Letter from A. Miles, 21 March 1837

Home >
The Papers >

Letter from A. Miles, 21 March 1837
Source Note

A. Miles, Letter, Brunswick, Medina Co., OH, to JS,
Kirtland Township
Located ten miles south of Lake Erie. Settled by 1811. Organized by 1818. Latter-day Saint missionaries visited township, early Nov. 1830; many residents joined Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Population in 1830 about 55 Latter-day Saints and...
More Info
, Geauga Co., OH, 21 Mar. 1837; manuscript and printed form; handwriting probably of A. Miles; three pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes address, postal markings, and docket.

Bifolium measuring 9⅞ × 8⅛ inches (25 × 21 cm) when folded. The upper left corner of the third page is embossed with an oval paper-mill insignia containing a bird with a parcel hanging from its neck. Above the bird are the words “JOHN BUTLER | HARTFORD CT”. Below the bird are two leafy branches that are crossed. The first and second pages are inscribed; the third contains a printed advertisement for the Western Bank Note Engraving Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. The letter included enclosures of sample banknotes and promissory notes.

The letter was folded in two patterns. First, the document was trifolded in letter style, addressed, and sealed with two red adhesive wafers, partially extant. Second, the letter was folded in a four-panel roll fold for filing and was docketed in red ink by
Leo Hawkins
19 July 1834–28 May 1859. Clerk, reporter. Born in London. Son of Samuel Harris Hawkins and Charlotte Savage. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John Banks, 23 Oct. 1848. Immigrated to U.S. with his family; arrived in New Orleans...
View Full Bio
: “Mch 21. 1837 | A. Miles to | Joseph Smith”.
1
“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Comprehensive Works Cited
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
The docket indicates the letter was in institutional custody no later than the mid-1850s (likely earlier). The letter first appeared in the Church Historian’s Office inventory about 1904.
Footnotes
[1]
“Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.
Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.
Historical Introduction
The 21 March 1837 letter featured here was sent to JS by one A. Miles, a business agent for the Western Bank Note Engraving Company in
Cincinnati
Area settled largely by emigrants from New England and New Jersey, by 1788. Village founded and surveyed adjacent to site of Fort Washington, 1789. First seat of legislature of Northwest Territory, 1790. Incorporated as city, 1819. Developed rapidly as shipping...
More Info
, Ohio. The letter consisted of a handwritten message from Miles soliciting engraving orders, a printed business notice from the company, and sample banknotes and promissory notes. Miles likely contacted JS because of his position as an officer of the
Kirtland Safety Society
A financial institution formed to raise money and provide credit in Kirtland, Ohio. On 2 November 1836, JS, Sidney Rigdon, and others officially organized the Kirtland Safety Society as a community bank by ratifying its constitution. Sidney Rigdon served ...
View Glossary
.
1
See Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837.

The Western Bank Note Engraving Company was started by two engravers, William Woodruff and Zelotus H. Mason, probably around 1836.
2
Woodruff and Mason had created their partnership by the end of 1836. Woodruff was born in Philadelphia around 1797. He trained under the respected engraver George Murray and worked in Philadelphia from 1817 to 1824. He moved to Ohio and was working as an engraver in Cincinnati by 1825. Little is known about Mason. By 1839, Woodruff had a new partner, a Mr. Hammond. (See “Western Bank Note Co.,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, 24 Jan. 1837, [1]; “William Woodruff,” in U.S. Customs Service, Proof of Citizenship . . . for the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1792–1875, Record Group 36, microfilm, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC; Stauffer, American Engravers upon Copper and Steel, 295; Hall, Cincinnati Directory for 1825, 107; and Bank Notes and Stock Certificates, Ohio Obsolete Paper Money Collection, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland.)
Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette. Columbus. 1825–1837.
U.S. Customs Service. Proof of Citizenship Used to Apply for Seamen’s Certificates for the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1792–1875. Record Group 36. Microfilm. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC.
Stauffer, David McNeely. American Engravers upon Copper and Steel. Part 1. New York: Grolier Club of the City of New York, 1907.
Hall, Harvey. The Cincinnati Directory, for 1825, Containing the Names of Its Citizens, Their Occupations, Places of Residence, and Places of Nativity; Alphabetically Arranged. With a Variety of Other Matter. Cincinnati: Samuel J. Browne, 1825.
Ohio Obsolete Paper Money Collection. Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland.
They were working to establish a clientele for their new business by January 1837, when they printed a notice announcing their services in at least one
Ohio
French explored and claimed area, 1669. British took possession following French and Indian War, 1763. Ceded to U.S., 1783. First permanent white settlement established, 1788. Northeastern portion maintained as part of Connecticut, 1786, and called Connecticut...
More Info
newspaper.
3
“Western Bank Note Co.,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, 24 Jan. 1837, [1]. The note was prepared in December.
Their efforts to find business may have been made more difficult by the fact that the Ohio legislature granted no new bank charters in the legislative sessions from 1836 to 1838, even though many representatives petitioned for banks in these sessions.
4
Huntington, “History of Banking and Currency in Ohio before the Civil War,” 377; “Ohio Legislature,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, Dec. 1836–Apr. 1837.
Huntington, C. C. “A History of Banking and Currency in Ohio before the Civil War.” Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly 24, no. 3 (July 1915): 235–539.

The Kirtland Safety Society had already commissioned the firm of Underwood, Bald, Spencer & Hufty to engrave notes for their institution. These notes bore the institution’s original name, the Kirtland Safety Society Bank.
5
See Historical Introduction to Kirtland Safety Society Notes, 4 Jan.–9 Mar. 1837.
It appears that Miles or the engravers he worked for, Woodruff and Mason, learned of the society’s January 1837 restructuring and sent enclosures of examples for engravings with the company’s new name, the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company, likely hoping the Safety Society would purchase new engravings from them.
6
See Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837; and Articles of Agreement for the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company, 2 Jan. 1837.
However, there is no record of further communication between JS and Miles.
Footnotes
[1]
See Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837.
[2]
Woodruff and Mason had created their partnership by the end of 1836. Woodruff was born in Philadelphia around 1797. He trained under the respected engraver George Murray and worked in Philadelphia from 1817 to 1824. He moved to Ohio and was working as an engraver in Cincinnati by 1825. Little is known about Mason. By 1839, Woodruff had a new partner, a Mr. Hammond. (See “Western Bank Note Co.,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, 24 Jan. 1837, [1]; “William Woodruff,” in U.S. Customs Service, Proof of Citizenship . . . for the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1792–1875, Record Group 36, microfilm, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC; Stauffer, American Engravers upon Copper and Steel, 295; Hall, Cincinnati Directory for 1825, 107; and Bank Notes and Stock Certificates, Ohio Obsolete Paper Money Collection, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland.)
U.S. Customs Service. Proof of Citizenship Used to Apply for Seamen’s Certificates for the Port of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1792–1875. Record Group 36. Microfilm. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC.
Stauffer, David McNeely. American Engravers upon Copper and Steel. Part 1. New York: Grolier Club of the City of New York, 1907.
Hall, Harvey. The Cincinnati Directory, for 1825, Containing the Names of Its Citizens, Their Occupations, Places of Residence, and Places of Nativity; Alphabetically Arranged. With a Variety of Other Matter. Cincinnati: Samuel J. Browne, 1825.
Ohio Obsolete Paper Money Collection. Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland.
[3]
“Western Bank Note Co.,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, 24 Jan. 1837, [1]. The note was prepared in December.
[4]
Huntington, “History of Banking and Currency in Ohio before the Civil War,” 377; “Ohio Legislature,” Ohio State Journal and Columbus Gazette, Dec. 1836–Apr. 1837.
Huntington, C. C. “A History of Banking and Currency in Ohio before the Civil War.” Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly 24, no. 3 (July 1915): 235–539.
[5]
See Historical Introduction to Kirtland Safety Society Notes, 4 Jan.–9 Mar. 1837.
[6]
See Introduction to Part 5: 5 Oct. 1836–10 Apr. 1837; and Articles of Agreement for the Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company, 2 Jan. 1837.
Page [2]
Hide editing marks

Hosmer Curtis Esqr.
1
Miles appears to have originally addressed the business announcement to a Hosmer Curtis in Columbus, Ohio. Instead of sending the notice to Curtis, Miles crossed out his name and used the reverse side of the paper to address the notice to JS.

Columbus
Franklin Co. seat. State capital. Incorporated as borough, 1816. Incorporated as city, Feb. 1834. Population in 1820 about 1,400; in 1830 about 2,400; in 1840 about 6,000; and in 1850 about 18,000.
More Info

Ohio [p. [2]]
View entire transcript
|
Cite this page
Source Note
Document Transcript
Page [2]
Document Information
Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Letter from A. Miles, 21 March 1837
ID #
342
Total Pages
4
Print Volume Location
JSP, D5:348–352
Handwriting on This Page
A. Miles
Footnotes
[1]
Miles appears to have originally addressed the business announcement to a Hosmer Curtis in Columbus, Ohio. Instead of sending the notice to Curtis, Miles crossed out his name and used the reverse side of the paper to address the notice to JS.