1861 Hartford & New Haven RR / O. D. Munn Scientific American Letterhead
$ 23.76
Description
1861 Hartford & New Haven RR / O. D. Munn Scientific American Letterhead. 🕰️ Historical Context 1. Date and Financial Timing This letter is precisely dated May 10, 1861, just one month after the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War (Fort Sumter was attacked April 12, 1861). The notation on the reverse — “Div. Transcription Front page: Office of the Scientific American, No. 37 Park Row. New-York, 10 May 1861 William Bement Esq., Treasurer N.Y. & N.H. R.R. Co., N.Y. City. Sir: Please deliver to the bearer check for my dividend in the N.Y. & N.H. Railroad Company, & oblige. Yours truly, O. D. Munn Reverse side (endorsement): O. D. Munn Div. No. 11 🧾 Document Type This is a dividend payment authorization letter, written on May 10, 1861, from the Office of the Scientific American, New York, and signed by Orson Desaix Munn (O.D. Munn). It authorizes the Treasurer of the New York & New Haven Railroad Company, William Bement, to issue and deliver a dividend check to the bearer on behalf of Munn. 🕰️ Historical Context 1. Date and Financial Timing This letter is precisely dated May 10, 1861, just one month after the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War (Fort Sumter was attacked April 12, 1861). Despite national uncertainty, established northern railroads like the New York & New Haven Railroad continued regular semiannual dividend payments. The notation on the reverse — “Div. No. 11” — identifies this as the 11th semiannual dividend since the company began paying shareholders in the early 1850s. Such dividends were usually declared in May and November, so this document corresponds to the May 1861 distribution. 2. The Sender: O.D. Munn Orson Desaix Munn (1824–1907) was a co-founder and publisher of Scientific American, one of the most influential American periodicals promoting scientific discovery, invention, and industrial progress. By 1861, Munn was a respected figure in both publishing and investment circles, representing a new class of entrepreneurial professionals who invested heavily in railroads and manufacturing ventures. This letter is part of a broader series of Munn’s correspondences (others dated 1862 and 1864 are known) authorizing dividend payments from the same railroad company — indicating his long-term shareholder status. 3. The Recipient: William Bement William Bement served as Treasurer of the New York & New Haven Railroad Company. He regularly received and processed letters from stockholders instructing how and to whom to deliver dividend checks — a common practice before automatic distribution systems existed. His name appears frequently on similar documents from 1860–1867. 4. Letterhead Significance The “Office of the Scientific American, No. 37 Park Row” letterhead is historically significant. Located in Manhattan’s Park Row, this building was part of the “Newspaper Row” district, home to the New York Times, Herald, and Tribune. It symbolizes the intersection of science, media, and commerce during America’s early industrial age. Munn’s use of his publishing office stationery for financial correspondence demonstrates how closely intertwined business, journalism, and investment were at the time. It measures approx. 5" x 6 1/2" **Shipped securely inside a poly sleeve sandwiched in cardboard, inside a rigid mailer via USPS Ground Advantage service w/ tracking** Click HERE to see postcards I have available. Click HERE to see transit and trade tokens I have available. Click HERE to see billheads I have available. Click HERE to see letterheads I have available. For U.S. based orders, the shipping cost for the first purchase is $4.00 and no extra cost for additional similar items such as billheads, letterheads, tickets, patches, post cards, trade cards, stock certificates that can safely be shipped in the same package. I have over 58,000 unique items here on eBay - Click HERE to visit my store & save with combined shipping for multiple buys. For U.S. orders on a PC, use the "add to cart" feature to select multiple items before paying. If the cart does not combine shipping costs, I will refund excess fees as I pack your order the following morning. I have enjoyed buying and selling vintage collectibles for over 40 years. Unless noted otherwise, all items I offer are original and not reproductions. Please review photos for condition issues (if any) as they are part of the description, and contact me with questions before bidding or buying. All items are securely packed and shipped via USPS. Please rely on my 25+ yr. 10,000+ 99.9% feedback rating as a guide to your buying decision. I hope all is well with you and your family — thanks for stopping by! – Jerry
