Bill concerning Richard Ranney Farm

Upon the report of John Chester and Thomas Welles, Esqs., who were appointed by this Assembly a committee to enquire into the title and circumstances of certain Indian lands in Middletown in the County of Hartford lying on the east side of Connecticut River on both sides of the highway that runs by the meeting house, some part whereof is bounded by said river, wherein Richard Ranney of Newtown in the County of Fairfield claims to have an interest, and to make out the proportion which the said Richard ought to have and to ascertain the same, etc.  Reporting that sometime in April last they repaired to said Middletown, viewed and considered the circumstances, situation, and title of said lands; that they found that in the year 1675, two pieces of land in said Middletown, the one containing two hundred and seventy nine acres, the other twenty acres, were granted and duly recorded to thirteen Indians by name; that the said Richard Ranney is descended from Robin one of the said thirteen to whom said lands were granted as aforesaid; that it was their opinion that ten acres be set out and confirmed to the said Richard etc.    

It is therefore resolved and ordered by this Assembly that the said Richard Ranney shall have liberty, and liberty and authority is hereby granted to have laid out, aparted, and surveyed to him by the surveyor for the County of Hartford ten acres of the first mentioned larger parcel of land, to begin at the highway about twenty rods eastward from said meeting house and to extend about twenty rods on said highway and then to run from said highway northerly the same width until it shall include said quantity of ten acres and the same being so surveyed, laid out, and ascertained by proper metes and bounds, and recorded in the public records of said Town of Middletown shall be good and sufficient evidence for the holding the same in severalty to him, the said Richard Ranney, his heirs, and assigns, forever, and further liberty and power is given unto the said Richard Ranney to cultivate and improve as much of the residue of said lands adjoining to said ten acres as conveniently he can until some other of the descendants of said Indians, claimants of said land, appear and make out their claim and title to said lands and have occasion to improve the same.

Legislative Action:       Passed in the Lower House.  Test, Jabez Huntington, Clerk.                                          Concurred in the Upper House.  Test, George Wyllys, Secretary.  May 1758

                               Richard Ranney bill of form / May 1758 / Passed Lower House / Passed Upper House, June 5, 1758 pm / Entered

Notation:                   Indians

Cateloguing:                136