Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Contee, Thomas (fl. 1777-1778) to Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01450.210 Author/Creator: Contee, Thomas (fl. 1777-1778) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 8 March 1777 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 19.7 x 16.2 cm. Order a Copy

Written by Contee as a Maryland State Senator to Jenifer as President of the Maryland Senate. Both were serving in the first Maryland Senate. Reports that he will not be able to attend "the Public Service." Says the poor health of his family and the bad weather has kept him from Annapolis. Says has assumed the duties of clerk in Charles County and must go there next week if justices of the peace are appointed. Was given the clerking duties when Mr. Fendall moved from Maryland and will hold the position until a new one is chosen. Claims his neighbor Dr. Brooke has medical instruments and medicines that he would like to sell, but that he will hold on to them if the army wants to buy them. Asks Jenifer to send Brooke a line if the instruments might be purchased. Says Brooke paid 200 pounds for the supplies in England. Postscript says Brooke has an offer for the supplies, but that he will wait to hear if the government wants to buy them. The letter is pasted to another sheet of paper. The address leaf is removed and pasted to the verso the other sheet of paper.

Jenifer was a signer of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.

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