{"product_id":"1796-robert-morris-signed-land-indenture-declaration-of-independence-signer-mary-morris-garrett-cottringer-justice-isaac-smith","title":"1796 Robert Morris Signed Land Indenture — Declaration of Independence Signer, Mary Morris, Garrett Cottringer \u0026 Justice Isaac Smith","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eExceptional Original 1796 Legal Indenture Signed by Declaration of Independence Signer Robert Morris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA remarkable original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1796 land indenture involving Robert Morris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the great Philadelphia financier of the American Revolution and signer of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDeclaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and United States Constitution\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMarch 1796\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this substantial manuscript document concerns real property in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBurlington County, New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and records a financial obligation involving Robert Morris and his wife, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMary White Morris\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and members of the prominent \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCadwalader family of Philadelphia and New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document is boldly signed by \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Morris as “Robt Morris”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and by his wife \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Mary Morris.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOf particular importance is the additional signature of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGarrett Cottringer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Morris's Philadelphia business associate and bookkeeper. Cottringer was intimately involved in Morris's extensive real-estate and land-speculation activities during the 1790s. His presence on this document provides a fascinating direct connection to Morris's increasingly complicated financial affairs during the period immediately preceding his eventual imprisonment for debt.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document was subsequently acknowledged before \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIsaac Smith, Esq., one of the Justices of the Supreme Court of New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Smith was a prominent Revolutionary-era New Jersey figure who served as an associate justice of the state's Supreme Court from 1777 to 1804 and as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnited States Representative from New Jersey from 1795 to 1797\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Cadwalader parties named in the instrument are members of the distinguished Cadwalader family. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRebecca Cadwalader\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was the daughter of Philadelphia physician Thomas Cadwalader and later became the second wife of New Jersey statesman \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilemon Dickinson\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eElizabeth Cadwalader\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, her sister, died unmarried in 1799.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe manuscript contains a lengthy and highly detailed legal description of the property, with metes-and-bounds references to adjoining lands, trees, stones, courses and degrees, providing an unusually rich example of late-18th-century American land documentation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistorical Significance\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Morris (1734–1806)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was one of the most important financial figures of the American Revolution. He helped finance the Continental cause, served in the Continental Congress, was Superintendent of Finance of the United States, and signed all three of the nation's foundational documents: the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDeclaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and U.S. Constitution\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe date of this document is particularly significant. By 1796, Morris's enormous investments in western lands and real estate were placing increasing financial pressure upon him. His surviving correspondence and business records document an increasingly complex series of mortgages, conveyances and arrangements involving creditors and associates such as Garrett Cottringer.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis document therefore represents far more than an ordinary land deed. It is a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003econtemporary primary-source record of the financial and real-estate activities of one of the principal Founding Fathers during the final decade of the 18th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSignatures and associations:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRobert Morris • Mary White Morris • Garrett Cottringer • Isaac Smith • Rebecca Cadwalader • Elizabeth Cadwalader\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e March 1796\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePlace:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Philadelphia \/ Burlington County, New Jersey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDocument type:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original manuscript indenture \/ land and financial instrument\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Good. Original paper with extensive period folds, foxing, staining, localized fold losses and separations, and general age wear. Despite the condition issues, the document remains substantially complete and the principal signatures are strong and legible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52702604886298,"sku":null,"price":3795.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2109.jpg?v=1786819372","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/products\/1796-robert-morris-signed-land-indenture-declaration-of-independence-signer-mary-morris-garrett-cottringer-justice-isaac-smith","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}