Wiltsee Collection Panels 91 – 100
Panel 91
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Reynolds and Co.’s Express.
No. 523
Sent by mail to Stockton and taken by Reynolds and Co. Express to Thomas L. Harris in Sonora, California. Angevine Reynolds was one of the early rivals of A. H. Todd, the first recorded expressman in California. He started operating in January 1850, running from Stockton to the southern mines. He later operated out of Sacramento and connected with Dodge and Co. to the East Coast. On Oct. 8, 1851, Reynolds joined Todd to form Reynolds, Todd and Co. Express.
No. 524
Sent from Mokelumne Hill to Stockton by Reynolds and Co. Express and forwarded by Gregory Express to Gov. McDougal in Vallejo, California.
No. 525
Sent from Mokelumne Hill in September 1851 to Stockton and forwarded by Gregory Express to Gov. McDougal in Vallejo, California.
No. 526
Sent from Sacramento to John Haines in Stockton, but delivered to him by Reynolds and Co. Express in Sonora, California. Inside is a letter dated January 6, 1851 from Oakland Ranch, California.
Photograph of the old hotel in Mokelumne Hill, California, 1930s.
Panel 92
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Reynolds and Co.’s Express, Reynolds Todd and Co.’s Express, Reinkings Coast Express, and Ritner’s Salmon River Express.
No. 527
Sent from New Bedford to Walter S. Rounsewell in Stockton, and then probably forwarded by Reynolds and Co. Express to Sonora.
No. 528
Sent by Reynolds and Co.’s Express from Sonora to John De P. Teller in San Francisco, California. This letter accompanied two shipments of gold dust valued at $1186 and $1594.
No. 529
Sent by Reynolds Todd and Co.’s Express from Sonora to John De P. Teller in San Francisco, California. A shipment of gold accompanied this letter with a 1% transportation fee.
No. 529A
Sent by Reynolds Todd and Co.’s Express from San Francisco to Pilsbury “Chips” Hodgkins in Sonora, California. Inside is a letter dated March 19, 1852 from George N. Cheever.
No. 530
Sent November 8, 1861, from Smith’s Ranch to Joey Pilkington in Olema, California. Reinkings Coast Express ran between Fort Ross, Tomales Bay, and North Marin County points, collecting and delivering letters to the U.S. Mail, in this case at Smith’s Ranch.
No. 531
Taken by Ritner’s Salmon River Express from Salmon River to Shasta and from there by mail to A. Budelmann in Brinkum, near Bremen, Germany. Ritner’s Express operated from 1853 to 1858.
Photograph of Sawyer’s Bar at Salmon River, California, 1930s.
Panel 93
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Rhodes and Lusk’s Express, Rhodes and Co. Express, and Rhodes and Whitney’s Express.
No. 532
Sent from Yreka by Rhodes and Lusk’s Express and forwarded by Wells Fargo to Tandler and Co. in San Francisco, California. Rhodes and Lusk’s Express ran from Weaverville and Yreka to Shasta in 1852 and 1854.
No. 533
Sent from Weaverville by Rhodes and Co. Express and forwarded by Wells Fargo to Tandler and Co. in San Francisco, California.
No. 534
Sent from Yreka by Rhodes and Whitney’s Express and forwarded by Wells Fargo to Tandler and Co. in San Francisco, California.
No. 535
Sent from Weaverville by Rhodes and Whitney’s Express and forwarded by Wells Fargo to Tandler and Co. in San Francisco, California.
No. 536
Sent to J. Webb Nicholson in Downieville, California. Taken from Yreka to Shasta by Rhodes and Whitney’s Express and from Shasta to Marysville by Wells Fargo. Langton’s Pioneer Express delivered it from Marysville to Downieville, where it arrived Sept. 19, 1855.
Photograph of Happy Camp, California, 1930s.
Photograph of Orleans Bar, California, 1930s.
Panel 94
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Rockfellow and Co.’s Express.
No. 537
Sent to David P. Wallrod in Ashland, Oregon. Taken by Rockfellow and Co. Express which operated from Walla Walla to John Day Country in Oregon. Forwarded by Wells Fargo, who later bought Rockfellow and Co. Express.
No. 538
Sent from Placerville, Idaho, to L. D. Latimer in Santa Rosa, California. Contains a frank for Rockfellow and Co.’s Express and a handstamp from Wells Fargo in Placerville, Idaho.
No. 539
Sent from A. L. Howell in Placerville, Idaho, to S. Marks and Co. in Roseburg, Oregon. Contains a frank for Rockfellow and Co.’s Express and a handstamp from Wells Fargo in Walla Walla.
Photograph of the State House in Bannack City, the first capitol of Montana, 1930s.
Panel 95
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by F. Rumrill and Co.’s Express.
No. 540
Sent to Miss H. F. Johnson in Brownsmith, Ohio. Taken from Camptonville to Marysville, California, by F. Rumrill and Co.’s Express. Frank Rumrill, a former agent of Gregory’s Express in Marysville, started his own express between Marysville, Downieville, and surrounding points. Rumrill sold the company in 1855, and went east to get married.
No. 540A
Sent to James H. Haun in Marysville, California. Sent from Georgetown, Kentucky, in 1854. Taken part of the way by F. Rumrill and Co.’s Express.
No. 541
Sent from Georgetown, Kentucky, and picked up in Marysville, California, by F. Rumrill and Co.’s Express and delivered to James H. Haun at Nelson Creek.
No. 542
Addressed to Ferdinand McCann in Downieville, and forwarded by F. Rumrill and Co.’s Express to Marysville, California. Inside is a letter dated November 12, 1853, from William and Mary Purdy in Coldwater, Michigan.
No. 543
Taken by F. Rumrill and Co.’s Express from Forest City to the County Clerk in Downieville, California.
Photograph of the Orleva House on the La Porte Road.
Panel 96
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by W. H. Robinson Express, Robinson and Co.’s Express, San Francisco City Dispatch Post, and Reynolds and Co.’s Express.
No. 544
Sent from Schenectady, New York, to Dudley Emerson Jones in Sacramento, California. Delivered by W. H. Robinson Express to Jones in Murphy’s Camp. Although W. H. Robinson called himself an “Express Agent” he was in reality an Express Company, handling mail, packages, and bullion.
No. 545
Unused cover with a frank for Robinson and Co.’s Express which ran from Sacramento to Murphy’s Camp, California.
No. 545A
Sent from Benicia to John Mc Henry in San Francisco, California. Inside is a letter dated October 31, 1851 from Benicia. Taken by San Francisco City Dispatch Post.
No. 545B
Sent to Charles W. Larrabee in San Francisco, California. Taken by Reynolds and Co.’s Express, which operated throughout the southern mines.
Photograph of Murphy’s old store in Murphy’s Camp, California, 1930s.
Panel 97
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Rundell and Co.’s Express, Sacramento River Express, River Express, Schoch’s Copper City Express, and Sanderson and Co.’s California and Oregon Coast Overland Mail Co.
No. 546
Sent from John Day Country to Thomas Kincaid in Eugene City, Oregon, by Rundell and Co.’s Express, which ran in 1864 from the Dalles to the John Day Country, Oregon. It succeeded Rundell and Jones’ Express who had in turn bought out Brents and Nelson’s Express on June 6, 1863.
No. 547
Sent to John Goodwin in Quincy, California. Taken by the Sacramento River Express, which operated from San Francisco to various points up the Sacramento River to Quincy.
No. 548
Sent to Wagner Bradford in San Francisco, California. Taken by River Express, which operated from San Francisco to points along the Sacramento River.
No. 549
Sent from Copper City to Miss Ella F. Gage in Shasta, California. Taken by Schoch’s Copper City Express, which operated in Copper City and Shasta County.
No. 550
Sent from Yreka to Mrs. H. H. Baurns in Berryvale, California. Taken by Sanderson and Co.’s California and Oregon Coast Overland Mail, which operated on the California and Oregon Stage Company’s line.
Photograph of Ono, California, 1930s.
Panel 98
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by W. E. Singer and Co.’s Express.
No. 551
Sent from Georgetown, Kentucky, and addressed to James H. Haun in Yuba City, California. Picked up by Singer and Co.’s Express at Marysville and delivered to James Haun, probably at Nelson’s Creek. W. E. Singer started his express company in 1853 or 1854, and operated from Marysville to all points on the Feather River. After the failure of Adams and Co.’s Express, Singer and Co. connected with Wells Fargo. It joined with another express in 1856 to become Singer and Morrow’s Express.
No. 552
Sent by mail from Georgetown, Kentucky, and addressed to James H. Haun in Marysville, California. Forwarded by Singer and Co.’s Express at Marysville and delivered to James Haun elsewhere.
No. 553
Sent to Thomas Bowman in Marysville, California. One of the earliest collections on record. W. S. Dean employed Singer and Co. to collect $35.50 from Thomas Bowman. Dean then delivered the money to Wells Fargo at Marysville. Displayed here is the itemized bill sent with this cover.
Photograph of the Woodleaf Hotel in Woodleaf, California, on the La Porte Road, 1930s.
Panel 99
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Saunders and Co.’s Placerville and Carson Valley Express, Stelle’s Express, Stelle’s Daily Express, and Swart and Co.’s Express.
No. 554
The address has been lost from this cover. Contains franks for Wells Fargo and Saunders and Co.’s Placerville and Carson Valley Express. This unknown and unadvertised express company ran from Placerville and Carson Valley before the Virginia City “boom”. It probably followed the route used by Theo T. Tracy in the summer of 1857; consequently it probably ran in 1858.
No. 555
Sent by Stelle’s Express from Hornitos to Mokelumne Hill, where it was mailed to David Roberson in Volcano, California. Inside is a letter dated November 18, 1854, from Mary and N. R. Huges in Hornitos. Steele’s Express ran between Stockton and Mariposa County points in 1854 and 1855. It connected with Wells Fargo at Stockton.
No. 556
Sent from San Francisco to Nevada City, and then by Stiles’ Daily Express to some point along his route, which ran from Nevada City to Forest City and also from Nevada City to Iowa Hill in 1855. Letter addressed to “Mrs. Sinclair” or Catherine Sinclair, the divorced wife of Edwin Forrest.
No. 557
Although the name on this cover has faded, the destination is still visible—San Leandro, California. Taken by Swart and Co.’s Express, the second Contra Costa County express in the series: Almy and Co.’s Express, Swart and Co.’s Express, Herre and Co.’s Express, Hoag and Co.’s Express, and Bamber and Co.’s Express. It advertised in July, 1854.
Photograph of a street scene in Hornitos, California, 1930s.
Photograph of the old hotel in Hornitos, California, 1930s.
Panel 100
Wells Fargo worked with other express companies to deliver letters. These letters were sent by Spokane and Salmon River Stage Line, Swift and Co.’s Express, Grant I. Taggart’s Shasta and Weaverville Express, and Swift’s City Express.
No. 558
Unused cover with a frank for the Spokane and Salmon River Stage Line.
No. 559
Sent from Santa Rosa to D. McKay in San Francisco, California. Taken by Swift and Co.’s Express, which ran from San Francisco to Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and intermediate points in 1854-1857.
No. 560
Unused cover with a frank for the Grant I. Taggart’s Shasta and Weaverville Express, which operated between Weaverville and Shasta in 1868-1871.
No. 561
Sent from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to John C. Hewlett in San Francisco, California. Taken by Swift’s City Express, which probably operated as an adjunct of Swift and Co.’s Express. On the reverse is a paster for the Davenport and Mason’s New Bedford and New York Express.
Photograph of Igo, California, 1930s.
