XI.
Stamp of the Millbury Postmaster.
In the collection of letters received by Col. Isaac Davis, of Worcester, Mass., now in the library of the American Antiquarian Society, were found, in 1884, two letters written and posted at Millbury, in August and December, 1846, postmarked with the ordinary dating stamp of Millbury, of the dates August 21st, and December 16th, respectively, and stamped with an adhesive stamp, cancelled with the word "PAID," in large capitals, partly on the letter and partly on the stamp. The earliest also bears a large "V," in an octagon frame, and the other a large numeral "5," in a circle. Col. Asa H. Waters, was postmaster of Millbury in 1846, having received his commission, dated January 2nd, 1836, from President Jackson, "Old Hickory," and retained the office until November, 1848, when he resigned and obtained the office for Henry Waterman, who had been his assistant. A third copy of the adhesive stamp is in the possession of Col. Waters, postmarked exactly as the first described specimen, but the date is July 18th. Both Col. Waters and Mr. Waterman state that the idea of the stamp was suggested by the reception of letters bearing the New York stamp, and that the stamp was printed in Boston, from a block cut in 1846. Neither gentleman has any data by which to fix more exactly the date of its issue.
MILLBURY POST OFFICE.
Issue of 1846.
Head of Washington, ¾ face to the right, on a colorless circular disk, 16½ mm. in diameter, shaded to left of the head, and part way in front by 4 diagonal lines, and bordered by a circular band, 2 mm. wide, edged outside and inside by a colored line. The band is inscribed above, "Post Office," below, "Paid 5 Cents," in colored block capitals, except "5 Cents," which is in script. There are three five-pointed stars irregularly formed on each side in the band. The outer circle is a little flat between T and O. The vertical diameter is ½ mm. longer than the horizontal.
Impression from wood block 22 by 22½ mm. in diameter, in black on smooth unsurfaced white paper.
5 cents, black.