Description:

1713 Orders to Seize Property or Arrest Debtors in Colonial Massachusetts Bay

In this pair of writs of execution, the clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay, orders the sheriffs of Suffolk County and Bristol County respectively to seize the goods or the bodies of Samuel Staples of Dedham, then in Suffolk County, and Edward Southworth of Little Compton, then in Bristol County, Massachusetts Bay, to satisfy judgments against them. Dedham is now the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, and Little Compton is now part of Newport County, Rhode Island.

Eight months after the clerk issued the first writ, Deputy Sheriff James Jordan of Suffolk County responded on the verso: "I have made diligent search after the wthin named Samuel Staples and can find neither person nor estate whereon to levy this execution."

Thomas Church of Little Compton in what is now Rhode Island served as executor of the estate of Lt. William Fobes (ca. 1650-1712) and cared for his estate. Fobes served as a lieutenant commissary in King Philip's War (1675-1676) and operated a ferry in Newport. When Fobes's brother-in-law failed to pay rent for land belonging to Fobes's estate, Church sued him. Whether Southworth was jailed or paid the rent remains unclear.

[LAW.] John Cary, Autograph Document Signed, Writ of Execution in case of Whipple v. Staples, December 2, 1713, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Includes endorsement of Deputy Sheriff James Jordan on the verso. 2 pp., 7.625" x 11.625". Expected folds; a few small holes on folds with minimal effect on a few words; wax seal still present; quite good.
AND
John Cary, Autograph Document Signed, Writ of Execution in case of Church v. Southworth, September 21?, 1714, Bristol County, Massachusetts. 1 p., 7.75" x 12.125". Expected folds; a few holes in penultimate line from cross-outs in original affecting two words; wax seal still present.

Excerpts
[Whipple v. Staples:]
"Whereas Joseph Whipple of Providence in the colony of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations &c Merchant By ye Consideration of our Justices of our Inferir Court of Common pleas holden at Bristol for and within our County of Bristol aforesd: on the second Tuesday of Aprill last past Rendered Judgment against Samuel Staples of Dedham in the County of Suffolk in the province of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England yeoman for the sum of three pounds seventeen shillings and one penny Debt Due by Bill & two pounds nineteen shillings & six pence Cost of suit as to us Appears of Record whereof Execution Remains to be done."
"We command you therefore of the goods Chattels or lands of the said Samuel Staples within your precinct you cause to be pay'd and sattisfyed unto the said Joseph Whipple at the value thereof in money the aforesd sums...."
"And for want of Goods Chattels or lands of the said Samuel Staples to by him shown unto you, or found within your precinct to the acceptance of the said Joseph Whipple to sattisfy the sums aforesaid We command you to take the Body of the said Staple &him commit unto Our Goal in Boston in our County of Suffolk aforesaid & Detain in your Custodie within our sd Goal untill he pay the full sums above mentioned with your fees, or that he be Discharged by the said Joseph Whipple the Creditor or otherwise by order of law."

[Church v. Southworth:]
"Whereas Thomas Church of Littlecompton in the County of Bristol Esqe; otherwise called Thomas Church of Little Compton in the County of Bristol in her Majesties Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Esqe who is appointed by the last will & Testament of Lieut William Fobes deceased to Enter upon & to take into his Possession & Improvement all that part of his Estate given to his grandson Fobes Southworth whilst he comes to the age of Twenty one year & is farther Impowered by Letts of Administration from Nathal Paine Esqre &c., by the consideration of our Justice of our Inferior Court of Common holden at Bristol within and four our County of Bristol on ye 2d Tuesday of Aprill last Rendered Judgement against Edward Southworth of Little Compton in the County aforesd yeoman for the sum of Ten pounds his Debt Due by Lease for one years Rent and two pounds fourteen shillings & six pence Cost of suit as to us appears of Record whereof Execution Remains to be done. We command you therefore that of the Goods Chattels or lands of the sd Edward Southworth within your precinct you cause to be payd and sattisfyed unto the sd Thomas Church at the value thereof in money the aforesd sums...."
"And for want of Goods Chattells or lands of the sd Edward Southworth to be by him shown unto you or found within your precinct to the Acceptance of the sd Thomas Church to sattisfy the sums aforesd We command you to take the body of the sd Edward Southworth and him commit unto Our Goal in Bristol in our County of Bristol aforesd and detain in your Custodie within our sd Goal untill he pay the full sums above mentioned with your fees, or that he be discharged by the said Thomas Church the Creditor or otherwise by order of law."

Historical Background
When a debtor in colonial Massachusetts Bay could not pay his or her debts and had insufficient real or personal property to satisfy the creditor, that creditor could insist on the debtor's incarceration. Debtors would then be imprisoned indefinitely until their debts were paid. Insolvent debtors could avoid imprisonment by attesting under oath that they had concealed no part of their property.

Colonial Massachusetts Bay counties had two trial courts, the Inferior Court of Common Pleas and the Court of General Sessions of the Peace. Both met quarterly, though the Common Pleas consisted of four justices of the peace and had jurisdiction over all civil suits in which damages exceeded forty shillings. The General Sessions included all justices sitting collectively, and it heard criminal cases and had extensive administrative functions over bridges, roads, tavern licenses, and other matters.

John Cary (1645-1721) was born in the Plymouth Colony, the oldest child of John Cary and Elizabeth Godfrey. In 1670, he married Abigail Penniman, with whom he had twelve children. He was a brewer and served in a variety of local appointed and elected positions, including one of the first two deacons of the first church in Bristol, a rater of the town, clerk of the writs from approximately 1698 to 1712, a selectman, register of probate, and representative to the General Court in 1694, after Plymouth had joined Massachusetts Bay.

Joseph Whipple (1662-1746) was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and became a wealthy merchant He served as a deputy from Providence in the colonial legislature from 1698 to 1728 and on the Providence Town Council for fifteen years between 1703 and 1729. He served as a colonel in the militia, granted a lot on which to build a schoolhouse, and obtained a license to keep a public house in 1710. At his death, he left a sizeable estate to his children and grandchildren. He married Alice Smith, with whom he had twelve children, the third of whom later became a deputy governor of the colony.

Samuel Staples (ca. 1664-1742) was born in Suffolk County, Massachusetts Bay. In 1693, he married Hannah Lincoln, with whom he had at least six children. He moved to Dedham and later to Bellingham, Massachusetts. He died in Rhode Island.

Thomas Church (ca. 1674-1746) was born in the Plymouth Colony. He married three times—Sarah Hayman (m. 1698), Edith Woodman (m. 1712), and Sarah Horsewell (m. 1719)—and had seventeen children, five of whom were named Thomas.

Edward Southworth (1684-bef. 1751) was born in Little Compton, Massachusetts/Rhode Island. In 1708, he married Mary Fobes, sister of Lt. William Fobes, and they had two children before she died in 1712, including Fobes Southworth (1710-1755). In 1716, he married Elizabeth Palmer, and they had eight children. In 1714, Sarah Church accused Southworth of being the "father of child begotten of her body," and it appears they had two children together, including one born after his second marriage.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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