Abington Sept. 30th 1762 Sr.,

By This time I suppose you have heard of my difficultys altho' I've had no Opertunity of Informing you myself. I have been Such and Ill treated by several persons and how the Matter will Terminate I know not. I want Exceedingly to see you & have your advice. Mr. Wheelwright1 is my close friend & offers me large assistance & this day I am to wait upon him in Boston. If he does as he promises my difficultys will be short & I doubt not of his veracity.

I am Sued by Mr. Hovey's brother Jackson for £13,6,8 without a dunn the debt was due to his Mother in Law (decd.) from whome I had a Letter not long since desiring me to pay the money if I could without Streightning myself. 2

Torrey threw the Summons at the door as Caleb was shuting at it & it fell in the Yard. I was not at home. Query; is it a good Service?

If I finish my business in Boston before Plymouth Court is over I will come down. If not please to tell Jackson if he will drop the Action I will pay him in English goods or Barr Iron on demand for I have more than a Thousand pounds worth by me. I will also pay the Charge. If he refuses, I must demurr. If I should not come please to manage the affair for me as you think best. I should be glad also if you would take out the Rule of Court in Lambarts Case,3 & renew my Licence for me.4 Mr. Norton will give you the Excise master's rect. & I'll pay you The Cash you advance. I hope to save you this Trouble by being present myself as I shall be if my Boston affairs admitt.

The Family are in Tolerable Health.

How does Eunice do? If I don't see you at Plymouth I shall fetch her I believe in about ten days if she is at Taunton. I am Sr. yr. Loving brother &c.,

JOS. GREENLEAF

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robt. Treat Paine Attorney att Plymouth"; endorsed.

1.

Perhaps John Wheelwright, Jr. (d. 1786), the Boston merchant (Thwing Index).

2.

Samuel Jackson of Plymouth, as administrator to the estate of his mother-in-law Experience Atwood of Plymouth, sued Joseph Greenleaf for default on a 12-month note for £13.6.8 plus interest. The judgment for the plaintiff was upheld on appeal (Common Pleas, Oct. 1762, in Plymouth Court Records, 8:68, 73). James Hovey, the Plymouth attorney, was married to the elder half-sister of Jackson's wife (William T. Davis, Ancient Landmarks of Plymouth [Boston, 1873], pt. 2, p. 7).

237 3.

Greenleaf attached Luke Lambard, bricklayer of Braintree, for default on a debt, July 1762. The case was referred to referees and decided in favor of Greenleaf to the amount of £2.13.4, plus costs of £4.4.10, at the Jan. 1763 court (Common Pleas, Jan. 1763, Plymouth Court Records, 8:75).

4.

Greenleaf s license as a retailer was renewed by the Court of General Sessions, Oct. 1762 (Plymouth Court Records, 3:173).

Boston 6. Octo. 1762 Sir,

I wrote you fully upon the Breeches you were to have of Allen to which Letter I refer you as I imagine you must have rec'd it e'er this. Mr: Fleet having sent it as he informs me some Time last Week.

I send you by Mr. Adams.

2 yds very good Cotton Velvett @ £6.7.6	£12.15—
8 mohair Butts.	" 2. 8
Horn ditto as I think they are best for the Hips & Waistband	" 1. 3
Twist	" 8—
	£13. 6.11

Mr. Willard having taken from me the mony he deliverd. me (as I wrote you) I have only in my Hands the Difference betwixt £35.5/ & £13.6.11 which is £21.18.1 or £2.18.5 L mo. and therefore am unable to pay Mr. Parker, but as I suppose you will chuse to make up the Sum due to him I have not returnd the Balle. but retain both the money & Letter till I have the pleasure of recieving your further Orders.

Mr. Phillips, Deacon Marsh & Mr. Green are to be married this Week. Ned Walker has been married abt. 3 Weeks.1

I am Sir Your obliged humble Servt.

SAM ELIOT

P.S. I have just had returned to me & inclose the Letter I wrote last Week, which Mr. Fleet told me he had forwarded.

RC ; addressed: "To Mr. Robert Treat Paine Attorney at Taunton. p. Favour of Mr. Adams"; endorsed.

1.

Deacon Marsh has not been identified. All the other marriages took place at the Brattle Square Church. John Phillips (1715–1787), captain of the garrison at Castle William in Boston Harbor, married Mary Winthrop on Oct. 28 (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 10:60–66); Joshua Green (1731–1806), a Boston238 merchant and Harvard classmate of RTP, married Hannah Storer on Oct. 7 (ibid., 12:380–381); and Edward Walker (1739–1801), a Boston merchant later (1787) admitted to the Suffolk bar, married Abigail Lovell on Sept. 10 (ibid., 14:233–234).