Let's See Your Territorial Covers!

Washington became a U. S. Territory in 1853.



This cover was sent from Steilcoom City in Washington Territory (W. T.)
to West Brookfield Mass, circa 1857, and appropriately bears a
Sc. #35 Washington stamp.



According to the West Brookfield Historical Commission, the addressee,
William R. Thomas became a soldier for the Union Army:

Thomas, William R.

Residence: West Brookfield
Occupation: Teacher
Enlist Date: 9/8/1862
Enlist Rank: Priv
Enlist Age: 44
Mustered In: 10/14/1862
Regiment: 51st Infantry F Co.

Mustered Out (Or): MO 7/27/1863 @ Worcester, MA
Born: 5/10/1817
Parents: Sylvanus & Rachael
Died: 4/13/1893
Buried: Pine Grove Cemetery, WB

Do you have any covers sent to or from the U. S. Territories before they became states?
If so, please post them!

Wow That's really interesting T360 I'm not sure I'll have to go digging!

Sorry for delay in getting these posted on your thread...
The first item is an Arizona Territorial from Prescott, Arizona Territory , 1886 addressed to a General Benjamin Henry Grierson. He was a Civil War officer who reached the rank of Brig. General. He was a member of the 10th Calvary and participated in many battles with the locals. He resigned his commission in 1890. He was a rather decorated individual (you can all look him up on Google if interested). This item was (suspected) from the Army (Calvary) Garrison in Prescott, although no information on envelope to substanciate this claim. Interesting cover none the less:




Secondly, here is one of my older New Mexico Covers.
Postmarked Las Cruces, NMT October 20, 1885.








The second New Mexico territorial is Postmarked from Silver City, NMT
on October 29, 1884.








I have a lot more NM & AZ items, but these are sufficient for now...

Nebraska Territory Land Map Illustrated Envelopes. Note different configuration in the rail lines on these covers. Land promoters would have maps drawn with "proposed" rail lines in the locations that would make their lands appear the most attractive.

The middle one has additional towns added in pen by the sender.
Bottom one has a handstamp on the back from a land agent and is docketed June 4, 1857. see: http://www.cgpostal.com/maps/slide5.jpg

PoStat4evR - Very interesting historical cover to General Benjamin Henry Grierson! I like the early New Mexico cancels too.

chipg - Wow those Nebraska territory land maps are incredible! Looks like all the cancels read "Omaha City, N. T."

t360: Yes, all sent from Omaha City, NT (Nebraska Territory).

Here's another two territorial covers:

...and from Washington Territory:

One more from Washington Territory:

Another enjoyable topic with some great stuff.
I really liked the Neb land issue cards. Great history abounds in these early covers.
Here's a couple from Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

Bill

Good thread.. Let's keep it up! Nice covers showing up here.

chipg and western1688 - Incredible covers! I really enjoy seeing them!

Kansas Territory



The white region in the center of this 1856 map shows the extent of the Kansas
Territory, which included much of present day Colorado.



This cover was sent from Topeka, K. T. to Mrs. C. M. Hamilton, Milton, Rock
County, Wisconsin. Catherine M. (Burdick) Hamilton lived from 1818-1896.



This cover, sent from Leavenworth City, K. T. is addressed to the Honorable
James W. Denver (in Washington City, D. C.).



James W. Denver served as the 5th Territorial Governor of Kansas from
December 1857 to November 1858. This was during the struggle over
whether or not Kansas would be open to slavery. The city of Denver,
Colorado, is named after him.

The docketing on the left side of the cover indicates that the sender
was Col. A. J. Isacks, who served as the Attorney General of the
Territory of Kansas.

Stampless, Michigan Territory, 1839

stallzer - wonderful Niles, Mic. T. cover!
Are you sure it is 1839?
Michigan became a state in January, 1837.

Yes, this is a very late usage for that Postmark. My thinking is very simply that Niles did not receive the new "Official Michigan" Date Stamp until later in 1839.



Same letter as you can see the Ink smear from when it got wet somewhere in it's travel.

Great letter! Seems like he is beating around the bush but is actually short on cash and would like his parents to send him some money.

Here are some more US territorial covers:



Port Townsend to Olympia Washington territory c1880



Phoenix Arizona territory c1885





Yankton Dakota territory c 1884



Deadwood Dakota territory c1888




Yankton Dakota territory c1875 with very interesting contents describing the train journey from New Haven to Yankton, the upcoming boat trip up the Missouri and Cheyenne to Prairie Flats and then overland by foot to "the hills". 1875 was the year of the major gold strike in the Black Hills of present day South Dakota, at that time Sioux Indian lands.





Salt Lake City Utah territory to Tombstone Arizona territory c1886. Of note here is the addressee.
E.B. Gage was a prominent mining engineer and entrepreneur and was one of the notable Tombstone residents from the early days of the towns mining boom. He was primarily responsible for the second boom in 1886 when he discovered a way to rid the mines of the flooding which ended much of the town's success in 1881.