1874 Thomas Corson NJ Knights Templar Letter Debt Assessment Odo de St Amand #12 For Sale

Item Overview

• Type: Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) – Entirely handwritten and signed, on official letterhead.
• Date: 1874
• Author: Thomas J. Corson, Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery of New Jersey.
• Recipient: Odo de St. Amand Commandery No. 12 (Morristown, NJ).
• Subject: Official request for an $8.10 assessment to settle Grand Commandery debts.

Historical Significance & Content
This remarkable 1874 manuscript letter is a primary source for New Jersey Masonic financial history. Written by Thomas J. Corson, one of the most influential figures in NJ fraternal history, the letter is addressed to \"Dear Bro & Sir Kt\" at the Odo de St. Amand Commandery in Morristown.The content is highly unusual and desirable, as it explicitly discusses the debts of the Grand Commandery. Corson relays a formal request for an $8.10 contribution from the local lodge to help settle these outstanding financial obligations. Thomas Corson\'s leadership was foundational; he was active in the formation and governance of multiple NJ Masonic bodies, including the Three Times Three Chapter No. 5 and serving as a Past Grand Commander himselfThe \"Debt\" Mystery: This 1874 letter offers a rare, candid look into the post-Civil War financial struggles of the New Jersey Grand Commandery. While written with the high Victorian politeness of a \"donation,\" the text reveals a formal financial assessment aimed at liquidating the Grand Commandery’s outstanding debts. It captures a moment where local lodges were called upon to rescue the state organization’s solvency, documenting a internal financial crisis handled with traditional Masonic diplomacy.
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