US Boston MA 19 MA 1800 Pepperrelborough ME 14½c rate straightline Boston town mark with encircled 19 MA date stamp and SHIP 14½ manuscript on stampless FL. Written by Capt. Samuel Hartley aboard ship Madison at Savannah River to Col. Thomas Cutts.

Summary

• Date Letter Sent: 25 Apr 1800 (postmarked May 19 at Boston)

• Country of Origin: United States

• Country of Destination: United States

• Town Sent From: Savannah River, Georgia (carried by vessel to Boston, Massachusetts)

• Town Sent To: Pepperrelborough, District of Maine (now Saco, Maine; via Biddeford Post Office)

• Distance: Approximately 90 miles (Boston to Pepperrelborough) plus coastal voyage from Savannah

• Significant Philatelic Details: Features a red straightline "BOSTON" town handstamp accompanied by an encircled date stamp reading "19 / MA" (May 19) and a manuscript "Ship 14½" rate marking. Represents the 2-cent ship letter fee added to the 12½-cent inland postage rate (for 80 to 150 miles) under the U.S. Postal Act of 1799.

• Names of Sender and Receiver: Sender: Capt. Samuel Hartley; Receiver: Col. Thomas Cutts, Esq.

• Sociological, Historical, and Genealogical Details: Written aboard the ship Madison anchored in the Savannah River by Captain Samuel Hartley on April 25, 1800, to prominent Maine merchant, shipowner, and American Revolutionary officer Colonel Thomas Cutts (1736–1821) of Pepperrelborough (renamed Saco in 1805). Details maritime cargo for Liverpool including timber, staves, tobacco, cotton, and rice, along with local rum sales and crew wages.

Transcription & Translation

Original Text

[Page 1]

Savannah River Apr. 25, 1800

Colo. Thomas Cutts

Sir

This leaves the Madison ready for sea, with 104M of Timber Superficial & thirty M of Staves 1200 to the thousand, on your Acco[un]t. and 158 Hogsheads of Tobacco, 226 Bags of Cotton, Seven whole & four half Tierces of Rice on freight. The freight of the Tobacco is £4. p[er] Hhd, Cotton 2½ p[er] lb, Rice £5..10 p[er] Ton Sterling with 5 p[er] cent Primage. The rum I Brought here sold very low from 64 to 80 C[en]ts p[er] gallon. I thought it would be better to sell it even for that price then to send it home to you and Draw for money to load the ship & Disbursements, what little money I have left I thought it would not be worth while to send home, therefore I have Paid the People up more wages then I otherwise should. I have not had any letters from you Sence my Arrivel in America. I hope you will write to me in Liverpool and please inform me how my family is–

Your Most Humbl. Servt.

Saml. Hartley

[Address Panel - Page 2]

Thomas Cutts Esqr

Pepperrelborough

Biddeford Post Office

Postal Markings & Routing:

BOSTON

19 / MA

Ship 14½

Made [manuscript routing note]

Docketing on reverse:

Samuel Hartley ap.

1800 in Savannah

Research & Historical Notes

• Sender & Receiver:

  • Receiver: Colonel Thomas Cutts (1736–1821) was one of the most prominent merchants, shipbuilders, and landowners in the District of Maine (then part of Massachusetts). He served as an officer during the Revolutionary War and built a vast commercial empire based on Cutts Island in Pepperrelborough (which was renamed Saco in 1805).

  • Sender: Captain Samuel Hartley, a trusted sea captain commanding Col. Cutts's vessel, the Madison.

• Historical & Maritime Context: Offers a detailed view of early Federal-era transatlantic and coastal trade routes. Capt. Hartley describes taking on cargo in Georgia—including timber, staves, tobacco, cotton, and rice—destined for Liverpool, England, while liquidating cargo (rum) locally to fund vessel disbursements and crew wages before crossing the Atlantic.

• Philatelic Significance: A notable early Federal ship letter showing the combination of a red straightline BOSTON town mark and the circular date stamp ("19 / MA"), along with the manuscript "Ship 14½" rating (12½ cents inland postage for 80–150 miles plus 2 cents ship fee to the master).