Lot
599 
Cimarron N M, July 8th (Colfax), manuscript postmark with matching pen cancel on cover bearing 1861, 3¢ rose (65), tiny tear, to Barnard, Vermont; cover with some lightened manuscript and reduced slightly at right just affecting 3¢, F.-V.F (Type 1, Rarity 9).Estimate $300 - 400.
Cimarron was the center and headquarters of the Maxwell Land Grant. Lucien B. Maxwell came to New Mexico from Illinois in 1849. A hunter and trapper, he married Luz Beaubein, one of the heirs of the Beaubein-Miranda Grant. After Carlos Beaubein died in 1864, Maxwell bought out the rest of the heirs. The grant included parts of southern Colorado and much of Northwestern New Mexico, totalling 1,714,765 acres, the largest personal landholding in the Western Hemisphere. Maxwell was postmaster of Cimarron from opening Sept. 3rd 1861 to Set. 18th 1870, and of Fort Sumner from Jan. 17th 1873 until his death on July 25th 1875.
Realized: $260
Lot
600
Fort Buchanan, N.M., May 5, complete circa 1860 cds on 3¢ red (U10) buff Nesbitt entire addressed in the hand of Captain Richard S. Ewell (commander 1st Dragoons, U.S. Army, later a general in C.S.A. Army), to his niece Elizabeth in Williamsburg, Virginia, endorsed "Via Washington D.C.", carried by Military Express to Tubac, then by Lathrop's Buckboard Mail to Tucson, and from Tucson to St. Louis by Butterfield Overland Mail, docketing note on back "Relating to child captured from Indians", Very Fine and choice, ex-Birkinbine.Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
A CLEAR STRIKE OF THE RARE FORT BUCHANAN, NEW MEXICO TOWNMARK ON A COVER FROM CAPTAIN RICHARD "OLD BALDY" EWELL - LATER A CONFEDERATE GENERAL.
According to the Siegel Auctions catalogue of the Birkinbine Collection, "The sender of this cover, Captain Richard S. Ewell, arrived in the area of southern Arizona in November 1856 with Major Enoch Steen and the 1st Dragoons. They established Camp Moore in mid-November 1856, which was relocated and renamed Fort Buchanan in mid-1857. This May 1860 cover from Capt. Ewell was carried by military express from Fort Buchanan to the post office at Tubac. It was carried from Tubac to Tucson by S. H. Lathrop, who was under contract to transport mail once a week between the two towns. At Tucson the cover was put on the eastbound Butterfield Overland Mail stage to St. Louis via Fort Smith.
In early 1860 Captain Ewell successfully negotiated the release of eleven-year old Mercedes Sias Quiroz, one of two young women abducted by Pinal Apaches (the other was seriously injured and returned to camp after Mercedes's release). In recognition of his efforts, one of four Arizona territorial counties was named Ewell. In May 1860, around the time this cover was postmarked, he inspected the site where Fort Breckinridge was eventually established to prevent Apache attacks. Before construction of the new fort was completed, Ewell returned east in January 1861 due to recurring malaria infections. The note on back indicates that Ewell's letter contained a report of the recovery of the young hostage.
S. H. Lathrop's Buckboard Contract Mail -- The Overland Mail route passed through Tucson, but not Tubac, which lies approximately 45 miles south on the Camino Real. The Tubac postmaster, D. F. Hulseman, contracted with S. H. Lathrop, treasurer of the Sonora Exploration and Mining Co., to carry mail on weekly buckboard trips between the two towns." .
Realized: $1,100
Lot
601
"Ft. Fillmore N.M., July 7/61", manuscript docketing on orange cover bearing 1857, 3¢ dull red (26) tied by circular grid cancel, matching sharp "Santa Fe, N.M. Jul 15" cds to Bristol, R.I. (See website for images), Very Fine.Estimate $300 - 400.
According to government records, the Dr. Alden referred to was assistant post surgeon at the time. He was captured by the C.S.A. troops on July 27, 1861 at San Augustine Springs in the Organ Mountains, the day after the Federal troops destroyed Fort Fillmore and retreated toward Fort Stanton. Together with the other Federal officers and men, he was paroled and went to Fort Craig and then back east. He stayed in the Army after the Civil War and rose to serve as Assistant Surgeon General of the Army until his retirement in 1900.
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Realized: $270
Lot
602
Ocate N.M., Dec 30 (Mora), manuscript postmark with matching "X" cancel on 3¢ red (94), small flaws, on circa 1868 cover to Andelusia College Pa.; reduced slightly at left (See website for images), F.-V.F., only two recorded uses from the first period.Estimate $200 - 300.
Ocate is presently located at the junction of NM 442 and NM 120, 23 miles northwest of Wagon Mound. It was settled by sheepmen from the vicinity of Taos in the 1840s. The name probably derives from the Spanish word "ocote", a type of pine tree. The town itself is mostly a semi-ghost town with most of the buildings abandoned, though the post office remains. The post office was in operation from August 2nd 1866 to August 9th 1869, then Jan. 10th 1870 to Mar. 4th 1878 and finally May 9th 1878 to current.
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Realized: $200
Lot
603
Santa Fe, New Mexico, Jan 3, red cds on cover to Burns, N.Y., with light matching "10" rate at upper right, manuscript "rec'd Feby 13th, 1850" docketing at top; cover with light cosmetic edge repairs (See website for images), Very Fine appearance, one, if not the earliest non-military postmarks from Santa Fe, New Mexico.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
The Post Office at Santa Fe was established on October 1, 1849, however at that tome their were no contract routes to service it. The lower Cimarron Cutoff shortened the journey.
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Realized: $550
Lot
604
Santa Fe New Mexico, Mar 1, well-struck cds with matching "10" rate handstamp on blue 1851 folded cover docketed "Maj. Sheppard, 16 Febry 1851" to Waterford, N.Y. (See website for images), Very Fine and early use shortly after establishment of the post office, ex-Risvold.Estimate $3,000 - 4,000.
The first mail contract by the Post Office Department was known as Route 4888. The bid of Dr. David Waldo was accepted on May 11, 1850 for once-a-month service, Independence to Santa Fe, the cost was $18,000 per year. Dr. Waldo's firm was known as Waldo, Hall and Co. The first mail delivery started from Independence on July 1, 1850, and was hailed by the newspapers of the day as a great success. The Waldo and Hall Company carried the mail until 1854 when the contract was given to Jacob Hall commencing August 18, 1854, for once-a-month service at $11,000 per years. This was known as Route 8912. The new contract doubled the compensation, and service was increased to semi-monthly on July 1, 1855, and then set to expire in one year's time.nnMajor Shepherd was commander in charge of Fort Marcy during this period at Santa Fe.
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Lot
605
Santa Fe, N.M., May 1, double-circle postmark with matching "5" rating handstamp on gray 1852 folded letter endorsed "Official Business" to Maj. Gen. W. Towson, Paymaster General, Washington, D.C., datelined letter concerning paymaster accounts "…I inform you that I have sent by Col. Alexander to the paymaster in New York my accounts…", rating handstamp obliterated in manuscript as free military business use (See website for images), Very Fine, ex-Dike & Risvold.Estimate $1,500 - 2,000.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS SANTE FE DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP.
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Lot
606
Santa Fe, N.M., Jun 1, double-circle postmark with matching bold "Paid" and "3" rate handstamps on cover to Philadelphia, Pa.; minor cover edge aging (See website for images), Very Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
ONE OF ONLY THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES OF THIS SANTE FE DOUBLE-CIRCLE DATESTAMP.
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Lot
607
Santa Fe, N.M., 17 Feb, bold Type 5 cds strike with matching gem strike of circled "Paid 6" rating handstamp on blue cover to St. Louis, Mo., endorsed "Via San Antonio" at bottom; light soiling at sides (See website for images), otherwise Very Fine and choice prepaid transcontinental use.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
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Realized: $575
Lot
608
Santa Fe, N.M., 1 Oct, perfect sharp strike of Type 5 cds with matching circled "10" rating handstamp on circa 1853 refolded legal-size manila cover endorsed "Official Business" to the Secretary of the Interior, Washington D.C. (See website for images), Very Fine and choice strike.Estimate $400 - 600.
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