Ross v. Keewood
Ross v. Keewood
Opinion of the Court
I have not been able to see any thing in the objections, to the chancellor’s decrees, that have been urged by the counsel for the appellant. Upon a strict examination of the act of 1779, entitled “ An act for adjusting and settling*the titles of claimers to unpatented lands under the present and former government previous to the establishment of the commonwealth’s land-office,” and the subsequent acts on the same subject, I am satisfied, that there is no distinction between vacant, and company lands, that can have any influence on the decision of these cases; and that the appellant, having submitted his claims to the commissioners under the act of 1779, first mentioned, is bound by their decision, according to the case in this court, q| Stephens v. Cobun, 2 Call, 440.
I am therefore of opinion that the decrees, by which the hills are dismissed, be affirmed.
These cases (which all depend upon the same question) appear to me to fall completely within the provisions of the act of May, 1779, c. 12. s. 7, 8, and 9.
It must here be remembered that the companies here spoken of had never obtained patents for the lands intended to be granted to them, so that their title, as well as that of the settlers, was inchoate only; the legal title being still in the commonwealth.
Sect. 8th establishes a court of commissioners for the adjustment of the preceding claims, (and some others,) whose judgment is declared final; and has been accordingly so decided in the case of Stephens v. Cobun;
On the ground of error in respect to interest, I concur with the judge who has preceded me, upon that point, as well as that in which I have spoken to ; and am therefore of opinion, that the decrees be severally affirmed ; the appellees, as far as in them lay, having complied with the terms on which they were to obtain their patents.
Judges Roane and Fleming were of the same opb nion, and the decrees were unanimously affirmed.
Ch. Rev. 92-94.
2 Call. 410.
1 Wash 40. Wilcox v. Calloway.
Johnson v. Brown, 3 Call, 259. and Depew v. Howard, 1 Munf. 293.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.