IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 US us Ui •"IS 2.0 m 110 1.4 llllim 1.6 V] ^ /2 *>\^' /y y^ '■^ '/ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation \ <^ <>^ ^ \ \ ^ *> ^ 6^ ^ ^%> #> 4^^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) 873-4S03 <*>"■ .A* , Transparence Quality of prir Quality in^gale de I'impression Includes supplementary materii Comprend du materiel suppldmentaire I I Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ r~| Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ r~~| Pages detached/ r~~l Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ The post of tl film Grig begi the sion othe first sion or il The shal TINl whi( Map diffe entir begii right requ mett Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont M film^es d nouveau de fa^on d obtenir la meilSeure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de rMuction indiqui ci~dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 7 26X 30X 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X laire I details lues du t modifier iger une » filmage J6e8 The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanlts to the generosity of: Nova Scotia Public Arciiives The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the bacl( cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grAce A la g6n6rosit6 de: Nova Scotia Public Archives Les images suivantes ont 6x6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettetd de I'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont film6s en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film^s en commen^ant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols —^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". re Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s 6 des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clichd, il est film6 d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche 6 droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m^thode. y errata »d to nt ie pelure, 9on d U 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 32X *>REPORT-> |f0iiii^i:it^|toTtox);^ S^^tui; ^-,,r^.jn ■amir-i'-T. DAN S. GIFFIN, Heuvelton, St Lawrence Cu, N. Y — — r^^^^^^^^T- OdDENSIiUl^d; IlM'lMtl.lCAN AND .lol UNAI. I'ltlNT. I H8 1 . HA:.,. ...V, I.. S. ^loiimC]3 to ^| In acconlanrc with previous arrangornontx, T loft home Ain'iist I-'), ISHI, for thr |iiir|t()sc of iiivcstiLratint; how iuiic]i (»f tnith t'xi.stfd \n tlic traditions of tlic ditlin family with n-frrcnco to th»ir anccstnr, Simon (.lilUn nf Mulifax, Province of Nova Scotia. I went hy tlic way of Hoston, Htnjipinr,' for a time in Con- necticut and Massachusetts, for the jiuritose of eonsultin<,' with niemliers of the family residing there, and olttaining Huch information as I couM. In both of tliese States, I met many of the (k'scemlants whom 1 had never seen hefore, and visited the i,'raves of those of the second generation. In this rejtort I shall confine myself principally to such particulars as pertain to the l)U.siness part of the journey. The first (piestion to l»e answered is : " Was there ever any property in Nova Scotia belonging to our ancestor, and if so, how much and what?" In answer t(» tlie foregoing, 1 found: Isf. A deed on reconl from William Welsh to Simon (JiHin, conveying f.S.OOO) three thousand acres of land, located be- tween the Muscodoboit and Pitjiiswick Rivers, about twcnty- eifht miles east of the City of Halifax. This deed conveys the title absolutely to said Simon, and is dated March lo, 177i. A release of the dower interest of Ann Wel.sh.as wife of William Welsh, is added, wliich release is acknowledged by said Ann before .lohn Cunningham, J. P., April 4th, 177 1. Then follows a receij»t, signed by William Welsh, for ninety one pounds currency, being the consideration for the land con\ eyed. This receipt is dated March lo, 1774-. This deed was n-conleil Ainil 7tli, 1771. in lJ«iok I'J, pages 4.*{() to YM, iiielusivf. '2>/(/. I r<»iiii« for liis sliare. The land is located in the IJoiinty of Liiiieiilniig in the town of ( 'hester. The grant is , and is recorded in the C'rown liiind Department in Hook (I, jiages ."iicS, etc. In the office of the Register of Deed.s at Ijuiieiilnirg, I found a iiia|», which locates tliese five hundred acres on the westerly hank of Middle River, alxmt four miles Nortlierly from the Village of Chester. On this map, the grant is designated as the " (JifUn fgrant) of five hundred acre.s." This land is ahout lifty miles West of the City of Halifax, and in traveling the highway from the Village of Chester to the Village of Lunen- burg, the road cro.sses oiu; end of the grant, commencing at the Westerly I'lid of the hritlge across Middle River. There is also a highway running Nortlierly through the grant, which intersects the Lunenhiirg i<>a!>) lit' obtained t'n\o to lot No. 21, in Block J. in the South suburbs of the t)ity (d' Halifax. This lot is located on what is now known as South street, formerly called Tcjbins street, North of Plea.sant street. The date of this allotment is not given, and cannot be learn- ed from the records. Jt is only known that it was prior to 17')!>. ii'»t No. li), in the same block, was at the same time alloteil to John (iiffin, who is supjtijseil to liave been a brother ^4' Simon. Record of above found in Allotment l>ook, page (10. At tlie foot of South street, on the bank of the liailx)!-, was formerly an old distillery, the first located in Halifax. (Jeorge's Island is nearly o]>posite. About forty years ago there were the remains of tlu' distillery buildings on this lot. Til"' j^iis vvitrks arc tinw ItKiatf.l liric North nf tlu' ilistilli'rv \N a> a LTiiriliri |pIm| ainl (l\v<|lin^r, | was iiiialili- (<• liinl li' ever lia 1 fill'' i<> this lot. 'Th^'rc in iim invcniMry nn lilc in thr I'robati'M olHc'f >-ho\viiiL,' the amount of his estatt' al'ttT • li'ath. Thf whole aiiionnt of rral t'statf fouiKl to have hern owni'ii liy him is a.s follows : IvA I5y Ai'i-A from William W.Uh. :5.<)0(> acres. '2f/i/. Hy ;,'rant from thf i 'rouri, .')()() acres. :if,/. Oni' lot in the city acres first. It will l»e ohserveil the deetl tor the ahove is dated Marcli 15, 177-t, recordeil April 7, I77i. Simon (lillin died Septomber I>, 177K Hi>« second wife, Jennet (litHn, died Decemlier H, 177"). I find ncoided May 2.S, 1 7!^iLr' ni'arly eitfht years aftei- his death, in liook is, j>a<:fes ISO, etc., an instiument dated March "Jl-th, 1771. pnr- iJotinLT to have Keen sie'iicd hv Simon (Jiflin and Jennet, (iillin, which instrument is a " lieclaratioii of tiust," and de- clares that the died to him from William Welsh of .•{,<)(>() acres was a conveyance to him in trust for the henetit of Ann Welsh and her children, she being foimerly Ann l>j-o\\ii, a daughter of said Jennet by hei' tiist husl)and, Daviil Hrown Hv this instrument thev l>ind themselves under a |)enaltv of (iiie thoiisaml pounds to carry out the provisions of saifl trust. I also find anur|)ose of carry- in;,' out the true intrnt of said trust to Simon (Jillin, conveys said .*>,(»(I0 acres to William Wtdsh, the liushand of said Ann, in trust, for the Iteiiefit nf the children of said Ann and W^illiam. It ai)|iearK sini,'ulai- that instruments of so mucli imjtort- ance as these twD last, if they are jL^enuine, should have re- mainecl so Inn^f unrecorded after their execution, and ai'ter tlie death of the partit-s who had executed them. From the foregoini,' it ajipears to me heyond a dmiht, that the heirs of Simon (.Iitlin have no legal daini now that can be reached to any jtart of said .*{,()()(> acres of lainl. 'I'his is also the opiiMon of uiy attorney at Halifax, Samuel L. Shan- non, KiS(|. Secondly, We will examines tlu- (juestion of title to the ')(>() acres. Hefoi-e doin<^ this I will state, I procured a copy of the Statute of Limitation with reference to real I'state for tlie Province of Nova Scotia, of which the following is the suit- stance : \st. I'eacealtle possession of lands for twenty years, gives title to tile possessor as against ]iersons lesiding in the Province. 'Ind. Peaceable j)Os.session of lands for forty years, gives title to tlu' pu,s,s(^ssor as against |»ersons residing out of tin Province ''^rd. Peaci'altle |>osse.ssion of lands for sixty yeai's, gives title tcf the j»o.ssessor as against the Crown. I found the .")()0 acres located about tlfty miles West of Halifax. 1 went on the land and interviewed the pco|>le liv- ('. iii^ tlit'it', !iinl IimuhI tlii'V nil knew it as llif e.l to sell to parties the lii^dit to ent timher on this land. Altont jseveiity yeai's a^o, tire laii lhr(»ii;^di the land, and after that, |>eo|i|e jielped themselves to Mich timlier aN they wanted. .lamiary llth, Is^N, one (larret Miller, a resident of Hali- fax, olitaiiied from the (,'rown a eraiit of this same piice (tf laiiil. An elderly e^eiitlemeii, a Hanistt-'r at Law, residint^r .^t linnenltuiLT. named Daniel ( )wen, informed nie that for some time said .Miller collected rent from those occii|iyin'4- 'he land. At last they refnseil to |iay any more. .Mr. Owen, as attoiney tor Miller, comnu'iiced an ejectment stiit aLfaiiist one J3aniel Lantz, for non-|iayment <»f rent. In the course of the trial, the defendants, to the surprise of .Mr. ( )wen, set u|> the revionsly ;;ranted to (lillin. The (iitlin i^iaiit was proven, and Miller lost his Ciase. 'I'his occui'ieil altoiit fortv years ai^o. This suit was rememlpered hy most of the inhahi- tants. As I, ear as I can learn, alxjut .S.')() acres of this irrant has heeii taken possession of, and occupied ior a periiid of forty }-eais or more. Ah^ut fifty acres has lieen occii|>ied liv Jame.s l>e/aiison fir ahout four years, and alioui one hundred acres has not heen taken up li\ any person, thus leavini;' ahout one hundred and tifty acres which i-aii now he olitain- ed, and aliout .■>")() acres to which title is lost hv adverse j)os.si'ssion. These amounts are estimated. My coun.sel advised me tliat to olitain thi^ huif tlif sami; (ipiniun. If is niiii;li aii«l stony, (iojil has Ik'cii iliscovi'i't'il witliiii altoiit two milcH of the tract ()ti(iolil Itivff, liut not in |i;iyiii,u' <|iiaiititit'H. Tlu'i-c arc f wtlvf y Simon (litlin to .lohn Carrol, Octol.ci- f!th, I7">!>. uhieh deed was duly record- ed in iJook .">, |'a;^'c 17, May .*{, 17(!<>. 1 would further report that I fouml no conveyances re- corded relative to any of the |»roj»erty owned hy said Simon (iitlin, except as herein stated. One jfcntleman, named Isaiah liezanson, jured 72 years, informed me tiiat about fifty yi'ars aeo. two men ap|ieared in the vicinity of the ')()() aero "frant.who claimed to he ( litHns, wh<» .stated they intended to iiuild oil the nnint. I reinarked to him they were nut (lillins. His reply was, "I never thought they were." After they left, he said, IMirit/ ami Jacoh Lantz claimed the land was left hy the two men in their charge. Tht> men never returned. In Boston, .Mass.. 1 examineil the old records with refer- ence lo manianes, and found in cor.i|»liance w itli the law, tc- t|uiiiiig a publication of marriage three weeks prit»r t(» itn being solemnized, the following: •• I'ul.li.^lir.l Dr.VllilKT 111. 17;5!». Simon (Iiuii'KN / Maniiil liv Kcv. .I.ihn Mooroliciul, .l.iiimny .Iknnkt Li:.iim.\n. S lil. IT:?'.'*." It will be ob.scrved there must be an (;rror in one of the foregoing dati's ; either the jtulilicatitMi shouhl l>e December '1\, 17JiN, or the marriage should be January 21, 17 H). If the date given for the marriage is correct, the pultlication should liave l>een December 'J I, I7'SS. 'riicn- is uIhii (III error in tin- s|if||iii^' of the iduih', uri errnr wliicli I luiiml \vii>t fiiiiiiiiuii ill tlir curly lii>t"iy of rcconls, li'itli in this (•iiiintry any tlic sanir clorfjy- niaii, Itciri;; Kohi-rt (JiHiii to Maruant Lfiijliniari. Aliove the latlit's lust naiiH', in pencil niaik, is writti-n •' Lichiiian," and Ih'Iow till' saiin- nanif, in ink, is writti-n, " I'li't. Lislnnan." I nifiition this to show thf uncertainty of the early recordn with reference to spell in;,' ; also to show there were other ^litliiis ill the ;'<»nntry than our ancestor. From Mrs. Kli/aheth Al»l'e, n\' Knheld, ( 'i.nn., j learned she knew her j^'randniother, Kli/aheth Mtlier, .Mrs. Alil>e learned her mother (wife of Simon ) died while Kli/aheth was a small "fii ' ainl after her tleath she resiiled with her ^'rand- mother " I '•'.iiman ' in lloston. The intoiiiiution ohtained corroiiorates this, as the daiiifh- ter Klizadeth was (i years <■{' a^fe when her mother tlied Amon^' the records of St Paul's ( 'hiirch. ( "ity of llalifaN, I found the record of tlu; fniu'ial of Simon (Jitfeii "to have Iteen Septemlier 11th, 1774." In the old Ennli.sh Ixirial <,'rouiid of St. Tanls, in the City of l|jilifa.\, I found the i^raves of Simon (Jiftin, his two wives, and John (iilliii who is su|»[)osed to have oeeii a hntther. The foUowiii!.,' is an e.vact copy of the inscription on thfir head stones : " Ili'If l,\illl tlir ImmIv "I Mr. Siiiiiiii ^'ili'iii v\li() Driiaitcd tills lit'c Sfpl.'r y.' !M!i. 177 1 .\^'c(l (;;{ y<'iir>. Al.-«i .Ifuct L^illfii \f uif 111 .Mr. SiiiKiii !,'iircn wliii Dcjiartcil tills IM'v |)|..'r. ye 27tli 17.") J \<^vi\ :] 1 ycai's." IJy the side of these is another ijrave with a h.'ad stone, in- s('ri|)lioii as hjllows ; Public Arch'"": '^f N'-.vi Scotia 10 •' Ihrt; lies liiiiii-il tlic I'.<>, he iveonlN, •• VisitiMl Mr ,|,,siali Mui.sluill jiimI Mr Simon (iiilin in ye cv(-•nin^^ uml su|.jk'«I with Mr. (litlin npon Irt'sli niuttiin ami cariuts, cliofHs.anil a wvx i-odd liasiv Duddin"- niaik' of New fc:n<,danlst, ITdS. The records of the oflice show this will was jtie.sonteil lor probate Sept. 14. 1771, and duly proven, and, "Probate granted with a copy of the will annexed, the l.")th S(;pt. to Jennet Githn, widow and relict of the .said deceased, sole ex- ecutrix named in .sai »{' his estate, ival and personal, the interest of which is made over t(.heras long as .she lives, also as much of tlie principal of the whole as she thinks proper, or may want during her natural life. The remaind<'i- to be equally divided between his children, namely, (Jecjrge UilHn, Simon (Jiflin, Elizabeth (JifHn and John (Jiflin. 1 also found that Letters of Administration were granted July 2:^, 1770, "of the goods, chattels, and credits i>f (Jeorge ClifKn, late of Halifax, Mariner, dec'd, to i'uny (iitlin, widow, and relict of the dec'd." The traditions of the family are, tha. Oeorge Ciiflin, son of Simon, was a mariner, ami was lost at sea. The al»ove ive<»rd would seem to corroboratt; this. I have wiitten the w idow's name "Puny," the record is not distinct (Miough to show whetlier this is tlu' correct name or not. 12 r oljtained certified cojties of all official locords I conid find jtertaiuiiig' to Simon Giffin. Tlicso ai'e a.s tbllows; 1st. Allotment of lot 21 in block J. 2d. Deed of 3,()()() acres from \Vm. Welsh to Simon Giffin. jd. D(!claration of Trust from Simon (}iffiii to wife. ^th. Deed from Jennet (Jiflin to \^\x\. Wtlsh. 5th. Grant from the Crown of oOO acivs to Siinon Giffin. 6th. Grant from the Ciown of the same oOO acres to Gar- ret Miliar. yth. Copy of will. 8th, The depositions of the subscribing witnesses to the will. Qth. Minutes of the Probate Court granting letters to the widow. loth. A copy of the deed from Simon Giffin to John Carrol. This last and the first are not certified. The (question now arrises, what action do the heirs desire to take with reference to so nnu'h of the estate a. can now be procured ? If those interested will communicate their wishes as to this to me, I will try and make the same known. I could find no record of any personal proj)('rty whatever, and no person of sufficient age to renieml)er him, he having died 107 years ago. During the progress of the work I have obtained a great deal of information relative to the different branches of the family, which I hope to put in shape for future reference. I have also a genealogy of the family, showing the descen- dants of Simon Giffin, of Halifax, number over eleven hun- dred persons. I was accompanied the first three days of my work at Halifax by C. H. Giffin of Brookfield, Mass. I should l)e pleased to have members of the family notify me in the future, when additions are made to these, giving the names, date of birth, and names of parents. Also the date of death, and avocation of those who arrive at maturity and become heads of families. Very Rt'spt^ctfully Submitted. DAN S. GIFFIN, HeiiviitoH,St.LauKCo.,N. V. H' ^'^''Vl Sroill