Lot
1034 
"Westport Mo., 24 May", manuscript postmark and matching rating "25" cent rating on 1843 folded letter to Hartsville, Bucks County, Pa., John Record writes to his mother at Hartsville Pa. about his coming trip traveling west over the Oregon trail with Dr. Marcus Whitman, a missionary to the Cayuse Indian tribe living along the Columbia River. John tells of daily events in his life as he prepares for the journey, and his spirits are high in hopes of doing well in the far west after a long five month journey., F.-V.F., interesting content from the Whitman journey west. Estimate $250 - 350.
The Westport post office was located at W.M. Chick's General Store with regular mail service traveling by stage coach to St. Louis. During the spring of 1843, Dr. Marcus Whitman lead the first large party of a thousand people driving wagons, herding cattle and horses from Westport to Oregon. The trail had been mapped by Capt. Fremont a year earlier. This great journey established a viable route for thousands of immigrants making the long trek to settle in the Pacific Northwest.
Realized: $525