Johnston, his entire estate, real and personal, descended to those ladies in equal shares. By Indentures of lease and release dated the 1" and 4"' days of July 1738 Lewis Johnston and Martha his wife conveyed her undivided half part of her Father's estate to Andrew Johnston a relative of her husband. And he by deed dated July 7"" 1738 reconveyed it to Lewis Johnston and his heirs in fee. This was for the easier management only. By James de Lancey and wife and Lewis Johnston jointly, were all the lands in the Manor sold and conveyed, or leased, up to the death of James de Lancey on the 30th of July 1760. He died intestate, and Mrs. de Lancey's share of the Manor thereupon reverted to her alone absolutely in fee. From that time to 1774 all deeds and leases ran jointly in the names of Anne de Lancey and Lewis Johnston, they holding the estate jointly in fee. During this period a great deal of the Manor was sold, both to tenants and strangers. The former were always given the first right to purchase their farms in fee, and no farm was ever sold to strangers except with the tenants' assent, notwithstanding the proprietors were not bound to do so.

In 1773 Anne de Lancey and Lewis Johnston determined to have a partition of all the lands in the Manor that remained unsold, and proceedings to that end were begun under the act of the Provincial Legislature of 1762, for that purpose. But before they had gone very far Dr. Johnston died. The Proceedings were therefore begun anew in the names of Anne de Lancey and the Heirs of Lewis Johnston.