Nelson Hammond had served as a Wells, Fargo & Co. agent in California, and upon the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, relocated to Reno, Nevada, where he entered into the livery stable business with John Wilson. The two men purchased the Pollard & Mitchell stables on Commercial Row in December of 1869. By 1873, they were running a stage line between Reno and Peavine. They established Hammond & Wilson’s Express in 1874, operating between Susanville, California and Reno, Nevada. They connected with Wells Fargo at Reno.

D. W. Harrier served the mining camps from Nevada City, Moore’s Flat to North Bloomfield. He operated from a base at Nevada City and connected with Wells Fargo there.

Harrison operated his California express is Siskiyou County between Susanville and Goose Lake in 1872.

J. Hawes and Co’s San Francisco & New York Express was formed by Joseph Hawes and Charles Lumbard on Dec 13, 1854. They advertised for the Vanderbilt Independent Line steamer Cortes that departed on Mar 25, 1855 (cover below carried on this trip). Their last ad appeared on September 4, 1855.

T. R. Hawley bought out his partners (D. Weld, Edward W. Tracy and William H. Tiffany) in Weld & Company Express in January, 1850 and formed Hawley & Co.’s Express. This early California express ran between San Francisco and Sacramento with a stop at Benicia. Adams Express acted as Hawley’s agent and expeditor in San Francisco. In Jun, 1850, Hawley purchased Angle & Company, adding John M. Freeman as a partner shortly thereafter. Service was expanded north to Marysville along the Yuba River. Freeman purchased the entire operation from his partner on Nov 11, 1850, changing the name to Freeman’s Express.

S. C. Haydon, a merchant in Petaluma, established his express to handle mail in Sonoma and Marin County towns north of San Francisco. The text on his printed frank reads: “Between Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Russian River, Heald’s Store, Godwin’s Rancho, Ray’s House, and The Geysers. Also, to Bodega, Tomales and San Rafael, connecting with the ‘Pacific’ (express) at Petaluma.”

Little is known about this express company, except for information from the lone surviving cover. From that cover, shown below, we can assume they operated in the East Bay (Hayward, formerly known as Haywood, is in Alameda County) and connected with Pacific Union Express Company, possibly in Oakland. The latter express company operated from Jul 1, 1868 to December 1869 when they were absorbed by Wells Fargo.

Samuel Hervey’s express ran from Nevada City into the surrounding area. It was most likely a single man feeder line into Nevada City from Red Dog and Dutch Flat.

Hinckley & Company’s Express was founded in 1860 by C.S. Hinckley and John Sowers. The express operated among the mining towns, via Denver City and Fort Kearney, to Omaha City, Nebraska Territory. The company was purchased by the Central Overland, California & Pike’s Peak Express Company on May 11, 1861.

J. W. Hoag, John Bamber, and Charles Gable purchased the Contra Costa Express from R. T. Lockwood in late 1855, adding W. F. Herre’s Contra Costa Express in 1856. John Bamber bought out his partners sometime around 1858 and began operating as Bamber’s Express.

Hoffman & Co’s express was founded by William M. Hoffman who first advertised a single express messenger returning from San Francisco to New York in Feb, 1850. Apparently he operated briefly carrying mail from Sacramento the mines. In Dec, 1850 he advertised with his brother as merchants in Sacramento selling miner’s supplies. The notice shown below lists over 500 letters remaining at Hoffman & Little’s Express, which can be found at Gregory’s Express office. By May 17, 1851, Hoffman and Little are listed as Gregory’s agents in Nevada City.

William Hogan operated from the Nation Hotel in North San Juan and ran his express from Cherokee, to Columbia Hill, Lake City and Humbug. Hogan & Company’s express was a feeder route for Wells Fargo & Company, connecting with them at North San Juan.

Ben Holladay started his overland express from Atchison, Kansas to Placerville, California in 1862. He extended his lines in 1864, going from Salt Lake City, Utah to Walla Walla, Washington, with branches into Idaho, Montana and Colorado. In the spring of 1866, he bought out Butterfield’s Overland Stage and Dispatch Company. Ben Holladay, “the stagecoach king”, sold out his empire to Wells, Fargo & Company on Nov 1, 1866.

The partnership of Morley & Caulkins dissolved in early 1862, at which time Homer B. Holland and George W. Morley formed their partnership. They purchased R. Francis’ Express in May of 1862, and Everts, Wilson & Company in September of that same year. Their principal offices were located at Marysville. They ran a daily service to Strawberry Valley, Saint Louis, Pine Grove, Howland Flat, Forbestown, Hanson Valley, Bangor, Gibsonville, Whisky Diggings, Port Wine and Poker Flat. They connected with Whiting & Company for a short period of time and, later, with Wells Fargo at Marysville. Morley sold his interest to Sam Wheeler in late 1862 at which time the express became Holland, Wheeler & Company.

George W. Morley sold his interest of Holland, Morley & Company to Sam Wheeler in late 1862. Holland & Wheeler operated over the same routes between La Porte and Marysville where they connected with Wells Fargo. From La Porte they serviced the Gibsonville Ridge and Feather River mining camps. Sam Wheeler is thought to have left the company in late 1863; Holland may have continued to operate alone.

Emerson Bennett Hopkinson purchased a route that ran from Nevada City into the Dutch Flat area with service to Little York, Red Dog (or Chalk Bluff), You Bet, and Walloupa. In late 1864, he sold the route to J. A. Stone, who turned the route back to Hopkinson in February, 1865. Hopkinson connected with Wells Fargo at Nevada City and Dutch Flat.

Dave Horn began operating an express in the 1874 between Fort Jones and Yreka, serving the mining area along the Scott River in northern California and connecting with Wells Fargo at both Yreka and Fort Jones. Horn sold out to F.L. Tickner in early 1877.

Alexander Hunter began his express business with an ad in the Sacramento Transcript on Mar 27, 1851. In April, he was listed as connecting with Palmer’s Express. By May, he had expanded his service out of Sacramento to both Placerville and Mormon Island, servicing most of the mining camps and river bars on the American River. Hunter connected with Gregory’s, and then later with Adams & Company. In 1854, facing increasing competition, he first sold offices to Adams and then, in June 1854, he sold his entire remaining operation to Wells Fargo & Co., becoming their agent in Placerville beginning July, 1854.