Summer 2025 | July 18-20, 2025

Listed in the Western Covers Society, September 2016 Census.
Design Type D-1, with black "Sacramento City, CA Oct 4 1859" circular datestamp, addressed to Henry Willens in New York, NY. The horizontal pair covering the directive "BY THE OVERLAND MAIL STAGE VIA PLACERVILLE! HURRAH!" The pair with choice centering and rich color, but the right stamp with perf erosion at right and the cover with a repaired tear at top center.

By the Overland Mail Stage via Los Angeles! Hurrah! But we must have the (pointing hand) train, illustrated overland railroad propaganda design cover to Middleburg Ohio. Indistinct cds at top right with "PAID 10". The stamps with manuscript cancels because the Santa Clara handstamp was so light.

Santa Clara SCL-3350 postmark (33mm)
This postmark was from 4 Aug 1856 - 8 Dec 1865.

Figure 8 in Transcontinental Covers with A 10c Green Stamp and A General Issue Stamp paying Carrier Collection Fee By Clifford J. Alexander

Both tied by New York duplex cancel on buff cover dated January 21, 1861, addressed to Alvarado, California. The 1c stamp prepaid the carrier fee in New York City. Cover was missent and forwarded to Alameda with manuscript “Missent” and received there on February 23.

According to Clifford J. Alexander (Penny Post, Oct. 2021), only two recorded covers carried overland to California during this period were addressed to cities other than San Francisco. This is one of them.

Included in Stanley Ashbrook Archives, Black Binder 7, Page 100
Cover originating in San Francisco, addressed to Mrs. David Saville in Lexington, Mass. The cover signed by Ashbrook.

Illustrated as Figure 6 of The Western Express Research Journal of Early Western Mails, Vol. 72 No. 4
The 10c green with manuscript cancel. Cover addressed to Middlefield Centre, NY. The stamp with creases and the cover stained, damaged, and creased.

With red “40” cents rate marking for transcontinental carriage in effect from July 1, 1847 through June 30, 1851. The Reynold's company handstamp indicating express company carriage to Stockton. The cover with age discoloration.

An early California usage connecting to Hodgkins’ formative years as a Gold Rush expressman, when he began working for Reynolds’ Express in 1851, delivering mail and gold dust throughout the Southern Mines.

In May 1876, Henry Wells encouraged Pilsbury "Chips" Hodgkins to host a reception to commemorate his 25 years as an expressman. In response, Chips had invitations specially printed featuring four illustrations, each depicting a different mode of transportation he used throughout his career.
This cover is one of the envelopes, carried outside of the mails, that once carried an invitation While the image of a miner on a mule was commonly associated with Gold Rush-era mining scenes, in this context, it symbolized Chips himself on his early routes, delivering mail through rugged terrain on his white mule. Enclosure not included.

Postmarked “Mason N.H. Sept 5, 1859” with manuscript routing “Overland via Los Angeles” and addressed to the iconic Wells, Fargo & Co. expressman, "Chips" (Pilsbury Hodgkins) in Stockton, California. Manuscript cancel on indicia; cover shows some staining but otherwise an attractive cover.

Pilsbury “Chips” Hodgkins was a Maine-born ship carpenter turned Gold Rush expressman. Arriving in San Francisco in 1849, he mined in Tuolumne County.
Chips worked for several express companies, including Reynolds’ Express, before becoming a longtime Wells Fargo & Co expressman. From 1857 to 1869 served as Wells, Fargo’s messenger on the Stockton–San Francisco route. Over his career, Chips reportedly carried millions in gold.

Manuscript “Free R.B.B.” at upper left, signed by R. B. Bradford, who served as the Jones & Russell agent in Denver. Addressed to William Bradford Waddell, one of the three founders of the Pony Express, at Lexington, Missouri. Mailed on an uncanceled 3c Red Nesbitt entire (U10), with the indicia cut out and replaced.

An attractive usage of the Wells, Fargo & Co. 1/2 OUNCE PAID FROM St. JOSEPH TO PLACERVILLE PER PONY EXPRESS, Type I, printed frank. The Type I printed frank was used to prepay the $2.00 per half ounce express fee for only two months, approximately April to June 1861.
The design differs from the more common Type II design (WFE-098) by having a comma at the end of the word "Placerville." Thomas notes that besides being printed on U40 envelopes, these printed franks were printed on white non-government envelopes, like this example.

The addressee, N.H. Stockwell, was on the Board of Directors for Wells Fargo from 1858-1867.

The manuscript "1/4 oz free" indicates that this was carried free as company use to an official, making this the only known free usage of the Type I design. There are only three other used examples of this design.

Northwestern Express Co., From St. Paul, black on orange label (Mosher NWNX-L5) with five Northwestern Express wax seals on reverse. American Express Money Package black on orange label (Mosher AMEX-L350) Manuscript “San Francisco, per Wells, Fargo & Co. Express” Cover forwarded to Sacramento with numerous express rate markings & endorsements.

Legal-size cover addressed to New York City, ca. 1848.

New York Feb 3 (1852) cds, to Palmyra, NY. Backflap missing.

Illustrated “Forwarded by the American Express Co. Canandaigua. Wells, Butterfield & Co.” label (Mosher AWBX-L15) in Black on Green, on cover addressed to Albion, with manuscript “Paid IV.” The cover with horizontal fold through the label and some staining and reduced at right.

“Forwarded by the American Express Co. Utica. Wells, Butterfield & Co.” label (Mosher AWBX-L15a) in Black on Red Orange, used on cover from Utica to New York City, manuscript “(17.50)” and “Paid.”

"FORWARDED BY THE AMERICAN EXPRESS CO. ALBION WELLS, BUTTERFIELD & CO." label on cover to Buffalo, NY with manuscript "DUE 1" and "37.15"

Black on Red Orange “Forwarded by American Express Company, Wilton, Minn.” label and Black on Blue “Forwarded by Harnden Express, 65 Broadway, New York” label, on printed American Express Co. envelope. addressed to the Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. The front with tears at bottom and bottom right corner missing.

Illustrated Black on Red Orange label “American Express Co. Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis. Livingston, Fargo & Co. Proprietors. J.W. Wetherell, Agent Sandusky” (Mosher AWBX-L31) on 1851 folded letter to New York, with manuscript “205.00.” The letter with vertical fold through the label.

Folded letter datelined July 26, 1848, addressed to Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The letter accompanied cargo of “2 pieces of blistered steel.” The letter with two horizontal file folds, one through the label with the label oxidized.

Letter dated Octber 7, 1851 to New York City.

"WELLS & CO.'S BUFFALO, ALBANY & NEW YORK EXPRESS. OFFICE 159 MAIN ST. BUFFALO" label on folded letter to Albany, NY. The label oxidized.

Philadelphia Pa. blue datestamp and matching "24" rate (Clarke 582) on cover to London, dated December 20, 1852. Illustrated cornercard for Reliance Line, Atkins & Co., depicting steam locomotive and railcars. Carried by Cunard Line’s Niagara departing Boston, with January 4, 1853 London arrival backstamp. Light wear, still a fine and and attractive transatlantic use of early railroad advertising.

Blue illustrated letterhead from O'Connor, Atkins & Co., Commission & Forwarding Merchants and Proprietors of the Pittsburgh Transportation Line. Features ornate cart vignette and Canal Basin address, with content regarding canal and sale scheduling logistics. Signed by James O’Connor.

Addressed to to Prescott Bigelow, office on the avenue leading from Congress St. to the Post Office, Boston.

Folded letter with manuscript "pr Bigelow's Express" at upper left and "Rail Road Service" at upper right, datelined "Boston 31st October 1850" with docketing on reverse indicating receipt October 31, 1851. Routed via the Fitchburg Railroad to Fitchburg, then by Cheshire Railroad to Bellows Falls, Vermont, and finally by the Sullivan Railroad to Charlestown, New Hampshire.
Letters carried by Bigelow’s Express, operating from 1846 until early 1851 when acquired by Fiske & Rice, are quite scarce. The firm received letters and parcels at its office in the Railroad Exchange. The letter with vertical file folds.