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Sale 55: United States Postal History

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Slavery Related

Lots 1945-1954 Lots 1955-1964 Lots 1965-1974 Lots 1975-1983

Lot 1965    

(Liberia Colonization) American Colonization Society Subscription Letter, 1843 folded letter from New York City to Oaks Corners, N.Y., printed 1¼ page enclosure giving an overview of the society, it's foundation of the Commonwealth of Liberia, details various members and their contributions to the society including the release of slaves to Liberia, etc., Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $180

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Lot 1966    

(Liberia Colonization) Bassa Cove, 16th September, 1841, dateline of lengthy 3-page letter from Louis Sheridan to Benjamin Coates in Philadelphia, Pa., with interesting content regarding his blame on the tactics of certain missions that more or less buy colonists instead of converting natives and news of Governor Thomas Buchanan's death…Poor Buchanan. I have buried him in the yard here. It was a spot he loved as the scene of his earliest toils for African welfare. Here let him rest., letter entered the mails with red "New - York, Dec 10" cds with matching straight line "Ship" handstamp and manuscript "27" rate, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Louis Sheridan had initially opposed colonization and after North Carolina placed tighter restrictions on free people of color in the 1830's, 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: $425

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Lot 1967    

(Liberia Colonization) Factory Island, July 4th, 1843, dateline on lengthy 3-page letter from Dr. Wesley Johnson to his father in Hillsdale, N.Y., with interesting content including the establishment of a self-supporting school for the former slaves who he refers to as "colonist", entered the mails with red "New - York, Sep 25" cds and matching straight line "Ship" handstamp with manuscript "21½" rate, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

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: $200

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Lot 1968    

(Liberia Colonization) Monrovia, 28th April, 1841, dateline on letter of introduction from Governor Thomas Buchanan to Benjamin Coats in Philadelphia, Pa. for Rev. Geo. S. Brown who carried the letter to New York, letter mentions Rev. Brown is to clear up the story of the Heddington Affair which involved Liberia as a nation, entered the mails with red "New - York, Jul 5" cds and manuscript "12½" rate, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Before his appointment as second Governor of Liberia, Buchanan 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: $180

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Lot 1969    

New York Kansas League and American Settlement Co., buff cover with printed corner card bearing 1852, 3¢ dull red tied by New York Jul. 16 cds, Chase notes on reverse; accompanied by 1855 non-original folded notice calling on a shareholder to pay the balance due for his stock so the American Settlement Co. can complete the purchase of lots in Council City Ks.Terr.; cover and letter faults, Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

This organization operated in a manner similar to that of the New England Emigrant Aid Company. One of its primary objects was to settle Kansas Territory with New Englanders and thus force it to adopt a free state constitution under the terms of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The New York Kansas League was the only one of these similar organizations that is known to have used a corner card.

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Lot 1970    

Pro-Slavery Emigration: Buchanan Pro-Slavery Aid Society, printed letter datelined "Saint Joseph, Mo. Jan 13, 1856", soliciting the organization and cooperation of similar societies in all Missouri counties bordering on Kansas Territory, to counter the efforts of the "misguided abolitionist aid societies" in settling Kansas Territory with free state intentions, addressed to Canton, Lewis County, Missouri and bearing 1852, 3¢ dull red, four margins, tied by St. Joseph Mo. Jan 15 cds, Very Fine.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

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Lot 1971    

[Slave Used As Messenger] "Valles Mines Ste Francois, Jany 25 '45", dateline on folded letter to Farrington, Ste. Francois County, Mo., endorsed "By Franklin a Cold Boy", Franklin apparently being a colored boy; F.-V.F.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $230

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Lot 1972    

[Slavery] 1846 (Feb 12) Letter From Monrovia, folded letter datelined from Governor J.J. Roberts to Ben Coates in Phil., Pa., red Baltimore, Md cds lightly struck with matching "Ship" and "12" handstamps, manuscript "Pr Brig Kent", letter is settling debts and advising latest developments in the slave trade including that "England cancelled a treaty with native chiefs of Grand Cape Mount which should stop traffic through Liberia…slavers have been unable to move their victims due to the blockade by English and American ships", excellent content concerning the fight against slave trading in Africa; light stain, Fine.
Estimate    $400 - 600.

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Lot 1973    

[Slavery] 1856 (Jun. 5) To Creek Church Carried By Slave, folded cover docketed "Agent Negro Boy, 5 June 1856", apparently carried by slave and entered the mails with manuscript "Clifton Forge, June 17" postmark, bearing 1852, 3¢ dull red tied by manuscript; light vertical file fold affects 3¢, otherwise Very Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

Realized: $135

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Lot 1974    

[Slavery] "East Davenport (Ioa.) Novr. 3rd 1856", dateline on letter that discusses Kansas Territory becoming a free western state, that area being a pathway for the great Pacific Railroad, writer knows many of the border ruffians personally and they would object to the extension of slavery, tomorrow being an important day for the Union and slavery must die where it is…; includes a faulty cover that appears to be from same correspondence, Very Fine and interesting.
Estimate    $100 - 150.

Realized: $95

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Lots 1945-1954 Lots 1955-1964 Lots 1965-1974 Lots 1975-1983

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