Sep 26, 2019 - Sale 2517

Sale 2517 - Lot 303

Price Realized: $ 281
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600
(MEXICAN MANUSCRIPTS.) Account book of the Mexico City National Cemetery, home to the Mexican War casualties of the United States. [55] manuscript pages. Folio, original 1/2 calf, moderate wear; minimal foxing and wear to contents, 2 leaves torn from rear; Mexican stationer's tag on front pastedown. Mexico City, 1875-78

Additional Details

Mexico City National Cemetery was established in 1851 as the first (and for many years only) national cemetery operated by the United States abroad. It houses the graves of hundreds of Mexican War dead, as well as other Americans who died in the city. This account book lists cemetery keeper James Wright's personal income and expenses relating to his duties. 26 individual burials are listed in a "Register of Burials" on page 2, such as: "Mr. Fernando Willet Sec. of U.S. Legation in the Diplomatic plot"; "Buried in his private plot (Mr. John A. Gadsden)"; "John Good native of Virginia (first new tier)"; "Sa. Anna Moreno de Arias, wife of the Mexican Minister of foreign relations, in 3d new tier, west"; and "a male child, still born, of Charles Fredenhagen." Wright generally had 2 or 3 unnamed "peones" (laborers) under his employ. On 24 July 1875 he notes as an aside: "Shot the watch dog, he appeared to be mad, and attempted to bite me, and others." In the rear of the volume, Wright has copied his desperate note to the American Consul dated 10 April 1875, explaining his daughter Caroline's respiratory illness: "I only beg you, now that a number of Govt. men are to arrive here, to try to make some arrangement to let me have what is due me; and by doing, you will probably save the life of my daughter, and make us all happy. Please send me today, all you can."