CONTINENTAL CONGRESS SECRETARY
27
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THOMSON, CHARLES. Group of 5 items Signed, or Signed and Inscribed,
“ChaThomson,” including an Autograph Letter Signed, twice, a Letter Signed, as Secretary,
an Autograph Check Signed, a partly-printed Document Signed: a colonial banknote, and
Thomson’s ledger book Signed, thrice, in the third person within the text, additionally
with some holograph ledger entries and notes. Format and condition vary.
Vp, 1764-1821
[3,000/4,000]
ALS, to John Francis Oberlin,
sending the fabric purchased on
his behalf [not present]. 1
page, small 4to; inlaid, short
separations at folds, address on
verso. Philadelphia, 2 December
1764 * LS, to CT Governor
Samuel Huntington, a circular
letter sending “a State of the
representation for last month”
and “two copies of the Journal
. . . one for the legislative &
the other for the executive
branch of Government” [not
present]. 1 page, folio, with
integral blank; horizontal folds.
[New York], 1 April 1786 *
Check: “Cashier of the Bank
of the United States pay to
Pompey Smith or bearer twenty
dollars.” 3
1
/
4
x7
1
/
2
inches; cancel-
lation slices through signature
(but without loss). “Harriton”
[Bryn Mawr, PA], 10 December
1821 * Banknote, two shilling
engraved note issued by the
Province of Pennsylvania. 3
1
/
2
x2
3
/
4
inches; marked fading to signature, chipping at edges, folds.
Np, 25 April 1759 * Ledger, recording the expenses and credits for the [Harriton] farm between
1787 and 1819, including three holograph receipts for Thomson’s payments additionally signed by the
various recipients. Over 60 pages, 8vo, leather.
Charles Thomson of Philadelphia (1729-1824) was the longtime secretary of the Continental
Congress. He signed the Declaration of Independence as secretary when it was first passed in July,
1776, and his name appears alongside Hancock’s in the first printed versions, but he did not sign the
immortal version drawn up the following month.
28
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(AMERICANA.) Group of 4 items Signed, or Signed and Inscribed: William H.
Seward * John G.Whittier * David G. Farragut * William C. Bryant. Format and condi-
tion vary.
Vp, vd
[100/200]
Seward.ALS, to Charles K.Tuckerman, concerning Tuckerman’s correspondence with the man-
ager of the
Times
and stating that giving up his place was an important sacrifice. 1
1
/
2
pages,
8vo, with integral blank.Washington, 1 April 1862 *Whittier. Autograph Inscription Signed,
“I am faithfully thy friend.” 1 page, 8vo. Np, 27 January 1891 * Farragut. Fragment of LS,
“D.G. Farragut,” to unknown recipient, last 8 lines:“. . . it is owing to these facts that I desire
to act with more circumspection that would be necessary under other circumstances. . . .” 1 page,
5
1
/
2
x5 inches. Np, nd * Bryant. Fragment of ALS,“W.C. Bryant,” to A.M. Cozzens, includ-
ing only closing and recipient. 1 page, 3x5 inches. Np, nd.