1772 Colonial Philadelphia Manuscript Signed By Mayor Gibson, Nantucket
$1,795.00
Skip to product information
1772 Colonial Philadelphia Manuscript Signed By Mayor Gibson, Nantucket
$1,795.00
Rare colonial Philadelphia manuscript document dated December 11, 1772 and signed by John Gibson, Mayor of Philadelphia.
This is a highly attractive 1772 Philadelphia mayoral certificate and sworn deposition, signed by John Gibson, Mayor of Philadelphia, concerning the death of a Philadelphia mariner on Nantucket Island.
Identification
The document is dated:
11 December 1772
and begins:
"I John Gibson Esq. Mayor of the City of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania..."
The sworn witness is:
Elias Soien (or Soren), of the Town of Boston, Mariner
who testifies that he personally knew:
William Wallace, son of William Wallace, late of Philadelphia, mariner, deceased,
and states that Wallace:
"departed this Life on the Island of Nantucket"
and that the witness:
"attended his Funeral and saw him decently buried."
The reverse contains a related estate release dated:
11 February 1773
executed by Samuel Baker, administrator of the estate, concerning a legacy of £250 left under the will of William Wallace. The document references Philadelphia probate matters and the executor Joseph Turner, a prominent Philadelphia merchant. The document therefore forms part of the settlement of a colonial-era estate. The signature of Mayor John Gibson is authentic and contemporaneous. Gibson served as Mayor of Philadelphia in 1771–1773.
Historical Importance
This is considerably more interesting than a routine legal paper because it combines:
Colonial Philadelphia government.
A mayoral certification.
Maritime history.
Nantucket death and burial testimony.
Probate and inheritance settlement.
Original Philadelphia mayor's signature.
Pre-Revolutionary War date (1772–1773).
The document also demonstrates how deaths occurring far from home were legally proven before probate courts and estate distributions could proceed.
Condition
Complete manuscript document.
Excellent colonial calligraphy.
Strong John Gibson signature.
Original witness and estate signatures.
Fold wear and age toning typical of the period.
Minor edge wear and seal loss.
Condition is better than average for a 1772 Philadelphia municipal document.
The document records the sworn testimony of a Boston mariner attesting to the death and burial of William Wallace, son of a Philadelphia mariner, on Nantucket Island. The witness states that he personally attended the funeral and saw Wallace buried.
The reverse contains a related 1773 estate and inheritance release concerning a £250 legacy arising from the Wallace estate, providing additional genealogical and probate interest.
Features:
Signed by John Gibson, Mayor of Philadelphia
Dated December 11, 1772
Pre-Revolutionary War American manuscript
Nantucket maritime history
Philadelphia probate and estate settlement
Multiple original signatures
Complete document with text on both sides
An exceptional colonial American legal and maritime document connecting Philadelphia, Boston, and Nantucket only a few years before the American Revolution.
