Franklin Pierce

Partly-printed vellum DS as president, one page, 13.75 x 16.25, June 27, 1856. President Pierce appoints Weld Noble Allen as "a Midshipman in the Navy of the United States." Neatly signed at the conclusion in ink by President Franklin Pierce, and countersigned by Secretary of the Navy James C. Dobbin. The bottom vignette retains the original orange Navy Department seal. In very good to fine condition, with faint staining, and scattered small areas of loss along the folds.

Weld Noble Allen (1837–1875) was born in Alfred, Maine. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1855 and later served in the U.S. Navy during the 1860s, at one point commanding a naval gunboat. His naval career occurred during the period surrounding the American Civil War, when many officers were involved in blockades and river or coastal operations. A memorial made of marble and brass commemorating Weld Noble Allen is located in the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Portland, Maine, honoring his naval service and life.