New York Penny Post 1825

"Dear and Absent Sister,
It was the twentieth of last month or thereabout when the Penny Post came in to our state and gave me a letter which was from you."....

Thus begins a stampless letter we have which is dated inside New York Sunday Oct 9th 1825.
We did not realise that such a service was available in the United States as early as that and we checked in the book "The Penny Post 1680-1918" by Frank Staff to see what he said about it.

It appears that "letter carriers" services were allowed to function in the United States by a law of 1825. There were letter carriers in Philadelphia for several years prior to the act and probably in other cities as well. In Albany N.Y., a carrier was working as early as 1808, though whether officially appointed or not is not known, but later he was and served for several years.


As collectors of British Postal History, this is all news to us and very interesting. Unfortunately this letter is a reply to the one she received and as it was delivered privately there is no postal marking.

We feel the letter is interesting enough to be posted on the forum, so here it is:-


This letter is addressed to Miss Rebecca Guild Dedham Mass from New York dated October 9th 1825 It has no postal markings, because it was carried privately, but the watermark on the paper is J & L but no date. guild
New York Oct 9th 1825
Dear and Absent Sister
It was the twentieth of last month or thereabout when the Penny Post came into our State and gave me a letter which was from you and I will assure you it gave me much joy, although it caused the tears to flow very fast down my cheeks when I read it, but the advice you gave me Rebecca was good, very good and I hope I shall be able to follow it. Likewise you have my sincerest thanks for so doing, I shall attend Meeting today, where many transactions take place that remind me of home, that dear native home, the meeting that I used to attend, the good Preaching that I used for to hear, the associates that I used for to see, and when I look around me Rebecca, and behold all strange faces, no father, no mother no brother or sisters you must think it causes sober moments in me to think what has led me away from these priviliges.

Note: The next sentence shows why there were no postmarks on the letter.
I am truly sensible of my past conduct but I shall endeavour to do better for the future, I expect to send this by a young man whose name is Walker, who Rebecca says he has not been home for eight years. Do you think I can content myself so long a time as that – no, dear Sister I think if my life is spared I shall have the good fortune of seeing you before that time. He is a native of Hillborough (N.H.) I have wrote a letter likewise to send by him to Uncle Fuller stating my misfortunes to him and telling him that I will come and work with him at whatever wages he may think I shall earn, until I have paid the debt.

This young man has obviously behaved badly, but is truly repentant, and thinking of ways that he can make reparation. The illustration of the letter shows that it was written with a quill pen.
He continues: guild2
I have delayed writing him before for I knew I had used him very unhandsome, and therefore was ashamed to do it. I think, Rebecca as winter is approaching and it will be rather unpleasant driving Stage, I think I shall look out for a birth that I shall not be so much exposed to the weather, if easy to found, if not I shall remain where I be but at present direct my letters No.32 Bowery. Tell Danford that I long to see him and the cousin Benjamin to write as soon as possible. Tell Father that if he can contrive any way so as to let me have nine hundred dollars to pay up all that I owe, that I think in six years I shall be able to pay it to the family again. If tell him that if he should have any property to give to his children that I would consider that I had had my part and would be willing to live with only what I could earn myself and if it should be more than what they would have I will endeavour if life and health permits to repay them.
Love to all
J Guild Jnr.
________________________________________________________________
There is more information regarding the Guild family added after the letter and it can be found on this link
-/letters/Previctorian/guild.html

For anyone interested in old letters, we have well over one hundred British ones illustrated and transcribed on our website, dating from 1660 to 1919. To browse take this link.

-/letters/Previctorian/lettersov.html
For index to stamp articles etc. go to


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Eunice and Ron

Beautiful! For a moment in time a window into someone's life. Which is also one of the reason's I've enjoyed collecting Latvian postcards.....that glimpse into someone's life for a few minutes at a different time and in a different place than our own.

I read it differently. The writer is a "user". He owes everyone money, including family and friends - the princely sum (then) of $900. He's replying to an excoriation from his sister telling him he had better start going to church, get a job, and pay his debts. In reply, he plays his violin - promising to go to church ("meeting"--they may have been Quakers), weakly noting that he wrote to Uncle Fuller pleading for a job (playing down his long delay because he was embarrassed), suggesting that he's too broke even to pay a penny for post so he'll lean on a friend who's traveling north, and even complaining about having to do his job driving a stage when winter comes. He plaintively notes his advancing age, hoping he might live just 8 more years so he could see her again. Right. Next he suggests no one should try to find him, as he may be traveling around and hard to find (seeking a "berth" not exposed to weather), but addressable downtown at 32 Bowery in case there's good news. And then the kicker--asking Sister to lean on Dad to pay off the $900 debt, which he will then repay--over six years! Or, Dad could write him out of his will, and then tell all his debtors that they have been repaid. He doesn't even have the guts to spend a penny to write to Dad directly ...

Thanks to you both for your feedback.
It is very interesting to note the two different 'takes' on the same letter.
The sort of thing that could inspire a book.
Regards.
Eunice and Ron