Description:

James Wilson
Philadelphia, PA, January 1795 - October 1795
James Wilson, Robert Morris, T. Pickering, and Other Leading Philadelphia Statesmen and Merchants Pay for Improvements to North Road, Important Early Transportation
DS

JAMES WILSON, ROBERT MORRIS, TIMOTHY PICKERING, and others, Manuscript Document Signed, Pledges for Improvements to North Road, January 1795. Probably written by Henry Drinker. 3 pp., 8" x 13". Expected folds; small holes at several fold intersections; minor edge tears; general toning; very good.

Several prominent Philadelphia Founding Fathers signed this subscription list to pledge money for the improvement of the North Road from Mount Pocono to the New York state line near modern Deposit, New York, a distance of approximately 70 miles, probably along the modern Pennsylvania routes 196 and 296.

Prominent signers include James Wilson, who signs twice, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution and an original justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; Robert Morris, one of only two people to sign the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution, and the "Financier of the Revolution"; Timothy Pickering, who served as both Postmaster General and Secretary of State; and Samuel Meredith, the second Treasurer of the United States. Each of these Founding Fathers signed the document twice, once in January 1795 with their pledge, and a second time in May 1795 when they paid their pledge.

Philadelphia Quaker merchant Henry Drinker (1734-1809) seems to have been the primary force behind improving the road. He wrote the document and pledged the first £10. Other contributors included Quaker merchant George Eddy (1763-1810); Samuel Hodgdon (1745-1824), who had served as commissary general of military stores for the U.S. Army; brothers and business partners Josiah W. Gibbs (1752-1822) and William Gibbs (1757-1829); stockbroker John M. Taylor; Francis Johnston (1748-1815), former colonel of the 5th Pennsylvania regiment of the Continental Line and Receiver General of Pennsylvania; Quaker merchant Israel Whelen (1752-1806) and his business partner Joseph Miller; and Quaker merchant brothers Thomas Clifford (1748-1814) and John Clifford (1750-1821).

Complete Transcript
"The North Road (so called) leading from Pocono Mountain on a northern Course through the upper part of Northampton County untill it intersects the Line dividing this State from that of New York, opened a few years since at the expence of the Landholders, and Persons interested in that and the adjacent Country, aided by a Grant from the Legislature of Pennsylvania, being in many parts rendered impassable for Carriages and nearly so for Horses by the falling of Trees, and the want of Bridges and Causeways in divers low and swampy Places through which the said Road passes, it is therefore agreed by the Subscribers to contribute the sums respectively affixed to their Names, to be paid to such Person or Persons as may hereafter be agreed on for the purpose of Repairing and improving the said Road; which Contributions are to be paid provided a Grant of Money is not made on this occasion by the Legislature of Pennsylvania during their present session; and not otherwise.
Philadelphia January (1st month) 1795.
Henry Drinker Ten pounds £10..
Saml Meredith Ten Pounds £10..
James Wilson ten pounds 10..00..0
Robt Morris Ten pounds £10.0.0
G Eddy Ten pounds £10.0.0
T. Pickering Four pounds £4.0.0
Samuel Hodgdon Two pounds 2.0.0
Josiah W & W Gibbs Two pounds 2.0.0
Jno M. Taylor Ten Pounds £10..0.0
Fras Johnston Six Pounds 6..0..0
Whelen & Miller Six pounds 6—
Thomas & John Clifford Five Pounds 5..0..0

It appearing necessary that the Money within subscribed should be applied to the use intended as early as may be in the present season, for which purpose Henry Drinker has agreed to unite with Thomas and John Clifford in employing suitable persons to make the necessary repairs & improvemts in the Northern Road so far as the within contributions will admit—the Subscriptions are therefore to be paid to the said Thomas and John Clifford.
4 mo. 29, 1795 paid by Henry Drinker ten pounds £10..
4th May Paid by Samuel Hodgdon 2
4th May – Paid by Robt Morris Ten Pounds 10..
4th May paid by James Wilson ten Pounds 10..
4th May paid by Timothy Pickering four pounds 4.0.0
5th May paid by Sam Meredith Ten pounds 10.0.0
6 May paid by George Eddy 10.0.0
12 May 1795 paid by Jno M Taylor £10.0.0
14 May 1795 paid to Mr Clifford by F Johnston 6..0..0
14 May paid by Whelen & Miller 6..
28 Septr paid by Josiah W & Wm Gibbs Two pounds 2..

5 mo. 9, 1795 Thomas & John Clifford paid me Sixty pounds collected by them from the Subscribers to the annex'd writing to be sent forward for the use intended – Henry Drinker
10 mo. 1795 The further sum of Twenty five pounds has been paid me by Thos & John Clifford – Henry Drinker"

James Wilson (1742-1798) was born in Scotland and immigrated to America at age 23, studying law under John Dickinson. As a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress, Wilson signed the Declaration of Independence. At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, he was a member of the Committee of Detail and perhaps second only to James Madison in his far-reaching influence on the Constitution. George Washington appointed him to the first U.S. Supreme Court, and he served as Associate Justice from 1789 until his death. In 1789, he also became the first law professor of the College of Philadelphia (now the University of Pennsylvania) and was the founder of Penn's Law School. Wilson engaged in land speculation during the Revolutionary War and again starting in 1792. Ill-fated investments in Western New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia caused him to spend some time in debtor's prison in New Jersey and North Carolina while he was serving on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Robert Morris (1734-1806) was born in Liverpool and immigrated to Maryland at the age of 13. His father later sent him to Philadelphia to study, and in 1757, he became a partner in a banking and shipping firm, which lasted until 1779. A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, he opposed the motion for independence but abstained in the final vote. He signed the Declaration of Independence after it passed. He personally paid £10 million to fund the American army during the Revolutionary War and was critical to the new government's success. He signed the Articles of Confederation in 1778, and in 1781, Congress appointed him as Superintendent of Finance of the United States, a position he held until 1784. Elected to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Morris nominated his friend George Washington as its president, and he signed the new constitution. Washington wanted to appoint Morris as Secretary of the Treasury, but Morris declined and suggested Alexander Hamilton. Morris served as U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania from 1789 to 1795. Deeply engaged in land speculation, he bought millions of acres of land in western New York from Massachusetts in 1791.

Timothy Pickering (1745-1829) was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College in 1763. He represented Salem in the Massachusetts General Court and served as a justice in the County Court of Common Pleas. After leading a regiment early in the Revolutionary War, Pickering accepted George Washington's request to become adjutant general of the Continental Army in 1777. In 1780, the Continental Congress elected Pickering Quartermaster General. After the war, he tried several business ventures without much success. In 1787, he was a member of the Pennsylvania convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution. In 1791, President Washington appointed Pickering as Postmaster General. In 1795, Washington made Pickering Secretary of War for a brief time, and then Secretary of State from 1795 to 1800. After Pickering objected to plans to make peace with France, President Adams dismissed him in May 1800. A passionate Federalist, Pickering represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 1803 to 1811 and in the House of Representatives from 1813 to 1817. Charged with reading confidential documents in an open Senate session, Pickering was censured by the Senate in January 1811. Failing to win re-election, Pickering retired to his farm in Salem, Massachusetts.

Samuel Meredith (1741-1817) was born in Philadelphia and became a merchant. He represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress from 1786 to 1788. President George Washington appointed Meredith as the second Treasurer of the United States in September 1789. He replaced Michael Hillegas, who had served as Treasurer since 1776 and resigned when Alexander Hamilton became the first Secretary of the Treasury. Meredith held the office until his retirement in 1801. He lived his later life in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Ex. Stanley Hutchinson, 1976.

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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  • Dimensions: 8" x 13"
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