ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Title
Moses Cleveland Autographed Signed Legal Document, 1819 August 23-November 25: Suffolk
County, New York
Collection Number
SC 460
OCLC Number
927169182
Creator
Moses Cleveland, 1770-1848
Provenance
Acquired from Antipodean Books.
Extent,Scope, and Content Note
Legal document; folio; 20 cm. x 33 cm.
Moses Cleveland's legal judgment between George W. Booth and James Horton, Jr. dated
August 1819 and November 1819.
Arrangement and Processing Note
Processed by Kelsey Renz, intern assistant in Special Collections and University Archives,
October 2015.
Editing and website by Kristen J, Nyitray. Updated May 2019.
Language
English
Restrictions on Access
The collection is open to researchers without restriction.
Rights and Permissions
Stony Brook University Libraries' consent to access as the physical owner of the collection
does not address copyright issues that may affect publication rights. It is the sole
responsibility of the user of Special Collections and University Archives materials
to investigate the copyright status of any given work and to seek and obtain permission
where needed prior to publication.
Citation
Moses Cleveland Autographed Signed Legal Document (1819), Special Collections and University Archives, Stony Brook University Libraries.
Historical Note
This legal document was written by Moses Cleveland (1770-1848), a Justice of the Peace
in Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. A consultation of Southold Town Records,
1683-1856, Volume, III, suggests the two parties involved in the suit, George W. Booth
and James Horton the second, resided in Southold. Both names appear in records of
the town’s occupants and in correspondence. James Horton the second was an appointed
“fence viewer,”; he was responsible for keeping track of livestock activity and assessing
damages caused by livestock disturbing fences and entering private property. No record
of Booth’s job title or employment status could be located at this time.
In this judgment, Cleveland orders that Horton Jr.’s “goods and chattels” be sold in order to provide the money he owed Booth in damages. If goods and property could not be sold, however, Cleveland ruled that Horton Jr. should be taken to jail until he can appear in court. Cleveland also rules that Horton must pay “lawfull money of the state of New York.”
Based upon records of transactions and disputes in Southold within this time period, it is likely that Horton Jr. owed Booth for failing to collect monies or an adequate amount of payment for damage to Booth’s property. Conversely, Horton may have falsely accused Booth’s livestock of trespassing and collected money from Booth injustly. It is also possible that Horton Jr. failed to pay Booth for goods and/or services rendered (pg 111). Cleveland does not state the reason for the suit in his judgment and no other record of the case has been found at this time in newspapers, town records, and archival repositories.
In the second page of the judgment, Cleveland grants Horton an “exemption” because he is not a “freeholder and has a family within this state.” He also records that Horton is paying his debts in small installments of two and three dollars at a time and has lessened his debt to date. A freeholder is considered to be the owner of a property. It can be inferred that Cleveland has granted Horton an exemption from paying “lawfull monies” or taxes, because he does not own a property in Southold and has dependents.
Subjects
Cleveland, Moses.
Horton, James, -- Jr.
Booth, George W.
Actions and defenses -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Damages -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Costs (Law) -- New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
Actions and defenses.
Costs (Law)
Damages.
New York (State) -- Suffolk County.
INVENTORY
Transcription
Recto
Suffolk County Js. To any constable in
Said county. Greeting-Whereas judment
Has been obtained before me Moses Cleveland one of
The Justices of the peace of said county on the 23 rd day
of August ^ 1819 at the suite of George W. Booth against
James Horton 2nd For the sum of twelve dollars and seven=
=ty one cents damages and fifty nine cents cost lawfull
Money of the State of New York: These are therefore in the
Name of the people of the ^ said state To command you forth=
with the levy of the goods and chattels of the said James
Horton 2nd and make sale thereof to the amount of the said judgment. together with nineteen cents for
this
Execution; and have the money before me with in thir
=ty days from the date of this precept and for want
of such goods and chattels take the body of the said James
Horton 2nd and him convey and deliver unto the keeper
of the common qoal of said County who is herby
commanded to receive and keep him in his custody
In the said qoal until he be thence delivered by
Due course of law Moreof fail not at your peril
but make due return according to law given under my
hand and seal this 25th day of September 1819
Damages $ 12..71
Cost -------..59
Execution Cost ------58
---------- Moses Cleveland{ Justice of the peace
$13.68
Verso
Endorsement for Exemption
Suffolk { Js. I Moses Cleveland the Justice in
County{
The within execution named do hereby
Certify that James Horton 2nd -- also in the same
Named--hath on ^the hearing before me of the said within
Course-proved to my satisfaction that he is not a
Freeholder and has a family within this State
Sept 26th 1819
Moses Cleveland
Justice
September 25th 1819paid cash------$2..00
November 25th 1819 paid cash=$3..75
5.75