Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
William Samuel Johnson Letter |
Object Name |
Letter |
Creator |
Johnson, William Samuel |
Dates of Creation |
11/02/1767 |
Scope & Content |
Handwritten letter from William Samuel Johnson to Mrs. Robinson regarding her husband's death in London from smallpox; dated London, November 2, 1767. Double sided; black ink on tan paper. Framed. |
Information |
In November of 1766 a petition was signed by over 1000 settlers of the New Hampshire Grants for relief against the government of New York. Samuel Robinson, the leader of the settlers of Bennington, was selected to travel to London and present the case for those living in the New Hampshire Grants. Arriving in England in early 1767, Robinson toiled through aristocratic prejudices to garner support for the rights of those he represented. He made significant headway in that a royal decree ordered the governor of New York to cease issuing grants in the contested area. Despite his progress, Robinson did not have a chance to complete his mission; as this letter shows he died in October of 1767 of smallpox while preparing to return home. Robinson’s mission to England was only the beginning of the conflict between New Yorkers and the settlers of the Grants. |
Related People |
Robinson, Marcy Leonard Robinson, Samuel (1705-1767) |
Credit line |
Bequest of Mr. Hall Park McCullough |
Catalog Number |
A905 |