| According to”Mekeel’s Complete Ctalogue” of 1895,p.446, two handstamps are known:
in four lines with truncated corners left and right
I) Inscription^enclosed in a shield^”Berford & Co.,Letter and Package Express,California.” Red on ordinary buff envelopes.
and Franklin Left uppercorner.
II) Three-line inscription:“BERFORD & CO’S;_PAID;_EXPRESS.“ in a large transverse double-lined oval, 49 x 32 m. Color black and blue ink on ordinary buff envelopes. Franklin Right, upper corner.
1) On ordinary envelopes. White 1853 – 3¢ red. 20t – in Coll
2) Black on 1853 – 3¢ red – buff – 3 – 5a E2 21a
” ” ” ” ” ” 3 – 5_E_15j
| Adv. Mch. 12, 1892 |
A CALIFORNIA PIONEER DEAD.
The Founder of the First Stage Line Passes Away
New York, March 12.–Richard George Berford, one of New York’s oldest citizens, died to-day of paralysis. In 1854 he founded the Pittsburg Chronicle. In 1842 he organized
the first horse express, carrying President Harrison’s message from Washington. In 1843 he had charge of the Adam’s Express Company’s first office west of Allegbeny mountains, carrying packages by stage or canal boats in iron-covered chests.
In 1849 he went to California and started the first stage line from San Francisco to San Jose and the first express to the mines in the north and south and to the Atlantic States. In 1851 Berford reduced the postage of letters from New York
to San Francisco from 40 to 3 cents. His age was 73 years.
|
Went out of business probably 1858Alta Expr. Con. with Berford & Co in 1857
At times con. with smaller expr. such as Anthony’s North Exp
With States: The B & Co franks from 1850-8 from 1850 to 1858 are of the rarest. |
III A single lined oval – 26 X 36 m – with three line inscription: “BERFORD & CO.S – CALIFORNIAN – EXPRESS.” Color back.
On plain white letter sheet – dated Feb’y 9,1853 |
