Sword given by Abraham Lincoln to be auctioned in Worcester
![A saber presented by Abraham Lincoln to 1st Lt. John Wesley Jones, commander of the White House Guard. [Submitted Photo]](/gcdn/authoring/2020/01/20/NTEG/ghows-WT-9c95b61f-9a44-1521-e053-0100007f02c0-edfed952.jpeg?width=660&height=198&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
WORCESTER - A sword once held by President Abraham Lincoln will be offered for auction Jan. 30 by Central Mass Auctions.
The sword was presented by Lincoln to 1st Lt. John Wesley Jones in 1862 for his service commanding the White House Guard.
Jones had a colorful and complex career. Before the Civil War, he worked as a daguerreotypist documenting the California gold rush and took many photographs as he traveled across the country. With proceeds he and his brother founded the Northwestern Female College of Evanston, Illinois, in 1855. The college later became Evanston College for Ladies. After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the college was unable to pay its debt when donors were unable to make good on pledges. The college was then absorbed into Northwestern University.
During the war, Jones served with the Curtin Horse Guards, who helped pursue Gen. Robert E. Lee's army after Gettysburg. After the war he served with the U.S. Customs Service and founded the United States Volunteer Life Saving Corps, the functions of which have been taken over by the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Wayne Tuiskula, auctioneer for Central Mass Auctions, said he is pleased to be offering the rare sword at auction. He said Central Mass has held several historical auctions. Among those were the sale of Eliott Ness' credentials, which brought in $46,000. Ness was a federal agent during Prohibition who helped bring gangster Al Capone to justice.
Central Mass Auctions has offices in Worcester and Boston. Tuiskala said the sword was from an estate in the Boston area, but the company runs live auctions in Worcester. The Worcester location is also convenient for people traveling from other cities, he said.
Tuiskula said Central Mass also conducted the auction when historic Boston restaurant Durgin-Park was closed in January and its contents sold off.
The sword auction will take place beginning at 6 p.m. Jan. 30 at Vernon Hill Post 435, American Legion, 267 Providence St. The auction preview begins at 3 p.m. that day.
