Description:

Colonial Delaware
Sussex County, DE, ca. 1754-1805
75 Document Archive from Southern Delaware, 1754-1805, 101 pp
Archive
This archive of documents primarily deals with the administration of the estate of John Spencer, who died in 1766. The first administrator of his estate was his widow Sarah Spencer. After she remarried in 1772 to Laurence Riley, he became the administrator of John Spencer's estate. Forty-five of the documents are accounts or receipts for settlements of debts, most owed by the estate of John Spencer. There are also ten writs from various justices of the peace ordering the execution of judgments by selling the property of various debtors. There are five promissory notes, two bonds, three statements about land warrants, and a handful of other documents.

[DELAWARE.] Archive of Documents, 1754-1805. 75 documents, 101 pp. Some separations on folds, edge tears; general toning; little paper loss affecting text.

Highlights and Excerpts
- Richard Evans, Autograph Letter Signed, to Laurance Riley, May 16, 1760, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1 p.
"I have sent you all ye things Mentioned in your Letter and have endeavoured to Buy them as reasonable as I could and I belive cheaper then some others could and If they are agreeable to your mind I shall be very glad of it. However as you did not write of what Price you wanted any of the things I chose the Midling price. But If any of them are not agreeable to you you may lay them By: and I will take them back when I Come Down."

- James Johnson, Autograph Letter Signed, to Larince Riley, September 1789. 1 p.
"I Received your Letter by the hands of my Negro fellow But your ofer is two small if you think proper to a Low me fifteen Bushils pr month you may set him to work."

- John Scott, Receipt to Laurance Riley, April 3, 1792. 1 p.
"Recd of Mr Laurance Riley Senr the full Balance Due for his Schooling the Sum in full of all Accounts (Debts Dues and Demands from the Beginning of the Wourld to the Present Date I Say Recd by me John Scott."

- Thomas Dutten, Richardson Cade, and William Tull, Arbitrators' Report, January 21, 1769. 1 p.
"We the Subscribers Arbitrators Mutually Chosen By Lawrance Riley & Major Warren to Settle & Determine All Matters in Variance between them, having heard the alligations & Examined the accounts of Both parties we do award that the said Major Warren pay the said Lawrance Riley the sum of Three pounds Eighteen shillings & Eight Pence which we find due to the Estate of the Late John Spencer Esqr. Deceased & that the said Lawrance Riley give the said Warren a Discharge in full of all Demands from the said Estate on his paying the sum aforesaid."


John Spencer (1724-1766) was born in Delaware. In 1751, he married Sarah Woodward (1715-1795), who had previously been married to Isaac Draper (1709-1751), and they had at least two children.

Laurence Riley (1725-1774) was born in Virginia. He had three sons and four daughters, by an earlier marriage. In 1772, he married Sarah Woodward Spencer. His sons Laurence Riley (1750-1799) and John Riley served as the executors of his will.


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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