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William H. Herndon Autograph Document Signed

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:NA Estimated At:400.00 - 600.00 USD
William H. Herndon Autograph Document Signed

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Auction Date:2022 May 11 @ 18:00 (UTC-05:00 : EST/CDT)
Location:15th Floor WeWork, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Scarce ADS, twice signed as “W. H. Herndon,” one page, 7.75 x 9.75, no date [1858]. Document concerning a divorce lawsuit between George M. Caldwell (1835-1909) and his wife, Laura S. Irwin Caldwell, whereby Herndon attests that the latter “lives in the State of Kentucky.” In fine condition, with splits to the ends of the horizontal folds.

George M. Caldwell was actually Lincoln’s client when he filed for divorce from Laura in May of 1858, claiming that their marriage ‘became…uneasy…unpleasant and annoying on account of the irritable fire & powder disposition of…Laura.’ In August 1858 Caldwell requested and subsequently received a dismissal of the divorce proceedings. Curiously, around this same time period, George married Gabriella Kitty Robarbs (1836-1903). This suggests that Herndon may have found a legal basis (ostensibly this document) for setting aside the marriage to Laura on grounds other than divorce, thus making unnecessary the original divorce proceeding.