Texas Postal History Question!

All right, even though I am a native Texas and live in Texas now (again) I've got a question for the experts....found this cover in my collection today. Never heard of Camanche, TX. Google turns up nothing. Not even the Texas history sites I know of. Double interesting is the letter inside says Comanche, TX, which I've heard of and know of. Anyone ever seen this on? Any thoughts? Thanks, Dave

Seems to be a possible mistake in the post mark and is really Comanche,TX

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comanche,_Texas

There are quite a few postmarks to be found with typographical errors in the manufacturing process. This appears to be one. Some were used for many years, some were quickly replaced, some were relegated to the back of the drawer and made short-term infrequent appearances for decades.

The letter inside may confirm the second error (made by the clerk) of transposing the 2 and 8 for the 28th day of the month.

That's what I'm thinking (it's a typo). John, I went back and looked at the "letter" turns out it's a sworn statement witnessed by the J.P. In 1874 (which shot my theory that the 82 represented 1882, which would have been odd without a day of the month).
I wonder how long they let the "Camanche" fly at the post office before fixing their error?

Dave, don't go too fast. There have been some post offices in Texas starting with "Camanche". Please go to Jim Forte's website http://postalhistory.com . Even if he does not list a post office he will answer questions.


Peter

This is the bibliography Jim Forte has available as reference for Texas.
Worth asking.

http://www.postalhistory.com/State/Texas/index.htm

Dave, Speed right ahead. My answer above - that this is a typo - is based on collecting and exhibiting more than 2 frames of typographical error postmarks from Indiana. Errors of manufacture occur in virtually every state and era. Other than how long the device was is use, your mystery is essentially solved.

Schmidt - An Encyclopedia of Texas Post Offices - lists two post offices incorporating the name of Camanche -

Camanche Peak in Johnson County open 3/10/1856 to 11/5/1866

Camanche Springs in Gillespie County open 9/20/1858 to 1/23/1867

The book can be downloaded for free at the Chicago Collectors Club web site. They were the publisher of this work. Here is the web address:
http://www.collectorsclubchicago.or...andbooks.php

While neither Post Office were operating at the time of your cover it does show the possibility that there was a Camanche post office.There was a Comanche Post office in operation starting 4/27/1869 and a Comanche Springs Post Office starting 5/2/72, but it only lasted 3 years. In all probabality the Camanche spelling was on purpose.

I agree with previous posts this is probably a error of spelling on the cancellation device.

Here is another cover with this same device used.

http://www.postalnet.com/dontocher/...stry.225.JPG

Mike

I'm no expert in Texas postal history but let me offer another possibility.

The spelling of a town's name wasn't always agreed on. For example, Milwaukee, Wisconsin went back and forth between "Milwaukie" and "Milwaukee" until 1862. The spelling on the postmark depended on the postmaster. I have copies of both. At first I thought it was an error but a little research led me to believe otherwise. It was politics.

http://dalbello.comminfo.rutgers.ed...lwaukee.html

You might want to check to see how other documents of that era spelled the town. That would rule out this option.

Dan

Thanks everybody. I've emailed Jim Forte to see if he has any knowledge of a possible typo, etc.

An 8c registry use! Nice cover Mike.

Danstamps -
Since you provided an excellent example with Milwaukie/ Milwaukee
regarding the Camanche spelling, I'll follow up with a gross
"mis-spelling" of another Wisconsin post office.
There have been scores of "Prairie La Crosse" postmarks appearing that were used in the 1850s. That was used when just plain La Crosse was the official name of the PO. Using a slight change in spelling ("Cam" and "Com") or a different name in Wis. constructed but not recorded by the Post Office Department (which however did not demand its change)are not terribly scarce. If the postmaster at Comanche chose to use "A" in the name, it may have been because Camanche had been used prior at another office and that was the way Texans spelled the word then.
(Remember the movie "The Searchers?" when John Wayne consistently used the tribe's name pronounced "K'manch"?

wbrob,

I'll have to keep my eye out for "Prairie La Crosse" postmarks. Thanks!

Spelling was less than consistent in the 19th century. One way to check to see if "Camanche" was an error or a postmaster's preference about the town's spelling would be to examine other documents of the period (legal documents, letters, newspapers, maps, etc.) to see if the spelling of the town name is consistent or all over the board.

Dan