Books and Manuscripts

Pennsylvania, 1798-ca. 1930s. Collection of printed and manuscript documents, signed by the first 28 (of 29) Governors of Pennsylvania, being a near continuous representation of the office from its establishment in 1790 with the first Governorship of Thomas Mifflin, up until the 1930s with the 29th Governorship of Gifford Pinchot. Each document tipped in to a paper folder with calligraphic title (many with engraved portraits), and housed in a quarter blue gilt morocco presentation box, gifted to 30th Governor of Pennsylvania, George Howard Earle III (1890-1974), from the "Wizard of Washington" and Democratic Party politico, Emil Hurja (1892-1953).

Includes: Thomas Mifflin (1st governor, 1790-99); Thomas McKean (2nd, 1799-1808); William Findley (4th, 1817-20); Joseph Hiester (5th, 1820-23); John A. Shulze (6th, 1823-29); George Wolf (7th, 1829-35); Joseph Ritner (8th, 1835-39); David R. Porter (9th, 1839-45); Francis R. Shunk (10th, 1845-48); William F. Johnston (11th, 1848-52); William Bigler (12th, 1852-55); James Pollock (13th, 1855-58); William F. Packer (14th, 1858-61); Andrew G. Curtin (15th, 1861-67); John W. Geary (16th, 1867-73); John F. Hartrauft (17th, 1873-79); Henry M. Hoyt (18th, 1879-83); Robert E. Pattison (19th, 1883-87 and 1891-95); James A. Beaver (20th, 1887-91); Daniel H. Hastings (21st, 1895-91); William A. Stone (22nd, 1899-1903); Samuel W. Pennypacker (23rd, 1903-07); Edwin S. Stuart (24th, 1907-11); John K. Tener (25th, 1911-15); Martin G. Brumbaugh (26th, 1915-19); William C. Sproul (27th, 1919-23); Gifford Pinchot (28th, 1923-27 and 1931-35); John S. Fisher (29th, 1927-31); autograph of third Governor Simon Snyder wanting (1808-17).

A unique collection representing nearly every Governor of Pennsylvania, from the office's creation in 1790, up until the Great Depression years of the mid-1930s. This set was gifted to 30th Governor George Howard Earle III from Emil Hurja, likely upon the former's election in 1935. Raised a Republican, Earle joined the Democratic Party in the 1930s after his dissatisfaction with the Republican Party's handling of the Great Depression. A prominent supporter of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Earle campaigned for him during the 1932 presidential election, where he most likely met Hurja, who was an executive and chief pollster for the Democratic National Committee. For his service to the successful campaign FDR appointed Earle Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria, where he early on sounded the alarm over the rise of Nazism, but resigned the office in 1934 to run for Governor of Pennsylvania. As the first elected Democratic Governor since the Civil War, Earle led Pennsylvania through the height of the Great Depression, and during his one term instituted a series of programs that has come to be known as the "Little New Deal." In Earle's first two years in office state legislators introduced a record 3,514 bills, many of which targeted economic recovery, labor laws, and unemployment. Among the many bills passed were ones that introduced Child labor laws, the institution of a 40-hour work week, the abolishment of private police forces used by the coal and iron industries, the institution of unemployment compensation, and the funding of numerous public works and infrastructure projects.

Considered the first modern pollster, Hurja was executive director and chief pollster for the Democratic National Committee from 1932-37, and helped gauge public support for FDR and the New Deal. His often accurate polling and electoral predictions earned him the moniker, the "Wizard of Washington".

Comprising:

1. Mifflin, Thomas. Partially-printed land patent, signed by Mifflin as first Governor. February 2, 1798.

2. McKean, Thomas. Autograph document, signed by McKean as President of the Electors of Pennsylvania. December 5, 1792.

3. Findley, William. Autograph letter, signed. July 20, 1812.

4. Hiester, Joseph. Autograph letter, signed. September 6, 1789.

5. Shulze, John A. Autograph letter, signed. August 29, 1840.

6. Wolf, George. Autograph letter, signed. October 16, 1829.

7. Ritner, Joseph. Autograph letter, signed. May 17, 1832.

8. Porter, David R. Autograph letter, signed as Governor. June 2, 1840.

9. Shunk, Francis R. Partially-printed document, signed by Shunk as Secretary of State of Pennsylvania. June 5, 1840.

10. Johnston, William F. Autograph letter, signed. No date.

11. Bigler, William. Autograph letter, signed. April 9, 1858.

12. Pollock, James. Manuscript document, signed as Governor. February 1, 1856.

13. Packer, William F. Autograph letter, signed as Governor. January 14, 1859.

14. Curtin, Andrew G. Autograph letter, signed as Governor. May 23, 1863.

15. Geary, John W. Autograph letter, signed as Governor, to President-elect Ulysses S. Grant. March 2, 1869.

16. Hartrauft, John F. Autograph letter, signed as Governor. December 3, 1874.

17. Hoyt, Henry M. Partially-printed document, signed. October 23, 1862.

18. Beaver, James A. Autograph letter, signed. November 23, 1882.

19. Pattison, Robert E. Autograph letter, signed. November 14, 1882.

20. Hastings, Daniel H. Typed letter, signed as Governor. July 4, 1895.

21. Stone, William A. Typed letter, signed as Governor. July 11, 1899.

22. Pennypacker, Samuel W. Autograph letter, signed. February 24, 1900.

23. Stuart, Edwin S. Manuscript letter, signed as Mayor of Philadelphia. April 8, 1891.

24. Tener, John K. Typed letter, signed as Governor. November 19, 1914.

25. Brumbaugh, Martin G. Typed letter, signed as Governor. April 5, 1917.

26. Sproul, William C. Partially-printed document, signed as Governor. February 28, 1922.

27. Fisher, John S. Cut signature as Governor. No date.

28. Pinchot, Gifford. Typed letter, signed. August 29, 1908.