This Indenture made and entered into this 15th day of December
One thousand eight hundred and thirty One. Between Fernando de la
Maza Arredondo, now of this Territory of the one part, and John H.
Lewis, and Mary M.F. Lewis, formerly Betts, the Daughter of DanielSamuel
Betts deceased, Witnesseth, That whereas a grant was made by the
Spanish Government in the Island of Cuba, and City of Havannah
On the 22nd day of December 1817, signed by Don Alexander Ramirez
Intendant of Cuba, To Fernando de la Maza Arredondo & Son Merchants and
partners, by which the said grant the Spanish Government for
the purposes, and for the consideration therein specified, conveyed to the
said Don Fernando de la Maza Arredondo, & Son Merchants as aforesaid Four
Leagues of round, to each point of the Compass, in the Territory called
Alachua, the said four Leagues of land, to be reckoned, run or sur
veyed, from a point called Alachua, and now called Micanopi or
Wantons, situated as described in said Grant fifty two miles west
of the City of St. Augustine, and about thirty six west of the River St.
Johns and is said to contain, Two hundred and eighty nine thousand
Six hundred and forty five acres and four sevenths, or three hundred
and forty two thousand two hundred and fifty arpents and one
seventh, it being the same claim or grant, now depending for Adjudi
cation, and Confirmation, before the Supreme Court of the United States
in the name of Fernando de la Maza Arredondo and Others, And w
hereas at the time and date of Said Grant made as aforesaid to F.M.
Arredondo and Son, Merchant &c; the said Samuel Betts the father
of the said Mary M.F. Lewis of the second part, was a joint and full part
ner in the said Mercantile firm of F.M. Arredondo and Son, and as
such partner, was by Law and contract, jointly and equally interested
in and intended to be benifitted, by the aforesaid grant, after all the
expenses and outlays for performing the Conditions on which said grant
was made, should be fully paid, and satisfied, and the said Betts hav
ing died, without any written evidence of his the said Betts Claim to
his proportion of the grant aforesaid, and the said F.M. Arredondo,
being willing and anxious, to do ample Justice to the said Mary
M.F. Lewis, the only heir and legal representative of his deceased
partner, the said Samuel Betts, who was entitled as such partner to
one third part of the results of the said Mercantile house of F.M.
Arredondo & Son, when the same should br settled and paid and
recovered, and the said John H. Lewis and Mary his Wife, having on |