Handwritten Letter About a Family Death

This letter dated 1848 contains news about the death of the recipient's sister, among other family matters. The writer expresses regret about not attending the funeral due to difficulties traveling with an infant child.

The letter was sent from Connecticut to Michigan, and does not have a stamp attached. However, the lack of a stamp is not unusual for the time, as prepaid postage stamps were only introduced a year earlier in 1847.

The letter is addressed to a Mrs. Bennet and sent by a Harriet Allen.

Background Info:

The United States Postal Service was established in 1775, so by 1848 it was in operation and providing postal services to the public. To send a letter from Connecticut to Michigan in 1848, the sender would have needed to pay 10 cents in postage fees (about $3.76 in 2023 dollars).

Like today’s mail, the letter would be taken to a local post office for processing and delivery. From there, it would be transported via horseback, stagecoach, or railway to its destination, which could take several days or weeks depending on the distance and mode of transportation. Despite these challenges, the postal service played a crucial role in connecting people and communities across the country in the 1800s.

A signed Certificate of Authenticity will accompany your purchase, as well as an archival grade document holder with UV protection. You will receive the exact item shown in the photos above.