August 2013 Whole No. 196 Vol. 41, No. 3
PENNSYLVANIA POSTAL HISTORIAN
THE BULLETIN OF THE PENNSYLVANIA POSTAL HISTORY SOCIETY
Inside this issue:
A New Chestnut Hill Marking
The Shenks Ferry Doane Cancellation
ONE, TWO, THREE STRIKES YER OUT!
Pennsylvania Prohibition Covers
New EKU for Exton, Pa. Doane Cancel
Uwchland P. O., Chester County, Pa.
More on the Acahela Post Office Reader Responses
PENNSYLVANIA POSTAL HISTORIAN
The Bulletin of the Pennsylvania Postal History Society
ISSN – 0894 – 0169 Est. 1974
PENNSYLVANIA POSTAL HISTORIAN The bulletin of the Pennsylvania Postal History Society Published quarterly by the PPHS for its members Volume 41 No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 APS Affiliate No. 50 Member of the Pennsylvania Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations
www.PaPHS.org
The PPHS is a non-profit, educational organization whose purposes are to cultivate and to promote the study of the postal history of Pennsylvania, to encourage the acquisition and preservation of material relevant and necessary to that study, and to publish and to support the publication of such knowledge for the benefit of the public. The views expressed by contributors are their own and not necessarily those of the PPHS, its Directors, Officers, or Members. Comments and criticisms are invited. Please direct your correspondence to the Editor.
OFFICERS and DIRECTORS APPOINTED OFFICERS
OFFICERS
President Steve Washburne Historian Editor Norman Shachat P. O. Box 43146 382 Tall Meadow Lane Philadelphia, PA 19129 Yardley, Pa 19067
Secretary Norman Shachat Auctioneer Robert McKain 382 Tall Meadow Lane 2337 Giant Oaks Drive Yardley, PA 19067 Pittsburgh, PA 15241
Treasurer Richard Colberg Publicity Steven Kennedy P. O. Box 10082 2000 N. Congress Ave. Lot #254 Lancaster, PA 17605 West Palm Beach, FL 33409
Catalogs Thomas C. Mazza DIRECTORS 302 West 12 th Street, Apt. 12E New York, NY 10014 2013 S. Kennedy, G. Spector, S. Washburne 2014 R. Colberg, R. Leiby, D. Telep 2015 A. Sprankle, R. McKain, C. Woodward
1 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No.3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
For our Society, the first three days of July are an important milestone, being the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Reportedly, over 10,000 re-enactors took part in the commemorations.
Perhaps it is time to re-consider the postal history connections of the battle. Certainly there was mail from both sides posted in or near the town before, during and after. I don't possess any, but I'm sure some of our members do. That would make a fascinating article, particularly as social philatelic history is a coming trend.
Even better would be if a member had access to personal correspondence from his ancestors. I don't, but I sure wish I did. My maternal great-grandfather was too young for the war, but he had four older brothers in the 19th Mississippi, one of whom fell at Gettysburg. Were any of them able to write, or even to read “cursive"?
Another question about the war concerns which, if any Adams County post offices were occupied, looted, or burned by Lee's forces. Was mail seized? Does any Confederate correspondence posted in Pennsylvania survive?
It all goes to show that state and county postal history is much, much more than just collecting postmarks, which is what we are sometimes accused of. Share what you have of the social philatelic history of your town or county in these pages.
On another subject, I just completed my goal of visiting (and finding a “geo-cache” in) each of the 67 Pennsylvania counties. Now I'm working on getting a cover from each.
Steve
Our New Website is Up and Running
The address is the same as our previous site:
www.PaPHS.org
Please check it out and send any comments or
suggestions to our new Webmaster:
Steve Kennedy [email protected]
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 2
EDITOR’S COMMENTS
Halleluiah! Our new and updated web site is up and running thanks to our new Webmaster Steve Kennedy. Please check it out ( www.paphs.org ) and send Steve any comments or suggestions.
I especially enjoyed preparing this issue because it contains a mix of some new discoveries as well as some fun to read articles. The issue begins with two new discoveries; one by our past president and the other by one of our newer members. Rick Leiby describes “A New Chestnut Hill Marking” while David Latzko idetifies “ The Shenks Ferry Doane Cancellation” with the newly found current LKU. Later in the issue (page 23), Bill Schultz illustrates a “ New EKU for Exton, Pa. Doane Cancel”.
It’s the middle of the baseball season with the Phillies struggling in 3 rd place in the NL st East, while the Pirates are contending for 1 place in the NL Central. Certainly a nice time for Gus Spector’s entertaining and nostalgic article entitled “ ONE, TWO, THREE STRIKES YER OUT!” The article tells the history of the A. J, Reach Co. of Philadelphia and the impact of the Reach family on baseball in the late 19 th and early 20 th Century.
While the PA legislature struggles with the question of state liquor store privatization, the last vestige of the prohibition era, we are fortunate to have an entertaining article by
Cliff Woodward entitled “ Pennsylvania Prohibition Covers ”. Using covers and ephemera, Cliff describes the temperance movement in Pennsylvania during the latter half
(Continued on page 9)
MEMBERSHIP SUMMARY
Total Membership as of 4/15/13 ------110
New Members ------+ 4
# 591 John D. Dowd (New York, NY)
(Pike and Wayne Co. P. O. Service to NY; Treasure Island and Pipersville P. O.’s)
# 592 Edward Knell (Southeastern, PA)
# 593 Charles B. Hessler (Laurel, MD) (Vintage postcards; NEPA anthracite mining & Poconos)
# 594 Allison Cusick (Pittsburgh, PA) (Machine cancels – Fayette and Franklin Counties)
Dropped for Non-Payment of Dues ------2
# 370 Harry Stiess (Danville, PA)
# 587 Frank Piazzi, Jr. (Greentown, PA)
Total Membership as of 7/15/13 ------112 (includes 4 life members)
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3 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
Member E-Mail Addresses
Edwin J. Andrews [email protected] (Scott # 65 Pa. Usages) George Ashman [email protected] (Carbon Co.) John Barwis [email protected] (Phila. Exhange Office Mails) Glenn Blauch [email protected] (Lebanon Co.) Mike Burke [email protected] (Braddock, Greencastle, Rankin, Swissvale) Tom Clarke [email protected] (Philadelphia Postal History) Richard Colberg [email protected] (Litiz) Joe Crosby [email protected] (Pa. Fancy Cancels) Gerald Cross [email protected] (Wilkes-Barre) Dave Crossland [email protected] (Reading and Berks Counties)
Roger Curran [email protected] (Lewisburg to 1900, Fancy Cancels) George Danyliw [email protected] (Phila. and Schuylkill Co.) William Dixon [email protected] (Wyoming County, Fakes and Forgeries) Barry Elkins [email protected] (Philadelphia Co.) Neal Erkes [email protected] (Philadelphia) Helen Galatan-Stone [email protected] (Phila. Buildings prior to 1900) Ken Hall [email protected] (Pa. Manuscript Postmarks) Suzanne Haney [email protected] (Welsh in Pa., Civil War Phila.) Gerald Hof [email protected] (Philadelphia, Hagerstown, Md.) Steve Kennedy [email protected] (Philadelphia)
Van Koppersmith [email protected] (Phila. Maritime Markings) Rick Leiby [email protected] (Pa. Stampless) Tom Mazza [email protected] (Erie, Western Pa.) Bob McKain [email protected] (Pittsburgh, Pa. Machines) Phil Marks [email protected] (Bucks Co., Southern NJ, Eastern Shore) Lloyd Mitchell [email protected] (Southwest Pa.., Washington Co. RFD’s) Letty Moon [email protected] (Southeastern PA Counties) Gordon Morison [email protected] (Bradford County) Vern Morris [email protected] (Philadelphia, Locals) Ed Mosheim [email protected] (Hereford Twp. P. O. and Adjacent Twp’s.)
Bud Newman [email protected] (Pa. Stampless) Norm Nicol [email protected] (Luzerne and Wyoming Counties) Clay Olson [email protected] (Tioga County) Al Parsons [email protected] (Chemung, Steuben, Schuyler Counties, NY) Larry Pettinger [email protected] (Susquehanna County) Steven Roth [email protected] (Domestic Maritime, Prexies) Robert G. Rufe [email protected] (Bucks County) Bill Schultz [email protected] (West Chester,West Whiteland & West Town) Norm Shachat [email protected] (Phila. and Bucks Co.) Dave Silcox [email protected] (Schuylkill and Berks Co.)
Don W. Smith [email protected] (Johnstown, Cambria County) Gus Spector [email protected] (Phila., Buildings, Civil War ) Anita Sprankle [email protected] (North Central DPO’s, Sewing Machines)
(Continued on page 16 )
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 4
A New Chestnut Hill Marking
By Rick Leiby (# 379)
I recently acquired the stampless cove in Figure 1 with a previously unrecorded straightline Chestnut Hill, Pa marking. The cover has been examined by the APS expertizing service and was returned with an opinion of genuine in all respects on certificate 201479 dated 11/28/2012.
Figure 1
Philadelphia county post offices have long been an area of high collecting interest and it seems unusual that a marking of this type would go unnoticed until now. However, there are extensive archives of paper from the stampless period and still diamonds to be mined.
The marking itself is unusual when closely examined. It has characteristics that would lead one to believe it was hand drawn rather than from a typeset device. Figure 2 is a scan of only the marking. The Postmaster or clerk who rated the cover also drew an outline box th around the marking, corrected the date from the 15 to the 14th and overwrote the PA letters in the same ink as the rating. When the marking itself is closely examined, the “H” in HILL doesn’t appear to match the “H” in CHESTNUT. Under the U there is a small “N” of a different style. Some letters are hollow and others are filled in. The town name of the marking appears to be under inked while the date seems over inked. Perhaps it should be named the Chestnut Hill paradox. Others will have to decide whether to list it as a manuscript or handstamp marking. Readers opinions and observations as to how the marking was created are cheerfully solicited.
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Figure 2 Detail of the straightline marking showing the pen changes.
The dateline and contents of the letter reconfirm Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania as the origin of the marking (Figure 3). The letter between two women includes news of “meeting friends on the streets of Philadelphia” and contains references to several prominent Philadelphia families of the tome. The addressee is Elizabeth Julia Schlatter, who herself was from a prominent Philadelphia family. She married Theophilus Parsons chandler who was assistant treasurer of the Custom House in Boston and a financial backer of the Dupont Company. Wintertur holds an archive of letters from Elizabeth who corresponded with
Sophie Madeline du Pont, the wife of Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont., friends from Wilmington, Del., and with her Clark relatives in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately the senders name was Smith, so further research seems extremely difficult
Figure 3
All in all an unusual, interesting and apparently unique cover.
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HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 6
The Shenks Ferry Doane Cancellation
By David Latzko (# 589)
Figure 1 Post Card to Miss Marjorie (?) Lee, Shenks Ferry, PA
Around 1775, Captain Joseph Reed, who served with the 3rd Company, 6th Battalion of
York County’s Revolutionary War militia, purchased the river rights over the Susquehanna River and built a ferry with a York County terminus near the Chanceford / Lower Chanceford Township line. In 1832, Henry Shenk was living in this area and evidently operating the ferry as it was customary to refer to a ferry by its owner’s name. Shad fishing was an important local industry around this time. After changing hands several times over the next five decades, the “Shenk’s Ferry House” was purchased by John Pearthree on 1 March 29, 1890. Shenk’s Ferry was then a bustling community with a hotel and a school.
The Shenks Ferry post office was established on March 17, 1892 with John Pearthree as postmaster. A star route was established between Shenks Ferry and Grahamville, located about 1 3/4 miles away, in 1893. In 1900, a star route to Laurel was created. Ira R. Barbour was appointed postmaster in 1905. The Shenks Ferry post office was discontinued on
February 15, 1908 and superseded by rural delivery. The star route was changed to omit 2 Shenks Ferry.
A small fourth-class (non-money order) post office, Shenks Ferry was issued a Doane handstamp. Helbock and Anderson’s Doane cancellation catalog lists the type and number for Shenks Ferry both as “?”, indicating uncertainty, with an earliest recorded date of April 9, 1906 and no latest recorded date. 4
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1893 $26.49 1895 31.54
1897 31.88 1899 32.54
1901 38.97 1903 80.50 1905 43.64
1907 29
3 Table 1 Shenks Ferry Postmaster Compensation
The Shenks Ferry Doane cancellation in Figure 1 was used as a receiving mark on a post card from York, Pennsylvania. Dated June 5, 1907 and consistent with the postmaster compensation reported in Table 1, the cancel is a Type 2, Number 1. The postmark dial,
although a bit distorted, has a diameter of 28 mm. Figure 2 shows a large image of the cancel. The enlargement reveals a faint first strike of the cancel.
Figure 2 Enlarged image of Shenks Ferry Doane Cancel
The ferry operated into the 1920’s. “Shenk’s Ferry is now a quiet place for boating and fishing with a few permanent residences and some summer homes.” There remains a Shenks Ferry Road in extreme southeastern Chanceford Township. The Shenks Ferry name is better associated these days with Lancaster County. PPL operates the Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve near the Safe Harbor Dam. Shenks Ferry is also the name given to the
Native American culture that developed in the lower Susquehanna Valley as early as AD 1300. The Shenks Ferry archeological site that gave this culture its name is on a high point of land located near what had been the eastern terminus of the ferry. 5
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References:
1) George R. Prowell, History of York County Pennsylvania , 2 volumes, Chicago: J.H. Beers, 1907, volume 1, page 947. A History of Chanceford Township, York County, Pennsylvania 1747-1997 , Brogue Community Lions Club, November, 1997, pages 31 and 170.
2) Post Office Department, Daily Bulletin of Orders Affecting the Postal Service , Washington, DC, March 30, 1892, August 26, 1893, March 8, 1900, February 21, 1905, January 29, 1908, and February 5, 1908.
3) United States Civil Service Commission, Official Register of the United States , Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, various editions.
4) Richard W. Helbock and Gary Anderson (editors), United States Doanes: A Catalog of Doane Cancellations (second edition), Scappoose, OR: La Posta Publications, 2002, page 256.
5) A History of Chanceford Township , page 31. Barry C. Kent, Susquehanna’s Indians , Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1984, pages 20 and 313.
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EDITOR’S COMMENTS continued from page 3:
th of the 19 Century.
It’s still in existence and still hard to pronounce, nonetheless its history goes back a long way as Bill Schultz informs us in his article on the “ Uwchland P. O., Chester County, Pa.”
Who knew there would be that much interest in the Acahela P. O.? The two responses received regarding Steve Kochersperger’s article in the previous Historian are reproduced at the end of the issue in “ More on the Acahela Post Office”.
Don’t overlook the bottom of the back cover. It contains another “fun” item sent to me by Bill Schultz. It only took a hundred years or so to go down and get that gas.
My sincere thanks to all who contributed to this issue. Although my backlog remains comfortable, I can always use good new articles. So please keep them coming.
I started with our new web site and end with it. Please take a look ( www.paphs.com ) and let our new Webmaster know that you appreciate his effort.
Enjoy the remainder of the summer and the early fall and may your garden and your collection grow robustly.
Norm
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9 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
ONE, TWO, THREE STRIKES YER OUT!
By Gus Spector ( # 396)
Katie Casey was baseball mad, Had the fever and had it bad.
Just to root for the home town crew, Ev’ry sou Katie blew. On a Saturday her young beau Called to see if she’d like to go
To see a show, but Miss Kate said “No I’ll tell you what you can do:”
(Chorus) Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd; Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don’t win, it’s a shame.
For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out, At the old ball game.
Jack Norworth was frustrated and annoyed, having to rub elbows with the sweaty passengers on this New York City subway train. Jostled about by those surrounding him, he tried to focus his attention on the advertising signs above his head. One read “Baseball Today – Polo Grounds”. Inspired by the poster on that wistful day in 1908, he concocted the lyrics to that now-popular ditty, Take Me Out to the Ball Game . The words, later put to music by Tin Pan Alley’s Albert Von Tilzer, were first popularized in vaudeville acts. The song eventually made its debut at a major league ball game in 1934. It is now the third most frequently sung song in America.
One of the great urban legends of baseball history relates the fact that Abner Doubleday invented the game in 1839. In truth, he was merely a cadet at West Point Academy at that time. Doubleday never claimed to have invented baseball, and neither his letters, nor his diaries, nor his obituary ever mentioned the game. He was also never inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In the 1860’s, aided by the Civil War, “New York-style” baseball took the nation by storm. In 1869 the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional ball club. The first game of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs was played at the
Jefferson Street Grounds in Philadelphia in 1876.
The American League was not founded until 1901.
In 1908, the same year that Take Me Out to the Ball Game was conceived, an historic
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 10
st groundbreaking ceremony occurred at 21 Street and Lehigh Avenue, in North Philadelphia. A new ballpark, Shibe Park, named for Benjamin Shibe, owner of the Philadelphia Athletics, costing one-half million dollars - approximately 6.5 million dollars in today’s money - was completed in less than a year. The postcard from 1910 seen in Figure 1 reveals the park’s bleachers, filled to capacity. Notice that every man wore a hat, which was the style of the time.
Figure 1
Figure 2 shows a metered mail cover from the Philadelphia National League Club at Shibe Park, dated 1953. Actually, in 1953, the park had been renamed Connie Mack Stadium. The final Phillies’ game at Connie Mack Stadium was played on October 1, 1970.
In 1971 Veterans’ Stadium in South Philadelphia became the focus of the city’s baseball culture.
The first two decades of the twentieth century were known in baseball terms as the “dead-ball era”. Dominated by pitchers such as Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, and Grover Cleveland Alexander, games tended to be low scoring. Since the baseballs manufactured during that period had very little resiliency, not many home runs could be scored. In 1905 a baseball cost three dollars - equivalent to $40.21 today - and club owners were hesitant to spend that sort of money on new balls. It was not unusual for a single baseball to have lasted through an entire game, stained by grass, mud and the pitcher’s chewing tobacco. Security guards were employed to retrieve all balls hit into the stands. However, in 1920, after the death of batter Ray Chapman, who had been hit in the head by a discolored ball pitched at him during a twilight game, dirty or worn balls were replaced much more frequently.
11 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
Figure 2
th Cushioned wood cores were patented in the late 19 century. Experiments with both cork and rubber found these to be superior materials. During World War II cores were made of the rubber from golf balls, due to wartime restrictions on domestic use of certain products.
A regulation baseball has a cork or rubber center, wrapped in yarn and covered with leather. It is 9 to 9 ¼ inches in circumference and 2 7/8 inches in diameter. Surprisingly, the yarn used to wrap a baseball can be up to one mile in length!
Alfred James Reach was born in London in 1840. The young man accompanied his family in a transatlantic move, immigrating to Brooklyn. At age 15 Reach worked in an iron foundry by day, succumbing to his passion for baseball by night. A superb athlete, he played second baseman for the storied club, the Brooklyn Eckfords. In 1865 the
Philadelphia Athletics coaxed him into joining their lineup. Reach was contracted to play for the princely sum of $25 per week, or $370 in today’s terms. He spent his spare time judiciously, holding down a second job in a cigar store on Chestnut Street, working before and after the games. He remained on the Athletic’s roster for four more years.
Reach’s fame and fortune continued to grow exponentially. In 1887 he built a stadium in North Philadelphia, later named Baker Bowl. He financed the stadium a second time in
1894 after a devastating fire leveled the park.
Reach realized that there was a paucity of stores in Philadelphia where the ever- increasing need for balls and bats could be procured. Between 1874 and 1876, he and Benjamin Shibe, a leather expert, partnered in a sporting goods store at 23 South 8 th Street in Philadelphia. In 1886, as their business prospered, the entrepreneurs opened a factory, located in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia at 1219-21-23-25 Beach Street, along the waterfront. Between 1890 and 1892 their office and salesroom was located at 1113 Market Street. The cover shown in Figure 3, bearing a Kensington station 1893 postmark and
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 12
sporting a carmine 1890 2-cent American Bank Note, shows the store address to be 1113 Market Street, while the illustration is actually that of one of their Fishtown factories.
Figure 3
The cover in Figure 4 was postmarked in 1889. However, research reveals that the salesroom in question had been removed to 1022 Market Street in 1893, four years prior to the cover’s cancellation.
Figure 4
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Interestingly, the reverse of the 1919 postal card seen in Figure 5 shows an apologetic Reach Company promising a customer a replacement for a defective baseball.
Figure 5
In 1886 Reach and Shibe purchased two other Fishtown factories, one of them being located at Tulip and Palmer Streets. Having become one of the largest producers of baseballs, footballs, and boxing gloves in the United States, the company could easily boast that it employed over 1000 workers, as well as numerous Fishtown residents who did piece work in their homes by sewing baseball covers. The corner card cover seen in Figure 6, showing the Tulip and Palmer Streets address, is postmarked 1897 and bears a 2-cent red 1895 Bureau Issue.
Figure 6
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In 1892 all of the Reach business interests, as well as those of its rival Wright and Ditson, were purchased by the A. G. Spalding Company. In 1934 Reach, having maintained ownership of the properties in the Fishtown area, sold these to the Spalding Brothers Company as well. The company, founded in 1876 by Albert Spalding of Chicago, Illinois, is currently headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
The corner card on the cover in Figure 7, bearing a 1940 Philadelphia postmark and 3- cent adhesive, reveals the name of the composite firm of A.J. Reach, Wright and Ditson located at 134-142 North 13 th Street.
Figure 7
In 1901 Reach and his partner Shibe entered into co-ownership with Connie Mack of the new American League team, the Philadelphia Athletics. Reach quickly became disenchanted by the poaching of players between the National and American Leagues, and sold his interests in the Athletics, retiring from the game in 1903.
Although A. J. Reach had been personally associated with the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies team, the Reach Company was sole manufacturer of the American League’s balls.
Reach’s name appeared on a “chauvinistic” 1908 report that falsely touted Abner Doubleday as the inventor of baseball in Cooperstown, New York.
A.J. Reach died in 1928 in Atlantic City, leaving an estate worth more than $1 million dollars, equivalent to $13.5 million in today’s currency. Indeed, baseball had been very, very good to him!
15 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
A Word from the A.J. Reach Co.
There are all kinds of baseballs on the market, good, bad and indifferent; and, to be candid, some high-class balls such as our rubber-center ball,
which up to within the past two years was the standard ball of the count- ry. But time brings its changes due to altered conditions, and its progress owing to inventions and improvements, just as steam superseded manual power, as gas supplemented candle, and as electricity has opened up a new era of scientific achievement. Today the cork-center ball is the standard ball,
superseding all other kinds and makes of balls because it contains all the attributes of the best ball of the past with the discovery and application of a new principle which makes for increased resiliency and virtual indestructibility, thus making the cork- center ball the masterpiece of the ball-maker’s art and the acme of perfection. As a matter of fact, there is no comparison now between the old rubber center ball and the
modern cork-center ball and that this is not a mere assertion, but a matter of proof, is shown by its official adoption by the two great major leagues, which deserve and command the very best of tools, and cannot afford eminence in the world of baseball. That tells its own story, against which no other argument or claim can prevail.
The Cork-Center Ball will be the official ball of the World’s series of 1912; it was also used in the 1910 and 1911 series.
A. J. Reach Company
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Member E-Mail Addresses (cont.)
Gordon Trotter [email protected] (Nathan Trotter & Co. Correspondence) Dan Telep [email protected] (Economy, Sewickley, Western Pa.) Bill Thoman [email protected] (U. S. Stampless Covers, Dealer) Herb Tindall [email protected] (Lancaster County Postal History) Joe Volutza [email protected] (Berks county, Dealer)
Steve Washburne [email protected] (Philadelphia, Monmouth Co., N. J.) Harry Winter [email protected] (Centre County, Railroads) Cliff Woodward [email protected] (Western Pa., Oil Towns) Ronald J. Yeager [email protected] (Elk, Cameron and McKean Counties)
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS LISTED HERE. INDICATE YOUR PA COLLECTING INTEREST.
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HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 16
Pennsylvania Prohibition Covers
By Cliff Woodward (# 298)
The prohibition movement in the United States was well organized in the mid-19 th century. The social effect of alcohol abuse had been decried in the Colonies and 1 temperance societies were organized as early as 1800 in Virginia. By 1826 the American Temperance Society had become a force for organizing the popular sentiment against alcohol and became a template for such groups throughout the 19 th century. So popular was the group that scarcely less than ten years later it boasted 1.5 million members. 1 Individual chapter memberships were frequently 50% women, who would serve as a driving force for the organization. Equally as important to the “dry” movements were the Methodists and other religious denominations, which sought to associate liquor and prostitution.
Such efforts resulted infrequent successes, such as the state of Maine’s ban on liquor sale and manufacture in 1851 which was short-lived and was repealed in 1856. 1 By the time of the Civil War most of the casual adherents to the creed had fallen away and only a small, ignored core group remained in the face of a far greater national horror. Such was the sentiment that the easy availability and relatively quick succor from distilled spirits was much preferable to spiritual damnation, which for many was appearing on their very doorsteps with appalling frequency.
As Reconstruction started so was the anti-alcohol movement, with the emergence of the Prohibition Party (1869) and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (1873). 1 Both organizations advocated education and communication as a primary goal in achieving a “dry” sentiment in society that would ultimately result in a popular consensus for the need for prohibition. While the vigilante tactics of Carrie Nation, who with her trademark hatchet, would storm into saloons, accost customers and smash liquor bottles, gained national attention, it was the quiet work of the prohibition press that carried their message far and wide and with regularity.
th Two covers from Pennsylvania in the 19 century will serve as the focus of this topic. The first (Fig. 1) is postmarked July 12 (1875 by enclosure) at Harrisburg. The envelope bears an extensive corner card of the “OFFICE OF THE Temperance Vindicator and Keystone Good Templar” which was the “OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE Grand Lodge of I.O.G.T. OF PENNA.” as well as a source of job printing “of all kinds”. The editor and publisher is further identified as “GEO. F. McFARLAND”. The origin of this journal can be found in one called The “Leader” which as published in 1866 by the owner of a Blair County Whig newspaper, John H. Keatley. This effort only lasted a year but was taken over by Williamsburg physician Dr. J.P. Thompson who in 1868 reorganized it into the Temperance Vindicator. In 1870 Colonel George F. McFarland purchased the interests of 2 the publication and moved the headquarters to Harrisburg.
Colonel George F. McFarland (Fig. 2) has an interesting history. Of Scotch decent, he th was born in Swatara Township, Dauphin County, Pa., on April 28 , 1834. He pursued his education along with intervals of farm labor, was a good student, and by the age of sixteen
17 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 3013
became a schoolteacher himself. At around the age of twenty he became employed as a ticket master at Lewistown, Pennsylvania and two years later, in 1856, married Addie Griesemer of Berks County. His sterling reputation afforded him a unique opportunity: the trustees of the Freeburgh Academy, which he had attended briefly and to which he had returned to run, leased him the school for four years on his own security. He made a success of the venture and in 1858 he took his earnings and purchased the McAllisterville Academy in Juniata County. When the Civil War broke out he formed a company of pupils and teachers and joined the 151 st Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers. Characteristically he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel. His regiment saw action at
Gettysburg; of the 466 men and 21 officers, only 13 men and 7 officers survived. McFarland was grievously wounded and his left leg was eventually amputated below the knee. 3
Figure 1
After a convalescence of eleven months he returned to a life of teaching and by April of 1864 was appointed Clerk in the State Statistical Department and by the end of that year had, with the creation of the Soldiers’ Orphans’ Schools, transformed the McAllisterville Academy into a benevolence institution, the first one in Pennsylvania. He influenced and advocated for education and temperance along with running a nursery (see Fig. 3 letter 3 sheet) and also built up the circulation of the Temperance Vindicator from 200 to 5000.
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 18
Figure 2
Figure 3
Less renowned but apparently equally zealous was L.D. Kellogg of Oil City. Born in 1823 in Troy, New York, like George McFarland, at age 17 he followed his brother to Nieltown and became a schoolteacher then a carriage painter. By 1859 he had a store in the burgeoning oil boom town of Oil City selling paint and general merchandise. 4 Shortly thereafter he also began to pursue the printing trade, and by 1866 he became the first printer in Oil City and published, along with H.B. Pratt, the first business directory of the city that same year. 5 Interestingly, that same directory lists him also as a member of city council, and on page 86, describes “L.D. KELLOGG, Oil City Paint Store, No. 174 Main Street, Oil City, Pa. Sash, Doors, Blinds, and Windows, ready glazed – Paints, Oils, Varnishes, Glass,
Putty, Wall Paper, Window Shades, Lamps, Chimneys, &c., House and Sign Painting done 6 promptly to order”.
Eventually he established the Kellogg Block and not only ran a large business in wallpaper, paint and general hardware, but also had a coal yard that was operated until his death in 1900. He was remembered as a dedicated supporter of the temperance movement and was listed as a member of the Royal Templars of Temperance and the Prohibition 4 Party.
19 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
As shown by the cover Fig. 4 (front) and 5 (back), his publishing and temperance sentiments combined to produce “The Irrepressible Conflict”, a 25-cent per year publication that touted itself as “An Advocate of “Constitutional Prohibition by the People for the People.”
Figure 5
Figure 6
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This cover was a fortunate find, as it not only illustrated an important segment of Oil City’s history, but it also contained a lengthy, passionate letter written by L.D. Kellogg to an old friend in which he discusses the movement, old times, and his plans for the future. The letterhead is illustrated in Figure 6 and the letter written on January 11 follows.
Oil City, Pa. Jan. 11, 1886
Geo. S. Riley, Esq.
Dear Old Friend,
Some time since I recd a postal from you to which I made a hasty reply intending to write you again often I had recd an answer from you. But now having heard from you I thought I would again drop you a line. I am in very good health though now in my 63 rd year. I often think of you & wonder how you look now as I look at you through my minds eye as you looked in 1846. I think when John B. Gough then a young man & John Wales, Wm C. Bloss attended the 4 th of July celebration on Washington Square & I shall never forget you dear father as his tall form appeared to me on a Sabbath day on that same Washington Square. I had been instrumental in getting up a Sunday afternoon Summer Temperance Meeting on the Square & could not get any one to speak & was very much disheartened when I discovered a the other end of the Square the General coming. The pleasure well repaid me for all the trouble I had experienced in getting up the meeting. Well those are bygone had the Temperance people then have had the wishes of the People placed in the Constitution where they could not have been tampered with by the politicians what a difference would now be seen in the welfare of the country. But we have to deal with the real present & do our first work over yet I am glad I live to take a part in the conflict though I am unable to appear in public. Yet I can work on the line of being instrumental in agitating the public mind until (should I live so long) victory will crown our efforts which I believe is not so far in the future as many support.
I have been receiving quite a number of Rochester daily papers of late. I had supposed at first that they were from a reader I have in Rochester but perhaps I may be indebted to you for them. If so I am very much obliged. I shall venture to send you a few of our City papers through I suppose perhaps they will not interest you very much I am last now very busy in developing a plan to supply Counties with a cheap monthly paper the “Conflict” through the prohibition County Committee I furnish to any County count 1000 or more papers at a nominal rate & insert what local matter they wish vertically making it a County paper for a County taking it. It is but a short time since I adopted the plan & I have now got Venango, Warren, Bradford & Lancaster Counties in connection I furnish them weekly Prohibition papers very low. I expect on the 26 th to attend at the Grand Council of R. I. of T. at Erie & hope there to advance this plan very materially. I have been living in Oil City nearly
25 years & suppose I shall end my days here. Would like to exchange Photos with you if agreeable & if you have a cut of your Father would like with short biographical sketch insert both the likenesses & the sketch in the Conflict of 6000 papers. What think you. Would like a reply at your earliest convenience and would be pleased if you & your Father both would favor the Conflict with an Occasional Correspondence & would esteem it a great favor if I could have but a few line from your venerable Father to whom I wish to be remembered. But I have already made this hasty written letter to long & must close.
Respectfully Yours, L.D. Kellogg
21 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
Figure 6 Head of letter shown on previous page
The reason that the letter was not posted on January 11, but over a month later (see Fig. 5), is explained by the following which was added to the Jan. 11 letter.
My Dear Friend,
The enclosed was written at the date named at my house I thought I had mailed it to you and I was wondering why I did not get an answer. I now seems I must have brought it to the office & put in one of my Pigeon holes & in an unusual one till the eve I found it & I now hastily scribble this excuse please accept and overlook my carelessness.
Your Friend, L.D. Kellogg
The Library of Congress “Chronicling America” lists the “Irrepressible Conflict” as starting in 1884 but does not cite an end date for publication; the listing is based on the existence of a single issue in the collection, Vol. 1, no. 8 (Aug. 1, 1884). 7 From the above letter we now know that he was still going strong a year and a half later, and one wonders how long L.D. kept his fervent views in print. Perhaps he would have been gratified to know that less than two decades after his death the Volstead Act would be implemented as the Twenty-first Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, one which would only last a little over thirteen years before repeal.
References
1 – Wikipedia, Prohibition in the United States,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition_in_the_United_States 2 – Tarring S. Davis, History of Blair County, Volume I , 1931, Blair County, PA, Chapter 16, p. 238. 3 – The Biographical Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania of the Nineteenth Century , Galaxy Publishing Co., Philadelphia, 1874, pp. 663.
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 22
4 – Charles A. Babcock, Venango County Pennsylvania / Her Pioneers and People , J.H. Beers & Company, Chicago, 1919. p. 813. 5 – Ibid, p. 301. 6 – Business Directory of Oil City & Venango City for 1866-7, Rochester: Kellogg & Pratt
Publishers, 1866, p. 86. 7 – Library of Congress website Chronicling America section (America's historic newspapers pages from 1836-1922 and information about American newspapers published between 1690-present). http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88081070/marc/
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New EKU for Exton, Pa. Doane Cancel
By William R. Schultz (# 202, LM # 6)
The current Anderson Doane listing ( www.doanecancel.com ) for Exton Pa. indicates use between Jan. 2, 1909 and May 17, 1911. The postcard shown below clearly extends use back to May 23, 1906. It is used as a receiving mark and is clearly a Type 2, No. 2.
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23 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
Uwchland P. O., Chester County, Pa.
By William R. Schultz (# 202, LM # 6)
Uwchlan Township was incorporated in 1712. For more than 100 years the community was known as either Uwchlan Meeting or Red Lion. Since there were already a few sites in Pennsylvania named “Red Lion”, the post office established in the village of Eagle on March 11, 1825 was named Uwchland, incorrectly adding a “d” to the end of the Welsh name, and another post office established a year later in the township on May 22, 1826 was named Lionville. In 1858 the township divided, creating Uwchlan and Upper Uwchlan
Townships. At the time of the division Uwchlan’s population was about 800. Current address of the still active P. O. is 101 Friendship Road just north of the village of Eagle. (Figure 1).
Figure 1
The first Postmaster of the Uwchland P. O. was Isaac Evans. Following Evans as Postmaster were: Charles M. Griffith, March 13, 1844; William Chandler, August 4, 1849;
Jacob Beerbower, May 7, 1851; William H. Krauser, April 15, 1861; John Todd, April 14, 1862; Jacob Beerbower, December 16, 1867; John Todd, April 15, 1869; William V. Rambo. June 28, 1871; Thomas Richardson, March 17, 1874; Richard H. Pierce, August 31, 1881; Albert G. Pierce, October 31, 1882; Harry H. Ahrems, March 31, 1884; Jesse B. Ramstine, September 14, 1885; Allen M. F. Stiteler, April 11, 1889; Jesse B. Ramstine, July 7, 1893; Allen M. F. Stiteler, July 23, 1897. On May 1, 1901 the name was changed to Byers and Stiteler continued as Postmaster. On June 15, 1901 the name reverted back to Uwchland, with Stiteler remaining as Postmaster. He continued serving as Postmaster until
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 24
August 32, 1914 when Robert G. Simpson was appointed.
During the 1850’s when Jacob Beerbower was Postmaster, the P. O. used the handstamp shown on the cover in Figure 2.
Figure 2 c. UWCHLAND / PA. (1853-1854), 29 mm., black. “ PAID / 3” in 19mm. circle. 3¢, paid in cash, paid the up to 3000mi. prepaid rate to Columbia, S. C.
Apparently during the 1870’s and the 1880’s manuscript postmarks were employed suggesting an extremely low volume of mail. The 1878 cover shown in Figure 3 was posted during the term of Postmaster Thomas Richardson.
Figure 3 3¢ Green Continental Banknote paid the half-ounce first-class letter postage to Lewisburgh, Union County, Pa.
25 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 .
A manuscript postmarked cover during the very short term of Postmaster Harry H. Ahrems is shown in Figure 4. It was posted on Dec. 3, 1884.
Figure 4 Pair of 1¢ 1881 American Banknotes paid the 2¢ half-ounce first-class letter rate to Philadelphia
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Schultz Searching Chester County Postmarks for Book
Bill Schultz, one of our life members, is searching for postmarks from the following towns in Chester County for a postal history book on Chester County currently in progress:
Auburn; Bacton; Burdel; Byers; Cassart; Clingans; Diemer; Forestville; Fountain Inn; Fountain Mills; Fox Chase Tavern; General Pike; Grove; Heckleville; Hero; Hitner; Humphreysville; Manavoon; Maple Shade; North Coventry; Paper Mills; Pyles; Rosscommon; Snap; Stock; Talbotville; Towerville; Valley Creek; Valley Glen; Valley Hill; Warwick Furnace; Waterloo Mills; Waynesburg; Wayne Tavern; West Nantmeal;& Youngsburgh.
Bill Schultz, 1135 Merrifield Drive, West Chester, PA 19380
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HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 26
More on the Acahela Post Office Reader Responses
John Dowd a new member who joined our Society after reading Steve Kochersperger’s article on the Acahela P. O. sent in the following response:
“Stephen Kochersperger’s article A summer Post Office in Acahela, PA suggested that the post office was on camp property and may have been a Civilian Conservation Camp. The Emergency Conservation Act specifically prohibited the CCC camp on private property although work could be done on private property.
The http://ccclegacy.org/CCC_Camps_Pennsylvania.html does not reference Acahela as an official post office. PA DCNR says that the CCC were at Tobyhanna from 1931-1937. There is an August 7, 1935 Camp Army-2, Number 3315 at Tobyhanna and a camp at Stoddartsville. There is no reference to Trucksville and Blakeslee which had special service
from Acahela along with Pocono.
I used the key word searchable .pdf digitized US Postal Bulletins at
http://www.uspostalbulletins.com/Home.aspx to identify Stoddartsville as a source supply
and Trucksville and Blakeslee with special service from Acahela along with Pocono. If
anyone can use a copy of the PA CCC list I have it as a spreadsheet.
Promised Land State Park, PA organized a C.C.C. festival last August. Promised Land
State Park has a great C.C.C. Museum, lots of standing C.C.C. camp buildings, more C.C.C. artifacts than they know how to use and even a G.P.S. walking tour of their C.C.C. camp. Promised Land State Park is in Blooming Grove, Greene and Palmyra Townships, Pike County, Pennsylvania.
There is a recent publication, The Camp Book II, which lists boy scout camps, with dates of operation and scout council name. Camp Acahela started in 1919, by the Wilkes Barre Boy Scout Council. The scout camp pre-dates the post office establishment. Each state has a state editor for The Camp Book II. Mr. Nelson Clements, [email protected] is the Camp Book 2 editor for Pennsylvania. I’ll send him a copy of your article.
The CCC was established two years after the post office opened. As a summer post office it would not have been able to serve the CCC enrollees.
I believe that the postmaster would have operated the Acahela post office out of the local business such as a general store at least when it was full time post office. I should be able to get the revenue from the PMG Annual Reports. As a summer post office it may have been
situated at the scout camp, with an individual associated with the camp, commissioned as
postmaster. That is the situation at the other scout camps which had post offices located on
their property; typically the camp's property manager or head ranger who lived at the camp year round.
I have sent inquires to the local historical society and will try to visit the area this summer.”
The following e-mail from Charlie Hessler whose initial inquiry to Steve Kochersperger prompted the original article adds some additional input:
27 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
Hi all,
For what it's worth, I do not think that the Camp Acahela post office would have been
operated out of a local store. The closest store would have been in Stoddartsville, which is
about a mile from Camp Acahela. The Stoddartsville store, which was operated by my cousins also served as the Stoddartsville post office. My cousins were postmasters there from 1857 to 1940 ( http://webpmt.usps.gov/pmt002.cfm ). Mail from there would logically have borne the Stoddartsville postmark.
Charlie Hessler
VP, Stoddartsville Preservation Society
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I suspect this is not the last we will hear about the Acahela P. O.
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WANTED
Postal History (stampless to modern), Postcards, and Ephemera SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PA
• All types of covers and all periods, especially stampless, manuscript cancels (stampless and
stamped), patriotics, advertising, foreign destinations, fancy cancels, Doanes, machine cancels
• All towns, especially scarcer towns and DPO’s
• Towns of special interest: Montrose (county seat), Susquehanna, Susquehanna(h) Depo(t), Great Bend, Great Bend Village, Willingborough, New Milford, Harford, Hop Bottom,
Gibson, Dundaff, Friendsville, Glenwood and Little Meadows
• Postcards showing town views, post offices and other buildings, farming, manufacturing, commerce, transportation, railroads, family life, etc.
• Ephemera related to Susquehanna County history
Larry Pettinger 11503 Woodstock Way Reston, VA 20194 [email protected]
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 28
Urgently Needed Back Issues of the Historian
Philadelphia Advertising Covers – building illustrations, any other illustrated Members-$3 each Non-members-$5 each
Also postal history of the (Only order occasional issues; long runs 1876 Centennial will not be supplied)
All Correspondence Answered Current Historian Index - $5 Gus Spector 30 South Forge Manor Drive (only available by e-mail in PDF)
Phoenixville, PA 19460 Write to:
Tom Clarke WANTED P. O. Box 418 Jenkintown, PA 19046 Philadelphia Maritime and Exchange Office Markings on [email protected] Stampless Covers from 1792 forward
Van Koppersmith P. O. Box 81119 WANTED for EXHIBIT Mobile, AL 36689 Covers and Ephemera on the 251-343-2413 [email protected] Welsh in Pennsylvania
All Periods including 18 th Century All Counties LIQUIDATING
Liquidating Collection of Please send photocopies or scans to: Stampless Covers from all States Suzanne L. Haney 320 Manton St. Many Pennsylvania Manuscripts Philadelphia, PA 19147 Please send want list
[email protected] [email protected]
Advertising Rates
Per Year: Full Page $90, Half Page $60, Quarter Page $40, Business Card $25
Per Issue: Full Page $30, Half Page $20, Quarter Page $15, Business Card, $10
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29 HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013
HISTORIAN Vol. 41, No. 3 (Whole No. 196) August 2013 30
Pennsylvania Postal Historian
PRESORTED Norman Shachat STANDARD 382 Tall Meadow Lane U. S. POSTAGE Yardley, PA 19067 PAID SAYRE, PA PERMIT #224 Return Service Requested
Over 100 years ago, they knew, but little did they know how much!!!
An early 1890’s cover posted at Franklin, Pa. with a map showing “Natural Gas Territory” in northwestern Pa. Cover provided by Bill Schultz with the comment, “nothing is really new”.