Auction Name: 2026 June 19 The John H. Freund Americana Collection Signature® Auction

Lot Number: 42040

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/6331*42040

George Washington Document Signed as President ("Go: Washington"). Four pages of a bifolium with scalloped top edge, 9 1/4 x 14 1/4 inches; [Mount Vernon]; September 21, 1795. Countersigned by Tobias and Frances Lear, as well as George Washington Parke Custis and Bartholomew Dandridge as witnesses. Docketed on the verso.

A substantial land indenture in which Washington leases approximately 360 acres of Mount Vernon land to Tobias Lear and his wife, Frances, for farming cotton. The document, accomplished in a beautiful hand and prominently signed by Washington as President, gives a glimpse into his continuing management of his extensive estate during his presidency, offering a vivid illustration of his role as one of Virginia's leading landowners and agricultural entrepreneurs.

Tobias Lear, Washington's close friend and longtime private secretary, was among the most trusted members of his household. George Washington Parke Custis, Martha Washington's grandson and Washington's ward, later became a prominent figure in his own right as the founder of Arlington House. Bartholomew Dandridge, a relative of Martha Washington and a well-known Virginian planter, further strengthens the document's ties to Washington's inner circle.

A compelling and highly attractive document that unites several key figures of Washington's personal and professional life, while showcasing his continued estate management at Mount Vernon during the presidency.

Condition: Very good. Evenly age-toned with flattened mailing folds; some light, scattered staining. Minor edgewear and separations, touching text but not affecting legibility. A highly attractive example with strong signatures.

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