Description:

Elijah Clarke 2x Signed MDS Re: GA Land Bounty

A manuscript document fragment twice signed by Elijah Clarke (1742-1799), then a member of the Georgia legislature, the first time as "Elijah Clark Colo" at lower right recto. The reverse is inscribed with 30+ words in Clarke's hand, and signed by him a second time as "Elijah Clark." Clark has also signed recto on behalf of "John Clark Jr" (possibly his son John Clarke (1766-1832), as well as verso on the behalf of the recipient of the bounty, Thomas Smith.) Wilkes County, Georgia. January 25, 1786. The top portion of the document recto is secretarially inscribed. Expected wear including minor toning, flattened folds, and ink bleed-through, else very good to near fine. Trimmed to a completed size of 7.875" x 2.75."

The document requested the authorization of a 575-acre land grant to Thomas Smith. Elijah Clarke wrote in full verso: "To the worshipfull (sic) Court in Wilks County - your Petitioner prays that he may have a warrant granted him on the within Certificate to Elijah Clark and your petitioner will ever pray &c. Thomas Smith."

Bounty land grants were awarded to Revolutionary War veterans to compensate them for the risks and hardships that they had endured. Georgia was one of only nine states which had enough vacant land to offer bounty land grants. Each state that issued bounty land had a different formula for the awards, just as each state recognized a variety of soldiers.

Elijah Clarke eventually attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Wilkes County militia over the course of the Revolutionary War. Wilkes County is located in upper eastern Georgia about 150 miles southeast of Savannah. Clarke sat in the Georgia legislature from 1781-1790, during which time he oversaw the allotment of Revolutionary War veterans' land bounty grants.

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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