EARLY AMERICA AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AN INTERESTING GROUP OF LOTS RELATED TO AND SIGNED BY THOMAS HANCOCK THOMAS HANCOCK (1703-1764). One of the wealthiest and most successful Boston merchants of his era. As his influence grew, he became one of the British Crown’s most important and trusted agents in the colo- nies, furnishing the supplies to all of the British troops in Nova Scotia for well over 10 years and supplying Edward Cornwallis with the material he used to found the city of Halifax. A LARGE EARLY ACCOUNT SIGNED AT THE CONCLUSION BY THOMAS HANCOCK * 1 THOMAS HANCOCK. Manuscript Document Signed. 2 pages, both sides of a single sheet. 15” x 19”. Boston, Aug. 30, 1751. An Account of Mr. Caleb Trowbridge with Thomas Hancock. A detailed account of trans- actions conducted from Feb. 11, 1748/9 to Sept. 1, 1750. Boldly signed by Hancock at the conclusion on verso. $750 - up A PROVINCIAL BOND SIGNED BY THREE OF BOSTON’S IMPORTANT EARLY BOOKSELLERS INCLUDING THOMAS HANCOCK’S FATHER-IN-LAW, DANIEL HENCHMAN SAMUEL GERRISH, DANIEL HENCHMAN AND THOMAS HANCOCK SIGN AN EARLY BOND WITH SUFFOLK COUNTY TREASURER SAMUEL ADAMS * 2 THOMAS HANCOCK. Manuscript Document Signed. Both sides of a single sheet. 7 ½” x 12”. April 7, 1741. Bond between “Danial Henchman and Thomas Hancock, Mercht., all of Boston in the county of Suffolk and Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England are holden and stand firmly bound and obliged unto Samuel Adams of Boston, Treasurer of said County…in the full and just sum of Five hundred pounds, lawful money…” Gerrish and Henchman were two of Boston’s most important booksellers in the early part of 18th century Boston. DANIEL HENCHMAN – Wealthy Boston bookseller who backed Thomas Hancock with Eng- lish Merchants - Thomas had started his own bookshop at the age of 21. Thomas Hancock was apprenticed to Henchman, working in his bookselling business. He married Henchman’s daughter and inherited his estate. SAMUEL GERRISH - Publisher, bookseller. A strong advocate of the Regular Singing Move- ment in Boston during the 1720’s. A superb association of these three signing a single document and Thomas, with his Father-in- Law. $1,250 - up 1 A RARE AUTOGRAPH OF JOHN HANCOCK’S BROTHER, EBENEZER * 5 EBENEZER HANCOCK (1741 - 1819). Brother of John Hancock. * 8 Served as Continental Army pay- [THOMAS HANCOCK]. Ac- master. Was left out of his uncle count of Joshua Emmes to Thom- Thomas’s estate due to his poor as Hancock. 7 ½” x 9 ½”. Boston, handling of business matters. DS. 1 March 16, 1761. $125 - up page. 6 ¼” x 5 ½”. Boston, Nov. 13, 1763. Edward Milliken, A sub- scriber promises to pay Thomas Hancock Esqr. Thirty-six pounds three shillings & three pence law- ful money in three months…Wit- nessed at lower left by Ebenezer. $250 – up * 9 AN EARLY BOND SIGNED BY LOT OF FOURTEEN [THOMAS HANCOCK]. Ac- THOMAS HANCOCK RECEIPTS PAYABLE TO count of Henry Emmes to Thomas * 3 VARIOUS MEMBERS OF Hancock. 12” x 7 ¾”. Boston, June THOMAS HANCOCK. Document Signed. 7 ½” x 12 ½”. November THE HANCOCK FAMILY! 23, 1761. Upper right corner miss- 6, 1751. Partly-printed Bond between “John Osborne of Rowley in the * 6 ing. $125 - up county of Essex & Province of Massachusetts Bay in New England are [HANCOCK FAMILY]. Group holden and stand firmly bound and obliged unto Thomas Hancock…in of Fourteen receipts payable to the full and just sum of Fifty-nine pounds one shilling and eight pence William Hancock, John Hancock, lawful money.” Hancock has endorsed and signed the bond on verso Ebenezer Hancock or Thomas “Boston, Oct. 31, 1751, Recd. One years interest of within Bond to the Hancock. A couple signed by 6th of Nov. next Thomas Hancock”. $600 - up Thomas within the text. $750 - up THOMAS HANCOCK SIGNED MERCHANT ACCOUNT * 4 THOMAS HANCOCK. Manu- script Document Signed. 1 page, 7 ½” x 11 ¾”. Boston, January 12, COLONIAL DELAWARE 1752. Mr. Epharim Jones Of Con- POLITICIAN JOHN cord Accot. With Thos. Hancock. VINING Detailed account of transactions * 10 JOHN VINING. Speaker of the from Aug. 12, 1749 to Oct. 12, Colonial Assembly and Chief Jus- * 7 1749. Signed at the conclusion by tice of Delaware. Letter Signed, “J. [THOMAS HANCOCK]. Ac- Hancock. $600 - up Vining.” One page, 6” x 7 1/2”. No count of Stephen Welcome with place. November 5, 1755. The let- Thomas Hancock 9 ½” x 7 ½”. ter reads, in part: “ .. the officers Boston, Aug. 30, 1751. $125 - up being unanimously recommended, by the Magistrates of Kent County, 2 and I having the Honour of being pany of Militia in Preston in the 8th recommended as chief Colonel for Regt. hath presented...Rolls of S[ai] the County; Do pray your Honour’s d. Company under his Command... advise, what I may legally do in noting the Numbers of half Days case of an Emergency; and as we Each man has attended Military are all hearty. What is my Duty in Service... and Regimental Exercises that Office being a Stranger thus to in Obedience to a Law of this Col- the contents … ” Slight paper loss ony...” Docketed on verso by John at left center. Some minor toning. Avery. Of historical note, Morgan’s SCARCE 18TH C. BILL OF Overall Fine. $200 - up company continued as part of 8th EXCHANGE Regiment of Militia, serving in * 14 1776 in order to provide reinforce- Manuscript Document Signed. One ments to replace large number of page, 8” x 4 1/8”. April 30, 1743. Connecticut troops who were with The document, a Bill of Exchange, Washington’s main army defending reads, in part: “At forty dayes [sic] New York. Very Fine. $225 - up sight of this … pay to Messr. Bur- ryan [?] & whatever merchants in London on order one hundred and twenty one pounds six shillings and eleven pence sterling vallue [sic] re- 1712 SETTLEMENT OF ceived ... “ Some toning. Overall ESTATE Fine. $100 - up * 16 Manuscript Document. One page, 7 AN INDENTURE FOR 5/8” x 12 1/4”. New Haven. April FORTY THREE 2, 1712. Official court document PELATIAH WEBSTER THOUSAND ACRES appointing Silence Doud admin- * 11 SIGNED BY PROMINENT istrator of the recently deceased PELATIAH WEBSTER (1726- Thomas Doud’s estate. Dampstain- 1795) American author, statesman NEW YORK MERCHANT JOHN DE PEYSTER ing. Paper loss at folds. Else Good. best remembered for his Disser- $200 - up tation of the Political Union and * 15 Constitution of the Thirteen Unit- Manuscript Document Signed. One page, 23 ¾” x 17 ½”. New York. ed States of North America. Au- THE FIRST IRON WORKS May 7, 1756. Boldly Signed at bot- tograph Document Signed “Pela’ IN THE U.S. Webster”, One page 8” x 1/2”. tom edge and on verso, “John De * 13 Peyster Jnr,” by JOHN DE PEY- Philadelphia. Jan 28, 1779. Webster Autograph Letter Signed, “John STER (1731-1807) New York Mer- writes to Mr. Weleome [?] Arnold Baker.” Four pages, 6” x 7 1/2”. chant. A prominent figure in New concerning a wide variety of arti- Dorchester in New England. De- York, De Peyster was related by cles, including wine, coffee, cotton, cember 12, 1694. Addressed on marriage to Charles Willson Peale, iron, beef and cider. Boldly signed integral leaf. The letter, written to the famed Revolutionary portraitist. and penned. One small hole where Captain Leonard, reads, in part: The document is an indenture be- seal was opened. Overall Very Fine. “ Captain Leonard hoping these tween De Peyster and one Benjamin $125 - up few lines will find you and yours 1769: STATE DEBENTURE Nicholl. The document grants the in health … my request which is FOR THE SUPERIOR latter forty three thousand acres lo- that you would pay to the bearer of cated on the “South side of the Mo- COURT OF NEW HAVEN these lines … that proportion that hawk River and on the West side of * 17 is due to me for my part in the Iron (1733-1806). a lake called Canigdarage [?].” Other RICHARD LAW works …. ” Internal two pages con- Connecticut delegate to the Con- prominent Colonial New York fig- sist of a breakdown of debts. Over- tinental Congress, justice in the ures are also mentioned in this land all Extremely Fine. After emigrating Connecticut Supreme Court and in transaction as prior land holders. to American in 1652, James Leon- the Federal court for the Connecti- These individuals include: David ard established the first ironworks cut district. Manuscript Document Schuyler (1692-1767?) Merchant in the nation. Having developed a Signed, “Richd. Law Jus Peace.” 1775 PAYMENT TO and Banker PHILIP VAN COR- close relationship with the Indian Also signed by TLANDT (1749-1931) American WILLIAM PIT- COLONIAL MILITIA King Philip, the Native American (1725-1789). Revolutionary Surveyor, Land-owner and politi- KIN * 12 leader gave strict orders never to War officer and Chief Justice of the War Date Manuscript Document cians from New York. Scalloped to harm Leonard and his family during Connecticut Supreme Court.] One Signed, “Saml: Coit” and “Ben edge. Red wax seal intact at bottom the course of the infamous King page, 15” x 12 ¼”. Connecticut. No Coit.” One page, 8” x 6”. No place. edge. Usual folds. Very Fine condi- Philip’s War. It should also be noted date [January 1770[?]]. The docu- June 27, 1775. The document, writ- tion. Fine associations with numer- that John Baker was a blacksmith ment reads, in part: “Debenture of ten to John Lawrence Esqr. Trea- ous additional avenues for further who, in light of the content of this the Adjourned Supr. Court began surer, reads, in part: “...Capt James research. $500 - up letter, was an investor or partner in at New Haven in October 31, 1769 Morgan Capt.