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Introduction to Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al. Summons, 9 June 1837 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Declaration, circa 7 July 1837 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Plea, circa 28 October 1837 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Transcript of Proceedings, circa 16 April 1839 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Docket Entry, Costs, circa 16 April 1839 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Notice, 12 August 1840 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Docket Entry, Sheriff’s Sale, 21 October 1840 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Docket Entry, Deed, 30 April 1841 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Assignment of Judgment, 30 April 1841 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Deed, 3 June 1841 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.] Deed, 23 November 1841 [Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.]

Introduction to Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon et al.

Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon, JS, E. Boynton, S. Foster, McWithey, Joseph Smith Sr., Bosley, Parker, Holmes, W. Smith, J. Butterfield, Packard, Clark, Webb, Carrico, and A. Allen
Geauga Co., Ohio, Court of Common Pleas, 16 April 1839
 
Historical Introduction
In June 1837, attorneys for the engraving firm Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty brought a lawsuit against JS, , and several other men who owed a debt to the firm for the engraving and printing of banknotes. In October 1836, JS, , and other church leaders began organizing a bank in , Ohio, which they named the . That same month, an agent acting on behalf of the bank—likely —commissioned Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty to engrave and print a series of banknotes. Cowdery brought the finished printing plates and printed banknotes back to Kirtland Township by the end of December 1836. There is no extant record for the initial payment, though it was probably a promissory note given to the firm by Cowdery. The debt appears to have been renegotiated when JS and fifteen other Kirtland residents signed a new promissory note for $1,450.
The legal firm Andrews & Foot, representing the engravers, began an in the Court of Common Pleas against JS and his fellow signers on 9 June 1837. Either the or his left copies of the writ of summons with all but four of the sixteen defendants. A month later, Andrews & Foot filed a declaration with the court claiming $2,000 in damages. The defendants, represented by Perkins & Osborn, filed a plea in the October 1837 term of court for the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas. The matter remained unresolved until 16 April 1839, when the court rendered a judgment requiring JS and his fellow signers to pay $1,641.63 as well as the costs for the case. In order to satisfy the judgment, the sheriff seized land in May or June 1839 and attempted to sell it at public auction, but he was unable to find a buyer. Attempts to sell the seized property continued until October 1840, when a portion of the land was sold for $201 to . The remainder was sold in April 1841 to Latter-day Saint , through his agent Lyman Cowdery. Babbitt may have been acting as an agent for JS and the church. In 1841, Babbitt paid Thomas Underwood and his partners in order to acquire the judgment they held against JS, , and the other signers. By 1848 the case costs had been paid and the judgment was satisfied.
 
Calendar of Documents
This calendar lists all known documents created by or for the court, whether extant or not. It does not include versions of documents created for other purposes, though those versions may be listed in footnotes. In certain cases, especially in cases concerning unpaid debts, the originating document (promissory note, invoice, etc.) is listed here. Note that documents in the calendar are grouped with their originating court. Where a version of a document was subsequently filed with another court, that version is listed under both courts.
Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty v. Rigdon, JS, E. Boynton, S. Foster, McWithey, Joseph Smith Sr., Bosley, Parker, Holmes, W. Smith, J. Butterfield, Packard, Clark, Webb, Carrico, and A. Allen
Geauga Co., Ohio, Court of Common Pleas, 16 April 1839
 
Historical Introduction
In June 1837, attorneys for the engraving firm Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty brought a lawsuit against JS, , and several other men who owed a debt to the firm for the engraving and printing of banknotes. In October 1836, JS, , and other church leaders began organizing a bank in , Ohio, which they named the . That same month, an agent acting on behalf of the bank—likely —commissioned Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty to engrave and print a series of banknotes. Cowdery brought the finished printing plates and printed banknotes back to Kirtland Township by the end of December 1836. There is no extant record for the initial payment, though it was probably a promissory note given to the firm by Cowdery. The debt appears to have been renegotiated when JS and fifteen other Kirtland residents signed a new promissory note for $1,450.
The legal firm Andrews & Foot, representing the engravers, began an in the Court of Common Pleas against JS and his fellow signers on 9 June 1837. Either the or his left copies of the writ of summons with all but four of the sixteen defendants. A month later, Andrews & Foot filed a declaration with the court claiming $2,000 in damages. The defendants, represented by Perkins & Osborn, filed a plea in the October 1837 term of court for the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas. The matter remained unresolved until 16 April 1839, when the court rendered a judgment requiring JS and his fellow signers to pay $1,641.63 as well as the costs for the case. In order to satisfy the judgment, the sheriff seized land in May or June 1839 and attempted to sell it at public auction, but he was unable to find a buyer. Attempts to sell the seized property continued until October 1840, when a portion of the land was sold for $201 to . The remainder was sold in April 1841 to Latter-day Saint , through his agent Lyman Cowdery. Babbitt may have been acting as an agent for JS and the church. In 1841, Babbitt paid Thomas Underwood and his partners in order to acquire the judgment they held against JS, , and the other signers. By 1848 the case costs had been paid and the judgment was satisfied.
 
Calendar of Documents
This calendar lists all known documents created by or for the court, whether extant or not. It does not include versions of documents created for other purposes, though those versions may be listed in footnotes. In certain cases, especially in cases concerning unpaid debts, the originating document (promissory note, invoice, etc.) is listed here. Note that documents in the calendar are grouped with their originating court. Where a version of a document was subsequently filed with another court, that version is listed under both courts.
 
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