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Up for sale is a fascinating, consecutive historical lot of ten (10) original scripophily stock transfer stubs from the South Boston Gas Light Company, all dating between April and August of 1873.
These documents function as the official company ledger receipts recording the transfer and assignment of capital stock shares. Every stub is hand-signed and attested to by the notable company clerk, W. Eliot Fette. Featured prominent 19th-century Boston names and firms include W.H.H. Newman, Richard Morris, Charles McSeaver, and H. Odiorne & Co.
Details:
Company: South Boston Gas Light Company (Boston, Mass.)
Quantity: Lot of 10 stubs (Includes Nos. 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 409, 410, 411, and 412)
Era: Reconstruction Period (1873)
Condition: Excellent antique condition. Crisp paper, bright inks, and clear handwriting. Minimal age toning, clean edges, and no major tears across the lot. Ready for framing or archiving.
Please see the provided high-resolution photos for a detailed look at the condition and exact text of each stub.
⭐️Historical Background⭐️
The South Boston Gas Light Company
Incorporated in the mid-19th century (circa 1852) to light the rapidly growing industrial and residential districts of South Boston, this utility company operated its own gas works and held lucrative municipal contracts to light public street-lamps. In the late 19th century, gas light companies were incredibly high-stakes enterprises, serving as the essential infrastructure of urban life before electric grids took over.
The company remained a prominent local fixture until 1905, when it was consolidated by Kidder, Peabody & Co. alongside several other regional suppliers (including the Boston Gas Light Co. and Roxbury Gas Light Co.) to form the massive Boston Consolidated Gas Company. These stubs, all dating to the spring and summer of 1873, capture the company at its peak operational era.
Key Signatures & Names
W. Eliot Fette (William Eliot Fette): His signature appears as the attesting Clerk on every single stub in this lot. Fette was a prominent Bostonian, a Harvard graduate, and an intellectual who served as a long-time clerk and executive for regional gas works. Notably, in 1886, he pioneered early labor-reform concepts by introducing an innovative profit-sharing dividend plan for the workmen at his gas works. Outside of business, he was a known editor of literary works (including adaptations of Charles Dickens).
W. H. H. Newman: A wealthy Boston investor seen transferring shares on Certificate No. 403.
H. Odiorne & Co.: Appears on several stubs as a transferee or agent. This refers to Henry Odiorne's established Boston-based firm, which dealt in commercial finance and investments during the Reconstruction era.
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South Boston Gas Light Co, 1873 stock stub, antique scripophily lot, Boston ephemera, W Eliot Fette, 19th century financial history, vintage utility document, rare paper archive, Boston Massachusetts history, antique ledger receipts
