Sam Adams Sr. Signed Letter
From the handwriting and structure, this appears to be:
A Massachusetts Bay legal writ or warrant
Addressed to a constable (“to the keeper of His Majesty’s Gaol…”)
Ordering the arrest or appearance of an individual
Dated “the twenty eighth day of Dec… in the ninth year of His Majesty’s Reign, Anno Dom 1723”
So this is pre-Revolutionary (colonial British America)—quite early.
Signature analysis
The signature reads clearly:
“Samuell Adams” (with double “l” — a period-correct spelling variant)
Important distinction:
This is NOT likely the famous Revolutionary patriot (born 1722), because:
The document is dated 1723
The famous Samuel Adams would have been about 1 year old
Therefore, this is almost certainly:
An earlier Samuel Adams (common New England name)
Likely a local magistrate, justice of the peace, or clerk
Historical significance
Even though it’s not the famous figure, this is still valuable because:
Early 18th-century colonial manuscript (1723)
Legal document tied to British colonial governance
Authentic handwritten ink and period script
Good survival condition for age
Full Transcription (cleaned & readable)
(Spelling modernized slightly where needed, but structure preserved)
Suffolk ss.
To the Keeper of His Majesty’s Gaol in Boston in the County of Suffolk
Whereas John —— hath of Boston aforesaid laborer complained
to me of a breach of the peace and hath desired security of the peace
These are therefore in His Majesty’s name to command you
to take the said —— and him safely keep until he shall
find sufficient sureties before me or some other of His Majesty’s
Justices of the Peace within said County for his appearance
at the next General Sessions of the Peace to be held
at Boston within the County of Suffolk on the first Tuesday of June next
and in the meantime to be of the good behavior
Hereof fail not
Given under my hand and seal at Boston
the twenty eighth day of December in the ninth year
of His Majesty’s Reign, Anno Domini 1723
Samuell Adams
(Some names are faint/illegible in the image, but the legal structure is clear.)
Direct connection to a Founding Father’s family
Colonial Boston provenance
Pre-Revolution legal history
From the handwriting and structure, this appears to be:
A Massachusetts Bay legal writ or warrant
Addressed to a constable (“to the keeper of His Majesty’s Gaol…”)
Ordering the arrest or appearance of an individual
Dated “the twenty eighth day of Dec… in the ninth year of His Majesty’s Reign, Anno Dom 1723”
So this is pre-Revolutionary (colonial British America)—quite early.
Signature analysis
The signature reads clearly:
“Samuell Adams” (with double “l” — a period-correct spelling variant)
Important distinction:
This is NOT likely the famous Revolutionary patriot (born 1722), because:
The document is dated 1723
The famous Samuel Adams would have been about 1 year old
Therefore, this is almost certainly:
An earlier Samuel Adams (common New England name)
Likely a local magistrate, justice of the peace, or clerk
Historical significance
Even though it’s not the famous figure, this is still valuable because:
Early 18th-century colonial manuscript (1723)
Legal document tied to British colonial governance
Authentic handwritten ink and period script
Good survival condition for age
Full Transcription (cleaned & readable)
(Spelling modernized slightly where needed, but structure preserved)
Suffolk ss.
To the Keeper of His Majesty’s Gaol in Boston in the County of Suffolk
Whereas John —— hath of Boston aforesaid laborer complained
to me of a breach of the peace and hath desired security of the peace
These are therefore in His Majesty’s name to command you
to take the said —— and him safely keep until he shall
find sufficient sureties before me or some other of His Majesty’s
Justices of the Peace within said County for his appearance
at the next General Sessions of the Peace to be held
at Boston within the County of Suffolk on the first Tuesday of June next
and in the meantime to be of the good behavior
Hereof fail not
Given under my hand and seal at Boston
the twenty eighth day of December in the ninth year
of His Majesty’s Reign, Anno Domini 1723
Samuell Adams
(Some names are faint/illegible in the image, but the legal structure is clear.)
Direct connection to a Founding Father’s family
Colonial Boston provenance
Pre-Revolution legal history
