Here is yet another peek into my collection I hope you will enjoy as much as I do.  Unfortunately there are condition issues with this letter, such as tears and staining, but I am still happy with it as is.

This Stampless Cover bearing a blue 30mm diameter Geneva NY CDS dated March 4th (1846), a blue “PAID” auxiliary mark, as well as a blue “10” cent Postage Letter Rate.  This Stampless Cover was sent by an R. Whiting from Geneva NY to William Bard Esquire of Port NY on March 4^th, 1846.

The content of this correspondence is business related, referring to monetary sums in transaction.  All written upon a single page of parchment.

At the time (1846) this correspondence was sent, the Letter Rates (established on July 1^st, 1845) was 5 cents for distances not more than 300 miles, and 10 cents for more than this.

In 1846, the distance between Geneva, New York, and Port New York (Lower Manhattan) was about 130 miles by water via the Erie Canal and Hudson River, according to the 1846 Mitchell “New Map of New York” which marked steamboat route distances.

Geneva NY was a major port on the Genesee River, connected to the Erie Canal at Lockport.  While Port New York referred to the harbor area in Lower Manhattan, the main entry point for ships from the Hudson River.

The most direct 1846 route was by steamboat: Travel up the Erie Canal from Geneva to Lockport (about 10 miles).  Continue by canal to Buffalo (about 140 miles from Geneva).  From Buffalo, follow the Niagara River and Lake Erie to the Hudson River at Albany, then down the Hudson to New York City.  However, the Mitchell map’s “steamboat distances” show a more direct water route via the Erie Canal and Hudson, which in 1846 was roughly 130 miles from Geneva to Port New York.

Why does this matter?  This distance reflects the transportation reality of 1846, when railroads were still limited in the region and waterways were the primary long-distance transport. The Erie Canal, completed in 1825, was the key link between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic, and steamboats could cover the 130 miles in a day or two depending on conditions.

To summarize, in 1846, Geneva, NY, to Port New York was about 130 miles by water via the Erie Canal and Hudson River, as shown on the Mitchell 1846 map 

The overland distance from Geneva, New York, to Port New York (Lower Manhattan) was roughly 130–140 miles by the most direct stagecoach route, according to Samuel Augustus Mitchell’s 1846 New Map of New York and contemporary travel data.

In 1846, Geneva was a major stagecoach hub on the Erie Canal, and Port New York (the port in Manhattan) was reached via the Hudson River or by land through the city.

The most direct overland route in 1846 would have been: Geneva, NY along the Erie Canal to Albany via the Hudson River route or inland roads to New York City.

This path followed the canal and then the Hudson River corridor, which was the standard stagecoach and freight route.

Mitchell’s map lists distances between key points along these routes.  Using the 1846 scale and the recorded segment distances (Geneva–Albany ≈ 100 miles, Albany–New York City ≈ 30–40 miles), the total overland distance is about 130–140 miles.

In 1846, stagecoaches averaged 20–25 miles per day overland, so the trip would have taken about 6–7 days by horse-drawn stagecoach, depending on stops and conditions.

Why does this matter?  This distance reflects the transportation network of the mid‑19th century, where the Erie Canal and Hudson River route were the primary overland and waterborne links between the Finger Lakes region and New York City.  The 1846 map is a primary source for reconstructing these distances, as modern road maps do not reflect the 19th‑century route.

To summarize, in 1846, the overland distance from Geneva, NY, to Port New York was about 130–140 miles by the main stagecoach route, based on Mitchell’s 1846 map and historical travel data.

So why was “10” cents charged as the Postage Letter Rate, since the distance was well under the 300 miles rate differential?  If someone can enlighten me on this quandary, I would greatly appreciate it.

The destination of “Port New York” at the time of 1846 for this Letter also proves interesting for Postal Historians.

It was the main harbor and customs entry point for ships arriving in New York City, which was then the capital of New York State and the largest port in the United States.  It was not a single building but the entire harbor area in Lower Manhattan, including the South Street Harbor and surrounding waterfront, where vessels docked for customs inspection, loading/unloading, and passenger embarkation.

The port was in New York City, in New York County (now Manhattan), on the East River and Hudson River waterfront.

In 1846, the city’s boundaries included what is now Manhattan, parts of the Bronx, and some of Brooklyn, but the port itself was centered in Lower Manhattan.  It functioned as the official port of entry for all ships arriving in New York.

At the time there was no Ellis Island as yet (built 1892).  Immigrants and passengers were processed at customs houses and wharves in Lower Manhattan, often near South Street and the South Street Harbor.

In summary, Port New York was the main harbor and customs area in Lower Manhattan, New York City, serving as the official entry point for ships and passengers.  It was located in New York County on the East River, and all official immigration and customs records for that year refer to this harbor as the “Port of New York”.

Now let us discuss the recipient of this correspondence:  William Bard Esquire…

He was born on April 4, 1778 in Philadelphia to Dr. Samuel Bard, a noted doctor in Manhattan and president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons.  Both Dr. Samuel Bard and his father Dr. John Bard were personal friends of George Washington.

William graduated from Columbia College, New York, in 1798 and began the study of law under Judge Maturin Livington.  He married Catharine Cruger on October 7, 1802 in Trinity Church, Manhattan and they took up residence in Hyde Park, New York.  William’s father had turned over to his son a large estate in that area and together with a large fortune that his wife received from her grandmother, Madame du Nully of San Croix, West Indies, they were independently wealthy.

About 1826 the Bards sold their dwelling place and estate in Hyde Park to Dr. David Hosack and moved to New York City, then consisting of only Manhattan, and then to Staten Island.  He was urged to take the position of president of Columbia College but declined the offer.  He later founded the New York Life Insurance and Trust Company and was its first president.  He was the first of his family to reside on Staten Island and purchased a large piece of property and built a house in West New Brighton, on the north shore of the island, at Bard Ave. (which was named for him) and Delafield Place.

He was very religious and was a senior warden at St. James’ Church, Hyde Park and later devoutly attended Trinity Church in Manhattan.  His death came October 17, 1853 at his home on Staten Island and his remains lie in the family vault in St. Mark’s Churchyard on the Bowery.  His widow, Catherine, passed away October 14, 1868, on Staten Island, and is also buried there.

For more about William Bard himself as well as his relations, refer to this link…

William Bard – Wikipedia

As for information pertaining to the sender of this correspondence, I had no luck whatsoever.  My apologies.

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my collection, and hope someone can explain to me the reasoning behind the Postage Rate quandary I presented above.