Autograph document signed Andrew Adams ("Andr: Adams Assistant") to the "Litchfield County Sheriff, his Deputy or Constable of Goshen in said County by (Founding Father) Adams, Andrew - 1781

Litchfield [CT], 1781. 1 p. handwritten, pen and ink on paper, docketed on verso. 4to. Old folds, minor wear, else very good. 1 p. handwritten, pen and ink on paper, docketed on verso. 4to. Runaway 'Servant & Slave for Life'. An evocative Revolutionary War era court summons written on behalf of Phlimon Sanford, who was seeking compensation from two of his neighbors for allegedly inducing one of his slaves to runaway.

Reading in part: "In the name of God and Company of the State of Connecticut you are commanded to summon Ebenzr. Norton Esq. and Jonth. Washburn both of sd. Goshen to appear before sd. County Court to be held at Litchfield in ye forsd. County on ye fourth Tuesday of Sept instant: then and there to answer unto Philemon Sanford... wherein ye Per: declares & says that... on or about ye 10th Day of Marcheth (sic) 1776 and for many years before had, acquired and was lawfully possessed of a certain Negro Man named George Tankard being a Servant & Slave for Life of ye value of one hundred pounds lawful Money... ye Def: being not ignorant of ye premises: but well knowing of sd. George to be ye proper servant of sd. Per: did... unlawfully and against ye mind and will ...persuade, and encourage him of sd. George to desert, abscond from & leave of Per: service and... did then & there receive him ye sd. George into their Service and him kept employed, harbored, & entertained... for many months; and ye sd. George thereupon by means and through ye countenance and encouragement of ye Defts induced to and did leave & go out of ye Limmitts (sic) of this State to some parts unknown..."

As an interesting note, the returns for men serving in the Continental Army from Connecticut, include a George Tankard from Goshen.

Andrew Adams (1736-1797) was a delegate to The Continental Congress from Connecticut and Signer of the Articles of Confederation, Chief Justice of the Ct. Supreme Court. He is considered one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, despite the fact that he was not one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.