To
William S. Stokley
24 June 1876 • Elmira, N.Y.
(Paraphase: American Art Association catalog,
16 April 1925, lot 28, UCCL 11919)
The third letter accepts an invitation from the Hon. W. S. Stokley to be present at Independence Hall July 1st, and is dated, Elmira, N. Y. June 24, no year.1 [Signed, “Samuel L. Clemens.”]
Explanatory Notes | Textual Commentary
This letter, one of a lot of three offered for sale, survivies only as reported in this brief paraphrase.
Stokley, in the second of his three consecutive terms (1872–81) as Republican
mayor of Philadelphia, was prominent in the city’s centennial celebrations, for which he was given temporary custody of
the Declaration of Independence for display in Independence Hall (Mayors 2005;
“Celebrations in Philadelphia,” New York Times, 2 July 1876, 2; Declaration of Independence [Travels] 2005; Declaration of Independence [History] 2005).
Source text(s):Previous publication:
MicroPUL, reel 1.
Provenance:
Collection of “the late William F. Gable,” offered for sale by the American Art Association in 1925.
Emendations and textual notes:
Signed, “Samuel L. Clemens.” • Three Autograph Letters Signed, ‘Samuel L. Clemens,’ ‘S. L. Clemens,’ and ‘Mark.’ [the other two letters in the lot are signed ‘S. L. Clemens’ (10 Oct 1881 to Ticknor) and ‘Mark’ (20 July 1871 to Fall, L4, 437), so the resent letter must have been signed ‘Samuel L. Clemens.’]
