Fine Colonial Surveyor Order By John Lukens, Member Of Historical Young Junto For Sale

JOHN LUKENS (1720 – 1789) was a surveyor, an astronomer and a member of the Young Junto, elected in 1766, a highly important organization of artisans and tradesmen, which began in Philadelphia and was led by Ben Franklin. Lukens was the Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Offering a 4 ¼ x 8 ¼ order signed by Lukens, with fine period penmanship flourishes, instructing William Scull, Deputy Surveyor as follows: “You are to survey the Land mentioned in this Application, and make Return thereof into the Surveyor-General’s Office, within Six Months from the above Date, And thereof fail not.” Lukens’ order refers to John Sprogle, who “Hath made Application for Three Hundred Acres of Land adjoining Land of Wm Willson, Dated at Philadelphia, this third Day of April 1769.

Lukens was born in Horsham Township, outside of Philadelphia. He joined the Young Junto just before it became the American Society and then facilitated its unification with the American Philosophical Society to which he had already been separately elected. He was named surveyor general in 1763. He was a founder of the Hatboro Library and a subscriber of the Silk Society. He was also part of a committee to observe the Transit of Venus, alongside David Rittenhouse, William Smith and John Sellers. Lukens surveyed a route for a proposed Delaware-Chesapeake canal in 1769.

Lukens conducted preliminary work to settle the Pennsylvania-Virginia border with Archibald McClean. He also served Western lands intended for Pennsylvania veterans of the Revolutionary War.

WILLIAM SCULL was a land surveyor and a cartographer in the mid-eighteenth century. Scull was the son of the notable cartographer Nicholas Scull. William was also responsible for creating a map of Pennsylvania known as the "Revolutionary War Map" based on his land surveys.

The document has toning and a couple of small chips on the bottom right. A fine example of early Americana.

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