A very fine 60pp manuscript fragment dating to the 1820’s. Belonging to and in the hand of John Workman, signed, “John Workman his Manuscript.1826” and similar elsewhere. There is a further note that says that “John Workman came to John Storremkeltz for to learn the wagoner trade, July 25, 1825.” It seems he was perhaps an immigrant and working as a Clerk, and working on his handwriting, etc,.
The manuscript contains, in part, holographs of legal documents, including mortgages, leases of farms and lands, indenture for a young apprentice in Pittsburg as a shoemaker, a proxy vote for the bank board of directors of Montgomery County a public auction of goods and chattel, agreement for construction of a home, etc., for Berks County, Shepherd County, Lancaster County, Pittsburg, Allegheny County, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, etc.
Also includes:
*A very interesting deed “By Administrators by order of Orphans Court to Satisfy Debt,” regarding the seizure of lands from an orphan heir to satisfy debt, etc.,
*A fine full sheet fair copy of “Heavenly Union,” a hymn which was modified and used by the abolitionist movement to great effect. It is here noted as being in the “Majer Key on G.”
*An interesting notice of manumission of one Heman R. Hermon by J. Martin Bentley of Warren Township in Turnbull County
Autographs [some original, and some copied] of David Bell, George Herring, John Day, Austin Lawrence, Samuel Smith, William Johnson, J. Workman, Robert Miller, Malcon Clark, David Grundy, Peter Gray, George Ewing, Samuel Wells, Nathan Bryan, Jacob Boyle, Ropert Palm, Gustavus Backe, Philip Good, John Shotwell, Enoch Heys, Erastus Miles, Edward Flint, David Willar, Berney Borrow, Jacob Bear, Peter Power, Simon Seller, George Brown, Benjamin Choice, David Neal, Andrew Lutz, John Swell, John King, John Zimmerman, John Forney, Solomon Frey, John Boy, Samuel Bank, Daniel Irving, David Dunham, George Deahl, Martin Bentley, Robert Roe,
Charming Fraktur and cursive headers throughout, a few sheets of what we assume is Workman’s handwriting practice, including phrases written repeatedly, “In Idleness and play you may squander time away,” “Frugality and Industry are the hands of fortune,” “Get what you get with Honesty and use it frugally,” He is always poor that is never contented,” “He that swims in sin will sink in sorrow,” etc.,
