Description: EARLY MASSACHUSETTSMANUSCRIPTDOCUMENTDEPOSITIONJoseph GreenleafEbenezer Waters1797 "I Henry Wright of lawful age depose and say that, about ten years since, I was called by one Newhall a Boat Builder to go into Justice Greenleaf's Office to sign a paper -- I asked him what it was - he said, it was no matter, it was all agreed upon, for Justice Greenleaf had just signed it himself. I went in a paper was folded up and given to me to sign my name where I saw the name of Joseph Greenleaf, and I Signed my Name under his....Did you see Ebenezer Waters in Justice Greenleaf's Office at that time?I saw him standing there looking out a window.Did you see Ebenezer Waters sign the paper which you put your name to?I did not....Do you remember any Woman at Justice Greenleaf's at that time?I did not.Did you ever see a woman sign the paper you put your name to?I did not...." Mighty curious manuscript...the deposition seems to want to pin something on Joseph Greenleaf but what it is exactly is uncertain but Greenleaf was a major instigator in the Revolutionary War. He wrote the Noble Resolves in 1770, passed at a town meeting in Abington where he lived for many years. In 1771 he moved to Boston and wrote regularly for Isaiah Thomas's Massachusetts Spy including an historic article using the pseudonym Mucius Scaevola, which caused a great stir and the British authorities summoned Greenleaf to appear before the Governor and Council and he refused leading him to lose his status as a Justice of the Peace for at least some years. All of which seems to fit this document in which authorities seem to want to find fault with Greenleaf, pin some criminal activity to him. He opened his own printing shop in 1773 and in 1774 he published the wonderful Royal American Magazine. In 1772 Greenleaf was on "a committee of twenty-one of correspondence, to state the rights of the Colonists, and of this Province in particular." In 1773 he was one of a committee of five "to consider what is proper to be done to vindicate the town (Boston) from the gross misrepresentations and groundless charges in His Excellency's messages to both houses." Greenleaf was one of a committee of five "to prepare instructions for our representatives in General Assembly" in 1773, 1774, and 1776. Greenleaf had his hand in such bold historic proclamations such as "The whole United Colonies are upon the verge of a glorious revolution" and "Loyalty to him (the King) is now treason to our country." In 1776, by a resolve of the General Court, a "Committee of Correspondence, Inspection, and Safety was chosen, of which Joseph Greenleaf was chairman." He died in 1810 having lived a long dramatic life, greatly intertwined with the American Revolution. Thick old paper is toned and torn but nicely legible. Please see the photos. ******We ship swiftly and with safety in mind.Thank you.
Price: 175 USD
Location: Jamaica, Vermont
End Time: 2024-11-26T18:49:46.000Z
Shipping Cost: 7.75 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Seller
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Special Attributes: Manuscript
Topic: Revolutionary War (1775-83)
Original/Facsimile: Original
