THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON, BART. Albany: J. Munsell, 78 State Street, 1865. Quarto, two volumes: pp. [i-v] vi-vii [viii] [v] vi-xv [xvi] [9] 10-555; [i-iii] iv-xiv [xv-xvi] [1] 2-544 frontispiece inserted in volume one (portrait of Sir William Johnson), one full page illustration in the text in each volume, original black pebbled cloth stamped in gold and blind. First edition. A biography of Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet (1715-1774), an Irish official of the British Empire appointed in 1756 as British Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the northern colonies. "Johnson commanded Iroquois and colonial militia forces during the French and Indian War, the North American theater of the Seven Years' War (1754–1763) in Europe. His role in the British victory at the Battle of Lake George in 1755 earned him a baronetcy; his capture of Fort Niagara from the French in 1759 brought him additional renown. Serving as the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the northern district from 1756 until his death in 1774, Johnson worked to keep American Indians attached to the British interest." - Wikipedia. Johnson's "real contribution to American development was three fold: he aided in opening up the Mohawk Valley to settlement; he rendered invaluable service in helping drive the French power from North America; and following the conquest of Canada he did much to facilitate the difficult transition from French to English rule in the region north of the Ohio." - DAB. Stone's is the most valuable of the nineteenth-century biographies of Johnson, a seminal figure in the early history of Northern New York. Howes S1039. John Hay's copy, signed by him on both front free endpapers. Hay was one of Lincoln's private secretaries, and co-author of a 10 volume life of Lincoln, later an important diplomat, journalist and poet. Cloth lightly chipped at spine ends, corners and lower edges worn, some wear and occasional loss along outer joints (largely along front outer joint of volume one), a very sound, internally fine copy. The binding of this book is prone to wear and this is a superior copy. (#163886).
Price: $450.00
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