Colonial America
Colonial "Stamp Act" and Taxation Booklet "A Defence of the New England Charters." (1765) by Jeremiah Dummer
(1765) Colonial Period, Important Booklet titled, "A Defence of the New England Charters.", by Jer. Dummer, London: Printed for J. Almon in Piccadilly, with Bookplate Engraved by Nathaniel Hurd, Boston, Choice Very Fine.
This historic 88-page Imprint is printed during a time of increasing tension and distress in Colonial American in the wake of the "Stamp Act" and Taxation imposed by Britain. Titled, "A Defence of the New-England Charters," by Jeremiah Dummer, has no printed date, but is know to be "1765", with that date both noted in pencil and imprinted in gold by Harvard University embossed on spine. It contains 88 pages, is complete, measuring 5" x 8", rebound in Hardcover with a "Harvard University Library" embossed in its lower left outside corner. It is well printed and very clean throughout, having not major detractions. It has been stamped internally by Harvard as being Gifted in 1818, also stamped on the lower left bookplate corner as officially being "released." It has Israel Thorndike's personal printed Bookplate, engraved by Nathaniel Hurd, Boston, on the inside cover of this 1818 gift to Harvard from Israel Thorndike, then later deaccessioned and released. (See stamp on bookplate.)



This Imprint is said to be, "An incredibly important work that argues on behalf of the New England colonies." It was first published in 1721 and also during the Revolutionary War. This example was published in-between. It is an argument against a proposed bill to annul the Charters. New England at that time consisted of Mass Bay and the provinces of Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Its author, Jeremiah Dummer was born in 1681 and died in 1739. His grandfather was one of the very first families to settle in New England. His father was the famous Colonial Silversmith Jeremiah Dummer, Senior. The Dummer who wrote this Pamphlet graduated from Harvard in 1699 and received a doctorate from University of Utrecht in 1703. He was an "Agent for the Province of Massachusetts Bay" from 1710 to 1721 and after that an "Agent for Connecticut". The towns of Dummer, New Hampshire and Dummerston, Vermont, plus the Governor Dummer Academy, are all named after him.
Israel Thorndike (1755 - 1832). He was a Federalist and businessman who made a fortune beginning with his adventures in the China Trade. He was worth up to 1.8 million dollars when he died and when this money is adjusted for inflation he is (or was) considered one of the richest men of all time. He wielded a lot of political power, and the term "Gerrymandering" was invented in his mansion in Boston where the famous "Salamander" Map was made.