Beschreibung:

LAW & COMMERCE] An extensive archive of correspondence and documents relating to the national enterprises of powerful New York entrepreneur Timothy Green, his son, and future partner John W. Mitchell . Numerous locations including Worcester; Providence; New York; Philadelphia; Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina; London and other places: 1785-1855. Archive comprising several hundred documents, letters, wills, promissory notes, partly printed government documents, etc., loosely organized at an early date by authors or topic, all housed in two boxes (with roughly one devoted to Green and one to Mitchell). Condition issues commensurate with age but generally very well preserved, an extensive archive deserving of further research. Timothy Green (1765-1813) was a true tycoon of the Federal period being a landowner, lawyer and international businessman. His brother, Dr. Samuel Green, was responsible for the family's business dealings in South Carolina and dozens of letters relate to him and the finances of the family business which Samuel handled while Timothy travelled. The correspondence contains autograph letters signed or received by Green and his retained copies of a large amount of business correspondence and debt collection instructions. The papers include an 1801 note to Governor George Clinton; tense 1794 letters attempting to secure bail money when jailed; and numerous pre-1800 autograph letters from Roger Strong, Green's New York agent, to his brother in South Carolina. Of New Jersey and Nothwest Territories interest is a group of approximately 10 autograph letters signed from Elisha Boudinot (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey and the brother of Elias), mentioning the Wabash Lands. The group contains a number of circa 1800 letters regarding business dealings with Asa Danforth, a land speculator in northern New York State who was eventually imprisoned for his debts to Green; a copy of an 1802 political letter to Levi Lincoln regarding his stance on the coming election: "no Clinton no Livingston no Burr no Jefferson"; a retained letter to Talleyrand written from London with "I understand no Americans are admitted into France"; an interesting partly printed document celebrating the adoption of the Constitution; and much more. Green's son would continue on in the business after his father's 1813 death, eventually forming a partnership with John W. Mitchell. Numerous letters and documents written from Charleston span this period until 1855, these with more law content than the first group, including numerous wills, legal documents mentioning slaves, Supreme Court cases, etc. Of note is a group of letters written to Mitchell from his son in San Francisco all dated 1850. Of African-American interest are a group of 1830s documents relating to the case of freed blacks Jack and Maria Lopez, who because of 'unhappy differences' agree to live separately despite being married, and the subsequent filings of documents when payments were not made for Maria's boarding. In its entirety the present archive provides invaluable insight to an important participant in an early period of American business history. C