Description:

Samuel Holten Jr.
Massachusetts, ca. 1762-1815
Archive of Samuel Holten, Congressman and Signer of the Articles of Confederation
Archive
SAMUEL HOLTEN JR., Archive of Accounts, 1762-1779, 1810-1815. 20 documents, 24 pp. Irregular edges; some separations on folds; general toning; some edge chipping and tears.

Samuel Holten Jr. was a physician in Danvers, Massachusetts, when he left his practice to support the American Revolutionary movement. He held a variety of local, state, and federal offices over the next four decades. This collection includes documents and letters from the 1770s and several letters Holten received from his grandchildren during the era of the War of 1812.

Contents and Excerpts
- Samuel Holten, as Administrator for David Putnam, Manuscript Document Signed, Fragment of Deed to Elizabeth Andrew for ten acres, May 23, 1762, Essex County, Massachusetts. 2 pp.

- Samuel Holten Jr., Manuscript Document Signed, Lease of the Parsonage, May 27, 1771, Danvers, Massachusetts. 2 pp.

- Samuel Holten Jr., Manuscript Document Signed, Copy of Benjamin Wadsworth to Congregation in Danvers, November 5, 1772, Massachusetts, attested by Holton. 1 p.
"After mature deliberation, and many anxious thoughts upon a matter of so great consequence both to yourselves and me, having been importunate with God for direction, and sought the advise of men; I have concluded to accept your invitation upon the tearms proposed, humbling confiding in the great head of the Chh. for assistance faithfully to discharge the duty incumbent on a Minister of the Gospel...."
Benjamin Wadsworth (1750-1826) graduated from Harvard College with an A.B. in 1769 and an A.M. in 1772. He was ordained as the pastor of the First Church in Danvers on December 23, 1772, and remained in that position until his death fifty-four years later. One of his predecessors in that position, George Burroughs, had been hanged as a witch in 1692 during the Salem witchcraft hysteria.

- Samuel Holten Jr., Autograph Letter Signed, to Benjamin Greenleaf, August 1777, Danvers, Massachusetts. 2 pp., regarding the estate of Job Swinerton.

- Samuel Holten Jr., Autograph Letter Signed, to Nathan Goodale, September 25, 1777, Boston, Massachusetts. 1 p., regarding his father's estate.

- Elias E. Warner, Autograph Document Signed, Receipt for Goods Sold to Samuel Holten Jr., April 29, 1778, Boston, Massachusetts. 1 p.
Elias E. Warner (ca. 1749-1781) was a Boston merchant and the brother of Holten's wife.

- Elias E. Warner, Copy of Letter to Samuel Holten Jr., December 28, 1779, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1 p.
"We have nothing here that deserves your particular attention. I enclose you this mornings papr which contains the intelligence of the day."

- Elias E. Warner, Autograph Letter Signed, to Mary Warner Holten, April 23, 1779, Boston, Massachusetts. 1 p.

- Fidelia Kettell, Autograph Letter Signed, to her grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., May 23, 1811, n.p. 1 p., written a week after her husband's death, regarding church membership.
Fidelia Bridges (1788-1854) married Holten's grandson Elias Warner Kettell (1786-1811) in 1808. She was pregnant with their second child when her husband died.

- Samuel Holten Webster, Autograph Letter Signed, to his grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., February 10, 1811, Edinburgh, Scotland. 1 p.
"Where I shall proceed to from this, is impossible for me to say at this time. All commerce with the Continent appears gloomy at the present moment. Perhaps, I may go to Lisbon."

- Mary Hayes, Autograph Letter Signed, to her uncle Samuel Holten Jr., January 31, 1812, Gloucester, Massachusetts. 1 p.
"Having a disposition to introduce to you, the man whom I expect to make my partner; should the weather and traveling prove favourable, I calculate on dining with you the next Sabbath."

- George Osgood, Autograph Letter Signed, to his grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., November 22, 1813, Danvers, Massachusetts. 1 p., requesting a loan of $16 to buy a cow.

- Porter Kettell, Autograph Letter Signed, to his grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., January 3, 1814, Boston, Massachusetts. 1 p.
"I this day received your letter which informed me of the death of my Grandma. At so an advanced age as what she was, no one could have expected her to continue a great time longer, nor is it probable she had a wish for it herself, but I shall find I am deprived of one consolation, for I always tough I saw the portrait of my father while I looked on her."
Porter Kettell (1788-1830) was the son of John Kettle (1754-1801) and Lydia Holten (1759-1789), Samuel Holden's oldest daughter.

- Porter Kettell, Autograph Letter Signed, to his grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., February 14, 1814, Boston, Massachusetts. 1 p.
"My present mind, Sir, is not to administer on my Grandma's Estate, unless advised to, by you, my residence being so far from the place where the business will be would render the expences greater than they would be, should some one nearer administer, nor would the benefit, it would be to me, be so great as the injury to my business here."

- George Osgood, Autograph Letter Signed, to his grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., April 27, 1814, Danvers, Massachusetts. 1 p.

- Alden Bradford, Autograph Document Signed, Certification of acceptance by the governor and council of the resignation of Samuel Holten as Chief Justice of the Court of Sessions for Essex County on January 26, 1813, June 10, 1814, [Boston, Massachusetts]. 1 p.

- Samuel Holten Jr., Copy of Autograph Letter, to Governor Caleb Strong, December 2, 1814, Danvers, Massachusetts. 1 p.
"I have seen an address of a number of respectable gentlemen to your Excellency in favor of my grandson Porter Kettell of Boston to be appointed first Lieutenant of Infantry in the army to be raised by your Excellency to defend the state; I shall omit saying many things in his favor, on account of his being my son; but should he be appointed, your Excellency will lay me under renewed obligation."

- Philemon Putnam, Autograph Document Signed, Receipt for Items Purchased from his father's estate by Samuel Holten Jr., November 14, 1814, Danvers, Massachusetts. 1 p.

- A. F. Putnam, Autograph Letter Signed, to his grandfather Samuel Holten Jr., September 20, 1815, Danvers, Massachusetts. 1 p., asking for a loan of $10.

- Samuel Holten Jr., Autograph Note Signed, to Register of Probate Nathaniel Lord III, October 24, 1815, Danvers, Massachusetts. 1 p.
"I wish your attention to the inclosed letters, they came to hand on Saturday last."
Nathaniel Lord III (1780-1852) graduated from Harvard College in 1798 and served as Register of Probate from March 1815 to 1851, after serving as a clerk to his predecessor.


Samuel Holten Jr. (1738-1816) was born in Salem Village (Danvers), Massachusetts, to Samuel Holten (1703-1777) and Hannah Gardner Holten (1711-1762). He had poor health as a child, leaving him nearly deaf. He studied medicine with Dr. Jonathan Prince Sr. and his son and namesake Jonathan Prince Jr., who married Holten's sister Lydia in 1754. He established a medical practice in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he married Mary Warner (1737-1813) in 1758, and they had three daughters. They soon returned to Danvers, where Holten became a well-respected physician. He served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court from 1768 to 1815. He was a member of the "Sons of Liberty" and gave up his medical practice by 1775 to devote his attention to politics. He served as a major in the First Essex County Regiment of Militia. He was a member of the Provincial Congress (1774-1775) and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety (1775), represented Massachusetts in the Continental and Confederation Congresses (1778-1780, 1782-1787), signed the Articles of Confederation, served as a Massachusetts state senator (1780-1782; 1784, 1786, 1789-1790), and represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1793-1795).


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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