Partly-printed DS, two pages on two adjoining sheets, 10.25 x 16.5, July 13, 1836. Land Scrip, No. 54, reads, in part: “Samuel St. John , Jr. of Mobile, State of Alab & his legal representatives are entitled to Six Hundred and Forty Acres of the Public Lands, to be located in the Republic of Texas, agreeably to the conditions contained in a Power of Attorney from the Executive Government of said Republic of Texas to Thomas Toby.” Signed by Toby, J. Brent Clark, William Christy, and W. G. Dewey. In good to very good condition, with partial separations along fragile storage folds, a few thinning areas to pages, scattered toning and damp staining, and scattered creases and wrinkles.
Throughout its time as a republic, Texas had a large amount of debt; it also had a large amount of public domain lands which it tried to sell to reduce its debt. One way to sell the land was through land scrip, which was issued by the Texas government for sale in the U.S. In June 1836, the Republic commissioned Toby and Brother Company of New Orleans, comprised of brothers Thomas and Samuel Toby, to begin selling Texas land scrip. ‘Toby scrip,’ as it was often called, was sold in the east by subagents employed by the company. In December 1837, the Texas Congress withdrew the Toby and Brother Company's commission. During the company's eighteen months as Texas' scrip agents, they sold over 100,000 acres. The Robert Davis Collection, read more about Robert Davis. RR Auction COA.
