00 State of Tennessee Bond Issued at Memphis – Isham G. Harris Signature

Description

00 State of Tennessee Bond Issued at Memphis –
Isham G. Harris Signature
Offered for your consideration is a 00 bond issued by the state of Tennessee in support of the Confederate government, signed at the conclusion by Governor Isham G. Harris. The central vignette is quite small, featuring a rendition of the state seal depicting a sheaf of wheat, plow, and flatboat, with “
XVI
/
AGRICULTURE
/
COMMERCE
” above, between, and below, all presented in a circular border. Above this, in an arc, is “
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
”, while to the left and right is “
STATE OF TENNESSEE
”. The body of the document is dominated by a financial obligation, which instructs the viewer (in part) to “
Know all Men by These Presents, That the State of Tennessee acknowledges to owe to _________________, or order, ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, lawful money of the Confederate States, which sum the said State promises to pay
…
with interest, at the rate of Eight per cent. per annum
…”. It further states that “…
For the performance of all
…
the faith of the State of Tennessee is hereby irrevocably pledged, as this Bond is issued in pursuance and under the provisions of an Act
…
entitled “An Act to Provide for the Payment of the War Tax.”
”. The final paragraph guarantees that “…
In Witness Whereof, I, ISHAM G. HARRIS, Governor of said State, have hereunto signed my name, and caused the same to be countersigned by the Secretary of said State, and the Great Seal of said State to be hereto affixed, at
Memphis
, this 1
st
day of April, 1862.
”. This is followed by the signatures of “
J E R Ray
” and “
Isham G Harris
” in their capacities as “
Secretary of State
” and “
Governor
”, respectively, separated by the head of a dog (this was to indicate the fidelity and safety of your investment). The denomination appears in the upper corners, as well as a dark red overprint atop the financial statement. All of the above material is enclosed in a decorative border, neatly separating it from the 5 remaining interest coupons. Each coupon is valued at “…
FORTY DOLLARS
…” and bears a short financial statement, as well as the signature of “
J T Dunlap
” in his capacity as “
Comptroller
”. The back of the bond, as with many documents of this type, bore no design or printed material on the back. The bond was printed on bright yellow paper by “
Saunders, Clark & Norton, print., 15 Madison Street, Memphis
”, as evidenced by their imprint at the lower left and right of center on the front. An interesting document, less frequently encountered than the pieces issued from Nashville. Would look great framed with a period portrait of Governor Harris.
Isham Green Harris
was born on February 10, 1818 in Franklin County, Tennessee, and was educated at Carrick University until he was fourteen, after which he became a store clerk in Paris, Tennessee. In 1838 he moved to Ripley, Mississippi and opened his own business. In early 1841, Harris returned to Paris and was admitted to the bar in Henry County, becoming one of the leading criminal attorneys in the state. He was elected to the Tennessee Senate in 1847, serving until 1849, after which he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, serving from March 4, 1849 through March 3, 1853. He was elected governor of Tennessee on November 3, 1857, replacing Governor Andrew Johnson, who would subsequently serve as the Union military governor from March, 1862. The principal event of his term was the state’s June 8, 1861 vote in favor of the Ordinance of Secession (an earlier vote had rejected secession), though Harris had begun organizing and raising troops for the Southern cause since May, 1861. The Union Army invaded the state in November, 1861 and captured Nashville by February of the following year, forcing Harris and the state legislature to relocate to Memphis. Following the fall of that city, Harris joined the staff of General Albert Sidney Johnston. On April 6, 1862, during the fighting at Shiloh, Harris came upon a severely wounded General Johnston and attempted to render aid, though this proved futile and Johnston died. Throughout the remainder of the war, Harris served on the staffs of several Confederate generals, though he was still recognized as the governor by the Confederacy (Andrew Johnson was appointed military governor by Abraham Lincoln in March, 1862). In 1863, Robert L. Carruthers was elected governor to replace Harris, though he never took office. At the close of the war, an arrest warrant was issued for Harris on the count of treason, causing Harris to flee to Mexico, where he joined others in supporting Emperor Maximilian. After the emperor’s fall in 1867, Harris was again forced to flee, this time to England, though later that year, he returned to Memphis, Tennessee (the warrant had been rescinded), where he practiced law. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1877, serving from March 4, 1877 through July 8, 1897 (he was President Pro Tempore from March 22, 1893 until January 7, 1895 and from January 10, 1895 through March 3, 1895). Isham Green Harris died on January 8, 1897 in Washington, D.C. and was subsequently buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee.
The presently offered bond exhibits signs of significant period use, followed by many years of less than ideal storage. Toning is noted across the entire surface, somewhat more pronounced on the blank back and along the storage folds. Numerous darker stains are scattered throughout the piece, several of which are relatively large and somewhat distracting to the overall eye-appeal of the document. As with most large documents of the era, this piece exhibits numerous storage folds, many of which have led to separations in the paper, especially at the edges and along the junctures of these folds (some of these have been strengthened with tape, the remainder could be as well, if desired). The corners exhibit minor damage, with some small tears along the edges (both of these issues could be easily hidden if this piece was matted and framed). The contrast is average, with some areas being light due to lack of ink at the time of printing, though the manuscript additions are fully legible (the red overprint at the center adds a nice bit of color to the overall appearance). Measuring approximately 14 x 14¾ inches, this piece would make a nice addition to any Civil War autograph or state bond collection. Much less frequently encountered than the larger Nashville issue.
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If you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before purchasing.
Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2
nd
Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.
American Coins and Collectibles
Shreveport, LA