RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Inquests_WillCamMary_002.jpg

Jury Summons Return for Inquest of Will, Cam, and Mary

Version: 4 (current) | Updated: 12/4/2025, 3:21:36 PM

Added description

Description

Jury Summons Return for Inquest of Will, Cam, and Mary (1763)

Overview

This collection consists of a single legal document—a jury summons return—issued for an inquest concerning the deaths or affairs of Will, Cam, and Mary. The record, dated 5 February 1763, was prepared by Captain Oliver Curtis, Sheriff’s Deputy for New Haven County, and is preserved in the Connecticut State Library’s digitized holdings. The collection is available as a scanned image in both JPEG and TIFF formats, providing high‑resolution access to the original 18th‑century parchment.

Background

The summons return is part of the New Haven County Superior Court Files, specifically indexed under the “Black, African American, and Indigenous History” (BAAI) subject field in the library’s database. It reflects the judicial procedures of colonial Connecticut, where inquests were convened to investigate deaths or incidents and required jurors to be summoned and notified. Oliver Curtis, a local law enforcement officer, executed the summons on behalf of the court.

Contents

The document lists twelve jurors summoned from Derby, Ipswich, and Milford, including Joseph Johnson, Noah Wrench, Sam T. Tucker, Wm Barret, Jonathan Hitchcock, Abraham Smith, Joseph Smith, Enoe Bradley, James Bead, James Wheeler, Abraham Pierson, and Nathaniel Johnson. It records the cost and fees (4 / 6), the writ number (1‑3), and the number of jurors required (12). The notice also notes that Peter Johnston was to travel to Milford and then Derby to secure a jury. The text is written in early‑modern English and provides a concise summary of the summons and the legal obligations of the named jurors.

Scope

The collection covers a single legal event in New Haven County (Derby, Ipswich, Milford) during the 18th century (1763). It is relevant to scholars of colonial legal history, local Connecticut genealogy, and the study of early American inquest practices. The collection does not include related case files or court transcripts; it focuses solely on the summons return itself.

Entities

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Entity Relationships

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Raw Cheimarros Data

@jury_summons_return:document {title: "Jury Summons Return for Inquest of Will, Cam, and Mary", creator: @oliver_curtis, institution: @connecticut_state_library, created: @date_1763_02_05, language: "en", subjects: ["Jury Summons", "Inquest", "New Haven County", "Legal Documents", "18th Century"], description: "Collection containing a jury summons return document for an inquest involving Will, Cam, and Mary in New Haven County, dated February 5, 1763.", places: ["New Haven County", "Derby", "Ipswich", "Milford"]}

@oliver_curtis:person {full_name: "Oliver Curtis", role: "Creator"}

@connecticut_state_library:organization {full_name: "Connecticut State Library"}

@date_1763_02_05

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

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

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

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

@jury_summons:concept {definition: "A legal notice requiring a person to appear for jury service"}

@inquest:concept {definition: "A judicial inquiry to ascertain facts surrounding a death or incident"}

@legal_documents:concept {definition: "Official records pertaining to legal proceedings"}

@eighteenth_century:concept {definition: "The period from 1701 to 1800"}

@joseph_johnson:person {full_name: "Joseph Johnson"}

@noah_wrench:person {full_name: "Noah Wrench"}

@sam_t_tucker:person {full_name: "Sam T Tucker"}

@wm_barret:person {full_name: "Wm Barret"}

@jonathan_hitchcock:person {full_name: "Jonathan Hitchcock"}

@abraham_smith:person {full_name: "Abraham Smith"}

@joseph_smith:person {full_name: "Joseph Smith"}

@enoe_bradley:person {full_name: "Enoe Bradley"}

@james_bead:person {full_name: "James Bead"}

@james_wheeler:person {full_name: "James Wheeler"}

@abraham_pierson:person {full_name: "Abraham Pierson"}

@nathaniel_johnson:person {full_name: "Nathaniel Johnson"}

@peter_johnston:person {full_name: "Peter Johnston"}

@sheriffs_deputy:concept {definition: "An officer who assists the sheriff in law enforcement duties"}

@oliver_curtis -> role -> @sheriffs_deputy

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @joseph_johnson

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @noah_wrench

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @sam_t_tucker

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @wm_barret

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @jonathan_hitchcock

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @abraham_smith

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @joseph_smith

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @enoe_bradley

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @james_bead

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @james_wheeler

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @abraham_pierson

@oliver_curtis -> summoned -> @nathaniel_johnson

@jury_summons_return -> cost_fees -> "4/6"

@jury_summons_return -> writ -> "1-3"

@jury_summons_return -> jurors_count -> 12

@jury_summons_return -> juror_fee -> "2/6 each"

@jury_summons_return -> justice_payment -> "0-2-6"

@jury_summons_return -> burial_task -> "2 men to Bury Ipswich 0-5-0"

@jury_summons_return -> transport_task -> "Peter Johnston going to Milford & then to Derby to get a Jury - 0-6-0"

@file_pinax -> documents -> @jury_summons_return

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_inquests_willcammary_002_jpg:image {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Inquests_WillCamMary_002.jpg.ref.json", ocr_text: "Derby In New Haven County Feby ye 5th 1763 then I Summoned Joseph Johnson Noah Wrench Sam T Tucker Wm Barret Jonathan Hitchcock Abraham Smith Joseph Smith Enoe Bradley James Bead James Wheeler Abraham Pierson Nathaniel Johnson and Notified the same to appear according to within direction\n\nCapt Oliver Curtis\nSheriff's Deputy for New Haven County\n\nCost Fees 4/6\nThe writ - 1-3\n12 jurors @ 2/6 each - 10-0\nJustice have to give forth 0-2-6\n2 men to Bury Ipswich 0-5-0\nPeter Johnston going to Milford & then to Derby to get a Jury - 0-6-0"}

@file_rg003_nhsc_baai_ps_inquests_willcammary_002_tif:image {filename: "RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Inquests_WillCamMary_002.tif.ref.json"}

@nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject:concept {description: "Subject-index field for New Haven County Superior Court Files – Black, African American, and Indigenous cases and papers"}

@jury_summons_return -> indexed by -> @nhsc_baai_cases_papers_subject

Metadata

Files (2)

RG003_NHSC_BAAI_PS_Inquests_WillCamMary_002.jpgJPEG
462.56 KB
OCR Text

Derby In New Haven County Feby ye 5th 1763 then I Summoned Joseph Johnson Noah Wrench Sam T Tucker Wm Barret Jonathan Hitchcock Abraham Smith Joseph Smith Enoe Bradley James Bead James Wheeler Abraham Pierson Nathaniel Johnson and Notified the same to appear according to within direction Capt Oliver Curtis Sheriff's Deputy for New Haven County Cost Fees 4/6 The writ - 1-3 12 jurors @ 2/6 each - 10-0 Justice have to give forth 0-2-6 2 men to Bury Ipswich 0-5-0 Peter Johnston going to Milford & then to Derby to get a Jury - 0-6-0

Version History (4 versions)

  • ✓ v4 (current) · 12/4/2025, 3:21:36 PM
    "Added description"
  • v3 · 12/4/2025, 2:55:49 PM · View this version
    "Added knowledge graph extraction"
  • v2 · 12/4/2025, 6:41:45 AM · View this version
    "Added PINAX metadata"
  • v1 · 12/4/2025, 6:35:10 AM · View this version
    "Reorganization group: Jury_Summons_Return"

Parent

01KBKZZ2FSP2FPGMFK9TESH4DG

No children (leaf entity)