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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.

Washington, George, 1732-1799 to Messrs. Duchesne, de Barth, Thiebaud & Assoc.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00311 Author/Creator: Washington, George, 1732-1799 Place Written: New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: June 30, 1790 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 25 cm, Width: 20 cm Order a Copy

Washington responds to French settlers who had invested in the Scioto Company, which had obtained an option on 5 million acres in the Northwest Territory. The company sold the lands to French citizens fleeing the Revolution. Unfortunately the Scioto project began to collapse in 1790 and was defunct by 1792. When the fraud was uncovered, the settlers had already arrived at Alexandria, so they petitioned Washington for redress. Ultimately, land was found for the settlers in Gallipolis, Ohio. The sellers were addressed as Messrs. Duchesne, de Barth, Thiebaud & Assoc. indicating multiple people.

Washington, George, 1732-1799

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