(Champlain Transportation Co.) Steam Packet Franklin, wonderful bold strike of red circular handstamp on folded letter datelined Steam Packet Franklin and signed by Captain Robt. W. Sherman to Hartford Ct., entered mails with red two-line "Whitehall, Oct 11 N.Y." postmark with manuscript dating and matching ms. "18¾" rating for 154 miles to Hartford; central file fold, Very Fine. Milgram No. 470  Estimate $2,000 - 3,000. The Champlain Transportation company was the first inland water steamboat operator to employ a Name-of-Boat cachet with the "Franklin" recorded from 1831. $0 (Image)

(Champlain Transportation Co.) Steam Packet Franklin, red circular handstamp on folded letter datelined "Chambry 19th Sept. 1832" to Grand Isle, Lake Champlain, endorsed "Care of Capt. Anderson", put on the Franklin at St. John, Lower Canada and carried outside the mails, A scarce Steamer Packet Franklin cross border use from Canada. Milgram No. 470  Estimate $500 - 750. The Sherman family commenced steamboat services on Champlain Lake in 1812 and formed the Champlain Transportation Co. in 1825. From 1834, they were contracted to carry mails between Rouses Point and Whitehall, and later from St. John L.C. $0 (Image)