c1885 John B Henderson Signed Letter ALS to Historian A.B. Hart 13th Amendment For Sale

John B. Henderson Autograph Letter Signed (ALS) to A.B. Hart – 13th Amendment Co-Author – c.1885–1895

Offered here is an original handwritten letter signed by John Brooks Henderson (1826–1913), U.S. Senator from Missouri and co-author of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, addressed to noted Harvard historian Albert (Alfred) Bushnell Hart (1854–1943).

Dated simply “March 14” and written on Henderson’s Washington, D.C. letterhead (16th Street & Florida Avenue), the letter likely dates to the circa 1885–1895 period, when Hart was actively publishing historical “handbooks” and Henderson was engaged in intellectual and political life in Washington.

📜 Transcription

Dear Professor Hart,

Please accept my many thanks for the copy of your handbook.
It will be of very great use to me in several ways.
We have been looking for you to appear in Washington for some time.
I hope you have not given up your contemplated trip.

With renewed thanks, believe me,

Very sincerely yours,
John B. Henderson

🧾 Historical FiguresJohn Brooks Henderson (1826–1913)

• U.S. Senator from Missouri (1862–1869)
• Co-author of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery
• Key figure in Civil War and Reconstruction-era politics
• Presidential elector and later associated with the Smithsonian Institution

Albert (Alfred) Bushnell Hart (1854–1943)

• Harvard University historian and professor
• Pioneer in the development of modern American historical scholarship
• Editor and author of major works on U.S. history and government
• Influential educator shaping generations of historians

📖 Significance

This letter represents a compelling intersection between:

• A central political figure of the Civil War era
• One of the leading academic historians of the United States

Correspondence between statesmen and early professional historians is increasingly desirable, as it reflects the shaping of American historical memory in real time.

The reference to a “handbook” likely connects to Hart’s early published academic works, placing this firmly within the formative period of American historical scholarship.

📌 Included

• Original handwritten letter signed “John B. Henderson”
• Original period printed biographical clipping of Henderson
• Washington, D.C. letterhead (16th St & Florida Ave)

📐 Condition

• Very good overall condition
• Light toning consistent with age
• Strong, legible ink
• Minor handling wear

📈 Collector Appeal

• Direct connection to the 13th Amendment
• Addressed to a Harvard historian of national importance
• Clean, well-preserved signature
• Dual relevance: political + academic history
• Includes period biographical clipping for context and display

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