1800s York PA Postal History Covers

The first is the oldest (1804) York PA cover I now have. It has no content.



The second (1817) below has a hand stamped straight line city and date cancel I've not seen before. It is not listed in American Stampless Cover Catalog. There were several bidders and it ended up being rather expensive. It's content is a letter to the Durham NH Postmaster for information on a man who had not paid a loan. An interesting letter with numerous names of people.

Since your straightline isn't listed in the current edition of the ASCC, might I suggest you send a scan in for inclusion in the updated version being worked on:

https://www.uspcs.org/resource-cent.../your-input/

The straightline is most likely from York, Maine.

paperhistory, I just checked a map and sure enough, York Me and Durham NH are only about 10 miles apart. I believe you opinion is most likely correct. Are you from the area?

1804, is that really early for a CDS? When was the first CDS used?

Not sure when the first CDS was used but the cover has 1804 written in similar manuscript at the bottom of the image. It's upside down on the image.

not from the area, but I'm a postal history dealer and I've seen the York straightline before (I have one in stock).

First widespread use of CDS markings in the US started in 1799 (with a handful of government-issued devices). There is a circular Charleston SC marking from 1778.

Thanks!!, I did a quick Google search but couldn't find any good info.

paper history, does the York straight-line cancel you have use the same font as mine? That could confirm mine as a York ME if it is identical. The letter content only says York without a State so it doesn't help. Maybe the names in the letter would help but I'm apparently not save enough to find out since my search efforts were useless.

here's mine (1812), which also doesn't mention a state name anywhere but it can't be PA due to the short-distance rate.

Here's some info on George Frost:

https://www.library.unh.edu/find/ar...rs-1750-1821

If you care to list some of the other names on your SFL, I might be able to come up with something, having access to several newspaper data bases.

paper history, I am convinced you are correct. Font and point are identical with mine. It took 20 bids to win so it appears to be a desirable cancel. But now that you shown me it is York ME, I am not interested in keeping it. I will contact the seller try to return it. The problem with returning the cover is that I am back in Guatemala from a short trip in the US. The Guatemalan postal service had been closed for at least a year and a half but is now operating only a small number of post offices. I am not sure of how secure the service is at this time. It is possible I won't be able to return it within the seller's time frame.

docgfd. Nice site you've linked. If you can find any info on Isaac O Smith from York, ME I'd appreciate it as it would add an extra confirmation that my cover is not York, PA.

I'm leaving soon for 4 days so I may or may not be able to reply again until Tuesday.

The name is Israel O. Smith. The Smith's were in the shipping business out of York Maine. The O. stands for Orne. The Orne's were a prominent merchant marine family in Salem MA. The Smith and Orne families intertwined thru marriage in the mid 1700's.

http://findingaid.winterthur.org/ht.../COL0509.htm

craigk, if I would read my own cover rather than depend on memory. I would have noticed it says Israel and not Isaac. Your research is excellent - Thank You.

Thank you again paper history for having identified the cover being from York, ME. Now to contact the seller and see if anything can be done to return the cover.

I recently purchased these two Postal History items. The first is 1855 with green cancel and a plated stamp. The second, a post card with a fancy cancel I've not seen before with a York postmark. Actually, I have come across numerous fancy cancels on York PA postmarks that are "unlisted" with York PA use. Most likely this is a common fact with many city and town cancels across the country.




This post card even has the signature/autograph of A B Farquhar twice; front and back. His message asked a supplier of bolts to ship what was ready his order even if only a part of it was ready since he needed them immediately. Though I doubt his autograph is sought after, his factories in York produced many farming and industrial equipment that were in high demand throughout the US and internationally.