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Adams, John (1735-1826) [Legal document to the Justices of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace at Charlestown in Middlesex County, Massachusetts]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05609 Author/Creator: Adams, John (1735-1826) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph document signed Date: 30 November 1767 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 30 x 18.2 cm. Order a Copy

Countersigned by "Jon. Sewall." Legal document created by Adams in defense of the town of Stoneham, Massachusetts. The town of Framingham, Massachusetts had removed James and Rebekah Holden and their daughter Naomi as poor residents who could not support themselves and sent them back to Stoneham, where the officials of Framingham said they were from. Adams says the Holden family was not from Stoneham and that the town should not have to take them in as a charity case. Sewall's note on verso says that Selectmen of Framingham state Stoneham is the home of the Holden family.

Middlesex ss. To the honourable the Justices of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace held at Charlestown and for said county on the last Tuesday of November Anno Domini 1767
Humbly show [inserted: the Inhabitants of the stoneham in said county by] Samuel Sprague, James Hay, and Daniel Green, all of Stoneham in said County, Gentlemen and agents for the said Town of Stoneham
That James Holden and Rebekah his Wife and Daughter Naomi, upon a complaint made by the Select Men of Framingham in Said County, to the worshipfull Elisha Jones Esqr, one of his Majestys Justices of the Peace for the County aforesaid, that they vest the Said Holden his Wife and Daughter aforesaid were poor and properly belonged to the Town of Stoneham aforesaid, were ordered by the Said Justice, on the Third Day of October Anno Domini 1767, to be removed from Framingham aforesaid to Stoneham aforesaid, as the Place whereto they belonged, and the said James and Rebeckah and Naomi, were by Force of the Said Justice Warrant carried by Nathan Winch Constable of said Framingham to the said Town of Stoneham, and delivered to Deacon Jonathan Lawrence, one of the overseers of the Poor of the said Town of Stoneham, on the twelfth day of October last, and the said James Holden, Rebeckah his wife and Naomi his Daughter, have remained in Stoneham aforesaid ever since, and been unable to support themselves, and the Town of Stoneham aforesaid, have been obliged to spend the sum of Three Pounds for the necessary Support and Maintenance of the said James Holden, Rebeckah his wife and Naomi, his Daughter, in the Time aforesaid.
Now your Petitioners in fact say that neither the said James Holden, nor his said Wife, Rebeckah nor his said Daughter Naomi, were inhabitants of or had any Settlement in [struck: illegible aforesaid] Stoneham aforesaid, at the Time they were so ordered by the said Justice to be removed there, nor did they there belong to the town of [struck: illegible] Stoneham aforesaid, but the said Complaint and Suggestion of the said Select Men of Framingham, was altogether false and groundless, and neither the said James Holden, nor Rebeckah his Wife nor Naomi his Daughter, have at any Time since been Inhabitants of, or the proper Charge of Stoneham aforesaid, nor do they belong to that Town, nor did they come from there to Framingham aforesaid, but they were illegally removed to Stoneham aforesaid, and by Means thereof the said Town of Stoneham have been obliged to expend the Sum aforesaid for their Support,
Wherefore your Petitioners pray your Honours to take the Premises under your Consideration and determine the Matter aforesaid in dispute between the said Town of Stoneham and Framingham, and order the said James Holden Rebeckah his Wife and Naomi his Daughter, to be removed back to Framingham aforesaid, and also order that Town to reimburse the Town of [struck: illegible] Stoneham the Charges aforesaid they have been, and all such Charges as they may be as for the Support of the said James Holden, Rebekah and Naomi and to pay the Costs of this Suit.
John Adams forsd Agents [illegible signature]

[2] And the Selectmen of Framingham [inserted: aforsd] who are Overseers of the poor of the same Town say that the sd. James Rebecca & Naomi, at the Time when the Warrant mentioned in the within Complaint is supposed to have been issued, were & ever since have been & yet are the proper poor of Stoneham aforesd. & ought to be relieved & supported as the Charge of that Town, wherefore they pray the Complaint aforesd. may be dismissed & they be allowed their Costs.

Jon:Sewall

[docket:]
Stoneham Petitn.
Select men of Framingham
to be served with a copy

Adams, John, 1735-1826

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