John Goffigon vs William Ronald & James Parker - Dismissed March 1772 - Transcribed by Gail M. Walczyk
Spelling remains the same.
Goffigon vs . . . In Chancy Bill & Answer [-----] [-----]
Filed 11th June 1771 & Answer Repl: & Commission Sept: Contd: Octo Contd: March 1772 Contd: April Dism:
Northampton Ss To the Worshipful Justices of the County afsd in Chancery Humbly complaining Sheweth unto your Worships John Goffigon of the county afsd that your Orator is advised that on or about the year of our Lord MDCCLXX a Letter or Letters arrived at Some Port in Virginia from England informing your Orator that a considerable Estate both Real & Personal had lately descended to him as Heir to Thomas Goffigon the Elder one of his Ancestors in or near the City of London. And your Orator further Sheweth that William Ronald & James Parker have in their Possession the said Letter or Letters and refuse to deliver the same to your Orator, intending to defraud [-----] said Estate is descended by purchasing his Right & title thereto for a very finall Consideration: And your Orator further Sheweth, that unless he can compel the afsd Ronald & Parker to deliver him the said Letter or Letters, it will be impossible for him to prove himself the Right Heir of his ancestor Thomas Goffigon the Elder or by whose Death your Orator is intitled to the Estate afsd. In tender Consideration whereof and for as much as your Orator's Witnesses that can prove him Heir to the Estate afsd descend for his ancestor, are aged and infirm, and not like to live long, and all of them live in the Coloney of Virginia, and could mot be prevailed on to attend a Trial at Law in England; and to the intent that your Orator may examine them in this Court for the preservation of their Testimony for Proof of your Orator's Title and Claim to the said Estate as Heir at Law to his ancestor Thomas Goffigon the Elder decd as afsd: And that your Orator may be relieved in all and singular the premisses according to Equity and good Conscience may it Please your Worships to grant unto your Orator his Majesty's Commission directed to John Robins Senr, John Robins Junr. Colo Littleton Savage & John Wilkins Esq or to such other persons as your Worships shall think fit for examining your Orator's Witnesses in perpetuatuam rei memoriam for the Proof the Matters afsd. and also his Majesty's most gracious Writ of Subpoena to the Said William Ronald and James Parker to be directed thereby commanding them at a certain Day therein to be limited and inserted to be and appear before your Worships in Chancery to answer the Bill of Complaint, and to Stand to and abide by such other and further order and Decree as Shall be made by your Worships in the Premisses according to equity and good Conscience and your Orator as in Duty bound Shall pray Jas Taylor p Complt
Northampton Ss The Answer of William Ronald and James Parker Defendants to the Bill of complaint of John Goffigon These defendants saving and reserving to themselves all and all manner of Benefit and Advantage of Exception to the Manifold Untruths incertainties insufficientcies and Imperfections in the said Complainants Bill of complaint contain'd for Answer thereunto or to as much thereof as these Defendants are advised in any wase material for them to make answer unto the answer and say that they know nothing of any Letter or Letters having arrived from England informing John Goffigon the Complaint [-----] Estates having descended to him as in alledge in the said Bill of complaint and these Defendants deny all manner of Fraud in the Complainants Bill of Complaint, without that, that there is any other Cause Matter, or Thing material or necessary for these Defendants to make answer unto and not herein and hereby, well and sufficiently answer'd unto confessed or aver'd Trasversed ro denied is true, and that they have no Objection to the Complainants taking Depositions relative to the Matters of Complaint contain'd in said Bill. All which Matters and Things these Defendants are ready to aver and prove as the Court shall award and therefore pray to be hence dismiss'd with their Cost on the Behalf most wrongfully sustain'd &c William Ronald
Sworn to the 11th June 1770 by William Ronald before us Jno Wilkins John Robins Senr
Sources:
Walczyk, Gail M. Northampton County VA Chancery Causes, 1721-1816, Vol 2. Coram NY: Peters Row, 2009, pp. 188-190.