getting into fewer hands. This gives us
encouragement to think that some time hence our interest in your River
will be valuable."

Among the proprietors of the townships who labored to effect their
settlement and improvement was Richard Shorne, a native of Ireland,
with whom were associated the Rev. Curryl Smith of Alminsta, West
Meath, Ireland, and his sons John and Robert Smith of the city of
Dublin. Mr. Shorne took up his residence at the River St. John in 1767
and lived there for several years. He was on July 8, 1768, returned a
member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly for Sunbury county, his
colleague being Phinehas Nevers of Maugerville. He seems to have made
his headquarters at or near St. Anne's Point, where supplies were sent
to him from Newburyport by Hazen & Jarvis.

Simonds & White informed their partners at Newburyport in a letter
dated June 22, 1768, that they had been obliged to make considerable
advances out of their stores to some settlers that Mr. Livingston had
sent to the St. John river. Livingston it seems found fault with
certain items charged to him in the accounts and this led to a rather
indignant remonstrance on the part of Simonds & White. They wrote, "We
are surprised that he should mention anything as to the sums not being
due, when not only that but near as much more has been advanced to
save the lives of the wretched crew he sent. We have ever found that
the doing business for others is an office the most unthankful, and
equally unprofitable." In the same letter mention is made of the
arrival of Richard Shorne at St. John, with some families from New
York, to settle his own and other lands for which he was agent. It
appears that James Simonds introduced Richard Shorne to his friends at
Newburyport for in one of his letters he writes: "Mr. Shorne, the
bearer of this, is a Proprietor in our Lands and has left Ireland with
an intention of settling a number of Rights on this river and for that
purpose is invested with power from his friends to draw on them for
any sum that may be necessary. I must beg your kind assistance and
advice on his behalf as he does not appear to be much acquainted with
the settlement of Lands."

Still another extract--this time from a letter of Philip J. Livingston
to James Simonds, will throw additional light upon the story of the
townships.

"New York, September 12, 1769.

Sir, * * *

I intreated the favour of you last year to procure two families