JOHN HANCOCK - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 02/07/1783 - HFSID 286006
Price: $14,000.00
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. I have given orders that these Indians should
[be] taken Care of this Night & have become Responsible for [the]ir expenses. I
[illegible] Recommend these Papers & the Care of [t]hese Indians to your Consideration,
& your Determination shall be Communicated to them immediately upon my Receiving
it". At the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775, the Penobscot, under their
Chief, Orono, tendered their services to the American cause. The Penobscot Indians
were the principal tribe of the Abnaki confederacy of Maine which was then part of
Massachusetts. Hancock (1737-1793), Member of the Continental Congress (1775-1778),
served as President of the Congress from May 24, 1775 to October 1777 and was the first
Signer of the Declaration of Independence. From 1780 to1785 and 1787 to his death in 1793,
Hancock was Governor of Massachusetts. Fragile, toned. Worn, torn right and left edges
resulting in the loss of some text at left. Mid-horizontal fold shows 1-inch separation at left.
3x1-inch shading at left. Lightly creased. Otherwise in fine condition.
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