The book is the Memoir written by Cadwallader Colden for the Committee of the Common Council of the City of New York (1826) and presented to the Mayor of NYC at the Celebration of the Completion ofthe Erie Canal. This particular book was given to his brother, Isaacs Hone (Philip Hone was the NUC mayor during the celebration.

A definition you included in your article last week was incorrect, the wooden boxes were not made from the Seneca Chief but from wood brought on the Seneca Chief to New York City as part of itscargo, per page 348 of the Memoir "this box was made of a piece of Wood, brought from Erie in the first Canal-boat, the Seneca Chief."

Some other aspects of this book that are most interesting are the seven facsimile thank you letters from Charles Carroll, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, the Marquees de Lafayette,John Adams (May 24, 1826) and Thomas Jefferson (June 8th, 1826), as you know the last two died on July 4th 1826 but they both wrote(or signed their names to the thank you letters to the NYCcouncil).

The Memoir also has forty-seven illustrated maps of the Erie Canal project as well as portraits of many participants in the overall celebration.

Truly an awesome book to own.

To read the earlier E-Sylum article, see:
ERIE CANAL COMPLETION MEDAL ORIGINAL BOX (http://www.coinbooks.org/v20/esylum_v20n23a26.html)

Tony Terranova writes: