1795, Robert Morris, Declaration Signer, RARE, Land Company Cert., Dr. Edwards

Description

This is an original document dated 1795, Robert Morris signs North American Land Company shareholder's certificate three years before debtor's prison 1pp partly printed and partly handwritten North American Land Company stock certificate no. 1292 granting one share to Dr. Enoch Edwards. Signed in Philadelphia on April 18, 1795 by company president Robert Morris as "Robt Morris" and secretary James Marshall as "James Marshall" along bottom edge. Shaped left edge , elaborate script along left edge, minor wrinkles at upper left corner, slight ink burn in Morris signature, else in overall very good condition..
Founded on February 20, 1795 by Robert Morris (1734-1806), John Nicholson (1757-1800), and James Greenleaf (1765-1843), the North American Land Company sold real estate stock shares corresponding to six million acres in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia. Initially, shares cost 0 and represented 200 acres each, which meant that our shareholder Dr. Enoch Edwards had invested about 0 in 800 acres the first day shares became available -- February 20, 1795. The investment seemed sound, as the company promised a dividend of or more annually. It is unknown if Dr. Enoch Edwards ever recouped his investment when the company collapsed and all three business founders were imprisoned.
Robert Morris was born in Liverpool, England but emigrated to the colonies as a teenager. Morris showed considerable business acumen at a young age, becoming a full business partner at a mercantile firm at age 24. Morris made an early fortune in the thriving import and export trade from and to the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East, and India. Morris served as a Pennsylvania delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775, and he was one of nine Pennsylvania delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Morris was a significant financier of the Revolutionary war effort, donating incredible sums of money to pay Washington's troops during a time when American currency still had no value. In later life, Morris's war overspending, as well as several dubious real estate schemes like the North American Land Company, eventually led to his bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt. The Bankruptcy Act of 1800 paved the way for Morris's release.
North American Land Company secretary James Marshall (1764-1848) was Morris's business associate and son-in-law; he was also the younger brother of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall (1755-1835).
Shareholder Dr. Enoch Edwards (1751-1802) was a Philadelphia Patriot and surgeon with personal and business ties to prominent Revolutionary War era figures such as George Washington (1732-1799), Thomas Jefferson (1843-1826), and James Monroe (1758-1831).
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