Joseph and John Winn French Spoliation Papers, 1803-1901, undated
-
Not requestable
Scope and Content Note
The Joseph and John Winn French Spoliation Papers are divided into five series.
Series I. Winn Correspondence includes Timothy Winn's last will and testament along with many letters between Captain Field (commander and co-owner of the Polly) and Joseph and John Winn regarding the events surrounding the capture of the Polly. There are also many other letters regarding the state of the Spoliation Claim and the frustration due to the slow pace of the U.S. government in settling these claims.
Series II. Governmental Records include the Congressional Record publication of the Spoliation legislation as well as letters to Congress from Boston merchants requesting action on the Spoliation Claims.
Series III. Attorney's Papers contain an abundance of correspondence between John Fiske and William Earle as well as records from the U.S. Court of Claims.
Series IV. Blank Attorney's Forms contain two copies of the Agreement for Fees in regard to legal representation in the Spoliation Claims.
Series V. News Clippings contain originals and copies of the Boston Herald, Boston Daily Advisor, and the Boston Journal that track the developments of the Spoliation Claims through the U.S. Congress.
Dates
- Creation: 1803-1901, undated
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open for research use.
Biographical/Historical Sketches
In 1885, the United States Congress passed an act which allowed American citizens to file French Spoliation Claims with the United States Court Of Claims. The act was designed to reimburse the heirs of United States merchants, ship owners, and insurance underwriters whose vessels or cargo had been captured and condemned by the French from 1794-1801. The United States assumed the claims of its own citizens as part of the treaty made with France in 1800. In this treaty, France relinquished their claim on the United States for violations of the cooperative treaty of 1778. In return, the United States assumed the costs of American citizens' French Spoliation Claims.
Joseph Winn (1761-1839) and John Winn were owners of the brig Polly, the schooner Joseph, and the ship Argo, which were captured by the French at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Joseph Winn's grandson, John M. Fiske, was the administrator to the Winn estate and was represented by the law office of William Earle after the U.S. Congress agreed to settle the original Spoliation claims in 1885. Timothy Winn was the brother to Joseph and John but was not involved in any Spoliation claims.
Extent
0.5 linear feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Polly, the schooner Joseph, and the ship Argo, which were captured by the French at the beginning of the nineteenth century.The Joseph and John Winn French Spoliation Papers contain the record of Joseph and John Winn’s claims for the brig
Series List
SERIES I. Winn Correspondence
SERIES II. Governmental Records
SERIES III. Attorney's Papers
SERIES IV. Blank Attorney's Forms
SERIES V. News Clippings
Physical Location
Phillips Library Stacks
Provenance
This material was a gift from Rosamond T. Halle (acc # 2001.025).
Processing Information
Collection processed by Kenneth Selnick, March 2009.
Subject
- Earle, William (Person)
- Fiske, John M. (Person)
- Winn, Joseph, 1761-1839 (Person)
- Winn, John (Person)
- Winn, Timothy (Person)
- Argo (Ship) (Organization)
- Joseph (Schooner) (Organization)
- Polly (Brig) (Organization)
- Title
- JOSEPH AND JOHN WINN FRENCH SPOLIATION PAPERS, 1803-1901, undated
- Author
- Processed by: Kenneth Selnick; machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Phillips Library Repository