Boston February 18th. 1782 Dear Sr.,

Herewith I send 24 Libels vs. Absentees Lands in yr. County. Trueman Wheeler Esqr.1 appointed by Court sent me the chief of the Discriptions of the Lands some of them are not so perfect as I wish they were, and some of them are not discriptions at all. I will mention each Libel with the enquiries to be made abt. them. 1st. vs. David Ingersol. I suppose the bounds of his Estate is right. 2d. vs. Jonathan Prindle I suppose right. 3d. vs. Nathan Purdee, I suppose right. 4th. vs. William Krigker. Q. if his name is not McGregor, Mr. Nathl. Kinsley of Becket, sent Col. Ashley an acct. of one Wm. McGregor of Williamston an Absentee: I suppose bounds right. 5th vs. Thos. Moffat. the bound I suppose right & I conclude he went to the Enemy but I dont know when or whether he went to Boston as alledged vs. Ingersoll. 6th vs. Richard Squire: the bounds I think rather loose. 7th vs. Ezra Plat bounds loose. 8th vs. Wm. Stiles, loose. 9th. vs. Elisha Jones, Esqr. I suppose bounds Good. 10th. vs. Elisha Jones junr. I Suppose the bounds good. 11th vs. Danl. Brewer; the bounds might be mended 12th. vs. Daniel Wilson bounds rather loose. 13th. vs. James Keelar, or Kealer, I can’t tell wch. by the writing: bounds, loose. 14th. vs. John Whitlock, bounds loose. 15th. vs. Timothy Hirlehigh bounds I suppose good, 16th. vs. Evan Rice of New Ashford: Q. is that a Form or a proper discription; the bounds are not Sufficient 189 17th. vs. John Fordice. bounds bad. 18th vs. Jesse Wright, bounds bad. 19th vs. Jared Tyler bounds bad. 20th. vs. Thos. Hutchinson junr: this is a Mortgage from Elijah Williams to Foster & Thomas Hutchinson. the bounds were not sent me: 21th vs. Danl. Brewster John Fowler bounds I suppose good. 22th. vs. James Burdwick, bounds bad. 23d. vs. Solomon Burnel, I suppose Bunnel, bounds bad 24th vs. Abiel Prat, bounds bad. The General fault I find with the bounds is that there is not Sufficient abuttals or discription to find the land by, there is no need of length of line or point of Compass; in many of them there is no discription at all; I shall write by this Oppo. to Mr. Wheeler to assist in fixing the bounds that they may be put into the Libels, if there should not be time to do it during the sitting of the Court (for the Libels need not be filed till the last of the Court) the Court upon motion will give leave to have the bounds mended afterwards, but it is best to do it at first. All that is necessary in filing is to mention to the Court the filing them with the Clk. unless the Ct. motion to have them revd. & motion the Court to direct the Clk. to proceed & notify according to Law by printing notiss. in three news Papers (Worcester, Edes, & Gill) that need not be done till 30 days before next Court before which time I hope to see you & we can then settle the notifications altho I have supposed some of the above discriptions sufficient, yet if, 2 then ever they appear to be deficient pray let them be made sufficient.3

sent order on Shff. Hyde for 6£ 4/6 for

his part of L’

I wrote Trueman Wheeler Esqr. to assist in getting bounds & he to get from Register an Acct. of mortgaged Estates.

Dft. ; addressed: “Theodore Sedgwick.”

1.

Truman Wheeler (1741–1815) graduated from Yale in 1763 and settled as a general merchant at Great Barrington, Mass., where he served as town treasurer, justice of the peace, and one-term representative to the General Court (Dexter, Biographical Sketches of Yale Graduates, 3:54–55).

2.

Text missing.

3.

The Boston Evening Post of July 27, 1782, wrote about the complaints that RTP had filed against the Berkshire County estates of the following men “for treasons and high crimes,” the case being continued until Aug. court. The men were John Whitlock of Lenox, yeoman; Nathan Purdee of Great Barrington, yeoman; James Burdwick of Lanesborough, yeoman; Elisha Jones of Pittsfield, gentleman; Elisha Jones of Weston, Middlesex Co., esquire; William Krigker of Williamstown, yeoman; Timothy Hirlehigh of Middletown, Conn.; Dan. Wilson of Lenox, yeoman; James Keeler of Lenox, yeoman; Daniel Brewer of Pittsfield, yeoman; Richard Squire of Lanesborough, yeoman; William Stiles of Lanesborough, yeoman; Ezra Platt of 190 Lanesborough, yeoman; John Fowler of Stockbridge, yeoman; David Ingersoll of Great Barrington, esquire; Jonathan Prindle of Great Barrington, yeoman; Thomas Moffat of New London, Conn., physician; Solomon Bunnel of Lanesborough, yeoman; Abiel Pratt of Lanesborough, yeoman; John Fordice of New Ashford, yeoman; Jared Tyler of New Ashford, yeoman; Jesse Wright of New Ashford, yeoman; Evan Rice of New Ashford, yeoman; and Thomas Hutchinson, Jr., of Boston, esquire.

In Council February 21st: 1782

Agreeably to the Order of the Governor and Council of December 26th last directing the Attendance of Captain Timothy Folger to make answer touching his Conduct in passing to and from Great Britain and bringing from thence a Quantity of English Goods he attended this day and was examined touching the matter and the Council thereupon Advised that the Secretary be directed to furnish Robert Treat Paine Esqr: Attorney General with all the papers relative to said Folgers passing to and from Great Britain as aforesaid in order that Said Folger may be dealt with as to Law & Justice appertain.1

True Copy Attest. John Avery Secy.

Boston Feby. 21. 1782 Ordered—that the Secretary be and he hereby is directed to furnish the Attorney General with the Papers aforesaid in order that Capt. Timothy Folger may be dealt with agreeably to Law.

John Hancock

RC ; endorsed: “Order of Council respect Timo. Folgier Feby. 21. 1782.”

1.

Capt. Timothy Folger arrived in Nantucket on Dec. 11, 1781, sixty days out of Ostend. His passengers included Capt. John Leach, James Jackson, Edward Jones, and Thomas K. Jones, the latter three all Boston merchants (Boston Evening Post, Dec. 22, 1781).