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Introduction to Usher v. JS–A and Usher v. JS–B Docket Entry, between 17 and circa 24 August 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]

Introduction to Usher v. JS–A and Usher v. JS–B

Page

Usher v. JS–A
Geauga Co., Ohio, Justice of the Peace Court, 15 March 1837
 
Usher v. JS–B
Geauga Co., Ohio, Justice of the Peace Court, 17 August 1837
 
Historical Introduction
In early 1837, Moses Usher initiated an action for debt against JS before
Arial Hanson

6 Mar. 1800–28 Aug. 1862. Farmer. Born in New Salem, Franklin Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Hanson and Persis Gunn. Moved to Shelburne, Franklin Co., by 1820. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1821. Married Sally Ward, 4 Oct. 1829, in Cuyahoga Co....

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, one of the justices of the peace for
Kirtland Township

Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...

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, Ohio. The nature of the original debt is unknown. On 15 March 1837, Hanson ruled in favor of Usher and required JS to pay a judgment of $35.70 plus court costs.
1

Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]. The previous year, Latter-day Saints alleged that Hanson was biased against them. (See Petition to Arial Hanson, 7 Nov. 1836.)


On 31 July 1837,
Hanson

6 Mar. 1800–28 Aug. 1862. Farmer. Born in New Salem, Franklin Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Hanson and Persis Gunn. Moved to Shelburne, Franklin Co., by 1820. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1821. Married Sally Ward, 4 Oct. 1829, in Cuyahoga Co....

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made a certified copy of his docket entry for the case, which he subsequently gave to a new justice of the peace,
Oliver Cowdery

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

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.
2

Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]. Ohio law provided that unfinished cases in a justice’s dockets, upon demand, be certified and transferred to his successor or another justice of the peace in the township. Cowdery received his commission as justice of the peace on 15 May 1837. (An Act Defining the Powers and Duties of Justices of the Peace and Constables, in Civil Cases [14 Mar. 1831], Acts of a General Nature, pp. 171–172, secs. 3–5; Kirtland Township Trustees’ Minutes and Poll Book, 15 Apr., 29 Apr., and 6 June 1837, pp. 153–154.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Acts of a General Nature, Enacted, Revised and Ordered to Be Reprinted, at the First Session of the Twenty-Ninth General Assembly of the State of Ohio. Columbus: Olmsted and Bailhache, 1831.

Kirtland Township Trustees’ Minutes and Poll Book, 1817–1838. Lake County Historical Society, Painesville, OH.

Cowdery issued a writ of
scire facias

A writ “founded upon some record, and requiring the defendant to show cause why the plaintiff should not have the advantage of such record.” Examples of its use were to revive a judgment not yet executed, “in order to give an opportunity to the defendant ...

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to collect the debt on 17 August 1837.
3

Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].


Around the same time,
Warren F. Cowdery

12 Sept. 1817–23 Oct. 1895. Sawmill operator; businessman. Born in Livingston Co., New York. Son of Warren A. Cowdery and Patience Simonds. Stockholder in Kirtland Safety Society. Married Jane Pomeroy Reed, 22 Apr. 1847, in Wooster, Wayne Co., Ohio. Moved...

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, a nephew of Oliver Cowdery, created an entry for the case in Cowdery’s docket book, summarizing the “original suit” before Hanson and noting the issuance of the writ of scire facias.
4

Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]


Apparently unbeknownst to
Oliver Cowdery

3 Oct. 1806–3 Mar. 1850. Clerk, teacher, justice of the peace, lawyer, newspaper editor. Born at Wells, Rutland Co., Vermont. Son of William Cowdery and Rebecca Fuller. Raised Congregationalist. Moved to western New York and clerked at a store, ca. 1825–1828...

View Full Bio
, on 17 August Usher transferred
Hanson

6 Mar. 1800–28 Aug. 1862. Farmer. Born in New Salem, Franklin Co., Massachusetts. Son of William Hanson and Persis Gunn. Moved to Shelburne, Franklin Co., by 1820. Moved to Kirtland, Geauga Co., Ohio, 1821. Married Sally Ward, 4 Oct. 1829, in Cuyahoga Co....

View Full Bio
’s judgment to
Oliver Granger

7 Feb. 1794–23/25 Aug. 1841. Sheriff, church agent. Born at Phelps, Ontario Co., New York. Son of Pierce Granger and Clarissa Trumble. Married Lydia Dibble, 8 Sept. 1813, at Phelps. Member of Methodist church and licensed exhorter. Sheriff of Ontario Co. ...

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, ending Usher’s interest in the case. Because Granger was likely acting as an agent for JS, this would have canceled the debt.
5

Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]. For further information on Granger’s appointment as JS’s agent, see Historical Introduction to Notice, ca. Late August 1837, in JSP, D5:418n283; and Power of Attorney to Oliver Granger, 27 Sept. 1837.


Comprehensive Works Cited

JSP, D5 / Rogers, Brent M., Elizabeth A. Kuehn, Christian K. Heimburger, Max H Parkin, Alexander L. Baugh, and Steven C. Harper, eds. Documents, Volume 5: October 1835–January 1838. Vol. 5 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Ronald K. Esplin, Matthew J. Grow, and Matthew C. Godfrey. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2017.

Despite the transfer, Cowdery commenced proceedings against JS on 24 August. JS was not present, having traveled to
Canada

In late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Canada referred to British colonies of Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Divided into Upper Canada and Lower Canada, 1791; reunited 10 Feb. 1841. Boundaries corresponded roughly to present-day Ontario (Upper...

More Info
to visit Latter-day Saints there, and the court affirmed Hanson’s judgment of $36.60 plus court costs.
6

Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].


There is no indication in Cowdery’s docket that he issued a
writ of execution

A writ to carry out a legal judgment by commanding a sheriff or marshal to give the plaintiff possession of lands or to deliver property that is the subject of the action; to levy upon the other party’s lands or goods for the plaintiff’s debt or damages and...

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to collect the judgment or the costs.
 
Calendar of Documents
This calendar lists all known documents created by or for the court, whether extant or not. It does not include versions of documents created for other purposes, though those versions may be listed in footnotes. In certain cases, especially in cases concerning unpaid debts, the originating document (promissory note, invoice, etc.) is listed here. Note that documents in the calendar are grouped with their originating court. Where a version of a document was subsequently filed with another court, that version is listed under both courts.
 
Usher v. JS–A, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., Ohio, Justice of the Peace Court

1837 (1)

March (1)

Ca. 15 March 1837

Docket Entry, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH

  • Ca. 15 Mar. 1837; Arial Hanson, Docket Book. Not extant.
    1

    See Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].


  • 31 July 1837. Not extant.
    2

    A certified transcript of the docket entry was created for Oliver Cowdery. (Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].)


 
Usher v. JS–B, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., Ohio, Justice of the Peace Court

1837 (4)

March (1)

Ca. 15 March 1837

Docket Entry, Copy, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH

  • 31 July 1837. Not extant.
    1

    This represents the certified copy of Arial Hanson’s docket entry created for Oliver Cowdery. (Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].)


August (3)

17 August 1837

Scire Facias, to Burton Phelps, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH

  • 17 Aug. 1837. Not extant.
    1

    See Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].


17 August 1837

Moses Usher, Assignment of Judgment, to Oliver Granger, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH

  • 17 Aug. 1837. Not extant.
    1

    See Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].


Between 17 and ca. 24 August 1837

Docket Entry, Kirtland Township, Geauga Co., OH

  • Between 17 and ca. 24 Aug 1837; Cowdery, Docket Book, 196; handwriting of Warren F. Cowdery and Warren A. Cowdery; notation in handwriting of Arial Hanson.
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Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Introduction to Usher v. JS–A and Usher v. JS–B
ID #
15848
Total Pages
1
Print Volume Location
Handwriting on This Page

    Footnotes

    1. [1]

      Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]. The previous year, Latter-day Saints alleged that Hanson was biased against them. (See Petition to Arial Hanson, 7 Nov. 1836.)

    2. [2]

      Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]. Ohio law provided that unfinished cases in a justice’s dockets, upon demand, be certified and transferred to his successor or another justice of the peace in the township. Cowdery received his commission as justice of the peace on 15 May 1837. (An Act Defining the Powers and Duties of Justices of the Peace and Constables, in Civil Cases [14 Mar. 1831], Acts of a General Nature, pp. 171–172, secs. 3–5; Kirtland Township Trustees’ Minutes and Poll Book, 15 Apr., 29 Apr., and 6 June 1837, pp. 153–154.)

      Acts of a General Nature, Enacted, Revised and Ordered to Be Reprinted, at the First Session of the Twenty-Ninth General Assembly of the State of Ohio. Columbus: Olmsted and Bailhache, 1831.

      Kirtland Township Trustees’ Minutes and Poll Book, 1817–1838. Lake County Historical Society, Painesville, OH.

    3. [3]

      Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].

    4. [4]

      Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]

    5. [5]

      Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B]. For further information on Granger’s appointment as JS’s agent, see Historical Introduction to Notice, ca. Late August 1837, in JSP, D5:418n283; and Power of Attorney to Oliver Granger, 27 Sept. 1837.

      JSP, D5 / Rogers, Brent M., Elizabeth A. Kuehn, Christian K. Heimburger, Max H Parkin, Alexander L. Baugh, and Steven C. Harper, eds. Documents, Volume 5: October 1835–January 1838. Vol. 5 of the Documents series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Ronald K. Esplin, Matthew J. Grow, and Matthew C. Godfrey. Salt Lake City: Church Historian’s Press, 2017.

    6. [6]

      Docket Entry, between 17 and ca. 24 Aug. 1837 [Usher v. JS–B].

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