Goldberg Coins and Collectibles

Sale 118

The Nov 14-15, 2020 Collectibles Auction

Signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence

Lot	Photo	Description	Realized
Lot 1		Floyd, William -- DS by the Signer From New York (1734-1821) Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New York. Autograph document signed "W:m Floyd," one page, oblong 4to, Middletown, June 4, 1781. Signed as a witness for a promissory note: "I do hereby Obligate myself to pay or Cause to be paid all Such sum of Money both principle and Interest in specie as the Bearer Mr. William Phillips shall give his Receipt for on the Back of this obligation, given under my hand the Day and year above written." On the verso, William Phillips acknowledges receipt of £200 on July 24, 1781, toward the obligation with 6% interest. On June 12, 1784, receipt of two years interest is noted, and on April 16, 1785, Josiah Smith signs that he has received £220.14.8 in full discharge of the note. William Floyd is in the top fifteen percent of Signers in scarcity. Estimated Value $2,500 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,952
Lot 2		Hewes, Joseph -- Rare War-date Document Signed (1730-79) Member of the Continental Congress and Signer from North Carolina. A wealthy shipping merchant, he put his ships at the service of the Continental Armed Forces and served as the first de facto Secretary of the Navy. Manuscript war-date legal filing signed "Joseph Hewes" as surety for a friend, one page, 12x8", Chowan County, North Carolina, Aug. 10, 1777. Written in the hand of Benjamin Jay and signed by Jay, as well as by Archibald Corry, the document declares that the three men--Hewes, Jay, and Corry--are bound unto Evan Skinner, high sheriff of the county, for the sum of one thousand pounds. Benjamin Jay is to appear in Superior Court on Nov. 1 to answer to William Cumming "of a plea &c. Damage five hundred pounds and there stand to and abide by the Judgment of the said Cort…." A notation by the sheriff, dated Oct. 22, 1778 states that he assigns the "within obligation and condition to William Cummings the plantif…." Overall toning; erosion of iron gall ink affects one line and a couple of words of text. Hewes signature is quite bold. He is among the top twelve percent in scarcity of Signers of the Declaratio of Independence. Estimated Value $4,000 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 3		Livingston, Phillip -- LS by the New York Signer (1716-78) Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New York. Letter signed "Phil. Livingston" with holograph closing, "I am your Hum. Servant," one page, 4to, New York, Aug. 14, 1761. To Mr. Richard Law, regarding recovery of money due Livingston from various parties and instructing how to deal with them. In part: "I am glad to be Informed that you have Secured the money for my Note of Simson & Wight…as I am to Have Interest I Shall rest Satisfied till it can be gott…Inclos:d is An Acct. Ag.st Thos. Allen…& An Acct. Ag.st Rich.d Waite…please to recover the Money for me In the Speediest Manner you Can…." Expected toning but boldly penned and signed. Livingston is in the top half in scarcity of Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Estimated Value $1,500 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 4		Livingston, Phillip -- Three-page LS by the Signer From New York (1716-78) Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New York. Letter signed "Phil. Livingston" 3 pgs, 4to, New York, Nov. 28, 1767. To Messrs. Baynton Wharton & Morgan in Philadelphia acknowledging receipt of their correspondence advising him of the state of their affairs and expressing his concern for them and their families. He discusses at length the Verplank account and states, "it gives me real pleasure to find you are still of Opinion that After paying all your debts, something handsome will be left…." Address leaf with recipient's name and address in Livingston's hand. The letter is generally fresh looking with some minor stains, archival reinforcement or rejoining of the two leaves and infill of small paper loss in some margins, none of which affects Livingston's holograph closing and signature. Livingston is in the top half in scarcity of Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Estimated Value $1,800 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $2,214
Lot 5		Morton, John -- 1768 Document Signed by the Signer From Pennsylvania (1724-77) Signer of the Declaration from Pennsylvania. Document signed, 2 pp (1 sheet recto/verso), folio, Chester County, Aug. 13, 1768. The document is an arbitration bond by which William Starr holds himself bound to Daniel Sharpless for the sum of one hundred pounds. Provisions of the bond, which need to be completed by December 6, are given in detail. Morton, who was high sheriff of Chester County from 1767 to 1769, signed on the verso, as did two other witnesses and Starr and Sharpless. Written on laid paper, with some ghosting from writing on both sides, but the document is boldly written and Morton's signature is bold and clear. Morton was one of three Pennsylvania delegates to attend the Stamp Act Congress. He was a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses, casting the deciding vote for independence on July 4, 1776. He was Chairman of the Committee of the Whole and involved in writing the Articles of Confederation, but he died before the work was done, being the first of the 56 Signers to die. Estimated Value $900 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 6		Paine, Robert Treat -- War-date DS Re Confiscating a Loyalist's Property (1731-1814) Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Massachusetts. Partly-printed document signed "Rob. Treat Paine" as Attorney General of Massachusetts, one page, folio, Boston. Addressed to the Justices of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas, held at Boston, July 1, 1780, being a complaint against John Coffin, a distiller, who since the nineteenth Day of April 1775 "levied War, and conspired to levy War against the Government and People of his Province, Colony and State; and then and there adhered to the King of Great-Britain, his Fleets and Armies…and…did give them Aid and Comfort…." The said John Coffin had withdrawn to Halifax, Nova, Scotia, to New York, and other parts and had not returned. Paine argues that under "An Act for confiscating The Estates of certain Persons commonly called Absentees," Coffin's property should "Escheat, Enure and Accrue to the Sole Use and Benefit of the Government and People aforesaid…." Coffin was a prominent Loyalist who fought in numerous battles, including Bunker Hill. He lived in New Brunswick after the war. Estimated Value $1,500 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 7		Rutledge, Edward -- Document Signed by the Youngest Signer of the Declaration of Independence (1749-1800) Member of the Continental Congress, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Governor of South Carolina. Document signed as Governor of South Carolina, one page, 7½x10½, Columbia, Dec. 7, 1799. To "Mr. President and gentlemen of the Senate, Honorable gentlemen, I herewith transmit to you a copy of a Letter [not present], which I received from Colonel Senf, containing his resignation, as Engineer of this state." Fine condition. Matted with an image of Rutledge and a brass plaque and framed to an overall size of 20x13". Estimated Value $1,300 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold
Lot 8		Thornton, Matthew -- Document Signed by the Signer From New Hampshire (1714-1803) Physician; president of the New Hampshire Provincial Congress (1775), Speaker of the NH House of Representatives (1776); member of Continental Congress. He arrived in Philadelphia in November 1776 and was granted permission to sign the Declaration of Independence. Partly-printed document signed as Justice of the Peace, one page, 12x7", Londonderry, NH, Oct. 17, 1769. Thornton filled in the manuscript portion, writing that in consideration of five pounds two shillings paid by Archibald Murphy to George Murphy, George releases all claims forever to the premises and appurtenances of the estate which he sells to Archibald. Thornton signed that George Murphy appeared before him and acknowledges "the above written Instrument to be his voluntary Act and Deed." The document is written on laid paper and has some toning and a few pinholes at folds. Matthew Thornton is in the top half of Signers in scarcity. Estimated Value $1,000 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Realized $990
Lot 9		Thornton, Matthew -- Signer of the Declaration of Independence From New Hampshire (1714-1803) Physician; president of the New Hampshire Provincial Congress (1775), Speaker of the NH House of Representives (1776); member of Continental Congress. He arrived in Philadelphia in November 1776 and was granted permission to sign the Declaration of Independence. Document signed as Justice of the Peace, one page, 5¾x7½", Londonderry, New Hampshire, Sept. 6, 1765. Ordering the sheriff or deputy of Londonderry to apprehend Arthur Archibald "if he may be found in your precinct" and to bring him before Thornton "to be Examined…& to be Dealt with as the Law Directs." Fine condition. Matted with an image of Thornton and a biographical plaque and framed to an overall size of 12½x18". Matthew Thornton is in the top half of scarcity for Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Estimated Value $2,200 - UP View details and enlarged photo	Unsold