Land Grant for James Harland; Secretarially Signed by first Secretary of the Interior

Washington DC: U. S. Government, General Land Office, 1849. Good + with several small chips to edges, a few small holes along historical folds, docketed on the rear. U.S. General Land Office seal in place with all teeth present, age fade from red to pink as is common on these seals and parchment shrinkage around the seal application.. 15.75" x 9.75", 1 pp. broadside, partially printed document, secretarially signed by Thomas Ewing Jr. Ewing was appointed to serve as the first Secretary of the Interior by President Zachary Taylor. Ewing served in the position from March 8, 1849 to July 22, 1850 under Taylor and Millard Fillmore and then resigned to become elected as Senator from Ohio. Ewing was the stepfather of adopted William Tecumseh Sherman and later became his father-in-law when Sherman married Ewing's daughter Ellen. Under the Andrew Jackson administration, land grants were becoming so voluminous in the burgeoning west that president's could no longer afford the time to sign them all, hence the responsibility was passed on to other officials to sign in their stead. "James Harland late a private in the Company Commanded by Captain Archer, 1st Regiment of Virginia Volunteers...in the District of lands subject to sale at Dixon, Illinois, containing one hundred and sixty acres.