1817 Letter James Demint Estate Springfield Ohio Founder James B Ray Indiana Gov

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1817 Letter James Demint Estate Springfield Ohio Founder James B Ray Indiana Gov:
$450.35

1817 Manuscript Letter — Estate of James Demint, Founder of Springfield, Ohio — Addressed to James B. Ray, Future Governor of Indiana

Offered here is an original, handwritten manuscript letter dated Springfield [Ohio], 16 May 1817 — a remarkable contemporary legal document connected directly to the founding family and founding land of Springfield, Ohio, and addressed to a man who would become Governor of Indiana. This is an authentic period document, not a reproduction.

The Document

The folded letter (written on one leaf, with an integral address panel on the reverse, in the manner of pre-envelope “stampless” letters) is addressed to “James B. Ray Esq., Cincinnati.” It concerns a debt and judgment that had been recovered against the estate of James Demint, deceased, by Mr. John Brown (described as Ray’s uncle) in the Court of Common Pleas of Hamilton County. The writer, signing as “one of the admrs” (one of the administrators of the estate), informs Ray that the sale of Demint’s personal property was insufficient to cover the estate’s debts, and that:

“...an order was had at the last April term for Champaign, to sell so much of the real estate as would cover the deficiency. The sale will take place about the first of July, and will be advertised in the Cincinnati papers.”

The reverse bears period docketing and a stampless address panel reading “To The Heirs of James Demint, deceased — Champaign County — Springfield, Ohio,” with manuscript postal notations.

Why This Letter Matters Historically

James Demint (c. 1759–c. 1817) is recognized as the founder of Springfield, Ohio. A Virginian who came west from Cincinnati in 1799, he purchased a large tract (a mile-square / ~640 acres) from John Cleves Symmes along Buck Creek (Lagonda), and in 1801 laid out the original plat of the town that became Springfield. This letter is a live legal record from the town’s formative years, documenting the moment when the founder’s estate — including real estate tied to his original Springfield holdings — was being administered and partly sold by court order to satisfy creditors. Notably, because the sale order was made at the “April term for Champaign,” the document captures the period before Clark County was created (March 1, 1818), when Springfield still lay within Champaign County jurisdiction. It is a genuine artifact of the legal and financial transition of the founder’s land, not a later commemorative account.

The Recipient — A Future Governor

“James B. Ray” is James Brown Ray (1794–1848), who studied law in Cincinnati (admitted to the bar in 1816), moved to Brookville, Indiana in 1818, and went on to serve as the 4th Governor of Indiana (1825–1831). In May 1817 he was a young Cincinnati attorney — exactly the figure to whom such an estate-and-debt letter would be addressed. (Ray’s mother was Phebe Ann Brown Ray, consistent with the letter’s reference to a creditor uncle named John Brown.) A document addressed to a future state governor early in his legal career adds significant collector interest.

The Signature

The letter is signed by one of the estate’s administrators. The autograph reads as “Zephaniah Platt” (the final flourish can make it appear as “Platts”); early Springfield/Clark County histories record a Zepheniah Platt among the area’s early attorneys and officers, which fits the time and place, though a surviving probate appointment specifically naming him as a Demint administrator has not been located. The identification is offered as probable. Buyers are encouraged to examine the photos and draw their own conclusions.

A research/historical note summarizing the document, its transcription, and the people named accompanies the letter.

Condition

Original manuscript on laid/wove period paper, written in iron-gall ink, fully legible. Expected age toning, scattered foxing/staining, and mailing folds. There is edge loss and chipping along the left margin and top edge, with several holes (from the original folding/sealing and handling), and remnants of a red wax seal. The damage affects margins and some blank areas; the body text and signature remain clearly readable. Please review all photos carefully, as they form part of the description and condition report.

Authenticity Guaranteed authentic original 1817 manuscript document Date / Place Springfield, Ohio — May 16, 1817 Shipping FREE shipping — carefully packaged flat between rigid boards