Here's an imaged page from a published work. The flagged paragraph provides an abstract of a document recorded in an eighteenth-century deed book.
We've all been admonished: When you find a published abstract, use it to locate the original. Okay. Did that. Now, I'm typing a transcript of the recorded document. Was it worth the effort? If you think so (or think not), why?
Fairfield Co., SC, Deed Book I:438
“Know all men by these presents that I, Moses Smith of the state and county aforesaid [Burke County, Georgia] am held and firmly bound unto John King [of] the state of South Carolina in Fairfield County in the just and full sum of twenty thousand pounds Sterling. We bind ourselves, heirs, Executors, Admininstrators and assigns, well and truly to be made firmly by these presents sealed with my seal and dated this Twenty-seventh day of September one thousand seven hundred and Eighty Seven and in the Twelfth year of American independence.
“The Condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bound Moses Smith and Catharine Smith do bargain and sell all the Negroes that the said John King has in his hands and all in South Carolina of the State [Estate] of Michael King Deceased in North Carolina we bind our selves, our heirs, Executors Administrators and assigns firmly by these presents unto the aforesaid John King his heirs Executors Administrators and assigns firmly by these presents dated above mentioned Signed Sealed and delivered in the presents [sic] of
Chas Pickett Moses Smith {seal}
Charles Lewis Catherine Smith C her mark
Selah Pickett + her mark
Sarah Smith S? her mark
Proved in Open Court by Charles Lewis the 20th day of July 1795, Fairfield. Recorded 29 July 1795.
POST-SCRIPT:
This QuickTest was posted at EE's Facebook page while our website was transitioning material from an older platform. For the responses of sharp-eyed EE users, see the page postings under 9 October 2018.
HOW TO CITE: Elizabeth Shown Mills, "You Be the Judge," blog post, QuickTips: The Blog @ Evidence Explained (https://www.evidenceexplained.org/quicktips/you-be-the-judge : posted 9 October 2018).