Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025

Folded letter dated September 6, 1844, from Troy, New York to New York City, carried on the Hudson River via steamboat.

Datelined “Troy March 15th 1845,” this letter was carried by Brainard & Co, as indicated by the Red Oval forwarding Handstamp (BRA-F-2), to NYC where it received the Hale & Co. collect handstamp (C-3). Hale carried it to Hartford.
Twenty-four letters originating from Troy are recorded by Gutman. The EKU is 9/3/44 and LKU is 6/20/45. Gutman records 45 letters with Hale markings going to Hartford. The EKU is 7/20/44 and LKU is 3/19/45. Gutman wrote it “is curious”… that Hale apparently stopped accepting outbound letters in March, 1845. But note that the Postal Act putting Hale and other independent mail companies out of business was enacted March 3. The above letter was written 12 days later.

Conjunctive use of two independent mail companies, mailed 3 Weeks after Postal Act of 1845 became law.
This folded letter, dated March 26, 1845, written by a husband to his wife, was carried by Brainard & Co. from Troy to New York City. There, it was transferred to Hale & Co. for final delivery to Hartford, Connecticut. The letter never entered the U.S. mails

Folded letter privately carried entirely outside the mails via two independent companies. Entered Brainard & Co.’s office in Troy, N.Y., where an agent carried it to Albany and placed it aboard a Hudson River steamboat for New York City. From there, it was transferred to Hale & Co., which transported it via Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River to Hartford. Struck with red oval "FORWARDED / BY / BRAINARD & CO. / TROY" and boxed "COLLECT / SIX CENTS / HALE & CO." handstamps.

Not recorded in the Lyons census of Brainard covers.