1860 Erastus Fairbanks Signed Letter Vermont Governor Fairbanks Scales Civil War For Sale

Written from St. Johnsbury, Vermont, August 15, 1860, the letter acknowledges receipt of correspondence from G. H. Martin dated August 13. Fairbanks signs boldly at the conclusion with a large and highly decorative “Erastus Fairbanks” signature.

This is an especially appealing example because it dates from an important moment in Fairbanks's political career. In August 1860, Fairbanks was the Republican candidate for governor of Vermont. He would win the election the following month and begin his second gubernatorial term in October, just as the United States entered the secession crisis that would lead to the Civil War.

St Johnsbury Augt 15, 1860.

Mr G. H. Martin,

Dear Sir,

I have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 13th instant.

Respectfully yours,
Erastus Fairbanks

Erastus Fairbanks (1792–1864) was an influential American businessman, manufacturer, abolition-minded political figure, and governor of Vermont.

Born in Brimfield, Massachusetts, Fairbanks eventually settled in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, where he and his brother Thaddeus Fairbanks became associated with the manufacturing enterprise that developed into E. & T. Fairbanks & Co.

The company became internationally famous for its Fairbanks platform scales, which were widely used in commerce, agriculture, industry, transportation, and shipping throughout the United States and abroad. The success of the Fairbanks enterprise helped transform St. Johnsbury into an important 19th-century industrial center.

Fairbanks also pursued a distinguished political career. He served as Governor of Vermont from 1852 to 1853 and was elected again in 1860, serving through 1861. His second administration coincided with the outbreak of the American Civil War.

After the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, Fairbanks strongly supported the Union war effort and responded to President Abraham Lincoln's call for troops. Vermont became one of the states that rapidly mobilized soldiers for federal service during the opening months of the conflict.

Fairbanks was also associated with the antislavery political movement in Vermont and became an important early figure in the state's Republican political organization.

The letter is addressed to Mr. G. H. Martin. The recipient has not been conclusively identified from the letter alone. Additional research may determine whether Martin had political, commercial, or personal connections with Fairbanks.

Although brief in content, this letter has several desirable features for collectors:

• Written by a two-term Governor of Vermont
• Signed by the co-founder of the Fairbanks Scale Company
• Dated August 15, 1860, shortly before Fairbanks's return to the governorship
• Written during the presidential election year that brought Abraham Lincoln to office
• Dates only months before the secession crisis and beginning of the American Civil War
• Features a particularly large and elaborate autograph signature
• Written from St. Johnsbury, the center of the Fairbanks manufacturing empire

The combination of industrial history, Vermont history, political history, and Civil War-era association makes this an attractive 19th-century American autograph.

Original handwritten letter in ink on lined paper.

The upper-left corner bears a circular blind-embossed mark, possibly that of a paper manufacturer or stationer.

The sheet retains its original horizontal mailing folds. The verso is blank. There is expected age toning, minor spotting, and light handling wear consistent with a document more than 165 years old.

The ink remains strong and legible, and the Erastus Fairbanks signature is especially bold and visually impressive.

Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.

Guaranteed original manuscript and autograph, not a reproduction.