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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.

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Year

Sub-era

September 17, 1864

Joy, Ada, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lena

Ada Joy writes to Selina about teaching.

GLC00066.149

April 16, 1865

Pearce, W. Henry, fl. 1865-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Selina

In the letter, Henry Pearce discusses Lincoln's assassination. Signed "W.H." Later handwritten note attributes letter to Henry.

GLC00066.150

January 5, 1869

Pearce, Selina, fl. 1861-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Pearce

The letter discusses teaching.

GLC00066.151

October 19, 1869

Pearce, Thirza, fl. 1861-1869

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Father and Mother

The letter discusses teaching. The letter is written from "Shiloh," but no state name is given.

GLC00066.152

January 13, 1863

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Henry Buschrae, who had been convicted in the District of Columbia of larceny in June 1861].

Buschrae was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because he had served nearly all of his sentence, because he had been well behaved in prison, because he had been of good character and was drunk when he committed the larceny, because he had "served faithfully as a volunteer soldier in the defense of his country," and because many citizens of the District of Columbia had petitioned him on his behalf. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00044.02

May 21, 1863

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Albert Horn, who had been convicted in New York in October 1862 of fitting out the ship, City of Norfolk, for trade in slaves]

Horn was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because, on the testimony of the physician of the county jail of New York and that of Dr. A. Jacobi, professor in the New York Medical College, and by Dr. T. S. Edwards of New York that Horn was suffering from disease of the lungs and liver which had been aggravated while he was imprisoned and this aggravation would materially shorten his life were his imprisonment to continue. Also because this opinion was concurred in by Robert Murray, United States Marshal for this district and because of the petition of Peter V. King and Simeon Draper of New York, who…

GLC00044.03

November 9, 1863

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of James Dillion, who in New York City had been convicted in June 1860 of mutiny on board the William F. Storer].

James Dillion was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln near the end of his sentence because of his good behavior while incarcerated in Sing Sing Prison, on the petition of citizens, and on the recommendation of the U. S. District Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00044.04

November 25, 1864

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of Peter Columbus who, in August 1864 in the Northern District of New York, had been convicted of perjury].

Peter Columbus was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln because he had been sufficiently punished while incarcerated at the Monroe County, New York, Penitentiary and at the petition of citizens. Countersigned by William H. Seward.

GLC00044.05

July 3, 1865

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of George M. Murrell of Lynchburg, Virginia, who had participated in the Confederacy].

George M. Murrell is pardoned by Andrew Johnson conditonal on his taking the oath of 29 May 1865, that he no longer make use of slave labor, and that he pay all costs of any proceedings against him in the past. Printed document with blanks filled in by hand. Document is printed, but the clauses on slavery are written in hand. Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

GLC00044.06

August 24, 1865

Johnson, Andrew, 1808-1875

Document signed

Title: [Presidential pardon of I. H. Payne of Fauquier County, Virginia, for taking part in the rebellion].

Countersigned by Secretary of State William H. Seward. Payne is pardoned by Andrew Johnson conditional on his taking the oath of 29 May 1865, that he no longer make use of slave labor, and that he pay all costs up to the date of acceptance of this warrant. Includes printed letter of transmittal signed by Seward, with a black (mourning) seal. Collateral file has leather valise/pouch and clerical transmittal envelope.

GLC00044.07

May 6,1809

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Michael Bright and eight others for obstructing justice].

Countersigned by Secretary of State Robert Smith. Pardoned by Madison because their crimes arose from a sense of duty, not disobediance. The recipients of the pardon were Michael Bright, James Atkinson, William Cole, Charles Westfall, Samuel Wilkins, Abraham Ogden, Daniel Phyle, Charles Horey and John Knife. They were convicted in Philadelphia.

GLC00045.01

June 5, 1812

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Caleb Overton for selling "spiritous liquors" without a license].

Countersigned Secretary of State James Monroe. Sentenced to pay a fine of tobacco and court costs. Pardoned since the crime was unintentional and he was of good character.

GLC00045.02

January 12, 1814

Madison, James, 1751-1836

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Joseph Butler for larceny].

Countersigned by Secretary of State James Monroe. Convicted of larceny in the District of Columbia in April, 1838. Butler had been sentenced to be "publicly whipped 54 stripes" and pay a fine and court costs. Madison pardoned him because he continued to be imprisoned, as he was too poor to pay the fine.

GLC00045.03

May 23, 1818

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Enoch Spaulding for breach of the peace]

Countersigned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Pardoned from paying fine and court costs and freed from imprisonment due to his poverty and his family's dependence upon him.

GLC00045.04

July 1, 1823

Monroe, James, 1758-1831

Document signed

Title: [Pardon of Daniel Easterbrooks for smuggling coffee]

Countersigned by Secretary of State John Quincy Adams. Easterbrooks was convicted in Bristol, Rhode Island, in 1822 and pardoned since it was his first offense, expressed regret for the crime, and was unable to pay the fine.

GLC00045.05

December 11, 1829

Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

Document signed

Title: [Remission of balance of sentence of Orrin Sherman for stealing money from the U.S. Mail]

Sherman's sentence was remitted upon payment of costs by President Jackson because he had shown repentance. Accompanied by a four page petition dated September 1829 with signatures, testimonials and a one page certification of Connecticut citizenship by Connecticut Governor Gideon Tomlinson, dated 31 October 1829. Name on Jackson's remission is spelled "Schearman."

GLC00045.06

April 2, 1847

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Thomas Gardner, convicted of burglary. Also, includes petitions and receipt of pardon.

Convicted of burglary; sentenced to 3 years hard labor at a penitentiary. Pardoned due to Polk's petition by the jury and judge, and for "...divers other good and sufficient reasons..." (c/s N.P. Trist)

GLC00045.07

January 13, 1848

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: [Presidential authority to the Secretary of State to affix the seal to the pardon of Samuel Howard].

Convicted of passing counterfeit coin; sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. Pardoned due to age, previous honesty, family's dependence, small amount of counterfeited money involved, and judge's request. Countersigned by Secretary of State James Buchanan. Also, includes petitions and receipt of pardon.

GLC00045.08

June 24, 1848

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: Pardon of John Paterson, John Smith & Peter Johnson, convicted of larceny on high seas.

Convicted of larceny on high seas; sentenced to 4 months imprisonment and a fine of $30 each. Pardoned after serving prison sentence, as "they are seafaring men, dependent upon their monthly wages for support, have no property, and are wholly unable to pay the fine...". (c/s James Buchanan) "Duplicate" written on top.

GLC00045.09

March 3, 1849

Polk, James K. (James Knox), 1795-1849

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Seth B. Horton, convicted of violating a seamen protection act. Includes petitions, transmission letters and pardon receipt.

Horton, late master of the Barque "T.O. Brown," was convicted of violating a seamen protection act [3rd Section, 9th Chapter, concerning consuls and vice consuls] of Feb. 1803. Conditionally pardoned because the violation was not willful, Horton must pay court costs. (c/s James Buchanan) Signed on Polk's last day of office.

GLC00045.10

May 25, 1849

Taylor, Zachary, 1784-1850

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Nelson C. Marselis, convicted of robbing from the mail. Includes petitions, certifications and pardon receipt.

Marselis, a postal clerk, was convicted of stealing from the mail. No reason for pardon. (c/s John M. Clayton)

GLC00045.11

January 27, 1852

Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874

Document signed

Title: Pardon of Bernhardt Taucke, convicted of over-boarding his Brig "Caroline." Inlcudes certification letter.

Taucke's vessel, the Danish Brig. "Caroline," was seized for it being over the 11 passenger limit. Remission of fine of $150, which has been noted on p. 3 by P. Riley of Boston. (c/s Daniel Webster)

GLC00045.12