1825 HANDWRITTEN POWER-OF-ATTORNEY and deposition pertaining to land in East Windsor, Middlesex County, New Jersey

East Windsor, NJ, 1825. Original manuscript. Very Good. Two documents, 6pp; few spots of foxing. Dated March 15, 1825. 12.5" x 7.75" Michael Lykes and his wife, Elizabeth (daughter of Thomas Morford, deceased) appoint East Windsor attorney Elijah Davis. The lawyer is to represent them in selling certain lands in Middlesex County to which Elizabeth has claim as the only daughter and heir of Thomas Morford, who inherited the land from his grandfather, William Updike of Middlesex County, by terms of a will dated November 22, 1778. On the back of this first document, one Andrew Rowan attests that Elizabeth came before him on August 15, 1824, at which time he examined her without her husband and she agreed to give power-of-attorney to Davis. The second document, dated at Lamberton on 21 June 1825, comprises several testimonials that Elizabeth is the daughter of Thomas Morford and Lucy Reed, who "for many years lived together and cohabited as man and wife." Elizabeth Dye attests that she believes Morford and Reed were legally married. Sarah Reed (Lucy's mother) states that Lucy was married to Morford at age 19 without Sarah's consent, and that they had a daughter named Elizabeth. Inserted in this document is the testimonial of John Smith of Lambertville (NJ), who states that he officiated at the marriage of Elizabeth and Michael a few years earlier, believing that she was the daughter of Thomas Morford, who was the son of Mrs. Elizabeth Story, wife of Joseph Story of Story Farm. Also signing this document are Robert and Ann Taylor who attest to the lineage, and Abraham Creque who was in the house when Thomas Morford and Lucy Reed lived as man and wife.