MGJ Postal History

Interesting note from Abraham Lowe. Charles Chandler, of Foxcroft has collected $60 for Lowe and is unable to send a check because of surcharges.  Lowe suggests he send cash...$50 and $10 bills...and to enclose them in front of the local postmaster.  He also encourages him to "collect the balance as soon as you can".   Foxcroft is now a dead post office. Clean cover in good condition.

Abraham Thompson Lowe was born on 15 August 1796 in Ashburnham, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He graduated in 1816 from Dartmouth College, with his M.D. degree. He early abandoned the active practice of his profession and entered the wholesale drug business in Boston, which he followed for many years under the firm of Lowe & Reed. 

Letter writer H. Bemus badly misspells town letter is addressed to as Tarriffvill.  Letter is to William B. Cowles, whose family had a store in Worthington, Connecticut and whose relatives operated the Cowles Manufacturing Company, East Granby, CT., manufacturer of spoons, and it is claimed was the first to make a practical success of electric plating.  Bemus laments losing his business partner and that a potential investor has no experience in his retail business.  He wants Cowles to become his partner.  Good content.  Letter easy to read and in excellent condition.

Stampless folded letter from Harriett Bacon to Jedediah Harris in Stafford,  New Hampshire, inquiring about funds due her from the estate of her father.  She notes that the person she retained in Stafford to collect her funds...Samuel McMaster...has left the area and will no longer be able to assist her.  There is a pencil notation on the side...possibly by Harris with her name and $300 next to it. Nice postal history item. Significant is the use of a boxed PAID. This postmark is only listed with a PAID 5 in a circle. Condition is very nice; well above similar items from this era.

Major Philip Preston Johnston, CSA. He served under J.E.B. Stuart in Major John Pelham’s Horse Artillery. Born in Shiloh, Va. in 1840. After the war, he moved to Fayette County and read law under Colonel W.C.P. Breckinridge. In 1868, Johnston graduated from Transylvania University with a law degree. He served in both houses of Ky. legislature and was appointed adj. gen. during the Tobacco Wars. He bred fine trotters & Thoroughbred horses and was president of the National Trotting Association from 1888-1916. Major Johnston died in 1925.
Cover features full Lexington flag cancel along with very well centered early special delivery stamp.  Cannot determine catalog number without removing stamp to look for watermark.