{"product_id":"james-monroe-signed-1817-military-bounty-land-patent-war-of-1812-veteran-illinois","title":"James Monroe Signed 1817 Military Bounty Land Patent — War of 1812 Veteran — Illinois","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJames Monroe Presidential Land Patent — 1817\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIssued to Covington Mezzick, Private in the 38th Regiment of Infantry\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn important original \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003emilitary bounty-land patent signed by President James Monroe during his first year in office\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, granting 160 acres in the Territory of Illinois to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCovington Mezzick\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a private in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRothrock's Company of the Thirty-Eighth Regiment of Infantry\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe patent grants:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e160 acres — Southwest Quarter of Section 13, Township 2 North, Range 6 West, Territory of Illinois\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe grant was issued under the Acts of Congress appropriating and granting land to soldiers of the late Army of the United States. It represents the federal government's compensation of veterans of the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar of 1812\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e through military bounty land.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe document bears the original presidential signature of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJames Monroe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, fifth President of the United States, together with the signature of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJosiah Meigs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Commissioner of the General Land Office. The official government seal remains attached.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe patent is identified as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWarrant No. 13,691\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. The surviving index to the Illinois Military Patent Book records \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCovington Mezzick on page 64\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, providing important documentary confirmation of the grant.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe unusual name of Covington Mezzick is also of particular historical interest. Contemporary genealogical records identify a Covington Messick in the Delaware\/Maryland Eastern Shore region, and War of 1812 muster records contain the name “Coventon Mezzick.” Further research may establish the veteran's family and military history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis document is especially desirable because it combines \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ean original James Monroe presidential signature, first-year-of-presidency dating, War of 1812 military service, an Illinois military bounty-land grant, an identified veteran, and an original federal government seal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePresident:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e James Monroe (1758–1831)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOffice:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e President of the United States\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDate:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 1817\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRecipient:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Covington Mezzick\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMilitary Rank:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Private\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUnit:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Rothrock's Company, 38th Regiment of Infantry\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWarrant:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e No. 13,691\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLand:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e 160 acres\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLocation:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Southwest Quarter, Section 13, Township 2 North, Range 6 West, Territory of Illinois\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCommissioner:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Josiah Meigs, Commissioner of the General Land Office\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHistorical Period:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e War of 1812 \/ Early American Republic\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original with substantial period folds, toning, foxing, edge wear and losses, and wear surrounding the paper seal. Monroe's signature remains clearly visible.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA highly collectible piece of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003epresidential, military, and early Illinois history\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, documenting the federal government's compensation of a War of 1812 veteran during the opening year of James Monroe's presidency.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMore info...\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCovington Mezzick\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003edescribed as a \u003cstrong\u003eprivate in Rothrock's Company, 38th Regiment of Infantry\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt grants him:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e160 acres\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003ethe \u003cstrong\u003eSouthwest Quarter of Section 13, Township 2 North, Range 6 West\u003c\/strong\u003e, in the \u003cstrong\u003eTerritory of Illinois\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe patent is \u003cstrong\u003eWarrant No. 13,691\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe document is signed:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJames Monroe\u003c\/strong\u003e, President of the United States\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eJosiah Meigs\u003c\/strong\u003e, Commissioner of the General Land Office\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe printed text specifically states that the grant is made pursuant to the acts of Congress appropriating land to the \u003cstrong\u003elate Army of the United States\u003c\/strong\u003e—the federal military bounty-land program for veterans of the War of 1812.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surviving index to the Illinois military patent book confirms \u003cstrong\u003e“Mezzick, Covington” on page 64\u003c\/strong\u003e, providing particularly useful documentary corroboration for this exact recipient. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAn important additional discovery\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCovington Mezzick was associated with the Delaware\/Maryland Eastern Shore Messick family\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA genealogical history records a \u003cstrong\u003eCovington Messick who married Hannah Tindal in 1816\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the family was established in Delaware. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven more interestingly, a War of 1812 muster compilation contains the name \u003cstrong\u003e“Coventon Mezzick”\u003c\/strong\u003e among Maryland Eastern Shore militia personnel in 1813. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe do \u003cstrong\u003enot yet state that the two records are definitively the same man\u003c\/strong\u003e, because the patent identifies him as a federal 38th Regiment infantryman rather than simply a Maryland militia soldier. But the unusual name makes the connection quite plausible and worth pursuing through the National Archives pension\/military records.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDate\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe patent is clearly a \u003cstrong\u003e1817 Monroe document\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the handwritten date appears to be in \u003cstrong\u003eNovember 1817\u003c\/strong\u003e. The wording visible on the document reads:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Washington, this ___ day of November in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventeen…”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis places it in \u003cstrong\u003eMonroe's first year as President\u003c\/strong\u003e, which adds substantially to its desirability.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Signature Documents LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52704501137690,"sku":null,"price":1250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2221\/0931\/files\/IMG_2151.jpg?v=1786882307","url":"https:\/\/www.thearchiveauthority.com\/products\/james-monroe-signed-1817-military-bounty-land-patent-war-of-1812-veteran-illinois","provider":"Signature Documents LLC","version":"1.0","type":"link"}