The Documentary history of the state of New-York; arranged under direction of the Hon. Christopher Morgan, secretary of State. By E. B. O'Callaghan ...

486 PAPERS RELATING TO
I am sorry y Society have been ill advis'd by a certain Lawyer
In these Parts about 40 Acres of Land, given by ye Indians of
Narraganset to ye Society fbr encouraging our Religion a.mong
them in ye very words following — I Geo. Ninegret Chief &
Prince of ye Narreganset Indians &c for securing & setling ye
Service &' worship of ye church of England among them have
given &c to ye Use of ye Society for propagating ye Gospel in
foreign Parts for everamore 40 Acres (& whereon ye church of
England now stands) butted &c." An attested Copy of ye Deed
I sent to ye Society, who having consulted MIr Honey man of Rode
Island, were told, ye Land was given for a resident Minister, (tlho
there's no such word in ye Deed) & so have dropt this riglht &
Land is & has been occupied by one Coll Champlain, who has
thrown down ye church & built a Tavern w'lt it. The Land is
worth about 20 Doll. p Ann. Now if ye Society wou'd authorize
me, I wou'd serve him wth an Ejectment, & if I lost ye suit, it
slould be at my cost-if I recover'd it, they shou'd pay me &
let me have ye Land for attending tlose poor Indians, who
wou'd rejoice under my Ministry. I wish you wou'd condescend
to weigh this affair. Wishing you all Happiness in Time &
Eternity, I presume to subscribe myself,
Yr Honor's
New London March most obedient, humle Servt
12th 1773 MATT GRAVES
I wish ye Trustees in England had a faithful narrative of
Dr Wlheler's &c.
I Rev. MATTHEW GRAVES a native of England, took charge of the Episcopal
church at'New London, as Miissionary from the Soc: for Prop: the Gospel, il
the year 1715. He continued to officiate in that parish until 1778, when he was
requested to forego the usual prayer for the King. This he refused to do, and in
consequence he was driven from his church one Sunday after reading this obnox.
ious part of the Liturgy. So suddenly was.the attack;; that he had not time to divest
himself of his surplice, in which he fled to the house of a parishioner, who though
a warm Whig, protected him from violence. Notwithstanding public service was
thus suspended, Mr. Graves remained in New London until the following years,
subjected to many straits, ( during which for the support of his family, lie has
been obliged to sell almost all his property. and to take up money on very disadvantageous terms." He withdrew to New York in which city he died unmarried,
In 1780. In person he was ungainly; of low stature, rather corpulent, with
particularly short legs. His brother John, was minister of the Episcopal church
at Providence R. I. where he died in Nov. 1785. Ulpdike's Hist. Narragansett Ch.