Manuscript promissory note signed “Jonath. Trumbull,” Lebanon, Connecticut, March 22, 1783, promising payment of eighty pounds, five shillings, and six pence. Executed during the closing months of the American Revolution by Connecticut's celebrated wartime governor and George Washington's most trusted state executive. This scarce manuscript financial document bears the signature of Jonathan Trumbull (1710–1785), the legendary Revolutionary governor of Connecticut and the only colonial governor to support the American cause throughout the War for Independence. Signed at Lebanon, Connecticut, on March 22, 1783, the note acknowledges a debt and promises payment of eighty pounds, five shillings, and six pence, a substantial sum during the era. The document reads in part: “Three years after, on the bonds of Trumbull & Moore that there is due this day to David Andrus [or Andrews] the sum of Eighty pounds five shillings & six pence.” Dated only weeks before the formal cessation of hostilities following the preliminary peace agreement with Great Britain, the note was executed at a pivotal moment in American history. In March 1783 the Revolutionary War was effectively ending, yet the financial and economic burdens of nearly eight years of conflict remained profound. Notes, bonds, and private financial obligations such as this one were common instruments through which individuals and public figures managed debt, credit, and commercial affairs in the uncertain postwar economy. The signer, Jonathan Trumbull, occupies a singular place in Revolutionary history. Born in Lebanon, Connecticut, in 1710, he emerged as one of New England's most respected merchants, legislators, and public officials. After serving in the colonial assembly, on the governor's council, and as lieutenant governor, he was elected governor of Connecticut in 1769. When tensions between Great Britain and the colonies escalated during the 1770s, Trumbull became the only sitting royal governor in British North America to side openly with the Patriot cause. While other colonial governors either remained loyal to the Crown or were removed from office, Trumbull retained the confidence of Connecticut's people and transformed his government into one of the Revolution's most effective sources of military and logistical support. Throughout the war, Connecticut became a critical supplier of men, provisions, clothing, arms, and transportation for the Continental Army. Trumbull's administrative skill proved indispensable to the American war effort. His correspondence with George Washington was extensive, and Washington relied heavily upon Connecticut's resources to sustain military operations. So close was their relationship that Washington is traditionally said to have addressed him affectionately as “Brother Jonathan,” a phrase that later evolved into a national symbol for the American people. Trumbull's contributions extended far beyond his state's borders. He coordinated military recruitment, supervised wartime production, and helped manage the complicated logistics necessary to support the Continental Army. Historians have long regarded him as one of the most effective state executives of the Revolutionary era and among the most important civilian leaders of the struggle for independence. The year 1783 represented the culmination of Trumbull's public career. The war was ending, the new nation was emerging, and the burdens borne by states and individuals alike were beginning to shift from military necessity to economic recovery. Documents from this period are particularly evocative because they capture the transition from wartime mobilization to peacetime reconstruction. Signed financial instruments of Jonathan Trumbull are highly desirable because relatively few survive compared with documents of other major Revolutionary figures. Moreover, examples executed during the final months of the Revolution possess special historical appeal, linking directly to the closing chapter of the conflict that secured American independence. As a result, this manuscript note is more than a simple financial obligation. It is a tangible artifact of the Revolutionary generation, signed by the governor whom Washington trusted above all other state executives and whose steadfast support helped sustain the American cause through its darkest years. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Three years after, on the bonds of Trumbull & Moore that there is due this day to David Andrus [or Andrews] the sum of Eighty pounds five shillings & six pence. Lebanon 22d March 1783 Jonath. Trumbull
