Property at Civil Lines

The land was taken up for building purposes in the Civil Lines of Meerut, measuring approximately 28 bighas and two biswas or nearly 17 acres and in the year 1855 after mutual agreement between the zamindaars who owned such land and the then Collector and Magistrate of Meerut one A. Johnstone C.S. annual compensation was paid and settled and satisfied for the above land to the several owners.

Johnstone built a house or bungalow which was eventually duly numbered and known as bungalow No. 11 Civil Lines Meerut, North West Provinces, at the death of the said A. Johnstone C. S. his wife duly inherited the said house on 22^nd day of September 1858. Mistress Johnston widow of the late A Johnstone, through her General Attorney Capt. Edward James Simpson an Officer in the Commisonerate Department sold and transferred the said house and land on the 27^th day of September 1855, in consideration of the sum of five thousand Rupees to Mistress Jane Fergusson merchant of the Meerut. Mistress Jane Fergusson and James Gibbon were partner in equal shares in the accountrement and Tent Contract with the Delhi magazine. By an instrument in writing bearing date the 27^th day of December 1860 James Gibbon and Jane Fergusson made an exchange of certain properties in the following terms “ It is further agreed that James Gibbon gives up all right and title to the Begum’s Kothi and grounds attached to the Jane Fergusson for which he “ “is to receive the house in the Civil Lines House No. 95 cash 6,000”. In due course of possession of the said house and land in the Civil Lines was duly obtained by James Gibbon and retained by him personally and through his agent until his death in Champarun in the year 1876 and whereas by a will duly executed by James Gibbon bearing date the 1^st day of July 1864 and witnessed by D. Cartner and G. W. M. Namara James Gibbon devised and bequeathed all his property of any and every description including the property hereby assigned or intended solo be to his wife Matilda Gibbon and his son William Forbes Gibbon upon trust to sell and convert all the said properties into money for the benefit of Matilda Gibbon and the children of James Gibbon. After the death of James Gibbon, Matilda Gibbon and William Forbes Gibbon on the seventh day of March 1876 obtained probate of the said will from Mr. E. Drummond Esquire Judge of the Sarun. Owing to inconvenience caused by the great distance between Sarun and Meerut the said Matilda Gibbon and William Forbes Gibbon  appointed E. C. Roberts Esquire of Meerut, to be their agent for renting and generally managing the said house and lands in Civil Lines. E. C. Roberts in treaty for the sale of the above house on behalf Mrs. Matilda Gibbon and William Forbes Gibbon contracted and agreed with the Reverend Philo Melvin Buck and the Reverend E. S. Busby missionaries of Meerut as Trustees for and on behalf of The Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church for the absolute sale to them, free of all encumbrances, except the payment of Rupees 52 annas 10 by way of future annual compensation for the land taken up for the compound aforesaid at or for the sum of Rs. 7000/- (seven thousand Rupees) that for carrying the said contract for sale into effect and in consideration of the sum of Rupees Seven Thousand of lawful money of British India paid by “the said purchasers” on behalf of The Missionary Society of The Methodist Episcopal Church. Matilda Gibbon and William Forbes Gibbon handed over the property - known as Number (11,95 or 22) in the Civil Lines in Meerut and butted and bounded as follows namely North Metalled Road, South Village (Kucha) Road, East   by the premises known as “Parker’s Kothi” West by a Pucca Public Road. Together with all and singular the houses, out-offices, buildings, stables, yards, gardens, wells, forests, lights, ways, paths, easements, commonable rights, hedges, ditches, fences, privileges, emoluments, commodities, advantages, hereditaments and appurtenancy whatsoever to The Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church on 29^th day of April Eighteen Hundred and Ninty Three.

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We would very much like to be in touch with people who in any way have been associated with Meerut or any of the Churches mentioned on the site. We would like to thank all the foreign missionaries who contributed in building the Churches in Meerut and spreading the Word of God.