Declaration Signer Oliver Wolcott Writes as Sheriff in Colonial CT

Oliver Wolcott (1726-1797). Autograph Document Signed, 1p, 7.25" x 5.5", July 24, 1758. Verso contains a portion of a deed of conveyance of land with detailed description of the land that adjoined the properties of Zebulon Gibs, William Gibs, and Paul Peck. Tear on fold repaired with tape; loss of paper repaired with patches. Expected folds; bottom third removed. In very good condition.

Reads in full: "July 24th AD 1758 / Received of Oliver Wolcott Sheriff three pounds nineteen shillings & 1d in lawfull money in part of ye above Execution / By me". Reem Peck then signs, attesting to the payment.

In 1750, the Connecticut General Assembly collected all of the public acts relating to the duties of sheriffs and constables into act. Among their duties were to execute the orders of the county court directed to him by a county or superior court or justice of the peace. In this case, some court official apparently ordered Sheriff Wolcott of Litchfield County to pay Reem Peck £3, 19s, 1d, and Wolcott wrote out this receipt for Peck to sign to confirm that Wolcott had fulfilled his duty. The execution, or order of the court, is no longer connected to the receipt.

Wolcott was born in Connecticut to colonial governor Roger Wolcott and his wife. The younger Wolcott graduated from Yale College at the top of his class in 1747. He commanded a company of New York militia in the French and Indian War, then studied and practiced medicine with his brother in northwestern Connecticut. He later moved to Litchfield where he was a merchant and served as sheriff of Litchfield County from 1751 to 1771. As a delegate from Connecticut, he signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. During the Revolutionary War, he commanded all Connecticut militia regiments in New York as a brigadier general, fought in the Battle of Saratoga, commanded militia as a Major General in defending the coast against raids by British General William Tryon, and served as a commissioner of Indian affairs. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1786 to 1796 and as Governor of Connecticut from January 1796 to his death in December 1797.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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