Lot
1 
[Indians - Cherokee Nation] Cantonment Gibson, Ar., Jul 7, excellent strike of black cds and matching "Free" handstamp on neat 1842 folded letter to the Adjutant General of the U.S. Army in Washington D.C., endorsed "On Pub. Service", the letter is datelined "Head Qt. 1st Regt Dragoons/Camp at Fort Gibson, July 4th '42" and reads "In compliance with instructions from the commg. General of the 2nd Dept., I shall leave here this day to resume command of the Post of Fort Leavenworth" and signed by Col. S. W. Kearny; Extremely Fine, ex-Bleuler. Estimate $750 - 1,000.
AN INTERESTING HISTORICAL LETTER FROM CHEROKEE NATION WITH THIS RARE CANTONMENT GIBSON MARKING.
Cantonment (Fort) Gibson was located on land within the Cherokee Nation, adjacent to the western border of Arkansas. Because it was in unorganized territory it bears the letters "AR" at the base of the townmark, having been assigned to Arkansas for administrative purposes.
Col. S. W. Kearny, for which Fort Kearny, Nebraska was named and who was known in his time as the "Father of the Calvary". He marched against the Cherokees in 1839 with ten companies of dragoons, the largest mounted force ever assembled. He was later named the military Governor of California after the Mexican-American war.
Realized: $1,600
Lot
2
[Indians - Cherokee Nation] "Dwight Mission Cherokee Nation / 8th May 1839", dateline on folded letter that entered mails with manuscript "Kidron Ark., May 9" postmark and matching "25" rating, addressed to Coleman Younger in Liberty Mo., who was the uncle and namesake of outlaw Cole Younger, the letter from G.W. Yocum is about horse racing at the Mission and the buying and selling of race horses there, Very Fine, ex-Blueler. Estimate $300 - 400.
Dwight Mission, located on Sallisaw Creek in Vian, Oklahoma, was built in Arkansas Territory for the Old Settler Cherokees in 1820. When the Old Settlers moved to Indian Territory in 1828, it was rebuilt within their new tribal boundaries. The Mission opened in May 1829 and the Mission school started taking students in May 1830. Named in honor of the Reverend Timothy Dwight of Yale University, Dwight Mission was the first school in the State of Oklahoma.
Realized: $425
Lot
3
[Indians - Cherokee Nation] "New Echota Ga, Feb 4", lengthy folded letter from Rev. Samuel Worcester to his brother Samuel Chandler in Bedford, New Hampshire, datelined "New Echota; Cherokee Nation, February 1, 1833", trace of edge wear, Very Fine and choice, ex-Chase, Bleuler. Estimate $5,000 - 7,500.
DR. CHASE'S NOTE ON THE REVERSE READS "THE ONLY RECORDED COVER FROM CHEROKEE NATION (OF WHICH NEW ECHOTA WAS THE CAPITAL) IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA BEFORE THE CHEROKEES WERE MOVED WEST/FULLY DATED COVER - AN EXTREME RARITY".
Reverend Worcester was a missionary of the American Board (Congregational-Presbyterian) and was an advocate of the Cherokees in Georgia starting in 1825. He starts this letter with "…you will learn, perhaps to your surprise, that I am no longer in prison", as he was heavily persecuted for his stand with the Cherokees and eventually moved to the Indian Territory when the Cherokees were removed from Georgia over the "The Trail of Tears".
Lot
4
[Indians - Cherokee Nation] "Park Hill, C.N., Jany 23rd / 47", manuscript postmark with matching "5" rating on folded cover to Bates Prairie, Cherokee Nation, addressed to Daniel McCoy who is believed to be one of the many sons of Isaac McCoy; wear and staining, Fine and rare use. Estimate $200 - 300.
Lot
5
[Indians - Chickasaw Nation] "Fort Washita C.N., June 28th 1852", manuscript postmark on blue folded cover bearing 1851, 3¢ orange brown tied by matching manuscript "X", addressed to Mission House, N.Y.; file fold affects 3¢, F.-V.F. Estimate $300 - 400.
Fort Washita was in Chickasaw Nation and established in 1844 in what is now Bryan County, Oklahoma. It was built to protect the citizens of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations from the Plains Indians. The Fort was later abandoned at the start of the Civil War by Federal troops.
Realized: $500
Lot
6
[Indians - Choctaw Nation] "Cantonment Towson A.T., Feb. 13th 1828", dateline on letter from Lieut. J. Caale to Brig. Gen. G. Gibson, Commissary General of Substance in Washington D.C., Very Fine, This is the earliest recorded letter from Cantonment Towson. Estimate $300 - 400.
Fort Towson was established in May 1824 at the south-eastern edge of present day Oklahoma, six miles north of the Red River. Throughout the fort's existence this was in unorganized territory. The original designation was "Cantonment", but this was changed to "Fort" on February 8, 1832. In 1829, the garrison was transferred to Fort Jessup and Cantonment Towson was abandoned. It was rebuilt on the same site in 1831 with the main mission to protect the Choctaws from the wild plains Indians. A post office was opened there on September 7, 1832. The post office was closed and moved to Doaksville (about a mile away) on November 11, 1847. Doaksville later became the capital of Choctaw Nation.
Realized: $230
Lot
7
[Indians - Choctaw Nation] "Eagletown Ark, July 12th / 60", manuscript postmark on cover addressed to Col. P.P. Pitchlynn in Washington D.C. during one of his many trips there as a representative of the Choctaw Nation, bearing manuscript canceled 1857, 3¢ dull red; flap replaced and reduced slightly at left, still Very Fine, a very rare Indian Territory usage from Choctaw Nation., ex-Bleuler. Estimate $400 - 600.
Eagletown, in the Choctaw Reservation, had its own post office. Since it was in unorganized territory it was attached to the adjacent State of Arkansas for administrative purposes. Consequently, it bore the "Ark" designation in it townmark.
Realized: $375
Lot
8
[Indians - Choctaw Nation] "Fort Coffee, Choctaw Nation West, 1st July 1834", dateline on folded letter to Chicopee Factory, Mass., entered mails at the nearest post office with manuscript "Fort Smith A.T., July 4th" postmark and matching "25" rate marking, the letter is an order for four regulation swords for the four officers that signed this letter; some fold splitting, Very Fine, ex-Chase, Bleuler. Estimate $1,000 - 1,500.
THIS IS THE EARLIEST RECORDED LETTER OUT OF THIS SHORT-LIVED CHOCTAW NATION POST THAT WAS ABANDONED IN 1838.
It was decided that a military post should be located closer to the Indian lands than Fort Smith. Work started on Fort Coffee on April 22, 1834 and the 7th Infantry moved up from Fort Smith to occupy the new fort on June 16th, this letter was written only two weeks later, long before a post office was established at Fort Coffee on April 22, 1835.
Realized: $500
Lot
9
[Indians - Choctaw Nation] Fort Towson, Indian Territory To Boston, Mass., Forwarded To Milton, 1837 (Oct. 2), "Fort Towson Oct 2d 1837" dateline on folded letter with manuscript "Paid 25" rating, from Lt. Col. Josiah H. Voss who was active in the transfer of Indians, to his sister in Boston, forwarded at Boston with red cds and manuscript "6" rating to Milton, contents of a family nature; minor edge tear, Fine. Estimate $200 - 300.
Realized: $290
Lot
10
[Indians - Choctaw Nation] Fort Towson, Ark. Nov 3, clear strike of cds with manuscript "10" rating and "O.P.S." endorsement on blue 1845 folded letter to General Towson, Paymaster General of the U.S. Army in Washington D.C., the letter from 2nd Lieut. requesting the General to turn over his pay for one month to a doctor in New Orleans; light folds, Very Fine and choice, ex-Bleuler. Estimate $400 - 600.
Fort Towson was named for the addressee, General N. Towson, who was the Paymaster General of the U.S. Army.
Realized: $375