Historical armorial of U.S. states from 1876 explained

Historical coats of arms of the U.S. states date back to the admission of the first states to the Union. Despite the widely accepted practice of determining early statehood from the date of ratification of the United States Constitution, many of the original colonies referred to themselves as states shortly after the Declaration of Independence was signed on 4 July 1776. Committees of political leaders and intellectuals were established by state legislatures to research and propose a seal and coat of arms. Many of these members were signers of the Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence, and United States Constitution. Several of the earliest adopted state coats of arms and seals were similar or identical to their colonial counterparts.

State Arms of the Union, illustrated by Henry Mitchell and published by Louis Prang (known as the father of the lithographic industry), offers historically accurate renderings of the state's coats of arms as they existed in 1876. An accomplished engraver with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing for 40 years, Mitchell was responsible for engraving several coats of arms for official state use as well as arms for well-known educational and philanthropic organizations. The illustrations are presented alongside proof impressions from the engraved dies used to print the state arms on the first issue of United States National Bank Notes.

Coat of arms

Heraldic arms were worn (embroidered) on a coat which knights wore over their armor, hence coat of arms,[1] a term which dates back roughly 1,000 years[2] to jousting tournaments.[3]

Arms versus seal

A state coat of arms may exist independently of the seal, but the reverse is not generally the case.[4] A seal contains a coat of arms or other devices[5] [6] whereas a state coat of arms constitutes the bulk of a seal,[6] [7] except for the wording identifying it as the "Great Seal of the State of..."[8] A "seal" has been described as the design impressed on public or legislative official documents,[9] whereas a coat of arms generally appears for illustrative purposes. Examples include flags and banners,[10] and state militia uniform caps[11] and buttons,[12] as well as specifically designed regimental coats of arms for U.S. Infantry Regiments, and National Guard units.[13]

Design

The design of a state coat of arms or seal has generally been authorized by a provision in the state constitution or a legislative act. In most instances, a committee (more often than not consisting of three members)[14] [15] [16] [17] was appointed to study the issue, seek advice from qualified artists, historians, legal scholars, etc., and report back to the authorizing legislative body with a design for their approval. Historically, this committee has consisted of notable members of society and elected officials.

The first committee to design the Great Seal of the United States was appointed on 4 July 1776 by the Second Continental Congress and consisted of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson.[18] Their design was rejected on 20 August 1776. The second committee (James Lovell, John Morin Scott, and William Churchill Houston) design met with the same fate.[14] It was the third committee (Arthur Middleton, Elias Boudinot, John Rutledge, who consulted with William Barton) that submitted a design which was approved on 20 July 1782.[14]

Individual states approached their coats of arms and seals in a similar manner (i.e., seeking direction from the statesmen and scholars of their community). A few of those involved in the design of state arms and seals include (but is not limited to): John Jay and Gouverneur Morris (New York);[15] Francis Hopkinson (New Jersey);[19] David Rittenhouse and George Clymer (Pennsylvania);[17] and George Mason, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin West, and Thomas Jefferson (Virginia).[20]

Authority

An impression of the Great Seal of a state (or its coat of arms) has long been required on official documents ranging from deeds to legislative acts. It was the emblem that certified the authenticity of a given document[21] or that the authority of the state was invested in the said document.[21] Judicial decisions upheld the need for a valid seal and/or coat of arms on notarized documents.

One of the more compelling legislative actions recognizing the legal importance/authority of the state seal and arms occurred in February 1873 when a joint session of the United States Congress refused to recognize Arkansas's electoral votes in the November 1872 presidential election.[22] The official tally of the state's electoral votes was submitted with an invalid seal (bearing the coat of arms of the office of the Secretary of the State of Arkansas versus the seal of the state of Arkansas bearing the state arms).[22] [23] [24]

Regulation

Courts and state legislatures also opined on the inappropriate uses of state seals and arms. Most states barred their use for any kind of advertising. Reproduction for corporate use was similarly prohibited[25] and such infractions were classified as offenses against public property.[26] The 2003 Code of Federal Regulations pertaining to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives prohibits the use of state seals or coats of arms in product branding so as not to mislead the public into thinking that a commercial product has been endorsed by a government organization.[27]

Instances of design inaccuracies

A state coat of arms provided an opportunity to convey the natural and industrial resources available to its residents.[28] Common themes depicted in state arms include farming, industry, transportation (e.g., boats, trains, and wagons), and nature (e.g., sunsets and mountains). The Ohio and Indiana state arms depict fairly substantial mountains in the distance. In reality, the highest points in Ohio and Indiana are Campbell Hill (1550feet)[29] and Hoosier Hill (1257feet)[30] respectively.

The Florida state arms also depicts mountains in the distance but the highest point in the state is 345feet feet high.[31] In addition to the distortion of local geography,[32] the image also contains historically inaccurate information. The period depicted in the state arms was a time when the local Seminole Native Americans were hostile toward white settlers; the warm greeting (e.g., flower petals strewn on the ground) offered by the Seminole to the arriving steam ship would have been highly improbable.[32] Furthermore, the Seminole woman depicted would not have worn any headdress, particularly one of northern and western Seminole tribes.[32]

State Arms of the Union

Published in 1876 by Louis Prang and illustrated by Henry Mitchell, State Arms of the Union contains a chromolithographed title page depicting the Great Seal of the United States and seven color plates with 45 state and territorial coats of arms. The book was likely published for the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition.[33]

Louis Prang

Louis Prang was born 12 March 1824 in Breslau. At the age of 13 he began apprenticing for his father[34] and learned to dye and print calico, as well as wood and metal engraving.[35] Prang emigrated to Boston in 1850 and became an illustrator for a number of local publications.[36] Starting a business partnership in 1856 to manufacture copper and lithographic plates, Prang became sole proprietor in 1860 and named the company L. Prang & Co.[35] He specialized in color printing, more specifically "chromolithography"[34] Prang spent over four decades studying and creating a standard of colors[37] and engraved and printed maps, prints of contemporary celebrities, and color reproductions of famous works of art.[36]

In 1875 Prang was responsible for introducing the Christmas card to America.[35] He created an annual design competition for his Christmas cards (run between 1880 and 1884), and judges included John La Farge, Samuel Colman, Stanford White, and Louis Comfort Tiffany.[34] Some of the notable winners included Elihu Vedder, Rosina Emmet Sherwood, Edwin Blashfield,[34] Thomas Moran, and Will Hicok Low.[36] Prang has become known as the "father of the American Christmas card",[34] [35] [36] as well as the "father of the lithographic industry".[37] [38]

Henry Mitchell

Henry Mitchell was born in New York in 1835 and went to school in Philadelphia.[39] At the age of 10 he began working with his uncle[40] to learn the trade of gem and steel engraving.[41] By the age of 20 (1855), Mitchell had engraved the official seals for the Kingdom of Hawaii.[41] [42]

In 1868 Mitchell joined the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and for 40 years engraved stamped envelopes.[43] Through his BEP work, Mitchell was also responsible for engraving the seal of the Secretary of the Navy and the Internal Revenue Service.[42] He also engraved the state seals for Massachusetts,[41] New York,[42] New Hampshire,[42] Vermont,[41] Rhode Island,[40] and Wisconsin.[44] Outside of state and federal government engraving, Mitchell engraved the seals and coats of arms for many well-known institutions which include Harvard University, Society of the Cincinnati, and Boston Public Library.[42] He engraved the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition award medal (1876) which was struck in the Philadelphia Mint.[45] In 1891, Mitchell was invited by the Secretary of the Treasury to join a committee to evaluate the artistic design proposals for a new issue of U.S. coins. The two other members were Charles E. Barber, Chief Engraver of the United States Mint, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens.[46] [47]

In addition to being considered an expert on heraldry,[42] Mitchell was regarded as one of the best engravers[39] [40] and medal designers in the United States.[48]

State Arms depicted on United States banknotes

The National Bank Act authorized the issue of a national currency. Historical vignettes on the front and back were the same by denomination (e.g., Landing of Columbus was on the reverse of all $5 notes)[49] and the state coat of arms (located on the reverse left side) was coordinated with the geographic location of the issuing bank.[49] Records do not clearly state who bore the responsibility for the design of the state arms (i.e., the U.S. Treasury Department, or the three bank note companies contracted for engraving and printing).[50] It appears that the first dies (for New Jersey, Missouri, Minnesota, and Vermont) were completed by the American Bank Note Company by 9 October 1863 based on their own drawings.[51] State arms appeared on the reverse of the Original and 1875 Series notes (first and second issue of the first design), and the 1882 Brown Back Series (the second design) of National Bank Notes.

Historical coats of arms

The main table contains four columns. Location refers to either the territory or state and is linked to the most relevant article (e.g., Seal of... or Coat of arms of...). All but one of the illustrations are included in a relevant article. Coat of arms contains the State Arms of the Union illustrations. National Bank Note contains the state arms found on U.S. National Currency between 1863 and the 1890s. Information lists the date of statehood and/or territorial organic act date and the date the state or territorial arms were accepted by constitutional convention or legislative assembly.

Missing territorial or state coats of arms

When State Arms of the Union was published in 1876, some existing arms were not included (e.g., Arizona and Washington Territory). At the time, Alaska was classified as the Department of Alaska (1867–84) and became the District of Alaska (1884–1912) before becoming the Territory of Alaska (1912–59). The Alaska territorial seal was designed in 1910[95] and adopted in 1913.[96] On 3 January 1959 Alaska became the 49th U.S. State.[97] The Oklahoma Territory (1890–1907) Organic Act was approved on 2 May 1890, and a territorial seal was adopted on 10 January 1893.[98] Hawaii, formerly the Kingdom of Hawaii (1795–1893), Republic of Hawaii (1894–98), and then Territory of Hawaii (1898–1959) became the 50th U.S. State on 21 August 1959.[99] None of the territories or states mentioned above had a coat of arms represented on national currency.

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pinnock . William . 1840 . A Catechism of Heraldry: Explaining the Nature and Use of Arms and Armoury . 3 . Whittaker and Co. .
  2. Book: Clark . Hugh . Wormull . Thomas . 1854 . An Introduction to Heraldry. 1 . Henry Washbourne & Co. . arms heraldry. .
  3. Book: Clark . Hugh . Wormull . Thomas . 1854 . An Introduction to Heraldry. 3 . Henry Washbourne & Co. . arms heraldry. .
  4. Nainfa . John A. . 1909 . Costume of Prelates of the Catholic Church: According to Roman Etiquette . John Murphy . John Murphy Company . 139 .
  5. Book: Crabb . George . 1823 . Universal Technological Dictionary or Familiar Explanations of the Terms Used in All Arts and Sciences . 2. 466 . Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy .
  6. Book: Tannehill . Joseph W. . 1917 . Ohio Interrogation Points . 19–20. Vic Donahey (Auditor of the State) .
  7. Book: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau . 1985 . State of Wisconsin Blue Book (1985-1986) . 958–960 . Department of Administration (Wisconsin) .
  8. Moore . Opha . 1907 . The Great Seal of Ohio . The Ohio Illustrated Magazine . 2. 1. 252–53 . The Ohio Magazine Publishing Company .
  9. Book: Crabb . George . 1823 . Universal Technological Dictionary or Familiar Explanations of the Terms Used in All Arts and Sciences . 2 . 466 . Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy .
  10. Book: Harris . John T. . 1916 . West Virginia Legislative Handbook and Manual and Official Register . 350–51 . The Tribune Printing Co..
  11. Book: Utah Military Department . 1902 . Regulations for the National Guard of Utah . 79 .
  12. Book: Adjutant General's Office . 1901 . Rules and Regulations Governing the Kansas National Guard . 108. W.Y. Morgan, State Printer .
  13. Book: Swinton . William . 1870 . History of the Seventh Regiment, National Guard, State of New York . 3 . Fields, Osgood, & Co. . coat of arms state militia regimental. .
  14. Hunt . Gaillard . 1911 . The History of the Department of State . The American Journal of International Law . 5. 415–32. Baker, Voorhis & Company .
  15. Book: Preble . George H. . 1917 . Origin and History of the American Flag . 2. 616 . Nicholas L. Brown .
  16. Book: Grimes . J. Bryan . 1907 . The Great Seal of the State of North Carolina . 26 . R.D.W. Connor, Secretary .
  17. Book: Pilcher . James E. . 1902 . The Seal and Arms of Pennsylvania . 6 . W.I. Stanley Ray (State Printer) .
  18. Book: 1919 . The Encyclopedia Americana . 362 . The Encyclopedia Americana Corporation .
  19. Book: 1857 . Journal of the Thirteenth Senate of the State of New Jersey . 45 . Morris R. Hamilton .
  20. Evans, 1910, p. 31.
  21. Use of the Great Seal of Utah. Utah Department of Administrative Services. 8 August 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131219013900/http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/code/r622/r622-002.htm. 19 December 2013.
  22. Book: 1876 . Counting Electoral Votes: Proceedings and Debates of Congress Relating to Counting the Electoral Votes . 407 . Government Printing Office . 1872 election arkansas electoral vote..
  23. Book: 1975. Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970. 2. 1069 . Bureau of the Census . 9780527917562 .
  24. Book: Hinds . Asher C. . 1907. Hinds' Precedents of the House of Representatives of the United States . 3. 272 . Government Printing Office.
  25. 1915 . Use of Seal and Coat of Arms by Corporations . The Corporation Journal . 47. 53 . The Corporation Trust Company System . 30 June 2014.
  26. 1915 . Offenses Against Public Property . Laws of the State of Delaware . 28. 1. 687 . Chas. L. Story .
  27. 2003 . Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms . Code of Federal Regulations . Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration .
  28. Huntoon & Shiva, 2013, p. 12.
  29. Book: Ferriter . Robert M. . 2009. United States Interstate Mapping System . 1 . 205. Robert M. Ferriter Publications . 9781434371133 .
  30. Book: Ferriter . Robert M. . 2009. United States Interstate Mapping System . 1 . 202. Robert M. Ferriter Publications . 9781434371133 .
  31. Book: Ferriter . Robert M. . 2009. United States Interstate Mapping System . 1 . 162. Robert M. Ferriter Publications . 9781434371133 .
  32. Davis . T. Frederick . 1924. Florida's Great Seal: Its Historical Inaccuracies . Publications of the Florida Historical Society. 3 . 2 . 16–19. Florida Historical Society. 30138842.
  33. Web site: State Arms of the Union. Antiquarian Booksellers Association. 16 July 2014. 10 September 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140910200033/http://www.abaa.org/book/294382231. live.
  34. Web site: Louis Prang, Father of the American Christmas Card . 19 December 2012 . New York Historical Society Museum & Library . 14 July 2014 . 18 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140718024837/http://blog.nyhistory.org/prang/ . live .
  35. Web site: Louis Prang Paper (1848 – 1932) . Archives of American Art/Smithsonian . 14 July 2014 . 24 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160824235907/http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/louis-prang-papers-9709/more . live .
  36. Web site: Printer Louis Prang issued 'Checks' . Bank Note Reporter . 14 July 2014 . 10 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140810163338/http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ArticleId=26465 . live .
  37. 1909. Louis Prang Dead . The American Stationer . 65. 25. 3. Lockwood Trade Journal Company .
  38. 1910 . Proceedings of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Annual Meeting . Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association . 53 . C.M. Barrows Company .
  39. 1910 . Proceedings of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Annual Meeting . Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association . 54 . C.M. Barrows Company .
  40. 1909 . Death of Henry Mitchell . Geyer's Stationer . 48. 1187. 4 .
  41. 1910 . Proceedings of the One Hundred and Fiftieth Annual Meeting . Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association . 55 . C.M. Barrows Company .
  42. 1909 . Obituary – Henry Mitchell, Engraver . The Numismatist . 22. 11. 310 . American Numismatic Association .
  43. 1907 . Making the Government's Stamped Envelopes . Harper's Weekly . 51. 2617. 249 . Harper & Brothers .
  44. Dammann . Theodore . 1929 . The Great Seal and Coat of Arms of Wisconsin . The Wisconsin Blue Book . 876 . The State Printing Board .
  45. Book: Giberti . Bruno . 2002 . Designing the Centennial . 161 . The University Press of Kentucky . 0813122317.
  46. Book: 1891 . Annual Report of the Director of the Mint . 70 . Government Printing Office .
  47. News: New Designs for our Silver Coins. The Times (Philadelphia). 30 May 1891. 2. Newspapers.com. 9 August 2014. 12 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140812104604/http://www.newspapers.com/clip/837941/henry_mitchell/. live.
  48. News: Current News of the Fine Arts. The New York Times. 19 August 1894. 19. Newspapers.com. 9 August 2014. 12 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140812104607/http://www.newspapers.com/clip/837924/henry_mitchell/. live.
  49. Book: Blake . George Herbert . 1908. United States paper money. 22–23 . George H. Blake .
  50. 1864 . Proceedings of Select Committee . Reports of Committees of the House of Representatives (First Session, Thirty-Eighth Congress) . Government Printing Office .
  51. 1864 . Proceedings of Select Committee . Reports of Committees of the House of Representatives (First Session, Thirty-Eighth Congress) . 274. Government Printing Office .
  52. Zieber, 1895, p. 112.
  53. Shankle, 1941, p. 183.
  54. Shankle, 1941, p. 184.
  55. Zieber, 1895, p. 118.
  56. Book: 1900 . Organic Acts for the Territories of the United States . 3 . Government Printing Office .
  57. Book: Kingsbury . George W. . 1915 . The History of Dakota Territory . 268 . The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company .
  58. 1847 . An Act to Authorize... the Great Seal... . Laws of the State of Delaware . 10. 2. 106 . S. Kimmey (Printer) .
  59. Shankle, 1941, p. 189.
  60. Shankle, 1941, p. 190.
  61. Zieber, 1895, p. 127.
  62. Book: Leeson . Michael A. . 1885 . History of Montana . 235–37 . Warner, Beers & Company .
  63. 1867 . The Coat of Arms of Idaho . Journal of the Fourth Session of the Council of Idaho Territory. 175–76 . Idaho "Statesman" Publishing Company Printers .
  64. Shankle, 1941, p. 192.
  65. Zieber, 1895, p. 129.
  66. 1915 . The Great Seals of Iowa. The Annals of Iowa. 11. 1. 576. Historical Department of Iowa .
  67. Shankle, 1941, p. 194.
  68. Zieber, 1895, p. 131.
  69. Shankle, 1941, p. 196.
  70. Zieber, 1895, p. 133.
  71. Willson, 1864, p. 99.
  72. Zieber, 1895, p. 144.
  73. 1907 . The State Seal of Minnesota . The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota . 9–10 . Minnesota Secretary of State .
  74. Stevens . Walter B. . 1921 . Missouri's "Armorial Achievement" . Centennial History of Missouri. 195 . The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company . 9780722207710 .
  75. Book: 1864 . Council Journal of the First Legislative Assembly of Montana Territory . 294 . D.W. Tilton & Co. .
  76. Book: 1867 . The Statutes of Nebraska . 863–864 . Culver, Page & Hoyne .
  77. Shankle, 1941, p. 201.
  78. Book: Hammond . Otis G. . 1916 . History of the Seal and Flag of the State of New Hampshire . 31 . State of New Hampshire .
  79. 1887 . Seal  - Territory . Acts of the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico. 27. 229 . J.A. Carruth, Printer, Binder and Blank Book Manufacturers .
  80. 1809 . An Act… Authorizing the making [of] a new Great Seal... ]. Laws of the State of New York . 5. 504 . Websters and Skinner .
  81. 1921 . The Great Seal . North Carolina Journal . 230 . Edwards & Broughton Printing Company .
  82. 1897 . State Seal . Legislative Manual. 57–58. Tribune, State Printers and Binders .
  83. 1866 . General Repealing Acts . The Organic and Other General Laws of Oregon. 946 . Henry L. Pittock, State Printer .
  84. 1875 . Report of the Commissioners to Correct the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . Miscellaneous Documents Read in the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 3. 1113 . B.F. Meyers, State Printer .
  85. Shankle, 1941, p. 210.
  86. 1906 . The Seals of South Carolina . South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine . 7. 4. 225 . South Carolina Historical Society .
  87. 1901 . Constitution of the State of South Dakota . Statutes of the State of South Dakota . 1. 49 . H.B. Parsons .
  88. Garrett . W.R. . Bass . John M. . 1901 . The Great Seal of the State of Tennessee . The American Historical Magazine . 6. 210 . Peabody Normal College .
  89. Shankle, 1941, p. 213.
  90. Zieber, 1895, p. 183.
  91. Shankle, 1941, p. 215.
  92. Zieber, 1895, p. 193.
  93. 1907 . The Second Great Seal . Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin at Its Fifty-Fifth Annual Meeting. 300–301 . Wisconsin Historical Society .
  94. Book: Farrand . Max . 1896 . The Legislation of Congress for the Government of the Organized Territories of the United States . 80 . Wm. A. Baker .
  95. Book: Kimura . Greg W.. 2009 . Alaska at 50 – The Past, Present, and Next Fifty Year of Alaska Statehood . 6 . University of Alaska Press . 978-1-60223-081-1.
  96. Book: Johnson. Joyce. 2002 . Alaska (Hello U.S.A.) . 71. Lerner Publications . 9780822540519.
  97. A Brief History of Alaska . Alaska Statehood Celebration Commission Website . 27 July 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131230025331/http://www.gov.state.ak.us/ASCC/pdf/HistoryofAlaska.pdf . 30 December 2013 .
  98. Web site: Grand Seal of the Territory of Oklahoma . Oklahoma State University . 26 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130520095946/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/Chronicles/v035/v035p128.pdf . 20 May 2013 . dead .
  99. Web site: Hawaii Statehood, August 21, 1959 . The National Archives . 26 July 2014 . 27 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140727164212/http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/hawaii/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Historical armorial of U.S. states from 1876".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.