LOUIS MCLANE (1786-1857) American lawyer and politician. McLane served as U.S. Representative and Senator from Delaware, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Secretary of State, Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom and president of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Autograph Letter Signed, “Louis McLane.” One page, 7 3/4” x 9 7/8”. Annapolis. March 9, 1851. McLane writes, in part: “I wish to subscribe in the name of Louis McLane Tiffany for the ‘Iconographic Encyclopedia,’ described in the enclosed prospectus and I hope you will so far oblige me as to direct it through some of your New York correspondents … For that purpose, I enclose you a check for $25, which will be in advance of the entire subscription …” Usual folds. Overall Very Fine.

Erasmus Weaver. Chief of Coast Artillery during World War I. TLS. 1 page. On imprinted Coast Artillery Division, Washington letterhead. To Major Alston Hamilton; “I want to express to you, in a personal way, the very great gratification and pleasure it gave me to see the splendid condition of the Coast Artillery troops in the Inaugural Parade. It was a matter of general comment in my vicinity that our troops were the most soldierly, the trimmest, and showed the best discipline of any troops in the column. Very Truly yours, E. M. Weaver”.

HARRY FOOTE HODGES (1860-1929), US Army officer. Served in the Spanish-American War and with the AEF in WW I. Also served as engineer in charge of locks, dams, and regulating works on the Canal, 1907. Autograph Letter Signed. Washington, D.C. March 21, 1915. 2 pp 5" x 8". On "War Department Office of the Chief of Engineers" letterhead to a Mr. Wheeler as he is about to command the North Atlantic Coast Artillery district: "...Thank you many times for your note of congratulation. It was very welcome. Of course we are greatly pleased with the promotion and circumstances surrounding it, albeit it takes me away from my engineering duties. We go shortly to Fort Fulton, at Willets Point, where I am to command the North Atlantic Coast Artillery district, extending along the coast to include Portland, Me. and the Southern entrance to New York Harbor. The news you give of David is rather startling. We hope most sincerely that his service will prove of benefit to himself, as it will to others, and that he will suffer nothing in person from his effort to be of help." Mounting traces to last empty page. Very Good.

Application submitted to the Naval Examining Board for a position as Assistant Surgeon. 4 pages. June 3, 1861. Vedder provided detailed answers to 6 of the 8 questions presented to him concerning subjects such as the “pathological anatomy of Pneumonia” and the “formation of the shoulder joint”. Vedder left two questions unanswered

Margaret Bourke-White (1904 – 1971). American photographer. The Photography of Margart Bourke-White. 8 pages. A portfolio program for An Exhibition at the George Eastman House which was held in March and April of 1956. Bourke-White inscribed and signed the front of the program to and autograph seeker: “Best wishes to; Mr. Bernard Baker, 52 Hancock St., Malden, Mass., Fellow New Englander, From Margaret Bourke-White of Conn. March, 1959” A fine item for display and an interesting sampling of some of her work. In excellent condition.

Otho Holland Williams (1749 - 1794) Brigadier General from Maryland during the Revolutionary War. DS. 12 1/2” x 15”. August 8, 1774. “This Indenture Tripartite made this Eighth day of August in the Year our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and seventy four Between Stephen Rensbergh of Frederick County and province of Maryland Farmer of the one part and Ursula Little of the County and Province aforesaid of the second part and Michael Little of the same County and Province (?) of the third part Witnesseth that in Consideration of a Marriage…between the said Stephen Rensbergh and the said Ursula Little” Signed at the lower left corner by Williams. Some archival tape repair on verso along a couple of fold separations.

Mary Dana Shindler (1810 – 1883). American writer. Wrote under the name M. S. B. Dana “Her writing includes poetry, novels, essays on religion and spiritualism, and, most importantly, Letters Addressed to Relatives and Friends Chiefly in Reply to Arguments in Support of the Doctrine of the Trinity (1846), which traces her conversion from Calvinism to Unitarianism.” (novelguide.com). ALS. 1 page. 7 ½” x 10”. Orangeburg, Jan. 17, 1848. To Rev. S. Gilman, D.D. “My dear Friend, I received your letter on Friday or Saturday, and, as I hope so soon to see you, and am somewhat pressed for time, will only write to assure you that nothing could afford me greater pleasure than to receive you at my own fireside, and I hope that you will not limit your visit to so short a time as you mentioned in your letter, but will pass the greater part of the week with me, or longer, if you can be absent on the Sabbath. A part of my time will be necessarily occupied with the duties I have daily to perform, but I will manage to have leisure enough to have a good many interesting conversations with you, on the strength of which I hope to exist for some time to come. Human sympathy is so necessary for me, that I can scarcely exist without it. With kind regards to dear Mrs. Gilman and the family. I am yours affectionately, M. S. B. Dana.” An added P.S. at the bottom flows vertically along the left margin; “I will have the books ready for you to take down with you. Let me know on what day you will arrive, and I will have the carriage at the depot for you.” Fine.

Enoch Louis Lowe (1820 – 1892). Governor of Maryland. Supported the Confederacy during the Civil War. ALS. 1 ¼ pages. Two sides of a single sheet. 7 ¾” x 9 ¾”. To R. B. French, esq. Annapolis, January 5, 1853. “Your polite note inviting myself & staff to attend the celebration of the 8th inst. was received to day. I had previously received an invitation from the entire committee with a private note attached by Mr. Hoover, to which I could not reply before this evening in consequence of the very pressing nature of my official duties for several days past.” “As I informed Mr. Hoover, I have not been out of the house for four weeks, to day, having suffered severely from an affection of my eyes. Tomorrow I will venture out for the first time. I have positively promised the President & Secretary of the B & O R.R. Company to accompany them to Wheeling on Monday next if my condition does not forbid it. That promise I am the more anxious to fulfill for the reason that I disappointed the President & Board on a similar occasion last year.” “The Legislature has likewise accepted and invitation to make a trip of observation and it would be well for me to do so, if my health allows. To go to Washington on Saturday would be to risk too much. I hope therefore that my friends will excuse my absence, and accept my cordial acknowledgements for their kind attention. With great esteem, Yr. obt. Servt. & friend, E. Louis Lowe”. Extremely Fine.

Francis Bernard (1712 – 1779). Colonial Governor of Massachusetts and New Jersey. Cut signature. 3” x 1”. “Francis Bernard”. Nice bold signature. Fine.