EDWARD SHIPPEN, SEN'R, FOR CLERK OF YE PEACE AND QUARTER SESSIONS. THOMAS PENN and RICHARD PENN, Esquires, True and Absolute Proprietaries and Governors in Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, To Edward Shippen, Sen'r, of the City of Philadelphia, in the said Province, Esquire, Greeting: Reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Fidelity, Knowledge and Ability, we have made, constituted, commissioned and appointed, and by these Presents do make, constitute, commission and appoint you, the said Edward Shippen, to be clerk of the Peace and of the Quarter Sessions of and for the County of Lancaster, in the Province aforesaid, and do grant unto you, the said office of Clerk of the Peace, with all Benefits, Emoluments and Advantages thereunto incident and appertaining, and the keeping of all Records, Rolls, Registers, Books, Entries, Papers and Writings whatsoever to the said office belonging, with Power to take and receive all Fees, Perquisites and Profits from the said office lawfully arising or thereunto belonging, to have, hold and enjoy the said office, according to the laws and Usage of the said Province. Witness, James Hamilton, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of the said Province, who (by virtue of certain Powers and Authorities to him for this purpose, inter alia, by us granted) hath hereunto set his Hand and Caused the Great Seal of the said Province to be hereunto affixed. At Philadelphia, this Nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Fifty-three, the twenty-sixth year of the Reign of King George the Second over Great Britain, &c., and the thirty-fifth year of our Government. JAMES HAMILTON. [L. S.] [Recorded the 23rd Day of April, 1753.] CHARTER GRANTED TO THOMAS LAWRENCE AND THOMAS PENN AND RICHARD PENN, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries and Governors in Chief of the Province of Pennsylvania and Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, To all persons to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas, the well being of a society depends on the education of their Youth, as well as in Great Measure the Eternal welfare of every Individual by impressing on their tender minds Principals of Morality and Religion, instructing them in the several dutys they owe to the society in which they live and one towards another, giving them the knowledge of Languages and other Parts of useful Learning necessary thereto, in order to render them Serviceable in the several Publick Stations to which they may be called, and, whereas, it hath been represented to Us, by Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall, Jun'r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettle, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Joshua Maddox, William Plumstead, Thomas White, William Coleman, Isaac Norris and Thomas Cadwalader, of the city of Philadelphia, gentlemen, that for the erecting, establishing and maintaining a Academy within our said city, as well to instruct youth for reward, as poor children, whose indigent & helpless circumstances demand the charity of the opulent part of mankind, several benevolent & charitable persons have generously paid and by subscriptions promised hereafter to Pay into their Hand as Trustees, for the Use of the said Academy, divers sums of money, which sums already paid they, the said Trustees, have expended in the Purchase of Lands, well situated, and a Building Commodious for the Uses aforesaid within our said city in maintaining an academy there as well for the Instruction of Poor Children on Charity, as others whose circumstances have enabled them to pay for their learning, for some time past. & in furnishing the said Academy with Books, Maps, Mathematical Instruments & other necessaries of general use therein, according to the Intentions of the Donors, and Whereas, the said Trustees, to facilitate the progress of so good a work & to Perfect & Perpetuate the same, have humbly besought us to incorporate them and their successors. NOW, Know ye, that We, favouring such Pious, Useful, Generous & Charitable Designs, hoping through the favour of Almighty God this Academy may prove a Nursery of Virtue & Wisdom, and that it will produce men of dispositions and Capacities beneficial to mankind in the various occupations of Life, but more particularly suited to the Infant state of North America in General, and for other Causes and Considerations Us hereto specially moving, have granted, ordained, Declared, Constituted and appointed, and by these Presents We do, for Us, our Heirs and Successors, Grant, Ordain, Declare, Constitute and Appoint that the said Thomas Lawrence, William Allen, John Inglis, Tench Francis, William Masters, Lloyd Zachary, Samuel McCall, Jun'r, Joseph Turner, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Leech, William Shippen, Robert Strettle, Philip Syng, Charles Willing, Phineas Bond, Richard Peters, Abraham Taylor, Thomas Bond, Joshua Maddox, William Plumsted, Thomas White, William Coleman, Isaac Norris & Thomas Cadwalader, and such others as shall be from time to time chosen, nominated or elected in their place, and stead, shall be one Community, Corporation and Body Politick, to have continuance for ever, by the name of the Trustees of the Academy and Charitable School in the Province of Pennsylvania, and that by the same name they shall have perpetual succession, and that they and their successors, by that name shall be able and capable in Law to Purchase, have, take, receive and enjoy to them & their Successors in office & in perpetuity or for any other or lesser estate or estates any Manors, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Annuities, Pensions or other Hereditaments within the said Province of Pennsylvania or three lower Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex, by the Gift, Grant, bargain, Sale, Alienation, Enfeofment, Release, Confirmation or Devise of any person or persons, Bodies Politick or corporate, capable to make the same, AND further, that they may take and receive any sum or sums of money, or any kind, manner or Portion of Goods or Chattels, that shall to them be given, granted or bequeathed, by any Person or Persons, Bodies Politick or Corporate, Capable to make a Gift, Grant or Bequest thereof, and therewith to erect, set up, maintain and support an Academy or any other kind of Seminary of Learning in any place within the said Province of Pennsylvania, where they shall Judge the same to be the most necessary and convenient for the Instruction, Improvement and Education of Youth in any kind of Literature, Erudition, Arts and Sciences which they shall think fitting and proper to be taught, AND WE do hereby grant and ordain that the said Trustees and their Successors, by the name aforesaid, shall be able in Law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded in any court or Courts before any Judge, Judges or Justices within the said Province of Pennsylvania, the three lower Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex and elsewhere in all and all manner of Suits, Complaints, Pleas, Causes, Matters and demand of whatsoever kind, nature or form, they be, and all & every other matters and things therein to do in as fully, ample and effectual a manner as any other person or persons, Bodies Politick or Corporate within that part of the Kingdom of Great Britain called England, or within the said Province of Pennsylvania, or three lower Counties in the like Cases may or can do. And We do hereby give and grant unto the said Trustees & their Successors full power & authority to make, have and use a Common Seal, with such stamp & inscription as they shall think proper, and the same to change, break, alter and renew at their pleasure. And further, in Order to continue and perpetuate this Community and Corporation, We do grant, ordain and declare that when any one or more of the present or future Trustees of this Academy and School shall remove his or their habitation or habitations, and shall dwell at the distance of Five miles from the Seat of the said Academy at that time, or shall go & reside out of the Province of Pennsylvania, although at a place nearer to the said Academy than five miles, or shall happen to die or be otherwise disabled from performing the office and duty of a trustee or trustees, the other trustees shall, as soon after as they conveniently can, proceed to elect and choose one or more fit person or Persons then residing within five miles of the said Academy, and within the said Province, to fill the place or places of such absenting, deceased or disabled person or persons, And We do also, for Us, our Heirs and Successors, give and grant to the said Trustees and Corporation and their Successors, full Power and authority in all time and times coming, to make, ordain and enact all such Rules. Ordinances, Laws and Statutes and from time to time to alter and amend the same, as they shall Judge most Convenient, reasonable and needful for the good government of the said Community, the management of the affairs thereof, and the effectual promotion of the good ends hereby intended; Provided always that the said Rules, ordinances, Laws and Statutes be not repugnant to the Laws & Statutes then in force in the Kingdom of Great Britain or to the Laws then in force in our said Province of Pennsylvania. And lastly, We do, for Us, our Heirs and Successors, Grant, declare and Ordain that these, our Letters Patent & Charter and every clause, Sentence & Article herein contained, shall be in all things firm valid, sufficient and effectual in the Law unto the said Trustees, Community and Corporation and their Successors, according to the purport and tenor hereof, without any further Grant or Toleration from Us, or Heirs or Successors to be procured or obtained. In Witness whereof We have caused these our Letters to be made patent. Witness, James Hamilton, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the said Province of Pennsylvania, At the City of Philadelphia, the Thirteenth day of July, in the Twenty-seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second who now is King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, &c., and in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and fifty-three (1753). JAMES HAMILTON. [L. S.] [Recorded 16th July, 1753.] ISAAC PEARSON FOR SHERIFF OF CHESTER. [L. S.] GEORGE the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth, to ISAAC PEARSON, of the County of Chester, in our Province of Pennsylvania, Esquire, Greeting: Know that, reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Integrity and Ability, We have nominated, constituted and appointed, and do by these Presents nominate, constitute and appoint you, the said Isaac Pearson, to be Sheriff of the said County of Chester, within our said Province, hereby Committing the said County of Chester, and our Peace within the same, to your Care and Defence, Authorizing & Commanding you, the said Isaac Pearson, to do and perform all the |