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Samuel Huntington Autographs Signer Declaration

Samuel Huntington Autographs (Signer of the Declaration of Independence & 1St President of Continental Congress & the U.S.) on a State of Connecticut Pay Voucher Samuel Huntington, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born in Connecticut on 1732, and died in 1796. In January 1776, he entered the Continental Congress, of which he was president in 1779 - 1781, during which the Articles of Confederation were ratified (March 1, 1781). His title as "President of the United States in Congress Assembled" results in him being identified as the actual first president of the United States. He served again in Congress in 1783, and in 1784 became Chief Justice of the superior court in Connecticut. In 1785 he was elected lieutenant governor of the state of Connecticut, and was governor from 1786 until his death. The printed pay voucher (6 x 5") with the date, payee and amount hand written, reads "State of Connecticut, Pay-Table, Office, September 19, 1781, Pay Capt. Selah Norton Nine Pounds, Sixteen Shillings and eight pence out of the Tax of Two Shillings and Six Pence on the pound, granted in May last, exclusive of that part payable in State Bills, and charge the State. Signed by Finn Wadsworth, Committee." According to the records of the U.S. Pension Office, Norton, who was from East Hartford, CT, had turned out as an ensign for eight days during the Lexington (MA) Alarm in 1775. Early in May 1775 he accepted the position of the Clerk and Orderly Sergeant in the Company of Foot in Lt. Col. George Pitkin's regiment and participated in the Siege of Boston. About August 1, 1775, he received word of "dangerous sickness" in his family and went home, leaving as his substitute Aaron Olmstead, who was an officer (this practice was common during the Revolutionary War and there are numerous instances of where officers substituted for privates). Norton returned to the Light Horse division of his regiment, as cornet in New York City. He retreated with the Army under General Washington. Early in 1777, his unit was ordered for duty in Rhode Island and in August 1777, under Captain Joel Loomis and Lt. August Fitch, he marched to oppose British General Burgoyne near Saratoga NY. He went on to become a Lieutenant in January 1778 and Captain in April 1779. In September 1781, as Captain of the Light Horse, he was responsible for escorting for CT Governor Trumbell as he carried a large sum of money to the headquarters of General Washington (the money was to pay troops from the state of Connecticut). Since Norton was to be paid out of the funds he was guarding on the way to Washington's headquarters, he had a special motivation to make sure they arrived safely, which indeed they did, since the pay voucher contained is this lot is a receipt for payment made to him on Sept 19, 1781. Norton went on to act as escort again for payroll funds in march 1782, which was also a successful trip. Huntington has signed across the face of the pay voucher. Excellent condition. Rare.