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Rare 1828 state of John Cary's map of the United States, the latest date we have ever encountered on Cary's map of the US.
Over the 20+ year history of Cary's atlas, a number of new Territories have appeared, including Michigan Territory, Indiana Territory, Illinois Territory, Alabama Territory and Mississippi Territory. The only Territory west of the Mississippi is Louisiana. The map is filled with Indian Notes and details on Navigation, battles, important portages, etc. The Northwest Territory also apppears. Illinois is pushed off the Lake and Chicago does not appear. Many of the early roads in the Midwest and the Georgia/Alabama area appear for the first time. Florida is still shown as East and West Florida, but has assumed its proper Territorial configuration, having recently become a US Territory.
John Cary (1755-1835) was a British cartographer and publisher best known for his clean engraving and distinct style which influenced the entire map industry. Born in Wiltshire, John was apprenticed to an engraver in London. He started his own business by 1782 and moved to several premises before settling at 86 St James’s Street in 1820.
Cary had several significant collaborations during his career. John Wallis and Cary diversified Cary’s business to include broader publishing projects. Brother William and John made globes together, while brother Francis participated in the company’s engraving work. Finally, geologist William Smith and Cary developed and sold geological maps, some of the first of their kind. The pair also produced a notable series of county maps starting in 1819. Cary’s atlases, of English counties and the world, were the standard texts of the early nineteenth century. He was appointed surveyor of roads to the General Post Office in 1794, which led to the New Itinerary, first published in 1798.
John trained his son, George, in engraving and George and his other son, John Jr., took over the business in 1821. It was then known as G. and J. Cary and continued in trade until 1850. The firm’s materials were then acquired by George Frederick Cruchley and then Gall and Inglis. By the time John died in 1835, Cary was the authoritative name in private map publishing and his business was a leader in the field throughout the first half of the nineteenth century.
![[United States] Canada IIe Feuille](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/61191.jpg)