The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 32
MILITARY LAND TITLES

such times might be seen the mournful processions from every village of the Hurons, bearing the skeletons or bodies of their dead relatives to a common burial place. The ceremonies attending the event lasted for days, and were very imposing. The subsequent discovery of these immense deposits of bones has elicted much curious inquiry on the part of those not familiar with the old French Relations. Father Brebeuf saw and fully explained one of these burials in 1636.

THE IROQUOIS' SUPERIORITY.-When compared with any other of the savage tribes of the country, the Iroquois stand at the head. He was said to be " the Indian of Indians," by whom were systematized and unified the elements that among the other nations were crude and disjointed. They had larger brains than any others of the race, the internal capacity of which were larger than that of the Mexicans or Peruvians, an average of five heads giving a capacity of eighty-eight cubic inches, only one fortyfourth less than the Caucasian men.*

CHAPTER V.
LAND TITLES-MILITARY TRACT.

UNCERTAINTY OF MILITARY LAND TITLES --CONGRESSIONAL LAND BOUNTIES---BOUNTIES TO HIGHER OFFICERS-STATE BOUNTIES -- CONDITIONS OF THE GRANT-SURVEY OF THE MILITARY TRACT-ITS LOCATION AND EXTENT-NAMES OF THE ORIGINAL TOWNSHIPS -DIS'T'RIBU'T'ION OF THE GRANTS -- CONFLICT OF CLAIMANTS-LITAGATION-DEEDS TO BE RECORDED IN ALBANY - COMMISSION OF AWARDS -REPORT'S ON FILE IN CLERK'S OFFICE.

As the first settlers of this County and of this part of the State suffered greatly from the uncertainty of their land titles, being frequently ousted from their possessions by previous claimants, a brief history of the tenure by which the first lands were held, becomes necessary.

Cayuga County formed a part of what was called the " Onondaga Military Tract," embracing the present counties of Cayuga, Seneca, Onondaga, Cortland and parts of Wayne, Steuben and Oswego, which was set apart for the payment of land bounties to the soldiers of the Revolution under the laws of Congress and of this State.

The Congress of the United States, on Sept. 16th, 1776, enacted:

"That Congress make provision for granting lands in the following proportions to the officers and soldiers who shall engage in the military service of the United States and continue therein to the close of the war, or until discharged by Congress, and to the representatives of such officers and soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy.

" Such lands to be provided by the United States ; and whatever expense shall be necessary to procure such lands, the said expense shall be paid and borne by the United States,
viz:

" To a Colonel, 500 acres.
" To a Lieutenant-Colonel, 450 acres.
" To a Major, 400 acres.
" To a Captain, 300 acres.
" To an Ensign, 200 acres.
" To each non-commissioned officer and private, l00 acres."

By an Act of August 12th, 1780, Congress made the following provisions for the higher officers, viz

"To a Major-General, I, 1,100 acres.
" To a Brigadier-General, 850 acres."

The Legislature of this State, on March 27, 1783, after referring to the above action of Congress, resolved as follows

" And, whereas, the Legislature of this State are willing to take upon themselves the said engagement of Congress, so far as it relates to the line of this State, but likewise as a gratuity to the said line, and to evince the just sense this Legislature entertains of the patriotism and virtue of the troops of the State serving in the army of the United States

"Resolved, therefore, that besides the bounty of land so provided as aforesaid, the Legislature will, by law, provide that the Major-Generals and Brigadier-Generals now serving in the line of the army of the United States, and being citizens of this State ; and the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the two regiments of infantry, commanded by Colonels Van Schaick and Van Cortlandt, such officers of the regiment of artillery commanded by Colonel Lamb, and of the corps of sappers and miners as were, when

* Crania Americana.

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