The Mayor's Court was established at the incorporation of the City of Lancaster in 1818, and was composed of the mayor, recorder, and aldermen with powers and jurisdiction analogous to the Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and Jail Delivery. It was abolished on 6 February 1849.
System of Arrangement
Organized by court term.
Arranged with general materials first, then constables reports, tavern licenses, un-numbered cases, and numbered cases.
Signers of Petition: Jacob Hiestand, Lewis Wislar, Samuel Boyd, Michael Keller, George Mouck, John Mouk, Nicholas Hogentogler, Reuben Welshans, Matthew Robertson, William Stratton, William H. Wells, [signature in German].
1 Item, 1 Piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
Signers of Petition: W. Ebell, David Cassel, Alexander Bradley, Henry Omit, David Rinehart, Jacob Rigler, Samuel Oberlin, Abraham Cassell, John [Leber], John [Fisher], Jacob [Sheidley], John Park, Charles Rinehart, Darius Ayars, James H. Davidson, Samuel McKinney, Daniel Docherty, Dennis McCollum.
1 Item, 1 Piece
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at Reference Desk; photocopy made by staff member.
A writ of habeas corpus is a procedure for obtaining a judicial determination of the legality of an individual's custody. This collection includes petitions for writs of habeas corpus and the writs themselves, showing the names of petitioners, persons to be brought to court, nature of dispute or alleged crime, dates of writs and accompanying documents, names of judges, and names of persons that the writs are filed against. Petitioners include indentured servants, Freedom Seekers, free persons of color, convicted prisoners, those awaiting trial, relatives of prisoners, parties in child custody disputes, and relatives of army recruits and draftees.
