Product Details
Beautifully engraved antique bond certificate from the Kalamazoo, Allegan and Grand Rapids Railroad Company dating back to the 1880's. This document, which is signed by the company President (Jeptha Wade) and Treasurer, was printed by the American Bank Note Company and measures approximately 9 1/2" (w) by 14" (h)
The vignette features the Michigan State Seal. The back (seen in the third image above) features a pair of allegorical female figures and an eagle.
Images
You will receive the exact certificate pictured.
Historical Context
The Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids was incorporated June 3, 1868, under the general laws of the State of Michigan, through filing on that date an agreement for the purpose of consolidating the property, rights, and franchises of the Kalamazoo and Allegan Railroad Company and the Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids Railroad Company, which was done. The two railroad corporations named were incorporated June 18, 1867, and January 3, 1868, respectively, under the general laws of the State of Michigan. Their property, rights, and franchises were acquired by the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids June 3, 1868, under a consolidation agreement. The date of organization of the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids was June 3, 1868.
The owned mileage of the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids, 58.476 miles, was acquired by completion of construction begun by its predecessors. The portion of the road between Kalamazoo and Allegan was completed on November 23, 1868, and the portion between Allegan and Grand Rapids was completed on March 1, 1869. The construction work of the company was performed by Goss, Warner & Company.
The entire property of the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids was leased to the New York Central for a term of 999 years on September 21, 1869, by virtue of its assumption of a lease entered into with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company.
Jeptha Wade
Jeptha Wade's Signature
Jeptha Homer Wade (August 11, 1811 – August 9, 1890) was an industrialist, philanthropist, and one of the founding members of Western Union Telegraph.
In 1856 Wade helped Hiram Sibley consolidate most of the telegraph industry by forming Western Union through a series of acquisitions and mergers. In 1861, Jeptha Wade joined forces with Benjamin Franklin Ficklin and Hiram Sibley to form the Pacific Telegraph Company. The company's formation completed the linkage between the east and west coast of the United States by telegraph. Wade became president of Western Union in 1866. A year later he resigned because of ill-health and sold his interests to Jay Gould, and William Orton succeeded to the presidency of Western Union. Jeptha was nominated by the Democratic Party for Representative of Ohio's 18th congressional district in 1864, but lost. He was an incorporator of the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company and the Citizens Savings and Loan Association (becoming its first president), became president of National Bank of Commerce, and served on the board of directors of eight railroads.
Wade used his vast wealth to benefit the city of Cleveland. In 1882, he donated 63 acres of land east of the city for the purpose of creating Wade Park, which was named in his honor. Wade Park is Cleveland's cultural center surrounded by the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Cleveland Botanical Garden.
Wade also was heavily involved with the establishment of Hathaway Brown School, a private academy for young girls and women. He also co-founded the Case School of Applied Technology, which later became part of Case Western Reserve University. In addition, Wade served as the first President of the Board of Trustees for Lake View Cemetery on Cleveland’s east side.
