Four (4) Presidential land certificates, secretarial signed for James K. Polk, Martin Van Buren, Franklin Pierce, and Millard Fillmore, granting land in Fayette, Missouri to John D. Miller and Wyatt Embry. 1st item: President Millard Fillmore, 13th President of the United States (1850-1853), secretarial-signed land document issued in favor of John D. Miller of Montineau County, Missouri (b. circa 1831) as assignee of "David Gray or Gray private in Captain Hoolden Company Twelfth Regiment United States Infantry" during the Mexican American War. Dated May 8, 1851. With vertical pencil inscription of address to left margin. 2nd item: President James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States (1845-1849), secretarial-signed land document issued in favor of John D. Miller, dated July 1, 1848. Certificate #25338. 3rd item: President Franklin Pierce, 14th President of the United States (1853-1857), secretarial-signed land document issued in favor of John D. Miller, dated March 10, 1854. Certificate #29834. 4th item: President Martin Van Buren, 8th President of the United States (1837-1841), secretarial-signed land document issued in favor of Wyatt Embry of Morgan County, Missouri, dated January 10, 1840. Certificate #10937. All items with the US Land Grant Office seal lower left. All items housed and matted under plexiglass in wooden frames. Sights: 9 1/2" H x 14 7/8" W. Frames: 16 1/2" H x 22 1/4" W. Provenance: From the collection of Patsey Field Harney Madden, a direct descendent of the founding families of Richmond and Madison County in Kentucky, including the families Estill, Miller, Field, Hume, and Burnham. On Patsey's mother's side was Captain James Estill, an original settler of Fort Boonesborough along with Daniel Boone. She was also a direct descendant of Colonel John Miller, who was originally from Richmond, VA and a Revolutionary War veteran. During the late 1700s, he donated the land where present-day Richmond, Kentucky is now seated, and began his family. The Miller and Estill families were eventually joined in marriage. The items from this collection descended in the family, and resided in the historic Miller Manor in Richmond, KY. It was constructed in 1862 by Robert Miller, grandson of Col. John Miller and great-great-grandfather to Patsey.

See description for provenance information.

All items not examined outside of frames. 1st item: Creasing throughout with some corresponding lifting; minor toning. Foxing spots throughout. Discoloration to upper left corner. 2nd item: Creasing throughout with toning to edges, minor scattered lifting, scattered foxing spots, and minor areas of discoloration lower right quarter, largest measuring 5/8" x 2". Evidence of sketch/inscription en verso. 3rd item: Minor creasing with corresponding toning. Toning to upper and right margin. Errant mark to lower left edge. Foxing spots to edges. 4th item: Slight creasing with corresponding toning. Toning and minute dampstaining to left margin.