tract of land situate between the towns of Shorum, Orwell, Hubberton, Sudbury
& Whiting so as to allow to each 320 acres or thereabouts." (1)
Either way, Allen should have known better than to sell them on this particular tract of land. He had been appointed to the surveyor post in 1778 and had been surveying Vermont lands since 1770. He was in fact intimately acquainted with every nook and cranny of the lands in the area having run the lines and laid out lots for Hubbarton and Sudbury in 1772. Nevertheless a major error was committed in granting these lands as subsequent survey showed that there was insufficient acreage available between the towns to complete the grant.
Addison County in 1795 from Carey's American Atlas (2)
Buel submitted his ill-fated request and the Governor and Council approved the Coventry grant the next day charging ten pounds silver money for each right, (600 pounds total) to be paid by December 31st. Confirming that the grant was indeed for a gore of land, and that the quantity of land could not be ascertained, Buel was required to pay only 150 pounds by the December date. If subsequent survey of the land found that there were less than 15 shares available (4800 acres) Buel would be refunded his money without interest. If a larger quantity of land was found it would be paid for after it was surveyed.
Sometime in the following year 1781, Buel was credited with a payment of about 200 pounds towards his Coventry granting fees by paying off part of a debt which Vermont owed to the State of Connecticut for gunpowder which Vermont had previously purchased. He spent the next 3 years ascertaining that indeed there was not enough land around Hubbarton to complete his grant. It was found that the five towns in fact covered most of what was thought to be the gore. Realizing that his grant was worthless, Buel went back to the legislature and asked for redress. What he got was his new "flying grant".