Description:

Gurdon Saltonstall
New London, CT, April 16, 1716
Connecticut Governor Saltonstall Writes About Interest in Equivalent Lands Used to Fund Yale College
ALS

GURDON SALTONSTALL, Autograph Letter Signed, to William Pitkin, April 16, 1716, New London, Connecticut. 2 pp., 7.5" x 12.25". Expected folds; repair of losses at center right and lower left with minimal effect on text; some staining; bold signature. Governor Gurdon Saltonstall wrote this letter to William Pitkin regarding the Equivalent Lands in April 1716.

The controversy over the border between Connecticut and Massachusetts Bay began in the 1630s when settlers in Springfield, Massachusetts, and Hartford, Connecticut, clashed over borders. The Springfield settlers wanted to be part of Massachusetts Bay, which surveyed the border between the two colonies in 1642. In the 1690s, officials from Connecticut performed their own survey and found errors in the survey from fifty years earlier.

Not until 1713 did the two colonies begin to cooperate to survey the correct boundaries. At that time, the surveyors found that Massachusetts Bay had offered Springfield settlers the right to 105,793 acres that belonged to Connecticut. Because the settlers on those lands did not want to become citizens of Connecticut, the two colonies agreed that Massachusetts would retain administration over the settled lands. In exchange, Massachusetts agreed to grant property rights (but not sovereignty) to Connecticut for an equal number of acres in Massachusetts "as an equivalent to the said colony." Connecticut began to auction off the "Equivalent Lands" in 1716, using most of the proceeds to establish Yale College.

The surveys for the new tracts were concluded in November 1715. The commissioners were Massachusetts Governor Joseph Dudley, Connecticut Governor Gurdon Saltonstall, Massachusetts residents Elisha Hutchinson and Isaac Addington, and Connecticut residents William Pitkin and William Whiting. The "Equivalent Lands" were made available for purchase at Hartford on April 24-25, 1716.

Complete Transcript
N. Lond: Apr: 16: 1716.
S E
I recd yesterday morning, the Packet brought up by Colo Whiting's son, wc I mentioned in my last to you, but I have not yet recd my Letters from England, Which I expect by ye next Post.
This Packet from Boston containd ye 2 Surveys I sent to Boston of Our Equivalents which are recorded in the Secretarys Office there. But I am surprised yt I hear nothing of the remaining part, wc was design'd to be taken up to the North of these Tracts (as Mr Woolcott and I concluded when He was here,) as what would sell for a better Penny than any yt we could take up adjoining to ye River; And It was agreed that what is yet to be surveyed, should be prepared early this Spring; or entred at the ye Secretaries Office in Boston, as being of necessity to be done, before the time of Publick Sale.
But as that cant be done now, before the day Set for Sale; I doubt It will oblige us to defer the sale to a further time; Without which It will not be practicable to make a Sale of the Whole, & so may possibly have a considerable part, lying upon Our hands, & at last no better than lost to Us.
I think yrfore It will be good for You to go on with ye Surveigh, and let me have it in Such a form as ye two first, that I may get It accepted on Record at Boston. We may prevent a great deal of dispute about It; And you may possibly have It return'd from Boston Soon Enough to make ye Sale in the time of the Genll Court. delays are dangerous If your business will not allow of a Journey hithr this week, I must desire You to resolve Me what the Committee agree upon, and how far they have proceeded, some time this Week at farthest, without faile. Because I have some Letters relating to the Sale, which It will be an advantage to You to be acquainted with, before Tuesday, seavennight, If You think to hold to that time of Sale; tho I believe It cant be carried on then but with no small disadvantage to ye Colony.
But I shall not need to trouble You with ye Reasons of It now; And shall reserve them till I am acquainted of the State of that Affair, by the Express I expect from You this Week. Give my Service to the Gentlemen of the Committee wth You, Who am
S E Ye humble Servt
G. Saltonstall
Wm Pitkin Esqr

Gurdon Saltonstall (1666-1724) was born in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and graduated from Harvard Divinity School with his bachelor's degree in 1684 and his master's degree in 1687. He became the pastor of First Christ Church in New London, Connecticut, where he became a friend of Connecticut Governor Fitz-John Winthrop. As Winthrop's spiritual and civil adviser, Saltonstall assumed more responsibilities as the governor's health failed. When Winthrop died in November 1707, the legislature appointed Saltonstall as governor of the colony. Voters elected him to the post in May 1708 and reelected him annually until his death. He also served as commander of the Connecticut militia and Chief Justice of the Connecticut Superior Court. He worked closely with Massachusetts Bay Governor Joseph Dudley in resolving the "Equivalent Lands" border dispute.

William Pitkin (1694-1769) was born in Hartford into a politically prominent family. He married Mary Woodbridge in 1724, and they had five children. Pitkin was first elected to the colonial assembly in 1728 and served until 1734. He was a member of the Council of Assistants (1734-1754) and served as a county judge and superior court judge. In 1754, he was elected to the dual office of Deputy Governor and Chief Justice, Connecticut Superior Court. In 1766, Pitkin's opposition to the Stamp Act aided his election as governor over the incumbent, and he served until 1769, when he died in office.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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