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English indentures regarding settlement of husbands' wills by their widows

 Collection — Box: BW-7
Identifier: MS-HUT-033

Scope and Contents

This collection includes four 19th century English indentures (contracts), regarding the settlement of their husbands' wills by their widows. The indentures include the names of the husbands and wives, and the names of witnesses who attest to the existence of the marriages. The supporting documents prove their relationships, and each include silver seals, revenue stamps, and cancels on each. The seals are from the Common Law Courts of England. The vellum contracts were partially printed and fields were filled in handwriting.

The four indentures include five different couples, with the names of two couples on one document:

  • Charlott Macy [Mary?], Lady Bridport, wife of Honorable Samuel Lord Bridport
  • Sarah Hembrough, wife of Reuben Hembrough
  • Sarah Elizabeth, wife of William Barmby; Mary Ann, wife of Henry Dunn
  • Sarah Smith, wife of Arthur William
The contracts are dated from 1866 to 1867.

Dates

  • Creation: 1866 - 1867

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Collection is open for use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.

Biographical / Historical

An indenture is a legal contract that reflects a debt or purchase obligation. It specifically refers to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.

An indenture is a legal contract between two parties, particularly for indentured labour or a term of apprenticeship but also for certain land transactions. The term comes from the medieval English "indenture of retainer"—a legal contract written in duplicate on the same sheet, with the copies separated by cutting along a jagged (toothed, hence the term "indenture") line so that the teeth of the two parts could later be refitted to confirm authenticity. Each party to the deed would then retain a part. When the agreement was made before a court of law a tripartite indenture was made, with the third piece kept at the court. The term is used for any kind of deed executed by more than one party, in contrast to a deed poll which is made by one individual. In the case of bonds, the indenture shows the pledge, promises, representations and covenants of the issuing party.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indenture

Extent

0.167 Cubic Feet (1 legal size folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

An indenture is a legal contract that reflects a debt or purchase obligation. This collection includes four 19th century English indentures, regarding the settlement of their husbands' wills by their widows. The indentures include the names of the husbands and wives, and the names of witnesses who attest to the existence of the marriages. The contracts are dated from 1866 to 1867.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased in the academic year of 2005-2006 from an unknown seller.

Processing Information

This collection was processed in December 2015 by Annie Tang.

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
The Sheridan Libraries
Special Collections
3400 N Charles St
Baltimore MD 21218 USA