American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Our American Cousin broadside. [Boston]: F.A. Searle, Steam Job Printer, 115 Washington Street, [1863]. 5 1/4 x 17 1/2 in. (sight), framed to 10.5 X 22 3/4 in (light toning, creasing at folds). Advertising an April 14, 1863, performance of the popular play Our American Cousin, the same play which was performed at Ford's Theatre when President Lincoln was assassinated exactly two years later, on 14 April 1865. This performance was to be held Harvard's Howard Athenaeum and starred Mr. John E. Owens. The broadside notes in small print at the bottom that "Colored People admitted to the gallery only."

[With:] ALsS addressed to Robert Todd Lincoln regarding family members, including: Breck, Daniel. Relative to Robert Todd Lincoln. Autograph letter signed ("Daniel Breck"). Addressed to "My dear Mr. Lincoln" on "Mercantile Club" letterhead. St. Louis, 20 July 20 1914. 3pp, 5 1/2 x 7 1/2 in. (light soil and toning, creasing at folds). In this letter, Breck is responding to an inquiry he received from Lincoln regarding family genealogy. Breck discusses several Todd family members in the letter, writing in the closing line "Our family you will see is quite extensive." -- Autograph letter signed ("J.T. Pike"). Addressed to Robert Todd Lincoln Esq. New York City, 5 May 1915.  1p, 8 1/2 x 11 in. (toning, creasing at folds). Pike is asking Lincoln if he would be interested in purchasing a glass plate negative that features a portrait of Col. C.S. Todd, who was from Kentucky and served with the Kentucky Militia in the War of 1812 and with Gen. William Henry Harrison in the victory of Indian leader Tecumseh. Col. C.S. Todd was named Secretary of State of Kentucky in 1816, and became U.S. Minister to Colombia in 1820. He was later named Minister to Russia in 1841. Todd was a distant relative to Mary Todd Lincoln.

[Also with:] Typed letter signed ("L. Quincy Mumford") as Librarian of Congress. Addressed to Robert Lincoln Beckwith on Library of Congress letterhead.  [Washington, D.C.], 25 Feb. 25 1959. 1p, 8 x 10.5 in. (heavy toning and creasing along top and right edges, creasing at folds). Letter discussing the Abraham Lincoln Sesquicentennial Exhibition in the Library of Congress.

[Also with:] Isaac R. Diller inscribed photograph. 5.5 x 7 in. photograph offset-printed on coated stock paper, inscribed by the subject: "To H. W. Fay/ Isaac R. Diller/ born July 14th 1854/ one block west of the home/ of Abraham Lincoln./ Taken from an ambrotype made in/ April 1859. Aged 4 years 9 months./ April 19th 1936". Isaac was the son of the local pharmacist and was a playmate of Tad and Willie Lincoln. He managed to insert himself in two photographs of Lincoln and Tad taken outside of their Springfield home in the Summer of 1860.

[Also with:] A partly printed court document pertaining to Mary Todd Lincoln's great uncle Robert Todd. Single sheet, 8.5 x 6.5 in.; Fayette County, Kentucky; 26 November 26 1807. A subpoena issued to the Sheriff of Fayette County, "to take Christopher Keiser and John Keiser... before the Judges... at the Courthouse in Lexington... to answer Robert Todd ass[ignee] of Richard Dounton." Docketed on verso. (Toning, chipping at edges, creasing at folds).