Description:

Revolutionary War
Philadelphia, PA, December 29, 1781
Bill of Sale to Owen Biddle for 1/16 of the Brig Minerva
MDS
Revolutionary War. Manuscript Document Signed, "John Earle", 1p, 8" x 8.75", Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 29, 1781. Witnessed by John Biddle Jr. and Joseph Smith. Unevenly cut edges. Show through from docketing at verso. Folds with separation and minor loss. Toning and scattered foxing. In very good condition and boldly signed.

In full:

"I do hereby acknowledge that for and in consideration of the Sum of Two hundred and Eighteen pounds already paid me I have sold unto Owen Biddle One Sixteenth part of the Brigantine Minerva with all her apparel & Tackle as she was at Sea on the 6th day of September 1781, and I do hereby assign over all my right and title to One Sixteenth of the said Brigantine with her apparel and Tackle as aforesaid to Owen Biddle his Heirs, Administrators and Assigns, as witness my hand this 29th day of Decem'r 1781."

Owned by William Griswold, the Minerva was the first naval vessel chartered by Connecticut for the American Revolution. It was intended to defend the state's coastline on Long Island Sound. Previous to 1775, the Minerva, being of 108 tons burden and up to that time the largest vessel built on the Connecticut River, had been under command of her owner and engaged in trade between West India ports. In August 1775, it received a commission from the colony of Connecticut, and by September, commissions were issued for its officers. Giles Hall was hired to be the captain of the Minerva, and Hall was authorized to hire 40 sailors and 40 marines. Minerva began service on October with orders to capture transports bound for Quebec. However, most of the crew refused to obey Hall's orders, and she returned to port. The mutinous crew was dismissed, and in December Hall was ordered to return the ship to its owner, Captain Griswold. Minerva later saw service as a privateer.

Owen Biddle Sr. (1737-1799) was a clockmaker and watchmaker by trade, a merchant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, an American Revolutionary War Colonel, and an astronomer and scientist. He was a great-grandson of William Biddle (1630-1712) and Sarah Kempe (1634-1709), Quakers who emigrated to America in 1681. In June of 1777, Biddle was appointed Deputy Commissary General of Forage, with the rank of Colonel, by the Continental Congress. Together with his younger brother Clement, Biddle labored for three years to obtain provisions for the Continental Army's horses, mules and other draft animals, while struggling to obtain funds, working with unreliable subordinates, and many unresponsive farmers. Biddle was an active member of the American Philosophical Society, one of its curators from 1769 to 1772, and secretary from 1773 to 1782, when he became one of the councilors. In 1782, Biddle was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 8" x 8.75"
  • Medium: MDS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

March 12, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000