Purchased via eBay. Here is what the seller states: This is an original folded "stampless" letter with a small-town New York State postal marking--a "manuscript" cancel, because the town was so small that the postmaster did not find it profitable to purchase a hand-stamp device at his own expense.
The letter IS present. You are purchasing BOTH the letter and the postal markings. The letter has not been separated--it's still here, and pictured.
ONE of the reasons it is collectible is because of the fact that the local postmaster applied postal markings considered appropriate for the letter's journey--namely: The originating town name and a rate. In addition to being collectible because the addressee or the town from which it was sent, it is a collectable item of "postal history" because of the rates, markings usage, the addressee or something that might appeal to the collector.
ANOTHER is the writer, the content and the addressee.
1850 Milford NY 1-page letter from Stephen Estes writing the postmaster at Cassville wanting info on James H. Hungerford.
A transcription:
Milford May 31, 1850
Dear Sir,
Will you have the kindness to inform me if there is a man in your vicinity by the name of James H. Hungerford. If he is in that place you will confer a special frank by dropping a line by mail at your earliest convenience.
Yours Respectfully,
Stephen Estes.
There are two James Hungerfords in Oneida county in 1850-- James Hungerford (UNUS381) and James W. Hungerford (US632). James W. seems to not fit. If the other James isn't the same fellow he might be who Stephen is referencing. It may also be someone else entirely.
Submitted by Richard Hungerford at 2:27 PM on May 18, 2022.