Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
Memorial of John Blake
February 19, 1812

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The Memorial of John Blake, Residenter in MiramichiTo The Honourable Martin Hunter Esqr. President of his Majestys Council and Commander in Chief of The Province of New Brunswick

Humbly Sheweth That whereas the Father of your Memorialist named John Blake, on account of his having been the first settler on the River of Miramichi, was allowed to hold lands on said River, and in particular in 1782 a quantity of land to the extent of 550 acres, on the southside thereof, and on the lower side of the lot belonging to William Wishart. That upon the decease of his said Father the mother of your memorialist having married a second time, and wishing to procure a title to the foresaid lands, for the purpose of assigning her right therein to her said second husband, had applied for a grant of the same; which for some years was refused to her on the ground that the Mother of your said Memorialist wished to defraud the legal heir of her former husband of the possession; as had been stated by a Capt. Lemmon who had been in Miramichi. That upon the removal of the said Capt. Lemmon from St. John, the Mother of your Memorialist had again applied, and procured a Grant of the said Land excepting about 200 acres, now in the possession of your memorialist, by which means the children of the said John Blake Senior have been deprived of what was their right.

That by way of making up for the loss which Your Memorialist has sustained in consequence of this transaction of the said Mother’s; and for his assistance in the support of a wife and three children – your Memorialist would beg leave to apply for a portion of the vacant lands on the River Nappin.

Your Memorialist therefore humbly craves, That Your honour with the Consent of his Majesty’s Council would be pleased to grant to Robert Blake son of your Memorialist, such part of the vacant lands on the said River of Nappin, as you may see fit. And your Memorialist shall ever Pray.

John Blake

19^th Feb 1812

A quantity of Vacant Land yet -? on Napan River John Blake rec 200 acres he withdraws his sons name being under age and prays an allotmt to himself

G. Sproule

Note from Mary Lynn Smith:
The words Robert Blake son of were italicized by me near the end of this Petition.  In the original Petition these words were XXXX’d out.