{"product_id":"james-monroe-signed-1817-presidential-land-patent-war-of-1812-veteran-illinois-military-bounty-land","title":"JAMES MONROE SIGNED 1817 PRESIDENTIAL LAND PATENT — WAR OF 1812 VETERAN — ILLINOIS MILITARY BOUNTY LAND","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExceptional original 1817 United States land patent signed by President James Monroe during his first year in the White House.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn important original document signed \u003cstrong\u003e“James Monroe”\u003c\/strong\u003e as President of the United States, granting \u003cstrong\u003e160 acres of military bounty land in Illinois to Covington Mezzick\u003c\/strong\u003e, identified in the patent as a \u003cstrong\u003elate private in the Thirty-Eighth Regiment of Infantry\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIssued in \u003cstrong\u003eWashington, D.C., in November 1817\u003c\/strong\u003e, only months after Monroe's inauguration as the fifth President of the United States, the document was issued pursuant to congressional legislation providing land bounties to veterans of the War of 1812.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe patent bears the bold presidential signature of \u003cstrong\u003eJames Monroe\u003c\/strong\u003e and is countersigned by \u003cstrong\u003eJosiah Meigs, Commissioner of the General Land Office\u003c\/strong\u003e. The document retains its original \u003cstrong\u003eembossed\/applied federal land-office seal\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn especially important feature is the extensive evidence of subsequent use on the reverse. The patent was later recorded in \u003cstrong\u003ePike County, Illinois, on October 15, 1823\u003c\/strong\u003e, providing an unusually tangible connection between the presidential document and the actual transfer and recording of the veteran's land title.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal records independently list \u003cstrong\u003eCovington Mezzick in the Illinois Military Patent Book\u003c\/strong\u003e, confirming his appearance in the official military-land records. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMonroe's signed presidential land patents are highly collectible examples of early American presidential autographs. Comparable 1817 Monroe military land grants have sold at auction from approximately \u003cstrong\u003e$475 to over $1,100\u003c\/strong\u003e, depending upon condition, presentation and authentication. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Original folds and substantial age toning, staining and surface wear. The paper seal is present but damaged. Some manuscript portions have faded, while \u003cstrong\u003eMonroe's signature remains clearly legible\u003c\/strong\u003e. The document is complete enough to retain its full historical significance and extensive subsequent land-record endorsements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAn outstanding piece of presidential, military and western land-settlement history—signed by James Monroe in the first year of his presidency.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52704646037786,"sku":null,"price":2243.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2173.jpg?v=1786893639","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/en-ca\/products\/james-monroe-signed-1817-presidential-land-patent-war-of-1812-veteran-illinois-military-bounty-land","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}