United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

United States v. Richard, 33 U.S. 8 Pet. 470 470 (1834)

United States v. Richard

33 U.S. (8 Pet.) 470

Syllabus

Confirmation of a grant of land by Governor Coppinger made in June, 1817. The grant was made to the appellee on his stating his intention to build a saw mill. The decree grants to the petitioner

"license to construct a water saw mill on the creek known by the name of Pottsburg, bounded by the lands of Strawberry Hill and this tract not being sufficient, I grant him the equivalent quantity in Cedar Swamp about a mile east of McQueen's Mill, but with the precise condition that as long as he does not erect said machinery, this grant will be considered null and without value nor effect until that event takes place, and then, in order that he may not receive any prejudice from the expensive expenditures which he is preparing, he will have the faculty of using the pines and other trees comprehended in the square of five miles, or the equivalent thereof, which five miles are granted to him in the mentioned place, the avails of which he will enjoy without any defalcation whatever."

By the Court: "The judge of the superior court construed this concession to be a grant of land, and we concur with him."