To Alexander Hamilton from Eugene Lucet, 20 August 1801
From Eugene Lucet1
Hermitage, August 20, 1801. Sends information for use in a case involving conflicting claims in the Staats Patent.2
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Lucet (Lucett, Lucette) was the head of Lucet and Company, a countinghouse in New York City.
2. For the Staats Patent, see David E. E. Mix, ed., Catalogue: Maps and Surveys, in the Office of the Secretary of State, State Engineer and Surveyor, and Comptroller, and the New York State Library (Albany, 1859), 145.
This letter concerns the case of James Jackson, ex. dem. William Donaldson v Eugene Lucet, which involved a boundary dispute and actions in ejectment in Orange County, New York. H made an entry in his Cash Book, 1795–1804, under the date of August 6, 1797, which reads: “received of Lucette 50” (AD, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress). In H’s Law Register, 1795–1804, the following entry appears:
“James Jackson Ex Dem. William Donaldson |
Eject. Lands in Orange County |
|
v | ||
Rufus Stanley Eugene Lucet |
Counsel for Defendants |
The Same vs Eugene Lucett |
for Deft cause noticed for Circuit to be held the 2d Tuesday of Sept in Orange County 1801” |
(D, partially in H’s handwriting, New York Law Institute, New York City). The case was settled in February, 1805, when the New York Supreme Court found for the defendants. For a discussion of this case, see
, forthcoming volumes.In the Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress, are three enclosures in Lucet’s handwriting to the letter printed above, which are entitled: “statement relative to the suit of Wm Donaldson vs. E. Lucet tending to eject him from the possession of his property on Puplopes [Poplopen] Kill;” “Small Sketch of the shores of staats Patent;” and “Extract of the Patent granted to Dr. Saml Staats in 1712” together with “Extract of Rd. Bradley’s patent of Bear Hill in 1743.”