James Brintzinghoffer ← Theodore C. Brintzinghoffer ← Catherine Forman ← William Spencer Forman ← Robert Forman ← William Forman ← Lewis Forman
Lewis Forman. 1730 was my 6th great-grandfather. He was born in Freehold and worked as a merchant in Middletown, Manhattan, and New Brunswick. He signed 4 petitions during the Revolutionary War. In this petition, signed 24 MAR 1779, he asks the Legislature to address corruption by the Monmouth County Auction Commissioners entrusted with the sale of confiscated Loyalist properties. It can be found in the New Jersey State Archives, Bureau of Archives and History, Manuscripts Collection, box 14, #46.
Over 100 Monmouth County estates owned by Loyalists who either acted against the new state or sought refuge behind British lines in New York City were confiscated and sold to raise money for the war. The auction commissioners were accused widely, and not just by Loyalists, of collusion and corruption in the auctioning of the properties. Lewis signed a petition requesting that the NJ Legislature call the auctioneers to account.
Assembly for the State of New Jersey.
The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of the County of Monmouth humbly sheweth –
Whereas Great and Grevious Complaints are duly making and have been made against the present, as well as the former proceedings of the Commissioners Appointed by Law for taking charge of and {?} of the forfeited Estates of certain Fugitives and Offenders of said County – We therefore earnestly pray that the Commissioners can be called upon by your Honours as early as may be Convenient to account for their conduct in disposing of siad Estates; and that two or three Gentlemen be Appointed in said County to bring forward witnesses to the above Charges, and that the Representatives of the County in the Council and General Assembly be requested to Give notice to the Inhabitants of said County of time and place appointed for such a hearing – so that justice may be done as well to the Commissioners as to the State for which your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray —- Monmouth County 24 MAR 1779.