Lot
2513 
Liberia, 1839 Thomas Buchanan Letter. Who was later to become Governor of Liberia, written and signed letter from New York to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, Pa., red "New York, Jan 10" cds and "12½" rate, with interesting content regarding donations of furniture and supplies for Government House in Liberia; few minor edge nicks, F.-V.F. Estimate $200 - 300.
Before his appointment as second Governor of Liberia, He was the envoy of the American Colonization Society and worked as an administrator in Grand Bassa, which later had its capital named Buchanan in his honor.
Realized: $675
Lot
2514
Liberia, Bassa Cove, 5 Decem. 1840. Dateline on lengthy 7-page letter from Louis Sheridan to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, Pa., entered the mails with red "New York, Ship, Mar 1" cds, manuscript "12" due rate and endorsed "Barque Hobart" at bottom left, with vitriolic letter regarding John Seys, the white missionary of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Very Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.
Realized: $625
Lot
2515
Liberia, Bassa Cove, 6 July 1841. Dateline on lengthy 3-page letter from Louis Sheridan to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, Pa., entered the mails in Philadelphia with blue "6" in octagon rate handstamp, letter mentions Seys' departure from Liberia, having no seed for a garden in the spring, requests the sending of several "Seine" (large fishing net)…Our rivers abound with fish & we have no means of taking them, etc.; some light toning, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Louis Sheridan had initially opposed colonization and after the North Carolina placed tighter restrictions on free people of color in the 1830s, he joined the Liberian colonization movement. He sold his slaves and moved with his family to Liberia in 1837, where he found a situation far less rosy than he anticipated and wrote (often negative) reports back to the United States. He remained there nevertheless and died there in 1844.
Realized: $375
Lot
2516
Liberia, Bassa March 31st 1841. Dateline on 2-page folded letter to the mission rooms in New York City, entered the mails with red New - York, Jul 3 cds and manuscript "1" due rate, endorsed "pr Brig Mentor", letter written by black Presbyterian missionary Abraham Miller mentions doing…good among my country people; some splitting along folds, F.-V.F., a very rare early missionary letter from Bassa. Estimate $400 - 600.
Abraham Miller, who became a missionary, was also a native prince of the Koo tribe. He spent nearly a year at school in America and returned to Liberia with a strong and sincere desire to be useful to his native Liberians.
Realized: $575
Lot
2517
Liberia, Buchanan City, Grand Bassa County, Liberia. Heading on ca. 1855 2-page enclosure with cover addressed to Suffolk, Va., entered the mails with "New York, Ship 5cts, Dec 14" cds, letter regarding settling into life in Liberia, sending of little bells for his goats because of leopards preying on them; some faint cover tone spots, F.-V.F. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $180
Lot
2518
Liberia, Careysburg Jun 23th, 1860. Dateline on 3-page letter with cover addressed to Cobham Depot, Va., entering the mails with blue "Baltimore, Md., Aug 21" cds, matching "Ship" and "5" rate handstamps, letter with interesting content regarding the area…There are about 400 in population here, about one hundred and twenty houses, the lots are ½ acres. I removed from this settlement last May to Marshall a settlement on the Junk river in this country about 45 miles from here, where I have charge of a small church., Very Fine, a very scarce usage from Careysburg. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $240
Lot
2519
Liberia, Edina, July 2nd, 1842. Dateline on 2-page fold letter from Abraham C. Miller to the Mission Rooms in New York City, entered the mails with blue "Philadelphia, Pa., Oct 10" cds, matching "Ship" handstamp and manuscript "14½" rate, letter with interesting content including the death of Rev. Canfield and starting his own school in Bohlei and asks for the sending of books, Very Fine, a rare usage from Edina. Estimate $200 - 300.
Edina was founded as a colony of the American Colonization Society in 1832 and was later given to the United Colonization Societies of New York and Pennsylvania and became part of the Bassa Cove colony in 1837. On October 22, 1836, a school was opened and in December 1837, a church was founded in the colony. A second church opened in late 1839 while the Baptists started a mission.
Realized: $400
Lot
2520
Liberia, Factory Island, Grand Bassa, July 13th 1842. Dateline on lengthy 3-page letter to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, Pa., entered the mails in Philadelphia with blue "6" in octagon rate handstamp, letter from Dr. Wesley Johnson with interesting contents criticizing the British who continue to deny Liberia any rights of a commonwealth, also criticizes the poor agriculture methods of the natives and tells of a new Liberia high school although it only had 10 scholars at the time of writing, Very Fine. Estimate $400 - 600.
Dr. Wesley Johnson severed as a physician at Bassa Cove under the direction of the New York and Pennsylvania colonization societies. Later he became superintendent of the high school on Factory Island under the patronage of the Ladies' Liberia School Association of Philadelphia.
Realized: $650
Lot
2521
Liberia, Fair Hope, Cape Palmas, September 21st, 1841. Dateline on 3-page folded letter to the Mission Rooms in New York City, manuscript "pr Brig Atalouto, Capt Laulin" ship endorsement and "6" rate, letter from a black American emigrant to Liberia who has taken up studies due to the Colonization Society and asking if there is anything he can do for the cause of civilization in Liberia, mentions being prepared to be a teacher in Kroo County and writes a fascinating story about saucy wood; some fold splitting, otherwise Very Fine, a very unusual origin. Estimate $150 - 200.
Realized: $210
Lot
2522
Liberia, Greenville Sino May 2/54. Dateline on folded letter to the Mission House in New York, entered the mails with "6" in circle handstamp, letter regarding supplies to sent in the fall and springs, Very Fine. Estimate $100 - 150.
Realized: $210