CERTIFICATE OF STOCK IN THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON. [caption title]

Houston [TX]: Telegraph Press, nd [1839?]. Small broadside certificate, 9.5 x 17 cm., printed on a slightly larger sheet, 11 x 19 cm. "This Certificate will be received at par for Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars, in the purchase of Lots in the Town of Washington...." At the head of the certificate is printed "$250." and "Letter C." The number of the certificate "148" is written in ink, as is the number "2500" of Unsold Lots. Signed in ink at the bottom of the certificate "John W. Hall," Agent. Countersigned by Hall on the verso. Old horizontal fold line, lightly rumpled, else a very good example. Item #67122

Washington, Texas was more commonly known as Washington-on-the-Brazos. According to the Handbook of Texas [Austin: 1986] Andrew Robinson began operating a ferry across the Brazos River near the future townsite in 1822, and John W. Hall laid out the town in 1830 and sold several lots, but no one built a home there until 1833. John W. Hall (1786-1845) was one of Stephen Austin's Old Three Hundred. Hall, Asa Hoxey, and Thomas Gray formed a townsite company for Washington in 1834, and by 1836 there were about 50 houses and two hotels built. The town twice served as the capital of Texas, once during the ad interim government in 1836, and once between 1842-44. It experienced prosperity as a river port, but failed to pay the Houston and Texas Central Railroad a bonus to establish a rail line to the town and sank into decline by 1885.
Streeter notes that certificates for the founding of the town of Washington were also issued for $1000 [Letter A], and $500 [Letter B]: John W. Hall was one of the founders of this townsite "which promoted the town of Washington-on-the-Brazos [the Washington of this certificate] and rented the building in which the Declaration of [Texas] Independence was written." Date assigned by Streeter.
Streeter Texas 377: listing Texas Memorial Museum; Daughters of the Republic of Texas Library; Rosenberg Library; and San Jacinto Museum of History, as having one or more denominations of this certificate. One listing on OCLC: Yale.

Price: $1,500.00