George Read Slavery Content! "...took Negroes to avoid being paid in Contl Money" Declaration and Constitution Signer About 500 Words in His Hand!

George Read made these notes on the complicated case of Joseph Vance. John Lockerman/ Lakerman died sometime early in 1778 in Appoquinimink Hundred in northern Delaware. His widow Jane Lockerman became the administratrix of his estate on May 25, 1778, and she cared for their three sons and daughter. On June 26, 1778, Richard Cantwell and John Taylor made an appraisal of Lockerman's estate, valuing it at £3,052, including four enslaved African Americans: "one Negro man named Benjamin," valued at £300; "one Negro man named Anthony," valued at £300; "one Negro girl named Margrate," valued at £200; and "one Negro girl named Susanah," valued at £100.

On January 3, 1784, Jane Lockerman married Joseph Vance, who became a co-administrator of his new wife's deceased husband's estate. They submitted a settlement of the estate on July 20, 1784. When Jane Lockerman Vance died in February 1786, Vance became the sole administrator of John Lockerman's estate. He filed a "Further Settlement" of the estate on April 6, 1787, indicating that he was entitled to one-third of the estate that his deceased wife would have received from her former husband. Vance also reported that William Johnston had married Catherine Lockerman, the oldest child of John and Jane Lockerman, and Johnston had also become the guardian of her three younger brothers, John, Isaac, and Matthew. Johnston acknowledged that he had received four equal shares for his wife and her brothers of their father's estate from Joseph Vance. The court approved Vance's "Further Settlement" in April 1787.

It is unclear when Vance turned to George Read to understand his options and responsibilities, but it was likely between Jane Lockerman Vance's death in February 1786 and the filing of his "Further Settlement" in April 1787. One month after Vance filed that report, Read began attending the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

GEORGE READ, Autograph Document, "State of Joseph Vance's Case," ca. 1786-1787. 2 pp., 7.75" x 9.5". Expected folds, very good.

Excerpts
"2d bond of Ben: Lakerman's Wido took Negroes to avoid being paid in Contl Money valued rather high to her."
"Note of ye gold & Silver in ye house ye Wido paid 100 dollars yrof to John Parker & wife for a Piece of Marsh ⅌chased by her ⅌vent a Passage through ye Plantn to its prejudice in this ye Heirs will have ye benefit"
"Jane Lakerman since Jane Vance died ye 6th of Feb: 1786."
"No Guardn ever appointed for ye children who lived with the Mot who held the Plantn & maintained the children – had a Lot of Marsh & upland besides usually rented at 20 dolls 8. y lately at £12."
"Jos: Vance desirous of giving up the Lands to any guardns to be chosen has a crop of Wheat in the grod"
"Therefore Jos: Vance wishes to have the specie Value of ye ballce found on settlemt of his Admrs Accot ascertained under ye circumstances afsd"
"Qu: also if Jos: Vance is not to charge for maintce of JL's Children agt ye Profits of ye Land recd by his wife"
"Qu: also if he is to take Admn to his Wife – if so whether yt may not make him liable for back rents"
"Note yt ye Wido Jane rented half of ye Plantn for 1 Yr at £65 – disputed on acct of Contl times – then 2 Yrs more for £50 each on wt 2 Men wd value it at – this to Jacob Beall her brot – nothing pd yet for any of these years"

George Read (1733-1798) was born in Maryland and moved with his family to Delaware. He studied law in Philadelphia and gained admission to the Pennsylvania bar in 1753. The following year he established a law practice in New Castle, Delaware. In 1763, he married Gertrude Ross Till, whose brother George Ross also signed the Declaration of Independence, and they had four children. That same year, the Proprietary Governor of Pennsylvania appointed Read as Crown Attorney General for the three Delaware counties. Read favored reconciliation with Great Britain, but he was elected to serve with the more radical Caesar Rodney and Thomas McKean in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777. He voted against the Declaration of Independence, but when it passed, he signed it. He served as the President of Delaware's Constitutional Convention of 1776. He served in the Delaware General Assembly and the Legislative Council for several terms between 1776 and 1788. In 1782, he was elected Judge of the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture. He represented Delaware at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, favored a strong central government, and signed the Constitution, making him one of only two men who signed the Petition to the King of 1774, the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. He served as U.S. Senator from Delaware from 1789 to 1793, when he resigned to accept appointment as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, a position he held until his death.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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