JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER, JR.. ALS. 2pp. 4 1/2" x 7". 4 West Fifty-Fourth Street. Thursday. An autograph letter signed "John D. Rockefeller Jr" addressed to "Miss Ferris": "I can't tell you how...I am with this wretched weather. Upon one drive with you at least, I had been counting and had hoped it might be two. Instead we cannot drive at all. Really I am very much disappointed. Do you suppose you will try me once more and be good enough to let me know when next you come to town? Please do. I must apologize for not sending you word until so late yesterday noon; I tried earlier but failed; and hope very much that you were not inconvenienced in getting to the theater. May I send you these flowers as an evidence of my very sincere disappointment about the drive." The letter is in very fine condition.

John Wanamaker. ANS. 1pp. 8" x 13". Philadelphia. Nov 13, 1899. An autograph note signed by famed merchant John Wanamaker that states: "To The Real Estate Trust Co of Philadelphia Please deliver above Bonds to Mr. Williams & take his receipt for the same & Oblige Jno Wanamaker". There is a typed statement above: "RECEIVED of John Wanamaker Twenty five thousand dollars in Lehigh Valley Railroad Company Trust fives, to be held in trust by this Company as collateral for payment of rewards for detection of offences under his proposition made public this date. Said Bonds to be returned on surrender of this receipt one year from date." The document is in very fine condition overall.

Reverdy Johnson (1796 – 1876). Maryland statesman and jurist. Whig Senator from 1849 – 1850, Attorney General of the United States under Zachary Taylor. He served in the U.S. Senate again from 1863 – 1868. Defended Mary Surrat for aiding the Lincoln assassination conspirators. ALS. 4 pages. 5” x 8”. Balt. 25, Nov. 56. To Thomas B. Stevenson, Esq. “Mr. Anderson has enclosed me your letter to myself of the 13th inst. & it is but this moment rec’d. on my return from the North, where I have been for some days. Mr. Clay’s letter to you, with the note to it published by Colton. I was first informed of it by Mr. Anderson but for ( ) I saw it, I should have been wholly unable to conjecture what it was I ( ) that could possibly cause Mr. C. to … And even as it is, I can not reconcile his ( ) conduct towards me while we to the last …& apparently friends. With his being seriously …that I acted as you, … To Mr. A for a copy of your last letter to him upon the subject. I trust you will hereafter ..so even if you do not … is to be satisfied that no man …wo cant have entertained toward Mr. C. such a …as the note upon to …to me. Circumstances it is proper that I should use it to many cirmcumstances over me… publishing the case … Mr. A. you & myself have had. I will of course send you a copy Y hope you will see nothing in it to which you can object. With much respect, your obdt. Servt. Reverdy Johnson” Interesting content revealing an apparent rift between Johnson and Clay. Couple of fold splits repaired with archival tape. Fine.

GEORGE FREDERICK PEARSON, naval officer, born in New Hampshire, 6 February, 1796; died in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 30 June, 1867. He was appointed midshipman, 11 March, 1815, and cruised in the frigates "United States" and "Independence" in the Mediterranean in 1816-'20, and in the West Indies in 1822-'3. He was commissioned lieutenant, 13 , January, 1825, commanded the schooner "Shark" at Norfolk in 1839, and served at the Portsmouth navy-yard in 1839-'41. He was promoted to commander on 8 September of the latter year, was in the "Falmouth" at Norfolk in 1852-'3, and became captain, 14 September, 1855. He commanded the steamer " Powhatan" in the East, Indies in 1858-'60. During the civil war he rendered valuable service as commandant of the Portsmouth navy-yard, which post he held at his death. He was retired by law, being over sixty-two years old, 21 December, 1861, and became commodore on the retired list, 16 July, 1862, and rear-admiral. 25 July, 1866. Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N.H. May 18, 1861 To His Excellency, Ichabod Goodwin, Governor of New Hampshire I have herewith to send for your information a communication received to-day by commander Missroon of this yard from Commander Taylor of the U.S. Navy. As you will therein perceive, the information given to Commander Taylor by the officer in charge of Fort Constitution to say the least of it may lead to unfortunate circumstances, inasmuch as it would be subversive of all military rules for the commander of a frigate bearing a friendly flag to be ordered to heave to and send a boat ashore when about to enter any friendly port whatever. Besides, as no person is more competent of judging than yourself, there are times when it may be dangerous for a large ship to heave to and send a boat on shore, to say nothing of the delay, owing to the tides, in reaching the Navy Yard. Aware that your object is for the officer in charge of the fort, to present all suspicious vessels and those without the United States flag, from entering the harbor during the day and all vessels at night without a thorough examination, I am confident that you will give orders that will effectually prevent accidents of a serious character. United States ships may be coming here at any moment, and we all should regret any unfortunate accident which might arise from a misunderstanding of orders. I have the honor to be Most respectfully, Your Obt. Servt. G. F. Pearson

Manuscript Document Signed. To Joseph Clarke, Esq. General Treasurer of the colony of Rhode Island “Please to pay unto the Bearer hereof Benjamin; Vaughan what is due Me upon the account of my son Samuel Straight who deceased in the Service of Government in his return home in December 1762 from Oswego on the Lake Ontario from your to serve. Her mark, Sarah X Straight.”

7 ¼” x 3 1/8”. Manuscript Document Signed by both Henry Marchant and Esek Hopkins. “State of Rhode Island. The General Assembly at December Session 1779 ordered One Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty-five Pounds 9/9 to be paid to Henry Marchant out of the General Treasury.” Docketed by Esek Hopkins on verso. Esek Hopkins (1718 – 1802) Commander in Chief of the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War, he was relieved of his command in 1778. He served the Rhode Island General Assembly through 1786. Signed by Marchant on verso in receipt of payment. Henry Marchant (1741 – 1796) Lawyer from Newport, Rhode Island and a United States Federal Judge. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1779 when this document was signed. Folds and uneven right margin. Overall Fine. An interesting Association.

ANNA ELIZA LEAK. ISP. 2 1/2" x 4 1/4". n.p. Aug. 24, 1871. A carte-de-visite signed and inscribed on the verso by Leak: "I write poetry & prose holding my pen between my toes. Ann E. Leak Born without arms age 29 years Georgia Aug. 24, 1871." The photograph shows her sitting on a counter with her bare feet on a silver tea service. Considering the circumstances, the writing is incredibly neat, dark and legible. She performed this routine in the same shows that featured Tom Thumb, among other noteworthy attractions. It was Barnum who invented the concept of the sideshow as a source of additional income, and also he who merged his "Hall of Human Oddities" with his circus. It is quite rare to see remnants of Barnum's spectacles, save those of Tom Thumb, in our age. The item shows some wear around the edges, but is in fine condition overall, and a reminder of what passed for entertainment years ago.

EDWARD F. SWIFT (d. 1932). A son of Gustavus Swift Sr, the founder of Swift and Company, Edward served as president of Compania Swift Internacional, S.A. and Swift Refrigerator Transportation Co. He also served as vice president of Swift and Company and a director of numerous corporations. A "Proxy and Waiver Irving National Bank" document signed "Edward F. Swift". The document assigned several other men to vote for Swift at the stockholders' meeting. It is in Fine condition, with the exception of two pin holes with a dark signature and a 10 cent red Document stamp.

[The James Franklin Printing Press] In 1717, James Franklin, older brother of Benjamin Franklin, returned home to Boston afer serving as a printer’s apprentice in England. He brought with him this printing press. Made in London of unseasoned English elm, probably about 1650, the press proved to be rugged enough to take over a century’s worth of continuous hard work. It was a “common press,” designed to be dismantled for easy transport. Upon his return to Boston with the press, James Franklin established one of the first newspapers in the American colonies, The New England Courant. Soon Franklin’s younger brother, Benjamin was place with Jams as an apprentice by their father. This relationship turned sour, however, and Benjamin ended his apprenticeship early by running away to Philadelphia.The strong political views that James expressed in the editorials of the Courant provoked the Boson authorities to censor him. Like so many before him, rather than submit to their authority, he left the restrictive atmosphere of Massachusetts and came to the more tolerant Rhode Island in 1725. James Franklin created printing history when he arrived in Newport. He became the most prolific printer in Rhode Island printing the currency of the colony, The Acts and Resolves of the General assembly, hundreds of broadsides, almanacs, and countless other printed pieces. He established Rhode Island’s first-if shore lived- newspaper, the Rhode Island Gazette, which was published between 1732 and 1733.By 1733, Benjamin Franklin had established himself as a printer in Philadelphia. James Franklin died in 1735, and Benjamin Franklin took his nephew, James Franklin, Jr., as his apprentice. Young James remained with his uncle until he was old enough to return to Newport and take over management of him family’s shop in 1748. In the meantime, Anne Franklin, James’ widow, and her daughter took over the shop.In 1758, after James, Jr. returned from Philadelphia, the Franklin family established the Newport mercury, which has been in continuous publication to this day. It is now published by the Sherman Family who also publishes the Newport Daily News, James Jr. died in 1762 and his mother once again took over the printing operation, this time with her son-in-law Samuel Hall.In 1768, Hall sol the press and the business to Solomon Southwick. In July 1776 Southwick printed copies of the Declaration of Independence for all the towns of Rhode Island. Southwick continued using the press until the American Revolution. During the war, Solomon Southwick buried part of the Franklin Press behind his house on Broadway in an attempt to hide from the British. A local Tory informed on Southwick and the British dug up the press for their own use during their occupation of the city.