Fur Trade Rendezvous Mail, 1832-1840
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BLAZING OVERLAND TRAILS FOR THE WESTWARD EXPANSION, 1832-1850 October 2020 11th Postal History Symposium - Steve Walske Opening up the New Western Territories 1804-06 – Lewis & Clark expedition to Northwest returns with reports of flora and fauna (furs!) 1825-40 – Annual fur trade rendezvous in the Rocky Mountains: supplies to trappers and furs back to St Louis 1834-46 – First Great Migration to Oregon 1841-49 – Second Great Migration to California 1847-48 – Third Great Migration to Salt Lake City Fur Trade Rendezvous, 1825-1840 Annual trips left Missouri in March-May Trips took from two to three months Rendezvous lasted two to four weeks Hudson’s Bay Co. traders came from Northwest Earliest Known Transcontinental Letter Datelined July 14, 1832 at Pierre’s Hole (Idaho) Rendezvous Carried “fav(or) of Mr. Wm L. Sublette” to Missouri Sublette left July 30 and arrived in St Louis October 3 25 cents due for over 400 miles to Baltimore from St Louis Nathaniel Wyeth continued on to Fort Vancouver, Oregon Wyeth Letter via HBC from Oregon Datelined January 16, 1833 at Fort Vancouver, Oregon Endorsed “Favor of the Hon(orable) Hudsons Bay Co.” Carried by HBC canoe brigade to Montreal on August 13 Prepaid 6 pence to border; 18¾ cents due to Cambridge Entered U.S. mails at Whitehall, NY per “B” (for steamboat) Hudson’s Bay Co. Canoe Brigade Route between Oregon and Montreal, 1825-1846 Annual trips with supplies, goods and correspondence Eastbound and westbound trips left March-April Trips took six to seven months Westbound Hudson’s Bay Canoe Brigade Posted April 8, 1844 at Wilbraham; prepaid 25¢ to Lachine Carried from Lachine by HBC canoe brigade to Oregon Received “By Express Boat” on October 29 Last Hudson’s Bay Canoe Brigade in 1846 Dated February 9, 1846 at Fort Colvile, Oregon Territory Carried by HBC canoe brigade to Lachine, L.C. on October 27 Returned for postage to Montreal on November 18; 4½ cents paid 10 cents due in Blandford, Mass. From Rev. Cushing Eells, pioneer missionary from 1838 1st Great Migration - to Oregon June 1831 – Northwest Indian delegation to St Louis 1834 – Jason Lee, Methodist to Oregon with Wyeth 1835-36 – First Congregationalist missionaries went overland to Oregon Sept. 1838 – Lee returned to U.S. via Westport, MO. Lectured about Oregon settlement during trip May 1839 – Non-missionary Peoria party left for Oregon after hearing Lee June 15, 1846 – Oregon partition along 49th parallel Overland Route to Oregon 1834 Wyeth Letter from Rendezvous Datelined June 21 from Ham’s Fork Rendezvous in Wyoming Carried to St. Louis by Michael Cerré of the Bonneville Fur Co. Left Rendezvous July 10 and reached St. Louis in late August Letter forwarded unpaid by Von Phul & McGill on September 1 25¢ due in Cambridge, Mass. on September 16 – forwarded twice 1839 Overland Letter to Oregon Posted Baldwin, ME March 20, 1839; prepaid 25¢ to Missouri To Elkanah Walker, missionary from 1838 overland party Picked up at Westport by Munger/Griffin missionary party Left Westport, MO May 4, 1839; Stopped at July Rendezvous Delivered September 16 at Tshimakain, Oregon 1842 Overland Letter to Missouri Dated February 23, 1842 at Wascopam Mission by Henry Brewer Initially endorsed to the HBC Canoe Brigade Given instead to William Fowler, travelling overland to Missouri Posted December 7 at Westport, MO; 25¢ due in Franklin, CT 2nd Great Migration – to California 1821 – Mexican independence slowly opened region 1826-27 – Jedediah Smith overland trip to California May-Nov. 1841 – Bidwell overland emigration party. Emigration reached initial peak in 1846 1845-47 – U.S. naval and military build-up in region 1846-47 – Donner Party disaster January 1848 – gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill Disastrous 1846-48 Mexican-American War May 13, 1846 - War declared with Mexico August 15, 1846 - General Kearny captured Santa Fe January 13, 1847 – California under U.S. control February 12, 1848 – Mexico ceded Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California 1848 Military Courier over Santa Fe Trail November 20, 1848 Santa Fe military postmark Courier Newman left November 20 – had to return Left again on December 20 – arrived February 1 Postmarked February 1 at Fort Leavenworth, MO 10 cents due to Jacksonville, Illinois 1846-1848 California Chronology June 14, 1846 – Colonel Fremont instigated the Bear Flag revolt July 1846 – Stockton’s squadron occupied Monterey and S.F. August 13, 1846 – Stockton’s marines captured Los Angeles December 1846 – General Kearny’s force arrived in San Diego January 13, 1847 – Treaty of Cahuenga ended war in California May-June 1847 – Kearny, Fremont & Stockton returned overland May 1848 – Sam Brannan proclaimed gold discovery General Kearny Returns Overland Datelined at San Francisco on April 30, 1847 Kearny and Fremont left Monterey May 31, 1847 Arrived at Fort Leavenworth on August 22 Mail posted on St. Louis steamer “Amelia” Processed at St. Louis on August 26 – 10¢ due Commodore Stockton Returns Overland Datelined March 24, 1847 from USS Congress at San Diego Missed March 26 sailing of USS Savannah from San Diego Left Monterey on June 20 with Commodore Stockton Arrived at St. Joseph, Missouri on October 26; posted October 30 with 10¢ due to Philadelphia 1848 Overland Courier with Gold Sample Written May 18, 1848 at Monterey – endorsed “Overland” Colonel Mason sent overland courier (B. Chouteau) with gold samples to U.S. government – carried mail as well Left Monterey on May 19 and Los Angeles on July 4 – travelled via Santa Fe to Missouri Posted October 11 in St. Louis – 10¢ due to Massachusetts 3rd Great Migration – to Salt Lake City 1846 – Mormons began search for a safe haven outside of the United States April-July 1847 – pioneer party to Salt Lake Valley July-September 1847 – First Migration to Salt Lake. Over 6,000 settlers by end of 1849 February 12, 1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded Salt Lake City to the United States January 18, 1849 – U.S. post office established March 1849-August 1850 – Babbitt Special Contract 1848 Overland from Salt Lake City to Missouri Written January 9, 1848 at Salt Lake City Writer was with First Migration to Salt Lake in September 1847 Carried by members of Mormon Battalion returning to U.S. Posted May 11 in Linden, Missouri – 10 cents due to Indiana 1849 Eastbound Babbitt Special Contract Mail Postmarked July 16, 1849 at “Salt Lake Cal.” post office Mormon courier Almon Babbitt left July 27 and arrived at Kanesville, Iowa on September 3 10 cents due to Massachusetts 1850 Westbound Babbitt Special Contract Mail Posted June 7, 1850 at Concordville, Pa.; 10¢ due Endorsed “by way of Kanesville, Iowa” Mormon courier Orson Hyde left Kanesville on July 6 and arrived at Salt Lake City on August 15 1850 Overland from California to Salt Lake City Posted August 12, 1850 at Sacramento, California 12½¢ intra-California rate (collect) to “Deseret” Mormon courier Amasa Lyman left Sacramento on August 16 and reached Salt Lake City on September 29 First Contract Overland Mail Posted August 17, 1846 at Lawrenceville, Pa.; 10¢ paid to Independence Carried overland by new Astoria postmaster John Shively Left Independence April 28, 1847 and reached Astoria, Oregon on September 7 Postmarked “Astoria Or”; 50¢ due to Upper California, Mexico BLAZING OVERLAND TRAILS FOR THE WESTWARD EXPANSION October 2020 11th Postal History Symposium - Steve Walske.