doubts of many were not removed until seeing extensive operations commenced, negroes hired at enormous wages, and the grand scheme of supplying our Navy with a future supply of live oak put into active and extensive operation. Sir, I say this purchase was doubted, for how else could it be by any one possessing the least knowledge of Florida, that $9,000 of the public treasury should be expended in the purchase of three of the most worthless and miserable tracts in the whole Territory, all of which, I venture to say, could not at this moment command 9,000 cents, except for the buildings erected by Judge Breckenridge, one of the former proprietors, and some other little improvements, of no use to the Government, put on one of the tracts by him previously to the sale of it to the Government." S. Copy of a deed from Joseph M. White, as attorney in fact for F. and F. Moreno, to Samuel L. Southard. Know all men by these presents, that I, Joseph M. White, of Florida, attorney in fact of Francisco and Fernando Moreno, duly constituted, for and in consideration of the sum of three thousand dollars, in hand paid by Samuel L. Southard, Secretary of the Navy, acting for the United States, have bargained, sold, transferred, aliened, and assigned, and by these presents do bargain, sell, alien, and assign, all that tract or parcel of land, containing 800 arpents, near the navy yard, on Pensacola bay, granted to the said Francisco and Fernando Moreno by the Spanish Government in April, 1810, and confirmed by the United States commissioners, in their report and abstract A. document 111, page 65, No. 29, Executive Papers, 1824-5: to have and to hold the said tract unto him the said Samuel L. Southard, Secretary of the Navy, and to his successors in office, for the use and benefit of the United States of America, for ever, with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 2d June, 1828. By their attorney in fact, FERNANDO MORENO. [SEAL.] JOSEPH M. WHITE. Witnesses, GEORGE W. B. BLACKWELL. TERRITORY OF FLORIDA, Know all men by these presents, that, whereas we, Francisco Moreno and Ferdinand Moreno, of the city of Pensacola, Territory and county aforesaid, are seized in fee of and in all that tract of land situated in the village of St. Carlos de Barrancas, containing eight hundred arpents, beginning at a point fifty feet east of the most eastern extremity of the said village, running thence due north to the Grande bayou, thence following the same to the foot of the hill called Drunkard's bluff, thence along the foot of the high ground to the beginning, so as not to include any part of the beach or low ground between the sea and the acclivity.. Now know ye, that we, the said Francis and Ferdinand Moreno have made, constituted, and appointed, and by these presents do make, constitute, and appoint, Hon. Joseph M. White, delegate in Congress, Washington city, our true and lawful attorney, for us and in our names, and for our own proper use and benefit, to sell, grant, bargain, and convey the tract of land above designated, absolutely, in fee simple, for such price or sum of money, and to such person or persons, as he shall think fit and convenient; and also for us, and in our names, to seal, execute, and deliver such deeds, conveyances, bargains, and sales, for the absolute sale and disposal thereof, with such clauses, covenants, and agreements to be therein contained, as our said attorney shall think fit and expedient; hereby ratifying, confirming, and allowing all such deeds, conveyances, bargains, or sales, which shall at any time hereafter be sealed and executed by our said attorney touching or concerning the premises. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, in the city of Pensacola, this 9th day of May, 1828. FRANCISCO MORENO. [SEAL.] JOSEPH E. CARO. Signed and acknowledged in the presence of TERRITORY OF FLORIDA. Before me, Joseph E. Caro, a notary public, duly qualified and commis sioned, dwelling in the city of Pensacola, personally came and appeared Francis Moreno and Ferdinand Moreno, and acknowledged that they signed, sealed, and delivered the foregoing power of attorney to Hon. Joseph M. White, delegate in Congress, for the purposes therein mentioned. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notarial seal of office, at the city of Pensacola, on the day and year before written. [L. S.] JOSEPH E. CARO, N. P. TERRITORY OF FLORIDA, } S-2. Copy of power of attorney from Francisco and Fernando Moreno to Jos. M. White. Know all men by these presents, that we, Francisco and Fernando Moreno, of the city of Pensacola, Territory and county aforesaid, do hereby constitute and appoint the Hon. Joseph M. White, delegate in Congress, Washington city, our lawful attorney, for us, and in our names and behalf, to sell, assign, and transfer, unto any person or persons, the whole or any part of a tract of land belonging to us, situated at the village of St. Carlos de Barrancas, containing eight hundred arpents, for such price or sum of money as we may name in our private letter; and, also, for us, and in our names, to seal, execute, and deliver such deeds, conveyances, bargains, and sales, for the absolute sale and disposal thereof, or any part thereof, with such clauses, covenants, and agreements, to be therein contained, as our said attorney shall think fit and expedient, hereby ratifying, confirming, and allowing all such deeds, conveyances, bargains, or sales, which shall at any time hereafter be sealed and executed by our said attorney, touching or concerning the premises. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, at the city of Pensacola, this second day of February, in the year of our Lord 1827. FRANCISCO MORENO, [L. S.] Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of JOSEPH E. CARO. Be it known, that, on the third day of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, before me, Joseph E. Caro, Notary Public, duly qualified and commissioned, personally appeared Francisco and Fernando Moreno, and acknowledged that they signed, sealed, and delivered the within letter of attorney, for the purposes therein mentioned, to the Hon. Joseph M. White, delegate in Congress. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notarial seal, the day and year last aforesaid. JOSEPH E. CARO, Notary Public. I, M. Crupper, clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing power of attorney from Francisco and Fernando Moreno to Joseph M. White is duly recorded in my office, which is the proper and legal office of record for said county. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said county, this the 8th day of September, A. D. 1828. [L. S.] M. CRUPPER, Clerk, T. Copy of a deed from J. M. White, attorney, to the Secretary of the Navy. Know all men by these presents, that I, Joseph M. White, for myself, and as attorney in fact of Henry M. Breckenridge, for a valuable consideration paid, the receipt whereof is acknowledged, have bargained, sold, aliened, transferred, and assigned, and do hereby bargain, sell, alien, transfer, and assign, to Samuel L. Southard, Secretary of the Navy of the United States, for the sole use and benefit of the United States, sixteen hundred arpents of land, on the sound of Sta. Rosa, granted to Jayme Barcelo and Samora, and confirmed to Henry M. Breckenridge, and to H. M. Breckenridge and R. K. Call, in report and abstract A. of the commissioners' reports, document 111, No. 51, 52, Executive Papers, 1824-5; 800 arpents of which was conveyed by H. M. Breckenridge, by deeds duly recorded, to Joseph M. White, and 400 by R. K. Call: to have and to hold the said land unto him the said Samuel L. Southard, and his successors in office, for the use of the United States, for ever. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 2d of June, 1828. H. M. BRECKENRIDGE: [SEAL.] By his attorney in fact Joseph M. White. JOSEPH M. WHITE. [SEAL.] Witnesses, GEORGE W. B. BLACKWELL, V. Copy of a deed from Jos. M. White, attorney for H. M. Breckenridge, to S. L. Southard. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. This indenture, made this tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, by and between Joseph M. White, as attorney in fact for Henry M. Breckenridge, on the one part, and Samuel L. Southard, Secretary of the Navy of the United States, acting for and in behalf of the said United States, on the other part, witnesseth: That the said Joseph M. White, as attorney aforesaid, for and in consideration of the sum of one thousand eight hundred dollars, to him in hand well and truly paid by the said Samuel L. Southard, and the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath bargained, sold, aliened, conveyed, and confirmed, and by these presents doth bargain, sell, alien, convey, and confirm, unto the said Samuel L. Southard, for the use and benefit of the United States, all that tract of land, containing four hundred arpents, situate on Santa Rosa sound, about four miles below Deer point, fronting said sound, in the county of Escambia, and Territory of Florida, which said tract of land was granted by the Spanish Government to Jayme Barcelo, and confirmed by the land commissioners of the United States for West Florida to Henry M. Breckenridge and Richard K. Call, which confirmation was approved by an act of Congress, and which tract of land is more particularly described in the plat of survey and title papers, recorded in the books of the said commissioners, and now deposited in the office of the keeper of the public archives of Pensacola, together with all and singular the issues, rights, members, and appurtenances whatsoever, to the said tract of land belonging, or in anywise appertaining: to have and to hold the said tract of land, together with the appurtenances thereof, unto them, the said United States, for ever. In testimony whereof, the said Joseph M. White hath hereunto set his hand and seal, at the city of Washington, in the District aforesaid. JOS. M. WHITE, [L. s.] Attorney in fact of H. M. Breckenridge. Signed, sealed, and acknowledged, in our presence, JNO. N. Moulder, R. S. BRISCOE. We, the undersigned, justices of the peace in and for the county of Washington, do hereby certify that Joseph M. White, a party to the foregoing indenture, did, in our presence, acknowledge his signature and seal to the same, for the purposes therein mentioned. JNO. N. MOULDER, J. P. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: I certify that John N. Moulder and R. S. Briscoe, whose names are subscribed to the annexed instrument of writing, were, at the time of subscribing, and now are, justices of the peace for Washington county, in the District of Columbia, duly appointed and commissioned, and that full faith is due to all their acts as such. In testimony whereof, I, Henry Clay, Secretary of State of the United States, have hereunto subscribed my name, and caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed. Done at Washington, this tenth day of March, A. D. 1828, and of the independence of the United States of America the fifty-second. [L. S.] County of Escambia. H. CLAY. I, M. Crupper, clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing deed is recorded in my office,and that there is no other deed of the land therein conveyed by H. M. Breckenridge, of record; and that mine is the only legally authorized recording office for such conveyances in said county. In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court, this the eighth day of September, A. D. 1828. [L. S.] M. CRUPPER, Clerk, W. By J. G. DRAKE, D. Clerk. Copy of a letter from J. M. White, attorney of Morenos, to the Se cretary of the Navy. DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. This indenture, made the tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight, by and between Joseph M. White, attorney in fact of Francisco and Fernando Moreno, of the city of Pensacola, and Territory of Florida, duly constituted, on the one part, and Samuel L. Southard, Secretary of the Navy, acting for and in behalf of the United States, on the other part, witnesseth: That the said Joseph M. White, as attorney in fact as aforesaid, for and in consideration of the sum of three thousand dollars, to him in hand well and truly paid by the said Samuel L. Southard, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, hath bargained, sold, and enfeoffed, and by these presents doth bargain, sell, and enfeoff, unto the said Samuel L. Southard, Secretary of the Navy, for the use of the United States of America, all that tract of land, containing eight hundred arpents, situate in West Florida, in the county of Escambia, on Pensacola bay, between the village of San Carlos de Barrancas and the navy yard, which said tract of land was granted by the Spanish Government to the said Francisco and Fernando Moreno, and confirmed by the United States' commissioners, appointed to ascertain claims and titles to land in West Florida, together with all and singular the issues, rights, members, and appurtenances, to the said tract of land belonging, or in any wise appertaining: to have and to hold the said tract of land, together with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said United States, for ever. In testimony whereof, the said Joseph M. White, attorney in fact for the said Francisco and Fernando, hath hereunto set his hand and seal, in the city of Washington, and Distriet aforesaid. JOSEPH M. WHITE, [L. s] Attorney of F. and F. Morene. Signed, sealed, and acknowledged, in presence of us, JOHN N. MOULDER, R. S. BRISCOE. |