Hi Guys- I think the significance of the article below is worth a post here-even though this happened elsewhere-it could happen anywhere~ and does~ I find two points most interesting:I 1.In reading the article below- I wonder if the county did an inventory in 1907 and then not again _ until_1995? - 2.Note that the Attorney General sought to have this PUBLIC ledger returned to the state archives- ! returning public records to the public domain! Carolyn Old public ledger, salvaged from eBay, put on display http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/2001/01/17/city/JLEDGER17.htm By Marc Levy Wednesday, January 17, 2001 Philadelphia INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF MOUNT HOLLY - Burlington County officials and state historians proudly unveiled a 215-year-old public ledger that was returned last month after it went up for sale on the online trading site eBay. Accompanying officials at the Old Burlington County Jail were representatives of the Fountain of Life Center, a Christian organization based in Florence that helped return the ledger. A member of the church who has remained anonymous and the Life Center Academy, a school affiliated with the church, paid about $3,500 to Charles and Valerie Mason of Newark, Del., for the ledger. Dean Newman, dean of student affairs at the academy, said that helping to buy the ledger was a practical lesson for students in how to "improve or correct what needed to be corrected." The ledger records county land deeds and slave emancipations - or manumissions - from the 1700s. The ledger will remain in a glass display case in the jail for an undetermined time before it is sent to state archives for storage and safekeeping, County Clerk Philip E. Haines said. A state historian described the ledger as in "very good condition," despite having a loose binding. Officials have not discovered how the ledger disappeared from county archives, although it is believed to have been removed between 1907 and 1995, when officials noticed that it was missing. The Masons, who collect and trade antique toys, bought the 251-page handwritten book from a junk dealer in Delaware last year and decided to sell it on eBay. A reporter who learned that it was for sale contacted Burlington County officials. A high bid of $4,651 rolled in on eBay on Dec. 7. But before the transaction was made, a federal judge in Trenton issued a restraining order on the sale as the state Attorney General's Office sought to stop the auction and return the ledger to state archives. Less than two weeks later, the Life Center Academy came forward with the money, and a deal was struck after state archivists inspected the ledger for authenticity. Giles R. Wright, director of the Afro-American history program for the New Jersey Historical Commission, called the ledger "a very, very important document" that serves as a reminder that New Jersey was at the forefront of the emancipation. Burlington County had the largest number of free blacks of any county in New Jersey at the end of the 18th century, Wright said. "The explanation for this, of course, is the presence of the Quakers in the Delaware Valley being the first organized abolitionists," Wright said.

Greetings from El Dorado County Many of our county records are now the property of the Huntington Library thanks to one of the old county recorders. He apparently "cleaned" house, took the records home and they eventually got sold to Huntington. Such a shame when public records are to remain in the public domain to have such shenanigans going on. The County Judge's logbook, which was to be filed with the County Clerk after the judge apportioned townsite lots to private owners (patents) in platted townsites, ended up with one of our local title companies which was selling the information to surveyors and other people. Selling our public record information? Correct...We managed to get our county counsel to arrange for the county to receive microfiche copies of our public record....but not the real record itself. How many records may have existed and what may be missing from anyone's county is anyone's guess. I don't believe El Dorado County is an isolated incident. Wish we had history minded public servants in California. Maybe we wouldn't all be struggling so hard to find what we can... Sue Silver El Dorado County Pioneer Cemeteries Commission ----- Original Message ----- From: Carolyn Feroben <Sweetwater@Sierratel.com> To: <CAMARIPO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, January 18, 2001 7:08 PM Subject: [CAMARIPO] PUBLIC LEDGERS- State Archives > ?> junk dealer> eBay> State Archives !! > Hi Guys- I think the significance of the article below is worth a post > here-even though this happened elsewhere-it could happen anywhere~ and does~ > > I find two points most interesting:I > > 1.In reading the article below- I wonder if the county did an inventory in > 1907 and then not again _ until_1995? - > > 2.Note that the Attorney General sought to have this PUBLIC ledger returned > to > the state archives- ! returning public records to the public domain! > > Carolyn > > Old public ledger, salvaged from eBay, put on display > http://inq.philly.com/content/inquirer/2001/01/17/city/JLEDGER17.htm > By Marc Levy > > Wednesday, January 17, 2001 > Philadelphia INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF > > MOUNT HOLLY - Burlington County officials and state > historians > proudly unveiled a 215-year-old public ledger that was returned last month > after it went up for sale on the online trading site eBay. > > Accompanying officials at the Old Burlington County Jail were > representatives of the Fountain of Life Center, a Christian organization > based in Florence that helped return the ledger. > > A member of the church who has remained anonymous and the Life Center > Academy, a school affiliated with the church, paid about $3,500 to Charles > and Valerie Mason of Newark, Del., for the ledger. > > Dean Newman, dean of student affairs at the academy, said that helping to > buy the ledger was a practical lesson for students in how to "improve or > correct what needed to be corrected." > > The ledger records county land deeds and slave emancipations - or > manumissions - from the 1700s. > > The ledger will remain in a glass display case in the jail for an > undetermined time before it is sent to state archives for storage and > safekeeping, County Clerk Philip E. Haines said. > > A state historian described the ledger as in "very good condition," despite > having a loose binding. > > Officials have not discovered how the ledger disappeared from county > archives, although it is believed to have been removed between 1907 and > 1995, when officials noticed that it was missing. > > The Masons, who collect and trade antique toys, bought the 251-page > handwritten book from a junk dealer in Delaware last year and decided to > sell it on eBay. A reporter who learned that it was for sale contacted > Burlington County officials. > > A high bid of $4,651 rolled in on eBay on Dec. 7. But before the transaction > was made, a federal judge in Trenton issued a restraining order on the sale > as the state Attorney General's Office sought to stop the auction and return > the ledger to state archives. > > Less than two weeks later, the Life Center Academy came forward with the > money, and a deal was struck after state archivists inspected the ledger for > authenticity. > > Giles R. Wright, director of the Afro-American history program for the New > Jersey Historical Commission, called the ledger "a very, very important > document" that serves as a reminder that New Jersey was at the forefront of > the emancipation. > > Burlington County had the largest number of free blacks of any county in New > Jersey at the end of the 18th century, Wright said. > > "The explanation for this, of course, is the presence of the Quakers in the > Delaware Valley being the first organized abolitionists," Wright said. > > > > ==== CAMARIPO Mailing List ==== > Bob Norris, forever in our hearts. > >