1844 Stampless Letter $7 Shelburne Gas Bonds Charles Kilborn to Alex Holland

This lot is an original 1844 stampless folded letter mailed on May 4, 1844. It started its journey at the O. Depot, New York. It was sent by Charles Kilborn to Alexander Holland, Treasurer of Union College in Schenectady, NY. The letter discusses a $7 payment for interest on Shelburne Gas Bonds. The town name, Shelburne, is partially cut off at the fold but matches known records of Shelburne, Massachusetts

The letter has a clear “O. Depot” postmark and “12½” cent postal rate, consistent with distances between New York and Massachusetts. It includes the full contents of the original folded cover and legible postal markings. The letter has historical and genealogical significance, highlighting Alexander Holland’s role at Union College and his later involvement in major American businesses like American Express and the Overland Mail Company. it is an authentic 1844 financial correspondence reflecting early American infrastructure and investment patterns.

Key Details:

• Date: May 4th, 1844
• To: Alexander Holland, Treasurer of Union College in Schenectady, NY
• From: Charles Kilborn
• Postmark: Handwritten O. Depot
• Rate Marking: handwritten 12½ cents, which was the standard U.S. postal rate in 1844 for a single sheet letter traveling a distance of 80–150 miles.
• Content: Charles tells Alexander that he has enclosed a draft of $7 for interest in Shelburne Gas Bonds.
• Size: 10″ tall by 7″ wide when fully opened, 3″ tall by 5″ wide when folded for mailing