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JOHN S. SKINNER, Autographed Letter and Signature

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Autographs

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Scarce John S. Skinner Written Letter

JOHN S. SKINNER, Postmaster of Baltimore and Editor of the "American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine".
Autographed Letter and Integral Signed, "J S Skinner" one page on the integral in upper right corner in brown ink, Very Fine. The letter itself measures 9.6" x 7.75", and the signature measures 2". Dated from Baltimore on July 15, 1834, the letter was written in brown ink on lined paper by Gideon B. Smith for J. S. Skinner. There is one absence on the document's left side that is the result of its initial opening and breaking of the red wax seal. This opening in no way interferes with the text. With usual fold marks, as is custom for an integral, some remnants of the seal still remain. The integral also boasts a faint "Baltimore, MD" postmaster stamp in red ink. The letter has some chipping along the document's left side, and has begun to tear slightly as the creases. The content of the letter refers to collecting accounts for the "American Turf Register", a monthly periodical that Skinner himself started in August of 1829. A scarce letter with a rare signature!

John S. Skinner, (1788-1851), lived an extraordinary life. Skinner had a notable time during the War of 1812. He was known as the "Paul Revere" of this war, and seeing as how he was the first to announce the approach of the British to Washington, after riding 90 miles in the night, one can see why the name fits. Skinner also has kept extremely famous company. He was with Francis Scott Key on the famed ship where Key was inspired to write "The Star Spangled Banner." And, General Lafayette stayed at Skinner's home during his visit to the U.S. in 1824. Lafayette later selected Mr. Skinner as agent to manage the 20,000-acre grant of land that had been voted Lafayette by Congress. Skinner was also the Postmaster of Baltimore from 1816-39, but his most famous contributions relate to agriculture. In 1819, Skinner established "The American Farmer", which was the first agricultural journal in the country. Continuing in this tradition, in 1829, he established the "American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine", the "Farmer's Library and Monthly Journal of Agriculture," as well as the "Plough, the Loom, and the Anvil". These periodicals gave a new stimulus to agricultural pursuits, and added to the general popularity of outdoor sports. He died in Baltimore on March 21, 1851.

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