Rare 1808 Ft Adams, Mississippi Stampless Military & Plantation Letter - Wow For Sale

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Extraordinary and valuable 1808 MISSISSIPPI postal

history find here!

This STAMPLESS FOLDED LETTER letter was written by Capt. Moses Hook, First U. S. Army, to Henry Dearborn, the Secretary of War at Washington D. C. It acknowledges the receipt and acceptance of a previous letter sent to the Secretary requesting his retirement from military service and, at the same time, requests the discharge of private Edward Cossgrove who has served as his personal waiter.

Hook wrote the letter from his plantation located between the towns of Woodville and Pond in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. We know from the letter, written in 1808, that Hook called his plantation "Woodstock." Hook owned lands in both Mississippi and Louisiana. It appears that Hook later named this plantation "Salisbury" in honor of his birthplace in Salisbury Township, Massachusetts.

The home that Hook built on this plantation three years later (1811) eventually became known as the Salisbury-Shepherd House and is historically significant because it is the oldest documented residence in Mississippi featuring detached columns with a recessed gallery.

Capt. Moses Hook (1780-1821) was the son of Francis and Mary White (Rand) Hook of Salisbury, Essex County, Massachusetts.

See portrait of Capt Hook in the following link!

Henry Dearborn (1751-1829) was an American physician, a statesman and a veteran of both the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. He served as Thomas Jefferson's Secretary of War from 1801-1809.

Postmark is a rare F ADAMS straightline black which lists for $750 in the ASCC catalog. The rate mark is a manuscript 25 cents.

Condition: The letter is in two pieces - split down the center. There are some small pieces of archival tape at various points to hold it together. Most letters from the south (this early) have these splits due to the humidity. It is rather astounding this letter still exists in this decent condition!

We do have a reserve price on this sale - which is extremely fair given the rarity of this find !

FULL TRANSCRIPTION as follows:

TRANSCRIPTION
Addressed to Hon'ble Henry Dearborn, Secretary at War, Washington City

Woodstock plantation,
February 26th 1808

Sir,

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd of December last permitting me to retire from the Army of the United States. I now take the liberty to request feeling myself justified by precedent as well as presuming on your goodness, the discharge of Edward Cossgrove -- a private soldier in my late company & my waiter. This man has about eighteen months to serve, has been attached to my person since the time of his enlistment and is unfit for any other service. He is anxious to remain with me & if Sir, you should deem it compatible with the interests of the service, you will confer an obligation on me by granting him his discharge.

I have the honor to be with great respect, Sir, your obedient servant, -- M. Hook

$2.00 postage in the United States, and only $3.00elsewhere.

I accept payments from anyone with a credit card at PayPal - always FREE!

This item has been shown 95 times. Rare 1808 Ft Adams, Mississippi Stampless Military & Plantation Letter - Wow : $395