I have received both your letters of the 23 and 30th of December last. I delivered to Mr. Duane the letter enclosed in the former and have since taken an Opportunity of conversing with him on the Subject & he promises to write to you shortly. I also called on doct. Cha. Arding for further information. The account he gave me is this. Stephen commonly called Judge Hick left his real estate to his son Thomas and a legacy of 1500 to a natural Daughter, who married a man of the name of Hick a relation of the family. The son Thomas died about four years ago having made a will by which he devised the estate to his half sister, the natural daughter of his father, & her issue, & in default thereof to her Husband and his issue & in case neither of them had issue then to R P. Hicks. The natural daughter died leaving no issue; Her husband who was a worthless drunken profligate fellow aft[er]wards married two wives who are both dead and he himself died last fall but without issue. Being told that the law which broke entails made the estate his in fee, He made a will before his death and devised the estate to a relation. But Doct Arding says that Samuel Jones an eminent laywer [lawyer] who has seen the will & knows all the circumstances is clearly of opinion that the estate belongs to R P. Hicks. The estate consists of two farms. One called the Neck is rented on a lease of three years for the yearly rent of &#;200; the other farm he thinks is worth a thousand pounds but he does not know what it rents for. This is all the information I have yet been able to obtain.

   The resolutions for preventing commerce or intercourse with the enemy & empowering judges or officers of the courts of admiralty to interfere you will find under the dates of Novr. 25, 1775, March 23 & April 3, 1776, March 27 & Decr. 4, 1781 & July 17, 1782.(1)

   Mrs Thomson joins in Love to yourself, cousin Mary, Sally & Maria.

   I am Dear Sir, Your sincere & affectionate friend, Cha Thomson

   [P.S.] Mrs T has recd Mrs D's letter of 31 Decr & will answer it very soon.