pennsylvania postal historianpaphs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/aug2017.pdf · 2017-11-29 · did...

August 2017 Whole No 212 Vol 45 No 3

PENNSYLVANIA POSTAL HISTORIAN

THE BULLETIN OF THE PENNSYLVANIA POSTAL HISTORY

SOCIETY

Inside this issue

Minutes of the Annual PPHS Membership Meeting at SCOPEX 2017

Reader Response

Seven Letters to Samuel B Morris during the April 1816 Restored Rate Period

First Day of the Restored Rate

ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo

A Morbid 1938 National Air Mail Week Cachet

Did Ben Franklin Invent the Pigeonhole System

2nd Update on Pennsylvania Manuscript Markings Part XXIII (Wayne and Westmorland Counties)

7 HISTORIAN Vol 45 No 3 (Whole No 212) August 2017


By Philip G Russell ( 572)

In a collection of business letters sent to Samuel B Morris merchant in Philadelphia I found seven letters addressed to him in Philadelphia during the one month Restored Rate Period effective March 31 1816 to April 30 1816 which returned all postage rates to those of March 2 1799 During the period February 1 1815 to March 30 1816 the inland rates had been increased 50 ldquoto help defray the expenses incurred during the War of 1812rdquo During this period the 2cent ship letter fee was not increased ldquoThe ship letter rate for a letter addressed to the port of arrival (6cent) however was increased 50 to 9centrdquo1

Samuel Buckley Morris (1791-1859) was born in Philadelphia PA the son (and only child) of Quaker Luke Wistar Morris during his first marriage to his cousin Elizabeth Buckley Morris (1771-1797)2 ldquoSamuel B Morris became a member of the shipping firm of Waln amp Morris Philadelphia He was one of the first directors of the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society Morris was one of the founders of Haverford College a manager of Friends Asylum and served on the Committee for Westtown School from 1843 until his death in 1859rdquo3

Effort to Establish Counting House Merchant Business

A selection of business correspondence during the period February 1815 to May 1818 the majority of which is addressed to Mr Morris in Philadelphia is presented in Table 1 The first three items4 in Table 1 describe his efforts to become a full-fledged merchant In a copy of a letter written in Philadelphia (no address) he explains to a Mr Fisher (Item 1) ldquohellipmy time since returning from abroad has been passed in the office of one of our most eminent lawyers where I have been acquiring such information as I trust will be serviceable to me as a merchant to enlarge my acquaintance amp establish correspondence I shall leave here (Philadelphia) in a day or two for the Eastward this will be of service as regards either domestic or foreign businesshelliprdquo

Two weeks later he writes his father from Hartford (Item 2) addressing him as ldquoMy Dear Papardquo ldquohellipam happy to inform thee that in many instances have been promised the transaction of whatever business the persons to whom I have been introduced may have in Philadelphia amp several think it highly probable they shall have shipments that way but trade has met with so many changes for last three years cannot speak with certaintyhelliprdquo His father had proposed ldquohellip thee proposed Chestnut Street wharf as a good neighborhood (for business establishment) to that can see no objection amp as the question lsquoWhere is your counting housersquo has been frequently asked of me shall be glad to have it in my power to open one so soon after my return as may be found advisable will simply mention that I should suppose it requisite that it should not be upstairs or if it is should be attached to a store below which will answer for keeping of consignments free of hoisting amp portage must hope that it will not be too small am afraid however to say anything upon that head least thee may think it one of my extravagant ideas the reason of hinting this last is a promise almost positive of consignment of a sloop from this place (Hartford) with three hundred barrels of shad so soon as season will admithelliprdquo

HISTORIAN Vol 45 No 3 (Whole No 212) August 2017 8

In a second letter to his father written one week later from Providence (Item 3) he was impatient at being detained for a day ldquohellip or this affair (detention) which had caused some impatience will I hope enable me to completely secure the agency of a vessel which it is expected will commerce running as a regular trader between this (Providence) and our city in course of three weeks should the proposed plan be carried into execution an(d) promised the business hellip Friend Almey called with me this morning upon Thomas Lissions who has a vessel that sails for Philadelphia in a week or ten days she is promised to go to my address it then becomes absolutely necessary for me to have a place where I may hang out and will therefore feel much obliged by thy succeeding for me such a counting house as was mentioned in my lasthelliprdquo He continues


hellipldquoFrom New Bedford I expect to go to Nantucket and returning thence shall take my final departure from Bedford I hope by last of next week for Boston at Bedford expect to find letters from homehelliprdquo

License for Retailer of Merchandize

The license4 in Figure 1 indicates that Samuel B Morris merchant became a ldquohellipRetailer of Merchandize other than Wines and Spiritshelliprdquo in Philadelphia beginning on June 1 1815 The license is dated Jan 18 1816 and lists his store (counting house) at No 26 on South Wharves in the city5

Figure 1 License to sell Merchandize other than Wines and Sprits

Further Comments from Table 1

Samuel Morrisrsquos displeasure with the recent war and interest in the upcoming battle with the Barbary pirates is expressed in the first letter to Mr E Fisher (Item 1) he mentions ldquohellip the termination of our late unfortunate war (of 1812)helliprdquo and ldquohellipthat I believe they (President Madison and members of Congress) will not be willing again to hazard them (their character and the tenure of their offices) by a recurrence to hostilities unless it should be with the Algerians such a war will be highly popular and I understand by a gentleman lately from Washington that an expedition is contemplated which will consist of two lines of battle of ships four frigates amp eight or ten sloops of war with a considerable land forcehelliprdquo The


following is a brief account of what happened6 Once the Treaty of Ghent was ratified on 17 February 1815 ldquoMadison asked Congress for a declaration of war against Algiers which had seized the opportunity afforded by the Anglo-American war to resume attacks on U S shipping Two separate squadrons were prepared to sail for the Mediterranean ndash one in Boston under William Bainbridge and one in New York under Stephen Decatur As Bainbridge was the senior officer he would command the newly launched 74-gun battleship Independence Decaturrsquos nine ship squadron (which included the Constellation) sailed on May 20 1815 Decaturrsquos squadron captured the Algerian frigate Mashada and on July 3 with the guns of the squadron trained on his city the Dey of Algiers signed a treaty forswearing future tribute and releasing American prisoners with no payment of ransom Decatur then sailed to Tunis and Tripoli extracting similar concessions as well as cash payments to compensate American ship-owners for their recent losses The United States would never again encounter problems with the Barbary powers Bainbridge detained in Boston by delays in the outfitting of the Independence arrived in the Mediterranean too late to share any of the glory and was resentful toward Decatur for years afterwardrdquo

The shad expected by Samuel Morris that he mentioned in the first letter to his father (Item 2) was instead shipped from Hartford (Item 5) to New York on July 3rd 1815 because of high prices ldquoCapt Fowler in the ship Active left here this morning to touch at New York with about 140Bbls of shad and a few half Bbls of pickled salmon and 700 smoked salmon ndash He has been advised that the price of those articles is high at this time in New York ndash Will you have the goodness to write him by first mail what is the price in Philadelphia ndash direct to the care of Messrs Flyer amp Brenener amp Sons I hope he will still find it for his interest to go to your marketrdquo

New postal rates were introduced starting May 1 1816 to April 30 1825 ldquoAlong with different rates the distances in the zones were changed and the number of zones was reduced from six to fiverdquo1 The postage from Providence to Philadelphia (compare Items 11 and 19 in Table 1) increased from 17cent (150-300 mi) to 18frac12cent (150-400mi) The New York to Philadelphia rate remained the same at 12frac12cent (see Items 17 and 18) while the Boston to Philadelphia rate decreased from 20cent to 18frac12cent (no comparison shown in Table 1)7

Seven Letters from the Restored Rate Period

The earliest letter during the Restored Rate Period (Item 11 Figure 2) was datelined Providence 4th Mo 9th 1816 postmarked in Providence on April 9 and charged 17cent for the 150-300 mile distance

The second letter (Item 12 Figure 3) was datelined Boston April 11 1816 postmarked in Boston on April 12 1816 and charged 20cent for the 300-500 mile distance

The third letter (Item 13 Figure 4) was datelined New York 13th Apl 1816 and charged 12frac12cent for the 90-150 mile distance

The fourth letter (Item 14 Figure 5) was datelined Boston 19 April 1816 postmarked in Boston April 20 and again charged the 20cent rate


Figure 2 Dateline Providence 4th Mo 9th 1816 Figure 3 Dateline Boston April 11 1816

Figure 4 Dateline New York 13 Apl 1816 Figure 5 Dateline Boston 19 April 1816

The fifth letter (Item 15 Figure 6) was datelined New York 25th April 1816 and again charged the 12frac12cent rate

Figure 6

Dateline New York 25th April 1816


The sixth letter (Item 16 Figure 7) was datelined New York 27th April 1816 and also charged 12frac12cent

Figure 7 Dateline New York 27th April 1816

The last letter (Item 17 Figure 8) was datelined New York 30 Apl 1816 and postmarked on April 30 the last day of the War Rate Act Repeal period It was also charged 12frac12cent

Figure 8 Dateline New York 30 Apl 1816


Copartner-ship

Two to three years after obtaining his license Samuel B Morris formed a copartner-ship with Jacob S Waln most likely in 181889 Difficulties developed at some point between Samuel and Jacob In a letter to ldquoMy Dear Jacobrdquo Samuel complains of comments made by persons in the counting house hellip ldquoand that it has been said my situation lsquomust be exceedingly wounding to my feelingsrsquo (and) another person I am told has said lsquohe would be dmdashd (damned) if he would slave for Waln as Morris did amp be treated as he wasrsquo while the boys in the counting house have told other boys lsquoI was treated as a kind of head clerkrsquo rdquo He feels completely disrespected by Jacob as he continues hellip ldquo in fact scarce an act of mine appears to meet thy approbation if I made a sale it is too low if I omit one it should have been made if I write letters amp send them without thy examination they are wrong amp if I retain them un-copied until thee come from Banking amp into committee there is not time or something prevents amp what renders this more painful to me is I am deprived of the advantages of thy judgment upon affairs of highest moment in few of which (excuse me if I say) thee appear to take little or no concern until they are lapsed amp then not one time in ten are they as thee would have wishedrdquo10

Their relationship may have continued in this contentious manner throughout the remainder of their partnership until hellip ldquothe sudden death of his wife the former Hanna Perot in 1831 prompted him to retire from his business and devote his life to his three motherless children Samuel Buckley (II) Beulah Sansom and Elliston Perot In 183511 he moved his family from downtown Philadelphia12 to his father-in-lawrsquos summer house in Germantown originally built for David Desher13 and used by President Washington and his family in 1793 when escaping the yellow fever epidemic of the city and 1794 Thus the Morris family began their relationship with the residence later known as the Deshler- Morris house Samuel Buckley educated his children at his house with other children and then sent the boys to the Westtown School a Quaker boarding school and Haverford College two institutions which he supported He founded the Savings Fund of Germantown with his own money and contributed to other good worksrdquo14

References

(1) CHAPTER II Ship rates United States Incoming Steamship Mail 1847-1875 Second Edition by Theron J Wierenga

(2) Background note The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection 2000B Morris family papers

(3) Background note Morris Family Papers 1715- 1925 Coll No 1008 Haverford College

(4) These letters and the license shown in Figure 1 were found under the heading ldquoCorrespondence 1815-1833rdquo in Folder 2 of Box 14 Morris Family Papers 1715-1925 Coll No 1008 Haverford College

(5) ldquoPhiladelphia Directory and Strangerrsquos Guide for 1825rdquo lists Samuel B Morris merchant (at) 34 S Wharves this information was supplied by Norm Shachat

(6) Six Frigates The Epic History of the Founding of THE USNAVY by Ian W toll W W Norton amp Company published 2006 p 456



(7) Google Driving distance between two cities see Distance Calculatorhellip Calculated 97 277 and 310 mile distances between Philadelphia to New York Providence and Boston respectively

(8) The draft copy states hellip ldquoArticles of Agreement and Copartner-ship made and concluded the hellip Day of helliphellip in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen Bejiorest Jacob S Waln of the city of Philadelphia Merchant of the one part and Samuel B Morris of the same city merchant of the other part whereby it is witnessed that the said parties have agreed and by those present do agree to become Copartners and joint-traders together in the business of a Commission Merchant helliprdquo This draft copy was found under ldquoFinancial papers 1811-1857rdquo in Folder 19 of Box 14 Morris Family Papers 1715-1925 Coll No 1008 Haverford College

(9) From the online version of the ldquoPhiladelphia Directory helliprdquo Waln amp Morris merch (are also listed) at 34 S Wharves

(10) From draft copy of a letter with no date sent to Jacob S Waln found in Folder 18 Box 14 Morris Family Papers 1715-1925 Coll No 1008 Haverford College

(11) ldquo7 Mo 5 ndash 1835 ndash The fourth anniversary of the day which took from me my beloved Hannah helliprdquo from a handwritten note by Samuel Butler Morris remembering his wife Hannah who died on July 5 1831

(12) In 1817 his father Luke Wistar Morris (1768-1830) had purchased a home at 225 South 8th Street which became known as the ldquoMorris Mansionrdquo in Philadelphia Background note The Historical Society of Pennsylvania Collection 2000B Morris family papers

(13) Google Germantown White House see paragraph on lsquoConstruction and Ownershiprsquo Prominent Philadelphian merchant David Deshler constructed a four room summer cottage in 1752 Twenty years later he added a three story nine room addition This elegant home was purchased by Colonel Isaac Franks from the Deshler heirs in 1792 Colonel Franks rented this home to President Washington in the fall of 1793 and again during the summer of 1794 The house was later sold to Elliston and John Perot In 1834 Ellistonrsquos son-in-law Samuel Morris purchased the home In 1948 the Morris family donated the house to the National Park Service

(14) Google Morris Family papers 1741-1989 National Park Service see section on HISTORY


First Day of the Restored Rates

By Norman Shachat ( 76)

The following is my exhibit page showing a first day of the restored rates which also turns out to be the first day of the use of the PHIL circular postmark



By Steve Swain ( 590)

He turnrsquod and left the spot ndash O do not deem him weak For dauntless was the soldierrsquos heart though tears were on his cheek

Go watch the foremost rank in dangerrsquos dark career Be sure the hand most daring then has wiped away a tear

These touching lines were one of several variations of The Girl I Left Behind Me a popular patriotic poem of the American Civil War printed with equally endearing cachets on Union patriotic covers Figure 1 shows one of the more common designs with the verse below on a cover to McKean Erie Co Pa franked with an 1861 3cent rose (Scott 65) tied by a Pittsburgh Pa circular date stamp

Figure 1 Union Patriotic Cover ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo (Courtesy of Schuyler Rumsey Philatelic Auctions)

The first known printed text of a song with the name ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo appeared in the serial song collection The Charms of Melody printed in Dublin Ireland in 1791 The song was popular in the US regular army adopting it during the War of 1812 after being heard sung by a British prisoner The theme The Girl I Left Behind can be heard as an overlay in Glenn Millers arrangement of American Patrol popularized during the World War II

Other illustrations used for the patriotic covers are shown in Figure 2 printed either in black and white or color

Many times envelopes were sold with sheets of writing paper that had the same ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo design and motto as the envelope Figure 3 is an example of this imprinted letter paper used for a correspondence


Figure 2 Additional Cachets

Figure 3 Imprinted Letter Paper (Courtesy of R C Kuhmann wwwkuhmanncom)

The Confederate populace produced and used many patriotic covers but none adopted ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo theme However a most interesting cover is shown in Figure 4 used for a correspondence obviously not intended for a loved one of a Union soldier With a ldquoChattanooga Ten Oct 24 1862rdquo circular datestamp this ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo mailing is a captured Union patriotic cover sent to Athens Geo (Georgia) The name in the address is crossed out but we can safely assume that the ldquoMrsrdquo surely indicates the wife of a Confederate soldier


Figure 4 Captured Union Patriotic Cover (Courtesy of Robert A Siegel Auction Galleries The Boshwit Collection)

EDITORrsquoS COMMENTS continued from page 3

thought it would be of interest to show my exhibit page of a First Day of the Restored Rates

Two entertaining articles by Steve Swain follow In ldquoThe Girl I Left Behind Merdquo he illustrates Civil War patriotics inspired by the song with that title In A Morbid 1938 National Air Mail Week Cachet he shows the NAMW cachet by the Johnstown P O which illustrates the graveyard of Johnstown flood victims and attempts to rationalize the use of the morbid subject

In Did Ben Franklin Invent the Pigeonhole System Steve Kochersperger attempts to answer the question

The issue concludes with 2nd Update on Pennsylvania Manuscript Markings Part XXIII by Tom Mazza You are correct if you conclude that its inclusion implies that my backlog is less than robust Itrsquos been a nice run but now is the time to replenish the backlog

I hope you enjoy the issue and that it inspires you send in an article on your PA area of interest As always I sincerely thank those who contributed to the issue

(Continued on page 21)



By Philip G Russell ( 572)

In a collection of business letters sent to Samuel B Morris merchant in Philadelphia I found seven letters addressed to him in Philadelphia during the one month Restored Rate Period effective March 31 1816 to April 30 1816 which returned all postage rates to those of March 2 1799 During the period February 1 1815 to March 30 1816 the inland rates had been increased 50 ldquoto help defray the expenses incurred during the War of 1812rdquo During this period the 2cent ship letter fee was not increased ldquoThe ship letter rate for a letter addressed to the port of arrival (6cent) however was increased 50 to 9centrdquo1

Samuel Buckley Morris (1791-1859) was born in Philadelphia PA the son (and only child) of Quaker Luke Wistar Morris during his first marriage to his cousin Elizabeth Buckley Morris (1771-1797)2 ldquoSamuel B Morris became a member of the shipping firm of Waln amp Morris Philadelphia He was one of the first directors of the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society Morris was one of the founders of Haverford College a manager of Friends Asylum and served on the Committee for Westtown School from 1843 until his death in 1859rdquo3

Effort to Establish Counting House Merchant Business

A selection of business correspondence during the period February 1815 to May 1818 the majority of which is addressed to Mr Morris in Philadelphia is presented in Table 1 The first three items4 in Table 1 describe his efforts to become a full-fledged merchant In a copy of a letter written in Philadelphia (no address) he explains to a Mr Fisher (Item 1) ldquohellipmy time since returning from abroad has been passed in the office of one of our most eminent lawyers where I have been acquiring such information as I trust will be serviceable to me as a merchant to enlarge my acquaintance amp establish correspondence I shall leave here (Philadelphia) in a day or two for the Eastward this will be of service as regards either domestic or foreign businesshelliprdquo

Two weeks later he writes his father from Hartford (Item 2) addressing him as ldquoMy Dear Papardquo ldquohellipam happy to inform thee that in many instances have been promised the transaction of whatever business the persons to whom I have been introduced may have in Philadelphia amp several think it highly probable they shall have shipments that way but trade has met with so many changes for last three years cannot speak with certaintyhelliprdquo His father had proposed ldquohellip thee proposed Chestnut Street wharf as a good neighborhood (for business establishment) to that can see no objection amp as the question lsquoWhere is your counting housersquo has been frequently asked of me shall be glad to have it in my power to open one so soon after my return as may be found advisable will simply mention that I should suppose it requisite that it should not be upstairs or if it is should be attached to a store below which will answer for keeping of consignments free of hoisting amp portage must hope that it will not be too small am afraid however to say anything upon that head least thee may think it one of my extravagant ideas the reason of hinting this last is a promise almost positive of consignment of a sloop from this place (Hartford) with three hundred barrels of shad so soon as season will admithelliprdquo























Figure 6








Copartner-ship



References


































































Figure 6








Copartner-ship



References


















































Copartner-ship



References












































pennsylvania postal historianpaphs.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/aug2017.pdf · 2017-11-29 · did...

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