Series I. Business Papers, 1737-1779, contains correspondence, tax assessments, court and legal documents, and accounts. These documents reflect Joseph's roles as sheriff, court clerk, and Justice of the Peace. Within the small amount of correspondence are a number of items of special note: 1744-1745 directives to Sheriff Bowditch to impress seamen for British naval expeditions against the French at Cape Breton; and letters concerning the attempted desertion of Michael Coas from a 1758 campaign against Canada. The tax assessments, also directed to Joseph as sheriff, require him to insure the collection of taxes from the Essex County towns of Amesbury, Bedford, Beverly, Bradford, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lynn, Manchester, Marblehead, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Topsfield, and Wenham. The court and legal papers contain documents notarized or copied by Joseph as Justice of the Peace or clerk, as well as such wide variety of legal cases which range from selling rum without a license to treason. The accounts include receipts for court costs and financial executions. Joseph's sheriff's expenses for impressing seamen in 1744-1745 may also be found here. Papers relating to the Reverend Samuel Fiske controversy which was brought to trial in 1735 are located in box 4, folder 5.