John Quincy Adams Free Frank, with Bonus ALS from 1st U.S. Patent Superintendent William Thornton!

A postal cover free franked by then U.S. Secretary of State and future 6th U.S. President John Quincy Adams (1767-1848) as "J.Q. Adams" in the postage section at upper right. N.d., but ca. December 21, 1821, based on the date of the original transmittal letter by William Thornton (1759-1828), first Superintendent of the U.S. Patent Office, included with this lot. Bearing a partly illegible hand-stamped postmark from Washington, D.C. The cover is also inscribed in Thornton's hand with "Dept of State -" as well as "Mr: Elisha Hale / Wooster / Wayne County. - / Ohio -." The wrapper is docketed presumably in the hand of the letter recipient, Elisha Hale. Expected folds, some split, and a minor area of loss corresponding to remnants of the red wax seal, else very good to near fine. The cover measures 7.625" x 7.75" unfolded and 5.625" x 3" folded. Thornton's letter is badly split along fold lines, but still clean and legible, 8" x 10.125."

John Quincy Adams free franked this cover in 1821, about halfway through his tenure as 8th U.S. Secretary of State (1817-1825). As Secretary of State, Adams oversaw the U.S. Patent Office, an agency tasked with granting special rights for inventions, and innovations; arbitrating disputes between patentees and other parties; and cataloging and housing original patent models.

This cover and its companion letter were sent to Elisha Hale of Wooster, Ohio by William Thornton, who served as Superintendent of the U.S. Patent Office between 1802-1828. Hale had inquired about whether he could include a caveat on a patent then under application submitted by fellow inventor Horace Howard (1787-1870). In this reply, Thornton wrote in part: "I do not think that Howard's Invention approaches in principle so near to yours, as your Invention approaches in principle to some others that have preceded you. - It would therefore be well to consider this subject maturely, before you proceed in disputing it…"

Horace Howard and Elisha Hale did in fact work together manufacturing water wheels, according to a local history of Wayne County, Ohio by Ben Douglass published in 1878. Did Horace Howard have any idea of the disaffection of his associate? Whatever Hale's reservations, a U.S. patent for a horizontal water wheel was granted solely to Horace Howard five days later, on December 26, 1821.

One Elisha Hale was granted patents for a rotary steam engine on May 20, 1825 and a rotary pump on August 3, 1833: did Hale finally get his own patent?

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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