Cover From 1860's Nevada Territory W Fancy Cancel

From Virginia City, Nevada Territory

Nice postmark and stamp, but I would be interested in seeing the entire cover. As best as I can make it out, the cover is addressed to one, Asa Welch in Groton, Caledonia County, Vermont who would have been between 49 and 54 years of age (assuming the cover was posted between 1860-1865).

I am basing that information on a view of the 1880 US Census records showing Asa Welch was 69 years of age, with his occupation listed as "Farmer". In fact, he was living with his adult daughter at that time.

In 2013, it's a long way from Nevada to Vermont. I can only imagine the distance and time that it took for that letter to travel to its destination back in the 1860s!

Here is a better shot:



I had thought that it was a long distance to travel, I wonder what was written inside.
Thanks for finding out the name/background, I had guessed it was "Ara"

Some interesting tidbits about VA City during that period:
Virginia City sprang up as a boomtown on top of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver deposit discovered in the United States, in 1859.
At its peak, Virginia City had a population of over 15,000 residents and was called the richest city in America.
Virginia City could be considered the "birthplace" of Mark Twain, as it was here in February 1863[11] that writer Samuel Clemens, then a reporter on the local Territorial Enterprise newspaper, first used his famous pen name.

The "Overland Route" transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. My guess that would have been the time this letter was sent. Are there any postal markings on the back?