This is very nicely framed January 1, 1872, “Certificate of Adjudicated Claim for War Damages” signed at bottom right by Governor John W. Geary for the award of $46.80 in damages sustained by Pennsylvania resident William H. Craig. The occasion of the damages is not cited, but the certificate number at upper left should be some guide for research. We would suspect damage to civilian property in the Gettysburg campaign or Early’s raid on Chambersburg. The certificate is in great shape in any case, with engraved portrait of Geary as Major General at bottom center, and clear signature in brown ink at right, “Jno. W. Geary” and by J.F. Hartranft as Auditor General at left, along with that of state Treasurer R.W. Mackey.

Born in 1819, Geary had a colorful career, being involved in early railroad construction and in the military seeing action in the Mexican War as Lt. Colonel and Colonel of the 2^nd Pennsylvania. In the Civil War he served as Colonel of the 28^th PA, rose to brigadier general in April 1862, fighting in the Shenandoah against Jackson and at Cedar Mountain. In October 1862 he was given a division command in the 12^th Corps, was heavily engaged at Chancellorsville and saw action at Gettysburg at Culps Hill. Transferring to the west with the 12^th Corps, he fought at Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain, the Atlanta Campaign, March to the Sea, and campaign of the Carolinas, and was later brevetted to Major General. His civil achievements included being first Mayor of San Francisco, and later served as territorial Governor of Kansas, trying to act as neutral peacemaker between free-state and pro-slavery forces, but failed in that effort, eventually joining the abolition cause. He served two terms as Governor of Pennsylvania, 1867-1873. He served as a Republican, attempted to govern as an independent, but in the 1866 campaign was clearly attacked by white supremacists as pushing a “platform for the negro.” He had been wounded at least ten times during his military service. He died of a heart-attack at age 53 in Harrisburg in 1873.

Hartranft served as Auditor General under Geary and succeeded him in office, being elected Governor in 1872. Born in 1830, he worked at several jobs before the war, but passed the bar in 1860. He served as Colonel of the 90-day 4^th Pennsylvania in 1861, remaining in the service after the regiment went home, acting as aide to Col. W.B. Franklin at First Bull Run, for which he was later awarded the Medal of Honor. He subsequently became Colonel of the 51^st PA, fighting in North Carolina, then in Virginia with the 9^th Corps, at 2^nd Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, where they helped carry Burnside’s Bridge, and Fredericksburg, followed by service in the west, part of the time in division command, before returning east with Burnside and the 9^th Corps as a brigade commander, with promotion to brigadier general as of May 1864, and given a division command at Petersburg with a brevet to Major General for his actions at Fort Stedman in 1865. As a provost marshal and commander of the Old Capitol Prison he supervised the execution of the Lincoln conspirators that July. After two terms as Governor, he served as Postmaster in Montgomery County, PA, served prominently in the G.A.R. and PA National Guard, among other offices and passed away in 1889.

This displays very well, with two very clear signatures of famous Pennsylvania political and military figures in addition to its significance as a Civil War claims certificate for wartime damages. [sr][ph:L]

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