Collection of Manuscripts documents relating to land purchases in Queeens, New York by John Morrell

[Queens, New York]. Collection of Manuscripts documents relating to land purchases in Queens, New York by John Morrell. New York: 1729, 1741, 1762, & 1796. Four large folio sheets, one small folio sheets, and two sheets with diagrams, illustrating land purchases, docketed. Aging and browning to group, a little foxing or staining, remnants of wax seals, cloth tape repairs (and one small archival tape repair) along back of folds on some sheets, a few chips and tears, some folds in the margins. Overall about very good. Interesting group of documents that relate to land purchases by John Morrell, who appears to be a blacksmith in 18th century Queens. The first document is dated 1729, and this appears to indicate he inherits a small plot of land from his father in Newtown, which was in Queens County. Although it is not totally clear, Morell may have been adopted by a Samuel Albertus . Newtown was originally founded by the Dutch in 1652, and called Middleburgh, but became Newtown when the British took control of all the Dutch holdings in New York. In 1896 Newtown became Elmhurst. While these documents cover close to 70 years, they suggest that Morell continued to make land purchases between 1729 and 1796 in Newtown. Most of these purchases were relatively modest, but in 1762 he did buy some land for 359 pounds from a Samuel Moore.