Margaret Fenton Petitions for Mary Fenton's Debts to be Discharged
April 11, 1804
On April 3, 1801 a state statue was passed which authorized the recorder, on the petition of three-fourths in value of the creditors, and upon the debtor making an assignment of her estate and complying with the provisions of the act, to discharge any insolvent debtor from her debts, whether she was imprisoned or not, and barred all future actions for the recovery.
Margaret, as petioning creditor, was one to whom Mary owed debts, but by petitioning the other creditors she was attempting to have Mary's debts discharged. Over the course of several weeks the following legal notice appeared in the American Citizen Newspaper in New York City.
By order of John B. Prevost, Esquire, Recorder of the City of New York
Notice is hereby given, to all creditors of Mary Fenton, of the city of New York, an insolvent debtor, to shew cause, if any they have, before the said Recorder, at his office, in Broad street, in the city of New York, by the fourth day of June next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon, why an assignment of the said insolvent's estate should not be made and she discharged, according to the act, entitled "an act for giving relief in cases of insolvency," passed the 3rd April 1801. Dated April 11, 1804.
MARY FENTON, Insolvent
Peggy Fenton
Petitioning Creditor
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