Description:

Huntington Family
various, ca. 19th Century
Huntington Family Archive With an Appointment Signed by a Constitution Signer, 1782-1898
Archive

More than 35 letters and documents dating from 1783 to the 1930s, with the majority dating from the first half of the19th century, largely addressed to members of the Huntington family of Connecticut, with a handful addressed to John Sherman of Pennsylvania. Letters vary in length and dimensions and cover a variety of topics, though largely familial news and financial topics. Also included are four CDVs, two late 19th century photographs, and several used envelopes with cancelled stamps. Condition varies, with most showing expected wear. Please view images for additional information and refer to terms regarding lots containing five or more items.

Items of note include:

- John Langdon signed document appointing Battle of Saratoga veteran Nahum Parker a Justice of the Peace. Single partly printed sheet, 14" x 12"; signed at Concord on January 7, 1811. Langdon, then serving as Governor of New Hampshire, was a Signer of the Constitution. Nahum Parker served in Captain Benjamin Kimball's company, part of Colonel Daniel Moore's New Hampshire Regiment, and is documented as serving between 1777 and 1780, including at the Battle of Saratoga. After the war, Parker dedicated himself to public service, including a tenure as justice of the peace as recorded by the appointment offered here.

- A three-page letter from Josephus Dunham written from Lebanon, Ohio, on January 25, 1811, to Asa Huntington describing in great detail his emigration to Ohio and the settlement of Lebanon, including population and costs of goods. Two pages, 7.6" x 12.5", with integral address cover.

- A fair copy of a letter by William Buel, vice consul at Algiers, to Luther Bradley dated March 20, 1820, transmitted in a letter from Anna Sears to Rhoda Huntington dated August 1820.

- Two letters from Betsy H. Dunham of Lebanon, Ohio, to her nephew Henry [Huntington]. A four-page letter dated April 1, 1864 gives an account of her personal history and her attempts to gather the history of the Huntingtons. A June 14, 1866 letter sends more family news and relays that "Sam Coovert was tried here for the murder of the Roosa family last week has not received sentence, but will undoubtedly be hung. We take daily paper and there is generally several cases of murder for money in every paper. I think the war has left an evil spirit in the land." Seven pages total, 5" x 8".

- A letter (one page, 5" x 7.8") from Samuel D. Bell to a Colonel A. A. Parker dated January 20, 1866, thanking Parker for his article "on the return of the currency to a specie standard." He further comments on the current state of specie value: "[Y]ou may add to them the consideration that the government now have 400 to 500 millions of paper in circulation for which they allow no interest, but if withdrawn by the issue of bonds, will tax the people some 25 or 30 millions yearly. For myself my interest is with the opposers of a depreciated currency…"

- A typed transcript of a spurious letter attributed to Cotton Mather in 1682. Per the typed attribution at top, "THE ORIGINAL MAY BE FOUND IN A BOOK OF RECORDSFROM THE EARLY PART OF 1600 TO 1749, KEPT IN AN OLD QUAKER MEETING-HOUSE AT GREENWICH, R.I." One page, 6.2" x 7.75". In the letter, Mather plots to kidnap William Penn and his followers, then at sea on a ship called the "Welcome" and sell them into slavery.

- A letter from Corielle M de Chambrun, a great granddaughter of the Marquis de Lafayette, thanking the recipient for sending a copy of his book about Lafayette. Four integral pages, 5" x 8". Writing from Washington, dated December 10 (no year), she writes, "I have been able to follow General Lafayette during his last visit to the United States in a much more perfect manner." She then lists details of Lafayette's three children and who they married.

- A letter by George Reynolds of the Crane Elevator Co. dated December 16, 1898, discussing the sinking of the steamboat Lexington which sank and burned on the Long Island Sound, leaving only three survivors. Written on two sheets of Crane Elevator Company letterhead, 7.78" x 10.5".

- A great snapshot of an important New England family over the course of more than 100 years.

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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