An interesting cover becomes a coveted cover
Jan 15, 2014 16:37:22 GMT
tomiseksj, rod222, and 3 more like this
Post by ncbucki on Jan 15, 2014 16:37:22 GMT
I have noticed that there are members on this forum who are not in some of the others I am a member of, so will share some of my other posts.
One on my favorite collecting areas is covers – mainly cheap ones! Several years ago I purchased a cover (1900-1901) at our local Charpex Stamp show. At the time, I thought I was paying too much for it, but did like all of the cancellations on it. At first, I thought would just be an interesting cover, but after some research it became even more interesting and then an exciting find! (I am also deeply involved in genealogy and enjoy researching my covers.)
The only enclosure was a newspaper picture (shown).
It has 6 cancellations (one partial) which is what caught my attention to the cover.
I am also deep into genealogy and one of the pleasures I like is to research the "to" and "fr
Steps I took in researching the cover:
First, write down the obvious:
1. Addressed to
Capt Carl ? ?
U.S.M.C. (United State Marine Corps)
U.S. Naval Hospital
Yokohama Japan
2. From address unknown - no return address on cover
3. Six postmarks, in chronological order:
Norfolk, VA Dec 17, 1900 (front)
Washington, DC Dec 18, 1900 (back)
San Francisco, CA Dec 22, 1900 (back)
Yohohama, Japan Jan 17, ---- (front - partial)
Yokohama, Japan Jan 18, 1901 (front)
Honolulu, HA rec'd Feb 1, 1901 (rear)
4. Part of original address lined out in red
5. Added (in writing) in red:
u.s.s. "Solace"
Honolulu
Hawaiian Islands
6. Enclosure picture – (reverse not significant) Picture of Thomas M. Lippitt
Next, if I am able to do any research, I need to know the name. What is the middle initial?
I am pretty certain it is a "G". Last name - hmmm - partially obscured by a cancellation, but
ends in an "n" (compare the "n" with the "n" in Japan below). First thought is last name is
"Anderson" or "Anderian". So, I will search Google and some genealogy sites for a "Carl G. Anderson" who was in the U.S. Marine Corps. After four hours of searching using both last names as well as with and without "G.", I turned up nothing. I also did extensive search of U.S. Marine Corps records around the 1900-1901 time period. --- nothing!
Searching under Lippitt (on enclosure) provided a clue - he was severely wounded in China during the Boxer rebellion. That was the clue I needed! I looked at the name again under power - the last name is "Andresen". Thus the name is Carl G. Andresen.
I researched this name and based on what I found, my excitement for the cover grew!
Carl G. Andresen was born in Norway, name of Charles Gamborg-Andresen (hence the initial "G"). He enlisted in the U.S. Marines and through his bravery and leadership received a field promotion to lieutenant (called a brevet promotion). The Dept of Navy authorized his changing his name from Charles to Carl.
For bravery in China during the Boxer rebellion, he received the U.S.M.C. Brevet award. At that time, only enlisted or civilians could receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. This was enough to make the cover very interesting. But, since Andresen eventually rose to Colonel, I am sure there are other covers addressed to him. What makes this cover unique and (to me) a very exciting find is the time of the cover.
The Boxer rebellion climaxed starting in June 1900. From what I have found out at this time is that he was injured to some extent and sent to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokohama, Japan, then sent on to Honolulu. The USS Solace was a hospital ship, but was also used to carry mail between China, Japan, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands. He was in the hospital in Japan for a very short time. This letter was addressed to him during that very short time!
Now I have quite a lot of confidence in explaining this cover.
It was mailed from Norfolk Va., went to Washington, D.C., cancelled, then placed on a train and sent to San Francisco (took 4 days to get there) where it was cancelled. It would have been placed on a ship to Yokohama, Japan where it received a cancellation (partial) on front (most likely a "rec'd" cancellation). But, Andresen had already departed for Honolulu. So the address was crossed off and a note to send it on the USS Solace written on it.
It was cancelled again in Yokohama and placed on the USS Solace. The question could arise as to the meaning of USS Solace. -- did that mean that whoever wrote the note thought that Andresen was on the USS Solace or to mail it via the USS Solace?
Regardless, Andresen was not on board. If he had been, he would have been delivered the letter and the "rec'd" in Honolulu cancellation on the reverse would not have happened.
So, the notation and cancellations on this cover could have occurred only during a very short time span.
By the way, Andresen was one of only 23 marines to have ever received the Brevet Award and he is considered one of the marine "legends" of the old Corps.
So with a concentrated effort, an interesting cover became a coveted cover!
One on my favorite collecting areas is covers – mainly cheap ones! Several years ago I purchased a cover (1900-1901) at our local Charpex Stamp show. At the time, I thought I was paying too much for it, but did like all of the cancellations on it. At first, I thought would just be an interesting cover, but after some research it became even more interesting and then an exciting find! (I am also deeply involved in genealogy and enjoy researching my covers.)
The only enclosure was a newspaper picture (shown).
It has 6 cancellations (one partial) which is what caught my attention to the cover.
I am also deep into genealogy and one of the pleasures I like is to research the "to" and "fr
Steps I took in researching the cover:
First, write down the obvious:
1. Addressed to
Capt Carl ? ?
U.S.M.C. (United State Marine Corps)
U.S. Naval Hospital
Yokohama Japan
2. From address unknown - no return address on cover
3. Six postmarks, in chronological order:
Norfolk, VA Dec 17, 1900 (front)
Washington, DC Dec 18, 1900 (back)
San Francisco, CA Dec 22, 1900 (back)
Yohohama, Japan Jan 17, ---- (front - partial)
Yokohama, Japan Jan 18, 1901 (front)
Honolulu, HA rec'd Feb 1, 1901 (rear)
4. Part of original address lined out in red
5. Added (in writing) in red:
u.s.s. "Solace"
Honolulu
Hawaiian Islands
6. Enclosure picture – (reverse not significant) Picture of Thomas M. Lippitt
Next, if I am able to do any research, I need to know the name. What is the middle initial?
I am pretty certain it is a "G". Last name - hmmm - partially obscured by a cancellation, but
ends in an "n" (compare the "n" with the "n" in Japan below). First thought is last name is
"Anderson" or "Anderian". So, I will search Google and some genealogy sites for a "Carl G. Anderson" who was in the U.S. Marine Corps. After four hours of searching using both last names as well as with and without "G.", I turned up nothing. I also did extensive search of U.S. Marine Corps records around the 1900-1901 time period. --- nothing!
Searching under Lippitt (on enclosure) provided a clue - he was severely wounded in China during the Boxer rebellion. That was the clue I needed! I looked at the name again under power - the last name is "Andresen". Thus the name is Carl G. Andresen.
I researched this name and based on what I found, my excitement for the cover grew!
Carl G. Andresen was born in Norway, name of Charles Gamborg-Andresen (hence the initial "G"). He enlisted in the U.S. Marines and through his bravery and leadership received a field promotion to lieutenant (called a brevet promotion). The Dept of Navy authorized his changing his name from Charles to Carl.
For bravery in China during the Boxer rebellion, he received the U.S.M.C. Brevet award. At that time, only enlisted or civilians could receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. This was enough to make the cover very interesting. But, since Andresen eventually rose to Colonel, I am sure there are other covers addressed to him. What makes this cover unique and (to me) a very exciting find is the time of the cover.
The Boxer rebellion climaxed starting in June 1900. From what I have found out at this time is that he was injured to some extent and sent to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokohama, Japan, then sent on to Honolulu. The USS Solace was a hospital ship, but was also used to carry mail between China, Japan, Guam and the Hawaiian Islands. He was in the hospital in Japan for a very short time. This letter was addressed to him during that very short time!
Now I have quite a lot of confidence in explaining this cover.
It was mailed from Norfolk Va., went to Washington, D.C., cancelled, then placed on a train and sent to San Francisco (took 4 days to get there) where it was cancelled. It would have been placed on a ship to Yokohama, Japan where it received a cancellation (partial) on front (most likely a "rec'd" cancellation). But, Andresen had already departed for Honolulu. So the address was crossed off and a note to send it on the USS Solace written on it.
It was cancelled again in Yokohama and placed on the USS Solace. The question could arise as to the meaning of USS Solace. -- did that mean that whoever wrote the note thought that Andresen was on the USS Solace or to mail it via the USS Solace?
Regardless, Andresen was not on board. If he had been, he would have been delivered the letter and the "rec'd" in Honolulu cancellation on the reverse would not have happened.
So, the notation and cancellations on this cover could have occurred only during a very short time span.
By the way, Andresen was one of only 23 marines to have ever received the Brevet Award and he is considered one of the marine "legends" of the old Corps.
So with a concentrated effort, an interesting cover became a coveted cover!
