Offered here is an original June 1, 1782 Connecticut Treasury Office pay certificate issued during the closing years of the American Revolutionary War. This official state obligation was issued to Mr. Oliver Barker, who is expressly identified in the document as having served in the Connecticut Line of the Continental Army.
The certificate acknowledges a debt of £6:13:3 (six pounds, thirteen shillings, and three pence), representing one-fourth of the balance due for Barker\'s military service. Like many Revolutionary War veterans, Barker was compensated with an interest-bearing treasury certificate because Connecticut lacked sufficient hard currency to immediately pay its soldiers.
The certificate is numbered 12,711 and bears the original signature of Peter Colt, Treasurer of the State of Connecticut.
Document Summary
- Date: June 1, 1782
- Location: Connecticut Treasury Office
- Payee: Oliver Barker
- Military Service: Connecticut Line, Continental Army
- Amount: £6:13:3
- Certificate No.: 12,711
- Signed by: Peter Colt, Connecticut Treasurer
- Payable: In gold or silver on or before June 1, 1788, with annual lawful interest.
These treasury notes are among the most recognizable financial documents issued during the American Revolution and illustrate the economic challenges faced by the young United States as it worked to compensate its soldiers following years of war.
Historical Biography – Oliver Barker
Oliver Barker served in the Connecticut Line of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. This original certificate is primary documentary evidence of his military service and records the compensation owed to him by the State of Connecticut in 1782. While surviving records reveal little about his personal life or regimental assignment, the document itself confirms his recognized service as a Continental soldier during America\'s fight for independence.
Historical Biography – Peter Colt (1744–1824)
Peter Colt was one of Connecticut\'s most important Revolutionary-era public officials. A graduate of Yale College, he served as a merchant before the Revolution and was appointed Deputy Commissary General of Purchases for the Eastern Department, helping procure food, livestock, clothing, and military supplies for the Continental Army.
Following the war, Colt served as Treasurer of Connecticut, overseeing the state\'s finances and signing thousands of Revolutionary War treasury certificates, military payment obligations, and public debt instruments. Later in life he became an early American industrialist and helped develop the manufacturing community at Paterson, New Jersey, one of the nation\'s earliest industrial centers. He was also a member of the prominent Colt family later associated with inventor Samuel Colt.
Condition
Please review all photographs carefully for the best representation of condition. The certificate displays well with an attractive period signature, strong printed text, and honest age consistent with an original document over 240 years old.
A wonderful piece of Revolutionary War history documenting the service and compensation of a Continental Army soldier, signed by one of Connecticut\'s most significant Revolutionary-era financial officials. An outstanding addition to any collection of Revolutionary War, Colonial America, military, or early American financial history.
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