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Connecticut

Ten Shillings 10/- 1775

Connecticut notes were some of the earliest issued, beginning in 1709, and were issued to finance a military expedition against the French in Canada. This particular ten shillings or 10/- note was issued in 1775 and payable in 1778. It was printed by Timothy Green in New London, the Green family had printed all Connecticut notes from 1733 until the last issue in 1780.

The signers of this particular note are Elisha Williams, Jabez Hamlin, and Jesse Root. As with most colonial era signers, they were prominent members of the community - Elisha Williams was descended from a well known family in Wetherfield, Jabez Hamlin would go on to become the mayor of Middletown CT from 1784-91 and Jesse Root(1736 - 1822) served on the Connecticut Council of Safety and in the militia during the American Revolution. In his civilian life Jesse Root was a minister and lawyer.

Seven Pence ~ 7d 1777

Prior to inflation rendering paper money practically worthless small change notes were printed to facilitate trade, this seemingly unusual denomination is for 7 pence sterling. This note is printed on white paper, most of the notes ended up being printed on coarser bluish paper as 160 sheets of the white paper printed notes were seized from signer Samuel Bishop. It is not reported what the outcome of their being seized was - if the British released them into circulation or destroyed them. When the notes that were authentic were redeemed for new notes in 1782, the notes were slash cancelled with a knife - which is why this note has a slash down the centre of the note. Subsequently these notes were stashed away in archives where they would remain for literally decades until state governments started going through their earlier archives and started releasing these early notes into the collecting realm.

Thomas Mumford the signer of this note, was a recognized patriot in the 1760s, Enz. Mumford served in the First Groton Bank Company. He was also a member of the company of 11 men who in April 1775 began planning the successful taking of Fort Ticonderoga that occurred in May. At the same time he was serving in the Connecticut General Assembly and was appointed to a group examining the points of defense and recommended the construction of a fortification at Groton Heights, the hill at Groton Bank that over looked the Thames Harbor. He petitioned the legislature to achieve this and construction started that year. Involved in town, state and national policies he was appointed to Committees of the Continental Congress beginning in 1778. In addition Mumford was a privateer whose ships along with those of other privateers in the Thames Harbor, were highly successful in capturing British shipping. Not surprisingly Mumford's mansion on the Thames River at Groton Bank was one of the structures burned by the British after the Battle on Sept. 6, 1781.

Information on Thomas Mumford obtained from Historic Village of Groton Bank, CT.

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