Early Apothecary Owners Suppled Medicine To Revolutionary War Troops; Document Signed By Thomas Seymour, Important General
JOHN LATHROP (1743-1807) graduated from Yale in 1743 with his brother DANIEL. They opened the first apothecary shop in Connecticut and the first between Boston and New York. Their apothecary supplied medicine for the Continental troops during the Revolutionary War as evidenced by the pay order offered here.
7 x 7 ¾, addressed to Treasurer John Lawrence, the Pay Order reads, “Pay to Doctor Penvel Chuny (by the hand of Mr. Knight, Post Rider) the sum of ten pounds money for Medicines supply’d him by Messrs Dan’l & Joshua Lathrop order of Gov. Trumbull for use of the third Regiment of Troops in the Service of this Colony – for said Lathrop’s – as ordered and charge the same to acct Colony Command Nov. 1, 1775”
“T. Seymour, Committee”
Fine docketing on verso.
“Hartford, October 31st, 1775, Recd of Treasurer Lawrence Ten pounds in Money being the contents for Doct’r Penvel Chuney. Caleb Knight”
“Order Doctr Penvel Chuney Dated Nov. 21st, 1775. Audited May 13, 1776”
THOMAS Y. SEYMOUR rose to the rank of Major in the Continental Army. After graduating from Yale, he was given the commission in the Second Continental Regiment of Light Dragoons. Under the command of Gen. Horatio Gates and acting as an aide on the staff of field general Benedict Arnold, Seymour participated in the historic battle against the British near Saratoga, NY.
A portion of the regiment, commanded by then-Lieutenant Seymour, constituted the sole Continental cavalry engaged in the fighting. The American victory at Saratoga proved to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War. It prevented the British from cutting off New England from the rest of the colonies. On December 17, 1777 at Freeman’s Farm, Lt. Seymour escorted the captive British Gen. John Burgoyne to Boston. Burgoyne was so impressed with the way he was treated that he presented Seymour with a magnificent saddle. Seymour resigned from the army in 1778, returned to Hartford and began practicing law. In 1791, he served as an active member of the Connecticut Anti-Slavery Society.
Expected folds, toning, but a wonderful example of Revolutionary War history, signed by a notable Post Express Rider (Caleb Knight) and involving the purchase of medicine for troops from two very early apothecary owners.
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