WILLIAM B. EDWARDS - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 03/28/1861 - HFSID 17300
Sale Price $105.00
Reg. $120.00
WILLIAM B. EDWARDS
As Pastor of Washington, D.C.'s Foundry Church, he signs an 1861 autograph
letter to Navy Secretary Gideon Welles recommending a candidate for Naval Store
Keeper.
Autograph Letter signed: "W. B. Edwards/Pastor Foundry M. E. C.", 1
page, 5½x7, lined paper affixed to 8½x11 sheet hand captioned at top margin.
Washington, D.C., 1861 March 28. To Gideon Wells, Secretary of the Navy.
In full: "I have known the Rev. Geo. W. Michell for many years, &
take pleasure in saying that I believe him to be a Gentleman well suited
morally, & in other respects, for the office of Naval Store Keeper. I
hope he may be a successful applicant for that important & responsible
position. Very respectfully".William B. Edwards was a Methodist
minister, pastor of the Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church, 14th & G Street,
Washington. The Foundry Church, established in 1815 and still active today, was
often attended by President Lincoln, and later by Presidents Hayes and
Clinton. Reverend Edwards was a member of the committee of ministers
chosen to draft a memorial resolution following Lincoln's assassination in
1865. The Lincoln administration was in its first month when this letter was
written, the President having been inaugurated on March 4, two weeks after
Jefferson Davis was sworn in as President of the seceding Confederate States. In
the pre-civil service era, when many government positions were patronage
appointments, any new administration was deluged with requests from aspiring
office holders and their supporters. This was certainly true for the young
Republican Party, which had never before controlled the federal government.
Further research would be required to determine whether Reverend Michell's
application was successful. Horizontal fold creases. Lightly soiled. Otherwise,
fine condition.
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