Pony Express Cover Census

Pony Census

Eastbound Trips - Second Period

August 15, 1860 to April 14, 1861 (#E13 to #E66)

The First Phase, Second Rate Period

The second rate period of the Pony Express began in St. Joseph on July 31, 1860 when William Russell sent notice to his agents of a new reduced rate of $2.50 for a quarter ounce letter. Pony Express rates were now to be calculated in quarter ounce increments rather than half ounce increments; the $5 cost for a one half ounce letter was continued. News of the rate reduction did not appear in San Francisco newspapers until August 15. The period ended when a reduced rate of $2 per half ounce was introduced.

Pony Express markings used in Second Rate Period on eastbound mail

SF-RP SF-COCPP SJ-RP SJ-COCPP

SAC-PE SJ-COCPP/PE

Post Office entry postmarks used in Second Rate Period on eastbound mail

SJ1

SJ2

SJ

The Census of Known Covers

Thumbnail

Cover

Trip

Pony

franking

P. O.

franking

Address

Notes

#E13

#ET-23

AUG 18
SF-RP

bkst
AUG 30
SJ-RP

no pony franking

AUG 31 1860
SJ1

#35
10c green

Lincoln

Springfield, IL

(back here)

#E14

#ET-23

AUG 19
ms Placerville

AUG 30
SJ-RP

ms Paid $2.50

APR 13 1860
SJ1

#U16
10c Nesbitt

Robbins

Fredonia, NY

Aug 18 trip agent endorsement

(back here)

#E15

#ET-24

AUG 22
SF-RP

SEP 2
SJ-RP
no pony franking

SEP 3 1860
SJ1

#35
10c green

Patton

Covington, KY

(back here)

#E16

#ET-25

AUG 25
SF-RP

SEP 6
SJ-RP
ms 1/2

SEP 6 1860
SJ1

#35
10c green

Ross

Boston, MA

(back here)

#E17

#ET-25

AUG 31
ms Ft. Bridger

SEP 6
SJ-RP
ms Paid $7.50

SEP 6 1860
SJ1

#26 (2)
3c dull red

Cumming

Augusta, GA

Aug 25 trip agent endorsement

triple rate

#E18

#ET-27

none

SEP 13
SJ-COCPP
ms 1/2

SEP 14 1860
SJ1

#35
10c green

Greenwood

Washington, DC

Sep 1 trip

San Francisco origin

(back here)

#E19

#ET-30

way SEP 12 trip

SEP 23
SJ-COCPP

ms $2.50 Paid

SEP 23 1860SJ1

stamp not original

Foulke

Lyons, IA (forwarded)

SEP 13
WF SAC bkst

#E20

#ET-31

way SEP 15 trip

SEP (2)6
SJ-COCPP

Paid COPEC

SEP 27 1860
SJ1

#U18
10c Nesbitt

Field

Utica, NY

#E20A

#ET-33

SEP 22
SF-RP

OCT 3
SJ-COCPP

ms Via Pony

OCT 4 1860
SJ1

#U18
10c Nesbitt

Van Valer

N. Haverstraw, NY

#E21

#ET-35

SEP 29
SF-RP

OCT 10
SJ-COCPP

OCT 11 1860
SJ1

#U16
10c Nesbitt

Beers

New York, NY

#E22

#ET-35

SEP 29
SF-RP

OCT 10
SJ-COCPP

OCT 11 1860
SJ1

#35
10c green

Kelly

New York, NY

#E23

#ET-35

Carson City SEP 30/60

OCT 10
SJ-COCPP

Paid $2.50
COPEC

OCT 11 1860
SJ1

#U18
10c Nesbitt

Avery

Cooper's Mills, ME

Sep 29 trip agent endorsed

#E24

#ET-37

OCT 6
SF-RP

OCT 13
SJ-COCPP

OCT 4 1860
SJ1

#35
10c green

Kelly

New York, NY

stamp uncanceled

#E24A

#ET-39

OCT 13
SF-RP

OCT 25
SJ-COCPP

OCT 26 1860
SJ2

#35
10c green

Ellis

New York, NY

#E25

#ET-39

way
OCT 13 trip

OCT 25
SJ-COCPP

ms 2.50

OCT 26 1860
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt

Field

Utica, NY

#E26

#ET-40

OCT 17
SF-RP

OCT 29
SJ-COCPP

ms 1/4

OCT 31
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt

Price

New York, NY

#E27

#ET-41

OCT 20
SF-RP

Nov 1
SJ-COCPP

ms 1/2

NOV 2
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt

Herrick

New York, NY

#E28

#ET-41

agent endorsed
Virginia City
OCT 21 ms

ms 2.50
COPEC

NOV 2
SJ2

#U10
3c Nesbitt

Job

Lower Alton, IL
OCT 20 trip

#E29

#ET-42

OCT 24
SF-RP

Nov 5
SJ-COCPP

undated
SF-COCPP

NOV 8
SJ2

#35
10c Green

Vallejo

New York, NY

#E30

#ET-42
agent endorsed
Carson City
OCT 21 ms
Nov 5
SJ-COCPP

ms 2.50
COPEC

NOV 8
SJ2

#U18
10c Nesbitt

Harrington

New Castle, ME
OCT 20 trip

#E31

#ET-42
agent endorsed
Placerville
OCT 25 ms
Nov 5
SJ-COCPP

ms 2.50
COPEC

NOV 8
SJ2

#U18
10c Nesbitt

Bye

Wellsville, OH
OCT 24 trip
letter

#E32

#ET-43

OCT 27
SF-COCPP

Nov 8
SJ-COCPP

NOV 10
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt

Wyman &Co

New York, NY

#E33

#ET-43

OCT 27
SF-COCPP

OCT 27
SF-RP (bkst)

Nov 8
SJ-COCPP
NOV 10
SJ2
#35
10c Green

Catesby Jones

Washington, DC
forwarded with 3c Dull Red Nov 13

(letter here)

#E33A

#ET-43
(Sep 27 San Francisco) carried under cover by Pony Hargous (NY) forwarder
NOV 13
New York

unpaid 15c
Pelle
Bordeaux, France
letter "via Pony Express"

#E34

#ET-44

OCT 31
SF-COCPP

Nov 8
SJ-COCPP
ms 1/4
NOV 10
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Beers
New York, NY

#E35

#ET-45

NOV 3
SF-RP

Nov 15
SJ-COCPP

Paid COPEC

NOV 16
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Wallerstein
New York, NY

#E36

#ET-45

NOV 3
SF-RP

Nov 15
SJ-COCPP
ms 1/4
NOV 16
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Beers
New York, NY

#E37

#ET-46

NOV 7
SF-RP

Nov 19
SJ-COCPP

none

NOV 20
SJ2

#36b
12c Black
Wallerstein
New York, NY

#E38

#ET-46

NOV 7
SF-RP

Nov 19
SJ-COCPP

none

NOV 20
SJ2

#35
10c Green
Watson
Glasgow, Scotland

due 1/-
stagecoach
envelope

(back here)

#E39

#ET-47

NOV 10
SF-RP

Nov 23
SJ-RP bkst

none

NOV 24
SJ2

#36b
12c Black
Schenkberg
New York, NY

#E39A

#ET-47
way
NOV 10 trip
Nov 23
SJ-COCPP

3c stamp over ms 1/4

NOV 24
SJ2

#26
3c Dull Red
White
Whitestown, NY

(back here)

#E40

#ET-50

NOV 21
SF-RP

DEC 3
SJ-COCPP

none

DEC 4
SJ2

#36b
12c Black
Kelly
New York, NY
NOV 21
SF-RP bkst

#E41

#ET-52

NOV 28
SF-RP

DEC 11
SJ-COCPP

undated
SF-COCPP

DEC 12
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
White
Concord, NC

#E42

#ET-52

NOV 28
SF-RP

DEC 11
SJ-COCPP

undated
SF-COCPP

DEC 12
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Booth
New York, NY

#E43

#ET-52

NOV 28
SF-RP

DEC 11
SJ-COCPP

none

DEC 12
SJ2

#35
10c Green
Wallerstein
New York, NY

#E44

#ET-52

NOV 28
SF-RP

DEC 11
SJ-COCPP

undated
SF-COCPP

DEC 12
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Wyman & Co
New York, NY
rec'd Dec 15

#E45

#ET-54
DEC 5
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP
ms 1/2

bkst
(DEC 19
SJ-COCPP/PE)

DEC 21
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Birdseye
New York, NY
bkst presumed

#E46

#ET-54
DEC ?
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP
ms 1/4 oz

ms 1/2

bkst
DEC 23
SJ-COCPP/PE

DEC ?
SJ2

#35
10c Green
Lows & Bro
New York, NY
good scan received Nov 2015, this probably on ET-55 not
E-54

(back here)

#E47

#ET-54
DEC 5
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP

bkst
DEC 19
SJ-COCPP/PE
DEC 21
SJ2
#U16
10c Nesbitt
Schenkberg
New York, NY

(back here)

(before stamp added here)

#E48

#ET-59
DEC 22
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP

bkst
JAN 6
SJ-COCPP/PE
JAN 7
SJ2
stamp missing
Lawton
New York, NY
ms Rec'd Jan 10 1861

#E49

#ET-60
DEC 26
SF-RP
none

bkst
JAN 10
SJ-COCPP/PE

JAN 12
SJ2

#35
10c Green
Crittenden
Madison, IN

(back here)

#E50

#ET-60
DEC 26
SF-RP
ms 1/4

bkst
JAN 10
SJ-COCPP/PE

JAN 12
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Beers
New York, NY
Rec'd Jan 14 1861

(back here)

#E51

#ET-62
JAN 2
SF-RP
ms 1/2 undated
SF-COCPP

bkst
JAN 20
SJ-COCPP/PE

JAN 21
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Hobbs
N. Berwick, ME

#E52

#ET-63
JAN 7
SAC-PE
ms 2.50
COPEC PAID
JAN 22
SJ2
#U10
3c Nesbitt
Crittenden
Madison, IN

#E53

#ET-65
JAN 12
SF-RP
ms 1/4 undated
SF-COCPP

FEB 2
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Shattuck
Brookline, NH

#E54

#ET-68
JAN 23
SF-RP
ms 1/4 undated
SF-COCPP

FEB 11
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Crittenden
Madison, IN

#E55

#ET-69
JAN 26
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP

FEB 15
SJ2

#U16
10c Nesbitt
Crittenden
Sing Sing, NY

#E56

#ET-71
FEB 3
SF-RP
none

FEB 22
SJ2

ms Due 3
Cheesman
Washington, DC
Rec'd Feb 26 1861

#E57

#ET-74
FEB 14
SAC-PE
ms
Pd $2.50
?
SJ2
#U16
10c Nesbitt
Sage
Rochester, NY

#E58

#ET-79
MAR 2
SF-RP
ms 1/4
SF-COCPP
MAR 18
SJ2
#U16
10c Nesbitt
Garwood
Canton, MS

#E59

#ET-79
MAR 2
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP
none
#U16
10c Nesbitt
Cheesman
Washington, DC

#E60

#ET-80
MAR 6
SF-RP
undated
SF-COCPP
MAR 21
SJ2
#35
10c Green
Durand & Co
New York, NY

#E60A

#ET-80
way (March 6 trip)
ms Silver City March 7/61

ms Pony ... via Carson City, Paid $2.50
MAR 21
SJ2
#U16
10c Nesbitt
Brigham
Natick, MA
red WFC frank

(back here)

#E60B

#ET-81

way
MAR 9 trip

Pony check mark

MAR 25
SJ2

stamp torn away

Mrs Greenhow

Washington, DC
(to CSA Spy
Rose Greenhow)
way use
in National Archives
docket Capt Moore Mar 11

#E61

#ET-84
MAR 20
SF-COCPP
ms 1/4

undated
SF-RP
APR 4
SJ2
#U16
10c Nesbitt
Beers
New York, NY
rec'd Apr 7

#E62

#ET-88
APR 4
SAC-PE APR 17
SJ3
#35
10c Green
Rombach
Wilmington, OH

#E63

#ET-91
APR 13
SF-COCPP
undated
SF-RP
APR 26
SJ23
#U18
10c Nesbitt
Stark
New London, CT
red WFC frank

#E64

#ET-91
APR 13
SF-COCPP
undated
SF-RP
APR 26
SJ23
unpaid 24c
Hubback
Liverpool, England
1/- due in England
arv May 13

#E65

#ET-91
APR 13
SF-COCPP
undated
SF-RP
APR 26
SJ3
#35
10c Green
Canfield
New York, NY

#E66

#ET-91
(Placerville)
APR 13 trip
ms Paid $2.50
APR 26
SJ23
#U33
10c star die
Smith
Tuscola, IL
rate in hand of Placerville agent

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Richard Frajola (Jan 2022)

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