MEXICAN AMERICAN WAR BANKER B&O RAILROAD FINANCIER JOSIAH LEE LETTER SIGNED 1846
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:78810 | Modified Item: No |
| Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
JOSIAHLEE(1799 –1852)EARLY AMERICANBALTIMORE BANKER and STOCK SECURITIES BROKER – PRESIDENT OF JOSIAH LEE &Co. BANKERS, FINANCIEROF THE B&O RAILROAD, MEXICANAMERICAN WAR BOND DISTRIBUTOR FOR CORCORAN & RIGGS BANK HELPING TO FINANCETHE WAR, DESCENDANTOF THE VIRGINIA LEES WHO SETTLED IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND&COLLECTORand CONNOISSEUR OF FINE SPIRITS – INVENTOR OF THE RECIPE FOR NOYAU BRANDYLIQUER – HIS FAMOUS WINE CELLAR WAS AUCTIONED OFF AFTER HIS DEATHA parcel of Tho...masJefferson Madeira was found amongst the wines of noted Baltimore collectorJosiah Lee. Lee’s cellar was described as the “largest private collection of rare and costly old wines.” There was but one lot listed as “1 demijohn, 3gallons, choice Old Jefferson Madeira”. The sparse details yield no clues tohow Josiah Lee acquired the wine. This demijohn was purchased by Colonel JohnEdgar Howard after Josiah Lee’s death and remained in the family into the1880s. .HERE’S ANAUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY LEE ON THE INTEGRAL LEAF OF A STAMPLESS FOLDEDLETTER, 1p., DATED AT BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, FEB. 14, 1846 TO ELIAS BEATTY, CASHIER OF THE HAGERSTOWN BANK RESHARES OF SECURITIES. A NOTE AT THE BOTTOM WRITTEN IN ANOTHER HAND READS, INPART, “…I WILL ENDEAVOR HEREAFTER TO CORNER AT PAR…”TheAddress leaf bears a light blue BALTIMORE Md. CDS postmark, and oval 5 cent postoffice handstamp.The document measures 8” x 10” and isin very fine condition for its advanced age.<<>::<>>JOSIAH LEE – THE COLLECTOR OF SPIRITSThe recipe for the brandy, Noyau, is credited to “Josiah Lee, ” a prominentBaltimore banker and a financier of the B&O railroad.Creme de Noyaux, a liqueur once made from apricot and cherry pits andcolored red with cochineal. Nowadays, like so many flavored brandies, Noyauxhas been reduced to a pale memory propped up by an artificially flavored andcolored approximation.This Nayau recipe, and other of Lee’s cocktail recipes were published in, “Recipes Old and New” compiled by Mrs. Charles Marshall (née Sarah Rebecca Snowden), wife of Robert E. Lee’s military secretary. (CharlesMarshall had drafted Lee’s terms of acceptance of surrender at Appomattox.)The Confederate Relief Bazaars aimed to raise money to assist with the economicfallout following the Civil War, and Recipes Old and New was published to aidin the raising of money for relief. Josiah apparently appreciated fine spirits. Upon his death, his cellar of Madeira was auctioned off and “many Washington cellars werereplenished” by this bounty. It is said that some of his wines were over 125years old at the time. “Recipes Old and New, ” also features his formula for Mint Julep, Apple Toddy, and Brandy Peaches. It is likely that these recipes made it to Mrs. Marshall through JosiahLee’s daughter Mary Catherine Lee, who was married to a relative of Mrs.Marshall’s on the Snowden side of her family. Maryland history buffs willrecognize the Snowden name from several Maryland estates and landmarks, andanother hero to the Confederates, Richard Snowden Andrews. JosiahLee Birth 1799 Death 1852 (aged 52–53) USA Burial Green Mount Cemetery Baltimore, Baltimore City, Maryland, USA I am a proud member of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club(UACC), The Ephemera Society of America, the Manuscript Society and theAmerican Political Items Collectors (APIC) (member name: John Lissandrello). Isubscribe to each organizations' code of ethics and authenticity is guaranteed.~Providing quality service and historical memorabilia online for over 20years.~
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WE ONLY SELL GENUINE ITEMS, i.e., NO REPRODUCTIONS, FAKES OR COPIES!
