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1842 antique BANK DRAFT PROTEST albany ny WM BACON RICHARD P HART Ogdensburgh
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AI-assisted description: This listing description was prepared with the help of AI-based research and transcription tools. Historical interpretation and handwriting readings may contain minor errors; please review the images carefully.
Scarce 1842 Albany, New York notarial protest document concerning a $500 bill of exchange, signed by Frederic Leake, Notary Public, and involving several named parties in New York State commerce. The folded document measures approximately about 8 x 10 inches when opened and contains both printed legal text and extensive manuscript entries on both sides.
The instrument begins with a manuscript draft dated Edinburgh, December 17, 1842, ordering payment of five hundred dollars. The draft is signed Wm Bacon and addressed to RICHARD P HART of Troy, New York, a merchant or financial intermediary responsible for honoring the payment.
When the draft was presented for payment it was refused, prompting a formal notarial protest, a legal certification used in the 19th-century banking system to document dishonored drafts and notify all endorsers that payment had failed.
The printed protest form reads in part:
“United States of America, State of New York… I, Frederic Leake, Notary Public… did present the annexed draft for $500… demanded payment, which was refused… and by these presents do solemnly protest…”
The certificate also records that notices of non-payment were mailed to the endorsers.
Named individuals appearing in the document include:
• WILLIAM BACON – drawer of the draft
• RICHARD P HART – Troy, New York merchant addressed in the draft
• WILLIAM H. ANGEL – referenced in the payment instruction
• ALEXANDER ALLAN – noted among endorsers receiving notice
• FREDERIC LEAKE – Albany notary public executing the protest
A separate folded portion shows routing and endorsement notes including references to OGDENSBURGH, New York, an important St. Lawrence River trade and banking center in the mid-19th century. The reverse side contains period calculations listing protest costs, exchange, interest, and related banking charges totaling $505.50, with a reference to the Bank of Watertown.
Documents like this illustrate the 19th-century commercial credit system, where merchants used drafts and bills of exchange to transfer funds between cities and countries. When such instruments were dishonored, a formal protest by a notary created the legal record necessary for collection or litigation.
Condition: folded as originally handled with typical age wear, creasing, edge chipping, and a small corner loss. Ink handwriting and printed text remain clear and legible overall.
An appealing example of 1840s American banking paperwork, with multiple named individuals that may interest collectors of financial history, New York commerce, or genealogical material.
Authentic period piece related to family, historyor local heritage - well-suited for historical collections, genealogical /genealogy research, or museum acquisition.Vintage or Antique.
CONDITION: See listing description and photos.
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LOC:
LOC2: PAPERBOX34-TMKTK-F260301BDS125G
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