Lot
2738 
Liberia, 1840-1866 Benjamin Coates Correspondence, fascinating group of 15 letters from or concerning Liberia and the colonization movement; five 1850-66 letters from Monrovia (two folded letters posted in the U.S.) including 1850 folded letter from J.N. Lewis concerning general business affairs, 1857 folded letter sent through England from E.W. Blyden requesting paper to print his pamphlet "An Apology for the African Race", lengthy 1849 8-page letter from President J.J. Roberts regarding trip to Europe and visiting various governments seeking recognition for Liberia, upon return he was successful in removing slave traders from several towns, mentions Henry Clay return to U.S. Senate, 1850 3-page letter from Presdent J.J. Roberts curious about Clay's compromise bill and the result of California's application for statehood, comments on U.S. slavery issue with note written by Coate in margin to bring this to the attention of Mrs. (Harriet Beecher) Stowe, and a 1866 4-page letter from former President Roberts commenting on American newspaper accounts of Civil War Reconstruction, negro sufferage, etc., 10 other 1840-50 folded letters posted in the U.S. regarding Liberian matters including many letter from members of government concerning the slave trade, booking return trip to Liberia, etc., from persons including W. McLain, G. Wilkeson, Rev. R.R. Gurley, Rev I.W. Roberts, etc., F.-V.F. overall, a marvelous historical group for the Liberian specialist. Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
Benjamin Coates (1808-1887) was among a certain group of Philadelphia Quakers to become deeply involved in philanthropy, particularly those efforts dealing with abolition and education. He was a member of several organizations, including the Friends Freedmen, the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, the Union Benevolent Association, the Institute for Colored Youth and others. The philosophical inclinations of Benjamin Coates were shaped in part by the abolitionist networks of his day. Coates was convinced that a new colony in West Africa, populated by black Americans, was the best strategy for ending slavery and giving African Americans a positive fresh start. In this regard, Coates was involved with the American Colonization Society, an organization which established the colony of Liberia to resettle free black Americans in West Africa Coates forged an alliance with African American Joseph Jenkins Roberts, who emigrated to Liberia in 1829, and became a symbol of the personal, financial, and economic opportunities that could be had in Africa.
Coates propounded the abolition of slavery as the catalyst for worldwide change, viewing slavery as a problem that plagued his religious community, his business relationships, his country's political system, the world economy and his Quaker conscience. Benjamin Coates was the author of "Cotton Cultivation in Africa, Suggestions on the Importance of the Cultivation of Cotton in Africa, in Reference to the Abolition of Slavery in the United States…" in 1858.
Realized: $3,750
Lot
2739
Liberia, 1843-53 Walter Lowrie, Mission House Correspondence, group of 13 folded letters to Walter Lowrie, secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Commissioners for foreign missions; from various missionaries and towns including 1844 teacher W. Mc Donogh in King Wills Town, 1843 Catherine Sawyer in Settra Kroo regarding the death of her husband Rev. Sawyer, 1846 W. Mc Donogh in Monrovia regarding a school in Grand Cess, 1847 & 1850 H.W. Ellis in Monrovia, 1845 Rev. James Eden in Monrovia, 1845 James Priest on King Wills Town, etc., much fascinating content regarding missionary life, also two 1846 letters from the U.S. regarding missionary work; most entering the mails in New York or handcarried, F.-V.F. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
Realized: $800
Lot
2740
Liberia, Greenville, Sinoe, Ap 9/ 51, dateline on folded letter from James M. Preist to Mission House in New York City, enter the mails in New York with "6" in circle rate handstamp, letter regarding the building of a court house, second part of letter dated April 16th regarding…The small pocks (sic) is in our town. The emigrants from Louisiana brought out with them about fifity odd had it on the way and some are now down with it; file folds, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $160
Lot
2741
Liberia, Greenville, Sinoe, January 1/52, dateline on folded letter from James M. Preist to Mission House in New York City, "Baltimore, Md., Mar 3" entry cds with matching straight line "Ship" and "7" rate handstamps, letter regarding the…"build up the new settlement called Lexington", mentions schools in Lexington and Rossville and to send of books, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
James M. Priest (died May 16, 1883) was Vice-President of Liberia from 1864 to 1868 under President Daniel Bashiel Warner. He was born a slave in the U.S. state of Kentucky.Prior to the death of slaveowner Jane Anderson Meaux, she educated and freed Priest and sent him to Liberia to evaluate the situation of former slaves living in Liberia. He returned to the U.S. and received more education and became a Presbyterian missionary. In 1843, he emigrated to Liberia under the auspices of the American Colonization Society.
Realized: $270
Lot
2742
Liberia, King Wills, December 11th, 1844, dateline on one page letter from W.W. McDonogh to New York, entered the mails with blue "Philadelphia, Pa., Mar 13" cds and matching straight line "Ship" handstamp with manuscript "14½" rate, letter regarding returned to King Wills with Mrs. Preist but have not comerce keeping school due to the lack of provisions, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Missionary Washington W. McDonogh was a black teacher in Settra Kroo.
Realized: $240
Lot
2743
Liberia, Monrovia, November, 7th, 1839, "dateline on three page letter from Vice Governor Joseph J. Roberts to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, entered the mails with red "Norfolk, Va., Jan 16" cds with matching straight line "Ship" and manuscript "20¾" rate, letter written after his return from America and sent back on the same ship he returned on ("per Saluda")…I am again on terifirma "In the land of free and the home of the oppressed", writes about being badly treat in America, boast of Governer Buchanan and his plans for the colony; file folds, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $300 - 400.
Joseph Jenkins Roberts was the first and seventh President of Liberia (1848-1856) and (1872?1876). Born free in Norfolk, Virginia, he emigrated to Liberia in 1829, opened a trading store in Monrovia and later engaged in politics. When Liberia became independent in 1847, Roberts was elected the first president, serving until 1856. In 1872 he was elected again to serve as Liberia's seventh president.
Realized: $525
Lot
2744
Liberia, Monrovia July 2nd, 1843, dateline on two-page letter to New York City, entered the mail s in New York with manuscript "6" rate, with manuscript "pr Br. Wm. Jamison/Cp. Brown ship endorsement", letter from Dr. James Day regarding difficulties with the ship captains Brown and Lawlin, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Dr. James Lawrence Day from Morristown, New Jersey became physician for the American Colonization Society to Liberia in 1840. Dr. Day spent three years in Liberia, 1840-1843, aiding in the welfare and success of the colony. In 1843 he served as the United States Agent to the West Coast of Africa.
Lot
2745
Liberia, Monrovia, February 8th, 1847, lengthy 2½ page letter from President J.J. Roberts to Benjamin Coates to Philadelphia, Pa., entering the U.S. mails with blue "Baltimore, Md., Apr 7" cds with matching straight line "Ship" and "12" rate handstamps, manuscript "Barque Liberian Packet, Capt Goodmanson" endorsement, letter with fascinating content concerning Robert's views on race relations in the U.S.…I am becoming, air, more and more convinced of the impracticality of obtaining for the people of color in the United States equal rights. and…The two races…cannot, as forming one community, live together in peace and on terms of equality; some splitting along folds, otherwise Very Fine. Estimate $500 - 750.
Realized: $900
Lot
2746
Liberia, Monrovia Liberia, April 6th, 1848, dateline on folded letter to New York City, entered the mails with red "Providence, R.I., May 24" cds and matching "Ship" handstamp, manuscript "7" due rate, missionary letter mentioning the arrival of the Amazon on April 1846; splitting along file folds, F.-V.F. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $115
Lot
2747
Liberia, Monrovia, Department of State, March 9, 1857, dateline on folded letter from Robert Hill to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, manuscript "40" and "via England" routing endorsement, Plymouth transit backstamp and entered the U.S. mails with "Philadelphia, Br. Pkt, Oct 23" cds and matching "45" rate handstamp, letter summoning Coates at the direction of the President to meet in an extra session of the legislature to Monrovia, Very Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $350