Lot
1109 
(Indian War) 1789 letter addressed to 1st Georgia Governor, George Walton, large folded letter outersheet (no contents) addressed to "The Honbl George Walton Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief of the State of Georgia, Augusta" with additional manuscript notations/directives including, "Express", "Indians", and "on the country Service"; docketed "Letter Timothy Barnard 27 May 1789" and "Indian Affairs" on reverse, with "Order Taken 5 June" on front; toned along vertical center fold with some reinforcement of folds, F.-V.F., A rare letter from Indian Agent, Timothy Barnard carried by military express to the first Governor of Georgia regarding the Creek Indians.Estimate $500 - 750.
George Walton was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence and had a long political career. He became Governor of the new State of Georgia on Jan 7, 1789 until leaving office Nov 11, 1789. During his short tenure, a new state constitution was sanctioned, peace with the Creek Indians was created, and Augusta became the capitol. Timothy Barnard, first white settler known to live on land now in Macon County, Georgia, operated an Indian Trading Post on the west bank of the Flint River from pre-Revolutionary days until he died in 1820. For his loyalty to the American cause, his sons by his Uchee wife were given land reserves in the county. Trusted by his Indian neighbors, he became Assistant and Interpreter to Benjamin Hawkins, Indian Agent. He blazed "Barnard's Paths", principal early trails from the Chattahoochee River to St. Mary's and St. Augustine.
Current Opening Bid: $725
Lot
1110
(Indian War) 1794 letter addressed to 3rd Georgia Governor, George Matthews, large folded outer lettersheet (no contents) addressed "His Excellency G. Matthews & C" (George Matthews, 3rd Governor of Georgia from Nov 7, 1793 to Jan 15, 1796) with "by Express" at lower left; docketed "Letter Capt Armstrong 20 May 1794, Answered 25th instant (see letter book) Indian War"; some toning at folds, wax seal hold in flap, Fine, An exceptionally rare letter written by an officer during the 1794 Northwest Indian War campaign to the Governor of Georgia.Estimate $500 - 750.
THE "BY EXPRESS" NOTATION REFERS TO A MILITARY EXPRESS, WHICH CARRIED THIS LETTER FROM CAPTAIN ARMSTRONG DURING THE NORTHWEST INDIAN WAR TO THE THEN-GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA.
The "1794 Indian War" refers to the Northwest Indian War, a conflict primarily fought over control of the Ohio Valley. The pivotal event of 1794 was the Battle of Fallen Timbers on August 20, where U.S. forces led by General Anthony Wayne decisively defeated a confederacy of Native American tribes. This victory led to the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, which resulted in significant land concessions from the tribes and opened the Northwest Territory to American settlement. Captain John Armstrong (the sender of this letter) was a U.S. Army officer who served in the Northwest Indian War and was involved in a disastrous ambush in 1790, but was later part of expeditions in the Northwest Territory leading up to 1794. While his name is associated with the 1790 ambush, his career continued into the mid-1790s.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
1111
(Indian War) Black Hawk War Letter [1832], folded letter postmarked with black double oval "Jacksonvillew Illinois Jan 25" and manuscript "Paid 25" addressed to Pickering, Yorkshire, England with manuscript "Post Paid 25" at lower left, datelined "Morgan Co. Jan 1, 1832" (the writer may have inadvertently dated it 1832, when in fact, 1833 seems to make more sense based on events noted), irregular boxed black backstamp "Liverpool Ship Letter" handstamp on reverse; letter reads, in part, "…The late Indian scrape that took place in June last was as follows: that the Saucks & Fox Indeans on the Rock River in the Northerin part of the state threw down the fences of the Wheat Fields, turned in their Horses, destroyed the crops of small Grain belonging the whites, it appears the whites did not think themselves safe from the scalping knife & Tomahawk, great numbers of the Whites left their homes & took shelter in Fort Harrison & in block houses which they erected for their safety, that Black Oak [Black Hawk] & his tribe had formed Leagues with other Indeans which promised to give their assistance, it appears General Gaines arrived at Rock Island with 800 Regular Troops, he found the Indeans too numerous for him, he sent an express to General Duncan for 1600 Mounted Volunteers, Armed and equipped, the issue was to have 400 out of Morgan, 400 Green, 400 Sangamon, the balance out of he adjacent counties by accounts the Indeans were flocking in to the Indean Village every day and preparing for Battle that Black oak declared their forefathers lived and died there they intended to do the same, when the volunteers arrived mounted and Armed with their long black rifles Black oak found an army at hand which he durst not encounter. he was obliged to come to a treaty…R. Coultas", Very Fine and choice.Estimate $750 - 1,000.
AN OUTSTANDING LETTER OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE DETAILING THE EVENTS OF THE BLACK HAWK WAR OF 1832.
The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crossed the Mississippi River, to the U.S. state of Illinois, from Iowa Indian Territory in April 1832. Black Hawk's motives were ambiguous, but he was apparently hoping to reclaim land that was taken over by the United States in the disputed 1804 Treaty of St. Louis.
Current Opening Bid: $375
Lot
1112
(Indian War) (Second Seminole War) East Florida, Ft. Wakerhoote, Jan the 7th, 1841, dateline on folded letter entered the mails with red cds "New York Mar 1" with manuscript "Single" at lower left and large "X" addressed to Hopkinton, N.H., interesting letter writen by semi-literate soldier reads, in part, "…you will inquire whare I am and must I tell you or must I not methinks I must. I am two thousand miles from you in the Teritory of florida a fighting for my cuntry…here I am a soldier in florida fighting the red face sons of biches face to face and hunting them from their hamocks in wich thee are concealed to shooat down our men as thee pass along…there was three Lieutenant and ones wife and thee sargent Magor of our Reg coming from head Quarters past Micanopa wich was but 8 miles distance with an escort of 10 men when thee had got about half way thee were fired upon buy a party of indians and the sargent major was killed the veary first shot thee then gove them Battle but the indians being so menny more in number that the(y) soon surounded them two of the men scaped and the rest were inhumanly butcherd some thare heads cut of and some all to peces this yong woman had ben maried only about six weaks and had moved into florida only time enough to be tomahawk by the damnable blood thirsty rebels…If you write a letter to me you must direct to Fort Wakerhotee East Florida Company B you must remember to pay the postage on it because thare no post office nere here and tha will not send it along with tha have Theresienstadt pay…B.B. Cressy." some edge faults, Fine.Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
PERHAPS THE ONLY ITEM KNOWN FROM THIS OBSCURE FLORIDA FORT AND AN OUTSTANDING LETTER REGARDING THIS BRUTAL WAR.
The Second Seminole War - also called the Florida War - was fought in Florida from 1835 to 1842 between the United States and groups collectively known as the Seminoles, which included Creek and Black Seminoles along with other allied tribes. It formed part of the broader series of conflicts known as the Seminole Wars. Often considered the longest and most expensive of America's Indian wars, the conflict grew out of rising tensions following the 1832 Treaty of Payne's Landing, which mandated the Seminoles' removal from Florida. Hostilities erupted with the Dade massacre in 1835. By the war's end in 1842, only a few hundred Indigenous people remained in Florida. Although no formal peace treaty was signed, Colonel William Jenkins Worth declared the war over on August 14, 1842.
Current Opening Bid: $500
Lot
1113
Omaha Agency Neb. 5/18,1875, black manuscript postmark on yellow cover to Iowa with fancy embossed monogram as corner card, franked with manuscript cancelled 3¢ Bank Note, defective due to placement on the cover, Very Fine.Estimate $150 - 200.
Omaha Agency post office (at the Omaha Indian Agency in Nebraska) was in operation from Oct 9, 1861 to March 16, 1906.
Current Opening Bid: $80
Lot
1114
P.T. Reep. P.M. Beaver, N.S. of I.T. Via Dodge City, Kan. 6/28 - 83, blue three-line handstamp with manuscript date beneath as fourth line ties 3¢ green banknote on cover to Iowa; adhesive also cancelled by matching killer of vertical bars, slight reduction at left, minor toning, Very Fine, The unique example of this early provisional straight-line Indian Territory postmark.Scott No. 147 Estimate $750 - 1,000.
AN EXHIBIT QUALITY COVER AND ONE OF THE GREAT RARITIES OF BOTH OKLAHOMA AND INDIAN TERRITORY POSTAL HISTORY.
The Beaver post office (in the Oklahoma panhandle) was established on the north side of the North Canadian River in 1883; undoubtedly, this was the first attempt at a handstamp, it is speculated that the "N.S. of I.T." stands for "North Section of Indian Territory".
Beaver began as a stop on the Jones and Plummer Trail. In 1880, Jim Lane built a house on the south side of Beaver Creek, that also served as a general store, saloon, hotel, and restaurant. Beaver slowly sprouted along the banks of Beaver Creek. The first post office had been established on the north side of the river in 1883. In 1884, Lane moved the post office to his store and became the postmaster.
Current Opening Bid: $375
Lot
1115
(Sac and Fox Nation) Sac & Fox Agency I.T. August 10th, bold manuscript postmark with "Paid 25" rate marking on 1844 folded letter addressed to Hartford, Ct, datelined "New Perches, Wappilo Co, Aug the 9, 1844" from Mary Jane Whipple, letter notes to direct her letters to "Sac and Fox Agency, Wappilo Co. Iowa T, New Perches"; light file fold, Very Fine.Estimate $500 - 750.
The Sac and Fox Nation is the largest of three federally recognized tribes of Sauk and Meskwaki (Fox) Indian peoples. In 1832 they participated in the Black Hawk War against the United States. After the war, the tribe relocated several times from Illinois to Iowa, Kansas, and finally Indian Territory in the 1870s.
Located in Franklin County on the Marias des Cygnes River, this was one of the Indian reservations created for relocation of the eastern tribes. After several moves from their home on Lake Huron, the Sac and Foxes were given land in the unorganized territory of Kansas. In 1867, this reservation was ceded back to the United States in exchange for land in Indian Territory, thus opening the Kansas lands for white settlement.
Current Opening Bid: $250
Lot
1116
(Sioux) To the Agents of the Sioux Indians, Lieut Wm McKessack, U.S.M. Ind. Dept, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, address on 1839 folded cover datelined "March 30, 1839 Iowa Territory Washington County", postmarked brownish-black "Burlington, I.T. Mar 26" cds with manuscript "18-¾" rate, letter reads, in part, "…there is at this time a female of the sioux nation of lndians, now a prisoner in the hands of the Sax and Fox Indians, lately taken by them, according to their own account…last Friday she was to be put to death, but they have declined killing her. Yesterday myself and three or four others went to the camp of the chief of the Indians that are on Skunk River. The name of the chief is Max col wa…He told me they would not kill her; saying she was good to rais corm. I wished to know if they would sell her, he said he would take seven good horses for her. They say they caught another female the same time, and cut her throte…John Grimsley," light edge wear, a few small edge tears, Very Fine, a historical letter.Estimate $500 - 750.
Current Opening Bid: $250