A single page. The words “five hundred” are written above the line after “One thousand,” and “dollars” in the margin beside Thomas Ewell’s note, so his note may read “about four Hundred dollars.” The word “for” before “and by the firm” is struck through and left out.
Bond of Joshua Ewell, Thomas Ewell and Peter Willis to David S. Roach on closing the Ewell and Roach store on Swift Creek – Craven County, 1855
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
State of North Carolina }
Craven County }
Know all Men by these presents that we Joshua Ewell and Thomas Ewell and Peter Willis are held and firmly bound unto David S. Roach in the Sum of Six thousand Dollars good and lawful money of the United States to which payment we bind our selves our executors, administrators and assigns jointly and Severally Signed with our hands sealed with our Seals.
The condition of the above obligation is such that the above bounden Joshua Ewell and David S. Roach are copartners in trade in the Mercantile business on Swift Creek Craven County and have this day dissolved copartnership and the said Joshua Ewell binds him self to pay all the debts against the said Joshua Ewell and David S Roach which was contracted by the firm of Ewell and Roach a part of which debts are due to the following persons
Note due David Chapman for One thousand five hundred dollars
notes due to Thomas Ewell for about four Hundred dollars
Note due to Norman Jackson for about two Hundred or three Hundred dollars the balance of the debts due by the said firm not recollected.
now therefore if the said Joshua Ewell shall pay off and discharge all the debts due by the said Firm of Ewell & Roach so that the said David S Roach shall not Suffer any loss or damage in consequence of said debts then this obligation is to be void otherwise to remain in full force and effect this the 30. April 1855
Signed sealed and delivered in the Presence of
F. Holt [?]
James Roach
Joshua Ewell (Seal)
Thomas his X mark Ewell (Seal)
Peter Willis (Seal)
About the original
The year is written “1855,” though the third figure is not fully clear. David S. Roach was a grown man by 1844, when he witnessed a deed in the Roach land records, so 1855 fits.
The first witness’s name is read as “F. Holt” with a question mark. Thomas Ewell signed with his mark.
The paper shows that Joshua Ewell and David S. Roach ran a store together on Swift Creek as Ewell and Roach until they ended the partnership that day.
Source: Bond of Joshua Ewell, Thomas Ewell and Peter Willis to David S. Roach on closing the Ewell and Roach store on Swift Creek. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder d (Legal Records, 1784–1901). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fd.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View in ECU Digital Collections: 35869.
Also from this folder: Swift Creek residents hire Turner Nelson as teacher of “Reading writing and Arithmetic” in 1823.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
