The advertisement is adhesive affixed to the sheet. Expected fold creases from posting. Bold legible writing. Eye-catching layout. No major issues to note. Overall, in good condition.

You will receive the exact piece shown in the photos - please have a good look at the photos to access condition.

It measures approx. 6 3/4" x 7 3/4"

==========================================

This document is a formal probate-related legal filing known as an “Affidavit of Publication,” created in connection with the estate of Theodore F. Archer of Jamaica in 1893–1894. Its purpose was to legally prove that a required “Notice to Creditors” had been properly published in a newspaper for the length of time required by New York probate law. When someone died and an estate entered probate, executors were required to publicly notify creditors so they could present any unpaid claims against the deceased before the estate was settled. The small newspaper clipping attached at left is the actual published legal notice. It informed creditors that claims against the estate of Theodore F. Archer had to be submitted to the executors—James C. Archer and Theodore F. Archer Jr.—before a specified deadline in May 1894. The larger affidavit portion was completed and sworn to by the publisher of The Long Island Farmer, a Jamaica, Queens weekly newspaper. By signing before a notary public, the publisher officially certified that the notice had indeed appeared in the newspaper once per week for the required number of consecutive weeks. Documents like this were routinely filed with surrogate’s courts as evidence that the estate had complied with statutory notice requirements. Without proof of publication, executors could face delays in closing the estate or distributing inheritances. The piece is also a good example of late 19th-century probate administration in Queens County, when Jamaica still served as the county’s principal legal and commercial center. The attached newspaper clipping and notarized affidavit together form a complete legal proof-of-publication record.

================================================================

Jamaica in the 1850s through the 1860s was still a semi-rural Long Island village, though it was rapidly transforming into one of the most important transportation and commercial centers in Queens County. Originally settled by the Dutch and English during the 17th century, Jamaica had become the county seat of Queens by the 19th century and served as a hub for courts, trade, inns, churches, and local government.

During the 1850s the village economy centered around farming, livestock, carriage traffic, blacksmithing, and small mercantile businesses. Stagecoach routes and turnpikes connected Jamaica with Brooklyn, Flushing, Hempstead, and eastern Long Island communities. The village was especially important because of the Long Island Rail Road, which had reached Jamaica in the 1830s and by the 1850s had made the community a major rail junction. Railroad growth increased commerce and encouraged boarding houses, hotels, taverns, and service trades.

The Civil War era brought additional economic activity. Many residents served in New York regiments during the war, while local farms and merchants supplied food, horses, and materials to nearby urban markets. Jamaica’s population remained relatively modest compared to Brooklyn or Manhattan, but the village was steadily becoming more urbanized.

Architecturally, mid-19th century Jamaica still retained many wooden homes, Dutch-influenced farmhouses, barns, and small commercial buildings lining unpaved or partially improved roads. Large estates owned by old Long Island families—including descendants of early Dutch settlers such as the Bergen, Remsen, and Van Wyck families—were still prominent in the surrounding countryside.

By the late 1860s Jamaica was increasingly tied economically and socially to New York City. Improved transportation and rising land values gradually shifted the village from an agricultural community into a suburban commercial center, setting the stage for the explosive growth that Queens would experience later in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

**Shipped securely in a new poly bag, sandwiched in chipboard, inside a new rigid mailer via USPS Ground Advantage service w/ tracking**

Click HERE to see matchbooks I have available.
Click HERE to see transit and trade tokens I have available.
Click HERE to see billheads I have available.
Click HERE to see letterheads I have available.

For U.S. based orders, the shipping cost for the first purchase is $4.00 and no extra cost for additional similar items such as billheads, letterheads, tickets, patches, post cards, trade cards, stock certificates that can safely be shipped in the same package.

I have over 63,000 unique items here on eBay - Click HERE to visit my store & save with combined shipping for multiple buys.

For U.S. orders on a PC, use the "add to cart" feature to select multiple items before paying. If the cart does not combine shipping costs, I will refund excess fees as I pack your order the following morning.

I have enjoyed buying and selling vintage collectibles for over 40 years. Unless noted otherwise, all items I offer are original and not reproductions.

Please review photos for condition issues (if any) as they are part of the description, and contact me with questions before bidding or buying.

All items are securely packed and shipped via USPS. Please rely on my 25+ yr. 11,000+ 99.9% feedback rating as a guide to your buying decision.

I hope all is well with you and your family — thanks for stopping by!
– Jerry