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Wells, Fargo & Co. Pony Express, ($1.00) Red Type II East-to-West Frank, 10c Green on Thin Hard White Entire (unlisted in Scott). 10c embossed stamp cancelled at origin by blue "Caseyville Ky. Sep. 5"
(1861) circular datestamp, printed address to the Agent of Pony Express, St. Joseph, Mo.” and handwritten address to James L. (Laird) Christian at Staples Ranch Cal., clear strike of "Pony Express/The Central Overland California & Pikes Peak
Express Company St. Joseph Mo. Sep. 18" oval in circle datestamp, manuscript "Missent to Cacheville" and blue "Wells, Fargo & Co. Express Cacheville" oval handstamp, "Stockton Cal. Oct. 5" circular datestamp over embossed stamp,
manuscript "Ford 3" for U.S. postage to Staples Ranch, expertly restored along right edge (affects embossed stamp and circular datestamps at upper right), cleaned to removed stains (mostkly on back) ONE OF 21 RECORDED TYPE II EAST-TO-WEST
PONY EXPRESS FRANKED ENTIRES AND THE ONLY PONY EXPRESS COVER TO ORIGINATE IN KENTUCKY. IT IS ALSO THE ONLY PONY EXPRESS COVER WITH AN ADDITIIONAL WELLS FARGO & COMPANY HANDSTAMP UNRELATED TO THE PONY EXPRESS SERVICE. In Rate Period 3, Wells
Fargo & Co. introduced a special franked envelope for westbound mail, but its use was extremely limited. On July 1, 1861, the new contract rate went into effect. On August 12, 1861, Wells Fargo & Co. announced in the New York papers that Pony Express
Envelopes” were Now ready and for sale at our office.” Although this announcement refers only to envelopes,” in fact both the franked entires and $1.00 adhesive stamps were put on sale in August 1861. The 1861 10c Pumpkin” entire with the Type
II printed frank was ordered from George F. Nesbitt & Co. (New York) by the Overland Mail Company after they obtained approval for the design and imprint from the Postmaster General’s office. The earliest recorded Type II envelope is dated August 14,
1861, according to the FKW census. The FKW census lists 20 examples of the Type II $1.00 East-to-West frank, including a few that have stamps added or have been extensively repaired. Adding one cover that was not included in the FKW census
(Siegel 2009 Rarities of the World sale, lot 298), there are 21 Type II franks. This Pony Express cover entered the post office at Caseyville, Kentucky, and was treated as regular mail until it reached the Wells Fargo & Co. agent at St. Joseph.
From there (or Atchison, Kansas) it made the September 19, 1861, westbound Pony trip to California. From the terminus at Placerville, the Pony mail was brought to Sacramento. This letter was carried by a Wells Fargo & Co. stage in the wrong
direction, north to Cacheville. The agent at Cacheville caught the mistake and redirected the letter south to Stockton, where it entered the post office and was carried by regular mail to nearby Staples Ranch. The addressee, James Laird
Christian, was born in 1827 in Hopkins County, Kentucky. The family moved to California by wagon train after 1850 and settled in San Joaquin County on the north side of the Mokelumne River. In the will of his great-uncle, Samuel Laird, in 1856 James
was called the only living descendant of Jane Laird. He was living in Elkhorn township, San Joaquin County, in the 1860 federal census, where he was a farmer. The cover's original mailing point--Caseyville, Kentucky--is located in Union County,
two miles above the mouth of Tradewater River and 12-1/2 miles southeast of Morganfield, Kentucky. It was founded in 1826 or 1827 by Nicholas Casey, the son of a pioneer and Revolutionary War veteran, Peter Casey. The town Caseyville was first called
Casey's Landing. The post office was established on August 6, 1838. John Casey was the postmaster. The post office at Staples Ranch was established in 1851. In 1863 its name was changed to Locust Shade. Census No. W58. Trip WT-141. Illustrated
in Frajola-Kramer-Walske The Pony Express: A Postal History (p. 58). (Image) Search for comparables at SiegelAuctions.com |
E. 20,000-30,000
SOLD for $21,000.00
Will close during Public Auction |