Jared Ingersoll, Signer Of The Constitution, Signs Late Eighteenth-Century Indictment

JARED INGERSOLL (1749-1822). Ingersoll was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress and signer of the Constitution. He later served as Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1791-1800 and 1812-1816, and unsuccessfully ran for Vice President of the United States in 1812. ADS. 1 pg. 6” x 8”. April 1796. Northampton, Pa. An autograph document signed “Jared Ingersoll Atty Genl”: “The General Inquest for the County of Northampton on this Path and Affirmation do present that Christopher Merkel late of the county aforesaid Yeoman…with Force and Arms in and upon one XX Schwarts in the Peace of God and of the Commonwealth then said there being an XX did make and said XX Schwartz – then and there did beat XX and willy beat and other Harms to him. Did to the great damage…and against the Peace and Dignity of this Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”. This document is an indictment for assault and battery in the Pennsylvania county of Northampton, Pennsylvania and is a rare insight into the language common in indictments of this timer period. Jared Ingersoll’s grandson, Pennsylvania politician Charles Ingersoll, was later controversially arrested in 1862 for disloyalty during the Civil War. The document is in good condition.