Scope and Contents:
In 1815, Elias and Frances Rector conveyed 400 acres in St. Louis County, Missouri Territory. This deed was (1) signed by Joseph Charles, justice of the peace of the Township of St. Louis; (2) signed and sealed by "Wm. Clark," governor of the Territory of Missouri, commander in chief of the militia, and superintendent of Indian affairs; and (3) recorded at Kaskaskia in Book M by William Arundel, recorder.
At one time, this document was in the possession of James T. Hickey (1922-1996) of Elkhart, Illinois, who identified another related document as written by Frederick Bates (1777-1825), secretary of Missouri Territory and acting governor in Clark's absence. In 2015, the document signed by Clark was donated to the Library by Clarendon Van Norman Jr.