JAVAN IRVINE,MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER DEC 1861, HIS AUTOGRAPH + WM. WINDOM FREE FRANK

Description

IRVINE ADDRESSED THIS TO HIS WIFE, "MRS JAVAN B. IRVINE   SAINT PAUL  MINNESOTA"
So this is his own signature too.   Docketed at left in pencil "12/22 - 61"
Indistinct Cancel, but likely in the D.C. and Virginia area, as it was Free Franked by then U.S. Congressman
William Windom of Minnesota.
It was often the practice of Congressmen and Senators of a certain state to free frank soldier's mail of
their state's soldiers.
This is an interesting cover as there are two signatures, one of the sitting Congressman, the other of
a distinguished soldier.
There is slight rubbing in the signature area of Windom affecting a few of the letters.
Cover as pictured.
A SAMPLE OF JAVAN IRVINE'S SIGNATURE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE, AS WELL AS
A  LONG BIOGRAPHY.... AT THE SITE SHOWN BELOW.
Am unable to show it here.
Captain J.B. Irvine Company A 1866-1891 - 1st Battalion 22nd ...
Javan
Bradley
Irvine
was born in Dansville, Livingston County, New York on April ... the Pioneer Guard became the 1st
Minnesota Volunteer
Infantry Regiment.
Feature of this cover is Javan B. Irvine, though Windom's usage and signature makes it better.
Some of his papers are in the Minnesota Historical Society.
add .50 for 1st class/Insured to U.S...
William Windom
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William Windom
33rd and 39th
United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office
March 7, 1889 – January 29, 1891
President
Benjamin Harrison
Preceded by
Charles S. Fairchild
Succeeded by
Charles Foster
In office
March 8, 1881 – November 13, 1881
President
James Garfield
Chester A. Arthur
Preceded by
John Sherman
Succeeded by
Charles J. Folger
United States Senator
from
Minnesota
In office
November 15, 1881 – March 4, 1883
Preceded by
Alonzo J. Edgerton
Succeeded by
Dwight M. Sabin
In office
March 4, 1871 – March 7, 1881
Preceded by
Ozora P. Stearns
Succeeded by
Alonzo J. Edgerton
In office
July 15, 1870 – January 22, 1871
Appointed by
Horace Austin
Preceded by
Daniel Norton
Succeeded by
Ozora P. Stearns
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from
Minnesota
's
1st
district
In office
March 4, 1863 – March 4, 1869
Preceded by
Constituency established
Succeeded by
Morton S. Wilkinson
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from
Minnesota
's
at-large
district
In office
March 4, 1859 – March 4, 1863
Preceded by
James M. Cavanaugh
Succeeded by
Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born
May 10, 1827
Belmont County, Ohio
, U.S.
Died
January 29, 1891 (aged 63)
New York City
,
New York
, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Signature
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
portrait of Windom as Secretary of the Treasury
William Windom
(May 10, 1827 – January 29, 1891) was an American politician from
Minnesota
. He served as
U.S. Representative
from 1859 to 1869, and as
U.S. Senator
from 1870 to January 1871, from March 1871 to March 1881, and from November 1881 to 1883. He also served two non-consecutive times as
Secretary of the Treasury
from March to November 1881, and from 1889 to 1891, under three Presidents. He was a
Republican
. He was the great-grandfather of actor
William Windom
, who was named for him.
Early life
Windom was born in
Belmont County, Ohio
. He moved to
Minnesota Territory
in 1855 and settled in the town of
Winona
on the banks of the
Mississippi River
in southeastern Minnesota.
[1]
:249
Political career
Windom was elected U.S. Representative in 1859, filling one of Minnesota's two at-large seats.
[1]
:235
He was re-elected in 1861, again at-large. By 1862, Minnesota had established Congressional districts, and in that year he was re-elected from
Minnesota's 1st congressional district
; and also in 1864 and 1866. He was not a candidate in 1868.
Senator
Daniel S. Norton
died on July 13, 1870. On July 15, Governor
Alexander Ramsey
appointed Windom to the resulting vacancy, to serve until the legislature elected a replacement.
[1]
:290
When the legislature met in January 1871, they elected
Ozora P. Stearns
to serve the last 41 days of the current term (January 22 – March 4), and elected Windom to serve the next full term, beginning March 4. Windom was re-elected in 1877, and served until March 7, 1881, when he resigned to become
Secretary of the Treasury
.
In the United States Senate, Windom was recognized as a strong advocate of railroad regulation. Indeed, in December 1872, he became the chairman of the
Senate Select Committee on Transportation Routes to the Seaboard
to investigate transportation practices. The select committee's report was submitted to the Senate on April 24, 1874, and was ordered to be printed the same day. The analytical report, among other conclusions and recommendations, recommended a Bureau of Commerce; it would have all the basic elements of the
Interstate Commerce Commission
, as created thirteen years later, in January 1887,
[2]
and other follow-on. Almost 35 years later the
Progressive Era
Inland Waterways Commission
, looking into similar issues and many new ones, would recognize the "Report of the Windom Select Committee" as the third epoch in the movement toward developing the inland waterways of the country.
[3]
In 1880, Windom sought the Republican nomination for
President
.
[4]
But at the
Republican National Convention
, he received only 10 votes on the first ballot. The convention deadlocked, and after over 30 ballots began to consider choosing a "dark horse" candidate, such as Windom. But instead of Windom, they nominated
James A. Garfield
, who was subsequently elected president.
[5]
On March 7, 1881, Windom resigned from the Senate and was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by Garfield, taking office the next day.
Windom served as Treasury Secretary until November 13, when he resigned. On October 26, he was again elected Senator by the
Minnesota Legislature
, this time to fill the vacancy left by his own resignation. He re-assumed his Senate seat on November 15 and served until the end of his term on March 4, 1883. He sought re-election in 1882, but was defeated.
In 1883, he moved to New York City, where he practiced law until 1889. After President
Benjamin Harrison
was elected in 1888, he appointed Windom as Secretary of the Treasury. Taking office on March 8, 1889, Windom served as Treasury Secretary until his death on January 29, 1891. During the last year of his treasury service he purchased 1,145,577 acres of land from the railroad for 3 cents per acre, when others were paying .00.
[
citation needed
]
Memorials
Windom appears on U.S. silver certificates
Windom's engraved portrait appeared on the .00 denomination of
U.S. silver certificates
from 1891 to 1896. The
revenue cutter
USS
Windom
was named for him, as was a World War II
Liberty Ship
.
The city of
Windom
in
Cottonwood County, Minnesota
is named for him.
[6]
Windom Park in
Winona, Minnesota
is named after him,
[7]
as are Windom Northeast Park
[8]
and Windom South Park
[9]
in
Minneapolis
.
The
Windom
[10]
and
Windom Park
[11]
neighborhoods in
Minneapolis
are named after him.
William Windom is the namesake of
Windom Peak
, in Colorado.
[12]