Collection Summary
Creator: | Read, Charles |
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Title: | The Charles Read-Joseph Read Commonplace Book |
Accession: | MSS 91-1 |
Description: | 1 item |
Location: | SC - Oversized |
Photograph Collection: | View 0 digitized photographs |
Digitized Content: | 0 objects |
Use Restrictions: | There are no restrictions. |
Collection Description & Arrangement
This collection contains a commonplace, or precedents, book in two hands, arranged alphabetically by subject from abatement to warrant. Most precedents are British, however, New Jersey law of the 1790s is also cited. Volume begins with an inscription which indicates that the volume was given by Charles Read to Joseph Read "of Mount Holly."
Biographical & Historical Information
Charles Read was a lawyer, landowner and ironmaster who attained prominence as a jurist and statesman in colonial New Jersey. He was born ca. 1713 in Philadelphia, the son of Charles Read who served as mayor of Philadelphia from 1726 to 1727.
Around 1736, after a liberal education under private tutors, Read was sent to London and was subsequently appointed midshipman in the British Navy. Around 1739 he returned to America and became clerk of the city of Burlington and shortly after was made collector of the port of Burlington. In 1749 he was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of New Jersey and for a brief period in 1764 he held the office of chief justice on appointment by Governor Franklin.
In addition to affairs of state he was engaged in many enterprises. His law practice was one of the best in the province. A land speculator on a large scale, he was party to more than one hundred recorded land transfers involving many thousands of acres is western New Jersey. He was interested in agriculture and carried on experiments to improve farm practices. Around 1765 he took up the manufacture of iron from bog ore, setting in motion an important industry.
Charles Read was a jurist, statesman, farmer and manufacturer in colonial New Jersey.
Acquisition Information
Date Received | 1991 |
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Donor Information | This collection was purchased from Kane Antiquarian Auction on June 2, 1991. |
Content List
1 book.
Associated People
Use Policy
Access | There are no restrictions. |
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Use Restrictions | There are no restrictions. |
Preferred Citation |
Charles Read-Joseph Read Commonplace Book, MSS 91-1, Special Collections, University of Virginia Law Library |
Unless otherwise stated, digital materials in our collections are available for use under a Creative Commons BY 4.0 License (CC-BY-4.0). For Use and Citation guidelines, see Special Collections Use Policy. |