28 Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences 



shillings by his father Nathaniel in an unrecorded will dated 

 June I and proved November ii, 1729, a copy of which may be 

 found at page 150 of the New York Historical Society collections 

 for the year 1902. 



That the early court records were not kept in the courthouse 

 would seem to follow from the following entry in the record of 

 the Court of Sessions for the March 'term, 1740 (March 18, 

 13 George II). 



" Daniel Corfen the present Clerk of the Court of sefsions and 

 Common Pleas for this County of Richmond having informed 

 this Court that he has demanded of Daniel Stilwell the late Clerk 

 of the said Courts the Books of Records of this County (always 

 known of Right to be lodged in the Cuftody of the Clerk of this 

 County for the time being) And that the said Daniel Stilwell hath 

 refufed to deliver unto him the f'^ Daniel Corfen the s^ Books 

 of Records : It is therefore Ordered by the Court that the faid 

 Daniel Stilwell shall forthwith upon sight of this Order (A true 

 Copy hereof being first delivered to him) or upon notice of this 

 Order deliver unto the faid Daniel Corfen all the Books aforefaid 

 and other Records of the fd Court And that &c Pain & Peril that 

 shall fall thereon." 



By an act of the General Assembly of the Province of New 

 York passed November i, 1683, provision was made for the 

 naturalization of alien settlers professing Christianity. Natural- 

 ization of persons actually settled in the Province was effected by 

 taking and subscribing the oath of allegiance. Future settlers 

 might become naturalized by a special act of the assembly, after 

 taking the oath of allegiance. 



The act of November i, 1683, was recited in full in the subse- 

 quent act of July 5, 1715. The substantial provisions of the 

 latter act are as follows : 



I. All persons of foreign birth inhabiting within the Colony 

 prior to November i, 1683, and since deceased, having been seized 

 of lands, were deemed to have been naturalized, their deeds and 

 wills were declared valid conveyances, and titles held thereunder 

 were confirmed. » 



