Amenuensis Monday: James Jolet Land Grant of 1748

Amenuensis Monday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts. Not only do the documents contain genealogical information, but also the words breathe life into. This is a popular ongoing series created by John Newmark at Transylvanian Dutch.

How does a Land Grant differ from a deed?  In colonial America, the king of England owned all the English claims to North America. He could grant land as a gift or reward to his allies.  Under colonial law, the person receiving the grant was required to build a house and cultivate at least one acre.  Failure to do so would result in the land reverting to the government. The king received income from duties on materials like deerskins, tobacco, and lumber shipped to England from Virginia.  Therefore, granting title to colonial lands to others ensured economic development that boosted income for England. 

Some day I hope to be able to link this James Jolet to my 4G grandfather James Jollet. It’s the right neighborhood at least.    

You can click on the image to enlarge it. 

Land Grant to James Jolet December 1, 1748
Spotsylvania County Patent Book #27 1748-1749 page 77-78

George the second by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith -- ye To all to whom these Presents shall come greeting, Knowye that for diven good Causes and Considerations but more especially for and in Consideration of the Sum of Ten Shillings of good and lawful money for our use paid to our Receiver General of our Revenues in this our Colony and Dominion of Virginia. We have given granted and confirmed and by these Presents for us our Heirs and Successors Do give grant and confirm unto James Jolet one certain Tract or Parcel of land containing sixty-one and an half acres lying and being in the County of Spotsylvania and Parish of Saint George and bounded as followeth, to wit. Beginning at two red oak saplings on a hill in Mr. John Allans line Thence keeping his line North sixty degrees East one hundred and ninety-two Poles to his corner being a white oak and black oak in a glade in the line of John Robinson Jun. Esq. Thence keeping the said Robinsons line South twenty degrees East one hundred and six Poles to Thomas Salmons corner black oak two red oaks and a hiccory all saplings on a ridge. Thence keeping the said Salmons line West two hundred poles to the beginning place. With all woods underwoods swamps marshes lowgrounds Meadows Feedings and his due Share of all Veins Mines and Quarries as well discovered as not discovered within the Bounds aforesaid and being Part of the said Quantity of sixty one and an half acres of Land and the Rivers Waters and Watercourses therein contained together with the Privileges of hunting hawking fishing fowling and all other Profits Commodities and Hereditaments whatsoever to the same or any part thereof belonging or in anywise appertaining To have hold profess and enjoy the said Tract or Parcel of Land and all other the before granted Premises and every Part thereof with their and every of their appurtenances unto the said James Jolet and to his heirs and Assigns forever To the only use and Behoof of him the said James Jolet his Heirs and Assigns forever To be held of us our Heirs and Successors as of our Manner of East Greenwich in the County of Kent in free and common [? looks like "Touage"] and not in [? looks like "Capite"] or by Knight's Service yielding and paying unto us our Heirs and Successors for every fifty acres of Land and us proportionably for a lesser or greater Quantity than fifty acres the Fee Rent of one shilling yearly to be paid upon the Feast of Saint Michael the Arch Angel and also cultivating and improving three acres part of every fifty of the Tract abovementioned within three years after the Date of these Presents provided always that if three years of the said Fee Rent shall at anytime be in arrear and unpaid or if the said James Jolet his Heirs or assigns do not within the Space of three Years next coming after the Date of these Presents cultivate and improve three acres Part of every fifty of the Tract abovementioned Then the Estate hereby granted shall cease and be utterly determined and thereafter it shall and may be lawful to and for us our Heirs and Successors to grant the same Lands and Premises with the Appurtenances unto such other Person or Persons as we our Heirs and Successors shall think fit. In Witness whereof we have caused these our Letters Patent to be made Witness of our trusty and welbeloved Sir William Gooch Barronet our Lieutenant Governor and Commander in chief of our said colony and Dominion at Williamsburg under the Seal of our said Colony the first Day of December one thousand seven hundred and forty eight In the twenty-second Year of our Reign.
William Gooch