Description Price
NEWPORT KENTUCKY 1833 STAMPLESS FOLDED LETTER SIGNED BY TOWN FOUNDER JAMES TAYLOR, JR.

Important historic letter from Newport Kentucky (manuscript postmark and 37 1/2-cent rate) signed by James Taylor, Jr., founder of Newport, for his father, James Taylor. Letter is to Benjamin Brown, Mount Vernon Ohio attorney and is a brief note regarding the filing of a deed for Irwin Thompson. Letter is on heavy stock and easy to read. Two small holes where two wax seals were broken do not affect text or appeal of this item. Outstanding addition to any postal history stampless collection.

Benjamin S. Brown was eminent in his profession, and well known throughout the State. He was a member of the Mount Vernon Library Society.

James Taylor, Jr. (1769–1848) was an American banker, Quartermaster general, and one of the wealthiest early settlers of Kentucky. He was a founder of the city of Newport, Kentucky. Taylor was the fifth child born to James Taylor Sr. and Anne Hubbard Taylor in Midway, Virginia. His father, James Taylor Sr., bought 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land in Northern Kentucky from his friend George Muse, which was part of the land Muse had been awarded for his military service in the French and Indian War. The Taylor family had two cousins, James Madison and Zachary Taylor, who later become presidents of the United States. On April 1, 1792, just short of his 23rd birthday, James Taylor Jr. left his father's plantation for Kentucky accompanied by three slaves, Moses, Humphrey and Adam, along with an English Army deserter, Robert Christy, and Christy's wife and their three children. They reached Newport June 20 but couldn't find lodging so he stayed at Ft. Washington in Cincinnati. His enslaved men worked through the summer to clear 16 acres (65,000 m2) in fields along the Licking, plant two corn crops and build a small cabin on lot no. 6 at the southwest corner of Second Street and Central Avenue. He became the driving force behind the settlement's development. He laid out the first road to Lexington in August with Jacob and Edward Fowler. In 1794 James Taylor tapped his connections with Kentucky's leaders to lobby at Frankfort for acts incorporating Newport and creating Campbell County, Kentucky. The legislature established the county on December 17, 1794 from parts of Mason, Scott and Harrison Counties. On December 14, 1795 it approved Newport's charter. James Taylor Jr. and Keturah Moss Leitch were married on November 15, 1795. James and Keturah Taylor had 11 children, but only four survived to maturity.

In 1803, James Taylor Jr. solicited the help of his cousin, James Madison, who was then U.S. Secretary of State, to persuade the federal government to move the Ft. Washington military post from Cincinnati to Newport. The Newport Barracks replaced Fort Washington across the river in Cincinnati, Ohio. There were but 4 acres (16,000 m2) in the original tract, which was bought from the old Colonel Taylor estate for the minimal price if $1. In 1806, two additional acres were bought for $47. Taylor was hired as the superintendent of the construction of the barracks. He was to erect three buildings.

Gen. James Taylor Jr. was Quartermaster General and paymaster of the Northwestern Army during the War of 1812, thus Newport became a vital center for war supplies.

During a storied lifetime, James Taylor Jr. operated ferries across both the Ohio and Licking rivers, helped to found banks, invested in the mammoth Newport Manufacturing Co., operated saw and grist mills along the Licking River, was part owner of a salt-works at Grants Lick, Ky., ran a tanning business and in his spare time was known to collect fossils and hunt buffalo at Big Bone Lick in Boone County.

James Taylor Jr. and his wife were members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Newport, on the Courthouse Square. He and his wife Keturah were laid to rest at the Taylor Family Plot Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate, Ky. At his death, James Taylor Jr. was said to be one of the wealthiest men in the state of Kentucky, with an estate valued at more than $4 million.

In the mid-19th century, Newport became a hub for trade, industry and culture. Just a few years later, Gen. Taylor's grandson established the wealthy area of East Row, a collection of elegant homes. Today, the East Row local Historic District is the second largest local district in Kentucky and the Taylor Mansion is the district's oldest house. Taylor is the namesake of the General James Taylor Park.

 

 

 

 

$100.00
DERBY CONNECTICUT STAMPLESS COVER WITH PAID 3 RATE MARK

Almost complete postmark. Strong rate mark. Address is faded, but readable...Sarah Osborn, Seymour, CT. See scan.

$10.00
GREAT FALLS NEW HAMPSHIRE 1848 MARSTON & EASTMAN STAMPLESS FOLDED LETTER

Legal letter to Gorham W. Hoitt settlement of a lawsuit involving Bruce Bollins. Winthrop A. Marston, son of John Marston of Nottingham, where he was born in 1801; read law in the office of Stephen Mitchell, Esq., at Durham; opened an office in Somersworth in 1830; resided there the rest of his life, except two years spent in Dover. During the later years of his life he was in partnership with Royal R. Eastman, Esq. The firm of Marston & Eastman was a very strong one and had a large practice in and out of the courts in Strafford county and York county, Maine. He died March 30, 1851. Full postmark and red numeral 5 for the rate.

$20.00
WINDHAM DEPOT NEW HAMPSHIRE DEAD POST OFFICE 1800S COVER TO NEW MARLBORO MASSACHUSETTS

Good DPO cover. 3-cent green Washington banknote stamp.

$5.00
CANTERBURY NEW HAMPSHIRE 1875 POSTAL HISTORY COVER TO SHARON MASSACHUSETTS. MISSENT MARKING

Clean cover with full Canterbury postmark.  Also has light railroad agent mark on face. MISSENT marking . Mailed July 30...still made it to Sharon by July31 according to Sharon backstamp.

$5.00
FRENCH OCCIDENTAL AFRICA - 1952 REGISTERED AIRMAIL COVER WITH IVORY COAST SEAL

Outstanding cover with Registration sticker and Scott Nos 45, 54 (2) and 53 stamps. Most covers have been soaked for the stamps. Complete covers with registration stickers are hard to come by. Ivory coast handstamp seal on both sides (middle left on front; center seal at reverse). Addressed to Director, American Geographical Society, New York City. New York City receiver on back as well. A rare find.

$50.00
ALBANY NEW YORK COVER WITH FRESH SCOTT #25 ADDRESSED TO MERCHANTS & MECHANICS BANK, TROY NEW YORK - POSTAL-HISTORY ALBANY NEW YORK COVER WITH FRESH SCOTT #11 STAMP ADDRESSED TO MERCHANTS & MECHANICS BANK, TROY NEW YORK

Beautiful, fresh Scott #11 stamp on this cover.  Portion of top- and right-side stamps indicate wide margins. Clear at bottom. Close at left. Light Albany postmark. Note small tear in cover and that cover flap is missing. However, neither detract from the appearance of the stamp.  Merchants & Mechanics Bank was known for issuing its own currency.

$20.00
WALPOLE MAINE TO MIDDLEBORO MASSACHUSETTS 1850S COVER.  SCOTT #11A. CLARET STAMP -- POSTAL-HISTORY WALPOLE MAINE TO MIDDLEBORO MASSACHUSETTS 1850S COVER. SCOTT #11A. CLARET STAMP

Very fresh stamp. Three-margin copy...close at top. Stamp appears to be brown carmine. Pen cancel.

$15.00
SCIO, NY, MID-1800S COVER. DESIRABLE TOWN MARK. SCOTT #25 STAMP - POSTAL-HISTORY SCIO, NY, MID-1800S COVER. DESIRABLE TOWN MARK. SCOTT #25 STAMP

December 30 postmark. Early Scio postmarks are hard to find. Addressed to M. D. Whitney, West Danby, NY. Cover opened neatly at right. Only fault is that someone mounted it at one time and there are two half-hinge remnants on the back center. These can be removed with a q-tip and water. email if you would like to see a scan of the back.

$100.00
ALBANY NEW YORK 1850S COVER TO ROCHESTER NY. SCOTT #26A STAMP - postal-history ALBANY NEW YORK 1850S COVER TO ROCHESTER NY. SCOTT #26A STAMP

Clean cover with full Albany postmark used to cancel stamp. Vertical perfs are fine. Bottom perf holes are complete with small selvedge below perf holes. Top perfs start out whole at left and are trimmed down at right. A very attractive cover. Appears to be addressed to George S. Riley.

$75.00

Pages