Name/Title
1809 Deed James Strong & John BullEntry/Object ID
002596Tags
James Strong, John Bull, Peter Bull, Joshua BrownScope and Content
This document is a two-part legal record concerning a roadway agreement in the Village of Hamptonburgh, Town of Goshen, Orange County, New York, dating between 1809 and 1820.
Here is a summary of the two primary sections:
1. The Indenture (October 16, 1809)
In the first image (2596A), James Strong and John Bull sell the rights to a specific road to Peter Bull for the sum of six dollars.
The Road: Described as "two rods wide," it ran from Peter Bull’s house on a northeasterly course between the lands of Strong and John Bull to the main road in Hamptonburgh.
The Clause: The agreement specifies that the road must remain an "open road and public path" for the use of the neighborhood and the public forever.
Witnesses: Signed by James Strong and John Bull, and witnessed by James Myers and George Tuthill.
2. The Addendum/Release (1820)
The second image (2596B) contains a follow-up statement written by Peter Bull roughly eleven years later.
The Conflict: He explains that local commissioners originally wanted a "crossroad" through the lands of Captain Joshua Brown. However, law dictated such roads must be four rods wide, which was deemed unnecessary.
The Solution: To resolve the issue, the road was "vacated" (legally closed as a public highway) and then re-entered into the Town Clerk's records as a "public road."
The Clarification: Peter Bull clarifies that while the road is for public use, the "fee simple" (actual ownership of the land) remains with the original proprietors and occupants. He essentially confirms that the 1809 writing still holds weight in spirit—keeping the path open—even though the legal status of the road had been technically altered.
Key Historical Details
Locations: Hamptonburgh, Goshen, Orange County, NY.
Key Figures: James Strong, John Bull, Peter Bull, and Capt. Joshua Brown.
Measurements: The document uses the archaic unit "rod" (1 rod=16.5 feet). The road was 33 feet wide (two rods).
