THE HISTORY OF THE PEN USED BY PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN
WHEN HE SIGNED THE PROCLAMATION OF EMANCIPATION, FROM THE
DATE OF THE SIGNING, JANUARY 1, 1863, TO THE PRESENT.

The pen with its detachable wooden handle was made by John Foley of New York in the Year 1862, and its gold point is stamped as follows:

"5 John Foley New York 1862"

The pen rests in its original red leather-covered, green plush and white silk-lined box. The left end of the box has broken off and is missing. The box now measures exactly five and one-quarter inches long.

A duly signed statement of Mr. Louis Burgdorf dated June 27, 1894 at Washington, D. C. declares: "I do most solemnly affirm and say . . . . . that I was employed as a messenger in the White House while James Knox Polk was President, from 1848 to 1849; that I remained in that capacity during the administrations of Presidents Zachary Taylor, 1849 & 1850, Millard Filmore, 1850 to 1853, Franklin Pierce, 1853 to 1857, James Buchanan, 1857 to 1861; and with Abraham Lincoln from 1861 until nearly the time that he was assassinated . . . . ." In his statement Mr. Louis Burgdorf further declared:

" . . . . . I was present in the Executive Mansion, in the President's office, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation dated January first, eighteen hundred and sixty-three; that I held the document on his table when he signed it; that he gave me the pen with which he signed it. . . . . ."

Mrs. Myra A. Tucker, the daughter of Mr. Louis Burgdorf, when she was residing in Lansing, Michigan, signed a duly witnessed and notarized statement on November 28, 1928 wherein she declared:

"I was present at 1027 Eighth Street N.W. in the City of Washington, D. C. on the twenty-seventh day of June A.D. 1894 when my father, Louis Burgdorf executed a statement relative to the Historic Emancipation Proclamation Pen and Table, my Mother Mary L. Burgdorf, and my husband Almon F. Tucker, and Daniel Nash Morgan, then U. S. Treasurer, also being present, and all of the above together with myself being witnesses to the signature of my father, Louis Burgdorf, to the above mentioned statement executed by him on June 27th, 1894."

"The reason my father made that statement was that on the date of the statement he transferred all of his right and title to, and interest in the above mentioned Emancipation Proclamation Table only, to Daniel Nash Morgan. The

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Proclamation Pen being retained by my father until the time of his death, on May 30th, 1895."

"At the time of my father's death I was the only living child which survived him, and myself and mother were his only living heirs, and we inherited [sic] the Emancipation Proclamation Pen. This pen became my our [sic] property upon the death of my mother who died at Minneapolis, Minn. Sept. 16th, 1899."

"Three years ago I gave this pen to my only child and son, Wilbur B. Tucker with the understanding that it would be kept with him and [sic] his care to keep for his only child and my granddaughter Elsie M. Tucker when she became of age on [sic] upon the death of said Wilbur B. Tucker. My son Wibur [sic] B. Tucker gave this pen back to me at Minneapolis Minn in the forpart [sic] of September 1927 when he left Minneapolis for Lansing Michigan where he now resides. On February 4th, 1928 I gave this aforesaid pen again to Wilbur B. Tucker with the strick [sic] understanding that it should be in his custody for Elsie M. Tucker. On November 24th 1928 I gave this pen and all papers pretaining [sic] to it outright to said Wilbur B. Tucker and gave him permission to do what he chooses with them."

"This pen was given to my father by President Lincoln, according to my father's statement, a copy of which is attached hereto for reference. (My father has told me that after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, that President Lincoln gave my father, Louis Burgdorf the pen, and that the original ink that was used had dried on the pen. To my knowledge the pen has never been used since that time and the ink that is now dried on the pen is the same as used by President Lincoln when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation.)"

"This pen is a gold one with the following engraving on it '5 John Foley New York 1862.' The handle is of black wood and can be removed from the balance of the pen.) When the pen and holder are in two parts, it is made so that the parts fit in a small red colored case, which is lined with green plush and white silk, and the size of the case is approximately five and one quarter inches long, one and one eighth inches wide and eleven sixteenths of an inch deep. The pen when the two parts are together ready for writing is approximately seven inches long.

"I further state that this Emancipation Proclamation Pen has been in the possession of myself or members of my own family even since the afternoon of January 1st, 1863, after President Lincoln signed the historic document (the Emancipation Proclamation). . . . ."

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As Mrs. Myra A. Tucker stated in her affidavit, her only child and
son, Mr. Wilbur A. Tucker, received from her the pen and all papers
pertaining to it as an outright gift on November 24, 1928.

About three months later, on February 27, 1929, the pen, identified
as Lot No.248, was sold at auction at Anderson Galleries, New York,
N. Y. to Mr. Gabriel Wells of New York, N. Y.

After the death of Mr. Gabriel Wells, the pen, identified as Lot
No.312, was sold at auction at Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York,
N. Y. on November 13, 1951 to Mr. Clendenin J. Ryan of Allamuchy,
N. Y.

After the death of Mr. Clendenin J. Ryan, the pen, identified as
Lot No.140, was sold at auction at Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York,
N. Y. on November 5, 1958 to Mr. Nathaniel Spear, Jr. of New York,
N. Y.

On May 19, 1965, the pen was donated to Yale University by Mr.
Nathaniel Spear, Jr., a graduate of Yale College, Class of 1919.