LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2007 December Signature Texana Auction #661  / 

56329

Asa Brigham ALS; 1840; Texas

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:725.00 USD Estimated At:1,250.00 - 1,750.00 USD
Asa Brigham ALS; 1840; Texas
<B>Asa Brigham Autograph Letter Signed "</B></I><B><I>A. Brigham</B></I></B></I><B>."</B></I> 3 pages, 7.75 x 9.75", Austin, January 8, 1840 to Robert Mills. Brigham (c.1790-1844), the first Treasurer of the Republic of Texas, writes to Mills (1809-88) a prominent merchant, concerning a counterfeiter. In part: "<I>...In the package you sent by Mr. Perry of $800 I return you one 50$ bill counterfeit, I did not discover it until the 2 auditor returned it to me defaced as you find it. In the package sent by J.R. Jones of $1,371 I find $40 counterfeit... These bills are well calculated to deceive persons as the signature of H. Smith is genuine, the bills of that no. should have been dated the 15th of Nov. 1838. W.G. Cook denys (sic) the signature of Sam Houston to be his writing and Major Izod says he did not no. or date them. You will see all the figures 8 in the genuine bills are made very different from those of the counterfeit notes - and the signature of Sam Houston on the bad notes is badly executed...</B></I>" <BR><BR>Asa Brigham (c. 1790-1844) was signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence, the first treasurer of the Republic of Texas, and mayor of Austin. Brigham emigrated from Louisiana to Texas in April 1830. In December the ayuntamiento of San Felipe de Austin announced his election as sindico procurador for the precinct of Victoria (Brazoria), and in December 1831 he was elected comisario for the same precinct. He was one of those who signed a document on June 20, 1832, indicating readiness to participate in military operations in the interest of Texas independence. After 1832 he kept a ferry at Brazoria, where he ran a mercantile business with his son-in-law, and later he was a stockholder in the San Saba Colonization Company and receiver of stock for the Brazos and Galveston Railroad. He acquired leagues of land at Hall's Bayou in Brazoria County and in Galveston and Bastrop counties, and raised sugar, cotton, corn, and cattle. Brigham was elected Brazoria alcalde in 1835. He served as one of four representatives from Brazoria to the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos and was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He remained at the convention until at least March 16, 1836. David G. Burnet appointed him auditor of the Republic of Texas, and President Sam Houston named him Treasurer on December 20, 1836. He was the first to hold the latter office and was reappointed by Mirabeau B. Lamar in January 1839. On February 16, 1839, Brigham became a Houston alderman while serving as national treasurer. He left the treasury on April 12, 1840; later that year he was charged with using state funds for private purposes but was cleared. Houston reappointed him Treasurer on December 31, 1841, and in 1842 Brigham became mayor of Austin. <BR><BR>With integral address leaf bearing much of wax seal. Usual folds, soiled with some fading, interior pages cleaner and overall quite legible, overall good condition. Asa Brigham examples with any content are quite difficult. <I>From the collection of Darrel Brown.</B></I><BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Flat Material, Small (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)<BR><BR><B>Important notice:
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