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Lot 271
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Jonathan Trumbull Writes to Thomas Fitch During a Critical Period in the French and Indian War, PSA Encapsulated
Jonathan Trumbull Writes to Thomas Fitch During a Critical Period in the French and Indian War, PSA Encapsulated
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Description:

Jonathan Trumbull, Sr.
Boston, MA, May 7, 1756
Jonathan Trumbull Writes to Thomas Fitch During a Critical Period in the French and Indian War, PSA Encapsulated
ALS

Jonathan Trumbull, Sr. (1710-1785). Autograph Letter Signed, "Jonth. Trumble," 1p, 7.25" x 9", Boston, Massachusetts, May 7, 1756. Toning, scattered foxing, and minor soiling. Tape repair at verso to fold separations and tears. Loss at upper left and lower right corners do not affect text. Pencil notations from a former collector to an otherwise blank verso. Certified authentic and encapsulated by PSA/DNA to an impressive overall size of 9.5" x 13". Elegantly penned and in near very good condition.

Trumbull, the future 16th governor of Connecticut, writes to then-current Connecticut governor Thomas Fitch, in full:

"Sir / On receipt of the warrant from General Shirley for £10,000 stlg, I have received near the one half thereof, from Charles Apthorp Esqr, and these wait on you by him to inform that in case any money be wanted for the Service at New York or Albany, he will draw bills for it, which will be a Saving for Carriage &c, and if requested he will draw for any Sum that may be needed; and the Remainder which is due he will See paid in a Short Time - I have Taken of him Two setts of Bills for £100 sterling Each, which I concluded might be used to advantage either in our own Colony, or as above mentioned. / Your most Obedient and Humble Servant / Jonth. Trumble." [The original spelling of the family surname was later changed for an unknown reason.]

Born in Lebanon, Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull graduated from Harvard College in 1727. He studied theology for three years, then worked as a merchant in his father's business. From 1733 to 1740, he was a delegate to the general assembly, and, from 1739 to 1740, was Speaker of the House. Trumbull was appointed lieutenant colonel in Connecticut's militia in 1739, and was colonel of the 12th Connecticut Regiment during the French and Indian War. He served as deputy governor of the Colony of Connecticut from 1766 to 1769, and became Governor of Connecticut in 1769, serving in that capacity until 1784, through Connecticut's transition from a colony to a U.S. state. Trumbull was one of only two colonial governors to continue in office after independence. He was the only colonial governor to support the rebel cause at the outset of the Revolutionary War, and was a personal friend of General George Washington.

Thomas Fitch was born in Norwalk, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale in 1721, then went on to obtain a master's degree. When this letter was written, Fitch was the governor of colonial Connecticut. He also served as Norwalk Justice of the Peace, Deputy and Assistant to the Connecticut General Assembly, Deputy Governor, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Superior Court, and finally Governor of the Colony of Connecticut, serving from 1754 to 1766. The first years of his administration were marked by the French and Indian War, and Connecticut gave large amounts of money, manpower, and supplies to the conflict, sometimes more than it could afford.

William Shirley (1694-1771) was a British colonial administrator who, in 1756, served as the Governor of Massachusetts and the Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in North America. He is best known for his role in organizing the successful capture of Louisbourg during King George's War, and for his role in managing military affairs during the French and Indian War.

Charles Apthorp (1697-1758) was an English-born merchant and slave trader in Boston, Massachusetts. He also served as a commissary and paymaster for the British Army. Apthorp managed his import business from Merchants Row, and "in his day he was called the richest man in Boston." He helped transform Boston into one of the key commercial centers in the American colonies. His financial interests in the Atlantic trade, included not only textiles, wine, and guns, but also enslaved people. In fact, the slave trade and its attendant commerce comprised a significant portion of colonial Boston's economy until the decades after the Revolutionary War, when anti-slavery attitudes in New England gained momentum.

The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was the North American theater of the global Seven Years' War, a conflict between Britain and France for colonial dominance, with 1756 marking the formal declaration of war and the escalation of fighting, particularly in the Ohio Valley, where early French successes were countered by increased British resources, ultimately leading to British territorial gains but also setting the stage for the American Revolution due to war debt and new policies.

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: 9.5" x 13"
  • Medium: ALS

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