This has to be an extremely rare item! It is a dated October 1, 1872 Peoria Horse Railway Company Stock Certificate No. Originally owned by Volney H Freeman and signed over on backside to Robert G Ingersoll. August 11, 1833 – July 21, 1899, nicknamed. , was an American lawyer, writer, and. Golden Age of Free Thought. Who campaigned in defense of. In 1872 he may still have been Attorney General State of Illinois- a position he held following his service in the Civil War. Signature of Austin F Johnson Secretary lower left. Signature of the President of the company lower right is difficult to make out. There is an embossed revenue stamp at left edge. The company, delayed by financial problems, did not begin operating its first route until June 1, 1872. Horsecars operated over trackage from Harrison Street to Washington Street, on Washington to Main Street, and on Main to Elizabeth Street (later renamed Sheridan Road). An extra team of horses was needed to pull the cars up the Main Street hill, and a hand-operated turntable was installed at Elizabeth Street. The company eventually operated 11 horsecars and 22 horses over 2.4 miles of trackage. The PHR was foreclosed on November 29, 1876, and was reorganized as the Peoria City Horse Railway on December 2. Within 10 more years, the company was operating 12 miles of trackage with 59 horsecars, 100 horses, and 35 mules. Measures 9 3/4″ x 7 3/4″ There are several vertical folds/creases on the certificate It is printed on a thin almost onionskin paper. There are tiny feather creases here and there overall. At bottom edge is some small diagonal creasing with tiny tiny tears. A wonderful addition to any collection!