{"title":"Legal\/Judicial Commisions\/Writs","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"18th-century-revolutionary-war-era-financial-legal-document","title":"18th Century Revolutionary War Era Financial Legal Document","description":"\u003cp\u003eAn 18th-century French legal\/financial document, specifically a: “Protêt” (Protest of a Bill of Exchange)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eKey details visible:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLocation: Paris (explicitly stated: “à Paris”)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eMain transaction: June 18, 1778\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProtest executed: January 17, 1779\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReferences:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eChâtelet of Paris (main judicial authority)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrinted + manuscript hybrid:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePre-printed legal form filled in by hand\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOfficial embossed\/ink stamp\/seal present\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat a “Protêt” is\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 18th-century finance:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA bill of exchange = like a check or credit instrument\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA protest = official legal declaration that:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePayment was demanded but refused or unpaid\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis document records:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWho owed money\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWho failed to pay\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLegal certification of default\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese were essential in international trade and banking\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical context (important)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e1778–1779 = American Revolutionary War era\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrance had just entered the war (1778) in support of America\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eParis was a major financial hub funding global trade and war efforts\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile not directly American, this is from the same global financial system financing the Revolution\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFolded (normal)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eModerate staining \/ foxing\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEdge wear, small losses at margins\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInk still strong and readable\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeal visible \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e👉 Typical but acceptable for 18th-century French paper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Clear date (1778\/1779)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Paris origin (major historical center)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Official legal format (printed + manuscript)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Visible seal + multiple signatures\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Financial\/legal content \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e⚠️ What limits value\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot tied to a famous individual\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDense handwriting (harder for casual collectors)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition is average\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrench material has a smaller collector base in the U.S.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e🧾 Bottom line\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Authentic 18th-century Paris legal financial document\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ “Protest” of unpaid bill of exchange\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eTranscription (French, as written)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFront (main document)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNotons 18 juin 1778\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNous soussignés à requête de […] avons transporté\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003epar le ministère des […] la présente protestation\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edûment à […] laquelle de plein droit et volonté\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e[…] avons dressé procès verbal de protest pour\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edéfaut de paiement de la lettre de change\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003etirée à Paris, acceptée […] payable à […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esommes transportés au domicile de […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e[…] avons fait sommation de payer ladite somme\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ede […] livres, laquelle somme n’ayant été payée\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eni offerte de payer, nous avons fait protest\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003econtre tous qu’il appartiendra pour conservation\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ede ses droits […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e600 lt\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrinted section (form text filled in by hand)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePROTÊT L’AN mil sept cent soixante-dix-neuf,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eaprès midi, à la requête du sieur […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edemeurant à Paris, rue […] paroisse […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNous, […] à Paris, nous sommes transportés\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eau domicile en […] où étant parlés\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eau sieur […] avons requis paiement\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ed’une lettre de change dont copie est ci-dessus\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003elaquelle n’ayant été payée ni acceptée\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003enous avons fait protest pour non paiement\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eet refus, protestant de tous dépens, dommages\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eet intérêts […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBack (signatures and closing)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e[…] demeurant à Paris, le 17 janvier 1779\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e[…]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003esignatures:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eBrichet (?)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeunier (?)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDucan (or Ducon)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCaillouet (or similar)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e🧾 What this confirms\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eYour document is clearly:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ A formal Paris notarial protest\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ For non-payment of a bill of exchange\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Created:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eTransaction: June 18, 1778\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProtest: January 17, 1779\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eEnglish \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere is a clear English translation of your document, keeping it as faithful as possible to the original legal meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEnglish Translation\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMain text (handwritten section)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNoted June 18, 1778\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe, the undersigned, at the request of […] have proceeded\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eby the ministry of […] to draw up the present protest,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eduly and in proper form, and by our own authority and will,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ehave prepared a formal report of protest for\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003enon-payment of a bill of exchange,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003edrawn in Paris, accepted […] payable at […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe went to the residence of […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand there made formal demand for payment of the said sum\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eof […] livres; which sum not having been paid\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003enor offered to be paid, we have made protest\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eagainst all whom it may concern, for the preservation\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eof the rights of the holder […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e600 livres\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrinted legal form (with handwritten insertions)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePROTEST — In the year one thousand seven hundred seventy-nine,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ein the afternoon, at the request of Mr. […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eresiding in Paris, on […] street, parish […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe, […] in Paris, have gone\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto the residence located at […] where, speaking\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eto Mr. […], we formally demanded payment\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eof a bill of exchange, a copy of which is written above;\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003ewhich, not having been paid nor accepted,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ewe have issued this protest for non-payment and refusal,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eprotesting for all costs, damages,\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eand interest resulting therefrom […]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eClosing section (reverse side)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDone at Paris, January 17, 1779\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e[Signatures of officials \/ witnesses]\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis document is essentially saying:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e👉 A bill of exchange (like a check or credit note) was issued in 1778\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e👉 The person who owed money did not pay\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e👉 Officials went to demand payment\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e👉 When payment was refused, they issued a formal legal protest\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e👉 This preserves the creditor’s right to:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eSue\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eClaim damages\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecover costs\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhy this mattered historically\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the 1700s, this was a critical legal step in international finance:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWithout a protest, you could lose your right to collect\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese were used in trade networks across Europe and America\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKey takeaway\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Issued by official Paris authorities\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e✔ Part of the 18th-century global financial system\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52263584760090,"sku":"EB-327069877336","price":300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_02b0f215-9150-44ad-bebd-65381606dcb0.jpg?v=1779367054"},{"product_id":"1866-new-jersey-law-license-gov-marcus-l-ward","title":"1866 New Jersey Law License – Gov. Marcus L. Ward","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal 1866 State of New Jersey legal appointment, issued under Governor Marcus L. Ward, appointing George C. Anderson as a Counsellor-at-Law.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis large, engraved document features an ornate state heading and a striking gold embossed wafer seal with the New Jersey coat of arms and “1776” date.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKey Features:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOfficial state-issued legal license\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLarge decorative engraved format\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProminent gold seal with strong embossing\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDated November 8, 1866\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIssued just after the American Civil War, during a period of expansion in American legal institutions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal folds\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLight toning consistent with age\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSeal intact with expected minor wear\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA highly displayable 19th-century legal document with excellent visual appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52263588364570,"sku":"EB-327126053663","price":450.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_dfbfc84d-0812-4917-8791-d83c512e0f7a.jpg?v=1779367158"},{"product_id":"1791-legal-bond-naming-matthew-mayhew","title":"1791 legal bond naming Matthew Mayhew","description":"\u003cp\u003e1791 legal bond naming Matthew Mayhew\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e1791 Manuscript Legal Bond – Matthew Mayhew – Early American Document – Massachusetts\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOffered is an original 1791 handwritten legal document, dating to the early years of the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis manuscript is a penal bond \/ debt obligation, a common legal instrument of the late 18th century, in which Matthew Mayhew acknowledges a financial obligation under formal legal terms.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDetails:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDate: 1791\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eType: Legal bond \/ financial obligation\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNamed party: Matthew Mayhew\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFormat: Handwritten manuscript, written on both sides\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContent: “Know all men by these presents…” style legal agreement with payment conditions\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical Context:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDocuments like this represent the financial and legal systems of early America, when personal credit and enforceable bonds were essential to commerce. Such items predate modern banking and reflect the legal traditions inherited from colonial America.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal 18th-century paper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFold lines, staining, and ink variations consistent with age\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome ink loss and strike-through corrections\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStructurally sound and fully displayable\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCollector Appeal:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEarly American (post-Revolutionary) manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNamed individual (Mayhew family of New England)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIdeal for collectors of colonial \/ early U.S. documents\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52263589183770,"sku":"EB-327128656129","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_479a1530-78ab-4c41-a428-36c0204e6270.jpg?v=1779367183"},{"product_id":"1808-new-york-chancery-court-document-re-aaron-burr","title":"1808 New York Chancery Court  Document Re: Aaron Burr","description":"\u003cp\u003eAaron Burr 1808 New York Chancery Court Manuscript – Vice President Legal Land Case – David Gelston – \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOnly a few pages are shown here. The document if filled with history, such as the Manhattan Company.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCertified Court\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Original 1808 New York Court of Chancery manuscript document involving Aaron Burr, former Vice President of the United States under Thomas Jefferson.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis multi-page legal filing references Aaron Burr throughout in a New York land and conveyance dispute brought before Chancellor John Lansing Jr. Certified copy dated July 1, 1808.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe document retains its original folded legal format with period docketing on verso reading:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘David Gelston vs Aaron Burr.’\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHighly desirable early American political and legal manuscript from the turbulent post-duel period of Burr’s life, only one year after his treason trial acquittal.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReferred to as a fugitive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDetails:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal manuscript ink on laid paper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNew York Chancery Court\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDated 1808\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMultiple pages 8 x 13 inches, 32 pages\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReferences Aaron Burr throughout\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCertified by court clerk\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrong early American cursive script\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eApprox. folio size\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExpected age-related toning, fold wear, ink burn\/bleed, minor losses, and handling wear consistent with early 19th century legal manuscripts. Overall very good and displayable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn exceptional and uncommon Aaron Burr-related historical manuscript suitable for collectors of early Americana, presidential history, legal history, and New York documents.”\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52275662127386,"sku":"EB-327174344296","price":5950.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_8a69926e-6494-4df2-bf3e-96f970ece129.jpg?v=1779563485"},{"product_id":"1803-hardin-county-kentucky-frontier-court-manuscript","title":"1803 Hardin County Kentucky Frontier Court Manuscript","description":"\u003cp\u003eRare Early Kentucky Statehood Era Legal Manuscript – Elijah Hardin vs Isaac Bush – Battery Case\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDescription\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal 1803 handwritten legal manuscript from Hardin County, Kentucky, dating to the earliest years of Kentucky statehood and the American frontier period.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis document records an arbitration award involving Elijah Hardin and Isaac Bush concerning damages arising from an alleged battery\/assault matter referenced before the Circuit Court of Hardin County.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDated:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNovember 3, 1803\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFeatures:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal iron gall ink manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEarly American laid rag paper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMultiple contemporary signatures\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal fold format\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWax seal remnants\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNamed Kentucky parties and legal officials\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrontier-era legal content\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe manuscript discusses:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003esubmission of dispute to arbitrators\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003etestimony and allegations\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efinancial damages awarded\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eformal legal resolution\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn excellent piece of:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKentucky history\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eearly American legal history\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003efrontier Americana\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003egenealogical research material\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDisplays typical age-related wear including folds, toning, minor staining, and small separations consistent with authentic early 19th-century manuscripts. Ink remains legible and attractive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA scarce and highly displayable Kentucky frontier legal document from only eleven years after Kentucky achieved statehood.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52282681262362,"sku":"EB-327177458320","price":395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_98522b31-8dbe-47cb-986e-a1b22b345fa7.jpg?v=1779741508"},{"product_id":"1692-colonial-massachusetts-jail-warrant-salem-witch-trials-era-charlestown","title":"1692 Colonial Massachusetts Jail Warrant Salem Witch Trials Era Charlestown","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is an original 1692 Colonial Massachusetts legal warrant \/ mittimus from Middlesex County, issued in Charlestown on July 29, 1692, ordering the keeper of the Middlesex Jail in Cambridge to imprison Sylvester Hayes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe document is historically significant for several reasons:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt dates directly to the height of the Salem Witch Trials period (summer 1692).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is an official colonial court manuscript from Massachusetts Bay Colony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt concerns accusations of arson and public danger in Charlestown.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe text references imprisonment “in their Majesties names,” reflecting the post-Glorious Revolution reign of William \u0026amp; Mary.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSurviving Massachusetts colonial judicial manuscripts from the 17th century are scarce, especially complete signed warrants with strong readability and provenance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe signature appears to be:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“p Curia Saml Phipps Cler”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLikely Samuel Phips\/Phippes, clerk of the court.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe format is a small quarto manuscript on laid paper with visible folds, typical of late 17th century legal process documents.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical Context\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis was written only weeks before the peak executions in Salem. Charlestown and Cambridge were within the same broader panic-era environment of colonial Massachusetts judicial activity. While not directly tied to witchcraft prosecutions, collectors strongly associate 1692 Massachusetts manuscripts with the Salem era.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat association materially increases collector interest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePositives:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrong legibility for a 1692 manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eComplete text\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLarge signature\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAttractive iron gall ink tone\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGood display quality\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExcellent provenance\/reference from old catalog\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition issues:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHeavy fold wear\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEdge losses and separations\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSome ink fading\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePaper toning and age wear\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOverall: Very Good for a 333-year-old colonial legal manuscript.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore info.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eOffered here is an authentic original manuscript legal warrant dated July 29, 1692, issued in Charlestown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis remarkable colonial court document orders the imprisonment of one Sylvester Hayes in the Middlesex Jail at Cambridge after witnesses accused him of threatening to burn a shop and dwelling house near the Charlestown meeting house. The manuscript further states that Hayes was considered “very dangerous to be at large.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe warrant was written during the exact summer of the Salem Witch Trials, at the very height of the 1692 Massachusetts judicial panic atmosphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe text reads in part:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“…accused by divers credible witnesses… threatened to fire a shop \u0026amp; dwelling house in Charlestown… said shop was on fire… judged to be a person very dangerous to be at large…”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe document concludes with an order “in their Majesties names” to take Hayes into custody and safely keep him according to law.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDated 1692 — peak Salem Witch Trials period\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal Colonial Massachusetts Bay document\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMiddlesex County judicial manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCharlestown \/ Cambridge historical locations\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJail commitment order (mittimus)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrong early American manuscript appeal\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExceptional display quality\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePhysical Details\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne page manuscript on laid paper\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eApprox. small quarto format\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIron gall ink\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSigned by court clerk\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal folds and period wear\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eVery good antique condition for a 17th century manuscript:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFold separations and edge wear\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMinor losses at margins\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eInk remains largely strong and legible\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAttractive overall appearance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGuaranteed Authentic\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA genuine 17th century colonial American manuscript, not a reproduction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn outstanding museum-quality piece of early Massachusetts legal history from one of the most important years in colonial America.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52291213000986,"sku":"EB-327180111086","price":7895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_7757ac67-88ae-4771-822d-44e321b6ebab.jpg?v=1779910762"},{"product_id":"1733-massachusetts-bay-colony-quit-claim","title":"1733 Massachusetts Bay Colony Quit Claim","description":"\u003cp\u003e18th-century colonial American legal indenture \/ quitclaim deed, dated 1733, written on laid rag paper with multiple red wax seals and signatures.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDocument includes a witness notation bearing the name “John Hancock.” No claim is made that this is the declaration signer. However, it could possibly be his father.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe text references:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLexington, Massachusetts Bay\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMultiple grantors including:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDavid Russel\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eJonathan Russel\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNathaniel Russel\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbigail, Sarah, Thomas, William Brown, etc.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA transfer or release of rights\/property to Benjamin Murray and Edward Winship\/Winslow (spelling varies in period script).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe endorsement panel suggests it was formally recorded or witnessed in court. The numerous wax seals indicate multiple parties executing the instrument — a desirable feature for collectors.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the kind of document often categorized as:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eColonial Maryland legal manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePre-Revolutionary American deed\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e18th-century vellum\/paper indenture\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe handwriting and ink are period-correct and authentic.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEstimated Value\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eLarge format complete manuscript\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMultiple original wax seals\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrong colonial penmanship\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePre-Revolutionary era\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNumerous signatures\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAttractive display quality\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGood survival condition for age\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHeavy fold wear and toning\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDifficult paleography (hard for casual buyers to read)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal 18th-century colonial American legal manuscript \/ indenture deed, handwritten in iron gall ink on laid rag paper with numerous original red wax seals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe document contains:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive period handwritten text\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMultiple original signatures\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNumerous intact red wax seals\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eColonial legal language and formatting\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFolded filing format typical of early American deeds\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal endorsement notation on reverse\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNamed individuals appearing in the manuscript include members of the Russel\/Russell family and others involved in the conveyance or release of land\/property interests.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn outstanding example of early colonial American legal history and frontier-era documentation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCondition\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eComplete and legible\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge toning and fold wear throughout\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eScattered staining and edge wear consistent with age\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWax seals remain partially intact\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo major paper loss observed\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease review all photographs carefully for condition and content.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAuthenticity\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGuaranteed authentic 18th-century manuscript document.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBuyers are encouraged to obtain independent third-party authentication or archival review if desired.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA superb display and research piece.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52300116951322,"sku":"EB-327182757566","price":875.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/57_258cbabd-ef81-458b-b58a-5caf22bf5ff9.jpg?v=1780155753"},{"product_id":"early-19th-century-attorneys-manuscript-legal-opinion-on-a-will-land-conveyance-equity-law","title":"Early 19th Century Attorney's Manuscript Legal Opinion on a Will, Land Conveyance \u0026 Equity Law","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"3549\" data-end=\"3767\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAn original early nineteenth-century attorney's manuscript legal opinion concerning a complex dispute involving testamentary devises, equitable ownership of land, contracts to convey real estate, and trust obligations.\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3769\" data-end=\"4302\"\u003eThe opinion analyzes the rights of parties identified as \u003cstrong data-start=\"3826\" data-end=\"3837\"\u003eRudolph\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong data-start=\"3839\" data-end=\"3858\"\u003eCaleb Alexander\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong data-start=\"3864\" data-end=\"3881\"\u003eJoseph Cowden\u003c\/strong\u003e, discussing the legal effect of agreements to convey specific parcels designated as \u003cstrong data-start=\"3966\" data-end=\"3992\"\u003eLots No. 21 and No. 22\u003c\/strong\u003e. Throughout the manuscript, the attorney cites contemporary English chancery authorities, including \u003cstrong data-start=\"4093\" data-end=\"4112\"\u003eVesey's Reports\u003c\/strong\u003e, while applying established principles of equity to determine whether the equitable interest created by contract should pass under the testator's will. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4304\" data-end=\"4660\"\u003eEntirely handwritten in an elegant legal script, the document represents the working product of an early American lawyer rather than a copied court record. Such surviving legal memoranda are considerably scarcer than deeds, commissions, or ordinary probate papers and offer a fascinating glimpse into the practice of American law during the early Republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4662\" data-end=\"4905\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4662\" data-end=\"4676\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Two original leaves. Strong, dark ink with excellent readability. Edge wear, fold separations, scattered chips, and old archival fold repairs consistent with age and use, but no significant loss of text.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4907\" data-end=\"5080\"\u003eA highly desirable and scholarly early American legal manuscript combining probate law, land law, and the practice of equity during the formative years of the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52491463164186,"sku":null,"price":425.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_1461.jpg?v=1784030633"},{"product_id":"1806-virginia-forthcoming-bond-orange-county-court-early-printed-legal-form-execution-against-one-horse","title":"1806 Virginia Forthcoming Bond – Orange County Court – Early Printed Legal Form – Execution Against One Horse","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"3910\" data-end=\"4194\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAn original \u003cstrong data-start=\"3922\" data-end=\"3956\"\u003e1806 Virginia forthcoming bond\u003c\/strong\u003e, completed in manuscript for proceedings in the \u003cstrong data-start=\"4005\" data-end=\"4028\"\u003eOrange County Court\u003c\/strong\u003e. This scarce hybrid document combines an early printed legal form with extensive handwritten entries recording an execution proceeding arising from a civil judgment.\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4196\" data-end=\"4786\"\u003eThe action involves \u003cstrong data-start=\"4216\" data-end=\"4233\"\u003eCharles Burns\u003c\/strong\u003e as creditor and \u003cstrong data-start=\"4250\" data-end=\"4269\"\u003eWilliam Madison\u003c\/strong\u003e as debtor, with \u003cstrong data-start=\"4286\" data-end=\"4303\"\u003eJames Madison\u003c\/strong\u003e (Not the future President) acting as surety. Following issuance of a writ of execution, the sheriff levied upon the debtor's property—identified in the document as \u003cstrong data-start=\"4441\" data-end=\"4454\"\u003eone horse\u003c\/strong\u003e. Rather than surrender the animal immediately for public sale, the debtor executed this forthcoming bond, guaranteeing that the property would be produced at the appointed time and place of sale. Such bonds formed an important part of Virginia's early judicial process for enforcing judgments. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4788\" data-end=\"4997\"\u003eThe reverse bears contemporary court docketing identifying the case as \u003cstrong data-start=\"4859\" data-end=\"4894\"\u003e\"Burns against Madison's Bond,\"\u003c\/strong\u003e together with additional clerk's notations documenting subsequent proceedings, notices, and execution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1g1owjn\" data-start=\"873\" data-end=\"896\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eWhat the Document Is\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"898\" data-end=\"1030\"\u003eThis is a \u003cstrong data-start=\"908\" data-end=\"928\"\u003eforthcoming bond\u003c\/strong\u003e, one of the most common legal devices used in Virginia during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1032\" data-end=\"1472\"\u003eAfter the sheriff levied on a debtor's property under a \u003cstrong data-start=\"1088\" data-end=\"1124\"\u003ewrit of capias ad satisfaciendum\u003c\/strong\u003e or execution, the debtor could retain possession of the seized property by posting a bond promising to produce it at the sheriff's sale. If the property was not produced, the bond itself became enforceable. Such execution procedures and forthcoming bonds were a standard part of Virginia practice in this era. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1477\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"kco8v5\" data-start=\"1479\" data-end=\"1501\"\u003eInteresting Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1503\" data-end=\"1531\"\u003eThe manuscript records that:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1640\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"ositf0\" data-start=\"1533\" data-end=\"1567\"\u003eCharles Burns obtained judgment.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"157berr\" data-start=\"1568\" data-end=\"1588\"\u003eA writ was issued.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1xqxmo\" data-start=\"1589\" data-end=\"1611\"\u003eProperty was seized.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1kosw8r\" data-start=\"1612\" data-end=\"1640\"\u003eThe property consisted of:\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote data-start=\"1642\" data-end=\"1659\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1644\" data-end=\"1659\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1644\" data-end=\"1659\"\u003e\"one horse\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1661\" data-end=\"1704\"\u003erather than a plantation or numerous goods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1706\" data-end=\"1773\"\u003eThe debtor therefore posted a bond to retain possession until sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1775\" data-end=\"1864\"\u003eThis offers a fascinating glimpse into everyday debt collection in Jeffersonian Virginia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4999\" data-end=\"5229\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4999\" data-end=\"5013\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Good overall, with expected folds, age toning, scattered staining, edge wear, and small losses consistent with more than two centuries of legal use. The printed text and manuscript entries remain legible throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"5231\" data-end=\"5440\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eAn appealing and historically significant survival from Virginia's early legal system, offering collectors an authentic glimpse into debt collection, judicial practice, and everyday life in the early Republic.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52491745493274,"sku":null,"price":375.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_1463.jpg?v=1784031927"},{"product_id":"rare-17th-century-massachusetts-bay-colony-court-writ-ordering-the-attachment-and-arrest-of-nathaniel-gallop-cambridge-charlestown-early-middlesex-county-manuscript","title":"Rare 1655 Massachusetts Bay Colony Court Writ Ordering the Attachment and Arrest of Nathaniel Gallop – Cambridge \u0026 Charlestown – Early Middlesex County Manuscript","description":"\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"o6w6ft\" data-start=\"2599\" data-end=\"2772\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eAn exceptional original manuscript legal document from the early years of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, directed:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cblockquote data-start=\"2889\" data-end=\"2959\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2891\" data-end=\"2959\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"2891\" data-end=\"2959\"\u003e\"To the Marshall at Cambridge or the Constable of Charlestowne.\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2961\" data-end=\"3252\"\u003eThe writ commands the officer to seize the property of \u003cstrong data-start=\"3016\" data-end=\"3036\"\u003eNathaniel Gallop\u003c\/strong\u003e, or, if insufficient goods can be found, to arrest his person and require security in the substantial sum of \u003cstrong data-start=\"3146\" data-end=\"3178\"\u003eone hundred and fifty pounds\u003c\/strong\u003e, compelling his appearance before the next \u003cstrong data-start=\"3222\" data-end=\"3251\"\u003eCounty Court at Cambridge\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3254\" data-end=\"3387\"\u003eThe proceeding arises from a complaint brought by \u003cstrong data-start=\"3304\" data-end=\"3321\"\u003eRoger Stevens\u003c\/strong\u003e in an \u003cstrong data-start=\"3328\" data-end=\"3348\"\u003eAction of Review\u003c\/strong\u003e, involving the alleged taking away of:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"3389\" data-end=\"3447\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1ed7ugs\" data-start=\"3389\" data-end=\"3409\"\u003ean English servant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"yxwvrf\" data-start=\"3410\" data-end=\"3429\"\u003ean Indian servant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"ljey29\" data-start=\"3430\" data-end=\"3447\"\u003ea Negro servant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3449\" data-end=\"3815\"\u003eThe manuscript provides a remarkable glimpse into the operation of colonial justice and the complex labor systems of seventeenth-century New England. Documents explicitly referencing English, Native American, and African laborers within the same legal action are notably scarce and provide valuable evidence of the diverse forms of bound labor present in the colony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3817\" data-end=\"4031\"\u003eThe lower section contains the constable's original return, certifying service of the writ and the taking of security, while the reverse bears contemporary docketing identifying the matter against Nathaniel Gallop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"1dr5t50\" data-start=\"4033\" data-end=\"4044\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"4046\" data-end=\"4318\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1brwwfy\" data-start=\"4046\" data-end=\"4081\"\u003eOriginal manuscript on laid paper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"54k6nw\" data-start=\"4082\" data-end=\"4108\"\u003eMassachusetts Bay Colony\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1sdshr4\" data-start=\"4109\" data-end=\"4139\"\u003eMiddlesex County (Cambridge)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"11nmbqo\" data-start=\"4140\" data-end=\"4175\"\u003eDirected to Charlestown constable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"lv94iy\" data-start=\"4176\" data-end=\"4224\"\u003eEarly to mid-17th century (likely 1650s–1660s)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1sypa10\" data-start=\"4225\" data-end=\"4248\"\u003eOriginal court return\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"3u77b3\" data-start=\"4249\" data-end=\"4278\"\u003eOriginal docketing on verso\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"h1ug02\" data-start=\"4279\" data-end=\"4318\"\u003eEntirely handwritten in iron-gall ink\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"1uef3h1\" data-start=\"4320\" data-end=\"4333\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4335\" data-end=\"4552\"\u003eOriginal folds, age toning, scattered ink corrosion, several fold separations, edge losses, and archival-worthy wear consistent with a seventeenth-century colonial court document. Fully legible and highly displayable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-section-id=\"1a8qj0\" data-start=\"4554\" data-end=\"4574\"\u003eCollector Appeal\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4576\" data-end=\"4659\"\u003eThis manuscript combines several collecting categories rarely encountered together:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"4661\" data-end=\"4945\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1q8bqeb\" data-start=\"4661\" data-end=\"4693\"\u003eEarly New England colonial law\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"heu66n\" data-start=\"4694\" data-end=\"4725\"\u003eMassachusetts Bay manuscripts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"lnkas1\" data-start=\"4726\" data-end=\"4761\"\u003eCambridge and Charlestown history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"7zt6ea\" data-start=\"4762\" data-end=\"4796\"\u003eNathaniel Gallop family research\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"a259jz\" data-start=\"4797\" data-end=\"4823\"\u003eColonial court procedure\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"14ke0uh\" data-start=\"4824\" data-end=\"4846\"\u003eIndentured servitude\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"18zdy51\" data-start=\"4847\" data-end=\"4872\"\u003eNative American history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"icc813\" data-start=\"4873\" data-end=\"4905\"\u003eEarly African American history\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"19c6cn6\" data-start=\"4906\" data-end=\"4945\"\u003eSeventeenth-century legal manuscripts\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4947\" data-end=\"5150\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003eIt is a significant and visually impressive survivor from the formative decades of English New England, documenting the administration of justice and labor disputes in one of America's earliest colonies.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52502839984410,"sku":null,"price":1695.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_1498.jpg?v=1784061748"},{"product_id":"1800-stephen-longfellow-signed-court-writ-father-of-henry-wadsworth-longfellow-early-maine-legal-manuscript","title":"1800 Stephen Longfellow Signed Court Writ – Father of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – Early Maine Legal Manuscript","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"3701\" data-end=\"4073\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOriginal Commonwealth of Massachusetts Court of Common Pleas writ issued in \u003cstrong data-start=\"3777\" data-end=\"3818\"\u003eCumberland County (District of Maine)\u003c\/strong\u003e on \u003cstrong data-start=\"3822\" data-end=\"3844\"\u003eSeptember 25, 1800\u003c\/strong\u003e, bearing the signature of \u003cstrong data-start=\"3871\" data-end=\"3905\"\u003eStephen Longfellow (1776–1849)\u003c\/strong\u003e, distinguished Portland attorney, future U.S. Congressman, and father of celebrated American poet \u003cstrong data-start=\"4004\" data-end=\"4034\"\u003eHenry Wadsworth Longfellow\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4075\" data-end=\"4555\"\u003eThe action was brought by \u003cstrong data-start=\"4101\" data-end=\"4120\"\u003eWilliam Woodman\u003c\/strong\u003e, a Portland hatter, against \u003cstrong data-start=\"4149\" data-end=\"4169\"\u003eSamuel M. Quincy\u003c\/strong\u003e, also a hatter, seeking recovery arising from an agreement to furnish two suits of clothing—a \"freedom suit\" and a \"common suit.\" The complaint alleges that only one suit had been delivered and that the second, valued at \u003cstrong data-start=\"4391\" data-end=\"4398\"\u003e$42\u003c\/strong\u003e, remained unpaid. The reverse records the sheriff's return, fees, and the final notation \u003cstrong data-start=\"4488\" data-end=\"4525\"\u003e\"Judgment for forty-two Dollars,\"\u003c\/strong\u003e signed by Stephen Longfellow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4557\" data-end=\"4846\"\u003eExecuted just seven years before the birth of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, this manuscript documents the earliest phase of Stephen Longfellow's distinguished legal career and offers an appealing combination of literary association, early American commerce, and Federal-period legal history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"4848\" data-end=\"5321\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4848\" data-end=\"4857\"\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 25, 1800 (Sheriff's Return: October 3, 1800)\u003cbr data-start=\"4912\" data-end=\"4915\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4915\" data-end=\"4928\"\u003eLocation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cumberland County, District of Maine (then part of Massachusetts)\u003cbr data-start=\"4994\" data-end=\"4997\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"4997\" data-end=\"5015\"\u003eDocument Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Court of Common Pleas writ of attachment with sheriff's return and judgment\u003cbr data-start=\"5091\" data-end=\"5094\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"5094\" data-end=\"5108\"\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very good, with original folds, light age toning, period docketing, and clear manuscript throughout. An excellent early Maine legal document with direct Longfellow family association and strong historical appeal.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1c1l3dy\" data-start=\"884\" data-end=\"903\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eDocument Summary\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"905\" data-end=\"968\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"905\" data-end=\"915\"\u003eCourt:\u003c\/strong\u003e Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Court of Common Pleas\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"970\" data-end=\"1012\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"970\" data-end=\"981\"\u003eCounty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Cumberland (District of Maine)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1014\" data-end=\"1049\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1014\" data-end=\"1030\"\u003eDate Issued:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 25, 1800\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1051\" data-end=\"1088\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1051\" data-end=\"1072\"\u003eSheriff's Return:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 3, 1800\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1090\" data-end=\"1104\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1090\" data-end=\"1104\"\u003ePlaintiff:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1105\" data-end=\"1142\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"c9vhk7\" data-start=\"1105\" data-end=\"1142\"\u003eWilliam Woodman of Portland, Hatter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1144\" data-end=\"1158\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1144\" data-end=\"1158\"\u003eDefendant:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1159\" data-end=\"1225\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1r55htb\" data-start=\"1159\" data-end=\"1225\"\u003eSamuel M. Quincy (described as a hatter residing in York County)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1227\" data-end=\"1358\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1227\" data-end=\"1237\"\u003eClaim:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe lawsuit concerns an unpaid obligation arising from clothing. The declaration states that Quincy promised to provide:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1360\" data-end=\"1404\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"gvt4px\" data-start=\"1360\" data-end=\"1382\"\u003eone \u003cstrong data-start=\"1366\" data-end=\"1382\"\u003efreedom suit\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1yfyz8a\" data-start=\"1383\" data-end=\"1404\"\u003eone \u003cstrong data-start=\"1389\" data-end=\"1404\"\u003ecommon suit\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1406\" data-end=\"1554\"\u003eOnly one suit had reportedly been furnished, while the \"freedom suit\" remained unpaid, valued at \u003cstrong data-start=\"1503\" data-end=\"1510\"\u003e$42\u003c\/strong\u003e, for which judgment was ultimately entered.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1556\" data-end=\"1670\"\u003eThe writ commands the sheriff to attach Quincy's property sufficient to satisfy damages of \u003cstrong data-start=\"1647\" data-end=\"1654\"\u003e$60\u003c\/strong\u003e, pending trial.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1672\" data-end=\"1675\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"165ox5x\" data-start=\"1677\" data-end=\"1687\"\u003eReverse\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1689\" data-end=\"1710\"\u003eThe reverse contains:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"1712\" data-end=\"1784\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1qzt11v\" data-start=\"1712\" data-end=\"1730\"\u003eSheriff's return\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1mxupa8\" data-start=\"1731\" data-end=\"1745\"\u003eService fees\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1nyuprn\" data-start=\"1746\" data-end=\"1763\"\u003eTravel expenses\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"4zzb6c\" data-start=\"1764\" data-end=\"1784\"\u003eJudgment notation:\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cblockquote data-start=\"1786\" data-end=\"1824\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1788\" data-end=\"1824\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"1788\" data-end=\"1824\"\u003e\"Judgment for forty-two Dollars\"\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1826\" data-end=\"1878\"\u003efollowed by the signature of \u003cstrong data-start=\"1855\" data-end=\"1877\"\u003eStephen Longfellow\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr data-start=\"1880\" data-end=\"1883\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 data-section-id=\"1353kst\" data-start=\"1885\" data-end=\"1909\"\u003eHistorical Importance\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1911\" data-end=\"2026\"\u003eThis document illustrates commercial litigation in early Federal-era Maine while it remained part of Massachusetts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2028\" data-end=\"2140\"\u003eIt is particularly desirable because it is associated with \u003cstrong data-start=\"2087\" data-end=\"2121\"\u003eStephen Longfellow (1776–1849)\u003c\/strong\u003e, who later became:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul data-start=\"2142\" data-end=\"2379\"\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"k4e6kh\" data-start=\"2142\" data-end=\"2173\"\u003ea prominent Portland attorney\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"hw8xlj\" data-start=\"2174\" data-end=\"2217\"\u003emember of the Massachusetts General Court\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"i1vc2u\" data-start=\"2218\" data-end=\"2255\"\u003edelegate to the Hartford Convention\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"1btxoc2\" data-start=\"2256\" data-end=\"2297\"\u003eU.S. Congressman from Maine (1823–1825)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli data-section-id=\"bprkwg\" data-start=\"2298\" data-end=\"2379\"\u003efather of \u003cstrong data-start=\"2310\" data-end=\"2340\"\u003eHenry Wadsworth Longfellow\u003c\/strong\u003e. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2381\" data-end=\"2726\"\u003eThe case also provides an interesting glimpse into the clothing trade around 1800. The distinction between a \u003cstrong data-start=\"2490\" data-end=\"2508\"\u003e\"freedom suit\"\u003c\/strong\u003e and a \u003cstrong data-start=\"2515\" data-end=\"2532\"\u003e\"common suit\"\u003c\/strong\u003e reflects period clothing terminology, with \"freedom suit\" referring to clothing furnished under a contractual obligation, often to apprentices or indentured servants upon completion of service.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52581512413466,"sku":null,"price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_1761.jpg?v=1784983650"},{"product_id":"1814-kentucky-frontier-court-subpoena-signed-by-pioneer-benjamin-helm-ezekiel-hart-v-thomas-key","title":"1814 Kentucky Frontier Court Subpoena Signed by Pioneer Benjamin Helm – Ezekiel Hart v. Thomas Key","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOriginal manuscript court subpoena issued at Elizabethtown, Kentucky, on February 21, 1814, and signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Ben Helm”\u003c\/strong\u003e by prominent Kentucky pioneer and public official \u003cstrong\u003eBenjamin Helm (1767–1858)\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAddressed to the sheriff of Butler County, the writ commands Abraham, Robert and Thomas Chapel, together with Oliver Mason, to appear before the judges of the Hardin Circuit Court during its March term. They were required to testify on behalf of plaintiff \u003cstrong\u003eEzekiel Hart\u003c\/strong\u003e in his legal controversy with defendant \u003cstrong\u003eThomas Key\u003c\/strong\u003e, under the considerable penalty of £100 each.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBenjamin Helm was among the formative figures of early Hardin County. He conducted the first survey of Elizabethtown, served as one of its earliest trustees, represented the region in the Kentucky Senate, served as clerk of the county and circuit courts, and held the rank of major during the War of 1812.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOf particular historical interest, the Kaplan Collection at the University of Pennsylvania preserves another Ben Helm-signed summons from the \u003cstrong\u003esame Hart v. Key lawsuit\u003c\/strong\u003e, issued in April 1815. The institutional record identifies the case as involving a debt owed by Key to Hart. This newly offered document dates more than a year earlier and records an earlier stage of that continuing frontier legal dispute.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe plaintiff shares the name of Ezekiel Hart, the celebrated Canadian Jewish merchant and first Jewish person elected to public office in the British Empire; however, that identification has not been conclusively established and is not represented as certain.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn evocative surviving artifact of justice and commercial life on the early Kentucky frontier, signed by one of Elizabethtown’s founding civic figures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 21, 1814\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlace:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elizabethtown, Hardin County, Kentucky\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSigned:\u003c\/strong\u003e “Ben Helm,” as clerk\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e One-page manuscript document with docketing on reverse\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Expected folds and age toning with minor spotting; bold, substantially legible writing and no apparent major loss.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52735551734042,"sku":null,"price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2454.jpg?v=1787529209"},{"product_id":"1811-kentucky-pioneer-benjamin-helm-signed-court-document-early-elizabethtown-and-lincoln-family-association","title":"1811 Kentucky Pioneer Benjamin Helm Signed Court Document—Early Elizabethtown and Lincoln Family Association","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOriginal Hardin County, Kentucky, Circuit Court witness summons signed \u003cstrong\u003e“Ben Helm” by Major Benjamin Helm\u003c\/strong\u003e, pioneer surveyor, legislator, court clerk and War of 1812 officer.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIssued during the September 1811 term, the document directs the Hardin County sheriff to summon William Lankin or Larkin to appear before the Circuit Court at Elizabethtown and give testimony in a Commonwealth prosecution. It concludes with Helm’s bold signature in his official capacity as clerk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBenjamin Helm was among the formative figures of early Elizabethtown. He conducted the first survey of the town, served on its original board of trustees and became clerk of both the Hardin County and Circuit courts. He also served in the Kentucky Senate, attained the rank of major during the War of 1812 and later became a prominent merchant and bank president.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHelm occupied an interesting place in the extended Lincoln story. He purchased property owned by Christopher Bush, father of Sarah Bush Johnston Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s beloved stepmother. Sarah later conducted business at Helm’s Elizabethtown store. Helm’s son John LaRue Helm became governor of Kentucky, while his grandson, Confederate General Benjamin Hardin Helm, married Emilie Todd, half-sister of Mary Todd Lincoln.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbraham Lincoln himself referred to Benjamin Helm in an 1860 letter to Kentucky historian Samuel Haycraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA desirable early Kentucky legal document connecting pioneer Elizabethtown, the War of 1812, two generations of Kentucky political leadership and the extended families of Abraham and Mary Lincoln.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eManuscript on laid paper, written on both sides. Expected folds, toning, scattered staining, minor fold wear and remnants of an old seal or adhesive. The signature remains dark, complete and prominent.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52741500403994,"sku":null,"price":395.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2562.jpg?v=1787676535"},{"product_id":"william-bollan-signed-1734-massachusetts-bay-writ-early-colonial-lawyer-and-future-agent-in-london","title":"WILLIAM BOLLAN SIGNED 1734 MASSACHUSETTS BAY WRIT — EARLY COLONIAL LAWYER AND FUTURE AGENT IN LONDON","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eAn original Massachusetts Bay legal writ dated \u003cstrong\u003eApril 9, 1734\u003c\/strong\u003e, bearing an apparent early legal endorsement by \u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Bollan\u003c\/strong\u003e, the prominent colonial attorney who later represented Massachusetts before the British government in London.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinted and manuscript document issued in the name of \u003cstrong\u003eKing George II\u003c\/strong\u003e, directing the sheriff of Essex County to attach the estate of \u003cstrong\u003eIsaac Follett of Salem\u003c\/strong\u003e, identified as a weaver or yeoman, and, if insufficient property could be found, to take him into custody. Follett was ordered to appear before the Suffolk County Inferior Court of Common Pleas in Boston to answer a claim brought by \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Dolbear of Boston, cordwainer\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to the writ, Follett had executed a note dated December 3, 1733, promising payment of \u003cstrong\u003e£50\u003c\/strong\u003e by January 10, but had failed to satisfy the debt. The sheriff was consequently authorized to attach property valued at £100.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe reverse contains the contemporary return of \u003cstrong\u003eThomas Chute, Deputy Sheriff\u003c\/strong\u003e, dated April 10, recording that he had attached Follett’s “house and land belonging thereto” in Salem and left a summons at the defendant’s usual residence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt lower left appears the endorsement:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“William Bollan Att[orney] Pl[aintiff]”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBollan was then practicing law in Massachusetts. In 1745 Governor William Shirley selected him as Massachusetts’s agent in England, initially to recover the province’s substantial expenses incurred during the capture of Louisbourg. He became an important advocate for Massachusetts and later wrote extensively on colonial rights, constitutional government, and freedom of speech and the press.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe writ is additionally signed by \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Ballantine\u003c\/strong\u003e, longtime clerk of the Suffolk County Inferior Court of Common Pleas, beneath the printed authority of Justice Thomas Palmer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA rare surviving example of Bollan’s early Massachusetts legal career, created more than a decade before his appointment as colonial agent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 9, 1734\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlace:\u003c\/strong\u003e Boston, Province of Massachusetts Bay\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e William Bollan; John Ballantine; Thomas Chute, Deputy Sheriff\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Substantial paper losses through the central vertical fold, smaller punctures, fold separations, edge wear, toning and staining. Manuscript remains substantially legible. Please examine photographs carefully.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52742001983770,"sku":null,"price":795.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2576.jpg?v=1787691517"},{"product_id":"1838-governor-isaac-hill-signed-1838-new-hampshire-judicial-commission-joseph-doe-justice-of-the-peace","title":"1838 GOVERNOR ISAAC HILL SIGNED 1838 NEW HAMPSHIRE JUDICIAL COMMISSION — JOSEPH DOE, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eOriginal State of New Hampshire judicial commission signed by \u003cstrong\u003eGovernor Isaac Hill\u003c\/strong\u003e, appointing prominent Newmarket citizen \u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Doe\u003c\/strong\u003e as a Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum for Strafford County.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIssued at Concord on \u003cstrong\u003eDecember 20, 1838\u003c\/strong\u003e, the partly printed document declares that the state, “reposing especial Trust and Confidence” in Doe’s fidelity and ability, appointed him to exercise the powers and authority of a Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum for a term of five years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoldly signed at lower right by:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Isaac Hill”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eand countersigned by \u003cstrong\u003eJosiah Stevens Jr., New Hampshire secretary of state\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe commission retains its large original \u003cstrong\u003eNew Hampshire state seal\u003c\/strong\u003e, impressed beneath a serrated paper wafer. The reverse docket identifies the recipient as “Joseph Doe Esq., Newmarket” and notes that the commission would expire on December 20, 1843.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lower portion records that Doe appeared in Strafford County on February 18, 1839, and formally subscribed the oath required of a Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJoseph Doe (1776–1860)\u003c\/strong\u003e was a successful Newmarket-area farmer and substantial landowner who participated actively in town affairs, served in the New Hampshire legislature and held judicial office as a justice of the peace. His surviving papers are represented in the collection of the New Hampshire Historical Society.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDoe was the father of \u003cstrong\u003eCharles Cogswell Doe\u003c\/strong\u003e, who became one of New Hampshire’s most distinguished jurists and served as chief justice of the state Supreme Court.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIsaac Hill (1788–1851)\u003c\/strong\u003e was an influential Jacksonian newspaper editor and Democratic politician. Before becoming governor, he represented New Hampshire in the United States Senate from 1831 to 1836. He served as governor from 1836 until 1839.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn attractive signed state appointment connecting a prominent New Hampshire governor with the Doe family’s lengthy involvement in the state’s legal and political history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDocument:\u003c\/strong\u003e Judicial commission\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRecipient:\u003c\/strong\u003e Joseph Doe of Newmarket\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOffice:\u003c\/strong\u003e Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCounty:\u003c\/strong\u003e Strafford County, New Hampshire\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e December 20, 1838\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignatures:\u003c\/strong\u003e Governor Isaac Hill and Secretary of State Josiah Stevens Jr.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSeal:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original paper-covered embossed New Hampshire state seal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original folds with several short fold separations and small losses at intersections; edge wear and tearing, particularly along the left margin; scattered toning and minor stains. The principal text, signatures and state seal remain clear and presentable.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52742055133466,"sku":null,"price":495.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2565.jpg?v=1787692691"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/en-ca\/collections\/legal-judicial-commisions-writs.oembed","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}