WILLIAM HALE (1765-1848) U.S. Representative from New Hampshire. Partially Printed Document Signed, ""Wm. Hale."" One page, 7 1/4"" x 4 1/4"". Portsmouth. January 29, 1796. The document reads, in part:"" For Value Received in a Policy of Insurance, dated on this day for six thousand seven hundred dollars on Ship stafford ... I promise to pay John Peirce, or Bearer, on Demand, four hundred and three Spanish Milled Dollars ... "" Some very light toning. Overall Very Fine

WILLIAM HENRY FURNESS (1802-1896). Furness was a clergyman and a writer. ALS. 2pp. 5 3/4” x 9”. Phila. Dec 12 ’54. An autograph letter signed “W H Furness” to an unnamed correspondent: “Yr difficulties recall my own thirty years. I was months trying to get persons to come on to my ordination, & an ordination was a great deal more thought of then now. Since you cannot have J. Weiss I for my own part do not feel the occasion of your ordination to be so interesting. I do not think Dr Dewey is the man to preach at your induction to the pastoral office. He is a dear old friend of mine, but I have not seen him since he avowed himself ready to send his kindred into slavery for the sake of the Slaveholding Union. His petition is utterly false & wrong on the great question. Heaven scatters his ‘Twilight’! I am in not the very best health. An unusual amount of pastoral duty has devolved upon me for some months past. We have just lost a most dear friend, a friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson…”. Furness likely refers to Dr. Orville Dewey here; Dewey, a minister, was an opponent of both slavery and the abolitionists, subjecting himself to criticism from both sides. The piece is in fine condition with dark ink on pale blue paper. Mounting trace on verso

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925). Politician; Lawyer. Bryan was the Democratic Presidential candidate three times, in 1896, at the age of 36, 1900, and 1908. He was instrumental in helping Wilson win the Presidency, and served as Secretary of State in Woodrow Wilson's cabinet. Late in life, he testified at the famous Scopes monkey trial in favor of creationism. ALS. 1 page. 8” x 8”. Penned on the verso of a letter that his wife Mary had written earlier in the evening and thus added prior to it being mailed to the recipient. “Am sorry not to have seen you when you were here. Don’t fail to call when you come to the city. We shall soon be in our house 2513 – 13th St. N.W. & shall have a spare room for you. Our love to the Loverings, yours truly W. J. Bryan.” Bryan follows with a postscript “The above is a standing invitation. I concur in Mrs. Bryan’s wish that you may come down at once for consultation about Helen.” Mary B. Bryan ALS. 1 page. New Willard Hotel. April 14th. “Mr. Bryan went to a clinic today where Dr. Friedman operated. He is very interested in him. Wish you could come down. Dr. F. left for Providence tonight – will probably return later. If we do anything for Helen I think we ought to have Freidman give her personal attention. These ( ) are sometimes adulterated after they pass into the hands of other people. He is a very clean, enthusiastic fellow. He left a history of his work in Germany. Can’t you come down & talk this over? Yrs, Mary B. Bryan.” A superb item with an ALS by both the famed attorney and his wife. Unusual.

WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN (1860-1925). Politician; Lawyer. Bryan was the Democratic Presidential candidate three times, in 1896, at the age of 36, 1900, and 1908. He was instrumental in helping Wilson win the Presidency, and served as Secretary of State in Woodrow Wilson's cabinet. Late in life, he testified at the famous Scopes monkey trial in favor of creationism. ALS. 5 ½” x 8 ¾”. 6 pages. In pencil. “En route, Feb. 10. My Dear Mr. Berger;” “I have been thinking over the matter of investment & write you the conclusions. I don’t see how that Santa Fe land can become very valuable – except that close to the city – unless water can be put upon it. It might be worth while to buy a quarter section as near as possible to town. 160 acres at 3 would be 480 – not a very large sum and it would probably increase in value as the city grows. You can set apart one quarter section for me if you decide to buy. The land farther out will only be valuable when you put water upon it and as you are taking all the chance and going to all the expense it is only fair that you have whatever profit comes from it. I think form appearances that you are likely to develop a large amount of water as you go down. I wish you would let me know the result. If you are able to bring water down to a point near the railroad you will have no trouble building a town there but it would not be fair for me to share the increase in value without sharing the cost of looking for water and I do not care to risk money in developing. While I would be glad to join with you in buying a small tract to irrigate. You will buy more thatn can possibly be irrigated & deserve whatever advance the water will bring. I think it is worthwhile to buy 40 acres near Tucson or at least 20 - to hold until we have completed our experiment at Mission. I think we are going to be satisfied with Mission. Still we may decide that it is better to be near the ( ) & that last place we looked at is a beautiful site. With the mountains rising on every side and the city in sight – what a view it presents! I can not spare the money for several months but can borrow if necessary. If it can be bought below $40 per acre we might buy 80 together or if it costs more than 40 we might buy 40 together with privilege to whichever one builds to buy the other 20. 40 would be enough to build on. I will trust your judgement if you have to act immediately. If they give you time, shall be pleased to hear from you. Yours truly, W. J. Bryan. Bryan signs vertically in the left margin at the conclusion of the letter. A nice look into his personal investment business. Light paperclip rust residue. Fine.

WILLIAM L. MARCY (1786-1857). Marcy served as New York’s Governor, Senator and Polk’s Secretary of War during the Mexican War. His greatest contribution was a Pierce’s Secretary of State, in which capacity he negotiated 24 treaties. Autograph Letter Signed, “W.L. Macy.” Two pages, 4 ½” x 7”. Washington. August 14, 1855. Accompanied by original envelope Free Franked, “W.L. Marcy.” With red postal and FREE stamps. Accepting the resignation of Calvin Ames, “Messenger of the State Department,” Marcy writes, in part: “I sincerely regret that our official connection which has been so agreeably pleasant to me is so soon to end. I think your determination to go into other employment is wise in regard to your future success in life; but for this consideration I should regret for you to remain in a situation the dictum of which you have fulfilled in a manner so entirely acceptable to me. Your resignation is accepted to take effect after the 3rd instant…” Fine.

WILLIAM MASON (1808 - 1883). Inventor, manufacturer. Mason patented the self- acting mule for spinning cotton in 1840. In 1842-83, he expanded his firm’s operations to include locomotive manufacturing. 5" x 7 1/2". 4 pp. Beautiful engraved letter head from the Wm. Mason & Co. Taunton, Mass. Builders of all classes of Wood and Coal Locomotives. Engraved vignette of a Steam Locomotive. Signed Note. Dated Baltimore May 7, 1856, To David L. Brown Esq., Philadelphia Pa: “Dear Sir, I shall not be able to meet you on Thursday as I promised but will be at your place Friday morning. Yours very truly WID. Mason.” Fine.

WILLIAM M. MEREDITH (1799-1873) American lawyer and politician who served as Secretary of the Treasury. Autograph Letter Signed, ""W.M. Meredith."" One page, 4 1/2"" x 7"". No place. March 18, 1852 [?]. Meredith writes to JOHN EDGAR THOMSON (1808-1874) American civil engineer, railroad executive and industrialist, in part: ""Mr. Solomon Meredith who will have the pleasure of handing you this, is a gentleman of character, & at present U.S. Marshal for Indiana. He is interested in the Indiana Central R Road .. which he thinks will be an important feeder to the Penn R. Rd. ..."" A fine association of two leading Pennsylvanians with a nice reference to the Pennsylvania Railroad, of which Thomson served as president. Very fine.

William Pitkin, Jr. (1725 – 1789). Manufacturer, jurist and politician. Pitkin’s powder mill supplied Connecticut during the American Revolution. He was an officer in the third militia company of Connecticut and served as Chief Justice of the Connecticut Superior Court. ADS. 1 pgae. 7 ½” x 4 ¾”. New Haven, Oct. 19, 1768. To Joseph Talcott, Esqr., Treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut. “Sir, please to pay out of the public Treasury the sum of nine pounds one shilling and eight pence lawfull money to the select men of Guilford for Sundries Expended for Nursing, Cloathing and Transporting one John Breckerson a Transient person which account was allowed by the Govr. And council.” Wm. Pitkin, Junr. Clerk of ye Council” Fine.

William Pitkin, Jr. (1725 – 1789). Manufacturer, jurist and politician. Pitkin’s powder mill supplied Connecticut during the American Revolution. He was an officer in the third militia company of Connecticut and served as Chief Justice of the Connecticut Superior Court. ADS. 1 page. 8” x 3 ¼”. Hartford, Oct. 29, 1766. “To Joseph Talcott, Esqr. Treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut. “Pay out of the publick Treasury to Doctr. John Wood, Junr. Of Danbury the sum of tenn shillings and eleven pence lawfull money for sundries administered to one David Coynden a Transient person which account was allowed by the Honble. Governor and Council. Wm. Pitkin Junr., Clerk of the Council” Fine.