USA - Stampless Folded Letter 1818

took delivery on this one yesterday and have been working on deciphering the letter and researching.
Folded letter posted in Philadelphia on August 28 1818 to Newburgh N.Y. Nice red Philly CDS and script 18 1/2¢ which was the domestic rate for up to 150 miles, but not exceeding 400 miles.
What I've been able to find is the sender is Samuel F. Bradford, a Philadelphia printer and publisher, and member of a renowned Philadelphia printing family (there seemed to be LOTS of them). Among other things he is the publisher of the American edition of the Rees's Cyclopedia, a 39 volume fount of information which included beautiful colour plates.

http://www.cyclopaedia.org/1819/181...opaedia.html

Mr. Bradford appears to be writing to Mr. DeWitt regarding the latter's ability to distribute or sell the books, and encourages him that 'should (he) not wish to continue the work...would it not be advisable to sell you numbers to some persons that will.'

Ouch! Called to the carpet by the boss!





Haven't found much on Mr DeWitt. There was a John DeWitt in Newburgh who was well known as a surveyor who layed out many of the roads in town, but he died in 1808. I believe he had a son also named John (two in one internet listing!) so I think it may have been him - John Jr.

Research continues.

Also note the different inks and handwriting in the letter. I'm sure the body of the letter was written by Mr Bradford's secretary (the ink that has oxidized brown) while the boss made corrections and signed in a better quality ink, which is retained it's black colour for almost 200 years.

Nice! A "pull your thumb out" letter dated 1818.

Human nature, ever thus.

Cheers,

/s/ ikeyPikey

Really. We romanticize the past, but the problems haven't changed much, have they.

I'm now convinced the recipient is the son the John DeWitt mentioned above. John Hiuk DeWitt (Jan. 14,1794 - Jan. 11,1851) was a merchant in nearby West Point, though he may have still been located in Newburgh in 1818. One website describes him as 'Government Agent' at the military academy, though doesn't know if he was educated there. In nineteenth century parlance, 'Agent' can mean merchant, not necessarily 'Spy'.
In 1818, the time of this letter, he would have been 24 years old, not an unlikely age to have gotten in over his head. 49 copies (the number quoted in the letter) of a 39 volume tome may have been difficult to flog in little Newburgh at that time.

The resulting album page.

Interesting detective work on your part and a lovely album page. It almost makes me want to start collecting stampless covers.