Richard Bassett land indenture annotated and twice signed ("Richard Bassett Chief Justice" and "Richard Bassett C. Justice") as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. One page of vellum, 27" x 16.75", Kent County, Delaware; May 10, 1797. Docketed. With embossed wax seal intact on verso. Land indenture signed by Richard Bassett as Chief Justice for the Delaware Court of Common Pleas. A manuscript indenture between "Caleb Luff of Kent County...Yeoman and Margaret his Wife of the one part and Derick Peterson of the City of Philadelphia...Lumber Merchant of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Caleb Luff and Margaret his Wife for and in Consideration of the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds Current Lawful Money...unto them paid by the said Derick Peterson at or before the Execution hereof..." Bassett pens a lengthy annotation at the end of the document that reads, in part: "...personally appeared before me Richard Bassett Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in the State of Delaware...the said Caleb Luff privately and apart out of the bearing of her said husband and that she declared she became a party to the above Deed of her own free will and accord without being induced there to lay fears threats or ill usage of her said Husband or fear of his displeasure in Testimony..." Signed, "Richard Bassett C. Justice". The document is countersigned by Caleb Luff and his wife, Margaret, who signs by mark. Witnessed by John Wood and John Warren. Richard Bassett (1745-1815) was a lawyer and judge from Delaware who is largely responsible for Delaware's claim to being the "First State." A delegate to the Constitutional Convention, he signed the Constitution on September 17, 1787 and pushed hard for ratification. He also served Delaware as a senator from 1789 to 1793 and as governor from 1799 to 1801. At the time this indenture was signed, Bassett was chief justice of the Court of Common Pleas in Delaware, a position he held from 1793 until he was elected governor. Condition: Uneven top edge. Light curling with scattered soiling and toning, chiefly located on the verso. HID03101062020 © 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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