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Lot Description

SHIPPEN, Edward, Jr. (1729-1806). A collection of legal documents.

A group of 5 documents related to Edward Shippen, Jr., eldest son of Edward Shippen. Lawyer, judge, and politician. Chief Justice of Pennsylvania but was impeached in 1804 in a politically motivated action. His third daughter, Margaret Shippen, was the second wife of Benedict Arnold.

Includes: Manuscript documents in unknown hands, being notes on a civil action against Thomas Holliday, a justice of the peace in Lancaster County, brought by John Miller and tried before Shippen and fellow Judge Robert Thompson. Miller charged, as related in a manuscript document signed, 2pp., that Holliday, "...heard and gave judgement in a matter in which Mr. Whitehill had formerly given Judgt. & that after Mr. Holliday had see a Certificate of Mr. Whitehills Judgt...That Mr. Holliday heard a Gave Judgt in the Cause at a tavern where he makes a practice of trying causes...that Mr. Holliday gave Jdgt that the Deft should pay for the Gun (about which the dispute ws) altho' the Gun had been a long time before return'd to the Pltff. that Mr. Holliday gave judgmt for...costs which was exorbitant That This is not the only Instance of Mr. Hollidays abusing his power & oppressing the people." Shippen adds his own note at the bottom, remarking, "At the Court I spoke to some of the Justices about the Matter & Mr. Whitehill...Neither did Mr. Whitehill Inform me at that time that he had given Judgment."

The lot also includes portions of Shippen's interrogatory, kept in another hand, 4pp., with smaller sheet attached with a pin. -- ADS, signed twice by Thomas Holliday ("Tho. Holliday"), Lancaster County. One page, 10 February 1758, being a pair of examinations, one signed with the mark of William Gay, the other "Abigail White." Shippen's own notes take up three pages and are heavily edited, and include calculations of court costs.

Together, 5 manuscript documents. Partial fold separations, some marginal wear, toning.

Provenance: Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 25 November 1952, Lot 322 (original auction house folder included). Accompanied by typed transcriptions on Lincoln Library, Shippensburg, PA letterhead.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Condition Report

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