Hancock John (1737-1793)

Hancock, John (1737-1793), Signed document, one page, as Governour (sic) of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, appointing Ezra Sawyer Captain of a Company of Cavalry in the Seventh Division of the militia of the Commonwealth, dated April 16, 1792, bearing seal to upper left, counter-signed by John Avery, (fold separations with some light chipping along folds, toning, tape residue to central upper fold, lightly tipped down at edges); together with a carte de visite of a mid-late 19th century descendant, identified in pencil to back as Ezra Sawyer. Provenance: Ezra Sawyer of Sterling, Massachusetts was a predecessor of a famous female relative, Mary. In the early 19th century, Miss Mary Sawyer arrived at her schoolhouse in Sterling accompanied by her pet lamb, inspiring Sarah Hale of Boston to pen c. 1830 the well-known verse beginning, "Mary had a little lamb...".