Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
Memorial of William Milne & Alexander Taylor
January 31, 1786

Exact Transcription of Content from the Original by Mary Lynn Smith

To His Excellency Thomas Carleton Esquire
Governor and Commander in Chief in and over his Majestys Provinces of New Brunswick and the territories thereto belonging.

The Memorial of William Milne and Alexander Taylor for themselves and other new settlers on the River Meramichi.

Humbly Sheweth that the as old Settlers on the River Meramichie River have got their proportion of Marsh Land Located to them. they are not satisfyed therewith altho they have the very best part thereof, but awants to keep the remainder in Common with us New Settlers therefor your memorialists Beggs, your Excellency in Council would allow your memorialists to Divide the said remaind of Marsh Lands among themselves and to have it located in proportion to their several Lotts beginning at that part thereof Located to Thomas Davis & northward. Your Memorialists are further informed that the the old settlers intend to Petition your Excellency for a Reduction or Regulation of fishing, to the great Detrimen of us New settlers on this north end of said River. Your petitioners therefor humbly begs your Excellency will not Grant their request in this untill your Excely is fully convinced with regard to nature of the place & situation of the people & your memorialists will as in Duty bound Ever pray.

William Milne

For Alex. Taylor & other new Settlers

William Milne in behalf of the new Settlers on Miramichi River requests to have a proportion of the Marsh and represents that the old settlers intend to memorial for a regulation of the Fishery to thier Detriment. TC

Attached:

Unto His Excellency Thomas Carleton Esq.Governor and Chief In and over the Province of Newbrunswick And its Territories Depending

The Petition of William Milne, Alexander Taylor &ca, &ca, &ca

Most Humbly Sheweth That in Regard Your Petitioners as well as every new settler on this north end of the Miramishie River are informed that the old settlers here -? such of the new settlers as it soots -? or hase been applying your Excellency and council for a reduction for Regulations of Fishing that your petitioners -? most humbly, Begs and Emplores of your Excellency not -? Grant their request and that or any other -? until your Excellancy and councell are fully convinced with regard to the nature of the place and situation of the people your Petitioners makes no doubt but many -? Storeys will be told by those who wants to improve on their neighbourhood but your petitioners great happiness would entirely depend on your Excellancy’s sending or appointing such a man as could be depended upon to regulat the dispute for there is not a man here but what is either -? or liable to be corrupted by the old settlers we think it very hard to be reduced in -? fishing where the river is -? mile and one half broad and eighteen miles upwards from the entrance of the river, and it is unpracticable for any man to set a net in the channell because it is past any man’s power. The reasons the old settlers -? or will be applying your Excellency because they -? the first settlrs on the River and hase hade it in their power to choose out such places as suted them for the most part of them will not need twenty or twenty five fathoms at the utmost, where we are upon flats where one hundred fathoms will not reach -? Ch. Your petitioners begs that your Excellency and councell -? take it into consideration as the medow of Cannadian Point has been -? to the old settlers that there -? Be a stop put to ym for cutting the hay at Napping Marsh as when they cut it they let it ly on the ground untill it is borned. Your pettitioners would beg the privilege of that meddow napping, as the land adjoining to it is not fit for cultivating we therefore transmit -? Of those names to you.

City of St John 
January 31, 1786

John Murdoch
Charlote Blake
John English
John Hay & Andw. Hay
James Roy
Donald McDonald
James English
James Innes
Thomas Davidson
Thomas Hutton
Daniel Minton
George Murdoch
William & John Simpsons
William Milne
Alexr. Taylor &ca, &ca, &ca

Note from Mary Lynn Smith:
The above-noted names were all in the same handwriting, except those of Milne and Taylor.