William Mahone Signed Railroad Stock Certificate — Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio, 1871

Original Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Rail Road Company stock certificate, No. 190, issued to A. A. Cowdery for one share on December 5, 1871. Signed in ink by William Mahone as president and countersigned by James E. Cuthbert as treasurer.

A Confederate major general remembered for his role at the Battle of the Crater, Mahone became an influential figure in Virginia’s railroad development and later served in the United States Senate. His Atlantic, Mississippi & Ohio Railroad became a predecessor of the Norfolk & Western.

Engraved by the Continental Bank Note Company of New York, this colorful certificate features an elaborate green border, a steam locomotive traveling through a mountainous landscape, Virginia’s state arms, and an orange 25-cent imprinted federal revenue. The reverse includes an engraved bridge scene, issue details, and a completed manuscript transfer endorsement.

Condition: Folded, with wear along the folds, scattered toning and staining, and small edge tears and splits. Strong decorative detail remains throughout. Mahone’s signature is clearly visible and unaffected by punch cancellation.

An attractive connection between Civil War history, Reconstruction-era Virginia, and nineteenth-century American railroading.