[Rarebooks] FS: Holographic letter from Phineas Miller to widow of Gen. Nathanael Greene

[Lee Kirk]

FS: Holographic letter from Phineas Miller to widow of Gen. Nathanael Greene

One of the neat things about ephemera is that during research you can
discover a lot of history that you never suspected! Such as what happened
with this document. 

The letter is written on laid paper, a sheet about 13x16 folded to 13x8.
Only the recto of the first half has been used for the message with the
paper then folded into mailing size  and addressed on the outside.

Dated "Harford" [probably NY] April 27th, 1787 it is addressed to Mrs.
Catherine Green, Warwick (presumably RI). Remnants of sealing wax are on the
address side where the folds would come together. It was sent via Captain
Sveet (or Sweet?).

The content of the letter indicates that a selection of seeds is being sent,
although they are from a retailer. He had hoped to obtain them from Cole (or
Colonel?) Wadsworth, Gardner, but instead had to purchase them from a
retailer, although they were packaged and certified by Wadsworth, who
himself was away for the day but had planned to create the assortment on his
return. But the ship was sailing before that could be accomplished. He also
says that he is sending a salmon and hopes that "it may arrive good and
prove agreeable."

After the war Nathanael Green moved his family to a southern plantation.
Following the death of Gen. Greene in 1786, Caty or Kitty (Catherine) Greene
assumed responsibility for running the plantation (along with raising her
five children). She rented a room to Eli Whitney, who worked as a handyman
and pursued his inventions.  It has been claimed that the cotton gin was
Catherine's idea, and that she suggested the wire separator that made it
success. She and her manager, Phineas Miller, funded the development of the
machine although the partnership was between Whitney and Miller. Thomas
Jefferson expedited the patent on Whitney's behalf. 

Kitty Greene remarried on June 28, 1796 - to Phineas Miller, author of this
letter. 

There is, of course, a great deal more to this story.

Good condition with small splits at a couple of folds

$325  Trade discount allowed.  US postage included, at cost otherwise.

Lee Kirk

The Prints & The Paper

PO Box 5432

Eugene, OR 97405

541-683-7033

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