William J. Coulter was a veteran newspaper man from Orange County, New York who published his column “Genealogical & Historical” in the local newspapers. He was respected for his knowledge of local history and genealogical work with Orange County families.
Mr. Coulter published an article titled
“WHERE WAS
WIRKESWORTH?
A Very Old
Document Comes to Hand.
One of the Oldest
Orange County Towns”
that was printed in the Wantage Recorder, Deckertown, Sussex
County, New Jersey June 20, 1924 issue. Sussex County is Orange County’s
neighbor to the south. Mrs. Minnie Topping, a Kimber descendant from Unionville,
New York, loaned a document to William J. Coulter. I am also a Casper Kimber
descendant. He is my 7th Great Grandfather and the progenitor of the
family in Orange County.
The ‘very old document’ was a bill of sale dated 1748 when
Casper Kimber sold all his horses, cattle, sheep and other items to Samuel
Clowes:
“This indenture
made the first day of (this figure or figures are faded) in the year of our
Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty-eight, between Casper Kimber of
Wirkesworth near Goshen in Orange County, in the colony of New York, Weaver, of
the one part aid Samuel Clowes, of Jamaica in Queens County, on Long Island,
Gent, of the second part, witnesseth that the said Casper Kimber for and in
consideration of the sum of 55 pounds lawful money of New York to him paid at
or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is
duly acknowledged to be paid by the said Samuel Clowes wherewith the said
Casper Kimber doth declare himself to be fully paid and satisfied, Hath
bargained and sold and the said Casper Kimber doth bargain and sell unto him the said Samuel Clowes all and every
of the horses, cattle, and other goods now in the possession of the said Casper
Kimber he conveys to said Cloves, to witt:
“One rhone
mare, one black stalyon three-years-old with a blaze in his face and down his nose;
one yearling horse colt, black with a blaze in his face and branded C. C.; four
cows one a black one, one white and two red ones, with different marks, some of
them have a ha panny piece nick under each ear; one steer three years old; one
steer two years old; three yearlings and two calves, that have no marks or are
marked with a half nick under ear of each; twenty five sheep on foot, one
pewter dish and one pewter spoon; one black horse and one bay branded F. C. B.”
Then follows
the usual bill of sale guarantees and legal conditions drawn up with legal
precision, and evidently by a lawyer. To
it written a clear bold hand is the signature “Casparus Kimber”. “Sealed and
delivered and quiet possession given by the delivery of the said above
mentioned pewter spoon part of the properties answering to the purport of this
present writing in the presence of John Sackett, Jr., George Kimber”.
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