Washington, D.C. 1944. Unbound. A small collection of J. Edgar Hoover autographed typed letters and other documents relating to the employment of a clerk-typist at the FBI in 1944-1945. The collection includes: Two typewritten letters to the applicant, both signed by Hoover in ink, A file copy of a memorandum... More about J. Edgar Hoover Autograph Letters and More
Pittsfield, Massachusetts: 1840. Unbound. This four-page folded letter measures 16” x 10” unfolded. It was sent to Reverend Thomas H. Gallaudet in Hartford, Connecticut by Horatio Brinsmade in Pittsfield Massachusetts. The letter is dated January 8, 1840. It bears a 10-cent blue manuscript rate mark in the upper right corner... More about Letter to Thomas H. Gallaudet requesting that he arrange for the residential treatment of a...
New Philadelphia, Ohio: 1862. Unbound. This two-page letter, written by Hyatt Frost of Van Amburgh’s Circus, discusses financial matters related to the Frost family farm in Harrisburg, Indiana, and Hyatt’s brother Eli, who also—on occasion—worked for the Van Amburgh show. The letter is enclosed in a Van Amburgh..... More about ADVERTISING ENVELOPE FOR VAN AMBURGH’S MAMMOTH MENAGERIE AND GREAT MORAL EXHIBITION WITH A...
Vladivostok: 1919. Unbound. This two-page letter, dated 26 July 1919, on YMCA stationery was written by Irving A. Dexter, a musician in the 31st Infantry Regiment’s band, to his mother in Rhode Island. The unfranked letter bears a small Siberia “1” duplex postmark dated 28 July 1919 and a type... More about 31st Infantry Regiment musician’s letter from Siberia during the Allied intervention in the...
On board the Euterpe: January 5, 1865. 1865. Unbound. Lightly soiled with some doodling at the upper corner of the first page. In this letter, Goddard expresses heartfelt sorrow to “Eva” that he would not be able to take leave for a visit. The reason he explains as follows... More about A LOVE LETTER FROM A WHITE OFFICER ASSIGNED TO THE ALL-AFRICAN-AMERICAN 25TH CORPS AS IT SAILED...
Vera Cruz to Massachusetts via Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans, Louisiana: 1847-1848. Envelope or Cover. These two one-page and one two-page folded letters, each measuring 15” x 10”, were written by a civilian ship captain to his wife while transporting soldiers and supplies to Mexico during the Mexican-American War. Two... More about Series of three stampless folded letters from a ship captain to his wife while transporting...
Tallahassee: 1848. Unbound. This one-page folded letter measures 15.5” x 10” unfolded. It is dated “January the 16th, 1848.” The cover bears a green “Free” handstamp indicting no postage was required as it was addressed to a U.S. Senator. It is postmarked with a green circular Tallassee handstamp dated January..... More about RECOMMENDATION FOR A FLORIDA PHYSICIAN AND PLANTATION OWNER TO RECEIVE A FEDERAL COMMISSION AS A...
Salem, Virginia: May 24, 1861. Envelope or Cover. This letter was mailed using a U.S. 3-cent Nesbitt (Scott #U10) envelope on May 24, 1861, after Virginia had joined the Confederacy. As such it should have been rejected by the Confederate postal authorities. The letter is datelined, Salem May 24, 1861... More about The only known U.S. postal envelope mailed through the Confederate post office at Salem Virginia;...
Nolensville, Tennessee: 1825. Envelope or Cover. This two-page stampless letter is dated, “Cross Rodes July the 3rd 1825”. It bears a manuscript postmark, “Nolensville Ten / July 11th” and a rate mark of “25” cents, the cost to send a letter up to 400 miles. It was received by William..... More about Two-page letter from a Virginian, temporarily residing in Tennessee, to his lawyer about lawsuits...
Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia: 1861-1862. Envelope or Cover. Ten letters sent by a private in the 1st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, later the 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Regiment. They begin with the unit’s creation in June 1861 and continue through May 1862. During this time the unit first mustered at... More about One year of letters home written by soldier in a three-month volunteer unit that defended...
Dumfries, Virginia to Geneva, New York: 1815. Unbound. This three-page stampless letter measures 12.5” x 7.5”. It is dated “Elm Wood 19th Sept 1815” and bears a manuscript “Dumfr 19 Sept” postmark applied at Dumfries, Virginia along with a “37½” postal rate mark, the cost to send a letter over..... More about Stampless “War Rate” letter from a land owner in Prince William County, Virginia offering to...
Mohawk, New York: circa 1857. Unbound. This envelope features a hand-drawn pen illustration of a young man trudging along a road and pushing a wheel-barrow with a large crate addressed to “James Johnson, Clinton Liberal Institute, Clinton, N.Y.” It is franked with a 3-cent, plum or deep claret, Type III..... More about HUMOROUS LETTER TO A STUDENT AT THE CLINTON LIBERAL INSTITUTE FEATURING A DRAWING OF HIM...
Camp Lucas (St. Louis), Missouri to Warren Court House, Pennsylvania: 1847. Unbound. This one-page stampless folded letter measures 15.5” x 10” unfolded. It is dated “Camp Lucas May 30th 1847.” The cover must have been delivered by hand, outside of the postal system, as it is unfranked and bears no... More about One-page Mexican-American War letter from a newly appointed ensign in the Missouri Volunteers as...
Camp Vermont near Hunting Creek, Virginia: 5 December 1862. Unbound. Two-page letter with envelope. Envelope is franked with a three-cent stamp (Scott #65) canceled with a circular Washington, DC postmark. The letter and envelope are in nice shape; clean and legible. This charming letter, written to the wife of a.... More about Letter to the wife of a Union soldier wounded on picket duty while guarding approach to ...
Dunkirk, France: 1918. Letter and envelope are both lightly toned. The envelope has been postmarked with an APO #2 (Paris) flag machine cancellation and has some old tape repairs. Lasher was assigned to the U.S. Naval Air Station at Dunkerque, a seaplane station from which naval aviators attacked U-boats going... More about World War One Naval Seaplane Pilot's Letter with Posted Envelope - 24 April 1918
Galveston, Texas: 1838. This 4-page folded letter measures 14.75” x 9” unfolded. It was written in Galveston on May 24th, 1838. The front panel bears a manuscript “25” rate marking indicating the U.S. cost to send a letter over 400 miles. It bears a circular red New Orleans postmark dated... More about Terrific early Galveston letter by one of its founders , a former officer in the Texas Navy,...
Vicksburg, Mississippi: Company K, 57th Georgia Regiment, Jun 25 [1863]. This stampless cover was mailed by Miller from Vicksburg to a friend back home in Georgia. He has annotated it along the left edge, “From A J Miller / Co. K 57th Ga Rgt”. It bears a 25mm double-circle Vicksburg... More about A stampless cover from an officer in the 57th Georgia Infantry Regiment posted at Vicksburg,...
Washington, North Carolina: [1863]. Envelope or Cover. This three-page letter is datelined, “Washington N.C. Jan 24th”” 1863. Its envelope is postmarked “Washington / Jan 26 1863” and bears a “Due 3” handstamp. Both letter and cover are in nice shape. In this letter, Judd writes a friend in... More about Letter from a Lieutenant in the 27th Massachusetts Infantry while encamped at Washington, North...
Cleveland, Ohio: 1840. Envelope or Cover. This four-page letter is dated July 29, 1840 and postmarked in Cleveland the following day. It has a red “PAID” handstamp and blue “25” manuscript rate mark indicating the cost to send the cover to New York with a red circular transit handstamp dated... More about Letter from a British immigrant to her mother at home in Surrey about her journey to Cleveland...
Bridgewater to Fall River, Massachusetts: 1861. Unbound. This two-page letter is dated “Bridgewater, Dec. 14. 1861.” It is enclosed in an envelope featuring an illustration of the Bridgewater State Normal School which has been franked with a brown-red 3-cent Washington stamp (Scott #65). The envelope bears a red, circular “Bridgewater... More about Letter reporting on a two-day “teacher’s association” conference that was mailed in an...
Madison County, Alabama via New Orleans, Louisiana, to Montgomery Court House, Texas: Christmas Eve, 1840. Unbound. This four-page stampless folded letter, dated “Xmas Eve 1840,” measures approximately 16” x 9.5” unfolded. It bears a circular blue “Huntsville / Ala” postmark dated “Dec 26,” a blue “25” cent manuscript rate mark..... More about Letter from a father in Alabama to his son in the Republic of Texas discussing his plans to...
Philadelphia: 1832. Envelope or Cover. This one-page printed circular ,dated “Philadelphia, May 30th, 1832 was folded and sent by mail to the “Hon. P. Ellis” (Senator Powhattan Ellis of Mississippi) at “Washington City, D.C.” I bears a small, circular “PHIL 6 JUN” postmark in read and black “FREE” handstamp, which..... More about Circular printed and sent to Congress by the Hatters of Philadelphia in support of passing the...
At sea and Bombay, India: 1817-1818. Unbound. Four-page folded folio-sized sheet to Betsy Putnam of Danvers, Massachusetts signed by E. S. Nichols. Three separately dated letters are on the sheet: 31 Dec 1817, On board the Ship Saco; 2 Feb 1818, Off the coast of Ceylon; 30 Apr 1818, Bombay... More about Early 19th century American missionary correspondence from the Ship Saco and India
Fort D.A. Russell (now F. E. Warren Air Force Base), Wyoming: 1897. Unbound. 14 card-mounted albumen photographs of life at Fort Russell in Wyoming during the 1890s. The photographs measure 4.5” x 3.75”; the cards approximately 6.5” x 5.5”. Several of the cards are captioned on the reverse. All are... More about A photographic archive of the 8th Infantry Regiment at Fort D. A. Russell in Wyoming
Stalag IIB (Hammerstein, Germany): 17 June 1944. Unbound. This German Kriegsfangenenpost Postkarte (prisoner of war mail postcard) is addressed to Jodice’s girlfriend in Watertown, Massachusetts. It bears an indistinct German town postmark and purple handstamp from Stalag IIB. A U.S. censor’s handstamp that was applied before delivery is in the..... More about World War II U.S. Prisoner of War Mail from Germany
