#5735

Inbound 1847 Issue Cover to Minnesota Territory, July 5 1849 folded letter with integral address leaf addressed to Capt. Alexander Wilkins at St. Paul, Minnesota Territory franked by 10c Black (#2), large margins to just touching frame line at upper right, tied by red Goshen, N.Y. datestamp, postmark repeated at left and straightline "PAID" handstamp, very fine, the only reported example. Alexander Wilkin, to whom the cover is addressed, came to St. Paul, following his service as a captain in the Mexican war, in 1849. At various times he was engaged in a law practice and at one time was the U.S. Marshall for Minnesota. In 1851 to 1853 he was secretary of the territory and in 1855 he went to the Crimea to study the Crimean War. In 1861 he organized the first company of the First Minnesota regiment and in 1862 he became the colonel of the Ninth Minnesota in the Civil War. Wilkin was killed in the battle of Tupelo, Mississippi on July 14, 1864. Wilkin County was named for Alexander Wilkin.

Shreves sale 121, lot 1072 realized 1000

Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries, Inc. sale 1023 lot 2261 realized 700

Robert G Kaufmann sale 66 (Hart) lot 184 realized 3250

Alexander listed as 7/6/49

Schuyler J Rumsey sale 81 lot 522 unsold

PF 504570
2 1847 10¢ black
SINGLE, RED CORK CANCEL, MATCHING "GOSHEN N.Y. JUL. 6" CIRCULAR DATESTAMP AND "PAID" HANDSTAMP ON 1849 FOLDED LETTER TO ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA TERRITORY.
AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT
IT IS A GENUINE USAGE