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c. 1850-1860 Postmasters Circular Postal Cancel Stamp for SANDGATE, VERMONT

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:220.00 USD Estimated At:350.00 - 450.00 USD
c. 1850-1860 Postmasters Circular Postal Cancel Stamp for SANDGATE, VERMONT
Post-Revolutionary War to Civil War
Postmaster’s Postal Cancel Stamp for SANDGATE, VT.
c. 1850-1860 Civil War Era, Postmaster’s Special Circular Postal Cancel Stamp for “SANDGATE, VT” a rare small Vermont Post Office, Complete, fully intact with its Original Wooden Handle, Changeable month and date inserts, Extremely Fine.
Founded in 1761, SANDGATE, BENNINGTON COUNTY, VERMONT lies in the western part of Bennington County. This County forms the southwest corner of the State of Vermont and comprises 17 townships. Sandgate is bounded west by New York State, south by the Town of Arlington, east by the Town of Manchester, and north by the Town of Rupert. Sandgate's postal service was established in 1828. Mail route contract No. 456 (1823-33) was let to Phineas Longworthy of Greenwich, New York, to carry the mail from Greenwich, New York, (via Battenville, Jackson, and Sandgate) to Arlington, Vermont. [The mode of transportation is not known, but it was undoubtedly by "Pony Express," for Miss Vivian Smith can recall her great-aunt, Ann Peck, and great-uncle, Smith Peck, talking about the "Pony Express," as well as the stage that later carried the mail and passengers, passing through West Sandgate, the Notch, and Sandgate, to Arlington.]

Postal service was established on November 24, 1828; discontinued on February 27, 1894; reestablished on August 8, 1894; discontinued on July 15, 1905. The reason for discontinuance in 1894 is not known. The Postmasters of this vintage era use included: Horace Hurd - September 23, 1852; Nelson T. Coan -September 16, 1853; Nathan T. Hurd - April 13, 1861 and Robert M. Provan - May 20, 1864. This circular Postal Stamp is vintage to the period and undoubtedly rare. A wonderful Vermont and Philatelic Postal history item.
The Hampshire Grants of 1761, granted by King George III and the Province of New Hampshire, by Royal Order gave the hunting rights in those grants to the Indians. The Iroquois Indians at the Caughnawaga and Oka Reservations in Canada still demand payment for rights of hunting in the Hampshire Grants, of which the town of Sandgate was one.

There have been several versions of how the name of Sandgate was derived, one being that gates were set in the "sand" at the Notch from Sandgate to West Sandgate. Actually, the name "Sandgate" given to the town in the Charter was probably taken from a town in England.