in the County
of Albany. Previous to this division into counties, the whole terri-
tory was regarded as belonging to the County of Albany, and jus-
tices of the peace, and other officers of that County, exercised
authority in that territory. By order of the governor and council,
September 8, 1773, an ordiance was issued establishing courts, to
be held in the County of Charlotte annually, '• at the house of
Patrick Smith, Esq., near Fort Edward."
The order of the king in council, staying further grants of land,
seems not to have been very satisfactory to Governor Moore, but
he and his successors professed to regulate their proceedings by it,
and applications were frequently made by succeeding governors to
the board of trade, urging that the order might be rescinded. But
the board of trade, instead of rescinding it, complainthat the gov-
ernor of New York " had taken upon him," contrary to the instruc-
tions, " to pass patents of confirmation of several of the townships,"
and had " also made other grants of lands within the same."
HISTORY OF ADlilSON COUNTY. 69
CHAPTER VI.
OPPOSITION WEST OF THE MOUNTAIN — NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE
INHABITANTS OF BENNINGTON — AFFAIR AT V.'ALLOOMSIC — CAP-
TURE AND TRIAL OF HOUGH — COL. REED'S CLAIM^CAPTAIN
wooster's grant — dunmore's GR\NT.
While <i considerable portion of the settlers on the east side of
the mountain, sceined thus inclined to submit to the claims of New
York, and accept eonfu'mations of their charters, nearly all on the
west side refused to take such confirmations under the governors
proclamation, with ''a quit rent of half a crown or two and sixpence
sterling," for each hundred acres, and