RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Executions_HamptonvsMartinClark_Judgment_003.jpg

Hampton vs. Martin & Clark Legal Documents Collection

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 3:18:17 PM

Added description

Description

Hampton vs. Martin & Clark Summons and Witness Documents Collection

Overview

This is a digitized collection of court papers from the New Haven County Superior Court (1789‑1790) documenting the assault‑and‑battery case of Hampton, a free Negro from St. Christopher, against John Martin and Samuel Clark. The collection comprises seven scanned images of summons, subpoenas, and judgments (RG003 Judgment 003‑007) produced by the Connecticut State Library’s NHSC BAAI project, which focuses on Black, African American, and Indigenous history in New Haven County.

Background

The documents were compiled by the Connecticut State Library for the New Haven County Superior Court Records project, funded through the National Archives NHPRC grant. They were originally issued by the State of Connecticut and the New Haven Superior Court, with key officials such as State Deputy Samuel Smith, Judge Charles Chauncey, Assistant Judge James Hillhouse, and Prosecutor John Peck Jr. The case reflects early legal participation of free African Americans in colonial Connecticut.

Contents

  • Summons 003 (Aug 9 1790) – issued to residents of Cheshire (John Spencer, Morton Harrison, Mary Tyler Thomas, Bristol Joel Dres, Bennet Rice) for testimony in the assault case.
  • Summons 004 (Nov 20 1799) – later summons to Cheshire residents Selden Spencer, Thomas Bristol, and Beni Rice (dates suggest a related or reopened proceeding).
  • Summons 005 (Aug 5 1790) – summons to New Haven witnesses (Eliz Conifer Bennett, Thos Butler, Mary Tyler Nathan Turner, Alice Sperry) for testimony.
  • Subpoena 006 (Sept 10 1790) – subpoenaed John Martin to the town of Blythville, Pa.
  • Summons 007 (Nov 3 1789) – summons to John Martin and Samuel Clark (Enfield & Stephens) for trial in New Haven, detailing the assault and battery allegations and the plaintiff’s claim for damages.

Each document is a high‑resolution image of the original parchment, preserving the handwritten signatures, dates, and court seals.

Scope

The collection covers the period 1789‑1790, focusing on the legal proceedings in New Haven County involving a free African American plaintiff. It includes only the summons, subpoenas, and judgments related to the Hampton case; other cases from the same period are not represented. The geographic focus is Cheshire, New Haven, Enfield, and Stephens in Connecticut, with a brief reference to Blythville, Pennsylvania. The collection is valuable for scholars of early American legal history, African American studies, and the social history of New Haven County.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@connecticut_state_library:organization {location: @new_haven, type: "state library"}

@state_of_connecticut:organization {type: "government"}

@new_haven_superior_court:organization {location: @new_haven, type: "court"}

@cheshire:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@new_haven:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@st_christopher:place {type: "island"}

@enfield:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@stephens:place {state: @connecticut, country: @united_states}

@hampton:person {status: "free Negro", origin: @st_christopher, ethnicity: "African American"}

@john_martin:person {role: "defendant"}

@samuel_clark:person {role: "defendant"}

@samuel_smith:person {role: "state deputy"}

@charles_chauncey:person {role: "judge"}

@james_hillhouse:person {role: "assistant"}

@john_peck_jr:person {role: "prosecutor"}

@john_spencer:person {}

@morton_harrison:person {}

@mary_tyler_thomas:person {}

@bristol_joel_dres:person {}

@bennet_rice:person {}

@selden_spencer:person {}

@thomas_bristol:person {}

@beni_rice:person {}

@eliz_conifer_bennett:person {}

@thos_butler:person {}

@mary_tyler_nathan_turner:person {}

@alice_sperry:person {}

@john_henry:person {}

@james_bunker:person {role: "assistant judge"}

@hampton_vs_martin_clark_case:event {plaintiff: @hampton, defendants: [@john_martin, @samuel_clark], type: "Assault and battery"}

@hampton_vs_martin_clark_collection:document {title: "Hampton vs. Martin & Clark Legal Documents Collection", creator: [@samuel_smith, @charles_chauncey, @james_hillhouse, @john_peck_jr], institution: @connecticut_state_library, created: @date_1789_1790, language: "en", subjects: ["Legal documents", "Summons", "Witness testimony", "Assault and battery", "Slave narratives", "African American history", "New Haven County", "Superior Court"], description: "Collection of legal documents related to the case of Hampton, a free Negro of St. Christopher, against John Martin and Samuel Clark for assault and battery. Includes summons, witness documents, and judgments from the New Haven County Superior Court.", place: [@cheshire, @new_haven, @st_christopher]}

@file_rg003_judgment_003:document {type: "image", ocr_text: "To John Spencer, Morton Harrison, Mary Tyler Thomas, Bristol Joel Dres, Bennet Rice, all of Cheshire in New Haven County. ... Cheshire Augt 9th 1790 John Peck Jr pro pr"}

@summons_003:event -> summons -> [@john_spencer, @morton_harrison, @mary_tyler_thomas, @bristol_joel_dres, @bennet_rice] {date: @date_1790_08_09, location: @new_haven, issued_by: @state_of_connecticut, case: @hampton_vs_martin_clark_case}

@file_rg003_judgment_004:document {type: "image", ocr_text: "Cheshire Nov. 20th 1799 ... Selden Spencer ... Thomas Bristol and Beni Rice"}

@summons_004:event -> summons -> [@selden_spencer, @thomas_bristol, @beni_rice] {date: @date_1799_11_20, location: @cheshire, issued_by: @state_of_connecticut}

@file_rg003_judgment_005:document {type: "image", ocr_text: "To Mr. Eliz Conifer Bennett & Thos Butler Mary Tyler Nathan Turner Alice Sperry ... N. Haven Augt 5, 1790 James Hillhouse Assistant"}

@summons_005:event -> summons -> [@eliz_conifer_bennett, @thos_butler, @mary_tyler_nathan_turner, @alice_sperry] {date: @date_1790_08_05, location: @new_haven, issued_by: @james_hillhouse, case: @hampton_vs_martin_clark_case}

@file_rg003_judgment_006:document {type: "image", ocr_text: "Hampden Nego John Martin Subpoena ... town of blythville Pa ... Sept 10 ... John Henry"}

@subpoena_006:event -> subpoenas -> @john_martin {date: @date_179?, location: @blythville_pa, issued_by: @state_of_connecticut}

@file_rg003_judgment_007:document {type: "image", ocr_text: "To the Honorable Samuel Smith & his Deputy ... Summoned John Martin & Samuel Clark ... New Haven Novr 3 1789 ... Charles Chauncey Judge ... James Bunker Judge Asst"}

@summons_007:event -> summons -> [@john_martin, @samuel_clark] {date: @date_1789_11_03, location: @new_haven, issued_by: @state_of_connecticut, case: @hampton_vs_martin_clark_case}

@hampton_vs_martin_clark_collection -> includes -> [@file_rg003_judgment_003, @file_rg003_judgment_004, @file_rg003_judgment_005, @file_rg003_judgment_006, @file_rg003_judgment_007]

Metadata

Files (5)

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Executions_HamptonvsMartinClark_Judgment_003.jpgJPEG
482.76 KB
OCR Text

To John Spencer, Morton Harrison, Mary Tyler Thomas, Bristol Joel Dres, Bennet Rice, all of Cheshire in New Haven County. You are hereby commanded by authority of the State of Connecticut to make your personal appearance before the Superior Court now sitting in New Haven on Monday, 9th day of August instant at 11 o'clock forenoon there to give evidence of what you know in a cause between Samuel Clark of John Martin Wm Law and Hampton Negro as parties. Hearing fail not but due returns make on Penalty of Law. So any indifferent person to serve and return. Cheshire Augt 9th 1790 John Peck Jr pro pr

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Executions_HamptonvsMartinClark_Judgment_004.jpgJPEG
418.86 KB
OCR Text

Cheshire Nov. 20th 1799 Then I read the within summons in the hearing of the within name? Selden Spencer Left Jon to Hall an Indifferant person Cheshire taught 7th 1790 then I read the within summons in the hearing of the within name, Thomas Bristol and Beni Rice Left Precis Holtskiff Indifferant person 3 3 6 6 8 8 6 6 7 9/6 1.2 3 7/5 4 7/6 7/10

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Executions_HamptonvsMartinClark_Judgment_005.jpgJPEG
429.47 KB
OCR Text

To Mr. Eliz Conifer Bennett & Thos Butler Mary Tyler Nathan Turner Alice Sperry You are hereby required to appear before the Sup Court now sitting here that you appear on the 9th day of July Instant there & there to testify what you know in a Cause where in Nampton is P.P. at Mc Norton &c Esq. N. Haven Augt 5, 1790 James Hillhouse Assistant

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Executions_HamptonvsMartinClark_Judgment_006.jpgJPEG
420.08 KB
OCR Text

Hampden Nego John Martin Subpoena Now being day 5th year then subpoena'd the town of blythville Pa and then Sept 10 they order John Henry 13th

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Executions_HamptonvsMartinClark_Judgment_007.jpgJPEG
370.62 KB
OCR Text

To the Honorable Samuel Smith & his Deputy or other Constable of Cheshire within New Haven County. Gentlemen: By Authority of the State of Connecticut you are hereby Summoned John Martin & Samuel Clark both of Enfield & Stephens before the County Court to be held at New Haven on the 21st day of November Instant then & there to answer with Hampton a free Negro of St. Christopher who being a Minor under the age of Twenty One Years, Tuesday last Guardian McLane of St. Christopher In an Action of Assault & Battery against the Defendant that at said New Haven on or about the 21st day of Oct last the Defendant with force & arms made an Assault on the Body of the Plaintiff and with such force & arms did then & there beat woman I know the Plaintiff and did then & there & continue of his just & only from 2 O'Clock & this day without Right against the Plaintiff and to the damage of the Plaintiff Hundred Pounds. For which I shall & must the Plaintiff sue. New Haven Novr 3 1789 Samuel Smith State Deputy Charles Chauncey Judge of the Superior Court Leavenworth Esq Propr 290 Dwyer & Princeton Jud Charles Chauncey New Haven County St. Christopher Novr 6 1789 Then I read that that in the hearing of the witness named John Martin & Samuel Clark Jas 6/1 Jud James Bunker Judge Asst

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/4/2025, 3:18:17 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 2:43:53 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:39:31 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:31:35 AM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Summons_and_Witness_Documents"

Parent

01KBKZYD0G1M6VQEAZNQVB44J0

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