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Two Hundred Years Before President Barack Obama

CHESWILL, WENTWORTH. (1746-1817). The first African American elected to public office and New Hampshire’s first archeologist. ADS. (“Wentworth Cheswill, Jus. Peace”). 1p., Tall 4to. Rockingham, July 31, 1813. In an elegant hand, Cheswill writes:

Pursuant to an Act or Law of said State Passed December 16th 1796, Walter Smith of Newmarket in the County of Rockingham Trader and Joseph Durgin Junr. of Durham in the County of Strafford Yeoman having diverse Controversies between them under the Value of two hundred Dollars; have this day applied to me, and agreed, and entered into a Rule, to submit the same (being all demands between them) to the determination of Nathaniel Kidder Esq, Valentine Smith, Esq. and Mr. Benjamin Loveren, the Report of whom or any two of whom made to me and accepted, Judgment thereon to be final—and if either party neglect or refuse to attend the hearing, after being duly notified, the Referees are to proceed Ex parte. Nathaniel Kidder Esqr is appointed Chairman, to notify Time and place of hearing…

 
Beneath Cheswill’s writing is a related ADS signed by Valentine Smith, who adds:

Pursuant to this Rule the undersigned, referees therein named, have met and fully hears the parties; have agreed, and do hereby report that the above named Joseph Durgin Junr. recover against the above named Walter Smith the sum of two dollars and sixty three cents debt or damage and cost of Rule, Cost of Reference being paid [also signed] Nathl Kidder [and] Benja Loveren

 
At about the same time his more famous contemporary, Paul Revere, was selected to serve as a messenger for the Boston Committee of Safety in 1773, the Exeter Committee picked a local schoolmaster, Wentworth Cheswill, for the same role. In this capacity, he was charged with bringing news to and from the Provincial Committee. In December 1774 Revere warned the town of Portsmouth of the approaching British warships. In preparation, Portsmouth requested help from neighboring towns and Cheswill rode to Exeter to receive instructions about where to send the local volunteers. The following April, Cheswill, like Revere, left Boston in the dead of night to warn Exeter of the impending British invasion. Following the war, Cheswill was elected to Newmarket’s school board, helped establish that town’s library, served as local historian and field archeologist, and was elected justice of the peace, the first public office held by an African-American, which he held onto from 1805 until his death and in which capacity he signed our document. In fine condition, with toning along intersecting folds and one vertical fold through a single letter of the signature. Rare! The only example written by the first African-American elected official in the United States we have seen in our 33 year career.

Item #16227

Price: $2,800