It is very evident that during the first two or three years of the settlement, there must have been busy times for the little sloops in carrying settlers to and fro and in bringing over their families, household goods, merchandise, lumber, etc.. from their old homes to the new settlement. We may conjecture that after the first settlers landed and had selected their lots or tracts of land that the first work would be putting up shelters, either log houses or perhaps more pretentious dwellings of lumber brought from Gravesend, Newport or elsewhere. Clearing the land and putting up fences was the next serious task. In this work the first year would probably be occupied. Perhaps many of them did not bring over their families to reside permanently until this work was accomplished. In 1667 the settlers found themselves so far advanced, with dwellings erected and lands cleared, that they had opportunity to take measures to establish a local government.

Bv the terms of the Nicolls patent, (the patentees named,) their associates, heirs, successors, and assigns had liberty to elect by the vote of the major part of the inhabitants, "five or seven other persons of the ablest and discreetest of said inhabitants" to join with them in making such peculiar and prudential laws as to them seemed meet.

In pursurance of this permission a General Assembly of delegates from the three towns was held in Shrewsbury on the 14th of December, 1667. This was the first legislative body ever assembled in New Jersey. Richard Richardson was chosen as its secretary, and appointed to record acts, orders and deeds, and hence may be considered the first County Clerk of Monmouth. His record of the proceedings of this Assembly is still well preserved.

In August, 1664, the Dutch at New Amsterdam surrendered to the English and soon after, the Gravesend men before alluded to, made another and a successful effort to purchase land of the Indians and within a few months made two other purchases.

The first Indian purchase was by a deed dated January 25, 1664, legal year, January 25, 1665, by our calendar year; the original record of this deed is at Albany, N. Y., Liber 3, page 1. It was from Popomora, chief of the Nevesink Indians to James Hubbard, John Bowne, John Tilton, Jr., Richard Stout, William Goulding and Samuel Spicer, all of Gravesend. This deed was also agreed to by Mishacoing, a brother of Popomora. It was witnessed by Indians named Rickhoran, Checockran, Chrye, Serand and Mingwash. The considerations given were as follows:

118 fathom seawamp (wampum), of which 68 fathom was to be white seawamp, and 50 fathom black, 5 coats, 1 gun, 1 clout capp, 1 shirt, 12 lbs tobacco, 1 anker wine; all of which were acknowledged as receiyed, and 82 fathoms additional of seawamp to be paid twelve months hence.

The interpreters were John Tilton, Sr., James Bowne, John Horabin, Randall Huet and John Wilson. The fact of these men being interpreters shows that they previously had had considerable intercourse with the Indians.

The second purchase was dated April 7, 1665, and was from Indians named Taplawappamnmnd, Mattamahickanick, Yawpochammund, Kackenham, Mattanoh, Norchon and Qurrmeck and the deed was to John Tilton Sr., Samuel Spicer, William Goulding, Richard Gibbons, James Grover and Richard Stout.

The third purchase was dated June 5, 1665, and from Indians named Manavendo, Emmerdesolsee, Poppomera, Checawsen, Shanhemun, Cramanscum, Winegermeen and Macca, and the deed was to James Grover, John Bowne, Richard Stout, John Tilton, Richard Gibbons, William Goulding, Samuel Spicer and "the rest of the company."

The articles given for the second and third purchases were wampum, wine and tobacco, 11 common coats, three pairs of breeches, 9 blankets, 45 yards duffel (coarse cloth) 4 1-2 lbs. powder, 15 1-2 lbs. lead, etc.- in all about the same value in proportion as for the first purchase. The original record of these deeds is also at Albany, and copies are recorded at Perth Amboy and at Trenton. These purchases were acknowledge before Governor Nicolls at New York. In their first land sales, the Indians were anxious to procure coats, but they seemed to have cared but little for breeches, preferring to go barelegged; said an Indian: "Indian's legs like white man's face, no want covering." But Popomora and some of his chiefs were probably induced to wear breeches as they had to visit the settlement at Gravesend and also to go to New York, to acknowledge the deeds before the Governor, and Tilton, Stout and the others would naturally object to the Indians parading through the streets of New York, dressed with only a short coat and perhaps a few feathers stuck in their hair!

The following account is a sample of receipts and expenditures in the original purchase of the lands of the Indians and the names of the purchasers and shares awarded is from Book A, Freehold Records:

Newasink, Narumsunk and Pootapeck, Dr. as followeth to William Reape:

                                                      £  s.  d.

To John Tilton and Company
        in peague*                                   24  5   0

    In rum at tymes at 7-6 per gallon                23 10   0
        45 ----- duffels                             25 02   0
    To the Sachem of ye gift land 
        and to Randal Huet in rum                     1 00   6 
    To a sloop hire 10 days, with expences 
        in provisions upon a voyage with the 
        Patentees to Pootopeek Neck                   4 06   0
    To the charge of three men sent 
        from Rhode Island to settle ye, the 
        counterey affairs here                        3 08   0 
    To the use of Derrick Smiths sloope 
        for their transport                           4 11   6 
    To 21 days for myself on ye 
        publique affairs with provisions              3 03   0 
    To the forbearance of my money                    0 00   0 
    To my expense of new attending the 
        publique service at the making of 
        this account                                  0 00   0
                                                    ---------- 
                                                    £89 07   0

The above accompt of disbursements of William Reape, amounting to £89 07s 0d is owned by us, the Patentees and Deputies now present at Portland Point.

            Witness our hands this 5th day of July, 1670: 

                                   Will Goulding, 
                                   James Grover, 
                                   John Bowne, 
                                   Richard Gibbons, 
                                         his 
                                   Richard X Stout, 
                                         mark 
                                                       Patentees. 
                                   John Hance, 
                                   Eliakim Wardell, 
                                   James Bowne, 

                                                       Deputies. 
      Testis: R. Richardson. 

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* Backus' History of Baptists says a wampum peague was worth one-sixth of a penny.