Lot
496 
(Missouri) " 'Last Resort' Near Weston, July 18th 1857", dateline on 7-page letter signed "Ben" by Ben Holladay to James Denver, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, accompanied by faulty original hand-carried legal-size cover endorsed per "Mr. Waters"; letter concerns secret land speculation with Denver starting: "My Dear Genl, I send the kind Mr Waters, as a special messenger - believing our business demands it, and not wishing to hurt the mails- You can rely on what he tells you about the "Halbria Lands"…He knows nothing about our private matters of course - only knows that we are friends…I feel confident that the purchases already made will make us fifty thousand dollars…", Very Fine and fascinating letter between Holladay and Denver. Estimate $300 - 400.
Ben Holladay was Weston, Missouri's most prominent citizen. He began his career by keeping a log tavern in 1839. From 1841 to 1845 he served as postmaster. Holladay's fortune was based on a contract he secured to supply Stephen W. Kearny's expedition to Santa Fe during the Mexican War. After the war he began freighting over the California Trail. He was a major creditor of Russell, Majors & Waddell. When that firm went bankrupt he acquired it, together with their freighting business and mail routes to Denver and Salt Lake City. In later years the Holladay Overland Stage Line extended branches to California and Oregon.
Realized: $425