American soldier and politician (1737-1818) who rose to the rank of major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He was later appointed governor of the Northwest Territory. Manuscript DS , signed three times, “A. S. Claire,” three pages, 13.5 x 16, July 15, 1795. A lengthy six-article document establishing a law as to how divorces are to be handled in the Northwest Territory, signed three times by St. Clair as governor of the Territory. In part, “A Law respecting Divorce adopted from the Massachusetts code…Divorces…shall be decreed where either of the parties had a former wife or husband, alive, at the time of solemnizing the second marriage…Divorce…shall be granted for the cause of extreme cruelty of either parties…Whenever a divorce shall be decreed, on cause of aggression from the husband, the woman, if no issue of the marriage be living at the time of the divorce, shall be restored to all her lands, tenements…and be allowed out of the man’s personal estate…If the divorce arise from the cause or aggression of the wife…the court may order to her the restoration of either whole or part of her lands, tenements…and may assign such alimony as shall be thought proper.” At the conclusion, St. Clair writes, “The foregoing is hereby declared to be a Law of the Territory; to take effect on and from the first day of October, next ensuing. In Testimony whereof we, Arthur St. Clair, John Cleves Symmer and George Turner, have caused the Seal of the Territory to be hereunto affixed, and signed the same with our names.” Signed at the conclusion by St. Clair, who also signs under the seal on the first page, and again on the third page. In very good condition, with intersecting folds, scattered toning from two stains on the first page, some small areas of paper loss and fold separations, with one area of paper loss affecting signature on the third page, and tape repairs to folds on the reverse of third page. The document’s seal is slightly worn and toned and retains its original ribbon. Anything signed by St. Clair is rare; this document, holding three signatures and the added significance of establishing a law, is even more so. RR Auction COA.
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