U.S. Secretary of War - 1881-85; Son of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln

Signed Card, 1 ¾” x 3”, “Robert T. Lincoln.”

The card is lightly and evenly toned, with old mounting traces on the reverse. It is accompanied by an illustrated trade card from an Amsterdam, New York grocer.

American Statesman; U.S. Secretary of War - 1881-85

Lincoln was the oldest and only surviving son of Abraham and Mary Lincoln.

Autograph Letter Signed, two pages, front and reverse of the first leaf of a 4” x 6” imprinted War Department letter-sheet, to a Mrs. Frelinghuysen, quite possibly a relative of Secretary of State Frederick T. Frelinghuysen. As Secretary of War during the presidency of Chester Arthur, Lincoln sends information relating to a request that a West Point cadet be precluded from attending chapel at the Military Academy. The request was made by the young man’s mother, and Lincoln refers to the rule empowering the superintendent, General Wesley Merritt, a Union Major General during the Civil War, to make the decision.

“Oct[ober] 31, 1882. My dear Mrs. Frelinghuysen, Referring to our conversation on the case about a Cadet whose mother does not wish him to attend Chapel at the Military Academy, I send you a copy of the rule on the subject. It seems to give the Superintendent ample power to settle such matters & I have no doubt that Gen[eral] Merritt would accede to an application or fin[d] satisfactory reasons for not doing so. Very sincerely yours, Robert T. Lincoln.”

The letter-sheet has the usual folds, with heavier soiling and wear to the first page of the letter.

U.S. Secretary of War - 1881-85; Son of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln

Signed Card, 1 ½” x 3 ½”, “Robert T. Lincoln.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with an old clip stain in the upper margin.

U.S. Treasury Secretary – 1865-69 & 1884-85

Signature, “Hugh McCulloch,” on a 2 ¼” x 4” slip of paper. A small image is affixed to the lower left corner; the signature is, in turn, mounted to a 5 ½” x 8 ½” album page, with the notation, “Secretary of the Treasury 1867,” in another hand above.

The signed slip is lightly and evenly toned. The larger album page has several chips and binding holes along the left edge, along with two horizontal folds.

U.S. Attorney General – 1875-76; Prosecutor in the Lincoln Assassination Conspiracy Trial of John Surratt

Letter Signed, on imprinted 8” x 10” stationery as U.S. Attorney General, accepting the resignation of Lemuel D. Evans as U.S. Marshal for the Eastern Judicial District of Texas.

“Washington, Jan[uar]y 22, 1876. L.D. Evans Esq., U.S. Marshal for E[aster]n Tex[as], Washington, D.C. Sir, I have received yours of the 29^th instant, laying before me your resignation of the Marshalship of the Eastern District of Texas, to take effect on the 17^th day of February, 1876, which resignation I hereby accept. Very respectfully, Edw. Pierrepont, Attorney General.”

Born in Tennessee, Lemuel Evans moved to Texas early in life, serving as a member of the state convention that annexed the State of Texas to the Union in 1845. He subsequently served a term in the U.S. Congress, as a member of the Reconstruction Convention of 1868, and as justice on the Texas Supreme Court. Evans died on July 1, 1877 in Washington, D.C.

The letter is pleasantly toned, with the expected horizontal folds and two spindle holes in the upper margin. There is a small tear, with no loss of paper, in the lower left corner, along with minor bleeding of ink to several letters in Pierrepont’s signature.

U.S. Secretary of War – 1837-41; U.S. Minister to Mexico – 1825-29; Namesake of the Poinsettia; U.S. Congressman – South Carolina – 1821-25

A physician and botanist by vocation, Poinsett discovered the flowering plant which came to bear his name while serving as U.S. Minister to Mexico.

Payment of $2250 to the Indian Department Disbursing Agent

Document Signed, 8” x 10”, a manuscript sight draft to the cashier of the Bank of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, directing payment of $2250 for interest on state bonds to the Indian Department Disbursing Agent.

“War Department, February 11, 1841. $2250. At sight pay to the order of D. Kurtz, Disb[ursin]g Agent, Indian Dept., two thousand two hundred & fifty dollars, value received, being the interest on Pennsylvania State Bonds standing in the name of the Secretary of War, for the time being, for the half year ending 31^st January 1841. Very respectfully, Your mo[st] Ob[edien]t S[ervant], J.R. Poinsett.”

The document is lightly and evenly toned, with the expected folds, and there are two punch cancellations, with no loss of paper, near the center vertical fold.

U.S. Interior Secretary – 1861-63

Signature, “Caleb B. Smith,” on a 1 ¼” x 4” slip of paper.

Lightly and evenly toned, with old glue staining on the reverse.

U.S. Attorney General – 1864-66

Signed Card, 1 ¼” x 3 ¼”, “James Speed.”

Lightly and evenly toned, with minor bleeding of ink at the conclusion of the signature.

U.S. Treasurer - 1861-75; U.S. Congressman – New York – 1855-61

Signature, as U.S. Congressman, “F.E. Spinner, M[ember] C[ongress],” on a 1” x 3” slip of paper.

U.S. Secretary of War – 1862-68

Signature, with the closing in another hand, “Yours truly, Edwin M. Stanton,” on a 1 ¼” x 3 ½” slip of paper, removed from a letter.

Lightly and evenly toned, with old glue staining on the reverse.

U.S. Secretary of War – 1862-68

President Lincoln Appoints Henry Larcom Abott a Brevet Brigadier General

War-Date Document Signed, 8” x 10,” as Secretary of War, Washington, December 2, 1864, “E.M. Stanton,” a partly printed War Department letter informing 1^st Connecticut Heavy Artillery Colonel Henry Larcom Abbott that he has been appointed to the rank of brevet brigadier general by President Lincoln, “…for gallant and distinguished services in the operations before Richmond and especially in the lines before Petersburg,” to rank from August 1, 1864.

A manuscript notation in the lower margin directs this letter through Army of the Potomac Commanding General George G. Meade.

Condition is very good, with light toning and the usual horizontal folds.

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.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy - 1861-69

Signature, as U.S. Navy Secretary, “Gideon Welles,” on a 1 ¾” x 3 ¼” slip of paper, removed from a letter.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a few small stains and a slightly irregular upper edge.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy - 1861-69

Signature, as U.S. Navy Secretary, “Gideon Welles,” on a 1 ¼” x 3 ¾” portion of an appointment document.

Lightly and evenly toned, with a vertical crease through the signature.

U.S. Treasury Secretary – 1795-1800; Revolutionary War Deputy Quartermaster General

Revolutionary War-Date Document Signed, 6 ½” x 8”, March 5, 1779, “Oliv. Wolcott, Jr…,” signed diagonally across the body of the letter, approving payment of “…Sixty Seven pounds fifteen Shillings & Eight pence Lawful Money…” to Captain John Cotton.

The sheet is lightly and evenly toned, with two pinholes at the intersections of the usual folds.