This is the last primary source document in the stack, but potentially avery important one.
First, this ties together, at least tenuously, several geographically separate areas: 1) Sommerset County, 2) Woodbridge in Middlesex County, and 3) Elizabeth Town in Essex County. This might fizzle out into nothing, but it might also provide the first clues to tie into the known Bonnell families in Elizabeth Town.
Second, this document clearly identifies the defendant as Samuel Bunnell, Junior (name spelled different ways throughout the document). The fact that Samuel Junior was mature enough to sign this obligatory note in 1730
indicates to me that he was the generation before the Virginia/Kentucky William. At the same time, I agree with George that even this does not provide enough information to determine if it was Samuel Bonnell Junior or Senior that accompanied William and Jacob Wright to Virginia.
Third, this document reiterates that Samuel Bonnell Junior was a blacksmith and was in the custody of the Sheriff of Sommerset County in September of 1732.
John Bunnell
From George Farris:
Richard Carman, the plaintiff, as well as Samuel Moore who witnessed the Obligatory Note were residents of Woodbridge. William Robison who co-signed the note owned property on Robison's Branch of the Rahway River between Elizabethtown and Woodbridge. Robison was a defendant in numerous debt suits in Essex and Middlesex Counties and ended up deeding his property in Rahway to Philip Kearny in 1734 and 1737. (Possibly as a result of co-signing this note for Samuel Bonnel, Jr.) Kearny was the wealthy and prominent attorney in Perth Amboy who sued Samuel Bonnel for debt in 1749. So all of this points back to Woodbridge where Samuel Bonnel, Jr. was born in 1707. It appears that both of the Samuels may have first gotten into debt in Woodbridge before moving on to Somerset County and Windsor in Middlesex County and never were able to completely pay off their debts.
Transcription of New Jersey Superior Court Case #6155 (1732): Carman, Richard v. Bunnell, Samuel Junior
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New Jersey Sup Court Anno
Septo Georgi Soenndier Regi
Do Terireus Augusti MDCCXXXII
Rich Carman }
V } Narr
Samuel Bunnell } copy of the bond
filed 9th September 1732
Enfor Judgmt for want
of a plea
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Middlesex fs Richard Carman complains against Sam’el Bunnell otherwise called Samuel Bunnell Jun’r of the County of Sommerset in ye province of East New Jersey Blacksmith in Custody of Dan Don Dunstarr Esq’r High Sheriff of the County of Sommerset – of a plea that he render unto him thirty pounds Cur’t money of New Jersey at eight Shillings p ounce – which to him he Doth unjustly detaineth for y’d teheen the Said Samuel the eighth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred Thirty at Perth Amboy in the Said County of Middlesex by his certain writing Obligatory which he the Said Richard with the Seal of him the Said Samuel Sealed brings here unto Court whose date is the same day and year Acknowledged himself to be held and firmly bound unto the Said Richard in the aforesaid Thirty pounds as thereunto required nevertheless the said Samuel altho often required the s’d thirty pounds to him the said Richard to be paid unto the Said Richard when he should hath not paid but the same to him as yet to pay hath altogether refused & still doth refuse to the Damage of him the said Richard Ten pounds like money and thereof he brings this suit et’a
Price Pdun } zolegy Joh’n Dod &
Def’d in Custodia } Richard Red
Middlesex The above Named Richard Carman puts in his place Benj’a Price his Attorney ag’t him the Said Samuel Bonnel in the above plea of Debt
Know all men by these presents that too Samuel Bunnel Junior of the County of Sommerset in the province of East New Jersey Blacksmith and William Robison of Elizabeth Town in the County of Essex in the province of East New Jersey Gent’m ~ are held and firmly Bound unto Richard Carman of the town of Woodbridge of the County of Middlesex & of the province aforesaid yeoman in the full sum of thirty pounds current money of the province att Eight Shillings p ounce ~ to be paid unto the said Richard Carman or to his Certain Attorney Ex’r Adm’r or Assigns For this which payment well & truly to be made & done we do hereby bind ourselves our Heirs Ex’r Adm’r & Every of them Joyntly and Severally firmly by these Psents Sealed with our seals dated the Eighth ~ day of June in the third ~ year of his Maj’tey Reign Anno gue Dommini 1730
The Condition of this Obligation is such that if y’e above Bounden Samuel Bunnil and William Roberson their Heirs Ex’r Adm’r do & shall well & truly pay or Cause to be paid unto the above named Richard Carnan or to his ~ Certain Attorney Hiers Ex’r Adm’r or Assigns the full & just sum of fifteen pounds ~ Curr’t money aforesaid on or before the Eighth Day of June next Ensuing from the date hereof ~ And that without fraud Cover or further delay then this Psent Obligation to be Void & of none Effect or Else to Stand be & remain in full force & Virtue
Samuel Bunnill
Sealed & Delivered
in the Psence of W’m Robison
Samuel Moore
William Heder
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