Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc.

EXTREMELY FINE. THE UNIQUE ARTIFACT ESTABLISHING THE EXISTENCE OF MAC & CO.'S ONE CENT DISPATCH -- A BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, LOCAL POST THAT BROUGHT MAIL TO THE MORRISVILLE POST OFFICE.

Since the discovery of this Mac & Co. cover, circa 1910, almost nothing has been learned about the post, nor have any advertisements or other examples been found. The cover offered here was owned by Ferrary, Caspary, Lilly and Middendorf, yet in sale catalogues for these major collections, only passing mention was made of the enclosed letter, which establishes the date and nature of Mac & Co.'s post. The letter is written from a lady who signs her name "Mary W. C.", to Dr. Meredith Clymer, grandson of the Signer of the Declaration of Independence and a respected medical professor at the University of New York (source: Appleton's), whom she addresses as "My dear Meredith". Mary explicitly details the relationship of her location to the neighboring town of Morrisville, located in lower Bucks County, Pennsylvania. In planning for Dr. Clymer's visit to her home, Mary describes the railroad line from New York City that passes through Trenton (across the Delaware River) and Morrisville, and she refers to a regular stage service (carrying mail) between Morrisville and her home town. So significant is the content of this letter in establishing the authenticity of the Mac & Co. local that we have transcribed and analyzed relevant sections below.

There are two pieces of information in Mary's letter that give us the exact date and likely origin. The dateline is "Saturday night, May 20th". No year is written, but May 20th fell on a Saturday only once between 1851 and 1860. The year was 1854, which fits with the 3c Red Nesbitt die type on this envelope (issued June 1853). Mary also provides a virtual road map to the origin point of the letter. Hoping for a visit from Dr. Clymer, she provides detailed information about railroad stops and schedules: "I think the best line for you is the one leaving N.Y. at I believe 4 P.M. It is the Relief line. It passes through Morrisville, about half past 6, where you could be let out. The early train leaving N.Y. at 7 reaches Morrisville before 10. The intermediate line which passes through about half past one P.M. brings the mail but does not land passengers nearer than Trenton. As this line is then out of the question & the early one most probably too early for you, I think the late one the best. Get out at Morrisville & if you have given us sufficient notice you will find the wagon ready to bring you down some two and a quarter miles. We do not always send to the P. Office every day & therefore to secure a drive in one conveyance you must give a suitable notice." Looking at a map of the lower portion of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, "down two and a quarter miles" from Morrisville leads precisely to Fallsington, an historic stagecoach village with a Quaker community. Dr. Clymer's grandfather, George Clymer (Signer), was buried at Morrisville.

Additional first-hand information concerning the mails between Mary's town and Morrisville is provided toward the end of the letter. Mary writes: "I am writing now so that if I go to Church tomorrow I may hand this to someone to mail in Trenton, for I cannot send up in time on Monday morning as the mail closes before 9 O'clock." The Morrisville postmark date on Monday, May 22, tells the rest of the story after Mary sealed her envelope. Obviously, she did not find someone at church on Sunday morning to take her letter to Trenton, and it waited until early Monday morning to be carried to Morrisville. Her concern about making the early mail may have caused her to affix the Mac & Co. stamp and drop the letter into a box for Monday morning pick-up.

Based on the letter and usage, it seems likely that Mac & Co. provided a service comparable to the Glen Haven Daily Mail, Westtown or Hopedale posts by carrying mail to a neighboring post office. Fallsington may have been among several communities serviced by Mac & Co. Further research may prove (or disprove) our analysis.

The Scott Catalogue has never listed the Mac & Co. local stamp, but the evidence at hand weighs heavily in favor of future listing. In 1990 the Philatelic Foundation issued a certificate declaring the item genuine, paving the way for Scott recognition after nearly a century.

Ex Ferrary, Caspary, Lilly and Middendorf. With 1990 P.F. certificate (Image)