Description:

Samuel F.B. Morse ALS Re: Father & Geographer Jedidiah Morse's Biography

A 1p autograph letter signed by artist and inventor Samuel F.B. Morse (1791-1872), as "Saml. F.B. Morse" at lower right. Written in New York City on June 4, 1866. The letter is matted and framed behind glass to the right of an engraving of an aged Morse bedecked in medals. The letter shows expected wear including paper folds, slight mat burn towards the edges, and a large thumb print near the left margin, else near fine. Isolated defects to the mat and frame including minor surface loss. The sight size of the letter is 4.25" x 7" while the overall frame size is 14.5" x 11.5" x .75."

Samuel F.B. Morse wrote this letter to his younger brother Sidney Edwards Morse (1794-1871). The letter also mentions the third Morse brother, Richard Cary Morse (1795-1868), as well as the brothers' father, Reverend Jedidiah Morse (1761-1826).

In part:

"Dear Sidney,

Dr. Sprague wrote me some days ago that he wished to read us his biography of Father, before I sailed for Europe, and wished me to set a time as far ahead as I was able that he might have time to complete it.

I wrote him to come on Monday 18th June, and stay over night at my house so that Tuesday 19th we may all be present to hear it. I have notified Richard, and hope you will be able also to be present…"

"Dr. Sprague" referred to writer and clergyman William Buell Sprague (1795-1876). It is not exactly clear what Samuel F.B. Morse is alluding to when he describes Sprague's "biography of Father." In 1866, Sprague was well underway publishing his 9-volume encyclopedic survey of American Protestant ministers before 1850, entitled "Annals of the American Pulpit: or, Commemorative Notices of Distinguished American Clergyman of Various Denominations…" (New York: R. Carter and Brothers, 1859-1869). Sprague had discussed Jedidiah Sprague on p. 247 of Volume II, the volume dedicated to preachers of the Trinitarian Congregational denomination. What is more likely, then, is that Morse was referring to material that Sprague would later publish as "The Life of Jedidiah Morse, D.D." (New York: Anson D.F. Randolph, 1874). That work was nowhere near completion in 1866, but perhaps Sprague would present the Morse brothers with a finished chapter.

Jedidiah Morse served as a Congregational minister of a Charlestown, Massachusetts church between 1789-1820. The Morse patriarch was less celebrated for his preaching as for being the father of inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, and for his series of early textbooks on American geography. Morse's work "American Geography," published in 1789, was widely used in schools and went through many editions, earning Jedidiah Morse the sobriquet of the "father of American geography."

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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