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Western Expresses Alphabetically
Western Expresses
English’s Express – Mar, 1864 to Feb, 1866
Joseph Randall English was the proprietor of English’s Express, having purchased the route from Nevada City to Washington, Omega, and other points on the Washington Ridge from J. S. Dewey Mar 1, 1864. He connected with Wells, Fargo & Co. in Nevada City. In July, 1865 he expanded his route to the Bear Valley region (South Fork of the Yuba River) at which point he connected with Organ & Tibbetts Express. J. R. English operated his express until Feb, 1866 when he sold out to Robert Wallace Latta, who ran Latta’s Mountain Express over the same route. English then purchased Jeremiah G. Philip’s interest in Philip & Gregory’s Express and joined with John S. Gregory to form Gregory & English’s Express.
By English’s Express PAID in their franked envelope to Nevada; by Wells Fargo & Co. Nevada Apr 19 [1864 or 1865] to Folsom. The notation at the lower left states “Ling Lee is a China man.” This rebacked front is the only known example of any usage from English’s Express.
Articles from the Nevada City Daily Transcript announcing the establishment of English’s Express on Mar 1, 1864 (left) and sale on Feb 28, 1866 (right)
Western Expresses
Estill & Co – June, 1850 to August, 1850
Colonel James M. Estill made a single round-trip on the Oregon-to-California Trail between Weston, Missouri and Pacific Spring, in the Sweetwater River Valley of present day Wyoming. His idea was to promote a transcontinental express service in lieu of the US mail by collecting the mail along the emigrant trail for a fee of 50¢ per letter. Estill reportedly deposited 4000 letters into the US mail system at Weston, Missouri on Aug 16, 1850. Only a handful of Estill Express covers are known to survive, all sent collect 10¢.
By Estills & Co Express from along the overland trail to Weston, Mo. Aug 16 (1850) with their red postmark and red 10 (due) for delivery to Iowa. June 19 – 50 pencil docket on verso probably indicates the dateline of the letter that was once enclosed; Received August 26th 1850 in manuscript on verso reveals rather lengthy ten day delivery from Weston, Missouri to Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Western Expresses
Estill & Co – June, 1850 to August, 1850
St. Louis Daily Missouri Republican
May 7, 1850
Salt Lake City Deseret News Jul 15, 1850
Salt Lake City Deseret News
Jul 20, 1850
Salt Lake City Deseret News
Jul 24, 1850
Salt Lake City Deseret News Jul 27, 1850
St. Louis Daily Missouri Republican
Aug 9, 1850
Western Expresses
Eureka Express – 1870 to 1893
Eureka Express operated between the north and south forks of the Yuba River from a base at North Bloomfield, serving the Eureka Mining area. They connected with Wells Fargo at Nevada City and North San Juan.
- By Eureka Express Co. PAID in their Type 1 franked envelope; exchanged with Wells Fargo Nevada Apr 30 for delivery to North San Juan, Cal.
- PAID Eureka Express in their Type 2 franked envelope; exchanged with Wells Fargo Nevada Nov xx for delivery to San Francisco.
- PAID Eureka Express in their Type 3 franked envelope; by post office Nevada City, Cal Oct 2, 1894 to North Bloomfield, Cal.
Western Expresses
Eureka Express – 1870 to 1893
By Eureka Express Co. No. Bloomfield to Mohawk Valley, Cal. Carried entirely outside the mails by Eureka Express Company.
Eureka Stage and Express Line advertisement from the 1877 Business Directory of San Francisco and Principal Mining Towns of California and Nevada.
Western Expresses
Eureka, Rohnerville & Hydesville Express – Feb, 1871 to Feb, 1873
Bullard & Sweasey were blacksmiths and in the livery business in Hydesville according to an 1878 business directory. Prior to that, they ran “Bullard & Sweasey’s Hydesville and Eureka U.S. Mail and Express Line” between Eureka and Hydesville, with intermediate stops at Table Bluff, Eel River and Rohnerville. Based on known advertisements, their express operated at least from Feb, 1871 to Feb, 1873.
By Eureka, Rohnerville & Hydesville Express Bullard & Sweasey Proprietors, to Eureka; entered the mails with Eureka, Cal Oct 1 (1871 or 1872) postmark for delivery to San Francisco.
First advertisement (at left) from the Eureka West Coast Signal of Feb 15, 1871, superseded by the updated ad (right) which ran from Dec 6, 1871 through Feb 26, 1873.
Western Expresses
The Frank D. Everts Expresses – 1850 to 1862
Frank Darwin Everts operated Everts & Co’s Express from the Central House Ranch, about 12 miles northeast of Marysville. He served the Gibsonville Ridge region and parts of Sierra County north of the North Fork of the Yuba River and south of the South Fork of the Feather River. By Oct, 1850, he was associated with Solomon Walbridge and David Martin, the “& Co” of the company. In September of 1851, the Central House Ranch building was destroyed by fire and all of Everts’ mail listings were lost. The office was moved to the Eli Lester Rabbit Creek House at Rabbit Creek (renamed Rabbit Town and finally La Porte in Oct, 1857). It is not known when Everts association with Walbridge and Martin ended. But, in March, 1852 the earliest advertisement for Everts, Snell & Co. Express appeared in the Marysville Herald, indicating his partnership with John A. Snell. Various other partnerships followed until on Sep 1, 1862 the routes and possibly all of the express business were sold to Holland, Morley & Co.
Frank D. Everts had numerous business partners during his time in the express business:
| Everts & Co. (with Walbridge & Martin) | 1850 – Mar, 1852 | |
| Everts, Snell & Co. (John A Snell) | Mar, 1852 – Jul, 1854 | |
| F. D. Everts & Co. (Henry Everts) | Jul, 1854 – Feb, 1855 | |
| Sold to Adams/Reclaimed | Feb, 1855 – Mar, 1855 | |
| Everts (after Adams, with Henry Everts) | Mar, 1855 – May 10, 1855 | |
| Everts, Davis & Co. (Guyan Irvin Davis, et.al.) | May 10, 1855 – Jul, 1856 | |
| Everts, Hannon, Wilson & Co. (M. W. Hannon, et.al.) | Jul, 1856 – Sep, 1856 | |
| Everts, Wilson & Co. (James. St. Clair Wilson, et.al.) | Sep, 1856 – Sep, 1862 |
Western Expresses
Everts & Co. Express – 1850 to Mar, 1852
Forwarded by Everts & Co’s Express from Nelson Creek to Marysville; by post office Marysville Cal Aug 26 (1851) postmark and 5 rate marking to San Francisco. Enclosed letter from semi-literate writer datelined Nelsons Krick the 10th of August, 1851, transcribed below (sic).
Dear Sir,
I got the opportunity to find your direktion of Mr. Turner from his claim and I am now keep the Ameriken Ranch. I cam here bi Land and are in good Helt. I wish you wod send me few word and if you have any thing to imploi at and wath you are doing, you can depende on me now as you have don before. Do not forget to give me your direktion and some interesting news for me and I schall be with you as soon as Posible, Send one letter to Sacramento and one to Nelsons Krick
Better yours
Obedient servent [servant] M. Rudolph Lundblad [?]
Western Expresses
Everts & Co. Express – 1850 to Mar, 1852
(Albion, Michigan origin). Very light pencil notation Sept 26, 1851 indicates the PAID marking with “6” manuscript prepays the rate in effect Jul 1, 1851 for distances >3000 miles. Forwarded by Everts & Cos Express from Sacramento to the mines in Brownsville with pencil notations $1.50 express rate and Bl, Everts’ directive for Brownsville.
Albion, Mich Jul 15 (1852) PAID 6 to Sacramento; by Everts & Cos Express Feather River to Brownsville, per Everts’ BrV and 1.25 express directive and rate notations in pencil. Light pencil “1852” below Albion postmark, perhaps dated when contents were still present. Used during the Everts, Snell & Co. period.
Western Expresses
Everts, Snell & Company – Mar, 1852 to Jul, 1854
Dalton O. Aug 6 (1852) with 10 (unpaid) rate marking to Sacramento City; by Evert Snell & Cos. Feather River to Lexington House (near Downieville) with Everts Snell’s Lex and 1.25 express directive and rate notations in pencil.
Columbus Ohio Oct 14 (1852) with PAID 6 rate marking to Sacramento; by Evert Snell & Cos. Feather River to Spanish Flat with Everts Snell’s S.F.and 1.50 express directive and rate notations in pencil. The Evert (error spelling) Snell handstamp was used into March 1853, when it was replaced with the corrected Everts Snell marking.
Western Expresses
Everts, Snell & Company – Mar, 1852 to Jul, 1854
Auburn N.Y. Aug 3 (1853) with Paid 6 in circle indicating prepayment of postage to Sacramento City; by Everts Snell & Cos Express Feather River with pencil 6c GD 1.50 indicating $1.50 express fee due by addressee at Gibsonville Diggings. Pencil docketing Rec’d Gibsonville Sept 26th 1853 dates this cover. Gibsonville was on a ridge between the South Fork of the Feather River and the North Fork of the Yuba River.
By Everts Snell & Cos. Express Feather River from Marysville to Bidwells Bar with express rate notation of 25 cents. C. B. Macy, sender of this letter, was Adams agent in Marysville. Docketing on verso indicates Apr 1, 1854 receipt, during the F. D. Everts & Co. period of operation.
Western Expresses
Everts, Snell & Company – Mar, 1852 to Jul, 1854
By Everts, Snell & Co Express Gibsonville. to Marysville; entered the mails with red Marysville Cal. Mar 31 (1854) postmark and blue grid cancels tying two 3. 1851 issue adhesives to Terre Haute, Indiana. Gibsonville March 20th, 1854 dateline on miner’s letter transcribed, in part, below. The unique example of this marking.
…Father says that some of my letters are not post paid, I am sure I sent the money for the Postage – when I had no stamps…about a week ago a man got his leg broke by some dirt falling upon him whilst mining and two others (each) got their legs broke today, each one in different drifts, I should think so many accidents would make people more careful…here we cannot take a rocker and go out and make something every day as we could down on Feather River. I think I shall quit mining before long and go to Teaming or something else unless I have better luck than I have had lately…today a man had his leg amputated, he had got it broken about a month ago and the doctor bound it too tight and it mortified…Amory K. Blinn
Western Expresses
F. D. Everts & Co. – Jul, 1854 to Feb, 1855
By Everts & Co’s Express St. Louis Connecting with Adams & Co. from St. Louis to Marysville; by post office Marysville, Cal. Aug 31 (1854) with integral rate 10 to Connecticut. The only known example of this marking.
Western Expresses
F. D. Everts & Co. – Jul, 1854 to Feb, 1855
By Adams & Co’s Express Columbia Sept 8 (1854) with their PAID handstamp to Marysville; by Everts & Co’s Express Marysville Connecting with Adams & Co. from Marysville to “Junction of Nelson Creek & Feather River”. Carried privately by Adams and Everts, showing their relationship.
Adams carriage in red from Columbia to Marysville; Everts in blue from Marysville to Nelson Creek.
Western Expresses
F. D. Everts & Co. – Jul, 1854 to Feb, 1855
By Adams & Co. San Francisco Nov 9 (1854) to Marysville; exchanged with Everts & Co. for delivery to Bidwell’s Bar with their Everts & Cos. Express Marysville Connecting with Adams & Co. handstamp known used in 1854-1855 (with “Connecting with Adams & Co.” removed after Adams & Co.’s failure on Feb 23, 1855). Express rate collect 25 (¢) at upper right.
Adams route to Marysville in blue and Everts & Co’s route to Bidwell’s Bar in red
Western Expresses
Everts/Adams – Feb, 1855 to Mar, 1855
Georgetown/Ky (early 1855) with two 3¢ 1851 adhesives prepaying 6¢ postage to Marysville; by Everts & Cos Express Marysville Connecting with Adams & Co with initial express fee of Coll 25¢ changed to Coll 100¢ upon redirection to “Opposite Mouth Nelson Creek, Plumas Co”. Nelson Creek flows into the Middle Fork of the Feather River, near Quincy. Prepaid rate of 6¢ in effect Jul 1, 1851 to Apr 1, 1855 when it was increased to 10¢.
Georgetown/Ky Apr 12 (1855) with pair of 3¢ 1851 adhesives pen canceled; however, the prepaid rate for distances >3000 miles changed from 6¢ to 10¢ on Apr 1, 1855. Apparently, the postmaster at Georgetown realized this after Apr 12, held the letter in his office until the sender returned on Apr 14, collected an additional 4¢, marked it PAID 4, and sent it on to Marysville. From Marysville by Everts & Cos Express Marysville Connecting with (“Adams & Co” removed) for delivery “opposite mouth of Nelson Creek”.
Western Expresses
Everts/Adams – Feb, 1855 to Mar, 1855
By Everts & Co.’s Express Gibsonville (“Connecting with Adams & Co.” removed) to Marysville; by post office with Marysville, Cal. Apr 14 PAID by Stamps to New York. Underpaid use of 6¢ rate, as the >3000 mile rate had increased to 10¢ effective Apr 1, 1855. Enclosed letter datelined Gibsonville, March the 27th, 1855 transcribed, in part, below.
…I sent Cyrus a draft on Adams & Co. New York for fifty dollars and about one week after they failed in this state, but I don’t see any account of their failing in the Atlantic States so I shall live in hopes that he will get that till I hear to the contrary…Horatio T. C. Waters
Western Expresses
Everts/Adams – Feb, 1855 to Mar, 1855
By Everts & Cos. Express Forbestown Connecting with (“Adams” removed) & Co. to Marysville; exchanged with Pacific Express Co, Marysville Jan 29 (1856) to Sacramento. Docket at left Rec’d Sacramento Jan 30, 1856, well after Everts/Adams, and Everts return to sole operation, and into the Everts, Davis, & Co. period which began May 10, 1855. Letter datelined New York Flat transcribed, in part, below.
Guy F. Seely
Western Expresses
Everts, Davis & Cos. Express – May 10, 1855 to Jul, 1856
F. D. Everts & Co. changed to Everts, Davis & Co. in May, 1855 and used Rabbit Creek or Rabbit Town (name changed to LaPorte in Oct, 1857) as their center of operations. The partners in this business were Frank D. Everts, Henry C. Everts, Guyan Irvin Davis, James St. Clair Wilson, and M. W. Hannon. During this period, the express served the Gibsonville Ridge region and the area north of the North Fork of the Yuba River and south of the North Fork of the Feather River. They connected at first with Pacific Express in Marysville and later, it is believed, with Wells Fargo.
By Everts, Davis & Co’s. Express Marysville with PAID in circle to Pine Grove House. Pine Grove was located between St. Louis and Howland Flat at the base of Sugar Loaf Mountain, and existed from 1852 to 1867.
Everts, Davis & Co. Express ad from the Aug 9, 1855 Marysville Herald
Western Expresses
Everts, Davis & Cos. Express – May 10, 1855 to Jul, 1856
By Pacific Express Co. Sacramento Oct 31 (ca1855) to Marysville, exchanged with Everts, Davis & Co’s. Express Marysville for delivery to Bidwell’s Bar.
First Everts, Davis & Co. ad in the Oroville Butte Record, Dec 15, 1855
Western Expresses
Everts, Davis & Cos. Express – May 10, 1855 to Jul, 1856
By Everts, Davis & Cos. Express Nelson Creek to Marysville; by post office from Marysville, Cal. Paid by Stamps Sep 5 (1855) to Montrose, Pa. Enclosed letter datelined Mountain House No.2 Aug 1st, 1855 transcribed below:
Dear Brother & Sister,
You may be surprised to hear that we are in California, but such is the case. We are keeping the mountain house No.2 90 miles from Marysville. We have been here 5 weeks came down on horseback (eight hundred miles). Marcus rode by himself on a little Indian pony, the trip just suited him. We were 5 weeks coming down had no sickness. I have not time to tell you much about our journey nor anything else. McCoy’s folks are well they had sold out before we got here and will start back for Iowa in a few weeks. They sold for seven thousand dollars. I do not know how much they made while on the ranch. You must excuse this short letter for I really have not time. Do not forget your mountaineer friends. Write quick. Our love to all. Yours in great haste.
Mary, Philander and Marcus
Horace, Augusta, Children, & friends in general
PS direct your letters to Marysville, California
McCoy’s folks will come and see you if they can
Western Expresses
Everts, Davis & Cos. Express – May 10, 1855 to Jul, 1856
By Everts, Davis & Co’s Express Saint Louis with their PAID handstamp to Rabbit Creek (later Rabbit Town, then LaPorte).
By Everts, Davis & Co. PAID Daily Express to Marysville, with manuscript notation “to M.V.” (to Marysville) after the PAID designation in the printed frank, and “to collect in S. F. 25 cts”; by either Pacific Express or Wells Fargo from Marysville to San Francisco.
Western Expresses
Everts, Hannon & Wilson & Co. – Jul, 1856 to Sep, 1856
By Everts, Hannon, Wilson & Co. Daily Express franked envelope with Everts, Davis & Cos. Express St. Louis Aug 11 (1856) to Yuba City. One of the few Everts, Hannon, Wilson & Co. franks that can be proven used during the period of that partnership’s existence.
Everts, Wilson & Co’s Express office in St. Louis, California (ca1857)
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
W.Hannon left the former partnership after only about two months, after which Frank Darwin Everts, James St. Clair Wilson, and Henry Everts formed Everts, Wilson & Co. They operated daily from Rabbit Town (which became La Porte in Oct, 1857) and served the same areas as the predecessor companies. They operated to and from Marysville and connecting with Pacific Express until 1857 and with Wells Fargo thereafter. They also maintained connections with other express companies, as well as depositing letters into post offices. Everts, Wilson & Co. had primary offices at Marysville, Rabbit Town or La Porte, Gibsonville, Saint Louis and Nelson Creek. On Sep 1,1862 the routes and possibly all of the express business were sold to Holland, Morley & Company.
By Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express Pine Grove with their Paid handstamp to San Francisco. Although not marked as such, this cover was in all probability exchanged with Wells Fargo at Marysville for delivery to San Francisco, as Everts, Wilson & Co. did not carry all the way to San Francisco.
Pine Grove House (1867) – by this time, virtually all the pine trees had been cut for mining use.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
By Everts, Wilson & Co’s Express. PAID. frank with defunct Everts, Davis & Co’s. Express Forbestown Nov 2 handstamp to Oroville. The Evert-Davis partnership ended in Aug, 1856 with Everts-Wilson partnering beginning in Sep, 1856 making this express usage, in all likelihood, from 1856. Type 1 printed frank.
By Everts, Wilson & Co’s Express. PAID. frank to Oroville. Same type printed frank as other cover on this page, except on white government stamped envelope.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
PAID Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express. in their franked envelope to Forest City. This is the scarcer Type 8a printed frank with comma after “Everts”.
PAID Everts Wilson & Co. Daily Express. in their Type 8 franked envelope to Marysville; exchanged with Wells Fargo & Co May 24 Marysville to Nevada, California. Manuscript notation Received Nevada May 24 from Langtons Express properly sealed Rufus Shoemerke Clk. No indication of carriage by Langtons other than the notation. Double 3¢ rate as the enclosure was a deposition. Likely 1858 or 1859 usage.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
PAID Everts Wilson & Co. Daily Express. to Gibsonville; by post office from Gibsonville, Cal Feb 28 (ca 1858) to Mobile, Alabama where it was Advertised.
PAID Everts Wilson & Co. Daily Express. to Strawberry Valley; by post office from Strawberry Valley Cala. May 18 (ca 1858) to Meadville, Pennsylvania.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
PAID. Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Daily Express. to LaPorte; by post office from La Porte, Cal Nov 10, 1859 to Meadville, Pennsylvania. One of four known examples of this Type 6c printed frank.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
PAID. Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Daily Express. to Strawberry Valley; by post office from Strawberry Valley Cal. Mar 23 (ca 1859) to Mobile, Alabama. Unlisted variety of the Strawberry Valley postmark; Thomas Type 6 frank.
PAID. Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Daily Express. Overland Via Los Angeles to Marysville; by post office from Marysville Cal. PAID By Stamps Nov 4 (ca 1859) to Newport, Kentucky. Thomas Type 6a printed frank.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
PAID Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Daily Express. to Marysville; by Wells, Fargo & Co. Marysville Feb 11 (1860) to San Francisco. Docketed at left February 9/60. One of ~5 known examples of this Type 6b printed frank.
PAID. Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express. with Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Express La Porte handstamp from La Porte to Quincy. The unique example of this Type 7b printed frank.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
By Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Daily Express. PAID. to Quincy (ca 1860). One of four known examples of this Type 2a printed frank.
PAID Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express. to Marysville; by Wells, Fargo & Co. Maryville Jan 18 (ca 1860) to San Francisco. Although in poor condition, the unique example of this Type 8b printed frank.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
By Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Express. PAID. to Oroville (ca 1860). One of four known examples of this Type 3 printed frank, one of which is in Wiltsee.
By Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Express La Porte to Quincy. Answd March 8, 1862 docketing at left. Very late Everts, Wilson usage, within months of being sold to Holland, Morley & Co.
Western Expresses
Everts, Wilson & Co. Daily Express – Sep, 1856 to Sep, 1862
By Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Express PAID to Gibsonville; by post office Gibsonville Cal Apr 30 to Quincy. The only recorded example of this Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Type 4 printed frank.
PAID. Everts, Wilson & Co.’s Daily Express. to LaPorte; by Holland, Morley & Co’s Express La Porte, Cal. to Marysville; by Wells Fargo & Co.’s Express from Marysville to San Francisco. A rare Type 7 Everts, Wilson printed frank, used very late in the Everts Wilson period, or after the sale to Holland, Morley & Co. as a leftover printed frank. Likely late 1862 usage.
Western Expresses Alphabetically