Little is known about Ford & Co's Express and no advertisements have been found. The few known covers are addressed to, or from, Sacramento and Mormon Gulch and date between August 1850 and September 1851. It has been suggested that the express operated between Sacramento City and Greenwood.
 

Ford & Co's Express Forwarded blue roped oval express company handstamp, well struck, on August 29, (1851) miner's folded letter to Hopkinton, New York, entered the mails with orange red "Sacramento City, Cal Sep 29" datestamp and matching “10” due rate, letter dated simply "California" mentions: "I work for six dollars a day. Bord (sic) is 12 dollars a week so mornings and evenings I chop wood for my bord," small discoloration spot at top edge, three reported examples of this marking, illustrated in Nathan, ex Clifford, Edwards and Straley

(stock #146, $2500)

Robert Francis founded his company in 1859 to operate from La Porte to Quincy via Gibsonville, Onion Valley and Nelson Point. J.S. Rump was taken as a partner in July 1862 and the firm was sold to N.O. Pauley Express in 1864.
 

Francis & Co's Express, Paid printed frank in fancy rectangle on 10c Green Nesbitt entire used to Greenfield, Massachusetts, entered the mails with La Porte Cal. Sep 5, 1860 postmark, indicia pen canceled, cover has been cleaned, two reported examples of this frank, ex Barkhausen

(stock #148, $1000)

Francis' & Co's Express, Paid scalloped bordered, rectangular frank on 10c green 1861 issue entire used to Albany, New York, entered the mails with "Gibsonville Cal Mar 18" postmark and manuscript cancel o indicia, docketed on reverse as answered "July 3," bottom left corner torn away roughly, two reported examples of this frank

(stock #147, $1000)

Freeman & Co's Express (Nov 1850 - Nov 1851)

John M Freeman bought out T. R. Hawley's interest in Hawley's Express on November 11, 1850. The route was between Sacramento City and San Francisco by steamboat with further steamboat service to river offices north to Marysville. Adams Express operated as Freeman's agent and expediter in San Francisco. The express served as a trunk line connecting at Sacramento with Bower's Express for service to Nevada City and with Langton's Express for service to Downieville. After his purchase of Mumby's Express in June 1851, Freeman sold out to Adams & Co on November 8, 1851. After serving as an agent for Adams & Co for several years, he started a new Freeman's Express after Adam's failure in February 1855.
 

Freeman & Co's Express, Forwarded By, Paid, blue oval handstamp well struck on cover to Sacramento City, pencil note of date "Apl 11. 1851" at foot, minor wrinkle, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #149, $250)

Freeman & Co's Express, Forwarded By, Paid, blue oval handstamp well struck on folded cover to Van Voorhies, Secretary of State, at Vallejo, conjunctive use with faint "Forwarded By Todd's Express" double oval at left faintly struck, manuscript 50 cts express rate at top

(stock #150, $300)

A June 15, 1855 newspaper notice announced that John M. Freeman, J. K. Stimson, J. Hoey and Josiah Hedden had purchased all Adams & Co interests in the California express business under the name Freeman & Co. This new firm opened offices in British Columbia in July 1858. The firm was sold to Wells, Fargo in April 1860.
 

Freeman & Co's Express Paid pair of covers to same addressee in San Francisco with large billboard frank listing their world-wide offices and additional text with list of their California offices, the first is a non-government cover docketed as received Aug 20, 1856, the second is the same frank imprinted on a 3c red Nesbitt entire docketed as received on August 29, 1856, first cover discolored and second with edge faults at right, the only reported examples of this frank, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #151 and #152, $2500)

Freeman & Co's California, Atlantic States and European Express, Paid rectangular box printed frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to Victoria, Vancouver Island, red oval "Freeman & Co Express" handstamp and docketed in pencil "3 Letters Recd per (steamer) Panama, Aug 9/58," minor edge faults, fewer than ten reported examples of this frank which seems to have been used primarily, if not solely, on the Victoria - San Francisco route, an early use to Victoria following the Fraser River gold discoveries

(stock #153, $1250)

Freeman & Co's Express Paid red scroll frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire with San Francisco address imprinted in same color, blue oval Freeman & Co Marysville Sep 1 datestamp, ex Dale - Lichtenstein

(stock #154, $250)

Freeman & Co's Express Paid red scroll frank on 3c red Nesbitt entire used to San Francisco, bold "Freeman & Co Express Shasta" oval handstamp, minor edge tear at top

(stock #155, $450)

Freeman & Co's Express Paid green scroll frank, different text at foot of scroll, on 10c green Nesbitt entire used to Washington, D.C., blue "Freeman & Co Express Healdsburg" oval handstamp, endorsed by sender "Overland Mail" at lower left, entered the mails with San Francisco Cal Aug 26 1859 postmark, address partially eradicated

(stock #156, $500)

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