Brookland, November 14th, 1753. A Town meeting called by warrant of
Carel Debevois, Esq. and Jacobus Debevois, Esq. two of his Majesty’s
Justices for the township of Brookland, in the County of Kings, to elect
and chuse Trustees to defend our Patent of Brookland against the
Commonalty of the City of New-York.--And the Trustees so elected and
chosen by the freeholders and inhabitants of the township of Brookland
aforesaid, are as follows: Jacobus Lefferts, Peter Vandervoort, Jacob
Remsen, Rem Remsen, and Nicholas Vechte. And we the hereunder
subscribers being freeholders and inhabitants of the township of
Brookland, by these presents do fully impower and authorize the
abovesaid Trustees, Jacobus Lefferts, Peter Vandevoort, Jacob Remsen,
Rem Remsen, and Nicholas Vechte, elected and chosen by the freeholders
and inhabitants of the township of Brookland aforesaid, to defend our
patent where in any manner our liberties, privileges and rights in our
patent specified is incroached, lessened or taken away by the Commonalty
of the City of New-York. And that we hereunder subscribers of the
township of Brookland, oblige ourselves, our heirs, executors and
administrators to pay to the abovesaid Trustees, all cost that they are
at in protecting of the profits of our patent, and that money shall be
collected in by the constable of our town. And that the abovesaid
Trustees do oblige themselves to render upon oath a true account of all
such moneys they have expended in protecting or defending our patent, to
any person or persons, as the hereunder subscribers shall appoint for
that purpose. And in defending our patent so that verdict shall come in
our favour, where income of money or other profits should arise
concerning the premises, all such profits or income should be kept
towards defraying of all the necessary cost and charge of our township
of Brookland, till such time as it is altered by the majority. And that
the Trustees should have three shillings per day for their service and
no more.