ested. These claims were still contested, and the courts overflowed with business relative thereto. Scarce a lot but became more or less the subject of litigation. Even the soldiers themselves, coming to take possession of the lots for which. they had served, were obliged to eject some lawless squatter at considerable expense, or quietly to yield their hard earned titles. At length the inhabitants of the military tract became so completely wearied with these continued and most vexing contentions, that in 1797, the residents of the several townships on the Military Tract, unanimously and most heartily united in petitioning the State Legislature to pass a law authorizing a speedy and equitable mode of settling all disputes relative to these titles. An act was thereupon passed appointing Robert Yates, James Kent, and Vincent Mathews, Commissioners, with full powers to hear, examine, award and determine all disputes respecting the titles to any and all the military bounty lands. The Governor was authorized to fill all vacancies in this board. From the record of the awards made by the Onondaga Commissioners, the name of James Kent does not at all appear in their transactions. Most of the awards of 1798-99, are signed by Vincent Mathews and James Emmott; later ones by Vincent Mathews and Robert Yates, and some of those of 1801 and 1802, by Messrs. Mathews and Emmott, and Sanders Livingston. They proceeded to the work, and after a laborious investigation, the exertions of these gentlemen finally brought these vexing and lingering contentions to a satisfactory close.