Petition of Elizabeth Sampson to the Massachusetts General Court Primary tabs

To the Honorable General Court of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Consisting of Their Honours the Council and the Honourable House of Representatives of the Said Province in General Court Assembled

The petition of your humble petitioner humbly sheweth that in the year 1765 Mr. Ebenezer Wheeler of Grafton was prosecuted in an action of trespass on the land possessed by your petitioner by the then Trustees of Indian affairs for Grafton and did actually pay to said Trustees five pounds lawful money damage and all charges occasioned and arising by said prosecution, and, inasmuch as your petitioner never did or could yet learn what became of said five pounds or the interest of the same or who it belong to whether to the Trustees aforesaid to dispose of as they or any or either of them [1] should see fit without rendering an account, or whether it of right belongs to your petitioner or any other person.  But if my [ illegible ] payment, said five pound with the interest of right doth and aught to belong to your petitioner. She prays This Honourable Court, as her Guardian and protector, in their great wisdom and goodness, would direct how and by what way and means she may and shall obtain the use and improvement of said sum of five pounds with the interest for the sustenance and support of herself and family.

But further, if I may not trespass on your patience, I beg leave to suggest that my father, Andrew Abraham, deceased, did order as follows, namely, to Major John Chandler, John Jones, and Edward Baker, Trustees for the Indians at Grafton, you are hereby desired to pay my yearly interest money to Elisabeth Abraham and daughter and James Whipple, Jr., and Ephraim Sherman, all of Grafton, to them or either of them and their or either of their receipts shall be your discharge , Andrew Abraham, his mark.  Grafton. December  10, 1747

And since which date of December 10, 1747, the above-named Trustees punctually paid the whole sum of said interest money to enable your petitioner to take care of and provide for her aged and in a measure helpless mother so far as that sum would answer such charge and so long as they were continued in said trust, since which those who sustained that trust have seen fit for reasons best known to themselves to divide the interest above-mentioned to and among all my father's posterity at their own discretion.  And although [ illegible ] order does not expressly declare that it was my father's will and design that the above-mentioned interest money should be paid to me and my heirs forever hereafter yet, there is a number of persons yet living then understood that my father designed and intended that your petitioner should have the benefit of said interest money as a reward in part, at least, for taking care of her aged mother aforesaid. Therefore, your petitioner prays that those evidences may be examined on the spot, touching the premises before and by such authority as this Court shall think fit and then to determine thereon as [2] shall be judged most just and reasonable.

And as in duty bound your petitioner shall ever pray,

For value received I promise to pay to Artemas Ward and Ezra Taylor, Esqs., Trustees for Grafton Indians, the sum of five pound lawful money by the first day of May next with interest till paid.  Ebenezer Wheeler [ blot ], August 21, 1765