Kings County (N.Y.). County Clerk.

The Fishery Case involves a dispute over the rights to land between the inhabitants of Gravesend and certain property owners. The earliest land patent for the area (which later became known as Gravesend) was issued by Gov. William Kieft in 1643. It gave Antoine Jansen Van Salee (also called Anthony Johnson) possession of Morgen (200 acres). This land was divided into two parts, one part called the Old Bowery and the other the 12 morgen. A meadow situated between these two parts and a neck of land running south from the Old Bowery were the subject of conflicting claims between the inhabitants of Gravesend and property owner Francis De Bruyn (also called Brown), who was the successor of Van Salee.

In 1669 the matter was referred to Governor Lovelace who, in turn, appointed two referees, John Clanning and Jacques Corteleau, to give a report. In August, 1669, Governor Lovelace issued an edict which gave his judgement concerning the land in question.

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