American Historical Ephemera & Photography

TIFFIN, Edward (1766-1829). Autograph document signed as Prothonotary. March 1799. 7 1/4 x 6 1/4 in. (creasing, torn along bottom edge). Docketed verso. Summons for John Johnston, Charles Johnstone, and Jacob Young to appear before the Court of Common Pleas at Chillicothe to give testimony in the case of Milligan vs. Johnstone. -- BUNTIN, Robert (1757-1839). Partly printed document signed ("R. Buntin") as Prothonotary. [Knox County, IN], 13 August 1799. 8 1/2 x 12 in. (creasing, dampstaining, wear to edges and corners). Docketed verso. Warrant for the arrest of Solomon Hays, who is to appear before the Court of Common Pleas at Vincennes in November "to satisfy to General W Johnston the sum of Three Dollars Fifty three and one half Cents." -- WARD, John. Document signed as Prothonotary. [Jefferson County, OH], 3 September 1801. 8 1/4 x 6 7/8 in. (separation along creases with adhesive repair, paper loss to lower right corner, wear at edges and light spotting throughout). Docketed with additional notes and signatures on verso. Warrant for the arrest of Michael Kline, who is to appear before the Court of Common Pleas at Steubenville in November "to answer unto Samuel Carothers in a plea of Trespass...to the Damages of the said Samuel Carothers...the sum of Eight hundred Dollars..." -- Together, 3 legal documents signed by Prothonotaries of courts in the Northwest Territory. 

Edward Tiffin came to the United States in 1784, and attended Jefferson Medical College in Pennsylvania. He served as a doctor in Chillicothe, Ohio, where he eventually settled. His political career began in earnest in 1799 when he was made a member and speaker of the Ohio Territorial House of Representatives. In 1802, he served as president of the Constitutional Convention, and when Ohio was granted statehood in 1803, he was elected as the state's first governor. Resigning from that position in 1807, Tiffin then served as a US Senator until 1809, a commissioner of the General Land Office from 1812-1814, and Surveyor General of the Northwest Territory from 1814-1829.

Robert Buntin served as a captain during the Revolutionary War, later participating in the Indian Wars under James Wilkinson. He served as clerk of the Knox County, Indiana courts for 23 years before eventually becoming County Recorder.