Robert Spring, a 19 

century forger ,was so good at his profession that he was able to make his living for 15 years by selling false signatures of Americans. Spring was born in England in 1813 and arrived in Philadelphia in 1858 to open a bookstore. At first he became rich by selling his small but real collection of early U.S. autographs . Discovering his ability at copying handwriting, he began imitating signatures of George. Washington and Ben Franklin and writing them on the title pages of old books. To lessen the chance of detection , he sent his forgeries to England and Canada for sale. 

Forgers have a hard time selling their products. A forger can't deal with a respectable buyer but people who don't have much knowledge in the field. Forgers have many ways to make their work look real. For example, they buy old books to use the aged paper of the title page, and they can treat paper and ink with chemical. 

In Spring's time right after the Civil War, Britain was still fond of the Southern states, so Spring invented a respectable maiden lady known as Miss Fanny Jackson, the only daughter of General "Stonewall" Jackson. For several years Miss Fanny's financial problems forced her to sell a great number of letters and manuscripts . Spring had to work very hard to satisfy the demand. All this activity did not prevent Spring from dying in poverty, leaving sharp-eyed experts the difficult task of separating his forgeries from the originals.
What was Robert Spring good at?
When was he born?
Where?
Did he stay there?
Where did he move?
When?
Why?
Where did he send his "work"?
Why?
Who "sold" them ?
And she was suppose to be who?
Why was she selling?
Was there a big demand?
Was everything he sold a forgery?
Who were some of the people he copied?
Was he rich at one time?
Did he die rich?
selling false signatures
selling false signatures
1813
1813
England
England
no
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
1858
1858
open a bookstore
open a bookstore
England and Canada
England and Canada
lessen the chance of detection
lessen the chance of detection
Miss Fanny
Miss Fanny
only daughter of General "Stonewall" Jackson
only daughter of General "Stonewall" Jackson
financial problems
financial problems
yes
 very hard to satisfy the demand
no
s from the original
George. Washington and Ben Franklin
George. Washington and Ben Franklin
yes
ecame rich 
no
did not prevent Spring from dying in poverty