This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/31/2013
The presidency of William Henry Harrison is perhaps best summarized in one word—sadness. After defeating Martin Van Buren to secure his place as the 9th President of the United States in 1841, Harrison served the shortest time in office of any president in U.S. history—thirty days—after catching cold during his inauguration. Offered here we have an extremely rare proxy signed Land grant, dated March 25, 1841, measuring an overall 16.25” x 10”. Signed in black ink: “W.H. Harrison By N.P. Causin Jr Secy” . The land grant reads:
Grant of land to “John Hustis, of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Territory” who has made full payment “for the West half of the South East quarter of Section seventeen, in Township nine North, of Range fifteen East, in the District of Lands subject to sale at Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory, containing eighty Acres…” On March 2, 1832, “An Act prescribing the mode by which Patents for Public Lands shall be signed and executed” was signed into law by President Andrew Jackson. It provided “That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint a Secretary … whose duty it shall be, under the direction of the President, to sign his name, and for him, all patents for lands sold or granted under the authority of the United States…” On March 10, 1841, the following message was received by the U.S. Senate from President William H. Harrison: I nominate to the Senate Nathaniel P. Causin, Jr., to be secretary to the President to sign patents. W. H. Harrison. Washington, 8th March, 1841.” On February 23, 1841, President Martin Van Buren had also nominated Causin to “to be secretary to the President to sign patents,” succeeding his son, Martin Van Buren, Jr., who had resigned. On this document, Causin signed President Harrison’s name and his own name. The words “By” and “Secy” are in another hand.
President William H. Harrison Land Grants authorized by Congress to be signed by a secretary appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate are rarer than authentically signed Harrison presidential documents. We guarantee this lot to pass PSA/DNA or JSA authentication, and full certification can be arranged for an additional fee (please contact us for further details).