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Post by jamesw on Oct 28, 2018 2:03:40 GMT
Another Niagara item. This is a folded letter sent from Chippawa (just above Niagara Falls) on December 2 1833. The first thing to notice is the red Chippawa postmark, with the script date, has a flaw. It is actually spelt CHIPPAIVA.  The letter comes from the company of Clark & Street, but a notation written on the paper (not shown here) says it is from Samuel Street. Readers may remember that name from items on page 1 of this thread. Also there are items here to and from his son, Thomas Clark Street. The son was named after Street seniors business partner Thomas Clark. This rather frail letter was sent to Francis L. Walsh, who appears, if I can read the writing on this cover, to be the Post Master of Vittorio UC. The postal rate is FREE, which I find curious. Though Street was an incredibly successful businessman, he steered away from politics, according to his online bio... www.biographi.ca/en/bio/street_samuel_1775_1844_7E.html... it does read, however, that street did hold office as 'magistrate from 1796 and deputy-registrar'. Perhaps this granted him franking privileges.  The handwriting seems rather crude and shaky. In 1833 Samuel Street would have been about 58 years old and possibly suffering from arthritis (according to the bio). I don't know if this was written by Mr Street himself, but it's possible, though he did sign it Clark and Street. edit - according to the PHSC (Postal History Society of Canada) Jounal (#33 1983) Francis L. Walsh was Postmaster of Vittoria starting in 1830. By 1837 he was an MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament) in Toronto. |
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Post by jamesw on Oct 28, 2018 2:28:24 GMT
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Post by jamesw on Jun 21, 2019 2:40:38 GMT
Attended the first night of the recent Maresch auction in their new home in Aurora Ont., not far from where I live. Had a good night coming away with 5 nice covers. A BIG bonus was meeting our friend JimJung! Four of the covers purchased are Niagara (I'm about to show them to you) and while speaking of one to this gentleman at the cash, he immediately said, 'Are you jamesw?' Of course my first thought was, do I owe him money, but turns out he was a co-visitor to this site. Nice to meet you Jim! Hope you show us your purchases somewhere here soon. Anyway, here are some of my winnings. 1830 folded letter. Described by Maresch as an unmarked steamboat letter. The paper is T Edmonds 1828 laid paper, with gold along the upper and lower edges of the page. Posh! OHMS letter from Government House in Toronto to Robert Mcgill in Niagara, forwarding a complaint about the qualifications of a Mr Rolston to hold the Mastership of the Niagara District Grammar School. Sent by Z Mudge. According to the Maresch write up, Zachariah Mudge was private secretary to Lieutenant Governor Sir John Colbourne. Mudge was mysteriously shot in bed in 1831, and is buried in the Garrison Burial Ground in Fort York, in Toronto.  1838 cover sheet from Toronto to Isaac Culp of Drummondville UC. The cover sports a large double circle dispatch hand stamp. Maresch describes this as an unmarked steamboat letter, and that the handstamp is uncommon as steamboat letters were taken directly to the ship, bypassing the post office. I don't know how they came to the conclusion it is a steamboat letter. Drummondville was a small village next to the Niagara River, and was incorporated into the newly formed village of Niagara Falls in 1882. Mr. Culp may be a relative of mine. More research is needed.  1863 Toronto to Jordon George Ball, secretary treasurer of the town of Louth, was a member of a prominent local family. The present day Ball's Falls Conservation Area was the location of the family grist mill, and the site of many a family (mine that is) hike in my youth! This registered letter sports an 1859 first cents beaver stamp. Back stamps with a GWR/East RPO stamp and Jordon double split ring receiver cancel  1866 Toronto to St. David's UC. Also sports a 5¢ beaver stamp and a mutilated bar duplex cancel. Backstamped St. David's U.C. split ring cancel. Recipient Woodruff was the sheriff of Lincoln County from 1862 to 1886  |
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Post by jamesw on Oct 28, 2019 0:39:31 GMT
Haven't posted here since last June. Purchased a few items yesterday at my former club's bourse in Barrie Ont. I won't bore you with all of them, but I thought this was a lovely one to share. This envelope was sent from Toronto to St. Catharines, postmarked June 22 1850. It was sent by James Taylor to his wife Lisette.  Luckily the letter was intact (that's how I got her first name). I know we often talk here about reading other peoples mail, even if they have been dead for many years, and the ethics of it. But this letter is beautiful, a loving letter from a man to his wife whom he misses very much, as well as the children. He appears to be in Toronto on business, and is counting the days til he returns. It's also a wonderful example of criss-cross writing where paper is saved by writing over what is already written, but in a different direction.   Some quick research found the graves of James and Lisette on Find-a-Grave. I found them because in googling her name I came across the grave of a Lisette Ann Taylor, whose parents are James and Lisette. Young Lisette would be born exactly one month to the day after this letter was posted, on July 22, 1850. There is no mention in the letter of the pregnancy, that I could see, but it certainly explains his reticence at being away from home. Sadly young Lisette would die in 1861 at age 11. A sad part of this hobby, when your research uncovers tragedy. I believe Mr Taylor was a founder of the Taylor & Bate Brewery in St. Catharines. which he founded in 1834 with Thomas Bate. |
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WERT
Departed
Rest in Peace
Posts: 1,062
What I collect: Canada and Provinces
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Post by WERT on Oct 28, 2019 1:30:51 GMT
Great right up and letters jamesw I always thought it was strange people writing side ways on letters like the one i have below.. Robert
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kasvik
Member 
Posts: 450
What I collect: Cancels mostly, especially Sweden Gävle and Lidingö, Switzerland Geneva, Germany Pforzheim
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Post by kasvik on Oct 28, 2019 2:39:30 GMT
Great right up and letters jamesw I always thought it was strange people writing side ways on letters like the one i have below..
And exclusively because most things are better with W.C. Fields, The Sheriff Tends Bar, from My Little Chickadee. |
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graphicbadger92
Member
Inactive
Wondering if you have sent me a name of a preference country that would start a conversation about.
Posts: 62
What I collect: I am a collector of rare or uncommon stamps treasures are my specialty or unique, obtain desired stamps for anyone looking.
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Post by graphicbadger92 on Dec 1, 2020 12:39:01 GMT
Does anyone feel comfortable on mentioning what they payed for on eBay for regards to this link thestampforum.boards.net/post/51455/thread On old covers for these envelopes including the letters . Im curious due to having a bit shy of 100 items this sort I’ve yet to delve into in my un search part of my collection which I have yet to sort or even look at. Recently reading they go for more than the stamp only price. It’s likely to trump my personal collection I am in as we speak I might change my direction of learning a bit towards these items though I have a hard time reading them. i also am low on colored ink so posting doesn’t do me any good for the time being. My covers and letters are from 1840s to the 1940s and a few newer than those but yes a range on price for your items if so available as of reply’s to this post, would do so much in my desiring what to do on my to do list for 2021. Some from N.R. Sofia- Bulgaria,Suva- Figi,Regina-Canada, Jerusalem, Milano- Albania, Ceskoslovenska, Buenos Aires- Argentina, Baguio(Philippines)-Asia, Seine, Madrid-Spain , Correos - Spain, Nigeria, -Jugoslavija, Marietta- GA, Manila-Philippines, Amiens R.P.- Somme(France), Montreal-P.Q., and plenty more. just interested as your price for knowledge on the literature I had read. thanks 😊 |
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Admin
Administrator 
Posts: 2,489
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Post by Admin on Dec 1, 2020 12:52:07 GMT
I suggest that you view the sold listings on ebay for the types of covers that you have as that will give you a sense of their market value on that platform. Looking at the prices realized in prior auction house offerings is another information resource.
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graphicbadger92
Member
Inactive
Wondering if you have sent me a name of a preference country that would start a conversation about.
Posts: 62
What I collect: I am a collector of rare or uncommon stamps treasures are my specialty or unique, obtain desired stamps for anyone looking.
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Post by graphicbadger92 on Dec 7, 2020 11:25:21 GMT
Thanks Steve did so over the last two days it helped.  |
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Post by jamesw on Jun 13, 2022 2:44:30 GMT
Just want to respond (better late than never) to graphicbadger92's query from almost two years ago. I find prices on these things vary wildly. You can get great deals on ebay if you look carefully. Having been to CAPIX 2022 today I am reminded how wildly different dealers prices can be, for essentially what may seem to be similar items. I'll show shortly two similar items I purchased from two dealers at very different sticker prices. I always think it comes down to how badly I want an item how often I see it. You pay what an item is worth to you.
If it's too dear, steer clear!
... and I see that his account is inactive. But these thoughts can apply to anyone who cares to listen.
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Post by jamesw on Jun 13, 2022 2:47:10 GMT
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Post by jamesw on Jun 13, 2022 3:21:20 GMT
Two new Niagara folded letters acquired to day at CAPIX. Both relate to each other, as well as the letter shown at the top of this page. The first letter was posted on Dec 30 1829 in Chippawa UC by Mr Samuel Street and sent to Francis Walsh, the county registrar. Mr Street, prominent local business man, is acting as executor for the estate of his Uncle, Samuel Street, for whom he was named.  The postmark is interesting as is shows an error. The town name is mis-spelled Chippaiva. The letter posted previously, also from Mr Street to Mr Walsh, in 1833, shows the same error, which was corrected with the stroke of a pen. Not so in this case. This letter shows no other postal markings. Content shown here, which has some notations at the bottom regarding the origins of some of the elder Mr Streets land holding dating back to 1798 and 1809.  |
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Post by jamesw on Jun 13, 2022 3:34:31 GMT
The second folded letter purchased today. Fast forward 27 years. Mr. Walsh is still in business, though now relocated to Simcoe. This Paid 3d letter is sent from Chippawa, now with corrected postmark, on Nov 19 1856. Other postmarks include Suspension Bridge U.C. Nov 19 1856 and a Simcoe receiver cancel Nov 20 1856.  The sender this time is Samuel Street's son, Thomas Street and his business partner Charles Harrell (?). Letter concerns land registry. The Streets were big in land speculation, amongst many other business concerns.  |
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Post by jamesw on Jun 19, 2022 2:40:43 GMT
Just an additional tid bit of historical info on the 1856 letter shown above. The transit cancel, shown here with Walsh's notation of receipt from Street, was applied at Suspension Bridge U.C.  The Niagara River's second suspension bridge (and the world's first railway suspension bridge) was completed in 1855 about 4km down river from the falls. The bridge is featured on the US 1948 United States-Canada Friendship issue (SC#961). It was a two tiered bridge that spanned the Niagara River and encouraged trade between the two countries. There were in fact post offices called Suspension Bridge on both sides, one on the Canadian side and one in New York. The Canadian Suspension Bridge post office actually served the village of Elgin. Because there was an Elgin post office already, in Leeds county, a different name was chosen to serve the Niagara community. Elgin was merged with the village of Clifton the following year in 1857 to become the town of Clifton, which in turn was integrated into the town of Niagara Falls in 1881. Also note, that the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada were joined together into the Province of Canada in 1841, as I mentioned in another thread. So Upper and Lower Canadas became Canada West and Canada East respectively. Despite that, this Suspension Bridge cancel is marked U.C. (Upper Canada). Bruce Graham's book 'Ontario Broken Circles' mentions that a Suspension Bridge C.W. cancel was also in use, until 1857. The November 19 1856 date on the cancel shown here is listed as the last known date. Of course, the book was published in 1999, it may be updated by now. Keep all this in your back pocket for your next trivia night at the pub. You just never know!!! |
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Post by dgdecker on Jun 19, 2022 3:42:19 GMT
Just an additional tid bit of historical info on the 1856 letter shown above. The transit cancel, shown here with Walsh's notation of receipt from Street, was applied at Suspension Bridge U.C. The Niagara River's second suspension bridge (and the world's first railway suspension bridge) was completed in 1855 about 4km down river from the falls. The bridge is featured on the US 1948 United States-Canada Friendship issue (SC#961). It was a two tiered bridge that spanned the Niagara River and encouraged trade between the two countries. There were in fact post offices called Suspension Bridge on both sides, one on the Canadian side and one in New York. The Canadian Suspension Bridge post office actually served the village of Elgin. Because there was an Elgin post office already, in Leeds county, a different name was chosen to serve the Niagara community. Elgin was merged with the village of Clifton the following year in 1857 to become the town of Clifton, which in turn was integrated into the town of Niagara Falls in 1881. Also note, that the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada were joined together into the Province of Canada in 1841, as I mentioned in another thread. So Upper and Lower Canadas became Canada West and Canada East respectively. Despite that, this Suspension Bridge cancel is marked U.C. (Upper Canada). Bruce Graham's book 'Ontario Broken Circles' mentions that a Suspension Bridge C.W. cancel was also in use, until 1857. The November 19 1856 date on the cancel shown here is listed as the last known date. Of course, the book was published in 1999, it may be updated by now. Keep all this in your back pocket for your next trivia night at the pub. You just never know!!! James, Thanks for a delightful history lesson. It is amazing that these documents still exist. They all are very familiar to me as 8 see so much of this tu0e of correspondence in my genealogical research. David |
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Post by jamesw on Jun 20, 2022 3:10:15 GMT
Thank you David, I really appreciate that. Admittedly sometimes when I'm typing this stuff in I wonder if I'm heading down some rabbit hole that some folks might find tedious or uninteresting. I realize we are an international group, and many of you may not know what, or where I'm talking about... or care. But then if that's the case, there's always lots of other interesting stuff here to delve into, isn't there. And just as an aside from my aside, here are two covers from my collection with Suspension Bridge N.Y. cancels, showing they both crossed the Niagara River on their ways to New York City, the top folded letter in 1853, the bottom envelope in 1855.  The New York community actually was called Suspension Bridge, which sprang up during construction. It grew to quite a respectable size, to the point where it actually rivalled Niagara Falls NY in tourism and commerce. It was eventually merged into that town in 1892 |
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Post by jamesw on Nov 14, 2022 1:38:40 GMT
I hope you folks don't think I'm only going to come back here when I have something to show off. I do drop in occasionally. But that said....LOOK WHAT I GOT!. Just kidding, but I did pick up a few things today, including a couple of more Niagara related covers. This first is a folded letter cover (no contents) postmarked in Chippawa and sent to Joseph Woodruff in Niagara (now Niagara-on-the-Lake). Mr Woodruff was a local Clerk of the Peace, another letter sent to him is on the first page of this thread. Postmarked Feb 3 1850 it has a Niagara receiver cancel on the back, as well as a notation that it was sent by Thomas Street, Chippawa businessman we've met here before.  |
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Post by jamesw on Nov 14, 2022 1:55:03 GMT
The other Niagara piece is a more modern advertising cover with a lovely fruit cache, from C. H. Prudhomme farms in Beamsville. The name Prudhomme today in Niagara is synonymous with entertainment. A very large entertainment facility at Prudhomme's Landing burnt down in 2017, but was very popular since the 1940s. The Prudhomme family was one of many farming families in the Beamsville area, including my own, which raised multitudes of tender fruits, peaches, pears, grapes, apples.... This cover was postmarked in Beamsville August 12 1910, with a Paris, Ont. receiver cancel on the front and back. Interestingly the Paris cancel has the year indicia in backward, and reads (19)01. There's also a Paris Station transit cancel on the back.  C.H.(Charles Henry) Prudhomme was born in Beamsville on July 16 (my birthday!) 1879, and except for short periods when he lived in Algoma and Sudbury, farmed in Niagara until his death August 31 1948. I found a story in which several Niagara farmers, including C.H. hired Japanese labourers during the Second World War, despite protests from local, and warnings of possible atrocities. But the Prudhommes and others welcomed the Japanese workers and gave them better living and working conditions than they received in the interment camps. An incident is reported where on March 26, 1943, some Beamsville residents burned a cross in front of C.H. Prudhomme’s Farm, protesting Japanese labour in his nursery gardens. Fortunately that didn't stop the Prudhommes and others from doing the right thing. |
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