legislative records

Excerpts from a December 10, 1660 decree of the town of Oyster Bay voiding the ordinances previously established and signed by Thomas Armitage, William Leverich, and six others; from a December 13, 1660 decree of the town that no one would be permitted to purchase land in the town without having been admitted as an inhabitant, that the town was under neither Dutch nor English jurisdiction, and that all inhabitants must acquire a barrel of hayseed to be planted on the town common lands; this section is inverted and paged backwards relative to the rest of the volume.

Excerpts from a December 13, 1660 decree of the town of Oyster Bay regarding requirements for purchasers of land, rejection of Dutch or English jurisdiction, and hayseed for the town common lands (continued); and from further December 13, 1660 decrees of the town of Oyster Bay prohibiting the sale of wine or liquor to Native Americans and prohibiting nonresidents from cutting timber for sale outside the town; this section is inverted and paged backwards relative to the rest of the volume.

Excerpt from a December 13, 1660 decree of the town of Oyster Bay requiring all fields and house lots to have a four and a half foot high fence; from a February 1, 1661 [i.e. 1662] decree requiring each townsman to pay three shillings towards a fund to be used for paying bounties on wolves; and from a September 25, 1660 deed from Anne Crooker (or Crocker) for the sale of her property in Oyster Bay to Richard Latting, Huntington; this section is inverted and paged backwards relative to the rest of the volume.

Note regarding the dating of Thomas and Henry Townsend's arrivals in Oyster Bay (continued); summary of a September 3, 1663 decree of the town of Oyster Bay that all inhabitants of the town be granted 20 acres of the common land unless they prefer ten acres; a December 21, 1663 decree that Joseph Halstead be granted a house lot; and notes regarding a March 25, 1664 mention of John Underhill Jr. and the use of Quaker dating by Henry Townsend as town clerk.

A March 4, 1677/8 decree of the town of Oyster Bay granting land at Ash Swamp and exclusive right to operate a tavern and sell alcoholic beverages to whomever would keep a tavern there; the grant was accepted by Thomas Townsend and confirmed by the town constable and overseers; with a March 9, 1677/8 notice that Thomas Townsend had returned the grant.

Excerpts from the minutes of the Council, October 13, 1685, noting the appointments for Queens County of Major Thomas Willet as high sheriff and James and Thomas Townsend and seven others as justices of the peace; and from the minutes for November 24, 1685, recording a petition from Henry Townsend Sr., three other Townsends, and four others seeking permission to purchase 800 acres in Oyster Bay from the local Native Americans which was granted.

Notes on and excerpts from the records of the General Assembly May 10, 1709 (continued) through May 27, 1718 regarding John Townsend (died November 1709), one of the representatives for Queens County, and William Nicoll as speaker from 1710 to May 21, 1718 when he stepped down due to poor health and was replaced by Robert Livingston.

Notes documenting mentions of Matthias Nicoll, names added to a copy of the patent of the town of Oyster Bay, a "Mr. Nicolls of Stamford" who was a juror in the 1665 witchcraft trial of Ralph Hall and Mary, his wife; and notes on and excerpts from the records of the General Assembly April 5-May 10, 1709 regarding the selection of William Nicoll as speaker and the disputed election of representatives for Queens County including John Townsend.

The September 22-23, 1701 General Assembly committee report on a paper presented by Thomas Willet, John Talman, and William Willet directing that they be prosecuted (continued); notes on various General Assembly representatives, 1702-1708, particularly William Nicoll; Nicoll was elected speaker November 3, 1702 and summoned Abraham Gouverneur, former speaker, to prove his citizenship; November 11, 1702, Gouverneur was determined to be an alien, thus ineligible to serve in the Assembly, and all the bills passed while he was speaker were declared void.

Notes regarding the August 19, 1701 disqualification of William Nicoll and Major Wessels [i.e.

Notes regarding William Nicoll's October 5, 1695 appointment by the General Assembly to represent the colony in England; he wished to decline the appointment due to the financial burden it would impose upon him, but the Assembly awarded him £1000; April 15, 1699, he was called on to give an accounting of the £1000, but could only account for about £320 which had been taken by French privateers and was ordered to provide a written statement on his expenditures; an October 30, 1700 mention of Hellgate; and a note on the April 17, 1701 expulsion from the General Assembly of Matthew Howell for wri

Excerpts from the proceedings of the General Assembly containing Samuel Townsend's March 22, 1758 petition to the Assembly with the Assembly's order that he be brought before it the next day (continued); Townsend's March 23, 1758 appearance before the Assembly in which he was found guilty of insulting the honor of the Assembly and ordered to remain in custody; Townsend's March 24, 1758 petition to the Assembly begging its pardon, apologizing for his impudence, promising to be more circumspect in the future; having received his petition, Townsend was again brought before the Assembly, reprimand

Excerpts from the proceedings of the General Assembly regarding a March 8, 1758 letter from Samuel Townsend concerning the treatment of the "neutral French" (continued); having been ordered to appear March 20, 1758 before the Assembly, and having not done so, Townsend is declared in contempt and his arrest ordered; Townsend's March 22, 1758 petition to the Assembly asking that he be released from custody as his failure to appear was due to infirmity rather than contempt; in response the Assembly orders that he be brought before it the following day.

Excerpts from the proceedings of the General Assembly, March 23, 1699 [i.e.

Excerpt from an August 1, 1708 conveyance from William Nicoll to Francis Annesley, London, for the sale of half of Shelter Island; the sale does not appear to have been completed; and from an August 19, 1741 conveyance from Richard Nicolls and two unnamed partners to William Jamison for the sale of a share in undivided land near the Susquehanna River; a brief note on a May 24, 1748 sale of land in Orange County by Andrew Nicolls; a note regarding an August 21, 1783 James Townsend, Fredericksburgh, Dutchess County (now part of Putnam County), getting letters of administration for the estate of

Notes documenting Thomas Townsend's appearances in the records of Oyster Bay, 1675-1678; includes a March 4, 1677/8 decree of the town of Oyster Bay granting land at Ash Swamp and exclusive right to operate a tavern and sell alcoholic beverages to whomever would keep a tavern there; the grant was accepted by Thomas Townsend and confirmed by the town constable and overseers; with a slip with notes affixed to leaf.

Text of Oyster Bay's March 24, 1661 [i.e. 1662?] anti-tobacco smuggling ordinance mentioned on the facing page.