Description:

William Taft
Pointe-au-Pic, Ontario, August 14, 1897
William Howard Taft ALS as Circuit Court Judge, with Hand-Addressed Cover
ALS

An autograph letter signed by future President William H. Taft, then an Ohio-based Circuit Court Judge and professor at the University of Cincinnati Law School. 1p, measuring 7.75" x 9.75", Pointe-au-Pic, Ontario, dated August 14, 1897. Signed "Wm H Taft" and addressed to his colleague, Deputy Circuit Court Judge George Leonard. Writing crosshatched on U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals letterhead, Taft outlines his upcoming plans to travel to Cincinnati and instructs Leonard to see that he is picked up at the station, that his mail is collected, and that a list of bills is paid. The letter is accompanied by the original transmittal cover. With mail folds and light toning at the folds. The signature is written crosshatched, but is still bold. Expected wear and soiling to the cover. It appears that the stamps at the upper right corner have been cut out.

Reading in full:
"If I carry out my present plan, I expect to arrive in Cincinnati on the morning of Sunday Aug. 30th at 10.30 a.m. over the Big Four. Please tell Steve to meet us at that train unless he hears from me again. I expect to leave my children and the nurse here with Mrs. Herron to come on three weeks later. Tell Steve to bring all the mail to me or leave it at the house. If you could come to the house about half past two in the afternoon, I shall perhaps have something for you to do. You need not send any mail to me after Friday Aug. 21st. I asked you in my last letter to send me a list of the bills you had paid by check together with the total but you have not done so. It doubtless escaped your notice. Please do so in your next. I suppose Mrs. Taft will communicate directly with Nellie Reardon but Steve might see her and tell her our plans so that she can be prepared for us."

Taft served as Professor of Property Law at the University of Cincinnati Law School, his alma mater, between 1896-1900. Taft had graduated from the University of Cincinnati Law School in 1880 and served as Cincinnati Superior Court judge and U.S. Solicitor General before assuming responsibilities as a federal court judge. President Benjamin Harrison appointed Taft a judge of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in 1892.

Little is known about Taft's correspondent George W. Leonard, except that he was a lawyer associated with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. During his travels, Taft addressed numerous pieces of correspondence to Leonard - most including copious instructions relating to both work and Taft's personal life - that indicate Leonard performed a variety of secretarial and paralegal duties for Taft.

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: 7.75" x 9.75"
  • Medium: ALS

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