1754

La Plata, Churchill Co. Covers and Correspondence, 1860's 108030

Currency:USD Category:Stamps / US Postal History Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
La Plata, Churchill Co. Covers and Correspondence, 1860's  108030
SOLD
1,700.00USD+ (425.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2019 Oct 04 @ 17:02UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Sixteen covers and/or correspondence (approximately 14 letters) between brother and sister, J. E. Pierce and sister Katie Childs in Genoa, Nevada, c1864-1866; and a CDV of Katie Childs and her Gold Rush era gold buckle from a San Francisco jeweler. The letters start with a cover mailed from Stillwater, Nev (Terr) in July, 1864. The first letter is from LA Plata Sept 14, 1864. The La Plata correspondence continues through June 7, 1866 with a short break in 1865 when J. E. Pierce went to Suisun on two short visits. Six letters from La Plata have some information on the city, mines and the upcoming mills, which were not completed as of his last letter. Pierce was apparently the County recorder and Post Master at La Plata, as mentioned in one letter. Pierce mentions that he expects two mills to be completed shortly, one by a New York Company and the other by a Connecticut company. In February 1866 he mentions that one of the mills started. A month later, he mentions he has no deputy and infers he has to do all the work. Apparently disillusioned by La Plata, Pierce heads to California, first to Jackson, then up to the Placerville area, sticking to El Dorado County gold camps such as Long Canyon (4 mi west of Georgetown) and Sportsman Hall. During the process, he gets ripped off by a Calaveras mining man, making the comment: "sick and disgusted with human nature..." Pierce prospects his way through El Dorado country, particularly at a gravel bar on the South Fork of the American River near Placerville. The correspondence reflects a family who is mostly in Nevada and surrounds. Uncle Mott died in Carson Valley. Other relatives are mentioned. The gold buckle is from L. Cummings , California Jewelry Co., 1868. Also comes with hallmarked gold 15 ct (yes!) ring (625 f) with garnet colored stones (chips). La Plata was founded in 1862 and shortly after became the Churchill County seat. By 1868, everybody had left, reportedly for Treasure Hill. The covers here are remarkable, with manuscript cancellations for La Plata, Stillwater and Sportsmans Hall (El Dorado Co., Cal). An early printed La Plata in red is also present. Little is left of La Plata today. there are stone ruins of the mill that housed the county seat Pierce worked at, and flat spots where the cabins were, but no appreciable ore was ever mined. Here's some more fun stuff: The La Plata printed cancel is completely unknown, unlisted in Gammett. The Manuscript cancels here are rated at R9 (2 known), and several are earlier than the 2 known from March 1866. The Stillwater MS cover predates the only one known by a year, and is rated R10. City: La Plata State: Nevada Date: