A Bank Finds a Trove of Historic Checks

Bills... even presidents have to pay them.  And that usually meant writing a check.  The Huntington Bank recently discovered boxes of very old bank records containing checks from some of the most famous people in our country's history including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  In the latter case the bank has a check for $800 he wrote to himself dated 13 April 1865, the day before he took his wife out for an evening at the theater that ended rather badly.  And yes, $800 was a lot of money in those days.  (Mrs Lincoln was a notorious shopoholic who regularly ran up big bills..)

Lincoln's 800 check to "self" dated April 13 1865.

A check to William Thornton for $500 from George Washington dated May 31 1799.  Washington died six months later.

A check from President Harding to Mrs. Harding for $100 dated December 26 1916 (while he was still in the Senate).  A Christmas present?

A check to William Carter for $1.56 cents from Franklin D Roosevelt dated January 5 1931, while he was Governor of New York.  There is a story, widely accredited, to the effect that FDR once found himself owing the sum of $10 and some change to a gentleman after an evening of friendly poker.  Roosevelt retrieved a $10 bill and the correct change and handed it over.  The man then asked the president if he would sign the bank note.  FDR took out his pen and was about to sign when he stopped and asked the man if he was gong to keep the $10 bill.  The man assured him he would treasure it as a family keepsake.  Whereupon Roosevelt pocketed the money and said "well in that case let me write you a check."

See many more photos of checks from famous people here.