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The United States Court of Claims and French Spoliation Records

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

Buford Rowland
Affiliation:
The National Archives.
G. B. Snedeker
Affiliation:
Lieutenant U. S. Army Air Corps.

Extract

The National Archives has in its custody an unexploited group of records that constitutes one of the best collections in existence bearing upon the brilliant period of our nation's maritime history from 1792 to 1801. This material is found in the papers of the United States Court of Claims and relates to those cases commonly known as French Spoliation Claims.

Type
Other
Copyright
Copyright © The President and Fellows of Harvard College 1944

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References

1 The original claimants were merchants, shipowners, underwriters, partners in trade, joint-stock associations, and incorporated insurance companies.

2 The claims of William Gray, merchant, of Boston, were much larger than those of Brooks. Gray left his estate to his five sons. Some idea of his losses may be had from the fact that on July 21, 1829, Henry Gray “in consideration of $189,368.42 paid him by four brothers, assigned, transferred, released and conveyed his title and interest in all notes, balances, and claims, and demands, including demands and claims” on the United States and other governments.

3 In original, material in this set of parentheses was stricken, through.

4 Sebor was born in Middletown, Connecticut, in 1755. When a young man he went to France as the private secretary of Benjamin Franklin. On returning to the United States, Sebor settled in New York City and entered into business as a merchant and underwriter of marine risks. He remained in New York until 1804 or 1805, when he returned to Middletown. In Middletown he was engaged in no business, except the care of his own private affairs, and to some extent in the purchase of lands in western New York. He died in 1847 at the age of 92.