17 December 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Thomas Hutchins

Portions of the letter appear to be in Knox's handwriting. Writes to Captain T. Hutchins (likely Thomas Hutchins, a surveyor and Geographer of the United States) to ask questions about portions of the Muscongus patent. Transcribes the text of an act of legislation passed by the Massachusetts General Court in 1785 on the subject. Asks particularly about navigation of the Penobscot River, which forms the western boundary of the land he describes.

GLC02437.09171

January 23, 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: to Isaac Winslow, Jr.

Marked "copy." Considers the viability of selling off lands to pay taxes the General Court has assessed on the Muscongus patent lands. Discusses other options to obtain the funds necessary to pay the taxes, such as asking the ten proprietors to pay some of the taxes. Also asks Isaac to ask his brother [likely Samuel Winslow] about the sentiments of settlers on the patent. Comments on several other matters relating to the patent lands.

GLC02437.09162

20 February 1793

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to George W. Irving

Writes that he has received a letter "in which you offer to relingquish to me the entire right of the Winslow Families in the muscongus [Waldo] Patent for the Sum of twenty five thousand dollars." States that the $25,000 offered is far more than he expected, since he does not think the land in its present condition is worth the amount but will accept it since he might need it to settle disputes. Goes on to formally accept the terms of the agreement to claim the land. Watermarked "[J ?] Watt & C Patent Copying/Sold by J Woodmason/London." Letterpress copy.

GLC02437.10262

15 September 1785

Winslow, Isaac, 1736-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes that he received the letter Knox sent to Winslow's cousin, also named Isaac Winslow. Will attend to Knox's request that they accept the boundaries of the Muscongus patent that the General Court put forth. Discusses other financial business related to the patent.

GLC02437.09133

17 March 1788

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isaac Winslow, Jr.

Declares that the papers he and Winslow have on the claim of Mrs. [possibly Sarah] Waldo on the Waldo estate are likely all the papers that exist. Discusses Mrs. Waldo's claim, and asks that Winslow, his brother [Samuel Winslow], and his cousin [Isaac Winslow, Sr.] get all their papers on the subject in order, as Knox will be visiting and would like to meet with them about it. Also discusses claims on the Muscongus patent by the Plymouth Company, as well as monies owed on the Muscongus patent.

GLC02437.09174

3 October 1800

Bradford, William, 1729-1808

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Bradford laments having missed Knox in Rhode Island in August and waited on Knox in Boston to discuss the Muscongus lands. Bradford reminds Knox that Bradford's grandfather first initiated payment for those lands, and Bradford's father and himself have had to continue the business. Bradford hopes that Knox will help settle this affair and respect Bradford's rights.

GLC02437.07466

4 November 1719

Smith, Thomas, fl. 1719

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Contract]

Signed by Benjamin Alder. John Coney and John [Lavell] Junior signed as witnesses. Anthony Roddard signed as Justice of the Peace on 5 May 1722 at Boston, Massachusetts. Contract between Thomas Smith and Benjamin Alder. Involving a tract of land called Muscongus (in present-day in Maine) and part of some islands located in eastern New England be sold to Alder from Smith. Terms and conditions of the contract are included.

GLC02437.10630

9 July 1788

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to John Anstey

Unsigned, but handwriting suggests the author is Henry Knox. Reports that two British citizens, Lord Loughborough [possibly Alexander Wedderburn, subsequently 1st Earl of Rosslyn] and John Skinner, have an interest in a portion of the Muscongus patent. Explains how these two individuals got involved with the land, which belonged to Francis Waldo through his father, Brigadier General Samuel Waldo.

GLC02437.09176

December 11, 1787

Putnam, Rufus, 1738-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Noted as written in "Rutland," possibly in Ohio or Massachusetts. Discusses a survey of the Muscongus patent completed by Captain Stone and Mr. [possibly Enoch] Titcomb.

GLC02437.09170

28 April 1785

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George R. Minot

Thanks him for his kind letter regarding the report on the Muscongus patent. Offers his services to Minot whenever he may need them.

GLC02437.09124

1 January 1785

North, Joseph, fl. 1738-1785

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Provides Knox with the research he asked for regarding deeds and transactions on record for the Muscongus patent. Lists some information regarding ownership of lands by Samuel Waldo and by Mr. [Thomas] and Mrs. [Hannah] Flucker. See GLC02437.09110 for a related letter.

GLC02437.09114

26 December 1793

Peirce, Joseph, 1745-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Marked "Private" on address leaf. References Knox's letter of 18 December. Has had luck finding the heirs and assigns in the Muscongus Lands. Has written to many of them, but has not heard back. Goes into some detail on the situation. Describes a meeting he had on 5 December with the 10 proprietors. They expressed respect for Knox, but moved forward with the suit. Says they have made Harrison G. Otis their attorney. Has written to employ Mr. Parson and Mr. Dane as attorneys for Knox. Postscript says Judge Sullivan can get the case continued to April if goes to the Court of Common Pleas…

GLC02437.06006

27 April 1791

Wendell, John, 1731-1808

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Tells Knox that Wendell's son is visiting from Boston. Asks him to find out the value of the "Lands at Muscongus" as Knox is a "proprietor in the same Tracts of Land." Wendell does not know the value, as he is from upstate New York. Asks Knox what he would be willing to pay for 2500 acres.

GLC02437.04929

18 May 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John W. Wendell

Received Wendell's letter of 27 April, which offered to sell Knox 2,500 acres of land in the Muscongus Patent (a portion of the Waldo Patent). Says he would not be unwilling to buy the land at a good price, but that it would be "improper" to do so. Tells Wendell that he should not feel "under the least engagement to me" and that he should get the best price he can for the land. Pencil note below docket says "Recd from Mrs. Husther(?) Nov. 6 1844."

GLC02437.04951

February 26, 1747

Burns, William, fl. 1747

Manuscript document signed

Title: [William Burns's declaration regarding the Muscongus settlement]

Burns discusses his settlement on Samuel Waldo's Muscongus Patent (also known as the Waldo or Linconshire Patent, land in present-day Maine). Discusses improvements Burns made to a stone house, and mentions his black cattle. Burns was given command of a company of soldiers by Governor [William] Shirley, after which he and his family moved to a settlement of 40 or 50 "Protestant Familys from Germany" on the Madomock [Medomak] River. Notes that several German settlers, at Colonel Samuel Waldo's urging, joined the expedition against Cape Breton in [1745]. Asserts "That about the Middle of…

GLC02437.10410

February 6, 1801

Bradford, William, 1729-1808

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Mentions setting up a meeting with Knox to discuss the purchase or division of the Muscongus lands (part of the Waldo patent lands) in Maine. Also discusses hereditary rights and other legal complications associated with the land.

GLC02437.07503

circa 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [An inventory of Thomas Flucker's estate]

"1790" is written at the top of page one and struck. Mentions General Samuel Waldo's Muscongus Patent, a patent granting Waldo trade with Native Americans in present-day Maine. Flucker, who was married to Waldo's daughter Hannah, was granted 2/5 of the Muscongus Patent. Appraised 4 September 1788 by David Sales, Waterman Thomas, and [William] Pendleton. Also mentions Flucker's "Cumberland Estate," (present-day Maine) which was apparently appraised by Joseph Noyes (former Continental Congressman), J. Enoch, and another individual whose name is illegible. Besides the Muscongus Patent and…

GLC02437.09454

1773

Document

Title: [Information related to the estate of Samuel Waldo]

Docket notes that this document is from papers belonging to Thomas Flucker. Heading indicates, "The following Estates, belonging to the Estate of the Late Brigadier Samuel Waldo Esqr. remains undisposed of besides the Muscongus Patent so called & a house and Land at Falmouth..." Contains estate information.

GLC02437.09483

7 January 1773

Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Estimate taken of the proprietors of the Muscungus land]

Nathanael Greene, as clerk, compiles a chart listing the original proprietors of the Muscongus land, the heirs of those people or those who purchased the land, and finally the persons now holding the land.

GLC02437.09077

27 April 1784

Waldo, Francis, fl. 1728-1784

Manuscript document

Title: [Report on the Muscongus patent]

A note at the bottom of the document reads, "The above is from Francis Waldo Esq. and enclosed in a letter dated 27 April London, 1784," and signed by Henry Knox. Contains extensive information about the Muscongus patent in Maine, and mentions several players involved with the patent, including Thomas Goldthwait and Hannah Flucker, Knox's mother-in-law.

GLC02437.09104

27 April 1784

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Relative to the Muscongus patent]

No date is listed, but previous research suggested its date is 27 April 1784. Document lists portions of the Muscongus patent, their acreage, and their value.

GLC02437.09105

circa 1784

Manuscript document

Title: [Memorial of Hannah Flucker]

Date of 1784 added later in pencil. Addressed to the "Commissioners Appointed by Act of Parliament for enquiring into the Losses & Services of the American Loyalists." Discusses the lands and properties to which she is entitled as heir to her father Brigadier General Samuel Waldo, as well as her brother Samuel Waldo. Outlines the history of the Waldo patent, beginning with King Charles the First granting the Muscongus patent to the Council of Plymouth. Enumerates the acreage and value of lands to which Hannah Flucker has a claim.

GLC02437.09112

1784

Waldo, Francis, fl. 1728-1784

Manuscript document

Title: [Pertains to the Muscongus patent]

Date added later in pencil. Author noted, apparently in the hand of Henry Knox, as Francis Waldo. Contains information on the Muscongus patent, its history of ownership, and its boundaries. Also contains an account of the value of the lands.

GLC02437.09113

13 October 1785

Hunt, William, fl. 1785-1792

Manuscript document

Title: [Notes from the Muscongus property meeting]

Notes taken at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern in Boston, Massachusetts. Lists those present as representatives for proprietors of the Muscongus patent, as well as members of a committee appointed to confer with the General Court committee on the subject. Discuss how best to divide up the land in the Muscongus patent, to follow the General Court's instructions and to "prevent future Controversy."

GLC02437.09134

14 October 1785

Hunt, William, fl. 1785-1792

Manuscript document

Title: [Agreement with William Hunt]

Contract stating that Henry Knox, Samuel and Isaac Winslow, and Samuel Waldo are "held & stand firmly bound & Obliged unto William Hunt of Boston" for the Muscongus patent. Declares that Hunt is writing as clerk of the ten original proprietors of the patent. States the details of the arrangement. Docket asserts that this document was sent to Knox by William Hunt, but that he did not sign it, and instead signed a later copy.

GLC02437.09135