Research

Scope and Content Note

Philip Welles did most of the surveys; a few were done by Robert Fullerton. They contain information on: description of land; purchaser's name; location of land; and return date. The warrant of survey, giving government authorization for the survey to be done, is sometimes included also.

A1886-78: Governor Thomas Dongan generally required land purchasers to have surveys made before he would approve a purchase. These returns of surveys report the survey results to the governor.

A1886-98: This 3-volume accretion consists of "returns" reporting results to various provincial governors who authorized surveys by warrant. Among others, George Clinton, Cadwallader Colden, John Earl Dunmore, Henry Moore, and William Tryon authorized the warrants. The returns contain information on the warrant of survey; location and description of land; patent holder's name; and return date. Volume 1 includes returns from 1750 through 1770; volume 2 consists of returns solely for 1764. The final volume is an index by name of patentee. The index shows year, county, governor's name, quantity of acres, and folio number.