Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/370

French war. If successful in obtaining the grant Fletcher agreed to convey it for £25 to James Simonds and as security for the fulfilment of the agreement gave Mr. Simonds his bond for £50. In the month of July, 1783 Simonds went to Halifax, where he says he applied to the Surveyor General for information as to whether or not the lands adjoining the second grant had been promised to any other person, and it was found they had not. This fact having been certified on the back of the memorial by the surveyor general, it was presented to Governor Parr, who also certified his approbation upon the back thereof and directed it should be again delivered to the surveyor general in order that a warrant of survey might be made out and a grant made. The crown land office was at that time full of business, for the agents of the Loyalists, who were very anxious to procure their grants as speedily as possible. James Simonds wishing to leave Halifax immediately, the surveyor general informed him that the warrant for survey could not be attended to at once but it would be forwarded as soon as the business of the office would admit.

The close of the revolutionary war and the arrival of the Loyalists at St. John caused the lands in the vicinity to be much more valuable than had been anticipated. An attempt was made by agents of the Loyalists to secure the escheat of the lands granted to Simonds and his partners. To render this impossible, Hazen and White exerted themselves erecting houses, making improvements, fixing settlers and procuring live stock. Nevertheless such was the perseverance of those who coveted the possession of the lands that in 1784 the second of the two grants was advertised in the customary manner preparatory to an escheat, and William Hazen was obliged personally to appear in the Court of Escheats at Halifax to defend the grant, and