Rare Thomas Mifflin Signed Pennsylvania Commission to Benjamin Franklin’s Grand-Nephew Jonathan Williams / SOLD

Description

Rare Thomas Mifflin Signed Pennsylvania Commission 

to Benjamin Franklin’s Grand-Nephew Jonathan Williams 

 

An outstanding early Federal-period Pennsylvania commission appointing Jonathan Williams of Philadelphia County as Justice of the Peace for the Northern Liberties District of Philadelphia, dated October 26, 1795. The document bears the bold engraved name and signature of Thomas Mifflin, Revolutionary War general, former President of the Continental Congress, close associate of George Washington, and the first Governor of Pennsylvania under the Constitution of 1790. 

 

The recipient is believed to be the noted Jonathan Williams (1750–1815), the accomplished scientist, engineer, merchant, and military officer who was Benjamin Franklin’s grand-nephew and trusted confidant. Williams worked closely with Franklin in Europe during the American Revolution, assisting in commercial and diplomatic matters on behalf of the American cause. He later became the first Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, a founder of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and a brigadier general during the War of 1812. 

 

The commission is beautifully executed with elaborate period calligraphy, an engraved Pennsylvania coat of arms, and an impressive, embossed paper seal. The survival of the original seal and the strong visual presentation greatly enhance its display appeal. Few documents combine the signatures and associations of such important figures from the founding generation, linking Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Mifflin directly to a member of Benjamin Franklin’s family and inner circle. 

 

A remarkable and highly displayable relic of the early American Republic, connecting two of Pennsylvania’s most celebrated Revolutionary-era families. 

 

Inventory Number: DOC 435