1842 Goshen, NY stampless WRITTEN ABOARD STEAMSHIP, Long Awesome Letter !!!

Pricing & History

Sold for
Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
Sold Date
Source eBay

Postal History This is an extremely LONG and well written stampless folded letter written in 1842 aboard a steamboat as the writer traveled between New York City and Goshen, NY. The letter was postmarked in Goshen and sent to Marshall, Michigan. Full Transcript and research notes below! Letter fully intact and in great shape. A Nice find indeed. Thomas Masters (1781-1844) was born in London, England, to Thomas Masters, Sr., and Sarah Rowley. He married Isabella Caldwell (1783-1841) of Philadelphia on June 3, 1807. They had eight children, including Martha Caldwell Masters , who married Henry Wyllys Taylor , and Sarah Rowley Masters , who married Jeremiah Wilbur . Thomas Masters worked in the mercantile business for thirteen years before collaborating with his brother-in-law Francis Markoe, Sr. , in 1810 to form the firm of Markoe & Masters. Francis Markoe (1774-1848) was married to Sarah Caldwell . Masters had important business connections in England, as well as in Philadelphia and New York, while Markoe’s business ties were in St. Croix and Philadelphia. Later, after Francis Markoe fell into debt, they formed a new company under the name Masters & Markoe. Masters was the more active and successful partner, eventually shouldering most of the responsibility for the firm. In the early 1840’s, he was elected director of the Bank of the Manhattan Company. Masters died on November 13, 1844. Henry Wyllys Taylor (1796-1888) was born in Deerfield, Massachusetts, to the Reverend John Taylor and Elizabeth Terry. After graduating from Yale University, he was admitted to the bar in 1819 and a year later he opened his own law office in Canandaigua, New York, where he became a prominent attorney and judge. In 1832, he married Martha Caldwell Masters, the daughter of Thomas Masters and Isabella Caldwell. Taylor was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840, and to the Michigan Senate in 1846. He served as a justice of the New York State Supreme Court from 1856-1860. In 1869 he received an honorary law degree from his alma mater Yale. Though the family was rooted in Canandaigua, they lived in Marshall, Michigan between 1840 and 1847, before returning to Canandaigua. [Source: William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan]TRANSCRIPTIONAddressed to Mrs. Taylor, Henry W. Taylor, Esq., Marshall, MichiganNew York, [New York]Wednesday Evening, August 31, 1842Dear Martha,I have been busy writing all day for the Britannia Steamer which leaves Boston tomorrow so that I shall not do much in writing to you tonight. I sent off a letter on Monday afternoon. Yesterday your Uncle & Aunt Markoe returned from Buttonwood very much gratified & your Aunt Sally in fine spirits as well as ever I knew her and quite affectionate and kind to me. I informed you that I intended to leave Anna with Fanny a little while longer with what she seems very much pleased & I wrote to Ann ¹ last week by Jeremiah [Wilbur] -- and she has written me in reply more than a sheet of paper in which the sentiments she has set forth have gratified me exceedingly. I wrote her that the demand of Mr. Tappan ² I thought was enormous but stated I would not grudge the expense if she would improve the opportunity & avail herself of the advantages of it. I will copy a part of her letter if I was to copy all that pleases me, I should copy the whole of it. "If I go to Mr. Tappan, I shall by all means endeavor to improve as much as possible to make myself a fit member of society & to have something to talk about when in company with distinguished individuals. Dear Sister Martha will be with us next summer & how much better able I shall be to appreciate her intellect for now she is so exalted that to touch the hem of her garment is all I dare to do -- not that I am afraid of her -- but my understanding & knowledge compared to hers is so inferior. If I make a prosper of my time I shall be able to converse with & read & understand what she does & she will take more pleasure in my society & aid in my efforts for impr... read more

Items in the Price Guide are obtained exclusively from licensors and partners solely for our members’ research needs.

Flag item for content or copyright

If this item contains incorrect or inappropriate information please contact us here to flag it for review.

If you are the originator/copyright holder of this photo/item and would prefer it be excluded from our community, contact us here for removal.