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From: "Dennis P. Sutton" <>
Subject: [NJHUNTER-L] Thatcher/Willson Oath of Allegiance
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 16:01:27 -0500


All,

I found the following article in a copy of the Hunterdon County Democrat
newspaper. Thought that anyone with a connection to Samuel THATCHER or
James WILLSON might be interested in their Tory family history.

Old Papers - While tearing down a very old house on the farm of Mr. John
Kuhl, near Klinesville, a few days ago, Mr. Samuel Bodine, the carpenter
found between the floor and joice of the building two pieces of time-stained
paper, which bear the following messages written in clear hands. The first
reads:
Dec. 13th, 1776
I hereby certify that Samuel Thatcher this day took the oath of fealty
before me. C. Shimor.
On the reverse side of this certificate is written the following
official endoresement:

It is his Excellency, Lt. General Lord Cornwallis, his orders that no
person on any account presume to molest or injure Samuel Thatcher, in his
person or property. I. Sinker
Aid de Camp.

By his Excellency's orders,
Pennington, Dec. 13, 1776.

The other piece of paper, ragged, ill-shapen and of exceedingly rough
texture, is a justices certificate of James Willson's "loyalty" to the
tyrant George the Third, and reads as follows:

New Jersey,
Monmouth.
This is to certify that James Willson, of Hunterdon county, personally
appeared before me, John Taylor, one of his Majestics' Justices of the Peace
of the county aforesaid, who made oath that he would bear Faith and True
Allegiance to his Majesties' King George the Third. John Taylor.
December 13th, 1776.

Hope this might be of interest to someone.

Dennis Sutton

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