Sunday, October 25, 2009

New Glocester in the County of Cumberland

The Document reads in full as follows:
“Know all men by these presents that I, Thomas Barker, of New Glocester in the County of Cumberland + in the State of the Massachusetts Bay. Gentleman, for + in consideration of the sum of five hundred + thirty three pounds, six shillings + eight pence to me in hand paid by Pain Elwell of New Glocester aforesaid. In holder the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do give, grant, bargain, sell convey + confirm unto him the said Pain Elwell + to his heirs forever a certain tract or parcel of land lying in New Glocester aforesaid being the southwesterly half part of an hundred acre lot of land in said town, number four in the third division, together with eight acres more of the other half of said lot, being the whole of the Northwest end of said half lot lying on the Northwest side of the road leading to North Yarmouth. To have + to hold the said granted and bargained Premises to him the said Pain Elwell + to his heirs, forever with all the Buildings, Privilege, + appurtenances to the same belonging to his + their sole use, benefit + behoof forever. And I the said Thomas Barker for myself, my heirs, executors + administrators, do covenant with him, the said Pain Elwell, his heirs, executors, administrators + assigns to warrant secure and defend the said granted and bargained premises to him + them against the lawful claims or demands of any Person or Persons whatsoever hereafter forever. In witness whereof I with my present wife Eunice, she surrendering her right of Dower or Power of thirds in the premises, have hereunto set our hands + seal this fifteenth day of July, Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred + seventy eight + in the third year of American Independence - signed, sealed + delivered Thos. Barker in presence of (signed)William True (signed)James Sawyer (signed)Eunice (her x mark) Barker.

This great old document is for sale on Ebay Item number:320439352502

Friday, October 23, 2009

Frederick County, Maryland, 1805

Frederick County, Maryland, Aug 8 1805, where Thomas Gibson and Joseph Taney Sr., both of Frederick County, agree to a binder to pay "Negro William," also known as "Free William," of the same country, £150 In Maryland money to deliver to Harbert Hines, the owner of a Mulatto woman slave named, "Peg," who was was "unjustly detained" by Negro William, "against sureties and pledges." The document is signed by Ezra Mantz, Sheriff of Frederick County, and Thomas Gibson and Joseph Taney, a member of the House of Delegates.

This document is for sale on Ebay Item number:250515915536

Monday, October 19, 2009

Newbury, Province Of Massachusetts Bay In New England 1754

1754 land document. About the sale of land from William Woodbridge to Edmund Knight & they both were from Newbury, Province Of Massachusetts Bay In New England.

This document is up for sale on Ebay Item number:360198884783.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Westmoreland County Virginia 1825

Westmoreland County [Virginia] manuscript slave document, Division of the slaves from the George Bruce estate between his daughters. Cordelia [wife of William H Peyton] is to receive the Negroes in Lot No 1: Big [?], Jenny & her child, Winney, Mary, Maria [?] & James - valued at $875; and Parmilia to receive those in Lot No 2: Joe, Mary, Richard, etc. - valued at $865. Some of the slave names are hard to decipher, but there appears to be about a dozen total.
Signed at bottom, January 7, 1825 by "Danl Carmichael"; "Law Washington"; and "Fras C Triplett."

Ebay Item number:230388396634

Monday, October 12, 2009

Portsmouth, Rhode Island 1779

Document, dated 1779, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where Joseph Peck has written a letter of agreement between he and Samuel Longfellow for a voyage to the West Indies....seems basically that if either one of them gets to the West Indies without being taken, he owes the other one $30....in the event that they both be taken no one is in debt......

Ebay Item number: 350253673703

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Greenfield Academy, Lancaster, Highland County, Ohio,1843

Very interesting letter dated Greenfield Academy (Lancaster, Highland County, Ohio), May 25 1843, from M. C. Whitehurst, a student, to Dr. F. O. Foster, Circleville OH, with Lancaster/ O, Jun 1 (1843) postmark.

The letter reads, in part, as follows, "Study seems to get much easier than it did and time moves off considerably faster than it has done heretofore. though not as pleasant yet as I should desire it, owning to my having taken up so many studies at the commencement that it leaves me no time for other reading. I hope, however, to get through with several of them soon. I begin to think it one of the first places in the State to get instruction (for several reasons), first on account of its cheapness; secondly; the manner in which it is conducted. Thirdly; owing to its being situated in the country where there is nothing to lead the mind away from study, and the kind of students that attend a country place are (with but few exceptions) of the right kind. They are either persons that are educating themselves or old farmer's sons that have been brought up in the way they should go, and the teacher is one of the best educated men in the State, can teach anything, takes great pains to teach all that are about him good morals. Is a regular read physician & attends to all his students that get sick. There was but one Society when I first came here, but finding it too large, there was a committee appointed to divide it. It is now Society No. 1 & Society No. 2. Ther is no library connected with either. We have some very good speakers in Society No. 1 and the debates are kept up with considerable interest. No one can doubt but that it is far superior to anything found in Athens. I wish you could be in the school on Thursday afternoon & hear the eloquence there displayed. I say on Thursday afternoon, because this half day is devoted to reading, composition & declaiming. One half the school has got to read compositions, while the other half speaks. It would do you good, I would describe it to you, but it is altogether indescribable, Cicero & Demosthenes are no comparison. There are some twelve or fifteen studying Latin, a very large class in Philosophy, several studying Botany, a large class in Surveying, a large class in Geometry & a large class in Algebra, and you may rest assure it keeps the old man moving to get 'round in a day, but there appears to be no tire out to him. He visits the rooms at night to see if all is going on right. Without joking this is a very pleasant place in the summer. The beautiful wild flowers afford considerable amusement to the fanciful. The tall oaks of the forest clothed in their robes of green present a beautiful view. The large field, too, that promise such an abundant harvest, presents its loveliness to the view. Could you but take a walk with me over the beautiful fields or through the wild woods of the forest in the morning before the Sun makes his appearance, you should not only see nature in all its simplicity & loveliness but feel a good effect of such a walk. Religious instruction is tolerably good here. During the summer we have preaching once every Sabbath, though not as good as I would desire it half the time. The other half we are favored with a sermon from Revd. Mr. Fox of Lancaster, who I presume you have heard [is] a very excellent preacher. We have also raised a Sabbath School, which will be of no small benefit to the children of this region (but rather a barren place in the winter season) ... You may let anybody read this that you please, but Mr. Atwater. Please do not let it be exposed to his sarcastic remarks, but please give him my respects ... [signed] M. C. Whitehurst."

Ebay Item number:260485990730

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Wake County, North Carolina,

A document, dated 1814, North Carolina, where Alvin Utley of Wake County has sold to Isaac Hunter, a negro boy of twelve years, named Moses, for $365.00....signed at bottom by Alvin Utley, Albert Utley on front and by B.S.King and R.B.Smith on back.

Ebay
Item number:
350261064564

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

125 Handwritten Letters and Documents Forsyth Willett Bruen

Most of these paper items have to do with the Forsythe, Craig and Bruen families of Newport Rhode Island. There are about 125 pieces in the lot and they dates from the 1860’s into the early 1900’s. Most of the ephemera has to do with Russell Forsyth. Then a good share of the ephemera also has to do with Russell’s sister, Emily Howe Forsyth Bruen. Out of the 125 pieces there are 50 letters, mostly handwritten and most are of the personal nature, 25 receipts, 23 deeds or legal papers, 2 wills (Russell’s and Emily’s) and 26 miscellaneous pieces.

Ebay
Item number:
170389639607

Monday, October 05, 2009

Margaret Graisbury 1720

The document reads, as follows: This indenture made the seaventeenth day of February in the year of our Lord God one thousand seaven & twenty and in the sixth year of our soveraign George King of Great Brittain France & Ireland defender of the faith Between Margaret Graisbury & Mary her sister Daughters of Benjamin Graisbury late of the Island of Bermuda s marriner Richard Kelly late of Ireland and at present husband into the above sd Mary marriner of the one part and James Graisbury of the city of philadelphia in the province of pensilvania sd ____ maker of the other part Witnesseth that the Margaret Graisbury & Mary her sister & Richard Kelly the husband of the sister for & in consideration of the sum of thirty pounds current silver money in hand paid by _____ James Graisbury unto ____ Margaret & Richard Mary Richard or some or one of them before the sending of these presents the receipt hereof & of every part & parcell thereof they of thses Margaret & Mary & Richard do hereby at the knowledge & thereof do fully & freely acquit and exonerate release & discharge the said James Graisbury his heirs & assigns for ever by these presents have granted bargained for & sold to ____ & confirmed & by the presents 100 % fully fairly & absolutely grant for gain ___ & confirmation unto the sd family Graisbury his heir & assigns for ever the third part of a certain quantity of land pertaining in the total of five hundred seaven acres situated & being within the county of Gloucester in the province of westjersey & purchased of Robert Turner of philadelphia in the province of pensilvania merchat by Joseph Graisbury Benjamin Graisbury of James Graisbury as by indenture dated by twenty fifth day of November Anno Dai 1693 notation being thereunto had will more fully appt ___ being also bounded ___ in the sd indenture is inclusive together with all the mines minerals waters fowlings fishings or other profits ____ & apportenates heretofor to the sd third part of the sd five hundred & seaven acres belonging or appertaining of all the estate right inferss property herein __________ sister & Richard Kelly present husband of the sd Mary or anyone of their heirs or their assigns within & equity of into & the sd five hundred seaven acres of land to ___ version and reversions of sd 0f every part thereof. To have and to hold the third part of the five hundred seaven acres of land to him the sd James Graisbury his heirs & assigns for ever And the sd Margaret Graisbury Mary her sister & Richard Kelly husband for themselves & their heirs the sd third part of the sd five hundred seaven acres of land granted promises & every part & paecell thereof with the apportenate unto the sd James Graisbury & his heirs or assigns against them the sd Margaret Mary & Richard & their heirs against all others attaining from by or under them or any of them shall & will warrant & defend for ever by the presents In Witness whereas they the sd parties Margaret Maryand Richard Kelly have these presents their hands & seals Day and year as above written.

This great old document Item number:250506917944 is up for sale on Ebay.

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Last Will & Testament of John Matthew Quantock of Somerset County, England.

The Last Will & Testament from the Estate of John Matthew Quantock of Somerset County, England is up for sale on Ebay. Dated: Mar. 2nd,1864.