JOHN ENDECOTT This exceedingly rare document is from the very earliest history of the American colonies and Massachusetts! It's a five-line complaint signed by John Endecott, colonial governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, in Marblehead, Massachusetts in1649. Documents from this early in American history are rarely seen outside of private collections and are highly desirable! Framed to 10x6½ in a gold-colored frame with cream-colored matte. Document signed "Jo: Endecott Gov.". Brown ink and lead pencil notations in top left corner and at left edge. 1 page, 5½x1¼. Framed to 10x6½ in a gold-colored frame with cream-colored matte. Marblehead, Massachusetts, April 24, 1649. Five-line complaint. Endecott (c. 1588-1665), also spelled "Endicott", was a colonial governor (1629-1630, 1644-1645, 1649-1650, 1651-1654 and 1655-1664) and deputy governor (1641-1644, 1650-1651 and 1654-1655) of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the New World. Endecott arrived with 60 other settlers in the Naumkeag, future site of Salem, Massachusetts and already settled by seceders from the Plymouth colony, led by Roger Conant. read more...

NAVY SECRETARY GIDEON WELLES ORDERS THE NAVY TO TRANSPORT CAPTURED FUGITIVE JOHN SURATT BACK TO THE US TO STAND TRIAL FOR CONSPIRING TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT LINCOLN GIDEON WELLES Telegram, unsigned, 1 page, 8½x11. 1866 December 6. Telegram partly printed in Portuguese, received from Gideon Welles in Washington, D.C., for transmittal to Admiral Goldsborough, American Squadron at Lisbon, Portugal. Manuscript text of Welles' message (unknown hand): "Send steamer to Alexandria, Egypt to receive Surautt [sic] from Consul Hale and bring him to Washington." [Welles' name has also been misspelled by the telegraph office.] Docketed on verso: "Hon. G. Welles/Secy of the Navy/6th Dec. 1866/Send steamer to/Alexandria, Egypt". Gideon Welles (1812-1878), a Jacksonian Democrat who joined the new Republican Party in 1854 because he detested slavery, was Secretary of the Navy throughout the Presidencies of Abraham Lincoln (who called him "Neptune") and Andrew Johnson (1861-1869). John Suratt (1844-1916) was the son of Mary Suratt, convicted of conspiracy in the assassination of President Lincoln and the first woman executed (hanged) by the US government. read more...

FRANCIS SCOTT KEY The author of the "Star-Spangled Banner" signed this framed document 14 times in its text! Autograph Document Multi-Signed: "Francis/ Scott Key", "Francis S. Key", "F S Key" (ten times!) and "Key" (twice), all in text, 4p, 7½x12. District of Columbia. Dated January 19, 1824. Indenture between "John W. Baker of George Town District of Columbia…and Francis Scott Key of the same place." In part: "Witnesseth that whereas Walter Smith hath this day by the order and sanction of the said F S Key conveyed to the said John W. Baker by deed bearing the same date with these presents, a certain piece or portion of land lying in Washington County in the said District…and whereas the said John W. Baker stands indebted to the said F S Key in the full and just sum of three thousand five hundred dollars, a part of the purchase money for said land read more...

THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS URGES THE PRESIDENT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE TO TAKE THE SAME STEPS AS MASSACHUSETTS HAD TAKEN IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE FISHING INDUSTRY ON THE MERRIMACK RIVER   JOHN HANCOCK. Autograph Letter, unsigned, 1p, 6¾x9. Boston, 1783 October 31. To "His Excellency Meshech Weare Esqr. President of the State of New Hampshire". Begins: "Sir". In full: "In compliance with the Request of the Two Branches of the General Court I inclose you Two Acts of this Government making provision to prevent the Destruction of Fish by Mill-Dams in Merrimack River & c - As the Design'd [illegible] of this Bill will much Depend upon the measures that shall be Adopted by the Legislature of your State, I am to Request that your Excellency will be pleas'd to lay those Acts before them, and cannot but flatter myself that they will Take such effectual Steps as will ensure the good Effects for which our Govt. Court had in View in passing the Bill - I am with Sentiments of [portion of word crossed out] Esteem, Sir, Your Excellency's Most Obedt & Humbl Servt." Hancock's retained copy of his letter to Weare. Docketed in unknown hand on verso. read more...

JOHN HANCOCK Notes relating to payment. ANS: "Jo Hancock" at lower left of ADS: "Wm Winthrop", 1p, 7¼x3¾. Boston, 1772 June 7. Winthrop pens, in full: "Reced of Mr Joseph Ashley. Six pounds. Eight Shillings &4d by the Hand of Mr William Billings, to be indors'd on his Note or Bond, due to John Hancock Esq. for him." Hancock has crossed out the amount and written in full: "This Rec(eip)t not/yet Settled". Docketed on verso (unknown hand). John Hancock served as a member of the Massachusetts provincial legislature from 1766-1772. He was President of the Provincial Congress in 1774. A member of the Continental Congress (1775-1778), Hancock was President of Congress from 1775-1777 and was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. Light show through at right margin from docket on verso. ½-inch separation at blank mid-horizontal fold, pinhead-size hole at cross folds touches 1 letter. Irregular bottom edge, nicked at top and right edges. Folds do not touch signature. Overall, fine condition. read more...

MERCURY 7 ASTRONAUTS A Salute to Project Mercury by America's Original Space Pioneers Comprises: (1) Photograph signed: "Scott Carpenter", "Gordon Cooper", "John Glenn", "Wally Schirra", "Alan Shepard" and "Deke Slayton". B/w, 10x8. Official NASA photo. Fine condition. (2) Commemorative Envelope signed: "Virgil I. Grissom", 6½x3½, honoring Project Mercury, 7-cent U.S. Air Mail stamp affixed, postmarked Port Canaveral, FLA., July 21, 1961. He has also penned: "7:20 EST". Fine condition. GUS GRISSOM signed and revised the facts of his July 21, 1961 "Man Shoot No. 2" on this commemorative cover; during this mission, he manned the Mercury-Redstone 4 Liberty Bell 7 and became the second American in space. The event occurred only two months after the Project Mercury team successfully launched a man into space and safely returned him to Earth. ALAN SHEPARD became the first American hurled into space during his flight aboard Mercury's first manned capsule, the Mercury-Redstone 3 Freedom 7, on May 5, 1961. read more...

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. read more...

CLINT EASTWOOD Contract signed the year he reprised his "Dirty Harry" role and first directed a Western. Document signed: "Clint Eastwood", 2p (front and verso), 8½X13. Beverly Hills, California, 1973 January 11. Signed on verso. Eastwood retains the William Morris Agency as his exclusive film agent for a period of 3 years. Originally specialized in Westerns, beginning with the Rawhide, Eastwood became a major star in the "Spaghetti Westerns" of Sergio Leone, beginning with A Fistful of Dollars (1964). While continuing to make Westerns, Eastwood proved a popular, hard-boiled detective as well, beginning with Dirty Harry (1971). He can play sensitive roles as well, as opposite Meryl Streep in The Bridges of Madison County, which he also directed (1995). Eastwood has continued to succeed as an older actor in films like In the Line of Fire (1995) and Space Cowboys (2000). He has also proven to be an outstanding director, winning Oscars for Unforgiven (1991) and Million Dollar Baby (2004) and getting another nomination for Mystic River (2003). read more...

BRIGHAM YOUNG Young and his wife Mary Ann Young sign a document agreeing to sell land in Salt Lake City (1873). Partly Printed Document signed: "Brigham Young" [added in another hand: "Sen"], 4 pages, 8½x14. Salt Lake City, Utah, 1873 July 29. Also signed "Mary A Young"; witnessed "R.R. Anderson" and "Jas. A. Young". An indenture in which Young agrees to sell a 6,600 square foot tract of land in Salt Lake City to David McKenzie for $20,000. Signed on front. Notary's seal on inside cover. BRIGHAM YOUNG (1801-1877) succeeded the murdered Joseph Smith as head of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1844. He guided the mass migration of the LDS faithful ("Mormons") to the Great Salt Lake Valley in Utah and served as the first Governor of the Territory of Utah (1849-1857). "Sen" distinguishes Young from Brigham Young, Jr. (1836-1903), a son by Mary who held important posts in the Church. MARY ANN YOUNG (1834-1882) was Young's second (and likely, favorite) wife, agreeable to his wedding additional wives. Lightly creased and soiled. Overall, fine condition. read more...