American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography, including The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography

Three pay receipts, each indicating funds received from Samuel Stearns (Stairns) for the hiring of a substitute soldier to serve in the Revolutionary War. One at Cambridge [Massachusetts] on 19 February 1781, whereby Stearns paid $250 in "old currency" towards hiring a man to the "Continental Service" for three years for Teduthan Wellington. Another signed by William Friske, Constable, at Waltham, [Massachusetts] on 25 September 1781 whereby Stearns paid "eight pounds eight shillings in part his proportion towards hiring John Williamson ... for to serve ...in the Continental Service for the space of three years according to a Resolution of the General Assembly in December." The third signed 22 April 1782 by Phineas Lawrence, Constable, whereby Stearns paid "six pounds Eight shillings & three pence Lawfull Silver money toward the hiring of Thomas Reed for the Third Class in Waltham of which Jonathan Stearns was appointed...."

[With:] Partly-printed "Treasurer's-Office" receipt, 6 March 1781. "Received of Mr. Samuel Stearns of Waltham Twenty four hundred pounds in part for Taxes committed to him to collect for the Year 1780 Second Currency tax."

Samuel Stearns may well be the Revolutionary War Patriot (1739-1818), veteran of Lieutenant, Capt. Pierce's Company, Col. Gardner's Regiment; served at the Lexington alarm and the taking of Dorchester Heights; also Lieutenant, Col. Crafts' (artillery) Regiment, June 17, 1776; also at Cambridge Sept. 1778, when an attack on Boston was in anticipation by the British squadron.