148 FOREST commissioner's REPORT. 



In accordance with this authority, President Dan forth came to 

 Fahnouth and on the 29th day of July, 1684, executed a deed to 

 Captain Edward Tyng et als, trustees on the behalf and for the 

 sole use and benefit of the inhabitants of the Town of Falmouth 

 as follows : 



"All that tract or parcel of land within the Township of Fal- 

 mouth in said Province, according to the lines and limits of said 

 towns'hip, to them formally granted by Sir Ferdinando Gorges, 

 Knight, or by any of his agents or by the General Assembly of 

 Massachusetts, with all privileges and appurtenances to the same 

 appertaining or in any way belonging; all Royalties reserved to 

 His Majesty by the charter granted to Sir Ferdinando Gorges, 

 Knight, as also that by said charter granted to said Sir Ferdi- 

 nando Gorges, Knight, his heirs and assigns, together with the 

 rivers, streams and coves contained within the limits or bounds 

 of said township, always to be excepted and reserved." 



Similar indentures and conveyances were given by President 

 Dan forth to the towns of North Yarmouth and Scarboro. The 

 execution of this deed shows two things; first, — That Massa- 

 chusetts had a rightful claim and a good title to land in Fal- 

 mouth ; not previously granted, including islands in Casco Bay 

 that had not previously been conveyed by Gorges or his agent. 

 Second, — That in accordance with these rights they had given 

 and conveyed by good deed to the inhabitants of Falmouth, as 

 described in said deed, intending that the inhabitants should 

 have a good title to, and full possession to the lands granted." 



During the time from 1684 to 1820 I cannot find by any 

 researches that Massachusetts ever claimed any of the territory, 

 or made any sales or grants within the limits of old Falmouth. 



When Maine was separated from Massachusetts an inventory 

 was taken of the public lands in the District of Maine belonging 

 to Massachusetts by Commissioners. The public lands were 

 sub-divided between Massachusetts and Maine by Commis* 

 sioners appointed on the part of both states for that purpose. In 

 their report the Commissioners say: "And we have divided and 

 allotted the islands in the said state, which by a report of George 

 W. Coffin, Esq., agent of the Land Office of the Commonwealth 

 of Massachusetts, appeared to remain, in the title thereto, the 

 property of the Commonwealth. . . . " 



