Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware (1734-1817) who later served as president of the Continental Congress, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and Governor of Pennsylvania. Two Revolutionary War-dated documents signed by McKean: a manuscript pay order, endorsed "Tho. M:Kean," one page, 8 x 6.75, December 6, 1779, in part: "Please to Pay to the Honourable Thomas McKean Esquire the sum of Three Hundred and sixty Pounds two Shillings and nine pence being the travelling Expences of the Judges and Protonotary"; and a very rare vellum partly-printed military appointment, signed as president of the Continental Congress, "Th[o. M:]Kean, President," one page, 10.5 x 6.5, September 18, 1781, appointing William Shepard as "Ensign in the fourth Massachusetts Regiment." Impressively cloth-matted and framed together with an engraved portrait and biographical caption to an overall size of 27 x 24.5. In very good condition, with two areas of paper loss to the bottom of the 1781 appointment, one affecting about half of McKean's signature.
As McKean served as president of the Continental Congress for a span of just under four months, his signature in that capacity is quite scarce. The 4th Massachusetts saw most of its action early in the war, participating in the Battle of Bunker Hill, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Saratoga, Battle of Monmouth, and the Battle of Rhode Island.
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