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Post by jamesw on May 10, 2016 18:30:13 GMT
A recent acquisition received today. This folded letter was posted in Philadelphia on August 28 1818 to Newburgh NY. Preliminary research when I first won it (ebay) showed there was a John DeWitt in Newburgh, who surveyed and layed out many of the roads in town. But he died in 1808. One post showed two sons named John (either the person creating the website made a mistake, or John had no imagination.) I'm assuming this is to his son. More research required.    If anyone can make out the contents, I'd be thrilled if you could share. I can barely make out 'Sir' I think the writer is named James Bradford. Seeing different coloured ink at top and on the signature, it looks like he wrote it with one pen then later edited and signed it with another (well, bottle of ink, anyway). |
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Post by jamesw on May 11, 2016 2:35:38 GMT
Ok, I've been able to decipher some of the letter. I've determined that it was written by Samuel F. (Fisher) Bradford (1776 - 1837), a printer and publisher in Philadelphia, and member of a famous printing family. He worked with his father Thomas for many years. He was the publisher, with his father, of the True American newspaper.
He also was the publisher of the American edition of the Rees's Cyclopedia, which is what this letter is about.
The Cyclopedia was an incredible 39 volume edition was also called the Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature, edited by Rev. Abraham Rees in Britain.
The letter discusses with Mr De Witt in Newburgh, I believe, distribution of the book, as he talk of returning his 'numbers', if he 'should not wish to continue the work', suggesting it would be 'advisable to sell your numbers to some persons that will ...'
Sounds like Mr DeWitt is getting a tongue lashing from the boss.
edit - I would also hazard a guess, looking at the different inks and handwriting, that the letter was written by Mr Bradford's secretary (the brown poorer quality ink that has oxidized) while the boss has much better ink (it is still black) with which he made corrections and signed the letter.
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Post by smauggie on May 11, 2016 14:20:49 GMT
I need to move to Canada to get all this great US postal history you have been coming up with James. Have a spare room?  |
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Post by jamesw on May 11, 2016 14:26:41 GMT
Sorry Smauggie. The kids have been moving home for the summer. All the beds are taken.
Anyway, this came to me from North Carolina, so this stuff is all around you down there.
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Post by jamesw on May 12, 2016 12:45:45 GMT
I'm now convinced the recipient is the son the John DeWitt mentioned initially. John Hiuk DeWitt (Jan. 14,1794 - Jan. 11,1851) was a merchant in nearby West Point, though he may have still been located in Newburgh in 1818. One website describes him as 'Government Agent' at the military academy, though doesn't know if he was educated there. In nineteenth century parlance, 'Agent' can mean merchant, not necessarily 'Spy'. Probably ran the government store.
In 1818, the time of this letter, he would have been 24 years old, not an unlikely age to have gotten in over his head. 49 copies (the number quoted in the letter) of a 39 volume tome may have been difficult to flog in little Newburgh at that time.
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Post by jamesw on Jun 2, 2016 12:16:03 GMT
The resulting album page for this cover.  |
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BC
Departed
Rest in Peace
Vancouver, BC Canada
Posts: 836 
What I collect: Worldwide USED up to the 1960's, later years from countries that came into existence after then, like Anguilla, Tuvalu and Transnistria.
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Post by BC on Jun 2, 2016 13:30:58 GMT
Another great page James! Thanks for sharing.
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