Benjamin Harrison TLS to Encyclopedia Editors: "The article under my name is much too laudatory"

>A 1p typed letter signed by former 23rd U.S. President Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901), as "Benj Harrison" at lower right. Harrison has also struck through a word on the eleventh line and handwritten the word "might." Written in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 24, 1899 on personal letterhead reading "Benjamin Harrison, / 1214 North Delaware Street, / Indianapolis, Ind." at the top. Toned with isolated edge darkening and a few minor discolored spots found in the margins. Expected flattened paper folds and a few extra wrinkles, else very good to near fine. 7.875" x 10.625."

Harrison wrote this letter to the editors of D. Appleton & Company, a New York-based publishing company established in 1825. D. Appleton editors had forwarded Harrison the proposed draft of his biographical entry as it would appear in the latest edition of "Cyclopædia of American Biography."

Harrison wrote in part: "I have received your letters and have hastily gone over the slips from your Cyclopedia [sic] of American Biography, which you have sent me for revision. The article under my name is much too laudatory, but I do not feel like undertaking the task of reducing it. I have marked on the sheet one or two changes and have added a little slip containing two items that perhaps might as well be included. I have had frequent occasion to refer to your Cyclopedia [sic] and have found it of great value…"

Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of 9th U.S. President William Henry Harrison. The younger Harrison served during the Civil War, seeing action in Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, and eventually reaching the rank of brevet brigadier general of volunteers in the Union Army. After the war, Harrison became increasingly interested in state politics. He transitioned into the national political arena as a U.S. Senator in the 1880s. Harrison served as president from 1889 to 1893.

D. Appleton & Company's "Cyclopædia of American Biography" was a six-volume encyclopedic set first published from 1887 to 1889, and containing biographical entries of 20,000 important American figures. A seventh volume, comprised of an appendix and supplements, was published in 1901, the year after the publisher declared bankruptcy.

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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