Author: Devereux, Nicholas (1791-1855). Irish-born American entrepreneur who became one of the early major land owners in Western New York. He founded the Savings Bank of Utica and was instrumental in establishing St. Bonaventure University.
Title: Autograph Letter Signed by the Irish-American Entrepreneur Nicholas Devereux Regarding a Bank Draft.
Description: Utica, December 30th, 1843. 1843. Utica, December 30th, 1843. 1843. Very good. - Over 80 words penned on 10 inch high by 7-5/8 inch wide "Congress Southworth Co." paper with the paper company's pictorial device embossed in blind at the top left corner. In his letter addressed to Henry R. Remsen, the founder of the Utica Savings Bank Nicholas Devereux writes that he is enclosing a bank draft and warmly closes by wishing him "many happy wishes for the present Season.." Signed "N. Devereux". Folded for mailing, the letter is addressed and annotated on the verso of an attached leaf with its "Express Mail" postmark of the period and the remnants of a red wax seal. There are minor creases to the letter and a small piece is out from the edge of the attached leaf, no doubt the result of breaking the seal.

The Irish-born American entrepreneur Nicholas Devereux (1791- 1855) left Ireland at the age of 15 after his family, who had been involved in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, lost their lands. Devereux emigrated to Utica, New York in 1806 where he was first employed by his brother John C. Devereux. After taking other employment for several years, he entered into partnership with his brother in 1814. It was in that year that the brothers moved their business into a brick building into which they installed a heavy strong box. Residents of Utica, fearing crime from the influx of soldiers and contractors moving through the City following the War of 1812, trusted the brothers to store their money in the strong box and some even trusted them enough to invest it for them. Thus were the seeds sown for what was to become the Savings Bank of Utica which the brothers opened without a charter in 1816, two years before the first official savings bank "The Philadelphia Savings Fund Society" opened. Through the years, the brothers acquired land in the vicinity of Utica. The brothers were instrumental in establishing the Sisters of Charity in Utica and founded the Christian Brothers school in the city. Nicholas Devereux briefly spent time in Albany where he took part in organizing the Utica & Schenectady Railroad. Devereux subsequently bought the substantial residue of the Holland Land Company's holdings in Allegany & Cattaraugus counties hoping to build a new city. Founding the town of Allegany on these lands he believed that, as it grew into a city, the citizens would need religious instruction. Devereux approached Buffalo's Bishop Timon who, reaching out to Rome, invited the first group of Franciscan brothers to settle in the United States. With funding from Devereux and instruction from the brothers, St. Bonaventure University was born and Devereux Hall was named after its founder. It was while teaching English at Bonaventure, at the start of the Second World War, those many years later, that the great religious writer and Catholic mystic Thomas Merton found his calling and decided to join the Trappist order. Very good .

Keywords: AMERICANAL; RELIGION; FINANCIER; ENTREPRENEUR; NICHOLAS DEVEREUX; IRISH-AMERICAN; IRISH-BORN; AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED; SIGNATURE; NINETEENTH CENTURY; UTICA, NEW YORK; 19TH CENTURY; ALLEGANY, NEW YORK; SAVINGS BANK OF UTICA; LAND OWNER; DEVEREUX HALL; ST.

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