Times were uncertain in New England in the mid-18th century and travelers with little or no identification were likely to be detained. This handwritten note, signed by William Pitkin and John Chester of Albany, New York, in 1751, makes clear the identity of the two boys and informs the reader that, although their father is Native American, their mother is an English woman- Mercy Carter, formerly of Deerfield, Massachusetts. The boys were en route to Norwalk, Connecticut, to visit relatives of their mother.
Chester, John. Travel passport for Mercy Carter’s sons. July 5, 1751. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l01-003/. Accessed on November 21, 2024.
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