1804 THOMAS McKEAN SIGNED DOCUMENT SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

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1804 THOMAS McKEAN SIGNED DOCUMENT SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE:
$412.00

Very Rare, original 1804 Pennsylvania Land Grant Document Signed by Thomas McKean - a Signer of the Declaration of Independence (from Delaware), Governor of Pennsylvania and President of the Continental Congress (the 7th "President of the United States" during the American Revolutionary War. .

This historically important, Document is printed on Vellum and measures approx. 20" by 12"". It is dated May 22nd, 1804 and conveys a parcel of land in Donegal, Pennsylvania to one William Connelly. The Document is signed at the upper left hand corner by Thomas Mckean as Governor of Pennsylvania and also signed by Thomas McKean Thompson (nephew of the Governor) as Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Thomas McKean (March 19, 1734 – June 24, 1817) was an American lawyer and politician from New Castle, in New Castle County, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During the American Revolution he was a delegate to the Continental Congress where he signed the United States Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. McKean served as a President of Congress. He was at various times a member of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties. McKean served as President of Delaware, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and Governor of Pennsylvania.

At the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, Thomas McKean and Caesar Rodney represented Delaware. McKean proposed the voting procedure that the Continental Congress later adopted: that each colony, regardless of size or population, have one vote. This decision set the precedent, the Congress of the Articles of Confederation adopted the practice, and the principle of state equality continued in the composition of the United States Senate.

McKean quickly became one of the most influential members of the Stamp Act Congress. He was on the committee that drew the memorial to Parliament, and with John Rutledge and Philip Livingston, revised its proceedings. On the last day of its session, when the business session ended, Timothy Ruggles, the president of the body, and a few other more cautious members, refused to sign the memorial of rights and grievances. McKean arose and addressing the chair insisted that the president give his reasons for his refusal. After refusing at first, Ruggles remarked, "it was against his conscience." McKean then disputed his use of the word "conscience" so loudly and so long that a challenge was given by Ruggles and accepted in the presence of the congress. However, Ruggles left the next morning at daybreak, so that the duel did not take place.

In spite of his primary residence in Philadelphia, McKean remained the effective leader for American Independence in Delaware. Along with George Read and Caesar Rodney, he was one of Delaware's delegates to the First Continental Congress in 1774 and the Second Continental Congress in 1775 and 1776.Being an outspoken advocate of independence, McKean's was a key voice in persuading others to vote for a split with Great Britain. When Congress began debating a resolution of independence in June 1776 Caesar Rodney was absent. George Read was against independence, which meant that the Delaware delegation was split between McKean and Read and therefore could not vote in favor of independence. At McKean's urging Rodney rode all night from Dover to break the tie. After the vote in favor of independence on July 2, McKean participated in the debate over the wording of the official Declaration of Independence, which was approved on July 4.

A few days after McKean cast his vote, he left Congress to serve as colonel in command of the Fourth Battalion of the Pennsylvania Associators, a militia unit created by Benjamin Franklin in 1747. They joined Washington's defense of New York City at Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Being away, he was not available when most of the signers placed their signatures on the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776. Since his signature did not appear on the printed copy that was authenticated on January 17, 1777, it is assumed that he signed after that date, possibly as late as 1781.I

n a conservative reaction against the advocates of American independence, the 1776/77 Delaware General Assembly did not reelect either McKean or Caesar Rodney to the Continental Congress in October 1776. However, the British occupation following the Battle of Brandywine swung opinions enough that McKean was returned to Congress in October 1777 by the 1777-78 Delaware General Assembly. He then served continuously until February 1, 1783. McKean helped draft the Articles of Confederation and voted for their adoption on March 1, 1781.

When poor health caused Samuel Huntington, to resign as President of Congress in July 1781, McKean was elected as his successor. He served from July 10, 1781, until November 4, 1781. The President of Congress was a mostly ceremonial position with no real authority, but the office did require McKean to handle a good deal of correspondence and sign official documents. During his time in office, Lord Cornwallis's British army surrendered at Yorktown, effectively ending the war.

This very rare and original, 1804 Document signed by a Founding Father and Signer of the Declaration of Independence is in excellent condition. The signature of Thomas McKean is bold as are the other manuscript entries. The sheet is intact, sound and without physical damage of any kind - no tears, no edge chipping, no damage or repairs of any kind. The Document is clean and crisp with one horizontal and two vertical creases. Overall the Document is an exceptionally well preserved and we are confident that it will attract the serious attention that it deserves.

This vey rare and important, original1804 Document Signed by Thomas McKean - a Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware - is offered here, as always, without reserve and with the confidence that it will attract the serious interest that it justly deserves!!

Be sure to check out this seller’s other sales for a number of other 19th and 20th century Presidential and Signers of the Declaration of Independence signed Documents being offered for sale this week on !!

Please Note: The signature of Thomas McKean and the Document are unconditionally guaranteed authentic and original and the Signature is unconditionally guaranteed to be in the hand of Governor McKean. The Document and Signature are backed by our “no questions asked” return policy and lifetime guarantee of authenticity. The Signature and Document are unconditionally guaranteed to be deemed authentic by any third party authentication service and the Document will be accompanied by our own Letter of Authenticity with a statement of our unconditional return policy and guarantee of authenticity.

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