Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. Sale

The Dr. John L. Robertson Collection of Free Franks continued...

**Signers of Declaration of Independence continued...**
Lot	Sym.	Lot Description	Est/Cat	Realized
4019		Francis Hopkinson. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from New Jersey (Continental Congress of 1776), Signer of Declaration of Independence, member of Constitutional Convention in 1787, autograph letter signed "Fras. Hopkinson", datelined "Continental Navy Board, Borden Town N.J. 21st March 1778", endorsed by Hopkinson "On Public Sevice", addressed in his hand to the Quartermaster at Easton, contents requests a public wagon to move the Continental Naval Chest, faint stains, slight wear along folds VERY FINE. A SCARCE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY FRANCIS HOPKINSON, SIGNER FROM NEW JERSEY, WITH A "PUBLIC SERVIVE" ENDORSEMENT. This letter was carried by military courier ("P. Wm. Alricks") and therefore bears no postal markings. Ex Hart. (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	2,600.00
4020		Francis Lightfoot Lee. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Virginia (Continental Congresses of 1775-80), free frank "free F. L. Lee" and address on folded cover to Landon Carter in Virginia, docketed January 23, 1776, on backflap, brownish "23/IA" Franklin mark of Philadelphia, red wax seal, minor reinforcement of folds VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE SIGNER'S FREE FRANK AND POSSIBLY THE ONLY EXAMPLE IN PRIVATE HANDS. Francis Lightfoot Lee served with his two brothers, Richard Henry Lee and Henry Lee, the former also having signed the Declaration of Independence. Autograph letters of Francis Lightfoot Lee are very scarce. This rare free frank is especially desirable with the 1776 year of Independence date. Ex Grunin (Image)	E. 5,000-7,500	8,500.00
4021	E	Richard Henry Lee. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Virginia (Continental Congresses of 1774-80), free frank "R.H. Lee" on autograph letter signed and addressed in his hand to Patrick Henry as Governor of Virginia, datelined "Baltimore 5th Feby. 1777" with war-related contents, expressing optimism and speculating "If our army can be got up in good time I hope we shall deal effectually with these Tyrant's fools", age toned, some wear along folds A FINE AND RARE FREE FRANK ON AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY RICHARD HENRY LEE TO PATRICK HENRY, TWO GREAT PATRIOTS OF THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE. The year in which this letter was written -- 1777 -- saw a number of defeats for the Continental Army, but ultimately it was a turning point in the war when British General Burgoyne surrendered to Horatio Gates at Saratoga. At the time this letter was written, Lee was participating in the Third Continental Congress convened in Baltimore, the only Congress ever held in that city. (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	10,500.00
4022		Phillip Livingston. Signer of Declaration of Independence, member of Continental Congress from 1774 until his death in 1788, letter signed as President of the New York Provincial Convention, datelined "New York 7th July 1775 Provincial Congress", addressed to "General Wooster at the camp New York", discusses enlistment practices for servants and apprentices in his army, slightly age toned and splitting along folds, Very Fine, sent four days after Washington took command at Boston (July 3), the congressional franking privilege was not granted until November 8, 1775, in spite of this letters of this importance were carried free by an express or private rider hired by the Constitutional Post, the Army or the Provincial Committee (Image)	E. 750-1,000	4,000.00
4023		Robert Morris. Signer of the Declaration of Independence, delegate from Pennsylvania (Continental Congress of 1776-1778), Superintendent of Finance (1781-1784), known as the "financier of the Revolution" and Senator (1789-1795), free frank "R. Morris" as Superintendent of the Treasury under the Continental Congress on folded cover to Brigadier General Irvine, who was in command at Fort Pitt during that time, gently cleaned, Very Fine, possibly carried by private military courier (Image)	E. 750-1,000	2,200.00
4024		Caesar Rodney. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Delaware (Continental Congresses of 1774-76, 1777-78, 1782-84), Brigadier General in Revolutionary Army, autograph letter signed and addressed from Dover to his brother in Philadephia, dated May 31, 1773, carried privately as Dover was not on the intra-colonial post roads and endorsed "pr. Tom Black", silked on both sides, Fine, very scarce autograph letter signed by this Signer (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000	2,700.00
4025		William Whipple. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from New Hampshire (Continental Congresses of 1776-79), free frank "Free W Whipple" and address in his hand on folded cover to John Bartlett, fellow delegate and Signer from New Hampshire, lettersheet shows watermark with allegorical figure in crowned circle, neatly docketed on backflap "Genl. Whipple August 24th 1779", gently cleaned, Very Fine, attractive frank from one Signer to another (Image)	E. 1,500-2,000	2,800.00
4026		William Williams. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Connecticut (Continental Congresses of 1776, 1783-84), free frank "Free Wm. Williams" on folded cover to Norwich Conn., sender's routing instructions "Via N. York & Hartford", "Phila. Aug. 12" (1776) straightline on back, some splitting along folds, slightly age toned VERY FINE. THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED FREE FRANKS OF WILLIAM WILLIAMS, A SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. A RARE FRANK FROM THE YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE. Williams was elected to the Continental Congress in 1776. He voted for Independence, signed the Declaration, and was then appointed a member of the committee to frame the Articles of Confederation. In 1777 he was appointed to the Board of War. After the war, he attended the Hartford convention, where Connecticut ratified the Federal Constitution. The cover offered here was sent just one month after Independence Day. The other recorded usage was offered in our Grunin sale (Sale 750, lot 15). (Image)	E. 3,000-4,000	3,000.00

Signers of Declaration of Independence continued...

Lot

Sym.

Lot Description

Est/Cat

Realized

4019

Francis Hopkinson. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from New Jersey (Continental Congress of 1776), Signer of Declaration of Independence, member of Constitutional Convention in 1787, autograph letter signed "Fras. Hopkinson", datelined "Continental Navy Board, Borden Town N.J. 21st March 1778", endorsed by Hopkinson "On Public Sevice", addressed in his hand to the Quartermaster at Easton, contents requests a public wagon to move the Continental Naval Chest, faint stains, slight wear along folds

VERY FINE. A SCARCE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY FRANCIS HOPKINSON, SIGNER FROM NEW JERSEY, WITH A "PUBLIC SERVIVE" ENDORSEMENT.

This letter was carried by military courier ("P. Wm. Alricks") and therefore bears no postal markings. Ex Hart. (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

2,600.00

4020

Francis Lightfoot Lee. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Virginia (Continental Congresses of 1775-80), free frank "free F. L. Lee" and address on folded cover to Landon Carter in Virginia, docketed January 23, 1776, on backflap, brownish "23/IA" Franklin mark of Philadelphia, red wax seal, minor reinforcement of folds

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE SIGNER'S FREE FRANK AND POSSIBLY THE ONLY EXAMPLE IN PRIVATE HANDS.

Francis Lightfoot Lee served with his two brothers, Richard Henry Lee and Henry Lee, the former also having signed the Declaration of Independence. Autograph letters of Francis Lightfoot Lee are very scarce. This rare free frank is especially desirable with the 1776 year of Independence date.

Ex Grunin (Image)

E. 5,000-7,500

8,500.00

4021

Richard Henry Lee. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Virginia (Continental Congresses of 1774-80), free frank "R.H. Lee" on autograph letter signed and addressed in his hand to Patrick Henry as Governor of Virginia, datelined "Baltimore 5th Feby. 1777" with war-related contents, expressing optimism and speculating "If our army can be got up in good time I hope we shall deal effectually with these Tyrant's fools", age toned, some wear along folds

A FINE AND RARE FREE FRANK ON AN AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY RICHARD HENRY LEE TO PATRICK HENRY, TWO GREAT PATRIOTS OF THE AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.

The year in which this letter was written -- 1777 -- saw a number of defeats for the Continental Army, but ultimately it was a turning point in the war when British General Burgoyne surrendered to Horatio Gates at Saratoga. At the time this letter was written, Lee was participating in the Third Continental Congress convened in Baltimore, the only Congress ever held in that city. (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

10,500.00

4022

Phillip Livingston. Signer of Declaration of Independence, member of Continental Congress from 1774 until his death in 1788, letter signed as President of the New York Provincial Convention, datelined "New York 7th July 1775 Provincial Congress", addressed to "General Wooster at the camp New York", discusses enlistment practices for servants and apprentices in his army, slightly age toned and splitting along folds, Very Fine, sent four days after Washington took command at Boston (July 3), the congressional franking privilege was not granted until November 8, 1775, in spite of this letters of this importance were carried free by an express or private rider hired by the Constitutional Post, the Army or the Provincial Committee (Image)

E. 750-1,000

4,000.00

4023

Robert Morris. Signer of the Declaration of Independence, delegate from Pennsylvania (Continental Congress of 1776-1778), Superintendent of Finance (1781-1784), known as the "financier of the Revolution" and Senator (1789-1795), free frank "R. Morris" as Superintendent of the Treasury under the Continental Congress on folded cover to Brigadier General Irvine, who was in command at Fort Pitt during that time, gently cleaned, Very Fine, possibly carried by private military courier (Image)

E. 750-1,000

2,200.00

4024

Caesar Rodney. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Delaware (Continental Congresses of 1774-76, 1777-78, 1782-84), Brigadier General in Revolutionary Army, autograph letter signed and addressed from Dover to his brother in Philadephia, dated May 31, 1773, carried privately as Dover was not on the intra-colonial post roads and endorsed "pr. Tom Black", silked on both sides, Fine, very scarce autograph letter signed by this Signer (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

2,700.00

4025

William Whipple. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from New Hampshire (Continental Congresses of 1776-79), free frank "Free W Whipple" and address in his hand on folded cover to John Bartlett, fellow delegate and Signer from New Hampshire, lettersheet shows watermark with allegorical figure in crowned circle, neatly docketed on backflap "Genl. Whipple August 24th 1779", gently cleaned, Very Fine, attractive frank from one Signer to another (Image)

E. 1,500-2,000

2,800.00

4026

William Williams. Signer of Declaration of Independence, delegate from Connecticut (Continental Congresses of 1776, 1783-84), free frank "Free Wm. Williams" on folded cover to Norwich Conn., sender's routing instructions "Via N. York & Hartford", "Phila. Aug. 12" (1776) straightline on back, some splitting along folds, slightly age toned

VERY FINE. THIS IS BELIEVED TO BE ONE OF ONLY TWO RECORDED FREE FRANKS OF WILLIAM WILLIAMS, A SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. A RARE FRANK FROM THE YEAR OF INDEPENDENCE.

Williams was elected to the Continental Congress in 1776. He voted for Independence, signed the Declaration, and was then appointed a member of the committee to frame the Articles of Confederation. In 1777 he was appointed to the Board of War. After the war, he attended the Hartford convention, where Connecticut ratified the Federal Constitution. The cover offered here was sent just one month after Independence Day. The other recorded usage was offered in our Grunin sale (Sale 750, lot 15). (Image)

E. 3,000-4,000

3,000.00