Land Conveyance of Benjamin Chappell (1789, Georgetown)
"To all to whom these presents shall come Greeting:
Know Ye that I Edmund Fanning, LLD Colonel in the Army Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Island of Saint John, and the Territories Adjacent thereunto __ __ __ By Virtue of the power and Authority to me given By His Majesty King George the third under the Great Seal of Great Britain Have Given Granted and Confirmed And Do by these presents pursuant to His Majesty's Royal Instructions Give Grant and Confirm unto Benjamin Chappell of Charlotte Town in the said Island of Saint John Gentleman his Heirs and Assigns All that piece or parcel of Ground Lot number One Letter A second Range as laid down in a Certain Map of George Town in the said Island of Saint John among the Town Lots the same containing in length One hundred and Twenty Feet and in breadth Eighty four feet or thereabouts lying and being in George Town aforesaid and all that other piece or parcel of Ground Lot Number One hundred and Nineteen as appears laid down in said Map herein before mentioned, among the Pasture Lots by Estimation containing Twelve Acres be the same more or less being all Wilderness Land, with all manner of Mines unopened excepting Mines of Gold Silver Lead Copper and Coals To Have and to hold the several two pieces or parcels of Ground with all privileges profits Commodities and Appurtenances thereunto belonging unto the said Benjamin Chappell his Heirs and Assigns for ever; Yielding and praying by the said Grantee his Heirs and Assigns which by the Acceptation hereof he binds and obliges himself his Heirs and Assigns to pay to His Majesty King George the third, His Heirs and Successors or to any person lawfully authorized to receive the same for His Majesty's Use, a free Yearly Quit Rent of one penny for each and every Foot that the Front of said Lot Number One so granted in said Second Range shall Contain, And also a further Yearly Quit Rent of three pence per Acre for each and every Acre so granted that the said Lot Number One hundred and nineteen shall contain the first payment of each and every of said Quit Rents to commence and become payable on the Feast of Saint Michael which shall first happen after the Expiration of Two Years from the date hereof or within fourteen days after and so to Continue payable Yearly and every Year thereafter forever, on Default thereof this Grant shall be Null and Void Provided also that this Grant shall have been Registered at the Registers Office within six Months from the date hereof otherwise this Grant shall become Null and Void And the said Grantee further obliges himself his Heirs and Assigns within the space of three Years from the date hereof that he or they shall and will build one good Substantial Frame Dwelling House of at least sixteen feet in breadth and Twelve feet in Depth, with a Stone or Brick Chimney On the said Number One Town Lot and said Dwelling House is to be built at least two feet distance from the Adjoining Lot or Lots and shall and will within the Space of Six years from the Date hereof well and Sufficiently fence and properly clear for Pasture Six Acres of said Number One hundred and nineteen Pasture Lot And if the said Grantee shall perform all and every Clauses and Covenants herein Contained this Grant shall be saved forever from Forfeiture otherwise the same shall become Null and Void.
"In Witness whereof I have signed these presents and caused the Seal of the Island to be thereunto affixed at Charlotte Town in said Island this Fifteenth day of October in Twenty ninth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth and in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty nine By His Excellency's Command.
signed Thos Desbrisay
Registered 15th October 1789Source: PARO PEI RG 16: Registry Office Conveyances 1769-1872 1.469-1.472
Note: Benjamin Chappell (1740-1825) is my gggg grandfather (Benjamin Chappell > Theopholis Chappell > Benjamin Chappell > John Josiah Chappell > Elizabeth Chappell > Roland George Taylor > Dennis Taylor). Benjamin became postmaster of the Colony, a position he held until he died in 1925. Benjamin maintained a diary in the years 1775-1778, and 1797-1818. Transcribed copies of these diaries are available from the PEIGS.
The Chappell Diaries are one of the better known sources for early P.E.I. History, beginning in 1774. Benjamin was a carpenter who came out from England with his wife to join Robert Clark's New London settlement in 1774. The Chappell diary is not really a diary, but more of a journal or day-book. It is filled everyday details, the work done by Chappell and his assistants, the weather, signs of changes in the seasons, events in the community, ship landings, the raid by American Privateers in Charlottetown.