Charter 1781 | Cabot Historical Society

CHARTER OF CABOT

The Governor, Council, and General Assembly, of the Freemen of the State of Vermont L. S.

To all People to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:

Know, ye that whereas. Captain, Jesse Levingsworth and his associates, our worthy Friends,

have by Petition, requested a Grant of a Tract of unappropriated Lands within this State,

in order for Settling a New plantation to be Erected into a Township; We, have therefore

thought fit for the due encouragement of their laudable designs and other valuable considerations,

us hereunto moving. And do by these presents in the name and by the authority of the Freemen

of the State of Vermont, give and Grant the tract of Land hereafter discribed & bounded

unto him the said Jesse Levenworth, & to the several persons hereafter named his associates in equal

Shares viz'. Jesse Levenworth Jr., Mark Levenworth, William Leavenworth, Eneas Munson,

Isaac Doolittle, Robert Fairchild, Ebenezer Crafts, Timothy Newel, James Lane, Elias Townsend,

William Holmes, Richard Mansfield, Nathan Levenworth, Moses Beecher, James Whitlow, Alexander Harvey,

David Bryant, Frederick Levenworth, Jonathan Heath, Eunice Johnson, Thomas Lyford, Edmund Chipman,

Benjamin Webster, David Blanchard,Jonathan Elkins, Jonathan Elkins Jr., William Chamberlin, Ephraim

Foster, Abiel Blanchard, Benjamin Ambrose, Wheeler Doughlas, Asa Doughlas, John Doughlas,

John Hancock Doughlas, Alanson Doughlas, Beriah Palmer, Martha Doughlas, Ebenezer Jones,

Jesse Gardiner, Mary Andrus, William Doughlas, Content Doughlas, Asa Doughlas Jr., Zebulon Doughlas,

Lyman Hitchcock, Nathaniel Wales, Sophia Hitchcock, John Bachelor, Eliphalet Richards,

Jonathan Pettit, Mathew Watson, Esikiel Tifinany, Abel Blanchard, Peter Blanchard, Ruben Blanchard,

Jason Cross, Solomon Johnson, Robert Haws, Samuel READ Russell, David Waters, Thomas Chittenden,

Paul Spooner, Joseph Fay, Abigail Gunn, and Barnabas Morse.

Which Together with the five following Rights or equal Shares, reserved to the several Public uses

in manner following include the whole Tract or Township viz' (Read)which said Tract of Land hereby

given & Granted as aforesaid, is bounded and discribed as follows viz* Beginning at a stake l^ Stones

near a Maple Tree Marked N° 21, Standing on the north side of a Hill; Thence running south 54 D° East,

six Miles to a beach Tree Marked Cabot Corner, Standing on the south side of a Flatt Beach Hill;

Thence Running south 5<5 D'^ West six Miles to a great Hemlock Marked Cabot Corner, a Little North

of a Large Brook, Thence north fifty four D° West six miles to the southeast Corner of Woodbury

a Stake & Stones near a large Birch Tree Marked Cabot Corner, a Little south of a small Brook,

Thence North j6 D° East six miles to the bounds Began at. And that the same be and the Charter

of Riptown which is in the same words with this disposing of the 6 public Rights hereby is

incorporated into a Township by the name of, Cabot, and the Inhabitents that do or shall hereafter

Inhabit said Township are declared to be infranchised, and Intitled to all the Priviledges

and immunities which the Inhabitents of other Towns in this State, do & ought by the Laws and

Constitution of this State to exercise & Enjoy.

To Have AND TO HOLD the said Granted Premises as above expressed, with all the Previledges

& appurtenances thereunto belonging or appertaining; unto them & their respective

Heirs & assigns forever, upon the following conditions & Reservations, viz^

That each Proprietor of the Township of Cabot aforesaid his heirs or assigns,

shall plant & cultivate five acres of Land & build an House at least eighteen feet square

on the floor; or have one Family settled on each respective Right or share within the

Term of three years next after the circumstances of the present war will admit of a Settlement

with Safety, on penalty of the Forfieture of each respective Right or share of Land in said

Township not so improved or settled, and the same to revert to the freemen of this State

to be by their Representatives regranted to such persons as shall appear to Settle &

Cultivate the Same, That all Pine Timber suitable for a Navy be reserved for the use

and Benifit of the Freemen of this State. In Testimony whereof we have caused the

seal of this State to be affixed in Council

this 17th day of August in the year of our Lord 1781,in the 5th Year of our Independence.

Thomas Chittenden.

By His Excellency's Command

Thos. Tolman Dep. Sec.

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