1870s Old Colony Railroad Company Stock Certificate – Signed by RR Tycoon and later NH Governor Onslow Stearns

Original 19th-century stock certificate issued by the Old Colony Railroad Company, one of the most important rail systems in New England during the expansion of American railroads.

This certificate is hand-signed by Onslow Stearns, President of the Old Colony Railroad and the 32nd Governor of New Hampshire (served 1869–1871). Stearns was a prominent railroad executive who helped oversee the consolidation and expansion of the Old Colony system during the 1870s, connecting Boston with Cape Cod, Plymouth, Fall River, and Newport.

Historical Significance:

During the 1870s the Old Colony Railroad expanded through mergers and acquisitions to form one of the dominant transportation networks in Massachusetts and southern New England. Certificates from this period represent the financing of that expansion and are sought after by collectors of railroad history and scripophily.

Condition: I am not a professional and this comes from my father’s collection of antique stocks and bonds. Given its age, it shows foxing, toning, edge wear, folds & tears, and cancellation marks. It has a raised corporate seal, beautiful seaport/railway vignette and printed by American Bank Note New York & Boston.

Please see photos and ask questions. I will combine shipping so see my other listings or follow as I continue to add.

This piece combines railroad history, political history, and early American finance in one document. A great addition for collectors of railroad memorabilia, historical documents, or 19th-century financial certificates as well as historians of MA, RI or New England history.