J.P. Wharton's Express (1862 - 1864)

James P. Wharton purchased William Ford's Express in late 1862. The express operated from Gibsonville to La Porte and Jamison City and Plumas County camps. The express was sold in 1864 to Garland's Express.
 

J.P. Wharton's Express, Paid, ornate boxed frank on cover to San Francisco, franked with 1861 3c rose, faulty, tied by blue Wheeler's Express La Porte handstamp, black on orange Wells Fargo & Co. Express from Marysville label affixed over top edge of cover, cover carried by Wharton's to Gibsonville and by Wheeler's Express to Marysville and then passed to Wells, Fargo for ultimate delivery, cover lightly soiled and light adhesive stain from label placement, an extremely rare triple conjunctive use, two reported used examples of Wharton's frank, both with adhesive frankings, illustrated in Letters of Gold, page 224, ex Hackett, Jessup, Haas, and Kramer

(stock #293, $9000)

Wheeler's Express (1863 - 1864)
Wheeler, Rutherford & Co's Express (1864 - 1865

In late 1863 Sam Wheeler, possibly along with his brother, formed an express to serve the mining area along the Feather River and the Gibsonville Ridge area from a base at La Porte. It connecting with Wells Fargo at Marysville. After R.H. Rutherford joined the firm in 1864, the name was changed to Wheeler, Rutherford & Co. Express. This new firm continued operating into 1865.
 

Wheeler's Express, Paid, boxed, two-line printed frank on 3c pink 1861 issue entire to Morristown California, no markings, reduced into indicia at right, the only reported example of this frank

(stock #295, $1500)

Wheeler's Express, Paid, ribbon frank on 3c pink 1861 issue entire used to Oroville, faint La Porte company handstamp ties indicia, conjunctive use with blue Wells, Fargo Marysville "Dec 24" oval datestamp, illustrated in Nathan and in Letters of Gold, page 224, ex Parker, Jessup, Haas

(stock #294, $1500)

Wheeler, Rutherford & Co's Express, Paid, ribbon frank on 3c pink 1864 issue entire used to Morristown, California, company's Marysville double circle handstamp ties indicia

(stock #296, $750)

Whiting & Co's Feather River Express  (1857 - 1868)

Fenton B. Whiting, and partners Henry C. Everts, G. W. Morley, and E. E. Meek, formed Whiting & Co's Feather River Express 1857. The express became the leading operator in northern Plumas County originally operating from its base in Quincy. Whiting’s operation was sold to Garland & Company in 1868.

Whiting & Co.'s Feather River Express, Paid,  boxed frank on 10c green Nesbitt entire addressed to East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, entered the mails with Bidwells Bar, California "Sep 18" postmark, four reported examples of this frank on 10c Nesbitt entires, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #297, $1000)

Whiting & Co.'s Feather River Express, Paid,  ornately framed boxed frank on 3c pink 1861 issue entire to San Francisco, company's Quincy "Aug 26" double circle datestamp, conjunctive use with blue  Wells, Fargo Marysville "Aug 28" double oval datestamp, cover reduced irregularly at right into indicia, four reported examples of this style frank

(stock #299)

Whiting & Co.'s Feather River Express, Paid,  boxed frank, elongated format in blue on 3c pink 1861 issue entire used to Deansville, new York, entered the mails with Marysville, California postmark, cover edge worn, two reported examples in blue ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #300, $700)

Whiting & Co.'s Feather River Express, Paid scroll frank on 3c pink 1864 issue entire used to Whitby, Canada West, supplement franking of 10c green adhesive (#68), “Cresent Mining Co., Indian Valley Jan 15, 1866” sender's origin datestamp, entered the mails with Quincy, California postmark, red “U.S. 10cts Paid” exchange, Whitby backstamp, cover stains and reduced at right

(stock #298, $750)

Whiting & Co.'s Feather River Express, Paid scroll frank in purple on 3c pink 1864 issue entire used to Oroville, California, fewer than five reported franks in this color

(stock #301, $800)

G.H. Wines & Co's Express  (1855 - 1857)

G. H. Wines express was founded in 1855 by G.H. Wines. They provided service from San Francisco to Sacramento where they connected with Rhodes & Whitney's Express to serve the mines. In addition to service to mining areas, the company developed a transatlantic service. They were the primary transport for Walker's filibuster troops to Nicaragua and evidently hoped to gain had Walker been successful in his take-over attempt. They were out of business by mid 1857.
 

Wines & Co's Express, black straight line handstamp with pencil "No 2 Bolin Green" on small cover from California to Baltimore, Maryland, reverse with light strike of blue oval "G.H. Wines & Co's, California Express,  No. 2 Bowling Green, New-York," pencil note on reverse, indicates "letter dated 1/31/1856," carried by Wine & Co's express via Nicaragua on Vanderbilt Line steamers

(stock #302, $7500)

Wines & Co's Express, Paid, fancy spread eagle illustrated frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to from San Francisco to Sacramento City, cover minor edge faults, ex Walske

(stock #303, $4500)

A.J. Wood's Oroville, Susanville And Taylorsville Express (1864 - 1866)
Wood & Co's Express (1866 - 1868)

Allen J Wood operated his express in Plumas County, California. The primary route:  Oroville, Susanville and Taylorsville, was specified by the earlier name of the express. He connected with Wells, Fargo at Oroville and sold out to them in 1868.
 

A. J. Wood's Oroville, Susanville and Taylorville Express boxed frank on 3c pink 1864 issue entire to Genl J.W. Denver at Washington, D.C., entered the mails with Longville November 25, 1866 manuscript postmark, docketed as being from "Gen. Wood" at left, three reported examples, illustrated in Letters of Gold, page 228, ex Vogel, Haas (who paid Vogel $1200 in 1976), and Edwards

(stock #304, $3000)

Wood & Co's Express, fancy segmented ribbon frank on 3c pink entire used to Cleveland, Ohio, entered the mails with Longville July 1868 manuscript postmark vertically at left, reduced at left and soiled

(stock #305, $1000)

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