Between the Covers

Military Bounty Land Warrant for a veteran of the War of 1812, issued after the land warrant act of March 3, 1855. Printed in letterpress and completed in manuscript. The document is dated in manuscript (1 October, 1864), with Abraham Lincoln’s signature secretarially signed by his assistant secretary Edward D. Neill, and signed by Neill underneath with his own name. Landscape quarto, about 15 ½” x 10”. With the embossed seal of the U.S. General Land Office. Original folds, modest soiling to the back side and one small stain, else near fine.

Between 1847 and 1855 the Congress of the United States passed four land warrant acts which granted 60 million acres of land to veterans and their heirs. This warrant is numbered in manuscript: (84.292). The manuscript text describes a 120 acre lot of land located at Ionia, Michigan, granted to: “Betsy E. Eastman, Widow of Amos Eastman, Private; Captain Merriam’s Company New Hampshire Militia, War, 1812”; and the assignation of the lot by Betsy Eastman to: “Floyd Higgins and Sylvanus Mix.” The document is later docketed on the verso: “United States to Floyd Higgins and Sylvanus S. Mix / Register’s Office, Oceana County [Michigan], Received for record the 30th day of October, A.D. 1869 …” and signed by “Nathan Crosby, Register.” Crosby was Supervisor of Hart Township, the county seat of Oceana County. An interesting Civil War-era document relating to Western expansion.

Item #421729