CIVIL WAR UNION BOUNTY TAX ARCHIVE – 6 SIGNED MANUSCRIPTS – CARBON COUNTY PA – RECRUITING SOLDIERS
Original Civil War-Era Manuscript Archive of Six Signed Agreements Supporting the Union War Effort
Offered here is an exceptional archive of six original manuscript agreements executed by citizens and inhabitants of Franklin Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War. These documents record a community-wide effort to finance Union Army recruitment through a special local tax assessment.
The manuscripts state that the township's Finance Committee for the Volunteering of Soldiers had incurred substantial obligations while paying bounties to recruits in order to fill local military quotas. Because those debts threatened the finances of the township schools, residents voluntarily agreed to authorize a special assessment based upon property valuations to satisfy the obligations and continue supporting the Union cause.
The text reads in part:
"We the subscribers Citizens and Inhabitants of Franklin Township, Carbon County, do hereby promise and agree to pay a Local Bounty Tax..."
Each manuscript represents a different school district within the township and bears original signatures of local residents. Together they provide a remarkable snapshot of community organization, wartime sacrifice, and civilian participation in the Northern war effort.
Unlike military service records, these documents reveal the financial and political realities behind raising troops during the Civil War. Local governments and citizens frequently offered cash bounties to attract volunteers, and these manuscripts document the citizens' willingness to assume the financial burden necessary to meet federal and state troop quotas.
Historical Importance
Original Civil War-era manuscripts
Franklin Township, Carbon County, Pennsylvania
Union Army recruiting and bounty system
Signed by numerous local residents
School district and township administration
Home-front Civil War history
Genealogical and local history significance
Rare surviving archive preserved as a complete group
Condition
Original manuscripts with expected folds, light toning, handling wear, and minor edge imperfections consistent with age and use. Overall preservation is very good, with strong legibility throughout. Please review all photographs carefully for condition details.
Included
Six original signed Franklin Township manuscript agreements
Contemporary signatures throughout
Civil War-period Union recruiting bounty tax records
An outstanding and highly unusual Civil War archive documenting how ordinary citizens funded the recruitment of Union soldiers and supported the preservation of the Union through direct financial sacrifice. A museum-worthy group for collectors of Civil War manuscripts, Pennsylvania history, local government records, and Americana.
Related Items:Too many requests.
