1679.] nisTORY OF Delaware county. 121 



haue his due of the 2 Letts by him bou^^ht of s** dom: Carolus 

 Equall w"' the other Lotts in Upland, but for what shall be 

 found that s"* Neeles Laersen has taken in more, he to Leaue out 

 againe annexed to j® other Church Lotts."' 



Ca[)t. Billop, the present commander, seems to have been less 

 faithful in the performance of his duties than his predecessor, 

 Collier. He used the fort at New Castle as his own private pro- 

 perty, converting it into a stable for his horses and a pen for his 

 hogs. The room above the fort, which had been occupied as a 

 Court-room, he had filled with hay and fodder; and he employed 

 the soldiers "about his own private affairs."^ Fortunately for 

 the Upland Court, the Captain was stationed at a distance from 

 their seat of justice ; and we do not learn that his subordinate 

 oflBcer, Capt. Hans Jergen, stationed at Upland, ever interfered 

 with our Court in its full enjoyment, as a hall of Justice, of the 

 recently finished "House of defence." 



These, with other complaints against Billop, were made to the 

 Governor by the Justices of New Castle Court, who were also 

 not disposed to spare their brother Justice, Walter Wharton, who 

 likewise held the office of Surveyor-General. He had married 

 himself, or was married contrary to law, and had not performed 

 his duty as a Justice, in absenting himself "three following Court 

 days."^ The former complaint was referred to the Governor, 

 but for the neglect of his judicial duties he was fined £10 by the 

 Court. Billop was recalled to New York by the Governor, but 

 Wharton was removed by death, towards the close of this year. 



It is probable that the marsh lands appertaining to any parti- 

 cular settlement along the river, were for a long time held and 

 used as a common pasturage. That this was so in respect to 

 LTpland, would appear from a complaint being made by James 

 Sanderling, "In behalfe of ye Rest of ye Inhabitants of Upland 

 that Neels Laersen w"" a fence stopps up the old and usual! way 

 to the fly;^ and Neels Laersen being thereupon heard," the 

 Court ordered the way to be left open as formerly. 



The Records of Upland Court also furnish some evidence that 

 education of children was not wholly neglected. In the case of 

 Edmund Draufton, plaintiff vs. Dunck Williams, deft. 



"The PI' demands of this Def 200 Gilders for teaching this 

 Defts children to Read one Yeare." 



"The Cor' haueing heard the debates of both parties as alsoe 

 ye attestation of ye witnesses, Doe grant judgm' ag'' ye Def for 

 200 gilders w"' ye Costs." 



"Richard Duckett sworne in Court declares that hee was 



1 Rec. Upland Court, 121. 2 Haz. Ann. 451. 



■^ New Castle Rec. Book A. 283. 



* Fly is the Swedish word sometimes used for marsh. 



