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Sale 55: United States Postal History

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Westward Expansion - Mormon Related

Lots 105-114 Lots 115-124 Lots 125-134

Lot 125    

[Mormon] "Fort Bridger U.T., Feb 2", manuscript postmark on circa 1858 cover with printed "Head Quarters, Dept. of Utah., Official Business" corner card to Mrs. Major F. J. Porter in New York City, bearing 1852, 3¢ claret, mostly four margins, cancelled by matching manuscript; cover cleaned and restored, Very Fine appearance, ex-Craveri; with 2001 P.F. certificate.
Scott No. 11A var.    Estimate $400 - 600.

When the expedition arrived at the site of the destroyed Fort Bridger they stayed nearby in winter quarters and reopened a post office named for the Fort. This letter was posted from there by Major Fitz John Porter to his wife, who habitually numbered them in chronological order of their receipt, on the upper left corner of the envelope. This was number 18 since his departure the previous May. Since this was not "Official Business" as required by the printing on the envelope, Major Porter applied a stamp for the postage.

Realized: $5,000

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Lot 126    

[Mormon] "Great Salt Lake City, January 9th 1848", dateline on folded letter to Richmond Ind., fascinating contents state in part "This mail is carried by some of the soldiers of the Mormon battalion recently from the settlements of California where connections and familys are yet at the bluffs…", most of three pages of contents also describe the trip West and area around Salt Lake in great detail, "arrived in Salt Lake on Sept. 24 after three months and fourteen days of travel", entered mails with manuscript "Linden M. May 11" postmark and matching "10" due rating; some trivial toning and splits but still in an excellent state of preservation, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

OUTSTANDING CONTENTS DESCRIBING ONE OF THE FIRST MORMON CARAVANS TO SALT LAKE CITY WITH FURTHER COMMENTS ON THE SETTLEMENT ACTIVITIES AND LIVING CONDITIONS AT SALT LAKE. A LETTER OF GREAT HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE.

Brigham Young first arrived in Salt Lake in July 1847. The author of this letter arrived only a few months later, in September. This letter was written during the Mormon settlers' first winter in Salt Lake.

The letter reads: "…this mail is carried by Some of the Soldiers of the Mormon battalion recently from the settlements of California whose Connections & family are yet at the bluffs…as I wrote you a hasty Sketch while on the plat river east of Laramie trading post, that our emigrating Company consisted of near Six hundred wagons; we had good road up the plat except where the bluffs came up to the river…after passing Laramy a short distance we came to the Black Hills or rather the commencement of the rockey mountains they take their name of black hills from the scruby groth of pin & cedar on them-& the grass on them drys up early in the season which makes it necessary for the emigrant to pass them if possible in June or the foure part of July. Some two hundred miles west of Laramy we cros the plat leaving it on the left hand. We next come to the sweet water here is some Bufalo again which continue on to Summit of Rocky mountains. We came to the sweet water fthe first of Sept - travel up it seven days at the last Crossing of which we met the pioneers with the heads of the Church returning to the Bluffs to Bring on their families next season…we passed the summit and camped at night at the waters which run into the Pacific…we next came to a trading post called Fort Briger…from this place to the Salt lake valley is one hundred & ten miles which we reached the 27 of Sept., making three months & fourteen days from the Bluffs a distance of between ten & eleven hundred miles…at Briger we left the Oregon road traveling about a south west course…there is four saw mills under way & one grist mill in operation grinding the grain that we brought in - we have sown about two thousand acres in wheat & have sent to the settlements of California for some of their Spring wheat to sow & grape cuttings & other little things which we wish to cultivate…but the resources of the country we have not had an opportunity of finding out as yet…".

Realized: $6,250

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Lot 127    

[Mormon] "Salt Lake Cal. July 16", manuscript postmark and matching "10" rating on folded letter datelined "Salt Lake July 20 1849" to Naperville Ill. from a member of the Gold Rush who had left the Oregon Trail, taking the Mormon route to Salt Lake City because the crowds of emigrants ahead of him had depleted the grass, leaving his oxen without food; small edge flaws and fold splitting have been reinforced, F.-V.F.
ASCC    $7,000.

THIS IS THE LISTING EXAMPLE IN THE ASCC. ONE OF THREE RECORDED EXAMPLES USED ON THIS DATE, WHICH IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED POSTMARK DATE OF UTAH AS AN UNORGANIZED TERRITORY.

When the Salt Lake City post office was established by the U.S. Government on January 18, 1849, no expense provision or contract was made to transport the mails. It was left to the Mormons to carry the U.S. mails at their own expense. This letter was carried east by a special express headed by A. W. Babbitt, which left Salt Lake City on 27 July, 1849 for Kanesville, Iowa on the Missouri River. Although the postmaster at Salt Lake City for a while in 1849 used the term "Cal." in his manuscript postmark, the town was not attached to California for Post Office Department administrative purposes (as Fort Leavenworth and Scott were attached to Missouri).

Realized: $2,400

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Lot 128    

[Mormon] "Salt Lake Cal. Oct 11", excellent manuscript postmark and matching "Paid 10" rating on folded letter datelined "Great Salt Lake City Sep 22, 1849" from Marshall Cumins to his family in Edina, Missouri, as a member of the gold rush who reached Salt Lake City too late to get over the Sierra Nevada mountains, some interesting notes about his travels and Salt Lake City; small edge tear, some light aging and soiling, Fine and rare use, this is the latest recorded example of this postmark.
ASCC    $7,000.

The interesting letter reads in part, "I intend staying at this place until spring than I am a going on to the gold diggins there is plenty of money in the valley the people are coming there own gold in places from 2.50 up to 20 dollar peaces. I have seen some curious sights since I wrote to you from fort kearny first thing of consequence is the court house on the platt river, it is a large rock in the shape of a courthouse with a bellfry, it looks very natural, the next is the chimney rock it alsow is the platt it is a very high mound in the center there is a rock about 50 feet in diameter and 250 feet high, nothing more until we get to the sweet water in the vacinity of the mountains, then comes the devils gate, it is a narrow gorge through which the sweet water passes, the walls are vertical 400 feet high. I must now describe this citty and its situation, it is situated in a very pleasant valley in the rocky mountains where snow is to be seen the year round, it looks very curious to me to see snow and the crops all growing at the same time, this citty has a great many inhabitants all of which live in doby houses with flat roof…there is a great salt lake about 20 miles from this place in which the inhabitants get all there salt redy manufactured, they can go out there and haul in wagon loads any time, I have seen plenty of gold dust from the mines, it is in scales mich as disscribed, it is worth 16 dollars an ounce here when one person is oweing another he takes his little sack of dust if he has not get the money coined and pays him. I suppose you would like to know the reason that I did not go on this fall, I will tell you 600 miles from this place there is a range of mountains called the ser-en-a-vade, there is where fremonts men perished in the snow and our mules were so poor and broke down when we got here that I did not think it safe to trust them further more I can get good wages here until spring then go and have a little start when I get there. Government has sent out here a party to explore this Salt Lake and I have a birth with them as a sailor at 50 dollars a month as soon as they boat is built, which is on hands…".

Realized: $4,750

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Lot 129    

[Mormon] "G.S.L.C. Cal July 11/50", manuscript postmark with matching "40" rating on folded letter to Frederickstown Missouri, datelined "Fort Hall Oregon 20th July 1849" at the fork of the Oregon and California Trails by Henry A. Cox, it was almost a year before this was posted at Great Salt Lake City, Samuel Woodson and James Brown were awarded the first mail route from Independence to Salt Lake City that was to begin on July 1, 1850 and was to run once a month, this was mailed shortly afterwards, Very Fine, A choice early California Trail letter during the first year of the Gold Rush mania.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

This letter is from one of the earliest emigrants on the California Trail during the first year of the Gold Rush mania. It was addressed to his mother and he describes the circumstances of the wagon train in which he was traveling:
"We have passed through several tribes of Indians and are now among the Foxes and flat heads and have found them perfectly peaceable - not only peaceable but they have been a very great assistance to emigration in general in selling them horses…deer skins…"

We offered another letter (sale 41 lot 466) written by William Stackpole datelined the same "Fort Hall, July 20th, 1849" and sent almost a year later with manuscript "G.S.L.C. Cal., July 11/50" postmark (Utah Territory) and matching "40" rate, and mentions the sending of the letter…"We have just arrived here and as an opportunity is now offered to send letters to the States by the Government Express.".

Realized: $8,500

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Lot 130    

[Mormon] Salt Lake City, U. T., Nov 1 (1851), bold italicized straightline handstamp with upper/lower case letters at top and upper case at bottom, on folded letter to Bloomfield, Vt., matching "5" rate handstamp crossed out and replaced with "X" rate handstamp; cover edge wear and couple small edge tears, Very Fine.
Estimate    $3,000 - 4,000.

A CHOICE STRIKE OF UTAH'S FIRST POSTMARK HANDSTAMP, A GREAT TERRITORIAL RARITY.

This townmark, made of local type, is known used from July 1, 1851 through November 1, 1851. This cover is the latest known use.
.

Realized: $4,500

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Lot 131    

[Mormon] Salt Lake City, Utah Terr. To Bloomfield N.Y., 1852 (Jun 1), datelined folded letter from Simeon Dunn to Sophia E. Silver with blurry but readable "Salt Lake City Jun 1" cds (this strike is 4 months earlier than ASCC listing dates) and matching "5" rating handstamp, missent to Bloomfield N.J., manuscript "forwarded" and "supposed Vermont", light strike of "Bloomfield N.J. Aug 14" cds; short bio of Simeon Adams Dunn (1803-83) and Harriet Silver Dunn (1818-57) accompany, Very Fine, Letter took about 45 days to reach the East Coast.
Estimate    $1,000 - 1,500.

A REMARKABLE LETTER FROM MORMON MISSIONARY SIMEON DUNN TO HIS MOTHER IN LAW EXPLAINING SHE NEEDS TO CONVERT AS ONLY JOSEPH SMITH CAN SAVE HER.

Letter datelined "Great S L city May 30 1852" and reads, "….I arrived at home April 23 & found my family all well and the Saints generally a general time of health now. We are as ever striving to do the work of the Lord - this is what most occupies our attention - our business is to strive in Christ's stead to save men but in as much as they will not give heed to our teaching they must run their own risk of salvation. For we do know that God has placed the plan of salvation into our hands and there is no other people in the Earth that has got the plan of salvation committed unto them or that hold the priesthood of the sacred God and where there is no priesthood there is no salvation. Consequently we find the whole world in a lost condition unless they can stoop so low as to come to the despised people call Mormons and repent of their sins before God and be baptised that they may get a remission of them that they may have a right to the spirit of God to guide them in to all truth. This is the reason that there is no salvation in the sects and parties of this world because they have no authority to officiate in the ordinances of the House of God, God or the Lord Jesus Christ conferred the priesthood on Joseph Smith and Joseph conferred it on others and I can say that there is no other way given under heaven in this dispensation whereby men can be saved but by Joseph Smith even as it was in Christ's time God conferred the priesthood on his son and he conferred it on others. Consequently the Apostle said there is no way given under heaven whereby men can be saved but by Jesus Christ. Those things are the facts which can not be controverted. Harriett wants you to write all the names of her father's family and yours also as far back as you can get any intelligence and their ages of all your children and family as far back as you can remember in all branches there of and if you would like to know what this is for I would say seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all the wisdom and intelligence that is required of man to gain a celestial glory shall be given you. If you follow my council I will ensure your salvation and also all men that will do the same. Write as often as you can, may the Lord bless you and enlighten your mind that you may see the necessity of obedience to the Gospel of Christ, Amen….Yours respectfully, Simeon A. Dunn".

Realized: $2,400

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Lot 132    

[Mormon] Salt Lake City Utah, 5, Aug 1, clear strike of cds with integral 5¢ due on folded letter dated July 11th to Washington Iowa, letter written by pioneer heading west, only stopping in Salt Lake City for a night before planning to leave town to continue his journey, docketed as "Received Sep 10"; light toning, F.-V.F.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

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Lot 133    

[Mormon] Salt Lake City, Utah Terr. To Olympia, Wash. Terr., 1854 (Circa) (May), partial cds matching "5" rating for unpaid rate under 3,000 miles, part of side flap missing and rounded corner, Fine.
Estimate    $150 - 200.

This cover would have been carried on the Chorpenning Route from Salt Lake City to San Francisco. Very few covers carried on this route are recorded with this rate as most originate from San Francisco at the 10¢ rate.

Realized: $145

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Lot 134    

[Mormon] [Pony Express Route Construction, 1859] Salt Lake City, U.T., Nov 27, strong strike of cds and manuscript "Paid 6" rating on buff cover addressed to Wm. B. Waddell at Leavenworth City, Kansas Territory; light diagonal crease, Very Fine.
Estimate    $500 - 750.

During the Fall of 1859, three partners William H. Russell, Alexander Majors and William B. Waddell began construction of the Pony Express route from St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco Cal. along the central route. Stations being built were from 12 to 75 miles from each other. Although the enclosure is missing, it is believed to have been sent from Salt Lake City by William W. Finney, the firm's Western agent in charge of the construction. The partner's were engaged in this work under the name "The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express Company". The first trips began at St. Joseph to San Francisco on April 3, 1860.

Realized: $4,000

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Lots 105-114 Lots 115-124 Lots 125-134

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