Washington's Death, Sermon Owned by Rev. War Veteran

[GEORGE WASHINGTON] Sermon on Washington's Death Owned by Rev War Veteran

Peter Thacher (1751-1802). A Sermon, Occasioned by the Death of General George Washington, and Preached Feb. 22, 1800. Boston: Young & Minnis, [1800]. 8vo, 4 7/8 x 8 in. Original wrappers. Provenance: Malachi Maynard (1745-1824), Conway, Massachusetts, ownership inscription to front wrapper.

A very scarce pamphlet of a sermon published upon the death of President George Washington given by Peter Thacher, a preacher educated at Harvard who served as pastor at the First Church in Malden (1784) and the Brattle Street Church in Boston (1785-1801). An ardent supporter of the Revolution, Thacher was also involved in politics, helping to draft the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780. After George Washington's unexpected death in late 1799, religious leaders around the country delivered eulogies and sermons of remembrance. As a Boston Patriot, Thacher’s pamphlet provides a unique perspective on the mourning and reflection that swept across the nation.

This particular example is further enhanced by a period inscription indicating it was owned by by Revolutionary War veteran Malachi Maynard, who served as a private in Captain Robert Oliver's company of Minute-men “which marched April 22, 1775, in response to the alarm of April 19, 1775; service, 13 1/2 days." (Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. Vol. 10, p. 404).

Very scarce, no copies have sold at auction since 1965 and copies rarely emerge in the trade. OCLC locates only 1 copy held at the William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan. Evans 38618; Sabin 95174.

Condition: Front wrapper detached, dampstain, occasional brown spots.

[Revolutionary War, George Washington, Pamphlets, Eulogies, Sermons, Presidents, Generals, Ephemera]