6 November 1828

Physick, Phillip Syng, 1768-1837

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Vaux

Business letter written by Physick, the well-known Philadelphian surgeon, to Vaux. Mentions that he had an opportunity to discuss the difficulties of dividing the lots yesterday evening, but forgot to mention the marriage settlement. Physick claims she should not be a problem to facilitating the division.

GLC02542.17

21 October 1781

McKean, Thomas, 1734-1817

Printed document signed

Title: [Privateer's license for William Van Duerson]

Partially printed document signed by McKean as President of Congress and countersigned by Charles Thomson as Secretary of the Continental Congress. Identifies Van Duerson as the commander of the brigantine Middletown owned by Chauncey Whittlesey. The verso has a signed statement by Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull providing a physical descriptions of Duerson and his lieutenant, William Spencer, given at Hartford, Connecticut. Includes a paper seal.

GLC02542.18

27 March 1799

McHenry, James, 1753-1816

Letter signed

Title: to William North

Written in a secretarial hand and signed by McHenry as Secretary of War to Brigadier General North as Adjutant General of the Provisional Army during the Quasi War. McHenry reminds North that the law organzing the Provisional Army states the Adjutant General shall be the ex-officio assistant Inspector General. Since Alexander Hamilton has been called to serve as Inspector General, North is to consider himself under Hamilton's orders.

GLC02542.19

20 July 1813

North, William, 1755-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Major Jackson

Written by North in retirement in Major Jackson. Marked at address that the letter is "to be published as a private letter." Sees in the newspaper that General Hull is to be tried on the charge of treason and cowardice during the surrender of Detroit in August 1812. Says he does not believe the charges to be true. In emotional language he attacks the rumors against Hull and defends his Revolutionary War record. Is especially outraged over the rumors of compensation money the British allegedly gave Hull. Says if fear was part of the surrender, then it wasn't a selfish fear, but one based on…

GLC02542.20

20 October1842

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1782-1858

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John C. Rivis

Written by Missouri Senator Benton. References Rivis's letter of 8 October. Benton tries to calm fears about state's debt. Says he immedately applied to the most reliable businessmen to find an answer for him. The businessmen say that the laws of nature would change before Missouri would repudiate her debt or falter in her payments. Says everyone in Missouri takes great pride in their state and does not want to lose it. Says he is going to Jefferson City to see the governor and other officers of the government and impress that upon them.

GLC02542.21

10 May 1843

Benton, Thomas Hart, 1782-1858

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John C. Rivis

Written by Missouri Senator Benton. References Rivis's letter of 15 April. Says he is in Kentucky to check out a "Sawing enterprise" he recently purchased. Says he purchased one of Page's circular saws and has set it up on 800 acres of land near Versailles, Kentucky, about halfway between Lexington and Frankfurt. Says 500 acres of the land has the finest timber. Claims that practical men have told him that each acre can get 50,000 to 100,000 feet of lumber. Describes his day working at the mill and says he has "dinner at twelve (with the white part of the work people)." Does not want this to…

GLC02542.22

12 January 1785

North, William, 1755-1836

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Major North as Inspector to the Troops under the command of General Henry Knox. At this time Knox was the Secretary of War. An extremely detailed letter describing the types of uniforms U.S. troops should wear in various situations. Says "The formation of America in General, & especially that part of it, where, probably our future scene of action will lay, requires that our military dress should be as compact, comfortable & easy as possible."

GLC02542.23

12 November 1751

Goodwin, Samuel, fl. 1751-1773

Autograph document signed

Title: [Document empowering John North to protect lands of Plymouth proprietors]

Goodwin empowers Captain John North to do what he feels is necessary to protect lands belonging to the Plymouth proprietors. Tells him if someone wants to lease it for a year they will need a bond of performance of 1000 pounds. Says that of any wood cut on the property, the proprietors will have one shilling a cord. Also says to give Mr. Daniel Night a lease of Damers Cove Island on the same conditions. Says the yearly rent is four pounds.

GLC02542.24

14 February 1776

Massachusetts Bay Council

Printed document signed

Title: [Commission of Joseph North as Colonel in 2nd Regiment of Massachusetts militia from Lincoln County]

Partially printed document signed Perez Morton as deputy secretary of the council. Signers from the Massachusetts Bay Council include: W. Severs, W. Spooner, John Winthrop, Thomas Cushing, Moses Gill, John Whitcomb, James Prescott, Eliad Taylor, Michael Farley, Jabez Fisher, B. White, John Taylor, J. Palmero, B. Greenleaf, and Dr. Samuel Holten. A manuscript note on the verso indicates that North took the oath of service required by the appointment, witnessed by Wiliam Howard and [C. Dalteg]. Also signed on verso by Hannah E. North and William H. Bridge. Includes a paper seal.

GLC02542.25

9 May 1776

Massachusetts Bay Council

Document signed

Title: [Commission of William North as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Massachusetts artillery]

Partially printed document signed by John Avery as deputy secretary of the council. Also signed by members of the Massachusetts Bay Council, including: Jer. Powell, Artemas Ward, B. Greenleaf, Richard Derby, John Whitcomb, Moses Gill, John Taylor, B. White, Ben Austin, H. Gardner, E. Thayersir, D. Hopkins, Jabez Fisher, and Dr. Samuel Holten. North was appointed a lieutenant in the 6th company, 1st regiment under Captain John Gill in the Regiment Train of Artillery commanded by Colonel Thomas Crafts. Features paper seal of the state of Massachusetts.

GLC02542.26

23 April 1842

Theobald, Mathew, 1790-1856

Document signed

Title: [Abstinence pledge card]

Printed card, with various illustrations, stating that Catherine Cauty has taken the "the Total Abstinence Pledge." Cauty has card number 4281797. Signed by Theobald as president of the society. Pledge card states that Cauty will refrain from drinking all intoxicating liquors except those used medicinally. Graphic illustration of intemperance shows a husband beating his wife and an illustration of temperance shows a happy scene of the family reading by the hearth.

GLC02542.27

21 February 1781

Painter, L., fl. 1781

Document signed

Title: [Enlistment document for volunteers in company of William Van Dueser]

Signed by 23 men to show they have voluntarily enlisted in the company of artillery under the command of William Van Dueser to serve as a guard for the town of New Haven, Connecticut until the first day of 1782. Several people signed their name, but were scratched off the list later. It appears that the document was created by Lieutenant Painter since his signature is below a note that states "those Inlisted the First of January together with myself Jany 1 1781." Related to GLC02542.30.

GLC02542.28

25 December 1792

Hurd, Jacob, ?-1811

Document signed

Title: [Insurance inventory and charges]

Insurance document for the cargo of the brigantine "Prudence" written by Hurd while at sea. Says it was delivered to Mr. P. Mayer at Belzone & Co. Starts on 6 December and ends 22 December. The items being shipped are mostly foodstuffs and farm animals. It seems that all totals are in French livres. The docket says the voyage originated in France.

GLC02542.29

1 June 1781

Hunt, John, fl. 1782

Document signed

Title: [Enlistment document for volunteers in company of William Van Dueser]

Signed by 8 men to show they have voluntarily enlisted in the company of artillery under the command of William Van Dueser to serve as a guard for the town of New Haven, Connecticut until the first day of 1782. Related to GLC02542.28.

GLC02542.30

31 October 1760

Bernard, Francis, 1712-1779

Printed document signed

Title: [Appointment of John North as a Justice of the Peace in Lincoln County, Massachusetts]

Partially printed document signed by Bernard as Massachusetts governor and Andrew Oliver as secretary. A manuscript note on the verso, dated 13 November 1760 and signed by Jacob Wendell and James Bowdoin as members of the governor's council, affirms that North took the oath of office. Features paper seal.

GLC02542.31

20 January 1681

Penn, William, 1644-1718

Document signed

Title: [Receipt to William Wigan].

Witnessed by H. Spingett and T. Coxe. Wigan purchased 500 acres of land "in Pennsylvania." Signed two months before Penn actually received the land charter from Charles II.

GLC02543

4 April 1779

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Written by Major General Schuyler to an unknown recipient, but seller's description says it is probably to Continental Congressman James Duane. References recipients letter of 20 March and another undated letter. Says the president, probably Continental Congress President John Jay, sent him the resolution rejecting his resignation. Schuyler had put in his resignation after an October 1778 court martial, which he requested, acquitted him of incompetence over the loss of Fort Ticonderoga in 1777. Says he wants to resign because Congress deprived him of the command of his army when they selected…

GLC02545

15 March 1860

Bright, Jesse David, 1812-1875

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alfred Edmund Burr

Bright, a United States Senator from Indiana, declines an offer from Burr, Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, to "visit Connecticut and address the Democracy of that state during the present Canvass." Bright served as a U.S. senator from Indiana from 1845-1862.

GLC02925.03

1858/03/18

Cass, Lewis, 1782-1866

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Thomas Seymour re: introducing John Marmen Grigg

Written as Secretary of State. Seymour was American Minister to Russia.

GLC02925.04

9 April 1860

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889

Letter signed

Title: to Alfred Edmund Burr

Davis, a United States Senator from Mississippi, declines an invitation from Burr, Chairman of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, to attend a canvass preceding the 1860 presidential election. Writes "Although the state of my health & that of my family would not have allowed…I am sure I would have been much pleased with a visit to your state…My public duties however so completely engross my time as to leave me no opportunity for such enjoyments during the Session of Congress ...". Davis served as a U.S. congressman (1845-1846) and senator (1847-1851, 1857-1861) and as…

GLC02925.08

10 March 1860

Pugh, George Ellis, 1822-1876

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alfred Edmund Burr

Declines an invitation from Burr, Chairman of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, to speak at a canvass preceding the 1860 presidential election. States "I fervently hope that our Democratic friends in Connecticut may be so earnest, and zealous, and withal so fortunate as to break the back of Abolitionism at the approaching election. Their victory (if victory it shall be) will decide the Presidential contest ...It is a source of regret to me that I cannot wear the harness in a battle so glorious, and full of such weighty consequences." Pugh served as a U.S. senator from Ohio…

GLC02925.16

1850/05/02

Ritchie, Thomas, 1778-1854

Autograph letter signed

Title: to General

Thanks the General for a copy of Ritchie's own letter from 1836, in which he argued for the annexation of Texas. Recalls that he sent a similar letter to Secretary of State Martin Van Buren around the same time, and that Van Buren seemed to agree with him. Remembers that it was, ironically, Van Buren's later opposition to annexation that cost him the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1844. This letter comes from Alfred E. Burr's scrapbook, but it is unclear who the "General" was. The docket, which is written in a separate hand, but also addressed to "Gen." suggests that the letter…

GLC02925.17

12 March 1860

Slidell, John, 1793-1871

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alfred Edmund Burr

Slidell, a United States Senator from Louisiana, regretfully declines an invitation from Burr, Chairman of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, to speak at a canvass preceding the 1860 presidential election. States "The Democracy of Connecticut has long been distinguished for its bold & unflinching adherence to sound constitutional principles, your representatives in both branches of Congress have commanded the gratitude & admiration of every true Southern man ..." Declares "in the person of the gallant Seymour you have a standard bearer worthy of the great cause…

GLC02925.18

4 August 1860

Stevens, Isaac Ingalls, 1818-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alfred Edmund Burr

Stevens, writing as chairman of the National Democratic Executive Committee, transmits an article (not included) for publication in the Hartford Times, a Connecticut newspaper. Instructs Burr, Times founder and publisher, to publish his enclosed article immediately. Written on National Democratic Executive Committee stationery containing a printed endorsement for John C. Breckenridge as President and General Joseph Lane for Vice President in the upper left corner. Stevens was governor of the Territory of Washington from 1853 to 1857, and served in the U.S. Congress from 1857 to 1861. During…

GLC02925.19

13 March 1860

Toombs, Robert Augustus, 1810-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alfred Edmund Burr

Toombs, a United States Senator from Georgia, regretfully declines an invitation from Burr, Chairman of the Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, to speak at a canvass preceding the 1860 presidential election. States "I consider your approaching election of the utmost importance to the Country. Your opponents are the enemies of the Constitution & when the Constitution perishes the Union will & ought to perish with it." Toombs was a U.S. congressman (1845-1852) and senator (1853-1860) from Georgia. During the Civil War he served as Confederate secretary of state and…

GLC02925.20