd. Vail, etc. The above Survey, and Resurvey, was laid out by Order of the Committee of Eliz. Town, and under the Inspection of Samuel Potter Esq. one of sd. Committee,
October 13th1703. By William Coles, Survor
Same. Potter
Stephen Crane
Isaac Woodruff
Wm Harriman
Ephm Terril
Abra Clark
Benjamin Winans
Committees of sd. Eliz. Town Purchase.
Historical Background
The members of the Committee of Elizabethtown attest to the return of a survey by William Coles for a tract of land on the south side of the First Mountain. Signed by Clark (“Abra: Clark”). Other signers include Samuel Potter, a member of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey (1775), and the Committee of Public Safety (1776); Stephen Crane, a member of the Continental Congress (1774-1776), and also the Mayor of Elizabeth-town (1774); Ephraim Terrill, the Deputy Mayor of Elizabeth-town (1774), and Benjamin Winans, a Captian of the First Regiment Essex Troops.
Abraham Clark (1726-1794) was one of New Jersey’s five signers of the Declaration of Independence. Prior to the Revolution he practiced law and gained a reputation as “the poor man’s counselor” by defending those who could not afford attorneys. He was part of the New Jersey delegation to the Continental Congress. Clark later served in the House of Representatives until his death.
