From the court book The Records of Placentia from the
8^th August 1786 to the 29^th December 1803

The following are excerpts only

Note - William is the signature of His Royal Highness Prince William Henry.

Public notice was given to all the inhabitants to attend on Thursday next at the hour of 11 o’clock to take the oaths of Allegiance & Supremacy & no complaints being produced the court adjourned until Thursday.

William

Thursday 10 August 1786

The Court met & the following people were sworn in.

Protestants

Mr. A. Wilson J.P.
John Brown J.P.
Mr. Saunders
Mr. Ballard or Bollard ?
J. Blackburn
Isaac Best ?
William Collins
J. Baggs or Boggs ?
Thomas ?
J. ?
Thomas Collins
Thomas Viquires ?
J. Viquers Jr.
William Colbourne
C. LaCroix ?
J. Viquers
William Bay or Ray ?

Roman Catholics

Edward Burk RC Priest
Stephen Flynn ?
? Flynn ?
????
? Blanch
William Land or Laws ?
George Blanch
B. Willard
J. Murphy
Mich. Mokill ?
Mich Mokill Jr. ?
Pat ?
Martin Kelly
Rob Baker
R. Kelly
William Ryan
Mich Blanch
G. Ryley ?
J. Morain ?
????

Saturday 12^th August 1786

The Court met and the following people were sworn in & those who could not attend or were at sea were ordered to attend next court day.

Sworn in this day

Quakers ?

Samuel Harrison
Sam. Colburn
J. Fordner ?

Protestants

William Newman
L. Woolley ?
James Fatts ?
????? Stoke ?
William Rose ?

Roman Catholics

J. Lambe ?
Thomas Fitzgerald
D. Barry
? Murray ?
Walter ??
J. Colburne
D. Colburne
John Green ?
James Poor
J. Landey ?
Rob. ??
David Walsh or Welsh
J. Bryan
J. Wheland
J. Casady ?
Mich. ??
J. Kelly
J. Bryan Jr.
Pat Kelly
J. Cullumma ??
? Fitzpatrick
? Bonnell
William Tibbo
?????
Pat Willard ?
William Miller

It was ordered that all the young men, sons of any inhabitants above 12 years of age attend and take the oaths, no complaints being presented, the Court adjourned until Tuesday.

William

Court House at Placentia the 4 of September 1786

We whose names are hereinto subscribed do bind ourselves to pay annually during our residence in this place the sums of money against our names respectively expected toward the support of a clergyman to commence from this day.

Thomas Saunders Esq. 5,5,0
Sam. Harrison Esq. 2,12,6
? Ballard or Bollard 3,3,0 Ordinance Storekeeper
Alex Wilson 1,1,0 Justice of the Peace
John Brown 1,1,0 Justice of the Peace
John Viquers 1,1,0
William Collins 2,2,0
Charles La Croix ? 2,2,0
John Boggs or Baggs 1,1,0
J. Martin 0,10,6
M. Grophard ? 1,1,0
T. Hooper or Cooper ? 1,1,0
John Green 1,1,0

Subscribers names towards building a Church at Placentia the 22 day of August 1786

Prince William Henry 52,10,0 His Royal Highness
Alex Wilson Esq. 5,0,0 Justice of the Peace
John Brown Esq. 5,0,0 Justice of the Peace
Rob Ballard or Bollard 5,5,0 Ordinance Storekeeper
Thomas Saunders Esq. 21,0,0
Peter Sweetman Esq. 10,10,0
Sam Young ? Esq 10,10,0
Sam Harrison Esq. 10,10,0
Mr. Charles ??? 5,5,0
Mr. Charles Le Croix 5,0,0
Mr. William Collins 5,5,0
Mr. John Viziers ? 2,2,0
John Baggs or Boggs ? 1,1,0 Constable
Jos Blackburn 2,2,0 Kings Ortifcens ?
W. Pitcarns ? 1,1,0 Kings Ortifcens ?
Isaac Best or Bert 2,2,0 Kings Ortifcens ?
J. Grophard ? 2,2,0
James Martin 1,1,0
Tho Hooper or Cooper 2,2,0
John Green 2,2,0

No complaints being presented the court was dismissed and they being informed that a final Quarter sessions of the peace would be held 20 ins by His Majesty’s Justice of the Peace.

William

N.B.

I do hereby order Alexander Wilson Esq. Ch. Justice to receive the licence ? Money & to be expended by him or any other Chief Justice for the time being, and to be laid out only for the repairs of the Court House and Jail, by order of his royal highness.

John Brown
J. Peace

August 30,1787

At a Court held this day

Present

Henry Harvey Esq. Surrogate
John Brown Esq. Justice of the Peace
Mr. Thomas Saunders Merchant
Mr. Samuel Harrison and the principal Inhabitants.

The Court being opened it was ordered that all complaints should be made in writing.

Dispute between William Collins and one of his servants.

Dispute between John Baggs or Boggs and Thomas Roach

Some other Complaints were made which were found to be too frivolous to be mentioned.

Henry Harvey

John Brown J. Peace

By an order of the Magistrates of this Town, the protestant inhabitants were requested to meet, to take into consideration his Excellency J. Gambier Esq. letter respecting a missionary for this place, bearing date Fort Townsend St. Johns Newfoundland 26 September 1803, and being met they unanimously agreed as follows.

Placentia 4^th November 1803

We the undersigned Protestant inhabitants of this town, do bind ourselves to pay unto the missionary being a regular Clergyman of the Church of England appointed by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel the sums of money annually against our names expressed.

Francis Bradshaw 5, 5,0
Josiah Blackburn 2,2,0
Robert Ballard Jr. 4,14,6
Samuel Cumming ? 1,10,0
John Morris 1,1,0
John Viquers 1,1,0
William Miller 2,2,0
James White 1,1,0
James ( his Mark ) Martin 1,1,0
James Smith 1,10,0
Luke Collins 1,1,0
Francis Edwards 1,1,0
John Green 2,2,0

The original sent to His Excellency J. Gambier Esq. Governor.

Francis Bradshaw J.P.