Fletcher, he having a share for brokerage.' (Documents, etc. Colonial History of New York, vol. iv. p. 400.) He afterwards became Chief Just ice of New Jersey, and later, Attorney-General of New York. Nicols, a man of great influence and highly connected, was an ardent supporter of Fletcher. Captain Ebenezer Wilson was a prominent merchant of New York, sheriff of the city at the time, and afterwards rnavor. (Document*, etc., vol., iv„ pp. S7T, B6S ; 25 *rq., ; "«"!>, 7S3, etc)

6 Some twenty deeds ou record, within these years, are thus dated. Those entered immediatelv before and after are dated ' In the county of Westchester, and Province of New York.* (Town Records of Kye, vol. B. pp. 72-16S.)

c The granting of patents was a favorite mode of raising money with the Provincial Governors of New York. New England men ever regarded it as a most unjust exaction. Sir Edmund Andros, who was made "Governor of New York and New England, in li"SS-St>, de-

THE TOWN OF HARRISON.

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better ; for that to my certain knowledge they might have had a patent had they not rejected it ; and that it was so far from being done in haste or in the Dark, that not a hoy in the whole Town, nor almost in the County, hut must have heard of it ; and that I must always be a witness against them, not only of the many messages they have had from the Government about it, hut likewise from myself. At which they began to be divided amongst themselves, some saying, It was true ; others, that those the Crown had employed had proved false to 'em. After a great deal of time spent in argument on this and other subjects, I endeavored to make them sensible of ye risque they run in this affair.