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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.

Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.05067 Author/Creator: Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 17 July 1791 Pagination: 4 p. ; 22.4 x 18.6 cm. Order a Copy

References Knox's letter of 10 July. Is happy to hear Lucy is doing well after the birth of their tenth child. Hopes God will take particular care of the little girl. Has made discreet inquiries about the powers of attorney necessary to transfer fifty bank shares, and describes the procedures for doing so. Reports that he asked Mr. Jarvis about the purchase of some land to satisfy "the ten proprietors." Says it is not best to "hurry the business, and therefore did not call the Committee together." Claims Jarvis understood his object and informed him that the committee would only sell the land for twenty cents per acre. Believed that the price was too high and walked away from the deal, but as he knows Knox is anxious about this, will wait till he has further instructions from Knox before trying again. Hopes Knox will be in Boston next month to handle the deeds of the patent. Says the Mr. Ulmer was "very decided as to that point." Asks Knox about the possibility of obtaining the position he wants as marshal. Says "if the President declines appointing me, I shall consider myself as very unjustly treated - as no man has a better claim to it than myself, or more capable of executing the duties of the office." Says "I shall feel it more than any situation that I ever was placed in."

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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