1793 Robert Morris 174,428-Acre Land Indenture — Signed by Declaration Signer Thomas McKean and Constitution Signer Thomas Mifflin
An extraordinary, monumental American Founding-era indenture on vellum (28 x 20) documenting the transfer of approximately 174,428 acres of South Carolina land to Robert Morris, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and United States Constitution and renowned “Financier of the American Revolution.”
Executed December 13, 1793, the indenture records a lease from Georgia physician and land speculator Dr. John Hall to “Robert Morris the Younger” of Philadelphia. The enormous property portfolio comprised approximately 161,628 acres in South Carolina’s Orangeburgh District and another 12,800 acres in the District of Ninety-Six. Scores of plantations and tracts situated around the Edisto and Savannah rivers are individually identified in the lengthy handwritten text.
The transaction dates from the height of Morris’s vast and ultimately disastrous speculation in American frontier and Southern lands. Having accumulated more than six million acres, Morris became one of the largest private landowners in American history. The collapse of this highly leveraged land empire following the Panic of 1797 eventually resulted in his bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt.
The document bears an exceptional group of original Founding-era signatures and seals. Dr. John Hall signs as grantor beside his red wax seal. Thomas McKean, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, signs the acknowledgment beside a second red wax seal. Thomas Mifflin, Revolutionary War major general, signer of the United States Constitution and first governor of Pennsylvania, signs the document twice. Alexander J. Dallas, Pennsylvania secretary and future United States Secretary of the Treasury, also signs.
Most impressively, the original pendant Great Seal of Pennsylvania remains attached by its pink ribbon. The large cream-colored paper seal retains a strongly embossed central state device and decorative starburst border.
Approximately 23½ × 45 inches when opened. Contemporary docketing on the reverse reads, in part, “Lease for One Year, Doctr. John Hall to Robert Morris Junr. Esquire,” followed by the acreage totals.
Condition: Very good for an American vellum instrument of this extraordinary size and age. Expected original storage folds, general wrinkling and scattered toning, soiling and staining, particularly on the folded docket panel. Ink is generally strong and legible. The two red wax seals show some cracking and small losses but remain largely intact. The large pendant paper seal has creasing, edge tears and losses to several decorative points but retains its principal embossed design. Original ribbon attachment remains present. No major loss affecting the essential text or signatures. Please examine all photographs carefully.
A museum-worthy primary document uniting Robert Morris’s legendary land speculation with the signatures of Declaration signer Thomas McKean, Constitution signer Thomas Mifflin and future Treasury Secretary Alexander J. Dallas.
More info...
The document is dated December 13, 1793, and records a one-year lease from Dr. John Hall of Georgia to “Robert Morris the Younger” of Philadelphia. “Junior” or “the Younger” was the designation commonly used by the famous Founding Father Robert Morris, not his son.
Property conveyed
The reverse docket summarizes the immense landholding as:
- 161,628 acres in the District of Orangeburgh, South Carolina
- 12,800 acres in the District of Ninety-Six, South Carolina
- Total: 174,428 acres
The body enumerates scores of plantations and tracts situated around the Edisto and Savannah rivers and elsewhere in South Carolina. The consideration stated for the one-year lease is five shillings, the customary nominal payment used in a lease-and-release conveyance.
This transaction occurred at the height of Morris’s enormous post-Revolutionary land-speculation program. He eventually accumulated more than six million acres, making him arguably the largest private landowner in American history. The failure of these speculative ventures contributed directly to his bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt.
Important signatures and seals
The document contains an exceptional group of Founding-era signatures:
- Robert Morris (1734–1806) — named as purchaser, although he did not sign the instrument
- Dr. John Hall — original signature as grantor, with red wax seal
- Thomas Mifflin (1744–1800) — signed twice as Governor of Pennsylvania; Revolutionary War major general, president of the Continental Congress, signer of the Constitution and Pennsylvania’s first governor
- Thomas McKean (1734–1817) — original signature and red wax seal as Chief Justice of Pennsylvania; signer of the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation and later governor of Pennsylvania
- Alexander J. Dallas (1759–1817) — signed as Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth; later United States attorney, Secretary of the Treasury and acting Secretary of War and State.
- Witnesses Catharine Baker and George A. Baker
A large pendant Great Seal of Pennsylvania, attached by its original pink ribbon, remains substantially intact. Two additional red wax seals are present beside the Hall and McKean signatures.
Thomas McKean acknowledged Hall’s execution of the document on December 21, 1793. Governor Mifflin subsequently authenticated McKean’s authority under Pennsylvania’s Great Seal in March 1794, with Alexander J. Dallas acting as secretary.
An extraordinary, monumental American Founding-era indenture on vellum (28 x 20) documenting the transfer of approximately 174,428 acres of South Carolina land to Robert Morris, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and United States Constitution and renowned “Financier of the American Revolution.”
Executed December 13, 1793, the indenture records a lease from Georgia physician and land speculator Dr. John Hall to “Robert Morris the Younger” of Philadelphia. The enormous property portfolio comprised approximately 161,628 acres in South Carolina’s Orangeburgh District and another 12,800 acres in the District of Ninety-Six. Scores of plantations and tracts situated around the Edisto and Savannah rivers are individually identified in the lengthy handwritten text.
The transaction dates from the height of Morris’s vast and ultimately disastrous speculation in American frontier and Southern lands. Having accumulated more than six million acres, Morris became one of the largest private landowners in American history. The collapse of this highly leveraged land empire following the Panic of 1797 eventually resulted in his bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt.
The document bears an exceptional group of original Founding-era signatures and seals. Dr. John Hall signs as grantor beside his red wax seal. Thomas McKean, signer of the Declaration of Independence and Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, signs the acknowledgment beside a second red wax seal. Thomas Mifflin, Revolutionary War major general, signer of the United States Constitution and first governor of Pennsylvania, signs the document twice. Alexander J. Dallas, Pennsylvania secretary and future United States Secretary of the Treasury, also signs.
Most impressively, the original pendant Great Seal of Pennsylvania remains attached by its pink ribbon. The large cream-colored paper seal retains a strongly embossed central state device and decorative starburst border.
Approximately 23½ × 45 inches when opened. Contemporary docketing on the reverse reads, in part, “Lease for One Year, Doctr. John Hall to Robert Morris Junr. Esquire,” followed by the acreage totals.
Condition: Very good for an American vellum instrument of this extraordinary size and age. Expected original storage folds, general wrinkling and scattered toning, soiling and staining, particularly on the folded docket panel. Ink is generally strong and legible. The two red wax seals show some cracking and small losses but remain largely intact. The large pendant paper seal has creasing, edge tears and losses to several decorative points but retains its principal embossed design. Original ribbon attachment remains present. No major loss affecting the essential text or signatures. Please examine all photographs carefully.
A museum-worthy primary document uniting Robert Morris’s legendary land speculation with the signatures of Declaration signer Thomas McKean, Constitution signer Thomas Mifflin and future Treasury Secretary Alexander J. Dallas.
More info...
The document is dated December 13, 1793, and records a one-year lease from Dr. John Hall of Georgia to “Robert Morris the Younger” of Philadelphia. “Junior” or “the Younger” was the designation commonly used by the famous Founding Father Robert Morris, not his son.
Property conveyed
The reverse docket summarizes the immense landholding as:
- 161,628 acres in the District of Orangeburgh, South Carolina
- 12,800 acres in the District of Ninety-Six, South Carolina
- Total: 174,428 acres
The body enumerates scores of plantations and tracts situated around the Edisto and Savannah rivers and elsewhere in South Carolina. The consideration stated for the one-year lease is five shillings, the customary nominal payment used in a lease-and-release conveyance.
This transaction occurred at the height of Morris’s enormous post-Revolutionary land-speculation program. He eventually accumulated more than six million acres, making him arguably the largest private landowner in American history. The failure of these speculative ventures contributed directly to his bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt.
Important signatures and seals
The document contains an exceptional group of Founding-era signatures:
- Robert Morris (1734–1806) — named as purchaser, although he did not sign the instrument
- Dr. John Hall — original signature as grantor, with red wax seal
- Thomas Mifflin (1744–1800) — signed twice as Governor of Pennsylvania; Revolutionary War major general, president of the Continental Congress, signer of the Constitution and Pennsylvania’s first governor
- Thomas McKean (1734–1817) — original signature and red wax seal as Chief Justice of Pennsylvania; signer of the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation and later governor of Pennsylvania
- Alexander J. Dallas (1759–1817) — signed as Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth; later United States attorney, Secretary of the Treasury and acting Secretary of War and State.
- Witnesses Catharine Baker and George A. Baker
A large pendant Great Seal of Pennsylvania, attached by its original pink ribbon, remains substantially intact. Two additional red wax seals are present beside the Hall and McKean signatures.
Thomas McKean acknowledged Hall’s execution of the document on December 21, 1793. Governor Mifflin subsequently authenticated McKean’s authority under Pennsylvania’s Great Seal in March 1794, with Alexander J. Dallas acting as secretary.
