New Haven County Superior Court Inquest Records for Cush, 1722

Version: 9 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 3:25:00 PM

Added description

Description

Cush Inquest Records, 1722 – New Haven County Superior Court (NHSC) BAAI Project

Overview

This digital collection preserves the surviving records of the 1722 inquest into the death of an Indigenous person named Cush, found in Goshen Brown’s well in New Haven County, Connecticut. The materials were compiled on 25 April 1722 and include the jury’s verdict, a cost breakdown, and ancillary certification documents. They are held by the Connecticut State Library as part of the New Haven County Superior Court Files (NHSC) and catalogued under the library’s Black, African American, and Indigenous History (BAAI) initiative. High‑resolution JPEG and TIFF images of the original paper documents accompany the metadata.

Background

The inquest was conducted under colonial law, reflecting the Crown’s authority over local courts in early‑18th‑century Connecticut. The jury comprised local notables—Thomas Talboys, Geo Heaton, James Talboys, Joseph Talboys, Capt. Munroe, Capt. Preston, Mr. Isaac Goulds, Mr. Jonathan Mather, Lt. Molo, Mr. Jeremiah Mather, Mr. John Brown, and Joseph Dickinson—along with witnesses. The case illustrates the intersection of colonial legal procedures, Indigenous peoples, and community practices in the region.

Contents

  • Verdict (25 April 1722) – Declares Cush died by falling into the well or by suffocation.
  • Cost Breakdown – Itemized expenses for warrants, service, town fees, burial, and jury remuneration.
  • Certification Document (1722) – Records the formal acknowledgment of the inquest involving John Howard of New Storm, North Philadelphia, and Cuch.
  • Witness and Jury Lists – Names of participants and witnesses.
  • Photographic Records – High‑resolution images of the original documents, preserving handwriting and marginalia.
  • Metadata – JSON descriptors (title, creators, date, language, subjects, place) linking the collection to the NHSC BAAI database.

Scope

The collection covers a single legal proceeding in April 1722, situated in Goshen, New Haven County (near New Haven and New Hartford). It focuses on the death investigation of an Indigenous individual and the associated certification from New Storm, North Philadelphia. The materials provide primary evidence of colonial judicial practices, community involvement, and the economic aspects of inquests. The collection is limited to the inquest documents, certification, and their digital representations; it does not include ancillary court filings or transcripts. It is a valuable resource for scholars of early Connecticut history, Indigenous‑colonial relations, and the legal treatment of Native peoples in the 18th century.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

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@inquest_documents_cush_1722 -> includes -> @cush

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@inquest_documents_cush_1722 -> documents -> @cost_breakdown_1722_04_25

@inquest_documents_cush_1722 -> located at -> @goshen_brown_well

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@john_howard -> appears in -> @cush_and_howard_inquest_certification_documents

@cuch -> appears in -> @cush_and_howard_inquest_certification_documents

@john_howard -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@cuch -> appears in -> @file_pinax

@thomas_talboys -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

@geo_heaton -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

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@capt_munroe -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

@capt_preston -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

@mr_isaac_goulds -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

@mr_jonathan_mather -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

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@mr_jeremiah_mather -> appears in -> @inquest_documents_cush_1722

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Metadata

Title
New Haven County Superior Court Inquest Records for Cush, 1722
Type
Collection
Creator
Thomas TalboysGeo HeatonJames TalboysJoseph TalboysCapt. MunroeCapt. PrestonMr. Isaac GouldsMr. Jonathan MatherLt. MoloMr. Jeremiah MatherMr. John BrownJoseph DickinsonJohn HowardCuch
Institution
Connecticut State Library
Created
1722
Language
en
Subjects
Inquest, Death investigation, Indian, Cush, Goshen Brown, Well, Verdict, Suffocation, Drowning, Legal documents, New Haven County, Certification, Native American, New Storm, North Phila
Place
Goshen, New Haven County, New Haven, New Hartford, New Storm, North Phila
Source
PINAX

Version History (9 versions)

  • ✓ v9 (current) · 12/4/2025, 3:25:00 PM
    "Added description"
  • v8 · 12/4/2025, 3:04:20 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v7 · 12/4/2025, 6:44:15 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v6 · 12/4/2025, 6:32:11 AM · View this version
    "Reorganized into 2 groups"
  • v5 · 12/4/2025, 6:32:10 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBM0Z7Y955G0DPPG2W4HGSTG"
  • v4 · 12/4/2025, 6:32:08 AM · View this version
    "Added child entity 01KBM0Z6JRAJY27FJ5W8WE6PM4"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 6:22:15 AM · View this version
    "Added OCR to 2 files"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:14:45 AM · View this version
    "Set parent to 01KBKZYT0EP3B3FKJHAY6X008T"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:14:31 AM · View this version
    "Initial snapshot"

Additional Components

reorganization-description.txt
# Reorganization Summary

Files were grouped based on their content and context, focusing on the specific inquests and certifications related to Cush and John Howard. The groupings reflect the distinct events (Cush's inquest and the certification documents) while ensuring all files are accounted for. Binary/ref files without OCR were assigned based on their filenames and metadata, which clearly indicate their association with the respective groups.

## Groups Created

- **Inquest_Documents_Cush**: Documents related to the inquest into the death of Cush, an Indigenous individual, including jury verdicts and certifications.
- **Certification_Documents_Cush_Howard**: Certification documents related to Cush and John Howard, including references to their deaths and inquests.

Parent

↑ 01KBKZYT0EP3B3FKJHAY6X008T

Children (2)