A Few Question About Covers

I have a few covers I have questions about, and was hoping someone with more knowledge could help me out.

The first cover seems to be a railroad postmark, but I can't read it, can you?







The next cover is a 9 cent rate to England? Not in the best shape,and it also has an indistinct cancel. Can anyone make out the state it's from? Was there a 9 Cent rate to England? And what is that residue to the left of the top left stamp, was there other stamps on this cover? The stamps appear to be Nationals, can't see any grills on them..








This last cover has a National 136 paying the postage, an I grill by the measurements 8.5mm x 11mm, a strong impression, so strong that it appears to break the stamp paper in places, It that normal for an I grill? The stamp also has a tool mark through the top margin and the S of U.S. Is it worth more as a National grilled stamp on cover or as an off cover variety?

I don't know that I can help you with your specific questions, but that first cover addressed to Theodore L. Mead of Lake Eustis, Florida, was written to a Theodore Luqueer Mead (February 23, 1852 - May 4, 1936) who was an important American naturalist, entomologist and horticulturist. As the cover was dated 1882, it was posted in the same year of his marriage. Here's his biography found on Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Luqueer_Mead

Your first cover is a railroad cancel - AGT.: Route Agent (roughly equivalent to mail guard).

The second cover is missing a stamp.

The second cover, addressed to John Cadbury in Birmingham, England, is that of the co-founder of the internationally known Cadbury Chocolates. (Emma Cadbury was his sister.)

As to the postmark on the first cover, I found another similar one on a postal card of 1883 addressed to Albany, NY that identifies it as WMSONS & ASH. (AGT.) -- now all we have to do is figure out the what the abbreviations of those names stand for. Anyone?

In my "Rairoad Postmarks of the United States" your first cancel is for Williamsons + Ashland, agents. It traveled on the Richmond, VA to Huntington, WV. Chesapeake + Ohio R.R.

Vince

Well my first google search for WMSONS & ASH. AGT brought me to your post. That looks like a negitive E canceling the 207.




SO this cover was posted on board the train and the negitive E cancel is for East?

What was the 1870 foreign rate to England? By the 70's John was 10 retired from the business he left two of his sons in charge of. They were about to change chocolate to what we know today.

A little more on your first cover which has a U. S. Route Agent postmark listed in C. L. Towle "U.S. Route and Station Agent Postmarks", for the Chesapeake & Ohio, Route 174, Route Agent, Williamson's-Ashland, routing through VA, WV and KY.

What's also neat about it is the "E" DOES designate the "Eastern" direction travel for this cover travel.

Wow that's fascinating and I'll have to keep my eye open for these. Although I doubt I could start another tangent right now...the bane of the collector always something interesting to distract you huh? :)

Very true Jeff! This is stuff that I've had for years, actually bought a shoe box full of covers at a flea market,and the other day I looked through the nex box that they're now in and found these, as well as a few others.
Now, when the Haddonfield, NJ pm handed Julia her mail, does anyone suppose that he may have said, "Why yes Julia, I do have a little mail for you today"?





By far the smallest cover I've ever seen, it measures 2 13/16" x 1 3/4". Probably was a bit longer until Julia snipped it open.
Still no one knows what the rate to England was? Actually thought that I'd recieve the most comments about the Sc 136 I grill cover.

YUP! Those are called "Ladies covers"but you probably knew that already though? It's a beauty!