Transcript of Original document in the Land Office of New York State. The spelling was kept as on the original document.
State of New York
Schoharie County
Personally appeared before me, Storm A. Becker, One of the Justices appointed to Keep the peach for the county of Schoharie Jacob Dies who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that some time on the first of the month of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven Elnathan Fitch called at my house and asked me if there was land belonging to the state on the east of our manor or patent. I informed him that I believed there was. Mr. Fitch asked me if I would take a walk with him and show him the lines and where the land belonging to the state was, he likewise informed me that he had a right to locate two hundred acres of land by virture of a law of this state. I went and showed him a stake that was set in the line of our patent and for the north line of some lots surveyed for Henry Pothouelt, Esq. And others and Mr. Rood had taken possesion of the land south of the stake an but north between the stake and line before mentioned and Plata Kill there was no improvements made at that time to the best of my knowledge. Sometime since that Joseph De Sylva had made improvement between the before mentioned stake and Plata Kill and line and last fall for the sowed between three and five acres of winter granin on it. To the best of my knowledge this Joseph DeSylvie I look upon to be a troublesome, quarrelsome man and I believe that to be his general character and futher this deponant saith not.
Sworn at Middleburgh County of Schoharie befor me the 16 day of June 1800.
/s/ Storm A Beker Justice