Description:

William Taft
Washington DC, February 3, 1908
W. Taft Submits John Paul Jones & John Barry D.C. Statue Proposals to Honor Naval Heroes!
TLS

Typed Letter Signed (TLS) by William H. Taft, dated February 3, 1908, on official War Department stationery and addressed to Dr. Charles W. Richardson of Washington, D.C. In this official communication, Secretary Taft responds to Richardson's suggestion regarding the erection of statues to honor naval heroes John Paul Jones and John Barry where he states that he "will take pleasure in having it brought to the attention of the two Statue Commissions at their next meeting." Light toning, expected folds, but boldly signed. The letter measures 6" x 9".

At the time of this letter, William Howard Taft was serving as Secretary of War under President Theodore Roosevelt. Just over a year later, Taft would win the 1908 presidential election, succeeding Roosevelt as the 27th President of the United States. This letter is a small but telling example of Taft's involvement in national commemoration and heritage during the Progressive Era.

The letter discusses proposed statues for John Paul Jones, considered the "Father of the American Navy," and Commodore John Barry, another Revolutionary War naval hero. Both were ultimately honored with public monuments in the nation's capital:

The John Paul Jones Memorial was unveiled in 1912 and stands at the south end of 17th Street NW near the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park, Washington, D.C.

The Commodore John Barry Memorial was dedicated in 1914 and is located at Franklin Park, at 14th Street and K Street NW, Washington, D.C.

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.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 6" x 9"
  • Medium: TLS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

November 19, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000