UNITED STATES LOCALS continued...

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE STAMP AND PHENOMENAL CONJUNCTIVE USE WITH HALE & COMPANY'S INDEPENDENT MAIL ROUTE.

It has been written that Jones' City Express existed from late 1844 through early 1845 (Patton book), but dated covers are known only as early as Jan. 29, 1845, and as late as Aug. 10, 1845. It is supposed that the proprietor was George G. Jones, based on the 1844 Brooklyn directory, listing him as an engraver with residence at Clinton Avenue and Jamaica Road. George G. Jones is listed in later directories as manager of the Metropolitan Errand and Carrier Express Company in New York City (source: Abt notes). Conjunctive usages indicate that Jones linked with Boyd's in Manhattan for local city delivery and with American Letter Mail Co. and Hale & Co. for inter-city service (prior to July 1, 1845).

We record seven covers and two fronts (or pieces) with the 91L1 stamp: 1) uncancelled, used on Feb. 17, 1845 folded letter to John Jay, New York City, red Boyd's oval, ex Caspary, Boker, Lilly, Golden, Gordon N. John, (Siegel Sale 868, lot 2077, realized $7,500 hammer), 2) uncancelled, used on cover to Junins L. Taylor, local addressee, "Paid" straightline, ex Caspary, 3) cut to shape, used with American Letter Mail Co. 5L2 cut to shape (tied), on folded cover to Counsellor Gieloeu (spelling?), Philadelphia, red Am. Letter Mail oval (NYC) and circle (Phila.) handstamps, ex Patton (Robson Lowe sale, Mar. 1, 1973, lot 1604), 4) uncancelled, ms. "Paid" on cover to J.D. & C.S. Pratt, East Chatham, N.Y., ex Boker, 5) uncancelled on Aug. 10, 1845 folded letter to Wm. Danforth, Hartford Conn., red Brooklyn datestamp and "5" rate, Siegel 1995 Rarities sale, 6) described as "Uncancelled on cover pmk. Boyd's Brooklyn City Express. Creased from letter fold and rubbed on face. Rare.", Siegel Sale 164, lot 759, no photo, 7) uncancelled on turned folded cover to Jno. W. Mitchell, New York City, red Brooklyn datestamp and "5" rate, ex Golden, (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1282, realized $3,000 hammer), 8) part of stamp (torn) on front only to Isaac Wendell, Philadelphia, with red American Letter Mail Co. (Phila.) circle and framed Collect handstamp, ex Golden, and 9) tied by Hale & Co. oval with Collect box on large piece, the item offered here, Siegel Sale 358, lot 1004. (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. ARGUABLY THE THE FINEST OF THE SIX RECORDED COVERS WITH THE KELLOGG'S PENNY POST STAMP, OF WHICH ONLY THREE ARE TIED BY A HANDSTAMP.

Kellogg's Penny Post & City Despatch was a relatively short-lived local post in Cleveland. It is believed that the post existed in 1853 and 1854. A cover dated June 28 (1853) and a piece dated April 7 (1854) are the earliest and latest recorded dates of use for the 92L1 stamp. Carrier service in Cleveland began in December 1853, which probably forced Kellogg's out of business by mid-1854.

Our records contain the following six Kellogg's covers, arranged by date (including assumed year dates): 1) Jun. 28 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp ties 3c 1851, 92L1 cancelled by pencil on New England Hotel corner card cover to West Fairlee Vt., ex Caspary, Schenck, Skove, Golden (sold after the auction), 2) Jul. 11 (1853 content) Cleveland datestamp with "24" in circle tying 92L1 on folded letter to Mrs. Cowell, Dorset, England, from Harmer Rooke sale, Jul. 7-8, 1960, 3) Jul. 29 (1853 contents) Cleveland datestamp, tied by ms. cancel on folded letter originating in Cincinnati to New Orleans, carried to Cleveland and given to Kellogg's, ex Boker, 4) Sep. 1 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp on cover to Newark O., one 92L1 remains from strip of three (other two torn off), ms. "Charge Johnson House" hotel notation, ex Knapp, Middendorf, 5) Sep. 27 (ca. 1853) Cleveland datestamp and grid tie 92L1 and 3c 1851 on Waverly House corner card cover to Canton O., the cover offered here, discovered in 1997, Siegel 1997 Rarities sale (lot 279, realized $37,500 hammer), and 6) Jan. 21 (ca. 1854) Cleveland datestamp with black grid tying 92L1 to Painesville O., ex Hall, D.K. Collection (Siegel Sale 862, lot 87, realized $8,000). In addition to the six covers, there are at least six 92L1 stamps known off cover.

All of the surviving Kellogg's covers were delivered to the post office (three from hotels), no city-delivery covers are known. Is it possible that Kellogg's post was incorporated into the Cleveland carrier department started by Henry S. Bishop on December 21, 1853? Bishop left the carrier department on July 1, 1854, to become an employee of the Cleveland post office (source: Elliott Perry). Bishop's move roughly coincides with the end of Kellogg's post, however, no official records are known to us that confirm Kellogg's involvement as a carrier. The use of the black grid to cancel the stamp on this cover strongly suggests an official link to the post office.

With 1997 P.F. certificate (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. A RARE LOCAL POST MARKING USED WITH THE 10-CENT 1847 ISSUE.

Ex Rust and Stollnitz (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE. THE UNIQUE ARTIFACT ESTABLISHING THE EXISTENCE OF MAC & CO.'S ONE CENT DISPATCH -- A BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, LOCAL POST THAT BROUGHT MAIL TO THE MORRISVILLE POST OFFICE. THIS IS THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE MAC & CO. STAMP, SCOTT 166L1.

The letter that helped establish the date and nature of Mac & Co.'s post has been well-documented, but at this time cannot be located. The letter is written from a lady who signs her name "Mary W. C.", to Dr. Meredith Clymer, grandson of the Signer of the Declaration of Independence and a respected medical professor at the University of New York (source: Appleton's), whom she addresses as "My dear Meredith". Mary explicitly details the relationship of her location to the neighboring town of Morrisville, located in lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In planning for Dr. Clymer's visit to her home, Mary describes the railroad line from New York City that passes through Trenton (across the Delaware River) and Morrisville, and she refers to a regular stage service (carrying mail) between Morrisville and her home town. So significant is the content of this letter in establishing the authenticity of the Mac & Co. local that we have transcribed and analyzed relevant sections below.

There are two pieces of information in Mary's letter that give us the exact date and likely origin. The dateline is "Saturday night, May 20th". No year is written, but May 20th fell on a Saturday only once between 1851 and 1860. The year was 1854, which fits with the 3c Red Nesbitt die type on this envelope (issued June 1853). Mary also provides a virtual road map to the origin point of the letter. Hoping for a visit from Dr. Clymer, she provides detailed information about railroad stops and schedules: "I think the best line for you is the one leaving N.Y. at I believe 4 P.M. It is the Relief line. It passes through Morrisville, about half past 6, where you could be let out. The early train leaving N.Y. at 7 reaches Morrisville before 10. The intermediate line which passes through about half past one P.M. brings the mail but does not land passengers nearer than Trenton. As this line is then out of the question & the early one most probably too early for you, I think the late one the best. Get out at Morrisville & if you have given us sufficient notice you will find the wagon ready to bring you down some two and a quarter miles. We do not always send to the P. Office every day & therefore to secure a drive in one conveyance you must give a suitable notice." Looking at a map of the lower portion of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, "down two and a quarter miles" from Morrisville leads precisely to Fallsington, an historic stagecoach village with a Quaker community. Dr. Clymer's grandfather, George Clymer (Signer), was buried at Morrisville.

Additional first-hand information concerning the mails between Mary's town and Morrisville is provided toward the end of the letter. Mary writes: "I am writing now so that if I go to Church tomorrow I may hand this to someone to mail in Trenton, for I cannot send up in time on Monday morning as the mail closes before 9 O'clock." The Morrisville postmark date on Monday, May 22, tells the rest of the story after Mary sealed her envelope. Obviously, she did not find someone at church on Sunday morning to take her letter to Trenton, and it waited until early Monday morning to be carried to Morrisville. Her concern about making the early mail may have caused her to affix the Mac & Co. stamp and drop the letter into a box for Monday morning pick-up.

Based on the letter and usage, it seems likely that Mac & Co. provided a service comparable to the Glen Haven Daily Mail, Westtown or Hopedale posts by carrying mail to a neighboring post office. Fallsington may have been among several communities serviced by Mac & Co.

Ex Ferrary, Caspary, Lilly, Middendorf and Golden (Siegel Sale 817, lot 1325, realized $12,500 hammer). With 1990 and 1999 P.F. certificates. The Scott Catalogue listed the Mac & Co. local stamp for the first time after this cover was sold in the 1999 Golden sale (Image)