Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Platt, Richard (1755-1830) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.04195 Author/Creator: Platt, Richard (1755-1830) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 7 May 1789-4 June 1789 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; 20.6 x 16.6 cm. Order a Copy

Document contains three portions. The first, directed to Henry Knox from Richard Platt, asks whether Knox can spare any of the money he keeps in his bank account for the next week. Asks that if he can, he should send it with the bearer of the letter, Richard Smith. Below this is a receipt, signed by Richard Smith, certifying that Knox gave Smith, as an agent for Platt, one thousand dollars on 7 May 1789. The third section, signed by Knox and dated 4 June 1789, certifies that Knox received 500 dollars from Smith on behalf of Platt.

Platt, Richard, 1755-1830
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Smith, Richard, fl. 1789

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