Frajola World Covers



 


 

Richard Schaefer Collection of Pioneer California Express Covers
 

Offered by Richard Frajola
(Table of Contents and Ordering Instructions)




Everts & Co's Feather River Express (fall 1851 - 1853)

In mid 1851 Frank D. Everts began operating a one man express from Marysville to mining camps on the Yuba River and Feather Rivers. He connected with Adams Express at Marysville for steamboat service to Sacramento and San Francisco. In the winter of 1852-1853 the firm was superseded by Everts, Snell & Co's Express.
 

Everts & Cos Express Feather River, blue three line handstamp on inbound cover, letter of June 1852 Albion, Michigan enclosed, via New York City to Sacramento by government mails, 10c postage due and picked up by Everts & Co's Feather River Express for delivery to Brownsville, pencil "BrV" and $1.25 express fee due which includes the 10c postage, fewer than ten recorded examples of the handstamp, ex Phillips and Stach

 

(page image, stock #9026, $800) (sold)

Everts & Cos Express Marysville, Connecting With Adams & Co., mostly clear blue double lined oval handstamp struck on brown on buff, embossed corner card cover of "Taaffe McCahill Dry Goods" used to Bidwells Bar, conjunctive use with blue Adams & Co San Francisco office Nov 9 (1852) datestamp struck twice, manuscript 25c express fee endorsement at top right, carried beyond Marysville by Everts, cover crease at right, three reported examples of this Everts marking, ex Dale - Lichtenstein, Walske and Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9027, $3,500)(sold)

 

Everts, Snell & Cos. Feather River Express (1852 - Jul 1854)

In winter 1852-1853 Frank Darwin Everts, after operating his Everts & Co's Express since 1851 formed a partnership with John Adam Snell to better serve the mines of the Feather River area. They connected with Adams Express at Marysville for steamboat service to Sacramento and San Francisco. On July 25, 1854 the partnership was dissolved and Everts continued with his brother Henry from new headquarters in La Porte as F.D. Everts & Co. until he sold out to Adams in February 1855.
 

Evert Snell & Co's Feather River Express blue ornamented double oval handstamp on inbound cover addressed to Marysville, Albion, Michigan Dec 13 (1852) origin postmark and Roman numeral "X" postal rate, carried from the post office by Evert Snell & Co from Marysville to addressee at the mines, pencil "BrV" (Brownsville) notation of location at left and "1.25" express charges noted at top right, docketed as received January 24, 1853, ex Edwards and Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9028, $750) (sold)

Evert Snell & Co's Feather River Express blue ornamented double oval handstamp on inbound cover addressed to Sacramento, Dalton, Ohio origin postmark and "10" rate, picked up by Everts, Snell & Co's Feather River Express for delivery to Lexington House (near Downieville) pencil "Lex" at foot and $1.50 express fee due which includes the 10˘ postage, the only reported example to Lexington House, ex Vogel and Walske

 

(page image, stock #9029, $1,500) (sold)

 

Everts, Davis & Co Express (May 1855 - Jul 1856)
Everts, Hannon, Wilson & Co Express (Jul 1856 - Oct 1856)

Everts sold out to Adams Express shortly before their collapse in February 1855 and re-entered the express business. On May 19, 1855 the firm of Everts, Davis & Co. was organized and used Pacific Express Company for additional service.

In July 1856 new advertisements began to appear that announce that the company had recently purchased important new routes. Postal evidence suggests, with the appearance of new franked envelopes that include the name "Hannon," that Hannon actually joined the firm in July at the time of these purchases.

The "Davis" was dropped from the firm name in October 1856 and the last advertisement for Everts, Davis & Co. appeared on August 11; the August 19, 1856 advertisement was for the newly formed Everts, Hannon, Wilson & Co. Express. On October 8, 1856 the firm name began to appear in advertisements as only Everts, Wilson & Co.
 

Everts, Hannon, Wilson & Co. Daily Express, Paid rectangular frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco shortly after the new firm was established, large oval Everts, Davis & Co.'s Express, St. Louis blue green oval "Jul 22" datestamp of precursor firm still in use, conjunctive use with "Pacific Express Marysville" blue oval "Jul 24" datestamp for transmission from Marysville to San Francisco, cover reduced at left, four reported used examples of this frank, ex Whitington

(page image, stock #9030, $2,500) (sold)

 

Everts, Wilson & Co Express (Oct 1856 - Aug 1862)

The first advertisement with the new Everts, Wilson & Co. Express firm name appeared on October 8, 1856. From their principal offices at Marysville, Rabbit Creek, St. Louis and Nelson Creek and Gibsonville they served regions north of the North Fork of the Yuba River and south of the North Fork of the Feather River. The express connected at Marysville with Pacific Express until Pacific Express failed in April 1857. The express connected with connected at Marysville with Wells Fargo thereafter. On September 1,1862 the express business were sold to Holland, Morley & Company.
 

Everts, Wilson & Co.'s Express Paid frank in ornamented rectangle on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco, large oval Everts, Davis & Co.'s Express, Forbestown blue green oval "Aprl 13" datestamp of precursor firm still in use, conjunctive use with blue Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Apr 14 double oval datestamp, minor ink smears at left, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

(page image, stock #9025, $2,000) (sold)

 

Fargo & Co's Feather River Express (1852 - 1853)

Annon Fargo and W. E. Singer were in an express partnership for few months in 1852, known as Singer and Fargo’s Express. Annon Fargo decided to go out on his own in later 1852 when W. S. Dean was brought into the company. Fargo & Co’s Express operated from 1852 to 1853, using Marysville as a base to serve the mines along the North Fork of the Feather River.
 

Fargo & Co's Feather River Express, blue double lined oval handstamp and pencil "$1.50" express rate on inbound cover to a miner at Meeker Flat, cover originated with faint Farmington, Iowa postmark and 10c rate, five reported examples of this handstamp, ex Stach

 

(page image, stock #9032, $3,500) (sold)

 


Ford & Co's Express (Aug 1850 - Sep 1851)

Little is known about Ford & Co's Express and no advertisements have been found. The few known covers are addressed to, or from, Sacramento and Mormon Gulch and date between August 1850 and September 1851. It has been suggested that the express operated between Sacramento City and Greenwood.
 

Ford & Co's Express / Forwarded By, blue roped oval handstamp and "$1.35" express rate on inbound cover to a miner near Sacramento mines, cover originated with faint Fairfield, Connecticut postmark and 10c rate, five reported examples of this handstamp, ex SDale - Lichtenstein and Walske

 

(page image, stock #9033, $2,000) (sold)


Freeman & Co's Express (Nov 1850 - Nov 1851)

John M Freeman bought out T. R. Hawley's interest in Hawley's Express on November 11, 1850. The route was between Sacramento City and San Francisco by steamboat with further steamboat service to river offices north to Marysville. Adams Express operated as Freeman's agent and expediter in San Francisco. The express served as a trunk line connecting at Sacramento with Bower's Express for service to Nevada City and with Langton's Express for service to Downieville. After his purchase of Mumby's Express in June 1851, Freeman sold out to Adams & Co on November 8, 1851. After serving as an agent for Adams & Co for several years, he started a new Freeman's Express after Adam's failure in February 1855.
 

Freeman & Co's Express, small oval black handstamp on January 3, 1851 folded letter to Sacramento City, ex Ferrari, Dale - Lichtenstein, ex Walske

(page image, stock #9038, $2,500)(sold)

Freeman & Co's Express, San Francisco, Forwarded By, blue oval handstamp well struck on cover to Sacramento City, pencil note of date "Apl 11. 1851" at foot, minor wrinkle, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

(page image, stock #9040, $250)(sold)

Freeman & Co's Express, San Francisco, Forwarded By, blue oval handstamp well struck on folded cover to Van Voorhies, Secretary of State, at Vallejo, conjunctive use with faint "Forwarded By Todd's Express" double oval at left faintly struck, manuscript 50 cts express rate at top, ex Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9041, $300)(sold)

Freeman & Co's Express, ___ Francisco, Forwarded By, black oval with "San" removed and manuscript "Marysville" at top of on January 4, 1851 folded letter to San Francisco, docket indicates "4/-: paid in express fees, the only reported example of this handstamp in black, ex Knapp, Dale - Lichtenstein and Walske

 

(page image, stock #9039, $1,000)(sold)

 

Freeman & Co's Express (II) (Jun 1855 - Apr 1860)

A June 15, 1855 newspaper notice announced that John M. Freeman, J. K. Stimson, J. Hoey and Josiah Hedden had purchased all Adams & Co interests in the California express business under the name Freeman & Co. This new firm opened offices in British Columbia in July 1858. The firm was sold to Wells, Fargo in April 1860.
 

Freeman & Co's Express Paid pair of covers to same addressee in San Francisco with large billboard frank listing their world-wide offices and additional text with list of their California offices, the first is a non-government cover docketed as received Aug 20, 1856, the second is the same frank imprinted on a 3c red Nesbitt entire docketed as received on August 29, 1856, first cover discolored and second with edge faults at right, the only reported examples of this frank, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9034-9035, $2,500) (sold)

Freeman & Co's Express Paid red scroll frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire with San Francisco address imprinted in same color, blue oval Freeman & Co Marysville Sep 1 datestamp, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9036, $250)(sold)

Freeman & Co's Express Paid red scroll frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco, bold "Freeman & Co Express Shasta" oval handstamp, minor edge tear at top, ex Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9037, $450)(sold)


Grammer & Co's Express Express (1849 - 1851)

Joseph Grammer, a recent arrival from Pike County, Illinois, formed his small express in late 1849 to operate from a base in Sacramento City to and from the nearby mining areas along the American River and camps as far east as Georgetown. His name appears in delinquent Sacramento City tax lists published in early 1852 and is presumed to have stopped operating, or sold out.

 

Grammer & Co's Express, Forwarded By black oval handstamp on cover to Ashburnham, Massachusetts from the mines to Sacramento post office with October 10, 1850 Sacramento postmark and to destination by mail, postage 40˘ due, cover aged and stains, fewer than five reported examples, ex Jessup, Haas, Edwards

 

(page image, stock #9042, $6,000) (sold)

 

Greenhood & Newbauer Northern Express (1856 - Aug 1867)

Herman Greenhood and Joseph Newbauer began their express, based in Weaverville, in late 1856. After the purchase W. F. Rowe Express in 1858, the company connected with Wells Fargo at Marysville. The company's banking and express business failed in August 1867. The staging routes were taken over by G. I. Taggart’s after that date.
 

Greenhood & Newbauer Northern Express, Paid, pair of cover to same address in San Francisco, one (top) with express company name in frank spelled "Newbaner" in error  and the other frank the scarcer correct spelling of Newbauer, each with clear company Greenhood & Neubauer Express Weaverville, Cal double oval handstamps, the correct spelling example is illustrated in Nathan and is ex Jessup and Pearce

 

 

(page image, stock #9043-9044, $600) (sold)

 


Gregory's Express (April 1850 - Nov 1852)

In addition to Joseph W. Gregory's Atlantic & Pacific Express ocean to ocean express begun in April 1850, he organized "Gregory's Express" to operate within California. His service began with offices in San Francisco and Stockton and soon expanded to Sacramento City and Marysville. Gregory quietly sold his express business to Wells, Fargo & Co. in 1852 and his last advertisement appeared in the November 20, 1852 "Daily Alta California."
 

Gregory's Express, red, eight line handstamp, the first style used by the company, on cover with pencil November 25, 1850 note on reverse, used San Francisco to Sacramento City by Gregory's Express, "NOT PAID" handstamp, Gregory's Express first handstamp with San Francisco and New York office addresses, the only reported example of the first marking used by Gregory's Express, ex Berthoud, Parker, Haas, Edwards, Vogel and Walske

 

(page image, stock #9050, $7,500) (sold)

Gregory's Atlantic and Pacific Express, Forwarded by Thompson & Hitchcock, 143 Pearl Street, N.Y., four line handstamp on October 29, 1851 folded letter from Franklin (Ohio) to Marysville, ex Vogel and Walske

 

(page image, stock #9046, $3,000) (sold)

Gregory's New York & California Express, blue cogged oval handstamp and oval "Not Paid" on November 27, 1850 folded letter from Sacramento to San Francisco, the earliest of five reported examples of this oval marking, the first marking used at Sacramento, ex Lichtenstein, Lowe, Vogel and Walske

(page image, stock #9049, $1,500) (sold)

 

Gregory's Express Office, San Francisco, blue three line handstamp and oval "Not Paid" handstamp on cover to Sacramento, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

(page image, stock #9045, $400) (sold)

Gregory's Express, red two line handstamp with "Express" in hollow letters and small straight line "Paid." handstamp on cover to Sacramento, pencil notation "Nevada, June 14, 1851" at lower left,  ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9048, $400) (sold)

 

Gregory's Express Office, Sacramento, blue oval handstamp and matching "Not Paid" handstamps on cover to San Francisco, endorsed "Mess. T. & H Please deliver immediately" at top, edge faults, ex Dale - Lichtenstein and Whitington

 

(page image, stock #9047, $350) (sold)

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Richard Frajola (May 15, 2013)