1864 00 State of Kansas Bond – Serial No. 44

Description

1864 00 State of Kansas Bond – Serial No. 44
Offered for your consideration is a rarely seen bond issued during the Civil War by one of the Northern states to help fund the war. Headlined
“BOND OF THE STATE OF KANSAS”
, this piece is dated
“
July 1
st
1864”
and is from
“Topeka, Kansas”
. This information surrounds a representation of the seal of the state, depicting a farmer plowing his field, with covered wagons, riders and a steamboat in the background. This seal is itself surrounded by numerous agricultural products, with sea-going ships in the distance at left. The state title is flanked by two smaller vignettes, one depicting a sheaf of wheat and the other a dog lying beside a safe (this vignette is frequently seen on financial documents of the era, as it implies that your money is safe and well-guarded). These scenes are followed by a lengthy financial obligation which reads
“Be it known that the State of Kansas Owes to
Thomas Carney
or Bearer the sum of ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS, bearing interest from date at the rate of Seven per cent. per annum … payable in the City of New York …”
. This bond was issued under
“… ‘An Act to provide for the expenses of the Militia, incurred in the Protection of the State in the years 1861, 1862, 1863, and 1864, and in the payment of the same, the principal of which is reimbursable … in lawful money of the United States … for the payment of which the faith of the State is pledged …”
. The document is signed at the conclusion by
“Thos Carney”
as
“GOVERNOR”
,
“Asa Hargrove”
as
“AUDITOR”
, and
“W Spriggs”
as
“TREASURER”
. The maturation date of
“JULY FIRST, 1884”
is printed in red letters at the center. All of the aforementioned material is enclosed in a decorative border. The back of the bond features a short recapitulation of the contents, as well as a statement which indicates that
“Redemption provided for by Sinking Fund. Interest payable semi-annually, January 1
st
and July 1
st
, in New York.”
. All of the bonds of this type seen by the seller have been issued to Thomas Carney, the governor of the state, probably for government use and dispersal. Bonds of this type are frequently found from Southern states, due to the fact that they could not be redeemed (the Confederate governments ceased to exist), but very few Northern issues appear on the collector’s market. A great opportunity to add one of these pieces to your collection.
Thomas Carney
was born on August 20, 1824 in Delaware County, Ohio. He worked on the family farm until he was nineteen, after which he moved in with an uncle while he attended school. In late 1844 he began working for a dry-goods company in Columbus, subsequently he took a position with a wholesale dry-goods firm in Cincinnati. He became a partner in that business, known as Carney, Swift & Company, but after twelve years his health began to fail, so in 1857 he moved west. In partnership with Thomas C. Stevens, Carney opened the first wholesale house in Leavenworth, Kansas. He also founded the wholesale shoe house of Carney, Storer & Company, later Thomas Carney & Company. In late 1861 he was elected to Kansas’ second legislature session, and the following year he was elected the state’s second governor. Inaugurated in January, 1863, Carney served for two years, establishing the credit of the state and strengthening its charitable organizations (given that there was a war in progress, these two accomplishments were extremely important to the populace). After his gubernatorial term he served as mayor of the city of Leavenworth and was one of the founders of that city’s First National Bank. He also served as one of the directors of the Kansas City, Lawrence & Fort Gibson Railroad. Thomas Carney died of apoplexy on July 28, 1888 in Leavenworth, Kansas.
The presently offered specimen exhibits signs of significant period use and subsequent long-term storage. Several vertical folds are present, with one horizontal one at the bottom. Light toning is noted across the entire surface, somewhat darker at the edges and along the folds (the top and right edge are significantly toned, however this could be covered with a mat if the piece was framed). The top and bottom edges are uneven, with the top being very close to the decorative border. The bottom edge has one small tear and several areas of missing paper. The contrast is average for the issue, with all of the printing and manuscript additions fully legible. Four small cancellation holes are present, two near the embossed state seal and two below the treasurer’s signature. This piece measures approximately 8¾ x 12¼ inches and would make a great addition to any Civil War currency or bond collection. This piece would look nice framed with a period portrait of Governor Carney, especially for a resident of the state of Kansas.
A .95 Charge will be added to the purchase price for postage and insurance.
If you have any questions concerning this item, please ask before purchasing.
Buy or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie Self has worked 6 years as a paper money grader/authenticator. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of “The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2
nd
Edition” with Douglas B. Ball, Ph.D., Henry F. Simmons, M.D., Ph.D. and James R. Desabaye. Mr. Self is a life member of the American Numismatic Association, the Society of Paper Money Collectors, as well as numerous regional numismatic associations. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.
American Coins and Collectibles
Shreveport, LA