Description:

John P. Usher Signed Soldier's Widow's Claim as Sec. of the Interior

2pp of a bifolium, measuring 8.25" x 13", Manchester, New Hampshire, dated March 4, 1864. Signed "JP Usher" as Secretary of the Interior. The document is a Widow's Claim filed by Maria Mayers, No. 3478, for the amount of $48.00. The document claims the "widow of James Mayers who was a Private in Co. 'C' 3d Regt N.H. Vols…is entitled under the provisions of the act of Congress, approved July 14, 1862, to receive pay at the rate of Eight dollars and - cents per month, to commence on the 16th day of June 1862, and to continue for line, unless she should again marry…" The document also contains forms for Power of Attorney and the Oath of Attorney. With flattened folds and light toning throughout. Very good.

John Palmer Usher (1816-1889) was born in New York but moved to Indiana to open a law firm in western Indiana. He traveled the circuit in Indiana and Illinois, where he became acquainted with future president Abraham Lincoln. In 1862, Lincoln appointed Usher as Assistant Secretary of the Interior, to serve under then-Secretary Caleb Blood Smith (who had little interest in the job and whose health was declining). Usher was made Secretary of the Interior on January 1, 1863 and served until May 1865.

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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