US Petersham MA 21 DEC 18xx to Cornwall Bridge CT. 12½c PAID (80–150 miles). Red Petersham DEC 21 Mass CDS, red PAID, manuscript Paid 12½, wax seal. Stampless FL. To Mr. Pierce. Later family notes on land shares of Amy and Marietta, Pierce Farm.

Summary

• Date sent: 21 December, year not stated (from the postmark). The 12½-cent rate was in use from 1825 until 30 June 1845, so the cover dates from between 1825 and 1844. The style of the Petersham postmark suggests the 1830s or early 1840s.
• Country of origin: United States
• Sent from: Petersham, Massachusetts (Worcester County)
• Sent to: Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut (Litchfield County)
• Distance: about 85 miles in a straight line, roughly 100 miles by post road
• Philatelic details:
  • Red circular datestamp “PETERSHAM DEC 21 Mass.”
  • Red straightline “PAID.”
  • Manuscript “Paid 12½,” the 12½-cent rate for a single letter sent 80–150 miles under the 1825 rate act, prepaid by the sender.
  • Red wax seal remnants.
  • An orange-yellow circular datestamp on the inside sheet, apparently reading “AMHERST DEC 18,” with a faint PAID nearby. These seem to belong to another letter sheet that was folded in with this one, or may be offsets; the reading is tentative.
  • Faint traces of another postmark lower on the inside sheet, not legible.
  • Edge tears and a missing corner.
  • Stampless FL.
• Sender: not named.
• Receiver: Mr. Pierce (first name left blank in the address), of Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut. The second line of the address appears to read “Committee of S. C. Co.,” but the abbreviation is not clear.
• Historical interest:
  • Petersham was a prosperous hill town in the early 19th century, before the Quabbin Reservoir later flooded much of the surrounding area.
  • Cornwall Bridge was a village on the Housatonic River, linked to the iron industry of northwestern Connecticut.
  • The notes inside, written later in pencil and purple indelible pencil, list the fractional shares owned by Amy and Marietta in lots described as the corner house and lot, the lot near the schoolhouse, the ten-acre, twelve-acre, twenty-six-acre, and twenty-acre lots, eighteen acres near Kellogg, one acre north and one acre west of the corner house, and the barn lot. They also record that Amy’s part of the lot near the schoolhouse was sold to Marsh, and one-third of the twelve-acre lot to “Edwa...” A pencil heading reads “Amy’s & Marietta’s share of other lots besides Pierce Farm.” The notes appear to come from the settling of an estate in the Pierce family.
• Genealogical interest: The cover and notes connect a Pierce family of Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut, with Petersham, Massachusetts, and record the land shares of two heirs, Amy and Marietta. They also name the neighbours or buyers Kellogg, Marsh, and “Edwa...” (perhaps Edwards).

Transcription

Address panel:

PAID
Paid 12½
Mr. — Pierce
Committee (reading tentative) of S. C. Co. (reading uncertain)
Cornwall Bridge
Ct.

Later notes inside (purple indelible pencil, laid out as a table):

Lot	Amy	Marietta	?	Total
Corner house & Lot	2/7	2/7	1/7 (reading uncertain)	= 3/7 (as written)
Lot near School House	10/35 (or 9/35)	8/35	—	= 17/35
Ten acre Lot	2/5 (or 1/5)	1/5	—	= 2/5
Twelve acre Lot	1/4	1/4	—	= 1/2
Twenty six acre Lot	5/18 (altered to 10/35?)	8/35	—	= 17/35
Twenty acre Lot	10/35	8/35	—	= 17/35
18 acres near Kellogg	1/3	—	—	= 2/3
1 acre N. Corner House	1/3
1 acre W. Corner House	4/18 (altered)	4/18 — Mr. S. 7/18 (reading uncertain)	E. 3/18
Barn Lot	—	— whole

Amy’s part of Lot near School House sold to Marsh
Amy’s 1/3 of 12 acre lot sold to Edwa... (word incomplete)

Pencil note:

Amy’s & Marietta’s share of other lots besides Pierce Farm