Back to Joseph Orchard

21st May 1789

Present
Mr Pemberton
Mr Mackenzie

Examination on the demand of Joseph Orchard late of New York

Demand
For 26,000lb of Flour, being a Balance due to him on a final Settlement with the Commissary General at New York, charged at an Average Price of Years from 1777 to 1781, Per Statement Produced Viz.

Currency £1256.10.0
7 Years Interest @ 5 Per Cent £439.15.6
New York Currency £1696.5.6
Sterling £954.3.2

Memorial read
Joseph Orchard examined says

He is a Native of England, and settled at New York in the Year 1773, in the Business of a Baker, being encouraged so to do by Major General Tryon late Governor of New York

With respect to his Conduct at the Commencement of and during the Rebellion in America, he produces Certificates from the Revd Mr John Milner, Samuel Gale, Joseph Allicocke, B J Johnson, John T Kempe, and from John L C Roome, Persons whose characters are well known and all of them confirming the steady, zealous, and uniform Loyalty of the Claimant

The Examinant says that in consequence of Recommendations and particularly from Governor Tryon he was in the Year 1776, Appointed Superintendent of the Kings Bakeries, under the direction of Daniel Chamier Esq. then Commissary General, in which Situation he continued until some Time in the Year 1781, receiving 5^o/ per day as Salary, and an allowance of Forage for One House

The Terms on which he was to bake were to receive Flour from the Kings Stores on Account, and in his settlement for the same, he was allowed according to the Number of Pounds of Bread delivered by him to the Army, by Receipts Produced, allowing each Pound of Bread to be equal to a Pound of Flour, in which way the Proceeded until some Time in the Year 1779, when there being a great scarcity of Flour in the Kings Stores, not equal to the Consumption of Bread to be delivered, he was directed by Daniel Wier Esq. then Commissary General, to obtain what Flour he could in the Country, and if the purchase he made should be at any advanced Price, the same would be considered on a General Settlement of his Account, so as to indemnify him fully but this was only a Verbal order or Agreement.

That upon a General and final Settlement to the 10th November 1781, there was a Balance due to him of Twenty Six Thousand, and Eighty Pounds of Flour as appears by the Certificate of Peter Paumiers Deputy and G Townsend Assistant deputy Commissary General, annexed to a Specific Account of his Deliveries and Receipts. viz

“These may Certify to whom it may concern that at the Request of the Commissary General we have carefully examined the above Account of Joseph Orchard Baker and comparing the Vouchers for Bread issued by him and the Charges made in the Commissary Generals Books of Flour Delivered to him as Therein Stated we declare the same to be just and we verily believe there remains due to him from the Crown Twenty Six Thousand and Eighty Pounds of Flour”

The Examinant says that on a General Settlement with Peter Paumier Esq. on the 27^th 1779 there was a Balance of 11.518 Pounds of Flour then due to him, and an Order was given for his being Supplied with the Quantity from the Kings Stores - but the Stock in hand not affording it, he did not receive any, and continued to supply the Troops and usual to the 10th of November 1781¹⁾, when the Second Balance was found to be 14.562lb, making in whole 26.080 Pounds as stated in his final Account.

That the said Account was finally referred by Lord Dorchester to Brook Watson Esq. in August 1782 then Commissary General who reported in an Original Paper produced viz

“That the Quantity of Flour viz 26.080 Pounds claimed appears to be due and that in his Opinion the flour prayed for should in Justice be delivered to him by an express Order from the Commander in Chief”

The Examinant observes that Flour was then much cheaper than when he as engaged in the Bakery, the Average Price of Country Flour from 1777 to 1781 being by a Statement he produces £5.6.3 Per Hundred authenticated by Mr. Barrow's Purchases & his Testimony whereas the Price recommended by Mr Watson in 1782 was about Thirty Shillings to 55 Shillings

That after Brook Watson Esq had made his Report, he made several Applications to the Adjutant Gen^l without getting any satisfactory Answers. That he afterwards Memorialed the Commander in Chief who ordered the Papers he now Produced to be returned to him - but did not injour Orders for his Reimbursement as had been Recommended by Mr Brook Watson, neither had he received any Sort of satisfaction from Government to this day for the Flour so acknowledged to have been due to him.

Also that he continued in the State of New York after the Evacuation came to England in February 1787, his Family is now at New York, and his Lands having proved that he purchased them before the Confiscation was decreed, are saved to him.

(Signed) Joseph Orchard

Claim for flour
Addition for wood

Testimonial by:
Joseph Allicocke: London, 18th May 1789
John L. C. Roome: London, 1st October 1787
B. J. Johnson: Mill Hill, Hendon, 27th November 1788
John Tabor Kempe: No.43 Clarges Street, 1st December 1788
John Milner: Ightham near Seven Oakes, Kent, 11th May 1789