[Rarebooks] FS: Tom Sawyer Sold Bad Tobacco-

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

     Tom Sawyer Sellin' Tobacco-

Invoice for Tobacco from John H. Garth & Co., Manufacturers of Tobacco.

New York, June 27, 1865.

DISCUSSION: An invoice for 10 ¾ boxes Tobacco “Sailors Delight Navy lbs”,
weighing 1195 pounds, at 78 cents a pound, sold by the company owned by
the man who may have been the real Tom Sawyer-

The Garth Woodside Mansion’s website notes-

 “Two of Samuel Clemens’ childhood friends remained close to him all his
life: John and Helen Kercheval Garth. They entertained Clemens on visits
to Hannibal and corresponded with him many times. Samuel Clemens, John
Garth, and Helen Kercheval were all students at Mrs. Elizabeth Horr’s
school and later at that of J. D. Dawson. John is probably one of the boys
who provided Clemens with inspiration for the character Tom Sawyer.

John H. Garth was born to John and Emily Houston Garth in Rockbridge
County, Virginia, on March 10, 1837. His family moved to Hannibal in 1844.
Mr. Garth operated a tobacco business and cigar manufacturing concern.
Mark Twain in his Autobiography recalled his early experience with Garth’s
cigars: “In those days the native cigar was so cheap that a person who
could afford anything could afford cigars. Mr. Garth had a great tobacco
factory and he also had a small shop in the village for the retail sale of
his products. He had one brand of cigars which even poverty itself was
able to buy. He had these in stock a good many years and although they
looked well enough on the outside, their insides had decayed to dust and
would fly out like a puff of vapor when they were broken in two. This
brand was very popular on account of its extreme cheapness. Mr. Garth had
other brands which were cheap and some that were bad, but the supremacy
over them enjoyed by this brand was indicated by its name. It was called
‘Garth’s damndest’. We used to trade old newspapers for that brand.”

Following the death of Mr. Garth, John’s older brother David ran the
tobacco business under the name of D. T. Garth & Company. Of David, a
recollection remains. “Mark Twain’s Letter to Will Brown” contains this
passage: “We used to be in Dave Garth’s class in Sunday school and on week
days stole his leaf tobacco to run our miniature tobacco presses with.”

John Garth left Hannibal to attend the University of Missouri, from which
he graduated. He then returned to Hannibal as a junior partner in the
tobacco business with his brother. Helen Kercheval was born in Hannibal on
July 18, 1838. She was the daughter of William Kercheval, a local tailor.
Clemens wrote, “one of the prettiest of the schoolgirls was Helen
Kercheval.”

John Garth and Helen Kercheval were married on October 18, 1860. They had
two children, John David and Annie. Sometime after the Civil War broke
out, in 1862 or 1863, Garth moved his family to New York City. There he
was engaged in banking, brokerage, and manufacturing. They returned to
Hannibal in 1871, and Garth started a successful business career. Garth
purchased a farm southwest of Hannibal and constructed a large summer
home, which he named “Woodside”. On the farm he raised and bred shorthorn
and Jersey cattle. As a businessman Garth entered many ventures. He was
one of the organizers of the Farmers and Merchants Bank and served as its
first vice-president. He became president in 1880, a position he held
until near his death in 1899. He was also president of the Hannibal Lime
Company, president of the Missouri Guarantee Savings and Building
Association, and president of the Garth Lumber Company in Delta, Michigan.

When Life on the Mississippi was released, Clemens sent the Garths a copy.
John Garth replied, “Thanks for the book. Each and every one at Woodside
has enjoyed it greatly.” A note from Clemens to his manager requested a
copy of Huckleberry Finn to be sent to the Garths upon its release. John
Garth died in 1899. His wife and daughter funded several memorials to him,
including the Garth Memorial Library Building, dedicated in 1902, and a
tower and set of bells at the Trinity Episcopal Church.

DESCRIPTION: Single sheet. 8"x7".

CONDITION NOTES: Several folds, light wear, trimmed closely on the
left-hand side.

PRICE: $125. -

The invoice =>

<http://www.joslinhall.com/images379/th-38213-cover.jpg>

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