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United States and Confederate States Postal History continued...

Western Mails -- Utah Territory
Lot Sym. Lot Description  
2045 c Image"Salt Lake Cal. Oct. 11" (1849)--Babbitt's Special Contract Mails. Manuscript postmark with "Paid 10" on folded letter datelined "Great Salt Lake City Sept. 22, 1849", addressed to Edina, Missouri, letter is from a gold miner passing through and includes "I intend staying at this place until spring than I am going on to the gold diggins...600 miles from this place there is a range of mountains called the ser-en-a-vade, there is where fremonts men perished in snow", some minor bleaching and small edge tear

VERY FINE APPEARANCE. A RARE SALT LAKE CITY GOLD MINER'S LETTER TO MISSOURI, CARRIED IN BABBITT'S SPECIAL CONTRACT MAILS.

Babbitt's Special Contract Mails was established in 1849 by Almon Babbitt, a Mormon expressman, to carry mails between Salt Lake City and Kanesville, Iowa (which lacked a regular postal route). This letter was carried on the John Taylor trip of October 19, 1849, from Salt Lake City, arriving Kanesville December 10. While there is no express fee indicated, the sender likely paid an additional 40c for the Babbitt's service.

Illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 87. Ex Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 2,000-3,000

CLOSED
Will close during Public Auction
2046 c Image"Salt Lake Cal. July 16" (1849)--Babbitt's Special Contract Mails. Manuscript postmark with "10" cent rate in the hand of Thomas Bullock on folded letter from William Suceree datelined "Great Salt Lake City Upper California July 14 1849", addressed to Richmond, Indiana, contents include "as the mail will leave in few days -- you can write to us now and it will come direct as there is a post office established here and contract for the mail through to the bay once in three months...", the reference to the "bay" must be San Francisco, but there was no westbound contract at this time, this letter was carried on Babbitt's Special Contract service, leaving Salt Lake City on July 27 and arriving in Kanesville on September 3, neither of the two letters carried on this trip has an indication of express fee, but it was 40c in addition to the 10c postage, letter with wear and silked edge splits, Fine appearance, ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

CLOSED
Will close during Public Auction
2047 c Image"Great Salt Lake City, July 25, 1850"--Babbitt's Special Contract Mails. Dateline on folded letter from Ursulia Hascall to North New Salem, Mass., carried on the August 2 Babbitt's Special Contract trip by John Green and B. Holladay, arriving Kane, Iowa, on September 12, partly clear strike of "Kane Iowa Sep. 12" circular datestamp and "10" struck partly off top of cover, lengthy letter to sister regarding personal matters and also mentions throngs of gold miners on their way to California, red crayon receipt docketing "No. 9" on back, couple inconsequential edge nicks

VERY FINE. A WONDERFUL AND RARE 1850 LETTER FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO MASSACHUSETTS, CARRIED BY MORMON EXPRESS COURIER UNDER BABBITT'S SPECIAL CONTRACT MAIL.

This cover, besides representing a rare Babbitt's Express carriage, is also unusual as it did not enter the Salt Lake City post office. After carriage by Mormon courier John Green under the Babbitt's service, it entered the regular mails with the Kane, Iowa, postmark and 10c due in Massachusetts. The 40c additional express charge was no doubt paid, but is not noted on the cover. Babbitt's Special Contract Mails was established in 1849 by Almon Babbitt, a Mormon expressman, to carry mails between Salt Lake City and Kanesville, Iowa (which lacked a regular postal route).

Illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 88. Ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 4,000-5,000

CLOSED
Will close during Public Auction
2048 c Image"Salt Lake Deseret Nov. 19, 1850"--Woodson Contract Mail. Clear manuscript postmark with "10" rate on folded letter to Sabula, Iowa, carried on the first U.S. contract mail route between Salt Lake City and Independence, Missouri, run by Samuel Woodson, intended for the third eastbound trip but forced back due to severe snow and held over until the May 1, 1851 departure, which arrived Independence May 31 (six moths after mailing), some wear and silked splits along folds

FINE. THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED CONTRACT MAIL COVER FROM SALT LAKE CITY AND THE ONLY SALT LAKE CITY COVER POSTMARKED WITH THE "DESERET" MORMON PROVISIONAL STATE.

This lengthy letter is from Andrew McFarlane, a gold prospector who stopped in Salt Lake City on his way west to mines in California. Contents include an interesting account of his journey, including his high opinion of the Mormon people he has encountered.

The Woodson contract was the first established between Salt Lake City and Missouri by the U.S. Post Office on the Central Route and was run from August 1, 1850, to June 1854. Woodson and his partners encountered severe difficulties adhering to the agreed upon 30-day schedule, largely due to snow in the winters of 1850-51 and 1851-52. This letter, which is the earliest recorded from the Woodson service, demonstrates these difficulties, as it took six months to get to its destination.

This is the only recorded Salt Lake City cover with the "Deseret" state designation. Deseret was a provisional state proposed by the LDS Church, with Brigham Young as governor, but it was never recognized by the U.S. Government. The creation of Utah Territory on Sep. 9, 1850, ended hopes for the State of Deseret.

Illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 123. Ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 5,000-7,500

SOLD for $5,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
2049 c ImageSalt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Ayr, Scotland (1855). Bold strike of blue "Salt Lake City Utah T. Sep. 1" (1855) circular datestamp with equally bold matching "Paid 24" in circle handstamp on cover to Ayr, Scotland, red "3" cents credit handstamp to England, red Liverpool tombstone entry handstamp of Oct. 28, Ayr arrival backstamp, minor edgewear, still Very Fine and scarce use, this left Salt Lake City with the Magraw Contract Mail on September 1, 1855, and arrived at Independence, Missouri, on September 30, after transiting St. Louis to New York it was carried on the Collins Line's Pacific on October 17, arriving Liverpool October 28, Magraw was the replacement contractor for Woodson, whose contract was terminated in June 1854 due to performance issues, but Magraw's performance proved to be no better, illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 126, ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 500-750

SOLD for $650.00
Will close during Public Auction
2050 c ImageSalt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Honolulu, Hawaii (1856). Clear strike of blue "Salt Lake City Utah T. Feb. 1" (1856) circular datestamp on 6c Green on Buff Nesbitt entire (U12) to Honolulu, Hawaii, pencil receipt docketing of April 14, additional receipt docketing on back, couple inconsequential edge tears

VERY FINE. AN IMPORTANT AND RARE COVER FROM SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY, TO HAWAII, CARRIED ON THE CHORPENNING MAIL ROUTE VIA LOS ANGELES, SAN PEDRO AND SAN FRANCISCO.

This cover was carried on the February 1, 1856 departure of the Chorpenning Mail (second contract), prepaid at the double 3c U.S. domestic rate. Chorpenning's carrier arrived in Los Angeles on February 27. The mails left San Pedro on the February 29 Independent Line steamer that arrived in San Francisco around March 3. From San Francisco it was carried on American Clipper ship Resolute, departing on March 25 and arriving Honolulu on April 14. The recipient paid the 5c Hawaiian postage (not noted on cover).

Illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 139. Ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 3,000-4,000

SOLD for $3,250.00
Will close during Public Auction
2051 c ImageSalt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Liverpool, England (1857). Bold strike of blue "Salt Lake City Utah T. Jan. 2" (1857) circular datestamp with "PAID" straightline and "29" in manuscript (29c West Coast rate to England) on buff cover to Liverpool, England, red "19" credit handstamp, endorsed "Via California", red Liverpool arrival datestamp of Mar. 28, some restoration at top where silked, Very Fine appearance, this was carried on the Chorpenning Mail route via Nevada and over the Old Spanish Trail to Los Angeles, steamer from San Pedro to San Francisco, then by steamers to Panama and New York and on the Cunarder Persia to Liverpool, the sender wisely chose to send the cover via California, as the January 7 eastbound mail from Salt Lake City to Independence was forced to return due to snow, illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 129, ex Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $550.00
Will close during Public Auction
2052 c ImageSalt Lake City, Utah Territory, to Liverpool, England (1860). Bold strike of "Salt Lake City U.T. Jul. 6" (1860) circular datestamp with "24" cents due handstamp on cover to Liverpool, England, New York exchange office datestamp of Aug. 1, Liverpool Aug. 12 arrival circular datestamp and "1/-" shilling due handstamp, Very Fine, this was carried in the Hockaday/COC&PP Mail on July 6 to St. Joseph, after rail to New York it sailed on the Cunarder Africa, departing August 1 and arriving Liverpool August 11, overall a 37-day transit, demonstrating how much more efficient the Central Overland Mails had become by 1860, illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 133, ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 500-750

CLOSED
Will close during Public Auction
2053 c ImageFrance to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory (1863). Blue cover originating in Paris, France, addressed to Captain George Wallace at Salt Lake City, posted on Aug. 4, 1863, with 1862, 80c Rose (28; Yvert 24) tied by diamond grid cancel and also by red "New York Paid 15 Aug. 17" credit datestamp, carried on Inman Line's City of Washington form Liverpool on August 5, arriving New York August 17, then by Central Overland Mail from St. Joseph Mo. to Salt Lake City (departing St. Joseph August 21), upon arrival forwarded to San Francisco with 3c Rose (65), grid cancel and "Salt Lake City U.T. Sep. 3" circular datestamp, minor edge nicks, slightly reduced at left, still Very Fine and attractive combination, ex Semsrott and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 1,000-1,500

SOLD for $1,000.00
Will close during Public Auction
2054 c Image"Fort Bridger Dec. 6" (1857). Manuscript postmark, pair of 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A) with matching "X" cancels on legal-size cover from Captain Jesse Grove to his wife in Concord N.H., pencil manuscript receipt docketing of Jan. 16 (1858), left stamp with tear at bottom, sides refolded for easier display, Very Fine appearance, a rare Utah Territory postmark (now part of Wyoming), the Fort Bridger postmark during this period was used by Salt Lake City Postmaster Hiram Morrell, he was prevented from assuming his office in Salt Lake City until June 1858 due to the Utah War (or Utah Expedition) and was forced to use a temporary post office at Camp Scott (where Salt Lake City mail was diverted until June 1858), while there he used the Fort Bridger postmarks, this was carried under the eastbound Stephen B. Miles Contract Mail, illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 130, ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 750-1,000

SOLD for $550.00
Will close during Public Auction
2055 c ImageCamp Floyd, Utah Territory, to Panama (1859). Manuscript "Camp Floyd U.T. Feby. 7" (1859) postmark ties 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26) on cover to Assistant Surgeon L. C. Lane aboard the USS Decatur in care of the U.S. consul at Panama, endorsed "Via California", 3c was insufficient postage for the rate to Panama so cover was held for additional postage which was paid in cash, manuscript "Paid 20c" and additionally struck with the new "Camp Floyd April 18" rimless arc datestamp, gently cleaned to remove band of toning at left

VERY FINE. AN EXTREMELY RARE COMBINATION OF MANUSCRIPT AND HANDSTAMP POSTAL MARKINGS FROM CAMP FLOYD, UTAH TERRITORY, ON A COVER TO PANAMA SENT VIA THE CHORPENNING MAIL ROUTE.

This was carried by the weekly Chorpenning Mail stagecoach that left Salt Lake City (northeast of Camp Floyd) on April 18, 1859. The stage arrived in Placerville, California, around April 30 and the cover then went to San Francisco for the May 5 sailing of the PMSS steamer Golden Gate, arriving Panama around May 15. The cover is addressed to an officer on the 16-gun sloop-of-war USS Decatur, which ironically had been ordered back to San Francisco on March 23. Although the cover lacks a forwarding notation, it no doubt made its way back to San Francisco. The Decatur had a storied career with service in both the Mexican and Civil Wars and was also the ship that evacuated U.S. citizens connected with the filibustering expedition of William Walker.

Illustrated in Mails of the Westward Expansion on p. 142. Ex Risvold and Walske (Image)

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 E. $ 5,000-7,500

CLOSED
Will close during Public Auction

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