1690 CAPT Wainwright SIGNED Deed, KILLED French + Indian War 1708 HAVERHILL RAID

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1690 CAPT Wainwright SIGNED Deed, KILLED French + Indian War 1708 HAVERHILL RAID:
$1500.00

- 1690 DEED Signed by Militia CAPTAIN Simon Wainwright -- KILLED in the 1708 RAID on HAVERHILL (Massachusetts) -- The SECOND French + Indian War (QUEEN ANNE’S WAR) -

EXTREMELY RARE signature of Militia CAPTAIN Simon Wainwright who was KILLED during the 1708 “RAID on HAVERHILL” (in Massachusetts) by the French and their Indian allies during QUEEN ANNE’S WAR, the SECOND French and Indian War fought in North America. During this military engagement, the frontier town of Haverhill was raidedby a war party of a couple hundred French, Algonquinand Abenaki Indian warriors during the surprise attack. The French were led by Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville, who was the same commanding officer during the earlier “RAID on DEERFIELD” (MA) in 1704.

This Simon Wainwright SIGNED document is a colonial AMERICAN land deed dated March 31st 1690, whereby Daniel + Hannah Russell sell Hannah’s share or claim to her father’s estate to Hannah’s brother, Caleb Hopkinson of Bradford (MA). Bradford was a village and former Essex County town in Massachusetts that was annexed by the city of Haverhill (MA) in 1897.

The ENTIRE document is written COMPLETELY in Simon Wainwright’s own hand (an autograph document signed or ADS) and is SIGNED by Wainwright along the bottom. This is ONLY the SECOND example of Wainwright’s signature that I’ve encountered as a collector over the last 30 years. Both were on early land deeds as a “justice of the peace”. His autograph is EXTREMELY RARE - anything genuinely signed by Wainwright would predate 1708 and the settlement of Haverhill consisted of about 25 – 30 homes and a meeting house during this period of time. Tremendous opportunity to acquire the signature of an early American Indian fighter, killed in action on the New England frontier.

The document reads (with NUMEROUS spelling errors corrected) as follows, “Know all men by these presents we Daniel Russell of Newbury + Hannah my wife daughter of Nicholas Wallingford at Bradford deceased: these persons belong to the county of essex in new England for and in consideration of fifteen pounds which is in hand paid to the said Daniel and Hannah Russell by our brother Caleb Hopkinson of Bradford in the same county: we have given granted bargained sold… ??? and conformed and so by these presents give grant bargain sell… ??? and confirm unto our above said brother Hopkinson all our right whether it fall out to be in land or meadow or any other estate which hath or may fall unto my wife Hannah for her portion of her father Nicholas Wallingfords estate within the bounds at whatsoever favour it may fall: all this above land estate… ??? with all privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging to hand and to hold… ??? and peaceably to… ??? and… ??? all the said parcels of land meadow or other estate which hath or may fall unto my wife Hannah at her father Nicholas Wallingford estate for her portion: to him the said Caleb Hopkinson his heirs executors administrators and assigns and further the said Daniel and Hannah Russell for whom… ??? their heirs executors administrators and assigns doth covenant and… ??? to and with our said brother Caleb Hopkinson his heirs executors administrators and assigns to… ??? him and them from any poison or poisons whatsever who from by or under us who may lay any just claim right or title unto the said… ??? of land and meadow or other estate above mentioned: and that it shall and may be lawful for the said Hopkinson his heirs executors administrators: and from hereforth and forever hereafter to have use occupy possess and enjoy all the said bargained premises to his or their proper use behalf and benefit as his own proper right of inheritance in fee simple for ever: in witness whereof… ??? hand hereunto set our hand and seals: this 31 of march 1690 signed sealed delivered in presence of us.

At the conclusion of the document are the signatures of BOTH Daniel + Hannah Russell (with their respective “marks”), in the lower right corner. The document was also signed at lower left by the following witnesses to the signatures of Daniel + Hannah Russell – by Prudence Sticknie (Stickney?), Elisebeth Tenney, and by William Master.

Along the very bottom, center area of the document, Simon Wainwright has SIGNED and written the following statement in his own hand as a “justice of ye peace” – “Daniel Russell appeared April ye 12 1690 and owned this to be his act and deed before me”.

SIMON WAINWRIGHT (1660 - 1708) was born in Ipswich (MA) and taught school in the town of Rowley in 1682. He settled in Haverhill in 1683, built a warehouse and became a merchant / trader. In 1684, Wainwright was permitted to sell \"liquors out of doors”. He became the Captain and leader of the small military force at Haverhill and was chosen, in 1694, as one of the town’s first three assessors. Wainwright’s own house was one of the blockhouses (houses of refuge) built in the settlement to guard against raids by the French and their Indian allies. During the conflict known as Queen Anne’s War (1702 – 1713), the SECOND French + Indian War fought in North America – the small frontier community of Haverhill in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay was attacked by French, Algonquin, and Abenaki warriors under the command of Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville. Sixteen people were killed in the surprise “Raid on Haverhill” on August 29th 1708, including Captain Simon Wainwright, and many more were taken captive (Wainwright’s own daughter Mary among them). The French war party was immediately pursued by a force of local militia later in the day, and in the skirmish, nine of the enemy were killed and some captives freed.

CONDITION: document measures about 11 x 12 ¾ inches in size and is in fine original condition with uniform toning and expected handling wear. There are some folds (one vertical and several horizontal) and some fold breaks, primarily along the center area of the main horizontal fold. There are also a couple of small fold breaks around the edges of the document. These condition issues (all unrepaired) aside, this is a rare 17th century American document with an extremely rare signature (see scans). CAPTAIN Simon Wainwright’s signature / autograph is guaranteed authentic. FREE shipping, postage & INSURANCE. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.