Maureen Levine writes:

Colonial Counterfeiters of Evil Name and Fame and Dishonest Conversation

Two intriguing court documents from North Carolina appear in Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection Internet Part 1. In the first,Henry Ebon Sears "uttered and passed" the two counterfeit 20 shillings notes that are affixed to the document. For this he was designated as "aperson of evil name and fame and dishonest conversation." James Ward was convicted of "Passing bad Money," in this case a Virginia 3 pounds note, toone George Admire " ...unjustly and Injuriously to Deceive and Defraud on the Seventeenth day of September in the third Year of the Reign of ourSovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith, and so forth..."

The fate of the perpetrators is not known from the document text, which was sometimes undecipherable. Any information on probable punishments is welcome as are additions or corrections to the transcriptions.

This unique and fascinating primary source document has two different contemporary counterfeit North Carolina 20 shillings notes affixed to it on the docketed side. The legal text is fascinating. And the phrase referring to the "utter[er] and pass[er]" of the notes, Henry Ebon Sears as "a person of evil name and fame and dishonest conversation," reflects that there were bad guys in all periods of history.

The jurors for the State upon their oath present that Henry Ebon Sears, late of the county of Gates yeoman, being a person of evil name and fame and dishonest conversation, on the twenty fourth day of february in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty four and in the eighth year of American Independence, two bills of false money counterfeited to the likeness and similitude of the good legal and current money of the State of the denomination of twenty shilling bills emitted agreeable to an act of the general assembly passed at Hillsborough the eighteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three then and there falsely, deceitfully and feloniously did utter and pass ______________ to one John Bryan, for and as the good and lawful currency of the said State of the denomination and imitation aforesaid ( he the said Henry then and there well knowing the said bills by him so uttered and passed - as aforesaid, to have been false and counterfeit against the act of the general assembly in that case made and provided and against the peace and dignity of the said State.

The complete lot description is available at:
http://currency.ha.com/itm/colonial-notes/north-carolina-may-17-1783-20-shillings-contemporary-counterfeit-type-pair-mounted-to-court-document-fr-nc-206a-and-nc-206b/a/241618-86204.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

LOTID# 12647
LOT# 86300

Virginia October 12, 1758 3 Pounds Contemporary Counterfeit Pinned to Period Docketed Document Fr. VA-22. PCGS Extremely Fine 40 Apparent.

This is another fascinating and unique legal primary source document concerning Colonial counterfeiting. The Virginia 3 pounds note pinned upon the bottom left of the document's text side covers some of the text. As with the North Carolina notes and document above, the phrase "...being a Person of Evil Name, fame, and Dishonest Conversation..." appears. A rare counterfeit note, and made more desirable with this primary source documentation and period seizure.

Docket: The King vs } Induction [?] James Ward Passing bad Money Evidence George Admire Sworn and Sent John [?] True Bill Signd by Nathl [Alenworth?] Foreman R Henderson Att Thrd [?] Dom. Regis Document Side North Carolina Salisbury District [?] } At Superior Court of Justice held at Salisbury for the District of Salisbury on the Twenty Second day of September in the third Year of the Reign of Our Sovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith, and so forth, According to the form of the Act of Assembly in Such Case made and Provided, before Maurice Moore Esquire Associate Judge of the said Court The Jurors for our Lord the King upon their Oath Present That James Ward late of the Parish of Saint of Luke in the County of Rowan Laborer, being a Person of Evil Name, fame, and Dishonest Conversation and Decifing [?] and Intending one George Admire, unjustly and Injuriously to Deceive and Defraud on the Seventeenth day of September in the third Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith, and so forth, at the Parish Aforesaid in the County Aforesaid one piece of Printed Passed [?] Counterfeited to the Likings and Similitude of a Bill of the Current money of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia of the Denomination of Three Pounds, forwit of the Notes of Forty Eight Shilllings Lawful money of Great Britain, Unlawfully Fraudulently and Deceitfully did utter and Pass to the said George Admire for and as a good and Trued Bill of the Denomination and Value of Three Pounds Current money of the Colony of Virginia Aforesaid, forwit, of the Value of Forty Eight Shillings Lawful money of Great Britain as Aforesaid, He the said James Ward then and there and there -----------------------------------------------Bill so as Aforesaid by him so Uttered -------------------------------------------------------------Counterfeit to the Great Damage -------------------------------------------------------------[Ge]orge Admire and Against the Peace of -------------------------------------------------------------Crown and Dignitye --------------------------- ----------------------------------Rich'd Henderson Att Thrd [?] Dom. Regis

To read the complete lot description, see:
http://currency.ha.com/itm/colonial-notes/virginia-october-12-1758-3-pounds-contemporary-counterfeit-pinned-to-period-docketed-document-fr-va-22-pcgs-extremely-fine/a/241618-86300.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515

To bid, or access the downloadable catalog of Selections from The Eric P. Newman Collection Internet Part I, see:
http://www.ha.com/241618