AN OLD D' AN OLD DEED MAY 31 1675 Richard Guy John Fenwick Thomas Pyle EDWARD S. SHARPE. M. D. PRESIDENT READ BEFORE THE SALEM COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ON DECEMBER 8. 1908. PRESS nr STANDARD AND JEHSEVMAN, 9AIEM, M. J. CVi h*- AN OLD DEED. ^' V\ HV? In compiliug the following paper relat- ing to the very first sales of lands in Fen wick's Colony, I take the oppor- tunity of calling the attention of this Society to an "Old Deed/' the oldest of several very rare aud valuable parch- ment manuscripts in my possession, bearing date nearly one year anterior to that of one already exhibited— belonging to a series known as the William Penn Deeds with autographic signatures of Wm. Penn, Gawan Laurie, Nicholas Lucas and Edward Bylliuge. It was executed the thirty-first day of May 1675, and conveyed to Richard Guy tenthousand acres of land in this county of Salem, in what is now the Township of Pilesgrve, and "located in the upper part of Salem tenth where the township of Pilesgrove is now." (Shourds.) The price paid by Guy for this large tract of land, was fifty pounds Stirling, about two hundred and fifty dollars irt' our currency. The deed is signed by, Fenwick and endorsed: — "Inroled in the Register Liber A belonging to Fenwick's Colony in the Province of New Cesarea or New Jersey in America, the XVIII th day of June MDCLXXV. per J. Garfield." There is also a separate piece of parch- ment attached to this remarkable scrip- tory antique, upon which is written in exquisite caligraphy a receipt for tlie above fifty pounds sterling, signed by Fenwick also by ten witnesses, whose names are again written on the back of the deed, viz:— "John Smith, vSamuel vicholson. Rich- ard Mergan, Peter Hoff, Edward Champ- neys, Edward Wade Thomas Anderson, Edmund Warner, Richard Noble and James.. Garfieldser." The property conveyed was one of a numerous category, sold by Fenwick be- fore he sailed for America, to be lo- cated after nis arrival there. i^lthough the name of the purchaser is ostensibly Richard Guy, it was actually Thomas Pyle, a citizen of London, for whom he uought it, on the same day he acquired for himself and wife, Bridg- ett Guy, a deed for one thousand acres of land afterward located in Elsinboro. Salem county. Most of tlie above signers of the deed and receipt for the money given by Fen- wick afterward emigrated to America. The last on the list, James Garfieldser, did not, the final letters of the sur- name, s. e. r. are supposed to represent, not family senority, but to be an abbre- t vjation of his professional title, that of *S* scrivener, and lie probably wrote this very deed, the chirography being that of an old man. Indeed he did not long survive the period we refer to. as Mary Fenwick in a letter to her husband 167S, Aug. 27th, announces his death in terms of affectionate regard; in the interval, laowever, he signed liis name to docu- ments connected with the litigation at that time pending between Fenwick and Eldr'dge and Warner in the City of London. The Township of Pilesgrove did not derive its name from the ten thousand acre tract, deeded to Richard Guy in its entirety, but only from a part of it. wheie Tiiomas Pyle. (whose surname is ^''^ MA,"? .V 18) ) IK rp((i:;it((l b.\' it) built his liome. This is shown ))>■ ilic following deed male by W'iliinni Mall to John Hopman, in wliicii he leserves half an acre that was used as a private cemetery and fi-oni this cinunistance wo assume tliat it w.m tile original iiomstead of Pyle, viz:— '•10915, Oct. r», Deed. William Hall, of Salem Town. W. J., yeoman, and wife. Klizabeth. to John Hopman, of Rattcoon Creek. Glossester Co., iuisbandman. for the Plantation called Pile Grove. 380 acres, between the branches of Salem Creek adjoining Joseph White, excepting 1 alf a. u.sed as a burying place." (Salem Deeds, No. 6.) Th:s deed was for a jjart of tiie de- n;en?e— manor house with land— com- prising two thousand acres, part of wliicli had been previously deeded to William ilall, viz: — "K9'3, June 15th, Deed. Thomas Pyle, of Pile Grove. Salem Co.. gentleman, to WUiam Hall, of Salem Town, yeoman, i foi- 1000 acres, the upper half of the ' 20a0 acre tract called Pile Grove." | (S:ilem Deeds. No. 6.) | This is probably the final conveyance executed by Thomas Pyle, as his last v.ili and testament only two months, less two days lauer indicates; and we know lie certainly died before October 11th. i 1695. ! It has beea stated tliat Pyle became a '. veiy considerable land owner in Fen- wick's Colony by sundiy fiurehases «»r real estate besides the large tract al- ready referred to. I have failed to c'ontirm this; finding in my researches nothing bought, but numerous sales as well as gifts of tracts originally jiarts of the puichase made by Richard Gu>'. Tlu' gifts were mostly of his daughter and her husband. William Hall, one of wnich. the Largest, I (juote. viz: 'li'Iil!. .\ug. 17, Deed. Thomas Pile (as lit^forc) to William ?Tall and wife. Eliza- l»(>th. daughter of said Thomas, for 4.000 acres of the jircceding IniMtii .md after 1 1 his death 2.000 more." (Salem Deed I! No. 5.) ii I Richard Guy doubtless came over to ! America in the ship "Griffith" with John I Fenwick in 1675 and the following year |i we find this Warrant of Survey, viz: !l "1676. 12d. 9m (Nov.) Warrant of Sur- I vcy to Richard Guy of 1,000 acres at or I near the point formerly called Elsin- burge Fort and Now Guy's foint, form- I erly granted to John Townsend. saitl j name liaving been sused fictitlonsly." j (Salem Surveys 1676.) He was early an active participant in the affairs of the Colony an«i wneu "John Fenwick took the oath of office as Gov- ernor of ^-enwick's Colony. 1676. June 21." the same day "Richard Guy of Guys Point. Township of New Salem, Fen- wick's Colony, planter, (likewise) took tlie oath as member of the Governor's Council." (Salem Surveys 1676.) Thomas Pyle's wife, nee Sarah Can- non, was a daughter and namesake of Sarah Cannon, who owned land in tlie Town of New Salem, wliich she be- queathed to said Sarah Pyle. as appears from the following Power of Attorney, which is interesting from the light it throws on the residence of Samuel Car- p?nter in 16S^. viz:— "1686. April 23d. Sarah Pile, of Pile Grove, by her Attorney. William Hall., of the same place. Salem Tenth. W. J.. yeoman, to Samuel Carpenter, of Elsin- boroug.i. said tenth, merchant, for l'J acres in the Town of Salem, on Fen- wick's River, and the highway from Salem Landing. bc(|iieathed to said Sarah 1)\ iicr mother. Sarah Cannon, who bought the lot of John Smith. June 4. hiSH." (Salem Deeds, No. 4.) I'lom tiie dates of .he preceding com- mission we know that Sarah CanncMi t]:et\ liefore tlie year 1686. About one year i^reviously. Samuel Carpenter, then residing in Philadelphia. bought t!io (luy's Point Estate and hau removed to Klsinboio as sliown l)y the following deed, viz: — •• THE CAPITALL HOUSE " William Hall, 1691. Joshua Bradway, 1791 "Uisri, May l:Uli, deed. Richard Guy, late of Elsinbin-gh, Salem Tenth, W. J., yeonion and wife. Bridj?ett. to Samuel C^iriuMiler, »)f Philadelpnia. merchant, for 812 acres at EI.sinburj?h." (Salem Deed.s, No. (i.) The woi-d.-^ iate of Elsinburs'h" imply the i-cnidval of Richard Guy. aftei- a residence of ten years— his old friend, the Pioprietor, having been dead about two >'ears— fi-om Salem to Burlington, where he made his will, 1G89. September i'i\ l(^aving "wife, Bridgett. sole heiress and executrix of I'eal and personal es- tate," "proved December 2, 169.3." In- cluded in the inventory of his estate is "a mortgage of £ 3(K), on a plantation at El? in borrow due by Samuel Capen- ter." Bridgett Guy survived her hus- band about five years, dying in lfi98. Samuel CarptMitei- was named one of her executors. In tlie deed to the latter from Sarah Pyle of the 22 acres "on the high- way from Salem Landing" it is said her mother, Sarali Cannini. "bought the lot of John Smith. .lune 4th. 1683," and on the same day Samuel Carpenter came iii'o possession of the said twent.v and two acres. April 12, 1686, he assigned it t.) "William Kylle." of Salem, W. J., ;iii(l live years later lacking eleven days. this same lot became the property of Wm. I 'all. who previously sold it to Samuel C'arjienter as Attorney for Sarah Pyle, viz— "1C91. April 2d. William Kelly, of Salem Town, weaver, to William Hall, late of Pile Grove, now of Manneton Creek. W. J., yoeman. and wife, Elizabeth, for 22 acres in the Town of Salem, sold by said Hall to Sainuel Carpenter. April 13. 1686, and assigned by said Carpenter on the same day to present grantor." (Salem Deeds. No. 5.) The exact location of tlie Smith. Can- non. Carpenter. Kell.v. Hall Town Lot is; defin-.lely settled, by its being named in the following memorandum of sale, as the place wliene a certain payment of monev was to be made, viz:— j "16S,")-16. 22d, 12th m. (February), Mem. of Sale. Wm. Groome to Richard Mar- shall of 2ftO acres in Alloways Creek. bought of Marcus Elger. of Middle Neck, Salem Tenth, who is to give deed, the land adjoins Dennis ffishers 5no a.— "pin- chase consideration to be delivered at Wm. Kelly's house at Salem Town landing." (Salem Surveys. No. 8.) In the year 1701 Samuel Carpenter, then a merchant of Philadelphia, .sold to "Rothro" Morris, of Salem Co., W. .7.. yeoman, the plantation of twelve hun- dred acres in Elsinboro, viz:— "1701, Nov. 2t). Do, Samuel Carpenter, of Philadelphia, merchant, and wife, Haimah, to "Rothro" Morris, of Salem Co., W. J., yeoman, for the planta- tion of 1200 acres in said county called Elsinburg." (Salem Deeds.) I Thus we find that Carpenter owned I property in Feiiwick's Colony from 16S5 to 1701. sixteen years and resided there part of that time. John Smytlie, the original owner of tho lot he sold to Sarah Cannon, was deed- ed sixteen acres of the two and twenty by John Fenwick. that being the size of the Town Lots, inclusive, awarded to each purchaser of one thousand acres; the additional six acres having been ac- quired by a separate deed, also from the Proprietor 'In verba magistri' jurare." (To swear by the words of a master). — Edson Saul&bury Jones, Esq.. of Poit Cb.ester. N. Y., who in his valuable paper read before this Society December 10. 1907. has ably discussed the present sub- ject, sa.vs it "was deeded to him by Fenwick in 1679." (Town Grants P. 5.) He conveyed both lots to Sarah Can- non, viz: — "ltvs:>. June 4, John Smith, of Mon ■ nnnith R. alias Alloways Creek. W. J., i gentleman, and wife Martha, to widov Saraii C;innon. of New Salem. W. J., for 22 acres in New Salem Township. 16 thereof along the highway and ff«'n- v,icks River, the other 6 on the road from Salem Landing." (Salem Deeds, No. 2.) We observe from the above deed that onlj^ six acres of the two and twenty conveyed to Sarah Cannon were "on the road from Saiem Landing." The Warrant for the Survey of the sixteen acre lot for John Smythe reads as follows, viz:— "1676, Sept. 19th. Do Do. to John Smythe 'for a home lot of 16 acres in Ne^A Salem." (Salem Surveys, 1676.) " Note: The like warrant for Roger Huckiiigs, Samuel Nicholson, Ed- ward Champneys, Edward Warner, Wm. Hancock, Edward Bourne of the same date." (New Jersey Colonial Docu- ments.) We have mentioned that John Fen- wick took the oath of office as Gover- nor of his Colony 1676, June 21; and after his decease, in 1685-6 we find in a deed to William Wilkensen a reference to the "Govenioi-'s lot." (Town Grants Liber A, Page 343.) The inference from the following ab- stract, naturally is, that Governor Fen- wick had an official residence in the Town, which may explain in a measure, the designation "Governor's House." which lias been associated with the so called "Bradway House," at the foot of West Broadway in this city, viz:— "16S5-6. Jan. 20, do same to William Wilkinson, of New Salem, planter, foi- 10 a. there on the street to the Gover- nor's Lot." (Town Grants. liber A. Page 343.) ]n the Archives of the State we meet with the names "Broadaways street" also "Bradaways street" also "Brod street." earlier "Main street" and "The High- way." in 1791 it was called "Salem street." viz:— "1679. May 15. do same to Christopher Sanders, of New Salem, yeoman, and wife, Mary, for Sandei's I^ot 14 acres on "Bradaways street N. E. Robiinson's Plantation" and "Tnrolled May 30. 1679. Patent. Same to Richard Robinson, of New Salem, yeoman, and wife, Elinor, for a lot on Broadaway's St., 10 a." (Archives P. 34.) Again 1692, August 17, do Jonathan Beere, of Salem Town, yeoman, and wife, Mary, to Henry Hurley, of the same i)lace. weaver, for a liouse and lot of 14 acres there, at the corner of Brada- way's street along said street to the S. W. side of Robinson's plantation, grant- ed by John Fenwick to Christopher San- ders and wife, Mary, May 22. 1679' and liy them conveyed to grantors, October 9tli. 1686." (Salem Deeds, No. 5.) The preceding compilation from the published Archives of New Jersey are included in this paper on account of their possible relation to one of the original or very early names of what is now known as West Broadway, one of the principal streets of the City of Salem and of late years long known as Brad- way street. In fact Shourds in his val- uable "History of Fenwick's Colony" says that in "1693 the Town of Salem was incorporated into a borough and the authorities of the town changed the name of Wharf street to Bradway street in honor of Edward Bradway," who, although the owner of valuable property in the Town of New Salem, clearly pointed out by Mr. Jones in his paper already referred to, never, as far as 1 have been able to learn resided there, except as Mr. Jones says "though un- doubtedly he first lived there, as in the Meeting Records a minute is found show- ing that a committee of four was ap- pointed on 12 mo. 1679. (February 2. 1679- SO) to view his house and see if it was suita])le for a meeting iiouse. As early as June 6, 1680 he was of Alloways Creek (Salem Deeds 5,34.1) and such was the sepcified abode at all later times." And there he died 1693, his will being dated Dec. 6. 1693. in which his residence is given as follows, viz:— ■■169). Dec. 6th. Bradwa.v Eldward, of Monmouth River. Salem Co.. yeoman." Tiiei'e was however a street in New Salem PENNY HILL, SALEM, N. J. iiaincd "Edwcird Bradway's street," but it was appaiantly situated in another part of the Town now or recently known as "Penny Hill" and is mentioned in the following deed:— "16S9, May 27, Do. John Ireson, of Salem Town, tanner, to Richard Marshall of Salem Co., planter, for 10 acres in the Town, on Edward Bradways street, lately in the tenure of Charles Bagiey." (Salem Deeds, No. 5.) As the incorporation of the Town of Salem into a borrough did not take place until 1G9j, the date of the above deed conflicts with the statement ot Thomas Shourds, informing us that four years previous to that event, i e— in 1689 "Ed- ward Bradways street" was one of the thoroughfares of the village, and there- fore the conferring of the honor, of the naming of the street, on Edward Brad- way, by the "Authorities of the Town," is apparently incorrect, nor is it probable that such an obvious impropriety under tl.e circumstances, as the changing of the name to Sal-em street, doubtless years before 1791, could have been per- mitted by "the rude forefathers of the Hamlet." We may be able to form conclusions as to the general bearing of the street named after him and other property of Edward Bradway by another and the last deed pertaining to his subject to wliicli ] invite your attention, viz: — "1685, 25th d. 6th m. (August) Do Rich- ard Wilkinson, of New Salem, laborer, to Richard Johnson, of the same place, carpentei', for that part of the 16 a. lot, bought of Edward Bradway (Supra P. 22.) lying on the N. W. side of a line drawn from the outermost bounds of grantee's 10 a. lot by the liighway lead- ing from Salem Town to the Mill Creek." (Archives P. 582.) Finally in the conveyances, divers and sundry, from John Smythe through Sarah Cannon, Samuel Carpenter, Wil- liam Kelly to William Hall we are un- ablo to trace any ownerships to this property, except those already included in this paper, tlie evidence being con- clusively in favor of the statement of Mr. Jones that "There is every reason to believe that the house which bears upon its East gable the date 1691, was built by William Hall and that he had established it as his iini by 1692. His will dated April lOth. 1713, devised to his son, William, the "Capitall house," where the testator dwelt, with all the lots bought of William Kelly." I am of the opinion that we have found no valid reason for re.iecting his con- clusions, together with his infoimation. tljat— "Salem records do not show that Edward Bradway ever owned a home or lot on the North side of Broadway be- tween the wharf and Market street." Still, there is no doubt that the de- scendants of Edward Bradway did after- ward become seized of the very property now (after the lapse of so many years) in controversy, which finally came into the possession of John S. Wood, Esq., of Jericho, Cumberland county, by his marriage with Sarah Ann Bradway. daughter of Thomas and Isabella Dun- lap Bradway, the husband being a soji of Thomas Bradway, only son of Aaron Bradway by his second wife, Sarah Smitli, widow of John Smith, grandson of John Smith, of Smitn-^.d. Aaron Bradway was a grandson of Edward Bradway. the emigrant. By liis first wife he had a son, Joshua, who bought tlie Hall property, at the foot of West Broadway from Joseph Hall, a grandson of William Hall, the emigrant. March 2d, 1791. So just one hundred years after the "Capitall House" was built it thus passed from the Hall to the Bradway family. The late Thomas Wood, of tiiis City, son of Jolm S. and Sarah Ann Wood, built the -frame dwelling house on the corner of Front street and AVest Broad- way, and resided there several years. Tiie unusual circumstances si'rrounding tl\p purchase l^v Richard Guv fi-om John l<'fii\vick. ill JHTri, of the ten thousand ;i( IT iiJU't afterward called "Pile Grove," with ni(»iif.\- turiiished V)y Thomas Pyle, iii\i)l\c(l thf necessity of a subsequent l( ,L;al transfer to wliieli we will pres- ently reftM-. We do not know oven ap- proximatelN- when the latter immigrated to America, but may he guided by the following- "Return of Survey," June 20, 1682, not having any information of his movements, during the intervening seven jears, from the late t-f ^nircha^e \v proxy, ;ui(l the following transaction, viz: — "16S2. June 20. Return of Survey to Thomas Pyle. of I^ondon, citizen and upiiolsterer. of 10,000 acres, bought by him in the name of Richard Guy. of the Parish of Stepney Co.. of Middlesex, Cheesemonger, wlio, by a doc^l of trust, conveyed the same to John Eld ridge, Joseph Hemseley. Richard Noble. Ed- ward Champneyes and Edmund Warner, of said tract 7.9:>5 a. are bounded by Eenwick's River. (^ innoa's Creek, whicli goes through part of it; Pyle's Mount. Masacksy. alias Oldman's. alias Berkeb' Creek. Pyle's Bounder Creek .the liai- ance in Necomusses Neck. between Necomusses' run now called Fenwick's Grove Run and Fenwick's River" (Fen- wick's Surve>s 167f)-170o); also by a "Deed of Gift from Sarah, wife of Thomas Pile, of Shadwell. England, up- holsterer, to her daughter, Elizabeth Pile, and William Hall, both of Piles- gro\e. jurisdiction of New' Salem, for all lier personal estate, and iier title to 10. (KK) acies of land, on condition of mak- ing certain payments to Sarah Cannon, tlie mother, son, Ephraim Pile, daughter, Sarah Gibson and son-in-law. Simon Gibson" (dated Janiiar.\- mth. 1t;s:M) also. viz:— "16So, mth d. Oth ni. (Nov.) Deed of Gift from Sarah Cannon, of New Salem, widow, to her daughter, Sarah Pile, of Shadwell Co., of Middlesex. (Eng- land) for all her personal property." (Salem Wills. A. P P 2-7.) "The preceding two deeds of gifts, so called in the record, are evidently in- tended to be last wills and testaments." If the above surmise, of the compiler of the Archives, together with the asso- ciated dates are coi-rect, Thos. Pyle's wife, Sarah, did not emigrate from London 1o U'est Jersey, unless several years elapsed between the making of her last will and testament and her demise, or if she did, must have returned to . England before her death, which we infer from the date of the inventory of her estate occurred in March 1683-4, although the "Deed 'f Gift" from her mother, Sarah Cannon, dated November 15. 1685, implies that she was living at that time. She left for those times, quite a considerable per- sonal estate, viz:— "£290.11 incl., a boy servant, Richard Wheat, £7, a maid servant, Mary Barrington, £7, a negro woman £14, 4:i oz. of plate, £10.05, an old watch 12s. and debts (all desparate)" said to be due from some of the most re- spectable and perfectly responsible citi- zens of Fenwick's Colony such as — "Samuel Hedge." "Richard Tindall." "Major Fenwick," "Samuel Carpenter," and many others, indicating another in- j stance of gi'oss inaccuracy in the publish- ed chronicles w-e possess. In her "Deed of Gift' 'to her daughter, Elizabeth, and William Hall, she speaks of "her personal estate and her title to 10.000 acres o*" land." Are we to infer, from this in .connection with the indil-ecr inuchase by Richard Guy, that she was the original and actual owner of part if not all of the Pilesgrove estate ? If sh.e died in 1683-4, which siie evidently did not. but which the inventory of her pioperty,". made by Com. Braithwaite and Samuel Hedge." both residents of the Colony would imply, her husband survived her more than twelve years, he left a small personal estate, viz:— "£49.16.11 iiul books £1. a gold ring 18. s. made by Jona Beere and Samuel Hedge" all of which together witli his real proi>erty he left to his daughter. FAMOUS OLD OAK West Broadway, Salem, New Jersey JI I':iizal)etli Hall." Son-in-law. William JIall. executor." (Salem Wills A. P. 173.) 10i)hiaim P>'le, the son. died August 2;"). 1(>S5, about one year and seven months after what we suppose to have been the (late of the demise of his mother. "Ad- ministration on the estate granted to his brother-in-law, William Hall." who about one pear perviously, i e.— May 21.st, 16S4. had married his sister. Elizalioth Pyle. There was beside the latter, another daughter, Sarah Gibson, wife of Simon Gibson, who also had a claim by the •'Indenture Tripartite" of 1675. June 16th. ill which wa.s awarded "one-half to the Uife and behoff of Simon Gibson, of the Parish of St. Paul. Shadwell Co., of Middlesex, carpenter, du'ing the life of 1 is wife. Sarah; the other half in trust for said Thomas Pyle and wife during their lives, the whole to go finally to Ephraim, son and Elizabeth, daughter, of said Thomas and Sarah Pyle." As we find no further reference to Sarah Gil)Son. we conclude that her husband. Simon, survived her and therefore her share of the property according to the provisions of the "Indenture Tripartite." quoted above. Ephraim being dead, re- verted to her sister. Elizabeth Hall. (New Jersey Colonial Documents, Salem No.l.) The only example of the hand writing of Ephraim Pyle, whose premature death we have noted, is his autograph, spelled "Epraim Pyle," as witness to the nun- cupative will of Thomas Knowles. of New Salem, planter, wherein he devises 'o Elizabeth Pyle, spinster, as a tri- bute doubtless to her worth, virtues, and IMissible personal attractions, the singular legacy of "a heifer in the hands of C^harles Bagley and makes James Nevill and Sarah Pyles. executors." The in ventory of his personal estate, amounting to £17.7.2, made by Thomas Woodruff. Sheriff, and Edward Lumley, planter, is dated April 2. 1682, and from the fact that Sarah Pyles" was one of the execu- tors, we must, regardless of our former • pinion — tli;it she remained in England. j declining to emigrate— in view of the j above circum.stancos, admit that she was, Ij nevertehless. at that particular time. 11 "in propria persona," here. The last hour of Knowles. within the mortuary chamber of his humble home, as he uttered the words disposing of h's small estate, to which "Epraim Pyle" af- fixed his signature as witness, must in- deed have been a time lugubrious Imagination can transport us also there, to mingle with the faithful friends gath- ered around him, and hear him with lal- tering accents utter his last wishes. A mysterious influence pervades the room, which tells us that spirits uncanny are hovering near— are already there. ;t seems a haunted spot. "O er all there hung the shadow of a fear, A sense of mystery the spirit daunted. And said as plain as whisper in the ear. The place is haunted." The Parcae, the weird sisters, the un- relenting fates have come and now are busy with their horrid work:— "Sororem fila trium patiunter atra." Although invisible we are aware of their presence, the painful concentration of the exalted sense rendering there movements audible, when, the pen of the scrivener ceasing, and the frigid ton- gue of the expiring mortal forever silent, we hear the clashing shears of Atropos sever the black worsted cord of sorrow, which frees the spirit, escaping from thf- desolation and unavailing grief it leaves beh'nd. cui^bie only by the antidotal medi- caments of resignation, of time, and of eternal hope. It is indeed a dark and gloomy hour, without one lucid ray, save when tho anticipated arrival of the heifer, led by the band of the ubiquitous Bagley, sheds a gleam of humor across the final scene. On opening this "Old Deed" and read- ing its contents, one caimot fail to real- ise, the comparative permanence and instability of inorganic matter and oj - ganic life. C(^niing down throiipb ei.ght 12 generatioDs of my family, without espe- cial care, until within a few years, after the lapse of more than two hundred and thirty years, it is apparently in as good a state of preservation as when it was written, signed, conveyed and witnessed in 1675. But where are the hearts and liands of those twelve men, whose mem- ory is embaaned within the body of the Instrument ? Long since crumbled intc dust. Those hearts which then responded to the impulses of expectation and of hope, those brave hands, whose deft pre- hensile fingers with psycologic transmu- tation changed intuition into visible form and made it stay, for centuries, save in their progeny and fiiiislied work, have vanished from the scenes of life, utterly disappeared and "like (an) insubstan- tial pageant faded left not a rack be- hind" and were it not for this treasured manuscript, might be forgotten now. But though they are gone, one of their creations, this sheepskin with is written message, a legacy of long ago, rescued by their cunning art from disintegration and decay, still lives, as it were eter- nal, alike defying and escaping the ro- dent "tooth of time and razure of obli- vion." E. S. S. Salem. N. jersey, December 3d, 1908.