John J. Gosper Ephemera and Fraternal Sword of the Society of the Knights Templar

Prescott and Westard Expansion Documentation

This lot of history is featured in the

January 1st. Premier Firearms and Antiques Auction

 

John J. Gosper was born in 1841in Knox County Ohio.  He joined the Union Army during the Civil War where he attained the rank of Colonel before losing a leg during a skirmish.  After leaving the Union Army he made his way to Nebraska where, in 1873,  he was named Secretary of State.   In 1875, by the order of President Rutherford B. Hayes, Gosper was named Secretary of the Arizona Territory.  Gosper spent most of the four years he spent in Arizona as acting governor after Governor Fremont virtually abandoned his post.  The first use of the legislatively approved Territorial seal in 1879 was by John J. Gosper when he certified the Acts of the Tenth Territorial Legislative Assembly on March 3, 1879.  In January of 1881, Gosper was approached by U.S. Marshall Crawley P. Dake who requested  assistance in gaining federal funding for Wyatt Earp's posse to track down members of the outlaw gang known as the Cowboys.  Gosper wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Interior stating that the "Cowboys were well enough equipped and able to thwart arrest attempts made by local law enforcement officials.  This amazing lot contains several pieces of Territorial Arizona history.  Item one is a  small address/appointment book from 1893.  This small address book contains hand written appointments and addresses by Gosper.  Item two is a hand written letter from the Mexican Consulate wishing to introduce Gosper to another party.  Item three is a copy of Duncan's Masonic Ritual and Monitor or, Guide to the Three Symbolic Degrees of the Ancient York Rite.  This book is copyrighted 1886.  Item four is a letter signed by Barry Goldwater asking for the donation of John J. Gospar's papers to the Arizona Historical Foundation.  Item five is an A.W. Co pocket watch that was owned by J.J. Gosper.  This wathc is in beautiful condition and appears to be in working order.  Item six is a copy of the History of the Eighth Cavalry Regiment Illinois Volunteer During the Great Rebellion by Abner Hard M.D., surgeon of the regiment.  Copyrighted 1868 and signed by General John F. Farnsworth.  Item seven is a handwritten journal by J.J. Gosper dated May 7th 1863 to August 18th 1863.  Item 8 is a typed speech written by Gosper when he was giving the memorial address May 30th 1887 at the Grand Opera House Los Angeles, Ca.  Item 9 is a group of envelopes labeled Moneta Mining Company.  Item 10 is a hand written letter dated May 26, 1890.  Item 11 is a letter written to Governor Fremont from the Mexican Consul dated July 5th, 1881.  The letter is written in Spanish and was translated by a staff member.  Item 12 is a Phrenological Character of John P. Gosper dated Dec. 3rd, 1878, given at Fowler and Wells in New York, New York.  Item 13 is a Memorial day address from 1899.  Item 14 is a postcard written from C.S. Young to J.J. Gosper from Seattle Washington in 1909.  Item 14 is a Fraternal sword of the Society of the Knights Templar.  This sword is excellently preserved, having a fine deep earthy patina through out the scabbard and pommel.  The blade is beautiful and still displays a fine shine and surprising lack of rust.  It is inscribed on the blade J.J. Gosper.  Item 15 is a  pair of Gosper's discharge papers from the United States Army on March fifth, 1864 after three years of service.  Item 16 is a membership dismissal certificate from the Royal Arch Masons, Prescott Chapter , signed by Morris Goldwater, dated April 19, 1888.  Item 17 is a lot of letters, both typed and hand written, to and from Gosper while he was Secratary of the Territory of Arizona as well as acting Governor.  Items include a proclamation made after President Garfield was assassinated, newspaper clippings, letters of recommendation, a copy of the report he made while acting Governor, a letter from Secretary of the Interior S.J. Kirkwood, and more.  Item 18 is a lot of correspondence to and from J.J. Gosper about several mining claims that he either  owned or was on the board of directors for.  Included is a book that copies all of his correspondence from Oct. 1881-Dec. 9th 1881. The Articles of Incorporation of the Emmet Mine Company dated 1895, several letters to partners and other board members on several mining claims such as the Jersey Lilly Mine, the Emmet Mine Company, The La Luz Mine Company of Mexico, just to name a few.  A stock certificate for two hundred shares in the Worlds Fair Company, several sheets of letterhead from his company in Los Angeles, a typed letter from J.C. Martin, the editor and proprietor of The Arizona Journal-Miner, an incorporation certificate for ownership of  The Emmit Mining Co. of Arizona signed by E.H. Brooks and Gosper, dated Jan. 1896, a production estimate for the Golden Mountain Mining Company of Sonora Mexico, a letter about the La Luz Mine from Gosper to Hon. Vincente Morales, and much more.   Item 19 is a lot of personal correspondence, poetry and more from J.J. Gosper.  Included are copies of several poems titled, Our Flag, Death, and Oh Sad Christmas Day, a receipt for dues owed to the Prescott Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons, a Delegates Certificate of Election from Los Angeles County from 1908, the Poem Oh Sad Sea that was written by Gosper nad read before the Illinois Society Picnic, a letter from the Woman-Suffrage Campaign Committee of Los Angeles County asking Gosper for a campaign contribution, a letter from his nephew about Gosper's sister's failing health dated 1912, a hand written letter of recommendation from Dr. George D. Kendall, signed and dated July 8th, 1883, a letter dated 1907 to the Governor of California, George C. Pardee, a check for $652.00 signed by Gosper, a hand written spice cake recipe, a copy of a typed letter to President William McKinley offering his services to the U.S. Government, as much much more.  This is a truly historic lot of documents to and from a historic and noble figure of Arizona's territorial past. 

 

This is a small  sampling of all the articles in this lot.

This lot of history is featured in the

January 1st. Premier Firearms and Antiques Auction

 

 

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