MGJ Postal History

Attractive 1873 cover with good markings.  Scarce Plate 10 stamp on cover. Cat: $225.  Tear top center does not affect stamp

Scott #34 and #35 stamps on this cover.  Note that one stamp is missing. Registered cover to Boston MA from P deAndria & Co. The company motto was "A splendid collection of Turkish carpets, excellent in style and quality”. Note seal on the back.

This is a large lot of correspondence with envelopes and two postcards (one from France) primarily from John Tibbits to his father, C. E. Dudley Tibbits.  John became a minister in New Hampshire.  Lots of interesting reading.  Postmarks from New Hampshire, New York, Minnesota and France.  See image. Charles Edward Dudley Tibbits, was born at Hoosac, New York, August 18, 1834. He was educated under private tuition at Troy and Hoosac, and later took a course at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy. In 1851 he made his first visit to Europe, crossing the ocean in a sailing vessel. He saw at that time the first International Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in London. This was the first of many voyages. He was largely occupied with the care of his own and of family property. He was president of the Walter A. Wood Mowing & Reaping Machine Company, of Hoosick Falls, from 1892 to 1895, when he resigned, and for a number of years was a director of the company; he is also a director of the United National Bank of Troy. He is a trustee of the Troy Orphan Asylum, and was chairman of the committee which selected the plans for the asylum building on Spring avenue. He was president in 1879 of the Young Men's Association, and is a trustee of the Troy Public Library, which now carries on the work formerly done by that association. As trustee of the library, he chose the design from which the Memorial Library Building on Second street was erected. Mr. Tibbits was chairman of the committee of one hundred citizens who were charged with making arrangements for the public celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the naming of the city of Troy, in January, 1889. Mr. Tibbits married, June 8, 1865, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of John Le Grand and Elizabeth (Sigourney) Knox. She died July 16, 1875. Children: Sarah Bleecker, born November 15, 1866. George, born February 22, 1868, died April 29, 1875. John Knox, born January 13, 1870; educated at St. Paul's School, Concord, New Hampshire; Yale College, B.A., class of 1892; Exeter College, Oxford, England; he is an Episcopal clergyman at Concord, New Hampshire. He married, April 12, 1910, at Montreal, Canada, Marguerite Vinton Harris, daughter of Arthur H. and Saidee (Lambe) Harris, of that city. Dudley, born October 4, 1874, died May 24, 1875.

Neat cover and letter from Amos Wells to his hunting friend John Vernon. Excerpts from his missive are below. Stamp is Scott 11A.

Dear John,

I shouldered my musket yesterday for the first time since I returned home for a sally among the quail and found them contrary to my expectations after what I had heard in Prov quite plenty. If our old friend Sport had been with me, I should have brought home quite a bunch of birds. As it was, with the assistance of old “buck” I bagged three quail and one woodcock in about two hours and knocked down two more quail which I could not find for want of a decent dog. Besides missing a very respectable number of fair shots and had also marked down a fine bevy of quail before me when on accidently shoving my hand into my pocket I discovered the bank keys which I had by mistake carried with me and was in consequence obliged to hasten home with all due speed.

You may wonder what my long prelude is driving at. It is simply that I am very anxious for your company next week and hope to see you here armed and equipped for a renewal of your acquaintance with our No. Kingston quail on Monday next…bring Sport or his substitute if possible and I think I can promise you a good time…

Yours Truly, Amos Wells

There is more content in the letter regarding the usual welfare of family and friends.

Records show that Amos Wells was cashier at the Landholders’ Bank, Kingston.