Second U.S. President – 1797-1801

MARSHALL, JOHN (1755-1835) U.S. Secretary of State – 1800-01; Chief Justice of the United States – 1801-35

Document Signed, 13 ½” x 15”, as President, Washington, August 7, 1800, “John Adams,” a partly printed vellum land-grant, “…in consideration of military service performed by Conway Oldham (a Captain for three years) to the United States, in the Virginia Line on Continental Establishment…Samuel Oldham heir at law of the said Conway Oldham, a certain tract of land, containing One thousand acres, situate between the little Miami and Sciota Rivers, north-west of the River Ohio…”

Countersigned beneath by John Marshall, as Secretary of State, “J. Marshall,” and on the reverse by the Secretary of War, “Saml. Dexter.”

The document bears light soiling and wear, and there are a few small holes along the usual folds. The “J” in Adams’s signature is somewhat light, and a 3” x 3” hole, from the past excision of the seal at lower left, has been professionally filled.

Fifteenth U.S. President - 1857-61

Regarding an Invitation - from Future Confederate Spy Rose O'Neal Greenhow

Autograph Letter Signed, on a 4 ¼” x 6 ¾” letter-sheet, regarding a social engagement with future Confederate spy Rose O’Neal Greenhow. The undated letter was probably hand-carried, as Buchanan has also noted the recipient, “Mrs. Greenhow,” on the center panel of the final page of the letter-sheet.

“Tuesday Evening. My dear Madam, I regret extremely that it is not in my power to accompany you tonight to Mrs. Ritchie’s. I shall be in the office until a late hour. I hope to enjoy this pleasure tomorrow evening. from your friend, very respectfully, James Buchanan…”

From the time of her marriage in 1835, Rose O’Neal Greenhow was a fixture in Washington society. She and her husband, Dr. Robert Greenhow, were befriended by many prominent politicians of the day, most notably John C. Calhoun, along with several Presidents. In 1852, Mrs. Greenhow returned to Washington from extended stays in Mexico and San Francisco, where her husband died two years later. Her political influence peaked during the presidency of James Buchanan, with whom she developed a close, personal friendship. As his frequent social companion, Mrs. Greenhow easily mixed with the influential politicians and military men from whom she would glean information valuable to the Confederacy in the days leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War.

There are a few scattered stains, along with brushing and bleeding of ink in several areas throughout.

Sister of Grover Cleveland

Autograph Letter Signed, on the imprinted 5” x 8” stationery of the Executive Mansion at Albany, New York.  During the final months of her unmarried brother's tenure as New York Governor, Rose Cleveland expresses their gratitude and good wishes upon the receipt of a gift from this letter’s recipient.

“5 January 1885. Dear Mr. Wood, Thanks for the kindness which prompted the sending of your package. I hope I may sometime have time to more appreciatively acknowledge all such remembrance. With kind regards from the Governor and myself to you and your mother. Yours, Rose Elizabeth Cleveland.”

Light, even toning, a small stain at lower center, and reinforcement of the folds on reverse detract very little.

Thirtieth U.S. President - 1923-29

Signed White House Card, 2 ¾” x 4 ¼”, as President, “Calvin Coolidge.”

Condition is pristine, both front and reverse.

Accompanied by the White House transmittal envelope, with the typewritten address, “Reverend Edgar Thomas Read, Calvary Methodist Protestant Church, Easton, Maryland.,” and a January 8, 1929, Washington, D.C. postmark. Also present is a cordial typewritten letter of the same date, on White House stationery, from Mr. Coolidge’s secretary, Everett Sanders, sending the card.

“Washington, January 8, 1929. My dear Mr. Read: I very thoroughly appreciate your very proper desire that your boy should have an autograph letter of the President. Knowing the President’s interest in boys, I am sure that if this were the only request coming to him of this nature, he would gladly comply with it. The difficulty is, however, that we are quite overwhelmed with requests of this kind from adults, as well as school boys and girls from all parts of the country. To comply with them all would mean that the President could do little else. Of course, to make an exception in your case would be unfair to the others. I am sure you will understand and that the boy will be satisfied with the enclosed autographed card. Sincerely yours, Everett Sanders, Secretary to the President.”

Thirtieth U.S. President - 1923-29

Signed White House Card, 2 ¾” x 4 ¼”, as President, “Calvin Coolidge.”

Condition is pristine, both front and reverse.

Accompanied by the White House transmittal envelope, with the typewritten address, “Mr. Charles Edgar Read, 125 N. Washington St., Easton, Md.,” and a March 15, 1927, Washington, D.C. postmark.

Confederate President; U.S. Secretary of War – Franklin Pierce Administration – 1853-57

Signature, in full on a 5 ¼” x 8 ¾” address leaf, “Jefferson Davis, Vicksburg, Miss[issipp]i. at J.E. Davis, Esqr., Vicksburg, Miss[issipp]i.”

In a rarely seen family association, Davis directs his mail to the care of his older brother and mentor, Joseph Emory Davis, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, perhaps while he was staying or visiting there. Twenty-four years the senior of Jefferson Davis, Joseph Davis was a retired lawyer and successful Mississippi planter - one of the richest men in the state - when the Civil War broke out. His plantation was seized by Union troops during the campaign to take the Confederate stronghold. The property was eventually returned, but Davis resided in Vicksburg until his death in 1870.

The panel bears light, even toning and scattered age staining, with a small tear and several light creases in the margins.

First Lady of the Confederacy

“…When my library and papers were pillaged at my residence in Miss[issippi]i during the war, all my letters from Genl. Z. Taylor were stolen or destroyed…”

Autograph Letter Signed, 5” x 8”, in violet ink, written and signed on behalf of her husband from their Mississippi home, to “A. Silverberg, Esq.” In this letter, Mrs. Davis conveys the former Confederate President’s explanation at being unable to provide an autograph of the former U.S. President, General Zachary Taylor, the father of his first wife, due to their loss when his Mississippi River plantation, Briarfield, was overrun by Union troops during the Civil War.

“Beauvoir, Miss[issipp]i, 28^th Jan. 1884…Dear Sir, When my library and papers were pillaged at my residence in Miss[issipp]i during the war, all my letters from Genl. Z. Taylor were stolen or destroyed so that I regret to say I have not any left. Perhaps his Daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Taylor Dandridge, the only surviving child of Genl. Z. Taylor who lives at Winchester, Virginia might have one, but I cannot say with any certainty that you could obtain one from her. Yours respectfully, Jefferson Davis.”

Condition is excellent overall, with two horizontal folds and a few small stains. The letter is accompanied by the transmittal envelope, from which the postage stamp has been removed, addressed in an unknown hand, to “A. Silverberg, 315 Cal. St., San Francisco, Cal. Room 7, Care O.L. Levy.”

First Lady of the Confederacy

DAVIS, VARINA ANNE (1864-1898)  Daughter of Jefferson & Varina Davis; Known as the “Daughter of the Confederacy”

Signed Album Page, 4” x 7”, “Varina Jefferson Davis.,” also signed and dated by the Davis’s daughter, Winnie, at their Mississippi home, “Varina Anne Davis, Beauvoir, Miss., Nov 5^th 1893,” with the collector’s biographical notations in the lower margin.

Overall condition is excellent, with light, even toning.

Thirteenth U.S. President - 1850-53

Autograph Letter Signed - with Fillmore's Illegal Free-Frank

Autograph Letter Signed, 7 ¾” X 9 ½”, written as a young Buffalo, New York attorney during the period between Fillmore’s terms in the twenty-third and twenty-fifth U.S. Congresses. A partial second signature is incorporated into the letter’s text by Fillmore’s reference to legal matters relating to his law firm.

“Buffalo [New York], Dec. 1, 1835. F.H. Hubbard. Sir, Please to search for judgments and decrees in equity against Amansel D. Jackson for 10 years past; and against Gilbert Jackson from the same time to June 16, 1835, and send me the certificate and charge your fees to Fillmore & Hall & note amount. Yours & c., Millard Fillmore.”

The letter is addressed by Fillmore on the reverse, to “F.H. Hubbard, Esqr., Utica, New York,” and bears his franking signature, “Free, M. Fillmore, M[ember] C[ongress],” providing the third variation of Fillmore’s signature on this single sheet. A Buffalo, New York postmark at left indicates that carriage of the letter was allowed, despite Fillmore’s no longer being a member of the U.S. Congress.

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with the usual folds; a small paper break, from the opening of the wax seal, affects the text on neither side.

Thirteenth U.S. President - 1850-53

Autograph Letter Signed – With Fillmore’s Illegal Free-Frank

Autograph Letter Signed, 6 ½” x 8”, written as a young Buffalo, New York attorney during the period between Fillmore’s terms in the twenty-third and twenty-fifth U.S. Congresses. A partial second signature is incorporated into the letter’s text by Fillmore’s reference to legal matters relating to his law firm.

“Buffalo [New York], 4 Nov. 1835. F.H. Hubbard, Esq., Sup. Court Clerk. Dear Sir, Please to search for Judgments, and decrees in Equity, against Bartholomew Johnson for the last ten years, & send us your certificate, as soon as your convenience will allow; also note the fees and charge them to Fillmore & Hall. Respectfully Yours, Millard Fillmore.”

The integral leaf, addressed by Fillmore to “F.H. Hubbard, Esq., Sup. Court Clerk, Utica, N.Y.,” and bearing his franking signature, “Free, M. Fillmore, M[ember] C[ongress],” provides the third variation of Fillmore’s signature. A partial Buffalo, New York postmark at left indicates that carriage of the letter was allowed, despite Fillmore’s no longer being a member of the U.S. Congress.

The bottom portion of the letter, along with the associated area of the integral leaf, has been removed along one of the usual fold lines. Light, even toning and minor paper loss on the address leaf from the opening of the wax seal, detract very little.

Thirteenth U.S. President - 1850-53

Autograph Letter Signed, 5” x 8”, an excellent example with a full signature.

“Washington, July 18. J. Streum, Esq. D[ea]r Sir, I have yours of the 4^th and I enclose a general letter as I have not time to write more. Truly yours, Millard Fillmore.”

The year is unstated, but the handwriting is consistent with Fillmore’s letters from his 1849 to 1853 tenure as Vice President and President. Although we can’t be sure, it is conceivable that Fillmore’s haste in this correspondence was associated with his becoming President just days after the unexpected death of Zachary Taylor on July 9, 1850.

The overall condition is excellent, with very light, even toning and two horizontal folds.

U.S. First Lady – 1881

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, on separate 3 ¾” x 5 ½” sheets of Mrs. Garfield’s monogrammed, black-bordered mourning stationery, sending an autograph of her late husband.

“West Mentor, O[hio], July 15^th 1902. Mr. Jesse W. Weik, Greencastle, Ind[iana]. Dear Sir, On my return from California I found your request for one of General Garfield’s autographs. I have very few left for distribution but inclose this token from a cancelled check. Very truly, Lucretia R. Garfield.”

Both sheets bear light, even toning, old glue staining on reverse, and a horizontal fold at the center. There are a few minor stains on the first page, along with two pinholes in the upper margin.

U.S. First Lady – 1881

Free-Franked Envelope, “Lucretia R. Garfield, Free,” a 3 ¾” x 4 ½” black-bordered mourning envelope, also addressed by Mrs. Garfield to her son, “Irvin McDowell Garfield, 381 Harvard Street, Cambridge, Mass[achusetts].”

There are a few scattered stains and slightly lighter toning to a 1” x 2” area in the lower left corner, along with wear to the envelope’s black border and smudging of ink in the 1893, West Mentor, Ohio postmark.

18^th U.S. President - 1869-77; Union Lieutenant General

Document Signed, partly printed, 8” x 10”, as President, Washington, D.C., February 17, 1876, “U.S. Grant,” directing “…the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to a Warrant for the pardon of Charles B. Henry”; marked “Special” in a clerical hand at upper left.

The usual horizontal folds detract very little from excellent overall condition.

18^th U.S. President - 1869-77; Union Lieutenant General

Document Signed, 11” x 18”, as President, Washington, D.C., February 20, 1871, “U.S. Grant,” a partly printed appointment for “…Nelson S. Fales…Deputy Postmaster at Thomaston, in the State of Maine…”; countersigned by the Secretary of State, “Hamilton Fish.”

There is light soiling and wear in the margins, with several superficial paper breaks and pinholes, mostly along the usual folds. The seal at lower left is pristine.

18^th U.S. President - 1869-77; Union Lieutenant General

Autograph Letter Signed, 1 ½ pages, on front and reverse of a 5” x 7 ½” sheet.

The letter can undoubtedly be dated to the presidency of Grant, as he is writing to the widow of U.S. Secretary of War John A. Rawlins regarding her property and financial affairs, in light of her move from Washington after her husband’s death. A longtime friend, Rawlins served as trusted aide and advisor to Grant during the Civil War and as Secretary of War from the beginning of Grant’s presidency until his untimely death from tuberculosis on September 6, 1869. After Rawlins death, Grant was named trustee of the benevolent fund established for the family and served as executor for the Rawlins children.

“My Dear Mrs. Rawlins, Enclosed I return deed of property to be recorded, and checks for amount stipulated as first payment in it. I have ordered your furnature [sic] from Washington and when I go there will send to you all accumulated interest. I think you may be able to pay five hundred of the outstanding debt now. Hoping you will be very happy in your new home, I remain, Very Truly Yours, U.S. Grant.”

The sheet bears general soiling and wear, scattered stains, and old tape repairs to several of the usual folds. There is minor brushing of ink to portions of Grant’s signature.