Description:

Oliver Ellsworth ADS from Christmas 1776 Requesting Payment of Father-in-Law William Wolcott

An autograph document signed by Connecticut Continental Congressman Oliver Ellsworth (1745-1807), with the body of the text written in Ellsworth's hand, and signed as "O. Ellsworth" in the lower right corner. This December 25, 1776 pay voucher instructed Connecticut Treasurer Jonathan Lawrence "to pay William Woolcott Esqr. Six Pounds Six Shillings for Service & Expenses Mustering New Levies rais:d in June last…" Co-signed by Jonathan Lawrence as "Jn: Lawrence Esq Treay" at lower left. Endorsed, with docket information confirming receipt of payment, both found verso. Light overall toning and expected folds, else near fine, 8.5” x 3.75."

As experienced collectors of Revolutionary War documents know, it is much more common to find Oliver Ellsworth signed pay vouchers written in a secretarial hand instead of by Ellsworth himself. The fact that Ellsworth wrote the message too makes this document especially desirable. Why did Ellsworth make an exception in this case? A possible explanation could be that the intended recipient was Ellsworth's own father-in-law, William Wolcott (1711-1799). Ellsworth had married William's daughter Abigail Wolcott (1756-1818) in 1772.

William Wolcott had graduated from Yale University in 1734, serving as a teacher and physician before turning to local and state politics. Wolcott represented the town of East Windsor in the Connecticut General Assembly between 1775-1778. In 1775-1776, Wolcott served as chairman of the Hartford County Committee of Observation. Such committees were formed to take over local governance issues during the first days of the American Revolution. Hundreds of Committees of Observation (also known as Committees of Inspection) convened to raise fresh military recruits, collect taxes, and enforce the boycott of British manufactured goods. Wolcott was thus duly performing one of the principle functions of the Committee of Observation in "Mustering New Levies…"

Oliver Ellsworth was one of Connecticut's first state senators. Ellsworth was very involved in revolutionary politics, and helped draft the U.S. Constitution. The Yale and Princeton graduate also trained as a lawyer and was appointed by George Washington to serve as the 3rd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court between 1796-1800.

Jonathan Lawrence is an interesting historical figure in that he served as treasurer before, during, and after the American Revolution, when Connecticut was first a colony and then a state.

Financing the Revolution laid a heavy burden upon each colony, especially those which balked at levying taxes. In order to meet immediate needs such as wages, the colonies relied upon wealthy revolutionaries, foreign loans, and taxes and gifts from abroad. Connecticut issued promissory notes such as this. Issuing paper money was only a temporary solution, and worthless without specie or gold and silver backing. The U.S. established its standard monetary system in 1791.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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