American Historical Ephemera & Photography Online

Addressed to Tench Coxe Esquire (1755-1824), merchant, politician, land speculator, and civil servant who was at time serving as Purveyor of Public Supplies. 1p, housed in two-sided glass, 9 x 15 in. (sight) framed to approx. 9 3/4 x 15 3/4 in. (unexamined outside frame, light soil, creasing). Docketed on verso.

Girard writes, in part: "Dear Sir...in regard to the names of those who will be charged to pay over to the Bankers of the U States at Amsterdam the amount of my bonds it is almost impossible to answer you on that subject but for your satisfaction I will inform you that I have dispatched my ship Rousseau and ship Voltaire to the north of Europe with valuable cargoes ... you may rest assured that I will take care to avoid paying twenty pds & damages...." An interesting letter, including references to ships that were named after two of the French-born bankers favorite French authors.

While less well known than many of their contemporaries, Girard and Coxe may be considered "Financial Founding Fathers" for their roles in establishing early industry and the banking system of the Early Republic. Girard, the richest man in the young nation, was a prominent banker and is credited with saving the federal government from bankruptcy by personally financing the American war effort during the War of 1812. Coxe was a delegate for Pennsylvania to the Continental Congress, a proponent of industrialization, and a leader in the establishment of the US cotton industry. He hailed from a prominent Pennsylvania family, and served as Purveyor of Public Supplies from 1803-1812.

[With:] Ephemera, most related to the city of Philadelphia, comprising: framed letter supporting the appointment of [William] J.P. White as postmaster of Philadelphia, ca late 1840s; Joint Committee of City Councils invitation to reception given in honor of General U.S. Grant by the City of Philadelphia, 1879; a commendation for Kenneth Rushton for his deportment at the Academy of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the City of Philadelphia; and a small notebook containing approx. 13pp of journal entries and notations by an unidentified author. Conditions vary.