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Original 1828 autograph letter signed by William Bradford Reed (1806–1876), prominent Philadelphia attorney, Pennsylvania politician, historian, and later United States Minister to China.
Written in Philadelphia on November 28, 1828, when Reed was only 22 years old, the letter requests that the Clerk of Gloucester County, New Jersey, send formal certification that Joseph Evens was a Justice of Gloucester County.
Reed signs the letter clearly:
William B. Reed
and gives his address as:
100 S. 4th St.
The document is addressed to the Clerk of the County of Gloucester, Woodbury, New Jersey.
Transcription
Philadᵃ Nov. 28. 1828
Sir,
Do me the favor to send me without delay, if possible by return of mail, a formal certificate that Joseph Evens is a Justice of Gloucester County N.J.
Yr. ob. serv.
William B. Reed
100 S. 4th St.
Clk of the County of Gloucester
Woodbury.
William Bradford Reed Biography
William Bradford Reed (1806–1876) was one of Philadelphia’s notable 19th-century lawyers, politicians, diplomats, scholars, and historical writers.
Born into the prominent Reed family of Pennsylvania, he was the grandson of Joseph Reed (1741–1785), Revolutionary War statesman, Continental Army officer, delegate to the Continental Congress, and President of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council.
William Bradford Reed graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1825 and entered the legal profession at a young age. This letter was written only three years after his graduation and provides an unusually early example of his handwriting and signature.
He later served as:
- Attorney General of Pennsylvania, 1838–1839
- Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
- District Attorney of Philadelphia
- Professor of American history at the University of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Minister to China, 1857–1858
During his diplomatic service in China, Reed took part in negotiations surrounding the Treaty of Tientsin, one of the major diplomatic agreements between Western powers and Qing China during the mid-19th century.
Reed was also an important historical author. His works included:
- Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed
- Life of Esther de Berdt
- Vindication of General Reed
His writings helped shape the historical reputation of his grandfather, General Joseph Reed, and preserved important material relating to the Revolutionary era.
Esther de Berdt Reed
Reed’s grandmother, Esther de Berdt Reed (1746–1780), was herself an important Revolutionary-era figure. She became a prominent organizer of women’s patriotic efforts during the American Revolution and helped establish the Ladies Association of Philadelphia, which raised substantial funds for the Continental Army. William Bradford Reed later wrote a biography of her life.
Joseph Evens
The letter concerns certification that Joseph Evens was serving as a Justice in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The request was almost certainly connected to a legal or official matter requiring proof of Evens’s authority.
The letter therefore provides an interesting snapshot of early 19th-century legal practice between Philadelphia and South Jersey.
Important J. Whatman / Turkey Mill Watermark
One of the most attractive features of this document is the large, clearly visible watermark reading:
J WHATMAN
TURKEY MILL
1822
James Whatman paper was among the finest English writing and drawing papers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Turkey Mill in Kent was closely associated with the famous Whatman papermaking tradition.
The 1822 watermark predates the letter by six years and provides excellent physical evidence of the sheet’s period manufacture.
Collector\'s Annotation
A later collector has added a pencil biographical notation at the bottom of the sheet identifying Reed and summarizing his career, including references to his service as Pennsylvania Attorney General, Minister to China, and his historical writings.
Historical Significance
This is a particularly appealing Reed autograph because it dates from 1828, when he was only 22 years old, long before his highest political and diplomatic offices.
It combines several collecting areas:
- Early American autographs
- Pennsylvania political history
- Philadelphia legal history
- New Jersey / Gloucester County history
- U.S.–China diplomatic history
- Revolutionary War family associations
- Historic papermaking and Whatman paper
Condition
Original folded manuscript sheet with expected age toning, fold lines, minor edge wear, and scattered handling marks consistent with a nearly 200-year-old document. Later pencil collector annotations are present.
The William B. Reed signature remains strong and legible, and the J. Whatman / Turkey Mill / 1822 watermark is exceptionally clear when viewed through transmitted light.
Please examine all photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.
A desirable early autograph letter from a significant Pennsylvania statesman, diplomat, historian, and member of one of the most prominent Revolutionary-era families.
