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(1839) Litho Attempting to Burn John Harris at The Present Site of Harrisburg...

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:1,800.00 - 2,400.00 USD
(1839) Litho Attempting to Burn John Harris at The Present Site of Harrisburg...
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Colonial America
“Attempting to Burn John Harris, at The Present Site of Harrisburg in The Year 1720." by J.T. Bowen, Phila.(1839)
(1839), Hand-Colored Stone Lithograph titled, “Attempting to Burn John Harris, at The Present Site of Harrisburg in The Year 1720." after Reeder by Ralph Trembly, Published by J.T. Bowen, Philadelphia, Framed, Choice Extremely Fine.
This impressive large size Hand-Colored Lithograph measures about 27.5” x 21” (by sight) and is nicely framed to an overall size of 32.5” x 26”. Image shows a group of Native Americans attempting to burn John Harris just as another group arrives to save him. A hidden well sealed minor tear at upper left margin just into image is trivial with all its hand colors remaining strong.

In 1705, John Harris, originally from Yorkshire, England, was granted a license to trade along the Susquehanna River near the Susquehannock village of Peixtan, also known as Paxton (today the borough of Paxtang). By 1710 he had set up a trading post, bartering ammunition and alcohol with the local inhabitants in exchange for animal pelts. Sometime in 1720, as the legend goes, Harris was approached by a number of people, said to be Shawnee, in search of rum. Seeing that most or all of them were already inebriated, he refused, at which point he was tied to a mulberry tree and threatened with burning. As the lithograph here illustrates, just as the fire was about to be ignited, a second group of Native Americans arrived to rescue Harris from the cruel fate. Several years later, in 1733, Harris set up a ferry across the Susquehanna in order to accommodate the growing number of settlers heading west. At the same time he purchased two large tracts of land adjacent to the ferry on the east shore of the river. As more and more people moved into the area, the Harris homestead came to be known first as “Harris's Ferry,” and then, in 1791, “Harrisburg”. The very first example of this rare historic 1839 published Hand-Colored Stone Lithograph we have offered, and we could not locate any prior sale records.