1814 Mayor James Blake Signed Washington City Note
Autographs
Unique War of 1812 Mayor J. Blake, District of Columbia Washington City 25 Cents Note PMG graded Choice VF-35
JAMES HEIGHE BLAKE (1768-1819). The Third Mayor of Washington, D.C., in office when British troops laid siege to the city on August 24, 1814, as part of the War of 1812; It was Blake who urged Dolley Madison, the First Lady, to flee Washington before the British arrived; made a desperate last effort to hold off the British; American physician, Elected by the council of aldermen in 1813 and serving as Mayor until 1817.
1814 Printed Date, War of 1812 Period, District of Columbia, Washington City, 25 Cents, Signed by historic Mayor "J(ames) H. Blake", PMG graded Choice Very Fine-35. This 25 Denomination from this rare issue, we believe to be unique. It has two clear bold brown signatures, one being that of the Mayor "J(ames) H. Blake". Mayor Blake led an unsuccessful defense of the city when the British laid siege to it on August 24, 1814 as part of the War of 1812. Blake fled across the Potomac River on the night of the 24th when it was realized that a defense would be futile. A great piece of American history in superior condition. Heritage auctioned only one other note on this issuer. A 50 note, a lesser quality, graded a raw Fine with very faint signatures and realized $1,092.50 in May 2002. This unique exact note brought $1,200 at the 2019 CSNS Currency auction.
James Heighe Blake (11 June 1768 " 29 July 1819) was am American physician, and the third mayor of Washington, D.C., elected by the council of aldermen in 1813 and serving until 1817.
During his time as a Mayor he advocated schools on the Lancastrian system and a reformatory. He also urged the office of Health Officer and in result it was created. As a Mayor he started improving city streets and the first navigation of the Eastern Branch, now known as the Anacostia River.
Front page of the Daily National Intelligencer from August 24, 1814, withthe War of 1812 notice from James H. Blake urging all remaining citizens of Washington to come to the City's defense.
Blake was the mayor of Washington when British troops laid siege to the city on August 24, 1814, as part of the War of 1812. He put the city on alert a few days before the siege, insisting that "I would exert myself to the last moment and agree to die in the streets rather than give up the city, but, if all resistance was given over, and our military abandoned it, I would then also leave it and not surrender myself a prisoner to the enemy."
It was Blake who urged Dolley Madison, the First Lady, to flee Washington before the British arrived. He then rounded up men to defend the city, so occupied with its fortification that his wife and four children were forced to make escape on their own.
"Washington (City) was left completely unprotected for the first two years of the War of 1812. No fortifications or batteries were erected along either the Potomac or the Eastern Branch. Old Fort Washington was scarcely capable of defending the entire city. Resolutions to place the capital in a defensive state were voted down, largely through the influence of the Secretary of War, General [John] Armstrong. No system of alarms and outposts was established to warn the city of impending danger, and no steps were taken to use the natural advantages of an easily defended eastern boundary."
Once the army forces in Washington had surrendered, and most of the city's residents fled, Blake made a desperate last effort to hold off the British, distributing flyers and handbills and placing an ad in the evening newspaper The Daily National Intelligencer, urging "all able-bodied Citizens remaining here" to meet at the steps of the U.S. Capitol and then proceed to an arsenal at Bladensburg, Maryland to arm themselves and defend the city.
It was too late, however, to save the Capital from being burned, and Blake himself finally fled across the Potomac River on the night of the 24th when it became evident that his only alternative was to be taken prisoner.
He was the mayor during the most troublesome period of the United States. In the most doubtful days of existence with the least equipped to cope against a powerful adversary he stood up for his country. Despite much criticism of his inability to save the City, Blake was instrumental in its recovery and reconstruction after the British attack.
During the 1820s, Blake was a member of the prestigious society, Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences, who counted among their members former presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams and many prominent men of the day, including well-known representatives of the military, government service, medical and other professions.
Blake attended the organization meeting of the Columbian Institute and was a temporary chairman beginning on October 7, 1816. Later he became one of the permanent officers.
He was one of the first on the board of directors of the Bank of the Metropolis. He was involved in preliminary organization of St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square and one of the first vestry. He was appointed by President James Madison as a Medical Supervisor with corps of doctors and surgeons. He is one of sixteen people who formed a Medical Society on September 26, 1817.
KEYWORDS:
Andrew Jackson, Banking History, United States Currency Printing, Currency History, Fiat Money, Printing History, Bank of the United States, American Paper Money, War of 1812, Burning of Washington, Rare Currency, British Attack on Washington
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Unique War of 1812 Mayor J. Blake, District of Columbia Washington City 25 Cents Note PMG graded Choice VF-35
JAMES HEIGHE BLAKE (1768-1819). The Third Mayor of Washington, D.C., in office when British troops laid siege to the city on August 24, 1814, as part of the War of 1812; It was Blake who urged Dolley Madison, the First Lady, to flee Washington before the British arrived; made a desperate last effort to hold off the British; American physician, Elected by the council of aldermen in 1813 and serving as Mayor until 1817.
1814 Printed Date, War of 1812 Period, District of Columbia, Washington City, 25 Cents, Signed by historic Mayor "J(ames) H. Blake", PMG graded Choice Very Fine-35. This 25 Denomination from this rare issue, we believe to be unique. It has two clear bold brown signatures, one being that of the Mayor "J(ames) H. Blake". Mayor Blake led an unsuccessful defense of the city when the British laid siege to it on August 24, 1814 as part of the War of 1812. Blake fled across the Potomac River on the night of the 24th when it was realized that a defense would be futile. A great piece of American history in superior condition. Heritage auctioned only one other note on this issuer. A 50 note, a lesser quality, graded a raw Fine with very faint signatures and realized $1,092.50 in May 2002. This unique exact note brought $1,200 at the 2019 CSNS Currency auction.
James Heighe Blake (11 June 1768 " 29 July 1819) was am American physician, and the third mayor of Washington, D.C., elected by the council of aldermen in 1813 and serving until 1817.
During his time as a Mayor he advocated schools on the Lancastrian system and a reformatory. He also urged the office of Health Officer and in result it was created. As a Mayor he started improving city streets and the first navigation of the Eastern Branch, now known as the Anacostia River.
Front page of the Daily National Intelligencer from August 24, 1814, withthe War of 1812 notice from James H. Blake urging all remaining citizens of Washington to come to the City's defense.
Blake was the mayor of Washington when British troops laid siege to the city on August 24, 1814, as part of the War of 1812. He put the city on alert a few days before the siege, insisting that "I would exert myself to the last moment and agree to die in the streets rather than give up the city, but, if all resistance was given over, and our military abandoned it, I would then also leave it and not surrender myself a prisoner to the enemy."
It was Blake who urged Dolley Madison, the First Lady, to flee Washington before the British arrived. He then rounded up men to defend the city, so occupied with its fortification that his wife and four children were forced to make escape on their own.
"Washington (City) was left completely unprotected for the first two years of the War of 1812. No fortifications or batteries were erected along either the Potomac or the Eastern Branch. Old Fort Washington was scarcely capable of defending the entire city. Resolutions to place the capital in a defensive state were voted down, largely through the influence of the Secretary of War, General [John] Armstrong. No system of alarms and outposts was established to warn the city of impending danger, and no steps were taken to use the natural advantages of an easily defended eastern boundary."
Once the army forces in Washington had surrendered, and most of the city's residents fled, Blake made a desperate last effort to hold off the British, distributing flyers and handbills and placing an ad in the evening newspaper The Daily National Intelligencer, urging "all able-bodied Citizens remaining here" to meet at the steps of the U.S. Capitol and then proceed to an arsenal at Bladensburg, Maryland to arm themselves and defend the city.
It was too late, however, to save the Capital from being burned, and Blake himself finally fled across the Potomac River on the night of the 24th when it became evident that his only alternative was to be taken prisoner.
He was the mayor during the most troublesome period of the United States. In the most doubtful days of existence with the least equipped to cope against a powerful adversary he stood up for his country. Despite much criticism of his inability to save the City, Blake was instrumental in its recovery and reconstruction after the British attack.
During the 1820s, Blake was a member of the prestigious society, Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences, who counted among their members former presidents Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams and many prominent men of the day, including well-known representatives of the military, government service, medical and other professions.
Blake attended the organization meeting of the Columbian Institute and was a temporary chairman beginning on October 7, 1816. Later he became one of the permanent officers.
He was one of the first on the board of directors of the Bank of the Metropolis. He was involved in preliminary organization of St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square and one of the first vestry. He was appointed by President James Madison as a Medical Supervisor with corps of doctors and surgeons. He is one of sixteen people who formed a Medical Society on September 26, 1817.
KEYWORDS:
Andrew Jackson, Banking History, United States Currency Printing, Currency History, Fiat Money, Printing History, Bank of the United States, American Paper Money, War of 1812, Burning of Washington, Rare Currency, British Attack on Washington
