Autographs

U.S. Presidents & First Ladies

Lot 263
Garfield, James A (1831-1881) 20th president of the U.S. (March-Sept., 1881). He served in the Union army until 1863, when he became a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and followed his party's radical Reconstruction program. Elected president in 1880, he declared war on the leading faction of his party by appointing James G. Blaine secretary of state (passing over the "Stalwarts" of the influential Roscoe Conkling); won a victory with his appointment for port collector of New York; and began prosecution of frauds in the U.S. postal service. But on July 2, 1881, he was shot by a disappointed office seeker, Charles J. Guiteau. Garfield died Sept. 19 and was succeeded by Vice President Chester A. Arthur.

Autograph Letter Signed ("J. A. Garfield"). Three pages, octavo, Hiram, Ohio, September 25, 1874. To a Senator. Transmittal folds, adhesive residue at bottom verso has some show-through, minor surface soil. Very good to fine.

Facing two scandals and a re-election campaign, Garfield suggests that a senator who will be making a speech for him focus on Garfield's public service as a member of Congress, "In accordance with the arrangement I made with you and with the Central Committee we have posted you for a meeting at Warren on Saturday...I hope I shall not embarrass you by suggesting that in your speech you take occasion to say a few words in reference to my standing and public service as a representative. It will do much to counteract the prejudice that a small knot of persistent assailants have created against me..." On the verso, in an initialed postscript, Garfield sounds a hopeful note: "I am having large meetings and I think we shall get out a full vote."
Estimated Value $1,200-1,400.

Sherman, Sheridan and Porter Reminisce

Lot 264
[Grant, Ulysses S.]. An extraordinary collection of letters. Four William Tecumseh Sherman ALSs and one LS; one Philip Sheridan LS; two Horace Porter LSs; one letter (related to Sheridan's memoirs) from William Duncan, all to retired Brigadier General William Emerson Strong.
In the late 1880s, General William Emerson Strong, a retired Union officer contacted his friends and old comrades William Sherman, Philip Sheridan and Horace Porter, asking their opinion about a monument to General Grant that was being planned for Chicago. The equestrian statue, to be erected in Lincoln Park, meant to picture Grant in the field, and who better to comment on such a portrayal than the men who had spent so much time with him in those trying circumstances? These letters provide not only a physical description of the man, but also some insight into what his intimates remembered about him and how they wanted him to be remembered.

Strong, who had served first on McPherson's staff (and, in fact, received McPherson's final orders) and then as Chief of Staff for General O.O. Howard, found distinction in every battle and campaign he fought with the Army of the Tennessee and he was even accorded the honor of raising the American Flag over Vicksburg following its 1863 surrender. After the War, Strong promoted the causes of Union veterans, amassed a large collection of war related items and was an enthusiastic member of the Loyal Legion. It is in his position as a caretaker for the Union Army's legacy that he took such an active part in the creation of sculptor Louis Rebisso's monument to Grant. A close personal friend to Sheridan's and also to Sherman, Strong was able to turn to these men to assist in the final decisions about the statue and counted on them to be present at the unveiling. The letters offered in this lot show that Strong was in frequent contact with Generals, sending sketches and photographs of preliminary models, and must have taken their suggestions quite seriously when the statue was finalized. In March of 1887, Sheridan writes: "...I do not believe it necessary to be too accurate as to details, and I am very well pleased with the photograph of it you send me. If I can offer any objection to the horse it is that his attention seems to be directed to some such object as a mare...The side view of General Grant does look slightly stooped...the bridle hand is too low; to be tactical it should be raised to the height of the elbow...General Grant very seldom wore top boots...I earnestly hope you will be successful in obtaining a statue that will be creditable to Chicago." Porter is also concerned with the portrayal of the General of the field: "...The side view of the figure makes him look a little more stooped in the back than he appeared in the field when mounted -- he usually straightened up pretty well when he got on a horse and was not so stoop-shouldered then, as he grew twenty years later..." That same year Sherman gets right to the point, "...Grant will be remembered in after ages as General Grant not as President Grant. Therefore the Equestrian Statue -- and the period of the presentation in bronze will be Appomattox. He was then Lieut General..." [bold added] In November of 1888, as New York also planned a monument, Sherman writes "...In my judgment the horse and rider are excellent, and reflect great credit on the designer. I am glad you have made such progress in this matter. Ours at St. Louis was the first done, but you are entitled to great praise notwithstanding..." By 1890, it is obvious Sherman and Strong have been working on arrangements for a ceremony and unveiling of the statue: "...remembering that the Society of the Army of the Tennessee, the first Army which Grant commanded, have been publicly invited to participate in the necessary ceremonies of the dedication of this statue, that they are ready, and only seek time enough to summon scattered members..." The beautiful, and so lovingly created, monument to Grant was finally unveiled in 1891, to the requisite fanfare and celebration such an undertaking deserved.
Estimated Value $5,000-6,000.
Please note the other General Strong items in our Civil War Memorabilia section.

Lot 265
Grant, Ulysses S (1822-1885) Commander-in-Chief of the Union army in the U.S. Civil War and 18th president of the U.S. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was commissioned colonel, then brigadier general, of a regiment of volunteers and fought his first battle at Belmont, MO., on Nov. 9, 1861. In Feb. 1862 he captured Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee, providing the first major Union victory, and he was at once promoted to major general. The Vicksburg campaign (1862-63), which ended Confederate control of the Mississippi, was one of his greatest successes. Called to the supreme command in the West (Oct. 1863), he thoroughly defeated the Confederate forces under Braxton Bragg at Chattanooga. Lincoln made him commander in chief, with the rank of lieutenant general, in Mar. 1864. He directed the Union army in the Wilderness campaign (May-June 1864), wearing out the Confederates by sheer attrition; he received Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox on Apr. 9, 1865. He was made full general in 1866, the first U.S. citizen after Washington to hold that rank. Elected president in 1868 and reelected in 1872. His administration was characterized by corruption, special-interest legislation, and vigorous pursuit of a punitive Reconstruction program. Grant's Personal Memoirs (2 volume., 1885-86) rank among the great military narratives of history.

Document Signed ("U.S. Grant"). As President. Partially printed, accomplished in manuscript. One page, 15¾ x 19½", Washington D.C., April 14, 1869. Countersigned by Secretary of War John A. Rawlins. Being an Army appointment to one John Coppinger. On vellum. Wafer seal intact and affixed to upper left. Recorder's signature at upper left corner. One vertical and five horizontal creases; light soiling and toning. Ink of Grant's signature has bled a bit, and accomplishing ink has faded a bit. Still, in very good to fine condition.

Rising in the ranks, here our soldier, John Coppinger, recieves the title Colonel in this appointment signed by the ever-popular Grant. Just two years prior Coppinger had been named Captain.
Estimated Value $800-950.

Lot 266
Grant, Ulysses S. Document Signed ("U.S. Grant"). As President. Partially printed, accomplished in manuscript. One page, quarto, Washington D.C., May 6, 1874. Being a warrant for the pardon of one William Semmes. Two horizontal folds; a section of light-staining at upper left measuring 4¾ x 3½"; creases likely from a paper clip at upper left; toning to edges and along folds verso. Very slight smearing to Grant's sweeping "T". Overall, in very good condition.

In the midst of the accusations of corruption that Grant faced in 1874, here he bestows pardon to another: "I hereby authorize, and direct the Secretary of State to affix the Seal of the United States to a warrant for the pardon of William Semmes dated this day sand signed by me: and for so doing this shall be his warrant."
Estimated Value $750-1,000.

Lot 267
Grant, Ulysses S. Check Signed ("U.S. Grant"). Partially printed, accomplished in manuscript. 8¼ x 2¾", Washington D.C., April 27, 1867. Drawn on his account at Jay Cooke & Co. Bankers. Made payable to William Elrad in the amount of five hundred dollars. In black ink. Endorsed by Elrad on verso and made over to another payee. A two cent stamp, "Paid" and a date stamp appear on front, there are two cancellation punches and somewhat ragged edge separation in the middle of the center fold. The date stamp overlays, but does not obscure, the "U" of the signature. Very good condition.
Estimated Value $400-500.

19th Century Sino-American Relations

Lot 268
[Grant, Ulysses S.] and China. An important document outlining concerns for a planned Grant trip to China in 1879-1880. Six pages, quarto, Shanghai, June 5, 1879. Docketed (US Consulate General Shanghai) on verso. Linen binder at top right corner, transmittal folds, minor surface soil. Fine.

Complied while preparing for Grant's visit, this is a fascinating, well-reasoned analysis of Grant's position vis-a-vis Chinese officials. Faced with the unique problem of explaining the position of a past president to a society ruled by lifetime monarchs, the unnamed diplomat who created this document has written: "That he has been a sovereign will be their ruling thought; and, from the very nature of things, as they understand them, he can not be much less now...We can not undertake to teach them, on this special occasion, wherein a Republic differs from a Monarchy...The Emperor...and the Viceroy...are the only Chinese upon whom the General should call..." While on his post-Presidency travels across the globe, Grant visited China, stopping in Hong Kong, Canton, Shanghai, Tienstin and Peking. This wonderful document presents a truly fascinating picture of the 19th century American view of China and is an important piece of diplomatic and presidential history.
Estimated Value $500-600.

Lot 269
Harding, Warren G (1865-1923) 29th president of the U.S. (1921-23). An Ohio Republican, Harding was elected (1914) to the U.S. Senate and was a compromise choice as Republican presidential candidate in 1920. His administration had one achievement-the calling (1921) of the Washington Naval Conference. He had promised to appoint a cabinet of the "best minds," but in 1923 came rumors of government scandals. Harding died suddenly (Aug. 1923) in San Francisco on his way back from Alaska. He thus was spared the public exposure of the Teapot Dome scandal and the humiliation of seeing his cabinet appointees Albert B. Fall and Harry M. Daugherty brought to the bar of justice. Harding's administration has been called one of the most corrupt in U.S. history.

Typed Letter Signed ("W.G. Harding"). Two pages, quarto, Marion, Ohio, July 6, 1914. On "The Harding Publishing Company" letterhead. To Senator Charles Hogg. Transmittal envelope included, as is a campaign postcard featuring Harding and a form letter from the Marion Clearing House Association endorsing Harding. Transmittal folds with minor edge separation, very minor feathering at signature. Fine.

Senator Hogg, a family friend, had given his support in the Senate race to Senator Foraker and Harding's disappointment is evident in this letter, "...I understand that you are already committed and I confess that I am sincerely disappointed though I can make no complaint thereat. Recalling our numerous agreeable visits on more than one occasion.I had hoped that you had not already pledged your support. I confess there was a bit of sentiment about it, too, because my father in law, who came to be one of my very best friends before his death, often talked about you with affectionate interest...I am not reciting things in an endeavor to have you change your attitude...I am sure that you know I admire the ability of Senator Foraker, quite a as much as you do....he offered to get out of my way early in April if I would become a candidate. At that time, I had no notion of doing so and so told him. Later on, a great many Republicans...argued that I ought to get into the race on the ground that we could not effect an united party if the Senator were the nominee...I was persuaded through the earnestness of their representations to enter the race...I am firmly convinced that nothing but the return to power of the Republican party will restore us to the full tide of American good fortune..." Exceptional political content. Harding was successful in the campaign and held the office of Senator until he was elected President in 1920 -- obviously, the campaign in question was an important step in his political career.
Estimated Value $1,500-1,800.

Lot 270
Harding, Warren G. Check Signed ("Warren G. Harding"). Partially printed, accomplished in type- and manuscript. 8¼ x 3", Washington D.C., April 15, 1921. Drawn on his account at The Riggs National Bank. Made payable to Wise Brothers. In black ink. Stamp endorsement from Wise Brothers on verso, punched cancellation and date stamp on recto. Two vertical folds, the date stamp is close to, but does not touch, the signature and there is some ink transfer from the verso to the face. Very good condition.
Estimated Value $100-200.

Lot 271
Harding, Warren G. Check Signed ("Warren G. Harding"). Partially printed, accomplished in type- and manuscript. 8¼ x 3", Washington D.C., April 15, 1921. Drawn on his account at The Riggs National Bank. Made payable to The New York Beef Company. In black ink. Endorsed on verso, punched cancellation and date stamp on recto. Two vertical folds. Very good condition.

This lot also includes a letter from G.T. Harding indicating the checks came directly from him.
Estimated Value $100-200.

Lot 272
Harrison, Benjamin (1833-1901) 23d president of the U.S. (1889-93). A grandson of William Henry Harrison, he commanded an Indiana volunteer regiment in the Civil War, became a corporate lawyer, and served (1881-87) as U.S. senator from Indiana. The Republicans chose him (1888) as presidential candidate against Grover Cleveland. After what has been called the most corrupt campaign in U.S. history, he was elected by the electoral college, though Cleveland had won the popular vote. He approved all regular Republican measures, including the highly protective McKinley Tariff Act. The first Pan-American Conference was held (1889) during his administration. Defeated (1892) for reelection by Cleveland, he later represented Venezuela in the Venezuela Boundary Dispute.

Signature ("Benj Harrison"). One page, 3½ x 2¼, n.p., n.d. Black ink on cream card stock. Minor surface soil, adhesive residue on verso. Very good to fine condition.
Estimated Value $100-150.

Lot 273
Harrison, Benjamin and Mary Lord. Signatures ("Benj Harrison" and "Mary Lord Harrison"). One page, 3½ x 5¼", Lord signs from New York City, November 4, 1938. President Harrison's signature is on blue lined paper clipped to the top edge of Mrs. Harrison's note card. Mrs. Harrison has penned a brief note regarding the signatures: "As you have such an interesting number of autographs I am glad to add my husband's and my own..." There is some ink show through on the blue paper which does not affect the signature, otherwise this lot is fine.
Estimated Value $125-150.

Lot 274
Hayes, Rutherford B (1822-1893). 19th President of the U.S. (1877-81). Hayes served (1865-67) as a Republican in Congress and was three times elected (1867, 1869, 1875) governor of Ohio. In 1876, chosen as the Republican candidate for president, he ran against Democrat Samuel J. Tilden. In the election the returns of South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and Oregon were disputed, and Congress created an electoral commission to decide the result. The commission awarded all the disputed returns to Hayes, thus giving him a majority of one in the electoral college. Indignation over this partisan decision affected Hayes's administration, which was generally conservative and efficient and no more. He withdrew federal troops from Louisiana and South Carolina, ending the Reconstruction era.

Document Signed ("R B Hayes"). As President. Partially printed, accomplished in manuscript. One page, 16 x 19½", Washington D.C., June 12, 1879. Countersigned by Secretary of War George McCrary. Being an Army appointment for one John J. Coppinger. On vellum. Wafer seal intact and affixed at upper left. Recorder's signature at upper left corner. With one vertical and five horizontal creases; splitting along central horizontal fold measuring 4½: in length; two splits along vertical fold, a few light stains and toning. In good condition overall.

Towards the end of his presidency, here Hayes grants one John J. Coppinger to be Major of the Tenth Regiment of Infantry. Coppinger had served in the 1865 Appomattox Campaign, and was appointed Colonel thereafter. Clearly, this document records the career of a brave soldier.
Estimated Value $300-400.

Lot 275
Hoover, Herbert C. Typed Letter Signed ("Herbert Hoover"). One page, quarto, Stanford University, November 7, 1928. On personal stationery. To Walter Dexter, President of Whittier College. Transmittal folds, minor foxing and surface soil. Very good condition.

One assumes this letter was written on receipt of good wishes about the Presidential election. "I am grateful for your message. I deeply appreciate the friendship which it conveys..."
Estimated Value $150-250.

Lot 276
Hoover, Herbert C (1874-1964) 31st President of the U.S. (1929-33). He easily won the 1928 Republican presidential nomination and defeated Democrat Alfred E. Smith. His administration was dominated by the Great Depression, ushered in by the stock market crash of Oct. 1929. Believing that the economy would regenerate spontaneously, Hoover was reluctant to extend federal activities. In 1932 some 15,000 ex-servicemen, known as Bonus Marchers, marched on Washington to demand immediate payment of their World War I bonus certificates. Hoover ordered federal troops to oust them from government property. In 1931 Hoover proposed a one-year moratorium on reparations and war debts to ease the financial situation in Europe. He ran for reelection in 1932 but was overwhelmingly defeated by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Later Hoover coordinated (1946) food supplies to war-ravaged countries and headed (1947-49) the Hoover Commission, which recommended administrative reforms of the executive branch. He headed a second commission (1953-55), which studied policy and organization.

Signature ("Herbert Hoover"). As Secretary of Commerce. One page, 3 x 1½", n.p., 1927. Lot includes tinted postcard of Hoover, Letter from his Department of Commerce Secretary and original transmittal envelope. Minor ink dots at top edge of autograph card, faint paper clip impression, otherwise very good to fine.
Estimated Value $75-125.

Lot 277
Jackson, Andrew (1767-1845) 7th President of the U.S. (1829-37). Jackson helped to draft the Tennessee constitution and was elected (1796) to the U.S. Congress. In the War of 1812 he decisively defeated seasoned British troops at New Orleans (Jan. 8, 1815). "Old Hickory" was the greatest hero of his time and became associated with increased popular participation in government. This so-called Jacksonian Democracy almost won him the presidency in 1824, but the election ended in the House of Representatives with a victory for John Quincy Adams. Jackson was elected president in 1828 and brought a strong element of personalism to Washington. His Kitchen Cabinet was powerful, and the Spoils System developed. Jackson and Vice Pres. J.C. Calhoun differed on Nullification, and Calhoun resigned (1832). Jackson's fight against the Bank of the United States was an important issue in the election of 1832, in which he defeated Henry Clay. He then transferred federal assets from the bank to chosen state, or "pet," banks. In 1836 he issued the Specie Circular, which said that all public lands must be paid for in specie and which hastened the Panic of 1837.

Free Frank as President. Quarto address leaf "Free Andrew Jackson", Washington DC, February 18 1837. Postmark overlays, but does not obscure, "Free." Transmittal folds with some edge separation, old tape repair brushes edge of "n," discoloration over address, tears where seals removed. Very good condition.

An unusual free frank, as the original letter is still attached! The two page letter, signed "Sarah" (doubtless Jackson's daughter-in-law and White House hostess Sarah Yorke Jackson), is addressed to Emma Donelson in Philadelphia. Offering condolences to her "Dear Sister" over the loss of a child, Sarah's love and concern are obvious. Rachel Jackson's Donelson relatives were numerous and Emma is likely one of these relations.
Estimated Value $1,100-1,350.

Lot 278
Jackson, Andrew. Autograph Letter. As President. One page with integral blanks, directed on the address leaf, octavo, n.p., February 28, 1837. In black ink. To the Secretary of War Benjamin F. Butler. With two horizontal folds, reinforcing tape along edge, ink has smeared on three words at right edge, and a 1½" vertical tear to address leaf which does not affect Jackson's writing. In very good to fine condition overall.

In the early 1800s, Andrew Jackson appointed Colonel Robert Butler (1786-1860) to be Florida's first Surveyor General. Here, Jackson requests that the Senate promptly address a matter pertaining to the Army Colonel, writing in the third person: "The President with his respects to the Secretary of War brings to his recollection the case of Col. Robert Butler of Florida if it is proper to send his name to the Senate, it ought to go up tomorrow, or perhaps today -- this being the last day of February -- February 28th 1837." Butler, it seems felt a strong bond with the President, as an archive of his poetry revealed a eulogy of "Old Hickory" written at the time of his death.
Estimated Value $1,000-1,500.

Lot 279
Jackson, Andrew. Document Signed ("Andrew Jackson"). As President. Partially printed, accomplished in manuscript. One page, folio, Washington, D.C., November 16, 1830. Being a land grant. On parchment. In black ink. With original wafer seal affixed at lower left. Framed to an overall size of 26 x 30". Several areas of paper loss around edges, notably just below Jackson's signature. Likely treated to remove foxing. Still, in good condition.

In the dawn of his Presidency, Jackson grants a parcel of land in the city of Cahaba, a town which was once the capital of Alabama (1820-1826). Unfortunately for Mr. Thomas Mason, the named purchaser, Cahaba became a ghost town shortly after the Civil War, and is now an archeological park.
Estimated Value $700-1,000.

Lot 280
Johnson, Andrew (1808-1875) 17th President of the U.S. (1865-69); he rose in Tennessee politics to become congressman (1843-53), governor (1853-57), and U.S. senator (1857-62). As a Southerner and a war Democrat, he was an ideal choice as a running mate to Lincoln on the successful Union ticket in 1864, and he succeeded to the presidency after Lincoln's assassination. As president he was denounced by the radical Republicans for his Reconstruction program, and in 1866 his political power began to decline sharply. When Johnson tried to force Secy. of War Edwin M. Stanton-whom he rightly suspected of conspiring with congressional leaders-out of office, the radical Republicans sought to remove the president. On Feb. 24, 1868, the House passed a resolution of impeachment against him. In spite of tremendous pressure brought to bear on several senators, the Senate failed to convict by one vote. Johnson's administration had some accomplishments, notably the purchase (1867) of Alaska. After his presidency he was returned (1875) to the Senate from Tennessee, but died shortly afterward.

Document Signed ("Andrew Johnson"). As President. Partially printed, accomplished in manuscript. One page, 15¾ x 19½", Washington D.C., April 11, 1867. Countersigned by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. Being an Army appointment for John J. Coppinger. On vellum. Wafer seal intact and affixed at upper left. Recorder's signature at upper left corner. One vertical and five horizontal creases, slight fold at upper right corner. Ink stutters a bit in Johnson's signature. Else, in very good to fine condition.

In 1865, our solder, one John Coppinger, had bravely served in the Appomattox Campaign. Likely, this appointment of Captain of the Twenty Third Regiment, was granted by President Johnson in recognition of his dutiful service. Interestingly, this document was also signed by Secretary of War Stanton, whom Johnson would remove from office in just four months' time -- an action which was just one of Johnson's acts of retaliation against the Tenure of Office Act.
Estimated Value $700-900.