Pennsylvania Act 1818-148 — DONATION OF LANDS MODE OF DISTRIBUTING

Act text

DONATION OF LANDS MODE OF DISTRIBUTING
                 Act of Mar. 24, 1818, P.L. 274, No. 148              Cl. 68
                              A SUPPPLEMENT

     To the act, entitled "An act for directing the mode of
        distributing the donation lands promised to the troops of
        this commonwealth.

        Whereas by the act to which this is a supplement, the
     Surveyor General was directed to survey into lots of different
     dimensions, lands given to the officers and soldiers of the
     Pennsylvania line for their services during the revolutionary
     war, certain unappropriated lands lying north and west of the
     rivers Allegheny and Ohio. And whereas in pursuance of the
     provisions of the law, ten districts of donation lands were laid
     off, surveyed and returned into the Surveyor General's office,
     designated and known by ten separate drafts all of which remain
     on record, and patents in pursuance of those surveys have been
     issued to persons entitled to them, according to their
     respective numbers as marked in each district and represented by
     the marks on the corners of lots, and numbered on the several
     drafts of each district. And whereas great difficulty exists in
     ascertaining the respective tracts, in consequence of the
     obliteration of the marks on the corner trees from a variety of
     causes, either by lapse of time, the burning of the woods, or
     the improper conduct of persons interested or mistaken in their
     views. And whereas in ascertaining the respective lots it is not
     only proper, but very necessary that the respective owners
     should be governed by the general drafts and the records of the
     state.
        Therefore,
        Section 1.  Evidence of boundaries of donation lands
        From and after the passing of this act, that in all cases of
     dispute or controversy respecting any boundary or boundaries in
     any or either of the donation districts thus respecting any lot
     or lots therein, as marked, surveyed and returned into the
     surveyor general's office, in pursuance of the act, entitled,"
     an act for directing the mode of distributing the donation lands
     promised to the troops by this Commonwealth," passed March 24,
     1785, The general drafts of the said surveys as returned into
     the Surveyor General's Office shall be the evidence of the
     location of the respective lots, and official copies of the said
     drafts, or any or either of them, or of any part or parts
     thereof, shall be evidence before any Court of Competent
     Jurisdiction, in order to designate the situation of any or
     every lot, so far as regards its relative situation with the
     other lots. 1818, March 24, P.L. 274, 7sm.1. 122, Sec. 1.
        Section 2.  Lines of donation lands to be run and marked
        It shall be the duty of the Deputy Surveyor of the proper
     district or county, on application made to him by any person
     interested, to run and distinctly mark the lines of any lot or
     lots, and to remark the original corners, agreeably to the true
     meaning and intention of the first section of this supplement;
     and in order to carry this into effect, it shall be the duty of
     the Surveyor General to furnish each Deputy Surveyor, free of
     expense, with a certified copy of the general draft of the
     donation lands so far as they lie in his district or county,
     which shall be open to the inspection of any person or persons,
     they paying the customary fees: provided, that nothing in this
     act contained shall be construed to affect the right of bona
     fide purchasers, in cases where the original marked lines can be
     ascertained. 1818, March 24, P.L. 274, 7 sm.1. 122, Sec 2.