Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express/Columbia. Blue oval handstamp (Leutzinger type 3-3) and matching blue straight line date handstamp at upper left on 1853-55 3¢ Nesbitt entire without company printed frank, "W. O. Sleeper & Co. Bankers, Columbia, Cal" black handstamped corner card resembling a miniature Wells Fargo town marking at lower left, Fretz and Ralston correspondence to San Francisco, a trifle reduced at left, Very Fine. Estimate  $150 - 200. The banking house of W. O. Sleeper opened in Columbia in June of 1855 and failed ten years later in July of 1865. The bank was sold to William C. Ralston.The banking house of Ralph S. Fretz and William C. Ralston opened in San Francisco in January of 1856 (there were two additional partners until July of 1857). Fretz and Ralston was the predecessor of the Bank of California, now Union Bank, that was established in 1864.William C. Ralston's place in California history is legendary, but less known is that his wife, the former Elizabeth Fry, who he married in May of 1858, was the adopted daughter of John D. Fry, who at the time of the wedding was the Special Agent in California for the Post Office Department. $0 (Image)