MGJ Postal History

Clean first flight cover with double circle postmarks. Unusual for this cover as roller postmarks were used for most covers.

This lot contains three items. First, a pink American Tract Society business envelope with a cachet and Boston postmark with pie wedge cancel on a Scott #65 stamp. It is opened roughly at the top and has no back flap. Second is a letter on ATS stationery from Henry Hill, ATS treasurer offering to pay Taunton Bank director Lovett Morse interest due on a building loan to his son if Morse will forego foreclosure proceedings. Third is the reply from Morse, explaining his position in the matter and setting down reasons for his decision whether or not to accept Hill’s “proposition”. The winner of the lot gets all the details. Very interesting reading.

Lovett Morse was a director of the Taunton National Bank as well as a director of the Taunton Gas-Light Company. Born in Taunton, on February 25, 1810, he married Sally Morse and they had five children.

Henry Hill – 1795-1892 – Born in Newburgh, NY. In 1809 he became clerk for Hill & Smith, 100 Wall Street, New York City. In 1817 he went on business to Chili acting as U. S. Counsel for Valparaiso and Santiago. He was treasurer of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions from 1822 to 1854 for 11 years was a member of its Prudential Committee. He was treasurer of the American Tract Society, Boston, for nine years.

The American Tract Society (ATS) is a nonprofit, nonsectarian but evangelical organization founded on May 11, 1825 in New York City for the purpose of publishing and disseminating Christian literature. ATS traces its lineage back through the New York Tract Society (1812) and the New England Tract Society (1814) to the Religious Tract Society of London, begun in 1799. Over the years, ATS has produced and distributed many millions of pieces of literature.

Cover in excellent condition. Light red Sanbornton Bridge postmark. Three good margins and almost good at bottom as well.

Full postmark and red numeral 5 rate mark on this stampless folded letter from D. B. Clarke to Philadelphia. No content in letter. Joseph Oat Corporation (originally Joseph Oat and Sons) is the oldest continuously operating industrial fabrication business in the United States. Founded in 1788 in historic Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it was likely patronized by the U.S. founding fathers on their sojourns through narrow cobblestone streets. Started by Jesse Oat, the company sold copper works such as kettles and utensils, competing with other craftsmen including Paul Revere. Jesse’s son Joseph continued in his father’s footsteps adding brass and sheet-iron work to the product offering. Exquisite copper plates and lamps became the company’s forte. They also built stills, steam engine boilers, and pressure vessels for soda water bottlers. Ownership of Joseph Oat and Sons remained in the Oat family until the late 1800’s, when the business was sold to their accountant. In 1966, the business was acquired by its current owners, and the name changed to Joseph Oat Corporation. The business rapidly expanded and moved from its quaint 10,000 sq. ft. Philadelphia location to its current sprawling complex along the Delaware River in Camden, New Jersey. While there is no content in the folded letter, docketing indicates it was from D. B. Clarke, Washington.  Clarke was an author and created a tome on the architecture of Washington buildings.  Perhaps the original content had something to do with copper finishings Oat and Sons had provided to some of the buildings.