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Letter Written and Signed by Erastus Corning, 1854

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Political Memorabilia Start Price:60.00 USD Estimated At:100.00 - 200.00 USD
Letter Written and Signed by Erastus Corning, 1854
SOLD
60.00USD+ buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2022 Dec 15 @ 15:13UTC-5 : EST/CDT
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Albany, New York, 1854. Handwritten Letter from Erastus Corning to Benjamin Carver, Esq., inquiring into the owner of a small account who cannot be tracked down. Black text on off-blue paper, signed by Erastus Corning at bottom left. VF condition with some toning at bottom by signature. Erastus Corning (December 14, 1794 - April 9, 1872) was an American businessman and politician from Albany, New York. A Democrat, he was most notable for his service as mayor of Albany from 1834 to 1837, in the New York State Senate from 1842 to 1845, and in the United States House of Representatives from 1857 to 1859, and from 1861 to 1863. A native of Norwich, Connecticut, Corning moved to Troy, New York when he was 13 so he could be trained for a career as a merchant. He worked as a clerk in his uncle's hardware store for six years, then moved to Albany, New York to work for the retail business owned by James Spencer. Corning eventually became the senior partner in the enterprise, which he combined with businesses he inherited from his uncle to create Erastus Corning & Co. The Corning company sold ironware, including tools and farm implements, nails, stoves, parts for railroad cars, and rails for railroads. John V. L. Pruyn married Corning's niece Harriet, and Pruyn and Corning became partners in a variety of business ventures and investments. Under Corning's leadership, several local and regional railways were combined in the early 1850s to form the New York Central Railroad, and Corning served as its first president. After leaving Congress, Corning began to wind down his business and political activities. He left the presidency of the New York Central in 1865, and focused much of his attention on speculating in and developing land he had purchased in the western states. He served as a delegate to the 1867 state constitutional convention. In his later years, Corning speculated in and developed land in the western states. He died in Albany on April 8, 1872 and was buried at Albany Rural Cemetery.