Does Anyone Collect Stampless Letters/Covers?

If any of you collect stampless letters, I'd like to see some of your favorites.

Here are two I received yesterday (both date to the early 1850s):

I haven't been able to find anything on this addressee and am clueless as to why "Steam Boat Days" is written on both the front and back of the cover. I prefer acquiring them with letter content as that generally provides some context.


General Reynolds was the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana from 1845-1849 and played a key role in organizing, equipping and deploying troops during the U.S.-Mexican War (1846-48). Subsequently he was commissioned to go to Washington to attempt to recoup funds advanced by Indiana in support of the war effort. This letter may have been sent to him while he was performing that service.

The steamboats on the Mississippi river were often used for mail transport. With Burlingtin, IA being about 14 miles from Oquawka, IL I doubt that that was the case. Nice covers.

I agree that the cover likely didn't travel to Burlington via steamboat.

"Steamboat Days" is now an annual event in Burlington but I haven't been able to find out when the event was first held.

If you look closely at the writing at the bottom of the Oquawka cover it appears to read "Seat in stage [????]."

Without the letter content, there is no way of telling if those annotations were made by the recipient or were written by someone else at a later date.

Elizabeth Ann Crawford, b. 01-02-1842 Littleton Twp, IL (about 40 miles from Burlington). Father Daniel Ritchey (birthplace unknown), mother Letha Bartlow (b. Illinois).
May be a connection.

tomiseksj, the fourth word seems to be coach.

Russ, thanks. I found information on one other "Daniel Ritchey" from Iowa during the cover's timeframe but he was situated in the central and then western portion of the state.

rohumpy, you might be right. According to the article at the link, stagecoaching in Iowa was at its peak in the mid-1850s. Thanks for the help.

http://www.ehow.com/list_7166934_io...-trails.html