John Thoreau borrows $500 from Augustus Tuttle to build a house on his newly purchased property:
Know all Men by these Presents, That I, John Thoreau of Concord in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Yeoman, in consideration of five hundred dollars paid by Augustus Tuttle of Concord aforesaid, Yeoman, the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, do hereby give, grant, sell and convey unto the said Tuttle, a certain tract of land lying in said Concord as follows, commencing at the southeasterly corner on a street and by land of Nathan W. Brooks, running northerly on said Brooks land one hundred and seventy feet to a stake & stones, thence westerly on land of David Loring one hundred & eighty feet to a stake & stones, thence southerly on land of said Loring two hundred and five feet to said street, thence easterly on said street one hundred & seventy five feet to the bound first mentioned containing about three fourths of an acre with a dwelling house on the same.
To Have and to Hold the aforegranted premises to the said Augustus Tuttle, his heirs and assigns to his and their use and behoof forever. And I do covenant with the said Tuttle his heirs and assigns, that I am lawfully seized in fee of the aforegranted premises: that they are free of all incumbrances, that I have good right to sell and convey the same to the said Tuttle and that I will warrant and defend the same premises to the said Tuttle, his heirs & assigns forever, against the lawful claims and demands of all person. Provided nevertheless, That if the said John Thoreau, his heirs, executors or administrators pay to the said Tuttle, his heirs, executors, administrators or assigns the sum of five hundred dollars in five years with interest semi-annually, then this deed as also a certain note of hand bearing even date wills these presents given by the said Thoreau to the said Tuttle to pay the same sum of five hundred dollars & interest at the time aforesaid shall both be void; otherwise shall remain in full force. In witness whereof, I the said John Thoreau with Cynthia wife of said John who hereby releases her right of Dower in the premises, have hereunto set our hands and seals this first day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty four. Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of Helen L. Thoreau, Henry D. Thoreau – John Thoreau, (seal), Cynthia D. Thoreau (seal) Middlesex ss. September 12th 1844. Then the above named John Thoreau acknowledged the above Instrument to be his free act and deed – before me, Nathan Brooks, Justice of Peace. Middlesex ss. Sept. 14, 1844, Rec’d & Recorded by Henry Stone (?) Reg.