Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
Yours1relating to Mr: Johonnots Affairs I received & for him Inform you that he would have his Suit against Mr. Cobb entred. The other against Hellon2 there is some doubt about. He has been informed that some others attached in Hellons hands prior to him & for as much or321more than Hellon Owes to Mr. Wheelwright & that it is most probable that Hellon is not able to pay what he Owes Wheelwright. These matters as you are on the Spot can better be enquired into by you than anyone here therefore if you will be kind eno' to take that trouble on yourself Mr. Johonnot will be obliged to you. If you find either of sd. Informations so well grounded as to make the prosecution agst. Hellon very precarious & that there are no reasonable hopes of Mr. Johonnots being bettered by the same but on the contrary be subjected to Costs you will then drop it. If on Enquiry you find the Case otherwise you will then pursue. This matter must be entirely left to your discretion. I am with respect yr. hume. Servant,
Not located.
Ratcliff Hellon, a Taunton merchant, had occasional legal dealings with RTP from at least Apr. 1, 1761, when Helton assigned his power of attorney to RTP. RTP, John Adam, and George Williams, all of Taunton, were appointed trustees of Hellon's indebted estate, July 10, 1766 (Mass., Province Laws, 4:797). Hellon was listed in the 1771 tax valuation list at Taunton with two rateable polls but no other estate (Pruitt, Massachusetts Tax Valuation List of 1771, 616).
I this moment receiv'd yo'rs, And your demand for more blanks is Oweing to the increase of your Business, or rather to other peoples knowlege and acquaintaince of yor. Abilities & Integrety is to me beyond doubt.
Notwithstanding my hurry at this Juncture I shou'd think myselfe unpardonable were I to Omitt mentioning an affaire in which both my Eyes and Ears were witnesses to, the knowledge of which may be of the utmost importance and benificial to you. The Case was thus, I went to Mr. G—n,2 of this town upon Business, a few days since, upon my being admitted wch. was some time first, I found Colo. W—n3 & him verry attentive & pensive over a large fire of Green wood & Charcoal: and altho, I ask'd them several questions could get no answers, Concludeing they were upon Matters that I had No Concern with was about withdrawing when I was urgd to tarry, upon which the Colo. told me they were322then trying an Experiment in Order to prove the Genuiness of some Marl found in G—ns land and that it answer'd to all intents & purposes.
The method of proveing it was by throwing a handfull thereof into the fire, and if there Insued a Snaping soon after, it was pronounc'd Good and of the right Stamp. I saw Several handfulls thrown into the fire, and also heard a Snaping.
Quæ., (if it was not the marl) & 2ly if it is not profe to demonstration that it is Genuine. Mr. G. has so much faith from this Experiment that he has contracted for the diging of a large quantity thereof, and wishing that you might be so lucky as to find a quantity Sufficient of this hidden Treasure as to cover all your Lucern Induc'd me to give you the above Information, if it shoud be any ways Serviceable my Ends are answerd. I am Sr. yor. most Humle. Servt.,
Que, if a fire made of Sassifax wood & Oake Coal would not be best to try the Experiment.
Manuscript torn.
Unidentified, probably a member of the large Goodwin family of Plymouth.
James Warren (1726–1808) held many civil offices in Plymouth County before entering politics in 1764. He was to become a close friend and ally of John Adams and one of the leaders in the resistance movement. He married Mercy Otis (1728–1814), daughter of Col. James and Mary (Allyne) Otis of Barnstable, in 1754. The sister of James Otis, the patriot, she was to become a literary figure in the Revolutionary years (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 11:584–606).