Return for Hopewell Township. Manuscript constabulary document. Signed by Abraham Boolman, as constable. Bedford County, Pennsylvania, August 1795. 1 page, 5 3/4 x 6 inches.

Reflecting the administrative underpinnings of the early American frontier, this report provides a fascinating glimpse into the legal priorities of the post-Revolutionary era. The return specifically tracks several key categories of social and legal oversight, including the number of "Deer killed out of season," "Bastard Children Born," and "Negro and Molatto [sic] Slaves" imported into the township. Additionally, the Constable was charged with identifying any local "Distilers... [and] Retalors of Liqueur [sic]."

While 1795 appears to have been a remarkably quiet year for Hopewell Township, with Poolman recording "None" across all categories, the document remains a significant primary source. It illustrates the integration of select British law enforcement practices into the American system, wherein regular constable’s returns served as the primary mechanism for reporting nightly rounds, local crimes, and community demographics to the town selectmen and the court system.