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GEORGE WASHINGTON Signed Potomack Company Receipt For Expenses After Runnaways !

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:6,000.00 USD Estimated At:10,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
GEORGE WASHINGTON Signed Potomack Company Receipt For Expenses After Runnaways !
Autographs
George Washington Signed Approved Payment Receipt For “Expenses After Runnaways” To Overseer Thomas Boylan
GEORGE WASHINGTON (1732-1799). 1st President of the United States, Presidential term: April 30, 1789 to March 4, 1797; one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, serving as the Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War; presided over the 1787 Constitutional Convention held at Philadelphia.
April 10th, 1787 & October 18th, 1787-Dated Docket Post Revolutionary War Era, Manuscript Document Signed, “Go. Washington” as President of the Potomack Company, Very Fine. This remarkable George Washington Signed, Endorsed Receipt, measures 3.5" x 6.5" being custom matted and framed to 17.5” x 20.75” along with an 1825 Engraving of Washington with facsimile signature below, after the famous painting by Gilbert Stuart, along with two informational gold-gilt engraved plaques located below both the document and print.

During this time frame in the year 1787, George Washington would preside over the Constitutional Convention held at Philadelphia. By September, the final compromises were made, the final clauses polished, and it came time to vote. In the Convention, each state, regardless of its number of delegates, had but one vote, so a state evenly split could not register a vote for adoption. In the end, thirty-nine of the fifty-five delegates supported adoption of the new Constitution, barely enough to win support from each of the twelve attending state delegations. (Rhode Island, which had opposed the Convention, sent no delegation.) Following a signing ceremony on September 17th, most of the delegates repaired to the City Tavern on Second Street near Walnut where, according to George Washington, they "dined together and took cordial leave of each other." Then he hurried back to his home of Mount Vernon in Virginia.

The Potomac Company (spelled here as Potomack) was created in 1785 to make improvements to the Potomac River and improve its navigability for commerce. The Potomac Company built five skirting canals around the major falls. When completed it allowed boats and rafts to float downstream towards Georgetown, a major port of the time on the Potomac River, now in the District of Columbia. George Washington was its first President, as well as an investor in the company. Tobias Lear, Washington's personal secretary, served as the company chairman for a period.

The Potomac Company originally wanted to hire only free labor, but due to the shortage of labor, the directors hired free, indentured, and Slave labor to build the locks and canals and deepen the river. James Rumsey, a well known for his work with steam-propelled riverboats, was hired as the project’s chief engineer. The Signed and Endorsed upon the Reverse side, the docket reads, in full:

“No 74. -- Thomas Boylans acct. -- Expenses after runnaways -- 10S paid April 17th, 1787 -- Cas’d this 18th, Oct. 1787 -- (Signed) Go. Washington -- John Fitzgerald -- George Gilpin”.

The truly remarkable Black History and Slavery related content of the front or face side reads, in full:

“The Potomack Company to Thomas Boylan DC ---

April 10th, 1787. - To Expenses, attending the bringing of Comr. McCarthy & Hugh Taylor from the town of Alexandria to the Great Falls -- £0.10.0 -- (Signed) Thos. Boylan.” Additionally noted at bottom left and below in another hand: “I know this to be Just. -- (Signed) James Smith.” Plus, endorsed for payment: “Rec'd. the above ten Shillings for T. Boylan -- (Signed) Richardson Stuart.”

Thomas Boylan was an Overseer of the Potomack River Company. George Washington who cared deeply for the very river that ran below his home of Mount Vernon, was the company President. Richarson Stuart, who signs on the front, served as the Manager for the company at Great Falls. It is known at one point up to 50 Slaves were used to dredge part of the Potomack River for George Washington's Potomack Company. We understand that the "runnaways" mentioned within the text of this receipt, pertain to Runnaway Slaves that actually belonged to George Washington.

John Fitzgerald in 1785 became one of the Directors of the Potomack Company. Serving in the Continental Army he rose to the rank of Colonel and became an Aide-de-Camp. A life long friend of Washington, Fitzgerald would dine often at Mount Vernon in his later years. In 1786 he became the Mayor of Alexandria, and became Benefactor of Georgetown College founded in 1792. President Washington appointed him “Collector of Customs” at Alexandria.

George Gilpin (1740-1813) was an Alexandria, Virginia merchant, surveyor, civic leader, friend and distant relative of George Washington who was one of four Directors of the Potomack Company.

One of the major constructions of the Potomack Company was the Patowmack Canal. A major engineering feat of the time, the Potomack Canal permitted boats to navigate around Great Falls of the Potomack River, which were located 14 miles upstream from what is now known as Washington, D.C., and then drops a treacherous 75 feet through the un-navigable "Mather Gorge." George Washington's Potomack Canal Company was to build a canal with locks and channels to make it possible to navigate the river.

The document has some slightly deeper tone to about 75% of the original laid period paper, where the smaller portion was folded. All of the reverse side signatures are all squarely upon the larger portion, written in brown ink with “Go. Washington” clearly and fully readable yet a bit light. The entire reverse panel of the frame is hinged to open easily for full access, currently the signature side is displayed. An easy to insert Plexiglas reverse panel would allow for full viewing of both sides. Archival, professionally matted and framed under Plexiglas, this important, historic George Washington Signed Approved Payment Receipt for “Expenses After Runnaways” made to Overseer Thomas Boylan is ready to hang upon display.