1810 Mississippi Territorial Court Document – Danial Burnet Signature

Description

1810 Mississippi Territorial Court Document – Danial Burnet Signature
Offered for your consideration is a manuscript court document regarding the administration of several deceased individual’s estates in Claiborne County, Mississippi. The document is headlined “
Mississippi Territory of the United States
” and addressed “
To the Register of the Orphans Court of Claiborne County
”. The first paragraph lists several men (and one woman) who have applied to be the administrators of the estates of several deceased residents (the woman appears to be applying for her husband’s estate). The second paragraph instructs the addressee that “
… These are therefore to require you to issue Citations agreeably to Law inviting all persons Interested in said Estates to be and appear before a Special Orphans Court to be holden for the County aforesaid at the Court House there of in the Town of Port Gibson on the Monday the Seventh day of January next, at the hour of Ten Oclock in the forenoon to Show Cause if any they have why the said Administrations shall not be granted to the said Applicants
”. It concludes with the statement that these instructions were “
Given from under my hand and Seal at Grindstone Ford in the County aforesaid this 22d day of December 1810
”, followed by the signature of “
Danl Burnet C. J. O. C. C. C.
” (Chief Justice, Orphans Court of Claiborne County). The back is blank, except for a filing notation which reads “
C. F. McCoy
/
Citation issd 22
nd
of
/
Decr. 1810
/
D P January
”. It appears, based on the style of writing and letter formation, that the entire document was penned by Burnet, save possibly for the filing notation on the back. Though the content is rather mundane, the age (Mississippi would not become a state for another 7 years) and importance of the signer (see below) make this piece worthy of inclusion in any early Mississippi document collection.
Daniel Burnet
was born on July 11,1763. He served as a member of the Mississippi territorial council from 1802 through 1807, and with the United States Army during the War of 1812. He was a delegate to the Mississippi State Constitutional Convention in 1817, and a member of the state senate the following year. He was a candidate for lieutenant governor in 1819, and served in the Mississippi State House of Representatives in 1823 and 1826 (the latter year he was Speaker of the House). He returned to the state senate in 1827, but died in office on May 27, 1827. He was buried at Grindstone Ford Cemetery, near Port Gibson in Claiborne County, Mississippi.
The presently offered document exhibits signs of expected period use, followed by over 200 years of storage. Toning is noted across the entire surface, imparting to the paper a tan to light brown appearance. These hues present a mottled pattern, probably a result of the type of paper employed, as well as variations in temperature and humidity. Several darker foxing spots and ink smears are scattered throughout the piece. The contrast is sharp and bold, though the penmanship is somewhat less than could be desired. Minor ink corrosion at some of the letters is noted, though the paper seems to be adversely affected in only a few locations. Numerous filing folds, both horizontal and vertical, are present, with the only serious issues being small holes at the junctions (sadly, the signature is bisected by one of these folds). Measuring approximately 7¾ x 12½ inches, this piece would make a wonderful addition to any early Mississippi document collection, or as a research project for the local historian (many names are noted in the first paragraph, both deceased and applicants).
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Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2
nd
Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.
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Shreveport, LA