This letter was written from South Westerlo New York on February 21, 1864. Family news with the notation that John had a long passage out and "they were going to a great Railroad Celebration at San Jose-the cars were to come threw from San Francisco. One link in the chain of the great Pacific Railroad." Signed Andrew Stanton

Attractive, engraved diploma on parchment for Phillip Rohrer Becker. Signed by the President Henry Louis Smith and other men, including John W Davis, Presidential Candidate for the Democratic party in 1924 and esteemed jurist from West Virginia. This parchment diploma was cut down as it was framed with large areas of margins hanging out of the frame. Engravings of George Washington and Robert E Lee.

This is a land deed to Joseph Simmons of Cedar County Iowa is dated October fifteenth 1855. The deed is on parchment and seal is still present. Folds and some staining along the edges. One pin hole and somewhat dingy appearance. Pierce's signature was made by his secretary

This is not a document from America but from our Mother country-Great Britain. The title is "The very copy of a paper delivered to the sheriffs, upon the scaffold on Tower Hill, on Friday December 7, 1683 by Algernoon Sidney, Esquire." This printed essay consists of two thin rag pages, three pages of content. the second page is on the back of the title page, causing some bleed through from the printing process. Document measures 12 3/4 by and 8 1/4 inches. Complete. Chipping along the edges, fold marks on the last page and some holes along the folds, not affecting the content. Please study the scans. Sir Algernoon Sidney was a renowned republican philosopher and politician. He had an active military and political career, beginning in 1642 up until 1652 when Charles II was recalled and restored to the throne. At the time Sidney was abroad and entered a self imposed exile for seventeen years. He returned to England to settle some affairs and decided to stay, again involving himself in politics. His involvement in Whig intrigues with the French damaged his reputation. Although he apparently never plotted armed resistance, he was arrested in 1683 on three charges of treason. Despite a vigorous defense and the discredited only witness he was found guilty and sentenced to be beheaded. Instead of a scaffold speech he handed the sheriffs the essay which was subsequently printed in at least three editions. This information was adapted from the On line Library of Liberty, where an extensive history of Sidney's life can be found as well as the complete transcript of his printed defense. The execution narrative was a popular genre in early England. Evidently the public was fascinated by the sensationalism of these events. This is a partial transcript of the warrant for the Execution of Sidney. "...upon the gallows's there should be hanged, and being alive should be thrown down to the ground, that his bowell's should be taken out of his belly and should be burnt while he was living; that his head should be cut off, his body divided in four parts, and that his head and quarters should be disposed of as we should appoint."

Small paper item with writing on both sides. One side reads "I send you this copy of a toast among many of similar respect to the memory of a man that now slumbers in an untimely grave by the hand of a dastardly scoundrel who although protected by law in mockery of justice is hiding and skulking in hidden country because his enemies will not abandon the country". X mark Mrs. Floyd. The other side is a transcript of a "toast given at Milledgeville on July 4th 1830. By A H Kenan Esquire. The memory of Major John Floyd: One of nature s's nobles-Long will the friendly tear of sympathy consecrate the recollection of his character, in which the virtues that adorn the good, the valiant, and the great, shone so eminently conspicuous." This item needs more research.

This is a document from Cumberland County Pennsylvania which indentured "the body of Negro Jane Mayer to James Hawthorne" until she reached the age of twenty eight. Pennsylvania did not allow slavery but did had a policy in the early 1800's of forced indenture of the children of former slaves. See http://www.slavenorth.com/paemancip.htm The document is two sided-the back side contains the relevant material regarding the indentured servant. It is in poor condition as can be seen in the scans. There are complete separations at many of the folds. There are some repairs made to the front and back with tape. Some of the repairs were made prior to me buying it. It is a clear tape, possibly what Scotch calls acid free since the repairs don't look that old. I have made further repairs with archival acid free tape. Scans were made prior to my repairs. I did not attempt to remove the old tape and don't know if it can be taken off safely. The tape I added dissolves in a small dab of water and is the only kind of tape which should be used on old documents.

Great land deed which has a survey drawing of the land deeded to Abner J Oberry on July 18th 1853. Governor Herschel V Johnson has signed his name in the area just above where the heavy seal hangs. The document was too long to put in the scanner but I have included a scan of the portion which shows his autograph. Johnson was the governor of Georgia from 1853 to 1857 and was also the vice-presidential nominee of the Douglas wing of the Democratic Party in the 1860 US presidential election. See below a history of his career. McIntosh County. The document has sustained some moisture damage which can be seen in the staining areas of the document. I have reinforced the middle fold which was in danger of separating with acid free linen tape (Filmoplast SH) Johnson was born near Farmer's Bridge in Burke County, Georgia. In 1834, he graduated from the University of Georgia and passed his bar examination. He moved to Jefferson County in 1839 and began to practice law in Louisville, Georgia. In 1844, he moved to the state capitol, Milledgeville, and continued to practice law. He unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1843 and for Governor in 1847, and was finally appointed to fill Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Walter T. Colquitt. Johnson served in the Senate from February 4, 1848 to March 3, 1849, but was not a candidate for election to the seat. He returned to Georgia and served as a circuit court judge from 1849 to 1853. In 1853, he was elected Governor of Georgia, then re-elected in 1855. After he finished his term as governor in 1857, Johnson County, Georgia was named in his honor. In 1860, when the Democratic Party refused to add the support of extending slavery to the western territories, the party split. To try to recapture some southern votes, Johnson was chosen as the northern Democrats' nominee as the running mate of presidential candidate Stephen A. Douglas. In 1861 he served as a delegate to the state secession convention, and opposed secession from the Union. When it became clear that Georgia would secede, however, he acquiesced out of loyalty to his state and served as a Senator of the Second Confederate Congress from 1862 to the end of the war in 1865. In the Confederate Senate, he opposed conscription and the suspension of habeas corpus. After the Civil War, Johnson was a leader in the Reconstruction and was named head of the Georgia constitutional convention. Upon Georgia's readmission to the Union in 1866, he was chosen as a U.S. Senator, but was disallowed from serving due to his involvement with the rebellion. He again became a circuit court judge in 1873 and served until his death in 1880 in Louisville, Georgia.

Heavy folds to this document with tears. A woman, Nancy is being summoned to court to answer a complaint of a citizen for non payment of a debt.

This slave assessment includes a listing for slaves. Evidently Alexander Cooper did not have any slaves.

This document relates to the debt of John Haller which amounted to eighteen dollars and 21 cents. His property was ordered to be seized for his payment on the debt. See scan to view the condition problems. On the back a notation is made "no property found". 

Measures around six by four inches. See scan. Here is info on this prominent early American citizen whose father was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Oliver Wolcott Jr. (January 11, 1760 – June 1, 1833) was United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1795 to 1800 and governor of Connecticut from 1817 to 1827. He was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, son of Oliver Wolcott, Sr. and Laura Collins Wolcott. He graduated from Yale University in 1778, later studying law at Litchfield Law School and being admitted to the bar in 1781. Wolcott was appointed in 1784 as one of the commissioners to mediate claims between the U.S. and the state of Connecticut. After serving as state comptroller of Connecticut from 1788-90, he was named auditor of the federal treasury, and became Comptroller of the Treasury in 1791. He was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by George Washington in 1795 to succeed Alexander Hamilton; as Secretary, he was Washington's intermediary in getting the Collector of Customs for Portsmouth, New Hampshire to ship a runaway slave-woman back to Mount Vernon if it could be done quietly; it could not be, and she remained there.[1] He resigned in 1800 due to unpopularity, and a particularly vitriolic campaign against him in the press in which, among other things, he was falsely accused of setting fire to the State Department building. From 1803 to 1815 he operated in private business in New York City, afterwards retiring to Litchfield. He was elected governor in 1817 as a "Toleration Republican", following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, and serving ten years in the post. His tenure was noted for the economic growth and moderate policies that attended it. Additionally, he presided over a convention that created a new state constitution in 1818. Wolcott died in New York City and is interred at East Cemetery in Litchfield. Prior to his death, Wolcott had been the last surviving member of the Washington Cabinet. The town of Wolcott, Connecticut was named in honor of Oliver Jr. and his father Oliver.

Three and a half pages (front to back) from Joseph G. Eastland, (his history follows) San Francisco, November 30, 1857 complete with cover which is worn and dingy. Cancel reads San Francisco December 10, number 5. Written at the top is written Pr "Golden Gate", which was a steamer that carried the mail. Written to Edward Hicks, Nashville Tennessee, a Tennessean who had been a Forty Niner. "Your letter from Chagres reached me safely, giving me the satisfaction of knowing that your journey, with the exceptions of the "shakes" on the "Columbus", and the mud on the Isthmus, had so far been a pleasant and expedition over. I hope it so continued, until you had passed a pleasant stay in New Orleans, and went booming up the river on some fine steamer, you jumped ashore on the rocky wharf of our beloved "City of Rocks" (Nashville). Much would I have liked to have been with you, but Fate rules otherwise and I must content myself with a while longer stay in California, with a lively hope of "the good time coming"-- Things in this country go on, about as when you left. San Francisco is still improving very rapidly, Brick houses becoming almost as plenty as tents used to be, the flats in front of the city still being filled up, the wooden streets, which were almost burnt up by the great fires, are being repaired, the sand Hills in our part of town, (Happy Valley) are being leveled, and in fact everything betokens that should, the mines continue as productive as they are, this will in time be on of the great cities of the earth. The miners are yielding about as when you left-though within a week or two there have been new discoveries made of very rich localities, one of them, Bear Valley in Mariposa County, is said to be rich beyond precedent-the gold being found at a depth of about 12 feet interspersed through a stratum of clayish soil, similar to the "coyote" diggings about Nevada City. New discoveries of quartz heads (?) have also been made-both the North and South, all going to show the inexhaustibility of the mines for years to come. So Ed, should you ever become tired of the sameness of home-life, and bend your steps hither, no fear but that you will find diggings enough where you can "stake out" a "clam" and again take up "de shubbel and de hoe" The rainy season has not yet commended in good rains, though since I have been writing, there has been a fine shower, but now the sun is shining brightly upon the re freshened earth–there are many in the mines who are waiting anxiously for the rain, being unable to do anything until it comes, which I hope may be soon, and that may not be disappointed as they were last winter... . The two fine theaters here are in full blast and really present very creditable performances-for which they are well repaid by the "play-goers," ( a large class in this city) The gambling saloons are consequently less resorted to than of yore, and as large a crowd collects to a man is a fifty dollar "slug", as these used to would to witness a bearded miner, "pongale down" his greasy bag containing a couple of thousands.-- Col. Crussman, of Clarksville died here about three weeks ago and was followed to the grave by about twenty of us, principally from old Tennessee–he was an estimable gentleman, liked by all who know him. (his history follows) Rest is personal news Two of the individuals named in this letter, which is quite legible, are named in a book by Walter T Durham, "Volunteer Forty-Niners: Tennesseans and the California Gold Rush." Joseph B Eastland accompanied his father Thomas B Eastland to the gold rush and his memoirs were printed in the California Historical Society Quarterly 18, no 2 June l939) which was titled "To California Through Texas and Mexico, The Diary and Letters of Thomas B Eastland and Joseph G Eastland, His Son." Eas

Large, legal size plus Way Bill from Bratteborough and Keene to Lowell and Boston. Wood cut engravings of a stage coach. Gives the passengers names, destinations, fees etc.

Four page letterhead from Donahue's Union Iron an Brass Foundry in Happy Valley, San Francisco California. Letter dated August 14, 1852. Nice cover with 10 cent due stamp. Letter is to Edward Hicks and is from James G Eastland. Here is some of the more interesting content. "The immigration across the plains is now pouring in, and with that around the Horn and across the Isthmus, is adding thousands to the population of the state, and of course to its wealth-but I am afraid that for the majority of them disappointments, will be the greater part of their mornings, until they make up their minds to be content with small things in the way of money making--A great portion of the mining population for some months past have been engaged in damming and sluicing preparatory to working the beds of the streams, and as yet have not commenced earning anything, owing to the waters having continued high later than usual --this kind of mining you know is even more of a lottery than any others, and what the results will be, is not as yet known, however, no doubt but a great amount of gold will be taken out, and many a bearded "mininger" will make a "pile" sufficient to cause him to rejoin his family in the states-many of them to return again for life, as there seems to be such an attraction about this country, that those who are most loud in their vows never to set foot upon its soil again, are often back again in less than six months after leaving. This city is going ahead beyond precedent, real substantial improvements they are too, that will defy conflagrations. The Chinese still continue to arrive and the feelings towards them is much better, than it was some months ago, for my part I am decidedly "down" on them and dislike to see our mines made the common property of the whole world. I'm something of a Native American any how." Discussion of see a performance of William Booth and a pageant in honor of Eastland was a chronicler of the gold rush and kept a diary of his own experiences.

" Joseph B Eastland accompanied his father Thomas B Eastland to the gold rush and his memoirs were printed in the California Historical Society Quarterly 18, no 2 June l939) which was titled "To California Through Texas and Mexico, The Diary and Letters of Thomas B Eastland and Joseph G Eastland, His Son."

  Postal history San Francisco

Eight page newspaper which was too large for the scan. Measures 14 by 11 inches. Folds with some wears to the folds. This paper was a publication of the Mulberry Street Methodist Episcopal Church South in Macon Ga. Contains ads of local businesses.

One page letter on the letterhead of the Southern Department of the Home Insurance Company of New York. From Livingston Mims who was the Manger of this former company of Confederate General Joseph Johnson, office based in Atlanta. Mims later became Mayor of Atlanta. Mims served under General John C. Pemberton and saw action in the Battle of Jackson, Champion Hill and Vicksburg Campaign. Shortly after those losses, he joined Joseph E. Johnston's staff and shared a friendship and business interests until Johnston's death in 1891. This letter is a personal letter to his father in law in Nashville Tennessee and teasing him about his issues of the day, "How do all the isms of these days affect you-prohibition, Salvation Army, Sam Jones (evangelist) ..." Advertising cover accompanies the letter.

Smallish paper. Terre-Haute Daily American. Only partially seen in the scan. wear to the folds with small hole at middle of center fold. Red was seal can be seen. Foxing throughout the paper.

Nice graphic engravings on this warrant from Helena Montana. Dated 1881. Price sticker which I forgot to remove is on the holder not the document.

Small format, four page rag paper. Overall foxing with some stains. Two wood cut ads for runaway apprentices. To be sold ads for apprentices. "An english servant, lad's time for four years, he is about 17 years old..." Written in old English. Large ad for a Fireworks Display that was to take place. Last page has some ink smudges.

Small booklet which opens up to show vintage scenes from old New Orleans. Accordian style fold out which shows 22 views of New Orleans. Nice condition. 4 1/4 by 3 1/4 inches.

This was published in Pottsville Pennsylvania by Bannan and Ramsey. Wonderful wood cuts illustrate this almanac of 34 pages. Rough area where the binding tape has come up as can be seen in the scan. A couple of pages unevenly cut.

Nice item for a ticket collector. Single ticket for admission to the S.F. Cody Wild West Shows which were performed in the late 19th Century. Made of very thin paper in good condition. NOT TO BE CONFUSED with Buffalo Bill Cody.The following is some information about this fascinating character who was to England what the Wright brothers were to America. Samuel Franklin Cody was born in Birdville, Texas, in 1861. He lived the typical prairie life of a cowboy, catching and training wild horses in true bronco-buster style. He was also a highly skilled buffalo hunter, and became an expert with the rifle and lasso. During 1883-4 he was gold prospecting around the junction of the KIondyke and Yukon Rivers,a location which thirteen years later grew into Dawson City, center of the Alaskan Gold Rush, the biggest gold rush of all time. Cody, however, made no strike, and after a few years spent touring America with a Wild West show, where he was billed as 'Captain Cody, King of the Cowboys', he eventually settled in England in 1890. He soon became a showman, forming his own company of entertainers, giving demonstrations of his exceptional skills in riding, lassoing and shooting. As a professional showman he adopted the extravagant form of dress for which he was to become so famous from his compatriot, namesake and friend. Colonel William Fredrick Cody, alias 'Buffalo Bill' whose hugely successful Wild West show he had seen and admired greatly.Cody, while in England became the Chief Kite Instructor to the British Army Balloon Factory at Farnborough (1902-09). In 1902 Samuel's wife, Lela (Leila) Marie, became the first woman to fly, using his 'Man-lifting War Kite'. In 1908 Cody turned his attention to building a heavier-than-air flying machine. Subsequently he designed and built a large aircraft of wood, metal, fabric, and a fifty-horsepower French engine. On the morning of October 16, 1908, near Farnborough, Cody flew it a quarter mile in what is recognized as the first powered sustained flight in Britain. Cody is to England what the Wright brothers are to the United States. Over the next five years, with much experimentation and numerous crashes, he developed additional planes including a biplane, a monoplane, and a seaplane. His biplane, Cody's Flying Cathedral, was then the largest plane in existence. He taught himself to pilot all of his planes, and he set a world record of forty miles for a cross-country flight, won the British Empire Michelin Cup contest in 1910, and won both the British and International divisions in the military airplane trials in 1913, in spite of the fact that he wrecked the plane he was planning to fly four weeks before the trials. Undaunted, he built a new plane from the parts of former planes. Cody continued flying in spite of many accidents, always aware of the dangers and risks involved. In August 1913 his Cathedral VI broke up in the air and crashed. More than 50,000 people attended his funeral and burial in the Military Cemetery southeast of London. Known as the father of British aviation, Cody was awarded the silver medal by the Aeronautical Society for his services to aeronautics. His work stimulated public interest in aviation and led to the formation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service.