THOMAS A. EDISON The famous inventor penned a section of answers on this questionnaire! Printed Questionnaire filled out by an assistant who has signed: "Thomas A. Edison" at the conclusion, but with 11 words in Edison's hand, 1p, 7¾x10½. J.K. Macomber, Professor of Physics at the Physical Laboratory Agricultural College in Ames, Iowa, sent Edison and other authorities in the field, a printed questionnaire, dated September 27, 1879. Macomber message, in part: "The people of the Western States have been imposed upon by lightning-rod peddlers more, perhaps, than by any other class of swindlers. Among other rods being sold in Iowa is one known as the 'Chambers' rod, widely has been patented by the 'Chambers' National Lightning Protection Company,' of Cincinnati, Ohio. Briefly, this system consists on an Iron rod running along the ridge of the building with points at each end projecting upward…Many public buildings in thus State have been furnished with these rods…I beg leave to submit the following interrogations." Macomber lists seven questions for Edison to answer.

JOHN HANCOCK Hancock handwrote, dated and put his John Hancock on this letter to the "Gentlemen of the Senate & Gentlemen of the House of Representatives" in 1783, while he was Governor of Massachusetts. He wrote this letter to inform the recipients that he had received an "Application for Sundry Articles for the use of the Tribe" from the Penobscot, which offered their services to the colonies during the American Revolutionary War. This letter was written less than eight months before the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the war between the colonies and England. Draft autograph letter signed "J.H." as Governor of Massachusetts. 1 page, 7¾x6¼. Council Chamber, Boston, Massachusetts, Feb. 7, 1783. Addressed to the "Gentlemen of the Senate & Gentlemen of the House of Representatives". In full: "I have this moment Rec'd a Letter from Colonel Lithgow, by Two Indians of the Penobscot Tribe, these Indians are come to make Application for Sundry Articles for the use of the Tribe. The Letter with the Commissions given one of these Indians by Brigr. Genl. Lovell, I have directed the Secretary [to] lay before you.

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE His signed, handwritten letter to telegraphic expert Robert Sabine (1868), insisting that he be given journal space to refute "Hamel's calumnious paper read before the Society of Arts". ALS: "Saml F.B. Morse, 3 pages, 5x8. Po'keepsie, N.York,1868 August 8. The inventor of the Morse Code who established a telegraph line between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore in 1844 writes to Robert Sabine, Westminster, London. In full: "I began a letter to you on the 18th July in reply to your valuable letter of the 18th of June. I have had so many interruptions since my return that I must defer its completion, until I have finished by Report as Commissioner for my Government. I write now simply to acknowledge your kindness and to thank you for your courtesy, and to promise you at no very distant day the finished letter on Hamel's calumnious paper read before the Society of Arts. The part in which he refers to me, requires a thorough exposure. I do not ask to have it published entire, but I do ask that it be read to the Society, and that it be recorded in their proceedings, with such remarks of their own as their sense of justice may prompt after a proper examination of the case

ORVILLE WRIGHT Orville Wright signed this document in 1945 to lease 135 acres of farm and pastureland that he owned in Indiana. This document was signed three years before Wright's death and offers a look into how he paid his bills late in life. Lease signed "Orville Wright" as Lessor. 2 pages, 8½x12¾, single-sided sheets, bound with two staples at top edge. Feb. 6, 1945. Wright signed this lease agreement to lease 135 acres of farm and pastureland in "Township 23 North", Indiana [possibly Fowlerton] to Clayton W. Dickerson of Jonesboro, Indiana. The lease's term was from March 1, 1945, to Feb. 28, 1946. Dickerson leased the farm - which included improvements like an orchard, garden lot and barn - for $6 per acre or a total of $810, paid in full to Wright on Sept. 1, 1945. This lease also laid out Dickerson's responsibilities. In short, he had to maintain the land and its buildings out of his own pocket and pay one-half the cost for seed and fertilizer and for threshing and hulling any crops, with Wright paying the other half. Wilbur (1867-1912, born near Millville, Indiana) and Orville (1871-1948, born in Dayton, Ohio) formed the Wright Cycle Company in 1892 and manufactured bicycles.

JOHN HANCOCK His handwritten March 1783 letter as Governor of Massachusetts, instructing a garrison commander to forbid a ship full of Tories to disembark, requiring them to sail instead for New York (still in British hands) Autograph Letter, unsigned, 1 page, 7¾x12. Written as Governor. Boston, Massachusetts, 1783 March 27. To William Gordon, Commander of the Garrison in Dartmouth. In full: "I have this moment received your Letter by Express, giving information of the arrival of a Flag with a Number of Persons on board who were desirous of remaining some time at Dartmouth. I have laid the state of this Flag before the Council, & in consequence of their advice you are hereby Directed upon no pretense whatever, to suffer any of the Persons or any of the Effects brought in the Flag to be Landed at Dartmouth, or in any other place, but that you give immediate Directions for the Departure of the Flag with the Persons, & their effects to New York, and that after the Receipt of this Letter you make a point of Embracing the first fair wind to put her under Sail for New York, as no circumstance can possibly induce me to Deviate from this order. I am Sir your very humble servant.

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER and HENRY FLAGLER The businessmen who retired in the same year signed this stock certificate concerning 20 shares Stock Certificate signed: "J.D. Rockefeller" as President, "H M Flagler" as Secretary and "JA Bostwick" as Treasurer, 15x7½. New York, 1883 August 10. Certificate No. 713 certifying "that Walter B. Mossman is entitled to Twenty Shares in the equity to the property held by the Trustees of the Standard Oil Trust...." Original transfer certificate, dated 1892 April 9, affixed ?. Each share was valued at $100. Vignette of the U.S. Capitol building at top center, giving the shareholder the false impression that the U.S. government had something to do with the Trust. John D. Rockefeller and Henry M. Flagler, as President and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, signed this 10-share certificate of the Standard Oil Trust in 1883, the year following the formation of this, the first industrial monopoly in U.S. history.

GEORGE “BUGS” MORAN The Chicago mobster who waged a city-wide war with fellow mafioso Al Capone signed this petition. Extremely rare! Typed Document Signed: "George Moran", 1p, 8x3¾. No place, but probably Chicago, 1938 November 28. Co-signed: "Lillian E. Cohen" as Notary Public. In Full: "GEORGE MORAN being first duly sworn, states that he has read the above and foregoing petition, signed by him, and that the same is true except for those matters stated by him to be upon information and belief, and that as to those matters this affiant states that he believes them to be true." George "Bugs" Moran (1893-1957) had committed more than 20 known burglaries and was imprisoned three times before he was 21. He became the head of Dion O'Banion's North Side gang in Chicago in 1926. For three years, Moran's gang and Al Capone's gang were bloody adversaries. Their rivalry climaxed on February 14, 1929 in a Chicago garage when seven members of Moran's gang were machine gunned to death on orders from Capone in what became known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

JOHN HANCOCK and JOHN AVERY, JR. As Massachusetts Governor and Secretary of State, both sign a manuscript document appointing Superior Court Justice David Sewall to the Commonwealth's Supreme Court (1781). Ornate Manuscript DS: "John Hancock" as Governor of Massachusetts, 1 page, 21¾x13. On vellum. Boston, 1781 February 20.Countersigned: "John Avery Secy". Appointment of David Sewall as Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. On verso, appears a short Manuscript DS: "John Hancock". In full: "In Council February 20th 1781. Hnble David Sewall Esqr appeared at the Council Chamber Subscribed the Declaration and the Several Oaths prescribed by the Constitution of the Commonwealth to qualify himself for the Office within mentioned." Born in York, Maine, SEWALL (1735-1825), Councillor for the Province of Maine (1766-1777), was Justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts (1777-1781) when he received this appointment to the State's Supreme Judicial Court. He served until 1789 when he was appointed Judge of the U.S. District Court of Maine (1789-1817).

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER and HENRY M. FLAGLER John D. Rockefeller and Henry M. Flagler sign stock certificate for fifty shares. Stock Certificate signed: "J.D. Rockefeller" as President, "H.M. Flagler" as Secretaryand "J.A. Bostwick" as Treasurer of the Standard Oil Trust, 1p, 11¾x7½ with 4¼x7½ receipt portion attached at left, New York, 1884 May 6. Certifying that "Martin Snider is entitled to Fifty shares in the equity to the property held by the Trustees of the Standard Oil Trust...." Each share was valued at $100. The certificate was cancelled on February 10, 1898. This bond was sold by Snider, who has signed on verso, to Strong, Sturgis & Co. in 1891. The Standard Oil Trust, created in January 1882, placed all stocks and properties of over a dozen oil companies (including Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company of Ohio) into the control of nine trustees of which Rockefeller owned over a third of the combined holdings. The trust was dissolved by court decree in 1892. The patriarch of the Rockefeller family had organized Standard Oil Co. in 1870.