Description:

[Lincoln Abraham]

Abraham Lincoln in Illinois Helps Philadelphia Firm Recover Debt from Cincinnati Merchant in Early Case in His Career

[Abraham Lincoln]. Emery C. Ross, partially printed document signed, mortgage deed, December 15, 1837; filed in case of Wood et al. v. Ross, Sangamon County Circuit Court, in May 1839. Includes “(A)” written by Abraham Lincoln on verso. 1 p., 12.5" x 16". Tears on folds, affecting a few words.

Excerpts

“This Deed of Mortgage, made the 15th day of December in the year eighteen hundred and Thirty Seven between Emery C. Ross of the county of Clark and state of Ohio of the first part, and Richard D. Wood, John Yarrow, Horatio C. Wood, James Abbott, Josiah Bacon of the second part, Witnesseth: That the party of the first part, in consideration of the sum of Eight hundred twenty-seven dollars fifty six cents to him paid by the party of the second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, by These Presents does Grant, Bargain, Sell, Convey, and Confirm unto the said party of the second part their heirs and assigns forever, the following described lot, tract or parcel of land: Being in the County of Sangamon and State of Illinois...in all containing four hundred and two acres....”

“Provided Nevertheless, and these presents, and every thing herein contained are upon the express condition, that if the said Emery C. Ross shall well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said parties of the second part or to their order the sum of Eight hundred Twenty seven dollars and fifty six cents for which a certain promissory note is executed, bearing even date herewith, and due in Twelve months after date...then these presents, and every thing herein contained to be void, else to be and remain in full force and virtue.”


On December 15, 1837, Emery C. Ross, a merchant from Cincinnati, Ohio, conveyed 402 acres of land in Sangamon County to Richard D. Wood, John Yarrow, Horatio C. Wood, James Abbott, and Josiah Bacon to secure a debt of $827.56 that he owed to them. Wood and the others were partners in the wholesale dry goods firm of Wood, Abbott & Company in Philadelphia, and the debt was likely for merchandise Ross had purchased for resale in Cincinnati.

Like many land speculations in antebellum Illinois, buyers and sellers often ended up in court when a buyer was unable or unwilling to pay the purchase price, or when land had been used to secure a debt as in this case. The local courts then had to untangle the complex arrangements of debt. After Ross failed to pay the amount he owed to Wood and the others, they retained John Todd Stuart and Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois, to file a suit in chancery in the Sangamon County Circuit Court to foreclose the mortgage. In the bill of complaint, Lincoln wrote in May 1839, "Humbly complaining sheweth unto your Honor, your orators, Richard D. Wood, John Yarrow, Horatio C. Wood, James Abbott and Josiah Bacon, that Emery C. Ross, on the fifteenth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirtyseven duly made executed, acknowledged and delivered to and in favour of your orators his certain mortgage deed, which said deed is herewith filed, marked (A) and which your orators pray may be taken as part of this Bill."

This document is that mortgage deed, complete with Abraham Lincoln’s “(A)” on the verso.

Watson and the others, through Lincoln, asked the court to order Ross to answer the allegations of the bill and to award “such other and further relief as equity may authorize, and the circumstances of the case require.” Ross did not appear in court or answer the charges, so the court in December 1839 ruled for Wood and the others and awarded $941.35 in damages. After Ross failed to pay that judgment, the court in April 1841 appointed William F. Elkin, the sheriff of Sangamon County, as a commissioner to sell the land to satisfy the judgment.

Emery C. Ross (1811-1864) was born in Clark County, Ohio, and he later moved to Cincinnati, where he became a merchant. He married Elizabeth Ogden in 1848 in Cincinnati, and they had at least five children. By 1860, he was a “foundryman” in Cincinnati.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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