First President – NationalAcademy of Sciences; Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey – 1843-67; A Founder of the Smithsonian Institute; Grandson of Benjamin Franklin

Signature, a free-frank on the 4” x 8 ¼” front portion of an imprinted envelope, “A.D. Bache,” as Superintendent of the U.S. Coast Survey; addressed in another hand, to “Doct[o]r Ch. F. Peters, Albany, New York.”

The panel bears general soiling and wear, along with several light wrinkles and creases, and it has been backed with fabric.

First Lady of the Confederacy

Autograph Letter Signed, 4 ½” x 7”, to “Danl. E. Soper, Esqr.,” marked “Personal.” Writing on “Beauvoir House” imprinted black-bordered mourning stationery, due to the death of her husband, Jefferson Davis, just two months earlier, the former Confederate First Lady responds to a request for the autographs of her family and refers the recipient to a New Orleans photographer for a picture of Mr. Davis.

“…Dear Sir, I thank you for the bookmarks sent & return you my autograph & the back of a letter addressed to me by my Husband. My Daughter is in Italy & consequently I cannot send her autograph. W.W. Washburne, Canal St., New Orleans will I am sure send you the best picture he has of Mr. Davis if you apply to him. Believe me Respectfully & truly yours, V. Jefferson Davis. Feb[ruary] 17^th 1890.”

A center horizontal fold and a few superficial stains detract very little from excellent overall condition.

Confederate Major General - Georgia

Gordon served with distinction in the Army of Northern Virginia from First Manassas through Appomattox. After the war, he served as Georgia Governor and as United States Senator from the state.

Signed Card, 2 ¼” x 3 ¾”, as post-war U.S. Senator from Georgia. “J.B. Gordon, Ga.”

U.S. First Lady - 1929-33

Signed White House Card, 2 ¾” x 4 ¼”, as First Lady, “Lou Henry Hoover.”

Overall condition is very good, both front and reverse, with light, even toning and an area or two of very minor soiling.

The card is sold with the transmittal envelope and a typed letter from Mrs. Hoover’s secretary, dated January 27, 1933, sending the autograph. Both pieces bear White House embossing and the typewritten address, “Mrs. J.G. McCreery, East Lawn Sanitarium, Northville, Michigan.”

Confederate General & Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia

Document Signed, 8” x 10 ½”, as President of Washington College, Lexington Virginia, June 20, 1867, “R.E. Lee,” the partly printed report card for a student, “Mr. Edwin T. Dumble,” in the subjects of Latin, Greek, and Mathematics.

Born in Madison, Indiana in 1852, Edwin Dumble moved to Galveston, Texas with his family as an infant. His education at Washington College was twice interrupted by reversals in his father’s cotton and lumber businesses. He later served as an executive in several oil companies – most notably the Southern Pacific, the Rio Bravo, and the East Coast Oil Companies - and as Texas State Geologist from 1887 to 1897. In 1924, Dumble received a doctorate of science from his early alma mater, now Washington and Lee University, before retiring to Virginia. He died in 1927.

The document is lightly and evenly toned, with a few small stains. There are several tiny holes along the usual folds, none affected the text of the document.

U.S. First Lady - 1933-1945

Typed Letter Signed, 6” x 7”, on Mrs. Roosevelt’s imprinted personal stationery.

“New York, January 6, 1950. My dear Mr. Hallman: I have received your letter and I appreciate your writing. I am glad to know of the celebration that was held in Mexico. With many thanks and best wishes, Very sincerely yours, Eleanor Roosevelt.”

Condition is excellent, with a horizontal fold at the center.

Union Brigadier General – Massachusetts; Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for Gallantry in the Defense of Harpers Ferry, Virginia

An 1849 West Point graduate and veteran of the Seminole War, Saxton was commanding an artillery detachment at the St. Louis arsenal when the Civil War began. He assisted General Nathaniel Lyon in dispersing the pro-southern Missouri State Guard at Camp Jackson and subsequently became Lyon’s chief quartermaster.  After being transferred east, Saxton commanded the defenses of Harpers Ferry in May and June of 1862, an action for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. His primary function for the remainder of the war was the enlistment and organization of former slaves into the Federal Army. Upon the termination of hostilities, Saxton became an assistant commander in a division of the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed, 8” x 10”. While serving as quartermaster on the Port Royal expedition, Saxton directs the delivery of hay and coal for the use of Union forces at Hilton Head, South Carolina. Docketing on the reverse dates this letter to December 19, 1861, shortly after Hilton Head was taken, establishing a base for future Union operations along the coast of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

“Capt[ain] [Herbert] Hascall. The bark Chas. Keen has 290 bales of hay on board for this Dept. She has also Coal for the Navy Dept. She has three days to unload for us & two for the Navy. The hay is on top. Will you please have the hay taken out…Yours, Rufus Saxton, Capt[ain] U.S.A., A[ssistant] Q[uarter] M[aster].”

The letter is lightly and evenly toned, with two horizontal folds and a few small stains. There is very slight loss of paper in the upper left corner.

27^th U.S. President - 1909-13; U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice - 1921-30; U.S. Secretary of War - 1904-08

Signed White House Card, 2 ¾” x 4 ¼”, as President, “Wm. H. Taft.”

The card is pristine, both front and reverse.

27^th U.S. President - 1909-13; U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice – 1921-30; U.S. Secretary of War - 1904-08

Typed Letter Signed, as President on 7" x 9” White House stationery. Late in his single term, President Taft informs Texas Governor Oscar Branch Colquitt that an unspecified matter, about which Colquitt has inquired, has been referred to U.S. Attorney General George W. Wickersham.

“Washington, February 19, 1912. My dear Governor: I have yours of February 16^th and have invited the comment of the Attorney General, as you suggest. Sincerely yours, Wm. H. Taft.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with a horizontal fold at center.

Union Brigadier General – Vermont; Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for the Battle of Gettysburg

After enlisting in the only cavalry regiment raised in the state of Vermont during the war, Wells saw action in the Shenandoah under Banks and at Gettysburg, where his distinguished service in Farnsworth’s Brigade earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. He took an active role in Grant’s Overland campaign of 1864 and served with the cavalry under Sheridan through the war’s end.

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 7 ½”, Burlington, Vermont, January 31, 1875, “Wm. Wells,” a partly printed check, drawn on the Merchants National Bank of Burlington and made payable to George B. Freeman for $77.50.

There are several light folds and creases and a few pinholes. The signature is unaffected by cancellations at the center.

Union Brigadier General – Vermont; Awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for the Battle of Gettysburg

After enlisting in the only cavalry regiment raised in the state of Vermont during the war, Wells saw action in the Shenandoah under Banks and at Gettysburg, where his distinguished service in Farnsworth’s Brigade earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. He took an active role in Grant’s Overland campaign of 1864 and served with the cavalry under Sheridan through the war’s end.

Document Signed, 2 ¾” x 8”, Burlington, Vermont, April 30, 1878, “Wm. Wells,” a partly printed check, drawn on the Merchants National Bank of Burlington and made payable to George B. Freeman for ninety dollars. The check has been signed over to Wells, who signs a second time on the reverse.

There are several light vertical folds and a few pinholes.