The Upper Canada Land Petition of William Howard (part of the file):
The Petition of William Howard
Humbly Showeth
That your petitioner is a British-born subject who hath received his Majesty's donation of land many years ago, has now a family of a wife and seven children, two of whom are being nearly of adult age -- And being desirous of procuring land for them as near his place of residence as possible, and, at the request and desire of William McLean and his wife (whose maiden name had been Jane McGaw, a UE loyalist Daughter) he purchased her rights, which the said Jane had been granted her in the year 1815 - But not knowing of any land to be given out to UE's was at such an immense distance from his place of residence as to render it impracticable for him to perform the settling duties within the prescribed time, he has therefore defered applying for a location just as yet -- Your petitioner purchased a lot three years ago, in the Sixth Concession of the Township of Grimsby, county of Lincoln, in the District of Niagara, at an exorbitant price, being told by the proprietor, that, by an error in the surveying, it was considerably longer than lots in general were that there had been several applicants to Government for the ownership, who had been told, that this was no vacant land there, or, if there was, the quantity was so trifling to deserve Government notice; which as-certain, being convfirmed by the general opinion of the circumjacent settlers induced your petitioner to believe that he could hold, by virtue of his purchase, all the land, lying between the fifth concession and the gore he is therefore so circumstances by agreement that it is improbable for him to retract or to retrieve any part of what he has paid understanding (lately) that the Government has thought proper, for to ascertain the quantity of this vacant land, that it may be disposed of to applicants; your petitioner therefore prays, that his claim may be considered, having already purchased it (as it were) and made considerable improvement thereon, he therefore hopes, that his excellency and council will grant it to him, by virtue of the said UE right or, on such conditions, as they may think proper, he's also willing to be at the expense of getting it surveyed, and of making an accurate return to the Surveyor General -- And your petitioner as in duty bound will ever Pray.---
William Howard
Yarmouth, 20th April 1832
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