Edwin Stanton Proxy Signer

[civil_war_study]

Hey everyone!

I came across this autograph supposedly written by Stanton, but I believe it's a proxy signer. This autograph book contains other genuine signatures from cabinet members, so it's definitely not a forgery.

I was thinking maybe it was signed by a clerk or possibly Edwin Jr. who worked in the War Dept., but I haven't come up with similar writing styles.

See below image of an authentic Stanton signature (above) and the signature in question (below)

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Thought it might be a substitute's signature.

Just focusing on the writing underneath the questionable signature. It could be written as 'SecWar' - an abbreviated form of 'Secretary of War'.

After viewing other correspondences signed by Stanton online, it appears he never signed any of these followed by such an abbreviated notation.

On this basis alone, thought it might point to the writer being a proxy signer.

 

[civil_war_study]

Thought it might be a substitute's signature.

Just focusing on the writing underneath the questionable signature. It could be written as 'SecWar' - an abbreviated form of 'Secretary of War'.

After viewing other correspondences signed by Stanton online, it appears he never signed any of these followed by such an abbreviated notation.

On this basis alone, thought it might point to the writer being a proxy signer.

I agree. I've been trying to find handwriting from his clerks to see if any match. No luck so far.

Seems like the owner of this book dropped it off at the War Dept. (He being in the Quartermaster Dept.) And hoped Stanton would sign it. Unfortunately, as always, Stanton probably said he was too busy to sign autographs and pushed it onto a clerk of his.