These documents comprise a very early petition by Christian Wehr and a
large number of associates for land grants to settle in the region
between Pike River and the southern branch of the Yamaska river. In the
transcription that follows I have attempted to adhere to the original
spelling but my transcription has not been verified. Some of the words
are particularly hard to read so if you suspect a mis-transcription
please contact me and seek verification.
I am indebted to M. Jef Asnong for providing a copy of these early
documents. Jef was given copies of these by André Charbonneau, a local
historian from Henryville.
St-Johns, March 2nd 1782
May it Please Your Excellency.
We Humbly beg to inform your Excellency
That we recived a letter from Major Mathews dated Feby. 16th in answer
to a letter to Your Excellency Concerning the Kings lands East of
Mifsisque bay and are very sory to hear that your Excellency has so bat
an Oppinnion of us, as to our Vieus of Settling them lands we Petition
for, as if it were only for the sake of Traffican with the Colonies, we
humble beg to inform your Excellency, that it is in nowife our
intention, nor never was, to settle East if Mifsisque Bay, with a Vieu
to Traffic with the Colonies. No it is Quite Otherwife, for we do assure
Your Excellency that our only aim is, the Cultivation of the land and
not Traffic, We can not but think that the Spirit of Cultivation will
fall, if we consider that we shall or must Go, to a Place, where our
labour will be in Vain, because we must allmost Exsport the Value of our
Produce before we can bring it to a Marked and morover it borders very
high apon excile, if a Man that Posefses any Spirit of Freedom, must Go
to a place where he does not wish to Go, and if Your Excellency is of
oppinnion, that there is but a few of us, and them few has no Spirit of
Cultivation, we Humbly beg your Excellency will Please to order, or
Permit, two, or more Men, to go round to the Loyalists, and let them
signify, by signing their Names to what Place they would wish to go, and
then your Excellency will find that it is not a few Individuals only,
who now so Earnestly and humbly Petition your Excellency for their lands
East of Mifsisque bay but that there are more than three hundred of whom
the Most general Part have been well living Farmers and sons of able
farmers before the Rebellion in America, and those People who were
brought up to Cultivate the ground have no other way, neither do they
desire any other ways to mantain themselfs and Famelies, then by
Cultivation, therefore we humbly beg since we all have been such Gread
Sufferers by being driven from our homes and Conections, that we might
have our land Granted in the Parts we have Petitioned for which would
afford us some Satisfaction.
And as for the Quarrelling with our
Neighbours we have not the least apprehention of being in any more
danger from the United states by being settled in the PLace we Petition
Your Excellency for as in the upper Country or on Caldwell's Manor.
We most humbly beg Parton of Your
Excellency for Troubling you so much Concerning the aforesaid lands, but
since it is of so much Consiquence to mankind to live in the Place,
where they can make the most of their labour, and where they are more
inclined to Settle, that it Constitutes the Greader half of their
Happinefs in this world. Therefore we can not find it in our hearts to
have off beging and Praying, untill Your Excellency in Your Clemency are
most Graciously Pleafed to Grant our lands in the Parts we Petition for.
I humbly beg do subscribe myselfe, with due respect
Your Excellencys
Most Obedient and
Very humble servant
Christian Wehr
S.B. Since Captain Haldemeyer is from home and we do not know when
he will return again the rest of the Officers and Men which are at this
Place, Desired that I might write the foregoing Letter in my name and
humbly beg, that if Your Excellency will Please do Condecend and sent us an
Answer, do direct it to Chn. Wehr Lieut. &&&&.