Here’s a Civil War Land Indenture Document Signed Twice by 19^th Century New Jersey Politicians and Civic Leaders

THEODORE LITTLE

(1819 - 1901)

·       PRESIDENT OF THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK, MORRISTOWN, NJ, 1865-1901, and OBSOLETE BANKNOTE CURRENCY SIGNER.

~ and ~

WILLIAM McCARTY

·         CIVIL WAR ERA MORRIS COUNTY, NJ CLERK 1863-1868 AND 1873-1878,

·         MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ALONG WITH GENERAL McCLELLAN, and

·         DRUGGIST OPERATING IN MORRISTOWN, NJ.

~ and ~

SAMUEL M. HOPPING

(born March 22, 1822)

·       REPUBLICAN PARTY MORRIS COUNTY FREEHOLDER, COMMISSIONER OF APPEALS, and PROMINENT ATTORNEY.

This 1864 Hanover, Morris Co., NJ Land Deed Indenture Document is signed by Little, McCarty and Hopping, for the Sale of a 30+ Acre Lot of Property in the Township of Hanover.

Theodore Little (1819–1901) was a highly prominent lawyer, banker, and political figure based in Morristown, Morris County, New Jersey, who famously ran for U.S. Congress during the Civil War in 1864.

The Pivotal Year: 1864

In the fall of 1864, at the height of the American Civil War, Theodore Little was chosen as the Union Party (Pro-Lincoln/Republican coalition) candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District.

• The Election: He ran against the incumbent Peace Democrat, Andrew J. Rogers. In a highly polarized wartime climate, Little ran on a platform supporting Abraham Lincoln's war efforts to preserve the Union.
• The Outcome: Little narrowly lost the election, capturing 46.41% of the vote compared to Rogers' 53.59%.

Biography & Professional Life

• Early Life: Born on February 29, 1819, in Hackettstown, NJ, he graduated from Princeton College (the College of New Jersey) in 1838.
• Legal Career: He read law alongside Hon. Ira C. Whitehead and built an incredibly successful legal practice centered in Morristown. He served as a Master in Chancery, overseeing major regional property and commercial transactions during the mid-19th century. Notably, future NJ Supreme Court Justice and Vice-Chancellor Henry Cooper Pitney studied law under Little's direct mentorship.
• Banking: Beyond the courtroom, Little was heavily integrated into Morris County's financial infrastructure, serving as a key officer and director for the First National Bank of Morristown.
• History Collector: He was deeply fascinated by local history. He notably owned and later donated a famous, authenticated historical structural fragment from George Washington's Morristown Revolutionary War headquarters to the local archives.

Personal Life & Legacy

Theodore Little lived on a sprawling property near what is today Morristown’s historic Evergreen Cemetery. He passed away on October 23, 1901, and is buried in the historic graveyard at The Presbyterian Church in Morristown, where his family monument still stands today.

More on Little’s 1864 congressional campaign

Theodore Little’s 1864 congressional campaign was fought in New Jersey's 4th Congressional District during one of the most volatile and critical periods in American political history. Running for the U.S. House of Representatives alongside Abraham Lincoln's re-election bid, Little's campaign was defined by intense wartime polarization, regional divides, and deeply contrasting visions for the future of the fractured nation.

The Wartime Coalition: The National Union Ticket

To maximize support among a divided northern electorate, the Republican Party temporarily rebranded itself as the National Union Party for the 1864 cycle.

• The Platform: Little ran as the official Union Party candidate. His platform was explicitly tied to Lincoln's war goals: the unconditional surrender of the Confederacy, the total preservation of the Union, and the abolition of slavery.
• Local Stakes: As a respected lawyer and financial figure in Morristown, Little represented the "War Splitter" faction of Morris County—citizens who believed that the only path to lasting peace was achieving a definitive military victory over the South.

The Foe: Andrew J. Rogers and the "Peace Democrats"

Little’s opponent was the incumbent Democrat, Andrew Jackson Rogers of Newton, NJ, who had first been elected in 1862.

• The Opposition Platform: Rogers was a fiery and highly controversial "Peace Democrat" (often referred to by detractors as a Copperhead). He aggressively opposed Lincoln’s wartime policies, campaigned heavily against the confiscation of Southern property, and strongly resisted early frameworks of emancipation.
• The Climate: The race was incredibly bitter. In New Jersey, support for the war was highly conflicted. While local Morristown residents leaned toward the Union ticket, the larger 4th Congressional District encompassed rural pockets of Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, and Somerset counties where anti-war sentiment, anxiety over the military draft, and economic frustrations ran deep.

Election Day & The Soldiers' Vote

The election took place on November 8, 1864. A major factor in the 1864 cycle was the collection of "soldier votes" sent from Union military camps back home to New Jersey.

• The Results: Theodore Little performed strongly, sweeping majorities in pro-Union hubs like Morristown. Ultimately, however, Rogers' rural strongholds in neighboring counties carried the incumbent to victory.
• Final Tally: Little narrowly lost the election, securing 12,477 votes (46.41%) against Rogers' 14,402 votes (53.59%).

Aftermath and Historical Irony

Though Little lost his bid to join the 39th United States Congress, his opponent Andrew J. Rogers went on to have a notoriously turbulent term. Rogers was later appointed to the House Committee investigating the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, where he frequently clashed with the committee's leadership and accused the government of high-level cover-ups.

Meanwhile, Little returned to his thriving Morristown legal and banking practice, remaining a staunch, highly influential local leader for the remainder of the Reconstruction era.

Bank Officer Name:	Theodore Little
Bank Note Signer?:	Yes
Home Bank:	First National Bank Morristown, NJ Morris County
Banker ID:	41872
Birth:	Feb 23. 1819 Hackettstown, New Jersey
Death:	Oct 23, 1901, Morristown, Morris County, NJ

Burial: Presbyterian Church Graveyard, Morristown NJ

Banker served in these Banks

1.    First National Bank, Morristown, NJ

(President 1865-1901)NB 1188

New Jersey held elections on November 8, 1864.

New Jersey 4t Dist.

Andrew J. Rogers

Democratic Victory

1862

Incumbent re-elected.

▌Andrew J. Rogers (Democratic) 53.59% ▌Theodore Little (Union) 46.41%

Morris County Clerk William McCARTY, 1863; Richard SPEER, 1868; William McCARTY, 1873; Melvin S. CONDIT, 1878…

During the Civil War Morris County almost always was Democratic. In 1862 Governor Joel PARKER received 3,359 votes, and Marcus L. WARD 2,938. In 1863 William McCARTY (Democratic) received 3,179 votes for clerk, against 2,742 for his antagonist, Richard SPEER. In 1864 the McCLELLAN electors received 3,587 votes and the Lincoln electors 3,222.

In 1873 the only county officers running besides the coroners were the candidates for sheriff and clerk. Hoff- man (Dem.) for sheriff received 3,444 votes, and Phoenix (Rep.) 2,997; McCarty (Dem.) for clerk 3,523, and Nicholas (Rep.) 2,905.

When the New Jersey Constitution of 1844 was ratified, County Clerks were to be elected by the citizens of the county during annual elections and were no longer considered to be officers of the court, but rather completely separate constitutional officers. The Constitution of 1844 did nothing to change the duties they performed, only that their powers were considered to be bestowed upon them by the people.

To this day, the Office of the Morris County Clerk continues to perform the important function of recording every conveyance of property within the county but has grown to provide a variety of other services for its citizens.

Samuel Gouverneur was appointed as the first County Clerk by Governor Lewis Morris and held the office until 1765. Since then, there have been 29 different County Clerks that have served Morris County]

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES: SAMUEL M. HOPPING

Samuel M. Hopping (born March 22, 1822) was a lifelong resident, farmer, and local official in Hanover Township, Morris County, New Jersey. Around 1864, he was actively managing his extensive agricultural property in Hanover and participating in local civic life.

Hopping was Born in Hanover, NJ, the son of Charles Hopping (a blacksmith, hotelier, and War of 1812 veteran) and Maria Merry. He was reared and educated at Hanover and passed the days of his minority at home, assisting in the work of the farm. In 1847 he purchased his present place, consisting of one hundred and seventy-six acres, on which he has erected a substantial residence and out-buildings, and for the past fifty years has devoted his time and attention to agricultural pursuits. Politically he is affiliated with the Republican party, and has served as county freeholder, commissioner of appeals, attorney and in several other minor capacities. He is a man widely known throughout the county and enjoys that respect and consideration that are merited by every man of worth and integrity.

 The document measures 14” x 8½” and is in very fine+ Condition for its advanced age.

I am a proud member of the Universal Autograph Collectors Club (UACC), The Ephemera Society of America, the Manuscript Society and the American Political Items Collectors (APIC) (member name: John Lissandrello). I subscribe to each organizations' code of ethics and authenticity is guaranteed. ~Providing quality service and historical memorabilia online for over 25 years.~

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