In 1798, the Legislature of Massachusetts granted two townships of land to Williams College, located in Williamstown, Mass.

The present towns of Garland and Lee, both situated in the present county of Penobscot, were the townships granted.

The terms and conditions upon which the grants were made, are contained in the following resolve (deed):

To all persons to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

Whereas the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the fourth day of February, 1796, granted a township of land to the Trustees of Williams College by a resolve in the following words viz: ÔResolved that there be and hereby is granted two townships of land of the contents of six miles square, each to be laid out and assigned from any of the unappropriated lands belonging to this Commonwealth in the District of Maine, the same to be vested in the Trustees of Williams College and their successors forever for the use, benefit and purpose of supporting the said College, to be by them holden in their corporate capacity with full power and authority to settle, divide and manage the same townships or any parts thereof, or to sell, convey and dispose of the same in such way and manner as shall best promote the welfare of said College, the same to be laid out under the direction of the Committee for the sale of Eastern Lands and a plan or plans thereof lodge in the Secretary's Office. Provided the Trustees aforesaid or their assigns shall cause to be settled fifteen families in each of said townships within twelve years from the passing of this resolve, and also that there be reserved in each township three lots of three hundred and twenty acres for the following uses viz: one lot for the first settled Minister, one lot for the use of the Ministry and one lot for the use of schools in each of said townships.'

And whereas the Legislature aforesaid did on the twenty-eighth day of February, 1793, by their resolve of that date, authorize and empower the Committee for the sale of Eastern lands to execute deeds of certain grants of land in the words following, viz: Whereas several grants of townships and tracts of land have been and may be made by this Court for the encouragement of literature in the various parts of the Commonwealth, Resolved, That all the lands which have been or may be granted for the purposes aforesaid be located under the direction of the Committee for the sale of Eastern lands and that said Committee be and hereby are authorized and empowered to execute deeds of conveyance and confirmation of the same comfortably to the conditions of such grants.

Now therefore know ye, That we the undersigned whose seals are hereunto affixed, having been appointed the Committee for the sale of Eastern Lands in conformity to the foregoing resolve, do by these presents convey and confirm unto the Trustees of Williams College and their successors to be by them holden in their corporate capacity for the use of said college, a township of land lying in the County of Hancock & containing twenty-three thousand and forty acres, equal to a township of the contents of six miles squire, the said township being number three in the fifth range of townships north of the Waldo Patent, as the same was surveyed by Ephraim Ballard and Samuel Weston in the year 1792, Bounded easterly by number two in the same range, southerly by number three in the fourth range, westerly by number four in the fifth range and northerly by number three in the sixth range, excepting and reserving however three lots of three hundred and twenty acres each for the following uses, viz; one lot for the first settled Minister his heirs or assigns, one lot for the use of the Ministry and one lot for the use of schools in said township.

To have and to hold the above premises with the appurtenances thereof to the said Trustees and their successors for the use of said College and their assigns forever, on condition that the said Trustees, their successors or assigns shall grant and convey to each settler in said Township who settled therein before the first day of January, seventeen hundred and eighty-four, or in case of his decease without assignment, then to his heirs, and in case of assignment then to his assigns, one hundred acres of land, to be so laid out as will best include the improvements of the settler and be least injurious to the adjoining lands, so as that the settler his heirs or assigns may hold the same in fee simple, provided that the settler, his heirs or assigns shall within one year after notice and request pay to the Grantees named in this deed their heirs or assigns five dollars and also provided that the said Trustees, their successors or assigns shall comply with and perform the several conditions mentioned in said resolve according to the true intent and meaning thereof. And the said Committee covenant with the said Trustees that the said Commonwealth shall warrant and defend the above granted premises to them the said Trustees on the said conditions and saving the reservations aforesaid, to them, their successors and assigns forever against the lawful claims and demands of all persons.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this second day of June in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and ninety-eight.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us.
Edw. Hayman
Edwd McLane.
Samuel Phillips (L S)
Nath'l Wells (L S)
John Read (L S)

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Suffolk, as June 4th, 1798. Then personally appeared the above named Samuel Phillips, Nath'l Wells and John read and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be their free act and deed.
Before me,
SIMON FRYE, Justice of the Peace throughout the Commonwealth.

The present town of Garland was one of the townships selected under the provisions of this resolve. The exterior lines of the township had been run in 1792 by Ephraim Ballard and Samuel Weston, names familiar to those who have had occasion to examine the records of early surveys of this section of Maine. The township was in the then existing county of Hancock, a large region extending northerly to limits undefined and embracing the territory of future counties, among which are the present counties of Penobscot, Piscataquis and a part of Aroostook. It was designated in Ballard and Weston's survey as township number three in the fifth range of townships north of the Waldo Patent.